238 DEATH A BLESSING TO THE SAINTS. [SERM. XLIIri to awaken thy longings, and stretch thy wings for a flight to heaven. " Remember also whilst thou art here, and art often sinning, many of the threatenings of God in his word stand bent against thee, his arrows sometimes stick in thy flesh, and pierce thy very soul. I confess these are not the sword of his vindictive justice, thy afflictions are but the corrections ,of his rod : But is it not better todwell in that world where thou shalt feel nosuch correcting strokes, and deserve chastisement no more, where the Lord thy God shall lay aside every frown, and remove his anger for ever ?" " Thy best life now is to live upon the promises ; but does not all the excellency of a promise consist in the hope of performance?And is not the performance then so much better than the promise itself ? Is not posses- sion better than hope ? Is not an assured and an un- changeable possession better than this state of doubts and fears? Is it not much more agreeable to " dwell in the house of God for ever ?" Ps. xxiii. 6. than only to make a visit to it nowand then ? Is it not infinitely bet- ter to be fixed in a state of perfect felicity, without the .least feat,- or apprehension of losing it; To be as " a pillar in the temple ofGod, thy God, and to go no more out; Rev. iii. I2." " Think again. Hast, thou not sustained sufficient pains and serrows both of 'flesh and mind in this lower world ? Death shall put anend to them all ; and art thou unwilling to have a full release from sorrow and pain ? Has this flesh of thine been complained of so often as thy clog and thy painful prison, and art thou afraid to have thy fetters knocked off? Has not thy body given thee smart andanguish enough ? And has it not tempted thee enough away from thy God, and thy truest happiness ? Has thy sinful sickly flesh been so charming a companion that thou art not yet willing to part with it ? Dost thou not desire to have all thy diseases healed at once? Wouldest thou not he glad to have all thy torments of body and mind forever eased, and all the uneasinesses offlesh and.spirit removed for ever ?" " It is true, the' mere desire of ease should not be the chiefreasonwhy thou shouldest desiredeath, nor shouldest thou seek it with an impatient spirit : It is thy duty to
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=