A Funeral Sermon, Preached March 13. 1697/ 8.  
FOR Mr. WILLIAM HARTLEY, of Newport-Pagnel, Apothecary.  
Bis vivit, qui bene vivit,  
Is timeat mortem, qui ad Christum ire timet.  
By J. GIBBS.  
Blessed are the Dead that die in the Lord, from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their Labours; and their Works do follow them,  Rev. 14.13. 
LONDON, Printed for Mark Conyers, Bookseller, at Newport-Pagnel: And Sold by A. Roper in Fleetstreet, and G. Conyers in Little-Britain, 1698.   

TO THE Sons and Daughters OF Mr. William Hartley, deceased.  
My Friends,  
AT the Motion of your late deceased Father, which I could not withstand, this homespun Discourse was Preached on the Subject, which was his own Choice; and is to satisfy his Desire, (in this plain Dress) now presented unto you: His Design in Printing it was (as he told you) to keep him fresh in your Memory, that the Proverb might not be verified in you, Out of Sight, and out of Mind; and (without doubt) to remember you of that which was then coming upon him. Plain Discourses, if pertinent, do best suit with Funeral Sermons: Had it been preached in a loftier strain, as possibly I could have done, if the occasion would have permitted it, it might have pleased itching Ears, and curious Palates, but would have been of little Use unto mean Capacities, the Welfare of whose Souls in Preaching aught to be respected. I therefore did think it best to use the plainest Language, that all might understand: And if the Lord will add his Blessing, that all might be profited thereby, who were Auditors, or into whose Hand it may come to be read. Not making use of Notes in Preaching it cannot rationally be supposed, that my Memory should be so tenacious, as to retain every Word or Sentence that was delivered, or that there should be no Omission, Addition, or Alteration; yet I have recollected as much as I could: And what is emitted, added, or altered, I hope will be no prejudice to the Truth then ●●sisted on: Neither can it be thought that a p●i●t a Ne●men should as much affect the Heart of the Reader, as Preaching, ●wa vote, might do the Hearer: There is as much difference usually between Reading and Hearing, as there is between cold Meat and hot, although the Meat be the same, 〈◊〉 an hungry Stomach may make a good Meal of it; or as there is let ●een Drink when the Vessel is newly broached, witch is quick and palatable, and when it is at the bottom, and is become flat, and untastable, yet it may serve to quench the Thirst. The Subject treated on is very frequent and common, and yet too little to awaken and rouse up our sleepy and slothful Hearts to serious diligence in and about the great Concernments of our Souls; for Eternity, was that great and necessary Truth which my Text holdeth forth; throughly believed, it would produce better Effects in the Lives of Men, than do appear generally in the World. That which will certainly, and must unavoidably come upon us, and how soon, and how suddenly it may come, and by what means, we know not; and is of the highest Importance, and deserveth the greatest and deepest Consideration, is that which my Text doth acquaint us with, and the ensuing Discourse doth call for, and press unto. That this Use may he made of it by you (my Loving Friends) and many others that heard it, and others that may read it, is the Cordial Desire of  
Your Kinsman, and Soul's Friend, J. G.   
Job XXX. 23. 
For I know thou wilt bring me to Death, and to the House appointed for all living.  
IN the foregoing Chapter we have an Account of Job's Prosperity, v. 1, 2. to the 7th. and in Metaphorical Expressions, v. 19, 20. As also of the Honour he was in, being reverenced by Young and Old, Great and Small, v. 8, 9, 10, 11. with the reason of this Honour, from v. 12. to the 18. This Chapter, wherein is my Text, informs us of the sad Catastrophe that did befall him; first, his Honour was laid in the Dust, and turned into the greatest Contempt, from v. 1. to 14. and his Prosperity into the deepest Calamity, whereof he doth most grievously Complain, from v. 14. unto the words of my Text, wherein three things are observable.  

