The Whole Duty of Mourning and Preparing Ourselves for Death, Part 1 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. Several Motives to Remember Death practically Considered.
GOd having made Man of the Dust of the Earth. Gen. 2.7. and thereupon after his Fall shewing him his readiness to return to dust. Gen. 3.19. Ecclus. 12.7, doth yet further call us to consider our frailty; ordaining that this House of Clay is to be supported by a puff of Ayr continually breathed in and out, and that this being stopt the building must of necessity fall; from whence we see, our life hangs as it were, loose before us, going in and out every moment: therefore it is called the breath of Life, Gen. 2.7. and. 7.15.22. this ought to put us in mind of Mortallity, by thinking on the breath of our Nostrils so easily departing: this is plainly demonstrated by the Prophets. Isa. 2.22. Psal. 146.4. and 104.29.
II. Another Instrument of human frailty, is the Pulse, which ariseth from the Heart, and the Arteries or beating Veins; and this by a double motion of Contraction and Dilatation, whereby they are drawn in and out, both for the expeling of noxious fumes through the insensible pores of the flesh, and for drawing of, air, to refresh the heart and vital Spirits: from the variety of the Pulse are taken many signs of Health and Sickness, Life and Death: it is the Character of our Strength or Weakness, and from hence is described the fainting and decayed state of Man, from the panting of the Heart, and restlesness of the Arteries and beating Veins.
III. Another Sustainer of our Life is our daily Food, Meat and Drink, whereby the Spirit is revived. 1 Sam. 30.12. and without it we fall down into the Grave. Now if our appointed Food for a Meal or more, be wanting, then instantly the Body faints, and the Flesh fails, Isa. 44.12. then Death creeps on by degrees, and Men begin to dye sensibly: there is a Sense both of painful hunger in the Stomach, and of universal faintness and languishing through the Body: for hunger is a Worm gnawing the Intrails, calling for Meat, or threatning Death. Jer. 11.22. Lam. 4.9. Men being hungry and thirsty their soul fainteth in them. Psal. 107.5. and by this infirm condition whereunto God hath subjected our nature, he calls us to think on Death.
IV. Our Table, as oft as we come to it, is the Memorial of our Mortality; and our food before it enters the Body for nourishment, is diversly prepared, as Corn, and the like, are made to grow by the dung of beasts. Luke. 13.8. and from hence is the strength of our corruptible Life: So that we may say with Holy Job, to Corruption thou art my Father. chap. 17.14. But this not all, but we feed upon Death it self, and that by the allowance of the Almighty. Gen. 9.3. in taking away the lives of other Creatures to maintain our own; this is seriously to be thought upon as a wonderful Work of God: that our lives are preserved by the Death of the Creatures, our living Bodies are sustained by their dead Carcasses: in their Blood Swims our Life; and from their pangs of Death, spring the Pleasures of our Life, our Feasts and daily Food. Now if those that in part were maintained by Sin-Offerings were said to eat Sin; Hos. 4.8. then those that in part were maintain'd by the death of Creatures, may be said in the like Phrase to eat Death. So often therefore as we eat the Flesh of the dead Creature, and make our bodies to become their Graves; So often are we called to remember our own Death, and our own Grave in the body of the Earth.
V. Another Help to preserve our frail Bodies is our Apparel, which God hath given us to cover and defend them from Cold to preserve Health: and herein we have a double or treble memorial of Death; considering that our Apparel was given us, when by our Sin we came first into the World to the state of Death. Gen. 2.25. and when God first gave us our Garments he took 'em out of Deaths Wardrobe, they being made with the death of the Creatures from whence they were taken: God made coats of skin for Adam, and his Wife, and his Posterity, Gen. 3.21. Heb. 11.35. our Garments therefore being Badges of Mortality, and Cognizances of Death, so oft as we look upon them, we are called of God to remember Death; and so oft as we cloath our selves with them, to be mindful that we put on the Livery of Death.
