forth. Some are forming Designs for many Years to come, tho they have not a Moment but the prefent one at their difpofe. 'Tis only the prefent time that is ours, yet that is fliding away while I am fpeaking to you; and that Moment in which I pronounced the laft Sentence, will never return again. We enjoy the precious Commodity of Time, Moment after Moment; God gives not two together, but takes away one when he gives another: how should we then value that we enjoy fo little of at once? Therefore let us redeem Time, and give all Diligence to be found of Chrift in Peace, without Spot and Blame, in the Day of God.

(2.) Confider that neither the Hour of Death, nor that of Chrift's appearing, can tarry beyond the time fixed in the Counfels of Heaven, till we prepare our felves. Whether we are ready or no, we must away at the Divine Summons, and when that will be, we cannot tell. Chrift will not delay his Coming to Judgment; but at the time appointed by the Father, He that shall come, will come, and will not tarry, whether thou art ready for his Coming or not; therefore be ye always ready.

(3.) Confider that at Death your State is determined for ever. As the Tree falls, fo it lies; and as Death leaves you, Judgment will find you. If you die in a State of Sin, under the Wrath and Difpleasure of God, you will abide fo for ever. We can die but once, how does it then concern us to prepare for that which can be but once done, because an Error committed in that, cannot be amended afterwards? O Sirs! Think of it with ferioufnefs, whenever these Souls diflodg from your Bodies, they'l be fixed in an unalterable State of Hap

piness or Mifery. There is no refining Fire to purge you, if you go unprepared into the next World.

(4.) Confider how great will be the Disadvantage, if you are furprized in an unprepared State. Thy Indifpofition just before thy Death may be fo great, that thou mayft be uncapable of ferious Reflection. Moreover, how wilt thou do to sustain acute Pains and amazing Terrors? To groan under the Burden of a weak dying Body, and feel the Convulfions of a wounded Spirit at the fame time! To be fo fick that you cannot live, and yet fo guilty as to be afraid to die, this is a deplorable State indeed! Dr. Fer. Taylor tells us of a melancholy Perfon, who faw Hell in a Dream or Vision; whofe Amazement thereupon was fuch, that he would have chofen ten times to die, rather than feel again fo much of that Horror. And certainly fomething equal, if not exceeding this, does feize unprepared Sinners, when they are just entring into Eternity. Who can tell the thoufandth part of that Torture, which poor Souls feel from a Senfe of Divine Wrath, when the Horrors of a guilty Mind mix with the Pangs of Death? Again, thy Summons into the other World may be fo fudden, that thou mayft have neither time to confider what is convenient to be done, nor time to do it in. O how fad will be the Condition of fuch who are called before they are ready for Christ's. Appearing and Kingdom! Do you think you could do any thing to get ready to meet your Judg, if you faw him appearing in the Clouds of Heaven with Power and great Glory? If the Elements were melting with fervent Heat, and the Heavens fhrivel'd up as a Scroll when

'tis

'tis rolled together; if the Mountains were removing, and the Earth fhaking, and the Stars falling, and the World blazing and cracking about your Ears; what could you do amidst all that Noife and Terror? You would then be for hiding your felves in Dens and Rocks of the Earth, and call to the Mountains to fall on you and cover you, from him that fits on the Throne, and the Wrath of the Lamb.

(5.) Confider, that if you should defer Preparation to an indefinite Hereafter, you are not fure that God's Spirit will afford you any affiftance, and without that thou canft neither repent or believe, for both are the Gifts of God. By Grace you are fav'd thro Faith, and that not of your felves, 'tis the Gift of God, not of Works, left any Man fhould boaft. Refift not the Spirit, left he ftrive with you no more; Can the Ethiopian change his Skin, or the Leopard his Spots? then may you that are accuftom'd to do evil, learn (of your felves) to do well. I believe you that have had Experience of Divine things, and know what it is to pass from Death to Life, will readily own, that the Will of Man is determin'd by the Special Grace of God, when Chrift is form'd in the Heart, and is become the Object of its Defire and Choice; and that mere Nature as corrupted can no more refift a pleafing and agreeable Temptation to Sin, than the faint Breath of a Man can ftop the rapid ftreams of a mighty River.

(6.) Confider the Advantage of being always ready. Death in any drefs will be no Terror to a prepar'd Soul; and tho the Cry should be at Midnight, Come ye forth to meet him, you'l be ready at that fhort warning with Gladnefs to enter in with the Bridegroom. 'Tis

Mens

Mens being unready that makes them fear Death; but the Fears of Death abate, when we know that the Sting is remov'd, and the King of Terrors himself is embrac'd as a Friend by that Man that is compleatly ready to die:. and indeed 'tis only fuch that can retain a firmness of Spirit under conftant Pain and lingring Sickness, the Harbingers of Death.

To have all quiet and well within, while the Body languishes with Pain; to have strong Confolation and good Hope, as the Anchor of the Soul both fure and ftedfaft, juft as we are lanching forth into the Ocean of Eternity: This, this is peculiar to thofe that are ready. And with what alacrity and pleasure can fuch Souls engage in all parts of Religious Worfhip here, who are ready for their remove, and fit to be join'd to the general Assembly above?

In fuch a posture of Soul was He, whofe Death occafions this Difcourfe. I doubt not but he was actually as well as habitually ready; you know I mean your late Worthy Paftor Mr. Hercules Collins, concerning whom I have need to say the lefs, because his Doctrine you have heard, and his Example you have seen for fo many Years: the former was agreeable to the Sentiments of the Reformed Churches in all Fundamental Articles of Faith, and the latter fuch as did adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour.

He began to be Religious early, and continu'd Faithful to the laft. He was not fhock'd by the Fury of Perfecutors, tho he fuffer'd Imprisonment for the Name of Chrift.

He was one that had a folid Acquaintance with Diving Things, about which he always

spoke

fpoke with a becoming Seriousness and a due Relish; and I must fay, I hardly ever knew a Man that did more conftantly promote Religious Difcourfe (a Practice almost out of fafhion:) he fhewed an unwearied Endeavour to recover the decayed Power of Religion, for he lived what he preached, and it pleased God to fucceed his Endeavours in the Gospel after a wonderful manner. Are there not

here many that must call him Father, whom he bath begotten thro the Gofpel? May it not be faid of this Man and that Woman, they were born here?

If he had not fome Mens Accuracy, yet it was made up by a conftant Flame; for no Man could preach with a more affectionate Regard to the Salvation of Souls, And how well he discharged the other Branches of his Paftoral Function, this Church is a Witness, whom he has watched over and visited above five and twenty Years.

He had Luther's three Qualifications for a Gospel-Minister; he was much given to Meditation and Prayer, and hardly any Man was more grievously tempted of the Devil than your deceased Paftor: tho for many years Satan in a great measure was bruifed under his Feet, and God had fo cleared up his Love to his Soul, that he could fay, I know in whom I have, believed, I know to whom I have committed my Soul, I know that my Redeemer liveth; and I know that when this earthly House of my Tabernacle is diffolved, I have a Building of God, a Houfe not made with Hands, eternal in the Heavens. His conftant walk was in the Fear of the Lord, and in the Comforts of the Holy Ghoft. He had a full Affurance of the Love

of