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called out of the world. This is carried in the very notion of the church, it consists of a people called out of the world. And that call is not finished till we are quite out; but we must be out in the inclination of our minds; to be gone from this world, that we may be with the Lord. And as to the positive part of the Gospel call, the final term of it is the eternal glory. The God of all grace has called us to his own eternal glory by Jesus Christ, 1 Pet. v. 10.

4. This is most suitable unto the aim and tendency of the new creature, which is indeed the effect of the Gospel call; wheresoever it comes to be effectual calling, the new creature is the product. This is the genius of the new creature, to aspire upwards. They that have received the first-fruits of the Spirit groan within themselves; groan as under a pressure, or burden; to be loosened from this world, from this earth, and from these bodies; and to partake in the glory of the sons of God, manifested in the proper season of their manifestation, Rom. viii. 19. compared with the 23rd. And as they, that in the work of the new creation are what they are, new creatures as being born from heaven; so they are born for it. Except a man be born avlev, from above, he cannot enter into nor see the kingdom of God, John iii. 3, 5. He is born for this heavenly state, when he is regenerate, when he is made a new creature, that he may be capable of entering into this kingdom. And, 1 Pet. i. 3. Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has begotten us again to a lively hope, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for us. There are principles inlaid in the work of the new creature, which dispose the soul God-ward, and heaven-ward. Hereby they are made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light, as that in Col. i. 12. And to suppose that there should be a new creature without such a disposition as this, is to suppose the new creature to be the most unnatural creature under heaven. It must have dispositions in it suitable to its nature, and to that state that it is designed ultimately for; as every other creature is suited to the place and state it is to hold in the creation of God.

3. We may infer hence, that holiness, wherever it comes to have place, does comprehend and include in it divine wisdom, so as to make persons capable of judging right, or making a true estimate of things, which are more valuable, and which are less. Till the sanctifying work of God's Spirit take place in the minds and hearts of men, they judge like fools; they say a portion here on earth is better, let us dwell always amidst the darkness and death of this lower world, and let them be with Christ that will. But says a gracious spirit, to be with Christ is far better, incomparably, beyond all comparison better, and therefore let us depart, and be with him, as to any interest and concern of ours. And this being so, it is of the greatest consequence to us imaginable, for all of us to endeavour to get this temper of spirit made habitual to ourselves; for it is a thing of dreadful importance, to find the temper of my mind and soul differ from that of all good Christians that ever were, or ever shall be. It is one thing indeed, to be willing to have the height of our happiness deferred for common good; but it is quite another thing, to desire to stay here, because I love this world better, and when the practical judgment of our souls is, I had rather be here; when not any concern for the interest of Christ, or design of doing him service here, does reconcile me to an earthly state; but my own temper and spirit is such, that I cannot endure the thoughts of a remove. And let me insist here a little. When the best are continually going; and though the worst do not go the same way, they are going hence too, departing from hence; not to be willing to follow! To have a desire running counter to the stream and course of nature, in all, and the current of grace in the best, is very unaccountable; and wherein we should by no means tolerate ourselves. An irrational desire of what But then as to what is more peculiar to ministers, they we see to be impossible; a desire that fights against neceshave more reason than others for this temper and disposi-sity, which will be too hard for us, and will overcome at tion of spirit, both as they know more, generally, of the last, as to the term from which, an abode here; and an difficulties of the world, and should be supposed to know unholy desire, in respect of the term to which, viz. not to more of the state of the other world, than the generality of be with Christ; such a desire we should no more endure other men do. Their toil, and labour, and travail, while in ourselves, than fire in our bosoms. To have such an they are here in this world, is like to be more: read at excellent person gone from amongst us, as is lately gone; leisure 1 Cor. iv. 9-13. with 2 Cor. vi. 4, 5. They have but to have no disposition to follow! You loved him many more uncomfortable things to exercise them; espe- well, and you loved to hear him preach of heaven, but you cially the small success of their labours, that they often cannot endure the thoughts of going where he is gone! Is do but sow the wind, and sometimes reap the whirlwind, this well? The world is dying, and you would live! Miser and may be glad to depart on this account. And it is to est quicumque non vult mundo secum moriente mori, Sen. be supposed too, that they should know more of the other Trag. What a wretched miscreant is he, that would be world; for they are more obliged to be daily conversant an exception from all mankind! and cannot be content there; their constant business has a steady direct tendency to die, when the whole world is dying with him! And for thitherward: and therefore as this cannot but be the tem- Christians united with Christ, they are such in whose per of serious Christians, it is to be much more so of the hearts there is a rooted propension towards him, so as to faithful ministers of Christ. covet his presence above all things, Rev. xxii. The Spirit and the bride say, Come, come, Lord Jesus; either come and take us to thee, or come and manifest thyself to us. Consider then, how absolutely necessary it is, if there be this terrene temper of spirit, to get it changed. For,

