therefore actions issuing thence cannot be perfect and consequently not meritorious Yet a true iustifying Faith is ever accompanied with purity and charity Acts 15.9 Tit. 3.8 Jam. 2.14 c. Jude 20. * Maccovius's Distinct cap. 13. de Justif Fides sola justificat non solitaria Faith alone doth justifie yet that Faith which justifies is not alone as the Eye alone seeth in the body yet the Eye which seeth is not alone in the body without the other senses Good Works are the Pulse and Breath of a lively Faith Mr. Abraham Wright's Serm. on Luk. 16.9 It is as impious to deny the necessity as to maintain the merits of good Works God hath joyned good Works and Salvation together in his Word and what God hath joyned together let no man put asunder But when we have done all we can do let us confess our unprofitableness and cast our selves upon Gods Love and Favour as the surest hold Let us build our hopes of happiness upon Christ's satisfaction only for indeed there is no other way then by this Ark to escape drowning The Church is described Cant. 8.5 leaning on her Beloved which as it betokens infinite familiarity within so likewise faithful dependance upon him Well then as Joseph said to his Brethren Ye shall not see my face he means with safety and favour except your Brother Benjamen be with you Gen. 43.5 So neither shall we comfortably see God's Face hereafter except we bring the Lord Jesus that Benjamin the Son of his right Hand Col. 3.1 Rom. 8.34 with us in the Arms of Faith Let us then act Faith upon the Lord Jesus who alone delivereth us from wrath to come 1 Thes 1.10 Thus much for the matter wherein preparation for Death consists I shall now shew you how you ought to put these Directions into practice CHAP. III. Shewing how we ought to put the forementioned Directions into practice OUR Saviour saith Luke 13.24 Many will seek to enter in at the strait Gate and shall not be able Stella on Luk. 13.24 And Stella gives this reason Quia tardè insufficientèr quaerunt because they seek not after a right manner Right means are to be used after a right manner Put then the forementioned Directions into Practice First Early Secondly Earnestly Thirdly and lastly Constantly 1. Festinanter First Early or speedily whilst young healthful and strong This God calls for Eccles 12.1 Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth God's Adverb is manè betimes or early the Devil's Verb is mane tarry till afterwards Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto the Devil more than unto God judge ye Acts 4.19 O do not put off preparation for Death till sickness Thou mayest perhaps die suddenly An Imposthume Squinancy Apolexy or some such Distemper may suddenly dispatch thee in so much that thou shalt not have time to call upon God for mercy Some that have gone to bed in good health as they thought have been found dead the next morning dead they were before they could tell what ailed them But in case God exercise thee with sickness thou wilt be very unfit to go about this great Work thy thoughts will be upon thy pain and they enquieries will be after a Remedy proper for the removing the Malady Friends about thee without any ground for it will be ready to tell thee what thou art glad to hear and willing to believe that there is great hopes of thy recovery These flatterers are miserable comforters for in case thou growest deadly sick as thou may'st do of a sudden then it is ten to one thy Will is to make Worldly things are to be disposed of for men generally are too too blame herein putting this off to extream sickness and this making thy Will takes up a considerable part of that little time allotted thee Upon this follow exclamations and outcries of near Relations together with the clamour of thy sins if Conscience be awakened enough to distract thee Impertinent visits of Friends which come only with an How do you I am sorry to see you in this condition c. do rather hinder than further Devotion And perhaps by this time through want of sleep and extremity of pain thou wilt be light-headed unfit to listen to any good counsel if given to thee as the Israelites who hearkned not to Moses for anguish of Spirit Exod. 6.9 Do not then put off this great Work till sickness no nor till old Age neither for Life is uncertain as I have shewed We know not how soon our Pulse may leave beating We can call no time ours but the present 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This day is mine and thine whose to morrow may be we know not To day then cannot be too soon to set upon this Work because to morrow may be too late I have read of Archias the Lacedemonian that whilst he was in the midst of carnal Jollity quaffing with his Companions