THESE words are the close of the melancholly tidings, which Job's messengers brought him of his heavy losses. A [...] Job had a deep cup of affl [...]ction given him to drink, and by every messenger was made to drink deeper and deeper therein; this last messenger b [...]ings him, as it were the very dregs of the cup. The former messengers told him of the los [...] of his cattle, and outward substance; this last informs him of the loss of his children. Altho' in some circumstan [...]es the loss of worldly substance may seem heavy, yet in comparison with the loss of children, it is nothing; especially with the loss of children in a s [...]de [...], awful and unusual manner, as was the case here with J [...]b; yet the good man takes it well, he takes it patiently. J [...]b looks beyond the the instruments of his af­fl [...]ctions, and eyes the hand of God, the first caus [...]; and rises up and reverences the hand that smites him, and falls down in humility in the dust before a sovereign God, and adores him. See v. 20, 21, 22, Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground and worshipped, and said, naked came I out of my mother's womb, & naked shall I return thi­ther: the Lord gave, & the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

Here, my afflicted friends and neighbours, here is a pattern & an example worthy your imitation. Has the Lord given you Job's cup to drink? see then, that with Job's submission you receive it. Has the Lord sent his lightning down from heaven? has it fallen on the young men? and are they dead? O, now arise! arise! and reverence the Majesty, the sovereign Majesty of heaven that has done it. Bow! bow, in humility, submission, & resignation to the holy will of God, that is guided by uner­ring wisdom, & see that by no means you charge God foolishly.

Man that is born of a woman, is of few days and full of trou­ble; and to the saints especially, this world is a vale of tears. And what wonder is it that a world so full of sin and rebellion as this world is, should be so full of affliction and sorrow as we see it is? yet we have no right to conclude that those who are under the greatest afflictions, are certainly the greatest sinners: [Page 6]the contrary is evident many times: and the reason is obvious, viz. this, that this world is not to be the place of rewards and punishments, but a state of tryal; and therefore God's dis­pensations are calculated according thereunto: that is, they are trying, and sometimes exceedingly so. And although God may send tryals and afflictions, either in judgment or mercy, upon the wicked, as in his holy sovereignty he sees fit; yet to his own children, he has bound himself by his gracious pro­mise, that he will correct in measure and in mercy, if need be, and for their profit. But yet we find, by the scriptu [...]e account, that God sometimes has a two-fold aim in correcting, afflict­ing and trying his own children; as sometimes for correction, and sometimes more especially for tryal. For correction, when they fall into any particular ways of rebellion; according to Psalm 89.30, 31, 32. "If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments, if they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; then will I visit their transgressions with a rod, and their iniquities with stripes." But sometimes the Lord brings his children under afflictions, more especially [...]or their tryal, when it is not to correct any special transgression. [...]nd this seems to be the case with Abraham, when God called him to go and offer up his son Isaac; it was a heavy affliction, and it was sent for his tryal; to try his faith and obedience. Hence, says God to him, in the close of that tryal, "Now I know thou fearest God seeing thou hast not withh [...]ld thy son, thine only son from me." Gen. 22.12. God knew that Abra­ham truly feared him before, but here was now an eminent proof and demonstration of it. And God loves to put the gra­ces of his children to the tryal; and here Abraham's saith was so tried and proved, that he is canonized in scripture for the eminency of his faith, Heb. 11.19. "Accounting that God was able to raise him up even from the dead." And this seems to be the case with Job; he was afflicted grievously, but not so much for correction (he being consc [...]entiously upright) as for his tryal. As, says James, Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, Jam. v. 11. The end of the Lord, in afflicting Job, we see was to prove the eminency of his patience, baffle and confound the devil in his own schemes and proposals, and in the end to honor and exalt Job (or rather the strength of his own grace in Job) as one of the most eminent saints left upon divine record. Hence he is ranked among the worthies, as we read of Noah, Daniel and Job, as some of the first men to stand in the gap to keep off God's judgments. And God intending thus to exalt him, saw meet first to prove him. An [...] that Job's afflictions was not sent so much to correct him [Page 7]as to prove him, is plain from God's own words to satan, af­ter that Job had rec [...]ived the first shock of his trials with such composure and patience, that in all of it he sinned not, nor charged God foolishly; so that God seems to boast of his e­minency to satan, chap. 2, v. 3. "And the Lord said unto sa­tan, hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his in [...]egrity, altho' thou movedst me against him to destroy him without cause." And we all should, my friends, if possible, learn the meaning and design of God, when he sendeth afflic­tions, whether he sends them for correction or for trial, that we may be in a better circumstance to answer the design of pro­vidence. If our afflictions are sent for correction, then we ought to repent, reform, and do no more so wickedly; but if for tryal, then we should see to it that those graces hold out in their exercise, to the glory of God, as faith, love, patience, resignation, submission, &c. that we may, with Job, come forth, as gold brightened by the fire of affliction.

But to return to the words I first read: And it fell upon the young men, and they are dead. In these words we may note several things; as,

• 1. And event is held forth, viz. death: 'tis said, they are dead.
• 2. Who they were, that are said to be dead; which we find they were not aged people, or men of grey hairs; but the young, the young men are dead, viz. Job's children.
• 3. We have here the means of their death held forth, viz▪ the fall of the house. The wind came from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead.
• 4. We may note the employment that death found them in, viz. feasting. They were eating bread and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house, and perhaps not the least appre­hensive of death till it come. O! what dying mortals are we! how liable to the stroke of death at any time, at any place, and in any employment! O! what need is there of be­ing always ready! for we never know when we are safe from the stroke of death; but sometimes, when most cautious, most exposed;^* and that which we mean to be our protection, may prove the means of our destruction, as was the case here with Job's children: their house they made for their protection, [...]ut it was made the means of their destruction. Solomon says There are many devices in the heart of man; but the counsel of [Page 8]the Lord, that shall stand. We may devise means and measures in which we may think we are safe; but in God's counsel, those very means and measures are sometimes to prove our death. And was not this the case with two of the young men now dead? who had been at work in a neighbouring field, and seeing the storm arising, aim'd to come here to this house for shelter; but no sooner were they seated in their chairs but death chain'd them down to rife no more.

