exhortation. Eccleſ. ix. 10. 'Whatſoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might:' and the reaſon is, 'for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wiſdom, in the grave, whither thou goeſt.’ Wherefore, O be active, while you are alive, for ye ſhall never work any more after ye are dead; and, if ye leave but one work undone, there is no doing of it after death. ‘There is no work’ (ſaith Solomon) ‘in the grave:' therefore. O be active.
Third. The faith of this truth, that we muſt all die, will help a Chriſtian to be exceeding mortified to the things of a preſent world. Oh! covetous men and women, would you ſhake hands with cold death but once every morning. I ſhould defy you to purſue the world ſo much aſ ye do. Paul was much in the meditation of his change, which made him, 2 Cor. iv. 13. to overlook theſe things that are temporary, ‘While we look not’ (ſaith he) ‘at the things which are ſeen, which are temporal, but at the things which are not ſeen, which are eternal:’ therefore, chapter v. 1, 2. 'Knowing, that if our earthly houſe of this tabernacle were diſſolved, we have a building of God, an houſe not made with hands, eternal in the heavens : therefore, in this we groan earneſtly, deſiring to be clothed upon with our houſe which is from heaven.’ What aileth you, Paul (might one have ſaid) may ye not take a look of the world ? No, ſaith he, ‘For I know, that if this earthly houſe of this tabernacle were diſſolved, I have a houſe with God, not made with hands, but eternal in the heavens:' that is, I know that ere long the pins of my tabernacle will be looſed, and it will fall down about my ears; therefore, I muſt look for another dwelling-houſe. And, I Cor. vi. 31. ‘The faſhion of this world paſſeth away.' Therefore, ſaith he, verſe 32. ‘I would have you without carefulneſs caring how to pleaſe the Lord.' And, Philippians iv. 5. ‘Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.' As if he had ſaid, death is approaching, and at hand ; therefore, I intreat you to he ſober. But I think many of
