Mr. Richard Baxter'; Funeral Sermon. wife keep from our Enemies; efpecially to fuch a Friend as can and will preferve it for our Ufc and Advantage. The Soul is our Jewel above allPrice, 'tis our Wifdo111 to (entre it out of all Oanger : Let us the.refore commit it to the Cafe and Cure Hands of our Heavenly Father, orherwife we cannot preferve it from the infernal Spirits, the Robbers and Murderers of Souls. · , The wife Pre<tchcr denounces a fearful Evil, Wo he to him. .that is alone when he foil- Ecclef. 4. 10. elh; fOr he hath not tmother to help him up. In all the .Scnfes of falling, Death is the greatefl Fall : the High,the Honourable, the Rich, fall from all their State; and Men of all Degrees arc forlakcn of all their carnal Comforts and Supports. If then the folitary Soul has not a God to receive, fupport and comfort it, how woful is its Condi tion! Mcthinks the Apprehenfion of this !hould flrike a Terror fo deep into the Hearts ofMen,t ltat they fitould be reftlefs till they have fecur'd a Retreat for their departing Souls. For this end let us, according to the earnefi: Adv ice of St. Pcur, he diligent, that, Pec. 3· we tJiflJ be fo~tnd ofhi1Jt in Peace, withoret Spot, and blamelefs. The Lord Jefus is the only Peace-maker of the righteous and holy God to Sinners. The Judge of this World is flaming with Wrath, and terrible in Vengeance to Sinners that appear before his Tribunal out ofChrifl. We !hall for ever be excluded from his bleffed Communion, without the Mediator reflore us to his Favour. Our Reconciliation only is by Redemption in hi.r Blood. The Chttjlife11te11t ofour Pe~tce was upon hint. Col. t. lQ· He is the Lord cm· Righteoufoufi, by whom alone we can fland in Judgment. God If•. O· was in Chrijl recmdling the World to him{elf. There is now an Act of Oblivion offer'd in the Gofpel to all that come to God by him. We have Cure Salvation in his Name : But we mufl with confenting Wills, clofe with him a~ .our Lord and Life. The firO: Gofpcl preach' cl by the Angel after his coming into the World, declares, There lVdS boru ilz the City ofDavid a S~t'liio11r, Chri.ft the Lord. We muft not fcparate between Chrifl the Saviour, and.Chrifl the Lord; between his Salvation and his Dominion. God indifpcnfably requires we !hould refign our felves to his Son as our King, and rely upon him as our Priefl to atone his Difpleafure. If we thus receive l1int, he will reO:ore us to the Favour and Peace of God, eflabli!h'd in an everlafling Covenant. How tenderly and compaffionately does the great God invite Sinners to re-enter into his Favour, to llctflltl;nt our felves with him, ord to be dt Peace! His EmbajfadoJtrs ~~:/: ~;i;:~s a~~~rd Cft'(f!jadre!f:;f~Jh;;t~:n;: ~i::;rc:~ec~ ~~~~~· beBe~c~;!rf~~~ Punifhment; but are mtrviU;ng to be reco11ciled to hinr, to part with their Lufl:s. In fhort, reconciliation with God neceffarily infers defiance with Sin. Ye that love the Lord hate Evil. If Men do not ceafe their Rebellion, there is no fhadowofhopeto obtain the Divine Favour. Do J'Oit provoke the Lord to Jealoujie, are you ftrouger then he? Jealouf1e is. the mofr fenfible and fevere Affe<lion. As 'tis with a Town taken by florm, all that are found in Arms are without Mercy cut off; fo all that at Death are found with the weapons of11nrighteo11fnefr, their unrepented unforfaketi Sins ab.out them, mufl expect J11dgmC11t without Mercy. . Laflly, Let the Children of God be encouraged wtth Peace and joy to commend their Souls t'O him. Let rebellious Sinners tremble with deadly Fear up<m the brink of Eternity; but let theSaints, with a lively Hope, enter into the Divine World. Ca1fe,~~l~~~eg;!'~~eJe~~~bi~ d':!~e~0t~~12~:l~~~io~l~dofl~~~:;ildr~~~1 c~~~i~~ ted to his Trufl? Can Love forfakc, can Truth deceive, can Almighty Power fail ? Wiil a Father, a heavenly Father, be without Bowels to his own Off-fpring? No, lie cannot deny l1imfelf: he is readiefl to relieve, when they are in diflrefs. Old Simwz is a leading Example to Believers: after he bad embraced Chrifl in l1is Arms , how carneflly did he defire his Diffolution? Lord, 11ow i<tte{l tho• thyServttnt depart iu pettce, for mine Eyes havefeen thy Sal'lltttion. St~ Stephm in the mid Cl: of :,~?v;~,~~;i~~;~es,If~~;: te~;~~fh~~b~u~~:?;; a~r:~~ :~~~h~~~:b'Zc~~relcl~:Y l,t; not the Conlpicuous marks of God's Children, the Grace of the Spirit in that de- !(I'CC of Eminency, as fome Saints have had: Let them confider, there are different Ages among the Children of God: Come are in a flate of Infancy and Infirmity ; others arc more Gonfinn'd: but the relation is the f.1me in all, and gives an intere,O:. lri
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