rT1 HADES Look'd into. The POWER of Our Great SAVIOUR Over the Invifible World, and the d5atts of SDtatl) Which lead into that WORLD. Confidered, In A SERMON Preached at the ifttnetral of the Honourable, Wait JVinthrop Eft]; Who Expired, 7 d. IX m. 1717. In the LXXVI Year of his Age. By C. MATHER, DD. & F.R.S, \C HRIfiTE potens»ermn redeimtis conditor ™e Probity of a Chriftian ; tb*. Prudence, and the Temper, and the Condkft of a Gentleman. ,. .-•, ,^.Ai His Gjod A$e#hn to %U True and Mefil Interefijf New-^nglaod, was ctmtimctU demwfirated. His Principles were fuch)A as New-England mufi always Efioufe, or r v< movable. His Courageous Appearance for ] his The PREFACE. v; his Country, when the firongefi Invapon were made upon its Liberties^ ought injttfik t9 Immortalize him. And how many Thoufands bf Pur People^ be Gentroufiy and Compafiionately relieved with Medicines (as weS as Counfils, ) which might have brought in great Sums of Money^ if the jufi value bad been demanded for them, is be ft known to Him, who honoured him, with making him the lnfirument '. Cv;. \ ... C.u, -. The .'♦O Ho ,'. W>; The KEYS of the 3JtrtufiMe Won*. BOSTON, 14 d. IX m. 1717. On the Interment, of the Honourable Major-General WINTHROP. REV. I. 18. / have the Keys of HADES and of Death. THEY are the Words of our Afcended SAVIOUR which now Comfort us and Ravtih us : Words worthy of the greateft Attention in the World ; the Attention of all the World. B The r ■ ■ — z The KETS of the — r ■- - .in" The Refurreaion of our SAVIOUR from the Dead, has been by many I»- fallihli Proofs confirmed iirito us : Arid His whole Religion Jjusthercin had a mod Irrefiftiibiie "arkl tjii|ai&fayable confir- mation. We are furniflicd with theTefli- monies, of feveral Hundreds that faw Him with their Eyes, before His Afcenfion unto the Regions and Glories that are Aboye. Since His Afcenfion to the Heavenly World, He has alio been feen by foftle; Favourites of Heaven, who have made Reports of their Vifions unto us. The Apoftle John was one of the Perfons thus highly favoured of the Lord : The Difciple whom Jefus loved ; and once His Coufm-German. Our Apoftle had been very familiar with our SAVIOUR in the Days of His Humili- ation ; artel had ufually lain in His Bo- :fomy that is to fay, fat next Him in the Difcumbiture at the Table.- But now having a view of Him in the Glory of the High-Priefthtiod^ exercifed by Him in frvifihle World. y the more than Royal Circumftahces of the Temple Above, he jell down at His feet as Dead; He was not able to bear the view offo tranfcendentaG/*^. Our SAVIOUR to relieve His tranfported and furprifed Servant Iaies HjS .£////- vjening. Hand upon him, and fpeaks thefe arnong.fome other Words of Life unto him: ( which we have hitherto tranfla- ted fo ) / have the Keys of Hell and of Death. A Key is an ancient and very proper Enfign of Gpvernment.. When we read it fpoken of one Raifedhy God, Ifai. XXII. Z2. The Key of the Houfe of David, will I lay upon his Shoulder ; the meaning was, that the Government of the Houfe (liould be aflign'd unco him. Our SAVIOUR would have his fainting Servant here made fenfible, That his JLife was at the Difpofal of the Lord? at whofe Feet he feem'd now expiring. At the fame time, He afierts more; no kis than all Lives in the World, are at His Difpofal. B x Yo« 4 The KR1CS °f the You mud allow me to complain of one Word in our Tranflation of my Text; and infill upon the Correcting and Alterfng of it. It is the Word, Hell. The Greek Tearm Hades ought to be tranflated, The Invifihle World. Hefl>ox, the Prifon of the Damned, is but a very little partr and only the wretched part of the Invifihle World. It bears no more proportion to the Invifihle World* than fome fmall, defolate Rock^ fuppofe among the Ifles of Stilly, docs to a mighty Ifland, enriched "with all the Grandeurs of a Flourishing Empire. A Britifh Monarch would reckon it an odd fort of Diminution unto his Titles, to make this one of a principal Figure a- mong them, The King of Newgate. No; What our Great Redeemer here claims, is an Authority over the whole Invifihle World> and particularly over the Dead in that Worlds and over the Death at and by which Men pafs into that World. And Invifihle World. $ — __________________ ,, i 1" i — — - -- - -i And this is the DO CT RIN E, on which I would now invite you to ac- company me in feme affeduous Medi- tations. Our Great SAVIOUR, has the Go- vernment of the Jnvijthle World, and the Power to Difpofe of thofe wto do hy Death pafi into that W°rld. The Eternal SON of GOD, Incarnate in our JESUS, has the Government of the whole World committed into His Glo- rious Hand. Tho' each of the Three Perfons in the Infinite God-Head, eoncur in the Government of the World, yet die Providence of GOD is now after a pecu- liar manner adminiftredby our Enthroned Mediator. %*' Behold, A very eonfiderable ObjcA of the Qovernment exerciled by our Ad- mirable SAVIOUR on the Throne of GOD 1 The Intifthle World is under His Government; All they that pafs into <: ■■■ ^ 6 The'KETS of the it, arefo; Their Paffage is id. We mud lay this down as amodunqueftio- nat>l§ Preliminary ,* There is an Invifihle W#rld. The Demondrations we have had of fuch a World, have been« iuch, that no room has bQcn left for the kaft Quedion of it. In the days of the Old Teftament, a Cloud of Glory fometimes making a defcenc from that World, was a Demondration, fo notorious, and fo victorious, that a Sadducee mud be a Prodigy. In the New Teftament, bcfides the Miraculous Gifts of the Primitive Church, we have the Refurrettion of our SAVIOUR, and His withdraw toTto World, for a decifive Demonllration. Sirs, There is an Invifihle World; but indeed a'World of iUch Grandeur, offuch Extent, of fucli variety, that our Vifihle J^jr/^/here, were but the light dud of the" Bajancecompareduntoit. V erilyChridi-, ans do wifely in making this their Cha- racter, z Cor. 4.1$. W$.look to the Things which are not feen. /. There Invifihle World. 7 '\ . /. There is a Glorified part of the In *vifible World ; And our Great SAVL- OUR has this part of that World under < His Government. The /rfrgHand, or fay unto Him, what doefi thou ? Fird ; There are Angels of many Or- ders, in the invifihle World ; AUunder the Government of our SAVIOUR. The 8 The KBTS of the TheMuJlitudcyfthe Heavenly Ho ft, in tfatimrifibk World* is what cannot be numbred ,• But our SAVIOUR is The SLord of Hofis : He has die command of that aftonifhing Multitude ; There is no Numhrof His Armies I We do not go to the Myfikal Divinity of any pretended Areopdgites or other Vifionaries, to learn what Orders there may be among the Angels of GOD. But the Infallible O- racies have aflured us, That there are Sundry Orders among them. There are Angels of a lower Station; and there are Archangels that are Superiour to them. We read, Col. I. 16. There are Thrones, and Dominions, and Princi- palities, and Powe rj,among the Angels of Heaven. Among Men, there are Kings, and there are Vice-roys under thefe; and there are Governours under thefe ; and there are Magiflrates under theie. It may be thofe Four Terms in the An- gelical World, are fbmewhat anfwered by thefe Four Afferent Ranks in ours. But i ■ i , ■ i. i ------:--------. -------------------* ' ■ — 4 Invifihle World. K 9 But whatever be the Didindtion of the Holy Angels, they are ail \ under the Government of ou^ SAVIOUR. They j would no longer be HotyMgels, if they ; fhould refufc to be fo. The, Innumera- . ile Company of Angels, all Governed, all Commanded, all Manag'd, by JESUS, the Mediator of fa New Covenant! They are mighty Angels, but they prodrate. themfelves before our SAVIOUR, as before the* lord GOD Almighty. We are told, I .Pet! "III. 2.2. He is gone into Heiaven, and is on the Right Hand of GOD, Angels and Authorities, and Powers heing made fuhjeftrunto Him. Our SA- VIOUR having the Scepter of GOD put into His Hand, All the Angels re- ceived this Command of GOD, Adore Him, and Ohey Him, 0 ye Angels. They do it accordingly ; They doit mofc Readily, Cheerfully. Constantly ; Al- ways upon the Wing to do it. 0 ye -Angels sthat excell in Strength ; you do His Commandments, and you re Joyce to do C " them io tie KETS of-the________ them ; yon hearken to the voice of His Word, and are the Min'ifiers which do His Pleafure. The Higheft Angels m Heaven, count it their Dignity to be therafals of our SAVIOUR. O what a Potentate is our SAVIOUR ! What a King of Kings I What a Lord of Lords / Never,-Never, any Emperour fo attended on ! Oh / Look up, and fee the At- tendance of your SAVIOUR. SeeThou- fands of'Thoufands Mfy'tftring unto Him ; See Myriads