N01109:160
Meditations on death. Delivered in several sermons, wherein is showed; I. That some true believers on Christ are afraid of death, but that they have no just cause to be so. II. That good men as well as others may be taken out of the world by a sudden death. III. That not earth but heaven is the Christians home. / By Increase Mather, D.D. ; [Two lines from Hebrews]Meditations on death. Delivered in several sermons, wherein is shewed; I. That some true believers on Christ are afraid of death, but that they have no just cause to be so. II. That good men as well as others may be taken out of the world by a sudden death. III. That not earth but heaven is the Christians home. / By Increase Mather, D.D. ; [Two lines from Hebrews]
printed by Timothy Green, 1707
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
Instruct. II. Hence they all whose Happiness is in Earthly Enjoyments are Miserable men. They whose Names are written on the Earth, and whose Portion is in things here below are Miserable men indeed; Psal. 17.14. The men of the world, whose Portion is in this Life. They whose Portion is in this life, suppose them to have never so great a Portion, if that be all, they are very miserable. As indeed for the most part it is so, that they who have much of this world given to them, that is their Portion; that is all the Good they must ever enjoy▪ therefore miserable are they. Christ says of ⟨p. 152⟩Ungodly Rich men, Woe to them, for they have received their Consolation, Luk. 6.24 All the Comfort, all the Happiness that ever they are like to see, they have received it. It is all in the vain things of this world; then they must needs be miserable: For these things can never make the possessor of them to be truly Happy. For a man may have them, and yet lose his Soul▪ and so be Eternally Miserable. Wha• if he should gain never so much when God takes away his Soul, what good will these things do him? Christ says, If a man should gain the whole World, and lose his Soul, what is he profited? A Religious man did once advise a very Rich man, to remember those words of Christ, and to meditate on them every Day, tho' it were but for a• Quarter of an Hour. Nay, these things will add to a mans misery, if he Dyes in his Sins at the last; he will be the more miserable, because of the Earthly Felicity that once he had. As it was said to Dives, Remember in thy Life-time thou hadst thy Good things. ⟨p. 153⟩That Remembrance made him the •ore miserable. There are some •hose Riches is Unrighteous Mammon: And if they have got their abundance •y any way of Unrighteousness, by •ying, Oppression, Cheating, Gaming, •r by any such Ungodly Practices, the remembrance of it in Hell will sting •hem, and aggravate their misery. •r if they have abused their Power •o Oppress the Poor, or their Riches •o nourish Pride and Voluptuousness, •hese Gifts of God will be brought as Witnesses against them, to aggravate •heir Condemnation at the Last Day. •ow terribly does the Apostle Thunder against Ungodly Rich men?
Instruct. II. Hence they all whose Hap•iness is in Earthly Enjoyments are Mi••rable men. They whose Names are written on the Earth, and whose Portion is in things here below are Miserable men indeed; Psal. 17.14. The men of the world, whose Portion is in this Life. They whose Portion is in this life, suppose them to have never so great a Portion, if that be all, they are very miserable. As indeed for the most part it is so, that they who have much of this world given to them, that is their Portion; that is all the Good they must ever enjoy▪ therefore miserable are they. Christ sayes of ⟨p. 152⟩Ungodly Rich men, Wo to them, for they have received their Consolation, Luk. 6.24 All the Comfort, all the Happiness that ever they are like to see, they have received it. It is all in the vain things of this world; then they must needs be miserable: For these things can never make the possess•r of them to be truly Happy. For a man may have them, and yet lose his Soul▪ and so be Eternally Miserable. Wha• if he should gain never so much when God takes away his Soul, what good will these things do him? Christ sayes, If a man should gain the whole World, and lose his Soul, what is he profited? A Religious man did once advise a very Rich man, to remember those words of Christ, and to meditate on them every Day, tho' it were but for a• Quarter of an Hour. Nay, these things will add to a mans misery, if he Dyes in his Sins at the last; he will be the more miserable, because of the Earthly Felicity that once he had. As it was said to Dives, Remember in thy Life-time thou hadst thy Good things. ⟨p. 153⟩That Remembrance made him the •ore miserable. There are some •hose Riches is Vnrighteous Mammon: And if they have got their abundance •y any way of Unrighteousness, by •ying, Oppression, Cheating, Gaming, •r by any such Ungodly Practices, the •emembrance of it in Hell will sting hem, and aggravate their misery. r if they have abused their Power o Oppress the Poor, or their Riches o nourish Pride and Voluptuousness, hese Gifts of God will be brought as Witnesses against them, to aggravate heir Codemnation at the Last Day. ow terribly does the Apostle Thuner against Ungodly Rich men?
