One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 87
SERMON LXXXVII. That God hath determined a preciſe time to every particular man in the world, how long he ſhall live.
JOHN 17.15.
I pray not that thou ſhouldſt take them out of the world, &c.
THough we have gathered the full vintage of this Text, yet there remain ſome gleanings, of which we may ſay with the Prophet, a bleſſing is in it.
Two remarkable truths there are implied, the firſt in the Negative, the ſecond in the Poſitive part. In the firſt, in the Negative, I pray not that thou ſhouldſt take them out of the world. We may obſerve,
That God hath the dominion and immediate diſpoſing of our being and continuance in this world. When his day is come, when his Decree is expired,Obſerv. That God hath the dominion and immediate diſpoſing of our being and continuance in this world. then none can withſtand; when he commands to return to the duſt from whence we came, or ſhall ſay, This night thy ſoul ſhall be taken away, there cannot be any gainſaying. This truth is the more to be regarded, becauſe it hath been doctrinally agitated by learned men, Whether there be an immovable term of life in this world prefixed to every man? and then practically it is of great concernment, as is to be ſhewed.
But to explain this truth, conſider, Firſt,Propoſitions explaining this truth. That God hath not onelyonly determined a general or ſpecifical time for all in the world, but an individual and peculiar for every man or woman, a general term of life God hath provided, ſo that none ſhall live beyond it. No man ever lived a thouſand years. In the beginning of the world, then men were longer lived, but in Moſes his time, we ſee him affirming the ordinary bounds of a mans life to be threeſcore and ten, Pſa. 90. For in the wilderneſs by their wickedneſs, they brought ſhort dayes upon themſelves: So that all creatures have a general term of life. There is the maximum quod ſic, though ſome live longer then others. Thus men have bounds in the general, they cannot out-live. But this is not enough, God hath appointed to every individual man, his continuance in the world, ſo that it is God that taketh him out of the world, when his time cometh.
2. Though God hath thus appointed our continuance in the world, ſo that in reſpect of his providence, none could live longer or ſhorter, yet if we reſpect ſecond cauſes, and ſpeak according to them, ſo we may truly ſay, ſuch might have continued longer in the world. Hence wicked men are ſaid, not to live out half their dayes; and Solomon ſaith, Be not over-wicked, Eccleſ. 7.17. Why ſhouldſt thou die before thy time? Wicked men many times by their wickedneſs, drunkennes and uncleanneſs kill themſelves, and ſometimes provoke God to deſtroy them. But though they are ſaid not to live out half their dayes, yet that is to be underſtood in reſpect of ſecond cauſes, not Gods appointment; for ſo it was their whole dayes.
3. Though God hath appointed the times of our abode or removal out of the world, yet this decree and appointment is brought about in the uſe of means. We are not to apprehend ſuch a decree in God, that we ſhall live ſuch a time, let us do what we will, eat or not, it's no matter for the uſe of the means. This is wretchedly to diſhonour God; for though Gods will doth not uncertainly depend upon thy will, yet his appointment is with great ſweetneſs and condeſcention to ſecond cauſes, both natural and rational, ſo that they are moved by him according to their natures. Therefore when Paul had a revelation, That none in the ſhip with him ſhould periſh, yet he tels them, that unleſs they continued in the ſhip with him, they ſhould periſh, Act. 27.31.
4. Therefore though God hath appointed the bounds of our life in this world, yet he hath kept it ſecret from us, he lets none know (unleſs by ſpecial revelation) the times of their death. And therefore there is a duty impoſed upon all, that they uſe the means of life, Thou ſhalt not kill, reacheth firſt to a mans ſelf, and then to another: Hence to live chearfully, to uſe the help of the Phyſician are duties; Chriſt ſaid, The ſick need the Phyſician, Mat. 9.12. as for ſecret things they belong to God. The ſouldier knoweth not, whether he ſhall conquer ſuch an enemy, ſcale ſuch a wall, yet becauſe his General commands him, he is ready to obey, and thus though we cannot tell, ſuch means ſhall prolong our lives in the world, yet Gods will cannot be neglected without great ſin.
5. God hath determined the time of our being in the world, out of juſtice and wrath to the wicked, out of mercy and wiſdom to the godly. It's anger to the wicked, for all the while they live, they increaſe their ſin, they treaſure up wrath; ſo that it had been well for them, if they had been cut off by death long before. They live to make hell the hotter for them, when they die. But to the godly the time of their abode is limited in mercy. The righteous is taken away from the evil to come, Iſa. 57.1. The ſhepherd driveth his ſheep to a refuge, before the ſtorm ariſeth. The jewels are ſafely put up, when the houſe is in danger; when Simeon had ſeen and imbraced Chriſt, then he had liberty to depart. The word is uſed in Scripture ſometimes of thoſe that are diſmiſſed out of priſon, or are diſpatched, when their errand is done, or freed from a flux, or ſuch diſeaſe that is upon them; and certainly, in theſe reſpects it may be applied, when God taketh his out of the world, it's becauſe they have finiſhed this work, and death freeth them from this world that was like a priſon to them, yea and now a ſtop is put to all thoſe luſts, that were like a bloody flux running from them; ſo that the time when God takes his out of the world, is from much wiſdom and great mercy: They ſhall not go ſooner, nor yet later then he willeth; and thus many times they are like that happy man, Cui ſine laſſitudine peractum eſt iter.
