Do not you sometimes infect others and others infect you? There is no society in the world in which every member of it does not sometimes lay a stumbling block before the rest. the best carry about with them the tender of a corrupt nature, which they cannot be rid of while they live, and which is liable to be kindled at all times and in all places. Yes, they are apt to inflame others and become the occasions of sinning. Certainly these things are apt to embitter this life to the saints.

2. Consider the misery and troubles that attend it. Rest is desirable, but it is not to be found on this side of the grave. Worldly troubles attend all men in this life. This world is a sea of trouble, where one wave rolls upon another. They who fancy themselves beyond the reach of trouble are mistaken. No state, no stage of life is exempted from it. The crowned head is surrounded by thorny cares. Honor many times paves the way to deep disgrace. Riches, for the most part, are kept to the hurt of the owners. The fairest rose lacks not prickles, and the heaviest cross is sometimes wrapped up in the greatest earthly comfort.

Spiritual troubles attend the saints in this life. They are like travelers journeying in a cloudy night, in which the moon sometimes breaks out from under one cloud, but quickly hides her head again under another. No wonder they long to be at their journey's end. The sudden alterations which the best frame of spirit is liable to, the perplexing doubts, confounding fears, short-lived joys, and long-running sorrows, which have a certain affinity with the present life, must needs create in the saints a desire to be with Christ, which is best of all.

Three, consider the great imperfections attending this life. While the soul is lodged in this cottage of clay, the necessities of the body are many. It is always craving. The mud walls must be repaired and patched up daily until the clay cottage falls down for good and all. eating, drinking, sleeping, and the like, are in themselves but base employments for a rational creature, and will be reputed such by the heaven-born soul. They are badges of imperfection, and as such, unpleasant to the mind, aspiring unto that life and immortality which is brought to light through the gospel, and would be very grievous if this state of thanks were of long continuance.

Does not the gracious soul often find itself yoked with the body, as with a companion in travel, unable to keep pace with it? When the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak. When the soul would mount upward, the body is a clog upon it, and a stone tied to the foot of a bird attempting to fly. The truth is, O believer, your soul in this body is, at best, but like a diamond in a ring, where much of it is obscured, it is far sunk in the vile clay, until relieved by death.

I conclude this subject with a few directions how to prepare for death so that we may die comfortably. I speak not here of habitual preparation for death, which a true Christian, in virtue of his gracious state, never lacks from the time he is born again and united to Christ, but of actual preparation or readiness in respect of his particular case, frame, and disposition of mind and spirit, the lack of which makes even a saint very unfit to die.

First, let it be your constant care to keep a clean conscience, a conscience void of offense toward God and toward man. Acts 24 16. Beware of a standing controversy between God and you on the account of some iniquity regarded in the heart. When an honest man is about to leave his country and not to return, he settles accounts with those he had dealings with and lays down methods for paying his debts in due time, lest he be reckoned a bankrupt and arrested by an officer when he is going off. Guilt lying on the conscience is a fountain of fears and will readily sting severely when death stares the criminal in the face. Hence it is that many, even God's children, when dying, wish passionately and desire eagerly that they may live to do what they ought to have done before that time. Therefore walk closely with God, be diligent, strict, and exact in your course. Beware of loose, careless, and irregular conversation, as you would not lay up for yourselves anguish and bitterness of spirit in a dying hour. And because through the infirmity cleaving to us, in our present state of imperfection, in many things we offend all. Renew your repentance daily and be ever washing in the Redeemer's blood. As long as you are in the world, you will need to wash your feet, John 13, 10. That is, to make application of the blood of Christ anew, for purging your consciences from the guilt of daily miscarriages. Let death find you at the fountain, and if so, it will find you ready to answer at its call.

Secondly, be always watchful, waiting for your change. Like unto men that wait for their Lord, that when he comes and knocks, they may open unto him immediately. Luke 12, 36. Beware of slumbering and sleeping while the bridegroom tarries. to be awakened out of spiritual slumber by a surprising call to pass into another world is a very frightful thing but he who is daily waiting for the coming of his Lord will comfortably receive the grim messenger while he beholds him ushering in him of whom he may confidently say this is my God and I have waited for him The way to die comfortably is to die daily. Be often as saying as it were to die. Bring yourselves familiarly acquainted with death by making many visits to the grave in serious meditations upon it. This was Job's practice, chapter 27, verses 13 and 14. I have made my bed in the darkness. Go and do likewise. And when death comes, you shall have nothing to do but to lie down. I have said to corruption, you are my father. To the worm, you are my mother and my sister. You say so too, and you will be the fitter to go home to their house.

be frequently reflecting upon your conduct and considering what course of life you wish to be found in when death arrests you, and act accordingly. When you do the duties of your station in life or are employed in acts of worship, think with yourselves that, it may be, this is the last opportunity. And therefore, do it as if you were never to do more of that kind. When you lie down at night, compose your spirits as if you were not to awake until the heavens be no more. And when you awake in the morning, consider that new day as your last, and live accordingly. Surely that night comes of which you will never see the morning, or that morning of which you will never see the night, but which of your mornings or nights will be such, you know not.