He •ids them weep and howl because of •he misery coming on them▪ in that •hey had defrauded the Poor, kept •rom the Labourer his hire, and that Cried in the Ears of the Lord of Hosts against them, that they had laid •p a great deal of Gold and Silver▪ & •hat the Rust of that would witness against them; and that they had lived • pleasure and been wanton, he tells ⟨p. 154⟩then▪ they are like Brute beasts, fat•e• for the Day of Slaughter, Jam▪ 5.1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
He •ids them weep and howl because of •he misery coming on them▪ in that •hey had defrauded the Poor, kept •rom the Labourer his hire, and that Cryed in the Ears of the Lord of Hosts against them, that they had laid •p a great deal of Gold and Silver▪ & •hat the Rust of that would witness •gainst them; and that they had lived • pleasure and been wanton, he tells ⟨p. 154⟩then▪ they are like Bruit beasts, fat•e for the Day of Slaughter, Iam 5.1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Instruct. III. Here we see the Sin & F•l•y of those that demean themselves a• tho' they were not Sojourners on the Earth▪ As tho' they should continue in this world for ever: As indeed that is the inward wish and desi•• of the most of men. They can't say as Job did, Job 7.16. I would not live always. If God should say to them, You shall have your Choice, either to live for ever on this Earth, or to be with Me in Heaven, the greatest part of the Children of men would choose to be here always, rather than to go to the Heavenly world. They are not like the Holy Patriarchs, that tho' they lived in one of the best Lands in the world, yet they Desired the Heavenly Country▪ Heb. 11.16. And if we may judge of the inward Thoughts of men by their actions▪ we must then Conclude, that they think they are not Sojourners on Earth, but tha• they shall abide here for ever: Psal. 49 11.13. Their ⟨p. 155⟩inward thought is, that their Dwellings shall continue to all Generations: •his their way is their Folly, yet their •bsterity after them approve of it. •herefore we see that men make very ••eat Provision for this world; and it •ay be little or none at all for another World. This their way is •heir Folly. If a man that is a Tenant […] another, and his Lease almost out, ••ould now go to Building, would •ot the world wonder at his Folly? o is the Case here; Men are Tenants […] will, the world they live in is none […] their own: Yea, and their Lease is most out; What then need they ake such ado to get so much of this world? Man, the Lease of thy Life is most out; why then dost thou set […] Heart on the World as if thou […] to be here for ever?
Instruct. IV. If men are to be but a […] while in this World, if they are but sojourners here, then they ought to be •ery careful not to misspend their little •ime, but to improve it well. If a man •as a Commodity of great Worth & ⟨p. 156⟩Value, and but a little of it, he will be careful not to squander it away. Verily Time is such a Commodity: Time is more precious than Gold▪ If a man had all the Gold on Earth, […] could not purchase one Day, one Hour of Time with […] all. And men have but a little of this Precious Commodity: Then had they not need to beware that they squander none of it away. It is a sad thing to hear some men speak as if Time lay on their hands. They will say, we went into such an House, or into such Company to Pass away the Time. Alas for you! Go to pass away the Time▪ The Time will pass away fast enough whether you will or no. Time is going and flying when men are doing nothing: Time is going when men are sleeping: Time is going, and will soon be at an End. Men should be careful so to improve their Time, as to be able to give account of it to that God who gave it them; 1 Pet. 1.17. God will Judge men according to their works, without ⟨p. 157⟩respect of Persons, Pass the time of •ur Sojourning here in Fear. You are •o Sojourn here but a little while; •herefore pass your Time so as you •ay be able to give a good account o God the Judge of all. Think often with thy self, Why did God send e into the world? And why has He continued me therein? Has not the ord allowed me so much time that I ight Repent of Sin, and be prepared […] another World before it is too […]? The Lord said of Jezebel Rev. 21. I gave her space to Repent, and […] Repented not. God has given thee space for that End, that so thou ayest Repent before Death puts an […] to thy Time. And Time is given […] that so they may Serve and Glorify God, and do good to men while ere on Earth: Which after their ime is ended they can't do as now […] may;