1. The Person speaking in this Pronoun I; this was Job.  
2. The Person spoken unto, in the Pronoun Thou; which is God.  
3. The Thing spoken, or the Matter of his Speech; bring me to Death.   
For the opening of the Words, I shall propound and answer three Questions.  

1. Who, and what a one he is, that did know.  
2. What he knew, or the Object of his Knowledge.  
3. How he attained this Knowledge.   
Of the first, it was Job; that most excellent Person, that for four things had not his fellow then on the Earth.  
1. For Piety and Godliness, Chap. 1. v. 1. His Picture was drawn by the Pencil of the Spirit of God in four Lines, all which did speak him to be a most excellent Man.  
1. He was Upright. 2. Perfect; not with a Legal, or sinless Perfection, but Evangelical. 3. One that feared God, and eschewed Evil; which contains both the positive part of Holiness, and the privative. He was a worshipper of God, and an avoider of Evil; this was attested by God in the Face of his greatest Enemy, v. 8. with an Addition, None like him.  
2. For Patience; who, when the Messengers of most sad Tidings came thick and threefold, one treading as it were upon the heels of another; he blessed God as well for taking away, as for giving; he was so far from Blaspheming God, or venting an impatient word under his sore Afflictions, that he blessed God; and it is said of him, In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly, Chap. 1. v. 21, 22. Presented to us as a pattern of Patience, James 5.11.  
3. For great Affliction and Calamity he never had any equal; no mere Man did ever suffer, as we read of, such hard things as he met with; his large Estate swept away, his Children destroyed, Chap. 1. from v. 14. to 20. and his Body smitten with most noisome Botches from Head to Foot.  
4. A Non-such for recovery out of his deep Calamity, his Losses doubly repaired in his Substance, having 14000 Sheep for 7000, 6000 Camels for 3000, 1000 Yoke of Oxen for 500, and 1000 She-Asses for 500; besides seven Sons, and three Daughters, which were the Beauties of the Land, Chap. 42. v. 12. to 16. This is the Man that had this Knowledge.  
2. What he knew: viz. That God would bring him to Death, etc.  
1. 'Tis he would bring to Death, that gave him Life; he took away what he gave; it is he that breathed into him and into us that breath of Life, that will stop it, and send him and us away.  
2. It is he will bring unto Death, that supports Life, and preserves it during his pleasure; Psal. 66.9. He holdeth our Soul in life; in him we live, move, and have our Being, as Daniel told quaffing Belshazzar, Dan. 5.23.  
3. It is he that hath appointed Death for us, whose Appointment is not subject to disappointment: It is a Statute-Law enacted by the Divine Wisdom, that all are subject unto; which none can avoid, but stands more firm than the Laws of the Medes and Persians, Heb. 9.28. This Law is unrepealable, and will surely be executed.  
4. It is he will bring us to Death, that hath innumerable, and unaccountable ways and means to do it; sometimes suddenly, without any previous warnings on our own Bodies: Some by Fire, some by Water, others by the Sword, or Bullet. Ah! how many Thousands have thus fallen in a time of War? Some by an Apoplexy, others fall into Swoons, that revive no more.  
Some he brings to Death by Chronic Diseases, or lingering Distempers, which gradually by little and little do weaken and waste Nature, until Death comes; as in Consumptions, Pthisicks, Dropsies, etc.  
Some are taken off by Acute sharp Pains, as by the Colic, Stone, Gout, and such like; and no Man can give an Account of all the ways that God doth bring us to Death; but by one means or another, in one way or another, it shall be done. So that the common Proverb is verified, That there is but one way of coming into the World, but there are innumerable ways of going out of it.  
5. He will bring us to Death, whose Power is unresistible. Alas! what a poor weak Worm is Man? what strength hath he when the Almighty God hath to do with him? Can he that is more feeble than a Moth, resist, or withstand, or bear up against an Omnipotent Arm? Job 9.12. Behold, he taketh away, and who can hinder him? That is, none can; if all the Power and Strength of Men were combined together, to preserve the Life of one Person, it would be in vain to attempt it, when God will bring him to Death. Who hath an Arm like him? Job 40.9. If none hath, than none can disannul his Judgement, ver. 8. No Man hath Power to retain the Spirit in the hour of Death, Eccles. 8.8. Therefore no Heart can endure or hold out, nor can any Hand be strong, when God shall deal with Man, Ezek. 22.14.  
