the Elders of the Church and let them pray over him But how very effectual the fervent prayers of such men sometimes are appears sufficiently from the instance here before us of the great Elijah singled out by St James for the same purpose and alledged soon after the words already cited James 5. 17. He I say who tho a man subject to like passions as we are opened and shut the Heavens at his pleasure kept up the dew and rain but brought down showres of fire so that all things hapned according to his word 1 Kings 17. 1. The Ministers of Gods holy Word and Sacraments in respect of one part of their Function are Gods Ambassadours to the people but in this of prayer they are their Agents and Solicitours with God constituted by himself as a sort of Mediatours for and amongst men Masters of Requests resident on Earth appointed to present and offer up the petitions of the people to and in the name of the one great Mediatour between God and Man 1 Tim. 2. 5. And to him those addresses cannot but be the more acceptable as coming in his own Method and way and thro' those hands to which he has committed so great a power as to bind and loose in Heaven and on Earth a power not vouchsafed as St Chrysostom somewhere expresseth it either to Angels or Arch-Angels or any other of the most glorified favourites of Heaven If then persons set aside and consecrated for the service of God and his Church be ordinarily acceptable and powerfull Intercessours how much does this Church and Nation and indeed the whole Christian world owe to the pious Devotions of the Holy Prelate of whom we are now speaking Twice a day most duly besides his family Prayers He offer'd up to Heaven either in the Publick Congregation or when his health could not allow that more privately his daily Homage and Sacrifice of Morning and Evening Prayer and Thanksgiving according to the Prescript of the Church of England He that had so throughly studied and did so perfectly understand the Beauties and Excellencies of the English Liturgy and so frequently and affectionately recommended the conscientious and devout use of it to all both Clergy and others and had himself received great Spiritual Comfort and Advantages by a long and Religious attendance on it He I say as you will easily believe could not allow himself in the least neglect of it but went to it and called for it as his daily bread the necessary food and refreshment of his soul I need not tell this Congregation I am sure how Solemn and Reverend his approaches were to this Sacred place how Holy and Saint-like his behaviour here Almost every thing that Good man did or said was edifying and instructive but nothing could well be more so then his devout deportment when he had audience with his God The Faith and Fervency the Humble yet Restless and Irresistible importunity of his Spirit strugling and contending with God in Prayer could not be conceal'd from those that saw him but flam'd up from his heart into his eyes and discover'd it self by so many natural indications of Holy and transported Affections that the Example was enough to rouze and warm the most sluggish and frozen Devotion of any that did observe him It is no wonder that his devout Soul found so Divine a rellish in those Prayers to which He attended with so much Reverence and Religion The Prayers of the Church are a dead letter to none but such as bring dead hearts to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disc 16. as our Martyr'd Sovereign observed long since And I dare say that all that use them unless the blessed effect be hindred by prejudice or prophaness do experience that those united and well advised Devotions are most excellently contriv'd to kindle and keep alive in us such pious dispositions of mind as are most suitable to that duty I shall not presume to conduct you from the Church to the Good mans Closet or pretend to reckon how often in a day He was upon his knees He that did nothing for ostentation and understood so well the Reward reserv'd for good things done in secret knew how to conceal those Addresses from the eyes of man which He intended only for the notice of his God But his constant and steddy Practice of all Christian duties the general Holiness of his Life the visible delight He took in Prayer that great Priviledge as well as Duty of mankind besides other Evidences that could not always be kept from the observation of those that had the honour and happiness to be near him serve to assure us that He watch'd unto Prayer pray'd always without ceasing and at all seasons according to a due understanding of those expressions in Holy Writ It was to him a pleasant performance of which He could not be weary What a Benefactour I say then was He to this Church and State which had so great a share in his publick and private Petitions sent up to a Gracious God with such an unfeigned Piety and ardent Zeal Luke 18. 1. Shall not God hear his servants that cry day and night unto him He that ask'd such a question when He was on Earth will be sure to answer such prayers now he is in Heaven And then I am sure the publick has received manifold advantage from the Bishop's earnest supplications put up in the behalf of the whole Kingdom The interest of which was as dear to him as his own Soul and for which He was almost hourly breathing out fervent ejaculations Rev. 5. 