Asfiver to their doubts thatfear death. 221 nation to union with its Body, that the feparation is part of the penalty to it : And though heavenbe their joy,and Chrift' their life and fulnefs, yet the feparation from the bodywhich they have even with Chrift is a penalty ; and they have not that perfeft meafure of Joy and Glory as they shall have' when they are joined to the body again.. So that feparation as fuch is penal to the foul in bleffednefs. And even the fe- parated foul of Jefus Chrift that was more bleffed then ours, was as feparatecl, in a fate of penalty, when his body was in the grave. ( Of which fee my Appendix to the Reformed Pa- llor, about the Defcent into Hell. ) 3 . That which you have' to look after therefore inyour fouls, is not a love to death, or willingnefs of death as death, which no man hath or ihould have; but it is, I, A Siibmifsiom to it as a lets evil then fin and Hell and the Difpleafure of God : And a choofing rather to, die then wilfully to fin and forfake the Lord. 2. And a Love to that glory in the fruition of God, which death is the paf- fage to. Seeing we cannot obtain the end of our faith and palience by any eafier paffage then death, you muft rather be content to go this. {trait and grievous way, then mifs of the' fate of eternal bleffednefs : Let death be neverfo odious and dreadfull to you, ifyou hadbut rather die then forfake Chrift by fin, or mifs of everlailing life with God, you have that truc felf-denial, evenof life, it felf, which is required in my Text. 4.. And yet even a. gracious foul may be fo much un- prepared as todefire to fay yet longer on earth, though he be abfent from the Lordwhile he is prefent in the body ; that fo a better preparation may be made : And alfo the love of God may make a man defire to flay yet longer for the fervice of the Church, or to be,with Paul in a"twit between two, Phil. 1.21, 22, 23. 5. Have you not fuch pleafant apprehenfions, of theNOW 7erstfaletn, and the comingof Chrift in glory, and the bleffed fate ofthe Saints in heaven, as that you could moth gladly enter into that bleffed fate' by any other way then death : And hadyou not rather die, then mifsof that felicity. At leaf, whenyou know that dieyou mull, had younot rather die fooner,,even, aviolent deathby perfecution, then mifs of your eternal life, by Paving your lives a little longer 6.And. F f 3 for.-
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=