I. I am to justify this remark, by shewing you what foundation it has in the holy Scriptures, viz. That Christ usually comes to call us to an account, when we least expected his coming. I do not say, that all are surprised, out of time, into eternity. Paul had learnt to die daily, 1 Cor. xv. 31. and many have actually attained what Peter recommended to the Christians of his day, lived in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for, and hasting unto the coming of the day of God: 2 Pet. iii. 11, 12. We only say that it is common for men to be called to die, when they are pleasing themselves with the prospect of a long life. few particular exceptions endanger not the truth of this general observation.

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How abundantly does our Lord himself support this, when he says, "As the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days of Noah which were before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giv-· ing in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came and took them all away; so shall. also the coming of the Son of man be:" Mat. xxiv. 37, 38, 39. At the 43d verse of the same chapter he compares it to the thief coming in a watch of the night, in which the good man of the house thought himself secure ; of which he knew not. And (not to multiply quotations,) our Lord elsewhere asserts, that this day shall come upon men unawares, and that as a

snare it shall come on all them who dwell on the face of the earth: Luke xxi. 34, 35. The bird would not be taken in the snare did she know it, and look for it; but is then entangled, when least apprehensive of danger.

You will object, perhaps, that these passages refer to the general judgment, and so are not properly advanced in the present case. As to this, let me say, that they will hold good when applied to Christ's coming to our particular judgment, as well as when supposed to respect the last and general one; otherwise the parable of the foolish rich man in the gospel is wrong, even as to the very scope and design of it. I shall repeat as much of that parable as is needful to our purpose. This, it seems, was the resolution taken by that stupid worldling,-"I will say to my soul, soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry; but God said to him, Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee:" Luke xii. 19, 20. i. e. Thou art providing for futurity, and because thine estate may hold out for many years' revels, art fool enough to imagine that death must be at a vast distance; but you may never be nearer dying, than when the grave is most out of sight: this is thy case, for you talk of living and rioting for years to come, whereas this night you shall die.

Certainly when we are commanded to watch, and wait for his coming, this can mean no other

than Christ's coming by death: and yet this is urged upon us frequently in Scripture from that consideration, which amounts to all we assert, viz. Christ's coming (in this way) at a day and hour we looked not for; see Matt. xxiv. 42. Mark xiii. 35, 36, 37. Why is this doctrine carried through the gospel? the same case stated over and over again, if this were not fact?-one of importance to be set right about, though a truth which our minds do not without difficulty fall under the force and influence of?

II. Let us now inquire whence it comes to pass, that unthoughtfulness of death is so general a failing; and the coming of Christ at a time in which we looked not for it. His coming can never be unsafe to a gracious person, though in some circumstances it may be less agreeable than in otheis. Habitual preparation they have, when born of God; and upon their believing, are included in that covenant, which makes their salvation absolutely safe. But he must be actually ready, who would sing of victory in the last conflict, and rejoice upon his finding the grave. Among other things which make up this actual preparation, a lively and affecting prospect of Christ's coming, and a patient waiting for it, are no small ingredients. We do not mean, therefore, when we speak of Christ's surprizing us by death, that this is ever done so as to put a regenerated person's well-being for eternity into the least hazard; but when he

comes, and not looked for, a good man may want hope in his death, and a sinner is in the way of being irrecoverably lost.

Now the case being stated in this light, I proceed to show you what account may be given of the reasons of so general an infatuation: that though The living know that they must die, yet it is so common both to good men and bad, to indulge in a forgetfulness of their great change. And

1. There is a natural desire of life, that is a part of our constitution in good men and bad; this hinders us as to a serious, prevailing expectancy of Christ's coming. Death considered as the dissolution of the present frame, as the divorcing two such intimates as soul and body, as leaving what we see, and have long pleasurably enjoyed, to enter into an unseen eternal world, has somewhat in it ungrateful and shocking to nature. Where that faith is strong, which is the evidence of unseen things, there may remain some sort of a dislike of death; and in proportion to the weakness of this faith, we shall feel still more the force of this universal law. Our incarnate Redeemer was not without some seeming abhorrency of death, as an enemy to nature, though his human will yields to the divine, considering it as a necessary act of obedience, and essential to his discharge of the Mediatorial character. Now, we do not frequently, and of choice, converse with what has somewhat so disagreeble to us in it, considering us under the power of this

universal law of nature. By begetting us to the hopes of a better life, grace contributes towards. weaning us from this; but still, while we are in the body, we shall experience this among other inconveniencies of an embodied estate, viz. we shall find it hard to keep ourselves in a lively, cheerful, constant expectation of what is, and will be resented as a sore trial to flesh and blood. We are in danger,

1. Of accounting these thoughts needless, while in an established and flourishing state of health. No man can be so abandoned, as to conclude that he is immortal, because as yet he feels not the pangs and agonies, which are the harbingers of death; but the best are too prone to think that death is at a distance, while they neither see nor feel any thing like the forerunners of that last enemy. While their breasts are full of milk, and their bones of marrow, they go forth to their labor as giants refreshed with wine so full an enjoyment of life, sets them above any apprehensions of death. At least they may believe that they shall die, yet they conclude that there are many stages between them and the house appointed for all the living. The wise man intimates the force of this temptation, that it works, and too often prevails in this way, when he says in a satire upon such indiscretion, " Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, let thine heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth; walk in the ways of thine heart, and

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