Therefore remember those words of Christ, Joh 9.4. I must work while it is Day, for the Night comes in which no man can work. The Day of Life will soon be gone, and the Night of Death will soon be here. Therefore improve your Time with utmost Care and Diligence. Remember also those words of Christ, in Joh. 12 35. Walk while you have the Light, yet a little while and you have the Light; therefore walk lest Darkness come on you. The Light of Life is but for a little while, and the Darkness of Death will come. You will be in the Dark Grave quickly: You will be in the Land of Darkness, where the Light it self is Darkness. If a man live an Hundred Years, yet let him Remember the Days of Darkness, for they are many. Yea, let him so remember them ⟨p. 159⟩•s to improve his Time, in preparing •or, & making sure of a better World. And the rather because a mans time may Suddenly be brought to a Period, •e knows not how soon. When the Morning comes, he knows not but that before Night his Time may be •rought to an End. Have we not lately seen awful Instances of it, in •oth Old and Young? A man knows •ot when he comes to hear a Sermon, •ut that he may be Dead before the sermon is Ended Very lately in a Town not far off, one came on the Lords Day well into the Meeting-House, and was carried out Dead. He was an Aged man. But let Young Men Hear the Word of the Lord. They are apt to think, We have time before us, there is no fear that we •hall Dye. Nay, but thou mayest Dye before many Old enough to be •hy Grand-father. Have you not seen •t? Was there not Two Days since, •n this Neighbourhood a Young Man who went well to Bed, and was found Dead in the Morning▪ This Providence ⟨p. 160⟩
Instruct. V. If men have but a little Time to be here in the world, then they should be thinking of that World where they must abide for Ever. They should be thinking of going Home: Here is not their Home. No man is not at the Home where he must dwell Everlastingly, while he is in this world. Every man in the world is going home, and to a Long Home; Eccl. 12.5. Man goes to his Long Home. The Grave is a long home. Some have been Lodged there this Five Thousand Years and more. And then the Invisible World which men are going into, is an infinitely longer Home than the Grave. They must rise out of ⟨p. 161⟩the Grave; but they are going to a World where they must continue to Eternity. All men are going to their Long Everlasting Home; tho' not to •he same Home: For they are not all going in the same way. Some are going in a narrow clean Way; others in a broad and foul Way. Some are going up hill, they that are going to Heaven do so. But they that are going to Hell, are going down hill: Like the Gadarene Swine when the Devil was in them, they went down a steep place and perished. So they that go on in their Sins, are going down •ill they perish in the Deep. Nevertheless, all are going to another world, to an Eternal World; to a World that is not seen and is Eternal. It must needs be so, because the Souls of men are Immortal, and therefore must •bide for Ever in some world or other. They have Never Dying Souls, and because their Souls are Immortal they must be for ever either in a Happy, or in a Woeful Wo•l•. As •or men that are in a state of Sin, and ⟨p. 162⟩Dye in that Estate, when once their Souls are out of the Prison of their Bodies, what Prison are they in? It is said of the Souls of men who were Drowned and Damned Thousands of Years ago, that they are in Prison, 1 Pet. 3.19 The Sinners who lived in the Old world before the Flood, their Spirits are in Prison, they are in a Dungeon. When wicked men dye, their Immortal Spirits go into a dismal and an Eternal Dungeon;
We have an House Eternal in the Heavens. If Death find us believing in Christ, and serving God, we shall go to a City which has Foundations. All the Cities on the Earth shall perish, ⟨p. 163⟩but the Heavenly Jerusalem is a City, that shall abide for ever. Therefore should the Children of God be often thinking of it. As the Prophet said to the Lords People, Jer. 51.50. Let Jerusalem come into your minds. So should the Heavenly Jerusalem come into our minds. Heaven! Heaven! Heaven! should come into our minds every Day, and often in a Day.
