- 3 92 i Tim. S. 6. job, r7. t3. Dálêr. 3. Ignorant men can take,comfort in, nothe truly prepared for death. Math at. 19. Pfal u9. 14. Pfal ny. 9a, !I. Peace in Death, or, Thefiat Refurref lion, is the rifing from the Death of fin to a new life : the fecond is that which (hall be of the bodyout of the Grave, atthe dayofJudgment. Now what faith the Scripture ; Eleffedandholy is he, that hathpart in the firfI Refur. rettion, on fueht-liefecond Death bathnopower. Wouldeft thou then befreed fromtbe fecondDeath; hell, anddellrut èioir; when thou-art dead ? Now that thou art yet alive labour to have apart in rhe-firft7.efur- regiion : Note what Saint Paul faithof the wantonÑiddozv, that floe is dead whilftl,e lïwes. So he that lives in the pleafuresoffin, andin the ways ofhis own heart, and 'after his own luft,he is deadin foul,though he be alivein body, and if he leeknot to come out of this grave, eternal death (h all be his portion. Well then, wouldeft thon prepare for Death ? wotildeft thou be able alwayes to ray,Lord,now,now I am ready, labour to know Godoat ofhis Word (chat is eternal lifek) Labour to feel Chrift live andreign in thee by,his spirit, labour to renounce every fin, do not go on inanyknown fin againft confcience, renew thy repentance daily, and fill furvey the £fate of thy foul, that wichrdnefs may notget dominion over thee. Let Death comewhen it will, though theLord thald fo vilìt thee, that thou (houldef drop down fuddenly,yet irthall not find thee unprepared,thou haft apart in the firft RefurreEElion, there is no fear of the fecondDeath: Burifthou wilt che- rilla thy heart in evil, thou wilt go on in thy ignorance, in thy carelefs wor(hip of God, in thy prophaningthe Sabbath,in thy whoredom,opreflion,malice,drunken- nefs,excefs, vohiptuoufnefs, thoumakeft ready for hell, and it is not thy, birdlave me, or, Icrj godmercy,&e. that (hall ferve thy turn. I will tell thee who thou art . like unto,evento a man appointed after ayear or two,tobe burned,and in themean fpace mutt carry a lick daily to the heap, fo thou heapeft up wrath againf thy felf, and makef thy fcore fo great,that when Death comes, thou (halt not know how to, beprepared. And thus have I finithed the firftgeneral part Of inÿText, touching the difpofitionofthe godly in refpedofDeath. I proceednowinaword to the fecond,the ground, rule,or warrant of this defile,' and preparation for death, (according to theword) as if Simeon had laid, this delire that I have now to endmy dayes, proceedsnot from any carnal difcontentment,be- caufe I amnowold,and can takeno great comfort inWorldly things, but the ground ofit is, thyWord andPromife; thou, Lord, haft revealed unto thy fervent,skill floould not diebefore I hadlien my Saviour ; This word is now fulfilled, and the fweetnefsthereof bath given me that encouragement, that I dc, even long to bedif- folved, and tobe united untothee. Or again thus, Oh Lord, thiscare thatI have had to providethus for Death, and to be always in a readings, it hathnot come from my felf, nature never taught me, but thy word loathinflruftedme; Illhadnot pro- ceededaccording toth1 Word, I fhould never have known how tohaveprepared my felf to thetime ofdiffolution. This is themeaning ofthe words,and fothe DoEtrine is plaits; (viz.) that, - (-Men ignorantinGods word'can nevertake comfort indeath, nòr be Trulyprepared to undergo it. This is plain,ifwe confider, the Expofition whichI have already givenof thatpart ofSüneans fpeech. It isageneral Rule, that ofour Saviour, re err not knowing the Scripture: Aman ignorant in the Scripture, can never rightly perform any fpiri= tuai duty. Hencewas thatof David, ThyTeftimonies(faith he) are my delight, and my counfe/ors. If any matter came in hand that concerned his foul, ftraight to:the word of God wenthe,to knowthence how to do it; as a man for hisLeafe,or con- veyancegoals to a Counfellor for direftion t So again he confcffes, that ifGods Lawhadnot been biddelight, hefhouldhaveperifbed inhisaffli/lions. Andfo,no com4 fört, notrue quiet in any trouble,much'more atDeath,without the guidance,and in- formationoftheWord. The affurance that theRing ofDeath is plucked out, that Godswrath is appeafed, that fin is pardoned, that Heaven gate is opened ; whence (hall we fetch there, but from the Scripture ? the directions fora holy life,' which is the bell preparations for Death ; where fhallwe find them, but in the Scripture? Herd
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