her quick fancy her piercing wit her skill in the French Language the improvement she made of her liberal and religious education under the vertuous and pious Lady the Lady Denham Neither must I here call to mind that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 her sweet and gentle Disposition which very rarely accompanies such parts whereby she tyed the soules of all that knew her as well to love as admire her nor yet may I do more than barely mention her courteous and modest deportment her wise witty and pertinent Discourses that rendred her so beloved and desired while she lived so lamented now dead All this would but renew our sorrow be imminding us of our loss That therefore which I 'le speak to is What is yet more consideraable and worthy both praise and imitation such as may rather move our emulation of her Piety than afflict our memories with the sense of our loss and what I shall say concerning her life for the quickening of our dead and drowsie soules shall be such as wherein I am well assured neither my own heart nor any soul living shal be able to give me the lye She was constant diligent and Reverend in attending the publike exercises of Gods Worship And there are those here present who can witness and I hope will imitate her Christian course of private reading prayer and meditation those morning and evening sacrifices Though she was not careless of her body yet she spent not her time inter pectinem speculum her greatest care was to trim up her soul and whatever else she minded never forgot to put on those Ornaments of a meek and quiet spirit which in the sight of God and all good men is of great price She kept so strict a watch over her self that she lived in the world unspotted with the vanities of youth which time the generality look upon as priviledged from such serious entertainments of themselves and severities of Religion She remembred her Creator in the dayes of her youth and He did not forget her but took her into his own Teaching and learn't her so effectually those Great Lessons of self-denyal and mortification that contrary to those silly women mentioned by St. Paul whereas for her time she might have been a Learner for her learning in divine things she was fit to teach others the wayes of God I am sure I have thought so when I have been with her and that far greater abilities than I dare pretend to might have convers'd with her to their very great Advantage she kept such a mean between irreligion a phantastical superstitious niceness as that I have thought I never knew any so becomingly Religious She was exactly carefull of the Government of her inward man to keep her passions in subjection to her Reason and Religion wherein she was so happy as those who best knew her can witnesse she was of that even Temper that she was never known to exceed either in joy or sorrow for any outward things as if she had converted not only the nobler Principles of the best Philosophy but also the Rules of the Gospel and the best example of our blessed Saviour in succum sanguinem She had such a rare mixture of parts humility and goodnesse as will scarcely be found elswhere in these yeares and degrees that like the Kings Daughter she was glorious within and doubtlesse the Temple of the living God Her vertues were so admirably shining that I may say as truly of her as a learned man of a Lady in his Epistle Dedicatory That Plato if he had lived in her time might have found his timorous supposition brought into H. M. absolute Act and to the enravishment of his amazed soul might have beheld Vertue become visible to his outward sight I could be very well pleased to go on with this Discourse and might spend the whole time allotted me in it and neither exceed the bounds of Truth nor the patience of those who have had the happinesse of any intimate acquaintance and Converses with her She had attained which I had almost forgot that high pitch of Christianity patiently to bear and freely and readily to forgive injuries And that she had such an excellent soul that she was so good a Chrisâ—ian and her heart such a Treasure of good things he must be an arrant Sceâ—tâ—ck that should doubt of it who knew how able and ready she was to assist any sick persons whether kindred servants oâ— others with her prâ—yers reading consulting comforting by speaking a word in season And shall understand also in what a heavenly state both sickness Death found her which we may guesse at by the pulse of her soul which beat as it proceedeth lively to God out of the abundance of the heart sayes the Scripture The mouth speakâ—s and a corrupt fountain doth not send forth sweet waters She had at the beginning of her sickness so many so full pertinent Scriptures and other Ejaculations and heavenly expressions as if she had never acquainted her-tongue with any other Language as if she had been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a living Bible so careâ—ull had she been of the Apostles exhortation to let the Word of God dwell richly in her Doubtlesse her hâ—arâ— had been long in â—iâ—ing much good matter which made her tongue like the Pen of a ready Writer She spake so fully and clearly of heavenly things and was so sensibly pleased with them even