which the Primitive Christians endured from Heathenish Bloud-thirsty Persecutors as if the good Spirit of Grace moved with Compassion foretold of those perillous times to come and then pronounced them happiest which endured to the end or otherwise died first But for all that he doth not exclude the future and everlasting State of Bliss or Misery but rather supposeth it as principally there intended and implied for to cite no more Evidence in so plain a Case in his Paraphrase on the 2 Chap. of the Revel 11 vers To hâ—m that overcometh will I give to eat of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God it is briefly said he shall have deliverance here and eternal Life hereafter And again upon those words in the 10th Vers of the same Chapter Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a Crown of Life he gives you this Note that however some Christians in those dangerous times of Tryals and Temptations were overcome and prevailed upon to renounce their Faith and Professions for the saving of their Lives yet others who continued constant and faithful unto death were plenteously requited with a Crown of Life having received the honour of Martyrdom first and then of never ceasing Bliss Let us once more consider the word as it stands in relation to the Rest and then it cannot be so properly joyned in this manner to the former part of the Text I heard a Voice from Heaven saying unto me Write from henceforth As if the Subject whereof the Spirit therein spake were some new piece of Doctrine but just then brought into the World for certainly 't was made known long before even from the beginning Almighty God having annexed Blessing and Cursing Life and Death in Paradise it self to the violation or observance of his Laws which Laws and their Sanctions too were engraved by Gods own Hand upon two Tables of Stone to be duly promulged by Moses and the Prophets And there is no doubt but those holy Men of God under the Law that spent their Lives in being faithful unto death were accordingly blessed in the promise of an eternal inheritance But then are Christians upon harder terms with God then all their predecessors Will the Sunshine of the Gospel prove more troublesome and offensive then all the dark shadows of the Law Is the second Covenant or Ministration of Grace and Truth of less advantage then was the first which could work nothing but wrath and condemnation If the Souls of Christs good and faithful Servants do not reap the blessed fruits of their Labours upon relinquishing their Bodies and have their just Wages according to their Works in a repose and rest with God what could be the meaning of Saint Stephens devout Ejaculation When falling asleep he cryed Acts 7.59 Lord Jesus receive my Spirit And can we think St. Paul was much beside himself when he desired earnestly to be dissolved that he might be with Christ Or when he shewed such servent zeal for his being absent from the body and present with the Lord When he groaned so vehemently to put off his earthly Tabernacle for a building of God an house not made with hands 2 Cor. 5. eternal in the Heavens Or lastly shall we say that Wise and Learned Apostle was very much deceived in promising himself at the time of his departure a Crown of Righteousness for that he had fought a good Fight 2 Tim. 4.7.8 finisht his Course and kept the Faith Nay further yet shall we dare to question Chriâ—s own words Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit Luk. 23.46 And if not is there any Cause at all to suspect his woâ—d and promise to the penitent Thief upon the Cross Verily I say unto thee to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise There be no Papists I trow so blasphemous v. 43. and irrational as to deny Christs humane Nature actual possession of bliss in Heaven when he left his abode on Earth having then fully conquer'd all the power and malice of this present evil World and victoriously triumphed over the Prince and the Dominions of Darkness For they dare not presume I think to put our blessed Saviour in a worse Condition then all their canonized Saints which they religiously worship and adore as blessed Martyrs and I am sure his bloud was infinitely more precious and spoke far better things at the Throâ—e of Grace then a Campions or a Garnets a Benedictines or a Jesuites neither again is it probable on the other side that such a Malefactour as our Thief who died not for his Religion or his Faith wrongfully but justly for his evil deeds worthy of death should be reckon'd above the common pitch of all true Christians and yet this very person was to be the same day with Christ in Paradise having literally suffer'd with Christ 2 Tim. 2.1 he was to reign with him too Latro primitiae Derclictoâ—um introducit asseriente Christo in regnum â—â—lorum Ibi Latro locatur ubi Lucifer corruit non ad loca purgatoria flammosque peccatorum Vltrices confitens destinatur c. Arnold Carnotens inter St. Cypr. Opera Oxonii Edit And if all true Members do run the same fortune as the head in being either miserable or happy this Conclusion follows both from a parity of Reason and from example too that whosoever goes forth of this world with repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and by consequence in the true love and favour of God they are no sooner delivered from the burden of their flesh then