of Myriads /landing before Him. Remember, the leafi in this vaft Retinue, is a greater Thing, than the greapeft ManxMzt ever 'breathed: upon the Face of the Earth. And then fall *.. down, with rile many Angels about the throne of your SAVIOUR; Fall in with that Loud Voice of them ; Worthy, 0 Worthy art thou, our Great SAVIOUR, to receive Power, and Riches, and Wifdom, apd Strength, and Honour, and Glory, and Blejfwg. Secondly j Invifihle World. n Secondly ; There are the Departed Souls of the Faithful, in the Invifihle World; All under the Government of our SAVIOUR.. One very confidera- ble Divifion in the Invifihle World, is the Paradife o$ GOD-, That Paradife .wherein the So.uls of Good Men that have left their Bodies, have a fweet fagging aflignd unto them ; That Para- .dife where the Souls of Good Men dwelt in Eafe, when their See/ Inherit the Eajrth which they leave, unto them. Here are thofe which the Ancients called, Ahdita Animarum Receptacula : The Hidden Receptacles of Humane Souls. Here the Paradife, wherein the Souls of Expiring Saints are Comforted. Was it not with lome Eye to this, that our SAVIOUR faidunto Hi&Dilciples ? Joh. XIV. 2, 3. In my Fathers Houfe are many , Manfions : I go to prepare a place for you ; I will come again, and receive you unto my felf. In the place thus prepared for us, there are Manfions for the Souls that had C 2 Ve§uii iz The KETSofthe________■ begun tjie Life of God, before they left the Tabernacles oi Clay which belonged unto them. The Souls which while they were Sheathed in their Bodies, were full of Devotion towards God, and full of Benignity towards Men ; the Sculs which then had a principle from. Above feafonably infufed into them, which difpofed them to the Fear of GOD, and the Faitfapf His CHRIST, and an ha- tred of all Sin, and a patient Submiflion to the DivineHVill in -every thing, and a concern to Do Good unto all that have been concerned in them*1* Such Souls being by Mortality taking out of their ■', Sheathes, are taken into a Paradife, where they Enter into Peace, and they Refl from their Labours. Death, like an hot and drong Forge ^has run outofthofe Holy Souls,, all the Drofs, which all the Ordinances and all the Calamities for- merly employed upon them, had left re-J maining irrthcm. The Holy Souls, as they.'are-now under theCuflody, fo they \ are i tjfrirftriw------------------«—~---------------- i > Invifihle World. 13 are under the Government of our SAVI- OUR. They were Souls, which before they went from hence, had received Chrifl the Lord, and declared their Con- fent, and their Defire, to be Governed by Him ; and they were fitted by this to be received among His mod Loyal Subjects, in whom there is not left fo much as One Thought, but what is brought into Subjection unto Him.. They were Souls which at their going from hence, did commit themfelves into His Hands, and* lay, Lord JESUS, Receive me ! And He has taken, them into His Hands ; taken them under His Pro- teelion. Thefe Holy Souls, do pay a Worfhip unto our SAVIOUR. Thefe Things in Heaven, which have been Reconciled unto GOD, by the Blood of our SAVIOUR, do own Him as the Lord that bought them ; They are His for . He has Bought them. And by Waiting on Him with a quiet Expectation^ un- til He jfhall Re/fore theirBodiesto them; ' ^ and I4 The KETS of the and bring on the Revolution which they exceedingly long for, they tedify how muckchey own His Power over them. The Petition of thefe Holy Souls unto our SAVIOUR, to bring them out from the ftate of the Dead,is, as .we read,Rev. VI. ioi How long, 0 Lord, Holy and True, dofi thou not > But He fays unto diem, Tou mufl. refi for afeafom They Acqhiefce in His Orders ; Becaufe He tnay do what He will with them, they go on in theirWhite Robes to dothe parts of Priefts before Him, and wait all the Days if their appointed Time, until their Change come. ' ;Tis Thou, that had the, 'Appointing of our Time, O our SA- * VIOUR ; And we fhall remain among * the Dead, until Thoufhalt call, and we * fhall anfwer Thee ; and thou fhalt have f aDefire again to fee the Bodies, which ' were the work of thy Hands. The Mfys of the Glmfied World are in thj Hands of our SAVIOUR. And verily Tin Keys oftheBottomlefs Pit are fo too //. There Invifihle WoSld. i$ - ■-----------■----"- ' •------------------"- r in ■ i , M^| | _ //. There is a Miserable part of die Invifihle World; And our Great SA- VIOUR has this part of that Watldnn- der His Government. A 'part there is of the Invifihle World, where mifirable Prlfoners have an uneafy: Confinement upon them. Tisthat'wlierein thereare confined Spirits that are full of Enmity againft God ; in a total Deipair that He who *made them will have mercy on them, and that He who formed them will fhew them any Favour : Tortured with a fearful Expeflation of a fiery Indignation? to devour them, in the Day when God fhall Judge the World. All thefe ntifera- ble Ones are under the Government of ourSAVIOUR. Wefind,Pfal.CXLVIII. 7. The Dragons (0 all Deeps, are to Praife Him. 'Tis becaufe He is to Rule diem all. Fird. There are Devils, who can .tell how many Legions of them?— in the Invifihle World ; All under the Govern- mr.it of cur SAVIOUR. we .have if. The KETS of the been informed, Jude 6. Concerning, i Angels that kept not their firft ejlate, but j > left their own Habitation, and are ;iow referved in Everlafiing Chains, under Darknefs; unto the Judgment of the Great Day., There are Devils, who roleiip in Rebellion againd GOD, and fo be- came full of Averfion for all the Things that are Holy, and Juft & Goofi. Thefe Devils are fuU bfallfubtilty and all mif- chief, and the enemies of allRighteoufnefs, and inceffant contrivers to pervert the Children of Men, from the Right ways of the Lord. Among thefe, there is a Prince of Devils, whofe Name is Belze- lub ; and who is called, The Prince of the Power of the Air. Our Air has un- known fwarms of them ; Here is a Power of them. Devils, whofe Hearts are fully fet in them to do evil; They are bent upon giving all poffible Annoyance . to the Kingdom of GOD; and being filled with Envy againd Man they go about feek'mg whom they may defiroy, among; Invifihle World. 17 the Children of Men. Thefe Devils being united, as under One Sultan, fo in one Malice, and in one Defign, we fpeak of them, as if there were but one Devil, when we fpeak of what we fufier from them. Thor wc mention, The Devil, as our Adverfary ; the warning to us of them is, We are many. The Satan,who is our Adverfary, is a bigger Hod than Zerah, the Ethiopians. The Tempter, is whole Troops alfaulting us, with an un- fpeakable variety of Temptations : Ar- rows enough to darken the Sun. But all the Devils are under the Government of our SAVIOUR. While our SAVIOUR was among us, a little while in appea- rance lower than the Angels, even then the Devils trembled before Him. None of the Devils durd re fid, if in any in- ftance it came to that; Mar. 1.25-. JE- SUS rebuked him, faying, hold thy peace, and come out. Poor Creatures, They could not fo much as enter into an Herd of Swine, ox kill or hurt an Hog, without D permiffiott 18 TheKETSofthe permiflion from our SAVIOUR. Sure-. jy, Now our SAVIOUR is upon His- Throne high and lifted up, the Devils are( Limited, and Fettered by Him. He, has all the Devils in a Chain. The De- vils want neither for will, rfor for ft rength to make upon Mankind an amazing Havbck : But our Conlblation is, that they are all Governed by our SAVI- OUR ; who makes the Wrath of Bell to praife Him, and the remainder of thai ivrath does He reflrain. The Church of GOD would, fbon be ruined, and the Gates of Hett would prevail againd it ; were it not that our SAVIOUR fays to the Devils, Hithertoyou fhall go, and no further ! Here fhall your proud waves be fiaid. Therefore, O Thou Infernal Ajffo ■ rian, The Daughter of 2ion hath fhaken her Head at thee ! Let every parties 1ar Believer alio take the comfort of it. Child of GOD, The Devils may roar up- i 0°n!{h?? ; But O make thy Flight unto thy SAV JOUR: He can do what He ^ pleafes Invifihle World. 