SOlomon the Wise tells us; To every thing there is a Season, and a Time, a Time to be Born, and a Time to Die, a Time to Mourn, and a Time to Re­joyce, Eccles. 3.1. &c.

I doubt not, All the Godly and the Se­rious, and Sensible here present, will readi­ly [Page 2]acknowledge with me, That this is a Time to Mourn: But will it not look like the adventuring on a Paradox, to af­firm to you▪ That it is also a Time to Re­joyce?

A Time it is indeed to Mourn for the loss of so dear a Relatîon, and so Pious and Christian a Friend: But are we not Chri­stians as well as Men? And while Na­ture feeles, sighs, nay sinks at the dismal Loss of Friends, or Relations; Grace should triumph over Nature, and Faith over Sense. While we are bemoaning their loss, we should be Rejoycing in the Crown and Glory of Saints, of which number she was we have so great Reason to be assured. Our Deceased Friend was one of their Num­ber, who by their Holy Conversation give a plain, and sensible demonstration of the Power of the Principles of our Holy Pro­fession, both by their Life, and their Death; For Words have not that Energy and Force, that Action and Conversation hath; a shining Life, and a triumphant Death, per­swade beyond all the Power of Argu­ment, or charms of Rethoric.

And concerning the not only unblamea­bleness, but Piousness of her Life, for whose Death we now Mourn, it was so well known to all that knew her, that she hath therein a better Character, than I can give her; for modesty of Stile, and Reserves of Expression become me, when I consider the [Page 3]Modesty and Humility of her Deportment, through the whole of her Life.

I come therefore now to the Text I have proposed to Discourse upon. The whole Text is drawn in Figures, borow­ed from the Olimpic Games, well known in the Times, and Places in which the A­postle wrote. Games appointed for all the activities of Persons, prepared by Frame, and Constitution of Body, Vigour of Mind, and Inclination, and strictly Disciplined, Dieted, and Exercised thereunto: Such an allusion is at other times made use of by the Apostle, as 1 Cor. 9.24. And being Sanctified by the Divine Spirit, is most elegant and expressive of holy Senses.

In this Place The Apostle of the Gentiles gives us under these Emblems a threefold Character of himself; and then sets out the Prize.

1. His Encountring, and Combating all the Temptations of Satan within, and of the World without; wherein he Fought, not as one that beateth the Air, but at sharps (as they say) with great effect for Offence and Defence, as those Combatants alluded to used to do.

2. He (who received the Prize) Finished his Course. Therein he alludes to those, who Run in a Race that they might Obtain: He Ran not as in certainly: He Ran the whole Course of Doing and Suffering, and of his Ministry, and Apostleship, the whole [Page 4] Race set before him to the very Mark.

3. He kept the Faith, the great Faith of the Gospel, in union to the Crucified Je­sus, which was the scandal of the Jews and Gentiles; even the Cross of Christ, and the Obedience of Faith in all the Ho­liness, Mortification to the World, and the Lusts of it within, and without; and doth extend to all kinds of Suffering, Heavenly­ness of Mind, and Conversation: Hereby he behaved himself, as a mighty Champion, that by no means would let go his Hold, or Deposium, the Pearl of great Prize, or surrender it to the violence against it.

And so he leads us to the second Part of this great Text, under the same al­lusion, The Crown, or the Prize; not the Cornuptible Crown of those Games, but the Incorruptible; to which the A­postle refers, a Man is not Crowned except he strive Lawfully; and herein he thus expresses himself; Henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness, which the Righteous Lord shall give me.

Before I begin with the First Chara­cter, I would consider the Apostles Ex­pression of himself; I have Fought, I have Finished, I have Kept. Now it is certain the Apostle, who acknowledges himself chief of Snners, and least of Saints, would not speak of himself, as in, or of, or by himself; but is to be interpreted by 1 Cor. 15.10. &c. By the Grace of God I am what [Page 5]I am; and not I, but the Grace of God that was with me. And Gal. 2.10. I Live, yet not I; but Christ Liveth in me. Altho' therefore at the first view, the Apostle may appear, as a self-Subsisting, a self Confident Person in that three fold (I:) Yet when we duly weigh what he says in those places, Not I [...] It shews, when he speaks thus, he considers himself as in Christ the Head, and Saviour of the Body, who re­presented his, in all he Did and Suffered. But further, He is in all his united to him by Faith, He doth all their Works in them, and for them, and thus in him, by the Pow­er they receive from him, by being strong in the Grace, that is, in Jesus Christ. They do all, They do, so that the Apostle when he saith, (I) does not mean himself, by (I) as single, solitary, divided from Christ; but as in him, by him; as to the Strength, Life, Principle he acted from. He did all in Christ; and not only so, but as the Power, and the Action flowing from it was in Christ; So the acceptance, the ma­king up the Imperfections, the taking a­way the Guilt, the Corruption; The set­ting him free from the Law of Sin and Death; In regard of condemnation falling upon Sin dwelling in him. In all this, he looks wholly to Christ; and so his Figh­ting, Finishing his Course, keeping the Faith, Are to be limited; Not I, but Christ a­lone did all in me and was accepted for me in all.

This is therefore, the not only Encour­agement, but the very support, nay more, the subsistnce of Saints in all their holy Action and Motion: All is in Christ.

And this is their consolation in the midst of so many Clouds of Guilt, and Imperfection; that they have a faithful and merciful high Priest who makes Reconcili­ation; and perfumes their Persons, and services with his much Incense. And tho' many are ignorant of this great Gospel Do­ctrin, this was the consolation of our Friend in her Dying Hours.

Now this Explication of the Apostles as it shuts out on one side all the Pharisaic Boasts in our selves, all the Self-righteous­ness and Self-sufficiency of Legalists; so it ut­terly condemns all the Licentious pretensions of Carnalists, to live as they please; or to be Slothful, Negligent, Careless, Unactive in these great Transactions: For though they live all in Christ, depend wholly on Him for acceptance; yet all His are under the Holy Constraints of Love, and the Obli­gations of Filial Obedience; and Christ in them is a Principle of Spiritual Life, and Highest Activity. So that they can neither be loose or plead Liberty as a Cloak of Wick­edness, nor be dull, and stupid in the ways of Christ. And herein our Deceased Friend had learned Christ; In all things sensible of Duty; but Living as to Justification and Ac­ceptance with God above. With those, who [Page 7] [...]re the Circumcision, Worshipping God in the Spirit, rejoicing in Christ Jesus; and having [...]o confidence in the Flesh, and so she was able, [...]hough so young a Person, to sing the Song of Victory: O Death Where is thy Sting? )h Grave! Where is thy Victory? I thank God through Jesus Christ my Lord, who hath [...]iven me the Victory. This made Her ear­ [...]estly desire a remove out of the Body, and [...]o be with Christ.