8. and night and day praying exceedingly The prayers of Saints we are told are as golden vials full of odours and those odours are sacrifices of sweet savour unto the God of Heaven Such Sacrifices of Supplications Intercessions and giving of Thanks was this Holy Prelate almost constantly offering up unto Almighty God for the King and all in Authority for the Holy Catholick Church and for all Men. Three most signal Favours and Blessings on this Land within our memories I have often heard his Lordship mention with most feeling and affectionate expressions of Religious Gratitude and Joy The first was that Abundance of Heavenly Graces which adorn'd the Person of our late Martyr'd Sovereign and those particularly which did so Gloriously shine forth in him under the most barbarous indignities and bloody violence offer'd him by the Rebels Another was that stupendous revolution of Affairs brought about by the miraculous Providence of God in the Restitution of His present Majesty and the Church in Honour and Peace to the astonishment and confusion of the Adversaries of them Both. The Third was the wonderfull disappointment and most happy Discovery of the late Fanatical and Republican Conspiracy against the Life of His Sacred Majesty and His Royal Brother And to these He added that more Publick and General Mercy of God in appearing so seasonably and so mightily for the
and bring them back to the Church and worship of God Nor are you or the world ignorant of your late Bishop's great Abilities and as great Industry in Teaching You I say of this Church especially can tell of his wisdom Ecclus. 44. 15. and this Congregation can shew forth his praise You are happy witnesse how He minister'd the gifts that He had received as a good Steward of the manifold grace of God You saw with wonder and perhaps not without pity how unmercifull He was to his own body that He might be profitable to your souls by his indefatigable labours in Preaching and in Catechising And not you alone but all that ever had the happiness to be under his charge or near the places of his Residence were or might have been not only witnesses but partakers of the benefit of his labours in the publick He was never weary of doing Good and tho' his body unable to keep pace with the zeal and eagerness of his mind languish'd and fainted in the service yet could He never be perswaded in his age and weakness to abate any thing of the toils and hardships of his younger and stronger days He knew God had intrusted him with much and therefore was very intent on the great account He was one day to give of the use and improvement of so great a treasure He had always a steddy eye on that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ A deep and Religious meditation on this made him covetous of his time fearfull and impatient of omitting any opportunity of doing good for which He could not but be sensible that He was admirably qualified and prepar'd 'T is true and He knew it well that a Bishop may be able to give a very good account of the trust reposed in him tho' He be not often in the Pulpit or the Desk He may be apt to teach and do it effectually tho' He make not many Sermons in the vulgar use and signification of the word If He makes due inquisition into the merits and manners of his Clergy and takes full pains and care to instruct by way of Conference or otherwise to advise commend rebuke encourage discountenance reward and cesure as often and as far as occasion shall require He I say that shall constantly and conscientiously discharge these and such other acts of Government as He will not abound with spare time for other purposes so will He thereby most certainly benefit and edifie the Church much more then He can do by Sermons and such like set and Solemn Discourses to the people however industrious He may be and frequent in that employment But the Great Good man that I am speaking of thought He had time and strength enough for more then was or could be reasonably expected from him And truly I fear He was much mistaken in the judgement He made of the ability of his body Indeed nothing could be too much for his soul His mind and memory admirably stock'd and stor'd plentifully furnished out matter and words whenever He had occasion for them Few men have acquir'd a more general perfect and comprehensive knowledge in most parts of Learning than He himself had But in Theology in the study of the holy Scriptures and all Antiquity usefull for the explaining and illustrating the Doctrines and Mysteries of our holy Religion He was so very extraordinarily versed that it is hardly possible for any to labour therein more fruitfully and succesfully then did this Prelate The foundation of so many Excellencies were laid in his Nature his Temper and Constitution For as I have shewn already God had furnished this chosen vessel with all that was requisite for the great improvements and purposes for which He was intended His Industry from his very Youth was extraordinary and beyond Example for the supporting of which God had provided him a strong body and a firm health which lasted him many years and as his Physicians and Friends thought might have held out much longer could He have been perswaded to have remitted somewhat of his continual pains and severities