THE Grand Statute: OR The LAW of DEATH unalterable; OPENED and APPLIED IN A SERMON Preached May 11. 1660. At the Funerals of that pious, useful, and much lamented Gent. Mr. John Cope in the Parish-Church of St. Mary-Bothaw LONDON. By John Kitchen, M. A. Minister of St. Mary-Abchurch LONDON. Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? Job 7.1. Quid in rebus humanis certius est morte? quid incertius hora mortis invenitur? Bernardus. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Liban. Sophist. Progymn. London, Printed for Francis Kitchen and John Garway, and are to be sold at the sign of St. Paals' Church in Paul's-chain. 1660. To the truly virtuous, my ever Honoured Friend Mrs. Hannah Cope. My dear Friend, THE late sad dispensation of Providence wherewith the Lord was pleased to exercise you, in snatching out of your bosom, the sweetest flower of your Earthly Comforts, put me upon preaching that to your Ear which is now presented to your Eye: The Lord print it upon your heart! I confess I should much more gladly have served you in any other Office of love and labout, had it seemed good in the eyes of the infinitely wise and all-disposing providence of God to have spared me this pains: which yet I very willingly undertaken in compliance with your requests, though with a very sad and sorrowful heart. I did not then more willingly preach it, than I do now unwillingly publish it, could I have resisted your incessant importunity; both because I have ever desired to shun that Trajan's like vanity (as I may call it) of affecting to be a paper flower, Constantinus Magnus Trajanum Imperatorem ob aspersos passim titulos in aedificiis herbam paricta riam vocabat. Cluverius. Historiar. Epitome. and especially also considering how much of the waters of the Sanctuary run waste, even out of the Press as well as the Pulpit: Pasquil's, Libels, and Ballads being more in use and esteem in this generation than Sermons: God grant that this present glut and surfeit be not a forerunner of future famine and scarcity. For my delay in detaining it thus long from your view, partly my absence from home, partly my employments at home, and especially my irresolution, till of late, to send it, may be I hope a sufficient Apology. And now it is come, it has no other message to deliver save only to stir up your pure mind by way of remembrance, 2 Pet. 3.1. That you may be mindful your own Mortality, and that you yourself are under this irrevocable Decree and indispensible Law that is now executed upon your dear deceased Husband. I know you are enough sensible that he is gone; oh but remember that you must follow! and be confident of this, that the joy of your meeting will abundantly outbalance the grief of your parting. 2 Cor. 4.17. These light afflictions, says the Apostle, which are but for a moment, work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. And in the meantime, two things considered might methinks abundantly support you under this trial. 1. 1 Cor. 10.13. That no affliction hath happened unto you but that which is common unto men; and 2. That this affliction hath happened unto you in no other manner; but that which is peculiar to children; for discipline, not for destruction; to chastise you, Heb. 12.7. not to cast you off. The God of Heaven make up this loss to you and yours, in the more plentiful communications of spiritual blessings, both graces and comforts; which is the prayer of Your much obliged Friend And Servant in the Lord, John Kitchin. Abchurch. July 30. 1660. TO THE READER. READER, THe thoughts of Death can never be unseasonable, the hour of death being ever uncertain. Most men put far away the evil day; therefore they need frequent Monitors to put them in mind of their mortality. The Author of this Sermon hath taken good pains to alarm and quicken secure sinners to a serious meditation of, and a speedy preparation for their dying hour. The subject of the Sermon being so solemn, and the matter of it so well digested and composed, it is well worth the inspection and perusal of all. Edmund Galamy. Thomas Watson. THE Grand Statute: OR, The Law of Death unalterable. HEB. 9.27. And as— It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this judgement. So— FOR the Coherence of the words with the Context, be pleased to take notice of Saint Paul's drift in this Chapter, which is this; namely, to compare Law and Gospel together, and hereby to prove the Gospel-Administration to be far more excellent than the Mosaical Oeconomy, and Legal dispensation; And this he does briefly, but fully, in a few words, but in many particulars. In the 23. ver. there's the Comparison instituted. In the rest you have the Comparison illustrated. In the 23. ver. It was therefore necessary saith the Apostle, that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these, meaning the Legal Ceremonies before mentioned, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Theoph. this is the comparison; Gospel Ordinances are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, they are heavenly things, so called for their stability, for their perpetuity, for their sublimity, for their spirituality, whereas the Legal Ceremonies they were at the best but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the patterns of heavenly things, these were the substance, those were but the shadows; those were meaner, these were better sacrifices; 'tis true, those were necessary pro hic & nunc, and they were beautiful in their season, but God had provided better things for us. Heb. 11.40. This he proves and illustrates in the next verse to the end, and that in four particulars: 1. We have a better Priest. 2. We have a better offering. 3. We have a better place. 4. We have a better manner. 1. A better Priest we have; theirs was an high Priest indeed, to wit, Aaron ver. 25. the high Priest entered into the holy place; but ours is an higher Priest, to wit, Christ ver. 24. Christ is entered into heaven. 2. Better offerings we have; their offerings were the blood of others, namely, of other things; Bulls and Goats, and Rams, and Lambs were their sacrifices, intimated verse 25. the high Priest entered— with the blood of others; but our offerings are the blood of Christ himself, the Priest himself; he's both Priest and Sacrifice too, ver. 26. he hath appeared to put away sin by the Sacrifice of himself. 3. A better place we have, their places of propitiation were the Tabernacle, and Temple, places made with hands, Bazaliels hands, and Aholiah's hands, and the workmen's hands, ver. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Occumenius. He is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but our place of propitiation is heaven itself, ver. 24. but into heaven itself He is entered, now to appear in the presence of God for us, an house not made with hands, 2 Cor. 5.1. 4. A better manner we have, their offerings were repeated, and that often, to note their imperfection; every year new offerings, ver. 25.— The high Priest entered into the holy place every year with the blood of others; but our offering is but once, and once for all; not towards the end of the year, but towards the end of the world, verse 26. with 25. Nor yet that he should offer himself often,— for then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world, but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And this he proves and illustrates in the two last verses. 1. Laying down his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or 〈◊〉 for his medium and proof in the words of my Text. As it is appointed unto men once to die.