6. It is he whose Will is , He is of one Mind, and who can turn him? He doth whatsoever he will in Heaven above, and on Earth beneath: What he is pleased to do, that he will do, and who dare question him, or say, What dost thou? Job 9.12. Psal. 135.6. He hath no Superior, therefore it is too great Arrogancy and Boldness in a poor sorry Worm, to call God to Account for what he doth, as interpretatively discontented Persons do.  
7. He will bring unto Death: Who hath set the bounds of our Lives, beyond which we cannot pass, Job 14.5. And when the appointed Time is come, his purpose in bringing to Death shall take place. There is an appointed time to Man upon the Earth, Job 7.1. and until that appointed Time come, Man shall be continued on the Earth, whatsoever Dangers he may meet with in his Passage through this Wilderness, by one means or another God will preserve; some that in probability have been near the Gates of Death, being given up of Physicians for dead Persons, and their Friends weeping about them, have been brought back from the sides of the Pit, and have outlived others more healthful, and far more likely to live. And others, when the time appointed was come, have been brought unto Death, when in Reason there was little Expectation of it.  
8. He will bring to Death, that is, inexorable, when the Time determined is come. It is not Prayers or Tears that shall then prevail to procure the lengthening out of the day of Life. It is not crying, O spare me a little, that I may recover strength, will serve turn. How many on their Deathbeds have with Tears begged a little longer time, not being ready and prepared for Death? But all in vain; whether prepared or not, it is not Wealth can purchase, nor Cries procure an hour's respite, when the set time is come. A World of Wealth, as one cried out, for an Inch of Time; but, had she it to give, she could not have obtained it.  
Obj. But did not God add Fifteen Years unto Hezekiah's Life, in Answer to his Prayers and Tears? Isa. 38.1, 2, 3, 4, 5.  
Resp. Fifteen Years were added from the time that he prayed and wept, but not unto the time appointed for his Dissolution.  
Me. This was that Excellent Person, that was the Non-such of the Earth in his day. But it is every me: One may say, God will bring me; another, that God will bring me; and so may every individual Person: So that none are exempted, none shall be passed by, but all God will bring to Death. He doth not say, I know I shall die; but, God will bring me to Death. All that have ever been before us, and they were innumerable from the Creation of the World, God hath brought to Death, but two; the one was Enoch, who was translated, that he should not see Death, Gen. 5.24. Heb. 11.5. and Elijah, that was immediately carried up to Heaven in a Whirlwind, 2 Kings 2.11. and all that shall succeed or come after us, except those that shall remain, and be alive at the coming of the Lord, who shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the Air, 1 Thes. 4.17. yet though these shall not be brought to Death, they shall be changed, which is equivalent to it; hence 1 Cor. 15.51. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. The longest livers died: The Antediluvian Fathers, reported of Gen. 5. all of whom lived, through the strength of Nature, and the Power of God, above 900 Years, except Mahalaleel, that wanted five Years of 900; and Lamech, that lived 777, and Enoch, that lived 365 Years before his Translation, yet they all were said to die, as Adam, Seth, Enos, etc. So that though Men may live many Years, and though they spend them in Mirth and Pleasures, yet it concerns them to remember the days of Darkness will come, Eccles. 11.8. There is no Age of the World, nor shall be unto the end of the World, but Man, that was born of a Woman, hath been brought to Death; and as no Age hath been excused, so no Rank, Quality, or Degree of Men have been exempted. The King as well as the Beggar hath passed through the Gates of Death; the Prince and the Peasant: hence Psal. 146.5, 6. Put not your trust in Princes, nor in the Son of Man, in whom is no help. The Reason of this Exhortation, His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his Earth. Both are lodged together, one House holds them both.  
