Deaths Alarm, Sermon
MATH: 24. 44.
Therefore be ye alſo ready, for in ſuch an houre as you think not, the Sonne of Man cometh.
THis Chapter is a Sermon, The Preacher whereof was no other than rhe Lord of Preachers and great Prophet of his Church: The Theame whereabout it is converſant is his coming, and that in a way of Judgement. And thoſe two genuine parts of a Sermon, Explication and Application divide the Chapter: The former deſcribeth the ſignes and manner of his advent, from the firſt verſe to the 42. The latter preſcribeth an expectation of, and preparation for it, from the 42. to the end. The Text I am now to handle lyeth within the compaſſe of the latter and moſt practicall part of the Sermon: in which, (the deſigne of our bleſſed Saviour being to urge a watchfull readineſſe for his coming) he purſueth a double Metaphor (couching logicall reaſons under rhetoricall alluſions) the one in the following verſes, the other in the foregoing.
The ſubſequent ſimilitude is borrowed from a ſervants behaviour in reference to the coming of his Lord. No Topicks more prevailing, eſpecially with vulgar judgements, than thoſe which are drawne à commodo & Saluſt. Bell. Catilin.incommodo, from the danger or benefit, detriment or emolument that accrueth by the neglect or performance of that to which we perſwade, upon which account it was that Catiline ſaid to his Souldiers, Quem neque gloria neque pericula movent, nequicquam hortere, That man is unperſwadable who can neither be affrighted nor allured: both theſe arguments Christ is here pleaſed to make uſe of, at once repreſenting the comfortable felicity of a vigilant, and the dolefull, nay diſmall miſery of a ſecure ſervant, when their Lord ſhall come.
The precedent reſemblance is ſeemingly very harſh, and yet really very fit, wherein you find mention made of an Houſholder and a Thief, yea (which is the Riddle) Chriſt compared to the Thief, and his Diſciples to the Houſholders. That thoſe who are (moſt juſtly) afterwards called ſervants, ſhould here be termed Houſholders, is ſomewhat ſtrange, and yet this in ſome reſpect is very congruous; ſince every mans body is an houſe wherein he dwelleth, his thoughts, words, and actions, are as his family, which he muſt governe, and his ſoule, more worth than a world, the treaſure which he is to take care of.
But though this part of the compariſon may admit of a favourable conſtruction, yet the other ſeemes altogether incompatible. Methinks when I read Chriſt reſembling himſelf to a Thief, I am ready to ſay, as onceMath. 16. 22. S. Peter in another caſe, Be it far from thee, Lord, this Phil. 2. 6.ſhall not be unto thee. Bleſſed Jeſus, thou thinkest it no robbery to be equall with God, and doſt thou here, as it were, equalize thy ſelfe to a robber? thou calleſt thy ſelf, and not without good reaſon, a little after this, Lord, and can the Lord of the houſe become a Thief, the Owner a Robber? Thou didſt tax the Multitude for coming againſt thee as a Thief, and doeſt thou here ſpeake of thy ſelfe Mat. 26. …. 27. 38.as if thou wert a Thief? It was an high affront, when the Jewes numbred thee with Thieves, nay preferred a Thief before thee, and art thou ſo injurious to thy ſelf, as to cloath thy ſelf under the appellation of a Thief? RatherRom. 3. 4. (to allude to S. Paul's expreſſion) Let Christ be true, and every Man a thief. Indeed, well may the thief lye at our doores; our firſt Parents were robbers in eating the forbidden fruit, and wee, their unhappy Progeny, are no leſſe guilty, not onelyonly in their loynes, but in our owne perſons, by uncharitableneſſe, by ſacriledge, by idleneſſe, and prophaneneſſe: but as for the innocent Meſsiah, what hath he done that may deſerve the title of a Thief?
To all this the anſwer is eaſie, if we conſider that it is not a charge or accuſation, but onelyonly an alluſion or compariſon. Chriſt doth not make himſelfe the ſame with, becauſe he likens himſelfe to a thief, nor indeed, is it himſelfe▪ but rather his advent, which is here compared to the coming of a Thief.
But it will ſtill be objected, how can this be verified? We elſewhere finde Chriſt plainely oppoſing his to a thiefe's coming, The thief cometh not but to kill and John 10. 10.ſteale, and deſtroy, but I come, ſaith Chriſt, that they may have life. True, but that is ſpoken of his firſt coming, which was in mercy. It may be replyed, this cannot be aſſerted of his coming in diſpleaſure, ſince the coming of a thief is to take from men their owne, to doe wrong, to injure the innocent; whereas the coming of Chriſt is, like that of a Iudge, to give every man his owne, to doe right, to puniſh the nocent; and theſe two are ſo far from being like, that they are directly contrary.
To unfold this riddle, therefore, you muſt know, that this expreſsion is parabolicall; and parables, like knives, cut onelyonly in the edge, to wit, the ſcope: now his aime in likening this advent …o that of a thief is onelyonly to take in the conſideration of the time. Excellent to this purpoſe is that of Simon de Caſs…a, Similitudo Chriſti Caſſ l. 6. c. 28.ad furem non eſt perſonae ad perſonam, nec negotii ad negotium, ſed temporis ad tempus, The parallel here holdeth not between perſon and perſon, or buſineſſe and buſineſſe, but betweene time and time; and therefore the Apoſtles, Paul and Peter, though (after Chriſts 1 Theſ. 52. 2. Pet. 3. 10.example) they are bold to uſe this alluſion, yet with an explicatory addition, where they ſay, The Lord cometh as a thief in the night; and thus it fitly agreeth, ſince as the coming of a thief in the night is unexpected, becauſe the good-man of the houſe is then aſleep, & thinketh not of it; ſo is oft times, eſpecially to wicked men, the coming of Chriſt; and that this is the meaning of the Protaſis in the former, appeareth by the Apodoſis, or reddition of the ſimilitude in this verſe which requireth our conſtant preparedneſſe, becauſe of his ſodaine coming, Be you therefore ready, for in an houre, &c.
The words (if taken in their fulleſt latitude) preſent us with foure conſiderables: Here is,
1. An Advent ſuppoſed in the laſt word Come, and what coming of Chriſt is here intended would be a little enquired into: To cleare which we muſt diſtinguiſh of thoſe ſeverall comings which are attributed to him in Scripture, nor can they (in my weak capacity) be more clearly differenced, than by conſidering a ſalvificall and a judiciall advent of Chriſt, and each of theſe as both viſible and inviſible.
Chriſts coming to ſave is either in the fleſh, or in the ſpirit; his firſt coming into the world, and his daily coming into our hearts, are in their prime intention ſalvfiicall; his viſible coming was to be the Sonne of Man, that in our nature he might purchaſe ſalvation for us; his inviſible is by his ſpirit, to make us the Sonnes of God, and thereby apply this ſalvation to us; but neither of theſe can be here meant, ſince his coming in the fleſh was already paſt, whereas he ſpeaketh of a future advent; nor can wee make our ſelves ready againſt his coming in the ſpirit, but it is the coming of the ſpirit which muſt inable us to make our ſelves ready.
