THis excellent Book of Job represents to us a plain and unquestionable instance of the various successes all Humane acti­ions are liable to, and of the pro­miscuous administration of Di­vine Providence to particular per­sons. [Page 2]Here we may read of Job's happy and flourishing condition, that he was the greatest of all the men of the East; and of his low and afflicted state, poor even to a Proverb, and in a condition that only pleaded pity and com­passion; and how again the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning.

Irom this various administra­tion of Providence, men have ta­ken occasion to make divers in­ferences. The scoffing Atheist hath from thence wickedly concluded, that God hath no care of Humane Affairs. If God (say these scof­fers) had any care of this World. he would never suffer those men who have corrupted their ways by Treachery and Deceit, to pros­per and enjoy an affluence of all worldly delights; whereas the verruous and godly man, who takes heed to his ways, lest he sin, and who throughout the whole [Page 3]course of his life hath carefully studied to keep a conscience void of offence towards God and Man, is notwithstanding a man of sorrow, and acquainted with grief; as plagued all the day long, and chastened every Morning, and hath Waters of a full Cup wrung out to him. If God (say they) con­cerned himself with Humane Af­fairs, he would never suffer the Tabernacles of Robbers to prosper, and the House of the Upright to be ruined and destroyed.

This is without all contradicti­on a great stumbling block and offence to the Blind Atheist; and hath even been a sad trial to the best of Gods people. Wherefore does the way of the wicked prosper? Wherefore are all they happy that deal very Treacherously? Was a question Jeremy could hardly at first resolve. And we find Job and the Prophet Habakkuk very much puzled with it; and the [Page 4] psalmist plainly confesseth, that his feet were almost gone, and that his steps had well nigh slipt, when he saw the prosperity of the wicked, Psal. 73.

To see bad men prospering in their wicked purposes and under­takings, and good men unsuccess­ful and frustrated in their just at­tempts, has been none of the least Topicks the Epicurean Atheists have made use of, in their exempt­ing this World from the Divine Rule and Dominion. It was this single consideration that made Cato (who was once a Preacher of Providence; how Orthodox, I enquire not) accuse the dominion and Government of the gods, of instability and unjustness, that Cae­sar who tyrannically invaded the Rights of the Commonwealth of Rome, should be successful in so unjust attempts; and Pompey put to the worst, and overthrown in the lawful defence of his Coun­try: [Page 5]this stumbled him exceed­ingly. 'Tis true, some few of the Learned and Sober Heathens did not thus rashly fall foul upon Pro­vidence; but very wisely inferred the being of a future State, where the vertuous shall be rewarded, and the vitious punished. And those Holy men in Scripture, who did fret because of the prosperity of the wicked, quickly perceived their folly and error, and that the wick­ed were only fed like Sheep for the Slaughter; and as the Poet excellently expresseth it, tollun­tur in altum ut lapsu graviore ruant.

Job's Friends, though they did not directly fall foul upon the Divine Providence, yet it is evi­dent they were of opinion, that God would never have afflicted Job with such sad calamities, if he had been upright and sincere. Remember (saith Eliphaz) who ever perished being innocent? Or [Page 6]where were the Righteous cut off? ch. 4.7. Bildad tells Job, If thou wert pure and upright, surely now he would awake for thee, ch. 8.6. To both these Zophar succeeds with a charge as grievous and bit­ter, For thou hast said my Doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes: But O that God would speak, and open his lips against thee, ch. 11. v. 4, 5.

These were the Cordials Job's Friends afforded him, while as his afflicted condition pleaded pity from his Friends. These accusa­tions were heavy; but he saw it was needless to tell them, that God might destroy the perfect as well as the wicked; and although he would not plead not guilty, for then he confesseth his own lips should prove him perverse; yet he humbly conceived, that it was a dangerous principle to conclude love or hatred from any such out­ward dispensation

Therefore finding all his in­treaties rejected, and his plea's for his own defence slighted; he is at length forced to beg their silence, desiring far rather to plead his cause with his Maker, who could discern his sincerity; and therefore having ordered his cause, ch. 13.18. and taken an exact and accurate examination of his for­mer ways, he begins his plead­ings for a mitigation of his pre­sent calamity, from v. 23. which he continues till interrupted by Eliphas, ch. 15. and amongst the many arguments he urgeth, that taken from the determined days, and unpassable bounds prefixed to men, is not the smallest: Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee; thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannnot pass. Turn from him that he may rest, till he shall accomplish as an hireling his day.

These words being the ground of the following Discourse, it is but reasonable I should spend a little time in their explanation,

Seeing his days are determi­ned, &c. The word which our Translators render seeing, is in the Original םא if, which some Ex­positors think is used by way of quaery, thus, If his days be deter­mined? But the Context seems to warrant our Vulgar Transla­tion, and there is no doubt, but it is very emphatick; for it con­tains an implicit affirmation, a phrase very ordinary, when the thing for its certainty is confessed and acknowledged. But let us suppose that the words should be rendred by way of quaery, yet there are two doubts that must be removed, else their quarrelling with our Translation is vain and impertinent. 1. It seems to be very evident, that it has then been a received opinion, that the days [Page 9]of men are determined; else Job had never made use of this argu­ment, in his pleadings for a cessa­tion from trouble. 2. If Job had indeed doubted, that mans days were determined, it was no wise nor rational plea, especially since he was pleading with God, who knew whether it were so or not; and since he might have made use of indubitable Topicks. But I pass by this debate as trivial.

His days, &c, It is debated by some, why Job makes use of the third person, and not of the first. The reason some give is this, be­cause the third person used for the first, denotes contempt and modesty; and therefore Job in his low state is pleased thus to abase himself, especially since plea­ding with his Maker. But this conjecture is not fully satisfacto­ry, for Job in several of his other pleas, makes use of the first person; which methinks he would not [Page 10]have done if he had made use of the third person upon the ac­count of the former considerati­on; therefore from the promiscu­ous usurpation of the persons, we may easily conjecture, that when the argument he brings does in a more peculiar manner reach his own private condition, then he makes use of the first person: an instance of this we have ch. 13.23, 24. &c. But now this argu­ment taken from the determined days, and unpassable bounds set to men, is a general one, which all men as well as he might plead; therefore he speaketh in the third person, yet always eying his own condition. The like instance we find in the beginning of this Chap­ter, Man that is born of a woman, is of few days, and full of trouble. Here he speaks in the third person, and not in the first; for to be of few days and full of trou­ble, is the character of every man. [Page 11] Few and evil (says Jacob to Pha­raoh) have the days of the years of my life been, Gen̄. 47, 9.

Are determined, &c. This word in the Original properly signifieth to dig or cut thorow; here it is to be understood metaphorically; because God cloth as exectly know the number of mens days, as if the most accurate search were made. 'Tis true, in all humane determina­tions, it is reasonable that consulta­tion precede. Some space must in­tervene betwixt their knowing of a thing, and their determinations about it. I confess, it is disputed, whether the Humane Will be of it self a knowing faculty? or if it must follow in its choice the dic­tates of the intellect? I will not dispute this now; but there is truth in that general Maxim, ignoti nulla But to fancy that there is any such priority between the Di­vine knowledg and volition, is a gross mistake, irreconcilable with [Page 12]the Infinite and Eternal perfections of God: who uno actu & ictu, (as they speak) comprehendeth and willeth all future Events.

The number of his Months are with thee, &c. This phrase holds out these two things: First, the Exactness and Infiniteness of the Divine knowledg; and Secondly the Divine rule and dominion. First, it holds out the Divine knowledg to be Infinite and Exact, The number of his months are with thee. That is thou art a God whose knowledg reacheth the smallest portion of our time, even to months and days; thou alone knowest all those circumstances; and to know the particular portion of days allowed to every man, does certainly require an infinite and exact knowledge. I will not curiously enquire, what truth there is in the pretended diabolical pre­dictions of future Events; and whether Star-gazers from the Con­junctions, [Page 13]and contrary Aspects Of Coelestial Bodies, can foretell the future number of the days and months of terrestrial and in­ferior Sublunary beings: a pass­ing view of this I will have occa­sion to take afterwards; at pre­sent we rest satisfied with this, that an exact and comprehensive knowledg of our days and months is only the prerogative of him who holds our lives in being; the pretended knowledg any Creature boasteth of, is conjectural and uncertain, if not (as frequently it is) fictitious, unless when the Divine wisdom for some secret, and to us unknown ends, reveals to his creatures such future Events. But Secondly, the Phrase holds out the Divine Rule and dominion; The number of his months are with thee: that is, they are in thy power, thou mayst either prolong or shorten the days of Men: and I think the meaning of this whole [Page 14]verse is comprehended under these two heads, which I shall afterwards discourse of at more length.

Thou hast appointed his bounds, &c. It is not Fate or Fortune, but the wise God who appoints to e­very Man his time. Now the bounds set to Men may be consi­dered under a two-fold notion. First, As it signifies that common and ordinary Period which the God of Nature has setled, which Men by the common course of Na­ture may fulfil, if no adcidental circumstance hinder: and it seems the Psalmist only understands this common term of Humane Life, Psal. 90.10. The days of our years are threescore years and Ten, and if by reason of strength they be fourscore; &c. or Second­ly, It may be understood in a more strict sence, as it is taken for the last moment of every individual and particular person; and of both these I shall more fully discourse [Page 15]afterwards and show, that the words seem to refer to the common term of Humane Life; or if they mean this perticular term, in what sense they are to be understood, determined, appointed, &c.

These and such like condescend­ing Phrases, have been most un­happily used, and sadly misunder­stood in the Schools. Some men no sooner read in Scripture of Gods determining or appointing, but they instantly conclude a physical previous necessitating act, which inevitably and irresistibly deter­mines Men: and this kind of de­termination they plead for in all cases; so that Men even in their vitious actions are irresistibly determined to do so. I know no opinion which has rendred the reformed Church more odious than this: would to God I could say the Censure is causeless, and that I were forced to apolo­gize, for saying our Divines have [Page 16]erred in this case. But alas the opinion is grown strong, and not long since it was not much less than Heresie to condemn it: and even to this day it is the study of some Teachers, to instill it into the hearts of their Hearers. For the correcting of this sowre opini­on, I shall have occasion to add some things in this following dis­course; now I shall desire it to be considered, that while we speak of the Divine determinations, ap­pointment, &c. we speak of things our knowledg cannot reach, the best conceptions we can frame to our selves of the Divine voli­tions, are dangerous and imper­fect; our capacities in this lapsed state are more narrow than we are aware of: and although they were raised to a higher pitch, yet we can never comprehend his way of working, who in all his ways is unsearchable. 'Tis truly sad to see the contending World so serious [Page 17]and restless in digging those deeps that are unfathomable; it were to be wished that Men did not found their pretended know­ledg of the Divine volitions, on the basis of their own silly voliti­ons, and did not argue from what we find in our selves to be the same in God. 'Tis true the Holy Spirit hath condescended to express things suitable to our Understand­ing and mean capacities, therefore we read in Scripture of the Divine determinations, appointments, &c. but yet to abuse such condescend­ing expressions, and to imagine that there were really such purpo­ses, and volitions in God as these we perceive in our selves, this were a heinous crime, pray let us satisfie our selves with this, that God in an eminent and transcen­ding manner doth these things, which we cannot do without will­ing, decreeing, &c.

