Sermons and Discourses Volume 3, Sermon 5

Sermons and Discourses Volume 3 · Sermon 5

A SERMON Preached at the FUNERAL Of the Reverend M^r. THOMAS GOƲGE, the 4th of Novemb. 1681. At St. Anne's Blackfryars; With a brief account of his Life.

p. 153TO The Right Worſhipfull THE PRESIDENT, THE TREASURER, And the reſt of the worthy Governors of the Hoſpital of Chriſt-Church in LONDON.

WHEN upon the requeſt of ſome of the Relations and Friends of the Reverend Mr. Gouge deceaſedy, and, to ſpeak the truth, in compliance with mine own inclination p. 154to do right to the memory of ſo good a man, and to ſet ſo great an Example in the view of all men, I had determined to make this Diſcourſe publick; I knew not where more ſitly to addreſs it than to your ſelves who are the living pattern of the ſame Vertue, and the faithful diſpenſers and managers of one of the beſt and greateſt Charities in the world; eſpecially ſince he had a particular relation to you, and was pleaſed for ſome years laſt paſt, without any other conſideration but that of Charity, to employ his conſtant pains in Catechiſing the poor Children of your Hoſpital; wiſely conſidering of how great conſequence it was to this City, to have the foundations of Religion well laid in the tender years of ſo many perſons as were afterwards to be planted there in ſeveral Profeſſions; and from a p. 155true humility of mind, being ready to ſtoop to the meaneſt office and ſervice, to do good.

I have heard from an intimate friend of his that he would ſometimes with great pleaſure ſay, that he had two Livings which he would not exchange for two of the greateſt in England, meaning Wales and Chriſt's Hoſpital; Contrary to common account, he eſteemed every advantage of being uſeful and ſerviceable to God and men a rich Benefice, and thoſe his beſt Patrons and Benefactors, not who did him good, but who gave him the opportunity and means of doing it. To you therefore as his Patrons this Sermon doth of right belong, and to you I humbly dedicate it; heartily beſeeching Almighty p. 156God, to raiſe up many by his example that may ſerve their generation according to the will of God, as he did. I am

Your Faithfull and humble Servant Jo Tillotſon.

p. 157A SERMON Preached at the Funeral of M^r. THOMAS GOƲGE, With a ſhort account of his Life.

LUKE 20.37, 38.

Now that the dead are raiſed, even Moſes ſhewed at the buſh, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, the God of Iſaac, and the God of Jacob. For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living; For all live to him.

THE occaſion of theſe words of our bleſſed Saviour was an objection which the Sadduces made againſt the Reſurrection, grounded p. 158upon a caſe which had ſometimes happened among them, of a Woman that had had ſeven Brethren ſucceſſively to her Husbands. Upon which caſe they put this Queſtion to our Saviour; whoſe wife of the ſeven ſhall this woman be at the Reſurrection? That is, if men live in another world, how ſhall the controverſie between theſe ſeven Brethren be decided? for they all ſeem to have an equal claim to this Woman, each of them having had her to his wife.

This captious Queſtion was not eaſie to be anſwered by the Phariſees, who fancied the enjoyments of the next life to be of the ſame kind with the ſenſual pleaſures of this world, only greater and more durable. From which Tradition of the Jews concerning a ſenſual Paradiſe, Mahomet ſeems to have taken the pattern of his; as he did likewiſe many other things from the Jewiſh Traditions. Now upon this ſuppoſition, that in the next life there will be marrying and giving in marriage, it was a Queſtion not eaſily ſatisfied, Whoſe wife of the ſeven this woman ſhould then be?

But our Saviour clearly avoids the whole force of it, by ſhewing the different ſtate of men in this world, and in p. 159the other. The children of this world (ſays he) marry, and are given in marriage; but they who ſhall he accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the reſurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage. And he does not barely and magiſterially aſſert this Doctrine, but gives a plain and ſubſtantial Reaſon for it; becauſe they cannot die any more. After men have lived a while in this world they are taken away by death, and therefore marriage is neceſſary to maintain a ſucceſſion of mankind; but in the other world men ſhall become immortal and live for ever, and then the reaſon of marriage will wholly ceaſe: For when men can die no more there will then be no need of any new ſupplies of mankind.

Our Saviour having thus cleared himſelf of this Objection by taking away the ground and foundation of it, he produceth an Argument for the proof of the Reſurrection, in the words of my Text; Now that the dead are raiſed, Moſes even ſhewed at the buſh, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, the God of Iſaac, and the God of Jacob, That is, when in one of his Books God is brought in ſpeaking to him out of the Buſh, and calling p. 160himſelf by the title of the God of Abraham, the God of Iſaac, and the God of Jacob. From whence our Saviour infers the Reſurrection, becauſe God is not the God of the dead but of the living: For all live to him.

My deſign from theſe words is, to ſhew the force and ſtrength of this Argument which our Saviour urgeth for the proof of the Reſurrection. In order whereunto I ſhall,

Firſt, Conſider it as an Argument ad hominem, and ſhew the fitneſs and force of it to convince thoſe with whom our Saviour diſputed.

Secondly. I ſhall enquire, Whether it be more than an Argument ad hominem? And if it be, wherein the real and abſolute force of it doth conſiſt?

And then, I ſhall apply this Doctrine of the Reſurrection to the preſent Occaſion.

II. Firſt. We will conſider it as an Argument ad hominem, and ſhew the fitneſs and force of it to convince thoſe with whom our Saviour diſputed. And this will appear if we carefully conſider theſe four things.

p. 1611. What our Saviour intended directly and immediately to prove by this Argument.

2. The extraordinary veneration which the Jews in general had for the Writings of Moſes, above any other Books of the Old Teſtament.

3. The peculiar notion which the Jews had concerning the uſe of this Phraſe or expreſſion of God's being any ones God.

4. The great reſpect which the Jews had for theſe three Fathers of their Nation, Abraham, Iſaac and Jacoh. For each of theſe make our Saviour's Argument more forcible againſt thoſe with whom he diſputed.

Firſt. We will conſider what our Saviour intended directly and immediately to prove by this Argument. And that was this, That there is another ſtate after this life, wherein men ſhall be happy or miſerable according as they have lived in this world. And this doth not only ſuppoſe the immortality of the Soul, but foraſmuch as the Body is an eſſential part of man doth by conſequence infer the reſurrection of the Body; becauſe otherwiſe the man would not be happy or miſererable p. 162in the other world. But I cannot ſee any ſufficient ground to believe that our Saviour intended by this Argument directly and immediately to prove the reſurrection of the Body, but only by conſequence, and as it follows from the admiſſion of a future ſtate wherein men ſhall be rewarded or puniſhed. For that Reaſon of our Saviour, that God is not a God of the dead but of the living, if it did directly prove the reſurrection of the Body, it would prove that the Bodies of Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob were raiſed to life again, at or before that time when God ſpake to Moſes and called himſelf the God of Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob: But we do not believe this; and therefore ought not to ſuppoſe that it was the intention of our Saviour directly and immediately to prove the reſurrection of the Body, but only (as I ſaid before) a future ſtate. And that this was all our Saviour intended will more plainly appear, if we conſider what that Errour of the Sadduces was which our Saviour here confutes. And Joſephus, who very well underſtood the difference of the Sects among the Jews, and gives a particular account of them, makes not the leaſt mention of any Controverſie between the p. 163Phariſees and the Sadduces about the reſurrection of the Body. All that he ſays, is this: That the Phariſees hold the Immortality of the Soul, and that there are Rewards and Puniſhments in another world: But the Sadduces denied all this, and that there was any other ſtate after this life. And this is the very ſame account with that which is given of them in the New Teſtament, verſ. 27. of this Chapt. The Sadduces who deny that there is any reſurrection. The meaning of which is more fully declared, Act. 23.8. The Sadduces ſay that there is no reſurrection, neither angel nor ſpirit; but the Phariſees confeſs both. That is, the Sadduces denied that there was any other ſtate of men after this life, and that there was any ſuch thing as an immortal Spirit, either Angels, or the Souls of men ſurviving their Bodies. And, as Dr. Hammond hath judiciouſly obſerved, this is the true importance of the word foreign, viz. a future or another ſtate; unleſs in ſuch Texts where the Context does reſtrain it to the raiſing again of the Body, or where ſome word that denotes the body, as foreign or foreign, is added to it.