Proofs of the point. 1. From Scripture.Now that it is God that continueth and takes out of the world, appointing every one their ſet time appeareth by evident Texts of Scripture, Job 14.5. where a mans dayes in particular, are ſaid to be determined, the number of his moneths, and his bounds beyond which he cannot paſs; he ſpeaks here of every man in particular; it is not worth while to anſwer the cavils againſt this place. So that as God hath appointed a ſet time for governments, and when that period is come, then all the world cannot hinder a change, as Dan. 5.25. God hath numbred thy kingdom, and given it away. Thus he doth alſo to every particular perſon. Not that men may neglect means, or do what they liſt, but he hath ordained this in and by the uſe of the means. Thus Act. 17.26. God is ſaid to determine the ſeaſons, and the bounds of our habitation.
Argum. 2.2. God hath appointed the time of our abode in this world, becauſe he is the daily preſerver and keeper of us. Should not he continue the breath of life, we ſhould preſently fall into the duſt, out of which we came. Thus Act. 17.28. In him we live and move, and have our being. Thus we could not ſtir the foot, nor move the tongue did not God inable us; conſervation is a daily creation. Hence Daniel tels that great Belteſhazzar, though a mighty Monarch, Dan. 5.23. that he did not glorifie God, in whoſe hand his breath was; If God do but blow upon the richeſt, greateſt and healthfulleſt man that is, he is immediately ſcattered, as when we blow upon a little duſt; yea neither food would nouriſh us, or the creatures afford any ſuſtenance did not God give a bleſſing to them, as you may ſee Exod. 23.25. He will bleſs thy bread, and thy water, and take away thy infirmities from thee. Thus when the pillars of the houſe are removed, that muſt preſently fall into rubbiſh, ſo when God takes away his arm man runneth into nothing; and be David be, even to admiration, ſo affected with Gods providence in his conſtitution, ſhall not the ſame care be ſhewed to his diſſolution? Pſ 139.16. he ſpeaks there how curiouſly his body was wrought, even like any tapeſtry or needle work, and that all his members were in Gods book. Solomon ſaith, There is a time to be born, and a time to die. But as the one is from Gods appointment, ſo muſt the other be.
3. It's God only that appoints the time of our being in the world, Argum. 3.becauſe even thoſe deaths that ſeem to be the moſt caſual, and ſo we would think not at all under Gods providence, yet are expreſly attributed to him. All caſual murders, they are by the peculiar appointment of God, though men that are inſtruments did not intend the death of ſuch, that God is the God of death, as well as of life, appeareth Pſ. 68.20. To him belong the iſſues of death; if by iſſues be meant, the evaſions and eſcapes from death, it aſſerts this truth, That it's God only who appoints when a man ſhall die, and when he ſhall not, ſome are now taken out of the world, ſome at another time, and all at the meer pleaſure of God. But if you underſtand it, as ſome learned men do in this ſenſe, To God belongs the goings out to death, then it's more plain, and indeed this is more conſonant to the text, for the Prepoſition … will perſwade this, and the uſe of the phraſe, Jer. 15.1, 2. where ſome are ſaid to go out to death, and others to captivity: ſo that the Pſalmiſts meaning will then be, To God belongs ſalvation, which he will ſhew to his people; but as for the wicked, he hath many wayes to bring them to death. Thus you ſee, to God belongs the whole diſpoſing of us, the continuing or taking us out of the world. To this we may adde a parallel place, Pſal. 31.15. My times are in thy hand, ſave me from mine enemies. They cannot deſtroy me, when and where, or how they pleaſe, that as it was with our Saviour, he had his hour, wherein he was to ſuffer, ſo that till then, all the power of men and devils could not apprehend him. Thus it is with all men, they have their hour: Even thoſe that by the greateſt hap come to their death, are yet ſaid to be delivered to it by God himſelf, Exod. 21.13. cum Deu. 19.4, 5, 6. If a man cutting of wood have the head of his hatchet flie off, and kill another, God there ſaith, He delivered that man into his hand.
4. We muſt acknowledge God doth ſet bounds to every mans life, Argum. 4.becauſe the time of their death is called their day in a peculiar manner, viz. that day God had appointed for them. Jer. 50.27 Wee unto them, when their day ſhall come, that day wherein God had appointed them for ſlaughter, and Pſ. 37.13. The Lord will laugh, for he ſeeth that his day is coming. That look, as God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the whole world, ſo he hath appointed a particular day for every man, which is his particular day of judgement, then he is adjudged either to hell or heaven. Thus Nathan tels David, When thy daies ſhall be finiſhed; and certainly this is of dreadful conſideration to every wicked man. Thou haſt thy day of death appointed, thy hour of diſſolution is coming, it's thy day. Now thou haſt a day of jollity, of mirth and quietnes, but remember this thy day is coming. Thou haſt heard of the day of ſuch a mans death, and ſuch an one, and ſo thou haſt thy day of death likewiſe.
