Moses Death

ERRATA

THe ingenuity of a Scholar will either not take notice of, or easily pardon the mistakes of the Press, in accenting Greek words; as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , p. 1. and in these words themselves, captius, p. 21. Marg. for captivus. Antonio p. 26. Marg. for Antonino. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 p. 4 • . for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 p. 47. for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. The mistakes which prejudice the sense are; And p. 12. l. 4. for An. Grace p. 26. l. 18. for Grave.

Joshua 1.2. Moses my Servant is dead.

S Ad News: But may it not be hoped, that he, who in his infancy was miraculously preserved in an Ark of Bulrushes; and therefore called Moses, because drawn out of the water: And he, who once was absent forty days, and forty nights, and the Israelites said, As for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him; Yet he descended from the Mount with his face shining, and brought excellent Laws for the Jewish Nation, and established a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a Divine Government amongst them: May it not be hoped, that a third providence equally miraculous attends him, and that once more his presence may scatter these fears of his death, as the rising Sun doth the foggy vapors? Never did the poor Hebrews need him more, they were yet in the Wilderness, had Jordan to pass over, the Canaanites to conquer: And will the compassionate God take away the Nurse before the child can go alone? Will it be a crime then to question that intelligence, it will, if you consider who is the Intelligencer, viz. God himself, for so it is said, verse. 1. The Lord spake to Joshua, saying, Moses my Servant is dead.

But if the Sun be set, and work be yet to be done, a candle must be lighted. If Moses God's Servant, be not here, then Joshua who was Moses servant shall arise, and lead the people over Jordan, no Parenthesis put in by God, shall spoil the sense of what he was speaking: his gracious providences may, like some Rivers, run on a sudden under ground, but by and by they appear again, and the swelling torrent pleaseth and refresheth him who sees it: Israel must take possession of the promised Land, and since it cannot be done by the hand of Moses, it shall by the hand of Joshua, Moses my Servant is dead, now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou and all this people unto the Land which I do give unto them.

That is the Context.

The Text itself presents to us,

• 1 Moses his relation; and God owning him in it, A Servant: My Servant.
• 2 Moses his present condition: Moses my Servant is dead.

A transient view shall serve for the first part of the Text, the latter we must longer gaze on; for we are not now considering Moses going up to Mount Sinai to receive God's Oracles, and coming down with his face shining; but we are considering him as gone up to Pisgah to view the promised Land, and die there: And therefore three or four Conclusions shall contain what at present shall be said on the relation wherein Moses stood to God.

Moses my Servant.

Conclu. 1. The proper notion of a servant is to be used at the pleasure of another. Zeno well defined liberty, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : And Cicero to the same purpose, in Paradox. Est potestas vivendi ut velis, a power of living and acting at a man's own pleasure: The true notion of servitude which is opposed to liberty, must therefore be this, To be determined to act, or not to act at the command and will of some other. The Philosopher hath no less ingeniously, than truly defined a servant, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a living instrument. And the Centurion in the Gospel described a servant to the life, when he said of him, I say, Go, and he goeth, Come and he cometh: All that we have said in this Conclusion, is asserted by the Apostle, Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey? and is implied in our Savior's words, Whosoever committeth sin, is the servant of sin.

Conclu. 2. The use of any person at pleasure, or obedience from him, can no further be demanded, than there is right and title to him, and it: That the difference of right and title doth alter the case as to the power of use, is palpably evident from this one instance: He that holds Lands in Fee-simple, hath power to alienate, sell, or let them to whom he will; he which is a Tenant, and only rents those lands, hath the fruits that grow upon them, as entirely his, and will dispose of them without control, but either give away, or sell a foot of the Soil he dare not, because that is the Landlords. The common maxim amongst Civilians, is, Servus non est sui juris, a servant so far as he is a servant, hath no right to himself: yet Masters had not equal title to all servants; for amongst the Heathen, those whom they took captive (and called mancipia quasimanu capti ) them they made account they could sell, and dispose of, as we of lands that are our own inheritance; those whom they hired, they could dispose of, as we of land rented (i.e.) They thought they had right to the persons of the former, but to the actions only of the latter.

Conclu. 3. God alone hath an universal right to all that any creature, is, hath, or can be done by it: And therefore the Apostle hath most properly joined these two together, Whose I am, and whom I serve, by reason of that short and imperfect title which one creature hath to another. The same Apostle argues excellently, Col. 4.1. That Masters should give to their servants that which is just and equal, because they also have a Master in heaven. Which notion I find urged by the Masters of Moral Philosophy among the heathen, who put us in mind, that though they be servants, yet they are men; and that we and they too are servants together of the supreme Deity. And howsoever the world hath neglected this great truth in their practice. Yet the beauty of it hath so far enamored all persons that they have rather chose to be called Patres-familias, fathers of all their Family, quam Domini, than Lord's or Masters, as Tertullian hath observed to my hands.

Amongst the Romans, it was lawful, if any servant was mis-used, to fly to the Statues of their gods, whereby it was an acknowledged case, that Masters had not full and absolute Dominion. In the Jewish Politie God ordained, Ex. 21.26, 27. If a man smite the eye of his servant that it perish, or smite out his tooth, that he should let him go free for it.

Amongst other famous instances of most remarkable and imitable piety, wherewith the 31. Chapter of Job is filled, we find this for one, verse. 13. that that holy man did not despise the cause of his Man-servant, nor of his Maid-servant, when they contended with him. O rare example of incomparable humility! he who had so much authority, that before him Princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth. The Nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth: Yet he secured his humility as well as his Majesty; of which this is sufficient evidence, that he did not despise the cause of his meanest servant; his reason for this noble practice is unanswerable, and pertinent to our purpose, verse. 14, 15. What then shall I do when God riseth up, and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him? Did not he that made me in the womb, make him? And did not one fashion us in the womb?

But though the title which one creature hath to another, be imperfect, as we have demonstrated, yet God's is full, complete, perfect, absolute; His we all are by Creation: He made us, not we ourselves: We are, as the Psalmist phraseth it, Psalm. 95.7. The sheep of his hand. No Shepherd makes their sheep, as this heavenly Shepherd doth, as St. Austin paraphraseth upon that Text: His we are, not only by Creation, but Preservation, which is Creation every moment in a new edition: His we are by Redemption, by virtue whereof, all his Saints shall when the day of glory dawns, come out of his hand as a curious volume which Angels shall read with admiration, wherein there shall be no blot, no Errata, though they were whilst in the Devils hands as a copy spoiled, that nothing almost could be seen in them that was imprinted; when the prime and Master-piece of God's Workmanship came into the world: Upon this last foundation of Divine right, the Apostle concludes, We are not our own, for we are bought with a price.

I have insisted the more largely upon this Conclusion, not only because the whole superstructure of Worship is built upon it, but because it is peculiarly useful.

• 1 To Masters, and all in Authority, that they impose no other commands on those under them, and behave themselves no otherwise towards the meanest servant, than the supreme Lord will allow of.
• 2 That all who are under subjection, and are diligent observers of the pleasure of those who are above them, would remember, that they owe more to God, than to any creature, and that his service never must be neglected.

Conclu. 4. Since God alone hath a sovereign and peculiar right to all his creatures, it follows naturally, that all Angels and men, ought freely and voluntarily to pay that homage, to do those acts of obedience, to perform that service which is due to him. Our Savior's maxim, should be evermore before our eyes, as the Jewish Phylacteries were before theirs, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. The unhappy Jesuit, who in most of his notions is like the horse-leech, sucking the worst blood, and leaving the best behind, might if fond prejudice would have given him leave, have understood enough from this place, to have abhorred the doctrine of Saint-worship: For he might easily observe that our Savior refuseth not to worship the Devil, because he was God's enemy, because a Rebel, because an Apostate, but because he was not God; for his answer is framed, as an universal deciding of this case, that religious worship is due to God alone; and therefore the holy Angel refused it upon this account; See thou do it not, I am thy fellow-servant.

Let that which is Caesar's be given to Caesar; those testimonies of honor and respect which we owe to creatures, let them have it, but that which is God's, let it be given to God; who since he hath a peculiar right, ought to have a peculiar service; for so we are taught by the examples of all pious, and understanding persons mentioned in holy Writ, the Holy Jesus said, It was his meat and drink to do his Fathers will; and though he fulfilled the Law, and might by virtue thereof have demanded life (for the Law saith, Do this and live ) yet he became obedient to the death, and spoke words never to be forgotten, Father, not my will, but thine be done.

Abraham is called God's servant, Gen. 26.24. as a faithful servant he followed his heavenly Master whithersoever he pleased; and therefore it is said, Isa. 41.2. That God called him to his foot, that which is in the Hebrew 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 righteousness; we well translate the righteous man, for the following words that speak of a person, justify that Translation; and the Chaldee Paraphrase tells us, who the person was, which is plainly intimated by the Context. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Abrahamum electum justum. Abraham that choice and famous man for righteousness, God said no more but this, Go to a place that I shall show thee, leave thy Country, and thy friends: He is obedient, follows his Master step by step, whithersoever he leads him.

I must confess Moses God's servant in the Text, was at first unwilling to go about the work God called him to, yet not because he was unwilling to do God service, but because he thought himself unfit for it; yet I cannot think him so unwilling, as some incautelous Reader may perhaps guess he was at first sight of those words, recorded in Exod. 4.13. And he said, O my Lord, send I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send; Which to a vulgar English ear, sounds as if he should say, O Lord, send whom thou wilt, I will not go about this errand; I rather think as a very learned man hath observed to my hand, that he desired God to send by the Messiah, that excellent Messenger whom he had promised to the lost world: For the common name of the Messiah among the Jews, as the New Testament informs us was, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 He that was to come, Mat. 11.3. and he who was to be sent, by which notion Johns expression may be understood, Joh. 3.34. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God. John was God's Messenger, yet he utterly disclaims this title of being that person whom God hath sent, which he could not have done had it not been peculiar to the Messiah; the meaning therefore of Moses his words seems to be, Lord I know thou hast promised to send an authentic Messenger into the world, one that shall speak as never man spake, I beseech thee at this time send him on this great Errand to Pharaoh for the deliverance of thy people Israel: I am the more inclined to this interpretation, because I yet see nothing in our Modern Commentators that oppose it, which should weigh down the scales against the judgment of the Ancients: But whether he did particularly eye the Messiah or not, or whether he left the person to be indifferently at God's choice, so he might be excused himself; It is certain it was his fault to dispute so long against God's call; For which God was angry, verse. 14. Yet his modest entreaty, verse. 13. O my Lord, I pray thee, makes it to me evident, that this unwillingness arose not from perverseness of spirit, but a deep sense of his inability: But we find sometimes that a tree shaken by the wind roots itself the faster, and broken bones well set, grow stronger, and they who go backwards, leap the further for it: Moses when once he accepts God's employment (having bafled the great temptation at the first undertaking) he doth his work with courage, and afterwards receives God's testimony, that Moses his servant was faithful in all his house.

