Human nature in its fourfold state ... In several practical discourses

Wherefore, there are three cases, in which death cannot but be very uncomfortable to a child of God. (1.) If it seize him at a time when the guilt of some particular sin unrepented of, i• lying on his conscience; and death comes on that very account, to take him out of the land of the living; as was the cause of many of the Corinthian believers, 1 Cor. xi. 30. For this cause (namely, of unworthy communicating) many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. If a person is surprised with the approach of death, while lying under the guilt of some unpardoned sin, it cannot but cause a mighty consternation. (2) When death catches him •pping. The mighty cry must be frightful to sleeping virgins. The man who lies in a ruinous house, and awakens not till the timber begins to crack, and the stones to drop down about his ears, may indeed get out of it safely, but not without fears of being crushed by its fall. When a Christian has been going on in a course of security and backsliding, and awakens not till death comes to his bed-side; it is no marvel if he get a fearful awakening. Lastly, When he has lost sight of his saving interest in Christ, and cannot produce evidences of his title to heaven. It is hard to meet death without some evidence of a tittle to eternal life at hand: hard to go through the dark valley without the candle of the Lord shining upon the head. It is a terrible adventure to laugh out into eternity, when a man can make no better of it, than a leap in the dark, not knowing where he shall light, whether in heaven or hell.

Wherefore, there are three cases, in which death cannot but be very uncomfortable to a child of God. (1.) If it seize him at a time when the guilt of some particular sin unrepented of, i• lying on his conscience; and death comes on that very account, to take him out of the land of the living; as was the cause of many of the Corinthian believers, 1 Cor. xi. 30. For this cause (namely, of unworthy communicating) many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. If a person is surprised with the approach of death, while lying under the guilt of some unpardoned sin, it cannot but cause a mighty consternation. (2) When death catches him •pping. The mighty cry must be frightful to sleeping virgins. The man who lies in a ruinous house, and awakens not till the timber begins to crack, and the stones to drop down about his ears, may indeed get out of it safely, but not without fears of being crushed by its fall. When a Christian has been going on in a course of security and backsliding, and awakens not till death comes to his bed-side; it is no marvel if he get a fearful awakening. Lastly, When he has lost sight of his saving interest in Christ, and cannot produce evidences of his title to heaven. It is hard to meet death without some evidence of a tittle to eternal life at hand: hard to go through the dark valley without the candle of the Lord shining upon the head. It is a terrible adventure to lauh out into eternity, when a man can make no better of it, than a leap in the dark, not knowing where he shall light, whether in heaven or hell.