admitted into the joy of their Lord For we may further add as testimonies to the truth of our position the general consent of the most Orthodox Fathers in the Christian Church by name Justin Martyr St. Cyprian St. Chrysostom St. Ambrose St. Austin St. Jerom and many more such men that were the glory of their times famous in their Generations who being dead yet speak in those admirable works that are now the living Monuments of their worth Vid. Phil. mornaeum de Euchar. Lib. 3. cap. 9. Besides the distance between Earth and Heaven will not stand our Adversaries in any stead or prejudice our selves because Mans rational Soul is an immaterial and spiritual Being all whose natural Motions are not confined like Bodies to the differences of time and place But whether it is in or out of the Body nevertheless it subsisteth and moveth too secundum se totam simul semel all at once and in a moment No question therefore but those who die in the Lord are actually Blessed For as no passible Reason can be given to the contrary from the specifical nature of the Soul it self being yet capable of returning into Gods hand again as quick as ever it came out so there is nothing on Gods part which may be reasonably said against it His Power is no such Argument for that is absolute still and unlimited
from the lusts and affections of human flesh and made stiff nature yield and submit her self to God Seing now That our merciful and faithful High-Priest hath given up his Innocent holy Soul an Offering and a Sacrifice for all our Sins by suffering that ignominious Death of the Cross and since he victoriously routed all the Forces and loosed all the pains of Death and of Hell triumphing over them at his Resurrection first and Ascension afterwards all true Christians may for that Cause readily bear a part in St. Paul's joyful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Song of Triumph composed it seems for those very solemn Festivals O Death where is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory And forasmuch as the Merits of Christ the second Adam are as mighty to save Mankind as the Transgression of the first was powerful to condemn we may repeat the same words again with comfort of hope and in full assurance of our Faith in a cheerful Eccho to that heavenly Voice Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord from henceforth even so saith the Spirit for they rest from their Labours and their Works do follow them These Words do plainly contain two general Parts 1. The first Part is a perfect express and affirmative Proposition wherein is peremptorily asserted The blessed unalterable State of all those Men who depart hence in the Lord Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord or according to the Grammatical Order of the Words The dead which dye in the Lord are blessed 2. The Second general Part affords the strongest Reasons imaginable to prove and confirm the aforesaid Assertion This Confirmation thereof is twofold 1. From the best Authority that may be for 't is evidenced by the most infallible Testimony of the blessed Spirit full of Grace and of Truth 2. From Reason which is double The dead which die in the Lord are blessed 1. Because They rest from their Labours and 2. Because their Works do follow them For the clearer manifestation of the Truth now laid before us in the Method and Demonstration of the Spirit the Terms of the Proposition would be first of all explained in our Answers to these two Questions 1. What sort of men they be which the Spirit reckons to be dead in the Lord And 2. What is here understood by their being Blessed To the 1. Question What sort of Men they be which the Spirit reckons to be dead in the Lord Our Answer is briefly thus They are such Men as have not lived unto Themselves nor to the World but like Strangers and Pilgrims upon Earth having their Conversations and Hearts in Heaven That have mortifyed the Flesh with its Affections and Lusts being renewed in the Spirit of their Mind That have truly repented of all their Sins and subdued all the proud high Thoughts of their carnal minds in Obedience to Christ That have resisted and repelled the Devil in all his Attempts either by secret Suggestions or with open Force and have likewise renounced and overcome the World with all its Adherents Pomps and Vanities Now this Victory which all true Christians must obtain both over Themselves the Devil and the World before they can dye in the Lord is not otherwise to be gained than by sincere unfeigned Repentance manifest in all the Duties of self-denyal and mortification a lively persevering Faith in Christ and a constant hearty though not perfect Obedience to Gods Holy Commandments And seeing the best Men living are not able to perform that intire and exact Obedience which the Law requires at their hands to make them appear justifyed in the sight of a righteous holy God being judged of him according to their own Works but unprofitable Servants whosoever thinks to depart this Life in Peace with God with consolation to themselves must loath detest and abhor their past Wickedness like pious Job in dust and ashes and Jâ—b â—â—â— with S. Paul Phil. 3.9 cast off the polluted rags of their own imperfect Righteousness according to the Law to put on Christ by Faith and be found at last in the white robes of his Righteousness that