The righteous man's hope at death consider'd and improv'd for the comfort of dying Christians, and the support of surviving relations : to which is added Death-bed reflections, &c. proper for a righteous man in his last sickness / by Samuel Doolittle ; this was the first sermon the author preacht after the death of his mother Mrs. Mary Doolittle, who deceased Decemb. 16. 1692. and is since enlarged.

THE Righteous Man's Hope AT DEATH; Consider'd, and Improv'd; For the Comfort of Dying Chri∣stians, and the Support of Survi∣ving Relations.

Proverbs 14. 32.

—But the Righteous hath hope in his Death.

DEath! with what a grim counte∣nance, and terrible aspect doth it look upon the Children of Men! What a sharp, and startling word is this! what a doleful sound does it make in the Ears of those who are yet alive! Death! the more we muse and me∣ditate upon it, the more doth it amaze and scare: A short glance, a fleeting

thought makes poor mortals tremble; a fixt and solemn, a deep, and serious medi∣tation fills with shivering horror. Death! how do the thoughts, and prospect of it damp our Joys, spoil our Mirth, imbitter our Life, and infuse Wormwood and Gall into our sweetest Cup! How do the near approaches of it cast us into cold clammy sweats and mortal tremblings! How doth every day (when we give our selves the liberty of thinking,) partake of the horror of our last! Death! what a serious, useful, and awakening Argument is this; and yet how seldom do busie mor∣tals entertain themselves with the thoughts of it! Every Corps that is car∣ried along the streets; every Coffin, and Death's-head we behold; every Funeral we attend; every Grave that is digg'd, with open mouth tells us we must die: We may read our own fate, on every Tomb-stone. Oh! how many, and what powerful Preachers have the Living; and how many Lectures of Mortality are dai∣ly read, and yet is there not need, that al∣most every Preacher, and every Sermon should mind us of what is sure, and near at hand; a dying hour? Death! what a mournful word! what a melancholy Theme is this! Dead! unwelcome mes∣sage! sad news! heavy tydings to the

surviving Relations! is he, or she dead? What! an old Friend, a loving Father, a tender Mother dead! doleful hour! dis∣mal spectacle! Dead! what do you now see? their charming Beauty marr'd; their Eyes closed, their Teeth set, their Countenance chang'd, and the Man turn'd into a lifeless, breathless Corps: Anon, you see him nailed up in a narrow, scanty Coffin, and after a few days, (when we have fed the sorrow of our hearts with the sight of our eyes;) we lodge them in a cold, and deep, dark, and silent Grave: And must we leave the delight of our hearts, the desire of our eyes, those whom Nature and Grace made dear to us, those whom we loved even as our own Souls; among an Army of crawling Worms, and among the cold Clods of the Valley? Must we see their faces, enjoy their company, and converse with them no more? no more! sad thought! no more! killing word! O Death! Death! what a cruel Enemy art thou to Mankind!

What dark and gloomy, what sad and melancholy thoughts are these; espe∣cially, when Death hath set a pattern of Mortality before our eyes, and we are but lately come from the HOUSE of MOURNING! upon such an occasion

David burst out into tears, and spoke in all the figures of a sorrowful Rhetorick; O my Son Absalom, my Son, my Son Absa∣lom; * 1.1 would God I had died for thee, O Ab∣salom, my Son, my Son! These Arrows of Death that kill one, wound the many, that are left behind, and the wound is so deep, that many times it proves mortal: They only live to weep, sigh, and groan, to bury their dead; and then they come home, and die too; and those that lived, are content to die together. Life! how sweet, pleasant, and delightful is it! Life! how amiable and desirable is it! with what earnestness, and passion is it courted by most! how willing are poor Mortals, to tear out their Bowels with Vomits; to punish the flesh, with fasting, and abstinence, and tie themselves up to the tedious, and troublesom prescriptions of Physitians! how willing are they to take the bitter Potion they loath; and how patient under the cutting of the Lance, and teeth of the ragged, and tor∣turing Saw! how willing are they to lose a dear Member, that Life might be pre∣served! Men stick at nothing to pre∣serve this dear thing we call LIFE. How chearfully do men die daily; that they may not die once for good and all! Life! how excessively fond are most of it! Life

gives us the opportunity of enjoying those pleasures, that are soft, and charming; but Death renders us uncapable of any, and who almost, doth not live in bondage thro' fear of it?

But tho' there are many great, and ter∣rible evils in this one frightful thing, DEATH; (yet thanks be to God) we Christians, are not left without some∣thing to mitigate, and allay our sorrow for the death of our godly Friends, and holy Relations, who are gone the way of all the Earth before us; and to fortifie, and arm us against a tormenting, and slavish fear of our own; who in a little time must fall asleep too. With a design to help my self, and others against both these; I have chosen these words to in∣sist on; But the Righteous hath hope in his death.

In handling of this Argument, which may contribute very much to the sup∣port of living, and comfort of dying Saints; I intend to proceed in this Me∣thod: I shall,

First, Open, and explain the Character of the person here spoken of; and who is to be the Subject of our present discourse.

Secondly, Consider what is here suppo∣sed, and taken for granted with reference to this Righteous man; and that is, he must die.

Thirdly, Consider and amplifie the priviledge of such an one; as having hope in his death.

Fourthly, Make some practical improve∣ment of the whole; in applying all to our selves; who are yet alive, but must cer∣tainly, and quickly, die.

First, I shall consider, and explain the cha∣racter of the Person, who is intended in these words, and who hath some priviledge beyond the rest of mankind. Here, is mention made of a very great benefit: and that none might think, it promiscuously be∣longs to all, the Holy-Ghost gives us the character of the Person concerned in it, [the Righteous] for opening and ex∣plaining the character I have not time, neither is it necessary to give an account of the several acceptations of the word, it is sufficient to take notice that this word [Righteousness] which peculiarly qualifies, and distinguishes the subject of our discourse, is frequently used in a two∣fold sense.

First; In a more limited and restrained sense: and so it is no more than a particular Vertue, which inclineth and disposeth a man to give to every one his right. When a man doth not by any little tricks, or cunning artifices, which the Wits of our Age call mysteries of Trade; go beyond, defraud,

over-reach, or wrong another he is Righ∣teous: this is a considerable branch of morality, a duty belonging to the Law of Nature, and hath its proper place among the duties of the second Table. Were this Virtue more common we might deal with our fellow Creatures, with more openness and freedom, with more plainness and less fear: we might trust another without surmise, suspicion, and jealousie. This vertue is famous and renowned, and that justly too, among Heathens; and would God there were more of it in the Christian World! Were all men just and upright, honest, sincere, and plain hearted in their commerce; as unwilling to impose upon, and wrong another, as they are loth to be deceiv'd and cheated themselves; did they manage their affairs without that Wisdom, or ra∣ther cunning Sophistry which is from be∣neath, * 1.2 and therefore is not only earthly and sensual; but Hellish and Devilish too, what a blessed World, and what an happy re∣formation should we see! But tho' this be good and laudable, and more of it is to be wisht for; yet it is but a particular Vertue, and tho' it adorn the man, it will not make, nor denominate him a Christian. It is only like the painting and garnishing of a Sepulchre, that makes

it indeed more specious, and beautiful; but leaves it as full of stench, and rotten∣ness as it was before. This is a Flower that grows in the Garden of Nature, and may spring up and flourish in that Heart, which is wholly barren as to any of the saving fruits of the Holy Spirit. There may be this fruit in the Life, when there is a root of bitterness in the Heart: such an * 1.3 one is like an embalmed Carcass, that is as really dead, as a putrified one tho' not so loathsome and offensive to the Liv∣ing.

This particular Righteousness will not legitimate our hopes, not justifie our claim to Heaven. Many of these Righteous Men will be excluded the Kingdom a∣bove: tho' they shine as Stars in this World, they shall set in everlasting dark∣ness in the next.

They serve at present like Salt, to keep the World from putrefying and corrupt∣ing; but at length like Salt which hath lost its savour, they shall be cast unto the Dunghil. Indeed this falls in with the character of a good man; but it doth not make up the whole of it. This Righte∣ousness that is at present under our consi∣deration, is more extensive and large, of a more Universal and comprehensive na∣ture: and that it must be so, appeareth

by what it stands in a just, and direct op∣position to in this verse [the Wicked:] this word doth not denote a Man guilty of one particular crime, or some sinful act; but a man that is habitually and statedly bad. Nothing more common and frequent in the Sacred Writings, than the opposition of righteous, and wicked, and both these terms, here, and in many other places must be taken in a large and comprehensive; and not in a limited and restrained sence. This Righteousness which is but a single, particular Vertue, is a part, and member of the new Creature, without which let men pretend what they will it is but a deformed Monster. Good God! how doth Satan impose upon, and our own Hearts deceive us, when we can conceit our selves to be good Christians, when we are not honest men! Tho' this be necessary, yet there must be something more to constitute the nature, and com∣pleat the character of a Righteous Man; and this single and solitary Vertue, is not sufficient to qualifie any for so high a pri∣viledge, as this in the Text. There∣fore,

Secondly, Righteousness must be taken in a more large and extensive sense; comprehen∣sive of much more than hath been spoken of under the former head. Now there is a

three-fold righteousness, which we may take notice of, that we may find out what is essential to characterize the Per∣son here spoken of.

I. A Person may be denominated righteous, from an exact and entire conformity to the Law of Works. Righteousness is a relative term, and doth arise from a conformity to that Law to which it hath a respect; and if it have relation, and be adaequate∣ly correspondent to the law of works, made for innocent man it is a legal righ∣teousness. When a man is inwardly and outwardly, in the frame of his Heart and actions of his Life; in his deportment to∣wards God, and in his carriage towards men, such as the Law requires, he is righ∣teous: when every thought, motion, and passion, every glance of the Eye, every word of the mouth, and every step he takes, is such as the Law requires; when the Divine Law in every point and puncti∣lio of it, is written in the Heart and fair∣ly, without any blots, and blurs, tran∣scribed in the Life; when every precept is obey'd, and every commandment ob∣serv'd in the whole latitude and extent of it; when obedience is entire without any defect; perfect without any flaw; Universal without breaking the least com∣mand; Persevering without any Aposta∣cy;

when all duties, personal and rela∣tive, publick and private, to God and Man, are performed; and no one cir∣cumstance, tho' never so minute is omit∣ted, then is the man righteous: he is so in himself, in the Eye of the Law, and in the Account of God. This Righte∣ousness is nothing but a perfect and sinless obedience. This was the righteousness of Innocent Adam. This is the righte∣ousness of confirmed Angels; those elder Brethren of ours who have always been with our Father, and never offended him, they can lift up their faces without spot; tho' * 1.4 to signifie how they are awed by, and reverence Divine Majesty, they are said to cover them with their Wings. This is * 1.5 the righteousness of our Redeemer; he is stiled emphatically the Holy one of God; and the Holy Child Jesus; and Jesus Christ * 1.6 the Righteous.

But this is not the righteousness of any of Adams wretched posterity. Behold We are all of us as an unclean thing: our blood was stained in the first fountain of * 1.7 it; and we derive (sad thought!) guilt and pollution with the humane Nature. We are guilty before we are born, and sinners as soon as we are men; for by the disobedience of one Man many were made sin∣ners. * 1.8 Now (deplorable state!) the whole

World is become guilty before God: the Law * 1.9 convinceth all of sin; among all the Chil∣dren of Apostate Adam in this sense, there is none righteous, no not one. Our original * 1.10 sin, were we guilty of no actual trans∣gressions; one spark of Lust glowing in our Hearts, did no smoak or flame break forth at our Mouths, renders us unrighte∣ous in the account of the Law; nay hav∣ing once sinned, it can never be possible to be denominated righteous by this Law, which condemns for one single crime, as well as for a thousand. Our whitest Gar∣ments have some spots and stains; and the fairest Christian many blemishes and wrinkles; our best duties have many failings, as to principle, manner, and end; our purest gold much dross, and our strong∣est Graces many defects; having a cor∣rupt nature within, every thing that com∣eth from us, like pure Water out of a musty Cask, is tainted: our persons, du∣ties, and graces, want the blood of Christ to wash; and the Mercy of God to par∣don them. If the holiest man upon Earth (Lord what will become of the ungodly and the sinner!) should be tried by the Law, in the Court, and at the Bar of Rigorous Justice, he would be cast as un∣righteous: He even he must say with Ho∣ly David, Lord enter not into judgment with * 1.11 thy Servant.

II. A man is Righteous as interested in the perfect Righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ. Christs Righteousness was not only for himself, but for his members; though this be inherent in the Person of the Media∣tor, yet we have as much benefit by it, as if it were Subjectively in us. The Suf∣ferings and Death of Christ were not for his own Sin but ours: He was made Sin * 1.12 for us, i. e. our Propitiatory Sacrifice, and We are made the righteousness of God in him; we have the fruit of his bitter sufferings and cruel death. He fulfilled the Law, satisfied Justice, and paid our Debt, and for his sake God looks upon, and deals with believers as righteous persons. As the disobedience of the first Adam makes us Sinners; so the perfect and sinless obe∣dience of Christ the second, makes us Righteous: As our sins were laid upon Christ, in order to his bearing the punish∣ment; so his righteousness by a gracious and favourable act of God, our Supream Judge, is made ours, in order to justifica∣tion. Our own righteousness is both a filthy and ragged garment, through this God our final Judge, will spy the defor∣mity, and nakedness of our Souls; and Christ our Elder Brother (infinite grace!) covereth us with the unspotted robe of his own. Christ took our sins, and gives

us his righteousness; blessed Exchange! From Adam, our natural Root and Fa∣ther, we derive Guilt, Weakness and Death; from Christ our Spiritual Head, we have Righteousness, Strength and Life; * 1.13 and therefore he is stiled, THE LORD * 1.14 OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. This is the only Righteousness we must make mention of, when judged according to the Law given to Adam in innocency: A Peni∣tent and believing Sinner, that re∣ceiveth Christ Jesus, the Lord, is for Christs sake esteemed, reckoned, ac∣counted, and dealt with as a righteous Person. Though this righteousness be of a peculiar consideration, and cannot be thought to be meant in all those places, where this word righteous occurreth, yet it is absolutely necessary; for Christ, and what he hath suffered, and done is the Spring, Cause, and Foundation of our hope. The immediate and doleful con∣sequent of being without Christ, is to be * 1.15 without hope in the World: This fruit grows no where but upon Christs Cross; it is his Death that made Heaven possi∣ble to a fallen and Apostate creature, and it is the sprinkling of this Blood, that re∣vives our languishing, withering, and dy∣ing Hopes Oh! Blessed are they who having no righteousness, or at least, but

a maim'd, defective and imperfect one of their own, are interested in the Righte∣ousness of Christ, in the Righteousness of God!

III. A man is Righteous, and may be deno∣minated so from that personal Evangelical righteousness, that is inherent in himself. We must not only be interested in the Righteousness of another without us; but have one that is really subjected in our selves: Or, which is all one, we must not only have Righteousness imput∣ed, but Holiness imparted. Christ doth not only cover our running sores, and ulcers; but undertakes as our Physitian to cure them. All Righteousness, as hath been already hinted, consists in a relation to some Law; and that we might truly State what this Evangelical Righteousness is, that hath so great a Privilege entail'd upon it, as this in the Text; I hope none will be offended, if we distinguish (as we find the Apostle Paul doth,) of the Law of Works, and the * 1.16 Law of Faith; the one framed to the State of an Innocent; the other adapted to the condition of an Apostate Creature. Ac∣cording to this latter it is, that those who have once been Sinners may be made, and denominated Righteous.

That part of the Gospel revelation which

contains and discovers our Duty, what we are to be and do in order to our Blessedness, being as to the matter of it, the whole Moral Law, before apper∣taining to the Covenant of Works, at∣tempered to the State of fallen Sinners, by Evangelical mitigations and indul∣gence, by the Super-added Precepts of Repentance and Faith in a Mediator, with all the other duties respecting the Mediator as such; and cloathed with a new form as it is now taken into the * 1.17 constitution of the Covenant of Grace is the rule of this righteousness.

He that solemnly repents of his wretch∣ed Apostacy from God, and all the sins that have followed thereupon; he that is united to Christ by Faith, and yields sincere, though imperfect obedience, from an active and living principle with∣in; he that is renewed and changed, turned from the love of sin in his heart, and the practice of it in his Life; he that hath solemnly and deliberately, sincerely and unfeignedly, covenanted with God, and dedicated himself to the Sacred, and Glorious Trinity; Father, Son, and Spi∣rit and lives suitably to such a devoted State; He that is born of God, bears his Image, lives in communion with, and walks in conformity to him, is righteous:

Though his bloody issue may not be wholy dried up; though there be indwel∣ling sin in the heart, and some sins and falls in the Life, though no grace be per∣fect as to degree, yet if there be SIN∣CERITY and UPRIGHTNESS (Oh! look after that) he is a righteous man. The Law calls for perfection, but the Gospel (Oh! thanks be to God, we are under such a merciful, favourable. and gentle dispensation,) accepts sincerity. This righteousness is not meer morality, a being just and honest in our dealings; this is the righteousness of an Heathen: It is not an external observation of the Letter of the Law; this is the righteous∣ness of a Pharisee; and ours must exceed his, or we cannot Enter into the Kingdom * 1.18 of Heaven. It is not a single act, but a stated temper; it is not an obedience that Proceeds from rotten, but what flows from sincere and gracious Principles, de∣nominates a man Righteous. A wicked man may do some acts of Devotion and Piety, Charity, and Justice, Sobriety and Temporence, but because the setled bent and inclination of his will is another way, he is not righteous: And though a good man may be guilty of some Errors and miscarriages in his Life; yet while this living Principle remains, and is not ex∣tinct

we may, and if we will speak in the Language of the Gospel, we must call him a righteous Man. This Righteousness is nothing but a transcript of the blessed Gospel; a conformity in the inward, and outward man, in spirit, and practice to the Divine Revelation made by Jesus Christ: A renewed and vital principle in the heart exerting its self in suitable de∣portments to God, and man. In summ, Repentance from dead Works, and new Obedience, impregnated by Faith, and Love, are the two essentiating and con∣stitutive parts of this Gospel Righteous∣ness.

For the establishing of this notion, it is not necessary to insist on any laborious Proof; when a great part of the Bible speaks to this purpose: Hear once for all what the Apostle saith: He that doth * 1.19 Righteousness is righteous. What can be the meaning, what can be the import, what sence can with any tolerable shew of reason be assigned; but what suiteth with our present notion? He that doth Righteousness i. e. He that perfectly o∣beys, fulfils the whole Law is righteous: Is this the meaning? Then God help and pity us, where shall we find a righteous man? Is it, He that doth righteousness, that is, he that being in a State of grace

lives up to the rules of the Gospel; is guilty of nothing but what is consistent with sincerity; and is continually labou∣ring after perfection is righteos? Is this the import, and gennine sense of this phrase? Then thanks be to God some such are to be found. And thus much for the first General, the Character of the person here spoken of.

Secondly; We are to consider what is here supposed and taken for granted, with reference to this righteous man; and that is, he must die. It may be you may think such an one as I have described should have a Protection; be privileged from that which is the common lot of others; be wafted over to Heaven, from one World to t'other and not see Death; be caught up to Paradise and not be put to the pain of dying: But it is supposed, and taken for granted in the Text, that the righteous man must die.

'Tis true indeed our Lord Jesus, the Captain of our Salvation hath perfum'd the grave; conquered death; and de∣stroyed him that had the power of it: He encountered this enemy, conquered, and triumphed over it, and every righteous man shares in that victory, and triumph. Christ hath destroyed the power, chang'd the nature, pluckt out the sting of death;

and disarm'd it of its terrors; and the righteous may boldly challenge it, and with an exuberant joy triumph over it in the words of the Apostle: O Death, where * 1.20 is thy Sting? O Grave, where is thy Victory? The Sting of Death is Sin, and the strength of sin is the Law. But thanks be to God, * 1.21 which giveth us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Thus (O happy men!) may they triumph over death: But yet their righteousness cannot, shall not deli∣ver them from the stroke of it: No, no, Saints, and Sinners; Good, and Bad; the Holy, and Prophane; the Righteous, and the wicked are under the same uncon∣troulable necessity of dying: Though they shall not be damned; yet they must die: Though they shall not be sent to Hell; yet they must go to the Grave: Though they shall be saved from that hot, fiery furnace; yet not from the cold, dark, and silent Pit: Though their Souls shall not become a Prey to Devils; yet their Bodies must become a Banquet for Worms: Though the Soul shall not be rackt, and tortured in the dismal Regions below; yet the flesh must see Corruption: Though they have Mansions in Heaven; yet Sickness will shake; shake! Alas! Death will pull down the Walls, and tear up the very Foundations

of their Earthly Tabernacle: Though they shall go to Heaven; yet death will carry them thither in its cold Arms. Because Christ who is their Head, and Husband Lives they shall Live also. Live! Where * 1.22 shall they live? In Yonder glorious Heavens; in Yonder blessed abodes; in Mansions of light, far above Yonder shining Sun; there, there it is these righteous ones shall live: But alas! They must die first. Death hath been, is, and will be the pas∣sage to eternal Life: And the Grave is in our way to Heaven. As Death spares none for their tenderness and Beauty; honours none for their wealth and gran∣dure; fears none for their strength and power; reverences none for their Grey Hairs and Hoary Heads; reprieves none for their flowing tears, and passionate en∣treaties: So neither will it pass by any for their Piety, Religion, and Righte∣ousness: With death there is no respect of Persons; all must become a sacrifice to, and lye Wounded, Bleeding, and Slain at the foot of it. Holy Job cries, I know, thou wilt bring me to Death, and to * 1.23 the House appointed for all the Living. And David, I go the way of all the Earth. This * 1.24 is among the Decretals of Heaven: For * 1.25 it is appointed for men once to die. Righte∣ousness is no Armour against the arrows

of Death: No they will strike through, and through, and stick in our Hearts.

