68 Meditations touchingDeath. depart; thenhefethimfelfeto doeasmuch mifchiefeasheecould. Now theft laft tentations,though they beextreame, fo thatthe party exercifcdwith them, may (haply) vtter out fomewords and fpeeches fauouringof difpaire ; yet they can beeno finall preiudiceto the inward peace. Interrupt it they may; but that theylhouldvtterlyquench it, it is vnpofsible ; becaufe the power ofGod f:Cor.z1.9. ismade perfc& hroughweaknelter: fothat in fine, the diuelldoth then re- ceiue the greaten toile, when her thinkes to get the greateft vi&ory. It is true then, thatmanyadeereferuant ofGod, both in thetime ofhislife, and about his death , is much affrighted with the feare ofdeath ; and iscalking many doubtsandperilswithhimfelfe, what fhali become ofhim whenhee is gone (and indeed it is fcarfely to bee thought that hisheart isvpright, or hiseRate good, that íhallalwaiesprofeffe herein fo much confidence) : yetthis iscer- tein,that thechild ofGod (firft) isperfwaded, thatReligion and Faith, make death comfortable : then, next, heeftriuesto thriuein Religion, and togrow ftronginfaith; to the end hemay thinke vpon Deathwith contentment, and embrace it with chear£ulneffe : he laboureth altowith himfelfeto ouercomehis naturalldiftruik:hefeekethtofurnilhhimfeifwithallhelpesoutofGods Word, bywhich he may attaine toanholy refoiution in thispoint. In this courfe (no doubt) hehathmanycombats, and fometimeshe isindif- ferently acheered; fometimes again difmaied anddilheartned not a little: andit ispofsible, that hauinghad in his life-time fome good fetledneffe, hee may feeme very comfortleffe in hislaft a& : yetwee muff iearneto meafure a Chriftian, notby that whichhee apprehendethhimfelfe to feeleat this or that infant,vpon thisor thatfpcciall occafion : but by thatwhich he !trines to, and inthe truth ofhisdefire reacheth after , andlabourethtoattaine. Godrom_ Sscor.4.6, mands light to thine outdarkneffe : and out offorrow, and anguifh, and tentation, he raifeth out for his the greaten quiet. It may betheir portion not tobe fully fenfibleofthat comfortwhich theyaffe&, andaimeat, vntilltheve- rypoint of their dzffoluing : and theymay then fecretly and fweetly fede it; when theyhaueno ftrengthin them , togiue thereofanoutward teftimony. It is a fpeciall matter, toknowhow to conceiue ofthe manner of Godsdealing withhischildren. Hee giueth the fame graces appertaining tolife eternall to themall, but not to all in the fame meafure, at thefame time, and after the famefalhion. Someman is able (like Paul) todelirehis difiTolution; fomeother againe,as it werelhakethhis head;whenheheareth this,anddaresnot fay,that he defirethit ; yet heapproueth the fo doing in Paid, and defirethto attaineto the like and grieuethat hisfcantnelfe : Ihallwenot now leasearoomeofcom- fort for fuchanone? Oh,God forbid. Some againe, neuer in hislife, butbath beenmuchaffraidofdeath, his heartbath been fiifleuenready toquake, when hebath thoughtvponit ; andyet whenitcommeth to the point, he isfudden_ ly ftrenghtenedbeyond expe&ation,to a layingdownehis head in peace,and to a goingto his graueasto a bedofdouse. Someother on theother fide, who inhis life-time bath felt himfelfe well addreffed, and bathretied himfelfefor hisdiffolution; yetwhenhee commeth tograpple withDeath,iswonderfully caddown:yea,fo much,thathis friends and well-willers, fcarfely canpercale any lignesofhis recovery. The conclu- lionthenisthis, that notwithftanding many(formesofno final"perplexities, yet comfortablethoughts concerningdeath, arethe portionofthofe thatare religious. ARcond doubt nowoffereth itfelfe on this wife. Ifpeaceable, quiet, com- fortable andcontented thoughts ofdeath bethe portion andthe priudedge of thofe which feare the Lord ; thenwemuft tbinke them all toflare God, that make 'hewofwillingnelfe in thisbufineffe. Now ifthisbee true , it williufti- fiemany, whohaue Burrgiuen finallfzgnes ofany greatreligion : fuch ¡hall wee hcare
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