A sermon (preached at the lecture in Boston in New-England the 18th of the 1. moneth 1674. When two men were executed, who had murthered their master) Wherein is shewed that excess in wickedness doth bring untimely death. / By Increase Mather, teacher of a church of Christ. ; [Seven lines of quotations]

A sermon (preached at the lecture in Boston in New-England the 18th of the 1. moneth 1674. When two men were executed, who had murthered their master) Wherein is shewed that excess in wickedness doth bring untimely death. / By Increase Mather, teacher of a church of Christ. ; [Seven lines of quotations]

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ECCLES. 7.17.

Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish, why shouldst thou dye before thy time.?

Solomon being a man full of wisdom was very observant of the Providences of God which hapned in the Place, and in the Age wherein he lived. He doth in this Chapter give us an account of some of his observations that way. There is one special Observation in this Context viz. in the 15 verse of this Chapter, where we have the wise man saying, There is a Just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness. Now lest any one should abuse this Doctrine of the just mans perishing in his righteousness, and the wicked mans prolonging his life in his wickedness, He proceeds to a double exhortation.

1. He doth exhort to beware of Errors on the right hand ver. 16. where there are two Errors on the right hand mentioned.

1. Over much Righteousness, Be not righteous overmuch. Not that it is possible for any man to have more of real Goodness in him than he ought to have: but he may be more righteous in his own conceit, then he should be, and he may be Superstitious, he may add [Page] to the Word of God which is the Rule of Righteousness; Men may likewise be more severe in punishing offenders than the Rule does allow of▪ the Corinthians did sometimes err on that hand. And that is to be righteous over much.

2. Overmuch Wisdome, Neither make thy self overwise: Which must be understood as the former particular; A man may be wiser in his own eyes then he ought to be, he may be wise above what is written, He may pry into the secrets of the Almighty, and endeavour to trace him whose wayes, are past finding out, and whose Footsteps are not known.

And this Exhortation is urged from the Consideration of the woful Effect of this overmuch Wisdom and Righteousnes viz. Self destruction. Why shouldst thou destroy thy self? As the Moth that will venture too near to the Light, destroyeth it self, so they that will be over-wise, and will needs know more then God would have them to know, destroy themselves.

2. The other Exhortation is against Errors on the * Left hand; of which there are two mentioned in this verse & in the words which have been read in opposition to the 2 former spoken of in the verse immediately foregoing.

1. Be not overmuch wicked. q. d. though you must not be righteous over-much, yet take [Page] heed of erring on the other extream, which our nature is most prone unto. The Hebrew word is [do not wickedly much.] not that the Preacher does allow of any wickedness at all, only his design is to show the evil of all excess in wickedness.

2. Another Error on the left hand is Foolishness: Neither be thou foolish. Heb. * [neither be thou a fool.] because all wickedness is folly, and sinners are fools, as afterwards we shall shew. And this exhortation is likwise pressed by an argument taken from the miserable end that such sinners come to at last. God in his righteous Providence does many times so order that they dye before their time. Why shouldst thou dye before thy time? It is as if it were said, ‖ Though it be so that here and there a wicked man doth prolong his life in his wickedness, yet for-any one thence to-imbolden himself in sin, is the greatest folly imaginable; for usually it falls out otherwise, that wickedness doth shorten the dayes of those that are guilty, of it▪

The Doctrine therefore from the words is,

Doct. That the Providence of God doth oftentimes so dispose, as that an untimely death shall be the portion of him that hath been wicked over much.

In the Doctrinal handling of this Truth, [Page] Three Things may be attended; 1. To enquire how any one may be said to dye before his time. 2. What Over-much wickedness that is which is usually followed with untimely death, or when one may be said to be wicked over-much. 3. The Reasons of the Doctrine, why God in his Providence doth often so dispose as that an untimely death shall be the Portion of such as have been wicked over-much.

Q. 1. How can one be said to dy before his time?

Answ. Not in respect of the Decree of God. No man shall dye before the time which the Lord hath determined be fulfilled. The time of every mans death is appointed. Hence Job saith Chap. 14.14. All the dayes of my appointed time will I wait till my change come ▪ and in the 15 verse of that Chapter it is said, Seeing his dayes are determined, the number of his months are with thee, th [...] [...]st appointed his bounds that he cannot pass. Not only the years but the moneths, nay the dayes which every man shall live are determined by the Lord, so as that he shall not live a day longer, nor die a day sooner than was before appointed. But a man may be said to dy before his time,

1. In respect of his own expectation. He may die before ever he doth expect death; Hence sinners are said to die suddenly, 1. Thes. 5.3. When they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travel upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape. SudSudden [Page] destruction cometh upon sinners, i. e. not only which is in it self sudden, but as to their expectation so. Thus in the Parable concerning the wicked servant, Mat. 24.48, 49, 50. If that evil servant shall say, — my Lord delayeth his Coming,—the Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, & in an hour that he is not aware of. So doth he die before his time wherein he expected death is come. It is often so with them that have been very wicked and foolish; wherefore it is said in the parable concerning the Fool when he thought he had many years to live Luk. 12.20▪ God said unto him, thou Fool this night shall thy soul be required of thee.— Hence,

2. A sinner may be said to dye before his time, in respect of his preparation for a dying hour. Death may come upon him before he is prepared to encounter with that enemy: and then he dyeth indeed, In dying he shall dye, if death find him unprepared, the second death taketh hold on that soul. The Devils sometimes said to Jesus Christ, art thou come to torment us before our time? Truly such a soul goeth to the place of Torment before the time There is many a sinner that death finds without an interest in Jesus Christ, there is some sin that he hath not repented of, nay it may be he hath not truly repented of so much as one sin, and then he is not prepared to dye. It had been better for him that he had never been [Page] been born, than that he should dye and go out of the world in that condition.

