cry out with holy Job Chap. 6. 4. The arrowes of the Almighty are within me the poyson whereof drinketh up my spirit the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me Such is the nature of meditation or consideration that it will cause future and remote things to have a real powerful and deep impression on our minds As for instance A Merchant in India by his meditation or contemplation may converse with his Affairs his Wife Children and Friends in England or a Merchant that 's walking on the Exchange in London may have his mind and thoughts in Spain or Italy or else where a Malefactor cast into Prison for some notorious Crime may long before the Assizes converse with all the sad circumstances of his tryal he may in his thoughts see him self brought to the bar standing before a terrible Judge to heare his indictment read the Charge prov'd his doom and sentence pronounced and see as it were himself at the place of his execution with the rope about his neck which must immediately hang him and if you would in good earnest set your selves to consider your latter end you may really and heart-affectingly converse with old Age Weakness Sickness your death-Bed short-Breathing cold sweats dying Pangs and Groans Winding-sheets Coffins and see your selves as it were streched out nail'd up and on the shoulders of men carrying to the grave where Worms and filthy Vermine must feed upon you The Servants of God and Saints of old have done this with great success soul advantage and so should you They have reckoned or counted their Lives by dayes because they were every day liable to Death and expected it daily Teach us to number our dayes said Moses Psal 90. 12. Few and evil have the dayes of my life been said old Jacob. For man that is born of a woman is of few dayes Job 1. 1 5. All the time of which said Job will I wait till my change come Job 14. 14. For I know that thou wilt bring me to death and to the house a dark house appointed for all living And Chapter the 17. 1. he said my breath is corrupt my dayes are extinct the Graves are ready for me where-ever he went or came he was looking for a Grave Again by consideration we may not only look to the Grave but beyond it to the great Transactions and astonishing things that shall be after death We may converse with the worlds burning Christ's coming the Trumpets sounding the Graves opening the Deads rising the Wickeds roaring who as jolly as they are shall then cry to dead and deaf Mountains and Rocks to fall on them to hide them from the dreadful face of the now slighted Son of God for in that great day of his fierce and terrible wrath they will not be able to stand Rev. 6. 16. 17. By realizing this consideration we may see the Judge standing behind the door and the Son of God as it were ready to break forth out of the Clouds with power and great Glory as Hierom did who said whether I eat or drink I hear this voice in mine ears Arise ye dead and come to judgement Now if a right consideration of the great things to come be so penetrating and heart-awakening let death which alwayes doggeth you at your heels be often upon your thoughts your heads and hearts too should be much upon it every night you lye down and every morning you arise let there be some serious and awful thoughts of death and Eternity That which many have engraven on their Rings viz Remember to dye let it be by the Pen of a Diamond written on your hearts It 's storied of Philip of Macedon that he laid a charge upon one of his servants to come every morning into his chamber and proclame this that he was mortal and if a Heathen were so careful of keeping the memory of his mortality much more should a Christian we should alwayes remember the dayes of darkness and keep life and death heaven and hell before us there being but a step between us and death The neglect and want of this was Israels sin and Jerusalems too She did not remember her last and therefore she came down wonderfully Lam. 1. 9. And this God who would have us remember and consider doth sadly complain ofby the Prophet Isa 1. 3. calling heaven and earth to witness for him Hear O heavens and give ear O earth the Oxe knoweth his owner and the Ass his Masters crib but Israel doth not know my people do not consider Reas 3. A serious consideration of your latter end through grace will prove an absolute and soveraign Antidote to expel the greatest evil yea a means to escape an infinite loss viz. sin and the dreadful effects and consequences of it What is the cause of that inundation and sea of wickedness and most prodigious sins that are now in the world and in this Nation in every City Town and Place and in the most Families among all ranks and degrees of men viz. Magistrates Ministers People Parents Children Masters Servants but this their not duly and deeply considering their latter end this we find laid down in the word of God to be one main ground of all sin and of the neglect of all duties You careless souls did you beleive and remember that you must die and come to judgement that your naked souls and naked sins must shortly stand before the most tremendous direful Judge of quick and dead the reflection hereof would be as a knife at your throats as a sword at your breast or as a hand-writing on the wall to retard and hinder your constant and desperate course of wickedness O what horrid hellish outrages are now committed and that deliberality impudently obstinately even against the light of nature Conscience Scripture What Cursing Lying Swearing Blaspheming Sabbath-breaking Cheating Couzening Stealing what wantonness filthiness uncleanness swinish drunkenness covetousness earthly-mindedness what mocking scoffing wrath envy malice pride passion and spiritual wickedness too as unbeleif a theism impenitency hypocrisie apostacy hatred of God his people ministers wayes and ordinances every where aboundeth Men declare their sins like Sodom and are not ashamed of the unfruitful works of darkness and why but because they doe not set their minds and hearts upon their latter end Poor dying sinners Let me out of tender compassion to your bleeding and almost sinking souls intreat you as for the Lords sake to goe down to the grave to go down to hell in your thoughts and stop here and think of the King of terrours the worm of Conscience the approach of Devils the burning lake the bottomless pit the loss of God of Christ of Heaven and your precious souls remember those fiery scorching endless flames the presence and company of Devils Reprobates and damned spirits and your sweet morsels will be gall and wormwood to you these amazing things being truly reflected on will be as lightning in your eyes as thunder
