DAYS Appointed TO Wait for a Change. Jos 14.14: Latter Part. All the Days of my Appointed Time 'will 1irait till my change come. T is a fad Change, a fad and fudden Change, This which bath now affembled us; a f'rong man bath changed his vigorous health for rottennefs; a Reverend Divine bath changed his frequented Pulpit for a Coffin ; an Eloquent Orator hath changed his charming Rhetorick for Silence; a fhining Star hath changed his Eminent Orb for the Graveand Darknefs. And had Iwaved all Text but him, here had beenTheam enough tohave entertained your paf- fionate and devout Attentions. This was the Ancients ufual praEticeupon fuck Solemnities: Thus Nazianzen in his Funeral Oration for St. Bafil: St. Ambrofe inhis for his Brother Satyrus; Sr. Bernard in his for Gerard ; fpend their whole difcourfes in the lamenting and commendationof theParties that were deceafed. Bat Chriflians are now grown fomuch worfe,and thehearts of men fohardned, that Charity hash laid a neceflityupon us of doing fomethingelfe ; and the danger of themwe are to (peakto, compelleth ua to borrow thegrearefi part of that Time which was formerly employed in the Embalming of the Dead for the Benefit of the Living. Before thereforeI attempt any account ofhim,whofegreatchange is come,l (hall make my Addrefs tó you whofe change is to come, that you would prepareand provide for it: To this end it is I perlent you with this fair Copy to write after, this Excellent Example to follow, [Holy fob] whofe Praótife and Language in the Cafe youhave in the Words I have now read ; All the days of my Appointed time will íwait till my Change come. The Text falleth afundet of it felf into two Generals; Here is fobs Diffolution and his Refolution. His Pifelation in theft Words, .My changewill come: His Refolution to fit himfelf for it before it come, in thefe All the days of my appointed time will Iwait for it. But that we may the better come at it, I (hall chufe tither to Branch it into thefe three Particulars. a. Here is the term of mans life flirted, it is an appointed time. 2. Here ee the 71lature ofDeath intimated ; It is that which maketh an Alteration, ahuge alteration, when it cometh ',' It is aChange. F f f t f Laftly,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=