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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::
He
gives
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
of
rest
becomes sweeter to them, when
they
have passed through many tedious storms
:
The
hour
of
release
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 the
benefit
Of
his
saints.
If
death
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 converse
with
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
of
his
own
gospel.
Whether
we
breathe our last at
land
ät
sea,
in
our
native country, or
,in
a
foreign climate,
a