"BV

Felton

Hope of Christians an argument of comfort for their

death

•£&TC,

THE LIBRARY

OF

THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA

LOS ANGELES

The Hope of Chriftiam an Argument of Comfort for their 'Death.

A

Prcach'd at the

FUNERAL

Of His GRACE

JO FIN late Duke of Rutlflnd.

W HO W A S

Interr'd at Bottesford in Leicefierfbire^ FEBRU ARY 23. 17^.

By H E tf R T F E L T 0 X B. D.

Of Queens- College in Oxford.

LONDON:

Printed for Jonih Bowyer at the Rofe in Ludgate- Street And Sold by Join Ward Bookfclier in Leicefler: and William Ward Bookfeller in Nottingham. 1711.

To His G R A e i

J O H N

Duke of RUTLAND

May it pleafe Your Grace,

TO Accept this Difcourfe , which was frfi Preach' d, and is now Pullifidat four Com- mand. 1 have endeavour el to anfwer the true End of my Office, and to maintain the Dignity of the Place in which I flood, ly consulting the Benefit and Edification of thofe that heard me, and propojing an Example to the World, worthy the Imitation of AH* who have any Regard for the Ancient tionour of the Englilh Nobility.

What I have faid of that Great and Good Man, is fo little in Refpeft of what I might have faid, that thofe who knew him, will think I have fallen very fhort in his Commendation j and yet I have faid fo much, that thofe who are Strangers to Worth and Virtue like his, mil imagine I have rather drawn a,

863890 * * Faif

DEDICATION

Fair Pitture in Miniature, than given a Juft Reprc- fentation of the Perfon.

, But, My Lord, I am fecure of the General Coif- feur, and every Body will fulfcrile to the Genuinenefs of*the Original, when they fee the Tranfcript fo Fair and Legible in Tour Grace's Perfon ; and the greatefl Compliment I can make Tour Grace, is to fay ', You are like Your Father. But this -is fo very True, that Tour Grace may challenge it as a Delt, and not owe it to any Dedicatory Strain, an<{ I need not en- large on the Virtues of the Son, when they are fo plain in the Character of the Father.

Tour Grace will permit me to take this Occafion of Exprejfing my Acknowledgments for all the Favours I have received from Tour Illuftrious Family , for whofe Profperity and Honour I jba.ll always pray.

And that Tour Grace, and that very Excellent Lady, Tour Virtuous Confort, may livelong in Hap- pinefs and Honour ; that Tou may fee Tour Children's Children io many Generations ; that Tou may, if it pleafe God, exceed the Tears of Tour me ft Nolle Fa- ther, and live like Him, Honoured and Beloved ; that God would give Tou the Blejfings of this Life, and 'the Eternal Felicity of the next, is, My Lord, the Conftant Prayer of,

May it pleafe Your Grace,

Your Grace's moil Humble and mod Obedient Servant,

HENRY FELTON,

—

iTheff. IV. 13

But I woM not have you to le ignorant. Brethren, concerning them which are afleep, that ye forrow not, even as others which have no hope.

Ecaufe St. Paul treats of the Refurre&ion in thfs Place, forrie have thought the Occafion of the Words was from the Herefies of thofe, who de- ny'd the Refurre&ion, or of thofe who faid it was already paft; but this being the firft Epiftle he e- ver wrote, it is not certain that thefe Herefies had yet infefted the Church of Chrift, as we find they had, when he wrote his Firft Epiftle to the Conn- i Cor. 15* thaw, and his Second to Timothy : And there- 12- m fore without flaying upon the Occafion, it 2RTim< 2* is enough, that we confider them as an Ar- l guwent to the "TheJJalonians 3 of ftrong Confolation in the Dufth of their Friends and Brethren, whether they were crown d with Martyrdom for the Testimony of Jefas, or whether they Peaceably departed this Life in the trueJFb*V6 and Fear of God.

Their Death he calls a Sleep, a Figure ufual in the Scripture Language, which does not only convey fo harfli a Word in a fofter Sound, but does alfo very properly exprefs the State and Condition of our Bo- dies in the Grave, which are repofed there fora Time till they (hall be awaken'd for ever. And in Confor- mity to this Expreffion, the Church has always called the Repofitories, and Burial Places of the Dead, Pla- ces of Reft and Sleep • Dormitories according to the

Latin

A Funeral Sermon.

Latin Word, and Ko/^Ta'et*, Cemeteries in the Greek, where the Bodies of them that die, are depofited as a SScred Truft, which the Grave muft yield up, and reftore again. In the Old Teftament to reprefent Death by Sleep , is purely Figurative with Refpe<ft to the Separation of Soul and Body ; but in the New 'tis almoft Literal, 'tis the molt prcper Way of expref- fmg the Death of Chriftians, with Regard to thei Certainty of their Refarre&ion, when they fhall a- \vake and arife from the Grave.

j Cor. 15. 1 8. n ° we are not on a* to

i.Thef.4.T4,i& when we die, but to Jleep in Jefus, to

1 Cor. 1 5.14, Jleep in Chrifc : From whence theApoftle 15,6-c. infers in this, and in all other Places Rom. <s.y, 8. where he treart this Subjed, that a<r

iThefT 5.10. Chrift did, we fhall alfo rife again

2 Tim. 2. ii. from the Dead j For if we believe that

Jeftts died, and rofe again • even fo them atfo, which fleep in Jefu:, will God bring with hint, Ver.14.

