Ease which through the Blessing of God it doth produce in the Patient that takes it Death hath but a bad look a grim countenance but yet it comes upon a good Errand it hath the hands of Esau which are very rough but its voice is the voice of Iacob speaking Peace and Comfort to a Child of God You see here in the Text that Paul desir'd it and he very well understood himself he knew there was sufficient yea abundant reason for his doing so It must be acknowledged That Death was at first threatned as a Curse and since the Fall it hath been inflicted as the Punishment of Sin But God for the great Love wherewith he loves his People and for the sake of his Son our dear Lord Jesus hath as to them turned that Curse into a Blessing That which was a part of the Curse is now the high-way to all Blessedness as matrers do now stand not to dye would be a loss a prejudice to the Saints Iob 7.16 I loath it I would not live alway if I might I would not i. e. here in this world It is a very great aggravation of the misery of the Damned in Hell that they cannot dye death flees from them tho they desire it and seek it and earnestly call after it yet it will not come nay it cannot The hopes of Annihiâ—ation would be grateful and pleasant to them fain they would not be but be they must whether they will or no. But Death will come to a Child of God would he not live always then â—hall not Only to him Death comes in the fittest season not till work be done and he be ripe for Glory he goeth to his Grave 〈◊〉 shock of Corn in its season If Spiritual Death be taken away â—â—ch separates between the Soul and God Natural Death can do hurt tho it doth for a time separate between the Soul and the â—â—ly Now from this Truth two things do necessarily follow â—irst That Death is not to be feared by a Believer There are other â—â—gs enough which are the proper Objects of our Fear and it would our â—olly not to fear them Of these things Sin is one Do not liâ— to its voice nor comply with its motions nor set your hand to work though it come with the most tempting smiles and alluring â—rms stand at a distance from it and bid defiance to it for its 〈◊〉 is more bitter than wormwood God is another Jer. 10.7 Who â—â—d not fear thee O King of Nations for to thee it doth appertain It â—art of that natural worship which is due to him fear him as â—â—ldren a Father rejoyce at the remembrance of his Holiness and 〈◊〉 the Lord and his Goodness fear to break his Commands and â—buse his mercies and thereby provoke him to withdraw from 〈◊〉 his assistances and comforts and to set upon you the marks of displeasure Your own hearts are another if he that trusts in his 〈◊〉 heart be a fool then to be afraid of our selves and of our own â—â—ts is a special piece of wisdom As the heart of man is knotty â—crabbed so it is treacherous deceitful above all things and deâ—ately wicked therefore let us watch our hearts and be jealous 〈◊〉 our selves with a godly jealousie But be not afraid to dye A â—â—â—istian ought to be at God's ordering Be willing to live as long as 〈◊〉 will have you though it be an afflictive and troublesome life â—â—gh it be a sickly and painful life though it be a mean and poor 〈◊〉 Iob could say upon his Dunghill in the midst of outward and â—â—â—ard anguish Iob 14.14 All the days of my appointed time I will 〈◊〉 till my change shall come Wait with patience live out of a prinâ—e of obedience to God and then be willing to die when God will 〈◊〉 you Death hath lost its sting and now you may play with it 〈◊〉 reconciled and therefore will not be unkind nor do you a misâ—f It is your Father's servant and therefore cannot go beyond his â—â—mission the Scripture tells you 1 Cor. 5.21 22. Death is yours â—ell as life It is a part of your interest You owe a great deal to â—â—th as it puts an end to all your sins and sorrows and as it is a pasâ—â— though a dark one to Heaven and Glory Secondly The Death of those who died in the Lord is not upon 〈◊〉 account to be bewailed by those their near and dear Relations that superâ— them Indeed as it is a loss to the Family and Friends and to 〈◊〉 Nation and to that part of the Church which is here a sense of 〈◊〉 and a sorrow for it is to be allowed them and commended 〈◊〉 them for it is no other than their duty It is a sign of a bad heaâ— and of approaching evil when the righteous perish and no man 〈◊〉 it to heart Isa. 57.1 Only that Sorrow is to be kept under coâ—â—mand and within those bounds that Religion and right Reason 〈◊〉 set it Tho over their Graves we may drop our Tears we must 〈◊〉 drown our selves But the more deeply sensible we are of our loss 〈◊〉 more careful and diligent we ought to be about the improving 〈◊〉 making it up Have we lost much of the Creature then let us labâ— to get so much the more of God and Iesus Christ There is not 〈◊〉 loss here below that we can meet with but if we will be founâ— the way of our duty it may yea for certain it shall be repaâ— and made up to us But the Death of Holy Gracious Persons is to be bewailed upon their account They stand in no need of anâ— our Sighs or Tears Their case doth not call for it Tho they diâ— their