A Funeral SERMON UPON Madam BELCHER.

HOW full of rising Consolations are the Words before us! The glad Tidings of the Gospel sounding, the Light of Divine Discoveries breaking forth, our Sa­viour JESUS CHRIST appearing, abolishing the Power of Death, and bringing LIFE and IMMORTALITY to Light in this perishing and darkned World!

[Page 2] What greater or more happy Subjects can be tho't of? What more describ [...]d in so small a Compass? What more desireable, or what more welcome? The Sounding of the Jubilee through the Land of Israel, the Proclaiming Liberty for the Jewish Captives by the De­cree of Cyrus, the Springing of the Day and the first Appearing of the Sun to the Polar Regions; are all as nothing for the Joy they bring to the Sons of Men.

By the APPEARING of our Saviour JESUS CHRIST, the Context plainly leads us to apprehend his past Appearance at his Incarnation. [...] The Word, as the Learned observe, implies a clear, a bright Appearance; like the Sun emerging from a misty Cloud, despersing his enlightning Beams, and drawing the Eyes of all to view Him.^* It seems to allude to those faint and less material Apparitions of this DIVINE PERSON, to Adam, Abraham, Isaac, Jac [...]k, Moses and others in the early Ages; when He only show'd Him­self in a meer Humane Form: But when He assumed our Flesh and dwelt among us, how dim so ever his Divinity seem'd to the most about Him; yet WE, says one of his Disciples, Beheld his GLORY, the Glory of the only Begotten of the Father, full of Grace and Truth. [Joh. I. 14.]

And by the GOSPEL, which signifies a Joysul Message, we are to understand all those Accounts of our Salvation by this Divine Re­deemer which are especially reported in the New Testament.

But what is it He has accomplish'd for us upon this Appearing? The Apostle seems to Sum up all in these 2 Articles. —

• [Page 3]1. He has abolished Death, and
• 2. Bro't Life and Immortality to Light.

A great Variety of surprising Subjects are here presented: the chief of which I wou'd illustrate under these 4 Heads. —

• 1. To give some account of that Mortality which has intirely seiz'd the Race of Men.
• 2. Of that perplexing Darkness about a Future State which in­volves their Minds.
• 3. Of that Abolishment of Death which our Blessed Saviour has accomplished at his first Appearing in Humane Nature.
• 4. and lastly, Of that Life and Immortality which He then bro't to Light, and successively discovers to the evangelized Nations.

1. Of that miserable DEATH which has intirely seiz'd the Race of Men.

DEATH, as even Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato and Cicero, with other Heathen Philosophers have well defin'd it, is a Separation of the Soul and Body. For so widely different are the known Properties of Matter from the Powers of Consciousness, Perception, Contem­plation, Choice, and voluntary Motion; that they concluded these perceptive, conscious, intellectual and self-active Powers were Properties of some other Substance of a Nature essenti­ally [...]stinct from Body, which they called the Soul. And as the prel [...] State of Humane Life is the mutual and constant Influence they [...] on each other; the Separation or Destruction of this [...] Influence is Death: a Separation utterly abhorrent to the Minds of Men, and yet they are universally Subject to.

[Page 4] If we search the ORIGIN of this Ca [...]am [...]ty; the Scripture-History tell us, It arises from the bold Transgression of the Two fost Prents of all Mankind. While they subsisted in their primaeval Innocence they had no Principles or Causes of Mortality in them. And such a State indeed was but agreable to the Righteousness and Goodness of their Creator.

For however He may deal with Brutes, which are not moral Agents with respect to GOD, are not capable of his moral Govern­ment, can neither know Him nor his Laws, nor therefore brake them, nor receive from Him a proper Punishment: who have no Conceptions of a Future World, nor any different Apprehension between Death and Sleep: but in the present State, their Pains and Pleasures may be intirely adjusted: and with respect to whom, it may be no more Unkindness in their Creator to take away their Lives, then after a fatiguing Day to let them fall asleep at Night, or in that Sleep to let them expire. Yet it would seem inconsistent with his essential Justice to have created our first Pa­rents moral Agents, with Powers and Inclinations of looking for­ward to a Future State and intense Desires of Immortality, with Powers of knowing and doing his Will; and yet have made them in a natural Subjection to the Power of Death, when they had neither Guilt nor sinful Inclination in them. And it would seem inconsistent with his essential Goodness to have created them with sinful Inclinations, which must have flowed from Himself alone.

As they first came out of the Hands of their Maker, they were therefore free both from Sin and Death: they had neither [...] Appetites nor mortal Principles in them: both perfe [...] [...] ­cence and Life then fill'd and reigned in their Constitutio [...] and if they had retain'd their Innocence, they had never Die [...] been subject to Mortality.

[Page 5] But as they were moral Agents, capable of knowing their Ma­ker, of descerning his Perfections, of discovering his Will, and of yeilding a free Obedience to Him; it was but fitting they should be under his moral Government, and retain'd in their spontaneous Subjection to Him. It was sitting, they shou'd freely obey his Will and avoid the contrary; that they shou'd faithfully observe the Laws of undepraved Nature, which must be his Will, and avoid the Violation of them. It was sitting also they shou'd have some positive Command and some positive Prohibition; that they might have Occasion to give every kind of Instance of their intire Obe­dience to his Will and Government. And 'twas likewise sitting, the Command shou'd be enforced with some attractive Promise, and the Prohibition with some paenal Threatning.

Such was the innocent and happy State of our first Parents at their Creation, the innocent and happy State of their internal Constitution and of the World without them, especially while they liv'd alone; that we can scarce conceive they shou [...]d have any Temptations to violate the Laws of Nature. A Positive Prohi­bition therefore in that their Circumstance, seems more requisite, that they might give a clearer Instance of their intire Obedience and Fidelity. And such was the Goodness of their Creator, that He gave them but a single Prohibition; which was Not to Eat nor Touch the Fruit of one certain Tree; and this among a Multitude of others full of all kinds of delicious Fruits, which they might freely use; But upon their Eating that, the Punishment of Death was sure to follow.

Ho [...]er, our first Parents, being perswaded by an Apostate An­gel [...] in a Serpent, were prevailed on to Take and Eat: and in their [...]y Eating, both the Sentence and the Execution began up­on them. The Words in the Original are more emphatical than [Page 6]in the Body of our Translation, as you may see in the Margin. For There they are—In the Day Thou eatest thereof; Dying, Thou shalt Dye. i. e. You shall upon Eating thereof receive the Principles of Deat: into your Constitution, which will immediately make you Mor [...], and subject you in the course of Nature to sure Mortality.

Nor was Death the only Evil threatned; but as the Tree was call'd the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil; i. e. the Boundary between the experimental Knowledge of them; or as much as to say — Till Thou eatest of this Tree, Thou shalt only have the Knowledge of Good, but if Thou eatest Thou shalt have the Knowledge of Evil also: By which it seems as if every kind of Evil were contained in the original Threatning, tho' Death the prin­cipal is recorded only in the Epitome of it. And as we know the Fruit of some Trees even now is such as to effect great Disorders in the Body and Soul, and have a mortal Influence;^† It seems possible therefore if not likely, that the very Nature of this Fruit was such as to introduce both material and moral Disorders in our first Parents; yea to make so great a Change in their Constitutions, as to produce both sinful and mortal Principles and equally effect their Off-spring.

The Fruit at first indeed might be intirely Salutary: But as our first Parents were forbidden to Take as well as Eat; and as the Devil is represented to have the Power of Sin and Death, and to be now the God & Ruler of this Lower World;^‖ whose pernicious Power [Page 7]and Reign began at our first Apostacy, as the ready Executioner of Judgment on the guilty Sinner: He might be allow'd upon our first Taking the Forbidden Fruit, when their Sin began, to change its Nature and make it so pernicious

The HOLY SCRIPTURES are but very brief Abridgments of large Histories. The Threatning might be vastly larger and more parti­cular than the Abridgment here recorded: and in the view afore­said might be of this Importance — ‘You owe me and have Pro­mis'd me an intire Obedience, and now I'll Try you — There's the beauteous [...]is of that Tree before you — I forbid you to Take and Eat it — And if you do; it shall be the fatal Instru­ment of my Vengeance on you: It will have such a baneful Vir­tue as to work all kinds of Disorders in you: It will introduce the Principles both of Sin, Disease and Death into you: In your very Eating you will both contract a sinful Constitution, and be­come infirm and mortal: and the Virtue will be so piercing and so intirely alter the Frame of Nature in you, as to become here­ditary, equally affect your Off-spring, and make them like you.’