p. 164Secondly. The force of this Argument againſt thoſe with whom our Saviour diſputed will further appear, if we conſider the great veneration which the Jews in general had for the Writings of Moſes above any other Books of the Old Teſtament; which they (eſpecially the Sadduces) looked upon only as Explications and Comments upon the Law of Moſes: But they eſteemed nothing as a neceſſary Article of Faith which had not ſome foundation in the Writings of Moſes. And this ſeems to me to be the true Reaſon why our Saviour choſe to confute them out of Moſes, rather than any other part of the Old Teſtament: And not as many learned men have imagined, becauſe the Sadduces did not receive any part of the Old Teſtament but only the five Books of M ſes; ſo that it was in vain to argue againſt them out of any other. This I know hath been a general opinion, grounded I think upon the miſtake of a paſſage in Joſephus, who ſays the Sadduces only received the written Law. But if We carefully conſider that paſſage, we ſhall find that Joſephus doth not there oppoſe the Law to the other B…ks of the Old Teſtament, which were alſo written; p. 165but to Oral Tradition. For he ſays expreſly, that the Sadduces only received the written Law, but the Phariſees, over and beſides what was written, received the Oral which they call Tradition.

I deny not but that in the later Prophets there are more expreſs Texts for the proof of a future ſtate, than any are to be found in the Books of Moſes. As Daniel 12.2. And many of them that ſleep in the duſt of the earth ſhall awake, ſ me to everlaſting life, and ſome to ſhame and everlaſting contempt. And indeed it ſeems very plain that holy men among the Jews, towards the expiration of the Legal diſpenſation, had ſtill clearer and more expreſs apprehenſions concerning a future ſtate than are to be met with in the Writings of Moſes, or of any of the Prophets.

The Law given by Moſes did ſuppoſe the Immortality of the Souls of men, and the expectation of another life after this, as Principles of Religion in ſome degree naturally known; but made no new and expreſs Revelation of theſe things. Nor was there any occaſion for it, the Law of Moſes being a Political Law, not intended for the Government of mankind, but of one particular Nation; and therefore p. 166was eſtabliſh'd, as Political Laws are, upon temporal promiſes and threatnings; promiſing temporal proſperity to the obſervation of its precepts, and threatning the breach of them with temporal judgments and calamities.

And this I take to be the true reaſon why arguments fetch'd from another world are ſo obſcurely inſiſted upon under that Diſpenſation; not but that another life after this was always ſuppos'd, and was undoubtedly the hope and expectation of good men under the Law, but the clear diſcovery of it was reſerv'd for the Times of the Meſſias. And therefore as thoſe Times drew on, and the Son of righteouſneſs was nearer his riſing, the ſhadows of the night began to be chaſed away, and mens apprehenſions of a future ſtate to clear up; ſo that in the time of the Maccabees good men ſpake with more confidence and aſſurance of theſe things.

It is likewiſe to be conſider'd, that the temporal calamities and ſufferings with which the Jews were almoſt continually haraſs'd from the time of their Captivity had very much wean'd good men from the conſideration of temporal promiſes, and awaken'd their minds to the more p. 167ſerious thoughts of another world. It being natural to men when they are deſtitute of preſent comfort, to ſupport themſelves with the expectation of better things for the future, and as the Apoſtle to the Hebrews expreſſeth it, ch. 6. v. 18. To fly for refuge to lay hold upon the hope that is before them, and to employ their reaſon to fortifie themſelves as well as they can in that perſuaſion.

And this I doubt not was the true occaſion of thoſe clearer and riper apprehenſions of good men concerning a future ſtate, in thoſe times of diſtreſs and perſecution; it being very agreeable to the wiſdom and goodneſs of the Divine Providence not to leave his People deſtitute of ſufficient ſupport under great trials and ſufferings: And nothing but the hopes of a better life could have born up the ſpirits of men under ſuch cruel tortures. And of this we have a moſt remarkable Inſtance in the Hiſtory of the ſeven Brethren in the Maccabees, who being cruelly tortured and put to death by Antiochus, do moſt expreſly declare their confident expectation of a reſurrection to a better life. To which Hiſtory the Apoſtle certainly refers, Heb. 11.35. when he ſays, others were tortured, not accepting p. 168deliverance, that they might obtain a better reſurrection: where the word, which we render were tortur'd, is foreign, which is the very word uſed in the Maccabees to expreſs the particular kind of torture us'd upon them; beſides that being offer'd deliverance they moſt reſolutely refus'd to accept of it, with this expreſs declaration that they hop'd for a reſurrection to a better life.

But to return to my purpoſe, not withſtanding there might be more clear and expreſs Texts to this purpoſe in the ancient Prophets, yet our Saviour knowing how great a regard not only the Sadduces, but all the Jews had to the Authority of Moſes, he thought fit to bring his proof of the reſurrection out of his Writings, as that which was the moſt likely to convince them.

Thirdly. If we conſider further the peculiar Notion which the Jews had concerning the uſe of this phraſe or expreſſion of God's being any ones God. And that was this. That God is no where in Scripture ſaid to be any ones God while he was alive. And therefore they tell us that while Iſaac lived, God is not called the God of Iſaac, but the ſear of Iſaac. As p. 169Gen. 31.42. Except the God of Abraham, and the fear of Iſaac had been with me; and ver. 53. when Laban made a Covenant with Jacob, 'tis ſaid that Laban did ſwear by the God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, and the God of their Fathers, but Jacob ſwore by the fear of his Father Iſaac. I will not warrant this Obſervation to be good, becauſe I certainly know it is not true. For God doth expreſly call himſelf the God of Iſaac, while Iſaac was yet alive, Gen. 28.13. I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Iſaac. It is ſufficient to my purpoſe, that this was a Notion anciently currant among the Jews. And therefore our Saviour's Argument from this Expreſſion muſt be ſo much the ſtronger againſt them: For if the Souls of men be extinguiſhed by death (as the Sadduces believed) what did it ſignifie to Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob to have God called their God after they were dead? But ſurely for God to be any ones God doth ſignifie ſome great benefit and advantage; which yet (according to the notion which the Jews had of this Phraſe) could not reſpect this life, becauſe, according to them, God is not ſaid to be any ones God till after he is dead: But it is thus ſaid of Abraham, p. 170Iſaac and Jacob after their death, and therefore our Saviour infers very ſtrongly againſt them, that Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob were not extinguiſhed by death, but do ſtill live ſomewhere: for God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. And then he adds by way of further explication, for all live to him. That is, though thoſe good men who are departed this life, do not ſtill live to us, here in this world, yet they live to God, and are with him.

