rebellion to obedience to God and his Laws the affections must be changed from earthliness to heavenliness from carnality to spirituality the Conversation must be changed from sin to holiness from vanity and loosness to strictness and seriousness in walking with God Oh how great must that change be that calls for so many and so great changes to sit and prepare us for it Thirdly it is such a change as though it do not put us out of being yet it puts us into a quite other manner of being than ever we yet had a change which sets us naked before the Tribunal of God to receive a definitive sentence of life or death from him a change which brings us into the immediate sight of God either as a gracious Father or as a revenging Judg a change which fully opens the eyes of the soul and makes him to see both grace and sin heaven and hell grace in its amiableness sin in its odiousness heaven in its glory and hell in its horrour for my Beloved whatever we are whether good or bad Saints or Sinners yet when we die our eyes will be fully opened to see these things we shall see unutterable things if we be good we shall see them with joy and exultation if we be bad we shall see them with anguish and confusion of soul Fourthly It is such a change as makes us capable of and actually puts us into unspeakably greater things either of happiness or misery comfort or confusion than ever here we knew or were capable of a change which in one moment in the twinkling of an eye carries the soul from small first fruits to the full vintage from a few drops to a bottomless boundless Ocean of either Happiness or vengeance Delight or Torment And withal there leaves him without any possibility of change or alteration for ever but that of its reunion with the body for it is such a change as leaves the state of the soul for ever unchangeable Oh then think much and often with your selves how great a change death will make with you certainly did men think and consider with themselves how great a change death will make with them when it comes they would not leave the matters of their souls in such disorders and discomposure in such an unready posture for it as they do Fourthly Would you indeed set all right in your Souls and make all ready for a dying hour then presently set upon Soul-work without admitting of the least delay or procrastination upon any account whatsoever delays and procrastinations in the work of our Souls and Eternity is the High-way to death and ruine what was it that ruined the foolish Virgins but their delays in this great work and their neglect of the great concerns of their soul till it was too late to mind them Mat. 25. begin Felix also was in a fair way and had a fair opportunity before him to have provided for another world but he delayed and his delay for ought we know was his ruine Acts 2.25 Truly the heart is very apt to delay and procrastinate Soul-work it is apt to cry out to morrow to morrow hence it is that the Scripture calls so often upon us for a speedy engaging in the work of our souls the Scripture saith now and to day now is the accepted time now is the day of salvation 2 Cor. 6.2 And to day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts Heb. 3.7 8. And if the Scripture saith now why shouldst thou talk of hereafter If the Scripture saith to day why shouldst thou talk of to morrow Austin confesseth this and withal tells us there is scarce any end of delays if once we give way to them I delayed saith he to be converted to God and put off my living to him from day to day And elsewhere he tells us that when God called upon him to awake to his work he returned nothing but a few sleepy words Anon Lord saith he anon bear with me a little but this anon and anon had no end and this bear with me a little went on a long way Take heed of this this hath been the ruine of thousands and ten thousands how many have been convinced that it is their duty and interest both to fall in with the work of God and their Souls to make preparation for another world but they have put it off till hereafter and satisfied their Consciences with resolutions hereafter to do so and so and have thus lost their season Oh fall presently without delay upon Soul-work and to quicken you a little hereunto consider four things First Consider the unreasonableness of delays no just Plea can be made nor true account given why you should delay your Soul-work one moment the Devil and a man 's own heart will make many Pleas but no just Plea can be made they will tell you it is too soon you are young and have time enough before you what need you engage so soon but is this a rational Plea Is it too soon to be saved too soon to be happy too soon to secure your eteraal interest is it too soon to lay hold on eternal life Is it too soon to know and enjoy God Is it too soon to be out of danger of perishing eternally Why truly it cannot be too soon for these things besides God calls for thy youth Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth Eccl. 12.1 And he greatly values the kindness of thy youth Jer. 2.2 Again they will suggest that such and such a business must be dispatched such a work done and carried off your hands and then you may attend this work Lord saith he to Christ I will follow thee but suffer me first to go bury my father and saith another Lord I will follow thee but first let me go and bid them farewell which are at home Luk. 9.57 61. But friends let me ask you if there be any business to be dispatched like the business of your Souls and Eternity is there any thing upon your hand that is of so much worth as your souls and of so much weight as Eternity is there any thing you are so nearly concerned to mind as that which is indeed the one thing necessary even the saving of your souls Oh the whole world is nothing to this and the greatest concernments on earth are but trifles to this concern Again they will tell you it is an inconvenient season and hereafter the work may be better done and minded by you than now it can which was Felix his case in the place before mentioned Acts 24.25 But hearken soul art thou sure of another season and art thou sure that that will be a more convenient season surely no if it be not convenient to day thou mayst fear it will be less convenient to morrow that Devil and deceitful heart that tells thee it is not convenient now will make provision that it shall be less convenient hereafter O therefore break through
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
I am not As the Cloud is consumed and vanisheth away so he that goeth down to the Grave shall come up no more He shall return no more to his House and his place shall know him no more Again Job 10.20 21. Are not my dayes few Cease then and let me alone that I may take comfort a little before I go whence I shall not return even into the Land of darkness and the shadow of death And again Ch. 16.22 When a few dayes are come then shall I go the way whence I shall not return All shewing that when a man is once gone off the Stage of this World there is no return for him any more Second Proposition is this That such is the state of men and women under death that there is nothing to be done for their souls there is nothing to be mended that is amiss nothing to be set in order that shall be found out of order Death my beloved is not the time of working but of receiving the reward of our work Death leaves us under an utter and eternal impossibility of ever doing any thing for another World Therefore whatever thine hand findeth to do saith Solomon do it with al thy might for there is no work nor counsel in the Grave whither thou goest Eccles 9.10 And I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day because the night cometh when no man can work saith Christ John 9.4 Death is a state of darkness and it deprives us of all helps advantages and opportunities of ever doing any thing for the good of our souls There is no repenting no believing no turning to God in the Grave There is no assuring pardon of sin no getting an Interest in Christ no making our Calling and Election sure there O no these things must be done now or they can never be done and if they be never done our souls are for ever undone 'T was an Epicurean saying of him who said Eat drink play for after death there is no pleasure but it would be a Christian saying to say to you and my own soul love God pray to him seek his face repent believe make sure of Christ for after death none of these are to be done They must be done here or never Third Proposition is this That such is the state of men and women under death that the Soul is actually and irreversibly stated and concluded in his eternal condition The Souls eternal state is absolutely fix'd and unchangeably determined without any alteration for ever 'T is an observation among the School-men that look what befel the Angels that sinned that in death befalls wicked men those that are not ready for a dying hour The Angels immediately upon their sinning were stated in an irreversible condition of wo and misery And wicked men unready souls immediately upon death are irreversibly stated in a like eternal condition they are eternally sealed up under damnation And the Devils may as soon get out of those Chains of eternal darkness whereinto they are cast and in which they are locked up being reserved unto Judgment as such persons can change or reverse that condition The truth is death when ever ot where ever it comes is a determining thing it concludes the soul for ever under an unalterable state of life or death of happiness or misery for as the Tree falls so it lies Eccl. 11.3 Hence in death the Spirit the soul is said to return to God Eccl. 12.7 Upon which a learned man has this observation God saith he receives the Soul of Man when he dies to himself and having received it he delivers it either to the Holy Angels that by them it might be carried to Heaven if it hath been holy and good or he delivers it to the evil Angels by them to be dragged into Hell if it hath been ungodly Hence the Apostle tells us after death comes judgment Heb. 9.27 By which is meant the particular Judgment of every man and woman immediately upon death which is nothing else but the stating of the soul in an eternal condition Hence also when Dives is brought in desiring that Lazarus might dip the tip of his finger in water to cool his tongue answer is made that it cannot be for as much as there is no going for any either from Hell to Heaven or from Heaven to Hell because there is a Gulph fixed Luke 16.26 Noting the unalterableness of that state which Death sets men down in whether of happiness or misery Well then if such be the state of men and women under death as we have heard then surely 't is highly our concernment to have all ready all in order against a dying hour comes Having given you thus briefly the demonstration of the point I shall make some practical improvement of it CHAP. V. Wherein sinners are convinced of their sin and folly in their neglect of this concern with six weighty Pleas or Arguments to set home this Conviction and awaken them to their work ANd is this indeed a concern of so much weight and moment to us Then how great is their folly and what enemies are they to their own souls who live in the neglect of this great business and concern which the most of men do God is pleased to spare yeâ— wonderfully to spare them for dayes for weeks for months for years together and that for this very end that they should make themselves ready and set all right in the matters of their souls against a dying hour comes but woe and alas for them This they mind not this they concern not themselves about but do live in a total neglect thereof than which what greater folly can they be guilty of Pray mind what God himself speaks in this case Deut. 32.28 29. Where he saith concerning Israel they were a Nation void of counsel nor was there any understanding in them And what then O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end Observe here two things attested and verified by God himself First that 't is a point of the highest wisdom the Sons of men are capable of seriously to consider their latter end that is to prepare for death to set all things right in the matters of their souls so as that things may issue well with them at last and they may go off the Stage of this World with comfort Secondly that not to do this is a point of the greatest folly It doth evidently argue men to be void of counsel and all true understanding It would have been their wisdom to have considered their latter end and their not doing of it argued them to be guilty of notorious folly These things you may see God himself attests and verifies here And my Beloved what greater folly can there be than for a man to live in the neglect of that which is of so much weight and importance for him to mind as this is Surely the greater the concern
hence and be no more Sinners will you set about this great business your work is wholly yet to do though it may be your day is far spent your Glass is almost run your Sun near setting and all your work to do Oh 't is high time for you to awake out of sleep unless you mean to sleep the sleep of Eternal Death Saints will you set about this great business while God spares you You have done somewhat but there is much more yet to be done there is much out of order yet in your souls Grace weak it may be Corruption strong Peace broken Evidences blurr'd and blotted Unbelief powerful within you the heart much estranged from God little suitableness to Heaven in your Spirits and the like will you now labour to recover strength how many of us may complain as that holy man St. Bernard once did I am ashamed to live because I am so unprofitable and I am afraid to dye because I am so unprepared Surely this truth concerns the best of us all and if we understand our selves we cannot but know it the Lord help us to know it effectually And if after all you would indeed address to this great work and business then I have several great and weighty directions to propound to you for your help therein of which some more general some more particular and I would speak of each distinctly CHAP. VII Wherein are propounded several general directions in order to a through preparation of Soul for a dying hour 1. WOuld you indeed set all things right in your souls make all ready for a dying hour then in your most prosperous and flourishing state here maintain a frequent and serious remembrance of death and the grave upon your spirits If a man live many years saith Solomon and rejoyce in them all yet let him remember the days of darkness for they are many Eccl. 11.8 By the days of darkness here we are to understand death and the state of death the abode of our bodies in the grave which is a Land of darkness and where the light is as darkness Job 10.20 Now saith he though a man live many years and rejoyce in them all that is though a man live long and prosperously long and joyfully yet let him remember death and the grave the future state 'T is true there are other days of darkness which we are subject to in this world and should be remembred by us days of outward darkness the darkness of outward trouble and affliction and days of inward darkness the darkness of spiritual distress and dereliction and indeed 't is of marvellous use to us in our prosperity to remember these days of darkness but especially we should remember death and the Grave we should carry a lively remembrance of these days of darkness daily upon us and indeed our not remembring these days of darkness is one great cause why we are so unready for Death and the Grave as we are When we are in the midst of our enjoyments and the streams run pleasantly about us we are too apt to forget these days of darkness we are so taken with our earthly comforts that we are loth to think of Death and Eternity putting far from us the evil day as those in their enjoyments did Amos 6.3 And therefore