commodities make the most of their Markets and buy their wares while a fit time of buying them serves and having possibly had great losses formerly or spent their time idly do by their diligence seek to redeem and as it were to buy back again the time that is past The Lacedemonians were penurious of their time and spent it all about necessary business not suffering any Citizen either to play or be idle When their Ephori heard that some used to walk in the afternoons for their recreation they forbad it as savouring too much of pleasure and commanded them to recreate their bodies by some manly exercise which might breed them to be serviceable to the Common-wealth Reader the time of thy life goeth post thou art hastening to thy last stage whether thou art eating or drinking walking or sitting buying or selling waking or sleeping death is always making speed towards thee the time of thy departure hence is concluded and resolved beyond which it is impossible for thee whether thy work be done or undone to stay one day no not one hour nay not one moment and shouldst thou waste thy time upon toys and trifles as if thou hadst nothing to do no God to make peace with no Redeemer to lay hold on no soul to take care of He that hath a great way to go or much work to do and that upon pain of death and but a little time for it hath little reason to laze or loyter When we have but a little paper and much to write we write small and thick O how much work hath every Christian to do in this world which if he neglect he is lost for ever how many head-strong lusts to subdue how many duties towards God and men to perform how many graces to exercise providences and ordinances to improve and can all this be done in a little time The Candle of our lives burns low if like foolish Children we play it out we may thank our selves if we go to bed in the dark without the light of comfort to our graves It is one of the most irrational yet ordinary action of the children of men especially persons of estates and quality to waste time in Dicing or Carding or hawking or Hunting or Chambering or Revelling and yet to murmur that they want time and tell us Its pitty mans life is so shortâ— that it is not spun out to a longer thread I must tell such that they complain of God when they should of themselves He is not penurious but they are prodigal in mispending it I must ask them Why would they have more time Is it to be more riotous and prophane and vicious The shortest moment is too much for the service of sin He that sinneth but once sinneth too much by once If it be that they might honour God and get grace and lay hold on eternal life why do they not set about it and make it their business Every one would accuse him of folly that were condemned one Assize to be hanged but was reprieved till the next and had that time allotted to sue out his pardon if he should in the interim give himself wholly to gaming and drinking and take no care about his pardon yet complain to all that came to him that his time was short and he had not enough to get his pardon in or prevent his Execution Our days are sufficient for our duties had we grace to number them and to apply our hearts to wisdom but there is no overplus of time to be abused to fleshly or worldly lusts or to be lavished away in idle and unnecessary things A good man that liveth all the day long in the fear of his God and husbands his time to the best advantage of his soul finds it so sufficient for his work that he is always ready to be called to an account and when ever he dieth he dieth full of days and hath had his fill of living but men waste their time in vanity and folly sacrifice their youth to frowardness and unprofitableness their manhood to pleasure and passion their old age if they live so long to earthly-mindedness and Atheism nay they will set down and contrive sports or send for or go into idle company to pass away the time and then complain that time is little and life is short and they have not enough to provide for death and eternity in The Moralist observeth truly Non exiguum temporis habemus sed multum perdimus It is not a little time that we have but it is much which we waste God iâ— bountiful in allotting us time but we are laviâ—h of it and then grumble that it is no more The largest possessions in a Country though worth thousands per annum are nothing in the hands of a Prodigal Heir who useth to throw away thousands at a cast and must pay the Bills which Pride and luxury and gluttony send him in daily but a twentieth part of those revenues were a large estate in the hands of a frugal person The vast incomes of Egypt and all the Eastern Provinces were but a small sum when they were gathered to maintain the pomp and ambition of Antony and the riot and fleshly lusts of Cleopatra when some prudent provident Emperours have lived freely and nobly a whole year with less then they consumed in a day Foolish men that are riotous and prodigal of their time as if it were given them onely to sport and play and roar and revel in pine and whine at last that they are lost because their time is so short but wise and gracious persons that deny themselves and crucifie the flesh that can redeem time from toys and idle talk and foolish sports and unnecessary diversions to pray and hear and read and examine their souls and bemoan their sins and provide for heaven these grow rich in good works and find the days of their pilgrimage sufficient for them SECT V. FIfthly Call thy self to an accauut at evening Take a review of thy carriage the whole day how thou didst behave thy self Begin with the morning consider whether thou didst awake with God what was the frame of thy Spirit in closet and family duties in company and solitude Reflect upon thy actions thy passions thy speech thy silence thy behaviour at table in thy shop whether thy affections were heavenly above the world when thy actions were earthly about the world whether thou wast righteous in thy particular calling and didst set upon it out of conscience to Gods precept and with an eye to his glory whether thou didst not lose an opportunity of advantaging thy brothers soul and doing thy God service whether thou hast not failed in thy thoughts or words or deeds in thy demeanour towards thy relations or neighbours or strangers whether thou didst in all walk according to that rule which thy God hath prescribed thee This is the way to make the day more pious and the night more pleasant Conscience
for vengeance what will the blood of a murdered soul do Why should I to humour any mans lust injure his soul hinder my own peace and incur the anger of the Lord. O that no foolish pretences whatsoever may keep me off from acquainting sinners with thâ—â—â—â—il and end the nature and danger of their sins It s Gods order first to cast the soul down and then to lift it up The ground must feel the Plow before it receive the Seed Sorrow must precede comfort and they must sow in tears who would reap in joy God must shake all Nations before the desired of all Nations will come to him We come to Sinai the Mount that burneth with fire and to blackness and darkness and a tempest which makes even a Moses to fear and quake exceedingly before we come to Mount Sion the City of the living God the Heavenly Ierusalem and to Jesus the Mediatour of the new Covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things then the blood of Abel The Law is a School-Master to drive us to Christ. Austere Iohn with his Ax laid to the root of the Tree threatning the fire to those that bring not forth fruit prepareth the way for the sweet alluring Iesus Mourning and Grief is the Midwife of true mirth Penitential tears are the streams that lead to the Rivers of Pleasures Even the doleful sound of the Trumpet attendeth the Iudge when he is going to acquit a Prisoner by publique Proclamation Violence must be offered to corruption or there will be no acceptance of the Lord Christ. The building of holiness is the more strong for having its foundation of humiliation laid deep The safety of the soul doth depend like Jonahs upon his being cast over-boord and utterly lost in his own apprehension The blessed Iesus himself is brought into a desolate Wilderness before Angels are sent from Heaven to comfort him O that I might follow my God in his usual way and never prophesie smooth things to rugged and â—â—â—â—ed men but endeavour to break their hearts on â—â—th who have persisted in the breach of his holy Laws that their backs may not be broken in Hell Yet I would not instead of beating down the rotten Paper walls of presumption drive any into the Dungeon of desperation but as the good Nurse have the breast of consolation as well as the rod of correction in readiness for such Children Moses and Christ met together upon Mount Tabor The Gospel must be Preached to heal those wounds which are opened and discovered by the Law The Lord sendeth me to proclaim liberty to the Captives and the opening of the Prison to them that are bound Lord thou killest and makest alive bringest down to the grave and bringest up It s easie and ordinary with thee to break those bones which thou intendest to rejoyce and to perplex those Rams in Briars and Thorns which thou intendest to accept of as a sacrifice Teach thy Servant to know how to speak a word in season both to the wicked and to the godly how to divide thy word aright both in its minatory and consolatory parts that as occasion shall â—e I may awaken the wicked out of their deadly slumbers and quicken the godly to their spiritual watchfulness and help to sweeten that bitter cup which thou hast put into their hands O that thy blessing might water my labours for both their welfares Alas poor sick unregenerate ones are dropping into boundless and endless sorrows and yet are without sense Though they are dying they know not what they are doing nor whither they are going Their eyes are shut by the god of this World that they see not that unspeakable misery to which they are liable every moment their hearts are hardened through custom in sin that neithâ—â—â—â—reatnings nor promises prevail with them to feel their wounds and sores O thou great Physitian thou Lord of life thou God of health open their eyes send some Ananias to them that they may receive their sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost enable them so to mourn now that they may be comforted when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord and help thy servant to deal so faithfully with those whom thou callest me to visit that I may never give thy Majesty cause to say of me as once of the Prophets of Israel They have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly saying Peace Peace when there is no peace I Wish that I may be close and home in my Applications to sick persons and speak what is proper to their estates with ardency and affection to their very hearts It s ill dallying with edged tools O how sad is it to toy and trifle to be formal or customary in counsel or reproof or comfort to immortal souls that are launching into the Ocean of eternity Death is a serious thing and that which they never did before nor shall ever do again Sin is a serious thing as the damned find in Hell by woful experience Though there they are in blackness of darkness yet they have light enough to see sin to be the evil of evils and altogether sinful Christ was serious when he took upon him my nature and therein did offer up himselfâ— a sacrifice for sin God is serious in commanding faith and repentance and in promising Heaven to the faithful and holy and Hell to unbeleivers and atheists And shall not I be serious and in earnest when I am dealing about matters of eternal life and death and about the concernments of God and Christ and souls and eternity O with what earnestness should I perswade the wicked to turn from their wickedness and live If ever their souls would draw near to the Lord of life it concerns them to do it when their bodies are drawing nigh to the Chambers of death It is but a very few hours and their condition will be past all amendment all alteration In this poor pittance of time all must be done upon which the Scales must turn for their salvation or damnation They are going to make that change which will admit them into endless joy or torment and render their estates unchangeable Their time is hastening that they must struggle with dreadful pains and strong distempers and death the King of terrors and must review that life which is ending and look back upon all that they have done and judge their persons and actions impartially whether they will or no that they must take their leave of all their friends and food and sleep and lands and houses and honours and pleasures and riches and step into eternity and appear before God without their Relations or Possessions or any worldly comforts to help or encourage them that they must be tried by an holy Law and an holy Judge for their everlasting lives or deaths and can my expressions be too full of weight and reason or my affections too full of bowels and pity
that in the other world I may stand among thy Sheep on thy right hand and hear that blessed heart-chearing voice Come thou blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for thee before the foundation of the World For I was hungry and thou gavest me meat I was thirsty and thou gavest me drink I was a stranger and thou didst take me in I was sick and thou visitedst me when my soul shall be above all sin and my body above all sickness and both blessed in thy favour and fruition for ever and ever Amen CHAP. VIII How a Christian may exercise himself to Godliness on a Dying Bed SIxthly and Lastly Thy duty is to exercise thy self to Godliness if God give thee opportunity on a Dying Bed The work of a Saint is to glorifie God not onely in his life but also in his death The Silk-worm stretcheth out her self before she spin and ends her life in her long wrought clew The Christian must stretch out himself on his dying Bed and end his life in the work of his Lord. Every Man by his death payeth his debt to nature He is earth in regard of his Original creation and must be earth in regard of his ultimate resolution Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return Gen. 3. 19. The Sinner when he dyeth payeth his debt to Sin Satan and the Law To sin as he is the servant of unrighteousness and so must receive its wages which is death To Satan as he hath sold himself to work wickedness at his will and so must have his tempter to be his eternal tormentor To the Law as he hath violated its precepts and commands and therefore must undergo its punishment and curse The Saint when he dieth payeth his debt to God for he oweth him honour as well by his death as by his life Hence we read not onely of their living in the Lord and to the Lord but also of their dying in the Lord and to the Lord Rom. 14. 8. Rev. 14. 13. Which though some expound in that place of the Revelations to the cause for which they died they did not dye out of humour or obstinacy or any carnal selfish interest but purely as Martyrs at Gods call and for Gods cause They loved not their lives to the death for the testimony of Iesus Yet the words may as clearly speak 1. The state in whiâ—â— they died They died in the favour of God reconciled to him through the death of the Mediatour The Castle of their souls was not taken by storm or in a state of emnity and opposition but by a quiet voluntary sâ—rrender or in a state of peace and amity 2. The manner of their deaths They died in the fear of God they exercised grace as well in sickness as in health and when dying as when living their spiritual motions were quick when their natural motions were slow Plutarch reports of Lucius Metellus high Priest of Rome that though he lived to a great old age his voice did not fail him nor his hand shake in his sacrificing to the Gods It s said of Moses when he was a hundred and twenty years old and dyed that his natural sight did not fail him neither was his heat abated So it may be said of the Christian that though he die old his spiritual sight doth not fail him nor his divine heat abate As Caleb he is as strong in regard of grace his inward strength when he is entering into the promised Canaan as he was when he first went forth as a spie by faith to search the land flowing with milk and honey The Heathen counted him happy that dyed either in the midst of the goods of fortune hence they say if Priamus had died a little before the loss of his Town he had died the greatest Prince in all Asia or in the exercise of their moral vertues Hence they so highly extol Seneca and Socrates who seemed to dare even death it self out of resolution and fortitude Though those seeming vertues were but as Austin terms them Splendida Flagitia Famous Vices and their confidence arose not from any grounded knowledge of their good estates but from their blindness and ignorance of their depraved wicked and woful estates He is the happy man indeed that dieth in the faith that sleepeth in Iesus that goeth to his grave in the exercise of grace The Master of Moral Philosophy commendeth that Pilot whom a Ship-wrack swalloweth up at the Stern with the Rudder in his hand The most high God commendeth that person whom death seiseth doing the work for which he was sent into the world Even the blind Mole if Naturalists may be credited opens his eyes when he comes to dye and the crooked Serpent stretcheth out her self straight when she is going to fetch her last breath and shall not the Saint be best at last Reader Observe how careful the Saints have been to do their last work well and to go out of the world like some sweet spices perfuming the room in which they fetch their last breath with holiness and leaving a sweet savour behind them Jacob when dying worshipped leaning on his staff Heb. 11. 21. What a Character doth he give of the Angel of the Covenant and what blessings doth he pray for and prophesie to come on his children when he was going from them How was his heart enlarged in pantings after the Lord Christ Gen. 48. 16. and 49. per tot The living waters of his graces ran with the greater strength when they were emptying themselves into the Ocean of glory Moses like the dying Swan sings most sweetly being to go up to Mount Nebo to dye there What excellent doctrines reproofs instructions doth he deliver to the Israelites How pathetically rhetorically divinely doth he dictate his last legacies to his Political children who can read and not be ravished with wonder and delight Deut. 32. 33. Ioshua like the morning star shines brightest at last He gives his people so strict a charge to serve the Lord such gracious counsel when he was going the way of all the earth that it could not but be remembred many days after Dying Ioseph will lay his bones at stake for Gods faithfulness and that he will visit Israel and deliver them out of Egypt Sampson did the Church of God much service in slaying more of her enemies at his death then in his life Iulius Caesar among the Romans and Olympia the Mother of Alexander among the Grecians were famous for their care to die handsomely and not to commit at last any ill beseeming action whereby their memories should have been rendred inglorious But the Christians care hath always been to die holily and to do their God most service when they are going to that place where they shall do him no more in a proper sense Philosophers tell us that the soul upon deaths approach is more divine and supernaturally inclined certain it is the soul of a Saint onely doth then more