Thus I have given the True Evangelical sense of the Apostle placing so much upon himself, I have Fought, and Finished, and Kept. 'Tis but as if he had said, I have, [...] can do all things through Christ strength­ [...]eing me: and I can look look upon all with Joy and Triumph, because all my Impurities and Imperfections are answered for, and my Person is washed with the pure Water of his Sacrificing Blood.

Let us then consider the great sence of the Apostle; I have faught a good Fight. Wherein he comes forth in the strength of Jehovah Jesus Christ the Lord of Hosts. As David the Warrior of the Lord, under the Captain of Salvation. Resolved, and arm'd [...]t all Points; and that had with Courage [...]nd Fidelity, almost now to the very last, carried on so far, as his Station reach'd, [...]he full Conquest and Victory of Jesus Christ, he is now triumphing over all Ene­mies.

For the Explaining of this warfare, in [Page 8]the warrs of the Lord, as they are stil'd Numb. 21.14. We are to consider the Grea [...] Lord mighty in Battle, who arms all his even the Lord Jesus, who appoints them▪ who are therefore stiled Good Soldiers of Jesus Christ, who hath Redeemed them from being slaves of Justice, of Wrath, of Satan; and they therefore are said to over come by the Blood of the Lamb. So their very setting out is by his Blood; They are Arm'd by him with Courage, Spirit, and Might within. He teaches their hands to War, and their Fingers to Fight; by him they run through a Troop, by him they leape over a Wall; it is he that Girdeth them with strength to the Battel, that they may help the Lord against the mighty; and that all Enemies may be subdued to him; and trherefore the Fight is called a good Fight with great Reason.

1. The Apostle had to Fight with him­self, his carnal Reason to Throw down the strong holds of that, to bring every thought into Captivity to Christ, all those high Thoughts of self-Righteousness, to slight all conferences with Flesh and Blood, and to repel them, when tempted to such dis­loyal Treaties; to bring under the Law o [...] his Members that warred against the Law of his Mind, and would bring him int [...] Captivity to the Law of Sin, and Death to bring under subjection that carnal Mind that is enmity to God; not subject to the Law [Page 9]of God, nither indeed can be; that in dwelling Sin. All those Willings and Lustings a­gainst the Spirit; In regard of which, the Apostle Expresses himself in the Langu­age of a Combatant in those Games, that deals the most subduing, and mortifying Strokes and Blows; so he upon all Bodily Inclinations and Lusts. And this is one great Point of the good Fight, the A­postle reviews with so much comfort: But it is in Christ, and through Christ, by whom, in whom as Crucified with him, the Flesh with its Lusts and Affections are Crucified and not in, or by himself.

2. The Apostle had to Fight with the World, in all both its inticements and bland­ishments, and in regard of its Threats, Rages, and Persecutions; In both regards saith He, I am Crucified to the World, and the World to me, Gal. 6.14. But it is in Christ, and his Cross alone enabled Him.

3. He had to Fight with all the Enemies of the Gospel of Christ, in resistance to the Grace of Christ in the Hearts of all, to whom He Preached; For speaking of the Preaching of the Gospel, He saith, The Weapons of our Warfare are mighty: So with the open professed Oppositions to the Truth of Christ in his Redemption. To the Jews a Scandal; as it it was contrary to all the Revelation of God, in the Old Testament; and to the Gentiles Foolishness, [Page 10]as if it had no Agreement with the Rea­son, Learning, and Wit of Men of Un­derstanding, and Accomplishment, 1 Cor. 1.23.

4. He had to Fight with the Powers of Darkness, Spiritual Wickednesses in high Places; as every Christian hath, For as He says, we War not; That is, not principally; a­gainst Flesh, and Blood, but against Principalities and Powers, the Rulers of the Darkness of this World. And for the maintaining this Fight, He had the same necessity with all Saints; To take to himself the whole Armor of God, that he might stand in the evil day, and having drne all to stand, Eph. 6.10.

5. All the Persecutors, and their cruel­ty, like the Beasts of Ephesus, in what Sense soever taken, He had to Fight with; wherein He suffered, as an evil doer; and was Killed all the Day long. But in all, He was more than a conqueror, through him who Loved him.

6. He had to Fight with Guilt, Death and the Grave, the Wrath to come; and with all the unbelief of his own Heart; But he over came by the continual Application He made to the Death and Resurrection of Christ Je­sus, who Loved him, and gave himself for him, in whom he desired to be Found. So that he Ran up to that assurance, to make that challenge, who shall lay any thing to my charge, as one of Gods Elect; to be assured, That neither Life, nor Death, Things pre­sent, [Page 11]nor Things to come, should be able to separate him from the Love of Christ; and so he could Sing that Triumphant Song; Oh Death where is thy Sting? Oh Grave where is thy Victory? The Sting of Death is Sin; the Strength of Sin is the Law, but thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord, as in the case of the Body of Sin and Death. All he places still in Christ; and thus we see on all accounts, The Apostle Fought a good Fight, and through Christ had the Prospect of a High and Noble End of the VVar, that is, of Victory.

Head 2. I come then to the Second Point of the Apostles Triumphing Declaration of his own State in Christ; I have finished my course; That we may rightly apprehend, Here are two things to be understood by it.

I. The General course of a Christian State in its own Motion, Action, Conversati­on, from the Time of Conversion unto the very Hour of Death. This was one thing the Apostle understood by his course, for God having drawn out the Line of Life, as he hath seen fit for every one of his Servants; Their course of Christian Action is by him drawn out proportionable; So that there is no part to be unadorn'd; Something of Pub­lick, Private, Secret, [...]nholy Action is to be applyed to every part of it; There must be a Running to obtain: It is called therefore Running the Race, that is set before us; Looking to Jesus; to shew in whose strength [Page 12]the whole Race is run; So, It is expressed con­cerning David, by his serving his Generation according to the will of God; and of Johns ful­filling his course, as a Servant of God in a Holy Conversation, besides his Ministerial service: How many great concernments hath every Christian to look to; His Implantation into Christ, Renovation, New Creation; The In-dwelling of the Spirit, the Graces, and Fruits of it; His Living, walking in the Spi­rit; The work of Faith with Power; Sorrow after God working Repentance to Salvation never to be Repented of. The constraining Love of Christ, the living to him, the dying Dayly; Converse with the Word of God, Hear­ing, Reading, Meditation, Holy Discourse, Prayer, Thanksgiving; Self-denyal, Suffer­ings, being made meet to be Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light: All these with much more set before us in Scripture, shew us, what the Race of a Christan is; what his course is; Now to find our Heart engag'd herein, with all earnestness Pressing forward to reach the mark by the utmost stretch and extending our selves to it, is what the Apo­stle speaks of himself: He had run on in this Christian course, on this Line, to very near the End of his Line of Life; and it is a Glo­rious Review of a sincere, much more of an Eminent Christian; while he can behold Christ, the Alpha, and Omega, the Beginning, and End of All; All the Haltings, the Falls, False-steps, the many Lingerings, made up, [Page 13]Answered, and Attoned for by the Au­thor, and Finisher of our Faith, who for the Joy sett before Him, ran the whole course, the Father Lin'd out to Him, Doing always the things pleasing in his sight; Who set every step according to his Obediential Love to the Father, and thefore went forth to his Death with highest Resolution; Let us Arise (saith he) and (John 14.31.) Go hence: He endured the Cross, despised the shame, and is set down on the right hand of the Majesty on High: And thus his servants follow his steps, and so we have reason to hope of this his Servant, that she was swift, she Finished her course, she Finished the course she was sett in, though a more pri­vate, and retired one, before she was Pro­hibited, as the true sense of that word, we Translate (Not suffered) signifies, Heb. 7.21. To continue any longer therein.

