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…

For the 2d, The commendable willingness, I shall show you what it is by four or five properties that it hath. 1. Right willingness to die is content to die in prosperity, and is submissive to live in adversity; when all things prosper with men, its a very rare thing to see them willing to die, though in fits of cross-dispensations, they may seem to be willing; ⟨p. 84⟩and to have a submissive mind contented to live in adversity, yea, in the midest of greatest troubles that are incumbent or imminent, is as rare: to be as Paul was, Philip. 1 23. content to abide or go as God thinks meet, is a sweet temper and frame of soul; to be willing to live shamed and reproached, and not to be discontented with the down-lookings of honest folks, and to go through evil report as well as good report, in all things labouring to keep a good conscience, and in prosperity, as I said, to be content to leave the world and all that is in it▪ when God calls by death, is a great matter. 2ly, right willingness hath this property, that it flows not so much from a desire to be quite of the troubles of the world, as to enjoy Christ and the good which the soul hopes for in and with him; it is not because either the persons own particular crosses grow, or because confusions, distractions, and contentions in the public increase, that they covet to be out of that life and to be gone, but because they long to be with Jesus Christ, We (sayeth the Apostle 2. Cor. 5. v. 4.) that are in this Tabernacle do groan being burdened, and what is the ground? not that we would be unclothed but clothed upon; not so much to get the infirmities of the body laid down, as to have the glory promised; it is that which sways mainly in the right desire of death or willingness to die. 3. Right willingness to die hath much desire and endeavour after communion with Christ here, and if it cannot come soon enough (so to speak) to full, immediate, and never to be interrupted communion with him in the next life, it seeks to make it up by pressing much after the nearest communion with him in this life; It is an evil token when folk are desirous to die and to be away, and yet are found neglecting communion with Christ while they are living;

For the 2d, The commendable willingnesse, I shall shew you what it is by four or five propperties that it hath. 1. Right willingnesse to die is content to die in prosperitie, and is submissive to live in adversitie; when all things prosper with men, its a very rair thing to see them willing to die, though in fitts of crosse-dispensations, they may seem to be willing;