aspire heaven-ward when its returning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to its original divinity according to Plotinus his phrase of death As his Saviour he brings out his best wine at last and his last works are more then his first Rev. 2. 19. The blessed Prince and Lord of life should be our pattern at death He got his Father most glory he did his Church most good by his death though he was eminently serviceable to both all his life time It s said of him He was obedient Phil. 2. 7. to the death Which may import 1. His continuance in well-doing His obedience lasted to the last moment of his life so should ours Elisha would not leave his Master till taken from him into Heaven and we should not leave our Lord till taken to him into Heaven Polycarp in his old age being urged by the Proconsul to deny Christ answered I have served him eighty six years and he never once hurt me and shall I now deny him 2. His obedience in his death His death was a Free-will offering in obedience to his Fathers command Not onely his birth and life was an answer to his Fathers call A body hast thou prepared c. Then said I Lo I come to put on that body to take upo◠〈◊〉 that nature and thereby and therein to do thy Will O God but also his death was in pursuance of his duty This commandment received I of my Father Thus the Christians death must be offered up as a sacrifice to God in obedience to his command The Sinners soul is Prest to this War in which there is no discharge This night thy soul shall be required of thee The Saint understanding the orders from the Lord of Hosts is a Voluntier He gives up the Ghost Into thy hands Lord I commend my Spirit 3. The gracious manner of his dying The Sun of righteousness when setting did shine most gloriously Though at his death he had such infinite disadvantage being to wrestle with the frowns of an incensed God the fury of earth and Hell and met with clouds black and thick enough to have obscured the graces and hindered the holiness of any but himself from shining at all yet how brightly did they break forth in the midst of all those Fogs and Mists and Darkness What holy counsel and comfort did he give his Disciples to prepare them for his departure in his last and one of his longest Sermon Ioh. 14 15 16. What an heavenly prayer doth he put up to his Father for them and all his elect to give them both a taste and a pledge of that intercession which he was going to Heaven to make for them When he was hanging on the Cross under such an heavy weight as the sins of the whole World Grace was not depressed His love to his Mother is observeable Woman behold thy Son And from that hour that Disciple took her to his own house John 19. 26. But his love to his membrenâ— though enemies was wonderful Father forgiâ—â— them they know not what they do His Faith in his Father Father into thy hands I commend my spirit His pity to one of the Theives His Patience in bearing the scoffing words and taunts more bitter then Worm-wood of them that passed by reviling him as well as in suffering the wracking of his bones and whole body and the anger of an infinite God in his soul without any murmuring may well call for our admiration Reader he hath set thee a pattern that thou shouldst follow his steps Some tell us the Phoenix of Saba in Arabia Faelix so called from Phoenicea or the Purple colour of her wings liveth six hundred and sixty years at the end of which time she buildeth her a nest of Cassia Calamus Cinnamon and other precious spices and gums which the Sun by the extremity of his heat and the wavering of her wings fires and she taking delight in the sweetness of the savour hovers so long over it that she burns her self in her own Nest. Thus did the blessed Jesus and thus ought his followers to expire in a Nest of sweet Spices the exercise of the graces of the holy Spirit It was a poor farewel to the world which even Octavius Augustus gave when at the point of death he called for his Looking-glass commanded to have his Head and beard combed and his shriveled Cheeks smoothed up then asking his friends if he had acted his part well Cum ita responderint vos omnes igitur inquit Plaudite It is a dreadful conclusion which Pliny relates the Hyberboreans to make who when they have lived to one hundred years or more make a great feast to which they invite all their friends and after their jollity and mirth throw themselves down a steep rock and so perish Ungodly men are always worst at last when they come to the bottom they are flat and dead and nothing but grounds and dregs How often in the eyes of the world do wicked persons go out like a Lamp leaving a stench behind them The scandalous sinner usually like the Goats beard or star of Jerusalem closeth up the flower of his presumptuous hope at high noon he is cast in his own conscience long before his death The Hypocrite ordinarily as the Daysie and Dandelion declares the approach of the evening by shutting up before its approach If he be gold in the morning and silver at noon yet as we say of Butter he is lead at night What is the hope of the Hypocrite when God shall take away his soul As its storied of the Pardora a people in India that in their youth they have silver hairs but in their age their hairs are quite black Or as the She Wolf hath a yearly defect in generation the first time she hath five the second time four then three then two then one then barren ever after So the Hypocrite dâ—clines and decreaseth in goodness faster then the Moon in its last quarter and is commonly worst at last But the sincere Christian hath his best at the bottom and hath his daintiest dish reserved to be served in at the last courseâ— Naturalists tell us of Honey that that is the thickest and best Honey which is squeezed last out of the Comb. O what excellent periods and endings both in regard of the exercise of grace and comfort have many of the Children of God made The Death-bed to some Saints hath been like Tharah to the Israelites in the Wilderness where after many journeys growing near to the Land of Canaan they rested themselves and it was called Tharah from Roah and Tarah which signifieth a breathing time The Sun when it declines into the West hath even then much more light then any of the Stars The meanest upright Christian when he is near setting hath more joy and comfort then a specious Hypocrite any day of his life When some asked Oecolampadius lying on his death-bed whether the light did not offend him he answered pointing
Beasts he often wished by the way that he were in the midst of those Beasts that were to devour him and that their appetites might be whetted to dispatch him fearing lest it should happen to him as to some others that the Lyons out of a kind of reverence would not dare to approach them being ready he said rather to provoke them to fight then that they should suffer him to escape Bradford being told by his Keepers Wife that his Chain was a buying and he was to die the next day pulled off his Hat and thanked God for it When some wondered that Adam Damplip could eat his food so well when his end was so near he told them Ah Masters Do you think that I have been Gods Prisoner so long in the Marshalsey and have not yet learned to die Yes yes and I doubt not but God will strengthen me therein Ann Askew subscribed her Confession in Newgate thus Written by me Ann Askew that neither wisheth for death nor feareth his might and as merry as one that is bound towards Heaven Indeed it s said of a wicked man that his soul is required of him and that God takes away his soul Luk. 12. Job 27. 10. but of a godly man that he giveth up the Ghost and he cometh to his grave Gen. 25. 8. Job 4. ult Nature will teach the Heathen that death is the end of all outward miseries to all men hence some of them drank of its cup with as much constancy and courage as if it had been the most pleasant Julip but grace will teach the Christian that death is not onely a remedy against all his bodily and spiritual maladies as Sir Walter Rawleigh said of the sharp Ax that should behead him this will cure all my infirmities but also an inlet into fulness of joy and felicity Reverend Deering said on his death-bed I feel such joy in my spirit that if I should have the sentence of life on the one side and the sentence of death on the other side I had rather a thousand times chuse the sentence of death since God hath appointed a separation then the sentence of life Tiâ—us Vespation the mirror of mankind being a stranger to Christ was very unwilling â—o leave the world being carried in an Horse-litter and knowing that he must dye lookt up to Heaven and complained pittifully that his life should be taken from him who had not desired to dye having never committed any sin as he said but onely one Socrates and some of the wiser Heathenâ— comforted themselves against the fear of death with this weak Cordial that it is common to men the way of all the earth Hence it was when the Athenians condemned Socrates to dye he received the Sentence with an undaunted spirit and told them they did nothing but what nature had before ordained for him But the Christian hath a greater ground for a holy resolution and a stronger Cordial against the fear of death even his hopes of eternal life and surely if he that exceeds others in his Cordials be excelled by them in Courage he disgraceth his Physitian Aristippus told the Saylers who wondred that he was not as well as they afraid in the storm Ye fear the torments due to a wicked life and I expect the reward of a good one It s no marvail that they who lived wickedly should dye unwillingly being frighted with the guilt of their past sins and with the fears of their future torments therefore the holy Ghost saith of such a one The wicked is driven away in his wickedness as a Beast that is driven out of his den to the slaughter or as a Debtor driven by the Officers out of his house wherein he lay warm and was surrounded with all sorts of comfort to a nasty loathsom prison But that the righteous who hath hope in his death should even dye almost with fear of it before-hand is matter of wonder Lots soul is exceedingly vexed with Sodom yet he is loth to leave it This world is a wilderness a purgatory a step-mother a persecutor to all the Saints and yet some of them when called to leave it sing loth to depart and would linger behind partly from nature which dreads a dissolution and partly from the weakness of grace To fear death much argueth sometimes wickedness always weakness 3. Repentance It s said of St. Augustine that he dyed with tears in his eyes in the practice of repentance and Posidonius saith of him that he heard him often say in his health that it was the fittest disposition for dying Christians and Ministers Laudatos saith he Chistianos sacerdotes absque digna competenti paenitentia exire de corpore non debere We dye groaning iâ— regard of our bodies why should not our souls sigh that ever they sinned against so good a God! Beasts bite their enemies with more venome and indignation when they are ready to dye Maxime mortiferi solent esse morsus morientium animaliâ—m The Christian should give sin his most deadly bite his greatest abhorrency and grief and shame when he is dying and shall never see sin or sorrow or shame more As its noble and excellent to dye forgiving sinners so also taking revenge upon sin Moses a little before his death is commanded to avenge the Children of Israel of the Midianites and then he is gathered to his people Numb 31. 1 2. Samuel takes vengeance on Agag when he was old and knew not the day of his death David could not dye with comfort till he had charged Solomon to execute that justice on Ioab which he had omitted The last time the Judge seeth the Felon he passeth sentence of death upon him O how should the soul of a dying Saint be inflamed with anger against sin when he considers the rich love that it abuseth the glorious name that it dishonoureth the blessed Saviour that it pierceth and that vast happiness which he is going to possess of which without infinite grace and mercy it had deprived him Some persons when they have been to take their last revenge on their enemies have done it to purpose The beleiver on his dying bed takes his last revenge on sin he shall never have another opportunity to shew his love to his God and Saviour in his spite at and hatred of sin therefore then he should do it to purpose as dying Sampson put forth all his strength and beg divine help that he may utterly destroy it and be avenged on it for all the defilement and bondage it hath brought on his soul and dishonour to his Saviour Dying Iacob cursed the sins of his own Sons Cursed be their wrath for it was fierce and their anger for it was cruel O my Soul enter not thou into their secrets The dying Child of God should curse his passions his pride his unbeleif his selfishness even all his lusts for disobeying such righteous Laws and displeasing such a gracious Lord. When David Chrytaeus
home when thou art neither Master of thy time nor reason nor of thy natural abilities much less of supernatural grace which is indispensably requisite to this great work O that since I must dye once for sin I might dye daily to sin and as the Philistines that they might the better deal with Sampson cut off his Hair wherein his great strength lay so that I may the better deal with death I may by faith and repentance daily cut off and destroy sin wherein the strength of death lieth May I not say to thee O my soul as Joshua to Israel Prepare ye victuals for within three days ye shall pass over this Iordan to go to possess the Land which the Lord your God giveth you Prepare the spiritual food the flesh of Christ which is meat indeed and the blood of Christ which is drink indeed an heart weaned from the world longing to be with God for within a few days thou shalt go in to possess the land of promise Lord I know nothing more certain then death Sin hath deserved it my brittle body inforceth it thou hast decreed it and none can prevent it I know nothing more uncertain then the time when or the manner how Thou hast many ways and means to bring me to my grave not onely ordinary distempers of my body but thousands of casual dangers I cannot promise my self freedom from it in any place or condition Death may seise me abroad at home in company in solitude at bed at board Why should I not always provide for that extremity that enemy which I cannot avoid Why should I not ever be ready for that which may come at any time and will come at some time or other Surely I do not hasten my death by preparing for it but sweeten it exceedingly I â—hall not dye a moment the sooner but infinitely the better Should death overtake me in my sins alas where am I what will become of me for ever I may well salute it as Ahab Elijah with Hast thou found me O mine enemy for t will come to me as the Prophet to that King with doleful dreadful tidings T will bring me news of a dismal dungeon of darkness to be my habitation of Lyons and Scorpions and Dragons to be my companions of a never dying worm an unquenchable fire pure wrath without mixture full torments without measure to be my portion for ever and ever O teach me so to live above this vain empty life so to be crucified to this world so to make my peace with thy Majesty through the great peace-maker and Prince of Peace my Lord Iesus so to set my heart and house my spiritual and temporal concernments in order that I may be delivered from the paw of the Lyon from the teeth of this monster from the sting of this Serpent and though my body be destroyed yet my soul may escape as a bird out of the snare of the Fowler and mount up to thy self to enjoy that happy life which shall know no death I Wish that all the days of my appointed time I may exercise my self herein to keep a conscience void of offence towards God and towards all men There are but two which can afford me real comfort in a dying hour which always take the same side and joyn together God and my conscience Humane friends often stand afar off when they should be most near and I have most need Some of them are loth to come to a sick mans chamber Mournful objects must not disturb their jollity and mirth They are sworn enemies to sorrowful occasions and baniâ—h such foes their quarters or themselves from such coasts Others if they come to visit me love not to see my gastly countenance like not to hear my deep and deadly groans But be they never so full of pity they can onely sympathize with me they cannot relieve refresh me The most they can do is to accompany me to my grave and there they leave me But O the comfort which a loving God and a conscience sprinkled with the blood of Christ and purged from dead works will afford me in a dying hour The smiles of a God and chearings of a good conscience will be musick indeed to welcom me to the shoar after all my tumblings and tossings in this tempestuous Ocean They will make my bed in my sickness help me to lye easie hearten me in my sighs and groans be my feast at my funeral bid me Be of good chear for my sins are forgiven me tell me that my Redeemer liveth and because he liveth I shall live also lodge my body in a grave as in a Bed of Spices and convey my soul into my Saviours Bosome and Embraces when my Houses Lands Honours Friends Wife Children leave me they will cleave to me nay when my breath life heart flesh forsake me they will not fail me yea when faith hope patience repentance shall bid me farewel weeping as Orpah did Ruth these like Naomi will stick to me go with me and seek rest for me O that my heart may be so upright in the service of my God that when I â—hall receive the sentence of death I may be able to say with good Hezekiah Remember now I beseech thee O Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight O my soul what a friend shouldst thou be to thy God thy conscience how faithful to their warnings now in life if thou wouldst have them thy friends at death Hereby thou mayst be able to triumph in that hour of temptation to defie death it self and bid it do its worst Though it be the common gate through which the sinner goeth into prison where he meets with Chains and Fetters and cold and all sorts of miseries yet thou shalt go through it into the Kings Pallace where thou shalt have rivers of pleasures and 〈◊〉 entertainment If Jacob went down so joyfully 〈◊〉 Egypt when God had said to him fear not to go down for I will go down with thee and I will bring thee up again What needest thou fear to go down into the Grave when thy God hath undertaken to go down with thee thither and to bring thee up again Thy body may be turned into dust but thy God is in Covenant with thy dust and thy head the blessed Redeemer will not suffer one muscle or nerve or artery or vein of any of his members to be lost With what chearfulness mayst thou take thy leave of thy body Farewel sweet body thou hast been in some measure faithful to thy soul in the service of thy Lord Farewel I must bid thee goodâ—night till the morning of the resurrection Be thou content to go to bed and sleep in the dust and rest in hope for though after the skin wormes destroy this body yet in my flesh â—hall I see God Whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold him and
