Page:Great importance of a suitable preparation for death (1).pdf/7

( 7 ) requeſt! even that it would pleaſe God to deſtroy me.” This desire was very unlawful.

4. Caution. It not lawful to desire to die, when thy predominant idol is taken away from thee: yet ſuch was Jonah’s desire, chap. iv. 3. Jonah thought his credit and reputation (which was his idol) was gone, and could never be regained; therefore he wiſhed to die. But I would ſay this to you, that ſome will have ten desires for death, when they have not one desire for heaven. And what moveth Chriſtians to be ſo desirous to die? It is not ſo much becauſe of their hope, as becauſe of their anxiety; it is not ſo much becauſe of their confidence, as becauſe of their impatience. But I ſay unto you, when your desires of death are not accompanied with desires of heaven, ſuſpect them. 2. I would ſay this that there are ſome who will have ten desires for death, when they will not have one for the death of the body of death; but it wore good for thee (who art ſuch) to be desiring the death of the body of death, then ſhouldſt thou be in a more ſuitable frame to desire to die. 3. Some will have hearty desires to die, and yet, when death cometh, they wall be as unwilling to die as any. It hath been obſerved, that ſome who had much desire to die, when death came, have cried out,