be eye-witnesses of their Saviour's transfiguration. But, O believer, death procures a greater happiness to you; it ushers you to mount Zion, where you shall not only see your Saviour whiter than the snow, and brighter than the sun, but yourself transfigured with him, made like him, and eternally secured of his presence. The three apostles saw but two prophets; but you shall see all the prophets, all the apostles, all the patriarchs, all the martyrs, all the holy persons you once conversed with on earth, and, in general, all the saints in heaven, each of them shining as the sun: and, how sweet will their company be? O how soon will the trifles of the world evanish, and all its pleasures be forgot when once the believer gets a view of that captivating glory above! When the shepherds heard but some few notes of the angel's songs, who praised God at the nativity of our Saviour, they presently left their flocks and ran to Bethlehem to behold the child Jesus lying in the manger; but much more cause hath a believer to leave all the pleasures of the world, and run to behold an exalted Jesus sitting on the throne of his glory, with all his saints and angels singing praises around him.

If Cato and Cleombrotus, two heathens, after reading Plato's book of the immortality of the soul, did voJuntarily, the one fall on his sword, the other break his neck from a precipice, that they might the sooner come (as they fancied) to partake of these joys; what a shame is it for Christians, who have a far surer and clearer discovery of these things from God's own book, to be found unwilling to enter into these heavenly joys, when their blessed Redeemer calls for them thither!

3dly, Consider how willing Christ was to come from heaven to earth for you: and, should you be unwilling to remove from earth to heaven for him? yea, for yourselves, for the gain is yours. O did Christ assume your nature, become obedient to death, and purchase an inheritance for you with his blood? and

will you be backward to go and take possession of it? O for a Christ-like obedience at death.

Lastly, Consider what a reproach is cast on Christianity by a believer's being unwilling to die. For Christians to pray and speak much of Christ, of heaven and glory, and yet be unwilling to enter into that glory; what is it but a misbelieving of God, and a tempting of strangers to think there is no reality in religion?

Quest. "Since death is not easy to grapple with, how shall I attain to this blessed disposition, a willingness to die?"

If a be

Ans. 1st, Be frequently putting forth the acts of faith upon the righteousness of Christ; and believe that Christ died to bring in a perfect righteousness for believers that they all might be complete in him. Now, why should a believer be afraid to appear before God in Christ's righteousness, which is so pleasing and acceptable to him? Rev. xiv. 4, 5. They are said to be without fault before the throne of God. liever were to appear before God in his own righteousness, clothed with, his own duties and performances, it would be dreadful to think of dying; but to have the white garment of an elder brother to put on, gives another view of death. Alas, it is our neglecting the daily exercise of faith in the righteousness of Christ, that makes the thoughts of death so unwelcome!

2dly, When you attain to peace and reconciliation with God, labour to preserve it. Be stating and clearing counts with God every day, and watch against these sins that wound conscience, waste comfort, and grieve the Spirit of adoption. When we think God is displeased with us, we will be afraid of going to him.

3dly, Study to be more denied to the enjoyments of this life, and to use them with a holy indifferency; otherwise there will be an unwillingness to leave these things,

4thly, Labour to be deeply sensible of the burden of indwelling sin and corruption, and the workings thereof in your hearts; and this will make the thoughts of death welcome, because it eternally delivers you from it.

5thly, Seek further discoveries of the loveliness of Christ, and the daily exercise and increase of your soul's love to him; for it is the nature of love to long after communion with the person we love.

6thly, Make death familiar to you, by the frequent forethoughts of it. Retire oft from the world to think of dying, when you are in best health.

7thly, Be much taken up in the sweet employment of praising God, and exalting the worthy Lamb that was slain; and this will incline you to be there, where this is the continual work.