Strength and Prime in their Youth or in their consistent 〈◊〉 yet they did not dye too soon They liv'd as long as God would 〈◊〉 them and that was long enough They do not dye too soon who 〈◊〉 they dye go to Christ. Rev. 14.13 Blessed are the dead that dyâ— the Lord. They are not miserable then but happy yea more haâ—â— than ever they were before When thou thinkest My Relation is dâ—â— follow that thought with this My Relation is blessed Now she 〈◊〉 indeed now she is happy indeed The life she had here 〈◊〉 not deserve the name of a life if compared with that life which now hath with Christ. Fifthly A truly yea an eminently Gracious Person may be in a 〈◊〉 about dying-work When David was almost consumed with the 〈◊〉 of God's hand He prayed O spare me that I may recover streâ—â— before I go hence and be seen no more Psal. 39.13 When Hezâ—â— was commanded by the Prophet from the Lord To set his housâ— order for he should dye and not live he turned his face to the wall 〈◊〉 prayed and wept sore Isa. 38.1 c. Paul here was in a strait 〈◊〉 that proceeded from a more noble Cause than that of many 〈◊〉 was brought into it
gradually impart to them now and when he â—ath them with him in the Mansions above he will fill their Treaâ—ures and put them into the actual and compleat Possession of all that Good which he purchased for them He himself is at the Right Hand of the Majesty on High and they shall be at his he overcame 〈◊〉 is set down upon his Father's Throne and when they have ovâ—â—â—come he will grant to them to sit down upon his Throne Revelaâ—â—â—â— He will come at the last and great Day in his Glory and when he 〈◊〉 appear they shall appear with him in glory Colos. 3. It doth not yet â—â—â—pear what we shall be but when he doth appear we shall be like him 〈◊〉 we shall see him as he is 1 John 3.2 He shall shine forth with 〈◊〉 bright and beautiful Rays as the Eternal Sun and they as the Firâ—â—ment and the Stars yea their vile Bodies or Bodies of vilenâ— shall be made like unto Christ's most Glorious Body Philip. 3. Nâ—â— O Saints It is the matter of your grief and complaint that 〈◊〉 have so much corruption in you and so little of Christ and that 〈◊〉 are so unlike him a Conformity to whose Image you ought to stuâ—â— and were predestinated to Rom. 8. But there you shall be as like 〈◊〉 as ever you can look you shall be satisfied with his likeness Psalmâ— so satisfied with it as not to desire more of it than you shall haâ—â— there your Conformity to him shall be perfect both in Grace and Gâ—â—ry Thus much concerning Paul's Judgment of the Future Stateâ— Believers as to the Nature of it It will be a being with Christ. Come we now in the second place to consider his Judgmentâ— that State as to the Goodness and Excellency of it and that you haâ—â— in these words it is far better It is better then whensoever a Gâ—â—cious and Holy Person makes his last and great change he makeâ— good one he changeth so much for the better that he will never 〈◊〉 any reason to repent of it I pray therefore do you moderate yoâ— Sorrow whom God hath deprived of such Relations whose Godâ—â—ness you have no cause to call in question be you satisfied as to theâ— do not mourn over them Weep if you please for your selves aâ—â— for your Children but not for them because they do not lose 〈◊〉 Dying they are not at all the worse for Dying All things work togethâ—â— for good to them that love God so Paul tells us Romans 8. Yea 〈◊〉 speaks of it as a thing well known and Death doth so work as well as anâ—thing else it works notably for them it doth them a great deal of seâ—vice and kindness it is good for them that they Dye It is expedieâ—â— for them that they go away You would fain have had your near anâ— dear Relations staid here yet longer and Lov'd and Liv'd with yoâ— yet longer And why so That you might have been pleased anâ— delighted that they might have been more helpful and comfortablâ— to you But is that fit God hath the numbers of our Months with him and he hath appointed us our bounds which we cannot pass and musâ— God alter his Decrees and add to those Months and remove those â—ounds for you Must the Will of God be crost for you Must not Heaven be filled for you Must the Happiness and Perfection of the â—aints be deferr'd and put off for you Must they stand here after â—hey are fully ripe for Glory merely that you might be gratified â—nd humour'd or if not done you break out into discontent Know â—y Friend whatever thy dark and melancholick apprehensions are â—or the present it is better as it is and if thou didst better underâ—tand the mind and will of God in what he hath done thou wouldest be â—ore reconciled to it whatever thou dost think might have been â—he comfortable fruits of thy Relation's longer continuance here it 〈◊〉 better as it is for certain it is better for her So our Apostle â—â—ought as to himself and so he tells us in the Text to be with â—hrist is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only better but far better â—muliò magis melius mucâ— more better He speaks as if he wanted â—ords and thought he could not speak enough it is much very â—uch better it