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CORNELL 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 
 
 3 1924 104 015 213 
 
M Cornell University 
 B Library 
 
 The original of tliis book is in 
 tlie Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924104015213 
 
Mr,^^ O CK W G OtDV 
 
 D I SCO u rI e 
 
 .0 F T H B 
 
 Hon. Col. WIl,|flAMS, 
 
 ©i^^W E A T H E R S F I E L D| 
 
Man mortal -.GOD everlafting, 
 
 and the Jure, unfailing Refuge and Felicity of his 
 faithful People, in all Generations. 
 
 ILLUSTRATED 
 
 I N A '^'^"' ^ 
 
 DISCOURSE 
 
 Delivered at We ATHERSFiELDj«/y 27, 1755. 
 
 being the next Lord's Day, after the 
 
 D EAT H 
 
 OF THE-: 
 
 Hon. Col., WILLIAMS, 
 
 '^' Of that Place. 
 
 By JAMES LOCKWOOD, A. M. 
 
 ■ Paftor of the firfi Church of Chrift in 
 WEATHERSFIELD. 
 
 To which is added,' by another Hand, an APPENDIX 
 
 Containing 
 Some brief Memoirs of the Life of Col', WIi:,LIAMS. 
 
 Gen. iii. 19. Dufi thou art— 
 
 Faiah Ivii. 1 5 .-—The high and lofty One that inhabttetb 
 
 Eternity— 
 Pfalm Ixxiij.' 25. Whom hwve I in. Heamn but thee!- 
 
 And there is none upon Earth that Idefire bejtdes thee. 
 
 NEW-HAVEN: Printed by James Parker, and 
 ,.. Company, at the Poft-O^ice, 1756^ 
 
A Funeral PISCOURSE, 
 
 — ■ ■ - ' ^ >■ » ' -' " ■" 
 
 PSALM XC. I, 2i 3, 
 
 LORD Thou haft been our I)iii;ellingirPla?e in alt 
 
 Generations. Before the Mountains were brought 
 
 forthi or- ever thou hadft formed the Earth and 
 
 the World : Even from Everlajiing to Ever-^ 
 
 lofting, thou art GOD. Thou turneft Man toDe-^ 
 
 JiruSlion ; andfayejl, return, ye Children of Men. 
 
 THIS Pfalm is titled a Prayer of Mofes 
 the Man of GOD. Him the moft 
 High was pleafed to make Choice of and 
 appoint, to bring up his chofen People from the 
 Bondage of Egypt, arid to conduct them to the 
 promifed Land : And many were the Calamities, 
 Affliftions and fore Trials he met with, whilfl hp 
 headed and condudred that Stiff-necked and. rebel- 
 lious People :-T~,-- For their Ingratitude and Per^ 
 verfenefs, and guilty Murmurings and Rebel- 
 lions ; that Generation, which came out of £Jgjj&^ 
 under Mofes, wafted away under the Rebukes ^f 
 Heaven, and their Carcafes fell in the Wildernefs, 
 ^ofes took Occafion, probably, froni the Mi^ 
 feries and Diflreffes that attend,ed their toilfom^ 
 and fatiguing Travels thro' the Wildernefs, and 
 the nunierous mournful Jnftapces of Mortality 
 and Death that fell un4ep his YieWi to compofe 
 this Pfalm j in which he makes, a melancholy and 
 glf^dirig Reprefgnti^tion of the MP£t:alitjr of tho- 
 
4 A Funeral Difcourfe, 
 
 human Race, and the Frailty and Shprtnefs of the 
 Life of Man, and of the Miferies, Calamities, 
 and Toils that imbitter and fill it up j and lets us 
 know that the righteous Qrder of God, the Su- 
 preme Governor of the World, and his over-ru- 
 ling Providence are to be acknow^ledged and a- 
 dored therein. See Verfe? 5, 6, 7, and 9. of the 
 Context. Thou' carrieji them away as with a Flood, they 
 (ire as a Sleep : In the Morning they ^ve like Grafs 
 ijphich groweth up_. In the Morning it fourijheth, and 
 groiveth up j in tpe Evening it is cut down, and 
 nvithereth. For we are confumed by thine j^ger, 
 and by thy Wrath we are troubled. Fpr all our Days 
 arepajfed away in thy Wrath : We Jpend our Teftrs 
 izs a Tale that is told. So in the third Verfe of the 
 Text, Thou tume/i Man to DeJlruSlion. Thou the 
 moft high God, who haft fovereign Dominion 
 over Man, and a Right and Power to difpofe of 
 him as thou pleafeft; Theu tiirneji Man, all Men 
 univerfally, or the human Race, to DeJiruSiion, 
 to Duft and the Grave, that is the Diflblution or 
 Deftrudtion of the human Body. 'Tis a curious 
 Building, raifed by the exquifite Skill, and un- 
 fearchable Wifdom of the Creator ; but, by 
 Death, it finks into Ruins and moulders back to 
 its primitive Duft : Andfayejl, return, ye Children 
 of Men. Sometimes it pleafes the Moji High, by 
 Difeafes or other afflidtive Providences, to threaten 
 the Deftrudlion of our mortal Frames, and to 
 bring us down to the Brink of the Grave, and 
 then by a gracious fovereign Voice, at once to 
 prder our Return, to Heakh, to Vigour, Aftivity 
 and Ufefiilnefs again ; and to himfelf and our 
 Duty, by Sincere Repentance, and a Life of Ho- 
 ilnefs, Thankfgiving and Praife ; Aod this, fome 
 
 fuppofe^ 
 
^A Funeral Difcourje. 5 
 
 fuppofcj is intended by the Words ; others ima- 
 gine, they refer to the Refurredtion of the laft 
 -Day : Tho' God turns Man to Deftrudlion, and 
 their Bodies are refolved into their original Duft ; 
 he will gracioufly remember that Dull, and re- 
 edify thofe fallen and ruin'd Tabernacles,- and call 
 forth the Duft to immortal Life. 
 
 I'his, whether it be intended in thefe Words or 
 not, is an important and refrefhing Truths the 
 dead Bodies of all God's Saints, will deep and 
 reft in the Bofom of the Grave, till the laft Day : 
 Then God will call, and they fhall anfwer -, and 
 he will have Relpedt to the Works of his- Hands : 
 They will awake at the Voice of the Arch-Angel, 
 and the Trump of God/ and (pring from their 
 Bedsof Corruption and Duft, to blooming Life, 
 and immortal A(5tivlty and Vigour; andbefafhi- 
 oned like unto the glorious Body of the Son of 
 God. But waving thefe GloiTes, the Words, I ap- 
 prehend nve exegetical of the foregoing. God fays, 
 return, ye Children of Men; whither? To your 
 Duftj from whence ye were taken. Duft we all 
 are, and to Duft we muft all return 3 fo God fays, and 
 his Word will not return .jempfy. And when our 
 Bodies return to theirDufti, our Spirits or Souls will 
 return to God, to be difpofed of by him. To im- 
 prefs the Minds of God's Ifrael, and of his People 
 in all Ages of the World, with a deeper and more 
 affedling Senfe of the Frailty and Shortnefs of hu- 
 man Life, the Words are -introduced, with a 
 fublime Reprefentation of the Everldjiing Dura- 
 tion of the blefled God ; in Comparifon of which, 
 the prefent Life of Man is byt a Vapour, which 
 appeareth for a h'ttle while, and then vanifheth 
 away J yea, Nothipg,, lefs than I^othing and Va- 
 nity^ 
 
6 A Funeral Dijcourfe. 
 
 nity. Before the Mountains were brought forth, or 
 ever thou hadft formed the Earth, or the World, even 
 Jrtm Everlajiing to Everlajiing, thou art God. Be- 
 fore Time began, before the Hills or the Moun- 
 tains, the Earth or the World were created, God 
 was i and He never had a Beginning : And when 
 this Earth and World fhall be no more. He will 
 exift, and his Being and Duration will never have 
 an End. And how comfortable and fupporting 
 muft.be the Reflexion to good Men, amidft all 
 the Troubles and Calamities of a frail and dyin^ 
 Life, and under the Views of their approaching 
 DiiTolution j that God is everlafting, and the Re- 
 fuge and Felicity of his faithful People, in all Ages 
 of the World ; and that He will never leave them 
 nor forfake them. Lord, fays the Man of God, 
 'Thou hafi been our Dwelling Place in all Generations, 
 The Word here rendered, Dwelling-Place, in the 
 Septuagint is Refuge; by Others, it is rendered, 
 an Afylum, a Receptacle^ a Protestor and Helper'; 
 which dome tq much the fame, and rauft mean, 
 when applied, as here, to the glorious God ; that 
 he is the eternal iSoarff: and ObjeB of all Support 
 and Comfort, of all Supplies and Felicity, to his 
 faithful People ; and that not only in one parti-, 
 cular Age or Nation, hut in all Places and Gene- 
 rations of the World; and that He will be the 
 unfailing, inexhauftible Spring of their Felicity 
 forever. 
 
 D OC T RINK 
 Tho all Mankind are mortal, and bythe fovereign 
 Order of themojl High are turned to DeJlruBion, 
 and reduced to their primitive Duji ; God livis jor^^ 
 ever, and is the Jure Refuge and Felicity, of the 
 Righteous and ins faithful People, in all Generations, 
 
 This 
 
'A iPm&al Dtfcmrfe. f 
 
 ' Irhis DoBrini may be conliderqd and illuftrated 
 tinder the following Heads.. * 
 
 I. All Mankind are . mortalj and it is by the 
 fovereign Order of the moft High, they are turned 
 to Deftrudtion, and reduced to Uieir primitive Duft. 
 Thou tumeji Man to DeJiruStim, and fayejl, return ^ 
 ye Children of Men. 
 
 II. God lives forever : He is from E^erlafting fa 
 J^verlafting^ . 
 
 III. God is the fure Refittge and Felicity, of 
 fhe Righteous and his faithful People, in all Ge- 
 nerations. Lord thou hq/i been our U'weUing-Placef 
 in all Generations. Of diefe in Order, 
 
 I. All Mankind are mortal, and 'tis by the fame". 
 reign. Order of the rnoji High,, they are turned to 
 tieJlruSiion, and reduced to their primitive Diift. 
 'Thou turnefi Man to DeJiruSlion and faje/i, return^ 
 ye Children of Men. 
 
 Excepting One or Two in the firft Ages^ of the 
 World, who by a fpecial Dilpenfation, were tran- 
 'llated to Glory,, without dying ; and thofe who 
 ihall be found alive, at the Second coming of the 
 Lord fromHeavenjD^<?;f/6 has or will preynpon, and 
 devour the whole human Race. Death is a Word 
 of folemn Import, and the Mention of it, is apt to 
 ftrike the Minds df dying Creatures, with Awe 
 and Serioufnefs: Let it now fix our Attention,, and 
 lead us to ferious and profitable Reflections. A 
 great Thing certainly it is to die. — We fhall all 
 quickly find it fo. We all belong to a guilty dying 
 Race; and are daily, hourly haftehing to the 
 Grave, and the gloomy Manfions of the; Dead. 
 How copioufly, and in what moving and pathetic 
 Laiiguage, do the Oracles of God teach and incul- 
 cate, this plain and melancholy LefiTqn. — What 
 ?" " ' Man 
 
8 Sf Funeral Difeouhfe. 
 
 Man is he that Kveth, and Jhall not fee Death? 
 Shall he deliver his Soul from the Hand of the 
 Grave? \\ Theri is no Man that hath Power over 
 the Spirit^ to retain the Spirit, neither hath he Power 
 in the Day of Dettth, and there is no Difcharge in 
 that War. % Man eometh forth as a Flower, and is 
 ait down : Hefeeth qlfo as a Shadow, and continueth 
 not. § Tea, aUFieJh is Grafs, and all the Goodlinefi 
 thereof is as the Flower of the Field : The Grafs 
 v^hithereth, and the Flower fadeth ; becaufe the Spi^ 
 rit of the Lord bloweth upon it. * And what God 
 teaches in his Word, he moft abundantly verifies 
 and confirms, in the Courfe of his Providence j 
 and that in all Ages and Nations of the Earth. 
 Tiedth reigns oyer all the World ; the mortal Shafts, 
 fly perpetually acrofs the Stage j and fmite down 
 the Sons and Daughters of Adam, into the Duft 
 and Grave. The hunian Species, in a continued, 
 mournful Succeflion, thro' all Generations, are 
 carried away, or fwept off the Stage of Life, as 
 with a Flood ; as it is expreflTed in the fifth Verfe 
 of the Context : A Flood fometimes comes on fud- 
 denly and violently, and by its impetuous, rapid 
 Torrent, bears away and Sweeps all before it. So 
 "Death, all conquering Death, with a mighty irrefift- 
 able Force and Violence, carries and fweeps Man- 
 kind, of all Ages and Conditions, into the Grave 
 and Eternity. No Man canwithftand its- Power, 
 or fecure himfelf from its Arxefts. One Genera- 
 tion pafleth away, and another Generation eometh. 
 What is become of fhe numerous Generations, 
 that dwelt and flpurifhed on the Earth, before we 
 were born ? Death has feized upon them, and the 
 Grave has (wallowed them up. 
 
 What 
 
 I PJdI. Ixxxix. 48. % Eccl. viii. 8. \ Job. xiv. 2. * I/a. xl. 6, 7. 
 
A Funeral Difcourfe, 9 
 
 What is become of the holy Patriarch's and 
 Prophets of God, and his precious faints, who 
 fhone as Lights, in the World, in their refpedive 
 Ages; and whofe Names are enroled with Honour, 
 in the facred Volume ? — They fleep in the filent 
 Grave. Where are thofe Mmjiers of the Species, 
 the bloody Ttyrants of the Earth, and Troublers of 
 the World ; who in Ages pafl, to gratify their A- 
 varice, or Ambition and godlefs Thirft of Domi- 
 nion, have, laid wafte the Earth, and butchered 
 their fellow Men, by Thoufands', by Millions ? 
 They are gone to the Generation of the Dead. 
 Where are the juft, the truly noble and generous 
 Princes, of part; Times ; who we're Fathers to their 
 People, and Country, and di\&v&v& BleJJings and Be- 
 nefactors to die World ? — Where the great and 
 illuilrious Perfonages, who have enlightned and 
 blcfled the Earth, with-ufeful Learning, Virtue 
 and Piety ? The Places that once knew them, and 
 honoured them, know them"no more. — The Grave 
 has received them ; this is the End of all the Living. 
 No Character, no Diftindtion can exempt us from 
 this Doom. The richeft Furniture of Mind, the 
 brighteft and moft excelling human Accomplifh- 
 merits, and Perfedtions, nothing avail in this Mat- 
 ter. The Wealthy, the Honourable and the Re- 
 nowned of the Earth, as well as the Poor, the 
 Mean and the Defpifed; the moft Learned and 
 Wife, the moft Pious and Holy j as well as the Ig- 
 norant, the Stupidj and the Ungodly; the beft, 
 as well as the worft of Men muft die, muft en- 
 counter, and fubmit, to this mighty Conqueror. 
 The Prince and the Beggar, the learned Phflofo- 
 .pher and the unlettered Peafant, the Saint and the 
 Profligate lie down together in the Duft. In this 
 
 B Land 
 
1 o A Funeral Difccurfe. 
 
