not made with hands 2 Cor. 5.1 4. A better manner we have their offerings were repeated and that often to note their imperfection every year new offerings ver 25. The high Priest entred into the holy place every year with the blood of others but our offering is but once and once for all not towards the end of the year but towards the end of the world verse 26. with 25. Nor yet that he should offer himself often for then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself And this he proves and illustrates in the two last verses 1. Laying down his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 for his medium and proof in the words of my Text. As it is appointed unto men once to die 2. Applying his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 for his illustration in the words following So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many c. q. d. There 's no man dies any more than once but our offering and sacrifice is a man the blood of Christ God-man therefore he must and can die but once It is appointed unto man once to die but after this judgment In the words there are two of those quatuor novissima Mors Judicium Gloria Gehenna Bern. in Seâ—m two of those four last things that the Ancients have advised us often to remember and consider Death Judgment Considera tres re non venies in transgressionem unde veneris è sordibus quo tandem sis abiturus inpulverem coram quo rationem es red diturus coram Sanct. Ben. Râ—f Akiba Particutare sigillatim statim dum moriuntur Carthus Heaven Hell here are two of them not only named but stated 1. The certainty of Death after sin He hath appeared to put away sin as it is appointed unto men once to die 2. The Celerity of Judgement after Death but after this Judgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immediatè post as the phrase imports John 19.38 I le handle the first of these only The certainty of Death It is appointed c. Wherein you have three Doctrines observable 1. Death is the Lot and portion of all men sooner or later first or last It is appointed unto men to die 2. Death comes but once to men naturally It is appointed unto men once to die 3. Death ever comes by and never comes but by Gods appointment It is appointed unto men c. I shall God willing handle them all and therefore I can but paraphrase upon each particular 1. Doct. Death is the lot and portion of all men sooner or later for the evidence of which we must know that there is a threefold death mentioned in Scripture Mors triplex est Culpae Gratiae Naturae Ambr. lib. 5. in Luc. 1 A sinful death 2. A spiritual death 3. A penal death adeath of grace which is sinful a death of sin which is gracious and spiritual a death of the person which is penal or there is 1. A death in sin 2. A death to sin 3. A death for sin 1. A death sin sin Ephes 2.1 You hath he quickned who were dead in sins and this is a sad death this is a woful death many are thus dead and no body misses them no body knows them no body laments them saying ah my brother or ah sister ah my wife or ah husband Jer. 22.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philo lib. de profugis ah my Lord or ah his glory there are thousands of these walking ghosts go up and down the streets every day and that without observation such a one was she as merry as she was 1 Tim. 5.6 The widow that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth the husband is dead the husband is dead every one knows that Oh but look to 't for Gods sake look to 't the widow may bedead also if she be not careful and watchful the widow that lives in pleasure is dead yea twice dead Jude 12. 2. A death to sin as Barzillai was dead to Davids Courtship to whom all his royal and pompous entertainment would seeme but as dry and saplesse things 2 Sam. 19.35 Can I discerne betweene good and evil Can thy servant taste what I eate or what I drink Can I hear any more the voice of singing-men or singing-women He was dead ey'd to his Pageants and dead pallated to his banquets and dead ear'd to his musick so dead to pride and dead to lust and dead to covetousnesse dead to the world and dead to self c. and this now is a good death this is a right 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indeed this is an happy death Sneton in Augusto and oh that every living soul in the Congregation was thus dead oh that this Fvneral Sermon might be the Funeral of all your lusts this you have mentioned in Colos 3.3 for ye are dead i. e. dead to sin and in Rom. 6.2 so expounded How shall we that are dead to sinne live any longer therein 3. A death for sin the work turn'd into wages 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil Soluc Orat. 4. the crime made the punishment Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is death Rom. 6.21 The end of sin is death Culpa morique fuit paena morique fuit Death was our sin and it was fit Sin should be punished by it Now this last death is twofold or at least in reference to the subject thereof to be doubly considered 1. The death of the Surety or the death of Christ for us and this is a glorious death this is a Christians triumphant death we can boast of this death against all the world against all the Divels in Hell against all accusations of conscience against all exactions of Justice 2 Sam. 11.17 this will smooth the wrinckles of Gods brow and appease his anger and indignation as that of Uriah's did Davids Uriah the Hittite is dead also that pleased David so Christ our Sacrifice is dead also and that pleases God Rom. 8.33 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is God that justifieth Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died Nay we can boast of this death even against death it self O death where 's thy sting O grave where 's thy victory thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15.55 57. There are two parts of that triumphant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sung accordingly by both parts of a Saint O death where 's thy sting that the soul sings O grave where 's thy victory that the body sings Thanks be to God which giveth us the victory that both sing over the sting of death by sanctification over the stroke of death by resurrection and both through the death of Christ who by death has slain death as the * Hydrus est animal habitans