And therefore to draw to a conclusion, and shut up all with some use, we may,

(1.) While it remains, it countermines the sum of religion. All Christianity runs counter, in the whole design of it, to this temper of spirit, for it terminates on the other world. But when all our thoughts and designs terminate on this world, what a dismal thing is it! to have a temper and disposition in me, wholly repugnant to the design of the Christian religion, which is but to draw people off from this world, and to fit them for another.

1. Infer from it, the greatness of that capacity which belongs to an intelligent immortal spirit, that it is capable of such a state, as being glorified with the Lord Jesus Christ in that high exaltation of his; 'tis a state, whereof the human spirit is capable. It is indeed very unapt, very indisposed, till the regenerating work take place, till the Divine Spirit have moulded it to that state; but then, in the mean time, there is a capacity, a ground-work, upon which the Divine Spirit does operate, by enlightening the mind, and enlarging the will, and refining and defecating the affections, and implanting celestial principles, that do all dispose it heaven-ward. But in the mean time, it is a useful reflection for every intelligent spirit, that inhabits mortal flesh, to consider, what do I here? While it is my lot to be yet inhabiting this flesh, am I only to mind the things of the flesh? I am capable of an abode above, with the blessed glorious Lord of all; with him my greater con-hearts do not consent, we cannot go but as we are torn up cernments do now lie, Col. iii. 1, 2. And,

2. It further lets us see the wonderful love of God in

(2.) It will infer, in the next place, that whenever any die, they must die just after the same manner that wicked men do, a violent death; be torn away from their earthly station. He shall pluck him out of his dwelling-place, and root him out of the land of the living, as the Psalmist speaks, Psalm lii. 5. This is dying a violent death; our

by the roots, and plucked out of our dwelling-places. This is quite another thing from that, Now lettest thou thy ser

vant depart in peace; and this desiring to be dissolved, I tell you what, or how black, that day was. And then, and to be with Christ. And it signifies,

though he was constrained to desert his station, he did not desert his Master's work; but still he was with God, and God was with him; and you know it, I doubt not, many of you, what it was to live under so truly evangelical a minister; to have doctrine from time to time distilling as the dew, and dropping upon you, such, as from which you might perceive how great was his acquaintance with the mysteries of Christ: in reference to those, over whom he had opportunity to watch, it was undoubtedly, if it were not their great fault, their very great advantage.

As to his domestic relations, knowing so much of him, I cannot but so much the more lament their loss: God will, I doubt not, be the bereaved widow's portion; but it ought with tenderness to be considered, what it was for one person to lose successively two such helps, as this and her former husband were, (who was also in another university, my former and most inward friend, that worthy man Mr. Thomas Wadsworth,) both eminent instruments in the church of Christ. And this has been more eminently remarkable concerning him that is lately gone, that the relations of the family, to whom he was not naturally related, the branches from another root, yet had that apprehension of his love and care of them, and of their own loss, as to desire this public testimony might from them remain of him, that he was to them as tender a father, as if he had been a natural one: such fathers-in-law are seldom known, and therefore it ought to be mentioned, as that which may signify somewhat towards the embalming of his memory among you. Graces, when diffused, give their pleasant relishes to all that any way partake of them.

