and profper in the end. This therefore is not the only, nor perfect ftate of things. The fcene fhall fhortly be changed, and the eternal world appear wherefore, fays the Apoftle, It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you, and to you who are troubled reft with us, 2 Thes. i. 6, 7.

3. How great is our privilege by the gofpel, by which life and immortality are fet before us in fo clear a light, that thence believers may fetch fuitable fupports to keep them from fainting under their foreft trials? Though godliness be attended with many fufferings, we are not left without relief.

It is faid of Egypt, that as no country is more infefted with venemous creatures, none does more abound with fuitable Antidotes. As to faints, it may be truly faid, no people are ufually more afflicted than they, and none have better cordials at hand, did they know how to use them. Bleffed be God for providing fo richly, not only for our after happiness, but for our prefent fupport and comfort by the way to it.

Laftly, Make fure that you be born again for a better world, and tending to it; and then labour to keep faith in exercife upon the goodness God bath laid up for them that love him.

They muft by a thorough change be made meet for heaven, who would enter thereinto. And this being once made in you, live by faith upon what you are going to enjoy. Whilft you are in the wilderness, often fend your thoughts as fpies. to take a view of the good of the promised land.

When

When you find yourselves inclined to faint under the trials of your present ftate, the darkness and death that reigns below, look up by faith to the world of light and life above: frequently entertain yourselves with the profpect of it, converfe much with it, fetch your strongest fupports and encouragements from it. Rejoyce in hope of the glory of God whilft you live, and be not afraid by dying to enter into it.

;

Remember whom you have believed, and for what, and be faithful to him even to the death and then after a life of faith, you fhall be ever pre→ fent with him, and fee him as he is, 1 John iii. 2.

SERMON II.

PSALM XXXIX. 13.

O fpare me, that I may recover ftrength, before I go hence, and be no more.

Ia

N these words we may conceive holy David standing, as it were, between both worlds ; upon the brink of time, and looking into eternity: and from the awfulness of the change, thus lifting up his foul in prayer to God, Opare me, that I may recover ftrength, before I go hence, and be

no more.

We have here,

1. The request he makes, or what it is he earneftly prays for, viz. That God would grant him longer space in the present world, and that he might not be now removed, but continued awhile longer on this fide death and the grave: O spare me.

2. The end for which he defires this, That I may recover ftrength, i. e. ftrength to meet and bear up under my dying lot, and go through the change I am to make with more tranquility of mind: Strength to get my house in order, and my foul in frame and preparation for that,

for

for which upon a nearer view, I am more fenfible than ever, the utmost that can be done, is little enough. Ofpare me, that I may recover frength.

3. The reason with which he urges his requeft, taken from the notion of death as it is an eternal farewel to the present state, a departure fo as never to return: Before I go hence, and be no more, i. e. No more in this world, or upon my tryal here, as I now am: No more in a capacity to finish the work of life, and prepare for death and eternity. If this be not done before this life ends, it can never afterwards be done.

He that goes hence does not abfolutely go out of being, so as to exist no more: But as he is a probationer for eternity, the time for this ends at death, and he is to be allowed as fuch, no more opportunity for ever.

Doct. The confideration that at death we are to go from hence, fo as to be here no more, is that which makes life upon earth of the greatest moment, and what even good men may fometimes pray to have continued a while longer, that they may be better prepared for their everlasting remove.

This the Pfalmift here does, from the confideration mentioned: having but one life wherein to prepare for an endless state, how earnest was he, that it might not conclude, till his work was finished; as it was to be done now or never. O Spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go bence, and be no more.

Here let us confider,

I. The notion under which death is represented, A going hence.

C 3

II.

II. How, when once gone, we are to be no

more.

III. Wherein our ftrength lies for going hence. IV. How much we are concerned to pray that God would fpare us, to get or recover strength preparatory to our final remove.

V. That this is the great thing good men have in their eye, in defiring life."

VI. When they may be led to pray that God would fpare them.

Laftly, The ufe of the Whole.

I. The notion under which death is reprefented it is a going hence, a departure out of this world, and from all the concerns and comforts of it, from having any thing more to do with it.

Of this we are often minded, as we are faid to have here no continuing city, and that here is not our reft. Agreeably to this, David fpeaks of himself as a firanger, and a Jojourner, one in motion to a more fixed state, ver. 12. of this Pfalm. When we come into this world we are not to dwell or abide here, but to act a part for eternity, and then to remove and receive according to what we have done in the body, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. God has fet us here as in our paffage to an after-state, Our journey begins as foon as born, and ends at death.

This is the way of all the earth, the way of all flesh. As furely as we had an entrance into the world, or are now in it, we are moving off again, and muft e're long leave it for ever.

Man