A Gainful Death the end of a truly Christian Life. A SERMON At the FUNERAL of Mr. John Griffith, Late Minister of the Gospel, Who departed this Life May 16. in the 79th year of his Age. Preached May the 20th 1700. By RICHARD ALLEN. LONDON; Printed for Andr. Bell at the Cross Keys and Bible in Cornhill, and M. Fabian at Mercer's Chapel in Cheapside. 1700. TO THE READER. I Have no other Excuse to plead for exposing the following Sermon, but the common one, that it was not by my own choice, but thro' the earnest, and often repeated Importunities of the dearest Relatives of that Worthy Person, at whose Interment it was preached. 'Tis impossible I should commit it to the Press verbatim as then delivered. But though several Expressions then used may have eseaped my Recollection; yet the substance from my own brief Notes and Memory is here transmitted, with some little Additions. The Subject is undoubtedly excellent: had my Abilities in handling it been somewhat proportionable, I should hope the advantage would well compensate the small Cost and Labour of the perusal. Such as it is I commit it to public View: If God please, by his Blessing, to make it in some measure useful to promote a Christian Life, and a gainful Death, in any into whose hands it shall come; let such be excited to give the greater Glory to God, from the Consideration of the meanness of the Instrument. R. A. Phil. i 21. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. AS I thought strange when Application was made to me, so I doubt not but several here may wonder that I should be engaged in a Funeral Discourse at the Interment of this ancient and worthy Minister of the Gospel: Such I would inform that it was nothing but the earnest Solicitations of his dearest Friends and Relations, together with the venerable Esteem I had for himself, that prevailed with me. And having consented, I had many thoughts what Text to make the foundation of my present Discourse; but being assured that these excellent words of the Apostle were a very great Support and Solace to the Mind of this Reverend Person in the approaches of his Dissolution, and often repeated by him with much delight but few hours before his last Exit, I concluded none more fit to be considered upon this solemn occasion; and the rather because they are the words of one to whom I will venture to liken (though in vastly different degrees) this our deceased Friend, viz. an ancient faithful Minister of the Lord Jesus Christ, the great Apostle Paul, who was now a Prisoner at Rome, and under the apprehensions of a sudden Dissolution, not indeed (as our ancient Friend) through the Infirmities of Age and Sickness, but as a Martyr of Jesus Christ; which Apprehensions were so far from being frightful and surprising, that they were very comfortable and delightful to him, as appears v. 20. The ground of which holy Confidence and fearless Expectation of Death, was his consciousness that Christ was his Life, and that therefore Death would be his Gain, as it is expressed in my Text; For to me to live is Christ, and to die is Gain. In which words we have two Generals. First, The Apostle in himself gives us a Description of a living Christian in these words, For to me to live is Christ; or as Tremellius (from the Syriac) and others render it, * Vita enim mea Christus est. For Christ is my Life, understanding that the Apostle useth the Infinitive † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. to live, for the Noun ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Life; which is very usual both in Scripture and other Authors: and being thus understood, the words contain this Proposition; That Christ is the Life of a true Christian; as Col. 3.4. When Christ who is our Life shall appear, etc. Secondly, The happy Exit of such a one. He that can say upon clear grounds with the Apostle, That Christ is his Life, may assure himself that Death will be so far from being the King of Terrors, that it will be Gain to him. Doct. All those, and only those, who have Christ for their Life, shall be Gainers by their Death. In handling this Truth, I shall endeavour two things. I. To show what's included in Christ's being the Life of a true Christian. II. What are the Advantages that such gain by their Death. I. The first thing we shall inquire is, What may be included in Christ's being the Life of a true Christian, that thereby we may make some Judgement of our own State. I conceive it includes these following things, which I may little more than glance at. 1. Christ is the meritorious Cause of a true Christian's Life. We are all thro' Sin dead in Law, and under Condemnation; but a true Christian is passed from this State of Death and Condemnation, into that of Justification and Life. But how? Rom. 3.24. Being justified freely by his Grace, through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ. 