DISCOURSE II. The Watchful Christian dying in Peace. A FUNERAL SERMON, &c. lT is an awful providence, which bath lately removed from among usa young person, well known to most of you, whose agreeable temper and con - duct had gained the esteem of all her -acquaintance, whose constitution of hotly, together with the furniture of her mind, and circumstances in the World, concurred to promise many future years of life and usefulness. But all that is born of the race of man is -frail and mortal; and all that is done by tlse hand of God is wise and holy. We mourn, -and we submit in silence. Yet the provitlènce bath a voice in it, and the friends of the deceased are very solicitous, that such an unexpected and instructive appearance of death might lie religiously improved to the benefit of the living. For this end t am desired to entertain you at present, with some meditations on those words of our.savionr, which you read in Luke xii. 37.Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord, when he cometh, shall find watching. VARIOUS, and well chosen are those parables, whereby our Saviour gave warning to his disciples, that, when he was depart- ed from this world, they should ever be upon their guard, and always in a readiness to receive him at his return; because he would come on a sudden, and in such an hour as they thought not to demand an account of their behaviour, and to distribute his recompences according to their works. There are two of these parables in this chapter: But to enter into a detail of all the particular metaphors, which relate to this one, whence I have borrowed my text, would be too tediousitere, and would spend loo much of the present hoar. Without any longer preface, therefore I shall apply myself to improve the words, to our spi- ritual profit, in the following method : I. I shall enquire what is meant by the coming of Christ, in the text, and how it may be properly applied to our present purpose, or the hour of death. II. I shall consider what is im- plied in the watchfulness, which our Saviour recommends. d'll. I shall propose someconsiderations, which will discover the blessedness of the watchful soul in a dying hour. IV. I shall add some practical remarks. First, Let us enquire, what is meant by the coming of Christ in my text. The coming of Christ, in some Of these parables, may have reference to his speedy appearance, in the gourse.of his providence, in that very age, to judge and punish the Jewish nation, to destroy their city, and put an end to their church and state, for their many heinous iniquities; and the most provoking crime of rejecting and crucifying the Son of God. ;But these words, in their supreme and most important sense, always point to the glorious appearance of Christ at the last day,
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