Mr. Bolton's last and learned work of the four last things death, judgement, hell,…

concluding with Nebuchadnezzar: Surely, The servants of the most high GOD. And so at length their affections may be so set on edge after the excellency and amiableness of JESUS CHRIST, who being, The mighty GOD, and The Lion of the Tribe of Judah, doth alone inspire all His with such a Lion-like courage; that they may seriously and savingly seek His face and favour; saying with those, Cant. 5. 9. What is thy Beloved more than another Beloved, O thou fairest among women?—That we may seek Him with thee. When they behold such a deal of Majesty and mirth to shine in his face whom they make the mark of all their spiteful rage and revenge; their teeth with which they could have torn him in pieces, may water; and they industriously desire to know, what that is, which makes such a man so merry in all estates.

concluding with Nabuchadnezzar: Surely, The servants of the most high GOD. And so at length their affections may be so set on edge after the excellency and amiablenesse of IESVS CHRIST, who being, The mighty GOD, and The Lion of the Tribe of Iudah, doth alone inspire all His with such a Lion-like courage; that they may seriously and savingly seek His face and favour; saying with those, Cant. 5. 9. What is thy Beloved more than another Beloved, O thou fairest among women?—That we may seeke Him with thee. When they behold such a deale of Majesty and mi•th to shine in his face whom they make the marke of all their spitefull rage and revenge; their teeth with which they could have torne him in peeces, may water; and they industriously desire to know, what that is, which makes such a man so merry in all estates.

Uses▪ 1. This may serve to awaken and reprove all those secure and careless companions, who, if they may enjoy present contentment, and partake in the mean time of the prosperity and pleasures of the times, wherein they tumble themselves with insolency, luxury, and ease; take no thought, make no provision at all against a day of reckoning, provide no food against a foul day, treasure up no comfort against the LORDS coming, prepare no armour or aid for that last and dreadful conflict upon their beds of death. Alas poor souls! Did they know and feelingly apprehend what a deal of horror, astonishment ⟨p. 21⟩and anguish dogs them continually at the heels, ready and eager after a few days of filthy and fugitive pleasures, to seize upon them like travail upon a woman with child, suddenly, unavoidably, and in greatest extremity, and that so intolerable, that they shall never be able either to decline or endure, the very weakest biting of the never-dying worm, or the least sparkle of those everlasting flames; they would think all the days of their life few enow to gather spiritual strength against that fearful hour. Nay, some are such cruel caitiffs and Cannibals to their own souls, and so accursedly blinded by the Prince of darkness, that instead of comfortable provision, they heap up wrath against the day of wrath; instead of grace, GODS favour, and a good conscience, peace, joy, and refreshing from the presence of the LORD, they lay up scourges, and Scorpions for their naked souls and guilty consciences against the time and terror of the LORDS visitation. For, let them be most assured; all their lies, oaths, rotten and railing speeches; all their covetous, lustful, ambitious and malicious thoughts; all their swaggering and furious combinations against GODS people, sensual revellings, jovial meetings, &c. will all, When their fear cometh as desolation, and their destruction cometh as a whirlwind, like so many envenomed stings, run into their sinful souls, and pierce them through with everlasting sorrow. Alas! What will the sons and daughters of pleasure do then? And all those spiritual beggars and bankrupts, who have greedily ⟨p. 22⟩hunted, all their life long after these mortal things of this life, as if their souls had been therein immortal;