— 2. Applying his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or 〈◊〉 for his illustration in the words following, So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, etc. q. d. There's no man dies any more than once; but our offering and sacrifice is a man, the blood of Christ, God-man, therefore he must and can die but once; It is appointed unto man once to die; but after this, judgement. In the words there are two of those quatuor novissima, Mors Judicium Gloria Gehenna Bern. in Se●m. two of those four last things that the Ancients have advised us often to remember and consider; Death, Judgement, Considera tres re & non venies in transgressionem, unde veneris, è sordibus: quo tandem sis abiturus, inpulverem: coram quo rationem es red diturus, coram Sanct. Ben. R●f. Akiba. Particutare sigillatim, statim dum moriuntur. Carthus. Heaven, Hell, here are two of them, not only named, but stated. 1. The certainty of Death after sin. He hath appeared to put away sin— as it is appointed unto men once to die. 2. The Celerity of Judgement after Death, but after this Judgement, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, immediatè post, as the phrase imports. John 19.38. I'll handle the first of these only, The certainty of Death. It is appointed, etc. Wherein you have three Doctrines observable. 1. Death is the Lot and portion of all men sooner or later, first or last: It is appointed unto men— to die. 2. Death comes but once to men naturally, It is appointed unto men once to die. 3. Death ever comes by, and never comes but by God's appointment: It is appointed unto men, etc. I shall God willing, handle them all, and therefore I can but paraphrase upon each particular. 1. Doct. Death is the lot and portion of all men sooner or later; for the evidence of which we must know, that there is a threefold death mentioned in Scripture. Mors triplex est Culpae, Gratiae, Naturae. Ambr. lib. 5. in Luc. 1 A sinful death. 2. A spiritual death. 3. A penal death; adeath of grace, which is sinful; a death of sin, which is gracious and spiritual; a death of the person, which is penal; or there is, 1. A death in sin. 2. A death to sin. 3. A death for sin. 1. A death sin sin, Ephes. 2.1. You hath he quickened who were dead in sins; and this is a sad death, this is a woeful death; many are thus dead and no body misses them, no body knows them, no body laments them, saying ah my brother! or ah sister! ah my wife, or ah husband! Jer. 22.18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Philo lib. de profugis. ah my Lord, or ah his glory! there are thousands of these walking ghosts go up and down the streets every day, and that without observation; such a one was she, as merry as she was, 1 Tim. 5.6. The widow that liveth in pleasure, is dead while she liveth; the husband is dead, the husband is dead, every one knows that; Oh but look to't! for God's sake look to't; the widow may bedead also, if she be not careful and watchful, the widow that lives in pleasure is dead, yea twice dead, Judas 12. 2. A death to sin, as Barzillai was dead to David's Courtship, to whom all his royal and pompous entertainment would seem but as dry and sapless things; 2 Sam. 19.35. Can I discern between good and evil? Can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear any more the voice of singing-men or singing-women? He was dead eyed to his Pageants, and dead pallated to his banquets, and dead eared to his music; so dead to pride, and dead to lust, and dead to covetousness, dead to the world, and dead to self, etc. and this now is a good death, this is a right 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indeed, this is an happy death; Sneton in Augusto. and oh that every living soul in the Congregation was thus dead! oh that this Funeral Sermon might be the Funeral of all your lusts! this you have mentioned in Colos. 3.3. for ye are dead, i. e. dead to sin; and in Rom. 6.2. so expounded; How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3. A death for sin, the work turned into wages, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil. Soluc. Orat. 4. the crime made the punishment, Rom. 6.23. The wages of sin is death, Rom. 6.21. The end of sin is death. Culpa morique fuit, paena morique fuit. Death was our sin, and it was fit Sin should be punished by it: Now this last death is twofold, or at least in reference to the subject thereof to be doubly considered: 1. The death of the Surety, or the death of Christ for us; and this is a glorious death, this is a Christians triumphant death, we can boast of this death against all the world, against all the Devils in Hell, against all accusations of conscience, against all exactions of Justice; 2 Sam. 11.17. this will smooth the wrinkles of God's brow, and appease his anger and indignation, as that of Uriah's did Davids; Uriah the Hittite is dead also, that pleased David; so Christ our Sacrifice is dead also, and that pleases God. Rom. 8.33, 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect? It is God that justifieth: Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died: Nay, we can boast of this death even against death itself, O death where's thy sting? O grave where's thy victory? thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. 15.55, 57 There are two parts of that triumphant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, sung accordingly by both parts of a Saint: O death where's thy sting? that the soul sings: O grave where's thy victory? that the body sings: Thanks be to God which giveth us the victory; that both sing; over the sting of death, by sanctification: over the stroke of death by resurrection: and both through the death of Christ who by death has slain death as the * Hydrus est animal habitans in gurgitibus fluminum, Cro●odilis feraliter inimicum: hic itaque cum viderit Crocodilum aperto ore dormientem provolvitur in limo luti ut faucibus illius facilius possit illabi tunc in os Crocodili dormient is perniciter insilit, & deglutitus, viscera ejus cuncta dilaniat, donec es extincto, de cadavere vivus & victor erumpat. Quid Crocodilus nisi mors, & Tartarus? quid Hydrus nisi Christus? quid limo obvolui nisi humanae carnis luto vestiri? Petrus Damian. lib. 2. Epist. 18. watersnake does the Crocodile. 2. The death of the party, or the death of us, and this is twofold; consisting First, In the separation of the soul from the body, and this is a little troublesome death, especially to nature, these two old acquaintance play loath to departed when the time comes; Inducias etiam ad horam, as he said: Oh reprieve me! though it be but an hour, and 'twill be sweet; nay beloved, a child of God himself may sometimes be so fearful of this King of terrors, that at the approach of death he may be forced to cry quarter: Job 28.4. So did David, Oh spare me! that I may recover strength before I go hence and be no more, Psal. 39.13. Secondly, In the separation of soul and body both from God to all eternity, M●tth. 25.41. and this is the bitterness of death, this is the dregs of death, this is death armed, Animae mors separatio est à Deo uti corporis mors est ipsius ab anima disjunctio Nicetas death with a sting and poison too: called in Scripture the second death, Revel. 20.14. death and hell were cast into the lake of fire, this is the second death. The death in the Text is to be understood of the death of the party for sin, Anaxogoras. Plutar. de consola●. a● Apol. consisting in the separation of soul and body one from another, and so 'tis appointed unto men once to die; unto men, i. e. unto all men, a man, and a mortal, signifying one and the same thing; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Liban. Sophist. in D. mosth. Apollog. scio me genuisse mortalem, said that Philosopher, when news came that his son was dead; I knew I had begot a mortal: it being as certain that every man shall die, as it is certain that he lives, Psal. 89.48. What man is he that liveth and shall not see death? Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah: mark that says the Psalmist, Cui nasci contigit mori restat. Seneca. he puts a note of attention and observation upon i●; though it be an ordinary truth, it deserves an extraordinary consideration: and 'tis not only asserted by Scripture, but 'tis sealed by the experiences of all the world. And indeed who has not a speculative notion of this truth? The practical improvement is the main considerable, as Solomon saith, for the living to lay it to heart, Eccles. 7.2. that's the duty. Use is, 1. Of information. 2. Of Exhortation. 1. Hence we see the mischief and misery of sin, it hath brought death, and ruin upon all Adam's posterity! if sin had not been committed, death had not been appointed; he hath appeared saith the Apostle, to put away sin, as it is appointed to men to die, (viz.) because of sin; if we had not sinned, we had not died; upon the death of the soul, came in the death of the body; the kernel was corrupted, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Phil, Allegor. lib. and the shell became rotten and withered: Gen. 2.17. In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die, 'tis in the Hebrew, dying thou shalt die; dying in eating, thou shalt die for eating; dying as the sin, thou shalt die as the scourge; dying as the crime, thou shalt die as the curse; dying in the soul, thou shalt die in the body, yea and in soul also to all eternity. I know there are that deny this truth, Audenter determinamus mortem non ex natura secutam hominem, sed ex culpa. Ter. ul. de Anim. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. Just. Mattyr. Resp. ad Graeces that temporal death is the punishment of sin, as Pelagians and Socinians upon different grounds and reasons, which I shall here neither canvas, much less go about to confute; only propound to sober judgements that of the Apostle; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as he said, Paul for my money, Rom. 6.23. The wages of sin is death, death temporal as well as eternal, as is clear by that, Rom. 5.12. By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, (viz.) natural death, temporal death. 2. Is it so, that death is the lot and portion of all men? Then let us be exhorted seriously and in good earnest 1. Praevidere. Providere. To look for it. 2. To provide for it. 1. Be exhorted oh Christians to look for death, for it's certainly a coming; Incertum est quo in loco te mers expectet, itaque tu illam omni loco expecta. Seneca Epist. 26. God has not told us when we shall die, nor where we shall die, nor by what means we shall die, nor how we shall die, slowly or speedily, lingeringly or suddenly, with the solemnity of a sickness, or without, in the field, in the shop, at the table, in the bed; no, these things are locked up within God's Cabinet-councel; It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrylost. Homi. de morte. saith Christ, which the Father hath put into his own power, Acts 1.7. 'Tis not, 'tis not; what? 'tis not lawful for you, 'tis not expedient for you, 'tis not indeed good for you to know these circumstances of time, and place, and manner; only this you may know, and do know, that die you must; all have died hitherto, and you must follow, expect it; Art thou greater than our father Abraham which is dead? said they, John 8.53. so say I, thou rich man, thou strong man, thou young man, thou good man, thou great man, art thou greater than our father Abraham that's dead? Josh. 23.14. Isa. 40.6. I go the way of all flesh saith Joshua: what man, art not thou flesh? mark, all flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof as the flower of grass; flesh withers soon, but the goodliness of flesh sooner; the beauty of flesh, and the strength of flesh, and the honour of flesh, and the wealth of flesh; alas it may be these things a great while before flesh be gone; as the flower fades and is blown away before the stalk is dried up; so true is that of the Psalmist, Psal. 39.5. Verily every man at his best estate is altogether vanity, Selah. 2. Let me hence persuade you to provide for it, as it is your wisdom to look for it, so it will be your interest and security to provide for it, make a virtue of a necessity; must you die? oh be willing to die, oh be ready to die; That's a gallant speech of the Apostles, 2 Tim. 4.6. I am ready to be offered, saith Paul, i. e. I am ready to die, saith he, and the time of my departure is at hand; oh if Paul's departure had been at hand, and he had not been ready to departed, it had been a very sad thing; but here was Paul's comfort and safety, death was ready for him, and he was ready for death: I am ready to die; oh how unready are many men to die! how unready is the drunkard to die! how unready is the worldling to die! how unready is the voluptuous person to die? in one word, how unready is the Christlesse man to die! For the Lords sake Sirs make it your business to be ready to die, that you may be able to say, Why is his chariot so long a coming, Judg. 5.28. and why tarry the wheels of his chariot? I am ready to be offered. Three things must be done ere you can be thus ready to die. 1. Exod. 10.17. 2 Cor. 11.23. Mors complectitur omnis generis calamitates propter peccatum in hac vita tolerandas, quae sunt mortis caduceatores, & nuncii. Gerhard. Make sure of Christ; there is but one malady in the world, and that's sin; and there is but one grief and pain in the world, and that's death; and accordingly there is but one remedy in the world to cure this malady, and to sweeten or remove this pain, and that's Christ; Oh labour for an interest in him. When Noah knew that the Flood was coming, he got him an Ark, and he got him into the Ark also, Gen. 6.22.7.7. My Beloved, let me tell you the Floods' a coming, let me warn every man and woman this day, as Noah did the old World, that there is a Flood a coming; possibly an universal deluge of wrath and judgement upon the whole Nation, for the crying sins and abominations thereof; however this is certain, that thine and my particular flood is approaching, to sweep us out of the Land of the living, and to hurry us into the bottom of the grave; Death's a coming be sure; the harbingers of death are come already upon some of us, Aches, and Pains, and Consumptions, and other languishing diseases, and old age, and hark! the sound of their Master's feet is behind them. 2 Kings 6.32. Arca No est Christus & Ecclesia Christi, ita ut qui●unque ext a hanc Arcam inveniuntur regnante diluvis peribunt. Aug. lib. 15. de Civitate Dci, c. 26 Oh therefore get your Ark ready, and get into your Ark; hasten to the City of refuge before you be overtaken; get Christ and make sure of Christ; 'tis dangerous trusting to opinion only, and profession only, and other men's Esteem only, and a few groundless hopes only; oh make sure work in this matter! man, thou canst never be too sure of Christ, get into Christ if thou meanest to escape; 'Tis not enough to be upon Christ by outward profession there are many thus who yet are damned notwithstanding a Saviour; but you must be in Christ by justification and Renovation, by a lively faith and an exemplary life. Doubtless there were many of the old World, that kept a great deal of scuffling and scrambling to get upon the Ark, when they saw the Flood was come indeed; and there happily they might sit a little; but alas! now comes a blast of wind and blows off one, and then comes a wave of water and dashes down another, and so they all perish in the deluge; Gen. 7.23. only Noah and his Family who were in the Ark were saved; Ah Sirs, you must be in Christ, you must be in the Ark, if you mean to be saved from death, and hell, and the deluge of wrath to come: Turn to that place in Rev. 20. ult. Liber vitae idcirco rectè dicitur liber ●…gni, quia cuncti Electi quorum nomina in illo