in gurgitibus fluminum Croâ—odilis feraliter inimicum hic itaque cum viderit Crocodilum aperto ore dormientem provolvitur in limo luti ut faucibus illius facilius possit illabi tunc in os Crocodili dormient is perniciter insilit deglutitus viscera ejus cuncta dilaniat donec es extincto de cadavere vivus victor erumpat Quid Crocodilus nisi mors Tartarus quid Hydrus nisi Christus quid limo obvolui nisi humanae carnis luto vestiri Petrus Damian lib. 2. Epist 18. water-Snake does the Crocodile 2. The death of the party or the death of us and this is twofold consisting First In the separation of the soul from the body and this is a little troublesome death especially to nature these two old acquaintance play loth to depart when the time comes Inducias etiam ad horam as he said Oh reprieve me though it be but an hour and 't will be sweet nay beloved a child of God himself may sometimes be so fearful of this King of terrors that at the approach of death he may be forced to cry quarter Job 28.4 So did David Oh spare me that I may recover strength before I go hence and be no more Psal 39.13 Secondly In the separation of soul and body both from God to all eternity Mâ—tth 25.41 and this is the bitternesse of death this is the dregs of death this is death armed Animae mors separatio est à Deo uti corporis mors est ipsius ab anima disjunctio Nicetas death with a sting and poyson too called in Scripture the second death Revel 20.14 death and hell were cast into the lake of fire this is the second death The death in the Text is to be understood of the death of the party for sin Anaxogoras Plutar. de consolaâ— aâ— Apol. consisting in the separation of soul and body one from another and so 't is appointed unto men once to die unto men i. e. unto all men a man and a mortal signifying one and the same thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Liban Sophist in D. mosth Apollog scio me genuisse mortalem said that Philosopher when newes came that his son was dead I knew I had begot a mortal it being as certaine that every man shall die as it is certaine that he lives Psal 89.48 What man is he that liveth and shall not see death Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave Selah mark that says the Psalmist Cui nasci contigit mori restat Seneca he puts a note of attention and observation upon iâ— though it be an ordinary truth it deserves an extraordinary consideration and 't is not only asserted by Scripture but 't is sealed by the experiences of all the world And indeed who has not a speculative notion of this truth The practical improvement is the main considerable as Solomon saith for the living to lay it to heart Eccles 7.2 that 's the duty Use is 1. Of information 2. Of Exhortation 1. Hence we see the mischief and misery of sin it hath brought death and ruine upon all Adams posterity if sin had not been committed death had not been appointed he hath appeared saith the Apostle to put away sin as it is appointed to men to die viz. because of sin if we had not sinned we had not died upon the death of the soul came in the death of the body the kernel was corrupted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil Allegor lib. and the shell became rotten and withered Gen. 2.17 In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die 't is in the Hebrew dying thou shalt die dying in eating thou shalt die for eating dying as the sin thou shalt die as the scourge dying as the crime thou shalt die as the curse dying in the soul thou shalt die in the body yea and in soul also to all eternity I know there are that deny this truth Audenter determinamus mortem non ex natura secutam hominem sed ex culpa Ter. ul de Anim. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Just Mattyr Resp ad Graeces that temporal death is the punishment of sin as Pelagians and Socinians upon different grounds and reasons which I shall here neither canvase much lesse go about to confute only propound to sober judgements that of the Apostle and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he said Paul for my money Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is death death temporal as well as eternal as is clear by that Rom. 5.12 By one man sin entred into the world and death by sinne and so death passed upon all men viz. natural death temporal death 2. Is it so that death is the lot and portion of all men Then let us be exhorted seriously and in good earnest 1. Praevidere Providere To look for it 2. To provide for it 1. Be exhorted oh Christians to look for death for it 's certainly a comming Incertum est quo in loco te mers expectet itaque tu illam omni loco expecta Seneca Epist 26. God has not told us when we shall die nor where we shall die nor by what means we shall die nor how we shall die slowly or speedily lingringly or suddenly with the solemnity of a sicknesse or without in the field in the shop at the table in the bed no these things are lockt up within Gods Cabinet-councel It is not for you to know the times or the seasons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrylost Homi de morte saith Christ which the Father hath put into his own power Acts 1.7 'T is not 't is not what 't is not lawful for you 't is not expedient for you 't is not indeed good for you to know these circumstances of time and place and manner only this you may know and do know that die you must all have died hitherto and you must follow expect it Art thou greater than our father Abraham which is dead said they John 8.53 so say I thou rich man thou strong man thou young man thou good man thou great man art thou greater than our father Abraham that 's dead Josh 23.14 Isa 40.6 I go the way of all flesh saith Joshua what man art not thou flesh mark all flesh is grass and all the goodlinesse thereof as the flower of grasse flesh withers soon but the goodlinesse of flesh sooner the beauty of flesh and the strength of flesh and the honour of flesh and the wealth of flesh alas it may be these things a great while before flesh be gone as the flower fades and is blown away before the stalke is dried up so true is that of the Psalmist Psal 39.5 Verily every man at his best estate is altogether vanity Selah 2. Let me hence perswade you to provide for it as it is your wisdom to look for it so it will be your interest and security to provide for it
