N00280:31
The high esteem which God hath of the death of his saints. As it…
The high esteem which God hath of the death of his saints. As it was delivered in a sermon preached October 7. 1683. Occasioned by the death of the Worshipful John Hull Esq: who deceased October 1, 1683. / By Samuel Willard teacher to a church in Boston. ; [Four lines of quotations]
printed by Samuel Green for Samuel Sewall, 1683
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
2. What is implied in their Death being precious in the sight of God? or wherein he makes it appear so to be?
A. 1. Negatively; we are not to suppose that God takes delight in putting of his Servants to Death; or that their Death, as such contents him, or is a pleasure to him; Death in its own nature is an evil; it is the fruit of the Curse brought in by sin, and for God, to will Death as so to his People, were not an expression of his Love, but Displeasure; But,
2. Positively; and here Observe,
1. Some read the Word here [Heavy] and take the ⟨p. 7⟩meaning to be, that God takes the Death of his Saints, especially; when it is procured by the means of their Enemies, very grievously or heavily; it is such a thing as he cannot tell how to bear: and that David speaks this of his own experience: for when Saul, when Absalom, when Ahithophel, had contrived his Death, and sought ways how they might effect it, God was very angry, and would not suffer it; yea, manifestly discovered his deepest displeasure against them, in that by signal judgements he destroyed each of them.