19 pleafes with the Devils. He can rate them off at His pleafure. He can ftiU the Enemy, and the Ayehger, with one ftamp of His Foot, and bruife him under thy Feet. Seek to Him', dick to Him, artd He will fhortly do it. Secondly^ There are the unhappy SopiU of the Wicked, in the Invifihle eWorld ; All under the-Qovernment of our SAVI- OUR. In the Invifihle World there are Quarters in which the ungodly Souls of Men, whofe Day of Grace is over with them, are FmprifoneJ. The Souls that have gone away with the Satannic I- mage depraving of them, and prevailing in them ; The Souls whofe Time of Pro- bation is over with them, and who have not in this Time turned unto GOD ; The Souls which have been ferving of divers Lufis, and carry away their Lufis unfubdued, unmortify'd,ragjng in them 5 Thefb are feiz*d by Dragons, and are dragd into a Place of Dragons. There is a place, which is, Their own Place f D 2 An$ ao The KETS of the ' *• ■ And it is called, Luk. 16. a8. The place- of Torment. ■ In. that place, they are, With horror expecting the greater: Tor- went, that will at the Day of Judgment be inflicted on -them. Q the Anguifh of the Souls thus in outer ciarknefs ? Tr^e, outcry, 0 wretched one that lam: Thsre xq'iU be now none to deliver me,I But thefe wretched Souls, ate all under the Govern- ment of our SAVIOUR. While they. were upon Earth thek crime was that HighTreafon; , They faidof our SAVI- OUR, Ue fhall not fieign over us. Falfe Txayftxs, He fhall; He will; and He'l; now trample on you in His Vengeance, Tis our SAVIOUR, who DifiribuWki forrpws in His Angfr to thefe polluted Souls ,• and He proportions their forrows. They.are. kept in their Dungeons,that they may be brought forth, for the Triumphs of ourSAVlOUR, in die Day when\ He fhall Judge the W#rId. Nor can they fiir, but as our SAVIOUR fhall giys, , thqnv leave. ^Wex are informed ; Joli. i V.28,29. Invifihle .World. 21 V. 28, 2,9. They that are in the graves fhall hear the Voice of the Son of God; —* They that have done Evil (ball come forth to the Refur reft ionofDamnation. The Spuls. of them that have done Evil, are where our SAVIOUR will have them to be. And iliatl come forth, when our SAVIOUR will have them to come. Un- juftSouls,o\irSAVlO\JK paffes theDoofti upon them, They fhall fill be fo I Fil- thy Souls, our SAVIOUR panes the Doom upon them, Let them-ft ill be fi> f They dial 1 undergo die Pumfhment,whick our SAVIOUR will doom them to. ..ft. The Keys of the Miferable World, are in die Hands of our SAVIOUR. v*v. *///. The Appointment of the various Condition which the Souls of Men do find in the Invifihle World; This is un- der the Government of om SAVIOUR. The difpofal of Souls; 'tis Governed by our SAVIOUR: We read, Ezek.XVHL 4. Behold, All Souls are mine, faith our SAVIOUR. And, Behold, our SAVI- OUR . .. 12 The KETS of the OUR has the Determination of what fhall be done with them all. The Keys of the feveral Apartments in the Invifihle \ World, are in the Hands of our SAVT*| PUR. He opens One to One Soul • A- nother to Another. Our SAVIOUR appoints, who fhall be Admitted into the Glorified World.] We read of thofe Gates; Ifai. XXVI. 2. Open ye the Gates, that the Righteous Na- tion, may enter in. There are Gate) which have that Motto on them, Except : a Man \he born again, he cannot fee the Kingdom of God. There are Gates which have-that Motto on them,. Without Ho- linefs no man fhall fee the Lord. Oui SAVIOUR lias the Keys of thofe Golden Gates. He knows what Souls are made meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in * Light; For is is He that made them fuch. Our SAVIOUR determines, who fliaU pafs into the Chambers, where they dial I have all Tears wiped from their Eyes, and where they (hall fee Qod:^ Be fure,None _0 dial) Invifihle Worldi 23- fhall pafs. into them without His Ap- jftobation. Coming there, they may fay, The King has-brought me into His Chambers. 'Tis alfo our SAVIOUR, that ap- points who fhall be committed unto the Miferable World. We read the Mitti- mus for the impious and unufefuland un- fruitful Sinner ; Mat. XXV. 30. Caftthe unprofitable fervant into outer darknefs; 'Tis our SAVIOUR who figns the Mit- timus. There are dark Cells appropri- ated unto the Souls that returning to Goa that gave them, when die Duft re- turns to the Earth, are found unreconciled unto God, and unqualify'd and undif- pofed for Communion with Him ; Our SAVIOUR has the Keys of thofe Aark Cells ; thofe doleful, woful,tremendous Caverns. 'Tis determined by our SA- VIOUR, who fhall pafs into the difmal Vaults, where they diall never fee Light', Where things worfe than Rattle-Snakes coyl about them,hideous Fiends are their. Companions, 24 The KETS of the Companions, and their Tormentors • Where they are hardly be fie ad,and Curfe God, and look upward* • He fays, Let theft pafs into darknefs, into dark places, among them that are dead of old; Let them the> e be fo 'hedgek about, that they cannot get out, and make their Chain heavy ; Alfo when they cry and Ihout, Let their Prayer* hefhut out. Thefe arc the Keys in thei Hands of our SAVIOUR, And yet theie not all the Keys I IV. The Circumdances of Men in their Death, by which they pafs into the Invifihle World, Thefe arc under the Government of our SAVIOUR. Outf SAVIOUR has the Keys of Death, as well as of Hades, in His Glorious Hands ; Of Death which lets Men into the In- vifile World. We mud all fay to our' SAVIOUR with the Pfalmid ; PfaL» XXXI. 15. My Times are in thy Hands-. Our Lives are entirely at the difpofal of our SAVIOUR. We Dye juft when.and as Thou wilt, 0 our SAVIOUR. O, may -*- our Invifihle World. i> our SAVIOUR now have that glory from us! Even that Glory ,; Pfal. XLu. 8. The God of my Life. Some there are, who Dye in their Touth ; yea, they Dye in their full Strength. Perfons as likely to live, as any living, are taken. ofFby an untimely Death. How comes this to pafs ? Our SAVIOUR, who has the Keys of Death in His Hands, would have the Gites of Death to be opened jufi Ntw for thefe Perfons. They mud juft Now go the way of all the Earth, and go into the Invifihle World: It is becaufe our SAVIOUR will have-it fo. O you furviving Friends ofrhe Dead, furely you will now fee enough to filence all Murmurs, all Complaints under you* Bereavements ? 'Tis your SAVIOUR* who has done, what is come to pafs. And it becomes you now to be in that podure of mind ; Pfal. XXXIX. 9. / was dumb, I opened not my mouth, becaufe ^ thou did ft it. Again, Some there are, who Live to Old Age. Yea, fome who F. have < 1 H 'The'KETS of the %*-■ ■------"■------«™^^-------■-----------. . - have been but weakly Perfons,-. of ten- der and crazy Condi tut ions • and have alio undergone many Killing Labours, and many Killing Troubles ; yea, Per- haps have been, f bmetimes Nigh unto fyath. ; But #ftct more than half a Hundred Years, they .may fay, Having* obtained help, from God, I continue to this Day. Well j. And whence'is this? Our; SAVIOUR, who has the Keys of Death. in His Hands, would have the Gates of Death to be kept, drat upon .thefe Per- fons all this while. Our SAVIOUR woul^ not let them fee the Invifihle Worldall this vvhile. -With what Gra- titude, Q Long Livers, ought we to cele- brate the Kindncls'of our SAVIOUR / The Song was- Pfal. CIII. i, 4. Blefs the Lord, 0 -my Souk; And all that is within me, Blefs His Holy Name : Who. redeems thy life from leftmflion. Our $qng this Day may be •.\ Blefs thy SA- ' . Shall it b Jv. E 2 mai zB The KETS of the________ made Lingringly, or fhall it be made Sud- denly ? This too is determined by our« SAVIOUR, who has the Keys of Death! in His Illudrious Hands. Here, wharj can we do, but magnify our SAVIOUR, with a rnod profound Refignation unto* Him ? O Refign all to Him, and fay,'. My SAVIOUR, Thy Servant is willing to\ Depart, even infuch a Way, as thou fhalt* order for me. , » And now, ^Vhat remains but this Im- portant and Importunate EXHORTA- TION ? Souls, Get into Qood Terms' wj$ your Great SAVIOUR. \\\ thcr Invifihle Wor^ on tne ecIges whereof you ever dand, and at the approaching! * Death which will tranfmit you into it,\ you will fee the marvellous Confer cmences. ^ But what have we to do, that we.may be in Good Terms with our SAVI£)UR? i . ~ ^ird. Let the Doors of our Souls be 1 f • now opened unto the knocks of pur SA- rP 'iv v ' VIOUR. Invifihle World. z$ VIOUR. Our SAVIOUR fo applies Himfelf unto our Souls ; Rev. III. 20« Behold, I ft and at the Door and Knock* His Demands are, Let me come, and Reign in thy Soul; and with Holy Opera- tions communicate Light, and Life, and Joy unto thy Soul. Our Anfwer mud be, 0 my SAVIOUR, enter me, poffefs me, inhabit me; I am thine, fave me. But in thus Anfwering, we mud bear in mincl, That our SAVIOUR Himfelf has the Key of our Souls; He that has the Keys of the Invifihle World and of Death in His Hands. The Key of Hearts is in the Hand of our SAVIOUR. We read of one, Whofe Heart the Lord opened. Wherefore this mud go into the Reply which we make unto our SAVIOUR ; 0 my SAVIOUR, I cannot open my own Heart unto thee ; But I beg of thee to open if. By thy verticordidus Grace do thou open it. Secondly. Let our Souls now obedi- ently and immediately put themfelves under jo. TheKETSofthe f i . i — - - —- under the. Government of our SAVI- f OUR. .Let Him that has the Keys of dieJnvifible World, and of Death in His Hands, have the Government of us,1 and. let us become His willing People,- whije we are yet in this World. We> are now mod fincerely to make that Profeflion of our Allegiance to our SA- VIOUR ; Pfal. LXVl.'itf. 0 Lord{, Truly I am thy fervant, I am thy fervant. Be able mod fincerely to fay unto our SA- VIOUR ; Lord, I count thy PrecepiH concerning all things to be right, and I hate all the falfe ways condemned therein. Beablemcdfmcerely to fay unto ourSA-^ VIOUR ; Lord, Tlry Word and thy Love» fhall be my Law ; I cheerfully take thy* Tofy upon me. Honour we our SAVI-' OUR, with a continual and an univer-1 Tal.and unwearied Obedience: Never,* Never weary of well-doing before Him. And now, Behold, the Glorious Con- ' fequences of this Vital PIETY. Fird. 1 Invifihle World. 