Sermons Volume 2, Sermon 1 – Title page 3

Sermons Volume 2 · Sermon 1 – Title page 3

p. 3A DISCOURSE ON MAN's MORTALITY, FROM

HEB. IX. 27.

It is appointed unto Men once to die; and after this the Judgment.

A Sermon of Death hath then a double Advantage to make deep impreſſions upon us,An Introduction. when it is attended with a Spectacle of Mortality: Were there but the ſad Pomp of a Funeral now preſented before you, a dead Corpſe brought to be interred, a Grave digged through into the Earth, dry and rotten Bones lying ſcattered about the Mouth of it in fearful confuſion, a ſolemn Train p. 4of Mourners tolled along the Streets by the doleful Moan of a Bell? Did you ſee the Dead laid down in the Duſt, the Place of Darkneſs and Silence, their Friends groaning out their laſt Farewell, Clods of Earth falling in upon them, and ſtriking a horrid murmur upon their Coffins: Had your Affections but ſuch a Preparatory as this is, poſſibly this might more eaſily work and move upon them; for it muſt needs make Men ſerious and penſive to think, this is but the Pattern of what muſt befall themſelves, and that all this muſt ſhortly be acted upon them, that they now ſee done unto others: But ſince this Day preſents us with no ſuch Solemnity, ſome perhaps may wonder that I have choſen this Text and Subject of Mortality to treat upon. Indeed Cuſtom hath made it almoſt improper to preach of Death without a Funeral, and to ſpeak to Men of their laſt End and Diſſolution, without ſetting before their Eyes an Example of it: Look well therefore one upon another; what are we all as it were, but ſo many Corpſes, ſo many Spectacles of Mortality, rather to be numbred among the Dead than among the Living; every Day and Hour wears p. 5away part of our Lives; and ſo much of them as is already ſpent, ſo far are we already dead and buried. This preſent moment is the longeſt meaſure of our Lives; what is paſt is dead to us, and what is to come is not yet born, how ſoon God may put a final Period to our preſent ſtate, how few times more our Pulſes may beat, and this buſie Breath in our Noſtrils return to us again, we know not; ſo frail and ſo uncertain are our Lives, that this may be truly a Funeral Sermon to ſome one of us before the cloſe of it. Since then we are all of us thus ſubject to the ſtroke of Death, it can never be unſeaſonable to warn you, that you be not ſurprized, and taken by it unprovided.

In the Words now read, you have the great Statute-Law of Heaven; that Law that God hath paſſed upon all the Chil-of Men; and that is, That it is appointed to them once to die.

Now, that I may make way to preſs upon you the ſerious conſideration of your own Mortality, let me briefly mark p. 6out ſome things that tend to the Explication of the Words. And,

Firſt, In that the Propoſition is laid down in the Text indefinitely, It is appointed unto men; it is that which is equivalent to an Univerſal, and reacheth to all men; It is appointed to all men once to die. We read of two only in the whole Book of God that were exempted by an extraordinary Grace, and peculiar Priviledge from this great Law of Dying, and they were Enoch and Elias. Of Enoch it is ſaid,Gen. 5.24.Gen 5:24 That he walked with God, and he was not; for God took him. And of Elias it is ſaid,2 Kin▪ 2.11.2 Kgs 2:11 That he went up by a Whirlwind into Heaven. The great God, after a ſtrange and unuſual manner tackt their temporal and eternal Life together, making their Time run it ſelf into Eternity without any period or interruption. The Apoſtle alſo tells us,1 Cor. 15.51, 52.1 Cor 15:511 Cor 15:52 That all ſhall not die; to wit, at the laſt Day, at the laſt appearing of Jeſus Chriſt, there ſhall be a World full of Perſons that ſhall not taſte of Death. All ſhall not die; but all ſhall be changed, in a moment, in the twinckling of an Eye. Theſe are exempted, and being excepted, it is certain all p. 7the Generations of Men, from the firſt Creation, to the laſt Conſummation of all things, are all appointed by God unto Death.

Secondly, All muſt die once. All muſt die once; but Believers do not die the ſecond Death.There is frequent mention made in Scripture of the firſt and ſecond Death. The firſt Death is the ſeparation of the Soul from the Body: The ſecond Death is the ſeparation of the Soul from God. As the Union of the Soul and Body is the Life of Man; ſo the Union of God with the Soul, is the Life of the Soul. Now Believers do not die this ſecond Death; Rev. 20.8.Rev 20:8for on ſuch, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, the ſecond Death hath no power: They are ſtill united unto God after an unconceivable and ineffable manner. As when Chriſt lay in the Grave, though his Soul was truly ſeparated from his Body, yet both Soul and Body were hypoſtatically united to the Godhead; ſo alſo, though the natural Union between a Believer's Soul and Body, be diſſolved by Death, yet both Soul and Body continue myſtically united unto Chriſt, even in their ſeparation one from another. It is not therefore this ſecond, but the firſt Death that p. 8all are appointed unto. The Hand of Death muſt untie thoſe ſecret and ſweet Bands, thoſe vital Knots that faſten Soul and Body together, muſt fall aſunder one day in every Man.

