Page:Great importance of a suitable preparation for death (2).pdf/8

8 Now, as for the firſt of theſe things obſerved, viz That it is certain and moſt ſure, that we ſhall all once die. I hope there are none of you here who will decry, altho' I confeſs ſome few of you believe, what was ſaid by the woman of Tekoah, z 2 Samuel xiv. 14. 'We muſt all die, and be like water ſpilt upon the ground, that cannot be gathered up again. God doth not except the perſon of any.' And Job xxx. 23. 'I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the houſe appointed for all living.' And it is very clear, Eccleſ. viii. 8. 'There is no man that hath power over the ſpirit to retain the ſpirit ; neither hath he power in the day of death; and there is no diſcharge in that war, neither ſhall wickedneſs deliver thoſe who are given to it.' It is clear, Heb. ix. 27. 'It is appointed unto men once to die.' So that it is most clear that we muſt die. I remember of one Philip, king of Macedonia, who had one ſubſtituted for this very end, to cry at his chamber door every morning. Memento mori, memento mori, memento mori, Remember thou art to die. And, it is reported to have been the practice of the nobles of Greece, and in the day wherein their emperor was crowned, that they preſented a marble-ſtone unto him, and he was enquired after what faſhion he would have his tomb-ſtone made? Which practice ſpeaks forth this unto us, that altho' theſe were moſt deſtitute of the light of the ſcripture, they were very mindful of death. Believe me, death may ſurpriſe us before we be aware : for, it is moſt certain, that we muſt die ; but, there is nothing more uncertain than the way how, and the time when we ſhall die.

Death will ſurpriſe ſome as it did Abel in the open field, Geneſis iv. 8. Death will ſurpriſe ſome, as it did Eglon in his parlour, Judges iii. 21. And, death will ſurpriſe ſome, as it did Saul and Jonathan in the fight, I Samuel xxxi.

Now, in ſpeaking to this point, I ſhall, Firſt, Speak a little to theſe advantages which attend thoſe that live within continual ſight of death. Secondly, I ſhall give you ſome conſiderations to preſs you to