Paſſe we on therefore to his judiciall coming, which is either generall or ſpeciall, perſonall or virtuall, and ſo viſible or inviſible. There ſhall be at the end of the world, a glorious coming of Chriſt in perſon, to execute a manifeſt and righteous judgement upon all mankinde, rewarding every man according to his works; in the meane time, Chriſt cometh in his power by ſecondary inſtruments to every particular man, and ſometimes to whole nations: in which reſpect, when by plague, famine, and warre, Kingdomes are deſtroyed, and when by caſualties, or ſickneſſe, perſons are cut off, Chriſt is ſaid judicially to come to them: Now all theſe, after a ſort, and in ſome ſenſe, may be here underſtood, That coming of Chriſt, which is literally and moſt properly meant, is, doubtleſſe, his coming by Titus Veſpaſian againſt Jeruſalem, to overthrow it, and thereby bring vengeance on the Iewes, for their moſt unjuſt and ungratefull murther of him. But though this be the literall and primary ſenſe, yet it will not (I conceive) be denyed by any, but that many of the things mentioned in this Chapter are, or at leaſt, may be applyed to that laſt coming of Chriſt, ſince we may look upon that destruction of Ieruſalem as an Emblem of the worlds judgement; and yet (to draw nearer this preſent occaſion) the latter part of this chapter, and ſo this verſe may morally be accomodated to the particular coming of Chriſt, by death, to every perſon: in reference to which, the counſels here given are very pregnant and appoſite.
2. Next to the advent ſuppoſed, is obſervable, the perſon characteriſed, by this appellation, the Son of Man, a title which our bleſſed Saviour very often giveth to him ſelfe, thereby ſetting us a pattern of humility, in having low conceits, and uſing mean expreſſions concerning our ſelves. But that which would here be conſidered, is upon what account he calleth himſelfe by ſo mean a title, when he ſpeaketh of ſo glorious a coming. If you caſt your eyes on the 42. verſe, you ſhall there finde him uſing the magnificent title of a Lord, a terme, as moſt truly agreeing to him, ſo beſt fitting his advent, wherein he manifeſted himſelfe as a Lord puniſhing his Rebels; but yet it is not without a reaſon, that having called himſelfe Lord, before, he ſtileth himſelfe, the Sonne of Man; here, namely, to prevent the ſcandall which might be taken at the meanneſſe of his preſent condition: likely it is that the tenuity of his externall aſpect rendered his prediction contemptible. What need we regard the words, or feare the threats of this Carpenters Sonne? might the Iewes ſay, at leaſt within themſelves. To prevent which, Chriſt is pleaſed to call him ſelfe the Son of Man, as if he would ſay, in anſwer to ſuch an objection. However, I am a poore weak man, yet the day is at hand when I will come in might and power, to avenge my ſelf upon my enemies.
3. The third obſervable is the time of this perſons advent ſpecified, and that to be both ſpeedy, and ſodaine, in an houre when you think not; ſpeedy, becauſe in an houre, one of the ſhorteſt dimenſions of time; it may be long before Chriſt come, but when he cometh he will not be long about it, and therefore he ſaith, not in a yeare, or a monethmonth, or a day, but an houre; nor is it onelyonly ſpeedy, but ſodaine, becauſe in an houre men think not of, and by this, an addition is made to the preceding expreſsion, in that parallel verſe, there it is, you know not in what houre, and that lets us ſee how ſecret death is from, and therefore how uncertaine it is to all men; here it is in an houre you thinke not, which lets us ſee how ſodaine, and therefore unexpected it is to many men.
4. The laſt particular (according to this Retrograde, yet Logicall order) conſiderable is, the inference deduced, what concluſions muſt be drawne from theſe premiſſes, what effect theſe conſiderations of the thing, perſon, and time, ought to work upon us, and that is in theſe words, be ye therefore ready, namely, to have all things fitted before Chriſt cometh, that we may have nothing to doe when he cometh, but to meet him.Cum inferre de be…et vi…ilare …ontim ò id omi…it ne intolerabile quid praecipere videretur ſed eſtote parati, ad ſignificandum continuam vigilantiam eſſe paratam. Avendan: in Math. Quod ſuperius dix…rat foreign illud jam exponit per foreign ille enim vere vigilat qui ſemper paratus eſt. Gerard▪ Contin. That which he calleth for in the forementioned verſe, is watching, that which he requireth here is readineſſe; two phraſes, one whereof explaines the other. On the one hand, leſt the command of watching alwayes might ſeeme impoſsible, Chriſt ſheweth, that the continuall watching he expects, is onelyonly ſo farre as to put our ſelves in a ready poſture, that we may not have grace to get when we ſhould ſpend it. On the other, leſt we ſhould think it enough to watch, that is, think of his coming; he calleth upon us not onelyonly to watch, but to be ready, injoyning ſuch an expectation of, as leads us to preparation for his coming.
5. Time will not give me leave to inſiſt on each of theſe particulars, and therefore I ſhall contract the foure to two, and dichotomizing the Text, here is obſervable in it,
Praedictio eventus, A Prediction of ſomething to come to paſſe, In an houre you think not, &c.
Praeſcriptio operis, A Preſcription of ſomething to be done, Be you therefore ready: Or, if you will, here is
Praemonitio periculi, A Danger forewarned, In an houre you think not, &c.
Admonitio officii, A Forewarning adviſed, Be you therefore ready: Yet once more,
The two important truths of this Scripture, are,
Inopinatus Chriſti adventus, The ſodainneſſe of Chriſts coming, In an hour you think not, &c.
Neceſſarius Chriſtiani apparatus, The neceſſity of the Chriſtians preparing, Be you therefore ready.
Between theſe two I ſhall divide the following diſcourſe, beſeeching this Son of man that he would in this houre, by his ſpirit, come into our hearts, that every one of us may be ſwift to heare, and ready to receive theſe divine Leſſons: And ſo I begin with the
Sodaineſſe of Chriſts coming, in an houre which you 1ſt. Gen.think not the Sonne of Man will come: This is that truth which S. Paul excellently exemplifieth, When they 1 Theſ. 5. ….ſhall ſay peace and ſafety, then ſodaine destruction cometh upon them, as Travell upon a Woman with Childe; when men ſay peace and ſafety, they little dreame of warre and ruine, paine cometh oft-times upon the woman in the ſtreet, at the table, in an houre when ſhe leaſt thinketh onJe…. 19. …. Significatur inextectata & im proviſa Chald… orum in Jeruſalem irrup…io … ▪ pot… qui n… per portas, in quibu… ſunt vigiles, fed per …urorum foeneſtras clan▪ culum inſtar furis irrumpant Lapid in H…er. Luke 21. 35. it. Such is Chriſts coming, eſpecially to careleſſe and ſecure ſinners: That expreſſion of the Prophet Jeremy may not unfitly be made uſe of to this purpoſe, by way of illuſtration, when he ſaith, death is come up into our windows; the true man cometh in at the doore, but the thief at the window; coming in at the doore is uſuall, but coming in at the window is unexpected; So is Chriſts coming to men by death in ſuch a way, at ſuch a time as is unlooked for; This truth is that which our Lord himſelfe elſewhere illuſtrateth by the metaphor of a ſnare, and that day is ſaid ſo to come, for its ſecrecy andTanquā laqu…us …cil. propter non apparentiam & impraemeditationem. Eu…h. in Ma…h. unexpectedneſſe; Agag flattereth himſelfe, that the bitterneſſe of death is paſt, and then Samuel giveth order to hew him in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal: and uſually, when men think death the farthest off, it is the nearest to them.