3. A sinner may dye before that time be fulfilled, which according to the ordinary course of nature he might have lived. And this is especially intended here in the Text, why shouldst thou die before thy time? Hebr. and not in thy time, that is to say before that time which according to the ordinary course of nature thou mightest have lived, be expired. Many times the Divine Providence doth so order as that they who have been wicked over-much shall not live out that time. Thus concerning the world of the ungodly which lived before the floud, Eliphaz saith, Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden, who were cut down out of time Job. 22.15, 16. * According to the ordinary course of nature, they might have lived a long time, but they were cut down by the stroke of Death. Wicked men never dye before they are ripe in sin, but they often dye before they are ripe in nature. They are carried and chased out of the world by some violent death.

Sometimes this is brought to pass by the Lords immediate hand. If men be generally wicked over-much, the Lord sends publique destroying Judgements whereby Thousands dye before their time: So on the old world, [Page] so on Sodom and Gomorrha, in the morning they were well and likely to have lived many a fair day, but dead and damned before night. Those sore Judgements of Famine, Plague, and Sword, come and sweep away multitudes before their time, when a people are become wicked over much. And particular Judgements do hence come upon partiular Persons, whereby they are cut off before their time. There was that wicked Er, and his wicked brother Onan, did commit abominable uncleaness in the sight of God, and therefore the Lord slew them that they dyed before their time. So Nadab and Abihu were wicked over much, and there went out fire from the Lord and devoured them, and they dyed before the Lord. Corah and his Complices, wickedness was amongst them and in their Dwellings, and as the Psalmist (alluding to that very Judgement) speaketh, Death seized upon them▪ and they went down quick into hell. Psal. 55.15. Ananias and Saphira were wicked over much when they committed Sacriledge, and also sinned and lyed in a Church Assembly, where there is a special presence of the Spirit of God and thence became guilty of Lying to the Holy Ghost, wherefore first the one of them fell down, & gave up the ghost, & then the other, and thence were both cast into one grave, and this before their time. The Scripture is full of awful Instances to this purpose. Again, [Page] sometimes Gods Vicegerents are improved as his executioners of his wrath and justice upon such sinners. The Magistrate beareth not the Sword in vain, but is the Minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil. Hence David speakes saying, I will early destroy all the wicked of the land, that I may cut off the wicked doers from the city of the Lord. Psal. 101.8. I will early destroy them, in the Original it is in the morning I will destroy them, because in those times Malefactors were executed in the Morning, and thats his meaning, that he would see execution done upon Capital Offenders. Thus Saul's cursed posterity was cut off by the hand of Justice, because of the Murder which their Father had committed, and no doubt but they had been some way accessary, in consenting or aproveing, or not duly bearing witness against that iniquity.

Sometimes again, The Lord in a Judicial way giveth up such sinners to the power of Satan and their own Corruptions, so as that they become their own executioners, as we see in Judas, who after he had brought himself under the guilt of inocent bloud, went to the Halter to let out his wretched soul.

But thus much may suffice to be spoken to the first enquiry.

We come to the second thing propounded,

[Page]Namely, What Over-much wickedness that is which is usually followed with untimely death? or when may a man be said to be wicked over-much?

Answ. 1. When he doth make himself more wicked than indeed he is. e. g. When he doth falsly accuse himself to be guilty of this or that which he was never actually guilty of. There are such woful foolish Creatures in the world that glory in their shame, and take a pride in saying that they have committed this or that abomination, which yet it may be they never did commit: It is just with God that such should dye before their time, & that they should be dealt with as if they were really guilty thereof; as we see in the instance of that [...] malekite who accused himself as having an hand in Sauls death, it's a question whether he had so really or no, yet inasmuch as he accused himself, David condemned him, 2. Sam. 1.16. David said thy bloud be upon thy head, for thy mouth has testifyed against thee saying, I have slain the Lords Anointed. So when any poor Creature shall say that he has out-stood & sinn'd away the day of grace, albeit the Holy Spirit is secretly striving with him still, or that he hath sinned against the Holy Ghost; or that his sin is greater than the Mercy of God. As Francis Spira after his Apostacy uttered such desperate Blasphemy as that, My sin (said he) is greater than the mercy of God. And thus it was [Page] with despairing bloody Cain he said, mine iniquity is greater than can be forgiven Gen. 4.13. Austin doth well reply upon him mentiris Cain, that's a lye Cain, thy sin is not greater than can be forgiven. Some have observed that Cains desperation and Blasphemy was a greater evil than his Murther was, when he shed the inocent blood of his own Brother. And indeed Despair layeth the Foundation for all excess in wickedness, it makes men to become no better than Devils incarnate; and causeth them to dye before their time; witness Judas who in despair hanged himself And have not we in our dayes known or heard▪ of many rueful instances of that kind?

2. When a man shall become guilty of such sins as are of a very hainous nature, then he may be said to be wicked overmuch. There are scarlet sins, Crimson abominations which the Heavens blush to behold. There are bloudy sinners whose souls lye bleeding under prodigious Guilt, even such as have been guilty of evils, that by the Law of God and man are Capital Crimes, these are they that have been wicked over-much.

To mention only one or two Crimes,

Murther is a great and horrid Wickedness, and so Capital as that whoever has been guilty of it may in no case be pardoned by man. Numb. 35.30 [...]1. Whoso killeth any person the murtherer shall be put to death, moreover they shall [Page]take no satisfaction for the life of a murtherer which is guilty of death but he shall be surely put to death. And they that have been guilty of this wickedness, usually dy before their time: according to that Scripture Psa. 55.23. But thou O God shalt bring them down to destruction, bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their dayes. It is thought by some that Cain, (who was the first Murtherer amongst men) dyed before his Time. The Jews have a Tradition that Lamech killed Cain and a young man that was with him hunting in the woods; To this purpose some understand that place (our Version doth evidently favour that Interpretation) Gen. 4.23, 24. Lamech said I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt. If Cain be avenged seven fold surely Lamech seventy and seven fold. However the Providence of God doth usually so dispose as that they who have taken away the lives of others by violence, shall themselves dye a violent and bloudy death. Joab murthered Abner and Amasa, and he (though an old man) dyed before his time, he that had shed the bloud of others, his own bloud was shed for it at last. Joash conspired against Zachariah and stoned him with stones, and afterwards His own servants conspired against him and slew him.