world be assured it shall go well with them in the other world Art thou in astate of grace at odds with fin and truly in love with Christ and holiness Be of good chear go thy way and eat thy bread with joy and drink thy wine with a merry heart for the bitterness of death is past The king of terrors that had the power of death is conquered by the Lord of life Terrible death that rides on the pale horse is dismounted by thy dear Lord that rides on the white horse under whose bloody Cross thou mayest see him disarmed wounded and dead death that raigned from Adam to Moses is now swallowed up in victory Isa 25. 8. I will ransoms thee from the power of the grave I will redeem thee from death O death I will be thy plagues O grave I will be thy destruction The beleiving soul is dead with Christ while he lives Rom. 6. 8 and is delivered not only from the damnation of sin but the dominion of sin and there is hope in his death When he dyeth he shall die in the Lord Rev. 14. 13. he shall sleep in Jesus 1 Thes 4. 14. his end shall be peace Psal 37. 37. This made the Apostle after his sad conflict Rom. 7. to triumph over the last enemy death 1 Cor. 15. 55. Motive 7. If you should not prepare for death yet you will wish you had as many do when it is to late You that are for making provision for the flesh and so eagerly pursuing the world When you shall be cast upon the bad of languishing you will wish in the very torment of your minds and flames of horrour that I had parted with my sin O that I had been careful to please and honour God and to get an interest in Jesus Christ then should I have now dyed the death of the righteous but this I wholly slighted I prosecuted the world with might and main and got so many thousands for my Posterity I liv'd a merry and jovial life but for my soul for my eternity things of infinite worth I have done nothing I forgat my soul Now here 's the Messenger of death come for me to imprison my body in the Grave the Chambers of darkness and to carry my soul I know not whither I fear to hell O that I had been wise to under stand this to consider my latter end What would I now give to live but a few years more to make provision for this soul that must now enter the gulf of endless eternity Motive 8. Consider the gaines will be exceeding great As will appear by these following particulars Would you haue sin as hell and be more truly holy Consider your latter end This is most certain that all the evil antecedents and dreadful consequences of death spring and grow out of this bitter root what is it that wounds stings paines and kills what is it that brings Diseases threatens death that murders the body and that damns and burnes the soul What is that doth necessitate the to make use of Physick Physicians whilst alive and bringeth thee to a Coffin and Grave when thou art dead is it not sin which thou embracest in thy bosom You poor blind deluded souls as little and as lovely as sin looks in your wanton eyes it is the Mother and Nurse of all your miseries hacht in hell the Devils spawn or excrement He that committeth sin is of the devil 1 Joh. 3. 8. This is that evil thing and bitter that hales death and hell at the heels of it yea that arms death devils and hell against us Were it not for this black ugly fierce ouer and bloudy adversary Law or Justice could not condemn us Death could not kill us Devils could not torment us Hell could not burn us Sin is the Traitor and Murderer of your immortal souls and those nails that will shortly dig your Graves will you hug hide and hold it fast Will a woman put that knife into her bosom that hath kill'd or murder'd her dear Child or Husband no by no means it must be broken and cast away for ever Now Sirs if sin be the enemy use it as an enemy or murderer kill it take the sacrificing knife and cut the throat of it or strike the heart vein and let it bleed until it dies Deal by it as Samuel by Agag cut it in pieces Did you think seriously of death and hell you would hate it to purpose and say away to hell with it from whence it came and it would put you upon a desire and earnest endeavour after holiness Being expos'd to a dissolution what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness 2 Pet. 3. 11. But if you forget death you will make dreadful work namely your accounts greater and hell the hotter you will increase your sin and God will heap up wrath against the day of wrath And if ever God shâ—w mercy it will cost you dear your souls must mourn your hearts must break and bleed for sin for unless you repent you will certainly be damned Luk. 13. 5. 2. Would you speedily call off your hearts from the world lay up treasure in heaven Remember your latter end In the greatest affluence of worldly prosperity alwayes consider that you must die Poor worldlings that make gold your hope whose plottings and ploddings are for earth If death and eternity were more in your thoughts you would let go that in your affections which you cannot hold in your possession and love that but a little that will be lost and which you cannot love long Riches have wings and they will be gone Consider how little the things of the world will stand you in stead in the evil day your gold and silver cannot keep you from diseases while you live nor from hell after you are dead Prov 11. 