3 8s Peace in Death, or, Dotir. T. The fervantsof God have a comfortable and willing ex- peúation of death, Proved. Phil. i. zy, z Cor. s. 8. &c. Theground of the defile of death in the Saints. Ecclef. 7.1. The fervants ofGod havein themaoantented, comfortable, andwilling expeaatior ofdeath. 'The rife of this Obferfation is obvióus ertpúgh . one fpirit works in all.Gods; fervants, andbrings forth like effe&s,.tbough notalways in the fame nteafure, that therefore whichif true in Simeon (which thevery firif view ofthe words inipó ` that the comingofDeath was expo&ed, and defiredby him, is infòtrìédegree vër-. fled fooncr or later in all that are-the Lords Hereunto agrees tit ro.Uai,st Pats'/; I dfire ( faith he )' its-be difolhiedÿ&e.' <'1: - , - .a And he avcrrs the fame of all true Believers, viz. that theygroan earnef%lr, firing to be do iïhieduponwitb their houfewhich is fromHearn, and }ïat ` icyare wil- ling rather to be,bfntfrom thebody, and to bepref entwrth.theeLord,'zCts'Y.s.g,&c, The foundation of this defire, is the knowledge and right underftapding of the truth of that fpecch of Solomon, to wit, thatthe daÿbfdeath is better, "than theday ofa mans birth: They have learned to know that the day of death to Gods fer- vants, is the day of freedom from all miferies, and of entrance into eternal hap- pinefs. The miferiés of this life which even the bets are fubjc& unto, arentäíiy; Lofs of goods, lofs ofcredit, lofs offriends, aches, pains, difeafes,feyers,confumptions,&c. bondageunder original corruption, and the fruits therep,asunbelief,' ride ofheart, ignorance, covetoufnefs, diftruftfulnefs, hatred, luit, d'e.' the buffcting'and temp- tations ofSatan, fociety with thewicked: all theft miferies, even the Holieft and deareft fervants ofGod areexercifed with, and divers of theft domake them many Rom. 7. 24. times mourn exceedingly, and to cry one while, Owretchedman that Iam ; and to Pfal. ato. s. groan out another While, Wo isme that 1 am confirained to live in ,2tefch, and to have my habitation in the tents ofKedar; of all. miferies Death is the cud to Gods fervants. And fo alfo it is an entrance into happinefs for albeit their bodies rot in the Grave, and be laid up in the Earth, as in Gods flora-holdfe until the laft day, yet the foul forthwith even in an inftant, comes into thepretenceof the ever- livingÇod, ofClarift, and ofallthe Angels;-und Saints in Heavers, thespirits of tuff men inside Phil. t. 23. perfetf, to Abrahams Gofome, to be with Chrifi. Erquanta bac felicitas ? What Exod.1411 greater happinefs ? It was much that -r_.3Wes obtained to fee the bach-parts ofGod, but how much greater favour is it to fee himfaceto face, tohave eternal fellow[hip with God the Father,with Chrift the Redcemer,with the Holy Choi} thefan&ifier? Theknowledge of this benefit ofDeath, makes the face of it comfortable to Gods fervants; and caufes them to ftrive with their own natural weaknefs, that fo they may even long for their day of diffolution. But now againft this point divers Ohje&ions may be alledged. For firft, the Apoftle Paul (ayes, that Death is the wanes offn. And elk-where he fides it Chriffsenemy, the loft enemy that he fhallfubdue is Death. How fhould not death then be rather a dayofmifery to be trembledat,thanadayofhappinefsto belonged for? To this I anfwer, that we are to diflinguifh touching Death, for it muff becotl- fidered ttvo wayes; Firft, as it is in its ownnature: Secondly, as it is altered by Chrift : in the firft fence it is true, that Death is thezvagraoffin, and the veryfub- urbsand the gates ofhell. Rut in thefecond taking of Death, it ceafes to bes plague, and becomes a blcfling, in asmuch as it is even a door opening out of this world into Heaven. Now the godly look. not upon Death limply, but upon Death whofe'Ning and venome is plucked out by jefas Chrift, and fo it is exceeding com- fortable. But then fecondly it ifobje&ed, that we read of many that have prayed againft death ; as namely, firft David, Return, O Lord, faith he, anddeliver myfoul; ob spare mefor thy merciesfaks, for in death there is no remembrance ofthee. Secondly, Hezekiah when the meffageofdeath wasbrought to him. Thirdly, Chrift hind-elf; Father, ifit be ponible, let thiscup'paf fromme. To ObjeEi'. Y. Rom.69t . COP15.a6. Refonf. Death confide- table two wayes ObjetT. Z. Pfal. 64,S Ifa 1 S. I. Matth,
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