is a great deal better or as one Learned Man renders 〈◊〉 it is infinitis partibus melius infinitely better But here the Question will be Qu. Than what is it better An. To that I Answer thus It is better than any State that a â—hristian can be in on this side the Grave and of Heaven Take it in â—â—ese two things 1. Being with Christ in Heaven is better than any state here when it is as good as the World can make it 2. It is better than the best State here when it is as good as his Spiritual and Gospel Enjoyments can make it when he hath both the Fatness of the Earth and the Dew of Heaven too when he hath both the Comforts of the Creature and also the Smiles of God First It is better to be with Christ in Heaven than any State here 〈◊〉 this World when it is as good as Earth can make it and â—here is the â—â—llest confluence of Creature-delights Suppose a Saint seated upon â—â—e upper ground having his Belly fill'd with hid Treasures and reâ—â—esh'd with waters of a full Cup swimming in all manner of Deâ—â—ghts the Envy of some and the Admiration of others Suppose â—â—m possest of a plentiful Estate and blest with sweet and dear Reâ—â—tions let him have the Honour of a Crown with Mines of Gold and Silver and every thing here contributing to his delight Suppose him a Person of a most even Temper of mind and a most athletick sound healâ—hful Constitution of Body so that no unruly Passions do transport him no Sicknesses discompose him no Racking and vexing pains disease him no unexpected disappointment of his hopes nor unkind denial of his desires do Fret and Torment him no clouds at all do Obscure his Day nor threaten him with a Storm but all is well within and all Serene and Calm round about him In a word He can with Esau say I have enough my Brother because he hath Health and Ease Peace and Prosperity and indeed more than heart can wish yet I say to be with Christ in Heaven is better than all this for if Moses did esteem the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt what is the Glory of Christ What price and estimate will you set on that If David reckoned that a Day in these his lower and outer Courts were better than a Thousand elsewhere what then is it to enjoy an Eternity A constant and uninterrupted abode for ever in the Mansions above the Habitation of his Holiness and Glory Without all peradventure that is an ignorant and dross Soul which once imagines Earth to be better than Heaven Creatureâ— in
which â—â—d had there prepared for them that love him He had a desire to â—â—art From whence by the way it will be worth our while to obâ—â—â—ve this That Paul's Desires were and so ours should be under the comâ—â—nd and conduct of Reason We should be rational in our affectiâ—â— and in our actions He was for that which was better the â—â—at and joint Cry of the many was Who will shew us any good 〈◊〉 4. So that if it be good let us have it though it be an infeâ—â—â—r good an unsatisfying good though it be a fading and transitoâ—â— good But a gracious Soul who hath been taught of God â—â—â—â—ghs considers and compares things and measures out his affeâ—â—â—ons to them according to that degree of Goodness which is in 〈◊〉 Upon less and lower goods he bestoweth a smaller love conâ—â—ding wisely That is enough for them as much as they deserve 〈◊〉 so his endeavour is to maintain and to carry toward them with 〈◊〉 indifferency of Spirit according to that Command 1 Cor. 7. â— 30. Let them that have wives be as though they had none and they 〈◊〉 weep as though they wept not and they that rejoice as though they â—â—â—iced not and they that buy as though they possessed not And then they bestow a greater Love upon a better Good and the deareâ—â— Love upon the best and highest Good It is good to have Communiâ—on with the Saints upon earth and I love that saith David Psal. 16 O Lord my goodness extendeth not to thee but to the Saints those excelleâ—â— ones in whom is all my delight He had a love of Benevolence foâ— others but a love of Complacency for these Upon others he bâ—â—stowed his Pity upon these only he placed his delight It is bettâ—â— to draw nigh to God and to have fellowship with him in Ordinaâ—â—ces And David was more pleased with that Psal. 27.4 One thiâ—â— have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in 〈◊〉 house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Loâ—â— and to enquire in his Temple He loved the Habitation of God's Housâ— and the place where his Honour dwelt but of all things it is best 〈◊〉 be in Heaven It is better to be with him there than to be with 〈◊〉 people here better to see him face to face there than to see him the glass of Ordinances here and therefore saith our Apostle have a desire to depart a strong ardent and impetuous desire Iâ— almost long to be gone were there not one thing in the way I coâ—â—â— be impatient of any continuance here in this dirty world Having a desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to depart the Original Woâ—â— hath divers significations and accordingly is diversly rendred 〈◊〉 it signifies to be dissolved or resolved which is done when thiâ— mixed or compounded