4. Psal 49. 6 7. It falleth out with many of the great storers of this world as it doth with a Sumpter Horse who all the day carrieth a great treasure on his back but at night it is taken from him and he thrust into a foul Stable So many wealthy worldlings that tire them selves to get and carry worldly treasure when death cometh it s taken from them and they for their ill getting or ill using of it are thrust down to hell the rich man dyed and in hell lift up his eyes And if you would deaden your hearts to this empty earth and look after a treasure above a happiness beyond the grave that shall last as long as your souls shall last think often of death this would divert your worldly cares and projects Remember from this day to your last day cannot be long your Journey or Voyage is short and a little Provision is enough neither Poverty nor Riches but food convenient is the desire and choice of a Citizen of Sion Converse more with death and be often looking into eternity and thou mayest here as it
if Parents and Children Masters and Servants were resolved to serve the Devil and go to Hell John 8. 44. The neglect of Family-duties is a dreadful and provoking sin and that as a Godly Minister said which will untile the house and causeth God to rain curses upon the Table Read and tremble at the Prophets imprecation Jerem. 10. 25. Pour out thy fury upon the Heathen that know the not and upon the Families that call not on thy Name How many Prayerless husbands do give occasion to their Wives to say to them as Zipporah to her husband Exod. 4. 25. A bloody Husband art thou to me Your Wives Children and Servants will sadly bewail it and cry out living or dying O that ever we were married to such husbands born of such Parents bound to such Masters that had no regard to serve God or care of souls If you are Christians indeed let a constant course of reading in the Word Catechising and Prayer be kept up in your houses for when death hath separated you and your relations it will grieve you to the heart that you did no more to further the good of their precious Souls Acts 13. 2 30. 2. By taking all occasions where-ever you are or come to further the conversion of perishing sinners If you have tasted that the Lord is gracious and are taken out of the Iron Furnace as fire brands out of the burning where is your pity and bowels to souls in perils Can you be contented to be happy Jud. 22. and to go to Heaven alone to endeavour by your prayers counsels and examples to perswade and draw others into Heavens way Wicked men are active for the Devil who like Snails leave their slime behind them where ever they come and are emptying the poyson of sin one into the other and so furthering their damnation What multitudes do you see weltring in their blood and making post-hast to Hell whose desperate and deplorable case should excite your compassion and cause you to speak a word in season for their salvation Your Dear Lord whom you should imitate Went about doing good Act. 10. 38. He improved his opportunity John 4. to convert a notorious sinner though weary and thirsty was not careful of hastning the meat because he preferred the opportunity to bring her soul out of Satans snare and so save her When at your Tables or buying or selling or travelling opportunity may be taken to speak of God and the things of God and to leave some conviction upon the company Thus Philip falling in with the Eunuch whilst he was riding on his way homewards from Jerusalem closed with him and was an instrument to save the soul of him he never saw before Act. 8. And by the heavenly discourse that dropped from the mouth of Mr. Carter Pastour of Brainford in Suffolk a Gentlewoman was converted while she was waiting on him in his Chamber warming his Bed A Word spoken in season through Gods blessing may save a soul and it is our duty to endeavour it Mr. Ignatius Jordan of Exeter was exceeding instrumental this way who would go from house to house to put his neighbours in mind of their Soul-concerns Holy David was not afraid or ashamed to speak of God hefore Kings and to tell what God had done for his soul and said he I will teach transgressors thy ways and sinners shall be converted unto thee Psal 5. 13. for he that converteth a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death Jam. 5. 20. When at any time your neighbous are sick and under the hand of God take that opportunity to visit them to put them in mind of Death and judgment and to make them sensible of the necessity of Faith and repentance without which there can be no hope of Heaven Our Proverb is To strike while the Iron is hot Upon a bed of languishing when death looks men in the face they seem serious and fit to receive the impression of faithful counsel for their souls To which joyn serious prayer for The prayer of faith saith the Apostle shall save the sick and it may save the soul 3. By provoking and encouraging our fellow-Brethren in the way to heaven West must exhort one another daily while it is called to day Heb. 3. 13. And provoke one another unto love and to good works and so much the more as we see the day approaching Heb. 10. 24 25. Wicked men and the Children of the Devil have their go with us and do stir up one another in the way to Hell and shall not Saints edifie and build up one another in the most holy Faith Rom. 14. 19. 15. 2. 1 John 5. 11. Eph. 4. 26. 1 Cor. 14. 26. Jude 20. They that feared the Lord speak often one to another Mal. 3. 16. Christians ought and should spend that time in serious and profitable discourse which others spend and wast in idle and vain discourse Say with the man after Gods own heart Come all that fear God and I will tell you what he hath done for my Soul That which you have seen and heard you must declare to one another 1 John 3. 