THE general Scope and design of this Book, written by the wisest of Men, is generally known and understood to be a Representation of the Vanity of the Creature. What is said in the beginning of this Chapter, may ve­ry well be lookt upon as a prosecution of that de­sign; for the evident mutability and transitoriness of all things here below, is a most evident Demon­stration of their being Vain. What better Chara­cter can be given to those things, whose duration is so short, and whose destruction may be so sud­den? Things, Vers. 2 which are many times pluckt up soon after they are planted, Vers. 3 and broken down after they are built; which may be cast away, Vers. 5 as well as ga­thered together, and lost as well as gotten? Vers. 6 The Grand Proposition, brancht out afterwards into se­veral particulars, is set down first of all in those [Page 2]words, Ver. 1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under Heaven. This extends both to natural and contingent things, and also to free and voluntary Actions, as appears by the Instances which Solomon brings in the following Verses. The summe of all is this, That there is the punctual time determined in Heaven for the beginning, con­tinuance, and end of all things upon Earth; eve­ry Creature hath its limited season, after which it must pass away; and so there is a perpetual vicissi­tude and change establisht in the World by the sure and unalterable Will of God. Every Event de­pends upon his Foreknowledge and Decree, not upon humane Counsels and Endeavours. The first Instance given, is that which I have chosen; viz. the Birth and Death of reasonable Creatures; there is a set time for both.

A time to be born.] i. e. An appointed season for our coming into the World; the Age, as well as Place, is of God's determination; he orders not onely,Psal. 87.4, 5. that This man shall be born here, and that man there, but one now, and another then. He sets the time for our Nativity,Acts 17.20. as well as the bounds of our habitation; Our Imperfect Substance lyes naked to his Eye,Psal. 139.16. 71.6. and our unfashioned Members are written in his book: And it is He that takes us out of our mothers bowels. The onely wise God preserves the order of Nature in this case; he sometimes indeed gives a miscarrying womb, Hos. 9.14. but he commonly arms against it. Even the brute Creatures by a Divine Providence do fulfill the number of their Months; Job. 39.2 [...]. and therefore we may well conclude, that of us, (who are of much more value) he takes peculiar care; that our travelling Parents may not have sor­row [Page 3]before their hour is come, and that when it is come, they may have cause of joy. Tho I must add,John 16.21. that such as are born out of due time (into the world, 1 Cor. 15.8. as the Apostle Paul was into the Church) with respect to the natural course, are born how­ever in the precise time, with respect to the ap­pointment of God.

But there is likewise [a Time to dye, i. e. through Sickness or Old-age; for as to casual or violent means of death, the wise man speaks of them, in the next verse; A Time to kill, and a time to heal. V 3 This is what the Apostle calls the Time of our De­parture, viz. out of the World; a time, when this earthly house of our Tabernacle which is so curiously fram'd, must be dissolv'd; a time, when the Wheel, whereby the blood now circulates through our Veins, shall be broken; a time,Eccless. 12.6. when all our Vi­tal and Animal operations shall cease; when our spirits must return to God, as a Judge, or as a Fa­ther, and our dust be left behind to mingle with its native Earth. God directs the Dart to strike through our Liver, as he did the Arrow, which pierc't the King of Israel between the Joynts of the Harness; he sends the fatal Distemper to assault us, or lets loose other evils upon us (which walk in darkness at other times under his Almighty restraint) when he hath a mind to cut us off. Every Fever kindled in our bodies, is (as it were) a fire from Heaven, which is oftentimes blown by the breath of God, till our flesh is consum'd. It is appointed to us, not onely once to dye, but how and when; Heb. 9.27. the par­ticular time of our Birth is not more fully settled in the Councels of God, than the time of our Death; both are link't together in the Text; it [Page 4]is the same Invisible Hand which writes down our Names in the book of the Living, and blots them out too.

Some have been so Critical, as to observe from these words, the shortness, and almost nothingness of Humane Life; because tho it be said, that there is a time to be born, and a time to dye, yet it is not said, that there is a time to live; the two ex­treams of Living are mentioned, the beginning of dayes, and end of Life; but Life it self seems to be thrust up into so small a compass, that it is scarcely worthy to be named;Psal. 39.5. Our age is as nothing before God; and indeed here the Holy Ghost is pleased to pass it by, as a thing which is not.

Doct. The Observation, which I would handle, is this, That Every one who hath had his time to be born, hath his time to dye certainly fixt by God.

The Method which I propose, is,

• I 1. To State the point, that it may be rightly understood.
• II 2. Prove the Truth of it.
• III 3. Open the Reasons of it.
• IV 4. Apply it.

I I begin with that which is first propounded, the right stating of the point, and shewing, How we must understand this, part God hath certainly fixt every ones time to dye. This will be sufficiently clear'd by the following Propositions.