are separated and divided into the seveâ— principles or parts of which it did consist Man is the compouâ—â— made up of a Spiritual and Terrene part the Soul and the Body 〈◊〉 Death these two are divided the Soul and Body are parted the 〈◊〉 from the other Again the Word doth signifie to depart so by our Learned Trâ—â—â—slators it is rendred in the Text. I have so long had mine abode hâ—â— and truly to me it seems full long enough I can very willingly move to another and better Countrey I am with all my heart reaâ—â— to take my leave of Persons and Things here I wait but for 〈◊〉 word of Command and so will draw up mine anchor and loâ—â— from hence I will hoise up and spread my Sails and with all possâ—â— speed make toward another Port that Haven of Peace and Râ—â—â— which lieth in the uppermost Region Once more This word signifieth to return and so as some the Learned conceive Paul doth here refer to that passage of Sâ—â—mon in Eccles. 12.7 The body returns to dust and the spirit to God 〈◊〉 gave it If you please we will conjoin all these and you may 〈◊〉 â—ake them together I know there will be a Dissolution my Soul and â—ody which like two loving Friends have lived so long together and â—â—ken part one with another in Weal and Wo in Joy and Sorrow â—ust one day be parted that knot which now most strictly holds â—â—em together must be untied and I am not in the least troubled at â—â—at Dissolution since I am fully assured That it will be followed â—â—th a closer Union and fuller Communion between Christ and me When once I have dropt this mantle of Flesh I shall be taken up to â—â—e Father of Spirits I know that I must go from hence this world 〈◊〉 not my last home nor the place of my constant abode I am but a â—â—lgrim and Stranger here as all my Fathers were and I am ready 〈◊〉 be gone so soon as the Messenger comes that shall be sent for me 〈◊〉 us pleas'd with the thoughts of my Journey because it is but a deâ—â—rture from Earth to Heaven from Friends to a God from poor â—â—â—â—nty and leaking Cisterns to the Fountain of Being the Springâ—ead of Comfort the Infinite Ocean of all Delights I must return was sent by my great Creator to act my part in the world and â—â—en that is done and my time is spent I must go to him to give 〈◊〉 account how my time hath been improved and how my part hath â—â—en acted I must go from whence at first I came and I am heartily 〈◊〉 of it for then it will be better with me than it is 〈◊〉 I care not how soon for the sooner the better for â—â—ough my body must be laid up in a dark and lonely Grave 〈◊〉 there putrifie and become meat for worms and be crumbled into 〈◊〉 and so continue for ought I know hundreds of years yet 〈◊〉 Spirit my precious and Immortal Soul shall return to God that â—â—de it by whom it shall be graciously received and welcom'd and â—â—th whom it is best to be This was that which he desired And here â—ould have you exercise your Thoughts and Meditations upon that â—â—pression of his I desire it and shall I offer you mine which may â—ord you some Light and Assistance Let us see whether there be 〈◊〉 something of Greatness in it whether it be not a lofty strain 〈◊〉 a pitch as every man cannot flye no not every Good man 〈◊〉 so take these Three Things with you 1. He doth not speak of a bare Submission in the case nor 2. Of being only contented to depart But 3. Of a Desire he had to it First He doth not say I submit to the will of God herein If he â—ease to call me away and will not allow me a longer continuance â—â—re I submit He shall dispose of me This indeed is unquestionably our duty as in all other things so particularly in this It is 〈◊〉 revealed will of God that all the living shall die only some 〈◊〉 excepted and those
reach of the tallest and best grown and improved Saints while here It is the mark that they have in their eye and aim and at which they level but when they have done their best the best of them do while here shoot short they cannot hit it and while they are thankful for attainments they must own and acknowledge defects and wants There is a dimness in their eyes and so their â—nowledge is imperfect there is a weakness in their hearts and so their Graces are imperfect as a child so they are perfect as to parts but not as to degrees there is something lacking in their Faith and in their Love and in every Grace They are progressive in their motions going on and on every day and from strength to strength and yet at the end of every day they find that they have further to go and therefore had need to gird up the loins of their mind growth is the conâ—tant duty and business of a Christiâ—n That precept 2 Pet. 3. Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ doth oblige the Saints as long as they live there is none here can say â—hey are got from under the authority and binding power of that Command and therefore none here have arrived at the measure of their stature You know Paul had got much he came not behind the chiefest Apostles yet he had not enough nor was he satisfied and what was his casâ— is also the case of all the Saints while on this side of Heaven Yea and observe this you will find it always true those of them that be the most Holy are the most humble and hungry those that have most Knowledg and most of the Spirit are of all others least in their own eyes and furthest from dreaming of a present Perfection they are most free to own it that they have not already attained and that they are not already perfect Philip. 