We have an House Eternal in the Heavens. If Death find us believing in Christ, and serving God, we shall go to a City which has Foundations. All the Cities on the Earth shall perish, ⟨p. 163⟩but the Heavenly Jerusalem is a City, that shall abide for ever. Therefore should the Children of God be often thinking of it. As the Prophet said to the Lords People, Jer. 51.50. Let Ierusalem come into your minds. So should the Heavenly Jerusalem come into our minds. Heaven! Heaven! Heaven! should come into our minds every Day, and often in a Day.
Let the Servants of God make not the Earth but Heaven to be their Home.
Consider 1. How undesirable a world this is. This World is not Paradise now, but a Prison rather to the Children of God. Tis a Vain World: Vain because Unprofitable. What profit has a man of all his Labour under the Sun? What profit when he has Laboured for the Wind? A great Emperor who had passed through many Offices, and at last obtained the whole Roman Empire, the mightiest that ever was, after all made this Protestation before the world, Omnia fui sed rihil profuit; I have been all things, but it profited ⟨p. 164⟩me nothing at all. Could a man grasp the whole World into his hands, it would not yield satisfaction to his Soul. They say of Alexander the Great, that he wept because there was but one world for him to enlarge his Conquests in. The Eye is not satisfied with seeing. Some have Expressed it too argutely when they have said, A round World will never fill a triangular Heart. But it is a serious Truth, that all the things of this world cannot satisfy the vast desires of an immortal Soul, but it will be wishing for something better than the best Earthly Enjoyments, or than them all. Solomon was as Competent a judge of what this world could afford as any man that ever lived in it. And the account which he gives of it, yea, the Sum Total is that in Eccl. 1.2. All is Vanity. Not only Vain, but Vanity it self. So that if a man could possess all the things that are in the world, they are Nothing, for he possesseth Vanity. 'Twas the Expression of a Famous man, If all the World were to ⟨p. 165⟩[…] Sold, it is not worth a mans opening •is Mouth to say, I will not buy it. And •hall we make this world then to be •ur Home, when it is all Vanity? And •ot only so, but Vexation of spirit too, […] Solomon there says. There is great Vexation oftentimes in Obtaining the things of this world. Alas! Many •et the world by wounding their own consciences, and that proves Vexation •o them. And there is great vexati•• keeping the world. The Rich mans abundance won't suffer him to sleep. […] is reported that Cyrus made a poor an vastly Rich, who found such vexation about the keeping and the disposal of his Riches, as that he gave he greatest part of them away, and hose rather to have only a moderate state that so he might Enjoy himself, and live with greater Contentation. There is great Vexation in the oosing the world.
If a man has been •ich, and becomes Poor, he is more miserable than if he had never had •uch Riches: So that they are vanity •nd vexation. But which is infinitely ⟨p. 166⟩worse, this world is full of Sin; and that has made it like Hell. The terrible Judgment of God for the Sins of men, has suffered Satan to be the Prince of this world. He is not so by the Grace of God, but by the Wrath of God. The Devils are the Rulers of the Darkness of this world. And shall Gods Children make such a dark World their Home?
If a man has been •ich, and becomes Poor, he is more •iserable than if he had never had •uch Riches: So that they are vanity •nd vexation. But which is infinitely ⟨p. 166⟩worse, this world is full of Sin; and that has made it like Hell. The terrible Judgment of God for the Sins of men, has suffered Satan to be the Prince of this world. He is not so by the Grace of God, but by the Wrath of God. The Devils are the Rulers of the Darkness of this world. And shall Gods Children make such a dark World their Home?
Consider 2. H•w Desirable a Place that World is which Believers are going unto. Certainly when Christians are loth to leave this world, they do not meditate on Heaven so much as they should do, where there is nothing but what is good, and every thing that is good. Are Riches desirable▪ In Heaven & there only, are the true Riches to be found; Prov. 8.18. Durable Riches. Earthly Riches are not Durable; but Heavenly Riches are a Substance that will endure to Eternity. There are Glorious Riches to be found in Heaven For JESUS CHRIST is there, who is an Inestimable and Inexhaustible Treasure. Does not the ⟨p. 167⟩scripture speak of the Unsearchable •iches of Christ? In Heaven the Infinitely Glorious GOD is to be Enjoyed▪ […] Him we have an infinite Treasure. •ea▪ all Good at once to satiate our •ouls: He is the Portion of His Children, and a greater Portion cannot be▪ David says, God is my Portion for ever. When Abraham refused the Riches of •he King of Sodom, God said to him, Gen. 15.1. I am thy Exceeding Great Reward: Thou shalt have Riches enough in me. Now if we would make Heaven and not Earth our Home.
