be put off that immortality may be put on Those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the first Age had this story told of them all they lived so many years and then they dyed Gen. 5. What Man is he that liveth and shall not see death The Prince and the Peasant are elemented of the same earth as Adam was like Nebuchadnezar's Image though we may have Heads of Gold yet we all stand but Lute is pedibus on feet of clay We are but like the Ark of God In medio pellium in the midst of skins living within Paper-walls walls of flesh we dwell in Houses of Clay whose foundation is in the dust and dirt which are crushed before the Moth. Job 4.19 I need say no more for confirmation of the first Proposition Let us see in the next place what use is to be made of it if we must all die and depart hence this being not our rest not our home but our way home Let us make provision in our life time for that time of dying which will most certainly come upon us though it be most uncertain when Let us think every day of dying for indeed we die daily as soon as we are born we begin to die Let us make death familiar by expectation of it by daily apprehension of it Let us at all instants go out to meet it and think our selves always upon our Death-bed He deserves not saith Jerom the name of a Christian who will live in that state of life in which he would not die Indeed it is a very great adventure to be in an evil state of life because we know that every minute of it hath a danger and we know withall that after death there is something else to be looked after which brings me to the next particular That all Men after Death must come to Judgment This is a Proposition carrying in it a very great truth which Pagans Turks and Infidels I mean the most sober and best moraliz'd amongst them have not been ignorant of How Heathens came by this knowledg whether by the light of nature or by some Revelation unknown to us or happily by some light derived from our Scriptures I am not able to say nor curious to enquire for my way hath ever been to sit down contented with my own ignorance in things which are in the dark and wherein I may spend much time in the disquisition and find but little satisfaction at last In secret things which belong to God Ignorance shall be the Mother of my Devotion That God shal judg the World is a clear truth Rom. 3.6 That he shall judg the Jews who sinned in the Law by the Law the Gentiles who sinned without Law without Law and Christians who have sinned against the clear light of the Gospel by the Gospel is a very great truth also Rom. 2.12 13 14 15 16. When this final Judgment shall be I will not determine Let curious heads meddle with these curiosities I dare not I will not so much as desire to know what God was not willing to reveal There is a day God hath appointed in the which he will judg the World in Righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained Act. 17.31 even Jesus Christ before whose Tribunal we must all appear and receive according to what we have done in our Bodies be it good or evil 2 Cor. 5 10. God is pleased in wisdom to conceal that day that we may carefully observe every day By way of Application I add but this Knowing therefore this terror of the Lord 2 Cor. 5.11 Consider I pray you and lay it to heart What manner of Persons ye ought to be in all holy conversation and godliness 2 Pet. 3.11 And let this be a comfort to all Christians who have not their hope in this life only nor fix the Anchor of it here below that the same Jesus Christ who is now our Advocate in Heaven shal hereafter be our Judg c. Reader A Funeral Sermon of this nature may not be impertinent although not very necessary neither the Church in her Funeral Office having made such a full provision already But were the Funeral Orations and Encomiums o◠some low spirited Preachers well examin'd there is nothing in Print can appear more unseemly and misbecoming Christian profession wherein great Persons meerly for being great shall be applauded for that goodness which was never apparent in them Certainly these Elogies were intended as things extraordinary for Men of extraordinary sanctity and not else THE END The Thanksgiving of Women after Child-Birth Commonly called The Churching of Women Note 1. OUr Church of England eminent in her Liturgy and publick Offices both for her Charity to Man and Piety to God hath prescribed to Us in Her Service-Book two notable Passages as relating to Child-bearing-Women 1. In the Litany we are taught to pray in a general way for all Women labouring with Child that is for their safe deliverance in so great a danger which is so great that the Spirit of God being to lay out a danger to the full expresseth it thus As travel upon a Woman with Child 1 Thes 5.3 noting both the suddenness and sharpness of the pains Now there was a curse we know inflicted upon Woman-kind for Eve's sin That they should bring forth Children in sorrow or with sore travel at their birth Gen. 3.16 Every Child should be to her a Benoni and Filius Lachrymarum because the Woman was the cause and beginning of sin and ruine on all Man-kind 1 Tim. 2.14 However God is pleased to moderate the curse so that Woman shall be able to pass through her Child-bearing safe though not without some difficulty and danger and this curse no question is not so heavy upon Woman-kind as that sin deserved