launch out into the Ocean of Eternity to sail to the Port where none but Angels harbour with Saint Augustine cry out to God quaeram te ut vivat anima I will seek thee that my Soul may live despising according to your baptismal Vow all the pomps and vanities of this wicked World take care you have your wedding garment on against Death comes to give you notice that Jesus is coming to see how your Lamps are plyed with Oyl and being thus prepared for your Saviour's reception he leads you to the presence of his Father where is fulness of joy and pleasures ever turning on the axel of eternal years thus Death to the Righteous is but the change of a bad life for a better and Saint John the Divine assures us that he heard a Voice from Heaven saying Write Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them No Man is out of the reach of Fate so knowing he must die and every man shall draw after him as there are innumerable before him imbrace Death as a bosome friend besides what Man is so unwise to shun it when he might have an immortal life for a life of pain and misery for a life that gives nothing without trouble as the Poet hints Nil sine magno Vita labore dedit mortalitas Ah! if we would but weigh Death in an even Ballance we should soon find the great difference between living and dying by an utter detestation of mortality we should be so far from solliciting to reside in the weak frailty of humane nature that we should be ever wishing Death would break the chain of brittle life to release the Soul from the imprisonment of a corporeal Goal the Greeks very significantly call the Body soma quasi sema that is the Sepulcher of the Soul for so long as Man was surviving so long they reckoned the Soul contrary to its immortal nature confined in the frail Mansion of a carnal Grave consider then this confinement of the Soul and by how much the more we should be in love with life by so much the more we should rejoyce at the news of its dissolution Death bringing the tidings of translating us to immortality would be more harmonious to our ears than the sweet harmony the Sphears joyn to the melodious notes of ever rejoycing Angels the echo of the tidings would parallize the ravishing concord of those charming lays which filled the etherial Pallaces of Heaven when the Morning Stars sang together and all the Sons of God shouted for joy commenting seriously on the perplexities of this life what can we count the rich man's riches Death what can we count the poor man's happiness Death what can we count the sick man's case Death what can we count the melancholly man's mirth Death or what can we count the healthy Man's best health Death all this and much more is Death Death gives us a total discharge from all miseries whatsoever on Earth I have read of a sort of People called the Drausie who at the birth of their Children weep but at their death rejoyce and with their Friends make merry thus if we would reflect on the miseries mankind is born to as well as them we should not much deviate from their custome alass how great and many are the sorrows which a man runs through from the Womb to the Tomb the poor Babe comes weeping into the World as if by an instinct of Nature it was sensible of the calamities it was to undergoe in the sorrowful pilgrimage of this instable life Alas who would desire to live upon Earth where such imperfections of Nature is daily presented to our sight some lame some blind some deaf some dumb some lunatick some possessed some bewitched some leprous some sick so that we may properly call the World an Hospital cram'd with all the maladies of Gods displeasure or a House of mourning where Parents are daily weeping for the loss of Children Children for Parents Widdows for Husbands Friends for Friends some for losses by fire some for losses by debts some for losses by Robbers some for losses by Sea some for one loss and some another insomuch that if they would rightly apply these grievances to practical considerations of Death he would be oftner called upon than he is to relieve their afflictions dear Death it is the Compass by which we must steer our course to the Haven of everlasting safety of Death is born immortality of immortality a celestial Empire and of a celestial Empire eternal rest for so great benefits and comforts shall we not love Death not admire him not think on him we are then ingrateful to our selves and envy our own happiness of which were we but sensible we should scarce was a destroying Angel to fly over our Houses now as he did over the Egyptians to slay our first-born or our selves either sprinkle the lintels of the doors as the Israelites did unless it was a command of God as that was to escape the wrath of the Heavenly slaughterer yet Man is so enveloped with the deceiving pleasures of this life that though he sees so many miserable spectacles daily before his Eyes yet he desires to live doth he desire to live yes though ten thousand times as many miseries more were thrown from Heaven to afflict him for his darling sin That Man should be afraid of a thing that is no Creature Death is no substance therefore when Adrian the Emperour asked a Philosopher what Death was he answered an eternal sleep the dissolution of Bodies the rich Man's fear the poor Man's wish an inevitable event an uncertain pilgrimage a robber of life the father of sleep the flight of life the departure of the living and resolution of all things As Death and diseases know no faces but will compel all to pay the debt that is due to Nature pay it without pining and when all comes to all you will find Death no Death but a going to God and God's coming to us if a Man dyes he shall live again The brightest days have gloomy dawnings But rise again in splended mornings Had man been capable of knowing the misery of life before he received it he would have been very loth to accept it and again if Death were not in our power how willingly should we desire it more than we fear it but Man is always of a cross nature the Mariner sails through all weathers to gain the Port but when Death comes to put us into our safe Port we shun it as a Rock or Quick-sand alass if we are so loth to go to God it is a manifest token of little love to God who only sends Death to free us from all worldly injuries to put a period to misery to free us from corporal infirmities to free us from bodily labours and ease us of all cares and troubles God sends Death to invite