one presented to him a Letter wherein was signified that some did lie in wait to take away his life and desired him to peruse it presently for it was a Letter of serious concernment but he carelesly replyed Seria cras let serious things alone till to morrow and that very night he was slain Oh! then reckon not of many years seeing thou art not Lord of to morrow Prov. 27.1 But if God should grant thee longer space to repent in yet he may deny thee the means of Grace or he may deny his Grace to make a good improvement of the means See what is said of Jezebel I gave her space to repent of her Fornication but she repented not Rev. 2.21 Repentance is not in our own power to be performed at pleasure it is God's-Gift Jer. 10.23 Acts 11.28 2 Tim. 2.25 And if we slight God calling upon us now who in the seasons of Grace is willing to be found of us 2 Cor. 6.2 Isa 66.5 Prov. 8.17 he may justly slight us in sickness and old age when his judgements break forth upon us We may then seek early and that early be too late to find him Prov. 1.24 c. As Jeptha said to the Elders of Gilead Judg. 11.7 Did not ye hate me and expel me out of my Fathers House And why are ye come unto me now when ye are in distress So may God justly say to such as defer preparation for Death till sickness or old Age Did not ye hate me in your youthful time whilst healthful and strong and say unto me Depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Job 21.14 Why do you now forced through fear or pain come to me in your distress Do we think God will be pleased with the Devils leavings What King will receive a cripled Rebel that hath spent the best of his strength and time under his Enemies Colours Cum nemine obtrudi potest itur ad me Ter. What Husband will receive his Wife that hath
spent her youthful dayes amongst Ruffians and debauched Companions If thou thinkest the flower of thine Age too good to give God may justly think the dregs of it too bad to receive How canst thou reasonably think that God should take pleasure in those dayes of which thou thy self wilt say Thou hast no pleasure in them Eccles 12.1 2 Sam. 19.35 'T is task sufficient for old Age to bear up under the infirmities of it Preparation for Death in old Age or sickness is usually weak and sickly like the party and proceeds rather from fear than love How kindly doth God take it when we dedicate the firstling of our years to his service Jer. 2.2 I remember thee saith God the kindness of thy youth Youthful bodies are most active and strong and so most fit for the Service of God who is a Spirit a pure Act and a living God He whose Name is I Am Exod. 3.14 cares not for such as say They will be but are not Now Courteous Reader what I have here spoken is out of a good intent not to drive any to despair but to prevent presumption Well then as Abraham rose early in the morning to sacrifice his Son Gen. 22.3 so let us early in the morning of youth sacrifice our sins or dedicate our selves both Soul and Body to God's Service 2. Ardenter 2. Put the forementioned Directions into practice Earnestly This God calls for Luk. 13.24 Strive to enter in at the strait Gate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Cornelius a Lap. in locum Quasi in agone contendite extremas summasque vires velut agonizantes exerite Strive as Wrestlers do put to all their strength so the word signiffes We should give diligence to make our Calling and Election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 Yea all diligence v. 5. Thou hast commanded us saith David Psal 119.4 to keep thy Precepts diligently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 valde that is with all diligence and watchfulness and earnest endeavour So Dr. Hammond in Loc. Nay we are not only to give diligence but to put forth holy violence Mat. 11.12 Luke 6.16 The twelve Tribes are said to serve God instantly day and night Acts 26.7 Orig. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a kind of extension or vehemencie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sig Omnibus viribus vehementer prolixe liberaliter toto animo Cornel. a Lap. in 1 Pet. 1.22 St. Paul tells you what he did Phil. 3.13 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Like a man running a race he press'd forward stretch'd forth his Neck and Arms and ran swiftly towards the Mark. True Christians are called lively stones 1 Pet. 2.5 They are compared to stones for solidity and stability but called Lively Stones for their Zeal and Activity Lazy wishes and luke-warm desires will not serve our turn Numb 23.10 He lies under the prophetick Curse that doth the Work of the Lord negligently Jer. 48.10 All that we do for God without zeal is but opus operatum