Religion & morality > Human nature in its four-fold state ... in several practical discourses

4.14. dn Objection State IV,
glory, bleffing and praife to our Redeemer, our Sa¬
viour, our Mediator, by whofe Death, grim de¬
vouring Death is made to do fuch a good Office to
thofe, whom it might otherwife have hurry’d away
in their Wickcdnefs, to utter and eternal Deftrucii-
on! A dying Day is, in it felf, a joyful Day to the
godly; ’tis their Redemption Day; when the Cap¬
tives arc delivered, when the Prilbners are fet tree.
'’Tis the Day of the Pilgrims coming Home from
their Pilgrimage; the Day in which the Heirs of
Glory return from their Travels, to their own Coun¬
try, and their Father’s Houfe; and enter into actu¬
al PotTeffion of the glorious Inheritance. ’Tis their
Marriage Day: Now is the Time of Efpoufals;
but then the Marriage is confummate, and a Mar¬
riage Feaft begun, which has no Period. If fo, is
no? the State of the Godly in Death a hopeful
State ?
Object. But if the State of the Godly in their
Death be fo hopeful, bow comes it to pafs that many
of them, when dying, are full of Fears, and have
little Hope? A n s w. It muit be own’d, that
Saints do not all die in one and the fame Manner;
there is a Diverfity among them, as well as among
the Wicked j yet the worft Cafe of a dying Saint
is indeed a hopeful one; Some die triumphantly, in
a full Alfurance of Faith, a iv. 6. <Tlje fime
of my Departure is at Hand. Ver. 7. 1 have fought
a good Fight, I have finijhed my Courfe, 1 have kept
the Faith. Ver. 8. Henceforth there is laid up fop
me a Crown of Righteoufnefs. They get a Tafte of
the Joys of Heaven while here on Earth ; and be¬
gin the Songs of Zion, while yet in a ftrange Land.
Others die in a folid fiducial Dependence on their
Lord and Saviour: Tho’ they cannot fing trium¬
phantly.