The Wicked Mans Portion, Sermon
Eccles, 7. 17.
Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish; why shouldest thou dye before thy time?
SOlomon being a man full of wisdome, was very observant of the Providences of God, which hap…ed in the place and in the age wherein he lived. He doth in this Chapter give us an account of some of his Observations that way, There is one special Observation in this Context, viz in the 15 verse of this Chapter, where we have the wise man saying, There is a just man that perisheth in his Righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness. Now lest any one should abuse this doctrine of the just mans perishing in his righteousness; and the wicked mans prolonging his life in his wickedness, He proceeds to a double exhortation.
1. He doth exhort to beware of errors on the right hand. verse 16th. where there are two errors on the right hand mentioned.
1. Overmuch Righteousness. Be not righteous overmuch. Not that it is possible for any man to have more of real Goodness in him, than he ought to have: but he may be more righteous in his own Conceit, than he should be; and he may be Superstitious, he may adde to the Word of God, which is the rule of Righteousness, Men may likewise be more severe in punishing Offenders then the Rule doth allow o…, the Corinthians did sometimes erre on that hand, and that is to be righteous overmuch
2, Overmuch Wisdome. Neither make thy self overwise. which must be understood as the former Particular, A man be wiser in his own eyes, than he ought to be, He may be wise above what is written, He may p…y into the secrets of the Alm…ghty, and endeavour to trace him wh…se wayes, are past finding out, and whose …ootsteps are not known. And this Exhortation is urged from the Consideration of the wo…u…l effect of this overmuch wisdome and righteousness, viz self destruction. Why shouldest thou destroy thy self? As the moth that will venture too neer to the light, destroyeth it self, so they that will be overwise, and will needs know more than God would have them to know, destroy themselves.
2. The other exhortation is against Errors on the Less hand; of which there are two mentioned in this verse andDr…si… Annot. in Lo…. in the words which have been read, in opposition to the two former spoken of in the verse immediately foregoing.
1, Be not overmuch wicked. q. d. though you must notSee p…mbl…. expos. p 85. be righteous overmuch, yet take heed of erring on the other extream, which our nature is most prone unto. The Hebrew is, foreign h. e. do not wickedly much. Not that the Preacher doth allow of any wickedness at all onelyonlyNoli esse st…ltus. Hieron. his designe is to shew the evill of all excess in wickedness.
2. Another error on the le…t hand is Foolishness. Neither be thou Foolish. Heb. foreign h. e. Neither …e thou a Fool, because all wickedness is folly, and sinners areTametsi aliquando fit ut improbi… suis celeribus Consenescant, tamen foreign fit ut impr… borum brevis & contracta vita sit. Cartwright in Loc. Fools, as afterwards we shall shew. And this exhortation is l…kewise pressed by an argument taken from the miserable end that such sinners come to at last, God in his righteous Providence doth many Times so order that they d… before their Time. Why shouldest thou dy before thy Time? It is as if it were said, Though it be so that here and there a wicked man doth prolong his life in his wickedness, yet for any one thence to embolden himself in sin, is the greatest folly imaginable, for usually it falls out otherwise, that wickedness doth shorten the dayes of those that are guilty of it.
The Doctrine therefore from the words is, Doct.
That the Providence of God doth oftentimes …o dispose as that a… untimely death shall be the Portion of him that hath been wicked overmuch.
In the Doctrinal handling of this Truth, Three things may be attended.
1. To enquire how any one may be said to dy before his Time.
2. What overmuch wickedness that is which is usually followed with untimely Death, or when one may be said to be wicked overmuch.
3. The Reasons of the Doctrine, why God in his providence doth often so dispose as that an untimely death shall be the Portion of such as have been wicked overmuch.
Quest. 1. How can one be said to …y before his Time?
Answ. Not in respect of the decree of God. No man shall dy before the Time which the Lord hath determined be fulfilled. The Time of every mans Death is appointed. Hence Job saith Chap. 14. verse 14. All the dayes of my appointed Time will I wait till my change come. and in the 5th verse of that Chapter it is said, Seing his dayes are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass. Not onelyonly the yearsSe… Mr Cotton on Eccl…s 7. 17. but the moneths, nay the dayes which every man shall live are determined by the Lord, so as that he shall not live a day longer, nor dy a day sooner than was before appointed. But a man may be said to dy before his Time.
1. In respect of his own expectation. He may dy before ever he doth expect Death. Hence sinners are said to dy suddenly. 1 Thess. 5. 3. When they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon th…m as travel upon a woman with child and they shall not escape. Sudden destruction cometh upon sinners, that is, not onelyonly which is in it self sudden, but as to their expect…tion so. Thus in the Patable concerning the wicked servant. M…h. 24. 48, 49, 50. If that evil servant shall say in his heart, …y Lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to smite his fellow s… vants, the Lord of that servant shall come in in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware … So doth He dy before his Time wherein …e expected …a…h is come. It is often so with them that have been …ry wick…d and Foolish; where…ore it is said in the Parable c…ncerning the Fool when h… thought he had many years to live. Luke 12. 20: God said unto him Thou Fool this night thy soul shall be required of thee. Hence.
