N00152:54
The wicked mans portion. Or A sermon (preached at the lecture in Boston in…
The wicked mans portion. Or A sermon (preached at the lecture in Boston in New-England the 18th day of the 1 month 1674. when two men were executed, who had murdered their master.) Wherein is showed that excess in wickedness doth bring untimely death. / By Increase Mather, teacher of a Church of Christ. ; [Six lines of quotations]The wicked mans portion. Or A sermon (preached at the lecture in Boston in New-England the 18th day of the 1 moneth 1674. when two men were executed, who had murthered their master.) Wherein is shewed that excesse in wickedness doth bring untimely death. / By Increase Mather, teacher of a Church of Christ. ; [Six lines of quotations]
Boston: printed by John Foster, 1675
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.
Infor. 2. It followeth from hence, that shortness of days is in it self a judgment. For it is threatened 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 shortened. 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 do with sadness behold this day. Look as long life is in it self a blessing, and therefore is Promised as such in the Scripture Psal. 91. 16. With long life will I satisfy 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 days. Whatever any true believer hath done or suffered for, or according to the will ⟨p. 14⟩of God, whilst he was in the world; shall come in upon the account at the last and great day, a glorious reward of mercy shall be given for it, thence is it, so great a mercy to live long. So on the other hand, sho•t li•e is a great judgment, and is often threatened as such in the Scripture. Prov. 10. 27. The years of the wicked shall be shortened. Eccles. 8. 13. Neither shall he prolong his days, And it is mentioned as an heavy Imprecation. Psal▪ 109. 8. Let his days be few. For when a wicked man dyeth (dying in his sins) He is undone for ever. when once his body is gone down into the pit of the grave, and his soul is gone down into the pit of eternal darkness, He cannot hope 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. Only as to the elect of God, it is turned into a mercy. As afflictions are in themselves evil and fruits of the curse, but to believers they become the greatest blessings. So an untimely death is in it self a great evil, but to one that belongs to the election of grace, it becometh a wonderful mercy; for it hasteneth his eternal happiness and glory.