'Tis thro' the meritorious Sufferings and Obedience of the Lord Jesus imputed to Believers, in respect of the saving Benefits thereof. By Sin all are alienated from the Life of God; but the true Christian is raised up from a Death of Sin, to a Life of sincere Holiness. But how? 'tis by the gracious operation of the Spirit of God, which he shed on us abundantly, Tit. 3.6. through Jesus Christ our Saviour. 2. Christ is the Principle of the Spiritual Life of a true Christian, which springs from Union with him. 'Tis a dangerous Error for any to suppose themselves to live a Life of Justification, before they have some real experience of a Life of Sanctification; and 'tis impossible to live a Life of Sanctification before this vital Union. Gal. 2.20. I live, says the Apostle, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the Life which I now live in the flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 3. The Laws of Christ are the governing Rule of the true Christian's Life. If we savingly receive Christ, we receive him as Lord, Col. 2.6. i e. We as willingly receive him as our King to rule and govern us, and to save us from the Power and Dominion of Sin at present, and from Sin itself hereafter, as we receive him for our great High Priest to atone for our Gild, and procure and maintain our Peace with God by his Sacrifice and Intercession. Christ is the sole Author of eternal Salvation, Heb. 5.9. but 'tis only to them that obey him. 4. The Love of Christ is the constraining Motive of a true Christian's Life. None can upon clear grounds say with the Apostle, To me to die is Gain, but such as can, in some good measure, also say, The Love of Christ constraineth us. 2 Cor. 5.14. 2 Tim. 4.8. The Crown of Righteousness is promised to all them, and to them only who love his appearing: And to be sure, none can love Christ's appearing but such as can truly say, 1 Joh. 4.19. We love him, because he first loved us. 5. Christ is the Pattern and Exemplar of a true Christian's Life. God hath predestinated all his Children to be conformed to the Image of his Son, Rom. 8.29. both in Grace and Holiness here, and in Glory and Happiness hereafter: And the former is the only and necessary way and means to the latter. 'Tis vain for us to pretend to be savingly interested in Christ, unless, in some good measure, we are like him in Holiness, Humility, Meekness, Self-denial, Zeal for the Divine Glory, 1 Joh. 2.6. etc. He that saith he abideth in him, * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 1 Cor. 5.10. must needs himself also so walk, even as he walked. Lastly, The Glory, Honour and Interest of Christ is the great End of a true Christian's Life. He does not only sometimes speak or act for Christ, 2 Cor. 5.15. but habitually lives to him. Our Apostle tells us here, V 15— 18. he rejoiced while Christ was preached and glorified, and his Interest carried on, though himself was, by the same Persons, envied and despised. We must in this be like him, and hereby evidence that Christ is our Life, if we would say upon like grounds with him, Death will be our Gain. These are brief hints of the severals I take to be included in this Phrase, To me to live is Christ, or Christ is my Life; which taken together, I conceive, give us an excellent Description of a true living Christian. He is one that, through the meritorious Sufferings and Obedience of the Lord Jesus, is vitally united to him by Faith, and thereby justified and sanctified; ruled by his Laws, and influenced by his Love; his Life is conformed to Christ's Life, and devoted to the advancement of his Glory and Interest. To all such, and such only, Death will be Gain. And so I come to the II. General, to treat something of the Advantage that every true living Christian gains by Death. This we shall consider more generally, and more particularly. I would in a more general way premise two things: 1. Every true living Christian is a present and immediate Gainer by Death. When their Body returns to the Earth, Eccles. 