And, by the way, what think you, my hearers, concerning death? those of you, in particular, who saw the young men (as many of you did) before they were removed from their seats, in which they sat, when the fatal flash burnt in two the tow thread of life. I say, what do you think of death? Did not you then see death in a more striking light, and piercing view than perhaps ever before? death sitting upright in chairs, st [...]nly looking all spectators in the sace, as they came into the room! And can you any more forget that you are mortal? can you any more forget death until your own dying day? can you, when, for ought you know, it may come as soon as the morning light of the next day; yea, sooner too, for we see that we know not what a day may bring forth.

But what I aim to speak further upon this subject, and to improve the present opportunity (God willing) to the best ad­vantage I can, is, not to give the character of the dead; but to improve the gloomy, melancholly theme, DEATH! which my text leads us to, and the late awful providence fixes our eyes upon, to the benefit of the living; and this is all the advan­tage we may hope for, from the solemn scene now before us. The living cannot benefit the dead, but the dead may benefit the living: For that God who can bring light out of dark­ness, and meet out of the eater, can also bring life out of death: And that this may be the event, in the present case, saints of God, let you cries ascend to heaven.—I don't feel over critical about a curious method, at present; yet seeing that some one must be attempted, let it be the following, viz.

• I. Let us meditate upon death a little, since we have so much occasion therefor, and seriously consider some of the important consequences of it.
• II. Consider, that even young men, in the bloom of youth, are liable to the stroke of death.
• III. That young men are not only liable to the stroke of death, but to a sudden stroke, without a minute's warning, as to the time when. And,
• IV. Some brief improvement.

I. Let us meditate upon death a little, since we have so much occasion therefor; and seriously consider some of the important cons [...]quences of it.

[Page 9] I shall not at this time, consider death all the ways I find the word used and applied in scripture; but only in this three­fold manner. Briefly,

1st. The loss of God's moral image in which man was at first made; or that state of alienation from God into which mankind are sunk, by the original apostacy, and all unregene­rate men are yet in, is called death, and men are naturally in a death-state, and dead while they live, as [...]aith the scripture, 1 Tim. v. 6. that is spiritually dead, while naturally alive; dead in trespasses and sins, Eph. 2.1.

The true life and happiness of the rational soul does not consist merely in being endowed with such powers and facul­ties as the great Author of human nature has given thereunto, as the understanding, will and affections, which are essential to the very being and existance of a reasonable creature; not yet in the soul's union to the body. But the true life and happi­ness of the rational soul consists in aspiritual union to God; or a corresponding frame of mind and temper of heart to the vari­ous representations of the perfections and attributes of God. As a filial fear and reverence of the greatness, majesty and power of God; a firm belief and trust in the faithfulness and promises of God; an humble dependance on the all-sufficient fullness of God; a cheerful and hearty compliance with the will of God, and an holy delight in the purity and moral beauty of the divine nature, &c. In these things consists the true life of the soul; and as it was said of Adam in his first creation, he become a living soul, it was true in this sense, his soul was alive, spiritually, having these corresponding dispositions of soul towards God, co-natural with his exist­ance. But alas! by the fall, how is the gold become dim! yea, become brass; for the most fine gold is changed; the image and life of God removed, and the image of satan and death introduced. For who don't see, that se [...] any thing spiritually, that there are none of these right dispositions of mind toward God, naturally to be found in mankind? Since [...]he fall, men are naturally so far from the true reverential fear of God, in heart, that they are rather inclined to say in their hearts, that there is no God, Psal. 14.1. And instead of being inclined to trust in the faithfulness of God, mankind are more inclined to trust in lies and falshood, Jer. 13, 25. And instead of depending upon the all-sufficient fullness of God, natural men had rather depend on cisterns, yea, broken cisterns that can hold no water. Jer. 2, 13. and instead of loving God for his purity and holiness, that is, the very thing upon the ac­count of which they hate him so mort [...]lly as they do, that their [Page 10]minds are very enmity in the abstract, Rom. 8.7. And instead of loving God's laws, and cheerfully complying with his will they say in plain terms, that they will not have this man to rule over them, Luke 19, 14. O! what a sad and awful death-state are natural men in! this spiritual death is a thousand fold greater calamity and heavier judgment than merely natu­ral death. And all of you, my heaters, that are yet in your natural state, are thus dead; and by reason of this spiritual death, you are more deformed, loathsome and naucious in the eyes of the holy God, than these corpse are in your eyes, by means of natural death. And shall the sight of three dead corpses this day, fetch tears from many of your eyes, and shall not the consideration of so many dead souls as we have amongst us, fetch groans from none of your hearts? if not, it seems it must be because the dead are burying the dead.

2. That state and condition that the wicked shall be placed and fixed in after this life, and especially after the judgment day, is called death. And death, in this sense considered is of a very comprehensive signification, including all evil in it, even compleat destruction. Hence it is called the second death, yea, eternal death.

