8o6 Mr . Richard Baxter's Funeral Sermon. gion. 'Tis true, (uch is the Diflance between God and the Cre~ture and the eternal Obligations of it to God that it can challenge nothing from God.,' as due to its Ment. J ufltce unquahfied. wtth Bounty and Clemency, owes nothino to the moft excellent Obedience of the Creature ; though innocent. But fince the fall, our beft Wor ks are d.efechve and defiled, and want Pardon ; and our heavie(l Sufferings are but light in the Ballance, agaiu(\ the exceeding Weight of Glory. But the Apo(\]e tells the Theffalomans, It i.r a rigbteo!IJ> thing with God to recompcnfe Tribulatio1z to (hem wh~ troJtbl~y~u: and t~ JOlt 'l!'ho are tr~ubled, ~eft with 111': ConGder them in the Compan[on ; Tts becommg hts governmg Jufltce to pumili the unrighteous Perfecutors, and reward Ius fattbful Servants who fitffer for his Glory. Now the prefent Life, is the Day for our Work, as our Saviour faith, I nmft do the Work ofhim th.t fent me, while 'ti< caUed to Day: And at Death, the Spirit ret1trns to God that t.ave it, in order to Judgment, eith~r fatal or favourable, according to the Tenor of Rum.'· Mens good Works, ~nd the D:fert of their liad. The Promi(e is to them, who bJ pat1ent Contmmmce m weU-domg, feek for Glory, tmd Honom·, and lHmJortality tht) foal/ obtai11 eternal Li,'C. Our Saviour encourages his , fuffering S.ervants, Be f;;thfol to the Death, and I will give JOlt the Crown of Lift. The compleat Rcw.ard is referved Luko ,c. ll ~~,th~!J["b! g:~o~; ~F~v;1~~!~cK~tu~~~~~~:.he~;; 1~h~0~~~;e~:'J~~~e~jiTe~~~; a prefent Reward at the end of the Day, to all that with imfainting Perfeverailce M.c. ' '· 9· have perfotm'd his Work. Our Saviour tells us, that all who wrought in the Vineyard, receiv'd th~ir Rewards in the 1-JI Ho11r ofthe D'?: TheParallel is inftructive, that when the Ntght of Death comes, the Reward wdl be dt(pens'd, There is a Law recorded concerning the paying Wages to thofe who were hir'd, that it iliould Dout. ,,. ,,, be in the end of the Day; that it iliould not be detain'd all Night with thee Hntil the Morni11g. The Allufion is very congruous, that God will fulfil his own Law to l1is Sons that ferve him. The Reward !hall not abide with him the long <lark Interval, the Night, .vherein their Bodies lleep in the Grave, till the Morning of the Refurrell:ion. Our Saviour promifed the dying Penitent, To day jhalt thoN be with me in Paradifi. The End ·of our Faith is immediately attended with the Salvation of the Smd : The Labour of Faith being finifh'd, is produa:ive of the beatilick Vifion in the State of Light and Glory. The Sum is, That the Children of God who have by conflant Conver[ation fincerely endeavoured to pleafe and glorify him, may with an entire Refignation commit their Souls to his Hands, as if an Angel were fent from Heaven to them in their dying Agonies, with the comfortable M;~a~ehetti~l~:~~~:~ i~~~~J~ng~o~it~i~odLove and Truth, is the Foundation of our fecure Dependance upon God in our !aft Hours. This Confideration is abfolutely necdfary for our Cure Truft : For Love without Power is ineffectual, and Power without Love of no comfortable Advantage to us. The Apo(l]e gives this , T;m. ' · rea(on of his chearful and couragious Sufferings in the Service of God, For I know in whom I have believed, and am per{waded he is able to keep what I have commited tb hi11t, iiU that Day. His Faith refpetl:ed the Promifes of God concerning his Salvation, which are infinitely Cure, the Divine Power being alfuflicient to fulfil them. The precious Depofitum that is committed to his dear Care, he can and will pre- ' ~;:~~v~?l'W~rZ~i~~~te~h~~~cfr~~i~~~ehf:~o~e:~enfa"d; ;[eH~~~i{':nJ;:;~ ferves it from falling into Confufion. Tis the Effence of Faith, to affure us of God's Almighty Mercy to all that have the true Characters of his Children, that are qualified for his Salvation. Our Redeemer joins the two Relations of our Father and o11r God; the gracious and the glorious Relation are infeparable. Now the Love of our heavenly Father engages the Power of our God, that we !hall want nothing to fecure our Happinefs, that iswith.in. the Object of <?mnipotence. . I !hall infi(\ no further upon the Confideratton of the D!Vlne Power, becaufe lt will return under Come of the _following Heads of Di[courfe. II. The. Bleffednefs of this Priviledge is to be unfolded. This will appear by confidering, . . . . , Firjl, What is the Depofitum, the Thmg that IS mtrufled m Gods Hands. Secondly, What is implied in his receiving of it. In Anfwer to the fir(\ ; Tis the Soul, the more excellent and immortal Part of Man, that is ammtended to God's keeping. t. Tis
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