Fourthly. If we conſider the great reſpect which the Jews had for thoſe three Fathers of their Nation, Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob. They had an extraordinary opinion of them, and eſteemed nothing too great to be thought or ſaid of them. And therefore we find that they looked upon it as a great arrogance for any man to aſſume any thing to himſelf that might ſeem to ſet him above Abraham, Iſaac or Jacob. With what indignation did they fly upon our Saviour on this account? Joh. 4.12. Art thou greater than our father Jacob? and chap. 8. ver. 53. Art thou greater than our father Abraham: whom makeſt thou thy ſelf? Now they who had ſo ſuperſtitious a veneration for p. 171them, would eaſily believe any thing of privilege to belong to them: ſo that our Saviour doth with great advantage inſtance in them, in favour of whom they would be inclined to extend the meaning of any promiſe to the utmoſt, and allow it to ſignifie as much as the words could poſſibly bear. So that it is no wonder that the Text tells us that this Argument put the Sadduces to ſilence. They durſt not attempt a thing ſo odious, as to go about to take away any thing of privilege from Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob.

And thus I have, as briefly as the matter would bear, endeavoured to ſhew the fitneſs and force of this Argument to convince thoſe with whom our Saviour diſputed. I come now, in the

IIII. Second place, to enquire Whether this be any more than an Argument ad hominem? And if it be, wherein the real and abſolute force of it doth conſiſt?

I do not think it neceſſary to believe that every Argument uſed by our Saviour or his Apoſtles, is abſolutely and in it ſelf concluſive of the matter in debate. For an Argument which doth not really prove the thing in Queſtion, may yet be a very good Argument ad hominem; and p. 172in ſome caſes more convincing to him with whom we diſpute than that which is a better Argument in it ſelf. Now it is poſſible, that our Saviour's intention might not be to bring a concluſive proof of the Reſurrection, but only to confute thoſe who would needs be diſputing with him. And to that purpoſe an Argument ad hominem, which proceeded upon grounds which they themſelves could not deny, might be very proper and effectual. But although it be not neceſſary to believe, that this was more than an Argument ad hominem; yet it is the better to us, if it be abſolutely and in it ſelf concluſive of the thing in Queſtion. And this I hope will ſufficiently appear, if we conſider theſe four things.

1. That for God to be any ones God doth ſignifie ſome very extraordinary bleſſing and happineſs, to thoſe perſons of whom this is ſaid.

2. If we conſider the eminent faith and obedience of the perſons to whom this promiſe is made.

3. Their condition in this world.

4. The general importance of this promiſe, abſtracting from the perſons particularly ſpecified and named in it, Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob.

p. 173Firſt, If we conſider, that for God to be any ones God doth ſignifie ſome very extraordinary bleſſing and happineſs to thoſe perſons of whom this is ſaid. It is a big word for God to declare himſelf to be any ones God: and the leaſt we can imagine to be meant by it, is that God will in an extraordinary manner employ his power and wiſdom to do him good: that he will concern himſelf more for the happineſs of thoſe whoſe God he declares himſelf to be, than for others.

Secondly, If we conſider the eminent faith and obedience of Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob. Abraham left his Country in obedience to God, not knowing whither he was to go. And, which was one of the moſt unparallel'd and ſtrange inſtances of faith and obedience that can almoſt be imagined, he was willing to have ſacrificed his only Son at the command of God. Iſaac and Jacob were alſo very good men, and devout worſhippers of the true God, when almoſt the whole world was ſunk into Idolatry and all manner of impiety. Now what can we imagin, but that the good God did deſign ſome extraordinary reward to ſuch p. 174faithful ſervants of his? eſpecially if we conſider, that he intended this gracious declaration of his concerning them, for a ſtanding encouragement to all thoſe who in after Ages ſhould follow the faith and tread in the ſteps of Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob.

Thirdly. If we conſider the condition of Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob in this world. The Scripture tells us, that they were pilgrims and ſtrangers upon the earth; had no fixed and ſettled habitation, but were forced to wander from one Kingdom and Countrey to another: that they were expoſed to many hazards and difficulties, to great troubles and afflictions in this world; ſo that there was no ſuch peculiar happineſs befell them in this life above the common rate of men, as may ſeem to fill up the big words of this promiſe, that God would be their God. For ſo far as the Scripture Hiſtory informs us, and further we cannot know of this matter, Eſau was as proſperous as Jacob; and Jacob had a great many more troubles and afflictions in this life than Eſau had. But ſuerly when God calls himſelf the God of Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob, this ſignifies that God intended ſome very p. 175peculiar bleſſing and advantage to them above others: which ſeeing they did not enjoy in this world, it is very reaſonable to believe that one time or other this gracious declaration and promiſe or God was made good to them.

And therefore the Apoſtle to the Hebrews, chap. 11. from this very expreſſion of God's being ſaid to be the God of Abraham and others, argues that ſome extraordinary happineſs was reſerved for them in another world: and that upon this very ground I am now ſpeaking of, namely, becauſe the condition of Abraham and ſome others, was not ſuch in this world as might ſeem to anſwer the fulneſs of this promiſe. All theſe, ſays he, died in the faith, not having received the promiſes, but having ſeen them a…ar off, and were perſwaded of them, and embraced them, and confeſſed that they were ſtrangers and pilgrims upon the earth. From whence he reaſons very ſtrongly that theſe good men might reaſonably expect ſomething better than any thing that had befallen them in this World. For they, ſays he, that ſay ſuch things, declare plainly that they ſeek a Country; which at the 16. verſe he calls a better Country, that is a heavenly. They that ſay p. 176ſuch things: that is, they who acknowledge themſelves to be ſtrangers and pilgrims in the earth, and yet pretend that God hath promiſed to be their God, declare plainly that they expect ſome reward beyond this life. From all which he concludes, Wherefore God is not aſhamed to be called their God, becauſe he hath prepared for them a City: Intimating that if no happineſs had remained for theſe good men in another world, this promiſe of God's being their God, would ſhamefully have fallen ſhort of what it ſeemed to import, viz. ſome extraordinary reward and bleſſing worthy of God to beſtow; ſomething more certain and laſting than any of the enjoyments of this world: which ſince God hath abundantly performed to them in the happineſs of another life, his promiſe to them was made good to the full, and he needed not be aſhamed to be called their God. But if nothing beyond this life had been reſerved for them, that Saying of old Jacob towards the concluſion of his life, few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, would have been an eternal reflection upon the truth and faithfulneſs of him who had ſo often called himſelf the God of Jacob.

p. 177But now, becauſe to all this it may be ſaid, that this Promiſe ſeems to have been made good to Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob, in this world: For was not God the God of Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob, when he took ſuch a particular and extraoadinary care of them, and protected them from the manifold dangers they were expoſed to, by ſuch a ſpecial and immediate providence, ſuffering no one to do them harm, but rebuking even Kings for their ſakes? Was not he Abraham's God, when he bleſt him ſo miraculouſly with a Son in his old age, and with ſo conſiderable an eſtate to leave to him? Was not that Saying of Jacob a great acknowledgement of the gracious providence of God towards him, with my ſtaff paſſed I over this Jordan, and now I am become two bands? And though it muſt needs be a very cutting affliction to him to loſe his Son Joſeph, as he thought he had done, yet that was more than recompenſed to him in Joſeph's ſtrange advancement in Egypt, whereby God put into his hands the opportunity of ſaving his Father and his whole Family alive. And was not God the God of Abraham Iſaac, and Jacob, in making them Fathers of ſo numerons an off-ſpring, as afterwards became p. 178came a great nation: and in giving them a fruitful Land; and bringing them to the quiet poſſeſſion of it by ſuch a ſeries of wonderful Miracles? what need then is there of extending this promiſe to another world? doth it not ſeem abundantly made good in thoſe great bleſſings which God beſtowed upon them whilſt they liv'd, and afterwards upon their poſterity, in this world? And does not this agree well enough with the firſt and moſt obvious ſenſe of theſe words, I am the God of Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob, that is, I am he that was their God while they were alive, and am ſtill the God of their poſterity for their ſakes? I ſay, becauſe the three former Conſiderations are liable to this Objection, which ſeems wholly to take off the force of this Argument; therefore for the full clearing of this matter, I will add one conſideration more.