Upon this Foundation he builds his Argument of Com- fort y and propofes the Dottrine of the Refurretiion, as the beft Remedy againft Immoderate Grief upon the Death of our Neareft a"nd Deareft Friends : He fhovvs ' the' Advantages that Chriftians have above all others in the Profpe# of a Glorious Immortality 5 and plainly intimates, that we fhould not grieve, as others do, who have no AiTurance of the Future State of thofe that are paft the Prefent.

That I may therefore beft anfwer the Mournful So- lemnity of this Occafion, and adminifter Chriftian Confolation to thofe who are under the PreiTures of Grief for fo great a Lofs • give me Leave to enlarge upon this Argument of the Apoftle, to addrefs my felftoyou in his Words, and to apply them with Comfort to our felves, while we are performing the laft Offices to thcfe Rerrmins of a Great and Good Man.

funeral Sermon.

"But I wouU not have you to be ignorant, Brethren, con- cerning them which are ajleep, that ye farrow not, even as others which have no hope.

Thefe Words afford us great Variety of Meditation, and naturally lead me into feveral Arguments of great' Importance concerning the Dodrine of the Refurre- dion ; but the Limits^ of this Difcourfe are too nar- row for fo wide a Subjed ; and therefore waving all thofe Points, which at another time would deferve a longer Confideration, or only touching them as they fall unavoidably in my way, I (hall confine my felf to the Defign or the Apoltle in this Place; which is from a true State of the Dodrine of the Refurredion, to comfort us in the Lofs of our Friends and Relati- ons here , by the Affurance we have that They and We (hall rife and meet in Eternal Happinefs hereafter.

To bring this Subjed therefore into as fhort a Com- pafs as I can, we may obferve thefe two Things :

1. That the Apoftle fpeaks not here of the Refur- tedion in general, but only of the Refurredion of the Jufl ; of thofe that Sleep in Jefxs ; as is plain from the following Verfes, in which he fets forth the Man- ner of their Rifing, and their Happinefs for Ever.

2. And therefore we may obferve,, Secondly, That tho' all Men fhall rife again at the laft Day, yet this Argument of Comfort is applicable to thofe only, who fhall rife to Life and Immortality; and not to others, who either not believing the Gofpel, or not living as becomes the Gofpel , or not dying in true Faith and Repentance, have no Hope in'their Death. But I would not have you to be ignorant. Brethren, concern- ing them which are ajleep, that ye forrow not, even as others which have no hope.

In difcourfing therefore upon thefe Words I will Hiew,

x. That

A Funeral Sermon.

I. That of all Men, Chriftians' only, that of all Chrlftians, thofe only who live as becomes the Gofpel of Chrift, and die in the True Faith and Fear of God, have Hope in their Death, or which is the fame Thing, We can have Hope concerning thofe only, who fleey In Jefus.

II. That this Hope is an Argument of ftrong Con- folatipn to alleviate our Grief, and reftrain our Sof row for the Death of thofe, who depart hence in the Lord.

III. I will conclude with an Application of thefe Words to our Comfort in the Death of this Great and Good Man, whofe Remains lie now before us.

I. I am to fhow, That of all Men, Chriftians on- ly, that of all Chriftians, thofe only who live as becomes the Gofpel of Chrift, and die in the True Faith and Fear of God, have Hope in their Death, -or which is the fame Thing, we can have Hope concerning thofe only, who Jleep in Jefus.

The Apoftle indeed fpeaks not of the Hope any Man entertains of his own Condition, but of the Hope we have of Others, for 'tis the Hope we have of our Brethren's Happinefs, that is the proper Ar- gument of Comfort for their Death,- But becaufe the Grounds of Hope muft be Common to thofe who die, with them who remain alive, it is enough for us in the Profecution of this Argument, that we coniider the Foundation of our Hopes , and lee who they are that can build upon jr.

Xow the Hope of Men concerning thofe that die, muft be founded cither upon the Knowledge they have of a Refiirre<fticn and a Future State, or upon

the

Funeral Sermon.

the Expe&ations they have according to their Know- ledge : So that if Men have no Knowledge of a Re- furrecYiorf and a Future State., or if the Knowledge they have, fets any Boundaries to their Hopes,, it is plain , they can either have no Hopes at all,, or can- not carry them beyond the Limits which are affigned. There are Three Denominations of Men, who may be confidered with Relation to this Subject, and they are the Heathens, the Jews, and the Chrlftlans. Of thefe I have afferted, that Chnftians only have Hope in their Death, and they no further, than as they live, or as they die, as becomes the Gofpel of Chrift ; no further, than they can be faid to/leep in Jefus.

