3

come, if there were any probability that we fhould never Dye, if any Man could be fo foolish as to perfwade himself to doubt of that, he might have fome reafon to neglect the other, but no Man can be Sceptical as to that point, nor be fo vain as to difpute himfelf out of the belief of it, but he knows and is convinced of that fatal Truth, that he muft once Dye, and be laid in the fame place of Darknels where he has feen fo many others laid before him, why fhould he not then prepare and provide for that which will certainly happen? It can never be in vain or to no purpofe to do this; it can be no loft labour, no unneceffary work,but all muft confefs it ought to be done one time or other. Why do we not then do that which we own to be neceffary? Why that it is indeed, fays the foolish Sinner, but it may be done hereafter, and at a more convenient feafon! Would you not think a Man Mad that should talk thus when he was in danger of Drowning, and would hot take hold of the Rope was thrown out to him till his laft and third rifing, but let go what he had in his hand in hope to catch it again afterwards? or he that was like to fall down a precipice, and would not fave himfelf when he might, but truft to a twig that was near the bottom? He deferves to perish that will not be willing to be faved till he is juft perithing. And he that allows himself to live in a finful ftate at prefent, with hopes to get out of it hereafter, is but like him that abs himself with a defign of being Cured, or

fwal

fwallows down a deadly Poyfon upon prefumption of taking an Antidote after he has done it; the one is certainly ftrong enough to kill him, and the other may not be ftrong enough to fave him, or he may be dead before he can take it. Mens Refolutions to Repent hereafter are always infincere, for if they were not they would Repent at prefent: And befides what a fad ftate are they in till they do this; they are like Prifoners lying under a fentence of Death and Condemnation, who hope to procure a Pardon, but will not endeavour to do it till they are called to Execution, and it be too late. Their unrepented Sins do put them into as Damnable a ftate as if Heaven had paft fentence upon them, and though they know this yet they are willing to continue fo till their ftate is defperate, and they are never like to be otherwife. For he has no rea

fon to think he fhall be ever ready, who is not willing to make himself ready at prefent. Let us not therefore delay one minute this great work of Repentance, but let us fet about it immediately, and refolve to go through with it, and to live in fuch a conftant habit and practice of Repentance, and a good Life, as fhall make us duly ready and prepared to Dye. For,

3. Let's confider how terrible Death must be to a wicked impenitent Sinner, and what concern he will be in at the approach of it, when he must leave all the pleasures of his Sins, and the remembrance of them fills him only with Terror and Aftonishment, when

all

all their falfe Charms and Meretricious looks, whereby they before pleafed and enchanted him, go off, and they now look gaftly and frightful, and ftare him in the face with a fcaring appearance, and with the fad apprehenfi ons of what they are like to end in; when a dreadful Eternity prefents it felf before him, and is like to fwallow him up in an horrid Abyss of Mifery, when he comes fo nigh to the other World that he can look as it were over to it, and fee the fad reception he is like to have there, when he fees Hell open before him, the bottomless Pit gaping to receive him, and fome of the Flames of it flashing as it were out upon him; when Death like an Executioner comes to feize and apprehend him, and hurry him before the dreadful Tribunal, where all his past Actions must be examined, all his fecret Sins laid open, and a dreadful Sentence fhall be immediately pronounced upon him. The thoughts of this is enough to make a good Man afraid, and the best of us must tremble when we come before this Judgment-Sear, and are to have our everlasting Fates decreed and determined, but the Wicked must be filled with Terror and Amazement, who can have no hopes, no refuge to fly to, who has no plea for any Mercy or Pardon, nor no excufe to make for himself, who has neglected and despised all the means of Grace that were offered to him, and who would not be perfwaded to any true Repentance before it was too late, and therefore he must now Repent in vain for ever. Who can exprefs the bitter Thoughts,

the

the Fears, the Horrors, the Agonies of fuch a Soul at that time? and who would ever feel them, who has now Power and Opportunity to avoid them? Death carries fomething of Terror in it to all Men, as it is a punishment of Sin, and a dark paffage to the unknown Regions that are below,and it may be either great Prefumption or great Stupidity to have no Fear of it. A Good Man may not overcome all the Natural Fear of Death, but the Wicked has all reafon to be Scared and Terrified with it, when it comes near him, or he thinks of it.

I fhall therefore in the last place confider the Terror of Death, and how we are only freed from this by Repentance and Religion, by the Hopes and Affurances of Christianity, and our having fincerely Repented of all our Sins, and fo as I have fhown, fitted and prepared our felves thereby for Death.

SECT. VII.

Of the Fear of Death, and how we are delivered from it by Repentance and Religion.

T

Here is no Natural Evil fo great as Death,

the King of Terrors, and the chief of thofe dreadful things that Human Nature is afraid of. Skin for Skin, and all that a Man hath will be give for his Life, Job 2. 4. He is willing to part with every thing that he may compound with it; nay, what will he not give

to

to purchase a short Reprieve from Death and the Grave? that he may but fet them back a a while, and gain a little more time to live. How is the poor Man willing to endure any thing, to linger out a miferable Life a little longer,though in the midst of Pains, and Aches, and greater Torments of Body perhaps then he would feel in Death it felf. How patiently will he fubmit to the most tedious Penance, and feverest Difcipline that his Physician fhall lay upon him, and fwallow down the most loathfome and bitter Draughts, that the more bitter Cup of Death may pals from him. How will he endure the utmoft Cruelties of Surgery, and bear a living Martyrdom rather than Dye, have his Body Burnt and Scarified, his Flesh Cut and Mangled to the Bone, his Limbs cut off or fawn afunder, that fo he may Dye by Piece-Meals, and out-live fome part of himfelf, and escape out of the hands of Death, though it be never fo narrowly, and run away from it though he leave a Leg or an Arm be hind him. This fhows how Natural the love of Life is, and how willing moft Men are to preferve and purchase it at any rate, and with what abhorrence they look at Death, and how it frights and startles them when it comes near them; when they behold its pale look, and its terrible Vifage, and fee the ghaftly Monster laying hands on them, and ready to lay them proftrate at its feet, how does it then appalle and terrifie them, and make their Blood chill, and their Spirits cold and clammy, and their Hearts dye within them, when they think how