efdy;egwell. 15 be made, let vs now fee in what manner it minibe done. And for the right doingof it, flue dudes mull be pra6tifcd in the courfeofour hues. The fitfi is the meditation of death in the life time. For the lifeofaChri- fiian is nothing elfe but a meditation ofdeath. A notablepra Life here- ofwe haue in the exampleof Iofeph ofArimathea, whomade his tombe in his life time in the rniddef}ofhis garden : no doubt for this ende, to put himfelfeinmindcofdeath , and that in themiddeflofhis delight andplea- fures. Heathen Philofophers that neuer knew Chrifl, had many excel- lent meditations ofdcath thoughnot comfortable in regard oflife euerla- fling. Now we that haue knowue and beleeued inChrifl, muffgoe be- yond them in this point, conudering with our felues fuch things as they neuer thought of, namely , the caufeof death, our finne : the remedie thereof, the curled death ofChrifl, curled I fay inregard ofthe kinde of death and punifhment laidevponhim , but bleffed in regardofvs. Thirdly we mutt often meditateof the prefence ofdeath , which we doe, when byGods grace we make an accountof euery prefent day as if it were the prefent day ofourdeath, andrecken withour felueswhen we goe to bed as though wefhould neuerrife againe; andwhen werife,as thoughweíhoald neuer liedowneagaine, This meditationof-death is of fpeciall vie and brings foorth manyfruits inthelifeofman. And firfi of all it ferues to humble vs wider thehandc ofGod.. Example we haue of Abraham, who faide, behold, Ihaucbe- 3°t ° gam, navy to JJ eake tomyLord, and I amBret duff and slyer. Marke here, how theconfidcration ofhismortalicie made him to abafe and cartdowne himfelfe in the fight of God : and thus if we could recken of euery day as of the laft day, it would firaightway pull downe our peacockes feathers, and make vs with Iob to abhorre our felues in duff and afhes. Secondly thismeditation is a meanes to further repentance. VVhen Ionas came ro Ninive and cried, letfourtiedates and Ntntve /hall bede irai.. ed, the whole citierepented in fackcloath and afhes. Whets Eliascame to Ahab and told him that the dogges fhould eate Iefabel by thewall of Icf- reel, and him alfoof Ahabs flocke that died in the citic, &c. it made hire to humblehimfelfe fo, as the Lord faith to Elias, Seel" tbaar bon, Ahabis humbled beforeme. Now ifthe remembranceofdeathwas of fuch force in him that wasbut anhypocrite, how excellent a meanes ofgracewill it be in them that truly repent. Thirdly, thismeditation feemes to flirre via contentation in cueryeflate and conditionoflife that fhall befall vs. Righteous Iobin theverymiddeft ofhis aflii&ions , comforts himfelfe with this confideration, Nahed(faith he)carne foorthofmymothers vvombe, andnaked Jhali Ireturnsagaine, &c. bleed be thename of the Lord. And furely the often meditation of this, that amanof all his aboundance can curienothing with him but either a B a coffin
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