Page:Great importance of a suitable preparation for death (2).pdf/5

Rh yield, and where I ſhall be free from all my fears of ſinning. Now in all theſe reſpects who would not deſire to die? But to guard all theſe, I would give you theſe four cautions. I. Caution. Your deſire to die ſhould not be peremptory, but you ſhould deſire to die with ſubmiſſion to the will of God; ſo that although he would fill up fifteen years more to your life, you should be content to live it out.

2. Caution. When your deſires are haſty and off hand, ſuſpect them: for ſome, when they meet with an outward croſs (without all deliberation) will cry out, “O to be gone, O that I were dead." But your deſire to die ſhould be deliberate, but not haſty, or raſh.

3. Caution. it is not lawful to deſire to die, becauſe of perſonal afflictions. Many, when they meet with bitter afflictions, will cry out, О to be gone; they long for death even upon that account; ſuch were Job's deſires, Job xxi. 22. and chapter vi verſe 8, 9. O that I might have my request! even that it would pleaſe God to deſtroy me.' This deſire was very unlawful.

4. Caution. It is not lawful to deſire to die, when thy predominant idol is taken away from thee: Yes ſuch was Jonah's deſire, chapter 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 were good for thee (who art ſuch) to be deſiring the death of the body of death; then ſhould thou