2. A sinner may be said to dye before his Time, in respect of his Preparation for a dying hour. Death may come upon him, before he is prepared to encounter with that enemy. And then he dyeth indeed, in dying he shall dy, if death find him unprepared; the second death taketh hold on that soul. The devills sometimes said to Jesus Christ, Art th…u come to torm…nt us b…fore our Time. Truly such … soul goeth to th… Place of Torment before his Time. There is many a sinner that death finds without an Interest in Jesus Christ, There is some sin that he hath not repented of, nay it may be he hath not truly repented of so much a… one sin, and then he is not prepared to dy. It had been better for him that he had never been born, than that he should dye and go out of the world in that Condition,
3. A sinner may dy before that Time be fulfilled, which according to the ordinary cours… of nature he might have lived.
And this is especially intended here in the Text. why shouldst thou dye before thy time, Hebr. foreign and not in thy Time. that is to say, before that time which according to the ordinary course of nature thou mightest have lived, be expired. Many times the Divine Providence doth so order as that they who have been wicked overmuch shall not live out that time. Thus concerning the world of the ungodly which lived before the flood, Eliphaz s…ith Hast thou ma…ked the old way which wicked m…n have troden, who were cut down out of time, Job. 22 15, 16.… Caryl … J…b 22 16. According to the ordinary course of Nature, they migh… have lived a Long Time, but they were cut down by the s…roke of Death. wicked men never dy before they ar… ripe in sin, but they often dy before they are ripe in Nature. They are caried and chased out of the world by some violent d….
Some…imes this is brought to pass by the Lords immediate …d. If …en be generally wicked overmuch, the Lord sends Publick destroying Judgments, whereby thous…nds dy before their Time. so on the old world, …o on Sodom and Gomorrha; in the morning they were well and likely to have lived many a fair day, but dead and damned before night. Those sore Judgm…nts of Famine, Plague, and Sword, come and sw…ep away multitudes before their time, when a people are become wicked overmuch. And Particular Judgments do hence come upon Particular persons, whereby they were cut of before their Time. There was that wicked Er and his w…cked brother Onan, did commit abominable uncleaness in the sight of God, and therefore the Lord slew them▪ that they dyed before their Time. so Nadab and Abihu were wicked overmuch, and there went out fire from the Lord and devoured them, and they dyed before the Lord. Corah and his complices wickedness was amongst th…m and i… their dwellings, and as the Psa…mist (all… to that … Judgment) speaketh Death seised upon them and they went down quick into hell.
Psal. 55. 15. Ananias and Saphira wer… wicked overmuch when they committed Sacriledg, and also sinned and lyed in a Church Assembly where there is a special Presence of the Spirit of God, and th…y became guilty of lying to the Holy Ghost, wherefore first the one of them fell down and gave up the Ghost, and then the other, and thence were both cast into one grave and this before their Time. The Scripture is full of awfull instances to this Purpose. Again sometimes Gods Vicegerents are improved as executioners of his wrath and justice upon such sinners. The Magistrate beareth not the sword in vain, but is the Minister of God a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evill. Hence David speaketh saying, I will early destroy all the wicked of the Land, that I may cut of the wicked doers from the city of the Lord. Psal. 110. 8. I will early destroy them▪ in the original it is, in the morning I will destroy them, because in those Times Malefactors w…re execu…ed in the morning; and thats his meaning, that He would see execution done upon Capital Offenders. Th… S…uls cu…sed posterity was cut off by the han… of Justic…. because of the Murther which their Father had commited, and no doubt but they had been some way Acc…ssary, in in consenting, or approving, or not duly bearing witness against that iniquity.
Sometimes again the Lord in a Judicial way giveth up such sinners to the Power of Satan, and their own Corruptions, so as that they become their own executioners, as we se in Judas, who after he had brought himself under the guilt of innocent blood, went to the halter to let out his wretched soul,
But thus much may suffice to be spoken to the first enquiry, we come to the second thing propounded, Namely, What overmuch wickedness that is which is usualy followed with untimely death, or when a man may be said to be wicked overmuch?
Answ. 1. When … …oth make himself to be mor… wicked than ind…ed …e is. e. g. When he doth falsly accuse himself to be guilty of this or that which he was never actually guilty of. There are such woful foolish creatures in the world, that glory in their shame, and take a pride in saying that they have committed this or that abomin…tion, which yet it may be they never did commit. It is just with God, that such should dy before their Time, and that they should be dealt with, as if they were really guilty thereof; as we se in the Instance of that Amalekite, who accused him self as having an hand in Sauls death: It is al question whether he had so really or no, yet inasmuch as he …ccused Himself, David condemned him, 2 Sam 1. 16. David said thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath t…stifi…d against thee saying, I have slain the Lords anointed. So when any poor creature shall say that he hath out-stood and sinned away the day of Grace, albeit the Holy Spirit is fecretly striying with him still, or that he hath sinned against the Holy Ghos…. Or that his sin is greater than the mercy God. As Francis Spi…a after his Apostacy uttered such a desperate blasphemy as that my sin (said He) is greater than the mercy of …d. And thus it was with despairing bloody Cain, be said, mine iniquity is greater than can be forgiven. Gen. 4. 13. Austin doth well reply upon him, mentiris Cain, thats a Lye Cain, thy sin is not gre…ter th…n ca… beM… Hooker on Act. 2 37. forgiven. Some have observed that Cains Desperation and blasphemy, was a greater evil than his Murther was, when he shed the innocent blood of his own Brother. And indeed despair layeth the Foundation for all excess in wickedness, it maketh men to become no better than devils incarnate; and causeth them to dye before their Time, witness Judas who in despair hanged Himself; And have not wee in our dayes known or heard of many rufull instances of that Kind?
2 When a man shall become guilty of such sins as are of a very hainous nature, then be may be said to be wicked overmuch▪ There are Scarlet sins, Crimson abominations, wh…ch the Heavens blush to behold. There are bloody sinners, whose souls lye bleeding under Prodigious guilt, even such as have been guilty of evils; that by the Law of God and man are Capital Crimes, these are they that have been wicked overmuch. to mention onelyonly one or two Crimes.
