His Discourse concerning DEATH.
ORGIVE the Mufe, who in unhallow'd Strains The Saint one Moment from his GoD detains. For fure, whate'er you do, where'er you are, 'Tis all but one good Work, one conftant Pray'r. Forgive her; and intreat that GOD, to whom Thy favour'd Vows with kind Acceptance come, To raise her Notes to that fublime Degree, That fuits a Song of Piety and Thee.
Wondrous good Man! whose Labours may repel The Force of Sin, may stop the Rage of Hell: Who, like the Baptift, from thy GOD was fent The crying Voice to bid the World repent.
The Youth shall study; and no more engage
His flatt'ring Wishes for uncertain Age;
No more, with fruitless Care and cheated Strife,
Chafe fleeting Pleasure through this Maze of Life;
Finding the wretched All He here can have,
But prefent Food, and but a future Grave;
Each, great as Philip's Victor Son, fhall view
This abject World, and weeping ask a New.
Decrepit Age shall read thee, and confefs
Thy Labours can affwage, where Med'cines ceafe:
Shall blefs thy Words, their wounded Souls Relief;
The Drops that sweeten their last Dregs of Life;
Shall look to Heav'n, and laugh at all beneath;
Own Riches gather'd, Trouble; Fame, a Breath;
And Life, an Ill, whofe only Cure is Death.
Thy even Thoughts with fo much Plainness flow,
Their Senfe untutor'd Infancy may know;
Yet to fuch Height is all that Plainness wrought,
Wit may admire, and letter'd Pride be taught.
Easy in Words thy Style, in Senfe fublime;
On its bleft Steps each Age and Sex may rife:
'Tis like the Ladder in the Patriarch's Dream,
Its Foot on Earth, its Height beyond the Skies. Diffus'd its Virtue, boundlefs is its Pow'r ; 'Tis publick Health, and univerfal Cure.
Of Heav'nly Manna 'tis a fecond Feaft,
A Nation's Food, and All to ev'ry Taste.
To its laft Height mad Britain's Guilt was rear'd;
And various Deaths for various Crimes the fear'd;
With your kind Work her drooping Hopes revive,
You bid her read, repent, adore, and live.
You wreft the Bolt from Heav'ns avenging Hand;
Stop ready Death, and fave a finking Land.
O! fave us ftill, ftill blefs us with thy Stay;
O! want thy Heav'n, till we have learnt the Way;
Refuse to leave thy deftin'd Charge too foon;
And for the Church's Good, defer thy own:
O! live, and let thy Works urge our Belief;
Live to explain thy Doctrine by thy Life;
Till future Infancy, baptiz'd by thee,
Grow ripe in Years, and old in Piety;
Till Chriftians yet unborn be taught to Die.
Then in full Age, and hoary Holiness
Retire, great Teacher, to thy promis'd Blifs:
Untouch'd thy Tomb, uninjur'd be thy Dust,
As thy own Fame among the future Juft;
Till in laft Sounds the dreaded Trumpet fpeaks;
Till Judgment calls, and quicken'd Nature wakes;
Till through the utmoft Earth, and deepest Sea,
Our scatter'd Atoms find their deftin'd Way;
In hafte to cloath their Kindred Souls again,
Perfect our State, and build immortal Man:
Then fearless, Thou, who well sustain'❜d the Fight,
To Paths of Joy, and Tracks of endless Light,
Lead up all thofe, that heard Thee, and believ'd:
'Midft thy own Flock, great Shepherd, be received;
And glad all Heav'n with Millions thou haft fav'd.
Practical Difcourfe
CONCERNING
DEATH.
HEB. Ix. 27. It is appointed unto all men once to die.
The INTRODUCTION.
HERE is not a more effectual Way to revive the true Spirit of Chriftianity in the World, than seriously to meditate on what we commonly call the Four laft THINGS, Death, Judg
ment, Heaven and Hell; for it is morally impoffible Men should live fuch careless Lives, fhould fo wholly devote themselves to this World, and the Service of their Lufts; should
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