All Men muſt die, becauſe Death is the puniſhment of Sin.Thirdly, It is appointed unto every Man to undergo this firſt Death. It is decreed and ordained by God, and that not upon the Account of any natural Neceſſity; but for the Puniſhment of Sin. The Apoſtle tells us plainly, That by Sin Death entred into the World. Death therefore is not ſo much a Debt due to Nature, as a Debt due to the avenging Juſtice of God; for though Man at firſt was created in pure Nature, yet was he alſo created in a deathleſs State; and Death ſiezeth upon us, not as we are Men, but as we are Sinners, liable to the Curſe of the Covenant of Works, containing in it that Threatning, In the day that thou eatest thereof, thou ſhalt ſurely die. It is true, Adam, even before he ſinned, had in him the contemperation of the ſame contrary Qualities that we now have; and ſo, at leaſt, had alſo the remote Principles of Death; but yet it is probable that he was created p. 9with ſuch a Priviledge, that he might by his own Will ſway and over-rule the Jars and Diſcords of his elementary conſtitution, and continue himſelf in Life as long as he ſhould continue himſelf in Obedience; however, whether it was ſo, or otherwiſe, yet certain it is that Death came into the World as the puniſhment of Sin: So then it is not primarily Man's Nature, but Man's Sin, and the Curſe of the Law taking hold of him, that brought in this neceſſity of dying. Sin is not only the Sting, but the Cauſe of Death; and it gives it not only its Terrour, but its very Being alſo. And therefore it is ſomewhat remarkable, that among all the Creatures in the World, Man only is termed Mortal; moſt certain it is that other Creatures decay and periſh as well as he; yet among all periſhing things, Man only hath that wretched denomination of being Mortal; and there is good reaſon for it, ſince he alone, of all periſhing things, being created immortal, voluntarily ſubjected himſelf unto Death, and by his own Fault brought upon himſelf that Name of Mortal, as a Brand of perpetual Infamy.

p. 10And thus now I come to the Subject that I intend to inſiſt upon, and that is, The Unavoidableneſs and Certainty of Death.

To go about to prove this, were to loſe ſo much time; every one grants he muſt die. All other Questions about Man, are anſwered by Peradventures: If it be demanded, Whether ſuch an Embryo ſhall ſee the Light? What's the Anſwer, but, perhaps it ſhall, perhaps it ſhall not: If it be born, and it be asked, Whether it ſhall live, and grow up to Age? Why, perhaps ſo, perhaps otherwiſe: If it grow up to Age, and Enquiry be made, Shall it be rich, or ſhall it be poor? honourable, or deſpiſed? learned, or ignorant? What's the Anſwer? Only, perhaps it ſhall, perhaps not. But if it be asked, Whether it ſhall die? The Anſwer now is, Yes; it is certain, without any Peradventure; there is no doubt at all of this; It is appointed by God for Men once to die. And therefore though Phyſicians have written Books of preſerving of Health, yet never any wrote Books of avoiding of Death. We need no other proof of p. 11Man's Mortality, but only to ſearch into the Records of the Grave; there lie Rich and Poor, Strong and Weak, Wiſe and Fooliſh, Holy and Prophane; the Rubbiſh of ten thouſand Generations heaped one upon another, and this Truth that all muſt die, written indelibly in their Duſt.

That therefore that I ſhall do, ſhall be in an Applicatory Way, to make ſome Reflections upon the brutiſh Stupidity of Men, who, though they know themſelves Mortal, yet thruſt from themſelves the Thoughts of Death, and neglect due Preparations for it. Men live in the World as if they were arbitrary of their own Time, as if they ſhould never die and come to Judgment. Oh the beaſtly Sottiſhneſs of Men, who, though they ſee Multitudes cut down daily by the hand of Death, round about them, yet they live careleſly and preſumptuouſly, as if they were priviledged Perſons, and Death durſt not touch them. Should we make Enquiry into the Cauſes of this groſs Stupidity and Sottiſhneſs, perhaps we ſhould find it to proceed from ſome of theſe following.

