The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1822-01-09
CERTAINTY OF DEATH.
From Massillon. !

L ne surprise winch you nave to tear
is not one of those rare, singular events,
which happen TO but a few unhappy
persons, and which it is more prudent to
disregard than to provide for. 1t is not
that an instantaneous, sudden death may
seize you-that the thunder of heaven
may fall upon you--that you may be
buried under the ruins of your house
that shipwreck may overwhelm you
in the deep NOR do | speak of those
misfortunes whose singularity renders
them more terrible, but at the same
time less to be apprehended 1t is
familiar everywhere is not a dav
but furnishes you with examples of
it; almost all men are surprised by
death-all see it approach when they
think it most distant-all say 10 them
selves, like the fool in the gospel Sou,
take thine ease, thou hast much goods
laid up for many years Thus have
died your neighbours, your friends, al.
most all those of whose death you have
been informed; all have left you in as
constituent, at the suddenness of their
departure. You have sought reasons
for it, in the imprudence of the person
while sick, in the ignorance of physi-
Clans, in the choice of remedies; but
the best, and indeed the only reason, is,
that the day of the Lord always cometh
by surprise.
The earthis like large field of bat
tie, where you are every day engage
ed with the enemy you have happi-.
ly escaped to day, but you have seen
many lose their lives who promised
themselves to escape as you have done.
Tomorrow you must again enter the
list. Who has assured you that fortune.
SO fatal to others, win always be favour
able to you alone? And since you must
perish there at last, are you reasonable
in building a firm and permanent habita-
ton upon the very spot which is des-
tined to be your grave? Place your
selves IN whatever situation you please,
there Is not moment of time in which
death may not come, as it has to many
others in similar situations. There is
no action of renown which may not be
terminated by the eternal darkness of
the grave. Herod was cut off in the
midst Of the foolish applauses of his
people: No pubIick day which may.
not finish your funeral pomp-Jezebel
was thrown headlong from the window
Of her palace the very day that she had
chosen to show herself with unusual
ostentation No delicious feast that NAV
not bring death to you-Belshazzar lost
his life when seated at a sumptuous
banquet: No sleep which may not be
to you the sleep Of death-Holof ornes.
in the midst of his army, conqueror of
kingdoms and provinces, lost his life by
an lsraelitish woman, when asleep in his
tent No crime which may not finish
your crime-Zimri found an Infamous
death in the tents of the daughters of
indian No sickness which may not
terminate your days-you very often
sec the slightest infrmities resist all APP
plications of the healing art, deceive
the expectations of the sick, and sud-
denly turn to death. In word, imag-
inc yourselves in any circumstances of
life, wherein you may ever be placed,
and you will hardly be able to reckon
the number of those who have been
surprised by death, when in like cir
cumstances; and you have no warrant
that you shall not meet the same fate
You acknowledge this; you own it to be
true; but this avowal, so terrible in it.
self, is only an acknowledgment which
custom demands of you, but which new
er leads you to single precaution to
guard against the danger.
-~to-
In character, as in architecture, pro
portion is beauty. Do not suffer your
self to be caught by shining quality,
till you know it is not counteracted by
the opposite defect. Be not taken in by
strictness in one point, till you are assur-
ed there IS no laxity in others.