For God useth to observe, and to own all that are in relation to him; Moses my Servant; which was the second thing we took notice of in the first part of the Text; and had we time to dwell upon it, it might be of excellent use to consider, that God hath not only minded them, and acknowledged them whilst living, but he hath evidenced great respect to them when they are dead. The Israelites got many a blessing for Abraham's sake; and it is remarkable, that when God considers himself, he considers David too, 2 King. 19, 34. I will defend this City to save it for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.

Oh rare encouragement to be faithful to God! when it shall not only be said to us at death, Well done good and faithful servant, enter into thy Masters joy: But for our sakes also it shall go better with those we leave behind us on earth. Children, Families, Countries, shall all partake of a blessing, out of God's respect to us when we are laid in the dust, and they say of us, what the Jews said of Abraham and Israel, That we are ignorant of them, and acknowledge them not.

But if I should stay here, I should prevent myself, in that which is most pertinent, both to the Text and the present occasion: It is sufficient that I have given you gold in the mass, your meditation must beat it into leaf gold; and it may be I shall assist you, before I put a full period to this Discourse.

The second thing which the Text presented to us, was Moses present condition; Moses my Servant is dead.

Faithful service to God is no security from the common Law of Mortality: God's best servants are not persons privileged from the arrest of this surly Serjeant.

Of the man Moses it is said, That he was very meek above all the men which were upon the face of the earth; Yet his meekness could not charm this adversary.

He was admirably useful, and so is the Sun to the Traveler, and yet it sets: Deaths sithe makes no distinction betwixt wholesome herbs, and stinking weeds.

He was a man of excellent Education, brought up in Pharaohs Court, he was skilled in all the learning of the Egyptians.

But China metal, and Venice Glasses, are as soon, yea sooner broken to pieces, than course pots: Pure complexions soon catch infectious diseases. He was a man of power and authority. The man Moses was great in the land of Egypt; Yea he was mighty in words, and in deeds: But he that could work Miracles, to save or destroy others, can work none to save himself: The great Xerxes wept when all the strength of his Army could not keep death out of their Quarters. A holy man he was that chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than enjoy the pleasures of sin; But yet he was a man, and a natural body will be natural, when the soul is refined from the dregs of wickedness; and a sick horse will be faint, and go heavily, and at length fall, though you should set a better Rider on his back: Yea which is further remarkable, he was a man whose prayers were prevalent with God for others; that when God was about to destroy the Israelites, he saith to him, Let me alone; and upon his intercession the Text saith, That the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people. Yet when this man comes to beg for his own life, yea when he begs that he may but live a little longer to enter the promised Land, yet God will not hear him.

If my memory fail me not, it is the only request recorded in Scripture which God denied to grant him; after he had accepted this service of bringing the people out of Egypt.

Moses was such a man that God saith of him, There arose not a Prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, a man rarely accomplished; will you know what is become of him? Moses God's servant is dead.

I shall give three Reasons for it.

Reason 1. That God may show the world how little he stands in need of any creature; when God would punish the Egyptians, he doth not bring Earthquakes, not only Thunder and Lightnings, but Frogs, and swarms of Flies, the dust of the Land is turned into Lice, and the Magicians that had done something greater, shall not be able to do this: God makes the meanest things the greatest scourges, and then much of himself is visible: When God will break Nebuchadnezzar's pride. He will not bring a Puissant Army to conquer him: Nor shake the fabric of the world to amaze him; but when he speaks loftily, Is not this great Babylon that I have built for the house of the Kingdom, • c. he doth but hear a few words, The Kingdom is departed from thee, and God lets a melancholy fancy pursue him, and the great King is below the poorest man in all his Dominions. One would have thought if Moses should have delivered the people, it should have been done whilst he was a favourite in Pharaohs Court. But he must go into the Wilderness, and live forty years in Midian, endure hardship and misery, lose his favor in Egypt, before he be fit for God to make use of as a Deliverer. And when God hath sent him, and he hath wrought miracles, and carried the people through the Red Sea, they are ready to say, Exod. 32.1. It was Moses that brought us up out of the Land of Egypt. But they shall see God needs him not. Joshua one of his young men, that used in all his addresses to say, My Lord Moses, Numb. 11.28. he shall conduct them, and it shall be evident God can be with him as he was with Moses: And sure God is seen most when Daniel looks better with poor pulse, than the rest do with the Kings delicious fare.

The way to shorten the best men's lives, is for people to think they cannot live without them. The Sun never yet needed a Glow-worm; nor God a creature, as God sometimes discovers himself in his dealings with wicked men, that he brings the mischief upon them they feared, by the means they used to prevent it. Pharaoh fears the Israelites should multiply, and be mightier and greater than the Egyptians, and therefore he will oppress them, Exod. 1.9, 10. Jeroboam fears that the hearts of the people will return to Rehoboam if they should go up to Jerusalem to offer sacrifice, and therefore he sets up two golden Calves, 1 King. 12.27. The Jews are afraid, if they suffer Christ to proceed in his Doctrine, and Miracles, all would believe on him, and the Romans would come and take away their Kingdom: These instances makes that truth evident which Solomon hath recorded, Prov. 10, 24. That which the wicked fears shall come upon him; yea, his own policy to prevent it, shall be the means to bring it, the Israelites increase the more for their affliction, Exod. 1.12. Jeroboams family is therefore rejected, 1 King. 14.8, 9, 10. The Jews are destroyed by the Romans for crucifying Jesus Christ: and have ever since continued the scorn of the world; so God in his dealing with his people in ways of mercy, chooses not the means which they think most, but least on: Gideous army is too great, a few shall do that work, Moses is too much admired; Moses shall die, that God may be more acknowledged, and man less; for it is our sin and folly to ascribe to Saul his thousands, and to David his ten thousands, but to God nothing at all.

Reas. 2. Moses is dead. That God may show what an extreme hatred and antipathy he hath to sin everywhere; even in a Moses: If this meek man be provoked, and speak unadvisedly with his lips, it shall go ill even with Moses, Psal. 106.32, 33. If the good man be passionate, and say, I am not able to hear all this people alone, it is too heavy for me, and if thou deal thus with me, kill me I pray thee out of hand. Moses shall know that God can take him at his word, and another shall have the burden, and the honor too; yea, though he be afterward earnest for lite, and beg importunately that he may enter into the promised Land, yet God will not be entreated: We little think, how much mischief we do ourselves, who may be any way publicly serviceable, to be at any time weary of the employment God hath charged us with; especially if the discontent show itself to others, for then the divine providence is engaged to make it manifest, that he can well enough be without such muttering servants; and that it becomes us not to be too bold, or presumptuous by the confidence we have in our former fidelity, or present usefulness. Let Jonah run away if he will, but a storm shall follow him: For God will have all the world take notice, that he hates sin, because it is. sin, and not because such a person commits it.

If we would observe, we might easily perceive, how irreconcilable God's hatred is to sin. Adam was the prime piece of divine Art; the glory and honor of the visible World; if he sin, he shall die; and because the dishonor is great, an • unavoidable necessity of death, shall be the fad condition of all his posterity. We read of none excepted from the execution of this fatal sentence but Enoch and Elijah: one would think that any considering mind, that shall see the tears of them that are in misery, hear the groans of them that lie on sick-beds; observe the sighs of consuming persons, who decay by little and little, as a garment that is Moth-eaten, or that shall surveigh the tossings of men in fevers, who are never at rest. God outs them off with pineing sickness, and as a Lion he breaks their bones: I say, one would think, a very weak head, that will but seriously consider, might easily from those premises conclude, that sin is a thing odious and abominable, and though God be good, yet he is not fond; for the righteous Lord loveth righteousness.

If this convince thee not sufficiently; come nearer, and see how sin like a noisome carcass. infects the air, and all that come near it, suffer for it; let a man be openly wicked, and do high acts of baseness, and his relations, his children, yea his children's children shall smart for it; for God v • sits the iniquity of the Fathers upon the children to the third and fourth Generation.

Epiphanius tells us that for three thousand three hundred and thirty two years; there is not one example in Scripture of a Son that died before his Father: till Terah’s time, whom he conceives to be a notorious Idolater; and of him it is said Gen. 11.28. That Haran died before his Father Terah, in the Land of his nativity in Ur of the Chaldees: he could not forget Abel, and therefore no question he intended only that they of whom it might properly be said, They died, not they who were killed should come within the reach of this observation.

He that is not a very careless reader of Scripture, cannot but grant, that if this Leprosy once break forth, no man knows whither it will spread: When Korah, Dathan, and Abiram sin, the earth swallows them up, and their little children two, even all that appertained to them. Adams sin made death certain, and when sin grew greater, than death which before crept like a Snail, began to come faster, till it had brought the life of man, from a thousand years long to seventy; and if any one was an open affronter of the Laws of Heaven, the poor family, and the innocent infants found the thread of life cut asunder for the Parents crime: Do you yet believe that God hates sin? If you will see further, behold the holy God is no respecter of persons; and it David murder Uriah, the sword shall follow him; If Moses be angry, and speak unadvisedly, God is angry presently, and Moses shall die in the Wilderness.