to himself But He was not convinc'd by such their carefull and affectionate remonstrances for his health I wish in this one particular He would have been govern'd more by others then himself for perhaps in this one only could they advise him better He found such delight in preparing his thoughts for the publick and so much pleasure after the performance that He had no leisure to observe how greatly his body had suffer'd and paid for that satisfaction of his mind It was meat and drink exercise and recreation life and health to him to be searching the Scriptures comparing and pondering on the lively and holy Oracles of God and then to deliver his happy and well digested meditations to the people He was well when He was thus employed as He thought and said Whereas indeed too often this was no more but that He was well-pleased That chearfulness and complacency of mind which is the present natural reward and consequent of a conscientious discharge of duty that testimony and approbation which a man 's own breast pays to his sincerity and worthy endeavours this Good Bishop I believe often interpreted as an effect of health and the natural strength of his own body or at least plac'd too much of it to that account The weakness and decay which He felt in himself and could not but acknowledge He wholly ascrib'd to other causes but would impute nothing of it to his immoderate pains in Studying and Preaching But had He been convinc'd that those his labours by night and day press'd too hard on his infeebled body and impair'd his health I question whether the argument would have prevailed to have made him spare himself as much as his Friends desir'd And for this I have reason from what I have heard him say particularly a day or two before his last sickness when observing his languishing looks and being in private with him I took the boldness to insist more vehemently then ever I had done on this subject For He then with some warmth and earnestness told me that He would never be perswaded to indulge his ease to the neglect of any opportunity of doing good propter vitam vivendi perdere causas He desir'd to live no longer then when whilst he might be serviceable to the Church But to return It is no wonder that so great natural Endowments carefully cultivated by unwearied industry and assiduous application did multiply into so vast an increase and turn at last to such excellent account as we know they did in this Bishop Especially if we consider that He prayed as hard as He studied He well knew that without God He could do nothing that in order to the happy searching the Scriptures and full comprehending the reveal'd will of God and the Sacred mysteries of our Holy Faith there was need of special assistance from the Holy Spirit and the blessing of him that teacheth man knowledge and conducteth the pious enquirer into all Truth That otherwise it was in vain to rise up early or to sit up late Therefore like Daniel Dan. 10. 12. He set his heart to understand and chasten'd himself before his God and his words were heard or as the Psalmist Psal 138. 3. He call'd upon God and he heard him and endued his soul with
as being such as may very easily be accommodated to our present business and may help us to meditations proper for this occasion For what is the death of Saints but their entrance into glory Every good man at his death ascends as really tho' not as visibly as Elijah and is made as certainly happy as he Their bodies indeed go down to the Grave and mingle again with the dust from whence they were taken so to remain till the happy hour of an indissoluble reunion to their souls shall consummate the bliss of which that better part had taken possession immediately after it was dislodged from the body the spirit springs upwards as soon as ever it feels it self free from the clog and weight that press'd it down the soul of every Saint mounts as swiftly towards Heaven as Elijah himself tho' carried up in a flaming Chariot with Horses of fire Therefore well and wisely has the Church chosen to celebrate the day of their death as the happiest and most memorable of their lives and such as better deserv'd to be accounted as it was stil'd their birth-day then that on which they were born into the world For then they truly begin to live when to us they die Whenas that which we commonly call our Birth is indeed but the first step we take in our advance to death There is a short passage between the womb and immortality call'd life but indeed it lies all along in the region of Death to which we are inrol'd subjects as soon as we enter on that path of mortality and are not a moment free from the malignant influences of his dominion till we are got to the end of it and have shelter'd our bodies in the Grave and our souls in the hands of him that gave them Then and not before are we freed from the imperfections and incumbrances of flesh and blood from all the hidden snares the silent and secret incroachments of Death who begins its approaches as soon as we begin to live for then he first finds us on his own ground and within his reach and instantly quarries upon his prey As soon as we were born we began to draw to our end And there is no standing still in this walk of Death for man that is born of a woman never continueth in one stay He that lives