meer performance of the Work which can no more ascend to Heaven than Vapours from the Still unless there be fire under it as a worthy * Mr. Ward in Serm. on Rev. 3.19 Divine tells us Dulness Drowsiness Luke-warmness is unsutable to the work of the Lord. We should serve him with most awakened affections and most serious intentions of Spirit Deut. 11 13. Mat. 22.37 God hath threatned to spue the luke-warm out of his mouth Rev. 3.15 16. Some say that Speech is drawn from warm-water which the stomach cannot by any means brook so God cannot away with luke-warm persons Gregory somewhere saith It is better to be cold than luke-warm in Religion not because the luke-warm person sins more hainously but because he is reclaimed more hardly Dum enim se sanum putet medicinae opem non quaerit Marlor A cursed formality or customary performance of duties without fervent love to them undoes many and renders the Times so perillous 2 Tim. 3.5 Having a * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 form of Godliness but denying the Power from such turn away Let us then with Caleb follow God fully Numb 14.24 And as Barnabas exhorted Let us with full purpose of heart cleave unto the Lord Acts 11.23 As Peter and John strove which should come first to our Savious Sepulchre Joh. 20.4 so let us strive which should attain first to true mortification of sin Let us strive to out-strip one another in goodness * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is a commendable contention The greatness of the Work calleth for our greatest endeavours We have many Duties to perform many Graces to get many Sins to subdue and conquer The manifold opposition which we meet with in our way to Heaven from the World the Flesh and the Devil should make us active 1 Cor. 16.13 Ephes 6.10 11 12 13. 1 Pet. 5.8 9. Former mispence of time should put us upon a more diligent improvement of it for the future Ephes 5.16 1 Pet. 4.3 4. Vespatian an Heathen lamented the loss of a day wherein he had done no remarkable service Heu diem perdidi was his word Alas I have lost a day We have let slip many days without doing good squandred away many precious opportunities not to be regained Let us improve time whilst we have it with the best diligence we can shortly we would be glad to have it that we might improve it If God would but vouchsafe to the damned creatures a little time of tryal here on earth again how eagerly would they accept it how holily would they spend it like those Creatures mentioned Ezek. 1.14 They would run and return as the apperance of a flash of Lightning They would Angel-like be upon the Wing ready to fly upon the hardest Errand God should send them about But alas their Glass is run and shall never be turned more The Door of Mercy is shut against them their possibilities are ended Let us be wise in time and work whilst we may for when the Night of Death comes no man can work John 9.4 Stella in Luk. 13.24 Nunc ergà poenitentiam age nè praeoccupatus die mortis quaeras locum quando invenire non possis The wise Man makes this consideration a Whetstone to Industry Eccles 9.10 Whatever thy hand finds to do do it with all thy might for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the Grave whither thou goest If thy Work be not done when Death comes thou'lt be undone for ever for there will be no second Edition of thy Life to alter or amend what is done amiss Nicodemus's saying according to the flesh is true John 3.4 No man can enter the second time into his Mothers Womb and be born O then be not remiss and negligent in matters of such consequence Let us pray in good earnest repent in sober sadness let us put on Christ's Vertues by imitation and his Merits by application with as much diligence as may be Old men especially
should bestir themselves who have as we say one foot in the Grave already A * Omnis motus naturalis velotior est in fine Stone the nearer it comes to the Center the swifter it moves The nearer any come to Death the greater should their preparation be for it It is * Abel Rediv in life of Mr Perkins observed of the Birds of Norway that they having in Winter very short dayes fly swifter than other Fowl in other Countries as if principled by the instinct of Nature thriftily to improve the little light allowed them and by the swiftness of their Wings to regain the shortness of their time How speedy and earnest should old men especially be in preparing themselves for Death who if they have neglected God in their youthful dayes have a great deal of work to do in a very short time 3. Constanter 3. And lastly Prepare your selves for Death Constantly so long as life shall last This God calls for 1 Cor. 15. last verse Be constant and immoveable alway abounding in the Work of the Lord. This was David's resolution Psal 119.112 I have enclined my heart to keep thy Statutes alway even unto the end So it was Job's Job 14.14 All the dayes of my appointed time will I wait till my change come So Job 27.5 6 Till I die I will not remove my integrity from me My Righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live The like did Saint Paul as you may read Acts 20.24 Phil. 3.13 14 15. 