3. Hereby be helping forwards towards Heaven and comforting one another by the comforts wherewith our selves are comforted of God 2 Cor. 1. 4. When thou art converted strengthen thy Brethren Luke 22. 32. 4. We must do good to others by distributing to their outward wants and necessities and hereby lay up a treasure in Heaven before our treasure in Earth fail and we lose both Mat. 19. 21. This is to honour the Lord with your substance Prov. 3. 9. This is to make friends with the unrighteous Mammon and to provide your selves bags which wax not old a treasure in the Heaven that faileth not Luke 12. 33. This duty must not be forgotten Heb. 13. 16. because 't is a sowing of seed 2 Cor. 9. 6. and it will spring and bring forth a crop or harvest in this or the other world Eccl. 11. 1 6. God will not forget it Heb. 6. 10. The Lord Jesus will certainly reward it Mat. 25. 40. A well done from Christ hereafter will compensate all the service of well doers here Mat. 25. 31. 5. By labouring to keep up constant communiou with God in all holy duties Christians you may lose time in the very service of God if you are not careful therein to converse with him Take heed of a slight spirit in serious performances God looks upon the heart and most there Some serious preparation is necessary before you approach the presence of the high and holy God Joseph shav'd himself before he would come into Pharaohs presence Let your heaven-born souls in every duty with the love-sick Spouse go out to meet your Lord and taken up with nothing else 'T is not the picture of the husband but the presence of the husband that can satiate the truely loving longing spouse It is a blessed sight to see souls working towards
World and your Hellish lusts have had half your time O let the time past suffice Know your times are in Gods hands Psal 31. 15. So that you are not certain of a day to come therefore begin and make speed in you work And for the gray-headed against whom death hath raised his batteries you can have but a few sands in your glass your departing hour cannot be far your Candle is within the socket and it may be is come to a stinking snuff Do you not see the Keepers of the old rotten house begin to tremble and the strong men bow themselves Expect the next blast the house to fall If you that are leaning on your staves and looking through your spectacles being ready to enter upon Eternity don't mind your work immediately Wo wo be unto you for ever If God should work a spiritual Miracle in converting and pardoning an old grey-headed Sinner that hath been idle till the leventh hour Mat. 20. 6. would it not be matter of amazement and wonder to Men and Angels For the Devil to be cast out of possession after he hath an Inhabitant threescore years and more for such an one to be born again would be strange indeed I have heard of an old man who being really converted not long before his death caused this to be written on his Tomb Here lyeth a very aged man of Three Years Old He reckoned all his time and life before as lost and worth nothing Now that you that have put off God and hazarded your souls so long already might lose no more time consider these motives 1. The present time is Gods time and must be yours 2. God the Righteous Judge will reckon with you for your time 3. You have solemnly promised to redeem it 4. Men take and improve opportunity for other things 5. Satan your deadly enemy is always busie and will lose no time 6. Saving-grace is an active and springing principle 7. Time once had and lost cannot be recalled 8. Cons How they prize time that have lost it 9. God hath joyned Time and Duty together 10. On this moment of Time Eternity depends Motive 1. Consider The present time is Gods and it must be yours Don't you hear the Holy Ghost say It is now high time to seek the Lord and calling to you Come away make speed Hos 10. 12. Delayes and Laziness are the two great Gulphs in which multitudes of souls are drowned and perish How many are now in Hell that purposed and promised to turn to God as you do hereafter O fear and tremble lest it should be your case To enforce this take these few hints 1. The present time hath most Precepts and Gods Commands like warrants in the Kings name must be obeyed on sight thereof We say Must is for the King If thou art young read Eccles 12. 1. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts Psal 95. 6. First seek the Kingdom of God Mat. 6. 33. You must not stay long Hos 13. 13. Bless God and wonder the golden thread of precious time is spin'd out so long 2. It hath most promises and they are great and precious I will receive you saith the Lord. They that seek me early shall find me The present time is an accepted time in which God may be found Psal 32. 6. Now God calls Heb. 3 7. and you may come and welcome John 6. 37. And it will be matter of unspeakable comfort to a man dying looking into Eternity to know he hath done the work for which he had his life and time 3. You have the hest examples And 't is our duty to imitate and follow them who are gone to Heaven before Your dead Lord would lose no time I must do the work of him that sent me while it is day When faithful Abraham was to offer his Son Isaac he made hast Gen. 22. 31. He rose up early in the morning Mary Magdalan came early in the morning to enquire after and to see the Lord Jesus whom her soul loved Mark 16. 2. Motive 2. God the righteous Judge will reckon with you for your time Not onely for your health wealth strength parts graces memories but for every minute of your time If at the day of judgement we must give an account for every idle word much more for so great a Talent so rich a Treasure as Time A Heathen could say that every wise man must tam otii quam negottii rationem reddere give an account of his business and of his idleness You may like fools waste your time neglect your duty and stand out against the call of God but it will cost your dear Eccl. 11. 