What a fatal Fruit was this? and how exactly answerable do we find the Consequence? While the Meat was in their Mouth, as the Psalmist speaks, the Wrath of Heaven came upon them. What a sinful and mortal Venome then enter'd our first Parents, and has defused from them unto all their Race; who have the same Principles of Sin and Death which they deriv'd from Eating the forbidden Fruit. The same Principles of Frailty and Mortality have univer­ [...] [...]'d our Nature, are for ever working in us, for ever en­dan [...] [...] sudden Dissolution or at least are ever wearing away the [...] [...]ame, and bringing sure Decays and Death upon us.

[Page 8] ‘But were not our first Parents seeble Flesh and Blood before their Fall? Did they not dwell on the same Soil? did they not live by P [...]hing in the same Air; and by Eating, Drinking, Exercise, [...], and other inward Operations? How then cou'd they [...] from Dying? how cou'd they prevent those Disorders [...] which wou'd produce Diseases and bring on Mortality? [...] at was the Difference between their Bodily Frame before the [...]all and after? What were the immediate Causes why they before cou'd live, and after cou'd not but Die?’

To Answer these arduous Questions — I might here consider the perfect Salubriousness of the Soil, the Air, and the Fruits of Eden, which were suited only to their State of Innocence; with the vital Influence of the Tree of Life, which seems to have been in Nature a sufficient Antitote to every Bodily Disorder: from all which they were upon their Fall immediately excluded, if not turned out into Soils, Airs and Fruits of a less healthy kind, pre­pared by the Foresight of their Creator for their State of Guilt and Funishment; or vitiated by the malignant Influence of Him who then became the Prince of the Power of the Air without us, as well as the Spirit working in the Children of Disobedience. ^* However, the upper Part of the Earth with the Air about it, including Paradice itself, seems to be fill'd with pernicious Substances at the Time of the Flood, upon the Breaking up the Fountains of the Great Deep, wherein they were lodg'd at the Creation, & reserv'd against this Day: when the Waters drown­ed that most wicked Race; and these pernicious Substances, with the disorderly Seasons following,^† wou'd shorten the Lives of their Suc­cessors, and increase their Frailty, Misery, and Mortality.

[Page 9] But to pass by these — I wou'd rather observe, that the Au­thor of Nature Himself has seem'd to leave the Mark, and point out the more immediate Cause of so great a Change, even in our pre­sent Frame.

For of the innumerable Threads of Nerves which are the Instru­ments of Motion, Sense and Life in the Humane Body, there are only these 2 Sorts in General. The one our sovereign Former is pleas'd to put under the Power and Will of the Soul, whereby we move them and those Parts of the Body where they spread, as we please. The other Sort He does not now subject to the Will or Power of the Soul, but keeps them all in his more immediate Hands, and continually moves them to preserve our Lives, at his sovereign Pleasure: These are all those nervous Fibres, which move the the Heart, the Arteries, the Veins, the Glands, the Bowels: which are all in perpetual Motion, which the Soul knows nothing of, can neither cause or stop, retard or quicken; but yet are mov'd inces­santly by some other intellectual Power:^‖ and what shou'd this Power be, but the Sovereign Power that form'd them, that began their Motion, that is always with us, that never sleepeth, is never weary; that holds our Souls in Life, ^* preserves our Spirits by his con­stant Visitation ^† and in whom the Apostle observes we live and move and have our Being. ^‖.

Now it seems easy to conceive, that if at the Formation of our first Parents, their Creator had put all these nervous Instruments of [Page 10]Motion, Sense and Life, the one Sort under the Will and Power of the Soul as well as the other; there cou'd have been no great Disorder in us, especially in the State of Eden or of the Antedeluvian Air: the Soul wou'd have had a Power to prevent them: Or as soon as any had begun, we cou'd have remov'd it in a Moment; as easily as we can now swallow a Morsel, breathe out the Air, or move a Finger: or much easier than skillful Artizans can mend their Houses as soon as the smallest Part begins to fail, and by per­petual Successions of Repairs, may keep them up for ever.

Such a Power as this, with a perfect Perception in every Nerve, wou'd have sufficed while their Creator had continued it, to pre­serve them from every mortal, yea from every hurtful Disorder or Impression. Such a Power it seems likely He first endow'd them with. Nor wou'd this in the least have lessened their Dependance on Him, any more than that He yet preserves our Power to move any other Parts of the Body; since our Powers of every kind are both derived from Him, and continued only by his Sovereign Will and Influence.

But upon their Eating the forbidden and mortal Fruit, they lost this Part of their Power and their Posterity with them.

Since that fatal Action, our Souls have no immediate Power at all over the greater Part of this Animal Frame: no Power to move, restrain or guide the most needful Instruments of Life in the Body: not the least Degree of Power on that Great Engine of Life the Heart; but on it moves, with its innumerable Train of Nerves, Arteries, Veins, and Vessels; and are all now left exposed to many hurtful Impressions and irregular Motions, which none! [...] GOD or his Angels are able to foresee or hinder, and which are the [...] ­ward Causes of our Mortality.

[Page 11] Multitudes of fatal Disorders both in the Nerves and [...]a [...]es we cannot prevent: Multitudes we cannot perceive even while they are working in us, but they destroy the Life before we are [...]are of Danger: Numberless others indeed discover themselves but they yet come on, and there is no resisting their impetuous? wer. Yea our various Affections, Passions and Imagin [...] ar [...] very much out of our Government: and yet these have a mighty In­fluence on the more vital Parts of this tender Frame, to produce disorderly Motions, and at once disloive it, or gradually but surely wear it away.

And besides all this—there are numberless Outward Causes, from the various Qualities of the Air we breathe in, and the Food and Drink we constantly receive; which may turn to Poysons by their own internal Fermentations, or draw them from the Earth their great Repository, and have a baneful Influence in these feeble Bodies. Yea both the Waters and Air without us, and from them the Fluids in us, are charg'd with innumerable Seeds of little Insects too fine for our bare Eyes to see: which upon the least Stagnation of the Elements wherein they float, will hatch and swarm in Millions to produce Diseases and destroy our Lives.

Thus the present State of Nature in this lower World appears in some sort disordered; tho' doubtless in a wife Adjustment to the Moral State of Men in general, for whom 'twas chiefly formed. For now, every Element is arm'd with Vengeance: and how universal is the Reign of DEATH among the Race of Men! How He sweeps their Multitudes oft the Stage as fast as they successively arise! How tormenting is He in his fierce Assaules; how ghastly in his [...]liate Visage; how distressing in the dying Agonies; and what a horrid World wou'd this appear, if we cou'd but have a [Page 12]universal View of the Multitudes at this Instant labouring under his destroying Power! It wou'd be too shocking for the Heart of Man to bear.

For as by the latest Computations, there are near a Thousand Million People on the Face of the Globe, and about a Thirtieth Part as many Dye in a Year; one Day with another then there must be near a Hundred Thousand now a Dying, near Seven hundred thousand in one Week, near Three Millions in one Month, and near Thirty six Millions in one Year. And all these by the meer Course of Nature: tho' there shou'd not one be murthered, executed, drowned, or kill'd by Plagues or Battles.^*

Nor is this all our present Misery: But

II. We are now to take some View of that perplexing DARKNESS about a FUTURE STATE, which involves the Minds of Men by Nature.