To inlarge this more particularly, be pleaſed to take notice, that there is a foure-fold hour wherein men uſually make no account of Chriſts coming by death, and yet in which Chriſt frequently cometh to men, to wit, hora carnalis voluptatis, mundanae proſperitatis, corporalis ſanitatis & juvenilis aetatis, the houre of carnall pleaſure, of worldly proſperity, bodily health, and youthfull age.
1. The houre of carnall pleaſure is a time wherein death is ſcarce at all thought upon. While the ambitious Statist is climbing high, he dreameth not of falling low into a grave; whilſt covetous Mammoniſts are heaping up thick clay, they think not of being themſelves made an heap of duſt; and whileſt voluptuous Epicures are feeding on dainties, and dallying with Dallilah's, they ſeldome make account of converſing with, and being fed upon by Wormes; in this reſpect, no doubt it is, that our Saviour warneth his Diſciples, Take heede to your Luke 21. 34.ſelves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with ſurfeiting and drunkenneſſe, and cares of this life, and ſo that day come upon you unawares, thereby intimating that this day cometh unawares upon them, who are plunged into the cares and delights of this life, and yet even in this houre the Sonne of Man is pleaſed to come and arreſt preſumptuous ſinners. Belſhazzar is quaffingDan. 6. 5. in his Cups, carouſing with his Companions, when as in that ſelfe-ſame hour came forth the fingers of a man writing upon the wall the deſtruction of him and his Kingdomes. Herod is glutting his aſpiring humour with popular applauſe (forgetting in the pride of his heart, both God and himſelfe) when as by a ſtrangeActs 12. 23. judgement he is immediately devoured by worms alive, and giveth up the Ghoſt. Finally, worldly men ſpend Job 21. 13.their dayes in getting wealth, and in a moment they goe downe to the grave. The coming of the Floud upon the old World is a litttle before made an Emblem by Christ Verſe 38.of his coming, and (that as the amplification demonſtrateth) in this very particular, as the Floud came upon the old World, when they were ſo farre from fearing ruine, that they were eating, and drinking, and giving in marriage: So doth Christ ſeize upon ſinners in the midst of their delights, whilſt they are indulging to their luſts.
2. The houre of worldly proſperity is a time wherein men are very regardleſſe of Christs coming: in affliction and miſery many wiſh for death, but in enjoyments and proſperity they ſcarce think of it; when the Sun ſhone ſo bright upon Sodome in the Morning, they little expected to be conſum'd by a diſmal fire from heaven before Evening: when the world is flowing in upon a man, it is very hard to intertaine thoughts of going out of the world. If the Mountaine be ſtrong, evenPſal. 30. 6. David is ready to ſay, I ſhall never be moved: no mervail if preſumptuous Babylon being in her chaire ofRevel. 18. 21. ſtate, ſay, I ſit a Queene and am no Widdow, and ſhall ſee no ſorrow. But yet very frequently, this is the houre wherein Chriſt cometh; ſo the threatning runneth againſtIſa. 47. 7, 8, 9. both literall and miſticall Babylon, Evill ſhall come upon her in a moment, in one day: and ſo it was verified in the rich Fool, who bidding his ſoul to take its Revel. 18. 9.…aſe, by reaſon of his worldly abundance, had thatLuk. 12▪ 19▪ 20. very night his ſoule required of him, and carryed to torment.
3. The houre of bodily health and ſtrength is a time in which men caſt the thought of death behind them, whilſt they have colour in their faces, agility in their joynts, appetite in their stomacks, health in their bodies, How rare are their Meditations on Death? Go preach your Lectures of Mortality (ſay they) to the weake, and the lame, and the ſick; as for us, wee have no reaſon to trouble our ſelves with ſuch melancholly thoughts: What do you tell us of dying and rotting in the grave? whilest our bones are moyſtned with marrow? We feel no infirmity, and therefore feare not mortality: And yet how often doth Chriſt come by death in ſuch an houre? one dyeth (ſaith Job) in his full ſtrength, being wholly at …aſe …ob 21. 23, 24.and quiet, his breasts are full of milk, and his bones are moyſtned with marrow: How many valiant and ſtout men hath death laid upon their backs, on a ſodaine tripping up their heeles? Have you not ſometimes ſeene a ſturdy Oak quickly blown downe by a violent winde? a ſtrong and tall Veſſell preſently ſunke by a leake? So are oft-times men ſnatched away in the ſtrength and vigour of their body, by death.
4. The houre of Youthfull age is a time wherein fewEccleſ. 12. 3, 4. make account of dying; It is ſoone enough (ſay young men) to thinke of our death in the day when deſire ſhall faile, to look for a grave, when they that looke out at the windowes are darkned, and to feare the approach of both when the keepers of the houſe ſhall tremble: theſe gravecloths are too ſad for the freſhneſs of our life, we are young, and may ſee many a fair yeare paſſe over our heads before death cometh, and therefore think not that like the mad man in the Goſpel we will ſpend our life among the tombs. But alas! how frequently, even in this houre, doth the Sonne of Man come: In Golgotha (ſaith the Hebrew Proverb) there are ſoules of all ſizes, and our weekely bills, for the moſt part, afford a greater numbers of dead Children than aged men. The Poets have a fable, that Death and Cupid lodging together at an Inne, exchanged their arrowes, whereby it hath ſince come toSic mo…itur juvenis ſic moribundus ama…. paſſe, that many times Old men dote, and Young men dye. The truth is, death doth not ſummon us according to our yeares, even the bloſſome is ſubject to nipping as well as the flower to withering. That threat which Almighty God denounceth by the Prophet Amos, is very often in this morall ſenſe made good,Dices …u qui … juvenis kondu… …n…c…ui, noki ergo decip…, non d…itur mors ce…to tempore aetatis, neque …i…t co… qui ſunt in ipſo fine …tatis. G…g Nyſ…ad… ▪ e…s qui ciff. Bapt. orat. I will cauſe the Sun to goe downe at noone; nay, not onelyonly ſo, but even in the morning of youth doth the Sunne of many a mans life goe down.
