ferent signification, do agree in this, that they signify a this truth, as it hath been laid down, would answer itself. certain nature to be the thing produced. This nature is For it is not dying simply that is the object of this inclinasaid to be divine, (2 Pet. i. 4.) somewhat born of God, as tion, but dying conjunctly with being with the Lord, in it is expressed, 1 John v. 4. and in many places more. his blessed joyous presence. Do not therefore divide the And it is an intellectual nature, or the restored rectitude object, and that objection is no objection. You are unof such a being. Now who can think but what is so pecu- willing to die, and be banished the Divine presence; but liarly from God, a touch and impress from him upon an are you unwilling to die, and enjoy it? or, upon suppointelligent subject, should with design, choice, and com-sition you should, are you willing? This is all that we placency, tend to him, and make the soul do so? especial- make characteristical, and distinguishing. Where there is ly, when it is so purposely designed for remedy of the apos-only an aversion to leave this bodily life and state, upon a tacy, wherein men are revolted and gone off from him? fear we shall not be admitted into that blessed presence; Will he suffer himself to be defeated in a design, upon there is only an accidental obstruction to the more explicit, which he is so industriously intent? Or is it supposable distinct, and discernible exertions of desire this way; which the all-wise God should so mistake himself, as to do such obstruction, if it be removed, the soul would then follow a work upon the spirit of man, on set purpose for an end the course which the divine and holy principle in it doth which it is no way apt to serve: yea, and when he now naturally incline to: but the mortal token is, when there is takes him in hand, a second time? Nor can it be but this no such doubt, and yet there is still a prevailing aversion; impression of God upon the soul must have principal re- when men make no question, if they die they shall go to ference to our final state. It is a kind of nature, and God, and yet they are not willing to go. In the former must therefore tend to what is most perfect in its own kind. case, there is a supreme desire of being with God, only But we need not reason, in a matter wherein the word of suspended; take off that suspension, and that desire runs God so plainly unfolds the scope and the success of this its natural course. In the other case, there is no desire at his own work. By it we are said to be alive to God, all. And the difference is, as between a living man that through Jesus Christ, (Rom. vi. 11.) to turn, and move, would fain go to such a place, but he is held, and therefore and act towards him, as many Scriptures speak. And to- goes not; and one that is not held, but is dead, and cannot wards him as he is most perfectly to be served, and enjoy- stir at all. For the life of the soul towards God is love, ed, in the most perfect state of life. aversion therefore is (not an absolute, but) respective death, or quoad hoc, a death towards him; or, as to this (2.) As for the objection of being more serviceable to children, friends, relations, or the glory of God in the world, and his church in it; upon which last account this apostle, (Phil. i. 22, 23, 24.) though he express a desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ, yet is in a strait, and seems also very well pleased to abide in the flesh a longer time: he can himself best judge of our serviceableness. The meaning is not that we should be willing to leave the body before he would have us, but that we should not be unwilling then. And because we know not when his time will be, and it may be presently for aught we know; we should be always willing and desirous, upon that supposition. Our desire herein should not be absolute, and peremptory, but subordinate, and apt to be determined by his will; which can determine nothing but what will be most for his own glory, and for their best good who belong to him. We are said to be begotten again to a lively hope, (1 Pet. i. 3. where hope is taken objectively, as the follow-thing, viz. being with him. ing words show,) to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for us. And when, elsewhere, it hath been said, Every one that doth righteousness is born of him, 1 John ii. ult. there is immediately subjoined, chap. iii. 1, 2. a description of the future blessedness; whereto 'tis presently added, ver. 3. And every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as he is pure; implying the hope of that blessed state to be connate, implanted as a vital principle of the new and divine nature. And all hope, we know, involves desire in it; which is here intimated to be so powerful and prevailing, as to shape and form a man's whole course to an agreeable tenor; which it could not do, if hope were not superadded to