Mr. Richard Baxter's Funeral Sermon. l!i fame poims of modern Cont!overfi_e he judicioufly char: the middle way, and adnfed younq D1nnes to follow ~t. Hts reve~ence of the D1vme Pmity, made him very 01y and Jealous of any Doll:rme that feem d to reflell: a blemilh and fl:ain upon it. He was a clear afferter of the foveraign Freenefs, and infallible Efficacy of Divine Grace in the Converfion of Souls. In a Sermon reciting the Words of the Covenant of Grace, I wiU p11t my fiar into their hearts, and they jluU not depart from me. he obferved the Teuor of it was, I will, and yo~tjball. Divine Grace makes the r~bellious Will obedient, bul ~oes nQt make the ~i ll to be no Will. By the Illumination of · the Mind, tl1C 'Will is i"clin'd tci Obedience, according to the Words of our Saviour All that have hia!·l(and learn'd of the Father come to me. He preach'd that the Deatl; of Chrirt was certilinly effell:qal for all the Elell: to make them partakers of Grace and Glory, and that it was fa far beneficial to all Men, that t11ey are not left in the fame defperate State with the fglJen Angels, but are made capable of Salvation by the Grace ?f the !JofJJel : not capa~le as Efficients to con~ert themfelves, but as Subjell:s -to recetve favmg Grace. He dtd fa honour the fincenty of God, as entirely to believe his Wil\ declared in his Word: he would not interpret the Promifes of the Gofpel in a lefs gracious fenfe than God intended them : Therefore if Men finally pen~1, 'tis not for want of Mercy in God, nor Merits in Chrifr, but for their willful ·refufing Salvati 0H. : . . His Books of Prall:ical Divinity l1ave been elfell:ual for more numerous Converfions ofSinners to O.od, than any printed in our time: and while the Church remains ·on Eart)l, will be of continual Efficacy to recover Jofr Souls. There is a vigorous Pulfe in them that. keeps the Reader awake and attentive. His Book of the Saints Everlajli11g Rejl, was written by him when languilhing in the fufpence of Life and J?r~~~1Y,eb'~~;~~fs tt~1~ s~f~a~:~ ~{a~!,~~~di~!;l~o;l~~,~~~;d;nd}~y~1 ~r~h~s;eW:.i ~fe!1~R];;:nW';rl~n~=~i~l i~ L~f,~: ~:~~~~fu~~ ~~~ly~ ~~~~r~11i~~~e~~;t~~~~gd~~~f~ them, as one of mature Ag~-<loes th('! Toys and Baubles of Cl1ildren. To excite our fear he removes the SkreeQ, 'and makes the Everlafring Fire of Hell fa vifible, and reprefents the tormenting Paffions of the Damned in thofe dreadful Colours, that if duly confidered, would check and controul the unbridled licentious Appetites of the mofr fenfual Wretches. I-!is Call to the Vnconverte'd ; how fmall in bulk, but how powerful in virtue ? 'truth fpeaks in it with that authority and efficacy, that it makes the Reader to lay his hand upon his heart, and find he has a Soul and a Confcience, tlwugh he lived before as if he l1ad none. He told fame Friends, that fix Brothers were Converted by reading that Call; and that every Week he received LettersoffomeConverted by his Books. This he fpake wjth mofr humblethankfulnefs, that God was pleafed to ufe him as an infrrument for the Salvation of Souls. He that was fa folicitous for the Salvation of others, was not negligent of his own; but as regular Love requires, his firfr Care wano prepare himfelf for Heaven. In l1im the Virtues of the Contemplative and All:ive Life were eminently united. His time was fpent in Communion with God, and in Charity to Men. He lived above the fenfible World, and in folitude and filence convers'd with God. The frequent and ferious Meditation of Eternal things was the powerful means to make his Heart holy .and heavenly, and from thence 'his Converfation. His Life was a prall:icalSertnon, a drawing Example.. There was an Air of Humility and Sanll:ity in his mortified Countenance; and Ius Deportment was becommg a Stranger upon Earth, and a Citizen of Heaven. Though all Divine Graces, the jlfit of the Spirit, were vifible in his Converfation, yet fame were more eminent. Humility is to other Graces, as the Morning-Star is to the Sun, that goes before it, and follows it in the Evening: J:Iumility prepares ~s for the receiving of Grace, God gives Grace to the humble: and 1t follows the Exerctfe of Grace; Not_ I, fays the Apofrle, blft the Grace of God ~n- me. In Mr.l!axter !here was a rare t?n!on of f~blime Knowledge, and other fpmtual Excellen~tes, wuh the lowefr Opmwn of htm· felf. He wrote to one that fent a Letter to lum full of Expreffions of Honour and . Efl:eem Yo1t do admire one yo1t do not know; Knowledge will cure your Error. The more we kno,; God, the more reafon we fee to admire him.) but our knowledge of the CreaCreature difcovers its imperfell:ions, and lel!ens our efreem. To the fame perfon expreffing his Veneration of him for his excellent Gifts and Graces, he replied with heat , I have the remainders of Pride in me, how dare yolf blow/h
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