TO BE EXPECTED ON EARTH. 197 providences, bath thy life partaken of ! Hath thy life been so sweet, that thou art loth to leave it? Is this thy thanks to him, who is thus drawing thee to his own sweetness ? O foolish soul ! would thou wast as cove- tous after eternity, as thou art for a fading perishing life ! and after the presence of God in glory, as thou art for continuance on earth ! Then wouldst thou cry, Why is his chariot so long in coming ? Why tarry the wheels of his chariot ? How long, Lord ? how long ?" What if God should let thee live many years, but deny thee the mercies which thou hast hitherto enjoyed ? Might he not give thee life, as he gave the murmuring Israelites quails ? He might give thee life, till thou art weary of living, and as glad to be rid of it as Judas, or Ahithophel; and make thee like many miserable creatures in the world, who can hardly for - bear laying violent hands on themselves. 13e not there- fore so importunate for life, which may prove a judg- ment, instead of a blesssing." How many of the pre- cious servants of God, of all ages and places, have gone before thee ! Thou art not to enter an untrodden path, nor appointed first to break the ice. Except Enoch and Elijah, which of the saints have escaped death ? And art thou better than they ? There are many mil- lions of saints dead, more than now remain on earth. What a number of thy own bosom - friends, and com- panions in duty, are now gone ; and why shouldst thou be so loth to follow ? Nay, bath notJesus Christ himself gone this way ? Hath he not sanctified the grave to us, and perfumed the dust with his own body; and art thou loth to follow him too? Rather say as Thomas, "Let us also go, that we may die with him." 24. If what hath been said will not persuade, scrip- ture and. reason have little force. And I have said the more on this subject, finding it so needful to myself and others ; finding among so many Christians, who could do and suffer much for Christ, so few that can willingly die ; and of many, who have somewhat subdued other corruptions, so few have got the con- quest of this. I persuade not the ungodly from fear-
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