most healthfully dies daily In the midst of life we are in death and every moment ripens us for the Grave to which we are still posting as fast as the wings of time can carry us Our very health is a kind of sickness and whilst we seem to gather strength and lay up plenty of provision to prevent the ruine or decay of our frail nature we are really all that while but making further advances towards our latter end Death is at work as well as we In vain do we endeavour to intrench and fortifie against the assaults of that obstinate and unrelenting enemy An enemy it is that cannot fail of victory either by undermining or by storm by lingring consumptions or more acute and violent distempers Death will certainly demolish our strongest hold and easily reduce the tottering tabernacle which we possess and would still gladly defend to ruine and rubbish dust and ashes out of which it was first rear'd and to which according to its Makers doom it must return by an unavoidable dissolution But when we are once arriv'd at that period and have received the last blow of Death and happily pass'd the common Gate of Mortality we are no longer in its power For what is said of the Head is true of the members That being once dead they die no more Rom. 6. 9. death hath no more dominion over them That then is the blessed hour that compleatly delivers the sons of men who through fear of death were all their life time subject unto bondage It is at that fatal moment as it is call'd which seems to reduce us to the lowest most lamentable and helpless condition that the Righteous man first feels his shackles fall off and himself set free far out of the reach of the malice of Men or Devils For by dying he has overcome his last enemy which is death Strange victory But yet certain such almighty efficacy in it self and such a quickning influence on his members has the Death of our Head the Lord Christ who having first himself overcome it teaches and enables us to triumph in Death over Death it self 'T is true the victory is not in all respects compleat till we have destroy'd and spoil'd as well as vanquish'd this King of Terrors But that last Enemy cannot be so absolutely subdued till the last day when Death shall be swallowed up in victory that is finally and for ever so slain as never to revive for after that it shall be no more Then likewise shall the little victory of the grave be blasted and the poor remains we left behind us wrested out of the jaws of Death and restored to us But how Not worsted and worn as they were by course lodging in the dust and long captivity in the dark dungeons of the Earth but all fresh and new and wonderfully changed for the better That which was swon in corruption will be rais'd in incorruption It s dishonour will be turn'd into glory and its weakness into power of a natural body as we left it it will be rais'd and presented to us all over spiritual and heavenly The same indeed we had before For tho' it be most true 1 Cor. 15. 50. that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God that is as the Apostle immediately explains himself Corruption cannot inherit incorruption yet we know that this mortal must be quickned and have learn'd to believe the resurrection of the flesh Job 19. 26 27. and are assur'd that we our selves and not another for us in our flesh shall see God Even after worms have destroy'd our bodies It will therefore be the same I say and yet not that vile thing which once it was but chang'd and fashioned like unto his glorious body who was the first fruits of them that slept and who is the resurrection and the life Prudent therefore and pious is the Churches choice in celebrating the death under the notion of the nativity of such to whom the day of their death must needs be better then the day of their birth according to the observation of the Royal Preacher Eccles 7. 1. For then it is that they are born members of the Church Triumphant not only heirs but possessours of Eternal life For they shall not come into condemnation but are actually and properly pass'd from death unto life Their Saviour hath wip'd away all tears from their eyes Revel 21. 4. and to them there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain This alone is life properly so called in comparison of which that of this world which hath usurp'd the
much strength Thus was our Holy Bishop made wise unto salvation and profitable to his Generation for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness In a word as it follows in the place to which I allude 2 Tim. 3. 17. A man of God perfect and throughly furnished unto all good works And you have heard and seen his wisdom and his worth and not you alone but many thousands of others all people and places whereever and with whomsoever He had converse can bear true testimony that He gave as freely as He had received and like a Scribe instructed unto the Kingdom of Heaven was continually spending and pouring out his inexhaustible Treasures of Sound Doctrine and Edifying Knowledge to the unspeakable delight and advantage of those that came to be instructed by him And they came in great numbers not of this Nation only but from abroad and remoter Countreys For that which He did in the Church was the least part of the pains He took and of his labouring in the Word and Doctrine But this is no time and place for a particular account of such matters It is well enough known that his house was rarely without some Foreign Visitant led thither by the far-spread fame of the Renowned Bishop Scholars from almost all parts of the Christian world Greeks and Latines flock'd to him whom they found like a true Apostolical Bishop Given to hospitality and apt to teach 1 Tim. 3. 