N00657:46
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.
But especially we are by such Providence called upon to to prepare for Death. I will want a•l the days of my appointed time until my Change come. Job 14.14. Death brings a wonderful Change ⟨p. 30⟩with it. So it does as to the Bodies of men. They are turned to Corruption; for the most part after they are dead, either Worms or Fishes feed upon them. And a Change as to the Souls of m•n. When once they are out of their Bodies, they know in a moment where they must be to all Eternity They then see Angels, and they behold […] Majesty of the Terrible God. […] here.
But especially we are by such Providence called upon to to prepare for Death. I will want a•l the days of my appointed time until my Change come. Job 14.14. Death brings a wonderful Change ⟨p. 30⟩with it. So it does as to the Bodies of men. They are turned to Corruption; for the most part after they are dead, either Worms or Fishes feed upon them. And a Change as to the Souls of m•n. When once they are out of their Bodies, they know in a moment where they must be to all Eternity They then see Angels, and they behold 〈…〉 Majesty of the Terrible God. 〈…〉 here.
Consider 1 Death may come on us suddenly. So does the Text and Context before us intimate. It is said, Numb 69. If any man die very suddenly. That then is possible, and we see Instances of it before […] E•es frequently. The Scholars now gone, who were in this House the last Lords Day, hearing the Word of God, did not think that they should be dead th next day; no more then any of you think of being in another World before to morrow sometimes Death does not give a days warning before it comes. Prov 27.1. Boast nt ty self of to rrow, for thou knowest not what a day […] frth. You know not what shall b n the morrow, nor where you your selves shall be, no, not what World your Suls shall be in on the morrow. It may be, Death will not give an hours warning; nay, not a minte wa ning. Have you not known some that the thunder of God has struck them dead in a moment? They were alive and in perfect health, and in less then a minute stark dead. Have you not