born by Regeneration, and Reformation: Old age is extracted from Youth; a young Samuel fhall be called before an old Eli. We fhall meet and fee the ancient Patriarchs, as I have faid, Mofes, Aaron, Abraham, Ifaac, Jacob,the old Prophets Elijah, Jeremiah, David, Hofea, Ifaiah, Feel, Ams: We fhall likewife behold the 24 Elders, the Holy Apoftles Matthew Mark Luke James, John, Paul, Peter, and all the Holy Martyrs, Fohn the Baptift, St. Stephen; all thofe Intants which were flain by Herod with their Olivebranches in their hand, faying Holy, Holy, Ho ly, Lord God of Sabbath, Heaven and Earth are full of the Majefty of thy Glory.

Now, who are the twenty four Elders? It is generally imagined by all Divines, that they be the twelve Tribes of Ifrael, and the twelve Apoftles, which makes the 24 Elders: There fore let us chear up our Spirits with old Facob and go up to the land of Gothen, where we shall fee our Brother Jofeph, who will prepare all things neceffary for our occafions, and we shall then fit down with Abraham, Ifaac and Facob, in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Therefore I pray, do not put off the thought of this day of Death, as Agrippa did Paul, faying, i will bear thee another time. It was Ferufalem's fault and fin, that they remembred not their end; Death comes fwiftly, not on Foot, but on Horfe-back, and on a pale Horfe: Let us therefore remember our death, and leave fin, that fin may not leave us in the Grave: 0 Jer us confider our latter end, let us be as the

Wife Virgins, to have the Oyl of Faith in our Lamps, that we may enter with the fweet Bridegroom of our Souls, to the Land of Blifs and Eternal Happinefs! Oh that our minds were but anfwerable to God's mercies, for if we had as upright Souls as we have Bodies, then we fhould be perfuaded to forfake this idle, fi ful and wicked World, and account all as drofs with St. Paul, and defire to know nothing more than Jefus Chrift, and him Crucified; then ficknefs and Death may come as often as poffible, and we shall not be afraid of it. For indeed we are not by Nature able to bear the pangs of Death well, until we he Schooled and inftru&ted by fundry Tryals and Exercife in this Life. Our fincere confideration before Death approaches, ought to appear: Firft, in examination of our hearts and ways: Secondly, in the Confeffion of our fins, and manifold tranfgreffions, which we from day to day have committed, and all the good we have omitted; and then likewife, that God is juft in his Judgments. Thudly in begging and petitioning with unfeigned fighs and groans of the Spirit, for pardon and reconciliation in Jefus Chrift.

A dying man muft not fo much fix his mind on the pangs of Death, as on that bleffed eftate of eternal Life enjoyed after Death; upon which he must fix the eye of his Faith by J.fus Chrift.

We must look upon Death in the Glafs of the Gospel, as it is a fweet fleep, and an entrance into Heaven; not looking upon it in the Glass

of the Law, or, as a Curfe and Pit-fall to deftruction: For death of itfelf is nothing: it is our ill Confciences that make us afraid; it is not the Coffin, the Sheet, the telling of the Bell, and the weeping about us, makes Death fo horrible; as for Death it can do us no harm, for it is but a paffage to a better Life. I would have every Chriftian man and woman upon their fick beds to look for Death and take it patiently and willingly my first reafon is, becaufe the Death of every Member of Chrift is fore-feen, and ordained by the fpecial Decree and Providence of God, yea, the very circumItances thereof. Secondly, Then God's promife, Ble fed are they that die in the Lord, for they ref from their Labours, and their Works follow them. Rev. 14. 13. Thirdly, he that dieth in Chrift hath his Soul and Body really united to Christ according to the Covenant of Grace. Then fourthly and laftly, God hath promised his fpecial and bleffed prefence to the fick and dying that are his, as we may read in Ifa. 43. 2. Where he declares himself thus, When thou paf Jeth through the Waters, I will be with thee; and through the Rivers, they shall not overflow thee; when thou walkeft through the Fire, thou fhalt not be burnt, neither fhall the flames kindle upon thee: For I am the Lord thy God, the holy one of Ifrael, thy Saviour.

Now to die in Faith, is when a Man in time of his Death, with all his heart relies wholly on God's fpecial love and mercy in his Son Je fus Chrift. So did the Prophet David when he

was

was greatly diftr.ff.d, he encouraged himself in the Lord his God with a great deal of Faith, faying Remember the Word unto thy Servant, upon which thou haft promifed and caufed me to hope. This is my comfort in my off. Etion, for thy word bath quickned me my flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the firength of my heart, and my Portion for ever. As Moles lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness, even fo must the Son of Man be lifted up: That is, when he feels Death to come upon him; he then must fix his eye of Faith on Chrift exaled on the Crofs, and alfo crucified for eternal Life.

The very fighs, fobs, and Groans of a repentant and a believing heart, are Prayers before God as effectual, as if they were uttered by Vo tal Interceffion: Such as, Lord thou haft beard the defire of the Humble, thou wilt prepare their hearts, thou wilt incline thine Ear. He will ful fil the defire of them that fear him; He will alfo bear their Cry, and will fave them. Call to mind the last words of a dying man mestioned in the Holy Scripture, O Lord, I have waited for thy Salvation, Father into thy Hands I com: mit my Spirit, Lord Jefus, receive my Soul.

Here is matter of great comfort, mans mifery then fhall have an end, then his joys are approaching and at hand; yea, even while he is gafping in pangs of Death; then he is carried on a fudden by a Company of Holy and Bluffed Angels, from Earth to Heaven, from his Crofs to Paradife, from a World of Woe, Trouble, Affliction, Care, and Anxiety of mind,

to a Kirgdom of Happiness, and Eternal Blifs in Heaven, where there is no fear, nor forrow. Satan's envy, nor the Worlds malice, fhall not once fuffer to affail our Bodies or vex our hearts; and though Satan came to our first Parents, Adam and Eve, in Paradife, and there tempted and deceived them, here he dare not come to attempt any: Oh how bleffed is the change, when in the very moment of mifery joy enters! Imagin. you were a poor Traveller in the nighttime, and out of your way, wandring alone upon the mountains, and far from any houfe or Company; deftitute of money, terrified with Thunder, ftiff with cold, weather-beaten with rain and wind, wearied with labour, famished with hunger, and almoft brought to despair with a multitude of miferies: mark, I pray you, if this man upon a fudden, in the twinkling of an eye, fhould be placed in a goodly large and rich Palace furnished with rich and clear lights, warm Fire, fweet Odours, dainty Meats, foft Beds, pleasant mufick, fine Apparel, honourable Com pany; and all these prepared for him, and to Anoint and Crown him King for ever? What would this poor man do? What would he fay? Surely nothing, but rather in filence admire it; and weep for joy. Yet far happier than all thefe are the joys of Heaven, and furely fo is the ftate and condition of every penitent man, which can before he die make his peace with God; for then shall he be free from all earthly troubles which this world brings upon him,for while he lives here, he lives but in a Vale of mifery,

and