The blessedness of the death of these that die in the Lord and more…The blessednesse of the death of these that die in the Lord and more…

As to the second, To commend this duty to you all consider what advantage flows from it, though we spoke of meditation in general at another occasion, and hinted some what at meditation on death, yet it being so frequently spoken of in Scripture and so profitable to believers, we shall speak a little to some advantages that will commend the expedience of the duty, as well as the necessity of it to you; And 1, Much of the improvement of the great truths we have been ⟨p. 97⟩speaking of to you these days past, depends on your meditation on death, and these things that go before, accompany, and follow after it; its impossible to know a right, and to believe how great a task and work it is to die well, and what is the happiness of them that die so, if we be not taking pains to be cleared and confirmed in it by Scripture and by meditating on it; folks take but a glance at it in the by, but stay not to look on the quarrel and controversy that is betwixt God and them, neither do they consider seriously what is at the back of death, and therefore it surpriseth them when it comes; whereas that man can speak of death boldly and advisedly that hath been acquainting himself with it before hand. 2ly, There is nothing that readily doeth more heighten the estimation of God and of Christ then the thoughts of death, the thoughts of it brings folks closer and nearer to his bar, and make them look on him as Judge, they put them to consider their fecklenesse, baseness, and vileness upon the one hand, and the greatness of the Majesty of God upon the other; O! how sublimely do David and Job speak of God? when in the one word they talk of the grave, and of the cover of worms there, and in the other word, highly exalt the Majesty and greatness of God; Meditation on death brings the thoughts of what God is, and of what we are, very near us, and represents to us before hand what he will be found to be at and after death, and what we will be then; whereas on▪ the contrary, it is given as a root of our despising God, when men put the evil day far away, as no doubt a root of reverence and respect to God, is serious meditation on death. 3ly, More particularly, look to believers conversing with others that have grace, or that abound in corruption, we will find it exceeding needful, useful, and advantageous to carry along the thoughts of death;

As to the second, To commend this duty to you all consider what advantage flowes from it, though we spoke of meditation in general at another occasion, and hinted some what at meditation on death, yet it being so frequently spoken of in Scripture and so profitable to beleivers, we shall speak a litle to some advantages that will commend the expedience of the duty, as well as the necessity of it to you; And 1, Much of the improvement of the great truths we have been