200 Tirmy Direct" lionsfor denyingLife. here proct,re :mmortality, nor ever fcape the hands of death. It is appointed to ah men once to die,and after that the judgement, Heb. 9.27. Andnoman can change the Decrees of Heaven. And teeingall 3 our turningsand unwillingnefscannot avoid it, is it not Letter fubmit to it willingly, then unwillingly? God doth impofe it on you as a necetrity. Your willingnefs may make a venue of Necefiity, and out of Neceffity extract a re- ward : but your unwillingnefs may turn your fuffering in- to your (in, and a Necellary death unto anunneceffary mile- xy now ( and hereafter if yoube not truebelievers ) as Paul faith of his Minifierial labours, Cor. 9. r6, 17. IfI dot/us. thing willingly, I have 4 reward : but if againfi my will, a, difpen[ation is committed to me : for neceffity i.r laid upon me--] So I may fay in the prefent cafe : If yougive up your lives willingly in the love of God, you have a Reward ; but if you do not, Necellity is upon you ,and die you mull whether you will or no. Youmay fcape the Reward by your ',unwilling, nefs, but death you cannot efcape. And me thinks you thould fee that its little thanks toyou, to give up that life which you Cannot keep ; And yet this is all that God requireth. Der- Laps you think that though you cannot keep it ail!, yet fomewhat longer you may keep it. But you be not faire of that. The next hour may God deprive you of it. And what a dread full thing it were,ifas foon as you have denied God your lives, he fhould fnatch them fromyou in his fury, and call you into Hell I and ifhe fhould dab-am for his own as foon as you have denied it him ! and you fhould die as enemies that would not die as Martyrs, and as his Friends ! And in this fencebath my Text been many a time fulfilled, He that will Pave his Life fball lofe it. 8.Confider alfo that it is upon terms of the higheft advantage imaginable to yourfelves,that God calls you to refign and lay down your lives.It is not indeed to dole them, but to f4ve them, as my Text doth promife you [He that lafeth his lifeAall lave it.] No more then you tote your cloaths which you put off at Night and put on again in the Morning : Or rather, nomore then you lofeyour Iczufie rotten rags, when you put them off at Night,and are to have in the Morning a Suit of Princely at- tire
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