when these days come they find us so unready and our spiritual concernments so discomposed as usually they do But my Beloved as ever you would have all right and in order in your souls against a dying hour comes let me recommend this to you as one special help maintain a deep and frequent remembrance of Death and the Grave upon your Spirits remember the days of darkness and that especially these two ways 1. Remember them so as to have them much in your meditation be much and frequent in the contemplation of Death and the Grave This the Holy Ghost calls a considering our latter end and withal mentions it as a business of great importance to us Deut. 32.29 To consider is to revolve a thing in our minds and to keep it much in our thoughts and meditations And thus we should consider our latter end and remember the days of darkness this is that the Saints of old have been much conversant in they were much and frequent in the thoughts and meditations of death as I might instance in the good old Patriarchs Job David and others And 't is what does marvellously conduce to our preparation for it The meditation of death saith one is life it is that which greatly promotes our spiritual life therefore walk much among the Tombs and converse much and frequently with the thoughts of a dying hour 2. Remember them so as to have them daily in your expectation In the midst of all your enjoyments expect Deaths approach daily this is called a waiting for our change All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change comes Job 14.14 And we are commanded to wait for the coming of our Lord as that which lies in the directest tendency to the exactest readiness and preparation for his coming Luke 12.36 Expect death every hour saith one for 't is every hour approaching thee In the morning when thou risest think with thy self this may be the last day In the evening when thou lyest down think with thy self this may be the last night I may ever have in this world I know not when my Lord will come whether in the morning or in the evening at mid-night or at the Cock-crowing therefore I will be always expecting his coming Woe and alas for us we are apt to talk of many years yet to come as he did Luke 12.9 whereas we should live in the expectation of death every moment Thus let us consider the days of darkness it will marvellously conduce to the preparation of the Soul for them the meditation and expectation of death will conduce much among others to these four things 1. It will conduce much to our humbling and self-abasing Let a man own himself to be a mortal saith Austin and pride will it must down And think frequently of death saith another and thou wilt easily bring down thy proud heart Hence also the consideration of Death is often in Scripture mentioned by the Holy Ghost as an argument to make us humble Dust thou art and unto dust thou shalt return Gen. 3.19 as elsewhere 2. It will conduce much to the weaning of our hearts from this world and to the loosening of them from the things here below The time is short saith the Apostle what then Why it remaineth that they that have Wives be as though they had none and those that weep as though they wept not and those that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not those that buy as though they possessed not and they that use this world as not abusing it for the fashion of this world passeth away 1 Cor. 7.29 30 31. He mentions the shortness of time as that the meditation
one Question Dost thou indeed see thy particular concern in this business so see it as really to make it thy great work and solicitude while living to set all things right and make all things ready for a dying hour Some there are that are so happy as so to do and art thou one of them then why shouldest thou fear death yea why shouldest thou not exult and thy heart leap within thee in the sight and thoughts of its approach true it is a dark Entry but it leads to a fair and stately Palace even the Fathers house 't is a rough and difficult passage but it sets thee safe on shore in a large and fat land true it carries with it some what a black lowring and ghastly aspect to nature and nature may at first possibly be startled and recoil at the sight of it but open the eye of thy faith and behold it in the glass of the Gospel view it in the death of thy Lord and Head and it vvill not appear half so terrible yea thou vvilt find it to be not so much an enemy as a Friend not as a King of Terrours but rather as a King of Comforts not as an object to be dreaded and trembled at but rather to be rejoyced in and triumphed over by thee it vvill appear to be not loss but gain For me to die is gain says Paul Phil. 1.21 yea it vvill be thy great gain 't will be the period of all thy misery and the perfecting of all thy happiness and the truth is vve are never perfectly happy till death comes But for thy further encouragement I shall in a few particulars shew you vvhat Death come vvhen it vvill doth and vvill do for such as make all ready for its coming 1. Death vvhen ever it comes vvill translate thee thou ready soul from Earth to Heaven from a strange land to thine own home and Fathers house and vvill not this be a kindness as for this vvorld vvhat is it to the poor Saints but a strange land 't is Heaven is their home and Countrey hence they have confest and do confess themselves to be Pilgrims and Strangers upon earth Heb. 11.13 and the Psalmist in the words immediately foregoing my Text Psalm 39.12 owns it to God I am a Sojourner and a stranger here yea this world is not onely a strange land but a waste howling wilderness to such wherein they live among wild Beasts Lions Bears Wolves Tygers and the like Lusts within and Devils without ready daily to devour them but now when Death comes that carries them off from this strange land this waste howling wilderness to their own home and countrey which is Heaven yea to their Fathers house there to live with him to enjoy his presence and to adore his grace We know says the Apostle that when our earthly house of this tabernacle speaking of the Body shall be dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens 2 Cor. 5.1 And you know how Christ speaks to his Disciples Joh. 14.2 In my Fathers house are many mansions if it were not so I would have told you and thither does death carry you when it comes Oh sweet Oh my Beloved to go home to go to our Fathers house and to possess our Mansion there that Mansion which our dear Lord and Head is gone before to prepare for us how sweet is this to think of and how many deaths may it sweeten Suppose one of you were some thousand miles distant from your home Country and Comforts and you were in a waste howling Wilderness among Lions and Bears ready to devour you a wide Sea also being between home and you and suppose withal that a Ship should come and take you into her and in a short time set you down in your own Country and among all your Friends and comforts would not this be a kindness why this is your case here O ye preparing souls and this is the kindness death does for you when it comes while here you are ten thousand miles distant from your home and Country your Friends and Comforts and in a waste howling Wilderness but Death that swift Sailer comes and in a moment sets you down in Heaven your home and Country O how welcom should it then be to you 2. Death whenever it comes will carry thee from trouble to rest from a tempestuous Sea to a quiet Haven there to lie at an eternal Anchor in the bosom of thy sweet Lord. This world ever was and for any thing I know ever will be a place of trouble to the people of God sure I am Christ hath told us In the world you shall have tribulation Jo. 16.33 And who of us does not find it made good This world is a tempestuous Sea wherein the Waves lift up themselves and the poor Saints are afflicted and tossed with tempests and oftentimes not comforted Isa 54.11 We read in Jonah 1.13 that the Sea wrought and was tempestuous and the Mariners were fain to row hard to get the Ship to shore And truly thus 't is often in the case in hand the Sea of this world is tempestuous it works and the poor Saints are fain to row hard to get safe to shore yea as we read Acts 27.14 that an Euroclydon a tempestuous East-wind arose and beat upon Paul and others in the Ship with him which was ready to break all in pieces So truly the Saints in this world do meet with Euroclydons tempestuous winds not a few which beat upon them and are ready to split all and sink all but now when death comes those stormes are all made a calm and they I mean the Saints are brought into the desired Haven Death sets them at rest 't is indeed their dismission to rest There says Job speaking of the Grave the weary be at rest Job 3.17 Death sends the body to rest it frees it from all sensible sufferings when Death comes thy weak body thy sick body thy pained body thy consumptive body shall have its dismission to rest and Death sends the soul to rest that rests in God and with God Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord henceforth they rest from their labours Rev. 14.13 and you have I think both together in one Scripture Isa 57.2 where speaking of the righteous 't is said They shall enter into peace they shall rest in their beds Hence we read that there remaineth a rest to the people of God Heb. 4.9 indeed it remains 't is not here but when death comes that sets them down in this remaining rest Oh what a kindness must this be Rest O how sweet is rest how desirable is rest and rest too after long and hard labour and trouble how sweet is rest to the labouring man that hath wrought hand all the day how sweet is rest to the weary traveller that hath gone a long and dirty journey how sweet is rest to the solicitous Mariner and how
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
kill and bring down the one and to quicken and perfect the other How dost thou with the holy Apostle of old forgetting those things which are behind follow after that thou mayst apprehend that for which also thou art apprehended of Christ Jesus pressing towards the mark c. Phil. 3.12 13 14. O the watchings the warrings the wrestlings of thy soul for more grace more holiness more victory over and cleansing from sin Oh the many prayers and tears sighs and groans that thou pourest out between God and thy soul in order hereunto These things are the business of thy life yea and after all sin is still strong and lively and grace is still weak and imperfect the sense of which breaks thy heart almost and makes thee go mourning all the day long What daily cleansing thy self and yet still unclean daily perfecting holiness yet still imperfect Oh hovv fad is this Well but Soul vvhen death comes things vvill be strangely alter'd vvith thee that vvill do that for thee in one moment vvhich thou by a vvhole life of prayers tears faith vvatching vvarring labouring couldst not do ' t vvill make thee perfect Hence those above are said to be so the spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12.23 then all that is imperfect will be done away and that which is prefect shall come 1 Cor. 13.10 perfect grace perfect holiness Novv there is much lacking in thy faith thy love thy obedience thy humility thy heavenliness thy joy and delight in God but death vvhen it comes vvill make up all in a moment yea novv thou art stained and defiled vvith sin and this lust and the other lust stirs and vvorks and vvars vvithin thee but vvhen death comes that vvill purge avvay all Death is the Saints only perfect cleanser through Christ Indeed 't is said of vvicked men and hypocrites that their iniquites shall lie down with them in the dust Job 20.11 vvhich is a dreadful vvord indeed Death does not kill their sins no they live in the grave they go vvith them into the other vvorld and vvill there live in them for ever vvhich vvill be a great part of their torment 't will be indeed however they may now think of it the one half of hell for vvhat is hell but sin at the highest and vvrath at the hottest but though it be thus vvith vvicked ones yet 't is otherwise vvith the Saints Death through the Grace of Christ vvill for ever put a period to your sin and perfect your graces Oh sweet vvho vvould not vvelcom death 6. Death vvhenever it comes vvill set thee above all afflictive distances between God Christ the Comforter and thee and vvill set down thy soul in the full constant and immediate vision and fruition of all for ever and is not this svveet Poor Saint here thou complainest that God is as a stranger to thee and as a way faring man that turneth aside to tarry but for a night Thou hast only novv and then a short visit from him Jer. 14.8 Thou complainest that thy Beloved withdraws himself and is gone Cant. 5.6 Thou complainest that the Comforter that should relieve thy soul is far from thee Lam. 1.18 thou complainest of many sad and woful distances from God and of the lowness of thy communion and well thou maist for indeed how little a portion is there here seen or enjoyed of him by thee well but when death comes that will lift thee above all those distances between God and thee Christ and thee and set thee down in the full constant and immediate vision and fruition of him for ever the thoughts of which made Paul and others to desire to be gone and to chuse death rather than life 2 Cor. 7.6 7 8. We are confident says he knowing that whilst we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord for we walk by faith not by sight we are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Pray observe Paul enjoyed as much of God and Christ here as most did and yet all that communion he enjoyed here he accounted as no communion to that which he should enjoy after death While we are present in the body says he that is while we live in this world we are absent from the Lord absent from God and Christ our communion here is but distance and estrangement so low and unconstant is it in comparison of what we know we shall enjoy after death and therefore says he we had rather be absent from the body we had rather be gone hence and be present with the Lord Death will bring us to anotherguess presence and enjoyment of God and Christ than here we shall ever be able to reach unto Alas all we enjoy of God and Christ here is but as an earnest so the Apostle speaks in the verse foregoing He that hath wrought us for this self-same thing is God who also hath given us the earnest of the spirit but when Death comes we shall enjoy the full inheritance all we enjoy here is but as the first-fruits we that have the first fruits of the spirit says the Apostle Rom. 8.23 but when death comes we shall have the full vintage full incomes of love full manifestations of light and life and glory fulness of joy and pleasure in the Divine Presence Psal 16.11 full embraces in Christs bosom full views of his face full visions of his glory Death when it comes will bring us to the Beatifical Vision which is all good and happiness in one Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Mat. 5.8 They do see God now they see him by Faith and those sights of him are sweet glorious soul-ravishing and transforming sights but after death they shall have other sights of him such sights of him as will even infinitely surpass all that ever they had or were capable of here Here they see him but through a glass darkly that is they have but low obscure mediate sights of him they see and enjoy but little of him but when death comes then they shall see him face to face that is fully clearly immediately 1 Cor. 12.12 The sum is as a learned man gives it us that in this life we have but low and slender sights and enjoyments of God in comparison of what we shall see know and enjoy of him in eternal life Glas Rhet. Here they see but his back parts as God said to Moses but when death comes they shall see his face that is his glory here they see him but negatively as it were what he is not but then they shall see him as he is 1 Joh. 3.2 we shall see him as he is in all his glorious excellencies and perfections In short they shall then have such sights and enjoyments of God and Christ as shall eternally fill delight solace satisfie and set at rest their souls for ever such sights and enjoyments as shall so