To apply this, let it then be the care of every one of us that Chriſts coming may not be to us in an houre wee think not of, and to that end, let no houre, at leaſt, day of our life paſſe without a ſerious thought of the day and houre of our death; Larkes in Theocritus are called foreign becauſe they carry the forme of a Sepulchre upon their heads. Such ſhould all Chriſtians be, having permanent impreſsions of death, not on but in their heads and hearts. The Indian Gymnoſophiſts were ſo much in love with theſe thoughts, that they cauſed their graves to be made before their gates, ſo as both at their going out and coming in they might be put in minde of their death: and truly, however the moſt men in the days of their vanity, account a life ſpent in meditation of death to be a miſerable life, a death rather than a life; yet when the time of their death approache…h, they will change their note, and ſay as dying Theophilus did of devout Arſenius, Beatus es Abba Arſeni, qui ſemper hanc horam ante oculoshabuiſti, They are happy men who ſet death daily before their eys. Indeed, byBibl. patr. T. 9▪ Ap…th…g…. this meanes the coming of Chriſt, as it will not be altogether ſodaine, ſo neither terrible to us, nor can any manNec dignus eſt in morte acc…p… re ſolatium qui ſ… non cogitavit eſſe moriturum. Cypr. Ep. 5 2. (ſo uſe S. Cyprians words) receive comfort at his death, who did not before make account of dying. A late writer hath, in this reſpect, piouſly fancyed, that Clocks were invented to minde us not ſo much of the Sunne's motion in the Heavens, as the paſsing of our life here onChrefol. Myſtagog. Earth: Since the ſounding of the clock telleth us that the paſt houre is as it were dead and buried, which at ſome time, or hour of ſome day or other, muſt be our lot.
Oh then, what ever our preſent condition is, let us ſtill entertaine thoughts of our latter end: Art thou in health and ſtrength, remember, a wiſe and good man, even then (as Gregory Nazian. ſaith) foreign Greg. Naz. Orat. 28.will looke both upwards to heaven, and downewards to his grave. Doeſt thou enjoy the pleaſures of life? learn of Joſeph of Arimathea to make a tombe in thy garden, and ſeaſon thy delights with thoughts of thy diſſolution. Finally, art thou advanced to an high eſtate in this world? forget not how low thy highneſſe muſt come ere long, and what one was appoynted to have in his hands at the inauguration of the Graecian Emperours, namely, in the one a burning firebrand preſently conſumed, and in the other a veſſell full of aſhes, and dead mens bones, have thou in thy heart by renewed meditations of thy mortality.
To cloſe up this part, It is reported concerning the Maids in the Iſle of Man, that the firſt thing they ſpin is their winding-ſheete, which they weare about them as a girdle at their feaſts: well were it, if we would in the midſt of all our enjoyments, gird our ſelves about with our winding-ſheets, fixing our thoughts upon our end, that ſo by this meanes we may not have cauſe at laſt to ſigh forth the foole's words, Non putaram, I did not think my death had been ſo neare: Bleſſed is that man, whom Christ, when he cometh by death, ſhall finde, not as Jaell did Siſerah, aſleep, but as Jonathan's arrow came to David ſtanding in the field, and looking for it, yea, ſo looking, as to bee fitting himſelf, which leads to the
Preparedneſſe required in every Chriſtian for this coming,2d. Gen. Be you therefore ready. For the better and clearer diſpatch of this, I ſhall endeavour both to unfold the nature, and preſs the practiſe of this duty.
1. To illuſtrate the nature of this preparation, be pleaſed to obſerve both the intent of the thing, and the extent of the time; by the former we ſhall ſee wherein this readineſſe, and by the latter when it ought to bee performed.
1. The duty it ſelf being of very weighty importance, It ſhould be a little inquired into, what things are requiſite to denominate a man ready for Chriſts coming.
The ſeverall metaphors of a Bridegroome, of a Lord, and of a Thiefe, under which the coming of Chriſt is repreſented to us, may very fitly be made uſe of to this end and purpoſe.
1. They are ready for the coming of the Bridegroom, who have on their wedding garment. And this is no other in a ſpirituall ſenſe than that white rayment, to wit, of Christs righteouſneſſe, apprehended by faith, which our bleſſed Lord adviſeth the Church to buy ofRevel. 3. 1…. him: indeed, when death▪ cometh it will ſtrip us of all other induments; Job ſaith of himſelfe (and it is no more than what every man ſhall finde true) Naked J…b 1. 21.came I forth of my Mothers womb, and naked ſhall I returne thither, onelyonly of this garment it cannot bereave us; and he alone, who is thus clothed, may, with comfort, look death in the face.
2. Againe, he is ready for the coming of his Lord, who hath diſcharged the truſt repoſed in, and improved the ſtock left with him by his Lord. Indeed, thus to doe in reference to God exactly, is impoſsible, but yet this to endeavour is neceſſary: and he onelyonly is fit for death, who hath beene carefull in life to employ his talents for Gods glory, and to keep a good conſcience in all things. When the Lord cometh he expects an account of the Servants receipts, and disburſments, and how unfit will the idle or waſtfull ſervant bee to make up his account? That life muſt needs render a man unprepared for death, which is ſpent in doing nothing, or that which is worſe than nothing, in abuſing the mercies we receive, to the diſhonour of him, who hath beſtowed them on us.
Finally, he is ready for the coming of a Thief, who keepeth himſelfe and his family waking, hath his doore locked, bolted, and barred, and is furniſhed with weapons both of defence and reſiſtance; So muſt we prepare our ſelves for Chriſts coming, by awaking our ſoules out of carnall and ſenſuall ſecurity, by keeping our hearts with all diligence, and by putting on the whole armour of God; the condition of that man will be very ſad, whom death findes aſleep in ſinne, without a ſpirituall guard, and deſtitute of thoſe graces, which ſhould arm him againſt its venomous ſting.
If you deſire a more diſtinct explication of this preparation, let Chriſt be his owne expoſitor in that elegant Scripture, where he adviſeth his Diſciples to have their Loynes girt, and their Lamps burning; The worke ofPer primum prae…pium jubemur c…hibere nos à malo & impedimenta removere: per ſccundum excitamur ad bene operandum. Tole… in Luc. Quid eſt lumbos ac incto…? declina a malo: quid lu…rnas ardentes habere, hoc eſt & fac bonum. Aug. Serm. 39. de verb. dom. preparation for death is both privative and poſitive, in removing what may hinder us, and procuring what may enable us to meet Chriſt at our death, with comfort. Both theſe we are taught under thoſe metaphoricall alluſions, the former in the girding of our Loynes, the latter in the burning of our Lamps.
