ON DEATH AND ETERNITY.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

12

PREACHED IN THE DISTRICT CHURCH OF SAINT MARK,
MYDDELTON SQUARE, PENTONVILLE.

BY

THOMAS MORTIMER, B.D.

OF QUEEN'S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE;

MINISTER OF THE SAID CHURCH, AND LECTURER OF ST. Leonard's,

PRINTED FOR R. B. SEELEY AND W. BURNSIDE: AND SOLD BY
L. B. SEELEY AND SONS, FLEET STREET, LONDON ;

ALSO BY FORBES & JACKSON, ISLINGTON GREEN; AND J. BARRETT,
RIVER STREET, MYDDELTON SQUARE.

MDCCCXXXIV.

lowed desk of public instruction any subjects not legitimately connected with the Christian Pulpit. It has, nevertheless, been his endeavour to seize on passing occurrences, whether national or parochial, or even personal, and to improve them, for the good of his beloved flock. He may not always have succeeded as he could have wished, but he feels that he has tried to do what he could: and he now earnestly commends his work to the prayers of his affectionate people, and to the blessing of his Divine Master.

It remains only to be added, that, but for the reason assigned in the Dedication, this volume would have been inscribed to the Author's honoured and venerated Ecclesiastical Superior, the Reverend Thomas Sheppard, M. A., Rector of the Parish of Clerkenwell; to whom, however, he hopes (D. V.) to dedicate the second volumethat on Eternity-which he trusts he may be able to bring through the press early in the ensuing year.

CONTENTS OF VOL. I.

I.

LIFE COMPARED TO A FLOWER.

JOB XIV. 1, 2.-Man that is born of a woman hath but a short time to

live, and is full of misery. He cometh up and is cut down

like a flower he fleeth, as it were a shadow, and never con-

tinueth in one stay.

:

Page 1.

II.

THE DEATH OF ABEL.

GEN. iv. 8.-And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to

pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against

Abel his brother, and slew him.

Page 19.

III.

THE APPROPRIATE PRAYER.

PSALM XXXIX. 4.-Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure

of my days what it is: that I may know how frail I am.

Page 37.

IV.

THE DEATH OF SARAH.

GEN. xxiii.1-4.-And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty

years old these were the years of the life of Sarah. And

Sarah died in Kirjath-arba; the same is Hebron in the land of

Canaan and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep

for her. And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake

unto the sons of Heth, saying, I am a stranger and a sojourner

with you give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that

I may bury my dead out of my sight.

Page 57.

V.

THE SENSUALIST DETECTED AND ADMONISHED.

1 Cor. xv. 32-34.-Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die.

Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.

Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the

knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.

Page 76.

VI.

THE FIRST FUNERAL IMPROVED.

PSALM XC. 3, 4.-Thou turnest man to destruction; again thou sayest,

Come again, ye children of men. For a thousand years in thy

sight are but as yesterday; seeing that is past as a watch in the

night.

Page 97.

VII.

DEATH OF A RICH SINNER.

LUKE XVI. 19-30.—There was a certain rich man, which was clothed

in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day and

there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus, which was laid at his

gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which

fell from the rich man's table: moreover, the dogs came and

licked his sores. And it came to pass that the beggar died, and

was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom : the rich man

also died, and was buried; and in hell he lifted up his eyes,

being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in

his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy

on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger

in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy life-time

receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things:

but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside

all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed so

that they which would pass from hence to you cannot ; neither

can they pass to us that would come from thence. Then he

said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him

to my father's house; for I have five brethren; that he may

testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the Prophets;

let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but

if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And

he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the Prophets,

neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead.

Page 115.

VIII.

DEATH OF A POOR SAINT.

LUKE xvi. 19-30.-There was a certain rich man, which was clothed

in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: and

there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus, which was laid at his

gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which

fell from the rich man's table: moreover, the dogs came and

licked his sores. And it came to pass that the beggar died, and

was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man

also died, and was buried; and in hell he lifted up his eyes,

being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in

his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy

on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger

in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy life-time

receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things:

but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside

all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so

that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither

can they pass to us that would come from thence. Then he

said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him

to my father's house; for I have five brethren; that he may

testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

Abraham saith unto him, they have Moses and the Prophets;

let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but

if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And

he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the Prophets,

neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead.

Page 133.

IX.

THE BROKEN-HEARTED FATHER.

GEN. xlii. 38.-Then shall ye bring down my grey hairs with sorrow

to the grave.

Page 154.

X.

ON THE DEATH OF KING GEORGE IV.

1 TIM. vi. 15, 16.-Which in his times He shall shew, who is the

blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of

lords; who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which

no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can

see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

Page 170.