when she had almost left to be sensible of any thing eâ—se that one would have thouâ—ht her soul not only in the suburbs or at the gate of Heaven but already entred into the joy of her Lord and taken into the bosom of her Heavenly Father Oh! how was her heart eâ—flamed with love to God and that love kept lively with assurances of his love to her I remember amongst other heavenly expressions I heâ—rd her say I have loved God and do love Him and God loves me Oh how thy comforts refresh my soul And that this was no meer melanchoâ—ick fancy we need no other Argument than her extream not to say Contentednesse but desire to dye How loath was she to think of living I am now saies she almost through my journey it 's a journey I must go and were I not better go thorow it now to God than come back again into the world But if any should say as Rebekah did I fit be so why was she then afflicted in such a manner I answer 1. That afflictions though unâ—outh and extraordinary are no more an argument of Gods displeasure than prosperity is of his love otherwise Job or David who while they suffâ—red Goâ—s terrors were distracted sâ—ou'd have been wicked Nero had been better than Saint Paul who was bâ—ffeâ—ed with a messenger of Satan our Saviour hath given us a rule to interpret providence by Luck 13. Think not that the â—alile â—s were â—râ—â—tâ—r â—â—nners because they sâ—ffered such things 2. What if God willing to
enjoying which will be when we come to heaven And therefore when a christian is drawing near heaven would faine know what the glory of it is Christ sends Death which bids him come and see And when a Christian that hath had the clearest views and fullest discovery of its beauty and sweetnesse to his soule shall come thither he must say that he neither saw nor tasted the one half nay not the thousandth part of its glory As I did before so I shall here also draw some short doctrinall conclusions hence whereby we may understand something more of the nature of this glory and consequently what good grounds a Christian hath for his rejoycing in hopes of it 1. Do believers rejoyce in hope of glory Then this informes us 1. of the excellency of heavenly happinesse wise men do not rejoyce at every petty and trivial advantage It s not enough that the object of joy be a good thing but it must be excellently good P. 119. 162. I rejoyce in thy word as one that findeth great spoils They are great things that are the matter of joy such is the glory of Heaven it filis every chink and cranny of the soul that it finds no emptinesse or dissatisfaction Psal 16. In thy presence is fullnesse of joy at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore How then do such bewray their ignorance and unacquaintance with heaven who can rejoyce in the things of this life but as to heaven find no motion or joyfull inclination Nay how do they shame themselves who can rejoyce in the satisfaction of their lusts glory in their beastly sensuality and are meere changes to this joy these certainly either do not hope for heaven or else they know not what it is Do Believers rejoyce c. then Heaven is their inheritance they have propriety in it Christ hath purchased it and entitled them to it upon their believing men little rejoyce in a thing that 's excellent if not their own men may like and commend the stately buildings pleasant Fields Gardens and Walks of another mans but they do not rejoyce in them propriety gives great advantage to affection 2 Cor. 4. vers ult they did not faint at tribulation but could glory in all their sufferings see the reason of this chap. 5. 1. For we know we have an House a building of God not made with hands eternal in the Heavens Believers have the best estate and best evidence for it in the world It 's purchased by Christ the Deeds drawn and seal'd by his precious blood yea he hath taken possession of it in his head and therefore now he rejoyceth in hope of a full enjoyment of it 3. Infer hence the certainty of heavenly happiness Estates here are uncertain but that such as we shall not only have hold for present but possesse and enjoy for ever and therefore it s called everlasting life and an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled that never fades away certainly God would never raise his people to rejoyce in hopes of such a Happinesse which should more sad them in the falling than delight them in the enjoyment Fear of losing a thing doth much abate our rejoycing in it but once hapy in heaven and never miserable All this as it comends the happinesse of heaven and helps us to a view of the Glory of God so meethinks we should be taken as the Apostles were at our Saviours transfiguration and say master its good being there and so should move us to get into the number of Gods children and put us upon studying how we may be meet to be partakers of this glorious inheritance with the Saints in light This Text would also chide Christians for being sad We rejoyce in hope of the glory of God And in the Epistle to the Philippians We rejoyce in Christ Jesus certainly then they discover their ignorance and unacquaintance with the true nature of Religion who represent Religion as a thing that 's made up of nothing but sorrow and terrours and a kind