Fourthly then, we will conſider the general importance of this Promiſe, abſtracting from the particular perſons ſpecified and named in it, viz. Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob; and that is, that God will make a wide and plain difference between good and bad men; he will be p. 179ſo the God of good men as he is not of the wicked: and ſome time or other put every good man into a better and happier condition than any wicked man: ſo that the general importance of this promiſe is finally reſolved into the equity and juſtice of the Divine Providence.

And unleſs we ſuppoſe another life after this, it will certainly be very hard, and I think impoſſible, to reconcile the Hiſtory of the Old Teſtament, and the common appearances of things in this World, with the Juſtice and Goodneſs of God's Providence.

It cannot be denied, but that Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob, and ſeveral good men in the old Teſtament, had many ſignal Teſtimonies of the Divine favour vouchſafed to them in this world: But we read likewiſe of ſeveral wicked men that had as large a ſhare of temporal bleſſings. It is very true that Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob had great eſtates, and were petty Princes: But Pharoah was a mighty Prince in compariſon of them; and the Kingdom of Egypt, which probably was the firſt and chief ſeat of Idolatry, was at the ſame time one of the moſt potent and flouriſhing Kingdoms in the world: and was bleſt with a prodigious p. 180plenty, whereby they were furniſhed with ſtore of corn, when good Jacob and his Family had like to have periſhed by famine. 'Tis true, Joſeph, was ad anc'd to great power in Egypt, and thereby had the opportunity of ſaving his Fathers houſe, by ſetling them, and feeding them in Egypt: But then it is to be conſidered again, that this coſt them very dear, and their coming thither was the occaſion of a long and cruel bondage to Jacob's poſterity, ſo that we ſee that theſe good men had no ſuch bleſſings, but what were common with them to many others that were wicked: and the bleſſings which God beſtowed upon, them had great abatements by the intermixture of many and ſore afflictions.

It ſeems then upon the whole matter, to be very plain, that the Providences of God in this world towards good men are ſo contrived, that it may ſufficiently appear, to thoſe who wiſely conſider the works of God, that they are not neglected by him; and yet that theſe outward bleſſings are ſo promiſcuouſly diſpenſed, that no man can certainly be concluded to be a good man from any happineſs he enjoys in this life: And the p. 181proſperity of good men is uſually on purpoſe ſo ſhadowed and mixed with afflictions, as may juſtly raiſe their hopes to the expectation of a more perfect happineſs and better reward than any they meet with in this world.

And if ſo, then the general importance of this Promiſe, that God will be the God of good men, muſt neceſſarily ſignifie ſomething beyond this world: Becauſe in this world there is not that clear difference univerſally made betwen good and bad men which the Juſtice of the Divine Providence doth require, and which ſeems to be intended in the general ſence of this Promiſe. For if this Promiſe (though perſonally made to Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob) be intended, as the Scripture tells us it was for a ſtanding encouragement to good men in all Ages, then it muſt contain in it this general Truth, that God will ſome time or other plentifully reward every good man; that is, he will do ſomething far better for him than for any wicked man: But if there be no life after this, it is impoſſible to reconcile this ſenſe of it with the courſe of God's Providence, and with the Hiſtory of the Bible.

p. 182And to make this out fully and at once, I will only produce that ſingle Inſtance of Abel and Cain. Abel offered to God a more excellent ſacrifice than Cain, and he had this teſtimony, that he pleaſed God; which was in effect to declare, that God was the God of Abel and not of Cain; ſo that by virtue of the general importance of this Promiſe, it might juſtly be expected that Abel's condition ſhould have been much better than Cain's: But if there be no happineſs after this life, Abel's was evidently much worſe. For upon this very account, that he pleaſed God better, he was killed by Cain, who had offered to God a ſlight and contemptuous offering. And Cain lived a long time after, and grew great, and built Cities. Now ſuppoſing there were no other life after this, this muſt have been a moſt horrible Example to all Ages, from the beginning of the world to the end of it, and have made men for ever afraid to pleaſe God upon ſuch hard terms; when they were ſure of no other reward for ſo doing, but to be oppreſs'd and ſlain by the hands of the wicked. So that if this were really the Caſe, it would puzzle all the Wit and Reaſon of mankind to vindicate the equity p. 183and juſtice of the Divine Providence, and to reſcue it out of the hands of this terrible Objection.

And thus have I as briefly as I could, endeavoured to clear to you the force of this Argument uſed by our Saviour for the Proof of the Reſurrection. And have the longer inſiſted upon it, becauſe at firſt appearance it ſeems to be but a very obſcure and remote Argument: And yet ſo much the more neceſſary to be clear'd, becauſe this in all probability was that very Text upon which the Jews in our Saviours time grounded their belief of a future ſtate, in oppoſition to the error of the Sadduces; and which they call'd by way of eminency the promiſe made of God unto the Fathers. As will plainly appear, if we conſider what St. Paul ſays to this purpoſe; when he appeals ſo often to the Phariſees for his agreement with them in this Article of the Reſurrection, and likewiſe in the ground of it from the promiſe made of God unto the fathers. Act. 24.14, 15 But this I confeſs unto thee, that after the way which they call hereſie, ſo worſhip I the God of my Fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets; p. 184and have hope towards God, which they themſelves alſo allow, that there ſhall be a reſurrection of the dead. From whence it is clear, that they both grounded their hope of the reſurrection upon ſomething written in the Law and the Prophets; and what that was he expreſſeth more particularly c. 26. v. 6, 7 And now I ſtand, and am judged for the hope of the promiſe made of God unto our Fathers; unto which promiſe our twelve Tribes, inſtantly ſerving God day and night, hope to come. By the promiſe made of God unto the Fathers he means ſome promiſe made by God to Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob; for ſo S. Luke more than once, in his Hiſtory of the Acts, explains this phraſe of the God of their Fathers, Acts 3.13. The God of Abraham, and of Iſaac, and of Jacob, the God of our Fathers; and c. 7. v. 32. I am the God thy Fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Iſaac, and the God of Jacob. Now what was the great and famous Promiſe which God made to Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob? was it not this of being their God? So that it was this very Promiſe upon which S. Paul tells us the Jews grounded their hope of a future ſtate, becauſe they underſtood it neceſſarily to ſignifie ſome p. 185bleſſing and happineſs beyond this life.

And now having, I hope, ſufficiently clear'd this matter, I ſhall make ſome improvement of this Doctrine of a future ſtate, and that to theſe three purpoſes.

