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

4. The blessedness of departed Saints lies in this, that they shall meet with all the Children of God, and have communion with the spirits of the just, made perfect. Thou shalt then meet thy best friends, whose company was so warming, whose words were so encouraging, whose lives did so much command Religion, their Faces did then shine, their conversation was in Heaven: but O what an alteration is there in them for the better! their Souls are now like Christ, nothing but grace, love, and praise: no difference in judgment, no pride or passion, nothing that offends. And how vvill they welcome you to their Fathers House, you that took sweet counsel together, that went to the House of God, that talked of that glory, how glad will you be, when you meet in it? Nay, Death will bring you acquainted with all these famous Worthies, of whom the World was not worthy, the noble Champions of Christ, which thought not their lives dear to them, so they might but finish their course with joy: this Porter opens the Door, and lets the Saints Soul into that Palace, where all the Favourites of that great Prince reside; and thou shalt stand also with them upon Mount Zion, in the presence of that Mighty King, and shalt behold, and live in his glory for ever: And is all this inconsiderable? What would I give to see Enoch, that walked with God? How glad should I be to be acquainted with Elijah? how joyful, if I might ⟨p. 46⟩have some discourse with Paul? Would it not make one courageous in the cause of God, if one could hear Daniel, or the Three Children tell the story of their deliverance? How should one be pleased to have it from the Mouth of Moses, Joshua, and Caleb. what God did for Israel in the Fields of Ham, the Red-Sea, and the Wilderness? and how he brought them into the Land of Canaan; how do you think you should be affected at such things as these? why? as formidable as Death looks, it's he that brings us to the speech of all these. How loath are we now to part, when a knot of us have got together, to talk about the things of another World? are not the Saints the excellent ones, in whom is our delight? is not the empty discourse of the unexperienced World tedious, and their Company a burden? Why? Heaven hath in it none but Saints, and Angels, and the blessed God. Is not that Company indeed?

4. The blessedness of departed Saints lies in this, that they shall meet with all the Children of God, and have communion with the spirits of the just, made perfect. Thou shalt then meet thy best friends, whose company was so warming, whose words were so incouraging, whose lives did so much command Religion, their Faces did then shine, their conversation was in Heaven: but O what an alteration is there in them for the better! their Souls are now like Christ, nothing but grace, love, and praise: no difference in judgment, no pride or passion, nothing that offends. And how vvill they vvelcome you to their Fathers House, you that took sweet counsel together, that went to the House of God, that talk'd of that glory, how glad will you be, when you meet in it? Nay, Death will bring you acquainted with all these famous Worthies, of whom the World was not worthy, the noble Champions of Christ, which thought not their lives dear to them, so they might but finish their course with joy: this Porter opens the Door, and lets the Saints Soul into that Palace, where all the Favourites of that great Prince reside; and thou shalt stand also with them upon Mount Zion, in the presence of that Mighty King, and shalt behold, and live in his glory for ever: And is all this inconsiderable? What would I give to see Enoch, that walked with God? How glad should I be to be acquainted with Elias? how joyful, if I might