2 Tim. 4.6 7 8. God hath promised to give the Crown of Glory or Eternal Happiness to such as persevere in a Christian course of life see Rev. 2.10 so Rev. 3.11 12. Heaven is not got per saltum at one sudden leap you must set out betimes and advance forward in the race of Christianity so long as you live You must run and not be weary walk and not faint Isa 40.31 Charles the fifths Motto Ulterius becomes every Christian he must advance still forward for he that runs half the Race and then gives it over Ioseth the Wager as well as he that never set forth See what is said Ezek. 18.24 When the Righteous turneth away from his righteousness and committeth iniquity and doth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doth shall he live All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned in his trespass that he hath trespassed and in his sin that he hath sinned in them shall he die If any man draw back saith God Heb. 10.38 my Soul shall have no pleasure in him and again ver 39. They draw back unto perdition Let Christians then who expect the Crown fight manfully under Christ's Banner against the World Sin and the Devil and continue Christ's faithful Souldiers and Servants unto their lives end Let them do that in their Spiritual what Caesar is said to do in his Temporal-Warfare Nil actum credens siquid superesset agendum Lucan Pharsal Lib. 2. Be still doing as though they had done nothing till all be done Now there will be alway something for a Christian to do till Death give him his Quietus est a Writ of Ease Rev. 14.13 Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord they rest from their labours There must be no resting till death We should be Volunteers in God's Service till Death disband us When William the Conqueror landed his men in Sussex he caused all Ships to be sunk that all hope of flying back might be taken away We are here landed saith an ingenious * Dr. Boys in his Postils on Rev. 12.7 Divine in this Valley of Tears we must neither faint nor fly but fight it out valiantly till Death the last Enemy be destroyed 1 Cor. 15.26 Good Christians are like Wine full of Spirits that continues good to the last drawing yea the older they are like good Wines the better they be Lâ—k 5.39 They are compared to Trees in Scripture Psal r. 3. so Isa 61.3 called Trees of Righteousness because filled with the Fruits of Righteousness Phil. 1.11 These Trees are never past bearing They shall bring forth Fruit in old age they shall be fat and flourishing Psal 92.14 It is an honour to be thus gray-headed in Religion Prov. 16.31 The hoary-head is a Crown of Glory if it be found in the way of Righteousness God highly prizeth a Mnason an old Disciple as he was Acts 21.16 that hath served him from his youth upwards Well then let us put the former directions constantly into practice Let us pray continually 1 Thess 5.17 Let us have our * Stata tempora set-times for Prayer and at least morning and evening let us offer unto God the sacrifice of Prayer Let us daily mourn for the sins we daily commit Nay those sins which God hath pardned we should reflect upon with grief of heart and pray for a farther manifestation of pardoning Grace so did David For the one and fiftieth Psalm was pen'd by David after he had gone into Bathsheba and after Nathan had brought him the news of a Pardon 2 Sam. 12.13 Some * Mr. Smith in his Doctrine of Repentance p. 105. observe after God had cast Adam out of Paradise he set him e regione Horti over against the Garden in the very sight and view of the place where he had offended that so oft as he lookt towards the Garden he might remember his sin and lament for it Let us constantly avoid such sins as we do lament So did St. Paul Acts 24.16 Herein do I exercise my self to have alway a Conscience void of offence towards God and towards men Let us do good works constantly Gal. 6.9 2 Thes 3.13 Let us constantly put on the vertues of Christ growing in number measure and exercise of grace Let us daily act faith upon Christ If we do thus not only begin well but continue in thus doing until death we shall when we have acted the last part of our life upon the Stage of this World every one of us apart here that joyful Sentence pronounced by Christ himself Eugè bone serve Well done thou good and faithful Servant Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord Matth. 