Consider 2. H•w Desi•able a Place that World is which Believers are going unto. Certainly when Christians are loth to leave this world, they do not meditate on Heaven so much as they should do, where there is nothing but what is good, and every thing that is good. Are Riches desirable▪ In Heaven & there only, are the true Riches to be found; Prov. 8.18. Durable Riches. Earthly Riches are not Durable; but Heavenly Riches are a Substance that will endure to Eternity. There are Glorious Riches to be found in Heaven For JESUS CHRIST is there, who is an Inestimable and Inexhaustible Treasure. Does not the
1. We should be willing to go Home. Should not a Traveller be willing to go home? Why then should no• Gods Children who are Strangers and Sojourners in the Earth, be willing to go to their own Country, when ever •t shall please the Lord, this Year rather than the next Year if God will have it so. Such an Heart was in Old Jacob, Gen. 46▪30. N•w let me Dye, since I have seen thy Face. It becomes a Child of God to speak after that manner, since by Faith I have seen ⟨p. 168⟩Christ, now let me Dye: As good Old Simeon also, when he had seen the Lords Christ, said, Luk. 2.29. Now let me depart in Peace. So the Believer that has by Faith an interest in Christ, it becomes him to say, Now Lord let me depart so soon as ever it shall please thee. It Exposeth our religion to the Censure of the world, when we are loth to change Earth for Heaven. The Turks say that Christians do not believe themselves when they talk of the Glory of Heaven: If they did (say they) why are Christians generally so unwilling to Dye and go to Heaven? Jacob said to Laban, Send me away that I may go my own Place, and to my own Country, Gen. 30.25. And Laban said to him, Thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longest after thy Fathers House, Gen. 31.36. So should the Children of God desire to be gone to their own Country, and long after their Fathers House.
1. We should be willing to go Home. Should not a Traveller be willing to go home? Why then should no• Gods Children who are Strangers and Sojourners in the Earth, be willing to go to their own Countrey, when ever •t shall please the Lord, this Year rather than the next Year if God will have it so. Such an Heart was in Old Iacob,
2. If we would make not Earth but Heaven our Home, then let us get as much as possibly we can of that which we shall carry ⟨p. 169⟩to Heaven with us. Travellers can•t carry Houses and Lands into their own Country with them, but if they can meet with Jewels they will carry them with them. There are Jewels to be had▪ that we shall carry to Heaven with us, if we can make our selves the owners of them. Grace in the Soul is a Jewel. The Grace of Saving Knowledge is a Jewel; that will go to Heaven with us. This is Life Eternal, to know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. The Grace of Love is a Jewel▪ that will go to Heaven with us. Charity abides, it never fails. The Grace of Joy in the Holy Ghost, will go to Heaven with us. For there is fullness of Joy, & Pleasures for evermore. Then Labour after much of those Graces, much of those Jewels that will go with us out of this into the Eternal World.
2. If we would make not Earth but Heaven our Home, then let us get as much as possibly we can of that which we shall carry ⟨p. 169⟩to Heaven with us. Travellers can•t carry Houses and Lands into their own Countrey with them, but if they can meet with Iewels they will carry them with them. There are Jewels to be had▪ that we shall carry to Heaven with us, if we can make our selves the owners of them. Grace in the Soul is a Jewel. The Grace of Saving Knowledge is a Jewel; that will go to Heaven with us. This is Life Eternal, to know Thee the only true God, and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent. The Grace of Love is a Jewel▪ that will go to Heaven with us. Charity abides, it never fails. The Grace of Joy in the Holy Ghost, will go to Heaven with us. For there is fulness of Joy, & Pleas•res for evermore. Then Labour after much of those Graces, much of those Jewels that will go with us out of this into the Eternal World.