Reas. 3. Moses is dead, that he may be rewarded for the faithful service he hath done already; sin brought in death, but God hath made death to bring in glory: the dark room is an entry into the presence chamber: It was a great riddle to flesh and blood, but was perfectly discovered at Christ's resurrection, and ascension; Out of the cater comes meat: Had Moses lived, he would have found that in every day there was something of Autumn, as well as Spring; even in the face the most beautiful part of the body, is the sink of the brain; It is better to be in the mount with God, than to be troubled with the Idolatrous Israelites; he cannot forget, that even Aaron and Miriam spake against him.

Meekness of spirit is one of the best Antidotes against such mischiefs from near relations, but no man knows what trouble he may find from those he loves best, and whom he hath served most: If Moses be blameless himself, they will be angry, because of the Ethiopian Woman: Thus one relation produceth trouble from another: If his face shine, when he comes down from the mount, the Israelites cannot bear it, he must put a veil on; let the life be careless, and then he scorns himself, or others may quickly scorn him; let it be exemplary that a man shines as a light in the world, holding forth the word of life; it will be always true, that sore eyes cannot bear it. It is better to be with Angels, who always-behold the face of God in Heaven: All things are yours, Life and Death: in life, good men do work; after death, they enter into joy; yea, into the joy of their Lord; they are glorified together, Rom. 8.17. Here they serve, there they are served, Luk. 12.37. Blessed are those servants which waited for their Lord, whom at his coming, he shall find watching; Verily I say unto you, that he shall girde himself, and make them sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them: Moses cried out passionately, Lord, show me thy glory; God will now answer that prayer, but then his desire of life must be denied, for no man can see my face, and live; upon which words Saint Augustine meditating, cried out, Moriar Domine ut te videam, Let me die Lord, that I may see thee. And indeed, Paul told him, that he must be dissolved, if he would be with Christ: A soul that is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 winged with divine love, is like a poor bird in a cage, sits often sad, because imprisoned, looks through the wires, sings when the Sun comes at it, but alas, it sets by and by, and a cloudy dismal night follows it: The souls clear visions of God are too glorious for this state; here it is rara hora, br • vis mora, as Bernard phraseth it; the man whose piety is steady, and industry great, sees here through a glass darkly, there face, to face; and then he shall know, even as he is known; When you therefore wonder why good men die, you forget too much the trouble of life, and the glory after death: Jacob's Motto agrees well with their experience: Few and evil have been my days. So great are the exigencies and necessities of the present state, that it requires the skill of the wisest man, and most self-observing, to give a catalogue of those imperfections which all persons feel and groan under; the happiness of infancy is, that we feel only the trouble of what is present, and wrack not ourselves with fears of what is future; when we get up to understanding there are boisterous lusts, like cruel Pirates, setting upon us that we cannot quietly sail to the Haven of peace and rest. What it is to be wise, and live in the enjoyment of God, and a man's self-busy-passions scarce suffer the Juvenile age to make inquiry: If a man come to old age, he is an Imperious Infant, or a child in authority: If a man be good, the Devil sets on him, Wasps are busy where the honey is. If he cannot be hindered from doing good, which is the Devils first design, he shall be Fly-blown with pride, which is the second, and as dangerous. Upon due thoughts it will be found that for us to serve God here, is our great wisdom; for us to die when God pleaseth, is God's great mercy. Labor in the Lord shall not be in vain, but the reward of Labor in the Lord, is when we die in the Lord; For then we rest from our labors, and our works follow us.

Hitherto our Discourse hath tended to give satisfaction to this enquiry why Moses died: It remains that we draw some Corollaries, and so make application to all your consciences.

• 1 The death of Moses speaks something to all that stand in the same relation to God, that he did, viz. that are his servants, public instruments for the doing of his work.
• 2 The death of Moses speaks something to all those, who are in a capacity of losing persons so eminently useful and beneficial to them, as Moses was to the Israelites.

I begin my Discourse with all those that are in public employment, and are sincerely faithful to the trusts committed to them, whether they be Magistrates or Ministers: Two things are proper advice, from all that we have hitherto spoke upon this Text.

Corol. 1. Promise not to yourselves long life: One would have thought if any man in the world might have be confident of his life, sure Moses might, till he had carried the people through the Wilderness, and brought them into the Land of Canaan; this business was that which God set him about. It was the fulfilling of the ancient Promise made to Abraham; God's glory was engaged to perfect it, that his Name might not be dishonored by the heathen round about, who had seen, or heard of all his Miracles. Moses knew the people, and was much honored by them; and so one would imagine the fittest man in the world for it, yet Moses dieth.

Know therefore that when you are about the best work, the most excellent design, most honorable for God, most useful for others, yet then death comes with commission, the shadows of the evening stretch themselves upon you, it is no longer day; And when this night comes, no man can work.

Philosophers observe, that a very great calmness usually goes before a mighty Earthquake; Such folly and madness hath spread itself upon the hearts of men, that generally they promise to themselves, what God never promised them, and promise not to themselves, what he hath promised them. God never persuaded men to be Christians by constant health, by long life, by applause and honor, but he hath told us of a providence about us that shall make all things work for good. Wormwood we may drink, but it shall turn to health, that we shall not die, or that we shall not die at thirty, as well as at threescore, God hath not spoke one syllable; but he hath told us of a great glory hereafter, and that our labor shall not be in vain in the Lord. If ever a good man might have hoped for exemption from such sore calamities, sure Job might, then, when they fell upon him, though he lived not among the Jews, but in the land of Uz, yet he was perfect and upright, he feared God, and esehewed evil. The Sun-shine of outward plenty, put not out the fire of his devotion; he did but fear that his sons might sin, It may be that my sons have sinned, verse. 5. and he must send for them, and sanctify them, and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. Did not' Job hope for a happy life from hence? Yes, When I looked for good, then evil came unto me, and when I waited for light, then came darkness? Was he not one that acted the part of a good Magistrate? Yes, He was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame, he was a father to the poor, and the blessing of him that was ready to perish, came upon him. But the conclusion which he made, did not follow from the premises; Then I said I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand. Long life and peace, were things presumed; but you will find it a sad mistake, if you peruse the next Chapter, verse. 15. T • rr • urs are turned upon me, verse. 23. I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living. His harp was turned to mourning, and his organ into the voice of them that weep.

In the time of our Savior's greatest joy, when the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering, and Moses and Elias appeared in glory, they spake to him of his decease. I could wish all persons of worth and excellency in their mutual converse, in their contribution of assistance for the promoting of the most pious interests, would sometimes entertain one another with a discourse about their decease, for that would pluck up the weeds of vain hopes, and fond imaginations which are apt to grow in the hearts of good men.

And though some men, whose thoughts are so immersed in secular and worldly affairs that they are scarce at leisure to consider whether their strength be the strength of brass or clay: Though they be guilty of this mistake, whose lives meet with few hours of pain, and their little sadness is but like vinegar put into sweet sauce, makes it taste better, or like a harsh note in music, that goes before a sweet one, forcing the ear to be more covetous, and making the harmony more grateful; yet it is wonderfully strange, that they who by long study and serious thoughts have macerated their bodies and made them sickly, who are like a flower exposed to the violence of the North wind, and have no shelter; that such as these should forget their death, seems to be incredible: Did not sad experience tell it was too true. I would not be as the Screech-owl, a messenger of death to any one, much less to my beloved brethren in the Ministry, I would gladly be as the Crow on the Capitol, who when she could not say, It is well, said, It shall be well: I cannot say, It is well with us, when Mr. Vines, Mr. Frost, Mr. Bright, are carried to their graves, I would say, It shall be well, and the next year shall produce no such sad spectacies. But neither my Text, nor the occasion of this solemn Assembly, make me able to promise it: In the former you find a Prophet, that never had one like him (till the Son of God appeared) dead before you; By the latter you may be informed, that a holy man may have his Autumu even in his Spring, and his leaves may drop asunder before he be well ripe. When the Sons of the Prophets came forth to Elisha, they said to him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy Master from thy head today? he answered, Yes, I know it, hold you your peace. If I should tell you that your Savior is dead, I might say, Know you that your Master lay in the grave, and the servant must not be better than his Lord. But now I say, Know you that God hath taken away from you your fellow-servant? I presume you will answer me, We know it, hold you your peace. Yet I am ready to urge that Question thrice, as the Sons of the Prophets did; for I am sure that which you know quickly, you may forget hastily. It is not hasty showers, but soft snow that soaks deep, whilst the former runs off as fast as it comes, the latter gently creeps in at every chink of ground.

Let me humbly therefore beseech you, to think again, and again, to look wishly upon the Text, and upon the Grave of that useful friend whom God hath now taken from us; And then I question not, but you will be prepared for the second thing which the Text recommends to your practice.

Corol. 2. Then it is good reason you should do your work, as fast, and as well as you can.

It is good reason,

• 1 Because you are servants.
• 2 Because you are dying servants.

1 Consider, you are servants: If you be asked, Why stand you idle, and go not down into God's Vineyard? you cannot answer, God hath not called us: Shall servants loiter? It was Moses commendation, that as a servant he was faithful in all God's house: Let it be yours: Suffer me to propound a few Queries: Let all your consciences answer them.

Query 1. Is it not your Justice: Is not your service a debt? Ought you not to discharge it? Have you a right to yourselves? Did you make and redeem, or do you now preserve yourselves? Hath God no way engaged you? Did God give you your parts and talents to be laid up in napkins, or doth he expect his own with due improve •• ent? or were not your gifts given you for others sake? as the mothers breast for the childes advantage.

A most accurate Preacher hath said truly,

Or have you a mind it shall be said at your death, There is gone the unjust servant, that called God Master, but served the Devil.

Quer. 2. Is not faithful service, the expression of your ingenuity? Are you not beholden to God? Do not mercies make thee resolve to present thyself to him, which is thy reasonable service? Can you forget how passionately the bleeding Savior said, If thou lovest me feed my sheep; Lovest thou me, feed my lambs: Have divers lusts and pleasures which you have served too long, Tit. 3.3. Done you greater favors than God?

