3 90 Peace in Death, or, Dear, 2. A fpecial care in the Intactis of God to be always ready for deaib. a Tim. 4.6. t Cor. a s, ;1, )ob 4. 14. nil. 90. lz, Heb. Luk. ts.34, 7eafI. Pral. 89, 48. u7et.4.19. Asaf. z. a Sam.a. S..b Job a.t9. tlueath, taken frgm,him at the very;initant, having madeno provifion-tor another world, what hopecanthere be thatfucha one should be layed R.,ea%i 3. ;'They know thtrdly,that the timeoffickncfsis the ntokunfit time for this bufuacfs ofpreparation , thefenfes are then fo taken up with the pain of feknefs,that a man" canna ..... le is the care of God; fervants to be always fo preparedfordeath, as at what in-!' leant foever the Lord (hall fend it, they may be comfortably ready to entertain', it. Somuch may eafiy be gathered ontof. Simeon: words here (Nonedimittis) No>r let thy fervant depart. Hedidnot (as it were) take a day over; in which, and a- gainft which to beprovided, asthough he should have faid, Lord, nowwillI fettle rr {elf tomake'provifion forany laft end, but even now, Lord, atthis veryinftant,' ifthouwilt ; Death hail)been my ordinary meditation,and if thou wiltnow call me home to thec,I am ready to depart. As in the former point I Viewedyou how Saint Tatalt longing agreed with Si- means , Oh let thy fervant depart , faith Simeon ; I aeftre to be dtffolved ifaith; petal.) So here I will Thew you, that there was the fame care in refpe& of Death,,; in Saint Paul, as in Simeon. Now, if thou wilt; (faith Simeon;) lamnow ready I. to be offered (faith Saint Paul.) And elfewhere, 1 die daily; I am ever thinking up- on death, and daily making provifron for my end. This was holy yobs mind ;. the dalesof my appointed timewill I wait till my change come ; therewas a continual . cube&ation. So teachus to number our dayes, prayeth e/`-Ytofs, thai we may apply. our, hearts towifdom. And what wifdom did he with, he might apply his heart un_ to ? but this, a holy care to make provifion for another world; freir iu this there.' was no continuance ? The fame in effeCt, the Author to the Flebrers profelì+tli touching himfelf, and thofe thatwere like to him ; that they hadhere no continuiná City, but didPeek one to come. We know (faith he) here is no abiding, we dwell intents which mirk remove, in houfesofclay, which will bebroken, therefore we defrre tobe ever ready for that place, vvhich is ofmore perpetuity : And fo much may be gathered from that vvhich is upon record concerning 7ofepgi ofArimathea; hé did not onlymake ready his Tomb inhis life-time, but in his garden, his place of folacc and delight : andhow could fo good a naan,fooften thinkon death,vvithöut labouring and caring to be ever provided for the fame and therefore our Saviour - Chrikcompares his faithful fervants unto thofe vvhich daily wail fär,their _Wafers coming. Novv the reafon vvhich fo much prevails vviththe godly in this particular, and vvhich ought to he of fufficient forcevvith every one ; is firft, the certainty, and uncertainty of death. eí%torte nihil cerrius , efli fore as Death, is an ordinary Proverb ; What man is he that !meth, and(hall not fee death ? ( Paula the Pfal- miff.) That all mull die, it is 'Heavens decree, and cannot be revoked. Thething it felt, vet fee is aloft certaina yet for fame circumftances moll uncertain : for firk, Tempos eat incertum, No man knovvs avhen he 1.h4 die, in the night, orin the day; in'W'inter, orbs Summer ; in youth, or in his latter age. Secondly, Late, e(t incertue, None knovv valiere they (hall die,vvhether at home, or abroad ; in hisised, or in the. field ; vvho knovvs but that he may die in the Church of God, even vvhilehe is afleep at theWord ? :Thirdly, Mortis genus eft incertnats: No man can determine hove he ihall die, vvhbther fuddenly,, or by a lingning.hcknefs ; vahither violently, or by a natural - aoutfe. Thefe things the fervants ofGod knovv(l>ilvycii, and ferioufly vvciglf the fatnc,and thatmakes them to make confcience ofcontinual preparation, that vvhcn- afpevcr, or vvherefpever, or hovvfoever they die, they may vvith comfortcommend f/jeïrfoolriptotke. handsof God,am intothe handof a faithful Creator. . Secondly, they know the mifery of being taken byDeath unprepared : put cafe aman ihould dieas,4fhbofhethlyingupon his bedatrioon; or as Jobs chil;Iren,while. they, Are fearing,; or that a man likethe richman in the Gofpcl, fbould have his.
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