What is become of the holy Patriarchs, Prophets, and Apostles of our Lord Jesus? Where are they? Where! Dead and Gone. Where are they? Their Souls are praising God in Heaven; and their bodies sleeping in the dust of the Earth. Your holy ancestors and progenitors, that were the friends of God, where are they? Where! Alass! They are dead and gone, and their Sepulchers are with us to this day: * 1.26 they served the Will of God in their Ge∣neration, and then died; and after the experience of many Ages, may we not ask and easily answer that Question of the Psalmist? What man is he that liveth; and * 1.27 shall not see death? Had we the meekness of Moses, the Faith of Abraham, the In∣tegrity of Caleb, the Patience of Job, the Piety of David, the Wisdom of Solomon, yet we must die; for lo these Men of God are gone before us: for how many Ages, have these righteous ones been sleeping in the bosom of the Earth; our first, and common Mother! When we read in the Sacred History of the Holy Lives, emi∣nent Graces of Gods dear Saints; how useful and serviceable they were in their time and place; where, and how long they lived; do not we find, and then he * 1.28

died, concludes the History, and makes up the Period? Oh! how vast are the Dominions, how extensive is the Empire of the King of Terrors!

In the Sacred Story we read but of two only, viz. Enoch, and Elias, who by an especial grant, and priviledge were ex∣empted from this Law of Death: they went immediately from Earth to Heaven; when all others (except those who shall be found alive at the end of the World) must take the Grave in their way: they were like living plants, transplanted to the Heavenly Soil; when our Bodies like Corn that is Sown, must first rot, and dye, and then spring up again.

Death (as things now stand) is a debt that we all owe to Nature; and will not be remitted, no not to the Friends of God themselves. The Saints are originally out of the same dust; they as well as others dwell in Houses of Clay, and Earthly Ta∣bernacles; and tho' they may be repaired by Food, and Physick; yet at last they will tumble: the Body of a Saint is not made of more lasting Dust, and durable Clay than the Body of a Sinner. I grant that Sinners may impair their health, and weaken nature, by gluttony, and drun∣kenness, and other acts of intemperance; how many unclean persons, who have

frequented the House of the strange Wo∣man; have found that her House inclineth * 1.29 to death, and her path unto the Dead! Ah wretched men! sottish sinners! What do they do, but violently break the thred of Life; When it might have been spun out to a further length by sinning against God, they murder their Bodies; as well as damn their Souls: send one to the Grave, and the other to Hell before the time. Infinite folly! But yet the most holy, and righteous have the seeds of corruption in them, and are mortal: as the Garment breeds the Moth which frets it; So we the Diseases which sooner, or later will send us to our long home. The righteous * 1.30 are subject to the same sicknesses and di∣seases as others are; to burning Feavers, pining Consumptions, and to Old Age, which is attended with 100 and 100 infir∣mities; and is of all diseases the most in∣curable. Life is a Candle which if no Stormy, and ill-natur'd Winds blow out; when it is burnt down into the socket, will go out of its self; a thred which if no scorching Feaver burn, time will wear, and old age will fret asunder. This body, tho' there be an Holy Soul inhabiting in it; is such an house, that if it be not pulled, will tumble down of it self. Tho' Wis∣dom hath length of days in her right hand, * 1.31

& many of her Children go to Bed late yet an immortality here is not in her power to confer upon any: they may hope for it in another World, but they cannot have it in this; this is a priviledge peculiarly be∣longing to the future State. Now righ∣teous men undergo Death upon a double account.

1. As the fruit and consequent of sin, Im∣mortality was the priviledge of Innocent; Death is become the punishment of faln man. If we search the Sacred Records, we may easily find from what, and whence to derive Death's Pedigree: sin (ah cur∣sed evil!) ushered Death into the World. That threatning, In the day thou eatest there∣of, * 1.32 thou shalt surely dye; upon the Aposta∣cy of our first Parents, was turned into a standing sentence; involving them and their whole Posterity: for by one man sin * 1.33 entred into the World, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, in that all have sinned. Death is not owing to an irresisti∣ble Fate; to the weakness of our prima∣ry constitution; but to Sin as the deserv∣ing cause: it was sin set Death upon its Pale Horse, and nothing now can dismount him; as the Tree brings forth fruit, as the seed sown brings forth Corn, so sin when * 1.34 it is finished brings forth death, Sin open'd

the Door, and then Mortal Sicknesses, Deadly Distempers, Killing Diseases, and Death it self entered in: Sin draws Death after it as the Needle doth the Thred; and attends on it as the Shadow doth up∣on the Body. Could all Graves be open'd, could we stand in some convenient place, and at one view behold the many thou∣sands Death hath captivated, and slain; could we see all the Carkasses that have dropt into, and are now rotting in dust; we might say, Lo! all these were first the spoils of sin; and then the Trophies and Triumphs of Death. This is the account Scripture gives of Deaths Universal Em∣pire: Sin, cursed Sin, (oh what Fools are we to be fond of it! oh what infinite and unaccountable madness is it to lay, and hug that hissing Serpent in our Bosoms, which will sting us to Death!) is the cause of all those Funerals, which have been, are, or shall be in the World. Now, tho' the Righteous are renew'd, and sanctified, they are so but in part: they have sin in them, the meritorious, and deserving Cause of Death; and therefore that Sentence, that carries Death in it; DUST thou art, and to * 1.35 DUST THOU SHALT RETURN must be executed even upon them. Tho' they are pardon'd, yet their Pardon runs

with an exception of Death: 'Tis true for Christ's sake, upon the score of that painful, shameful death he in their place, and stead underwent upon the Cross; the SECOND Death, which is Death with an Emphasis, shall have no power over them: but notwithstanding all he hath done, and suffered, because they are sinners the FIRST must, and will. How far death to good men is a penal evil, and yet retains the nature of a punishment; I shall not in this wrangling age, offend any by attempting to determine. It may suf∣fice that sin brought death into the World, and furnished it with those Weapons wherewith it wounds and kills all. If any say since the death of Christ, and the effusi∣on of his blood upon the Cross, Death is rather an advantage to his followers: I grant (and thanks be to God) it is so: but may not death be the Wages of sin, tho' a good, and kind God makes it the path to Heaven? and this leads me

2. To consider the death of the righ∣teous, as a Means of their deliverance from sin; and the appointed way to the glorious Mansions which are above. 'Tis true, God could make us perfectly holy, take away the life, and destroy the very being of sin, the first moment of our conversion: when

we have done his will, served the pur∣poses of his Grace, and attain'd the end of our being born; by an happy, plea∣sant, and easie translation he could take us up, Body and Soul to Heaven: but he hath otherwise determin'd, and made Death necessary in order to both. Ac∣cording to the Divine Constitution they must first dye, and then be perfectly holy, and finally happy.

Do you ask why the righteous die? why! that sin might be destroyed, as Sin brought Death into the World; so Death shall (excellent contrivance of Infinite Wisdom!) for ever abolish Sin: tho' death had its sting, strength, power, nay its very being from sin; yet it proves by the ordination of God the destruction of it. Those Arrows of Death which kill the Christian, strike thro' the very Heart of his Sins, and Lusts, and they both die together. A Saint puts off the Garments of Mortality, and his filthy Raiment at once: the sin that was born with them, and lived with them, and accompany them from place to place; in their last moments takes leave of them for ever. The Christian dies, that Sin may do so too. To this more will be said here∣after.

Moreover the Righteous here, are

Strangers and Pilgrims, this is their Cha∣racter and it is expressive of their Frame and Temper: While they live they are in a strange place; among a strange People; and at a distance from their own: Oh! How do they wish, long, pant, de∣sire, and groan to be elswhere! They are born from Heaven, belong to it, and wish to be there: They are Citizens of the new Jerusalem; in it are Mansions designed, purchas'd, prepared, and stand∣ing empty for them; but they must dip there feet in the cold fatal stream that runs beween this World, and that, before they can get thither. Faith may, and very often does give them a refreshing, ravishing, and transporting prospect of Heaven; Oh! How oft after such a view, does the Soul flutter in the Christi∣••ans breast; clap its wings, and would ••in be gone! But Death only can wast us over to, and give us the possession of it. In short, Gods Children die; that they may go home.

I might further add, there seems some necessity of dying upon the account of the Body: What should this terrene, dull, and heavy Body do in Heaven? How un∣suitable is it, as it is now, to that Place, and State; to that Company and Work;

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and to be the Instrument of a glorified Soul! It must undergo a change that it may be capacitated for this. We must be Ʋncloathed of this Earthly; that we may * 1.36 Be cloathed upon, with a Spiritual Body: And we must die; that Mortality may be swallowed up of Life. These Old Houses that are ever and anon tottering, and shaking, must be pulled down by the hands of Death; that we may have new and bet∣ter. This Body must be sown in the dust; that it may Spring up more Beautiful, Fresh, and Comely, our Bodies, like foul Waters, by running through the Earth, are Purged, and Purified. God will not put his New Wine into these Old * 1.37 Bottles: And indeed if he should they would quickly burst; and therefore he suffers Death to break; that he might have an opportunity to new make them. It is to no purpose to say, that God can make what alteration and change he pleases, and is necessary, in the very instant of Translation; and what need is there the Body should Die, lie in the Grave so long, Rot, and Putrifie in the Dust? For though God can do it in this way; he willeth to do it in the other; and Who art thou O MAN, that thou re∣pliest * 1.38 against God? Upon these accounts

Death seemeth necessary to Good Men: And that we might not live in continual Fear, in Slavish Bondage, and a perpe∣tual Torment because of this necessity: I now proceed;

Thirdly; To consider what, and how great the Priviledge of the Righteous is, when he comes to the last Scene of his Life; and Death is about to turn him off the Stage. We have seen the dark side of the Cloud; The Righteous die: Let us now turn our Eye, and view the bright side; The Righteous hath hope in his death: Sweet words! comfortable thought! glorious priviledge! with this hope, Lord, how * 1.39 comfortably may they walk thro' the Valley, of the shadow of death, and fear no evil! You have heard; heard! You have seen; seen! Oh how often have you seen that the Righteous die as well as the Wicked! that Death preys upon, and the Grave swallows up one as well as the other! Have you not many, and many a time visited them, when sickness had lodged them in their Chambers, and confin'd them to their Beds? Have you not heard their last sobs, and groans, seen their dy∣ing pangs, and agonies? Have you not clos'd their Eyes, laid them in their Cos∣sins;

and often attended their Funeral; followed them to their long Home, and lest them in dust and darkness? Be∣hold the Righteous die; but how dieth the Righteous? as the Wicked? no ve∣rily, as they do not live, so neither do they die as the Wicked. A righteous man may have the same disease; be exercised with the same pains; and feel the same pangs in a dying hour: But upon a spi∣ritual account the difference is vastly wide, and great; he hath hope in his death. Before I distinctly consider, what is the Object of this Hope; to prevent any mistake, it is necessary to premise these two things:

1. Every righteous person, every man that falls within the already-mentioned Character; i. e. every sincere and upright Christian; hath ground of hope in his death. This does not only belong to some special fa∣vourites; but is common to all who have God for their Father: The Promises, which are the foundation of a Christian Hope; are not made only to Apostles, and eminent Saints, to men of renown in the Church; but they belong to, nay, are the Birth-right of even those, who are but Babes in Christ. All that are

born again, tho' all are not of the same growth, stature, and strength, are Children; * 1.40 and therefore Heirs: They have right * 1.41 to, and may live, and die in hope of the Inheritance of the Saints in light. Heaven is sure to them, by the Promise of the Father; the Purchase of the Son; and the In-dwelling of the Holy Spirit; who is the Earnest, and Pledge of it: And the weakest Believer, the least of Saints, hath ground to hope. The Gospel is so ordered; the Covenant is so methodiz'd; God hath made such ample Provision; that every one may have good hope thro' * 1.42 Grace; and all that bear this Character are allowed, encouraged, nay command∣ed to hope: Their hoping is as mighty a pleasure to God; as it is a comfort to themselves. Hath the blessed Jesus poured out prayers, and tears, and blood; did he groan, and die on the Cross, that they might have a Mansion above? Hath the Holy Spirit in pur∣suance of the same blessed design; been at the pains to renew, convert, and change them? Hath he restor'd them to the image, and likeness of God; that they might be capable of the enjoyment of him? Is he daily forming and at∣tempering their spirits more, and more

for the heavenly state, and employment? Hath God the Father, in his Eternal Counsels design'd Heaven for them? Hath he made them many express, and plain Promises of it; and can he take it ill they live and die in hope? Lord! how infinitely unreasonable are we; and how do we discourage the Death of the Son; the work of the Spirit, and the Promises of the Father; nay, not only naked Promises, but Promises repeated over, and over, seal'd, and confirm'd with an Oath, by encouraging our doubts and fears! all these may, and ought to hope.

May I (says many a doubting Chri∣stian) hope? I am but weak in Grace, and but a Babe in Christ; I have done but little for God, and Christ; I have but few Talents, and them I have not em∣ployed and improved as I should and might; I was the chiefest of Sinners, and now am the least of Saints; the very meanest among my spiritual Brethren; there are none but love God more, and serve him better, and bring a greater Re∣venue of Glory to him than I either do, or can, or shall; while others shine as the Sun in the Firmament of the Church;

I am but as a poor small and twinkling Star; and may I hope to be saved? is not Heaven, and the happiness thereof too great, too glorious a Reward for me? Oh! had I the Grace, the Faith, and Love, the Humility, and Meekness, the Self∣denial, and Patience, the Zeal, and Cou∣rage▪ &c. of such a Christian; had I been as useful in the World, and as service∣able in the Church as others; then I could hope: But poor doubting Christia••, why mayst thou not hope for all this? Must all the Trees in God's Vineyard be equally fruitful? Must all his Children be of the same size? Must all that have true Grace have the same measure, and degree of it? thou canst not think so, and why then may not such a one as thou art, hope? hast thou sincerity, and uprightness? then thou mayest; for the Promise, that is the * 1.43 formal reason of hope, is made to Grace as true, not as strong. All who are born of God; are begotten again to a lively hope; by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead: Tho' I must add;

2. As to actual hope all that fall within this Character; have it not either living or dying in the same degree. The hope of some Christians is so firmly settled, so deeply rooted, it hath been so oft try'd, and

prov'd, and found of the right stamp; that come what will, they will hold fast their confidence to the end: It is well-ground∣ed, and like an house founded on a Rock: * 1.44 it stands fast; tho' the Winds blow, the Floods come, and the Rain descend: Satan, as cunn∣ing, and subtil a Sophister as he is, cannot argue them out of their hope of Heaven. But on the contrary, the hope of another Christian is so weak, wavering, and stag∣gering, that the least breath of a Tempta∣tion miserably shakes it: and a few se∣cret whispers of the malicious one make them call all into question. Oh! how soon doth the poisonous breath, of this hissing Serpent damp, and kill all their hopes!

Oh! how many sincere Christians have a right to Heaven, but do not know it! how many are there, who cannot get their doubts resolv'd, their fears ex∣pell'd, whose Sun sets in a Cloud, and * 1.45 whose Evening is very dark! their names are written in Heaven, but they do not, cannot rejoyce, because they do not know it is so—Death lands them safe on the Shore of a Blessed Eternity; thro' God's Infinite Mercy they get well into Har∣bour; (but ▪poor Souls!) how do they go off with weeping eyes, sad thoughts, and great fears of shipwrack, and drown∣ing!

It is not every Christian that in a dying hour can say; God is my Father, Christ my Saviour, Heaven my home, and in yonder, yonder blessed World, there is a Mansion for me. How many after a long profession, many tears, prayers, and holy duties; both publick, and private; thro' the weakness of their knowledge, unacquaintedness with themselves, the temptations of Satan, a melancholy tem∣per, and an unaccountable timerousness of spirit; are not able to read their Evi∣dences?

Others die with a full assurance of hope; go to their Fathers house with joy, and triumph; and are able to give a reason of that hope that is in them, both * 1.46 to themselves, and others. How confi∣dently doth the blessed Apostle Paul as∣sert this hope! We know if our earthly * 1.47 house of this Tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens. How expressive of a strong, unshaken, and lively hope are those words of the same Apostle; even when death was within sight! I am now ready to be offered, * 1.48 and the time of my departure is at hand; I have sought a good fight; I have finished my

I have kept the Faith: henceforth there is * 1.49 ••ad up for ••••e a Crown of Righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give 〈…〉〈…〉 day. What an unshaken confi••••••ce 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉! is such an hope pe∣culiar to an Apostle? are such expressions only fit for the mouth of a Paul; who had the priviledge to be caught up into Paradise? No verily, others have had the same lively hope. Oh what strong assurance; what clear evidences; what blessed forecasts, and what lively hopes, is God pleased to give to some in a dying hour; when their Souls stand upon the threshold of time, and at the door of Eternity! insomuch that they have been able to bid farewell to their dearest Re∣lations, submit to the stroke, and kiss the cold hand of Death with a wonder∣ful, and triumphant Joy; with a Joy too great for themselves to express, and others to behold. This hath made ma∣ny a Christian say; My work is done, and blessed be God I have hope of the Reward: The hour of my departure is at hand, Oh my 〈◊〉〈◊〉! I must leave you, and go unto my Father; Death is welcome, indeed it is welcome, for I have hope of an Immortal, and better 〈◊〉〈◊〉 know 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thanks be to God

I can; how long! Lord, how long! come Lord Jesus, come quickly. I have hope of Heaven, and Lord! I long, I long to be there. What sweet! what reviving Language is this! how pleasing is the meditation of it! is it not enough almost to put a man upon coursing Death, that he might experience what it is to be in such a blessed frame? Lord! grant when ever I, or my Rea∣der come to die, it might be thus with us. This is my prayer for thee, whoever thou art who readest these Lines, the like prayer put up for me, with a warm heart, a fervent Soul, and a lively Spirit; and God for Jesus sake say Amen to both. This caution premised. I shall now consider what is the Object of this hope; what good men may, and do look for, and expect at Death. This shall be dispatcht in these following particulars.

First, The Righteous at Death hath hope of a full, and perfect freedom from all those evils, they are liable to, and must conflict withal in this present state. In this valley of Tears, and shadow of Death, to how many, and what great evils are we expos'd! Man * 1.50 that is born of a Woman is of few days, and full of trouble. Man is born (oh * 1.51

what a fine World is this to be fond of!) to trouble as the sparks flies upwards. We come into the World with cries, and tears; we dwell in it, in pain, and sorrow. We go out of it with sighs, and groans. How many tears do we shed, how many groans do we utter, how many complaints do we make, up∣on the account of those evils which be∣fall our selves, or others, for whose wel∣fare we are, and can't but be as much concern'd as for our own! This World is a place of sorrow, and tears, and no∣thing can wipe away all tears from our Eyes till the hand of Death does. The evils which befall us are so many, and great; so painful, and afflictive; the memory of what is past is so bitter; the weight of what is present is so heavy; the fear of what is future so vexing; that we cannot be at rest till we close our Eyes and die; and Death lays us fast asleep in the bosom of our Mother Earth: Here we are encompass'd with evil, every one hath his share of the bitter Cup, though some drink deeper, and larger draughts than others: But the righteous man, when Death comes▪ hath hope of a perfect freedom from those many evils he himself had

been strugling; and those who survive his Death, and Funeral, must conflict with. He hopes that Death will be the Funeral of all his sorrows, and of those evils which were the cause of them. Here I will mention some of these evils.

First, He hopes at Death to be delivered from all bodily afflictions, and outward suf∣ferings. So long as we are here we shall need the corrections of Heavens, and must be under the Discipline of our Fa∣ther's Rod: Our good God sees that some afflictions are necessary for us; and in the best and fittest season he sends them: And by our own sin, and wicked∣ness, indiscretion and folly, obstinacy and peevishness, we create many more to our selves. What crosses, and disappoint∣ments; what hatred from Enemies, and unkindness from Friends; what disdain, and contempt from Superiours; what slander and reproach from Inferiours, do we meet withall in this wretched World?

