Religion & morality > Human nature in its four-fold state ... in several practical discourses

Head 1L prepare for Death. 4.27
regular Converfation ; as ye would not lay up for
your felves, Anguifh and Bitternefs of Spirit, in a
dying Hour. And becaufc, through the Infirmity
cleaving to us, in our prefent State of Imperfection,
in many lyings we offend all, renew your Repen¬
tance daily, and be ever wafhing in the Redeemer’s
Blood. As long as ye are in the World, ye’ll need
towajhyour Feet, Johnxiii. 10. that is, to make
Application of the Blood of Chrift anew, for purg¬
ing your Confciences from the Guilt of daily Mif-
carriages. Let Death find you at the Fountain ;
and, if fo, it will find you ready ta anfwer its Call,
Secondly. Be always watchful, waiting for your
Change, Like unto Men that wait for their Leri—
that when he cometh and knocketh, they may often
unto him immediately. Luke xii. 36. Beware oi/lum¬
bering and /leeping, while the Bridegroom tarries.
To be awakened out of fpiritual Slumber, by a fur-
prizingCall to pafs into another World, is a very
frightful Thing : But he, who is daily waiting for
the coming of bis Lord, {hall comfortably receive the
grim Mefl'engej, while he beholds him ulhering in
Him, of whom he may confidently fay, ^his is my
God, and I haw waited for him. The Way to die
comfortably, is, to die daily. Be often effaying (as
it were) to die. Bring your felves familiarly ac¬
quainted with Death, by making many Vifits to
tne Grave, in ferious Meditations upon it. This
was Job's Practice, Chap. xvii. 13, 14. / haw
made my Bed in the Darknefs. Go thou, and do
like wife; and when Death comes, thou {halt have
nothing ado but to ly down. / haw faid to Cor¬
ruption, thou art my Father : To the Worm, thou
art my Mother and my Sifter. Do thou fay fo too;
and thou wilt be the fitter to go home to their
Houfe