3. We should abound in those thing• […] which we shall have a Reward in […] ▪ The more Good we do on Earth▪ […] more Glory shall we have when […] come to Heaven. Therefore sh••ld ⟨p. 170⟩we do all the Good we can, in all the way•s we are capable of doing Good, Rev. 14.13. Blessed are the Dead which Dye in the Lord, they rest from their Labour, and their Works follow them. Their Good Works follow them. Deeds of Charity to the Lords Poor will follow them to the Heavenly World. Christ said to a Rich man, Give to the Poor, and follow me, and thou shalt have Treasure in Heaven, Mat. 19▪21. And for Works of Piety, which have a tendency to promote the Glory of God, His Faithful Servants shall have a Reward in Heaven. Therefore David in the Context before us, did Contribute so Liberally to uphold the Worship of God: Shortly (says he) I shall be gone out of this world, and then I can do nothing towards building an House for the Lord, and therefore I have done it now. And he was […] should be Rewarded in […] ▪ Our Religious Duties and […], our Secret Prayers will […] in Heaven. Pray to your Father […] Secret, and your Father that seeth ⟨p. 171⟩[…] Secret will Reward you Openly. He •ill Reward you before all the Angels in Heaven, and all the Saints that •re there That will be an Open Re•ard indeed▪ So then we should a•ound in Works of this Nature, and •n Every Good Work. I Conclude with that Scripture,
FINIS.
Instruct. III. Here we see the Sin & F•l•y of those that demean themsel•es a• tho' they were not Sojourners on the Earth▪ As tho' they should continue in this world for ever: As indeed that is the inward wish and desi•• of the most of men. They can't say as Iob did, Job 7.16. I would not live alwayes. If God should say to them, You shall have your Choice, either to live for ever on this Earth, or to be with Me in Heaven, the greatest part of the Children of men would choose to be here alwayes, rather than to go to the Heavenly world. They are not like the Holy Patriarks, that tho' they lived in one of the best Lands in the world, yet they Desired the Heavenly Countrey▪ Heb. 11.16. And if we may judge of the inward Thoughts of men by their actions▪ we must then Conclude, that they think they are not Sojourners on Earth, but tha• they shall abide here for ever: Psal. 49 11.13. Their ⟨p. 155⟩inward thought is, that their Dwell••gs shall continue to all Generations: •his their way is their Folly, yet their •bsterity after them approve of it. •herefore we see that men make very ••eat Provision for this world; and it •ay be little or none at all for ano••er World. This their way is •heir Folly. If a man that is a Tenant 〈…〉 another, and his Lease almost out, ••ould now go to Building, would •ot the world wonder at his Folly? •o is the Case here; Men are Tenants 〈…〉 will, the world they live in is none 〈…〉 their own: Yea, and their Lease is ••most out; What then need they •ake such ado to get so much of this •orld? Man, the Lease of thy Life is ••most out; why then dost thou set 〈…〉 Heart on the World as if thou 〈…〉 to be here for ever?
Instruct. IV. If men are to be but a 〈…〉 while in this World, if they are but •ojourners here, then they ought to be •ery ca••ful not to mispend their little •ime, but to improve it well. If a man •as a Commodity of great Worth & ⟨p. 156⟩Value, and but a little of it, he will be careful not to squander it away. Verily Time is such a Commodity: Time is more precious than Gold▪ If a man had all the Gold on Earth, 〈…〉 could not purchase one Day, one Hour of Time with 〈…〉 all. And men have but a little of this Precious Commodity: Then had they not need to beware that they squander none of it away. It is a sad thing to hear some men speak as if Time lay on their hands. They will say, we went into such an House, or into such Company to Pass away the Time. Alas for you! Go to pass away the Time▪ The Time will pass away fast enough whether you will or no. Time is going and flying when men are doing nothing: Time is going when men are sleeping: Time is going, and will soon be at an End. Men should be careful so to improve their Time, as to be able to give account of it to that God who gave it them; 1 Pet. 1.17. God will Judge men according to their works, without ⟨p. 157⟩respect of Persons, Pass the time of •ur Sojourning here in Fear. You are •o Sojourn here but a little while; •herefore pass your Time so as you •ay be able to give a good account •o God the Judge of all. Think often with thy self, Why did God send •e into the world? And why has He •ontinued me therein? Has not the •ord allowed me so much time that I •ight Repent of Sin, and be prepared 〈…〉 another World before it is too 〈…〉? The Lord said of Iezabel ▪ Rev. • ▪21. I gave her space to Repent, and 〈…〉 Repented not. God has given thee space for that End, that so thou •ayest Repent before Death puts an 〈…〉 to thy Time. And Time is given 〈…〉 that so they may Serve and Glo••fy God, and do good to men while •ere on Earth: Which after their •ime is ended they can't do as now 〈…〉 may; Isa. 38.19 They that go •wn to the Pit cannot Praise thee; but 〈…〉 Living, the Living shall Praise thee. 〈…〉 a man has a great work on his hands 〈…〉 but a few Hours in a short winters ⟨p. 158⟩Day to dispatch that work in, it makes him bestir himself. You have but a short winters Day to be here on Earth, and that Day is far spent. Then are you not concerned to improve your Time with all possible diligence?