The Honourable must come to Death, all his great swelling Titles of Honour cannot secure him, nor can the mean and base Condition of others preserve them.  
The Rich and the Poor also must come to it, and lie down alike in the Dust. We find, Luke 16.22. that the Beggar died: So did the Rich Man; and in one thing the Rich Man had the Advantage of Lazarus, for he, it is said, was buried, possibly had a costly Coffin, and had great Splendour at his Funeral, and the Poor Man hurled obscurely into some Hole; for though it is said, he died it doth not say, he was buried; well, yet the Poor Man had a far greater Advantage at his Death; for when the Devils dragged the Rich Man to Hell, a Guard of Angels was sent to convey the departing Soul of the Poor Man into Heaven.  
The strong Man is brought to Death as well as the weak and feeble: Job 21.23, 24, 25. One dieth in his full, or in the very perfection of his strength, whose breasts were full of Milk, and his bones moistened with Marrow. Another dieth in the bitterness of his soul, that did never eat his meat with pleasure; these shall lie down alike in the dust. By Strength no Man can prevail, the mighty Men of Valour were brought to Death, those that in Old Times were called Men of Renown. The stouthearted are spoiled, they have slept their sleep, and the men of might have lost their hands, wherewith they have done great Exploits, Psal. 76.5. The great Conquerors of the World have by Death been conquered and overcome.  
The Doctor and the Apothecary: The one that hath prescribed, and the other that hath prepared Medicines, whereby the Sick have been recovered, and Life hath been preserved, cannot devise nor provide a Potion that shall keep themselves from Death. The Wise and the Fool. Solomon, Eccles. 2.16. propounds a Question, How dies the Wise Man? And answers it, As the Fool. None by their Politic shifts can evade or shift it off; the great Headpieces that have been in the World, have laid down their Heads in the Dust.  
The Useful and the Useless. Some Men are Luggage to the Earth, who only live to eat, and do no good in their Generation, whose Souls serve but for Salt to keep them from putrefying, and rotting above Ground. But there are, and have been others, that have been a Blessing in their Places, doing much good unto those they have conversed with: Such a one was Job, Chap. 29.12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. And David, Acts 13.36. who served his Generation according to the will of God, yet for all that, he fell asleep. Who more serviceable unto God and Man, than the Holy Men of Old, Prophets, and Apostles, yet they did not live for ever, Zech. 1.5.  
Yea, the Godly and Wicked have been, and shall be brought to Death. Wickedness shall not deliver him that is given to it, Eccles. 8.8. Nor shall the Righteousness of the Righteous, for one event happens to them both, Eccles. 9.2.  
Object. But doth not Solomon contradict this Doctrine, who tells us, That Righteousness delivereth from Death, Prov. 10.2?  
Resp. It is certain that Righteousness delivers from Death: But not from Natural Death, for that is a Debt owing by all, and must be paid by all; but Righteousness doth deliver from the Sting or Curse of it. So that the Righteous may with holy Boldness and Confidence Challenge Death to show his Sting, 1 Cor. 15.55. And also from Eternal Death, which is called the second Death, or a Death after Death, Rev. 2.11. Chap. 20.6.  
Will God bring to Death? That is, to Natural Death, which is the dissolving of the Union, or losing or breaking the Knot that did tie Body and Soul together, 2 Cor. 5.1. The word dissolved is taken from the overthrowing or demolishing of Buildings, whereby the House that was compact, and in the several parts joined together, being demolished, it is parted asunder. These two intimates, Body and Soul, by Death are separated one from another.  
Third Question. How did Job come to this Knowledge? Why, in the same way as others do, or may attain it.  
1. By the Letter of the Scripture: This doth sufficiently bear Witness to this Truth. Gen. 3.19. the Lord tells Adam, That he is Dust, and unto Dust he shall return. Job speaks the same, Chap. 14.1. Besides the manifold Instances of Persons that died, recorded in the Scripture, do plainly, and convincingly demonstrate it.  
