A New Years Gift, Section 9
SECT. IX.
The Suppoſition of dying this Year, ſhould be improved; the Conſequence of Redeeming Time, and Providing for Eternity farther preſt. The Folly of Elder Perſons is condemned and checkt from the Example of Children. 'Tis adviſeable to familiarize the Thoughts of Death, and to imagine before-hand, what Apprehenſions of things we ſhall then have.
THE longeſt Life is but a day multiplied; and who can certifie, or aſſure me, which will be my laſt? He only, who was God as well as Man, could ſay, Mine Hour is not yet come. Is all my Life given me to reſolve this Queſtion, Whether I ſhall be in Heaven or Hell for ever? And have I any time to loſe, and ſquander away, as ſuperfluous? have I any more than needs? 'Tis no impoſſible, or unreaſonable Suppoſition to make, that I may dye this Year. Let me admit that Thought, and imagine my ſelf on a Bed of Sickneſs, wearied with Pain, and ready to leave this World; the Phyſitians gone, deſpairing of my Recovery; my Friends about me weeping; and all things in a doleful Melancholy Poſture, ſuited to ſuch a ſtate; feeling within my ſelf the preſages of Death, expecting the final ſtroke, in an hour or two more, What is then the value of ſenſual Pleaſures? can I then reliſh or ſavour them? what then is Honour to me, who ſhall never go abroad more to receive it, 'till carried to my Grave? will it then comfort me to have lived in Reputation, and Applauſe, if my Heart was not humble under it, and the Honour of God promoted by it? Can Riches and a great Eſtate ſupport me, when I am juſt packing up, for a Removal to the other World? In that Hour will it be any Satisfaction, to have made a ſtir and noiſe for a few years upon Earth, to be talkt of for a while longer than other Men? Are theſe the things, my dying thoughts will be moſt concerned to reflection?
Theſe Dignities, Pleaſures, and Poſſeſſions offered to a dying Man, would rather upbraid than tempt him; they come too late, as a Prince's Pardon to a Man whoſe Head is off. Die I muſt, and appear before my Judge, to anſwer for all that I have received, and done in the Body. Fool that I was, (ſhall I then too juſtly ſay to my ſelf,) not to have conſidered this much ſooner! not to have provided for it at a better Rate! my Sins ſtare me in the Face, my. Conſcience tells me I am not ready for ſuch a Trial: I have lived a ſtranger to ſuch Thoughts as now I cannot refuſe, and which ſhould have been admitted ſooner. But if to ſuch a ſtate, any hope of Mercy may be granted, (tho' it be unſpeakable little) yet I cannot promiſe my ſelf any ſuch Warning by Sickneſs. The ſleeping Virgins were called at Midnight, and ſo may I. Where can I pitch my Tents on Earth, to be ſecure againſt a ſudden Remove?
Lord! make theſe Thoughts effectual to prevent my Loſs of precious Time, which at ſuch a ſeaſon, will be eſteemed precious, tho' now it be not. O how ſwift, how ſhort is my Time of Trial, in order to Eternity! how difficult how important a work is it to prepare for an Everlaſting State! What is all this World, how little, how meer a nothing, to a departing Soul? And ſhall I after ſuch Reflections, continue to purſue Shadows, and pleaſe my ſelf with empty Dreams? when being ſo near my final Judgment, the Common Wiſdom of a Man requires me to mind it in good Earneſt; and be more ſolicitous about it than for any thing Temporal? O in what manner will Death open my Eyes, by ſhutting the Windows of Senſe! How ſhall I then ſee the Nothingneſs of what is but Temporal, and the Reality of what is Eternal!
We ſometimes laugh to ſee the Vanity of little Children, who are greatly pleaſed with painted Toys, and buſily employed about Trifles. It extorts a Smile to ſee them eager, and induſtrious, and mightily concerned in their Childiſh Sports; to ſee them ſigh or weep for little things which we deſpiſe; to obſerve with what Solicitude and Care they'll raiſe a little Fabrick, which three Moments after they themſelves pull down, or would otherwiſe tumble of its own Accord. We laugh at theſe, but ſhould weep over our ſelves, as the greater and elder Fools; who are every whit as ſilly, yea infinitely more; that conſidering we know the fraily of our preſent Life, and can look beyond the Grave to another World, ſhould yet miſpend our precious Time on things which cannot profit; and pleaſe our ſelves with what is ſo unſuitable to our Age and State: and ſuffer our Paſſions to work with violence, for a thing of nought? and our greateſt Diligence, Care, and Zeal, to be exerciſed on things impertinent and vain; that are periſhing in themſelves, and can contribute nothing to our Eternal Welfare. And is it not thus, with reference to all that Men toil and labour for, with the Neglect of an immortal State?
The Voluptuous Sadducee will not refuſe the preſent Gratification of his ſenſual Appetite, becauſe he is uncertain of another day. Let us eat and drink, for to Morrow we dye. Should not the ſame Motive quicken my Diligence in a better work? and becauſe my Lord may come ſuddenly at a Thief in the Night, immediately prepare to meet him? Let me now therefore, O my Soul! look forward to the End of Life and Time! and ſo let me eſteem, and ſeek, and chooſe, and do every thing in the firſt place, which then I ſhall wiſh I had; Let me do nothing now, which I verily believe I ſhall then be aſhamed, or ſorry to reflect on; that by thinking what a Condition I ſhall then wiſh to have my Soul in, I may now provide my ſelf, much better than I have done hitherto. That while I am in the greateſt probability of living, I may ſuppoſe my change to be near, and ſo not dare to do any thing, but what I would or might do, if I were in the preſent Expectation of Death. To this end, let me go down to the Potters-Houſe, deſcend to the Conſideration of my Mortality, and dwell among the Tombs; remembring the Aegyptians built themſelves better Tombs than Houſes, becauſe they were to dwell longer in them. Let every Nights repoſe, ſerve me as a Memorial of my laſt ſleep! and let my Bed ſtand for the Model of my Coffin! This is the only Way, to be dead to this World; to be able to judge of things now, as we ſhall do after Death, according to Immutable, Eternal Truth.