Ecel, 12.7. Phil. 1. 23. Wicked in this great Change, which will unavoidably fall in: Yet I fhall principally infift on this Change as it refers to the Righteous. And, (1.) Death diffolves the clofe Union that Heaven hath ftruck betwixt Soul and Body. Indeed, the Modus of this Union will remain a puzzling Enquiry, even among Men of the deepest penetration: but this we know in regard of its Effects, 'Tis a Union so close and near, that the Spirit cannot grieve without affecting the Body, nor the Body receive a Wound, without occafioning a painful Senfation in the Mind. Yet Death parts these near Affociates, and fixes 'em a great distance one from the other. The Fabrick of the Body fhall moulder into Duft, and the Spirit that animated it shall be recall'd by him that form'd it. Then fhall the Duft return to the Earth, as it was, and the Spirit unto God that gave it. Now the best of Men cannot pafs under this Change without fome natural Reluctancy. The Apostle Paul, who had a defire to depart, and to be with Chrift, fignified, that he was not defirous to be uncloth'd, i. e. to die merely that he might put off his Body, and be rid of one conftituent part of himself; but that he might be clothed upon, that is, that he might have immediate Glory and Blifs, in regard of his Soul, and that hereafter his Body might be glorified in conjunction with his happy Spirit. Thus you fee Death makes a great Change, but 'tis the way to Immortality; and tho it parts thefe dear Intimates, yet the Righteous are not thereby remov'd from their Happiness, but rais'd to a better enjoyment enjoyment of it, as the following Particulars will more fully demonftrate. (2.) Death changes the Place and Abode of a good Man. The Body that walk'd upon this Earth, is buried under it, and fix'd in the common Repository of the Dead: the Soul that us'd to be afpiring after Communion with God, is immediatly caught up to Heaven with him. Here the Spirit of a good Man fojourns in a frail Tabernacle, but at Death it fhall be received into Everlasting Habitations: So that in regard of his Soul, he exchanges Earth for Heaven; in respect of his Body, he parts with a Dwelling for a Coffin, his Ornaments for a Shroud, and his eafy Bed for a dark and filent Grave. Indeed, there are but a few Souls that have ground to hope for the former, therefore the generality of Men dread the latter. (3.) As confequent hereupon, the Righteous at Death change their Society, and that much for the better. In this World, the Children of God are constrain'd to converfe with the Heirs of Hell. Now as these two Off-Springs have different Parents and different Interefts, fo they have vaftly different Inclinations; which must make their converfing together very difagreeable, and occafion much trouble and forrow to the Righteous. But Death, which lets 'em out of this World, will let them into another, where they shall have Society more harmonious and futable. Here the best Men have their Imperfections; and tho they are Children of the fame Father, Difciples of the fame Lord, Heirs of the fame Kingdom, and are travelling under the Influence of the fame Spirit to the fame CeS 4 leftial leftial Country, yet they are too apt to fall out by the way. So that fometimes the Converfation of good Men proves a Scandal and Grief to one another; but fo foon as they are abfent from their Bodies, and prefent with the Lord, they fhall enjoy the most fweet and endearing Society. Death lets 'em out of Prison into Paradife; they leave the Communion of Saints on Earth, to join with the General Affembly and Church of the First-born written in Heaven, where they shall not only affociate with the Spirits of Juft Men confummated, and with an innumerable Company of Angels; but that which is best of all, they fhall be prefent with Jefus the Mediator of the new Covenant, who has endear'd himself to 'em by his indefective Obedience, unparallel'd Sufferings, by his justifying Blood, and renewing Spirit, through which they obtain'd a rightful Claim to the Glory of Heaven, and were render'd meet for Converfe with that Society to which they are advanc'd. O happy Change! to pass from a peevish illnatur'd World, into that Bleffed Place where there is Fulness of Foy, and Pleasures for evermore! Where there's neither Pride nor "Envy, Jealoufy nor Strife, Weakness nor "Folly, to render them uneafy to themselves, "or each other: they are like flaming Ta"pers in a Branch of burnish'd Gold, which fo mingle their feveral Lights, that at a distance they feem to be but one, tho "indeed they are many." O thrice happy Change! to be rais'd to fuch bleffed and a Mr. Nathanael Taylor's Sermen on 2 Cor. 5. 8. Pag. 11. greeable greeable Society, where there is not a Sigh heard, a Tear dropt, nor a Complaint utter'd, but all the Signs of Sorrow are utterly banish'd: For as the Inhabitants of Heaven live in unftained Light, fo they dwell in perfect Love; and while they mingle their Hallelujahs, which they offer to him that fits upon the Throne, and to the Lamb for ever, there is not the least Discord, but the trueft and most perfect Harmony. (4.) As there is a Change of Society confequent on Death, fo there will follow a Change of Work and Employment. While we carry about us an enfnaring mortal Body, we must watch and pray, combat and fight; but at Death our Warfare fhall be accomplish'd. We fhall have run our Race, finifh'd our Courfe, and fought the good Fight: and tho we die Struggling with the Enemies of our Salvation, we hall die victorious; for every true Saint dies more than a Conqueror through him that hath loved him. Here we are forced to be conftantly on our guard, and often to be actually engag'd with Principalities and Powers; but when our Bodies drop into the Earth, and our Souls afcend to Heaven, we fhall enter into Manfions too high for the Storms of this Region, and too ftrong for the Attacks of Devils. Now, 1 fay, as we fhall change our Place and Society, fo we fhall our Work and Employment; for no Change can free us from the Duty we owe to our God. That we fhall perform Duties in Heaven, is beyond all doubt; 'tis irrational to think that Angels and Men fhould dream away Eternal Ages in doing nothing. Indeed, the extent of our Miniftration in Heaven, I mean mean the whole of what we shall do, and enjoy in the invisible World, we must be content to be ignorant of, till we have pafs'd out of Time into Eternity. This we know in general, there will be no need of GospelOrdinances, nor of the exercife of Suffering Graces; but we fhall love God, and admire him, adore and praife him, know him, and be like him, and unweariedly contemplate his Glory with new Extafy, and Eternal Wonder. In a word, we fhall be deliver'd from all Moral and Penal Evils, and be advanc'd to the highest Happiness and Glory, a Happiness that fhall be as durable as the Author of it. Finally, this Happiness shall immediately enfue upon the Change we pafs under at Death. That a Spirit uncloth'd of its Body, is capable of acting in a separate State, none can deny that own the Immortality of the Soul. Moreover, a good Man's Soul is as fit for Heaven in articulo Mortis, as ever it will be. There is no refining Fire to purify departed Spirits: The Popish Purgatory is an abfurd and vifionary thing, reflecting great Dishonour upon the Sacrifice of Chrift; however it may promote the fecular Intereft of the Priests. Again, Chrift hath made every thing ready to receive all that die in the Lord; and there are many places of Scripture that either plainly exprefs it, or from which it may be clearly infer'd. One that plainly expreffes it, is our Saviour's ProLuke 23.43. mife to the Thief on the Crofs; And Fefus faid unto him, Verily, I say unto thee, to day fhalt thou be with me in Paradife. And another from which it may be strongly infer'd, is that of the Apostle Paul; For I am in a |