p. 12Reaſons why men put off the thoughts of Death. Becauſe they are drown'd in the affairs of the World.Firſt, The generality of men are ſo immers'd and drowned in the Affairs and pleaſures of Life, that all ſerious thoughts of Death and preparations for it are ſwallowed up and devoured by them: Their minds are taken up about other things, and their time ſpent upon other matters; like an heap of Ants that buſily toil to gather in their Proviſion, not regarding the foot that is ready to tread upon them; ſo is it with moſt men, they are taken up with impertinencies and vain things: One contrives how he may melt away his days in Luxury and Pleaſure, and with variety of invented Delights imp the wings of time that in their apprehenſions makes but ſlow haſt, that ſo their days and hours may roll away the faſter; theſe are ſuch Prodigals of their time, and laviſh it away at that rate, as if their ſtock would laſt as long as Eternity it ſelf. Some are buſily climbing up the ſleep aſcent of Honour and Dignity, and are ſo taken up in ſeeking after promotions and new Titles that they forget their old ſtile of mortal creatures. Others are plotting with the Fool in the Goſpel, how they may grow rich, and lay up goods for themſelves for many p. 13years as they fanſie, when yet they know not but God may take away their Souls from them this very night; and what then remains to them of all that they have thus greedily ſcraped together. O vain and fooliſh men, are theſe the things you ſet your hearts upon; muſt the World drink up all your thoughts, and Death that ſhortly will ſnatch you from all your enjoyments here below be forgotten by you.

Secondly,Men put off their preparation for Death becauſe they look upon it as a far off. Men put off the thoughts of Death and their preparations for it, becauſe they generally look upon it as a far off. This is the greateſt ſottiſhneſs in the World, and yet moſt men are too guilty of it. Thoſe that are young and in the prime of their Days; if it be askt them what they think of Death, they will readily Anſwer, that they think they ought of right and courſe to live till they are aged: And they that are aged will tell you their weakneſſes and decays are not ſo many or ſo great, but they may well weather away a few more years. Thoſe that are healthful and ſtrong think ſurely they need not prepare for dying till God by ſome ſickneſs ſends them a ſummons, p. 14and thoſe whom God is pleaſed to vouchſafe a ſummons by Sickneſs and Diſtempers, alas they think that it is yet poſſible for them to eſcape from them again. And thus all are ready to thruſt Death from them, and to put the Evil Day a far off: And though God hath told out to them but a few days or hours, yet they liberally and bountifully reckon upon Years and Ages, as if their time were not in God's hands but their own. It is a true ſaying, that uſually the hopes of a long Life, is the Cauſe of an Evil Life. Suppoſe now that every one of us knew for a certainty that our lives muſt run out with the Glaſs that is before us, that at the end of the hour God would ſtrike us all dead upon the place, ſhould we not all of us have more lively apprehenſions of Death and Eternity than ever yet we have had; ſhould we not pour out our Souls before God requires them from us in holy Affections and fervent Prayers; ſhould we give ſcope to the gaddings of our Thoughts, and the vanity of our Hearts; ſhould we think of ſuch a vain Pleaſure, or ſuch a worldly Employment, if God now from Heaven ſhould ſpeak audibly to us and bid us p. 15give an account of our Stewardſhip, for we muſt be no longer Stewards, no certainly it is impoſſible that men ſhould thus behave themſelves: And why, Sirs, is it not ſo with you always, for ought you know that Film and Bubble that holds your Lives, may be now a breaking, your Graves may be ready to be digging, and the laſt Sand in your Glaſs may be now a running; however certain it is, it cannot be long before it will be ſo with all of us: Did we but ſeriouſly conſider by what ſmall pins this frame of Man is tacked together, it would appear to us to be no leſs than a Miracle that we live one day, yea one hour to an end.

Thirdly,The thoughts of Death being terible, makes men put off their preparation for it. Men generally put off the thoughts of Death and their preparation for it, becauſe of thoſe frightful terrors, and that inſupportable dread that ſuch apprehenſions bring with them. Death is that which above all things Humane Nature moſt abhors: Oh! to think of the ſeparation of thoſe near and dear companions, the Soul and Body, of the debaſement, diſhonour and horrour of the Grave, that there we muſt lie in a Bed of ſtench and rottenneſs under a p. 16coverlet of Worms crawling upon us, conſuming and mouldring away to duſt in oblivion and forgetfulneſs: Oh! theſe are too ſad and Melancholy Thoughts for the Jovial World to entertain and dwell upon: But though the conſideration of theſe things are very unwelcome, yea, very diſmal unto the minds of ſinners, yet is there far worſe behind then all this ſtill, and that which carries in it far greater terrour and amazement, and that is the ſin that deſerves Death, and the Hell that follows it, for as the Apoſtle ſays,1 Cor. 15.56.1 Cor 15:56 the ſting of Death is ſin. And its no wonder that Men who are conſcious to themſelves of condemning guilt, dare not think of ſtanding before the dreadful Tribunal of God; and Death now is God's Serjeant to Arreſt them and to bring them thither, they cannot bear the thoughts of Eternal Vengeance and prepared Torments to be for ever inflicted on them by the Almighty Power of an incenſed God, and therefore it is no wonder that they put far from them the thoughts of Death, becauſe their Conſciences tell them that that Day whenſoever it comes will be to them an Evil Day.

p. 17Many more Reaſons might be given of this brutiſhneſs of men in putting off the thoughts of Death and preparations for it, but theſe ſhall ſuffice.

