comes that deprives us of all Naked came I into the World and naked shall I return Job 1.21 So the Apostle we brought nothing into this World and it is certain we shall carry nothing out speaking as to our outward comforts here 1 Tim. 6.7 The Psalmist to the same effect Psalm 49.17 speaks of a rich man He shall carry nothing away His Glory saith he shall not descend after him Death as one observes is the greatest Leveller in the World it levels Scepters and Plow-shares it makes the Prince as poor as the Peasant 2. Because it dissolves the Union between the Soul and the Body Death is indeed the rending of Body and Soul those old and loving Companions asunder Now all disunions as a worthy Divine observes are uncomfortable and some disunions are terrible And as some disunions are terrible so those are of all others most terrible that do rend them from us which are most dear to us Now what Union so near as that between the soul and body and therefore what disunion so terrible as the dissolution of this Union The dissolving the Union between a man and his Wife is terrible because they are nearly united each to other but the dissolving the Union between Soul and Body is more terrible because the Union is more near and close A man and his Wife are one flesh but the Soul and Body make but one Person now Death dissolves this Union while we live the Soul dwels in the Body informs the Body acts in and by the Body it hath a great influence upon and is greatly influenced by the Body But when Death comes then the Soul and Body part till the Resurrection one returning to the dust whence it came the other to God who gave it Eccles 12.7 3. It is the destroying and demolishing of the body of man that famous and curious Fabrick and a bringing it into dust and putrefaction Psal 90.3 It turns a living body into a dead carcass a lifeless lump of clay and causeth it to become meat for Worms to feed on Job 19.26 The body of man is a very curious piece of Workmanship such as wherein the infinite power and wisdom of God is much seen and manifested Psalm 139.14 15. But when Death comes it marrs and demolishes all stains all its beauty and draws a Veil upon all its Glory Sickness often makes a man's beauty to consume away like a Moth as you have it Psalm 39.11 But Death utterly defaces it and draws a Veil upon it that turns his beauty into blackness and deformity One of the Ancients standing by Caesar's Tomb wept saying where is now the beauty of Caesar What now is become of all his Magnificence In a word as life is the sweetest of all outward mercies so death is the sharpest of all outward afflictions The pains of it are pains to a Proverb the sorrows of it are sorrows to a Proverb The sorrows of death compass me about Psal 116.3 Now if Death be thus terrible in it self then judge ye whether we had not need to have all things ready and in order when it comes Second Proposition is That in a dying hour the Devil is most fierce and terrible in his assaults and temptations upon the Soul The Devil is in Scripture called a Roaring Lyon And is usually most so against the poor people of God when they come to die then he hath wrath because he knows his time is short to allude to that Rev. 12.12 when a man or woman comes to die the Devil knows he hath but a short time to tempt to vex to terrifie that Soul in and therefore then usually he exercises great wrath then he stirs up all his wrath all his malice all his cruelty against him hee sees this is the last cast he is like to have for it the last on-set he is ever like to make upon the Souls Faith and Comfort and that now the battle is to be won or lost for ever therefore now he roars and rages terribly indeed now he discharges all his Murdering Pieces against the Soul to make batteries if possible upon the Souls Fort of Salvation and to shake its foundation of life and happiness The Devil is the Enemy of Souls Mal. 13.25 and his enmity works especially one of these two ways Either first to keep them from life and happiness and here he acts rather like an Angel of Light than a Roaring Lyon he works rather in a way of Flattery than in a way of Terror Hence we read of his Wiles Methods Devices and the like his cunning and fallacious workings thereby to destroy Souls Or secondly to trouble and torment Souls in their way to life and happiness and here he is indeed like a Roaring Lyon and never more than when we come to die There are among others two seasons wherein the Devil is most fierce and terrible in his assaults upon the Soul The first is when a man is going from Sin to Grace when he is fully resolved to close with Christ to shake off the yoke of sin and to take upon him the yoke of Jesus The second is when a man is going from Grace to Glory when he is going off the Stage of Time to Eternity when a man begins to live the spiritual life and when a man comes to dye the natural death I know first That as for his own children he usually lets them alone when they come to die he is afraid to have them disturbed though sometimes he cannot forbear but torments them before their time Secondly God can and sometimes does chain him up so that he shall not be able to trouble and torment the Saints in their passage out of this World yet still I say for the most part he does fiercely assault them then and doubtless there are but very few of