desire; for no man pursues an end whereof he despairs. And what else is living religion, but a tendency to blessedness? a seeking honour, glory, and immortality, by a patient continuance in well doing, Rom. ii. 7. Nor need we look further than this context, for evidence that this divine impression upon the soul hath this reference; for when, ver. 4. the apostle had avowed the fervour of his desire after that state wherein mortality should be swallowed up of life, he immediately adds, ver. 5. Now he that hath wrought us for this self-same thing, is God, &c. And indeed, after that transforming touch, the great business of such a soul, in this world, is but a dressing itself for the Divine presence, a preparation for that state, wherein we are for ever to be with the Lord. And 'tis not only an incongruity, but an inconsistency; not only that which is not fit, but not possible, that a man should ever design that as his end, which he cares not ever to attain; or that for his last end, which he doth not supremely desire. 2. If we consider particular principles that belong to this holy divine nature, the more noble and eminent are faith and love. The former is the perceptive, visive principle; the other the motive, and fruitive. And these, though they have their other manifold references, have yet, both, their final to that state of absence from this body, and presence with the Lord; the one eyeing, the other coveting it, as that wherein the soul is to take up its final rest. Here some consideration should be had of objections, that some may be apt to make use of, to shift off the urgency of this truth, and excuse the unsuitable temper of their spirits to it. (1.) That they are unassured about their states Godward; and how can they be willing to die, and be absent from the body, or not be afraid of the Lord's presence, whom they may, for aught they know, find an angry vindictive Judge when they appear before him? Answer. This, which is the most considerable objection that the matter admits of, if it were directly pointed against But as to this instance of the apostle, we must consider what there was peculiar in the apostle's case, and what is common, or ought to be, to all serious Christians. There is no doubt there was this more peculiar to him, (and to persons in such a capacity and station as his was,) viz. as he was an apostle, he was one that had seen the Lord, which was a qualification for the more special work of that office; whereupon he was an eye-witness, to testify of his resurrection; upon which so great a stress lay, in asserting the truth of the Christian religion, and propagating it with the greater assurance in the world. To testify as an apostle, therefore, could not be done by one of a following age. And 'tis very probable when he expresses, to the Philippians, (ver. 25.) his knowledge he should abide and continue yet longer with them all, i. e. with the Christian church in the world, (for we cannot suppose he was to continue at Philippi,) for the furtherance of the common cause of the Christian faith, which was their common joy, (and which would no doubt be increased intensively and extensively at once,) he had some secret intimation, that all his work in this kind was not yet over. Nor were such monitions and advertisements unfrequent with the apostles, that specially related to the circumstances of their work. And so entirely was he devoted to the Christian interest, that wherein he saw he might be so peculiarly serviceable to it, he expresses a well-pleasedness to be so, as well as a confidence that he should; as we all ought to do, in reference to any such significations of the Divine will concerning us, if they were afforded to us. But as to what there is, in this instance, that is common and imitable to the generality of Christians, it is no other than what we press from the text we have in hand: a desire to depart, and be with Christ, as that which is far better for us; submitted to the regulation of the Divine will, as to the time of our departure, and accompanied with a cheer ful willingness to serve him here to our uttermost in the | mean time. But we have withal little reason to think we can do God greater service, or glorify him more here, than above. There is indeed other service to be done below, which is necessary in its own kind, and must, and shall, be done by some or other. But is our service fit, in point of excellency and value, to be compared with that of glorified spirits in the upper regions? We serve God by doing his will, which is, surely, most perfectly done above. And our glorifying him, is to acknowledge and adore his glorious excellencies: not to add the glory to him which he hath not; but to celebrate and magnify that which he hath: whereof certainly the large minds of glorified creatures are far more capable. He never needs hands for any work he hath to do, but can form instruments as he pleases. And what is our little