A most aw [...], and a very Moving and Quickring Spectacle! A Lifeless Carcase ought alwayes to be so. Behold, the Mortality to which we are all obnoxious! Behold, the Dark and Sad Effects which our Mortality w [...] produce upon us! We will Breathe and Pause upon it: We will Rise and Fly from the Earth which is to be no longer Ours, towards Heaven in ou [...] [Page 2]Meditations. We will employ our Best Thoughts, to find out the way, that in that very Day, when we Dy, we may not Perish.

The History of the Psalm will give us the Intention of it, and of this Remarka­ble Passage in it. When Cyrus had given the Jews Liberty to return unto Jerusa­lem, and rebuild the Temple, and restore the Worship of God, in that Holy City, the Samaritans, a mungril sort of People, so joined with their Adversaries, that little was done in it, notwithstanding the Fa­vour which that Great Monarch had shown unto them. Cyrus was no sooner gone, and Cambyses on the Throne, but there seem'd an End of all Hope, that they should Proceed any further in their Desires. To prevent their Pear, & Excite their Faith, on this Difficult occasion, those Two Great Prophets, Haggai and Zechariab appear; And probably One of those (for Antiquity is of this Opinion) composed the Psalm now before us. The Psalm Exhorts them to put their Trust in God. Accordingly Cambyses dies; Da­rius comes to the Throne; Then, in spite of all opposition, the work of God goes on; [...] People accomplish what they had so [Page 3]much and so long desired. When the Breath of that Crowned Head Went forth, and the Monarch returned unto his Earth, in that very Day, all the obstructions that had been given to the work of God, came to an End.

We have before us, a Lively Descrip­tion of Death; Even of the Death, which the Greatest, and the Wisest, and the Best of Men, must meet withal; Yea, Princes themselves, and the most Excellent among the Sons of Men. There have been Princes, that have been called, Gods. Indeed, there has been a mistake, in applying this, to all Princes and Rulers, in general. It seems to have been peculiar unto those of the Israelitish Theocracy. Tis true, if any in our Dayes, employ their Power for God, we may be content that they come in for a share in this Term of Honour. And yet, even these Earthly Gods, are but Gods of Earth. Alas, Let such Gods know, they are to Dy like Men. Those also that are peculiarly Men of God; Men full of GOD, and His most Glorious Temples in the World; Men that are the Heirs of Ever­lasting Life; These must also Dy like other Men; and put off their Earthly Tabernacle. [Page 4]The Cand [...]d [...]tes of Heaven, we have daily occasion to put on our Black in Mour­ning for our Loss in their Departure thither.

But, what befalls men when they Dye? Some Accidents of Mortality are here Spe­cified. Let us make our Particular, — But, Oh! Let it be a profitable, Reflection on them.

First of all, you shall have them all, in One Collection.

Of a Dring Man, it may be said, His Breath goes forth; and, He re­turns to his Earth, and, His Thoughts Perish in the very Day, that he dies.

You see My Friends, first, How a Man Lives; [...]is by his Breath. Secondly, How a Man Dies; Tis by his Breath go­ing forth. Thirdly; What becomes of a Man, when he Dies. First, The Man; He returns to his Earth. Secondly, The Thoughts of the Man; They Perish in that very Day. Each of these Articles, is to be distinctly considered.

[Page 5] [...] If a Mans Breath goes forth, he dies, he's gone! A Man d [...]s if he cease to Breath; Ordinarily he Lives no longer than he Breathes. The Life of Man lies in the Power of Breathing. The first Infu­sion of Life into Mankind is thus related; Gen. II. 7. God breathed into his N [...]strils, the Breath of Life. Our Bodies have Muscles, which by their Motion draw in and send out, the Air. By this Respiration, the Blood which runs thro' the Lungs, is atte­nuated, and brought into such a commi­nution as is necessary to the free circu­lation of it. The N [...] horn Infant, be­gins this way of Living; and holds it on to the End of his Life At last, the Stop­ping of the Breath, or the failing of the power to Breath [...], is the which puts an End unto the Life. The cor [...]inuance of Life, turns upon that; Job XXVIL. 3. All the while my Breath is in me, and the Spirit of God is in my [...] s [...]. There are cases, wherein the Children of Man h [...]ve Sub­sisted Breathl [...]s for some Hours, yea, for whole Dayes, and have our lived it. But when the Breath totally fails, the Man dies. He that has altogether does [...]ath­ing, is a D [...]ad Man. When [...] [...] Last Gasp of a Man, we pronoun [...] [...] [Page 6] Dead. We read; Jam. II. 26. The Body without the Breath, is Dead. Idols, when the Bible would call them Dead Things, it sayes, Neither is there any Breath in their Mouthes. Man is a Breathing Piece of Clay; and when he leaves off Breathing, he be­comes Lifeless, and Senseless Clay. No longer than the Blood, wherein is the Life of Man, has the Air fanning and breaking of it, and Perhaps affording a Sort of a Balsame unto it, will the Soul continue in the Clay Tabernacle. The Vital Ty between the Soul and the Body, is in the Blood. The Texture and the Motion of the Blood is kept in due order by the Breath. When the Breath is totally check'd and the Blood can have no more of any refocillation from it, it stops, it coagulates, it putrifies; the Soul can stay no longer; its House is no longer tenantable.

