/jy z -~tb 'a, uA<u>. > <JJ ■- /Vl^us*^ r TTl

1

\ ^>

BKSQB9BBS

Mr. Chauncys SERMON

W^~ On the DEATH of

Mrs, Sarah Byfield.

M AN's Life conjidered tinder the Simi- litude of a Vapour, that appeareth for a little Time, and then vaniiheth away.

SERMON

on the Death of that Honorable & Vertuous Gentlewoman

Mrs.. Sarah By field,

The amiable Confbrt of the Honorable

NATHANAEL BYFIELD, Efq;

Who died Decemb. 21ft. 1730. In the j8th Year of her Age.

By CHARLES CHAUNCr.M.k.

One of the Paftorsof the firil Church in Boston.

1 Chron.xxix. 15. — Our days on earth are as ajhadow3 and there is none abiding.

Pfkl. xxxix. 4. LORD, make me to know mine end. and the meafureofmydayswhatitis: that 1 may know how frail I am.

BO SfO N in New-England : Printed by B. Green.

M D CCXXXI.

■

• *

■

To the Honourable

Nathanael Byfield Efq-,

Honoured SIR,

TJf/HE NI had fallen in with Tour Dcfixc t& ** Print this Sermon, I could not prevail "with my f elf to let it go to the Prefs, 'without firjl paying Public regards tofo good # Friend : whom,l have Re a/on to love & reverence as a Father,

tfhe Sermon ^was Preach' d on the lamented Death of your dear & amiable Confort. / tho't it proper to take fpecial Notice offmh a Providence: and as I endeavour' d to improve it for the Benefit of all my Hearers ; Jifor Tour's in particular. In //?£ Character I have given Madam Byfield, I have not offered Nicentfs of Acuracy ; yet have had alfrizk regard to Truth cjf Uprightnefs. And I doubt not, but all that were acquainted with her, will judge, that her Memory is worthy to bz transmitted to Posterity, with more Honour, than I have been able to do it.

I

DEDICATION.

/ heartily joyn with You, Sir, in rendring \ f hanks to a good GOD, who directed you to a Perfon, every way fo agreable : and that He continued her, fo long a BleJJing and Comfort t* you ; the pie aj ant Companion of your Age -, your Crown & Ornament. 3CIts the fame mofi Wife & Merciful GOD, that has taken her away from you. And 'tis for your Good, He has thus affli&ed you. this Correction of your Heavenly Father, was neceffary in that Chain ^Events, by which. He had ordained /# bring you to Glory : which is the highefi Motive to Patience & Submifi Jion.

May this, and all other Divine Difpenfati- §ns be Santfify'd to Im ! and ble/s'd as a Means to make you Jlill more meet for that World, where there is no Sin nor Sorrow where all Tears ftiall be wip'd from your Eyes, and you jh all be compleatly happy in the Sight and Fruition of the bleffed GOD. And may your Children, ( already Propagated to the fourthGeneration, and) throughout all Gene- rations, follow you into the Heavenly State^ and be an Eternal Spring of Joy to Tm !

So Prays,

Your much obliged and

Affectionate Servant in CHRIST,,

Charles Chaumy*

Man's Life confiderM under

THE

Similitude of a Vapour.

JAMES IV. 14.

For what is your Life ? It is even a Valour \ that appeareth for a little time, and then vanijbeth away.

IHave made Choice of this Text, to lead you into fome proper Meditations on hu- mane Frailty : a fubject never unfuitable for d)>ing Men to employ their Tho'ts up- on; and particularly feafonable, after any frefh, afFe&ing Inftance of Mortality.

We are here prefented with a yery inftructive Deicription of Life. It's confider'd under the Similitude of a Vapour, that appeareth for a little time,and then vanijheth away. A true and lively Reprefentation of the Stated Man's Life upon Earth ! which is of but ftiort Conti- nuance, inconftant and uncertain : The effect whereof lhou'd be, our living after the beft and wifeft manner ; to the purpofes of another World,Sc fo as to fecure to our felves,an Inter eft in that future & eternal Life, which the Gofpel has reveal'd, and promifes to them, who, by

patient

2 A SERMON on the Death

fatient continuance in 'well doings feeh for Glory y Honour and Immortality.

And that we may be excited and quickened, in making fuch an Improvement of the prefent Life, I fhall beg your Attention, while I am diicourfing to you, upon the two following im- portant Points • agreable to the Scope of the dpoftle in the words, I have red to you.

L I fhall confider the Reprefentation that is here given us of Man's Life.

II. I fhall fhow, What Influence, fuch a Re- prefentation, ought y in all reafony to have upon us.

I I am to confider the Reprefentation, that is here made of Alan's Life. It is even a Vapour y that appeareth for a little timey and then vanifheth away.

I have no Defign to purfue this Metaphor7 in all the little Refemblances, which one's I- magination might eafily fuggeft : but fhall confine my felf to a few Particulars • which lie open to common View, and were, no doubt,the things intended by the Apoftle. And they are fuch as thefe. i.That Man's Zi/£,upon Earth, is Short. 2. Uncertain. 3. Inconflant. ^Ir re- cover abUy wrhen once gone.

/. Man's Life may be reprefented by a Va- p9itry to figniiie the exceeding Short fiefs of it.

A

of Mrs. SARAH B YFIELD.

A Vapour is ofbutjbort Continuance. It ? for a while u wander upon the Surface Earth or Water- " but is ioon driven away by the Wind : or fpends it ielf, an4 V4iwjkei azvay* Juft the fame thing may be laid of the Life of Man : which, whatever it is, and however active and buifie it may for a while appear, is yet foon extinguifhed : or of it kit languishes and expires. The Scriptures are full of affeding Illuftrations to this purpoie. They fbmetimes comprehend Man's Life, with- in the narrow compafs of an Hand-breadtb 7 which is one of the moil inconiiderable Mea- fares. Pfal. 35). 5* Behold, thou haft made my Days as an Hand-breadth. Some nines they limit it to the Time a Man takes in telling a Story * which foon paffes away, and is gone. Pfal. 5)0. 0. For all our Days are pa-Jed avcaj in thy Wrath \ We fpend our Days as a Tstle that is told. At other times, they meaiure Life, byfomeofthe Swift eft Motions • to fignify how foon it arrives at it's determin'd Period. Our Days are faid to be Jwifter than a Weaver's Shuttle*, which is no fooner thrown n at one fide of the Web, but it is out at the other j to pals away as ihc/w/ji Skibs, which with a brisk Gale, are quickly carried out of Sight ; to be fwifcer than a Poft-, who hurries along, with all pofilble Speed * And the Eagle that maketh towards her Preyr does not jiy

B m :>re

4 A SER MO N on the Death

more fwiftly, than the Life of Man paffes away : As thefe things are elegantly exprefs'd, Job £. 25, 26. Now my days are fwifter than

a Poji: they flee away \ they are pajjed

away- as the Jwift Ships ; as the Eagle that hajieth to her prey.

And there is* a certain Juftnefs and Propri- ety in thefe &r/p/&T£Reprefcntations of Man's Life; tho' borrowed from things,fome of which are but of few Days, and others of but fewMo- ments Continuance : and that, if at the fame Time, we mould fuppofe it to reach the utmoji Bounds of it's appointed Duration. For what are threefcore or fourfcore Tears ? As theP/#/- mijl's Expreffion is, * they are fboncut off, and we fly away. Indeed, when we lookforward from Touth or Childhood, to Old age ; it ap- pears at a vaft Diftance : and as tho' we ihould icarce ever arrive at it. But by only changing the Scituation of our felves, how different will the Profped: appear ! Let a Perfon look back from^gtf to Touth, and it will feem but a very fmall Space : thofe Thirty or Forty Years, which were judged by him in his Childhood unattainable, how ftiort do they feem, now he has pajjed throy them ! So true is that Obfer- vation, That a Day to come fhews longer to ■us than a 2 ear that is gone. And it is the univeiial Senfe of all that are grown intoTears concerning it. They are even iurpriz'd, when

* Pfahn 90. io#

they

cf Mrs. SARAH BYFIELD. 5

they look back to find, how infeniibly their Days are rolled away. If they extend their Vieiso forty, fifty, or threefcore Years back" wards ; they can fcarce believe they have Liv'd fo long, it appears fuch a Moment of time. And generally fpeaking, the longer Perfbns live, the Jhorter their paji Days and Years feem to them : And when they are in a ferious turn of Tho't, they more thoroughly realize, what zfmall part of Duration ythcTerm of Humane Life contains.