 Land of Darknefs, all Diftinftions are leveleci • 
 and the moft diftant Charadlers quietly reft toge- 
 ther. The dark and filent Grave is the Houfe ap- 
 pointed for all Mankind. Man lieth down, and rijeth 
 hot till the Heavens be no more : Nor does this come 
 to pafs by Chance, or a blind Ethnick Fatality : 
 Whit are ufually called Accidents and Cafualties, 
 and which are fo, as to us ; are all under the 
 Condudl and unerring Diredion of the all-wife 
 God : without his Providence, not a Sparrow falls 
 to the Ground 5 and by it, the Hairs of our Headi 
 are all numbered. 'Tis God, that turneth Man to 
 Deftrudtion ; and faith, return, ye Children of 
 Men. He prefideth over the Armies of Heaven > 
 and ruleth among the Inhabitants of the Earth : 
 All Mankind are in his Hand, and when he 
 pleafeth. He calleth for their Breath : Yea, the 
 Gc/^^/inftrudls us to fay, that Chriji our Redeemer; 
 in whom dwells the Fulnefs of the Godhead bo- 
 dily ; who was dead, but is alive, and lives for-* 
 evermore ; hath the Keys of Death and Hades. All 
 Ppwer in Heaven and Earth is pUt into the Hand& 
 of the Mediator ; and he is the appointed Sove- 
 reign of Life and Death. We dwell in a World of 
 Epcnnes, travel thro' a Wilderneis of Dangers ; 
 but are fliielded and defended on every Side, by" 
 the great Redeemer; and no Evil can come near 
 us, without his Providence and Order : And when. 
 Death approaches, it is ever with a Warrant and 
 C'.>mrniffion from him. Death is ibfolutely in the 
 Hands of Chrift ; it waits his Pleafure, and goes at 
 his Sidding ; and all the Sons and Daughters of 
 Adam muft obey its Summons ; for Chrift is Lord 
 over all. When Man was firft created, he was-im- 
 JnG«tal y and had he continued. innocent, and obe- 
 dient 
 
\4 Funeral Difcourfe. 1 1 
 
 dienttothe Creator, hehad never tailed of Death; 
 but by one Man, Sin entered into' the World', and 
 Death by Sin ; andfo Death pajjes upon all Men, far 
 that all have Jinrted. The Contagion, and fatal 
 Effects of the firil Apoftacy, are univerfally dif- 
 fufed, thro' the Race of Men ; -and all Human- 
 Kind are Uable to this Doom. Bufi thou ^r/, (faid ' 
 the rtghteous fudge to Adam, and in him, to ail 
 his Race) and to the Bu/i JJjalt thou return ; and this 
 agreeably to the Tenor, and threatning of his vio.. 
 lated Lawyand that Sentence of Death, which V/as 
 pronounced upon Man, on his Fall from God, 
 has been executing ever fince : Death reigned, 
 from Adam to Mofis -, from Mofes, to the prefent 
 D^y ; and it will do fo, till the laft Trumpet fhall 
 wake the Dead. And the particular Time, and 
 Circumftances of our Departure, arc ordered and 
 appointed by God. Some do but juft enter upon 
 the Stage, open their Eyes, and cry, and gfoan, 
 and link into the Bofom of the Grave; Others draw 
 Qpt their Span, to three or fourfcore Years, and 
 die. No Age is fecure from the dreadful Sum-, 
 mons. Our E>ay§ are determined, and the Num- 
 ber of our Months is with God : He hath ap^ 
 •pointed our Bounds, which we cannot pafs. Some 
 give up the Ghoft on a Sick-bed^i carefully attend- 
 ed, by dear and lamenting Friends ; Otliers, by 
 Hundreds, and Thoufands, are fwallowe'd up, 
 -quick, in the wide Ocean : Many, very many die 
 •in the Field oi' Battle, with their Garments roU'd 
 in Blood. And Difafters without Number, and 
 ' which no human Sagacity can forefee, may bring 
 us to Death. Thefe feeble Bodies, are eafily ruined 
 to Dull. The (feemingiy) moft inconfiderable Oc- 
 CurrenceSj may prove deadly.; the clogging of one 
 
 ' B 3 Wheelv 
 
12 'A Funeral Difcourfe. 
 
 Wheel, in this delicate Frame, may difordcr the 
 Whole, flop all the Movements of Life, and bring 
 on a fpeedy Diflblution. O ! how infinitely does it 
 concern, every Child oi Adam, to be in a conftant 
 Readinefs for his Departure j fince he knows not 
 when, or by what, Means he mufl die — how foon 
 or fuddenlyhis Lord, will come. WhenChrift calls, 
 we muft all die ; he has the Keys of Deatk and 
 Jlades .-—He turns the human Body to Deftruc-, 
 tion ; breaks the vital Un;on, between the Soul 
 and the Body ; pulls down this Strudture of 
 Clay — this Tabernacle of Earth, and mingles it 
 with common Duft. God fpeaks, and his Word 
 muft be obeyed j return, ye Children of Men, to 
 your native Duft — to the Earth from whence you 
 fprang. — And thus the curious Machine, of the 
 human Body, formed by a Skill and Hand divine, 
 defpoiled of all its Beauty — of all its Gloiy, a 
 cold and breathlefs Lump of Clay, is carried to 
 the Manfions of the Dead j and lodged in the fi- 
 lent, and dark Abodes of the Grave. God chang- 
 eth their Countenances, and fendeth them away. 
 Thefe are fad and melancholy Refleftions ; but 
 amidft all this Da: kncfs and GlocJm ; it is cheering 
 and refrefhing to the Minds of good Men, to con- 
 lider, that God Almighty lives, that Chriji is alive, 
 and lives forevermore j and by the Power and 
 Grace of his Gofpel ; his humble, faithful Fol- 
 lowers, may meet Death, with a becoming Forti- 
 tude and Chearfulnefs, and triumph over it. — 
 thanks be to God, who giveth us the ViSlory, thro*- 
 ^efus Chriji our Lord; — They jleep in J ejus, they 
 die in the Lord, they rejl from their Labours and 
 their Works fellow them. This leads me the fecond 
 Point to come under View. 
 
 IL God 
 
^ Funeral Difcourfe. 1% 
 
 II. God lives forever : He is from Everlafting 
 to Everlafting. — The Lord liveth, and blejfed be my 
 Rock ; and let the God of my Salvation be exalted, 
 fays the pious Pfalmijl, Pfalm xviii, 46. Weild&w, 
 are frail and dying Beings, we dwell in' Houfes of 
 Clay, our Fondation is in the Duft, and we are 
 crufhed before the Moth. Every Thing about ik is 
 corruptible, vanifhing and haftening to a Period; 
 but God lives forever, and changes not. Abrahamy 
 the renowned Saint, called on the Name of the Lordy 
 the everlajling God. Gen. xxi. 33. And th6 Pro- 
 phet i/^/<?^j in a Stile fingularly grand and magni- 
 ficent, C2\h him the high and lofty One, that inha^ 
 biteth Eternity, Ifa. Ivii. 15. When created Be- 
 ings, in the holy Scriptures, are called eternal or 
 everla/iing, it muft be ever underftood, in a qualified 
 and limited Senfe, and not in the Senfe, in which 
 God is faid to be, from Everlafting to Everlafting. 
 Sometimes the Words, Eternal and Everlajling, 
 in holy Writ, fignifying no more, than a long 
 Continuance or Duration : So the Hills ajid Moun- 
 tains, are called Everlafting, becaufe they are 
 ftrong, and permanent as die Conftitution and 
 Frame of the Earth. See Habak. iii. 6. He flood 
 nnd meafuredthe Earth', He beheld and drove afunder 
 the Nations, and the everlajling Mountains were 
 fcattered, the perpetual Hills did bow ; his Ways are 
 Everlajling. Sometimes the Words fignify, a Du- 
 ration without End, tho' not without a Beginning : 
 So the Angels, and Souls of Men, are eternal or 
 immortal ; and the Happineil they enjoy in Hea- 
 ven, is "called everlajling Life, and an eternal 
 Weight of Glory. But God is eternal or ever- 
 lajling, in the higheft and abfolutely perfedt Senfe 
 of t^e Word j moil ftridtly he is everlaftik^. He 
 
 never 
 
J4 A Fumraf Difiourfe. 
 
 never began, and he will never ceafe to exift. 
 When w^e fet ourfelves to think, of the boundleft, 
 eternal Exiftence and Duration, of the glorious 
 God ; we may foon lofe ourfelves, and nonplus 
 »11 our Apprehenfions; but we can never find out 
 the Almighty unto Perfedlion ; nor comprehend, 
 tis boundlefs, infinite Duration. All created Be- 
 jlngs began to exift j before which, they were not— 
 Jiad no Exiftence. We ourfelves, a few Years 
 jSnce, began to exift j before which we were not. 
 All Generations of Men, that ever were upon 
 the Earth, were bom, and died j their Lives here 
 on Earth, had a Beginning and an End. This 
 World had a Beginning ; the Sun, Moon, and 
 Stars began to exift J andfo did die third Heavejis, 
 and all the glorious Angels that dwell there -, but 
 the Being and Duration of God, is without all Be- 
 ginning. If we ftiould run back in our Thoughts, 
 ever fo many Ages, or MiriaJs of Ages, before 
 the Creation of the Earth, and the Heavens, we 
 /hall find no Beginning of God's Exiftence j for 
 it has no Beginning. 'Tis a clear and oertaia 
 Truth, that God is from Everlafting to Everlaftr 
 ing ; but a Truth we can no more comprehend, 
 than we can weigh the Mountains in Scales, and 
 the Hills in a Balance. If there ever was a Time, 
 when there was abfolutely Nothing j it would be 
 utterly and forever impoflible, there ever fhould 
 be any Thing; for Nothing, can never be the 
 Caufe of Something, The prefent Exiftence of the 
 Frame of Nature, is a Demonftration of fome 
 firft Caufe of all Things ; and that Caufe, is God : 
 So the Apofile invincibly argues j that an eternal 
 Power and Godhead, are clearly feen, being under- 
 wood from the Things that are made, Rom. i. 2®. 
 
 . Yes, 
 
A Puncral Dtfcourfe. ? f 
 
 Yes, the firft original Caufe of all Things, muft 
 of Neceffity, and jn the ftridleft Senfe of the 
 Word, be everlafting : Eternity itfelf, is the Da* 
 tatioh, of his Exiflence and Beihg. Infinite Ages 
 before the World was-^-J^before the Lamps of 
 Heaven began to fhine--''Men of Angels, Heaven, 
 or Earth, Were createdj God was j and there ne- 
 ver, was a Time when he was not : He is the 
 Beginning, and End of all Things j but hingielf 
 is without Beginning and End. God was the fame 
 glorious Being, he now h, before any Part of the 
 World was framed j and he will remain the fame, 
 when this World fhall be no more. All the tran* 
 fient and corruptible Things of Tinie, are haftening 
 to a Period, and will foon have an End : all the 
 Beauties ^this lower Creation are fading awayi 
 all the Riches and Treafures, Pomps and Gran- 
 deurs of this World, will quickly take' their 
 Flight, and be feen no more J Stately Buildings* 
 populous and fplendid Cities, nth and flouriiHng 
 Empires and Kingdoms, will prefently fink into 
 Ruins. All the Inhabitants of the Earth muft die* 
 and return to their native Duil : Time itfelf will 
 eome to a Period j iTie Heavens mil pafs awsy 
 with a great Nrnfe^ and the EleMents tisiU melt with 
 fervent Heatj the Earth alfo, and the Works that 
 are therein, Jhall be burnt up ; but the Being and 
 Exiflence of (&od, is perfectly interminable, and 
 will never ha^e an End. He is forever poffefled 
 of independent and unchangeable Life and Being} 
 he inhabiteth Eternity ; his Throne is eftabiiflied 
 in the Heavens ; from whence he beholds all the 
 Changes, Revolutions and Cotifufions, among de- 
 pendent and created Beings ; and all the Inhabi^^ 
 tants of the Earthy in their fucceflive Generations, 
 
 . pafllng 
 
i6 !/f FuheraJ Difcdurfe. 
 
 pafling off the Stage of Life, into the dark Man-*' 
 fions of the Grave j but himfelf is unchanged, 
 lives forever, and is alw^ays the fame, without 
 Variablenefs or Shadow of turning. He is from 
 Everlafting to Everlailing, and fo are all his glo- 
 rious Perfei^ons j his Wifdom and Power, his 
 Holinefs and Truth, his Goodnefs and Mercy, are 
 efTential to his Nature, and equally everlafting and 
 unchangeable, with his Being and Exiftence j or 
 God, who is fecurely, unchangeably poffefled, of 
 thefe, and all other Perfedtions ; is everlafting ; 
 without Beginning and without End, This, Sirs^ 
 is the God, who made and governs the World, 
 and in whofe Hand is the Breath, of every living 
 Thing ; and whom we Chrijiians acknowledge, 
 adore, and worfhip j and whom it it pur indif- 
 penfible Duty, our higheft Honour and Intereft, 
 to love, to fubmit to, and obey forever. O ! may 
 the Language of all our Hearts be. Whom haroe I 
 in Heaven but thee ? And there is none on the Earthy 
 that Idejire befides thee. He is the glorious Refuge 
 and Place of Protedlion, the inexhauftible Source 
 and Original, of all true Comfort, Peace and Fe- 
 licity to his People, in all Ages of the World. 
 And fo we proceed to the next Point to be con- 
 fidercd, 
 
 IIL God, the everlajiing God, is the fare Reftigty 
 and Felicity of the Righteous, and his faithful Peo- 
 ple, in all Generations. Lord thou haft been our 
 Dwelling-Place in all Generations. Our Habitation, 
 is our Place of Refuge and Safety, of Satisfadtion 
 and Comfort, and where we lay up our Stores and 
 Provifions. — 'Tis the Repofitory of our outward 
 Comforts ; and by thi« Word is exprefled, what 
 the bleffed God is to his People : Him, tfiey make 
 
 their 
 
Irff Funeral Bifcmr^, vf 
 
 iheii' Refuge, their Protedlion, and their Happi- 
 neis i and God is all that to them,- for which they 
 chufe him, and truft in him : He was fo, to the 
 holy! P^z^r/^rrAj, and the ^laviB Ifraelites of 0I4, 
 and.fo he is, to the Righteous at all Times, in all 
 Ages and Places of the World. If we look round 
 . on all created Things ; there is a Poverty, an 
 ^mptinefs and-Infufficiency in them all. This is 
 a barren Dfefert we live in ; and without God, the 
 Well-fpring of Happinefs, and the Enjoyment of 
 ym, how deftitute, forlorn and miferable muft 
 we be ! But^if we chufe God for our Portion and 
 Happinefs, aadtruft: in him, and live to him ; he 
 will Support us, under all 9ur Burdens — purify us 
 by all our Trials, and condud: us fafe, thro' all the 
 Windings and Perplexities, of ithis dark Wilder- 
 nefs, to the upper Regions of Light, of Purity and 
 Peace. But here my Bulinefs will be— To confi- 
 der tlie RighteouSj as 7/5o/^, who n:iake ;God their 
 -^S^^ag"^, their Portion and Happinefs— r- And then 
 reprefent, fomething of the Excellency of; their Re- 
 ^fuge and Felicity in God. 
 
