A sermon preached at the funeral of Mr. Francis Mitchel, who dyed the 19th, and was buried the 24th of July, 1671 Lloyd, William, 1627-1717. 1671 Approx. 31 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 21 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2004-11 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A48837 Wing L2702A ESTC R20394 12402700 ocm 12402700 61308 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A48837) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 61308) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 767:27) A sermon preached at the funeral of Mr. Francis Mitchel, who dyed the 19th, and was buried the 24th of July, 1671 Lloyd, William, 1627-1717. [2], 38 p. Printed by Thomas Milbourn for Thomas Johnson, London : 1671. Reproduction of original in Huntington Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Mitchel, Francis, d. 1671. Bible. -- O.T. -- Psalms XXXVII, 37 -- Sermons. Funeral sermons. Sermons, English -- 17th century. 2003-11 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2003-12 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2004-08 Melanie Sanders Sampled and proofread 2004-08 Melanie Sanders Text and markup reviewed and edited 2004-10 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A SERMON Preached at the FUNERAL OF M R. FRANCIS MITCHEL , Who Dyed the 19th . and was Buried the 24th . of Iuly , 1671. The Memory of the Iust is Blessed , Prov. 10. 7. LONDON , Printed by Thomas Milbourn , for Thomas Iohnson , 1671. A SERMON PREACHED At the Funeral of Mr. F. M. PSAL. 37. 37. Mark the perfect Man , and behold the upright , for the End of that M'an is Peace . THis whole Psalm was designed , saies the Syriack - Translation , for the resolving of that Question , which hath often troubled good men , and somtimes David himself , as he confesseth , Psal. 73. 2 , &c. Why God , the Almighty and most Just God , doth not speedily in this Life , take Vengeance of ungodly and wicked men . Whereas , on the other hand , it is often-times seen , that good men are punisht , and chastend , and plagued , as David complain'd that himself was , Psal. 73.14 .. And his son Solomon observed it in his time , Eccl. 8.14 .. There be Iust men ( saith he ) to whom it happens according to the work of the Wicked . Again , There be Wicked men , to whom it happens according to the work of the Righteous , this is Vanity , saith the Epicurean , whom Solomon there personates ; 't is Vanity to make any distinction , or to trouble ones head with it , or to do any thing else , than to eat and drink and be merry , and let things go which way they will. But saies Solomon of himself in the last verse of the chapter , I beheld the work of God in it , who orders things as he pleases ; and what he doth we ought to submit to it , and why he doth it , is past our finding out . Nor doth David pretend to say , why God doth thus or thus ; we shall know that most distinctly and particularly hereafter . 'T is at present sufficient to know , that He doth it , who is a God of Infinite , Unspeakable , Incomprehensible Wisdom , who is most Just in those things where He seems most Remiss ; Who is most Merciful , even then when He seems most Severe , and most Rigorous ; Who , as St. Austin saies , is so Good , that He would not suffer any evil to be done , but that he is also so Wise , that he can turn that evil to a greater Good. If any man be unsatisfied with this reason of Gods doings , it is because he himself is unreasonable , as David confesseth he had been when time was , Psal. 73.22 . So Foolish was I and Ignorant , I was as a Beast before thee . 'T is unreasonable to expect that every thing must be set right within a few years , or else to conclude it will never be . Our few years are but as a Moment before God. To Him a Thousand years are but as one day ; Yea , they are as nothing in respect of Eternity . We shall be wiser if we go into the Sanctuary of God , that is , if we consult with Divine Revelation ; Then we shall know what the End of every thing is , and it is a wise mans Rule , not to judge of any thing till the End. He that judgeth by a part of any thing , shall often see himself confuted by the End of it . Therefore David so much insists upon this , as if he had expresly said ; Tell not me of any ones beginning , Tell not me how he thrives and prospers in the World , or what Crosses he hath in the course of this Life . There is no judging of a tree but by his Fruit , nor of a Ship till you see it in the Haven , nor of a man till you have seen his End. Mark the perfect man , and behold the upright , for the End of that man is peace . But the transgressors shall be destroyed together , the End of the wicked shall be cut off . Half this will serve me at this time , for my business is only with the perfect and upright man. I shall shew you who he is , and how we are to observe him , and what we shall find by him ; all this in the words of my Text : First , who he is that David speaks of , The Perfect and the Upright Man. I shall speak of these words severally , & then bring them together ; for they signifie one and the same thing ; They are the description of a faithful servant of God. He is exprest by two names , to answer those two words , Observe and , Behold , which as Kimchi conceives , are to be taken Distributively . As if DaVid had said , Mark every individual servant of God. First Observe one , Then look upon another , and so throughout the whole number ; you shall find that their End is happy . There is not one of them , but whatsoever his Life was , he is happy in his Death , The End of that man is peace . It is the opinion of others , that , by thus Doubling his words , David meant we should Double our care in the observation . As if he had said , Mark the just man , and keep a good Eye upon him ; You may lose him in a cloud of affliction ; and then you may conclude , that he is gone , That God hath cast him out of his sight , and that he will remember him no more ; But it is no such thing ; If you keep your eye upon him , If you follow him home to the mark , you shall surely find , and you cannot but observe , that the End of that man is peace . The End , may signifie the last part of ones life , or it may signifie another life after death . Of one , or both these it is promised , that it shall be Peace to the righteous ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only Peace , but the perfection of happiness . This was promised to the righteous in this life , according to the Letter of the Jews law ; but under that was contained a Mystical sence , on which they rather depended . They were not so confident of any thing in this world , as they were of a happy and blessed immortality . Much less should we Christians , to whom God hath much more clearly revealed it , as St. Paul saith ( 2 Tim. 1. 10. ) He hath brought Life and Immortality to light by the Gospel . I having thus designed the Method of my discourse , I shall now consider each part in it's order . We are to speak of the Perfect and of the Upright man , by which words the Iews meant him that lived according to their Law. Him they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is , Perfect , wanting nothing to make him a holy or a righteous man. For their Law was perfect , converting Souls ; that is , making them like it , which lived according to the Rules of it . And therefore , of those Gems which the Priest wore in his Breast-plate , and were called Urim and Thummim ; that is , Lights and Perfections : As that which was called Urim , or Lights , was a pledge from God of his Illumination , for the resolving of Questions concerning Civil Affairs , while they were a Theocracy , under the government of God ; so the other Stone was called Thummim , that is , Perfections , in token of his perfect Knowledge of the Law of God ; which ( as St. Paul said long after that Token had ceast , but perhaps alluding to it , 2 Tim. 3. ver . ult . ) was enough to make the man of God , Perfect , throughly furnisht to every good work . The word Upright in my Text , is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Straight in the Hebrew . Now , that is Straight which is according to the Rule . So that the Law of God being considered as the Rule of our Life , he that Walks by this Rule , is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a straight , or an upright man. Thus all Israel was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 33. 5. and in other places ; to signifie not so much what they were , as what they should be ; how they ought to be Straight , according to that Rule which God had given them . Thus Balaam speaking by the Spirit of God , called that Nation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Numb . 23.10 . Insomuch that this Title in my Text , is the very same in effect that our Saviour gave to Nathanael , John 1. 47. Behold ( sayes he ) an Israelite indeed , in whom there is no guile . Both these words , according to this interpretation , signifie one and the same thing . He is a Perfect man , and he is an Upright man , that yields a hearty , constant , and uniform obedience to all the known Commandements of God. Fear God , and keep his Commandements , says Solomon ; this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole Duty of Man , as it is in our translation , Eccl. 12.13 . Nay , according to the Hebrew , it is the Whole Man ; so the Septuagint renders it , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; so the Vulgar Latine , this is Omnis homo . This is all that a man Is to any purpose ; This is the substance and solidity , and life of him ; This is it that makes him a Perfect man in Holiness here , and in Happiness hereafter . This was plainly the sense of these Hebrew words in my Text : But how these words are to be Applied to a Christian , I cannot easily shew you , without going higher , and spreading farther , through the whole use of the word Perfection in Scripture . There is an Absolute Perfection , which is onely the perfection of God. There is Perfection in suo Genere , which belongs to every one of his Creatures . Every creature is said to have perfection of Parts , when it hath