But let us make some useful Remarks, on the most obvious Observation in the World.

First. With some Surprize, we may now make this Remark; How does every Man Dy Every Hour! His Breath goes forth, it may be, twenty times in an Hour. Truly, The Instrument of our Life, is the [Page 7]Harbinger and Monitor of our Death; Even, the Going forth of our Breath. My Friend, All thy Breathing, is but a Gosping for Life. A Breathing Life, 'tis at best but a Dying Life. Indeed, Our Breath which now goes forth, does again Return. But, when a few Dayes are past, it will go, whence it shall not Return. The Faculty of Breath­ing, will ere long have a fatal [...]struction given to it. He was a Prudent Man, who said; I Cor. XV. 31. I die daily. Oh! Let every Man Breathing, Often with his Breath, fetch in such awakening Advice as this; ‘My Breach will certainly and speedily sail me My L [...]fe is going as well as my [...] my Breath will go forth for all together. My Breathing T [...] wi [...] [...]tly be ever. No Man will have Power [...] the Breath, to [...] his Breath in the D [...]y of [...] Death. O my Soul! What [...] then Breath after so much as [...], that thou mayst be ready for thy [...].’

Secondly, There is this Remark to be now also made by every Man alive; What a poor thing is Man. What a Frail thing, the most Mighty Man [...] How little is the Life of Man to be depended on! [Page 8] Trust not in any Son of Man, for this very cause; His Breath goes forth, and then the Man is gone.

For a Man to depend on his own Life, tis a very Foolish Thing. We have that pungent Admonition given unto us; Jam. IV. 13, 14. Go to now, ye that say, to Day, or to Morrow, we will go into such a City, and continue there, a year, and Buy and Sell, and get Gain. What is your Life! It is even a Vapour that appeareth for a lit­tle time and then vanisheth away. Even so; Go to now, ye that flatter your selves with Goods laid up for many years. Go to now, ye that promise, you will some years hence turn unto God. Go to now, ye that put off to another [...]ar those things, which ought imme­diately to be performed [...] is your Life? If your Breath go forth, you are Dead. Your Last Breath, who can say, how near it is? If that be Breathed out, you have no more opportunity to do any thing. Oh! Bo [...]st not of to Morrow: thou knowest not, what a Day may bring forth. And for a Man to depend on the Life of another Man is an equal Folly. To build a Weighty Hope, a Pompous [Page 9] Hope, on a Breath which is going forth! What better this, than to Build Castles in the Air? Thus we read, Isa. II. 22. Cease ye from Man, whose Breath is in his Nostrils: For wherein is he to be accounted of? Wo to that Man, who has no Friend, but a Man whose Breath is always going forth! A most uncertain and unstable Friendship, to subsist upon! Soul, Retire to the Glorious GOD, and say; ‘What can any Man do for me? If a little Breath fails, Lo, my Friend, and my Stay fails. Lord, my welfare is laid up in thy Favour. Thou art my E­ver-Living Friend. Man will Dye. I will expect no more from any Man, than what is to be expected from a Dying Thing.’