by means of the seed of the Woman the Messias which should be born from her Posterity For no doubt he would redeem that nature which he was to assume and did assume not only from the danger of Child-bearing but from a greater danger of eternal damnation upon condition that these Child-bearing-Women continue in the Faith and live in that Charity Holiness and Sobriety as they ought to do performing those Duties of Chastity and modest behaviour which Christianity requires of them 1 Tim. 2.15 Yet notwithstanding the curse of Child-bearing is moderated and mitigated it is not taken away it remains stil so as to expose the Woman to very great danger which motive puts the Church upon it constantly to pray for all Women labouring with Child I wonder ever any Women who have been sensible of these dangers should be taken captives by those spirits of errour and seducing Teachers 2 Tim. 3.6 which creep first into their houses and then into their hearts so as to be brought to a loathing and dislike of that most excellent Prayer which the Church hath inserted into her constant Morning-Service for their safe deliverance 2. Here is a peculiar Office for the purpose
us and our enjoyments yet then we are uncertain who shall enjoy the benefit of our labours whether our selves our Heirs or our Enemies Vers 7. There is nothing therefore in this Life that is worth the patience of our expectance or the solicitude of losing what we have acquired There is only one thing which is the matter of a sober Man's ambition and that is to be in favour with Thee O God and to glorify thee in what ever condition thy mercy shall chose for us Vers 8. Therefore I desire thee to pardon my many sins by thy grace and to free me from those punishments which are due to them by thy mercy and let not wicked men thy enemies and mine prosper in their wickedness least they triumph over me and piety and reproach my dependance on Thee as the greatest folly for this will turn to the dishonour of thee and thy service Vers 9. What is hitherto befallen me I take patiently without either murmuring or repining for I know it comes from thee whose disposals are most wise and be it never so sharp I am sure it is less than I have deserved Vers 10. Yet let it be thy pleasure now to set a period to my calamities that I be not utterly destroyed by them Vers 11. 'T is most certain that when Thou by our sins art justly provoked the very with-drawing thy favour doth insensibly blast and consume us every way in our health and wealth and beauty and whatever is most precious to us so very a truth it is that we Men and all that we have are meer nothing Vers 12. O Lord be pleased to hear this sad request which I now pour out before thee that seeing my time and all Mens is so short and transitory in this World Vers 13. Thou wouldst give me a little space of relaxation from my present pressures and calamities that so I may devoutly serve and glorify Thee some space of time longer here on Earth before I depart hence to the Grave and Land of Forgetfulness never more to return into this frail and brittle life to be seen and looked upon by any mortal Eys Vid. Dr. Hammond Paraphrase Note This Psalm or Prayer was either composed by Moses that eminent Prophet of God who in Gods stead governed the People of Israel and conducted them out of Aegypt or else by some other as in his Person for it reflects on those times wherein Moses lived when the children of Israel were many Years afflicted in the Wilderness and great Multitudes of them untimely cut off for their provocations it sets before us the afflictions and shortness of life together with a Prayer for the return of mercy Psal 90. Vers 1. Blessed Lord God we have never had any Helper refuge or place of protection to flie unto for aid and relief from time to time but Thee only Thou hast hitherto been our only defence and safeguard do not now forsake us and destroy us utterly Vers 2. Before any part of this World was formed by Thee or the Earth by thy wise disposal brought forth the Mountains thou hadst an incomprehensible power and beeing within thy self by which power this World wherein we now live was at first created yet thou remainedst immutably the same before it had beginning and so shalt do when it shall have ending O let thy afflicted Creatures at this time receive the benefits of this thy Holy Power and Mercy Vers 3. Thou art the great and most just Disposer of all events when thy Creatures fall off and make defection from thee it is just with thee to punish them for their sins and to return them back to the Earth from whence by thy Creative Power they were at first produced This was the Sentence passed upon Adam and according to the same art thou now pleased to deal with many of us Vers 4. And though some in the old World who were great Offenders were permitted to live neer a Thousand Years yet what is that compared with thy Infinity a Thousand Years considered in thy duration are but as a drop spilt and lost in the Ocean It is but as a day past and gone or but the sixth part of it the space of some hours in the night which is insensibly past over in sleep Vers 5. As for us Men we are frail and short-liv'd our whole Age is quickly at an end by the course of Nature but when thy wrath breaks forth upon us then death comes as a torrent and sweeps us away in the midst of our strength our life