VI. As Food and Raiment are Means to preserve Life, so Labour of Man in his Vocation is a means to get both Food and Rayment, and therefore an Help of Helps to maintain Life; and yet in and by this Labour also, we are called to remember our Latter End, and to think of Death: for upon Labour attends Weariness and Faintness, even a failing and decay of Life: Painful Labour sometimes maketh Men weary of their Lives and to think of Death, and wish for it as for hid Treasure; Ex. 1.14. Job 3.17.22. considering that in Death Men rest from their Labours. Rev. 14.13.
VII. And above all, consider the Labour, Vigilancy, and Care, that is found in the highest Callings, how many Thorns is there platted in every Crown: Likewise in the Magistracy, what Troubles is there in distributing Justice, and in the painful Work of the Ministry, who watch over Souls; all these have through their indefatigable Weariness in Affairs of Church and State, have thought it as the best Expedient, to think of Death; nay, even to wish for it, and consequently to prepare for it. Numb. 11.15. 1 Kings, 19.4.
VIII. And not only by the Weariness thereof, but by the divers Kinds of Labour in several Vocations, God takes occasion to shew the Vanity and Shortness of Life present, and summons them by their Callings, and by the Quality of their Works to think of Death: For the Weaver, by finishing every Web, God teacheth him how his Days are cut off, and the Web of his Life finished, Isa. 38.12. yea, before the Web is finished, by the running of the Shuttle at every Stroke, and every Thred added to the Web, the Lord admonisheth how swiftly the days of his Life run away, Job 7.6. Then the Shepherd in the Field, by the removal of his Tent or Fold, he is taught to think of the Removal of his Life.
IX. The Travel that Men have by Land, is appointed of the Almighty to put us in mind, that our days are swifter than a Post, Job 9.25. that we ride Post, as on Dromedaries that run by the way, in all hast to their Journeys end. And the Voyages that Men have by Sea in the most swiftest sailing Ships, is mention'd by the Almighty, to represent the swiftness of our Time, that carries us night and day, sleeping or waking to the Haven of Death; Job 9.26. and according to this Wisdom of God, and his Example, should Men make right use of their respective Callings, Employments, and Affairs of the World, to see before their Eyes continually, their Lawes End.
X. As Labour and Toil in the Day, so Sleep and Rest in the Night-Season, is also a necessary Help to preserve this Mortal Life; and this Sleep is a lively Image of Death: for in Sleep Men lye down as dead Men, without Sense or Motion, ceasing from their Works, and taking no notice of the things that are done by others; and therefore the Holy Scriptures describeth Death by the Name of Sleep, or lying down to sleep, Job 14.12. Psal. 76.5. Matth. 27.52. John 11.11. 1 Cor. 11.30. 1 Thes. 4.13. Now when Sleep assails us, and like a Giant throws us down, we ought to think of Death; and by sight of our Bed to remember our Grave, to look upon it as a Tomb or Sepulchre, and every Night before we go into it, to labour for reconciliation with God, that so we may lie down and sleep safely.
IX. Whenever Sleep seizes upon us, let us seriously meditate, and think how securely, and sweetly do they sleep, that take care to go to Bed with a just and quiet Conscience? who after a toilsome day of Faithfull Diligence and Industry, in a Course of prudent, just, and pious Living, lay down their carefull and wearied Heads in Peace and Tranquillity, and safely rest securely in the Bosom of the Almighties Providence: if they awake at midnight, their Conscience void of Offence, comforts them in the dark, and with Christian Courage, bids them not tremble or be afraid at the Shadow of Death; no, nor even at the grim Majesty of Death it self; but confidently, and with good Assurance, look up with the Eye of Faith, and long for the Dawn of that Eternal Day: this indeed should be our chiefest care, to note, and censure, and correct our selves: to strive for Mastery over our Passions; and to dismiss from our Thoughts, what no ways concern us.