scripta sunt, non aliter quam per Agnum jesum Christum Justificati, renati, & conforms imagini suae facti, salvabuntur Rupertus in Apocal. and compare it with ch. 21. ult. Whosoever was not found written in the Lamb's book of life, might in no wise enter into Heaven, but was cast into the lake of fire; why the Lamb's book of life? with they must be justified, they must be renewed, they must be mortified, they must be sanctified, as well as elected; they must be in the Lamb's book of life as well as God's book of life, if they will escape death; This Lamb has overcame death as David overcame Goliath, namely with his own weapon; All Israel feared the Giant till David came, and he cut off his head with his own sword: Just so 'tis here, to those that are out of Christ death is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the King of terrors, as Job speaks, Job. 18.14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. B●●…i. Selenc, Orat. 32. and all have reason to fear him but Christ comes, and he cuts off his head with his own sword, he kills death by death; get into Christ, and you make a perfect conquest of death, that you need not fear it; Rev. 12.11. They overcame by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their Testimony, and then they loved not their lives unto the death: then they were ready to die, than they were willing to die, than they feared not death; they feared to live rather than to die; they loved not their lives unto death. Oh how should a poor soul tremble to die, that's out of Christ! I do not know any such miserable spectacle in the world, as a Christless dying man: if a man was dying, and not Christless, he might be comfortable, yea exceeding joyful: he might sing Simeons' song, Luke 2.29. Egredere anima mea, now Lord let me be gone; if a man was Christless, and not dying, it might be somewhat tolerable: for happily the next meeting of Christ in an Ordinance, might be towards him his time of love; oh but to be a Christ-less, dying man to be Christless and dying too; that's intolerable; Awake, awake oh soul, thou art a dying, God knows whether ever thou shalt hear a Sermon more; oh get Christ, and get into Christ, and that speedily, or thou art undone. 2. Entertain thy thoughts much with premeditations of death beforehand; think with thyself thus, What if I should die now! O 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Clemens Alex lib. 4. Stromat Wards Serm. what If I should die to morrow! what if I should be the next corpse that should be followed to the grave! this would tune thy spirit into a dying frame, this would make thee moderate thy joys, thy griefs, thy cares, thy loves, all thy passions and affections: enough soul, enough, I must die ere long, and what needs all this? I have read a story of one, that observing a riotous young Prodigal and Gallant to spend his time loosely, and wantonly, and sinfully from day to day, gave him a Ring with a Death's head engraven upon it, on this condition, that he should one hour daily for seven days together look on't and think on't: and it wrought (says name Author) a marvellous change in the young man's life; oh beloved, if you would but think on't a little every day, Eccles. 7.2. if the living (as Solomon saith) would but lay it to heart now and then, what a change might be hoped for in men's lives and conversations! as your interest in Christ would make you habitually prepared, so these fore-thoughts of death would make you actually prepared to die: Those that put away from them the evil day, what did they do? Amos 6. They lay upon beds of Ivory, they stretched themselves upon their couches, they eaten Lambs out of the flock, they drank wine in bowls, they chanted to the sound of the Viol, and anointed themselves with chief ointments, i. e. They minded nothing, but eating, and drinking, and singing, and sleeping, and gave themselves over to all manner of luxury, pleasure, and licentiousness; whereas if they would but have suffered a death's head to have come toth' Table, it would have marred their mirth, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Ep●ctet. ap. Melis. l. 10. Orat. 19 and spoiled all their seasting and revelling, as the hand-writing upon the wall, did Balishazzers quaffing; a Mene Mene, a numbering of their days a while by a serious consideration and meditation of death, would have brought them to a sober moderation in all things, and made them more fit to live, and more ready to die: Horses when they are to run a race, are usually exercised in the place beforehand, that they may be acquainted with the rise, and fall, and levelly of the ground, lest they should stumble; Christian, that thou mayst not stumble when thou comest to die, but mayst die willingly, cheerfully, readily; oh 'tis good to be in the ground aforehand, good to meditate on death before it comes; get a sight of this Basilisk before it approaches thee, and then thou mayst stand and outstare it without harm; it may hit thee, but it cannot hurt thee. 3. Look beyond death into Eternity: a bare and naked consideration of death will little avail upon the mind to sobriety and reformation; it will not mortify one lust, nor make a man a pin the better either for living or dying; those Ephesian Beasts and Corinthian Swine that Paul met with, they could quaff, and carouse to one another even out of a death's head, they could revel and be drunk, though they were presently to reel into their graves, 1 Cor. 15.32. Let us eat and drink, (say they) for to morrow we shall die; oh but to consider death and its consequents together, videre id manticae quod in tergo est, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Cyril. Alexand. 5. Tom. part. 2. pag. 404. Oratio de exitu animi vere aurea. to look upon death with its after-claps, death and judgement at the heels, death and hell following it, death and eternity after death; this if any thing will certainly awaken the drowsy and secure sinner, to make him look about him; oh eternity, eternity! this never-never-never-never-never— ending life of weal or woe is that astonishing consideration that puzzles the thoughts of a finite capacity; who can look down from the shore of time into the botomless ocean of eternity without amazement! Is it no matter how thou diest when eternity follows upon it? eternal happiness to comfort thee, or eternal misery to torment thee? sure if these things were considered, we should be every moment thinking of death, and providing for death: 'tis the prison makes the Sergeant terrible, and 'tis the gallows makes the Judge formidable, and 'tis Judgement and Eternity that makes death so considerable; after this judgement, saith the Text. Doctr. 2. Death comes but once to men naturally: in the ordinary course of nature men die but once. Nimirum ordinariè. Gomarus. It is appointed unto men once to die. Some say that this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 once, is modus Praedicati non Subjecti; it is not say they, to be referred to dying but to appointing, and so they quite alter the sense: thus, it is once appointed unto men to die: and not as we read it, It is appointed unto men once to die. But this reading, though it may possibly agree with the Apostles Grammar, yet it doth not agree with his Logic; though it may happily stand in the Text, it cannot stand in the Context; the Apostle is here proving that Christ must be offered but once, and he proves it thus: It is appointed unto men once to die: you'll spoil his Argument if you do not so read it: However if this place should be intricate, other places are plain; Job 14.14. If a man die, shall he live again? his meaning is, No, he shall not live a natural life again, to die a second time, Luke 12.4. Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do: after the body be once killed, there's no slaughtering it o'er again. If other places were as dark, yet experience puts it out of doubt, naturally and ordinarily men die but once. 'Tis true, the damned die in Hell, and the Godly die, De cons●eta & naturali hominum conditione lequitur; nam ●●od L●z rus & alti aliquot bis m●r●●●●●nt, extraoadinarium fuit. Beza. in loc. while they are upon earth; but that's a preternatural and this is a supernatural death; men die but once naturally; and 'tis true also that there are Scripture-instances of some that have died twice, as the Shunamites Son, and Jairus daughter, and the Naimite, and Lazarus and others, but this was extraordinary, to magnify the wonderful power of God in their present resurrection; men die but once ordinarily. The truth is plain, oh that the improvement might be as profitable! and it serves Beloved, for a twofold use. 1. To mitigate our fear of death. 2. To instigate our care of death. 1. It serves to mitigate our fear of death: if we must die but once, why then are we so fearful of dying? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Libanius Sophist. Demost. Apolog. why should death be so terrible to us? it has but one stroke, it has but one shot, and if we rout it, it can never rally more. Death comes once, we cannot avoid it, and it comes but once, why should we fear it? that place I mentioned before, is pertinent to this purpose, Luke 12.4. Be not afraid of them that kill he body, and after that have no more that they can do; they are then at Hercules his pillars as we say, they are nonplussed, they have done their worst: oh but I'll forewarn you whom you shall fear; in the next verse, fear not death, and fear not the instruments of death; but fear the God of death, fear him that has power to cast into Hell, I say unto you, fear him. This consideration carried Luther on so vigorously and undauntedly in his work of Reformation, Quid si me occidat Papa, aut damnet ultra Tartara Occisum non suscitabit ut bis & iterum occidat. Luther. Tom. 2 mihi p 270. that he could die but once, and he mattered not for their cruelty and persecution; what will the Pope do? says he, (writing to his Father in his book de votis Monasticis) perhaps he will kill me, but potestne resuscitare? can he raise me again to kill me a second time, and so to slaughter me over and over again? no, that's my Comfort. Christians, death is like an huge Monster that overthrows himself at one blow by his own bulk, and striking once, he can never recover himself for a second blow; Come, come, said that precious Minister on Tower-hill, 'tis but one blow, and then we are in Heaven; with fear not Christians, death has but one blow, and let him do his worst. 2. It serves to instigate our care of death; if we must die but once, sure then we should labour to die well; this should provoke us to be careful how we die; that which is but once done, methinks that should be well done; of all Contracts, you'll look to your Marriage, for that's supposed to be but once done; so it will be your wisdom to look to your dying, for that's but once in all your life: you cannot correct your former death, by an after-dying; if you do not live well, you may happily live better; but if you do not die well, there's no second Edition of death: Paraeus in loc. and this is Paraeus his hint upon the place; si semel tantum moriendum, ut semel pie moriamur operam demus; do it well, saith he, for you must never do it more; Beloved, to die well, is 1. To die twice; we use to say, that which is well done, is twice done; and here Christians, that must be twice done that's well done; you must first die unto sin, Haec sunt que faciunt invi●●● mori. 1 Sam 25.37. before you can well die unto nature; if your lusts be not dead before you die, your hearts will be dead when you come to die, and you'll have no heart to die. Nabal his heart was dead, when he came to die; why? he had living lusts, and therefore he had a dead heart: oh look to the work of Mortification! those sins are deadly, Quid saciet homo ut vivat? mortificabit seipsum: quid faciet homo ut mo●iatur? vivificabit seipsam. Rabbini apud Buxtorf. that are not dead: they are mortal, if they are not mortified; the life of thy lusts must go for the life of thy soul. Come, come, be not so foolishly pitiful to young Absolom; the gentlier thou handlest thy darling and bosom-lust, the more it will prick, and sting, and wound thy conscience one day: if thou wouldst die quietly, safely, comfortably, do not threaten thy lusts, or restrain them a little, but kill them, stab them; thy life must go for theirs else; no meeting of the first death, and no freedom from the second death, without a part in the first resurrection: Col. 3.3. Ye aredead, and your life is hid with Christ in God; but you are dead first. 2. To die well, is, To have nothing to do but to die when you come to die; Says the Prophet to Hezekiah, Set thine house in order, for thou must die, Isa. 38.1. q.d. let every thing be done, let all thy business be dispatched, let there be nothing wanting to entertain death; alas Christians! how much are men's houses, and how much are men's hearts out of order usually when death approaches! many men have every thing to do when they come to die; then send for the Minister, then receive the Sacrament, then restore the bribe, never before: every thing to do when they come to die. Poor souls! is your glass run, and your sun set, and all your work to do? what, is your sickbed made of brass, and your cords of iron, that it must bear the burden of your whole life? Mat. 6.34. when sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Does your pain require all your groans, and have you any left for your sin? 'tis egregious deceit. Eccles. 9.10. Whatsoever thine hand findeth to do, do it with thy might, Dum polles viribus. or as the Syriack has it, do it whilst thou hast might; do it vigorously, and do it speedily; repent, and repent hearty and quickly; reform, and reform vigorously and speedily; for there is no work nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest. 3. To die well, is, To be sure to live well; we must not think to have Lazarus' death and Dives' life, like him in Plutarch, that would live with Croesus, as he said, but he would die with Socrates; no; Balaams wishes are foolish and fruitless: Numb. 23.10. if you would die well, Christians, you must have a care to live well; qualis vita, finis ita; if you would die quietly, you must live strictly; if you would die comfortably, you must live conformably; if you would die happily, you must live holily. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace, Psalm 37.37. Doctr. 3. Death ever comes by, and never comes but by God's appointment; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is appointed unto men— to die: Statutum est, nimir●m fixo, imm bili & indispensabili Dei decr●to. A Lapide. statutum est, it is the Satute-Law of Heaven more firm than the Medes and Persians: 'tis no Ordinance or Temporary Sanction that time may abrogate, but 'tis an Act and Statute of the supreme Legislator never to be repealed. All our deaths with all the circumstances thereof, when, where, how, why, they are all foreknown and fore-appointed by God. Thou turnest man to destruction, says Moses, and sayest, return ye children of men, Psal. 90.3. whoever may be the instrument, 'tis God alone that is the chief Agent in life and death; he has potestatem necis & vitae; he spoke at first and the creature was made; he does but speak again, Dicta Dei sunt facta; verb● Dei sunt opera. Greg. and 'tis destroyed; thou turnest (viz.) in that thou sayest, Return: if a Sparrow cannot fall to the ground without God's appointment, surely than not a body to the grave; for ye are of more value than many Sparrows. Mat. 10.29. Ver. 31. 