The blessedness of the death of these that die in the Lord and more…The blessednesse of the death of these that die in the Lord and more…

And the first use is, seeing they are happy that di• in the Lord, & miserable that die out of him whatever their external condition be; 1. Lay the less weight on the comforts of this life, and 2. be the less feared for the afflictions of it O! Believers in Christ; There are, ye see, two parts of this use, 1. (To begin with the last) If happiness be the portion of them that die in the Lord, what needs Believers, who have clearness of Interest and well grounded hope to die in the Lord, fear the afflictions or be much troubled with the ups and downs of a present life? Though they meet with contempt, reproach, poverty, disgrace, imprisonment, fining, confining, exile, many challenges &c. These have an end, death will put a period and close to them all; their great happiness is not here, it is at the back of death; all your miseries will be soon at an end, and its a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory that is laid up for you; your time here away will not be long, it will be but 30 or 40 years to some, 10 or 20 years to othersome, some moe or fewer, and it may be but one year to some of you, and then our blessed Lord Jesus will come and wipe all tears from your eyes, and the comfortless remembrance of these trials, troubles, and tossings shall never enter into heaven with you; its a shame that believers who have such a hope should ⟨p. 80⟩be so heartless when they meet with crosses, and walk so discouradgedly under them. Secondly, seeing happiness follows after death, lay not much weight on the comforts of this life, what comfort or satisfaction can ye have in them at death? And seeing they can yield you no solid satisfaction then, are ye not far wide, and much mistaken that bestow your travel and pains in seeking satisfaction among creature-comforts, and never labour to enter into his rest; needs there any more be said to fright you from this foolish course but this, even to tell you that ye leave and forsake the fountain of living waters, and betake yourselves to the cisterns that can hold no water, and which will dreadfully beguile and disappoint you; what will riches, pleasures, grandeur, honours, and great places do to you at death? these make but a poor happiness and will soon have an end, and yet there is no lesson in the world that men and women learn less then this;

And the first use is, seeing they are happie that di• in the Lord, & miserable that die out of him whatever their externall condition be; 1. Lay the lesse weight on the comforts of this life, and 2. be the lesse feared for the afflictions of it O! Beleivers in Christ; There are, ye see, two parts of this use, 1. (To begin with the last) If happinesse be the portion of them that die in the Lord, what needs Beleivers, who have clearnesse of Interest and well grounded hope to die in the Lord, fear the afflictions or be much troubled with the ups and downs of a present life? Though they meet with contempt, reproach, povertie, disgrace, imprisonment, fineing, confineing, exile, manie challenges &c. These have ane end, death will put a period and close to them all; their great happinesse is not here, it is at the back of death; all your miseries will be soone at ane end, and its a far more exceeding and eternall weight of glorie that is laid up for you; your time here away will not be long, it will be but 30 or 40 years to some, 10 or 20 years to othersome, some moe or fewer, and it may be but one year to some of you, and then our blessed Lord Jesus will come and wipe all tears from your eyes, and the comfortlesse rememberance of these tryalls, troubles, and tosseings shall never enter into heaven with you; its a shame that beleivers who have such a hope should