The next thing that I ſhall do ſhall be to lay down ſome Conſiderations that may fore-arm Chriſtians againſt the Fears and Terrours of Death,Conſiderations to arm men againſt the fears of Death. and make them willing to ſubmit unto this law of Dying, unto which God hath ſubjected all men.

And Firſt,The ſoul is immortal, and parting with this, it enters into a better life. If the Soul be immortal as certainly it is, and that parting from this, it enters upon a better Life than this, we may well then be contented to Die upon that account. No man ſays a Roman Author thinks Death is much to be avoided, ſince Immortality follows Death. I am very ſenſible how hard a task it is to perſwade men to be willing to Die, but yet let me ask you, if you are believers, (for in this I ſpeak only unto ſuch) what is there in Death that is ſo terrible to you? I know it is monſtrous and full of horrour if we conſider nothing but the Corruption of the Fleſh, the gaſtly paleneſs, the ſtiff, cold and grim viſage, the p. 18diſtorted Eyes and trembling Limbs of Dying Perſons: And afterwards think of the ſtench and filthineſs of the Grave, and laſtly the diſſipation of the viſible part of Man: All theſe Conſiderations make Death very terrible and full of horrour to us. But now he that ſhall conſider after all this, his ſpiritual & inviſible part, what can he ſee in Death that is not very deſirable to him? the Body reſts from its labours, and the Soul enjoys its reward in Heaven. If you are hereby taken away from converſing with men, yet the Soul is elevated to an acquaintance with Angels, that is ſtill alive in its own Nature; the Soul lives for ever, being placed above the common Arreſts of Death.

We find to this purpoſe after that God had tryed the patience of Job by the loſs of all his ſubſtance, and afterwards of all his Children alſo, he reſtores to him double whatever he had taken from him,Job 42.…0.Job 42 ſo we read in the Holy Story, the Lord gave unto Job twice as much as he had before. Now whereas at firſt Job had three thouſand Camels, God reſtores to him ſix thouſand; whereas before he p. 19had ſeven thouſand Sheep, God reſtores to him fourteen thouſand; and ſo of all the reſt double the number of what he loſt: But when God comes to recompence to him the loſs of his Children, which doubtleſs were of far greater value than all the reſt; whereas he had ſeven Sons and three Daughters, God reſtores to him the ſame number again, not double in theſe as he did in all the reſt: And wherefore did God double his Camels, his Sheep, and his Oxen, and not his Children? why, the Reaſon was, becauſe his Children were not ſo dead as were his Camels, and the reſt of his brute Creatures, their Souls remain'd Immortal and Entire ſtill after Death: So that God in giving Job ſeven Sons and three Daughters did double them, notwithſtanding, though he gave him no more than he had at firſt. So here though we Die, yet Death doth us no injury; our better part ſurvives, and if we are Believers, it ſurvives in ſuch unconceivable Joys, as that all the pleaſures of the World, are but Miſery and Wretchedneſs compared to them.

p. 20A Chriſtian's Hope cannot be accompliſhed but by dying.Secondly, The whole Life of a Chriſtian is founded upon a Hope that cannot be accompliſhed but by dying. And if ſo, that Mans Miſtake muſt needs be inexcuſable, who abhors that which alone can bring him to the poſſeſſion of his Hopes and Deſires. Chriſtians, what is it that you hope for? Is it not to arrive at Glory, with an innumerable Hoſt of Angels, and the Spirits of juſt Men made perfect? to ſee God, and to rejoyce in him at a nearer hand than you now do here below? to be for ever bleſſed in the cloſe Embraces of the ſovereign Good? And what other way is there of obtaining this, but only by dying? Death is now made to us an In-let to Glory, the very Gate to Heaven. It is therefore unreaſonable to fear that which is the only way to obtain that we hope for.