3. The dissolving the union between soul and body, is call­ed death; and here the word is to be understood in its most natural and obvious meaning, that every one knows what is meant by death, in this sense of the word, tho' few consider, as they ought, the consequences of it. And death, in this latter sense of it, with some of its important consequences, is what now lies before us, which my text, and the present pro­vidence calls unto the consideration of. When the messengers bro't us the late awful news, that the young men were dead, that three were killed with one clap of thunder, or awful flash of lightning, the melancholly ideas were soon catched by e­very on [...]; none ask for information what is meant by death, for all expect, all know, that death turns the sprightly, active youth into a gastly, breathless corpse, which evidently shews that the heavy, leaden hand of death has closed the eyes for time, and chain'd in silence the nimble tongue as long, [...]d has so marr'd the beauty of the whole structure, that the most tender relative can't endure the awful spectacle, but is ready to cry with Abraham, concerning his once beautiful Sarah, Let me bury my dead out of my sight, Gen. 23, 4. A few of the im­portant consequences of death, I would here mention. As,

1. Immediately upon the dissolving of the union between soul and body, there is an everlasting parting with a worldly enjoyments. It is a sad effect of the apostacy that mankind [Page 11]pursue the world so greedily, and seize upon its enjoyments so eagerly, as if true happiness consisted herein, or as if they would last forever, and were durable and permanent good. Certain­ly worldly enjoyments are sleeting in the nature and design of them, yea, they are always on the wing, ready for their flight; but if they halt a few moments by the command of heaven, bl [...]nd mortals think that they will always stay, and look for no higher nor better good; yea, neglect the higher, better, and only good, for the fake of these things. And the worldly heart of fallen man will be contriving how to make bed of rest among the smiling charmes of creature delights; but, alas! to his surprize, before he has got composed upon his a bed of ease, he is all on a sudden summon'd immediately to appear in the eternal world! But this will not sufficiently in­struct the rest of the worldly tribe to seek a better good, but cheated with some delusion, worldly hearts will presume upon lasting happiness from worldly things; even against ten thou­sand informations & warnings to the contrary. But I say, death will put an end to all these enjoyments. O! how short liv'd are they! O! how soon is the bubble broke! what a panick might this strike thro' the heart of all worldlings, who have their portion in this life, Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee, then whose shall all these things be? Luke 12, 20. At death there will not only be a parting, but an everlasting parting with worldly enjoyments; for the saints in heaven will have a better, a full, and an eternal supply, without these things; and altho' the damn'd in hell will be in eternal want, yet worldly enjoyments would not releive them, suppose [...]ey might have them; but have they must not, shall not, no, not so much as a drop of water to cool their tormented tongues. It seems that this consideration should moderate our pursuit of this world's goods, and excite us to secure a more lasting happiness. O, labour not so much for the meat which per­isheth, but more for that which endureth to everlasting life.

2. Another important consequence of death is, a final end to all means of grace: an end to all means, helps, and op­portunities of preparing for our future and eternal state, God has wonderfully distinguished the fallen race of man, from the sinning angels; them he reserved in chains, under darkness, to the judgment of the great day. But the sovereign mercy and grace of God hath interposed in the behalf of poor fallen man,

1. By providing a Mediator. For, without this, there would have been no more hope for fallen man, than for devils,

2. In granting a repreive to mankind, longer or shorter, according to the sovereign pleasure, and in this space of re­prieve, [Page 12]to afford means of grace; as the written word, a preached gospel, the Liberty of the throne of grace, &c.

3. And because mankind are so averse to the way of life and so entirely under the power of sin, that meerly external means are insufficient to prevail upon any of the fallen race truly to return to God, in the ways of the gospel; therefore, over and above these external means, God is sending down the influences of his holy spirit, to strive with sinners, and accom­pany the outward means, and make them effectual to sound conversion, and consequently to eternal salvation. And O! what wonders of mercy are here, which the fallen angels ne­ver had!

And thus mankind come into the world, under the guilt of their original apostacy, and the curse of the broken law; re­prieved by the mercy of God only for a few uncertain mo­ments, as sovereign wisdom sees fit, with the means of grace in their hands, which, if not rightly improved, and truly complied with, will assu [...]dly aggravate their eternal misery. And O! what an awful and critical situation are mankind then in! and how reasonable is it to expect that rational crea­tures in our circumstances, should be engaged to the utmost degree, in improving the day and means of grace! Methinks this should be the language of one and all, of one to another. "O! the infinite mercy of God, in providing a Mediator for us, and thro' him, has open'd a door of hope, and is now af­fording means of grace, and giving us an opportunity to make our peace with God! Come, come, O! come, let us enter while there is room, and before the Master of the house rises up, and shuts too the door of mercy. Behold! now is the ac­cepted time, and day of salvation, and let us improve it. Let us seek the Lord while he may be found, and call upon him while he is near. Let us seek first the kingdom of God, and mind the one thing needful; and agree with our Adversary quickly, while we are in the way with him, and have means, and an opportunity so to do. O! let us cry mightily to the Lord, and who can tell but that he will turn away his wrath, that we perish not."—I say, one might reasonably expect that such would be the language, and such the conduct of rational creatures, in our circumstances: but, alas! how reverse of all this do we find the practice of men! instead of a thankful en­g [...]gedness in improving the day and means of grace, O! how dreadfully are they slighted and abused! how many prayerless persons! how many sabbath breakers! how many dispise the word, and grieve the spirit of God! and because grace hath thus far abounded, O! how do men abound in sin! and be­cause [Page 13]sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, as in strict justice it might have been, therefore the hearts of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

But how much soever the means of grace are slighted, neg­lected or abused, they won't last always; death will put an e­ternal end to them, and to all opportunities of improving them. The man that would not improve his time for God, his soul, and eternity, shall then have no more time to improve, if he would. The man that would not bow the knee in prayer a [...] the throne of grace, while God waited to be gracious, will then find that it is too late to pray; or if he should pray, plead, cry, and weep tears of blood, it would avail him nothing. And he that in the time of life, thought that sabbaths and sermons came too thick and often, and were too long and tedious, and wore ready to complain, what a weariness are these things? when will the sabbaths and the new moons be gone? O then he would give worlds, had he them at command: Ah! for one of those tedious sabbaths back again! O? for a little of that time, more precious now than gold! But all in vain; for it is too late, too late, eternally too late! O! immortal souls! bound for eternity, and will quickly be there! if you would b [...] wise, improve time while you have it.^* Work while the day lasts, for the night cometh, wherein no man can work. John ix. 4.