Many other instances are recorded in Scripture and in humane writings all confirming the truth of this. Yea, God from Heaven doth [Page] usually pursue this sin with special signal testimonies of his righteous displeasure. Hence the Lord has strange waies to discover this sin: Rather than the Murderer shall not be found out the Heaven shall reveal his iniquity, and the Earth shall rise up against him. How often have the Fowls of heaven, and the dumb Beasts of the earth brought Murther to light!

The Story * is ancient and famous concerning Bessus, who had murthered his own Father, and sometime after the swallows making a noise in the Chimney (as it is the manner of those birds to do) His guilty Conscience was affraid they had told of him, whereupon he goeth to kill the Swallows, and being asked the reason, why (said he) the swallows do nothing but say Bessus hath kill'd his Father, Bessus hath kill'd his Father: Whereby he was suspected, and upon Examination confessed the fact.

It is also storied of a † Souldier belonging to King Pyrrhus, that being slain, a dog which he had could by no meanes be enticed from the dead body, but the King coming by, he fawn'd upon Him, as it were craving help at his hands, whereupon he caused all His Army to pass by in order, and when the Murtherers came the Dog flew fiercely upon them, and then, fawn'd upon the King the souldiers herehereupon [Page] examined, confess'd the Murther, and received condign Punishment. Many other instances to this purpose I could produce, but I forbear.

Again, Rebellion is a Crime which they that are guilty of are wicked over much. When inferiors shall wickedly rise up against Superiors. When Subjects shall in a way of Rebellion rise up against the Authority which the Lord has set over them: Such often dye before their time. Hence Christ saith, All they that take the Sword shall perish with the Sword, Matth. 26.52. that is to say they that take up the sword in a way of Rebellion against Lawful Authority. That Doctor Gamaliel in his speech he made to the Council taketh notice of two examples concerning this: Act. 5.36, 37. [...]heudas boasting himself to be somebody, to whom a number of men, about four hundred joyned themselves, were slain, and all as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought: after this man rose up Judas of Galilee, and drew away much people after him, he also perished, and all even as many as obeyed him were dispersed. So when servants shall rise up in Rebellion against their Masters, it is a wicked thing. Wherefore even Jezebel could say, Had Zimri peace who slew his master? 2. King. 9.31. After he had slain his Master, had he peace in his own conscience? Did he prosper after that [Page] day? Did not the hand of God follow him till he himself was slain? Had Zimri peace who slew his Master?

So when Children shall rebel against their Parents their wickedness is excessively great: And such Children do usually dye before their time, witness the fifth Commandment where it is said, Honour thy Father and thy Mother, that thy dayes may be long upon the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. Therefore they that break this Commandment may expect that their days shall not be long, but they shall dye before their time. We see it in Absolom, he was a rebellious Child, and what came of him? was he not hang'd at last? and three darts thrust through his heart while he was yet alive: Travellers report that in the same place where Absolom was buried, there is now a vast heap of stones which is come to pass by this means; It is customary for every one that passeth by that place, to throw a stone upon Absolom, using these words, Thus shall it be done to the son that rebells against his Father, Thus shall it be done to the Child that riseth up against his Parents.

3. When a man shall multiply transgression; then he may be said to be wicked over much. When he shall commit the same sin over and over again. Once is too much, but many times is over much indeed. Eccles. 8.12. Though a [Page]sinner doe evil an hundred times. Alas there is many a sinner that hath done so: He hath made himself drunk an hundred times, He hath been unclean and abominable in the sight of God an hundred times, He has lyed against his Conscience an hundred times, then he hath been wicked over much. So when a vile Creature shall add sin to sin, as the Prophet complaineth of them Isai. 30.1. When he shall add new transgressions to old sins, Sins of age to sins of Youth, latter to former iniquities. What sayth the Scripture? 1. Pet 4.3. The time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, &c. Therefore when a sinner shall add new debts to the old score, it is more than sufficeth, that is to say he is wicked over-much.

4. They that are incorrigible in the waies of sin, are wicked over much. Who sin against all meanes that can be used to reclaim them. There are such sinners as do despise all meanes they will take no warning. Though God himself speaketh to them by awful Providences, taking some and hanging them up before their eyes, yet they will go on still in their trespasses. And though they that are the Lords Vicegernts on earth do establish and execute severe & righteous Laws, and put sin and sinners to shame, yet they still continue to transgress against the Lord: This doth [Page] evidence a desperately wicked man. It is spoken concerning a man that is beyond measure wicked, that he doth run upon the thick Bosses of the Buckler of the Almighty Job. 15.26. What is the Buckler of the Almighty? It is the Word of God. And what are the thick Bosses of that Buckler? They are the Threatnings and Sanctions annexed to that Word. When sinners shall transgress in a Land where there are Lawes established and regulated according to the Word of God, and those Lawes faithfully executed, they run themselves upon the thick Bosses of the Buckler of the ALMIGHTY, and therefore are desperately wicked. And there are that sin against the Light of the Gospel and repoofs administred in the Word and Name of God: such are wicked over much, and have cause to fear that they shall dye before their time. witness that awful Scripture Prov. 29.1. He that being often reproved and hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy. And there are that despise reproofs, instructions, admonitions, exhortations, privately administred in Families, by Masters, Parents; such are also wicked over much, and do often dy before their time: Witness the sons of Eli, of whom it is said, they hearkned not to the voice of their Father, because the Lord would slay them 1. Sam. 2.25. Doth thy Father give thee good counsel? but wilt thou not hearken [Page] to him? This is a sign that the Lord will slay thee. Remember those proud and prophane young men, the sons of Eli they regarded not what their Father said to them, and therefore they dyed before their time. This cometh of not hearkning to the voyce of a Father.