This is plainly hinted in the Words before us: And by looking a little into this gloomy Scene, we may more sensibly find the Need of that discovering Light our Saviour brings us, the more highly prize it, and the more rejoice in its Illuminations.

And here it cannot be proper to consider what Discoveries of a FUTURE STATE the meer Reason of Men is able to make. For we who are born, bro't up and live in the midst of Revelation, have [Page 13]thereby received great Numbers of Ideas and Reasons; which be­cause we find agreable to our improved Understandings, are there­fore apt to think our Minds might have discovered them without this Revelation: when 'tis from this Revelation only we have de­riv'd them, and 'tis difficult therefore if not impossible to know whether our most impro [...] [...]ands without it cou'd have made the Discovery.

Our Business then is to consider the universal Darkness about this Matter, which in Fact involved the World before CHRIST ap­peared, and which even yet involves the ungospelized Nations.

Nor need we look among the common Herd of Men, where the Ignorance even of the most ingenious and penetrating Minds a­mong them, appears amazing: as any may find by consulting with their Slaves from Africa, or our more sagacious American Indians who have not yet receiv'd the Gospel. Their Minds with all their Powers have neither certainly discovered a Future State, nor even scarcely that Universal Being, who made, pervades and rules the World. Some of them indeed have some Notion of a Future Existence: Yet if you enquire, you'l find they have no Certainty, nor any Reasons, but rather meerly some Suspicion; or are in­clin'd to think so, because some others as ignorant as they have told them: But as for the Resurrection, it never entered their Sus­picion. And such extremely dark and uncertain Notions we may well suppose, that other common Heathens had, who liv'd before the Time of CHRIST'S Appearing; as also those who yet remain without the Influence of his Revelation.

But we may rather see this Darkness, by enquiring of the most improved Men among the old Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. For Learning among the Gentiles seems to have flourish'd 1st in Egypt; thence to pass to Greece, and thence to Rome. And according to [Page 14]her ancient Progress, we may trace their Opinions in this Parti­cular.

Herodotus the Father of the Heathen History, says, ‘the EGYP­TIANS were the First ^† who held the Soul of Man to be Immortal: but then that the Body perishing, the Soul goes into another: and when it has run thro' every kind of Creature in the Earth, Air and Waters; it again enters into some new Humane Body: which Circuit they also fancied to be compleated in Three thou­sand Years.’

Of the GREEK Philosophers — Pythagoras, who was Born to­wards the End of Nebuchadnezzar's Time, and began to flourish in the Reign of Cyrus, held the same Opinion: and Diodorus Siculus says, He learn'd it of the Egyptians; Laertius, that He bro't it first to Greece; but Plutarch says, He held, that when the Soul goes out of the Body, it goes to the Soul of the World; and Laertius says, He held that she walked in the Air like a Body.

Socrates, who was Born about a Hundred Years after the Birth of Pythagoras, improv'd upon the Soul's Immortality. But in his fine Oration made to his Judges upon his receiving the Sentence of Death; tho' He rises into noble Suggestions of the Future State, yet his manner of speaking plainly makes them to be pleasing Suppo­sitions only, without any Certainty: and after all He closes thus — ‘But now it is time for us to depart Hence, I to Dye, You to Live: but whether of the Two be Best, the Immortal Gods only know; for I believe no Man does.’

Plato likewise, who was Born about 40 Years after Socrates, was his belov'd Disciple, and liv'd 8 Years with Him, even grew in this [Page 15]desir'd Opinion, and pleaded more than any before Him for the Soul's Immortality. But the Sum of his Reasoning is by Cicero reduc'd to This — ‘The Soul perceives it moves, and at the same time perceives it moves by its own natural Force, and no exter­nal one; neither can it be ever forsaken by itself; and therefore must be immortal.’ And yet Cicero tells us, that Plato's Reasoning cou'd not convince his Scholar Panatius: who tho' He admir'd his Master, and on every Occasion calls Him Divine, Wisest, Holiest, yet approv'd not his Notion of the Soul's Immortality, but opposed it with these two Arguments — ‘That what ever is Born or Be­gan to be must Die: and that nothing can grieve but it must be disordered; that what may be disorder'd may Die; and that Souls being disorder'd, are therefore subject to Mortality.^†’

Among the ROMANS, I need only mention Cicero; who may serve for all, as being one of the greatest and most knowing, who had studied at Athens, and made Himself a perfect Master of all the Learning of the Philosophers before Him; who added further Contemplations of his own, and who Died but about 40 Years be­fore our SAVIOUR's Birth. In his noble Discourse of the Contempt of Death ^t He gathers various Arguments to Prove this pleasing Point, and sometimes seems perswaded of the Certainty. His chief Argument is this — ‘That unless we are altogether stupid in Matters of natural Philosophy, we cannot doubt the Soul [Page 16]hath no dissimilar Parts; on this Account is not divisible; and therefore cannot Die:’ and on this and such like Arguments, He says, Socrates relied.

And yet in the Entrance of his Dissertation, He says, — ‘Not that I would have you take my Words for Apollo's Oracles, or think what I deliver is absolutely certain; but consider me as one conjecturing only at Probabilites; for farther than Likelyhood I cannot go.’ And towards the Close, He appears again in some Uncertainty, whether when our Souls expire, we return to an Eternal Mansion proper for us, or only to a State of no Sensation.

Such a Vail of Darkness hung between the Present and the Fu­ture World; that among the most learned Heathen, all seems little more than meer Conjecture: the best and wisest of them rather wish'd and pleaded for the Soul's Immortality, than attain'd the Cer­tainty. Alass! how few were acquainted with these Philosophick Arguments: and of those who knew them, there were endless Disputations.

But then as to the RESURRECTION of the Body to Life; these learned Heathen give not the least Intimation. And when the Apostle Paul spake in the Market Place at Athens, about JESUS and the Resurrection; some of the Epicurean and Stolck Philosophers en­countred Him, and some said, What will this Babler say? Then they carried Him to the Court of Areoapagus, saying — May we know what this new Doctrine whereof Thou speakest is? for Thou bringest certain Strange Things to our Ears: and while He preached learnedly about the GOD that m [...]de the World, they seem'd to give Hini great Attention: but when He came to mention th RESURRECTION from the Dead; some mocked and others said, we will hear Thee again of this matter — and broke up the Assembly. Acts XVII.

[Page 17] Nor was there much more Light among the JEWS themselves. For tho' they were savour'd with the inspired Writings of Moses and the other Prophets; yet how obscurely was the Future Life revealed in them! Clear enough it seems to us, who now by the Gospel know how to perceive their meaning: yet not so clearly then, as to prevent Dispute about it.

For a considerable Sect among them were the SADDUCES; who embraced the Scriptures of the Old Testament, and yet Denied both A [...]gels, Spirits, and the Resurrection. ^* And Josephus, who well knew them, says, ‘they Denied the Soul's Immortality, with the Rewards and Punishments of the Invisible World:^(b) and held the Soul to be extinguished with the Life of the Body.^(a)’ Their se­cond noted Sect were the ESSEENS: who, as Josephus says, ‘adher'd to the Holy Scripture, and held the Soul to be immertal; the Souls of the Good to go into a pleasant Country beyond the Ocean; and the Souls of the Bad into miserable Places full of Punishment with­out End’ (b) But from Josephus's Account, I cannot learn they had any Notion of the Resurrection of the Body. Their third and greatest Sect were the PHARISEES: who held the Soul to be incor­ruptible (b) and immortal, (a) as the same Author, who was one of them assures us: and the Writer of the Acts, that they confessed both Angels, Spirits [i. e. Departed Spirits] and the Resurrection. ^‖ But then the same Josephus in his Antiquities, says, they held, ‘that the separate Spirits passing thro' a Judgment under the Earth; the Bad are condemned to a perpetual Prison, but the Good have an easy Return to Life.’ (a) And in his Book of the Wars, ‘that the [Page 18] Souls of the Bad endure perpetual Punishment, but the Seuls of the Good go into other Bodies’ ^(b) On which account Two learned Monderns say, ‘It seems probable, they setched their Opinions of these Matters, not so much from the sacred Writings, as from the Doctrines of Pythagoras or Plato; since they believed a Transmi­gration of the Souls of Good Men into other Bodies, which is a kind of Resurrection!^*’

This is some brief Review of that almost universal Darkness which overspread this lower World till CHRIST'S Appearance, and where his Gospel has not shined.