And then; If a Man be our Enemy, what need we be much Afraid of him? A Man whose Breath will soon fail him, and then his Wrath all comes to nothing. When the poor Animal Dies, then (as the Italians use to say upon a certain Occasion,) all his Malice is dead with him; Dead, that is, as to any mischief, that we may suffer from it. We are thus advised; Isai. LI. 12. I even I, am He [Page 10]that comforts you, who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a Man that shall Die, and of the Son of Man, that shall be made as Grass. Tho' our Enemy, may Breathe out nothing but Fire and Fury against us; God can soon stop his Breath; He will soon be out of Breath. Poor Crea­ture, what can he do! — He is not worth my taking any further notice of him! —

Thirdly. How much ought we to Fear, and Love, and Serve the Glorious GOD! How much keep alive a conti­nual Reliance on Him, and Resignati­on to Him, in the Continuance of our Lives! It is the Demand; Psal. CL. 6. Let every Thing, that hath Breath, Praise the Lord. Every Breath we draw, there is in it, the Fav [...]r of GOD. If GOD order our Breath to go forth, we are gone. All Men have this Dependence on GOD; Lord, Thou takest away their Breath, and they Die; and return to their Dust. Say then, If thou art in the Class of Reaso­nables, now say; What is the best Em­ployment thy Breath can be put unto? Surely, we ought to employ our Breath, in Speaking the Praises of God: Nothing, [Page 11]more proper to be Resolved upon, My Mouth shall Speak the Praises of the Lord! Surely, much of our Breath should be laid out in Prayer to God. Yea, we should be as unable to Live without Praying, as to Live without Breathing. Surely, we should beware of prostituting our Breath to the wrong use of any Evil-Speaking with it! The wretches who articulate their Breath into the horrid Language of Fiends; How worthy do they render themselves, that the GOD whom they Blaspheme should smite them with an Immediate Suffocation! And as with our Breath we should Bless God, even the Fa­ther, Even so, we should be careful that we do not Curse Men, who are made after the Similitude of God: No, But Study, that our Breath may be the vehicle of Truth and of Good unto them, and of what may Feed them, and Minister Grace unto them. And since we Live no longer than GOD indulges our Breath unto us, Oh! Let us take heed of the Sins that may provoke Him to take away our Breath. Urged unto any wicked Thing, say, Never while I Breathe, will I do such a Thing! Let us particularly Take heed [Page 12]of Living Unfruitfully. They who Live to no Good purpose, do forfeit their Lives. To what purpose can it be desired, that God should prolong their Lives!

In fine; It was a sharp Rebuke, — Oh! take heed of deserving to be so re­buked; Dan. V. 23. The God, in whose hand thy Breath is, and whose are all thy wayes, thou hast not Glorified. Sirs, Glorify GOD, as the Giver of your Breath. And, To Glorify God, Let this be the main End of your Breathing, and of all that you do, as long as you Breathe. Breathe after nothing so much as this, nothing but in Subordi­nation to this; Oh! that I may but ac­knowledge GOD in all my wayes; the GOD, in whose Hand are all my wayes. And, Live by Faith as well as by Breath. Maintain your Dependence on GOD, for your Breath. Acknowledge Him, in that agreea­ble Style, The God of my Life!

I will take advantage, from the phrase of, Breath in the Nostrils, to press your Du­ty upon you. Tis the phrase, by which we have the Anger of the Great GOD set forth sometimes unto us. His Breath is in His Nostrils. Verily, If you do not lay out much of your Breathing Time, in [Page 13]the Acknowledgments of GOD, you will find, His dreadful Anger, putting an End unto this Time, and punishing you, where the Breath of the Lord, like a Stream of Brimstone, does kindle a Fire, that burns unto Eternity.

II. When a Man Dies, then he Re­turns to his Earth. Dying, is a Returning to the Earth, yea, to a Mans Own Earth.

The Phrase of, Returning to the Earth, leads us back to the Original of Man. For The Lord God formed Man out of the Dust of the Ground. This is the Humiliation which we have to take notice of; Gen. III. 19. Th [...]u shalt Return to the Ground; for out of it, thou wast taken: For Dust thou art, and unto Dust shalt thou Return.

We will Enquire; First; What of the Dying Man is it, that Returns to the Earth?