9. Rejoyce O young man in thy youth and let thine heart chear thee in the days of thy youth and walk in the ways of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes but know thou for all these things God will bring thee unto judgement The great Landlord of your time is at great expence to continue it Those Luminaries of Heaven over your heads and principally the Prince of all the lights of Heaven the Sun that glorious and mighty Gyant the Prince and Crown of all corporal Creatures do tire and waste as it were their Celestial vigour to beget and give Time Time is so rich a Jewel that God would have one man value it to another If one man had hurt another he was to pay both for his cure and loss of time Exod 21. 18 19. So must you at the great day of account for all your time for every Sermon you have heard for every Sabbath and Sacrament you have had all your days Motive 3. You have all promised to redeem your time The Vows of Jehovah are upon you Say with David I will pay my Vows If the Godly man will perform his promise to his hurt Psal 15. 4. Much more should you for your profit Take the Counsel of the Wise Man Eccles 5. 4 5. When thou vowest a vow unto God defer not to pay it pay that which thou hast vowed better it is that thou should not vow then to vow and not pay How often you have engaged your selves to leave your known sins and to live soberly and righteously and Godly in this present World let Conscience witness If you that have resolved to read pray sanctifie the Sabbath c. should still waste and trifle away the time it will not only be a breach of promise but a sin against light for which thy heart will reproach thee and if thine heart condemn thee God is greater then thine heart and knoweth all things 1. John 3. 20. Remember the promises thou didst make at such a Sacrament or when struck at the heart by such and such a Sermon or when death was at thy Family or thy self near unto it and defer not to perform thy Covenant God who is a God of truth will not be mocked and
much brokeness of heart confess his sins pray and plead with God in Christ for pardon even to the wonder and amazement of those Ministers and Christians who where present And he being asked how often he prayed answered five or six times a day and it was with such meltings and multitudes of teares that did move the very bowels of the Auditors and as they said turned them into tears Thus you see how a powerful conviction of death and judgement may prevail upon the heart to make them cry to God that never prayed before As for you that can lye down at night rise up in the morning and go about the world without secret or family prayer I must tell you that you have but slight if any thoughts of death and eternity and no sence of or regard of your everlasting condition which is a sad symptom of a Christless state 6. Would you do good to others to their bodies and to their souls consider you must dye for after death you will be utterly incapacitated of doing any thing The wise man speaking of the season of doing and of the vicissitudes of mans life namely that there is a time to be born and a time to dye and he having observed the issues and changes of providence that hath made every thing beautiful in its season concludes that it is best for a man to do good in his life Eccles 3. 12. As we have therefore opportunity saith the Apostle let us do good to all men Gal. 6. 10. When it is in the power of thine hand to to do it Prov. 3. 27. Sirs the real thoughts of death will prompt you to give a portion to six and also to seven and that in season for when death comes all is gone then it s no more in power of thine hand to do Did you now beleive and consider that you must dye and give an account to God the great Landlord and Donor of all your good things great Reciepts having great accounts you would not contract your hearts and shut up your bowels against those many miserable objects who are so often in your view Now that you may be like sheep and not like swine be good in your life and let your acts of mercy be distributed in the morning the fittest season to sow this seed therefore speedily draw out thy soul to the hungry before death separate thy soul and body for with such sacrifices God is well pleased Isa 58. 10. Heb. 13. 14. 7. Would you get and keep sincerity a precious Pearl indeed think often of death and judgement Then it will be tryed then it will stand you in stead Sincerity the Scripture persection is the best of a Christian the grace of every grace for faith unfeigned and love in sincerity are the very nerves sinews of Christianity The next best to the precious blood and righteous of our glorified Redeemer to plead for us at the hour of death and in the Court of Heaven is truth in the in ward parts Isa 38. 3. To be a mourner in Sion is matter of solace and real comfort but to be a sinner in Sion is sad and it will be a matter of torment A Judas among the Apostles a Devil in Samuel's Mantle is a Devil indeed The sinners in Sion are afraid and cause enough for to live and dye a hypocrite is most dreadful because hypocrisie will certainly bring you down to hell yea the hottest place of that devouring fire and everlasting burning shall be the Hypocrites portion Isa 33. 14. Mat. 24. 5. 8. Lastly would you redeem your time and be greedy of getting grace in the day of grace for the present spiritual and eternal salvation of your souls think seriously of your end You sleepy secure souls did you consider that the night of death will come certainly and may come suddenly you would work while it is day and not be so mad as to put off beleiving repenting and soul afflicting-work self-trying and approving work until the evil day of old age a sick bed or dying pangs seize upon you Consider a death-bed repentance is seldom had and seldom good or a sick-bed repentance is seldom a sound but often a sick repentance Now if you would imitate your Lord to work while it is day remember you must dye John 9. 