We proceed to consider,

III. Something of that ABOLISHMENT of Death which our blessed Saviour wrought at his first appearing in Humane Nature.

Who hath ABOLISHED Death — [ [...]] The Word literally signifies — Hath made to cease: in the Araback — it is — Hath abrogated: in the Vulgar Latin and Montanus — Hath destroyed: in Erasmus — Hath obliterated: in Beza — Hath made to vanish: But the Syriack, Aethiopick, Castalio, Calvin, Tremelius and Piscator, with our English Version, and I think with a stronger and nobler Empha­sis — Hath abolished that fatal Enemy. Vatablus says,^(p) He hath made the Power of Death to cease: Erasmus (p) that CHRIST hath Purchased for us the Abolition of Death both Temporal and Eter­nal, together with the Abolition of Sin the Cause of Both: And Grotius's Comment (p) is, that Death is represented Here as a Per­son: [Page 19]And as He has Dominion over those who are alienated from the blessed GOD; so CHRIST hath taken away that Dominion, that legal Right, and in his own Time will also take away the Power, as we are taught in 1 Cor. XV. 26. and Heb. II. 14.

But for the further Illustration of this most important Passage, we may briefly view, both his destinguishing Accomplishments for this great Design, with his actual Execution of it, How He wrought it, and What is this happy Abolishment.

He being from Eternity, the SON of GOD, the Brightness [or Ef­fulgence] of his Glory, the express Image of his Person [or Substance] And with Him the Lord of Life, the Creator, Upholder and Ruler of Heaven and Earth;^‖ He is of infinite Excellence and Dig­nity; of absolute Knowledge, Wisdom, Justice, Purity, Power, Truth and Goodness: And on these Accounts most perfectly Ac­complished to undertake the Office of a MEDIATOR between GOD and Man; and of alsufficient Power to carry both HIMSELF and us thro' every Opposition, and bring us to eternal Life and Blessed­ness.

To this great Office therefore He was designed from Eterinty. And having made this lower World for us and produc'd us into Being, He became the active Medium of Intercourse between the DEITY and our First Parents; familiarly conversing with them, be­stowing the Use and Dominion of the inserior Creatures on them discovering to them the Will of GOD and Laws of Nature, warn­ing them of Danger, and instructing them for their Advantage But instantly, upon our Sin and Fall, He Began to execute his media­torial [Page 20]Office, by Interceeding for and obtaining the Divine Forbear­ance, receiving as Mediator the Rule of the World, and Revealing the gracious Councils and Designs of GOD for our Salvation, in that most reviving Prophesy, that the Seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpents Head; i. e. that from Her shou'd descend a MIGHTY SA­VIOUR, who wou'd happily crush and ruin the Policy, Power and Dominion of Satan in this wretched World.

In all the preceeding Ages to his Incarnation He still continually acted as our MEDIATOR: By preserving this lower World from the absolute Power of the Fallen Angels, from the utmost Reign of Sin, from perfect Misery and intire Destruction; restraining the violent Lusts of Men, raising and governing Kingdoms and Na­tions as well as particular Persons, for various excellent Ends; bestowing innumerable Benefits both of a Temporal and Spiritual Kind on Multitudes; communicating Inspirations, Virtues, and Graces to them; and continuing the Lines of Desent to number­less others whom He had in his Gracious Eye in the successive Ages.

To some few of the Ancients both before the Flood and after He sensibly appeared; and gave progressive Notices of his Design to assume our Nature, and therein appear and act as our Great Re­deemer. Diverse Predictions of Him were entered on faithful Re­cords; as that He was to spring from Abrabam, then from Isaac, then from Jacob, then from Judab, then from David: and a mighty Nation was raised up from the Loins of Jacob to preserve those Records, to look for his Appearance, proclaim their Expectations to the World, and bare witness of it. And when about Four whou­sand Years were past from the Creation, the PRINCE OF LIFE is Born of a Pious Virgin derived from David. When the Fullness of Time was come, as the Apostle observes, GOD sent forth HIS SON, made of [Page 21]a Woman, made under the Law, to Rediem them that were under the Law, [i. e. the Condemnation and Punishment denounc'd therein] and receive the Adoptions of Sons. Gal. iv. 4, 5.

For, our First Transgression being justly Threatned and Punished with Death; the Threatning must be executed, the Punishment en­dured; the Divine Justice, Holiness, Authority, Law and Govern­ment must not loose their due Regard or Honour, but be magnified in every Eye, and the Divine Truth preserv'd inviolate. For these great Ends He therefore takes our Nature, but in perfect Purity, yet cloath'd with our Infirmities; that having no Sin of his own, He might be intirely suitable to represent us, to bare the Punish­ment due to us, and in our Nature yield that full Obedience and Regard to God which is due therefrom, and which we have lost our Power to yield; that by the most perfect and meritorious Suf­ferings and Obedience even unto Death of such a Person infinite in Excellence and Dignity, He might Purchase for us compleat Re­demption and eternal Happiness, with the rightful Power of be­stowing them on us; and that the Glory of every divine Perfection might appear and harmonize throughout all the Progress of this stupendeous Work.

Obscure and faint indeed He was at his first Appearance; that He might unobserv'd and unprevented, endure those Sufferings needful for our Redemption: For He must be numbered among Trans­gressors, i. e. Publickly condemned as a Ma esactor, and offer'd up a Sacrifice to Death even the most cursed painful and ignominious Death, which was that of the Cross: and it the People among whom He sojourn'd had but known Him to be the Lord of Glory, they had never crucified Him. 1 Cor. II. 8.

[Page 22] Till He arriv'd to about 30 Years of Age, He livid a low, retir'd and servile, tho' spotless Life; and then engag'd in his Publick Mi­nistry: At his Entrance, He overcame the Tempter in his most subtil, strong and assiduous Efforts; and then He went about con­tinually doing Good: Preaching the glad Tidings of Redemption teaching heavenly & saving Doctrines, confirming them with Mira­cles, adorning them with a most divine & perfect Life; healing all manner of Diseases, forgiving Sins, ruling the Winds and Seas, con­trolling the Power of Devils, making them to worship Him, turn­ing them out of the Possessed, and sending them away.

By such things as these He gave the growing Specimens of his superior Power to those our mighty and destroying Enemies. But He advances in his Triumphs. For a little before He left the World, He began to abolish Death it self, by raising the Son of the Wi­dow of Nain, the Daughter of Jairus, as also Lazarus to Life. To the Two former, He only says, I say unto Thee arise, and they im­mediately arose. To the last, at the Mouth of the Tomb wherein he had lain for 4 Days among the Dead, He cries — Lazarus come forth, and out he comes with the Grave-Cloaths bound about him.

But to compleat the Conquest, and become more Glorious, He must condescend to Die; that for us He might intirely fulfill the Law, brake the Power of Satan, Sin and Death among the Sons of Men, purchase our compleat Redemption, and rise a perfect Con­queror and Deliverer. For if He cou'd raise Himself to Life; He wou'd obtain a perfect Victory, both for HIMSELF and us, and all things else wou'd be easy to Him. For as the Apostle argues; Heb II. 10, 14, 15. It became Him for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many Sons to Glory, to make the CAPTAIN OF THEIR SALVATION perfect through Sufferings. — And, Forasmuch as [Page 23]the Children are Partakers of Flesh and Blood; HE also Himself likewise took part of the same: that through Death, He might destroy Him who had the Power of Death, i. e. the Devil; and Deliver them who through Fear of Death, were all their Life Time subject to Bondage.