3. Another important consequence of death is, that it puts an end to all opportunity of performing, and discharging re­lative duties. It is of great importance that relative duties are faithfully discharged; such as parents owe to children, and children to parents, rulers to subjects, and subjects to ru­lers, ministers to their people, and people to their ministers, &c. The honor of God, the interest of religion, and the good and welfare of the rising generation depend much hereupon. But, O! what sad neglects here! and why? Why time e­nough yet, all are too apt to plead. The parent don't intend to die so, nor that his child [...]hall neither, in such awful neg­lects of religion, and soul concern; and the minister in ends by and by to be more thoro' with his people; and all hope to discharge relative duties, in a future period, in a better manner than at present they do. But alas! sudden death comes and puts a stop to all—think of this, you that are [...]ck in the discharge of you relative duties, when death [Page 14]comes you can't then discharge them better, you can't then discharge them at all, if you would.

4. Another important consequence of death is, that it unal­terably fixes the soul for eternity, either in weal or wo, hap­piness or misery to change no more. 'Tis true there may and will be some circumstantial alteration, that the soul will meet with after death: as union to the body at the resurrection, & the saints happiness will be progressive, and the misery of the damned (perhaps) thro' eternity. But there will be no chang­ing from happiness to misery, or from misery to happiness, but in this respect, as the tree falls so it lies, & will eternally. But this world in which we now live is a changing world, and blessed be God that it is (wo to all the wicked if it were not) for among other changes, a saving change may possibly be met with in this world, but not in the next; he that is there found filthy, must remain so still, and still, and still eternally; and he that is holy shall remain so as long. O, Beloveds! look before you leap, for the leap is for eternity.

II. I proceed to speak a word briefly to the second gene­ral head proposed, viz. That even young men in the bloom of youth, are liable to be cut down by the stroke of death. This is confirmed abundantly if we consult either scripture or com­mon observation, and is so evident, that in words none will deny it, altho' in practice, it seems as if there were but few that did really believe it.

1. The scriptures are full to this point; the text we are up­on tells us, the young men are dead; and Luke tells us of a certain young man that was carried out dead, the only son of his mother, Luke 7. And says Job, one dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet, his breasts are full of milk, and his bones moistened with marrow, Job 21, 23, 24. But I shall not stand to multiply instances of this nature, given in scripture.

2. It is evident to, and by commo [...] observation abundantly. How many youth have we known in our day, that have been cut down by the stroke of death? some at home, some abroad, some by sudden death, some by a lingering sickness, some fall in battle, some are wasted by the wartery waves on a sudden to the shore of eternity, and others, quick as the lightning's flash, fly from this world to the next, as on blazing wings of fire. Oh! there is but a step across from the road where the young walk, in the days of youth, to their eternal home, in the other world; and how many are there in youth that take this step! how many youth are cut across and soon get home, and never travel round by the way of grey hairs, and old age [Page 15]for it? and it is too evident, that youth are liable to the stroke of death, to stand longer upon this point. But this is not all. Therefore I proceed to consider,

III. That youth are not only liable to be cut down by the stroke of death, but by a sudden stroke, without one minute's warning, as to the time when.

What a strange thing is here, and yet how common too! for all to have warnings, a thousand warnings of death's ap­proach, and yet so many die without the least warning; death not mistrusted to be near, until he's done his work, struck the fatal blow and fled. The old world had an hundred and twenty years warning of the flood, and yet were swept away suddenly by it at last. For, says Matthew, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage and knew not until the flood came and took them all away, Mat. 24.38, 39. And so it was with Sodom, and so it will be at the end of the world, and so it is with respect to particular deaths; not­withstanding all the warnings of its approach; how often do people cry peace and safety, until sudden destruction in this sense, comes upon them. But if you want a further proof of this awful point, viz. That youth are liable to be cut down by a sudden stroke of death, without one minutes warning, as to the time when, the late awful providence that has called us toge­ther at this time, is a full demonstration. For if by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be stablished, then we have a competent number of witnesses this day to bear tes­timony to the present truth; and such they are too, whose ve­racity in their testimony, won't so much as admit of dispute; for altho' they are dead, yet they speak, and speak [...]dly too, and more effectually to the present point than the living can. And what say you my hearers? if you won't believe the testi­mony of the living, which God sends you, dare you reject the testimony of the dead? Dives tho't in hell, if one might be sent from the dead, his testimony would be believed. But, dear youth, God is sending you, not only a singe, but a triple testimony from the dead, that greatly concerns you all, and will you not believe it? don't their witnesses all agree? don't they speak the same thing? don't they speak truth? don't they speak important truth? don't they speak loud, loud as the voice of thunder? did you ever hear the voice of thunder loud­er? And yet, if you are deaf, and cannot hear, this day, God bids you look and see; that if you won't believe your ears, believe your eyes, and know that you are mortal.^*

