gods Efleemofthe Deathofhis Saints. white they arc with us; To benctit and profit our fclves by our religious (rends, acquaiittance,neighbours and kindred. When God raifes up fumeman eminent for wddome, and a godly life, he is fet up as a light for the town or neighbour-hood to walk by Yet oft- times fuch as dwell neer,arecarelefs,and negleé their benefit, when Itrangers farther offdraw neer unto the light, and gain by i t ; as we tile to let our own books lie by, and rather make ule of filch as we borrow, to takenotes out of them ;becaufe we know not how loon they may be called for by the owners, and prefume that the other will Bill he in our keeping. We lhould improve our goodacquaintance, and walk by the light whilewe enjoy it, becaufe many times the Sun lets, and it is night in a neighbour- hood or a family; when a good friend, a good Parent, or a good Mafter death. Kemembcrloafh and jehojuda. 3. The Death of Goa: Saints isprecious inClods fight. When David was oppreft with grief, it feems he had fuch thoughts as thefe, Surely man is ( res nibsli, ) a vain and worthlefì thin, too low, and too unworthy, that rod 'humid :4e any notice ofhim, or be careful ofhem; But at laft he overcame filch thong ts, when he had found the experienceof Gods tendernefs towards himfclf in particular, and towards all his people, and now refolves, That God neglehisnot his, as ifhewere not sffoEtcd with their irnírics, but their fouls, lives, andfafettes, are dearandiender unto ism, as a treafure which he will not carelefly lofe, or fmffer men or devils to take amajby for re or trcacIury. TheirDeath is precious [Jajar,] theword of theText is, inprerio fait, magni iflimatum eft. God fets them at an high and dear rate. The Septuagint renders it by n,,csla , c,n Vim, l z., and the Noun by pre:iofu , lwtsds pro- how , and ,,,a,snès multi pretü God honours and accounts well , and 'oath high thoughts of the fufferings of his. See how the word is tranflated in other Texts. i. Honourable , Ifa. 43. 4. [ Jakarta 3 Thou wertpretiaus in my fight, thou !:aft been honourable. z. Much fet by, z Sans. 18. 30, Nis namewasmuch fee by. 3. Dear, Jer. 31. zo. Ass 6ltus (Jakkir) pretiofus mihi Ephraim? Is Ephraim nay Dear fon ? 4. Splendid, clear or glorious , yob 3r. z6. Si vidi ¡imam (faker) pretiofam of abeuntem. TieMoon walking inbrightnefi. Put all thefe expr.lfrons together, and then we havethe ftrength of Davids word, 7 be dear' ofthe Saints is pretious ; that is, I. Honourable. z. Much fet by. 3. Dear. 4. Splendid and glorious, in the fight of theLord. God is lo tender of his people, that r: He will not have theta take wrong, he orders their death, he takes care for them; he viers and comforts, and affitts them in their dying,a he-helps themwith ftrengih, withmemory, in their underftanding, their fences; z: He takes much delight in their fweet, holy, calm deaths, and refìgnations of their fouls. 3. He takes careof their very bodiestoo, to lay them up fvieetlyto reft, in Re- pofitories, or Dormitories, as the Ancients were wont to call Church yard's, and Graves. 4.. laflly, he entertains their fouls immediately, when they arc.breathed forth, and places dacio, trï 'ins Abraba, in Abrahamsbofnme, wherefoever that is, to poflefs ',relent joy and quictnefs. And no wonder that hedothallthis, becaufehehath bought them, andredeemed themunto himfelf, with fo great a price as his Sons blood, and bath graced them with fo many gifts and priviledges, and hash made over unto them as co-heirs with Chrifl, fo'great and large benefits, We may shake this üfeof it, toferve for.theeftablifhment ofus in our belief of him; and ode waitingOn hisprovidence. If their Deathbe fo.pretions their fulfer= ings alto-in any kind are dear unto him That word,in the.Teat; which is Death, and which by the Seventy is ordinarily turned 9,am,ìc, yet is ;taken, in the Scrip ture fometimesfor ficknefs, or any afilli &ion, Exott ro. ty. For infcl ion, zKing. 4. 0: 2"47 Cbferv. 3. p. 7eaf
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