DISCOURSE I. 359 survive, for they sustain the biggest loss : It deprives them of their dear and delightful relatives without any recompence, for the world grows so much the more undesirable to a saint by the death of every friend.' Children are torn away from the em- braces of their Parents, and the wife is seized from the bosom. This is, as it were, tearing the flesh asunder of those whose hearts are joined this' gives occasion to bitter sorrows, to long and heavy complaints. How suddenly are we sometimes de- prived of the desires of the eyes, and the comfortsof life, the or- naments and the supports of our earthly state ? And we have lost all their love, and their counsel, and their care ; all their sweet sympathy of joys and sorrows, all their agreeable conver- sation and heavenly advice. What a tedious way have we to walk through without such a guide or helper ? We have lostthe benefit of their watchful eye, their holy jealousy for our 'souls; their fervent and daily prayers. But there are records in heaven, where all the prayers of the saints are kept ; and Godoften turns over his register, and, in distant successive years, pours down blessings upon the posterity, and multiplies his graces amongst them, in answer to therequests that were offered up on earth by the saints that are now with God. 5. The last reason I shall mention to prove death an enemy to the saints, is the terror that it fills the mind with long beforehand. There are but few that, in their best estate on earth are got quite above these terrors, and there are none can say, I have been always free from them : so that in the younger days of their christianity at least, all have been afraid of death ; and these fears are enemies to our peace. Some spend all their lives in this bondage offear, and that upon different ac.. counts. A christian of weaker faith cries out within himself, "How shall I pass that awful moment that sets any soul nakedbefore the eyes of ,a holy God, when I know not whether I am cloathed with the righteousness of his Son or no, whether I shall stand the test in that day ? I dread that solemn, that important hour that shall put me into an unchangeable state of miseries that are infinite, or of infinite blessedness. How shall I, that am.a sin- ner, stand before that tribunal and that Judge, in whose sight no mortal can be innocent ? My evidences for heaven are dark and cloudy, that I cannot read them ; they have been.often sullied with fresh guilt, and I doubt whether I am new born or no, or reconciled to God. And what if I should be mistaken in this affair of the greatest moment The mistake can never be rec- tified ; therefore I shake at the thoughts of death, that hour of decision; for my faith is weak." Another saint of a strong and lively faith, but of a timorous temper,' cries out, " How shall I bear the agonies- and thepangs
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