Serenissima Anna D G Ang SccE Fran et Hiber Reg Fidei Defencor Printed Sold by N. Boddington at the Golden Ball in Duck Lane The Great Concern OR A SERIOUS WARNING to a Timely and Thorough PREPARATION FOR DEATH With Helps and Directions in order thereunto By EDWARD PEARSE Being the last that ever he preached John 9.4 I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day the night cometh when no man can work The Third Edition recommended as proper for Funerals LONDON Printed for J. Robinson at the Golden Lyon in St. Paul's Church-yard and B. Aylmer at the three Pigeons in Cornhil 1674. TO THE READER Reader IF thou art one who indeed livest in the belief of a future Life an Eternity of happiness or misery when time and days shall be more I am confident the ensuing Discourse will be grateful and welcom to thee I make no Apology for its plainness nor am I at all solicitous touching the censures I may fall under for publishing of it If thou wilt read it with an upright heart I question not but through a blessing from above it may do thy Soul good sure I am thou wilt find the Argument most weighty and the Concern thereof most important and woe be to that soul which misseth the design it tends to and aims at When men come to die and do find themselves launching forth into the vast Ocean of Eternity at least when once they find themselves incircled in that Ocean which quickly they do when once Death makes its approach then they see that their great interest lay beyond this poor vain perishing World and the things thereof then they see that their Great Concern was to have look'd and liv'd beyond time and days and have made provision for an Eternal state but alas alas then 't is too late too late then they cry out O Eternity Eternity O miserable souls that we are how did sin and the world blind and bewitch us that we could not ere now when 't is too late see the weight of an Eternal Interest O blind and bruitish Creatures that were taken with carnal and sensual things things pleasing only to a sensual appetite and forgot God the chief Good the things of Heaven and a blessed Eternity which would have made us happy for ever Now to prevent these doleful lamentations and such a dismal and remediless shipwrack of Eternal Souls as also to shew them the path of Life and to engage them to make sure of a blessed Eternity while time and days last is the design of the ensuing discourse and of the dying Author in it And the Lord the God of all Grace prosper it in order thereunto God has kept me for a full half year by the Graves side one while lifting me up then casting me down and now he seems to be speedily finishing my days to whom through the infinite riches of free Grace I can with some comfort and boldness say Come Lord Jesus come quickly Amen And now farewel vain World farewel Friends and Relations farewel eating and drinking and blessed be God farewel sin and sinning within a few days I shall sin no more nor ever be in a possibility of sinning but shall be like my Lord and shall see him as he is And lastly farewel Reader E. P. READER THe first Impression of this Book was so well entertained among Ministers and others and wrought such good effects that the news thereof did very much rejoyce the Reverend Authour upon his Death-bed insomuch that be had an intent to give order for a good number to be given judging it the fittest present at his Funeral but being told there was not a sufficient number to gratifie the many thousands that would attend him to the Grave that good intention was prevented Since his death some pious persons have thought fit considering the suitableness of the subject to bestow many of these at Buryals instead of Rings Gloves Biskets Wine c Reading and Meditation much more beautifying such Solemnities than eating and drinking c. and have already found this way very instrumental to make people serious on such sad occasions Wherefore this good design is by the Generality of Ministers and others recommended to all that are desirous to mind their own Great Concern and to excite others to A Timely and thorough preparation for Death R. A. The Author hath two other Treatises viz. 1. The Best Match or the Souls espousal to Christ 2. A Beam of the Divine Glory or the unchangeableness of God opened THE Great Concern OR A PREPARATION FOR DEATH Psalm 39.13 O spare me that I may recover strength before I go hence and be no more CHAP. 1. Which contains an Introduction and an Explication of the Words of the Text with the General truth of them and therein the foundation of our intended Discourse TO walk with God here on earth while we live and to be ready to live with God for ever in Heaven when we come to die is the Great Work we have to do the Great Concern we have to mind in our present Pilgrimage To grow great and high in the World to build our Names and Families to live a life of sensual pleasures and delights spending our dayes in mirth these are low mean poor things things infinitely beneath the dignity of a soul and altogether unworthy of the least of its care and solicitude but to know God to love God to obey God to delight in God to contemplate the glorious excellencies and perfections of God to live upon God and to live to God upon him as our chief good and happiness and to him as our last end and withall to be found ready at last to live with him for ever to enter upon the beatifical Vision and to pass into that life of love and holiness which the Saints and Angels live above being made perfect in the Vision and Fruition of the God of Glory this is truly noble this is worthy of the care and solicitude of Souls to promote these things and more especially the latter is my design in fixing my Meditations on this Scripture which I am the rather induced to do because I am apprehensive that the time of my going hence when I shal be seen no more is drawing very nigh The words are a holy and pathetical wish and desire breathed out into the bosom of God by the man after his own heart and that when under sore and heavy afflictions under grievous sickness say some under great straits and distresses by reason of Absolon's rebellion and conspiracy against him say others In this wish or desire of his you may note three things 1. What that is which he wisheth for or desires of God and that is sparing mercy O spare me 2. The end of this wish or desire of his and that is the recovery of strength O spare me that I may recover strength 3. The ground or motive which induced him to make
this desire for this end and that was the near approach of his death in these words Before I go hence and be no more seen I will briefly paraphrase the words for the opening of them and then give you the sum of them as also my intendment from them in one general position O spare me that is cease to smite and afflict me give me a little relaxation Cessa pereutere affligere c. Mol. Leniter mecum age Mar. Abstule aliquantulum manus tuas à flagellando Menoch a breathing time so one expounds it Deal gently and mildly with me sayes another Withdraw thy hand a little from scourging me and mitigate the violence of my affliction say others That I may recover strength that I may recruit my self a little saith one Vt respirem ante mortem traquillus animam meam in manum tuam doponam Mol. That I may have a breathing time before my death and being well composed may lay down my Spirit and commit it into thine hand say others That I may grow strong in grace and holiness say others That I may finish my course and fight a good fight obtaining the victory through a happy death say others The sum is that I may set things right in my soul and get into a more ready posture for my death and dissolution which seems to be near at hand Before I go hence and be no more that is Antequam morioâ— in hanc vitam naâ—quam reversurus Jun before I die never more to return into this life before I quit this World and bid adieu to this mortal life to be no more in the Land of the Living to be no more in this World to do any thing for God or my Soul for as one well observes David doth not here suppose Death to be the utter end or annihilation of man the putting of man out of being but his meaning is if God did still go on to afflict him as he had done he must suddenly die suddenly go off the Stage of this World and go down to the Bars of Death to the Gates of the Grave where as to any thing that is to be done for God or a man's Soul it is as if he were out of being and where he will be kept for ever from returning any more to this life or any opportunity of ever doing any thing for another World It is a phrase like to and of the same importance with that Job 16.22 where Job speaks of himself When a few years are come then shall I go the way whence I shall not return Not return that is not any more to this life not return to do any thing for GOD or my Soul The sum of the whole seems to be thus much the good man's afflictions were so pressing and heavy upon him that they did even bow him down to the Grave and he really looked upon himself as a dying man as one going down to the dust of the Death where he knew full well nothing was to be done for another life and from whence there was no return to this life to be expected any more and therefore he begs a breathing time a little space wherein to recover himself out of all present distempers and discomposures of heart and to set all things right in the matters of his soul thereby fitting and preparing himself the better for his departure out of this World he begs a time of respite wherein to prepare himself and make ready for a dying hour this is the sum of what he drives at and pleads with God for accordingly the Observation and therein the sum of my intendment shall be this Doct. That 't is a very desirable thing and a business of the highest moment and importance to the Children of Men to have all things set right well ordered and composed in the matters of their souls before they leave this World to get all the spiritual concerns of their Souls into the best posture they can before a dying hour comes David An holy man a man in covenant with God yea a man after God's own heart doth yet you see pray for sparing mercy for a breathing-time a time of respite here in this World before he goeth off the Stage and why so That he might recover strength that he might set things right in the matters of his Soul that he might make himself more ready and get his spiritual concerns into a better posture for a dying hour and this he looked at and made out after as that which was most desirable and of the highest importance to him as indeed 't is to all You have a Scripture not unlike to this Job 10.20 21. Are not my dayes few cease then and let me alone that I may take comfort a little before I go whence I shall not return even to the Land of Darkness and of the shadow of Death That I may take comfort a little that I may recover a little that I may have a breathing time that I may recover my self and gather up my Spirits so I find the phrase expounded He seems to desire a breathing time the better to compose himself and the matters of his Soul for a dying hour And indeed 't is the concern of us all to set all things right in our souls and to get into the readiest posture that possibly we can against a dying hour comes I shall first briefly evince this truth and then make some practical improvement of it CHAP. II. Wherein is shewen the exceeding great weight of dying Work and extream difficulty of a dying hour as the first Evidence of our Assertion DYing Work my Beloved is great Work and a dying hour is a difficult hour and therefore we had need have all things well ordered and ready in the Matters of our Souls against that time that Work that hour comes I will lay the weight of dying work and the difficulty of a dying hour before you in four Propositions First Proposition is this That Death in it self and in its own nature if we look no further is a very terrible thing and we had need have all things set right in our souls all things in order when we come to encounter with it The Philosopher who lookt not beyond the natural notion of death called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist the most terrible of all terrible things And in Job 18.14 the Holy Ghost himself calls it The King of Terrors His confidence speaking of a wicked man shall bring him to the King of Terrors i.e. to death which is most formidable indeed 't is therefore called the King of Terrors because it is the greatest and strongest Terror and Death must needs be terrible in it self 1. Because it deprives us of all our sweet comforts and enjoyments here in this World and puts an eternal period to our fruition of them here we enjoy much good many streams which run pleasantly on each hand of us it may be but when Death
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
have the state of my soul determined for life or death salvation or damnation in the other World O how great a thing is this 3. When a man comes to die he has to do with God immediately as his Judge for Eternity and this speaks it yet more terrifying and astonishing For though a man is then to deal with God immediately and that as his Judge too yet if it were but for a time for some short term of years it would not be altogether such a terrifying and amazing thing but alas it is for Eternity and therefore his Judgment is called Eternal Judgment Heb. 6.2 Hence Austin speaking of Death calls it Ostium Aeternitatis the Gate of Eternity i. e. the Gate or Door that lets men out into Eternity an Eternity of life or death salvation or damnation the sentence which God will then pass upon the soul will be an eternal sentence and the soul must be eternally under the execution of it whether it be for life or death salvation or damnation When a man comes to die hee then sees himself launching forth into the great Ocean of Eternity he sees his eternal all to be immediately at stake and his eternal state to be immediately determined by the great and holy God now he sees he must shoot the Great Gulf and take up his abode in the Eternal Region This fills him with amazement O now sayes he a sentence must pass upon me once for all now I must shoot the Great Gulf now I must launch forth into the great Ocean where neither bounds nor bottom is to be found for ever now I must enter upon Eternal Joys or Eternal Flames an endless life either with God or Devils in Heaven or Hell Now I shall sind Infiniteness and Eternity combine to do their utmost to make me happy or miserable for ever Now I must become the immediate object either of infinite wrath or infinite love infinite hatred or infinite delight and that for ever Now I must hear from God either come thou blessed or depart thou cursed and that for ever And O what an astonishing thing is this O Eternity Eternity O vast Eternity O Eternity Eternity O boundless Eternity One serious view of it is enough to amaze a poor soul looking upon it at a distance But how much more amazing must it needs be when it shall be immediately before the soul and he sees he must enter upon it the next hour O then it will be amazing indeed astonishing indeed This one thing Eternity puts infinite sweetness into mercies and infinite bitterness into sufferings the thoughts of this was that which did so much amaze that good man who sitting in a deep Muse a long time and being asked the reason of it was silent and being asked again and again at length broke into these Words For ever for ever for ever for ever and for near a quarter of an hour together spake nothing else thereby telling them that asked him that it was the thoughts of this same for ever that so