1. To raiſe our minds above this world and the enjoyments of this preſent life. Were but men thorougly convinced of this plain and certain Truth, that there is a vaſt difference between Time and Eternity, between a few years and everlaſting Ages: would we but repreſent to our ſelves what thoughts and apprehenſions dying perſons have of this world; how vain and empty a thing it appears to them, how like a pageant and a ſhadow it looks as it paſſeth away from them: methinks none of thoſe things could be a ſufficient temptation to any man to forget God and his Soul; but, notwithſtanding all the delights and pleaſures of ſenſe, we ſhould be ſtrangely intent upon the concernments of another world, and almoſt wholly taken up with the thoughts of that vaſt Eternity which we are ready to launch into. For what is there in this world, this waſte and howling wilderneſs, this rude and barbarous Country which we are but to paſs p. 186through, which ſhould detain our affections here, and take off our thoughts from our everlaſting habitation; from that better and that heavenly Country, where we hope to live and be happy for ever?

If we ſettle our affections upon the enjoyments of this preſent Life, ſo as to be extremely pleas'd and tranſported with them, and to ſay in our hearts, It is good for us to be here; if we be exceſſively griev'd or diſcontented for the want or loſs of them, and if we look upon our preſent ſtate in this world any otherwiſe than as a preparation and paſſage to a better life, it is a ſign that our faith and hope of the happineſs of another life is but very weak and faint, and that we do not heartily and in good earneſt believe what we pretend to do concerning theſe things. For did we ſtedfaſtly believe and were thoroughly perſwaded of what our Religion ſo plainly declares to us concerning the unſpeakable and endleſs happineſs of good men in another world, our affections would ſit more looſe to this world, and our hopes would raiſe our hearts as much above theſe preſent and ſenſible things as the heavens are high above the earth; we ſhould value nothing p. 187here below, but as it ſerves for our preſent ſupport and paſſage, or may be made a means to ſecure and increaſe our future felicity.

2. The conſideration of another Life ſhould quicken our preparation for that bleſſed ſtate which remains for us in the other world. This Life is a ſtate of probation and trial. This world is God's ſchool, where immortal ſpirits clothed with fleſh are trained and bred up for eternity. And then certainly it is not an indifferent thing and a matter of ſlight concernment to us, how we live and demean our ſelves in this world: whether we indulge our ſelves in ungodlineſs and worldly luſts, or live ſoberly, and righteouſly, and godly in this preſent world: No; it is a matter of infinite moment, as much as our ſouls and all eternity are worth. Let us not deceive our ſelves; for as we ſow ſo ſhall we reap: If we ſow to the fleſh, we ſhall of the fleſh reap corruption; but if we ſow to the ſpirit, we ſhall of the ſpirit reap everlaſting life. Light is ſown for the righteous, and gladneſs for the upright in heart. The righteous hath hopes in his death. Mark the perfect man, and behold the p. 188upright, for the end of that man is peace.

But the ungodly are not ſo: whoever hath lived a wicked and vicious life, feels ſtrange throws and pangs in his conſcience when he comes to be caſt: upon a ſick bed. The wicked is like the troubled ſea (ſaith the Prophet) when it cannot reſt; full of trouble and confuſion, eſpecially in a dying hour. It is death to ſuch a man to look back upon his life, and a hell to him to think of eternity. When his guilty and trembling Soul is ready to leave his Body, and juſt ſtepping into the other world, what horrour and amazement do then ſeiſe upon him? what a rage does ſuch a man feel in his breaſt, when he ſeriouſly conſiders, that he hath been ſo great a fool as for the falſe and imperfect pleaſure of a few days to make himſelf miſerable for ever?

3. Let the conſideration of that unſpeakable Reward which God hath promiſed to good men at the Reſurrection, encourage us to obedience and a holy life. We ſerve a great Prince who is able to promote us to honour; a moſt gracious Maſter who will not let the leaſt ſervice we do for him paſs unrewarded. This is the Inference which the Apoſtle p. 189makes from this large diſcourſe of the Doctrine of the Reſurrrection, 1 Cor. 15.58. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, be ye ſtedfaſt and unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, foraſmuch as ye know that your labour ſhall not be in vain in the Lord. Nothing will make death more welcome to us than a conſtant courſe of ſervice and obedience to God. Sleep, ſaith Solomon, is ſweet to the labouring man: ſo after a great diligence and induſtry in working out our own ſalvation, and (as it is ſaid of David) ſerving our generation according to the will of God, how pleaſant will it be to fall aſleep? And as an uſeful and well-ſpent life will make our death to be ſweet, ſo our reſurrection to be glorious. Whatever acts of Piety we do to God, or of charity to men; whatever we lay out upon the poor and afflicted and neceſſitous, will all be conſidered by God in the day of recompences, and moſt plentifully rewarded to us.

And ſurely no conſideration ought to be more prevalent to perſwade us to alms-deeds and charity to the poor, than that of a reſurrection to another life. Beſides the promiſes of this life which are made to works of charity, and there is p. 190not any grace or vertue whaſoever, which hath ſo many and ſo great promiſes of temporal bleſſings made to it in Scripture as this grace of charity; I ſay, beſides the promiſes of this Life, the great promiſe of eternal Life is in Scripture in a more eſpecial manner entail'd upon it. Luke 12.33. Give alms, ſaith our Saviour, provide your ſelves baggs which wax not old, a treaſure in the heavens that faileth not; and c. 9. v. 19. make to your ſelves friends of the mammon of unrighteouſneſs, that when ye ſhall fail they may receive you into everlaſting habitations. And 1 Tim. 6.17, 18, 19. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high minded, &c. that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to diſtribute, willing to communicate, laying up in ſtore for themſelves a good foundation againſt the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life; the word foreign, which our Tranſlation renders foundation according to the common uſe of it, ſeems in this place to have a more peculiar notion, and to ſignifie the ſecurity that is given by a pledge, or by an inſtrument or obligation of contract for the performance of Covenants. For beſides that the phraſe of laying up in ſtore, or treaſurng p. 191up a foundation, ſeems to be a very odd jumbling of metaphors; this very word foreign almoſt neceſſarily requires this notion as it is uſed by the ſame Apoſtle, in his ſecond Epiſtle to Timothy, chap. 2. ver. 19. where it is ſaid, the foundation of God ſtands ſure, having this ſeal, &c. a ſeal being very improper to ſtrengthen a foundation, but very fit to confirm a Covenant. And then ſurely it ought to be render'd, the Covenant of God remains firm, having this ſeal. And ſo likewiſe in the foremention'd Text, the ſenſe will be much more eaſie and current if we render it thus, treaſuring up, or providing for themſelves a good ſecurity or pledge againſt the time to come; I add pledge, becauſe that anciently was the common way of ſecurity for things lent: beſides that the Apoſtle ſeems plainly to allude to that paſſage, Tobit, 4 8, 9. If thou haſt abundance, give alms accordingly, &c. for thou layeſt up a good treaſure for thy ſelf againſt the day of neceſſity, foreign, for thou treaſureſt up for thy ſelf a good pledge; to which this of the Apoſtle exactly anſwers, foreign, treaſuring up, or providing for themſelves a good pledge or ſecurity, &c. the ſenſe however p. 192is plain, that the charity of Alms is one of the beſt ways of ſecuring our future happineſs.