2. His doors and his purse were open to receive and relieve them that were in want and his heart and mouth always ready to instruct those that desired to be informed A great part of his time was spent in explaining and justifying to strangers and others the regular and Catholick constitution of the Church of England and in asserting Her Doctrine and Discipline and whole entire frame against the opposition of Her Adversaries the Romanists and all other Recusants of various denominations amongst our selves And these unwearied endeavours of this Holy Man God has been pleased to crown often with good success Many thereby have been confirmed in the Communion of the Church with whom Bigots of Rome or other Zealots of the Schism had been dangerously tampering Several quite spirited away by such Emissaries and Agents He retriev'd and brought back again to their Reason and Religion Foreigners have parted from him not only fill'd with admiration of his own worth but also highly satisfied with the excellent Frame and Order of this Church which had before been ignorantly or maliciously represented to them And the report which they have accordingly made to their own people at their return home has rebounded back and been brought hither again to the great praise and honour of this Christian Catholick Church so happily establish'd in this Land These I say are things well known to many but not to be by me at present branch'd out into any of their many great instances or expanded to their due advantage That if done according to the dignity of the subject and the great abundance of the matter it affords would be a more proper Theme for a just volume then the few narrow Pages of a popular Sermon It sufficeth me to have said enough on this Head to shew that this Prelate was a worthy Champion of our Faith and an able Defender of the Church and therefore very capable of such a compellation as Elisha on the account of the like excellencies gave to Elijah The chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof THE last thing I shall insist on as a reason or justification of that great Title is the great good that is done and the mighty advantage that accrues to the Publick from the Lives and Examples of Good and Holy men especially those of a Sacred Character Certain it is that men are generally convinc'd and guided more by their Eyes then Ears Precepts and Exhortations affect the mind but slowly and weakly whilst Actions and Examples move strongly and with power so that if they be but advantagiously represented and duly attended to they are winning and perswasive and have a very quick and almost irresistible influence and efficacy in soliciting the consent of the will and prompting it to imitation For virtue moves practically as Plutarch expresseth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peric moralizing the beholder and as it were transforming him into its own likeness It draws him to imitation neither able nor willing to resist that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the same Authour well stiles the influence of a Good Example Our Blessed Saviour himself tho' anointed to preach the Gospel by the Holy Ghost which He received without measure and tho' assisted with all the powers of the God-Head Col. 2. 9. which dwelt bodily in him tho' God immediately from Heaven in an audible voice bespoke and prepar'd for him and his Gospel attentive Audience dutifull Reception and Universal Obedience and Conformity as to the words and will of the declar'd Son of God Mat. 17. 5. in whom He was well-pleased And tho' He himself taught with Authority and spake as never man did John 7. 46. according to the frank confession of his most bloody Enemies and all wondred at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth Luke 4. 22. Yet would He not rely on that voice from Heaven or his own Divine Rhetorick on Earth for the Success of his undertaking without the assistance of a further Testimony and demonstration of the Excellency of his Doctrine and that was his own Example Therefore He appeals and refers them to what He did as a confirmation of what He taught Mat. 11. 29. Learn of me saith He for I am meek and lowly of heart And when He had given them a manifest proof of that virtue stooping to so low and mean an Office as the washing of his Disciples feet He tells them He had given them an Example that they should do as He had done John 13. 15. Nay this Divine Preacher sent from God and descended from Heaven even in his farewell Sermon would not trust to the efficacy of those his last words without adding the further and more powerfull argument of his Example Matt. 15. 9 10. teaching his disciples obedience to himself by his own obedience to his father and Love for one another by his own Love to them Which argument St Paul not able to find a better repeats and urges when He would enforce the same duty walk in Love Ephes 5. 2. saith He as