Death the sweetest sleep, or, a sermon preach't on the funeral of Mr. William Hiett, late citizen of London by Tho. Lye ...

The Epistle Dedicatory.

To the worthily Respected. Mrs. ANNE HIETT, Relict of Mr. WILLIAM HIETT lately De∣ceased.

CHRISTIAN FRIEND,

THis plain Sermon was lately Preacht, and is now Printed at your request. What you heard with your Ear then, you will now see presented To your Ey, with some few additions, which my Time then did not per∣mit me To touch upon. It hath been Alwaies my judg∣ment, That, when Ministers of the Gospel ar called forth To improve funeral obsequies, their proper Work is not so much To launch out into prais, and panegyric of the Dead, as to excite, and profit the Living. By this compass I hav endeavoured to steer in this discours. And herein, the judg of Hearts knows, my Heart, and Ey, and Aim were steadily fixt on the Spiritual, and Eternal Weal of that good Society, whereof, through Grace, I am an unworthy Pastour, and you, A becoming Member.

I told them then, and I tell you now, that the Time of our departure to our Beds of Earth was at hand, that we must all, certainly, if not sodainly sleep in the dust, and if so, may not the Blessed Moses his pathetick brea∣thing be lookt on as a rational inference from that deep con∣sideration. O that they were wise, that they under∣stood

this, that they would consider their latter end, Deut. 32.29. That you ar not now to begin that great Work, I do not question, and do promise my self, that, in Gods strength, you will vigorously endeavour so to improve this fatal stroke, as, by it, the more To meditate on, and pre∣pare for your last, lasting, endless end. You well understand the great Work, and Business, that you have yet To do, before you fall Asleep. — It is certainly, so to liv, as that you may cheerfully welcom Death as a reconciled Friend, or believingly defy it as a conquer'd Enemy. To that end, you will go on more, and more To clear up your interest in that Christ, who hath Turn'd the worst of poisons into the Best of Antidotes, transform'd Death into sleep. To liv in the constant Acts, and Exercises of your Graces, specially Faith, Repentance, Self-denial, Hea∣venly-mindedness. To liv, whilst in, Abov this vain, fals, vex∣ing World. To walk before God in Truth, and with a perfect Heart. And do but Ask your own experience, whether That be not the way to be in Heaven here, when even on A suppo∣sed Death-Bed. To have your Lamp so fill'd with Oil, so fairly trimm'd, and cleerly burning, as that when you com to die, you may have nothing els left to do, but to die, to die in Christ, to sleep in him, and, at his return, arise, and liv for ever with him. That thus you may resolv, and do, thus liv, and dy, both is, and shall be the fervent praier of

Clapham, Aug. 15th. 81.

Your sympathizing Friend and Pa∣stor, Tho. Lye.