victory Deaths commission and power is taken away it comes not as a penal and judicial evil to the Saints not as a part of the curse but a remain of the cross an evil of affliction sanctified and eminently conducing to their good hence the Apostle gloryes over it not in a way of proud insulting but in an humble triumph of faith in God through Christ which plainly argues death as to him and all believers was spoiled of its power Hence we may take up these two Doctrines of just and weighty Observation Doct. 1. That there is a sore and grievous Sting in natural Death or natural Death is armed by Sin with a sore and grievous Sting Doct. 2. That the Sting of Death is certainly and infallibly taken out so that it cannot really hurt prejudice or annoy true Believers These two Doctrines doe contain the true meaning and intent of the Apostle in these words 1. That there is a sore and grievous Sting in natural Death This lies first in our way Never shall we see our deliverance fully till we see our danger nor be sensible of the excellent remedy till we have felt the smart of the fore hence many men out of stupidity or a wilful slighting or refusing to mind their death their last end have made too light a matter of it but of a truth when death comes armed by sin with an high Commission from the Law it will be found to be piercing painful and poysonous I shall therefore in the first place endeavour to shew more particularly what the Sting of Death is before I come to shew how it is taken out 〈◊〉 â—â—ow there are several Stings in Death 1. The first sting in death is that it came into the world through mans own fault Rom. 5.12 By one man sin entered and death by sin and death passed upon all men c. It is sin brought in death as a curse and punishment Death comes from God not as instituting the course of Nature at first but as revenging sin There is a Saying in Ecclsiasticus that God did not make Death true it is not a Creature but the destruction of the Creature God is not the peccant cause of the falling of this house of clay but our sin as Eccles 10.18 It s plain in the tenor of the first threatning Gen. 2.17 They are Malefactors that are sentenced aâ— judged and condemned to die Every sinner dyes as a Malefactor as an evil doer suffering for his own sin And truely it pierceth deep if a man consider that he fetcht the Viper out of the snow and nourished it in his own bosome which now doth sting and devour him When a man must say In me convertite ferrum mea caedes mea fraus omnis When it shall be told him as Jer. 2.19 Thine own wickedness shall correct thee And as Jer. 4.18 thy way and doings have procured these things unto thee this is thy wickedness We like the foolish woman Prov. 14.1 pull down the house over our heads with our own hands Before we feel the burthen of sin our own will to it is our warrant for it and because our selves have done it we can easily excuse it but at last it will sting like an Adder This will double the burthen this will be enough to silence any sufferer in this last execution of Justice upon him i.e. in this life This consideration will devolve all the load upon our selves Who shall relieve us Who shall grieve for us Whom shall we blame but even leave our complaint upon our selves 2. Another Sting in Death is that it comes from the Wrath of God Psal 78.50 He made a way to his anger and spared not their soul from death God takes away the wicked in his wrath Psal 58.9 Death is his destroying Angel that chaseth them out of the world There are two thing in a curse or punishment 1. Something that is evil some oppressing evil 2. The wrath of God mixt with it Now death is a part of the curse now this is piercing and painful indeed for a man to be taken away in wrath Sinners in Sion are afraid and a fearful thing it is to tall into the hands of the Living God 3. Another sting in death is that it is the punishment due to sin It comes armed therefore with a Commission to take satisfaction for of sence and wrong done to the infinite God It is the wages of sin Rom. 6. ult We were bound upon peril of our lives and on pain of death to keep Gods Law Gen. 2.17 In the day thou catest thereof thou shalt surely dye that being broken death ensues and seizeth on us as our punishment So v. 22. of this Chapter In Adam all aye Sin and punishment goe together When the body of sin goes before Punishment as its shadow attends it When Eve brought forth a son she was brought a bed of death according to the Proverb Ex malo Corvo malum Ovum The Jews have a Saying There was never any punishment hapned to them but there was anounce of the golden calf in it So there is no death but there are some drachmes of sin in it The lively Image of Sin is ever to be seen in Death Would you see the sad influence that moisture hath upon iron Look upon the rust of it Would you see the horrid evil of drunkenness Look upon the effects of it Prov. 23.29 Who hath woe who hath sorrow Who hath contention Who hath babling Who hath wounds without cause Who hath redness of eyes v. 30. They that tarry long at the wine they that goe to seck mixt wine So here Who hath shortness of breath a pale countenance a crazy body Catarrhs Epilepsies Palsyes c They that continue in sin Why doth the living man complain Lam. 3.39 A man for the punishment