Mu…ther is a great and horrid wickedness, and so Capital as that whoever hath been guilty of it, may in no case he p…rdoned by man. Numb. 35. 30. 31. Whoso Killeth any person, the murtherer shall be put to death, mor…over they shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murtherer which is Guilty of death, but He shall be surely put to death. And they that have been guilty of this wickedness, usually dy before their Time, according to that scripture Psal. 55. 23 But thou O God shalt bring them down to d…struction, bl…y and deceitfull men should not live out half their dayes. It is thought by some that Cain. (who was the first murtherer amongst men) dyed before his Time. The Jews have a Tradition that Lamech killed Cain and a young man that wa… with him hunting in the woods; To this purpose some understand that place (our version doth evidently favor that Interpretation)R. Solo… … & Jarchi dic…tur. Gen. 4. 23. 24. Lamech said, I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt i… Cain be avenged seven fold surely Lamech seventy and seven …old. However the providence of God. doth usually so dispose as tha… they who have taken away the lives of others by violence, shall themselves dy a violent and bloody dea…h. Joab murthered Abner and Amasa, and He (though an old man) dyed before his Time, He that had shed the blood of others, his own blood was shed for it at last. Joash conspired against Zachariah and stoned him with sto…es, and afterwards, His own servants Conspired against hi… and slew him.
Many other Instances are recorded in the Scripture, and in humane writings all confirming the Truth of this. Yea God from Heaven doth usually Pursue this sin, with speciall signal Testimonies of his Righteous displeasure. Hence the Lord hath strange wayes to discover this sin. Rather then the Murderer shall not be found out, the Heaven shall reveal his iniquity and the Earth shall rise up against him. How often have the fowls of Heaven, and the dumb creatures of the earth brought Murder to Light?
The story is ancient and famous concerning Bessus who had murdered his own Father; and sometime after the swallows making a noise in the chimney as it is the mannerPlutarch. of those birds to doe, His guilty Conscience was afraid they had told of him, whereupon he goeth to kill the swallows, and being asked the reason, why (saith he) the swallows doe nothing but say Bessus hath Killed his Father, Bessus hath Killed his Father, whereby he was suspected, and upon examination confessed the fact.
It is also storied of a souldier belonging to King Pyrrhus, that being slain, a dog which he had, could by no means be enticed from the dead body, but the King coming by, heClarks Examples Vol. 1. p. … 380▪ fawned upon him as it were craving help at his hands whereupon He caused all his army to pass by in order, and when the murtherers came the dog flew fiercely upon them, and then fawned upon the K…ng the souldiers hereupon examined, confessed the Murther, and received condign Punishment. Many other Instances to this Purpose I co…ld produce, but I for bear.
Again, Rebellion is a Crime which they that are guilty of, are wicked overmuch. When Inferiours shall wickedly …ise up against Sup…riours. When Subjects shall in a way of Rebellion rise up against the Authority which the Lord hath set over them, such often dy before their Time, Hence Christ saith, All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword Math. 26. 52. that is to say they that take up the sword in a way of Rebellion against Lawfull Authority. That Doctor Gamaliel in the speech he made in the Council taketh notice of two examples concerning this. Acts. 5. 36, 37. The…das boasting himself to be somebody, to whom a number …f men, about four hundred joyned themselves, was slain, and all as many as obeyed him were scattered, and brought to nought, after this man r…se up Judas of Gallilee, and drew away …uch People after him, he also perished, and all even a… many as Obeyed him were dispersed. So when Servants shall rise up in Rebellion against their Masters, it is a wicked thing. wherefore even Jezebel could say▪ Had Zimri Peace who slew his Master 2. K…n. 9. 31. After he had slain his Master had he peace in his own Conscience? Did he Prosper after that day? Did not the hand of God follow him till he himself was slain? Had Zimri Peace who slew his Master?
So when children sh…ll rebell against their Parents, their wickedness is excessively great. And such Children doe usually dy before their Time, witness the fifth Commandment where it is said, Honour thy Father and thy Mother, that thy dayes, may be long upon the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. Therefore they that break this Commandment may expect that their dayes shall not be long, but they shall dye before their Time▪ We see it in Absolom, He was a rebellious Child, and what came of him? was he no… hanged at last▪ and three darts thrust th…ough his heart while he was yet alive. And …ravellers report that in the same Place where Absolom was buried, there is now a vast heap of stones, which is come to pass by this meanes, it is Customary for every one that passeth by that Place, to throw a stone upon Absolom using these words▪ Thus shall it be done to the son that rebels against his Father, Thus shall it be done to the child that riseth up against his Parents.
…. When a man shal multiply Transgression then he may be said to be wicked overmuch. when he shall commit the same … over and over again. Once is too much but many Times is overmuch indeed. Eccles. 8. 12▪ Though a sinner do evill an hundred times. Alas there is many a sinner that hath done so, He hath made himself drunk an hundred Times, He hath been unclean and abominable in the sight of God an hundred Times, He hath lyed against his conscience an hundred Times, then he hath been wicked overmuch. So when a vile creature shall adde sin to sin, as the Prophet complaineth of them, Isai. 30. 1. When he shall adde new transgressions to old sins, sins of age to sins of youth, later to former iniquities. What saith the Scripture? 1 Pet. 4. 3. the Time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings &c. Therefore when a sinner shall adde new debts to the old score, it is more than sufficeth, that is to say, He is wicked overmuch.