And if the Life of Man appears thus port even to Men themielves, when fet in a due light : how. much more inco.nfder able muit it feem in GOD's Eye ! with whom there is no Beginning of Days, nor End of Tears • and in whole Sight a tho-ufand Tears are but as one Day. Surely in this View of L?fe,\t muft link into the fmalleji Point of Time. Yea7 as the Pfalmijl phrafes it, our Age is as nothing be- fore GOD. f Nay, if our Lives, like Met hu- falalfSy were protra&ed to near a Thoi-fand Years ; in GOD's Account, and in ccmp are with his Eternal Duration, they would feem.. but as a tingle Moment. And yet, how many of our Ages go to make up aYhoufand Years ! and yet further, how few live to what we call the full Age of aMan ! Perhaps the sreateft part of Mankind die within the Space of the frfi Seven Tears^ And w;ere one arrives at -zoO^^

J Plain* $& U

6 A SER MO N on the Death

the general Period afhVd to Humane Life, a thou I and die in Tenth or Middle age. • Such a Juftneis and Propriety is there in iheic Scrip- ture Reprekiitdiions of Alan's Life : like a Fapo::?, it appears but for a little time, and then vanifoes away.

If any ihoird now feel themfilves uneafie at this Representation of Life, and be tempted to thnk hardly of GOD, lor making the Limits of it fo exceeding narrow ; it will at once Sa- tisfy all then Objeuiions, to confider Life in the true and .proper Notion of it : as a Pro- bation feafjK for Eternity.

The GOD that gave us our Beings, defign'd them for an End worthy of Himfelf, and thofe noble Powers, He has endowM us with. But this End is not to be obtained in this World. There is nothing here, that can fatisfy the l)e fires of our Souls, or be a commenfurate PJapp/nefs for them. We muft look beyond the Grave for this, to the unfeen unutterable Glories of the Heavenly State. And if we take a View of the prefent Life, as referring to this State, and a Tryal for our Entrance into it, it will infficiently juftify, both the Wifdom and Goodneis of GOD in the Shortnefs oi it.

Elpecially, if we go on and confider, that the Time of Life iszSpace full long enough for the Bufinefs we were lent into the World up- on • viz,, to make Preparation for Eternity. For thro' the LORD JFSUS CHRIST, who feas cbey'd the Law, and fuffer'd the Penalty

or

of Mrs. SARAH BYFIELD, 7

of it, for us and in our ftead; the terms ofSal- vation are bio't down to our prefent fallen State : and nothing more is abfo lately, required of us, but FAITH in JESUS CHRIST, as the SON of the living GOD, including in it the Seeds & Principles of fincere Repentance, and a true Go/pel Obedience. And no fooner is fuch a Faith wrought in our Souls, but our main Work is done, and the great Dejign of Life anfwered. And Perfons not only may, but often are, even in the beginning of Life, thus endowed with Faith. And a little Time, if it be well improv'd, in the diligent Ufe of proper Means,will ferve for this purpofe, And all that is afterwards neceffary, will be only to give proof of our good Eftate- mo continue in the Faith of CHRIST, to grow in Grace ; to Jhine in the World by our good Examples ; ^nd in a word, to glorify GOD by our holy Carriage of ourfelves under whateverConditi- on He Thall pleafe to order out unto us. And when our Lives come to be thus employ'd, the jhorter they are the better \ inafmuch as we fhall hereby the fooner obtain the End of our Faith, the Salvation of our Souls. And this is the Tho't of all that are truly wife. They would not willingly have the Term of Life fet at a further Diftance, leaft the Tryal of their Graces fhould be too heavy and tedious- and the full Reward of their Faith and Good works too lone detained froi^i them.,

And

3 A SER MO N on the Death

And on the other hand, when Perfons da pervert the grand Defign of Life ; neglecting theirSouls,and taking no Care to prepare thern- felves for the future State ; 'tis unreafonable to expect their Lives ftiould be protracted, beyond what the Lives of Men ordinarily are, that fo they might have a longer Space ofTryal,before their Condition is unalterably determined. For if they ftiould live over the prefent Life, as bounded by GOD, tho'tlefs of Eternity, and unconcern'd to make Preparation for it j and inftead hereof, ftiould fpend theirDays inVanity, or the Gratification of their Flefhly Lufts> there would be but litticHope of their Amend- ment and returning to a better Mind, if their Time ftiould be lengthned out to the longefi Period : But on the contrary, great reafon to fear, that they would only grow more bold and obftinate in Wickednefs, and get ftill at a fur- ther Diftance from GOD and Happinefs. Be- fides, the ordinary Duration of Man's Life, is full long enough for luchPerlbns to be continu- ed Plagues to Mankind, by their evil Practices and bad Examples. And 'tis in Mercy to the World in general,that the Time of their Life is limited to threescore or four [core Years. But I muft not enlarge here. To proceed^

IL By the Metaphor in the Text, we have reprefented to us, the utter Uncertainty of Humane Life. What more uncertain than the Appearance of iVapour'i It fometimes con- tinues

*f Mrs. SARAH BYFIELD. $

tinues a longer ,and fometimcs zfhorter Time : is fome times fuddenly extinguifhed, and ibme- timesjlowly and by degrees. Alike uncertain is the Z//£ of Man. 'Tis certain indeed, that all Menfhall once die. And there is no Man living but knows that he ihall die. We know likewife, that we are furrounded with an infi- nite Variety of Diftempers, and every moment lie expos'd to innumerable Accidents, which may put a Period to our Days. So that there is no Point of Time, in which we are free from Danger, and may be fure of not falling by the Stroke of Death. Yctythe precife Time <wheny and particular Means and manner how, re- main, as to us, abfolute Uncertainties. Man knoweth not his Time *. This is the Sole Pre- rogative of the mojl high GOD. Nothing, to Him, is either contingent or uncertain. And in a very particular manner, He is theSupream> LORD of Life and Death. And as/itch. He hath appointed the Day and Hour j nay, the very Moment, when every Son and Daughter of Adam, ihall undergo the Change of Death. Job feems to have put thisMatter beyond Dis- pute, Job y. 1. Is there not an appointed time to Man upon Earth ? Are not his Days alfo like the Days of an Hireling? An Hire- ling ,we all know,hath his fix' 'd Time of Service : ■and when this is expired, he is difcharg'd from his Labour. The fame thing may be faid of

? Ecclef. 9. 12,

Man :

io J SERMON on the Death

Man : he has his determined Time of Duration j and whenever this comes, in a moment he ex- pires. This Matter is further illuftrated, Chap. 14. 5. Man's days are determined, the Nun.* her of his Months are <voith thee : thou haji appointed his Bounds, that he cannot pafs. So that, let our Character be what it will ; if we are never fb defireable, or never fo ufeful : or let ourState be what it will * be wc prepared or unpreparM, we miift at fuch a particular , Point of Time, which GOD from Eternity, has pitch'd upon, be difmis'd from the Body. And He will fo order it in his A&ive Providence, that all neceffary natural Caufes fhall unitedly concur, to put a Period to our Life, not only at the very Time, but after the fame manner, that he has decreed*

GOD has not indeed alotted to all Men the fame Number of Months and Years : nor de- termined to accomplifh his Decree upon them, by the fame Means and after the fame manner; but has varioujly fix'd the Periods of Life in different Perfons, and uies as great a Variety in the Means and manner of their Death. And upon this Account it is, that both the Time and Means &C manner of our going out of the World, are, as to us, Matters of the greateji Uncertainty.