all things that are necessary and essential to its kind . And yet that which is perfect as to its Parts , may be imperfect in Degrees , in comparison with others of the same kind . To Apply this to the Moral and Religious sense . In this sense , he is said to be a Perfect Man , that in all respects conforms himself to the Will of God. He is in all points such a Man as God made , and such as God would have all Men to be . Thus Adam was Perfect before the Fall ; He was then free from Sin ; He was Perfectly such as God made him . But having Contracted Sin upon himself , and his Posterity , there was need of a second Adam , to obtain Pardon for Sin ; and that Second Adam was our Lord Iesus Christ. By Vertue of whose Death , which He was to Suffer , in the Fulness of time , there was prepared for us , even from the beginning of the World , a new Way to Perfection ; not by living without Sin , but by the Pardon of Sin to all them that conform themselves not exactly , but sincerely , and constantly , as far as they are able , to the Reveal'd will of God. But the Will of God was Reveal'd by several Degrees , to them that lived in several Ages and Dispensations . And Perfection was still an Uniform obedience to that Will of God that was known to them in their Age , and under their Dispensation . It was thus in the Patriarchical Church , for above Two Thousand Years before the Law was given . They had then little else ( that we know of ) besides Oral Tradition . But whatsoever they had , they that lived according to it ; they were said to be Perfect Men ; that is , they were such as God required Men to be under that Dispensation . Thus it is said of Noah , Gen. 6.9 . that he was Perfect in his Generation : That is , he Observed both the Natural Law of God , and the Divine Institutions that then were , though he had not all that was Known when the Books of Moses were Written . He lived Carefully , according to those Rules of life in his Time , and therefore is said to have been Perfect in his Generation . When God afterwards made his special Covenant with Abraham , and bound it upon him with the Seal of Circumcision , He prefaced it thus , Gen. 17. 1. I am the Almighty God , walk before me , and be thou Perfect . From thence forward no man could be said to be Perfect , I say none that descended out of Abrahams Loins could be Perfect , without the Seal of Circumcision . For the Iewes , when they had once received the Written Law of God ; Then , ( besides their Obligation to the Natural Religion , beside those Positive Laws to Adam , and to Noah , and to Abraham ; I say , besides all these Obligations ) it was required of them , that they should be Conformable to the Laws of Moses . Deut. 18.13 . sayes Moses , Thou shalt be Perfect with the Lord thy God. 'T is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a great Letter ; which the Iewes say , is an extraordinary thing , there were but Ten such before it in the Five Books of Moses . Which implyed , that there was more required to Perfection in them , than in the Nations from whom they were Separated by that Law. But , What shall we say to that place in Heb. 7. 19. That the Law made nothing Perfect ? It means , as I have shewed you , Perfect without Sin , and this Perfection was never attained by the Law. It can be attain'd no otherwise by Fallen Man , but by Christ , who is Reveal'd to us in the Gospel And for us , to whom this Gospel is Reveal'd , we are then said to be perfect , if we live according to the Will of God , which is reveal'd to us in the Gospel . That is in plain termes , if we are good Christians , such as live according to our Profession . So Theophylact observes , that Perfection in the Gospel-sense , is no other than Christianity it self . And Iustin Martyr interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be a Christian ; that is , to conform our selves to the Gospel . Which is that acceptable , and that perfect Will of God , Rom. 12.2 . Which is called that perfect law of liberty , James 1. 25. Which is able to make us perfect unto every good work , Heb. 13.21 . Under each of these Dispensations , there have been some that have been more Perfect than others . And those which have been perfect in the main , Those which had enough to bring them to Heaven , yet are said to be Imperfect in respect of some Others that have Excelled them in the knowledge of God , and in the practice of Religion & Vertue . This particularly appears in some instances of the Gospel , where comparison is made between the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , between those that were newly Converted , and those that were Adult , well grounded and confirmed in Religion . The first in each of these kinds being in comparison of the other as Children in Comparison of Men : You know Children , which are perfect in their kind , having all things essential to a Man , are yet Imperfect in comparison of them which are at mans estate . 'T is the Apostle to the Hebrews that makes this comparison chap. 5. 2. last verses , and in chap. 6. 