1. To be ready, is to have our Loynes girt▪ where by Loynes we may very well underſtand, our affections and luſts, which are to be girt, by repentance and mortification. The ſting of death, ſaith S. Paul, is ſinne, ſo that we are never fit to dye till we have taken out the ſting by ſubduing ſinne; he that liveth in any luſt is ſo farre from being armed for death, that he armeth Succ…gere debemus lumbos id eſt expediti eſſe ab impedimentis laſcivioſae vi…ae & implicitae. Tertul. contr. Marc. l. 4. 29.death againſt himſelfe; death is a journey, called therefore a going to our long home; but how ſhall he be fit to go this journey, who hath not laid aſide the weight of ſinne, and girded up his loynes, which will be a ſore impediment to him? More eſpecially, this girding of Loynes may referre to the expelling of worldly love outUt divinum illud moriendi exemplum nos admonere…, humanarum rerum contemptum & amaritudinem morti praeire debere ut conſumma…i ad mortem obeundam eſſe videamur. Velaſq. in Phil. c. 1. v. 21. Annot. 3…. Sen. Epiſt. 26. of our hearts. To this purpoſe, both that action of Chriſts drinking Vinegar, and thoſe words of his, It is finiſhed, immediately before his death, are not unfitly moraliz'd, to teach us that by deſpiſing the world as vaine and bitter, we are more prepared for the finiſhing of our life. Oh how unwilling is he to goe out of the world, whoſe heart is glued to it? And therefore let it be our wiſdome to hang looſe in our affections from all earthly relations, that as Seneca divinely, if we be called to it; Nihil nos detineat, nec impediat quo minus parati ſimus, quod quand…que faciendum, ſtatim facere, no worldly thing may hinder us from being ready to do that preſently, which muſt be done at ſome time.
2. To be ready, is to have our Lamps burning, to wit, the Lamp of our Soule, burning with the graces of Gods ſpirit; the Lamp of our Life, burning in theLucernas ardentes habere, id est mentes a fide accenſas & operibu… veri…atis relucentes. Tertul. contr. Marc. l. 4. c. 29. exerciſe of good works towards God and man. Certainly he is very unfit to dye, who hath not yet begun to live; thy condition muſt needes be deſperate, if the lamp of thy life be put out before the lamp of grace be kindled: S. John ſaith of them who dye in the Lord, their works follow them, to wit, thoſe good works which have gone before their death in the courſe of their lives;Rev. 14. 13. he onelyonly is fit to meet Christ in death, who can ſay to him in Hezekiah's words, Remember, Lord, how I have Iſaiah 38. 3.walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart: a renewed nature, and a reformed life are the beſt preparatives to a comfortable and happy death.
2. You ſee the duty it ſelfe: The next thing to be conſidered is, the time when we ſhould make our ſelves thus ready; it is that which muſt by no meanes be left out, ſince though we all agree about the thing, yet we differ about the time, we muſt be ready for Chriſts coming, that is acknowledged, but when we ſhould goe about it, is not ſo eaſily determined. The anſwer to this is not expreſly given in the text, but yet manifeſtly implyed in the context, ſince the houſholder no… knowing when the thief will come, & knowing he will come, is alwayes expecting and providing for him: and indeed this we ſhall finde in the …parallel Scripture expreſly ſupplyed, where our Saviour bids his Diſciples to watch and pray foreign alwayes. It is that thenLuke 21. 36. which ought to be the wiſdome of every Chriſtian, alway to be in a readineſſe for the coming of Chriſt: ſuitable to this is that reſolve of holy Job, when hee ſaith, All the dayes of my appointed time I will wait till Job 14. 14.my change come; not onelyonly one, or a few, or ſome, but all his dayes were dayes of watching for the approach of his change, according to which is that counſell of S. Baſil, foreign,Baſ. hom. 2…. we muſt every day of our life be in a poſture ready to goe out of this life, if our Lord require us.
To cleare this more fully in two particulars:
1. We muſt begin betimes to make our ſelves ready. It is an undoubted maxime, in re neceſſaria non d…u deliberandum, where the matter is clearly neceſſary to diſpute much, or deliberate long about it, is both needleſſe and dangerous; nothing of more needfull concernment or greater importance to every one of us, than the being ready for Chriſts coming: ſurely then, juſt it is we ſhould ſet about it preſently, and make it our firſt buſineſſe. Almighty God in his ſublime ſpeech to Job, ſaith, concerning the warlike horſe, that he ſmelleth the Job 39. 25.battell afarre off; what nature teacheth him, let grace us, to ſmell that encounter we muſt have with death afarre off long before (at leaſt in probability) it will come, and that is, in the dayes of our youth. The life of man is not without good reaſon compared to a night: Now among the Jewes there were foure watches in the night, the firſt was called Conticinium, when all things are ſilent; the ſecond Intempeſtum, the unſeaſonable time of midnight; the third Gallicinium, which began at the Cock crowing; the laſt Antelucanum, about break of day: by theſe foure watches of the night are morally reſembled, the foure ages of mans life, Child-hood, Youth, Man-hood▪ Old age, and it is worth our obſervation, that when Chriſt ſpeaketh of our being ready for his coming, he mentioneth onelyonly the ſecond and the third watch: Thophilact's reaſon,foreign, &c. Theoph. in Luc. I confeſſe, is moſt probable, becauſe the ſecond and third watches are, as it were; the dead time of night, when moſt men are in their ſoundeſt ſleep, ſo that he that is wakefull in thoſe watches, may be preſumed not to ſleep in the firſt and fourth, and ſo to be ready in the ſecond and third, is as much as to be alwayes ready; but there may be another apt alluſion to our particular purpoſe; as for the firſt watch he mentioneth it not, becauſe Child hood is in no capacity of performing this duty (though even then it concerneth Parents to make their Children ready, by bringing them to the Holy Sacrament of Baptiſme:) and as for the fourth watch of Old age, he ſpecifieth not that neither, becauſe Rariſſimi ſunt qui ad extremum vitae differentes bene operari, Tolet ibid.inveniuntur ita facientes, They are very rare who are found ready at Chriſts coming, and yet have not begun before the fourth watch: Let it then be our care to begin at the third watch of Man hood, nay, ſooner▪ at the ſecond watch of Youth, to prepare and provide for Christs coming. Happy is that man who fitteth himſelf for dying, ſo ſoon as he cometh to know that he liveth, and conſecrateth the beginning of his rationall life to a religious Meditation of his mortall end.