evil thoughts Matth. 15.19 that is the nest in which those Hornets breed The heart is the original of sinful words as well as sinful thoughts Out of the heart proceed false witness blasphemies Matth. 15.19 They were in the heart before ever they were in the tongue It s faid of the Weasel that it conceives at the ear and brings forth at the mouth Every sinner conceiveth at the heart what he brings forth at the mouth Such stinking breath comes from rotten inwards The heart is the â—â—â—sel of poisonous liquor the tongue is but the tap to broach it Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh The heart is the Forge also where all our evil works as well as words are hammered out Out of the heart proceed murthers and thefts and adulteries and fornicaâ—ions Matth. 15.19 You will say that murthers and thefts are hand-sins and that adulteries and fornication belong to the eye and outward parts of the body but alas the heart is the womb wherein they are conceived and bred the outward parts are but the Midwives to deliver the mother of those monsters and to bring them into the world An evil man out of the evil treasure in his heart bringeth forth evil things There is no sin but is drest in the withdrawing room of the heart before it appear on the stage of the life Apollidorus dreamed one night that the Scythians had taken him and flea'd off his skin with an intent to boil him and as he was lifting into the Cauldron his heart said unto him It s I that have brought thee to all this There is a real truth in this that the heart brings men both to all their sins and all their sufferings As the Chaos had the seed of all creatures and wanted nothing but the motion of the good Spirit to produce them so the heart hath the seed of all evil and wanteth nothing but the motion of the evil spirit and a fit opportunity to bring it forth It is in vain to go about an holy life till the heart be made holy The Pulse of the hand beats well or ill according to the sâ—ate of the heart and the inward vital parts Our earthly members can never be mortified unless the body of sin and death be destroyed The foul bird of sin must be killed in the nest the heart or it can never be thrown on the dunghil die in the life Therefore the Holy Ghost calls on men to take away the cause if they would have the effect to cease O Ierusalem wash thy heart from wickedness Cleanse your hearts ye sinners and purifie your hands ye double-minded first the heart cleansed then the hands Ier. 4.14 Iames 4.7,8 If the chinks of the ship are unstopt t will be to no purpose to labour at the Pump It is not rubbing or scratching will cure the itch but the blood whose corruption is the cause of it must be purified When the water is foul at the bottom no wonder that scum and filth appear at the top There is no way to stop the issue of sin but by drying up the matter that feeds it As Moses cast the tree into the bitter waters and sweetned the Springs And as Elijah cast salt into the fountain and thereby healed the waters so the salt of grace must be cast into the Spring the fountain of the heart or the streams of the life will never be sweet Till trees are grafted and their nature altered all the fruit they bring forth is wilde and harsh and little worth Till the Christian is grafted into Christ and a new and another nature be infused into him all his fruit is unsavoury and unacceptable to God vain and unprofitable to himself Such a one is like a Cypress tree fair to look on but barren Like a Painter he may make a great stir about the colours and shadows of things the form of Godliness and shew all his wit and art and skill in expressing the outside but wholly neglecteth the substance and contemneth the inward parts the power thereof There be several things which may help to make the life fair in the eyes of men but nothing will make it amiable in the eyes of God unless the heart be changed and renewed Indeed all the medicines which can be applied without the sanctifying work of the Spirit though they may cover they can never cure the corruption and diseases of the soul. The best man without this is like a Serpent painted as it were without but poysonous within As the herb Biscort he may have smooth and plain leaves but a croked root Or as a Pill be guilded on the outside when the whole mass and body of it is bitterness It is one thing to be angry with sin upon a sudden discontent as a Man may be with his Wife whom he loves dearly and another thing to hate sin as that which we abhor to behold and endeavour to destroy A filthy heart like a foul body may seem for a while to be in good plight but when the heats and colds of temptations appear t will bewray it self Some Insects lye in a deep sleep all the Winter stir not make no noise that one would think them dead but when the weather alters and the Sun shines they revive and shew themselves So though lusts may seem dead in an unregenerate man they are only laid asleep and when opportunity is will revive Shame may hide sin but it will not heal â—â—n Corruption often lyeth secret in the heart when shame hindereth it from breaking out in sâ—abs and boâ—ches in the life Some court holiness as hard in shew as Saul did Samuel to be honoured before the people when like him they hate it in their hearts Fear may do somewhat to curb a vitiated nature but it cannot cure it The Bear dares hardly touch his desired honey for fear of the stinging of the Bees The Dog forbears the meat on the Table not because he doth not love it but because he is afraid of the Cudgel Many leave some sin in their outward actions as Iacob parted with Benjamin for fear they should starve if they kept it who are as fond of it as the Patriarch of his Child This inward love of sin is indeed its life and that which is most dangerous and deadly to the soul. As an imposthume is most perillous for being inward and private Rocks under water split more vessels then those that appear above water so sin raigning onely in the heart is oftentimes more hurtful then when it rageth in the life Such civil persons go to Hell without much disturbance being asleep in sin yet not snoring to the diâ—quieting of others they are so far from being jogged or awaked that they are many times praised and commended Example Custom and Education may also help a man to make a fair shew in the flesh but not to walk after the spirit They may Prune and Lop sin but never stubb it up
soul 1 Pet. 1. 17. Who would make his Belly his Gut his God who confidereth that every meal may be his last or that thinketh his dainty diet his fine fare doth but provide a greater feast for wormes Who would give way to sinful wantons who beleiveth that whilst he is unloading his lust God may put a period to his life He that is high in conceit of himself little dreameth how low he must shortly be laid Who would be proud of that body which shall ere long see corruption become such a noysom loathsom carcass that the nearest and dearest relations will not endure the sight or sent of it He who loveth the world inordinately forgetteth that he may leave it suddenly and must leave it certainly Would Haman have bragged so much of Hesters banquet if he had known that his own corps should be served in for the last course Would the Israelites have tempted God for meat if they had thought that death should have been their sauce Would Achan have coveted the golden wedge if he had mused of his so sudden departure into the other world Without question he would have forborn the Babylonish garment if he had seen death at his back so ready to strip him naked Had the rich fool thought that his bed should that night have proved his grave he would never in the day have prided himself in his goods Who would not at Gods call vilifie that flesh which will be ere long a lump of filth and be choice of that soul which lives for a more high and heavenly flight It is reported of the Brachmans that they use no cloaths but Bear-skins no houses but Caves no food but such as nature dresseth When Alexander came to them in his travails he asked them the reason of this severe kind of living They answered him We know we shall dye whether to day or to morrow we know not and therefore why should we take care either for power to govern others or for riches to live in pleasures or for honour to be esteemed of None are so loose to the world that great hinderance of holiness as they who ponder they must leave it Travellers who look on themselves near their journeys end care not to burden themselves with much baggage Their moderation will be known to all men who believe The Lord is at hand Those who are most mindful of their deaths are most faithful in their lives Iob was eminent in grace because Iob was daily conversing with his grave All the days of his appointed time he waited till his change came Job 14. 14. That servant will follow his work most and best who expecteth his Masters coming every moment It is said of the Kite that by the turning of his tail he directs and winds about his whole body The same is reported of the Glede or Puttock Fish also say Naturalists turn and wind about by the fins in their Tails Reader could I but prevail with thee to mind the end of thy life it would help thee very much to order thy conversation aright O said God that my people were wise then would they consider their latter end Deut. 32. 29. The Thebans made a Law that no man should build an house for himself to dwell in before he had made his grave Several of the Philosophers had their graves made before their doors that when ever they went abroad they might remember their deaths If thou wouldst but in thy out-goings and in-comings behold the place of thy burial I doubt not but thou wilt be watchful over all thy ways When thou art in the midst of thy delights as Ioseph of Aritmathea have thy tomb in thy garden and it may prevent thy surfeiting by those dainties When thou sittest at Table let the first dish set before thee be according to Prester Iohns custom a deaths-head and then with what fear wilt thou feed how thankfully wilt thou receive the creatures even as through the beloved Son how soberly wilt thou use them even as in Gods sight If God raise thee to the height of prosperity and some friend do but as Moses and Elias to Christ when his Face did shine as the Sun and his Raiment was as white as Snow Luk. 9. 30 31. talk to thee of thy decease which thou must shortly accomplish it will abate thy love to the worlds withering vanities and quicken thine endeavours after the eternal weight of glory If God cast thee into great adversity and thou dost but consider thy time here is but short and therefore thy troubles cannot be long this will make thee contented in the saddest condition When thou beholdest thy relations and fore-thinkest that thine eternal separation from them is at hand and that within a few days thou shalt never have another opportunity to help them heaven-ward how will it stir thee up to do them all the good thou canst now both by thy Precepts Pattern and Prayers If when thou attendest on publique Ordinances thou wilt but cast thine eye on the Graves in the Church-yard as thou passest along and meditate thus Within a little time I must be laid in the dust when I shall hear no more pray no more enjoy a Sabbath no more when I shall never never more have a tender of a Saviour never more have a season to beg mercy in for my poor soul. After such awakening thoughts with what attention wouldst thou hear with what affections wouldst thou pray with what intention and devotion with what seriousness and uprightness wouldst thou perform every duty Some say that nothing in this world is so strong as death because it subdueth the mighty it conquereth the greatest conquerours it overcometh all Sure I am that death hath great force and power over mens souls as well as over their bodies The thought of it hath raised some to a spiritual life The consideration of death hath also caused others to live much in a little space when they have sâ—en the â—un of their lives near setting and the night of their deaths approaching they have in the day followed their work with the greater diligence None will work so hard as they who think themselves near their everlasting homes There were two Emperors Adrian and Charles the fifth that in their life time caused their Coffins to be carried before them and their exequies to be solemnly celebrated to this end possibly that considering they were but men dying men they might thence be righteous in their government and virtuous in their actions It is reported of Turannius that after he was ninety years old he got leave of Caesar to retire himself from Court and the old man would needs be laid in his bed as one that had breathed out his last and all his Family must bewail his death Friend do thou in earnest what he did in jest Suppose thou wert this day to bid adiew to thy Friends Relations Honours and Possessions and to travail into the unknown other world to
Order Every star must give light in its own and proper sphere 1. There is an authorative publick counselling admonishing c. which belongeth only to Pastors lawfully called Observe what the holy Ghost saith Are all Apostles Are all Prophets Are all Pastors Are all Teachers No all are not gifted for it It would much reflect upon the King of Heaven to send servants upon such weighty errands that were unfit for them and did rather render their business ridiculous It s no easie thing for a person to be qualified for a publick preacher The great Apostle cryeth out Who is sufficient for these things though the voyce of ignorant men is Who is not sufficient for these things Besides all are not called to it It is not gifts and parts that will make a Subject an Officer at home or an Ambassador abroad but a Commission from his Prince Let no man take this honour upon him unless he be called of God as was Aaron There be many works which private Christians may not meddle with as to consecrate things to constitute Ecclesiastical laws to excommunicate to receive in those that are cast out to administer the Sacraments c. But those works which they may and ought to do as to exhort advise admonish comfort c. they must do them as private members not as publick Officers in the name or stead of Christ and to private members not to the Church 2. There is a private charitative counselling comforting admonishing others this may belong to any Christian so he keep within his own place and carry himself therein according to Divine commands for God hath made no man a Treasurer but every man a Steward of those talents with which he is intrusted Hence the Apostle frequently commandeth believers to mind these duties Gal. 6.1 Heb. 3. 13. 1 Peter 4. 11. But in these Christians must keep within their bounds as fixed Stars give light to others continuing still in their own orbs and not as Planets according to some wander up and down out of their places The members of the body do not intrude into each others office Vzzah's upholding the Ark when shaken though questionless out of a good design yet was the cause of his death and instead of furthering it hindred its march towards the place of its rest Private Christians ought to be serviceable to each other in these particulars 1. In instructing the ignorant Among Christians there are many who have but ignorant heads though they have holy hearts though for the time they have enjoyed the means they might have been teachers of others yet themselves had need to be taught the first principles of the oracles of God Now the work of knowing men must be to instruct such though they be dull and heavy we should bear with them and condescend to them St. Austin said he would speak false latine if his bearers understood it better then true By many blows we make a nail enter into an hard board by precept upon precept and line upon line we may beat truths into the heads of them that are very dull Iobs friend tells him Behold thou hast instructed many Job 4. 3. In this sense Iob was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame eyes to prevent their wandring in a wrong way and feet to prevent their stumbling in the right way David was no Priest yet he would teach others Gods precepts When he had once tasted Gods love others should taste some honey dropping from his lips Then will I teach transgressors thy ways and sinners shall be converted unto thee Psal. 51. It is a noble Work for Christians that have abilities and understanding to take some pains to teach and instruct them that are ignorant They cannot worship God as they ought because they are unacquainted with his Word and Will How can a servant please his Master that doth not know his pleasure They cannot do the good they should because they know not their duty They who are almost quite blinde will do but little work They are more open to temptation both from evil men and the evil one because of their ignorance It s as easie to give a child poison as wholesom milk because it hath not wisdom to discern the difference It s not hard to put the poison of error into their mouths who are but babes in understanding When the quick-sighted walk steadly these dark-sighted persons walk stumblingly in the way of Gods commandments O do what thou canst Reader to inform such poor creatures in the truths of God for as the Eunuch said to Philip How should they understand unless some one guide them We count it worthy and honourable to teach others some curious Art or high calling sure I am there is a day coming when to have taught one poor Christian how to serve God better and to honour him more will cause more comfort and bring more credit then the instructing thousands in the greatest and deepest mysteries of Nature or Art 2. By quickening the slothful The Eagle loveth her young yet when they are ready for flight and lye lazing in their nest she will pierce and prick them with her claws to make them flye abroad Love to others souls should stir us up to rouze drowsie Christians out of their spiritual slumbers and lethargies One Bell man that is stirring at midnight by crying Fire Fire awakens hundreds that were fast asleep in a short time One lively active believer acquainting men with the jealousie and justice of God and his severe proceedings against secure persons who neglect their spiritual watch may quickly call them from their beds to their watch and work Consider one another saith the Apostle to provoke one another to love and to good works Heb. 10.24 The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Consider â—ne another into a Paroxysm a violent heat of an Ague or Fever to make each other fervent and fiery in love and good works Consider one anothers backwardness and dulness and provoke one another to your duties and that with diligence Consider one anothers states and conditions and provoke one another to a sutable seriousness in working out your salvations Consider one anothers hinderances and temptations and weaknesses and provoke one another to love and to good works Christians should say to one another as Iudah to Simeon his brother Come up with me into my lot that I may fight against the Canaanites and I will go up with thee into thy lot Help me by jogging and awakening me if I sleep and I will do as much for thee Iudg. 1.13 And encourage one another as Ioab his brother Abishai 2 Sam. 10. 11,12 And he said If the Syrians be too strong for me then thou shalt help me but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee then I will come and help thee Be of good courage and let us play the men for our people and the Cities of our God And the Lord do that which seemeth him good