25.21 Thus you see the forementioned Directions are to be practised Early Earnestly and Constantly these three Ingredients make our Services a sweet Perfume But because we are so backward to these things I shall in the next Chapter lay down a few Considerations to quicken us to the performance of the whole and so conclude CHAP. IV. Containing certain Motives to move us to prepare for Death NO Man can truly say of mine advice touching preparation for Death as Hushai said of Ahitophel's 2 Sam. 17.7 It is not good at this time Sure I am advice to it or practice of it is never unseasonable for this is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the main business that we come into the World
Tombs but this impatient man is among the Living and molests and grieves those that are near him 2. Immoderate sorrow wasteth the Spirits See Prov. 15.13 By sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken It weakens the Body and hastens Death 2 Cor. 7.10 The sorrow of the world worketh Death saith the Apostle by sorrow of the world we may understand immoderate sorrow about worldly things hastens death and eats out the very comfort of Life You read of Moses Deut. 34.7 He was an hundred and twenty years old when he dyed his eye was not dim nor his natural force abated What should be the reason Why surely under God his own meekness For Numb 12.3 He was very meek above all the men that were upon the face of the earth Hippocrates saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Animalia quae felle carent ut Cervi sunt longaeva So meek persons many times live longest but impatient persons through fretting discontent bring their bodies into a Consumption Suppose as Job saith Job 6.12 Your strength was the strength of stones yet continual dropping of tears and drooping under sorrow would bring you down and wear you away for the same Job tells you Job 14.19 The waters wear the stones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gutta cavat lapidem non vi sed saepè cadendo And the wise man tells you Prov. 12.25 Heaviness in the heart of a man makes it stoop Immoderate grief like a heavy burthen laid upon a man will make him stoop and break him Many a man looks wrinkled with sorrow and care long before he is wrinkled with age Cura facit canos quamvis homo non habet annos Let us then Seneca Consâ—l ad Poâ—â—â— c. 23. as an Heathen said spare such grief as this is Faciliùs illi nos dolor iste ad jiciet quà m illum nobis reducet For soon will it send thee to him whom thou bewailest than bring him back to thee 3dly and lastly It greatly provokes God Indeed A meek and quiet spirit is in the sight of God of great price 1 Pet. 3.4 but a froward peevish spirit is abomination to him as you may read Prov. 11.20 17.20 22.5 So Ps 18.26 Discontent is a sin that God takes special notice of Exod. 16.7 8 9 12. So the Apostle tells us God was not well pleased The meaning is for the words are a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was highly displeased with the murmuring Israelites for they were overthrown in the wilderness 1 Cor. 10.5 10 compared This must needs he hateful to God for it is a decompounded sin made up of many bitter ingredients as pride passion unthankfulness c. Sighings sobbings sorrowfull exclamations do penetrate the heavens and enter into the ears of the Lord of Hosts but make no good musick there God is thereby provoked to lengthen our miseries and adjourn our mercies Paula Romana who carried it frowardly and fretfully at death of her Children met with many losses of that nature We say Impatiens aegrotus crudelem facit medicum And so it is strugling and stubbornness that makes the Father continue to beat the Child Indeed God is an indulgent tender-hearted Father to his Children Psal 103.13 yet he will not burn the Rod till their stout stomacks be taken down How did he pursue Jonah with winds and tempests nay he casts him over-board into the sea and plunged him over head and ears into the hell of the Whales belly never leaving him till he submitted to his will to go to Niniveh Ferre minora volo nè graviora feram Let us bear lesser troubles patiently lest God lay greater troubles upon us To end this A man in a seaver the more he struggles the more he encreaseth his pain A wild Bull in a net Isa 51.20 instead of breaking forth by strugling he more entangles himself So we gain nothing by our strugling impatience and obstinacy against God but encrease of our miseries Oh! then let us not by any means give passions a loose reign for Phaiton-like with his wild Horses they 'l do a world of mischief Consid 