To how many weaknesses, and lingring sicknesses; to what acute diseases, and corroding pains, are we subject, inso∣much

that Life is often loath'd, and Death desired! every vein, and membrane; every nerve, and fibre; every muscle, and artery; every part, and member may be afflicted with pain, and be the instru∣ment of our sorrow. Oh! what weari∣some hours, restless days, and sleepless nights have the afflicted! Whose heart doth not bleed within him, to hear them in the morning crying out, Would God it * 1.52 were evening; and in the evening, disap∣pointed of the rest they expected; would God it were morning? What is this World, but an Hospital, where many are sick, weak, pain'd, and dying? What is it but a Golgotha, a place of Graves, dead mens Skulls, and Bones? Go to the darken'd and silent Chambers of the sick, and you may hear one crying out, O my head! my head! another, Oh my bowels! my bowels! and some, Oh that God would take away my life! Some you may see shivering with Agues; and some shaking with Palsies; some benumm'd with Lethargies, and others rackt with Gout, or tortured with the Stone; some scorcht with burning Fevers, and others delug'd with the waters of a Dropsie; some stopt with Phlegm, crying out, Oh for air, and breath! and others pining

away with Consumptions; and many so weakened, and bowed down to the Earth with the manifold infirmities of OLD AGE; that the Eye is dim, the Ear deaf, the Hands shake, the Legs, the Pil∣lars of this Earthly Tabernacle tremble; insomuch that a poor Grashopper is too heavy a burden for them: See how they are stopt up with Catarrhs, and Coughs, and have not strength to get rid of that Phlegm which is ready to strangle them. These, these are the sights (oh what a dis∣eased World! what a dying Life is this!) you may see in the Chambers of the sick. But besides these evils that are common to men, to how many more, and greater are we expos'd as Christians! as poverty, and want, disgrace, reproach, and shame, imprisonment, and banish∣ment, a violent, torturing, and lingering death, upon the account of which, a man feels, and undergoes the pains of many deaths in one; and only lives to be the laughter of his Enemies, the sport of Death, and a terrour to his Friends.

But the Righteous man at death, hath hope to be delivered from all evil of this kind: And his Language on his Death-bed may be to this purpose; tho'

I was born to trouble, and have had my share of it; tho' I have long wept, sigh'd, and groan'd under my own perso∣nal afflictions; and have been a sorrow∣ful spectator of those calamities which have befaln the publick; tho' now I am a sick, weak, pain'd, and languishing man, and every part of me is rackt, and tor∣tur'd; tho' my pulse be weak, my breath short, my strength wasted, and my spirits fail, and I am no more able to conflict with my disease; it is but dying and I shall be perfectly well: Death can, and will cure what my Physitian cannot; af∣ter a few more struglings, and mortal pangs, all my pains and sorrows will be over; after the Agony (O my weeping Friends!) that you will shortly see me in, is over, I shall feel none of these racking, grinding, and torturing pains any more for ever: Heaven is a health∣ful place, there, oh! there none are sick, or weak, but all are perfectly well; I cannot be well while I live; but when I die, I hope, I know, I shall. Lo this is one branch of a Righteous man's hope: But have not wicked men this hope too? 'Tis true, they have; Death puts an end to the miseries of this Life; but Lord! what a sorry support is it to go from less,

to greater; from temporal to eternal pains; from Friends, who are ready to Pity, Assist, and Comfort; to Devils that will Scorn, Insult, and Triumph over them; from a sick and uneasie Bed, to a lodging among infernal fiends: from the Flames of a Feaver, to the more Scorching, Burning, and Lasting Flames of Hell! Good God! What a sad, what a wretched Ex∣change is this!

2. He hopes for Deliverance from Sin. Good men are already freed from the power and guilt of Sin; it hath not Do∣minion over, and it shall not Condemn them: But they are not, neither can they be freed, in this Mortal State, from the residence of Sin, and remainders of Cor∣ruption. Sin may be mortified, subdued and brought under: Glorious conquest! but it will not give up the ghost and die till we do: tho sin doth not rule, and govern the believer as a Lord; yet oh how doth it vex, torment him as a Tyrant! Tho' he hath given the Body of Sin many a Wound, and Stab, with the Sword of the * 1.53 Spirit; though he hath drag'd it to the Cross of Christ, and hath driven nail, after nail into it; yet he always finds it alive, and sometimes very active and strong: He finds himself very oft bafled,

worsted, and conquered in some particu∣lar conflicts; he finds by sad and woful experience that indwelling sin indisposes, and unfits him for Spiritual duties; damps his Spirit, cools his Zeal, and a∣bates the fervour of his Soul in the most Heavenly exercises; this is a certain truth, and what Christian does not find it to be so? How oft with tears in his eyes and sorrow in his heart is he forc't to groan forth this sad complaint; Wo is me! I have a wicked Heart, a filthy Na∣ture, unruly Thoughts, and ungoverned Passions; my Flesh is so weak, the Spi∣rit so frail, Indwelling Corruption so strong, and the Snares of the World so many that I often fall: I thank God I don't wallow like a Swine in the Mire; but I must, and do own I too frequently defile my garments; I Sin, and Repent, Repent and Sin, there is sin in my Heart, and Life; Sin in my Duties, in my Pray∣ing, Hearing, ay in my Sacramental Communions; and Sin is mixt (Oh that I had Tears to bewail it!) with all my graces; I do not Love God, and Christ so much as I ought, and do desire; my Faith is weak, my Love declined, my Zeal abated, my Heart cool, my Af∣fections chill'd; Oh wretched man that I * 1.54

am! Who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death? These have been, are, and will be the complaints of Holy men in this present State: But the righteous man hopes the time will come, and when sickness hath laid him upon a Death-Bed he knows the time is near at hand, when he and sin shall for ever part; and in that hour such a one may say; now I am dy∣ing, I am going to a sinless State; all my Prayers, and Tears, Watching, and Fast∣ing, Wrestling, and Striving could not root sin out; but Death will now come in to my assistance, give me a final and perfect Victory, and carry me a conque∣rour out of the Field: When I die this War will end in Victory; this conflict in a perfect Conquest. None of my sins shall follow me to Heaven, I shall not have so much as a wandring, dull, or cold thought for ever; but with Life and Vi∣gour, Heat and Rapture, a Flaming Zeal, and Fiered Affection sing Hallelujah to God, and to the Lamb. A good man is so disturbed with the Life of his Lust, that were it not for breaking of one com∣mandment, that he might be for ever beyond all possibility of breaking any of the rest, he would even with his own hands, pull down this Earthly House on

the Head of these uncircumcised Phili∣stines; though he himself be crusht with the fall: But he patiently expects the time when God will give Death a com∣mission to do it; and this is his hope in his last, and sorrowful moments.

3. The righteous man at Death hath hope of a full, and final deliverance from Satan, * 1.55 and all his temptations. The Devil is stiled * 1.56 The God of this World: The Prince of the Powers of the Air; which words imply, he hath no power in the Blissful Regions beyond. Is not this World the Devils Circuit, and does not this Roaring Lion walk up, and down, seeking whom he may de∣vour? * 1.57 Are not the best buffeted and sol∣licited to sin; tempted, molested and disquieted by him? Oh how oft does he shake us in his Teeth; though a good God, and a merciful Jesus will not suffer him to rend and tear us in pieces! tho' Satan hath been bafled, and conquered by the Captain of our Salvation; yet does he not ever and anon enter the List, and give a Challenge to the Followers of the Lamb? Have we not a War to manage with these insernal Spirits, and powers of darkness; and must we not always stand upon our Guard, maintain our Spi∣ritual

Watch, keep on our Armour, have our Weapons always in readiness, that if we get the better to day, we may be prepared for a fresh, and more violent assault to morrow? Does not Satan one while transform himself into an Angel of Light, that he might deceive? At a∣nother time appear in his onw proper hue as Black as Hell; I mean in some horrid, and blasphemous suggestions that he might affright, and scare us? Has he not * 1.58 his cunning Artifices, and suttle Methods to beguile; and his Fiery Darts, and * 1.59 Flaming Arrows to Wound; and in whatsoever shape he appears, whatsoever course he takes, is he not a very trouble∣some and dangerous enemy?

This is our condition at present, and Oh how uneasie, and tedious is it to a Child of God to be assaulted with Legions of sins within; and an whole Army of Devils without! If the tempta∣tion doth not prevail, it is a torment to be tempted; and there cannot but be some fear lest it should: In what Ago∣ny does the Christian cry? Oh what if this temptation should prevail; or if I have Grace to resist, and overcome this, what if the next Temptation should be

more fierce, the second assault more vio∣lent; what if at last I should yield, con∣stant, and be overcome? How do such Storms drive them to their Knees, and make them with earnestness, and affecti∣on pray Lord lead us not into Temptation! * 1.60 This World in which we live is haunted with these unclean, and ugly Spirits; and don't the best of us at one time or other find it so? But the dying Believer hopes for Deliverance: if we can keep our in∣tegrity, maintain our Post, stand our Ground, defend our selves while we Live; we shall be Conquerors (take heart Christians) we shall be more than Conquerors when we dye? 'Tis true the assaults of Satan may be most violent in a Dying hour: The last Onset most fu∣rious, and the concluding Battel most bloody; but Death will decide the con∣troversie, end the Combat, and give us the Victory.

Methinks I hear the dying Christian thus encouraging himself, ever since the strong man hath been turned out, by the Holy Spirit and Victorious Grace of my Redeemer, I have 〈◊〉〈◊〉 little, or no peace; this Enemy, this adversary of my God, my Redeemer and my Soul, has been

ever and anon beating up my quarters; many and many a time in the name, and strength of the Living God; under the conduct of my blessed, and victorious Jesus have I accepted the challenge, and given battel to these Legions of Darkness; and tho' I have been foil'd, (blessed be God) I am not conquer'd: tho' I have received some wounds, thanks be to God none of them are Mortal; I yet live, or rather Christ liveth in me; and now me∣thinks * 1.61 I have (and oh how delightful is it!) the prospect of a final, and entire victory: Satan hath now almost done his worst, he may rage because now his time is short, and he knows it to be so; but hold out O my Soul! stand thy ground, resist a little longer, play the man, act thy part well in this last Combat; and the God of * 1.62 Peace shall tread Satan under thy Feet shortly. In Heaven, (and oh how near am I to that blessed place!) there is no Tempter, no Temptation, no, no, when I am lodg'd in Abraham's Bosom, or rather in the Arms of my blessed Jesus, I am out of Satan's reach for ever; when I shall be Dead the Devils Game will be o∣ver; this Evil One has followed me from my Closet to the Church, from my Table to my Bed, he has ever

stood at my Right Hand to resist me; but he shall not dogg my Soul to Heaven: no, no, the purity, and holiness of that place cannot admit the Presence, of any of these impure, filthy, and unclean Spi∣rits.

4. Dying Christians hope to be delivered from all Spiritual desertions; and those doubts, and fears which are consequent thereupon. How oft by too, too wilful falls, and sins; by allowing our selves in sloth, and negligence; by our omissions of duty, or trifling in it, by too great a conformity to the World, and too easie a compliance with the men, fashions, and customs of it; by listening to Temptations, and run∣ning upon the occasions of sin; by the im∣moderate use of things lawful, or ventur∣ing upon what is unlawful really in its self, or at least so to us because doubtful; how oft by going contrary to the light of our Minds, the checks of Conscience, the Motions of the Holy Spirit, the Di∣rections of the Word, and the rebukes of Providence, do we, even the best of us displease God, grieve his Spirit, break our peace, disquiet our Minds, and wound our own Consciences; and how soon doth God by frowns, and rebukes, by withdraw∣ing

himself, hiding his face, denying a sense of his love, and suspending in part or in whole the witnessing, and comfort∣ing presence of his Spirit tell us he is dis∣pleas'd; and make us sensibly know, find, and feel he is so! are we not hereupon on a sudden, left in darkness to be scared with our own melancholy, guilty thoughts, and the blacker suggestions of Satan, the accuser of the Brethren? Are we not bow∣ed down greatly, and our Souls not only * 1.63 disquieted but cast down within us? Is not the day gloomy, the cloud thick, the night very dark; and does not the poor deserted Soul with warm affection, and passionate longing cry out, Oh! that I could see him! Don't we at such a time mourn, and complain, and cry out of the sadness of our Case, to God, and Man? Are we not forc't in the bitterness of our Souls, and anguish of our Spirits to say, Oh! that it were with me as in months past; when the Light of Gods Counte∣nance was bright, and shining, and I con∣vers'd with the Majesty of Heaven as a Man with his friend! but it is not (wo is me!) It is not so now; oh that it were▪ Lord when shall it be!

How oft do the Children of Light walk in darkness; question their Adop∣tion, and Sonship; their Covenant-Inte∣rest in, and Relation unto God! How oft is there a Curtain drawn between Them and Heaven, the Face of God Vail'd and the Light of his Countenance Eclips'd! How oft does he withdraw and they cannot find; wrap himself up in Clouds, and Darkness, and they cannot see him! with what a pained heart, grieved Soul, with what an accent of sor∣row does such an one cry out, My God, My God, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hast thou forsaken me! I was * 1.64 wonted to have Communion with God in Prayer; to see him at a Sacrament, I have had that enjoyment of God, which 〈◊〉〈◊〉 would not have been without for all the 〈◊〉〈◊〉; Time was the Sabbath was my best day, I long'd for the dawning of it, and with joy welcom'd the Morning Light: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Ordinances where my delight, 〈…〉〈…〉 has often said, how amiable are * 1.65 〈…〉〈…〉 O Lord of Hosts! My Soul 〈…〉〈…〉 yea even fainteth for the Courts of 〈…〉〈…〉 Heart and my Flesh drieth out 〈…〉〈…〉 God: but now (O my Soul! what a change is this?) I pray, but he giveth 〈…〉〈…〉 answer; I go to his Table, with this Wish; Let him kiss me with the * 1.66

kisses of his Mouth! but even there month after month I do not see the King's Face: if he be my God, my Father, and Friend why is it thus with me? from how many may we hear such bitter complaints as these!

But the Righteous at Death hath hope of deliverance from these inward, spiri∣tual, and therefore most afflictive evils; and such an ••••e in the Evening of Life may say; after a ••••••tle while and I shall no more offend, grieve, or displease my heavenly Father: and he will always look upon me with a smiling Face, a favoura∣ble Eye, and a pleased Countenance. I shall no•• see him as I now do in a Glass * 1.67 dar••ly; but Face to Face: I shall dwell in his Presence, stand before his Throne, and enjoy his Favour which is better than Life: I shall love God, and feel that I love him; God shall love me and make me know it, and tho' I have often que∣stioned both, yet then I shall dou••t of neither. I have had many cloudy days, disconsolate hours, and dark nights, many sad thoughts, perplexing doubts, and tor∣menting fears as to my spiritual and eter∣nal state; O ETERNITY, ETERNI∣TY! how have the thoughts of it amaz▪d,

troubled me, and sometimes made me even tremble! but in this sickness I am better satisfied than ever, now my fears are gone, my doubts in great part resolv'd, Now Evening is come, and it is neither day nor night, the light of Gods Countenance * 1.68 shines upon me; (Bless the Lord, O my Soul: and all that is within me, bless his * 1.69 Holy Name,) this is but the pledge of those more full, and lasting Beams which shall scatter all my Clouds: what I now feel is but a little, a very little to what I shall. Are the shadows of the Evening stretched out upon me? Is night coming? It is day, the light of Gods Countenance makes it day; and blessed be God this is but the dawning of that everlasting day which now is near hand; and which will perfectly and for ever scatter all my fears. Thus the Righteous hath hope in his death of an absolute freedom, and final deliverance from these great, and almost insupp••rtable evils we wretched mortals; we who yet dwell in flesh are exposed to; he can, and he does hope that after a few hours he shall be afflicted, pestered with sin, buffeted by Satan, deserted by God no more for ever: tho' he cannot see his Lusts actually giving up the Ghost, and dying; yet he hopes he and his sins

shall dye together: tho' Satan may Dog him to the utmost borders of time; yet he hopes he shall not follow him into Eter∣nity: that tho' some scruples may remain, and his afflictions, and pains will not be over 'till death hath done its work; yet he hopes death will put an end to all.

Secondly, The Righteous hath hope in his Death; (what hath he then hope of!) of a Convoy of blessed and holy Angels, to secure his passage to the other World. Man consists of a Body and Soul; when he dies a sepa∣ration is made: the body is left, the Soul is gone; friends take care of the Body that it may have, a decent Burial: and truly some respect and honour is due to the Corps; to the very dust of them who sleep in Jesus, and even after death remain united to him: as to this the dying Chri∣stian is not much concern'd, for he knows his Lord will find it at his coming where∣ever it be laid: but the Soul being more noble, his great care is for that, and he hopes Angels will be ready to conduct in to the glorious and eternal Mansions a∣bove. Holy and confirmed Angels who have as much good nature in them, as they have strength, and power are very serviceable to us men, especially to such as

are Heirs of Salvation: we are (under God) * 1.70 very much beholden to those kind, lov∣ing, and generous spirits for those innu∣merable, and unknown offices of kindness, and good turns they have done us. They are our Life-guard from the Cradle to the Grave, a whole body of these invisi∣ble Beings encamp round about us. How carefully do they watch over us; how diligently do they observe us; how con∣stantly do they bear us up in their Arms; and by what unaccountable, and to us, unknown methods do they prevent immi∣nent d••ng••rs; and save us from the Snares l••id for us! how ready are they to en∣courage, assist, and help us in any Spiri∣tual work; in any great and difficult un∣dertakings! how do they long for our Re∣pent••n••e, rejoice at our Conversion, and what haste do they make to carry the happy tidings of it to Heaven; that others 〈◊〉〈◊〉 rejoice with them! with what a ••i••••ty concern do they drive and chase a••ay evil ••••irits; with what courage do they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••s from the r••ge and fury 〈…〉〈…〉 ••illing, are 〈…〉〈…〉 in thi•• dangerous 〈…〉〈…〉 we have been foil'd, 〈…〉〈…〉 how seasonably have 〈…〉〈…〉; what 〈◊〉〈◊〉 have they

made to espouse our quarrel, and fight out the remaining battle for us. How off have they kept us from being hurt by those Apostate, and Malignant Spirit▪ which in vast numbers rove about in the Air, and wander up and down in this low∣er World; upon no other errand than to do mischief, and prey up••n immortal Souls! These good Angels are further beneficial to holy men at death; in that they immediately take the Souls of such into their custody, and guard them in their Journey from one World to the o∣ther, and never leave them, till they come safe thither.

How unacquainted are we, with the way to yonder invi••••••le World! it is a p••th we have never ••one, a r••••d we have never yet travelld; neither can we discover any footsteps of those who are gone before us: How hard is it for Souls that have been so long embodied in flesh, to find which is the right 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and tract in those vast, wide, an•• u••∣known Regi•••••• of Air! how imposs••b•••• is this but by the direction of son 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••••¦perienced 〈◊〉〈◊〉; and who can 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••ore, or b••••••er experience than 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Mess••nger of Heaven, who h••••e 〈◊〉〈◊〉

velled a thousand and a thousand, nay innumerable times, from that World to this, and from this back again to that! Moreover, what a melancholy and fright∣ful thought is it! that my separated Soul must pass thro' the lower Regions of the Air, which are the Dominions of Apo∣state Spirits; the Devil's Camp, and Sa∣tan's Head-quarters; and this lonely, and solitary, having none either to accom∣pany, or defend it! But that this might not amaze departing Saints, they shall have as many Angels as are necessary to guard, and defend them. That holy Soul may pass safely thro' the Territo∣ries of their Enemies; that they might not be scared, terrified, or daunted by those swarms of unclean spirits which lie up and down in the Air, a good God hath appointed a Convoy of Angels to attend them: and no doubt a convenient num∣ber of them stand round about the Death-bed of every good man, and im∣mediately receive his Soul when it is ex∣pired. Some think that the fiery Chariot and Horses in which Elijah mounted up to Heaven was a Convoy of Angels; however for this they have a commis∣sion; and those good, and kind spirits do not disdain to perform this last act

and office of love to the meanest Saint: for the Beggar died; and the sacred Story tells us, he was carried by Angels into * 1.71 Abraham's bosom. How comfortable is it to study the Commission given to An∣gels, in this particular; and how sup∣porting to hope! nay, to be assur'd they will act according to it! Lo this is the hope of the Righteous at death: Glori∣rious Priviledge!

Thirdly; The Righteous have hope of de∣liverance from Hell, and the torments of the Damned. The afflictions of time are no∣thing to the miseries of Eternity: The distress, and anguish of a poor creature stretcht on the Wheel, rackt, and tortur'd in every limb, part, and member, is but a weak, and faint resemblance of the hor∣rous, and agonies of despairing Souls in Hell. The pains of the first, are no∣thing to the pangs of the second and Eter∣nal Death: There is a fire kindled that shall never go out; flames burning which shall never be quencht; a Worm to gnaw that shall never die; and Devils to torment, who shall never be weary of that bloody, and hellish work: There impenitent sinners (oh how terrible and dreadful a place is Hell!) must

feel the strokes of Revenging Justice; the ••••••••es of their own Enraged Con∣sciences; drink of the Cup of the Wine of the Wrath of God; and be scared with the sight of ten thousand ugly Devils They must burn, and not be consumed; be tortured, and never die; have pain, and no case; trouble, and no rest; sorrow, and no joy: tho' they go laughing to Hell, they shall never laugh more; they shall have an eternal night, and no day; be fill'd with despair, and have no hope. Hell! what an amazing word is it? Hell! how extreamly me∣lancholy are the thoughts of it? Hell! whose heart does no•• tremble at the hearing of it? Hell! what unknown miseries are wrapt up in it? Hell! Hell! how many wretched sinners have voluntarily run into it, to escape the be∣ginnings of it in their own Consciences! but yet all we ••••n imagine, and fansie in this World, is infinitely short of what this single, this little word, Hell, im∣ports; and must be felt in the next.