Itenerar Sacr. But reprove a wise man and he will love thee Austin notes it as a sign of grace in his friend Alipius that he received his reproof so well Paul rebuked Peter sharply and that before a considerable Company of Peters friends yet he loved not Paul the less for it for in his Epistle which was written some time after that contest and after the Epistle to the Galathians which records it he makes honourable mention of Pauls writings and of that very Epistle among the rest 2 Pet. 3. 15 16. and calleth him his beloved brother As they who love their sins hate the reprover so they that hate their sins love him When Isaiah had declared from God a dreadful threatning against Hezekiah for his pride he doth not flie out into a passion against the Prophet but submits with Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken T is said of Gerson the great Chancellour of France that he rejoyced in nothing more then a friendly reprehension And it is storied of our Richard the first that he would be admonished by a poor Hermit Alphonsus King of Arragon being asked what company he liked best answered Books for they saith he without fear and flattery will tell me my faults faithfully Faithful are the wounds of a friend but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful A loving reproof is a wound in love the wound of a friend and therefore we must bestow our anger upon our faults that deserve the reproof not upon our friends that give the reproof How foolish is he that breaks his own head then rageth at his friend for endeavouring to cure it Ahab quarrels with Elijah as the Incendiary of Israel for reproving their Idolatries when alas like AEtna that flame arose out of their own bowels which threatned to reduce them to ashes Some of the Heathen were so sensible of their proness to erre and to be partial in their own cases when they had erred that they both kindly accepted reproofs and earnestly desired a Reprover It is reported of Alexander that having had a Philosopher a long time with him he should say to him Recede a me prorsus consortium tuum nolo quod cum tanto tempore mecum degeris nunquam me de vitio aliquo increpasti Be gone from me I will have none of thy company for thou hast lived long with me and couldst not but observe some failings in me yet thou hast not reproved me of any And Augustus Cesar for this cause did much lament the death of Varro because thereby he was deprived of one that would deal faithfully with him when he offended Yet as they say some roses are too tender to endure the strength of the smell of Wormwood so some Christians that its hoped are sound cannot without wry mouths and angry faces drink down this bitter liquor Asa was a good man yet time was when he imprisoned a Prophet for bringing him an admonition from God One would have thought that the King would have bid the servant welcome for his Masters sake but truly a prison was all the reward he had for his pains It was the speech of a wise and experienced Christian That he never was acquainted throughly with any one but first he displeased him by admonishing him of his faults But as light stuff and rubbish kindleth sooner then solid and more substantial wood so they are the weaker and less wise Christians that are so soon fired into a pet and passion if but told of their errors T is childishness to be unwilling to take bitter medicines A prudent person will rather permit cupping-glasses and corrosives to be applied to his body then suffer his distemper to reign and kill him The sharpest fruit is most profitable and wholsom The Lemon is more tart yet is more excellent then the Orange which delighteth the taste Reader is it not better to be awakened by a rousing reproof then to sleep the sleep of death and wilt thou be angry with thy friend for doing thee that courtesie Is it not better for thy familiar companion to tell thee meekly of thy miscarriages and call thee to repentance then for God to reprove thee and set thy sins in order before thine eyes When God uttered his voyce the Heavens thundered the mountains smoaked and Moses himself trembled The voice of the Lord is powerful the voyce of the Lord is full of majesty the voyce of the Lord breaketh the Cedars yea the Cedars of Lebanon the voyce of the Lord shaketh the wilderness yea it shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh How wilt thou then endure the thundring of such a Cannon a reproof for thy sins from the Almighty God at whose rebuke the earth quakes the rocks are rent in pieces and the foundations of the world are moved The Israelites said unto Moses Speak thou to us and we will hear but let not God speak lest we dye Exod. 20. 19. Truly so mayst thou say to thy companion Speak thou to me of my offences deal plainly with me about any thing that thou seest amiss in me and I will hear thee but let not God speak to me lest I dye lest his voyce strike me down strike me dead There is an absolute necessity of thy sense of and sorrow for thy sins This ordinarily must be wrought in thee either by admonition from man or by some severe rebuke from God Consider seriously therefore whether it be not easier to take a faithful check from thy fellow creature then to be called to repentance by some dreadful judgement from the jealous God O t is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God for our God is a consuming fire One thing more Reader is considerable It is not enough to take a reproof with patience but also to be awakened by reproof to repentance It s a dreadful aggravation of sin to continue in it after thou art convinced of it Such impudence is followed with fearful vengeance He that being often reproved heardeneth his heart shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy Pro. 29. 1. Fourthly Christians if they would exercise themselves to Godliness in good company must rejoyce in each others grace and good True love will rejoyce in the welfare of another as its own Peter beholding those eminent Graces in Paul did not repine that a brighter star was risen which would eclipse his splendour but glorified God in Paul and gave him the right-hand of fellowship It s a prophane Esau that hates a Iacob for having obtained his Fathers blessing beyond himself Envy is from the evil one Saul who was without God eyed and hated David for slaying more of Gods enemies and obtaining thereby greater renown then himself could Yet alas the spirit which dwelleth in the best lusteth to envy Corrupt nature will shew it self if it be possible at this window There are some Countries as Candie that have Naturalists tell us no poison but there is not any
with fear Didst thou receive thy meat as in Gods presence and hadst thou an eye therein at his praise How didst thou behave thy self in thy Particular calling Did it no way incroach upon thy general Was thy conversation in heaven whilst thy dealings were about earth Wast thou diligent in the exercise of it righteous in thy dealings in it depending on God for a blessing on it What was thy carriage in company was thy life holy spotless exemplary profitable to others Mightest thou not in such a place have done thy God more service and thy Brothers soul more good May I not say to thee as God to Jonah Didst thou well to be angry at such a time upon no cause what were thy thoughts in solitude how wast thou imployed Had God any true share in thy thoughts hast thou watched thy self this day and kept thy heart with all diligence Hath none of thy precious time been lavisht away on unnecessary things Answer me faithfully to all these particulars that I may be able to return an answer to him that sent me O that I could but imploy one half hour every day with seriousness and uprightness in such soliloquies Lord thou didst create the world in six days and thou wast pleased to loâ—k back on every days work and behold it was very good and then ensued thy Sabbath Cause thy â—ervant to be a follower of thee as a dear child in minding every day the work thou hast given me to do that I may every night review it with comfort finding it good in thy Christ at the end of all my days looking back upon all my works I may see them very good through the acceptation of thy grace and with joy enter into my eternal Sabbath I Wish that I may end every day with him who is the beginning and first born from the dead That I may every night go to bed as if I were going to my grave knowing that sleep is the shadow of death and when the shadow is so near the substance cannot be far off Though lovers cannot meet all day yet they will make hard shift but they will find an opportunity to meet at night Should my devotion set with the natural Sun I may fear a dreadful night of darkness to follow That bed may well be as uneasie as one stuft with thorns that is not made by prayer If the soul lye down under an heavy load of sin the body can have no true rest Jacob could sleep sweetly upon an hard stone having made his peace with God when Ahashuerus could not though on a bed of down I cannot sleep unless God wake for me and I cannot rationally expect his watchfulness over me unless I request it My corruptions in the day call for contrition in the night How many omissions commissions personal relative sins heart life wickedness am I daily guilty of and â—hould I lye down under their weight for ought I know they may sink me before morning into endless wo. Whilst blood is in my veins sin will be in my soul. The weed of sin may be cut broken pulled up yet it will spring again I shall as soon cease to live as cease to sin Though I should be free all the day long from presumptuous enormities and onely defiled with ordinary humane infirmities yet these if not bewailed are damning The smallest letters are most hurtful to the eyes and far worse then a large Character Those sins which are comparatively little if not lamented are far more dangerous then Davids Murther and Adultery which were repented of When the soul like Thamar hath notwithstanding its utmost endeavours to preserve its chastity been ravished and by force defiled it must with her lift up the voice and weep If the Sun may not go down upon my wrath against man much-less may I presume to lye down under the wrath of God Besides how can sin be mortified if it be not confessed and bewailed Arraignment and Conviction must go before Execution The favours of the day past are not to be forgotten but to be acknowledged with thankefulness I receive every day more considerable mercies then there are moments in the day and when I borrow such large sums the principal of which I am unable ever to satisfie shall I be so unworthy as to deny the payment of this small interest which is all my Creditour requireth Whatsoever gain I have got in my calling whatsoever strength I have received by my food whatsoever comfort I have had in my Relations or Friends whatsoever peace liberty protection I have enjoyed all the day long I must say of all 〈◊〉 Jacob of his Venison The Lord hath brought it to me Surely the hearer of my morning prayers may well be the object of my evening prayses Aâ— how unreasonable is it that I like a whirl-pool should suck in every good thing that comes near me and not so much as acknowledge it Should any one be the thousandth part so much indebted to me as I am to God how ill should I take it if he should not confess it If a Beggar at my door receive a small almes from God by my hands I look for his thanks How often have I complained of the baseness and unworthiness of some that are engaged to me O what tongue can express what heart can conceive how much I am indebted to my God every moment though I am less then the least of all his mercies and doth not all his goodness merit sincere thankefulness Lord I confess there is not a day of my life wherein I do not break thy Laws in thought word and deed Sin is too much the element in which I live and the trade that I drive I find continually a law in my members warring against the Law of my mind and captivating me to the Law of sin and death Ah wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Since I am no day innocent make me every night penitent As my sins abound let my sorrow abound and thy grace much more abound Though I can never requite thy favours help me to admire and bless the fountain of them Suffer me never to go to bed till I have first asked thee my heavenly Father blessing Let the eyes of my soul be always open to thee in prayer and prayse before the eyes of my body be shut And O be thou always pleased so to accept my confessions petitions thanksgivings my person and performances in thy dear son that I may lay me down in peace and sleep because thou Lord makest me to dwell in safety Finally I Wish that every day of my life may be spent as if it were the day of my death and all my time employed in adorning my soul in trimming my lamp and in a serious preparation for eternity Whilst I am living I am dying every moment my sand is running and my Sun is declining I am as Stubble before the Wind and as
Chaff that the Storm carrieth away I flie away as a dream and shall not be found my life is chased away as a vision of the night The eyes which have seen me shall see me no more neither shall my place any more behold me I must live now or never If I die I shall not live again O that all the days of my appointed time I could wait till my change cometh Were I to take my leave of the world this night and were my life to end with the day how then would I spend every hour every moment of it Should I lavish away my time about this or that vanity Would I play it away in vain company Would I neglect my spiritual watch or waste my talents upon trifles should I dally about secret or private duties or be careless of my carriage in my calling would I starve my immortal soul or cast off all care of eternity No but I should all the day long act by the square and rule of the word How serious should I be in praying in reading in working for my soul for my salvation how diligent to do all the good I could to receive all the good I might how watchful to catch at and embrace all opportunities of honouring and serving my Maker and Redeemer because my time is short and I must pray and read and work for eternity now or no more no more for ever And why should I not be as holy though I do not know that I shall die this night when I know not but I may die this night How foolish is he who neglects doing his work till his work is past doing Besides Other creatures are constant and unwearied in serving their maker they are every day all the day long in their stations obedient to his commands If I look to Heaven to Earth to inanimate to irrational creatures I behold them all as so many Souldiers in their several ranks exactly and continually subject to the orders which they receive from the Lord of hosts and shall I be shamed by them I am at present more indebted more intrusted by God I have a reward hereafter of joy to encourage me of pain to provoke me to unweariedness in well doing which they neither hope nor fear Lord I live every moment upon thee why should I not live every moment to thee My life is by thy providence O that it were according to thy precepts I would not be thine hireling to serve thee meerly for wages thou thy self art my exceeding great reward but I would be thy days-man to work for thee by the day every day all the day long O help me to live well in time that I may live well eternally Let every day be so devoted to thy praise and every part of it so imployed in thy service that I may be the more fitted to please and woâ—â—â—ip thee in that place where there is no night yet all rest no Sun yet all day all light all joy where I shall have no meat or drink or sleep or shop or flocks or family and which is best of all no unbeleiving selfish carnal heart to call me from or hinder me in thy work but I shall worship and enjoy thee without diversion without distraction without interruption without intermission both perfectly and perpetually Amen CHAP. VII How a Christian may exercise himself to Godliness in visiting the Sick FIfthly Thy duty is to exercise thy self in visiting the sick The Visitation of the sick is a work of as great weight as any injoyned us relating to others and as much neglected and slighted in its management as almost any duty commanded Sickness