1 I Prop. God hath not so fixt our time of Dy­ing, as to exclude the use of proper means for the preservation of our own Lives. The Secret [Page 5]Will of God is not our Rule, but the Revealed; we are not to examine what God hath purposed in himself to do, but we should mind what he hath directed us to do. The consideration of an Event (which is doubtfull to us, so long as it is future, thô not to God) must not shut out the practice of manifest Duty. That Commandment, Thou shalt not kill, is (like all the rest) exceeding broad; Psal. 119.96. and obliges us to the doing of every thing, which may conduce to the recovering of our impaired Health, and continuing of our endanger'd Life. There is a criminal Neglecting of the body, Colos. 2.23. which the Scrip­ture does condemn; and excessive Abstinence from food, is scarcely a greater degree of Self-murther, than the Disuse of needful Medicine. God causes the Herb to grow for the service of Man in both respects, and we ought not to slight it in either. Our Physick is one of God's good and perfect Gifts as well as our nourishment; and an unthankful refusal of it, is (as the Apostle says in another case) a sinning against our own body. When we apply such means to such an end, as the great Au­thor of Nature seems to have made them for, we do our part, which must be done, thô it be a matter of uncertainty, whether God will do his; as in the Case of David, 2 Sam. 12.22. While the Child was yet alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, who can tell, whe­ther? God will be gracious unto me, that the Child may live? Asa's seeking to the Physicians was not his fault, but seeking to them, and not to God. 2 Chron. 16.12. He­zekiah, though he had the assurance of his life by an extraordinary sign, was commanded to take a lump of figgs, and lay upon his boil. God does not decree the end, without the means which lead to [Page 6]it; the using of them belongs to us, the succeed­ing of them unto God.

2. Prop. It must be granted, that Men may or­dinarily contribute very much towards the pro­longing of their own lives by the exercising of them­selves to Godliness, and on the other side to the shortening of them by the contrary wickedness. Godliness hath the promise of the Life which now is, 1 Tim. 4.8. and no temporal Promises are more considerable, than those of this kind. It (that is, VVisdom, or the fear of the Lord) shall be health to thy Navel, Prov. 3.8. and marrow to thy bones. v. 16 And again, Length of dayes is in her right hand. 'Tis without question, that Sobriety and Temperance, Patience and Meek­ness, are like a kind of Salt, which keep the bo­dy from corrupting, and prevent a multitude of those Pains and Maladies which might invade us by the help of the opposite sins. Religion does greatly tend to make our dayes both comfortable and many; but then the same God, who ordains us to long life, ordains likewise to that which does promote it.Eccless. 7.17. Wicked men dye before their time, through their own folly; either their sensual lusts, or furious passions destroy them. Some dye in Youth, Job. 36.14. because their Life is among the Ʋnclean. Ma­ny Goats will be sound at Christ's left hand in the last Judgment, which destroy'd themselves in a na­tural, as well as spiritual sense, through their own Lasciviousness. Many quench the spark of Life in their own bosoms by their full Cups, and so they are carried away as with a flood of Wine.Psal. 90.5. Many indulge themselves in being angry (like Jonah) unto death; their wrathful and peevish tempers [Page 7]are a kind of fretting Leprosie, which wasts and wears away their spirits. In some, the sorrow of the world worketh death; 2 Cor. 7.10. perhaps they precipitate and hasten their own dissolution, by immoderate and extravagant grieving for another. All this, thô against the Rule of God's Word, may be an accomplishing of his hidden Purpose.

3. Prop. It cannot be denied, but that God does take multitudes away out of this world, at such seasons, as in humane probability they might have survived. As Ministers are enjoyn'd to Preach the Word in season and out of season, i. e.2 Tim. 4.2. to take all opportunities, whether more or less convenient, so God does variously let loose his hand; and where­as he brings some to the grave in a full age, others are cut down out of time, it may be, as soon as they spring up.Job 14.6. We do all accomplish as an hire­ling, our day; but all our dayes are not of equal length. As the Labourers were sent into the Vine­yard, so men are called out of the World, at diffe­rent hours; some at the third, others at the sixth, others at the ninth, and but a few (comparative­ly) permitted to stay till the eleventh. One comes like a shock of corn in its season, when 'tis fully ripe; another drops off in the flower of his age, and the beginning of his strength. Some have Job's wish,Job 3.11. they dye from the womb, and give up the ghost as soon as they breath in the open air; others are pull'd by the hand of the grave from their Mo­thers breasts: Some close their eyes, and fall in­to their last sleep, when they first discern between good and evil; and as soon as they know any thing, or shew themselves to be reasonable creatures, they [Page 8]are removed into the Land of darkness, where all the light of wisdom and knowledge is put out. Multitudes goe off the stage, when the time of their greatest service and usefulness is coming on; the number of their months is cut off. in the midst, and their Sun goes down at noon. Thousands dye while their bones are moystened with marrow, Chap. 21.24. and while the silver cord is strong; while their natural force is rather improving, than abated, and while the Keep­ers of the house stand firm. These may be said to be deprived of the residue of their years, Isa. 38.10. because as to sensible appearance, the candle might have burnt much longer, than God suffered it to do. How small a number reach to seventy years, in compa­rison of those that expire before! it is not the lot of all, nor of very many, to bow with age before their their whole bodies are cast into it. The most are cut short of what their natural vigour might have drawn out the thread to, but yet their time was so order'd by God.