In one Word; So much of Man, as came out of the Earth. And therefore, not the whole of Man; therefore no more than the Body of Man. The Body of Man, is of an Earthly Constitution. It was first lodg'd in the Earth. And the Nourish­ment of it, is fetch'd from the Earth. Tis this, that is to find a lodging in the Earth, [Page 14]when the Earth is no longer to nourish it, and sustain it, and recruit it. There is a Spirit in Man, which will not Return to the Earth, but go another way. We read, Eccl. XII. 7. The Dust shall return to the Earth, as it was; and the Spirit shall return unto God, who gave it. When the Body Returns unto the Earth, our Nobler Part goes to the Abdita animarum Receptacula, as Austin expresses it, the Hidden Recepta­cles of Souls, which are with God. When we Die, then our Life, that is, our Soul, the Spring of our Life, and that part that shall never Die, this will be bid with God. But the Body, this is to be laid in the Grave. The Grave is the House of all the Living. When we cease to Live, our B [...]dy is laid in the Dark and Cold House of the Grave. The B [...]dy must be laid in that Pit of Corruption. Tis in Bondage to Corruption; Bound to be laid where it must undergo Corruption. There it must be crumbled and mouldred into Dust. And whence this Destruction, upon this curi­ous W [...]kmanship of God; a Body so cu­riously, and Fear [...]lly, and Wondrously [...]? We may say; An Enemy has [...] this. But what Enemy? SIN, SIN, [Page 15]Thou art our Deadly Enemy. At the mention of thee, I may say, I have now found thee, O mine Enemy. The just Penalty of the Law, which the Great GOD gave unto us, is Death. By Sin we have Trans­gressed the Law. In that Sin we hearkened unto the Tempter; The Breath of the Old Serpent, we so took in, as to be Poisoned with it. So tis, that our Breath comes to fail us, as it does. We see none Return­ing to the Earth, but we may say, Behold, the Desolations that Sin has brought upon the Earth! Here is a part of the Hurt which our Sin has done unto us. Ah! Sin, Thou cause of our Death; what cause have we to count this more Bitter than Death? How can we Entertain Light Thoughts of so great an Evil!

We will enquire; Secondly: What we have hinted unto us, in this, that the Dying Man must Return to His Earth?

These things. First. A Dying Man is left Owner of nothing in this World, ex­cept one may say, that little Piece of Earth, which he Returns unto. Tis very Remarkable; The Princes of this World; the Men who would have the Earth given to them alone; Even the Mighty Men who have the Earth, and the Honourable Men [Page 16]who dwell in it; Of such as these, it is here said, He returns to His Earth. It is not said, They return to their Castles, to their Cities, to their Kingdoms. No, These are now, Anothers. They return to their Earth, because a little Earth, is now all that is left unto them. We read, 1 Tim. VI. 7. We brought nothing into this World, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. Well known is the Story of that Great Empe­rour Saladine, who would have it Pro­claim'd at his Funeral; A Death Shrowd is all that the Great Emperor of the East, is now left Owner of! Man, Thy Death will dispossess thee, of all that thou hast in the World. It will only leave thee a few Clods of the Valley, or a little Turf upon the Hill of Golgotha, to be Sweet unto thee. He that was Possessor of many Acres, yea, of many Countries, must return to a Confine­ment of Six Foot of Earth. He that was [...]r­ray'd in Purple and fine Linnen, must Return to a close Chamber in the Earth, where he shall have no more than a Winding-Sheet. He that had his Chest full of the Shining Earth, which bewitches the Chil­dren of Men into a Love of it, that is the Root of all Evil, must Return, where he shall [Page 17]be himself lock'd up in a Stable-Chest, without a penny of it. So we read; Psal. XLIX 16.17. One is made Rich, and the Glory of his House increased; when he Dies, he shall carry nothing away; his Glory shall not descend after him. It has been a Remark made on our Father Abrahams purchasing the Cave of Macpelah, That the first purchase of Land that ever we read of was of a Burying place. O you Eager purchasers of Land, and conten­ders for it, and what it produces; The Burying-place is that, wherein all in a little while will terminate.

Secondly. Tis too Common a thing, for the Earth, to be all that the Dying Man has cared for, before and until he Return into it. It is His Earth, inasmuch as his care was to make it HIS. His whole care was to make sure of Earth. We read, Phil. III. 19. There are many, who mind Earthly Things. The most Men are Earthly-Minded Men; So they Live, and so they Die. They have chosen the Earth for their Portion. They know no Good, but what lies in Earthly Enjoyments. It is an Elegant pungency, with which the Children of Men are called upon, O Earth, [Page 18]Earth, Earth, Hear the word of the Lord. They have this Character assigned them, in the word of the Lord; Psal XVII. 14. They are the Men of the World, who have shew Portion in this Life. They are all for Earth while they Live; and so, they Re­turn to their Earth, when they Die. The Curse of the Serpent is come upon the Children of Men, since they have been Seduced by the Old Serpent; they are un­der that Vengeance of Heaven, Dust shalt thou Eat, all the dayes of thy Life. I will add, a terrible Gloss, which the Blessed Old Prosper had upon that Passage; Who are the Dust, but the Terrenis Cupiditatibus inhiantes Animae, The Souls that pant after nothing but Earth! Such Souls become the woful Food of the Serpent; Satan makes a prey of them; they fall into the mouth of that horrible Devourer. It will be so, when the Earthly minded wretch does Return to the Earth. And then, as I have been saying, it will be found, that his Earth is his All. A Covetous Tyrant, at his Death, had melted Gold poured into his Mouth, with such a Sarcasm as this upon him; Take now, what in thy Life­time, thou wast alwayes unsatiably thirsting [Page 19]for! Even so, when an Ungodly Man comes to Die, and the Covetous, whom the Lord abhors, he then [...]eturns to his Earth, and it may be said unto him; Here thou hast that for which thou hast all the Dayes of thy Life been Labouring.