5. They that mind nothing but the things of this world and the vanities and lusts thereof, are wicked overmuch. Even they that live like Atheists without God in the world. And this last particular suits with the scope of this Context. For as they are righteous over much who under pretence of Religion neglect their particular Callings; So they are wicked over much who neglect duties of Religion out of respect to the world. There are that live in continual neglect of God and of their own souls and Salvation; Hence no prayer it may be not so much as in the Family, no Reading of the Scriptures, no Meditation, no self-Examination. How do men live as if there were no world but this! as if there were no God to serve, and they had no souls to save! Certainly, all such are wicked over much.

And thus have we done with the second thing propounded in order to the clearing of the Doctrine before us. We come to the third Particular, viz. To enquire into the Reasons of this Doctrine,

[Page]Quest. 3. Why doth God in his Providence oftentimes so dispose as that an untimely death shall be the Portion of him that hath been wicked over much?

For Answer, we shall only mention two Reasons, breifly.

Reas. 1. The Lord doth this that He may manifest his righteous Displeasure against sin. Hab. 1.13. He is of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on iniquity, that is to say with aprobation, or without detestation and Indignation against sin. The Blessed holy God doth bear an infinite detestation and Indignation against Sin. Hence He leaveth Marks of his Displeasure upon the sinner. As God set a Mark upon Cain's forehead; so He sets a Mark of Displeasure upon notorious Transgressors. Yea sometimes when he forgiveth the sin, yet he doth visit with tempoporal vengeance, that so the world might see that sin is odious and abominable in the sight of God▪ Hence such sinners as the Text speaketh of, must dye before their time.

Reas. 2. That so others may thereby be warned and deterred from the Commission of the like evils. Thus it was with Lot's wife, she dyed before her time, that so others might be warned by her Example, to beware of becoming guilty of the same sin, which she was so awfully punished for: therefore Christ said to his Disciples, Luk. 17.32. Remember Lot's wife: meaning [Page] so remember her, as that you may for ever take heed of doing as she did. She was turned into a pillar of Salt, that others might be seasoned thereby and preserved from the like evil. God is wise and wonderful in his Providences, and knoweth how to order the death of two or three so as to prevent the Destruction of many thereby. Hence He has appointed that Justice shall be executed in a Solemn way upon Capital offenders, that others may hear and fear and none may doe any more so wickedly. We find the Lord Himself giveth this reason of this matter Deut. 13.8,— 11. Thou shalt not hearken unto him neither shall thine eye pitty him, neither shalt thou spare, but thou shalt surely kill him: And all Israel shall hear & fear and shall doe no more any such wickedness as this is among you.

We come now to apply this Doctrine. There are two Uses to be insisted on, 1. by way of Instruction or Information, 2. by way of Exhortation.

1. By way of Information.

Inform. 1. We may see by this, that Sin is the greatest Folly in the world. Well might Solomon say as in the Text, neither be thou foolish, For to sin and doe wickedly, is the greatest Foolishness that ever was or can be. Sin is a Departure from the Rule of Wisdome. For a man to part with his life for nothing? is [Page] not that monstrous Folly? And thus doth a wretched sinner doe. Mens sins are unfruitful works of darkness. What profit had you of those things whereof ye are now ashamed? Sin is the most unprofitable thing in the world: It is good for nothing, neither for body, nor Soul, nor Name, nor Estate, but brings Death and Ruin upon all. A man by Sin (especially some sins) looseth his Name. A wound and dishonour doth he get, and a reproach that shall not be wiped away. And he looseth his life, and that before his time as the Text sheweth; yea and without Repentance will lose his soul for ever. Prov. 8.36▪ He that sinneth against me wrongs his own soul. The Impenitent Sinner brings ruin upon his own soul. Therefore Sin is folly, and the more sinful the more foolish: The greatest sinners, are the greatest Fools in the world. Wherefore it is said Eccl. 9.3. The heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they goe to the dead. Yea to the damned! Oh what horrible madness is it, for any man, that so he may enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, to venture the eternal Damnation of his precious and immortal soul.

Inform. 2. It follows from hence, that Shortness of dayes is in it self a Judgement. For it is threatned as a punishment or wickedness. It is a fruit of sin, and of the curse: If Adam had [Page] not sinned there would have been no short lives, none of his Posterity should have had their lives shortned. And in the times of the Restitution of all things, when the Curse shall be removed, it will not be as at this day, Rev. 21.4. There shall be no more death. To be sure there shall be no more such untimely death as our eyes do with sadness behold this day. Look, as long life is in it self a blessing, and therefore is promised as such in the Scripture Psal. 91.16. With long life will I satisfie him, Prov. 4.10. Receive my sayings, and the years of thy life shall be many ▪ and 10.27. The fear of the Lord prolongeth dayes. Whatever any true believer hath done or suffered for, or according to the will of God, whilst he was in the world, shall come in upon the account at the last and great day, a glorious reward of mercy shall be given for it; thence is it so great a mercy to live long. So on the other hand, Short life is a great Judgment, and is often threatned as such in the Scripture, Prov. 10.27. The years of the wicked shall be shortned. Eccles. 8.13. Neither shall be prolong his dayes. And it is mentioned as an heavy imprecation, Psal. 109.8. Let his dayes be few. For when a wicked man dyeth (dying in his sins) he is undone for ever: when once his body is gone down into the pit of the grave, and his soul is gone down into the pit of eternal Darkness, he cannot hope for the mercy of God, he cannot [Page] hope for pardon of his Sin, he cannot hope for the salvation of his soul. Therefore short life is in it self a judgment. Only as to the Elect of God it is turned into mercy. As Afflictions are in themselves evil, and fruits of the Curse, but to Believers they become the greatest blessings: So an untimely death is in it self a great evil, but to one that belongs to the Election of Grace, it becometh a wonderful mercy, for it hasteneth his eternal happiness and glory.