4. Prop. God hath sometimes seem'd to alter a conditional threatning, thô never his absolute and re­al purpose, as to the period of mens lives. Thus it was in that known Case of Hezekiah, when he was not only sick unto Death (in respect of his Disease, which was mortal in its kind) but the Prophet also brought him that message from God, Thus saith the Lord, 2 Kings 20.1. set thy house in order, for thou shalt dye, and not live. God seems to threaten here in a positive and peremptory manner, but there was a secret condition, which God reserv'd in his own breast, which neither the Prophet, nor the [Page 9]King were acquainted with; he lookt for speedy execution, but God had in himself intended, what he afterwards actually granted, a Reprieve of fifteen years. The prediction of Niniveh's destruction by the mouth of Jonah, was not much unlike to this; yet forty dayes, and Niniveh shall be overthrown: Jonah 3.4. The Prophet himself took this in an absolute sense, and concluded them to be a People given up to ruine without remedy; therefore he was displeas'd at God's reversing of the threatning and sparing of the City, lest the honour of God's truth, and the reputation of his own Office should be blemish't by it. The Exception of their Repentance was not express'd, but however it was included in the de­sign and purpose of God; therefore when there was a change in their works, there was a change in his Dispensation; and the Ninivites beforehand seem'd to apprehend, that so it might be, which gave them encouragement to alter their own course; Who can tell, if God will turn and repent, &c. v. 9 God is always of one mind, though his Actual Providence may differ from his conditional Word; the time determin'd by his will, is exactly observ'd; but the time spoken of hath been sometimes slipt, because it hath been spoken of under some con­dition which God hath not thought fit to menti­on, and that condition hath fail'd.

5. Prop. We can never say, when any ones time to dye is come, 'till we are warranted to say it, by the Event. The Volume of God's Decrees is roll'd up so close, that his own Disposing Hand must unfold it to us.Psal. 10.5. If the Judgments of God are far above out of our sight, surely his thoughts and [Page 10]intentions much more; he that judges according to appearance in this case, may very frequently judge amiss; we cannot tell, when any mans Course will be finisht, till we see him at the end of it. Many times we have the sentence of death in our selves, when our time of life after that is considerably prolong'd; perhaps some have fancied the shadows of the evening stretcht out upon them many years agoe,Acts 1.7. whereas their day is not yet spent. God hath put particular times and seasons (with reference to persons, as well as Nations and Churches) in his own power, and it is not for us to know them, 'till the Event hath discover'd them. Some few Ex­traordinary Revelations have indeed been made; such as to Simeon, Luk. 2.26. that he should not see death, till he had seen the Messiah; but the generality of the Children of Light themselves are in the dark as well as others, in the point of their own departure. Young men are not able to see so far before them, and Aged persons notwithstanding their larger Ex­perience, find such knowledge too wonderful for them; thô they live so near to the day of their death, they must still confess (with Isaac) that they know it not. Gen. 27.2. Yea, I may say of this, as Christ of the day of Judgment, that even the Angels in Heaven are ignorant of it; they who carry Souls out of their Bo­dies into Abraham's bosom, cannot tell when they shall be call'd to perform that office. The Devils in Hell know it not, unless God is pleased (for some high­er ends than the gratification of their Pride or Curiosity) to communicate it to them; what Sa­tan said to Saul under Samuel's Mantle,1 Sam. 28.19. [To mor­row shalt thou and thy sons be with me] he either came to know this way, or else the sad circumstan­ces [Page 11]of Saul's condition made it then so likely, that he might easily foresee and safely foretell it un­der that ambiguous Expression, [to morrow] which often signifies any future time, as well as the next day. Neither we therefore, nor any other Creature, can ordinarily pass any insallible Judg­ment upon this Time to dye, 'till the very moment that the breath goes forth.

II I proceed now to the second thing, which is, to prove the truth of this Doctrine, that God hath most certainly fixt every one's time of Death. The following particulars will manifest this, so as to put it (I think) beyond any reasonable contra­diction.

1. It is a Doctrine which the Holy Ghost in Scripture doth most expresly teach: (and the Athe­istical Cavils of such as refuse or deride this te­stimony, deserve not to be regarded.) That Spi­rit which searcheth the deep things of God, does affirm this to us. It is put by way of Question, which implyes the stronger affirmation;Job 7.1. Is there not an appointed time to Man upon Earth? and are not his Dayes like the dayes of an Hireling? 'Tis plain from hence, that as the time of a common Labourer hath its limitation from us, so hath the time of our sojourning from God; there is as much a Divine appointment with respect to the one, as an Humane is reference to the other. Job makes this an argument to God for a little ease and relaxation from trouble;c. 14.5, 6. Seeing a Man's dayes are determined, and the number of his months is with thee, and thou hast appointed his bounds which he cannot [Page 12]pass, Turn from him that he may rest; q. d. ‘It is impossible to add a moment to my own time beyond what thou hast order'd; I cannot exceed the measure which thou metest to me, and there­fore let this short life and unavoidable death suffice for my punishment, without thy inflicting of any further Calamities.’ These two Texts are such clear and evident Witnesses to this truth, that if there were no more, they would sufficient­ly establish it.

2. The Holy Scripture gives several examples, as to particular Persons, the Period of whose Lives was strictly markt out by God, and accordingly foretold. It was determin'd, that the sheep of Israel should lose (Ahab) their snepherd at Ramoth Gilead, 1 Kings 22.17. and this was effectually brought about by his hearkening to fatal Seducers. The death of David's Child was positively threatn'd from God by Nathan, 2 Sam. 12.15. and the sentence was immediately put in execution. Ahijah is instructed to foretell the death of Jeroboam's Child, at that punctual minute, when the feet of the Mother should enter into the City;1 Kings 14.18. and so it fell out. The Prophet Jeremy tells that false Prophet Hananiah, This year thou shalt dye, Ier. 28.16, 17. because thou hast taught rebellion against the Lord; so he dyed the same year in the seventh month. God signifyed by a strange Hand-writing to Bel­shazzar, that his Kingdom was number'd and finisht, Dan. 5.26, 30. and in that very night he was slain. Thus Christ Prophecyed,Mat. 16.28. that there were some standing by him who should not see death, 'till he exercis'd his King­ly Power in the destruction of the Jewish Nati­on; which must be grounded upon his knowledge [Page 13]of God's immutable Purpose concerning the lives of his Disciples. But Christ himself, (who as a Man, was made like unto us in all points, sin only ex­cepted) is the most remarkable Instance of all; as the means and manner of his death were agree­able to the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, so was the time and season of it too: His Enemies 'till then, thô they had Malice enough to kill him, and their Wills stood bent to such a bloody design, were yet mightily restrain'd; They sought [...]o take him (they did not only desire it,John 7.30. but us'd some endeavours towards it) but no man laid hands on him, because his Hour was not yet come: As God did not send him into the World, so he did not deliver him up to those Murderers, who would have sent him out of the World, 'till the fulness of time came. Afterwards we find, the strain was altered;c. 13.1. VVhen Jesus knew that his hour was come, that he should depart from hence to the Fa­ther, he makes Preparation for his Death; then the restraint was taken off, and opportunity to apprehend him fell in with their Inclination. Now, if Christ, upon the score of his Humanity, as he was partaker of flesh and blood, had a fixed time to dye, why should not We, who partake of the same?