Death is a quiet ſleepThirdly, This Death, though ſo much dreaded, is no other than a quiet Sleep. So the Scripture often repreſents it to us, under the Notion of Sleep. Them that ſleep in Jeſus ſhall God bring with him. Sleep is the natural reſemblance of Death. Sleep and Death are very near p. 21a-kin: When we are aſleep, we ſee not, we hear not, all our Senſes are lock'd up from the enjoyment of any worldly Delights; we take no comfort in our Friends, in our Riches, or Eſtates; all theſe are cancell'd out of our Minds: and what more doth Death do than cancel theſe things out of Men's Memories? And yet the weary Labourer lays himſelf down with contentment, to take his Sleep until the Morning; and why may not we alſo lay down our ſelves with the ſame peace and contentment in our Graves, to take our Reſt and Sleep until the Morning of the Reſurrection? Indeed the Sleep of Death is different from natural Sleep, ſince that deprives us of natural Light; but this Sleep of Death brings us to the viſion of true inacceſſible Light. What then is there in death, that we ſhould ſtand in dread of it? Why ſhould that be feared by thoſe for whom the ſting of it is already taken out? Such may ſafely take this Serpent into their boſoms; for though it hiſs at them, yet it cannot wound or hurt them; nay, inſtead of wounding them, it is reconciled to them, and become one of their party. The Apoſtle therefore reckoning p. 22up the Inventory of a Chriſtian, reckons this among them;1 Cor. 3.22.1 Cor 3:22 Whether Life or Death, all is yours. And in another place he tells us,Phil. 1.21.Phil 1:21 That to him to live was Chriſt, and to die was Gain. And well may a Chriſtian account Death among his Gains; for it is the Hand of Death that draws the Curtain, and lets him in to ſee God face to face in Heaven, that Palace of ineſtimable Pleaſure and Delight, where the ſtrongeſt Beams of Glory ſhall beat fully upon our Faces, and where we ſhall be made ſtrong enough to bear them. Neither doth Death bring any detriment to our Bodies, ſince they ſhall be new moulded at the Reſurrection;1 Cor. 15.53,1 Cor 15:53 when this Mortal ſhall put on Immortality, and this Corruptible put on Incorruption; when theſe dull Lumps ſhall become impaſſible as the Angels, ſubtle as a Ray of Light, bright as the Sun, nimble as Lightning. Who is there that hath hopes of Heaven, that would have this Law of Death reverſed? Who would be confined to live always a wretched Life here on Earth, that Sin and Sorrow ſhare between them? A holy Soul cannot but long and be impatient in breathing forth Deſires after the kind Office p. 23of Death, to deliver it into ſo great and incomprehenſible a Glory; crying out earneſtly with the Apoſtle, Phil. 1.21.Phil 1:21I deſire to be diſſolved, and to be with Chriſt, which is beſt of all.