the Children of God but do meet with very sore assaults from Sathan when they come to die then he turns Accuser then he charges the soul with all its sins then he tells him he is an hypocrite that all his profession hath been nothing but a delusion and the like Now is Sathan thus fierce and terrible in his assaults upon the soul in a dying hour surely then we had need have all ready against that hour comes 3. The third Proposition is this that in a dying hour Conscience is most awakened and so most quick and smart in its threats and charges against the Soul if all be not right within and therefore we had need have all so in that hour There are three seasons in which Conscience is most awake in the soul First when God begins to deal with the soul in order to life and salvation then God lets Conscience loose upon a man Hence we read of them that they were pricked at their heart In the sense of sin the word is they were pricked through and through Acts 2.37 And saith Paul when Sin revived I died Rom. 7.9 That is in the fight of my sin
which was wrought in me by the Law of God I was made to see my self lost and miserable and awakened out of my security Secondly when the soul is under some smart and notable affliction from the hand of God This is evident in that instance of Joseph's Brethren whose consciences were awakened when they were in distress and charged them with the guilt of their sin in selling their Brother Gen. 42.21 Thirdly when a man comes to die when the visions of death and the grave are before him Oh you little think how strict Conscience will be in its search how sharpe in its charge and how severe in its censure in a dying hour then if there be but the least frown in God's face towards the Soul the least flaw in his peace the least blot or blur in his Evidences for Heaven if there be but the least stain upon the Spirit the least sin unpardoned unrepented of it is a thousand to one but conscience will take notice of it and charge the Soul with it O Sirs you will find a great deal of difference between Conscience upon a bed of ease and Conscience upon a sick-bed between Conscience in an hour of health and worldly prosperity and Conscience in a dying hour in the one great things bear but little weight but in the other little things usually bear great weight in Conscience then the Language of Conscience to the Soul is these and these things hast thou done thus and thus things stand with thee at best grace is thus and thus weak corruptions thus and thus strong temptations thus and thus prevalent the heart thus and thus out of frame the spirit thus and thus alienated from God and the like Hence 't is that at death there are such confessions as you have sometimes from men and women that now they will send for some godly Minister or Christian to pray with them and for them though perhaps they could not endure Prayer all their life-time before Now if in a dying hour Conscience be thus quick and smart in its threats and charges against the Soul then surely we had need and 't is greatly our concern to have all ready all in order against that hour comes The fourth Proposition is this That in a dying hour we shall have to do with God in a very stupendious and amazing way in such a way as may well startle and affright us to think of it we are said to have to do with God here Heb. 4.13 we have here to do with God in Duties in Ordinances in Mercies in Afflictions indeed we had as good never have to do with these unless we have to do with God in these but though we have to do with God here while we live yet know we shall have to do with God in another-guess way when we come to die in such a way as may well overwhelm us to think of it I shall give it you in three steps then we have to do with God immediately with God immediately as our Judge with God immediately as our Judge for Eternity And O how loud do these things call upon us to get all in order in the matters of our foul against a dying hour comes 1. When a man comes to die he has to do with God immediately and that is an astonishing thing In death the body crumbles to dust but the soul returneth to God that gave it so the Holy Ghost-tells us Eccl. 12.7 The body which came from the dust crumbles to dust again but the soul that goeth into God's immediate presence to deal and to treat with him as it were face to face The soul is alwayes with God and cannot possibly be out of his presence Psalm 139.7 And yet here the Holy Ghost tells us when we die the soul returns to God intimating that then the Soul goes into the immediate presence of God and has more immediately to do with him then here he was ever wont to have then he beholds his naked Majesty and Glory Now what an astonishing thing is this You will find if you observe that the Saints of God yea the holiest of them when they have dealt with God in a more immediate way than ordinary they have been overwhelmed by it Take for an instance Daniel who upon receiving Visions from God tells us there remained no strength in him That his comliness was turned into corruption Dan. 10.8 I might instance also in John who upon a view of and converse with Christ that was a little more immediate than ordinary fell down at his feet as dead Revel 1.17 Also that of Jacob I have seen the Lord face to face and yet my life is preserved sayes he intimating it was a