Imatges de pàgina
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expreffive of this, or inftrumental towards it. If we pray, it is that his Will be done on Earth, as it is in Heaven. If we read, it is that we may know what is the good, and acceptable, and perfect Will of God; to learn Moderation in profperous Joy, Calmnefs in Troubles, Compofure of Mind, with a decent Vent of Sorrow in every Distress.

SE C T. VIII.

Help against immoderate Grief, with refpect to the Perfons departed.

H

AD not God a Property in them as well

as you, prior to yours, and fuperior? They were his, before they were yours: They are his, now they are no longer yours; by a thousand Obligations, Ties, and Relations, that ought to take Place of all our Claims and Pretensions.

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Should they have been immortal here, only to please you? to have lived, though weary of it; to have ftaid, though longing to be gone; and in Mifery, though fit for Happiness? Should they be kept in the Troubles of Life, in the Pains of Sickness, and the Infirmities of Age; or at beft, in the infipid Repetition of the fame Round of Things, only to prevent a Vacancy in any of your Amufements or Delights? Is this thy Kindness to thy Friend?

Some

Some parting Time must come, why not this? If the Time of parting with them was left to our Choice, it would greatly increase our Confusion.

They are not extinct and gone out of Being. Their Manner of Existence is changed, but the Exiftence itself is not loft. They that are fallen afleep in Chrift, are not perished; 1 Cor. 15. 18. They are not blotted out of Being, nor out of Life, upon our Chriftian Scheme.

The Degree of Happiness in their prefent State of Separation, whatever it is, affords a comfortable Thought. If they are absent from you, and from their own Bodies, they are prefent with the Lord; which, I fuppofe, you will allow to be far better. So much better indeed, that for the Sake of entring into it, it is worth a good Man's while to die at any Time, and leave any Company upon Earth, though ever so pleasant or good.

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The Spirit, that returns to God who gave it, is received by God, and welcomed in a Manner fuitable to the Relation and Character in which it arrives there. Bleffed are the Dead that die in the Lord, for they reft from their Labours. They could have little or no Reft here, what with Labour and Trouble, Temptation and Sin. What a vaft Improvement in Knowledge muft a difincumbred Soul make in fuch a. Situation? Now we fee darkly, as through a Glafs; but then Face to Face. If the Pleasure be not fo complete as after the Refurrection, it muft however be unfpeakable, beyond all

that

that this World affords. They are sure of their own Salvation, and of being the Heirs of Glory. And if the Pleasure of Affurance here be fo tranfporting, as to give fometimes a Joy unSpeakable and full of Glory; while we fay with. the Apostle, we know and have believed the Love which God hath towards us; what will it be for a Soul to find itself safely landed in the World of Perfection? among Spirits of juft Men made perfect; freed from all Imperfections, natural and finful; returned to their native Soil, having left that foreign Country where they were Pilgrims and Strangers, and got home to their Father's Houfe, where there are many Manfions? In the best Society and Company, as well as the best Place? Review ing paft Dangers and Labours? Admiring the Wifdom of God, and his Goodness that has brought them thither; and efpecially the Goodnefs of that Stroke we are mourning over here? Their Worship muft needs be fpiritual, who are all Spirit; without Weariness, Failure, or Interruption. They have glorious Scenes at prefent before them, and pleafing Expectations of great and more glorious Things: Such as the accomplishing the Number of the Elect, and all that fhall be faved; the fulfilling the great Periods of Prophecy that remain; the Downfal of Antichrift; the glorious Appearance of our Lord Jefus Chrift; the Refurrection of the Body; the Abolition of Death, and the folemn Coronation of all the

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Conquerors through the Blood of the Lamb, to a Kingdom that can never be fhaken.

Is this a Condition to be lamented with inceffant Tears? Is it for People who are in fuch a Cafe as this, that we go up and down in Black, with downcaft Looks, and weeping Eyes! What one Article of this Happiness aforefaid is not worth more than the longest Life of Pleasure and Honour in the World? One would think that these things only wanted to be believed and thought on. Would we fetch them back from this Condition if we could? I am afraid we are fo felfifh, that if the Refurrection Power were lodged in our Hands for one Day, we fhould immediately run to the Graves of our dear departed, and fetch them back again. To ftop our own Sorrows for a while, we fhould begin theirs afresh, and bring them back to Mifery. They no fooner enter Heaven, but they wish they had been fooner there. And the next Wifh is, that we may be with them too as soon as may be; and yet we wish a quite contrary Way.

I think of the happy Meeting again, which all the World fhall not be able to hinder after a few Days are paft. Let us not behave as if we were never to meet again. Do not mourn as without Hope. Our Religion teacheth us to believe, that in the feparate State we fhall not be without the Society of our departed godly Relations and Friends. The feparate Soul of the Beggar, Lazarus, is reprefented as

in the Company, nay, in the Bofom of his Father Abraham; and the penitent Thief was promised to be with Chrift in Paradife. The Spirits of juft Men are not perfected in order to be an Affembly of Mutes: Nor is it likely they fhould be Strangers to one another, when Converfation in this imperfect World produces Acquaintance and focial Endearment.

There will indeed be different Ranks and Orders of Saints; different Degrees of Reward there, as of Holinefs here, and confequently of Apartments and Situations. But is it not the fame in this World? Is every one in the fame Rank and Station; of the fame Character, or Title and Endowments? And yet we know one another, and converfe together; a great deal of the Beauty and Pleafure of Society arifing from this Variety, as it will alfo

there.

At the Refurrection you fhall meet again in your glorified Bodies, as well as perfect Spirits. For, all that fleep in Jefus will God bring with him; and will change their vile Bodies, and make them like to his own glorious Body. It was fown a natural Body; it fhall be raised a Spiritual Body, freed from all elementary Drols; will feel no Pain, can need no Food; will never be weary, however exercised or employed; without any Appetites that tend to Inordinacy. Our Bodies then will be immortal. The Children of the Refurrection die no more. ruptible; fown in Corruption, it is raised in Incor

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