12.7. their Spirit happily returns to God who gave it. Hence heavenly-minded Christians earnestly long to be absent from the Body, 2 Cor. 5.8. that they may be present with the Lord. Without presupposing this, I can't see what rational Account can be given of the Apostles Option, ver. 23. Having a desire to departed, or * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. to be dissolved, and be with Christ. Which Truth I think also plainly taught by our Saviour, in his gracious Promise to the petitioning Malefactor, Luke 23.43. Verily I say to thee, To day, or † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, hodie, q.d. hoc die. Pasor. this very day, thou shalt be with me in Paradise; that is, in heavenly Delights and Pleasures. Who also teaches all his faithful Servants by his own Example, Ib. ver. 46. to commend their expiring Spirits into the hands of their Heavenly Father. But, 2. The fullness and completion of their Gain by Death is reserved for the glorious Appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ. When the Bodies of Saints shall be raised and reunited to their Souls, than they shall fully enter into the Joy of their Lord. Hence this is constantly spoken of as the great day of Redemption and Recompense. 'Tis when Christ who is our Life shall appear, Col. 3.4. that we shall fully appear with him in Glory: 2 Thess. 1.10. When he shall come to be most eminently glorified in his Saints, and admired in all them that believe. Whence all that have valiantly and victoriously fought the good fight, etc. 2 Tim. 4.7, 8. die in a comfortable hope of receiving a Crown of Righteousness at that day, viz. of his appearing. Thus much in general. I shall now more particularly endeavour to set before you something of the Advantages which living Christians gain by Death. And, 1. They gain thereby a perfect freedom from all Sin. I need not prove to any serious Christian that this is a very great Gain. Believers are indeed now characterised to be such as are made free from Sin; Rom. 6.22. but this means no otherwise than as the Apostle afterwards explains himself, — 8.2. made free from the Law, or Dominion of Sin. An absolutely perfect freedom from Sin, is peculiar to the future Life. The remains of this Plague in Believers, like that inveterate Leprosy in the Houses of Israelites, Leu. 14. can't be perfectly cured without dissolving this earthly House of their Tabernacle. 2 Cor. 5.1. Christ will at and after Death complete his Work, and present his Church, and each living Member thereof, Eph. 5.27. glorious, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but holy, and without blemish: Then they shall be without fault before the Throne of God. Rev. 14.5. 2. They are freed by it not only from all Sin, but from all Temptations and Inclinations to Sin. This is much more than the former. Our first Parents in Innocency were wholly free from Sin, but 'tis certain they were not free from Temptations to Sin: Yea the second Adam, our Lord Jesus, though perfectly holy and undefiled, yet, in the state of his Humiliation, he was not only assaulted with Temptations, but violently assaulted with most black and hellish ones; and though he could not in the least be prevailed upon to sin by these Temptations, yet he suffered, Heb. 2.18. which seems to import some difficulty, in bearing and resisting of them; no wonder then that the best Christians very often find themselves grievously tempted, and too much inclined to a sinful compliance, when yet through Grace they are kept from those Sins to which they are tempted. But Death will free the sincere Christian not only from the destructive malignity of the fiery Darts of the wicked one, Eph. 6.16. but also from their afflictive Injections; not only from being overcome by those fleshly Lusts 1 Pet. 2.11. which war against their Souls, but also from being any more molested by the motion of them. Death will not only secure them from being destroyed by this present evil World, Gal. 1.4. but it will totally deliver them from it. In this respect Death will usher the living Christian into a Life transcendently more excellent than the present Life of Grace, wherein whatever ground Christians have to think themselves to stand, 1 Cor. 10.12. or * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 2 Cor. 13.1. to be established, they must still take heed lest they fall. And sure the most confirmed Christian, while here, as well as the great Apostle, has need to maintain a cautionary Fear and Endeavour, 1 Cor. 9.27. lest he should be, or † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. become a Reprobate or Castaway. Yea Death will advance the living Christian into a transcendently better Life than that paradisical one of our first Parents in Innocency, as was hinted before: For though they were free from Sin, and furnished with Strength and Ability to have continued in that State, yet they were not freed from the possibility and danger of sinning, as the event woefully manifested. But Believers thro' Death will be secured not only from Sin, but from all danger of sinning, and established in an impeccable and immutable state of Holiness. 