1. Even so , the Children of God are some much inferiour to others , in that imperfect perfection of which we are capable here upon Earth . And yet the highest Degree of which we are capable upon Earth , is Imperfection in comparison of the blessed Saints in Heaven . There is no perfect Perfection but in Heaven . What we have upon Earth , is but a tendency towards it . It begins with a sence of Imperfection , It grows somthing with an endeavour after Perfection , It grows up to an earnest expectancy , which is the most that St. Paul himself did pretend ; though he reckon'd himself among the Perfect , as men are in this world ; yet Perfection in this world must be with some allowance , as he shews you in the 12 th . verse of the 3 d. chapter to the Philippians . Not as though I ( sayes he ) had already obtained , or were already made Perfect , but I follow after , &c. If St. Paul were affraid to say he was Perfect , who shall dare to say or think it of himself ? sayes Chrysostom . Which of us can be Perfect as St. Paul was ? sayes St. Austin . Yet he sayes , Brethren , I do not think my self to be already Perfect ; Only , I would be so , I do what I can that I may be so ; I follow after , in hope that I may overtake it , That I may attain to it , That I may be Perfect at last , which cannot be here , but in Heaven . It cannot be in this life , sayes the Apostle ; For here we know but in Part , 1 Cor. 13. 9. and verse 10. When that which is Perfect is come , then that which is in Part shall be done away . Here we are perfect in Christ , sayes the Apostle , Col. 1. 28. We are so in the imputation of his Righteousness , and in Gods Gracious Acceptation through him . But in our selves we are not Perfect , but Perfecting ; 2 Cor. 7. 1. Perfecting holiness in the fear of God ; Cleansing our selves from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit ; Striving against every lust , and being careful not to come under the Dominion of any ; Warring against the Devil , the world , and the Flesh ; Applying our selves to every duty of Religion and Vertue ; Working daily to repair the decaies of the Divine Image , and to make up in our selves the Lineaments and Resemblances of God. This is called the Perfecting of the Saints , Eph. 4. 12. Yet we are but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; When we come where the Original is , When we know as we are known , when we see as we are seen , Then we shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made Perfect , Heb. 12. 23. Happy they , who are thus imperfectly perfect upon Earth , For , they shall be made perfectly Perfect in Heaven . Their End shall be Peace , sayes the Psalmist . Their End here is in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifies properly somthing to come After ; whether in this life or in the future , That is alwayes to be understood by the connexion . Gen. 49. 1. Iacob tels his Sons what shall happen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the last part of the age of that Nation ; There it signifies plainly the last part of this life . It elsewhere plainly signifies the estate of the future life . Numb . 23. 10. There says Balaam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let my soul go out of this world as the Righteous doth , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and let my latter end be like his . I should rather interpret it thus ; What is to come after death , may it be with me as it is with him . This seems to me the most literal interpretation . And yet with a Iew I should not contend about it . For , though the Iews say they had no promises in their Law which were expresly of the things of a future life ; Yet they freely acknowledg , that even the promises of this life were to be understood as Types and Shadows of the future . In the promise they say there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; a plain sence belonging to things of This life , and a Mystical sence for the things of a Future life . To judge how this is to be applyed to the promise in my Text , we must first consider the thing that is here promised . 'T is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies , both perfection and peace , and every thing that is good . It signifies every thing that belongs to the perfection of ones being , every thing that belongs to his happiness and well being . Among the Hebrews their Question was , when they asked how one did ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is all well ? Their Blessing at meeting was , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peace be to thee . Their Blessing at parting , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 go in peace . There is nothing that can be wish'd one for his good , which is not comprehended in the blessing of peace . The first import of it is of corporeal things , because those are first considered in all Languages . True it is , that God hath promised his Children the enjoyment of all temporal blessings that are sutable to their condition . These temporal blessings are almost wholly insisted upon in the Old Testament , they are mentioned likewise in the