When a compounded thing comes to be dissolved, every part returns to its first principle: thus, when man dies, his body returns to dust, from whence it is taken, and the soul returns to God that gave it. As the bird, when its cage is broken, flies away into the air, to seek its liberty and pleasure; thus when this body is broken to pieces by death, the soul flies above the heavens, where it meets with rest and happiness: or, as it is when the net is torn, the fish falls into the water, where it lives, and enjoys all its delights; so when death comes to break the strings of this wretched body, the soul enters into the river of living water, and into an ocean of heavenly delights: finally, as the death of our Saviour Christ rent in pieces the veil of the earthly sanctuary, and discovered all its wonderful mysteries; thus the death of a believer rends the veil of this infirm and sinful flesh, and gives us a sight of the rich treasuries and magnificent excellencies of the heavenly sanctuary. You Christians, whom God calls to his glorious rest, who may express the greatness of your future happiness? It is impossible to form a right idea of it. When your whole lives should have been nothing else but a continuation of misery, and a chain of calamities; you have now just cause to comfort yourselves, and rejoice in God with unspeakable joy. For when all things are reckoned up, "the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." You can lose nothing in this life, but God will restore it to you an hundred times more in his kingdom; besides, there is no comparison between the advantages of the life to come, and of this mortal state or being. Grieve not, believing souls, to forsake an earth overspread with darkness, full of misery, and all infected with sin, since thy God purposeth to receive thee into new heavens, all enlightened with a divine light, and enriched with endless felicities, where righteousness and holiness sit upon the throne. Grieve not for thy separation from the most pious and regenerated societies, since thou art to be ad

mitted into the companies of the glorified saints, and blessed martyrs, who have washed and whitened their garments in the sacred blood of the Lamb; since thou art from henceforth to be reckoned in the number, and of the society, of the angels of light, and of the glorious cherubims. Fret not to leave behind thee the holy congregations of the militant church, for thou art going apace to the glorious congregation of the church triumphing; and in a few moments thou shalt find thyself amongst the thousands of angels and saints, that worship God day and night, and adore him who lives for If God has bestowed upon thee worldly riches, leave them without regret or displeasure; for thou art going to possess inestimable treasures, which shall never be taken from thee. If thou art advanced to worldly honours, cast off thy purple and scarlet willingly of thine own accord; for God will shortly clothe thee with an inconceivable glory, that shall never change. When thou shouldest be raised up to the highest and most splendid dignities, when thou shouldest enjoy a great, a flourishing kingdom, come down from thy throne with joy, and let fall thy sceptre, and thy crown; for God calls thee to sit upon a throne that can never be shaken, to an incorruptible crown, and to endless triumphs.

Can there be any town so rich, so great and noble, that thou mayest justly grieve to forsake it, at that time when God intends to make thee a citizen with the glorified saints of the Jerusalem above; where neither crying nor labour, neither fear nor grief, neither poverty nor want, shall ever come near thee; where all the inhabitants are kings, and possess inestimable riches? Is there any dwelling so beautiful and magnificent that should cause thee to depart out of it with sorrow? For God will lead thee into his own palace, all built with fine gold, and precious stones, where he himself is the light, and the Lamb is the sun. Art thou delighted in the enjoyment of some pleasant inheritance here on earth?

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Then consider, that all the inheritances of the earth are nothing in comparison of that incorruptible inheritance which God keeps for thee in heaven, and hath prepared since the creation of the world. Hast thou a pleasant garden, or a rich field? But what are all the gardens of the world, in respect of the heavenly paradise, where the tree of life grows, that brings forth its fruits every month of the year, and where the river of living water, as transparent as crystal, runs continually?