31 Firft. Now, He that has the Keys of *<( the Invipble World, and of Death, in His Hands, will not open That World, nor by Death fend you unto it, ''While 1 you have any Work to do for Him ih j This World. Your SAVIOUR will not 1 let ycu Dye, while you flia 11 have Reaibn to clefire that you may Live. He will nor, until you may juitly be willing to Dye ; No, Xor will He, perhaps, until He has made you willing to Dye. You fliall day here, until you can like the good Simeon fay, Lord, Thou letteft thy Servant now depart in Peace. Secondly. Now, He that has the Keys of the Invifihle World,and of Death% will open to you the Btiffed World when you are by Death called out of this mod finful World. Your SAVIOUR will open to you, a World, where the wicked ceafe from Trouhling,and the we%ry are at Reft ; A World where there fhall be no ffiore Death, nor anymore pain, for the former things are paged aw'ay : A World, CAnd -j - A 32_______The KETS of the (And I now fpeak a Word worth a Thouiand Worlds! ; Where you fhall never, Sin any more ; where all the R& 4tiainders of Indwelling Sin fhall be fori ever extirpated from you. Yea, yoji fliall have an Open and Abundant Entranm into that World. A World, which, Ohf why no more longed for! Thirdly. He that has the Keys of the Invifihle World andof Death ^ in His Hands, has the Keys of the Grave too. He will bring you back from the Invh fible World* with a Refurretiion from the Dead. All the dufty Chambers of Death afeunderthe Government of our SAVI- OUR : He will oblige them one Day to give up their Dead. O Believers oi Him, When you feci your felves brought by Him to the Brink of thcVr-ave, you may hear Him facing unto you, Do not fear to go down, Imllfurely bring thee up again. He that has the Keys in His Hand, wherewith He opened His own Grave\ and indeed, it was-not poffihle for Him to Invifihle World. \ 33 beholden there, will certainly bring us up again from ours. / know that my Re- deemer lives, who will do this Great Thing for His People, and fulfil His Good Word unto us. It fhall be done in the Day, when that Good Word flnll be aocdmpliihed, r Thci. IV. 14. Them that Sleep in JESUS will GOD[ JESUS, ^who is GOD ! ] bring with Him. I Conclude, as our Apodledoes upon it; Comfort one another with thefe Words. J And now, mod certainly, We ought ferioufly. to have our Eve unto our SAVIOUR, and confider His Hani, in thofe indances of MortJftty, wherein we have lately had Him Afflicting and Awak'ning of us ; And more peculiarly thofe Mortal Strokes, which have taken from us, the Men that were of a Pub- lick Station, and Ufefulnefs, among us. He that has the Keys which opens the Gates of Death, for Men to pafs from r>fl their ApPearancxes fiwe into the hvifible F World, -' ' J'_ ____'___ I lll_ ■ » I i £r 34" The KfiTS of the World) ancl when. He does it, no Man cart (hut them$ as alfo Jhut thofe Gates, ■ifid vo Man can opep them $ HE now de- maj|d$ ah Homage from us. Ancl f> Mourners walking about the Streets $ after tfiofe that axe gone to their Long Home ; Come, Let us give unto our Lord, the Gfory which is due unto His Name. If our Glorious LORP will have the Gates of Death opened, no Affluence of Riches, witj* a Mind and Life preferved from the Vices that often accompany them, no Extenfive Reach of Dealings, tho' never fo Jud and Fair, no Signifi- cancy in the Management of Publick Affairs, tyith ajfeaccablc Temper, and a true Love to our Country, nor ncver- tp-bc-fprgotten-r——? .offers to launch out for the prefervation of pur Precious incl P leaf ant 7hJngs,twill prevent the patting in. Perhaps, they pafs in Quiet- ly and with an Eafyfiiind; which gives the Survivors, an Ealy Mind. Behold, All ye your felves havefeen it I If ■ 'I" II- - ■!■■ I ■ ■! |K ' ' »'■'< — IhvtfihhWotli. 3; If our XSlorJ^us LORD Wii&have the . Gates of Death opened, W exact care for £W*& Juftice, no mining proofs of JLcvingMircft no jfw^/e and fei^judging WatclifulftdS in'talking with QODi will prevent the faffing in. Andifthey |«fs irf, with a Soul overwhelmed in Self-Abafements, yet the Reft^tzti to them is Glorious : Yea, the more fo, for fuch Preparations. Bthokt^Wl ye your felvds have ften it ! ' r : If our Glorious LORD will have them whoferve His Tubles among His People, come thro' the opened Gates of Death unto Rim, vir here they are to pweU in His Courts [ under WhicfoTerm, the Ancients underftood the Manfions of Paradife, }'andbe fafisfedmth thtiGood- nefs of His Houfe, they vmfS. gfo>;< Arid all their GhravftyK*znd (7pfightnefs, and Holding the Wfjtifif of Faith in a^ pure Confidence, does but the better prepare them to go. iebold, All ye your felves have feen it I F % ' The 3^ The KETSjfthe The Phyfician top, . and he whole Profeflion and Intention it is, to dop t others . from; going intp the Gate* of Death, rntffl himfelf pafs in, when our Glorious -LORD Will jhave die Gates opened for him. The mod skilful, is a Phyfitiantf"no value, when .the Angel of Death faalV inexorably Swear by. Him that Lives forever^ There fhall * he no more lime Unto him I -The cries of a multitude, mifliiigand wanting his Help; No,* tho'-tfiiade with Travailing Agonies; i cannot Reverfe'.what is determined -The expert Cheirwgeon (jthe Man-pfrfye knife, which is the En&lifh of Efculap'm) fees the Mortal Knife. .\ w ' i-uQ I will add, Thofetoijfeure and retir'd Chridians, an.d among them thofe Hand- maids of the Lordvwho are Jewels that Aline only in Comets, and whofe PIE- TY renders them as the Chariots'-and fiorfemenof Ifrael \ Thefe too'tnuft pafs thro' the Gates, when the Key in the - Hand of our SAVIOUR opens them. Our Invifihle World. 37 Onr Tears this day go into die Lacry* matorieson fuck occafions. But then, what a Blow, have the -Keys in the Hand- of cur Glorious JjORD, given to us ?~----Lord, Thou doft it ! —- in the opened Grave of our Honourable WINTHROP^ whom we this^ Day fol- low to the Grave /; For Behold the Lord,: the Lord of Hofls doth take away from the MASSACHUSETTS, and from NEW-ENGLAND, the Military Man,-the Judges the Prudent, and the Ancient, the Honourable Man', and the Counfellour-^ l•.' il ' '•«"••■■ ' The BAMILY whereof this valuable Perfon was a Branch, is worthy of an Enumeration, imong the Things, which might render fitch a Perfgn Honourable. . 'Ti& a Rare Thiiig to fee a TWfilicd With.inch Daft, as is to be found in the Tomb, where the Body of thisHonoural le Gendenian is now to wait the Days of the Appointed lime. Three GOVER NOURS are there peeping in the Duft; 3^ The KETS of the But hdwjiotably related un.o one .ano- ther! The GRANDFATHER, and the FATHER,and the ELDER-BROTHER, 0f this our MAJOR-(SEN£RAL. ^//oftheai Sincere Lovers, and Faith- ful Servants of riieir Ohliged Gauntry ; AU of themj i thy Meritorious and Mew morable Patriots, O NEW-ENGLAND. Bur what would a Defcent from an HonouraMe Family fignify to a Degenerate Offspring, except ojily to Blacken and Enlarge, ths^Blofts of the Degeneracy! a#d Render it the more inexcufeble! The Perfonal Worth of this Gentleman^ makes' a? cbhfpicuous Addition.' to the Honour, of the Family. ^ i: ft . ^He that is now {fathered. unto his Fathers, mud be. ever homured,i itid is worthy to be hadinttrlaftitigRtoniem- brance, with all that have at *Heirt the True Intereft */ NEW-ENGLAND, for his Hearty, Steddy, AvoW'd' Adherence to it ; For his Fidelity to that Faith and Order of the Gofpel* and thofe Prin- ciples t '-. i. . . . . ■ I i ■ . . , Invifihle ^^H- 39 ciples, which are: the Beauty and fhe Safety of thefe Colonies ; anifhpie Li- berties which ought for ever to he. dear unto them; yea, For His Appearance to Defend and Reicue thefe things, when droqg hvafions have fcee£ made upon them. „'q i :; c--v: <\- To all his other - Ac^mf&ftnwfttifc and Commendations, .there was, an un- commpu Accedion, in the ^^fe.wbich he did gratis, and::With a—gerierous Alacrity djfpenfe{unfo a great Multi- tude of People, who* under their various Malaxes made theif Addrefle* unto him : A Lovely Imitation oft the Gra- cious LORD, who healed all manner of Sicknefs, and all manner pf-Difeafi among the People. Sometimes Perfons of the Fird:Qt*a- lity, have CtudifA the.