3. Death will free the living Christian from all Sorrows and Miseries. They are already exempted by their Justification from liableness to future-Wrath and Condemnation: 1 Thess. 5.9. God hath not appointed them to Wrath, but to obtain Salvation thro' our Lord Jesus Christ. But while they have any remains of Sin, they must look for Sorrows and Afflictions, which are the inseparable Concomitants of it. Job's Experience is as true of the best Christians, as of other Men, that as they are of few days in this World, so those few days are full of trouble. How many Sorrows afflict some thro' want and penury; and no less Sorrows attend others in obtaining and using of Riches; and a while after it may be far greater accost them by the sudden loss of an Estate, or great part of it, by some surprising Calamity; Prov. 23.5. while Riches make themselves Wings and fly away, as an Eagle towards Heaven. Many times they have great Sorrows from the Malignity of open Enemies, at other times no less from the Treachery of pretended Friends, and the Mutability and Fickleness of once real ones. The dear Children of God here labour often under Sorrows by reason of Pains, and dolorous Distempers in their Bodies, and many times by reason of Doubts and Fears in their Minds: They have many times Heart-breaking Sorrows from the woeful Miscarriages of Children, or other dear Relations; and often very cutting Sorrows by a sudden removal of them thro' a surprising stroke of Death. It would be endless to enumerate the variety of Sorrows and Calamities that more or less afflict God's Children while here; but at their Dissolution God will wipe away all Tears from their Eyes, Rev. 21.4. and there shall be no more Death, neither Sorrow nor crying; neither shall there be any more Pain: for the former things are passed away. 4. At Death the living Christian is freed not only from the burden of a sinful, but also from the clog of an animal Body. A sinful Body is one thing, and an animal Body another. It would be equally false and irreligious for any to say that our Saviour had a sinful Body, but it is certainly true that he had an animal Body like ours, liable to the like natural though not moral Infirmities, which Sin hath brought into our Bodies. Whence I conceive 'tis said he was sent in the likeness not only of Flesh, Rom. 8.3. but of sinful Flesh. The Bodies of Saints in the present state, as they are to them an occasion of much Sin, so when they are not so, they are a great clog and hindrance, and as it were a dead weight, to keep their aspiring Souls from mounting upwards in Divine Contemplations and Communion with God. Tho the Flesh in them be not so strong as to prove a victorious Enemy, yet 'tis so weak as to prove a very untoward and sluggish Servant, even when they are blessed with a willing Spirit in religious Duties. Whence the best Saints have continual need not only to watch, Mat. 26.41. but pray earnestly for help from above, to secure them from being vanquished by Temptation. But Death will bring them into that blessed State wherein this contemptible, 1 Cor. 15.43, 44, 49. and, it may be, deformed Body shall be made glorious and beautiful: This weak and frail Body shall be made vigorous and powerful; this Earthly and Terrene Body shall be made Heavenly and Celestial; this gross and sluggish Body shall be made pure and spiritual: Then I conceive they will be enabled even literally to mount up as with eagle's Wings, Isa. 40.31. to run and not be weary, and walk and not faint. In a word, our gracious Redeemer will change this our vile Body, Phil. 3.21. that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious Body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things to himself. 5. Their Souls at and after Death shall be freed not only from all sinful, but also from all afflictive Ignorance, and made perfect in the Knowledge of God, and his most excellent Works. This Knowledge our Saviour calls Life Eternal, Joh. 17.3. because as a present sanctified Knowledge of God is the only way to, so the Perfection of this Knowledge is of the Essence of Eternal Life and Blessedness. The most illuminated Saints here have cause, with Elihu, to complain we can't order either our Thoughts and Conceptions, Job 37.19. or our Words and Expressions aright, concerning him, by reason of Darkness. Indeed the most raised Notions and Conceptions, Words and Discourses even of an Apostle, while here, concerning the Mysteries of God and Religion, are but like the imperfect and confused Thoughts, or lisping and broken Expressions of Children, compared with what they shall be in Heaven, whence spring so many different Apprehensions amongst the most sincere Christians; and hence they are too often vehemently contending and quarrelling like Children about those abstruse Difficulties which are clearly apprehended by neither of the contending Parties. But Death will cause all Scales to fall from their Eyes, and remove every Veil from their Heart: then their present obscure Knowledge shall vanish, as the twinkling Light of a Candle before the resplendent Brightness of the Sun. All which is fully and clearly expressed by the Apostle to the Corinthian Christians. 