more.

And therefore to put

off our prepa→

ration till that which we call death, is to

put off the work of all our life, till the time comes in which it is to ceafe and determine.

But to quicken our endeavours, let it be confidered, that no man is fure that he fhall not die fuddenly. And therefore if heaven be worth fecuring, it is fit that we fhould reckon every day to be our last; because it may be fo, for any thing we know. And let us confider, that those many perfons who are remarked in history to have died fuddenly, either were happy by an early piety, or miserable by a fudden death. And if uncertainty of condition be an abatement of felicity, and fpoils the good we poffefs; no man can be happy but he that hath lived well, that is, who hath fecured his condition by an habitual and living piety.

For fince God hath not told us we fhall not die fuddenly, he intended thereby, that we should prepare for fudden death, as well as against death cloathed in any other circumftances. The ftone of a fruit, an hair,

a fly, any thing in the world, is able to

kill a man. As foon as a man is born, that which in nature only remains to him is to die. And if we differ in the way or time of our abode, or the manner of our departure, yet we are equal at laft. And fince it is not determined by a natural cause, which way we shall go, or at what age; a wife man will suppose himself always upon his death-bed; and fuch fuppofition is like, making of his will, he is not the nearer death for doing it, but he is the readier for it when it comes.

His condition is wretched, who will live in that state of life, in which he would not chufe to die. And indeed it is a great venture to be in an evil ftate of life, because every minute of it hath a danger; and therefore a fucceffion of actions, in every one of which he may as well perish as efcape, is a boldness that hath no mixture of wisdom or probable hazard. How many perfons have died in the midft of an act of fport, or of an excess of joy? And the number of perfons who have been found fuddenly dead in their beds is fo great, that as it is a motive to us of a more certain and

regular devotion, fo it would be well if it

were

were pursued to the utmoft intention of God; that is, that all the parts of religion should with zeal and affiduity be entertained and finished by us, that fo, as it becomes wife men, we never be furprized with that which we are fure will some time or other happen. It concerns us to be curious of every particular action; because even in those shorter periods, we may expire and find our graves. And he only is wife, who having made death familiar to him by expectation and daily apprehenfion, doth at all inftants go forth to meet it. The wife virgins went forth to meet the bridegroom, for they were ready. Excellent therefore is the counsel of the son of Sirach: Humble thy felf before thou be fick, and in the time of fins fhew repentance. Before judgment examine thy felf, and in the day of vifitation thou shalt find mercy. Let nothing hinder thee to pay thy vows in due time, and defer not until death to be justified.

But altho' our whole life ought to be a constant preparation for death; yet there are certain seasons wherein these confiderations ought to have a more particular weight with us, when our diffolution is more nearly

H

nearly in prospect, as in the time of ficknefs, or old age.

They who are old, ought ferioufly to confider, that their advantages in that ftate of life are very few, but their inconveniences are not few. Their bodies are then without ftrength, their prejudices long and mighty, their vices (if they have lived wickedly) are habitual, the occafions of the virtues not many, the poffibilities of fome (in the matter of which they ftand very guilty) are past, and shall never return again, the temptations to them at that time of life being gone; that they have fome tempta→ tions proper to their age, as peevishness and complaining, covetoufnefs and pride, wilfulness and unwillingness to learn; and they think they are protected by age from beginning to learn anew, or to repent of the old; and they do not leave their vices, but only change them. And after all this, their days are declining apace, as the shadow that goeth down. And therefore, altho? in them, to recover is very poffible; yet we may also remember, that in the matter of virtue and repentance, poffibility is a great way off from performance; and how few VOL. III.

A a

do

do repent, of whom it is only poffible that they may? And that many things more are required to reduce their poffibility to act; a great grace, mighty affiftances, great industry, a watchful diligence, a well difpofed mind, vehement defires, deep apprehenfions of danger, quick perceptions of duty, and time, and God's good bleffing and effectual impreffion and seconding all this, that to will and to do may by him be wrought to great purposes, and with great fpeed.

And therefore it will not be amifs, but on the contrary it is highly neceffary, that these perfons, who have lost their time and their bleffed opportunities, fhould have the diligence of youth, and the zeal of new converts, and take account of every hour that is left them, and pray perpetually, and be advised prudently, and study the interest of their fouls carefully, with diligence, and with fear; that their old age, which in effect is nothing but a continual death-bed, dreffed with fome more order and advantages, may be a state of hope, and labour, and accep tance, thro' the infinite mercies of our bleffed Redeemer.