Now of what great concernment this Subject of Man's Mortality, is,Of what concernment the thoughts of Death are. God by his Providence, ſince I laſt ſpake in this Place, hath ſadly evinced; and by a near Inſtance hath confirmed what I then Preached unto you, of the Frailty and Uncertainty of this preſent Life. Happy were it for us if either Sermons or Examples might awaken us to a ſerious Conſideration that we our ſelves alſo muſt ſhortly die, and it may be, as ſuddenly. Are we not all ſubjected to the ſame Attack? Hath not God's Hands kneaded our Bodies out of the ſame clay, and may not his Fingers crumble them again into the ſame duſt? Certainly the Cords of our Tabernacles may be as eaſily unlooſed and cut aſunder as theirs. I have read of a great Emperour, that to engrave upon himſelf the deeper Apprehenſions of his own Frailty and Mortality, cauſed his own Funerals to be ſolemniz'd while he was yet living, laying p. 24himſelf down in his Tomb, weeping over himſelf, as his own Mourner: If there were any advantage in this to prepare him to die at laſt really, by dying thus firſt in an Emblem, we may almoſt daily have the ſame. There's not a Funeral of any of our Relations or Acquaintance that we are called to give our Attendance upon, but by ſerious and ſolemn Reflections upon our ſelves, we may make it our own: and if by beholding others nailed up in their Coffins, laid down in their cold Graves, covered over with Earth, that they may become a Feaſt for Worms; if now we reckon our ſelves among the number of them, we ſhall not be very much miſtaken; for this is only but a few days to anticipate what ſhall ſhortly be our ſtate and condition. This Advantage we our ſelves may make of the Death of others, to look upon it as a reſemblance at leaſt of our own. What is the Language of every Grave we ſee open its mouth to receive into it the dead Body of ſome Neighbour or Acquaintance, but only this, That we alſo are mortal and periſhing? There's not a broken Skull, or a rotten Bone that lies ſcattered about p. 25the Grave, but hath Death and Mortality written upon them, and call loudly upon us to prepare our ſelves to take up our Abode in the ſame darkneſs and corruption with them; and if upon every ſuch ſad occaſion we do not make a particular Application thereof unto our own ſelves, we not only loſe our Friend's Lives, but their very Deaths alſo. And yet in this Affair, that might be of great advantage to us, we are exceeding faulty; for the reflections we make on the death of others, are uſually very impertinent, and make no laſting impreſſions upon us. When Death comes and mows down our Acquaintance and Relations round about us, the Reflection that we uſually make, is more upon the Loſs that we have ſuſtained by their Death, than upon the Example they are thereby made to us of our own Frailty and Mortality; and thereby, as God by his Providence hath deprived us of the Comfort we had in their Lives, ſo we deprive our ſelves of the Inſtruction and Benefit we might have by their Death. Or if ſome extraordinary Circumſtance that appears in the Death of others, ſtrikes us into ſerious Thoughts of our own; yet uſually p. 26they are but ſhort-liv'd and fleeting; for a while, it may be, we think of humane frailty, and the mutability of our preſent State; but theſe Thoughts ſoon wear off, and we return to the ſame Vanity and wretched Security as before; for ſuch dying Meditations of Death, are uſually very unprofitable. It is with moſt men as it is with a Flock of Sheep that graze fearleſly till the Shepherd ruſheth in among them, and lays hold of one of them for the Slaughter, and this preſently frights them, making them leave their Food, and run ſcattering about the Field; but no ſooner is the Tumult over, but they flock together again, and feed as ſecurely, without Thoughts of death or danger as before. So truly is it with moſt men, when either the report is ſpread abroad that ſuch or ſuch a perſon is dead, and it may be ſuddenly, by ſome ſudden and unexpected ſtroke, or when they are called to viſit ſome dying Perſon, where they behold departing Pangs, diſtorted Eyes, quivering Limbs, wan and ghaſtly Corpſe, the Image of Death in all its lively terrours; if they have any Remainders of natural Tenderneſs, it muſt needs p. 27ſtrike them into Penſiveneſs, to think that one day this muſt be their own Caſe, and that therefore it behoves them to be in continual preparation for this laſt and dreadful Change: But no ſooner is the Dead interr'd, and the Grave fill'd up again, but all theſe ſage and ſerious Thoughts vaniſh, and they return to the ſame exceſs of Sin and Pleaſure as before: This is the brutiſh Folly and Sottiſhneſs of moſt men. But Oh, why ſhould not men always keep alive vigorous thoughts and meditations of Death! Are they not always alike mortal? Are they not as much ſubject to the Arreſt of Death at other times as when they ſee Examples of Mortality before their Eyes? The Law ſtands ſtill in force, unrepealed in Heaven, That it is appointed unto all Men once to die. Indeed it fares with ſuch as theſe, as ordinarily it doth with Malefactors, that fear not the Penalty of the Law till they ſee it executed upon others. Let us therefore act rationally as Men, and as long as we are in danger, be kept by that danger prepared to entertain that which we know is irreverſibly appointed unto us.

p. 28But now, beſides this general Appointment of God, That all ſhall die, there is a particular Appointment, that reacheth to every particular Circumſtance of Man's Death; the time when, the manner how we ſhall die: Theſe are unalterably determined in God's ſecret Counſel. To ſpeak a little briefly to this.

