Deaths Alarm, Title page – Dedication
DEATH'S ALARUM: OR, SECƲRITY'S WARNING-PIECE.
A Sermon preached in S. Dionis Back-Church, at the Funerall of Mrs. Mary Smith (Daughter of Mr. Iſaac Colfe, formerly Miniſter of Gods Word at Chadwell in Eſſex, and late Wife of Mr. Richard Smith of London, Draper) who dyed the 9th. day of Novemb. 1653. and was buried the 16th. of the ſame MONETHMONTH.
By NATH: HARDY, Mr. of Arts, and Preacher to that PARISH.
Revelat. 16. 15. Behold I come as a Thief, Bleſſed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, leſt be walk naked, and they ſee his ſhame.
Greg. Mag. Hom. 13. in Evang. Horam ultimam dominus noſter idcirco voluit nobis eſſe incognitam, ut ſemper poſsit eſſe ſuſpecta, ut dum illam praevidere non poſſumus, ad illam ſinc intermiſsione praeparemur.
LONDON, Printed by J. G. for Nath: Web, and Will: Grantham at the ſign of the Bear in S. Paul's Church-yard neere the little North Doore. 1654.
ERRATA.
PAge 7. line 22. read from, p. 8. l. 14. blot out the fig. 5. l. 25. for foremarning r. forearming, in marg. bl. out eſt. p. 12. l. 30. for ſoules r. skulls, p. 14. l. 2. for ſo r. to, l. 14. for foreign r. foreign, p. 15. l. 16. after readineſs adde conſiſteth, p. 24. l. 11. before ſenſe r. high, l. 12. blot out high.
To the Reverend Mr. Abraham Colfe, Miniſter of Lewiſham in Kent: After the numbring of many yeares on EARTH, yeares without number in HEAVEN.
Worthy SIR,
UPon your firſt motion of publiſhing this Sermon, I took it into a ſerious review, and finding the notions very common, and the expreſſions home-ſpun, I adjudged it unworthy to ſurvive (except in the memories of the Auditors) that houre wherein it was preached: But being loath to deny your deſire, I reſolved to deny my owne judgement, and withall, hoping it may prove uſefull (though not to informe the judgement, yet) to awaken the conſcience of the Reader, I am willing to hazard my owne reputation, if I may advance the edification of others.
That which (Reverend Sir) I conceive to be a ſubordinate end in your intention, is to testifie your abundant (yet deſerved) reſpects to your deceaſed Neece, in taking care that whileſt her body rots her name might live; and ſurely, ſince the memory of the juſt is bleſſed, an endeavourProv. 10▪ 7. to perpetuate it is pious. Praiſe-worthy then is your regard of her memory, but much more commendable is that courſe which you have taken for preſerving your owne, by an eminent and laſting *The building and endowing a free Grammer School by, and Writing-School in the Town of Lewiſham, together with an annuall Maintenance for 7. Schollars to be ſent from thence to the Univerſity.act of charity, for which the generations to come ſhall call you bleſſed.
Indeed by this worthy work you have honoured the Pariſh whereof you have been, and are a carefull watchman; the Church of England, to which you have been an obedient Son; the Goſpel, of which you have beene a laborious Preacher; and Proteſtant Religion, of which (I truſt) you are a ſincere Profeſſor. And truly, both the preſent and future ages will be very ingratefull, if they ſhall not highly honour ſo munificent a Benefactor.
However (I hope) you have ſo learned Chriſt, as not to make mens applauſe the ſcope at which you aime, or marke whereat you ſhoot, well knowing that vaine-glory ſullyeth the ſplendour, and evacatueth the reward of our beſt actions, turning Chriſtian charity into phariſaicall hypocriſie.
To Gods mercifull acceptation▪ and gracious remuneration (I doubt not, good Sir) but you commend your pious and charitable deſigne, who (though men ſhould) Hebr. 6. 10.will not be unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love. To his powerfull protection and most wiſe direction, I commend both you and your endeavours, who will not forſake you now you are aged, but preſerve2 Tim. 4. 18. you to his heavenly Kingdome. To whom be glory for ever and ever.
AMEN.
I ſubſcribe my ſelf (Sir) A cordiall honourer of your Vertues, NATH: HARDY.