point of earth, or any service that can be performed by us here, in comparison of the spacious heavens, and the noble employments of those glorious orders of creatures above, which all bear their parts in the great affairs of the vast and widely-extended heavenly kingdom? We might as well suppose, that because there is, in a prince's family, employment below stairs for cooks, and butlers, or such like underlings; that therefore their service is more considerable than that of great officers, and ministers of state. ian is their temper! and how reprovable by some more 3. And for what may be thought, by some, that this seems an unnatural inclination; we must understand what we say, and what our own nature is, when we talk of what is natural or unnatural to us. Ours is a compounded nature, that is not simply unnatural, that is contrary to an inferior nature, and agreeable to a superior. The most deeply fundamental law, of the intellectual nature in us, was to be most addicted to the supreme good. The apos-run principally, in such a case, upon our own affliction, tacy of this world from God, and its lapse into carnality, is its most unnatural state. To have an inclination to the body is natural, but to be more addicted to it than to God, is most contrary to the sincere dictates of original, pure, and primitive nature. There are now, for our use, many things to be inferred. 1. We see here, from the immediate connexion between being absent from the body, and present with the Lord, there is no place for the intervening sleep of the separate soul. Can such a presence with the Lord, as is here meant, consist with sleeping? or is sleeping more desirable than the converse with him our present state admits? But of this, much is said elsewhere. 2. Death is not so formidable a thing as we commonly fancy. We are confident and willing rather. There is a fortitude that can oppose the terrors of death, and overcome. How many have we known die triumphing! 5. We see the admirable power of divine grace, that it prevails against even the natural love of this bodily life; not where discontent and weariness of life contribute; but even where there is a willingness to live too, upon a valuable consideration, as this apostle doth elsewhere express himself, viz. in the place before noted: and how easily the Divine pleasure could reconcile him to life, notwithstanding what is said in the text, is sufficiently signified in the words immediately following it. And the effect is permanent, not a sudden transport (wherein many are induced to throw away their lives upon much lower motives :) this appears to be an habitual inclination. At distant times, we find the apostle in the same temper. That is not surely from the power of nature, that is so much against it, as the stream of nature now runs, v. e. that a man should be willing to be plucked in pieces, and severed from himself! And we see, (ver. 5.) whereto it is expressly ascribed: He that hath wrought us to the self-same thing, is God. 3. We see that men of spiritual minds have another notion of that which we call self, or personality, than is vulgar and common. For who are the we that speak of being absent from the body, and present with the Lord? The body seems excluded that notion, which we know cannot be absent from itself. How like in sound is this to 6. How black is their character, and how sad their state, Animus cujusque in quisque! or, That the soul is the man! that are more addicted to the body, and this bodily life, I would not indeed drive this so high as some Platonists than to the Lord, and that holy blessed life we are to parare wont to do, as if the man were nothing else but a soul, take in with him! Their character is black and horrid, as sometimes using a body. Nor do therefore think the body it is diverse from that which truly belongs to all the people is no more to him, than our clothes to the body, because of God, that ever lived on earth; and so doth distinguish the apostle in this context uses that similitude; for that is them from such, and place them among another sort of men not to be conceived otherwise, than (as is usual in such that belong not to him; such as have their portion in this illustrations) with dissimilitude. À vital union must life, their good things here, and who are to expect nothing be acknowledged; only neither is it agreeable with their hereafter, but wo and wailing. And who would not be self-debasing thoughts, that seem to make the body the affrighted, that finds a mark upon him that severs him from more considerable part of themselves, that measure good the whole assembly of the just, and the blessed! Their and evil by it, as if what were grateful to the body were state is also therefore sad and dismal, inasmuch as what simply good for them, and that which offends the body they place their highest felicity in (their abode in the body) simply evil; that speak or think of themselves, as