That he cannot pass, or as others render it, and he shall not pass, which Phrase is not to be under­stood, as if the particular Period of every Mans life were so fatally fixed, that he can neither shorten nor prolong it; for this is contra­ry to many clear Texts of Scrip­ture, as shall afterwards fully ap­pear: but by this Phrase, we are to understand the common term of Humane Life, which is not so mutable as the particular, nor yet altogether so that it cannot be altered; for God has still reserved in his own pow­er the shortening and prolonging of it. And further, we must not ap­prehend that the particular terms of Humane Beings are so mutable, that God knows them not, and cannot foretel the precise Period of every Mans Life, or that the Divine Counsel concerning things Future is mutable; no sure, God has declared the contrary. I am [Page 19]God and there is none like me, (saith the Almighty) declaring the End from the Beginning, and from ancient time the things that are not yet done; saying, my Counsel must stand, and I will do all my pleasure. Isa, 46.9. Two things there be which occasion men to change their purposes and resolutions. 1. Their want of Power to execute them. 2. Their finite and shallow Know­ledg, which cannot foresee those future circumstances which render their Designs ineffectual. But now there is no difficulty that can pose the Almighty; with him all things are possible: it is the Prophets argument, the Lord of hosts hath purposed, who shall disanull it? his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back? Isa. 24.17. And further there is no circumstance or condition that lyes in the dark, and unseen to him, whose know­ledg is infinite, and who equally [Page 20]comprehends things past, present and to come. Therefore is it that man cannot pass these bounds perfixed by the Divine foreknow­ledg: But of this afterwards.

Turn from him, &c It is quaeri­ed whether Job here petitioneth a withdrawing of Gods support­ing presence, and a cessation by death, or a cessation from the affliction and trouble he lay un­der. There be Three things that plead for the former Interpreta­tion. 1. Because the word לרה placed absolutly, signifieth to cease by death, 1 Sam. 2.5. and they that were hungry ceased, i. e. died. 2. Because the supporting hand of Providence being remov­ed, men return to the Dust. Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled, thou takest away their Breath, they dye, and return to their Dust, Psal. 104.29.3. It is not incon­sistent with Jobs former desires, Chap. 3. and 6. why died I not [Page 21]from the Womb? Why did I not give up the Ghost when I came out of the Belly? For now should I have lien [still] and been [quiet;] I should have [slept,] then had I been at [rest:] O that I might have my request, even that it would please God to destroy me!

That the Phrase can never ad­mit the former gloss evidently appears from the words immedi­ately following, for if Job had been pleading for death, why is that reason added, that he might ac­complish his day? It is only then a cessation from his grievous affliction that he so earnestly in­treated; as if he had said, Lord, thy afflicting hand is heavy, and what am I but weak Dust, not able to bear thy heavy Chastisments? my Soul is overburdened with grief; and wilt thou set thy ter­rors before me to affright me? hath not poor man in this lapsed state, Troops of miseries attending [Page 22]him, from which he may expect no freedom till Mortality be swallowed up in Life? And are not his few days labour and sorrow, pain and affliction? And wilt thou to those inseparable evils, superadd a burthen of pain more grievous and insufferable? O do not mea­sure out so dismal a Condition to thy silly Creature! Make me not the object of thy direful ven­geance, but in the midst of wrath remember Mercy. Art thou not Goodness it self, and far more com­passionate than the most tender pa­rent? And shall it be said thou hast measured out so acute torments to vex thy poor Creature? I con­fess Perfection is not the thing I plead; yet may not I say, it is not for my iniquity, nor for my sin, that thou hast afflicted me? And let this Consideration also prevail with thee, that my unten­der friends sadly mistake thy de­sign in afflicting me; they conclude [Page 23]it is for some secret heinous crime, that thy judgements are upon me: O that thou wouldst turn from thy wrath, that I may enjoy some rest before I go whence I shall not return?

This phrase turn from him is sometimes taken in a very bad sense. Thus we find the wicked sadly characterized, as a people who desire God to depart from them, but as it is uttered by the people of God under the pressure of afflictions, it implies no more but a serious desire that God would be pleased to remove that burden. Now in such innocent petitions there appeareth no crime, for it is certain, that afflictions simply considered are grievous even to the best of Man kind: there is no affliction (saith the Apostle) for the present that is joyous, but grievous. 'Tis true, impatience under affliction is an excess which no excuse whatso­ever [Page 24]can pardon: there are some persons of such hasty complexi­ons, that they rise in passion against God if they meet with the least affliction; just like that wretched man who said, this evil is of the Lord, why should we wait any longer upon him? But those peti­tions of the Faithful in holy writ, although at the first view they seem to be peremptory and abso­lute, yet they are truly qualified and submissive; and at the most, on­ly express the harmless resent­ments of innocent nature, that can­not but express how contrary affli­ctions are to it.

That he may rest; ut quiescat sc. paululum, that his affliction being removed, he may yet enjoy a little space to solace himself, till he ac­complish his day. I will purpose­ly decline the answer of that querie, Whether it is lawful to wish death when our condition is charged with a surplusage of ca­amity; [Page 25]for the brevity I design will not suffer me to survey the difficulties of that case, only in the general I shall add two things. 1. If the affliction be violent, fierce, and seemingly durable, rendering us uncapable of exercising any duty; I question not but common reason will suggest to every sober man, that in that case Death is more eligible than Life. Yet 2. since we are ignorant what God de­signs to us, by sending us such afflictions, it is our part to submit to the Lords will, and say, Good is the will of the Lord. Thus, although we may comparatively and submissively wish Death upon the account of some acute trials, yet it is never lawful to be perem­ptory and absolute in such desires; for frequently the happy event makes men conclude that is was good for them they were afflicted.

Rest, &c. Methinks the very sound of this word is full of ra­vishing [Page 26]sweetness and pleasure, and yet to those who are stated in a condition of woe and Misery, it is bitter and harsh; as the most ravishing and pleasant Musick is in the Ear of him who is sad: those who never tasted the honey­comb, know not its sweetness: the men who have been always drudges and slaves, have no di­scerning what Liberty is; and those who from their birth have been accustomed to pain, know not their misery so sensibly. But to have once enjoyed blessings, and on a sudden to be deprived of them not only the unexpected change, but also their former happiness adds to their misery, and makes their condition more unsufferable. If man had been created to toil and labor, his eating of bread in the sweat of his face, had been no curse: but to have been placed in a blessed and happy state, and by his folly to be hurled into a [Page 27]state of misery and pain, that com­pleats his calamity, and makes him sensible, how miserable a thing it is to have been happy.

This single consideration seems to add very much to Jobs misery, his condition was once more than ordinary happy; and the amission of the comforts he formerly en­joyed, makes him pathetically cry out. O that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me; but now (as he sadly complains) they that are younger than I, have me in deri­sion.

If Job in this state of woe had been perswaded of the certain change of his condition, and that his latter end should be more bless­ed than his beginning, the expect­ed hopes of this had served to allay and mitigate his sorrow, and to render his case more sufferable and easie. It is the hopes of rest, that puts strength in the wearied [Page 28]traveller; it was the expected re­ward and assurance of a future blessedness and better resurrection, which made those Worthies, Heb. 11. so cheerfully undergo suffer­ing. What the happiness of the Saints rest is, I am not able to re­present, it being so far above any thing we can in this imperfect state conceive or imagine. The ad­vantages that attend our present tranquility and rest, are many and great, which to enumerate would be prolix and tedious: but if from that, we should frame to our selves an Idea of that Ce­lestial Rest, how imperfect would it be? any Rest we injoy here, is uncertain: an unthought-of cau­sality may impair it, but the Rest that remains for the people of God is everlasting, there is no fear of losing it: Heaven is a place free from trouble, and there is nothing that can imbitter that pleasant state.

Philosophers have a saying that the end of of Motion is Rest. this is indeed true of all those motions and trials the servants of God meet with; the way to the King­dom is spread over with thistles; thorow many tribulations we must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: but those Waves of affliction will quickly over; and when the day breaks, these shadows will flee away. This Winter will soon be past, and the singing of the Birds will come; and Christians, who by faith and patience con­tinue in well-doing, shall ere be long be placed in those man­sions of Rest, that are in Ema­nuels land.

Alas, how insensible do we re­main under the enjoyment of our outward comforts! when we are blessed with food, liberty, and health, we are but sensibly stupid and ignorant, what is the value of those mercies: but if hunger and [Page 30]want begin to pinch us, if our former liberty be hedged in, if sickness and pain seize upon us, then we begin to gather some sense, and we accuse our selves for our ingratitude to God:

Till he shall accomplish as an Hireling his day: for the better understanding of this similitude, I shall in four particulars compare the days of man with the days of an Hireling, and in each of them make application to Jobs case. 1. The days of an Hireling, denotes a time set, prefixed and limited for the performance of some particular piece of service; and are not the days of man also allotted him for to do his masters business? We were not born to be idle and negligent, sure God had some great design in the Creation of man than this: now this particular quadrates very well with Jobs case, and seems to make the meaning of Jobs words [Page 31]to run thus; Lord, thou hast gi­ven me a being, and appointed me a work to accomplish: but alas while I am thus excruciated with horror and pain, I am unfitted for thy service, the surplusage of misery measured out to me, dis­inables me to go about thy work, be entreated therefore O merciful Father to turn from thy displea­sure, remove the present heavy calamity I am overburdened with; that I may yet accomplish the re­mainder of my time in thy work and service. 2. This set and fix­ed day of the Hireling is full of pain, labour and toil; he is (poor wretch) both late and early at work, and seldom has he any in­tervalls of rest, unless his Master be more than ordinary gentle and benign; and when he has thus in­dulged a little ease, he must not with the sluggard say, O si hoc esset laborare, he must to his work again, for upon this depends his [Page 32]payment; no wages is the result of not working; and in some cases stripes and whipping is the fruit of negligence. And what is Mans Life? At the best state it is but sorrow and trouble, till mor­tality be swallowed up in Life. Our pleasures (upon which we put the highest value) are either pur­chased, or accompanied with pain and labor. If we be in a prosper­ous state, our minds are either distracted with care to make it more prosperous; or with fears puzled and perplexed, lest it be overclouded; and if we be in a low and adverse state, we grieve and repine; nay knowledg, the most excellent of earthly pleasures, is yet in the judgment of the wisest of men, but vexation of spirit; For in much Wisdom there is much Grief, and he that encreaseth Knowledg encreaseth Sorrow. The life of Man is not unfitly compar­ed to Ezekiels Roll, which was [Page 33]full of woes. If one misery or woe passeth, behold another com­eth, as one Wave succeeds ano­ther. And by all these calamites we may learn what an evil Sin is, the fruit of which are all those calamities we meet with; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy Bread till thou return unto the Ground. And upon this account Job may be supposed to plead with God thus; Lord, is not my time at best but lamentable and miserable? And wilt thou superadd to this inevitable misery, a surplu­sage of pain and affliction? O deal kindly with thy servant who is devoted to thy fear; Turn from me that I may rest till I shall accom­plish as an Hireling my day. Thirdly, True it is that the Hire­lings day is but Labor and Pain; yet the brevity and shortness thereof makes him regard it the less. It is but a day, and that will quickly be over and gone; and [Page 34]what is the Life of Man? It is but as a hand breath of a small ex­tension; or like to a passing sha­dow, which we scarce sooner per­ceive than it vanisheth. Man that is Born of a woman is of few days, he cometh forth like a Flow­er and is cut down: his decaying is within some few minutes of his budding; as the Poet speaketh of Roses, & dum nascuntur consenuisse Rosas. Now from this reason Job may be supposed to argue thus; Lord, thou knowest how frail and brittle I am, and if thou contend thus with me, how quickly shall I return to the Dust, I Beseech thee consider that my time is however but short, and let thy goodness appear in removing thy stroke away from me, for I am consum­ed by the blow of thine hand; O spare me that I may recover strength before I go hence, and be no more. Fourthly, The Rest and Wages the Hireling expecteth, [Page 35]makes the accomplishing of his day more easie and tolerable. The word rendred accomplish, signifi­eth to will and delight in a thing earnestly; donec optate veniat dies. 'Tis a day wished and longed for, and much delighted in when it comes. And indeed the strength of the comparison seems to lye in this, which makes the mean­ing of Jobs words to be this; Lord, now my trouble and pain excru­ciats and torments me, and my life is more wearisome to me, than the Hirelings day can be to him; therefore turn away thy wrath from me, that in the finishing of my course I may be as jovial and cheerful, as the Hireling is when his day is accomplished: and thus I have done with the Explanation of these words.

