A treatise of death, the last enemy to be destroyed showing wherein its enmity…A treatise of death, the last enemy to be destroyed shewing wherein its enmity…

DIRECTION X.

THE last Direction that I shall give you, to conquer the enmity of Death, is this: Give up your wills entirely to the will of God, as knowing that his will is your beginning and your end, your safety, your felicity and rest, in which you should gladly acquiesce. When you think of Death, remember who it is that sends it; It is our Fathers messenger, and is sent but to execute his will. And can there be any thing in the will of God, that his servants should inordinately fear? Doubtless his Will is much safer and better for us then our own. And if in general it were offered to our choice, Whether all particulars of our lives should be disposed of by ⟨p. 160⟩Gods will or by ours, common reason might teach us to desire, to be rather in Gods hands then our own. The fulfilling of his will, is the care and business of our lives: and therefore it should be a support and satisfaction to us at our death, that it is but the fulfilling of his will. His Justice and punishing will is good, though selfishness maketh it ungrateful to the offender. But his children that are dear to him, and taste no evil but that which worketh for their good, have no cause to quarrel at his will: Whatsoever our surest dearest friends would have us take, or do, or suffer, we are ready to submit to, as being confident they will do nothing for our hurt, (if they do but know what is for our good.) And shall we not more boldly trust the will of God then of our dearest friend? He knows what he hath to do with ⟨p. 161⟩us, and how he will dispose of us, and whether he will bring us; and his interest in us is more then ours in our selves; and shall we then distrust him, as if we had to do with an enemy, or one that were evil, and not with love and infinite goodness? It is the will of God that must be the everlasting Rest, the Heaven, the pleasure of our souls: And shall we now so fear it, and fly from it, as if it were our ruin? Look which way you will through all the world, your souls will never find repose, nor satisfying quietness and content but in the will of God. Let us therefore commit our souls to him, as to a faithful Creator; and desire unfeignedly the fulfilling of his will, and believe that there is no ground of confidence more firm. Abraham may boldly trust his Son, his only Son,