Vses▪ 1. This may serve to awaken and reprove all those secure and carelesse companions, who, if they may enjoy present contentment, and partake in the meane time of the prosperity and pleasures of the times, wherein they tumble themselves with insolency, luxury, and ease; take no thought, make no provision at all against a day of reckoning, provide no food against a foule day, treasure up no comfort against the LORDS coming, prepare no armour or aid for that last and dreadfull conflict upon their beds of death. Alas poore soules! Did they know and feelingly apprehend what a deale of horrour, astonishment ⟨p. 21⟩and anguish dogs them continually at the heeles, ready and eager after a few daies of filthy and fugitive pleasures, to seize upon them like travaile upon a woman with child, suddenly, unavoidably, and in greatest extremity, and that so intolerable, that they shall never be able either to decline or endure, the very weakest biting of the never-dying worme, or the least sparkle of those everlasting flames; they would think all the daies of their life few enow to gather spirituall strength against that fearefull houre. Nay, some are such cruell caitifs and Cannibals to their owne soules, and so accursedly blinded by the Prince of darknesse, that instead of comfortable provision, they heape up wrath against the day of wrath; instead of grace, GODS favour, and a good conscience, peace, joy, and refreshing from the presence of the LORD, they lay up scourges, and Scorpions for their naked soules and guilty consciences against the time and terrour of the LORDS visitation. For, let them be most assured; all their lies, oathes, rotten and railing speeches; all their covetous, lustfull, ambitious and malicious thoughts; all their swaggering and furious combinations against GODS people, sensuall revellings, joviall meetings, &c. will all, When their feare commeth as desolation, and their destruction commeth as a whirlewind, like so many envenimed stings, run into their sinfull soules, and pierce them thorow with everlasting sorrow. Alas! What will the sonnes and daughters of pleasure do then? And all those spirituall beggers and bankerupts, who have greedily ⟨p. 22⟩hunted, all their life long after these mortall things of this life, as if their soules had beene therein immortall;

and utterly neglected those things which are immortal, as if their selves after the world had been but mortal? What do you think will be their thoughts upon the very first approach of the Port of death, to which in the mean time all winds drive them? Full sad, and heavy thoughts (LORD thou knowest) then at leisure enough to reflect severely upon their former folly, though formerly beaten from them by their health and outward happiness, and will pay them to the uttermost for all the pleasing passages of their life past. O then they shall lie upon their last beds like Wild Bulls in a net, full of the fury of the LORD; And in the morning they shall say, would GOD it were even: and at even they shall say, would GOD it were morning, for the fear of their heart wherewith they shall fear, and for the sight of their eyes, which they shall s•e. Then (though too late) will they lamentably cry out and complain: What hath pride profited us? Or what good hath riches with our vaunting brought us? All those things are passed away like a shadow, and as a Post that hasteth by. And as a ship that passeth over the waves of the water, and when it is gone by, the trace thereof cannot be found: neither the path-way of the keel in the waves. Or as when a bird hath flown through the air, there is no token of her way to be found, but the light air being beaten with the stroke of her wings, and parted with the violent noise, and motion of them, is passed •horow, and therein afterwards no sign where she went ⟨p. 23⟩is to be found. Or like as when an arrow is shot at a mark, it parteth the air, which immediately cometh together again; so that a man cannot know where it went through: Even so we in like manner, as soon as we were borne, began to draw to our end, and had no sign of virtue to show: but we consumed in our own wickedness. For the hope of the ungodly is like dust, that is blown away with the wind, like a thin froth that is driven away with the storm. like as the smoke which is dispersed here and there with a tempest, and passeth away as the remembrance of a guest that tarrieth but a day. If a Minister who labours industriously all his life long, to work upon such as sit under him every Sabbath; Of which, some all the while prefer some base lust before the LORD JESUS:

and utterly neglected those things which are immortall, as if their selves after the world had been but mortall? What do you think wilbe their thoughts upon the very first approach of the Port of death, to which in the meane time all winds drive them? Fullsad, and heavy thoughts (LORD thou knowest) then at leisure enough to reflect severely upon their former folly, though formerly beaten from them by their health and outward happinesse, and will pay them to the uttermost for all the pleasing passages of their life past. O then they shall lie upon their last beds like Wild Buls in a net, full of the fury of the LORD; And in the morning they shall say, would GOD it were even: and at even they shall say, would GOD it were morning, for the feare of their heart wherewith they shall feare, and for the sight of their eyes, which they shall se. Then (though too late) will they lamentably cry out and complaine: What hath pride profited us? Or what good hath riches with our vaunting brought us? All those things are passed away like a shadow, and as a Poste that hastth by. And as a ship that passeth over the waves of the water, and when it is gone by, the trace thereof cannot be found: neither the path-way of the keele in the waves. Or as when a bird hath flowne thorow the aire, there is no token of her way to be found, but the light aire being beaten with the stroke of her wings, and parted with the violent noise, and motion of them, is passed horow, and therein afterwards no signe where she went