New-Testament in many places ; But still with a condition , that is sometimes exprest , but always understood , for the Performing of these promises to us . That is , God will give us these Temporal blessings , as far as they may consist with our Spiritual welfare . And if he give not these Temporal things , he will certainly make it up to us , in those better things which are Spiritual and Eternal . Thus the Servant of God hath a Promise , that his days shall be long upon Earth , in the Fourth Commandement . That he shall die in Peace , that is , in his Bed ; a quiet and natural death : That he shall see his Childrens Children , and peace upon Israel . These things and many more are comprehended in the blessing of Peace . And were so Literally fulfilled to many servants of God in the Old Testament . David saw it plainly fulfilled , in the Examples of Ioseph , and Iob , which were Recorded in those Scriptures that were Extant in his age . And David himself was one more Example , according to the Literal sense of this Promise . But it was not so with the Son of David , our Lord Jesus Christ ; With respect to whom , if for no other cause , we are obliged to lay hold on this promise in the Spiritual sense . For we know that one may have the blessing of Peace , that wants many , or even all of these Temporal things ; and it shall be never the worse for him that they are wanting . Nay , if things seem quite Contrary to this Promise ; yet God will not be worse than his word . It is the Lord that hath spoken it , and he will make it good , to the Perfect and to the Upright , that the End of that man shall be Peace . And now , suppose any thing to befal that can happen ; we are armed against all cross accidents in the world . Ye cannot say nor suppose any thing too hard for Gods Power ; and if it be in Gods power , he will surely make good his Promise . What if one be snatch't away in the prime of his years ? what if he be cut off in the Field of Battel ? what if he leaves a miserable widow and children ? what if he leaves an Embroil'd estate behind him ? what if he sees the Church of God tottering , and ready to fall after him ? Yet , if this be no fault of his , if it be the will and pleasure of God , thus to deal with the Perfect and Upright man to whom God made this promise in my Text ; whatsoever Circumstances he dies in , it is certain , that the End of that Man is Peace . There is one Text that proves this , and there needs not a second ; 't is in 2 Chron. 34. 28. where God promises Iosiah , Behold , I will gather thee to they Fathers , and thou shalt be gathered to thy Grave in Peace . This God promised Iosiah , you see , not only in the General words of my Text , but also in an Express and Particular Revelation from Heaven . And yet will you see how God performed with him ? It lies before you in the History of Iosias ; he Dyed in all those sad circumstances that I mentioned . He was cropt off in the prime , and flower of his age ; He dyed a bloody death in the field of Battel ; He left a desolate Widow , and poor Infants behind him ; And a bleeding State , a Tottering Church , a ruining Kingdom ; What can be said more ? Only this ; that if God said true , Iosiah dyed in Peace . But we are sure God is true . Therefore to die in peace , we are sure , is somthing else than what the world would imagine . When God sayes , the End of that Man is Peace ; he means not that he shall die in his Bed , He means not that he shall dye in a good Old age , He means not that he shall have his Wife and Children about him , He means not that he shall leave Sion in Peace , and Ierusalem in Prosperity . He means none of those things which belong to this world ; But God means , he shall have that peace which the world cannot give . It is so . For this world is only for Temporal things , but the peace of the Perfect and Upright Man is Spiritual and Eternal . First , there is a Spiritual Peace , that is made for him in this Life . Wheresoever there is Grace , there is Peace . You know Grace and Peace go together in the Gospel . But the Perfect and Upright Man being in the covenant of grace , he is therefore in the covenant of Peace ; he is reconciled to God in the blood of Christ , which is the only effectual sufficient peace-offering of all them that are true and living Members of his body the Church ; Eph. 2. 