3. The Spirit of God mentions some particular times, to which there is a Necessity of dying annex't; which intimates, that They were the set times in God's Decree. Sickness will not be unto Death, if God hath order'd us to survive it; upon his sup­position, we may say (as David) in the most dan­gerous extremities, We shall not dye, but live. Psal. 118.19.103.5. Age may be renewed as the Eagles: God can enable men [Page 14]to sustain the infirmities of their declining Years for a long time, if it be consistent with his Un­changeable Will. This is the constant Rule which God acts by, and therefore nothing can happen contrary to it; 'tis a mountain not to be remov'd, or leapt over; but when we come to such a point of time, death is truly Inevitable. So the Holy Ghost speaks in Jacob's case;Gen. 47.29. the Time drew nigh, that Israel must dye. What necessity was there of his Death just then, when he came so f [...]r short of the dayes of his Fathers, V. 9. (as he himself t [...]d Pha­raoh) but only because his time was spun out to its full length, according to the Divine decree, and therefore then it must be broken off? Thus God speaks to Moses, Deut. 31.14. when Joshuah was called to be his Successour; Behold thy dayes approach, that thou must dye. If we would know the reason, why this was necessary, it was not because Nature was ex­hausted in him, and could subsist no longer, for his Eye was not dim, c. 34.7. when Death came to shut it; but God has put a bar in his way,c. 31.2. (Thou shalt not go over this Jordan) and therefore he must be translated to the Heavenly Canaan, before he came to step upon the borders of the Earthly. This shews, that the Irresistible Will of God does bound our lives, thô his Precepts may not regulate them: Calls to Evangelical Obedience are oft refus'd, but the Summons of Death must be obey'd.

4. The utter Ineffectualness of Natural Remedies to some, and the wonderful Recoveries of others, import God's settlement of Man's time to dye. How many Cases have been known, wherein the great­est Learning, and Skill, and Fidelity, and Care, and [Page 15]Diligence, have fail'd of the desired end! How often hath God made foolish the wisdom of the Ablest Physicians, when as to what was aim'd at and expected from them, they have fallen under the Character of Job's friends, Physicians of no value! Job 13.4. How many times hath God forc'd them to end with that sad Complaint, which was used in ano­ther sense, with reference to Babylon, Jer. 51.9. VVe would have healed such an one, but he is not healed! How often hath God defeated the application of the most proper means, and withheld success, when the Performance of Instruments could not be blam'd! When such as have been employ'd to work the Cure, might acquit themselves, as God does in another Case, VVhat could have been done more, which we have not done? yet, (like the Egyptians) they have help'd in vain and to no purpose; Isa. 30.7. it hath been only a fruitless striving against the stream of Providence, for at the time which God appoints, no Art can prevent or put back the blow. A little Infant might as well contend with Horses, which by an easie and sudden motion can tram­ple him into the dirt, as the most powerful Me­dicines prevail against the purposes of Heaven. And on he other side, how many hath God re­stor'd, above and agianst Hope, by fewer, or less likely Means, and perhaps by none, because their time hath not been yet come! When their Soul hath drawn near to the grave, Job. 33.22. v. 30. and their Life to the destroyers, God hath brought them back from the pit again. Epaphroditus was indeed nigh unto death (stand­ing even upon the threshold of Eternity) and yet God had mercy on him, Phil. 2.27. because his Glass was not run, nor his Ministry fulfilled. How frequently [Page 16]hath God breath'd upon the dry bones of Consump­tive persons, when the Grave hath seem'd to be ready for them, and (as it were) open'd its mouth to take them in! His reviving and recovering of some men,Rom. 11.15. hath been like life from the dead, (as the expected Return of the Jewes will be,) and the reason of it lies here, because Death cannot lay any actual claim to us, till the Decree of God is ready to bring forth, and before that, tho we are almost in the possession of death, we shall be rescued out of it.

III I come now to the Third thing, which is to Open the Reasons of this Truth, and shew, why every One's time to dye, is limited and fixt by God. I shall onely alleadge two grounds for it in this place.

