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
make a vertue of a necessity must you die oh be willing to die oh be ready to die That 's a gallant speech of the Apostles 2 Tim. 4.6 I am ready to be offer'd saith Paul i. e. I am ready to die saith he and the time of my departure is at hand oh if Pauls departure had been at hand and he had not been ready to depart it had been a very sad thing but here was Pauls comfort and safety death was ready for him and he was ready for death I am ready to die oh how unready are many men to die how unready is the drunkard to die how unready is the worldling to die how unready is the voluptuous person to die in one word how unready is the Christlesse man to die For the Lords sake Sirs make it your businesse to be ready to die that you may be able to say Why is his chariot so long a coming Judg. 5.28 and why tarry the wheeles of his chariot I am ready to be offered Three things must be done ere you can be thus ready to die 1. Exod. 10.17 2 Cor. 11.23 Mors complectitur omnis generis calamitates propter peccatum in hac vita tolerandas quae sunt mortis caduceatores nuncii Gerhard Make sure of Christ there is but one malady in the world and that 's sin and there is but one grief and pain in the world and that 's death and accordingly there is but one remedy in the world to cure this malady and to sweeten or remove this pain and that 's Christ Oh labour for an interest in him When Noah knew that the Flood was coming he gat him an Ark and he gat him into the Ark also Gen. 6.22.7.7 My Beloved let me tell you the Floods's a coming let me warn every man and woman this day as Noah did the old World that there is a Flood a coming possibly an universal deluge of wrath and judgement upon the whole Nation for the crying sins and abominations thereof however this is certain that thine and my particular flood is approaching to sweep us out of the Land of the living and to hurry us into the botom of the grave Death 's a coming be sure the harbingers of death are come already upon some of us Aches and Pains and Consumptions and other languishing diseases and old age and hark the sound of their Masters feet is behind them 2 Kings 6.32 Arca Noe est Christus Ecclesia Christi ita ut quiâ—unque ext a hanc Arcam inveniuntur regnante diluvis peribunt Aug. lib. 15. de Civitate Dci c. 26 Oh therefore get your Ark ready and get into your Ark hasten to the City of refuge before you be overtaken get Christ and make sure of Christ 't is dangerous trusting to opinion only and profession only and other mens Esteem only and a few groundless hopes only oh make sure work in this matter man thou canst never be too sure of Christ get into Christ if thou mean'st to escape 'T is not enough to be upon Christ by outward profession there are many thus who yet are damned notwithstanding a Saviour but you must be in Christ by justification and Renovation by a lively faith and an exemplary life Doubtless there were many of the old World that kept a great deal of scuffling and scrambling to get upon the Ark when they saw the Flood was come indeed and there happily they might sit a little but alas now comes a blast of wind and blows off one and then comes a wave of water and dashes down another and so they all perish in the deluge Gen. 7.23 only Noah and his Family who were in the Ark were saved Ah Sirs you must be in Christ you must be in the Ark if you mean to be saved from death and hell and the deluge of wrath to come Turn to that place in Rev. 20. ult Liber vitae idcirco rectè dicitur liber â—…gni quia cuncti Electi quorum nomina in illo scripta sunt non aliter quam per Agnum Iesum Christum Justificati renati conformes imagini suae facti salvabuntur Rupertus in Apocal. and compare it with ch 21. ult Whosoever was not found written in the Lambs book of life might in no wise enter into Heaven but was cast into the lake of fire why the Lambs book of life wah they must be justified they must be renewed they must be mortified they must be sanctified as well as elected they must be in the Lambs book of life as well as Gods book of life if they will escape death This Lamb has overcame death as David overcame Goliah namely with his own weapon All Israel feared the Giant till David came and he cut off his head with his own sword Just so 't is here to those that are out of Christ death is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the King of terrors as Job speaks Job 18.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bâ—â—…i Selenc Orat 32. and all have reason to fear him but Christ comes and he cuts off his head with his own sword he kils death by death get into Christ and you make a perfect conquest of death that you need not fear it Rev. 12.11 They overcame by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their Testimony and then they lov'd not their lives unto the death then they were ready to die then they were willing to die then they fear'd not death they fear'd to live rather then to die they lov'd not their lives unto death Oh how should a poor soul tremble to die that 's out of Christ I do not know any such miserable spectacle in the world as a Christless dying man if a man was dying and not Christless he might be comfortable yea exceding joyful he might sing Simeons song Luke 2.29 Egredere anima mea now Lord let me be gone if a man was Christless and not dying it might be somewhat tolerable for happily the next meeting of Christ in an Ordinance might be towards him his time of love oh but to be a Christ-less dying man to be Christless and dying too that 's intolerable Awake awake oh soul thou art a dying God knows whether ever thou shalt hear a Sermon more oh get Christ and get into Christ and that speedily or thou art undone 2. Entertain thy thoughts much with premeditations of death before-hand think with thy self thus What if I should die now O 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clemens Alex lib. 4. Stromat Wards Serm. what If I should die to morrow what if I should be the next corse that should be followed to the grave this would tune thy spirit into a dying frame this would make thee moderate thy joyes thy griefs thy cares thy loves all thy passions and affections enough soul enough I must die ere long and what needs all this I have read a story of one that observing a riotous young Prodigal