us to the fulness of Grace perfection of glory inseparable fellowship with Christ and to settle us in our own Countrey of Paradise True Christians should fear Sin and not Death for that Soul that is afraid of dying is but in a bad case for Heaven the fears of Death multiply evils but Faith diminishes them the good man durst dye and desires to dye it shews a true Christian courage to desire Death through which he is spying at immortal glory beholding life that never dyes and sees the glorious beams of that morning spreading over the spacious Chambers of Heaven that hath no eve nor ending compare this life with Death and you will clearly see how Death which seems to dispossess us of all we esteem dear in this World put us in possession of more than we deserve alas here we covet to be cottaged up in a house of clay whose foundation is dust when Death would bring us to an habitation of everlasting joys so mistake not the term of happiness by calling that Death which is life for ever more Death is the regeneration of the Soul it is new born when man dies for this new birth let no trepidations or qualms of fear breed on your heart Death only comes to revive you in his arms of serenity joy and peace alass had death been evil Cain had been slain for his barbarous fratricide his pardon of life not his punishment of marking made him to cry out My punishment is greater than I can bear he had rather have been seated in the house of Death than have been a vagabond as he was upon Earth for all motions stirring towards the end of life tend to rest call then for Death to release your heaven born soul from this earthly confinement be not daunted like Atheists for fear of a non esse nor startled like Libertines for fear of a male esse for there is certainly an endless futerity which the Soul shall dwell in after this life and whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved as soon as Death has discoursed with you your Soul shall sup that night with Christ in Paradise this is the true transmigration of souls from misery to joy and not from body to body as Pythagoras vainly thought how consolatory then might we make Death to us by thinking on his arreption of souls to Heaven Death only comes to give a superhumane Being to Man and to let us no more seek the Benedictions of God but eternally to enjoy the GOD of Benedictions Nothing is so profitable as Death therefore no misery can be more capital to Man then the frailty of humane life from whence all crosses discords and perturbations of mind are derived how many feeling extremities a man goes through before his life reaches the winter of hoary age which makes a strange transformation of his weak nature his head shaking his sight dimn his jaws fallen his gums toothless his veins wither'd his marrow dry'd his bones sapless his stomach phlegmatick his joynts feeble his limbs numb'd his blood cold in a word the whole Machine of his feeble body out of order so if it may be said without offence to Heaven it is better for that Man that must be born to meet his Grave as soon as he enters the Verge of this troublesome and always perplexed life There remaineth a rest to the people of God who then would be so besotted with a lethargick drowsiness of mind as not to leave Father leave Mother leave Brother leave Sister leave Relarions leave Friends and all things whatsoever we esteem most dear in this World to enter into the rest of God For he that is entered into his rest he also hath ceased from his own works as God did from his O! let us who are in love with our precious Souls labour therefore to enter into that rest where peace redounds for ever more Through the House appointed for all living we pass to Heaven the glorious Kingdom where the Elect and faithful Servants of God shall for ever Reign with him Death transports us to sit under the Canopy of that Throne where is joy without sorrow rest without labour dignity without fear riches without loss health without sickness abundance without defection perpetuity without corruption and bliss without calamity Heaven is the Region where no bitterness takes place a Region where no Thunders Lightnings Tempest Hail extream cold nor excessive heat shall annoy us more there Prodigies shall not fright us with the dire aspects of jarring Planets there the harsh language of sorrow shall no more invade our ears with terrors the dialect in the bright Empyrean where is erected on the supreamest loft of Eternity the Throne of God is all ecstatical joy once Death conveys us to those Regions of never deficient happiness there shall we be in communion with Seraphins and Cherubins Archangels and Angels there shall we be familiar with blessed Michael who cast proud Lucifer and his rebellious associates from Heaven there shall we be correspondent with Gabriel who on the happy Day of Man's Salvation with Legions of the Heavenly Hosts sang to admiring Shepherds the sweet Carol of gloria in excelsis Death brings our Souls to be spectators of the glorious Cavelcade of blessed Confessors triumphantly holding the Cross over the immaculate Lamb changing then the Motto in hoc signo vinces for in hoc signo obtinuimus coelum by this sign have we won Heaven Death having separated the pure substance of our Souls from these clods of dirt then Adam shall see all his Grand-Children the Sons of Enos together Abraham all his faithful seed Job shall see his Children then shall John the Baptist see his Penitents Peter his Converts Paul his Followers the Prophets of the Lord see all the Lord's People then shall God see all his Sons and Christ all his Members when Death has brought all Mankind to Heaven what a glorious appearance will there be what a ravishing Heavenly Quire what an Anthem shall there harmoniously be sung and we be made welcome by the mutual admirable and ineffable embracements of God and Christ methinks I see Jesus and his believers like Joseph Benjamin falling upon each others Necks not weeping but shouting for joy how will the whole Hierarchy of shining Spirits rejoyce to see the Saints Apostles the whole Army of Martyrs the holy Church throughout all the World meet in Heaven with Palms in their hands and Crowns on their Heads to sing hallelujah hallelujah to the King of Kings for ever and ever Ah! Death is welcom to a good Man at any time he is sensible he sends Souls to enjoy themselves to eternity with the knowledge of one another Death guides us to the Land where the Father shall find his Children the Children their Parents Kindred know Kindred and Friend his Friend for if Dives in the state of Damnation knew Lazarus when he lifted up his Eyes from Hell and saw him in Abraham's