wonder that he could so immediately see God and live Gen. 32.10 Now if we are to deal with God immediately when we come to die we had need have all in order before a dying hour comes 2. When a man comes to die he has to do with God immediately as his Judge as one that is to try him for his life to pass sentence upon his Soul to determine his state in righteousness measuring out life or death happiness or vengeance to him in the other world And is not this an astonishing and an amazing thing Then saith Solomon speaking of death shall the dust return to earth as it was and the spirit return to God who gave it Eccl. 12.7 At death the Spirit returns to God but it is to God as a Judge to determine his future condition for him We must all stand before the Judgment-Seat of Christ and every one must give an account of himself to God so the Scripture tells us Rom. 10.12 And it is appointed for all men once to die and after that the Judgment Heb. 9.27 When a man comes to die that which is immediately before him is the Judgement of God the strict the righteous the impartial Judgment of God then away goes the Soul into the immediate presence of God as sitting upon a Throne of Judgment to pass a sentence of life or death salvation or damnation upon him And believe it we had need have all things set right and well ordered in our souls when we come thus to deal with him we had need have all things well ordered and set right in the matters of our souls when we come to deal with God but as sitting upon a Throne of Grace but much more when we come to deal with him as sitting upon a Throne of Judgment to conclude and determine our future condition what it shall be Judgment is an astonishing and terrifying thing the hearing of it made Felix tremble or as the Word is it turned him into terror or affrightment Acts 24.25 And the Apostle calls it the terror of the Lord 2 Cor. 5.11 Now when a man comes to die then he sayes or may say Now I am to deal with the great God the Judge of all Now I must appear before his righteous Tribunal and
welcomest news a poor soul can possibly hear to be told that God is his and Heaven is his and Eternal Life is his and when once this news is come then welcom life and welcom death welcom time and welcom eternity then the Soul can say O sweet Eternity O blessed Eternity O Sirs be not satisfied without some good assurance of Gods love to your souls and your right and title to heaven and eternal life yea without the fullest assurance that is attainable here for know that there are degrees in Assurance it self the Scripture mentions three degrees of assurance First there is assurance The work of righteousness is peace and the fruit of righteousness is assurance for ever Isa 32.17 and give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure as in the place before quoted Secondly there is much assurance Our Gospel came unto you not in word only but in power and in the demonstration of the Spirit and much assurance 1 Thes 1.5 Thirdly there is a full assurance We desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end Heb. 6.11 Now my Beloved I would not have you satisfied without assurance without much assurance yea without a full assurance the more full your assurance is the more chearfully joyfully and triumphingly will you die Thirdly Would you indeed have all all right all in order in the matters of your souls for a dying hour then labour to maintain a constant actual peace with God every day making even with him and renewing the sense of his pardoning love in your souls as a firm union with Christ and a well-grounded assurance of an interest in God and eternal Life so also an actual peace with God and a daily renewed pardon from him is requisite to a thorough readiness and preparedness for a dying hour David had an interest in God yea and his interest was clear to him yet how sollicitous was he to get all even between God and him and how uncomfortable was it with him till he had renewed his peace with God when by his fall it had been broken Psal 51.8 12. This also is what is evidently held forth Job 7.21 where Job pleads thus with God Why dost thou not pardon mine iniquity and take away my transgression for now shall I sleep in the dust thou shalt seek me in the morning but I shall not be In the verse before he acknowledged he had sinned and here he intimates that God frowned on him for his sin the sense of pardoning love was not renewed in his soul which here therefore he pleads for and that upon this account because he was speedily to die intimating he could not die with comfort till he had a renewed sense of Gods pardoning love And this is the very thing which David begs in the Psalm of my Text in order to his comfortable going hence viz. that God would take away his transgressions Psal 39.8 As long as there is any sin any guilt lying upon our Consciences any sin unpardoned any difference between God and us any frowns in his face towards us we are unready for death and cannot with that comfort and boldness of spirit welcom it as we ought but when our peace with God is maintained and we have a renewed sense of his pardoning love in our souls then are things right and in order with us indeed deed and we may think of death with boldness and comfort and therefore mind this as ever you would be found ready for a dying hour every day