Psalms 89:48

What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death?

shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave?

The certainty of death

Death is the beaten road of all mankind: it is the way of all flesh.

I. Illustrate the point.

1. Both good and bad are promiscuously taken away by death. The reason is plain, because both the righteous and wicked are by death to pass into another state, the one into the everlasting life of glory, the other into eternal misery. Thence it is that they are equally liable to the laws and decrees of mortality. The corn and the tares standing and growing on the same ground are mowed down together at the harvest.

2. Death spares no rank, no condition of men. Kings as well as subjects are liable to this fatal stroke. The lofty cedars and low shrubs, palaces and cottages are alike here.

3. Death spares no calling or profession. The mathematic brain, amidst all its contrivances, hath found none to exempt the students of that art from the force of that which by Horace is called “ultima linea rerum.” Yea, Archimedes, whilst he was drawing of lines and circles, lost his life. His brains were dashed out whilst he was beating them about demonstrations. The philosophers talk of immortality, but acknowledge death to be the way to it. The warriors, who are brisk in despatching others, fall a victim themselves to the common foe of mankind.

4. Death is favourable to no age. Sometimes the infant is no sooner set free from his dark prison, but presently he is sent to a darker confinement, the grave. Thus both old and young submit to the edict of mortality. The former may be said to go to death, but death comes to the latter, and comes as frequently as to the other. For the lamp of life is as often blown out as it goes out of itself, being spent and exhausted.

5. Death makes no difference between sexes. Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Rachel, Elkanah and Hannah equally submit to the laws of fate.

6. There is no place where death does not and cannot enter. Some have been seized at the plough, some in the streets, others in their shops, some in the market, others in retirements. It appears, then, that there is no privileged place where this officer cannot arrest us, and consequently we are everywhere at his disposal There is no time, or any other circumstance of our life which is not obnoxious to death, winter and summer, spring and autumn; seed-time and harvest, the cold seasons and the hot ones, and those which are more moderate, are made use of by this destroyer. In the day and in the night, in the morning and in the evening, in times set for devotion, or for worldly business; in time of work or recreation, in times of calamity and prosperity this enemy invade us.

II. Reasons.

1. Death is universal, because the Divine decrees have so ordained it (Job 30:23).

2. Sin brought death into the world, and thence it is that all mankind are subject to it. “The wages of sin is death”--it is become as due to a sinner as wages to a workman.

3. By sin’s entering into the world, a curse came along with it on man’s body, and thence frailty and weakness ensued, and thereby a constant liableness to mortality.

(1) Strange accidents and unexpected events attend the life of man, and it is not in his power to prevent or avoid them. The fanciful poets tell us that Achilles was dipped in the Stygian Lake, that he might thereby be kept for the future from receiving any wounds in the wars: but it seems his heel was untouched by the water, whence it was, they say, that he was wounded in that place. So we see men have thought themselves to be as it were invulnerable in all parts; they have escaped the dangers that others fell under, nothing hath been able to hurt them: but at last they find their error, some sudden calamity attacks them, some mischief befalls them which never came within the verge of their thoughts. Julius Caesar, who had been victorious in fifty set battles, and never received a dangerous stroke; after all perils so happily escaped abroad, at home in the Senate-house received twenty-three wounds, all of them deadly.

(2) A further account may be given of death’s universal sway, from the consideration of the variety of infirmities and maladies which infest human nature, the multiplicity of diseases and sicknesses which our bodies are subject to. Many bring these into the world with them, for they are either entailed upon them by their parents, and so are hereditary: or else, without any infection or depravation from them, the parts are so prepared and framed by nature that they may be said to contain in them the seeds of such and such diseases.

III. Inferences.

1. Meditate constantly on death. Philip King of Macedon had a remembrancer on purpose to come daily to him, and to sound these words in his ears, “Remember, sir, that you are a mortal man.” And we read that the very same words used to be cried aloud to the victors at their triumphs. The religious Jews (such as Joseph of Arimathea, of whom we particularly read in the Gospel) had their tombs and sepulchres in their gardens, that they might often see them, and walk to them, and converse with them in the midst of their delights and entertainments which those places afforded. St. Jerome, that religious and pious father of the primitive Church, that he might continually have the remembrance of death and judgment in his mind, used to fix this impression on his thoughts and imaginations, that he heard always the sound of the last trumpet. This is, as Seneca saith, to go to death: and judge you (saith he) which is best, that death should come to us, or that we should go to that. If we go to it in our forethoughts and meditations, then we shall not be surprised, then we shall not be seized on by death of a sudden, but we shall be provided for it, which is an unspeakable advantage

2. This doctrine of mortality teaches us humility. Some of the favourites of Alexander the Great had flattered him with the notion of being a kind of god, and nearly related to Jupiter; which begot in him high thoughts of himself. But it happened that he was wounded with a dart in the wars, and seeing his blood issue from the orifice, he was heard to say to the bystanders, “They tell me I am the son of Jupiter, but this wound proclaims with open mouth that I am but a man.” The sense of which corrected in some measure the false opinion he had before, and made him entertain not so high thoughts of himself.

