59: Chap. t4.. ' Eín Expoftion upon the Book of Jon . Verf. 6' The Elect mull die if God 4hould turn away from them ; his favourable pretence holds their fouls in life , and will hold both their Souls and Bodies together in joy for ever. As the riling of the Sun is the caufe ofthe Day, and when the Sun departs and turns away, Darkneffe covers the Face of the Earth, fo the pretence of God is the fupport of our lives, and when God departs and turns away , Death covers our Faces in the Earth. Secondly, 'Tis true, Death is a Re. Death is not only (like fleep) the Parenthefisof our Labours, but the full flop and pe- riod of our Labours : There's no work in the Grave. Thirdly, 'Tis a truth that,The Toils, Troubler, andevils of this life make Death deferable. ' l isbell todefine todie, that we may enjoy Chrifl and God; who are the chiefeft good, yet the fear or feelingof evil caufe moll todelire Death. It is fome mercy to die before times of Judgment, and it is a mercy to die in times of Judgment, (Rev. 14.13.) I heard a Voice from Heaven fayingtome, write, Blefed are the dead that die in the Lord, from henceforth, yea faith the Spirit, that they may refs from their La- bours : Some lay the Emphafis upon thofe words, from hence forth : - yohn was Prophecymg of Troubles and Perfecutions to come upon the Church of God. Now, the Spirit faith, 1314 d are the dead thatdie in the Lord, from henceforth : As if ,he dad faid, The.timeI amProphecying of, will be fofull of labour and trouble, that even they who live in the Lord, may account it their bleffedneffe to die then, as well as it is their l leftednefhe to die at any time in the Lord. But I paffe this Expofstion. The words hold out rather a Deprcc ition of, then a Prayer for Death ; take it thus : yob ha- ving faid to God, at the 3d. Verfe, Wilt thou open thy eye upon fach Areme tam an cry ? Here intreats -God to turn fromhim : As if he had faid, rccurat J.. Be not fo firiE in marking who I am , or what I have done ; he attente of -fpeaks after the manner of men , who turn away from thofe ferues, q. d. whom they intend to fpare ; if a Father -Would not corree his fmala to non Child who bathoffended him, be turns away, that he may avoid ride.e, the Temptation, or Provocationof doing it. Thus lob intreats the favour of God, or the forbearance of his Anger, turnaway from me, let me be quiet a while, let me have force peaceable dayei in the World, before I depart the world. Turn
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