[Page 16] Use first of information. Hence learn, how absolutely ne­cessary it is, even for young people to be truly religious. There is a prevalent disposition naturally in young people, to put off religion for the present, thinking there is time enough yet, and that it is not a business suitable to their age. Young people think it best for old folks, who have as it were one foot in the grave, of very age, to be religious, think of death, and prepare for it; but are very apt, in their tho'ts to exempt themselves from any present necessity of setting about the work and business of religion in good earnest. But O youth! youth! learn here how presumptuous is your practice! true it is, that old people must die; but then it is as true that young people may die, and often do, when the old are spared: And a re­markable instance of this nature, has been seen now, in this late surprizing providence. When death came amongst us sudden, and in this awful manner slung his darts, cut down three, at one instantaneous stroke, was it because there was no aged people in the town, that the young were taken? or was it because there was no aged people in the neighbourhood? nay further, was it because there was no elderly people in the house then at the same time, when the young sell victims to the rage of death? no, surely; for altho' several elderly people then were present, yet they were pass'd by, yea, protected in the very jaws of death! one in special, aged almost to an hundred years, sitting side by side as it were free among the dead, in about, the space of three seet of the slain, yet escaped unhurt, untouch'd. So that here, dear youth, you may see your age is no defence against the stroke of death; nor have you any certainty that the aged must die first. O then, if you may die before the aged; if you may die in youth, and if you may die by a sudden stroke, without a minute's warning as to the time when; how necessary it is for you always to be prepared? or, in other words, to be truly religious? and all of you, that are old enough to reflect upon these things, ought without farther delay, to lay the sam [...] to heart, free to Christ for refuge, and make your peace with God, get into, and live in, an actual readiness for death; then let it come, it cannot hurt you; yea, let it come ever so suddenly, it can then do you no hurt, for to die will be gain.

2. We may hereby further learn, what is a sufficient apology, for a young man or maiden to make, in their own defence, a­gainst the scoffing age, for becoming serious, godly, and [...]ly religious in their youth, viz. this, only tell your mates, tell the world, that you must die, and for aught you know, you may [Page 17]die suddenly, as others have, without a minute's warning, of the time when; and therefore you count it prudent, wise and safe, to be always ready, always religious: and if earth won't approve this for an answer, heaven will: this will be approved of as wise in the hour of death, and at the day of judgment. But what am I about! does religion need any apology? does it, when it is the glory and ornament of human nature to be religious, whether old or young? yea, it is the highest honor and glory [...] the angels in heaven, to be truly religious, that is, to love [...]a [...], and serve God And yet the cursed pride and folly [...] fallen man is such, that the world think it so mean and [...]polite to make a rea [...] business of religion, that they know [...]ot how to forgive the man that is guilty of the da [...]ing cr [...]; or if they do, then 'tis because they think the [...] has [...] good apology to make. And what apolo­gy is it [...] [...]he [...]d will allow to be sufficient in the case? why d [...] [...]gs! all will allow the dying man to be in ear­nest [...] [...]d, and for his soul. And if this is a sufficient apo [...] [...] dying man, to be in earnest in religion, I think [...] [...]ent for you all, for such you all be. But does religion [...]d apology, embraced in health, in youth? no, no; but the [...] a [...]en-fold damnation, that looks upon religion s [...] mean and contemptible a business, as really to think it does; for it is not ten thousand apologies that can excuse the man that neglects religion, be he old or young.

3. If the young may die, and die suddenly, as we have heard; then we may hence learn what great obligations are aged laid under to God, for his preserving mercy to them such a length of time. O, my aged fathers and mothers! look into this glass, and here see your indebtedness to God. Why were you not sent from the womb to the tomb? why were you not cut down in childhood or in youth, as thousands have been? why have not the arrows of death been permit­ted to strike you, when they have been flying so thick all a­round you, for such a number of years? when others have been constantly falling by your side; yea, on every side; and you spared, spared now yet once more, when the young have been taken, I say, whence comes this to pass? what can you attribute it to? is it not meer mercy, and sovereign goodness in God, [...]at has thus dis [...]gu [...]shed you from so many others of your fellow creatures? O, how thankful should you be! how should the goodness of God herein lead you to repentance! [...]ow [...]hould you improve that life that is lengthened out, by me [...], wholly and entirely to God's glory! but in case you [...] improve your life thus long spared, to the purposes for [Page 18]which it is given you, you had better died in the womb, and never seen the light: and the longer death stays, the heavier will his vengeance be when he comes; like arrows that are shot up into the air, the longer it is before the fall, the greater force they gather, and do but pierce the deeper into the pate of him on whom they light. Therefore, my aged friends & neighbours, altho I would reverence your grey hairs, yet up­on this occasion I cannot but remind you of your great ob­ligations to God, whose kind visitations have hitherto pre­served you in life; and also faithfully, and in a solemn man­ner, I would warn you of the dreadful aggravations of that misery, which a long life, spent in sin, will inevitably pull down upon such guilty souls, who will venture to be so dar­ingly presumptuous; for the scriture saith, but the sinner being an hundred years old, shall be accursed, Isa. 65, 20. O! how much more tolerable will it be with such who were sent, with the curse of God upon them, into the eternal world in their youth or infancy, to what it will be with old sinners dying ac­cursed; who have spent a long life, in treasuring up wrath all the time, against the day of wrath, as all do, who live long, and yet as long abuse the patience and long sufferings of God, which should lead to repentance. Therefore, think of this, you that have been long, and still are, the subjects of the spar­ing mercy of God: lest it all prove bitterness in the end, and one day you wish, in the anguish of your soul, that you had died, and never seen the sun.

