38 PREFACE, moment thou wilt be in hell. If God be against thee, all things are against thee: this world is but thy prison, for all thou so lovest it; thou art but reserved in it to the day of wrath (Job xxi. 30.); the Judge is coming, thy soul is even going. Yet a little while, and thy friend shall say of thee 'He is dead;' and thou shalt see the things that thou now dost despise, and feel that which now thou wilt not believe. Death will bring such an argument as thou canst not an~wer; an argument that shall effectually confute thy cavils against the word and ways of God, and all thy self~conceitcd dotages. And then how soon will thy mind be changed1 Then be an unbeliever if thou canst; stand then to all thy former words, which thou wast wont to utter against a holy and a l1eavenly life. Make good that cause then before the Lord, which thou wast wont to plead against thy teachers, and against the people that feared God. Then stand to thy old opinions and contemptuous thoughts of the diligence of the saints: make ready now thy strongest reasons, and stand up then before the Judge, and plead like a man for thy fleshly, thy worldly, thy ungodly life. But know that thou wilt have one to plead with, that will not be outfaced by thee; nor so easily put oft' as we thy fellowcreatures. 0 poor soul ! there is nothing but a slender veil of flesh between thee and that amazing sight, which will quickly silence thee, and turn thy tone, and make thee of another mind! As soon as death bath drawn this curtain, thou shalt see that which will quickly leave thee speechless. And how quickly will that day and hour come! When thou hast had but a few more merry hours, and but a few more pleasant draughts and morsels, and a little more of the honours and riches of the world, thy portion will be spent, and thy pleasures ended, and all is then gone that thou settest thy heart upon; of all that thou soldest thy Saviour and salvation for, there is nothing left but the heavy reckoning. As a thief, that sits merrily spending the money which he hath stolen, in an alehouse, when men are riding in post haste to apprehend him, so is it with you. While you are drowned in cares or fleshly pleasures, and making merry with your own shame, death is coming in post haste to seize upon you, and carry your souls to such a place and state as now you little know or think of. Suppose, when you are bold and busy in your sin, that a messenger were but coming post from London to apprehend you and take away your lives; though you saw him not, yet if you lrnew that he was coming, it would mar your mirth, and you would be thinking of the haste he makes, and hearkening when he , knocked at your door. 0 that you could but see what haste Death makes, though he yet 1m3 not overtaken you! No post so swift. No messenger more sure. As sure as the sun will
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