if they they know will continue but a little while. Who could were all body, forget that there is belonging to them an ever, by their love of this bodily life, procure it to be per8 tow avτos, as well as an iw, an inner man, and an petuated? or by their dread of mortality, make themselves outer; that the latter may be decaying, when the other is immortal? Have not others, in all former ages, loved the renewed day by day; (2 Cor. iv. 16.) that the Father of our body and this world as much? and what is become of spirits may often see cause to let our flesh suffer (and, at them Hath not death still swept the stage from generalast, perish) for the advantage of our spirits, Heb. xii. 9, 10. tion to generation? and taken all away, willing or unSo distinct are their interests and gratifications, and some-willing? To have all my good bound up in what I cantimes inconsistent. When men make therefore this bodily not keep! and to be in a continual dread of what I cannot brutal self their centre and end, how sordid and unchrist- avoid! what can be more disconsolate? How grievous b Epict. c Socrat. d Anaxarch. will it be to be torn out of the body! not to resign the soul, but have it drawn forth as a rusty sword out of the sheath; a thing which our utmost unwillingness will make the more painful, but cannot defer! No man hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit, nor hath he power in death, Eccles. viii. 8. How uncomfortable, when the Lord's presence, the common joy of all good souls, is to me a dread! By the same degrees, by which an abode in the body is over-desired, is that presence dreadful and disaffected. And how deplorate is the case, when this body is the best shelter I have from that presence! Would I lurk in the body and lie hid from the presence of the Lord? How easily and how soon will my fortress be beaten down and laid in the dust! and I be left naked and exposed! and then how fearful things do ensue! But what now, doth this fearful case admit of no remedy? It can admit but of this only one, which therefore I would now recommend and press, the serious effectual endeavour of being, to a just degree, alienated from the body, and of having the undue love repressed and wrought down, of this bodily life. Mistake not, I go not about to persuade all promiscuously, out of hand and without more ado, to desire death, or absence from the body. The desires of reasonable creatures should be reasonable, the product of valuable considerations and rational inducements. The present case of too many, the Lord knows, admits not they should be willing to die; who are they that they should desire the day of the Lord? a day of such gloominess and darkness, as it is likely, should it now dawn, to prove to them? No, but let all endeavour to get into that state, and have their affairs in such a posture, that they may be, upon good terms, reconciled to the grave; and that separation from the body may be the matter, with them, of a rational and truly Christian choice. And since, as hath been said, there are two terms between which the inclination and motion of our souls, in this case, must lie, from the one to the other, viz. the body, and the Lord, life in the body, and with the Lord; let such things be considered on both hands, as may justly tend to diminish and lessen our inclination and love to the one, and increase it towards the other. So as that, all things being considered, and upon the whole, this may be the reasonable and self-justifying result, to be well pleased rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. And, (1.) On the part of the body and this bodily life, consider, how costly it is to you! You lay out upon it (the most do) most of your time, thoughts, cares; the greater part, most, or even all, of your estates. All the callings you can think of in the world, and which all help to maintain at no little expense, are wholly for the body; what costly attendants must it have of cooks, bakers, brewers, mercers, physicians, lawyers, and what not! one only excepted that refers to the soul. And again, when all is done, how little serviceable is it! when you would employ it, sometimes it is sick, sometimes lame, sometimes lames the mind and intellect too, that it cannot do its of fice, merely through the distemper of bodily organs; is at all times dull, sluggish, indisposed; the spirit is willing, but the flesh weak. Yea moreover how disserviceable! hinders you doing good, prompts to the doing much evil. What a world of mischief is done among men, merely by bodily lusts, and to serve fleshly appetite; these fill the world with confusion, and miseries of all sorts. All catch from others what they can, for the service of the body; hence is competition of interests and designs; no man's portion is enough for him to serve the body, (or the mind, as it is depraved by bodily inclinations,) and so the world is torn by its inhabitants, countries wasted and