This will be evident if we can prove thefe Three Things.

1. That the Heathen had not any Knowledge of a Refurre&ion and a Future State, clear enough to build any Hopes upon.

2. That the Knowledge the Jews had, tho very im- perfecl:, was yet fufficient to give them Comfort in their Death, but that Now it ceafes to be fb.

;. THat Cbrlflans have a perfect Knowledge of a Refurre&ion and a Future State, and that this Know- ledge initrufts them, that not all Chrillians, but thofe only can have Hope in their Death , who live as be- comes the Gofpel, and Jkep in Jefits} when they die.

i. The Heathen had not any Knowledge of a Re- furre&ion and a Future State", clear enough to build any Hopes upon.

Of the Refurre&ion they had no Knowledge , no Thought at all, and when tlje Apoftles and Hrft Fa- thers preached this Dodrine among them, theylcrugh'd at it, and derided it, as a Thing Abfolutely'lmpoffi- ble : They were not acquainted with the Word, and knew not what it meant when they heard it; For

B when

Funeral Sermon.

when St. Paul preached to the Learned at Athens, mocked at his Doctrine, and he leemed to them to fee 3. Setter forth of ftrange Gods, becaufe be preached unto them Jefus, and the Refurreffion, A£s 17. 18.

However, fome dark Notions they had of the Im- mortality of the Soul, and of Rewards and Punifontents in another World ; but in thefe they exprefled thenv- felves fo doubtful,, that their Hopes muft be very (len- der., when they were in fo great an Uncertainty of the Truth of thofe Things they wifhed for. Socrates, the Beft and Wifeft Heathen, that ftands recorded on the Monuments of Time, fpeaks like a Man diffident and unrefolved at his Death. He can't aifert the Happinefs of good Men in a Future State, nor pro- npunce any Thing with Certainty of his own Ex- iftence. All the Wifdom of Plato's School Ph d- could determine nothing in this Point: Their Notions ran upon groundlefs Suppo- fitions, they could fpeak with no AfTurance of the Happinefs of another World, and when they ventur'd to fuppofe it, their Notions were Wavering and Un~ liable, Low and Mean, and for the moft part rofe no Higher, than Senfual Enjoyments : And from them many of the Jews , the Pbarifees efpecially , had formed their Heaven ,- and from the Jews Mahomet furnifh'd out his Paradife. Among the Romans., Tully difcourfes admirably of the Happinefs and Immorta,- lity of the Soul, but always in a Cloud : He under- ffcood the Dignity and Defirablenefs of the Argu- ment, but with all his Penetration he could not fee thro' the Doubts , that Hover'd round him. Neither

He nor Seneca, who might have known S«E 10'' the Chriftian Dodrine, could affirm

any thing with certainty in thefe Points. The Poets by Liberty of Imagination, have delivered the Heathen Notions with the greateft Air of Affu- rance j but what they fay, is Poetrj, an4 the Hopes they give, no more than Fiction. And

A Funeral Sermon.

And therefore if any among us fhall think, that the Heathen had any Ground of Hope, as in Contradi- ction to the Golpel, fome are pleafed to think,, I muft defire them to be fo juft, as to compare their Hopes with the Chriftians, and then to forfake the Chrifti- an Do&rine, and rely upon the Heathen, if they pleafe. For fince the Time of the Antient Heathen, fince Chriftianity has been publifhed to the World, there is riot that Nation or that People known, who being ignorant of our Hope, have any hope of Fu- ture Happinefs when they die.

Some among our felves indeed, fome acquainted with the Principles of .Chriftian Religion, have by* flying off to a State of Nature, and arguing from th'e Attributes of God, as abftracled from Revelation, Formed a Notion, that they may be happy in ano- ther Life, tho they ne ver embraced the Gofpel in this. But fince there was no diftindi Knowledge of a Re- furre&ion and a Future State before the Gofpel, and fince all the Knowledge that can be form'd of. them is frorri the Gofpel, and thofe Scriptures, which hive ari immediate Reference to the Gofpel, they muft not pretend to carry their Knowledge further than that which is the Ground of it will fuifer them to go : And therefore if from the Gofpel it is plain, tha.t the Hopes of Happinefs are confined to any Conditions and Limitations, no Argument from the Attributes of God will give Room for any Latitude in the Cafe,and thofe argue as widely and. uncertainly, who fuppofe a- ny Future Happiriefs without the Go/pel,, as they did, who talked with the greateft uncertainty on this Sub- Jed. For let them confefs the Truth, let them lay afide the Scriptures, and then try, if they can argue more con- clufively ori this Point, than the nneft Wits of Anti- quity had done; From the Scriptures indeed they learn a more perfeft Knowledge of God, and may, if they pleafe, learn the clear Doftrines of a Refurre^iori B 2 and

8 A funeral Sermon.

and Future State • but thefe at the fame time will teach them, that they muft not abfraft General Notions cf God's Attributes from bts particular Revelations • and tho' God has declared, He will punijh the tricked, and accent the Righteous, tho' it be moft agreeable to our Natural Conceptions of his Juftice, that he fliould do fa, they ought to confider upon what Terms he has declared, that he will Punlfj the One, and Reward the. Other* and then it will be evident, that if the Knowledge they have above the Heathen be owing to the Scripture, it can- not be carried in contradiction to the Scripture • and therefore if they argue befide the Scripture, they argue ,with as great uncertainty as the Bed and Wife'ft Hea- thenSj and are, even as others which have no Hope.