of whining male-contentedness whereas it s not only lawfull for Christians to rejoyce but their duty and when they are themselves and in tune they do so It is the very Character of a Christian to rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God They therefore mistake Christianity who will neitheir be cheerfull themselves nor like it in others but please themselves to be in a mourning and complaining condition as if this was the natural frame and proper temper of a Christian When a Christian in this temper is off the hooks quite out of frame and never less like himself Know this that Christianity doth not require this of her followers to live under constant agonie and horrors in a muttering complaining condition No it requires them to rejoyce in God to make their boast of him all the day and having obtained peace with God through Jesus Christ and hopes of heaven to rejoyce in those hopes No good comes of peevish soure male-content and dumpishness It doth no good to the person so affected but dishonours God calls into question the satisfaction of our Saviour reproaches Religion disparages heaven unfits the heart for duty Doth Christ do you think delight to see his Spouse wringing her hands and tearing her hair It pleases none but the Devil and his Instruments who are enemies to God and his people Yet such is the infirmity and weakness of some weak Christians that to be querulous and peevish to reject the tenders of mercy and love as things too good for them they think the most proper and fittest state for them I confess to mourn when we have offended God is ingenuous and becoming but to refuse to be comforted when God calls upon us to rejoyce is Pride Peevishness and Sullenness and which doth both grieve and provoke God That sorrow that prepares for comfort that empties the heart of sin that so there be no room to receive the greater measures of Grace and take in the larger draughts of consolation is good but that which arises from hard thoughts of God and tends to the nourishing those ungrounded and injurious suspitions of Gods willingness to receive those burdened souls that would have ease from him and so keep the soul off from God is no way agreeable to the tenour of the Gospel no way tending to the credit of Religion contributes nothing to the bettering of a Christians condition I know nothing that 's more unbecoming or disadvantagious to any honest upright heart Many other uses might be made of this point I shall conclude all in a few words further Do Christians rejoyce in hope of Glory Then take heed of such a frame of heart and such a course of life as will contradict such hopes as will lock up the heart from rejoycing and stop the mouth from glorying in hope of Heaven That I would say to you you find Tit. 2. 11 12. They who would look for this blessed hope must deny ungodliness and worldly lust and live righteously godly and soberly in this present world The Spirit of Holiness and hopes Happiness must be joyned together Therefore all prophane persons that never mind God that will not endure the troubles and cross of holiness may not look for the Crown of Happiness Can those who are strangers to the life of God look for the Glory of God Can those look for the glory of heaven whose conversation is in hell be not deceived prophanenesse leads not to hope but to despair but you my Bretheren abhor that which is evil make conscience of living holily Get more measures of Grace that you may have a good Hope through grace and strong Consolation flowing thence and then rejoyce in the Lord and again I say rejoyce You that are sad and mourning Christians do not disjoyn your sorrow from your expectation of Glory as you look downward and mourn so look upward and rejoyce while you are sighing for sin pant after your Saviour while you are in the Valley of sorrow and suffering look up to the mount of Joy and felicity see the Crown of Glory provided for you know that when Christ appears you shall appear with him in glory and rejoyce in this hope of the glory of God FINIS
They are richer and happier in their hopes than others that want these hopes in their present possession It s such a hope Cui falsum subesse non potest Use II. See hence the reason of their courage and patience in bearing Afflictions undergoing troubles in the world here 's the reason they hope for better Gods promise and Christs merits are the root of a Christians hope and Peace Patience Courage in evil times are the fruit of it And there 's the reason why I should exhort and encourage to let patience have its perfect work and to go on through all opposition with an undaunted courage in the wayes of God to keep your pace towards Heaven be the weather fair or foul though the way be foul the journey end will be fair Be we then stedfast and unmoveable alway attending in the work of the Lord for as much as we know our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. And when we begin to faint and grow weary under the burden of Afflictions or in the duties of Religion let this hope of glory quicken us Let 's call to mind that of the Apostle Rom. 8. These light Afflictions which are but for a moment are not to be compared to that eternal weight of glory Oh let this joy that 's set before us make us follow our Master enduring the Cross See 2 Cor. 4. 