even things between God and you every day get a fresh sense of pardon from him First as near as possible may be do nothing that may occasion any breach between God and you or raise any frowns in his face towards you if you do not break with God he will not break with you all breaches as to peace and friendship between God and us begin on our part yea neither will God break with us for little things in case they be not allowed by us but watched and striven against therefore as near as possibly you can do nothing to break and interrupt your peace with God for one moment And because when you have done all many things may and will fall out we having sinful sinning hearts and living in a world of snares and temptations for which God may justly frown upon us let us Secondly every day make even with him in the close of every day let us consider wherein we have broken with God come short of duty given any grief any distaste to his Holy Spirit and by Faith and Prayer let us sue out the pardon of it and let us not lie down if possible without some intimation of his pardoning love for which end First We should act Faith on the Blood and Advocateship of Jesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through faith in his Blood to declare his righteousness for remission of sins Rom. 3.24 25. And indeed Christ hath set up a Standing Office in Heaven which we may call the Pardon-Office he procureth new Pardons for his People daily under their new sins We have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins 1 Joh. 2.1 2. Have daily recourse to the Blood of Christ truly without it there is no living the best the holiest on earth have daily need of his Blood and should have daily recourse unto it for the maintaining of their peace and for the renewing of Gods pardoning love in their souls Secondly We should be humbly and earnestly importunate with God in prayer resolving not to let him go without this blessing carrying upon our spirits the sense of the worth and also of our unworthiness of it Thus the holy men of God of old have done they have sued out the pardon of their sins by Faith and Prayer and gotten a fresh sense of Gods love when they have broken with him as I might instance in Job in David and others we should every day pray as that Father did O Lord saith he do not after the manner of a Judge weigh or consider what I have done what I have spoken what I have thought but blot out all my sins with thy own Blood And as another of them did Lord saith he there is that in me which may offend thy holy eyes I know and confess it but who shall cleanse me or to whom shall I fly for relief but to thee O hide not thy face from me Truly when we have walked most watchfully most circumspectly many things may and will fall out that may offend the pure eyes of Gods Glory which we should confess and bewail before him suing out the pardon of them by the Blood of his Son Some of the Saints have made this their daily practise and so have maintained their peace for many years together and when they have come to die have gloricusly triumphed over Death
and have gone off the Stage with much comfort and so should we Fourthly Would you indeed have all right all in order in your souls for a dying hour then be true and faithful to your own Consciences that you may have them for you and not against you both while you live and when you die Conscience my Beloved is Christs Deputy or Vicegerent in the Soul it is both a Judge and a Witness for God within us it either accuses or excuses acquits or condemns Rom. 2.15 and according as Conscience is either for us or against us so we are either ready or not ready prepared or not prepared for Death and Judgment If we have the Witness and Judgment of our Consciences for us then have we boldness and comfort both in life and death then we can welcom Deaths approach to us but if the Witness and Judgment of Conscience be against us then Death cannot but be terrible to us This is our rejoycing saith the Apostle the testimony of our Consciences that in simplicity and godly sincerity not in fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world 2 Cor. 1.12 And again If our hearts condemn us God is greater than our hearts and knoweth all things but if our hearts condemn us not then have we confidence towards God 1 Joh. 3.21 O my beloved as a peace with God so a sound and holy peace with a mans own Conscience that is to say to have the witness and judgment of a mans Conscience for him and not against him is highly requisite for a right disposing and preparing of us for a dying hour As ever therefore you would have all ready and in order against such an hour mind this and look after this be sure you carry it so to your own consciences as that you may have them always for you and not against you while you live and for you and not against you when you come to die In order to which mind these two things First Labour to get your Consciences well inlightned and informed and be much with God in prayer in order thereto beg and implore God for a true and faithful Conscience a Conscience that will bear a true and faithful witness in your souls and that will pass a right judgment upon things both upon your state and actions In Heb. 10.21 we read of a true heart or a true conscience that is a conscience rightly informed a conscience that