Use second of exhortation. I would further improve this subject, and the present providence, by way of exhortation to all, but to youth especially, to seek a true and speedy prepara­tion for death, without any further delay. You all intend, I suppose, to repent before you die; but O! how apt you are to delay, and put off for the present! but I would warn you a­gainst the danger of delays; 'tis the beaten road to hell! could you enquire of the damn' [...], they would tell you so too. Many now in hell, doubtless, once intended to repent before they died, as much as you do now, but procrastination^* and delays, deceived them down to flames! and this will be your fate too, [Page 19]my hearers, if you venture but a little longer to tread their steps. But that, by the blessing of God, I may excite you, one and all of you, immediately to set about, in good earnest, the business that relates to the everlasting welfare of your souls, I would, for your consideration, lay a few things before you, by way of motive, to excite you hereunto.

1. Consider that it is all owing to the meer mercy, free and sovereign grace of God, that you have any space, means and opportunity to make your peace with God, prepare for death, and the eternal world. Devils never had it, and were it not for sovereign mercy, man had never had it neither.

2. Consider, that the space and opportunity that you have to prepare for death, at longest wont be long; and for aught you know, it may end with you before the setting sun.

3. Consider, if you should, any of you, neglect the only season which God will allow you to prepare for death in, as it is awfully to be feared you will, then, when it is too late, you'll curse yourself, and your folly for't, eternally in hell. And the Devil, who tempts you now, all he can, [...]o delay your soul concerns, flattering you that there is time enough yet, will then insult you for a fool, for hearkening to his lies.

4. Consider how dear it cost the Lord Jesus Christ to pur­chase that salvation that is offered to you in the gospel; yea, the day and means of grace he purchased at a dear rate for sinners. Hence Christ is said to be the Saviour of all men; that is, so far as they are saved, he is their Saviour. If sin­ners have a temporary salvation, a short space of reprieve from the execution of the threatened sentence against sin; and if they have life, and the comforts of life a while; all this is owing to Christ, and it is meer mercy, which the sin­ner don't deserve: but especially if we consider sinners as favoured with the means of grace, and offers of eternal life, it is owing to Christ, for he purchased that life, and salva­tion which is offered.

And can you, my hearers, take the common blessings of life, purchased at so dear a rate, and consume them upon your lusts? can you waste away the day of grace, in pursuing this world, and the vain pleasures of this life? And can you, dare you trample under foot the great salvation offered to you in the gospel? These favours were purchased with a price infinitely more worth than the whole world; not with such corruptible things as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of the Son of God. If all the meer men on earth, and all the angels in heaven, had laid down their lives, to have purchased these favours for sinners, the price had been too [Page 20]low, and rejected as insufficient, Therefore hearken, O sinner, and hear! I will speak a dreadful word unto you, yet a truth, an awful truth, which you will find so one day; that if you continue to live as you list, and consume those dear­bought favours upon your lusts, and waste away the golden season of grace, and flight and reject the offers of Christ and salvation: that you will have a most dreadful, aggravated condemnation, in the end, when God shall come to make in­quisition for blood, and no common and ordinary blood nei­ther; but this precious blood of Christ, the guilt of which will be found under your skirts; for you will then be counted a [...] the betrayers and murderers of Christ, who were not content with his once being crucified by the Jew? and Romans; but by your sins you have been all your life long crucifying of him afresh, and putting him to open shame. And where will your doom or portion be in the coming world? among the Sodomites? no, verily, but leagues below them, in the regions of darkness and woe, if not below devils themselves, for surely they never were guilty of such crimes.

Consider further, O sinner! that once, when David's three worthies put their lives in their hands, and broke through the hosts of the Philistines, to fetch him some water he long­ed for; yet when they brought it, and David come to consi­der how they exposed their lives to get it for him, it wrought so upon his compassions, he could not bear to drink it, but poured it out before the Lord. But the Lord Jesus Christ not only put his life in his hand, that is, exposed his life; but he actually laid down his life O sinner! to purchase all these favors you enjoy, and can you seize upon them greedily, not regarding the price? can you be lavish of that which is the price of blood, and yet never think of him that bled? O! where is your ingenuity! O! vile ingratitude!

Think again, how contrary is your conduct in meer world­ly affairs, and how much more wise and prudent? how choice and saving are you of that which is very dear and costly, of a worldly nature? if you have any thing that is uncommonly dear and costly, you are not wont to use and dispose of it as you be of cheap, common and ordinary things. And if you were as wise in spirituals, O! how careful would you be to husband your time well, and make the best use of the means of grace possible; and improve all earthly enjoyments with reselence to death and the eternal world.

