Death unstung a sermon preached at the funeral of Thomas Mowsley, an apothecary, who…

A Funeral SERMON.

Rev. 14.13. And I heard a Voice from Heaven, saying unto me, write, blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord, from hence-forth; yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their Labours, and their Works do follow them.

IT is none of the least works of a Minister of Christ to disparage sin, and encourage holiness, to set Life and death before our People, and to present (as much as in us lies) Heaven and Hell to ⟨p. 2⟩their view, and to persuade them to a wise and speedy choice; that when these Houses of Clay shall be laid in the dust, they may be secured of an Habitation, not made with hands, that is, Eternal with God in the Heavens. The Apostle in this Chapter doth both, in the 10. Verse he tells us what a Draught is prepared for the implacable Enemies of Christ: they shall drink off the Wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture, into the Cup of his Indignation, and they shall be tormented with Fire and Brimstone, in the presence of the Holy Angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. The wicked may drink, roar, and swagger, they may persecute the Members of Christ, because they dare not so madly venture upon the Eternal displeasure of God, as they do, and sell their precious Souls for a moments joy, and make light of damnation: but let them know, that for all these things God will bring them to Judgment; an Eternity of intolerable sorrows must pay for their short pleasures. And hence it is the serious Christian, that makes it his business to avoid this dreadful misery, is satisfied ⟨p. 3⟩that he doth not act irrationally and madly, if the scorn and contempt of the wicked World doth not frighten him; upon this account he patiently submits to any punishment, rather than he will hazard the loss of his Soul, and be miserable for ever; that word for ever sticks much in his mind, let the wicked laugh and be merry, let them please themselves in his sorrows, he knows 'tis but a little while, and all will be mended, and their minds changed; he is willing to stay for his happiness and joys, till he comes to another World; and he doth not envy the wicked what they do enjoy, let them make the best of it as long as they can, and boast of their pleasures when they see themselves wrapped up in Flames: The unseen world, which most forget, is always in the Saints eye; and if he may but live happily there, he passeth not if he run through reproaches, injuries, and a thousand Deaths, to that glorious and endless life. Here is the reason of the Saints patience, this makes him judge it no folly to keep the Commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. In the 13.