454 Meditations tokcbirogDeith. Ofeterhisfecondbooke (which isconcerning the departure of the Ifraelites ve= ' from the Egyptian bondage) is entitledh: it isa tranflating froma condition frs, andElate ofhardfhip. 'Reoel.r4.4; Hereupon, they whichdiein the Lord arefaidtorat : and ofLazararitis .6. V.. reported thathewas conueiëd into 9brabamslapk. What is the lapofthe father, or thebofotre ofthe mother, buta placeofquiet to the infant ? It is worththeconfidering, whatmtfedes the childrenofGod arefreed fromby death. This life is vnto them a very vale ofteares; like tothat wilderneffe through whichthe.Ifraelitesiourneyed intoCanaan,wherein theywere mole- fled manywatts. Theworldis inakindofprofeffedoppoftiontò them ; and like ftrangers inanvnknowne Land, they rcccineno (mall difcurtefies: Satan haththemincontinuallchafe, andhuntsthem, asDasidfaid Saaldtd himlike 1 r Sam.z6,2o aPartrichonthe Mountains I; andhow doththe flefh inthemlufl:againftthe Gal4a7, fpiritm, fo thatmany a time (to the great woundingoftheir fades) the good which theywould,theycannotdoe,and thecuill which they wouldnot they ti Rom.7.i9, areeuen compelledtoperformeá, then thewhich thingthere canbectothem ninefogreat vexation. e My S. t4. This makeththemfulloft tochatter likeCranes,and to mourne likeDoues^, pPfa1.6.6. andtowater their couchwith their teams when they faile induty to their qa sam,r ao. God fo,as thatitmay be tome fcandall followeth it,andGarb and-A(hkdoa9,the congregationofthe wicked,triumpheththerein. rPfal.no. 5, Mide hereuntothegriefe theyconceiue by dwelling in /defect, ; thevexa_ tion that is occafioned to theirrighteous foules,inteeing and hearingthe vn- j Per.sq, s. deane conuerfationofthe wicked r Thefe things are matter ofno(mallfor.; rowand burthen to the cleft ofGod. What anheauineffewasit tothe good Prophet ofGod leremy, whenhe was forcedtowifhfome cottagein the wit_ derneffc, that hemight leauehis ownpeople,andgoe dwellout from among tler.9a., them, theybeingall adulterers, and analihaibly ofrebels'? Totheholyones of God this is no little preffure : tofmall a number as two gracelelfe people xi Gensó, wereagriefofmind to lfaaeand Mecca .;and, What auaileth it meetoline; $4,35. (faidfhe)ifJacob Ihouldcome inamongftvs with fachanother ? NoW from Goss 07,46. all thefe forts ofgrieuances and burdens , are the feruants ofGod freed by death : all teares are wipedfromtheireyes; Satan bath done his worft, and theyare for euer out of his reach; they are turn in the Hauen where they 371al.ro7:3o wouldbee;. Infteadoftlte remaindersofcorruption, andthat law in their ßom.an3 members rebellingagainfi the lawofGod a, theyhauea 1h11difchargefront allpofsibility ofoffendingGod : andfor the companyofthe wicked,theyare aHob., a. tothe fpiritsofiuft andperfeft"men +, lookingyetandlonging for that Pfa116ar. fulneffeofieryb, which isprepared forthem, butyet eternally and vnchangea- bly freed from whatfoeuer hereaggrieuedthem,andfolacing themfelues with thegraciouspretence oftheir Säuiour. Thus is deatha loofening tothechit.. drenofGod: here they be(asit were)tyed to a ftake,tobe baitedbySatanand his.inftrumentsedeath isthe breakingofthechaine,and the fouleefcapeth as a ePfal,r:4,7. birdout ofthe fnare ofthe Fowler'the Elam isbroken, andthatisdeliueredo. Chap. V. There ismuchcomfort to Gods children,by the conl:deratios ofthe formerpoint. Comfo rabí 0a iew Hixcannotbutfwecten the remembranceofdeathwhich isinitfelfe matcadr , a fuuofbitterneffe ;andtothenatureofman the veryKingofFeare . from this d =ea head + Let it bethoughtvponfmply thetortureof afcruentfickneffe, the 410118.14. á < pangs of death,. the violent tenting afunder of two fo wellliking and
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