is so common and Death so ordinary that with most their frequency takes away the sense of them and charity in many sickens and dieth as fast as others bodies The generality of pretended Christians like the Priest and the Levite if they see a man wounded both in his body and soul though it be to death pass on the other side of the way not caring to meddle with any that are in misery They tell us they are true members of Christ but like a bag of suppurated blood they feel nothing neither have any communion with the body Many on their dying beds whose souls are worse and more dangerously sick then their bodies may speak to their Minister or Neighbour for the duty belongs to the People as well as the Pastor almost in the words of Martha to Christ Sir If thou hadst been here my soul had not dyed Some visite the sick but rather out of a complement then out of conscience or to profit themselves more then their Neighbours The Ingenuous Heathen Seneca will tell such If a man visit his sick friend and watch at his Pillow for charity sake and out of his old affection we approve it but if for a Legacy he is a Vulture and watcheth onely for the carcass The discourse of these is chiefly about worldly affairs and nothing about the great concernments of eternity Others sometimes go about the work but perform it so ill administring Cordials when there is need of Corrosives sowing Pillows under their sick friends heads that they may die easily or if they tell them of their danger they do it so coldly and carelesly and by halves that as he said there is diseaseâ— their soul-sickness is curable but the unsutable medicines they take make it incurable It may be said of many a soul as Adrians Counsellers said of him Multitudo medicorum c. Many Physitians have killed the Emperour Ah! How dreadful is it when unskilful and unfaithful Mountebanks undertake to tamper and trifle with immortal souls that are just entring into their eternal estates Father forgive them they know not what they do Galen saith in respect of bodily Medicines In medicina nihil exiguum There is nothing small in Physick Every thing in it is of great consequence A little mistake may cause death I may upon greater reason say There is nothing little in spiritual Physick A small error in our prescriptions to sick souls may cause dreadful mischief Instead of curing we may kill the patient Hazaels wet cloth was not more deadly to his Masters body then the discourse of most is to their sick neighbours souls Fear of displeasing and a natural propensity to flatter prevail with too many to sooth their dying friends into unquenchable flames But surely there is more love as well as more faithfulness in frighting a sick person out of his spiritual Lethargy then in fawning him into the eternal lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone Some venemous creatures tickle a man till he laughs even when they sting him to death so doth the flattering Minister or Neighbour he raiseth a sick man void of grace to the Pinnacle of joy and highest hopes of Heaven and thereby throweth him down into the Culph of irrecoverable sorrows and leaves him to undeceive himself in hell I shall first lay down two or three
Motives to stir up the Reader to this work and then direct him about it SECT I. FIrst It is a duty commanded thee by God Men are apt to think the visitation of the sick to be onely an act of Courtesie and Civility which they may omit or perform at their pleasure when it is an act of Charity and Christianity which every Christian is bound to by a divine Precept The Ministers of Christ are especially enjoyned this task but every member of Christ also when God gives him opportunity oweth this debt to his Neighbour Iam. 5. 14 15. If any be sick let him send for the Elders of the Church and let them pray over him The same word which commandeth the sick man to send commandeth the Elder to go Indeed it s a gross fault in many sick persons and therein they are exceedingly their own enemies that they either send not at all for the Minister or if they do not till they have done with the Physitian when their bodies are past all hope then they look after some hope for their souls But without question it is a duty for the Elder sometimes to go uncalled It s good manners to be an unbidden guest at a house of mourning Our Master was found of them that asked not for him and so should his servants There are those that can invite themselves to their Neighbours Tables who withdraw themselves from their Chambers Some are drunk so often with their Parishioners whilst they are in health that they are afraid or ashamed to discourse seriously with them when they are sick God may speak to many as to the Shepherds of Israel Wo be to the Shepherds of England that do feed themselves should not the Shepherds feed the Flock ye eat the fat and ye cloth you with the Wool ye kill them that are fed but ye feed not the Flock The diseased have ye not strengthened neither have ye healed that which was sick neither have ye bound up that which was broken but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them Ezek. 34. 3 4. None are more cruel to the Flock then those that are most covetous of the Fleece Oleaster on Lev. 14. 44. Then the Priest shall come and look and behold if the Plague be spread c. that being the third time the Priest was to visit the infected house hath this useful observation Si Saecerdos toties invisat leprosam domum cur tu non aegrum If the Priest were commanded so often to visit the leprous house why dost not thou visit the sick person The Plague in the heart calls for more pity and help then the Plague in the House This duty also belongs to private members as well as to publique Officers Every Christian should love his Neighbour as himself which he cannot do unless he have a sense of his sickness and endeavour to improve such an opportunity for his Neighbours Salvation True love like fire burns hottest when the weather is coldest Histories make mention of one Vrâ—iâ—us a Physitian that being to die for the Gospel and beginning to waver Vitalis a godly man stept to him and though he knew it would cost him his life encouraged him saying What have you been so industrious heretofore to preserve mens bodies and will you now shrink at the saving your own soul Be couragious For which faithful counsel he was condemned and suffered accordingly It s our duty to assist them that die natural as well as those that die violent deaths To visit persons in their affliction is one testimony of the truth of our Religion at this day Holiness and Charity are like Father and Child Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the Fatherless and the Widows in their afflictions c. Jam. 1. ult The fatherless and widows are expressed but the sick and strangers and captives are included because these are usually most afflicted and most neglected Those that have received mercy cannot but shew mercy As visiting the distressed is a sign of it now so it will be the test of Christianity at the great day Mat. 25. 34 35 36. Come ye blessed c. I was hungry and ye fed me naked and ye cloathed me sick and ye visited me c. Works of mercy fill up the whole bill as the evidence of the Saints right to heaven Whereof Luther gives this reason because the consciences of the wicked shall justifie Christ as well in the absolution of the godly as in their own condemnation Though Christians do not give their almes or visit the sick to be seen of men yet in doing many offices of love and acts of charity they are seen of men So they who can witness the truth of Christians mercy will be forced to acknowledge the equity of Christs sentence SECT II. SEcondly It is a special opportunity of doing and receiving good 1. Of doing good I think it the more necessary to speak to this Motive because many are apt to judge all pains with sick persons to be to no purpose They are discouraged from endeavouring the conversion of prophane men upon sick beds supposing that such mens repentance will be as unsound as their bodies even when they are sick unto death Though I would not give the least encouragement to any men to defer their turning to God beleiving him worse then mad who puts off the weighty business of his soul because peradventure God may grant him repentance hereafter yet I must obviate this suggestion of the Divel which hinders men from doing their duty God may shew mercy to a soul at last There is one example in Scripture that none might despair Sickness is with some men the tide-time of devotion They who scorned godly men and made a mock of godliness in their health will prize the Saint and desire his sanctity above all the world when they lye upon sick beds and consider what an holy God they are going to appear before Sickness as one saith is Officina virtutis morum disciplina The shop of vertue and the school of manners Therefore King Alfred was wont to say I ever find my self best when worst best in soul when worst in body the sickness of my body is physick to my soul Experience daily informeth us that the Swaggerers and Gallants of the world whose consciences are not seared with an hot Iron though they gave themselves up to Drunkenness and Gluttony and Gaming and Whoredom and all manner of wickedness in their youth and strength yet when they are weakened much with a disease and have no hopes of continuing longer on earth begin to wish that they had spent their time to more purpose and are sensible of their neglect of God and Christ and their Souls and Eternity then many of them will desire the company of those that fear God and beg their prayers and hearken to their counsels and would give all they are worth for a little of their grace and
discern and discover the secret lusts which are hugd in their hearts Besides their consciences being defiled as well as other faculties are not so true to them as to convince them powerfully of that pride hypocrisie unbelief impenitency atheism and ungodliness which they are guilty of And Satan hath a strict watch over them to keep them asleep in sin not caring so men go to hell whether they go thither in the dirty road of scandalous and crying crimes or in the cleanly path and through the fair Meadows of Civility Whether the person be scandalous or civil it will be needful to let in light at some crevice and not to leave the sinner wholly in the darkness of despair The good Samaritan poured Oyl as well as Wine into the wounds of him that fell among Theives A little hope may melt that heart which despair would harden Sturdy Theives have wept at the news of a Reprieve that have stormed and raged at the sentence of Condemnation But this is wisely to be done lest the sinner be encouraged to presume Lenity is to be joyned with Severity Let there be love but not emboldening them to sloth let there be terror but not driving them into a fury saith Gregory If the sick person be one that is judged a true member of Christ then speak to the excellency of Grace and Christ and Heaven to the certainty and worth of those promises that are entailed on beleivers to make his passage into the other world as comfortable as thou canst It will be fit also to speak to those graces of Faith Patience Love Heavenly-mindedness and Ioy in God which should be minded and exercised in a time of sickness how the time of affliction is the spring the special time wherein those graces should shoot up and shew themselves that God expecteth some service from him under his fickness and that his last works should be better then his first If he be under doubts and fears for Satan will take the advantage of his sickness to assault him with his fiery darts and Saints are too apt to Question Gods love when they feel his hand the weakness of the body discomposing the mind and denying it the free exercise of spiritual judgement then advise him to review his former experiences of divine goodness and trials of divine grace within him to hold fast on Jesus Christ and to consider that sickness is common to men good as well as bad that though they differ vastly in the other world yet not at all in their passage thither Singular Saints have been afflicted with the sorest sickness Iob was a none-such for sanctity yet full of sores It s a question whether he were more eminent for corporal distempers or spiritual health Hezekiah David Asah Paul Epaphroditus were all thus chastened of the Lord but not condemned with the world Whatsoever the sick person be whether gracious or graceless it will not be amiss to mention the three great lessons which God would teach every one by affliction 1. The emptiness of the world appearing in its inability to afford the least ease to the body or comfort to the soul of the sick how little worth is that which fails a man in his greatest need 2. The preciousness of Christ and Grace and the Promises of the Gospel which can enliven and encourage a dying person that can cause light in darkness joy in sorrow and life in death that can enable a Christian to rejoyce in tribulation and to welcome pain and sickness nay and the very King of terrors and to look into the other world with comfort and confidence 3. The sinfulness of sin which is the original of all diseases and aches and greif and separation of friends and losses and miseries whatsoever The Rabbies say that when Adam tasted the forbidden fruit his head aked T is clear sin is the original of sickness The body is the instrument of unrighteousness therefore the subject of diseases For this cause many are weak and sick 1 Cor. 11. 30. All the evil in this and the other world are the issue and off-spring of sin Ah! what a root of bitterness is that which brings forth such bitter fruit Be sure to take the thoughts of the sick off from resting in Physitians or any means used for their cure Thâ—s was the fault of good Asah 2 Chron. 16. 12. Let them know that it is God that wounds and he onely that can heal and therefore he must not be tempted either by despiâ—ing those helps which his providence giveth or by relying on them Hippocrates gave this counsel to all Physitians that when they went upon any occâ—sion to visit their Patients they should consider first of all whether there was not divinum aliquod in morbo something of God in the disease if so he held the Patient to be desperate and his recovery impossible Cujus contrarium verum est If it were the hand of God that smote them the same hand can help them for with him nothing is impossible Let them understand that sickness hath a supernatural as well as a natural cause That all diseases are like the Centurions Servants at the command of God He saith to one Go and it goeth to another Come and it cometh to a third Do this and it doeth it God would have the Israelites know that not onely Sword and Famine and Captivity but also Pestilence Consumptions Feavers and Burning Agues are sent from Heaven Deut. 28. 21 22. He causeth those stormes and tempests and quarrels and contentions that are between the humours in our bodies to their disturbance and destruction therefore Moses beholding the whole body of the Jews except two renowned members corrupted for he lived to see all that came out of Egypt besides to die cryed out Thou turnest man to destruction and â—ayst Return ye children of men SECT V. 3. DEal closely and faithfully with him Let not fear of giving distaste or hope of some advantage to thy self make thee false to the soul of the sick Do not play the part of a Mountebank in using palliating medicines to allay the distemper or Anodynes to stupifie the patient and neglect the root of the malady Alas carnal wretches are prone enough of themselves to deceive and flatter their own souls till it be too late for second thoughts and the wicked one will be at their beds side to hinder if it be possible all means from awakening and undeceiving them be careful therefore lest thou shouldst be any way accessary to Satans design Sin is like the little Serpent Aspis which stings men whereby they fall into a pleasant sleep and in that sleep die sinners need all the rouzing and affrighting considerations that may be He that gives a potion which instead of furthering health procureth death is a Murderer The Flatterer is like the worm Terendo mentioned by Pliny in Nat. Hist. as soft as Silk in the feeling of the hand but it biteth so hard with the
