N00657:20
A discourse concerning the uncertainty of the times of men, and the necessity of…
A discourse concerning the uncertainty of the times of men, and the necessity of being prepared for sudden changes & death. Delivered in a sermon preached at Cambridge in New England. Decemb. 6. 1696. On occasion of the sudden death of two scholars belonging to Harvard College. / By Increase Mather, president of that college. ; [Two lines from I Samuel]A discourse concerning the uncertainty of the times of men, and the necessity of being prepared for sudden changes & death. Delivered in a sermon preached at Cambridge in New England. Decemb. 6. 1696. On occasion of the sudden death of two scholars belonging to Harvard Colledge. / By Increase Mather, praesident of that colledge. ; [Two lines from I Samuel]
printed by B. Green for Samuel Phillips, 1697
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.
Ans. 1. Time is sometimes put for the proper season for Action. For the fittest season for a man to Effect what he is undertaking. The Seventy Greek Interpreters translate the words KAIRON AVIOU. There is a Season, a fit Time for men ⟨p. 9⟩to go to work in. If they take hold of that nick of opportunity, they will prosper and succeed in their Endeavours. It is a great part of wisdom to know that season. Hence it is said, A wise mans Heart discerneth both Time and Judgment. Eccles. 8.5. but few have that wisdom or knowledge. Therefore it is added in the next verse. because to every purpose there is Time and Judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him. The meaning is, because men discern not the proper Time for them to Effect what they purpose, their misery is great. If they would attempt such a thing just at such a Time, they would make themselves and others happy, but missing that Opportunity great misery comes upon them. So it is as to Civil Affairs very frequently. Men discern not the proper only season for them to obtain what they desire. Yea, and so it is as to Spirituals. Men are not aware of the proper season wherein they may obtain good for their Souls. There is a price put into their hands to get Wisdom, but they have no heart to know and improve it. There is a day of Grace in which i• men seek to God for mercy they shall find it. Isa. 55.6. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found. The most of them that have such a day know it not until their finding Time is past. Thus it was with Israel of old. Jere. 8.7. The Stork in the heaven knows her appointed Time, the Turtle, and the Crane, ⟨p. 10⟩and the Swallow observe the Time of their coming, but my People know not the Judgment of the Lord. They discerned not the Judgments, that is the dispensations of God. They had a Summer of prosperity but did not improve it. There was a Winter of Adversity coming on them, but they knew it not, nor did they use the proper only means to prevent it. So the Jews when Christ was amongst them, had a blessed time if they had known it: but they knew not the things of their peace, in the day of their peace; they knew not the Time of their Visitation.