laid desolate; religion itself made subservient to fleshly interest, and thence is the occasion of many a bloody contest, of oppressions, persecutions, and violences; whereby many times it so falls out, that such as are most vigorously engaged in the design of serving the body, destroy it, their own as well as other men's. And (which is most dreadful) souls are numerously lost and perish in the scuffle, yea, and very oft upon the account or pretence of religion, whose only design it is to save souls! And how many, to save their bodies, destroy even their own souls! Not having learned that pstruction of our Saviour's, not to fear them that can only kill the body; or being unable to suffer some lesser bodily inconveniences, apostatize, and abandon their religion, whereby that, and their souls too, become sacrifices to the safety and accommodation of an idolized lump of clay! And how certainly (if a seasonable repentance do not intervene) do they, who only thus tempt the souls of other men, destroy their own! nor can it be doubted at this time of day, and after the experience of so many ages, wherein Christianity hath been so visibly and grossly carnalized, but that it is a religion perverted to the support of the bodily and animal interest, that hath thus embroiled the Christian world. How plain is it, that they who desire to make a fair show in the flesh, to strut in pomp, to glitter in secular grandeur and splendour, to live in unrebuked sensual ease and fulness, are the men that would constrain others to their carnal observances! men that serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own bellies. Who can think it is pure love to souls, and zeal for the true ends of the holy, peaceable religion of our blessed Jesus, that makes them so vexatious and troublesome to all, whom their fleshly arm can reach and ruin, and whom their spirit and way cannot allure and win? Who that understands religion, and the true design of it, and the blessed end wherein it will shortly terminate, would not be glad to be rescued out of this large diffusive unquiet empire of the body, that extends itself over all things, mingling its odious impuritics, even with what is most sacred! Who would not long to be from under this reign of the beast, if he might have a fair way for escape! And where religion is not in the case, what multitudes of terrene creatures, earthly-minded men, are stupidly going down to perdition daily, and destroying their souls by mere neglect, while they are driving designs for the body! Which yet, in the mean time, is at the best but a prison to the best of souls. O how could they love God, admire and praise him, were they once out of this body! But it is not enough to a subject, wherein love is implanted and is a part of its nature, to have only the prospect of what is unlovely, or be told only what is not to be loved. There must be somewhat to invite and draw, as well as to repel and drive off. Therefore, (2.) Consider also, on the other part, the Lord, and that life you are to transact and live with him. Little can now be said; you are not ignorant where much is, and your own thoughts may, upon much conversing with the holy oracles, suggest yet more. And you have need to use your thoughts here, the more largely, where your sense doth not instruct you, as on the other part it doth. Consider the description which you are copiously furnished with, both of him and of the state in which you are to be present with him. Recount his glorious excellencies, his immense and all-sufficient fulness, his wisdom, power, holiness, and love in absolute perfection. Consider his high, equal, comely, amiable regency over the blessed community above, that spiritual incorporeal people, the pleased joyful inhabitants of the celestial regions. And that he rules over them and communicates himself universally to them, in a state of perfect light, purity, peace, love, and pleasure, that is also immutable, and never to know end. There is nothing capable of attracting an intellectual nature, which is not here! But on both parts, suffer yourselves to be directed also. [1] Take heed of over-indulging the body, keep it in subjection, use it, and serve it not. Primitive nature, and the Creator's wise and holy pleasure, ordained it to serve. Lose not yourselves in it, take heed you be not buried where you should but dwell, and that you make not your mansion your grave. Mansion, do I say? Call it as this apostle doth, and another, (2 Pet. i.) your tabernacle only, a tent pitched for you, but for a little while. Every day look upon it, and without fond pity, as destined to rottenness and corruption; and as that which, when it ceases to be your clothing, must be worms meat. Labour to make the thoughts easy and familiar to yourselves of leaving it, think it not an uncouth thing. How doth that part of the creation, that is inferior to you, abound with like instances! of fruits springing