Having therefore fulfilled all Righteousness, endured every kind of sinless Suffering both in Soul and Body, and Finished the Work for which He was sent among us; He submitted to be Crucified, Kill'd and Buried. But on the same Day, his separate Soul enter'd into the Joys of Paradice; and on the Third Day after, He abolish'd Death in his slain Body, by awaking unto Life and rising from the Grave. At the same time, He shook the Earth, opened the Graves of many others round about Him, enlivened and rais'd them with Himself: And in 40 Days, He in the Sight of his Disciples, ascend­ed up on high, and led Captivity Captive: Having spoiled the Principalities and Powers of Darkness; He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them. Being raised to Heaven, He is there placed at the Right Hand of GOD, far above all Principality and Power and Might and Dominion, and every Name that is na­med not only in this World, but also in that which is to come; having all things put under his Feet, and being the Head over them for the Good of his People. He is exalted to be a Prince and Sa­viour, to give Repentance and Remission of Sins: And is become the Author of Eternal Salvation to all that obey Him.

For all this He did, as a Publick Person, in behalf of all his Fol­lowers; and as a visible and certain Demonstration, that He had purchased, and is both able and resolved to accomplish their absolute Deliverance from all their Enemies, has begun to brake their Powers, will intirely take away his People's Sin which is the Sting of Death, at the Moment of their Dissolution, receive their puri­fied [Page 24]Spirits to Himself in Paradice, and in due Time will come a­gain and raise their Bodies to perfect and immortal Life and Bles­sedness.

This therefore brings us in the

IV. and last Place, To take a Prospect of that LIFE and IM­MORTALITY, which He then bro't to Light, and successively dis­covers by the Gospel Revelation.

Now by Life and Immortality, the Apostle doubtless means the same thing, with this only Difference; that LIFE implies the Kind of our Existence in the Future World, as being a State of active Powers, Perceptions and Enjoyments; IMMORTALITY the never failing Duration of it; and both together represent a State of perfect and endless Happiness.

The Word [...] indeed originally signifies INCORRUPTI­BILITY: but yet it seems to be used indifferently, both for Incor­ruptibility and Immortality, both by this Apostle and by Profane Writers. For every vital thing that is Incorruptible, must in its Nature be Immortal: and in both these Senses our Translators use it. In 1 Cor. XV. 42, 50, 52, 53, and 54, it is therefore rendered Incorrup­tion: and in Rom II. 7, as well as in our Text by Immortality. So in Rom. 1.23, we read of the Incorruptible God [...] and in 1 Tim. 1.17, the same Word is us'd for the King Immortal. Agrea­ble to this, I observe Josephus, representing the Opinion of the Sad­duces, Essecus and Pharisees, in the Places above recited, indifferent­ly uses the Words [...] and [...], to signify the Soul's Immortality. And agreably we have the same Word in our Text, thus beautifully rendered in the Book of Wisdom, Chap. II. v. 23. [Page 25] For GOD created Man to be IMMORTAL,^* and made Him to be an Image of his own Eternity.

But then this Immortality seems plainly to respect the Soul, as well as Body: and not only to look on forward to the Resurrection of the Body, which the Heathen had no Tho't of, and which the Jews disputed; but even nearer and immediately to the Soul itself, in the state of Separation, which a few of Both had some Glimps of, and earnestly desired.

And that the Apostle had this nearer Prospect, appears from these 4 Reasons —

• 1. Because by many Passages in his Writings, it appears He had been both a Platonist in Philosophy and a Pharisee in Divinity, and retain'd so much of their best Principles as was consistent with the Christian Revelation. And as he knew that by Life and Immortality, they to be sure included the Life of the Soul in its separate State, and He had been accustom'd to use the Words in the same View; He must still have the same View in his present using them.
• 2. Because He knew that the Desire of Life and Happiness in every State is equally co-natural to the foreseeing Mind of Man; the Desire of a happy Living in the present World, the Desire of the Continuance of such a happy Living, and the Desire also of Life and Happiness in the State of Separation; that the best of Men both among the Heathen, Jews and Christians, could not but earnestly Desire it; and that the System of the GOSPEL must needs excell the Doctrines of Socrates and Plato, both as to the great Ob­jects [Page 26]of our natural and rational Desires, and the Certainty of their Discovery.
• 3. Because he knew that our BLESSED SAVIOUR at his late Ap­pearing had brought to Light the Life and Immortality of the humane Soul in its State of Separation.

  For in Mat. X. 28 He had plainly said, that those who cou'd kill the Body, were not able to kill the Soul. In the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, He represents the Body of the Rich Man as Dead and Buried, but his Soul in Hell, and desiring that his surviving Brethren on Earth might be warn'd of coming into his Place of Torment: And at the same time, that Lazarus was carried by Angels to Abraham's Embraces, and There was comforted, while the deceased Spirit of the Rich Man was tormented. Luke XVI.

  In his Argument against the Sadducees; who neither believ'd the Resurrection, Angels, Spirits, nor the Soul's Immortality — He observes that GOD cannot be so properly the GOD of the Dead as of the Living: and that continuing to call Himself the GOD of Abraham, Isaac and Jacch after their Decease; He plainly intimates, that in their vital Parts their Souls, they were still alive and happy in Him, tho' waiting in full Assurance of the Resurrection of their Bodies. Luke XX. 27, 40.

  In his Transfiguration, He shewed Moses as well as Elias to the Disciples with Him. Mat. XVII. Mark IX.

  In his Publick Preaching He declares, that whoever heareth his Word and believeth on Him that sent Him, is passed from Death to Life, and hath Life everlasting; ^* that He was the Bread of Life who come down [Page 27]from Heaven and gives Life to the World; and whoever eateth, i. e. re­ceives Him, shall never Hunger, never Perish, never Die, but hath eter­nal Life; that He is in them, and by Him they live, and shall live for ever: ^* that whoso keeps his saying shall never see Death: ^† that He gives them eternal Life, that they are in his Hands, that none shall pluck them out, and they shall never Perish. ^‖ To the Woman of Samaria He said, that if she had ask'd Him, He would have given her living Water; and whoever drinketh of this Water, shall never thirst — but it shall be in him a Well of Water springing up into everlasting Life. ^{{inverted †}} And to his Disciples, he declares, If any Man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall my Servant be: ^* that he was going to his Father, and his Disciples shou'd follow him thither:^{{inverted †}} and that in his Absence the Father would g [...] them another Comforter, that he may abide with them for ever; even the Spiri [...] of Truth, who then dwelt in them [as a Sanctifier,] and should be in them [as a Comforter,] and even this for ever.] ^‖

  As He hung upon the Cross, he declared there was then a Paradice, a Place of Happiness, suitable for the Residence of the separate Spi­rits of the sanctified; into which He would on the same Day en­ter, and the believing Malefactor dying with Him. And at the Moment of his Expiration, he commended his departing Spirit into the Hands of his Father. Luke xxiii. 43—46.

  Upon his Resurrection; with respect to his whole human Nature, He says to Mary, weeping at the Sepulchre — I am not yet ascended to my Father, but go to my Brethren and say to them, I ascend to my Father and your Father, and to my GOD, and your GOD: plainly intimating, that they being interested in the same GOD and Father, should also [Page 28]at their leaving the present Life on Earth, ascend in their Spirits after him; that where he is, they might likewise be, as he had said before: And in 40 Days from this, he visibly ascended up to Hea­ven

  Soon after his Ascention he pours down the supernatural In­fluences of the Divine Spirit in abundant measures on his Disciples; inspires them with still more clear Discoveries of this immortal Life, both of the Soul in its separate State, as of the Soul and Body rejoined at the Resurrection. And He made all these things most evident and sure, not only by his own Doctrines, Miracles, Life, Death, Resurrection and Ascention; but also by the Inspirations, Doctrines, Lives, Miracles and Sufferings of his First Disciples.

• 4. and lastly, Because this Apostle therefore knew there is such an happy State of the separate Spirits of the Sanctified, both by his own and others Inspirations.