10 Tenthly and lastly consider Death is very advantagious to the godly Phil. 1.21 For me to die is gain There is a privative and positive benefit that death brings to believers To begin with the first Death frees a believer 1. From sin Peccatum peperit mortem filia devoravit matrem Sin brought in death Rom. 5.12 and 6.23 and death carryes out sin Viper-like it devoures that which brought it forth He that is dead is freed from sin Rom. 6.7 Here indeed is no perfection 1 John 1.8 Grace is like Gold in the Oar mingled with much dross the most refined soul hath some dregs and is daily contesting with home-bred corruptions Cum avarit â nobis cum impudicitiâ cum irâ cum ambitione congressis est Cyprian Here the best are continually afflicted either for their sins or with their sins But death frees them from all sin Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me saith St. Paul from the body of this death Why by the death of the body we are delivered from sin which is the body of Death 1 Cor. 15.26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is Death If sin continued after death death were not a believers last enemy Dictum est primo homini morieres si peccaveris nunc dicitur morere nè pecces nisi peccâssent illi non morerentur peccarent autem justi nisi moriantur St. August de Civitate Dei Lib. 13. Cap. 3. Whilst we are in the wilderness of this world latet Anguis in herbâ fiery Serpents sting us sins stick close to us but at death as St. Paul cast the Viper off his hand Acts 28.3 5. so do Believers shake off sin Their dying day is the funeral of all their Vices the least of which maks them grieve here as the least hair makes the eye to water After death they are like God himself in perfect holiness and righteousness not having spot or wrinkle Ephes 5.27 2. From Satans temptations The Devil like to Joab makes our miseries his sport and play 2 Sam. 2.14 He is the great Peripatetick going up and down the World Job 1.7 and 2.2 This roaring lyon is continually ranging for his prey 1 Pet. 5.8 He assaulted Christ the Head Mat. 4.1 c. and so he doth the members Quid aliud in mundo quà m pugna adversus Diabolum quotidiè geritur Cypr. The righteous are the white at which the Devil most shoots the Arrows of temptation Chrysostome somewhere in his Homilies hath this comparison 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. As Pirats upon the Sea set upon the richest Vessels so Satan seeing a Vessel fraught with Grace useth all art and exerciseth all violence to master both the Vessel and the Prize But in Heaven they shall no more be troubled with Satans fiery darts for the Accuser of the Brethren is cast out Rev.
it sleeps by fits and starts either cold starves it or heat overcomes it or hunger pines it or wind pains it sickness sores and teeth-breeding torture it When it begins to go if with Mephibosheth it be not lame on its feet 2 Sam. 9.13 it may meet with many a knock And afterwards it is beset with bryars and thorns of temptations and troubles So that in time if thy Child had lived it might have complained with Job chap. 3.11 Why died I not from the womb why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly for now should I have lyen still and been quiet I should have slept then had I been at rest v. 13. so Job 6.8 9. 10.18 19. he still harps upon the doleful string and continues his pittiful complaint as weary of life Put case thy Child had not been so sorely afflicted yet no mothers Child can escape scot-free for Job 5.7 Man is born unto trouble as the sparks fly upward Blow the coal and you shall see the sparks fly upward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haec enim levium Lex est Duport 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in loc It is the nature of sparks to fly upwards so it is ordinary for man to be in trouble So Job 14.1 That is true of Bóetius In hoc vitae salo circundantibus agitamur procellis Whilst we are in this life we are tost on a sea of troubles Shall we grieve that our Child is come so soon to the shoar and freed from the winds and waves of care and trouble 3. Consider If your Child had lived it would have been matter of pains and care to you What great care do Parents take what great pains are they at to provide for Children Prov. 13.22 2 Cor. 12.14 1 Tim. 5.8 Nulli parentibus magis noxii quam filii nimis amati Salvian ad Eccl. Cathol lib. 3. p. 435. The care of the Mother for the little Child is great she hath troublesome dayes and wakeful nights in the nursing of it How doth the Father cark and care for its Education and future Portion The care of both eats out many times the heart of their Religion St. Jerom reports of Metania who when she saw her