1 Cor. 13. 8-12. Then will Saints be let into the full view of the Mysteries of Redemption, 1 Pet. 1.12. which things the Angels desire to look into: Then will the infinitely wise and beautiful Series of Divine Providence be displayed, which here appears many times, to the best, dark and unaccountable for want of their seeing it from the beginning to the end: Eccles. 3.11. Then shall the Depths of the Divine Wisdom and Goodness in all God's Works appear to his Saints, who shall be the wondering and delightful Beholders thereof. 6. Death will let them into the immediate beatifying Vision, and full enjoyment of God and their blessed Redeemer: Then all that are pure in Heart shall, Mat. 5.8. according to our Saviour's Promise, be made completely blessed by seeing God: They shall see his Face, and his Name shall be written in their Forehead. Rev. 22.4. How and after what manner Saints shall see him who is invisible, Heb. 11.27. what human Mind can now conceive? and how much less can my Tongue or Pen express it? But in this the Holy Ghost is express; 1 Joh. 3.2. We shall see him as he is; and as the blessed Effect of this Vision, we shall be like him. And well may this, according to the Apostle's design, raise admiring Thoughts and Meditations in our Minds concerning that State, and the Divine Love which gives us an Interest therein. 'Tis very unchristian to murmur and repine at the Death of our Godly Friends and Relations; which is only the accomplishment of the gracious Will and mediatory Request of our Saviour: Joh. 17.24. Father (saith he) I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my Glory, etc. O! what a desirable thing must it be to be for ever with the Lord, 1 Thess. 4.17. and in the perpetual and uninterrupted fruition of him? To all such who count it no less their Privilege than their Duty to behold his Glory now, though it be only in the Glass of Ordinances; to all those who often, in some good measure, experience the Psalmist's Devotion, breathing forth with him, Psal. 42.20. My Soul thirsteth for God, for the living God; when shall I come to appear before God? And again, — 63.1, 2. My Soul thirsieth for thee, to see thy Power and thy Glory, so as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary. 7. Death will bring them into the most blessed and delightful Society. They now enjoy not only a visible Fellowship with Saints, but a sweet and invisible Communion with holy Angels, who delightfully perform that kind Office, in which they are employed by our common Head, being by him made all ministering Spirits, Heb. 1.14. sent forth to minister for them who shall be Heirs of Salvation. But they shall ascend from the valley of Death to the top of Mount Zion, Heb. 12.22, 23. and to the City of the living God, the Heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of Angels;— and to the Spirits of just Men made perfect. Made perfect! that is, freed from all those defects in Knowledge and Holiness, which here render the Society even of Saints sometimes very unpleasant and troublesome. But O what a Felicity will it be to meet in that perfect State with many of our dear Friends and Relations! and it may be some of our Enemies too, perfectly reconciled to us! to enjoy intimate Society with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the holy Patriarches, Prophets, Apostles, and Martyrs; and, in a word, with all those Noble and Excellent Saints that ever we read or heard of. You can't but from the Consideration of these things, conclude with me in the 8. Place, That Death will bring them into the most ravishing Joys, and into the most pure and unmixed Pleasures. The most refined Joys of this Life have a great alloy, and mixture of Sorrow: The most delightful Pleasures are attended with Pain, and Uneasiness: The most happy Estate here is often obtained with care, kept with fear, and lost with trouble: Honour and Greatness are commonly uneasy to those that have them, and hated and envied by those that have them not. Liberal Education and Knowledge is one of the sweetest Pleasures and Delights of an ingenuous Mind; yet even this (if we may believe him who had the largest Experience of it) is not without its Vanity and Vexation of Spirit. For in much Wisdom, Eccles. 