4. Directions and helps to consider of your latter end Direct 1. Search diligently to find out what it is that keeps you and the serious thoughts of death and eternity at so great a distance and cry mightily to God and speedily to remove it If it be either Ignorance Atheisme Unbeleif Sensuality Earthly-mindedness or Security be deeply sensible of it and set Prayer to work pour out thy very soul to God with greatest fervour and importunity Say as Meses Who knoweth the power of thine anger even according to thy fear so is thy wrath So teach us to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom Psa 96. 11 12. Sirs 't is spiritual wisdom will cause you to consider then cry after knowledg and lift up thy voice for understanding Prov. 2. 3 4. For she is thy life Prov. 4. 13 it s as much as thy life and soul is worth Then enter into thy Closet and fall down upon thy knees and pray to God in the name of Christ for spiritual wisdome we must seek it Ezek 36. 37. And god will give it James 1. 5. Beg more then for thy life for a truly wise and awakened heart withou which the great concerns of God and thine Immortal soul be for ever neglected Direct 2. Diligently and faithfully use and improve the most awakening means which have a tendency hereunto 1. Set your selves under a powerful faithful and soul-searching Ministry who make the conversion of souls their main business A lazy sleepy minister is nor like to waken a secure sinner the conviction and conversion of souls is not the mark they shoot at Resolve to hear have countenance and encourage those that grapple most with the conscience and earnestly endeavour to drive and draw soules to Jesus Christ by setting the blessing and the curse life and death before them Conviction leads the way to conversion as the needle to the thread what 's a plaistâ—r worth where there is no wound 't is the broken bones cry out for help the whole need not the Physitian General overly preaching is like the sword in the scabbard that doth not cut or wound or like Physick in the bottel that doth not penetrate or work but plain particular convincing preaching such as Nathans to David or Peters to the Jews 2 Sam. 12. 7. Acts 2. 36. is like the sword in the bowels or Physick in the body that will pain to purpose Those Preachers that have no faculty of reproving and convincing sleepy secure sinners are like a company of drone Bees that have lost their sting being good for nothing But they that have the charge of so many Golden Fleeces
instead 5. Consider which of the two eternities are you going towards 6. We are all near our everlasting habitation 7. You know not how suddenly or unexpected your end may be 8. When death comes your souls are stated your eternity is cast 9. 'T is a dreadful and amazing fight to see a Christless soul breathing out his last 4. Vse May be of comfort to the poor people of God who through fear of death are all their life-time subject to bondage Let not you hearts be trobnled fear not neither be terrified because of this King of fears But cheer up your spirits and comfort up your hearts with this that death as terrible as it is to the wicked cannot hurt you The day of your death will be better then the day of your birth and thereffore death is put into the Beleivers Inventory and reckoned amongst his priviledges 1 Gor. 3. 22. Death will be gain to the Godly man viz. an out-let to all his present misery and an in-let to endless glory Then the truely penitent perplexed wearied soul shall be perfectly free from the power of Satan the firy darts and dreadful temptations of that unclean spirit Then the old Serpent for ever will be under their feet Then the body of death shall be put off and the in dwelling of sin that natural fountain of corruption will be perfectly dryed up You shall never complain of vain thoughts or hard hearts any more Never doubt of the truth of grace or favour of God more The beleiver shall then be with Jesus Christ the day of his dissolution will be the day of his Coronation he shall then receive the Crown and sit down on the Throne and enter into his Masters joy which is fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore Object I sometimes think of death but the thoughts of death and judgement are very terrible I fear I am not fit to die how shall it be known Answ There is a habitual fitness for death and an actual fitness for death Every graciously upright man or woman in the world that fears God in truth is habitually fit to dye so prepared for his great change that the sting of death or second death shall not hurt him having past the the strait gate shot the gulf he is out of danger As soon as a man is in a state of grace born again made a new creature and by faith united unto the Lord Jesus Christ God is reconciled his person justified his sins pardoned and recorded in the Court of Heaven though his pardon is not brought down transcrib'd and seal'd in the Court of his own conscience The truly converted soul is Gods special favourite and shall lodge in his bosom and never more be out of his favour 't is true heaven may be out of sight God may frown but will never condemn There is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Rom. 8 1. If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous 1 John 2. 1. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect it is God that justifieth it is Christ that dyed Rom. 8. 33. 34. Quest When is the godly man actually prepared for death Answ When his spiritual estate is well setled viz. all made sure between God and his soul particularly 1. When a man is truly conscious to himself that he hath sincerely and with much brokeness of heart repented of all his known sins committed before or after conversion so that there is no fresh or former guilt remaining on him This godly sorrow is the godly mans pleasure he delights to be sowing in tears loves with his soul a wet seed-time for they that sow in tears shall reap a harvest of joy which is a time of refreshing rom the presence of God compare Psal 126. 