of his sin This stings pains and pierceth the sinner when death comes 4. Another sting in death is that it separates the soul and body each from other These antient friends whose lives and happiness here as Jacobs was in Benjamins Gen. 44.30 lare bound up in one anothers welfare Will ye take Benjamin away All these things are against me If mischief befal him then shall ye bring down my grey hairs with sorrow to the grave Gen. 42 36 38. So may the body which is so closly wedded and so dearly affected to the soul say If ye take away my soul you take away my life As it is reported of Madrian the Emperour when he was dying he thus trembling at the gastly countenance of the King of Terrors bespake his miserable soul Animula vagula blandula Hospes Comesque corporis Quoe nune abibit in loca Pallidula rigida nudula Nec ut soles dabis Jocos O thou little pleasant wandring soul the guess and companion of the body 〈◊〉 what place will it goe c. So hard did he find it for these two friends to part If it be so hard for a man to part
THE STING OF DEATH AND DEATH VNSTVNG DELIVERED IN TWO SERMONS In which is shewed The Misery of the Death of those that dye in their Sins out of Christ and the Blessedness of theirs that Dye in the Lord. Preached on the occasion of the Death of the truely noble and virtuous The Lady Mildmay By LEONARD HOAR M. D. Sometime Preacher of Gods Word in Waustead Psal 49.14 Like sheep they are laid in the grave death shall feed on them and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling Eccles 2.13 14. But it shall not be well with the wicked neither shall he prolong his dayes which are as a shadow because he feareth not before God Ver. 14. There is a vanity which is done upon the earth that there be just men unto whom it hapneth according to the work of the wicked again there be wicked men to whom it hapneth according to the work of the righteous I said that this also is vanity Isa 3.10 11 Say ye to the righteous that it shall be well with him for they shall eat the fruit of their doings Ver. 11. Wo unto the wicked it shall be ill with him for the reward of his hands shall be given him Psal 18.14 For this God is our God for ever and ever and he will be our guide even unto death Rev. 2.10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer behold the devil shall cast some of you into prison that ye may be tryed and ye shall have tribulation ten dayes be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life Boston Printed by John Foster 1680. To Mris. Bridget Usher my ever honoured Aunt MADAM I Know you are no Stranger in the dayes of your Pilgrimage to the late and present rouling posture of the wheels of Providence you have seen the times tempestuous and perilous and God who is the great Soveraign hath seen good to bring an instance of the evil of this time home to your Person and Family It s good for your self with all other Relations that yet survive to look at the supream Disposer when the rongs of the wheels are high and dreadful to eye him him that sits upon the Throne When Israel was as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit it s he that called her to it Isa 54. There is no Staff of indignation in the hand of Providence but it is grounded in the eternal Decree And what if God willing that this or that or the other friend or relation be made as it were a gazing stook to Angels and Men through afflictions and reproaches Who shall reply It s lawful for him to do what he will with his own Mat. 20.15 Why dost thou strive against him saith Elibu Job 23.13 He giveth no account of his matters It s the duty of all friends to sanctify God in his soveraign Dispose and with Aaron to hold their peace not to repine or murmure at the dispensation of God to submit to his holy and soveraign will in this matter The great difficulty and that which is most studiously to be avoided is not to be scandalized nor to have our minds any wayes damaged or discouraged in the course of our obedience nor alienated from the Church and People and Servants of God when such instances occurr that men upright with God and walk close with him fall under such great afflictions not to think strange of the fiery Tryal nor the worse of holy obedience and the service of God this I say is a great and hard Task and when there are such accidents falling out friends receiving such deadly wounds in the house of their friends not to be exasperated nor violate the Rules of Charity but to rest in Love towards them is another hard Task This is the Task and duty incumbent upon you at this time and herein I know in some me asure as things have been circumstanced what need all that were nearly Related and dearly Affected to him that is gone I say I know what need they have of Caution It is a notable observation of Mr. Strong The will of man subordinated to the Will of God p. 289. There are as great shares of Satan and as great Judgements of God laid in Scandals as in any thing in the world besides And he adds It is an Observation much to be considered That if Satan would instil any evil pression into the hearts of men concerning any Truth of God I may adde a 〈◊〉 as well against any of the Wayes Churches Servants and People of God he doth usually bring it in by some providence of God that they take offence at As