Thirdly, Employ yourself much in weaning your hearts from the world. The man who is making ready to go abroad busies himself in taking leave of his friends. Let the mantle of earthly enjoyments hang loose about you that it may be easily dropped when death comes to carry you away into another world. Moderate your affections towards your lawful comforts of life. Let not your hearts be too much taken with them. The traveler acts unwisely, who allows himself to be so allured with the conveniences of the inn where he lodges, as to make his necessary departure from it grievous. Feed with fear, and walk through the world as pilgrims and as strangers.

Just as when the corn is forsaking the ground, it is ready for the sickle. When the fruit is ripe, it falls off the tree easily. So, when a Christian's heart is truly weaned from the world, he is prepared for death, and it will be the more easy to him. A heart disengaged from the world is a heavenly one. We are ready for heaven when our heart is there before us.

Matthew 6, 21.

Fourthly, be diligent in gathering and laying up evidences of your title to heaven for your support and comfort at the hour of death. The neglect thereof mars the joy and consolation which some Christians might otherwise have at their death. Therefore examine yourselves frequently as to your spiritual state, that evidences which lie hid and unobserved may be brought to light and taken notice of.

And if you would manage this work successfully, make solemn, serious work of it. Set apart some time for it. And after earnest prayer to God, through Jesus Christ, for the enlightening influences of His Holy Spirit, whereby you are enabled to understand His own word, and to discern His own work in your souls. Examine yourselves before the tribunal of your own consciences, that you may judge yourselves in this weighty matter.

And, in the first place, let the marks of a regenerate state be fixed from the Lord's Word. Have recourse to some particular text for that purpose, such as Proverbs 8, 17. I love those who love me. Compare Luke 14.26 If any man comes to me, and hates not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. Psalm 119 verse 6 Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all your commandments. Psalm 18 23 I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from my iniquity. Compare Romans 7 22 and 23 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man, But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind. 1 John 3 3 Every man that has this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure. Matthew 5 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Philippians 3.3 For we are the circumcision which worship, or serve, God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

The sum of the evidence arising from these texts lie here. A real Christian is one who loves God for himself as well as for his benefits and that with a supreme love above all persons and all things. He has an weighty and impartial regard to God's commands. He opposes and wrestles against that sin which of all others most easily besets him. He approves and loves the holy law, even in that very point wherein it strikes against his own beloved lust. His hope of heaven engages him to the study of universal holiness, in which he aims at perfection, though he cannot reach it in this life. He serves the Lord, not only in acts of worship, but in the whole of his conversation. And as to both, his spiritual in the principle, motives, aims, and ends of his service. Yet he sees nothing in himself to trust to before the Lord. Christ and His fullness are the stay of His soul. His confidence is cut off from all that is not Christ or in Christ in point of justification or acceptance with God and in point of sanctification too. Everyone in whom these characters are found has a title to heaven according to the word.

It is convenient and profitable to mark such texts for this special use as they occur while you read the scriptures or hear sermons. The marks of a regenerate state thus fixed in the next place impartially search and test your own hearts thereby as in the sight of God with dependence on him for spiritual discernment that you may know whether they be in you or not. When you find them, form the conclusion deliberately and distinctly, namely, that therefore you are regenerated and have a title to heaven. Thus you may gather evidences.

but be sure to have recourse to God in Christ by earnest prayer for the testimony of the Spirit whose office it is to bear witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. Romans 8, 16.

Moreover, carefully observe the course and method of providence towards you. and likewise how your soul is affected unto the same in the various steps thereof. Compare both with scripture doctrines, promises, threatenings, and examples. So shall you perceive if the Lord deals with you as he always does unto those who love his name, and if you are going forth by the footsteps of the flock. This may afford you comfortable evidence.

Walk tenderly and circumspectly, and the Lord will manifest Himself to you according to His promise. John 14, 21. He who has my commandments and keeps them he it is that loves me and he that loves me shall be loved of my father and I will love him and will manifest myself to him

but it is in vain to think of successful self-examination if you are loose and irregular in your walk

Lastly, dispatch the work of your day and generation with speed and diligence. David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep. Acts 13, 36. God has allotted us certain pieces of work of this kind which ought to be dispatched before the time of working be over. Ecclesiastes 9. 10. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might. For there is no work, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave where you are going.

Galatians 6, 10. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto those who are of the household of faith. If a passenger, after he has gotten on ship and the ship is getting under sail, remembers that he has omitted to dispatch a piece of necessary business when he was ashore, it must needs be uneasy to him. Even so, reflection in a dying hour upon neglected seasons and lost opportunities cannot fail to disquiet a Christian.

Therefore, whatever is incumbent upon you to do for God's honor and the good of others, either as the duty of your station or by special opportunity, put into your hand. Perform it seasonably, if you would die comfortably.

This concludes the reading of chapter 2 the difference between the righteous and the wicked in their death.