 I. I am to conjider the Righteous, as thofe, "who 
 
 make God their Refuge, and their Happinefs: This 
 
 is the Charadter of the Righteous, and God's 
 
 .faithful People, in all Ages of the World. For Ilr 
 
 luf ration of this Point, confider, ■ - 
 
 I. ^he Righteous are effeSiually convinced, of the 
 empty, unfatisfying Nature, of all Creature-Enjoy- 
 meJitX, im^ their utter Infufficiency, to render, them 
 truly happy. This is z. Point, which a great Part 
 of the World, feem to this'Payjunfatisfied about, 
 and unconvinced of; befure, they appear to aft 
 upon the oppofite Principle ; and to imag'ne' they 
 mzytxtx^etjiibfantial YtX&AtyovXoi the Earth, 
 
 C ~ and 
 
-^ A Pufietat Difcdurfi. 
 
 and find and enjoyfolid Happlnefs, ift thft Objeas 
 of Tiiafc and Senfe. Repeated MefttpU and Difap- 
 pdntments^will not convince thehi to the contraty ; 
 ^ea, the Experience of £dl Agi§ in the WorJd, and 
 the repeated, exprefs Dedaraticais of God's Word, 
 will not fhlly fatis^them, but that, after allj th^ 
 may find Refi'ssA Happinefs, in worldly Fruitions j 
 hence thdr daily and vehement Cry iS, ^ho •mill 
 fim us a/^ Goodf As WGood^ fOlid fubftafttial, • 
 and fatisfying GW, were to be found in the Enjoy- 
 ftients, of the Earth. — 'Tis a gronndlefs and vain 
 ^laginationj and uflscrly impc^!!tdc j and the 
 Mtgiteousi whofe Reftige and POTtion (5od ii^, afe 
 «fFeftiiaily convinced of it. Tis an evident Point--- 
 a clear Cafe to them, that nothing under the Surt, 
 nothing below God> nothing in Hedvep or 
 Earth without God, tati be a fufficient Seeurify 
 and Pfotedtion, can fill up Afeir large Defires, and 
 render them truly h^ppy. They fee that Vanity 6f 
 Vanities, which is written on all fublunary En- 
 }<^nicnt* ; and are fully fatisfied, that the World, 
 in all its moft promifin|; Appearances-— Enjoy- 
 ments of this Kihd in theif utmOft Refinements, 
 and richeft AfiJuence, cannot render them truly 
 happ^ } as theyoannot bring full Ck>nfentmeiit,zti^ 
 ^atiswaaort. Tb^ defpair, «f ever finding Felici- 
 ty among Creatute-EnjoyHiejit^, and their Hearts 
 ire broken off from the World, and dead to it, 
 and all ExpedktiOni of folid Happinefs from it > 
 and diey fincerely renounce it, as their Portion. 
 and FeUtity, and r«fufe to let their Hearts and Afi* 
 feftions go out after jr, as fuch. Theyare likewiffe 
 feffeiaually^ convifteedi they canhot fpiift outacom- 
 pleat HappiiieS,'from themfelves ; they are indi- 
 um and dependilitBeirtgs, and not barely fo, biit 
 
 by 
 
have m^ themfdyes najfeable Bem^, ^Qpoii* 
 to a Tbouiand Cd^qE^ities %ni Miseries in thi$ 
 World, a^d to the W|?ath aad ladigna-t^A of Ood, 
 ii^ the N^t. In a Word, tjic Rig^fegus m:p con- 
 vinced, of jthe u^r Jnfufficiency of all <?r^iSed 
 Beings and Enjoyments, jo tnake ^epi hap^rs 
 that there is nothing which belongs tp this World* • 
 ^at can yield tjieai fplid Satisfa<Slioii-r-that they are ; 
 entirely dependent on God, the gj^at Original of 
 all Peing, and. Source of true Jfypp^ehi ifd H 
 they be not happy in him, they jnuft jfljwiti^ly 
 be miferable : Tb^y value in4eed, the Ke®9g? of 
 Providenee, as the kind Qifts of ' Geidv but pot m 
 God'i they pnjpy them, and God in them, 9Udt 
 ipMs his Name for them, bu;t don't make tfem 
 their Happineft and Portion, |i^^ fen^e c|" ihu 
 utter Infufficienjcy, of all Preatm'^-i4lji^raie#l^©js 
 that Puipofc- j and that God. fitjly, wISQ made ti^p, 
 ^an make them happy- ■^■..tr 
 
 ,2. The MJgkt?ous^r£ brought to (i true anAJiimng 
 Knowledge ^ God, in 0riji, and. are effeBvalk 
 cmviufed,. Qf hii fupreme ^scceikncy md AU-fuffif 
 ■ fie?icy ; that he is liie Fpuodaties of Gopd, a.n4 
 Well^fpring of Happinefs, jij^i^ every Way fuitab]#. 
 to anfwer the large Pefires, ,^nd immprtal , Gra» 
 yings of their Souls. ,'Tis in andhy a M^dinUr^ 
 they are brought to a favipg Acquaiptaiice witl| 
 j^e glorious God. Q()4^h(),.cpvimandedthe Ligbtf.9 
 ]fl}inequt of X)arknefs, Jhines info their Heayti, mi 
 gives them the JJghf of the Kmv^kdge of the Glory 
 ^ God, i^ tf^ Face.of Chrifl, 11 Gpr. iv.-'6. .God 
 ;fepot fiivingly to be feno^'S^n hf us, but iij andtfero* 
 .&.ji^diatcr.jlU4io^ indeed rmal himfelf, in fev. 
 veralpf hisPerf9a:ionstot^e%orllitf'jjis Ws>tM 
 
jfd 'A Funeral Difcourfe. 
 
 of Creation and Providience, by the Frame of the 
 Heavens and the Earth, and the Methods of his 
 ruling and governing the World ; fo that they who 
 have no better than this imperfeft Lighj^ may be 
 faid to have a Knowledge of the Exiftence of God, 
 and his eternal Power and Godhead ; but a faving 
 Knowledge of the glorious God, is not to be at- 
 tained by us, but in and thro' his SonjhtMediatvr^^ 
 And this Knowledge of the bleffed" God— ^-This* 
 Conviftion and Senfe, of the fuperior Beauty and 
 Excellency of his »Perfedtions, is needful to our 
 Well-being and Happinefs. Before the Apoftacy, 
 Jldam knew God truly, and enjoyed him. With- 
 out a Mediator ; but fince the Fall, 'tis in and by 
 a Mediator, the bleffed Godmuftbe truly known 
 and enjoyed. 'Tis only in and hy Chrijl, that God 
 opens a Way to be reconciled to Sinners, arid rc- 
 cover§ them frcnn the Blindnefs arid Mifery of their 
 fallen State, to the faving Knowledge and Enjoy- 
 ment of himfelf. This is Life eternal, fays the 
 divine Author of it, to ^ his almighty Father, John 
 xvii. 3. This is Life eternal, that they mi^ht know 
 • thee the only true God, and'Jefus Chrift whom thou 
 iajlfent. The Spirit of God, enlighten the Minds " 
 of returning Sinners, with the Knowledge of Chrift, 
 and of God in him, and fo renews their Wills, 
 and changes and fan<Stifies their Hearts — They fee, 
 in a convincing Light, the fuperior and unfpeak- 
 able Excellency and Glory of the bleffed God, the 
 great Fountain of Being, and Spring of Happinefs, 
 and One evepy Way fuitable, to anfwer and fatisiy 
 
 all their Defires : — Hence the fi^trld, 
 
 and the Things of the World, the fading Trea- 
 fures of Time, and the low Fruitions of Senfe, ap- 
 pear in their real Emptinefs, Poverty and Infuffi- 
 
 ciepcy. 
 
A' Funeral Bifchurfe. ai 
 
 ekncy, and their Souls turn away from thefelow 
 unfatisfying and perifliing Things, and rife and' 
 reach after God, as their true Rejling-Place. ■■ >.' 
 3 . The Righteous do deliberately, freely and fm- 
 ccreif ckufe God in Chrift, for their JPortion and- 
 Manpiirfs, am acqidefce atid reft fatisfied in- him, as ■ 
 fi'ch J- And this is but an obvious Confequence of 
 th.' lall Particular. — For when Perfons do truly 
 know God, and are efFefitually convinced of his' 
 AU-fufficiency— That there is an infinite, inex- 
 hauftible Fiilnefs i n God, enough to fatisfy all their 
 Deiires, to fupply all their WantSj and to inake them 
 happy .and blefled, to the Extent of their Capaci- 
 ties, in Time and forever,^ and that this blefled 
 God, gracioufly offers himfelf to them ia th'e Gof-. 
 pel, to be their God and Father, their Protedion, 
 and the Object of their complete Jfappinefs. — I 
 fay when Perfons are efFedlually convinced of this,, 
 they do, they will fincerely make Choice of God, as 
 their fupreme Happinefs and only Portion, ^their 
 Habitation, and the Re/iing-P lace of' their Souls.' 
 Tho' there are many Things in Heaven and" Earth; 
 that God makes Ufe of, to communicate Happinefs 
 to his Saints in the upper and lower Worlds, yet 
 tlaey.are but Means in the Hand of God — Streams 
 and Emanations from him; God'himfelf, is the 
 great Original, the Subftance 'and Sum of all Per- 
 feftion, of all Good, and the boundlefs Source of all 
 Happinefs, and as fuch the Righteous have made 
 Choice of him, and they cleave to, and reft in 
 him. There is nothing within the Limits of the 
 Creation, they allow to come in Competition with 
 God — nothing in all the\ Realms of Light — no- 
 thing within the Confines of this lower .World, 
 they can confent to take, as their Happinefa.r— nor- 
 thing 
 
22 A Funerifl f>iJcoitrJk,. 
 
 thing th^t can fetisfyth^Defifes, and render them 
 teTily bap^. "Tis all Einptineii and Vanity with-,, 
 out God J he is the chpfen Center, the Ref|ingn 
 ^ace, and the ffeppfeff? of their §puls. And 
 tiii« have I givep ypu fome brief View of tht, 
 Sigiaeous^ as toey fnake Godtheif Refuge, thejlj. 
 Pfoisdion, and ^'^JJ^ppinefs.-^-l proceed now. , 
 II. fo reprefim 'fomething of the Excellency of 
 their Rtfuge ani^Wicity in Gad. And how. happy 
 arc thefe Perfone, who make God their Refuge,. 
 «id the moft Hi^ their Habitation ! There is nor. 
 thing which belongs to this World, tibat is ar^F 
 Ways comparable to their Felicily. Crowns an^ 
 Sceptefs, Empif^es aijd Kingdoms, the Richer and 
 Treafures of the Iniieiy and all the moft relined, 
 Heafures of Senfuality, difappear and vanilh intQ 
 Nothing, 'when we mink of the glorious God ; 
 .f& is an all-fofficient Being, in him> there is % 
 pcrfed harmonious Ccmcurrence of all Perfeftions j 
 Be is, not only more perfed than any other Beings 
 that is to fey but Little of him; for between th? 
 moft exalted Creature, and Gqd, there is an infi- 
 nite Diftance } but all the Perfe(^ions of his Naturg 
 are Infinite, and therefore exceed the Compr?hen7 
 fion, of all created Beings ; and he is the greaf 
 Original cH all Good, and the Well-fpring of al} 
 BleSednefs ; the free and plentiful lEmangtions of 
 v/hofe Goodnefi, flow among his Creatures, iij 
 the appec and lower Worlds, . and comfort, recre* 
 ate andrcfrefh the Creation. This God, is thff 
 Covenant-God and Father, the Portion and Hap* 
 pinefs, the Refuge and Prote(JiiOn, and J^elling^ 
 Place of his feithful People, in all Generations.— r 
 In him, diey find Protedion and Security — Sup- 
 port and Comfort-^Froip him, they receive fuity 
 
 able 
 
A PuherM lyifcoitrfe, aj. 
 
 able Sup|)iie5, atid Food convenient for theiii-~ 
 in him they enjoy, afuperiorand fetisfying — an( 
 an everlafting Felicity. 
 
 1. In Gody the Righteous )imi Prtteilim andSe- 
 mrtty, in the Midji of dl furmmding md^ threat 
 tang Dangers.. God's People in this Werld, lie 
 open to many Dangers and Enemi^, and tfefd^ 
 need a powerful Protection, Ever fin-de f^e En- 
 trance- of the firft Sin, .the Earth has b^en jt Stage 
 of Calamity and Mife'rjr. Sin is a flaighty Evil k^ 
 itfelf, and the Parent and Source of ill other £v|ls. 
 Numherlefe afe the Evils and CakftHties, Mortals 
 areliible lintb, lA this Wb^d, We jJe liablft td 
 the Temptations, and fiery Ddrts^ of Satan,- ^n^^ 
 the Powers ai Darknefs : Jf^e wfeftle not on^ iays 
 the Apc^e Eph. vi. 12. againfi Mejh and Mmi^ 
 hut agdinfi Principalities y againfi Pqivers., agmt^ 
 the Rulers of the tiarknefs of this. World, againfi 
 fpiritual Wickednefs in high Places* Thefe fpiritiMii 
 Foes, are numerous, crafty and potent, afid fraught 
 trith implacable Maliee,' and bent on the Ruin bf 
 Mankind J and howmaay fiery Arrows, are fhot 
 from the Bew of Hell, among wiak Mortals ©h 
 the Earth ? And alas 1 how many ate infnared And 
 vv^ounded, feduced and ruined from that Quarter- 1 
 And befides thd^fe malicidus Foes from the iftvi- 
 iible World, the Righteous areexpdfedto a great 
 many Evils — to the Lafh of a flanderous Tongue, 
 to the Invafions of Injuffice; to iPains and Wounds, 
 td Maladies and Difeafes, and to grievous Loiles. 
 and Difappointments, and fore and heavy Be:fea.*0- 
 iheints. And how. difmal are the Evils I- — How 
 ^ide-fpreading; the Calamities, Mankind are liabfe 
 tb, ft-om hoftile Invafions and Wars, which de- 
 ' pbpulate the Earth, and fv/eep 0ff*its Inhf^tints, 
 
24 ^ui' Ftdieril Difcoiirfe. 
 
 bvHuhdreds'and.,Thoufdftds ! Ever fince the Days 
 c^;iVifOTrorf, the' mi^ty. Hunter before the Lord, 
 Mankind have beeii hunting and butchering, one 
 another, asBeafts of Prey: Even aniong the Na- 
 tions oi Europe, who call themfelves the Followers, 
 -of the Prince iif Peace j what bloody Altercatims^ 
 ■■and depopulating »■ Ware, ' have been found from 
 ■ Age to Age ! Now, amidft all the threatning 
 : Dangers of Life,' weiileid a ftrdhg and powerful 
 PfoteSlion ; ftronger 'tertainly than an Arm'*of 
 Flefli, which is weak and feeble ; we need an Ha- 
 bitation and Place of Defence, that can guard and 
 , fecure us, agairift all' Attacks,, frrtrh Hell and Earth. 
 And where .can we find iuch a Refuge ?~-Suah a 
 i Place of Security, but in God? He Is the great 
 Protector, and Benefadtor of' hi^' People ; henCe 
 the Pfafmifi pioufly and wifely refolves, Pfal. Ivii; i . 
 In the. Shadow, of thy Wings, will I make my Refuge, 
 • until thefe Cafatnities ate over pajl. They that arc 
 . under the Wing, <rf" God's fpecial and ftrong Prd- 
 tedtion, are fecure,. With the" utnioft Safety, we 
 may conimitandtruft om AH with God, arid leave 
 it in his; Hands. He is. infinitely wife, and kno#s 
 all our Wants and Dangers,. an<J he" is,' as powe!:- 
 ful an4 good, as he is, wife,; We may truft him 
 -with our Souls, and all bur Intereft for Eternity, 
 I know whom I hffve bclie'veJ, fays , the "Apdftle 
 ,ii Tim. i. 12. And I am perjwaded, thdt.heis able 
 fa Ti£i>p, that which I have committed 'unto, him, Or 
 gainfi thcft Bay. Sure thpn, we may leaver ajl 
 . our other Concerns and Interefls, our Bodies, pur 
 'Fanili^ and Frie;nds, our worldly Intereft, Peace 
 and Tranquility, with God. If G<»d be'for us, 
 -who can be againft us. .AH created Beings are in 
 the Hands of God, he manages and rules the 
 