he instanceth in the Gaderens Mat. 8.31 The Devil desires to exasperate their spirits against Christ and he will doe it by drowning their hoggs I am very sensible in the Sufferings and Death of your deservedly honoured Companion and guide of youth there was that which except God give your self and all other friends much Wisdom and Grace to ballance their spirits the Devil may improve it to work a Prejudice of spirit against the Civil Government Churches Schools of Learning against the holy wayes and the Servants and Saints of God Pardon me Madam if I stay here knowing what a Narrow this is and earnestly request you for the Lords sake that you labour to guard your spirit and mind against this evil I know full well with what Magnanimity and undauntedness of spirit you passed through the gun-shot and the heat of the day but I beseech you don 't now stand at a distance from the Communion of the Churches and People of God lest Satan get advantage for we are not ignorant of his Devices The best Remedy against it is 1. A sincere meek and quiet submission to the soveraign holy Will of God this will quiet our spirits so that Satan can't disturb them All the motions of our souls are excentrick disordered till they come to this Subordination we are open to the storms and fiery darts of hell if not anchored in this Harbour 2. An intire and ardent Love to God his Churches Servants and People If Love be interrupted Satan has great Advantage of us Qui satis deligunt non cite offenduntur Salv. Epist 1. They that love much and enough will not be soon offended A brave Christ-like spirit it is to bury and pass by real and supposed injuryes and a great duty and concernment it is to live and dye in Charity If I mistake not it was your design in coming into this Wilderness that you might lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty And although you have met with so great a tryal as you have yet the Interest of God the Government the Order of the Churches the Truths and wayes the Servants and Saints of God and Communion with and in these is as sweet and precious as ever I would not be
humbly with their God to watch and pray They that are fit to dye they are and will be fit for any service that God calls them to Paul prepared for Death and willing to dye is fit to continue and abide with the Churches and to be eminently useful for their furtherance and joy of Truth Phil. 1.25 There are solemn exercising Changes foretold by the fearful signs of this time if we are prepared for Death we are armed against the worst and to endure the greatest affliction that can betide us on this side Death Acts 21.13 Paul being ready to dye is ready for bonds and imprisonment at Jerusalem O how comfortable a thing is it to be ready to doe and suffer any thing for the Name of Christ But not to insist longer here If we would be prepared for Death 1. Be and live in the daily and lively exercise of Repentance It is Sin that makes Death bitter and terrible to the sons of men Be thorough and serious in Repentance for sin Let no sin lye unrepented of This was Pauls practice while he lived to exercise himself to have a Conscience void of offence Acts 24.16 Not but that he had to charge himself with and which Conscience might accuse him of yea but he cleared all Reckonings between God and himself by a lively renewed exercise of Repentance Pass not a day without a serious and close review of your actions and wayes and without deep searchings of heart and repentings for all your errors and violations of Gods holy Law and your Rebellion against the Gospel Give diligence to be found of God in peace and this will make the time of Death and Judgement times of refreshing Act. 3.19 If you can allow and live in any known sin if you can digest sin without great bitterness sorrow of a surety you are not prepared for this Change 2. Believe to the saving of your Souls Believe on the Name of the Lord Jesus To dye in truth is to dye comfortably it easeth and looseth the pains of Death This is the way to dye in the Lord Rev 14.13 and to sleep in Jesus 1 Cor. 15.18 i. e. in union with God in Christ They that dye in Christ will die in Peace and be sound of God in peace for there is no condemnation to such Rom. 8.1 And the blood of Christ also cleanseth Believers from all sin now it is a blessed thing to be free from the guilt of sin and to have our consciences purified in the blood of Christ this will prepare us for an happy and comfortable Death Now it s the Son only that can make us free in this matter and that must be in a way of union with Christ by Faith O believe in the Lord Jesus he oft and constant in the renewed exercise of Faith as it is said of Abraham Gen. 15.6 He believed Though he believed long before that when he answered the call of God Heb. 11.8 The Apostle tells us By Faith Abraham when he was called obeyed and yet after this its said He believed as if he had not believed before 3. Be throughly mortified to the world Get your Affections crucified to the honours pleasures and profits of this life Weep as though you wept not Rejoyce as though you rejoyced not Buy as though you possessed not Vse this world as not abusing it as the Apostle exhorts 1 Cor. 7.30 31. When this or that aâ—urement of the world bids high and sollicits strongly for your