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…

Use I. It serveth to settle and fix the impression of the truth of this point deeply upon us, and withal to reprove our living so much from under and without it; alas we take general truths ordinarily for granted, but as for any suitable use or application of them in our practice we live for most part as if they were untruths; we live as mortal in respect of sickness, infirmities and fears, but we live as immortal in respect of the stayed thoughts of a world to come; let me therefore pose you in sober sadness, how often do ye think seriously of dying? When laid ye your reckoning solidly for it? When descended ye into your hearts to see how it would be with you at death? how often have you made your testament this way to say so? and when took ye your leave and fare-well of the ⟨p. 7⟩things of a world and laid them some way by, on this consideration that death will make a final separation betwixt you and them? Take these two or three evidences that ye do not indeed mind death and mortality. 1. The stupid security we generally live under and our great unwatchfulness sayeth plainly that we do not really mind death, if we were thinking on death would we be so careless in counting with God and so little affrayed what will become of the immortal soul, and live as if there were not a life eternal, and as these of the old world did who eat and drank and never, to say so, once altered their pace? Ah! Is it not so with the most part now? Death lights like a falcon out of the air on the most part of men unaware, because this general truth is not practically believed, there could not be such deep and senseless security if there were serious thoughts and real belief of dying. 2. The great earthly mindedness and unsatiable coveting and lusting after the things of the world as if men were perpetually to abide with them, clearly and convincingly speak out this, believe me, serious thoughts of dying would much wean and estrange from these things; men alas seek after a happiness here in time as if they were to have an eternal abode in the world, as that poor rich man in the Gospel did who brutishly said to his soul, soul take thee rest for thou hast much goods laid up for many years eat and drink & be merry;

Use I. It serveth to setle and fixe the impression of the truth of this point deeply upon us, and withall to reprove our living so much from under and without it; alace we take generall truths ordinarlie for granted, but as for any sutable use or application of them in our practice we live for most part as if they wer untruthes; we live as mortall in respect of seiknesse, infirmities and feares, but we live as immortall in respect of the stayed thoughts of a world to come; let me therefor pose you in sober sadnesse, how often doe ye think seriously of dying? When laid ye your reckoning solidly for it? When descended ye into your hearts to see how it would be with you at death? how often have you made your testament this way to say so? and when tooke ye your leive and fare-well of the