is then but as a dream when one awakes out of sleep a phansie at first and that soon vanish'd whilst we live we do but seem to live death comes and the phansy of life vanisheth Vers 6. Our condition is no more stable and durable than that of the flower or grass of the Field which when it flourisheth most is subject to soon fading and withering but if the Sickle come the emblem of thy judgments upon sinners then it falls in the prime of its verdure and so do we flourish in the morning fade and loose our beauty moisture life and all ere it be night Vers 7. For by reason of our sins thou art provoked to cut us off in the prime and most flourishing part of our Age. Vers 8. Our open and crying sins thou thinkest fit thus to punish with excision and besides there are many secret sins unknown to Men but not unknown to Thee which also provoke thy wrath and call forth thy vengeance against us such are our Apostasies turnings back dislike of thy Methods in the guiding and governing of us preferring the satisfaction of our own lusts before an obediential submission to thy Commands and for such sins as these are we swept away and consumed in a visible formidable manner Vers 9. By reason of our provocations thy displeasure is gone out against us so that our Years are suddenly cut off sooner then one can speak and that is as soon as one can think like the Spider we weave such Webs as the next Broom sweeps away our Age is spent in fruitless labours which presently come to nothing Vers 10. Thy Oath being gone out to cut short our time here for our impieties multitudes of us die before we can advance to more than the seventieth Year of our Age few live up to eighty and they who live beyond it have little joy in their life being combred with weakness weariness and diseases so that our Age is nothing in respect of true duration it being but a thought or breath Vers 11. Whilst thus we are daily cut off the great unhappiness of it is that no Man is careful to lay to heart these terrible effects of God's wrath upon us no Man is so far instructed by what he sees daily befall others as to be sensible of his own danger and the shortness of his life so as to live well whilst he is permitted to live Vers 12. But O
hopes of a Resurrection Such Ceremonies are used in exprobration to Death and Mortality By them we shew that we are not sorry for our departed friends as Men without hope we look upon them only as Herbs and Flowers cropt off for a time and to spring up again in their season We sow their Bodies in the Earth with as much faith as we do our Seeds and Herbs and equally expect the spring of both In the midst of life we are in death of whom may we seek for succour but of Thee O Lord who for our sins art justly displeased Note Our end borders upon our beginning Finisque ab origine pendet Death and Life like Jacob and Esau take hold on each others â—eel Orimur morimur We bring sin and death into the World with us Haeret lateri lethalis arundo 'T is in vain to hope for long life which is so short that it is at an end whilst we are speaking of it Dum loquimur fugit vita The Man in the Gospel sung a Requiem to his Soul for many Years when the summons came presently Stulte hac nocte Luk. 12.20 Vitae summa brevis spem nos vetat inchoare longam A Christians hope is not in this life only which is not the only life indeed not to be reckon'd of as life at all Via non vita A midling betwixt life and death Mortalis vita vitalis mors but truly my hope saith David is in Thee O Lord who canst deliver my Soul from sin and my Body from the Grave Psal 39.7 8. Thou killest and thou makest alive thou bringest down to the Grave and bringest up 1 Sam. 2.6 Yet O Lord God most Holy O Lord most Mighty O Holy and most Merciful Saviour deliver Us not into the bitter pains of Eternal Death Note As there is a two-fold Resurrection a Resurrection from sin to the life of grace which is glory begun Rom. 6.4 1 Cor. 15.34 and a Resurrection from the Sepulchre to the life of glory which is grace compleat 1 Cor. 15.54 Philip. 3.21 So there is a two-fold death The first death to which the first nature which we derive from Adam is subjected For upon Adam's sin all that are partakers of his nature are concluded under the sentence of death pronounced against him 1 Cor. 15.22 It was a statute made in Paradise a Decree not to be reversed a Debt not possible to be declined Gen. 3 19. Statutum est omnibus semel mori Heb. 9.27 All Men must die the first Death Wherein the Sepulchre like the Serpent feeds on nothing but dust it is not so much the death of the Body as the Death of the Corruption of the Body Mortalitas magis finita est quam vita And there is a second death to which all regenerate Christians who belong to Christ are not subjected but as they derive another nature from Christ so in that nature they shall be raised again to the life immortal 1 Cor. 15.22 Souls and Bodies both For however there is a death of the Soul not that it ceaseth to be but when it ceaseth to be righteous Habet anima mortem suam cum vita beata caret quae vâ—ra animae vita dicenda est August Perdere animam est non ut non sit sed ut male sit So the glosse upon Matth. 