Page:Great importance of a suitable preparation for death (2).pdf/13

Rh death will not be requeſted to ſpare a little when he cometh. And therefore I ſay unto you all, 'ſet your houſe in order, for ye ſhall furely die.' Old men and women, ſet your houſe in order, for tomorrow ye may die, and be cut off in the flower of your age. Think not that there be many who can ſell time : for, I ſay, ye ſhall never get time ſold unto you. Alas! I fear that the moſt part of perſons that die now, death findeth them at unawares: for indeed the perſons that die amongſt us, when we come to viſit them we may give you a ſad account of them, for we think they are comprehended under theſe four ſorts.

1. When we go to viſit ſome perſons on their death-beds, they are like unto Nabal, 'their heart is dying and ſinking' (like unto a ſtone) 'within them,' they are no more affected with death, than if it were a fancy : alas ! for the great ſtupidity that hath overtaken many; therefore, I intreat you delay not your repentance till death, leſt the Lord take away your wit, ſo that ye cannot repent for your ſenſeleſſneſs and ſtupid frame of ſpirit.

2. A ſecond ſort we find in a preſumptuous frame ſaying, They have had a good hope all their days, and they will not quit it now; they will go down to their grave with their hope in their right hand, or rather, they will go down to the grave, 'with a lie in their right hand;' they live in a preſumptuous frame and they die in the ſame deluſion. For, when we tell them, by all probability they are going down to hell, they anſwer, God forbid, I was all my time a very honeſt man or woman : but I love not that confeſſion, for there are many ſuch honeſt men and women in hell this day.

3. The third ſort we find having ſome convictions that they have been playing the fool all their days: but we can get them no further: I ſhall only ſay to ſuch, to go down to the grave with convictions in their breaſts, not making use of Chriſt, is to go down to hell with a candle in their hand, to let them ſee the way: and truly the greateſt part that die, die in that manner.