affections then think with old Barzilloi How long have I to live O my friends God forbid that you should glory save in the Cross of Christ If you are Christ's then crucifie the flesh with its whole Train of carnal and sensual Lusts these corrupt the judgement and put a false varnish upon the things of the world It is a dreadfull sign upon any soul to love the world it undeniably evinceth that the love of the Father is not in him 1 Job 2.15 And he that is destitute of the love of the Father is not fit to dy He shall never be received into the everlasting Kingdome that is totally destitute of the Love of God O then mortifie and purge out all inordinate affection to the world and the things of this life whatever you doe get your hearts dead to the Sins Gallantryes and Jollityes of this time 4. Live to the Lord Serve your Generation this is the way to dye unto the Lord and in death to be the Lords Rom. 14. The comforts of a well compleated coâ—â—â—â— of life and service to God therein will give as a serene and quiet frame of spâ—â—â—â— in Death I am ready to be offered up and the time of my departure is at hand 〈◊〉 comes he to be thus ready I have finished my course saith he 1 Tim. 4.6 7. 〈◊〉 the labouring Saints and Servants of Christ Death is but a Dismission to Rest So it was to David Acts 13.36 and to Daniel Dan. 12. ult Doe much for God while you live Death will be then sweet and comfortable to you Especially consider and put forth acts of charity and bounty to Christ's poor ones 5. Secure a firm Vnion with Christ that you may dye in the Lord and sleep 〈◊〉 Jesus It hath pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Col. 1.18 In hiâ—â— there is a full supply of Grace to enable you to live and dye to doe and sufferâ—â— whatever he calls you to now if you are Partakers of Christ have mystical union with him then by the almighty power and working of the holy Spirit you shall have a full supply of all Grace and ability to increase those Graces in Death which are necessary for your comfort an I security in such an hour 6. Number your Dayes yea so number your dayes as Psal 90.12 General Conclusions concerning Death should be enforced upon our hearts by particular application The brevity of Life the certainty of Death and the uncertainty of the time of Death should be thus enforced upon our hearts I know thou wilt bring me to Death Job 30.23 So Eliphaz tells him he shall come to his Grave Job 5.26 27. Hear know it for thy good Lastly Pray to God to prepare and fit you for Death as David Psal 39.4 Lord make me to know my end and the measure of my dayes So Moses applyes himself to God Psal 90.12 in a sence of his own inability to learn Thus in a few words have I desired to discharge something of that great care which bears strongly upon my heart if God shall help us to fall on and seriously to practise this great lesson then our Death will be but a loosing from this troublesome Shore and however various our Course and the season of our departure hence are yet our meeting and Mansion with Christ in his Fathers House shall be sure and everlasting which that it may be is and shall be the Prayer of Madam your most obliged Kinsman
from a near Relation from a familiar friend and acquaintance how did Jonathan and David weep over one another Ah then what is it for a man to part from himself to be rent a sunder one part from another The hardest knot and the nearest and dearest Tye that ever was must then be broken and the strictest Union must then be disanul'd the soul turned out of its Possession on the body left as a Vacuum Domicilium until the great Resurrection this must needs pierce and sting and fill with anguish in a dying hour 5. Another sting in death is that the body is consigned over to a state of corruption Dust shall return to the earth as it was Gen. 3.19 with Eccles 12.7 The body must then be reduced and resolved into its first Principles When God takes away their breath then all creatures dye and return to their dust Psal 104.29 The earthly house of this Tabernacle must be dissoived 2 Cor. 5.1 Taken down and in pieces death feeds on them Psal 49.14 Here the body feeds upon death dead creatures are its food but now death shall feed upon men by their death shall worms such like vermin live I have said to corruption thou art my Father saith Job C. 17.14 as concluding that his body must see corruption Some of Gods precious ones as Dr Taylor said of himself when condemned to be burned have deceived many viz. the worms that waited for them passing through a more speedy corruption of their precious bodies by the rage of their enemies but the ordinary way is to rot in the grave Now this carâ—yes a sting with it to think that worms shall destroy this flesh Job 19.26 The bowels and the vital parts shall be the Region of vermine When Joseph is carryed out of Egypt there is nothing but a Coffia of bones and when you shall seek a Father or other Relation or besought for there shall be nothing but Corruption an ill savour or a few dry bones 6. Another sting in death is the dolorous accidents and the heavy attendants that goe along with Death There are many things fall in in a dying hour there are the pains of death grievous sickness faintness outward parts grow numme the eyes sink the lips quiver and tremble