N00657:36
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.
We proceed to the USE of this Doctrine.
First by way of Information.
Inf. I. We see the Reason of those Miserable Disappointments which men frequently meet with; It is ⟨p. 22⟩because they know not their Time. If they had set about such an enterprise a little sooner, they had succeeded well, but not knowing that, all their labour is lost. So it is often as to matters wherein the Souls of men are concerned. How came Esau to be disappointed of the Blessing; if he had come but a few hours sooner, he had certainly attained it; but he knew not that, and so was eternally frustrated of all his hopes and expectations. The foolish Virgins cr•ed for Oil when their Lamps were going out, they should have done that sooner. They came for Admission to the Marriage after the Door was shut. Thus by not knowing their Time they lost their Souls, and missed of Heaven for ever. Mat. 25.9, 10. Thus also it is as to Temporal Concerns. Some Accident not foreseen happens, and brings a frustration on all a mans Endeavours. Mariners go to Sea, and they meet with Enemies, where they least expected them. They come near home, a Storm happens, and they suffer Shipwreck. Had they been aware of those Evils, they would have been more careful to have avoided them. The Husbandman after much pains taken in Tilling the Ground, has an hopeful prospect of a good Harvest, but Blasting, or Mildew, or Droughts, or great Rains, or unseasonable Frost, disappoints all his hopes. These were things which he could not foresee nor avoid. A man Builds an House, hopes he shall ⟨p. 23⟩