Inform. 3. Hence it likewise follows, that Righteousness is the way to obtain Long Life. If Wickness bring untimely death, then Righteousness will deliver from death. There is no righteous man but shall live in this world so long as life shall be good for him to enjoy.

Object. But some one will say, do we not see that good men dye when they are young as well as others?

Answ. Very true: As there are some that are too wicked to live long; So there are others that are too good to live long, in such an evil wretched world as this. Jeroboam's godly Son dyed in his youth. Josiah a most eminent servant of the Lord, dyed in the midst of his dayes. Enoch, though the best man, and the best Minister of God in all the world in his time, was taken out of the world before he had lived half so long as men in those dayes [Page] were wont to live: but then it would not be good for them to live any longer. God is only wise and faithful, and therefore He takes his servants to himself when he seeth that life will not be best for them. Besides, a man may live long in a little time: It is said the child shall dye an hundred years old Isa. 65.20. Tho' a child in respect of years, yet he shall have the grace & gravity, the wisdom and knowledg of a man that has liv'd an hundred years. And indeed that is most desirable. It is a great Mercy in many respects, to be freed from the prevailing Infirmities of old age, and therfore to live long in a little time is most desirable. As I remember Mr. Cotton in an Epistle which he hath prefixed to one of Mr Norton's * Books taketh notice of it with respect to Dr. Preston, that it was his constant desire affectation and expression, that he might live long in a little time, and the Lord granted him his desire of heart therein. Some live longer in seven years, than others do in ten times seven years. They doe more for God, and more for his People in seven years, than others doe in twenty, forty, threescore, or in fourscore years. Moreover that promise of long life will be fulfilled to the righteous in the life to come. As indeed all promises (and threatnings too) are fully accomplished in the [Page] world to come. There the righteous shall live for ever. It was promised to Christ, that he should be satisfied with long life, Psal. 91. ult. And that he should prolong his dayes, Isa. 53.10. Yet we know that Christ was not in this world much above two and thirty years: how then did he prolong his dayes? in the other world his dayes are prolonged to Eternity, according to the Scripture Psal. 21.4. He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him, length of dayes for ever and ever.

Ʋse. 2. Let it be a word of Exhortation. 1. Here is a general word of Exhortation, 2. more particular.

1. Let us all be exhorted to make a right improvement of such awful Providences as the Text speaks of. There is such a providence before us this day, which has occasioned me to speak from these words at this time: For truly I think God would not have us suffer such solemn awful Providences as these to pass away without taking special notice of them, and making some good improvement thereof.

You will say, But what use shall we make of this awful Providence?

Ans. It should cause us humbly to reflect upon our own vile natures. Have we been kept from the like Evils that others have been guilty of? no thanks to our own hearts, for we have the same nature that they have, and if God had given us up to our own hearts lusts, we should [Page] have been as bad as they, or as any of the Children of men that ever were in the world. Wherefore the Apostle in the third Chapter to the Romans, discoursing of the state of men by nature, saith, Their feet are swift to shed blood ver, 15. Why; is every natural man a murtherer? Truly he hath a murderers heart within him, and he would quickly shed bloud, he would actually commit murder, if God did not restrain him. How should this thought humble us and make us vile in our own eyes! As I remember it is storied concerning that * Blessed Martyr, that if he did hear of any that were condemned or accused on the aceount of Witchcraft, Murder, Robberies, or any other Impiety. He would smite upon his breast and say, In this breast of mine, is that which would have caused me to have been guilty of the same evil if the Grace of God had not prevented me. And it is recorded of one of the Ancients † That he was never told of any great wickedness committed by others, but it did him some good. It made him the more distrustful of his own heart; He would say, Ille heri, tu hodie, ego cras: He committed that sin yesterday, thou dist commit the same sin to day, and I shall commit it to morrow, if the Grace of God do not restrain and prevent me.

2. Another Use which we should make of this awful Providence is, To Consider sadly [Page]whether there be not some prevailing evil, that the Lord doth hereby rebuke and seek to humble us for. I fear there is such an evil, I mean with respect to those woful breaches of the fifth Commandment which are to be found amongst us. This is a prevailing evil, we may see it every where. How do inferiors rise up against Superiors! Look into the Common wealth, and we shall find that Magistrates are not honoured and acknowledged in their places as ought to be. Look into Churches, and how do some carry it there as if the Scripture were Apochrypha! even that Scripture Heb. 13.17. where it is said Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit your selves for they watch over your souls. Look into Schools, and how do children contemn and despise and disobey their Masters, contrary to the fifth Commandment! Look into Families, and Oh what disobedient children▪ O what unruly servants may we find there! Nay Look into the streets, and there we may find and observe (I have sometimes beheld it, not altogether without greif and shame) the Child behaving himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable: so that in this respect New-England is in a great measure become degenerate from the GOOD MANNERS of the Christian world: If there be any prevailing iniquity in New-england this is it. And therefore no marvel that such an awful Providence doth come to rebuke [Page] & humble us: that servants have conspired together to kill their Master. There has been no such deed done or seen in our Israel before now. And mark what I say, If ever New-Enland be destroyed, this very sin of disobedience to the fifth Commandment will be the ruin of this Land.

