the fcripture propounds it, as that which has a tendency to this thing: Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might (faith Solomon ;) for there is no work nor counsel in the grave, whi ther thou art going, Ecclef. 9. 10.

He propounds the confideration of our going to the grave, as a means to quicken us to our present work. By all which we fee, how much the serious rememberance of the days of darkness must needs contribute to our readiness and preparedness for thefe days: therefore be much in this work. For my own part, I have hardly found any one thing more quickening and engaging upon my spirit than this: and fouls, I would beg you, as you would live for ever, think often of death.

2. Would you indeed fet all things right in your souls, and make all ready for a dying hour? Then be not fond of long life here in this world; but rather covet to live as much as poffibly in a little time. I would speak of each diftinctly.

1. Be not fond of long life here in this world. A fond hope and defire of long life here, is one of the greatest enemies to a true preparation of foul for our departure hende.

For pray obferve, take a man that is fond of long life here, and all his thoughts and projects are for this world: he is wholly taken up about, and carried out after the concerns of time, scarce allowing himself one serious thought for death and eternity: a fad instance you have hereof in this rich man, Luke 12. 29. He reckoned upon many years, upon a long life here; and what are the things he is taken up about? Verily the things of this world only, the increase of his goods, and where to ftore his treasures.

Fond hopes and defires of long life here, will certainly produce great delays, if not utter neglects, in the great work and concern of our fouls and eternity.

As ever therefore you would have all right and well in the concerns of your fouls when you come to die, be not fond of long life here, but fit as loofe in your thoughts, hopes, and defires, both of this life, and all the enjoyments of it, as poffibly

you can.

And indeed (my beloved) to reason it a little with you, why should you be fond of long life here? Why fhould you covet a long ftay in this world? I would only plead with you in two things as to this:

1. What is this world, and what have we here, that we should here covet a long ftay? Is this world fuch a fweet, fuch an amiable, such a defirable thing? It is an angry world, a frowning, a dirty, a bewitching, enfnaring world: 'tis a waste, howling wilderness, a strange land, an house of bondage, a troublesome tempestuous fea, an aceldama, a field of blood; fuch I am fure 'tis oftentimes to the poor faints and people of God; and what have we here? Why, here we have fears within, and fightings without, troubles on every fide, and from all hands; from friends, from enemies, from men, from devils; here we have forrow, fnares, loffes, wounds, deaths, dangers, temptations, feductions, disappointments, vexation of spirit: and truly, little elfe is to be expected by us here, except that' which is worse than all this, (viz.) daily raifings and ebullitions of luft, violent eruptions of corruptions, great aboundings of fin and iniquity, both in ourfelves and others: continual breakings with God, and departings from him, renewing and encreasing fin and guilt daily. Indeed this world is full of fin, and temptation to fin: 'tis (as Austin fays) tota tentatio, all temptation; and as 'tis all temptation, so 'tis little elfe but fhould we covet a long ftay here?

fin: and why

Why (fays one

of the antients) should we so much defire that life, in which, by how much the longer we live, by

T

fo much the more we fin; and the more numerous our days are, the more numerous will our fins be? Who would defire to ftay long in a prifon, or a dungeon, in a state and place of fin and sorrow? And fuch is this world.

2. Is there not a better life, a better place, a better state for our fouls to long and aspire after? What do you think of the life above, a whole eternity spent in the Divine Prefence, in the bofom of Divine Love, a life of love, a life of pleasure, a life of joy, a life of admiration, a life of holiness, perfect and unspotted holiness, a life every way correspondent to the divine life, and the divine will ? Is not this a better life? To be with Chrift is best of all, Phil. 1. 23. To poffefs a manfion in our Father's house, prepared by our Lord, and Head, Jefus Chrift, for us; to live for ever in the vifion and fruition of Father, Son, and Spirit; to dwell in the heavenly city, where no unclean thing can enter; to join in with the glorious hoft of faints and angels sbove, and with them to spend a whole eternity in fongs of praises and hallelujahs to God, and the Lamb; to take up all our waters at the fountain-head; and indeed to dive and bathe unchangeably in the fountain of all delights at the Father's right hand: O how sweet is this life! and -how much to be defired by us!

In a word (my beloved) the faints, when in the best frame, have many of them been fo far from being fond of long life here, that indeed they have thought it long till the time came, when they fhould go hence and be no more, crying out with an holy impatience,-Why is his chariot fo long a coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariot ?

2. Covet to live much in a little time. 'Tis faid of the reverend and worthy divine, Dr. Preston, that he defired to, and accordingly did, live much in a little time. And our Lord himself (you know) did not live long in this world; but he lived much in a little time; he did much work in a few days for God and fouls. And indeed (my beloved) 'tis not a long life but a fruitful life, that is most amiable, moft defirable, and most like his life, who is life itself. 'Tis not he that lives many years, but he that lives much in a few years, that is the moft happy foul.

I know thofe, whofe ambition it is not to live long, but to live fruitfully, and to do as much as poffibly they can in a little time. And might they have their opinion or choice, it would be this, to live much in a little time; and then have their dif miffion to rest.