And yet further to encourage us to abound in works of charity, the Scripture tells us that proportionably to the degrees of our charity ſhall be the degrees of our reward; upon this conſideration the Apoſtle exhorts the Corinthians to be liberal in their charity, 2 Cor. 9 6. he that ſoweth ſparingly ſhall reap ſparingly, but he that ſoweth bountifully ſhall reap bountifully. So that whatever we lay out in this kind is to the greateſt advantage, and upon the beſt ſecurity; two conſiderations which uſe to be very prevalent with rich men to lay out their money.

We certainiy do it to the greateſt advantage; becauſe God will conſider the very ſmalleſt thing that any of us do in this kind. He that ſhall give ſo much as a cup of cold water to a diſciple, in the name of a diſciple, ſhall not loſe his reward; theſe laſt words, ſhall not loſe his reward, are a foreign, and ſignifie much more than they ſeem to ſpeak, viz. that he ſhall have a very great reward, infinitely beyond the value of what he hath done.

p. 193And we do it likewiſe upon the beſt ſecurity; ſo Solomon aſſures us, Prov. 19.17. He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth to the Lord, and that which he hath given will he pay him again: and we may be confident of our ſecurity where God is ſurety; nay, he tells us that in this caſe he looks upon himſelf as principal, and that whatever we do in ways of mercy and charity to the poor he takes as done to himſelf. So our Lord hath told us, Matt. 25.40. and we ſhall hear the ſame from him again out of his own mouth when he ſhall appear in his Majeſty to judge the World, Then the King ſhall anſwer, and ſay unto them, Verily I ſay unto you, inaſmuch as ye havn done it unto one of the leaſt of theſe my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

And on the other ſide, the Scripture no where paſſeth a more ſevere doom upon any ſort of perſons, than upon thoſe who have no bowels of compaſſion towards their brethren in diſtreſs. That is a fearful ſentence indeed, which the Apoſtle pronounceth upon ſuch perſons, Jam. 2.13. He ſhall have judgment without mercy that hath ſhewed no mercy. And this our Saviour repreſents to us in a moſt ſolemn manner, in that lively deſcription p. 194which he makes of the Judgment of the great day, Matt. 25.31, &c. When the Son of man ſhall come in his glory, and all the holy Angels with him, then ſhall he ſit upon the throne of his glory: and before him ſhall be gathered all nations, and he ſhall ſeparate them one from another, as a ſhepherd divideth the ſheep from the goats. And he ſhall ſet the ſheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then ſhall the King ſay unto them on the right hand, Come ye bleſſed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you, before the foundation of the world. For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat; I was thirſty, and ye gave me drink; I was a ſtranger, and ye took me in; naked, and ye clothed me; I was ſick, and ye viſited me; I was in priſon, and ye came unto me. Then ſhall He ſay, alſo unto them on the left hand, Depart from me ye curſed into everlaſting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat, &c. And theſe ſhall go away into everlaſting puniſhment; but the righteous into life eternal. And if this be, as moſt certainly it is, a true and proper repreſentation of the proceſs of that Day, then the great matter of enquiry will be, What works of charity and mercy have p. 195been done or neglected by us, and accordingly a Sentence of eternal happineſs, or miſery, will be paſs'd upon us: I was hungry, did ye feed me or did ye not? I was naked, did ye clothe me or did ye not? I was ſick and in priſon, did ye viſit me or did ye not? Not but that all the good or evil of our lives, in what kind ſoever, ſhall then be brought to account; But that our Saviour did chuſe to inſtance particularly, and only in things of this nature, ſhould methinks make a mighty impreſſion upon us, and be a powerful conſideration to oblige us to have a very peculiar regard to works of mercy and charity, and to make ſure to abound in this Grace; that when we ſhall appear before the great Judge of the world we may find that mercy from Him which we have ſhew'd to others, and which we ſhall all undoubtedly ſtand in need of in that Day.

And among all our acts of charity, thoſe which are done upon leaſt probability and foreſight of their meeting with any recompence in this world, either by way of real requital or of fame and reputation, as they are of all other moſt acceptable to God, ſo they will certainly have the moſt ample reward in another world. So our Lord hath aſſur'd us, and p. 196accordingly adviſeth us, Luke 14.12, 13, 14. When thou makeſt a feaſt, invite not the rich, becauſe they will recompenſe thee again: but call the poor, the maimed, the lame and the blind, for they cannot recompenſe thee, but thou ſhalt he recompenſed at the reſurrection of the juſt. If we be Religious for worldly ends, and ſerve God, and do good to men, onelyonly in contemplation of ſome temporal advantage, we take up with preſent payment, and cut our ſelves ſhort of our future reward: of ſuch, ſaith our Lord, Verily I ſay unto you, they have their reward; they are their own ſecurity, and have taken care to ſatisfy themſelves, and therefore are to expect, nothing from God. But let us who call our ſelves Chriſtians do ſomething for God, for which we have no hopes to be recompenſed in this world; that we may ſhew that we truſt God and take his word, and dare venture upon the ſecurity of the next world, and that recompenſe which ſhall be made at the reſurrection of the just.

And how great and glorious that ſhall be, our Saviour tells us immediately before my Text. They that ſhall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the reſurrection from the dead, they can die no p. 197more, but they are equal to the Angels, and are the children of God, being the children of the reſurrection.

If then we be heirs of ſuch glorious hopes, and believe that he who is the God of Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob, will alſo be our God; let us live as it becomes the Candidates of heaven, and the children of the reſurrection, and ſuch as verily believe another life after this, and hope one day to ſit down with Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob, in the Kingdom of God.

And now that I have repreſented to you what encouragement there is to well-doing, and particularly to works of Charity, from the conſideration of the bleſſed reward we ſhall certainly meet with at the Reſurrection of the juft; I ſhall crave your patience a little longer, whilſt I propoſe to you one of the faireſt Examples of this kind which either this or perhaps any other Age could eaſily preſent us withall: I mean our deceaſed Brother to whom we are now paying our laſt ſolemn reſpects, the Reverend Mr. THOMAS GOƲGE; the worthy Son of a reverend and learned Divine of this City, Dr. Williaw Gouge, who was Miniſter of this Pariſh of Black Friars p. 198ſix and forty years; he died in 1653. and ſtill lives in the memory of many here preſent.

I muſt confeſs, that I am no friend to Funeral Panegyricks, where there is nothing of extraordinary worth and merit in the party commended to give occaſion and foundation for them: In ſuch caſes, as praiſes are not due to the dead, ſo they may be of ill conſequence to the living: not only by bringing thoſe of our Profeſſion that make a practice of it, under the ſuſpicion of officious and mercenary flattery, but likewiſe by encouraging men to hope that they alſo may be well ſpoken of, and even Sainted when they are dead, though they ſhould have done little or no good in their life: But yet on the other hand, to commend thoſe excellent Perſons the vertues of whoſe lives have been bright and exemplary, is not only a piece of juſtice due to the dead, but an act of great charity to the living, ſetting a pattern of well-doing before our eyes, very apt and powerful to incite and encourage us to go and do likewiſe.

Upon both theſe Conſiderations, firſt to do right to the memory of ſo good a man, and then in hopes that the example p. 199may prove fruitful and have a conſiderable effect upon others to beget the like goodneſs and charity in them, I ſhall endeavour, in as narrow a compaſs as may be, to give you the juſt character of this truly pious and charitable Man, and by ſetting his life in a true light to recommend with all the advantage I can ſo excellent a pattern to your imitation.