 . yvidc 
 
1 A Funeral Difcmirfe. 2$ 
 
 wide Creation. No Evil can come near us, no 
 Enemy alTault us, without his Permiflion. All the 
 Legions of Darknefs, and all the Evils and Cala- 
 mities of the Earth, are under his Controul : He 
 can check and bri<Sle them, reftrain and govern 
 them, as he pleafes. The encircling Arms of his 
 Protedtion, are an inviolable Security j and not an 
 Hair of our Heads, can fall to the Ground, with- 
 out our Father. No Creature, no Strength, or Con- 
 federacy of Creatures, can break thro' that Wall of 
 Protection God makes around his People, to hurt 
 or touch them, without his Permiffion. Satan 
 could not come near, Joi, to hurt him, before God 
 gave him Leave j and the Father of Lies fpakc 
 the Truth, when he faid to the moft High, Job i. 
 lo. Ha/i not thou made an Hedge about him., and 
 nbout his Hpufe, andabmit All that he hath on every 
 Side ? God is the Dwelling^Ftace, and Proted;iori 
 of his faithful People. Come my People enter thou, 
 into thy Chambers., and jhut thy Doors about thee ; 
 Side thyfelf as it were for a little Moment, until the 
 Indignation beoverpaji. For behold the Lord cometh 
 cut of his Place topunijh the Inhabitants of>ibe Eartb 
 J-or their Iniquity*. — The Word of the LorWis-^riedr 
 He is a Buckler to all thofe that truft in hiin-f. He 
 that ivalketh righteoufly, and Jpeaketh uprightly., he 
 that defpifeth the Gain of OppreJj^^JhatJhaketh his 
 Hands from holding ofBribes^ wSJ^Jloppeth his Ears 
 from hearing of Blood, and Jhutting^ his Eyej from 
 feeing Evil : He Jhall dwell, on highl his Place of 
 Defence Jhall be the Munition of Rocks%. This 
 Bleffing of fpecial ProteBion, in Times of Danger, 
 is promifed in abundance of Places of holy Writ, 
 to the Righteous and Obedient.— But how does 
 
 D this 
 
 * yeaah xxvi. zo, 21. \ P/alm xv'm. 30. "f Ifeitiil/ xxxai. 15, if- 
 
26 A Funeral Bifcotirfii 
 
 this agree with Fa<ft and Obfervation ? Do not 
 Calamities and Afflidions, in Fadt, light upon the 
 Righteous and Godly, as well as upon the Wicked? 
 'Tis certain they do. Here then obferve well : As 
 for fpiritual and eternal Blefliiigs, and the Security 
 of our great everlafting Ihtereft, againfl the Ene- 
 mies of our Peace and Salvation ; if we make God 
 cur Habitation, if we truft in him and obey him, we 
 fhall afTuredly be defended and fecured and kept by 
 the Power of God, to his heavenly Kingdom. In 
 the Strength of the Lord, we fliall tread down our 
 fpiritual Foes, and Satan and his Legions of Dark^ 
 nefs, fhall not finally prevail againft us. And as for 
 outward Security and Protedlion, againft the com- 
 mon AfBidtions, Calamities and Enemies of this 
 World; the making God our Refuge, and the 
 approving ourfelves to him, is the moft probable 
 Way in the World, to be thus protected and de- 
 fended; and we fhall adtually be thus fheltered 
 and fecured, fo far, as fhall be agreeable, to the 
 Honour of the moft High, and the vaft Scheme of 
 his Counfels, with Regard to the Intelligent Cre- 
 ation, j6V6ry Part of which, is conducted by un* 
 errin^ixWifdom, under the Influence of infinite 
 Goodncfs and Grace, and with a View to promote, 
 the eventual Good, and final Intereft of the Righ- 
 teous and ObRiiwit. We are fhort fighted Beings, 
 able to fee but a Dttle Way, into the unfearchable 
 Counfels of^the blefTed God, or into our own real 
 •and true Intereft, in a Multitude of Cafes : We 
 know not, in this or the other Cafe, whether it 
 Would be beft for us, in the Whole, to be fecured 
 and faved, from a Particular outward Trial and 
 Calamity that may threaten us ; the all-wife and 
 infinitely good God knows, and if we truft in him, 
 
 and 
 
\4 Funeral Bifcourfe. 27 
 
 and obey him, he will, either protedl ^nd fave uS 
 from, or fupport and Comfort us under, the Triah 
 and his Grace, fliall befufficient for us. But, 
 
 2. In God, the Righteous find Support and Comfort, 
 under prefent Trials, and afflidlive Providences. The 
 Righteous as well as Others, as was hinted before, 
 muft expe<3: Troubles and Afflidions ; but God is 
 your Habitation and Rejiing-Place ; in him you may 
 find Support and Confolafion, and Grace fufficient 
 for you. His almighty Arm can fupport you, and 
 ^e Confolations of his Spirit can refrefh you, un- 
 der -the gloomieft Difpenfations of his Providence. 
 If you make God your Dwelling-Place, and live 
 devoted to him, he will not leave you nor forfake 
 you. When you pafs through the Waters he will be 
 with you ; and through the Rivers, they jhall not over- 
 jhw you. Under your hea,vieft Preffures, and foreft 
 Trials, youmay ftill fay, in the Language of the 
 pious Pfalmift. God is our Refuge and Strength, • a, 
 very prefent Help in'TrQuble. Therefore will not we 
 fear, tho' the Earth be removed, and though the 
 Mountains be carried into the Mid/i of the Sea, tho' 
 the Waters thereof roar, and he troubled, though 
 the Mountains jhake with the Swelling thn-eof.^^ 
 Whatever be your outward Loffes, Difappqintments 
 and Trials, God ftill lives and governs the World, 
 and him you have chofen for your Portion, and 
 you may rejoice and triumph in your Choice. No 
 outward Difajlers and Calamities, no Creature or 
 Combination of Creatures, can deprive you of 
 your God, or tear you fi;om the Center of your 
 Reft, and the Object of your Felicity :. He can 
 infpire jou, with a noble JFortitude of Mind, and, 
 an Elevation of Spirit fuperior to the Calamities 
 and difafterous Events of Time^ and enable you^ 
 
 D 3 to. 
 
 * P/al. xlvi. I, 2, 3. 
 
28 \A Funeral Difcourfe. 
 
 to poflefs your Souls in Patience, Calmnefs and 
 Serenity, and to honour God and your Profeffion, 
 under the heavieft AiBicftions; and to reap a- 
 hundant Advantage, and Benefit therefrom your- 
 felves. No Afflidion indeed, in itfelf, for the Pre,- 
 fent, feemeth joyous, but grievous j and que pars 
 ticular afflidtive Providence or Event, if detached 
 from the entire Plan of divine Government, and 
 viev\^ed apart and by itfelf, may appear vciy gloomy 
 and dark, as it may indeed be, very grievous tQ 
 Flefh and Blopd ; but if you were able to look thro' 
 the whole Scheme of divine Counfels j that PrpT 
 vidence, when viewed in its Connection, and Rer 
 lation to the Whole, no doubt, would appear in a 
 very diiferent Light, and infinity Wifdom and 
 Grace would be visible in it. It behoves you, 
 chearfuUy to refign yourfelves to the Condu^ of 
 God, and to acquiefce and rejoice, in his Govern- 
 ment of the World. Truft in God and be devoted 
 to him, and you may reft alTur^d, however gloomy 
 and threatning the JfpeSis of Prqvidence may be 
 at any Time, that God loves you as a Father, and 
 takes an infinitely more tender and watchful Care of 
 you, than you do of yourfelves ; and will lo order 
 Things, tho' it may be, in a Manner to you unacr- 
 countable, at the Prefent, that all the various ProT 
 vidences you meet with, and the tiying Scenes you 
 pafs through, fhall harmonioufly confpire, to furr 
 ther and advance your real and eventual Gpod, 
 We know, fays St, Fa.uU Ron^, viii. 28. that all 
 "Things work together for Good, to them that love 
 God. So by a various Train, of wife and gracious 
 Dealings, with you, an all-rnerciful Qod and Fa- 
 ther, will refine and purify you, from the Re-r 
 Riaiiis of Sin, and raife ^on, to a nearer Refen^T 
 
'A Tuner al Difcmrfe. 25^ 
 
 bkncc of his own Image ; and by All, difciplinc 
 and train you up, to a Meetnefs for another and a 
 better World; nor, in the mean Time, during 
 your Journey thro' Life, will God leave you defti- 
 tute of fuch outward Supplies, as may be proper 
 for you. For, 
 
 3 . From God, the Righteous receive fuitable Sup^ 
 plies, and Food convenient for them, during their 
 Abode in the Flejh. God is the Fountain and Giver, 
 of all the Comforts of Life : He opens his liberal 
 Hand, and fatisfies the Defires of every living 
 Thing : At his Command, tlie Sea, and the diy 
 Land pour in their Supplies. And the Comforts 
 and Enjoyments of Life, are that, and no more 
 to his People-r-^contribute no further to their Hap- 
 pinefs, than God makes them do fo. They are all 
 Streams and Emanations from him; and can no 
 farther comfort and refrefh them, then Gt)d does 
 fo by them. So that all the Good we receive from 
 the Enjoyments of Life, is really from God ; he 
 is the Author of it all. The outward Comforts, are 
 but the Means of its Conveyance ; , and it is God 
 himfelf, who fuftains and refrefhes us, by them : 
 And, on thofe, who make God their Habit dtimt 
 and Refuge, and live devoted to him, he will be- 
 ftow, all the outward Comforts of this Life, in-=' 
 . finite Wifdom fees Beft for them. God knows all 
 their Wants, is acquainted with all their Circiim- 
 flances, is ever prefent with them, and able to be^ 
 flow, what Mercies he pleafes upon them; and 
 the Bowels of a Father, are with him. The kind 
 Father of the Univerfe, who feeds the young Ra- 
 vens when they cry, will certainly take Care of his 
 Children, who look to, and truftjn him. Tiheir 
 "father in Heaven kmipetb what 'Things they have 
 ' ' Need 
 
30 A Funeral Difcourfe. 
 
 Need of y before theye/kbim. Matt. vi. 8. And In 
 the Way of Duty, and Obedience, they may moft 
 chearfuUy rely on his Wifdom and Goodnefs, to 
 carve their Portion, and feed them widi Food 
 convenient for them j what that may be, 'tis fitting 
 the all-wife God, and their gracious Father, 
 fhould be Judge; and it is their Comfort and 
 Happinefs, that he is, and will be fo. But it is, 
 dpecially, the Enjoyfnent of God himfelf, that 
 renders the Refuge and Happinefs of the Righ^ 
 teousy in him, fo valuable and excellent. Which 
 leads me to fay, 
 
 4. In Godj the Righteous enjoy., a fu^mr and 
 fatisfying Felicity — unfpeakably fuperior to all the 
 Satlsfaftlons of Senfe. The Objed enjoyed is the 
 Higheft, the Greateft and the Beft, 'tis God him- 
 felf No fmall Part of our Happinefs lies, in 
 Knowledge and Contemplation ; and the nobler, 
 and more excellent the ObjecSt is, and the nearer 
 and more intimate, our Acquaintance with it, the 
 greater will be our Happinefs : Now the Righteous^ 
 truly know God, and are, in fome Meafure, ac- 
 quainted with the glorious Perfeftions of his Na- 
 ture. And what a Pleafure is it to them, in the 
 Retirements of devout Meditation, to view th^ 
 glorious Perfedtions of the Deity ! — to let their 
 Thoughts loofe, to expatiate with Freedom 
 among the unknown Excellencies there are in 
 God, his divine AU-fufficicncy, his unfearchable 
 Wifdom, his perfect Purity, and his boundleffi 
 Grace and Mercy ! What a noble and fubllme Sa- 
 tisfaction do they take, in believing Views, of th^ 
 Gofpel-Plan of the Sinner's Salvation, by Jejus 
 Chriji ! In which, the divine Wifdom, Juftice, 
 Holinefsj and rich Grace are fct out to View, in 
 
 fuch 
 
A Fiinefal Jbifcduff:. 3! 
 
 fuch perfect Beauty, Harmony and Gloty. Ho-vir 
 does their facred Satisfaction increafe, when they 
 find in themfelves a growing Conformity to the 
 blefled God ! — are changed, more and more, into 
 the divine Image, and become daily, more and 
 more holy as God is holy j when they find their 
 Hearts, more dead to the World*— all Sin, more 
 and more odious and hlteful to their Souls, and 
 their Love to God, and Delight in him, and their 
 Love to the Will of God, and all the Works of 
 Holinefs and Obedience, to increafei- from Day 
 to Day ! and cfpecially, when they^^re able to fay, 
 this God, is my Gqd, and my Portion forever. 
 ffhom have I in Heaven but thee ? — To know God 
 truly, and be conformed to his Image, to love and 
 enjoy him, is detibtlefs, the higheft Happinefs of 
 the Creature j and it is a fatisfying One. The 
 Pleafures oi Religion, afe real and fubftantial, they 
 enter into the Soul, and brirtgfolid Peace, Com^^ 
 fort and Satisfatftion, and fill up the Soul's Capacity 
 of Blifs : This indeed, is not fully the Cafe in this 
 World, where the Righteous enjoy God, but in a 
 low and imperfed: Meafure, yet, what they do 
 enjoy of God, brings real and fubftantial Satisfac- 
 tion with it ; and raifes ftill greater, and more ar- 
 dent Defires, after a more intimate, and full En^ 
 joyment of God ; and in the World to come, 
 their whole Souls, will befatisfiedinGod. When 
 I awake I jhall be fatisfied 'with thy Likenefs. Pfalm 
 xvii. 15, 5. Jn God, the Rightesus enjoy, an ever- 
 lafling Felicity. All the Enjoyments of this World 
 are precarious and fleeting; but God is an un- 
 changeable Happinefs ; he never will fail thofe, 
 that put their Truft in him : When they pafs 
 thro' the Valley of the Shadow of Death, he will 
 
 be 
 
2 2 A Funeral Btjcourft. 
 
 be with them ; when their Flefh, and their Hearth 
 iail, God will be the Strength of their Heart and 
 their Portion forever. The Righteous begin to enjo^ 
 God, in this World ; and they will arrive at the 
 full Fruition of him, in the Next. They will fee 
 God, Face to Face, and contemplate the Glories of 
 the Deity, with unfpeakable Satisfadtion ; every 
 Wifh will be gratified forever, and every Defire 
 perfeaiyfiilfiiirdi We fee, we knoWj that all Things 
 here below, are haftening to an End j and we fhall 
 quickly die out of this World : — " Yetj if God b6 
 " ours we fliall have enough : If God be ours, we 
 " (hall have All, and abound i All that our Cir* 
 *' cumftances can want or our Wifhes crave, to 
 *' make us inconceivably blefled and happy ; blef- 
 " fed and happy, not only through this little In-* 
 " tervalof Time, but through the unmeafureable 
 *' Revolutions of Eternity." But 'tis Time to pror 
 ceed, to make fome Improvement of this Subjedt. 
 We have taken fome View of Mankind, as mor- 
 tal and perpetually dying off the Stage, and re^ 
 turning to their native Dii^. We have contem- 
 plated, a little, the glorious God, as being front 
 Everlajiing to E'verlajling. We have confidered 
 him, as the Dwelling-Place, the Refuge and Fe-^ - 
 licity ot his People, in all Generations. Impor* 
 tant and interefting Truths thefe ! Let us not leave 
 them, without making a proper Ufe and Improve- 
 ment of them. — Let us endeavour to z^edi our 
 Minds, with a due and deep Senfe, that we arc 
 dying Creatures. — Faithfully exert ourfelves to pre- 
 pare for our Departure I and wifely improve all 
 proper Means, in Order thereto. — With that View, 
 let us not fail, to make God, , who lives forever, 
 our Dnvellijzg-Place, our Refuge and Felicity. 
 
