Couch, which is to receive all the Sons of Adam. When the Sacred Hiftory gives an Account of the Kings of Judah, and of Ifrael,it adds at the End of their Life, He flept with his Fathers. Let us never be fo wretched, poor and miferable, we shall be entertain'd in this Dwelling of Kings, and lay our felves down upon their Beds: Therefore when Job, through the Grievousness of his Pain complain'd, because he had not died immediately after his Birth, he faith, For now Should I have lain ftill and been quiet, I should have flept, then bad I been at reft, with Kings and Counsellors of the Earth, which built defolate Places for themselves, or with Princes that bad Gold, who filled their Houfes with Silver.

'Tis in this House, and upon this Couch that the Patriarchs, Prophets, Apoftles, Evangelifts, Martyrs, and generally all the Faithful reft, who have lived in all the Ages of the World; as 'tis recorded of St. Stephen, that when he had commended his Soul into the Hands of the Lord Jefus, that he fell asleep, Acts 7. Therefore when St. Paul reproves the Corinthians, and acquaints them that God had punished them with divers Difeafes, and Death, because they had prophan'd the Lord's-Supper, he tells them, For this caufe many are feeble and fick amongst you, and many fleep. And when he fpeaks of all thofe that were dead in the Profeffion of Chrift's Religion, he faith, they fleep in Jefus, and he names them, they that fleep. Now we are not better and nobler than the Saints of Paradife, to expect that our Bodies fhould receive a better and more favou rable Entertainment than they.

In fhort, there is nothing more able to remove from our Fancy that Horror of our Graves,than the Confideration of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, who is entred into the Earth as well as other Men, and hath laid himself down there. He hath fanctified and perfum'd that Place with his Divine Prefence, and hath made it the Object of our Defires, and the Cause of our Glory. For there is no Subject but thinks it an Honour to lodge in his Prince's Chamber, and to lie

down

down and sleep upon the Bed where he hath taken his Reft, tho' he hath remained there but a Moment, or an Hour. O bleffed Tomb, where Death and Life, Difgrace and Glory are lodged together, and where the Prince of Life, the Author of all Honour and Happiness rested himself.

Chriftians, who defire to banish from your Souls all Fears of Death, and Apprehenfions of your Graves, look upon your Sepulchres in the fame manner as if you fhould fee there Jefus Chrift the King of Glory, the Prince of your Salvation yet remaining afleep. When Old Jacob heard the mistaken News of the Death of his Son Jofeph, he was overcome with a violent Grief, fo that he cried out, I fhall go down with Sorrow to my Son into the Grave. But the certain News of the Death and Burial of our true Jofeph, will fill us full of unfpeakable Comforts, and will caufe us to speak in another manner, I fhall go down to my Father into the Sepulchre with Joy. The Prophet Elijah raised to Lifea Child which was laid in his Chamber upon his Bed when he stretched himself upon it, the Soul that was departed came again. And Elisha raised another in the fame manner, by applying his Mouth to the Child's, his Hands and Eyes to the little Infant's. But, believing Soul, God works for thee in this occafion, a far more wonderful Miracle, for our Refurrection and Life, proceed from the Death and Burial of our great Prophet. If we go into this Holy Tomb, if we lay our felves down upon this precious Body, if we embrace it with a true and lively Faith, and a ferious Repentance, he will quicken us again, and caufe us to be come Immortal, for he hath been pleased to enter into the State of the Dead, with an intent to procure us a Bleffing, and a glorious Immortality.

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A Prayer and Meditation for a Chriftian, who ftrengthens himself against the frightful Aspect of the Grave, by looking upon our Lord Jefus Chrift laid in his Tomb.