2. The Knowledge the Jews had, tho' very im- perfect, was yet5 fufficient to give them Comfort in their Death. But now it ceafcs to be fo.

The General Do&rinc of Happinefs or Mifery in a Future State, was not rcveal'd in fuch cxprefs Terms under the Old Teftament, as under the New, and the Do6trine of the Refurrection, which is the Founda- tion of the other, is more obfcure. The Patriarchs before the Law were aflur'd of Haffmef after Death ; and the celebrated Place of Job ufed in Job 19. 25, the. Preliminary Sentences of our Burial *6> 17- Service is a plain Evidence that they had

Affurance of the Refurreftiw thro9 their Gen r 24. Redcemy. And the Tranflations of Knock - Kings 2.1 1. an(j £/f^ were a Mariifcrration to thofe before the Flood, and before the Law, and to thofe under the Law, that our Bodies are capable of being glorify'd as well as our Souls.

Under the Law God was nor wanting to give the

,. Jews fuch a Revelation of his Will, \vh\ph tho' Dark in

Oomparifon of the Gcjfel, was yet Bright enough to

lead them into the general Knowledge of a Refur-

re<5Uon

Funeral Sermon. 9

redion and Future State : The Jews indeed, as they were a People of Grofs and Carnal Perceptions, did not apprehend fo clearly as they might, the Certainty of Future Rewards and Punifhments ; For the Santti- cm of their Law, pointing only to Temporal Ble/mgs cml Curfcs, they hardly look'd any further ; and when they did, they imagined the Happinefs of another Life re- fembled "the Happinefs of this, in outward Satisfadi- ons and Enjoyments.

The • Prophets , and many Godly Men*- mong them had juft Notions of thefe A "4* 1SV Things, and 'a fuller View of a Refurredion and Fu- ture State in an Equal Diftributlon of Re- %

•wards and Punifiments, as is clear from Jj^g'**1,, the Pfalms, feveral PaJ/ages of the Prophets, ,. ?' %a3 y ',*" and efpecially the Book of Daniel; But 51,6,11.60, the Grofs of the People could not con- ip^o.Dan.iz. ceive thefe Spiritual Truths,- and the 2'3' Doctrines concerning them, tho clearly dedttcible by an Attentive Confederation, were not io open to •'vulgar dpprebtnj'ions, and fo far their Knowledge was Imper- fed.

But how imperfed foevcr this Light was, it was ftili fufficient for their Comfort and Direffion : They were prefied to Obedience indeed by Temporal Motives, bu£ the Obedience they were to pay would makt them capable of Spiritual Rewards thro' the Mercy of God irx Chrift : They had Encouragement enough to hope them ; and tho' the particular Order, and manner of

coffin ed themfelvcs in that Hope with the AifurancS, of everlaiHng Happinefs. I need not fay, that- this- Knowledge increased as the Times of the Meffiak .drew en ; "Tis to our Purpofe, that this Kno-.vledge v.'as at all Times frffic'unt. This is a fliort Abilradt of this

Matter^

lo A Funeral Sermon.

Matter, without repeating the Scripture Proof, which I have only referr'd to, to fave your Time.

There rerriains another Branch of this Propofition, and that is, that this Knowledge, however fufficient before our Saviour's coming, Now deafes to be fo.

For in the Old Teflament there Is riot a clearer Reve- lation of the Refirrrctfion, and of Future Reward; an& pun'if intents, thfen there is, that Thefe are cftablifred in the MeJJiab ; and thole Places which are

S5e f" .e \,laces moft expreCs in thcfc Doftrines, are more cited in the r-,f _, > ,

foregoing exprejs concerning the My/tab, and the

page. Jnvfi who truly hoped for FiltureHap-

pinefs, believed it under the Power and Virtue of C&rifl their Saviour - and therefore the Prefent Jews have no Hope, neither Lot, nor Portion in this Do- ctrine, becaufe they rejeft thofe Scriptures, which re- fer to our Saviour • and had rather lofe the Evidence of a Rcfurre&ion, than admit nur Jefus to be the Chrijl • for howfocver they depart from See Afts 26. t|ie ]j0pe ^n^ Profejjion of their Forefathers, ** 7* they themfelves cannot upon their own

Principles have any 'Hops concerning their Brethren, when they die, but as they believe and expeft their 'Mejfiah, their Saviour and Redeemer • without the Virtue of this Promt fe the moft Pregnant Paffages relating to" a Refjrre&ion and Future State have no Force or Pcwcr • and therefore the Queftion is, whether the Mejfiab be come or no ? I am not to enter into the Af- firmative Proof, but we may fafely conclude, that if the Meffitb be already come, and the Jeiin will not receive him7 that then the Hope of their Fathers for- fd'kes them ; and tho' the Knowledge of the Jws be- fore the wm'irg of the Mejjiah was diffident for th'ei? Comfort in Death, yet now it ceafes to be fo.

