or sensuality-how often you have taken pains to repair a misdeed by better conduct. Should a child fear to go into the presence of a merciful father, even if he have not got rid of all his faults? Has not Jesus clearly revealed the infinite mercy of His Father and our Father? Has He not assured to us, upon our sincere repentance, His pity and forgiveness? Whoever walks before God at all times with charitable, Christian feeling, need not tremble before the Omnipresent; and a sudden death to him would be a sudden benefit. A rapid dissolution takes from death its bitterness. The view of weeping relatives and friends, and reflection on the grief of those who are at a distance, aggravates the pain of our separation from the world. And this is, to a tender heart, the most distressing accompaniment of death. Who, without deep distress, can see the sorrow of his family, however much they may endeavour to conceal it? Who can be tranquil when they approach him to press for the last time the hand of true affection? Who can be calm, when, with doleful lamentations, they surround our death-bed in prayer?

Even the many solemn preparations for the event of our decease; the anxious attention and eager listening of our friends to all our motions; all the circumstances which commonly encompass a dying

person, embitter the lest moments of life.

There

fore doth God often send His beloved a speedy death. He withdraws them from the sad necessity of witnessing the fruitless, often the excessive, grief of those who remain behind.

Death itself the actual falling asleep-is not bitter. It is not suffering and cannot be so; because it is the end of all suffering-the point at which suffering has already ceased. Sickness is bitter; but sickness is not death-it only leads on slowly the approach of death. He whom God calls suddenly out of the world, is delivered from the agony of a sick-bed. He dies without having tasted of death. Between his earthly and heavenly life lies scarcely a single moment. Without care, without fear, without grief, he passes from his present existence to a better and more noble state, as a dreamer when he is roused from sleep, becomes clearly and instantly awake. He knows nothing of the contest between the desire of life and the power of deathin him there is no longing to continue with his friends-neither regret for that which he leaves behind, nor fearful expectation of that which is to

come.

Yes; to the sincere and righteous Christian a sudden death is not to be regarded as a punishment sent from God, but as one of His greatest

8

benefits. Thus called He an Elias, an Enoch, to Himself.

Moreover, how can that ever be evil which proceeds from Thy hand-Thou who art ineffably good? Lord of Seraphim and worms-Lord of life and death! I am in Thy hand--do with me as Thou wilt! for whatever Thou dost is unquestionably for the best! When Thou calledst me out of nothing into this life, my happiness was Thy will: if Thou call me from this life, shall my happiness be less Thy will? No, no! Thou art "LOVE"— whoever remains in love, will remain in Thee, O God, and Thou in him. Thou, Lord, art my light and my salvation-wherefore should I fear? Thou, Lord, art the strength of my life-of what should I be afraid?

XXXII.

IS A LINGERING OR A SUDDEN DEATH

TO BE PREFERRED?

PART II.

JEREMIAH XXxi. 25.

"For I have satiated the weary soul, and have replenished every sorrowful soul."

ALTHOUGH there may be many men, who, if they had their own free choice, would prefer to die at once, suddenly, without tasting the bitterness of death, yet there are, surely, still more whose wish it is even if they suffer under a long and severe illness-that they may be arrival of their last hour.

men, also, die in this way:

able to prepare for the The greater number of and only a few are sud

denly cut off by unexpected accident.

The sweetest of all deaths is, indisputably, that of advanced, godly, and venerable old age, in which, when all the powers are gradually exhausted, the love of life is extinguished, and the spirit longs after a better state of existence. Then

is life like a waning light, which beams, though faintly, till the last drop of oil is totally consumed.

To die the sweet death of a peaceful old age,to fall asleep amidst pious children and grandchildren, from mere debility, is indeed the secret or avowed wish of every man. It is seldom fulfilled. Seldom, because few men understand how to lay the foundation in their early days of a healthy and happy old age. Most manage ill, either in their youthful or maturer years, the strength of constitution which God has granted them. They consume too much of it, often in excessive work,— often in the lap of sensuality, often by imprudently neglecting the care of their health,-often through the violence of the passions to which they yield themselves. Nothing wears away human strength more quickly than passion, or the unhappy inclination to anger, hatred, envy, and sensual appetites. Nothing leads more certainly to great old age, than tranquil equanimity in good or bad fortune, the never feeling to excess either fear or joy. It is partly this waste of the powers of life-partly an inward hereditary tendency to one complaint or another-partly the causes of mortal diseases, which we imbibe from infection, or weather, or other circumstances ;—which brings us in general sooner than we wish or expect to a death-bed.