militant Calvin was heard before his death often to sigh out How long Lord How long will it be ere thou avenge the blood of thy Servantsâ— The people of God are the purchase of Christ and of the same family and body with the dying Christian and therefore must needs be dear to him 4. For his Benefactours and those that have done good to him and his Paul had received some kindness from Onesimus he refreshed him in his bonds and in the 2 Tim. 1. 8. which was the last of his Epistles and thought to be written but a little before his death for he tells us in it I am ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand how pathetically doth he pray for him The Lord grant that he may finde mercy at that day 5. For our enemies This is to follow Gods pattern who doth good for evil and to obey his Precept who commandeth us to pray for them that despitefully use us Stephen when departing out of the World intreats mercy for them who were cruel to him Lord lay not this sin to their charge Act. 7. 60. Our blessed Saviour dying begs hard for their eternal lives who were the instruments and authors of his bloody death Father forgive them they know not what they do Luk. 23. 34. Thirdly In an holy exercise of Faith Courage Repentance Charity and Patience 1. Faith It s the Character of Gods Children that they live by Faith and they dye in the Faith Hab. 2. 6. Heb. 11. 31. The waters say some of the Pool of Bethesda wherein the Priest washed the sacrifices before he offered them was of a reddish colour to note that men must be washed by faith in the blood of Christ before they are ready to be offered a Peace-offering to God by death The dying Christian must expect strong assaults against the bulwark of his faith but what-ever he let go he must keep his hold on Christ. I know no grace that the Devil is such a sworn enemy to as Faith and I know no season that he is more diligent in to overthrow their faith then when they are under some dangerous sickness therefore it s the observation of a good man that he seldom seeth a sick Saint followed close with temptations to recover of that sickness for Satan knowing he hath but a little time useth all his craft and strength to separate the soul from the Rock of his salvation Upon a dying bed reflect upon former experienes of Gods love to thy soul and recollect the former evidences of of thy title to Christ and thereby to Heaven I must tell thee though the certainty of thy salvation depend upon the truth of thy Faith the comfort of thy dissolution will depend on the strength of thy Faith Faith is the shield of the soul and therefore above all in thy encounter with thy great enemy Satan and thy last enemy death take the Shield of Faith Eph. 6. 14. Epaminondas after his victory at Loâ—ctrum wherein he was mortally wounded understanding that his Buckler was safe bid his Chirurgion boldly to pluck out the Dart that stuck in his side and died cheerfully The Saint the Souldier of Christ who is wounded even to death and keepeth his Shield of Faith safe may leave the world with courage The Apostle Paul who knew whom he had beleived 2 Tim. 1. 12. rings a challenge in the ears of death O death where is thy sting and sings a triumphant ditty at the approach of death 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 is laid up for me a crown of righteousness 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. When Iacob had beleived the report of Iosephs life his heart was revived Is Joseph yet alive saith he I will go down and see him before I dye When the true Israelite can firmely credit the testimony which God hath given of Iesus the Son of Ioseph how he being an enemy was reconciled to God by the death of his Son and shall much more being reconciled be saved by his life and by faith can cling on him his heart though dying is then enlivened O with what comfort can he take his journey into the other world When Philip viewed his young Son Alexander Now saith he I am content to dye Old Simeon springs young again at a sight of Christ and having embraced his Saviour in the armes of faith as well as in the armes of his body he begs a dismission out of this valley of tears being assured thereby of an admission into fulness of joy Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes have seen thy salvation Having with an eye of faith beheld Christ he counts his life but a bondage and desires to depart or be loosed from fetters as the word signifieth and is taken Mat. 27. 17. We read of the Lords worthies that by faith they stopped the mouths of Lions Death is a fierce and cruel Lion but faith will pull out its teeth that it cannot hurt us or stop its mouth that it shall not devour us This grace like the Angel sent from Heaven when Daniel was cast into the Lions Den will save the Christian from being torn in peices O Friend The Robes of Christs righteousness is the onely Coat of Male which can defend thy soul against the shot of death If thou canst with Moses go up to Pisgah and take a view by faith of the Land of promise thou wilt comfortably with him lay down thine earthly Tabernacle Iob desired death as eagerly as the Labourer in an hot summers day desires the shadow Paul longed for it as vehemently as the Apprentice for the expiration of his Indentures and all because they had first beheld Christ by faith It s no wonder that many of Gods Children have called earnestly to be laid to bed knowing that it would prove their everlasting happy rest and when their bodies are carried by mortal men to their Mother Earth their souls should be conveyed by glorious Angels to their Father in Heaven 2. Courage A Christian should be a Voluntier in death Many of the Martyrs were as willing to dye as to dine went to the sire as chearfully as to a Feast and courted its pale and gastly countenance as if it had bee a beautiful Bride When King Lysimachus threatned Cyrenaeus Theodorus with Hanging Istis quaeso inquit ista horribilia minitare purpuratis tuis Thedori quidem nihil interest humine an sublime putrescat Threaten these terrible things to thy brave Courtiers Theodorus cares not whether he rot in the Air or on the Earth Cyprian said Amen to his own Sentence of Martyrdom Hierom reports of Nepotianus that he gave up his life so chearfully that one would have thought he rather walked forth then died When Ignatius was led from Syria to Rome to be torn in peices of wild
lay a dying he lift up his head from his Pillow to hear the discourses of his friends that sat by him saying I shall dye with the more comfort if I can dye learning something The Christian both by his painful sickness and approaching death may learn something of the evil of sin and certainly he may dye with the more comfort for godly sorrow and joy may be contemporaries as the Heavens shine and showr at the same time if he dye in a flood of tears for his unkindness to Christ. 4. Charity in a double respect 1. In forgiving them that have wronged thee If the natural Sun should not go down upon our wrath muchless should the Sun of our Lives It s bad to bear anger or malice one hour in our hearts against any but it s worst of all to carry it with us into the other world How can he expect to dye in peace with God who dyeth in war with men when God himself hath said Except ye forgive others their trespasses against you neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your trespasses Amilcar the Father of Hannibal when he was dying made his Son take a solemn Oath to maintain a perpetual War with the Romans Edward the first adjured his Son and Nobles that if he dyed in his expedition against Bruce King of Scotland they should not inter his Corps but carry it about with them till they had avenged him on that Usurper But certainly its a desperate thing to leave Children Heirs to the Parents wrath and rage as well as to his riches O how dreadful is his estate who takes his enemy by the throat when God by death is taking him by the throat and ready to thrattle him for ever If thou hast wronged others either in name or goods or body seek reconciliation and make satisfaction for this is righteous and just If thy brother hath ought against thee thou hast never more need of reconciling thy self to him then when thou art approaching the Altar of death there to offer up the last sacrifice to God in this world If thy Brother have wronged thee in any sort remit it this is charity to do otherwise is to give place to the Devil Eph. 4. 16 17. and thou hast least cause to give him ground when his rage is greatest and his barteries strongest in thy last conflict with him O! imitate that blessed Martyr Stephen and the incomparable Saviour in begging Gods love for them who hate thee Act. 7. 60. Luke 23. 34. 2. In remembring the poor and afflicted if God hath made thee able its best to be merciful in our life-time to make our own hand our Executors and our own eyes our Overseers for the payment of our Gifts and Legacies to our spiritual Kindred for such have a particular promise that God will make all their bed in their sickness but its good to be charitable when we are dying True friends show most love at parting Though justice must be blind not to see persons yet charity must be quick-sighted to pick out the fittest objects viz. the poor and the pious poor in the first place Our Goods will not extend to God therefore they must to the Saints When Ionathan was beyond the reach of Davids charity he doth for his sake manifest it to his Son God is beyond all our gifts therefore for his sake we must bestow them on the Godly that are his Children Make you friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness that when that faileth ye may be received into the everlasting habitations Hereby men lay up a good foundation against the time of need Godly Parents are ignorant how their Children may imploy the estate they leave whether as fuel for corruption or as oyl to keep the Lamps in Gods sanctuary burning its good therefore for themselves with prudence to dispose of what they may to Gods Servants and Service Some men have estates dropping on them out of the clouds as it were large inheritances fair patrimonies like Canaan both in regard of their fruitfulness and abounding with all sorts of comforts and in regard of their easiness of obtaining them without sweat or labour they inherit aâ— the Israelites Houses which they built not Wells which they digged not and Vineyards which they planted not upon both these accounts such persons are engaged to do good and distribute and to be rich in good works God expects a return of his Talents with advantage How liberal nay lavish have many Papists been upon their death-beds to Friars and Monks even to the wronging their Wives and Children that some States as Venice have been forced to make Laws to restrain men lest the Church should in time swallow up all the revenues of the Common-wealth and all this upon a foolish vain conceit that they should the sooner pass through Purgatory It is certainly a great disgrace to the Disciples of Christ and no mean dishonour to Christ himself that so many and such large gifts have proceeded from the false faith of Merit-mongers when the faith of his most glorious Gospel doth not work the like in true beleivers How will Christians answer it that an idle Dream and fancied Fear of an imaginary Purgaâ—ory should do more them the sure perswasion of the love of God and the certain hope of eternal life 4. Patience and Submission to the will of God both as to our death or life and also as to our pain or ease in sickness As to our life and death we must know God is wise and will never gather his fruit but in the best season None ununless a fool but will be willing God should chuse for him It s excellent for a sickâ—person to be wholly at Gods disposal as knowing that whilst he is here God will refresh him with the first fruits and when he goeth hence receive him into that place where he shall enjoy the whole harvest It was the speech of dying Iulian he that would not dye when he must and â—e that would dye when he must not are both of them Cowards alike To desire to live when one is called to dye is a sign of Cowardise for such a one is afraid to enter the list with the King of terrors To desire to dye when one is called to live speaks a faint-hearted creature for such a man dares not look an affliction or disaster in the face therefore would take shelter in deathâ— Cato Cleombrotus Lucretia shewed more cowardise then courage in being their own Executioners The Romans commended Terentius for his resolution to live after his Army was routed by Hannibal He is the most valiant person that can dye willingly when God would have him dye and live as willingly when God would have him live He that is weary of his work before the evening is an unprofitable servant and is either infected with idleness or with diseases When Dr. Whitaker was told death was approaching he answered Life or Death is welcom to me which God pleaseth Mr.
other then a rebellious presumption and a contemptuous laughing to scorn and a deriding of God his Laws and Precepts Unquestionably such will be grosly mistaken at last in falling from their heights into Hell As the Daughter of Polycrates dreamed that her Father was lifted up that Iupiter washed him and the Sun annointed him but it proved to him but a sad prosperity for after a long life and large prosperity he was surprised by his enemies and hanged up till the dew of Heaven wet his cheeks and the Sun melted his grease Reader Let me bespeak thee as Iotham did the men of Sechem Hearken unto me that God may hearken unto you Hearken unto me in this day of thy health and life that God may hearken unto thee in the day of thy sickness and death Make thy peace with God now give a Bill of divorce to sin strike an hearty Covenant with Christ keep thy conscience clean every day allow not thy self in any known sin if thou wouldst leave this world in favour with God in the love of good men and to thy eternal gain Nihil est in morte quod metuamus si nihil timendum vita commisit saith the Antient Death hath nothing frightful but what a prophane life makes so They who flie from the holiness of God in life may well fear the justice of God at death A sinner indeed is every day carrying more Faggots to that pile in which he must burn for ever and always twisting those cords with which Devils will eternally scourge him and therefore the guilt of his wicked life and fear of his dreadful wages may well represent death to him in a frightful vizard But he who makes it his constant business to please his Maker to mortifie his earthly members to crucifie the flesh to serve the Wills of God in his generation and to dress his soul against the coming of the Bridegroom shall finde his latter end comfortable and the day of his death better then the day of his birth O Friend if thou wouldst dye comfortably live conscienciously An happy death is the conclusion of an holy life God hath joyned them together and none can part them asunder It s reported of the Dardani that they never Wash but three times when they are Born when they Marry and when they Dye The true Christian must be daily washing his soul by faith in the blood of his Saviour and bathing himself in the tears of repentance and hereby his soul will be fit to be commended into the Hands of God by well dying 2. Clear up thine evidences for Heaven Be not contented to leave thy salvation at uncertainty They who walk in the dark are full of frights and fears The comfort of thy death will depend much upon the clearness of thy deeds and evidences for eternal life The want of diligence about this hath caused many of the Children of God to go crying to Bed and wrangling to their eternal rest They dye and know not how they shall speed in the other world they fall into the hands of their enemy Death as the Lepers into the hands of the Syrians expecting nothing but cruelty and misery trembling every step of the way though they find good chear and all sorts of comforts 3. Dwell much in the thoughts of Deaths Cicero said of Fencing Fortissima adversus mortem dolorem disciplina It was the strongest fence against the fear of death So I may say of entertaining death frequently in our meditations it s a good guard against the terror of death Custom diminisheth the dread of things which to nature are so frightful Marius before he would bring out his Souldiers to fight with the Cimbres caused them to stand upon the trenches to acquaint themselves with the terrible aspect of those Savages and so brought them to contemn them which at first sight they so amazedly feared When we are on a sudden surprized by an unexpected adversary we want time to unite our strength to resist the assault but what we expect we provide for and so are the better able to encounter with it The old people that lived near the Riphaean Mountains were taught to discourse much of Death and to converse with it and to speak of it as of a thing that will certainly come and ought so to do hence their resolutions were strengthned to undergo it with patience and courage As Cordials lose their vertue so even Poisons their venome by frequent use Mithridates by constant use of it made it so far from being mortal that it was nourishing to him Though Death in its own nature be venemous the Christian by frequent meditation of it and application of the blood of Christ to his soul may make it profitable to him 4. Wean thy heart from the earth They who love the earth as their Heaven will be unwilling to leave it though for Heaven Canst thou bear the loss of some worldly comforts when God takes them from thee if not how wilt thou be able to bear the loss of all worldly comforts in a dying hour If running with Footmen weary thee how wilt thou be able to run with Horsemen If a little loss a little load be ready to break thy back what wilt thou do under the weight of a great one Paul was martyred in his affections before he was martyred in his body and dead to the world before he was slain by the world hence he came to dare even death it self and to bid it do its worst I protest by your rejoycing which I have in Christ Iesus I dye daily Should a Messenger have come to Paul and told him you must dye to morrow and leave all the good things of this life He might have said That is not now to do for I died yesterday and this day and every day and I have already taken my leave of this world and all its vanities Those that like Eeles lye in the mud of worldly pleasures are unfit to be sacrificed to God as being unclean creatures and unwilling to part with their present delights though for those that are more excellent The immoderate love of sublunary vanities makes men say as Peter at Christs transfiguration It is good to be here albeit like him they know not what they say 5. Set thy house in order After the heart is set in order the next work is to set the house in order according to Gods counsel Isa. 38. 1. Abraham was careful before his death to settle the affairs of his houshold as appeareth by his providing a fit spouse for Isaac and his giving gifts to the Children of his second Wife and sending them away Gen. 24. 1 2. and 25. 6. This ought to be done in the time of our health and strength partly because we are uncertain whether we shall have time and ability in sickness to do it or no. How many have died suddenly and why not thou and I as well as others Some who had a