- Art of .Healing, on purpofe that rtl\ey might enjoy the Noble pleafure, To Do Good unto the Mi- ferable ; yea, more than Twc*or Three Crowned Head^ have thought teas' bright a 40 The KETS of the a Diadem as any in their Crown, To be Phyfieians. This Gentleman, having furnifhcd himfelf with Medital Skill, be- came alfo a Madcr of Medicines, which he freely giveaway as well as hisCoun- fils% unto a Great Multitude of People, who from all parts flock'd unto him. Some that are fetup for Heros in Hi do- ry, have had this for a main Article of their Heroifm, that with their own Hands, they have killedTo many Hundreds cf i heir Fellow-Creatures. Bur this Gentleman had the fatisfaction to Save, and pro- long and fweeten more Lives than any of thofe Killers, have boaded that their own Hands have cxtinguifhed. Whcre- ever he came, the Dileafed of the place flock'd about him, as if the Angel of Bethefda had come among them. And the Cures, which GOD wrought by his means, were fuch, that no doubt fome Thoufands of People, and fome in very dcfperate Cafes, have had caufe of Thankfulnefsto the Lord our Healer for him. Of l J .\VwTW 4&hwfiik\ W^orld. k iu4I) Of his more particular Sentiments I will, only fingie put fame vWosds he ^ketO-h^pnly.SpNi;»i^W;Mpnths before he Died. c ■ ■ / am.tWVjfy perfytadfdrf faid hejj that very Qreaf,-dnd Quick; Changes are-c^ming wtltf\.W^rld,.and' ajlopiffling Revolutions, fofifaotpsnkrowhg^ Mm feem fit^jtrEftablilh^i^p^r^^^' Myx $dfmefoyou k\ JbimpkQ fire of be- ™&$Wl wong the-W&rfbippefstf,the INM&Z GQUMi.#hi&hJwM*eyeiur °nly$afe$y i* the TroMUes coming on.'- theiLofs of ftcfe* FRIEND 1 And of one, in fo many iffarawa,ble $tadpns of our Government,' particularly that.pf * MAJOR GENERAL to the £olony,and that of Chief JUDGE, as well as a Member, and fometimes Prefident, of His JvTaJlIy'sQOyNCIL, forWPro- vince ; All difcharged with unfpotted Integrity !---- But wl^t.is done by the Keys, in the Hand of out Glorious LORD, may not G be ^_^^__ ii if11 ri»— i iTi^ i m ■ r- niw - ■ — - -.....----—*—*"[—■—■"»-*—-■ 4il- The KEfStf Whvifille World. -----r —" -■ ■ M - . - be difjfcted by the Worms of the Dull, Behold, He takes away ; who cqn kinder Html Who 'mlkfay to Him, what doefl thou? ' "' ' %hat remamViS, our entire and pro- feund SubmifBon, to the Glorious Go- Yernour 4f all Worlds ; Accompanied With our Supplication, That upon th« withdraw of fueh BlefTings from this World we may yet fee ( Uno dVuffo nort deficit otter. / y a Succefftpn of Wfiralfe Men, and bur Lamentations over the Breach made upon us may not have fiich a dark Accent on them as that, Lam. H. iy Thy Breach is Great ; Who "eon heal thee I} :>snz ££f-". a. t t3^1f tcjtt *& VU> . EPITAPHIUM, r - ■ >yv ' Ota, Viator? ty , Tumulumqu£; mirare f %t Lacrymis Publicis adde Tuas j Luge jacturam PubUcam, .!£>' * ' Si fis pars publici. PALATIUM eft hie Locus, non TUMULUS, Cinis' tegitiir hoc Marmore, Dignurs Lapide Philofophorum tegpu Quatuor conduntu* in hoc TumulQ WINTHROPI-j fi Qui vel Quatttor orhis partes ditare fuificerent, . Jgnorat Hidorian Nov-Anglicanam qui hanc nefcit Familiam : 9 Parvi pendet virtu tern Univerfam qui hanc non magni facit.' ' Horum JJltimus hoc ccemeterium ingrefTus, WAIT WINTHROP r'Armrger, :.i Q %. r.. -% Cujus 44 EPITATHIUM. Cujus base ultima La^«fe«%r, Quod primos tftrV-ANGLI$ - j Honores.- gederit.y rr >- Fuit, Ah, FUIT!- ± - ( JtfOV-ANGLORUMDecus acTutamen; -'• Lumen et Columeh.* ..*:*!':- ".' MASSAGtfUSETTENSIS Colbnis v Ihdructor ^ Exercituum, Generofus, at Pacificus; ■?■'./. Etqui pro patriaetjpropace mori potuit. Province, CONSlLl ARIUS prifriarius, cui prima fuit femper cura, Ne quid R. P. detriment! caperet; Et in quo uno pluses obierunt. i_ . JUDEX pratorius, ' " Qui Juditiam atque Clementjam aeque eofuit. . nf* J^aximis Regionis perfunctus Ho- »: • noribus ; ^- ; r v Quos gedk Honores, Ornavjt ; < Quos non gcflit, meruit..1 -* Cum finceritate. PIUS, p Cum integritate PROBUS; Ingcnii Cadedis ac Modedi, Infra fe omnia pofuit, v, ) fe infra omnes. Benign Benignus* erga cmtitioi,^ ^ jtw Erga Indigos ac Egehos BenrgnifTimus.1 Ab elo riemo^lnju^aato^, accepit, etian^ cluirw^ds ,- Nemini cfnimicus fuit, ' &m h '") vetiamlnjuriis'Laccfutus. >£"" .q 3ft Ab eo mifer nemo rejectus, Pauper'nemo Exclufas*%' T-" jj•' ' \:' Nemo unquam recedit iratus. MEDICINE Peritus ; Qui Arcanis vere Aureis, et Auro pre- c^iqfioribus potituS.j- Quseqatf et Hippocratem et Hefaionttum* latuerunt, Reme^ia panacaeafque Adegtus ; Invalidosf omnes ubicunque uke pretio fanitati redituit; Et pene omnem Naturam fecit Medi- ye&&ffl$&:'*?&it"5'■"i? cam; '.jr^r^^'i^^WF^-yifc Qui jam fub hoc faxo dormit mortuus, Vivit in Cordibus multorum, imo mil- lium, quorum vitas prolongavit. WIN-THROPI merita cum W I N T H R Q P O, non Funerabit Oblivio, Na- fy EPITAPHIUM.^ ^Jatus, 17 d. XII m. 1I41. Denacus, 7 d. IX m. 1717. Annum Septuagefimum Sextum agenj Moritur, Cui mille Annorum Vitam, Et plufquam Methufalemiticam, Op- tarunt Quibus Vita chara, fuperftites* FINIS. * THE Character 20leffewief0 O F T H E UPRIGHT A SERMON Occafion'd by the Death of the Honourable Wait JVinthrop Eiq^ Who Expired, Nov. 7.-1717. Mtatis 76. By gjOfepF^^ali, A.M. Pallor of a Church of CHRIST in Bofton. Pfal. 17. yj. Mark the perfect man and behold the upright: for the 4nd if .that man is peace. ___««.. 1 «—1—-——W........ ■ .■ «i-^wq—— BO SIQ N: Printed by T. Crump, i 7 »_?• -\4- ' 3 «i J.H>" s THE ChavaBer and ^Blejfednep of theVT RIGHT. ISAIAH LVII. ;*;".% - He fhall enter into peace : they fhall reft . in their beds, each one walking in his vprfehtuefs.i,. r. [ the beginning of this Chapter the '.prophet Ifaiah gives an accountof •'the degeneracy and dupidity of die Times wherein he lived. The righteous peri(heth, and no man'fayeth it to heart-----They did not duly confider the operation of Gods Hand in taking away the Righteous by Death, nor were they, Suitably .affected with itr They AV did -•■-■JMW^ I ■■! I . .^-W—————— ■ ■■„, , _ & Jfo Gkara&er & Bkffcdnefi did nor difcern-fhe, figas of the Times, nor would diey obflrtfe the "WStliing which God gave diem of approaching Calamities, kvtjie removal of fuch as wcr"d t^jflrt, bcfdr'e God* in thttk' Ge- neration : J^oneconfitferini that the righ- teous is\MeH^4iidyfrom tSe ivilto fome. In the Second Vcrfe wherein is our tfext, the Prophet comforts die People of God from the tonfjderation of the Peaceful End of the Upright, and of the Reft which they enjoy after Death. He fhall ehtt? into peace \ or, he fhall go- in peace ; or as fome read* the Wofds, Peace fhall come,- to wit, to him. They go in peace when they leave this troubfe- fome World ,• and- their departed S)piri|s ar$ rexre'uVd and comforted in the Para- dice of Ciod. *J they fhall reft in their beds. ^ As their Souls ate taken to a place of perfect Race,; fo their Bodies are laid in the Qtm where they fhall reft 'till the jttturtection, When the fhadows of Death ' . . - •'•■■■ dial! ef the Upright. % i i i ..Til... .j- «...........——^ fhall be turn d into the fight of the Morn- ing. Here's a fhdderi change of the number, which is not unufual in the Prophets. Each ane walking in hit upright- iiefsr; or, that waikdrh uprightly, or in ftraightnefs, making flraight paths in the way of God's Commandments, without declining to the right hand, or to the left. Aefdw Hink: So Arias Mon- tanus, and others read the Word .• L e. before God; as in His fight,.< and feeing Bim who i* Invifible. In the Words wemayqblerve, i.The Character and Oefcription of the Chil- dren of God: They Walk in Uprightnefs. While they live they walk With God in Sincerity,\ ordering1 their fteps according to the rules.: kid dowil in His Word 2. We have the Privilege anABlefTednefs of fuch aflerted and defcribed.: He fhall enter into, peats: ?Tbey fhall reft fa their beds. In the Words there is contained this Doflriney DOC- 4 7&.n PROP. II. It u their Happinefs, that theyfh/ll enter into Peace, andreft in their Graves, as in Beds, when they Die. , •PRJDP. I' It is the Charatler of tbb Children of God that they walk in theft Uprightnefs.