4. They that are incorrigible in the wayes of sin, are wicked overmuch. Who sin against all meanes that can be used to reclaim them. There are such sinners as do dispise all means, they will take no warning. Though God himself speaketh to them by awfull Providences, taking some and hanging them up before their eyes, yet they will go on still in their trespasses. And though they that are the Lords vicegerents on earth, do estab…is… and execute severe and righteous Laws, and put sin and sinners to shame, yet they still continue to transgress against the Lord. This doth evidence a desperately wicked man. It is spoken concerning a man that is beyond measure wicked, that he doth run upon the thick bosses▪ of the Buckler of the Almighty Job. 15. 26. What is the Buckler of the Almighty? It is the Word of God, And what are the thick Bosses of that Buckler? They are the threatnings and sanctions annexed to that Word. When sinners shall transgress in a Land where there are Laws established and regulated according to the Word of God, and those Laws faithfully executed, they run themselves upon the thic… Bosses of te Buckler of the Almighty, and therefore are despereatly wicked. And there are that sin against the light of the Gospel and reproofs administred in the Word and Name of God: such are wicked overmuch, and have cause to fear that they shall dye before their Time. witness that awfull scripture Prov. 29. 1. He that being often reproved hardneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroy…d, and that without remedy. And there are that despise reproofes, instructions, admonitions, exhortations, privately administred in Familyes, by masters, Parents▪ such are also wicked overmuch, and do often dy before their Time. Witness the sons of Eli, of whome it is said, they harkned not to the voice of their Father, because the Lord would slay them 1 Sam. 2. 25. Doth thy Father give thee good counsel? but wilt thou not harken to him? This is a sign, that the Lord will slay thee. Remember those proud and profane young men, the sons of Eli, they regarded not what their Father said to them, and therefore they dyed before their Time. This cometh of not harkning to the voice of a Father.
5. They that mind nothing but this world and the vanityes and lusts thereof are wicked overmuch. Even they that live like Athists without God in the world. And this last Particul…r suits wi…h the scope of this Context. For as they are righteous overmuch who under pretence of Religion neglectforeign significat, ne nimium commovere negotis seculi, ne nimis & im…dicus esto in illis perpetuo immersus & nil ali…d unquam animo … quieto …gitans, … contra abillis plane t…e avertere …t nimis …stium esse. M… Lo…m. their particular Callings, so they are wicked overmuch who neglect duties of Religion, out of respect to the world. There are that … in a continual neglect of God & of their own souls and Salvation. Hence no prayer it may be not so much as in the Family, no reading of the Scriptuers, no Meditation, no self-examination. How do men live as if there were no world but this, as if there were no God to serve, and they had no souls to save? Certainly, all such are wicked overmuch.
And thus have wee done with the second thing propounded in order to the cleering of the Doctrine before us. Wee come to the third Particular, viz to enquire into the Reasons of this Doct…ine▪ why God in his Providence doth often times so dispose as that an untimely death shall be the portion of him that hath been wicked overmuch?
For Answer, we shall onelyonly mention two Reasons, breifly.
1. The Lord doth this that he may manifest his righteous Reas. displeasure against s…n H…b…. 1. 13. He is of purer eyes than to behold evill▪ and cannot look …n in quity, that is to say with approbation or without d…t…station and indignation against sin. The bl…ss…d Holy God do…h bear an infin…e detestation and indignation against sin. Hence he leaveth Marks of his displeasure upon the sinner▪ as God set a mark upon Cains forehead, so he sets a mark of displeasure upon notorious Transgressors. Yea sometimes when he forgiveth the sin▪ yet …e doth visit with Temporal vengeance▪ that so the world may see that sin is odious and abominable in the sight of God. Hence such sinners as the Text speaketh of, must dy… b…fore their Time.
2. That so …thers may thereby be warned and deterred from Reas the C…mm…ssion of the like evills. Thus it was with Lots wise, she dyed before her Time, that so others might be warned by her example, to beware of becoming guil…y of the same sin, which she was so awfully punished for. therefore Christ said to his disciples, Luke▪ 17. 32. Remember Lots wise, meaning so remember her, as that you may for ever take heed of doing as she did. She was turned into a pillar of salt, that others might be seasoned thereby and preserved from the like evill. God is wise and wonderfull in his Providences, and knoweth how to ord…r the death of two or three so as to prevent the destruction of many thereby. Hence …e hath appointed that …ustice shall be executed in a solemn way, upon Capital offenders, that others may hear and fear, and none may do any more so wickedly. We find the Lord himself giveth this Reason of this matter. Deut. 13. 8, 9, 11. Thou shalt not hearken unto him▪ neither shall t…ine eye pitty him, neither shal… thou spare, b… …hou shal… surely Kill him▪ and all Israel shall hear and fear and shall doe no more any such wickedness as this is among you.
Wee come now to Apply this Doctrine. There are two Uses to be insisted on, 1. By way of Instruction or Information, 2. By way of Exhortation▪
1. By way of Information, Inf. 1. We may see by this, that sin is the greatest folly in the world. Well might Solomon say as in the Text, neither be thou foolish, For to sin and doe wickedly is the greatest foolishness that ever was or can be. Sin is a departure from the Rule of Wisdome. For a man to part with his life for nothing, is not that monstrous folly? And thus doth a wretched sinner doe. Mens sins are unfruitfull works of darkness. What Profit had you of those things whereof ye are now ashamed? Sin is the most unprofitable thing in the world. It is good for nothing, neither for body, nor soul, nor name, nor estate, but brings death and ruin upon all. A man by sin (especially some sins) looseth his Name. A wound and dis…onour doth he get, and a reproach that that shall not be wiped away. And he loseth his life, and that before the Time as the Text sheweth; yea and without repentance will loose his soul for ever. Prov. 8. 36. Hee that sinneth against me wrongs his own soul. The Impenitent sinner brings ruin upon his own soul. Therefore sin is folly, and and the more sinfull the more foolish. The greatest Sinners are the greatest Fooles in all the world. Wherefore it is said Eccl 9. 3. The Heart of the sens of …en is full of evill, & madness is in their Heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead. Yea to the Damned! O what horrible madness is it, for any man, that so he may enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, to venture eternall damnation of his precious and immortall soul?