the tongue falters the breath whezeth and draws hard the whole face waxeth pale the heart beats and throbbs Mark how Solomon in Eccles 12.2 c. leads the old man to his grave The sun or light ana the moon stars are darkned the powers of the mind shall be broken Understanding Memory and Imagination darkned weakened The Keepers of the house tremble that is the arms and hands through the abatement of the radical heat and moisture doe tremble The strong men bow themselves 〈◊〉 i.e. the thighs and knees and feet grow feeble The Grinders cease that is the Jaws and the Teeth lose their strength as to chewing the meat And those that look out at the windows are darkned that is the eyes grow dim fighted The doors are shut in the streets when the sound of the grinding is low the decoction of food is spoyled and all the passages of nature are obstructed He rises up at the voice of the bird his rest departs from him he is easily waked out of sleep All the daughters of musick are brought low both voice and hearing fail Passions and Fear especially is apt to move His hair becomes hoary He that was wont to bear burthens is now a burthen to himself appetite fails Thus Man goes to his long home And the Spina is loosed the Pia mater and the Veins are broken and the circulation of the blood is stopt these last especially are the constant and immediate Symptoms and sore-runners of death To have friends standing by some lamenting over us others amazed and standing agast to see rooms made dark Paul when his heart was sound tells his friends it was ready to break with the weeping of his friends whom he had told that they should see his face no more Act. 21 13. So it is here when death comes it tells our friends that they must see our faces no more This causeth great and grievous sorrowing such as is heart-breaking to those that are dying And we must then wind up with the sad reckoning of Hezekiah Isa 38. 11 12. I shall behold man no more with the Inhabitants of the world Mine age is departed he will cut me off with pining sickness 7. It puts an end to and destroyes our purposes as to this lisen All the vast projects and counsels of stare which Princes and great ones of the earth have upon the wheel when their breath goeth forth those porish Psal 146.4 The rich mans thoughts of pulling down his barns building greater they all perish'd in that night when God took away his soul Luke 12. 18 c. It s reported of Caelar that in his Notes after his death were found Projects to unite Inâ—â—â— to the Romane Empire to drein the Casoian Sea c. But his breath went forth Death prevented and his thoughts perished Death admits of no after thoughts but as the tree falls to it lyes Ecclef 11.3 Whatever designs of love and good will men have as Joseph the Shepherd and Stone of Israel had towards â—â—e Church and People of God in Egypt they all perish as to them Whatever designs of evil men have as Herod had towards jesus in his â—â—fancy they perish Mâ—â—tui non mordent Whatever hopes men have as to the concerns of this life as hezekiah had of a Son to succed him they are cut off Eccles 9 6. Also their love and their hatred and their envy are now perished And v. 10 there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdome in the grave This is a grievous sting in death for all a mans hopes designs Projects devices to be brought to an end and to nought in one day hour or moment 8. Another sting in death is that it strips us of all our present enjoyments Mors ultima linea rerum It s the last stroke of things the utmost boundary beyond which none can pass or possess Naked shall I return Job 1. ult saith Job We shall carry nothing with us Eccles 5.15.16 Man must then leave himself and no marvel if he leave his worldly goods He shall lean upon his house saith Bildad but it shall not stand he shal hold it fast but it shall not endure Some see the funeral of their worldly enjoyments while they are yet alive Friends Acquaintance Riches and wealth leave them while they are yet alive so it was with Job but at Death every one must forsake them and his worldly enjoy ments must be as it were buried with him Psal 49.10 The wise man and the fool and bruitish person when he dyes leaves his wealth to others so God sayes to that fool Luk. 12.20 This night shall thy soul be taken from thee and then whose shall all those
but God takes them to himself Body and soul are taken assunder as the pieces of a Watch out of order not to be lost but to be set together again that they may goe better God is a carefull and faithful keeper of those precious Reliques and will bring them together the word of his Truth is for it Ezek. 37.12 O my people I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves What then though they part asunder since neither of them part nor are disunited from â—he Lord Jesus O happy parting to leave this Cell this crazy earthly â—â—bernacle for a glorious Mansion and to embrace a dear Saviour It s but like going to bed at night the body rests and the soul keeps in action while the night time of the grave lasts in this world the bodies of the Saints sleep in Jesus but their souls are in bliss The Souls of just men may bespeak their bodies as the Lord Jesus did his Disciples Joh. 14.3 It is expâ—diens â—â—r you that I goe away and if I goe away I