2. Reason or the Light of Nature will tell us, that a House of Clay, that is founded on a heap of Dust, such as our Bodies are, Job 4.19. how strong or beautiful soever it be, will fall down. The Apostle calls it an Earthly House, 2 Cor. 5.1. If it was built of Stones, and the Foundation was a Rock, or Marble, yet by one means or other it will decay, and may be overthrown. And if this be all the Knowledge Men have, it will not much affect the Heart, nor produce such Effects as the Matter doth require. Men may, and many do know both these ways, that they must die; and yet the Lord may take up the Complaint against them, as he did against Israel of Old, for not wisely considering their latter End, Deut. 32.29. Not duly expecting or preparing for it, not taking care to order their Conversations as dying Creatures ought to do, but do still carelessly neglect the Concerns of their Precious and Immortal Souls. But,  
3. There is a Spiritual Knowledge of it, though the Object be Natural, which proceedeth from the Teachings of God, which Holy David prayed for, Psal. 39.4. who had the means both of Scripture and Reason to inform him, as other Men have; yet this did not satisfy him, and therefore applies himself to the Throne of Grace, that the Lord would teach him to know his End, and the measure of his Days, that he might thereby be made to know how frail he was. For this also did Moses pray, Psal. 90.12. that he might be taught so to number his days, that this Effect might be wrought, to apply his Heart to Wisdom. In the foregoing Verse he had cast up the Account of the Years of Man's Life, but he looked after, and did beg for another kind of Knowledge, than what his Reason could Instruct him in. You therefore that have only that knowledge of your Mortality, that Reason and the Letter of the Scripture teacheth, be exhorted to imitate these Holy Men, that you may attain that knowledge of it, as may incline your Hearts to seek after the things that belong unto your Eternal Welfare.  
Having run through the words, by way of Explication, I shall lay before you two Observations that arise from them.  

1. That God will bring us to Death.  
2. That it is a piece of the greatest Wisdom, rightly and Spiritually to know this.   
I shall only handle the first of these: How long soever, and what Lives soever we live, yet we must die.  

Reasons of the Doctrine.  
1. God will bring us to Death, because we bring Sin into the World, which opens a Passage for Death. Rom. 5.12. As by one Man Sin entered into the World, so Death by Sin; and Death passed upon all Men, for that all have sinned. Here we see at what Door Death enters; though Man was made of weak and feeble Matter, yet if Sin had not made the way, he should not have died; but our Father Adam, the Representative of Mankind, transgressing the Law of Creation, presently Death is threatened, Gen. 3.19. and that not to himself only, but to all that should come out of his Loins, or his whole Posterity; and although the Gild of Sin, binding over to Eternal Death, be removed from some of his Seed, by the Seed of the Woman, yet Natural Death must pass upon them all.  
2. Man having sinned, God did not send us into the World with a Design of spending an Eternity to it, but gives us a little Time to prepare us for an Eternal Glory, which he hath prepared for those that die in the Lord. Most Men live as if they were sent hither only to eat and drink, and provide for their Flesh; but the Alwise God had higher Ends in making so Noble a Creature as Man, putting him into a Natural Capacity, by the Soul he hath endued him with, which is a Spirit and Immortal of an Immortal Glory. And the Lord hath given him time to seek after it, and appointed ways and means how he may attain it, which time not being duly improved, and the means woefully neglected, proves the occasion of men's Eternal Destruction. Hence it is that the tender Heart of Christ did so condole the case of Jerusalem, Luke 19.42. They had the means of attaining the knowledge of the things belonging to their Peace, but they let slip the time, and made no good use of the means, until the things of their Peace were hid from them. A fair Warning to us that are partakers of the Gospel, and call aloud upon us, to seek the Lord while he may be found, and to call upon him while he is near, Isa. 55.6.  