 I. Let 
 
A Funeral Difcmrfe. 33' 
 
 " I. Let us endeofucar, to afieB our Minds, tmith a- 
 due and deep Senfe, that we are dying Creatures. 
 "This is Ho Secret, btit a Truth that lies opefi t6 
 all the World, With fuch a glaring Evidence^ 
 that no Man can be fo mad as to call it into Ques- 
 tion. Yet, I believe you will all own, it is no very 
 eafy flatter, fuitably to realize this Point, evident 
 as it is, with Application to ourfelves. We are 
 ready to dream of Days and Years to come, 
 -without Bounds or Limits. Let us all be per- 
 fwaded, to fhake off this prefumptuous Folly ; 
 and coniider ourfelves as, and realize it that we 
 are,^/K^Creatures. This is not only true of Others, 
 but 'tis (mc ow^n Cafe. We all muft quickly die. 
 This World is not our lafting Home ; but we 
 ■muft qilickly die out of it, into Eternity. Yes, 
 may we all fay, I am a dying Creature ; I daffy 
 the Seeds of Death about with me, every Day and 
 every Hour ; and after a fhort Space, I muft clofe 
 mine Eyes, on the Sun, Moon and Stars ; on all 
 the Beauties, and all the ObJ€<S-s, of this lower 
 World ; and fink into the Darknefs and Gloom of 
 the Grave. After a few more Turns, on this Stage 
 of Life ; my Pulfe, my Breath, and all the Move- 
 ments of Life wiU ftop; and this Body, I am 
 now fo tender of, will become a breathlefe, cold 
 
 Lump of Clay ; will moulder-, and mix With 
 
 common Dtift-. Yes, certainly, I am haftening to 
 the Grave, and Eternity ; and krioW not, at what 
 Hour, my Lord will call. And why ! O' why ! 
 cannot I aft and live, from Day to Day, under a 
 realizing Senfe that I am a dying Creature ? And 
 that the folemnHour of my Departure is drawing 
 'near ! O my God ! may- 1 be found re-ady, When 
 
 E ^aj: 
 
24 -^ Funeral Btfcotirfi. 
 
 that folemn Hour fhall come ; and have Nothing 
 to do but to die. 
 
 11. Let us faithfully exert ourfehes, to prepare 
 for our Departure ; and wifely improve, all proper 
 Means in Order thereto: If you ferioufly confider 
 what Death is, and that you all muft inevitably 
 die, and that you know not how foon > one would 
 Imagine, you muft immediately perceive, that to 
 prepare for Death, is the one Thing needful ; and 
 ought to be made the grand Bulinefs of your Lives. 
 In a multiplicity of worldly Affairs, that may lie 
 upon your Hands ; you may perha,ps, be ready to 
 think but litde of your apprd&ching Change ; and 
 to do as little, to get into a Readinefs for it : But 
 let me tell you, important and urgent, as your 
 worldly Affairs may be j to prepare for Death, is 
 infinitely more important — infinitely more necef- 
 fary, than any of them ; and you are under the 
 ftrongeft and moft folemn Obligations, forthwith 
 to fet about that great Work, and to profecute it 
 with the greateft Serioufnefs and Earneftnefs. 
 Hear the Words of the Son of God in John vi. zy. 
 Labournot for the Meat which perijheth, hut fbrthe 
 Meat which endureth unto everlaftingLife, which the 
 Son of Man Jhall give unto you. And in Matt. xxiv. 
 42. Watch therefore, for ye know not what Hour, your 
 Lord doth come. You are now afting and living 
 for Eternity, and yovtr Well-being to Eternity, 
 depends on your being ready and prepared, when 
 your great Lord fhall call. O ! be perfwaded, to 
 apply yourfelves without Delay to the great Bufi- 
 nefs of preparing fof Death ; fee that you arc at 
 Peace, and reconciled to your great Judge, and 
 holy, in H^art and Life. Wifely and diligently 
 •iir^rove all proper Means, in Order to your being 
 
 ready 
 
A Funeral Bifcourfi. '^^ 
 
 ready for your great Change. Watch at Wifdom's 
 Gate, and wait at the Pojis of her Door. Cry after 
 JVtfdomy and Uft up your Voice for Underjianding : 
 Seek for her as Silver, ^nd fearch for her, as for 
 hid Treafures. And fee, that you fail not to take 
 a ferious and due Notice of the Hand of God, in 
 the Inftances of Mortality and Death, that pafs 
 under your View, from Time to Time j and im- 
 prove diem, to quicken you, in preparing for your 
 own Change. Thefe are awful Monitors, and with 
 a folemn Voice, they call upon us, to be ready. 
 When we fee. One and another around us; not 
 only the Mean and Ignoble, the Wicked and Pro- 
 fligate ; but the Honourable, the Ufeful, and Pious 
 dropping into the Grave — pafling into Eternity j 
 can we but be alarmed ! Can we but feel all the 
 Powers of pur Souls, roufed and animated to prcr 
 pare for Death \ 'Tis God, that turneth Man to 
 Deftrudtion, and faith, return, ye Children of 
 Men. And ihall we not folemnly regard, the O- 
 perations of the divine Hand ? And be furthered 
 and quickned, in our Preparations for another 
 World ; by fuch afFe<3:ing and mournful Provi- 
 dences?- This Jeads me', to take fome particular 
 Notice, of the awful Providence of God, in the 
 Removal of the Honourable Colonel J^illiams, the 
 Week pafl, by Death. It has pleafed the fovereign 
 Difpofer of all Events, and the fupreme Governor 
 of the World j to weaken his Strength in the Way, 
 and to take him from us ; when, for his A|ge, wc 
 might weM hope, he, might have been continued,^ 
 a vic\i Blejpng, much longer j for a rich Blefling 
 he was, while he lived j and his Death is a grie-, 
 vous Lofs, and a folemn Frown of Divine Provi- 
 dence. Know y^ not, ISirf, that a ^re^| ^,^d goodj 
 
^6 A Funeral Difcmrfi^ 
 
 Man, is fallen in our Jfrael, and has left our World ? 
 and let it not be faid of us, that the Righteous, 
 and the Excellent cf the Earth, are taken away, 
 ^d no Man layeth it to Heart. When Perfon? of 
 fuperior Merit and Ufefiilnefs, are taken away; 
 let them not, with the ufelefs and vicious Part of 
 the Speciesy be buried in Oblivion ; but to the 
 fraife of divine Goodnefs and Grace, and for th? 
 Beneifit of Survivors ; let their Names be had in 
 perpetual Remembrance. I fhall not offer at that 
 gl-eat and good Man's Charafter, at large j but; 
 fhall touch upon a few Things, that may lead and 
 engage us, to make a wife and pjoiitable Improve*-, 
 ment, of the folemn Rebuke. The Father of the 
 Spirits of all Flefh, was diftinguifhingly bountiful 
 to his Servant, in the Gifts and Edowments of 
 Nature ; which, being cultivated and improved, 
 by fuperior Attainments, in the various Branches 
 of ufeful Science and Literature ; and enriched 
 and brightened, and made facred to God, by the 
 Grace of the divine Spirit ^ and real Holinefs ; qua- 
 lified him, to do eminent Services for God, and 
 Jiis Generation in the World. And the various Po% 
 of Service, and Stations of Ufefulnefs, and Di* 
 ftindtion, the Providence of God, call'd and pre^ 
 fered him to ; opened a Door, and gave him an 
 Opportunity to difplay thofe Abilities and Graces, 
 for the Advancement of the Kingdom and Church 
 of the Redeemer y and the Intereft and Welfare of 
 Mankind. There was a Grandeur and Nobility, 
 in his Spirit and Sentiments, . which fet him very 
 much above, thof? mean and low Views and De* 
 figns, that aftuate and govern too great a Part of 
 the World ; and rendered him a cordial Friend to. 
 human Kind, a;i4 th?ir ju^ Rights and l^iberties, 
 
 Qivi^ 
 
A Funeral Dljcourfe. 3^ 
 
 Cm/ and Religkus ; and prompted I^itti, in the ic- 
 veral Spheres of Adtion, he was called toj to exeit 
 Jiimfelf, for their real Good and Happinefs. While 
 he ferved at the Ak^r, as a MininW of Jefus (for 
 ■which holy Sei-vice, he was richly furnifhed, bj 
 the pious and devQ^t Turn of his Mind ; and his 
 accurate Acquaintance, with the various farts of 
 Theology) He was a Workman that needed not -to Be 
 fifiamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth -, aiid 
 juftly admired, and celebrated as a learned, evan* 
 ^lical Preacher. And during the Courfc of Years 
 he was at flie Head of our College, and its chief 
 Qovernor and Inftruftor j he was an Honour, aa 
 Ornament, and a rich Bleflihg, to it; to the 
 Churches of Chr^, and to the Land. The Will. 
 dom. Gravity and Authority, with v^^hich he pr&r. 
 lided over that Seminfiry, the Care and Affiduity, 
 with which he applied himfeif, to guard and fe- 
 Gure the StudentSy both from whatfoever might 
 blemifh and wound their moral Characters, and 
 from Errors and Miftakes in Matters of Religion j 
 and to form their Minds, not only to ufefiil Know- 
 ledge and Learning, but to Virtue and real j*iety ; 
 and the learned, graceful ahd honourable Man- 
 ner, of his moderating their Dijputes, and acquit-, 
 ting hinifelf of the other Duties of his Station,at-the 
 pubhc armiverlary Commencements ; rnufl ftill be 
 remernbered- with Gratitude andPleafure. A eon-^ 
 fiderable Part of the Minifiers of Chr^Jl, now on 
 the Stage, in the Government, received their Edu- 
 cation under him ; and had the utmoft Reafdff, to 
 re^edt and honour him while he lived, and to 
 reverence his Memory, now he is gone. After he 
 was obliged (thro' Want of Health) to leave thai 
 Seat of legrqing, and ui^4€r all the Ch-anges and 
 
 Trials 
 
38 ^ Funeral Difcourfi. 
 
 Trials, and in the various Stations of Honour and 
 Ufefulnefs, whether Civil ov Military, divine Pro- 
 videncsy has called him to fince j he appeared to 
 be adhiated and governed in his Condu<ft, by a real 
 and hearty Regard to the Honour of God, and 
 the Intereft and Welfare of his People. He was all- 
 ^ong fteadily and firmly attached to the DoSirines 
 of 4ivine Grace, and of the Reformation, and that 
 are profeffed by the Churches of Chriji, in this 
 Land : He had early felt the fandtifying Energy of 
 ^em upon his ovm Soul, and took a peculiar De- 
 light, in contemplating and difcourfing on, the 
 Subjects of free Grace, the Glories of the Media- 
 tor, the Merit of his Crofs, and the Wonders of 
 his Redemption. — rThefe, and the other Doftrines 
 nearly connected with them, he was convijiced, 
 were of great Importance, to the Progrefe and 
 flouriftjing, of rea^ and practical Religion among 
 Mankind} and he was neither afliamed nor a-, 
 fraid to appear boldly for the Truth, and to con- 
 tend earneftly for the Faith, once delivered to the 
 Saints, amidA all the Errors and Delations of a 
 finful and degenerate Age. He was fearfiU of a 
 growing Defeftion, from fome of the diftinguifh- 
 ing DoSirines of the Gofpel, in the Land 5 and 
 lamented it, as a fore Calamity and Judgment, 
 |hat threatened thefe Churches. The Profperity of 
 Zion, and the Welfare of thefe Churches, and 
 ^s Land lay near his Heart ; — nor were his bcT 
 Hevolent Regards confined to us, he longed for. a 
 more extepfive, and glorious Spread of the Gofpel, 
 and the Enlargement of the Kingdom of Chriji -, 
 and that God would mal^e bare his Arm, and 
 take from among the Heathen, a People for his 
 J^raife and Glory, in t^ie Eaith. He fai4, not many 
 
 . Days 
 
'ATwieralhtfcoiirp. ^^ 
 
 bays before his Death, he could not but hope, tf 
 God fhould fee fit to profper our military Enter-i 
 ^rize, there might be fome opening, for the fuc- 
 cefsful fpreading of the Gofpel, among the Eka^ 
 then.—iie earneftly defired, to fee Religion effec* 
 tually revive and flourifh among God's People in 
 this Place 5 and how ready and chearful '^zs he, 
 to contribute his Labours and Endeavours, for 
 that Purpofe ? How much are we all indebted to 
 him^ for his excellent occafional Services, and 
 Performances, in this Bejk ? When, by his evan-^ 
 gelical Difcourfes, his manly nervous and pathetic 
 Eloquence, he bare a folemn Teftimony, agabft 
 the Vices and Sins of the Place, and Times, and 
 earneftly endeavoured a Reformation j and to per- 
 fwadc Sinners to be reconciled to God. One Thing,- 
 you will permit me to take a particular Notice oft 
 which in this Conncdiori, will I hope, be ferioufly 
 attended to, and deeply and profitably imprefe 
 our Minds ; and that is, he greatly lamented, the 
 woful Relaxation of Family'-Difcipline and Go- 
 vernment, and that the religious Inftrudion of 
 the rifing Generation, was lb much negle«9:ed j 
 and was very defirous of feeing a Reformation in that 
 Point. This I believe many of you, have heard 
 him fpeak of privately, as well as more publickly. 
 O ! may we all, be deeply fenfible, how great 
 Need there is of a Reformation in that Matter j 
 and may a ferious Recolle<Stion, of whast an emi- 
 nent Saint of God, now in Heaven, has faid, from 
 Time to Time upon that Subjeft, ferve to quicken 
 every Head of a Family among us, to the faithful 
 Performance of his Duty. — In the facial and com- 
 mon Life, the great and amiable Virtues and Du- 
 ties of the chrxllian Religion, which he recom- 
 
 iziended 
 
i4o A Funeral Di/courfi. 
 