2. There is yet a higher, and more ex­alted sense of the Apostle Finishing his course; not a more substantial or Funda­mental sense; For that is indeed the Fun­damental; All the redeemed of Christ in, and by him, running their course, and so entring into their Masters Joy; but there was also in all times a more Publick, and high sphere of Action; Into which God hath been pleased to raise some of his servants; and there hath not been a high­er, then the Ministry of the Gospel and most particularly, the Apostolick; and t [...] [Page 14]this undoubtedly the Apostle had regard, when he here saith, I have Finished my course.

For herein the Apostle had a Line given to him and a measure, the measure of the Line, which he would not stretch himself, nor into other Mens Labours, but according the Rule or Line prescribed him by God, 2 Cor. 10.13, &c. And this was so abundant, that he Laboured more abundantly, then any other, 1 Cor. 15.10. He was the Apostle of the Gentiles, Ministring the Gospel of God so to them, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be a Sacrifice, Acceptable to God by Jesus Christ, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit; which was indeed a high sphere of Christian Gospel-Activity; and whereof he saith, He might Glory; And the Line was so every way enlarged, that he Preached the Gospel round about from Je­rusalem to Wyricum, Rom. 15.16, &c. He did fully, or Fulfil to Preach the Gospel of Christ, and He strived to Preach where Christ had not been Named; And all this was made efficacious, by Mighty Signs, and Wonders, by the Power of the Spirit of God. So that it was best for the Churches, and more needful he should continue, though to his loss, Phil. 1.21. In all this Notwith­standing; He was most mindful to ascribe all to Grace, 1 Cor. 15.10. By the Grace of God he was All, that He was; [Page 15]and after all his Discourse of his Line, and measure, He concludes; He that Glori­eth, Let him Glory in the Lord, 2 Cor. 10.17. The Apostle Finished this course, under and by the High Priest, and Apostle of our Profession, whose the fupreme Glo­ry in all is; Inasmuch as He, who Built the House hath more Honour, then the House; whose House with all Prophets, Apostles, and Saints, Heb. 3.1. The Apo­stle was; For He, who Built All Things in his Church, is God and our Saviour Je­sus Christ.

Head 3. I come now to the third Head, or Character, the Apostle gives of himself. I have kept the Faith: This Completes the whole: Herein the Apostle speaks again, as a mighty Champion, that retain'd the Riches of Faith, Much more precious, then of Gold, that Perisheth: The Faith he retain'd with such a Might, and would by no means suffer it to be forced out of his Hand.

1. That Great Principal, and most essen­tial Faith, the Apostle kept, or held fast, is Jesus Christ Himself, and his Righteousness, who is pleased, because he himself is indeed the All of Faith, [...]o be styled Faith it self, Gal. 3.23.

2. It is the whole Truth of the Gospel, as the Apostle Jude gives it the Honourable Title of the Faith once, at once, once for All; Delivered to the Saints, Jude 3. Com­prizing [Page 16]the Righteousness of Faith by which the Just Live, and receive even full assur­ance of understanding: The Righteousness of God revealed from Faith to Faith; The Faith embracing the truth that is after Godliness, which whoever walks contrary to, denies the Faith; The Faith that looks to the Eternal State and Condition; which Hymeneus and Philetus, denying by saying, The Resurrecti­on was past already, overthrew the Faith of some. This the Apostle held fast in all the senses of it, now given, and would by no means part with, or betray to any Seducers, or Adversaries of one sort, or other; as was before asserted under the first Character of Fighting a good Fight.

3. The inward Grace of Faith in the Heart, and Holy confession of which the Apostle saith, Rom. 10. With the Heart, Man believes unto Righteousness, and with the Mouth confession is made to salvation; The Life, he liv'd by the Faith of the Son of God, who loved him and gave himself for him. The Faith even the Plerophory of it, sprinck­ling the Heart from an Evil Conscience by the Blood of Jesus, the Faith, by which we have Peace with God, the faith that embraces the Promises, by which we cleanse our selves from all Filthiness of Flesh, and Spirit; the sheild of faith, The Apostle Exhorts above all to take, to quench the fiery Darts of the Devil; The faith, by which the Elders ob­tained so Honourable a Testimony, and Me­mory, [Page 17]Heb. 11. In all those their great Acts; The faith that passes through all afflictions, temptations, and tryals, till those Pillars are set up with this Inscription, Rev. 13. Here is the Faith and Patience of the Saints, here are they, who keep the Commandments of God, and hold the Testimony of Jesus; Lastly the faith, the very presence of things hoped for, raises to that Plerophory of hope, that enters within the Veil. All Saints with the Apostle who by faith have dyed, and slept in, and by Jesus, and are entred into rest with him, even as this servant of the Lord hath lone by the same faith; and whom God even our Lord Jesus will bring with him, the Living remaining Saints shall not Anticipate; The Lord my God will come, and all his Saints with him: But in all this faith, our whole subsistence is in, and by the Au­thor, and Finisher of Faith.

