A Saint Indeed

4. Arg. Farther, It may much conduce to thy willingness to dye, to consider; that by death God oft times hides his people out of the way of all temptations and troubles upon earth. Rev. 14. 13. Write, from henceforth blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord. Tis Gods usual way, when some extraordinary calamities are coming upon the world, to set his people out of harms way before hand, Isai. 57. 1. Merciful men are taken away from the evil to come. So Mich. 7. 1, 2. When such an evil time comes as is there described: That they all lye in wait for blood, and every man hunts his brother with a net: before that, God by an act of favour houses his people before hand, dost thou know what evil may be in the earth, which thou art so loath to leave? thy God removes thee for thy great advantage, thou art disbanded by death, and called off the field; other poor Saints must stand to it, and endure a great fight of afflictions.

Tis observed that Methusala dyed the very year before the flood, Augustin a little before the sacking of Hippo. Pareus just before the taking of Heidelberg: Luther observes that all the Apostles dyed before the destruction of Jerusalem: and Luther himself before the wars brake out in Germany: it may be the Lord sees thy tender heart cannot endure to see the misery, or bear the temptations that are coming, and therefore will now gather thee to thy […] in peace: and yet wilt thou cry, O spare me a little longer?

Tis observed that Methusala dyed the very year before the flood, Augustin a little before the sacking of Hippo. Paereus just before the taking of Heidelberg: Luther observes that all the Apostles dyed before the destruction of Ierusalem: and Luther himself before the wars brake out in Germany: it may be the Lord sees thy tender heart cannot endure to see the misery, or bear the temptations that are coming, and therefore will now gather thee to thy 〈…〉 in peace: and yet wilt thou cry, O spare me a little longer?