(3.) Our not yet having taken God for our God; for our taking him to be our God, and to be our best good, is the same thing. If God be not our best good, he is not our God: and can we choose to be willing to be at an eternal distance from our best good? It must signify, that the love of God has no place in us, sincere love, true love to Christ, for it is never true, if it be not supreme. But it is the greatest absurdity imaginable, that I should supremely love one, that I desire never to be with, or enjoy. I shall only add, with reference to the sad occasion that lies in view before us, that what instances we meet with of this kind, should leave their several correspondent effects and impressions upon our spirits, partly of lamentation, and partly of imitation, and partly of peaceful submission and satisfaction in the issue, however grievous it be to us. 1. Of Lamentation. It is a much to be lamented thing, when such go, as that reverend and worthy person that is lately gone from amongst you. For this temper of spirit being supposed, by how much the more there was of the conjunct disposition to have been content to have staid longer for public good; this speaks so much the more of an excellent spirit: when desires are so fervent after the purity and perfection of the heavenly state, that nothing but sincere devotedness to the interest of God in Christ, could make them patient of longer abode on earth. 'Tis a respect to God that either draws, or detains them, nothing but what is divine inclines them either way: either the enjoyment of God above or his further service here below. That is an excellent spirit that lies under such influences. And the higher was the excellency of such a man, the What follows was delivered in writing into my hands greater is the loss of him. The more he desired heaven, to be inserted, by a dear relation of his.-His humility and within such limits, the greater was his value, and with so self-denial were eminently conspicuous in his taking upon much the brighter lustre he shone on earth. There is much him the care and charge of so small and poor a people, of God conspicuous in such a man. And it was not a and continuing with them to the damage of his own eslittle of him that was observable in this worthy person. tate, though he had considerable offers elsewhere. His Such a course as his was, that even course, that peaceful meekness, as it was very visible in all his conversation, it course, wherein was so eminent devotedness to God, and was singularly showed in his bearing and passing by slights benignity towards man, showed his spirit was touched by and affronts, even from those he had very much obliged, the one, for the other. It could not be, but by influence taking off the resentments that his friends had of the infrom heaven, that he so steadily tended thitherward him-juries of that kind put upon him, by abasing himself, sayself, and was only willing to stay so long out of it, that he ing, I am an unworthy creature, I deserve no better. His might invite and draw on as many as he could with him candour every one was certainly made sensible of, who thither. Hereby he appeared so much the more attem- should offer to speak any thing reflectingly about any perpered to the heavenly state, and that world where divine son behind their backs, for he was sure to vindicate or lelove governs, making a man by how much the more nify in this case, as far as he could. strongly he was attracted himself by it, so much the more desirous to attract others. It is what such a one has about him of God on earth, that makes him a desirable thing to us here; it is not what men have of the earthly spirit, but what they have of the Divine Spirit, that makes them useful, both by their labours and examples, to this world of ours; as was this eminent servant of Christ. It is a great thing, to have one pass so long continued course as his was, with so equal a temper. It is like I may have known him longer than many or most of you that were not related.

About fifty years I remember his course, and our conversation was not casual or at a distance, as that of mere colleagues, chosen by others, but as friends inward, and chosen by ourselves. Many a day we have prayed together; conferred and taken sweet counsel together; when he was at once an example and ornament to his college, where he lived respected and beloved of all, but of them most, who most knew him: that constant serenity, and equality of mind, that seriousness, that humility, wherein he excelled, rendered him amiable to observers; and therewith that industry and diligence that he used in his younger days, by which he laid up that great stock of learning and useful knowledge, that made him (when Providence called him to the city) a well-instructed scribe, capable and apt to bring out of his treasury things new and old, whereof there is and will be a long extant proof in his judicious and dilucid expositions of the epistles to the Philippians and the Colossians, which was the part he bore in the supplement to that most useful work, the English Annotations on the Bible, by the Reverend Mr. Matthew Pool. In the great city he shone a bright and burning light, till many such lights were in one dav put under a bushel. I need not

When labours, weakness, and age had worked out his strength of body, there was never any thing appeared so manifestly to trouble him, as being necessitated to desist from constant preaching. And notwithstanding all temporal discouragements he met with in the course of his ministry, his mind, to the very last, was to have both his sons brought up to it. During the short time of his last illness, when his head appeared somewhat disordered in other things, by the pains that were upon him, it was observable, that he always showed himself sensible in hearing or discoursing about any thing religious; being among other things discoursed with by his brother about the discharge of his ministry, he answered, he hoped he had endeavoured to serve God faithfully, and sincerely, though he had been an unprofitable servant. About five hours before his death, he said, God is my portion; and desired those about him to join with him in prayer, wherein he expressed himself very suitably to his case as a dying man, concluding thus: "Grant that when this earthly tabernacle is dissolved, I may be taken to those mansions not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."

As his life was calm and serene, so was his dying, for though throughout his sickness he was all along apprehensive of approaching death, there was no ruffle upon his spirit, of which he himself then gave this account, `" I know in whom I have believed."

