The truly blessed man

1. Learn hence the folly and unprofitableness of praying for the Dead. If the day of grace, the opportunity of seeking and finding God be over with all men, when time is done with them, and death wafts them over into eternity, what then can our prayers any more avail them? either they sought God and found him in their life time; and if so, they are now in glory, and in full fruition of that God whom they so sought, and out of danger of ever losing him again, and so have no need of our prayers; but if they sought him not here, & so did never find him, but died strangers to him, ⟨p. 317⟩they are gone to their own place, to the generation of their fathers never to see light: they are beyond recovery hopeless; there is no more mercy for them: what good then can our prayers do them? If all the prayers of all the Saints on earth, could fetch one soul out of hell, something might be pleaded, but it is impossible. Let us then pray for poor Sinners with the greatest importunity so long as they are alive; but when once they are gone, we must leave them till the Great Day, when we shall be satisfied about them.

2. Learn hence also the madness of those who spend their time in seeking other things, neglecting to seek God in it. And is not this the unhappy trade which the generality of the Children of men are driving? observe what the most, even under the Gospel, are doing, and you shall see how fearfully this is neglected.

1. Are there not those that will not seek God? Nay they bid him depart from them; if not in words yet their carriages speak their minds. How many are there that despise all the counsels that are given them, who will not pray to God; nor read his word, nor enquire after him? they are angry at those that give them good counsel? this is the very character of them,