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ALL things under the Sun are sub∣ject to change; and what is so, sooner, or later will have an end. THIS World, and the fashion there∣of; * 1.1 and all that is in it, is passing away. God is the same yesterday, to day, and for * 1.2
ever: but nothing else is, or can be so. Nothing here below is like a Mountain, which cannot be moved by those mighty, and sportive Waves which beat and dash against it; but like a Feather, which is driven hither, and thither, with the small∣est Breath. This World of ours (tho' vain Mortals are foolishly fond of, and excessively dote upon it:) as it had a BIRTH; so it shall have a FUNERAL day: the World's Morning and Noon is past; and the Evening is at hand. All these things shall be dissolv'd, Nature groan, * 1.3 die, and give up the Ghost: Lord! how quickly shall the Angel lift up his hand, and swear by him that liveth for ever, and ever, that time shall be no more! the old World was drowned with Water: this * 1.4 shall be destroyed, or resined by Fire; tho' ac∣cording to his promise, we look for New Heavens * 1.5 and a new Earth, wherein dwelleth Righteousness.
In this mutable World nothing is more sickle, and inconstant; frail and uncer∣tain; vain, and changeable than Man, and what belongs to, and makes up his Earthly happiness. How uncertain are * 1.6 Riches! may they not make themselves Wings, and fly away; and have they not often done so? may not what we have been toiling, labouring, and sweating for, many years, be gone from us in a few hours?
Tho' Riches and Wealth Descend from Father to Son; yet how oft doth Provi∣dence cut off the entail; and he never en∣joy what he was born to? tho' a careful and provident Father may leave his Son a fair Estate, and a good Inheritance; he may live in want, and die a Begger, and not leave enough to buy a Cossin, and pur∣chase a Grave: some unhappy accident or other may strip him naked, before death does.
How uncertain is health, and strength without which all other comforts are in∣sipid! if I am strong one day; may I not be weak the next? if I am well in the morning; may I not be sick before even∣ing? if I am at ease to day; may I not be rackt, tortur'd, and pain'd to morrow? Lord! when thou with rebukes correctest * 1.7 man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. All these changes are but me∣lancholy presages of, and preparatory to our great, and last: when we shall be changed from living Dust, into breathless Clay. There is a time to die.
Since the first Age; the first Man Adam, * 1.8 death has been reigning, and yet death is not satisfied; nor the Grave yet glutted with Carkasses. This Earth oft changes
its Inhabitants: one Generation comes, and * 1.9 another goes: our Ancestors moulder into Dust, croud closer together, and at length become Graves to bury us. LIFE! what is it? A shadow which quickly vanishes; a Vapour which suddenly disappears; a Flower that fades; and Grass which quickly withers and dies. LIFE! what is it? a Candle that lies at the mercy of every stormy and blustering Wind; a Lamp that burns a while, but will go out for want of Oil, to maintain the languish∣ing and expiring flame. If we search the Records of the Grave we shall find as ma∣ny proofs, and witnesses of our mortality, as there are rotten Bones and Skulls. How many Infants are only born, live, weep, and die! So that even out of the Mouths * 1.10 of these Babes, and Sucklings we may learn this sad, and certain truth; a time to die. How many young Men has Death mowed down in the Morning! how many of these has the cold hand of Death undrest before Evening; and laid them to sleep in a Bed of Dust even at Noon-day, and do not they cry in the Ears of the living; there is a time to die? Does not every Feaver that scorches us; every fit of the Stone, Gout, and Cholick that puts us on the Rack; every Ague that shakes the Walls, and loosens the Pins of this Earthly Ta∣bernacle;
every Dropsie that threatens to Drown us; every Palsie that benum's; every Lethargy that lulls us asleep repeat over this melancholy, and awakening truth; There is a time to die? verily O my Soul! every Man in his best estate is altoge∣ther vanity.
What is true concerning all, and every one of Adam's Posterity; Lord! help me to apply to my self in particular: to be∣lieve, consider, weigh, and work upon my Heart this common truth; I must die. Let me not only have some general, no∣tional, and speculative knowledge; but a particular, serious, warm, and practical one; a knowledge that may be useful, and serviceable to the best purposes; a knowledge that may awe my Conscience, warm my Soul, and powerfully influence my Heart and Life. It is impossible to be ignorant of this: but Lord! how cold, unactive, dull, and ineffectual were all thoughts of this kind when I was well, and strong! oh that they may make more powerful, and abiding impressions upon my Heart, now I am sick, and weak!