2. We muſt hold out to the end of our dayes in this ready poſture, daily endeavouring greater meaſure▪ of preparation. Thoſe two excuſes will be found alike invalid whenſoever Christ cometh, Fuiſſe & futurum eſſe, I reſolved to be ready hereafter, and I was ready heretofore; ſince it is neither what thou wouldſt be, nor what thou haſt beene, but what thou art; when death cometh Unbend not then the bow of thy pious endevor, till the ſtring of thy life break; ceaſe not running the race of piety till thou art put out of breath; be alwaies preparing to meet Chriſt till he come to thee. It is to this purpoſe well obſerved, what a difference there is between the other life and this; as to that life, it will beHo… diff…rt vitapraeſens ab illa quam expectamus, quo…a… totum bonum futurae vitae conſiſtit in hoc quod eſt recte illam incipe…e praeſ…ntis vitae bonum: è contra conſiſti… in rect… finiendo illam, &c. Avend. in Mat. cap. 24. Greg. Mag. ſufficient, bene incipere, to begin well; if we can but enter into that joy of our Lord, it is enough; he that is once entred into a poſſeſſion of that bliſſe, ſhall goe no more out, but as to this preſent life, the great care is bene finire, to end well, ſince incaſſum bonum agitur ſi ante vitae terminum deſeratur, That work is begun to no purpoſe, which is left off before it is finiſhed; no… can this work of preparation be finiſhed, till life be ended.
But it may, perhaps, and not improbably, be objected, even by good Chriſtians: Alas, the practiſe of this duty in this extent, is impoſsible; who is there that can at all times ſo order his converſation, as to be ready for his diſſolution? We meet with many remora's to ſtop us in, many avocations to turne us aſide from this work, the labour of our callings, the care of our families, lawfull recreations, many worldly buſineſſes take up our time, ſo that we cannot alwayes be at leiſure to thinke of, and ſo provide for Chriſt's coming.
To reſolve which doubt, be pleaſed to take notice of a double preparation for the coming of Chriſt, to wit, habituall and actuall.
Actuall readineſſe conſiſts in the exerciſe of thoſe ſpiritual graces, and practiſe, of thoſe religious duties, which are fit for us to be converſant in at the time of our death, ſuch as are ſelfe examination, penitent humiliation, believing invocation, charitable condonation, and the like; and truly thus to be alwayes ready, is not poſsible, nor requiſite: It is not poſsible, for our natures, which at beſt are but in part renewed, to be wholly taken up with divine performances; nor indeed is it requiſite, ſince God hath given us time for ſecular as well as ſpirituall buſineſſes, yea, for recreation as well as devotion; and if Chriſt ſhall come by death to us when about our civill callings, or lawfull refreſhings, our condition were not therefore to be adjudged deſperate. Indeed, on the one hand, becauſe death may come at ſuch times, it ſhould be our endeavour, as much as may be, to carry about us heavenly hearts in our earthly employments; and on the other hand, becauſe the beſt of us are too deficient in this kinde, we may, nay ought to beg of God (if it be his will) that death may rather finde us praying, than playing; in our chambers, than in our ſhops; about devout exerciſes, than worldly buſineſſes. In this reſpect, that prayer of the Church (From ſodaine death good Lord deliver us) which by our arrogant noveliſts, among other paſſages of the lyturgie, is cauſeleſly denyed, is fit to be made, not onelyonly by the worſt, but by the beſt of men, to whom death may be, and many times is ſo ſodaine, that they cannot be in an actuall readineſſe for it, and therefore if it be (as doubtleſſe it is) a very deſirable thing to have ſpace before our death of renewing our faith, repentance, and charity, yea, and of expreſsing all theſe for the comfort and benefit of others that belong to us, it muſt needes be a fit requeſt for all Chriſtians to put up, that they may be delivered from ſodaine death.
But beſides this actuall, there is an habituall readineſs, which referres not to the action but the diſpoſition; the exerciſe, but the ſtate of the perſon; ſo that he, who is by faith engrafted into Chriſt, and by the ſpirit regenerated to a lively hope, and ſo in a ſtate of grace, is habitually ready for the coming of Chriſt, according to this ſenſe Brugenſis with others giveth the interpretation of this text, Paratus eſt qui ſemper eo ſtatu conſiſtit, Brugenſ. in loc.quem dominus requirit, qui ſemper eum vitae tenet ſtatum qui deo gratus, He is ready, who is in that eſtate which is required by, and will be acceptable to Chriſt when he cometh to call him. And thus it is our duty to be alwayes ready, not daring to live in a ſtate of impenitency, yea, to give God and our ſelves no reſt, till we have in ſome meaſure made our peace with him, through Chriſt: Looke as when we are enjoyned to pray continually, the meaning is, not that we ſhould be alwayes upon our knees in the continued exerciſe of that duty, but that we ſhould be frequent inQui rogat ſemper roge…, etſi non ſemper precatu…, paratum ſemper habeat precantis affectum. Ambr. in Pſ. 118. Serm. 19. the work, and have a minde diſpoſed to pray upon all occaſions; ſo when we are enjoyned to be alwayes ready for death, it is not that we ſhould be continually in the practiſe of thoſe duties, which are proper for a dying man, but that we ſhould every day ſet ſome time apart for thoſe exerciſes, and alwayes be in a regenerate condition, having the graces of faith and repentance really wrought in our ſouls.
By this time, I hope, you ſee what the duty is, which here our bleſſed Lord calleth upon his Diſciples to perform, what remaineth, but that I now, after Chriſts example, endeavour to preſſe the practiſe of it upon you: And indeed, ſo much the rather, becauſe it is that wherein I feare the moſt of us are miſerably deficient.
It was Tertullian's Character of the Chriſtians in his time, that they were expeditum morti genus, a ſort ofTertul …de ſpectac. cap. 1. people prepared for death, and that not onelyonly naturall, but violent, and ſo in that ſenſe which S. Paul ſpeaks of high concerning himſelfe, when he tells his diſconſolate friends that he was ready, not onelyonly to be bound, but to die for the name of Jeſus, Act. 21. 13. But alas, of how few Chriſtians in our dayes can this be truly ſaid, and that in the loweſt ſenſe, the moſt being ſo farre from a readineſſe to lay down their lives in ſuffering for Chriſt, that they are not in a readineſſe to meet Chriſt, if he ſhould come in an ordinary way to take away their lives. Alexander caſhiered that ſouldier, who had his weapons to ſharpen when he was to goe to fight: But Lord, how many Chriſtians (in name) have the worke of preparation to begin, when their lives are almoſt at an end, never thinking of doing good, till the opportunity Impii runquam didicerunt bona facere, niſi c…m jam non eſt tempus faciendi. O▪ caſt.of doing it be paſt. Suppoſe, beloved, our Lord Chriſt ſhould now come againſt this City, as he did once againſt Hieruſalem, to take vengeance on it and deſtroy it, in what an unprepared condition ſhould he finde the greateſt part of the inhabitants? ſome ſporting with their wantons, others burying themſelves in their cheſts of gold, ſome quaffing in their riotous bowles, others belching out blaſphemous oathes, the moſt wallowing in ſome wickedneſſe or other? Nay, to come nearer, ſuppoſe Chriſt ſhould come by death to any of us here preſent, this night, this evening, this houre, are we ready for him? could we give up our accounts with joy, and look him in the face with comfort? I feare the moſt of our Conſciences tell us we ſhould not be able to doe it.
