268 'The Saints longing Simeon, adevoutman , and one that lookedfor tl e confolation Of 'Paid. And the like is faid ofjofeph ofAremathea, hewas WI man, one thatfeared rod, andlooked for the redemption of the people ofGod : he looked for the kingdooie of God. There was looking then. And the Children ofGod now in the New Teftament, they are all defcribed by this, looking for the fecond comingof Chrift. Godschildren are hill looking for this fecondcoming. Let me giveyou but a place or two ofScripture. TheApoffle faith, 'Phi/.3.2o. Our converfation is in heaven, from whence we lookfor the Saviour, faith S. Jude, verf. as. Keep your felget in the love of God, as men that lookfor the mercy ofGod, at thatgreat day, to eternallife. Usedup your loyns, faithour bleffed Lord, and letyour lights be burninginyour hands, that you may be as men that look for the coming of the Bridegroom. Indeed, beloved, ifwe look into the lives of men, I cannot tell, whether I {hall lay, they look for his comingor no ; this bled hope. Wilt thou prophane the fan&ified dayof reft ? wilt thou blafphemc the great and glorious name of God? wilt thon wantonly abufe the creaturesof God in drunkennefs ? wilt thou lic, and fteal, and whore, and yet tell me thou lookcftfor thatbleffed hope f furely thou deft not. If quoth the Apoftic,wedo look for thofe things (in theplaceuamed before.) z Pet. z. 14. Then let na do our diligence, that we may be foundof. him in peace. 1 thou donot thy diligence, that when he comes, thoumaift befound in peace, never tell me thou lookedt for him. There etas never time yetfor us to lic,and wallow in fin,to think nothing that we do dilhonefi : there.was never time for theft things fince time was. Surely there is no time for it now. All the dayes fince Chrift,are called the lait dayes; all of them' are theta!" dayes,fincethat day oldie firft Epiphany : but there is a day that will bé the 124ofall thofe laft dayes. Andme- thinks it will not be long before that loft day of all crime : methinks I fee the day brokealready,it is breakofday already. There- fore brethren,if you do indeed look for the coming ofÇhrift,for this"blef'ed hope,at . Isis appearing, be diligent, thatyou may befound ofhim without (pot,' in halinefs. I have done with the Text. I come now to the occafionat this time. You have brought hither, a dead body ofavery good neighbour of ours, and whom Iacknowledge,I ever found a,kind,and a loving friend. . Youhave broughtit here robe laid up in the Grave, s hopeof a bleffed and joyful rcfnrrefion. I need not fpeak much of his life here : an ancient inhabitant;When it pleafed God to call me tuft to this place zó.years fince,I found him then in the ehiefoffrce of the Church ; and divers times linee he bath been in it: and I have fcldomeknown anymore painful,and more induftrious,and more honeft in thofe places than he was. We have all knownhim a manhumble inhis conver- fation,jufl of his word,truc in his promifes, merciful inhis dealing, charitable to the poor, ready to every good work. His lift was fuch a life ; as the Apoftle would .have ours to be,á life fober, and juft, and pious in this prefent evil world. Hclived, and lead a life pious, in regard of God, jufl in the regardof men,fober in regard of himfelf; I can fay nolcfsofhim, and I will fay no more ofhim. Iknow you delire to hear ofhis death, and-it bath much afli &ed my foul, to hear what unjuít afperfions have been upon the mannerof it. There was a fudden ftroak indeedof Gods hand; and it was in my hoofe, and feting that it fo pleafed God; I am glad that it was in my prefence and fight, that I might give the better tcftimonyof it. The fuddennefs of the fir-oak made him liable to fouiemifcon- ftruc4ion, and hath given many men occafion to pafs a very uncharitable, andun chriftian verdict of him. I befeech you let are give you a true naked relation how it was. I never knew anymen of fopeaceable a difpofitioti, but theremightbefometimes Tome difference between them : there was between ,Abraham, and Lot, between Paid and Bar- t nabao ; and therewas between another honeft neighbour and him both men of a peaceabledifpofition. They did not defire to go to law ; they defired thematter might be put to Arbitrators ; they chofe four honeft Gentlemen to take up the (matter between them ; they. made me as an nnwortlyUmpire, in cafe they did Phil. 3. :o. Judge ii. z Pet 2.14.
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