bosome no doubt but those in a state of happiness shall know one another to make the greatness of celestial bliss perfect O! what bliss will this be that mortals shall hereafter meet and know one another in a Kingdom that is all love without falshood in what solid joys will they greet one another in the regions of endless pleasures O! how the indulgent Father and as indulgent Mother will rejoyce for finding again their Children for the loss of whom they had shedded night and day many tears who like Rachel would not be comforted because they were not how the poor Orphans will cling to their Parents since whose privation they had suffered many miseries on Earth Husbands enjoy their Wives company with an inseparable Union how lovingly will long parted Kindred imbrace one another and friends rejoyce at friends eternal welfare Since Death is the Harbinger of Felicity let us be as desirous of appearing before God as Job was when he fervently cryed O that I knew where I might find him that I might come even to his seat to claim the inestimable promise that he hath promised us even eternal life what Mortal will let his knowledge be so intoxicated as to slight this kindness of never diminishing blessings for the allurements of those temporal temptations which King Solomon the wisest of Men stiles vanity of vanities and emphatically backs it with all is vanity so that there is nothing in this World that can indulge our affections with the love of it as Riches Honour Preferment Crowns Scepters Diadems Pallaces Attendance or the like but what is vanity and vexation of Spirit O! the depth of the goodness and love of God to Man in extending his mercy so far as to make us mortal though the Ambition of our first Parents in Eden aspired to be Gods a crime so great that it could not be expiated but by the sacrifice of a bleeding Jesus yet amidst his curses for their grand disobedience was he graciously pleased to make miserable Posterity happy by the privation of life by dying we shall retrieve the happy state of immortality again immortality O the sound of it leaves such a charming echo on a Soul ravished for liberty that were it not a sin against the Holy Ghost violence would quickly give it passage to its native Orb violence would quickly invade the Empire of Death and bravely proclaim the voice of War before his Pallace gates but God's time must be our time a Man must rest contented with God's pleasure and with Job say all the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come whenever it shall please the wise disposer of all things to summon us before his Throne of grace with a Christian like courage shake hands with Death and thank him for the news of fetching you to take possession of an everlasting Patrimony in the Heavenly Canaan where sorrows never shall afflict you more As the Psalmist says What man is he that liveth and shall not see death shall he deliver his Soul from the hand of the grave no these Interrogatories can not be resisted by Man The days of our years are threescore years ten if by reason of strength they be fourscore years yet is their strength labour and sorrow why then should we be afraid of the comfortable news of Death which brings us the Express of our Coronation in Heaven alass Death is no such bugbear as we take it to be he is tame as a young Lion brought up by hand and where the armour of godliness glitters in his eyes he comes upon terms of capitulation and admits you with Colours flying to march through his Territories without the least molestation or let as may be What tongue is able to express pen to write or soul to conceive the joys which Death brings us to we cannot from the unfathomed depth of fancie retrieve thoughts high enough to describe them there will our ears be entertained with the ecstatical charms of Angels singing their most melodious lays and unanimously celebrating the triumphs of their eternal King in charming notes exceeding the harmonious concords of the sweet influences of Pleiades or other the concurring Constellations tuning to the sweet Musick of their revolving orbs Death it's the Pilot that brings Men to the Harbour where God shall wipe all tears from their eyes and make us eternally happy If Orpheus and Amphion as the Poets sing by the harmony of their Lutes could incite Stones and Trees to dance after them how much more should the harmony of Death invite us to follow him to a City whose builder and maker is God alass Man that is born of a Woman is of few days and full of trouble why then should we covet to remain in sorrow and beg of Heaven to avert that stroke which only cuts us off from the miseries of a burthensome life alass what is life in this World it is full of labour corruptible full of bitterness the Mistress of evils and Maid to Hell here griefs perplex us thirsts make faint air blast us heats tire us high feeding inflames the blood fasting macerates age makes you crooked and infirmity breaks us who then must deliver us from these discomforts of humane frailties Death it is Death that will bring you under the protection of that God who will feed us with unheard of blessings alass will Death bring us to such happiness who then would be shy of him but enterrain him as kindly as Lot did the Messengers of Sodom's destruction let us now prepare our selves against Death comes and as soon as we are blessed with his presence joyfully cry out in the words of the royal Psalmist O God thou art my God my Soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is to see thy power and thy glory Because thy loving kindness is better than life cast your eye on Death with a smiling countenance for once he visits you in earnest it is with Orders from the King of immortal Subjects to guard your Soul to that Kingdom where bliss abounds for evermore FINIS