16.26 Yet they who belong to Christ who live according to his Doctrine and Example shall be raised Souls and Bodies to an endless life of endless felicities They who have a part in the Resurrection of grace shall have no part in the Second Death Which first Resurrection is proverbially applied to the flourishing condition of the Church under the Messias after a long time of Persecution Revel 20.5 According to that of the Apostle speaking of the Jews received to favour as Persons raised from the dead again Rom. 11.15 and the Second Death is applied to an â—tter final irreparable excision and cutâ—ing off Revel 20.6 Now against this Second Death the bitter pains of Eternal Death in the burning Lake where the Worm never dies and the Fire is not quenched the Church here teaches us to pray for as to the first Death which is a Debt to be paid to that nature which we derive from Adam there is no avoiding of it Palvis es in pulverem reverteris â—s Man's Epitaph written with Gods own Finger Gen. 3.19 But Libenter mortalis sum qui sim futurus immortalis is the faithful Man's subscription Thou knowest Lord the secrets of our hearts shut not thy merciful Eares to our Prayers but spare us Lord most Holy O God most Mighty O Holy and Merciful Saviour Thou most worthy Judge Eternal suffer us not at our last Hour for any pains of death to fall from Thee Note Here we pray to God who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Maker of hearts and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Knower and Searcher of hearts and of actions as well as of hearts that he would in mercy hear our Prayers and in equal mercy pardon and forgive us our sins that he would sanctifie us by his Holiness imparted to us that he would defend us by his power save us in his infinite mercy and as we must all stand before him at the day of Judgment so he would stand by us at the Hour of Death that so the Devil who assaults us in the heel Gen. 3.15 and is most busie at the end and close of our life may have no advantage of us but that by the Shield of Faith we may put by all his Fiery Darts and never come into those everlasting Burnings but dying as Moses did Ad osculum oris Jehovae At a kiss of the Mouth of God So the Chalde paraphrase in Deut. 34.5 We may depart in the arms of God and so pass by Death temporal to Life Eternal Rubrick Then while the Earth shall be cast upon the Body by some standing by the Priest shall say Note This is left arbitrary for any by-stander to perform by which it is implied that it shall be the state and condition of every One one day He that casts earth upon the dead Body to day may have earth cast upon his tomorrow Hodie mihi cras tibi For as much as it hath pleased Allmighty God of his great mercy to take unto Himself the Soul of our dear here departed Eccles 12.7 we therefore commit _____ Body to the ground earth to earth ashes to ashes dust to dust Eccles 12.7 Eccles 3.20 Gen. 3.19 in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to Eternal Life Psal 16.9 1 Cor. 15.20 21 22. 1 Thes 4.13 14. through our Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile Body that it may be like unto his glorious Body according to the mighty working whereby he is able to subdue all things to Himself Philip. 3.20 21. Note When we perform these officia postremi muneris as the Fathers call them and decently commit the Bodies
ancient custom after Burial to go to the holy Communion unless the Office were performed after Noon for then if Men were not fasting it was done only with Prayers Concil Carthag 3. Can. 29. Vid. Doctor Sparrow Rational pag. 355. and the Book of Canons and Constitutions Ecclesiastical set forth by him 4. Funeral Doles were an ancient custom Chrysost Homil. 32. in Matth. But as concerning them the right use and the abuse Vid. Haman L'estrange in his alliance of Divine Offices in his account given of the Burial Office 5. The custom of Funeral Sermons and Orations may seem to be first derived from the Jews and Heathens For it was a custom amongst the Heathens Laudare defunctum pro rostris Sueton. Jul. Caesar c. 6. And touching the Jews we find it practised by King David 2 Sam. 1. And from both Christians may have derived this custome making it serve for these purposes 1. To make those who are alive more careful how they live when they know their departure shall not be folded up in silence 2. To confirm Mens hopes against the time of their own dissolution and to mind them 1. Of their timely preparation for death 2. Of their estate after death 3. Of the Resurrection but chiefly of the Quatuor Novissima Death Judgment Heaven Hell that so all may bring us if possible to holy living which is the surest preparation to happy dying that by every such occasion we may learn something to better us in our spiritual estate and not only wish with Balaam to die the death of the righteous but according to the Apostles advice strive to live their lives treading so near as we can in the steps of their most holy faith considering the end of their conversation Heb. 13.7 For my part I cannot speak much in the commendation of this among some overmuch magnified custom only it is a good help to mend the Ministers maintenance where it is as it is in too many places very scandalously small I hope those who are now in place to do it will consider of it and by their prudent care enlarge the too penurious proportions for if this course was taken I am very confident it would give abundant satisfaction to the People and undoubtedly be a great incouragement to the inferiour Ministry to lay