8o8 Mr. Richard Baxter's Funeral Sermon. rover wheth~r the Delug~ was abated, found not a Place to reO: on ; but after many Ctrcwts. 1~ the Atr, lt returned to the Ark. If our Thoughts take wing, and multtply Mtlhons of Mtlltons of Ages, we can_not reO: m any Computation, for there remams after all an enure mnumerable Eterntty. - Serondly, I will .;opfider more particularly what is contained in this b!effed Privi- !cdgc. The reception of the Soul into God's Hands, implies three Things. 1. Entire Safety. 2. Heavenly Felicity. 3· 'Tis a certain Pledge of the reviving of the Body, and its reunion with the Soul in the State of Glory• . r. EntireSafety. After Death the feparate Soul ofatrueBe!ieverimmediately paffes through the airy and Ethereal Regions to the lJigbell: Heaven, the Temple of God, the native Seat and Element of bleffed Spirits. The Air is poffefs'd by Satan E,h,r. •· ~~~',h;:e~~~~f~d~~~etr~:Cr'ot~~~~!~r~~~~: %r~ 0~~ ;f~~n~~f~si~~~~~~:;~~:~: pell:s, difcharges Thunder and Lightning, the woful Effell:s of which are felt in the lower World. The Numbers, the Strength, and the Malice oftire evil Angels to the Souls of Men, render them very terrible: We may conjecture at ' their NumMuk ,. ber, from what is related in the Gofpel, that aLtgion pojfefs'd one Man. They are fuperiour Spirits to Man, and tho ftripp'd of their moral Excellencies, Holinefs, Goodnefs and Truth, yet retain their natural Power at leaft in great degrees. Their Malice is unquenchable. 'Tis faid of the Devil, He goes abo11t like a roaring Lion, feeking whom he may devo11r, All the Joy thofe malignant Spirits are capable of, is the involving the Souls of Men in their defperate Calamity. And tho they know their oppofing God will increafe their Guilt and Torment, yet their Diligence is equal to their Malice, to feduce, pervert and ruin Souls for ever. Now when the Saints die, all the Powers of Darknefs would, if poffible, hinder the afcenfion of their Souls to God. What David complains of his cruel Enemies, is applicable in this cafe, Their So1tls are among Lions 5 and if defiitue of Divine Prefervation, the Danger would be the fame ; as if a little Flock of Lambs were to encounter with a great Number of fierce Lions, or fiery Dragons. Anger fets an edge npon Power, and makes a Combatant but of equal Strength to overcome. How dangerous then would the Condition be of naked Souls, oppos'd by over-matching Enemies, armed with Rage againll: them ? How cafily would they hurry them to the Abyfs, the Den of Dragons, the Prifon where loll: Souls are fecur 'd to the Day of Judgment? But all the Potentates of Hell are infinitely inferiour to God: they are rell:rain'd and tortur'd by the Chains of his powerful Jull:ice : a Legion of them could not enter into the Swine without his permiffion, much lefs can they touch the Apple ofhw Eye. That black Prince with all l1is infernal Holl: cannot inteycept one naked Soul John oo. ;h~: :,~;~1Zf. "J.~~:r~ilf;~~~ 0~~~0~rd ~h~i~a~:~u~:!\~~dsLfade~~h:~~~~p~=~~ quifh'd in his lafi Battel on theCrofs, Principalities and Powers, made his triumphant Afcenfion to Glory : Thus his Members havmg overcome their fpiritual Enemies, !hall ~~~~~. ~:::~n;;~~~~;~;~:J~~~h':l~~~~!~~bf.~~~~~~n:l~l~fis~~:;r~~rs::~ci ~;; that humane Souls fhould partake of it) to the Place of God's glorious Refidence. I !hall alfo obfcrve, that as the Lord is a God of Power, fo he is a God of Order, and ufes fubordinate Means for the accompliOJment of his Will. Our Saviour has revea l'd, that the Angels tranfport the feparate Souls of the Righteous to ReaYen : Thofe glorious Spirits, who always behold the Face of God, fuch is their exact Obedience to him, and perfell: Love to his Children, that they difdain not to M>t. ' ' oo. fr~~i~e~rgi~~~~~~c~ni~t~nt~~~\~f;n :i"irre, !~JY_;f{!i'~~~~;;\~:;ci~Zf:ef.~;;;~paa~ tl1em here, never withdrawing their protel.l:ing Prefence, till they ~ring them to their celell:ial Country, and refign their Charge to the Lord of Life. How fafe are the departed Saints, when convey'd through Satan's Territories by the Royal Guard of Angels that excel in ftrength? . . 2 , Heavenly Felicity. The receiving of holy Souls into God's Hands, ts mtrodul.l:ive into his Prefence, which is both a Sanl.l:uary to fecure us from all Evil, and a Store-Houfe to furni£4 us with all that is good. The Lord is a S11~t and a Shield : he is to intellel.l:ual Beings, wl1at the Sun is to fenfitive, commumcates pf,J. o6. , , •• Light and Life, and Joy to them, In his PreJe11ce is fitl"efs of ]oy, at his rigl>t Ha;,.~
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