Lastly, Be oft thinking of these warnings and forerunners of death, which God sends to wean your heart from the love of life, and dispose you to a willingness to die. For this end, God sends manifold diseases, pains, infirmities, wants, straits, losses, crosses, disappointments, &c. And in a special manner, let old people view the forerunners and harbingers of death, which God sends to prepare his way; such as the decays and infirmities of old age, which we have elegantly described in figurative expressions, Eccles. xii. 2. "Then the light of the sun, moon, and stars shall be darkened;" i. e. In old persons, the intellectual powers and faculties, which are as lights in the soul, shall be weakened. "And then do the clouds return after rain;" i. e. Their distempers are frequent, like a continual dropping in a very rainy day; and the ending of one is but the beginning of another.-ver. 3. "Then the keepers of the house do tremble;" i. e. The head and hands which were employed for the preservation of the body do shake." The strong men bow themselves;" i. e. The legs and thighs, which are the pillars of the house, become weak and feeble. "The grinders cease, because they are few;" i e.

The teeth, which, like the upper and nether millstone, do grind our meat, and prepare it for concoction, then cease to do their part." Those that look out of the windows are darkened;" i. e. The eyes wax dim, whereby God calls us to turn them away from beholding vanity, and to look after the things that are not seen. -ver. 4. "The daughters of music are brought low;" i. e. They have neither voice nor ears; they can neither sing themselves, nor take pleasure in the voice of singing men or singing women. Then death pulls us, as it were, by the ear to think on the music above. ver. 5, "The almond tree flourisheth;" i. e. The hair grows white like an almond tree in the blossom. And as the outward parts of the body do weaken and decay, so also do the inward parts: therefore it is said, ver. 6. "Or ever the silver cord shall be loosed, the golden bowl broken, the pitcher broken at the fountain, and the wheel broken at the cistern;" i. e. The silver cord of the sinews is loosed, which carries the faculty of sense and motion from the head through the body. The head, which, like a golden bowl or box, contains the brain, that is the fountain of sense and motion, through age is broken, and turns crazy. The many pitchers of the veins, which carry the nourishing blood from the well of the liver unto each part of the body, become like broken vessels. And the wheels of the arteries, which convey the vital spirits from the heart to the several members for quickening them, begin to turn faint and languid. All these things do warn old persons to take their affections off time's things, and set them upon things above, that they may be helped to say, we "desire to depart, and to be with Christ."

But, after all, some believers will have objections against willingness to die, some whereof I shall consider.

Object. I. "I am threatened to be cut off in the flower of mine age."

Ans. Instead of fretting on this account, you ought

rather to adore and praise a gracious God, that is willing to bestow the reward of the whole day upon thee, who hast only laboured some hours of it. Praise him that is willing to take you so soon home; whereby you will prevent much sin and sorrow in the world.

Object. II. "I have houses and lands, and a comfortable dwelling on the earth."

Ans. These are only needful in your passage through the world; above there is no use for these comforts. There God provideth mansions for his people, a thousand times more comfortable, John xiv. 2. 2 Cor. v. 1. Surely houses of God's building, and of Christ's furnishing, are preferable to the cottages built by men's hands.

Object. III. "But I am loath to leave God's ordinances, and the sweet communion I have had with him therein."

Ans. Above there will be no need of ordinances, sacraments, bibles, or ministers: for the Lamb will be the light of the heavenly temple, and all hid things in religion will be discovered in Christ's face. There you will celebrate an eternal Sabbath, drink the fruit of the vine new with Christ, "be ever with the Lord," without any cloud or interruption of your communion with him. Is it any loss to be taken from the shallow streams, and set by the fountain that is ever full and running over?

Object. IV. "I am loath to leave the company of godly friends and relations."

Ans. Death will take you to your friend Christ, that is far better than them all. And for one friend you lose upon earth, you shall find an hundred in heaven; and these godly relations you leave here, you shall soon meet with them again there, where you will have far sweeter communion: than possibly you can have upon earth with them or the best of men, who, while here, have several infirmities and passions, that many times make their converse uncomfortable.

Object. V. "But I would fain see the glory of