Quer. 3. Is it not your security? The Coward that runs away in this service shall certainly be killed: If Jonah will go to Tarsus, a storm must follow him, and overtake him; Do we provoke God to jealousy? are we stranger than he? Oh remember often those dreadful words of our Savior's, Take the unprofitable servant, and c • st him it to everlasting burning. The servant that had work to do, and began to drink and be drunken; His Lord will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. None were safe when the earth was hurt, Rev. 7.3. but the servants of God who were sealed in their fore-heads. Do you think you shall always live at God's table, to delight in the Devils drudgery? No, at length you must have their portion too, Depart ye cursed, I know you not. We may flatter, and deceive men, but we cannot that God, who will not be mocked, who tells us, That he will require the blood of others at our hands.

Quer. 4. Doth not your compassion to others force it? You that are God's Stewards, have this for your work in God's household, To give them their portion of meat in due season; Can you forbear to break the bread of life to souls; souls for which Christ died? Can you forget how passionately he said, If ye love me feed my sheep? Have you neither love to Christ, nor his sheep neither? Do you not remember that your Savior had compassion on the multitude, because they had nothing to eat, and he would not send them away fasting, lest they should faint by the way? Oh that we had as much love to souls as Christ had to bodies, How many have continued many years, and never yet tasted the bread of life! Oh what sad deliquiums, what fainting fits at death! what dreadful horror, when they shall enter into the borders of Eternity, and see themselves separated from the true portion of immortal spirits! Will they not be ready to upbraid your cruelty, and unmercifulness. Observe what ridiculous and absurd things sinners make themselves here. The covetous man that hath more than enough, yet perplexeth himself with his own wants, look how like a fool he goes leading his horse in his hand, and carrying his saddle on his back till he be pickled in his own sweat, when his horse would with ease carry him, and his saddle too. Look what a fool the proud man is, that will needs be popular, and do everything to be honored by others, yet himself is as much afraid, left this secret plummet which puts all the wheels in motion, should be discovered, as a Theef is to be taken in the very act; and if he have the hat and the knee of spectators: the poor man doth as the Ass, that thought she was honored, when alas it was the image she carried. It is not the man (for him they scorn) but the fine clothes, and the great estate, that is so much Idolized; for so a dull beast shall command the eyes of the multitude with gaudy trappings, when one of better spirit and service shall not be looked on. Do you not mind what a Swilling-tub a beastly Drunkard is? what a childish Ape he is that is given to chambering and wantonness? Look how the poor discontented man like the Silkworm, eats out his own bowels? Can you see all this, and much more which your own thoughts tell you, and not pity the degenerate estate of lost man?

Oh what is become of the glory of God's Creation! How hath this fair Picture lost the oriency of all its colors, that beauty of all its Lineaments? Cast your eyes upon the excellency of a true Christian, who is bonorum rector, malorum victor, one that knows how to want, how to abound; one whose goodness and wisdom, strikes an awe and reverence into all that converse with him, the profane person fears him, the hypocrite counterfeits him, as knowing he hath no beauty, unless painted with those colors? Can you see sinners want these perfections and be satisfied? Hath the Devils malice done so much mischief? Shall your affectionate compassion do no good? but the dreadful terrors of Eternity (me thinks) should strike fire out of a flint. All vice is folly here, and this folly will be punished with weeping and wailing, and gnashing of teeth hereafter. Oh think when you are preaching, it may be here are many that have not hearkened to God's voice, and God may now be about to swear that they shall never enter into his rest. Can this enter into your serious thoughts, and you forget to do the work of faithful servants: If it be possible, persuade this foolish world to leave mudwalls for good food, and Pest-houses for healthful air.

Query 5. Is it not your glory and perfection, your own great honor and privilege, to be God's servants? Abraham is God's servant, but he is his friend too, Isa. 41.8. Moses is his servant, but Moses sees him face to face.

With these all day I do perfume my mind: so Mr. Herbert, that pious, and most incomparably ingenious Poet of whom it is said, That in his ordinary speech when he made mention of the blessed Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, he used to add, My Master, Who is it, I beseech you, that you can glory in as your Master? yourselves, your lusts, the world, the Devil, or God; which is greatest honor to be Ambassador for a wise Prince, or to be a slave to a base beggar?

Alas, we are too much fools to be fit to rule ourselves, and the Devil hath wit enough, but it is to cheat us, and make us miserable.

The Philosopher hath well observed, that there is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , one whose weak spirits, and crazy intellectuals show him born to be in subjection to another wiser than himself, and the best character that can be given of him is, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , he is able to be under Authority; he is not so willful as to refuse government, not so stubborn as to scorn direction. Unhappy and miserable creature that cannot see itself, and will not be led by a seeing guide. The greatest favor that can be done to children, is to put them under the inspection of wise and sober Tutors; and it is children's credit when under them; to be like soft wax warmed, that will receive any impression: It is the happiness of an Angel to comply with the Divine will: sure it must be ours, who are yet in a state of infancy and nonage, ready to run headlong into all dangers to consult the Oracle of heaven, and take God's advice in all we go about; for it anything be rational, this is: Where the superior is infallibly wise, righteous, and good; there the inferior cannot do himself so great a courtesy, as universally to surrender his uncertain, fallible, mutable will to him in all things. I wonder not therefore that David chooseth to be a door keeper, and that he cries out so pathetically, Psal. 116.16. O Lord, truly I am thy servant, I am thy servant.

I might at large prosecute this great argument to diligence, and fidelity by propounding,

• 1 The excellency of all God's Laws.
• 2 The great reward which his bounty hath promised. Compare the former with your own passions, the latter with shame and death, the only profit that can be reaped from sin, and it will easily be granted, that every prodigal when he comes to himself, will quickly cry out, Make me as one of thy hired servants: And indeed a right understanding in this point, makes the service to be such as it should be; For he that looks upon God as a hard Master, will either hide the Talent in a Napkin, and do nothing, or else that which is as good as nothing; whilst he hath better thoughts of sin, and the pleasures of this world, then he hath of God, and of the rewards which he will give to them that observe him. God's Creation, Preservation, and Redemption, give him a right to us, and make our service necessary: but the excellency of his nature, the goodness of his work, the future happiness promised, make the service cheerful.

The sum of all is, Ye are servants: And then your Justice, your Ingenuity, your Security, your Compassion, your Glory, requires faithfulness.

I conclude this Consideration with Mr. Perkins Motto.

We have at length finished the first Consideration, which should promote care in God's service. I shall briefly urge the second.

Consideration 2. Ye are not only servants, but dying servants, and therefore do your work as well, and as fast as you can. When Mr. Calvin grew sickly, and some friends dissuaded him from some employments, he gave this answer, Vultisne Christum me invenire • tiosum? Would you have Christ find me idle? Shall death, a Messenger that was never idle, but always did his errand, find us idle when Christ sends it? there is a night coming when we cannot work, and it is very like our day is a Winter day, not a Summer day. Play the lesson God hath set you whilst the Instrument is in tune, the weather will alter presently, and then the strings will fall, or break.

Gregory hath observed that the Spirit of God descended in two shapes, the first was of a Dove, the last of Fire; the first shown Innocency and Simplicity; the last Zeal and Activity: That we must do no harm, is certain, (let none but hellish slaves carry Plague-sores about them) but that we must do good, be fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, is as certain: What good from an eye that is always covered with its own lid, or from fire that is always buried in the ashes, or a ship that always lies at anchor? You must be doing, for God will ere long say, Give an account of your stewardship, you must be no longer stewards.

The last words almost which were heard from that famously learned, and pious Bishop of Armagh, were, Lord in special forgive my sins of omission; yet he was singularly industrious in writing, reading, exhorting, instructing. Sins of omission will at death go nearer our hearts than we thought they would in life. Be as zealous for God all your life, as you thought you should be when you first entered on this public employment for God, and as you resolved to be when you last lay upon a bed of sickness. But sad experience finds the common observation too true, That bells strike thick while they are rising, but stand still, and give no sound at all when they are at full pitch, We forget what we were, and what we shall be, and consider not what a great account we must suddenly make, and therefore fall asleep, and do not by deep meditation, wind up those weights which must keep our souls in spiritual motion; We find in nature, that stones the nearer the center, move faster. We find the Devil raging, because his time was short; Shall not we be as industrious who have but little time for better work; reprove sin today, as a man that may die at night, for when thou diest, the opportunity is lost, then you know not how to beseech sinners to be reconciled, then it is too late to make Dives his motion. Oh that my brethren were warned not to come into this flame!

The Stoic saith truly, Maximum vivendi impedimentum est, expectatio qua pendet ex crastino, The greatest impediment to a good life, is hope of living tomorrow. They who please themselves with their own thoughts and company, sometimes find they are at their journeys end, before they thought that they had been near it. Men that sleep securely wonder so much time should be gone, as they find there is when they awake: Whilst we are employed in things worldly and sensual, our time is gone, but our work is not done.

I read lately Chrysostom's third Homily upon the Acts, wherein because I found many things, which affected and awakened me much. I shall recommend them to your consideration.

I would add more force to these considerations of our relation as servants, of our sudden discharge from that relation by death, but that my charity forbids me to suspect that others needs so much as myself, to awaken constant diligence; and to prevent that dull Lethargy which is apt to creep upon us.

God grant that all Christian Magistrates may mind the affairs of all particular persons under them, as if they were their own: And that all Ministers of the Gospel, may sincerely endeavor to save themselves, and them that hear them, not preaching themselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and themselves the servants of others for Jesus sake, 2 Cor. 4.5.

I have now finished the first part of my task, which was to draw practical inferences that did concern all that stood in Moses relation, that were God's public officers in the world, acting for him by his direction; the other part must now be undertaken, which we hope will more briefly be dispatched: It is to tell you, what Moses death speaks to all those, who are daily in a capacity of losing such servants of God, who are useful to them in their generation, as Moses was to the Israelites in his.

We have heard what Moses death spoke to Joshua, and the Elders of Israel, let us now hear what it speaks to the people, and it recommends five things.

1 Let no man be Idolized, be he what he will, he is but a servant, and a dying one too, a flower, yet withering and fading. Epiphanius saith, That in Arabia Moses was accounted a god, and there his Image was worshipped; their reason was because of the miracles which he wrought; Sure they knew not that he was but a servant, and that he died in the Wilderness: Fools we are to adore the conduit-pipe, and forget the Fountain. We look to instruments, and forget the principal Agent: When Pharaoh consulted Joseph as an Oracle, he wisely told him, God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace: When Paul and Barnabas come to preach the Gospel; if they may be looked upon as gods for their Miracles, the malicious Devil is as well pleased, as if they had be scorned or trampled on.

