Page:Great importance of a suitable preparation for death (1).pdf/16

( 16 ) curſed wretches been forced to cry out, Oh! I would give ten thouſand worlds for Chriſt? Have not ſome perſons (who have had the moon upon their head, and that have made their belly their god) been forced to cry out at death, O curſed perſon that I am, that ever I made the world my god? Alas! that I contented myſelf world ! Therefore I ſay unto thee, who art ſuch an one, O ſlay thy purſuit after the world, for death is approaching, that will cauſe all the worldly comforts to vaniſh.

Fourth. When a Chriſtian believeth this truth, that he maſt die, it will be an exceeding great reſtraint to keep him from ſinning, as is clear, Job xxxi. 13. compared with verſe 14. where Job, reckoning over many good deeds done by himſelf, faith, “What then ſhall I do, when God riſeth up? And when he viſiteth, what ſhall I answer him?” As if he had ſaid Sirs, miſtake me not; I am boaſting much of myſelf, but I could not have done otherwiſe; elſe what ſhould I do when God riſeth up? How could I anſwer to God, if I had done otherwiſe? I think it were a notable practice of each of you, to ſay, O temptation, what will I answer to God, when he riſes up to reprove me, if I should yield unto thee?” Likewiſe, Eccleſ. xi. 9. where Solomon, dissuading your men to purſue after their vanity, brings this as