Once more, under this head, consider that you must be ac­countable to God for all these dear articles, if you abuse them, or don't improve them as God requires. God don't give these [Page 21]favours absolutely out and out, to sinners, and there's to be an end; no, no; but only conditionally. If a sinner does im­prove well the favours he enjoys in this world, and as God re­quires him to do, he is welcome to them all, and eternal life to boot; [...]ut if he don't, he must answer for them all. Re­bellious sinners must give an account of their stewardship by and by; and, O! what a dreadful an account it will be that they will have to give, when it will be made to appear, that they have wasted their Lord's goods, dear and costly goods, the invoice, the book of God, tells us the price was infinite. And, O dreadful! what do you think sinner, of having ten thousand talents, in fair articles bro't in against you at the rec­koning day, and at the same time you have nothing to pay? and for want thereof, the body must be taken, and the soul too, and cast into the prison of hell, untill you pay the debt; Verily thou shalt by no means come out thence, untill thou hast paid the ut­most farthing, Mat. 5.26. Therefore, O sinner, as free and as lavish as you are, with the favours and bounties of heaven, as tho' they were cheap and common things: I tell you, that the time will come, that you will think their price is really dear, whate'er you think of it now. And as soft and indul­gent as these mercies are at present, while their silent lan­guage is, enjoy and welcome, if you'll love and serve the giver; yet if abused, by and by they'll harden into steel, and sharpen into swords, and visit you again in another form, and in a stern, unrelenting manner, demand satisfaction, for their abuse, in all the severity of strict justice. There is not a mercy come from heaven, to the sons of men, but what will return thither again, with a true account, how they were re­ceived, how entertained, how improved, and by whom. Time, precious time will complain, Lord, I was abused and murdered by such and such persons, and improved wholly to wrong purposes: sabbaths complain, Lord, we were pro­faned by such and such who were weary of us, and longed to have us gone, we being tedious and but thensome company to them: the bible will complain of being neglected; sermons of being slighted; invitations of being refused; conscience of being stifled, and brow beat, and counteracted; the mo­tions of the spirit rejected, and the holy Spirit often grieved, &c. Now these will be bitter complaints alledged against gospel despising, and Christ rejecting sinners; and they will awake the divine resentment, to the highest pitch; and God will say, go visit them again with full commission to seek sa­tisfaction and revenge for such gross abuse, & heaven daring ingratitude. O sinner, think of this! the time is coming, that the sight of the many mercies that you have received and [Page 22] [...]b [...]sed, will appear more formidable and [...]r [...]isying to you, than all the devils in h [...]ll; [...], you might d [...]fy all the de­vils in the regions of darkne [...], [...]e [...]e it [...]ot for this. This is that that will make you so dread to [...] the face of the judge, at the last day, that you would [...] had to have the [...]ocks and the mountains to fall upon you, if that [...] be a [...]ans to hide you from the sight or [...]s free, whose [...]ow [...]s you will then know to be worse then death. O ye abusers of the mercies, the manifold mercies of God! think how you will seel when they shall visit you the second time, in this ter [...]ying form, come in their rebound from heaven, arm'd with vengeance, and with fell power to seek just reve [...]gel they will then come like mountains of lead, sent from heaven, by the force of the omnipotent arm of Jehovah, in that day when he will shew his wrath, and make his power known, wrath excited and enkindled to a stame that never can not will be quenched, thro' eternity.

5. Consider how many and great are the helps and advan­tages that God is affording you now, in order that you might get prepared for death. And among the rest of the many precious means and helps that you have, this awful provi­dence, God has now come forth to us in, might be a very great help to you in this weighty affair, would you improve it as you ought. For now you are solemnized. Now the le­vity and vanity of your minds is check'd. 'Tis very evident by your countenances, that you have no disposition for a pre­sent frolick; and it may be some of you think you never shall have again. But O, your deceitful hearts! if you don't get them truly changed by renewing grace, will turn to their old course, and run as swift in the channel of former vanity as e­ver. Therefore now it seems, is your time, if you have any spiritual prudence at all, and intend ever to make your peace with God, now set about the work in earnest, while the im­pression of this providence is not worn off. It seems that your hardness, blindness and stupidity has been so great, that you have obliged the Almighty, as I may say, to speak in an unusual manner to you. Had you been all obedient to the gentle voice of mercy, in the loving invitations of the gospel, and the sweet whispers of the Spirit; doubtless this awful voice of thunder might have been spared. For will the lion roar in vain, and when there is no cause? And upon whose account, my hearers, do you think it is, that God has come thus sur­prizingly amongst us? deck'd himself with thunder, & cloath­ed himself in flames, and as with a puff of his fiery breath, has on a sudden blew out the candle of life in three instances among us; while others scorch'd and stun'd, did, as it were [Page 23]miraculously escape. I say, for whose sake do you think that all this is done? do you think it was merely for the sake of the dead? if you do, I think your thoughts are criminal be­fore God. No, no, my friends, for our sakes, for the sake of the living, doubtless are these awful deaths sent. And as we had a high hand in bringing down this dispensation, God has an errand to us herein, we may conclude, without hesita­tion. And what is it? Why the language is, turn, turn to God, turn to God or die. And what say you my hearers, will you hear? will you hear turn and live, or will you go on and die? Altho' there may seem great severity in this dispensation, es­pecially to those on whom severity fell; yet it may be sent in mercy, in great mercy to us who are spared, and so solemn­ly warned; and it will be so in the event, if we improve it right. And shall we, my hearers, by our hardiness, stupidity and rebellion, as it were necessitate God, if he would do us good, to strike^* our friends and fellow creatures with death, in a sudden and unusual manner; and then refuse, or neglect the benefit designed? O! what double ingratitude, rebellion and unkindness is this! and shall this be the event in the pre­sent case? O may the good Lord forbid! yet I am afraid it will, with respect to many of you. I am afraid you won't improve this providence so as to get any lasting good by it. But if you would be wise for yourselves, wise for your souls, and wise for eternity: now is your time, dear youth, when God is calling you so loudly. If you wont hear a loud call, this loud call, what will you hear? Common and ordinary calls, it seems won't do the turn, won't prevail with you, ma­ny of you, to turn to God; and if this extraordinary and un­common call wont prevail upon you neither, what will? And this may not only be the loudest, but it may also be the last call that ever God will give you. And it looks as proba­ble as not, that now is come the turning point for eternity with respect to some of you; and if you don't hear and turn now, it is to be feared that God will give you up, and say to you as of [...]d, Ephraim is joined to idols, let him alone. So that nothing shall disturb or terify you out of your car­nal peace. The spirit of God may let you alone; sermons let you alone; awakening providences may let you alone; [Page 24]and you sleep on in security and ease; and the next alarming voice that you may hear from God, to your surprize may be, take them, devils, bind them hand and foot, and in burn­ing wrath, confine them down in chains, in the abyss of eter­nal flames!