much amused him And if you were more in the thoughts of the weight of Eternity you would see it were an astonishing thing indeed And this is that which makes dying work such a weighty work and a dying hour such a difficult hour I will close this head and with that this demonstration with a saying I have read in one of the Ancients That is not to be accounted sayes he an evil death which has had a good life precedeing it nor doth any thing make death terrible but that which follows death therefore they which must necessarily die are not much to concern themselves what falls out to cause death but whither by death they are constrained to go whither death carries them It is a great saying and indeed 't is no great matter when we die or how we die or what is the occasion of our death But it is whither death carries us and where death sets us down whether in a blessed or wretched Eternity whether with God or Devils in Heaven or Hell Well then if Death be thus terrible in its own nature If in a dying hour the Devil be so fierce and terrible in his assaults upon souls if Conscience be so awakened and smart in its Charges and Accusations if then we must have to do with God immediately and as our Judge yea as our Judge for Eternity as one that will determine the eternal condition of our souls in unspeakable happiness or unspeakable misery then surely dying work is great work and a dying hour is a difficult hour It then greatly concerns us to have all ready and all in order in the matters of our souls against the time thereof comes CHAP. III. Which shews the Glory Sweetness and Blessedness of the attainment of having all things set right in the matters of our Souls before a dying hour comes which will further evince the truth asserted AS dying work is weighty work and a dying hour is a difficult hour so to have all things set right all well ordered and composed in the matters of our souls against such an hour comes is an high a sweet a blessed attainment an attainment which carries infinite sweetness and desirableness in it a taste of which I shall give you in two things only 1. Hereby we come to be glorious Conquerours over Death and the Grave 2. Hereby we come to have an abundant entrance ministred to us into Heaven and Glory And my Beloved what more sweet and desirable than this Surely this speaks it to be a very sweet and blessed attainment 1. Hereby we come to be glorious Conquerours over Death and the Grave Death is an Enemy 't is the last enemy the Children of God have to grapple and conflict with The last enemy that is to be destroyed is Death 1 Cor. 15.26 and being the last enemy in conquering this they conquer all conquering this they are compleat and eternal Conquerours Now by having all things set right in the matters of our souls all things ready and in order for a dying hour we come to conquer this last Enemy yea to get a glorious Conquest over it Hereby Death comes to be swallowed up of Victory as you have the expression 1 Cor. 15.54 Hereby we are more than Conquerours over it Rom. 8.37 Take the Conquest which this gives us over Death in these three things 1. Hereby the soul is carried above the fear of Death In Heb. 2.15 We read of some who all their life-time were subject to bondage through fear of Death And if in their life-time much more when they come to a dying hour Then Conscience as you have heard is more awake Oh the fears the terrors the Hell upon Earth that the sight of Death's approach fills many a poor soul withall But now take a soul that has all things right and in order in his spiritual concerns and he is carried above the fear of this King of Terrours and that when made as
terrible as the wit and malice of men can possibly make it He can converse with his last enemy as one that hath lost his sting and power and so without the least fear or dismayedness of spirit None of these things move me sayes Paul neither count I my life dear unto my self that I may finish my course with joy His Afflictions did not move him did not terrifie him but if death should come what then Why that shall be welcom too saith he Acts 20.24 Who is afraid of a conquered enemy an enemy which a man seeth dead and slain in the field One that has all things ready for a dying hour he sees death to be a conquered enemy an enemy conquered by the death of Christ and so is carried above the fear of it 2. Hereby the soul is inabled in a holy manner to triumph over death and even to scorn and contemn it which is an higher Conquest still A man that has all things set right and well ordered in the matters of his soul he is not only carried above the fear of death but he rides in triumph over it as one that divideth the spoil He can with boldness and comfort challenge this last Enemy of his and even dare it to do its worst to him O Death where is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory saith the Apostle The sting of death is sin the strength of sin is the Law But thanks be to God who giveth us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15.55 56 57. As if he should say Death you talk of a Sting but where is it Grave you would threaten us with Victory and overthrow but do your worst conquer us if you can As a man that has disarmed his Enemy thrown him upon his back sayes to him O Sir where is your Sword Where is your Pistol Where is the execution you threatned Do your worst 3. Hereby the Soul comes to be able solemnly to choose and desire Death yea to exult and rejoyce in Death as that which of an Enemy is become a Friend and an in-let into all happiness to him So 2 Cor. 5.5 6 8. Now he that hath wrought us for the self-same thing is God who hath also so given unto us the earnest of his Spirit Therefore we are alwayes confident knowing that whilest we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord We are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. So Phil. 1.22 23. But if I live in the flesh this is the fruit of my Labour yet what I shall choose I wot not for I am in a strait betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better Mark he desires Death he chooses Death as that which is a Friend to him and an in-let into his happiness Such an one can say as I have read a German Divine did when dying I am ready sayes he and desire to be gone out of this life in which all things are not only full of miseries and calamities but which is to be lamented all things are full fraught with sins I say I desire to pass into that life in which there is no sin no misery Yea more such an one can exult and rejoyce in death Luke 2.29 30. Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes have seen thy salvation They are words of joy and exultation in the sight of Death's approach The Child of some tender and indulgent Father being abroad at sojourn and seeing a Messenger come from his Father to fetch him home how does he exult and rejoyce O sayes he my Father has sent for me home now I must go to live with my Father to eat and drink at my Father's Table to live in my Father's presence enjoy my Father's love and counsels and this he rejoyces in and exultingly embraces the Messenger 'T is the very case here the soul having all things ready all things set right within when Death comes 't is but as a Messenger to him to fetch him home to his Father's house which he can welcome and embrace with joy O sayes he my Father has sent for me home home to Heaven there to live immediately in his presence and upon his fulness and now I shall be for ever with my Father now I shall for ever feast my Soul with my Father's love and the constant views of my Father's face now I shall see him face to face whom here I could never see but through a glass darkly now I shall see and be for ever in the embraces of my sweet Lord my Lord that bled for me that died for that trod the Wine-press alone for me Now shall I enter into the glorious liberty of the Children of God I have hitherto been in bondage in bondage to Satan in bondage to my own heart which has all along wretchedly imposed upon me but now I shall enter upon the glorious liberty of the Children of God Now I shall partake of the Inheritance of the Saints in light Now I shall bathe my soul in the Chrystal streams of undefiled pleasures running fresh along the banks of Eternity at my Father's right hand Now I shall spend a whole Eternity in Praises Doxologies and Hallelujah's to God and the Lamb Now I shall have all my spots and wrinkles my sins and sorrows done away at once Now shall I sigh no more and which is infinitely better I shall sin no more for ever no more complain of dark visions and short visits from God no more complain of distances and alienation between him and my Soul for ever There shall be no more interruption of communion with my sweet Saviour but I shall stand in his presence and behold his face for evermore In a word hereby death the King of Terrors becomes the King of Comforts to the Soul and a man comes to die both happily and comfortably Some men die neither happily nor comfortably and such is the case of all who die out of Christ they die in their sins they die to be damned for ever Some die happily but not comfortably such is the case of poor Christians dying under dissertion whose Sun sets in a Cloud they die in the dark not knowing what shall become of their Souls to Eternity which yet go safe to Heaven being built upon the Rock of Ages the Lord Jesus Christ Some die both happily and comfortably such is the case of all those who have all things set right between God and them all things ready and in order before a dying hour comes Some die presumptuously thinking all is right and well in the matters of their souls when indeed nothing is so that is sad for Eternity The Lord deliver your souls and mine from such an Exit Some die tremblingly or doubtingly not knowing how things are with them whether well or ill but they fear ill that
is sad at least for time the Lord carry us above such an Exit Some viz. well ordered souls die fiducially knowing things to be right between God and them and that is comfortable both for time and eternity Well then if hereby we come to have such a glorious Victory over Death and the Grave it must then be a great attainment to have all things in order between God and us and consequently greatly our concern to have things so 2. Hereby we come to have a rich and glorious entrance ministred to us into everlasting life and glory into Heaven and blessedness As hereby we come to be glorious Conquerours over the natural death so hereby we come to have a rich and glorious entrance ministred to us into the eternal life which also carries much sweetness and blessedness in it 2 Pet. 1.5.11 And besides this giving all diligence add to your faith virtue and to virtue knowledge c. that is grow as compleat in Grace as possibly you can make sure of your salvation make all ready in the matters of your souls and what then So an entrance shall be ministred to you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ And is not this a blessed attainment Take this in three things 1. Hereby the soul comes to enjoy much of Heaven here upon earth much of blessedness and glory whilest on this side blessedness and glory then hath a man an abundant entrance ministred unto him into heaven and glory when he hath much of heaven and glory given out to him here on earth large earnest and first-fruits and this the soul has that hath all things right in the matters of his spiritual state all things ready and in order within Hence we read sometimes of the earnest sometimes of the first-fruits of the Spirit Eph. 1.14 Rom. 8.28 And the soul that is most ready has the greatest earnest and first-fruits that is to say the greatest beginnings of Heaven here upon earth For that which makes us ready for a dying hour is something of heaven dropped into the soul here 2. Hereby he comes to go triumphingly from Earth to Heaven to go to Heaven and Glory with a Crown upon his head and is not this a sweet attainment Then hath a man an abundant entrance into Heaven and Glory when he goes triumphingly thither When a man passes to heaven and glory with visions thereof in his eye and prelibations thereof in his soul with a clear witness and evidence in his Spirit that he is going to possess the fulness thereof with God and Christ for ever when a man enters into life without any rebukes from God or his own Conscience without any stumbling through doubting or unbelief This is the happiness of such as have all things well in their souls before a dying hour comes It is with such in death as it was with John in a Vision Rev. 4.1 They as it were hear a voice from Heaven saying Come up hither and immediately they are in the Spirit Some poor souls croud into Heaven through a throng of doubts and unbelief difficulties and despondencies through many fears and temptations insomuch that it might be truly said of them that they are searcely saved as the Apostle's expression is but others go through none of these they go triumphantly with a Crown upon their Heads as it were So Paul 2. Tim. 4.6 7 8. I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the Righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not unto me only but to all them also that love his appearing Methinks I see how this holy soul went triumphingly to the Throne of God and the Lamb. When David and the house of Israel brought up the Arke of the Lord it was with shouting and with the sound of the Trumpet So when such a soul goes to rest 't is with a kind of shouting and triumph among the Saints themselves who all reach the same heaven and glory at last There is a very great deal of difference in their death and in their going to that heaven and glory As you know two Ships may arrive at the same Harbour yet with much difference as to the manner of their coming in The one makes a shift to get in but 't is with her Anchors lost her Sails rent her Flags down her Masts broken and the like but the other comes in bravely riding as 't were in triumph with her Sails spread her Anchors safe her flags flying her Trumpets sounding and her Mariners shouting So great a difference there is in the passing of Saints to Heaven and Blessedness Now what an attainment must it be to go with shouting and triumph 3. Hereby the soul comes to be admitted to and invested with an eminent fulness of Blessedness and Glory with God for ever Then has a man an abundant entrance into heaven and glory when he is admitted to and invested with an eminent fulness of glory and blessedness in heaven for ever and this he hath who has all right and ready in the concerns of his soul when he comes to die Such a one receives a full reward as the expression is 2 Epistle of John 8. and has much fruit abounding to his account Phil. 4.7 And O what a sweet and blessed attainment does this speak it to be to have all in order against a dying hour comes Now if it be such an attainment to have things set right and in order in our souls against a dying hour then surely it must needs be highly our concern to have all things so CHAP. IV. Which shews the state of men and women under death as a further evidence of our assertion AS to have all things ready and in order when a dying hour comes is an high and glorious attainment so such is the state and condition of men and women under death that it cannot but be highly their concern to have all things set right all things ready in the matters of their souls when they come to die This I will set before you in three Propositions First Proposition is this That such is the state and condition of men and women under death that there is no return for them into this life any more for ever When once a man's Sun is set it never rises more when once a man has his Exit is gone off the stage of this world he never enters more there is no more any part to be acted here by him this you have in the Text Before I go hence and be no more that is no more in this World So Job 7.7 8 9 10. O remember that my life is wind mine eyes shall no more see good The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more Thine eyes are upon me and