3. God will bring us to Death, because of his Appointment: He hath so appointed, and ordained, and this cannot be frustrated. Men may ordain, purpose, and appoint things that never come to pass; but it is otherwise with the Infinitely, Alwise, and Almighty God; there can be no Contingencies happen to make his Purposes and Appointments void.  
4. Because he will bring us to Judgement, which follows Death, Heb. 9.28. There is the Judgement of particular Persons at Death, for the Spirit returns to God to be disposed of, when the dusty Body doth return to the Earth, Eccles. 12.7. The General Judgement, which is commonly called the Day of Judgement, is at the Resurrection, when the Lord will bring back from Death again.  
5. God will bring the Wicked to Death, to put an end to his Wickedness: When he hath filled up his measure, Psal. 7.9. he shall Damn, Curse, be Drunk no more; he shall no longer mock at Religion, nor Persecute God's People with Tongue or Hand: He is a Burden to the Earth whilst he lives, and God will ease the Earth of that Burden by his Death.  
6. God will bring his People to Death, to give them Rest from all their Labours, Rev. 14.13. They shall be carried out of the reach of a vexing, tempting Devil, and from the malice and enmity of an envious World, and from all the Tribulations they meet with whilst they are in it: John 16. ult. In the World ye shall have Tribulation. They shall no longer groan under the Burden of a Body of Death, have no more cause to complain, and fetch deep sighs from the oppression of Gild, nor bemoan themselves for the filthiness of their Hearts, nor shall they any longer be without the light of the Sun, nor walk in Darkness, as here often they do, from the hidings of God's Face. But,  
7. God will bring them to Death, to bring them into Possession of the Eternal Inheritance prepared for them, those Mansions of Light that he hath been by his Grace fitting and preparing them for, Rom. 9.23. Col. 1.12. Or if you will, God will bring them to Death, to bring them to the full, glorious, uninterrupted Enjoyment of his blessed Presence, that they may ever be with the Lord; for whilst they are at home in the Body, they are, in the sense forementioned, absent from the Lord, 2 Cor. 5.6. So that by what hath been said in these three last Particulars, and many other that might be mentioned, which, the Time being past, and my Strength much exhausted, I must forbear to insist on; it will appear, though both Godly and Ungodly are brought to Death, yet there is a vast difference between the Death of the one, and of the other. A little time I must take to improve this Doctrine by Application.  
1. If God will bring us to Death, this informs us,  
1. Of the certainty and necessity of dying, unless God will change his Mind, repeal his Statute-Law, or hath not Power sufficient in his Hand to execute it. So that we may say, as the Woman of Tekoah did to David, 2 Sam. 14.14. We must needs die, and be as Water spilt upon the Ground. For unless that first Law, which was the Result of Infinite Wisdom, be rescinded by a Post-Act, which cannot be supposed, or that there is a Proviso to exempt any from the common Fate of Mankind; the first Law doth stand in full force, and must certainly be put into execution.  
2. That seeing the Lord will bring us all to Death, this doth inform us of, and reproveth the Folly and Madness of those that put this far away, upon a presumption of long Life, and yet know not what the next day or hour may produce, like the rash Fool in the Gospel, Luke 12.19. and it may far with them as it did with him, v. 20. What, wilt thou presume of length of days, and on this Presumption defer thy Repentance? Alas! how many such are there now, that are past Repentance? Doth not the Lord denounce a Woe against such, Amos 6.1.3? What Bed dost thou lie on, what is thy Pillow stuffed with, that canst sleep securely in thine Impenitent Condition? Dost thou not fear, that when thou sleepest on thy Bed in the Night, that in the Morning thou shalt awake with the Everlasting Flames about thine Ears? I am sure thou hast cause enough to fear it.  
3. If God will bring us to Death, it doth greatly concern us to bring Death near to ourselves, before God brings us to it.  