Having thus very briefly run over an Argument,1 that requires a much larger Confederation, and fhew'd, that neither Jtws nor Heathen,- HOT Any, chat argue

without

A Tfuneral Sermon. 1 1

without or againft the G.ofpel, can have any fure Grounds of Hope and .Comfort in their Death, I come now to the lap part of this Argument, which is,

;. That Chriftians have a perfect Knowledge of a Refurre&ion and a Future State ; and that this Know- ledge inftructs them, that not all Chriftians, but thofe only can have Hope in their Death, jvho live as be- comes the Gofpel, and Jleep In Jcfw, \\*en they die.

The Knowledge of the Refurrection and a Future State was never Doftrinally laid down, till our Savi- our, who hath abolished Death, and bhught Life and Immortality to Li^ht thro' the Go/pel y 2 Tim. l. 10. firft publifh'd it to the World : It was in- , timated before, and caft in Types and Shadows, but ne- ver ajjerted in Terms ; never open'd and proved till our Saviour's Cowing : He cleared up all the Clouds that hung about it ; and gave fuch Light to the darker Inti- mations of the OldTeftarnent, that they now Jhine forth in Perfect Day. * He hath declared hintfelf *John ri.iy. the Refurrettion and the Life, f by his own t See Mat. »8, Rifing again he hath connrm'd hisDocirine : Mark <*"• V He hath clearly reveal'd the Future Hkne \+' Judgment, and laid the mod folid Foun-'* y Mac.Tj.ji, dation for our Hope in the AiTurance of &c. Eternal Happineis. The various Pafla- J°hn ?•*'.«» ges of the Scriptures for the Proof are l\~*' *9' too many, and too long to be produc'd ; EPh°T \ **' * where we are taught, that being liable j. ir,',2', 13, to the Divine Juftice for our Sins, God hath i4,&c. fent his Son to redeem us • that thro' bit Blood a Cor- 4- T9. and Satisfaction we are reconciled, and r en- j^*** der4 f capable of Eternal Happinejl, V that Heb.^'^ there Jljall be a Refurrection of the Juft and ] John 3. i ?, Unjitft, * that -we muft all appear 'before the I5»J7. 17-t- Judgment-Seat of Chrifr, that every one may ' +;*•»• v°"' receive R e wards and Punifliments accord. *•' AL ;4. i j. ing to that hs hath .{oxc, whether it be gcod or * t Cor. 5.1 ?.'

A funeral Sermon.

And the Jpoftles, as they conftantly preach the RefurrecHon, have alfo confirm'd the Do^rine a- gainft the vain Difiuters of this World, and argued in

the moft convincing Manner from the A&S2/24.0-*. RtfmBfo- of Chrift, to cur Refurrettion j'o.' 4o,44 1!0*" W HaJpinejS at the Lift Day. Thus Chrf- 1 3. 30. '17/18. ftigK»ave Hope in their Death, and are j Cor. 15. affur'd by the Exprefs Promife and Re-

velation of God himfelfj of Eternal-Hap- pinefs and Salvatio^ while the Hope of the Jews muft fall, as long as they reject the Go/pel, and the Hopes of the Heathen are none at all.

But as Chriftians have a Perfect Knowledge of the Refurreftion and a Future State., fo this Knowledge inftruds them, that not all Chriftians, but tbofe only can have Hops in their Death, who live as becomes the Gofpel, and Jleep in Jefus when they die.

The Gofpel is not an Inftitution of Speculative Opinions only, nor is Salvation promis'd us merely for believing fuch a Sett of Notions^ as Provhane Mtn moft unreafonably infinuate in their Scoffs at Creeds and Myftcries : but the Gofpel is- an Inftitution of Holi- xiefs alfo, ana from our very Faith we are taught to deny UngOflUnefl and Worldly Lufts, and to live righteoufly, foberly, and goctty in this prejent World, Tit. 2. 12. Every Article of our Faith is an Enforcement of our Praflice ; and we are not fo ftrongly mov'd to Purity of Man- ners and Conformity to the Will of God, becaufe we are his Creature*, as becaufe we are Chriftians, becaufe we are redeemed by the Blood of his dear Son, and call'd by him to Happinefs and Salvation. Without Holineft

no Man Jliall fee God , and the Faith of SttHeb.n. 14. Chriftians •witbcut Works is dead. Under Jam. a. 17. theG<?_$Wwe are taught, that the Un-

