II. In our Dying Daily, we are Every Day to keep Alive a prudent, perpetual, reasonable Suspicion, That this may prove our Dying Day. There is a Maxim of Wisdom, which we ought to Live under the Daily power of; Prov. XXVII. 7. Thou knowest not what a Day may bring forth. It is very sure, we must see our Last Day. And we are sure of no Day that comes, That it will not be our Last. We should ⟨p. 7⟩often think in a Morning, 'For ought I 'know, I may Die before the Evening. We should often think in an Evening, 'For ought I know, I may Die before the 'Morning. When we take our Leave of a Friend, we should often think, For ought I know, we may never see one another again. When we hear a Sermon, we should often think, For ought I know this is the Last Sermon I shall hear among the People of God. When we make a Prayer, we should often think, For ought I know, this is the last Prayer I shall make before my Breath be stopped! Such Dying Thoughts as these, are extremely countenanced, by our Circumstances in the World. Our Circumstances are tho; Jam. IV. 14. What is your Life? Tis a vapour that appears a little while, and vanishes away. Those, Eccl. IX. 12. Man knoweth not his Time. All Ages are Liable to the Stroke of Death! They that are under Six, are as Likely to Die, as they that are beyond Sixty: And more Die so. At this very Time, there Lies Dead in our Neighbourhood, An Aged, Pious, Useful Servant of God, an Elder ⟨p. 8⟩of a Church, near Fourscore; *And an Infant that was yet in the Cradle. The Stroke of Death, is also given sometimes very Suddenly. Persons are well one day, Dead the next. Last Night, an affecting Instance of it. A Young Woman *well one hour, tending her Sick Son; the next hour Dead, and Leaving her Tender Husband in Tears. A Last Day must come; And there comes no Day, but, for ought we know, may be our Last. For us, to be moderately, and rationally, Suspicious, of Every Day! This may be my Last! Verily, There is an incomparable Discretion in it. For us, to make provision accordingly, would be very discreetly done. Such Thoughts, how much would they Mortify our Vanities, Animate our Devotions, Regulate all our Behaviours, if they had a due Efficacy upon us! We Die Daily, in such Thoughts as these; And we take a Course to Live unto God.
II. In our Dying Daily, we are Every Day to keep Alive a prudent, perpetual, reasonable Suspicion, That this may prove our Dying Day. There is a Maxim of Wisdom, which we ought to Live under the Daily power of; Prov. XXVII. 7. Thou knowest not what a Day may bring forth. It is very sure, we must see our Last Day. And we are sure of no Day that comes, That it will not be our Last. We should ⟨p. 7⟩often think in a Morning, 'For ought I 'know, I may Dy before the Evening. We should often think in an Evening, 'For ought I know, I may Dy before the 'Morning. When we take our Leave of a Friend, we should often think, For ought I know, we may never see one another again. When we hear a Sermon, we should often think, For ought I know this is the Last Sermon I shall hear among the People of God. When we make a Prayer, we should often think, For ought I know, this is the last Prayer I shall make before my Breath be stopt! Such Dying Tho'ts as these, are extreamly countenanced, by our Circumstances in the World. Our Circumstances are tho; Jam. IV. 14. What is your Life? Tis a vapour that appears a little while, and vanishes away. Those, Eccl. IX. 12. Man knoweth not his Time. All Ages are Liable to the Stroke of Death! They that are under Six, are as Likely to Dy, as they that are beyond Sixty: And more Dy so. At this very Time, there Lies Dead in our Neighbourhood, An Aged, Pious, Useful Servant of God, an Elder ⟨p. 8⟩of a Church, near Fourscore; *And an Infant that was yet in the Cradle. The Stroke of Death, is also given sometimes very Suddenly. Persons are well one day, Dead the next. Last Night, an affecting Instance of it. A Young Woman *well one hour, tending her Sick Son; the next hour Dead, and Leaving her Tender Husband in Tears. A Last Day must come; And there comes no Day, but, for ought we know, may be our Last. For us, to be moderately, and rationally, Suspicious, of Every Day! This may be my Last! Verily, There is an incomparable Discretion in it. For us, to make provision accordingly, would be very discreetly done. Such Thoughts, how much would they Mortifie our Vanities, Animate our Devotions, Regulate all our Behaviours, if they had a due Efficacy upon us! We Dy Daily, in such Thoughts as these; And we take a Course to Live unto God.
- *Elder John Cop.Elder John Copp.
- *Mrs. Mary Boone.