16 17. This hope made the Martyrs embrace the flames and kiss the stake Pericula non respicit Martyr sed Coronas Use III. Do Christians hope for the glory of God then let us make use of this to abate our esteem and moderate our affections to the things of this life If we find our hearts ensnar'd and enamoured with the beauty and excellency of outward things there can be no better way to take off our inordinate affection than by pitching upon something that 's ' better Let 's endeavour therefore to gather clearer views of the beauty and glory of holiness and happiness and this will darken the glory of outward things as the shining of the Sun doth the glimmering of the lesser Stars that as we compare the glories of this world with this glory of God we shall say as the world did of Christ there is no comliness or beauty in them why we should desire them It may serve also to help us against temptations He that hath this hope also or the glory of God would not sell his hopes for all the pomps and glittering vanities of the world such hope heightens our spirits to such a degree of generousness and true magnanimity that we shall reject with infinite disdain the highest offers of preferment and worldly honours if they be made as baites to tempt us from God and hinder us of this glory which is the object of our hope a famous instance of this we have in Moses and that other Moses the noble Galeacius Sanctus dum appetit aeternitatem infrase habet omne quod transit Use IV. Let this serve also to sweeten to us the bitter cup of death Let us be content that our bodies should for a while be turned into rottenness and dust for God will not alway leave us in the grave our flesh shall not alway see corruption we do but lay down an evil body to take up a glorious one for it will change our vile bodies that they may be fashioned like unto his glorious body When Christ who is our life shall appear we shall also appear with him in Glory Certainly this consideration may raise us not only above the fear of death but even to triumph over it in the words of the Apostle O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory Use V. Let this also abate our sorrow for the dead which use the Apostle Paul makes for us to our hands 1 Thes 4. 13. For I would not have you ignorant brethren concerning them which are asleep that you sorrow not even as others which have no hope For if we believe that Iesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Iesus will God bring with him Should we trouble at their advancement or desire to detain them from their happiness when God sees them fit for it to serve our conveniences Use VI. Let us all labour to get this hope of glory that so we may have an Anchor sure and stedfast to keep our souls from splitting against the rocks of presumption or sinking in the sands of desperation and bear up against the winds and waves of persecution and temptation which we are likely enough to meet withal in this present evil world and having obtained this hope of glory let us mind the Apostles exhortation 1 Thes 3. 11 12. To walk worthy of God who hath called us to his Kingdome and Glory This will strengthen our hope for hope is fed with the duties of obedience and so at length we shall arise to rejoycing in hope of the glory of God which is the next act of the soul that 's exercised about this glorious object We rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Believers rejoyce in this hoped for Glory Christians have their joy even then when they seeme to the world the most uncomfortable people in it their hearts are not alwayes pen't up with sorrow and stuffed with griefe They doe not I am sure they need not alway sigh and weep They may sometime laugh and sing the word signifies such a joy as is not be conteined that will not be kept in but glories and makes us boast of God and the great things of Heaven There are severall sorts of joy But the joy here meant is such as is wrought in the soule by the spirit of God evidencing to a Christian the pardon of his sin the acceptance of his person and service and so confirming his hopes of the glory of God The greatnesse of these mercies apprehended is such as fills the heart with gladnesse and the tongue with singing This rejoycing is faith triumphant it s not only a vitall act of a Christian but a lively and rigorous act Such as speakes the soul to be in a healthy and sound constituition Reas And surely well may Christians rejoyce if we consider the nature of the object of their joy it is as you have already heard the glory of God Concerning which if you should further ask what it is I must needs say I cannot tell only I know its such as will pose the ablest parts the richest fancy of the most eloquent oratour so much as to shadow it forth such is the excellency of it as words will but darken and eclips its glory if we stay upon them the sun doth not more benight the stars than that glory will the lustâ—e of a thousand suns The truth is eye hath not seene nor ear heard nor hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive It doth not appear how transcendently glorious we shall be It cannot be fully known but by