righteous fall not inherit the Kingdom sfGoJ. Be nai deceived ^ fays St. Paul, Neither Fornicators , nor <. r.';r ^Julterers> nor Abttfas of tbcmfelves with

y4 Funeral Sermon. 1 2

d^ nor Thieves, nor Covetous, nor Drunkards, nor Revilers, nor 'Extortioners, foall inherit the Kingdom ofGod$ i Cor. 6. 9, 10. The fame Leffon he teaches every- where in his Epiftles $ and if Men would confefs the Truth, 'tis not the Myftmoufnefi of our Faith, but the Purity, the Striffnefl, and Severity of our Morals, Which makes them difeujted at the Gofpel, and feek for Hope, where it is not to be found. But this is our Doctrine according to the Truth : We require Men to believe, but we require alfo that their Conversation be as becomes the Goffel. In Sin we teach that there's no Pardon without fmcere Repentance ; and after a Life of Wickednefs, that not Sorrow alone, not verbal Re- pentance only, not the faint Efforts of a Death-bed, but a Change of Life,, a Renewing of the Mind, a Dif~ petition and Frame of Spirit at perfect Enmity with Sin, and in Love with God and our Duty, will pre- vail for Forgivenefs, and thro' Chrifl $e effectual to Salvation. We waft be planted together with Chrifl in the Likenefs of his Death, or we cannot be planted with him in the Likenefs of his Refurrettion : Rom. 6. f . We muft believe his Revelation as the Foundation of our Hope ; we muft obey his Laws, that our Hope may fee fulfili'd: And therefore as we have no Hope without our Saviour while we live, we can have no Hope, unlefs weflecp in Je/us, when we die.

Having thus fhew'd in the Firft Place, That of all Men Chriftians onty, that of all Chriftians, thole only who live as becomes the Gofpel of Chrift, and dye in the True Faith and Fear of God, have Hope in their Death, or, which is the fame Thing, we can have Hope concerning thofe only whofleep in Je~ fas, I come now in the Second Place to fhew,

II. That this Hope is an Argument of ftrong Con*

folatien to alleviate our Grief, and reftrain outf

Sorrows for the Death pf thofe that depart hence

• in the Lord. C And

14. Jl 'funeral Sermon.

And in this I fhall be very Brief : For when we have fix'd the Hope, the Comfort follows, and there's no Need of a Formal Argument for the Proof.

We are taught not to be forry as Men without Hope : Not that it is the Defign of the Apoftle to extinguifh the Paflion, but only to reftrain the Ex- cefs : Our Grief riles from Tendernefs and from Love ; and 'tis hard to reprefs the Firft Iffues of our Sorrow. Thofe who were Pletifant and Lovely in their Lives, command our Tears when they dye: We greive for our own Lofs, but we are comforted in their Happinefs. And becaufe our Affections fome- times overflow their Bounds in Lamentation, becaufe Love isftrcnger than Death-, and carries its Delires beyond the Grave, the Apoftle fhows us, that our Holy Re- ligion applies a Remedy to our Sorrows, and gives us Caufe of Rejoicing even in the Occafion of our Grief.

For to apjffy this Hope to our Comfort, we may briefly confider thefe Three Things.

1. That we are not left to the wretched Argument of Inexorable Fate, nor the more wretched Hope of 2.n Atheiftical Annihilation, the vain Refuge of thofe Mi-» ferable Souls, who live in Fear of Hell, and- in Defpair of Heaven ; nor are we forc'd to comfort our felves, as the Heathen did, that .thole who are gone are paft Recalling : But we are aflur'd that thofe who are dead for a Time {hall be Alive for Ever j that they who leave us here, fhall meet u$ again hereafter, and never fliall be feparated more.

2. We may draw Comfort from this Hope of Chriftians, if we confider that this Hope frees us from all Doubts and Uncertainty concerning thofe which Jleep in Jefus. Thofe who had no Hop^c could receive no comfort : If they had a Mind to believe what their Wifhes flatter'd them might be true, they •couH not bring themfelves to an Alfurance : A Hope, a Wifh rather, we may fay, they had, for 'it was a

Hope

^4 Funeral Sermon. i 5

Hope without Foundation, which pleas'd them a lit- tle at the firft Appearance, but wore away with Re- flcdion, and failed them when they leaned upon it. But our Hope is certain: An Anchor jure zn&ftalfaft for our Souls to reft on : It is caft upon God, and cannot move : Itisbuil; upon a Foundation, which cannot fail. 3. To the AlTurance and Certainty we may add, Thirdly, for our Comfort, the Matter and Objeft of our Hope, which is a Glorious Refurre&ion, and E- verlafting Happinefs : And then, — Shall we con- dole where we fhould rejoice ? Shall we grieve that our Friends are delivered out of the Miferies and Bondage of this finful World, into the Glorious Li- berty of the Sons of God ? Shall we mourn for the Profperity of thofe we R°ro. 8- 2r- love, and be, filled .with Sorrow, when xve remember they are Bleft ? If Grief opprefs us, we ought to turn 'cur Eyes to this Glorious Profpeft, and in the Happinefs of our Friends to meditate up- on our own, and comfort our felves with the certain Expectation of our BlefTed Change, when we mail depart in chrift • when, we fhall rife a- gain, and be for ever with the Lord; Where- i Theft 4. 1 7, fore, as the Apoftle concludes, Comfort J 8- one another with thefe Words.