 meaded to Others, he diligently praftifed himfclfi 
 The accompliilied Gentleman, and the exemplary 
 Cbrijliany were happily united, and vifible to All, 
 in the general Tenor of his Converfation and De- 
 portment J and by a good Converfation in Chrifi\ 
 he adorned the Doftrine, and Gofpelh.& profcffed.-- 
 To AQ& of Betieficense and Liberality to the In- 
 digent and Needy, and to promote and further 
 public and pious Defigns, for the Advancement of 
 Religion, and the Kingdom of the Redeemer, he 
 diicovered a particular Promptitude and Chearful* 
 nefs ; was ready to diftribute — willing to commu- 
 nicate. And if we view hini, in the domejiic Part 
 of his Charafter, did not he walk before God, 
 within his Houfe, with a perfedt Heart j deter- 
 mining, that as for him and his Houfe, they would 
 fcrvetibeLord, with Care and exemplary Fidelity, 
 difcharging the various Duties incumbent upon 
 him, in thatfmaller Circle ? As for that Part of hiS 
 Life, that lay between God and his. own Soul ; as 
 God only, who feeth in Secret, was a Witnefs to 
 it, 'tis iufficient for us, that he lived, and con- 
 verfcd in the World, as one who had been with 
 Jefm-y and who had found and enjoyed, that in 
 God, and Converfe and Communion with him, 
 which was infinitely better, than all the Enter- 
 tainments of Senfe, and all the Treafures and 
 Riches of the Earth. He made the e^erlajiing 
 God his Refuge, and his Habitation ; and he was 
 his fufe and unfailing Felicity. And as he lived, 
 fo he died : The fame God and Redeemer and glo- 
 rious Gojpel, that were his Truft and Confidence, 
 and his Hope while he lived j were his Support, 
 his Refi-efhment and his Joy, when he came to 
 die. When the univerial 'Terror drew near, he dif- 
 ' covered 
 
Ji Fukeral Btfcourfe. 41 
 
 tSf fef ed a true Chfijimn Foftitude, and Compofore 
 bf Mirtd, and a rtfieek and bleffed Refignation to 
 the Will of dod. The infinite rich. Grace of God, 
 and the Merits and Righteoiifnefs of the. great Re- 
 deemer, Were the ObjeSis of his Tf uft and Confi- 
 dence—here his'Sbulfiefted, and here it rejoiced— 
 Thefe were all his Salvation, ahd all his Defire. 
 Under the Irtfluehce of this Faith and Hope, he 
 was raifed above this World, with ^ all its fading 
 and pejrifhing Eryoyrnents, and above the Fears 
 land Terrors of thelaft Enemy ; he defired to de-r 
 part, that he might be with Chrift, and longed 
 for thie Time of his'Diflbliition, and for the com- 
 ing and Call of his great Lord :,—'why is his Cha- 
 riot fp long in coming ; — and at the Call and bid- 
 ding of Chrift, he fell afleep, and refigned his 
 "Spirit to him that gave it. And w^hat, but the Oof- 
 jpel of yefus, and the abundant Grace of it, can 
 thus, amidff all the Terrors and Ruins of difiblv- 
 ing Nature, and a falling Tabernacle ; difFufe fuch 
 a Peace ahd Tranquility into the Soul, as fhall en- 
 able if, to triuniph over the laft Enemy, and to bid 
 Adieu to all the World, with a lively and bleffed 
 Hope, and ftedfaft Expectation , of Immortality 
 and Life beyond the Grave ; and of being forever 
 ■fatisfied, in the Likeneis of God? Arid thus, in 
 •his lateft Morrients, and by the Manner of his De- 
 'parture, did he give a livdy and ftriking Tefti- 
 mony, to the Truth and Power of the Gofpel and 
 "Grace of Chrift. The Death of fuch a Perfon^ 
 mufi; be a grievous Lofs, at any Time j but efpe- 
 cially is it fo, at this Time, under the prefent 
 threatning Afpefts of divine Providence, and the 
 /perilous Situation of this Land; the Prefence and 
 • ""Prayers, the Faith and Holinefs, of fuch an One, 
 
 F being 
 
'^^.2 A Funeral bifc'ouffe. 
 
 being as the Chariots of Jfraelsind the Horfe-mcfi , 
 thereof* But God governs the World, and his 
 Will is done. Let it be the folemn Care of each 
 One of us, to mike a profitable Improvement, of 
 fuch an av^ul Providence. God's Haod is vilible 
 in it, and his w^arning Voice crieth unto us ; ie ye 
 alfo ready. Let us learn to reverence and adore 
 God, in all the Difpenfations and Orders of his 
 Providence, and be quickened to prepare for our 
 ovv^n Change. And with that View, 
 
 IIL Let us not fail to make God, ivbo lives for- 
 ever, our Dwelling-Place, our Refuge and Felicity. 
 Tho' Mankind are mortal, and the wifeft, the 
 moft excellent and the bed of them, muft die -, 
 God is unchangeable, from Everlajiing to Ever- 
 lajiing, he is the fure Refuge, Protection and 
 Happinefs of his People, in all Generations. Mo>- 
 fes and David and Faul, and the Saints of God In 
 all Ages, have made him, their Habitation } and 
 fo muft we, every One of us, ' or we never cah be 
 prepared for Death, nor for Heaven* after Death. 
 Let us all be perlwaded, to make God in Chrift, 
 the chofen Obje6l of our Felicity, and our Reft- 
 ing-Place ; and under all the Changes, Trials, Ca- 
 lamities and Affli<ftions of this mortal Life ; be- 
 take ourfelves to him, and truft and reft and re- 
 joice in him. I know not how to form a Wifti, 
 of any Thing better, or more defirable for the 
 mournful and much refpected Reli^ of Colonel 
 Williams, and the worthy bereaved Children, under 
 the prefent heavy and afflifting Difpenfation of di- 
 vineProvidence, than that they may conftantly make 
 God and Chrift their Refuge, and their Dwelling- 
 Place. When I confider, what it is to lofe fuch a 
 Confortt and fuch a Parent, who was the Dcfire of 
 
 your 
 
A Funeral Difcourfe. 4^ 
 
 your Eyes, and the Delight of your Hearts, your 
 Guardian and Counfellor, in the Houfe of your 
 Pilgrimage : 'Tis eafy to perceive, that no Princi- 
 ples below thofe facred and fublime Ones, the 
 
 Gsfpel contains ; no Arm, but what is Divine, 
 
 znA Almighty, can be, an adequate Support and 
 Comfort, under fo diftreffing and impoverishing a 
 Stroke. Inftead therefore, of attempting to mi- 
 nifter Support and Confolation to you, from any 
 lower or other Confiderations, you will permit me 
 to point you diredly to that God, who is the DweL 
 Ung-Place of his People, in all Generations. There 
 is every Thing in God, a Creature can want ; and 
 the unfearchable Riches of his Grace, are dif- 
 elofed and tendered in the Goipel, to his afflidted 
 and needy People on the Earth. He can Support 
 you under the heavicft Preffures, and the foreft 
 Trials, and afford you Strength, proportionable to 
 your Day ; he can refreih and comfort you, under 
 the gloomieft Diipenfations, and abundantly rnake 
 up your Lofs in himfelf. — AFather of the Father- 
 lefs,' and a "Judge of the Widows, is God, in his 
 holy Habitation.' Now Creature-Suppoits are ftruck 
 away, and created Streams are dried up ; may the 
 inexhauftible overflowing Fountain of Life, of 
 Confolation and BlefTednefs, be your conftant Re- 
 fuge and Rejiing-Place : So fhall you find, that 
 Counfel and Direction, that Support and Comfort, 
 that Peace and BlefTednefs ; which never can be 
 found in the Creature, and which Nothing below 
 God can afford you. 
 
 Moreover, Let All be perfwaded to make God", 
 who lives forever, your Refuge, and the O-^V^ of 
 your Happinefs. Repair fpeedily to God, thro' the 
 Me4iator-2-the God that made you, and who a- 
 
 F 3 Iqpo 
 
/^A A Funeral Difcourfe. 
 
 lone can make you Jiappy and bleffed ; and tako 
 up your Satisfadlion and Reft there. This is the 
 wifeft and beft Courfe you can take in the World, 
 and more neceflary for jou, than any Thing elfQ 
 in the World. To pepfwade and engage you to 
 this, let me lay before you a few Confiderations, 
 and I have done. 
 
 I . Tou are indigent and expofed CreafureSt and 
 nothing in this World, nothing below God, canfatis^ 
 fy you ; and be an effeBual Security and Defence td 
 you. Your Needs and Wants, your Trials, Dan- 
 gers and Afflidions are very-many ; you live in a 
 World of Sin and Tribulation, and are furrounded 
 with Dangers, and Enenues on every Side -, and 
 what is there can relieve you, under all your 
 Wants, fupport and refrefti you, under all youj 
 Sorrows j prote^ and defend you, in this expofed 
 Condition ? No^ng certainly but God j who go- 
 verns the World and orders and controuls, all the 
 Things and Events of it, at his Pleafure. Your 
 Friends about you, the wifeft, the beft, and the 
 deareft of them, if you place your ultima,te Depen-r " 
 dence and Confidence in them, will certainly fail 
 you } they are dependent and indigent Beings, as 
 well as you ; and can never be any further Bleffings 
 to you, than God makes them fo, They are fur-^ 
 rounded ^vith Dangers, Wants and Calamities, as 
 well as you j ai\d can't be the Objeds, of their 
 own Happinefs ; befides, they are dying Creatures, 
 and you muft foon part with them; andperjiapsi 
 when you are railing your Expedations, the highf 
 eft from them, they may be fuddenly fnatched from 
 you. All Flejh is Grafs, and the Goodlinefs thereof 
 as the Flower of the Field. And the 'Things of 
 the World, are a§ une(jua,l ar4_ infufficient to your 
 
 Happinefsj 
 
A Funeral Difcmrfe. 4^ 
 
 Happineft, as the Men of it. There is- fuchan 
 Emptinels and Vanity, in all Creature-Enjoynient? 
 that they cannot fully faUsfy. There is no Con- 
 nedtion, between the Enjoyments of this World, 
 and the Peace an4 Satisfadtion of the Mind ; and 
 what Folly is it, for reafonable Beings, to ipend 
 tiieir Lives, in the Purfuit of what 'tis notpoffiblc 
 they {hould obtain. When you makeUfe of Creature- 
 Comforts as you ot^lit, in a due SuiMacdination to 
 God, and as the appointed Means of your .Sap- 
 port and Comfort in the Service of God, and to 
 bring, you nearer to himfelfj they then becomfr 
 fervic;eable to you : But when you fet up the Cre- 
 ture, in the Room of God, and m,ake it your Hap- 
 piniefs and laft End^you expeft that from it, which 
 was never in it, and fb, mirfl inevitably meet with 
 Difappointment. Vanity of Vanities',. ^11 : thefe 
 Things are Vanity. Nodiing in this World, can 
 bi-ingyour Souls to true andfoli4 Reft and Satis- 
 fadion, without die Enjoyment of God ; and no- 
 thing below him, who has the Governnuent of the 
 World in his Hands, can be your eflfec^ual Security 
 and Defence, againft the Dangers and Evils, you 
 Gonftantly lie open to, 
 
 2. Confider, God invites you to himfilf, through 
 his Son, and to that Fountain of Peace and Felicity 
 there is there ; and ufcs Means with pu, to bring you 
 thither. God ftands in no Need of you; He was 
 infinitely happy andblelTed from Everlafting, and 
 would have been fo, to Everlafting ; if he had nef- 
 ver given Being to you, or any other Creature : 
 You are finful, apoftate, rebellious Creatures ; 
 have broken his Laws and Covenant, and merited 
 his Frowjis and everlafting Curfes : — Yet he has 
 entertained Thoughts^ and |- Pefign of Mercy ; ■ 
 - ^ ^ '■ eind 
 
4.6 A Funeral Difcourfi. 
 
 and has fent his Son from Heaven, to feck his fin- 
 fill Creatures, and to fave them. God fo loved the 
 World, that he gave his only begotten SoTiy that who- 
 foever believeth in him, Jhould not firip, but have 
 everlajling Life, John iii. i6. And this wonderfiil 
 Contrivance and aftonifhing Grace, is revealed and 
 made knownti to you, in his Word j and there God 
 moftgracioufly.condefcends, to invite you ; to for- 
 sake your lying Vanities, to renounce the Trafh 
 and Trifles of Time j not tofpendyour Money, for 
 that which is not Bread, and your Labour, for that 
 which fatisfieth not; but to hearken SUgently unto 
 him, and eat that which is good, and let your Souls 
 delight them/elves in Fatnefs ; to renounce your 
 briken Cifterns, and repair to the Fountain of liv- 
 ing Waters, and fhare in the rich eternal Bleflings 
 of his Covenant, and the Purchafe of his Son ; 
 and to take him, the great Original of Life and 
 Felicity, for your God and Portion. How^ wonder- 
 ful is this Condefcention, of the moft high God \ 
 How afloniihing his gracious Invitations ! And 
 what Ingratitude and Perverfenefs, muft you be 
 chargeable with ; if you refufe to comply w^ith his 
 Invitations ! You affront the fupreme Majefty of 
 Heaven and Earth — flight his wonderful Grace — 
 pour Contempt on the Merits andElood of his Son, 
 and rejedt the Mercy of God againfl: yourfelves, 
 which is the greateft Folly and Madnefs in the 
 World. 
 
 3. Confider, you muji certainly and quickly die and 
 leave the World, andthenyou will be undone, utterly 
 and forever undone, if you jhall not have made God 
 your Happinefi, and Dwelling-Place. A few more 
 revolving Days, and rifing Suns ; a few more Turns 
 pp thisdafl^ Stage ; perhaps not One^ and you muft 
 
 bi4 
 
^ Funeral Difcourje. 47 
 
 fcid Farewel to all below the Sun, and clofe your 
 Eyes on the vifible Creation ; and while your Duft, 
 returns to the Earth as it was ; your Souls will re- 
 turn to God, to be difpofed of by him. Then all 
 the Treafures and Riches j then all the Gratifiea^ 
 tions and" Amufements of this World, and every 
 "fhing here you have valued^ and fet your Hearts 
 upoHi will be to youf as if they had never been ; 
 you will fee them no more forever. And do not 
 your Thoughts recbil '.—.--your Souls fhudder I 
 when you think of entering into the eternal World, 
 and appearing before Godj the Judge of all, in 
 your Garments of Polutionand Guilt? Alas ! how 
 miferable-~how wretched beyond all Expreffion, 
 will vour Condition be ! You will have no Refuge, 
 and^ote<Sion-*-no Place of Security and De- 
 fence — Nothing you can betake yourfelves to, foi- 
 Peace and Happinefs ; but ftript of every Comfort, 
 and all Support, you will fall into the Hands of 
 the living God ; and all the Ctirfes that are written 
 in this Book, will light upon you. 
 
