Lilesdpparition, andMans Digolution. ay9 what you lift. Oh, faith the Apohle, what reafon have you to build onto day, and to morrow , when ye know not what a day will bringforth ? We may not promife our felves life for to morrow, much lefs may we do as the fool in the Gofpel, pro- mile years,when we cannot allure our (elves of a moment of life,if we mightafíure our felves of a moment oflife, in which itmight be faid, it were impoffible to die, wemight pof(îbly be immortal, andnot die at all, but as Ansbrofe faith, corruptible, is not tocapableofincorruption,but lince it hath been fubjeft to fall, till it dothfall; it is ever declining ; there is no buildingnor trufting to uncertainfuturity, wemat not reft,and truft on thofe things which are to come, but only upon God,and fpeak conditionally of them,not abfolutely ; refer the fuccefs and difpofingof all things to come, to thewill andgoodpleafure ofGod, rcmembring what our life is, fo make lefs accòmpt ofourlife, and of our (elves and all. Secondly, feeing our lifeis fo vanithing, let us ever prepare for death,for fudden death,becaufe life is vanifhing ; Thouknoweft not in what hour thymatter will come ; Therefore every hour we fhould fo beftow our felves,that our Mafter may find us at work. For this, two things are requifite ; Firft,everthink ofdeath,death cannot be fudden to that man,that ever thinksofit. Secondly, be careful to lead a godly life ; the goodnefsofthe lifeconfiftsnot in the long continuance of it, but in the well imploying of it, it maybe anymans cafe to live well, it can be no mansto live long ; our comfort is, though ourlifebe mo- mentary, yet notwithftanding this very moment of time, is enough to gain to us hereafter eternity, and howmuchbetter is a (host time well fpenr, for the purcha- fing of eternal happinefs, than a (hors time ill fpent, for the purchafingof eternal mifery ? your life is momentary, yet eternity depends on it, if it be fpent ill, eternal mifery,if well we are eternally happy: howfocver here wevanifh as a vapour ; yet one day we (hall becomeas fixed ftars in the right hand ofCnrift, we (hall thine as (tars for ever. Thus I have (hewed how the life ofman is compared toa vapour that appearsfor a little while, and then vaniflietbaway. Beloved, I pray let not this Sermon pafs as a vapour, let not all of it pats away, in the found you hear, but fixit as anail in a fareplace, in your underftanding, inyourmemory, in your affe6-tions ; and remem- ber how fhort and hidden every mans end and life is, or may be; O that my people werewife, they would underfiandtbù, theywould confider their latter end. We have a fpeftacle here before us, ,that was a real comment upon this Text; She did underhand the Doftrine of it, and was excellent in the praftice ofit ; A Gentlewoman that deferveda better Orator to commemoratethe vertues that were in her, and to give her pralles due ; ithad been a fitter work for your reverend and worthy Miniher, whofe ab(ence,at this time I fupply, he could have fpoken meire fullyof herthan I can, becaufe he was acquainted longer with her than I was ; Iac- count it a part ofmy unhappinefs,that I knew her folittle awhile,and peradventure you will fay it, is apart of herunhappinefs, that this office is doneby one that knew her fo little a while ; It is true indeed, I am not able to fay much ofher, for my knowledge of her was but a few weeks ormonths,by reafonofour neighbour-hood in theCountry, but then I obferved her to be one of the ornaments ofher fex, and every thing that came from her was graceful and comely ; the fweetnefs ofnature and ggrace, in my opinion concurredin her ; But I muff deliver the molt that I have to-fay,fromthe report that I have fromothers, yet from very goodhands. Solomon faith, Agood name, is as agood oyntment pouredforth, like the precious Alablafter- box that Mary broke on the head of our Saviour, the fmell of it perfumed all the houfe ; Imay fay ofher, as the Apoltle fait h ofDemetrius, She was well reported ofby ail, and I am perlwaded fhewas reported well of the truth it felt, the had a nameanfwerableto her vertues ; Solomon faith, .4prudent wfe, or a good'wife, is thegift of God; (he was aTheodofia, that was hername, Thegift ofGod, and a gift Godbeftowed to the comfortofhim that had her. She was confiantboth inthe performance ofpublickduties and private,in bearing Gods word,not onlyon the Lords day, but (as occafion gave leave) onthe week- Qq z dayes,
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