And so we are come to the second part of the Text; Henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness; This is the Prize of the High Calling of God in Jesus Christ; Eternal Glory, the Eternal Inheritance, Eter­nal Redemption; the whole Excellency, Glo­ry, and Blessedness of the Eternal State is the Inheritance of the Saints in Light; which is alone by Jesus Christ in us, the Hope of Glory reserved in Heaven: This the Lord as a Righteous Judge gives, and he gives as a Crown of Righteousness; Because Jesus Christ hath purchased it with his own [Page 18]Blood, and Obedience; And in him, it i [...] that Saints are able to subsist in this Eterna [...] Glory; Being made like him, by seeing hi [...] as he is; but most Glorious, herein is tha [...] State, He in the Father, the Father in Him and Saints hereby in Christ, and in the F [...] ­ther; and the Love wherewith the Fathe [...] Loved Him, even before the Foundation [...] the World is in them, because He is in them and in all this the Son Intercedes with th [...] Father, as a Righteous Father, John 17.2 [...] &c.

To open this part of the Text, accordin [...] to the Tenor of the present Discourse, [...] far, as we have proceeded.

1. That expression of the Apostle; Hen [...] forth, or as the word in the Greek signifie [...] [...], That which remaineth is, there [...] laid up for me, &c. An expression suitab [...] to this is that, Heb. 4.9. There remaineth rest for the People of God; This hath [...] Immutable certainty; If the Judgment wicked Men be laid up in store with Go [...] and Sealed among his treasures, Deut. [...] 34. How much more the Salvation, [...] Glory, and Blessedness of his Saints: It as cerrain, and much more certain, the [...] in themselves, the precedent Fighting [...] good Fight, &c. For their assurance is not themselves; They would fail and come [...] hind, as Combatants not obtaining the Pri [...] If all the certainty were in themselves; the Angels not Elect, and Adam fail'd, or f [...] [Page 19]short: But the Prize it self to be given to them, who do Fight, and Run, is in the nature of the thing out of themselves, and in God alone; and is assur'd by his Righteousness, and Veracity, that cannot fail. This re­mainder is so Connexed, as not possible to be separated, from what went before; and more Impossible by far to fail, then what went be­fore, as in us, but as all is sure in the Great surety, It is to be fulfilled in all his; Even as the Debt He paid for them is set far above all doubts.

2. In this assurance of the Prize, the Apostle speaks so triumphingly of, he says, The Lord, the Righteous Judge shall give me; He Styles the Lord, the Judge, and the Righ­teous Judge, in agreement with the custom of those Games; In which there was a Per­son, solemnly constituted, who should ad­judge the Prizes, and Determine the Law­fulness of the striving, as the Apostle says, a Man is not Crowned, except he strive Law­fully. And it was expected from such a Person in that State of Honour, that he should be Fair, Equal, and Just in all his Judgment, and Determination; and it as­sures the Judgment of the Lord to be in all things, admirable for its greatest Equity, Righteousness, and Judgment; For the Righ­ [...]eous Lord Loveth Righteousness, Psal. 11.7. And thus in allusion to this in that so known Seat of allusion to these Games, the Apostle says; I keep under my Body, and with the Auste­rest [Page 20]methods, Bring it into subjection; Least while I Preach to others; I my self should become one Rejected, to whom the Prize is not Judg'd; one unworthy the Prize; Be­cause he who Determines, is a Righteous Judge, and will not be Imposed upon with outsides, or Formalities.

But here the great doubt is, where is the Saint to be found, who can stand before a Judge, a Righteous Judge, such a Righteous Judge as the Lord is?

And the alone Answer is, according to what hath been said already; That it de­pends wholly upon what hath been done by the Captain of their salvation; His Obedi­ence and his Sacrifice, the Author, and Fi­nisher of Faith; What he hath done with­out them; That, in which he was wholly alone, and none of his with him; and that which he works in all his, as their Head of Life, and Influences; making them strong in the Grace, that Resides supremely, and vi­tally in Himself, and flows continually into them; and that by way of inward Resi­dence and Possession, by his Dwelling in them, John 6.57. And they in him; Even as the Living Father sent him, and he Lives by the Father, so all Believers live by Him and in Him;

This then being the Fundamental Merito­rious Account; Christ All, and in All, there is a Glorious, Resplendent Justice, and Equi­ty in Gods Adjudication of the Prize to all [Page 21]Saints in Him; Because there is an exact Ballance, between what is Christs, and the Glory of the Crown, and of the Prize; So that Scripture delights in the use of the Word, Just, Righteous, Righteousness in the Admensuration to all in Christ at that Day Just, and the Justifier of Him that believes in Jesus; He is Just to forgive us our Sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousuess, by way of Acquitance, and Judiciary dis­charge; because, The Blood of Jesus Christ his Son hath by satisfaction, and Sacrifice for sin, first cleansed from all unrighteousness, 1 John 1.10. And there is an Illustrious En­sign of Justice, and Righteousness, in the Judgment of God, [...]; And a Flag of De­fyance against all Adversaries, the Calum­nies of Malicious Devils, and enraged Spi­of wicked Men, 2 Thes. 1.5, &c. Hung out; (we translate a manifest token) in that Day, a Day of Adjudging the Prizes; That Day of the Revelation of the Righteous Judgment of God, Rom. 2.5.

And therefore the Crown is call'd, as in some places a Crown of Glory, 1 Pet. 5.4. And a Crown of Life; So here a Crown of Righteousness, as due to Christ in his; though to us, as in our selves, It is a Crown given, the Gift of Free Grace; as Eternal Life, op­pos'd to Death the wages, due demerit, or desert of Sin: It is Free Gift in Jesus Christ, upholding the Glory of Justice, and Righ­teousness in that Gift.

3. The Crown (says the Apostle) shall be given at that Day; There are two Times eminently Styled in Scripture, that Day.

1. The Day of the first opening of the Glory of the Gospel; and after a time of Eclipse by the Anti-christian Apostacy, shin­ing out again in Glory; In which first and last the great Prophecies of Scripture are Fulfilled; we find therefore often in the Pro­phet; In those Days, and In that Day, as all Compriz'd under that great Point of time, the Fulness of time; the appearance of Christ in the Flesh, Gal. 4.4. And the time from thence running to his appearance.

