SEEM. XL/11.1 DEATH A BLESSING TO THE. SAINTS. 225 soul, " so many rich promises of the covenant fulfilled already, and I am in the possession of so many divine blessings that God once foretold, that I am well assured that my God is faithful who has promised, and the rest shall be all fulfilled." V. Death raises us above the mean and trifling plea- sures of the présent state,' as well as delivers us from all present pains, and brings us into a world of perfect ease, and superior and refined delight. . It divides us from the pains and pleasures, that We derive from the first Adam, and sets us in the midst of superior blessings, which the second Adam has purchased for us. " We shall hunger no more, we shall thirst no more, neither shall the scorching heat of the sun light upon us, or any painful influence from the elements Of this world The Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed us with ce- lestial,food, suited' to our purified natures, and lead us to drink full draughts of unknown pleasúre, which is de- scribed by living fountains ofwater." We shall see God himself, the original beauty, and the spring of all de- light: We shall see our Lord Jesus Christ," the most it lustrions copy of the Father, " the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and God himself shall wipe away all tears from our eyes," Rev. vii. 16, 17. " Though the wages of sin is death, by the appoilitment of the làw of God, Rom. vi. 23. yet this very death" is constrained to serve the purposes of our great Redeemer; and it brings us into the possession of that eternal life, which is the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord." VI. Death not only gives us possession of promised blessings, but it banishes all our fears and doubts for ever, by fixing us in a state of happiness unchangeable. They that are once entered into the temple of God on high shall no more go out ofit; Rev. iii. N. For they are established in the house of God, they are as pillars there, theybecome apart of that vast and living temple, in which God dwells for ever in all his glory. Death is ours : for it finishes our fears, it fulfils our wishes and our hopes, and leaves us no more room to fear to all eternity. When we behold the face of God in righteousness, and awake out of this world of dreams and shadows, in the world of happy spirits with the like- VOL. 11. Q,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=