We know not "when we fhall die : whether in Infancy or Childhood, while our Natures are weak and tender • before we are inftruCted in the W orthof Life^r are capable of exerting

cuifelyes

of Mrs. SARAH BYFIELD, n

ourfelves to any valuable purpofes ? Or mTouth> our Conftitutions being itrong & healthy • our Powers active and fprightly, and in the beft Capacity of ferving the Ends of Life ? Or whether we ftiall continue, till the evil Days come^ and the Tears draw* nigh^ when we Jballjay, we have no Pleafure in them ?

We Know not xheManner in which we fhall die: Whether on a Sudden,or by flow & leifurly Steps? in the Height of Profperity,or Depth of Adveriity ? in a Throng of worldly .Bufineft, or free from outward Cares and Incumberances ? Death will moll certainly feize upon us : but where will it be ? In the Clofet, or the Street ? ir. the Shop, or the Field ? at Sea, or on dry Land?— Thefe things are Secrets m theBreaft of G O D alone • «

In fine, We are abfolutely ignorant by what Means GOD will take us out of the World : whether by Difeafe, or Accident ? according to Nature,or by Force 8C Violence ? He will doubt- lefs makeufe of natural Caufes : But what will they be ? A Fever, or a Frenzy ? the Teeth of an Infed, or a blaft of Wind ? a Morfel of Meat, or a Hair from our Heads ? a fall from a Horfe, or the hand of Malice ? Or will He fufFer us to live,till Nature isSpent,&we die of ourfelves?— -

Thus Uncertain a thing is thzLife of Man,— -

And it is an Argument of great Wifdom and

Goodnefs in GOD,that 'tis lb. For if we Knew

the determinate Space of Life,or that it would

furely expire at fiich particular Term;it wo a! d

C hayc

12 A SER MON on the Death

have a very unhappy Influence upon us. For, on the one hand, if it was at a confiderable Dis- tance, wc fliould be in utmoft Hazard of allow- ing our felves Liberty, to live according to the Courje of this World \ fulfilling the dejires of the Flejh & Mind. And this we ihou'd be apt to do, till we came within the near Profped of our Diflblution : and then having fo habituated ourfelves to Sin as to be hardened in it • it would be almojl a Miracle, if we were ever prevail'd upon,to break off our Sins byRighteoufnefsyani our Iniquities by turning to GOD. For as the Prophet argues, Jer.13. 2.3. Can the Ethiopian change his Skin^or the Leopard his Spots ? Then may ye alfodogoodjhat~are accufiom'dto do evil. And on the other hand, if the Time of Life was Short y%nd to be terminated in thefpaceof a few Years : tho' it might awaken our Confideration, & put us on Endeavours to make our Peace with GOD^and fecure anlntereft in Chrift • yet how melancholy & uncomfortable, would it be like to make our Abode upon Earth ? We Ihould en- joy no Plcafure in theWorld : neither in Friends, nor Relatives ; nor any of the good things,GOD has provided for our prefent Happinefs. Such would be our Concern & Fear • fuch our dark and gloomy Apprehenfions, as would not only unfit us to converfe with one another- but even to live in fuch a World, as GOD has made this to be.

But now that the Ttme remains Uncertain^ both thefe Inconveniences are avoided. Inftead

- of

of Mrs. SARAH BYFIELD. 1 3

of being encouraged in a Courfe of Sin for the prejenty\vc have one of the ft rongeft Arguments to engage us in an immediate Care, about the Bufinefi of Religion, and our SouFs Salvation ; and at the fame time, there is room left for the Exercife of Hapey which layes a Foundation for the Enjoyment of ourfelves and the Comforts of Life. "

We ftiou'd therefore thankfully acknowledge and admire the Wifdom 2>t Goodnefs of G OD, in keeping us ignorant of the Time 8t Circum* fiances of our Death: the Knowlege of which, could not be of any real Service to us ; but vet y hurtful upon many Accounts. We fliou'd be content to be in the dark,as to thefe Futuritesy and improve our Ignorance as a Motive to Zeal andlnduftry in working out our own Salvation 'With Fear and frembling*

III. The Metaphor in the Text, fignifies to us, the inconftant, un fettled State of the pefeni Life. A Vapour is an inconjlant variable Me- teor. One while it extends it felf far SC wide, anon it dwindles away into Nothing, Now it appears thick St denfe prefently it becomes fo thin SC rarify'd as not to fall within Reach of Obfervation. Juft fuch an inconstant -variable thing is the Life of Man.

We feldom coatinue long in the fame State * but are cronftantly paffing under innumerable Changes, tfhis Moment we are well and ia. Health ^ the next we are fefe'd with Come fatal'

C z Di£w

i4 A SERMON on the Death

Diftemper. Now we abound in Riches and Plenty • on a fudden we are reduced to Poverty and Penury. In the Morning we are in Honour and Dignity ; before Night, we wear the Cha- racter of Men of low Degree. To Day we are refpefted and well fpokenof ; by to Morrow, we are hated, defpis'd and evil fpoken againft. This Week we are furrounded with Friends and Acquaintance ; the next we have rcafon to make that Complaint, Pfal. 88. 18. Lover and Friend, thou haji fat jar from me, and mine Acquaintance into Darknefs. And fo what- ever our prefent State is, we quickly pafs out of it into another; that is fometimes better, and fometimes worle.

And it is in a fort neceffary,the^r£j£/7/ State of Man's Life ftiould be thus variable. For fo perverfe & depraved are ourTempers,lince our Fall from GOD,that it would be fcarce poflible for us, to carry it fuitably, under any one inva- riable Condition of Life.

If, on the one hand, we were blefs'd with a conftanti?#/zofProfperity} for a longtime to- gether enjoying our Health &C Friends, and all the Comforts and good things of Life : ten to one, but it would be the Means of our being ruined for ever. We could not bear fuch an un- interrupted Series of Worldly Happinefi. We ftiould be apt to grow proud & infolent; forget- ful of GODSCour ownSouls : &C inftead. of being the more ftrongly engaged in His Love & Ser- vice, it would be likely we ftiould Kick againft

Him;

of Mrs. SARAH BYFIELD. \$

Him ; contemn His Law, flight His Goodnd&> and by our hard cf impenitent Heart jreafure up to our/elves Wrath againfi the day of Wrath. And on the other hand, if we were frown'd up- on in Providence, and kept under poor, difficult and afflictive Circumftances ; and this was to be our Condition invariably ; it wou'd fink our Spirits, difcourage our Endeavours, and unfit us for every thing. We fliou'd have no Heart to engage in any ArFair,neither refpetting our Souls nor Bodies : or if we had,we fhou'd not be able to purfue it, with Zeal and Refolution.

It is therefore a Wife difpofal of Providence, that our prefent State is variable, that we are fometimes in one Condition Sc fometimes in a- nother ; fometimes in Adverlity & fometimes in Profperity. Such a mixt inconfiant State is beft fuitcd to the prefent Frame of ourMinds ; and no doubt was defign'd by GOD,as a Kind- nefs to the World in general ; as being a Means wifely adapted, to ferve the End of Life, which is the Glory of GOD, in fuch a Temper & Be- haviour of ourfelves,as He has made necelfary,in order to our Future &C Eternal well being.