What reason hast thou, christian soul, to grieve, when thou forsakest the pleasures of the world, that thou enjoyest with the children of the earth, or the delights of the body, which are common to thee with the brute beasts; since God will satisfy thee with his most precious delights? For in the blessed vision of his face, thou shalt meet with fulness of joy, Hast thou any friends on earth? Let it not trouble thee to leave them; for, instead of one friend here below, whom thou fanciest to be real and sincere, thou hast thousands in heaven, who will receive thee into the eternal mansions, and embrace thee as their companion, and the partaker of the same glory and happiness. Hast thou any parents or relations? I suppose they are not burthensome to thee, and that thou receivest much more pleasure and assistance from them, than grief and ingratitude; yet thou hast a spiritual parentage in heaven, and eternal relations. Thou hast in the mansionhouse of thy heavenly Father, a great number of brothers. and sisters, with whom thou shalt live in a blessed unity, as members of one body, governed by the same spirit, and inflamed with the same zeal.

Thou husband, whom Death snatcheth away from thy beloved wife, seriously consider, that God will unite thee to himself by an inseparable union, and that he purposeth to take up to him some part of thyself, that thy expectations, thy hopes, and affections, might be now in heaven. And 10% 3 C thou

thou also, O woman! whom Death plucks out of the embraces of thy dear and loving husband, remember that thou hast a Husband also in heaven, who hath espoused thee to himself for ever in righteousness, in mercy, and compassion; a Husband always living and glorious; a Husband, who loves thee with an eternal love that is stronger than death; whose affections are 'inflamed for thee in such a manner, that the water of all the seas and rivers is not able to extinguish ; a Husband, who bears with all thine infirmities, and hath redeemed thee from all thy sins; a Husband, who hath not spared for thee his precious blood, that he might procure for thee the glory and happiness of his kingdom; who invites thee to his heavenly nuptials, having prepared and appointed for thee a room in the banqueting-chamber, where thousands of glorified saints shall sit, and there the melodious harmony of angels shall be heard; a Husband, who calls to thee, reacheth out to thee his hand, who opens his bosom to receive thee. If thou hast found any satisfaction and pleasure in the company of that person, whom God hath given thee for an assistant and mate, judge from thence, what angelical delights thou shalt meet with in the ravishing embraces of thy heavenly Spouse. The most pleasant marriage days are gone as a shadow; but the day, which shall bring thee to the celestial Bridegroom, shall never depart nor darken, and the heavenly contentments shall abide and continue with thee for ever, without the least distate.

You beloved and loving children, who are yet in the bosom of a good father, or of a tender-hearted mother, suffer death patiently to remove you far from them, and depart with joy to that good God, that will receive you as his children,satisfy your souls with the milk of his most blessed consolations, and will make you his heirs, and co-heirs with his Son Jesus Christ; say to him as the holy prophet," When my father and my mother shall forsake me, yet the Lord will receive me," Isa.

lxvi. Rom. viii. Psal. xxviii. And you, fathers and mothers, that have a tender affection for your children, if death takes them out of your sight, and deprives you of the comfort of their company, grieve not as those who have no hope. For when they should be ever so accomplished, when they should always have given you pleasure and divertisement, what are all these pitiful delights that pass away in a moment, and change oftentimes into bitterness and sorrow, if compared with the eternal pleasures which we shall enjoy in the con templation of God's glorious face, and in a familiar acquaintance with his divine wisdom? You shall not return to them, but they shall in their time go to you. So that you shall shortly see one another in the dwelling of the Father of spirits, Matt. xxvii. Death separates you for awhile; but the Author of your life will bring you together for ever.

Finally, of what age and condition soever you be, if you perceive the breath of your life to stop, never grieve nor murmur at it. For if death separates you from yourselves, it brings you nearer to God, your chief good; and, instead of a wretched and perishing life, it will promote you to the fruition of an eternal and ever happy one.

If we had lived in the days when our Lord was on earth, there is none of us but would have looked upon it as a singular happiness and honour to have been admitted with Peter, James, and John, when they went up to the mount Tabor, to be eye-witnesses of our Saviour's transfiguration. A far greater honour and happiness Death is endeavouring to procure you; it will usher you up to Mount Sion, it will transport you above the heavens, where you shall behold more excellent wonders than ever the apostles beheld upon Mount Tabor. For you shall not only see this glorious Saviour whiter than snow, and brighter than the sun, but you yourselves shall be transfigured with him, and clothed with an

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