And if some great Scholars be not mistaken, the great respect which were in the world to the better sort of men among Heathens, and holy men amongst Christians have served his interest, more to bring in Idolatry, than the base practices and wanton wits of profane men could to bring in Atheism; for by this art (it is thought) the silly beasts came to be worshipped as gods; for whereas several Princes and great men, applauded by the people, had several devices and emblems which they bare in their Shields or Crests (some best liking Dogs, others Lions; Wolves, or Cats, as sympathy of nature, fancy, or particular occasion led them) the spectators minds were by little and little tainted, and for the man's sake began to give adoration to the Beasts, till posterity looked upon them as Coadjutors, and helpers in all victorious success in war, or prosperous events in peace.

I might at large prosecute this notion, if I had time to view Popish Images: We sometimes find a sordid, but a cunning fellow, turned out at one door, to sneak in at another: When Paganish Idolatry must fall to the ground, and the Isles hear a d • leful voice, that the Great god Pan is dead, the Devil joins with the multitude of Christians, and cries down all the ancient duties, but it is that he may the more applaud the Saints; and then you know, if any person be much beloved, his picture shall be desired. Experience hath given sad testimony, that adulterous hearts, when they once had Minions, pleased themselves more with them, than with their lawful Consorts. To this day the Devil hath no such engine to wind up the hearts of the faithless Jews to such an incredible height of unbelecf, as their high thoughts of Moses, and of that Law, which they kiss and reverence: Insomuch that this is now their settled maxim, that no person can be looked on as coming from God, that doth not establish the Mosaical Occonomy, the fancy of whose perpetuity would prejudice and take away the efficacy of that great Argument, used by our blested Savior, I mean Miracles.

I am persuaded the Devil hath plaid the same game, in these late years of the Christian world; for when men are persuaded to have men's persons in admiration, either the admired creatures continue what they were thought to be, & then God is little acknowledged, or if they turn to error and bad practice, either their admirers see it not, and so follow them, or if they do see it, then it is a good argument to Skepticism, and make men suspect all Religion. I persuade myself, most Sects (which have caused woeful divisions) have arose from Idolizing the Sect-master. It is known well enough that a Masters error is no small temptation to a Scholar: And indeed there is no temptation to the Master, like the admiration of the Scholar.

But I forget myself, and stay too long upon this head; Lonly suggest that then we Idolize any man:

• 1 When we set him up as a Dictator, to believe and act as he would have us, without his showing God's Commission for what is propounded by him to us. For who dethroned God, and set up man as the ruler of my faith and life?
• 2 When we are so dis-satisfied at the loss of any creature that we enjoy not quiet of mind in God, and believe not his ability to supply that loss; as if God could not make the stream to run as well for our advantage in another channel. It is a sign when the case is thus, that we put the servant into the Masters place, and make account the Families welfare depends on him who is sent, and not on him who sends him. Whatsoever he be, though excellently adorned with the accomplishments of a man, with the perfections of a Christian, know, if he do good, it is because God blesseth him, the Instrument makes no Music, unless some curious hand touch it; and know, that all that glory thou admirest is carried in an earthen vessed, and a little knock may break that Pitcher which hath often brought good water from the bubbling fountain. Let these considerations keep our affections sober; for if men be once inordinate in passion, and listen to temptation, you had as good talk to mad men, and the Devil knew there was such amongst the Jews, and therefore contended about the body of Moses with the Angel. Not questioning but they who were so ready to worship a golden Calf, would quickly have some devotion to pay upon his Sepulcher; but the phyfick, and those cordials which do no good when nature is spent, are proper and succesful medicines, before strength be too much impaired, and spirits wasted. Those arguments which speak to sober, indifferent, or not over much prejudiced Auditors, are to others whose passions are engaged, like lightning, which goes through a porous body, and leaves no impression, nor any testimony of its presence there.

Got causeth the Sun to rise, like a Giant to run its course, and he makes it to set at night; God sends forth men into the world to be useful, they are his servants; he calls them home, they die; Let God everywhere be acknowledged, no man • dolized.

2 Yet Moses his death, chargeth you that they be not slighted: Servants indeed they are, but they are God's servants, they die, but it is God that calls them from you to himself that he may reward them: Have you any good Magistrates? thank God for them, live quietly under them in all godliness and honesly. Have you good Ministers that labor in the word and doctrine? bless God for them; they beseech you, as in God's stead that you would be reconciled to him, respect the Ambassador for his sake that sends him; those whom you value not upon their own account, value as they stand in relation to God. I presume no man can easily be so fond and ignorant as to imagine that he is bound to think, everyone that hath the name and the garb of a Minister, must be looked on as God's servant; No it is too evident that many carry God's livery on their backs, which do the D • vils service, with their hands: Unto many of whom, even men may say, what God will, when they talk of prophesying in Christ's Name, Ye are workers of iniquity, we know you not; and if Korah, Dathan and Abiram, will offer strange fire, the congregation must leave them:

But I now speak of those whose study and prayer is to save themselves, and them that hear them, who prays to their people whilst they are spectators, as well as whilst they are auditors; they are would convert souls to righteousness; let them be respected for their works sake; yea, for their Masters sake, let them be reputed servants of the most high God: The Devil found it would be a good way to pine and starve the vitals of Christianity, to make the feet lame, and the hands feeble, if he made the head too big, if he put a Pope into St. Peters chair; and then the design ever after should be, more to maintain their own grandeur and greatness, than the life and power of godliness: If the Protestant Religion finds out this temptation, then scorn, vilify, down with Ministers, and Ministry, vilify the persons, and that will help to make the Doctrine vile.

I cannot forget how angry God was even with Aaron and Miriam, Numb. 12. For alas! even they could speak against Moses: Wherefore saith God, were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? verse. 8. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them: Why, what had they spoke? see verse. 2. Hath the Lord spoke only by Moses; he married the Ethiopian, a strange woman, he is not so much wiser than we. God will not bear anything which manifests contempt of them that are employed by him.

But the best way to show respect to them, that now consecrate themselves to God's service, is to accept of the Doctrine which they preach (viz.) the holy commands and promises of the Gospel: What though some of them have not such parts, such sagacious apprehensions, such piercing expressions, such lively representations of their thoughts: remember, that Isaiah was a noble man, and nearly allied to the King. Amos was a Herds-man, yet both were Prophets. Jesus Christ dieth, and sends out poor Fisher-men, and they do more miracles, and greater than ever he did; and convert more souls: If God please, the pulse, the courser fare, shall make Daniel look better than the rest: though Moses must not be idolized, yet Joshun must not be despised. I of Paul, and I of Apollo, and I of Cophas; sure ye are carnal: are they not all the servants of Christ? what, is no sense nor reason spoke, unless it be adorned with such a degree of eloquence? Is there no light, unless there be noon-day glory? this is just like a silly Countryman, that counts him the King which hath most silver lace, and can show the biggest handfuls of gold: the foolish sports of lacivious fancies, grave and masculine plety, looks on with a noble contempt; though I love with all my heart to hear discourses, wherein my understanding perceives learning, and my affections feel piety, yet I am far from thinking, that one quarter of them is learned, which the world reputes so: where the words are starched, and they are set together, to make a few fine cadencies, and they please an itching ear, that affects trifles, but cure no disease, blow away no mist from the understanding, leave no foundation for settled peace, or sober godliness: Cito turgens spuma dilabitur, this froth that looks white is presently wasted. A tumor in the face that glisters and shines much, is contrary to that healthful complexion which makes beauty: I would have learning, but it should be to convey truth better to the understandings of all that hear me: learning to make everything plain, not to make anything obscure and difficult.

Mr. Meade used to say, to preach so as people should not understand, was like a Shooe-makers bringing home a handsome Shooe, but with a Last in it: it looked nearly, but it was of no use as it was; for no foot could be put into it: When I am in pain, and a member gangrenes, talk not to me how the Chirurgeon looks, but tell me how fit he is, and how well skilled for the cure: doth the Prince applaud the Ambassador? that hath shown he could speak elegantly, and had words at will, but left out the potent reasons, wherewith he should have secured the business, or else so buried them in his own phrases, that they were not understood: If any one ask why I speak all this, I shall tell him no other reason but this (I wish I had no more) I would not have the water of life valued, for the Vessel through which it runs, nor God's truth for the man's parts, but them for truth; and everyone esteemed as he is a member of God's family, and is more or less a faithful servant.

But if you will sleight them, let me tell you, they shall not be troublesome to you very long; for Moses shall die: God sends them now to demand fruit, and to charge you to prepare for eternity, and to invite you to accept of great salvation, it may be, it is the last time that ever this Messenger shall be sent to you, welcome him now or never: Think every time you see a godly Minister going into the Pulpit, it may be I shall never hear this man more, never hear him pray for my soul more, never perceive him entering into my very heart, and command my affections, and raise my spirit by Gospel Arguments, and allure me by divine motives, if not now, never; if not now, nothing must speak to me but his gra • e, until the day of judgment, when he who loved my soul, and asked me why I would die; must come in as a witness against me, and justify God in my condemnation, why should I slight God's message, or slight him who brings it? Now he is for ought I know, entering into the joy of his Lord; now God so values him, as to reward him.

Surely this arguing is rational, and might easily enter into any man's mind, who observes but common experience, though he had nothing else to prompt him. — I hope all of you will reap this advantage from the present occasion, to value the persons, and the Sermons of all conscientious preachers better: idolize them not, was our first advice, that is one way to lose them. Gustavus the renowned King of Sweden, prophesied truth when he said, God would take him off, because men too much admired him; yet scorn them not, for Ambassadors are soon called home, when it is desperate to prevail so far as to get fair audience: but howsoever you deal with us, do but practice godliness, and we shall rejoice; for I question not but holy men can heartily present Paul's petition: Now I pray to God that ye do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobate •• . Experience tell us, that good thoughts of the Physician facilitate the cure, and the good health of a sickly patient, brings credit enough to the Physician.