1. Believing the Truth my Text speaks of, I find that though it is generally acknowledged that all must die, yet too few there are that do really believe that they are of that number. Surely, was it believed, it would produce better things than do appear in their Lives and Conversations. What Peter saith touching the dissolution of all things, and what use should be made of it, 2 Pet. 3.11. If Men did believe their own Dissolution, it would provoke unto a Holy and Godly Conversation. What a poor Woman once said, lying on a Deathbed, may many say in the like Condition; I often (said she) thought of Dying, but would I had believed it: Believing brings that near, that is at a distance; Janus-like, it looks backward and forward.  
2. Seriously and frequently thinking of it, and meditating on it. Alas! how few are there that busy their Heads in thinking of that which is costing, will certainly come, and suddenly may come. This Subject requires our deepest musing on it. Sad will be the surprisal, if Death should look in at the Window with his austere Countenance, and sit on our trembling Lips before we have seriously thought of it, expected it, and are prepared for it; we shall never wait for that change which we never thought of.  
3. Dying daily, as Paul said of himself, 1 Cor. 15.31. not only because of the continual danger he was in for his work-sake, but because he was daily making ready for it, fight the good fight of Faith, that he might lay hold on Eternal Life, as he exhorted his Son Timothy, 1 Epist. Chap. 6.12. Dying to the World, to Sin, unto Self, and following the Captain of his Salvation, to oppose and cut off the Enemies of his Salvation. By bringing Death thus unto ourselves, there undoubtedly will follow choice and excellent Effects. As,  
1. Hiding Pride from us; pulling down the high Hearts, and high Heads. What! shall Mortal, dying Dust lift up itself? Shall not the consideration of our Frailty bring down our lofty looks? When a proud Thought appears, reflect on thy Mortality, and think with thyself, whether such a Thought becomes such a piece of Dust as thou art, whose lofty looks ere long must be humbled; surely the thoughts and consideration of Death is enough to preserve from self-exaltation.  
2. Moderating our Affections unto our Creature-Enjoyments, and to beget Temperance in our pursuit after, and use of them, as the Apostle, from the consideration of the brevity of our Lives, doth exhort unto, 1 Cor. 7.29, 30, 31. 〈◊〉 all must be left when Death comes, both in respect of Use and Enjoyment, undoubtedly setting Death in good earnest before us, will be a means to Crucify us unto the World, and the World unto us. Shall that be lodged in our Hearts, that we shall hold but a little while in our Hands, and will be wholly out of our Eye? Did we really believe that it will not be long that we shall have these things in our Possession, we should make the less of them whilst we do possess them.  
3. Quickening our dull and sleepy Hearts unto greater Diligence in seeking after, and endeavouring to secure cur main and principal Interest, will a time come, and may it be near to us, that will put an end unto all Opportunities, for our Souls Eternal Welfare? O then, why are we so sottish, as to waste our little time in Vanity or Drudgery of the World, when we have so great a Concernment lie upon our Hand? And how sad will it be, if we miss the Time, and lose our Opportunity?  
4. If it be God that brings to Death, then let this Command us into Holy Silence, and bring our Hearts into quiet Submission, when our chiefest Friends, and dearest Relations are taken away; this Consideration, that God hath done it, should quiet our Minds, and charm us into the most profound silence; as Aaron, Levit. 10.2. when by a most dismal stroke from Heaven two of his Sons were cut off together, which did testify God's great Displeasure, they being taken away in the Act of sinning, yet he held his peace; that is, he quarrelled not at that Awful Providence, but with the greatest Patience did bear up under it. So Psal. 39.9. I was dumb, and opened not my mouth, because God did it. Thus did Job, when all his Children fell together by an unusual and fearful stroke, Chap. 1.18. A Minister's 〈◊〉 impatiently lamenting the loss of her late deceased Husband, and her Livelihood also by that means taken away, an aged gracious Woman discoursing with her, that she might compose her disturbed Mind, did ask her, who did it? She answered, God had done it. Then, saith she, be still; for if he hath done it, he hath done thee no wrong.  

1. It is he that hath an absolute and  Right to dispose of us, and all our Creature-Comforts at his own Will and Pleasure; his Sovereignty therefore should strike us into a Holy Dumbness, when under such chastising Providences.  
