But though death be inevitable by all, it is not alike evil, bitter, and dreadful to all. Some tremble, others triumph at the appear- ances of it. Some meet it half-way, receive it as a friend, and can bid it welcome, and die by consent ; making that the matter of their election, which, in itself, is necessary and unavoidable ; so did Paul, Phil. i. 23. But others are drawn, or rent by plain violence from the body. Job xxxvii. 1. when God draws out their souls.
That man is happy indeed, whose heart falls in with the appoint- ment of God, so voluntarily and freely, as that he dare not only look death in the face with confidence, but go along with it by consent of will. Remarkable to this purpose, is that which the apostle asserts of the frame of his own heart, 2 Cor. v. 8. " We *• are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the " body, and present with the Lord." Here is both confidence and complacence, with respect to death, Qa^^aijAM, The word signifies courage, fortitude ; or, if you will, an undaunted boldness and pre- sence of mind, when we look the king of terrors in the face. We dare venture upon death, we dare take it by the cold hand, and bid it welcome. We dare defy its enmity, and deride its noxious power, 1 Cor. XV, 55. " O death ! where is thy sting !" And that is not all, we have complacence in it, as well as confidence to encounter it. Eu66xj?/x£v, we are icilling ; the translation is too flat. We are well pleased ; it is a desirable, a grateful thing to us to die ; but yet not in an absolute, but comparative consideration, svdo'/.^fMsv fMaXXov, we are willing rather^ i. e. rather than not see, and enjoy our Lord Jesus Christ; rather than to be here always sinning and groaning. There is no complacency in death ; in itself it is not desirable. But if we must go through that strait gate, or not see God, we are willing rather to be absent from the body. So that you see death was not the matter of his submission only, he did not yield to what he could not avoid, but he balances the evils of death, with the pri- vileges it admits the soul into, and then pronounces, sjSox^f/xsi/, we are content, yea, pleased to die.
We cannot live always if we would, and our hearts should be wrought to that frame, as to say, we would not live always if we could, Job vii. 16. "I would not Hve always f or long, saith he.
A THEATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 11
But why should Job deprecate that which was not attainable ? " I " would not live always; he needed not to trouble himself about that, it being impossible that he should : both statute and natural Jaw forbid it. Ay, but this is his sense : supposing no such neces- sity as there is, if it were pure matter of election ; upon a due ba- lancing of accounts, and comparing the good and evil of death, I would not be confined always, or for any long time to the body. It would be a bondage unsupportable to be here always.
Indeed those that have their portion, their all, in this life, have no desire to be gone hence. They that were never changed by grace, desire no change by death ; if such a concession were made to them, as was once to an English parliament, That they should never be dissolved, but by their own consent, when would they say as Paul, " I desire to be dissolved ?" But it is far otherwise with them, whose porticm and affections are in another world; they would not live always if they might; knowing, that never to die, i# never to be happy.
Quest. If you say. This is an excellent and most desirable temper of soul ; hut how did these holy men attain it f or what is the course we may take to get the like frame of willingness^
Sol. They attained it, and you may attain it in such methods as these.
1. They lived in the believing views of the invisible world, and so must you, if ever death be desirable in your eyes, 2 Cor. iv. 18. " It is said of all that died comfortably, that they died in faith,'' Heb. xi. IB You will never be willing to go along with death, except you know where it will carry you.
2. They had assurance of heaven, as well as faith to discern it. Assurance is a lump of sugar, indeed, in the bitter cup of death ; nothing sweetens Uke it. So 2 Cor. v. 1. so Job xix. 26, 27. This puts roses into the pale cheeks of death, and makes it amiable, 1 Cor. XV. 55, 56. and Rom. viii. 38, S9.
3. Their hearts were weaned from this world, and an inordinate affection to a terrene life, Phil. iii. 8. all was dung and dross for Christ ; they trampled under foot what we hug in our bosoms. So it is said, Heb. x. 34. " Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your " goods, knowing in yourselves," Sfc. And so it must be with us, if ever we obtain a complacency in death.
4. They ordered their conversations with much integrity, and so kept their consciences pure, and void of offence; Acts xxiv. 16. " Herein do I exercise myself,'' SfC. and this was their comfort at last, 2 Cor. i. 12. " This is our rejoicing," iSfc. So Job 'xxvii. 5. " My integrity will I not let go till I die :" Oh ! this unstings death of all its terrors.
5. They kept their love to Christ at the height : that flame was
1^ A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
vehement in their souls, and made them despise the terror, and de» sire the friendly assistance of death, to bring them to the sight of Jesus Christ, Phil. i. 23. So Ignatius, O how I long, &c. Thus it must be with you, if ever you make death ehgible and lovely to you, which is terrible in itself There is a loveliness in the death, as well as in the life of a Christian : " Let me die the death of the " righteous,'' said Balaam.
Inference 2. Must we put oif these tabernacles of flesh ? How necessary is it, that every soul look in season, and make provision for another habitation ? * If you must be turned out of one house, you must provide another, or lie in the streets. This the apostle comforted himself mth, that " if unclothed, he should not be found " naked," 2 Cor. v. 1. a building of God, an house not made with hands. You must turn out, and that shortly, from these earthly habitations. Oh ! what provision have you made for your souls against that day ? The soul of Adrian was at a sad loss, when he saw he must be turned out of this world ; O animula vagula, hlan- dula, heu quo vadis ! But it was Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob's privilege, that God had prepared for them a city, Heb. xi. 16.