3 Moses his death, Chargeth you not to be confident of long life yourselves: if Palaces crack and fall, sure weak cottages must; if Moses die, a • private Israelite must not live always: All flesh is grass, Isa. 40.6, 7, 8. Homo cum sis, id fac ut semper intelig as: The Heliotrope, may pride itself, at the Suns presence, the pretty flowers may open all their heads, and welcome the salutes of the grand beauty of this visible world; but the Sun will set, and a night must be found every four and twenty hours in Summer, but at length comes a cold Winter, a tedious absence of the warm beams, and then the leaves drop, and the roots perish; we are far nearer sickness and death, than we think we are: Soul take thine ease; that the man said; This night shall thy soul be taken away from thee, that God said: Is not this great Babel that I have built for the honor of my name. The great King hath no sooner said it, but he hears a voice, that speaks something of a different nature, like the noise of a thunder-clap, that swallows up the melody which his secure pride made him: The Kingdom is departed. A remarkable check you have to men's vain presumption of life, in 1 King. 16.8, 9. Elah is drinking himself drunk, and his servant Zimri comes in and kills him; — Well, Zimri will be King, promiseth himself much happiness in his royalty, but it hastens his death. Omri besiegeth him, and when the City is taken, the poor King goes into the Palace, burns the house over him with fire, and dies.

The Israelites like not Manna, they must needs feed more delicioussy; they shall; but while the meat was in their mouths, the wrath of God fell upon them, and slew the mightiest of them; we are blind if we see not, that man groweth up as a flower, and is cut down; he fleeth as a shadow, and continueth not: Every thing in nature tells us of changes; our very Table is but a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a bier, whereon every dish of meat stands as a dead corpse: I could weep sometimes, and drop my tears as the dew of the morning, when I see a young man in the pride of his strength, in the acuteness of his parts, in the blossom of his beauty, whilst he is the delight of friends, and his society the ambition of spectators; he sits still, and thinks no hurt, when a rude passion stabs him; or he is innocently merry, but his juvenile blood is inflamed, he is sick, he groans, he sighs, he dies: But I resolve to stop the flood-gates, and blame my folly; for it is folly to forget that it is as natural for the grass to wither, and it is as ordinary for it to be cut down, as it is to creep out of the womb of the earth: Be as careful as we can, good fruit will perish, because it is worm-eaten, and that which eats it, is bred within it. Just when Pharaoh will have bricks made, and build Pyramids; leave Monuments of his greatness to posterity, then is God about to break him, and pluck down the plumes of Egyptian pride.

And surely, if an Israelite cannot presume that long life shall be his portion, an Egyptian cannot; if a Moses cannot, then not an Israelite; but this fond self-flattery, this great disease of besotted human nature, whilst I perceive so much reason as a medicine proper for its cure, and yet so little of it received; makes me sad, and bewail the delirium that hath deprived us of all sober understanding: And indeed who can think of Jonathan's great integrity, and read his great mistake, without some degree of this passion, 1 Sam. 23. he said to David, Thou shalt be King over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee. Alas, good man, who knew not that he was to die in the next battle, and shall not the tares▪ be cut up when the wheat is? Shall not the dust be blown away when pearls are? Whether I, or you shall be deaths portion next, I know not, but that we shall all be, is certain, for Moses is dead; neither humility, nor meekness, power, and greatness; neither the love of God to him, nor the love of Israel gives a dispensation, from deaths claim.

4 Moses his death: Commands you to prepare for death; nothing will secure from it; therefore provide for it: Art thou great or small, in prosperity, in adversity, the way may differ, it may be fairer to thee, fouler to another; but the journeys end is the same; the debt is due, the day of payment not expressed, and therefore it may be demanded presently: What have you to say when death comes? Will you speak to Time, as Joshua to the Sun, Stand still, that I may be avenged of all my adversaries, that I may murder and crucify those sins and lusts which have robbed me of God and Heaven: Alas, you cannot, Times Chariot runs post, he will not hear; or is the grim visage of death, and the thoughts of eternity, and a day of judgment so little formidable, that thou canst look steadily without amazement on them? Alas thy heart fails thee at the thought of them? What cordial then hast thou? Moses my servant goes before, Death comes after: be God's servant; and thou art well prepared for this charge; be the Devils servant, and have the Devils curse; be God's, and the gift is eternal life: Aaron goes up willingly to Mount Hor and dies: Moses when he sees it is God's will, is satisfied: Nothing like the testimony of a good conscience, that a man hath been faithful in God's service; though everyone in God's family be not a steward, a public officer as Moses was, yet everyone is a servant, hath some work to do; oh why do you neglect it? Is that a fit time for man to dress himself in a dark night, when the dreadful cry astonisheth him that his house is on fire about his ears? the poor man stands naked, amazed, and is either burnt, or runs down the stairs, with fears not to be conceived by anybody but himself; so it is when death fetcheth the sinner, and conscience cries aloud that the fire of hell will scorch him, and the great Judge infallibly condemn him: Is this a time now for him, to put on the ornaments of grace, when he is putting off the body? No, alas, that is too great a work to be done so soon, and he is too much amazed to go about it: The fear of a danger past, kills Nabal, and makes his heart like a stone within him. There are sad instances that make it evident, that the time which men allot to make preparation for death, is generally useless, and ineffectual for that purpose.

Divers now in Cambridge will quickly perceive that these three instances call to their minds a fourth, of a woman that lived there, who on a sick-bed being visited by divers persons of piety, and entertained with holy discourses, used to say nothing but this, Call Time again.

It is true, we have not every day such remarkable instances, no more is every murderer hanged upon the Gibbets, yet so many suffer this dreadful punishment, as to make acts of baseness formidable, and to show the sore hatred, which a good and compassionate Magistrate hath against them; so the former examples demonstrate that God's grace (though of absolute necessity to our happiness) yet then when we should need it, we may either forget, or else not find it, we thought we should, at the command of our wishes.

But what is the design of poor besotted man? Let a sickness arrest us, a Physician is sent for, an estate, a great revenue shall be parted with for Time, get but health, and then any man shall have it for a trifle: Nay we are weary of it if it must be spent in the thoughts of God and eternity; then this short, very short life, is too long for us: Men that are full of business in the world, talk like Augustus, Aliquande se victurum sibi sperabat, he hoped he should sometime live to enjoy himself, and they long passionately for a great Vacation; but when it may be in their power, they act like Turannius, who after the ninetieth year of his age, having received a discharge from Caesar, and got liberty to be freed from Court attendance, will needs be laid in his bed, like one that hath breathed his last, and all his family must bewail the old man's death. The God of heaven will tell us at the day of judgment, how little we knew what to do with ourselves, and our time when we had fair opportunities to prepare for death, and to work out our salvation: God will easily convince us, that it was our willful prosecution of our own lusts which ruined us, and that we would not come to him that we might have life.

If any one shall ask me, what should be done to make preparation for death: I would beg of him, first, That he would be so much at leisure as to be a while serious, if he can but prevail so far with himself, as not to be turned out of doors by his own thoughts, he will answer his own question himself, and soon resolve, that to live, is the best preparation to die.

For it is one thing to be in the world, another thing to live: To be a man in the due use of all powers and faculties in the just command of all passions, to be a Christian in the exercise of all Divine graces, this is to live, otherwise men are dead in sins and trespasses, and their souls are buried in a lump of flesh.

I persuade myself in this point, men need more to be awakened than instructed, for who knows not that he ought to repent, and who understands not that by repentance, God means that which he himself means, when he charges a son, a friend, a servant to repent, viz. That he should be heartily sorrowful for what is past, and do so no more; why then is not the Catalogue of sin read over till thy heart be melted with godly sorrow, and a constant antipathy against iniquity make thee watchful That thou sin no more lest a worse thing come.

Reader, tell me, Wouldest thou not do this, this week, it thou thoughtest thou shouldest die the next? but remember this day cannot be too soon, because tomorrow may be too late. It was a good saying of a wise Rabbi, It is every man's duty to repent one day before he dies; and he that knows not but that this day may be his last, had need begin today, and so make every day a continued act of repentance: Do this to purpose now, for since nothing makes enmity betwixt the holy God and us but sin, practice this duty daily by surveying all thy life, by continuing resolutions of obedience, by holy watchfulness, that when the hour of death comes, thou mayest have this by thee as a never failing cordial.

And dost thou not know, that thou wilt then need a strong belief of this great truth, That God hath mercy for a repenting sinner, That the case of man is not desperate; That we have liberty for second thoughts by the New Covenant; That there is a great glory hereafter, and a certain resurrection to eternal life? why is not this point studied by thee till thy soul be fully confirmed in this great Article?

Or art thou ignorant that thou shalt be unwilling to die if thy treasure be not laid up in heaven? you may pull off a glove with ease, but not the skin; you may easily see a soul go hence, that hath none on earth that it desires in comparison of God. Whereas a soul immersed in body, used to nothing but eating and drinking, and the pleasures of the belly, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , sc. that is bewitched by the body, fallen in love with it, and embraceth it; Oh how willing it is to catch at, and clasp about everything that might make it stay in its beloved tabernacle; Oh be sure to inure thy mind to things heavenly, and spiritual, for inordinate consent to the pleasures of our outward man do 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (as the noble Philosopher speaks) strangely unite our souls to our bodies, that they cannot go from that which they count their happiness without infinite torment and vexation: That day wherein the vanity of the world, the emptiness and dissatisfaction of all corporal delights are not so far studied, as to preserve our love for God, that day did nothing for our provision for death.

Reader, all this thou art persuaded of, practice it; yet for thy comfort and quiet, at the hour of death, remember to familiarize death to thy thoughts in life; a Mariner is not afraid in a storm at Sea, when a child, or a timorous woman quakes for fear in a fair day, on a shallow river: Think thy Savior the beloved Son of God died, and lay in the grave; remember if thou art Christ's, all things are thine, life, and death; seriously read, and duly consider, Heb. 2.14.15. Forasmuch then 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 life time subject to bondage.

