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SVRPRIZE
r
DEATH.
{DISC.
I1I,
How
or
and vain are
our
imaginations,
when
we
have
seen
others
called
away, on
a
sudden, from
the
early
scenes
of
life, to
promise ourselves
a long continu-
ance here
!
We
have the
sane
feeble
bodies, the same
tabernacles
of
clay,
that
others
have,
and
we
are
liable
to many
of
the same accidents
or
casualties
:
The
same
killing diseases are
at
work
in
our natures,
and
why
should
we
imagine
or
presume,
that
others
should
go so
much
before
us
And
if
we
enquire
of
ourselves,
as
to
character,
or
merit,
or moial
circumstances
of
any kind,
and compare
ourselves with
those
that
are
gone before,
what founda-
tion have
we to
promise ourselves
a longer continuance
here
?
Have
we
not
the
same
sins,
or greater,
to pro
-
voke
God?
Are
we
more
useful in the world
than
they,
and
do more service for
his
name
?
May not
God
sum-
mon
us
off the stage
of
life
on a Bidden,
as well
as
others
?
What
are
we
better than
they ?
Are
we
not
as
much
under
the sovereign disposal
of
thé,reat
God,
as
any
of
=our
acquaintance,
who
have been
'seized
in
the
flower
and
prime
of
life,
and
called
away in
an unex-
pected
hour?
And what power have
we
to
resist the sei-
zure,
or
what
promise to hope,
that God
will
delay
longer? Let
us
then no more deceive ourselves with vain
imaginations,
but
each
of
us
awake,
and bestir ourselves,
as
though
we
were the
next persons'
to
be
called away
from this assembly,
and
to
appear
next
before the
Lord.
Motive
IV.
"
When
we
are awake,
we
are
not
only
fit-
ter
for the coming
of
our Lord,
to call
us
away by death,
and
fitter
for,
his
appearance
to
the
great judgment, but
we
are better prepared
also to
attend
him in every
call
to
present
duty,
and more ready
to
meet
his
appearance
in
every
providence."
It
is
the christian
soldier,
who is
ever
awake,
and
on
his
guard,
that
is
only
,fit
for every
sudden
appointment
to
new
stations and services;
he
is
more prepared
for any post
of
danger and hazardous en-
terprize,
and
better
furnished
to
sustain the roughest
assaults.
We
shall
be
less shocked
at
sudden
afflictions
here
on
earth,
if
our
souls keep heaven in
view,
and are
ready
winged for
immortality. When
we
are
fit
to die,
we
are
fit to
live
also,
and
to do
better
service for
God,
in whichsoever
of
his worlds he shall please to
appoint
our
station.
My
business,
0
Father,
anti
my
joy
is
to