vagabond and a fugitive it changes it self into all shapes it will and it will not 't is like a leaf moved and carried about with the wind My vain and importunate heart hales me now to the Market and then to strifes and brawlings now to feasting and then to impure lusts now the flesh is inflamed with sordid titillations then the mind is defiled with filthy cogitations And who of us may not make the same complaint yea such is the enmity and opposition of our own hearts against Heaven and the things of Heaven that many times when we most resolve and set our selves to follow God and to pursue the work of our souls then they set us most back It was a great speech of that same Father This sayes he is my daily exercise with my whole strength I bend to thee and would mount up to God and Heaven but by how much the more strongly I endeavour to come up to thee by so much the more powerfully I am cast into the earth into my self and even under my self captivated to my lusts And so 't is often with us Le ts then and oppositions must be expected by us on all hands and we had need therefore the more to awaken to our work 'T is true if you will ingage in good earnest in the work of your souls your helps and incouragements will be greater than your lâ—ts and discouragements you will have more with you then against you You will have God with you and Christ with you and the Comforter with you and all the Graces of the Covenant with you be incouraged therefore to set upon Soul-work Now lay all these things together and see if it be an easie matter to make ready for a dying hour and if it be not why should we neglect Why should we delay any longer 6. How terrible will death be to you And what a dreadful change will it make with you in case you still neglect to make ready for it Suppose my Beloved you go on in the neglect of this Great Concern putting far from you the evil day what think you will the issue of it be will not death be most terrible to you when you shall be called to conflict with it Will it not make a dreadful change with you Surely it will Death to an unready soul what will it be It will be the period of all his mercies of all his comforts of all his hopes For such an one receives all his good things in this life before death comes Luke 16.25 It will be the sending of him to his own place the cutting him down as fewel for everlasting burnings It will be as a worthy Divine speaks the taking up of a Draw-bridge and the pulling up of the Flood-gates of Gods eternal wrath to let in the deluge of it upon his soul for ever It will be a change to him but what change will it be Surely a very sad one 1. A change from Earth to Hell And is not this a sad Change The wicked shall be turned into Hell and all that forget God Psalm 19.17 And we read of the rich man who was unready for death that being dead he was in Hell Luke 22.23 2. A change from Light to Darkness and is not that a sad change The Holy Ghost speaking of such an one tells us God shall drive him out of light into darkness and chase him out of the world Job 18.18 Here wicked men enjoy the light of Creature comforts but God will drive them out of these into the darkness of Eternal misery into utter darkness Mat. 25.30 into blackness of darkness Jude 13. 3. A change from pleasure to pain from delight to torment a sad change it is from pleasure and delight in sin to pain and torment for sin Luke 16.23 Here the soul sports himself in the pleasures and delights of sin and he thinks he can never have enough but then there will be an end of all those pleasures and delights and nothing but pain and torment and vexation will succeed them 4. A change from the offers of Grace to the Revelations of Wrath Shall thy loving kindness be declared in the grave or thy faithfulness in destruction saith the Psalmist in that 88 Psal 11. True in the 1 Pet. 3.19 20. we read of Christ's preaching by his Spirit to the Spirits in Prison that is to Souls in Hell But mark when was it that he preach'd to them not when in prison but in the days of Noah when they lived in the world There is never an offer of grace and love made to souls in the Grave while life lasts the soul hears the joyful sound And O the sweet offers the gracious tenders the loving invitations that are made to him of Christ of Grace of Eternal Life and Love O the wooings the meltings the entreatings the allurings of Divine Love to and over the soul but when death comes farewell all these farewell all the sweet offers of Christ and all the blessed motions of the Spirit then there 's nothing but wrath reveiled and wrath shall come on the neglecting soul to the uttermost 5. A change from fair probabilities to utter impossibilities of life and salvation a sad change still Now is the accepted time now is the day of salvation now and not hereafter 2 Cor. 6.2 Now there is a fair probability for the worst of sinners to be saved if they will look after Salvation and mind their Eternal Concerns Christ is both able and willing to save to save was the end of his coming into the world and of all he did and suffered here 1 Tim. 1.15 Now they are besought and entreated to be reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5.19 20. but when death comes that changes these fair Probabilities into utter impossibilities of life and salvation Therefore mark Now says the Apostle is the day of salvation that is now while life lasts and while the Gospel is preached 6. A change from hope to despair a sad change indeed We read that the hopes of the Hypocrite shall perish Job 8.13 and that the expectation of the wicked shall perish Prov. 10.28 Whether men be open sinners or close hypocrites their hopes at last shall all fail and turn into despair despair of ever seeing God or enjoying the least tittle or Iota of good for ever Thus death will be terrible to you and make a dreadful change with you in case you neglect to make ready for its coming 't will affright you as bad as the hand-writing upon the wall did that proud King Dan. 5.5 6. Which made his countenance change his thoughts to trouble him and the joynts of his loyns to be losed and his knees to smite one against another O when death comes and thou shalt be found unready how will thy countenance change thy joynts be losed thy thoughts troubled and thy heart tremble within thee In a word I would say to you as the Prophet spake of old Isa 10.3 What will you do
in the day of visitation and whither will you flee for help When death comes what will you do which way will you look will there be any hope any help any refuge for your souls to flee unto Alas there will be none Wilt thou then run to the mercies of God and cry Lord Lord Alas it will be in vain he will then say unto you Depart from me I know you not Mat. 25.11 12. Wilt thou then labour to get grace and pardon Alas it will be too late then the door will be shut against thee Mat. 25.10 Wilt thou then desire others to spare thee some of their Oyl Alas that will be a vain thing they will tell thee they have but enough for themselves Mat. 25.9 Wilt thou then plead thy gifts parts and services for Christ Alas it will be to no purpose unless thou hast done the main work notwithstanding all thy gifts and services he will send thee away with the workers of iniquity Mat. 7.22.23 Wilt thou call upon the Rocks and Mountains to cover thee and hide thee from the wrath of him that sits upon the Throne Alas it wil be in vain Rev. 6. latter end O sinner when thou shalt see thy self launching out into the great Ocean of Eternity and God shall as it were say to thee by the Mouth of thy own Conscience Well now time and days are at an end with you and will never dawn more what hast thou done for thy Soul What provision hast thou made for another world Is Christ thine hast thou gotten thy sins pardoned and the like When it shall be thus I say what wilt thou then do and whither wilt thou then look how wilt thou then cry out Undone undone I am lost for ever my day is ended and my work is still to do woe is me what a God a Christ a Heaven a Blessedness a Glory have I wilfully and foolishly lost truly thou and such as thou are the only persons whose death will be truly lamentable I remember a saying I have read in one of the Ancients They saith he are to be bewailed in their death whom the Devils drag away to the torments of the Infernal Pit not they whom the holy Angels do conduct to the joys of Paradise they are to be bewailed who after death are by the Devils turned into Hell and not they who by the Angels are placed or set down in Heaven O that these things might convince you of your folly and awaken your souls and that so as yet to know the things of your peace in your day and the time of your visitation CHAP. VI. Being a Call to all Good and Bad Saints and Sinners to address themselves to the great work of making all ready for a dying hour WHat is the language of all this Verily it calls aloud upon us all Good and Bad Saints and Sinners to make it our great business to set all things right in the matters of our souls and make all ready for a dying hour And O that we would make this improvement of this great truth and of God's sparing goodness to us he spares us and why does he spare us but that we should set all things right and make all things ready Oh that we would now fall in with the end and design of God herein making it our great care and business in time to provide for Eternity in life to make ready for death Some of you I verily believe are about this work and the Lord prosper you in it You know you were born for Eternity and you do endeavour to live for Eternity your great work in time is to make provision for a blessed Eternity O happy souls that you are Others of us and those by far the most I fear are utterly negligent in this business Death and Eternity are little minded by us but we are in a sleepy drowsie secure spirit and to such methinks this truth speaks in a language much like to that of the Ship Master to Jonaâ— Jon. 1.6 What meanest thou O sleeper Arise and call upon thy God if so be he will think on us that we perish not So what mean you O you sleepy drowsie secure souls arise make ready for a dying hour set all things right all things in order in your spiritual concernments lest death come upon you at unawares and you be lost for ever And to such of us I would say as sometimes God did by the Prophet to Hezekiah Isa 38.1 Set thine house in order for thou shalt die and not live So say I to you set your hearts in order your spiritual concerns in order make all even between God and you for you shall shortly die and not live you shall shortly go hence and be no more and why should we not all do so if you be to change your condition in the world how careful and solicitous are you to have all things ready and in order for that change Why my Beloved you are shortly to pass under that great and last Change a Change from Time to Eternity and will you have no care no solicitude to make ready for that Change if you are to take a journey though but a few miles or to make a Voyage into a strange Land O how are you concerned to have all things ready all things in a prepared posture in order therreunto And my Beloved should not you be more concerned to make ready for your great journey your last and great Voyage you are making a journey a voyage out of Time into Eternity you are just launching sorth into the great Ocean And what nothing in order nothing ready nothing set right in order thereunto That is strange If you have some great business a business of more than ordinary importance to be done or a Suit at Law to be tryed and determined O how close do you follow it and how careful are you to have all things ready in order thereunto And my Beloved should you not be as careful and diligent to prepare and set all things right for the great business of your souls in another world Have you any business any concern of greater importance to you than the concern of your Souls and Eternity if you are to appear before some Earthly Judge especially if it be about a matter that concerns your life O how thoughtful are you to have all things ready and in order in reference thereunto And my Beloved should not you be as thoughtfull and solicitous to make all ready and to set all right in order to your appearing before the Judg of all the Earth and that about a matter which concerns the life of your souls about a matter of eternal life or death Well what shall I say will you set about this great business this great concern or is it all one with you whether you live or die are saved or damned to Eternity God yet spares you blessed be his Name Will you now set all right before you go
and expectation whereof has the directest tender 〈◊〉 in it to wean and loosen the heart from all things here below And indeed as St. Bernard hath it he easily contemns all things here who looks upon himself as dying daily 3. It will conduce much to the engaging the heart to Heaven and the things of Heaven to a serious pursuit of a blessed Eternity So we find Heb. 11.13 c. Those all dyed in the Faith saith the Apostle not having received the Promises but having seen them afar off and were perswaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were Strangers and Pilgrims on the earth that is they were apprehensive they had but a little time to stay here And what then They desire a better Countrey that is an Heavenly the apprehension they had of their departure hence quickned them unto earnest desires and pursuits after the better Countrey the Heavenly Land And indeed one great reason why we breath no more and press no more after Heaven and a blessed Eternity is because we so seldom remember these dayes of darkness 4. It will conduce much to the quickning of the Heart to Duty and to diligence and faithfulness therein Christ himself made use of it for this end I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day the night cometh when no man can work Jo. 9.4 Peter also that holy Apostle made use of it to that end I will not be negligent saith he to do so and so in the way of my Duty as knowing that shortly I shall put off this Tabernacle 2 Pet. 1.12 13 14. The consideration of the near approach of his death quickned him to his Work and Duty And the Scripture propounds it as that which has a tendency to this thing Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with all thy might saith Solomon for there is no work nor counsel in the grave whither thou art going Eccl. 9.10 He propounds the consideration of our going to the Grave as a means to quicken us to our present Work By all which we see how much the serious remembrance of the dayes of darkness must needs contribute to our readiness and preparedness for these dayes Therefore be much in this work For my own part I have hardly found any one thing more quickning and engaging upon my Spirit than this And Souls I would beg you as you would live for ever think often of death 2. Would you indeed set all things right in your souls and make all ready for a dying hour Then be not fond of long life here in this World but rather covet to live as much as possible in a little time I would speak of each distinctly 1. Be not fond of long life here in this World A fond hope and desire of long life here is one of the greatest Enemies to a true preparation of Soul for our departure hence For pray observe take a man that is fond of long life here and all his thoughts and projects are for this World He is wholly taken up about and carried out after the concerns of Time scarce allowing himself one serious thought for Death and Eternity A sad instance you have hereof in the rich man Luke 12.19 he reckoned upon many years upon a long life here and what are the things he is taken up about verily the things of this world only the increase of his Goods and where to