If we press them more particularly upon danger of damnation to more holy strictness, preciseness ⟨p. 25⟩and zeal, knowing too well, by long observation and acquaintance, that they never yet passed the perfections of formal Professors, and foolish Virgins: Alas! We then find by too much woeful experience; if they politically bite it not in, that this faithful dealing doth marvellously discontent them; and these precious Balms do break their heads with a witness, and make the blood run about their ears; whereupon they are wont to fall upon us more foul, (such true Pharisees are they) than would either the drunkard or good-fellow, the Publicans and harlots do in such cases: they presently swelling with much passionate heat, proud indignation, disdain, and impatience to be reformed, have recourse to such weak and carnal cavils, contradictions, exceptions, excuses and raving; that in nothing more do they discover to every judicious man of GOD, or any who doth not flatter them, or whom they do not blind with their entertainments and bounty, or delude with painted pretences, and art of seeming, their formality, and false-heartednesse. And yet, as they are characterized Isa. 57. 2. They seek the LORD daily, and delight to know his ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their GOD: they ask of Him the ordinances of justice: they take delight in approaching to GOD: They may have divine Ordinances on foot in their families, entertain GODS people at their Tables, fast and afflict their souls upon days of humiliation, as appears in the fore-cited Chapter, Verse 3. Hear the word gladly, with Hero•; and ⟨p. 26⟩with much respect and acceptation observe the messenger, &c. But they will not stir an inch further from the World, or nearer to GOD, say what he will, let him preach out his heart, as they say. They will not abate one jot of their over-eager pursuit after the things of this life, or wag one foot out of the un-zealous plodding course of formal Christianity; no, not for the Sermons, perhaps of twenty years, and that from him who hath all the while laboured faithfully so far to enlighten them, as that they might not depart this life with hope of heaven; and then with the foolish Virgins, fall (utterly against all expectation, both of themselves and others) into the bottomless pit of hell.

O quàm multi cum hac spead aeternos labores, & bella descendunt! How many (saith one) go to hell with a vain hope of heaven; whose chiefest cause of damnation is their false persuasion, and groundless presumption of salvation! Well, be it either the one, or the other; the besotted sensualist, or self-deluding formalist, could we speak with them upon their beds of death (their consciences awaked) or the day after they were damned in hell; we should find them then, though in the mean time they suffer many sour apprehensions to arise in their hearts against us, in a much altered tune and temper. Then would they with much amazedness and terrible fear, yell out those now too late hideous complaints: We fools counted his life madness, &c. we wearied our selves in the way of wickedness and destruction, &c. What hath pride profited us? &c. Then would they curse all ⟨p. 27⟩daubers, and justify all down-right dealers: contempt¹ of whose counsel, would now cut in pieces their very heart-strings with restless anguish and horror, and mightily strengthen the never-dying worm; whereby the enraged soul will thrust its own hands, as it were, into its own bowels, and tear open the very fountain of life and sense to feed upon it self. For, the worm of conscience (say Divines) is only a continual remorse and furious reflection of the so•le upon its own wilful folly, and thereby the woeful misery it hath brought upon it self.

O quàm multi cum hac spead aeternos labores, & bella descendunt! How many (saith one) go to hell with a vaine hope of heaven; whose chiefest cause of damnation is their false perswasion, and groundlesse presumption of salvation! Well, be it either the one, or the other; the besotted sensualist, or selfe-deluding formalist, could we speake with them upon their beds of death (their consciences awaked) or the day after they were damned in hell; we should find them then, though in the meane time they suffer many sowre apprehensions to arise in their hearts against us, in a much altered tune and temper. Then would they with much amazednesse and terrible feare, yell out those now too late hideous complaints: We fooles counted his life madnesse, &c. we wearied our selves in the way of wickednesse and destruction, &c. What hath pride profited us? &c. Then would they curse all ⟨p. 27⟩