2. It is he that is too just to do us any wrong, and too good to do us harm; and if neither wrong nor harm are done us, we have no reason to mourn excessively, nor to give way to any Impatience.  
3. It is he that can make up our Loss, be it never so great; and if we carry it well, and put our Trust in him, he will surely and certainly do it; who makes all things work together for their good, who love him, and are the called according to his purpose, Rom. 8.28. He can, you need not fear, supply the absence of your best Relations.   
O but, may one say, I have parted with a most tender and loving Father. True; but he was but an Earthly Father, and Mortal also: If thou gettest an Interest in God, he will be an Heavenly, and an Immortal Father.  
O, saith another, I have lost a most Faithful and Constant Friend, the best Friend I had in all the World. Be it so; then make sure of that Friend that will never fail, and that will be so for ever; There is a Friend that sticks closer than a Brother, make him your Friend.  
O, saith a third, the Lord brought unto Death a most Tender, Dutiful, and Obedient Child, as ever Parent had. Well! is there not enough in him that hath taken thy Child from thee, to repair that Loss with unspeakable Advantage? It may be thou didst lodge thy Child in that Bed of Love; which the Lord had taken for himself, and therefore, to make room for him, he hath taken that Child from thee. I remember the saying of a good Woman, who had only one Son, who by a disastrous Providence was brought to Death; upon the News of it, answered, Now I see God will leave me nothing to love but himself. And if that Love which was set on thy Child, be placed upon God, when thy Child is gone, it will be manifest, that it was his love to thy Soul, that thy Child was removed from thee.  
5. Use. My Text, and the Doctrine insisted on, brings very good and very bad News: Very good unto the Godly, but very bad unto the Wicked.  

1. It is your Mercy that are the called of God, and by Grace are brought over to Jesus Christ, that God will bring you to Death, and ease you thereby of all the Burdens and Grievances that whilst you are in this howling Wilderness you are oppressed with; you by Death are delivered from the Body of Death, that sometimes you groan under; from the Spirit of Bondage, Temptations of the Enemy, and all Evils, both Corporal and Spiritual, that whilst here you are annoyed or vexed with.  
2. By this you will be brought into the Possession of that Inheritance which is incorruptible, undefiled, and fadeth not away, 1 Pet. 1.  
3. By this your imperfect Grace and Knowledge will arrive unto that full perfection that your Nature is capable of.  
4. And hereby you shall attain unto full and entire Satisfaction; your Desires being so fully answered, that you shall desire no more, neither can more be desired.   
But 2dly, As this is good, the best News unto Saints, so it is the worst News that can be to Sinners and the Ungodly that so live and die. For, 

1. They leave all their good things, and the things they take most Pleasure and Delight in behind them, and must take an everlasting farewell of them.  
2. Their Evil Works will follow them, and the Reward of them will be their Portion, the Wages thereof is Eternal Death, Rom. 6.  
3. They will have nothing to yield them the least Relief or Comfort when Misery unconceivable will come upon them; not so much as a drop of cold water to cool their flaming Tongue, Luke 16.24 which whilst here was set on fire of Hell; that Tongue wherewith they blasphemed God, by Cursing, Damning, and Swearing; and wherewith they mocked and derided the People of God, his Ways, and Ordinances.  
4. When God brings them to Death, they are carried by the Devil, whom they have served, to be Companions with him in that unquenchable Fire, that is prepared for them.  
5. And that which aggravates all their Misery, that they shall be endless, and despair of ever having any ease or end of them.     
FINIS.   

Books Sold by Mark Conyers in Newport-Pagnel, where you may be furnished with all sorts of Books and Stationary Ware; and where you may have Money for Old Books, or Studies of Books.  

Art's Masterpiece.  
Notable Things.  
True Art of Angling.  
Experienced Fowler.  
The Cook's New-Years-Gift.  
Delight and Pastime.  
Pious Man's Directions.  
A Spark from the Altar.