Page:Great importance of a suitable preparation for death (2).pdf/20

20 and I am ſure that ſuch a perſon (being night and day taken up with the world) is not prepared for death. I remember a word recorded of ſuch a wretched one, who was exceedingly rich, ſaid he, 'I would give ſo many thouſands of money, if death would give me but one day;' yet he got it not. And, O how ſuddenly will death ſurpriſe many of us, as it did him.

3. Evidence. Which ſpeaketh forth our unpreparedneſs for death, is our impatience under every petty croſs that we meet with; for the prepared Chriſtian will be patient under very ſharp croſſes.

4. Evidence. That we are not prepared, is our not endeavouring to live within ſight of our intereſt in God. Oh! if we were prepared for death, durſt we live in ſo much uncertainty of our intereſt in God, and of our aſſurance of heaven.

5. Evidence. Some of us can let our idols ly in our breaſts ſix years without repentance, and will never ſtudy to mortify them, nor to repent for them; and ſurely ſuch are not prepared for death.

Now I intreat you ſeriouſly to mind what hath been ſaid, and that you may the more seriouſly think upon it, I will tell yon ſome material challenges that your conſcience at death will preſent unto you, therefore take heed, that you may know how ye will anſwer.

1. Challenge, Is the ſlighting of much precious time, and ſinning away the precious offers of grace. Oh! what will ye anſwer to that challenge when death ſhall preſent it unto you? Death will ſay (or rather thine own conſcience at death) what ailed thee to ſin ſo many hours without either praying, reading, or meditating ? Now, have ye anything to anſwer when death ſhall preſent this challenge to you? I intreat you premeditate what you will ſay: I intreat you prevent death, by preſenting it firſt ſeriouſly to yourſelves.

2. Challenge, That death will preſent unto you, will be for the killing of many precious convictions which ye have had. What will each of you anſwer at death, when your conſcience propoſeth this challenge unto you?Thou metteſt with ſuch a challenge