86 TheDeftruEiïonof the Veßroyer,nr, How a man maybe fitted foedeath. It. Get death difarmed now. make ute of the remeayagatntl death : Wnat time and pains hack been be(towed to feek ;o get that that is theonly means to efcape the Dart of this enemy,and that that is the only caufe to procure this enfranchifement to the Soul, from that that elfe will deflróy all. A man hath not fitted himfelf to encounter with his enemy; wheh he looks after wealth;and followeth the pleafures,and contentmcnts of this life ; there things will dono goodyhey will be rather aburthen to the heatc,and vex the".Soul,and increafe the.mifchief, laying more fin uport the Soul, and giving death Darn topiérce the Soul with. But when is aman fit for death ? And whomay encounter with this enemy with fafety ? 1 will tell ye ; that man that takes the greaten care to difarm death of his wea- pons, to arm himfelf with defenûve weapons againft death. If an enemy come upon aman with good weapons in his hand, and findhim altogether unweaponed, it is hard for a naked unarmed man to deal with him : It is hard for a titan that never thought of it before, to fight withone that is skilful at his weapons. Death ( I told ye ) is an enemy, and an enemy that is skilful in his weapons a And the wcapon of death it is our own fin. Death bringeth nothing with it to hurt aman ; It findeth with us, and in us, that whereby to hure us ; fo many Corruptions as are in thy heart, fo many weapons ; fo many idle words, fo many, bad deeds ; fo m:ny Swords to pierce thy heart. Death maketh ufe of 'thofe weapons it find - eth inour felves, andwith them he deftroyeth, and killeth, and brings us to per- dition. Now; what have ye done (beloved) to difarm death ì what cure have ye taken to break fm apieces, that it maynot beasa Sword ready drawn fo; the. hand of death when it conteth? M Arrows in a Bow, to (hootat you, whendeath layeth holdon you? That man that hach tookno care to overcome firs in the power of ir, and to get himfelf flee from the guilt and puni(hment oft, is,unfitfor death, If death come upon him, and find his offences unrepentedof, unpardoned, unfubdued,' he will fo order thofe offences, that he will thrill} them into his Soul, as fo many poyfoned Darts; Chit will bring (orrow, and anguifh, and vexation, and deftruétionto all Etënni: y. Y may fee thinwhether yehave any fitnefs tomeet with this Enemy, Whether ye be in cafe to fight that bagel;that of necef icy yemull; for death (as I told yebefore) is enevitable. If ye have nor t get-alone between God and thy felf,and there call to mind thecor- ruption of thy nature,the finsof thy childhood:and thy body,of thy mind, bring thy Soul into his prefence,confefs thy fins,with an endeavour to break thy heart for them, and to be forty for them, mighmightily crying to him inthemediationof that bleffed Ad. ocate Jefus Chrill, that died on theCrofs, to pardon, and towa(h thy Soul in his blood, and to deliver thee from the pollution of thy fins. Beg the Spirit of fanaifi cation to bear down thofe fins, and fabdbe thy corruptions. Bellow time to perform thereexercifesdaily,carefully prefent thy(elf beforeGod,thus ro renew thy repentance and Faith inChtifl, to make thy peace wiih God : Labour topure away the filthi- nefs of thy fan, and then whenfoevtr Death comech,thou (hale find in thy felf fuflici- ent againft it thou haft difarmed ir, Butif you fpend your rime inpurfuing profits, and pleafures,and follow thevani- tiesof this life,and either yedonot thinkof dearb,or ye think of it no otherwife than a Heathen man would have done, to no purpofe ; ye think of it to enjoy the world while ye live,becaufe ye know not how loon death will end the worldand you, if you play the Epicures in thethought of death, to animate you to enjoy the outwardbe- nefits of this life; to think of it tonopurpofe, but only to talk and dilcourfenow and then as occafion ferveth : Then deathwill find your Sbuls laden with innumera- ble fins that repentance bath not difcharged, and undoubtedly it will bring Eternal perdition." Have yè thus difarmed death? But
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