s8o The Blr:ffr:dne[s of fro~ the infallible_ T dtimony of Di":Jine R~vel~ti~n, I heard a voice from Heavm~ faymg tmto me, ~Vrttt1 Bhffid 11rc the deAd wh1ch d1e m .the Lord. But left this fhould be challen~ed by all, and ~o made a Bleffing as umvcrfal as the~r ~ortaliry, the Apoftle enters a Cnveat agamfl:: the moft part of the World, and hmtts this Bleffing to them that di~ in the Lord j. that is, either to thofe. that die for the Lord, (and fo the Phrafe may tmport fuffertng Martyrdom for the Name an Cl. Profeffion of Chrift) and wade through their own Blood to that Heaven which the Lord hath ope .1ed to them by His. Or clfe they who die in the true Faith of Chrift, united to him as Members of his Body-myfi:ical. And indeed, if we con~der the Terrors of a NatHral Death, bot ITI11Ch more the Terrors of Martyrdom, ir is no more but l)CCdful to have the Bleffing fpoken of under fuch a dolef11l State, confirmed to us by the Teftirnony of a Heavenly Voice. Think of the fevcrc Preparations of dying and languifuing Difeafes, the reflect tailings. Fire in the Spirits, inceffant qroans, and the echoing back again fro!fl weeping Friends, the qui\'~ring Limbs, dlftorted Eyes,, fallen jaws, the Agontes of the Soul, and the workmg of it felf from the Earth opprefi(ug of it, and darting it felf from under the Body by which it is faften'd to the Earth. Think what it is, after fo many diforders of the Soul engaging themfclves, being tak~n from its dear~ft Companion, the earthly part left by Death as a SpeCt acle to Its deareft Relauons, and to be by them delivered up as a Prey to the fi:ink of Worms and Rottennefs. Would any one believe that fuch a fi:ate as this is to be Blefifd, without a voice from Heaven aiJ'uring of it? Thofe whom God highly Honours, every Limb of whofe Body is a Scene of a Trajedy, upon whom the enraged Perfecutors have made an Experiment of their Wit in newpfound Cruelties, When it lay all mangled and weltering in its own gore, under the moft exquilite Tor!llents that Men could entail; would you think them in a ble!fed Condition? Why, as their Sutftrings were beyond what Human Nature could bear; fo alfo was their Support from thofe ftroug Confolations of God, (let down into their Souls, whereby they tired out their Tormenters, de~ fpifing Death, not accepting of Deliverance, through the aJfurance of an Heavmly Revelation) beyond the apprehenfions of Human Re(Jfon. This Bleffing of theirs is branched out in two particulars: I. Reff from their Labours. 11. Their ~Vork.s do follow them. I. To ~cgin with the firft, their Reff from their Labours. r. They reft j'l'~m the Turmoils and Vexations of this Life. This Life is nothing but a huddle of Bufinefs, a fwarm of Employruents, having more of the Sting than the Honey in it. If we be rich in the World, this makes us fpread wider, and fi:and the fairer mark for Trouble. If we are in a high degree: in the World, that onlyfatisfies our Intcreft, and gives every Cro{s and AlfiiElion an advantage to wound us in many Concernments. If we are mean and low, as it expofeth us to the Contempt and Injury of others, fo it engageth us to refcue our felves from their preOUrcs and power, and by our Sweat and Pains we lofe the Comforts of Life, only to gain theConveniencies of it. Even thofe petty inconfiderable Enjoyments, that are but for the bare fufrentation of Life, · caufe fuch Care and Trouble, fuch aking Hearts and weary Heads, that they turn our Bread into Stones, and our Filh into Scorpions. If we have much Buf:nejj in the World, our Calling becomes a Temptation and a Burthen t6 us: If we have none, we become Burthens to our felves and others. God hath wrought Vexation upon every Condition, if .Providence create not Trouble for tlS, our own Foily will. We all, like Spidus, fpend our Time and Care to weave a Webb out of our own Bowels; and we fi)end more to get a Prey, than that Prey, when taken, will again repay us. If any Flaw be in our Defigns, if any Crofs that intervenes doth break them, tl~en they become a Vexation and a Difcontent unto us. Thus bath M.:m made h1mJelf a Drudge to that over which God bath made him a Lord. The Sweat of Adam's Brow ftreams along with us, and the Curfe with it; and though we toyl in the World, yet it brings forth nothi~g but Thorns and Briars ~hat pierce us through with many Sorrows: But Death w1Jl Jhortly lay us to Bed In our Gra\'<is, where (as <job fpeaks) the wtttry 11re at reft, Job 3· 17· and all our CJres, Sorrows, and Troubles will vanHh as foon as our Heads touch that Pillow : There is no ~ork, no fte11i6e in tht Gr471t, wbithtr tJJou art goin: ; that is a deep repofe and fwee.t retire... ment,
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