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2. Of Imitation. And as such strokes, when they come, ought to be lamented, they that by such strokes are taken away, ought to be imitated. The example remains; you have the idea left; you know how such a one lived, how he walked, how he conversed with his family, how he conversed with you as he had occasion: that excellent spirit he discovered in all, how much of an imitable example has

it given to all those that are capable of imitating and re-fit; yet this could not but be his habitual sense, to desire ceiving instruction that way? to depart, and to be with him, which was far better. And if Christ be pleased, and he be pleased, why should we be displeased?

3. Of Satisfaction. But it ought also to have the effect of satisfaction in the divine pleasure. When such a blow as this comes, do not repine, peacefully submit, though it This was the will of Christ, declared by his word, as to carry smartness and severity with it. You ought to feel it, the thing, John xvii. 24. Father, I will, that those that but yet notwithstanding to receive it with submissive si- thou hast given me, be with me where I am, to behold my lence, to be dumb, and not open your mouths, remember- glory. And declared by the event as to the time. And ing who hath done it, and that it is the disposal of wisdom his will, both because it was Christ's, and because it was that cannot err, as well as of power that cannot be re- best. Who are we that we should oppose our will to so sisted, and of kindness and goodness that has its grateful-kind a will on Christ's part, and so well-pleased a will on ness to this departed servant of his. For consider, that his part? or that a dissatisfaction should remain with us, notwithstanding his willingness to have stayed longer, if as to what there is with Christ, and him, so entire satishis Lord, whose he was, and whom he served, had thought faction?

A FUNERAL SERMON,

FOR THAT EXCELLENT MINISTER OF CHRIST, THE TRULY

REV. WILLIAM BATES, D. D.

WHO DECEASED JULY 14TH, 1699.

TO THE

RIGHT NOBLE WILLIAM, DUKE AND EARL OF BEDFORD; MARQUIS OF TAVISTOCK, LORD RUSSEL, BARON RUSSEL OF THORNHAUGH,

LORD LIEUTENANT OF THE COUNTIES OF MIDDLESEX, BEDFORD, AND CAMBRIDGE; KNIGHT OF THE MOST NOBLE ORDER OF THE GARTER, AND ONE OF HIS MAJESTY'S MOST HONOURABLE PRIVY COUNCIL.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR GRACE,

THE peculiar and just respect which your grace has long had for the worthy person, whose much lamented decease occasioned the following discourse, easily induced me to believe, it would not offend your Grace, that your illustrious name is prefixed to it. As it also was the sense of his mournful relict, that it could be no less than your Grace's right, such a memorial should be extant, of the favourable aspects wherewith you have been pleased to honour this her so dear relative. Nor can it be suitable to the noble amplitude of your truly great mind, that it should be told the world you knew how to value true worth, wheresoever you found it. Not confining your respects to any party; or distinguishing men by any, when especially the parties themselves are distinguished by marks, which they who wear them count indifferent, and which, therefore, must be understood to make men neither better nor worse. And if they who wear them not, count otherwise, though they should be mistaken in their judgment, after their having endeavoured to the uttermost, to be rightly informed; their sincerity, accompanied, and evidenced, by great self-denial, must in the account of so equal and candid a judge, as your Grace, far outweigh so light a mistake, in so small matters. Such differences will be easily tolerable, where there is that mutual charity, as neither to think a different judgment to be bribed with dignities, and emoluments, on the one hand; nor to be perverted by humour, and affectation of singularity, on the other. The reverend Doctor's great candour, and moderation, in reference to the things wherein he hath been constrained to differ from many excellent persons; and his remoteness from any disposition to censure them from whom he differed, have been these many years conspicuous to all that knew him. The apprehension having been deeply inwrought into the temper of his mind, that the things wherein only it could be possible for truly good men to differ, must be but trifles, in comparison of the much greater things, wherein it was impossible for them not to agree. And Ino way doubt, but the things for which your Grace most deservedly valued this excellent person, were such as have in them an inherent and immutable goodness; not varying with times, or the changeable posture of secular affairs; but which must be the same in all times. Nor appropriate to persons of this or that denomination, but that may be common to persons sincerely good, of any denomination whatsoever. Whereupon the testimony your Grace hath from time to time given of your value of him, on such an account, must have redounded to yourself; have reflected true honour on your own name; shown your discerning judgment of persons and things; and entitled you to his prayers; which, I hope, have been available to the drawing down of blessings on yourself and your noble family.

Unto whose must his prayers also be added, for the same purposes; who is with greatest sincerity, and under many obligations Your Grace's most obedient, and most humble servant, JOHN HOWE.

Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow-restitution were quite laid aside. All their hopes were disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.