For as he was one of those who consented to the Death of Ste­phen; so he knew, if he did not see, that inspired Person full of Faith and Power, doing great Wonders and Miracles among the People; how the learned Jews were not able to resist the Wisdom and Spi­rit by which He spake; how his Face shined like an Angel in the midst of the Jewish Council; how being full of the Holy Ghost He looked stedfastly up to Heaven, and saw the Glory of GOD. and JESUS standing at the Right Hand of GOD; and while they stoned him, how he cried out — LORD JESUS receive my Spirit. Act; VI, VII.

He also knew a Man, which seems plainly to be Himself, caught up to the third Heaven, caught up into Paradice, and heard unspeakable Words, which it is not possible for a Man to utter; tho' whether in the Body, or out of the Body, He could not tell. Which plainly intimates [Page 29]that He apprehended his separate Spirit might be There, as well as his united Soul and Body. 2 Cor. XII. 1, — 4.

Such a mighty Impression did this leave upon him, as he tells the Phillipians, that for him to Die wou'd be Gain to Him: and tho' he dearly lov [...]d them, and his Continnance in the Flesh was need­full for them, that be was very loath to leave them; yet his chief Desire was to Depart and to be with CHRIST, which is far better. ^* In the Name of Himself and Timothy, He says, — We know, that if our earthly House of this Tabernacle were dissolved, we have a Building of GOD, an House not made with Hands eternal in the Heavens: For in this we groan earnestly, desiring to be cloathed upon with our House which is from Heaven: For we who are in this Tabernacle do groan, being burthe­ned: not for that we would be uncloathed, but cloathed upon, that MORTA­LITY may be swallowed up of LIFE — Knowing that while we are at Home in the Body, we are absent from the LORD: We are confident and willing, rather to be absent from the Body, and to be present with the LORD: For we walk by Faith, not by Sight. ^† Plainly intimating, that while we are present in the Body and absent from the LORD, we only walk in the Faith of Him; but when we come to be absent from the Body and present with Him, we shall come to see Him — Our Faith will open into immediate Vision. And with an Eye to this, he says to the believing Hebrews^‖ But ye are come [i. e. now in the lively View of Faith, but upon leaving the Body will come in Sight] unto Mount Zion, and to the City of the Living GOD, the Heaven­ly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable Company of ANGELS; to the General Assembly of the Church of the first E [...]n who are written in Heaven, and to GOD the Judge of all, and to the SPIRITS of JUST MEN made Per­fect, and to JESUS the Mediator of the New Covenant.

[Page 30] It is the Life and Immortality of the Sanctified only that these Evangelical Paslages look to: And no doubt it is only the same which our Text intends. But a View of the Nature, Powers, Per­ceptions, Actions and Enjoyments thereof, both in the separate Soul and in the raised Body, wou'd open a Scene too vast for us now to survey. I may only offer the following Hints,

I. For this Life of theirs in the separate State. — By the Exam­ples above, their uncloathed Spirits may both See visible Objects and Hear Things unutterable by the Tongues of Men; and this in a vastly higher Degree than now in their Bodies. For to keep to the Apostle's Allusion; their Souls are now confined to an Earthy House, can perceive no Light or Sound but in the Eyes or Ears, and as these are dull and embarras'd so are their Seeing and Hear­ing. But when their Spirits are out of their Bodies, they will be in perfect Liberty. Yea they will be then made Perfect, as the A­postle describes them: and this includes not only a spotless Purity which renders them fit for the Vision and Society of Paradice; but also the Perfecting of all their Powers, and among the rest their Powers of seeing the glorious Objects and hearing the ravishing Language There.

Yea, by the Instances of the Martyr Stephen and of the Apostles Paul and John; ^* It seems as if the Heavenly World were open be­fore us; and the Light, if not the Language There, may now reach our Earth, tho' our Organs are not fine enough to transmit their Impulse for the Soul to perceive. So the Light from Multitudes of Stars, is by Glasles found to reach us, tho' our present Degrees [Page 31]of Powers are not enough to perceive it by the naked Eye. And so both Light & Sounds which are unperceived by some, are clear to others.

The separate Spirit may therefore open at once to the Glory if not the Harmony of the Realms above. For what is Seeing, but the Soul's perceiving the Motions of Light? and what is Hearing, but the Soul's perceiving the Motions of the Air or Ether? Now the Motions are greatly dull'd and hinder'd; but then they may come with their full Power upon us, and be perfectly perceived. So the Soul of the Martyr Stephen cou'd doubtless see the Rays of Light from Heaven, as soon as out of the Body as well as before. Or the Power of GOD or his beneficent Angels may contract the Rays, or enlarge our Power to see them, or waft the Motions of Light and Sound from the World above; or produce the same Impulses for the separate Spirit Here to perceive as if it were up in those blissfull Regions, and all the while it is ascending Thither: which is with­in a few Hours; as CHRIST expiring at the midst of the Afternoon, implies, in his Speech to the believing Criminal — THIS DAY Thou shalt be with me in Paradice.

2. For their Immortal Life at the Resurrection. — He also says, that in their raised State as well as before, they will be like the An­gels of Heaven. ^* And the Apostle says, their Bodily Substance will be wonderously changed; they will not be raised in the Form of Flesh and Blood; but in Incorruption, in Glory, in Power; made Spiritual, Caelestial, Immortal; will bear the pure and vital Image of the LORD from Heaven; be fashion'd like to his glorious Body: And then Mor­tality shall be swallowed up in Life, and Death in Victory. 1 Cor. XV. Phil. III. 21.

[Page 32] Their bodily Dust will then be sublimated into a spiritr [...]us Sub­stance, pure and fine as Aether, bright and quick as Light, or rather like the more perfect Substances in the heavenly World: free from the Laws of Gravity, not subject to the least Disorder: absolutely under the Power of the happy and perfect Spirit: Incorruptible, Immutable, Immortal: beauteous, strong and active like the Angels: luminous like the Body of CHRIST at his Transfiguration: their whole united Nature filled with all the Fullness of GOD;^† and Him will they for ever feel within them as an inseperable and per­petual Spring of perfect Life and Strength, of Vision, Knowledge, Joy and Blessedness.

But we must now pass on to some IMPROVEMENT of these important Doctrines. And,

1. From our Consideration of that miserable Death which has universally seized the Race of Men; we may form some extensive View of the extream Evil of Sin, its pernicious Nature, its infinite Dishonour and Offence to GOD; of his inviolable Holiness and Justice, of his strict Regard to his Law, Authority, Government and Honour; and of the tremendous Dispensation of his Judgments upon this degenerate World.

What greater Demonstrations do the Minds of Men conceive of these things, than in destroying Earthquakes, Plagues, Deluges and Conflagrations! Of innumerable Plagues and Earthquakes I shall men­tion a sew.

About 467 Years before our SAVIOUR's Birth, a great EATRH­QUAKE almost wholly overthrew the City of Sparta, and destroyed [Page 33] Twenty Thousand People. In the Year of CHRIST 1456, another in Calabria destroyed Thirty Thousand. In 588, another at Antioch de­stroy'd the City, and Sixty Thousand People perished. In 1667, by another in Persia, there were Eighty Thousand swallow'd up in a Mo­ment. In 1692, 3, by another in Sicily, a Hundred and twenty Thou­sand perished. And in 526, there was such a one at Antioch, as de­stroyed Three hundred Thousand. ^*

In King David's Reign, a PLAGUE in Israel, in 3 Days destroyed Seventy Thousand People. About 450 Years before the Birth of CHRIST, was so great a one at Rome as carried off near Half the City: In 262 Years after, another There carried off Five Thousand People in one Day. In the Year 1006 and 7, such a Plague raged in Germany, that not Half the People survived: even the Country Towns and Villages were so emptied of Inhabitants, that the Cat­tle and Sheep strolled about, without any to look after them. In 1337, a Plague which had ravaged in Asia, now comes into Europe, is most violent, and in 6 Years time goes thro' the World: at Flo­rence in Italy, it destroys Sixty Thousand; at Lubeck in Germany, Nine­ty Thousand: And in Europe, it so wasteth the People, that scarce a Third Part survive. In the Year 542, began a Plague at Constan­tinople, which destroyed Ten Thousand in one Day: And above 50 Years after, Evagrius, who was then alive, writes, ‘It has now raged this 2 and 50 Years, and has in a manner destroyed the whole Earth.’*

How many Thousands were destroyed in one Day by FIRE from Heaven, in the 4 Cities of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboim! How many Millions were drowned at the Deluge! And how many more will be consumed in the approaching Conflagration.