These very pains I now feel; this disease, this present affliction which makes me sigh, and groan; this sickness which I suppose will be my last tell me, I must die; and call upon me to prepare for such a
time that now cannot be far off. Lord, help me in this my great, and last work! oh that sense and feeling might help my Faith! this fire warm my Heart; and what I now feel, prepare me for my last pains, pangs, and conflicts, which are like to be much sharper! I have visited others, some of them my near and dear Relations in their sickness; I have seen them sick, weak, and full of pain, I have seen their cold sweats, their mortal tremblings, and heard their last and dying groans; and now it's my turn to be sick, and my time to die. Die! how hard, and difficult a work is this! of what great concern, and everlasting importance! Die! who does, or can know what it imports but those who are dead, and gone? I thought it hard to see my Friend, my Father, my Mother dye; but shall I not find it more difficult now I am to dye my self? the Messenger of Death has laid hold on me; I believe this sick∣ness will be my last; I have no hope of recovery: I have been sick, and God hath recover'd me; at the Mouth of the Grave, and God hath brought me back; I have gone from my Sick-bed and Cham∣ber to my Shop and Trade; but now I ve∣rily believe I shall do so no more: my Sun is setting; my Glass is run, there are but a few remaining Sands; the Grave
with open mouth is waiting for me, and in a little time I shall drop into it. Most Ho∣ly Lord, assist me now, and leave me not; through thy Grace I have lived; help me, Lord, help me now to dye as a Christian: in these hours, and moments prepare me more and better for my last. I have lived * 1.11 to, oh that now I might die in the Lord; and fall asleep in Jesus!
Preparation for Death, Judgment, and an Eternal World (thanks be to God) I have not neglected: I did not in health adjourn this work to a time of sickness; in order to this I have made many a Pray∣er, shed many a Tear, abstain'd from sin, and crucified the Flesh: I spent much of my time in trying my self, searching my Heart, and examining my State; in re∣penting of, and amending what I found amiss: I was convinc'd a few death-bed Tears, and languishing Prayers extorted by fears of Death, and Hell would not make amends; or be a sufficient compen∣sation for the sins of a wicked Life, and therefore through the Grace of God assist∣ing me, I made it the business of my Life to prepare to dye. But something more is to be done, that I may glorify God in my Death; and be for ever happy after it: what remains, and is now to be done in this my last sickness, instruct me Lord!
and help me to do it. I now stand at the Mouth of the Grave, upon the Threshold of Time, and at the Door of Eternity; Lord! increase, strengthen, and quicken all those Graces which are proper to be acted in a time of sickness, and on a death∣bed. Oh! that now I am a sick; oh! that now I am a dying man, my Faith, Love, and Hope; my Repentance, Hu∣miliation, and Sorrow; my desires, and breathings after God; my joy, and de∣light in him may be more lively and active than ever? oh that this last work of my Life may be done best! my sick bed joys may be the greatest; and my dying com∣forts most abundant! through these pain∣ful hours, and days; this dark, and nar∣row, gloomy, and frightful passage guide, direct, and lead me Lord!
The exercise of some graces, the per∣formance of some duties are peculiarly seasonable in a time of health and life; and others are so in Sickness and at Death: Thou hast helpt me to live, and now Lord help me to die.
If I have made any preparation for such a time, and hour as this; If I have done any of the work of my Life, and con∣versed in this World as an expectant of a better; if I have any grace, and at a∣ny time have been able to act it; if my
love has been 〈◊〉〈◊〉, my zeal flaming, my heart softned, ••umbled, broken, and melted, and mine eyes a fountain of tears to bewail the slips, and falls I have been guilty of; if I have delighted in God, through Christ as my reconciled Father, Portion, Happiness, and End; if I have exercised self-denyal, in keeping under the flesh, restraining its appetites, and denying its cravings; in contemning the World, and slighting those adored vanities which bewitch, charm and in∣tangle so many; if at any time my hope of Heaven hath been lively, my longing, panting, and breathing after it strong, and warm; if I have mortified any sin, resisted any temptation, performed any duty with success, so as to profit my self and please God; if I have done any thing whereby the glory, honour, and interest of God and Christ has been ad∣vanced; if I have imployed, improved my talents, and gained more; if I have brought forth fruit, done any work, and service in my generation, and place, Lord! it is owing to thee; to the assistances of thy grace, and the influences of thy Holy Spirit, and I desire to acknowledge it is so; saying with thy holy Apostle, by the grace of God I am what I am: Not I but the * 1.12 grace of God which was with me. Oh for
the same grace, and mercy; aid, and help now I am a sick, and dying man! Oh that God would help me in these painful days, and sorrowful hours to glo∣rifie him yet more, by doing the work which is proper to such a time; that my present sickness, and death may be for the glory of God, the honour of Re∣ligion, the good of my self, and others!
Particularly, help me Lord, to be tru∣ly thankful for all thy mercies; for those innumerable favours confer'd on such a worm, such a wretch as I am; bring them to my remembrance, and en∣able me unseignedly to bless thee, help me, O my God, to exercise a serious, solemn, and particular repentance for my past sins: Let, Oh! let this heart of mine be more humble, broken, and penitent than ever. Finally, help me Lord, with patience and calmness; submission, and resignation to submit to thy holy will; to be willing to die now: with faith, and hope, trust, and confidence to commit my Soul to the care of my dear, and blessed Jesus. And to these ends Lord! bless the following meditations to me; and let neither my Eye, nor Tongue out∣run, or leave my Heart behind.
1 Cor. 7. 31.
Heb 13. 7.
2 Pet. 3. 11.
v. 6. v. 7.
v. 13.
Prov. 23. 5
Psal. 39. 11.
Eccl. 3. 2.
Eccle. 1. 4.
Psal. 8. 2.
Rom. 14. 8. Rev. 14. 13.
1 Co. 15. 10.