IK The Metaphor in the iext reprefents to us, the Irrecoverablenefs of Man's Life, when once gone. A Vapour when once vanifh'd away, is irrecoverably gone. The fame muft be faid of Life : When once expir'djit can never be re- called. The Extinction of Life is therefore defcribed,Pfal,35>.ult, As agoing hence ff being

here

%6 'A SERMO N on the Death

here no more. And Job fpeaking of Man'£ Death, expreffes himfelf in fuch Language as that, Job 1 4. 1 i.Man lieth downyandrt/eth not till the Heavens be no more : they Jhall not awake, nor rife out of their Sleep. And in the 14. v. If a Man die, jhall he live again ? The Queftion does not infer a Doubt, whether fuch as die, ftiall return back to live their Lives over again : But is the Rvonge&Negat ion. fhey Jhall not live again. They fliall never return back to any of the Employments or Enjoyments of the prefent Life. When Death hath once pat* led uponMen,their Probation feafon is over, and State made (inalterable for Eternity. Eccl. 1 1.3. — If the free fall towards the Souther towards the North : in the Place 'where the Tree fallethj here Jhall it be. An awful Con- lideration ! It fhould furely affed us to think, that as Death leaves us, lb Judgment will find us • that as foon as ever this frail Life of our's is ended, our Condition from that Moment is for ever determined } our Place of Abode fo fix'd,a&* that if we have mifimprov'd the prefent leafen^ we can never amend or corred our Miftake. O how fhou'd our Attention be awaken'd at this ! and our Hearts animated with Zeal 8C Re* folution in doing the work, we were fent into the World upon ! Beloved, feeing things are thus, fVhat manner of Per Jons mght <we to be in all holy Converfation & Gadlinefs ? With- what Diligence ftiould we labour, that *we way be found of our Judge^ in Peace? without fyot7

and

of Mrs. SARAH BYFIELD. t7

and blamelefs. Which brings me to our next general Head of Difcourfe, viz.

II. To fliow what Injlueme, the Reprefenta- tion, the fext gives of Life, ought jn all Rea- son to have upon us. And here that I might not Exceed the Limits of my Houry I muft con- fine my felf to only a few general Hints. As,

i. It fhou'd put us upon JVeaning our Af- fections from the World, and Moderating our Endeavours after it. And are there any,whofe Hearts are too much fet upon the World, & that employ too much Pains in the Purfuit of it ? It fhou'd feem incredible,that Ate#,whomGOIX has endowed withReafon &Underftanding,fhou,d be fo little govern'd, by a fenfe of their own Frailty, the exceeding Shortnefs St Uncertainty oftheprefent Life. And yet alas! fbitis. Yea, and the Generality of Perfons are fo ftrangely fond of the W@rld as to think, they can never love it too well, nor endeavour too much after it. They will rife up early, and fit up late ; go thro* Difficulties and Hardfhips ; expofe them- ielves to Hazards ; run all Rifques } fubmit to any thing, and do any thing, for the Obtaining only of a few Scraps or Portions of it. If we' were to judge by the Temper &C Behaviour of feme Men,we muft fuppofe they imagin'd, that both themfelves and their Houfes would conti- nue for ever^and their Dwelling-places to all Generations : When alas ! 'fheir Life, like a Vapour, appear eth but for a little fime^ and

then

■ 8 A SE R MO N on the Death

then vanijheth away. How fliou'd this Tho't beat down the Price of the World in ourEfteem, and check our Endeavours after it ? For if at the longeji we muft quickly leave the World j and may in a A/0/#£/z/,atanyTime,befnatch'd away from all the Enjoyments of it: Why fhou'd our Hearts be wedded to it,andour whole Time and Souls cmploy'd about it ! Is it not far more rea- lisable to loolen our AfFe&ions from theEarth? to let light by the .good things of it ? and fpend no more Pains in the Purfuit of them, than is realy neceffary for our prefent Comfort ?

Perhaps we look upon theWorld,as our only Place of Happineis : and entertain in ourMinds fuch exalted Apprehenlions of theValue of out- ward Enjoyments, as to defire St aim at nothing higher. But O ! let us remember, we fhan't always haye fachTho'ts of the World. We are haftening apace to theGiave. It won't be long, however far we may put from us the evil Day, before we ihall find ourfelves in the Agonies of Death. And when this comes to be our Cafe • what think we, will our Apprehenlions about the World be ? As we ihall View it in a diffe- rent Light, fo will it certainly appear in quite different Colours. It will feem altogether Va- nity. We Ihall fee nothing deiirable in it : but Ihall be amaz'd at our former Folly, in fetting fo high a Price on it, and making it trie chief Object of our follic items Concern. And at fuch a Time as this : of what great Advantage will it be to us, if we haye gain'd eyen as much of

this.

of Mrs. SARAH BYFIELD. jc*

this World, as we 'could poffibly deiire? Has our; highefl Ambition been gratified, in being ho-; hour'd and perferr'd among Men? — Oar Ho- nour muft now be laid in the Dull ; all our1 Marks of Diitin&ion drop'd at the Mcuth of the Grave : and when we appear in the other World, it will be upon a Level with the moft ignoble?

Slave. Or have we indulged our felves in

Eaie & Pleafure ? taking all the carnal Delight . we could vvilh for, or are capable of enjoying ?; — It is now all over and s;one. /And what re-- mains,but cutting Reflections • reftlelsFeaisani- Gonvulfions of Soul ? — Or have we heap 'd up Riches • joyning Houfe to Hmife, and Field to Field, till we are placed alone in the widji, of the Earth P. — Yet let us confider/That Rtches are not for ever ; * and that, a oi 'all. cur Pol- " feffions, we iliall now need no more than will u but fuffice to bury us. Silver & Gold are $DG» " heavy Laden,to be carried into anotherVVorld,v "And what is it to 2,dying Man, whether his- u Chamber be richly furniiVd or not; whether u he breath out his Soul. in a Palace, or aCoi*-- <c tage '] f. In an Hour of Death, u We ihall "• not. take Pleafure in iumming up our Estates,- a and counting how math we iliall die worth, " and how many Hundreds or Thoufands we " iliall leave behind us. " Alas ! the Concerns - of dying Perfons are uiuaily of a quite different Nature. The Neceffities of our Souls will now

* Prov. 27, 24, -f Bp. Hopkins's Woiks Sermon 2. d.

D crowd

20 A SE R MO N on the Death

crowd themfelves upon us. An accufing Con- ference, and a fearful Expectation of approach- ing Torments, will fliake out of our Minds all Tho' ts of theWorld,and fill us with the grcateft Soliicitude to obtain the Favour of GOD, the Pardon of Sin, Peace of Conference, and an In- tereft in the great SAVIOUR of Sinners. And of what Service will the World be to us,inthefe RefpecTs? What Suitablenefs is there in it to fup- ply thefe Wants of our Souls ? " Food may fa- *c tisfy Hunger, and Raiment fence off the In- u juries of the Weather " : There is aSuitablenefs in them to do fo. But what will all worldly Enjoyments avail, towards appeafingGOD's An- ger, or giving us a comfortable Hope of future Bleifednefs ? What Suitablenefs is there in a Bag " of Gold, or a fumptuous Building, to fatisfy a " Man's Mind, when perplex'd with Fears of " Wrath & Hell ? You may aswellfeek to cure " a Wound in the Body, by applying a Plaifter ? to the Garment, as feek to eafe a wounded " Spirit,by all theTrealiires,Pleafures & Enjoy- " ments of this World. " * Riches profit not in the Day of Wrath ||. There is no Aptnefs in them to bring any true folace to the Soul. O let us not then fiiffer the World to engrofi our Affe&ions,and take off our Tho'ts & Care from things of infinitely more Weight &C Importance: But remembring, that we are dying Creatures, and that our Life, like ^Vapour {will appear but

* Bp, Hopkins's Woiks. Sermon i ft, N Prov. ua 4.

for

pf Mrs. SARAH BYFIELD. it

for a little Time ; let us make no other ufe of the World, nor put a higherValue upon it,than is reafbnable for fuch kind of Creatures. The Apoftle dire&s us, after what manner to ufe this World; withwhofe words,I {hall finifh thisHeac\ But this, I fay Brethren, the Time is Short. It remaineth,that both they that have Wives, be as tho' they had none ; and they that weep, as thos they wept not ; and they that rejoyce, as tho' they rejoycednot • and they that buy, as tho* they poffefs' d not ; and they that ufe this World,ashot abufing it \jor theFa/hion of this World paffeth away,i Cor./.a^ — 31.