3. Another Use we should make of this Provicence is, to beware of those sins which do oftentimes end in untimely death. Pride is one of those sins. Corah was a proud man, he could not bear to be subject to that order neither in Church nor Common-wealth, which God had appointed, and He dyed not the common death of all men. Haman was exceeding proud & high minded, and his pride brought him to the Gallows at last. But what need we go far for Examples? One of these poor condemned Creatures that is here standing before the Lord this day, saith that he thinks his pride has been his ruin: I asked him the other day in the Prison, what sin it was that he thought in his Conscience God was provok'd with him for, so as to leave him to that which has brought him under this Condemnation? He told me he thought it was for his Pride. ‘For he thought much of it that such an one as He should be a servant,’ (and he sometimes used such words as these) ‘I am flesh and bloud as well as my Master & therefore I know no reason why my Master should not obey me as well as I obey him.’ [Page] did he say, and now we see what his Pride hath brought him to: therefore beware of that sin.

And Idleness is a sin that doth bring many to a miserable end at last. It was one of those sins which caused Thousands in Sodom and Gomorrah to dye before their time in a dreadful manner. As for one of those poor condemned creatures, Idleness hath been his Bane▪ he would not diligently follow the Calling which he was set in, but lived an Idle vagrant life, and what is he now come to! Therefore beware of that sin.

And Disobedience to Parents is a sin that is often punished with untimely death. (as was partly intimated before) One of these that are to be executed this day, doth confess that his disobedience to his Parents has provok'd the Lord to bring this misery upon him. He saith that when he was a child his father gave him good instructions & prayed for him, but he regarded it not, His father would have had him gone to School, but he would not, his father would have had him gone to a Trade but he would not, and after his Father was dead he would not be subject to those that had the care and Charge of him, but ran away from them, and since that from time to time has run away from them that have been his Masters. And now behold what all this Disobedience hath brought him unto! All you disobedient children that are here before the Lord this day, hearken to the word of the Lord, there is a Scripture [Page] which methinks should strike terrour & trembling into your souls, it is that Prov. 30.17. The eye that mocketh his father and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out & the young eagles eat it. The eye that mocketh his father. Stuborness and contempt is to be seen in the eye, therefore the meaning is, that he that is stubborn and rebellious against his father shall be so dealt with. Well, a Father hath many times that Wisdom and Authority with him that the child dare not disobey him, but he careth not for his mother; therefore it's added, he that despiseth to obey his mother. You children that disobey your mothers, hearken to this, the Ravens are like to feed upon you: that is to say such sinners shall come to an untimely death, and it may be not have a decent honourable burial: it is to be fear'd that such children will come to the Gallows, and be hang'd up in Gibbets for the Ravens & Eagles to feed upon them if they will. And it is greatly to be observed, that the most of those that dy upon the Gallows, do confess that they have been guilty of disobedience to Parents. Yea, God is so provoked with such wicked children, as that he does sometimes leave them against nature to destroy themselves, as a just punishment of unnatural disobedience. There was an awful example of this, which hapned in this Countrey about fifteen years agoe: I was not my self in this Land at that time, but I have had an account of it from those that [Page] that knew it. A young man * drowned himself, but before he did that he left a writing directed to his Father, wherein he had such words as these, O Father, I have kept my soul as long as ever I could, my ruin was the pride & stubborness of my tender years, which should have been fetch'd out with sharp Correction: and evil counsel and company has been my undoing. I have a youner Brother▪ that follows my steps, he is going the wide way to destruction, I beseech you take pains with him, and correct him as well as counsel him, that he may not be undone soul & body as well as I. Words to this purpose did that perishing young man (tho' the son of a Godly Father) write when he was going into Eternity. You disobedient children, think of it. And the Lord strike it home to your hearts.

Drunkenness is a sin that often brings those that are guilty of it to a miserable end at last. A vile creature it may, be when he is drunk, he will goe and drown himself, and his soul go down into eternal darkness in that condition, or he will commit some horrid sin, for which the Sword of Justice will cut him off. When he is drunk he will commit Adultry, or a Rape it may, Alas we hear that such a Villany hath been commited of late, in a Plantation not far off; Or in his drink hee'le kill a man, and so dye before his time. Therefore beware of that sin.

And Coveteousness is a sin, which many times [Page] brings untimely: death, it did so upon Achan. The love of Mony is the root of all evil. This has occasioned many a bloudy yea unnatural Murther. ‖ The story is famously known of a man in Cornwal, that his son having been many years absent from him and coming home with a Portmantue full of silver & gold, and his parents not knowing who he was, for the sake of his mony conspire together and in the night time cut his throat, the next morning when they knew it was their own son whom they had murdered, they did in anguish & horror both of them destroy themselves. And there is a Tragical story lately printed, of * A profane young man that kild his own mother that bare him, out of hopes that when she was dead, he should enjoy her estate. For which he was put to most dreadful death: Weights of Iron & stone were laid upon him for 2 dayes together until his life and soul were pressed out of his body. This Execution was done about four years agoe▪ Therefore take heed and beware of Coveteousness.

Also take heed of giving way to Passions, Revenge, Anger and the like. These two condemned creatures, their Master corrected them, and as they thought dealt hardly by them, & therefore in wicked passion, wrath & rage they would take an ax & knock him on ye head for which now they must die.

Beware also of giving way to Discontents and sullen Melancholy, for that also causeth some to dye before their time. There is a lamentable story [Page] lately publish'd: * A Woman in pangs of Melancholy discontent went to destroy her self several times, but was by the Providence of God prevented, but afterwards giving way to those temptations, & not humbling her self on the account of former miscarriages, she embrewed her hands in the blood of her own child, for which she was afterwards executed near to the place where she had committed that unnatural Cruelty & Murder. Therefore let us take heed of giving way to the distemp'red workings of our own spirits.