1. The Limitation and fixing of this time be­longs to God upon the account of his Soveraignty. As we are the Works of his hand, we are the Ob­jects of his Dominion; God as our Creatour, hath an undoubted right to set bounds to our Being. Who ought to dispose of us with relation to our present or future state, or our passage from the one to the other, but he that made us? If He is the Potter, Isa. 64.8. and we are the Clay, then it is very fit, that the earthen Vessel of our Bodies should be dasht in pieces, whensoever he appoints: if he formed our spirits within us, Zechar. 12.1. it is fit that they should re­turn to him at the determined time. What In­justice can it be in God, to limit that Being which he hath given us, by his own pleasure, or to mea­sure out the time of our continuance in a state, into which He himself hath put us? 'Tis a Prin­ciple [Page 17]which holds among Creatures, Matt. 20.15. that They may doe what they will with their own, tho their proprie­ty is not so Absolute, as God's; therefore 'tis much more lawfull to him, in whom we live and move, and without whom we cannot bee so much as one moment: How common is it for men to possess places of Honour and Profit at the Arbitrary Will of those that first bestow'd them? how much more reasonable, that God, who fram'd us out of no­thing, should unalterably fix our time of Life?

2. It belongs to God upon the account of his Wisdom. He understands best, when it is most ex­pedient to put a period to the Lives both of Good and bad men; and therefore their Death is the issue of his Appointment.

First, They onely wise God knows what is the best time for the Removal of his Servants out of the World, when it will be most for their good, and more to their advantage, (than a further de­ferring of it. Life and Death (among other things) are said to be Ours, if we are Christs. 1 Cor. 3.22. Life tho so transitory and uncertain in it self, is ours, i. e. the continuance of it, by the excellent management and disposal of God, in order to a better. Our Eternity depends upon this present moment; there­fore this moment must be lengthen'd out, till that Eternity be secur'd in the Gospel-way and method. God must in his infinite wisdom preserve and pro­long the Lives of his Elect, till they are brought out of a State of Sin, and efficaciously called to be Saints; and till they come to Repentance after particular falls, or else they must perish, as well as others. (Which is impossible.) God must also take care, [Page 18]that their Time may not end, while they have more work to doe, and that their sands may not be spent, before their whole business in the World is dispatch't. Therefore he that knows all things from the beginning, is capable of setting such a time for our departure, hence, as we, if we had the like Understanding, should be inclin'd to chuse for our selves.

Secondly, God can tell, what is the fittest time for the chasing of wicked men out of the World, and therefore it becomes him to appoint it.Rom. 9.22. Tho he endures them with much long-suffering, he will not suffer them too long; an unbounded exercise of Patience towards them, would be dishonourable to himself, and mischievous to the Church; there­fore after such a forbearance, as answers his end, he takes them away, when it will most advance the glory of his Justice. What a field of Blood would the World be, if some sort of men were permitted to live above half their days! What havock would some Tyrants make, if God did not root them up, before the Almond-tree comes to flourish! As he knows how to reserve the unjust to the day of judge­ment, 2 Pet. 2.9. so he can tell, when it is most seasonable to bring them to death. How worthy then is God to have the ordering of all our Times, who is able to order them with such matchless Prudence!

IV The Fourth and last thing, is the Application of this point. I shall mention some of those many usefull Inferences which may be drawn from it.

1. If there be a Time to dye certainly deter­min'd for every one by God, it gives us a sad De­monstration of the Entrance of Sin into the VVorld. [Page 19]Mortality is the Fruit of Apostacy: the Eating of the Tree of Life would have follow'd upon not plucking of the Tree of Knowledge; Man would have been translated to Heaven, without drinking of this bitter unpleasant Cup, by an easie instantane­ous change. We fell into a dying state, Gen. 2.17. in that very day, when we broke our Covenant with God. Death begun it's Reign, as soon as the old Serpent had conquer'd our first Parents, and cor­rupted their Allegiance to the Soveraign of the World. Yea some think, that sin brought Death not only upon Adam and his Posterity, but upon the brute Creatures too; for if he had continued Innocent, what need of Beasts being slain for sa­crifice? And we do not find that they were slain for food, till noah's time:Ch. 9.3. He had the first Com­mission to eat of their flesh, when the wickedness of Man was so great, that God sent a Deluge to wash it away. Death is the Wages of sin; Rom. 6.23. which plainly implyes, that it had not been due, if sin had not made it so. How hatefull should the Root be, from whence such Fruit proceeds!

2. This shews the Particularity of Divine Pro­vidence; which must be suppos'd (as a Conse­quent of this Doctrine) to watch over single Per­sons in all the single Minutes of their lives. It does not only extend to the whole Creation, or to the whole lump of Mankind in general, but to every one, separately by himself, and every part, in every individual moment. Matt. 10.30. The very hairs of your heads (which are very inconsiderable, even to a Proverb) are al number'd; sayes our Lord to his Disciples. [Page 20]It is necessary that God should be thus mindfull of our, or else we should never live till our time comes. There is but a short and narrow step be­twixt us and death, whithersoever we goe; and mul­titudes of unsuspected mischiefs, are always like a Sword hanging over our heads, which it is the work of Providence to divert and keep off. Let us admire those Thoughts of God to us ward. Psal. 40.5. which cannot be reckon'd up; if they were not so many, our dayes would be fewer.