was made perfect through Sufferings And there is no doubt but those Men who thus live unto the Lord by faith and perseverance in good works even unto their end may be sure of dying so too because they have discharged their whole duty so far as to render it an acceptable service unto God by Jesus Christ for having so duly testified both Repentance towards God and Faith working by Love in our Lord Jesus Christ they become thereby justifyed and obtain their peace and Reconciliation with God Whereupon they may safely cast the Anchor of their Hope on the promises which God once made unto their Fathers and then depart in peace according to his word in full assurance of an happy Resurrection from the Dead And having this hope what shall hinder Men from spending all their time their care and pains in exerting vigorously the powers and faculties of their Souls to purifie themselves from all filthiness of the Flesh and of the World that so they may grow still in Grace perfecting Holiness in the fear of God As the chased Heart pants after the Water Brook so these refined Spirits being wearied and heavy laden with all the frailties of their own Flesh tempted by Satan hated and persecuted by the World pant and groan earnestly for deliverance breathe and are athirst for their appearing before the presence of God where Mortallity shall be swallowed up of Life To the second Question what is here understood by their being Blessed who die thus in the Lord You may take this very plain yet apposite Solution notwithstanding Mens opinions about their Felicity present or to come have been as different numerous and irrational as concerning their very Gods themselves because one doth naturally presuppose and infer the other Felicity being nothing else but a close intimate Fruition of God in the notion of an All sufficient Immense Being that is absolutely good of himself and in his Nature and relatively too being the Fountain of all the goodness and pefection that can be met with amongst all the Creatures and Workmanship of his hands yet according to the common use and import of the word there have been always two things implied First a deliverance from evil and then a possession of something which is good And with regard unto the many kinds of good or evil which may befal the Sons of Men either in this present Life or in that which is to come so their happiness or misery doth both encrease and multiply And because every Man is naturally compounded of the Flesh and Spirit of an immortal Soul united with an earthly fading Body which nevertheless are by Gods infinite Power made capable of Life Eternal in dispight of Death or Hell it self therefore he may be counted happy 1 In respect of this present world and 2 with relation to the next and
he seldom or never would eat or drink but when 't was Necessary and an Habitual Abstinence for 24 hours bred in him a nauseous dislike of those Meats which other Men have made almost natural by the contrary Custom From his knowledg of the true God whom he constantly worship'd with a great deal of Reverence and Devotion both in publick and in private He took his measures of this Evil World and then made the best use of it imaginable not like a Proprietor but a Steward that waits patiently for his Lords coming and hopes to give up his Account with joy He may be thought to be of the same Opinion with Plato esteeming his Body no better then a prison to the Soul He therefore used it not for his Mansion but his Inn looking upon himself as a stranger in the Land or like a wafering Man which tarryeth but for a Night Briefly neither his Meat nor Drink no nor Sleep were at all superfluous or exceeding the bounds of that Soberness which becometh Christians For he never so clog'd and stupified the Stomach and the Brain as to become indisposed for Action exemplifying the Truth of our Souls being one continued Act whilst our Bodies are but the dull Engines to those nimble Spirits And he thereby testified also that man is to live here like the Israelites in the Desert having no resting place no continuing City before he comes up to Canaan the good Land of Promise Upon this account he vertuously contemn'd and slighted all the Pomps and Vanities of this fading sinful World and learned with Saint Paul to count their temporary things not better then dung in comparison to that life of Grace which after all our Tribulations will end in Glory Real Godliness like Almighty God the Spring and Fountain of it is exhaustible restless and impatient of constraint before it flows over with all imagninable Freedom to enrich and beautify the Neighbouring Fields and Meadows Thus we see the Clouds do liberally spend themselves in dropping fatness both on the barren Hills and more fertile Vallies the Rain makes no difference and the Sun too sheds Light and Influence both on the Righteous and the Wicked High and Low Rich and Poor one with another And is it any way probable that Man should be wonderfully made for himself alone Can we think that ever infinite Wisdom ever intended that he should live at his own pleasure and so take his pastime and sport himself upon Land as the Leviathan doth at Sea but much more unreasonably to the Reproach of his being in the World and in open defiance both of his own Conscience and his God This Honourable Person here departed was I am sure of another