store his Treasures Fond hopes and desires of long life here will certainly produce great delays if not utter neglects in the great work and concern of your Souls and Eternity As ever therefore you would have all right and well in the concerns of your souls when you come to die be not fond of long life here but sit as loose in your thoughts hopes and desires both of this life and all the enjoyments of it as possibly you can And indeed my Beloved to reason it a little with you why should you be fond of long life here why should you covet a long stay in this world I would only plead with you in two things as to this 1. What is this world and what have we here that we should here covet a long stay is this world such a sweet such an amiable such a desirable thing it is an angry world a frowning world a dirty world a bewitching ensnaring world 'T is a waste howling Wilderness a strange Land an house of Bondage a troublesome tempestuous Sea an Aceldama a Field of Blood such I am sure 't is oftentimes to the poor Saints and people of God And what have we here Why here we have fears within and fightings without troubles on every side and from all hands from friends from enemies from men from devils here we have sorrows snares losses wounds deaths dangers temptations seductions disappointments vexation of spirit and truly little else is to be expected by us here except that which is worse than all this viz. dayly risings and ebolitions of lust violent eruptions of corruption great aboundings of sin and iniquity both in our selves and others continual breakings with God and departings from him renewing and increasing sin and guilt dayly Indeed this world is full of sin and temptation to sin 'T is as Augustin speaks of it tota tentatio all temptation and as it is all temptation so 't is little else but sin and why should we covet a long stay here Why saith one of the Ancients should we so much desire that life in which by how much the longer we live by so much the more we sin and the more numerous our days are the more numerous will our sins be who would desire to stay long in a Prison or a Dungeon in a state and place of sin and sorrow and such is this world 2. Is there not a better life a better place a better state for our souls to long and aspire after what do you think of the life above a whole Eternity spent in the Divine Presence in the bosom of Divine Love a life of love a life of pleasure a life of joy a life or admiration a life of holiness perfect and unspotted holiness a life every way correspondent to the Divine Life and the Divine Will is not this a better life to be with Christ is best of all Phil. 1.23 To possess a mansion in our Father's House prepared by our Lord and Head Jesus Christ for us to live for ever in the vision and fruition of Father Son and Spirit to dwell in the Heavenly City where no unclean thing can enter to joyn in with the glorious Host of Saints and Angels above and with them to spend a whole Eternity in Songs of Praise and Hallelujahs to God and the Lamb to take up all our waters at the Fountain head and indeed to dive and bathe unchangeably in the Fountain of all delights at the Father's right hand Oh how sweet is this life and how much to be desired by us
In a word my beloved the Saints when in the best frame have many of them been so far from being fond of long life here that indeed they have thought it long till the time came when they should go hence and be no more crying out with an holy impatiency Why is his Chariot so long a coming why tarry the wheels of his Chariot 2. Covet to live much in a little time 'T is said of that Reverend and worthy Divine Dr. Preston that he desired to and accordingly did live much in a little time And our Lord himself you know did not live long in this world but he lived much in a little time he did much work in a few days for God and souls And indeed my beloved 't is not a long life but a fruitful life that is most amiable most desirable and most like his life who is life it self 'T is not he that lives many years but he that lives much in a few years that is the most happy soul I know those whose ambition is not to live long but to live fruitfully and to do as much as possibly they can in a little time and might they have their option or choice it would be this to live much in a little time and then have their dismission to rest And my Beloved let this be your choice and your ambition be casting about in your selves how you may live much in a little time how you may compass much spiritual work and business in a few days Labour to treasure up much grace much experience of God and his love to bring a large revenue of glory to him and the like And for this end possess your souls with a deep sense of the exceeding worth and preciousness of time and accordingly set your selves to redeem it looking upon the loss thereof to be the greatest loss in the world Eph. 5.16 we are commanded to redeem the time And what is it to redeem the time but to esteem time as precious as a thing of incomparable worth and value and accordingly to make the best and highest improvement of it for the honour of God and good of our souls that possibly we can It is to fill up our time with duty and our duties with grace to make use of time for those ends for which time is given us not to eat and drink and solace our selves in the Creature but to serve and honour the Creator to work out our Salvation to get acquaintance with God and Christ to make sure of Heaven and a blessed Eternity O Sirs look upon time as precious so indeed it is Time is the most weighty and momentous thing in the world 't is that which our eternal all depends upon According as we do or do not manage and improve our time well so will it go with us for ever 'T is a sweet meditation which I have read in a discourse of a holy man This life saith he of ours is most swift and yet in it Eternal Life is either gotten or lost for ever This life of ours is most miserable and yet in it Eternal Happiness is either gotten or lost for ever No less than a whole Eternity of Happiness or Misery Salvation or Damnation depends upon our use and management of our little time here in this world As the tree falls so it lies Eccles 11.3 As it is with us when we go out of time so it will be with us to all Eternity and this we should be much in the thoughts of accounting therefore the loss of time to be the greatest loss 'T is a weighty saying which I have read in one of the Ancients It is a great and heavy loss indeed saith he when we neither do good nor think good and let me add nor get good but we suffer our hearts to wander abroad about vain and unprofitable things and yet it is too difficult to restrain or keep them back from these things Truly no loss like the loss of time the loss of estate the loss of Trade the loss of this or the other outward comfort is nothing to the loss of time these being lost may be recovered again but time being lost can never be recovered more accordingly set your selves to redeem it and do it as much as possible you can accounting that day lost wherein you have not done something for God and your souls the truth is we live no more than we are conversant in the work of God and our souls For as for that which we call life that is not spent in this work it is not indeed to be accounted life Thirdly would you indeed set all things right in your souls make all ready for a dying hour then think much and often with your selves how great a change death will make with you when ever it comes death is a change and in many respects the greatest change which the Sons of men are to pass through all the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come Job 14.14 Job had many changes and great changes Changes and war were upon him as he complains Job 10.17 But no change like this of death this was the great change and this he waited for all his days indeed death is a great change to every man and woman come when and how it will 't is that as you have heard that deprives men of all their enjoyments here which dissolves the union between soul and body which turns the body to dust and putrifaction and which is unspeakably more than this it is that through which the soul enters into the immediate presence of God and states it in eternity it is a change from time to eternity from work to reward a reward suitable to the work we have here been doing whether it be good or evil and is not this a great change Take a few hints in particular about it to shew the greatness of it First It is such a change as all other changes upon the outward man are but leading and introductory unto and into which at last they all issue and resolve themselves we pass through many changes here in this world we may say as Job Changes and war are upon us but these are but leading and preliminary as it were to this last and great Change these all are or should be to us Monitors of this last Change and do but a little darkly shadow it out unto us Secondly It is such a change as calls for great spiritual changes to pass upon us here to sit and prepare us for it a change in our minds a change in our wills a change in our affections a change in our conversations a change in our whole man a real change a thorough change an universal change Old things must be done away and all things must become new 2 Cor. 5.17 The mind must be changed from darkness to light from ignorance to knowledg in spiritual things The will must be changed from enmity to subjection from
not get union with Christ and an interest in Christ This is what lies at the bottom and foundation of all of all our hopes of all our mercies of all our comforts of all our acceptation and communion with God of all Grace on Earth and of all Glory in Heaven and without it whatsoever our attainments in Religion are whatever our Profession may be whatever place or esteem we may have to the Church of God though never so raised and eminent yet we have nothing that will avail us in a dying hour I remember a saying of a learned man That thou maist live in death saith he get into Christ implant thy self into Christ by believing Faith joyns and unites us to Christ and they that are in Christ cannot die for Christ is their life And indeed if we have union with Christ he will be life in death it self to us Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord that is die having union with Christ being implanted into Christ Rev. 14.13 If we have union with Christ he will not be only life in death to us but he will even turn death it self into life the King of Terrors into a King of Comforts insomuch that the soul shall be able to triumph over it as the Apostle doth 1 Cor. 15.55 56 57. whereas without this without union with Christ and an interest in Christ we shall never be able to look death in the face with comfort but shall when we come to die be some of the miserablest spectacles in the world It is the speech of a worthy Divine who is long since gone hence A Christless dying man or woman says he is one of the saddest spectacles in the world For a man to be dying and not Christless that is comfortable for such an one dies but to live for ever he dies the death of Nature to live the life of Glory for a man to be Christless and not dying is something tolerable for who knows but that the next meeting at an Ordinance may be the time of God's love to him of drawing him into Christ but for a man to be dying and Christless Christless and dying too that is intolerable that is terrible indeed for such an one dies to be damned and he is going off from all hopes and possibilities of mercy for ever Oh therefore above all press after union with Christ and an interest in Christ this was Pauls great care and solicitude to the very last that so he might go off the Stage with comfort and that for which he accounted all things but dung as most base and vile Phil. 3.8 9. O Soul didst thou indeed know and consider of how much weight and importance an interest in Christ is to thee with reference to thine eternal happiness thou would cry out as eagerly for Christ as ever Rachel did for children saying Give me Christ or else I die give me union with Christ and an interest in Christ or I am undone eternally Oh look to the great uniting act of Faith make a right choice of Christ chuse him as your Lord and Head your King and Saviour and renew your choice of him every day resigning up your selves entirely to him to be saved and governed by him in his own way Secondly Would you indeed have all set right and made ready in the matters of your souls for a dying hour then press after a firm and unshaken assurance of an interest in God and his love and of your right and title to eternal life of another and a better life than this is here without some good evidence for Heaven and some well-grounded assurance of an interest in God and Eternal Life things are not ready with us nor are we in such a preparedness for a dying hour as we ought to be though a man hath an interest in God and his love though he hath a right and title to eternal life and happiness yet as long as he is in the dark and at an uncertainty in his own soul about it things are out of order with him and he is greatly unready for a dying hour For pray mark as our interest in this is requisite to our dying happily so the sight and assurance of that interest is requisite to our dying comfortably Indeed when a man hath attained to some good evidence for heaven to some well-grounded assurance of his interest in God and Christ then are things in a good posture with him in reference to a dying hour then he can play with Death and triumph over it as Job did when he could say I know that my Redeemer liveth Job 19.25 26. And as the Apostle seems to speak of it 2 Cor. 5.12 We know that when our earthly house of this tabernacle shall be dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens for this we groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with our house which is from heaven None of you do comfortably leave your house unless you have another to go unto much less can you comfortably quit this world unless you have some well-grounded assurance of another and a better life Take a man that is in the dark and at a loss as to his interest in God and Christ and he knows not what Death will do to him nor where it will lodge him whether in heaven or in hell whether upon the Throne of Glory or in the Prison of eternal Darkness in the Bosom of Christs love or under the Revelations of his infinite and eternal wrath and is such a one ready for a dying hour Surely no As ever therefore you would have things right and ready within indeed for a dying hour you must press after an assurance of your interest in God and Christ you must do as the Apostle exhorts give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 You must every day prest after a fuller and firmer assurance as to your eternal interest you must be much in faith much in prayer much in examining your evidences much in proving your state much in looking after the seal and evidence of the blessed Spirit which is indeed all in all and never rest till you can say My Lord and my God my Heaven my Glory God is the rock of my heart and my portion for ever O then all will be sweet and well with you this is that which the Saints of old have laboured after with their whole might Say unto my soul saith David to God I am thy salvation Psal 35 3â— set me as a seal upon thy heart and as a seal upon thine arm Cant. 8.6 This Austin pressed much after Lord saith he tell me what thou art to me say unto my Soul I am thy salvation so say it that I may hear it behold the ears of my heart are before thee open them O Lord and say unto my Soul I am thy Salvation O my Beloved this is worth pressing after for this is the
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