3 12. But what was their desire here shall be their delight there and all that which they hoped for here they shall enjoy there they shall see Christ as he is clearly immediately face to face as fully as humane Naâ—ure is capable of seeing him and there they shall be like him as like him as they would be for a perfect Vision of him will produce a perfect assimilation to him There it is that God doth fill his Peoples Treasures and because he deals so bountifully with them there their Souls will enjoy a completeness of Rest there it is that they will for ever take up because there is â nâ— plus nultra no further they have to go no higher that they can aspire Thirdly The Future State in which the Saints shall be with Christ shall be for ever unalterable Here alas There is very little of a consistency the best of men are subject to vicissitudes and changes David indeed said My heart is fixed O God my heart is fixed but notwithstanding his fixedness he had his fluctuatings Neither he nor his house was as a Morning without Clouds or the clear Sun-shine God lifted him up and again cast him down sometimes he was in the heights and sometimes in the deep Psal. 130.1 Out of the depths have I cried unto thee O Lord. Here they are Travellers and but in the Wilderness and therefore none have cause to wonder that they are frequently at a loss now for this anon for that How often do they find changes within them their hearts are not always in the same frame now lively anon dead and dull now enlarged anon straitned now full of Faith anon full of fears now they mount up with wingâ— as Eagles anon they lye like Logs or creep like Snails and at otheâ— times they find a change upon them their Bottle is empty and their ways bedged up with Thorns Many very many of these Changes are for the worse so that sometimes they are brought to a great loss not knowing themselves nor state but ready to conclude themselves a company of Hypocrites Their day is clouded and theâ—â— Evidences blurr'd and their Peace broken God withdraws the Beams that sometimes he darted in upon them and instead of chearing Smiles they see nothing but angry and terrible Frowns Hâ— withholds those gracious Assistances that sometimes he was pleaseâ— to afford them and now they are so troubled that they cannot speaâ— as they should nor hear nor pray nor meditate as they should theâ— cannot do any thing that they can savour nor taste any sweetness iâ— the Ordinances they attend are as the white of an Egg and the Duties they perform are to them Abomnination From the formeâ— they go away disappointed from the latter ashamed and from both disconsolated and possibly under a Temptation of throwing of all But in the future state there shall be none of this no such afflictive Changes there shall be no Soul-sickness no spiritual Infirmity or Weakness no indisposition of Mind no angry hidings oâ— God's part no vexatious disturbances no Weight to depress no Sin to beset no Devil to assault his Arm is neither long enough nor strong enough to through one fiery Dart among that blessed and peaceful Company the old Serpent cannot wriggle himself into that Paradise of God He that would not stay there to be happy shall not return thither to be troublesome there shall be nothing to defile them nothing to offend them They shall be always with the Lord and always fit to be with him always singing Allelujahs having their Souls ever in tune some do conceive that there shall be â—â—ntinual Additions to their knowledg tho never any want yet an â—â—arging of their Capacities and at the same instant a filling of â—â—em too I do not contradict that Notion nor will I dispute it it 〈◊〉 pleasant the day will declare it but whatever further Additions â—ere may be it is certain there shall be no Diminution they shall â—â—ld fast what they have Their Sun shall not go one degree backâ—ard but being come to its Zenith it shall continue and of that â—nowledge and Happiness and Glory of which they are there â—ade partakers they shall lose none but be so far immoveable as â—â—lars in the House of God in a fixed and permanent Condition So â—â—ve I given you up my thoughts concerning Paul's Judgment about â—â—e Saints future State in the other World which is a being with â—â—rist and far better that the best Estate they are or can be in on â—â—s side of it We now proceed to consider the second thing observable in the â—â—xt that is the stirring or working of his Will and Affections in a â—â—et Correspondency with his Judgment and this working of them â—s in a way of desire Having a desire to depart As when good old â—â—eon had seen God's Salvation and got Christ in his Arms he said â—â—w Lord lettest thou thy servant depart in peace So did Paul here â—â—ing looked within the Vail and seen something of that