The next thing I designed in this undertaking, is to enquire how the days of every Mans Life may be said to be determined; and [Page 36]whether the Period of every Mans Life were so fixed and bounded, that by his care, good managery and use of the means, it cannot be extended; nor shortned by his negligence, intemperance, or ex­posing of himself to the Famine. Sword, or Plague, it is very certain from this plain Text of Scripture, that the days of every Mans Life are determined; but the manner how, is left unexplained: and this we do not learn from Scripture. And it were to be wished that our curiousity would forbear any enquiry into things that are hid: but alas our inclinations are so wicked and preverse, that niti­mur in vetitum, we are always bent and eager in our enquiries after things of a mysterious alloy; and God knows how miserably some men have mistaken in their enqiries after a solution of the present doubt: and if I could pro­mise to my self to rectifie those [Page 37]huge mistakes some men have fall­en into, this would be a sufficient justification of my present under­taking,

But in order to the unfolding of this doubt, I shall promise four things which will contribute to the better understanding of it.

First, There is no doubt that every Mans Life hath a Period. It is appointed for all men once to dye; this is a warfare from which there is no discharge: What Man is he that liveth and shall not see Death? As to this the Prince and Peasant stand upon even terms, and as the wise man tells us, the rich and poor meet together: there is no justling in the Grave for preceden­cy. I confess it were not worth the pains to consider the trivial instances, taken from the Transla­tion to Enoch and Elias, to in­fringe this position, For first, we are not to debate what God may do, he has a Soveraignty over [Page 38]his Creatures, and must not be called to give a reason of his acti­ons; all whose ways are tracts of wisdom and goodness. Secondly, We know nothing of the manner of their Translation: he who will positively say, that they did not undergo that which is equivalent to death, will say more than he can prove. I am apt to believe that no sober man will say, that they entred their Heavenly Habitation with their unrefined bodies; no more than those who rise at the sound of the last Trumpet, in the twinkling of an eye, are carried in­to Heaven without any change.

Secondly, It is also unquestio­nable, that Sin introduced this Period to every Mans Life; the primitive threatning rus thus, in the day thou eatest thou shalt dye. And the Apostle hath as plainly exprest it as it can be, Wherefore as by one Man Sin entred into the World, and Death by Sin, and so [Page 39]Death passed upon all Men for that all have sinned, Rom. 4.12. where it is plain, that Death is a punish­ment inflicted for Sin, so that if man had never sinned, we have no reason to think he should have died I confess without Revela­tion, we could never have guessed this to be the cause of Death. The Heathen Philosophers were ex­ceedingly confused in their notions concerning the origine of Sin, and the cause of Death: many of them thought that Death was a natural accident, originally appurtenant to Humane Nature. And indeed if Revelation had not declared the contrary, I had been fully sa­tisfied, that Death had been no o­ther thing but such a natural ac­cident; but it is strange that any man that has conversed with sa­cred writ, should be of this opi­nion, And yet we find, the Pe­lagians of old were great stick­lers for it: hence is it that the an­cient [Page 40]Fathers and Councils have condemned it with a Curse. In the Milevitan Council Can. 2. we read thus, placuit, ut quicunque dicit, Adam primum hominem mor­talem factum, ita ut sive peccaret, sive non peccaret, moreretur in corpore, hoc est, de corpore exiret, non peccati merito sed necessitate naturae, anathema sit. In after-ages the Scotists (the most subtil of all Scholastick writers) inclined much to this opinion, against whom the Thomists (their irreconcilable Ene­mies) took up the cudgels: amongst modern writers the seemingly rational Socinians, have owned this groundless conceit. But I cannot stay to debate this at length, only in brief, if Death had been natu­ral to man in the state of Inno­cency, it behoved to have been be­cause of these following reasons.

1. Because Adams natural con­stitution implied mortality; the Materials of his constitution were [Page 41]not so amicable as to entertain a lasting amity and friendship. 2. It was the primitive precept, be fruitful and multiply: now it is plain that procreation includes mortality in its notion; and far­ther it seems to be unconceivable how this little Map of Earth should have contained a numerous mul­tiplying and never dying off­spring. 3. Humane Nature in the state of Innocency did stand in need of Meat and Drink, as is plain from Gen. 1.19. now the end of eating and drinking is not only to hold up, but to repair the decays of our Bodies, which would sudenly return to dust, if they were not thus renewed, and strengthen­ed. 4. If Death were only the effect of Sin, and the Devil were called a Murderer from the beginning, be­cause of his tempting our first pa­rents to eat of the forbidden Fruit, it will follow, that since Christ came to take away the sins of the World, [Page 42]and to destroy the works of the Devil, that he also took away the wages of sin, which is Death; than which nothing is more contrary to daily experience. 5. Immortality seems to be entailed only to the state of future Glory, where Corrup­tion shall put on Incorruption, and Mortality shall be swallowed up in life: and then there shall be no more death, Rev. 21.4. These are the most material reasons I can find for the proof of this opinion, in answer to which I shall desire the Five following considerations may be weighed.

Consid. 1. It is not to be doudted that the eternal wisdom, furnish­ed our first parents with all these accomplishments their specifick nature could suffer: the signatures of Wisdom and Goodness were le­gible in the lowest and least regar­ded piece of the creation; but in Man in a more eminent manner conspicuous. It is almost impossi­ble [Page 43]for us in this fallen state, to conceive what those endowments were, with which his innocent con­dition was blessed. We have no rea­son to think that there was any jar or disagreement amongst his faculties, or opposition and sight of one quality with another. It was mans disobedience that disturbed the whole universe, and disordered every part of it; while he was at peace with his Maker, he enjoyed a serene condition, and needed not fear any hurt either External or Internal: then all the parts of his Body entertained a sweet harmo­ny, and there could be nothing except Sin that should have made any failure in his constitution, or made a separation between his Soul and Body. But Sin having en­tred the World, every part of the universe changed its face; and Man, who was Heavens favorite in his first mould, is now condemned to eat his bread in the sweat of his [Page 44]face till he return unto the dust. This is all that we can learn from Revelation concerning the intro­duction of Death; to suppose any other account of it, were to give up our selves to the dictates of our extravagant fancies: and far­ther, it is very unreasonable to in­fer mans mortality from his con­stitution, and because he is earth­ly; unless we think it also ratio­nal, that perfected Bodies, in the state of Glory are not Bodies, or that they are even there mortal; Both which seem to be plainly op­posite to Scripture.

Consid. 2. The Phrase Immor­tal, may fall under a double no­tion: for First, sometimes it is ta­ken absolutely, implying a being most perfect, which had no begin­ing, and can have no end; and in this sense, Immortality is solely the prerogative of our Maker, and can never be attributed to any creature. Secondly, Sometimes it [Page 45]is taken Conditionally: and so under various considerations it may be attributed either, First, To perfected Saints who are stated in Glory, where the primitive Image lost by mans fall, is renew­ed and perfected; and of those our Saviour in the Gospel of Luke tells us, that they can dye no more, Luke 20.36. or Secondly, to our first parents in the State of Inno­cency. For so long as they re­mained obedient to the Laws of Heaven, Immortality was entailed upon their nature: for the tenor of the primitive threatning is, in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye: where temporal Death seems to be threatned, which had been idle and vain if men had died, al­though they had never eaten the forbidden Fruit. I know some men think that Sin only laid a necessary obligation upon men to obey; and provoked God to remove that Su­pernatural and Superadded qua­lity [Page 46]and gift; which preserved them from Death. With such sort of men I have no great quarrel, although I think that God could as easily have made mans constituti­on so lasting, and the constituent parts of his fabrick so harmoni­ous, that he should have never dyed if he had not sinned, as to creat a superadded being to pre­serve him safe. For reason would plead, that that superadded gift re­quired another, and so in infini­tum.

But farther, 'tis very unreasona­ble to infer mans corruption from that precept, be fruitful and multi­ply: for although in some sense gene­ratio unius est alterius corruptio, yet the state of being, even since the fall, (to which that axiom has only respect) is not so brittle, as that the production of the Child infers the destruction of the parent.

Neither doth that curious query concerning the place for that sup­posed [Page 47]numerous off-spring, carry with it more reason; for First, It is nor to be doubted, but the wise Creator who gave being to Man knew well enough how to provide an Habitation for his off-spring. Secondly, the Precepts be Fruitful and Multiply, carries with it a Limitation, and replenish the Earth; so that we can never well conclude from it, that Genera­tion should have continued after the replenishing of the Earth. But Thirdly, What suppose this little Map of Earth had not been able to contain so numerous an off-spring, could not God have Translated Man after he had lived some space upon the Earth to some better Ha­bitation, as he did with Enoch and Elijah?

Consid. 3, Though Man in the state of Innocency stood in need of Meat and Drink, yet his nutri­ment was not noxious and hurt­ful to him, as now it is. It was [Page 48]for Mans disobedience that a Curse was upon the ground, before which there was no fear of hurt from the Fruit of the Trees, and the Herbs of the Field: (which were the only things granted to Men for Food in that state.) And indeed if we but consider that even in this fallen state, there is a huge diffe­rence between the Lives of those who live upon wholsome Food, and observe a moderate Diet; and of those who are careless in their Diet, and feed upon Husks; we cannot but think the former Con­sideration reasonable, especially since that blessed state excluded all manner of excess.

Consid. 4. Great and Manifold are the blessed benefits that are conferred upon Mankind, upon the account of his Redeemer: now Man, who was at odds with his Maker upon the account of his Rebellion, is again taken into favor; and the disobedient World [Page 49]is reconciled unto God. And al­though the being of sin is not quite abolished, yet the Curse is remov­ed; and Death is not properly now a punishment.

Consid. 5. Immortality conjoyn­ed with a state of perfect felicity, is reserved for Heavens favourites: In the state of Innocency our first Parents were liable to Death if they rebelled, but the Saints above are confirmed in their Blessed state: atd as our Lord Christ tells us they can dye no more. But this much may suffice for the removing the former doubts.

The Third thing I premise is, that 'tis very usual in Scripture, as it is in all Languages, to put the Whole sometimes for the Part: thus Man is said to dye, to cease to be Mortal, because the Bo­by is liable to Corruption, and not that the whole Man, or all the Essential constituent parts cease. And thus when we dispute [Page 50]concerning the Period of every Mans Life, we must not foolishly fancy that a Period is ut to the being of the Soul, but only that its union with the body is dissol­ved: otherwise a dismal stroke would be given to our Religion, and what would become of the vertuous? I consess it is very hard and difficult, to demonstrate the Immortality of our Souls by na­tural reason: 'Tis true, by reason I may prove that our Natures are spiritual, and that we elicite acts which are beyond the power of matter; but yet we could never be fully ascertained that there is a Life after this, if Re­velation had not plainly discover­ed it. The Heathen Philoso­phers very wisely entertained some hopes of a Life after this; upon moral arguments taken from the goodness of God, and his justice in distributing Rewards and Pu­nishments: but alas how doudt­full [Page 51]were their hopes, and with how much hesitation did they dis­course of it! But by the help of Revelation, these doubts are fully temoved, and we now know that there is a Resurrection from the dead, and that the Souls of Be­lievers at death go immediately in­to glory.

