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
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
by the dear love he bare to Christ and the Châ—â—â—â— But how many are brought into it by a fond and foolish love to 〈◊〉 world They could be willing to go to Christ were they not loâ—◠〈◊〉 leave their Earthly Comforts Relations and Possessions They â—â—uld live to see their Children grown up well disposed of and proâ—â—ded for in the world but they may live to see them their Sorrow â—â—d Shame their Vexation and Torment Others are in a strait and â—aid to dye because they do not know whither they shall go when â—â—ey dye they want assurance of the Love of God and their own â—â—ernal Salvation for which want they may possibly thank their â—â—n supine carelessness and neglect not having given as they ought â—â—â—igence yea all diligence to make their Calling and Election sure â—â—hers are in a strait by reason of those severe Rebukes and Wounds â—hich they receive from their own Consciences They have been off â—om their watch and Temptations from Satan or the world have â—oke in upon them and mastered them and their own Corruptions â—â—ve prevailed against them and their Consciences instead of being â—â—eet Comforters prove their dreadful Tormentors by means whereâ—â— they poor Creatures know not how to look God in the face â—â—d so they know not how to look Death in the face And indeed it â—â—nnot but be very sad and dismal with any one who is in this condiâ—â—on and at the same time thinks in good earnest that his death is 〈◊〉 hand Therefore let it be your work by utmost diligence and conâ—â—nt care of holy walking with God to prevent such straits as these â—â—t weaned hearts sit loose from the world do your duty keep â—ur selves unspotted commit your all to God clear up your Eviâ—ences make up your Accounts and get all things set in order â—â—at when you come to dye you may have nothing else to do Sixthly The Interest of Christ and his Church should be preserr'd beâ—â—re our own particular Interest Thus Iohn the Baptist did when some 〈◊〉 his Disciples told him He to whom thou barest witness baptizeth and 〈◊〉 men come to him They thought their Master's Glory would be â—â—ereby eclipsed Observe now his Answer thereunto Iohn 3. â—â— 30. The friend of the Bridegroom which standeth and heareth him â—â—joiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice this my joy therefore is â—â—lfilled he must increase but I decrease They could not bring him â—etter and more welcom news Our Apostle here judged his abiding 〈◊〉 the flesh was more needful for the Saints in order to their furtheâ—â—ance in the way to Heaven and the increasing of their Joy of â—aith and thence concluded he should abide and continue with â—hem and was upon mature deliberation free to do so It ought to â—e so with us We should be willing to be kept out of our Rest so â—ong as we have any more work to do for God We should be content to stay for our future Reward so long as we may be further serviceâ— in the world And indeed it is richly worth a Bâ—lievers while to 〈◊〉 here until he hath dispatch'd all that for which he was sent hithâ— and not to have Death put in its sickle to reap him before he be tâ—â— rough ripe You have a great deal of Reason to long for Hearâ— because of the Company Happiness and Glory which are there be enjoyed and because of that noysom body of Death which 〈◊〉 you carry about with you and because of the Temptations Aâ—ctions and various Troubles you meet with here Yet be not impâ—â—â—ent but all the days of your appointed time do you as Iob 〈◊〉 wait till your change shall come You will lose nothing by stay 〈◊〉 God's time which is in all things the best The greater Service yâ—â— do for him either in an active or passive way the more weigâ—â— shall your Crown be Lastly Whensoever and about whatsoever it is that we are brought 〈◊〉 a strait it is our wisest way to commit the business to God and leave the 〈◊〉 termination unto him When the Scales do hang even in our Judgmeâ—â— let God before whom all things are naked and open have the turâ—â— of them It is said of Moses Deut. 34.5 That he died according to 〈◊〉 word of the Lord at the Mouth of the Loâ—d so it is in the Hebrâ—â— Some read it The Lord commanding him 〈…〉 Annotations â—â—â—der it by the Ordinance of the Lord or at the Appointment of Gâ—â— It is not fit that we should have the prolonging or contracting of 〈◊〉 Lives in our own hands that Power is best and saâ—est in the haâ—d that God whose right it is The Church said He should chuse their heritance for them let us also say He shall chuse for us the time 〈◊〉 our continuance here and of our departure from hence If we wâ—â— to chuse for our selves very few if any would chuse well but soâ—â— of us would dye too soon and others of us would live too long Let therefore refer it to God While he is pleased to add to our day us conscientiously mind our duty living to the best purpose that can and serving our Generation according to the Will of God 〈◊〉 then we may satisfie our selves with this That we shall be sure to 〈◊〉 in the best time In a word Let every one of us be willing to 〈◊〉 here until God send for us And then the good Lord put us iâ— such a frame as that when we are sent for we may be willing to FINIS