mind more sensible of Gods undeserv'd Munificence and more conscientious in making all possible returns of Gratitude in proportion to those engagements which accomplished his Blessings His Godlike Soul was endued in good measure with all the Virtues that could represent him once more in his Makers Image If you pause a while and impartially reflect on the former passages of his life both in respect of himself his Neigbour and his God I believe you 'l readily acknowledge that God was in him of a Truth for he had learnt of that grand Exemplar his Lord and Master to be meek and lowly of heart full of Contentment in every Condition choosing tranquility of Mind with a good Conscience void of all offence both towards God and Man before abundance of Wealth and Riches Honours and Preferments with trouble and vexation of Spirit He was sober grave and temperate in all things even amidst many powerful Temptations to the contrary Vices He was obliged I suppose more than ordinary To keep his Tongue from evil and his Lipps from uttering any thing of deceit and Guile For you may remember no corrupt Communication proceeded out of his Mouth but only such manner of Discourse as would Minister grace or knowledge for his attentive Hearers His familiar Conversation was affable courteous pleasant facetious both from scurrilous or obscene Language and also from a Stoical morose Taciturnity He could seem angry sometimes but still in imitation of his God rather with the faults then persons of Men with due regard unto the Christian precept of being in Wrath but without Sin For Love and Charity that Bond of perfectness commanded all his Passions possest his whole Soul and crown'd all other Vertues with good success Being once Master of that most excellent spiritual Gift exceeding both our Faith and Hope he was truly Rich and Honourable too these things were indeed his beloved inheritance fairer in his Eyes then stately Buildings and large Mannours dearer unto him then many thousands of Gold and Silver sweeter also then Honey and the Hony Comb He seem'd by the course of his life to have taken Moses or much rather Christ for an example in renouncing the good things in this World and in suffering Evil for he did always highly prize the Christians Ornament of a meek and quiet and inoffensive Spirit above all the glittering Honours and ensnaring Gayeties of an usurping Tyrants Court choosing rather to suffer Afflictions then to enjoy the pleasures of Sin for a season Godliness with Contentment he judged rightly to be the most real Gain having the promise of this life and of that which is to come and it s therefore much greater and more lasting Riches then all the Treasures in Egypt and cannot be purchased with all the Gold of Opher Thus he lived and thus he dyed in the true Faith of Christ and in stedfast Hope of a good Reward in the Resurrection of the Just for he is now made free from Sin Death has no more Dominion over him for that he hath fulfill'd the Royal Law by loving his Neighbour as himself he frankly forgave his Enemies and likewise did the best he could for men of all sorts whether Friends or Foes without any distinction of Sects or Countrys In this charitable course he followed the precept and Example of his Master Jesus Christ forgiving all men their Trespasses either in words or deeds For it was no part of his Religion or his practice to repel injury with wrong to resist and recompence evil for evil he never so learn'd of Christ as to retaliate and revenge himself otherwise then by those harmless defensive weapons a patient silence and magnanimous contempt His great proneness to pity and compassion by forgiving other men their Trespasses produc'd in him remorse of Conscience and hearty sorrow for his own thus Charity began at home demonstrating to the World the soundness and sincerity of his heart by the streight line of his Conversation As the Sun being always one and the same Agent produces very different effects In like manner Charity bestows her Boons with one and the same hand but in very different ways of Dispensation according to the manifold Exigencies it meets with among the wretched Sons of miserable Men It cloaths
Israel The Stars 't is very probable were at that time very propitious and fortunate in their Aspects for thrice happy was the day when he receiv'd like Saul a light from Heaven for the Conviction of his Error and acknowledgment of the Truth and heard a voice from Heaven too something like to that Saul Saul why persecuteth thou me Thereupon his illuminated Mind scattered those cheating Mists that were cast before his tender Eyes by the Juglers of those times and his understanding well informed wholy vanquisht nd put irreversibly to flight all impeteous and juvinal passions then he clearly discovered how basely the Laws Liberties and Religion it self had been deceitfully worn as a Cloak of Maliciousness and all kind of Wickedness and Vice all manner of impieties appearing like the Prince of Darkness under the form of Godliness and in the shape of an Angel of Light He could plainly distinguish the Shrines from the Goddess Diana that was there inclosed which our Silver-Smiths and Extortioners had set up like those of Ephesus and would have to be worshipt as their God their Profaness and Hypocrisies were noted with indignation just and reasonable for he