5 6. and Acts 3. 19. 2. When sin is so great a bur den that he is weary of this body of death and willing the infected house should be pulled down that the Leprosie might be cured that so he might never sin or offend his Father more The serious thoughts and sence of which is a heavy burden and matter of greif that makes him groan and complain We in this Tabernacle do groan being burthened and O how bitterly did St. Paul complain Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death He had been in deaths often for the sake of his dear Lord but this death his body of sin troubled him more then any It was so great a burden to holy David that he felt it in his very bones Psal 38. 3. 3. The godly man is fit to dye when the work of grace is perfected and his Generation work ended When the beleiving soul hath his Vessel full of Oyl and the Wedding garments of the glorious Righteousness of Christ about him then he is a Vessel of honour prepared unto glory Rom. 9. 23. wrought for the self same thing 2 Cor. 4. 5. and made meet or fit for the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1. 12. The ship that 's laden or fraugthed is fit to put to Sea and to sail from hence or for it s appointed Port. The labourer is fit to receive his wages when he hath done his work so when the heaven born soul hath faithfully served his Generation and done the work in his Place Calling and Relations for which God sent him and intrusted him though the best fall short being in some degrees unprofitable servants then is he fit to welcome death though to the flesh it s the Kings of terrours When the godly man liveing or dying can apeal to the heart-fearching God as Hezekiah did Isa 38. And say I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do John 17. I have finish'd my course and there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness 2 Tim. 4. 8. this makes him fit and willing to depart to be with Christ When sin is pardoned and the pardon sealed i e when the clamorous noise of the guilt of sin in the conscience is calmed and silenced by the blood of sprinkling and his evidences for heaven bright and clear so that his better country is within view and the gate of glory wide open namely abundant entrance into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1. 11. Lot had a mind to prolong his time in Sodom it was a goodly City and he was not well assured wither to go when he had lest it But when the gracious soul his assured of a better state a better life that 's hid with Christ in God so that he can say as once an eminent godly man dying I shall but change my place I shall not change my company He may then being seal'd to the day of Redemption long for his dissolution 5. When the heart is weaned from and weary of this evil world and so enflam'd with love to Christ that it
cannot live without him or be absent from him Having tasted of the Grapes of Eshcol he must go to Canaan to see the good Land that goodly Mountain A foresight or glimps of the sweetness beauty and glory of the Lord Jesus will cause most vehement longing to be with him Now let thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation For this we groan earnestly And O how confidently quietly and comfortably may such a soul entertain the thoughts of death that hath sincerely repented of all sin and to whom sin is so greivous a burden that he would dye to be rid of it And whose soul is â—â—l'd and fraughted with grace and assured of glory and his heart sent as a Harbinger to Heaven before him And indeed a serious and hearty consideration of our eternal state would provoke us to press earnestly after all this To close up all let me ask you as in the presence of the great Judg of quick and dead at whose dreadful tribunal you must all shortly stand these following Queries Quer. 1. First Whether a seasonable preparation for death and Judgement viz. how you may escape Hell and come safe to Heaven be not the most urgent and important business that you have in all the world Let your conscience judge and determine Quer. 2. Are not they in a very happy condition that do believe repent and turn to God with their whole heart who by living a life of grace are truly prepared for death and out of the dreadful hazzard of loosing Heaven Rom. 8. 1. Psal 37. 37. Quer. 3. Is it not possible that you being yet on this side the Grave and Hell may prepare for this evil day were you resolv'd upon it would be done you have often intended it promised it when shall it be none but the Devil and your flesh will stop and hinder you Quer. 4. Do you firmly beleive the things here will fail that death will come that sin that accursed thing will sting and that the impenitent sinners case at the hour of death wil be sad and very desperate Let me say to all such there is not a night you lye down upon your beds but you run a very great hazzard If death should call and you not ready you must go though you be ruin'd to eternity Matth. 25. 