2. The Account, we have had of Life,fhoul& reconcile our Tho'ts to whatever Condition, it Jhall pleafe GO D to order out to us in the World-, It is not a Matter of much Concern- rnent,what our outwardCircumftances are : pro- vided, we make ufe of them, as a Means, to our better Preparation for Eternity. For whatever our Condition is, if we ar£ contented with it,and make it our Care to glorify GOD under it, it will be no Hindrance to our future Sc everlafting well-being. And in order to this, we fhould Meditate upon the prefentLife,under theRepre- fentation,our Text gives of it. And the Influ- ence of fuch Meditations, lliouM be to compote

our Minds, and make us perfe&iy calm and

refign'd to the Will Heaven. Has it pleafed GOD to allow us but zfmalt

Portion of this World's Goods. Why, a little

&ou'd content us for a little wbili : and tis but

D 2 for

12 J SER MO N on the Death

for ajhoft Time, we {hall have our Abode here. Or are ourCircumftances fir 'ait & difficult ? Are we hard put to it, and often fufierwg for want ? It cannot laft Ipng. Our Lives wilijoon come to their appointed Period. And this is a Confe- deration, that fhou'd reftrainDifcontent, check all Mifgi vings of Keart,&C iilence our Murmur- ings. Or does GOD call us to undergo great Try ah St slfjliH'ions ? It fhou'd make us eafy,to think they ihall Shortly have an End : when,if we have behav'd iuitably under them, our Re- ward will be great,far beyond the Proportion of our fufferings. In a word,however undefirabh our prefentCircumfiances are,6c what ever Trou- bles & Inconveniences we may meet with, we fhou'd folace our felves. with this,that if we def- p/fe not theje Chafienings oj theLord,nor faiht 'zvhen rebuked of him : but are patient, humble and fhbmiflive ; it won't be long, before we fhall be deiiver'd out of all our Difficulties, and trans- lated to a World that is free from all kind of Evil • where we fhall be compleatly happy > without Interruption for ever.

3. The Reprefentation we have had of Life, ihonld make us good Husbands of our Time1 and put us upon improving it to the <wifefipur- pofes. For fince, like a Vapour, it is fo exceed* ingjhort and uncertain : we ought in all reafon to redeem our Timeyand improve the wrhole of it to the befi Advantage; in mortifying our IaiUs, reftraining our Appetites, governing our "affions, ^edifying our Tempers ; and m a word>

ac-

of Mrs. SARAH BYFIELD. 23

accomplifhing the great Work, for which our Life is defigned. We fliould improve all Op- portunities of doing and getting as much Good as we can; and mould avoid allOccafions, either of doing Hurt to others, or receiving any our felves. We fliould always employ ourf elves about fomething ; and fame thing that fliall lome how or other turn to a eood Account. We fliould beware of fquandering away our Time in Idlenefi ; unprofitable Chat • too frequent Diverfions £C Viiits: then which nothing more tends to wear#rf that ferious Temper oiMind, -that becomes inch dying Creatures. In a V/ord, we fliould labour that our Life may be filled up with Work, and that it beJitchxboth as to Matter and Manner, as mail lublerve the In- tereft of our Souls and their eternal Salvation : andasthat we may havePeacein our latterEnd. And indeed what more comfoi table in an Hour of Death, than to be able to look back into a wellipent I ifc • carefully employM to the Ho- nour of GOD, the true Service of ourielves, and the Benefit of our fellow Creatures ? As on the contrary, what. more cutting^ and flinging, than to be forced to reflect upon a ufeleis and unprofitable Life ? fpent to no purpofe at all : or worle than none, in the Service of Sin and Satan ? Thefe Conlideratiors, if there were no other, make it highly worth Men's while, to husband their Time well and fb improve it to the beft Advantage.

4. The

54 ji SERMON on the Death

4. The Confideration of Life as a Vapour + that appeareth hut for a littleTime, and then vani/bes away, Jhould put us upon frequent Examination into our State. Serious Self-ex- amination can never be an unfuitable Exercife for fuch frail port liv'd Creatures as we are. And \vc fhould be often calling ourfelves to an Account ; looking into our Hearts and Lives,. and inquiring what would become of us, if we ftiould die within a few Days, and be called to give up our Account. Suppofe our Cafe to be iike Hezekiah's, who received £ich a Meflage as that from GOD,* fhus faith the LORD, fet thine Houfe in order, for thoujhalt die, and not live* Or fuppofe GOD fhould fay to us, as He did to the rich Fool in the Go/pel, f "this Night, Jhall thy Soul be required of thee. What Pro vifion have we made for an amazingEternity ? Are we fecure of theFriendfhip of GOD ? Are we interefted in the Merits of the great RE- DEEMER? Is our Account ready for our LORD and JUDGE? Or is GOD our Enemy, and CHRIST our Enemy ? Are we wholly un- prepared to die ? and unmeet for anAppearancc before the SON of MAN ? Thefe are very fe- lious and folemn Inquiries. And whatever the loole and unthinking Part of the World, may imagine; they are very proper and feafonable Inquiries, for fuch to make, whofe Lives, like

a Vapour, are exceeding Jhort and uncertain*

*ICai. 3 8. 1. JLuk. u. »*,

An*

rf Mrs. SARAH BYFIELD. 25

And the Confideration that they are fo, fhouli put us upon frequent queftkming with our lelves, after fome fuch manner as this : What if my Life fliould expire within a few Months, or Days? Yea, what if I fhould be feiz'd with Death, this very Day or Hour ? Where would my poor Soul take up its everlafting Abode ? in Heaven or inHell? O let none of us reft fatisfy'd, till we know,what ourCondition is with refpeft to the eternal World ,SC how it would fare with us forever, if GOD fhould fpeedily St fuddenly call us hence ! Can we with Eafe lie down to Sleep, & not know but we may awake in ever- lafting Burnings! Surely we muft be dreadfully ftupify'd and harden'd, if we can live in Quiet, while Uncertain what our Eternal State is ! —

jly 6C finally, The Reprefentation that has been given of Life,Jbould put us upon particu- lar and immediate Endeavours to prepare for the Time of its Expiration. And this is the beft Improvement, we can make of it. And tis not a Matter of Indifference whether we will make thisUfe of it, yea or no: but of the near.eji Concern ; tyea, of abfolute Neceffity, Our well being forever depends upon it. For the prefent is the only State, wherein we can make Provifion for Eternity. And if we are negligent in an Affair of fuch infinite Impor- tance,and leave it undone } we fhallperifh with- out any Remedy.

And the fooner we fet about this great Work the better : tecaufe when we haye in any good

/ Meafure

*6 A SERMON on the Death

Meafure accompli fli'd it, we fliall at once have freed ourfelves, from that Sprit of Bondage ', which otherwile we might, all our Days, have hten fubjefit to, by reafon oi continual Fears of Death. Eefides, the Jboner we begin upon this Work, the more fit we fhall be to engage in ity the better dilpos'd to it,and the e after we fliall iind it. But above all, the utter Uncertainty of Life difco vers the W ifdom of afpeedy Prepa- ration for Death.

O let us not then Procraftinate in a Work of fuch infinite and everlailing Moment ! but im- mediately fet about it, and in GOD's Strength purfue it with the utmoil Vigour ScRefqlution ; giving ourfelves no Reft, till we are in a fur way of going thro' with it.