This Observation will be followed with some Instructions.

First. What a wretched Vanity are they Guilty of, who are Sollicitous for no­thing, but that they may with a little Earth, have a Body well-provided for! A­las, the most of Men are Solicitous for nothing, but only to make Provision for the Flesh, and a Provision from the Earth; Solicitous for nothing, but only to have a B [...]dy well accommodated. Ridiculous Man! This Body is Returning to its Earth in a very little while. Tis impossible to keep the Body, from Returning to the Earth. Our Language indeed humours, the stu­pid Notion, as if Man were nothing but Body. As I remember our Epigramma­tist bestowes a little Satyr upon us for it. We say, Body for Person. And according­ly Men generally consider nothing so much as their Body. But, Oh! the Mad­ness of Leaving the Soul, all this while un­considered! [Page 20]We have been better taught than so; He, Like whom none teaches hath said unto us; Joh. VI. 27. Labour not for the Meat that perishes, but for that Meat, which Endures to Everlasting Life. Thus are we to be counselled. Labour more, to have thy Soul Fed, Cherished and Strengthened with the CHRIST, who is the Bread of Life, than [...]o get Food for thy Body, when Death is quickly to Feed up­on. Labour more to have thy Soul ador­ned with the Graces which are of Great price in the Sight of God, than to get Ornaments for a Body, which is quickly to be bury­ed in lothsome Deformities. Labour more to have a Soul Entituled unto, An House Eternal in the Heavens, than to get a Splen­did Lodging for a Body, that is quickly to be Imprisoned in a Subterraneous Habi­tation. Tis a Madness to do otherwise; Oh! do not with this Madness uncured, go down unto the Dead! It was required; Isa. XLVI. 8. Show your selves Men. Veri­ly, you do not show your selves Men until you come to this Determination; ‘My Body is Returning to the Earth. I will Sea­sonably and Sollicitously give all Dili­gence, that I may have something more than a little Earth, to befriend me in my [Page 21]greatest Necessities. There is a Better and a Lasting Substance in the Heavens, which is to my Soul, the One Thing that is Necessary. O my Soul, Awake; Em­brace thy Saviour; Entreat Him to bring thee home unto God; and so lay hold on Eternal Life. The Man is Mad, who is not thus disposed, thus con­cerned.’

Secondly. Tho' we Return to the Earth, yet let us Believe and Rejoyce in the Great Saviour, who will Redeem us from the Earth. Our Dear Saviour sayes unto His Faithful Ones, (like what He said unto our Father Jacob,) Be not afraid, my Child, of returning to thy Earth. I, that have my self been in the Grave, in the Belly of the Earth, and Risen again from thence, will be with thee, and surely bring the up again. That passage, which we render, Their Beauty shall consume in the Grave, from their Dwel­ling, is to be read; Psal. XLIX. 14. Then shall their Rock come to destroy Death, He shall come from His Habitation. It follows [and so it well may!] God will Redeem my Soul from the Power of the Grave. This was the Ancient Faith; Job. XIV. 14, 15. If a Man Die, shall be Live again? All the [Page 22]Dayes of my appointed Time will I wait unti [...] my Change come. It means, the Change which Man shall see, when he rises from the Dead, and Lives again. Then, Lord Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee; Thou wilt have a Desire to the work of thine Hands. Even, to see a Restoration of the Body, which is a Work all full of Miracles! Ti [...] true; The Resurrection is as great a Work, as Creation. Indeed, it is here intimated, That if Man be recovered after his Death, he must be fetched out of his Earth again. But then, he that made Man out of the Dust, can Raise Man out of the Dust. My Brethren, will you attend unto the Con­solation? The Day is at hand, when the words of the Holy Daniel shall be accom­plished; The many Sleepers in the Dust of the Earth shall awake; And when the words of the Holy Isaiah shall have their Accomplishment; They who dwell in the Dust, shall awake and Sing. But are there no Songs then, that we may go down to the Dust, and fall Asleep withall? Yea, there are Songs for that Night, where-with God our Maker has furnished us. That is one of the Songs; Psal. LXXI. 20. Thou who hast shewn me great and sore Troubles, wilt [Page 23]fetch me to Life again, and wilt bring me up again from the Depths of the Earth. That is one of the Songs; Mic. VII. 8. Rejoyce not against me; O mine Enemy; when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in Darkness, the Lord shall be a Light unto me. Oh! Let us go down Singing thus, unto the Place of Si­lence; Assured of the Songs with which the Redeemed of the Lord shall return from thence; the Songs of never-ending Joy, and of a Return from the Land and the Hand, of our Enemy.