3. Learn to fear that God who is the Lord and Disposer of your Time, but do not terrifie or en­slave your selves with any other kind of Fears. Acknowledge and adore his might, in whose hand your breath is, and the Soul of every living thing. Stand in aw of him, of whom 'tis written, That if he set his heart upon man, Job 34.14, 15. and gather his spirit to himself, All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust. Fear not those, who are not able to kill the body, till the space of time allotted you by God in this world,Jer. 10.2. is compleated. Fear not the signs of Heaven; let not an insignificant Calculation, of your Nativity fright you, as if the Light of life must be concluded by the Stars, and all that were born under such a Position of the Heavens, must certainly meet with an untimely fate on Earth. These are vain Imaginations and groundless Fancies, for Men, and more especially Christians, to perplex and disquiet themselves with. I would adde that it is a shame for such as pre­tend to know the Lord, to consult, or depend upon the Jusgment of those that setch all their instructi­ons [Page 21]from Hell. Remember the case of Ahaziah, how dearly he paid for enquiring of Baalzebab, 2 Kings 1.3, 4. the God of Ekron, whether he should recover of his Dis­ease; Therefore (sayes God, by Elijah to him,) thou shalt not come down from that Bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely dye.

4. Be not forgetfull of this Time to dye in the midst of your Pleasures, and pleny. You who stretch your selves upon beds of Ivoy, be perswaded (with Job) to make your beds in the darkness; Job 17.13, 14. you who dwell under stately Roofs, whose Habi­tations are a kind of Palaces, let the Grave be your house; you who are solacing your selves in suitable and delightfull Relations, say to corrupti­on, Thou art my Father, and to the Worms, Thou art my Brother and my Sister. It is a very profi­table Lesson (in this sense) to Dye daily: We should make the thoughts of Death so customa­ry and familiar, that when Death it self comes, it may not be, as tho some strange thing had hap­pen'd unto us. Live in the midst of all your worldly Comforts and Contentments as one that is appointed to dye; I mean,Psal. 79.11. as a penitent condem­ned Malefactor would make use of the overflow­ing aboundance of a full Table. You, who sit at ease, and fare deliciously, remember what you live by, more than the Food, which you take in at your Mouths, viz. the Word which proceeds out of the Mouth of God. Deut. 8.3.

5. Let this be a Bridle to Immoderate Careful­ness. What will all your solicitude amount. to, [Page 22]when your Souls are required from you? Of what use, (and in whose possession) will these things be then? Will Riches procure you a discharge in that VVar? will Silver and Gold bribe the Messengers of death, and send them away again?Job 2.4. s All that a man hath, he would give for his life; (an unquestionable Truth, tho spoken by the Father of lies) but nothing will be accepted as a Ransome in this case. If a man would sacrifice the substance of his house, to obtain one day's Reprieve, it would utterly be contemned. It is a very material Question, which our Savi­our puts to the Multitude;Matt. 6.27. Who of you by taking thought, can add one Cubit to his Stature? the Ori­ginal word which we render [Stature] signifies al­so [Age], [...]. and might better be so translated here. q. d. which of you can enlarge the Hand-breadth of his own days, by excessive distracting thought­fulness? What Man can renew the Lease of his frail Life, when 'tis expiring, tho he hath loaded himselfe never so much with thick clay, and be wil­ling to lay it all down for such a purpose?

6. Let it teach us to referr our selves, and others in whose welfare we are concern'd, more submis­sively to God. Consider that the living God ought to have the supream disposal of such dying worms. But not confident and peremptory in any thing you undertake, so as to forget your dependance upon God. The great Apostle, when he had propos'd the future handling of many important Doctrines, adds,Heb. 6.3. This will we do, if God permit. Another Apo­stle gives us the same Caution; You ought to say, If the Lord will, Jam. 4.15. we shall do this or that. Do not [Page 23]direct God as to the concluding of your own Lives, nor venture to say, when affliction pinches you, as Elijah did in his passionate fit, after furious Jezebel had threaten'd him, It is enough now, Kings 19.4. Oh Lord, take away my Life. Do not quarrel impatient­ly on the other hand, if God pull down your ta­bernacle, when you are at the top of your pro­sperity; of if any who are near to you are snatch'd away, when their continuance with you is most desirable, God had the greatest title to them, and therefore might demand them when he pleas'd; the blow which is struck, is no more than what might, and ought to have been ex­pected, and your sorrow cannot retrieve it, or bring them back again: 2 Sam. 12.23. They will not spring out of their Graves, by being water'd with your Tears. Mortal things should be quietly yielded upon to the God of our, and their Lives.

7. Let nothing tempt you to presume, that you shall remain alsayes as you are, and that this Life is for ever. Preservations and Deliverances, how oft soever repeated, are wretchedly abus'd, if they harden you into an Opinion, (like that of Agag) that the Bitterness of Death is past. You should still say,1 Sam. 15.32. as Job did to God,Job 30.23. I know that thou wilt bring me to the House appointed for all the Living. The Sen­tence is not taken off, thô you may be spar'd a little (as David pray'd) to recover strength, Psal. 39.13. before you go hence, and be no more. Thô the snare may have been frequently broken for you, assure your selves, it will hold you at the last. And as it is foolish to entertain any such thoughts of Living [Page 24]alwayes, so it is highly sinful to cherish any such desires; they who are over-fond of Living still long­er and longer, betray an unwillingness to dye at all, and a secret wish of Immortality here on Earth, which is inconsistent with a state of Grace. Be not only convinc'd therefore of this truth, that there is a time to dye, but that the verifying of it is your priviledge; 'tis really a kind of Dying life which you now live in the flesh; you un­dergo many deaths now, and this one will put an end to all. Look then upon the pangs of this Death as the happy forerunners of your Birth in­to a better World.