But Perhaps we imagine Death to be afar off and that tisTime eno'uh hereafter to think of dying fit in earneft to fet about getting ready for it. Multitudes have tho't thus, and have acled under the Power of fuch a vain Imagina- tion^ their eternalUndoing. GOD grant this may not be the Cafe of any of us ! There is in- finite Danger of it,while we put off the Tho'ts of Death. And yet alas ! how apt are we all to do fo ! We can,but few of us,bear the Profpect of dying j and becaufe we are inclined to live a great while ; we hope we fliall • and fo live and a&,as tho' we certainly fihould. What Madnefs is this ! At what a dreadful Hazard, do we put our Soul's Salvation ! Is it not altogether £//?- certain^ how long we lhall live ? Are we fure

of

of Mrs. SARAH BYFIELD. 27

t)f living another Day ? Yea,canany particular Perfon lay, that he fhall go alive out of this Afi> fembly ? And ftiall we then run Ventures in a Cafe, where our everlafting well being is depen- dant ! Is not this infinite & atnazing Folly ! I)o we manage thus in the common Affairs of. Life ? Should we not be condemned for Fools and Madmen if we did ? And Ihall we ad aftet this manner,#/z/y in that Cafe,wherein if we are furpriz'd in bur Folly by Death, it will be too late to repent of it for ever ! Surely we an't apprized of the defter ate Folly we bewray ! If we were duly feniibieof it, wre could not be eafy with ourfelves ♦ but fhould, being filled with Agony of Soul, immediately betake ourfelves to GOD,8t peirce even Heaven it felf with ardent Gries for pardoning Mercy » — '*

Or it may be we think a few of out latefi Days are enongh,to be employ'd about theWorfc of preparing ourfelves for another World : and tV at, if we have Time,upon a Death-bedjto cry* to GOD for Mercy, it will be Sufficient for our Admiffion into Heaven.

To expofe the Folly of this Pretence, I dare Hot fay^as fome have done,that zDeatb-bed Re* Qentanct is impoffible ; and that, ifPerfons ever obtain Salvation in ilich a Cafe,it muft be thro5 the UncovenantedMcxcy of GOD* Such an 0<-» pinion as this ; as it feems contrary to the Tenure of the Bibleyio it very much lejjens the Riches and Glory of free Grace <,

E There

2% A SER MO N on the Death

There is no truly Humble Penitent, but is a qualify d Object of pardoning Mercy } and Ihall, according to the Go/pel Covenant^ certainly ob- tain it. And tho' a Perfon, who has been no ways concern'd about his Soul, till he comes to lie upon aDeath-bed, is very unfit for theWorfc of Salvation, and has but little realbn, compa- ratively fpeaking,to expect the Aids of Divine Grace : Yet, who can fay, but GOD may dif- folve fuch a Sinner into Grief 6C Shame ; give him a true light and lenfe of his Sins, and caufe him to repent in Dull & Allies : and fo pluck him, as a Eire-brand out of the Fire.

This is what the moil merciful GOD may do, if He ihould io pleafe. Yea, and He has en- couraged us to hope, this is what He will do j if we have not out finned the Day of HisGrace, and are not wanting to our felves. And noSin- ner, tho' he may have rolled away his Days in Vanity, and is now juft dropping intoEternity, has reafon to defpair of Divine Mercy. TheCafe of 'the Penitent Thief on theCrofs,fcems to have been recorded as znEncouragement to fuchSin- ners — , And it mull be conjiantly affirmed fhdX the Grace of GOD* is not confin'd to any par- ticular Age or I'ime of Life. He may beftow his Grace, as upon whomfoever, fo whenfoever He pleales. And tis pail doubt,many have ex- perienced the Loving-Kin dnefs of GOD in CHRIST, in fome of their lafi Moments ; and inilead of going away into Everlajting Pun~ ifbment, have inherited Eternal Life.

But

of Mrs. SARAH BYFIELD. 19

But let no Sinner encourage himfelf from the Mercy of GOD, to continue in his evilCourfes, and $ut tf/ftheBufinefs of Religion, till a dying Hour. What can be more bale &C difingenuous than this ? To live in Sin all our Days, diftion- ouring and offending GOD, becaule He is lb merciful and companionate, as to accept 'puff* oar latefl Repentance, rather than we "ftiould perilh forever ; wherein could we difcover a more vile ungenerous Temper of Mind ! Surely this Goodnefs of GOD Hiould work upon our Ingenuity,lead us toRepentanoe, §€ immediately engage us in the Divine Love cX Service. This ought to be the Influence of fuch wonderful Grace & Mercy : Nor unlefs it is, fhall we be able to free ourfelves from the Charge of the greateft Bafenefs, the blackeft Ingratitude.

Or if there was nothing of Diilngenuity ia fuch a Proceedure : Yet how infinitely unrea- fonable is it : " What flrange Tho'ts muftMen have of GOD 5C Heaven, £C what extravagant Conceits of the little Evil of Sin,and the^reM Eafinefs of Repentance, that can impofe upon themfelves at this rate ? " And how fhall we be able to apply our felves toGOD //^wkawe have fcarce ever had a feriousTWt of Him all our Lives? " Can we have the Face to befpeafc « Him in this manner ? LORD^ow the World " andmyLufts have left me,;and I feel my fci£ " ready to fink into eternalPerdition,, I lay hold " upon thy Mercy to deliver mySoul from go- '« fog down into the Pit. I have heard, flrrange

E a " thing?

30 A S ER MO N on the Death

<4 things of thy Goodnefs, and, that thou ai?t '' merciful even to a Miracle. This is that iC which I always trufted to, that after a long <c Life of Sin cXVanitv thou wouldeft at laft b_e <c fatisfy*d with a few penitentWords & Sighs at iC theHour of Death. Let me not, I pray thee,, cc be difappointed of this Hope, and put toCon- iQ fufion. Is this an Addrefs fit to be made to a <c wile Man, much lefs to the all-wife and juft ^ Judge of the World? and yet this feems to be iC the plain Interpretation of the late & forced <c Application of a great oC habitual Sinner to li Almighty GOD in his laft Extremity, and <c when he is juft giving up the Ghoft & going a to appear before his dreadful Tribunal *.

Befides, is a Time of Sicknefs and Death the moft fit feafbn,in which to make Preparation for Eternity, that we put it off till then? Certain,- ly,if we have hadOccafion to viiitfickChambers, and have taken a View of the Gircumftances of dying Perfons,we can never imagine thus! they have now enough to graple with their IUnefs. The whole ftrength of their Nature is laid out in fiiftaining the Infirmities of it. And they have little or no Heart to think of their Souls, or make Provifion for their future Happinefs. Or if they have, they are lefs fit for this now, than they ever were before. For either their Senfes are ftupify'd, their Tho'ts confufed and ihatter'd, theirFrame difcompos'd ; Orelfe their

* Dr. lilUtfont Vol. r. Ser. H*

Pains.

of Mrs. SARAH JBYFIELD. 31

Pains are foextream,or their Bodies fo very weak and faint, as to incapacitate them for the Work of getting ready to go out of theWorid And O ! how many, when upon a Death-bed, have, withTears in theirEyes, m.oft bitterly lamented their Fo.lly^ in deferring to make their Peace with GOD till then; they have now found lb many Difficulties & Inconvenjencies in the way, beyond what they would have done, if they had engaged in this Bufinefs foonei^ and in a mote proper Time of Life.

Furthermore, there is nothing more precari- ous than a Death-bed Preparation for another World. Sinners indeed, at iiich a time, are often in great Gonfternation of Mind * their Cries for Mercy ferious oC affe&in^&C their Vows &C Pro- mifes particular and iolemn. — — .Yet,, tis to be fear'd their Concern about their State moft fre- quently arifes, only from an awaken'd Senfe of what a fearful thing it is to fall into the Hands of the living GOD. They can't bear to think of going away,/<? dzvell with devour* ing Fir ey and to inhabit everla/iingBurnmgs. And becaufe they are in Eiftrels Sc Agony of Soul, they themfelves, and perhaps their Friends toox are ready to hope for the beft, and wish- ing to believe that theirSorrows are theSorrows of a Repentance unto Life: When alas! it may be, they are no ways trouble^ that theyha\e offended GOD and reject ed CHRIST and aaed all their Days unworthy of t hernfelves, and be- low the Glory of their Natures ♦ but are £lFd

with

m A SERMON on the Death

with Horrour at the Profped, of what is like to be theConfequence of their evil doings. Many while under Apprehenfions of Death approach- ing, have been as much terrify'd and as heartily troubled j and have made as fair pretences & as folemn Promifcs: and yet, when GOD has ran- ibm'd their Lives from Deftru&ion, they have foigot the Anguifh of Spirit they were in, and xeturn'd to their former Folly 8c Wickednefs : Yea,they have madethemfelves leven-fold more the Children of the Devil : whereby they have evidently difcovered it to the World, that their Repentance was not fincere^ and that if they had died, they would have perifli'd forever* And no doubt, this is the Cafe of many, whofe lives were not fpared to them. If they had been raifed up again, their Repentance would itaveprov'd it felfto have been, nothing more than the Terrours of a guilty Confidence* In a word, tis a Matter of the greateft Nicenefs and Difficulty ,to determine concerning any Death- bed Repentance in particular^ whether it be jincere and fuch as GOD will accept : And after all that can be faid, it mull 2c will remain very precarious and uncertain.