'tis an excellent Note that Expositors give from that Zech. 6. the three first verses, of the vision of Chariots of red horses, and black horses, and white horses, and bay horses coming out from between two brazen mountains; I turned, and lift up mine eyes and looked, and behold, says the Prophet, there came four Chariots out from between two Mountains, Montes sunt duo. i.e. mens & voluntas, sapientia & Decretum, Dispositio & Definitio, Praeordinatio & Executio. A Lapide. Pemble in loc. Paraeus in loc. Trap ib. and the mountains were mountains of brass: In the first Chariot were red horses, in the second black, in the third white, in the fourth bay horses, i. e. all the various dispensations of providence to the Church and people of God in the world, they are all fore-seen and fore-appointed by God himself: The red horses, and the white horses, or the pale horses, as 'tis in the Revelations, these come forth from the brazen mountains, intimating that death, all kind of death, the death of war, the red horses, the death of peace, the white or pale horses, it happens and falls out according to God's purpose and immutable decree, that's as firm and stable as brazen mountains which cannot be removed. Use. Does Death ever comeby, and never come but by God's appointment? Then when any of our nearest or dearest friends and relations are taken out of the world by death, this consideration should work us 1. To comfort; or at least 2. To silence and submission to the hand of God. 1. To comfort if it be possible; I am sure it is very reasonable; this may comfort us in the death of our friends, because nothing happens to them, but what God appoints and determines; should we not take comfort when the will of God is done? David would not be comforted while his child was sick, he would neither eat, nor drink, nor anoint; but when the child was dead, than David was comforted, 2 Sam. 12.20. what was the reason? was David glad that the child was dead? no: but he saw that the will of God was done, and that was David's comfort; Christians, are you Christians? why, it was Christ's delight to do the will of God; it was Christ's meat and drink to do his will and to suffer his will also; how am I straitened till it be accomplished! says he, Luke 12.50. oh show yourselves Christians, Quam praeposterum est qamque perversum ut cum Dei voluntatem fieri postulemus, quando evocat nos & accersit de hoc mundo Deus, non statim voluntatis ejus imperio pareamus! Cypr, de Mortalit. Sect. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Philost. in vita Apollon. and now the will of God is done, be you comforted. Let not your cries contradict your prayers; you pray, thy will be done on earth, now 'tis so, do not repine at it; if it be an accident and come by chance, weep on; but if it be appointed, be you comforted. 2. At lest let me prevail with you in the second place, to silence and contentment, if I cannot work you to comfort; if comfort will come hereafter, well and good; but I pray let there be contentment now; what will you lift at the brazen mountain? will you be fighters against God? you know what Pilate said, What I have written, I have written; and so says God, what I have done, I have done: remember, it is appointed, do not put'h finger i'th' eye and cry, but lay the hand upon the mouth, and be silent. Aaron held his peace, Levit. 10.3. what Aaron was this? why look into Psalm 106.16. Aaron, the Saint of the Lord, Saint Aaron, he held his peace; is it Saintlike think you, to murmur, and fret, and repine against the providences of God, and the appointments of God? is it comely so to do? comely, did I say? nay beloved is it safe so to do? but consider 1. Your Friend is well I hope; he is not dead, but sleeps: and if he sleeps, he shall do well, John 11.12. he is not lost but gone. Mors non est interitus, sed introitus; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Philostrat. in He●oicis. Fratres nostros non esse lugendos de s●cuio liberatos, cum sciamus nos eos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amitti sed praemitti: & paulo post nec accipiendas esse atras vestes quando i●i indumenta alba jam sumpserint. Cyprian de Mortalit. Sect. 14. non est exitus, sed transitus; says Cyprian, Death is not an End, but an Entrance; 'tis not a Destruction, but a Translation; man does not cease to be, but only to appear. Why will you grudge him his happiness? why will you mourn when he rejoices? Joh. 20.15. Jesus said unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? Marry stood by the Sepulchre weeping, ver. 11. Marry, why weepest thou saith Christ, q. d. dost thou look for him in the Sepulchre? art thou grieved, because he's i'th' grave? thou art mistaken, he is not here, but gone; he is risen; Marry might weep perhaps looking down intoth' grave; but could she find in her heart to weep looking up into heaven? oh do not commit Mary's solaecism, pointing downward, when you should look upward. Object. True, he is well, and he has gained, we do not question; but what shall we do in the meanwhile? though he has gained, we have lost; an Husband, says one, a Father, says another, a Brother says a third, a Friend, say all; and in truth we do not weep for him, but we weep for ourselves. Why 2. Consider God can, and to Faith God will, make a supply of all? trust God; he now tries you to see how you can trust him; said Elkanah once to Hannah, 1 Sam. 1.8. Hannah, Hannah, am not I better to thee then ten sons? why God seems now to speak the very same language, Hannah, Hannah, am not I better to thee then ten Husbands? am I not better to thee then ten Fathers? am not I better to you all then ten thousand Friends? Oh be silent, be silent. But methinks I see abundance of objections crowding in, and beloved, I beseech you give me leave to confine the rest of my Sermon, at least to suit it to one particular ear; let me say with the Messenger to Jehu, 2 Kings 9.5. My Errand is to thee, even to thee. Object. Oh says one, I have lost my husband! what's dearer than an husband? Gen. 2.23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Omnia mea est maritus. Plutarch de uxore Phocionis If I had lost all my estate, if I had lost all my other friends, if I had lost my children, it would not have smarted half so much; I have lost one child after another, that never cut me to the heart like this, this goes near indeed, totouch my very bone & my urey flesh; nay, I could methinks have given my life for his, Oh my husband, my husband! would God I had died for thee: 'tis my husband, and would you have me to be silent? yes, you to be silent. For 1. I am verily persuaded you have a better husband; let those mourn for the loss of earthly comforts, that have no heavenly: your Christ is your better husband; let one forsake father, and mother, and cleave to's wife, or husband, and they twain shall be one flesh, Matth. 19.5. ay but let one forsake father, and mother, and wife, and husband, and all to cleave to Christ, Matth. 10.37. and they twain shall be one spirit, 1 Cor. 6.17. If Christ be your Husband, be willing to part with this husband; you know it was Eve's comfort in a like case, Gen. 4.25. God (saith she) hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel. Why, God has left you another husband instead of this, Thy Maker is thy husband, Isa. 54.5. But 2. Be silent, why so? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it is appointed, there's no murmuring, there's no repining, there's no lifting at the brazen mountain; it is appointed. Object. Ay, but I have lost a good husband, a careful, provident, faithful husband, I never had need to care for any thing in my life, he brought me every thing to my hand, I wanted nothing; and he was a loving husband too, none knows my loss; many others when they lose their husbands, they do not lose properly, but are rather eased on them, they were not comforts, but burdens; they do not lose them, but rather gain by the bargain: they were pests, and plagues in the house and parish where they lived; yokes they were rather than yoke-fellows. They might look into the gra●e, and say, there lies my drunken husband, and there lies my unclean husband, and there lies my careless and prodigal husband; Oh but mine was a loving, loyal, careful husband, and would you have me to be silent? yes, you to be silent. For, 1. Bless God that you had such an husband, and that you had him so long; every mercy lays on an obligation to duty; should not I be silent in the loss of him, now God commands me, since I was so comfortable in the enjoyment of him, whilst God allowed me? Job 2.10. What? shall we receive good at the hand of the Lord, and shall we not receive evil! See if you have discharged your duty to so good an husband; let that, that take up your thoughts. But 2. Be silent, why? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it is appointed. Object. Oh but he was an honest, godly man, as well as a good husband, & there are few of those: others have the loss of him as well as I, an upright, faithful, conscientious man; his friends and neighbours bewail and lament him, and would you have me to be silent? yes, you to be silent. For 1. 'Tis a great comfort to you now, O beatum illum hominem qui excedit cum nomine bono ex hoc mundo. Rabbin. apud. Buxtorf. 2 Sam. 18.33. 2 Sam. 12.20. that he has left the savour of a good name behind him, he is dead, but his name shall not die; Psal. 112. 6. The just shall be had in everlasting remembrance; moreover he was more sit to dies, and this made him more willing to die; why then do you grieve? David lamented Absolom; David lamented not the child; why so? the one was not fit to die, but the other was. But 2. Be silent, why? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 still, 'tis appointed. Obj. Oh but I shall never see him more, and this grieves, Acts 20.38 1. Take heed what you say; if you murmur, you may never come to see him again; the murmuring Israelites were cut off from the Land of rest, 1 Cor. 10.10. If you do not believe, you may indeed lose him for ever, they entered not in because of unbelief, Heb. 3.19. They longed for, they aimed at, they went towards, they came near, oh but they entered not in, because of unbelief: of all the enemies they had to grapple with, unbelief was the strongest, The Anakims were soon routed, the Zamzummims presently conquered, the walls and bulwarks easily demolished, the river Jordan instantly retreated, but their unbelief stood to't, and beat them off the field; the frontiers of the Land of Promise were guarded against them by the strength and force of their own unbelief, oh take heed of that. But 2. Be silent, why? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 'tis a brazen mountain, and it cannot be removed: if now you have any farther dispute with God, go answer the Prophet, Isa. 41.21. Produce your cause saith the Lord, bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob. No no beloved, 'tis impar congressus, you'll have the worst; resolve therefore to conclude with Job, Chap. 40.4, 5. Behold I am vile, what shall I answer thee? I will lay my hand upon my mouth; Once have I spoken, but I will not answer, yea, twice, but I will proceed no farther. And now beloved, I would have dismissed you all, could I have prevailed with mine own heart and tongue to have been silent. Psal. 112.6. Tres sunt coronae, corona Le gis, Corona Sacerdotii, Corona Regni; Corona autem famae bonae superat bas omnes. Pirk. Avoth cap. 4. But when I consider that the just is to be had in everlasting remembrance, though we have buried the body of this our deceased friend and brother, yet I would not willingly bury his name, which is as a sweet ointment poured forth amongst all that knew him. And we have great need of holy Examples to be spurs and provocations to piety in this lose and lukewarm generation. And for my own part, I must acknowledge I have often times much more profited by the reading, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Nazianz Orat. in laud. Cyprian. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Choicest. Hom. 31. de Philog. or hearing of the life of some pious and exemplary Christian, or Minister, than I have done by many Sermons: it has carried along with it such a powerful and irresistible influence to provoke to imitation. What I shall say, shall be very briefly, partly because of the straight of the time which I see has outrun me; and partly because 'tis not my usage and custom to paint the sepulchers of the dead, or speak any thing in this kind, wherein a little may be many times too much; and partly because I am very sensible together with the rest of my brethren, how this kind of practice has been abused to flattery and falsehood; And if the brazen Serpent itself be made an Idol, 'tis not only lawful, but commendable to break it in pieces and call it Nehushtan; and lastly, because I would not, 2 Kings 18.4. oh I would not gash those wounds again, and set them a bleeding afresh, by reviving the sense of so great a loss, which I have endeavoured to bind up and heal. There's none of us can be ignorant, oh that none of us might be insensible! that there is this day a good man fallen in Israel; so I call him, a true Nathaniel, 3. Ep. Jo. 12. a Demetrius indeed, who had a good report of all men and of the truth itself: no Epithet methinks so fitly becoming him as this, and which I have heard again and again rung in mine ears, Good Mr. Cope is dead, good Mr. Cope is dead, and this sure is a great loss; a good man is a stake in the hedge: a good man is a pillar in the building, a good man is a prop in the place and Parish where he lives. I have sometimes compared the great men of the world, and the good men of the world to the Consonants and Vowels in the Alphabet. The Consonants are the most and the biggest Letters, they take up most room, and carry the greatest bulk; but believe it, the Vowels though they are the fewest, and least of all the Letters, yet they are most useful: they give the greatest sound of all, there's no pronounciation without Vowels: Oh beloved, though the great men of the world take up room, and make a show above others, yet they are but Consonants, a company of mute and dumb Consonants for the most part: the good men they are the Vowels, that are of the greatest use and most concernment at every turn: A good man to help with his prayers, a good man to advise with his counsels, a good man to interpose with his authority, this is the loss we lament, we have lost a good man: death has blotted out a Vowel, and I fear me, there will be much silence where he is lacking: silence in the bed, and silence in the house, and silence in the shop, and silence in the Church, and silence in the Parish; for he was everywhere a Vowel, a good man in every respect. He was good relatively, and he was good personally. He was relatively good, a good Husband, and a good Father, and a good Master, and a good Neighbour, and a good Chapman, and I am sure he was a good Friend, Expertocrede Roberto. He was personally good also, which was the root of all: he was a serious, sober, well-grounded, experimental Christian: he made as much conscience in receiving of good, as he did in doing of good: he knew that his love to himself must be the Standard of his love to others: and though he was no self-lover, yet he did truly love himself: he remembered that of the Wiseman, Prov. 29.24. Whoso is partner with wickedness, hateth his own soul; he was a lover of himself in this sense, he loved his better part, his soul, his conscience, his spiritual and eternal interest: he durst never think of