Page:Great importance of a suitable preparation for death (2).pdf/11

Rh us will be found like Saul, hid among the ſtuff; that is, we will be lying amongst the midst of the pleaſures of this paſſing world. But I ſay unto thee, who art ſuch an one, that death will break the ſtrings of thy harp, thy muſic will quickly ceaſe. O but death will make thee to have a low eſteem of the world. O bleſſed is the perſon who hath theſe thoughts of the world all along in his way, which he ſhall have of it at death ! have not the moſt 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 with the world. Therefore, I ſay unto thee, who art ſuch as one, O ſtay thy purſuit after the world, for death is approaching, that will cauſe all thy worldly comforts to cvaniſh.

Fourth. When a Chriſtian believeth this truth, that he muſt 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, ſaith, ‘ 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 not boaſting much of myſelf, for 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 practiſe of each of you, to ſay, ‘ O temptation, what will I anſwer to God, when he riſeth up to reprove me, if ſhould yield unto thee ?’ likewiſe, Eccleſ. xi. 9. where Solomon, diſſuading young men to purſue after their vanity, bringeth this as a reaſon, ‘know ye, that for all theſe things God will bring you into judgement.' Therefore, I ſay unto thee, who art often tempted to ſin, let death and reckoning with God be ſtill in thy ſight, and I defy thee then to embrace half ſo many temptations, as now thou doſt. I entreat you to answer