[Page 34] How glaring and how awful are these Discoveries of the Per­niciousness of Sin, and of the Divine Vengeance on this wicked World! But what are all these to that universal and continual De­struction of the innumerable Multitudes of Men in all their inter­mediate Generations, from the Creation to the Deluge, and from the Deluge to the Conslagration? For as the Multitudes of Mankind increase in every Age, the progressive Vengeance without a Mo­ments Interruption, follows them and cuts them off; until the overwhelming Fire comes down upon this trembling and melting Earth, burning like a Furnace, and at once consuming every Na­tion. The Mind of Man is unable to comprehend the wide and dismal Prospect, to conceive it without Horror, and the full View would be too terrible to bear.

2. Hence we may see something of the astonishing Depravity and Weakness of the Minds of Men by Nature.

For tho' very few of the Heathens had a Tast for moral Contem­plation, and having Leisure made some Improvement of the grow­ing Helps of those who liv'd before them; yet alas, how dark were their Apprehensions of a future State, and how uncertain their Discoveries! Yea 'tis highly probable, that their Philosophers them­selves, who held the Soul's Immortality, deriv'd their Notices even from Revelation it self. For as Cicero and others in his Time derived theirs from Plato, He from Socraies, He from Pythagoras, and He from the Egyptians; no doubt the Egyptians deriv'd them from the Jews, with whom they had maintain'd a friendly Commerce from the Days of Solomon. Yea from the Scripture-History we learn, that in Nebuchadnezzar's Time, before Pythagoras was born, Multitudes of Jews both small and great fled into Aegypt, carry­ing Jeremiah the Prophet with them, and settled There for Fear of the Chaldees. Wherever they went, to be sure they spread their [Page 35]Doctrine: And with many of these, no doubt, Pythagoras conversed when he travelled first to Sidon and Mount Carmel, thence to Egypt, in Pursuit of Knowledge, and was carried by Cambyses the Son of Cjrus from thence to Ba [...]ion. Yea Josephus tells us, that ‘Pytha­goras was not only well acquainted with their Religion, but even transfer'd much of it into his Phylosophy, and [...]lously espous'd it.^*’

And yet how little cou'd the Phylosophers instill this Doctrine in­to the Minds of Men, even at Athens itself, where they received the greatest Countenance. Socrates owns, it is disbelieved by the greatest Part of Mankind: and at length is publickly condemned and put to Death for denying the Athenian Deities. In Plato's Time, the Academies were put down by Law, and Plato himself with the Phylosophers banished. Even in the Apostles Days, the City conti­nues devoted to the Worship of Idols; and their Phylosophers open­ly deride him when He came to mention the Resurrection, as we observed before.

And tho' many of the Jews had some dim Conception of Im­mortality; yet for the infinitely greater Part of Men in every Nation, both before the Appearing of CHRIST, and ever since to this Day where his Gospel has not shined — Their Case is that described in Scripture — Darkness covereth the Earth, and gross Darkness the People, and they dwell in the Regions of the Shadow of Death: being Strangers to the Covenant of Promise, having no Hope, and with­out GOD in the World. Death appears in all its destroying Horrors: And with respect to the Future State they have no sure Discovery, if they have any Conception.

[Page 36] 3. But O the Glory and the Loveliness of our appearing SAVIOUR! Who undertook and accomplished the Abolishment of Death for his happy Followers; who drew away the Vail, and laid open to View the Invisible World; and having purchased a [...]ned Life and Immortality for us, He brings them to Light and offers them in the Gospel-Day.

How agreably do the sacred Scriptures describe Him, even in the believing Prospect of his remote Appearance, as well as in the hap­pier Vision!

Hear how the evangelical Prophet sings even 740 Years before, in the Joyous Prospect — Isa. IX. 2, 3. The People that walked in Darkness have seen a Great Light: they that dwell in the Land of the Shadow of Death, upon them hath the Light shined — They Joy before Thee according to the Joy in Harvest, and as Men rejoice when they divide the Spoil. So the final Prophet, about 400 Years before his Birth, declares, Mal. IV. 2. To you that fear my Name, shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with Healing in his Wings. And upon the Birth of his Forerunner, about half a Year before him, the inspired Ze­charias says — Thou Child shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest: For Thou shalt go before the Face of the LORD to prepare his Ways, to give Knowledge of Salvation to his People, by the Remission of their Sins, thro the tender Mercy of our GOD: whereby the Day-spring from on high, hath visited us, to give Light to them that sit in Darkness and in the Shadow of Death, to guide our Feet into the Way of Peace. Luke II.

When He is Born into the World, the Angel of the LORD comes upon the Jewish Shepherds, watching their Flocks by Night; the Glory of the LORD shines round about them; and the Angel says, [Page 37]— Fear not; For behold I bring you good Tydings of great Joy, which shall be to all People; For to you is born this Day in the City of David, a SAVIOUR which is CHRISY the LORD. When He is first presented in the Temple, Simeon filled with the Holy Ghost, crys out, LORD Mine Eyes have seen Thy Salvation, which Thou hast prepar'd before the Face of all People; a Light to lighten the Gentiles, and the Glory of thy People Israel. And when He begins his publick Ministry; the Divine Historian tells us, that agreable to the ancient Prophesy, The People who sat in Darkness saw Great Light; and to them who sat in the Region and Shadow of Death, Light sprung up, Matth. IV. 16.

How attentive were the Holy Angels to all the surprizing Pro­gress of His Life and Sufferings! what Contemplations seiz'd them at his Death and Burial! But what a Tide of Joy rose in them at his awaking unto Life and rising from the Grave! While He as­cended up on high, How triumphant were those mighty Armies that attended Him! And upon his entring Heaven, with what trans­porting Welcomes did all the coelestial Hosts receive Him, and see Him placed on his Throne of Glory!

4thly, & lastly, Has our SAVIOUR abolished Death, and brought Life and Immortality to Light by the Gospel; what a vast Excite­ment is this to welcome & embrace Him; what a vast Encourage­ment for his dying Followers to depend upon Him for this happy Life, in their opening State of Separation, & for the absolute Abolish­ment of Death in the Resurrection of their Bodies to Immortality at his second Coming; and what living Consolations does this afford us with respect to our departing and deceased Relatives, who Die and Died earnestly looking to and believing in this most merciful and al­mighty SAVIOUR!

[Page 38] Of this happy Number I am perswaded was that HONOURABLE PERSON, of whose Publick Funeral we have Here the solemn Mo­numents before our Eyes.

Of her Descent, Alliance and Station, I need say nothing: nor yet of those genteel Accomplishments, wherein from her early Days she shone among us. For such things as these seem below the Design and Dignity of the christian Pulpit; and have rather a Tendency to raise our Pride or Envy, than promote cur Virtue. I shall only say those things of Her, which on higher Accounts may be useful to us; which the publick Voice acknowledges, which I have observed in my 18 Years acquaintance with Her, which I have from the immediate Witnesses of those about Her, and which may yield some Glory to HIM who made Her.

In the midst of all the Sprightliness of Youth, she was not asham­ed of the Gospel; but soon after her entring the married State, she made an open Profession of her Faith in CHRIST and Subjection to Him, and join'd to our Communion. She always set a fair Exam­ple of Gravity and Attention in the Publick Worship. And I am assured by her nearest Relative, that she daily read the Holy Scrip­tures; and with great Reverence and Fear, even to a faulty Degree of Trembling, was ever wont to receive the Elements of the Holy Supper.