up out of this earth, and growing to ripeness and maturity, with husks, shells, or other integuments, which then fall off; such as never ripen, they and their enfoldings rot together. Esteem it your perfection, when your shell will fall off easily, and cleaves not so close, words are uttered, The excellent knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, Phil. iii. 8. This is Christian religion, not in a system, but as it is a vital principle and habit in the soul, inclining us, making us propense, towards our blessed Lord, addicting and subduing us to him, uniting us with him, whereby we come to know by inward sensations, to feel the transfusions of his spiritual light and influence, and our souls thereby caught, and bound up in the bundle of life. So we have Christ formed within, his holy truth, doctrines, precepts, promises, inwrought into the temper of our spirits. And, as it follows in that context, Phil. iii. to have him, according to the states wherein he successively was, by correspondent impressions represented in us; so as that we come to bear the image of him, crucified and dying, first; then, reviving and rising; and afterwards, ascending and glorified. To know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to his death; if, by any means, we might attain unto the resurrection of the dead, ver. 10, 11. as to put you to pain when it is to be severed from you. Endeavour the holy and heavenly nature may grow more and more mature in you; so death will be the more also an unregretted thing to your thoughts. By all means labour to overcome the fear of it; which that you might, our Lord also took a body. Forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them, who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage, Heb. ii. 14, 15. Reckon not much of that fear, which is only the mere regret of sensitive nature, purely involuntary; and that can no more obey the empire of the mind, or be regulated by it, than you can make straight a crooked leg by a mere act of your will, or make your body not feel pain: a fear, from which the perfection of our nature, in our blessed Lord himself, was not exempt. But it is one thing to extinguish even that fear, another to overcome it; the former is impossible to you, the latter necessary. It is overcome, when a superior Let us not be at rest till we find it thus, in some measure, principle governs you and your resolutions and course, as with us. If we feel ourselves, after this manner, internally it did our Lord; he did not, because of it, spare himself and initially conformed to him, this will be both a preparaand decline dying. You may feel perhaps somewhat of tive, and a pledge of our future perfect conformity, both such a fear (a secret shrug) when you are to be let blood, internal, and external. It will fit us to be ever with the or have a wound searched. It governs not in such a less Lord, and assure us we shall and can be no where else; that important case, when, being convinced it is requisite, you he and we shall not to eternity dwell asunder. We shall omit not the thing notwithstanding. Labour herein to be neither fear to be externally conformed to him in his death, hardy, and merciless to this flesh, upon the fore-thoughts to quit and lay down the body as he did; nor despair of of the time when God will allow you to step forth, and go attaining with him the resurrection from the dead, and of out of the body; and say to it, with an obdured mind, For being present with him in glory. Or, that he shall recover all thy craving, and shrinking, thou shalt be thrown off. for us, out of the dust, our vile abject bodies, (the rò củpa ris Labour it may not only not be the matter of your pre-raTevocws huv,) the body of our humiliation, wherein we vailing fear, but be the matter of your hope. Look towards were humbled, as he was in his, (as it follows in that, Phil. the approaching season, with pleasant cheerful expectation; iii. ver. 21.) and make it like his own glorious body, ( aspire (as it belongs to you to do, who have received the pov, conform, and agreeable,) by that power, by which he first-fruits of the Spirit, that blessed Spirit of adoption) and is able even to subdue all things to himself. In the mean groan for the adoption, (the season of your being more time, as this present state admits, converse much with him solemnly owned for sons,) viz. the redemption of the body, every day; be not strangers to him, often recognise and renew Rom. viii. 23. Which though it ultimately refer to the your engagements to him. Revolve in your thoughts his resurrection, may be allowed to have an incomplete mean- interest in you, and yours in him; and the nearer relation ing, in reference to death too; for I see not but roló- there is between him and you, than that between you and TOOLS TOU σwμaros, may admit such a construction, as ároló- this body. Recount with yourselves the permanency and TOWELS TWV