302 1'H$ iMA!'Cf7-.fi`13i CHß3ST-IAtr D-YITid IN PEACE. (blbE. tI, body, and sends us into another sort ofworld, whose affairs and concerns are such only as belong to spirits, whether sinful or holy : A most delightful, or a most dreadful change! Aworld of unknown sorrows or unknown hap- piness ! Lukexxiii. 43. " This day shalt thou be with me in paradise." Luke xvi.2, 23. " The rich man died,-- and in hell he lift up his eyes." And, indeed, the change is so vast, that, comparatively speaking, we knownot what sorrow or happiness is till this day comes. Now it is a very foolish and dangerous thing, at best, to pass into such an extreme change of states infinitely worse, or infinitely better, while we areasleep and at all uncertainties: What if it should be the miserable state, and we should awake in hell ? But the watchful christian is blessed, for he is xeady for this amazing change. He bath long lived upon it by faith and hope, thoughhe knows not so well what the particular enjoyments of heaven are ; and he is well satis- fed, that he is prepared for that happy world by God him- aelf. 2 Cor. v. 5. " He that bath wrought us for the self- same thing is God :" He is well-pleased to have his faith changed into sight, and his hope into fruition : He bath been long pained and burdened, in this sinful world, with the vain trifles, the poor low cares and amusements of it; the sins, and sorrows, and temptations that sur- round him in it, give hire continual disquietudes, and he hath been training up in the school of Christ, by devotion and good works, for those higher services of heaven. :Since he can trust the promises ofthe gospel, and has had some small foretaste ofthese pleasures, he knows that the actions and employments, the businesses and the joys of the upper world, are incomparably superior to any thing ,here on earth, and free from all the uneasy and defiling circumstances of this life. He is awake to receive this change : He rejoices in his removal from world to world : His vital and active powers are ready for the business of paradise, and he opens his heart to take in the joy. Consideration VII. Death makes its approaches, of- tentimes, and seizes us in such a manner as to give no room for prayers or repentance, then the blessedness of the watchful soul appears, that ifhe is carried out of the world and time, in such a surprizing way, he is safe for eternity. Sometimes the messenger of deathstops all our thoughts 1
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=