But a Righteous man (Lord! what must be the joy of his departing Soul!) hath hope in his death, he shall be deli∣vered from all this. I must die (may he

say) but I shall not be damn'd; I must go to a cold, dark, silent, and solitary Grave: my Glass is run, the number of my years, months, hours, and moments is now finisht; I am going to my long home: but I shall not be sent to an hot, burning, and flaming Hell. My flesh, this Body of mine must ror in dust; but my Soul shall not burn in that fiery Oven. the way which leads to those Chambers of horrour, and darkness, is broad, ex∣ceeding broad; the Gate that leads to Hell is wide, and standeth open day, and night, and thousands go in th••reat; but I hope I shall take another path. 'Tis true, I, sinful I, have deserved Hell again, and again, and I might have been in it long ago; but I do hope (thanks be to God) I do hope, and will hope my bles∣sed Jesus will snatch me, as a firebrand out of those everlasting burnings; Amen, Amen.

Fourthly; The Righteous at death hath hope of being immediately received into Hea∣ven; and welcomed by all that are there. The Souls of Believers being separated, do not wander up and down in yonder vast, large, and capacious Regions; much less are they (according to the Roman

Fable) to suffer in Purgatory, pains equal in degree to those of Hell; tho' not so lasting; but they immediately go to Heaven. This day (says our Saviour, to the penitent Thief; the Companion * 1.72 of his Cross) shalt thou be with me in Pa∣radise. And the reason of Paul's earnest, and vehement desire to depart, was, that * 1.73 he might be with Christ. The Gates of Heaven are open'd, they enter in, and they (happy Souls!) are welcomed by God, Christ, Angels, and all their Elder Brethren who died in the Lord, and went to Heaven before them. With what joy does God the Father receive those Souls for whom he designed Hea∣ven from all Eternity? With what joy does the blessed Jesus welcome those Souls to Glory, for whom, and whose Salvation he wept, and sweat, bled and died! Oh what a joy is it to the heart of Jesus, to see them past all the dangers and hazards of a troublesom Voyage; and safely arriv'd at his Fathers house! With what a triumphant joy are they wel∣comed by Angels, and the whole Assem∣bly of the spirits of just men made per∣fect! Oh how glad are all those kind, and loving spirits, to see others come to Heaven, who shall be sharers with them

in one and the same undivided happiness, and parners with them in singing Halle∣lujahs to God, and to the Lamb! It is no small joy to them that more Voices are added to the heavenly Quire.

I (may the dying Christian say) must leave Earth, the house in which I have lived so long; death is about to open a door for my immortal Spirit to go out at; and methinks I see my God, my Jesus opening the Gate of Heaven: I hope when death has turn'd it out of this frail, and earthly Tabernacle, God and Christ will receive it into Everlasting Habita∣tions: I shall not want a Lodging, for God hath prepared, and Christ hath pur∣chased a glorious Mansion for me. Go out, O my Soul! with holy joy, and triumph; hasten, be gone, for lo thy Throne is prepared, and yet stands empty. When I am dead, my surviving Friends will weep for me, with sighs, and groans lament my departure; but God, Christ, Angels, and Saints will welcome my Soul to Heaven. Surely those holy Spirits who rejoyced when I was converted, and born again; will sing a new Song, a peculiar Psalm of Praise to their God, and my God, when I am born into Eternity.

A thought that when I shall knock at the Gate of Heaven, and say, Lord, Lord, open to me; I should hear that sad word, I * 1.74 know thee not; would even break my heart, trouble me more than the pains, and agonies of a thousand deaths: But I hope for a free admission, a speedy en∣trance, and a joyful welcome: And oh that I were there!

Fifthly; They hope to go to better Friends, better Company, and have that Vision of God, and Christ, which cannot be had on this side the Grave. In this World good and bad, Saints and Sinners, the Righteous and the Wicked live together; and what a grief, and torment is the very presence, and company of these Devils in flesh to those who really intend, and in good earnest design Heaven! Here they enjoy the company of holy Relations, and godly Friends, who are many ways useful and helpful to them; and no doubt they very often, and heartily bless God for the ••ommunion of Saints: But the best here are imperfect; there is something in the best, that their conversation is not so taking and suitable, so sweet and en∣dearing, as we could with. How oft do they prove a scandal, and stumbling block

to us; or we an offence and grief to them! but at death they go to better; to such as love them more, and wish bet∣ter to them than their dearest Relations here can do: To Friends, who love each other as themselves: To Friends, in whose Conversation there is nothing but what is peculiarly delightful, and plea∣sant, sweet, and amiable, charming, and endearing, most highly grateful, and ob∣liging: To Friends, who are utter and perfect strangers to that four and peevish, morose and selfish temper, which prevails too much in this wretched, and degene∣rate World of ours: To Friends, who partake of, and share in one anothers joys, and are as much pleas'd with the happi∣ness of others, as with their own: To Friends, whose tempers will be agreeable, whose looks will be pleasant, whose hearts will be free and open; whose speeches will be ravishing, and all whose discourses will be seraphick and sublime; and yet set off with all the graceful Airs of a Charming Rhetorick.

Further, while we dwell in flesh, and sojourn here below we see God but thro' a glass, and that very darkly too: To day we enjoy and are ravisht with some

views of him; and perhaps to morrow, nay, it may be before night the Curtain is drawn, or a cloud interposes and we cannot see him. But after death we (if we fall under the Character of the Text) shall see him Face to Face, by a light which is more clear, constant and lasting. Now we delight in, believe on, desire af∣ter, and love that blessed Jesus, whom we have not yet seen: But after Death we shall see him as he is; and will not e∣very view of Jesus be transporting; will * 1.75 not every glance be the Spring of a new, and fresh joy! What is the language of Death to a Holy Soul but this? Come, see and enjoy that God whom thou hast long waited for, and looked after: Come, and see that Jesus, who out of a deep pi∣ty, and compassion, wept, and groaned, bled, and died for thee: Come, take thy place in Heaven, where thou mayest glut, and satisfie th•• greedy eye with these ra∣vishing sights; dost thou long (Holy Soul! dost thou long for the vision of God, and a sight of Christ? Come and have it; though my looks are Grim, my hands cold, Don't draw back for none but I can wast thee over to Heaven, where God, and Christ are to be fully, and for ever enjoy'd.

Is this the language of Death? Then what may be the language of the dying Christian? Hearken, don't you hear him saying? The day is dawn'd, the time is come, the hour is now hastning, that I must be gone; my Physitians neglecting any further prescriptions, your passionate weeping, and silent tears, (O my sorrow∣ful Friends?) The sensible decays I find in my self; in those parts which live the longest, and die the last, all tell me my end is near: Here, I have Relations who are Loving, Careful, and Tender; many Friends hath God raised up to me, and made them instrumental for my good, but I can willingly, chearfully, bid fare∣well to all; for I hope to go to an Assem∣bly of better Friends, and more perfect Lovers: I have had those sights of God in the Sanctuary that have been sweeter to me than all the pleasures of this vain World; but I hope for a fuller view, and a more ravishing sight of that glo∣rious being. Can't I see God and live? Oh let me die, for then I hope, I know I shall! I have heard of Christ; I have talkt of Christ, and (blessed be God) I have met with Christ in Prayer; Ser∣mons, and at a Sacrament. But now I am going to see this dear, and blessed

Jesus: This, this, Oh! This is my hope; and now O DEATH, DEATH, I chal∣lenge I dare thee to do thy worst.

Sixthly; The Righteous man at Death hath hope of the Resurrection of the Body, and of a Body a thousand times more glorious; than that which is put off at Death, and laid in the Dust. The Kesurrection of the dead is a main Article of our Christian Faith; and without this Hope we Christi∣ans * 1.76 should be of all most miserable. Christs Resurrrection is the Reason, Pattern, Proof, and Pledge of ours: As sure as he is risen, so sure is it we shall; the Lord will come, the Trumpet sound; Arise ye dead, shall be spoken with that Power, Majesty, and Authority that all shall obey that Summons: the bands of death shall be loosed, the doors of the grave opened, the dead raised, and then shall death be fully conquered, and morta∣lity be swallowed up of Life. Christ sees where every member of his is laid, * 1.77 watches over their dust, and w••ll quicken, and raise them. Put dost thou say, with what body shall they rise? What body! A very glorious body, the glory of the lat∣ter * 1.78 House, shall be greater than the glory of the first: That Body which now is like

a dull, dark clod of Earth shall then shine, sparkle, and glitter, with a brightness like to that of yonder Sun at noonday: That Body that now is weak, shall then be perfectly well, strong, and healthful: That Body that now is sown in corruption, * 1.79 shall then be raised in incorruption; live and die no more for ever. The Resurrection is an Article of a Christians Faith; and that he in particular shall rise to a blessed Immortality is the object of his hope: 'Tis true to quicken, and raise a dead body, a body that for many Ages has been rotting in the grave; a body which has been devoured by an Army of Craw∣ling, and ••••ngry Worms; a body which has been dissolved into a thousand par∣ticles, and infinite Atoms of Dust, requires an Almighty power; but yet notwithstanding the laughter of an Athe∣istical Sadducee, and the little ob∣jections which now and then may be mustered up, though carnal reason be ready to say, how can these things be? Yet * 1.80 he believes and hopes it shall be so.

Holy Job, when the morning was but newly dawn'd had the knowledge, and hope of this. I know (saith he) that my * 1.81 Redeemer ••iveth, and that he shall stand at

the latter day on the Earth, and though af∣ter * 1.82 my Skin, Worms destroy this Body; yet in my Flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see * 1.83 for my self, and mine Eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me. The Righteous sleep secure∣ly in a bed of dust, in the bosom of the Earth; they are not terrified with Dreams, nor scared with any frightful Visions of the night; and after a sweet repose, and a long sleep a powerful and Almighty Jesus will awake, and raise them, and give them a Body like to his own most Glorious Body; in exchange for that Weak, Vile, and Contemptible Bo∣dy Death laid in the grave. This is a fundamental Article of our Faith: And why should it seem to any a thing incredible * 1.84 that God (whose power is unlimited) should raise the Dead?

I go (may the dying believer say) the way of all Flesh, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are gone before me; and though I shall return to my House no more, yet my dust shall be quickned revived and raised. The sound of the last Trumpet, the voice of the Arch Angel, and the louder and shriller voice, of my power∣ful Saviour will awake me out of my

dead sleep: I see the shadows of the e∣vening are stretched out, and night is coming; but I believe, and hope the morning will also come; and the day of my redemption quickly dawn. I fall a∣sleep with hope that when day breaks my Lord will give me a call, and bid me rise: Though this Flesh of mine must moulder into dust; yet it shall be quickned, and spring up again at the re∣surrection of the just. My dead Body shall live again; those dry Bones of mine, which may be tumbled up and down, and lookt upon with contempt, and scorn shall again be cloathed with Flesh, and a Spirit of Life shall enter into me. O Death now's thy time, thou wilt conquer and captivate me; this Body must be thy Prisoner; but my time will come, in the morning I, and all that sleep in Jesus, shall * 1.85 have Dominion over thee: After I have lain a while bound, and fetter'd in a dark, and silent Grave; my Lord, my Victorious Jesus will rescue me and all the Prisoners of hope: Christ is the Resurrection, and * 1.86 the Life, and believing in him I shall live: methinks with sensible joy, I hope, I know I shall live, tho' I die. Lo! (O my Christian friends) this is my hope in a

dying hour; and thanks be to God it is unshaken.

Seventhly, The Righteous hath hope of a publick Absolution, and a sentence of life at the day of the last, and general iudgement. The Resurrection of the Dead is in order to Judgment; Men must leave their Graves to come to the Bar: Christ shall sit down on the Judgment-Seat, and a Universal Summons being given, all the Children of Adam shall be gathered before him; for we must all appear before the Judg∣ment-Seat of Christ, that ever•• one may re∣ceive the things done in hi•• ••ody, according * 1.87 to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. This Judgment will be solemn and awful; dreadful and terrible; impartial and righteous; final and decisive; for after a fair trial, that sentence shall be past which will determine our everlasting state. Then shall the Righteous be own'd, and acknowledg'd, be acquitted, and ab∣solved, be sentenc'd, and adjudged to Eternal Life in the face of that vast, and awful assembly of Angels and Men: and when that reviving sentence; Well done, good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord, shall be prononc'd by * 1.88 Christ, with an audible voice, a smiling countenance, in the hearing of the whole

Court; Lord what a triumphant, and transporting joy will they be filled with! methinks, I see their chearful looks, their smiling Countenances, and a pleasant Air in every Face: with what a mighty nim∣bleness, and sprightful vigour does the newly restored blood dance along their veins! how do the Heavens Eccho with their Acclamation of Joy! methinks. I hear them saying with a loud, and chearful voice, AMEN, HALLELUJAH, HALLELUJAH.

I believe a future, final, and general judgment; but I hope (may the depart∣ing Saint say) things will go very well with me in that day: I have often pray'd. God grant that I may find mercy of the Lord * 1.89 in that Day; and I hope I shall, I hope that mercy, and not rigorous justice will pronounce my sentence; that I shall find a friend in Court; that the judge himself will be so: that blessed Jesus who is nay Advocate, and elder Brother, who died for me, and washt me in his Blood; who Sanctified me by his Spirit, and reconciled me to God is to be my Judge; and there∣fore I hope when I am judged I shall not be condemn'd. The sentence of absolu∣tion stands upon record, Mat. 25. 34. Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the King∣dom

prepared for you before the Foundation of the World. This, this, Oh! this is the blessed sentence that belongs to me: I have read it again, and again, I have me∣ditated upon it till I have been ravished and transported with joy. What sweet, what reviving words are these! how worthy is each of them of a particular re∣mark! Come, glorious invitation! Ye bles∣sed of my Father; endearing title! Inherit the Kingdom; No less! still more joy. Prepared for you, for me Lord! for Worms, for Men, for Sinners? Soveraign Grace! Before the Foundation of the World: what so long ago! so early designed! was my name written upon a Mansion above, long before any of my members were written in thy Book? Grace! Grace! Lord! I admire, and adore that love, that free, and generous, and early love of thine I cannot comprehend, if the reading, and meditating upon these words be so delight∣ful; what will it be to hear them spoken, and spoken to ME? I hope (now I am a dying man) I hope to hear this Sentence from the Mouth of my Saviour; and when these words of Life, and Joy shall drop from those sweet, and blessed Lips, Lord what Joy shall I feel! a joy which now I can neither comprehend nor bear.

Is this the Sentence I expect to hear? O my weeping friends, stop your flowing tears, silence your groans, hush those sobs, and sighs, and let us sing Psalms of praise to God: oh! begin, and help me to praise him, and with my latest breath I will say, Amen, Hallelujah.

Eighthly, The Righteous hath hope in his Death (what hath he hope of!) what! of the full, entire, and eternal happiness of the whole man; when the final judgment is past and over. Sentence being past, judg∣ment being over, and the Court broken up all pass to their Eternal abodes: some ay, and the greatest part too of that vast assembly; to the Regions of horrour, and darkness beneath! others, viz. the Righ∣teous to the Mansions of Bliss, and Light above. Now (oh joyful day!) Christ and all his friends immediately march in triumph to Heaven: those everlasting Gates are open'd, they all enter into those peaceable, quiet, and undisturbed Regions, and so shall they be for ever with the Lord. * 1.90 Before one part was praising God in Hea∣ven, and the other silent in the Grave: the Soul was the Companion of Angels, the Body the Food of Worms: the one as distant from the other as yonder Heaven

is from the Bowels of this Earth: but after the great, and solemn transactions of that day the WHOLE MAN; the WHOLE CHRISTIAN shall be admit∣ted into the Heavenly State▪ Christ their head, and husband shall bring them to Heaven with a lo, O my Father, here are the Men thou gavest unto me; here are the Men for whom I suffered, and died; while they were in the World I kept them; and have now ransom'd them from the Power of Death, and the Grave: I have brought them safe to glory; I pre∣sent them to thee without spot, or wrinkle, and Father, I will they be where I am; that they may behold, and partake of my Glory▪ * 1.91

This perfect happiness of the whole man, the Righteous hath hope of: he looks beyond Death to the Resurrection; beyond that to judgment; and beyond judgment to Heaven; and Heaven is the summ of his desires. Heaven! it is the center of all his hopes, and wishes: and such an one in his last hours may say, me∣thinks I foresee the time when my Lord, and the judge of all will come; methinks I hear the Trumpet sound, and see the dead raised; from my death-bed I have a prospect of the transac••ious of the last

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day; I see, by faith, I see what shall then be done to the men whom the King of Heaven delights to honour: methinks I see the redeemed, and ransom'd of the Lord marching in triumph to the City above, and the glorious, blessed Jesus leading the way: I shall not be left asleep, or stay behind, but accompany them to the everlasting Kingdom; and this Flesh of mine which now must see corruption, this body of mine that now must rot in darkness shall then be united to my Soul; and not only my Soul, but my Body shall have the happiness it is capable of. This is my Faith, and this is my Hope: Come Lord * 1.92 Jesus, come quickly; and accomplish what thou hast promised, and I and all thy Followers live, and die in the hope of.

Thus we have finished the Doctrinal part; and now proceed.

Fourthly, and Lastly; To make applica∣tion of what hath been said upon this argu∣ment to our selves. The most serious and weighty; the most plain and searching; the most important and awakening truths have little, or no influence upon our hearts, and lives, for want of a close, warm, home, and particular application. Shall I apply what hath been said? Would to

God I might come to the quick; reach the heart, alarm the Conscience of every one that shall read these lines! where shall I sharpen my Arrows; that they may pierce and wound? what words shall I use that drowsie sinners may be startled? Lord help me! Lord help the reader! Lord help us both! and that I might not lose my Labour, and you your Souls, I solemnly charge, and in the name of the Eternal God I Sub-poena thee, O CON∣SCIENCE; closely and impartially to apply to the Heart, what the man shall read with his Eye.

Conscience! Now's thy time to speak, hereafter it may be too late for ever: when once the man is dead and damn'd thou may'st torture and torment him; but it will be impossible to fright him into Repentance. Is the man drowsie? O Con∣science, Conscience, thunder in his Ears: is he asleep? jog, and awake him: is he unconcern'd as to any preparation for death, judgment, and an Eternal world? tell him of this misery; forewarn him of his danger; call, cry in his Ears till he is startled: what shall be said in general do thou according to thine office, as thou wilt answer the neglect of it to God thy

Judge hereafter; apply in particular: if any thing be said suitable to the case of the man, whose Conscience thou art; be not meal-mouth'd, don't mince the matter; but plainly, and roundly say, THOU ART THE MAN, rebuke, reprove, exhort, persuade, comfort, chear as the state of the Man requires. O Con∣science, Conscience, I call upon thee again to give them warning from God; be se∣rious, particular, and impartial, lest they die in their sins; and the blood of their Souls * 1.93 be required at thine hands: as the man turns over these pages, read thou over those records thou hast in thine own keeping, and witness for, or against; chide, or smile; accuse, or condemn, as thou seest occasion: if he be a wicked man be thou a Boanerges; a son of Thunder: if he be a righteous Person; be thou a Barnabas, a son of consolation. Could I but awaken Conscience, I should hope these plain lines would be read with some success; Lord! jog Conscience, that Conscience may jog the Man; that this word of thine may be thy Power unto Salvation. In hope * 1.94 that Conscience will assist, and second me; and the great God will help both, I shall attempt the application of what has been said; in these following Inferences.

Inference 1. How terrible must Death be to the wicked; who have no ground to hope for any of these great, blessed, and glorious things! However sports and pastimes; Carnal mirth and worldly Business; charming pleasures and frothy company may keep out, and banish the thoughts of their departure; yet when the fatal hour is coming, when grim Death is mounted on its Pale Horse, and is posting toward them; how suddenly are they struck with horrour! how concern'd at the heavy tidings that they must dye! After many pleasant years, behold, the man is seize•• by some mortal sickness; his decayin•• strength, and languishing Spirits, his wear Pulse, and short Breath, his cold an•• faint sweats tell him death is coming, an•• his end is near, his Physitians after many troublesome prescriptions, and vain at∣tempts leave him: his mourning, an•• weeping friends are expecting when •••• will send forth his last breath; are waitin•• to close his dying Eyes; and yet (mise∣rable man!) he has no hope. Hath h•• no hope; and yet must he die? doles•• consideration!