Infor. 2. It followeth from hence, that shortness of dayes is in it self a judgment. For it is threatned as a Punishment of wickedness. It is a fruit of sin and of the curse. If Adam had not sinned there would have been no short lives, none of his Posterity should have had their lives shortned. And in the times of the Restitution of all things, when the Curse shall be removed, it will not be as at this day. Rev. 21. 4. There shall be no more death. To be sure there shall be no more such untimely death as our eyes doe with sadness behold this day. Look as long life is in it self a blessing, and therefore is Promised as such in the Scripture Ps…l. 91▪ 16. With long life will I satisfie him, Prov. 4. 10. Receive my sayings, and the years of thy life shall be many▪ and 10. 27. The fear of the Lord prolongeth dayes. Whatever any true beleiver hath done or suffered for, or according to the will of God, whilst he was in the world, shall come in upon the account at the last and great day, a glorious reward o… mercy sh…ll be given for it, thence is it, so great a mercy to live long. So on the other hand, sho…t life is a great judgment, and is often threatned as s…ch in the Scripture Prov. 10. 27. Th… years of the wicked shal… be shortned. Eccles. 8. 13. Neither▪ sh…ll he prolong his dayes, And it is mentioned as an heavy Impr…cation. Psal. 109 … L…t▪ his dayes be few. For when a w…cked man dy…th (dying in his sins) He is undone for ever. when once his body is gone down into the pi… of the grave, and his soul is gone d…wn into the pit of eternall darkness, He cannot hop… for the mercy of God, He cannot hope for the pardon of his sin, He cannot hope for the salvation of his soul. Therefore short life is in it self a judgment. OnelyOnly as to the elect of God, it is turned into a mercy. As afflictions are in themselves evill and fruits of the curse, but to beleivers they become the greatest blessings. So an untimely death is in it self a great evill, but …o one that belongs to the election of grace, it becometh a wonderfull mercy; for it hasteneth his eternall hapiness and glory.
Infor. 3. Hence it likewise followeth that Righteousness …is the way to obtain long life▪ If wickedness bring untimely death, then Righteousness will deliver from death. There is no r…ghteous man, but shall live in this world so long as life shall be good for him to enjoy.
But some one will say, do we not see that good men dye when they are young as well as others?
Answ. Very true. As there are some that are too wicked to live long▪ So there are others that are too Good to live long; in such an evill wretched world as this▪ Jeroboams godly son, dyed in his youth. Josiah a most eminent servant of the Lord, dyed in the middest of his dayes. Enoch though the best man, and the best minister of God, in all the world in his time, was taken out of the world before he had lived half so long as men in those dayes were wont to live, but then it would not be good for them to live any longer. God is onelyonly wise and faithfull, and therefoer he taketh his servants to himself, when he seeth that life will not be best for them.
Besides, a man may live long in a little Time. It is said, the child shall dye an hundred years old. Isai. 65. 20. Though a child in respect of years, yet he shall have the grace, and gravity, the wisdome and knowledge of a man that hath lived an hundred years. And indeed that is most desirable▪ It is in many respects a great mercy to be freed from the prevailingSee M… C…t…ns Epistle before Mr N…ns Orth…d…x Evangelist. infirmityes of old age, and therefore to live long in a little time is most desirable, As I remember Mr. Gotton in an Epistle which he hath Prefixed to one of Mr. Nortons Bookes, taketh notice if it, with reference to Dr. Pr…ston▪ that it was his constant desire affectation and expression▪ that he might live long in a little Time, and the Lord granted him the desire of his heart therein. Some live longer in seven years, then others doe in ten times seven years. They doe more for God and more for his People in seven years then others do in twenty, forty, threescore, or in fourscore years. Moreover, that promise of long life will be fulfilled to the righteous in the life to come. As indeed all promises (and threatnings too) are fully accomplished in the world to come. There the righteous shall live for ever▪ It was promised to to Christ, that he should be satisfied with long life. Psal. 91. & the last. And that he should prolong his dayes. Isai. 53. 10. Yet we know that Christ was not in this world much above two and thirty years. How then did he prolong his dayes? In the other world his dayes are prolonged to eternity, according to the Scriptuer Psal. 21. 4. He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him, length of dayes for ever and ever.
Use. 2. Let it be a word of Exhortation 1. Here is a generall word of exhortation. 2. More Particular.
1. Let us all be exhorted to make a right Improvement of such awfull Providences as the Text speaks of. There is such a Providence before us this day, which hath occasioned me to speak from these words at this Time. For truly I think God would not have us suffer such solemn awfull Providences as these …o pass away without taking speciall notice of them, and making some good Improvement thereof.
You will say, But what use should we make of this awfull Pr…vidence?
Answ. It should cause us humbly to reflect upon our own vile natures. Have we been kept from the like evills that others have been guilty of? No thanks to our own hearts, for wee have the same nature that they have, and if God had given us up to our own hearts lusts, wee should have been as bad as they, or as any of the children of men, that ever were in the world. Wherefore the Apostle in the third Chapter to the Romanes, discoursing of the state of men by nature, sait… Their feet are swift to shed blood v. 15. Why; Is every natural man a Murderer? Truly, he hath a Murderers heart within him, and he would quickly shed blood, He would actually commit Murder, if God did not restrain him. How should this thought humble us, and make us vile in our own eyes? As I Remember it is noted concerning that blessed Martyr,Mr Bradford. that if he did hear of any that were condemned or accused on the account of Witchcraft, Murder, Robberies or any other Impiety, He would smite upon his breast and say, In this breast of mine, is that which would have caused mee, to have been guilty of the same evill, if the Grace of God had not prevented mee. And it is recorded of one of the Ancients that he was never told of any great wickedness committed by others, but it did him some Good, it made him the more distrustfull of his own Heart, Hee would say Ille h…ri, tu hodiè, ego cras. Hee… committed that sin yesterday, thou diddest commit the same sin to day, and I shall commit it to morrow if the Grace of God do not restrain and prevent mee.