Tapaßácev, Heb. ix. 15. i. e. that redemption of lastingness of that relation; that whereas this body, as now the body may mean redemption from it, wherein it is bur-it is a terrestrial body, will not be yours long; he is to be densome, a grievance and penalty, here, as well as there. your God for ever and ever; that though death must shortly The redemption of transgressions doth truly mean libera- separate you from this body, neither life nor death, printion from the penalty of them; from which penal evil of cipalities nor powers, things present nor things to come, and by the body, so materially, at least, it is, we are not shall ever separate you from the love of God, which is in perfectly freed, as our blessedness is not perfect, till mor- Christ Jesus, our Lord. While this body is a body of tality be swallowed up of life, and all the adopted, the death to you, he is your life, your hope, and your exceedmany sons, be all brought to glory together. ing joy, your better, more laudable, and more excellent self, more intimate to you than you can be to yourself, as hath been anciently and often said, and for the obtaining whose presence, absence from the body is a very small matter. How happy in the mean time is your case, when death becomes the matter of your rational, well-grounded hope! You have many hopes, wherein you are liable to disappointment; you will then have one sure hope, and that will be worth them all; none can prevent you of this hope. Many A great prince, in an epistle to that philosopher, tells other things you justly hope for, are hindered by ill-minded him: I seem to myself not to be a man, as the saying is, men of their accomplishment; but all the wit and power while I am absent from Iamblicus, or while I am not conof your most spiteful enemies can never hinder you from versant (dv ovv) with him. That we can better endure our dying. And how are you fenced against all the interven-Lord's absence, is surely a thing itself not to be endured; ing troubles of life! Nihil metuit qui optat mori, You have nothing to fear, if you desire to die; nothing but what, at least, death will shortly put an end to. Make this your aim, to have life for the matter of your patience, and death of your desire. [2] On the other part also, labour to be upon good terms with the Lord, secure it that he be yours. Your way to that is short and expedite, the same by which we become his, Ezek. xvi. 8. I entered into covenant with thee, and thou becamest mine. Solemnly and unfeignedly accept him, and surrender yourselves; without this who can expect but to hear from him at last, Depart from me, I know you not? Know of yourselves, demand an account, are you sincerely willing to be his? and to take him for yours without limitation or reserves? Matters are then agreed between him and you, and who can break or disannul the agreement? Who can come between him and you? I often think of the high transport wherewith those e Julian Ep. ad Iamblic. we should labour, that our acquaintance with him (such as is fit to be between so great a majesty and such mean creatures as we) should grow daily. Yea, and endeavour to make the thoughts more familiar to ourselves of spiritual beings in the general; for we are to serve and converse with him in a glorious community of such creatures, An innumerable company of angels, the general assembly, and the church of the first-born, and the spirits of just men made perfect, (Heb. xii. 23.) in a region where an earthly body, remaining such, can have no place. Why do we make the thoughts of a spirit, out of a body, so strange to ourselves? We meet with hundreds of spirits in bodies, and moving bodies to and fro in the streets every day, and are not startled at it. Is a body so much nearer akin to us than a spirit, that we must have so mean a thing to come between, to mediate and reconcile us to it? Why are we afraid of what we are so nearly allied unto? Can we not endure to see or think of a man at liberty (suppose it were a friend, or a brother) if we ourselves were in prison? The more easy you make the apprehension to yourselves of a disembodied spirit, i. e. free, I mean, of any terrestrial body, the better we shall relish the thoughts of him who is the head of that glorious society you are to be gathered unto; for the Lord is that Spirit, the eminent, almighty, and all-governing Spirit, (to be ever beheld too in his glorified body, as an eternal monument of his under taking for us, and an assuring endearment of his relation to us ;) the better your minds will comply with the preconceived idea we are to entertain ourselves with, of the constitution, order, employment, and delights of that vast collection of heavenly associates we shall dwell with for ever. And the more will you still incline to be absent from this body, that (among them) you may be ever present with the Lord. And if you thus cherish this pleasant inclination, think how grateful it