6. Consider, that now many eyes will be upon you, to see how you behave, under this dispensation of providence, and how you improve it. God's eye will be upon you, as it always has been, and he will, it the book of his remembrance, re­cord every circumstance of [...]l your conduct, in order to the day of account and reckoning. Man's eye will be upon you; the good in hopes to see some good effect; and the bad in or­der to imitate your had example, with a bolder face, while they see that others do the like; and the devil will now have his eyes upon you, to see whether he is like to lose his prey; he don't love to see you affected, serious and prayerful; he hates you should be concern'd about your souls, and tho'tful of their eternal welfare; he had rather see you eagerly pursu­ing earth, than to see you in earnest for heaven; he had rather see you inclined to read romances and play books, than the bible; and had rather see you at a merry frolick, siddling and dancing, drinking and carousing than to see you in your closet, upon your knees praying, or at a religious meeting, with the people of God, worshipping. And therefore the devil will watch, and keep his eye upon you now, in order to im­prove the first and fittest season to tempt you to break through these restraints that God has now, by this providence, laid up­on you; and he will not only watch the fittest seasons, but the fittest persons too, to tempt forward, to lead the way. The devil knows that there is a check put to fiolicking in this town now, which young people are so prone to, and in this neighbourhood especially; but he is in hopes that some of his faithful servants will venture for his cause soon, and re­vive the old custom again, and go on as merrily in his service as ever. And now I would ask the youth of this assembly, and the frolickers among the youth, which of you intend to share these honors, of being the first that shall venture for the devil, in reviving that practice that is so agreeable to his will, and strengthening to his kingdom? whoever you be that do it, you will have the applause of all hell, for being a bold sol­dier for the prince of darkness; and the devil will give you many high encomiums for your valor, as being one of the he­roes of his kingdom.

But as I said, many eyes will be upon you now; but not as meer idle spectators, but in the judgment day, they will be [Page 25]improved as witnesses, either for, or against you, as your con­ [...] shall be, good or bad. Therefore, before I leave you, I [...]ld warn you not to venture on in sin, after such solemn [...]s, lest one day, heaven, earth and hell too, will rise up a­gainst you, and bring in their witnesses, to your eternal over­throw, and utter confusion.

But I must close this discourse, lest I interfere with the o­ther appointments^* of the day: and in doing of which I would more particularly address myself,

1. To this neighbourhood. This providence is a loud call to the whole town, yea, to neighbouring towns, but it is louder to this neighbourhood: and let others improve it as they will, do you, my friends, improve it aright: and don't let the voice of God, so loudly and awfully uttered, in this neighbourhood, be utter'd in vain. And don't let it be bro't in as a charge against you at last, that when God came into the neighbourhood; in this awful manner, and smote three of your friends and fellow creatures dead by your sides, that the rest repented not; for this will be a heavy charge, if true.

2. I would speak a word to the friends of the deceased. As God has come nearer to this neighbourhood, in this dispensa­tion, than to those who live more remote; so he has come nearer to you still; and if you don't answer the call of God herein, you will be inexcuseable with a witness! but if you improve this providence aright, you will find mercy in all this severity, and in the close, be able to say that it is good for you that you have been thus afflicted, and that in faithful­ness the Lord hath done it.

3. I would speak one word to such whose lives were emi­ [...]ently exposed, and yet, through the mercy of God, you are spared. If all others soon forget this dispensation, yet can it be possible that you should? can you, when you have not on­ly heard God's awful voice, but felt a touch of the hand of his dreadful power; and being scorch'd, and sing'd by his light'ning's awful blaze, it seems you can't but know, that our God is a consuming fire. And yet seeing your lives are spared, O how great are your obligations to hear the voice of Christ, speaking to you in this providence! the language of which seems to be this, go for the present, and sin no more, lest a worse thing befal you.

And now, one word to you all, both old and young: If after all that has been said and done to prevail with you to turn to the Lord, by sound repentance, and unfeigned faith, [Page 26]yet if any of you shall venture to go on in sin still, and let the impressions of truth, and divine Providence wear off, without any good and lasting effect upon you; I wou'd just remind of another storm that is a coming, insinitely more dreadful than this late awful storm has been; the dimen­sions of which will not be consined within the limits of a few miles in breadth, or hours in length, as was the case with this late storm; but it will over-spread the while world of the wicked, and extend to the [...]most bounds of hell, as to the breadth of it; and as to the length of it will continue in its terror, without abatement, worlds without end. And the clouds of this storm have already been long gathering, and so far risen in the horizon of the written word, that is appears plain to faith's view now: and it will quickly over­spread our horizorn with a most melancholy gloom; for it will be a day of darkness, and gloominess, of clouds and thick darkness. And before the terrors of this day, which will be so great, the sun and the moon will quit their station, flee, & hide as in some dark abiss, and will never venture to shew their faces in the firmament any more. And the thunder and lightning of that day, will not be such as has now been; meerly [...]o beat down tops of chimneys, tare thro' roofs of houses, and strike a few individuals; but so terrible and powerful will the thunder of that day be, that as with one clap, the earth will split to the very center, and the whole globe crumble as in a moment, to dus [...] and powder, and the lightnings awful blare will turn the very elements into a meer I quid flame. And millions and millions, even all the wicked shall fall victims to the thunder of God's wrath in that day. As wicked men and devils were the Jonahs that caused this tempest to arise, so in that day when it comes none of them all will be able to stand before it, or flee or make their escape from it, but naked and defenceless they must lie open to it, in all the terrors of it, while G [...]d's wrath will beat upon them as in one eternal storm, without the least mitigation.

[Page] As suitable to the foregoing Occasion, and Subject I would here add one of Doct. Watts's Hymns, which he composed in the time of a Thunder-Storm.