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Incorruption. You will meet them with all thefe Improvements, and to all these Degrees far more delightful than ever.

God will bring them with him as part of his glorious Train; when Chrift fhall be glorified in all bis Saints, and admired in all that believe; as the Trophies of all his Conquefts, the Veffels of his Grace, the Members of his Body, the Spouse of his Love, the fhining Inftances of his Faithfulness and Power, the Affeffors of his Court of Judgment, and Partakers of his Glory.

How joyful will that Meeting be? How happy? How glorious? Never to part more! You were not always together here; but you shall be always together after that Meeting. The parting Kifs, the Word Farewel, have no more room for ever. This Meeting together again, is what Chrift purchafed: For to this End Chrift died and rofe again, that he might be Lord both of the Dead and the Living; Rom. 14. 9. This Meeting together again is what the Word of God has promifed: For, this we fay unto you, by the Word of the Lord, that we shall be caught up together with them in the Clouds, to meet the Lord in the Air and fo fhall we ever be with the Lord. 1 Theff. 4. 15.

This is what the great God hath promifed, and is very well able to perform. He is able to keep you from falling, and to prefent you faultlefs before the Prefence of his Glory, with exceeding Joy, Jude 24, 25. And they that fleep in

Jefus,

The

Jefus, will God bring with him; 1 Theff. 4. 14. The Return of Chrift, and of those who fleep in him, have the fame Grounds of Credibility. If we believe that Chrift died and rofe again, then if you believe one you may believe the other: Nay, you must and ought to believe the other, upon the Credit of the fame Evidence and Authority. For if there be no Refurrection of the Dead, then is not Chrift rifen, 1 Cor. 15.13. This general Meeting is defigned for general Satisfaction. John 14. 20. At that Day ye shall know. God the Father will fee, with Satisfaction, the Work of his Hands in Perfection, made fit to receive the Communication of his Endearments. Lord Jefus Chrift will fee the Travail of his Soul, and be fatisfied in the full Accomplishment of his Defign, in their complete Felicity. The Holy Spirit will fee, with Satisfaction, the final Succefs of his Operations, in our perfect Holiness and Happinefs. Angels will be pleafed, to fee the Succefs of their Miniftrations; and gladly welcome us, the Partners of their Joys. And as to ourselves, what an inexpreffible Reciprocation of endearing Love, and multiplied Joy, to find ourselves all met together after our parting Sorrows? When all Things and Perfons, any way offensive, shall be gathered out and thrown aside. No Falfehood, Rancour, Partiality, Mistake, Prejudice, Infirmity, Paffion, or Pride, fhall be met. with there; not any thing to hinder the hea

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venly Pleafure circulating through every Heart, and dwelling upon every Face and Tongue. You do not mourn as thofe in Alts 20. 35. Sorrowing, because they should fee his Face no more.

Of immoderate Grief, we may fay, as Solomon does of extravagant Mirth, What doth it? What doth it for them who are gone, or for you? It may do us much Hurt, but can do them no Good. It may weaken our Bodies, and damage our Health; it may fadden our Spirits, deprive us of the Comforts of Life, and indifpofe us for the Duties of it. And what then? What Advantage to the Departed from fo coftly a Sacrifice to their Memory? Do they need your Tears, who have for ever taken leave of Weeping? Could your Cries call back the departed Spirit, and awaken the Body into Life; could you water the Plant with your Tears till it revived; you might weep like a Cloud, and call nothing exceflive that was likely to prove fuccefsful. But there are no Elijahs now, who may ftretch themselves upon the Child, and bring back the Soul. It is more reafonable to conclude with David; Now he is dead, wherefore should I faft? Can I bring him back again? I fhall go to him, but he shall not return to me; Sam. 12. 23.

But if we could, would we have them walk over the Precipice once more? Would we have them fight the Battle over again, run the Race again, be tempted, fin, and fuffer again? Should they come back for our Gratification,

from

from that holy Place to this Place of Sin? from that happy Place to this Place of Trouble? from Joy to Sorrow, from Reft and Peace, to new Vexations? Their Sentiments are different, their Affections raifed and ennobled; and, as well as they loved you, they would not come back to you for all this World: And, as well as you loved them, you cannot, it feems, wifh them Joy of their new Elevation and Dignity. Should not our godly Friends be allowed to wear the Crown they have been fighting for, and the Prize for which they have been running?

SECT. IX.

Help against inordinate Sorrow, from fome Confiderations with regard to ourselves.

ELF LOVE is at the Bottom of our

SE!

Sorrow. I have loft a Pleasure, and an Advantage. I am mourning over the Living rather than the Dead. If one, every way the fame, would make me eafy, the Sorrow is not for the Departed, but for myfelf who furvive.* No

* CICERO on the Lofs of SCIPIO. Nihil enim mali accidiffe Scipioni puto; mihi accidit, fi quid accidit. Suis autem incommodis graviter angi, non amicum, fed feipfum amantis eft. De Amic.

'No ftrange Thing has befallen me; nothing but what is common to Men. 'Tis no more ftrange that a Man fhould die, than that he fhould be born. Am I better than my Fathers, who are dead and gone? Whom. makest thou thyfelf? Where's the Senfe and Reason of pretending to an Exemption from the common Lot of Mankind? Beloved, think it not ftrange, as if fome strange thing had happened unto you, 1 Pet. 4. 12. for this is no ftrange thing, that a Mortal fhould die.

I come into a Family, and fee one in a Corner weeping and fighing; another is fallen upon a Couch, unable to hold up the Head; another is run up to a Chamber, like David, to weep and cry out, Oh Abfalom; my Son, my Son. What is the Matter? Why, one that was born to die, is dead! Was it the first Child, or Husband, that ever died? No. Had you a Patent from Heaven, against the common Lot? No. Would you have had God made him immortal to please you? He teareth himfelf in bis Anger. Shall the Rock be removed out of its Place for you? Job 18. 4.

How many Mercies and Comforts are continued to thee, that might also have been taken away? and how many Troubles prevented, that might have befallen you? You have loft fome Children; it might have been all. You have loft all; it might have been your Husband too, or Wife, at the fame Time. You have loft Hufband, or Wife; it

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