2. Another Use which we should make of this Awfull Providence is. To consider sadly whether there be not some prevailing evill, that the Lord doth hereby rebuke and seek to humble us for: I fear there is such an evill, I mean with respect to those wofull breaches of the fifth Commandment which are to be found amongst us. This is a prevailing evill, wee may see it every where. How do Inferiors rise up against Superiors? Look into the Commonwealth, and wee shall find that Magistrates are not honoured and acknowledged in their places as ought to be. Look into Churches, and how do some carry it there, as if that Scripture were Apocrypha even that Scripture Heb. 13. 17▪ where it is said obey them that have the rule over you, and submit your selves, for they watch for your souls. Look into Schools, and how doe Children contemn and dispise and disobey their masters contrary to the fifth Commandment? Look into Families, and O what disobedient Children? O what unruly servants may we find there? Nay, Look into the streets, and there we may observe (I have sometimes beheld it not altogether without greif and shame) the child behaving himself proudly against the Antient, and the base against the Honourable: so that in this respect New-England is in a great measure become degenerate from the good manners of the Christian world. If there be any prevailing iniquity in New-England this is it. And therefore no marvell that such an awfull Providence doth come to rebuke and humble us, that servants have conspired together to Kill their Master. There hath been no such deed done or seen in our Israel before now. And mark what I say, If ever New-England be destroyed, this very sin of disobedience to the fifth Commandment will be the ruine of this Land▪
3. Another Use wee should make of this Providence, is to beware of those sins which do often times end in untimely death.
Pride is one of those sins. Corah was a Proud man, He could not bear to be subject to that order neither in Church nor Commonwealth, which God had appointed, and Hee dyed not the common death of all men. Haman was exceeding proud and highminded, and his pride brought him to the Gallows at last. But what need wee goe far for examples? One of these poor condemned Creatures that is here standing before the Lord this day, saith that he thinks his pride hath been his ruine. I asked him the other day in the prison, what sin it was that he thought in his Conscience God was provoked with him for, so as to leave him to that which hath brought him under this condemnation? He told me, he thought i… was for his Pride. For he thought much of i… that such an one as He should be a servant, and he some times used such words as these, I am flesh and blood as well as my Master and therefore I know no reason why my Master should not obey me as well us I obey him. Thus did he say, and now we see what his Pride brought him unto, therefore beware of that sin.
And Idleness is a sin that doth bring many to a miserable end at last. I… was one of those▪ sins which caused thousands in Sodom and G…morrah to dy before their Time in a dreadfull manner. As for one of these poor condemned Creatures Idleness▪ hath been his bane. He would not diligently follow the calling which he was set in, but lived an Idle vag…ant life, and what is he now come to? Therefore beware of that sin.
And Disobedience to Parents is a sin that is often punished with untimely death▪ (as was partly intimated before) One of these that are to be executed this day, doth confess that his disobedience to his Parents hath provoked the Lord, to bring this misery upon him. He saith that when he was a Child his Father gave him good Instructions and prayed for him, but he regarded it not. His Father would have had him gone to School, but he would not. His Father would have had him▪ gone to a Trade but he would not▪ And after his Father was dead, he would not be subject to those that had the care and charge of him, but ran away from them, and since that from time to time hath run away from them that have been his Masters. And now behold what all this disobedience hath brought him unto. All you disobedient Children that are here▪ before the Lord this day, hearken to the Word of the Lord. There is a Scripture which methinks should strike Terror and Trembling into your Souls, It is that Prov. 30. 17. The eye that mocketh his Father and despiseth to obey▪ his Mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles eat it. The eye that mocketh his Father. Stubborness and contempt is to be seen in the eye, therefore the meaning is, that he that is stubborn and rebellious against his Father, shall be so dealt with. Well, a Father hath many times that Wisdome and Authority with him, that the child dare not disobey him, but he careth not for his Mother; Therefore it is added, He that despiseth to obey his Mother. You Children that disobey your Mothers hearken to this; …he ravens are like to feed upon you; that is to say such sinners shall come to an untimely death, and it may be not have a decent honourable bu…all. It is to be feared that suc… children▪ will come to the Gallows, and be hanged up in G…bbe…s for the ravens and e…gles to feed upon them if they will. And it is greatly do, be observed, that the most of those that dy upon the Gallows, do confess that they have been guilty of disobedience to Parents. Yea God is so provoked▪ with such wicked children, as that he doth sometimes leave them against nature to destroy themselves as a just Punishment of unnaturall disobedience. There was an awfull example of this, which hapned in this Country about fifteen years agoe. I was not my self in this Land at that time, but I have had an account of it from those that knew it. A young man drowned himself, but before he did that, he left a writing directed toAbraham …arner …t Ha…tf…d in Con…ctiou…. his Father, wherein he had such words as these, O Father, I have kept my soul as long as ever I could; My ruine was, the pride and stubborness of my tender years, which should have been fetcht out with sharp correction; and evill counsel and company hath been my un…oing. I have a young brother that follows my step…, he is going the wide way to destruction, I beseech you take pains with▪ him & correct him as well as counsel him, that …e may not be undone soul and body as well as I. Words to this purpose, did that perishing young man (though the son of a Godly Father) write when he was going into eternity. You disobedient▪ children think of it, and the Lord strike it home to your Hearts.