 4. Jf you make God your Dwelling-Place^ and 
 live 'devoted to him j you jhall finally arrive at the full 
 Enjoyment of God in Heaven. Thofe who make 
 God theirPortion, and enjoy him on Earth, fhall 
 enjoy him in Eteaven too. God 'will guide them by his 
 Counfelj and afterward reaive them to Glory . Pfalm 
 Ixxiii. 24. The Covenant and Promifes of God,i 
 his Power and Grace, and unchangeable Truth 
 and Faithfulnefs fecure thisf to all his faithful and 
 obedient People. When they are difmiffed from 
 this World of Vanity and Shadows, they w-iU pafs 
 to the immediate Vifion, and full everlafting En- 
 joyment of the glorious God. But the Blifs and , 
 Glory of the cele^ial World, exceeds all our Ap-/ 
 
 "'■' ' ~ prehenfions; 
 
^8 A Funeraf DifceurP. 
 
 |Miehenfions; no "^iBriguecan utter, no Heart of 
 Man can conceive, what God of his unbounded 
 Goddnefi and Grkc&j has prepared fw thofe thai 
 lov^im. Seeing then there remaineth fuch a Rejti 
 fuch a Blifsful everlaftiftg Reft fof the "P^fU of 
 God ; let your Thoughts and Affedions rife to 
 God, and to Things that are Divine and Eternal. 
 Break every undue Attachment to the Things of 
 Time and Senfe, and look down v^rith a becoming 
 Superiority on all the low and perifhing Entertain- 
 ments of this World j aft and liv6 like the Fol- 
 lowers of the Lamb, the Difciples of Jejus] and 
 Candidates for a Kingdom that never fhall be 
 movedv Let all your Powers and Faculties, your 
 Time and Talents be confeerated to God j be this 
 your grand Gbncern, 'y6ur daily Care, to pleaR' and 
 honour and enjoy the BlefTed God ; to approve 
 yourfclves t6 him, and to grow up, by fwift and 
 happy Advances to a nearer Conformity fo his facred 
 Image, and a greater Meetnefs for his upper King- 
 dom : 3o may you pbflefe your Souls in Patience, 
 Tranquility and Peace under all the Changes,- Af- 
 flidtions, and Calamities of this lower World ; and 
 when your mortal Life (hall come to ah End, and 
 all the Trials of it fhall be over ; yoti fhall rife 
 to the Perfection of your Natures,' in the com- 
 plete Fruition of God, in the upper World ;— be 
 iix'd as Pillars in the <:eleftial Temple : and the 
 Lamb who is in the Midft of the Throne fhall 
 feed you, and fhall lead you unto living Foun- 
 tains of Water. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
ffmmfmmmm*^m*mm**mfmmmmmmmmm-mmmm*m 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 SHORT 
 
 MEMOIRS 
 
 OftheLIFEof 
 
 Col. ELISHA WILLIAMS, 
 
 Of Weathers FIELD, 
 
 MR. El i s H A Wi L L i-A M s, was bom in 
 Hatfieldy Aug. 24, 1694. Son of the truly 
 venerable Mr. William Williams, by his 
 firft Wife Martha, Daughter of the Rev. Mr. Sea~ 
 born Cotton. In his blooming Childhood he difco- 
 vered an adlive Genius, uncommon Strength of Me- 
 mory and Judgment, a vigorous and lively Ima- 
 gination, and early made a happy Proficiency in 
 Claffical Learning, Logic, and Geography j and 
 was in the Year 1708, admitted a Sophimore into 
 Harvard College in Cambridge, where ' he went 
 thro' his Academical Studies, under the Tuition 
 of that learned and worthy Gentleman Mr. Jona^ 
 than Remington, then one of the Fellows, and (oF 
 whom Mr. Williams ever retained a great AfFec- 
 
 G tion 
 
ii APPENDIX. 
 
 tion and Efteem) he purfued his Studies with great 
 Application, and a Proficiency anfwerable to his 
 uncommon Genius. In the Year 171 1, he took 
 his Degree of Bachelor, and 17 14, of Mafter of 
 Arts. After he left the College, he fometime pur- 
 fued his Studies under the Direction of his excel- 
 lent Father, who put him upon the Study of Di- 
 vinity, in which he formed his Notions from the 
 Bible, as the only true Source and Directory of all 
 divine Science ; and for his Helps he perufed the 
 Expofitions and Writings of the firft Reformers, 
 and the old Puritans j and read Dr. Owen, Dr. 
 Prejlon, Dr. Manton, Bifhop Hall, Bifhop Rey- 
 nolds, Mr. Clarkfon, Mr. Howe, &c. for whofe 
 Writings he had ever after a peculiar Relifh. After 
 this the Providence of God called him to live fome 
 Time in JVeathersJield,vfhtte he became acquainted 
 with, and married Mrs. Eunice Chejier; a prudent, 
 pious, virtuous Gentlewoman, with whom he lived 
 36 Years, in a true conjugal AfFeftion, and mu- 
 tual Tendemefs j by her he had feven Children, 
 only two of which furvive him ; his eldeft Son and 
 fecond Daughter. Soon after this Marriage, he fell 
 upon the Study of the Law, with Thought of ap- 
 plying himfelf to the Pradticc of it ; and endea- 
 voured to make himfelf thoroughly acquainted 
 with the Conftitution of the Englijh Government, 
 Privileges, and Laws ; and drank in fo eflablifhed 
 a Love of Britijh Privileges, as well as of the 
 Rights and Liberties of Confcience, as he invaria- 
 bly adhered to as long as he lived. — Soon after his 
 fetdement at Weather ifield, he was prevailed on to 
 
 fo a Voyage to Canfo, with Captain Hall; where 
 e officiated as Chaplain to the Fifhermen during 
 the Seafon. Afi^r his return Home, he profecuted 
 
 ^ the 
 
APPENDIX. hi 
 
 the Study of the Law ; ferved feveral Years a§ a 
 Reprefentative of the Town oi Weather sfield^ and 
 Clerk of the lower Houfe of Afferpbly. In the 
 Year 171 7, there arofe an unhappy Divifion ar- 
 mong the Truftees of the College, about the 
 Place of Building an Houfe ; which was fo great, 
 that the Reverend Meflrs. Woodbridge, and Buck^ 
 inghaniy oi Hartford, two of the Truftees, called 
 a confiderable Number of the Scholars to Wea^ 
 thersfield, and prevailed with Mr. Williams, to un- 
 dertake the Tuition of a Number ; which Service 
 he performed to the great Satisfadion of the Truf- 
 tees, and Advantage to the Scholars. Soon after 
 this, it pleafed God to exercife Mr. Williams vn\h 
 a grievous Sicknefs, and extream Pain in his Head, 
 a Sort of Calenture ; which brought him fo near 
 the Grave, that his Life was almoft defpajred of} 
 not only by his Friends, but his Phyficians alfo j 
 by which, Occafion was given for the Exercife of 
 his Faith and Patience, which were fbuiid to the 
 Honour and Glory of God. He expreffed great 
 Humility, and quiet Submiffion to the divine Will; 
 arid gave his Friends a comforting and joyful Ac^ 
 count, of his Experience fom? Time before, of ^ 
 gracious Work of the regenerating and fanftifying 
 -Spirit of God upon his Heart ; of which, and 
 the prefent Support of that divine Spirit, he had 
 fuch clear and comforting Views, as fupported him 
 with Chearfulnefs in the Profpeft of Deathjt and 
 Expedlation of the Mercy of the Lord Jefus unto 
 eternal Life. But God was pleafed to raife him 
 up again, defigning him fo^ gr?at?r Ufefulnefs 
 and Seivicc to his Church ; and was grado^ifly 
 pleafed further to prepare him for it in the. Year 
 1720, giving hira a clear and extraordin,^ §?nfe, 
 
 G 3 PI 
 
iv APPENDIX. 
 
 of the infinite Importance of divine and fpiritual 
 Things i as it were overw-helming his Mind, with 
 the Views of the aftonifhing Grace and Glory of 
 God, in the Way and Work of our Redemption, 
 by his only begotten and eternal Son Jefus Chrifi 
 our Lord; which was introduced, with a clear 
 and powerful Convidlion of the univerfal Extent, 
 unchangeable Obligation, Purity and Spirituality 
 of the divine Law ; with a Sight of the Corruption 
 of his own Heart ; his fpiritual Impotence, and 
 abfolute Need of Chrift for his whole Salvation j 
 attended with great humbling, andfelf Abafementj 
 and followed with fuch Views of the Fulnefs, Ri- 
 ches, and Sovereignty of divine Grace, in the Per.- 
 fon. Offices, and Work of Chrift, and Affurance 
 of the Truth of the Gofpel Promifes ; as did great- 
 ly draw out his Heart to Chrift, and abundantly 
 ifatisfy him of his Fitnefs, Sufficiency, and Willing- 
 jiefs, to fave fuch miferable and felf deftroyed Sin- 
 jiers, as he came to refcue from Siri and Hell, to 
 recover to Holinefs, and bring to God. This filled 
 Jiim with great meltings of Heart, confirmed his 
 Hope in Chriji, and cleared up the Work ot God's 
 Grace to him; and was an effectual Means to fix 
 him inviolably in his Belief of thofe Doctrines of the 
 Gofpel commonly called the Dodtrines of Grace, to 
 which he firmly adhered in all Parts of his following 
 Life ; and no Arts, or Calumny, or Imputation of De- 
 ^gn could ever prevail with him, to give up, to ftifle 
 or conceal. And it feema this was defigned as his In- 
 troduction into the Miniftry,for foon after the Parifh 
 of NeivingtQH, by the Advice of the Rev. Mr. MiXy 
 and fome other Rev, Minifters in the Neighbour- 
 hood, made Application to him, to be their Mini- 
 fter, which was agreeable to his Fathers Choice 
 
 and 
 
APPENDIX. r 
 
 and Inclination. The Condud of Providence lead- 
 ing that Way ; under the peculiar Senfe of divine 
 Things, and fervent Defire to fervc the Lord C^r^/?, 
 he accepted that Motion; and in the Year i/'ai, 
 was ordained Paftor of the Church there ; where 
 he fpent near five Years, in the painful and powerful 
 Preaching of the Gofpel of Cbnji ; and^not Without 
 Succefs in the Converfion and Edification of Souls, 
 who will blefs God for him forever. As his Appre- 
 henfion was ready, his Ideas clear and ftrong ; his 
 Didlion and Addrefs were rational and nei-vous, 
 and convincing to the Underftanding. His Preach- 
 ing was chiefly on the great Dodtrines which arc 
 the peculiar Glory of the Gofpel ; to debafe and 
 humble Man, to convince him of his loft Eftate, 
 his corrupt and impotent Condition ; and to exalt 
 God and Chriji, and free Grace. In Prayer, he was 
 wont to difcover a deep Senfe, of the Corruption of 
 Man's Heart; the Defert, and infinite Evil of Sin j 
 the Authority, and Purity of God's Law ; an un- 
 common Reverence of the infinite Majefty of God, 
 and his amazing Condefcention in ftooping down 
 to take Notice of Man, and giving his ow^n beloved 
 Son to be the Propitiation and Attonement for us : 
 This was obfervable in him, all his Life. His clofe . 
 ftudy, and fedentary Life, occafioned him frequent 
 Pains, and much of the Head Ach, during his Con- 
 tinuance at iV^w/??^/W. In the Year 1726, he was 
 chofen by the Rev. Corporation of Tale-College, 
 in New^Haven, to the Office of Reftor of that 
 College. After due Confideration, and Advice, and 
 recommending the Affair to the Father of Lights, 
 for Direction ; he was perfwaded it was his Duty 
 to accept the Invitation ; and by the Advice of an 
 ccclefiaftical Council, at the Defire of the Corpo-' 
 " ' " ~ "' ration. 
 
vi ^APPENDIX. 
 
 ration, he was the fame Year removed to the Col- 
 kge, and Inilalled in the Office of Redtor there. 
 Where altho' he had but an indiiFerent Support, 
 and met with many Difficulties ; he applied him- 
 felf with indefatigable Diligence, to promote [the 
 Intereft of Religion and Learning, in that Society. 
 The College happily flourifhed in good Order, and 
 Learning, under his Influence and Government ; 
 produced many worthy and learned Men, the Ho- 
 nour of the College, and now in public Stations 
 in Church and State, who remember Mr. Williams 
 with Gratitude and Honour. But fuch was the Po- 
 verty of the College during that Time, that I think, 
 Mr. Williams was obliged conftantly to take upon 
 himfelf the Tuition of one Clafs,(fometimes of two) 
 befides the principal Care of the Government of 
 the Society, and occalional Preaching. So feden- 
 tary a Life attended with fuch Application to Study, 
 and the Bufinefsof Inftrudtion, (the Air of New- 
 Haven not agreeing with his ConiHtution) threw 
 him into a bad State of Health, and brought on an 
 obftinate Head Ach ; which notwithftanding all 
 Endeavours for Relief, increafed, fo that one of his 
 Eyes fwelled to the Bignefs of a large Egg ; and 
 threatened him with the Lofs of both, or of his Life. 
 He was therefore obliged to defire a Releafe from 
 that Service ; and upon the evident Neceffity of his 
 Difcharge, the Truftees (tho' with Reludtjince and 
 Grief) confented to his Defire, and he removed 
 to his Seat at Weather sjield in the Year 1739, where 
 upon proper Ufe of Means and Exercife, after fome 
 Time, he recovered his Health. But when he had 
 obtained Relief of his bodily Diforders, it pleafed 
 the all-wife God, to exercife him with Afflidlions 
 of another Kindj in the Year 1740, he buried his 
 ~ fecond 
 
'APPENDIX. vu 
 
 fecond Son j a young Gendeman as of a liber^i 
 Education, fo of I'are and uncommon Endowments 
 of Mind, of fingukr Qualifications, and adorned 
 with many fhining and exemplary Excellencies 5 
 which attrafied the Admiration and Efteem of all 
 that knew him, and raifed great hopes of a fignal 
 Bleffing, defigned to the World in him : He lived 
 univer^ly beloved, and died equally lamented; 
 with Intrepidity and Calmnefs meeting the lafl: 
 Enemy, and with Comfort and Aflurance furren- 
 dering his Soul to Jefus's Hands, 
 
 And not long after, he was called to part witlj 
 his eldeft Daughter, a very defirable, accomplifhed 
 and ingenious Perfon, furpaffing the moft, in re- 
 lpe6t of mental Ornaments and unafFeded Piety ^ 
 and alfo his youngeft Son, who had been gradu- 
 ated at the College in New-Haven, amiable and' 
 promifing in his Life, and leaving no little Hope 
 in his Death. 
 
 He was fupported under thefe heavy and trying 
 Afflidions, with furprizing Patience,Humility, and 
 Satisfadlion in the holy Will of God ; and under 
 thefe dark Difpenfations, was wont to fay, God 
 made him rejoice that he reigned, and gave him 
 fuch a Senfe of his abfolute Right to do what he 
 pleafed, and of his unerring Wifdom and Good- 
 nefs, that tho' his Rod was fevere, yet it was jufl; 
 neceffary, and kind, why Jheuld a living Matt 
 complain, it was all far lefs than his Iniquity de- 
 ferred ? He was efpecially quieted by, yea fwd- 
 lowed up in, the Views of ijie Sufferings, of the 
 great Redeemer, the Pains the Agonies, the Cur- 
 fed Death he underwent for the Salvation of loft 
 and ruined Sinners. Of his own AfBidtions he was 
 wont to fay, they were wholefome Difciplines in 
 
 Chrift^ 
 
viil A P P E 1^ D t IC. 
 
