Of DEATH. Chap. VIII. tO thee : they will renew the Sighs of holy DavU in his Banifbment, 0 rvhm fbaU we come and appear before God:. . . . l..atlly, To d1e With Thankfg1vmg and Joy. 'T1s ufual to compare this Life to a Voyage : The Scripture is the Chart that defcribes the Coafts we muft paiS, and the Rocl<s we muft avoid; Faith is the Compafs that dire& the Courfe we muft fleer; Lovo is the Rudder that governs the Motion of the Ship ; Hope fills the Sai ls. Now what Palfenger cloes not reJoice at the d1fcovery of his Country where his Eftate and Heart is, and more at the near approach to the Port where he is to land? Is not Heaven the Country of the Saints? Is not their Birth from above, and their tendency to their Original ? And is not t he·blelfcd Bofom of Chrift their Port? 0 what joyful Thankfgivings are due to God when by his Spirit and Providence, they have happily finifh'd their Voyage through fuch t Q<•~mdiu in + dangerous Seas, and are coming into the land of the Living ? How joyful was to Noah il~ii~~~; ~~~ ~~~~~~fm0[~a~ ~~veeot~i~ fr~e~~~ef~;~n~~~ t:~u~:fo~~~mt::n~~}ul~i:~~,a~~1r~~ the ftrairnefs and darlmefs of the Ark, to go forth and' polfefs the World? How joyful fhould Death be to a Saint, that comes like the Dove in the evening, to alfure him the Deluge of Mifery is ceas'd, and the time is come of his enlargement from the Body, his deliverance from the wretched finful Society here, and his polfeffing the Divine World? Holy Souls are immediately tranfported by the Angels to Chrift, and by him prefented to hiS Father, without JPot or wrmkle, compleat in Holinefs, and prepared for Communion with him in Glory. How joyfully are they received into Heaven by our Saviour and the blelfed ~~~~~ 1 ;~~yAa~~ef:'~h;~~j~~.o~ ~~~~~~~:;«~~~~ea ~r:,~~sd~n!u~ha~~;:;~~~~e ~o~\~ fication of a Saint : and the Church of t!'e Firjl-born who have before us enter'd into Glory, have a new acceffion of Joy, when the~r younger Brethren arrive to the undefiled immortal Inheritance. And is it not very becoming Believers joyfully to afcend to the Seat of Blelfednefs,to the happy Society that infpires mutual Joys for ever? For our encouragement there are numerous Inftances of Believers that have with Peace and Joy, tho in various degrees, paft through the dark VaUey to the Inheritance of Light. Some have died with more A'drus fum Joy than they lived, and triumph'd over the !aft Enemy with the vocal Praifes of God : •dl mu.o~h, others with filent Af!CB:ions have quietly commended their Spirits into his Hand. Some ;~n~;~ ei~u · have inward Refrefhings and Support; others exuberant JoYs and Ravifhments, as if the mon' h?mi- Light of ~lory ~ined into them, or the Veil ofFlefh wer~dra":n, ·and their S~iritswcre ~,',~;!'~:,;~:: prefent with the mv•fible World. Some_ of the M~rtyrs m the1r cruelleft Suflenngs felt 8 ,,._,6.Sc<m· fuch impreffions of ~onfidence and Alacnty,_ that as mthe Houfe of Lam"b there were acin c..r. corded at the fame time two d1fcordant Ca!lmgs by the two Brothers; Jubal the lnventtr of the Harp and Organ, and Tubal-Cain the jrjf .1Mijcer !n Brafs and lro», Gen: 4· the one praEhfed on Inftruments of Mufick, breatlung harmomous Sounds and Melodies; the other ufed Hammers and Anvils, making noife and tumult: So in fame Perfons, whilft the heavieft Strokes fell on their Bodies, their Souls were ravifh'd with the fweeteft Joy and Exultation. Indeed 'tis not thus always with the Saints: for tho Sin be pardoned, yet the apprehenfions of Guilt may remain. When a Stream is diflurbed, it does not t:uly reprefent the Obje8: : When the Affe8:10~s are d1f~rdered, t~e Mmd does not Judg anght ~:h~n~~~~~~~;sh~~~t~s. AI s;~~~t:a':bu~ 1~o;~!~c~l~~~t ~a~n~~sh~t~~~ee~!~xie~fest:~r:~ (aft, till their Fears were difpell'dby the all:ua~ fruition of Blelfednefs. As the _Sun fametimes fets in dark Clouds, and nfes m a glonous Horszon. We read our Evidences for Heaven by the Light of God's Countena~ee : his Ima~e is made vifible !n our Souls by the illuftration of his Spmt: and he exerc1fes Prerogative m the d1fpenfatlon of hiS Com· forts. 'Tis his pleafure to beftow extraordinary Favours on fame, and deny them to others that areas holy. But every penitent Believer has juft caufeof Joy in Death : for Jef~ Chrift has reconciled God, deftroyed Satan, and conquered Death: and the !aft day of hiS Life is the firft of his Glory. Of
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