n/$ . DEATH. A BLESSÌNG TO T2iE SAINTS. [SEÀM. XLIII.- he sweetens the passage of his aged saints through the dark valley, with nearer and brighter views of the hea- venly worhi:: Hegives thema, strong and earnest expec- tation -of glory, and some sweet foretastes of it, to bear them up under the languors. of : old age and sick- ness j'he haven ofrest becomes sweeter to them, when they have passed through many tedious storms : The hour ofrelease into the world of light, is more exquisitely pleasing, after a tedious imprisonment in the flesh, and long years of darkness. .2. The manner, how we shall die, is appointed also by. Christ our Lord, for thebenefit Of his saints. Ifdeath smite us with a.sudden and unexpected stroke, then we are surprised into the world of pleasure at once, and, ere we are aware, our souls find themselves, in the midst of the paradise of God, surrounded with joys unspeakable. If mortal nature decay by slow degrees, we have a precious opportunity for the more lively exercises of faith; we may then conversewith death before-hand, and daily grow in preparation for our departure. We see our- selves launching down the stream of time, and if our faith be awake and sprightly, we rejoice in the sensible and hourly approaches of heaven and eternity.. We may_ speak many useful dying sentences for the glory of our Lord, and make happy impressions upon the souls QC those we leave behind : We may invite and require, we may allure and charge our dear relatives to follow us in the, same path, and to meet us before the throne. 3. Our Lord also .designs our benefit, when he ap- _points the place of our death, whether we shall quit the body. at home or abroad; for some of us he sees it best, that our friends should stand round us and close, our eyes, and, as it were, see our spirits take their flight into the invisible world, that they may assist and support us -with divine words: of consolation, or that they them- selves may learn, and dare to die, and be animated by our example to encounter the .last enemy. '- Our Lord sees,it proper, for, others of his saints, to die in the midst of strangers, or perhaps, amongst enemies, and by a violent death, that he may thereby give a 'glorious testimony.to their faith and piety; as well as tothe power ofhis own gospel. Whether we breathe our last at land ät sea, in our native country, or ,in a foreign climate, a
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=