10 11 12 16 22 23. Quer. 5. Have you so liv'd as to be fit to lye down in a Grave to rise again and stand before God who is a consuming fire Do you know your selves in a state of grace that you are new born that your evidences for heaven are clear and certain is your work done do your Lamps burn and have you a well-grounded assurance that you are in the Number of those to whom death will be a priviledge Phil. 21. Quer. 6. Can you chearfully and without dread entertain the thoughts of a dissolution and of leaving all your earthly and sensual delightes Suppose the dreadful Judge should at this instant send death into this place with the names of five or six of you in his writ or forehead and death should say you and you this man and that woman must go along with me I have received a comand from the great and terrible God who hath the power of death and of hell to bring you young man young woman this day or night before the Judgement seats I have often warned you by sending my Deputies and and that this ten twenty or forty yeares every Coffin every dead Corps or Grave you have seene was so many intimations of my coming Now saith death I am come look here upon my commission see my dart and my sting This dart must kill the body and send thy soul unto eternity I command thee this moment to bid adieu to and take thy leave of Friends Relations Houses Lands pleasures of sin once for all Thou shalt never see or jnjoy them more Luke 12. 19. 20. O how can you think of your dying the worlds burning the trumpers Sounding the deads rising and staunding at the Bar and not fear and tremble You Sons and Daughters of pleasures did you consider what horror and astonishment dogs you as the heels which will inevitable come upon you as travel on a woman with child you would not say unto God depart and treasure up wrath lay up scoorges and scorpions for your distressed souls against the last day Quer. 7. Let me ask you that pass for Saints and hope for Heaven whether your consciences in secret do not tell you that you have made poor preparation for it yea it may have done less for Heaven then many that are now in hell You say you must dye and come to judgement but how stands the case as to the other world If you look downward to this world it s well but how is it within with your precious soul Do you beleive that Atheists Unbeleivers Drunkards Swearers Murderers Thieves Persecutors Lyars Sabbath-breakers Adulterers worldlings are going swiftly to hell Do you beleive that Christs flock is little and not fear your selves Do you think that Esau Judas Ahab Agrippa Herod Simon Magus the foolish Virgins are in hell and yet confident of your going to heaven These have out done many of you Esau wept and cryed for the blessing Heb. 12. 17. Ahab humbled himself 1 Kings 12 29. Herod did many things and heard John joyfully Mark 16. 20. Agrippa was almost a Christian Acts 6. 28. The Scribe was not far from the kingdom of God Mark 12. 34. The foolish Virgins were not prophane they took care to trim their Lamps and knock at the door Now what sins have you lest what grace have you exercis'd what duties have you performed and how Take heed you be not deceived Strive to enter in at the strait gate for many will seek to enter in and shall not be able Luk. 13. 24. Quer. 8. 4. You having so many warnings time and means to prepare for death judgment and will not who will pity you when you perish God will not Prov. 1. 26 27. Christ will not Luke 19. 27. Angels Saints Ministers will not all will say away with them let them be damn'd And O what a killing and amazing sight will Christs coming in the clouds be to all that either denied his coming or who would not prepare for it His incarnation was terrible Matth. 2. 3. His Crucifixion was more terrible Luk. 23. 44. 45 47. 48 But his being on the tribunal will be most terrible Then shall the tribes of the earth mourn Math. 24. 3. And men cry to the rocks and mountaines to fall on them Rev. 6. 15 16. When they shall see so many thousands and millions of men and women dragged down with all the Devils of hell to that burning lake of fire and brimstone How will they then mourn for sorrow of heart and howl for vexation of spirit and with bitterness of soul wish they had never heard of Christ that they had been born among the Heathen or never had a being or enjoy'd a life of pleasure upon the Earth How will the wretched sinner beat his breast pluck off his hair tear his bowels crying out when he sees all hope is gone O that I had now no soul or that this immortal soul were mortal that I might now dye and breath no more or that my sentence might be but to lodge with Devils in this burning lake ten thosand years that so I might not remain in a state of banishment from the face and presence of God to all eternity O then pray that serious thoughts of death may be alwayes upon thine heart and whethere thou goest let them go and where thou lodgest let them lodg that thou mayest speak of it to thy Children and Family when thou sitttest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest down and when thou risest up O let these great things of death and judgment be bound as a signe upon thine hand and write them upon the posts of thine house and on thy gates that they may be always before thine eyes and for thy good alwayes that thou may'st beware least thou forget the Lord thy God and the everlasting concernments of thine immortal soul and gods anger be kindled against thee and destroy thee suddenly with a mighty destruction Consider now what I have spoken and the Lord give thee understanding in all things 2 Tim. 2. 7. Which is that God wisheth in the Text O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider thrir latter end FINIS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tempus spatium temporis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est opportunitas Qui quid atotiis retro est mors tenet Sen. in Epist Prov. 22. 6. Luke 13. 24. 1 Cor. 9 24. 25. Eph. 6. 12. 1 Tim. 6. 12. Schola crucis est Schola lucis Luth. Ps 94. 12. Math. 4. 16. 2 Tim. 1. 10. Ezek. 13. 8. Rom. 5. 8. Isa 61. 1. John 6. 16. Tempus acceptum or tempus acceptabile Bez. in loc Quodoffertur gratia ex gratia Dei est qui sua contuit rebus omnibus momenta ut oblatam occasionum arripiamus The youth that lately was hang'd for murdering his Fellom Servant confess'd that his Sabbath breaking made way for all his other prodigious sins Tempus non potest Deo consecrari nisi quo modo redemptum Calvin in loc * Punctum est quod vivimus puncto minus Nonexignum temporis habemus sed multum perdimus Sen. Enigua pars est vitae quem nos vivimus