self-deceit without horror and astonishment. A form of godliness he was never ashamed of, o but the power of godliness he incessantly endeavoured: that he knew could not incur so much hatred from men, as the want of this would indignation from God: and therefore that Scripture I perceived used to be very much, and very close upon his spirit, Psal. 129.23, 24. Search me O God, and know my heart, try me and know my thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Maximum amicitiae venenum superbia Placo ait nullum Regem non ex serv● esse oriundum, nullum non servum ex Regibus ●●…odestia itaque & familiaritas radix est & altrix honestae famae Ant. Thysius. I. C. As to his Civil conversation amongst men, it is happily known unto most of you, better than to myself, his cheerfulness, his open-heartedness, his freeness, his kindness to his friend; void of all affectation, morosity, pride, conceitedness, and those other pieces of self that are the bane of civil and humane society: he had learned in things sinless, and indifferent, to be made all things to all men, that he might not be burdensome to any. For his trading in the world, wherein God has blest him with a very plentiful estate, I have observed how accurate, how punctual, how just and impartial he would be, even to the dust of the balance; a great ornament to his Christian profession. Though he might sometimes perhaps eat the bread of carefulness, (for believe it, he was no sluggard or idlebee in his particular calling) yet he abhorred and loathed from his very soul to eat the bread of violence, or the bread of oppression, or the bread of deceit, and falsehood, and lies in his trading; Insomuch that I have often heard him feelingly, and passionately bewail the great mystery of iniquity that was in trading in London. And he would have been glad to have had more exact principles and rules drawn him forth for the government of his shop; a rare thing! He was so far from blinding conscience, or bribing conscience, or smothering conscience, in this particular, that nothing was more welcome to him than that which did but hit conscience, and awaken conscience, and direct conscience. And I observed, that when Providence cast me upon a large discourse on that subject, how heedfully and delightfully he attended it; and when I had spoken much about the nature, offices, and acts of conscience, and about the defilement of that faculty, and the necessity of its holiness and renovation, and had exhorted my people to get an holy conscience, and to keep an holy conscience, and told them I would proceed in to show them how they must use an holy conscienceg, all affairs of life, and especially in buying and sellinth This good man waiting for this, and coming often wi●…l a greedy appetite to make a meal of this dish, and stcfinding me upon diversions, and digressions on other occasional subjects, at last he accosts me with this language, cheerfully I confess it was, but to me exceeding piercingly: Sir, said he, When will you make conscience of preaching on conscience? an expression that I received in the words of the Poet, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. Methought they were non verba, sed fulmina; not words, but thunderbolts that flew out of his mouth; I took it then as a word from heaven, and 'twas a reproof that yet sticks in my sides; feign would this good man have ransacked conscience to the bottom. As to his religious conversation; and that which did more immediately concern the worship of God, I have known him much more intimately of late, than heretofore; so that he might have said to me, as Paul did to Timothy, 2 Tim. 3.10. Thou hast fully known my manner of life, purpose, faith, patience, etc. and I bless God for those family-repetitions, conferences, prayers, I have enjoyed with him lately, since God was pleased to make so sad a breach in my own family. As to duty, he would be spiritual in it, he would be universal in it; sometimes complaining he had lost a duty, and lost a Sermon, when he had not an opportunity to be present; but he would oftener complain, he had lost himself in a duty, and lost his heart in a Sermon, so sluggish, and so dead, as he said; he was never satisfied in a Duty, without communion with God in that duty: He heard out of conscience, and not out of curiosity; and although the quickness of his apprehension, and the pregnancy of his parts, and the activity of his spirit, being always 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, digging into the mine of truth, I say, though these might be apt to betray him to temptations, to gad up and down to hear and see what the new lights of the times could hold forth, yet the sobriety of his judgement, and the consciousness of his duty checked that curiosity; and he would hear without distinction, any pious, sober, Orthodox Minister. He did not judge of men by factions or parties, whether they were Presbyterian, or whether they were Episcopal, or whether they were Independent, but he judged then as he does now, whether they were holy or no, or whether they were sound or no, or whether they were sincere or not sincere; Not sincere did I say? Nay, herein his judgement was not positive and peremptory, but only negative and suspensive; his Reprobation; pardon the expression, was a pure and mere preterition; he blotted no man out of his book of estimation, only he did not take every man in; And though he had an eagle's eye of judgement, to discern the depth and acumen of the highest; yet he had a large skirt of charity, to cover the infirmities of the meanest and weakest; he esteemed all the Ministers of Jesus Christ for their work-sake. He would be universal in duty as well as spiritual; he was for prayer, hearing, conference, fasting, aye, and Sacraments too; 'tis true, it was a good while ere he saw the absolute necessity of that Ordinance of the Supper; but when he was convinced, oh how did he bewail the neglect, and how constant was his attendance ever after, not missing one day but that which he was deprived of by sickness! And now I come to the last scene of his life; When God locked him up, and made him his close prisoner, he was not long sick, but he had it seems been troubled with a Chronic distemper that ushered in his death. It was my unhappiness not to visit him (through ignorance of his condition) for about a week of his sickness, when I came to him, I found him weak, but exceeding sensible of his soul, and everlasting state into which he was passing; indeed he was insensible of his worldly affairs, minded neither wife nor child, nor any thing, which was a wonder to me, and that even than he should answer so solidly and pertinently to spiritual points; which put me in mind of a passage I have read concerning Melancthon, Carmin. in vit. Melancthom. that he was so taken up with solicitous thoughts about the state of the Church and Reformation in his days, that he forgot the death of his daughter. This good man was so ravished, transported and swallowed up with thoughts of his soul, and his God, and his future happiness, that he minded not present enjoyments; we than prayed, and he was much strengthened and comforted, as he whispered to us. But afterwards we prayed again, and then so vigorous was he in duty, that eyes, and hands, and feet, and all the parts of his body were so active and restless, stirring and moving upward, as if the soul would have carried the body along with it to heaven instantly; here he wept much as it was observed, though he had been languishing for so many days together; After the duty he expressed himself in the evenness of a sober, humble, wained, self-resigning spirit, willing to go, but waiting to be called, and continuing in this temper a few days longer, placide dormivit in Domino, he slept sweetly in the Lord. FINIS.