Hope of Heaven is very common; as

the Drunkard, and Swearer, the most Rebellious and Stubborn, Perverse and Obstinate sinner, what he thinks will be∣come of him after Death; and he will either by a scornful silence shew his dis∣dain; or readily answer he hopes to be saved. How fashionable is this form of speech; as I hope to be sav'd! but alas! most of that hope which is the World's is vain, and groundless; false, and spurious; begotten by a flattering Heart, and subtile Devil; it is like common Metal without the Royal Stamp, which none will take for Currant Coin; and how oft Does it appear so when Death, and the Grave, Judgment, and Eternity come in view! you have hope; but in the name of God, Man, tell me what kind of hope is it? Is it accompany'd with any sweet, plea∣sant, and delightful thoughts; with any hearty groans, earnest longings, passionate desires after possession? Does it withdraw your Hearts, and affections from Earth to Heaven; and render you patient under all the sufferings, and afflictions of this present state? In a word, does it put you on to get more purity and holiness? A genuine hope will, as appears by the A∣postles words he that hath this hope in him, * 1.95 will purifie himself even as he is pure. He

that hopes to see the infinitely Holy God, won't stain his Garments, and defile his Soul, by wallowing in filth and mire: he that hopes to be like God in Glory, will endeavour to be like him in purity: he that hopes to resemble the best of Be∣ings, God, won't make himself like the worst of Creatures, the Devil, by open, and known, wilful, and presumptuous violations of the Divine Laws. This hope will put him upon endeavouring after a purity like that of God in Nature and Kind; tho' it cannot be so in Degree, and Measure.

Do you hope for Heaven; and doa•• upon Earth, hug your Riches, and make the World your God? Do you look for a Kingdom, and Crown, Immortality, and Life, for an happiness beyond all you•• thoughts, and bigger than your hopes; and do you do nothing, or next to no∣thing to obtain it? Do you hope for a Mansion in yonder Heaven at the end of your Journey; and walk in the broad Road that leads to Hell? Do you hop•• to be like blessed, and Holy Angels; and do you now sometimes play the Beast, and sometimes act the Devil? Do yo•• hope for the reward; and do none of tha••

work God hath appointed, or do it in a lazy, slothful, and careless manner.

Do you hope to hear, Well done, good and faithful Servant: and wrap up your Talents in a Napkin, or bury them in the Earth? Do you hope to be happy, and take no care to be holy? Do you hope Christ will save you; and do you make nothing of running over the tears, wounds, and blood of the blessed Jesus, to get at the forbidden Fruit? Do you hope to sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, with the Patriarchs, Prophets, and Apostles, in the Kingdom of Heaven; and do you now sit with Publicans and Sinners? Is this your hope? poor men! what kind of hope is it; and what little service will it do you?

This hope is slight, and superficial; it is the fruit of ignorance, and want of con∣sideration: perhaps an awakening Sermon of Death, and Judgment, Hell, and God's Eternal wrath; some cross Providence, and smart affliction may miserably shake it. While the Sun shines, and the day of Pro∣sperity lasts, thy hope may seem fresh, and flourishing; but when the Night of Af∣fliction comes thou mayest be wrapped up

in Clouds, and Darkness, and thy hope will languish, wither and die. Dreadful thought!

This hope is vain and groundless; God's Promise is the only Ground, and solid Foundation to build our hope upon: to hope for what God hath never promised or upon other terms, and conditions that are annext to the promise is ignorant, and blind, and bold, and daring presump∣tion.

This hope is wicked; and foolish▪ It is wicked; is it not a dis-believi•••• Gods peremptory threatning; an affront∣ing Divine truth; and imputing falshoo•• to his comminations? Hath the Just▪ True, Holy, and Eternal God said, tho•• shalt not be saved and dost thou secretl•• say, I hope I shall; what is this but a•• the same time to hope God will be a li•••• It is also foolish; is it not folly to hope against Reason, Scripture, and all Go•• has said? Is it not folly to think a poo•• Worm can snatch Salvation out of the hands of mercy, when God is resolve•• he shall never have it? To think a sinfu•• wretch can force his way through a thou∣sand threatnings, and the peremptory Sen∣tence

of the Law to the Blissful Regions above?

This hope (what shall I say of it?) is perishing; it will end in confusion, disappointment, and shame, and at last die in horror, and despair. Sickness and Death, O vain man! will shake thy hopes: The Sentence of thy Judge, and and the Flames of Hell will dash them. Hope may accompany thee while thou livest; go with thee to the very borders of the Eternal World; and then at far∣thest it will bid farewel to thy amazed, and trembling Soul. The time will come (believe it Sirs) the time will come, when you shall hope no more, no more, no more for ever. This hope is worse than none, for it hinders Mens repen∣tance; and all the kindness it does them is first to hood-wink, and then damn them. How fatal is this hope! A wick∣ed man can have no good hope either living or dying; and that false hope he maintains, and cherishes in health, when sickness comes many times takes the wings of the morning and flies away. In an hour he must remove out of one World into another; but he hath no hope it shall be into a better: He be∣queaths

his body to the dust; his Estate, and Goods to his surviving friends; but he can not (Lord what an Agony must the depart∣ing Soul be in!) with confidence com∣mend his Spirit into the hands of Jesus: He may hope his Friends will give his bo∣dy a decent burial; but he has no hope, alas! he has no hope Angels will con∣duct his Soul to glory. Oh Death, Death, how terrible is it when there is no hope of a better life

To awaken such let me add; to die without good hope, though it be bad, is not all: For the wicked (as it is in the for∣mer part of this verse) is driven away in his wickedness. Sad words, miserable ends! * 1.96 Ere long (Sinners) Death will grasp thee in its cold Arms; ere long Pale Death will sit in that face of thine that now is Fair, and Ruddy, and the seat of a Charming Beauty; ere long Death will shackle those feet which brought thee to this assembly; shut those eyes which are a window to let in vanity into thy mind; stop those ears which have been delighted with filthy, and unsavoury dis∣course; ere long, Death will drive thee out of the World; thou must be conf••••ed to a narrow Coffin; sleep in a Bed of

dust, under a coverlet of crawling Worms; but this is not all, no, nor the greatest part of thy misery; for thou shalt be driven away in thy wickedness: Go out of the World guilty, and accompanied with the sins of thy whole Life; Death unties the knot, and thy Soul is gone; gone! Whither is it gone? Into the in∣visible World, to the illightned Tribunal of a Just, Impartial, and Inexorable Judge: Death sets open the Door, and thy immortal Spirit immediately flies a∣way; and all thy sins like so many black, and frightful Devils, hasten, and post af∣ter: Thy Sins, O man, thy sins mount, and ascend as fast as thy Spirit, and will be at the Judgment-seat as soon as it. Methinks a thought of this should make thine heart ake, thy lips quiver, rot∣tenness enter into thy bones, and force thee to cry out; Good God! Whatever becomes of me let me not die, in my sins. An impenitent sinner goes into Eternity dogg'd by Devils, and his own impure Lusts: When he dies, that hope which with artifice, and cunning he maintain'd in his life-time, forsakes his wretched, and trembling Soul: In one instant, it is gone, and gone for ever: follow him from one World to to'ther; from his

sick-bed to the Bar of God. Doleful Hour!

Infer II. Do, and must the righte∣ous die? Then how does it concern us to make a good use of them while they live! The righteous are the lights of the World; like the S•••• in the Firmament profitable and beneficial to all: Though hereafter these wise Virgins cannot supply us with Oyl out of their Vessels, to recruit our Lamps, and maintain the expiring Flame; yet at present they may like the Sun communicate of their light, and heat to us. How much Spiritual good may we receive by them; and how careful should all be to make a wise improve∣ment!

Have you an Holy Father a Godly Mo∣ther, who pray for, weep over and daily instruct you? Hearken to their instructi∣ons, follow their example, take their counsel for they must die. That Holy Father of thine, who with compassion, and tenderness begs of thee to remember God, and thine own Soul; that Godly Mother of thine, who brought thee forth with pain, and sorrow, and is in travel with thee again, till Christ be formed in * 1.97

thee; must die: And if thou dost not hearken to, and improve their serious reproofs, godly counsels, and wholesome advice; what a torment may the thought of it be when they are dead, and gone! Methinks I hear a negligent and careless Son being lately come from the grave of his holy Father, or godly Mother, in bit∣terness crying out: God in giving me such holy Parents gave me a great mercy; but I (Oh wretched man that I am!) neither valued, nor thankfully improved so great a blessing as should, and might have done: My Father, my Mother that is now dead, very often, and that with tears told me of my sin, and danger; with abundance of kindness, in the Spirit of meekness reproved me for my youth∣ful follies, and vanities; with much Plainness, and Holy Zeal, they instruct∣ed, and counselled, informed and directed me; they brought me to the Solemn Assembly, and taught me at home; they wept over me, and prayed to God for me, and put me upon secret Prayer, and reading the Holy Scriptures; but all this labour in whole, or at least in great part has been lost as to me: Might I not have been much better, might I not have had more grace, and holiness had I im∣proved

this blessing? I had the same ad∣vantage (may the wicked and disobe∣dient Son say) but I slighted the instructi∣ons of my holy Father, and contemned the counse•••• of my godly Mother; and now they are dead, and gone, how likely am I to die in my sins; having not the same helps and advantages as I had when they were with me? Such reflecti∣ons (Conscience being awakned by the hand, and rod of God) may be made when such holy Relations are taken away; to prevent which; let all especially the Children of Holy Parents improve the lives and company of such. The like might be said as to Husbands and Wives; Masters and Servants, &c. Labour to get as much good as you can by holy Re∣lations, Christian Friends, and Acquain∣tance for these you shall not have always with you.

Infer. III. How great is the mercy, and goodness of God to his People though they are not exempted from Death! Death sounds harsh, the Grave is very frightful: When we think the Friends of God, the Mem∣bers of Christ, the Favourites of Heaven, and the Followers of the Lamb must die; are we not sometime posed, and almost

at a stand? Are we not puzzled to recon∣cile the Death of such men with the good∣ness, and love of God; and those tender bowels he has toward such? Are we not ready to say How, and why is it that such must die? Since their door-posts are sprinkled with the Blood of the Lamb; why may, why does not the destroying Angel pass over them? Since God hath such a love to, delight in, and wishes so well to them, why must they Taste Death before they can drink of those Rivers of * 1.98 pleasure which are at Gods right hand forever∣more? * 1.99 Why does not such love, and mer∣cy pleasure them with an easie, and in∣stantaneous Translation? These may be the arguings of carnal reason; but to con∣sider with what great, and vast, blessed, and glorious hopes they die may help us to silence every thing of this kind. Why should we entertain any hard thoughts of God, or think him in the least unkind, because we must first die; before we can be happy: When he has given us such sure and certain hopes to carry us through the Pains, and Conflicts, Agonies and Terrors of that hour! When you hear or see that the Righteous must die, do you cry out? How severe, and inflexible is Divine Justice! Then remember

they die in hope and cry out; How tender is Divine Mercy! How great is the Mercy of God that he sweetens this Cup with some fore-tasts of Heaven!

When sickness shall Summon me to die; when I shall lie weak, and pain'd on my last bed, Lord! Let me have a strong and unshaken; a vigorous and lively hope: Give me in that dark and gloomy hour but a prospect of Hea∣ven; and an assurance it shall be mine: While with one eye I look into the Grave with the other let me look to Heaven, and be able to say, Yonder is a Mansion for me. And I will never think much that I must die: O my God, I will not think thy justice is too severe, but adore, and Bless, Love, and Praise thee while I have Strength, and Breathe that I have hope to comfort me in my Passage.

Infer. IV. How evident is it that serious Religion, and practical holiness is not a vain thing! To mourn for our sins, and repent of our past wickedness; to watch our Hearts, which have so oft, so easily, and fatally betray'd us; to resist the Tempta∣tions of Satan, who waits for an opportu∣nity to destroy us; to abstain from fleshly,

and sensual pleasures, which have drown∣ed thousands in Perdition, and may en∣snare and defile us; to be strict, and accurate in all our ways; to follow the Directions of the Word, the Conduct of the Holy Spirit, and the light of a well-informed Conscience in all we do; to be warm, fervent, and frequent in Prayer, both in our Families and Closets; to be serious, and reverent when ever we have to do with God, and meddle with sacred things; to love our Enemies, and do good to all, and hurt to none; to deny self, take up the Cross, and suffer rather than sin; to be humble, meek, and con∣descending; to govern our thoughts, make a Covenant with our Eyes; and to set a Watch on the Door of our Lips, and Bridle our Passions; to contemn the World, and the three grand Idols of it; RICHES, HONOURS, and PLEA∣SURES; to be contented with little, and thankful to God for any thing; to obey the commanding, and submit to the Pro∣vidential Will of God is accounted by some men (and those who think them∣selves Wits too) ridiculous and vain. What profit is there in serving ••••e Almighty? * 1.100 Is the Language of some Men's Tongues and more Mens Hearts: but Lord what

mad and foolish talk is this! is that vain which ends so well, and has such an happy issue at last?

The whole Life of a sinner is but one continued vanity, but one entire piece of a more solemn folly: your carking and caring for, your pampering a dying Body, while you neglect an Immortal Spirit; your thoughtfulness for Earth, while you forget Heaven; your heaping up Riches, while you lay up no treasures for your selves in another World; your purchasing Lands, and Houses, while you do not seek a Title to a Mansion above; your sinful Laughter, and carnal Mirth; your ridiculing Reli∣gion, and making a scorn of the Righteous, your beastly pleasures, and bruitish de∣lights are all vain, of these we may say, Vanity of Vanities, all is Vanity. Should I come to you when you lie sick, cold, and trembling on a Death-bed, and ask, Sir, what fruit have you of your former sinful Life? would you not shake your head, and with an heavy Heart say? Fruit! alass! no fruit, nothing but shame and sorrow, dreadful fears of an after reckoning, and frightful thoughts of Hell, and Judgment to come.

But Righteousness and Powerful Reli∣gion is no vain, or unprofitable thing; suspend thy judgment a little while, stay till the Righteous man comes to the end of his Journey; behold him weak and lan∣guishing, and yet full of hope and joy. See him looking grim Death in the Face with courage, and going out of the World in triumph; hear him saying with a plea∣sant voice, Oh that Death would come! I long, I long to dye, and then judge if righteousness be vain. This Doctrine exemplified in the triumphant and joyful Death of a Righteous Man is enough to convince the most sottish, and stupid sin∣ner that serious religion is no vain, and empty thing.

Infer. V. How industriously, and dili∣gently should all labour after this righteousness! That Death is certain and unavoidable, near at hand and will quickly come; I sup∣pose you take for granted. You are dying, verily my friends you are dying men, and women: the time is coming, and how quickly will it be here? when you must breath your last, when neither the tears of Relations, the pity of Friends, the skill of Physitians, nor any vertue there is in Medicines can prolong Life or keep

off Death. Lo this is thy Motto, DUST thou art and to the Dust shalt thou re∣turn; and should not you labour to be such persons while you live that you may have hope in your Death? To be a stran∣ger upon Earth is your character; to get an hope of an abiding City should be your endeavour: and this cannot be had with∣out Gospel-righteousness. It is not a su∣perficial sorrow, and slight repentance for your past sins; a few good thoughts or wishes, a few cold and lifeless Prayers in the Church, or Closet; it is not an escaping the gross pollutions of the flesh; or doing some acts of Charity, and Justice, Sobriety, and Temperance that will be a sufficient ground of hope in a dying hour: it is nothing short of a through, Univer∣sal change of Heart and Life; nothing short of a supernatural principle in the Heart, exerting its self in suitable actions in the life will warrant, and legitimate your hope: and oh how speedily, and di∣ligently should every one labour after it!

If you would have hope in your Death, you must solemnly repent of all your sins: that Heart of thine which is as hard as a Rock must be softned and broken; you

must renounce the Infernal Trinity the World, the Flesh, and the Devil; your old Hearts, and Natures must be changed; love to God must be your governing prin∣ciple; the characters of the H. Gospel must be imprest upon your Hearts; and there must be a sincere, constant, and universal obedience to all its commands in your lives: you must have Faith in the Heart which works by Love, and there must * 1.101 be obedience in the life, the fruit, evidence, and proof of that Faith: and what argument, and motive can be more cogent to persuade you to endeavour after this compleat righ∣teousness than this in the text? Sirs when you are sick and ready to die, you send for us and then you cry out for comfort; oh Sir (saith many an one on his Death-bed) have you no comfort for a dying man? Can you give me no hope it will be well with me after Death? Oh that I had some hope of Heaven! you that know to whom Heaven belongs tell me, oh! tell me if there be any ground for me to hope it will be mine: and will you not labour after that righteousness without which all your hope is vain and will end in eternal desperation? Shall the profits of the World, or the pleasures of sin keep you from be∣ing Religious indeed? infinite folly!

Were I now upon my Death-bed, pant∣ing for Breath, strugling for life, beyond the hope, and possibility of recovery; were I now expecting which hour and moment, which pulse and breath would be my last, oh what would hope of a bles∣sed Immortality be worth! hope of Hea∣ven would stand me in more stead than the riches of ten thousand Worlds. Lord! quicken my resolutions and endeavours, awaken my drowsie Soul, inspire my dead, and slothful Heart with light and life, with warmth and zeal: let me trifle and dally no longer, but mind, and mind it as the main business of my life to get that righteousness which may add spirit, and life to my hopes in a dying hour! I resolve and purpose to do so; Lord! maintain and strengthen these holy purposes, and grant me this hope at my death!

Infer. VI. How unaccountable and blame∣worthy is fear of death, especially that which is tormenting, and slavish in those who are truly righteous! 'Tis true in Death upon the slightest view, we may behold some∣thing ••elancholy and startling, frightful and gloomy; something that puts Nature into a fright, and makes it recoil and start

back at the thoughts of it: but if we con∣sider it more distinctly in its antecedents, languishing sicknesses, acute pains, and terrible pangs; in its consequent what becomes of the young▪ strong, and ho∣nourable when death hath turn'd the man into a pale, wan and ghastly corps it appears more formidable: but if we farther con∣sider it, as the effect of our primitive Apostacy, and the fruit of the Divine Curse; as it transmits the Soul to a righ∣teous and impartial Tribunal, and as it is attended with Hell; it may justly (when∣ever we think of it) surprise us with hor∣rour. But how unreasonable is it for good men who have such great, and glo∣rious hopes to be kept in Bondage all their life-long thro' fears of Death! and yet how * 1.102 loth are the best of us to admit the thought of dying! how loth to suppose that the next year, week, or day we may be laid in the Grave! when sickness shakes, how loth are we death should pull down this Earthly Tabernacle?

But how greatly are we to be blamed for this; when God has provided such an antidote as hope of Heaven; What is it we are afraid of? What is it makes us start, and draw back when Death is

marching towards us, and we hear the sound of its feet at our chamber doors? do we fear the pains, and pangs which usually usher in the King of Terrors? Cannot God make our passage speedy, and easie, and have we not hope that when these pains are over we shall feel no more? Are we loth to die, because we must leave our Relations, and Friends, and have we not hope of going to better▪ Are we afraid to die because after Death our separated, and naked Souls must pass thro' the Devils Dominions and Territo∣ries? And have we not hope of a Convoy of mighty, and powerful Angels; who dare fight those unclean Spirits in their own Quarters, to conduct them safe to the blessed abodes above? Are we afraid to die because after Death comes Judg∣ment? And have we not hope the Judge is our friend, and that our trial will have a good, and happy Issue? Finally are we loth to die because these Bodies, and this Flesh of ours must rot in dust and dark∣ness and our eyes must no more behold this sweet, and pleasant light and have we not hope towake and rise; after a quiet and undisturbed sleep? Oh how abundantly hath our good God provided for our

comfortable passage to Eternity! Let as many then as have this hope, banish these unreasonable, and slavish fears, which are a pleasure to Satan, a dis∣honour to God, a reproach to our pro∣fession, a disgrace to our hopes, and a torment to our selves.

Infer. VII. Hence we see the reason of the willing and chearful, joyful and trium∣phant departure of some believers at the hour of Death. The Souls of some men are violently rent and torn from them, fain would they live longer, but must not; some die with a quiet and silent submis∣sion: and some die with abundance of joy and triumph. As old Jacob's heart was revived and cheared when he saw the Waggons which were sent to fetch him to his beloved Joseph; so the hearts of some Christians have even leapt for joy, when they have seen Death coming to carry them to their beloved Jesus; Death drest up in the most terrible shape has not been able to fright them. With what courage and resolution; boldness and magnanimity; composedness and chearfulness; with what joy and triumph did the Martyrs of old suffer and die! The angry frowns, the sour looks, the

threatning words of their enemies have not daunted them; the passing sentence of Death upon them, and appointing the time for their execution has neither start∣led, nor troubled them: No, no, they have rejoyced in their Dungeons, and gone to the Flames with Psalms of Praise in their mouths. With what an unshaken mind, transport, and joy have they passed from their Prisons to a Stake; not in the least concerned at the sight of the executioner, the instruments of Death, and all the bloody Pomp that was carried before them! How have these noble confessors endured the torture of the Rack, the burning of the Flames, not only with patience, and submission; but with thankfulness, and access of joy, and exultancy of Spirit, though I confess there was somewhat peculiar in this case; yet was not all this owing to the liveliness of their hope, and strength of their assurance Faith made them Martyrs, and Hope made them Triumphant.

