Of DEATH. Chap. VIIi. ons of Nature fhall be overturn'd, and the moft folid parts of the Creation deftroyed but his Promifes fhall be compleatly accomplifh'd. . We are affured by his infaUiblc Auth~riry that there remaim a Refl for the People of God, And he that receive! this Tejltmony, fits to bi; Seal thAt God 11 true; honours the Truth ofGod's Word, and bmds htmfelf more firm! to his Service, and is encouraged to ~eave this _fenfible World for that which is infinitely be[. ~~~~' ~fr~~o~~~~~~~~~~tr:;~;e~e~G~~~~~~~hg;.e~Ii~y'~{~~~~~~Y ~~~~:~o~:'J~;~~ r~~ !~e~:.?o!le;f{'}f;.~;:;.ty ]' t~;a;:e,~e d~~~edfor~rfi:dvhi~B;~;f~"rf :;;: T:~o'::t~f iS~=:(,: When Stephen jaiV the Heavens upen, and the Son of God ready to receive him, with what ~fe~r~t~ ·~~~o~~~ff.o~:di~~i:;c~~u~~~r ~~~~!~o~Je!a~e~i;j~~~~d~~~~n~~~~ r~g; Crowns of Righteoufnefs prepared for the Saints, and fweetens the bittereft paffage to it. But if our Faith he weak and wavering, our Courage will decline in the needful Hour. 'Tis with Chriftians in their !aft paffage from Earth to Heaven, as with Saint Peter walk- ~a~~~st~~ ~a~~~ Z~h;ri~~t :~~~ftt~:sri~~~hof~sS~~~mtsc;:i~~'f~~k%~~t F':,n :~d ~f ~::, i~~~~~dt~~ ~~;~~h~a~~~~~&~~~: ~e;Zor,'6~h~uLo/~~;~:~h,t~h~~~~ did.fl thou doubt? The !aft Ufe is, to excite the Saints to die with that Courage and Chearfulnefs as be. eomes the Gojfel of Chri.fl. The incouragement of Jofhua to the Iji-aelites again/! the Giants that terrified them from emring into the Land of Canaan, the Type of Heaven, Be not afraed of them, they .re Bread for us, we fhall obtam an eafy conqueft over them, ~sndp&l~c:~J: tc!~!~!'~rfo~feo~r~~~lllJe%~t"b~1;h~1~e;~;~(;,;;~i~~~~~o;~d ~~f~~~ha~~ PoJTelft.pn of the holy and bleJTed Land above. This is very hon0urable to cur Redeemer, l!pift. Jul. and recommends Godlin~fs to the Judgment, Aff<:Efions 1 and Practice of od1crs. St. Baftl tells of p. Cuftom to anomt the tops of Doves Wmgs with fome fragrant Lrquor, t!Jat mixing in company with other Doves, they might by the Scent allure them to follow to the Dove-houfes. Thus when holy Perfons live and die with peaceful Joy, thofe that converfe with them, are drawn by that Fragrance of Paradife to apply themfelves to ferious Religion. . . . 'Tis the Apoftle's confolatory Advtce to Behevers, Not to be forroiV[ul for tbofi tbat jleep in JESVS, as tho{e that are IVtthout hope. I The{[ 4· When Jacob faw his beloved Son's Coat rent and ftain'd with Blood, he abandoned himfelfto defperate Sorrow, and continued mourning for his Death, whenJofeph was advanc'd in Authority and Dignity next to Ph.raoh in the Kingdom of EgJ!t. Thus when we fee the Garment of Mortality rent by Difeafes, wc momn for departed Saints, as if Death had abfolutely deftroyed them, when their Souls are reigning in Glory. This immoderateSorrow is a Heathenifh Paffion, futable to their ignorance of the future happy State, but very unbecoming the plenary aJTuran<e the Gofpel aflords usof it. Indeed for the wicked to dte with fears and palpitations of heart, to be furrounded with impendent horrours, when fuch a precipice and depth of Mifery is before them, is very juft and reafonable; but for the Saints to die uncomfortably under inordinate Fears, is a difparagement to the BleJTed Hope eftabliil1'd upon the Revelation of Life and Immortaliry by the Gojfel. Now in three things I fhall propound the Duty of dying Chriftians. r. To fubmit to the Divine Pleafure with refigned Spirits, as to the Means, the Manner, and Time of Death. God has a Sovereign Right and Dominion over us. The prefent Life is his moft free Favour, and he may ju/lly refume it when he pleafes. His Will lhould be the firftand !aft Rule of ours. Whether he gendy untwines the Band of Life, or violently breaks it, we muft placidly without reluchtion yield up our felves. By what Means foever Death comes, all fecond Caufes are moved by an impreffion from above, in what Age of Life foever ; all our Times are appointed by the divine Counfel: and a Saint ought with that readinefsand meek fubmiffion to receive it, as if he heard an ex- • lite excrit prefs Voice from Heaven calling him to God, and fay in his heart with Samuel, Here I am, gl•dhun, ille thou did.fl call me. This is the !aft act of our Obedience, and very pleafing to God. We "'"i""'i ~no read of the marvellous* Confentof Abraham and his Son IJitac, the Father to offer up his ~~~o:,'.,", [.i. Son, and the Son his Life, (that were both the Gifts of God) in compliance with the ditanto non. di· vine Command, and from Heaven he declared his high approbation of it. ThH is to make ~~~m~: :f::::~e% :U~';!~: :~'tU:ke~f:::; ::~~~ftJy o~~~~ci~f~~~bl;,ai~ ~~b~~~~['J~~il;a~~: ili~:~· 1 '" t/Peerdr ~h~te~h}~l~i: ~;~~~Lre, much more a true*Chriftian, who exchanges a per~~T~
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