 Chrijl's School ; and was perfwaded thro' Grace, 
 they would promote his Conformity to God, drive 
 him nearer to C^rift, and make him live more 
 upon his AU-fufficiency j and that his Good and 
 Treafure was laid up in the Promifes of God, 
 that might with Propriety be applied to him, 
 James v. 1 1 . We count them Happy •which endure;. 
 His Afflidions were alfo the Means to further in 
 him, the Exercife of a kind, forgiving, charitable 
 Spirit, (which he had no fmall Occafion for) and a 
 Sympathy, and Compaffion for Others in Afflic- 
 tion ; which fhone out, diftinguifhed from that na- 
 tural Kindnefs and Humanityj which was remark- 
 ably vifible in his Temper .—-After his Return to 
 Weathersfield, he was again improved by the Town, 
 as one of their Reprefentatives ; he was alfo by the 
 General Aflembly Appointed one of the Judges of 
 the Superior Court, during the Timfe when the 
 religious Awakening, and the general Concern wasj 
 in the Colony ; which occafiotied fome unhappy 
 Divifions and Diverfity of Sentiments, and Condud: 
 in the Government ; and fome Laws relating to 
 ecclefiaftical Matters, which Mr. Williams appeared 
 againft ; and endeavoured to prevent the ill Effeds, 
 he apprehended might follow them. Though he 
 difapproved of many Things, which at that Time 
 appeared under the Pretext of Religion, yet agree- 
 ably to his fixed and fteady Principles, he openly 
 cfpoufed, and endeavoured to prote<ft, what he 
 thought agreeable to the true Principles of Calvi- 
 nifmy and had a real Appearance of the Work of 
 God, convincing and converting Sinners ; and was 
 warmly engaged for Liberty of Confcience ; which 
 brought upon him the Difpleafure of fome who 
 differed from him in their Thoughts ; and fome 
 
 Perfons 
 
if*erf6ns were pleafed to reprefent his Condu6t (as 
 had -been qften done before) as a Defign to ferve 
 himfelf, and make an Intereft for him in the Go- 
 vernment; a Treatment which has been wont in all 
 TimeSj to h6 giybn by Men who are abt to adli 
 with mean Vievi^g, and are ready to think that 0-J 
 thers are ihfluenceti by no higher Motives. Under 
 thefc, Ind former Afpeirfidns of this t»fatiire, t 
 wis intiinately acquaiiited with Mr. WilK'amsi 
 Sentiments, and hi'^^e often heard him treat fuch 
 Af^eEfibns with a Cdhtempt becominghirhfelfj Re- 
 gardlefs^bf fuch Imputations j and, " mat he would 
 *' ad his own Prlncipies, let Men make what Ufe 
 *' of it rfidy pleafed"; and that he would ferve Man-t „ 
 " kindW^U as he'tould, ib far as they woulcl \ 
 *' let him, aftdwhetherthey were willing ornotrhc 
 ** wduld'i^tt:femkll the Good in his Power. He 
 " khev^w #as born and lived only to pleafe God,;' 
 *' and *do Good to Men, as God "gave him Power 
 ** and Ppportunity. T%t Rights and Liberties of 
 " Cpnfcknce, he would ever defend to the utmoit 
 *' pf his Power i And thofe Principles of Religion^' 
 ^' which fome Men treated i&Enthhfiafm he coun-< 
 " ted-Bis Glory ; he had lived and did live in the 
 *^ firr^' Belief of them, and hoped by God's Gracq 
 " he f^ottld die in that Belief." He had a firm na- 
 tural Gourage, and with refpedt to his A^ons, in 
 .Matters of Religion tftd Cbnfcience, and what he 
 judged; the Good of his Country, that might truly 
 he applied to him, which the wife Man fays, 7Z>ft 
 Rigkeom ts bold as' a Lion : I never' knew him 
 in a Seafbif he judged proper afraid or afhametl 
 to fpeak his Sentiments, or do any, Adtion which' 
 he believed was his Duty. When the Expedition 
 9L'§;3m&.'~Ca^t Breton yv2i& fet on Foot, he was ap-. 
 
pointed by the G?na:al Affembly» Chaplain of thif 
 Reg^nlent feint from tjiis Colony, and earneftiy de- 
 lli-ed hy the Honoujr^Ie Governor fFalcot^y thejj 
 Major-General, arid fonie other Gentlen^qa toun-r 
 ^rtake that Service. He engaged in ity^ith a pLea<* 
 in§ Profped: of Serving ChrS;,by doing fpTO?fpecial 
 Service to his King and Country, in affifting to 
 promote the Hdjtgipn. of the Army,; and. I19 
 reduce a Place which his Heart was qxtr^^jgor 
 hf engaged to have taken out of the Hands of ouf 
 inveter^e Enemies the French-, and thereby ohe 
 of their chief Advantages againft tlpji^s Coufjtiyj 
 wrefled from thetik His Behaviour at t^hjrt Place 
 4ias been honourably tefldfied of, by feyqisaJi ^^r* 
 thy Gentlcmciri who were prefentj and £hni)''an P3&» 
 fraordinary Providence was that importajit Place^ 
 reduded to the Obedience of King Cttirge :, An4 »* 
 had beeot better for Ae ]^ation,8ad oui; ^witry, to 
 have purchaled it with Million* of Monfsy, t^O to 
 have givetiitup; When tij^ Expedition, w^ forn>* 
 ^ againft C^ntf^, and a Regiment of ^thoufand 
 A^n, raifedby his Majefty's, Order j 1^. tViliiamSi 
 was appointed ly the General Aflembly to^b? chief 
 Colonel of that Regiment ^ ^hich he, accepted 
 with the pleafing Hopes that^tjie Expedition, would 
 fce effedtuaUy profecuted, .an,d h^ Country be de^ 
 Kvered from that Nell of En,emies, wljwh haye 
 ^r been, the Scourge ajjd Peft of Newr-fiiig^^a^ 
 He went down, as did the Regiment, to iVif^-Xo«- 
 ifoa, where they lay ready to Embark, waitiijgjfqg' 
 Orders from the Crown, a^dthe Officer* CQi?a^i|» 
 ^ons; but none coming that Summuer^ ^ic. Regi- 
 
 ?ient was held tobeinreadinefstilLfaruief Ordj^ra, 
 ild in about a Year and. h^. Orders came fe)m[ 
 tfie King, to difband the American. Tcoope ia|fc4 
 
APPENDIX. ^ 
 
 for that Expedition. There appeared many Diffi- 
 culties in the Way of the Payment of the Regii 
 talent, and fuch a Profpea of Difficulty, that feve- 
 ral Gentlemen, who by Encouragement of the Go* 
 vernment, and a Motion from the Court at Hoirie, 
 had paid off many of the Soldiers, and purchafed 
 large Inter^fts in the Wages of the Regiment j as 
 alfo divers of the Officers, and Sbldiers themfelvesr, 
 moved CoXon^ Wiliiams to go over to Great-Brp- 
 fainy and fojicit the Court in that Behalf; which 
 lie undertook^ and Embarked at Bojion Pecemb& 
 1749, and arrived in Dartmpuik the 27th oi^anu" 
 ary following ; from whence h? repaired imme- 
 diately to London, and engaged with all Speed an4 
 Diligence in the Solicitation of that Afair ; which 
 met with lb many Delays^that he could not obtain 
 an Order for the Pay, till it was too late to venture a 
 Voyage to iV?w-£«^/^;7^ that Year, In the Spring, 
 he was retarded ^y waiting for ^ Snow from. Spaing 
 \vhich belonged partly,tofome Gentlemen in Ne'ua^ 
 ^nglandi After the VefTel came out, fhe was feve- 
 yal Times driven back by contrary Winds, fo that 
 he left not England tiSS. Auguji 1751, had a long 
 and tedrou?. Voyage, arrived qn our Cpaft in OSlo- 
 her, met with contrary- Winds which kept them 
 off, their Provifion was almoft ipent, an4 alfo theii?^ 
 Water 3 with which laft they were happily fuppli?-. 
 ed by feafonable plentiful R^ns.- — -rThe CreysF 
 \vould not be pervaded to. try agaia to reach. 
 New-England, concluding if they made one At- 
 tempt more and failed, they muft inevitably periflj 
 Vath Hunger and Thjrft, before they could reach, 
 any Port;' and tlierefore drove AowntfxAntiguas, 
 upon which they came in the Night, not know-» 
 ipg yi\\3X Pgrt qf it they were at ; and by a kir^. 
 
jiii ji p p n N D I x.^ 
 
 Providence narrowly efcape4 Shipwreck.Thei:Qthe)« 
 were obIige4 to ftay till thp Spring, and arrived a; 
 f^ew-London the 24th ot April 1J52. As Colo^ej 
 Williams in his Letters froni thenCe, tpok Nptic^ tq 
 his Friends, of thofe remarkable Providences, with 
 liumble Acquiefcencc in tjie divine Will, and ac^Qr-r 
 ing Expreffions of the Wifdom, ^Sovereignty an4 
 Goodnefs of God ; fo it was obferved by thofe tha^ 
 were with hipi, tjiat in the Midft of thefe Dangers 
 and Difficulties, he pgtieptly ppifeft his Soul ; an4 
 with a Tranquility and Eafinefs of Spirit, which i^ 
 the^xuit of qnfhaken Faith in the great Redeemer, 
 he enjoyed a Serenity of Mind, and lively Expec,; 
 ^tion, of the Accompliihment^ of the Promifes of 
 God. While the Colonel vy-as in England, his Cpn- 
 <lu(fl and Behayiour was fuch as did Hpnour to 
 |iis Country; he was carefled, and treated with dif- 
 tinguifhed Rjsfpeft, % Gentlemen of the greats 
 eft Wort|;j and Virtue, who fell into his Acquain- 
 tance ; with whom he took all Opportunities to re^ 
 commend the Interefts of his Country, and fhew 
 its Importance tq the Crown j ^nd to engage thei^^ 
 Concern apd Intereft for it ; that he mig^t lay the 
 beft Fpundatlon he pould tq promote its Welfare, 
 gnd further tJie noble Defign of propagating th^ 
 Chriftjan Religion among the Heatnen, by thei^ 
 charitable Influence, Gentlemen of the iinoft unex- 
 ceptionable C^araiier, have given very l^onourable 
 Teftimqnies of tl^e Cplonel's Virtue, ^earning, lur 
 tegrity, and Zpal for the Intereft oi New-England : 
 Among thefe the excellent Dr. Doddrjdge, thvis in ^ 
 Letter to his Friend in England, exprelTes his Senfp 
 concerning him, •' J look upon Colonel WilUami^ 
 " to bfe one of the moft valuable Men upon Earth ; 
 ". he has, joined to an ardent Senfe of Religion ; 
 
i' folid Learning, confumniate Prudence" great Can-: 
 f' dour, and Sweetnefs of Terhper j and a certaiii 
 V noblenefsof Soul, capable of contriving and adting 
 ?' the greateft Things, with6ut, feeming to be coii-» 
 y fcious of having done them.!'' In the Winter after 
 hPf went from Home, it;pleafed God to call front 
 this World, his yourigeft Daughter ; a Perfon orna- 
 mented with very amiable C^lities, engaging tho 
 Love and Refped: of all her Acquaintance j and in 
 the following Spring, his virtuous and pious Confortj 
 who chearfully quitted this World for abetter. And 
 he himfelf being neceffarily detained in Great~Bri- 
 taip, the nefxtWinter,was,by remarkableProvidence 
 brought into an Acquaintance with, and married 
 Mrs. Elizabeth Scott ; the Daughter of that learned, 
 judicious, and eminently pious Divine, and late be- 
 loved Paftor of a diflenting Congregation in the 
 City of Norwich, the Reverend Mr. Thomas Scott ; 
 a Lady who being ftill livings would refent it as 
 Flattery, tp read but a fmall Part of what might 
 juftly be faid of her amiable Qualities. She now 
 furvives, his affeftionate and 'mournful Widow.' 
 polonel Williams fince his Return from Engldndy 
 has been emplqyed in feveral public Services for 
 Jus Country ; ,and fpent much of his Time to ferve 
 jt, by an epiftolary Cqrrefpondence with the Ac- 
 quaintance, he had the Honour arid Pleafure to 
 ^btain in England ; which Intereft he w^as continuj 
 glly improving, for the public Qood.— Sometime 
 \n the Spring 1754, there appeared a fmall Tu- 
 piour under his Jaw, near his Throat ; which giv- 
 ing him no Pain for fonie Time, he took little No- 
 ^ce of, but in November, he took a bid Cold, from 
 which Time it very much encreafed and became 
 |)ainfuli tlie' Phyficiaps pronounced it a fcro^hu- 
 
 ''- lous 
 
ii9 '4FP'ENDrx. 
 
 Jons Tumour; but iU Ap^iicacJettS for Relief 
 proved unfuccefsftd : It continued troublefome alt 
 Winter, grew more fa In Sf>riAg, and at Times, 
 extremely painful and diftfeflingj which he b6rc 
 with an admirablej Patience and Submiflion to t3ic 
 Will of Gddj and a marvelous Serenity and Cou- 
 rse and even Pleafantaipfs in his Conv?rfation ; frfe-i 
 quentlyexprefBi^ his Contentmeht to be, and bear, 
 vrhacfoever God thqugli^t heft ; and that he had 
 Ke^on to blefs God for it, knowing lie had done 
 him good by this Affliftion : His greateft Concern 
 sbout tfiie World was, the leaving his dear Con- 
 fort, in a Country fo diftant fronj all her natural 
 Kelations and former indearcd Acquaintance ; but 
 the Strength of Chrift overcame this Concern, and 
 enabled mm togivc her up to God, and chearfullyt 
 leave her in his all-merciful, and almighty, Hand, 
 as a fecure Refuge, and Habitation of Safety. — '• 
 The Pains of his Dillemper, and Applications for 
 a Cure, exhaufted his Strength, and wore him out j 
 yet God upheld him in the fame Firmnefs and 
 Tranquility of Mind, tq theEnd j continued hisRea-t 
 fon, to enable him to give him Glory in the laft and 
 great Article, and give an honourable Teftimony, to 
 Sie infinite Sufficiency and Virtue of the Re- 
 deemer's Blood, and the efficacious Power an(| 
 Grace of the divine Spirit. After he was fenfible 
 the Meffenger of Death was fent for him, " he 
 ** faid blefled be God, the wiflied for Hour ia 
 " come." Being afked if he had no Shivering or^ 
 Terrors, upon the Brink of the eternal World ? H(j 
 faid no, not One. " I know whom I have be-. 
 *' lieved, and am perfwaded, (yea I know) that ho 
 <' will keep that which I have committed to him» 
 *^ againft that Day: I know that my Redeeraei 
 
 ^ livethv 
 
J p p E jsr b i£ '0 
 
 " iivcth, whom I fhall fee for myfelf, and thefe 
 " Eyes ihall behold him." — He frequently pray-* 
 ed that his Faith and Patience liiight hold ou^ 
 and in the dying Agonies fometimes cried out, why 
 is his Chariot fo long in coming ? Come Lord j'5?-* 
 j&jj come quickly. Being told he would foon be 
 where Faith would be fwallowed up in Vifion, ^ad 
 there Would not be Need of the Exercifes of it, as 
 now } he replied, and where there will be no more 
 Need of Patience. When he was almoft paft fpeak-» 
 ing, he was afked, if his Faith and Patience held 
 out? He replied, thank God Yes. Prefently up- 
 on whichj without a Groan or Struggle, he breathed 
 out his Soul into the Arms of Jefus July 24, 1755, 
 in the 6ift Year of his Age ; — and is now gone 
 to a World where there are no Miftakes or Mifap- 
 ^reljenfions, where Envy has no Place, or ever; 
 reacliies. May a gracious God fulfil the kind Pro- 
 mife, and perform the Grace he hasfpoken, Jer* 
 xlix. II. Leave thy father Jefs Children, Iwillpre-i 
 ferve them alive ^ and let thy Widom truft in me. 
 
 'The END, 
 
mtm 
 
 i; c> 
 
 u - jyji 
 
 
 
 
 
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