Drunkenness also, is a sin, that often brings those that are guilty of it to a miserable end at last▪ A vile creature, it may be when he is drunk, He will goe and drown himself, and his soul goe down into eternall darkness in that condition, or he will commit some horrid sin, for which the sword of Justice will Cut him off. When he is drunk He will commit Adultety, or a Rape it may be. Alass we hear that such a villany hath been Committed of late, in a Plantation not far off; Or in his drink Hee'le Kill a man, and so dye before his Time. Therefore beware of that sin.
And Covetousness is a sin, which many Times brings untimely death, It did so upon Achan. The Love of money is is the root of all evill. This hath occasioned many a bloody unnatural Murther. the story is famously known of a manSee Clarks Fx…mples the 2d. vol p 458 See also the same story & another like to it in Dr Taylors addition to the Theater of Judgments. p 71. 7… in Cornwell, that his son having been many years absent from him and coming home with a Por…mantue full of silver and Gold, and his Parents not knowing who he was, for the sake of his money conspire together, and in the right time cut his throat, and in the next morning when they knew it was their own son whom they had Murthered, they did in anguish and horror, both of them destroy themselves.
And there is a Tragical story lately printed, of a prosane young man, that K…lled his own Mother that bare him, cut of hopes that when she was dead, He should enjoy her estate.viz. H…nry Jones who was exec…ted at Mo…mouth in Wales March 11. 1671. For which he was put to a most dreadfull Death, weights of iron and stone were layed upon him for two dayes together, until his life and soul were pressed out of his body. This execution was was done just about four years agoe. Therefore take heed and beware of Covetousness.
Also take heed of giving way to passions, revenge, anger and the like. These two condemned creatures, their master corrected them, and as they thought dealt hardly with them, and therefore in wicked passion, wrath, and rage they would take an axe and knock him in the head, for which now they must dye.
Beware also of giving way to Discontents and sullen Melancholy, for that also causeth some to dye before their Time. There is a lamentable story lately Published; of a woman that in pangs of Melancholy discontent went to distroy her selfviz M…gy Cooke who was executed in Smi…h-field in London M…rch 2. 1…69 several times, but was by the Providence of God prevented, but afterwards giving way to those Temptations, and not humbling her self on the account of former miscariages, she embrewed her hands in the blood of her own Child, for the which she was afterwards executed, near to the place where she had committed that unnatural Cruelty and Murther. Therefore let us beware of giving way to the distempered workings of our own spirits.
But thus for the word of General Exh…rtation.
2. Let me more particularly exhort, those that have been wicked overmuch. You that have been guilty of great sins and provocations before the Lord, O Repent and turn to God in Jesus Christ. Return Return O sinners return return. Stop sinners! stop. goe no further, if you love your lives goe no further. why should you dye before your Time? It may be Repentance may save your Lives. There have been some that have been guilty of Capital Cr…mes, yet when they have repented and turned to God in Jesus Christ, He hath covered their sins, that the world hath never known of them. However if there be true Repentance, the lives of your souls shall be saved. In some cases Repentance cannot prevent the first death, but it will alwayes (if sound and sincere) prevent the second death. Oh! then Turn to God in Jesus Christ.
And I would apply this more Particularly unto theseNicholas Feaver who was born in the Isle of Jersev. and Robert Driver …ho was born in the Isle of Orkney in Scotland. poor Guilty Condemned Creatures, who are standing in the solemn presence of the Lord, and whose naked souls must by and by appear before God the Judge of all, to receive a Sentence either of eternal Life, or of eternal Death. Hearken you to the word of the Lord this once. I beseech you mind what I say, because you are now come unto your last hour. It may be there are many here this day, that this is the last Sermon, that ever they shall hear, but as for you the thing is Certain, you shall never hear another Sermon; and therefore let these words sink down into your Ears and Hearts.
A few Considerations and Directions let me spread before you.
Consider. 1. That you have been wicked overmuch. The sin which you are now to dye for is exceeding great, even Murder. The Scripture faith that no Murderer hath eternal life. And there is another Scripture that faith, that Murderers shall have their Part in that Lake which burns with f…re and bri…stone which is the second Death. And no doubt you have been guilty of many other Greivous sins, which have provoked the Lord to leave you unto the Commission of this horrid Murther. This Murther also is exceedingly aggravated in respect of the person whom you have sl…in, even your Master. O how have you risen up in Rebellion against the glorious Image of God, not onelyonly in that you have shed the blood of a man, who was made after the Image of God, but such a man as had peculiar Dominion over you, in that respect you have offered fearfull violence to the sacred Image of the blessed God. So that you have transgrest the fifth and sixth Commandments at once in the highest degree that you could doe. And since your Apprehension, yea Conviction and Condemnation you have told many lies (at least one of you, it is to be feared both of you) against your Conscience.
2. Consider that now you must dye before your Time. especially one of you, a poor young creature that hath hardly lived twenty years in this world, and must this day be turned out of it. Yea, both of you dy before your Time. you might according to the ordinary course of nature have lived many a year. You must be cut off by a violent and dreadfull death. For indeed the anger of the Lord would fall upon this whole Country where your sin hath been committed, if you should be suffered to live.