Fourthly, Because the explica­tion of terms is very necessary for the unfolding of doubts; I shall consider the twofold notion and acception the period of Hu­mane Life is lyable to. 1. Some­times it is taken in a large sense, for that common and ordinary Pe­riod which the Author of our na­tures hath setled, which Men by the common course of nature arrive at: Now many learned Men upon good grounds think that this is the determined bounds mentioned in Scripture. 2, Some­times it is taken for the last mo­ment of every Mans Life at what­ever [Page 52]time it happeneth; whether 1. In the Beginning of Mans days; or 2. In the midst of his days. Thus the Psalmist prays, that God would not cut him off in the midst of his days: Or 3. When Men come to be of a good old Age and full of years, as it is said of A­braham, he died in a good Old Age, an Old Man and full of years, Gen. 25.8.

That there is such a Common Period of Humane Life seems to be certain and indubitable: we evidently enough perceive that Men in the Age and place wherein we live, exceed not (unless rarely) the bounds fixed upon, Psal. 90.10. The days of our years are Three­score years and Ten, and if by rea­son of more strength they be Four­score years, &c. And if we shall descend to the Consideration of other Animals and Vegetables, we will find it true enough that the individuals of every specifick [Page 53]nature, have a common Period which doth not sensibly alter; but where there is a manifest diffe­rence of the climate, temperature, and soil. Again, it is very un­questionable that this Common Pe­riod hath not been equally extend­ed in all Ages and places. 'Tis true for many hundred years by-past it hath suffered very little altera­tion, but sure from the beginning it was not so; nor can we upon any good ground be ascertained that it will continue the same that it is now, till the end of all flesh come. Though I will not positively affirm, that Mens Lives will be in­sensibly shortened, till they become uncapable for procreation.

But to determine what hath been the common period of Hu­mane Life in by-past ages of the World, is a Theme very difficult and hard: for 1. Although from A­brahams time till this present Age it hath altered but little or nothing, [Page 54]as we may collect from Gen. 15.13. and 16. where a generation is equalled to an Hundred years (as the Vetses collated make it evi­dent;) yet before the Flood, and in some few Ages following it, this common Term was not concluded within the short bounds it is now; although then it was indeed ex­ceedingly mutable. Before the fa­tal Flood we read not of any who lived not above seven Hundred years, (unless Abel who was mur­dered, and Enoch whom God took to himself:) nor of any who ex­ceeded nine Hundred sixty and nine years. Now the common Pe­riod not being so denominated from some few particular instan­ces, but from what happens to the most of Mankind in every Age who dye a natural death, we may suppose that Eight Hundred years was the common Period before the Flood. But then after the Flood, the mutability of this com­mon [Page 55]Poriod is conspicuous; for in the next age after the Flood, it was cut short two hundred years; and in the next three succeeding generations it was abridged to four hundred years; and in the three succeeding ages to the for­mer it was reduced to two hun­dred years; and in Abrahams time it seems not to have been extended to an hundred years.

In reducing the Life of Man­kind into shorter bounds now than it was in the infancy of the World, the Divine wisdom and goodness do very plainly appear: for 1. Al­though it is true that Sin was the cause of Misery, yet it is manifest that as Men began to multiply, so they became more corrupted; and as the Earth was replenished with Men, so with multiplyed Miseries; and those not only particular, but common. War and bloodshed, slave­ry and toil, pains and diseases, were in the first ages of the world [Page 56]very rare and singular; now these are ordinary and common: and is it not then a great mercy that the days of our life are few, since so full of evils? But 2. If Men li­ved as long now as in the first-ages of the World, a Land would not be able to contain its inhabitants: and this is a far greater inconve­nience and disadvantage, than the shortening the lease of our beings can be supposed to be. In the first ages of the World, the lives of Men were extended, that the earth might be replenished; and it is very plain, that this common Pe­riod was shortened according as Man multiplyed. I confess God threatens to destroy the inhabi­tants of a Land for their trans­gressions; it was because Men had corrupted themselves, that God brought a Flood of waters upon the World: and yet the Divine Justice was accompanied with astonishing goodness; for he did [Page 57]not (as justly he might have) in­stantly cut off that perverse gene­ration, but he gave them the space of an Hundred and Twenty years to repent. Yet (saith God ( his, days shall be an Hundred and Twenty years, Gen. 6.3. That is, although this be a perverse and corrupt generation, yet because Man is but flesh, I will give him this time to repent of his wicked­ness; and if notwithstanding he will not after such warning mend his manners, I will destroy him. I know many learned Men think that God here only threatens to shorten the common Period of Mens lives, and that it should be contracted within the bounds of an Hundred and twenty years: but this exposition is not agreeable to the experiences of some ages next following the Flood, in which Men lived much longer than an Hun­dred and Twenty years.

But they say, God uses not to an­ticipate his time in bringing judg­ments upon a nation or people: to which I naswer, it is very true; but methinks men have no ground to think, that in the present case God anticipates the time in bring­ing judgements upon them; for we cannot think that Noah was com­pleat five Hundred years old, when God threatned to distroy the World. And indeed any Man who is but a little acquainted with the Jewish custom of reckoning of years, knows how usual it is with them, to name the greater part of any thing for the whole. St. Austin is so clear in this, I'le rather set it down in his words than my own: Intelligendum est hoc Deum dixisse, cum circa finem quingentorum annorum esset Noah, i. e. quadragintos octoginta vitae annos ageret, quos more suo Scrip­tura quingentos vocat; nomine to­tius maximam partem plerumque [Page 59]significans. Aug. de Civ. Dei, lib. 15. c. 24.

Thus much I have spoken of the common Period of Humane Life, in respect of the ages of the World. I shall now add a little concerning its changeableness, in respect of places: and I confess in this case it is so variable, that it is a hard matter to pitch upon particulars; only in the general it is certain, that this common Period is not the same in all pla­ces: in a temperate Climate this common term is extended; but where there is an excess of heat, or an unconstancy of the weather in those places this common Pe­riod is shortned.

But passing this, I come now to consider the particular Period of every mans life: there be two ways it is commonly taken. 1. As it implies the disunion of the parts, by reason of the excess of some one quality or other: or 2 [Page 60]as it implies the Period of Hu­mane Life whatever way it is oc­casioned, without any relation ei­ther to the defect, or excess of any quality: and thus the learned Episcopius states the case in his first Epistle to Jo. Beverovicius. But to make this yet more plain, I shall consider that text, 1. Sam. 26.10 As the Lord liveth the Lord shall smite him, or his day shall come to dye, or he shall defend into battel and perish. Though David was anointed King, yet he durst not stretch forth his hand against the Lords anointed; neither would he permit Abishai. (who inconsi­deratly offered (to do it; knowing none could do so and be guilt­less. Therefore he comforts and solaces himself with this conside­ration, that God should rid him of Saul one of these three ways: 1. By smiting him with some dis­ease; and now to what a number­less number of diseases are our [Page 61]frail natures incident? variety of maladies prey upon frail man, and millions of miseries attend him; the Pestilence walketh at noon-day, and the Air which he breaths may blow out the spark of his life. 2. Or his day will come; that is, or he will dye a natural Death; now Saul was well-stricken in years, and he knew that by the course of nature he could not live long. 3. Or he shall descend into battel & pe­rish: That is, if some disease cut him not off, or if his day come not, yet he shall be exposed to a violent Death, or he shall descend into bat­tel. Sometime a violent Death is purely casual; thus it was with those eighteen upon whom the Tower in Siloam fell, Luke 13.4. Sometimes it is only improperly casual, as when one of two equally exposed to danger is only killed: and some­times it is only and properly vio­lent, such was Sauls death, such was Achitophels and Hamans.

The way to this discourse in hand being thus far cleared, I shall now prosecute the design of it in this method. 1. I shall set down those erroneous opinion into which some men have unhappily fallen in their enquiry for satis­faction in the present case. 2. I shall lay down the two common opinions that offer fairest for sol­ving this doubt. 3. I shall attempt a full and satisfactory answer: and lastly, I shall conclude with some reflections upon the whole dis­course.

I begin with the first to give an account of those erroneus senti­ments some men have unhappily embraced in their enquiry for satis­faction in this matter. And that I may shun tediousness, I shall re­duce them to the two following heads; 1. Some have foolishly imagined that the Period of Hu­mane Life is fatal and necessary. 2. Others upon the contrary ex­tream, [Page 63]have as groundlesly thought that it is altogether fortuitous and casual.

Amongst those who ascribe eve­ry thing to the dispensation of a sure and inevitable destiny, the Stoicks have been always reckon­ed the chiefest combatants. It is well known that those stupid and senseless Philosophers did teach, that all effects were necessarily produced by the natural order and series of causes, which were from the outgoings of Eternity insepar­ably chained together; so that neither Humane industry, nor the Divine power could alter what such a conjunction of causes was to produce.

That Humane Industry, care, and good menagery, cannot alter the decree of Fate, the Stoick moralist Seneca very fairly con­fesseth.

The same Seneca also affirms that the supreme being is so strict­ly tyed to the Sempeternal series and order of Causes, that he must follow, but cannot gain-say what is thus established. Quicquid est quod nos sic vivere jussit, sic mori, eadem necessitate deos alligat, irrevocabilis humana ac Divina pariter cursus vehit. Sen. lib. de provid. 5.

There are two very dangerous Authors of great name and fame, who amongst many other bad opi­nions, have recalled this Stoical Dream, which was long since re­jected, the one is the Famous Mr. Hobs; the other the subtil Au­thor of that Book, entituled Trac­tatus Theologico policitus: Both which I may perhaps have occa­sion [Page 65]to examine more particu­larly.

But if all things were thus esta­blished by a fatal necessity, sound reason would suggest to sober Men, that it were a needless thing for the Sick to call for the Physitians aid. And indeed Cicer overy in­geniously confesseth this: Si fa­tum tibi est ex hoc morbo convales­ceri, sive tu medicum adhibueris, sive non adhibueris, convalesces. —Si fatum tibi est non convalesces, sive medicum adhibneris, sive non convalesces, & alterutrum fatum est, medicum ergo adhibere nihil valet. Cic. lib. de fato. And although Seneca thinks he has fallen upon a very good answer, yet it is truly never a whit better. Cum sanitas (inquit) videatur de fato debetur & medica, quia ad nos benificium fati per hujus manus venit, lib. 2. nat. cap. 35. By which means the Physitian is as fatally determin­ed to prescribe the Cure, as the [Page 66]Sick Mans recovery is Destinat­ed.

The Ages in which these Men lived being dark and blind, we ought as much to pity their case, as correct and reprehend them. It is our happiness that we are not left to the conduct of natural reason; and would God our thankful acknowledgments were answerable to the greatness of this Blessing. I shall not need to stand in rejecting this Dream, I think the hazards this specula­tion hath exposed some of its fa­vourites to, will be forcible enough to affright others from embracing it. I remember I have read of some whom this conceit had so far distracted, that they did cast away their Swords and other wea­pons when their Enemies ap­proached: Saying, If it be our Fate to dye to keep our Weapons will never preserve us from Death. 'Tis also reported of the deluded Ma­humetans, [Page 67]that in Battel they take courage from this, that they are no sooner Born, than Fate Seals up­on their Foreheads, how long they shall Live, and what death they shall dye. Alas who would not pitty Men thus infatuated and be­witched! Surely, as St. Augustin excellently speaks, Si cor tuum non esset fatuum, non crederes fatum, Tract. 37. in Joh.

