3. As you walk every day, Christian, upon the brink of eternity, live in the daily expectation of death. This is the best way to enjoy life while it lasts, and advantageously to meet death whenever

it comes. Endeavor to get above all anxious desires of life, and slavish fears of death; and nothing can harm you, if you are thus the followers of that which is good. By your moderation to all things under the sun, shew that you believe the Lord is at hand. Beside the influence which this will have upon the innocence and fruitfulness of life, you may then say, with your dying breath, “I know that if this house of my tabernacle that is earthly were dissolved; I have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens; that when this shall fail, I shall be received into everlasting habitations. Happy the person who is in such a case: "Mark the perfect man, behold the upright, the end of that man is peace." May that God who has directed our hearts into his fear, direct us through the whole of life, to such a patient looking for Christ.

SERMON IV.

AS DEATH LEAVES US, JUDGMENT FINDS US.

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We have considered unthoughtfulness of death, as a general failing. No character exempts from this guilt, for it is charged upon both wise and foolish virgins. We have examined into the grounds and reasons of the case; showing you the weakness and folly of indulging a forgetfulness of this nature. We come now to treat of the

IV. Prop. That it will fare with us to eternity, according to the state and condition Christ finds us in at his coming. This offers itself from those parts of the parable where it is observed that such as were ready, entered in to the marriage; and such whom his coming found unprepared to meet him, were shut out for ever.

The wise man says, if the tree fall toward the south or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be; Eccl. xi. 3. The remark will hold, as to our falling by the stroke of death. If we die in the Lord, we shall be for ever with him; if children of wrath, this wrath shall abide upon us for ever. We are not proper

ly in a state of trial while upon earth, if being discharged from the body, a Christian had yet more to do or bear as a necessary preparative for glory; or a sinner put under a fresh dispensation of the grace of God. The doctrine of purgatory is a gainful artifice, but the cheat would never have taken, had not men been first taught that ignorance of the bible was a virtue; and that he had the most Christian spirit, who presumed not to examine any one article that carried the impression of the infallible church. It offers manifest violence to this divine revelation, and sinks the credit of our Redeemer's mediatory service: but while those mercenary men get money by her shrines, they will keep up the cry "Great is Diana of the Ephesians!" The Scriptures tell us that there is no work nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave, whither we go; Eccl. ix. 10. that when the dust returns to its dust as it was, the spirit shall return to God who gave it ; Eccl. xii. 7. The soul of the penitent thief was received to paradise, the same day of its disunion from his crucified body; and we are taught to believe, that there is no intermediate space between a wicked man's dying and his lifting up his eyes in hell-torments. So that although death does introduce all upon whom it passes into very different circumstances of happiness, or misery, to what they were in before, yet this is always agreeable to the state it finds them in of which, when the decree has brought forth, and

:

the sentence is executed, there is no more possibil

ity of change.

We laid this down as a principle, that many things in a parable are intended only to add to its beauty, and that it is sufficient in our interpretations, to attend to its scope: but the remark now made, enters into the very substance and design of this allegory. For if this part be locked upon as mere flourish, it will be hard to prove that the parable is instituted with any view to our instruction. In this discourse we may inquire,

I. Into the account our Lord gives of their happiness, whom he shall find ready at his coming. It is said that they went with him to the marriage, and the door was shut.

II. Wherein this readiness consists. This readiness to meet Christ at death, and enter upon the possession of this happiness.

III. I will show you how warrantably we may look for this happiness, when thus disposed and prepared for the enjoyment of it.

The way will then be cleared to a practical application of this part of the subject.

I. We are to see what this happiness contains in it, which our Lord appropriates to such whom his coming shall find ready. He says, they that are ready go with him to the marriage, and the door is shut. And now, who would not die the death of the righteous, and have their latter end like his? How bright the scene which opens to

our view? How delightful! How full of glory! In the article of conversion, a kind of marriagecovenant commences between God and the soul. He mentions, with pleasure, the kindness of their youth, and love of their espousals; Jer. ii. 2. And to show that the choice is reciprocal, he leaves this on record as what is done on his part, I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving-kindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness, and thou shalt know the Lord. "Know that thy Redeemer is thy husband: the Lord of hosts is his name;" Hos. ii. 19, 20. We frequently find God setting himself forth in the Scriptures, as standing in this relation to his people. Accordingly the apostle Paul addresses the believing Corinthians in this strain: "I have espoused you to one HUSBAND that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ;" 2 Cor. xi. 2. The solemnizing the marriage rites (you see) is reserved to our arrival at a better world. And John tells us, that a voice from the excellent Glory, assured him of its consunimation, upon our getting safe to heaven his words are these; "I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, saying, Hallelujah : let us be glad, and rejoice, and give honour to God, for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife has made herself ready. Blessed are they who are called to the marriage-supper of the Lamb;" Rev. xix. 6, 7, 9. Our Lord chooses to represent