98 SANCTIFIED AFFLICTIONS. SANCTIFIED AFFLICTIONS. FLAVEL. SANCTIFIED afflictions are prescribed in heaven for purifying our corruptions: "By this, therefore, shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged; and this is all the fruit to take away his sin." (Is. xxvii. 9.) It is a glass to represent the evil of sin and the vanity of the creature, to imbitter the world, and draw thy affections from it. Fall in, therefore, with the gracious design of God; connect every affliction with prayer that God would follow it with his blessing. God kills thy comforts from no other design but to kill thy corruptions; wants are ordained to kill wantonness, poverty is appointed to kill pride, reproaches are permitted to destroy ambition. Happy is the man who understands, approves, and heartily concurs with the design of God in afflicting providences. ON THE DEATH OF A SISTER. ANONYMOUS. ANOTHER of God's servants hath put on Earth's sweetest draught, and thirsting for the springs To taste the coolness of the living stream. - peace. Peace to thee, sister-peace. that thou And all the spells with which thou'dst garnered love, That thy beguiling ministry will cheer Joy, joy for thee, sweet sister! Thou wilt feel 100 ON THE DEATH OF A SISTER. Hast gone to tread in holiness and joy And all the hymns of heaven; and thou shalt rest And bathe thy fingers in the living stream To fathom the deep mysteries of God, May breathe a prayer in heaven,- that we, from whom This veil of sorrow, that when life hath passed, To lead us where the living waters flow. "SORROW NOT, EVEN AS OTHERS WHICH HAVE NO HOPE."-1 THESS. iv. 13. REV. CHARLES WESLEY. IF death my friend and me divide, (I feel a strong, immortal hope, Beneath its mountain load: Redeemed from death, and grief, and pain, Pass the few fleeting moments more, Which death hath snatched away; 9* 102 FEAR OF DEATH. FEAR OF DEATH. JEREMY TAYLOR. DEATH is a thing that is no great matter in itself, if we consider that we die daily, that it meets us in every accident, that every creature carries a dart along with it, and can kill us. And, therefore, when Lysimachus threatened Theodorus to kill him, he told him, that was no great matter to do, and he could do no more than the cantharides could; a little fly could do as much. Of all the evils of the world which are reproached with an evil character, death is the most innocent of its accusation. For when it is present, it hurts nobody; and when it is absent, it is indeed troublesome, but the trouble is owing to our fears, not to the affrighting and mistaken object; and besides this, if it were an evil, it is so transient, that it passes like the instant or undiscerned portion of the present time; and either it is past, or it is not yet; for just when it is, no man hath reason to complain of so insensible, so sudden, so undiscerned a change. If we be afraid of death, it is but reasonable to use all spiritual arts to take off the apprehension of the evil: but therefore we ought to remove our fear, because fear gives to death wings, and spurs, and darts. Death hastens to a fearful man: if, therefore, you would make death |