How many other Christians who were never called out to endure the Fiery Tryal; who never had the honour of * 1.103 Martyrdom conferred on them; have been fill'd with the greatest joy in their

last moments! how many have discours'd of their death, given command concern∣ing their Burial, and taken their leave of this World with joyful hearts, pleasant looks, and chearful countenance: how many have gone to Heaven not only with quiet, still, and silent affection; but with acclamations of Joy, and with verbal Prais∣es of God in their mouths! have not their comforts been strongest when Nature has been weakest? Have not their Death-Bed Joys exceeded all that they ever felt before; and has not their last breath been employed in praising God? Did you never hear a dying Christian express him∣self to this purpose? I thank God I am as willing to die as others are to live; the thoughts of my Coffin, and Grave don't trouble me; trouble me! They are as sweet as the thoughts of my Bed wont to be after the Toil, and Labour of the day. Is my end drawing on? Must I now die? Welcome News! Joyful Tidings! Weep (O my dear Friends) weep no more for me; for nothing troubles me but your excessive grief and sorrow: I am willing to die; and do you be willing I should: I am willing to wait with pa∣tience till Gods time is come, but I could be very well contented now, even now,

this hour, this moment to be gone. I see nothing in this Vain, Sinful, and Wretched World that should make a wise man fond of it; but on the other side the grave what great, what blessed, Lord! What glorious things do I see? See so much that I am willing to die that I might see and enjoy more: The blessed, and loving Jesus has purchased and pre∣pared a mansion for me, and now he calls me to come to it; and shall I be loth, backward, and unwilling? If I should, wou'd not my Saviour take it ill? Un∣willing to die! What's that but to be un∣willing to be happy? There will be joy in Heaven when I am there, and I would there should be joy on Earth now I am going thither. Though all cannot thus Triumph over Death, and the Grave, yet thanks be to God some can; and what is the ground of all this, but that lively hope their departing Souls are inspired with? Without hope how impossible were any thing of this kind? Hope attends them in their last sickness, hope shoots the gulf with them, carries them to the gates of Heaven, and never leaves them till they take possession of the immortal, and un∣defiled inheritance; and this hope is the reason of that peculiar joy other men are

strangers to in a dying hour. What great things can hope do!

Infer. VIII. How carefully should every righteous man endeavour that his hope may be strong, vigorous, and lively in a dying hour! Ere long God in whose hands is our time, our Life, and Breath will grant Death a commission: Ere long Death, inexo∣rable Death, impartial Death, Death that has conquered all who lived before us, will enter our Chamber, lay close seige to our hearts the secret spring of Life; rend, and tear us from the embra∣ces of our dearest Friends; who shall have nothing to do but to behold, and lament the victory. And what shall we then do if we have no hope, or but a weak one? There is a very great difference in the Death even of righteous men themselves: Some go weeping, others triumphing through the dark valley: Some excellent Christians have many doubts, and fears in that hour; Death terrifies though it cannot hurt them: They have only some secret support; but have not the joy of hope. Since the righteous may have hope, and such hope to be a cordial to them in their last, and most sorrowful moments; Oh how greatly does it con∣cern us to look to our selves, and use our

utmost endeavours that we may have hope, and not only so; but that our hope may be strongest when Nature is weakest, and lively in our dying Agony; and that our best, richest, and sweetest Wine may be reserved to the Last!

Hope! how can we live without it? Hope! what shift can we make to die without it? Hope! how insipid are the plea∣sures of Life! Hope how uncomfortable are afflictions, how overwhelming are the terrors of Death without it! Hope! how does it lighten every Burden, sweet∣en every Cup, and make every Cross the more easie Hope! what safety may we have from it in every conflict, as it is our Helmet; what security in every storm * 1.104 as it is our Anchor! Hope! how does it raise our Spirits, warm our Affections, invigorate our Endeavours, encrease our Love, inflame our Zeal! Hope! how does it enable men to contemn, flight, and de∣spise all the admired and adored vanities of an empty, and perishing World! Hope what a pleasing relish does it give of every promise! What a sprightful accent to all our praises; and what a captivating power to every thought, and prospect of Heaven! Hope! how doth it make us

more moderate in our desires, more mo∣dest in our requests, and more indifferent in our endeavours after these mean, and little things here below! Of what use, and benefit is this hope to us? A strong and confirmed hope will be of great use; when a weak and wavering one will do us but little service: And how careful should you Righteous one's be to get, and keep, cherish, and maintain a good hope! How industriously should you endeavour to live in Hope; and above all, to die in hope! That you may have this hope, and the comfort of it too, when your Sun is going down, and night is coming. You should labour after this lively hope.

1. For God's sake. The infinite doubts, fears, and jealousies which many sincere Christians cherish; their drooping and desponding complaints; their melancholy walking; and uncomfortable lives reflect on that God they serve as if he were un∣kind; and disgrace that best of Religions, which they have espous'd as if it were good for nothing but to make men dull, sad, and mopish. Men see so little pleasure in Religion, because they see so little comfort in the lives of its Votaries: and if an un∣comfortable

Life do so much; will not an uncomfortable Death do much more? For such men to be dejected, and cast down in sickness; to shiver, and tremble when death approaches; to question their right, and title to Heaven when they are going to it, may very much dishonour God, re∣flect upon Religion; and prejudice the Wicked: should any of these men be in the Chamber of such a dying Christian, how would they at least, secretly pity him for his easiness, and credulity; deride Religion, and scorn an holy life! with what disdain would they be ready to say? See what all his Religion is come to; what is the fruit of his praying and hearing; his pre∣cise and circumspect walking; Death is as ter∣rible to him as it would be to us: he talkt of Heaven all his Life-long but now where is his hope? what is become of his confidence? When he had heated his brain and phansie with some religious exercises; how pleasantly could he talk of Heaven? But now Death is approaching what little support has he from those thoughts? Thus may your doubts, and fears strengthen the hands, and har∣den the Hearts of the wicked: and tell me Christian, is it not a trouble to thee to think, thou shouldest dishonour God, and discredit Religion, and that Religion which

should be dearer to thee than thy Life; in the very last part, and concluding act of it? Can the thought of it be tolerable to thee? Therefore for God's sake, and Religions sake get HOPE: for if you be comfortable and joyful then, (and if your hope be lively you may, and will be so;) you may convince, however you will si∣lence These foolish men, and perhaps after your decease they may bethink themselves, and say, surely Religion is no vain thing; there is more in it than we know of, for how ••as this man filled with joy when grim death stared him full in the face? Such a death commends Religion more than an hun∣dred Panegyricks written in the praise of it: having this hope, by your death-bed carriage and dying speeches you may bring more glory to God, honour to Christ, and credit to Religion at your death; than you did in your Life.

2. For your own sake. Is not death ter∣tible, and do you want nothing to arm and fortifie you against it? but what will or can, if you have no hope? Death! how cold do the thoughts of it strike to our Hearts; especially when we see the departing pangs, hollow eyes, pale looks, ghastly countenances, short breath, trem∣bling

limbs, and clammy sweats of our dying frends: and then think one day this will be our own ••aie! when we walk thro' Church-yards, and see rotten Skulls, scattered Bones, what a frightful thought is it to think ere-long it will be so with us! but when death really comes to act all this over upon us; what a difference shall we find between seeing another die, and dying our selves? will you need no support at such a time, will you want no cordial in such an hour? will you need no refreshment, when Heart, Flesh, and strength, and all does fail? Will you want nothing to help you when you come to grapple with this huge Goliah, this mighty Conquerour, DEATH? verily you will; and what can succour, support, and help you in that hour but a lively hope? Would you not have your Hearts sink, and die within you? Would you be able to receive the Sentence of Death in your selves with a quiet, and calm submission to God's Will? Would you die in peace, and go off with triumph? then get, and maintain a lively hope.

3. For the sake of those Relations you shall leave behind. Whenever you die, you will leave them in Tears; it will trouble

them to think that you are dead: but they will sorrow most of all to remember you did not die in hope. Out of respect, and pity to them get this lively hope; that they may have this to comfort and sup∣port them when you are dead and gone. That they may be able to say, my Hus∣band, my Wife, my Father, my Mother, my Son, my Daughter is Dead; but thanks be to God they died with a living with a lively hope. If they have any love for you, any sense of Religion, any be∣lief of another World, nothing will be so serviceable as this to check their immo∣derate sorrow. If you have no hope, or but little, tho' it is not their place to sit as judges upon you; yet may they not fear the worst? may they not take up a bitter lamentation at the Mouth of your Grave, and say, My loving Father, my dear Mother, my Son, my Child is dead: alass! here is the breathless Car∣kass that is left behind; but woe is me! woe is me! what is become of the Im∣mortal Soul? Oh! get this hope, that you your selves, and others too may know where death will Land you: why should you be ambitious of going to Heaven incognito; and as it were by stealth? Why should you not let all know, that that

is the blessed Port you are bound for be∣fore you go off from Land? That when you are praising God in Heaven; your surviving Friends may be giving Thanks to God on Earth for your safe arrival.

Now, that you who are Righteous may have a lively hope in your Death; I shall lay down, and do you practise these following directions.

First, Get, and maintain a firm, and set∣led belief of a future happiness. Content not your selves with the guesses, and conjectures of an Heathen; with a cold, and naked opinion that is easily shaken with the breath of the next Temptation; with a Faith, which is the fruit of a Re∣ligious, and Virtuous Education; and is only the consequent of having been born, and brought up among a sort of men called Christians, an avowed Arti∣cle of whose Creed is, the Life everlasting: but let your Faith be built upon sure Grounds, Divine Revelation; and let it be quickned, and rais'd to that degree that it may presentiate the future glory to you; that it may stand as a Rock un∣moveable in the midst of Storms; and like a brazen Wall blunt, and beat back

all those Arrows of Temptation, which are shot against it. Faith lays the Ground∣work, and Foundation for hope: the Creed of a Sadducee and the hopes of a Christian are not reconcileable; if I be∣lieve there is no other World but this, how can I have hope of any thing be∣yond the Grave? and if my Faith be weak and wavering a dead, and lifeless thing; will not my hope be so too? As the Lamp goes out unless there be Oil to feed it, so hope will wither, languish, and die except Faith maintain it. Hope springs from Faith, is nourished by, and is in proportion to it. In order to a lively hope, it is necessary we conquer our in∣fidelity, and watch, strive, and pray against an evil Heart of Ʋnbelief. Hope * 1.105 will not, indeed none of the Fruits of the Holy Spirit can thrive, or flourish while this root of bitterness is in the Heart. Let us then use all the means appointed that we may be strong in Faith, the life of our * 1.106 hopes, nay the life of all our Religion de∣pend's upon the certainty of a future state: blot this Article out of our Creed, and you stab Religion to the Heart: the whole of Religion in a manner, depends on the truth of this one, single Article; a life to come, and thanks be God we are

not left without plain, abundant and suffi∣cient proof of it: and they who are In∣sidels in this age, and in this part of the World, they are so not out of necessity; but rather out of choice. Let us then with the greatest seriousness of Spirit, intention of mind apply our selves to con∣sider the many, and clear evidences there are of a future state; and tho' Satan may raise Batteries against our Faith; yet let us defend it, and pray to God it may ne∣ver fail. Let Faith often travel into yon∣der Eternal World: send it as a Spy to take a view of the Heavenly Canaan; and firmly believe the report it brings back: for our Faith must be stedfast, if ever we would have our hope unshaken.

Secondly; Walk closely with God, and take heed of all known, willful, and presump∣tuous Sins. Having solemnly dedicated your selves to the glory, and service of the Blessed Trinity, Father, Son, and Spirit, walk according to that dedication: Watch against every thing that may give a wound to your sincerity, or cause you to question it. If you would have hope in your Death live according to your Character, Righteous persons, What is the fruit of your sloth and negligence;

the consequent of your hearkning to sin, and complying with temptation, but per∣plexing jealousies, and tormenting suspi∣cions, blotted evidences, and languishing hopes; want of assurance, and the Hea∣venly joy that flows from thence? Am I in a state of Grace, and do I belong to God? Will God reward such poor, and mean performances with Heaven? Is not my hope vain, and only the counterfeit of that which is in true Christians? Shall I ever be happy, or may I venture to hope I shall? Are the disconsolate reason∣ings of the careless Christian upon the neglect of duty, and commission of sin: It is thus; and have not some of you found it so? Willful, and presumptuous sins will raise black, and dark clouds be∣tween you and Heaven: These clouds may eclipse the light of Gods counte∣nance at present; and break, and fall down in terrible storms, and tempests in the evening. What a dreadful change did holy David find in himself after his unhappy, and scandalous fall? How did it damp his joy, blot his evidences, and stab his hopes? Poor man! he is wrapt up in clouds, and darkness, and in great distress, and agonies of Soul cries to God; Lord! restore to me the joy of thy Sal∣vation * 1.107

and uphold me with thy free Spi∣rit.

On the contrary, an holy obedient life; a strict, and circumspect walking with God will both warrant, and con∣firm our hope. Heaven is promised to the obedient; or in the language of the the Text to the righteous: And every act of sincere obedience will enable me to see my right to the promise, and apply it to my self; and a constant, and persever∣ing obedience will be accompanyed with a full assurance of hope unto the end. Holi∣ness * 1.108 of heart, and life will furnish me with an answer to all my doubts, and fears; afford me comfort amidst all my sad jealousies, and perplexities of Spirit; strengthen me to look as far as Heaven, and enable me to read my name written there. Our Hope as well as our Faith without works will be dead: But a strong and lively; a certain and confirm∣ed hope will be the issue of an holy, and obedient life. It will entitle us to the promise, and warrant our hope of the reward. Would you then have hope in your Death? Mortifie sin, subdue cor∣ruptions, and crucifie the old man; keep up the Government of Grace, and the

Authority of Christ in your Souls; watch against snares and temptations; keep your garments undefiled and your selves unspottep: Remember every will∣ful sin wounds your hope.

Thirdly; If through the strength of cor∣ruption, and violence of temptation you chance to miscarry, and fall; endeavour to rise again by a solemn, serious, and speedy repentance We (thanks be to God) are not under the Law, which requires a sinless, spotless obedience as the condition of Life: But under the Gospel of the meek, and merciful Jesus, which requires and admits of repentance: And whenever we have wounded our selves by sin; it is our in∣terest, and wisdom to betake our selves to this remedy. Though you cannot keep your selves innocent, yet be sure you do not live impenitent: If you do defile your garments in one instant, be sure you wash them with a flood of peni∣tential tears the next: Keep Conscience wakeful, and tender that it may sharply reprove you when you do amiss; and when Conscience looks upon you, as Christ did upon Peter do you also go out * 1.109 and weep bitterly. Let your repentance be serious and solemn; with blushing

and shame; confusion and sorrow; with hearty sighs and groans; with a broken heart and contrite Spirit; with a bleed∣ing soul and melting affections: With all the signs of a Gospel-repentance, and unfeigned remorse, confess and bewail your late sin, or sins before God: Let your confession be free, and not forc't; particular, and not general, and the more to affect, melt, and humble you, aggravate your sin with the several cir∣cumstances which did attend the commis∣sion of it: And then beg of God to par∣don you. Plead, Christian, plead as for thy life, that that sin might not eclipse the light of his countenance; deprive thee of the comforting, and witnessing presence of his Spirit; that it might not prove either the damnation of thy soul; or the destruction of thy hopes: And do all this speedily while the wound is fresh and green; before it rankle and pu∣trifie. While you delay your repentance your hearts will grow more hard; your conscience more insensible; and the neglect∣ed bruise which you got by your fall will grow worse, and worse; and if it be not timely lookt after may prove the death of all your hopes. After the heat and hurry of the day, does conscience in the

cool of the evening cite thee to make thy appearance in its Court? Summon thee by some sudden rebuke, and surpri∣zing terror to hold up thy guilty hands at its Tribunal? As soon as ever this Do∣mestick Judge reads the Bill of Indict∣ment, and brings the bloody charge a∣gainst thee; betake thy self to a serious repentance, revoke, retract, and wipe out thy sins by an immediate act of re∣pentance. 'Tis true, 'tis infinitely bet∣ter to be righteous persons who need no repen∣tance; i. e. to be guilty of as few sinful * 1.110 miscarriages! as we can: But in case we do fall we have this remedy at hand, and we must use it. If I sin in the day, I ought to go and be reconciled to God, and my own Conscience before night. If we take this course our hope which was withering, languishing, and dying, like grass scorcht with the heat of the burn∣ing Sun; being watered with these show∣ers of penitential tears, may revive, sprout forth, and flourish again; and be fresh in the very evening, This is the way to have great peace in Life and at Death.

Fourthly, Daily exercise Faith in Christ; especially as Crucified, and Risen from the Dead.

Christ by his Blood-shed and Death; by his passion, and the Sacrifice of him∣self on the Cross has bore the Curse of the Law, satisfied Divine Justice, and quench'd those Flames of Wrath we had kindled: he hath expiated our sins, con∣quered the Devil, and disarmed Death: he paid our Ransom, Redeem'd us from Hell, which we can hardly think of with∣out horrour, and trembling; and pur∣chased Heaven, where we long and de∣sire to be: he hath opened the Gates of Heaven, and invites and beckons us to enter in; and oh how powerful are the thoughts of a weeping, bleeding, groan∣ing, and dying Jesus to revive, and re∣cover the dying hopes of poor Sinners! Do I stand amaz'd at the thoughts of my guilt; overwhelm'd with the sight of my sins; terrified with apprehensions of Di∣vine Severity and Justice? Do I in the depths of a melancholy grief cry out, my hope is gone; woe is me! my hope is gone; can there be any hap∣piness, any Heaven for such a wretch as I am? how can I, how dare I hope! oh that I could hope! but alass! the Law Curses and Condemns me; and I (O miserable man!) have little or no hope: I would think of Christ our Pass∣over * 1.111

Sacrificed for us. In this case what is to be done? Shall I sink under the burden; abandon all hope; indulge my sorrow and fear, and give way to a self-tormenting despair? No, I would go to mount Calvary, and set my self at the foot of my Redeemers Cross: I would often look up to a bleeding and dying Je∣sus; think what he suffered, for whom, and for what end; and then I would em∣brace this dying Jesus in the Arms of my Faith: and after this how soon would hope begin to stir? Christ dying on the Cross, and Christ living in the Heart is the foundation of our hope; and thanks be to God, 'tis such a Foundation as can∣not be shaken.

I add further, it is infinitely useful to consider, and act Faith in Christ as risen from the Dead. Had our Lord Jesus onely died, and not risen again; had he been yet sleeping in the Grave as Death's Eternal Prisoner; had he not after a lit∣tle time reviv'd, and rose, and l••v'd again all our hope must have been buried with him in the same Grave: but tho' he was Dead, he is Alive, and lives for evermore, * 1.112 and to Eye him as risen is very service∣able to quicken our hope: how fully, even beyond all possibility of doubting,

does the Resurrection of Christ assure us that his Death was valid; his Sacrifice accepted, our debt paid, and justice sa∣tisfied: that he did all that was necessary to expiate our sins; and finished the work of our Redemption before he gave up the Ghost and Died on the Cross! with his last, with his dying Breath he cried out, It is finished; and is not his Re∣surrection * 1.113 a full, convincing, and unde∣niable evidence of the truth of that say∣ing, did Justice release, and Divine Pow∣er bring him out of Prison? Did God give him an open, and publick acquit∣tance? And is there any ground to sus∣pect the payment of what we ow'd, and he undertook to satisfie for? may we not from hence conclude to our unspeakable comfort, incouragement, and joy the effi∣cacy of his Death; the validity of his sufferings; and the perfection of his sa∣crifice?

Moreover, does not the Resurrection of Christ discover the possibility of ours? nay is it not the cause, and reason, the earnest, and pledge of it? Did he roll away the Stone from his own Sepulchre; and can he want power to roll it away from the Graves of his People? Is the

Head Risen, and now in Heaven; and shall the Members always be the Priso∣ners of Death? is he Risen as the First * 1.114 Fruits; and shall there not be an Harvest at the end of the World? Oh what in∣fluence hath the Resurrection of Christ upon our hope, as we are Christians! therefore we are said, to be begotten again * 1.115 to a lively hope, by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead, and God raised him * 1.116 up from the Dead, that our Faith, and Hope might be in God. A daily and lively exercise of Faith in Christ as Crucified, and Risen would contribute very much to the Strength, Life, and Vigour of our Hope.