^ Every true Believer, who is a Child of God by Faith in Jefus Chrift, is a perfect and upright Man. Under this Proportion, I fhall endea- 1 vour to fhow what is implied in walkr . ing in Uprighoiefe, and fo explain and illudrate this Character, s >■';■'• ffrre 1*1 , lii < .1 .1 ■ mLmJ^J.^... ". » of tht Jflpright. j Here we may obferve,that this Word as ufed in the Scriptures, is of much the fame ' import with< Perfection, Sincerity, Integrity. As it is here tvfed, it can t intend Sinlefs Per- feclion, We read, Eccl. 7. zq. God hath made man upright; but they have fought out many inventions. ■• The Word for Man is Adam. God made our firft Pa- rents right in finiefs Perfection : But Adam fmn'd, and we in him. Andfince the Fall all are conceiv'd in fin, and go aft ray froni the Womb. And there is no Man but hathfthe remains- of this Original Corruption abiding in him. The Law which is the rule of Right be- tween God and Man, and an Eternal rule of Righteouinefs demands perfect Obedience, and threatens the Curfe upon the lead defect. Gal. 3. 10. Curfed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book\of the Law to do them. And therefore the Pfalmid deprecates Qods being ftricl t&mark ini- quity, 6 The Character & "Blefednefs tyiity, Pfal. 143. z, Tte hfc&ft Men diat ever lived had &n remaining j$ them. Noah was a }y& Man, and per- fect in his Generation, Gen. 6. 9. And yet he was overtaken with the Sin, of Dmmfcennefs. Job was perfect and up- tight: And ywthej»akes that confeflion, Job 9.10. If I juflify. my felf, mine own mouth fhall condemn me : if I fay I am perfeft, it fhall alfo prove me pfrvcrfe, How paCionately doth the ApolUe Paul cry out, 0 wretched man that I am ! wba (hall deliver me from the body of this death > "there was never any Man dnoe the Fall, excepting the Man CHRIST JESUS, A Man^ way is that which he accuftoms himfelf to. ^ AgreaMv,1 to walk in uprightnefs, ■ •-••'' , is if I ■ I ' — ■■ ' 16 The Characler & Bleffednefs is to be upright at all times, and under all circumdances. Integrity and up- rightnefs dopreferve God's People in all company, in all conditions of life, and in every affair they engage in. This is the way and manner of their life. They are upright in a condant and continued t courfe of actions. In the frame and tenour of their lives they are upright, exercifing themfelves in this, to keep a Confidence void of offence both towards God ' and towards Men. Indeed the Upright Man may fall once and again. They clo fometimes go out of the way of God's Commandments ; but then they do not walk in the counfel of the ungod- ly, nor ftand in the way of finners. Tho' they falifeven times, yet they rife again by Repentance, and return unto the Lord. The Upright are deady and Qpndant in walking in the path of God's Commandments; they perfevereinrheir duty till they finifli their courfe, and ob- tain the end of their Faith. Pfal. 119.3 3. leach of the Upright. 17 Teach me, 0 Lord, the way of thy ftatutes, and I fhall keep it unto the end. Thus. we have Briefly confidered a few parti- culars, to illuftrate the Character which is here given of the Righteous, when it is faid, That each one of them walketh in his uprightnefs. PROP. II. // is their Happinefs that they fhall enter into Peace, and reft fa their Graves, as in Beds. We proceed now. to confider the Privilege & Blefled- nefs of the Upright. In this World God's Providence to- wards the Righteous and Wicked is very promifcuous, fo that no man knoweth love or hatred by all that is before them. Eccl. 9. 2. All things come alike to all. There is one event to the righ- teous and to the wicked—4— Job 9. 22. He deftroyeth the per feci and the wicked. The Upright mud die as well as the Sinner, and to an eye of fenfe, the Righteous perifheth; But then, Precious C % in j 8 the Char after § Bleffednefs i . .1 i —-—*-------------------------------------1— in the fight, of the Lord k the death of his * Saints. When diey go the way of all the Earth, they go in ^eacet Every Upright Man is a Son of Peace. The Lord Jefus Chrift liath purchafed Peace for; His People, and that in the mod comprehenfive fenfe of the word, and He will bedow it upon them. Pfal.84.11. For the Lord God is a fun and Jbieldi the Lord will give grace and glory : na good thingwill.he with old from them that walk uprightly. When our SAVIOUR.was about to leave this World He bequeathed Peace to His Difciples as a rich Legacy; Joh. 14. 27. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you,*-*—- The Lord Je- fiis Chrid is our Peace-maker. Col. j. 20.—Havingwade peace thro the blood offaf Crofs~*— The cheftifements of cur Peace were upon Him. He who is the Fathers only begotten Son, in whom He is ever well pleafed; was bruifed *Wtd Wounded for the tranfgreffions of $&i^ptej; that God might with Ho- of the Upright. 19 nour to all His Attributes, receive them into favour, and embrace them in tha Arms of His Everlading Love. God hid His Face from Him foe a time, when He uttered that drong and vehement Cry, My God \ My God I Why haft thou forfaken me ? Now, this was that His People might enjoy the manifedations of His Love, and walk upand( down in the light of His Countenance. And as our Lord Died to putxhafe this great and comprehendve Good for His People ; fo He ever Lives, to com- municate it to them. Now He is in Hea- ven, He doth not leave diem Comfort- lefs j but comes unto them in die holy Influences and Confolations of His Spi^ rit, who is the Comforter. All Divine Peace is laid up in Him, He is the proton detticon, the fird Recipient; God hath anointed Him widi the Oyl of gladnefe above his fellows, and from Him who is the Head this flows down to the Mem- bers of His Myfticai Body, as die Oyl +- 20 , The CharaUer & Bleffednefi that anointed the Head of Aaron ran down to the skirts of his Garments. In His light they fee light. Being juftify'd by Faith they have Peace with God. Being deli ver'd from the guilt and bondage of Sin, they have peace of Confcience and joy in the Holy Ghod ; And thro' Chrid become Heirs to the Inheritance of the Saints in Light. Thus I have endea- voured to fhow the ground and founda- tion of that Peace which the Righteous do and fliall enjoy. I proceed to fpeak more directly to the Propofition before us, in a few Particulars. I. Sometimes God gives unto the Upright abundance of peace, and more than ordinary tranquillity of mind towards the end of their lives; fo that they finifh their courfe with Joy. God referves the bed Wine 'till lad, and gives the Upright drong and refrefliing Cordials when they lie upon a .Death-Bed, and dand in mod need of them. Thus it is fometimes,' and it may be many times, when thro/ their v/eak- ncfles, of the Upright._________2i nefles, others can't obferve, and inteir meddle with their Joy. As they draw nigh to the borders of the Heavenly Canaan, God fometimes takes them up into the Mount, and gives them fuch ravifhing views of that better Country, as make them even defire to pafs over Jordan, that they may poflefs it. * Phil. i. 23. Having a defire to depart——r. It may be they have walked in darkriefs,; but at evening there is light. They are fometimes enabled to fay with thePfal- mift, 7ho I walk thro the valley of the fba- dow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me, thy rod and thy ftaff they comfort me, Pfal. 23, 4. Thus God'lets His Servants depart in Peace, and they finifh their courfe with joy/ To be fure, The Upright Die inaftaU of favour and friendfliip with God thro' Jcfus Chrid. Suppofe God fhould hide His Face in the hour of Death ; yet dill He is their God ,* they die in the Lord, and therefore there Death isfafe. There's not — y i i " i**" ■■■'■-■ n ■ tz - TheCharacler&Vlefednefi not one drop of vindi&ive Wrath in this bitter cup. Their Saviour hath tafted death for them, and thro death hath deftroyed him, which had the power of .death, that js the Devil; and therefore IJeath can't do them any real harm. They go in Peace when they leave the World, whatever doubts and fears may cloud their minds in the hour of Death; and even thefe fhall all vanifli away as the morning Cloud, when their Souls are feparated from their Bodies. Which leads me to die Second thing. 