But my Discourse is coming to an End: And the End of all, is the only re­maining Article of it. There is but one Proposition more belonging to it.

III. In that very Day, when our Lives come to an End, our Thoughts also come to an End. Our Death strikes at our Thoughts; and lays an Arrest upon them, in such Terms as those; Ezek. VII 6. An End is come, the End is come; it watcheth for you; behold it is come!

The Thing to be now Enquired is; What Thoughts, will Perish, and come to an End, when we Return Breathless to the Earth, and our Breath and Life comes to an End?

[Page 24] Not, All Thoughts. Our Minds won't Leave off all Thinking, when we Leave off Breathing and Living here. The Opi­nion of the Soul-s [...]epers is an Idle Dream. If the Soul can't be Kill'd by the Death of the Body, then it will hold on Thinking, after the Body is Dead. But of the Things which Kill the Body, our Saviour has assu­red us; Matth. X 28. They are not able to Kill the Soul.

The Departed Soul of a Godly Man, will have his Thoughts. The Soul in the State of Separation fulfill that Word; Psal. LXIII. 6. I will Meditate on thee in the Night Watches. The Soul will feed on the Tree of Life, in Thoughts on the Good Fruits, which a Divine Principle in it, brought forth, before its Transplantation into the Paradise of God. The Soul will be ravished with the Consolations of God, in the Multitude of its Thoughts on what the Saviour has done for him, and will do for him; and in most comfortable Visions of the Lord.

The Departed Soul of a Wicked man, will have his Thoughts too. We find it Spoken as to a Separate Soul of such an one; Luk. XVI 25. Son, Remember what [Page 25]was in thy Life-time. The Conscience in a Criminal Soul, will with bitter, doleful, raging Thoughts, Look back on the vile Things he did in the Time of his Proba­tion here. The Soul of such an one, will be thrown into inexpressible Anguish, by Thoughts, on the Fiery Indignation, where­of he has a fearful Expectation.

But then; First: A Dead man has done Thinking on such things as here take up the Thoughts of the most of men. All Projecting Thoughts for Things to be done in this World; these are all over; they Perish in that very Day, when we Dy, and leave the World. Thus we read, Eccl. IX 5, 6. The Dead know not any thing: Also their Love, and their Hatred, and their Envy, is now Perished; neither have they any more a Portion for ever in any thing that is done under the Sun. Whatever Thoughts we have, of becoming Rich and Great here, and of having our Houses made conside­rable; now no more of those Thoughts; we have now for ever done with such Thoughts.

Secondly: A Dead man, is gone, past all Hopes, to Execute any of his Thoughts. His Thoughts now Perish; inasmuch as his [Page 26] Designs do so. If he has Contrived any thing to be done, the Contrivances are all defeated, in that very Day, when his Eyes are closed and his Hands can stir no more. Thus we read, Eccl. IX. 10. There is no Work, nor Device, nor Knowledge, nor Wisdom, in the Grave whither thou art going. What­ever Plan we had laid in our Thoughts, tis now knock'd all to pieces: The pro­posals in our Thoughts, are now laid all aside: The Thoughts are all Abortive, they miscarry, and they never see the Light.

Thirdly: The most of the Thoughts in the most of men, are found Mistakes, when they come to Dy. It is a Thunder-bolt hurled at the Head of an Impious man; Psal. L. 21, 22. Thou Thoughtest, I was al­together such an One as thy self; But I will Correct thee. Consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. An Infinitely Holy God may say to the Sinner, Thou thoughtest I would not punish thee for thy Sins. A Glorious Christ may say, Thou thoughtest there was no need of looking after an Interest in me. Ex­ceeding Sinful Sin may say, Thou thoughtest me to have no great Evil in me. A sorry World may say, Thou thoughtest that I should afford [Page 27]a Satisfying Portion to thee. A Sinner in ill Terms with Heaven, has his presump­teous Thoughts, that he shall go to Hea­ven when he Dies, When Death comes, he is Torn to Pieces. Ay, and so are his Thoughts too. He Perishes, and all his Vain Thoughts Perish with him. His Thoughts are found woful Errors, and in that very Day, they Perish, with an Eternal Confu­tation of them.