3. As this doctrine teaches humility, so it dictates peace and love. This was the design of the Egyptians placing a skeleton before their guests at their feasts; it was to stir up one another to mutual love and friendship, and spend the short time (of which that spectacle reminded them) in so good an employment. You must die, you must leave this world, you must take your lodging in the dust: this consideration should be effectual to cool your heats and animosities, to stop you in your furious encounters with one another. If you seriously think of dying, you will not dare to pass into the other world with your dissensions and antipathies.

4. You must all die, therefore make thence this rational inference, that you ought not to set your hearts on the things of this transitory life. What understanding traveller will load himself when he is on his journey? That rich miser showed his folly in building his barns up so high, when he was to lie low in so short a time. The thoughts of death should damp our covetousness and ambition.

5. Seeing death is the allotment of all mankind, and it is impossible to avoid it, let us stock ourselves with consolatory principles against that time, that when it arrives we may receive it joyfully. Men have alleviated their grief, and overcome their fear, by urging this upon their minds, that death is the common lot of all, and therefore it is unreasonable to repine and murmur at it. We must travel the highway, say they, which all before us have passed. They that are dead do but lead the way, and we must all follow them. Again, some of the great moralists endeavoured to antidote themselves against the fearful apprehensions of death by suggesting that, as it is an end of our lives, so it is of all our miseries, and therefore ought to be embraced with patience and contentment. But, alas! these are poor and sorry consolations against death, and such as cannot be satisfactory to rational and deliberate minds. For what comfort can it be to a passenger to travel in the road, though it be common, when he knows he shall be knocked on the head, or have his throat cut in it? And as for death’s putting a period to all misery, if we speak of bad men, it rather begins then, for the evils of this life are nothing in comparison of those which they shall feel in another world. Death, which is so terrible in itself, is rendered pleasant and welcome by the death of Jesus, who shed His blood on the Cross to take away our sins. And thus death, which was a curse, is turned into the greatest and most desirable blessing. Live as those who know and profess this common truth, that all must die. The epicure’s argument was, “Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die.” But the wise man’s argument and holy logic is quite different, “Whatsoever thou findest to do, do it with all thy might, for there is no wisdom nor operation in the place whither thou goest.” (J. Edwards, D.D.)

Concerning death

It is reported to have been the practice of the nobles of Greece, in the clay whereon their emperor was crowned, that they presented a marble stone unto him; and he was asked, after what fashion he would have his tomb-stone made?--which practice speaks forth this unto us, that although these were most destitute of the light of the Scripture, they were very mindful of death. Death will surprise some, as it did Abel in the open field (Genesis 4:8); some, as Eglon in his parlour (Judges 3:21); some, as Saul and Jonathan in the fight (1 Samuel 31:1.).

I. Advantages which attend those that live within continual sight of death.

1. The faith of approaching death will make a soul exceedingly diligent in duty (John 9:4).

2. The faith of approaching death will make a Christian exceedingly serious, and zealous in the exercise of his duty (Ecclesiastes 9:10).

3. The faith of this truth, that we must all die, will help s Christian to be exceedingly mortified to the things of a present world (2 Corinthians 4:18; 2 Corinthians 5:1; 1 Corinthians 7:31; Philippians 4:5).

4. When a Christian believeth this truth, that he must die, it will be an exceeding great restraint to keep him from sinning (Job 31:13).

5. When a Christian liveth within the sight of this truth, that he shall once see death, it will make him exceedingly patient under every cross wherewith he meeteth. Such a Christian will hardly meet with a cross, but he will quiet himself with this:--death will put me beyond this cross--this is but a cloud that will quickly pass away (Psalms 39:4).

6. The faith of approaching death will teach the person that hath it to study saving wisdom (Psalms 90:12).

7. The faith of approaching death will make a Christian very careful in preparing for death.

8. Death will not be so terrible to him as it is unto many when it cometh. I know not a more dreadful dispensation than death and a guilty conscience meeting together.

II. Some considerations for pressing you to prepare for death.

1. To die well and in the Lord is a most difficult work; therefore I intreat you to prepare for death. It is a difficult work to communicate aright; it is a difficult work to pray aright; but, I must tell you, it is a still more difficult work to die aright than any of these.

2. You are to die but once; and if you die not aright, there is no mending of it.

3. They are pronounced blessed who die in the Lord (Revelation 14:13).

4. That though thou put all thy works by thy hand before death, yet shalt thou find that death shall have work enough for itself--yea, as much as thou shalt get done. It will then be much for thee to win to patience; it will be much for thee to win to the sight of thy justification; and then it will be much more for thee to win to assurance. O! then is it not needful for thee to put all thy work by hand before thy latter end come?

5. Your labours shall end, but your works shall not be forgotten; and is not that a glorious advantage?

6. Death may come upon you ere ye be aware; ye know not but death may surprise you this night before ye go home to your houses; and therefore let that press you to study a constant preparation for death.

7. As death leaveth you, so will judgment find you. If death shall leave you strangers to Christ, ye shall appear before Him strangers to Him: therefore I entreat you all to prepare for it.

III. Some directions for helping you to prepare for death.

1. Be much in preparation for death every day, for it is even a preparation for heaven, to be taking a sight of your grave and latter end every day.

2. Be much in these duties--

(1) Self-examination.

(2) Repentance.

(3) Faith.

(4) Mortification.

3. Be much in minding the excellent things of heaven.

4. Labour always to keep a good conscience, void of offence towards God and man.

5. Slight not any known duty; do not crucify any conviction, neither break any resolution. (A. Gray.)