But thus for the word of general Exhortation.

2. Let me more particularly exhort, those that have been wicked overmuch. You that have bin guilty of great sins & provocations before the Lord, O repent & turn to God in Jesus Christ. Return return O sinners, return return, Stop sinners! stop, go no further, if you love your lives go no further▪ why should you dye before your time? it may be repentance may save your lives. There have bin some that have been guilty of capital crimes, yet when they have repented and turned to God in Jesus Christ, he has cover'd their sins that the world hath never known of them. However if there be true repentance, the lives of your souls shall be sav'd. In some cases repentance cannot prevent the first but it will alwaies (if sound & sincere) prevent the second death. O then turn to God in Jesus Christ.

And I would apply this more particularly unto * these poor condemned creatures who are standing in the solemn presence of the Lord, and whose [Page] naked souls must by & by appear before God the Judge of all, to receive a sentence either of eternall life, or of eternal death: Hearken you to the word of the Lord this once: I beseech you mind what I say because you are now come to your last hour. It may be there are many here this day that this is the last Sermon that ever they shall hear: but as for you the thing is certain, you shall never hear another Sermon; and therefore let these words sink down into your ears and hearts.

A few Considerations and Directions let me spread before you. Consider,

1. That you have been wicked over much. The sin which you are now to die for is exceeding great, even Murther! the Scripture says that no murderer hath eternal life. And again, that Murderers shall have their part in that lake which burns with fire & brimstone which is the second death. And no doubt you have bin guilty of many other grievous sins, which have provoked the Lord to leave you unto the commission of this horrid murder. This murder also is exceedingly aggravated in respect of the person whom you have slain, even your master! O how have you risen up in rebellion against the glorious Image of God, not only in that you have shed the bloud of a man who was made after the Image of God, but such a man as had peculiar dominion over you, in that respect you have offered fearful violence to the sacred Image of the blessed God. So that you have transgrest the 5th and 6th Commandments at once in the highest degree that you could doe. [Page] and since your apprehension, yea conviction & condemnation, you have told many lies (at least one of you, it is to be fear'd both of you) against your conscience.

2. Consider that now you must die before your time. especially one of you a poor young creature that has hardly liv'd 20 years in this world, and must this day be turned out of it: yea both of you dye before your time. You might according to the ordinary course of nature have lived many a year. You must be cut off by a violent and dreadful death. For indeed the anger of the Lord would fall upon this whole countrey where your sin has been committed, if you should be suffered to live.

3. Consider that there is yet a possibility for you to escape the 2nd. death. Tho' your sin be very great, yet God can pardon it. I remember a passage concerning a poor creature that was condemned to dye for wickedness he had been guilty of (I the rather mention it because he was Countrey-man to one of you) but when he was in Prison gave good hopes of his unfeigned repentance, & when he came to the place of execution, * he had this expression O! God is a great forgiver, God is a great forgiver. So I say to you in his name the Lord is a great forgiver, it is His Name to forgive iniquity transgression and sin. Yea and he hath (upon deep & unfeigned repentance) forgiven those that have committed this sin which you are now to suffer for. Manasseh shed much innocent blood, yet when he humbled himself greatly, the Lord was entreated for him. There are some in Heaven that were once [Page] bloody sinners. David was delivered from blood guiltiness: upon his repentance 'twas said to him, the Lord hath put away thy sin thou shalt not die an to the 2nd death he did not dye. And Saul (afterwards Paul) had once the guilt of blood upon him and therefore he made his confession but [...] to the Lord, saying, Lord, when the blood of the Martyr Steven was shed, I also was standing by and consenting to his death ▪ yet when he did repent and turn to God in Jesus Christ, God forgave him his iniquity. Know therefore, that there is Mercy enough with God to pardon & save as great sinners as you are. And know that Jesus Christ the son of God, came to save the chief of sinners. There is merit & righteousness enough in Jesus Christ. He was bruised for our iniquities, & wounded for our transgressions. The wounds of Christ can make amends for those wounds which you gave your Master, when you slew him. The bloud of Christ can satisfie for the bloud which you shed, Jesus doth deliver from wrath to come. And he doth not exclude you from salvation by him, if you do not by impenitency & unbelief exclude your selves. Neither can the death you suffer hinder the salvation of your souls, incase you truly repent & believe. Jesus Christ hath been made a curse, that so he might redeem from the curse of the law. Yea He (the blessed son of God) was hanged upon a tree tho' he never knew any sin, only for the sins of his people, & therefore has sanctified all manner of Deaths unto those yt shall believe on Him. Oh consider of it and let it break our hearts.

[Page]4▪ Consider. Presently it will be too late for you to think of these things. when once you are dead, when once your souls are out of your bodies, it will be too late for you to think of these maters. There's no repenting in the Grave, no believing in Hell. Behold now is your accepted time, now is the hour of your salvation, If you do not now accept of Jesus Christ upon his own terms, you will be undone and damn'd to all Eternity.

By way of Direction I shall speak 2 or 3 words.

1. Do what you can that God may have glory by you, that little time that you have to live. Therefore see that you solemnly warn others, (especially young ones) to take heed of those evils which your consciences tell you have made way, for your destruction. And see that you be sincere & ingenuous in making Confession of your sin. The Scripture saith If we confess our sins, i. e. with a penitent broken heart, desirous never more to Commit them, God is faithful to forgive them ▪ And again, He that confesseth & forsaketh shall find mercy, but he that hideth his sin shall not prosper. I charge you in the Name of God, as you will answer it by and by before his Judgement seat, that you do not deny or disown what you know is truth: & I urge this the rather, because you have not been so ingenuous in confessing your evil as God and men have expected from you. You accuse and impeach one another. The one of you says, that the other kill'd his Master, and you only stood by and did not strike one blow, and [Page] so doth the other say; you accuse him and he accuses you. But deceive not your selves, if you deny what you know is truth, tho' God be most merciful, yet God that made you will not have mercy on you, and tho' Christ be a Saviour for great sinners, He then will not save you. The devil has brought your bodies to ruin, and now his great design is to destroy your souls; He knoweth if he can perswade you not to give glory to God by confessing, he shall have your souls for ever. I tell you truly if you now disown the truth, when once your souls are out of your bodies, they shall suffer the Vengeance of Eternal fire.