Did we thus practice, and thus anticipate death by thoughts, we should find our childish fancies apt to converse with that grim visage, which at the first they ran away from.

By this means we should be worthy that character of those valiant people.

Men not transported with the love of life, nor enslaved with the fear of death: Men fit to live; fit to die; men that could triumph, and sing that glorious 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Oh death! w where is thy sting, Oh grave! where is thy victory?

Fifthly and lastly, Moses death chargeth you to be satisfied, quiet, and contented, when you die yourselves, when your friends, when good Magistrates, good Ministers die before you; for sure we, and they may be sick, and die, and yet be beloved of God; so was Moses: Yea behold a greater than Moses, Jesus Christ; he that heard the voice from Heaven, this is my beloved Son, he felt the pains of death, and lay three days in a Sepulcher: deaths face looks more lovely ever since, and may be beheld with less astonishment: Now we may cheerfully say, come let us go and die also: sure though the Be humme, and make a noise, though the Serpent hiss, yet the sting is gone: Blessed be God for the satisfaction we have in this great case by the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior: when our pains are next to intolerable, though we should sweat as he did, drops like blood; yea, when we feel the stroke of death, and find the face besmeared with a cold clammy moisture; the eyes are dim, the hands stiff, the friends stand by and weep, they speak, but can receive no answer: there is no liberty for a thought of anything but pain and sadness, grief and sorrow, yet may a sober Christian now by this Gospel-knowledge of the death of Christ, make this happy conclusion; this may be my case, and yet I not be hated, but so far beloved of the holy God, as that I may hereafter shine as the Sun in the firmament, and may forever be as the Angels beholding the face of my Father in Heaven: Go then ye useful exemplary persons, who speak much to the World, when you say nothing, who by good works, those unanswerable syllogisms, those invincible demonstrations, convince spectators, who by the beauty of holiness, steal away the hearts of gainsayers, and win their affections almost against their wills; go, lay y •• r heads upon a cold stone, or a soft turfe, we are satisfied; if we weep, it shall be for ourselves, not for you: Our Savior, when he died, charged his disciples they should not let their hearts be troubled, his death hath prevented the cause of trouble, we are no more Skeptics, whether the grave be the way to glory or not? no more scrupulous whether it be best for you to die, or live? It is not now, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as Socrates speaks, a thing known only to God, whether the Scales turn for the advantage o • the dead or living; and since the Son of God, and the best o • God's servants, ever since the creation, have walked through this dark vault, we will never expect a better way fo • ourselves (that is to be proud) nor will we be amazed whe • we come at it, for (after this Gospel knowledge) it is to 〈◊〉 nothing but play the fool, or to fear where no fear is.

And if ever I needed this understanding, I do now; for if ever I had reason to resent deeply, the loss of any man, I have reason now to be affected at the loss of my faithful friend Mr. Edward Bright, Minister of the Gospel to this Parish; what affections you had to him your tears at the late public fast we kept on his behalf, did abundantly testify: Shall I a little tell you and the world, who is dead, when it shall be said, that Mr. Bright is dead.

I abhor to be unworthy in my speech of any dead person: It is base, when others cast friendly dust, to affect to cast dirt into any ones face; yet I think painting becomes dead people worse than living; and whosoever have used it, have hitherto got but little credit by it: I would be as unwilling to speak more good, than truth allows me of a dead friend, as I would to raise an evil report upon a living enemy.

I shall therefore say nothing but that which all who had any converse with him, whose funeral we now solemnize, might easily observe in him.

I meddle not with that part of his life which I knew not myself, and therefore shall only tell you those things wherein he was exemplary since I had happy acquaintance with him.

1 The first which I shall instance in was, the nobleness of his disposition; he was not like a Whirle-pit, to suck all into itself, but like a fountain, that sent forth streams from itself, to refresh others; amongst other things which I heard from him in his sickness, this was often repeated, I thank God I came not to London for money: few nights passed over his head, but he used to say to his Uncle (a most affectionate Uncle in whose house he died) if you would be rich, Remember he that giveth to the poor, lendeth to the Lord: Many there are in Cambridge who had much experience of this good Spirit; Munerarius pauperum, & egentium, candidat us sic fest • nat ad Coclum.

2. The plainness, sincerity, and simplicity of his heart: his actions were not checker-work, half black, and half, white: he was not as too many now are, a great nothing i • a Jugling box: that which glistered was metal, not gilt over with pretences; this he used to say often to me, I thank God I brought a good conscience from Cambridge, and have not lived here to spoil it; and indeed he was a man so free from all dissimulation, that I know very few his equals in that perfection; being as far from flattery as any man I know, I had almost said, as any man living; yea he would when you required it, open his breast, speak so plainly to you, that you might see his heart spoke five words, when his tongue spake but one.

3 His courage and resolution: Elijah durst speak to Ahab, and Moses to Pharaoh: I can truly say, I never knew him timorous, where he was conscientious; and I could have promised this Parish this great happiness, that the greatest man in it should not have been bold to sin, but he would (since God had given him this relation) have been bold to tell him of it, and accent it too, with all those circumstances which were convenient: he was not steel in one cause, lead in another, if he thought Religion concerned: and as Solomon's throne was supported by Lions, so must Christ's by such as these.

4 His candour and moderation: though zealous for practice, for truths fundamental to a pious life, yet in other things fairly he allowed good men to differ; and if his natural temper, did at any particular time on a sudden transport him, yet he was quickly sensible.

Oh that the Christian world did enough remember, that it is good to be zealous always in a good matter: Sincerity is good blood, zeal is good spirits; and it is pity good spirits should be spent in throwing feathers. Moses could not bear the people in Idolatry, no more would he any in profaneness; yet he is a very unwise Pysician that makes no difference betwixt an ordinary boil, and the plague sore; betwixt a little dirt in the skin, and a leprosy; he that knows not how to consider that in everything, he is not infallible, is like to be a very inconsiderate person; and he who takes it for granted, that he is fallible, would have but little love himself, because he hath none for others; if he would, s •• e he is very proud, to think all the world ought to give him that which he gives to nobody; and indeed that act of pride will soon follow, if men can once persuade themselves, that everyone ought to be of their mind which if I mistake not, is though the subtilest, yet the highest pride in the world, The heat of the heart purifies the blood, yet if good air be not sucked in by the • ungs to cool it, it will ruin the body by hectic fevers. That may be of excellent use which is boiled gently upon a little fire, but let it boil hastily, and run over, it raiseth ashes enough to spoil itself, to make it good for nothing, and to put out the fire too, which had been useful for many purposes.

5 His abilities for the Ministry: — he had good natural parts, and so the metal was good at first, he had well improved them by study, and so the metal was kept from rust; besides, he had a deep compassion for souls: And indeed he had need be able that goes about God's work, 1 Chron. 29.1. The work is great it is for the Lord, said good David, when a palace was to be built for God. To prepare spiritual Temples where God shall dwell, is a greater business than most of our Tradesmen think it is; he loved to have his Sermons filled with sense, could not endure a great bundle of words: And indeed it is absurd to see men's tongues run as fast as the River at full tide, but their judgments move, as standing water, covered with a sheet of ice; or if you will, it is ridiculous to see fancy and humor riding gallop, but sober reason, just understanding, come speaking like a Lacquey behind them: The judicious Discourses, of which divers of you were Auditors, made by this able Preacher upon Eph. 4.14. [That ye be not as children tossed to and fro, with every wind of doctrine] shall witness that his name was to be put into the Catalogue of them, whose thoughts are sober, and who do as tis said Aristole did, when he wrote his book, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Dip their pen in their soul, in the composing of Divine Treatises.

I could wish that qualification required by the Apostle was a little more considered by the present generation, viz. That he who is to take care of souls, and preach the Gospel must not be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a Novice, we translate it in the Margin, plainly one newly come to the faith; they that were yesterday Gentiles, today should they be employed as the public dispensers of God's Oracles? 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Stay a while, the armor may be good, but every young man cannot use it; and he may do well under command, that would be a bad leader. It would be better for young students to stay longer at their studies, to satisfy themselves in the great truths of Scripture, than to be baffled by everyone that shall ask them how they can confute an Atheist, and how they can prove the Divine Authority of the Bible; and when truth is known, it is good to see the heart be well balanced, that it be not quite discouraged if the world frown, nor lifted up with pride if it smile; it is dangerous to lay a great building upon green walls. This good man therefore was thankful for his Fellowship in Immanuel College above all the providences that he had in his life; whereby he had liberty for study, for converse with men of the greatest worth, thinking always, that it was no wisdom to be hasty to spend, if there was no good stock.

But besides the accomplishments which he had by his natural parts, his acquired learning, his diligent perusal of the holy Scripture, and other Authors subservient to his design, he had a most deep compassion to souls; nothing more appeared in his prayers in public, in his private conference than this: And indeed no man is rightly qualified to preach Christ's Gospel, that hath not Christ's affection in some measure; he had need be compassionate, that will give good food, and good phyfick to mad people, though they beat him for it; the world loves their bodies, and will thank a Physician that discovers their disease, but are either so careless of their souls, or so confident of their own skill, that they will hate a Minister that shall show them the leprosy of sin which hath spread itself over their persons, and their families: But herein was this good man singular, that he had a most ardent desire to save the souls of them that heard him, and cared not what the sinner said of him, so he at length might pluck him out of the gall of bitterness, and the bond of iniquity; he that is to guide the Israelites, those peevish creatures through the wilderness, had need be a Moses, that is, a man of great abilities, and vast affection.

6. His admirable Industry, a very learned and worthy friend in the University, whose thoughts of Mr. Bright I desired, (because (if I may be bold to use his expression) Good Astronomers are in this case to be imitated, who choose to take the altitude of a star at two several stations, that they may make the more steady judgment) gave me this account of his industry; for one whole year (I think the last of his residence there) he discharged all these several employments, viz. preaching once every Lord's day in Trinity Church, besides Catechizing there frequently in the afternoon, explaining the Commandments, examining the younger and more ignorant sort, to whom he gave Catechisms; also preaching in the College once every fourteen night, and moderating Divinity Disputations, both which were his charge as Dean of that College, besides the care of his Pupils (above thirty) which was continually upon him, who fared very little the worse for all his other business.