Receive then (I beſeech you) a ſeaſonable word of advice, and think (for ſo indeed it is) that what Chriſt here ſaith to his Diſciples, he ſaith to all, Bee you ready, And (which ſhould render this duty ſo much the more acceptable to us) it wants not a therefore to enforce it, indeed there are many and thoſe weighty motives, which may very well inferre the performance of this duty, as not onelyonly uſefull, but needfull to be done, and that at all times. For, conſider
1. The Son of Man will certainly come at ſome houre or other; Bee you therefore ready. In other matters we provide for thoſe things whereof we have at moſt but a probability, no certainty. The Husbandman plougheth,Multi domos aedifican…, cum tamen n…ſciant an per unicum diem ea debeans colere, ad incertam vitam parantur, certam mortem non curantes. Stella in Lu… ▪ and tilleth, and ſoweth his ground againſt the next yeare, when yet he is not ſure to reap the fruit of his labour; Parents lay up Riches, purchaſe Lands, build Houſes for their Children, though they are not ſure they ſhall enjoy them; ſhall we provide for what onelyonly may be, or at moſt, is but likely to be, and take no care to prepare for what ſhall certainly be? That rich man in the Goſpel might well be called a foole, when as he took ſo much care to build large Barnes, and lay up Goods in thoſe barns as a proviſion for the uncertaine years of his life, but regarded not to make ready for his grave, which he knew to be certain, and proved to be ſo near. Oh let not us incur this brand of folly by the like incogitancy.
2. At what houre the Son of Man will come, you cannot certainely know; Bee you therefore ready; nay, alwayes ready. It is true, Chriſt will come; nay, he hath told us he will come (no doubt for this reaſon) that being praemoniti we may be praemuniti, having notice of, we may provide for it; but when he will come he hath concealed from us (and doubtleſſe for this cauſe) that we might alwayes ſtand upon our guard, and be ready Si inimicus tuus fic tibi minaretur in tali borá te expecto, ſufficeret tibi uſque ad illam horam quieſcer…: tamen ſi ſic dixiſſet obſerva me, nam ubicunque te inv…n…ro te totis viribus invadam …am tunc nullum tibi qui…tis dabatur tempus Avend. in Math.for him. If thy enemy ſhall ſay to thee, at ſuch a time, in ſuch a place, I will meet you; it were enough to be ready at that time; but if he ſay, where, or whenſoever I meet you, I will ſet upon you, it concerneth to be alwayes armed for him: Such indeed is both the wiſdome and goodneſſe of our bleſſed Lord, that he hath forewarned us of the thing, not of the time, that knowing he will come, and not knowing when, we may be continually prepared. It was the policy of Julius Caeſar, never to acquaint his Army before-hand with the time of their march, Ut paratum, momentis omnibus, quò vellet, ſubito educeret, that they might be ready to march upon all occaſions: Such is the wiſe dealing of Christ with us, and that for our good, not revealing to us the time of our death, that we may never be ſecure. And therefore (to uſe Aulus Gellius his compariſon) as a fencer Aul. Gell l. 13. c. 26.not knowing at what part of his body the Antagoniſt will aime, compoſeth his body and holdeth his weapon, ſo as he may readily defend any part; ſo muſt we, not knowing in what day of our life Chriſt will come, ſo order our wayes, that we may be fitted whenſoever he ſhall come unto us.
3. There is no houre of your life wherein you can aſſure your ſelves that the Son of Man will not come: Indeed, as no place can exempt from death's approach, it may come to thee in the Church, in the Street, in the Shop; in the Field, as well as in the Bed; ſo no time can priviledge from death's arreſt, in the night as well as in the day, in youth and manhood, as well as old age, Chriſt may ſend it to ſeize upon thee: Haſt thou not need then to be every where, and at all times prepared? Conſider this (oh vain man, whoever thou art) that putteſt off thy preparation in hope that Chriſt will delay his viſitation; thou purpoſest to be ready when thou art old; I, but what if Chriſt come whileſt yet thou art young? Thou promiſeſt to prepare thy ſelf to morrow; but what if thou dieſt to day? Oh beware that thy promiſes beare not a date far longer than thy life. It is ſtoriedforeign. Baſ. hom. 13. of ambitious Archyas, that having by fraudulent and unjuſt courſes, at length compaſſed the government of Thebes; he with his complices kept a riotous feaſt, in the midſt of his intemperance a meſſenger cometh to him with a letter from a friend, importuning him ſpeedily to peruſe it, but he ſlighting the admonition, and puttingPlurarch. in Pelopid. it under his pillow, ſaid, foreign ſerious things to morrow, when as the thing, which the letter concerned▪ was effected that night, to wit, deprivation at once, both of his life and dignity, by a combination of the Citizens. This, this (my Brethren) is, I feare, the dolefull caſe of too many who purpoſing to be ſerious and pious hereafter, are ſnatched away before that hereafter come. Couldſt thou, oh man, aſſure thy ſelfe▪ the continuance of thy life for a day, a monethmonth, a yeare, thou mighteſt with more pretence of reaſon defer thy preparation ſo long; but Cui ſit exploratum Ci…. de S…nectſe ad veſperum eſſe victurum, ſaith the heathen Orator truly, who can aſſure himſelfe he ſhall live till evening? nay, who can juſtly promiſe to himſelfe the next moment? Be not then ſo fooliſh, nay mad, nayStultum in tali …ta…u vivere in quo quis non aud… mori. Aug bruitiſh, as …o live an hour, a moment in the eſtate wherein thou wouldſt be loath to dye.
4. That hour, in which men make leaſt account, is commonly the time of the Son of Man's coming, Be ye therefore ready. Whileſt the Croc…dil being aſleep openeth his mouth the Indian Rat getteth in and cateth up his bowells; whileſt the Theban Centinel was nodding, Epaminondas came and thruſt him thorow; when men are ſecure in their ſins, death ſtealeth upon them unawares. At what gate there is the leaſt guard, ſmalleſt ſtrength, the beſieger maketh his onſet, and endeavoureth entrance: Oh feare, leſt in that day death approach to thee, wherein thou art moſt regardleſſe of death.
5. All the time alotted you before Christs coming, is little enough for this great work; Be you therefore alwayes endeavouring to make your ſelves ready. Tota vita diſcendum eſt vivere, ſaid the Philoſopher, we ſcarce learne to live well in the whole ſpace of our lives; nay, Totâ vitâ diſcendum eſt mori, ſaith the Divine, our whole life is ſcarce ſufficient to learne the art of dying well. Were a ſhort prayer, or a ſingle ſigh, a God forgive me, or Lord have mercy upon me, a valid preparation for Chriſts coming, the work were eaſie, and a little time might diſpatch it; but be not deceived, God is not mocked. This great work is not ſo facile a taske. Doe but ask the ſervants of God, who have taken much paines, and ſpent many yeares in this work, and you ſhall hear them complain, that to this day, notwithſtanding all their prayers, teares, fastings, watchings, and ſtruglings, they finde themſelves very unready for death; and is it not a wretched preſumption in any man, to think he can fit himſelfe for death, as it were at an houres warning?
