Chap. 21. An E.xpofrtion upon the Book of jO E, Vcrf.2ßj.. 771 commandements, by fo much he is the more lyable to the breaking inofdeath. As for the ftrength ofany man, though a Sampfon, this great Leviathan Death, counts it but as thaw, and the foundeft purea health, but as rottenwood;. Thcrt are no tonsofZerviah toohard fordeath;nor loth death flay to take men at anadvantage, when they are weakned with age and fickneffe,or(as Simeon and Levi did the Shecheuoites(gen. 34. Z5.) when they are fore. Death can doe its worke afal and as fpeedily in health as it can in 6ckneffe, in arength as well as in weakneffe, when we handle the (word, as well as whenwe leant upon a taffe, in the prime and fummer,a; well as in the fall and winter ofour lives. Nor can any man plead with God to forbid the approach and arreit of death, becaufe he is healthy, young or lirong , thefe pleas beareno weight with God , becaufe God hath made no promife to thema We can plead nothingbut our integrity, uprightnef(e, and holy stalking with God. So Hezekiahdid, when he received a meffage with the (entente ofdeath from the Lord, (Ifa.38. Z,3.)He turned hieface toward the real,&prayed unto the Lord, and raid, Remember now0 Lord,I befeech thee,'how Ihave wal- ked before thee in truth,andwith . a perfeEl heart, andhave dont that which isgood in"thjfight. Upon this pleahis dayes were lengthned, and a prohibition was iffued out from the high Court ofheaven tohay the proceedingsofdeath. Thus the promifeof wifdome runs (Pro3.2.)Myloo.fuget not my law, butlet thy heart keep my commandemeuts,f>r lengthrfdayer,6 long life, and peace (hallthey adde to thee. The Hebrew is, years of lifc,which may be nderaood either as anaddition, to note the certainty of the promife, :or as anexplication of the ro- t-Mk, ThouAalt have length'efdayei,that is,. Many dyes, and years oflife,that is, comfortable reeares for force have long dayes, and yet but fhort lives , a-man liveth nomire 3 earn in deed,thenhe liveth comfortahtli.So that when wifdoaiee "pith, Long life; or years oflife JhaHtheyadíetr, thre; the meaning is, thou(halt havea life riot only !Ong but plearint,or a life as fá.l of peace as ofdayes and years. What the Mora(ilt laid ofan idle life,That it is the burialofa man alive, an idle man isa wing manburied':"hiat I may 1aßpfa tronbltorrre'mifera e life, It is,the brtriall ofaman aliveïAmiferableMañ .is'a living Tffff2, man
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