will we again and receive you to my self The Body like Onesinus is an unprofitable servant for the present Phil. v. 11. therefore departs for a while that it may be received for ever 4. The Sting of Death is taken out in that though the body rot and consume and becomes loathsome yet it is but dissolved it is not destroyed As Christ told Martha Thy Brother shall rise again Joh. 11.23 so the body shall rise again hence the Apostle though he grants that the body doth dye yet it is no otherwise then as a fruitful seed dyeth that it may spring up again v. 36.37 of this Chapter Job 19.25.26 27. For I know saith Job that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the Earth and though after my skin worms ' destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold and not another though my reins be consumed within me God doth not intend to lose what he leaves behind in this world no but as he brought Israel out of Egypt so will he ransome us from the power of the Grave and redeem us from Death Hos 13 14. he will not leave an hair nor a broken bone nor a dust behind All that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth Joh. 5.28 29. Christ shewed a Type of it at his own Resurrection Mat. 27.52 c. And the Graves were opened and many bodyes of Saints which slept arose which shall be fully accomplished in all the Saints in the general Resurrection The Grave shall then be found to be a chamber of Repose and a bed of Rest Christ having made it so to the Saints And as for the soul of a child of God it shall not see corruption It s not so much as dissolved but released and set at liberty Sin here makes its motion towards heaven and its progress in grace flow The body is a weight pressing down but when Death shall rid us of this the souls motion and pass into heaven shall be quick and speedy like the Thief on the cross no sooner crucified and dead but glorified This day saith Christ thou shalt be with me in Paradise Let who will dream of the souls sleep they are asleep that think so saith Calvin No assoon as the vail of the body is removed we with open face behold the Glory of the Lord. The spirit shall return to God that gave it 5. The Sting of death is taken away in that all the dolorous accidents 〈◊〉 attendants of death are by Christ qualified sanctified What are pains agonves of Body but the putting down of this earthly Tabernacle iâ— order to the raising of a spiritual and everlasting Building the breaking off of our chains fetters in our being released hence While the bodies of the Saints are filled with pains their souls are filled with the comforts of God Our friends lament but Angels rejoyce though we must now part from them yet there is Gods Host the Life guard of heaven ready to accompany us thither Suppose a Saint going to his grave and the mourners by trains going in the streets could the departed utter a word would it not be that of Christ to the danghters of Jerusalem Luk. 23.28 Weep not for me but weep for your selves and for your Children 6. The Sting of Death is taken out in that though the purposes of a godly man in death are destroyed yet his main purpose and his chief design stands and abides his main purp ose and design was to glorifie God and save himself his own soul Now he that hath walked with God that hath traced the wayes of holiness that hath studied the mysteryes of the Gospel that hath laboured and not fainted and that is found so doing that hath committed his soul into the hands of God and is able to stand at the appearing of Christ he doth not miss of nor lose his purpose I have fought the good fight I have finished my course saith Paul did henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness 2 Tim 4 7 8. What though men gather no more of the wealth of this world Heaven is inheritance enough What though they gain no more repute here Their Record is on high What if they attain not the end of their labours Yet their reward is with the Lord. What though their worldly affairs be discomposed if their eternal concerns be fixed What if their dayes be cut off since their work is done It would not avail a man any thing to win the world and lose his soul its profit enough if a man save his soul though he lose the world It was a sad thing for the Mariners to cast over their goods Acts 27.18 but when Paul told them that no life should be lost v. 22. they are comforted So here though we leave our stuff and lose our worldly labours yet our lives 〈◊〉 safe the main Chance is secured 7. The Sting of Death is taken away in that the Saints are dead â—â—nd mortified to the world they glory in nothing more then in the cross 〈◊〉 Christ be which they are crucified unto the world and the world unâ—â—â—â— them 〈…〉 11. Hence they enjoy this world as though they enjoyed it not 〈…〉 Hence while they live in the world and upon the necesâ—â—ry com 〈…〉 they live above it Hence it s no hard matter for them to dye and 〈◊〉 out of the world The world will have no great miss of 〈◊〉 and I shall 〈◊〉 no great miss of it Things dead have no seeling or sence of any parting from each other Wicked men think the Saints not worthy to live in the world Acts 22.22 and God thinks the world not worthy of them Heb. 11.38 nor doe they esteem the world worthy to be desired the time past of their lives in this