6. When the Son of man cometh, there will bo no opportunity for the doing of this work: Be you therefore ready. Likely it is, at the approach of death, many men w…ll be earneſt ſuiters, in Davids words, Oh ſpare me a little, Pſal. 39. 13.one monethmonth, one weeke longer; but in vaine; their requeſt cannot be granted, nor the time delayd. Very apt to this purpoſe is the ſtory of S. Gregory concerningGreg Dialog. l. 4. c. 38. ond Chryſorius, a man as full of ſin as he was of wealth, who on his dying bed, in a bitter agony of ſpirit, cryed out, Inducias vel uſ que mane, inducias vel uſ que mane, Truce but till the morning, ſtay but till to morrow; but with theſe very words he breathed his laſt. Chriſt may ſometimes stay long before he cometh, but when he comes he will not ſtay foreign—ſaith S. Baſil excellently, learne to be wiſe by the fooliſh Virgins Baſ. …om. …3.example, for whom the Bridegroome being come, would not ſtay a moment, and onelyonly they that were ready went in with him to the Marriage.
7. Your preparation for, will be no acceleration of Chriſts Math. 25. 10.coming; and therefore be you ready. It is the fond conceit of many, that if they think of, and prepare for death, death will preſently come to them; upon which ground it is, that they put off the ſetting both their houſe and ſoule in order; but let not vain feares beguile thee, thy death is not the nearer, but onelyonly it will be the ſweeter, graemeditati mali mollis ictus, the blow will not come the ſooner, but it will be the eaſier; nay, indeed, by being ready to die, thou art the fitter to live, and both thy life and thy death will be the more comfortable.
8. Finally, the Sonne of Man's coming will be moſt diſmall and exitiall to all unprepared perſons; Be you therefore ready. S. Chryſoſtom, upon theſe words conceiveth,foreign. Chryſ. in loc. Math. 25. 7. 22. 13. that Chriſt repreſenting his coming under the reſemblance of a thief, checketh our …luggiſhneſs, who are leſs carefull to be ready againſt Chriſts, than the Houſholders is againſt the Thiefe's coming, whereas the Houſholder's danger is onelyonly the loſs of his goods, or money, or jewels, but ours of our precious ſouls: Oh, my Brethren, if Chriſt, when he cometh by death, finde us unprepared, wo to us that we were born, our caſe will be like that of the fooliſh Virgins, againſt whom the doore of Heaven was ſhut, and no intreaty could prevaile for the opening of them; nay, like that of the man, whom when the King came in, he found at the feaſt without a wedding garment, who was bound hand and foot, and caſt into utter darkneſſe; yea, like that of the evill ſervant in the end of this chapter, when his Lord coming, cut aſunder, and appointed him his portion with the hypocrites, Ver. 15.there ſhall be weeping and gnaſhing of teeth.
And oh that any, or all of theſe conſiderations, might awaken our ſecurity, and quicken our induſtry. This Son of Man hath been pleaſed to call upon us often for the performance of this duty: perhaps he will come to ſome of us before the next call: Oh then, delay no longer, but be we ready whileſt it is called to day, and whileſt this day he vouchſafeth to call upon us. It was an excellent ſaying of an ancient, when his corrupt heart tempted him to procraſtination, I will make uſe of the day to repent in, and leave the morrow to God, ſo do thou ſay,Hodie poenitentiam ago, craft… num Deo relinquo. Apothegm. in Bibl. pat. Chriſt may come to morrow, I will be ready for him to day. Thus let the remainder of out mortall life be a preparation for death, and then our death ſhall be a preparation of us for an immortall life.
To cloſe up all, with reference to this dolefull occaſion, the interring of our diſeaſed Siſters Corps.
In reſpect of her deare friends, I may very well take up the latter part of this verſe, in an houre when they thought not, the Son of Man came to her; yea, even then, when they ſeem'd to hope and ſay, the bitterneſs of death is paſt, the danger of her child-bearing is over, death ſeized upon her: But though her diſſolution was at this time unthought of by them, yet I have good reaſon to believe it was neither unlooked nor unprepared for by her, partly becauſe as ſhee, many moneths before, knew what an hazardous condition ſhe was to paſs thorow; ſo charity bids me hope that ſhe made uſe of that time to provide for the worſt, chiefly becauſe her foregoing life, as to the general tenure of it was unblameable & vertuous, Et illi mors improviſa, cujus vita f…it provida, even ſodaine death cannot be a ſad conſequent, when a good life was the antecedent: Her education, no doubt, was religious, being the Daughter of a reverend Miniſter, M. Iſaac Col…e.now with God, and her converſation every way correſponding to that education: Much of her time ſhe employed in the pious ſervices of reading, meditation, and prayer, not neglecting the publique Ordinances, thoſe duties which belong'd to the relations in which God had ſet her, of a Daughter, a Wife, a Mother, a Miſtreſs, Siſter, Neighbour, Friend, ſhe did not more intelligently know, than conſcienciouſly performe. In a word, like good Mary, ſhe choſe that good part, whileſt her adorning wasLuke 10. 4…. … Pet. 3. 3, 4. not that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, wearing of gold, putting on of apparrell, (in which ſhe onelyonly regarded decency, not affecting curioſity:) but to uſe Tertullian's alluſions, Sericum pietatis, byſsinum ſauctiatis, purpura pudicitiae, The fine linnen of purity, the ſilke of ſanctity, the purple of modeſty; or to follow S. Peter's expreſſions, The hidden man of the heart, and the ornament of a meek and quiet ſpirit, which as in the ſight of God is of great price; ſo it was the grace wherein ſhe ſurpaſſed moſt of her ſex.
Thus ſhe both lived and dyed like a lamb, lived meekly, and dyed quietly, lived obediently (in ſome meaſure) to Gods commands, and dyed ſubmiſsively to Gods decree. Let not then her affectionate conſort, and loving allyes, mourn over her grave inordinately: She dyed young indeed, but yet not before her time, becauſe not before ſhe was ready for death; ſhe was cut down betimes, but yet not before ſhe was ripe for the harveſt. Rather then do you, nay let all of us here preſent, thinke with our ſelves (to imitate S. Peters words to Sapphira) that the feet of them which has brought her to her long home, Acts 5. 9.are at the doore of our houſes, to carry us out alſo, and therefore every one ſo to lead our lives, and order our converſations aright, that at what time ſoever Christ ſhall by death approach unto us, his coming may not be unexpected to us, nor we unprepared for his coming. Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · Nathaniel Hardy, Deaths Alarm (1653)