of the rich Glutton can prevail to avoid it No time no place no company no houses no lands no relations no youth no strength no power no preferments can priviledge me against the arrest of death God hath decreed it Sin hath deserved it and I must expect it It is so searching that it will discover all the Children of men both to themselves and Angels Though ships are usually distinguished by their Flags yet that is no sure sign for Mariners when in sight and fear of their enemies will ordinarily hang out the colours of other Nations and say they belong to them but when they come to their Haven to unload their vessels it appears to what Country they belong Though men are usually distinguished by their outward behaviours yet many for their own ends put on Christs livery who are of Satans family but when they come to be searched and unladen at the end of their lives t will be known to whom they belong When I come to dye then the great controversie between Christ and Satan concerning my soul will be determined whose it shall be for ever O my soul that thou couldst but conceive what it will be to be sent by death into an unchangeable estate either of bliss or misery If thou diest in thy sins thou art killed with death Shouldst thou now live without conscience thou wilt dye without comfort and remain comfortless for ever Ponder a little with thy self the fearful death of a sinner that thou mayst flie his wicked acts as thou wouldst his woful end In the midst of his jollity and mirth when he is in an eager pursuit of carnal pleasures and posting in the way of worldly delights and running to all excess of riot he is on a sudden by deaths harbinger sickness commanded to stand and proceed no further This cuts him to the very heart His former prosperity like Oyl hath suppled his body and makes him more sensible of his present pain And his immoderate love to those fleshly delights doth abundantly greaten his grief and increase his loss Now the man is thrown whether he will or no upon his sick bed that must be his death bed In this his extremity his Companions and Friends and Wife and Children and Honour and Places and Preferments and Silver and Gold and Houses and Lands and costly attire and dainty fare are all dry things and unsavoury to him no creature can afford him the least comfort If he look into his Chamber his Wife is weeping and wringing her hands his Children are sighing his friends are lamenting and wailing but all this doth increase not mitigate his vexation and misery If he look into his Conscience he finds that taking courage and telling him to his face that though formerly he would not suffer it to speak yet now it must tell him the truth that death and hell and wrath are the wages of his ungodly works It will bring to his mind the time he hath mis-spent the talents that he hath mis-improved the day of grace that he hath despised the great salvation that he hath neglected his secret and private and publick sins the sins of his Childhood of his youth of his riper age those sins which he had forgotten and thought should never have been remembred are all set in order before his eyes His heart which was before harder then the neather Milstone is now pierced though not with an evangelical contrition yet with legal terrors and torments His sickness will allow no rest to his body and his sins will afford no ease to his soul. In the evening he cryeth Would God it were morning in the morning Would God it were evening because of the anguish of his spirit His bones are filled with a painful disease and his body with unquietness The Arrows of the Almighty are within him the poison thereof drinks up his spirit and the terrors of God do set themselves in array against him His review of his past actions his remembring of his slighting Christ for a brutish pleasure or a little fading treasure or a base lust and provoking God and continuance in sin against mercies judgements warnings the light of conscience the motions of the spirit are as so many envenomed Arrows sticking in his side and piercing him through with many sorrows but the thoughts of his necessity of dying and his fore-thoughts of the consequent of death how hell rides upon its back and eternal torments attend it how he must fry in unquenchable flames and take up his everlasting lodging amongst roaring Lyons frightful Dragons and the hellish crew sink him quite down To add some more Gall and Wormwood to his cup of bitterness the Devil now steps in and sheweth him his sins in their black hew in their bloody colour and countenance to make him hopeless and desperate The poor creature in this miserable plight and plunge knoweth not what to do whether to go for releif Dye he would not but must live he would but cannoâ— Now he wisheth that he had prayed and served God and minded his soul and salvation more and gratified his flesh and embraced the pleasures and honours of the World less Now he desireth that he might live a little longer and thinks O how would I redeem time and follow after holiness and walk with God what would I not do and suffer to lay up some comfort some cordial against such an hour But whilst he is thus in the midst of his vain wishes Death tells him by the violence of his distemper that the time of his departure is at hand His eyes now begin to sink his speech to faulter his breath to shorten and his heart to fail him and a cold sweat to seise on his whole body He strives and struggleth with all his might to continue here but Death like a Cruel Serjeant drags him to the bar of God whence he is immediately with frowns and fury dismist and haled to the dreadful and eternal Dungeon of Hell O the howlings the screeching the groans the grief which possesseth this poor soul when he is attached by Devils those merciless Officers and carried by them to the lake that burns with fire and brimstone for ever The Spirit being now gone the Body remains a cold lump of Clay forsaken of its dearest friends loathsom to its nearest relations sit for no company but the wormeaten congregation amongst which it must abide till the last day when it shall be joyned to the soul and partake with it in unconceiveable and endless torments Ah who can read such a souls estate with dry eyes or think of such a condition without sorrow O my soul what are thy thoughts of such a death Wouldst thou for the most prosperous Worldlings life dye such a death Doth not thine heart ake whilst thou art musing on it If thou wouldst not meet with the end of such men avoid their ways Lord I confess my self a great sinner and thou mightest justly leave me to walk
of Christ do all give thee daily occasion to mingle thy bread with ashes and thy drink with weeping What is this world that thou art so fond of it Thy God calls it a Sea of glass mingled with fire Rev. 15. 2. A Sea for its turbulency it s never at rest but ebbs and flows continually though sometimes more sometimes less Its work is to bubble up mire and dirt especially on them who are chosen out of the world A Sea of glass for its fragility All its pomp and pride on a sudden vanisheth Glass is both easily and irrecoverably broken in peices A Sea of glass mingled with fire for the fiery and dreadful miseries that befal men in it All its apparent comforts are mingled with real crosses In Heaven there is solace without the least grain of sorrow In Hell there is mourning without the smallest dram of mirth but on Earth there is no estate without mixture The Saints have joy in God but if need be they are in heaviness through manifold tribulations 1 Pet. 1. 6. The merry sinners in the midst of their pleasures have their hearts heavy Some of the wiser Heathen were so sensible of humane miseries that one of them when Ancient told his Scholar that if it were offered him to be young again he would not accept if Saints of all men must expect a large draught of sufferings The world is their enemy and raiseth all its forces against them If I be a Disciple I must look to follow my Master in bearing his Cross O my soul why shouldst thou hug that which hates thee and doat on this world which is neither a fit match for thee as being unsutable to thy nature nor if she were can be faithful to thee being made up of wavering and inconstancy Or secondly Is it the pain of death that thou art so frighted at Surely the fear of it is the greatest torment How many have felt greater pain in divers diseases as in the Stone or Strangury or Collick then in a dying hour Some of Gods Children have felt very little pain in the judgement of those that have seen them dying The waters of Jordan though rough to others have stood still when the Ark was to pass over But though I were sure my pain should be sharp yet I am as sure it shall be short In a moment in the twinckling of an eye I shall be transported over the gulp of misery into endless glory My pangs will be almost as soon gone as come Sorrow will endure but for a short night joy will come in the morning If I were assured of a great purchase made for me in Spain or Turky which upon my first comming over I should enjoy would I not adventure a passage through the boistrous Ocean to take possession My Saviour hath made a larger a better purchase for me in Heaven He is gone before to prepare a place for me My passage thither though it may be more painful is less perillous It s impossible for me to miscarry in it O why am I so slothful to go in and possess the good Land Surely the pleasures of the end may well sweeten the ways to it were they never so bitter With what chearfulness do some women undergo their sharp throws and hard labours supported with this cordial that a child shall thereby be born to them O how infinitely inferiour is the joy of a man child brought forth into this world to the joy of a sanctified soul brought out of this world into Heaven Again I have a tender Father who knoweth my frame and will lay no more upon me living or dying then he will enable me to bear He hath said it I will never leave thee nor forsake thee O my soul thou hast little reason to dread a contest with this enemy for this cause Thou mayst contentedly undergo a little pain to go to thy dearest Lord when many a sinner hath suffered greater to satisfie his hellish lust Thirdly Is it thy future condition that makes thee unwilling to dye Dost thou not know that death is thy portal through which thou shalt pass into the true Paradise It s the straight gate through which thou shalt enter into life Though its the wicked mans shipwrack which swalloweth him up in an Ocean of wrath and torment yet it s the Saints putting into harbour where he is received with the greatest acclamation and richest welcom imaginable Travellers who have met with many dangers and troubles in their journeys rejoyce when they come near their own Country I am a Pilgrim here and used or rather abused as a stranger shall I not be glad when I come near my blessed home my eternal happy habitation Children in some parts when they first behold the Stork the messenger of the Spring testifie their joy with pleasant and loud shoutings O why shouldst not thou lift up thy head with joy when sickness the fore-runner of death is come to bring thee tidings that the Winter of thy misery and cold and hardships is past and the Summer of thine eternal light and joy and pleasure is at hand Thy death may well be a Free-will-offering considering that though the ashes of the sacrifice thy body fall to the earth yet that divine flame thy immortal spirit shall ascend to Heaven In death nothing dyeth of thee but what thou mayst well spare thy sin and sorrows When the house is pulled to peices all those Ivy roots in the wall shall be destroyed The Egg-shell must be broken that the little chick may slip out Thy body must be dissolved that thy â—oul may be delivered Yet thy body doth not dye but sleep in the bed of the grave till the morning of the resurrection That outward apparel shall not be utterly consumed by the moth of time but lockt up safe as in a chest to be new trimmed and gloriously adorned above the Sun in his greatest lustre and put on again when thou shalt awake in the morning never never to put off more O that I could so live that I might not only be always ready but also when God calls me desirous to dye If I borrow any thing of my Neighbour I pay it back with thanks My life is Gods he lends it me for a time Why should I not when he calls for it restore it with thanks that he hath been pleased to lend it me so long Lord thy Children love thee dearly and believe that when they come home to thee thou wilt entertain them kindly yet their flesh like Lots Wife is still â—ankering after the Sodom of this World and loath they are to leave it though it be for their exceeding gain Give thy servant such true faith in thy Son that I may neither love life nor fear death immoderately but as the heart of Jacob revived when he saw the Wagons which Joseph sent to fetch him to Egypt so my heart may leap for joy to behold the heavenly Chariot which the Son of
Joseph shall send to convey me to the true Goshen I Wish that I may with patience submit on my dying bed to the divine pleasure It hath been far from some Moralists to murmure either at the extremity of their sickness or the necessity of dying By impatience I do not help but rather kill my self before-hand It s the general lot of mankind to sickeâ— and dye Am I angry that I am a man that I am mortal Because I know that I must be sick and dye I know that I must submit The knowledge of an approaching evil is no small good if improved Though it cannot teach me to prevent it by all my power or providence yet it may teach me to prepare for it and to bear it with courage and patience Discontent and quarrelling are great arguments of guilt and a defiled conscience The harmless sheep conscious of their innocency do quietly receive the Knife either on the Altar or in the Shambles and give death entrance with small reluctancy when the filthy loathsom Swine roar horribly at their first handling and with hideous cries are haled and held to the fatal block The Children of God and members of Christ who are perfect through their head do often give up the Ghost and desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ when the souls of wicked men are required of them and they are strangely passionate at the approach of death and with dreadful screeches salute its Harbinger sickness O that patience might have its perfect work in me when I am taking my leave of it and its work is near an end Lord my heart is too prone to be impatient under thy hand though thou art infinitely wise as well as gracious and knowest what is best for me In my sickness turn mine eyes upon my sins that my discontent may be at my self for that which is the original of all my sorrows and then I shall never repine or murmur against thee I Wish that I may daily think of death and wait beleiving and repenting and working out my salvation till my change shall come My whole time is given me that therein I might prepare and dress my soul for my blessed eternal estate Why should it not be imployed for that end The Child who hath all day been diligent about his duty may expect his Fathers good word at night But what Master will give a reward to him in the evening who hath all the day long served his enemy My life is the seed which will yeild a crop of horror or comfort in an hour of death If that be good my Harvest will be glorious and joyful if that be sinful my Harvest will be bitter and sorrowful Do men gather Grapes of Thorns or Figs of Thistles The Grapes of comfort are not to be expected from the Thistles of corruption nor the Figs of peace from the thorns of impiety I should blush to commit to the keeping of a cleanly and considerable person a foul and filthy vessel With what face can I commend to the holy and glorious God an impure and polluted soul O how dreadful will it be to meet with my dying bed before I have met with the Lord of life and to be going out of the world before I have seriously considered why I came into it My great work in this world is to get my depraved nature healed by the blood and spirit of Christ ifâ— I forget my business when I have time to do it and trifle away my days in doing evil or doing nothing I lose my soul am unfaithful to my Master and deepen my judgement by the number of my days â— That Traveller may well be agast and perplexed who hath a long journey to go upon pain of death in one day for which the whole day is little enough and seeth the sun near setting before he hath begun his journey How ill doth the evening of my time and the morning of my taske accord together How justly may God reserve the dregs of his wrath for me if I reserve the dregs of myâ— days for him What folly am I guilty of in deferring my preparation for death If he be a ridiculous person that having choice of lusty horses should let them all go empty and lay an extraordinary heavy load upon a poor tired jade that is hardly able to go much more foolish is he that prodigally wasteth his youth and health and strength in the service of the flesh and the world and leaves the great and weighty affairs of his soul and eternity to be transacted on a sick or dying bed O my soul what little cause hast thou to future or delay thy solemn provision for the other world First thy life is uncertain thou hast not another day at thy disposal There are some creatures they say in Pontus whose life lasteth but one day They are born in the morning come to their full growth at noon grow old in the evening and dye at night What is thy life but a vapour that soon passeth away The first minute thou didst begin to live thou didst begin to dye Death was born when thou wast born the last act of life is but the completing of death As on thy birâ—hâ—day thou didst begin to dye so on the day of thy death thou dost cease to live How many outward accidents and inward diseases art thou every moment liable to May I not say to thee as Michael to David Save thy self to night for tomorrow thou shalt be slain Others have died suddenly by imposthumes or the falling-sickness or violent means and if thou promisest thy self a fair warning before the fatal stroak thou dost but cozen and cheat thy self But secondly If thou wert sure to see the evening star of sickness before the night of death overtake thee thou art not sure thy sickness shall not be such as may not incapacitate thee for the working out thy salvation Extremity of pain anguish of body lack of sleep the violence of a fever may indispose thee and distract thee that thou canst not so much as think of God Or thy distemper may be such that the Physitian may charge thee not to trouble thy self with melancholy or sad thoughts lest thou wrongest thy body and yet the Minister commandeth thee to pull up those sluces of sorrow if thou wouldst not lose thy soul for ever Or cold diseases as the Lethargy or Palsie may surprise thee and incline thee to continual slumbers till at last thou sleepest the sleep of death O how sottish art thou and how grosly doth the destroyer of souls delude thee to defer that work of absolute necessity of conversion to God upon which thine endless weal or wo dependeth to a dying Bed when thou art not sure to dye in thy bed but mayst as well dye in thy Shop or Fields or in the Streets when thou art uncertain what disease if thou shouldst meet with a dying bed should send thee to thy eternal