Therefore remember those words of Christ, Joh 9.4. I must work while it is Day, for the Night comes in which no man can work. The Day of Life will soon be gone, and the Night of Death will soon be here. Therefore improve your Time with utmost Care and Diligence. Remember also those words of Christ, in Joh. 12 35. Walk while you have the Light, yet a little while and you have the Light; therefore walk lest Darkness come on you. The Light of Life is but for a little while, and the Darkness of Death will come. You will be in the Dark Grave quickly: You will be in the Land of Darkness, where the Light it self is Darkness. If a man live an Hundred Years, yet let him Remember the Dayes of Darkness, for they are many. Yea, let him so remember them ⟨p. 159⟩•s to improve his Time, in preparing •or, & making sure of a better World. And the rather because a mans time may Suddenly be brought to a Period, •e knows not how soon. When the Morning comes, he knows not but that before Night his Time may be •rought to an End. Have we not •ately seen awful Instances of it, in •oth Old and Young? A man knows •ot when he comes to hear a Sermon, •ut that he may be Dead before the •ermon is Ended Very lately in a Town not far off, one came on the Lords Day well into the Meeting-House, and was carried out Dead. He was an Aged man. But let Young Men Hear the Word of the Lord. They are apt to think, We have time before us, there is no fear that we •hall Dye. Nay, but thou mayest Dye before many Old enough to be •hy Grand-father. Have you not seen •t? Was there not Two Dayes since, •n this Neighbourhood a Young Man who went well to Bed, and was found Dead in the Morning▪ This Providence ⟨p. 160⟩is a Sermon to Young Persons, calling them to Redeem their Time, to make sure of an Interest in Christ, and so Prepare for Death. Oh! that God would awaken Young People among us, and make them wise to consider their latter End, and to consider that their Time may be at an end before they are aware; it may be before another Week, or another Day.
Instruct. V. If men have but a little Time to be here in the world, then they should be thinking of that World where they must abide for Ever. They should be thinking of going Home: Here is not their Home. No man is not at the Home where he must dwell Everlastingly, while he is in this world. Every man in the world is going home, and to a Long Home; Eccl. 12.5. Man goes to his Long Home. The Grave is a long home. Some have been Lodged there this Five Thousand Years and more. And then the Invisible World which men are going into, is an infinitely longer Home than the Grave. They must rise out of ⟨p. 161⟩the Grave; but they are going to a World where they must continue to Eternity. All men are going to their Long Everlasting Home; tho' not to •he same Home: For they are not all going in the same way. Some are going in a narrow clean Way; others in a broad and foule Way. Some are going up hill, they that are going to Heaven do so. But they that are going to Hell, are going down hill: Like the Gada•ene Swine when the Devil was in them, they went down a •teep place and perished. So they that go on in their Sins, are going down •ill they perish in the Deep. Nevertheless, all are going to another world, to an Eternal World; to a World that is not seen and is Eternal. It must needs be so, because the Souls of men are Immortal, and therefore must •bide for Ever in some world or other. They have Never Dying Souls, and because their Souls are Immortal they must be for ever either in a Happy, or in a Woful Wo•l•. As •or men that are in a state of Sin, and ⟨p. 162⟩Dye in that Estate, when once their Souls are out of the Prison of their Bodies, what Prison are they in? It is said of the Souls of men who were Drown'd and Damn'd Thousands of Years ago, that they are in Prison, 1 Pet. 3.19 The Sinners who lived in the Old world before the Flood, their Spirits are in Prison, they are in a Dungeon. When wicked men dye, their Immortal Spirits go into a dismal and an Eternal Dungeon; Jude 13. ver. For them is reserved the Blackness of Darkness for ever. How long must they be in that dark dismal World? It is said of Hell, There the Worm dies not, there the Fire never shall be quenched. As for the Servants of God when they Dye, they go to a blessed World, they go to Heaven: there is our House, there is our Home where we must be to all Eternity; 2 Cor. 5.1.