8. Redeem as much time as possible, for the working out of your Salvation. Lose no more than you have lost already; bewail past folly with se­riousness, and improve those few hours which are yet to come with greater care. Do not satisfie your selves with thinking or resolving to be, and to do better; for in the day of Death all these resolu­tions and thoughts will perish, Psal. 146.4. unless they are put in execution before hand. Make such seasonable Provision for this great Change, that you may not be snare in an evil time, Eccles. 9.12. as the sons of men too commonly are: The Present time is most ac­ceptable to God, and most safe and advantageous for you, therefore do not let slip this in hopes of another, or of a more convenient season. Dread the thoughts of lying down in the dust under a load of sins unpardoned and unrepented of. Remember, that between this Time to be born (in the Text) and the Time to dye, there is a Time to be born [Page 25]again; if that time be neglected, a woful Eternity follows. You go astray as soon as you are born, and will you not Return before Death comes? you are born in sin, will you also dye in sin? you are born, like the wild Asses colt, will you also dye without in­struction, without the receiving of that which is daily offer'd? Consider upon what a stippery foun­dation your Earthly houses stand; every irregu­lar Heat or Cold may make a mortal breach; and your bodies are the Receptacles of many hundred Diseases, and have the roots and springs of all within themselves: So that Death seems to be twisted and woven together with the thread of Life. Death is alwahs actively working in us, 2 Cor. 4.12. and there­fore it must needs be high time to awake out of sleep, before we fall asleep, and awake not again 'till the end of the World.Psal. 6.5. In Death there is no remem­brance of God, let this quicken you to remember him. now. How very watchful should we be,Job 20.8. who are said to fly away like a dream and vision of the night! How cirumspectly should we walk, while the Light lasts, who know, that the Light is short, c. 17.12. because of Darkness! How swift should we be to hear, whose Ears must in a little time be stopt! and how zealous should we be in serving of God, who may expect so suddenly to appear before him!

9. If God hath the appointing of our Time to dye, let us rest in this assurance, that when he takes away any of his Children (seemingly) be­fore the time, it is not without reason. It does not always happen,Prov. 10.27. that the fear of the Lord pro­longeth [Page 26]dayes: Eccles. 7.15. A Righteous man sometimes perisheth in his righteousness. Indeed it was threaten'd as the Calamity of Eli's house,1 Sam. 2.32, 33. that there should not be an Old Man in it for ever, but they should all dye immaturely, and wither in the blossoming of their dayes. And it was a Curse upon Judas, (he being the Person,Psal. 109.8. as some think, prophetical­ly aim'd at in that Psalm) Let his dayes be few. But when it falls upon Good men, we may be confident, that to Them it is a blessing; as it does not come by Chance, so 'tis not sent out of an ill design. Josiah, who begun to seek the Lord while he was young,2 Kings 22.20. was gather'd to his grave in peace, when his Years (as well as Heart) were tender; and this was the accomplishment of a Promise to him. Who can tell, what evils may come upon the Earth, which they who are gone to Heaven have totally escap'd? or however, can it be too soon at any time to enter into the joy of our Lord? the Apostle Paul sets a mark of respect upon Andro­nicus and Junia, Rom. 16.7. because they were in Christ be­fore him; and is it no advantage to be with Christ before us? If the first born of Nature, and of Grace are more priviledg'd and honour'd than the rest, shall not the first-born of Glory have likewise the preference to us, who are still left behind in this lower form of sinful, imperfect, suffering, militant Believers? Sure, early Death is no more to be la­mented by those that are in their right mind, than a quick passage to our desir'd and intended Port. That is truly a Long life, in which the end of Life is answer'd: One day in a state of Grace, is more than a thousand in a course of sin: The Saint [Page 27]of twenty two years (which was almost the Age of our Deceased Friend) is better than the Sinner of an hundred years old. Isa. 65.20. Let that wicked Proverb therefore, [A short life, and a Merry,] be exchang'd for this, [A short life, and a sober, godly, Religious life.]

Such a Life was that which this Young Man liv'd, whose dying request hath been fulfill'd at this time: Concerning whom I could say many things, which (in the language of the Apostle) are pure, Philip. 4.8. and lovely, and of good report; but the affectio­nate Regard which (I must confess) Ihad to his Person, and shall always have to his Memory, shall not tempt me to say any thing, but what may bear the Character of an undeniable truth. One of the signal Mercies, which he often acknow­ledg'd with thankfulness, was this, That he was born of Holy Parents, and thô he was left desti­tute of them in his Childhood,Psal. 27.10. yet God took him up, (according to his Promise) and by a special Providence afterwards he enjoy'd the benefit of a very pious Education, the impressions whereof he retain'd to the very last, and the seed which was then sown, sprung up plentifully in his Riper years. It pleased God (for the exercise and trial of this Person, who was then, as appears by the effects, savingly wrought upon) to cast his Lot in a place, where, (as he himself inform'd me) the Fear of God was not, where serious Godliness was vili­fi'd and laugh'd at, and (to use his own words) where his performance of, and engagement in, the best of duties, was reproach'd, as conversing with the [Page 28]Devil: He found cause at longth to complain of some decayes and abatements in his Zeal and spi­ritual fervour, which he aggravated and bewail'd, more than other men do the blackest Impieties. The sense of this was abundantly reviv'd and in­creased in him, by the opportunity which he had of an Edifying Ministry in a Worthy Family to which he stood related; whereupon the Devil set upon him with a great deal of violence and fury, and was his constant Troubler, by casting multitudes of Fiery dart into his Soul, and raising such storms, as would have shipwrack'd him for ever in Despair, if a Divine Power had not supported him. He was not without some Doubts and afflicting Jea­lousies, (upon the forementioned account) after Providence remov'd him into a place, which was more according to his wish, where Religion is countenanc'd and practis'd, and where he shew'd all good fidelity. He had still (I say) some clouds rolling over his mind, and the Tempter would be frequently buffeting, and assaulting of him, be­cause he was desirous to have him, but Christ's In­tercession prevail'd, and his Faith fail'd not: And now the Lord hath finally rebuk'd thee (Oh Satan,) and translated his Servant out of thy reach.

