j ~8 1 AMeditation of 1Jeath. ---- afrcr thy durance, of the Haven afieran unquiet and rcmpdluous p>ffage~ How ma- A. j ny are there that kch death, and cannot fiod it~ m<erdy out of the irkfomneffe ot /The Td\imo- {ni:s. /The Ccm- (''"· life. 1-llth it found thee, and offered thee bmer conditions, not of immunity from evils, but ofpoffdlion ofmore good,then thou canft thinke,and wooldeft thou now flie from happincfle, to be rid ot it~ What~ Is it a name that troubles thee! what if men wculd call fi«pc d.ath, wouldll thou beafraid to clofe rhine ey<>!what hurt is it then,ifhe that fentthe firft a~cpc upon mJn, whilell he made him an helper, fend this !all and foundell fioepe upon me, whiles he prepares my fou!e for a glorious fpoufeto himfelfe! It is but a pming which we call death; asrwofrit nds, when they have led each other on the way, fillke hands till they rerurne from their journey :Ifeither could mifcarry,rhere were caufe oflorrow; now they are more fure ofa meeting, thenofapanure; what · folly is it, nor to be content to redeeme the unfpcakable gaine offo deare a friend, ·B with a little inrermiflion ofenjoying him! He will r<rurne laden with the riches of heaven, and will fetch his o!J pmner to the participation of this glorious wealth. Goe then, my Soule, to this fore and gainfull rraffique, and leave my orher halfe in an harbour as fafe, though nor fo blcffed; yet fo lhalt thou befeparated,that my very dui! Onll be united to thee llill, and to my Saviour in eh«. Wm thou unwilling at the command of thy Creator to joyne thy felle at the firll with this body of mine! why art thou then loath to partwiththat,which thou hall . f<'Und, though inrire, yet rroub1efome ~ Dofi thou not heare SAllmln fay, Thttli.J 1{ ! dMth i; bttttr then tht day oftby birth? doll thou nor bcleeve him!or art thou in love I with the wotfe, and difplcafed with the better! If any man could have found a life worthy to be preferred unto death, fogreat a King muft needs have done it; now in C his very Throne,he commends his Coffin.Yea,what wilt thou fay to thofe Htathens that mourned at the birrh,aod feafled at the death oftheir children ! They knew the miferiesof living as wellasrhou, the happ'neffe ofdying they could not know; and if they rejoyced out ofa conceit ofceafing to be miferable 1 how fhouldell thou cheere thy fclfe, in an expetlation, yea an affurance ot being happy! He that is the Lord ofLife, and rryed what it was to die, hath proclaimed them blell'ed that die in the Lord. Thofe are bleffcd, !know, that live in him, butthey rcft not from their labours; Toyle and farrow is betweene them,and aperfeel enjoying ofthatbleffcd• neffe, which they now pofl'effe only in hope and inchoarion; when death bath added reil, their happinefle is finifhed. 0 death, how fweet is that reft, wherewith thou refrdhell the weary Pilgrimsof D this vale of mortality~ How plea[om is thy face to thofe eyes, that have acquainted themfdves with the fight ofit,whicbto llrangers is grim and gallly! How worthy art thou to be welcome, unto thofe that know whence thou arc, and whither thou tendc: fi ~who rhat knowesthee, can fc:aro thee 1 who that is not all nature,\'fould rather hide himfdfamongft the baggage ofthis vile life,then followtbee to a Crown! what indifforenr J udgerhat fhould fee life painted over , with vaine femblances of pkafmes,arrended with troups offorrowes on the one fide, and on the otherwith uncert:ainrie of continuance, and certaimie ofdiffolution 1 and then fbould curne his eyes unto death, and fee her black, but comely, attended on the one hand with a momentany paine, with eternity ofglory on the other,would not fay our ofcboice,that which the Prophet fa id out ofpaflion, 11 is bttter for mt tlditthtn to live? E Bur, 0 my Soule,whatailesthee to be rhus fuddenly backward,and fearefull!No heart hath more freely difcourfedofdeath, in fptculation; no tongue hath more ex· tolled it in abfence. And now, that it is come to thy beds fide, and hatb drawne thy curtainrs, and takes thee by the hand, and offers thee fervice, thou fhrinkell inward, and by the paleneffe ofthy face,and wildnes ofthine cye,bewraitll an amazement at the prefcnceoffuch a gucft.That face, which was fo familiar"' thy thoughts,is now unwelcome to thine eyes; I am alhamed of this wea irrdblution. Whitherro have tended all thy ferious meditations~ what hath Chrillianity done ro the<, ifrhy feares be ftill heathenifh! is thisrhine imitation offo many worthy Saintsof Cod, whom thou hall feene enrerraine the violenreft deaths with fmiles and fangs ! Is this the fruit
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