aside their Placentia and to preach that doctrin which may be less pleasing but more profitable when they receive any assurance from an established Law that their maintenance is legally due and not altogether depending upon the courtesie and uncertain benevolence of the People But indeed in Funeral Sermons there hath been observed too much of the mode and gallantry too much of applause and flattery too much of popularity and vanity Encomiums and Elogies have been given where none due The vile Person hath been called liberal and the Churl bountiful Isay 32.5 By some Parasitical Preachers an absurdity better befitting the Stage than the Pulpit yet neither place well for both Comoedia and Concio should be Vitae Speculum Now in regard Funeral Sermons are so much in fashion indeed preaching for the most part is now but fashionable as it was in Ezekiel's time Chap. 33. Vers 30 31 32 33. Therefore I shall conclude this Treatise with a short Sermon The TEXT Heb. 9.27 And as it is appointed unto Men once to die but after this the Judgment The INTRODUCTION FUneral Sermons are ordinary Discourses made over the dead but intended for the benefit of the living and Funeral Offices that is set forms of Burial to be read over the dead at the Grave have the like holy end design in them Both are to mind us of the last things which we cannot escape and yet are willing to forget till such like ocular demonstrations as these bring them fresh to our remembrance Death Judgment Heaven and Hell He that would make these four his Vade mecum and seriously consider of them all his life time would rarely do amiss Were these as carefully laid up in our hearts as they are customarily by preaching poured into our ears certainly they would have a more reforming influence upon our lives than most what they have How should we be less proud and more humble How should we loath sin and love sanctity How should we prize Heaven and set all below Heaven at nought How evenly should we carry our selves betwixt both the Tables of Piety and Justice of holiness and charity towards God and our Neighbour Superiors Inferiours Equals How careful should we be not to omit any duty How fearful should we be to commit any sin How piously should we live as to God-ward how righteously as to Man-ward how soberly as to our selvs did we seriously resolve to practise what we hear as we customarily come upon such like occasions to hear what we should practise or would we but carry away the Text when perhaps much of the Sermon like the good Seed in the Gospel may be catched up by the Birds of the Air wandring thoughts or choaked by thorns the cares of the World yet did we but carry this Text home with us and seriously meditate upon it when we come at home it might with God's blessing do a great part of the work every Sermon should be designed for and that is not to make us wiser but to make us better not to inform our Judgments but to reform our lives and to settle us upon such a bottom as not to dare to live in that state of life wherein I am sure we should not willingly dare to die a state of sin a state of impenitency a state of hardness of heart Certainly no Man willingly would have death find him in such a state as this especially considering that death is not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the last of the last things but only passeth us over to something still beyond it either to eternal bliss if we live in God's fear and die in God's favour or to a miserable eternity if we live and die otherwise For as it is appointed c. The meaning of the words is so obvious that they need no explication Desiderant potius pium auditorem quam curiosum expositorem They require rather a conscientious application than an explication of curiosity The words are plain It is the condition of all Men to die and to die but once and then to be judged to all Eternity Here 's enough for explication any one may see into the meaning of the Text who will not be wilfully blind I but now for the application if this be the state if this be the condition of all Men first to be under the arrest of death and then to be arraigned at the Bar Luk. 24.32 and brought before the Judge will not this make our hearts burn within us warm our affections and beget in us a zeal to godly living more than ordinary Nay will not this prick us at the heart as
Peter's Sermon did and work compunction upon our Spirits Will it not bring the guilt of our sins to our Remembrance Act. 2.37 2 Cor. 5.19 and make us as the Jews once did passionately sue to those Ministers to whom Christ hath committed the word of reconciliation that they would administer a seasonable word of comfort to us and give us directions what to do in such a case as this I know the Scripture Rule is Is any sick among you let him call for the Elders of the Church Jam. 5.14 That is seek out to some spiritual Person who is over the Congregation that he may contribute his assistance afford the sick man his best directions pray to God with him and for him that God would pardon his sins asswage his pain remove the disease restore him to his former health and the like this being a duty injoyned would not be omitted Better then in time of sickness than not at all but better in time of health I think than in time of sickness In the midst of life we are in death therefore in the midst of life we should prepare