1.18. saith he, is much Grief; and he that increaseth Knowledge, increaseth Sorrow. Yea, the very Sweets and Delights of Religion are here exceedingly dampt; partly by the Consciousness of our great Imperfection therein, partly by Melancholy, and partly by the Malice of that malignant Spirit, who if he can't hale us with himself into Hell, will be sure to make us go as droopingly as possible in our way to Heaven. But Death transmits' holy Souls into the immediate Presence of God, where there is fullness of Joy, Psal. 16.11. and at whose right-hand there are Pleasures for evermore. Then all the Doubts of sad and dejected, though sincere Souls, shall be changed into full assurance; all their Darkness into the most clear Light, their Mournings into Melodies, their Sorrows and Sighs into Songs of Praise and joyful Hallelujahs to him that sits upon the Throne, Rev. 19.1. chap. 5.13. and to the Lamb for ever and ever. Lastly, All these Advantages will be eternal and everlasting. This is indeed but a Circumstance, but 'tis such a Circumstance, without which all the Happiness of Heaven itself would be imperfect: Yea, the greater the Felicity is, the greater and more amazing would be the damp it would strike upon the Spirits of those who are in the fruition of it, to think; Alas, one day I must be deprived of all this! and either relapse into my former Miseries, or else sink into the abyss of Nothingness. I believe there are few living Christians but are ready to cry out with Job, under a sense of the Sinsulness and Miserableness of the present Life, Job 7.16. I would not live always. But it is impossible any such thought should enter into the Mind of a glorified Saint: Where there is fullness of Joy, it can't but be an inconceivable Pleasure to know it shall be for evermore. As the Felicities of Saints after Death are called weights of Glory, because of the Greatness of them; so they are called eternal weights, because of the Durableness and Permanency of them. O consider then what a blessed thing it is to be regenerated, and born again; for such are begotten to an Inheritance, not like the Inheritances of this World, fading and uncertain, 1 Pet. 1.3, 5. but to an Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in Heaven for you, who are kept by the Power of God thro' Faith unto Salvation. Thus I have set before you a little, and I may, without any Rhetorical Flourish, say but a little of the Advantages which every sincere Christian shall gain by Death. I am confident whoever of you pass thro' the dark valley and shadow of Death into those Regions of Light and Blessedness (and O that it may be the Portion of every one of you, who are my Hearers or Readers!) you will then wonderingly say of this your Gain by Death, as the Queen of Sheba of Solomon's Wisdom, Behold, 1 Kings 10, 7. the half was not told me: and the Glory and Felicity far exceeds the Fame I heard. I now proceed to make some brief Application of the whole. And among many very useful Reflections, which might be made upon this excellent Subject, I shall shut up my present Discourse with these brief ones following. 1. Well may we hence infer the Wisdom of sincere Religion. If such be the end of a truly Christian Life, then, as the Scriptures frequently, so they most fitly represent sincere Religion and Piety as the truest Wisdom. Let even Reason impartially speak whether it be not the truest Wisdom to prefer the Fountain of Living Waters, before broken Cisterns that can hold no Water; to prefer our Souls, in which we were made but little inferior to Angels, before our Bodies, in which we are little superior to Beasts; to give the Preference to Heaven above Earth, to Eternity above Time; to prefer solid and endless Joys and Felicities, before empty and perishing Pleasures: and then the result of its Determination must surely be, that the seriously religious Person is the only wise one. And, 2. 'Tis, on the contrary, the greatest folly to neglect that Life, which alone will end in this gainful Death. O what stupendous folly is it to make light of Christ! Mat. 20. 2-5. who must be our Life, if ever we live indeed. 