Moreover, when we come to lie upon a Sick ted, welhan't find the Bufinefs of getting ready for Death and Judgment fuch an eafie thing, as at prefent we may imagine it to be. I do^bt not, but moil Sinners have flight Tho^ts of the Work of Repentance ^Salvation* They fup- pofe it is but confeJIIng their Sins with external

fign$

ef Mrs. SARAH BYFIELD. 33

figns of Sorrow, and putting up a a few Prayers' to GOD for Mercy, and Jo an Entrance Jball be minifired unto them abundantly into the everlajting Kingdom of our LORD and SA- VIOUR JESUS CHRIST : and they imagine tliey can do this as welljuft at thePointofDeath, as at any Time, and fo put it off till then- But O ! What amazingFolly is this ! and how dread- fully do we impofe upon ourfelves in a Matte* of the higheft Moment ! Is the Work of Sal- vation fuch an eafie one, and fo dependant on our ownPleafure, that we may thus dally with it ? Alas ! if GODever give us a true Sight and Senfe of things, we ftiall have quite different Tho'ts of it, and find that we were miferably miflaken. Heaven is not lb eafily obtained* Tis a great and difficult work to prepare our- felves for it, and we fhall certainly find it to be lb. And to convince us of this Truth, I tho't now to have gone on to tell you, what is in- cluded in thatPreparation forDeath, that I have been thus long urging upon you. But I fee the Time will allow me only to obferve in General,

That*there is a two fold Preparation forDeath^ the one habitual^ the other a$uaL The In- gredients that conftitute the former^ are true Faith in CHRIST, an inward rooted Averfioix to all Sin, St a prevailing Difpofition to univer-r falHolinefs: in order to which,generally Speak- ing, it is neceffary, that we take a great deal of Pains in theufe of Prayer, Meditation, reading

♦ and

34 A SERMON on the Death

&hearmgGODVWord,(2fV. which are the ways, in which He ordinarily makes known the excee- . dingGreainefs of his Power ^m putting Perfbns into a State ot Salvation. But befides this,there is an aUual Preparation ; which,tho' not of ab- folute Neceflity, yet is highly requifite,as tend- ing to a peaceful & comfortable Death. And thebeft way in order to our obtaining this, is to familiarize to ourfelves the Tho'ts of Death ; to keep aconfcant fenfe of our ownFrailty upon our Minds • to mortify our Affections to the World, and place them upon thofe things that are above: and in a word, to look upon every Day of our Lives,asnotKnowingbut it may be our Laft • and to live &C act every Day, as tho' we were certain, before the next, our eternal State wrould be determined.

I have now done with my Textt and fhall only add a few Words on the mournful Occa- fion of my difcourfing to you "upon fuch a Sub- ject at this Time, viz. the Lamented Death of that Honourable and vertuous Gentlewoman, Mrs. S AK JH h TFIE L D, whom, laft Week, we foliow'd to the Grave.

For her Character, I think my ielf, injuftice

to herMetiory, oblig'd to fay, That as flic

was honoured by her Birth • being Daughter to a renowned FATHER * of this Country y who, for feveralYears, with univerfal Love and

* Gov. LEVERETT,

Reverence,

if MAs> SARAH BYFIELBk 35

Reverence, fat in the FIRST CHAIR of Go- vernment over it j fp that her Temper & Con- daft were every way worthy of fucfr. a difiih* guijbed Parentage,

She had natiirally a weak &: tender Body \ but a ftrorig St. noble Soul : which, being culti- vated 6C enrich'd by a good Education and great Induftryjr^ndefd her truly amiable & defirable 5 and fitted her tp be a Bleffing in the Station Pro-* vidence had affign'd hen, ,_

rier Temper was lively &l chearful \ yet far from light Sc vain : being: well ballajt by ifm* gular Difcretion. In her moft pieaiant Hours^ She was never unfit to enter upon a Serious Subjeftj and always treated it with a becoming Gravity and Reverence.

She had a good Taltejn Cbnvcrfatioh, and was excellently well turn'dfor it :.. having a ready Wit -j a fprightly Genius $ an eafy fmooth way of expreffing herfelf 5 and being able$ without Stiffnefs or pftentation,to be both entertaining and profitable.

She was a Perfon of great1 Sincerity & Flain^ heartednefs; meek & humble 3 patient & re* fign'd : which me had frequent Opportuhites of difcovering, by reafon of thofe many Indifpofi- tion?, that were inseparable from fo brittle i Conftitution. . -,..,,.

, In a Word,She was an Honour to her Sex ft, ker exemplaryDeportment under all the various (?hara&ers&RelatiorisofLife: As aNei^hbour* Kind & Pitiful ; As a Friend, true & hearty j

J with-

tf A SERMON on the Death

without Difguife & abhorrent to Flattery and Deceit: As a Wife, tender & dutiful- engaging in herCarriage; reverent Strefpe&ful : As Miftrefs in aFamily,difcreet in herManagement} a Lover of good Order • neat & cleanly • tho'tful of all under her Care • indulgent & companionate to her Servants : efpecially concern'd about their Souls, and frequent in teaching ^hem the good Knowledge of the LORD } in her Treatment of Strangers, hofpi table } courteous, plcafant, ob- liging & edifying to thofe that came to viiit her. But her chief Excellency,& what mojt recom- mended to all that knew her,was her undifsembled Piety. She bad an habitual prevailing Awe and Reverence ofGOD upon herHeart : which early difcovered it felf, and all along thro' the Courie of her Life, not only in an utter Abhorrence of every thing that favour'd of ProphannelscX Irre- verence ; but in a dueTreatment of thofe things, wherein the Divine Honour is nearly concern'd. She lov'd theHoufe^&Sanaify'd theDay ofGod ; gave her conftant devout Attendance on thePub- lick Worlhip, and all Gofpcl Ordinances ; paid a lingular Regard to theHoly Scriptures , valued theMinifters of Religion ; and had an univerfal Regard to all good Men. But above all,CHRIST was the ObjeB of her Love,her Faith, her Hope. It was in her Account a faithful faying, and fhe efteem'd it worthy of all Acceptation, that CHRIST JESUS was came into the World to fave Sinners. HIM therefore flie embrac'd as the alone REDEEMER of Souls ; HIM ftc

trufted

m

of Mrs. SARAH EYFIELD. 37

trufted with the great Affair of her Eternal Sal- vation ; HIM lhe lov'd with her whole Heart ; HIM lhe made it herCare to pieafe in all things y HIS Image lhe wasAdorn'd with j & theGraces, of HIS SPIRITflieliv'din the daily Exercifc of: And we charitably believe fhe is. gone to be. with CHRIST, which is beft of ail

I doubt not, but theMourning Friends & Re- latives have often refrefh'd their Souls, by look-* ing back to her paft Converiation inCHRISTj. and then by turning their View forward to thofe. unutterable Glories, fhe is now poffefs'd of, in the Place GOD has ordain'd for the Spirits of Believers,in their Jeparate State,. And while by Faitbfhcy are beholding her, as in the Bofome of JESUS, I may well fuppofe,they grieve net for her $ but rather rejoyce,that fhe is got beyond the Reach ofSorrow,the Power of Temptation and the Poffibility of Sinning 4 and that {he m entred upon the Reward ofRighteoufnefs,whicK is Joy SLPeace^uktnefs&Jflurancefor ev.er : Yet upon their own Accounts, they may have: Reafon to Mourn, andftand in need of Confer lation,