Next the Stoick stand the Star­gazers and Astrologers, who attri­bute the shortness or extension of our Lives to the bad or benign As­pect and Conjunction of the Stars in the time of our Nativity. Now although I deny not that the Hea­vens have an influence upon infe­rior things, yet surely this secret and occult dominion Star-gazers plead for, is so manifestly cross to reason and dayly experiences, that no man in his wit will affirm it. The Prophet hath long since ad­vised us, not to be dismayed at the [Page 68]signs of Heaven; adding, the Hea­thens they are dismayed at them, Jer. 10.2. As if it had been only peculiar to the Heathen part of the World, who were ignorant of Gods Providence, to believe the vain predictons of Astrologers. Baby­lon was upbraided for her trust­ing Astrologers, Star-gazers, and monthly Prognosticators. Isa. 47.13. These Men confidently pre­sumed to foretell the time of Mens Death, and the easily deceived mul­titude gave a ready assent to what­ever they spake: so easily a matter it is to impose any thing upon the belief of the vulgar. The Palma­ster as foolishly pretendeth, that God hath sealed upon every Mans Hand how long he shall live, and that observing men (as they would have us believe they are) can un­derstand this by the lines and draughts in the palm of the hand. And for proof of this they aledg, Job 37.7. Where [Page 69]it is said, he sealeth up the hand of every Man, that all Men may know his work. But from this place no such thing can be col­lected: for Elihu is there taken up in expressing the greatness of Gods works, and the Divine pow­er in commanding the Snow and the Rain, small and great, to be on the Earth; and he addeth, he seal­eth up the hand of every Man. That is, when Snow and Rain are upon the Earth, Men cannot labor and toil; their hand is sealed up, they cannot work.

Epicurus and his followers could never be reconciled to this opinion, but yet the acount they give of this matter is every whit as extra­vagant and irrational: they being equally unhappy in the account they give of the beginning and Pe­riod of Beings.

The account these Men give of the original of Beings is so incredi­ble, that no rational Man can have [Page 70]any temptation to believe it; but this belongs not to the present dis­course. I shall therefore only con­sider what they say of the Period of Beings; and briefly their opi­nion is, that it is no more but the casual and fortuitous separation of those particles of Matter that were united by a happy chance and hit.

This error is of an Old Date, and had long ere now past pre­scription, if it had not been so suitable to the humors of bad Men. The Saducees, whose Religi­on it was to contradict the Pha­risees, were very great sticklers for this Dream: Some Men have con­fined the Divine providence to the Stars, and plucked out sublu­nary Beings from his immediate Rule and Dominion. Cicero could not be perswaded that God had any knowledg of things contin­gently future. Some to mend the matter, confess God may know the [Page 71] general kinds of things, but they will not allow that he knows eve­ry particular. For this they think is inconsistent with the immutabi­lity of the Deity: But others have been more illiberal in their con­cessions, thinking it enough if they grant that God hath a care of Man­kind, although he never regard les­ser matters: and that,

By means of these wild conceits this Error has proceeded from bad to worse, yet very few of the old Philosophers, or any other rank of men; (Atheists those Anomalus births excepted) bad ever that confidence in impiety, to say with the Epicureans, that the World is perfectly left to its own fortui­tous and casual resolutions, or that I may express it in their Poets own phrase.

That the Period of every mans life is not so casual and fortuitous as these men imagine, may be made evident by clear testimonies from Scripture concerning the par­ticular Providence whereby God takes care of every particular thing in the World. But because I will have occasion to consider this afterwards, I shall now add only an instance or two from Scripture, whereby it may appear that the most seemingly casual Periods of men are ordered by an infinite Wisdom, and fall under the Divinite Rule and Dominion. And first the man-slayer, who kill­eth his Neighbor unawars, seems to be as casual a business as can be: and yet we may read how far [Page 73]the Divine providence is concer­ned in this particular, Exod. 21.13. But farther, one of Epicurus Disciples would readily conclude that Ahabs death was a piece of chance, and governed by no Su­preme power. It was but an Ar­cher's drawing his Bow at a ven­ture, which by chance killed Ahab. But the word of truth informs us, that by this means the prophecy 1 Kings, 21.19. was fulfilled: and that it came not to pass without the Divine providence, who rules among the children of Men.

And now I have done with the two erroneous extreams which some men have inconsideratly run to for shelter: the next thing I premised was to lay down the two common opinions that offer fair for removing the difficulty; but I must say (for the thing is palpa­ble,) that I am now only to give the two former rejected opinions of the Stoicks and Epicureans [Page 74]dressed up in better apparel, and much refined from the impure dregs of Heathenism: as,

1. Some run to the absolute and inconditionate Decrees of God, and tell us, that from the out-goings of Eternity, previous to the Di­vine consideration of circumstan­ces in which men are to be placed, God has so absolutely determined the period of every mans life, that it can neither be lengthned nor ex­tended by care and diligence; nor shortned by intemperance, Sword or Plague.

2. Others who see the incon­veniences and absurdities that fol­low upon the granting that opini­on to be true, are induc'd to believe that the Period of every mans life is ordinarily mutable; and may be both extended and shortened: yet still they grant that God may, as it seems good to him, either extend or shorten it.

There are four very considera­ble particulars that seem to strengthen the first opinion. First, There are many plain places of Scripture that conclude the days of every man to be bounded by the Divine determination. Second­ly, There are many examples in Scripture which shew that the Pe­riod of every mans Life is from the out-goings of Eternity, set and bounded in by the Divine will. Thirdly, It is a common opinion that the futurition of all things depends upon the Divine will, an­tecedently to which, things are only possible: and therfore, Fourthly, we can never give a ra­tional and satisfying account, how the Divine knowledg concerning the Period of Humane Life is in­fallible and certain, if it be not founded upon the Basis of the sure absolute Decree.

Upon the other hand those who plead for the mutability of the [Page 76]Period of every Mans Life, end ea­vor to remove the fore-named doubt, and to shew the great in­conveniences it is lyable to: That it quite evacuates the use of the means, and encourages men to expose themselves to any danger; &c. as I shall endeavor to make appear afterwards.

And now I come to the chief thing I aimed at in this undertak­ing. viz. To attempt a satisfying answer of the present doubt, in the prosecution of which intendment I shall observe this Method. First, I shall endeavor to shew how the Period of every Mans Life may be said to be determind. Secondly, I shall shew in what sense it is not determined: and Thirdly, how it is mutable, and may be extended or shortned. I begin with the first, how the Period of every Mans Life may be said to be determined: and I shall endeavor to do this in the two fol­lowing particulars.

1. The Period of every mans Life is so far determined that it is not without a Period. To deter­mine, signifieth properly to set bounds or limits to any thing. Now since it is appointed for all men once to dye, every mans life is enclosed & bounded within a cer­tain number of years. And I must add, that if I be not very much mistaken, this is the genuin sense of the most, if not of all, those pla­ces of Scripture that express the de­termination of Mans days: and in­deed Jobs words, seeing his days are determined, &c. seem to mean no other thing but this; and in this sense it is unquestionable that God has appointed our bounds which we cannot pass.

But 2. the Period of every par­ticular Mans Life is determined in respect of the Divine prescience. Now because this is a very consi­derable particular, and, as I told in the explaining of the text, that [Page 78]which was intended by Job when he says, the number of his months is with thee; I shall there­fore endeavor to make out this truth by the plainest and most convincing evidence that can be.

In order to this I shall shew that God hath a perfect compre­he sion of all things, past, present, or to come; and by consequence fore-knows the Period of every Mans Life. Secondly, I shall prove this by plain evidence from Scrip­tural Examples. Thirdly, I shall make it appear, that it is solely the prerogative of our Maker to know the Period of every Mans Life. And lastly, I shall answer the most Material objections and doubts that are brought against it. First, that God hath a perfect comprehension of all things past, present, and to come, is so reaso­nable a principle of natural Religi­on, that it hath been generally [Page 79]owned by the wisest and most learned Heathen. And those im­pious wretches who at every turn take the name of God in vain, in attesting him in the truth of what sometimes themselves know is false, sufficiently imply that they believe Gods Infinite knowledg. Besides the truth of this is planly held out it Scripture; it was to this City of refuge Peter did flee when his love was seemingly call­ed in question; Lord (says he) Thou knowest all things, John 21.16. And the Author of the Epi­stle to the Hebrews makes use of this Topick to induce us to cri­cumspection, all things are naked and open to the eyes of him with whom we have to do, Heb. 4.13. and God himself appeals to the infini­ty of his knowledg in the demon­stration of his Deity, and challeng­eth the Idol-Gods to produce their cause; and shew what shall hap­pen that the latter end of things [Page 80]may be known, Isa. 41.21.22. The Psalmist upbraids the Idol-Gods, in that they have eyes and see not: but he always comforts himself with this consideration, that the God in whom he trusts does behold his condition; all which instances make it undoubt­able that God hath an infinite cog­nizance, and that nothing can be hid from his eyes, who equally beholds things past, present, and to come.

now if it be so plain and evi­dent that God hath such an Infi­nite knowledg, no Man can reason­ably doubt that God knows the Period of every Mans Life; but if any shall ask how is it that God knows certainly the Period of Hu­mane Life, I answer, that it is a very bold and fruitless enquiry, which concerns not us to know; his understanding is infinite, and shall silly Man think to compre­hend and measure it by his finite [Page 81]knowledg? The Psalmist modest­ly acknowledgeth that such know­ledg is too wonderful for him, it is high (says he) I cannot attain unto it, Psal. 139.6. And elsewhere he tells us, it is only bold Atheists who ask, How doth God know, and is there knowledg in the most high?

I confess the Schoolmen (as they are called) weary themselves with such vain Disputes, and they are as peremptory in determining the manner of Gods knowledg of fu­ture things, as if they had proved their assertions with Mathemati­cal demonstrations. Some of them tell us, that things future are real­ly present with God in Eternity; which methinks is a very noble Paradox. Others run to the Divine decree, and make it the Basis of the Divine knowledg. Others tell us hat God in contemplating his own essence sees all the representa­tions and Ideas of future things; [Page 82]& therefore knows them certain­ly. We might add many other con­jectures, but these may let us know how vainly curious such wits are: but that which may satisfie any so­ber enquirer is this, that God is Infinite in knowledg, and there­fore knows certainly the Period of every Mans Life, it being truly su­ture.

The Second thing I premised was to prove that God knows the Period of Humane Life by exam­ples from Scripture. Now I think this will need but little proof, since the predictions concerning the Pe­riod of persons are so many and plain; so many Hundred years foretold, & so punctually fulfilled without a failure in a tittle. The death of Eli's Two Sons, Hophui and Phineas was foretold, 1 Sam. 2. 24. And punctually fulfilled, as we may read, Chap. 4 11. both the manner & place of Jezebels death was foretold, & the Dogs shall eat [Page 83]Jezebel in the Portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her, 2 King 9.10. Which predicti­on was fulfilled without a failure in any circumstances, as we read in the close of that Chapter. But the most remarkable instances are those manifold predictions con­cerning the death of Holy Jesus: All the prophets (as the Apostle observeth Act. 3.) have foretold that Christ should suffer; they have condescended upon the manner of his suffering, upon the time, and upon the circumstances relat­ing to it. The Psalmist in a figu­rative Speech, (a very usual way of expressing things amongst the Prophets) speaks of his being pierced: so doth the Prophet Ze­chariah, and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, Zech. 12.10. Daniel did punctually speak of the time. And after Threescore and Two Weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself, Dan. 9. 16.

But farther, God doth not only know the actual, but also the possi­ble bounds of every Mans Life; that is, God doth know that a Pe­riod should have been put to the days of many Men, if they had not by their hearty repentance and Devout Prayers prevented its lash. It was King Hezekia's Prayer to God that extended his Life Fifteen years, for the message which God did send to Heze­kiah was this; Set thine House in order, for thou shalt dye and not live. But he having prayed to God gets this return; I have heard thy Prayer, I have seen thy tears, be­hold I will add unto thy days fifteen years, Isa. 38. 5. From which it is plain, that God knew that a Period should have been then put to his days, if his Prayer had not prevented it. It was the peo­ple of Ninevehs repentance that prevented the threatned judg­ment that should have put a Pe­riod [Page 85]to their lives. Which Method if the old World had observed, they had prevented that Fatal Flood in which they were drown­ed.