2. The, that Day of the Appearance of Jesus Christ, and of his Kingdom; as they are joyn'd a little before the Text; that Ful­ness of All I imas, when all shall be placed, that is Happy and Blessed under their Head, Eph. 1.10. And so that Day is often used in the Epistles of the Now Testament; as here, and continually; that Great Day, that Day, wherein shall be so Glorious an Unveiling, a Revelation of the things, that have now been kept secret, but shall then be sett out in the truest, and most Glorious Light; The Beauty of every thing in its own pro­per season, to which God hath referr'd in that General Table of time, God hath drawn, and that Solomon gives in short the Heads off, in that so wise Book, the Book of Ecclesiastes, or of the Preacher. At the End of the several events, there recorded; [Page 23]saying, God hath made every thing Beauti­ful in its season; But, because it does not, or may not without wise References to that Eternal World be understood to be so; He says, God hath sett Eternity, or the Eternal World in their Hearts, Eccl. 3.1, &c. Then also are all the Great Misteries of the Gospel shall be clearly unfolded, and laid open; All the various dealings of God with his own, and with the Men of his present Hand, and might; the Men of this World; shall be un­riddled, and disengaged from all their Darks, and Intricacies, and the Crown sett with Glory, and the Glory of Righteousness on all his Saints: And this because it is the Reve­lation of the Righteous Judgment of God; And then as the wicked shall be all in Hor­ror, Tribulation, Anguish, and Amazement; So Christ will be Glorified in the Saints, and Admired, in all them, who believe, who have Fought the Good Fight, so as not to beat the Air; They have run not as Incertainly, and as in Naval Contests, have not Ship­wrack'd, but held fast the Faith: And so the Crown Adjudg'd to them by the Righteous Judge of the Combatants, and their Activi­ties in and through their great Agonothetes, Jesus Christ and the supreme Agonistes, Ma­ster of All, and cheif Combatant.

4. The Apostle joyns with himself all those, who, Love the appearing of Jesus Christ, as those, whom the Righteous Judge will give the Crown of Righteousness unto, [Page 24]And this expression offers two considerations to us.

1. That seeing, the Apostle gives this short Character of Saints in General, and not so particularly, (as Fighting the good Fight; Finishing all their course, and keeping the Faith,) but Loving the appearance of Je­sus Christ; It shews, there may be; and there is a different eminency of Saints; But as they all meet in the Head, Root, Corner Stone; So whatever their different measures are in making up the full sta­ture in Christ, yet they are all alike in the Glory, the Crown of Righteousness; Be­cause it is all given by grace in Christ, and so the Least, as well as the greatest are Crown'd in Him; He gives the same Crown to the Last, as to the First, even as in the Parable, Mat. 20.

2. In that all Saints Love the Appear­ance of Christ, it is made certain; They are those, that have Fought, Run, held fast the great Depositum, Committed to them, so as to obtain, and not to be rejected; the Faith, which gives them the assurance, and lifting up of the Head at the appearance of the great Judge, and Arbitrator of the Prize; and so they desire, long for, and Love his Appearance; And thus I have given a breif View, and Examination of the words of this Great Text.

Applic. That which I would now infer from the whole discourse by way of Doctri­nal conclusion, by way of Practical enforce­ment, by way of Consolation, relating to the particular occasion, shall be.

First, That we would look to it; To hold the Faith of Jesus Christ in its own Purity; For the Gospel is so pure, separate from all mixtures, as Silver Purified in a Furnace of Earth, Purified seven Times, that we must not pervert it any way; Every Word of God, Prov. 30.5, 6. Much more the Great Gos­pel-Points: Whoever add to it, or diminish from it, will be found Lyars unto it; Blessed are they that trust in i [...] It will be to them a Sheild of Salvation. As to that Great Point, Righteousness by Faith in Christ with­out works; How suddenly do Men slide down to Another Gospel under the Apostles Anathema; and yet It is not another, but the clear, pure streams of Gospel-Truth and Grace are hereby troubled; and the satis­faction, and comfort of Believers disturb'd, and the Invitingness of it to strangers much obscur'd and defiled: Now here in the sub­tility of the Enemies of the pure Doctrine of the Gospel is seen; That they being afraid to take up the Insolent, Anti-christian Word; Merit, or as the Apostle calls it, Debt. They would yet Privily bring in such a sup­posed presence of works after Grace, as sincere obedience, though not perfect into Justification, as the condition of that Cove­nant, [Page 26]upon which it justifies; even as perfect obedience was the condition of the Cove­nant of Works; and yet merit not once Named nor Allowed; Because Adams strength to work by, if he had rightly ap­plyed it, was indeed from the Bounty and Goodness of the Creator; yet as in a way of Condecency, of such a Creator to such a Creation, as the Humane Nature; that came pure and perfect out of His Hand: But what Believers do is from Grace in Christ, by and from His Spirit, Vouchsafed to Sinners, and so cannot Merit: Now this hath indeed very great Truth in it; Yet it doth not Answer the High Expression of the Gospel, excluding all Created, or Creature Righteousness in the Court of Righteous­ness, or Justification; and placing all in the Righteousness of God by Faith in Jesus Christ; In his obedience, in his Expiation, Filling up, and so replenishing that Court; That nothing else can enter, but is kept out by the Flaming Sword of the Fiery Law: Yea, Angels that never sinn'd, yet Cover their Faces, Esa. 6. and their Feet, their Excel­lency and the Nakedness, and Folly of all Created Being before Increated and con­sist in and by Christ: Christ, as the Head of Amity, and Perseverance in their Glori­ous State, and Adam, not Flying to it upon those tenders of it signifid to Him, as by that real evidence of it; That he was, and could be no more, then the Figure of Him [Page 27] that was to come, Rom. 5.12. And that His, and His Posteritys standing in Him, was only their standing in Christ; as this was also represented in those Sacramental Types, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, Gen. 2. Warning Him against subsisting in Himself, as a God knowing, or able to deter­mine Good and Evil, but to look to the Tree of Life, so great a Type of Christ; as we find in the Revelation; Nothing therefore can enter into the Court of Justification, but Poor empty single Faith Receiving, Owning, Acknowledging, Grace; Receiving Grace in Abundance, (excluding all else,) and the Gift of Righteousness by Jesus Christ alone; And to this it is enabled by Grace, and Accepted only for that Righteousness sake it does re­ceive.

As to the enforcement by way of Action, and Practice, we see in this Great Portrai­cture, the Apostle gives of a Man in Christ; that Fights the Good Fight, Finishes his Course, keeps the Faith; That a Believer in Christ is not a Loose, or an Idle, Slothful, Unactive Person; but shall appear in that Day, as of the Overcomers in those so Famed Games, or Exercises of all Prowess, Courage, Action; so as to be judg'd worthy of those Crowns of which they were so Ambitious, though but corruptible, by the justest Judges, or Arbitra­tors of them; So the Saints shall be pre­sented before the Father, the Lord Jesus, the Eternal Spirit of Holiness and before Saints, [Page 28]and Angels, to the Terror, and Amazement of all the Lost, as Persons of distinct Excel­lency; and the Overcomers, as in the Apoca­lyptic Expression is repeated; and yet all in Christ, and to the Glory, and Praise of Grace in Him; So that the Doctrine of Free Grace is indeed the most Powerful, Effective, Fruitful Doctrine of Holyness, and so is most Discriminative of Persons in Christ, and with greatest severity on those, who are not; and of those, who shall be thought worthy of the Crown, and who not; and yet without the least Injury to Free Grace in Christ.