God appoints the time of Man's life. Dan. 5.23.Dan 5:23Firſt, God hath punctually and exactly determined the time of our Death to a very moment. The great God, in whoſe hands our Lives, our Breath, and all our Ways are, he turns up our Glaſs, and puts ſuch a meaſure of Sand into it, and no more; it is he that prefixes it to run to ſuch a length of Time, and then determines it ſhall run no longer: It is he who is Lord of all Time, that writes our Names upon ſo many Days and Hours as we ſhall live, as upon ſo many Leaves of his Book; and it is impoſſible for us to live one Day or Hour that hath not our Name written upon it by him from all Eternity. It is God that ſets every one the Bounds of their living, as well as the Bounds of their habitations; Acts 17.26.Acts 17:26beyond which they ſhall not be able to paſs. The Embryo that dies before p. 29ever it ſees the Light, fills up its appointed time by God, as well as he that lives to decrepit old Age. And therefore, though the Scripture and we uſe to ſay, Such or ſuch an one is taken away in the midſt of his days; yet ſimply in it ſelf conſidered, that is impoſſible; the whole Tale of days that God hath appointed to every one, muſt be fulfilled, and that to a very moment, according as the number of them is ſet down by God from all eternity. Such Expreſſions as theſe denote no more, than either that God cuts them off in the full ſtrength and vigour of their years, when yet they might, according to the courſe of Nature, and humane probability, have lived longer; or elſe comparing the ſhortneſs of their Lives with the length of others, God ſeems to break it off in the very midſt, before he had finiſhed his Work. I ſhall not enter into a Diſpute whether the Term of Life be fixed or moveable. Methinks Job hath fully ſtated and determined the Queſtion. Job 7.1.Job 7:1Is there not, ſays he, an appointed time to Man upon Earth? Are not his days alſo like the days of an Hireling? Now an Hireling hath a time of Service prefixed, which p. 30when it is expired, he is diſcharged from his Labour. God hath ſent all Men into the World as ſo many Hirelings, and as ſoon as theſe days are expired, he takes them from their labour to their reward. Are not my days as the days of an Hireling? So Job ſpeaks alſo in another Chapter, concerning Man; His days are determined, Job 14.5.Job 14:5the number of his Months are with thee; thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot paſs. What can be more punctual and particular? It is true however, that though God hath thus numbred out our days, and ſet us our bounds, yet we may well ſay, That whoever dies, might have lived longer, had they made uſe of the right Means: As Martha ſaid unto our Saviour,Luke 11.21.Luke 11:21 Lord, if thou hadſt been here my Brother had not died. So may we ſay, If ſuch and ſuch Means had been uſed, and ſuch Remedies applied, this or that Perſon had not died; but withal we muſt obſerve alſo, that, that God who hath prefixed to every one his Term of Life, hath alſo ordained in his own Counſel and Purpoſe, that thoſe Means that are proper to prolong Life beyond that Term, ſhould through ſome unavoidable miſtake or miſhap, either p. 31not be known, or not uſed. This therefore may be of great ſupport unto us, as againſt all inordinate Fears of our own Death; ſo againſt all inordinate grief and ſorrow for the Death of others; to conſider that all our Times are in God's hands; he meaſures out every day to us; and as he hath appointed bounds to us, beyond which we ſhall not paſs, ſo alſo hath he appointed that we ſhall certainly reach unto thoſe bounds. His all wiſe Providence diſpoſeth of the meaneſt and ſmalleſt Concernments of our Lives, and therefore much more of our Lives themſelves; and if a Hair of our Heads cannot, much leſs ſhall not we our ſelves fall to the ground without our Heavenly Father.

Secondly, As God hath appointed the exact critical Hour, ſo alſo the particular Manner of our Death. It is he that appoints whether it ſhall be ſudden or foreſeen; by Diſeaſes, or by Caſualty; whether the Thred of our Life ſhall be ſnapt in pieces by ſome unexpected Accident, or worn and fretted away by ſome tedious and lingring Conſumption, or burnt aſunder by ſome fiery Fever. In whatever p. 32manner or ſhape Death may appear to us, is a Secret known only unto God; but this we know that it is always his Serjeant, and wears his Livery; and all the Circumſtances of our Death are of God's appointment, as well as our Death it ſelf. And in whatever ſhape it ſhall appear to us, if we diligently endeavour by a holy Life to prepare our ſelves for it, it ſhall not be frightful or terrible to us.

Now to make ſome Practical Improvement of this. And,

Ʋſe 1 Firſt, If God thus unalterably appoints to us our laſt period, if he hath thus appointed us to Die, if all men are concluded under that irrevocable Law; let this then ſerve to convince us of the groſs and notorious folly of ſetting our Affections eagerly upon this preſent World, a World that we muſt ſhortly leave behind us. Death within a very little while will moſt certainly pluck us from it, and it will prove a violent rending to us if our Affections are inordinately ſet upon any thing here below. It was a ſtrange and perverſe uſe alſo that the Ancient p. 33Heathens made of the neceſſity of dying, when in their Feaſts their cuſtom was to bring in the reſemblance of an Anatomy to their Gueſts, thereby to excite them to Mirth and Voluptuouſneſs, whilſt they ſhould reliſh ſuch delights as were then before them, becauſe ſhortly they muſt be as much duſt and bones as what they ſaw.1 Cor. 15.32.1 Cor 15:32 Like thoſe the Apoſtle makes mention of, who ſaid, let us eat and drink, for to morrow we ſhall die. But how much better uſe doth the ſame Apoſtle teach us to make of this, when in the ſame Epiſtle, he tells us, but this I ſay Brethren the time is ſhort. Why, what then? why, ſays he, it remains therefore that they that have Wives be as though they had none, and they that weep as though they wept not, and they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not; and they that buy as though they poſſeſſed not, and they that uſe this World as not abuſing it, for the faſhion of this World paſſeth away. Death one would think ſhould beat down the price of the World in every wiſe man's eſteem. Why ſhould we lay out our affections upon thoſe things from which we may be raviſht in a moment? Both they and we periſh in the uſing of them; p. 34they are dying comforts, and we muſt die alſo that enjoy them. Oh! what Folly then is it to toil and wear away our Lives in purſuing ſuch vain things, from which we may be ſnatcht before we can caſt another look at them! Sowre Death will ſoon convince us that all is but vanity and vexation of ſpirit that we here ſet our eyes and hearts upon. And therefore,

Ʋſe 2 Secondly, Seeing by the appointment of God we muſt all ſhortly die, let us be perſwaded to be always in a readineſs and preparation for it. Our Souls are Immortal and muſt live for ever, and when our Bodies die and fall into the Duſt, they immediately enter into an Eſtate that is for ever unalterable.Directions to prepare for Death. Now here I ſhall only lay down a few directions and ſo conclude.