Thirdly, That it is onely the prerogative of God Almighty to know the Period of every Mans Life, will be easily granted. For those who deny Gods universal cognizance, will never attribute it to any creature: and those who do acknowledg, the infinity of the Divine knowledg, will never say it belongs to the creature. The only things that we are to consider are these pretensions to a fore­knowledg of things which the Heathen world bragged of, but this Plea is easily removed. For 1. in those dark ages of the World it was an easie thing to impose up­on the faith of the vulgar, who in all ages have been very credulous and apt to be thus deceived. Se­condly, It is well known that there [Page 86]pretended predictions were very enigmatical and dubious. Aio te Aeacida Romanos vincère posse, was a Problem, rather than a Pro­phecy, which might have conclud­ed both ways. Thirdly, The most part of their pretended predicti­ons were only guesses and con­jectures, which for the most part were false and groundless; yet Fourthly, I do not deny but God may for ends known to himself re­veal the Period of particular per­sons, when, and to whom he thinks fit. It is therefore singly the pro­perty of God Almighty who grasps all times, and who can ne­ver be impeached for giving a wrong divination, to know the Period of every Mans Life.

In the last place I come to con­sider those Material doubts and objections this principle may be urged with. As 1. It is hardly credible that God doth certainly know the Period of Humane Life, [Page 87]it being only contingently future: this objection Cicero could not answer, therefote being perswa­ded that some things were con­tingently future, he thought God could not know such things. But the difficulty is not so great as to make us deny God hath perfect knowledg of things contingently future. For 1. The light of na­ture may teach us that we must not reject what is plain, because we cannot comprehend what is obscure. That there is in man a rational Soul is beyond doubt; and yet how irreconcilable are the opinions of learned men about its original, whether it be by seminal production, or by immediate crea­tion. Again the union of Soul and Body is a very mysterious riddle; and the most ingenious hypothe­sis has been confessed to be unsatis­factory; and yet no man was ever so far infatuated as to deny that in man there is a Soul and [Page 88]Body. In like manner, what altho Humane Reason cannot reconcile the Divine knowledg with the contingency of actions? yet may it not rest satisfi'd with this, that God knows all contingencies, because his understanding is infinite. And indeed the predictions in Scripture are so remarkable and plain, evi­dences that God knows all things, that now it cannot be reasonably questioned. But suppose Revela­tion had taught us nothing of this, yet we might by natural princi­ples know that God is the most perfect being that can be imagi­ned, and therefore of Infinite com­prehension; that he is out Maker, and therefore must know all the intrigues of his creatures.

But Secondly, the Divine fore­knowledge is not the cause of things (for otherwise criminal acti­ons which do not escape his eye, should be caused by him who can not tempt any man to sin) which [Page 89]is impossible: if God should reveal to me that Titius were cer­tainly to do such a thing the next day, my foreknowledg does nor necessitate Titius to do that act: so that upon the one hand as the foreknowledg of it hath no influ­ence upon the manner of its pro­duction, nor crosseth the Humane liberty; for the Divine foreknow­ledg is not the cause why things exist, but it supposeth the existence of things: so upon the other hand the contingency of the Period of Humane Life does not infer, that it cannot be certainly known by an infinite understanding who grasps all things and seasons.

But the great difficulty is, how the Divine foreknowledg can be reconciled with the Divine pro­mises, commands, comminations and prohibitions: how it can consist with the Divine wisdom and Goodness, to threaten men with shortness of life if they con­tinue [Page 90]wicked and aebellious; and to promise length of days if man will obey his commandments, while-as he well knows that the wicked man will continue in his wickedness, and be filthy still, and that the vertuous and good man will persevere in well doing.

I confess, this is a very great difficulty, and hath induced ma­ny learned men to doubt if God knows things contingently future, not that they would impeach any of the Divine perfections, or dero­gate from the infinity of his know­ledg; but only they think that the nature of things contingently future, is such that they cannot be known; as it is no diminution from Omnipotency, to say things impos­sible, or which imply a contradi­ction, fall not under its object.

But yet since Scripture hath so clearly revealed to us the Divine foreknowledg of future actions, methinks he is very rash and in­considerate [Page 91]considerate that doubts it: it is a remarkable sentence of Tertul­lian's Praescientia Dei tantos ha­bet testes, quantos fecit prophe­tas. Hence the learned Episcopius tells us, that his Religion and the reverence he had to the Divine Majesty would never suffer him to admit this argument, which re­flected so much upon the truth of Divine Predictions.

But I answer more particularly, that Gods promises and threat­nings are serious, because although God knows that some men who are threatned will continue in their wickedness, yet it being in their power to turn from their Sins, and the Divine threatning being an ar­gument which should prevail upon men; no man can doubt but God is serious with sinners in such ca­ses. If a parent did certainly know that his Son were to commit a criminal act, would any man think that that Parents threatning of [Page 92]his Son, if he did commit that act, were void of sincerity. But 2. As God knows that some wicked men, notwithstanding of the seve­red threatning, will continue in their sins: yet 1. He knows that even such obdurate persons may do o­therewise, and 2. He knows that ma­ny men would have continued in their sins, if they had not been threatned with punishments. We have no reason to think that the people of Ninevie would have turned unto God if they had never been threatned. Now though God knew that Ninevie when threat­ned would repent, yet since he also knew that if they had not been threatned they should have conti­nued in their wickedness; therefore no man can question the serious­ness of the Divine threatnings.

And thus I have dispatched the first particular, how the Period of every Mans Life may be said to be determined. I come in the next [Page 92]place to enquire in what sense it is not determined. Now because I have already rejected the Stoical fate, all that I shall speak concerning this head may be comprehended in these following particulars: viz.

The Period of every Mans Life is not fatally limited and bounded by any absolute or inconditionate decree of God Almighty. Now be­cause many learned men violently urge, that God hath from the out­goings of Eternity absolutly de­creed the bounds of every Mans Life, without any consideration of those circumstances in which they are to be placed; so that men, do what they please, can neither ex­tend nor shorten the lease of their life: I shall therefore endeavor to make this assertion plain, and re­move those objections that it may seem lyable to; and the rather, be­cause in such kind of assertions as are besides the common opinion, men will be ready to suspect some sinistrious deisgn.

That the Period of every Mans Life is not Fatally determined by any secret inconditional decree, will appear from the arguments we shall make use of in proving the inability of the Period of eve­ry Mans Life. Now I shall only consider those absurdities and in­conveniencies that follow upon the admission of the contrary opi­nion. As first, if the Period of Humane Life were Fatally deter­mined, then those wretched mis­creants who with their own hands put a Period to their Lives, may easily excuse themselves before their Judg: for since it is suppo­sed that they are physically pre­determined to do so, how can it be imagined that they could do o­therwise? is there any resisting of the Divine decree? alas, it was not in their power to help it, and how then can they be condemned for it? It is a known Maxim, Nemo peccat in eo quod vitare non potest: [Page 95]The necessity they are placed in, seems to excuse their sin, but if not­withstanding we shall suppose that such brutish actions are really criminal, we run our selves upon another absurdity, and that is we reflect upon the Divine holiness and goodness; for if God has truly determined those brutish actions by a previous, secret, and unalterable decree, if he hath be­fore irrevocably determined, and so intangled in such a train of cau­ses as should necessarily make them offer violence to themselves; how can we vindicate the Divine Sanctity from the blot of being the Author of sin? Alas, dayly experi­ence shews us, how apt Men are to make use of this argument for their own vindication, when they do what is criminal; they tell us they were fatally determin'd by an external power in acting them. And with this consideration they solace themselves, as if they were as innocent as Fools or Mad-Men Be

But let no Man deceive himself in arguing so foolishly, the Apostle St. James, very forcibly rejects this opinion. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempt­ed of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempt­eth he any man. But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed, Jam. 2.13, 14. The wise Man in his sense, after the certainty of things, concludes his Seventh Chapter of the Book of Ecclesiastes thus, Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright: But they have sought out many inventions. Pray then let us reject every opini­on that teacheth God does necessi­tate Men to sin, for nothing can be more injurious to God than this. To think to palliat the business by saying God is under no Law, is but a lawless and unrea­sonable pretext; for the everlast­ing rectitude of his spotless nature, [Page 97]is more than any external Law: and pray, what can truth and Justice do, but what is holy and Just? The distinction between the act and the pravity of the act, the former of which God determins Man to; but not to the latter, is as vain and fri­volous. For the pravity of every wicked act is inseparable from it. And farther, the Divine com­mands particularly prohibit the act, and I think upon no other ground, but because the formality of Sin consists in the act it self. It is indeed strange to consider those Platonick and imaginary notions some Men run to: But I think it needless to take a particular view of such Dreams.

But as this opinion sadly reflects upon the holiness of God, so it is highly inconsistent with the liber­ty of Mans Will in the choice of the means. That there is a free prin­ciple in Man, is so plain, that he who denies this, must engage himself a­gainst [Page 98]Experience and Reason. There is no Man who does wicked­ly, but he perceives he may do o­therwise: the sick man is not con­strained to neglect the means for his recovery; neither is the Physi­tian forced to prescribe this and no other remedy: Men act not as Ma­chines, but they have a Free Prin­ciple, whereby they may chuse what they think is best and most convenient: It's true, the Will, since Adam's Fall, is corrupted, and most­ly enclined to that which is evil; but yet the Fall did not destroy Man's Freedom, it made no Physi­cal change, only the Faculties of the Soul are morally vitiated and corrupted.

But if the Willwere Physically (as they speak) determined ad unum, it were unreasonable to think that the Sick person, who neglects the means, could do otherwise. And alas! doth nor Experience convince us, that Men of this perswasion neg­lect [Page 99]the use of lawful means which God hath appointed, only because they Dream that if God has de­creed that they shall dye, then it is needless to use the means; and if God has determined that they shall live, whether they use or neglect the means, they shall live.

But you'l say, God doth not on­ly Decree the End, but also the Means. I answer, this Plea doth not a whit diminish or remove the dif­ficulty, since they suppose that the Means are as absolutely decreed as the End: which quite destroys the liberty of Mans Will, and leaveth no place for any choice.

Thirdly, This opinion leaves no place for praise to the Learned Phy­sitian, nor for dispraise to the un­skilful Empyrick. First, The skilful Physitian can claim no praise; for although it be grant'd that he hath wisely considered the condition of the Sick, and the nature of the Dis­case; though he hath prescribed apt [Page 100]Remedies, and in all things beha­ved well, yet since he did no other thing but what he was determined to do by an external force, who can think he merits any praise, If he could have done otherwise but would not, then he might in rea­son claim it; but the case accord­ing to the present Hypothesis is quite opposite. But, Secondly; nei­ther can we in reason blame the unskilful Quack-Doctor, who nei­ther knows the nature of the Dis­ease, nor of those Medicines he pre­scribeth. Alas! poor man does no more than what he was forced to do, and he could not do otherwise; why then should he be blamed for any failure or mistake he commits.

Fourthly, The natural and ge­nuine Consequence of this Do­ctrine, is, to make men like Fools or Mad-men, expose themselves to any danger: For instance, What need we be afraid to run upon any Precipice, if God hath determined [Page 101]the Period of every man's life, there is no fear to encounter with any seeming danger; men may safely enough leap into the fire, or cast themselves into the deep, for there is no fear that they shall be hurt or perish, unless the Almighty hath determined it; and if this be, they may perswade themselves they could not do otherwise, for the Decree is unalterable and cannot be repealed.