I always observed in Her a great Respect not only to the Mini­sters of CHRIST, but even to all Good People.

In her raised Station, she was never above her Houshold Business: but till her growing Infirmities hinder'd, she carefully look'd to her Family, and govern'd it with Decency and Order.

[Page 39] Nor did she think Herself too rich or high to speak to the low and poor; but treated them, as well as others, with easy Condescen­tion, Courteousness and Gentleness.

Her Heart was very soft and tender to the afflicted and needy. It first yearn'd with Sympathy, and then widely opened to relieve and comfort them. Even some whole Families were in a great Mea­sure supported by her liberal Hand. And of all Sorts of People she cou'd not tell how to bear that the Ministers of CHRIST shou'd suffer either Disrespect or Difficulty.

In her gradual Languishment, the Thoughts of Death were for a long while frightful to Her. In my discoursing with Her she ex­press'd a very humble Sense of her great Unworthiness; much be­wail'd the Incumbrance and Hurry of her late more Publick State of Life, that her Heart had given too much way to the Tempta­tions of it, and that she had not duly glorified HIM therein who rais'd Her. But she hoped thro' CHRIST, there was Mercy and Pardon for Her: And when I was going to set before her his allu­ring Pity and Grace; her Heart and Eyes grew full, and she soon prevented me, by breaking out into affectionate Acclamations of THAT LOVELY SAVIOUR, as she expresly call'd Him: and told me, she had been many times overcome with the Consideration of his wonderful Pity and Love to wretched, mean and unworthy Sin­ners; that she had nothing of her own to recommend her to Him; but at his merciful Feet she was resolved to lie for ever.

In such a Frame as this she continued: and I am inform'd by those about Her, that for some Days before Her Death, when she grew too faint for her Friends to visit Her, that she not only came to a Willingness, but even to a Desire to Die; and in the sensible Ap­proach of the gloomy Shadow, she cast Herself on the Mercy of that lovely SAVIOUR, and serenely resign'd Herself to his Arms.

[Page 40] Let us be Thankful then for the Hopes we have that She has en­terd the Life of the heavenly World: And with such Views as these, let every mourning Relative be refresh'd and comforted.

Let her Honourable and Surveying CONSORT, remember His spending Life and Opportunities; [...] be effectually quickened to Improve the short Remainder in bringing as much Glory to GOD as possible; and in Doing all the Good He can for this People, which will be to his Crown of Honour in the approaching Day of the Appearance of CHRIST.

Let the bereaved Children turn off their Eyes from beholding the vain Pomp and Vanities of this passing State, which will afford no Comfort in their dying Hours. Let them learn to look to the invisible World, and be wise for Eternity.

May the Honourable and aged Mother, with the mournful Sister, and other Relatives, see their growing Frailty, and Prepare to fol­low.

Let the fair and sprightly remember, their Beauty must fade, their Spirits decay, and their Flesh consume; that they will soon be laid up in the joyless Grave, and see this Life no more: but that the Grace of GOD is infinitely more desireable, and will endure for ever; that if they are possessed of this, it will be a perpetual Source of Happiness; and if they believe in CHRIST, He'l receive their expiring Souls to the Joys of Paradice, and will one Day come and new form their Bodies with ten thousand times greater Beauty, inspire them with the freshest Bloom that shall never fade, and with a joyful Life that will never decay.

And lastly, Let us all remember, that the present Scenes of Life will soon be over; ETERNITY will open upon us, and our Souls must enter; that then all the secular Delights and Affairs of this lower World will appear as Vanity, like the Toys of Children now to those who are taken up wholly with Crowns and Empires; and [Page 41]nothing then but the Alsufficient and Eternal GOD can sa­tisfy or fill our Desires. He alone can be an eternal and ever rising Fountain of Life and Joy within us, and make us taste and feel a Measure of his own Felicity.

O let us therefore now and for ever, most earnestly labour to know HIM, to discover his Glories, and to rise into the highest Ap­prehensions of Him, especially as He appears in CHRISY; that we may Delight in Him, Love Him & Desire Him above all compare, and say as the Psalmist — Whom have I in Heaven but Thee, and there is none upon Earth, that I desire besides Thee: My Flesh and my Heart faileth, but GOD is the Strength of my Heart, and my Portion for ever: Thou wilt guide me by thy Council, and afterward receive me to Glory. Therefore my Heart is glad and my Glory rejoiceth: My Flesh al­so shall rest in Hope: For Thou wilt shew me the Path of Life: In Thy Presence is Fullness of Joy: at Thy Right Hand are Pleasures for ever­more.

Extract from the Boston Weekly News-Letters, No. 1702 & 1703. BOSTON, October 14. 1736.

ON Tuesday last in the Afternoon, the Corpse of the Honourable Madam MARY BELCHER, Consort of His Excellency. JONATHAN BELCHER, Esq our Governour, was entemb'd here with great Respect and Honour: The Rev. Dr. Sewall, on this solemn Occasion, made a very suitable Prayer at his Excellency's House, just before the Funeral: The Coffin was cover'd with black Velvet and richly adorn'd: The Pall was supported by the Honourable, Spencer Fhipps, Esq our Lieutenant Governour, William Dummer, Esq formerly Lieutenant Governour and Commander in Chief of this Province, Benjamin Lynde, Esq Thomas Hutchinson, Esq Edmund Quincey, Esq and Adam Winthrop, Esq His Excellency with his Children and Family follow'd the Corpse, all in deep Mourning; next went the several Relatives according to their respective Degrees, who were followed by a great many of [Page]the principal Gentlewomen in Town; after whom went the Gen­tlemen of His Majesty's Council; the Rev Ministers of this and the neighbouring Towns; the Rev. President and Fellows of Harvard-College; a great Number of Officers, both of the civil and military Order, with a multitude of other Gentlemen. His Excellency's Coach, drawn by four Horses, was cover'd with black Cloth and adorn'd with Escutcheons of the Coat of Arms, both of His Excel­lency and His deceased Lady. All the Bells in Town were tolled on this mournful Occasion; and during the Time of the Funeral Procession to the Tomb, the Half-Minute Guns began first at His Majesty's Castle William, which were follow'd by those on board His Majesty's Ship Squirrel and many other Ships in the Harbour, their Colours being all Day rais'd to the heighth as usual on such Occasions: The Streets thro' which the Funeral pass'd, the Tops of the Houses and Windows on both sides, were crouded with in­numerable Spectators.

October 21.

Last Lord's Day a Funeral Sermon was preach'd by the Rev. Mr. Prince, on Account of the Decease of the Lady of his Excellency our Governour, from 2 Tim. 1. 10. — Who hath abolished Death, and hath brought Life and Immortality to Light by the Gospel. His Excellency's Pew, and the Pulpit, were upon this Occasion, put into Mourn­ing, and richly adorn'd with Escutcheons.

Madam DELCHER was Daughter to the late Hon. William Partridge, Esq who was several Years Lieut Governour & Comman­der in Chief, in and over the Province of New-Hampshire, ha­ving his Commission from the late King WILLIAM the Third. Her Education in every Female Accomplishment was the best Her Countrey could give: which with her great Personal Beauties, soon recommended her to the Addr [...]sles of Mr BELCHER, our pre­sent Governour, to whom she was Married Jan. 4.1705, 6.

As Providence had placed her at the Head of her Sex in her own Countrey, she graced her Station with all the Elegance of Good Manners and Affable Condescention. She was of a sprightly Tem­per: But always grave & solemn in Affairs of Religion. Her Bible was her principal Study, which she us'd to read through in Course several Times a Year. Tho' she ever lived in the Splendour of a Gentlewoman; in her Oeconomy, it was her constant Maxim, Let nothing be lost. The Poor can Witness to the Compassions of her Heart, & the Largeness of her Munificence. The Terrors of Death long kept her in Bondage; but at last seem'd entirely vanished, and she expir'd in much Serenity, on the 6th instant.