Firſt, Wean your Hearts from an inordinate love of the World. Get hearts weaned from the World.Death muſt and will pluck you from it; and, oh! it will be a violent rending if your affections be glewed to it. Conſider that all things in this preſent World are fading and periſhing, but your precious Souls are ever living and Immortal; be not p. 35therefore unequally yoaked, joyn not your ever-living Souls to dying comforts. This is a tyranny worſe than that which was Exerciſed by thoſe of old, who tied living Bodies to dead Carkaſſes. Oh! what a ſad parting hour will it be to thee, when thou ſhalt go into another World, and leave behind thee all that thou counteſt good in this, how wilt thou protract and linger, and wiſhly look back again, upon all thoſe precious vanities, and dear nothings and follies that here thou placedſt thy happineſs and contentment in: But now when the heart ſets looſe from all theſe things, with what ſatisfaction ſhall we be able to Die, accounting what we loſe by Death to be no great matter, becauſe what we gain thereby will be infinitely more to our advantage.

Secondly,Repentance muſt not be deferred upon hopes of long Life. Would you be prepared for Death; beware then that you do not defer your Repentance one day or hour longer upon any preſumption of the continuance of your Life. Death depends not upon the warning of a ſickneſs; God doth not always afford it, but ſometimes he doth execution before he Shoots off his p. 36warning Piece, & why may it not be ſo with you; however it is poſſible your ſickneſs may be ſuch as may render you uncapable of doing your laſt good Office for your Soul: But if it ſhould be otherwiſe, yet this I am ſure of, it is the unfitteſt time in all your Life; to be then caſting up your Accounts when you ſhould be giving of them up, to have your Evidences for Heaven then to clear up to your Souls when you ſhould produce and ſhew them for your ſupport and comfort.

Live every day as if it were your laſt.Thirdly, Live every day ſo as if every day were your laſt and dying day, and the very next day allotted to you unto Eternity; if it be not ſo it is more than any of us know, and ſince we have no aſſurance of one day or hour longer; it is but Reaſon and Wiſdom to look upon every day as that which may prove our very laſt.

Be conſtant in the exerciſe of a holy life.Fourthly, Be conſtant in the Exerciſe of a Holy Life, and always doing of that, that you would be content Chriſt ſhould find you doing when he comes to Summon you before his Bar. Think with thy p. 37ſelf if thou wer't now upon thy ſick Bed, and hadſt received the Sentence of Death, and ſaweſt thy Friends ſtand mourning round about thee, but cannot help thee; what would be thy thoughts and thy diſcourſe then: Why, let the ſame thoughts and the ſame diſcourſe, fill up every day and hour of thy Life; for thou knoweſt not, whether now this moment thou art not as near Death; as if thy Friends and Relations, yea and thy Phyſicians alſo diſpaired of thy Life, and had given thee over for Dead.

Fifthly and Laſtly,Get an aſſurance of a better Life. Labour to get an aſſurance of a better Life, and this will prepare you for a temporal Death. When you and all things in the World muſt take leave of one another and part forever, than to have the ſenſe of the Love of God, of an intereſt in Jeſus Chriſt, and the ſight and view of your own Graces; theſe will bear up your Heart in a dying hour, theſe things are Immortal, as your Souls are, and will enter into Heaven with you, and abide there with you to Eternity. O whom will it not comfort to think that Death will change his Bottle into a Spring; though p. 38here our Water ſometimes fails us, yet in Heaven whither we are going we ſhall bath our ſelves in an infinite Ocean of Delights, lying at the breaſts of an infinite Fountain of Life and Sweetneſs. Whoever hath ſuch an aſſurance as this is, cannot but welcome Death embracing it not only with contentment but with Delight: And while the Soul is ſtrugling and ſtriving to unclaſp it ſelf, and to get looſe from the Body, it cannot but ſay with Holy Longings and Pantings, Come, Lord Jeſus, come quickly.

THE GREAT EVIL and DANGER OF Little Sins, IN FOUR SERMONS ON St. MATTH. V. 19.

Whoſoever therefore ſhall break any one of theſe leaſt Cammandments, and ſhall teach Men ſo, he ſhall be called the leaſt in the Kingdom of Heaven.

By EZEKIEL HOPKINS, late Lord Biſhop of London-Derry.

LONDON, Printed by E. H. for NATHANAEL RANEW, at the King's Arms in St. Paul's Church-Yard, 1693.