And now, in a few Admonitions re­lating to this Observation, Let us bear the Conclusion of the Matter.

First. What Thoughts you have, that you will Turn to God, and make sure of being Happy after Death; Oh! Let these Thoughts be accomplished before you Die; and therefore, importunately and imme­diately prosecuted. The Thoughts of the Delaying Sinner, his Thoughts that he will One Day Turn, and Live unto God, by that Repentance which he now delays; In that very Day when he dies, these Thoughts all Perish; and so does he for his Leaving them so unfinished. A Sinner has his Thoughts of this Tendency, I will hereafter forsake my Sin, and accept my Saviour, and give my self up unto God; and will take a [Page 28]Convenient Season to m [...]ke my Calling and E­lection sure. Death siezes on him, while these Thoughts are yet unperformed. Mi­serable Sinners, Thy Thoughts are all Pe­rished. There is no Room left for any more such Thoughts. Thy Lamentable cry may now be that; Job XVII. 11. My Dayes are past, my purposes are broken off even the Thoughts of my Heart. As it hath been said, They that go down to the Pit, cannot hope: So may it be said; In that very Day, when Men go down to the Pit, they cannot have any more Thoughts how to escape the Pit. It is too late now, to Think on that Great Question, What shall I do to be Saved? Wherefore, O Think presently what you have to do; Even before it be too late; and let your Thoughts be presently put in Execution. Come to that Issue; Psal. CXIX. 59 60. I thought on my wayes, and turned my feet unto thy Testimonies; I made haste, and I'd layed not, to keep thy Command­ments.

Secondly; Be not misled into Thoughts which will Perish, as the Dreams of a mis­guided Life, when you come to Dic. while men are Living, in the Midst, and in the [...]r [...]d, of Worldly Amusements, they [Page 29]have many Thoughts, whereof we may say, They are a Multitude of Dreams, and in them there are diverse Vanities. They are Thoughts which make men to Perish; they drown Men in Perdition; and then the Thoughts themselves will Perish. Of these, we have that call of God unto us; Jer. IV. 14. How long shall thy vain Thoughts lodge within thee? What will be the Thoughts of a Dying Man? Of Sin, a Dy­ing Man thinks; To Sin, Oh! tis to do an abominable Thing. Of a Saviour from Sin, a Dying Man thinks; To be found in Christ, Oh! nothing, nothing so desireable! Of Time, a Dying Man, who hears the Angel of Death Swearing, Time shall be no more; Such an one thinks Oh! the Unknown worth of Time! It cannot be better Spent, than in the diligent Service of God! Of this World, a Dying Man, who is taking his Leave of the World; such an one thinks, A most Undone Man is he, who is put off with a Por­tion in such a dispicable-World! Of Religi­on, or a Life Placed in Holy Essays to Se­cure a Blessedness after Death; What are the Thoughts of a Dying Man? They are, 'Tis Good for me to draw near unto God. My Hearets, Take up such Thoughts Now. [Page 30]A Dying-Hour will Confirm these Thoughts, and not Confound them. They will not Perish in that very Day, but rather have a fresh Life given unto them. And while you cherish these Thoughts, you must har­bour none but Right Thoughts about Your selves. It is a Warning from God; Gal. VI. 3. If a Man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. The Hope of the Hypocrite, is kept alive by False Thoughts. Those Thoughts, will Perish when he dies; and he too, under the Efficacy of their Strong Delusions. Tis an Hope, that will Perish; What is it, and what becomes of him, when God shall take away his Soul? Oh! Beware of taking up with any thing short of a Thorough Con­version unto God, or of Thinking your selves to be Converted while you are yet in your Sins.