will be, when it comes to be satisfied! How natural is that rest that ends in the centre, to which a thing is carried by a natural motion! How pleasantly doth the departed soul of that good gentlewoman, whose decease we lament, solace itself in the presence of her glorious Lord! I shall say little concerning her; you will have her just memorial more at large ere long. I had indeed the opportunity, by an occasional abode some days under the same roof, (several years before she came into that relation wherein she finished her course,) to observe her strangely vivid and great wit, and very sober conversation. But the turn and bent of her spirit towards God and heaven more remarkably appeared a considerable time after; which when it did, she showed how much more she studied the interest of her soul than the body; and how much more she valued mental and spiritual excellencies than worldly advantages, in the choice of her consort, whom she accepted to be the companion and guide of her life. She gave proof herein of the real greatness of her spirit, and how much she disdained to be guided by their vulgar measures that have not wit, and reason, and religion enough to value the accomplishments of the mind, and inner man; and to understand that knowledge, holiness, a heavenly heart, entire devotedness to the Redeemer, a willingness to spend and be spent in the service of God, are better and more valuable things, than so many hundreds or thousands a year. And that no external circumstances can so far dignify a drunkard, an atheist, a profane wretch, as that (compared with one that bears such character) he should deserve to be simply reckoned the better man. And that mere sober carnality and ungodliness suffice not to cast the balance; or that have so little of these qualifications for the making a true judgment, as to think that calling dishonourable and a diminution to a man, that refers immediately to the soul, and the unseen world, and that relates and sets him nearest to God. 69 She knew how to make her estimate of the honour of a family, and a pedigree, as things valuable in their kind; without allowing herself so much vanity, as to reckon they were things of the most excellent kind, and to which nothing personal could be equal. And well understood, of the personal endowments of the body, and the mind, which were to have the preference. Her life might teach all those, especially of her own sex, that a life's time in the body, is for some other purposes than to indulge, and trim, and adorn the body; which is most minded by them, who (as that shows) have, in the mean time, most neglected, and, God knows, most depraved and deformed souls. hope her example, more fully and publicly represented, will more generally teach: in the mean time, this instance of our common mortality should teach us all. We see this state of life in the body is not that we were finally made for; yet how few seriously look beyond it! And it is amazing to think how little the deaths of others signify, to the making us mind our own. We behave ourselves as if death were a thing only to be undergone by some few persons, here and there; and that the most should escape, and as if we took it for granted we should be of the exempted number. How soon are impressions, from such occasions, talked, and trifled, and laughed, and jested away! Shall we now learn more to study and understand our own natures? to contemplate ourselves, and our duty thereupon? that we are a mortal, immortal sort of creatures? that we are sojourners only in a body, which we must shortly leave to dust and worms? that we are creatures united with bodies, but separable from them? Let each of us think, "I am one that can live in a body, and can live out of a body. While I live in one, that body is not mine, I dwell not in mine own:" that the body must be for the Lord, as he will then be for the body; that we shall dwell comfortless and miserable in the body, if we dwell in it solitary and alone, and have not with us a better inhabitant: that our bodies are to be mansions for a Deity, houses for religion, temples of the Holy Ghost. O the venerable thoughts we should have of these bodies upon this account! how careful should we be not to debase them, not to alienate them! If any man corrupt the temple of God, him will he destroy, 1 Cor. iii. 16. Will a man rob God? break and violate his house? How horrid a burglary! Shall we agree to resign these bodies, and this bodily life? Our meeting will have been to good purpose, might this be the united sense of this dissolving assembly: "Lord, here we surrender and disclaim (otherwise than for and under thee) all right and title to these bodies and lives of ours. We present our bodies holy, acceptable, living sacrifices, as our reasonable service." Let us do so, and remember we are hereafter not to live to ourselves, nor to die, at length, to ourselves, but living and dying to be the Lord's. |