He was born at Bow near Stratford in the County of Middleſex the 19th. day of September 1605. He was bred at Eaton School, and from thence choſen to King's College in Cambridge being about 20 years of Age, in the year 1626. After he had finiſh'd the courſe of his ſtudies, and taken his Degrees, he leſt the Ʋniverſity and his Fellowſhip, being preſented to the Living of Colſden near Croyden in Surrey, where he continued about 2 or 3 years; and from thence was remov'd to S. Sepulchres in London, in the year 1638. and the year after thinking fit to change his condition match'd into a very worthy and ancient Family, marrying one of the Daughters of Sir Robert Darcy.

Being thus ſettled in this large and populous Pariſh, he did with great ſolicitude and pains diſcharge all the parts of p. 200a vigilant and faithful Miniſter, for about the ſpace of 24 years. For beſides his conſtant and weekly labour of preaching, lie was very diligent and charitable in viſiting the ſick, and miniſtring not only ſpiritual counſel and comfort to them, but likewiſe liberal relief to the wants and neceſſities of thoſe that were poor and deſtitute of means to help themſelves in that condition. He did alſo every morning throughout the year Catechiſe in the Church, eſpecially the poorer ſort who were generally moſt ignorant; and to encourage them to come thither to be inſtructed by him he did once a week diſtribute money among them, not upon a certain day, but changing it on purpoſe as he thought good, that he might thereby oblige them to be conſtantly preſent; Theſe were chiefly the more aged poor, who being paſt labour had leaſure enough to attend upon this exerciſe. As for the other ſort of poor who were able to work for their living, he ſet them at work upon his own charge, buying Flax and Hemp for them to ſpin, and what they ſpun he took off their hands paying them for their work, and then got it wrought into Cloth, and ſold it as he could, chiefly among his friends, p. 201himſelf bearing the whole loſs. And this was a very wiſe and well choſen way of charity, and in the good effect of it a much greater charity than if he had given theſe very perſons freely and for nothing ſo much as they earned by their work; becauſe by this means he took many off from begging, and thereby reſcued them at once from two of the moſt dangerous temptations of this world, Idleneſs and Poverty; and by degrees reclaim'd them to a vertuous and induſtrious courſe of life, which enabled them afterwards to live without being beholden to the charity of others.

And this courſe ſo happily devis'd and begun by Mr. Gouge in his own Pariſh, was I think that which gave the firſt hint to that worthy and uſefull Citizen Mr. Thomas Firmin of a much larger deſign, which hath been proſecuted by him for ſome years with that vigour and good ſucceſs in this City, that many hundeds of poor Children, and others who liv'd idle before, unprofitable both to themſelves and the publick, are continually maintain'd at work and taught to earn their own livelihood much in the ſame way: He being, by the generous aſſiſtance and charity of many worthy and p. 202well-diſpos'd Perſons of all ranks, enabled to bear the unavoidable loſs and charge of ſo vaſt an undertaking; and by his own forward inclination to charity, and his unwearied diligence and activity, extraordinarily fitted to ſuſtain and go through the incredible pains of it.

But to return to our deceaſed Friend; concerning whom I muſt content my ſelf to paſs over many things worthy to be remembred of him, and to ſpeak only of thoſe Vertues of his which were more eminent and remarkable.

Of his Piety towards God, which is the neceſſary foundation of all other Graces and Vertues, I ſhall only ſay this, That it was great and exemplary, but yet very ſtill and quiet, without ſtir and noiſe, and much more in ſubſtance and reality, Than in ſhew and oſtentation; and did not conſiſt in cenſuring and finding fault with others, but in the due care and government of his own life and actions, and in exerciſing himſelf continually to have a conſcience void of offence toward God and toward men; in which he was ſuch a proficient, that even after a long acquaintance and familiar converſation with him, it was not eaſie to obſerve any thing that might deſerve blame.

p. 203He particularly excell'd in the more peculiar vertues of converſation, in modesty, humility, meekneſs, cheerfulness, and in kindneſs and charity towards all men.

So great was his modeſty, that it never appear'd either by word or action, that he put any value upon himſelf. This I have often obſerv'd in him, that the Charities which were procur'd chiefly by his application and induſtry, when he had occaſion to give an account of them, he would rather impute to any one who had but the leaſt hand and part in the obtaining of them, than aſſume any thing of it to himſelf. Another inſtance of his modeſty was, that when he had quitted his Living of S. Sepulchres upon ſome diſſatisfaction about the terms of conformity, he willingly forbore preaching, ſaying there was no need of him here in London where there were ſo many worthy Miniſters, and that he thought he might do as much or more good in another way which could give no offence. Only in the later years of his life, being better ſatisfi'd in ſome things he had doubted of before, He had Licenſe from ſome of the Biſhops to preach in Wales in his progreſs; which he was the more willing to do, p. 204becauſe in ſome places he ſaw great need of it, and he thought he might do it with greater advantage among the poor People, who were the more likely to regard his inſtructions, being recommended by his great charity ſo well known to them, and of which they had ſo long had the experience and benefit. But where there was no ſuch need, he was very well contented to hear others perſwade men to goodneſs and to practice it himſelf.

He was clothed with humility, and had in a moſt eminent degree that ornament of a meek and quiet ſpirit, which S. Peter ſays, is in the ſight of God of ſo great price: So that there was not the leaſt appearance either of Pride or Paſſion in any of his words or actions. He was not only free from anger and bitterneſs, but from all affected gravity and moroſeneſs. His converſation was affable and pleaſant; he had a wonderful ſerenity of mind and evenneſs of temper, viſible in his very countenance; he was hardly ever merry, but never melancholly and ſad; and for any thing I could deſcern, after a long and intimate acquaintance with him, he was upon all occaſions and accidents perpetually the ſame; always p. 205cheerfull, and always kind; of a diſpoſition ready to embrace and oblige all men; allowing others to differ from him, even in opinions that were very dear to him; and provided men did but fear God and work righteouſneſs, he lov'd them heartily, how diſtant ſoever from him in judgment about things leſs neceſſary; In all which he is very worthy to be a pattern to men of all Perſwaſions whatſoever.

But that Vertue which of all other ſhone brighteſt in him, and was his moſt proper and peculiar character, was his cheerful and unwearied diligence in acts of pious Charity. In this he left far behind him all that ever I knew, and , as I ſaid before, had a ſingular ſagacity and prudence in deviſing the moſt effectual ways of doing good, and in managing and diſpoſing his charity to the beſt purpoſes, and to the greateſt extent; always, if it were poſſible, making it to ſerve ſome end of Piety and Religion; as the inſtruction of poor children in the principles of Religion, and furniſhing grown perſons that were ignora n with the Bible and other good Books; ſtrictly obliging thoſe to whom he gave them to a diligent reading of them, and when he had opportunity exacting of them an account how they had profited by them.

p. 206In his occaſional alms to the poor, in which he was very free and bountiful, the relief he gave them was always mingled with good counſel, and as great a tenderneſs and compaſſion for their ſouls as bodies; which very often attain'd the good effect it was likely to have, the one making way for the other with ſo much advantage, and men being very apt to follow the good advice of thoſe, who give them in hand ſo ſenſible a pledge and teſtimony of their good will to them.

This kind of charity muſt needs be very expenſive to him, but he had a plentiful eſtate ſettled upon him and left him by his Father, and he laid it out as liberally in the moſt prudent and effectual ways of charity he could think of, and upon ſuch perſons as, all circumſtances conſidered, he judg'd to be the fitteſt and moſt proper objects of it.