Thirdly: Fill your Minds with a Sort of Thoughts, which will turn to a Good Account after Death; yea, which will be still carried on after Death. Such will be, The Right Thoughts of the Righteous. Oh! the Felicity of the Man, that can say with him; Psal. CXXXIX. 17. How Precious are thy Thoughts unto me, O God! How great [Page 31]is the Sum of them! Christians, Be full of Thoughts, How to advance the Kingdom of God upon Earth; Full of Thoughts, How to befriend Mankind, and bring Men to Know Him, Whom to Know is Life Eternal; Full of Thoughts, How to do Good unto all about you, in all Relations in all Capaci­ties. I cannot say, How far such Thoughts will be Continued with you after Death; But this I will say; These Thoughts will not Perish then; for they will be Rewarded after Death; A Full Recompence will be gi­ven to them. No otherwise will they Pe­rish, than the Seed grown into the Fruit. And then, Holy Thoughts; Be full of them; Thoughts that the Eye of God is upon you; and Who God, and your Saviour is; and How you shall Glorify Him. Thoughts that naturally flow from the Grace of God, Re­newing and Purifying, and Elevating of the Soul; These are Thoughts that will ne­ver Perish. No; they will pass into the Heavenly World with you. There you shall be more full of them, than ever you were here below; And your being full of them here, will be a Sign, that you shall arrive thither, where you shall be in them as in [...] [...]lement for ever more. About a [Page 32]work of Grace in the Soul, we read; Jo [...] IV. 14. It is a well of Water Springing up i [...] to Everlasting Life. The Spring bubbles [...] in Holy Thoughts here below; and it sha [...] continue to do so, in Everlasting Life. T [...] Other Thoughts, they shall Perish; But, O [...] Holy Thoughts, you shall Endure; We sha [...] put off Other Thoughts, as our Vesture, at [...] Change which our Death brings upon u [...] But, Oh! Holy Thoughts, you will be the sa [...] for kind Above, that we had here below and your Years will never come to an End.

Finally. Entertain such Thoughts, [...] would come recommended unto you from Such as have had their Breath g [...] forth, and have return'd unto Earth, bu [...] breathed something of Heaven, before the Dyed, and return'd unto Heaven when the Dyed; Such as have Dyed in Youth but Liv [...] unto God, before they Dyed. Within the [...] Two Dayes our afflicted Neighbourhoo [...] has had such an affecting Spectacle. Tw [...] Young Persons, a Pio [...] Young Man, Note: [Mr. Recompence Wadsworth And. Mrs. Sarah Smith] [and a [...] Useful;] And a Pio [...] Young Woman, carrie [...] unto their Graves, th [...] One within half an Hour, of the Other [Page 33] [...] Neighbours, Hear the Voice of God, in [...]h a Dispensation; and Entertain those [...]ghts, which it invites you to. The Thoughts Early Mortality are those whereto you [...]e an Invitation On such an Occasion, [...]! Think; As Young [...] I am, I may dy too! [...]d what a foolish Thing will it be, for me, to be Concerned only about those Things, whereof [...]m to take an Eternal Farewel, when I die? [...]at a Sottish Thing will it be, for me to put [...] away the Evil Day, and be found Christ­ [...], and wholly Unprepared, when I die! But [...]n, Go on, & Entertain such Thoughts, as [...] have cause to suppose, these Vertuous [...]ng Persons, would, if it were in their [...]wer more particularly perswade you to. [...]ould the Inparadised Spirits of these dear [...]ildren address you, doubtless you might [...]ar them saying to you; Oh! Think it [...]rth the while to begin betimes, your Preparing [...] Death; we don't Repent, that we took so [...]ch Pains in Preparing for it! Oh! Think worth the while, to Pray without ceasing; [...] now reap a Joyful Harvest of all our Prayers! [...]! Think it worth the while to do all that [...] can, in working about your own Salvation, [...] now Rejoyce, that we did with so much [...]r and Trembling, once Ply that work, so much we did.

[Page 34] Certainly, My Children, If you will not hear such a Voice as this; You will be deaf to Thunder. If you will yet be Strangers to such Thoughts, what can be Expected, but that you will Utterly Perish, with them, in your own Corruption!

However, that if it be possible some Un­perishing Thoughts may be raised in you, I do in the Name & Fear of the Glorious GOD require it of you, that you Retire, and in a most Serious Retirement imploy some Thoughts on these three most Solemn Questions.

Quest. I. Can I tell, how soon my Breath may go forth, & I may return to my Earth?

Quest. II. Am I yet Ready for the Time, when my Breath will go forth, and I shall return to my Earth?

Quest. III. If my Death find me in my Sins, not United unto my Saviour, not Possessed, and Purified & Rectified by His Holy Spirit; What, what will become of me?

Bestow some Thoughts on these Pungent Questions; My Children, I Charge it up­on you. If you would not Perish, Your Thoughts on such Questions must be fre­quent with you.