Husband dead presently before he was cold had two Children died also whereupon she said Expeditius sum tibi servitura Domine quia tanto me onere liberâsti I will now serve thee more readily being delivered from many encumberances 4. Consider If this Child had lived it had been a great question whether you might have had any comfort of it or not Who knows whether it might have proved a wise-man or a fool Children are certain cares but uncertain comforts Some Children Viper-like seek the death of those that were a means to give them life Dr. Vanes Wisdome Innocence p. 143. Hecuba when with child of Paris dreamed she was brought to bed of a Firebrand and so indeed he proved afterwards Our first Parents had great hopes that their first-born would have been a comfort to them and therefore gave him an honourable name Gen. 4.1 calling him Cain that signifies a Possession They looked upon him as a choice Possession but he proved a very wicked person and to the great grief of his Parents murdered his Brother Abel v. 8. How was Eli crossed in his Hophni and Phineas see 1 Sam. 2.12 1 Sam. 3.13 compared David promised himself some happiness in his son Absalom which name signifies a Father of Peace but the Child proved a Father of War and Misery to him 2 Sam. 16.11 David said to Abishai and to all his Servants Behold my Son which came forth of my bowels seeketh my life So Adonijah whom his Father David had not displeased at any time even this his Darling usurps his Fathers Kingdom as you may see 1 Kin. 1.5 6. Many times aged Parents are forced to complain as the Tree did in the Fable that it was rent and torn and split asunder with the same Wedg that was cut off from its own Body Children many times are living Monuments of Disgrace to their Parents Mic. 7.6 The Son dishonoureth the Father the Daughter riseth up against her Mother So that instead of finding Honey thou mightest have met with a Sting To end this the Wise-man saith Prov. 17.21 He that begets a Fool doth it to his sorrow and the Father of a Fool hath no joy And v. 25. A foolish Son is a grief to his Father and bitterness to her that bear him And who knows but thy Child might have proved such a one 5. Lastly consider It had been better for the greatest part in the world they had died as soon as they were born St. John tells us The whole World i. e. the greatest part of the World lieth in wickedness 1 Joh. 5.19 Few there be that serve God And if we serve him not as Christ said of Judas Mat. 26.24 It had been good for us if we had not been born Or like Aristotle's Ephemeron or Jonah's Gourd we had perished the same day or night that we came into the world For the longer we live the more sin we commit and the greater will be our damnation at last Surely an untimely birth is better than he that comes in with vanity and departs in darkness Eccl. 6.3 4. Surely The day of death is better than the day of ones birth Eccles 7.1 And the Heathen as though he had lighted his Candle at this Torch said right Optimum non nasci proximum quà m citò mori It is best not to be born or being born to die soon for by this means poor mortals are freed from much sin and misery I conclude this with that of Lactantius Lactant. de opificio hominis c. 4. Stultissimi sunt qui de morte immaturâ quaeruntur They are Fools in the Superlative degree that complain because Friends die soon Object But my chid dyed unbaptized Answ Children of believing parents are within the Covenant Act. 2.39 The Promise is to you and to your children c. Rom. 11.16 1 Cor. 7.14 * See Mr. Attersal on Book of Numbers pag. 1081. Unto Infants belongs the promise of Grace the forgiveness of sins the regeneration of the Spirit the Imputation of Christs Righteousness the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 19.13 14. And therefore they ought by no means to be denyed the outward sign and ceremony which is the least part of the Sacrament if the things signified belong to them who shall dare to debar them of the outward sign It is the duty of Parents to bring their children to Baptism which is the Seal of the Covenant and Sacrament of admission or entrance into the Church Besides who knows not but Circumcision was a type of Baptism Col. 2.11 12. or that Baptism succeeded in the room of it now we know children were circumcised the eighth day Gen. 17.12 so 21.4 before that time the child was too weak to bear the pain