for death whether sick or well that message to Hezekiah concerns us all Set thine house in order Isay 38.1 There is a time when all Men will be glad to seek God and that is Cum occiderit when he lays any scourge or sickness upon us when he slew them then they sought him and turned them early and enquired after God Psal 78.34 Even they who kept not the Covenant of God before Vers 10. who forgot his works Vers 11. who siâ—ned provoked him tempted him in their heart and spake against him Vers 17 18 19. who neither believed in him nor trusted in his salvation Vers 22. but spent their Days in vanity and their Years in turmoil in the World Vers 33. never thinking upon God at all in a pinch of danger and extremity when he slew them did all turn seekers to find help from the same hand which hurt and wounded them This is the very Atheists time and the time of the most debauched Person in the World to seek God in this is the time which brought home the Prodigal they who loose him in time of health will be glad to seek and sue to him in time of sickness Therefore let me recommend to you another time when ye will be more certain and sure to find him because it is God's acceptable time and that is in time of health when your Mountain is strong your Hedge and Fence about you safe and untoucht when you have other dependencies yet then to slight them all and to depend upon God that 's the time which pleases him Now now saith Solomon in the days of thy youth in thy prosperity before the evil days come Eccles 12.1 Remember now thy Creatour However our memory is placed in the hinder part of the Head yet we must not defer our remembring to the hindermost part of our Life I know it is the desire of all Men when they are going out of the World to have a secure Passport and to get as much an assurance of their happiness and future estate as can be Now give me leave to be plain with you I can give you no better assurance then what the Scripture affords God's word is the best security If ye look for an assurance of faith Faith is but the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 If ye look for an assurance of hope Heb. 6.11 Hope carries us to that which is within the Vail Heb. 6.19 which we hope for but cannot see if ye look for an assurance in that which we call Election I know the foundation of God standeth sure having this Seal The Lord knoweth who are his Yet have a care Let every one who nameth the Name of Christ depart from iniquity 2 Tim. 2.19 Make your calling and Election sure How is that by giving all diligence to add to your faith vertue to vertue knowledge to knowledg temperance to temperance patience to patience godliness to godliness brotherly kindness to brotherly kindness charity for if ye do these things ye shall never fall 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7 8 9 10. We can be no further assur'd of our Salvation by Christ than we can be secur'd of our being in Christ and conforming our lives to the Christian Rules The security we can have in this present state of grace may not be imagined to be the same with that we shal have in the state of glory It is only the Saints departed who have enter'd the Ark of Heaven can sing that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Apostle Death is swallowed up in victory 1 Cor. 15.54 We that are below in this Church militant must be ever upon our Watch saying with holy Job All the days of my appointed time or warfare here on earth will I wait till my change come Job 14.14 And our change will come sooner or later The wheel of nature Jam. 3.6 is ever turning and turning some off into the dust every day like Peter and John we are continually running one after another to the Sepulchre The best Antidote I can prescribe unto you I will not say against Death but against the terror of it that Death may loose its sting and the Prince of Terrors may not be terrible is this to look upon your selves all your life time if of the number of the predestinate to be predestinate to be conformed to the Image of Christ Rom. 8.29 To live as he lived to walk as he walked to make his spirit your guide his word your rule his life your example In all Scripture the holy Spirit of God hath revealed unto us but one way of preparing for death and securing our future estate which is by an holy life Faith may shew us Heaven as Moses saw the Land of Canaan at a distance but it is holy life and an habitual sanctity must land us there The Text I have now pitched upon may settle us upon this bottom if we will but seriously weigh and consider of the two Propositions which are indeed two undeniable Doctrines arising out of it 1. That all men must die 2. That all Men after death must come to Judgment As the Tree falls so it lies and as Death leaves us so Judgment will certainly find us 1. All Men must die This is so unquestionable a verity that I never yet heard or read of any that durst offer at a confutation of this Proposition Jews Heathens Turks and Tartars all confess it and have in one kind or other their Justa or Funeral rites their Officia postremi muneris which they perform at the Funerals of their dead This statute of dying was made in Paradise Gen. 3.19 not yet repeal'd Debemur morti nos nostraque to die is as good a debt as any the world knows for the levying of which there is an extent upon all Man-kind Rom. 5.12 This mortal must