3. Consider, That there is yet a possibility for you to escape the second death. Though your sin be very great, yet God can pardon it. I remember a passage concerning a poor creature that was condemned to dye for wickedness he had been guilty of (I the rather mention it because he was Country man to one of you) but when he wasSee the book called the fullfilling the Scriptures. p. 233. in Prison gave good Hopes of his unfaigned Repentance, and when he came to the place of execution, He had this expression, O! God is a great forgiver, God is a great forgiver, so I say to you in his Name, the Lord is a great Forgiver, It is his Name to forgive iniquity Transgression and sin. Yea and He hath (upon deep and unfaigned Repentance) for given those th… have committed this sin which you are now to suffer for▪ Manasseh shed much innocent blood, yet when he humbled himself greatly, the Lord was entreated for him. There are some in Heaven that were once Bloody sinners. David was delivered from Blood guiltines… Upon his Repentance it was said to him, The Lord hath put away thy sin thou shalt not dye, As to the second death he did not dye. And Saul (afterwards Paul) had once the guilt of blood upon him, And therefore he made his Confession before the Lord, Saying, Lord; When the blood of thy Martyr Steven was shed, I also was standing by and Consenting to his death. Yea when he did repent and Turn to God in Jesus Christ, God for gave him his Iniquity. Know therefore, that there is Mercy enough with God to Pardon and Save as great sinners as you are.
And know, that Jesus Christ the Son of God, Came to Save the chief of sinners. There is Merit and Righteousness enough in Jesus Christ. Hee was bruised for our Iniquityes, and wounded for our Transgr…ssions. The wounds of Christ can make amends for those wounds which you gave your Master, when you slew him. The Blood of Christ can satisfie for the blood which you have shed. Jesus doth deliver from wrath to come. And he doth not exclude you from salvation by him, if you doe not by Impenitency & Unbelief exclude your selves. Neither can the death you suffer hinder the Salvation of your souls, in case you truly repent and believe. Jesus Christ hath been made a Curse, that so he might redeem from the Curse of the Law. Yea Hee (the blessed son of God) was hanged upon a Tree, though Hee never knew any sin only for the sins of his people; and therefore he hath sanctified all maner of deaths unto those that shall beleive on Him. Oh Consider of it and let it break your Hearts.
4. Consider Presently it will be too late for you to think of these things. when once you are dead, when once your souls are out of your bodyes, it will be too late for you to think of these matters. There is no Repenting in the Grave, there is no Believing in Hell. Behold now is your accepted Time, now is the hour of your Salvation. If you doe not Now accept of Jesus Christ upon his own Terms, you will be undone, and damned to all Eternity.
By way of Direction I shall speak two or three words.
1. Doe what you can that God may have glory by you that little Time that you have to live. Therefore see that you solemnly warn others, (especially young ones) to take heed of those evils which your Consciences tell you, have made way for your destruction. And see that you be sincere and ingen…ous in making confession of your sin. The Scripture saith if we confess our sins, that is with a Penitent broken heart, desirous never more to commit them, God is faithfull to forgive them. And ag…in, Hee that Confesseth and forsaketh shall find mercy▪ but he that hid…th his sin shall not pr…sper. I charge you in the Name of God, as you will answer it by and by before his Judgments seat, that you doe not deny or disowne what you know is Truth. And I urge this the rather, because you have not been so ingenuous in confessing your evill, as God and men have expected from you. You accuse and in…p…a…h one another. The one of you saith, th…t the other Killed his Master, and you only stood by and did not strike one blow, & so doth the other say. You accuse him and he accuseth you. But deceive not your selves, if you deny what you knowns is Truth, though God be most m…rcifull, yet Go… that made you will not have mercy on you; and though Christ be a Saviour for great sinners, Hee then will not save you. The devill hat… brought your bodyes to ruin and now his great design is to destroy your souls. Hee knoweth if he can Perswade you not to give glory to God by Confessing, he shall have your souls for ever. I tell you truly if you now disown the Truth, when once your souls are out of your bodyes, they shall suffer the vengeance of eternall fire.
2. Look up to God in Jesus Christ, that he would give you Repentance and Faith unfaigned. You cannot convert your selves, but God can doe it, therefore look up to him for that end, and cry mightily to him, …s for your lives. If the Magistrate should say to yo… (they may not, they dare not say so▪ because then the displeasure of God would come upon them & upon this People) that if you would cry earnestly for your lives, you should have them, O how …arnest would you be? Behold, the God of Gods saith to you this day, (and in his nam… I proclaim it) that if you seek unto him with all your-Hearts, it is possible that the sentence of eternall death which is upon your souls may be revok…d O then pray for the lives of your souls. I Remember it is storied of a poor woman that being Condemned to dye, as soon as the sentence was past, she fell a crying and shriking in a lamentable manner, the Judge rebuked her, and bad her hold her peace, but she replyed O my lord it is for my life, it is for my life. So I say to you, O cry to the Lord for Grace and for pardoning mercy, It is for the lives of your souls. yea it is for the lives of your Souls.
And further to awaken hereunto,
3. Think sadly of eternity O Eternity Eternity! It is an amazingMentioned by Dr. P…eston in his Sermons of the Attributes. p 165. Meditation. There was a man that said, If I were to endure the wrath of God for a thousand y…ars onelyonly, methinks I could bear it, but when I think of Eternity I am amazed. I beseech you think seriously of this. I might charge you, and I doe so in the Name of God, but I also bese…ch you. Though you are poor, vile, condemned creatures, yet as I said to you in the Prison, so I say in this solem… Audience. I could be content to ly down at your feet, upon Condition I might be Instrumentall of Good to your Souls, so greatly doe I desire (God is witness) your Salvation; Therefore I pray you, for the Lords sake, I pray you for your immortall Souls sake, that you would lay these things to Heart, and we will once more cry unto the Lord, that he would have Mercy and Compassion upon those Precious and Immortal Souls of yours.
Tibi Domine.
Errata
P. 5. l. 9. for were read are. l. 17. for alledging read alluding. l. 22. for they read thence. l. 33. for 110. read 101.
P. 12. l. 1. for Hebr read H…b.
End of the text · Increase Mather, The Wicked Mans Portion (1675)