cheerfulness and gladness of Heart By ingaging our passionate and melting Souls in the Divine and Pathetick transports of Joy and Exultation with this Triumphing Saint By Lanching as it were out of the Body to fly up after him into those Orbs of Blessedness above to be present at his Coronation and to behold how he Reigns and Shines in the Kingdom of Glory At least let us turn our Condoleances into Congratulations Anoint our Heads and put on both Festival Robes and Spirits at this time of his happy Inauguration How unsuitable are our mourning weeds to those white Raiments with which he is now Array'd How Incongruous are our sad cries and Ditties to his Joyful Hymns and sweet Hallelujahs Sure his blessed Condition which hath Advanced him above the Benefit though still below the Addresses and Adorations of our Prayers is a fitter subject for Thanksgiving than Lamentation One of the best Arguments of true Love is the sympathizing in both fortunes with the party beloved But what a Strange and Ridiculous proof do they offer of their Affection who break their hearts with Sorrow because their friend is Transported with Joy who suffer their own spirits to be the more Dejected by how much his is exalted like the Representation of the heavenly bodies in the water the higher the Objects are in Reality above its surface the Lower doth their Image and Counterpart seem to sink beneath it Let us rather Ascend with him in Divine Meditations and rais'd Affections into the highest heavens Let us Rejoyce with him who doth now Rejoyce and Sing with him who is now Singing a new song of glory and praise and thanksgiving to Him that sits upon the Throne for the infinite mercy of this his happy Translation There 's none who had any true affection for him here but would be desirous to have as much Converse with him still as is possible Now the only way and the highest degree of keeping up a spiritual Correspondence a holy Communion with him is by doing Gods will on Earth as he is doing it in heaven by gloryfying our Creator at his footstool as he is doing before his Throne by bearing though it be never so mean a part in that Universal Consort and Anthem of Divine praise which is Maintain'd by the Church OEcumenical whereof he is singing the highest and sweetest Notes in the August Cathedral of heaven There is Doubtless joy among the Angels at the Coronation of a Saint as well as at the Conversion of a Sinner and if there be no Expressions but of Sorrow amongst men on that Occasion what is this but to walk directly opposite to the Inhabitants of that upper world and to justify this Churches title of Militant on Earth upon this if there were no other reason that it Clashes with the ways and interests of that which is Triumphant in Heaven Let us wipe off this black Infamy from the glorious name of Christians Let Atheists and Libertines whose hopes Expire with their breath go whining about in the Low and Lamentable style of Melancholick and Doleful Elegies at the Death of their friends and of Despairing Declamations and bitter Curses upon the Cruelty of the Fates It becomes the Inlightned Race of Christs Disciples who profess themselves heirs of Eternity to make a higher and nobler Flight and in a generous and heroic strain to sing a Triumphant Song at the Departure of those who Die in the Lord and to Congratulate their happy Advancement with a chearfulness of Spirit not inferiour to that wherewith they now possess it This which I propose is no Impossibility in Nature nor Romance in Divinity but a practical Mystery and a Noble eminence of Religion The loving our Mortal Enemies and the rejoycing at the Death of our dearest friends are perhaps two of the greatest heights in all Christianity and the latter seems no harder a task than the former The one being but a Reconciling the Antipathies the other the divorcing the sympathies of humane Minds A pitch this which was oftner Reach'd by the Strength of Nature and reason in the more considering Heathens than the former The Thracians who mourned at the Nativity used to rejoyce at the Funerals of their Friends The Egyptians Celebrated the Obsequies of their Prophet Isis The People of Salamis of their King Evagoras and the old Massilienses of their Chiefest Friends not with sorrowful Lamentations and Cries but with Feasts and Entertainments with Plays and Showes with Musick and Dancing with Songs and joyful Acclamations as for those who were entering upon great Honours and Preferments Whereas we run counter to the common stream of nature as well as to the custom and reason of those Nations if at the birth of our Friends when they weep we rejoyce and at their Death when they rejoyce we weep and lament And though the Author of nature our blessed Saviour wept for Lazarus yet if we allow the a Doluit Lazarum non dormientem Christus sed potius resurgentem Hieron Consol ad Tyras It. Concil Toletan 3. Can. 22. Fathers Descant it was not for his death which freed him from the Miseries of this world but for his rising from the Dead which would again expose