To the READER.

To the READER.

Impartial Reader,

Supposing thee to be One that was not at this late Funeral; or if thou wert there, couldst not have the opportunity to hear the Sermon (by reason of the straightness of the place, and the multitude of People) and perceiving it is partly for thy sake, the Printing of it has bin so much desired, I thought it might not be unnecessary to offer a word or two briefly unto thee, whether it deserves such a Publication or not, it will come now under thy Censure; however, if thou knowest the Person that taught it, I am satisfied, thou wilt not lose thy expectation, nothing excellent thou dost expect, considering the weakness and shallowness of the Preacher, how shouldst thou; yet if thou hast nothing of Prejudice in thy heart against him, from that contemnable apprehensions thou and others have of that he is not wholly without hopes, but that some small profit thou mayst gain hereby; Let the consideration of the subject prevail upon thee, however to give it the reading; 'tis, you hear, a Summons to the Grave: thou canst never hear too often of death; and sure this Sermon will not offend thee, if thou art one that dost live, ⟨image 5⟩I mean, live indeed, in the sight and steadfast belief of a future life, an eternity of happiness or misery; I have read, that Philip King of Macedon, commanded one of his Pages to awake him every Morning and call aloud to him, Sir, remember you are a man: This great Monarch did not disdain to be roused every day from sleep with the News of death, though it was but by the Mouth of his poor sorry Page, and shall any of us slight the Message, through want of affection to the Messenger; but perhaps, thou mayst be one that likes neither, may be thou dost not care to hear of the tidings of dying, and art ready to judge them melancholy fools that break their sleep about it; These who are indeed prepared for it, have no cause to be disquieted in thoughts of it; but what wilt thou do when death comes, that hast a guilty conscience; have you not heard of that poor soul, who cried out in horror and distress of spirit upon his death-bed, O what shall I do, I am so sick that I cannot live, and yet so unprepared that I dare not die: Remember, that the thoughts of death, when it comes, will abate thy courage, 'twill make the proudest heart to stoop;

SVpposing thee to be One that was not at this late Funeral; or if thou wert there, could'st not have the opportunity to hear the Sermon (by reason of the straightness of the place, and the multitude of People) and perceiving it is partly for thy sake, the Printing of it has bin so much desired, I thought it might not be unnecessary to offer a word or two briefly unto thee, whether it deserves such a Publication or not, it will come now under thy Censure; however, if thou knowest the Person that taught it, I am satisfied, thou wilt not lose thy expectation, nothing excellent thou dost expect, considering the weakness and shallowness of the Preacher, how shouldst thou; yet if thou hast nothing of Prejudice in thy heart against him, from that contemnable apprehensions thou and others have of that he is not wholly without hopes, but that some small profit thou mayst gain hereby; Let the consideration of the subject prevail upon thee, however to give it the reading; 'tis, you hear, a Summons to the Grave: thou canst never hear too often of death; and sure this Sermon will not offend thee, if thou art one that dost live,

'Tis a pretty Passage that I remember of a certain King of Hungary, who being on a time very sad, his Brother (a Jolly Courtier) would needs know what ailed him, O Brother (said he) I have bin a great sinner against God and I know not how to die, nor appear before God in Judgment; These are (said his Brother) melancholy thoug••, and withal made a Jest at them; the King replied nothing for the present but the custom of the Country was, that if the Executioner ⟨image 5⟩came and sounded his Trumpet before any mans door, he was presently to be led out to the Place of Execution; the King in the dead time of the Night, sends the Headsman to sound his Trumpet before his Brothers door, who hearing it, and seeing the Messenger of death, springs in pale and trembling into the Kings Presence, beseeching him to tell him wherein he had offended; O Brother (replied the King) you have never offended me, and is this Executioner so dreadful, and shall not I that have greatly and grievously offended God, fear to be brought before the Judgement Seat of Christ; Death amazes none more when it comes, as it doth them who think not of it; the Egyptians used to carry about the Table a Deaths Head at their Feasts; 'tis good in the midst of all our delights and enjoyments, to be put in mind of the Grave; And if this Sermon spake no more power fully to thee then a Deaths-Head to awaken thee, it may be worth thy Pains to read it, God may bless weak endeavours to great advantage; Jesus Christ could make five Barley leaves and two Fishes to feed five thousand men, and yet the fragments that were left might satisfy many a poor hungry soul: what though thou art afterly served, God can heat it by his Spirit, God can make it wholesome food for thy soul: if thou hast but an appetite I do not much fear thy relishing of it, for though the full stomach loathes the Honey-comb, yet to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.