'Tis great folly in any measure to neglect, but what unaccountable Madness is it wholly to neglect this great Salvation! Nor is it less folly for any to satisfy themselves with the Name, without the Life of Christianity, with a mere Form, without the Power of Godliness; for any to please themselves because they eat in Christ's Presence, and sit at his Table, though they secretly work Iniquity, and indulge themselves in worldly and fleshly Lusts. Such have no part or lot in this whole matter. However such Hypocrites may now flatter themselves with a vain expectation of Happiness, though they are regardless of that sincere Holiness which is the only way to it, this their Hope shall at last utterly perish, and be suddenly cut off, Job. 8.14. and their Trust will be as a Spider's Web. Thomas they feed upon Ashes, Isa. 44.20. and carry a Lie in their right-hand, and are so turned aside by a deceived and flattering Heart, as to entertain no serious thoughts of securing and delivering their Souls; they shall at length be roused out of this delusory Dream. However they have lulled their Consciences asleep, fancying themselves spiritually rich, by reason of their Profession and external Privileges, they shall not by all their empty Pleas be able to deceive their all-knowing Judge, nor appease him who will then be inexorable to their most earnest Entreaties; but, with wrathful Countenance, he will profess to them, Mat. 7.23. saying, I never knew you; Depart from me ye that work Iniquity. Death will not be to them any Gain, but the end of all their Delights, and the beginning of never-dying Sorrows and Woes. 3. Seeing none shall be admitted into Heaven, but those who have Christ for their Life, as far as in us lies we should admit and retain no other in Christ's Church, which ought to be an Emblem of Heaven, upon which account 'tis often called the Kingdom of Heaven. Such as make Christ's Laws the Rule of their Life, Christ's Life the Pattern of theirs, and make his Glory and Interest their ultimate End and Design; these are the only Persons likely to be a Reputation to, or receive benefit by Church Communion. One scandalous Sinner being indulged in the Church, though but a little Leven, yet leveneth the whole lump, that is, 1 Cor. 5.6. renders the whole Church guilty by their abetting of him. It is a horrid Reproach to our holy Religion to suffer any such in Christian Communion; and much more is it so, if such a one should be a magnified Teacher in any Society of Christians, as several of the Greek Fathers tell us, Theodoret, Chrysostom, etc. Vid. Poli Synopsin in locum. Ver. 2, 6. that incestuous Fornicator amongst the Corinthians was, and that therefore they were puffed up from a conceit of his applauded Eloquence, and profound Learning, instead of mourning and being humbled; and gloried in their connivance at his Wickedness, instead of being ashamed of it. Heb. 12.15, 16. Look diligently, saith the Apostle to the Christian Church, lest any root of bitterness be suffered to spring up, and be not rooted out; lest there be any Fornicator, or profane Person, and thereby many be defiled. 4. This should persuade all that have Christ for their Life, to love one another. Joh. 3.3. All such are born * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11.13. from above, and therefore are but Strangers and Pilgrims here below. The whole time of their continuance upon Earth, is but the time of their sojourning here: 1 Pet. 1.17. They are in the World as well as others, but they are not of it, but are God's elect ones, and peculiar Treasure, being, by their gracious Redeemer, chosen out of the World; Joh. 15.19. and therefore the World hates them, and carries it strangely towards them; and they likewise are, in the Temper of their Hearts, and in the Deportment of their Lives, alienated from the World: And because they are Strangers on Earth, Eph. 2.19. they are no more Strangers and Foreigners in Heaven, but fellow Citizens with the Saints, and of the Household of God. As therefore Natives of the same Country, though they may have little acquaintance and familiarity while at home, yet are much endeared in their mutual Affections by meeting together in a strange Land, especially if it be withal a barbarous Country, where they are Partners in Sufferings and Hardships; so Christians, considering they are all fellow Travellers thro' a waist howling Wilderness to the Celestial Canaan, should take that excellent Counsel good Joseph gave his Brethren, Gen. 45.24. See that ye fall not out by the way. If Christ be our Life, than we are all Members of one Body, Ephes. 4.4. and Partakers of one Spirit, and called in one hope of our Calling; we are then all Subjects and Disciples of one Lord, Ver. 5. and have, in respect of the saving Essentials, but one Faith, and are all the Children of one God and Father; all which are very uniting and endearing Considerations: But especially, if, besides all this, we are visibly initiated into Christ's Church by that one Baptism which he instituted, different Apprehensions about more disputable Matters of Religion, should not hinder us from jointly and studiously endeavouring Ver. 3. to keep the most close Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace. 5. This yields great Support when our Godly Friends and Relations are taken from us by the hand of Death: We may then indeed have manifold cause to mourn, but not to sorrow as others who have no hope: 1 Thess. 