SERM. II. Complication of Diftempers, than others: are poffeft of in the Fulnefs of Health and Vigour who want they know not what, and are uneafy they know not why: And if at any Time his Spirits were depreft by long-continued Pain, Converfation with an intimate Friend would break the Gloom that hung upon him, and brighten up his Soul. Indeed his Malady grew upon him to that degree, that it was almost cruel to with him a longer Continuance among us: All that his Friends could defire, was an eafy Paffage out of this World into a better, where there is no Pain or Sorrow. His Soul is now enlarged from that corruptible Body to which it was united; and released from thofe Miferies, which, by virtue of that Union, it underwent. How foon we, who in the Midft of Life are in Death, may follow him, God only knows: Each Day brings us nearer to Eternity; and it should be our main Endeavour, that each may bring us nearer to a blessed Eternity. But, while we are in the Body, we must more or lefs ftruggle with Difficulties, and combat with Temptations. While we live, we must perfevere, without flackening our Induftry, to fight this good Fight: When we we die, we have gained the decifive Victo- SERM. II. ry: and when we come before the Throne of Grace, we shall receive a glorious Triumph; a Triumph indeed, where instead of the fenfeless Noife of an undiftinguished and undistinguishing Populace: a numerous Choir of ennobled Spirits fhall hail with joyful Acclamations their happy FellowServant: While, to crown all, the great Judge pronounces the bleffed Sentence: Well done, thou good and faithful Servant! Enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord. SERMON On Faith, Benevolence, &c. Being a Farewel SERMON preached in I TIMOTHY I. 19. Holding Faith, and a good Confcience. T HIS being the laft Time, that 1 SERM.III. shall speak to you in the Capaci ty, which I now bear, of your Preacher and Minifter; I have chofen these Words, the Advice of St. Paul to Timothy, as containing the Sum and Substance of our Duty. In difcourfing upon which, I shall throw together fome few Thoughts; I, Upon Faith, Ildly, Upon a good Confcience; IIIdly, SERM.III. IIIdly, Take my Leave of you, with a fhort Addrefs to you. I. The firft Point is, that you would feriously confider the ftrong Evidences of your Faith; Evidences fo strong, that he would be deemed a Madman, who was not determined by much lefs in his fecular Affairs. If any one should go about to difprove the Conquefts of Alexander, he would be thought not to be in his found Mind: And yet there are much stronger Proofs for the Reality of the Miracles recorded in Scripture, and particularly in the New Teftament; than there are for the Victories of Alexander, or even for the Being of fuch a Man. Let it no more stagger your Faith, that there are fo great a Number of Unbelievers; than it ought to influence your Practice, that there are fo great a Number of wicked Men Befides, you may be deceived, by miftaking fecond Qualities for first. A Propenfity to think out of the common Road, may be by no means the leading Quality among those that are stiled Unbelievers: It may be only a fecondary one, and fubfervient to a primary Defire, that of being in the Fafion. Thofe very Men, who now affect |