that happiness for ever Therefore if you would have all things right all things ready indeed for a dying hour then labour for the exactest purity and holiness that possibly you can This is that which the Apostle aims at and prays for on the behalf of the Thessalonians as most conducing to the preparing of them for their latter end 1 Thes 3.12 13. And the Lord make you to abound and increase in love one towards another and towards all men even as we do towards you to the end he may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God even our Father at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ with all his Saints The posture he would have them to be in at the coming of Christ is the posture of unblamable holiness which indeed is the best and readiest posture The same thing he prays for in order to the same end in 1 Thes 5.23 And the very God of peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God that your whole spirit soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ This is that also which that other Apostle injoyns in order hereunto 2 Pet. 3.14 Be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless the more spotless and blameless we are in our spirits and ways the more ready we are for Death and Judgment O press after an eminency in holiness admitting of none no not the least taint or tincture of sin or sinful defilement upon any terms whatsoever unholy souls are unready souls they are unready for Death unready for Judgment unready for the future life and for men to talk of being ready for these and yet be unholy is the greatest folly in the world therefore labour for much purity and holiness First Labour for much purity and holiness in your lives and walkings this is what God indispensably calls for 1 Pet. 1.15 16. As he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation because it is written be ye holy for I am holy We should press after universal holiness there should be a vein and tincture of holiness run through all we do even our Civil as well as our Religious actions we should as near as possibly be dedicated and devoted to God and our Lives should be lives of walking with him they and they onely who walk with God while they live are those who will be found ready to live with God when they come to die As for all careless licentious ones let them never talk of being ready for death and the future life for they are at an utter distance from any such thing indeed ready they are but for what ready for Hell ready for the wrath of God ready for destruction but they are not at all ready for a blessed Eternity The Apostle weeps over such as being indeed thus ready Phil. 3.18 19. Many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are enemies to the Cross of Christ whose end is destruction whose God is their belly whose glory is their shame who mind earthly things Many there are who profess and hope well of themselves as to another life who yet are loose and carnal wicked and licentious in their lives and walkings they do not watch and keep their garments but wallow in the mire of their lusts and pollutions they stain their profession with foul gross and scandalous sins at least they live and allow themselves in some secret way and haunt of sinning indulging this and the other Lust But my Beloved these are far indeed from being ready for a dying hour and must expect to be cast off from God and Christ for ever Such were those Mat. 7.22 23. They came and cried Lord Lord came with their gifts parts and privileges but Christ sent them away with a depart from me ye workers of iniquity So in Jer. 7. and beginning we read of some that made profession of God and his ways and yet walked in sin and wallowed in all manner of abomination And what is the issue Verse the 15th saith God I will cast you out of my sight God will at last cast off all loose licentious walkers Psal 21.9 David prays thus Gather not my soul with sinners And truly if you would not be gathered with sinners at last you must not walk in sin with siners now and as for the Saints themselves so far as they let down their watch and neglect their walking with God so far as they give way to a loose vain heedless way of living so far they have things out of order with them and they are unready for a dying hour Behold I come as a Thief saith Christ blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his Garments lest he walk naked and they see his shame Rev. 16.15 So far as the Saints carry it unbecoming their high and holy Profession which is too too frequent with them so far they are short of that compleat readiness for Death and Eternity they should press after Secondly Labour for much purity and holiness in your hearts and affections we must be pure and holy within as well as without in our hearts and affctions as well as in our lives and walkings if we would have all right indeed for a dying hour Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord and who shall stand in his holy place The answer is He that hath clean hands and a pure heart Psal 24.3 4. And Christ expresly tells us Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Mat. 5.8 Indeed impure hearts are unfit to see God he is a pure and holy God nor may impure-hearted ones expect that blessed sight I remember a saying which I have read in one of the Ancients which I look upon to be a great saying Woe and alas O Lord saith he how preposterous is it how rash and unadvised how inordinate how remote from the rule of the Word of thy Truth and Wisdom for a man to desire to see God with an unclean heart Oh have a watchful eye upon your hearts and labour to keep them as free from any taint and tincture of sin as possibly you can First Be sure you suffer no lust to get up into the Throne where it is too too often found When sin is consented to by the Will the lust is on the Throne in the heart and indeed it is wonderful to think how soon one or another corruption will mount up into the Throne in the Soul if we let down our Watch but a little But oh take heed of this so far as any one lust whatsoever is predominant within us so far we are marvellous unready for a dying hour And not onely so but Secondly Watch narrowly against the very first risings and motions of sin within Nip Lust if possible in the very Bud and Blossom It is true this calls upon us to have a very curious eye upon our hearts
and indeed such an eye we should have upon them we must have upon them if we mean to be Christians indeed Grace will teach a man not onely to oppose the acts of sin and to watch against the reign of any heart-lust but also to oppose the very first motions and risings of sin in the Soul And the more you do this the better posture you are in for a dying hour CHAP. IX A further Direction in order to a compleat Preparation for Death to press after the noblest strains of Grace Several of these pointed at and insisted on as tending hereunto Sixthly WOuld you indeed have all ready and in order in your souls for a dying hour Then rest not in low and ordinary but aspire after the highest and noblest strains of Grace The better to understand this you must know that there are some higher and more noble strains of Grace than ordinary strains of Grace that carry a peculiar glory and excellency in them and do in an eminent manner delight the heart of God indeed every strain of Grace even the least and lowest has a beauty and glory in it and is a pleasure to Gods heart the least dram of godly sorrow the least holy awe of God and trembling at his Word the least breathing of love and desire towards him the least leaning upon him in a way of hope and dependance Oh it has a great glory in it and is a delight to Gods Soul The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him in them that hope in his mercy Psal 147.11 But my Beloved there are some more choice and eminent strains and actings of Grace that are above the ordinary rate and do peculiarly delight the heart of God and bring honour to him and the more you come up to these and live under the power of these the more ready posture you are in for a dying hour Grace is the beginning of Glory 'T is as a worthy Divine expresses it the infancy of Heaven and Glory and the higher it rises in us the nearer it comes to Glory and the more it fits us for it therefore I say rest not in low and ordinary but covet and press after the highest and noblest strains of Grace some of which I shall here set down and insist a little upon in order to this great end of being found under the exactest readiness for a dying hour The noble strains of Grace I would have you come up unto are these 1. For a man to be high and yet low high in worth and attainments but low in spirit low in his own thoughts and apprehensions of himself to be humble under high and great acquirements this is noble Grace 'T is said of Athanasius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That he was high in worth but low in spirit he had great attainments but was very humble and lowly under all which is mentioned as a peculiar excellency in him and I remember a saying which I have read in one of the Ancients speaking of Hamility For a man to be humble says he in a low despicable abject condition this is no great matter but honourable humility that is to say for a man to be humble in an high and prosperous condition to be humble under eminent enjoyments this is a great thing a rare vertue indeed Oh for a man to be high in attainments high in gifts high in graces high in comforts high in services high in successes high in place and esteem among men and yet at the same time to be low in mind low in heart low in his esteems and apprehensions of himself this is an high and eminent strain of Grace this Paul excelled in and 't was his Crown and Glory he was a man of as high attainments and accomplishments as most that ever lived he was high in gifts high in graces high in comforts high in services high in successes high in all true worth and excellency and yet how low how humble in spirit was he how little in his own eyes and how vile in his own esteem You know how he speaks of himself The chief of sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 less than the least of all Saints Ephes 3.8 I am the least of the Apostles not worthy to be called an Apostle 1 Cor. 15.9 I am nothing 2 Cor. 12.11 This also was a part of Christs Crown and Glory who ever so eminent in gifts and graces who ever abounded with such glorious endowments as he and yet who so meek so humble so lowly as he Learn of me says he for I am meek and lowly of heart Mat. 11.29 In a verse or two before he had told us that all things were delivered to him by the Father and yet here I am meek and lowly in heart He was humble under all his advancements and attainments Oh labour to be like him herein whatever your attainments are labour to be humble under them and that because he was so Blush O dust and ashes blush to think of being proud be ashamed to be proud God humbles himself and dost thou exalt thy self so one speaks And again elsewhere 'T is intolerable impudence says he that when Majesty empties and humbles it self a vile worm should swell and be blown up with pride O be humble whatever your attainments are the more humble you are the more precious you are in Gods sight for he hath respect unto the lowly but beholdeth the proud afar off Psal 138.6 yea he resisteth the proud he sets himself in battel array against the proud Jam. 4.6 Arrogate nothing to thy self of those things that are in thee but thy sins by so much the more precious thou art in Gods eyes by how much the more vile and despicable thou art in thy own eyes says Bernard And to say no more none more ready to die than the humble and lowly person none more unready than the proud and high-minded 2. For a man to be full and yet empty full of the enjoyments and yet empty of the love of the world for a man to enjoy an affluence of this worlds good a fulness of all creature comforts and contentments and yet to be dead to all and fit loose from all placing his whole happiness in God and Christ this is a choice a noble an excellent strain of Grace indeed We read of some and but of some in Scripture who under an affluence of outward enjoyments have been weaned from all and sate loose from all and have kept up their communion with God placing the whole rest and happiness of their Souls therein some such I say we read of in Scripture but truly there are but very few and indeed 't is both a rare and a difficult thing for a soul thus to do These things especially when enjoyed in the fulness of them are so apt to ingross the heart to themselves and to alienate it from God and communion with God that 't is indeed a very rare and difficult thing for a man under an affluence
Self-denial and the like We have also Secondly Special work to do the work of our particular Stations and places work that is incumbent upon us as we stand thus and thus related being Magistrates or Ministers 〈◊〉 Masters of Families or the like for all such Relations bring their work and duty with them and this indeed is properly our own work and this we should be diligent and faithful in as ever we would be found ready for a dying hour Paul had his work to do and he was diligent and faithful in the discharge of it which gave him comfort when he came to die 2 Tim. 4.6 7 8. I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand I have fought a good fight I have finished my course henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness c. He had been faithful in the discharge of his work while he lived and being now to die he found the comfort and sweetness of it yea this was that which our Lord himself comforted himself withal when he was to die and in the sense of it goes to his Father with boldness for his glory Joh. 17.4 I have glorified thee on earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do indeed he had a great deal of work given him by the Father and he was faithful and punctual in the discharge of it all which was a comfort to him now he was to die and he himself tells us that is the blessed servant whom when his Lord shall come shall find so doing that is faithful and diligent in the discharge of his proper work Mat. 24.46 Truly this is the posture which some though but a few are found in they make conscience to discharge the duty that is incumbent upon them they say with their Lord I must work the work of him that sent me while it is day for the night cometh when no man can work John 9.4 they see a Night coming Death coming Judgment coming Eternity coming and accordingly they desire to lay out their whole souls in the work of God to live up to the Laws of Christ in every relation and they look upon that day as lost wherein they have not done somewhat for God and their own souls and how comfortably may such look death in the face when it comes I have read the Life of an Holy Minister who was seised upon by sickness which was unto death while he was preaching the everlasting Gospel and lying a few days sick ere he died a Fellow-labourer of his another Holy Minister coming to visit him and seeing death in his face cryed out in some passion O dear Sir are you going to Heaven from us To whom he replied Yes and I bless God that my Master found me in his work Truly might a man have his choice and option he would have death to find him while he is engaged in the work of God Oh study your own work study the work and duty of your Christian calling study that work and duty which is incumbent upon you in your particular relations and beg of God a heart to be diligent in the discharge of one and the other Eighthly Would you indeed have all right and in order in the 〈◊〉 of your souls ere a dying 〈◊〉 then be sure to suffer no 〈◊〉 no estrangement to grow up between 〈◊〉 and you but labour to keep 〈◊〉 â—â—â—stant and intimate acquainâ—â—â—â—◠〈◊〉 him Acquaint thy self with God and be at peace Job 22.21 the more of an holy intimacy and acquaintance with God we maintain the more we are at peace in our selves and I am sure the more we are at peace in our selves the