bears a true and faithful witness and that passeth a true and faithful judgment upon things such a conscience should we beg of God and labour by all means possible to attain unto O my Beloved it is a dangerous thing to have an erroneous conscience a mistaking conscience a conscience not rightly inform'd For pray mark this is what leaves a man under a necessity of sinning and so of grieving the Spirit of God on the one hand and it endangereth his peace and comfort on the other hand for having an erroneous conscience whether we obey it or obey it not we sin if we obey it we sin because conscience commands what is not agreeable to the Word of God if we obey it not we sin because we rebell against the light and dictates of Conscience omitting that which Conscience tells us is a duty though it be not a duty or doing that which Conscience tells us is a sin though it be not a sin Labour therefore to get your Consciences well informed and inlightened Secondly Be sure you do nothing against the light and dictates of Conscience being rightly informed but obey it in all things In Job 24.13 we read of some that rebel against the light that is that do sin against their own Consciences with is a double sin a sin cloathed with great aggravations and greatly discomposeth us for a dying hour but we must take heed of this and listen to the voice of Conscience Conscience regulated by the word of God God speaks to us by our Consciences he speaks to us through his word by our Consciences and he speak to us through his providences by our Consciences and we should take heed of violating the Dictates or speaking of Conscience in the least Doth not Conscience many times tell us such as such ways which we walk in are not good and must be turned from or we are undone for ever And now we should be true and faithful to our own Consciences and speedily turn from those ways we should have nothing to do with any thing that Conscience condemns us in and for Again Doth not Conscience many times tell you that such and such duties are totally neglected or else seldom or slightly performed by you which yet you ought to be conversant and diligent in the performance of Now you should herein also be faithful and true to your own Consciences living up to the constant diligent spiritual performance of those duties Again Doth not Conscience many times tell you that things are nor right with you that it is an evil frame of spirit you live in that you are too carnal too light too vain too frothy too eager in your pursuits of this World and too remiss in your pursuits of Heaven and Eternity Now as ever you would be ready for a dying hour you should be faithful to your own Consciences setting that right which is amiss and hastening out of that evil frame into the contrary gracious frame Oh my Beloved if you be true and faithful to Conscience Conscience will be true and faithful to you witnessing for you and not against you both while you live and when you die In a word in all things labour to keep a good conscience this was Paul's great care and exercise Acts 24.16 Herein do I exercise my self to have always a conscience void of offence towards God and towards man O this will be a sweet and blessed exercise and the more we are found in it while we live the more comfort will it afford us when we come to die Fifthly Would you indeed have all things right and in order in the matters of your souls when a dying hour comes Then labour for much purity of heart and life and by no means admit of any sin any corruption whatsoever the more pure and holy we are the more ready are we and in the better posture things are with us for a dying hour Without holiness saith the Apostle no man shall see God Heb. 12.14 Holiness is necessary unto happiness holiness is the way unto happiness holiness is what sits and prepares us for happiness and brings us unto happiness yea holiness is a part of our happiness a great part of the happiness of Heaven it self lies in holiness accordingly the more holy we are the more we are suited to and prepared for the future happiness and so for Death and Judgment for that which prepares us for the future happiness that also prepares us for death which is but an in-let into
welcom is the Harbour to him especially after having been long toss'd and beaten with storms and tempests and how sweet will rest be to the poor troubled tempted labouring travelling Saint whose whole life has been little else but trouble labour and sore travel who here could scarce all his days find a resting place for the sole of his foot the world as to him being covered with a deluge 3. Death whenever it comes will turn your conflicts into victory this Aceldama or Field of blood for such is this world into a Mount of Triumph and a Throne of Glory What is this world but an Aceldama a Field of blood to the poor Saints Sure I am this life is little else but a perpetual war and conflict with lusts with devils with afflictions and with temptations hence 't is call'd a fight a warfare and the like and the enemies which they in this warfare have to grapple with are formidable enemies We wrestle not says the Apostle with flesh and blood but with Principalities and Powers and spiritual wickednesses Eph. 6.12 13. We wrestle not vvith flesh and blood that is vvith men or any thing that is frail and vveak no vve have