And this brings me in the laft Place, III. To apply thefe* Words to our Comfort in the Death of this Great and Good Man, whofe Re- mains lie now before us.

For if Innocency of Life, if Probity of Manners, if an unfpotted Converfation, and a conftant Gourfe of virtuous A&ions, if Piety towards God, and Love to Men, can give us any Hope that he is Bleffed, we may comfort our felves in this flrong AiTurance, that he fleets in Jefus ; that his Soul is received into the Taradife of the Bleft'd, and there waits in a Joyful Ex-

C 2 pe<5latto»

1 6 A Funeral Sermon.

pe&ation of its Perfitt Confumntatton and Blip, of its Re- union to his Body., which tho' now mouldring into Duft, (hall be glorify'd in the Refurredion.

And now while we pay this juft Debt to his Me* mory, while we gather Comfort from his Life, we may be inftru&ed by his Example, of Excellent Ufa in this degenerate Age, to enforce the Practice of negleded Virtue, and reftore Nobility to its Ancient Luftre. I fpeak in an Audience that knew him well : J may fall fhort of his due Praifes; but I : have this Confidence, I am fure, in the Judgment of you all, that I can't exceed in his Commendation. Virtues, like his, fnould not be concealed ; and tho' he made no Oftentation of them, while he lived, yet they ought to Jpeak, when lat u dead, and not be buried in his Grave.

He was of High Defcent, of Ancient Nobility in a long Courfe of great Alliances with the beft Fami- lies in the Kingdom, and from the firft Earl of Rut- land, related to the. Royal Blood in the Perfon of a Daughter of the Houfe ofTork, Sifter to King Edward the Fourth.

And as far as the Memory of his Anceftors is yet preferved, he was not only defcenJed from Great, tut Good Progenitors : A rare Felicity remarkable in his Line, which from Father to Son has yielded a Sue- cedion of Virtuous Men, and entailed a Bleffing on the Family, which is ftill transmitted to Pofterity ; for the Virtues of the Father are flill living in the Son, and will furvive in the Children of his Son. Of fo great Force is the Example of Virtue in the Parents, 'through the Grace of God, to form the Manners, and fix the Virtue of their Children.

He was himlelf a Perfon of Eminent and Unble- mifhM Virtue, of a Kind and Noble Nature, Bene- volent to all, and Magnificent, as became him, but without Vanity and Oftentation*

He

A Funeral Sermon. 17

He felt the Infirmities of Age, but without the Mo- rofenefs chat attends them ; His Good Nature pre- fervM him from it. He was Eafy hirnfelf, and lov'd to have others ib; and his greateft Pleafure was to fee all pleas d about him.

He was a Wife and Underftanding Man ; He did nothing in Hafte or Hurry j He confider'd well before he rf foiv'd, and fo juftly, that he feldom changed his Refolution ; He was Conftant and Steady in his Tem- per., which made him a Valuable and Faithful Friend; He had a Great Senfe of the Religion of his Word and Honour, which made him not forward to "Promife9 but certain to Perform.

In his Publick Station he appeared but felddm, and lived for many Years in a Noble Retirement ; His Love of Quietnefs firft drew him from the Crowd and $uftle of the World ; Afterwards his Years fitted him for Eafe and Reft, and made that NecefTary at Laft, which was his Choice at Firft : But his Private Life was a Blefling to the Publick, and his Caftle like fome happy Star, diffufed its kindlnSuences on all the Country round him.

To our Gracious jQueen he was a moil Loyal Sub- ject ; He honour d Her while he lived, aiid prafd for Her with his dying Breath : He was a True Lover of his Country, of our Church and Conftittition, and as far 'as ever I had the Honour to hear him expreis himfelf on thofe Points, the Prerogative of the Crown, and Liberty of the Subject were dear to him : He cfteem'd the Crown the Honour and Safeguard of the Nobi- lity, and the Liberties of his Country the Glory of our Land : And therefore he join'd heartily in the Revolution , he honour'd the late King as our Deliverer, 'and thought it the happieft Circumftance of that- great Event, that- in the Perfons of the late ^uesn ar.d Hint the Monarchy was preferved , while our Liber- ties were fecur'd, and that the Blefltngs of this Reign,

that

1 8 A Funeral Sermon,

that the Queen fits Peaceably on the Throne of Her Anceftors , are owing to the Eftablifliment of the Former. ;

He lived and died in Communion with the Church of England • and as he was a Noble Patron to the Clergy, in the Free and Honourable Donation of his Preferments, fo he always treated them with a Regard, that looked more like a Condefcenfion in him, \han a Debt to them, efpecially if we confider the Uiage and Humour of the Prefent Age.