Nor is this true only in Theory & Speculation, but it may appear to have such bad effects, by the sad experience of poor deluded Crea­tures. Alas! do we not hear the Vul­gar frequently comfort any who are in trouble with this considera­tion, that God hath decreed it should be so, if these persons did on­ly mean that God exerciseth a spe­cial Providence in the world, and ruleth among the Children of men, no body had ever blamed them: but this is not their meaning, for [Page 102]they plainly declare by such kind of speech, that all things come to pass fatally. I have heard some wretched Sinners, who had com­mitted great and scandalous sins, excuse themselves, by saying, they were decreed to do so, and God's will must be accomplished.

It were very easie to multiply many Absurdities which flow from this Doctrine by a natural Conse­quence; but these few I have na­med may abundantly satisfie every considering man, and shew him how pernicious and dangerous it is; but before I conclude, I shall consider the four Arguments I men­tioned before, which I said, seemed to strengthen and confirm this Opi­nion, as

First, There are many places of Scripture which seem to conclude, That the Period of every Man's Life is determined. I shall mention some of the most remarkable Texts of Scripture brought to defend this, [Page 103]first, Psal. 31.15. My times are in thy hand, deliver me from the hand of mine Enemies. From hence some draw this unexpected Conclusion, That God hath absolutely decreed the Period of every Man's Life. Now I think no considering man should ever have guessed this to be the Psalmist's meaning; for the Text only holds our the Divine care and Providence, whereby he does su­perintend and continue every indi­vidual thing in the world in their Beings, and therefore is it that Da­vid makes his application to God, that he would deliver him from the hand of his Enemy; which me­thinks had been a needless Petition, if he had imagined that God had absolutely determined the period of his Life. Secondly, Psal. 39.5. Lord, make me to know mine end, & the measure of my days what it is, that I may know how frail I am. This place is strangely brought to confirm the former Opinion: For the [Page 104]Psalmist doth not desire the know­ledge of the Period of his life; he does not ask when he shall die, only he begs the Divine aid and assi­stance, that he may wisely improve the short time he hath to live. I cannot stand to consider such Texts of Scripture as these, which are no ways acquainted with the Doctrin they are brought to defend. There is only one Text that seems to fa­vor this Opinion, viz. Job 14.5. Seeing his days are determined, the number of his Months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bonds that he cannot pass. But I have considered this all along in this Dis­course. I confess, some in return to this say, that all Job's words are not approved of God, therefore it is hard to conclude any thing from them; but this is a very insufficient answer. That which satisfieth me is this, that Job here only says that our days are determined, but he speaks nothing how they are de­termined; [Page 105]now in what sense the Period of every Man's life may be said to be determined, I have alrea­dy considered.

Secondly, There are many Exam­ples in Scripture, which shew that the Period of every Man's Life is bounded and limited by an absolute Decree. The most remarkable is, that Act. 4.28. Both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles & the people of Israel were gather'd together for to do whatsoever thy hand & thy counsel determined be­fore to be done: The Scribes & Phari­sees frequently stirr'd up the multi­tude to lay hands upon Christ, but their endeavours were always to no purpose; and the account the Scripture gives for this, is, because his hout was not come. In return to this, I shall desire it may be considered, that when we say the Period of every Man's Life may be extended or shortned, the meaning is not, that it is impossible that it [Page 106]can be otherwise: we never doubt­ed but the great Governor of the World may make what reserved Cases he pleases from the ordinary course of things; and no wonder though the present Case, which is upon all accounts so extraordinary, be exempt from the general Rule; and for such exempt Cases, to which there ought to be allowance made, no reasonable man can think they do any prejudce to the thing I have been proving.

Thirdly, It is a common opi­nion, that the futurition of things depend only upon the Divine will; antecedently to which things are only possible. In answer to which, I easily grant, that there is no­thing that comes to pass con­trary to the Divine will; the most criminal actions are or­dered by his Infinite Wisdom; and permitted to be. But yet we have no ground to think that he decrees every future action. [Page 107]Else it were hard to vindicate the holiness of God; upon which con­sideration many Learned Men have been induced to deny Gods imme­diate concurring with the Crea­ture in all its operations; and yet we need not run our selves upon this Rock; for we may safely e­nough maintain that the Divine will is immediately efficatious; for God who created man with a free­dom of will, designed that he should act without constraint, and the reason why man acts freely, is because God wills men to act so; which plainly discovers, that the most contingent actions depend immediatly upon the Divine will.

Fourthly, We can never give a rational nor satisfying account how the Divine knowledge concerning the Period of Humane Life is infalli­ble & certain, if it be not founded upon the sure Basis of an absolute de­cree. This object I have partly re­moved already, while I shewed that [Page 108]God knows whatsoever is true, be­cause his cognisance is Infinite; wherefore it is unreasonable to think that God could not have a perfect comprehension of things, if he had not decreed them abso­lutely. Now to make this yet more plain, I shall prove by instances from Scripture, that God hath a certain knowledg of those things which he never decreed : as abso­lutely future. And First, It is a very remarkable instance which we have, 1 Sam. 23.11, 12. where David hearing that Saul was to come to Keilah, he earnestly be­seecheth God to tell him, if the men of Keilah will deliver him and his men into the hand of Saul; and if Saul will come down. To both which he gets this answer, That Saul will come down; and that the Keilites will deliver him up. And yet the Event shews that none of those came to pass, because the ful­filling of both did depend upon [Page 109] Davids staying in Keilah. And yet God certainly knew, that if David had not depart'd from Keilah, they should have delivered him into the hands of Saul. And farther it is very evident, that David was not inqui­ring what were the present propen­sions, and inclinations of the Kei­lites; but what should be the event of his staying, and accordingly he receives an answer from God. Ano­ther Instance we have 2 Kings 13.19. where Elisha the Prophet is ve­ry wroth with Joash King of Israel, because he did not smite upon the ground five or six times; and the reason the Prophet adds, is for then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it. Which makes it as evident as any thing can be, that God foreknew that Joash should have smiten Syria till he had con­summed it, if he had smitten upon the ground five or six times. It were no difficult task to prove this by a multtude of instances from [Page 110]Scripture, but I think I need add no mere for the satisfaction of con­sidering Man; and for others, a Mil­lion of demonstrations will be ur­ged to no purpose. And thus I have done with the Second thing I pro­posed, that God hath not by any absolute or inconditionate Decree fatally determined the Period of every Mans Life.

I proceed to the Third thing pro­posed, namely, whether the Period of every Mans Life be mutable. And before I prove it to be so, I must premise two cautions. First, when we say the Period of every Mans Life is mutable, we mean no more but that it may be shortned by our intemperance, or neglect of the means; and be extended by our good managery and religious man­ner of living. Secondly, When I say the Period of every Mans Life is moveable, the meaning is not that it is necessarily so, and that it can­not be otherwise; for this would [Page 111]not be consistent with our depen­dent condition; therefore there is allowance to be made to extraordi­nary cases. The acts of Divine pro­vidence in the government of Hu­mane affairs, are sometimes extra­ordinary, and therefore it must be left to his Infinite Wisdom and Goodness, to make what reserved cases he thinks fit from the general rule. Yet for ordinary, the Period of Humane Life is mutable; and God doth not exclude the power of se­cond causes in governing the World.

These things being premised, I doubt not but to offer such argue ments for the proof of the mutabi­lity of the Period of every Mans Life, as shall be sufficient for the conviction of any man who is not blinded by prejudice, or prepossess'd with some contrary notion. And

First, Upon the observance of the Divine laws, there are many promises in Scripture assuring us of [Page 112]length of days; and on the other side, there are many threatnings of cutting short the days of the wick­ed. Thus God promises length of days to obedient Children. Ex. 20.12. Honor thy Father & Mother, that thy days may be long upon the land, which the Lord thy god giveth thee. Deut 4 40. Thou shalt keep therefore his Statutes and his Com­mandments which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, & with thy Children after thee, & that thou may'st prolong thy days upon the earth, which the Lord thy god giveth thee: & particularly the Lord tells Solomon, 1 King. 3.4. If thou wilt walk in my ways to keep my statutes & my Commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days. The Psalmist encourageth men to consider the case of the poor upon this Motive. Psal. 42.1, 2. Blessed is he that consi­dereth the Poor, the Lord will pre­serve him & keep him alive, &c. And [Page 113]upon this account the Wise-Man al­so perswadeth men to observe and keep Gods laws. Prov. 3.1, 2. My Son forget not my law, but let thine heart keep my Commandments: for length of days, and long life, and peace shall they add to thee.

How much the observance of the duties of Religion conduce to our health, is a thing daily experience attests; and therefore the Apostle very excellently exhorts Timothy, to exercise himself unto Godliness, for it is profitable unto all things, ha­ving promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come, 1 Tim. 4.8. Religon is as a bridle to keep men within due bounds in their eating and drinking; it forbids all manner of excess which impares our bodily health, and obliges men to make use of lawful means for their preservation and recovery. If we consult experience, we shall find these to be the men who for ordinary enjoy the longest lives: it [Page 114]is true some good men may be na­turally of a brittle constitution, and others God may remove for secret ends known to himself; yet for or­dinary, the Godly man, whose natu­ral temper is strong, hath the ad­vantage of the wicked man; and certainly Religion in its due ten­dency prescribes the best rules for long life.

As Righteousness tendeth to life, so he that pursueth evil (as the Wise-Man tells us) pursueth it to his own death, Prov. 11.19. We have a large Catalogue of the Punish­ments inflicted for sin, Exod. 26. Where more particularly v. 16. the Lord threatens to appoint over those who obey not his Laws, terror, consumption, and the burning ague: & that Men may not foolishly think all these are but threatnings which God intends not to inflict upon poor Man, the Prophet Isaiah tells us, if ye refuse & rebel, ye shall be de­voured with the Sword, for the [Page 115]Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it, Isa. 1.20. And the wise-man con­cludes it as certain, Prov. 10.27. The years of the wicked shall be short­ned: & to conclude, the Psalmist also tells us, bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days. Psal. 55.23. which the Poet very well expresseth.

And the truth of this may be e­vident likewise from common Ex­perience, by which it will appear, that no men are so obnoxious to Diseases as the wicked, who spend their time in chambering and wan­tonness, in riot and excess. Who hath woe? Who hath sorrow? who hath wounds without cause? they that tarry long at the wine, Prov. 23.29, 30. What the Wise-man says of one kind of Vice, may be said of all, They lead down to the Chambers of [Page 16]death, Prov. 7.27. But these things are so obvious, that I need not to enlarge upon them. I shall con­clued this Argument with this consideration, that since God Al­mighty promises to extend and lengthen out, or prolong their life, who walk piously and observe his Statutes, and theratens to shorten the days of the wicked, who re­fuse to obey his Laws, it cannot be rationally imagined that the Period of every Man's Life is abso­lutely determined.

Another Argument to confirm our Assertion, may be taken from the pious & devout prayers of the righteous, and their turning from their sins by an hearty repentance, both which conduce to the length­ening out of their days. I put Re­pentance and Prayer together, be­cause of their near affinity to one another. Now that both these may be the Moral Cause of extend­ing our Lives, may appear to be [Page 117]true from common Experience, be­sides the many Assertions and Pro­mises in Scripture to this purpose. First, The truth of this may be e­vident from Experience, by which it will appear, that if Men had hearkned to Noah's Doctrin, if they had repented of their wickedness within the space allowed to them, they had not perished in the De­luge of Water. Of repenting Nine­veh we read, That God saw their work, that they turned from their evil may, & God repented of the evil he had said that he would do unto them, and he did it not, Jonah 3.10. It was Hezekiah's Prayers and Tears that prolonged his life. Go (saith the Lord to his Prophet Isai­ah) and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy Fa­ther, I have seen thy tears, behold I will add unto thy days fifteen years, Isa. 3.8.5. And if prayer were of no force, to what purpose were men so earnest in their sickness, to [Page 118]beg the prayers of others on their behalf. I confess if the Period of eve­ry Mans Life were fatally determi­ned, our Prayers should be very needless. For can we be so sensless as to imagin, that our Prayers can move God to change his unalterable Statutes and Decrees.