beheld Gods Holy Temple abominably prophaned into an Exchange the Law tun'd a Pander to Sacriledge and Murder Liberty loudly voic'd up into Licentiousness Religion took up as a Trade or Occupation and Gods House of Prayer made a Den a Refuge for Theives and Robbers The same God whose Hand is not shortned or Goodness abated that he cannot or will not save pluckt him at first as a Firebrand out of those devouring Flames that have justly fallen upon their Heads who prepared them first of all for others and the same infinite Goodness and power have preserved him ever since what his Majesty lamenting for his great loss affirmed of him a real and true Convert For in the latter part of this Life even to Death he was a true Son of the Church and a subject very dutiful to the King for both in Opinion and Practice he trod in the strait middle path which the Church of England hath in all Respects very judiciously prescribed neither inclining to the dissenting Sectaries upon this hand nor to the Superstitious Papists upon that he could not see Christs beloved Spouse overlaid with a needless and unprofitable Dress that would exhaust her vital Spirits with Excrementitious humours nor stript altogether Naked that might expose her upon reproach profanation to the danger of her life His Behaviour in time of Divine service whether it were at Home or in the Church was in all points conformable to the Rights and Customs that are establisht by the Laws Humble Devout and Pious performing his part in all Offices with Reverence and Godly Fear with all possible Meekness and Humility both of Soul and Body His Judgment concerning the Church of England as it is now Legally settled is fully delivered in his Last Will and Testament wherein he prosesses the Doctrine to be pure and Canonical the Discipline Decent and Agreeable to the same And the Book of Common Prayer he most heartily embraced as the best Form of publick Prayers ever yet composed by Men earnestly desiring that wheresoever he should happen to be buried it might be done by that Book I forbear any further mention of these things being already prevented by the interposal of another Hand The Religious and very necessary Duties of Prayer and Supplication with Thansgiving unto God he most carefully performed in all the Course of his Life to the very Moment of his Expiration when with great submission he resigned up his Soul into Gods merciful Hand who gave it Bidding this World Adieu in those comfortable words I am well I am well which words I believe he spoke in a joyous and thankful remembrance of our Saviours Exit upon the Cross who cry'd there It is finished then bowed his Head and gave up the Ghost Beloved in the Lord you heard now this melancoly and gloomy Character of a Person greatly good and generally beloved a man after Gods own Heart denying all ungodliness and worldly Lusts to lead a Godly Righteous and sober Life A man that was Master of himself and a good friend of all besides A Father to the Fatherless an Husband to the Widdows You have heard a description of a Primitive Christian even in our late Antichristian days one Orthodox in his Faith Regular and Conformable in his Practice I have set before you the Portraicture of a Son obedient and submissive to that spiritual Mother the Church of Christ here establisht of a Subject Loyal to his Prince and above all things of a Servant very just and faithful sincere and constant with his God And seeing that your deceased Friend hath so well fought the good fight so finisht his course and kept the Faith your Tears now should be dried up with the Sunshine of joy and gladness your Sighs and Groans be silenced with Hymns of praise and thanksgiving for you must needs know that immoderate sorrow for the Dead is against your own Reason because it is in vain 't is against the Faith and Hope which you profess in the Resurrection of the Dead Nay further 't is against that very Love which you think to manifest by such unlikely means for you seem to begrudg him that Felicity which he partakes of with Christ in Glory Lastly 't is against the Common Principles of Justice also because you seem desirous even to rob God himself of those things which are his What then remains upon your part But that you Religiously keep the Memory of this Just Man your dear friend as a thing sacred and precious in your sight That you make your own Heart become his Monument and your good life his most legible and lasting Epitaph That ye would embalm his Ashes with Practical Commemorations of his Vertues and Enshrine those Reliques in the Temples of your Hearts not as Objects of your Adoration but as Holy Charms and Exorcisms for the casting out of those unclean Spirits your Sins and healing the diseases of your Souls What Remains But that in the midst of all the Winds and Waves of this Troublesome yet fading World you take the course of his life as the compass to steer out your own That so passing through the streights of Repentance and self denial Faith and Obedience we might arrive with him at the Land of Promise that Heavenly Jerusalem where you shall be for ever Bless'd in the Perpetual Rest and Joy of your Souls through the Infinite Merits of Jesus Christ the Righteous To whom with the Father and the Blessed Spirit be rendred and ascribed all Honour Praise and Glory both now and for evermore Amen FINIS