To all Men he was Courteous and Affable, and as he was never wanting in the greateft Civilities to the Gentry round him., they ever paid him the greateft Honour and Refpe&. He had the true Secret to pre- ferve a Due-Regard to himfelf, while by the Gravity, the Kindnefs, and EafineTs of his Deportment, he wasbelov'dand reverenc'dby all that approached him.

To his Children and his Children's Children, he was a Kind and Indulgent Father : He ftudied not only their Happinefs -and Welfare, but their Eafe and Contentment. And his Son, who now fucceeds him, may truly fay, He has loft a Father : A Father who delighted in nothing more, than his Satisfaction ; and if Parents would learn from this Example to treat their Children with more Affection, no H?irs could be tempted to look whb impious Eyes irto their Father's Tearf.

To his Servants he was a Juft and Righteous, a Good and Noble Lord: He underftood Fidelity andDi- ligence, and would rewardthem : He iov'd his Servants, and lov'd them the more, the Older they grew in his Service : He was never Loud and Boifterous : His Language was never Undecent : He underftood him- felf too well to demean himfelf fo before them : He was Patient of their Neglects, and eafily pleafed with their Performance ; And I may add, that thofe who were long with him, and in nearer Attendance- on him, he treated with the Humanity of a Friend, not with the Iwperioufnefs of a Mafer. His

A Tfuneral Sermon.

His Jufticc to all Men, with whom he was concern- ed, can't be too much imitated, and commended : The. Hire oftht Labourers, was never in his Hand, and the Courfe of his Payments was Juft, and Pundual in Weight and T"iwe.

He had a Large and Noble Revenue, and he ma- naged it as Nobly. Hofpitality and Charity call'd for large Supplies, and they were never .wanting ; Both were Gonftant and Uninterrupted. His Table. was always fornifhed like the Table of -a True English No- blemanjand carried more Refemblance of Antlent Hof- • pitalitj, than Modern Decorations : For he loved the Old Englift Ways and Cuftoms, and alj, was Hearty and Subftantial at his Board.

And as Plenty lived within, his Charity flowed in large Streams without, and refrefh'd not only the • Poor at his Gates, but the Poor about him to a wide Circumference. The Springs that fed thefe Streams were conftant, and never fail'd. They always ran in a full Current, never grew fhallow in any Part., but oftentimes overflowed in many.

He enlarged this Hofpital firft founded by hjs Ancc- flors, and endow'd it for the Maintenance of more poor Brethren. ' And having been fo Confpicuous in his Charity while he lived, and leaving fuch a Son behind him, there was the lefs Occafion for Chari- ties when he died, though thefe are not wanting to make the Bnd of his Life agreeable to the whole Courfe of it before.

And thos his Expences in the Support of his State and Dignity, but more efpecially in his Chanty and Hofpitality were very great, yet God fo bleft him, that his Means increas'd, as his Family*was enlarg- ed, and many fair Additions were made to the Origi- nal Efiate, which was much burthen'd, when he firft enter'd on it : But then we" may confider, that as- God bleft him, he was alfo Careful and Frugal, tfobly

and

A Funeral Sermon.

and Splendidly Frugal indeed in his Management. He had no Vices, and no Follies to maintain • and his Ex- amfle may teach our Nobility, as many as want to learn this LeiTbn, How 'very Nobly they may live, how much in being Jufl and Charitable they may «e«/, and at the .fame time improve their Fortunes, inftead of debafing their Honour, and mining their Eftates.

God was Merciful to him, and bleft him in all his Ways : He was the only Son of his Family for a long Time; but he lived to fee from his laft Happy Mar- riage a Numerous and Hopeful Offspring : His Chil- dren that furvive, he married into Great and Noble Families, His Son to a nioft Excellent "Lady, whom he highly refpeded, His Daughters to two Noble Lords of great Honour and Virtue. One is not. The Other, and his Virtuous Con fort, live pcrfetft Patterns of True Piety, and Conjugal Affection. And from thefe Marriages he favv a moil promifmg Iffbe, and at his Death, as in his Life, he praifed and glorify *d God for thefe 3 and all other his Mercies to him.

His laft Sicknefs he took- Patiently, and refigned himfelfto God : He bleifed his Children, arid de- parted this Life in Peace : He died FuU cf Tears, and Honour, and of good Works, and doubtlefs his Works follow him, and hejlceps in Jefus.

For a Conclufiontherefore,let us imitate in our pro- per Spheres the Example of his Vircuejand comfort our felves in his Death with the lure and certain Hope of his Happincfs : If we lov'd him Living, let us fo behave our felves, that we may be bleft with him when we Die. And God Almighty grant, that ar the End of our Liyes+\\Q may attain theJW of our Hopes, even the Salvation of our Souls thro3 Jefns Chrift our L.ril, To whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit, bs all Glory for Ever, and Ev;r. Amen. .

F I N I S.

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY

Los Angeles This book is DUE on the last date stamped below.

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