But besides common experience, the truth of this is likewise attest­ed by plain evidences from Scrip­ture. At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, & concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, & to pull down, and to destroy it; If that Nation a­gainst whom I have pronounce, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. And at what instant I shall speak concerning a kingdom to plant it; If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then will I repent of the good wherewith I said I would benefit them Jer. 11.7, 8, 9, 10 Me­thinks this is so plain an evidnce of the efficacy of repentance, that [Page 119]no reasonable man can have any doubt concerning it. But alas! if God had from the outgoings of Eternity fatally determined the destruction of Nations and Kingdoms by an ab­solute and inconditionate decree, Repentance could never alter the determination.

It is the Apostles advice, Jam. 5.14. Is any sick among you? let him call for the Elders of the Church, and let them pray over him. I know there are other means to be made use of in order to the procuring of health than repentance and prayer, and of these we shall speak anon: but yet this I think may be truly said, that sometimes, when all other reme­dies have been either ineffectual or not to be had, repentance and pray­er have done the business, and com­pleated the cure. And surely these are duties profitable at all times.

I know the Church of Rome tell us many extravagant Stories of the [Page 120]wonders and miracles that have been performed by the prayers of Holy Men: those I shall not now mention, only I shall say, that al­though it is not credible that the Prayers of Saints upon the Earth, do either mitigate and alleviate the pains of those that are in Hell; or free them from that miserable state, (as some men have confident­ly enough reported:) yet it is suffi­ciently credible that the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous a­vaileth much, Jam. 5.16.

A Third Argument to prove that our lives may be extended or short­ned, may be taken from the use of medicaments. Common reason will teach Men, that it is needless to prescribe any Medicine to those that are dead; and truly the case would be much alike, if the Period of every Mans Life were determi­ned by an inconditionate Decree. For although men might then make use of medicaments, yet I [Page 121]think I may truly say that their o­peration should be very ineffectual. But that men may to good purpose employ the Physitian when they are sick, and expect by the blessing of God, benifit by the use of Medi­caments applied by the art of Phy­sick, no reasonable man can doubt.

That the lives of many have been lengthned and prolonged by the excellent remedies, applied by the expert and skilful Physitian, is a truth so obvious to common experience, that I need hot enlarge upon it. And on the other side, how many have died before their time, only by their imploying ig­norant Physitians! It is a famous instance that we have recorded of one Manes, the Father of the Ma­nichees, who having returned into Persia at that time when the Kings Son lay sick of a dangerous disease, he amongst many other Physitians was present: all the others plain­ly declared that the disease was [Page 122]dangerous; but Manes, who wa [...] only a pretended Physitian, co [...] ­fidently desired that they might be all removed, and he would take care of the Kings Son, and withal promised to restore him to health in a short space; but the event was quite contrary, for within a shore time the Kings Son died; which did so provoke the King of Persia, that he instantly caused Manes to be put to a miserable Death. What mischief has been done by unskil­ful Physitians, to many sad ex­amples do daily attest; but yet if the Period of every Mans Life were determin'd by an absolute and in­conditionate decree, no man could blame the ignorant Physitian, nor needs any person be troubled if they neglect the means; for God had determined they should do so, which indeed makes Marthas speech to our Lord Christ to be ri­diculous, if thou hadst been here my Brother had not died.

That Naaman the Syrian should wash himself in the River of Jor­dan seven times, and then be clean of his Leprosie, was indeed mira­culous: But yet it is plain, that if he had not done so, his Leprosie had remained.

Whether that custom in the pri­mitive Christian Church of anoint­ing the sick with Oyl was miracu­lous, or not, I shall not dispute; but this is certain, that it was then a means used for the recovery of the Sick.

There is one objection which some men very impertinently urge against what I have been speaking, and that is, Asa his going to the Physitians, which the Scripture seems to disallow. To this I answer, that King Asa is not therefore re­prehended, because he asked advice of the Physitians, but because he trusted only in them, and sought not the Lord: as it is very plain from 2 Chron. 16.12. And sure no reasona­ble [Page 124]men will have any doubu but this was a very culpable neglect in Asa.

Fourthly, Nothing is more evi­dent than that there are several things which have a Physical effi­cacy in the shortning of Mens lives; as all kinds of excess, namely im­moderate eating and drinking; all inordinate passions of mind &c. as also the bad and unwholesome constitution of a Kingdom. And on the other side, there are many things which effectually conduce to the lengthning of our days; namely all kind of moderation and temperance; the wholsomness of the region wherein we live, and our good managery. What kind of persons are those who for ordinary live longest? are they not those who carefully moderate their sen­sual appetites, and who govern their passions, and who live in the wholesomest places? We common­ly say that Men who live in a Po­polus [Page 125]City are shorter lived than those who live in the Country. I have already shewed how some vi­ces in their proper tendency shor­ten Mens Lives, and that in some Nations and Kingdoms men live much longer than in others: all which methinks plainly tells us the Period of every Mans Life is not Fa­tal but Mutable, according as men are careful or negligent of them­selves.

I shall onlyladd another conside­rable argument, and so draw this discourse to a conclusion. And that is, don't we evidently perceive that many men had lived longer if they had not wretchedly and unreasona­bly exposed themselves to danger; and is it not evident that many Millions who have died in battle would have had their days prolong­ed if they had never descended into battle? That God hath from the outgoings of Eternity by an abso­lute and inconditionate degree de­termined [Page 126]both the time and man­ner of every mans death, this is more than we can learn from Re­velation; and methinks it is very inconsistent and irreconcilable with those many plain texts that shew it is lawful in time of eminent dan­ger to flee for our safety, in time of Famine, and when any egregious contagion, such as the Pestilence, spreadeth in any place. How many Hundreds prolonged their lives by their flight from battel? If David and his Men had remained in Keilah it is certain they should have been delivered up into the hands of Saul; and what the Event should have been we may easily conjecture, if God by a special providence had not interposed for their safety. But besides the many instances we might produce, we have a positive precept to flee from any eminent danger, Mat. 10.23. When they persecute you in this City, flee into another. Which plainly shews that [Page 127]this is a lawful means of prolong­ing our lives in such cases. It is a notable instance we have, Jer. 27.18. Thus saith the Lord, behold I set before you the way of life, and the way of death: he that abideth in this City shall dye by the Sword, and by the Famine, and by the Pesti­lence: but he that goeth out and falleth to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey. Which place plainly shews, that God had not decreed the Period of their Lives by any inconditionate decree; for the means both of prolonging and of cutting short their Lives, are put in their choice. And this is all that I shall say to the Third thing I pro­posed to speak, concerning the mu­tability of the Period of every Mans Life for ordinary.

All that now remains is to con­clude with some practical reflecti­ons upon what hath been said. And first, whatever debates there [Page 128]may be concerning the Period of every Mans Life, yet there is no doubt but Mans Life hath a Period. It is appointed for all men once to dye, and from this warfare there is no discharge. Pray what is be­come of all those who lived in for­mer ages? have they not gone the way of all living? and shall we think to shun the approach of this last Enemy? may not the multiplied experiences we have of other Mens frailty and mortality, convince us that we are brittle, and must return to the dust? we are of the like con­stitution that they were of, and we cannot expect to be otherwise dealt with. What man is he that liveth & shall not see death? and yet many men live as unconcerned as if they had the perpetuity of their beings ensured to them, and had concluded an agreement with Death, and had secret intelligence with the Grave.

It is truly a business worthy to be regrated that men who are liv­ing, [Page 129]as it were in the House of mourning, daily visited with pains and diseases, and have no promise, at least, for one moments security, yet live unconcerned, and never mind those pleasures. It was in­deed a praise worthy and commen­dable custom amongst the Jews, to build their Sepulchers in their Gar­dens (as we may guess from Joh. 19.14.) that so in the midst of their pleasures, they might behold Mo­numents of their mortality.

Truly if we did frequently me­ditate upon our latter end, we should live more like Christians than we now do. The end hath a very great influence upon mens endeavors; hence is that general Maxim, Finis ultimus praescribat regulas totius vitae. And it seems that the Psalmist upon this account prays, Lord make me know mine end, and the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am. It is not to be doubted [Page 130]but we should order our conver­sation aright, If we had this con­sideration in our view. We should have but low and contemptible thoughts of the perishing pleasures which we now so much delight in. Then we should be argued out of our folly in spending our years as a tale that is told.

It is threatned a fad Plague to the oppressor, that the number of his years art hidden from him, Job. 15.20. He is a person that never considers that his appoint­ed time approacheth, and that God will bring him into the Grave, the place appointed for all living: and it is laid down as the cause why Jerusalem came down won­derfully, that she remembred not her last end, Lam. 1.9. And truly it may be also reckoned as the cause why Christians live so con­trary to the commendable rules of the Gospel they profess. If we did but entertain some what more [Page 131]familiar thoughts of our appointed time, we could not but rectify those abuses we are guilty of. But alas! all the passages of our time are filled up with cares about things that perish: we can walk to the Grave with our friends, whom we once loved as intirely as out own lives, and reap as little advan­tage by their death as if we had ne­ver been acquainted with them, ne­ver remembring, that we must go to them, but they cannot return to us.

But Secondly, although the Pe­riod of every Mans Life is fixed in respect of the Divine foreknow­ledg, yet to us it is uncertain; we know not when this Enemy may surprise us. Of this we may say what our Lord Christ saith of the day of judgment, but of that day and hour we know not. When we least suspect its approach, it may call us to go hence and be no more. How many millions of strange and unexpected accidents attend us? [Page 132] the Pestilence walketh in dark­ness, and Destruction wasteth at noon-day, astonishing dispensations may allarm us by night, and the devouring Arrow fleeth by day, Psal. 91.5, 6. When we go a­broad, we cannot promise to our selves a safe return, and at home when we put off our cloths, we cannot tell if we shall ever put them on again: the Grave is al­ways ready for us. What strange kind of unknown diseases doth our age produce, from which we cannot promise to our selves any exemption? We live amongst cru­el and mad Men, and do we know but those Beasts of prey may de­vour us? When we look for peace, destruction may come. This was the Rich Mans Fate, who while he was promising himself rest for many days, that same night his Soul was required of him. We are always apt to put the thoughts of this day far from us; when [Page 133]we enjoy health we never think of any change, and that sickness may seize upon us and put a Period to our lives. We live indeed at a great deal of uncertainty; man also knoweth not his time, as the Fishes that are taken in an evil Net, and as the Birds that are caught in the snare: so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth sudden­ly upon them, Eccl. 9.12. We look up­on Death as the unfaithful Servant did upon his Masters coming, we think Death doth delay its coming; but if we were not fools we should always realize the quickness of its approach. May be we are young and strong, how many such have been called away in the morning of their age? Goo too now (saith the Apostle James) ye that say to day or to mor­row we will go into such a City and continue there a year & buy and sell and get gain; whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow, Jam. 4.13, 14. Alas [Page 134]our days at best are but labor and sorrow, for they are soon cut off, and we flee away. When a few years are gone, Wee must go the way of all flesh: and yet upon the happy improvement of this depends our everlasting hapiness or misery; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge nor wis­dom, in the Grave whither we are going, Eccl. 9 10.