him to them And Religion recommended to the first and best Christians this more suitable and chearful practice of Rejoycing at their friends Death not only for the Pagans consideration that they rest from their Labours and all the troubles of this Life but upon a higher reason also that their works follow them and that they are admitted a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Hom. 4 in Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazianz. in laud. Cesarii Hieronym ad O ean Epitaph Fabiolae It. ad Eustach Epitaph Paulae into the Joy of their Lord. For the Ancient Church had their gladsome Torches and joyful Hymns and Psalms in their Offices of burial which they sung at their Funerals in Testimony of their hope in the Resurrection and in token that the Christian Combatants having now Conquer'd were Crown'd and advanc'd to glory praising and thanking God for the same taking Comfort to themselves and giving Honour to the person departed some Footsteps of which Primitive usage seem still Legible in the Customs of those places among us where Psalms are sung all the way while the Body is Carried to the Grave Antiquity celebrated the anniversary memorials of their Saints also not with the drooping and Melancholick ceremonies of tears and cries nor in the Mourning habit of Sackcloath and Ashes but with the most splendid Scenes of Mirth and Festivity with the sweetest expressions of Joy and Thanksgiving And Doubtless if we had the same vigorous faith and hope which they had we should not fail of shewing the same serenity of brow and alacrity of spirit upon the like occasions This is neither an unpracticable nor a very difficult province to him that hath learned to Live by Faith to him that not only confesses with his mouth but
of his great value and kindness for him in a free Commendation of his Person and a Pathetical Condolance for his Sickness As to his Religion he was a true Son of that purest branch of Christs holy Church the Church of England from whom he suck'd those Pious and Loyal Principles which led him on to all his Vertuous and great Actions In whose Doctrines he was so fully Instructed and so firmly Established and in whose Offices so well satisfied and exercised as to continue fixed in a constant and devout use of her Liturgy in a frequent and comfortable participation of the Blessed Sacrament according to her usage and in an unalterable adherence to her Communion in all its branches in despite of all the Arguments and Motives both of Friends and Enemies to the contrary For notwithstanding his near Relation to his intimate Friendship and frequent Converse with many Considerable Persons of the Romish Faith in this County and although in the other where he lived he could hardly breath out of a Schismatical Air yet he kept himself untainted by either Extream in all Trials and Temptations So that the mouth of Envy and Malice it self must henceforth be for ever sealed up from calling him either Church Papist as he hath been by the one or Church Puritan as by the other And as no Personal Considerations or Interests were able to draw him from the Church so all the Storms and Tempests which discharged their fury against her had no other effect than to make him stick the closer to her both for her security and his own judging it highly reasonable to be wanting in nothing to save that Church wherein he assuredly hoped to be saved himself And as the most effectual means for that happy end he daily pray'd for the peace of this Jerusalem as he had formerly wept when he saw her in the dust These two Prayers and Tears being all the Weapons she allows to be imploy'd in her Defence And knowing that They shall prosper That love her and devoutly tread her Courts he was a diligent frequenter of that place where Gods Honour dwells and did not content himself to sit there as an idle and unconcerned Spectator as the manner of too many is but performed his part with so much Devotion and Exactness that the Ministers themselves if they equal'd did not exceed him And yet beside his constant Attendance upon the Publick Church Solemnities he never fail'd of his Daily Service in his Domestick Chapel nor of his yet more retir'd and secret Devotion in his Closet wherein how hearty and sincere he was those excellent Prayers and Meditations of his own composing for that purpose do sufficiently testifie But considering withall that the Church was not the only place to exercise Religion in but that the whole World was the proper and great Theater whereon its principal parts were to be acted namely those indispensable Commands of Natural and Eternal Religion a faithful Service of God and our Generation in a Prudent Pious and Moral Conversation he took up neither with good Words nor good Intentions being as little satisfied with a Talkative Divinity as a Notional Faith but went on to good Works applying himself to all Real Acts of Beneficence in every kind To the Indigent he shewed himself both Compassionate and Bountiful no less Chearful than Charitable in ministering to their