They are sure, not only of a blessed resurrection at the last day, but of a reception into a very happy place and state in the mean time. They shall be immediately after death put in the possession of paradise, and there rejoice in the certain expectation of a crown of glory, to be bestowed on them at the day of recompense. Fear not, good man, when death comes; for the good angels are ready to receive thy soul, and convey it into Abraham's bosom. A place,

wherever it is, of rest, and that not a stupid insensible rest, but a rest attended with a lively perception of a far greater joy and delight, than this whole world can afford. A place of the best society and company, where thou shalt be gathered to the spirits of just men, to the holy patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs, and confessors, and familiarly converse with those saints and excellent persons, whom thou hast heard of and admired, and whose examples thou hast endeavoured to imitate. A place that is the rendezvous of the holy angels of God, and which the Son of God himself visits and illustrates with the rays of his glory. A place where there shall be no wicked man to corrupt or offend thee, no devil to tempt thee, no sinful flesh to betray thee. A place of full security, where thou shalt be out of all possible danger of being undone and miserable for ever. A place from whence all sorrow (because all sin) is banished; where there is nothing but joy, and yet more joy still expected. This is the place that death calls thee to. Why therefore shouldest thou be afraid of dying? yea rather, why shouldest thou not, when God calls thee to it, willingly and cheerfully die, desiring to depart, and to be with Jesus Christ, which is far

better? If thou wert to fall into a lethargic state when thou diest, and have no perception of comfort till the last day; if darkness were then to overshadow thee till the light of Christ's glorious appearance at the resurrection came upon thee; this might reasonably make thee unwilling to die, and desirous to continue longer here, where there is some comfort, some enjoyment of Christ, though imperfect. If such a purgatory, as the supposition of the Roman church hath painted out to the vulgar, were to receive thee, well mightest thou be not only unwilling, but also horribly afraid to die. But God be thanked, Christ and his apostles, and the disciples of the apostles, have taught us much better things. Wherefore let us comfort one another with these words, 1 Thess.

iv. 18.

Secondly, This discourse deserves seriously to be considered by all wicked men. If they die such, and who knows how soon he may die? they are immediately consigned to a place and state of irreversible misery. They have trod in the steps of Judas in this life, and shall presently after death march to the same dismal place where Judas is. A place where there is no company but the Devil and his angels, and those lost souls that have been seduced by them. A place of horrid darkness, where there shines not the least glimmering of light or comfort. A place of wretched spirits, that are continually vexed at the sad remembrance of their former sins and follies, and feel the wrath of God for them, and tremble at the apprehension of a greater wrath yet to come; who presently taste the cup of divine vengeance, and are heart-sick to think of the time when they must drink up the

full dregs of it. This, O sinner, is the miserable. place and state whereinto thou shalt immediately enter when thou diest, if thou diest as now thou art.

But thou wilt say, I am not such a wretch as Judas, who betrayed our Saviour Christ to death, and sold his Lord and Master for money. I answer, But flatter not thyself; it is true, thou hast not sinned in the same instance, nor perhaps to the same degree; but sure I am thou hast sinned in the same kind. For how often (if thou beest a voluptuous man) hast thou bartered and parted with thy interest in thy Saviour Jesus, for the satisfaction of a vile lust, and the enjoyment of a transient sinful pleasure! How often, if thou beest a covetous man, hast thou wilfully transgressed the laws of the holy Jesus, by lying, cheating, and unjust actions, to gain a few pieces of glittering earth, perhaps of lesser value than Judas was bribed with! How often, if thou beest a vainglorious ambitious man, hast thou made thy conscience give way to thy vainly conceited honours! How often hast thou sold thy Redeemer for the mere breath of the people! Thou hast therefore played the Judas, and if thou diest without repentance, to Judas's place thou must go.

Do not deceive thyself with the thoughts of a reprieve till the day of judgment, or think thou shalt be in an insensible state till then, and not tormented before that time; for immediately after death, thy state of misery shall commence. Do not entertain thyself with the desperate hopes of a purgatory, or the advantage of a broken plank to save thee after the shipwreck of death. In the same miserable state thou diest, thou shalt continue in to the day of judgment, and then thy misery shall be consummated.

Consider this, ye that forget God, lest he tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. Psalm 1. 22. To shut up all, let us pray and labour that we may never, never be gathered, or come into the place of Judas, the place and state of reprobate and for ever lost spirits; from this, good Lord, deliver us, that when we die, we may go to the region of the godly, to paradise, to Abraham's bosom, and at the resurrection may sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. And in order hereunto, let us here thoroughly purge ourselves from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God, 2 Cor. vii. 1. for there is no purgation to be expected in the other life. Yea, let us endeavour to excel in virtue here, that so we may have a more abundant entrance both into the joys of paradise, and also into the fuller glories of the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Which God of his infinite mercy grant, through the same Jesus Christ, to whom with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, &c.

[These two Sermons were republished in 1765 by Leonard Chappellow, B. D. “ together with some extracts relating to the

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same subject, taken from writers of distinguished note and cha

racter, with a preface." They were also noticed by the writer of "An Historical Review of the Controversy concerning an in"termediate State, and the separate Existence of the Soul, between "Death and the general Resurrection," published in 1765, where some defects in Bishop Bull's reasoning are pointed out.]

SERMON IV."

THE LOW AND MEAN CONDITION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN CONSIDERED; AS ALSO THE SINGULAR GRACE AND FAVOUR OF GOD VOUCHSAFED TO HER; AND THAT RESPECT WHICH IS DUE TO HER FROM US UPON THAT ACCOUNT, WHEREIN THE INVOCATION OF HER BY THE PAPISTS IS CONFUTED.

LUKE i. 48, 49.

For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done for me great things; and holy is his name.

UPON the very hearing of my text read, every man will presently perceive it to be a part of the magnificat, or the divine song of the blessed Virgin, into which she brake forth upon the prophetic salutation of the inspired Elizabeth to her, recited from ver. 41 to 45 inclusively. For this song is daily sung or rehearsed in our churches; and may it ever continue so to be, both for the excellency of it, and because thereby the prophecy of the blessed Virgin in my text is in part fulfilled, that future generations should call her blessed.

The song, as Grotius thinks, hath respect to the time of the children of Israel's departure out of Egypt, by which the time of the Messias was figured and typified, not without a wonderful congruity of circumstances disposed by divine Providence.

a

[This Sermon was preached some time after the year 1671.]