2. After peath the departed Spirits of the Upright do enter into Peace\ and enjdy undifturbed Reft in the Paradife of God. The troubles of good Men and their lives end together. Death is a MefTen- ger of Peace unto them, and brings them the joyful news, that there Warfare h accmplifad. When an Upright Man Dies, God difmifseth Him to Red* and fpeaks to him in the voice of His Pro- vidence, as to Daniel, Dan. 12.13-—:— pfthe Upright, 23 Go thou thy u>ay tiff the end be: fir thou Jhalt rep—-~. The faithful Servants of God who have born the heat and bur- den of the day, and have beeti worn out aimod with hard labours and bitter i tiffedngs,"find eafe and refreshment at Death. Not as ifthe Souls of Believers were then laid afleep in a 'date of in- activity ; or did whbfty ceafe from bufinefs ; No! No! They live and a&, in a feparate ftate. They go to God, and joy nan innumerable* company of An- gels, and the general Affembly and Church of the firft born, in praifing and glorify- ing God in his Temple above. As the Four Animals, of whom it is laid, They reft not day and night, faying, Holy,Hoty Holy, Lora* God Almighty----1-: But then they enter into Peace, inalhiuch as they, are delivered from all thofe hardfhips and difficulties which attend the fervice of God iri this Life: in'that they are* deltver'd' from all the calamities of this ptefent evil World," and receiv'd ib a D place 2^/ iheCh^^er^^le^dnefi place of incoi^ceiv^ajje p^Jjhi»and. Rc;.- frellinierit; '/*tq , ttier Heavenly Jerufale)*. w'nere the fa nee of Peace reigns, and tlley e1ir9y, flfionf, of Peace. ■ '.The Souls, oTjvfeii dpnt p§riih with' their Bodies; &eaiii can t.fcll the Soul.: The Man cfies, the vital fVnion betw.eenthe SouA. a*tid JSody/^eing diflblved ; ,a4id then tile EJody is /own in Corruption. But the 5oul is an indivifible,iii)j^teiial,. irnmor-v, ta,l Subftah^^, Indeed p^Souls of Men depend on God jfor their continuance j in Him they live and rricjve and have tneir Being. God alone hath Immortality independently. 'But then, they have ilo principles of Corruption in them- felves ; no create^ power can dedroy them. Mat. 10. 28. And fear oti&; ^ much m^re^b^ttsex^HChefei arid n^y.^aihor ■Texts of Scripture' do plainlyude^lase that the Spirits' of the Saints doV?ea$ift in a feparate ^fiatevK thm a'/tf "f y'T ft Irfndtx this Second Particular^ L mail mention- a feW things brieftyL^yil biw ii (r/) J#fo/* *Jte Upright tiie they^ntBr ~: intdt Peace, alltfyii• painful'Isxidati beikg at an enA* / At' Bteath diey &eV©jhplifii as an hiseling*«l%&i&day,. aadCgtii.t© tcwp the precious fruits* and mrfsftiveB'tliev gra- cious rew^4jja of their' Lafcot&s.C They 4re «aben\r«leaSil ^rnv^i^burden, of \V*i P 2 their %$ The Character ^^ej^dnefs ^kS$c^^hmen$s^hkm»m)^h toil mid fatigue in our pa«icidarCalU«ig$-, , God faid unto Adam afttohhjs fail* Qm- j £• 19. hthe*Srteatoftlayfatefk<^to \ fat, Brcad,-rTr~ But nowr at JDeath /JBfcr fevers a*e eaiixi off tougher Empfetyv grants, wherein th*y.«*ej;cife themfelves, feeiiig aliagscter &eefronicarc^nApa«K and wearinels. £ Again*, The. Psepfe of God meet i^ttli many difficulties; . and great oppofitien/ in working out their Salvation*y< Stnait is ihe.^tti and narrow is the way mkfcp hadstattocUfe,— Mat f. A& Itis aipcrpiexed, afilidcd, perfeented Way. We muft Agpuikt, as the word !t«Kn-uk. 13. %a. fignif&tn. We Wuft wreftle, figh$ endure hatdncfs*-—v But At Death the Siitttsreftirotn thefe toil- -Ibm Lahouis. \ Rev. 14. 12. Blefftdarc \thedeutdwhivb die in thd Lord,-* that thty (may reft from their hthours;i and their W^rksldafdkm themz V 'j'\ 27 hody of death. In this life they have the jBmains of fin in them, as we have llpard^ They fee a law in their members\ imaxi^irtgagainft phe law of their mind-*~; They ugh.and groan to be wholly ds* Ji ver'd from, the -bondage of Corruption. 3;he. Sins of Believers doiriaihy times difhirb their peace.. Sometimes they ' provoke Gpdhyxheir iniquities to hide His Face fromrhcm,' and to write bitter things againft them. Pfal. 38. 3. 7here is no fpundnefs in my flejh hecaufe of thine anger: neither is there a&y reft in my fonts, becdnfe of my fin. ver. 8. / have roared by teafon of the iifyuhtnefs of my heart. But after Death they will no more complain that their Sins interpofe as a thick xrloud, and hide the light of God's Countenance from them. ™2$o moire ihail they be bowed down heavily Sn- ider the weight of their Sins; but their ' spirits being made perfect in Holinefs, *iiey JhaWbefrift\ttedfaultlefs before the -firefencc offatitsigltry with exceeding joy. J:. While ±8 The Charatler & Bleffednefi While diey'are in this"* World, there'are two contrary Principles in them,jflaiivrng for the mattery. Gal. 5.17. For theflejh . {ufieth againft the fp.it k, -and theffivnt again ft thefiefh— It is impoflible thfifdP fere that they fhould enjoy per feci peace!, while their Souls are the feat of war. But at Death cbe.iOraces of the Spirit obtain a compleat victory over Sin, being perr fected in Glory, v? Now; they complain thatwkemifreywould do good, evil ispnfa fent ; but ..«& Heaven they will $exv# God, con&ut^y without the. lead mo7 ledation fromthisenemy. -And asQuk f&rors they fhall fit down with C&tift oh His Throne, as ho -Overcame* and fat down with.His FathetaaHisTrumey i>t(3J At!.$jk**k the Z&tightjenter ink* &ex&, hHng dditier 'dd' *■* ' » w c \ WOti or —"»——■— I I I I i ,w*n ■ ir , i , i i. ii . 3 o 7£batifm. There are Manfions of Glory prepared for them, and when they are fix'd and fettled in them, they will dwell at eafe, and move no more. There - God's Countenance will behold the Upright with thegreateft complacency, and they fhall rejoyce irt the Lord with an exceeding great Joy. There they fliall have the full Enjoy- ment of the God of Peace, and in His Prefence obtain Fulnefs of Joy, and Pleafures 3^ The Char after & Bleffednefs Pleqfures for ever mere. God the Father , will embrace them in the Arms of His Everlading Love ; God the Son will j dwell with them, and they fhall behold i His Glory ; God the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Glory, fhall red upon them, and fill them with Grace and.Comfort. The Kingdom of God in this World is Righteoufnefs and Peace ; what then fliall the Kingdom of Glory be > Then , they will Red indeed; for all their wants | fliall be fuljy fupplied, their defires ^ perfectly fatisfied, and their Bleffednefs $ confummated. ;In Heaven they will have the cleared Knowlege of God, of His Glorious Perfections, and CounfeLs and Works; particularly, they will have ;j a mod ravifhing view of the mod: won- derful and myderious Work of Re- demption in its Perfection and Accorn- plifhment. Then they will reach the Centre of their wifhes, hopes, and de- i fires,and therefore they will Red. There » wjllbe nothing to hinder them from the \ perfect ^ of the Upright. 3' 7 perfect exercife of their Graces. They will act and enjoy in the mod perfect a manner, all their Powers being exerted | in the Service of God, and being com- pleatly fatisfied in Him. I might go on, and fay, They will then be made Equal to the Angels in Heaven, and meet Companions for thofe Glorified Spirits. 1 hey will then enjoy the Communion of Saints in its full beauty and perfection* At prefent there remain much fin and imperfection in the bed, which is apt J to weaken the Union, and didurb the Peace of the mod holy Societies upon , Earth. But in Heaven all the hindran- ces of Peace will be done away, and the Children of God will be of one Heart, and one Soul. There will be no diffe- rence in opinion, nodidancein affection, their knowlege & love being perfected. There are no mifunderdandings, no ill 1 humours, no envy, no uncharitable jea- loufies among the Saints in Light. " The " Millions of CeledialInhabitants com- " pofe 38 The Charafter & Blefednefs " pofe but one Society, Love mixing in " one Mafs of Light and Glory, all their " Underdandings and Wills. . In a Word, Their Red wilf be Glorious and Everlading. The Church Catholick fhall then be prefented a Glorious Church, and her Glory fliall never fade away. Certainly then the Upright fliall enter into Peace, and enjoy it in the mod comprehenfive fenfe* APPLICATION. USE. I. Shall the Upright .enter into Peace—Learn, that the Upright are Bleffed. Bleffed are the undefiled in the. way, who walk in the law of the. Lord; Pfal. 119. 1. Light is fown for die righ- teous, and gladnefs for the upright in heart. And in a little time they fhall reap the full Harveft. When they fhall eat of the peaceable fruits of righteouf- nefs, and be fatisfied. Let their trou- bles be never fo many in this Life, yet it of the Upright. 39 it fliall be well with them in the Con- ckifion : Ifai. 3. 10. Say ye to the righ- teous that it fhall be well with him : for ' they fhall eat the fruit of their doings. They have their fruit unto holinefs, and therefore their End (hall be Eternal Life. Their Condition mud needs be good and happy, which ends fo well. The Upright are the blefled of the Lord,. and therefore they are bleffed indeed. USE II. Shall the. Upright enter into Peace, ----- Then the Wicked can have no true peace, either in the hour of Death, or after their Diffolution. Con- traries have contrary Confequences. If the Righteous hath hope in his Death ; then the hope of the Hypocrite fhall perifh. Ifai. 48. 