Necessities scarce seeing a poor Person at a distance but he prepared to meet him with his Alms in his hand to prevent his being askt for what he esteemed a just Debt and so doubled the value by the freeness of his gift And whom he thus remembred in his life time he forgat not at his death bequeathing Considerable Sums to their use in the several Towns where he was blest with an Estate To the Injured and Helpless Persons he willingly offered himself as a Shield for their Defence from the violence and oppression of the unreasonable and powerful Man. Among the Contentions he was so blessed a Peace-maker that he might well be styl'd the Civil Conciliator of his Country He Composed many Differences and prevented more the former by Mediation the latter by his Awful Authority his healing Advices and the peaceable Examples which he himself gave in this kind For in matters of greatest moment touching his own Estate he was so complying and forbearing before he complained so earnest and solicitous for an accommodation when injured and so patient in waiting for a friendly issue afterward that he has not escaped Censure sometimes even from his Friends for departing from his undoubted Right and Interest rather than make any breach with his Neighbours to the disturbance of his inward quiet and outward peace He had a considerable Difference under his Arbitration at the time of his Death which though 't is to be lamented he lived not to finish that the Parties concerned might have reap'd the peaceable fruits of his successful endeavours upon Earth yet 't is not to be doubted but he hath met with the happy reward of his good purpose in Heaven This Gospel-spirit of peaceableness and gentleness of universal good will and Charity was by long use so incorporated into his Constitution and become so natural to him that he was willing to become all things to all Men to do good unto some So that whosoever had occasion to make use of him found in him according to his particular Exigence the faithfulness of a Friend the Wisdom of a Counsellor the Uprightness of a Judge and the protection of a Patron And if all this were not Evidence enough of his true Christian Piety in general and of his unfeigned Love and Zeal for the Church of England in particular we could ex Abundanti present you with a further Heroick proof of it in this Parish where he has at his own proper Charges built a Decent and Elegant Chapel and taken care to Establish a Competent Maintenance for a constant Ministery therein for the Publick Worship of God Secundum usum Anglicanum Wherein he shew'd himself no less the Son of the Divine than of the Gentleman deriving from the former those Pious Affections and Inclinations to edifie the Church in a literal as his Father had done in a spiritual sense and from the latter the Abilities to perfect so worthy a Design And as by the ordinary course of Generation he made his descent from so by this extraordinary Act of Sacred Munificence he made an ascent to the Dignity and Honour of his great Grandfather Sir Peter Legh who was the sole Founder of the Parochial Chapel of Disley in the Parish of Stock-Port in which for a better Augmentation of the Ministers Salary this worthy Gentleman not only gave Twenty pounds a year in his life time but appointed the continuance of the same after his Death till his Son should come to Age. Which Magnificent Pieces of Piety afford a noble Example to all Men of Estates of honouring God with their substance
according to Solomons Advice Prov. 3.9 as well as with cheaper services and will cast an Eternal Glory about his Name and Memory This honour of building a House for the Almighty to dwell in Holy David was more Ambitious of than of being the Founder of the Royal Palace in Sion for himself and the succeeding Kings of Israel Which though God denied him yet he dismist him not without both a Commendation and Reward for his desiring and designing to do it And that Mans praise is inroll'd in the Everlasting Register of the Gospel who loved his Nation and built them a Synagogue Luke 7.5 But notwithstanding the largeness of his Heart and the liberality of his Hand his constant Hospitality and Private Charities his Publick Expences and Pious Works and Donations yet at the foot of the Account at his Death his Personal Estate rose up to such an unexpected heigth as can hardly be Accounted for upon any other Hypothesis than that Divine Principle That the Blessing of the Lord maketh rich Prov. 10.22 And that he replenisheth the Treasures of those that love him Prov. 8.21 when emptied in his Service Accordingly this good Man seems to have shared in the promis'd Reward of Godliness in this life and that in a higher degree than the Widow of Sarepta for while her Hospitable Barrel and Cruse kept at a stand only and wasted not his Wealth by his Religious Disbursements overflow'd 1 King. 17.14 and like the true Riches of the Mind improved by using and so became an eminent Instance and Justification of that sacred Paradox That there is that scattereth and yet increaseth