For about nine or ten years laſt paſt he did, as is well known to many here preſent, almoſt wholly apply his charity to Wales, becauſe there he judg'd was moſt occaſion for it: And becauſe this was a very great work, he did not only lay out upon it whatever he could ſpare out of his own eſtate, but employ'd his whole p. 207time and pains to excite and engage the charity of others for his aſſiſtance in it.

And in this he had two excellent deſigns. One, to have poor children brought up to reade and write, and to be carefully inſtructed in the principles of Religion: The other, to furniſh perſons of grown age, the poor eſpecially, with the neceſſary helps and means of knowledge, as the Bible, and other Books of piety and devotion, in their own Language; to which end he procur'd the Church-Catechiſm, the Practice of Piety, and that beſt of Books the Whole Duty of Man, beſides ſeveral other pious and uſeful Treatiſes, ſome of them to be tranſlated into the Welch Tongue, and great numbers of all them to be printed, and ſent down to the chief Towns in Wales, to be ſold at eaſie rates to thoſe that were able to buy them, and to be freely given to thoſe that were not.

And in both theſe deſigns, through the bleſſing of God upon his unwearied endeavours, he found very great ſucceſs. For by the large and bountiful contributions which chiefly by his induſtry and prudent application were obtain'd from charitable Perſons of all Ranks and conditions, from the Nobility and Gentry of p. 208Wales and the neighbouring Counties, and ſeveral of that Quality in and about London; from divers of the Right Reverend Biſhops, and of the Clergy; and from that perpetual fountain of charity the City of London, led on and encourag'd by the moſt bountifull example of the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor and the Court of Aldermen; to all which he conſtantly added two Thirds of his own eſtate, which as I have been credibly inform'd was two hundred pounds a year: I ſay, by all theſe together there were every year eight hundred, ſometimes a thouſand poor children educated as I ſaid before; and by this example ſeveral of the moſt conſiderable Towns of Wales were excited to bring up at their own charge the like number of poor children, in the like manner, and under his inſpection and care.

He likewiſe gave very great numbers of the Books above mention'd, both in the Welch and Engliſh Tongues, to the poorer ſort, ſo many as were unable to buy them and willing to reade them. But which was the greateſt work of all, and amounted indeed to a mighty charge, he procured a new and very fair impreſſion of the Bible and Liturgy of the Church p. 209of England in the Welch Tongue (the former Impreſſion being ſpent, and hardly twenty of them to be had in all London) to the number of eight thouſand; one thouſand whereof were freely given to the poor, and the reſt ſent to the principal Cities and Towns in Wales to be ſold to the rich at very reaſonable and low rates, viz. at four ſhillings a piece well bound and claſped; which was much cheaper than any Engliſh Bible was ever ſold that was of ſo fair a print and paper: A work of that charge, that it was not likely to have been done any other way; And for which this Age, and perhaps the next, will have great cauſe to thank God oh his behalf.

In theſe Good works he employed all his time and care and pains, and his whole heart was in them; ſo that he was very little affected with any thing elſe; and ſeldom either minded or knew any thing of the ſtrange occurrences of this troubleſome and buſie Age, ſuch as I think are hardly to be parallel'd in any other: Or if he did mind them, he ſcarce ever ſpoke any thing about them. For this was the buſineſs he laid to heart, and knowing it to be ſo much and ſo certainly the Will of his heavenly Father, it was p. 210his meat and drink to be doing of it: and the good ſucceſs he had in it was a continual feaſt to him, and gave him a perpetual ſerenity both of mind and countenance. His great love and zeal for this work made all the pains and difficulties of it ſeem nothing to him: He would riſe early and ſit up late, and continued the ſame diligence and induſtry to the laſt, though he was in the threeſcore and ſeventeenth year of his Age. And that he might manage the diſtribution of this great charity with his own hands, and ſee the good effect of it with his own eyes, he always once, but uſually twice a year, at his own charge travelled over a great part of Wales, none of the beſt Countries to travel in: But for the love of God and men he endured all that, together with the extremity of heat and cold (which in their ſeveral ſeaſons are both very great there) not onelyonly with patience but with pleaſure. So that all things conſidered there have not, ſince the primitive times of Chriſtianity, been many among the ſons of men to whom that glorious character of the Son of God might be better applied, that he went about doing good. And Wales may as worthily boaſt of this truly Apoſtolical man p. 211as of their famous St. David; who was alſo very probably a good man, as thoſe times of ignorance and ſuperſtition went. But his goodneſs is ſo diſguiſed by their fabulous Legends and ſtories which give us the account of him, that it is not eaſie to diſcover it. Indeed ridiculous miracles in abundance are reported of him: as, that upon occaſion of a great number of people reforming from all parts to hear him preach, for the greater advantage of his being heard, a mountain all on a ſudden roſe up miraculouſly under his feet, and his voice was extended to that degree that he might be diſtinctly heard for two or three miles round about. Such phantaſtical miracles as theſe make up a great part of his Hiſtory. And admitting all theſe to be true (which a wiſe man would be loth to do) our departed Friend had that which is much greater and more excellent than all theſe, a fervent charity to God and men; which is more than to ſpeak (as they would make us believe S. David did) with the Tongue of men and Angels, more than to raiſe or remove mountains.

And now methinks it is pity ſo good a deſign ſo happily proſecuted ſhould fall and die with this good man. And it is p. 212now under deliberation, if poſſible, ſtill to continue and carry it on, and a very worthy and charitable perſon pitched upon for that purpoſe, who is willing to undertake that part which he that is gone performed ſo well: But this will depend upon the continuance of the former Charities and the concurrence of thoſe worthy and well-diſpoſed perſons in Wales to contribute their part as formerly; which I perſwade my ſelf they will cheerfully do.

I will add but one thing more concerning our deceaſed Brother, that though he meddled not at all in our preſent heats and differences as a Party, having much better things to mind; yet as a looker on he did very ſadly lament them, and for ſeveral of the laſt years of his life he continued in the Communion of our Church, and, as he himſelf told me, thought himſelf obliged in conſcience ſo to do.

He died in the 77th year of his age, Octob. 29th, 1681. It ſo pleaſed God that his death was very ſudden; and ſo ſudden, that in all probability he himſelf hardly perceived it when it happened, for he died in his ſleep; ſo that we may ſay of him as it is ſaid of David, after be had p. 213ſerved his generation according to the will of God he fell aſleep.

I confeſs that a ſudden death is generally undeſirable, and therefore with reaſon we pray againſt it; becauſe ſo very few are ſufficiently prepared for it: But to him the conſtant employment of whoſe life was the beſt preparation for death that was poſſible, no death could be ſudden; nay, it was rather a favour and bleſſing to him, becauſe by how much the more ſudden ſo much the more eaſie: As if God had deſigned to begin the reward of the great pains of his life in an eaſie death. And indeed it was rather a tranſlation than a death; and, ſaving that his body was left behind, what was ſaid of Enoch may not unfitly be applied to this pious and good man with reſpect to the ſuddenneſs of his change; he walked with God, and was not, for God took him.

And God grant that we who ſurvive, may all of us ſincerely endeavour to tread in the ſteps of his exemplary piety and charity; of his labour of love, his unwearied diligence and patient continuance in doing good, that we may meet with that encouraging commendation which he hath already received from the mouth p. 214of our Lord. Well done good and faithfull ſervant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.

Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that great ſhepherd of the ſheep, through the blood of the everlaſting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you always that which is pleaſing in his ſight, through Jeſus Chriſt; To whom be glory for ever. Amen.