N00657:34
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.
3. Men must not know their Time, that so they may […] ever watchful. Math. 25.13. Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man comes. The generality of men, if they had it revealed to them (as Hezekiah) that they should certainly live so many years, they would in the mean time be careless about their Souls, and the World to come. We see that notwithstanding they are uncertain how short their Time may be, they are regardless about their future eternal Estate. How much more would they be so, if they knew that Death and Judgment were […] far off from them?
3. Men must not know their Time, that so they may 〈…〉 ever watchful. Math. 25.13. Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man comes. The generality of men, if they had it revealed to them (as Hezekiah) that they should certainly live so many years, they would in the mean time be careless about their Souls, and the World to come. We see that notwithstanding they are uncertain how short their Time may be, they are regardless about their future eternal Estate. How much more would they be so, if they knew that Death and Judgment were 〈…〉 far off from them?
4. As to some they are kept in Ignorance of their Times, that so they may with the more comfort and composure of Spirit follow the work which they are called unto: That they may with diligence and cheerfulness attend the duties of their general and particular Calling; which they ⟨p. 21⟩could not do, if they knew what Evil Times and Things are appointed for them. The terror of what is coming on them, would be so dismal to them, that they could not enjoy themselves, nor take comfort in any thing they enjoy. As the Apostle speaks to the covetous Jews,