A funeral sermon preached upon the death of the Reverend and Excellent Divine Dr.…

2. From the Condition and Disposition of the Saints.

(1.) Their Condition; they were once Sinners, and still are imperfect. Once Sinners, liable to the Wrath of God. And as they were once Sinners, they are still to own the Merit of Sin, though not to determine the Event: for they are to judg themselves, 1 Cor. 11.31. Though they are as Brands plucked out of the Burning, yet they deserved the Burning. I do not tell you what God will do, but what you have deserved; not to weaken your confidence & rejoicing in Christ, but to humble your Hearts. You had once the Sentence past upon you, and had the Rope ⟨p. 99⟩about your Necks; you were at the Gates of Hell, and might have entered in, but for the Grace of your Redeemer. A sense of it is still necessary to quicken your Thankfulness and Prayers for Mercy and Pardon, and to promote your Humility. You turn Grace into Wantonness, and abuse it, if it lessen any of these Acts: for though God forgive, we must not forget. We were once as bad as the worst, and Children of Wrath even as others, Ephes. 2.3. Therefore when God justifies us, we must still condemn our selves. We are still imperfect, and the best feel and find in themselves great Infirmities, and make but too much work for pardoning Mercy. There are great mixtures of Sin that we are conscious unto, notwithstanding the little good which we perform. Job 9.2, 3. How should Man be just with God? If he should contend with him, he cannot answer one of a thousand. Our Righteousness is so imperfect and full of Defects, ⟨p. 100⟩that we do not make it our Plea, but God's Mercy is our best and surest confidence. There are many sins that we are conscious unto;