Nor must I forget his diligence in instructing College servants, and constant attendants upon young Scholars, wherein they that knew his practice, know he was very exemplary.

Nor must I forget his readiness to visit the meanest man or woman in Town, whose necessity required his presence.

Thus did this good man put the Talents that God gave him to use: Idleness is the burial of a living man, everywhere odious, but there abominable, where sloth will not suffer a man to stir, though it be to save a life: No death is cruel enough for that Nurse, that lets her child, though it cries, starve to death, because she will not be at the pains to pluck out her breast; This good man so much abhorred this vice, that it might be said to him what Jethro said to Moses (unto whom, but that I dare not be nice and curious, I might show him very parallel) Thou wi •• surely wear away, for this thing is too heavy for thee.

The strict • ess and exactness of his life, standing always Sentinel to observe what thoughts appeared in his soul, and that he might secure a good fra •• e of heart, and a holy life, he kept a constant Di • ry, and no day we • t over his head for some years before his sickness▪ but he called himself to an account, that he might see, what evil had that day been done, what good neglected; he used to record his fins which he had to confess, to make the •• reams of godly sorrow run fresher; to record the mercies he wanted, to make his prayers more importunate; to record the mercies he received, to make his thankfulness more hearty, and more constant: he used to compare the observations he made of himself at the latter end of the month, with those made in the beginning of it, that be might see whether his sins or his graces had made the greater progress: This is a course which no man will long keep, but he that is resolute to follow holiness, without which no man can see God.

8 His profound humility: pictures that have no curtains before them, gather nothing but dust, and so do their minds that stand exposed to all men's view, and their own too: that is a blessed soul which knows how to do good for goodness sake, and when it is done by him, to be able to say, Not I, but the grace of God with we; the sense that Mr. Bright had of his own infirmities, together with his contracted melancholy, made him more apt to complain than boast.

It is said, Numb. 12.3. that the man Moses was meek above all the men of the earth. Meekness was Moses his great perfection, and when our Savior proposeth himself as a pattern, he saith, Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly: It is admirable when we receive many mercies to see ourselves less than the least of them. When Peter hath the draught of fishes, he cries out, Lord, I am a sinful man, Luke 5.8. It is excellent when God's affliction makes us not to forget his goodness, and when God's mercy makes us not to forget our sinfulness. Loss than the least of all Saints, is the Motto of the greatest A •• stle. I never perceived our good man apt to prefer himself above others, he would heartily bless God for breaking that pride of his spirit which he would say was too willful, and excessively impetuous before he had a serious sense of true piety; when he read over to me (as he did often) the history of his life, he was willing to stay there where he might speak something to shame himself; but true beauty will be seen through such Cypress, he got respect by it: Like Fabius in the Historian▪ who got more honor by refusing the triumph, than others did by having it: Follow thy Savior, O my sold and tread in the foot-steps of all thy friends, who are truly humble; humility is the souls ornament, the basis of all Religion, the vessel of graces, the foundation of friendship betwixt God and man, the channel of all divine communications, the proper imitation of Christ, the transcendent excellency of the Gospel, the only way to true rest and peace, Matth. 11.29.

9. The faithfulness of his friendship, and this whosoever forgets, I must not, who had happy experience of it: how rare a thing is it, to find prepared souls, where secret thoughts are safely laid up, and a man is more afraid of himself, than he is of him with whom he doth converse, and is more suspicious of self-flattery, and falseness, to his own interest, than he is of either from his friend: the present temper of this age, makes me think most men take that advice, which if I mistake not, the Orator, saith Bias gave; it a amare oportet, ut aliquando osurus; you must love no man otherwise today, than as you may hate him tomorrow; But Scipie said, never was there a speech more pestileutial to the vitals of this noble thing, friendship, than this is: But the former virtues we have observed in this good man, made him capable of being a faithful, sincere friend: the Philosopher saith, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a friend is another self, and therefore a wicked man can never be a true friend, he is not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , not himself, but one passion or other is always in rebellion, and they make him to have so many interests, that he cannot be faithful to the dictates of reason, which is the foundation of friendship, but he that steadily aims at this one thing which we call piety, and true goodness, he converseth with himself, and so may others too, and not find him Proteus like, changing shape in every place he comes to, but the humility, the strictness and exactness of this holy person, made him amiable, made him love, and be beloved: might I lawfully take the Poets expression of his friend, Dimidium anims mea, I must then say, I am half buried since he is, or he is but half dead since I am alive; my passion speaks as St. Austin's did, when he had lost his friend Nebridius; I wondered any mortal man could live, when he was dead, whom I loved as if he had been immortal, but I wondered more how I lived myself, when our affection had made us as it were one person.

With thankfulness to God I this day remember this friends readiness to preach every other Lord's day for me in Cambridge, when my own weakness made me despair of being able to preach constantly, and attend my other business.

Something I have now told you, what Mr. Bright was; but alas! I have but drawn up the flood-gates, which I should rather have let down, Miserum est fuisse felicem; but it is ordinary to see sad persons pleasing themselves with stories of their friends, that they have lost, and though every word almost is interrupted with a sigh, and every sentence hath tears, to make it emphatical, yet no other discourse delights; nor is anything else grateful, but what leads to raise this passion higher; so me thinks I could begin again, and tell the story of his life larger; and when I have finished it, wonder how I did to make an end so soon: I have said the less, because he charged me to say but little of him, and only refer him to God.

But this I have said, because I desire, that the Parish, to which he was related that this City which yet knew not his worth might know whom they have lost, and might be sensible of it. It is sad to lose a good Christian, but more to lose a good Minister: It was a notable speech of Metania, mentioned by Jerome, who when she saw her Husband dead, presently before he was cold, had two children died also: she only said, Expeditius sum tibi servitura Domine, quiatanto me onere liberasti, I hope Lord I shall serve thee better, having now nothing to attend but God; what her relations were, I cannot tell, but I am sure Ministers should be helps in our service of God, not hindrances; that is it which makes the loss multiply, when death summons them out of this world; and this is it, which is grievous to me at the present, I am afraid you will not serve God so well without him.

Yet I would not have any who are most sensible of this loss, be discouraged: I did not all this while make the wound gape, that the patient should faint, but that I might make the safer cure: Was he not God's servant? yes, that is it which causeth our present sorrow for his absence; but is he the first servant that ever God took away out of the world? You have seen in the particulars I mentioned, how like he was to Moses in his life: see how like he was in his death: Moses had but begun that blessed work, of bringing the people to a quiet enjoyment of the promised land, and he dies in the wilderness: so this Minister of the Gospel had but begun to sow this seed of life, lived not to see it coming up, but a sore fever arrests him, and a pineing ague, with other sad distempers, cut the thread of life, and makes us call for a burying place, where we may bury our dead (formerly the delight of our eyes) out of our sight, let us see whether our sins made not this breach, and let us remember to mourn for them: Let us sin no more, lest a worse thing come, lest God send sorer and heavier judgments upon the Parish and City too.

Yet let Moses his death satisfy you in Mr. Brights: let Mr. Brights in your own. God hath used to do thus in the world: and if the tide stay not for the best Merchant, every petty chapman must not chafe, because it runs too fast from him: If the Sun set to Kings and Princes while they travel, it will to beggars: God will not comply with all our humors, nor must his wise understanding submit to our passionate fancies, where a Moses is taken away, it becomes them, from whom he is taken to be modest, not to murmur against God's pleasure, but to pray hard, and use all the means they can to get a Joshua, and when they have him, to be thankful.

I have done, only I beseech you that are Parishioners here, that you would remember to use all the means you can, if it be possible to get another Bright amongst you. Empericks were always confident, but there were that heard, Paul I know, and Jesus I know, but who are ye? he said wisely who said, th • Cart was empty when the Horses ran so fast: get a Minister that will be faithful to your souls, that you are assured aims at your everlasting well-fare, and when you have him, hear divine truth from him with attention, practice it with conscience, refresh him by the fruits of your piety, by the exercise of the power of godliness; no comfort to the tender nurse, like the thriving of the child.

To the Dear Memory of my Friend, Mr. Ed. Bright.

ELEGIES

Books printed, and are to be sold by Adon • ram Byfield at the Bible in Popes-head-Alley, near Lombard-street.

A Commentary upon the three first Chapters of Genesis, by that Reverend Divine, Mr. John White late of Dorchester, in fo • .

An Exposition upon the sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth Chapters of Ezekiel, by Mr. William Greenhill, being the second Volume, in 4 ^o .

An Exposition upon the fifteenth, sixteenth, seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth Chapters of Ezekiel, by the same Author, the third Vol. 4 ^o .

The humbled sinner resolved what he should do to be saved, or faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the only way of salvation, by Mr. Obadiah Sedgwick in 4 ^o .

The Riches of Grace displayed, in the offer and tender of salvation to poor sinners, upon Rev. 3.20. by the same Author in 12 ^o .

A short Catechism by the same Author.

The Reasons of the Assembly of Divines concerning Presbyterial Government, 4 ^o .

The Assemblies larger and lesser Catechism, in 4 ^o .

The tenth Muse, several Poems, by Mirs. Ann • Bradstreat in 8 ^o .

Hidden Manna, or the Mystery of Saving Grace, by Mr. Will. Fenner, in 12 ^o .

Safe Conduct, or the Saints Guidance to Glory, at the Funeral of Mirs. Thomasin Barnardiston, by Mr. Ralph Robinson, 4 ^o .

The Sts. longing after their heavenly Country, a Sermon by the same Author in 4 ^o .

A Sermon at a Fast by Mr. Nath. Ward:

A full Discovery and Confutation of the wicked and damnable Doctrines of the Quakers: As also a plain Vindication and Confirmation of sundry Fundamental points of the Christian Religion, denied, or corrupted by the enemies of the Truth in these times. Whereunto is annexed an excellent Discourse, proving that singing of Psalms is not only lawful, but an Ordinance of God, by Mr. Jonathan Clapham, in 4 ^o .

A short and plain Catechism, instructing a learner of Christian Religion, what he is to believe, and what he is to practice; With the proofs thereof out of the Scriptures in words at length.