2. This may serve to stir up all the sons and daughters of wisdom to hoard up with all holy greediness, instead of earthly pelf, transitory toys and shining clay, the rich and lasting treasures of divine wealth and immortal graces. For, these heavenly jewels purchased with CHRISTS blood, and planted in the heart by the omnipotent hand of the HOLY GHOST, will shine comfortably upon our souls with beams of blessedness and peace, amid all the miseries and confusions, the darkness and most desperate dangers of this present life: nay, in the very valley of the shadow of death, their splendour and spiritual glory will not only dissolve, and dispel all mists of horror which can possibly arise from the apprehension of hell, the grave, those last dreadful pangs, or any other terrible thing; but also enlighten, conduct and carry us triumphantly through the abhorred confines of the King of fear upon the wings of joy, and in the arms of Angels, to unapproachable light, ⟨p. 28⟩unknown pleasures, and endless bliss. It may be, as yet, thou standest upright without any changes, unstirred in thy state by any adverse storm, supposing thy mountain so strong, that thou shalt never be moved. Thus long perhaps the Almighty hath been with thee: His candle hath shined upon thy head, and His patient providence rested with all favour and success upon thy Tabernacle; so that hitherto thou hast seen no days of sorrow; but even washed thy steps with butter, and the rock hath poured thee out rivers of oil, &c. Yet for all this, the day may come, before thou die, that thou mayest be stripped of all, and become as poor as Job, as they say, by fire, robbery, suretyship, ship-wrack, the destroying sword, desolations of war, or by the hand of GOD in some other kind; Even, A day, an hour, a moment (saith one) is ¹enough to over-turn the things that seemed to have been founded and rooted in adamant: Labour therefore industriously before-hand so to furnish and fortify thine heart with patience, nobleness of spirit, Christian fortitude, the mightiness of Jobs faith, Cap. 13. 15. And his manifold integrities, Cap. 31. That if such an evil day should come upon thee (and who can look for exemption when he looks upon Jobs affliction) thou mayest with an unrepining submission to GODS good providence and pleasure, take up his sweetest resolution and repose:

2. This may serve to stirre up all the sonnes and daughters of wisdome to hoard up with all holy greedinesse, instead of earthly pelfe, transitory toyes and shining clay, the rich and lasting treasures of divine wealth and immortall graces. For, these heavenly jewels purchased with CHRISTS bloud, and planted in the heart by the omnipotent hand of the HOLY GHOST, will shine comfortably upon our soules with beames of blessednesse and peace, amid all the miseries and confusions, the darknesse and most desperate dangers of this present life: nay, in the very valley of the shadow of death, their splendour and spirituall glory will not onely dissolve, and dispell all mists of horrour which can possibly arise from the apprehension of hell, the grave, those last dreadfull pangs, or any other terrible thing; but also illighten, conduct and carie us triumphantly thorow the abhorred confines of the King of feare upon the wings of joy, and in the armes of Angels, to unapproachable light,

Naked came I out of my mothers womb, ¹and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away, blessed be the name of the LORD. Though, as yet, by a miracle of ⟨p. 29⟩rarest mercy, calmness and serenity rest upon the firmament of our state; yet who knows how soon, especially, sith many of GODS dearest servants beyond the seas have lien so long in tears and blood, some dismal cloud and tempestuous storm may arise out of the hellish •ogs of our many heinous sins and crying abominations, and break out upon us, and that with greater terror, and far more horribly, by reason of the unexpectedness and our present desperate security: Though the Sun of the Gospel, and glory of a matchless Ministry shine yet full fair among us in the Meridian of our peace and prosperous days, yet little know we, how soon and suddenly it may decline and set in a sea of confusion, calamity and woe: And therefore hoard up greedily in the mean time, and while the Sun shines, a rich treasury of saving knowledge, grace and good life; that if need require, thou mayest then resolutely reply with blessed Paul against all contradictions and temptations to the contrary: I am ready not to be ²bound only, but also to die for the name of the LORD JESUS: Though at this present thou doest perhaps with much sweet contentment enjoy thy GOD comfortably, and His pleased face; many heavenly dews of spiritual joy, glorious refreshings, and abundance of spiritual delights fall upon thy soul from the Throne of mercy every time thou comest near Him; Thou canst say unto thy Dearest out of thy present feeling, I am ³my Beloveds, and my Beloved is mine, and in some good measure keep a part with the Saints of old, ⟨p. 30⟩in such victorious and triumphant Songs as these▪ Oh that my words were now written, Oh that they were ⁴printed in a book! That they were graven with an iron pen and lead, in the rock for ever. For, I know that my Redeemer liveth, &c. We will not fear,

