seen, nor ear heard, neither have they entered into the heart of man, be nothing better for such joyful tidings, but, like infidels, go on still to increase our sad lamentationst?" We cannot answer this question any other way but by silence; or rather, cheerful thanksgivings to God, who hath given us such everlasting consolation, and good hope through his grace, as may well enable us to say in every other troublesome condition, Why art thou thus cast down, O my soul? why art thou disquieted within me? Hope in God, and rejoice in his holy name, who, thanks be to his goodness, giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us shake hands with grief, sadness, and sorrow; and leave them to those who have no hope of eternal life. Let us make our boast in the Lord, and say, that he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever. Come, my soul, what is it that afflicts thee? Will not the thoughts of the joys of heaven give thee ease, nay perfectly cure thee? Will not a sight of Jesus, sitting on the throne of his glory, revive thee? It is but a moment or two, and we shall be with him where he is. Let us have patience for a few days more of banishment from our heavenly country. Hold out, my soul, for a short pilgrimage, and we shall arrive at our promised inheritance. Shall we bemoan ourselves thus miserably, for whom our God hath made such gracious provision? Shall we be weary, who want but a few steps and we are at our eternal rest? Behold, behold thy Saviour: yonder he is: I see him shining in his celestial glory. He looks upon me, methinks, and saith, Be of good cheer, for I am preparing a place for thee. Do we not forget, O my soul, that Jesus is so highly advanced, when we suffer ourselves to be thus cast down and sadly dejected? Do we not reproach his memory, and in effect say too grossly, He is dead, he is not risen; who can choose but mourn and be sorrowful? For shame let us stay our tears till the testimonies we have heard can be disproved, till it appear that Jesus is still in his grave, and these are six false witnesses which stand up for him. But in the mean time let us rejoice that they never yet could be confuted, but have borne down all the opposition of the world and the devil for t Epist. ccxxxii. [p. 352, 3.] more than sixteen hundred years, to the eternal honour of Jesus. O sweet name! why do we dishonour it with sour faces and sad countenances, and a melancholic life? If he live, sure he will be as good as his word, that we shall live also. Let us never forget those words of grace, Because I live, ye shall live also; and let us never remember them but with new delight. Let it delight us to repeat them a thousand times in a day. As long as we live, let us comfort ourselves with this; Our Lord hath said, Because I live, ye shall live also. Doth it not fill a merchant's heart with joy to hear that his ship is arrived at a safe port, though many leagues from his own house? Doth not the countryman look brisk when his seedtime is good, though he must wait many weeks before he reap his desired harvest? Let not us then be the only lumpish insensible things, who hear the joyful news that Jesus is alive, and safely arrived at our Father's house, where there are many mansions. Let us not be so stupid as to be discontented, who have his word for it that we shall live with him: but let us rejoice, and say as the Psalmist doth, (we have more reason for it,) In God will I praise his word: in the Lord will I praise his word. In him have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man, or any thing else, can do unto me". Jesus hath said I shall live: I will depend on his word; and expect, after all my tossings up and down in this troublesome world, to land shortly in the Paradise of God. Paradise! O that comfortable word! that sweetest of all words! What should we not have given to hear of any hopes of it, if God had not promised it? And shall we now make light account of it? God forbid. We will not sigh at the thoughts of death itself, seeing it is but the gate of Paradise : we will look upon it with a smile, and say it is welcome: we will tell it that it is a long-looked-for friend, and bid it do its office, and make way for our entrance into the place that Jesus hath prepared for us. What though we have not much acquaintance with that world? what though it be a place where we never were, and from whence no friend that is gone thither hath returned to tell us what it is? Jesus knew it very well, (that is enough,) else he would not have endured so much for u Psalm