Use \st. See the great difference between the death of the godly and the wicked; the godly are gainers at death, the wicked are great losers at death. They lose four things :
(1.) They lose the world, and that is a great loss to the wicked ; they laid up their trea.'^ure upon earth, and to be turned out of it all at once is a great loss.
(2.) Tliey lose their souls. Mat. xvi. 26, 27. The soul was at first a noble piece of coin, which God stamped his own image upon ; this celestial spark is more precious than the whole globe of the world, but the sinner's soul is lost; not 'that the souls of the wicked are annihilated at death, but damnified.
(3.) They lose heaven. Heaven is sedea beatorum, — the royal seat of the blessed ; it is the region of happiness, the map of per- fection. There is that manna which is an- gels' food; there is the garden of spices, the bed of perfumes, the river of pleasure Sinners, at death, lose all this.
(4.) They lose their hopes; for thougk
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A BELIEVER'S PRIVILEGE AT DEATH.
they lived winkedlj^ yet they hoped God was miTciful, and they Ijoped that they should ^o to lieaven. Their liope was not an anchor, but a spider's web. Now, at death they lose their Jiopes, they see they did but flatter themselves into hell, Job viii. 14., '' Whose hope shall be cut off. " Tliat is sad, to have a man's life and his hope cut off together.
Use 2d. If the saints gain such glorious things at death ; then how may they desire death ? Doth not every one desire prefer- ment ? Nemo onic furiera fcBlix. Faith gives a title to heaven, death a possession. Though we should be desirous of doing ser- vice here, yet we should be ambitious of be- ing with Christ, Phil. i. 23. We should be content to live, hut willing to die. Is it not a blessed thing to be freed from sin, and to lie for ever in the bosom of divine love? Is it not a blessed thing to meet our godly relations in heaven, and to be singing divine anthems of praise among the ansrels ? Doth not the bride desire the marriage day, especially if she were to be matched unto the crown ? What is the place we now live in, but a place of banish- ment from God? We are in a wilderness, while the angels live at court. Here we are combating with Satan, and should not we desire to be out of the bloody field, where the bullets of temptation fly so fast, and to receive a victorious crown? Think what it will be to have always a smiling aspect from Christ's face, — to be brought into the banqueting-house, and have the
banner of his love displayed over you ! O ye saints, desire death ; it is your ascension- day to heaven ! Kirrerler'^ ommn egredere ! said liilarion on his deathbed : " Go forth, my soul, what fearest thou?" Anothei holy m-.n said, " Lord, lead me to that glory which I liave seen as through a glass ; haste, Lord, and do not tarry !" Some plants thrive best when they are transplant- ed : believers, when they are by death trans- planted, cannot choose but tiirive, because they have Christ's sweet sunbeams shining upon them. And what thougli the pas- s-age tlirough the valley of the shadow of death be troublesome ? who would not be willing to pass a tempestuous eea, if ho were sure to be crowned so soon as he camu to shore.
Use 3d. Comfort in the loss of our dear and pious relations. They, when they die, are not only taken away from the evil to come, but they are great gainers by death, — they leave a wilderness, and go to a pa- radise,— they change their complaints into thanksgivings, — they leave their sorrows behind, and enter into the joy of their Lord. Why should we weep for their pre- ferment? Believers have not their por- tion paid till the day of their death : God's promise is his bond to make over heaven in reversion to them ; but though they have his bond, they do not receive their portion till the day of death. O rejoice to think of their happiness who die in the Lord! To them "to die is gain;" they are as rich as heaven can make them.
A BELIEVER'S PRIVILEGE AT DEATH.
Phil. i. 2L For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
HOPE is a Christian's anchor which he casts within the vail, Rom. xii, 12., " Re- joicing in hope" A Christian's hope is not in this life, but he " hath hope in liis death." Prov. xiv. 32. The best of a saint's com- fort begins when his life ends ; the wicked have all their heaven here, Luke vi. 24 , " Wo unto you, rich, you have received your consolation." You may make your acQuittance, and write, " Received in full
payment;" Luke xvi. 25., " Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things ;" hut a saint's haj)piness is in rever- sion ; " The righteous hatli hope in his death." God keeps the best wine till last. If Cato tlie heathen said, '' To me to die is gain," lie saw mortality to be a mercy: then, what may a believer say? Eccl. vii. 1., '• The day of death is better than the day of one's birth." Nemo ante f antra Jalix.
A BELIEVER'S PRIVILEGE AT DEATH.
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