'Tis a pretty Passage that I remember of a certain King of Hungary, who being on a time very sad, his Brother (a Jolly Courtier) would needs know what ailed him, O Brother (said he) I have bin a great sinner against God and I know not how to die, nor appear before God in Judgment; These are (said his Brother) melancholy thoug••, and withal made a Jest at them; the King replied nothing for the present but the custom of the Countrey was, that if the Executioner ⟨image 5⟩

But because I would not weary thee, I shall only now give thee a summary Account of the particular things ⟨image 6⟩insisted upon, and then commit thee to God.

1. Thou hast the certainty of Death amplified, or briefly enlarged upon.

1. Thou hast the certainty of Death amplified, or brieftly enlarged upon.

2. Some awaking Considerations and Motives to a speedy and effectual Preparation for it.

3. Several Directions and Cautions in order to it.

4. You have dying Ministers lamented, or several sad grounds of Lamentation upon that account.

5. Then fifthly and lastly, you have comfort against Death, or how true Christians may stay and support themselves in the hour of death, or in parting with godly relations: and because nothing is more effectual in order to this, then that comfortable assurance of present enjoyment, or being with Christ at that very instant, when the breath leaves us; something was offered to confirm the souls immortality, it was but a little which was said, had it been more it would not have bin too much: It was not delivered as it is matter of controversy, to grieve any who are differently persuaded: but as 'tis matter of comfort, suiting with the occasion, that so sorrowful spirits might be consolated, having for several years found the usefulness and sweetness of the doctrine under the like dispensation my self: What is more plainly laid down in holy Scripture then this: and those Arguments that so much establish me in the belief hereof are many, one is taken from our Saviours own words, Because man cannot kill the soul Mat. 10. 28. If men cannot kill it then 'tis not mortal: As also the consideration of its nature being spirit, might I not reason thus, If the noble part of man sometimes called ⟨image 6⟩soul be spirit, then 'tis immortal: but 'tis called spirit in several places: and again, doth not the name of spirit declare its nature: a spirit in its nature is invisible, and its very essence is life, if it should cease to live, if would be spirit no more. Thirdly, the Scripture shows, that at death the body goes one way, and the spirit goes another, namely, to God that gave it: we may judge also of the nature of the spirit or soul of man, if we consider how nothing but God himself can satisfy it, lives upon divine and immortal food, and therefore sure must be of like nature: what does show more clearly that our bodies are earthly, or made of earth, as the consideration of their being fed, and sustained from the earth, so say I on the contrary hand in respect of the soul; 'tis fed with spiritual and immortal food, ergo such is its nature; but not to trouble you with things of this kind further, Reader, let it be thy Chief care to prepare for thy eternal state, for be sure it will be but a little while, and thou wilt find either to thy everlasting joy and comfort, or else to thy everlasting woe and sorrow: the truth of this doctrine of the Souls;

5. Then fifthly and lastly, you have comfort against Death, or how true Christians may stay and support themselves in the hour of death, or in parting with godly relations: and because nothing is more effectual in order to this, then that comfortable assurance of present enjoyment, or being with Christ at that very instant, when the breath leaves us; somthing was offered to confirm the souls immortality, it was but a little which was said, had it been more it would not have bin too much: It was not delivered as it is matter of controversie, to grieve any who are differently perswaded: but as 'tis matter of comfort, suiting with the occasion, that so sorrowful spirits might be consolated, having for several years found the usefulness and sweetness of the doctrine under the like dispensation my self: What is more plainly laid down in holy Scripture then this: and those Arguments that so much establish me in the beleef hereof are many, one is taken from our Saviours own words, Because man cannot kill the soul

Immortality, and the effects thereof; And that this broken Sermon may prove, through Gods blessing, someways for thy Souls advantage and profit, is the sincere desire of

Thy Affectionate and Cordial Friend and Servant in the Lord Jesus B. K.