5. If Gods providence reach to the leaſt▪ and minute things that are, Argum. 5.much more to the taking of a mans life out of the world Mat. 6. The Sparrow fals not to the ground without Gods providence. Not a bird is killed without his appointment, and ſhall man die without it? yea the hairs of our head are numbred; and ſhall not an hair fall from an head without his appointment, and ſhall the head it ſelf? This is ſo clear, that we would wonder any learned men ſhould deny a prefixed term of our life.
Laſtly, Our abiding in this world muſt be of Gods appointment, becauſe all the providential paſſages and works of God, are ſubſervient to his predeſtination. Argum. 6.So that our predeſtination might have been fruſtrated, if God did not appoint all our lives in this world, ſo Paul and Manaſſes, and Auſtin with many others might have died before they were converted, or elſe when converted, but plunged into foul ſins with David and Peter, then they might die in them, and not recover out of them, but Gods predeſtination will prevent this, becauſe our birth, our living and dying are to the godly effects of their predeſtination.
But let us come to the practical Uſe of this, becauſe it's very fruitfull, and as for the ſecond Obſervation, That the world aboundeth in wickedneſs, and ſo is ready to infect and damn every one therein, that may be amplified in the following verſe. And
Ʋſe 1 1. Hath God appointed the time of thy going out of the world, then labour and work hard in his vineyard? He continueth thee here, till thou haſt finiſht that ſervice he hath appointed thee for. Thus our Saviour would not have his Diſciples taken out of the world, till they had ſeaſoned and inlightned it with their good doctrine: If therefore God continueth thy life in this world, becauſe he hath more ſervice and work for thee to do, then take heed thou art not idle and negligent. Oh it will be very uncomfortable to thee, to have the night come on thee, and thou canſt work no more, when yet thy conſcience ſhal accuſe thee. This I have not done, and that I was to do Our Saviour ſaith, Bleſſed is that ſervant whom his maſter when he cometh ſhall finde ſo doing, Luk. 12.47. Should you ſend your ſervant upon matters of life and death, thy childe or friend lieth a dying, and he in the way fall aſleep or go to idle games and paſtimes, how unſufferable would it be? How greater will thy guilt be, for thou art commanded to ſtrive, to enter in at the ſtrait gate, to take the kingdom of heaven by violence, thy ſoul lieth at the ſtake, thy happineſs is ingaged, yet for all this thou liveſt unprofitably and unfruitfully. Oh think how ſad thy account will be! Thou muſt go out of the world, thou canſt not ſtay any longer, and thou wilt cry out, Oh give me more time! Oh give me longer ſpace, my ſoul is not ſet in order! I have not done this, or that ſervice for thee.
Ʋſe 2 2. Doth God appoint us our time in the world? then we are not to be ſinfully dejected about the fears of death, either naturally or violently, either in an ordinary way, or from the violence and perſecution of others, for the time of thy departure is in Gods hand. No power in the world can ſend thee ſooner to the grave then God hath decreed; Many of the ſervants of God have greatly laboured under the fears of death, eſpecially in times of perſecution, and rage from adverſaries. How prone have men been to fear men more then God? Now whence did all this ariſe, but from want of faith, that to God belong the iſſues of death? Nothing can deſtroy thee ſooner then God hath appointed; What care did Herod take to kill Chriſt? yet that could not be; and ſo Pharaoh to deſtroy all the male-children of Iſrael, yet one muſt be kept that would be a means to deſtroy Pharaoh; Live then above the fear of death, ſay, My times are in Gods hand, it's not as man will, but as God wils.
Ʋſe 3 3. Do not wilfully abuſe this Doctrine to ſinfulnes, contempt of means, or neglect of duties for this poiſon many have ſuckt out of this flower, they would not hold, That God hath prefixed a term of life, for this, they think, would overthrow all uſe of means, all neglect of praier, whereas this ſuppoſeth and eſtabliſheth them rather, for God who hath appointed the end, hath alſo appointed and commanded the means, and ſuppoſe we could not reconcile Gods providence, and mans liberty in the uſe of the means, yet ſeeing the Scripture revealeth the one, and commandeth the other, it's good for us to reſt therein.
Ʋſe 4 4. Be content under the hand of God, that takes thy deareſt relations out of the world. Imitate Job, The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken. Art thou the Judge of the world? Art thou the preſerver of men? Why then doſt thou murmur if God do what he pleaſeth herein?
Ʋſe 5 Laſtly, Let the jolly and wicked ſinner know God hath appointed his day. Thou ſhalt not be alwayes eating and drinking, and making merry in this world. Oh what a confounded man wilt thou be, who haſt no other hope or comfort, but what is of the world!