9. For his more public carriage, by virt.ue of his place at Northampton, where he was recorder, he was called to be a member of the body-re- presentative in Parliament, wherein both his ability and spirit appeared to all that knew him. You may see by this what manner of man we have lost.
He died before he was come to the middle of his years, a young man to speak of; and he did a great deal of work in a little time. God had ripened him for his business extraordinarily, and gave him a spirit to bestir himself to do all the good ho could. These be wondrous ill times, beloved, to lose such men as he was ; therefore we have cause to lay it to heart the more. The commonwealth wants him, the town and country where he Uved will want him, the society where he was a governor will want him, the family where he was a governor will find a miss in him. He went wisely in and out ; he was able for family duties ; ho had more than ordinary sufficiency ; * Qu. ' want of liim, I fear : ratlier, I desire ? ' &c. — Ed.
CHRIST IS BEST. 349
he was of Joshua's mind, ' Choose who you will serve, but I and my house will serve the Lord,' Josh. xxiv. 15 ; and to help him the more, he had the happiness to marry into a religious family ; he had a good helper.
Now for the church. Though his profession was the law, yet that will have a great want of him. He was a hearty and true promoter of the cause of reUgion, and shewed his love to the church, by his care of it now he is departed. He gave four hundred pounds to buy in impropriations ; he gave an hundi-ed pounds for the breeding up of poor scholars, and there is never a good minister round about where he lived, but had encouragement from him. Indeed, he was a man of special use and service ; and as he honoured God in his life, so God hath honoured him in his death, as you may see by this honourable assembly of worthy people, met in love to him.
His death was, as the death of strong men useth to be, with conflicts between nature and his disease, but with a gi'eat deal of patience ; and in his sickness time he would utter Paul's disposition. Oh, saith he, you keep me from heaven, you keep me from glory, being displeased with those that kept him alive, with conference out of love.
He had a large heart to do good, for though he were fruitful, and studied to be fruitful, yet oft in his sickness in a complaining manner he would say, Oh, I have not been so wise for my own soul as I ought to be ; I have not been provident enough in taking opportunities of doing and receiving good.
Beloved, shall such a man as he was, so careful, so fruitful, so good, shall he complain thus ? what shall a company of us do ? Beloved, those that have warmed theii' hearts at the fire of God's love, they think zeal itself to be coldness, and fraitfulness to be barrenness. Love is a boundless affection. He spake not this from want of care ; but love knows no bounds. Therefore he took the more opportunities of doing good.
Well, I beseech you, beloved, let not this example pass without making good use of it. God will call us to a reckoning, not only for what we hear, but for what we see : he will call us to a reckoning for the examples of his people. Therefore, as we see here what a holy disposition was in St Paul, and in this blessed man now with God, so let us labour to find the same disposition in ourselves. Paul hath now his desire ; he is dissolved, and he is with Christ, that is best of all. This holy man hath his desire ; he desired not to be kept from his glory and happiness, on which his mind was set before. Let us therefore labom- with God in the use of good means, to have the same disposition ; and in this moment let us provide for eter- nity ; out of eternity before, and eternity after, issueth this little spot of time to do good in. Let us sow to the Spirit, account all time lost that either we do not or take not, good in. Opportunity is God's angel. Time is short, but opportunity is shorter. Let us catch at all opportunities. This is the time of worship. Oh, let us sow now. Shall we go to sowing then, when the time comes that we should reap? Some begin to sow when they die, that is the reaping time. While we have time let us do all good, especially where God loves most, to those that are good.
Consider the standings and places that God hath set us in ; consider the advantages in our hands, the price that we have ; consider that opportunity will not stay long. Let us therefore do all the good we can, and so if we do, beloved, we shall come at length to reap that, that this blessed saint of God, St Paul here in the text, and this blessed man, for whose cause we are now met, do enjoy. Therefore, if we desire to end our days in joy and comfort, let us lay the foundation of a comfortable death now betimes. To die well is not a thing of that light moment as some imagine : it is no easy