SERMON XXIII. THE Blef.fednefs of them that die m the L 0 R D. RE V. xiv. 13. .And 1 heard a voice from Heavm, faJing unto me, J!Vrite, Bieffid are the dead IVhich die in the Lord, from henceforth; yea, faith the Spirit, th<l thry may rtjl from their laborm, and their IVOrks do follow them. N AT U RE bath impre!Ted in us fuch horrid and dreadful Notions of Death, and reprefentcd its Vifage fo wan and ghaftly, that though nothing is more certain than that we muft all dye, yet nothing is more difficult than to perfwade Men to dye willingly. The Philofophers ranfack"d the whole Magazine of Reafon, and have put into our Hands all thC Weapons that may help to embolden us to encounter this King of Terror;; yet, by their great Preparations, inftead of diminifhing its Dread, they have made it appear more fearful: And indeed, whatfoever fpecious Arguments Reafon can produce, they are rather for Pomp than for Ufe. There is no~ any. thing in t~e fage Philofophers. for the. contempt of D~arh, that they offer. to tne. World, but 1f rationally exammed, will prove no fohd ground of Peace 1n a dymg Hour: All that is inculcated by them, is either concerning the ucceffity of Dying, or freedom by it from the Care and Trouble of this Life; or laftly, the Hope of a future Reward. Now, what is it to tell us, that Death is the common Lot of all; and that every ccmpounded Being bath thofe fatal PrirJciples in it that will cCTtainly work' its dillOlution; and thl!reforc it becomes the Reafon and Spirits of Men to en terta in the Fate under which they fall, with a Conften~y unmoveable? Alafs! what Com(ort is this, feeing the incvitablenefs is a thing that renders it fo terrible; whereas that Freedom it gives us from the Cares and Troubles of this Life, is bu~ like the change of a Fever into a Lethargy, that brings fuch a gloomy quietllCfs, wherein, as there is no fcnfe of Torment~ neither is there of Eafe ? Indeed, what they fpeak of a future Reward is dry, or mean and fordid, in comparifon of that folid Joy that God hath promifcd to us in his VVord; yet could Reafon alone make our Right to it certain and evident, it would be a ftrong fupport againft the Fear of Death, and a foveraien Antidote againft its invenom'd Sting : But Reafon hath prepared places of Punifhmcnt as well as Bli.fs : And be fides, the Confciences of all Men have difcover'd to them that Gtlilt, of which their Reafon can never difcover an Expiation; and fo, inftead of arming them againft the Fear of Death, Reafon redoubleth its Terron, by proving us Tranfgrrffors of the Law of Natllre. You fee then, that the beft Support which Reafon can give, is not Death· proof. The laft Encounter that all muft maintain againft that laft Enemy, is too rough and boifterous for fuch Arguments as thefe to make good. If Mens Confolations arc no better, it will fare with them as with cunning Fencers in a confufed Barrel, that will foon put by all their arttficial D ejigru. Indeed , that which can make Men meet Death with undaunted boldnefs, muft be fomething below Reafoni Rafhnefs, or Human Boldnefs; and fomething above Reafon, as Divine Grace and Revelation. Therefore our Blelfed Apoftle feeing the Calami1ies, Perfecurions, and Martyrdoms that bcfel the Church, that as it was planted by the Blood of Chrift, fa it was to be encreafcd by the Blood of his own Members, that he might encOurage them with unthaken Rcfolution to encounter with their many D earhs; he fetche'th not his Arguments from the faint and gloomy Djfcou1·fes of Reajon, but Dddddz from 579
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