Prov. 11.24 In short This Excellent Person like an unspotted Pearl was a Man of many and bright Vertues without the least stain of any known Vice. In whom we found the Loyalty and Charity of a Church of England Man the Piety and Purity of a Primitive Christian the Publick Spiritedness and Magnanimity of an Heroe with the Zeal and Constancy of a Martyr All which Vertues were in him such Originals in their several kinds as taken apart may challenge our Imitation but in Conjunction demand our Wonder And now reflecting upon what I have done in attempting to draw a Character where 't was fitter to pay Admiration as it may appear to be my Crime so also my Justification the former for the Essay the latter for the ill success of it For though the Excellency of the Theme may Impeach my Confidence for undertaking it at all yet it will at the same time Apologize for my Deficiency in performing it no better the worth of this great Man being such and so well known that it doth not need though it deserve a better Orator Besides the great commotion which I feel in my own Breast for the particular share I bear in this general loss hath so scattered my thoughts that it ought to be admitted not only to excuse a negligence of Style and a disorderly Method but to justifie them too as most proper for an Argument too bulky for the Undertaker and most becoming the tumultuariness of that Passion which hath possessed my Soul. Having now attended this Extraordinary Man through the more remarkable and Illustrious Passages of his Life we come to the last dark scene of it that of his Death which was uniform and of a piece with all the rest For as he lived the Life so he died the Death of the Righteous in the Unity and Communion of the Church of England thereby giving the most absolute Pattern of an Excellent Christian in both This sad cloudy part he adorned with the most vigorous exercise of all those glorious Graces Faith Hope and Charity wherewith he had so richly furnished himself in his life time and of all those other Divine habits peculiar to that state not only of Patience and Meekness Christian Courage and an Entire Resignment to the Divine Disposal but of Earnest Longings and Breathings of Soul to be with Christ In all things performing this last part so gracefully as when he went off the Stage not only to deserve the Plaudits of all good Men and Angels to whom he was a Spectacle but to receive an Euge and a Crown from his great Master who hath doubtless exalted him to a State of full Recompence and Transcendent Glory with himself in Heaven to his great and unconceivable Comfort though to our no less great and inexpressible Sorrow His setting like that of the Sun whose unlimited influence and bounty he emulated though it creates a Day and Joy to the other World leaves us in the Night and Darkness of gloomy thoughts for our loss A loss which must be beholding to time to be understood and to Eternity to be forgotten in a loss that is not confined within the narrow limits of a Family or a Town within the Precincts of a Hundred or a County but t is National and Epidemical t is the loss of so great and good a Man that the Gentry could not have lost a more faithful Friend the Magistracy a more worthy Associate nor the Country a more Nobler Patriot Than whom the King could not have lost a more Loyal Subject the Clergy a Stouter Champion the Church a truer Son nor the World a greater Example of all that is truly generous vertuous and praise worthy Yet we ought not only with patience but chearfulness to Contemplate and acquiesce in this great Conjugation of our losses they being also infinitely over-balanced by his gain of that Eternal and exceeding weight of glory which we are all aspiring unto and wherewith he is now certainly Crown'd amidst an innumerable company of Angels and of the Spirits of Just Men made perfect in the City of the Living God in whose presence is fulness of Joy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore What we have hitherto heard and seen from both these Texts I mean the Word and Work of God may yield some useful Inferences that may reach those who are nearest concerned in this sad occasion If it be true that Death to the godly is now not only a Conquered Enemy but a real and a Confederate Friend not so much a Curse or a Cross as a great Deliverance and Blessing and if we ought to rejoyce and give thanks unto God for the Victory he hath gained and given us over it then surely we ought to be far from murmuring or immoderate Mourning when either we or any of our fellow-Souldiers are called out to Triumph over this Enemy and take possession of those Conquests as we do in part at Death But on the contrary rejoyce and give thanks Hence we may inferr a Double Duty First the Abstaining from excessive sorrow Secondly Admitting of moderate and suitable Joy. First we should hence Learn to Abstain from Excessive sorrow The voice of nature in the Heathens granted a Toleration for men to Lament their Deceased Friends and to wait upon them with Tears and Sorrow to their