Wonderful Mediator between God and Man! Thos art God Immortal, and yet baft vouchsafed to take upon thee our Mortal Nature, and to die for me miferable Sinner, and to remain for a time in the State of the Dead, that thou might'ft procure to me a bleed Immortality. Give me Grace to meditate as I ought, upon thy Sacred Body,wrapped up in a Winding-fheet, and laid in the Earth. For by this means, O fweet Jefus, I shall be reconciled to the fight of the Grave, I shall look with a ftedfaft and fettled Counte nance on the Pit, into which I must enter, when thou shalt appoint it. For the Servant is not greater than his Mafter. It belongs not to the Creature to prefer it felf above the Creator. Since I expect to share thy Glory and Exaltation, 'tis but just and reasonable that I take fome part in thy Disgraces and Abafement. My Reason, affifted by thine Holy Spirit, teacheth me, that I must be content to be wrapped up in thy Darkness, and remain with thee in the Valley of the fhadow of Death, fince I hope to be cloathed one day with Light, and crowned with an eternal Life. I must not only look upon the Grave without Fear, but I shall confider it with Joy, in regard thou hast bonour'd it with thine Holy Prefence, and perfum'd it with thy Divine and Celeftial Odour. I shall look upon it, as if thou didst yet lie down in it, as if I were to keep thee company there, my Lord, and my God. A dead Man return'd to Life again, when he did but touch the Bones of thy Prophet; but I do not only touch the Prince of Prophets, but embrace thee by Faith, as thou art dead for my Sins, and as refting in thy Grave for my Salvation. Thou fhalt therefore make me fenfible of thy Divine Vertue, put in me the Seeds of Immortality, and raife my Hopes up to Heaven. My Soul bath already a fhare in the first Refurrection, and one Day this infirm Body fhall return to newness of Life.

If my Refurrection be not fo quick and Speedy,as that of the Dead railed to Life by the Prophet, it fhall be far more glorious and lafting, that I may bless thee with all thy Saints, and praife thee for ever, with thine Inheritance in Heaven. Amen.

CHAP. XVII.

The Fifth Confolation against the Fears of Death, is to Meditate upon the Resurrection of our Lord Jefus Chrift.

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S there is nothing more grievous and unfufferable than to behold a proud and insulting Enemy, who is always Victorious, and whom none can overcome in his infolent and braving Humour ; likewise there is nothing more pleasant and comfortable, than to fee fuch a Pride caft down, and to triumph over fuch an Enemy. Therefore the Children of Ifrael, who had long groaned under the cruel Tyranny of Pharaoh, fung with Joy a Song of Thanksgiving, when God deftroyed that wretched, Tyrant, and buried him and his Army in the Waves of the Red-Sea. For this caufe, when the Red Dragon, the ancient Serpent, called the Devil and Satan, Rev. 20. 2. who feduceth whole nations, was overcome, and caft down from Heaven to the Earth; there were Songs of Joy and Gladness heard in Heaven, Revel. 12. Now is come Salvation and Strength, and the Kingdom of our God, and the Power of his Chrift; for the Accufer of our Brethren is caft down, which accufed them before our God day and night; therefore rejoyce ye Heavens, and ye that dwell in them.

From hence let us conclude, Chriftian Souls, as it was a grievous Affliction, and a fenfible Grief, to behold Death tyrannizing over all the World, and fhutting

fhutting up in its Dungeons, Kings and Monarchs, Patriarchs, Prophets, Apoftles and Martyrs,and generally all the Children of Adam, of what Condition or Degree foever; likewife 'tis a great Comfort, and unfpeakable Joy to us, to behold this cruel and proud Enemy brought down, overcome and difarmed, to fee our Lord Jefus Chrift marching out of Death's Fortifications, loaden with its Spoils; rejoyce therefore ye Heavens, and ye that dwell in them, for the Murderer of our Brethren is fwallowed up into Victory.

We who are the Members of this great Conqueror, have a share in this Honour and Glory; in his Perfon we are Conquerors of Death, fo that we may fay with the Apostle, That God hath quickned us together, andra ifed us up with him.

This Prince of Life, hath not only loofned all the Bands of Death, and broken to pieces all its Chains, but he hath led away Death in Triumph, and made it fubject to his Celestial Empire. He hath an abfolute Power over Death, as he himself declares in these words, I am be that liveth, and was dead; and behold I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the Keys of Hell and of

Death.

For it ftands with Reason, that if this invincible Lord, when he was in the Prison of Death, commanded over Death it felf; if he broke in pieces its Iron Bars, and its Brazen Gates; if he caufed the Dead to go out, and led them into the Holy City; now that he is out of the Grave a victorious Conqueror, he muft needs command, with an uncontroulable Power this dreadful Enemy which he hath already overcome, and brought under by His Almighty Hand.

O Death! fret and foam out thy Rage and Fury, I fee that thou art tied as a Prifoner, to the Triumphing Chariot of Jefus Chrift my Saviour; and I am certain that thou canft do nothing without leave, and that thou canst not go a step, unless he lengthens thy Chain.

As Jofua, when he had overcome the Kings of Ca

naan,