3. Great Consolation have they, who knew our Deceased Friend; who had al­ways Admiring, Adoring thoughts of Free Grace; and thereby a great sense of Per­fecting Holiness in the Fear of God, but all through Christ strengthning Her; and in Fighting, Running, holding fast, an Eye to the Crown, but as purchased for her by Je­sus Christ; and that therefore she Loved the Appearance of Jesus; When the Crown al­ready received, shall with Glory be set up­on her at that Day.

That we may yet enter into the deeper enquiry into, and consideration of all this Triumphant Declaration of the Apostle con­cerning Himself, and all Saints in that su­preme Point; their receiving the Crown of Righteousness; I will propose to give a breif resolution of these following Points.

1. How in the lost undone State of the Children of Adam, there can arise such a Generation of Servants of God, both more eminent and smaller in this World.

2. How, or why they fall all under the Prohibition of serving God any longer here in the World, then the Finishing such a Course of service on such a Measure of their Line Prescribed by God.

3. Why this Prohibition is serv'd upon them by Death; Two Persons only, Enoch and Elias, and why they only excepted.

Herein I shall with all the care and Cauti­on according to the understanding given to me by, and from the Word of God Dis­course each of these.

Point. 1. It is indeed the wonder of Di­vine Grace, and Power; That there should have been, and are such a Generation of the Servants of God in the World, in every Age down to the present Time, in the midst of such a World of Men, Ignorant of God, Ali­enated from his Life, without God in the World, without Christ and Enemies in their Minds; so much given up to the World, and the Lusts of it, as to be called; The World and the Men of this World, in a State of En­mity to God, and his Kingdom; the Seed of the Serpent, the Dragon, Haters of his Ser­vants, and on all opportunities Slaying them; as Cair, the Seed of the Wicked one, Did Abel in the very Beginning; That yet in the midst of all these, there should be a Generation of [Page 30]Men and Women, that should be in an [...], a course, a Lincal succession of the Saints and Servants of God, like the succession, as in the House of Levi, of the Preisthood; and of the High Preisthood in the Family of Aa­ron; the more Eminent, and the less Eminent among the Servants of God; but all a Royal Priesthood; or like the Stars of the First Mag­nitude in the Regions above, and those they call, the Sporades, the Multitude of the les­ser Stars.

Now the very Root, and Foundation and Corner Stone of all this is; That Grand Elect Servant of God, in whom His Soul delight­eth; who in Raising up a Generation of the Servants of God, dealeth with all mildness; A Bruised Reed shall He not break, nor smok­ing Flax shall He quench, but shall send forth Judgment unto Truth of Victory, Esa. 42.1. That Servant of the Lord, with the Key of David on his shoulder, and strengthn'd with the Girdle of Faithfulness and Righteousness; The Nail fasten'd in a sure place, Esa. 22.20, &c. Upon whom is Hung all the Glory of his Fathers House, the off-spring, and the Issue; All Vessels of Greater and smaller Quantity, from the Vessels of Cups, even to All the Vessels of Flagons; Had not He been a Servant in the Foundation, There had ne­ver been a Servant of God in the World. It is He, who hath Loved, and washed in His Blood; and constituted Kings and Preists un­to God and His Father, Rev. 1.5.

Now the Charter of His making Servants to God among the Children of Men, was given to the Second Adam: Immediately up­on the Fall of the First Adam, so quick and immediate as to surprize the Power of Sa­than in the First Effort; when God in a Judi­clary process upon Sathan, says, to Him, under the disguise of the Serpent; I will put enmity between thy Seed and of the Woman; and this Seed of the Woman, the one Seed, Christ shall break the Head of the Serpent, Gen. 3. unto perfect Victory; and Thou shall bruise His Heel; (of which is presently to be spo­ken;) There must be therefore a Seed of the Second Adam; Servants of God in every Generation, who shall Fight, Finish their course, Hold the Faith of the Seed of the Woman, the Second Adam, the Lord from Hea­ven, the Quickning Spirit, the Saviour to the uttermost, who Lives for ever to make Inter­cession, and so sustains all the Servants of God, coming to God by Him; He Bears them up in their State of Preisthood, as the Preist for ever; Constituted after the Power of an Endless Life, consecrated by the word of the Oath for evermore; the High Preist and Apo­stle of our Profession, the Captain of our sal­vation; This supports the whole State of the Servants of God in all the Service here recounted here by the Apostle; Fighting, Running, Finishing their course in order to the Receiving the Crown: And thus the Line of the succession of the Servants of God hath [Page 32]been continued from Adam through all Ages. From Adam by the Patriarks, to Moses, Jo­shuah, the Judges, Kings, Prophets, Zerub­babel, and Ezra, so to the Great Lord ap­pearing in his Temple, Malach. 3.1. Then the Apostles, and successive Ministers of the Gospel, and the Witnesses, Revel. 11.3. in the Time of the Apostacy; who being the Last course of the Servants of God; There is an express mention of that First Represen­tation of things; the Serpent early appear­ing, as a Dragon in the Slaying Abel; and the Seed of the Woman, He endeavoured to de­vour by making War with them, by the Beast. Who kills them, and they Lye Dead in the street of the Great City; Till the Spirit of Life from God enter into them; And then the course of things goes on to the Binding the Dragon, Sathan, the Old Serpent, Chain­ing and Sealing up in the Abyss, in his own Hell and Chains of Darkness; and then af­ter a short Loosing to shew his ever remain­ing Diabolick Spirit, we have with all his Dead His Final Casting into the Lake, which is the Second Death: And thus we have the First Point cleared, How comes there to be such a Line and Succession of the Preists, or Servants of the Most High God in so De­generate a Humane Nature? And how Long? Even till they come into the Glorious State of being Preists of God and Christ, and Reigning with Him a Thousand Years; seeing His Face, as His Servants serving Him with [Page 33]His Name on their Foreheads, and at Last de­liver'd up with the Kingdom to God All in All; which is the State of pure, and perfect Eternity, Eternal Life in its Highest Orb.

Point. 2. I come therefore now to the se­cond Point; How comes it to pass, there is such a strict Limitation of the Servants of God: First under such an Honourable Limi­tation, as Fighting the Good Fight, even unto Victory; their Finishing their eourse, even unto obtaining the Prize; and their Keeping the Faith, without betraying, Basely surren­dring, or having made Shipwrack of it; and so presenting it before the Righteous Judge, and receiving the Crown at that Day; All these are Honourable, and yet Limitations; Their Fight, Course, Keeping the Faith are not Leng­then'd out to that very Day; Now of this there are very Great Reasons.