14 , 15 , 16 , 18. Now this peace being Made for us , it is necessary we should Plead it , that we should depend wholly upon it , that we should look on this , as our only way to God , the only means of Pardon and Mercy , of grace and glory . It is necessary withal , that we should observe those Terms that our Peace-Maker hath made for us . That is , not only to believe in him , but to believe him ; to keep his Commandements , to repent and be converted , that our Sins may be blotted out , when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. And he that doth thus , is sure also of another peace , in the Heavenly Ierusalem , which is the Eternal Vision of peace . It is that rest which was Typified in the Earthly Canaan , and which is the Substance of all those promises of entring into Gods Rest. That perfect Peace of the Perfect Man , Who is able to express it , but he that hath already attained it ? If the peace of God in this world passes all understanding , How much more doth that peace of God in Heaven pass all our expression ? We cannot say what it is , but we can say what it is not . And therefore do commonly express it by Negatives ; by Abstracting from all the Cares , and Sorrows , and Fears , and Troubles , and Miseries of this Life . We say first , there is no Sin in Heaven ; and then to be sure there is no Evil whatsoever There is no sorrow nor affliction , There is no fear nor danger , There is no strife nor division , There is no enmity nor Enemy . There is only God ; and whatsoever is like him in goodness and Charity ; in Joy , and Peace ; in Holiness , and all manner of Perfection . Which if any one desires to know more distinctly , let him first practise these things which he knows upon Earth ; and let him have Patience , and Persevere in well-doing ; and when God sees his time , he shall depart , in that Spiritual peace which I before described , into that Eternal Peace which is here promised , in these words , The End of that man is Peace . I have done with my Text , beyond which I cannot pretend to Revelation . And therefore , in what followeth ( as in all such cases ) I desire not to impose upon your Faith ; But according to the measures of Discretion and Charity , to say my thoughts upon long and intimate Knowledge of the Person who hath been the sad occasion of our meeting this day . I cannot but say , that I have thought of him all this while , as being , according to the Language of my Text , to my thinking , a truly Perfect and an Upright Man. He was eminently such ; for he was Perfect in that Calling which of all other is most apt to shew mens Imperfections . It was a saying of Bias , that Magistracy shews what a man is . I think next to Magistracy , it ought to be said of this Profession , because of the great opportunities th●t it gives men to be dishonest , if they please . However I may be understood , I am sure I mean this no otherwise but to the honour of the profession . The Law is the glory and support of any Nation ; a good Practitioner is an ornament to the Law ; and such he was , I am sure , if I knew any . Among the men of his rank , few more throughly understood it . None more punctually observed it . None more heartily loved the known Laws of the Nation . And yet he loved not to set men at Law. He did not need it , much less did he affect it . It was his way to compose suits , rather then to make them ; especially if he saw they were Unjust or Unnecessary : And I verily believe , in this kind he hath prevented more Suits than many an Honest man was ever retain'd in . As he was not greedy to undertake , so he was most diligent to give a good dispatch . He used his Client , as if he had been his Guardian , contriving onely how to leave him as rich in purse , and as much at peace , as it was possible . And yet this I have known of him , that he was not more frugal of his Clients cost , then he was Liberal of his own . All that God blest him with , was like a Stock put in his hands for Good Uses ; out of which he both gave and lent freely while he lived , and left the rest to be distributed by his Will. Of which , some I suppose will redound to the good of this Place . What I have said of him in respect of his Calling , was only because in that he was most known ; If I should speak of him in other respects , as a Vertuous man , as a Just dealer , as a Faithful Friend , as a Loyal Subject , as an Humble Devout Christian , I am sure there are those present that could Testifie all that I have said . And after all this , Why may not I say my Text over his Corps ? Why may not I call him by these good Names in it ? Why may not I say , His End is Peace ? Only because I have not this from God. 'T is known to God alone , who is Perfect , and who is Vpright , and whose Soul is in Peace . In the most known sence of the words , I am sure he was a Perfect and Upright Man ; if one may Judge by twenty Years trial : For so long I have known him , and in all that time I never knew him blemisht ; I never heard from him an Obscene or Indecent Word ; I never saw by him an Unjust or Uncharitable Action . If any have known worse then I have observed of him ; I desire them to remember , there is no perfection without some imperfection in this World. And I am sure , he that knows more then I know , or can imagine , knows much less by him then all know of the ●ommon rate of Christians . If such a one , as he was , should miscarry and perish ; God help us , in this Age How Few are they that shall be Saved ? And if the Righteous scarcely be Saved , where shall the Sinner and the Vngodly appear ? The Lord give us Grace to avoid all evil Examples ; and to give Example , or to follow it , in all things that are good : That coming to that Perfection which God hath required in this life , we may attain to that Peace which he hath promised in the Life to Come . FINIS .