468 Deathprevented, Firft, what this continual waitingmay import. Secondly; why there lhould befuch a confrant waiting for the day ofodrmortal change. What it iÉ to Firft, this continuatwaitingmainly imports two things ; one a certain expeeta- *air for dcatli, don ofdeath : for waiting is an a& ofHope expert ing fomething. If'we dohope for that wefie not, thendo we With patience wait for it, faith the Apoffle, Rohs. 8.15. a man is then laid to wait for death, when he is looking for it at every turn, as a Stewardwaits forhis Mafler when he continually ezpe&s his return,whenupon eve. ry voyce he hears, or upon every knock at the door,he faith,ohmy Maf}eris éome, this is he that knocks. So a man isfail to wait for death,w hen in-every anion ofhis' life,in every motionofhis eftate, in every paffage ofhis rou'rfes, faith; wellI mutt . die, when thoughhis bones are full ofmarrow, yet imutt die; when thotgghriehes come in likea flood, jetI milt die ; when changes appear upon himfelf,or orlares; yet I muff die, I have no abidinghere; 1am but afojoterner,andaflranger, a all my fathers were. I muftnot enjoy my Wifeforever, Children for ever,Friendsfo'r ever, Lands for ever, thefecomforts for ever, my life for Bier, it is but a lealewhichmay loon expire; I am but a Steward, and I muff be called toan account, filch a one is gone before,and I muff follow after ; the writ offlabeaeCarpusbath feifedonhim, and for ought I know the next may be for me, fo when death conies, I am ready to anfwerit as Abraharrididhis Son lfaac,herc 1 am;it comes not upon me its a thiefin then:ggbt,when I am of repand thinknot of him; bitt as joriathai:sarrow to David; whoRayed in thefield and expected when it thouldbe fhot,and then he rofe tipand embraced him re brethren ( faith Paul in r The!. 5 4.) arenot in darknef, that that day fhoseld overtake you as a thief, ye are all the childrenofthe light, therefore let ofnot Jteep as doothers, butlet us watch andbe fober. This is the ftrft'thing that waitingimports. Another thing it imports, is a ferìotis preparation for the dal ofour change for it is not a naked expc&ation of a change, ariftng from the cer tainty ofdeath ; butit is alto a religious preparation, improving the intrimof time for the heftadvantage fora mans fouIbefore the dayofchañge doth come, which is here implyed in waiting. Solomon calls it a remembring, Ecclef. rz. I; Remem- ber thy Creator inehe daresof thy youth, whiles theevildales come not, and trsi years drawnigh, when thoufhaltfay, 1have no pleaftere in them : What is this remembring ofthe Creator? but a care to know him, a fear to offend him,a (lady to obey him: and when is that tobe done?' Now, now remember: there muff be-a prefent a&ing of this;- ,Hofer calla it a numbring of our dares, Plat yo. tz. andmore then that, Lucia a numbring as is joyned with an applying ofour hearts to ìvifdome: and the reafon is, becaufe wifdome it dire&s to the choyce of fuck particular a&ions and works, as tend to happinefs, fo fhould a man ( after his ferions confideration f death) apply himfelE to fuckwayes and fuels a&ions,by which hemaycomfortably ¿ oieup his life with death; it is agreat pointofwifdometofutea&ions with their. ends, tofit and fquare the woodbefore webuild thehouse, to learn and difcipline a1 troop before they goto battel ;to rig and trim,and furnifh the Ihip,before we launch tofea; this is preparation indeed. Now this preparation for death corals in two things. Fin i, in an .undoing, of that 11;rh unfits os to die: Brethren, he who is notfit to live, heis not yet fir todie, ,.;ä tre.r. Bich evermafters the life, will be ofgreateft forcein death. The Father fjtake it boldly on,goodgrounds, lamnot Ownedtolive, nor afraid to die : now that which unfits a man to'die isfin, itmakes hintfind a bitterenemyofdeath. Oh when this Kinf if terrors -(hall prefent himfelf by the bed fide with his arrows in hi ands, i mean thyfna; he will wound thee with infinite amazement and hor- ror thefling of death is fin, faith the Apoftle, r Cor. as. Thoudolt not prepare tier -fell for death, if thou dolt not undo thy fins which thou haft-done in thy life:. the which,confifts. How that is Fiìft, ina barrow fearch'of thy finfulnefs, bothofnature;and pia&ice. done. Secondly, in a fecret humbling of thy foul for them. Thirdly, in an unfeignedrepentance and forfaking of them. Fourthly, iná conftantimploringand obtaining ofmercy for them,inthebrood of Wherein the p repatat ion ¡for death non - 1CRs. ¡.t. in-geeing out (elves from fin ni 'our life-time.
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