A47613:298
A summons to the grave, or, The necessity of a timely preparation for death…
A summons to the grave, or, The necessity of a timely preparation for death demonstrated in a sermon preached at the funeral of that most eminent and faithful servant of Jesus Christ Mr. John Norcot who departed this life March 24, 1675/6 / by Benjamin Keach.
London: printed for Ben Harris, 1676
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
9. Consider how you have loitered hitherto and lost much of your precious time which God hath lent you to prepare for the grave. Upon the improvement of your present time doth your eternal happiness depend, and if it be squandered away, what will become of your immortal and never dying souls? If a man hath much work to do, work of the weightiest concern that must be done, or the man undone: business that would take up all his day, and it should so fall out that he had lost the morning, nay above half his day; would it not concern him to set about the work with all his might, so as if possible to do two hours works in one; lest the Sun go down before the work is finished. ⟨p. 37⟩Redeem the time, because the days are evil, Eph. 5. 16. Alas Sirs, are not the shadows of the evening upon some of you? the Lord help you to lay it to heart. Do not think the whole work of your lives can be done upon a Dying Bed. Oh consider Old age is unfit for labour, and it is folly with a witness to think 'tis time enough to sow when thou shouldest reap. Delays proves the ruin of many thousands; The night cometh, saith Christ, when no man can work.
9. Consider how you have loytered hitherto and lost much of your precious time which God hath lent you to prepare for the grave. Upon the improvement of your present time doth your eternal happiness depend, and if it be squandered away, what will become of your immortal and never dying souls? If a man hath much work to do, work of the weightiest concern that must be done, or the man undone: business that would take up all his day, and it should so fall out that he had lost the morning, nay above half his day; would it not concern him to set about the work with all his might, so as if possible to do two hours works in one; lest the Sun go down before the work is finished. ⟨p. 37⟩Redeem the time, because the days are evil, Eph. 5. 16. Alas Sirs, are not the shadows of the evening upon some of you? the Lord help you to lay it to heart. Do not think the whole work of your lives can be done upon a Dying Bed. Oh consider Old age is unfit for labour, and it is folly with a witness to think 'tis time enough to sow when thou shouldest reap. Delays proves the ruin of many thousands; The night cometh, saith Christ, when no man can work.