The quiet Endofthe ¶ighteoú:. To all theft I ánfvver, firft touching David, that vvhen hecompofed that firth Pfalm, he was not only grievoufly fick, butalfo exceedingly tormentedin mind, for he wraftled and combated inhis confcience vvith the vvrath of God, as appears by the first Verfe of thatPfalm, thereforevve muff knovv, that he prayed not Limply againft Death,butagainft deathat that time, in as much as the coming of itvvas ac- companied vvith extraordinary apprehenfions of Gods vvrath ; for atanother time he tells us that he vvould not fear, though be walked through the valley ofthe pia dow ofDeath. And the like I fay touchingHezekiah,that hisprayer proceeded not from any defperatefear of Death, but first that he mightdo more fcrvice toGod iii his Kingdom. Andvvith fach a kindof thought vvas SaintPauls defire ofdiffolution mingled. Secondly, he prayedagainflDeath then, becaure.he knevvthat his death then vvould be agreat caufe ofrejoycing to evil men, to vvhom hisreformation in the State vva's unpleafing. Thirdly, becaufe he vvantcd if ue, God hadptomifed before to David, that therefiouldnotfail amanof bis fete' to ft upon the throne of Ifrael, (o that his children did take heed to their wayes. Novv,. it was a great dif- comfort to him to die childlefs, for then he, andothers might have thought, that hevvas but anHypocrite,in asmuch as God hadpromifed iffue zoall thole Kings that feared him, and for this cattle God heard his prayer, and after two years gave him a fon, Manaffeh by naine. And fo I fay the fame touching our Saviour Chrift, that he prayednot againft Death, as it is the feparation betvvixt Body and Soul ; as ap- pears by w hat the Apoflle faith, that he was beard, in that hefeared, for he flood in our room, andbecame a Curfefor us, it was the Curfc of the Lawwhich went with Death, and the unfpeakable wrath and indignation ofGod which he feared, and from this according tohis prayer, hewas delivered. But thirdly we fee in moilgood men afear ofDeath,and a deliire of life,and1 my Pelf (may fome,godly man fay) do feel my felt ready to tremble at the meditation thereof,and yet I hope I belong unto God. I anfwer, that thereare two things to be confidered inevery Chriftian, Flefh, and Spirit ; Corruption, and Grace ; and the belt have many inward perplexities at times,and doubtings ofGods favour : Now it Is a truth which ourSaviour delivers, that, the i irit is willing, but the fief s is weak And as in all other good purpofes there is a combate betwixt the flefh, and the (pirit ; fo is thereinthis, betwixt the fear of Death, and the deliire ofDeath ; fometime the one prevails,and fometimes the other, butyet aiwayes at laft thedeliire of Death doth get the vicîory. Carnal refpe&s do often prevail far with the beft,care ofwife,children,and the like. Theft are their infirmities, but asother infirmities die in them by degrees, fo thefe alto at Taft are fubdued,and the fervants ofGod feeing clearlythe happinefs into whichtheir Death in Chrift lhalf enter them, do even ígh, defsring to beclothed upon with their bottle which isfromHeaven. Here then is a good Markbywhich we mayknow our felves tobeGods fervants, viz. by the ftaee ofour thoughts and meditations touching Death. I will fodeliver it, as may be molt for the comfortofchafe thattruly fear God. I demand there- fore of thee: Doff thou know that the confident and comfortable expe&atiotiof Death is the workofthe Holy Ghoft inGods fervants ? Dofk thou delire unfeigned- ly, that the fame may bewrought in thy heart ? Doft thou labour to know what happinefs comesbyDeath to chore that fear the Lord ? Doft thou grieve at thine own weaknefs, to whom the thought of Death is fometime troublefome and un- favoury ? Doft thou pray the Lord to affure thee of his favour in Chrift, that ,deathmay be defired before it comes, and welcome when it is come ? Doff thou when thou hearth this.fpeech of Simeon, with thatthou wert able to ufe the like words, with the like refolution ? Surely, thefe things thew that thou art Gods fer- vant,and that byDeath the Lord will draw theeto a place ofrefs. Ifthefe thoughts which I havenownamed be ftrangers to thy heart,and thou doff not love to trouble thy fell to finely about Death, it is an evil fign. The leevants of God are not wont to be fo fecure in matters ofhis quality. And thus much forthe first particular, ita the first general part, the defre in the godly ofdeath :' the fecond is their care for it: the pointthence ís,that 38 Refon . Why tome of the Saints ine the Scripture have prayed a- gaielt death. Pfal.2;.4. Phil. 1. 2724. i King, S. 27. Heb. 7. ;. Objei?. 3. Refon% Two things conaderable in a Chriflian, Match. 26.41. a Cor. s. z, Vfc; Foe Trial. It# r
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