Fifthly, Beg of God to fill you with, and give you his Holy Spirit to beget and nourish it in you. We can have no good and so∣lid, well-grounded and lasting Hope ex∣cept it be given us from above: we can∣not get it our selves; we must be begot∣ten to it: it does not grow and spring up of it self, but must be planted in us by a Divine Hand; and if it be not wa∣tered too by the same Hand, how soon will it wither and die! if we have good * 1.117 Hope we have it thro' Grace; and as God's gift. It is nothing but the Breath of God

can scatter those Fogs and Mists which darken our Souls, and cloud our Hopes. If we are without Hope let us look up to God for it: if our Hope decline, and wither, if that which remains, be ready * 1.118 to die, let us beg of him his Holy Spirit to quicken, and recover it. The Spirit of God Works Grace, and then enables the Soul to see it; and then helps him to rejoice in Hope of the Glory of God. Oh * 1.119 how soon can he scatter those fears that torment us; answer those doubts which for many years have been unresolved; and fill that Heart with Hope which was almost swallowed up of Despair! How necessary is frequent, fervent Prayer to keep our Hope alive! If you want go to God for it; fall on thy Knees and say, I have heard, and Lord! I believe there is an Heaven; and thro' Grace it is possi∣ble to me, even to me; I see many of my fellow Christians with whom I pray, hear, and daily converse, living in the joyful hope, and expectation of it: but I am full of doubts and fears, Lord I have little, or no hope; and if Death should come while matters are thus with me; how should I ever be able to die! it is bad to live; but Lord! it's worse to die without hope; oh for hope! oh for a

lively hope of Heaven! oh that on my Death-bed, when I shall have no hope of Life; I may have hope of Glory! oh give me thy holy Spirit to scatter my fears, resolve my doubts, calm my Con∣science, and enliven my hope! what∣ever I am deny'd while I live, Lord! let me have hope at last: let this Prayer be heard now, and fully answered when a dying hour comes.

Sixthly, Frequently, and seriously exa∣mine the gro••••••, and reason of your Hope. Many take up their Hope upon very slight, and insufficient grou••ds; and the least blast of affliction blows down these Ca∣stles th••y build in the Air: many times their hope is like Jonah's Gourd, which * 1.120 sprung up at night, and withered the next Morning. A sound hope is the fruit of many Prayers and Tears; much watch∣fulness and holy walking; and we have reason to suspect that hope we come ea∣sily and quickly by. Such an hope may a little comfort us in the Sun-shine of the Day; but not when the dark Night of Death is coming.

If you would have your hope to be lively at Death, examine carefully the

grounds, and reasons of it; what footing there is for thy hope in the Scrip∣ture. That hope, and no other which hath been often brought to the Touch-Stone, and tried is like to last when grim, and frightful Death shall look us in the Face. Ask your own Consciences a rea∣son of that hope that is in you, and take not up with the first answer; but let this weighty and momentous question be oft repeated, and as often answered; and by this means you will be less apt to sus∣pect it hereafter: it will then be strong, and lively when Nature is weak, and feeble; and afford you joy, and ravishment when the Shadows of Death shall sit on your Eye-lids; and your Immortal Spirits are taking Wing, and flying to the other World. An hope that is taken up no bo∣dy knows how, or why will certainly fail, when there is most need of it.

Retire then (Christian) from the World, and set some hours apart for this great Work, and speak to thy self in some such manner as this: Death, O my Soul! is coming, and after that men go to Heaven, or to Hell; in which of these must I be, and dwell for ever? whither must I go when I die? where

will death land me? Shall I go to God, or Devils? Be reeeived up into a Mansion of light above; or be cast down to a Dungeon of Darkness below? When I shall knock at the Gate of Heaven, and say Lord, Lord open to me; am I like to be admitted, or deny'd? When thou O my Soul! shalt leave this Body, shalt thou under the conduct of Holy Angels, go to the joyful assembly above; or be drag'd by Infernal Spirits, who lie watching for their Prey, to the Congregations of De∣vils beneath? Thou art going, O my Soul! thou art going to an ETERNAL World: but is it to an happy, or a miserable one? to ETERNAL Joys, or to ETERNAL Sorrows? to Heaven, where is an ETERNAL Day; or to Hell, where will be an ETERNAL Night? It is well with me at present, I am full, and at ease, I want nothing this World can afford; The lines are fallen to me in a plea∣sant * 1.121 place; I have a goodly Heritage: but how is it like to go with me hereafter? Will it be well, or ill with me for ever? O my Soul! ought I not, shall I not be concern'd to know how it will fare with me for ever.

Hope of Heaven is very common; who almost among the sons of men does not hope for it? But how many are mis∣taken now; and disappointed hereafter! How many have lived in hope, and dyed in hope, and after all been for ever shut out! Oh how many have been imposed upon by Satan, cheated, and deceived by their own hearts; and am not I in danger of being so too? Is not Satan as cunning and subtil now as he was then? Is not my heart as base, false, deceitful, and treacherous as theirs; and am not I as likely to be blinded by self-love as they were? How much hope is vain, false, and groundless, serving only to delude men at present, and shame them for ever! How many have been buoyed up, and flusht with hope on a Death-bed; and in a little time (Doleful moment) swallowed up of total, final, and reme∣diless despair! What if this should be my case? What if it should be so with me?

Do I hope for Heaven? O my Soul! of what kind is my hope? What was the Spring? What is the Nature? What are the Effects? What Stamp is it of?

Whose Superscription does it bear? Is it any better; is it any thing more than the hope of the Hypocrite which shall perish? * 1.122 Will it endure a trial at the Bar of Con∣science; and at the Bar of God too? Have I any one promise in all the book of God to countenance my hope; and warrant my expectation? This question is weighty, and important, and to mistake here may be very fatal, and is infinitely dangerous: Therefore tell me O my Soul! what manner of hope is thine? Thus, and thus I find it is with them who have a good hope; Is it so with me or no? I am loth to be deceived, afraid of being mistaken, therefore O my Soul! deal plainly, and truly with me. O my Consci∣ence! take the candle of the Lord, and search me, and faithfully tell me (as thou wilt answer the neglect another day) whether my hope be sound, and good or no.

If you would take this course what a confirmed hope might you have in Life, and what a lively hope in Death? An hope that would mitigate the terrors, a∣bate the horror, asswage the pangs, and sweeten the agonies of a dying hour. With such a hope you may die not only

safely, but comfortably too: go to your Graves not only in peace but with triumph. While other mens Chambers are filled with disconsolate sighs, and groans, yours may ring with acclamations of victo∣ry, and songs of praise: While the a∣wakned, and despairing sinner is crying out; must I die! must I die! O my weep∣ing friends! must I die! your looks may be pleasant, your countenances chearful, and your hearts transported with joy: You may be able to welcome Death, and triumph over the Grave; you may have such a glorious prospect of the hap∣piness above, that you may praise God with your last, with your dying breath; and Hallelujah may be your last word in this World as well as your first in the next.

Infer. IX. Hence we may learn how to carry it with reference to those Righteous, and Holy Relations of ours who had such hope in their Death. Are any of our holy re∣lations dead; and did they die in hope; and is there no duty incumbent on us who are left behind? Have we nothing to do, but to provide for their funeral, and follow them to the grave? Alas! as to them when we have done this we

have done all we can for them. When we have got them a Coffin, purchased a Grave for, and laid them in it, we can do no more for them▪ But at such a time is there nothing to be done by us for our selves? Does not the Death of an Husband, a Wife, a Father, a Mo∣ther call upon surviving Relations to im∣prove it? At such a time God calls, Pro∣vidence calls, and Death calls upon us to mind our duty. I shall not largely treat on this Head, but only shew what is to be done by us, with reference to them as they died in HOPE.

First We should take notice of, and remark their happy, and comfortable end. We should observe, register, and remember Gods kindness, and love to; his graci∣ous and merciful dealings with them in their last sickness, and on a Death-bed. It cannot but be useful to take notice of the miserable end of many wicked men. Is Conscience awakned, and all their sins set in order before them? Are they filled with horror, and anguish? Is some of the everlasting fire flasht in their Fa∣ces? Does the Devil begin to torment them before the time? Is God a terror to * 1.123 them and they a terror to themselves?

Are they weary of Life; and yet afraid of Death? Are they rackt and tortured; and do they speak nothing but the lan∣guage of Hell before they come there? Are they cast at the Bar of Conscience, before they are condemned at the Tribu∣nal of their Supreme Judge? Do they sensibly feel what horror attends the fi∣nal doom? Depart from me ye cursed: * 1.124 Do they cry out, and tremble as if they now heard it pronounced by their eternal Judge? Does a righteous God commis∣sion Conscience to witness against, Judge and Condemn them; to sting, and lash them in their last hours for the sins of their past Life? And ought we not to take notice of, and improve all this? May not such a sight; the remembrance of what we saw, and heard in that hour awaken our Consciences, startle our Spi∣rits, affect, and warm our hearts? May it not tend •••• ••hew us the Justice of God, the evil of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and the infinite danger of neglectin•• to hearken to the voice of God while it is c••••led to day? May it not excite our diligence, quicken our repen∣tance, and assist our preparations for Death, and judgment? May it not Arm us against the World, the Flesh, and the Devil; and make us more resolved to

hearken to the voice of the Spirit; the checks of our own Conscience, and the compassionate calls of mercy? Would it not make us know the worth of time, and put us upon husbanding, redeeming and improving it to the best ends; the Glo∣ry of God, and Salvation of our Souls? Would it not make us love Christ, prize his sacrifice, and value his blood more? Would it not put us upon reviewing our lives, searching our hearts, and examin∣ing our state, and amending what has been amiss? Oh how much good may we get by the death of poor awakned sinners; and how great is our folly, and sin in case we don't!

And can it be unprofitable, and useless to mark, observe, and remember the more happy, and comfortable end of the Righteous? Shall we take no notice, what is the end, issue, and conclusion of an Holy Life? We should remem∣ber how they lived, and how they died.

Did God in their sickness furnish them with patience, and calmness, submission, and resignation to his Holy Will? Were their Thoughts compos'd, Minds setled,

Spirits calm, their peace undisturb'd, their Joy great, and their Hope lively? Was there a willingness to die, and a de∣sire to depart that they might be with Christ? did God resolve their Doubts; scatter the Clouds, and help them to over∣come their fears? Has such an one been en∣abled to say? Lord! I am thine, I lye at thy Foot, here I am, do to me, dispose of me, remove, or continue my pains, as thou wilt; let me be well or sick; live or die; be recover'd or remov'd as thou pleasest. Lord! if thou hast any more Work for me to do, I am willing to live, and content my happiness should yet be deferr'd; and I'll acknowledg thy Grace if thou wilt yet use me, and make me an Instrument of thy Glory: but if my work be done, and the number of my years be accomplisht, I am willing Lord! I am willing now to die: if it be thy pleasure now to remove me, if this sickness must be my last, and end in death; if to die now be really best for me, and most for thy glory; I will not draw back, I am ready at thy call, command, and pleasure to lay down this Body: and thanks be to God I can heartily say the Will of the Lord be done. Have any of your Christian Friends, or Holy Relations

died thus? Heavenly frame! Blessed end! Glorious triumph over Death, and the Grave! Ought we not, and may it not be infinitely useful to mark and re∣member this? How much may it con∣tribute to maintain the Life of Religion, and the Power of Godliness in us! may not the memory of what we observ'd, and saw at such a time confirm us in our holy Choice; strengthen our Faith, and throughly convince us Religion is not a vain thing? Will it not recommend the Holy Ways of God, set off Religion, and make all holy exercises more sweet, and pleasant to us? but in particular, may not an observing how they died afford matter of encouragement, and sup∣port to us when we have sad, and melan∣choly Thoughts as to our own departure? how oft does many a poor, sincere Chri∣stian in bitterness cry out? How shall I with a Christian Patience, an humble submission, and an entire resignation bear long, painful, and tedious sickness? how shall I be able to conquer the fear, and submit to the stroke of Death? How shall I be able to grapple with that Ene∣my, and encounter the King of Terrors? How shall I be able with joy, and chear∣fulness; without murmuring, and re∣pining

to obey my Summons to Death and Judgment? When I do but suppose my self sick, weak, and full of pain; when I seriously think of my Coffin, and Grave I tremble: but Lord! what shall I do when it comes to the trial! thus it is with many, and has it not been so with you at one time, or other; and may it not be so again? and if it should, how may the memory of the happy end of holy friends, and relations administer to your support! when thou hast the Death of such an one fresh in thy thoughts thou mayst say; why art thou cast down O my * 1.125 Soul? and why art thou thus disquieted within me? Is it because this body must die? How many holy ones are dead be∣fore me? They were weak, frail, and imperfect as I am, but God furnished them with patience, courage, and strength; quieted their Mind; calm'd their Spirits, and husht their ruffling passions, and when my hour comes I hope God will help me to die too. Have not I the same God to depend upon; the same promi∣ses to encourage me; the same Jesus to stand by me; and the same Holy Spi∣rit to assist me? I remember my holy Father died with comfort; my holy Mother made an happy, and peaceable

End; and why may not I? Death is con∣quered, it is conquer'd. And the fear of it may be overcome, I have seen it may; and why should the fear of it keep me in a perpetual bondage? How serviceable may it be to remember how other holy Men, and Women have died before us!

Secondly, Another duty with reference to those who died in hope; is to give thanks to God for those assistances, and that Grace which was vouchsafed to them •••• a dying hour. Surviving Relations, who were Eye∣witnesses of God's goodness to them who are departed should own, acknow∣ledge, and praise God for it when they are dead, and gone. The dead cannot * 1.126 praise God; but the living, the living they should. When they were sick you did (I am sure you should) pray for them; and being dead, and having died in hope you should give thanks to the Father of Mercies for his Mercy to them; for his goodness to them in the close, in the evening, in the concluding act of their lives. Tho' (thanks be to God) we know nothing of praying for the Dead; yet we may, and ought to praise God for his Grace to them; and espe∣cially for that Grace which enabled them

to go off, and die so well. Did God in the evening visit their Souls, speak peace to their Consciences, publish their Pardon, and carry them beyond the fear of Death, and the Grave? Did the Com∣forter come, and did they find, and feel he was; before death did? did God open the Eyes of the Soul to read their Evidences for Heaven, before death closed those of the Body? did God shine in upon their Souls, and in the evening∣time was it light? did you hear them speak * 1.127 of their departure without Tears, and Groans; nay, with Joy, and Triumph? did you see a Calm upon their Spirits? did you see them compose themselves to die in the same manner they were wont to do when they went to sleep; with little, or no difference, only an unusual coldness? and did they thus die? Lord what praise is due to Free Grace! Is it not the duty, and interest of the Husband to bless God for his mercy to his departed Wife? Is it not the duty of Children to offer up a Sacrifice of praise to their God, and their Fathers God, for the seasonable help, the gracious sup∣ports, and the suitable comforts afforded to a Father, to a Mother in a dying hour? should not as many praises be given to God

for his mercy to their Souls as Tears shed over their Coffins, and Graves? what praises! oh what hearty praises are due to God; that they set sail with a fair Wind, an happy Tide, and got safe to Shore! is it not melancholy, and sad to see such near Relations full of doubts, and fears crying out, I cannot die; I dare not die; and did God prevent all this by giving them hope and the joy of hope too, before they left us to go to him? and should not God have the Glory that is due unto his name? Our sacrifices of praise should mount up to Heaven in a pure, and bright flame, and there meet the Souls of our deceased Relatives Thanksgiving and Praise is a debt which holy persons, who were thus priviledg'd in their last moments; would have their surviving Relations pay to God in their name, and stead.

Thirdly, Another Duty, is a careful imitation of their holy Lives. This is a spe∣cial branch of that Communion we have with departed Saints: and the nearer they were to us in the flesh, the more careful we should be to imitate them. How does it concern Children who are left behind to follow the example, tread in

the steps of an holy Father, or a godly Mother! oh how should they endeavour to be the living Images of their deceased Parents gone from them to God! how greatly doth it concern such to labour after the same Vertues, and Graces; to accustom themselves to the same holy practices, and religious exercises; to keep up the old friendship there hath been between God and their Family; that the Covenant Relation might not be broken in them!

Were they humble and meek; quiet and patient; holy and heavenly? were they devoted to God, and to the service of the Redeemer, and did they live, walk, and act as such? did they slight the World, and all the gay and charming vanities of it; and fill up every Relation with duty? were they given to secret Prayer, did they keep up Communion with God, adorn their holy profession, and live suitably to it at all times? did they carefully husband, and redeem their Time, wisely imploy, and improve all their Talents? were they kind, and mer∣ciful, liberal and charitable; and did they live as Heirs of the Grac of God; and Candidates for Immortality; and the ex∣pectants * 1.128

of a future Glory? were they burning and shining lights? an honour to their Profession, a credit to Religion and a peculiar Grace, and Ornament to the particular Churches they were Mem∣bers of? did they carry it towards God, and Man according to the rules of their holy Religion? did they converse with God, live in Heaven, and prepare for Death and Judgment? oh how worthy is this the imitation of them who are left behind!

How oft is wickedness and vice; pro∣faneness and irreligion transmitted from Father to Son? and how do their Chil∣dren act as if they were only born to per∣petuate the War against Heaven; and were only left to fill up the measure of their Father's iniquities! how oft do some particular Vices, or Vice run in a blood, and are propagated from generation to generation till the whole family of these accursed Sinners is extinct! and oh what a shame, and pity is it, that Piety and Religion which are the honour and glory of a Family; which make a man excel∣lent while he lives, and render his me∣mory precious when he is dead; which render us dear to God and useful to o∣thers;

should not outlive the present Generation!

See more of this in the Epistle.

To stir us up to a careful imitation of such holy relations; what argument can be more prevalent than this before us? To consider what is the happy conclusion of an holy life, viz. hope in Death. At such a time every one is ready to cry out with Balaam, Oh that I might die the death * 1.129 of the righteous: and my latter end might be like to his! but what a vain wish is this, if our lives be unlike to theirs? the Chil∣dren of holy Parents more especially should strive to be followers of them, and keep God among them. Was God (should such an one say) my Fathers God, and my Mothers God, and shall I forsake or cast him off? Oh what a sin, and shame is this! have I such a fair Copy to write after, and will it not great∣ly reflect on me if mine be full of blots and blurs? When you are tempted, re∣member you are the off-spring of them who were the friends, and lovers of God: that you are come of an holy stock; and then say, would my holy Father, my godly Mother who are now with God

have done thus, and thus? Are they acting the part of holy Angels in Heaven; and shall I, the Son, the Daughter of such Religious Parents be acting the De∣vil upon Earth? Will not the very dust of these holy Relations rise up in Judgment a∣gainst, and condemn me? O my Soul! let me remember with what comfort they lived; with w^t hope they died; & with what joy they shall rise again: what foretasts of Hea∣ven, how much of their reward they hadon a death-bed, and let me charge it upon my self in a solemn manner, to be a follower of them, so far as they were followers of Christ

When an holy Father, or Mother dies methinks this is the farewell language: I have resigned, and devoted my self to God, and by his grace I have been en∣abled in some measure to live suitably to such a state. 'Tis true I have had my imperfections, and failings, many infir∣mities have attended me which I hearti∣ly bewail, and unfeignedly lament; but I have (thanks be to God) I have the testimony of my Conscience, I have been sincere, and upright; and now at last God is beginning to give me the rewards of a holy Life. I have had in this sickness much from God, and I hope for more: I am full, I am full of joy; I long, I long to be gone; would God my work

were done and I were gone: Religion is not a vain thing, and now I find it is not; I have serv'd a good Master, I have been his, I have lived as his and now upon a Death-bed he treats me as his own, as a Friend; as a Servant, nay even as a Child: I do not repent of my Prayers, and Tears, my Watching a∣gainst, and Wrestling with sin, my Cir∣cumspect walking, and my Holy Life, of any of the pains I took, the endeavours I used to be truly Religious. Repent! no, no, I do not, I thank God for h••s grace bestowed on me, and that his grace was not altogether in vain. Tho' I relie only on the merits of Christ, and desire to be found and accepted in him; yet I do, and can rejoice that my works prove my Faith to be more than a dead one: My fears are gone, my doubts are answered, my peace is setled, my Con∣science is quiet, my joy full, and I can die; and now by these my last comforts, by these my dying hopes, I beseech, beg of, charge and conjure you O my dear Children! Whom I shall leave in a wick∣ed World to Serve, Please, and Honour God. What Errata's there have been in my Life let them be corrected, and a∣mended in yours: And wherein grace

hath enabled me to be a follower of Christ, do you be followers of me; I now leave you to go to the Father; but this do, and God be with you, Amen.

When Holy Relations are snatcht away, dead, and gone what doth more nearly concern them who are left than to study and imitate their Holy Lives; to tread in their steps, follow their example, and write after their Copy? Oh what a laudable ambition is it, to strive who shall come nearest to the Original, and whose Copy shall be fairest!

Fourthly, Another duty incumbent on us, Is to be more speedy, serious and solemn in making preparation for our own departure. Thoughts of Death should be serious, lively, and affecting, and it is our sin, and folly if any of them be cold, flat, dull, and ineffectual. Death carries that awful sound, it is of that infinite concern, and importance that every view, thought, and glance should be improved by us. We should neither think, nor speak of this solemn, and weighty thing, Death, without concern. But alas! while we only entertain our selves with meer con∣tontem••••ation,

and naked speculation, how little do the best of us advance in re∣al piety! How seldom is it that these thoughts make any deep, through, and lasting impressions upon our hearts! per∣haps they scare and terrifie us at present, and produce some short-lived pangs of a gasping devotion; but how few are the better for walking among graves, and Tombs!