more potent and formidable enemies to deal vvithal vve vvrestle and conflict vvith Devils vvho are potent subtile and indefatigable Enemies as Calvin observes upon the place which wound before they appear and kill before they are seen Enemies which deal not onely by force and power but who are dreadfully crafty and subtil yea enemies which have fiery darts to cast at us as afterwards he speaks and for my own part I think it vvere vvell for us over what it is if these vvere the vvorst enemies vve had to grapple and conflict withal but there are legions of lusts within which I look upon to be vvorse enemies vvhich vve do and must vvrestle vvith intestine enemies are in many respects the vvorst these war against our souls 1 Pet. 2.11 and vvere it not for these all the Devils in Hell could do us no hurt Thus this life is to the Saints a vvarfare a conflict and O the vvounds the bruises the bloodshed vvhich they are exposed unto in this War now their Peace and then their Grace now their Comforts and then their Consciences are sorely wounded and they lie a bleeding for days and weeks and months together yea sometimes like him that vvas travelling from Jerusalem to Jericho they are vvounded and left half dead and did not the good Samaritan pass by take compassion on them and pour in of his Wine and Oyl his Blood and Spirit into their vvounds they vvould soon be vvholly dead Well but now when Death comes that puts an end to this War and sets them all down upon a Throne of Triumph To him that overcometh says Christ will I grant to sit with me upon my Throne even as I also overcame and am sate down with my Father on his Throne Rev. 3.21 When death comes then you begin an eternal Triumph with Christ then the Palm vvill be put into your hands and you shall triumphingly cry Victory Victory for ever O how sweet vvill this be how sweet is the Victory to a Souldier that has been long and hard put to it in the Battel and indeed the harder the Battel the more glorious the Triumph 'T is a sweet and a great saying which I have read in Aug. to this purpose The Conquerour saith he triumphs and unless he had fought he had never conquered and by how much the greater his danger and difficulty was in the battel by so much the greater is his joy in the triumph O Sirs not only will death set you upon a Mount of Triumph but know for your encouragement the sharper your conflicts and warfare have been here the more glorious will your triumph be when Death shall set you upon the Throne 4. Death whenever it comes will change your bondage into liberty your spiritual thraldom into glorious freedom and is not this a kindness Poor soul one thing which here thou bleedest and groanest under is that spiritual bondage and thraldom which thou liest under And indeed this world is no other than a Prison a Dungeon an house of Bondage to thee the Land of thy Captivity Here thou liest in Chains and Fetters the Chains and Fetters of Sin and Guilt yea and the iron sometimes enters into my spirit Hence we read of the bondage of corruption which indeed is the forest bondage in the world a worse bondage ten thousand times than that which Israel groaned and sighed under in Egypt who yet were made to serve with rigour and whose lives were made bitter with hard bondage Exod. 1.13 14. Truly this lust and the other lust this corruption and the other corruption are as so many Egyptians cruel Task-masters which make thee serve with rigour and thy life bitter to thee with hard bondage and oh how dost thou groan and sigh under the bondage of a proud dead hard carnal unbelieving heart an heart bent to backsliding from God And indeed who that is sensible of it can but groan under it This drew that heavy groan from Paul and bitter out-cry Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am says he Why Paul what is the matter Oh says he I find a law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin and death I am by sin brought into captivity to sin and I have a body of sin and death lying heavy upon me heavier than a Mountain of Brass or Iron and who can but groan and as 't was with him so 't is with all the Saints in their measure Well but when death comes Sirs that will turn all this your boudage into liberty yea into the glorious liberty of the Children of God Rom. 8.21 that will turn again this your captivity And oh how sweet will that be You have some little tastes of this liberty here for where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3.7 and the tastes of it are sweet very sweet but O how sweet vvill the full enjoyment on 't be Paul breaks out into praises in the faith of it before-hand I thank God through Jesus Christ Rom. 7.25 O soul how should this make thee long for Death Can a Prison can an house of Bondage can a state of thraldom be pleasant to thee Canst thou be vvell-pleased to lie in chains and fetters of sin and guilt Shouldest thou not rather vvelcom that vvhich alone vvould vvork thy deliverance 5. Death whenever it comes will be the death of all your sins and the perfection of all your graces and will not that be a kindness Poor Saint how dost thou here bleed and groan under the sense of the life and vigour of thy sins on the one hand and of the weakness and imperfection of thy graces on the other hand yea how great are the conflicts and holy contentions of thy spirit to