GERM. XLtrr.1 DEATH A ALESSTÑG TO THE SAINTS. 1'39 bear sufferings and sorrows with holy patience, as a good soldier of Christ, it is thy duty to abide in thy post during his pleasure, to fill up the hours with service, and to sus- tain the fatigues and burdens of the mortal state to the glory of God thy Saviour : But he does not require that thou shouldest fall in love with a state ofguilt and pain, a state that has so much sin and temptation, so much burden and fatigue in it : he gives thee leave to groan after the hour of release and deliverance. In this ta- bernacle we groan earnestlybeing burdened ;" 2 Cor. v. 2. " Consider further, O my soul, what is there in this world that should make thee fond of cóntinuing among the inhabitants of it? Has not the world, thou dwellest in, sufficiently discovered itself to thee, as a land of mere vanity and vexation, and art thou fond of the tents of Meshec and Kedar, where thy soul has so little peace ? Art thou afraid to change thy dwelling place ? Hast thou not been teazed long enough with the company of sin ners, or the foolish and unfriendly carriage of those who are imperfect saints ? Hast thou not been often ready to say, O that I had the wings of a dove, to fly away from the windy storni and tempest ! Ps. Iv. 6, 7. to get afar off from the rage and malice of enemies, from the troublesome infirmities of friends, afar off from the peevishness, the envy and the passion of some of thy fellow-christians ? How often hast thou wished even for a wilderness where thou mayest be at rest ? Behold the door of death will shortly open itself to thee, and will let thee in, not to a wilderness, but to a paradise, to a place of eternal rest and freedom from all uneasy soci- ety ; and yet thou delayest and hangest backward, and art afraid to go." " In that upper world the saints have no follies about them, no vicious and fretful humours, no springs ofvexa- tion ; they leave all their weaknesses, their envy, and their anger behind them in the grave. In the heavenly country, every companion is an everlasting friend, and all thy dear and pious kindred, who are departed, have put off every thing that once made thee or them uneasy. They are far better company above than ever they were, or could be; here on earth ; . and dost thou not want to see them all in their best raiment of grace and glory ;
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