5.13. seeing they are only fallen asleep in Jesus, they shall certainly awake, and be for ever with the Lord. You, the surviving Relations of this our deceased Father, have cause to mourn for your Loss, and the Church of Christ hath great cause to mourn for hers; but you have both great ground of Support, in that God continued him with you to a good old Age, and especially in that his hoary Head was a Crown of Glory, Prov. 16.31. being found in the way of Righteousness. He lived near fourscore years, and more than threescore of them were solemnly, and (we have just reason to believe) sincerely devoted to the Lord Jesus in his Church: Yea, he had been, as I am certainly informed, about fifty four years a Pastor or Bishop under the great Shepherd and Bishop of Souls: About fourteen years of which time he spent in Sufferings, Bonds and Imprisonments for his Lord, and in the Testimony of a good Conscience. He was indeed (in my opinion, and in the opinion of several other Christians) somewhat too straight and narrow in his Notions concerning the terms of Church-Communion; but even this, we have good reason to think, proceeded from his sincere Zeal, and tender respect to the Laws of the blessed Jesus. I know of no dishonour or blemish he brought upon our holy Religion in his so long Profession of it, but he was, I think, in general an Ornament and Reputation to it. He bore his long Sickness and Pains with much Patience and Submission to the Divine Will, and to the last rejoiced in full assurance of hope: He being conscious that Christ was his Life, thereupon comfortably concluded that Death would be his Gain. We have good ground, through Grace, to believe him among those blessed Ones who died in the Lord, Rev 14.13. who rest from their Labours, and their Works follow them: And that he will hear that joyful Sentence, Mat. 25.21, etc. Well done good and faithful Servant, Enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord. Where we leave him. And, In the last place, Let us labour to be Followers of him, so far as he followed Christ; and of all others who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises. Heb. 6.12. Let us give all diligence, and labour with a holy Ambition, to grow in Grace and Holiness, and thereby make our Calling and Election sure; 2 Pet. 1. 5-11. that so we may have an Entrance abundantly ministered to us into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This ancient Minister of Christ now laying in the Dust, lived indeed to be full of days; but who of you can promise yourselves to be herein like him? James 4.14. For what is your Life? it is even a Vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. O remember that the youngest and strongest, and the most healthy walk but in a vain show, Psal. 39.5, 6. and at their best, * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stans vel stabilis. most established State, are altogether Vanity! Let us therefore earnestly pray, and labour so to number our days, Psal. 90.12. and consider the great uncertainty of our Life, that we may apply our Hearts to Divine and Heavenly Wisdom. We see many of our dear Friends and Relations suddenly cut off as a Flower, and snatched from us; let us bless God for the good hope we have, thro' Grace, of their being ready; and let us pray and labour that we may be also ready, Mat. 24.44. because our Lord assures us, he will come in such an hour as we think not. I close all with the Apostle's concluding Exhortation and Desire: Therefore my beloved Brethren, 1 Cor. 15.58. be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the Work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your Labour is not in vain in the Lord. And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence, Heb. 6.11. to the full assurance of hope unto THE END. Errat. Pag. 7. read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Sold by Andr. Bell at the Cross Keys and Bible in Cornhill, and M. Fabian at Mercer's Chapel in Cheapside, AN ESSAY to prove Singing of Psalms with conjoined Voices, a Christian Duty, and to resolve the Doubts concerning it. And, A Brief Vindication of the said Essay. Both by Rich. Allen. Hymns in Commemoration of the Sufferings of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, composed for the Celebration of his holy Supper. A new Version of Solomon's Song of Songs; together with the 45th Psalm. The Groans of a Saint under the Burden of a mortal Body. Being a Funeral Sermon on Mr. John Belcher. These by Joseph Stennett.