and Gallant to spend his time loosely and wantonly and sinfully from day to day gave him a Ring with a Death's head engraven upon it on this condition that he should one hour daily for seven days together look on 't and think on 't and it wrought saies name Author a marvelous change in the young mans life oh beloved if you would but think on 't a little every day Eccles 7.2 if the living as Solomon saith would but lay it to heart now and then what a change might be hoped for in mens lives and conversations as your interest in Christ would make you habitually prepared so these fore-thoughts of death would make you actually prepared to die Those that put away from them the evil day what did they do Amos 6. They lay upon beds of Ivory they stretcht themselves upon their couches they ate Lambs out of the flock they drank wine in bowls they chanted to the sound of the Viol and annointed themselves with chief oyntments i. e. They minded nothing but eating and drinking and singing and sleeping and gave themselves over to all manner of luxury pleasure and licentiousness whereas if they would but have suffered a death's head to have come to 'th Table it would have marr'd their mirth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epâ—ctet ap Melis l. 10. Orat. 19. and spoyl'd all their seasting and revelling as the hand-writing upon the wall did Balishazzers quaffing a Mene Mene a numbring of their dayes a while by a serious consideration and meditation of death would have brought them to a sober moderation in all things and made them more fit to live and more ready to die Horses when they are to run a race are usually exercised in the place before-hand that they may be acquainted with the rise and fall and level of the ground lest they should stumble Christian that thou maist not stumble when thou comest to die but maist die willingly chearfully readily oh 't is good to be in the ground aforehand good to meditate on death before it comes get a sight of this Basilisk before it approaches thee and then thou maist stand and out-stare it without harm it may hit thee but it cannot hurt thee 3. Look beyond death into Eternity a bare and naked consideration of death will little avail upon the mind to sobriety and reformation it will not mortifie one lust nor make a man a pin the better either for living or dying those Ephesian Beasts and Corinthian Swine that Paul met with they could quaff and carouse to one another even out of a deaths head they could revel and be drunk though they were presently to reel into their graves 1 Cor. 15.32 Let us eat and drink say they for to morrow we shall die oh but to consider death and its consequents together videre id manticae quod in tergo est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril Alexand. 5. Tom. part 2. pag. 404. Oratio de exitu animi vere aurea to look upon death with its after-claps death and judgement at the heels death and hell following it death and eternity after death this if any thing will certainly awaken the drowsie and secure sinner to make him look about him oh eternity eternity this never-never-never-never-never ending life of weal or wo is that astonishing consideration that puzzles the thoughts of a finite capacity who can look down from the shoar of time into the botomless ocean of eternity without amazement Is it no matter how thou dyest when eternity follows upon it eternal happiness to comfort thee or eternal misery to torment thee sure if these things were considered we should be every moment thinking of death and providing for death 't is the prison makes the Sargeant terrible and 't is the gallows makes the Judge formidable and 't is Judgment and Eternity that makes death so considerable after this judgement saith the Text. Doctr. 2. Death comes but once to men naturally in the ordinary course of nature men die but once Nimirum ordinariè Gomarus It is appointed unto men once to die Some say that this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 once is modus Praedicati non Subjecti it is not say they to be referred to dying but to appoynting and so they quite alter the sense thus it is once appointed unto men to die and not as we read it It is appointed unto men once to die But this reading though it may possibly agree with the Apostles Grammar yet it doth not agree with his Logick though it may happily stand in the Text it cannot stand in the Context the Apostle is here proving that Christ must be offered but once and he proves it thus It is appointed unto men once to die you 'l spoil his Argument if you do not so read it However if this place should be intricate other places are plain Job 14.14 If a man die shall he live again his meaning is No he shall not live a natural life again to die a second time Luke 12.4 Be not afraid of them that kill the body and after that have no more that they can do after the body be once kill'd there 's no slaughtering it o're again If other places were as dark yet experience puts it out of doubt naturally and ordinarily men die but once 'T is true the damned die in Hell and the Godly die De consâ—eta naturali hominum conditione lequitur nam â—â—od Lâ—z rus alti aliquot bis mâ—râ—â—â—â—â—nt extraoadinarium fuit Beza in loc while they are upon earth but that 's a praeternatural and this is a supernatural death men die but once naturally and 't is true also that there are Scripture-instances of some that have died twice as the Shunamites Son and Jairus daughter and the Naimite and Lazarus and others but this was extraordinary to magnifie the wonderful power of God in their present resurrection men die but once ordinarily The truth is plain oh that the improvement might be as profitable and it serves Beloved for a twofold use 1. To mitigate our fear of death 2. To instigate our care of death 1. It serves to mitigate our fear of death if we must die but once why then are we so fearfull of dying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Libanius Sophist Demost Apolog. why should death be so terrible to us it has but one stroke it has but one shot and if we rout it it can never rally more Death comes once we cannot avoid it and it comes but once why should we fear it that place I mentioned before is pertinent to this purpose Luke 12.4 Be not afraid of them that kill he body and after that have no more that they can do they are then at Hercules his pillars as we say they are non-plust they have done their worst oh but I 'le forewarn you whom you shall fear in the next verse fear not death and fear not the instruments of death but fear the