We heartily wifh,far all theRelative^Divin© Support under this fryal of their Faith *7 the comforting Prefence of the Holy GHOST j; and the fan&ifying Influences of fupemasuralGraee,, whereby they may be enabled To to behave themfelves,asthat GOD may be hoBonfd^heir ownHolinefs increafed7an4: their future. & e$er^ nal Weight ofGhry inhaled*

|% A S E R MON on tUDeafy

And particularly,we would fympathize with, that Aged & Honourable Servant of G O D, who was moft nearly related to the Perfon de~ .ceafed. You little tho't to appear in mourn- ing for one, you expected and deuYd fhou'd foU low you to the Grave* Yet fo the Sovereign GOD has ordered it!. He has taken from you the pleaiant Companion of you Age, who might have been the Helper of it's Griefs, and xenderM it far more eafie and defirable to you L But be dumb with Silence --—meekly bear this. Ghafuning of the LORD jj — take a realizing View of it,as coming from yourCovenantGODi and FATHER, who never ajjUBs willingly y nor grieves his Children.: -,— Adore the Son vcrcignty, the Wifdom, the Righteoufnefs and Holinefs of this Providence. — - Let it be yout chief Care lb to carry your felf under it, as tQ give a bright Exauiple of Subjetfion to the Fa~> ther of Spirits. ♦ of Humility, Patience, Refig~* nation ^—-f— And may it fervc to make you a. Partaker of the Divine Nature in ftill greater Meafures, and fo advance you yet further? m your Preparednefs for that Eternal happy State^ you hope and long for, and. are arrived at the Confines of! -— We heartily pray GQDto be the Staff of your Age, your Joy and Comfort thro' the remaining part of yourLife ; yourGuide thro* Death, knd when,- your Fkjh and Hearts faileth^ the Strength of your Heart and your: GOD forever*

To

cf Mrs. SARAH BYFIELD. fy

To Conclude : The Death even of Women of fo diftinguifh'd aCharader is a publickLofi/ and we fhou'd refent it as fuch ; — and be im- portunate in our Cries to the GOD of allGiace, tH^t as Hq removes t:herr\ away by Death, fo that He would raife up others of the fame ex- cellent Spirit to fupply their Place, and, make

good their Ground We fhould all lay the

Deaths of fuchPerfons toHeart. ~? Particularly our If omen ftiou'd do fo, and labour to imitate them in thofe things that were vcrtuous and praifer- worthy. And it is. to be wifh'd for afl our Women, that they may be well reported of for good Works * being in Behaviour as becometk Godlinejs j not falfe Accufers ; not given to much Wine: teachers 'of good things • Sober y Lovers of their Husbands ; Lovers oftloejrChiU dren ; difcreet ; chafi ; Keepers at dome ; gpod*y obedient tot heir own Husbands, that the Word of GOD benotbla/phemed. y In like manner al/by that they adorn themfelyes in modejl, jippareljwith Jhame-facednefs & Sobriety ; — '* and f which becometh Women profeffmg God- iinefs J with good Works, jj

* 1. Tina. $,. 10. t Titus . z(. $,--. 6. 13 f.Tim. 2.9,10.

AMEN.

[4°]

An APPENDIX.

From the Weekly News-Letter, No. 1405; Containing an Accouut of the DeceafeA

£ O S f O Ny December ap. 1730,

YEfterday were Buried here the Remains of that truly honourable & devout Gentlewoman^rs. SARAH B Y F I E L D, amidft the affe&ionate Refpects and La- mentations ofa numerous Concourfe. Before carrying

out the Corpfe a Funeral Prayer was made,by One of the Paftors of the Old Church, to whofe Communion fte be- longed : Which, tho' a Cuftom in the Cou»try-Towns* is a lingular Inftance in this place, but it's whVd may prove a leading Example to the general Practice of fo chriftian & decent aCuftom.-- — The Pall was held up* by thejionourable the late Lieut. Gov. Dvmmer, with other Gentlemen of His Majefty's Council. Among the mourning Relatives went his Excellency Governour Belcher, and his Honour Lieut. Gov. Tailer : fol- lowed by a long Train of Perfons of pubjick Diftindtion and private Character ; paying their I-aft Offices to the Bead, and uniting their fincere Condolences with the Living.

This Gentlewoman was diftinguifli'd by her Birth and Family ; being youngeft Daughter to the late excellent Gov. Leveret t, whole Name is ftillhad in Honour a- mong us, and will be always venerable to thofe that know £fte Story ©f NewJ&glaaA-y- She was honourable alf©>

~ . by

/

by her Marriage ; being Confort to the worthy aged Nathanael Sy field 9 Efq; fometimes Senior Counfeller for this Province, and now Judge of the Vice* Admiralty ; to whom (he was marry'd April 17. 17 18. The Com- panion of his advancedYears, the dearPartner of hisGriefs and Joys, and very much his Delight and Ornament.

But She was molt of all diftinguifh'd by her perfonal Merits; which thofe have a lingular Senfeof, that were molt intimately acquainted with her: and this is one of the (ureft Tefts of true Worth. She inherited much of the excellent Spirit & Principles, which embalm theMemory of her incomparable Father & Mother, who were fome of the faireftOrnaments of their Age. She had aconfpicuous Share of chat good Senfe, fo natural to the Family, and was much improved in the moll ufeful Knowledge. In Conjunction with a fprightly Wit, She had a thoughtful Genius; and her ferventTemper was govern'd §r adorn'd by a rare Difcretion : which peculiarly accompliih'd her to mine in that fuperiour Rank where Divine Providence placed her. She honoured the feveralStates of Virginity and Marriage ; and fill 5d up the various Characters and Relations meiuftain'djWiththeDuties belonging to them. While (he affecTred not Appearances, but declined Show and Noife, a primitive Simplicity, Humility. & Modefty reflected a Luftre on all her other Graces & Accompliih- ments : and me fhone with Eminence in the feveral Vir- tues of the Domeftick Life, the proper DiftindrioHs of her Sex. And here the Prudence of her Oeconomy, joyn'd with a hofpitableManagement, her Civility & CourteouC- nefs te Vifitants, her grave & chearful Converfation, her reverent & engaging Carriage to her honourableConfort, and wile Deportment among his Children ; thefe things have merited for her the Privilege & Honour of Solomon's vertuous Woman : Her Children arife up and call /per Sleffed ; her Husband alfo, and he praifeth her.

But above all her Memory is refpecTred for that ferious Piety, and Spirit of Devotion, which brighten'd her early Years, and continued with her to the End. She was fa- veur'd with a religious as well as ingenuous Education ;

and

C 4* ]

and ^greatly (in Addition to the Gentlewoman > me hadi much of the Chriftian, which is a Diftin&ion that will laft, when all others are bury'd in Silence. She was a lover of facred Retirements; liv'd upon her Bible, and gave h'er'fclf to Prayer. An. equal Friend me was to Fa- mily-Devotions : and the publick Aflemblies cou'd wit- hefs her diligent Attendance on all publick Ordinances- She was a Uriel: Obfervcr of the LobVs Day, and took Care to fari&ify the Sabbath in her Conduct at home, a$ well as at the Houfe of GOD. She took a great deal of commendable Pains in Catechifing & inftrucling the Ser- vants committed to her Charge : Opening her Mouth with Wifdom, and in her Tongue was the Law of Kind- n-efs. In her you might fee the condefcending & faithful Miftrefs, the affectionate Mother, the vertuous& prudent Wife, the conftant Friend, and the obliging Neighbour* And fursly the World will not envy thefe juft Honours to the Memory offo valuable aPerfon.

She wasborhy#/y 15. 1673. — and died after a fliorc dllnefs, T)ec. 21. 1730. Leaving behind her that goo 3 Name, which is better than precious Ointment, and the day of 'Death was better to her (we truft,) than the day of her Birth. — May we all be found Followers of them who thro* Faith and Patience inherit the Promifes /