1310 DEATH A BLESSING TO THE SAINTS. with various lustre. So the sun paints the fairest colours upon theblackest cloud, and while the thick dark shower is descending it entertains our eyes with all the beauties of the rain- bow ; a most glorious type and seal of the covenant of grace, that can give a pleasingaspect to death itself, and spread light and plea- sure over the darksomegrave. If we are believers in Christ, death is ours as well as life. These two contrary states may each of them derive peculiar be- nefits from the new covenant. The christian maybe taught so to value and improve life, that he may be not onlypatient, but ehear- ful and thankful in the continuance of it. This has been made evident in a large discourse already : And yet it must be con- fessed, that the advantages which death brings to a believer are still greater and more glorious, and this will appear in the follow- ing particulars : I. Death finishes our state of labour and trial, and puts us in possession of the crown and the prize. St. Paul was appoint- ed to die by the sword of Nero, and to end his labours and his race in blood ; yet he rejoices to think that his -race was just at an end, and triumphs in view ofthe gloriousrecompence; 2 Tim. iv. 7, 8. I havefought the goodfight, I have finishedmy course, I have kept the faith, henceforth is laid upfor me a crown of righteousness. There is a voice from heaven that proclaims the dead happy ; upon this account, that their toil and fatigue is come to an end. Rev. xiv. 13. Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord, for they rest from their labours, and theirworksfollow them ;; that is, the prize of everlasting happiness whichChrist has pro- mised to hislabouring saints. Rev. ii. 10. Be thou faithful unto death, andIwill give thee a crown of life. So the weary tra- veller counts the last hour of the day the best; for it finishes the fatigue and toil of the day, and brings him to his resting- place. So the soldier rejoicesin the last field of battle ; he fights with the prize of glory in his eye, andends the war withcourage, pleasure, and victory. II. Death frees us forever from all our errors and mistakes, and brings us into a world of glorious knowledge and illumina- tion. The vale of death is a dark passage indeed, but it leads. into the regions of perfect light. Nowwe know but in part, says the apostle ; 1 Cor. xiii. 12. Now we see but through a glass. darkly, then we shall see God and our Saviour face to face, and know them even as we are known ; not in the same degree of per- fection indeed, but according toour measure andcapacity, we shall know them, in a way of vision, or immediate sight, as God knows his creatures, as one man knows his friend, whose face he be- holds with his eyes; or as one spirit knows another, by some un- known ways of perception which belong to spirits.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=