James Hervey

“ Where are all the vain pomps of a deluded world? Can they inspire such comfort, can they administer any support, in this last extremity? Can they compose the affrighted thoughts, or buoy up the departing soul, amidst all the pangs of dissolution?——The followers of the Lamb seem pleased and triumphant even at their last gasp. "God's everlasting arms are underneath" their fainting heads. His Spirit whispers peace and consolation to their consciences. In the strength of these heavenly succours they quit the field, not captives but conquerors ”

“ When their flesh and their heart failed, how reviving was the remembrance of an all sufficient Redeemer; once dying for their sins, now risen again for their justification: How chearing the well grounded hope of pardon for their transgressions, and peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord! ”

“ The righteous are all "prisoners of hope." There is an hour (an awful secret that, and known only to all-foreseeing wisdom) an appointed hour there is, when an act of grace will pass the great seal above, and give them an universal discharge, a general delivery from the abodes of corruption.—Then shall the Lord Jesus descend from heaven, with the shout of the archangel, and the trump of God. Destruction itself shall hear his call, and the obedient grave give up her dead. ”

“ Legions, legions of disasters, such as no prudence can foresee, and no care prevent, lie in wait to accomplish our doom. A starting horse may throw his rider; may at once dash his body against the stones, and fling his soul into the invisible world. ”

“ A stack of chimneys may tumble into the street, and crush the unwary passenger under the ruins; even a single tile, dropping from the roof, may be as fatal as the fall of the whole structure.—So frail, so very attenuated is the thread of life, that it not only bursts before the storm, but breaks even at a breeze. ”

“ The most common occurrences, those from which we suspect not the least harm, may prove the weapons of our destruction. A grape-stone, a despicable fly, may be more mortal than Goliath, with all his formidable armour. Nay, if God give command, our very comforts become killing. The air we breathe, is our bane! ”

“ Without such an habitual readiness, we are like wretches that sleep on the top of a mast, while a horrid gulph yawns, or furious waves rage beow. And where can be the peace, what the satisfaction of such a state? Whereas, a prepared condition will inspire a cheerfulness of temper, not to be dismayed by any alarming accident, and create a firmness of mind, not to be overthrown by the most threatening dangers.
Here lie their bodies in "peaceable habitations, and quiet resting-places." Here they have thrown off every burden, and are escaped from every snare. The head achs no more ”

“ Let every one's conscience be awake, and this will appear their awful meaning:—"O! ye sons of men, in the midst of life you are in death. No state, no circumstances, can ascertain your preservation a single moment. ”

“ Here danger never threatens them with her terrifying alarms; but tranquillity softens their couch, and safety guards their repose.—Rest then, ye precious relics, within this hospitable gloom; rest in gentle slumbers till the last trumpet shall give the welcome signal, and sound aloud, through all your silent mansions. "Arise, shine; for your light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you." ”

“ And now they are gone.——The struggles of reluctant nature are over- The body sleeps in death, the soul launches into the invisible state.—But who can imagine the delightful surprise, when they and themselves surrounded by guardian angels, instead of weeping friends? ”

“ See! the lightnings cease their rage; the angelic armies stand in silent suspense; the whole race of Adam is wrapt in pleasing or anxious expectation.———And now that adorable person, whose favour is better than life, whose acceptance is a crown of glory, lifts up the light of his countenance upon the righteous. ”

“ So strong is the tyrant's arm, that nothing can resist its force; so true his aim, that nothing can elude the blow. Sudden as lightning, sometimes is his arrow launched; and wounds and kills, in the twinkling of an eye. Never promise yourself safety in an expedient, but constant preparation. The fatal shafts fly so promiscuously, that none can guess the victim. ”

“ Among these confused relics of humanity, there are, without doubt, persons of contrary interests, and contradicting sentiments: But death, like some able daysman, has laid his hand on the contending parties, and brought all their differences to an amicable conclusion. Here enemies, sworn enemies, dwell together in unity. They drop every embittered thought, and forget that they once were foes. ”