1. The Great Lord of Time hath drawn the whole time with such exactness of Wis­dom, and Holiness; That every thing is in its own Place, Season, and Time; and as it fills that up, and nothing is wanting, so it cannot exceed, nor reach beyond it; And thus Every thing is Beautiful in its season; Thus from the very Beginning; Abel the First Martyr Finished his Course, though short; Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, theirs; In the midst of whom appeared Mel­chisedec, made like to the Son of God, without Beginning of Days, or End of Life, Abridgeth a Preist continually; He was not a Type of the [Page 34] Son of God in some particular excellency, but He was made like to the Son of God througout; And thus is the Line of every Saints service drawn out, nothing can crowd into it; and this Line can by no Violence be cut shorter, nor can any Zeal for Service draw it out longer; The only Elect Servant is He, whose Service hath no Limitation; but, as was said, The Son Consecrated by the Word of the Oath for evermore; and constituted after the Power of an Endless Life: Melchisedec therefore, who was made like Him, was under no Limitation of Service in the History we have of Him: Ja­cohs Patriarchal Line reach'd even to Moses, and there ceased; Moses Faithful in All his House Run that whole, and very Great Line of Service in the Wilderness; but was so Li­mited, He must by no means enter into Cana­an, but must Dye in the Borders; And Joshu­ah must enter upon his Course; and having settled the People of Israel in Canaan, and after the Lord had given them rest round about; He Finished his course. Then came on the Days of the Judges, and their course with Samuel reached (with the Intervention of Saul) unto David, who served his Gene­ration according to the Will of God; And so the Line came down to John Baptist Fulfil­filling his course, as a Forerunner; and so to our Lord Jesus, who walked, as He said in his course here on Earth, (though as the Son, an Eternal Preist) this Day, and to Morrow; and the Third Day should be perfected. Then [Page 35]the course of the Apostles, and the Witnesses under a most Definitive Line, as hath been said: This therefore gives great satisfaction in the Term of Life; Calls for Great self-Resignation, and to have our Eye Fixed on the Great End of Life, the Line of Faith and Service.

It is true, There is a Line allowed to Evil Men in their Wickedness, and in their En­joyments of their Lusts, and Pleasures of this World; and they cannot exceed it; But this is not of the present consideration; But it is most necessary here to remember; That the Lowest and Meanest, even the Infant Ser­vants of God have their Line and Service, and the Just Times of it Fixed by God; even as their Reward; because it is wholly the Reward of Free Grace, It is in the essence of the Reward equal, as hath been argued.

2. The Time of the Servants of God is therefore Defined, and Limited; That it may be seen, God hath no need of this, or that Servant, or Generation of Servants; but that He hath successive Servants, or Generations of Servants; and He is so Far off being in want of them; That He can allow them no longer Time, how Eminent, how Excellent soever, then He hath appointed, and resolved with Himself; and of Free Grace, as their Honour and Priviledge, chosen them unto.

3. The Servants of God are many; That they may reach through, and unto the Time of his Kingdom; And each must have His [Page 36]Time; and each must therefore, of those, who go before, give way to those, who are to follow after; and so every one is Limited to his own Time; For though it may be thought; They might be together; The Wise God having appointed Times more Dark, and more Glorious; How many of his Servants are proportion'd to each, He sees, and knows, and so Limits accordingly: There was one Noah, and no more in the Old World; One Elijah only in view, in that so Fowl Apostacy of the Ten Tribes; And when the Light is clearest and most High, It must not be clear Light till his Kingdom. The General Assembly cannot be before, so each Time hath such, and such Numbers of Stars, which He telleth the Number of, and calleth them All by their Names, and knoweth, what Lustre of Rays and Beams each and together shall cast; There is a Counterpoizing consideration of Wicked Men in the World, and the Dark­ness, and Fire of Hell, they spread; But that is not within the present purpose.

4. There is a Gracious Pleasure of God; There should such Numbers of his Ser­vants be all along from Age to AGe with Je­sus Christ their Lord, Philip. 1. Dissolved from Body, and with Him in Spirit; Ab­sent from the Body, and present with the Lord, 2 Cor. 5.1, &c. And in their House not made with Hands, Eternal in the Hea­vens; And that our God may come and All [Page 37]His Saints with Him, Zech. 14. He cometh with Ten Thousand of his Saints, as the Ar­mies of Heaven on white Horses, Bodys of the Resurrection washed in the Blood of Jesus, in fine Linnen, clean, and white, Rev. 19.14. To shew, This hath been all along from the former Times of the World; There is a Re­ception in Heaven Styled, Abrahams Bosome; A Jerusalem above, the Mother of us All, that shall come down from Heaven, Gal. 4. With all its Children, Rev. 21. There is the State of the Spirits of Just Men, Heb. 12. Who shall be made perfect in Bodys, made like to his Glorious Body, Phil. 3. ult. There must be therefore a Limitation of their Time of Service here below; That they may be taken within the Veil and made acquainted with the Glory, that is to be Revealed; And the Apostle Intimates; These Dead in Christ shall have some precedency; For the Dead in Christ, shall not be prevented by the Living Remaining, as we Translate; but shall not be so much, as overtaken according to the true force of the Original; we shall not at­tain, or come equal with those asleep, 1 Thes. c. 4. v. 13. [...], Nullo Modo Asseque­mur; Now in all such Particularities, God is pleas'd to be at Liberty in dealing with His own Servants; The essential Glory, the Crown of Righteousness, the Crown of Life, the Crown of Glory being alike, sure to all: And so I have open'd the second Point pro­pos'd; The Limitation of the Time of the [Page 38]Servants of God, continuing in His Service here on Earth; I come to the Point 3d.

3. That the Limitation of their Time is made known to them in the manner of a severe, and angry Process, in the way of, what we Call, a Prohibition, the proper sense of what we Translate, not saffered, Heb. 7.23. And this is a Point worthy to be enquired into for the removing the fears of Death, and for the Consolation of Saints in Death.

1. It must then be Acknowledg'd, that the outward Face, and appearance of Death, hears the Resemblance of a Judgment, and of that Denunciation, In the Day thou Eatest, thou shalt Dye; Dust thou Art, and to Dust thou shalt return. It comes, as a King of Terrors, Flesh and Blood is ready to be af­frighted at it; Life is naturally Dear, even to the Servants of God; who desire not to be un­cloathed; They desire to continue in the Ser­vice of God here; but when they are raised by Higher Considerations of being present with the Lord, Clothed upon with their House from Heaven, they even desire to be Dissolved. And it cannot be denyed; That God doth in the Dying of his Servants bear a Regard to that Justice, and Truth of His Word; That when Sin came in, Death came in and passed upon All, because All have sinned, Rom. 5.12. When the Servants of God therefore are warm and zealous, and lively in His Service, Often there comes a Prohibition; Thou mayest no longer continue in my Service [Page 39]here; like the command to Moses, to anoint Eleazar and to strip Aaron of his Priestly Garments, who was presently to Dye; A Pro­hibition to Moses, to carry Israel over Jordan, but to come up to Mount Nebo and to Dye; Deut. 33. God plainly sent to Hezekiah, to set His House in Order and to Dye; against which Prohibition that it might be under, as it were an Arrest of Judgment, He so ear­nestly Prayed.