more ready we are for a dying hour Woe and alas for us how oft do we let fall our converse and communion with God and suffer sad distances and estrangements to grow up between him and us And indeed my Beloved it is a sad and amazing thing to think how suddenly and imperceptibly distances and estrangements will grow up between God and a mans soul for my own part should I have heard of it only by the hearing of the ear and had not found it by too many sad and woful experiences I could not have believed how suddenly and imperceptibly distances and estrangements will grow up between God and a mans soul yea and that after the nearest liveliest and most intimate acquaintance and communion with him which calls upon us to be very watchful and circumspect as to this thing and my Beloved as you would die with boldness and comfort let me advise and persuade you to give all diligence to keep up constant intercourse and acquaintance with God and watch narrowly against all distances between him and you Which of us that knows any thing of the things of God knows not that we suffer distances and estrangements to grow up between God and us we cannot tell how with any tolerable boldness and comfort to look him in the face in a duty or scarce to think of him with delight much less shall we be able to look him in the face with comfort in death in case we suffer distances to grow up between him and us moreover take this for a sure rule That the more you are versed in communion with God and do maintain an holy intimacy and correspondence with him the more boldness and comfort you will have when you come to die then you will be able to say I am now going to be and live for ever immediately with that God with whom I have lived in much sweet and intimate communion here I am now going to converse more fully with him in Heaven with whom I have enjoyed much sweet converse here on Earth Should death find a man under distances and estrangements between God and him it must necessarily be uncomfortable unto him but when there is an holy intimacy kept up between God and the soul then the soul need not fear or be ashamed to look death and Judgment both in the face Little Children saith John abide in him that when he shall appear we may have boldness and not be ashamed before him at his coming 1 John 2.28 We are put into Christ by Faith at our first Conversion and we abide in him by after-acts of Faith and Communion and this abiding in him is the way to have boldness before him at his coming therefore mind this and pray much about this take heed of distances growing up between God and you and labour to have those sweet visits those sweet intercourses of love those blessed acts of communion kept up between God and you that are wont to be kept up between him and his watchful close walking Saints and in order hereunto take three or four short hints First Look upon and esteem converse and communion with God to be as indeed it is your highest happiness both here and in heaven the highest happiness souls are capable of here is to live in
seen while God looks upon us as cloathed with the righteousness of his Son and we by faith do live upon that righteousness as the sole matter of our Justification and acceptation with him and let me tell you the more clear and distinct the actings of our Faith are in carrying us out of our selves and all self-righteousness and relying wholly on Christ and his righteousness the more ready and comfortable posture we are in for a dying hour This was the great thing Paul coveted and pressed after to the very last and which he accounted all things but dung for Phil. 3.8 9. I count all things but dung that I may win Christ and be found in him not having mine own righteousness which is by the Law but the righteousness of Faith the righteousness which is of God by Faith He dreaded the thoughts of being found in any thing of his own he trembled to think of standing upon his own bottom the bottom of his own worth and righteousness when he should come to die and he cleaved intirely unto and relied wholly upon Christ and his most perfect righteousness Oh let me tell you Paul had as much and perhaps more to have rested upon than ten thousand of us for gifts for graces for privileges for services for successes for sufferings for Christ he went beyond any meer man that ever lived and Chrysostom observes of him That he feared nothing but sin to displease God and to dishonour him was the onely thing that was terrible to him and the Scripture gives a large and frequent account of his other attainments but still he goeth out of all and his language is None but Christ none but Christ not but that also he presseth after the greatest eminency and exactness in holiness as you find in the following Verses of this third to the Philippians and indeed this is the true Spirit of the Gospel to press after the greatest eminency and exactness in holiness to covet to attain if possible unto Angelical holiness and yet under and after all to live singly and entirely on a naked Christ and his righteousness for justification and acceptation with God and the more you come to and live in this Spirit the more ready you are for Death and a blessed Eternity this was a great part of the ground of the Churches rejoycing Isa 61.10 I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord my soul shall be joyful in my God for he hath cloathed me with the Garments of Salvation and hath covered me with a Robe of Righteousness which Chrysostom and others both Ancient and Modern interpret of the Righteousness of Christ and indeed no greater ground of rejoycing to a man or woman whether living or dying than to be cloathed with the Robe of the Righteousness of Christ I shall only put you in mind of a saying I have heard from a holy man the day before he died My Friends saith he speaking to my self and others I have walked with God these thirty years and have enjoyed a good measure of the assurance of his love but now that I am come to die I do not place my comfort on any of all these but on the infinite satisfaction of Jesus Christ Oh there there when we have done all we must lay the weight and stress of our Souls Comfort Salvation and all and therefore be sure you live out of your selves upon Christ It is a great saying Luther hath to this purpose Lord Jesus saith he thou art my righteousness and I am thy sin thou tookest mine meaning his sin and thou gavest me thine meaning his righteousness thou tookst that which thou wast not and thou gavest me that which I was not intending the exchange that Christ had made with him giving him his righteousness for his sin Oh let this be the language of our souls to Christ so shall we be sound ready when a dying hour comes Tenthly Would you indeed die with comfort then beg God to stand by you and give you actual Grace in a dying hour and make it one of your great works to treasure up many Prayers for this before-hand When you have done all should God withdraw his presence and the influences of his Grace and Love from you when you come to die Death would be in a great measure uncomfortable to you but if God will be with you if God will stand by you if he will vouchsafe you the influences and communications of his Grace in a dying hour then how will your souls triumph over death this indeed will sweeten death they are great words of David in Psal 23.4 Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me having the presence of God with him he was not he would not be afraid even in the very valley of the shadow of death truly without the presence of God we cannot live comfortably whatsoever our attainments in Grace have been yet if God withdraw his presence from us we can do nothing we can bear nothing we cannot perform the least duty we cannot resist the least temptation we cannot grapple with the least corruption nor carry through as we ought the least difficulty much less shall we be able to die with comfort if God withdraw therefore I say beg God to stand by you in a dying hour Let it be your daily prayer to God First That he would be with you in the difficulties of life Secondly That he would not leave you in the conflicts and agonies of death And indeed we should not pass that day wherein we do not treasure up one prayer for this before-hand and thus doing God will not leave us God will not fail us in that last and great difficulty at least he will not leave us in point of Grace our Lord himself was left in the agonies of death by the Father in point of comfort which put him to that out-cry Why hast thou forsaken me but he was not left by him in point of Grace still a Spirit of Faith and Holiness acted him and therefore though forsaken he cries out My God my God if possibly in conformity to our Head we should be left in that hour in point of comfort yet if we carry our selves as we ought we shall not be left in point of Grace and if we be not left in point of Grace all will do well though not so sweet and joyous with us as otherwise it would be And thus I have given you these more particular directions in order to a preparation for a dying hour which if you live up to you may not only live above the fear of death but also in the joyful expectation thereof daily CHAP. XI Being a Consolatory Conclusion of the whole Discourse containing Encouragements against the sear of Death unto all such as are found in the practice of the foregoing Directions NOw for a Conclusion of the whole matter upon all that hath been declared Soul let me ask thee
solace and satisfie them as that there shall not be room for the least tittle or iota of a desire for ever yea such sights and enjoyments as shall so satisfie them as to leave them under an utter impossibility of ever turning aside from them to any thing else and so an eternal impossibility of sinning Oh how sweet must this be and indeed the School-men I find and others from them give this as one reason why the Saints in heaven are impeccable because the sight and enjoyment they have of God there is so full and satisfying as that they cannot turn aside to any thing else O welcom death that brings us to those sights those enjoyments of God the Chief Good Once more 7. Death when ever it comes will bring you to and set you down in the enjoyment of an eternal Sabbath and oh how sweet is this There remaineth a Rest the word is a Sabbath or Sabbatism to the people of God Heb. 4.9 Ay but when shall they enjoy it why truly when death comes that will enter them upon it immediately upon the night of death dawns the eternal Sabbath True the Saints enjoy a Sabbath here and the Sabbath to them is the sweetest and amiablest day in all the week 't is a day of joy and holy feasting to their souls and oh how many times do your souls long for it but alas these Sabbaths have an end but the Sabbath death will set them down in will be an eternal Sabbath and an eternal Sabbath wherein they shall be employed in the highest acts of worship and adoration even Love Praise Admiration and Halleluja's for ever wherein there will be no weariness no faintness wherein there shall be no intermission no going to duties and break off again as here we do but an whole Eternity shall be imployed in acts of Divine Worship and Adoration wherein there shall be no deadness no dulness no spiritual indispositions no unsuitableness in us to those high and holy Exercises which this Sabbath will be fill'd with but our souls shall be perfectly suited to and fitted for those glorious employs wherein not a few only and those some Saints and some sinners some good and some bad shall joyn together in acts of worship but an innumerable company both of Saints and Angels and these all perfectly holy Heb. 12.22 23 24. Oh how sweet and glorious will this be 'T is a great saying which I have read in a worthy Divine Sabbaths here are comfortable says he and we have tasted some sweet some comfort in some Sabbaths but take all the comfort that ever you had in all the Sabbaths you have enjoyed here and all will be nothing to the comforts and sweetness of the Eternal Sabbath Alas the perpetual Sabbath that shall be hereafter that will be the accomplishment of all these Sabbaths how sweet then must that be Oh ye Saints of God lift up your heads death will set you down in this Sabbath How have some of us longed sometimes for the coming of the Sabbath and how have we grieved when it has been gone well but when death comes that will bring you to a Sabbath that shall never end 'T is a sweet saying of Austin There says he speaking of Heaven is the great Sabbath a Sabbath that hath no evening no end in which we shall rest and behold behold and love love and praise for ever Oh blessed be God for this Sabbath and blessed be God that death when it comes shall bring us to this Sabbath Well then fear not death dread not death but be found diligent and faithful in the use of the helps prescribed for the preparing of your souls for it and then 't will greatly befriend you when ever it comes and you may exult and rejoyce in it I should now conclude but I must first beg all that read this plain Discourse deeply and frequently to consider and contemplate these things 1. Every day seriously consider and contemplate the exceeding worth of your souls and the great things they are capable of 't is sad to think what low thoughts the most of men have of their souls they are content to sell their souls to lose their souls to damn their souls and all for a lust for a little of this world a little carnal sensual pleasure and delight here which is but for a moment That rebuke which Austin gave one is due to the most How comes it to pass says he that among all thy good things thou wilt let nothing be in an ill case but thy self thy Soul Truly the most of men are solicitous to have all well but their Souls they will have it go well with their Bodies their Names their Estates their Families but their Souls they mind not But my Beloved I beseech you think deeply and frequently of the worth of your souls and the concerns of them O 't is your soul that is your principal part Christ who best knew the worth of souls tells you that the whole World is nothing to one soul and that the gain of the one can't recompence the loss of the other no not in the least Mat. 16.26 and you know what a price he was pleased to pay for souls even his own Blood his precious Blood Life and all 1 Pet. 1.19 Besides there are two things which speak the soul to be a thing of unspeakable worth and value its vast capacity and its absolute immortality 1. The capacity of the soul speaks its worth Oh what great things is the soul of man capable of there is a kind of infiniteness as a worthy Divine observes in the soul of man 't is capable of even an infinite happiness or an infinite misery 't is capable of eternal life or eternal death 't is capable of unconceivable communications both of love and wrath and must one day be fill'd with the one or the other of them 't is capable of knowing God of bearing his Image of enjoying glorious communion with him yea of living Gods own life and in a participation of his own blessedness look whatever the Angels enjoy look whatever the humane soul of Christ enjoys that thy soul is capable of the enjoyment of Sinner O how precious does this speak it to be and how great should thy concern be for it while day and season lasts contemplate it therefore a little and say O how precious is my soul and what great things is it capable of and it being so why do I take up in such low poor dungy drossy things as the best of sin and this world are 2dly The immortality of the soul argues its worth the soul that never dies 't is indeed but as it were a spark a beam of God's own immortality breathed into the body at least there is a stamp and impress thereof upon it the body that dies that returns to dust but the soul that lives that goes to God Eccles 12.7 As the mortality of the body as a Learned man
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