By reason of a croud of worldly busi∣ness, secular affairs, present prosperity and flattering hopes of its continuance; through vain sports, and foolish pastimes; carnal mirth, and sensual joy; the craf∣ty insinuations of a subtil Devil, and the fly suggestions of a deceitful heart most of these thoughts come short of that end they are proper to attain. How few alas! how few in this dying World of ours, which every day, and hour is changing its inhabitants, are reform'd, amended, and made better! don't they love the World, pursue vanity, follow their plea∣sures, neglect duty, forget God, and themselves; have they not as strong an appetite after the little things of time, and are not their affections to the great

things of Eternity as cold, and flat as e∣ver?

But if it be so when we think of Death; should it be so after we have seen it, and God has been holding the frightful picture of it before our Eyes? If this won't affect, and awaken (the Lord pi∣ty us) what will? When a near and dear Relation is gone, the living should prepare to follow: And if such an one died in hope, it should add Life and Vigour to our endeavours; for in them we see that to be prepared is no impossi∣ble thing. After such a Providence it is seasonable, adviseable, and may be very profitable, and useful to make this ensuing Reflection.

I am but poor Dust, a crawling Worm, breathing Clay, a sinful Creature; I must certainly, and I may quickly die: After a few more moments, and hours I may; after a few more weeks, and years I must. Ere long alas! in a little, little time it will be with me as it now is with this near, and dear Relation of mine. My breath will fail, my pulse be low, my tongue faulter, my countenance change, my visage will be marr'd, my

looks will be frightful and my body cold, and stiff: It is his, or her turn to die now, ere long it will be mine. May not I be the next person that falls sick; the next time this grave is opened may it not be to receive me? The next Fune∣ral out of this Family, may it not be mine? The next Arrow that is shot may it not glance by others, strike me, and leave me dead on the spot? Do I think of living many years, that it will be a long time before my present Lease be expired? Vain thought! do I talk of ano∣ther year, or day? This may be my last, and for ought I know it will be so: And is it not, O my Soul! my grand duty, my great concern, and ought it not to be my chief care to make my peace with God, to obtain the pardon of my sin, and an interest in Christ, to get grace wrought, and the evidence of it that I may Die in Hope? That on a Death-Bed I may firmly depend on the mer∣cy of God; in my sorrowful mo∣ments trust in the Merits of Christ; and with my last breath commit my Soul to the care of my Redeemer; with Faith, and Confidence, saying, as some of the last words I shall ever speak in

this World: Lord Jesus receive my Spi∣rit? * 1.130

Is one dead, and another dead? is my Father, or my Mother, my Husband, or my Wife dead? and shall not I prepare for the evil day that is coming apace, and will be quickly here? in that day, in that moment I, and my dearest friends must part: in that moment, my Soul and Body must be Divorc'd; in that mo∣ment (awful thought!) my Soul must go to judgment, stand at the Bar of that God whose purity is untainted; whose holiness is unspotted; whose justice is impartial; whose power is irresistible; whose truth is invariable; whose anger is as a flaming Fire; whose glory is amazing; whose Majesty is tremendous; and whose sentence will be righteous, final, and ir∣reversible; and shall I be vain and world∣ly, slothful, and negligent; careless, and secure; merry and sportive when I may have such a speedy summons? Shall I dare to be so, with the last groans of my dying Father, or Mother in mine Ears; when the language thereof was O my Chil∣dren, prepare to follow me?

When Ienter'd the dark, and silent Cham∣ber; stood by the Bed-side of my dying Father, of my departing Mother; when I saw the last breath, and what a change one minute made, when I heard the last sob, and groan; the sight of mine Eyes and the hearing of my Ears did affect my Heart: every thing I then saw, and heard made some impression upon me; my thoughts of Death, Eternity, and a World to come were more serious, affecting, and mov∣ing than at other times, when I saw with what peace, and comfort, hope, and joy they died, then thought I with my self, Lord! what is Grace, Christ, and Par∣don of sin, thy favour, love, and hope of Heaven worth; oh that I might thus die! and shall these thoughts die, and come to nothing, when my dead are buried out of my sight? shall I forget their hopes, and my own wish, purpose, and resolu∣tion? when their Funeral is over, shall my care to provide for my own be over too? Lord! revive these thoughts, and let them not wear off; having seen the happy death, the comfortable end of so near, and dear a Relation; I hope I shall wisely improve this Memento of my own Mor∣tality, be more speedy, and solemn in

making preparation for my own Change: assist, and help me Lord!

Fifthly, Another duty is to moderate sorrow for the death of such holy Relations, and Friends who died in Hope. Mourning for the dead is neither uncomely, nor unlawful: Nature commands, and Reli∣gion allows us to pay this Tribute at the Grave of deceased Relatives. Religion only corrects, it does not root out natu∣ral affections: it is only a Pruning Knife to cut off the luxuriant Branches; not an Axe to cut down this Tree at the Root. Religion is a Bridle to curb, and restrain; but not an Opiate to stupifie. We are not required to cease to be Men when we become Christians; Grace and good Nature are not such Enemies that they cannot dwell together; nay, usually the former thrives and flourishes best where there is most of the latter. We may law∣fully shed some Tears over the Grave of deceased Friends, upon such occasions have not holy men had their set and ap∣pointed days of mourning? To die un∣lamented; to be thrown into a disconso∣late hole of the Earth without the so∣lemnity of a sigh, groan, or tear is it not a sign there was but little worth in the

dead, or a great deal of ill nature in the living? nay, is it not threatned as a pu∣nishment? Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning Jehojakim the Son of Josiah King of Judah, they shall not lament for him, say∣ing, Ah my ••rother! or ah my Sister! they shall not lament for him, saying, Ah Lord, or ah his glory! Jer. 22. 18. Holy Job mourned for his Children when Dead: he met with many trials, and afflictions before, the Sabeans and Chaldeans had rob'd, and plunder'd him: Fire from Heaven had destroyed his substance; and yet he bore this with an heroick patience, and a noble greatness of mind; we don't find he utter'd a groan, or dropt a tear upon this account: but when he received the heavy tydings that his Sons and D••••••hters were dead then he arose, and ren•• his Mantle, and shaved his head; the usual signs of a solemn mourning; in this he was not guilty: for God himself bore him ••itness that in all this he sinned not, Job 1. 20, 22.

To cry out at such a time, Alass! my Father, alass! my Mother, alass! my Brother! is but to speak in the language of a Prophet, 1 Kin. 13. 30.

A Father dead! a Mother dead! and may we not be sensible of such a stroke, and mourn for such a breach? Are they dead who under God were the Authors of life to us, and ought we not to mourn? mourning at the Funeral of such Relati∣ons was permitted even to the Priests, Lev. 21. 1. David when he would express the greatness of his sorrow sets it out by this; I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his MOTHER. All funeral * 1.131 sorrow is not unlawful.

Shall death, pale, cold, grim, and fright∣ful death knock at our door, enter our house, come into our family, captivate, and snatch away a principal member of it? shall death turn the desire of our Eyes into a breathless corps, spoil the beauty, t••e the Tongue, close the Eyes, stop the Ears, Fetter the Hands, and shackle the Feet of a dear Relation? is their life gone, and breath stopt, and are they turn'd into cold, clammy Earth? must we see their faces, hear their voices, enjoy their company which many, and many a time we have with so much delight, and plea∣sure, no more? must we have the bene∣fit of their instructions, and counsels,

prayers, and tears no more? are they who a while ago were many ways useful to us now, in one single moment, be∣come like to the Heathen Idols; which have Eyes, and See not; Ears and Hear not, Noses, and Smell not; a mouth, and Taste not; Hands, and Handle not; Feet, and Walk not; and have we not cause to mourn? what! can we see our dear friends, those whom we laid in our Bosoms, and Loved as our selves become the spoil, and triumph of our common Enemy, Death, and not weep! what! can we thrust a Wife, a Mother into a scanty Coffin; croud them into a narrow Grave without a Tear! Solomon tells us there is a time to weep and a time to mourn: is not such a time as this the season for * 1.132 both?

But tho' we may and ought to mourn; yet we Christians who are acquainted with that life, and immortality which is brought * 1.133 to light by the Gospel, should bound our grief, and moderate our funeral sorrows; especially with reference to such as died in Hope. How many with Rachel mourn for their Children, and will not be com∣forted, because they are not! how ma∣ny upon such sad occasions abandon them∣selves

to an obstinate sorrow; lay the reins loose upon the neck of their head∣strong passions, and then foolishly, cry out they cannot bridle them! how ma∣ny have weaken'd Nature, destroyed their Health, and hasten'd their own Death by excessive grief for that of an∣other! when these Waters swell too high, o'reflow the Bank, and threaten to Deluge us it is time to sink them. Now to check an immoderate sorrow what can be more useful and serviceable, more proper or powerful than to consi∣der they died in hope? may we not more easily, with more submission, and less reluctancy commit the Body to the Dust when we have ground to hope the Soul (which is by far the better part, and to which certainly we owe most love) is in Heaven? may not Gods Grace, and Mercy to them before their departure; abundantly comfort us after their disso∣lution! we have more, infinitely more reason to groan, and weep (Lord! for∣give us we do not) over a wicked Re∣lation that is dead while he liveth; than * 1.134 over a godly Relation that lives tho' he dies. That wicked, profane son of thine who lives to thy shame, and Gods disho∣nour calls for more Tears; than thy god∣ly,

and religious Son who is dead, i. e. gone from his Earthly to his Heavenly Fa∣ther. a 1.135 Do'st thou weep over the Body from which the Soul is gone? weep over that Soul from which God is departed. b 1.136 Let us (saith another) lament sinners not only when they die; but while they live: but let us rejoice over the righteous not only while they live; but when they are dead.

If we would not offend while we sor∣row; if we would weep as if we wept not; * 1.137 let us seriously consider with what great, blessed and glorious hopes our Holy Re∣lations died; and that now they are re∣ceiving the end of their Faith and Hope the Salvation of their Souls. Cannot we * 1.138 behold the Pale, Wan, Gastly, and Breathless Corps they have left behind, without wetting it with an immoderate shower of Tears? Can't we follow them to their long home; look into the deep, and dark, frightful and lonesome grave in which we must leave them, with∣out

an excess of sorrow? Let us look up and consider whither they are gone; what they now are, enjoy, and do; what employment, and society they have what rivers of pleasure they are drinking of, and what angelical joys they are now filled with. Is their Pilgrimage over, are they got to the end of their Journey? Are they gone home; and are they now with God? After many threatning storms, and tempests, many fears of shipwrack, and drowning, has Death safe∣ly landed them, and are they got well in∣to Harbour? Have they done their work, finished their course, and are they now receiving the reward? The reward they long pray'd, and waited for? Is their warfare accomplisht, their conflict with sin, and all the legions of darkness now over, and the crown obtain'd? Are they gone from this to a better World, to a World more holy, and hap∣py, more quiet, and peaceable? Are they gone from Earth to Heaven? To Heaven where they long'd, wisht, and groan'd to be? To Heaven where their treasure, hearts, and hopes were long ago? To Heaven where there is all good and no evil; all that can be thought of, wisht, and desired to make up a com∣pleat

and entire happiness? Is their trial over, and their account delivered up with joy, and has God said, Well done good and faithful Servants? Have they exchang'd Earth for Heaven; Sickness for Health; Sorrow for Joy; pain for Ease; Trou∣ble for Rest; Groans for Songs; Tears for Triumph, a State of Sin for a State of perfect Holiness? Are they past, for ever past those difficulties, and dangers, snares and temptations which we are li∣able to, and must encounter? Have they done wrestling and fighting; watching and striving; complaining and weeping? Are they gone to the true land of the liv∣ing; and are they beyond the pain, the fear, the possibility of dying any more for ever? Are they gone from a Sick-bed, a Crazy Body, an house of Clay, a Tabernacle of the Flesh that was always shaking, and tottering to a mansion in their Fathers house, to a City that hath foundations, whose Builder and maker is God? Are they gone to their own countrey, and their own People? To God the Judge of all, to Christ the Mediator of the new Covenant; to an innumerable company of Angels, and the Spirits of just men made perfect. Have they the Beatifical vision, the ravishing fight of the Man Christ Je∣sus

in all his glory? Are they in Heaven, and are they glad they are? Without the least thought, wish, or desire to return to this wretched Earth of ours again? Did they run their Christian race with holy patience, and constancy, and have they won the prize? Are they reaping the fruit of all their prayers, and tears, reli∣gious duties, and holy endeavours? Are our departed Relations who t'other day were weeping, sinning, and suffering with us; now sate down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, with Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Confessors, and Martyrs in the Kingdom of God above? Did they live in the fear, die in the favour of God, and shall they rise in his love? Did they live in comfort, and at last die in peace? Are their Souls gone to Heaven, and does their Flesh rest in hope? And is not this enough, and more than e∣nough to check an intemperate sorrow? Can we as it were hear the separated Soul of one whom we lov'd, knew and conversed with a while ago; or of one who was related to us in the flesh, upon its first arrival at yonder blessed World, with wonder and admiration crying out; Glorious Sight! Blessed Company! Happy Place! Where am I? What a change is this?

What Musick do I hear? Is this Heaven Incomparable place! Is this glorious Mansion for me? Admirable grace! Must I be with God, and Christ; and be with them for e∣ver? Ʋnspeakable Happiness! Must I O ye Holy Angels; and glorified Spirits, be one of your Number? Excellent Company! But is this Heaven? Is this the Heaven I heard of so often? What I was told (Alas! poor mortals do not know what Heaven is) was not one half of what I now find. Is this Hea∣ven? Am I in it? must I be here for ever? Glory to thee O God the Father for preparing it: Glory to thee O God the Son for purchas∣ing it: Glory to thee O God the Holy Ghost for preparing me for Heaven. And yet immoderately weep at the thoughts of his departure?

Had they hope on a death-bed, and are they now in possession of all they hoped for, and have not we more cause to weep for our selves who are left be∣hind, than for them who are gone? have not we more reason to wish? Lord! that my work were done, my Soul prepared, and my Account ready that I might be gone! than wish oh that I had my Wife! my Father, my Mother again! we that are Christians design Heaven; Heaven

is the blessed Port we are bound for, and shall we repine and grieve that our holy Relations are safely Landed before us? Is this our love to 'em? oh what abun∣dant provision has God made for the sup∣port of his people under such afflictive Providences? And what relief might we have during the days of our mourning from these and the like considerations? And Thanks be to God we upon whom Death has lately made a breach, have this to comfort us. Concerning this Re∣lation of ours, and Servant of God I will not say any thing: the secrecy she always affected, and my relation to her forbids me to blow the Trumpet at the mouth of her Grave. She is Dead; dead! She is faln asleep in Jesus; the Will of the Lord is done: God grant that I in par∣ticular, and the rest she has left behind, who a while ago had a loving, careful, and tender Mother, but now have none may SO Live, and SO Die. For blessed * 1.139 are the Dead which die in the Lord: they rest from their Labours; and their Works do follow them.

THE END.

Notes

• * 1.1

  •• Sam 11. 33
• * 1.2

  Jam. 3. 15.
• * 1.3

  Heb 12. 15.
• * 1.4

  Job. 11. 15.
• * 1.5

  Isa. 6. 2.
• * 1.6

  1 Joh. 2. 1.
• * 1.7

  Isa. 64. 6.
• * 1.8

  Rom 5. 19
• * 1.9

  Rom. 3. 19.
• * 1.10

  Rom. 3 10.
• * 1.11

  Psal. 143. 2.
• * 1.12

  2 Cor. 5. 21
• * 1.13

  Isa. 45. 24.
• * 1.14

  Jer. 23. 6.
• * 1.15

  Eph. 2. 12.
• * 1.16

  Rom. 3. 25.
• * 1.17

  Mr. How's Blessedness of the Righ∣teous, p. 26.
• * 1.18

  Mat. 5. 30.
• * 1.19

  1 Joh. 3. 7.
• * 1.20

  1 Cor. 15. 55.
• * 1.21

  v. 57.
• * 1.22

  Joh. 14. 19
• * 1.23

  Job 30. 23.
• * 1.24

  1 King. 2. ••.
• * 1.25

  Heb. 9. 27.
• * 1.26

  A••t. 2. 19.
• * 1.27

  Psa. 39. 48.
• * 1.28

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 5. ••
• * 1.29

  Prov. 2. 18.
• * 1.30

  Eccles. 12. 5
• * 1.31

  Prov. 3. 16:
• * 1.32

  Gen. 2. 17.
• * 1.33

  Rom. 5. 12.
• * 1.34

  Isa. 1. 17.
• * 1.35

  Gen. 3. 19.
• * 1.36

  1 Cor. 5. 4.
• * 1.37

  Mat. 9. 17.
• * 1.38

  Rom. 9. 20.
• * 1.39

  Psa. 23. 4.
• * 1.40

  Rom 8. 17.
• * 1.41

  Col. 1. 12.
• * 1.42

  1 Thes. 2. 16
• * 1.43

  1 Pet. 1. 3.
• * 1.44

  Mat. 7. 25
• * 1.45

  Luk. 10. 20.
• * 1.46

  1 Pet. 3. 15.
• * 1.47

  2 Cor. 5. 1.
• * 1.48

  2 Tim. 4. 6. v. 7.
• * 1.49

  〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.50

  Job 14. ••
• * 1.51

  Cap ••••
• * 1.52

  Deut. ••8 67.
• * 1.53

  Eph. 6. 17.
• * 1.54

  Rom. 7. 24.
• * 1.55

  2 Cor. 4. 4.
• * 1.56

  Eph. 2. 2
• * 1.57

  1 Pet. 5▪ 8.
• * 1.58

  2 Cor. 2. 11.
• * 1.59

  Eph. 6. 16.
• * 1.60

  M•••• 6. 13
• * 1.61

  G••••. 2. 2••.
• * 1.62

  Ro•• 10. 2••.
• * 1.63

  Rev. 12 1••.
• * 1.64

  〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.65

  〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.66

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.67

  1 Co. 13. 1••.
• * 1.68

  ••••ch. 14. 7.
• * 1.69

  Psal. 103. 1.
• * 1.70

  Heb. 1. 14.
• * 1.71

  Luk. 16. 22.
• * 1.72

  Luk. 23. 43.
• * 1.73

  Phil. 1. 23.
• * 1.74

  Luk. 13. 2••.
• * 1.75

  1 John 3. 2.
• * 1.76

  •• Co. 15. 19.
• * 1.77

  •• Col. •• 4
• * 1.78

  I••ay. 2. ••.
• * 1.79

  1 Co. 15. 4••.
• * 1.80

  Joh. 3. 9.
• * 1.81

  Job 19 25.
• * 1.82

  v. 26.
• * 1.83

  v. 27.
• * 1.84

  Acts 26. 8.
• * 1.85

  Psal 49. 14.
• * 1.86

  Joh. 11. 25.
• * 1.87

  •• Cor. 5 10.
• * 1.88

  〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.89

  2 Tim. 1. 18.
• * 1.90

  1 Thes. 4. 17
• * 1.91

  Joh. 17. 24.
• * 1.92

  Rev. 22. 20.
• * 1.93

  Ezek, 3 18.
• * 1.94

  Rom. 1. 16.
• * 1.95

  1 John 3. 3.
• * 1.96

  Prov. 14. 32.
• * 1.97

  Gal. 4. 19.
• * 1.98

  Heb. 2 9.
• * 1.99

  Psal. 16. 11.
• * 1.100

  Job. 21. 15.
• * 1.101

  Gal. 5. 6.
• * 1.102

  Heb. 2. 15.
• * 1.103

  Pet. 4 12.
• * 1.104

  1 Thes. 5. 8. Heb. 6. 19.
• * 1.105

  Heb. 3. 12.
• * 1.106

  Rom. 4. 20.
• * 1.107

  Psal. 51. 12.
• * 1.108

  ••e••. 6. 11.
• * 1.109

  Mat. 26. 75.
• * 1.110

  Luk. 15. 7.
• * 1.111

  1 ••or. 5. 7.
• * 1.112

  Rev. 1. 18.
• * 1.113

  Joh. 19. 30.
• * 1.114

  1 Co. 15. 23.
• * 1.115

  1 Pet. 1. 2.
• * 1.116

  21.
• * 1.117

  2 Thos. ••. 16.
• * 1.118

  Rev. 3. 2.
• * 1.119

  Rom. 5 2.
• * 1.120

  Jo•• 4••. 〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.121

  Psal. 16. 6.
• * 1.122

  Job 8. 13.
• * 1.123

  Mat. 8. 29.
• * 1.124

  Mat 25 41.
• * 1.125

  ••sal. 42. 5.
• * 1.126

  Isal. 38 19.
• * 1.127

  Zech 14. 7.
• * 1.128

  1 Pet. 3. 7.
• * 1.129

  Numb. 23. 10.
• * 1.130

  Act. 7. 59.
• * 1.131

  Psal. 35. 14.
• * 1.132

  Ecles. 3. 4.
• * 1.133

  2 Tim. 1. 10.
• * 1.134

  1 Tim. 5. 6.
• a 1.135

  Lug••s Corpus a quo rec••ssit anima? Luge animam à qua recessit Deus. A••g. De Sanct. 13.
• b 1.136

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Chrys. in Phil. Hom. 3.
• * 1.137

  1 Cor. 8. 30.
• * 1.138

  1 Pet. 1. 9.
• * 1.139

  Rev. 14. 13.