so often to remember his latter end because the meditation of it is so gainful to him The first day man was made he was called to think of his last day God minded him of death in the Tree of Knowledge and the threatning annexed to the Prohibition that he might thereby keep him from sin Satan could not prevail with Eve to taste of that killing fruit till he had prevailed with her to distrust that threatning of death ye shall not surely dye Gen. 3. 4. After the fall God reneweth this meditation by turning the conditional into an absolute commination Dust thou art and to Dust thou shalt return and though the Holy Ghost omitteth many particulars about Gods carriage with the long-lived Patriarchs and their holy conversation before him yet he is exact in registring their deaths And he died and he died of every one Gen. 5. to quicken us to fear God because we are but dying frail men There is hardly any thing about which we deal but God gives us by it a Memento of Death Our Cloaths are all fetcht out of Deaths wardrobe our food out of deaths shambles The Sun is an emblem of lifes posting the night of the chambers of darkness the year hath its autumn the day its night Our candles should mind us of the wasting of our days the evening of the shadow of death our undressing of our putting off our earthly tabernacles and our lying down in our beds of our lying down in our graves If thou wouldst make Religion thy business and main work think often and seriously of thy death and departure of this world He that guides and steers the ship aright sits in the stern or hinderâ— most part of it He that would order his works his way according to God must be frequent in the meditation of his end The end of his days must be at the end of all his thoughts Zeno Cittiaeus consulted with the Oracle how he might live well and received this answer If he would be of the same colour with the dead Reader if thou wouldst live much and well get thy heart as much affected with godliness in health as it will be in sickness Have the same thoughts of it the same seriousness about it the very same carriage towards it whilst the world salutes thee with its smiling face and bewitching features which thou wilt wish thou hadst had when thou shalt come to take thy leave of it and lye upon thy dying bed Be of the same colour with the dead O what thoughts have the dead of godliness and of making it ones business The dead in Christ and the dead out of Christ have both other manner of thoughts of Religion and making it ones occupation then thou canst possibly imagine Those who while they live delay repentance and dally about Religion minding it as if they minded it not who neither in their dealings with men nor duties towards God nor in their relations nor vocations make it their business but mispend their precious time misimploy their weighty talents neglect God and their eternal welfares as if they had not been made to mind either when they come to dye and perceive in good earnest that that surly Serjeant Death will not be denyed but away they must go into the other world and fare well or ill for ever according as their hearts and lives have been godly or ungodly good or bad here good Lord what thoughts have they then of godliness How hearty are their wishes that they had made it their business What Worlds would they give that Religion had been their principal work What prayers and tears do they poure out for a few days to mind it in What sighs and sobs and groans that they have neglected it so long What purposes do they take up what promises do they make if God spare them to follow hard after holiness and make it their onely business A Philosopher asking Euchrites which of the two he had rather be Craesus one of the richest and most vicious in the world or Socrates one of the poorest and most vertuous Eucrites answered Craesus vivens Socrates moriens Craesus while he lived and Socrates when he dyed The Cuckoe when wearing away changeth her noat The worst men when they come to dye alter and change exceedingly It is worthy our observation that those who are greatest strangers to death are most familiar with the works of darkness No place abounds more in Wolves no person in wickedness then where this Mastiff is wanting Jerusalem hath greivously sinned her filthiness is in her skirts she remembreth not her last end therefore she came down wonderfully 1 Lamen 8. 9. Jerusalem hath greivously sinned hath sinned sin Heb. Hath committed a great or greivous sin so the Chaldee Behold here the colour of her sin is was not of an ordinary dye but of a black a bloody an heinous nature Her filthiness is in her skirts Lo here her carriage after her sinning she made of it an open shew so far was she from shame It is a term taken from prostituted Strumpets or monstrous women saith Diodat The outward looks of the former bewray her inward lusts and the marks of the latters defilement are visible on her garment thus the shew of Ierusalems countenance did publiquely evidence her crime She did as clearly by her skirts proclaim her filth as if it had been written on her face and engraven on her forehead Here was impiety in her practice Ierusalem hath greivously sinned and impudency to purpose Her filthiness is in her skirts But what dust was that which bred such vermine what polluted seed was that which begat such a poisonous serpent Reader if thou wouldst know the Mother which brought forth and bred up this ugly Monster She remembreth not her last end therefore she came down mightily It was her forgetfulness of death which nourished and cherished her wicked deeds They who mind not their reckoning care not how much they riot and revel They who put far away the evil day cause the seat of violence to come near Amos 6. 3. The further we drive death from our thoughts the nearer we draw to sin They who fancy their foe to be very far off will not prepare and make ready to fight Men that are young do not consider that the old Ass often carrieth the skin of the young to the Market that death comes like a Thunderbolt and Lightning and blasteth the green corn and consumeth the strongest buildings if they did they would flee youthful lusts He who seeth death at his door will be most diligent about his duty A serious consideration of the death of the body will be a soveraign though a sharp medicine to kill the body of death The Naturalists tell us that the ashes of a Viper applied to the part which is stung draweth the venome out of it They who look on themselves as Pilgrims and strangers will abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the
defence Though others like the old world are drowned are destroyed in these waters yet thou shouldst ride safely in a well pitcht Ark and to free thee from any fear of miscarrying the Lord himself would shut thee in When others are in the open air on whom storms and tempests have their full force thou shouldst be housed in Gods presence-chamber and kept secret by his side As Gideons fleece thou shouldst be dry when all about thee are wet The whale of destruction may digest thousands of Mariners but one godly Ionah is too hard for him The torrent of fire that ran from AEtna and consumed the Country yet parted it self to safeguard them that releived their aged parents When the Grecians had taken Troy and given every man liberty to carry out his burden they were so taken with the devotion of AEneas in carrying out first his houshold gods and upon a second licence his old Father Anchises and his Son Ascanius instead of treasures which others carried out that they permitted him to carry what he would without any disturbance Ieremiah in the Babylonish captivity was tendered and regarded highly by the King of Babylon When Sodom was destroyed Lot was preserved It was storied of Troy that so long as the Image of Pallas stood safe in it that City should never be won It is true of godliness so long as the fear and love of thy God are within thee so long as thou makest religion thy business nothing shall hurt thee every thing shall help thee godliness will bring in all gain and at all times No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly A Child of God by adoption is in some sense like the Son of God by eternal generation heir of all things 1 Cor. 3.30 31. Whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or Life or Death or things present or things to come all is yours and ye are Christ's and Christ is God's Nay the Christians riches are not onely unsearchable Ephes. 3. 8. but also durable Prov. 8. 15. When a wicked man dieth all his riches dye with him His treasue is laid up on earth therefore when he leaves the earth he leaves his treasure Psa. 49. 17. When a godly man dyeth his riches follow him Rev. 14. 13. His treasure is in heaven and so when he dyeth he goeth to his gains O Reader what an argument is here to provoke thee to piety godliness is profitable in all conditions in all relations in both worlds In prosperity t will be a sun to direct thee in adversity a shield to protect thee in life t will be thy comfort and which is infinitely more in death that hour of need 't will be thy enlivening cordial The smell of Trefoil is stronger in a cloudy dark season then in fair weather The refreshing savour of the sweet spices of grace is strongest in the Saints greatest necessities When Death the King of terrors comes to enter the list and fight with thee for thy soul and eternal salvation for thy God and Christ and Heaven and happiness when all thy Riches and Honours and Friends and Relations would leave thee in the lurch to shift for thy self as Dogs leave their Master when he comes to the water Godliness would be thy shield to secure thee against its shot and make thee more then a conquerour over it Thou mightest call thy dying bed as Iacob the place through which he travailed Mahanaim a Camp for there Angels would meet thee to convey thee safe through the Air the enemies country of which Satan is Lord and Prince to thy Fathers houses where thou shouldst be infinitely blessed in the vision and fruition of thy God and Saviour for ever Godliness would be the Pilot to steer the vessel of thy soul aright through those boysterous waters to an happy port The Arabick Fable mentions one that carried an Hog a Goat and a Sheep to the City the Hog roared hideously when the other two were still and quiet and being asked the reason gave this account of her crying The Sheep and Goat have no such cause to complain for they are carried to the City for their Milk but I am carried thither to be killed being good for nothing else The Ungodly person may well cry out sadly when sickness comes for then guilt flyeth in his face and conscience tells him death will kill him he is good for nothing but to be killed with death Rev. 2.25 he never honoured God in this world and God will force honour out of him in the other world He may well screech out dreadfully at the approach of death whose body death sends to the grave and his souls to intolerable and unquenchable flames but the godly man may bid death welcom knowing it will be his exceeding gain and advantage Reader When others like the Israelites are afraid and start back at the sight of this Goliah thou mightest like little David encounter him in the name of the Lord and overcome him Thou mightest triumphantly sing in the ears of death O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory The Lord of life would sweeten death to thee and subdue it for thee nay make it at peace with thee that thou mightest say to death as Iacob to Esau I have seen thy face as if it had been the face of God who hath made thee to meet me with smiles instead of frowns Death would help thee to that sight to that knowledge to that state and degree of holiness for which thou hast prayed and wept and fasted and watched and laboured and waited many a day as it s said of Iob there was none like him in the earth so I may say of this calling there is none like it upon the face of the earth the very enemies of it in their hours of extremity being judges Ah who would not work for God with the greatest diligence and walk with God in the exactest obedience and wait upon God with the greatest patience when he is assured that in the doing of his commands there is such great reward and those that sow to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting The Conclusion Reader I have now ended this Treatise but whether thou if a stranger to this calling wilt put an end to thy carnal fleshly ways and begin this high and heavenly work or no I know not If thou art ambitious thou hast here encouragement sufficient godliness will ennoble thee and render thy blood not only honourable but royal If thou art voluptuous here is a bait which may take thee godliness will bring thee to a river of pleasures to such dainties and delights as take the hearts of perfect and glorious Angels If thou art covetous here is a golden weight to turn the scales of thy desires and endeavours godliness is profitable unto all things it hath the promise of this life and of that which is to come when thy house and lands and honours and neighbours and
wife and children and flesh and heart faile thee and forsake thee godliness would say to thee and stand to it also as Peterâ—o â—o Christ though all forsake thee yet will not I. Wâ—en the worlds Trinity Credit Profit and Pleasure serve their lovers and worshippers as Rats and Mice do an house leave it when it is on fire flye from them in their need and extremity godliness would stick to thee as close as fast as Ruth to Naomi where thou goest it would go where thou lodgest it would lodge nay it would follow thee into the other world and abide with thee a cordial a comfort for ever It would give thee cause to say to it as she to her daughter in law thou hast shewed more kindness to me at the latter end then at the beginning What canst thou have to object against godliness that sets thee at such a distance from it Wilt thou believe a lying world a deceitful flesh a destroying Devil or the God of truth Who is thy greatest enemy God or they Who will do thee most good God or they If thou wilt be tryed by the confessions of the greatest enemies that godliness hath even they in their hours of extremity will tell thee grace is of infinite worth godliness is the best of all Ah how happy had we been at this hour had we been as faithful servants to Religion as we have been slaves to foolish lusts and pleasures If Reason may be heard thou wilt not defer one moment the entering thy name in this society and binding thy self Apprentice to thy Saviour thou mayst see plainly that it is thine interest as well as thy duty and all thy happiness for this and the other world dependeth on it If Scripture may be heard thou wilt quickly set about thy general calling and make Religion thy business it calleth loudly to thee to turn thy back upon earth and face about for heaven to forsake the flesh before the flesh forsake thee It telleth thee plainly under the hand of thy Maker that if thou livest after the flesh and sowest to the flesh thou shalt dye eternally If the Conscience within thee may be heard thou wilt presently give a bill of divorce to thy carnal bruish delights and strike an hearty Covenant wit Jesus Christ It often warneth thee of thy duty and danger and terrifieth thee with the forethoâ—ghts of that fire and fury which thou art hastening to â—eel If thy friends and relations who have any sense of a jealous God and eternal estate may be heard then thou wilt immediately hearken to the counsel I commend to thee from God and exercise thy self unto godliness They advise and perswade and intreat thee to turn over a new leaf and lead a new life and to mind in thy day the things of thy peace If the God upon whom thou livest by whom thou movest from whom thou hast thy being may be heard thou wilt now wink on the world crucifie the flesh loath thy self for thy filth and folly and devote thy heart and soul to his fear He commandeth thee by his dominion over thee and thy obligations to him he threatneth promiseth affrighteth allureth and all to make thee mind thy allegiance to him and the work he hath given thee to do in this world If thy Saviour who humbled himself for thy sake and took upon him the form of a servant and in thy nature was buffeted scourged and crucified may be heard then thou wilt immedately take the counsel that is given thee and turn to the Lord with all thy heart and loath thy self for all thine abominations He pleads with thee most pathetically presenteth to thee the stripes and wounds which sin caused in his blessed body the blood which he shed the ignominy he endured the agony the death he suffered and all to satisfie for sin to make himself Lord both of the dead and living he tells thee he gave himself for thee to redeem thee from all iniquity and to purifie thee to himself a peculiar child zealous of good works If the daily and nightly and hourly mercies that thou injoyest if the sickness or pain or loss or disgrace or afflictions which sometimes thou sufferest may be heard there would not be so much ado to perswade a wretched creature to be blessed and an ungodly person to be holy and happy If the inanimate and irrational creatures the earth beneath thee the heavens above thee the beasts and birds about thee might be heard thou wouldst whilst it s called to day now after so long a time attend to the call and command of him in whose hand is thy life and breath and follow after holiness without which thou shalt never see the Lord. Shall a Centurions servant go when he bids him go and come when he bids him come and wilt not thou go and come at the voice of God Did Balaams Ass speak at Gods command and reprove the madness of the Prophet Did Ravens at Gods command feed Élijah Did Cater-pillars and Locusts and Frogs and Lice execute Gods judgements upon Pharaoh Do fire and hail and snow and vapours and stormy winds fulfil his word Doth the earth open the rocks rend the stars fight in their courses waters stand up in heaps as a wall the Moon stand still the Sun go backward wildernesses tremble things cross the course of nature to obey his pleasure and wilt not thou obey him O man bethink thy self wilt thou be worse then these irrational and inanimate creatures are not thy engagements to God infinitely above theirs what wilt thou have to say for thy self when every stone in the street as well as star in the heavens when every biâ—d and beast and fowl will condemn thee O where wilt thou appear I must tell thee that a perillous time a day of extremity an hour of trouble and anguish is hastning upon thee which thou canst no more escape or avoid then thou canst flye from thy self when the pleasures and delights and honey and beautiful countenances of those Scorpions thy fleshly lusts will all be past and gone but the sting remain to pierce and torment thee when those dreggy waters in which thou bathest thy self now will all be dried up when all thy possessions and preferments and friends and relations will serve thee as women their flowers when they are dead and withered who throw them away or as sinking floores that will fail men when their weight is on them And then O then what wilt thou do Thou wilt wish that religion had been thy business and call and cry to it as the Elders of Gilead to Iephthah when the children of Ammon made war with them Come thou and be our Captain and save us from our enemies Come thou and be my Captain to save me from the curse of the law the terrors of my guilty conscience the wrath of the Infinite God and the torments of the eternal fire But godliness will answer thee as Iephthah did them