Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BT770 .B39 1670

The Life ofFaith. 43 is 1 AM. There is but a fern daies difference between a Prince and no Prince ; a Lord and no Lord ; a mangy and no man; a world and no world. And if this be all, let the time that ispa(f inform you how small a difference this is. Rational forefight may teach a Xerxes to weep over his numerous Ar- my, as knowing how loon they were all tobe dead men. Can you forget.that death is ready to undrefs you ? and tell you, that your (port and mirth is done ? and that now you have had all that the world can do, for thofe that ferve it, and take itfor their part? How quickly can a leaver, or the choice of an hundred Mefl'engers of death, bereave you of all that earth afforded you, and turn your fweeteft pleafures into gall, and turn a Lord intoa lump ofclay ? It is but as a wink, an inch of time, till you mutt quit the (tage ; and (peak, and breath, and fee the face ofman no more. It you forefee this, O live is men that do forefee it. I never heard of any that (tole his winding-Jheet, or fought for a Cef4, or went to Law for bis grave. And if you did but fee (as wife menshould) how -near your Honours and Wealth, and Pleafures do (land unto Eterni- ty, as well as your Winding 'beets your Coffins, and your Graves, you would then value, and delire, and leek them re- gularly and moderately, as you do thefe. Oh what a fading flower is your ftrength ? How loon will all your gallantry (brink into the fheil? Si .veffraflint tollite ea vo4ifcum. Bern, But yet this is not the great part of the change. The terrai. Plus adquern doth make it greater : It is great, for 'onions of renown and honour, to change their Palaces for graves, aid turn to noifom rottennefs and dirt : and their Power and Command into filent impotency, unable to rebuke the poore(t worm, that fawcily feedeth on their hearts or faces. But if you are B:lievers, you can look further, and forefee much more. The largeti and molt capacious heart alive, is unable fully to conceive what a change the (croak ofdeath will make. For the holy foul fo fuddenly to pats from prayer to Angelical praife, from farrow unto boutedlefs joys from the flanders,and contempt, and violence of men, to the bofom of eternal Love; from the clamours ofa tumultuous world, to the univerfal harmony and perfea uninterrupted Love and Peace; Owhat a blefïed change is this which believing now, we !hall pertly feel. G 2 roe

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