lvi. 10, 11. it he is perfectly acquainted with it; for from thence he came, and there he is. And therefore let us not be timorous when we think of removing to a strange country, but confidently rely on his knowledge more than our own. Let us remember the words of these witnesses, which say, He is the Son of God, in whom is eternal life. Let us trust his judgment, who thought it more desirable to go away, though upon a cross, than to stay here in the greatest pleasure. And since all these witnesses say he is in heaven, let us resolve that we will die looking up to him, and saying, Lord, remember it is the will of the Father that we should have everlasting life. Thou thyself appearedst to St. Stephen, and madest him confident thou wilt receive our spirit. The Holy Ghost, which is the Spirit of truth, saith thou art glorified, and wilt glorify us with thyself. This thou hast preached to us this thy blood hath purchased for us: this thou didst rise again to prepare against our coming to thee: this thy holy apostles say thou sentest them to publish to the world: this thou hast made us believe, and wait for, and suffer for, and long to enjoy. O dearest Lord, and most merciful Saviour, who art the true and faithful Witness, though we miserable sinners deserve to be denied, yet deny not thyself: let not the price of thy precious blood be lost; let not the word of the Father, of the Holy Ghost, thine own word, fail. If thou art not alive, I am content to perish; but if thou art, as thou hast persuaded me, then I will not cease to call upon thee; I will die with these words in my mouth, and be confident thou wilt hear me, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. Thus the blessed martyr St. Stephen expired, looking up steadfastly unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who then appeared in glory to him: whose example all the rest of that noble army followed, triumphing over death in an assured hope of immortal life. Which they had not the least doubt of, it is manifest from hence, that (as Clemens Alexandrinus observes ") ἐν αὐταῖς τῶν κολάσεων ταῖς ἀκμαῖς εὐχαρι στοῦσι τῷ Θεῷ, in the very extremity of their torments they gave thanks to God,' who they knew would reward their fidelity, having in this very way consecrated Jesus to the highest office, of being the finisher or crowner of our faith. Therefore ▾ Lib. vii. Stromat. p. 756. [p. 869. ed. Potter.] their heart was glad, and their glory rejoiced; and they sang cheerfully, with the holy Psalmist, but with a far greater confidence, God shall redeem my soul from the power of the grave, for he shall receive mex. "And, O thou Lord and Creator of all things, especially of this thy workmanship! O thou God and Father of thy men! O thou Lord of life and death! O thou Benefactor of souls, and Dispenser of all good things! O thou who didst form all things, and in due time, thou best knowest how, in the depth of thy wisdom and administration, wilt transform us, by that divine Artificer, the Word! receive me also hereafter, when thou seest most convenient; in the mean time governing me in this flesh as long as it will be profitable. And receive me in thy fear, prepared, not disturbed, nor hanging back at the last day, and dragged by force from hence, (like the lovers of the world and the flesh,) but cheerfully and willingly, unto that everlasting and blessed life which is in Christ Jesus our Lordy." "And, O thou Word of God! thou Light! thou Life, and Wisdom, and Power! (for I delight in all thy names;) O thou Offspring and Image of that great Mind! O intellectual Word, and visible Man, who upholdest all things by the word of thy power! May it now please thee to accept of this book, (though not the firstfruits, yet the last perhaps that I may be able to offer thee,) both as a grateful acknowledgment for all thy benefits, and an humble supplication that I may have no other troubles beside the necessary sacred ones of my charge. Stop the fury of any disease which may seize on me; or thy sentence, if I be removed by thee. And if thou art pleased to grant me a dissolution according to my desire, and I be received into the heavenly tabernacles, there I hope to offer acceptable sacrifices to thee at thy holy altar, O Father, and Word, and Holy Ghost for to thee belongs all glory, honour, and dominion, for ever and ever. Amen." : x Psalm xlix. 15. y Greg. Naz. Orat. x. in Casarium fratrem, p. 176. [ed. Ben. Orat. vii. § 24. tom. i. p. 215, 6.] z Id. Orat. xlii. εἰς τὸ ἅγιον Πάσχα, p. 696. [ed. Ben. Orat. xlv. § 30. tom. i. p. 868.] |