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(2.) This will not complete their rest, something farther is required thereto : even something to satisfy, everlastingly- content, and fill them in the state and condition wherein they are. Free them in your thoughts from what you please, without this they are not at rest. This then you have in the second place, God is the rest of their souls; Psal. cxvi. ' Return to thy rest, O my soul.' Dismissed saints rest in the bosom of God, because in the fruition and enjoyment of him they are everlastingly satisfied, as having attained the utmost end whereto they were created, all the blessedness whereof they are capable. I could almost beg for liberty a little to expatiate in this meditation of the sweet, gracious, glorious, satisfied condition of a dismissed saint. But the time is spent, and therefore without holding out one drop of water to quench the feigned fire of purgatory, or drawing forth any thing to discover the vanity of their assertion, who affirm the soul to sleep, or to be nothing until the resurrec- tion ; or theirs who assigning to them a state of subsistence and perception, do yet exclude them from the fruition of God, without which there is no rest, until the end of all, with such other by-persuasions, as would disquiet the con- dition, or abridge the glory of those blessed souls, which yet were a facile undertaking, I shall draw towards a close. There are three points yet remaining. I shall speak only to the first of them, and that as an use of the doctrine last proposed, and I have done.
Observation IV. There is an appointed determinate sea- son, wherein all things and persons, according to the will of God, will run into their utmost issue and everlasting con- dition.
Thou art going, whoever thou art, into an abiding con- dition, and there is a lot appointed for thee, wherein lies an estate everlastingly unchangea,ble. It is the utmost end whereunto thou art designed, and when once thou art entered into that lot, thou art everlastingly engaged : no more change, no more alteration, if it be well with thee, it will abide ; if otherwise, expect not any relief. In our iew days we live for eternity, in our mutable estate we deal for an unchangeable condition. It is not thus only in respect of particulars, but God hath * appointed a day, wherein he will judge all the world by the man whom he hath ordained.'
474 THE LABOURING SAINt's
An end is coming unto all that whole dispensation under which we are. To you who by the riches of free grace have obtained union and communion with the Lord Jesus, rest and peace, when God shall everlastingly rain snares, fire and brimstone upon the workers of iniquity. Some mock in- deed, and say, * Where is the promise of his coming V But we know, the ' Lord is not slack, as some men count slack- ness,' but exerciseth patience until the appointed season for the bringing about of his own glorious ends, which he hath determined concerning his creatures. Why should we then complain, when any one, perhaps before our expectation, but yet according to God's determination, makes an entrance into the end of all ? All things work to that season. This state of things is not for continuance. That which is incum- bent, is in this uncertain space of time allotted to us, to give all diligence to make our calling and election sure, as also to serve the Lord faithfully in our generations, wherein we cannot be surprised : we have an example in him who is gone before ; it is true, the Lord Jesus is our primitive pattern and example : but those also who have followed him, wherein they have followed him, are to be eyed and marked as provocations to the same labour of faith and love, where- in they were exercised. And that this use may be made by this assembly, I shall add one word concerning him from whom is the occasion thereof.
Every man stands in a threefold capacity : natural ; civil ; religious. And there are distinct qualifications that are suited unto these several capacities.
1. To the first, as the ornaments and perfections of nature, are suited some seeds of those heroical virtues, as courage, permanency in business, 8cc. which being in them- selves morally indift'erent, have their foundations eminently laid in the natures of some persons, which yet hinders not, but that their good improvement is of grace.
2. To the second, or man's civil capacity, there are many eminencies relating as peculiar endowments, which maybe referred unto the three heads of ability, faithfulness, and industry, that through them neither by weakness, trea- chery, nor sloth, the works and employments incumbent on men in their civil state and condition may suffer.
3. Men's peculiar ornament and improvement in their re-
DISMISSION TO REST. 475
ligious capacity, lies in those fruits of the Spirit which we call Christian graces: of these in respect of usefulness, there are three most eminent, viz. faith, love, and self-denial. I speak of them upon another account than the apostle doth, where he placeth hope amongst the first three of Christian graces. Now all these in their several kinds were as emi- nent in the person deceased in his several capacities, as perhaps is usually found in any one in a generation. My business is not to make a funeral oration, only I suppose that without offence I may desire, that in courage and per- manency in business (which I name in opposition to that imsettled> pragmatical, shuffling disposition which is in some men), in ability for wisdom and counsel, in faithful- ness to his trust, and in his trust, in indefatigable industry in the pursuit of the work committed to him, in faith on the promises of God, and acquaintance with his mind in his mighty works of providence, in love to the Lord Jesus and all his saints, in a tender regard to their interest, delight in their society, contempt of himself and all his for the gos- pel's sake, with eminent self-denial in all his concernments, in impartiality and sincerity in the execution of justice, that in these and the like things we may have many raised up in the power and spirit wherein he walked before the Lord, and the inhabitants of this nation. This (I say) I hope I may speak without offence here upon such an occasion as this ; my business being occasionally to preach the word, not to carry on a part of a funeral ceremony. I shall add no more, but commit you to him, who is able to prepare you for your eternal condition.