22. There is no peace, faith the j Lorh, unto the wicked. When they cry Peace ! Peace ! fudden dedruction fhall come upon them. If their Confciences t awake in this Life, they mud needs be; hke the troubled Sea when it can't red. But fuppofe they fhould doze on in, F * their The Charafter &T Blefftdnefi their Carnal Security ; and there fhould be no bands in their Death, yet after Death they will awake, and lift up their eyes in, Torment. Then diflreis and anguifh fliall feize upon them, and they will be utterly confum'd with terrors. They muftmake their bed in Hell, where the Worm never dies, and the Fire is not quenched. T hey mud lie do wn i n forro w, and awake to fhame and everlading contempt, at the Great Day, when they will call to the Rocks and Mountains to hide them from the Wrath of God and the Lamb, but in vain : For in that ter- rible Day of die Lord they fliall be forc'd to appear before the Judgment Seat of Jcfus Chrid, and be doom'd to fuffer the pains of Eternal Death. O that fe- cure Sinners might be awakened, and be perfwaded by the terrors of the Lord to be reconciled unto Him, and to make their Peace with Him. Confider this, ye that forget God, left he tear yon in pieces, and there be none to deliver. 3- Mer. oj the Upright. 41 3. Infer. That Believers fhouldneverbe weary of well-doing ; nor yet faint under their Sufferings. Shall they enter into Peace, and Reft when they Die ? Sure- ly, they are then drongly oblig'd to work the Works of Him that fent them, while they live. O it becomes them to be not flothful in bufinefs ; fervent infpi- ritferving the Lord ! Seeing that when diey die, they fliall reft from their La- bours? and their Works fhall follow them. O Believer! there is a Glorious and Ex- ternal Reft remains for thee in Heaven ; and wilt thou not be diligent in thy Lord's Bufinefs while upon Earth ? Certainly it is thy Duty and Intered fo to be. Yea furthermore, if God in His Providence fhould call you to fuffer Affliction, it becomes you to bear His Hand with a quiet Submiflion, neither repining nor fainting when rebuked of Him ; For thefe Troubles which are for the prefent not joyous but grievous, fhall yield the peaceable fruits of righte- 42- The Character cj? Blefjednefs oufnefs. By your prefent Sorrows God is doing you good for your latter End, and preparing you for perfect Peace in Heaven. Lift up your heads then, Be- hold ] the time of Refreihment draws nigh. In a little time you will have your Qyietus. In a little time you fliall afcend to the Heavenly Zion with Songs, and Everlading Joy upon your heads ; you fhall obtain joy and gladnefs, and for row andfighing fhall flee away. . Here I might lay that this Confidera- tion affords a refrefliing Cordial to fuch as are Mourning, being bereaved of Pi- ous Relatives. They Sleep in Jefus, and are entred into Peace... O let not this Conflation of God be fmaU with you ! While you fow in Tears, they reap in Joy. Let this then mitigate your Sorrow, affwage your Grief. Weep not forthemy but for your felves : Your Lois is their Gain. 4. // is therefore our duty to mark the Ptrfeft Man, and behold the Upright. Piai. of the Upright. 4* Pfal. 37. 37. Mark the perfeft Man, and behold the Upright : for the end of that Man is peace. We mould obferve Up- * right Men in their holy Walk with God, that we may follow their Faith, conli- dering the end of their Converfation. ' A Perfon of this Character, the Ho- nourable Major-General WINTHROP, was carried to his Sepulchre the lad Week. He was defcended of Honour- able Ancedors, who were famous in their Generation, and their Names ajre defervedly precious in New-England. His Excellent Grand-Father ft was One of thofe. Worthies who left aplea- fant Land, and fair Pofleffions, that they might follow their Lord Jefu:> Chrift t into this part of the New World, when it was an howling Wildernefs ; and enjoy Communion with Him in the purity of His Ordinances. He was a * principal Founder of this Town, and of -j- The Honourable JOHN WINTHROP Efq; this 44 The Charatler & Bleffednefi this Province, where he was for mrny Years Elected Governour, and Died while inveded with that Authority. His Honourable Father || was for fe- f vera! Years an Aftidant of this Colony, and afterwards the Governour of Con- necticut, for whom He procured the Charter under which They now enjoy their Precious and Valuable Privileges. Sed Gems, & Proavos, & qua, non fecimus ipfi: Pbc ea nofira voco------. i This Honourable Perfon was Him- felf a Friend and Father to his Country, and had the Religion and Liberties of New-England much at heart, being a Lover of Truth and Juft'ce. He was a skilful Phyfician, and ge- neroufly gave, not only his Advice, hut alio his Medicines for the healing of the Sick, which by the Bleding of , i) The Honourable JOHN WINTHROP Efq; God, of the Upright. 4^ God, were made fucceisful for the Re- covery of many. He was well skill'd in Philofophy. : But above all, we have good reafon to believe that he had learnt CHRIST, and that he now Sleeps in JESUS. It is an honour to Bofton, that it was the Place of his Nativity. By this repeated and awful Bereave- ment there is a great Gap made in our Hedge. May the Repairer of our Breaches raife up and qualify fuch from time to tims as fliall make up our Hedge, and Hand in the Gap. I cannot here forbear to mention that Aged Handmaid * of the Lord, who departed this Life the lafi Week. She was a genuine Daughter of Sarah, 2nd hath left us an excellent Example I of pure pnd undefifd Religion. j ■ » ..... " > —• * Mri. H.mnah Akylen. Our Grief hath fince been renewed by the Death of her Son-in Law, Mr. William Tilley, a Perfon truly Valuable for his Piety and Ufefulnefs. S. Let 4^> The Charafter & Bleffednefs 5. Let us all be Exhorted to Walk in Uprightnefs before the Lord : Let us di- ligently improve ^His Providences and,^ Ordinances ; particularly the Lotd s Sup- per, to prepare us for this Reft, and to give us the Affurance of it. The Pro- vidence of God hath been very obfcr- vable in the many great Breaches which He hath made upon this Church of late, especially fince our lad Communion. And His Voice to us now is, Be ye ready alfo. O let it not be faid that God ftretched out His Hand, and we ( did not regard it. But let us now be awakened to fearch and try our ways, and to return unto the Lord. In a particular manner, Let us draw nigh to this Holy Ordinance of the Supper, with reverence and godly fear ; And labour fo to fhew forth our Lords Death, that we may be prepared for our own. This Ordinance is ^f excel- lent ufe for this end. O that we may be enabled to improve it in • a right manner ! . of the Upright. 47 manner T Here we have Jefus Chrifi Evidently fet forth Crucified, before our 1 Eyesj and may by Faith behold out » Victorious Redeemer, thro' Death, de- ltrOying him that had the power of l)eath.v Gome then, and fee the Saj- vation of God 5 that you may be able td fay With Simeon, Nowletteft thou thy Servant depart in peace ; For mine Eyes have" feen Thy Salvation. Come, Be- hold yoiir^ Saviour Who Liveth, afid \\was Dead, and behold Hse is Alive fdr- \ever wore, and hath-the geys of Hell k»d of Qeathx : Come to this Table, 'Arid by Faidi eat that Bread which came t down from Heaven, that ycu •tfiay live fot ever, ; Come, and take this Cup which "exhibits a Soveraign Antidote againd the Sting of Death, afid" a rich-Cordial to cljear and refrefh your Spirits in tie Approaches of that King of Terrors. For the true and ^faithful Witnefs teftifyeth ,• Jch. 6. 5-4. XVhofo eateih hy^Plefh, and drinketh G mv .••. .». .% • • • J & 48 The Char after & Blefjednefs &c , wy J5/W, £<*/& Eternal Life, and I will raife him up at thelaft Day. Here are the Bread and Waters of Life. And the #■ Mader of the Fead bids us Welcome t and fays, Eat 0 Friends ! yea drink a- N bundantly, 0 Beloved! God doth here prepare a Table before His People* and their Cup runneth over, and they majr fing, 7 he Lord is my Shepherd, I fhall not want-----yea, tho' I walk thro the Valley of the fhadow of Death, I wij! fear no evil: for Thou art with me — But then we mud look to it, that W3 f come inUprightnefs, and keep the Feafji, not with old leaven----; but with rhe ; Unleavened bread of Sincerity & Trutfy.' Then by this Supper we fhall be pre- pared to fit down at the Marriage-Sup- per of the Lamb, and to drink Ne\v , Wine with our Glorified Redeemer iji' His Fathers Kingdom. ggaaggaa —MUSHM—MBBB tfifr-g