Yet for all this, that only wise GOD of thine may hereafter for some cause seeming good to Himself, and for thy good, with-draw from thee the light of His countenance, and sense of His love, and leave thee for a time to the darkness of thine own spirit, and Satan's •orest temptations, &c. Ply therefore in this prosperity of thy soul all blessed means; the Ministry, Sacraments, Prayer, Conference, Meditations, humiliation-days, holiness of life, clearness of conscience, watching over thy heart, walking with GOD, sanctified use of afflictions, experimental observation of GODS dealings with thee from time to time, works of justice, mercy, and truth, &c. Thereby so to quicken, fortify and steel thy faith, that in the bitterest extremity of thy spiritual distress, thou mayest be able to say with Job, Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him, Job 13. 15. A thousand crosses moe, calamities and troubles may over-take thee before thou takest thy leave of this vale of tears: It will be thy wisdom therefore, now in this calm to ⟨p. 31⟩provide for a storm; to treasure up out of GODS Book many mollifying medicines and sovereign antidotes against all slavish and vexing forethought of them in the mean time, and their bitterness when they shall come upon thee. Thou mayest be assured, if thou be a son, thy heavenly Father will ever correct thee; 1. ^aNever before there be need: and always in 2. ^bWisdom. 3. ^cMeasure. 4. ^dLove and tenderness. 5. For ^ea moment only. 6. To ^ftry thee; what dross of corruption, and what sound metal of grace is in thee. 7: To ^gpurge out sin. 8. To

But how soever, or whatsoever befall thee in this life, thou must upon ⟨p. 32⟩necessity ere it be long, lie gasping for breath upon thy dying bed, and there grapple hand to hand with the utmost and concurrent rage of all the powers of darkness, and that king of fear attended with his terrors: and therefore let the whole course of thy life be a conscionable preparative to die comfortably: Suppose every Day thy last, and thereupon so behave thy self both in thy general and particular calling, as though thou shouldest be called to an exact account at night for all things done in the flesh, before that last and highest Tribunal: In all thy thoughts, words, actions and undertakings in any kind, say thus unto thy self: would I do thus and thus, if I certainly knew the next hour to be my last: In a word, so live, that upon good ground thou mayest bring Davids undaunted boldness to thy bed of death: Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.

But how soever, or whatsoever befall thee in this life, thou must upon ⟨p. 32⟩necessity ere it be long, lie gasping for breath upon thy dying bed, and there graple hand to hand with the utmost and concurrent rage of all the powers of darknesse, and that king of feare attended with his terrours: and therefore let the whole course of thy life be a conscionable preparative to die comfortably: Suppose every Day thy last, and thereupon so behave thy selfe both in thy generall and particular calling, as though thou shouldest be called to an exact account at night for all things done in the flesh, before that last and highest Tribunall: In all thy thoughts, words, actions and undertakings in any kind, say thus unto thy selfe: would I do thus and thus, if I certenly knew the next houre to be my last: In a word, so live, that upon good ground thou maist bring Davids undaunted boldnesse to thy bed of death: Though I walke through the valley of the shadow of death, I will feare no evill.

Here, upon this seasonable occasion, give me leave to commend and tender unto you some special preparatives, rules, motives and means to furnish before hand, and fortify your spirits against all future evils, and terrible things that are towards.

Here, upon this seasonable occasion, give me leave to commend and tender unto you some speciall preparatives, rules, motives and meanes to furnish before hand, and fortifie your spirits against all future evils, and terrible things that are towards.

1. Treasure up richly and abundantly before hand the precepts, practice and experimental sweetness of patience, that most useful and precious virtue, which may serve (when time serves) as a sovereign antidote, to abate, and abolish the sting and venom of all crosses, afflictions, and mortal miseries; and as a comfortable cordial to ⟨p. 33⟩support and hold up thy heart in the bitterness and extremity of the sorest.

1. Treasure up richly and abundantly before hand the precepts, practice and experimentall sweetnesse of patience, that most usefull and precious vertue, which may serve (when time serves) as a soveraigne antidote, to abate, and abolish the sting and venime of all crosses, afflictions, and mortall miseries; and as a comfortable cordiall to ⟨p. 33⟩support and hold up thy heart in the bitternesse and extremity of the sorest.

Mighty and miraculous was the work of this glorious grace in blessed Job. By its heavenly and invincible influence upon his humble soul, it did not only utterly extinguish (which was a very admirable and extraordinary thing) all that desperate anguish and slavish grief, which such variety and extremity of greatest miseries, that ever befell any mortal man, would have naturally bred in the hopeless hearts of impatient worldlings; least of which is many times enough to drive them to despair and self-destruction; but also ^*enabled him with the sweetest calmness of a well-composed and unshaken spirit, even to bless the LORD his GOD for taking from him these transitory things, of which he was the true Proprietary, and which in much undeserved mercy He had lent unto him so long. The LORD gave, (said he) and the LORD hath taken away, blessed be the name of the LORD.