Consider 1. How undesirable a world this is. This World is not Paradise now, but a Prison rather to the Children of God. Tis a Vain World: Vain because Vnprofitable. What profit has a man of all his Labour under the Sun? What profit when he has Laboured for the Wind? A great Emperor who had passed through many Offices, and at last obtained the whole Roman Empire, the mightiest that ever was, after all made this Protestation before the world, Omnia fui sed rihil profuit; I have been all things, but it profited ⟨p. 164⟩me nothing at all. Could a man grasp the whole World into his hands, it would not yield satisfaction to his Soul. They say of Alexander the Great, that he wept because there was but one world for him to inlarge his Conquests in. The Eye is not satisfied with seeing. Some have Expressed it too argutely when they have said, A round World will never fill a triangular Heart. But it is a serious Truth, that all the things of this world cannot satisfy the vast desires of an immortal Soul, but it will be wishing for something better than the best Earthly Enjoyments, or than them all. Solomon was as Competent a judge of what this world could afford as any man that ever lived in it. And the account which he gives of it, yea, the Sum Total is that in Eccl. 1.2. All is Vanity. Not only Vain, but Vanity it self. So that if a man could possess all the things that are in the world, they are Nothing, for he possesseth Vanity. 'Twas the Expression of a Famous man, If all the World were to ⟨p. 165⟩〈…〉 Sold, it is not worth a mans opening •is Mouth to say, I will not buy it. And •hall we make this world then to be •ur Home, when it is all Vanity? And •ot only so, but Vexation of spirit too, 〈…〉 Solomon there sayes. There is great Vexation oftentimes in Obtaining the •hings of this world. Alas! Many •et the world by wounding their own •onsciences, and that proves Vexation •o them. And there is great vexati•• keeping the world. The Rich mans •bundance won't suffer him to sleep. 〈…〉 is reported that Cyrus made a poor •an vastly Rich, who found such •exation about the keeping and the •isposal of his Riches, as that he gave •he greatest part of them away, and •hose rather to have only a moderate •tate that so he might Enjoy him••lf, and live with greater Contenta••on. There is great Vexation in the •oosing the world.
3. We should abound in those thing• 〈…〉 which we shall have a Reward in 〈…〉 ▪ The more Good we do on Earth▪ 〈…〉 more Glory shall we have when 〈…〉 come to Heaven. Therefore sh••ld ⟨p. 170⟩we do all the Good we can, in all the way•s we are capable of doing Good, Rev. 14.13. Blessed are the Dead which Dye in the Lord, they rest from their Labour, and their Works follow them. Their Good Works follow them. Deeds of Charity to the Lords Poor will follow them to the Heavenly World. Christ said to a Rich man, Give to the Poor, and follow me, and thou shalt have Treasure in Heaven, Mat. 19▪21. And for Works of Piety, which have a tendency to promote the Glory of God, His Faithful Servants shall have a Reward in Heaven. Therefore David in the Context before us, did Contribute so Liberally to uphold the Worship of God: Shortly (sayes he) I shall be gone out of this world, and then I can do nothing towards building an House for the Lord, and therefore I have done it now. And he was 〈…〉 should be Rewarded in 〈…〉 ▪ Our Religious Duties and 〈…〉, our Secret Prayers will 〈…〉 in Heaven. Pray to your Father 〈…〉 Secret, and your Father that seeth ⟨p. 171⟩〈…〉 Secret will Reward you Openly. He •ill Reward you before all the Angels in Heaven, and all the Saints that •re there That will be an Open Re•ard indeed▪ So then we should a•ound in Works of this Nature, and •n Every Good Work. I Conclude with that Scripture, 1. Cor. 15. last▪ •e you alwayes abounding in the Work •f the Lord, for as much as you know •hat your Labour shall not be in 〈…〉 the Lord.