2. Look up to God in Jesus Christ, that he would give you Repentance & Faith unfeigned. You cannot convert your selves, but God can do it: therefore look up to him for that end, and cry mightily to him as for your lives. If the Magistrate should say to you (they may not say so, for then the displeasure of God would come upon them & upon this people) that if you would cry earnestly for your lives you should have them, O how earnest would you be? Behold the God of Gods saith to you this day (and in his Name I proclaim it) that if you seek unto him with all your hearts, it is possible that the sentence of eternal death which is upon your souls may be revoked. Oh then pray for the lives of your souls. I remember it is storied of a poor woman that being condemned to dye, as soon as the sentence was past, she fell a crying and shrieking in a lamentable [Page] manner, the Judge rebuked her and bad her hold her peace, but she replied O my Lord it is for my life, it is for my life. So I say to you, O cry to the Lord for Grace and pardoning Mercy, it is for the lives of your souls, yea it is for the lives of your Souls.

And further to Awaken hereunto,

3. Think sadly of Eternity. O ETERNITY ETERNITY! It is an Amazing Meditation. There was a man that said Mentioned by Dr. Preston in his Sermons on the Attributes, Page. 165. If I were to endure the wrath of God for a Thousand years only, methinks of could bear it; but when I think of ETERNITY I am Amazed. I Beseech you think seriously of this. I might Charge you, and I do so in the Name of God, but I also beseech you, though you are poor, vile, Condemned Creatures, yet as I said to you in the Prison, so I say in this solemn Audience. I could be content to lye down at your feet, upon condition that I might be Instrumental of good to your souls. So greatly do I desire (God is witness) your Salvation; Therefore I pray you for the Lord's sake, I pray you for your immortal Souls sake, that you would by these things to heart, and we will once more cry unto the Lord that He would have Mercy and Compassion upon those precious and immortal souls of yours.

Tibi Domine.

Notes

*

Vide Drusis Annot. in locum.

↵

*

Noli esse stultus. Hieron.

↵

‖

Tametsi ut improbi in suis sceleribus conscenescant, tamen epi to polu fit ut improborum brevis et contracta vita fit, Cartwright in loc.

↵

*

See Mr. Caryl on Job. 22.16.

↵

*

Plutarch.

↵

†

Clarks Examp. vol. 1. p. 380.

↵

*

See Mr Cotton's Epistle before Mr. Norton's Orthodox Evangelist.

↵

*

Mr Bradford.

↵

†

Bernard.

↵

‖

v. Clarks Examp. vol. 2. p. 458.

↵

*

Henry Jones executed at Munmouth in Wales March 11. 1671▪

↵

*

Nicholas Feaver, born in the Isle of Jersey▪ and Robert Driver born in the Isle of Orkney in Scotl'd.

↵

*

Nicholas Feaver, born in the Isle of Jersey▪ and Robert Driver born in the Isle of Orkney in Scotl'd.

↵

*

See Fulfilling of Scriptures, pag. 233.

↵

§

§

[Page]

[Page]

A SERMON (Preached at the Lecture in Boston in New-England the 18th of the 1. Moneth 1674. When two men were Executed, who had Murthered their Master) WHEREIN IS SHEWED That Excess in wickedness doth bring UNTIMELY DEATH.

The Second Impression.

By INCREASE MATHER, Teacher of a Church of Christ.

Prov. 10.27.

The fear of the Lord prolongeth dayes, but the years of the wicked shall be shortned.

Ephes. 6.2, 3,

Honour thy Father and thy Mother (which is the first commandment with promise) that it may be well with thee, and thou mayst live long on the earth.

Poena ad paucos, Metus ad omnes.

Printed by R. P. for J. Brunning in Boston 1685

Information about this book

Title statement

A sermon (preached at the lecture in Boston in New-England the 18th of the 1. moneth 1674. When two men were executed, who had murthered their master) Wherein is shewed that excess in wickedness doth bring untimely death. / By Increase Mather, teacher of a church of Christ. ; [Seven lines of quotations]

Mather, Increase, 1639-1723.

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Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI :

Date

2007-10.

ID [DLPS]

N00319

ID [TCP]

N00319

ID [STC]

Evans 394

ID [STC]

Wing M1250

ID [NOTIS]

APX3037

ID [IMAGE-SET]

394

ID [EVANS-CITATION]

99019801

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This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

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Early American Imprints, 1639-1800 ; no. 394.

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(Evans-TCP ; no. N00319)

Transcribed from: (Readex Archive of Americana ; Early American Imprints, series I ; image set 394)

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Source

— A sermon (preached at the lecture in Boston in New-England the 18th of the 1. moneth 1674. When two men were executed, who had murthered their master) Wherein is shewed that excess in wickedness doth bring untimely death. / By Increase Mather, teacher of a church of Christ. ; [Seven lines of quotations], Mather, Increase, 1639-1723.. The second impression..

Extent

[2], 38 p. ; 15 cm. (8vo)

Printed by R.P. [i.e., Richard Pierce] for J. Brunning [i.e., Joseph Browning] in Boston,. [Boston] :: 1685.. (Issued with: Mather, Increase. A call from heaven ... Boston, 1685 (Evans 393). Cf. Holmes.) (First published in 1675 under title: The wicked mans portion.) (Edition statement transposed: precedes "By Increase Mather" in title.)

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