It is therefore to be duly considered; That for the Display of the Judgment, and Indignation of God against sin, and because of the present State of the Saints under a Remaining Body of Sin, and so of Death; and in the present State of this World, full of Sin and Evil, and of so many of the Children of Adam, Children of Death, even of the Second Death; In the Wisdom and Holiness of God, It was by the Counsel of the Father, and the Son, that Death should continue, and have the Face of a Judgment, and of a Legal Prohibition to continue in the Service of God any longer on Earth; Till the Kingdom of Christ, the Kingdom of Redemption should bring in a State of the Living Saints, then Remaining being chang'd, and not to Dye.

2. Jesus Christ our Lord, Because the Children were Partakers of Flesh and Blood, He took part of the same, that through Death, He might subdue Him, that had the Power of Death; that is, the Devil; [Page 40]and Deliver them, who all their Life were subject to Bondage by reason of the Fear of Death; and now therefore Death came upon Him with the Violence, and Terror of a Judgment from which He was taken and from Prison, Esa. 53.8. By the Mighty Power of his Resurrection; It becomes all His to submit then to the Face of a Judgment in Dying, that they may be conform'd to their Captain and from the First Born, Heb. 2.14.

Obj. It may be Objected against this necessi­ty of Dying, How were those two Enoch, and Elias, exempted from that sentence of the Righteous, and Holy Law that is stretched out so upon all; seeing sin had extended it self on them, as well, as on others?

Answ. The Death of Jesus Christ, stood as a Full Ransom, and Price of Redemption from the very first promise, so that it is not indeed a Point of Justice, or of the Truth of God; That Believers in Jesus Christ are served (as I may so speak) with a Prohibiti­on by Death; but a Wise, and Holy Dispen­sation of Government with Relation to the Servants of God in the present World; where therefore, in that wise Government God thinks sit; there might be such an ex­emption from the General Statute of Dying, or Prohibition by Death, as of Enoch and Flijah; and many more Examples of such, Exemptions, there might have been, if He had seen Good, having received such full sa­tisfaction to his Law, and to his Justice; [Page 41]and He hath it in reserve an Universal Ex­emption at the Kingdom of Christ, the King­dom of Redemption; when the Apostle says, We shall not all dye, but we shall all be chan­ged; and he prefaces before it: Behold I shew you a mystery; And I am much per­swaded and even assured; These two were Types of the Living, Remaining caught up to meet the Lord in the Air, 1 Cor. 15. When he delivers up the Kingdom to God, even the Father, and hath put down all Rule Authority, and the last Enemy Death is subdued and cast into the Lake; then shall the Living Re­maining Saints be Transposed, or caught up, as Enoch; and even conveyed to Hea­ven, as Elijah in the Charriot of that Fire, that devours the Adversaries, 1 Thes. 4.17. with Rev. 20.9, 14.

3. The Judiciary part of Death is abso­lutely removed; For the Sting of Death is Sin, and the strength of Sin is the Law, but thanks be to God who hath given us the Victory through Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. 15.12. So that Death is to Saints, a sleeping in Je­sus, a Resting from Labours, an entring in­to Rest, a becoming present with the Lord; A being with Christ, a being in Paradise, a being clothed upon with our House from Hea­ven. And to shew, It was not a Deadly stroke; Before the Pronunciation of that Universal Prohibition of continuing here; [Page 42] Dust thou Art, and to Dust thou shalt Re­turn; Death was more gently express'd, and with assurance of Victory; The Wo­mans Seed shall break the Serpents Head, but the Serpent shall only Bruise the Heel of the Womans Seed, This Body of Earth.

Applic. I will now by way of Applica­tory Review, close the whole; How fit this Context of the Apostle is to a Dis­course with Relation to the Death of one, or more of the Servants of God, appears by the Apostles Preface to it; I am even now as it were ready to be as in Conformity to my Great Lord, Offered, and Sacrificed, as a Martyr, and the Time of my Dissolu­tion is at Hand; and so He goes on, I have Fought, &c. As if He Preached his own Funeral Sermon, while Living, and a Great one it is; but it hath its Principal sense in Christ; and in God; as appears in the following Part of the Chapter, v. 17. wherein we have this Great acknow­ledgment, that in his Fighting the Good Fight, and Finishing his Course, the Lord stood with Him, strengthened Him; that by Him the Preaching might be Fully known, and the Gentiles hear; and the Lord De­livered Him, out of the Mouth of the Ly­on, the Lord would deliver Him from eve­ry Evil Work, and preserve Him unto His Heavenly Kingdom, and to Him he ascribes the Glory of All for Ever; And He In­cludes [Page 43]all Saints; Even all, who Love the appearing of Jesus Christ, in this High Elo­gium, or Speech of Praise; else I must ac­knowledge, I have no Opinion of the Large Encomiums, or Praisings used in Fu­neral Sermons, observing the Grand Exem­plar of them; Gods Gracious Remem­brance of Moses, Joshua 1. Moses my Ser­vant is Dead, and no more; and yet that Fixed so Lasting a Character of Honour upon Him; that He is remembred by it to the Last, Rev. 15. They Sang the Song of Moses the Servant of God, and of the Lamb: But this of the Apostle Joyned with that of Heb. 7.23. Gives me such a History of the Life and Death of Saints; That I cannot, but Recommend it to all the Servants of Christ, as the most excellent Rule of Life, and as the Ground of the most Consolatory Hope in Death; and that the very Discourse of it may be upon the Deceased Christian Friend, a Memorial of Honour; And so I most Humbly Recommend it to the Relations of all the Friends of the so many lately Removed Servants of God, and of this Particular one, on the occasion of whose Death it is Published; through Him, who though the Eternal Liver, as the Son of God, without Beginning, or End of Days; yet in our Nature Became Dead for our sakes; but behold He is [Page 44] Alive for Evermore; Even so have all his Servants Reason to say; Even so Amen. And He hath the Keys of Hell; and Death; Let Him Lay His Hand on the Servants of God in this Discourse, and Bless it to Them; and on his Ser­vants of all States and Conditions; saying unto them, Fear not. And to Him be Glory for Ever.