“ The tongue of those, whose, happiness we have zealously promoted, must soon be silent in the coffin. Characters cut with a pen of iron, and committed to the solid rock, will, ere long, cease to be legible. But as many as are inrolled "in the Lamb's book of life," he himself declares, shall never be blotted out from those annals of eternity. When a flight of years has mouldered the triumphal column into dust ”

“ Wonder, O man; be lost in admiration, of those prodigious events which are coming upon the universe: events, the greatness of which nothing finite can measure; such as will cause whatever is considerable or momentous in the annals of all generations, to sink into littleness and nothing. ”

“ The great master of language, and of song, is become silent as the night that surrounds him.—The pampered flesh, so lately clothed in purple and fine linen, how is it covered rudely with clods of clay! ”

“ No more is the sensualist anointed with oil, or crowned with rosebuds; he chants no more to the melody of the viol, nor revels any longer at the banquet of wine. Instead of sumptuous tables, and delicious treats, the poor voluptuary is himself a feast for fattened insects ”

“ Why then, said my working thoughts, O! why should we raise such a mighty stir about superiority and precedence, when the next remove will reduce us all so, a state of equal meanness? Why should we exalt ourselves, or debase others; since we must all one day be upon a common level, and blended together in the same undistinguished dust? ”

“ The only infallible way of immortalizing our characters, a way equally open to the meanest and most exalted fortune, is "to make our calling and election sure;" to gain some sweet evidence, that our names are written in heaven. Then, however they may be disregarded or forgotten among men, they will not fail to be had in everlasting remembrance, before the Lord.——This is, of all distinctions, far, the noblest ”

“ Fools accounted their life madness, and their end to be without honour; but they are numbered among the children of GOD, and their lot, their distinguished and eternal lot, is among the saints! However, therefore, an undiscerning world may dispise, and a profane world vilify, the truly religious ”

“ Sins unrepented of, mercy slighted, and the day of grace ending.—They look forward, and nothing presents itself but the righteous Judge, the dreadful tribunal, and a most solemn reckoning.———They roll around their arighted eyes on attending friends. If accomplices in debauchery, it sharpens their anguish, to consider this further aggravation of their guilt that they have not finned alone, but drawn others into the snare. ”

“ Here they mingle with an innumerable company of angels, and rejoice around the throne of the Lamb; rejoice in the fruition of present felicity, and in the assured expectation of an inconceivable addition to their bliss; when GOD shall call the heavens from above, and the earth, that he may judge his people. ”

“ None entertained fond and eager expectations of being honourably greeted in their darksome cells. The man of years and experience, reputed as an oracle in his generation, was content to lie down at the feet of a babe. In this house appointed for all living, the servant was equally accommodated, and lodged in the same story with his master. The poor indigent lay as softly, and slept as soundly, as the most opulent possessor. ”

“ One is tempted to exclaim against the king of terrors, and call him capriciously cruel. He seems, by beginning at the wrong end of the register, to have inverted the laws of nature. Passing over the couch of decrepit age, he has nipped infancy in its bud; blasted youth in its bloom ”

“ There was a time when the timorously nice creature would scarce "adventure to set a foot upon the ground, for delicateness and tenderness, but is now enwrapped in clammy earth, and sleeps on no softer a pillow than the rugged gravelstones.—Here "the strong men bow themselves;" ”

“ The jealous GOD, who has been about their path, and about their bed, and 'spied out all their ways, "sets before them the things that they have done." They cannot answer him one in a thousand, nor stand in the awful judgement. The heavens reveal their iniquities, and the earth rises up against them. They (illegible text) e speechless with guilt, and stigmatized with infamy before all the armies of the sky and all the nations of the redeemed.—
How must the wretches scream with wild amazement, and rend the very heavens with their cries, when the right-aiming thunder bolts go abroad! ”

“ The crimson fluid, which distributes health, is impregnated with the seeds of death. Heat may inflame it, or toil oppress it, and make it destroy the parts it was designed to cherish. Some unseen impediment may, obstruct its passage, or some unknown violence may divert its course ”