Ghap.36. an expofition upon the Book of J o a. Verf. 21. What isdarknefs to God, who is light, and in whom there no darknefs at all (t John T. 5.) Defirenot the night. As gold and Giver cannot ranfom (inners, as great forces, ( all the Armies on earth ) forces of ftrength cannot help finners, fo the right can- PM hide them ; they that are in the grotfeli darknefs, arencvec the more out of Gods fight ; The darknefs is not darknefs to bir,a, the darknefs and the light tg him are both alike (Hal. t 39. T I, T 2.) and therefore he laid before (vest. 7.) Whither (hall lgo from thy fpirit ? or whither (ball Ifee from thypretence ? IfIaf- tend sop to heaven thouart there, &c. Wherefoever we are, God is,who is every where ; nothing cankeep us off from, or keepus out of the eye of God. Lafily, as the night, is taken for death ; Defire not the night, Hence note ; It is avain wifh to defire deathfor our refeue, or efcape from the evils of this life. Death is it felf an evil, theworft of natural evils. How can that helpus out of our evils of trouble, which is it felf the moft trou blefom evil ? The Lord promifeth fome of his people that they Mould die before the evil day ; yofiah and Hezekiah had fuch promu es : ' Tis a favour to die (as they did) in the affurance of eternal life, before we feel the evils of this life. But death,con- fidered in it felf, is no relief againft evil ; and as it is the worft of natural evils in it felf, fo is carrieth thofe who are unprepared and unprovided for it,to worfer evils than any theycan meet with in this life. Some delire death to efcape the evils of this life, when, as loon as they die, theygo to the evils of another life, which are thefecond death, fuch a death as hath no fecond, and defcend not only to the grave, but to hell. And what hath any onegot by leaving the troubles of this life, to fall into the dolors of ;hat fecond fecondlefs death ! They only dream of fecuriry by dca-h, who are unprepared to die. Death is goad for none but thofe who are fatted for, and have by faith laid hold upon eter- nal life, 1 o B$ 317
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