I have brought him thus, after a short Narra­tion of the Circumstances of his Life, to his Death­bed, which (as I am witness, and many others) God made very easie to him, by a wonderful re­straining of the Devil (his old Adversary,) and giving in clear, yea ravishing, manifestations of himself, and of his Love in Christ; insomuch, that [Page 29](as he told me with his own Mouth,) All Temp­tations were perfectly scatter'd and kept off, and he had received more comfort in this sickness, than in his whole life before. He had liv'd (as he said) in continual fears of Death, but now long'd for it, and triumph't in the prospect of its near approach; expressing how unwilling he was to be detain'd any longer from Christ in this prison of the Body. It was his earnest Prayer in my hearing, (as for his own Soul, so) for this Congregation which he had Joyned himself to, that God would bless them with all Spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ; and I must declare this further to the Glo­ry of God, who ordained such strength out of his Lips, that I never heard more awakening Counsels and discourses from any Pulpit, than from that Bed, whereon he dyed, to those that were about him. Solomon says, There is a time to weep, and to Mourn; Eccles. 3.4. Certainly this is the time for us. Let up weep, not for him, who so zealously sought our good, but for our selves, who so coldly and carelesly seek our own. He spent his Breath and Spirits in the midst of his sharp agonies and conflicts with a raging and violent Distemper, to tell what God had done for his Soul; but how many in their time of health and ease take little thought, unless it be for the Body, and for that they take too much! His excellent Example upbraids many Elder per­sons (whose Profession is as strict as his) of whom he got the start, while he lived, in the running of his Race, as he hath now by Death, in the re­ceiing of this Reward. He could say (with the Apostle) To me to live is Christ, Philip. 1.21. and (therefore) [Page 30] to Dye is gain. His way was Holiness, and his End was Peace. He is now possest of a Life after Death, because he was not (like the foollish Chil­dren of this World) dead while he liv'd. He now dyes no more, and his putrifying Carkass, which we have laid in the Earth, shall become a Glo­rious Body in Heaven, when all visible things are dissolved, then shall we see him again in the splen­did and magnificent Retinue of Jesus Christ, at his second Appearance, to perfect our Salvation.

There ought (methinks) to be in Application of these Providences, as well as of Scripture-Texts; I will only hint, what it is our Duty to make. The Lord hath smitten us here (we may say) with breach upon breach; first one that brought forth Fruit in her Old-age was pluck't away from us, now another Pleasant plant, while his Leaf was yet green; thô they are rooted out of this Land of the Living, God hath removed them into a much better soil, where Weeds and Briars are not, but every thing of the right kind is always flourishing. How long our Tree will stand where it does, we know not, nor which Disciple will take his turn to go to the Sepulchre next. Let no Man magnify his Youth, or lean upon that as an allow­able ex­cuse for sinfull and dangerous delays; how much rather should you chuse the fear of the Lord be­times, than come and knock at Gods Door too late! You see, they are not Gray hairs onely which are brought down to the Grave; you cannot tell how near the Evil. Day of Death may be, when you put it furthest off. Job 16.22. As Job said, When a few years are come, [Page 31]I shall go the way, when I shall not return; so every one of us may say, When a few days (it may be, Moments) are come, I must depart into a World which I never saw, and stand before a Tribunal, which I have not yet sufficiently thought of. Eve­ry day puts a Period to many Lives, which are as well secur'd, as yours; Do not therefore set Eter­nity at such a vast distance from your Minds, lest it should spoil your carnal Mirth and Jollity (which is really no better than Madness, Eccles. 2.2.) but remember that your Souls are at stake, and that Time (as well as the World, and its Lusts) is passing away, and if your Account be not duely prepared here, it will be very uncomfortably given up hereafter. Devote your full strength, and Juvenile vigour un­to God; give Christ the early possession of your Hearts and command of your Lives;2 Chron. 29.3. as Hezekiah in the first year, and first month of his Reign, open'd the doors of the House of the Lord. Come not as vain Spectators to such Assemblies, (much less, as prophane and malignant Scoffers,) but as Reverent and conscientious Hearers of the Word of Life; then we shall have some hope, that your Conversati­ons may savour of the Knowledge of Christ, and spread his honour in the World. In short, Follow the Faith, and imitate the practice of this Deceas­ed Person, that you may dye his Death, and inhe­rit his Blessedness: Or else, thô your general Lot of Mortality in this World be the same, your par­ticular portion in the next will be vastly different. The two Thieves which were Crucified together (at our Saviours Passion) upon Earth, were not crown'd together in Heaven; because the one was [Page 32]Converted, and the other not. It is the Psalmists enquiry,Psalm. 89.48. What man is he that liveth, and shall not see Death? Our blessed Lord gives us the best sa­tisfaction to it,John 8.51. If a man keep my saying, he shall never see Death. Believers do not dye the common death of Men; they may fall by the same Dis­eases, and their Dust be mingled in the same Pit, but their Immortal part wil be everlastingly divi­ded. There is a great Gulph fixed betwen the Spi­rits in Prison, and the Souls in Paradise.