be united to God, not to be put in possession of his glory, and to see his face, but only that we may be delivered from our present suffering, which our infirmity leads us to suppose peculiarly severe. This impatience is doubtless very blameable; it arises from a want of consideration, that if death delays, it is because God sees it not fit to hasten it; and as he is infinitely merciful, he must have not only substantial reasons for such a disposition of things, but besides this, reasons derived from our own interest, which must require that we should suffer precisely what we do suffer. Consequently, to oppose ourselves to him, is to run into one or the other of two extremes ; either to prefer our limited and feeble conclusions to those of infinite wisdom, or to make a greater account of ease for this miserable flesh, which is at the point of perishing, than of the true interests of the soul, to the sanctification and salvation of which, we ought to presume that what we suffer can contribute in some great and important degree. We should, therefore, be always ready both to suffer and to remain upon earth as long as it shall please God to detain us here for his glory, and for our own salvation. We should stifle all those repugnances which the flesh opposes to the execution of the Divine will, and say from the heart, “ Thy holy will, O LORD, be done."

But we must admit that this occasion for exercising such submission to the will of God is rare and extraordinary in comparison with the third. We have much more repugnance to leave the world than to remain in it. It more frequently appears to us that death comes too soon than that it delays its approach. We are fearfully attached to this miserable life; and although it be so chequered a scene, and composed of more ills than years, we cannot bear the idea of its coming to a conclusion. It is then principally for this reason that we have occasion to make every exertion, to submit absolutely and unreservedly to the will of God. We should consider that he is the Master of all things, and that particularly life and death are in his power; that as he has given to us the first, so he can take it away; and that it would be an extreme injustice to dispute with him this right. He could have left us in our original state of non-existence, with that infinite number of creatures whose being was only possible, but who never have existed, and who never will exist. Having given us life, he could have instantly deprived us of it. Since, then, instead of thus dealing with us, he has preserved us until the present moment, far from complaining because

he leaves us no longer in the world, let us thank him that he has placed us there, and so long preserved us.

It is, besides, proper to consider that all we gain by our impatience is, that we thus render ourselves on the one hand more criminal, and on the other more miserable. We do not by this means place death one moment farther from us : it will not be less sudden nor less inexorable: all that we do by that is to add new sins to those we have already committed. We raise thoughts in the heart opposed to the will of God; and besides, we torment ourselves; while, on the other hand, by resigning ourselves to God, we might enjoy a rest and tranquillity inconceivable and eternal. Finally, it is well to consider, that it is an absurdity to find fault with a law as old as the world, and which has been executed upon all, as well the greatest as the best. If we only were called to die, we might have reason to think it grievous ; but is it not very unjust to complain when our lot is the same as that of the whole human race without exception? It will no doubt be alleged, that the complaint is not so much that we are subject to death, but only that we must die so soon. We would be satisfied to die if death could be delayed a few years: but besides that this delay would never seem to us sufficient, and that we should

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always think death had come too soon,* let me ask, Shall not others die until it suits their convenience? Let us not complain, then, of our allotment, and let us readily submit to a law which we cannot change for the better.

CHAPTER X.

EXAMINATION OF THE CAUSES OF OUR REPUGNANCE TO DEATH.

From what has been said, it very clearly appears that we should be resigned to die whenever God sees fit to call us. But further to investigate this subject, it may not be amiss to inquire into the causes of that difficulty, which we find in the practice of this duty. There are four in particular that deserve our attention.

I. The propensity of nature, which irresistibly inclines us to love life, and consequently to avoid death.

II. The excessive attachment to the good things of this world, which death wrests from our possession.

III. The unbelief which prevents a proper estimation of those advantages which death procures for our enjoyment; and

IV. The apprehension of the judgment of God, which we must undergo immediately after death.

The first of these is harmless ; indeed, we may say that God is the author of it. But all innocent as it may be, both in itself and in its nature, it becomes criminal when it leads us to oppose

the