SERMON XLiII. 615 Thus have I shewn in various instances, how the deathof a believer ingeneral is appointed to workfor his good, and becomes an advantage to him through the grace of Christ. I proceed to shew how the death ofa christian in all the particular circumstan- ces that attend it has something in it that may be turned to his benefit. Christ has the keys of death and the grave; he was dead, and is alive, and behold he livesfor evermore; Rev. i. 18. And he knows how to manage all the circumstances ofthe death of his saints for their profit : He appoints the time when, the manner how, and the place where they shall die, and determines all these thingsby rules of unsearchable wisdom, under the influenceof his faithfulness andhis love. 1. The time when we shall die is appointed by Christ : If he calls us away in the days 'of our youth, he secures us thereby from many a temptation, and many a sin ; for our life on earth is subject to daily defilements. He prevents also many a sorrow and distress of mind, many an agony and sharppain to which our flesh is subject, and saves us from all the languishing weaknesses of old age, and from tasting the dregs ofmortality. When our blessed Lord foresees some huge and heavysor- rows ready to fallupon us, or some mighty temptations approach- ing towards us, he lays his hand upon us in the midst oflife, and hides us in the grave. This has been the sweet hiding place of many a saint of God, from a day ofpublic temptation and over- spreading misery. If he lengthens out our life to many years, we have a fair opportunity of doing much more service for Our God, and our Redeemer,; andwe also enjoy the longer experienceofhis power, his wisdom, and his faithful mercy, in guiding us through many a dark difficulty, in supporting us under many aheavy burden, and delivering our souls from many a threatening temptation. Oftentimes he sweetens the passage of his aged saints through the dark valley, with nearer and brighter views of theheavenly world : He gives them a strong and earnest expectation ofglory, and some sweet foretaste of it, to bear them up under the lan- gours of old age and sickness : The haven of rest becomes sweeter to them, when theyhave passed through many tedious storms : Thehour of release into the world of light, is more ex- quisitely 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, thenwe are surprised into the world of pleasure at once, and, ere we are aware, our
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