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
i.e. mens voluntas sapientia Decretum Dispositio Definitio Praeordinatio Executio A Lapide Pemble in loc Paraeus in loc Trap ib. and the mountains were mountains of brass In the first Chariot were red horses in the second black in the third white in the fourth bay horses i. e. all the various dispensations of providence to the Church and people of God in the world they are all fore-seen and fore-appointed by God himself The red horses and the white horses or the pale horses as 't is in the Revelations these come forth from the brazen mountains intimating that death all kind of death the death of war the red horses the death of peace the white or pale horses it happens and fals out according to Gods purpose and immutable decree that 's as firm and stable as brazen mountains which cannot be removed Use Does Death ever comeby and never come but by Gods appointment Then when any of our nearest or dearest friends and relations are taken out of the world by death this consideration should work us 1. To comfort or at least 2. To silence and submission to the hand of God 1. To comfort if it be possible I am sure it is very reasonable this may comfort us in the death of our friends because nothing happens to them but what God appoints and determines should we not take comfort when the will of God is done David would not be comforted while his child was sick he would neither eat nor drink nor anoint but when the child was dead then David was comforted 2 Sam. 12.20 what was the reason was David glad that the child was dead no but he saw that the will of God was done and that was Davids comfort Christians are you Christians why it was Christ's delight to do the will of God it was Christ's meat and drink to do his will and to suffer his will also how am I straitned till it be accomplish't says he Luke 12.50 oh shew your selves Christians Quam praeposterum est qamque perversum ut cum Dei voluntatem fieri postulemus quando evocat nos accersit de hoc mundo Deus non statim voluntatis ejus imperio pareamus Cypr de Mortalit Sect. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philost in vita Apollon and now the will of God is done be you comforted Let not your cries contradict your prayers you pray thy will be done on earth now 't is so do not repine at it if it be an accident and come by chance weep on but if it be appointed be you comforted 2. At lest let me prevail with you in the second place to silence and contentment if I cannot work you to comfort if comfort will come hereafter well and good but I pray let there be contentment now what will you lift at the brazen mountain will you be fighters against God you know what Pilate said What I have written I have written and so says God what I have done I have done remember it is appointed do not put'h finger 'i th eye and cry but lay the hand upon the mouth and be silent Aaron held his peace Levit. 10.3 what Aaron was this why look into Psalm 106.16 Aaron the Saint of the Lord Saint Aaron he held his peace is it Saint-like think you to murmur and fret and repine against the providences of God and the appointments of God is it comly so to do comly did I say nay beloved is it safe so to do but consider 1. Your Friend is well I hope he is not dead but sleeps and if he sleeps he shall do well John 11.12 he is not lost but gone Mors non est interitus sed introitus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philostrat in Heâ—oicis Fratres nostros non esse lugendos de sâ—cuio liberatos cum sciamus nos eos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amitti sed praemitti paulo post nec accipiendas esse atras vestes quando iâ—i indumenta alba jam sumpserint Cyprian de Mortalit Sect. 14. non est exitus sed transitus says Cyprian Death is not an End but an Entrance 't is not a Destruction but a Translation man does not cease to be but only to appear Why will you grudge him his happiness why will you mourn when he rejoyces Joh. 20.15 Jesus said unto her Woman why weepest thou whom seekest thon Mary stood by the Sepulchre weeping ver 11. Mary why weepest thou saith Christ q. d. dost thou look for him in the Sepulchre art thou grieved because hee 's i' th grave thou art mistaken he is not here but gone he is risen Mary might weep perhaps looking down into 'th grave but could she find in her heart to weep looking up into heaven oh do not commit Maries solaecism pointing downward when you should look upward Object True he is well and he has gained we do not question but what shall we do in the mean-while though he has gain'd we have lost an Husband says one a Father says another a Brother says a third a Friend say all and in truth we do not weep for him but we weep for our selves Why 2. Consider God can and to Faith God will make a supply of all trust God he now tries you to see how you can trust him said Elkanah once to Hannah 1 Sam. 1.8 Hannah Hannah am not I better to thee then ten sons why God seems now to speak the very same language Hannah Hannah am not I better to thee then ten Husbands am I not better to thee then ten Fathers am not I better to you all then ten thousand Friends Oh be silent be silent But methinks I see abundance of objections crowding in and beloved I beseech you give me leave to confine the rest of my Sermon at least to suit it to one particular ear let me say with the Messenger to Jehu 2 Kings 9.5 My Errand is to thee even to thee Object Oh saies one I have lost my husband what 's dearer than an husband Gen. 2.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Omnia mea est maritus Plutarchus de uxore Phocionis If I had lost all my estate if I had lost all my other friends if I had lost my children it would not have smarted half so much I have lost one child after another that never cut me to the heart like this this goes neere indeed totouch my very bone my vrey flesh nay I could methinks have given my life for his Oh my husband my husband would God I had died for thee 't is my husband and would you have me to be silent yes you to be silent For 1. I am verily perswaded you have a better husband let those mourn for the losse of earthly comforts that have no heavenly your Christ is your better husband let one forsake father and mother and cleave to 's wife or husband and they twain shall be one flesh Matth. 19.5 aye but let one forsake father