Mighty and miraculous was the worke of this glorious grace in blessed Iob. By its heavenly and invincible influence upon his humble soule, it did not onely utterly extinguish (which was a very admirable and extraordinary thing) all that desperate anguish and slavish griefe, which such variety and extremity of greatest miseries, that ever befell any mortall man, would have naturally bred in the hopelesse hearts of impatient worldlings; least of which is many times enough to drive them to despaire and selfe-destruction; but also ^*enabled him with the sweetest calmnesse of a well-composed and unshaken spirit, even to blesse the LORD his GOD for taking from him these transitory things, of which he was the true Proprietary, and which in much undeserved mercy He had lent unto him so long. The LORD gave, (said he) and the LORD hath taken away, blessed be the name of the LORD.

1. *Quanta adversus eum jacula missa▪ Quanta admota tormenta? jactura rei familiaris infligitur: numcrosae sobolis orbitas irrogatur: Dives in censu Dominus; & in liberis Pater di•ior: Nec Dominus repentè, nec Pater est. Accedit vulnerum vastitas, & tabescentes, ac dcfluentes artus vermium quoque edax poena consumit, &c. Nec tamen Job gravibus & densis conflictationibus frangitur, quo minus inter illas angustias & pressuras suas DEI benedictio victrice patientiâ praedicetur. Cyprian. de'bono Patientiae. Nihil in Domo remanserat, omnia in uno ictu perierunt, quibus opulentus paulò antè videbatur. Subitò mendicus in stercore sedet, a capite usque ad pedes vermibus scatens. Quid istâ miseriâ miserius? Quid interiore foelicitate foelicius? Perdiderat omnia illa quae dederat DEVS, sed habebat Ipsum qui omnia dederat DEVM.—Certè pauper est, certè nihil habet. Si nihil remansit, d quo thesauro istae gemmae laudi DEI proferuntur?—O virum putrem, & integrum; O foedum & pulchrum; O vulneratum & sanum; O in stercore sedentem, & in coelo regna tem! August. de Temp. Serm. 105.

With what infinite, implacable indignation, and bloody rage would Shimei railing have rent ⟨p. 34⟩in pieces the heart of many a graceless King? And yet David by the help of this holy virtue, passed on along patiently without wound, or passion.

With what infinite, implacable indignation, and bloudy rage would Shemeis railing have rent ⟨p. 34⟩in peeces the heart of many a gracelesse King? And yet David by the helpe of this holy vertue, passed on along patiently without wound, or passion.

That heavy news which was so horrible, that it made both the ears of every one that heard it, tingle, brought by Samuel to Eli immediately from GODS own mouth, might have made many an earth-worm to have run mad with the very fore-thought of so much misery to come: But good old patient Eli, when he had heard it all, sweetly ejaculates: It is the LORD: Let Him do what seemeth him good.

That heavy newes which was so horrible, that it made both the eares of every one that heard it, tingle, brought by Samuel to Eli immediately from GODS owne mouth, might have made many an earth-worme to have run mad with the very fore-thought of so much misery to come: But good old patient Eli, when he had heard it all, sweetly ejaculates: It is the LORD: Let Him doe what seemeth him good.

The taking away of two sons at once by a sudden and violent death, with visible vengeance from heaven, and in the middest of a most horrible sin, is naturally matter of sorrow which cannot be expressed, and extremest grief: yet Aaron in such a case having learned conformity of his own will to the divine pleasure of the only wise GOD; when Moses told him that the LORD would be sanctified in them that come nigh ¹Him, and before all the people H• would be glorified; He held his peace: And Aaron held his peace. So quieting his heart because GOD would have it so. See further for this purpose, 2 Sam. 3. 15. 26. Isa. 39, 8. &c.

The taking away of two sonnes at once by a sudden and violent death, with visible vengeance from heaven, and in the middest of a most horrible sinne, is naturally matter of sorrow which cannot be exprest, and extremest griefe: yet Aaron in such a case having learned conformity of his owne will to the divine pleasure of the onely wise GOD; when Moses told him that the LORD would be sanctified in them that come nigh ¹Him, and before all the people H• would be glorified; He held his peace: And Aaron held his peace. So quieting his heart because GOD would have it so. See further for this purpose, 2 Sam. 3. 15. 26. Isa. 39, 8. &c.

1. 1Levit. 10. 3▪