1.12 c. Old Par in Shropshire by faring hardly had attained to above an hundred and forty years Tenuis mensa sanitatis mater Delicate feeding renders the Body dull and diseased whereas slender meals make it active and healthful 5. Consid God can make course diet as pleasant to the taste See Prov. 15.16 17. Even a dinner of herbs is sweet Prov. 27.7 The full soul loatheth an honey-combe but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet To the hungry soul how pleasant is a piece of bread and cheese 6. Consid God can make course diet as satisfying if you belong to him Prov. 13.25 The righteous eateth to the satisfying of â—his soul but the belly of the wicked shall want Indeed we read how they who have their portion in this life God filleth their bellys with his hid treasure Psal 17.14 But many Epicures though their Bellies are filled yet their appetites are not satisfied but they are still hankering after variety of dainties Ecles 6.7 But God hath promised to his People that he will satisfy the poorest of them with bread Psal 132.15 I end this with that of Musculus Muscul in Gen. 1 29. p. 48. Sic esse naturam humanam comparatam ut quod cibum attinet modico ac facili demitti posset nisi ingluvies obtinuisset cui nullo edulij genere satisfieri potest 7. Consid God can make a little go far As he multiplied the Sareptan Widows handful of Meal and little Oyl in a cruse to the feeding of many many dayes 1 King 17.15 and Christ in the dayes of his flesh with five loves and two fishes fed five thousand men besides women and children Mat. 14.17 c. And though Miracles are now ceased yet we see daily God feeds many poor people with a little so that we wonder how they live yet through God's blessing they live and look well There is an expression Psal 107.41 of God's making the poor man's families like a flock of sheep which may imply thus much that the poor godly man's children being divided into families as so many flocks of sheep shall live and look well with a little as sheep you know gather fleece and flesh though they fare hardly 8. Consid God sees coarse diet to be most convenient for thee Pro. 30.8 wise Agur prayed that God would give him food convenient for him God sees that high feeding is not convenient For 1. It unfits for good Duties as Praying Reading Hearing Meditating Receiving the Sacrament c. St. Chrysostom in the first Homily on Genesis hath this pretty conceit That Moses when he came from the Mount and brought the two Tables of the Commandments with him when he perceived the Israelites to whom he came that they had fill'd themselves full and were dancing and sporting he threw down the Tables because saith that golden-mouth'd Father he thought it an absurd thing to give Commandments for them to observe upon a full stomach See Mr. Ramsden's Serm. on Luke 21.34 For 2. It besots men and makes them careless and sensless It is the nurse of security as you may see Luke 17.27 c. so Luke 21.34 Intrárunt Urbem somno Vimque sepultam Virg. Corpus onustum Hesternis vitiis animum quoque praegravat Horat. Full meals as they make dull bodies so they make foggy minds 3. It is accompanied usually with many sins As great and delicate Persons have usually a great Retinue waiting upon them so high and delicate feeding is generally accompanied with many sins as Pride and Idleness Ezek. 16.49 Unthankfulness and Forgetfulness of God Deut. 32.15 8.10 11. Prov. 30.8 Vomiting and Filthiness Isa 28.8 Lust and Uncleanness Prov. 23.31 c. Jer. 5.7 8. Rom. 13.13 Rioting and Drunkenness Chambring and Wantonness go together Saturitas ventris seminarium libidinis A full belly and a foul heart seldom go uncoupled 4. And lastly It brings down God's Judgments It brought the Flood upon the old World Mat. 24.38 Fire on Sodom Ezek. 16.49 50. The Sword on Israel Amos 6.4 7. compared See what befell the murmuring Israelites that desired delicious fare Psal 78.30 31. They were not estranged from their lusts but whilst the meat was in their mouthes the wrath of God fell upon them and slew the fattest of them c. We reade likewise of the rich-man that fared deliciously every day was after his death in Hell and lift up his eyes being in torment Luke 16.19 23 compared The Apostle tells you Phil. 3.19 Whose god is their belly their end is destruction To shut up this The Psalmist speaks of some how God gave them their request but sent leanness into their soul Psal 106.15 If God should give thee thy request and bestow more delicious fare upon thee however thy body might come on yet thy soul would be but poor in grace lean and ill-favoured It is well for God's Servants that their Master keeps them in good working case for as an Heathen said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Menand It is better to fare meanly and live well then to fare deliciously and live disorderly A barren ground doth well for Gods sheep fat pastures may rot them And a full table may be a snare to Christians and that which should have been for their welfare through an ill disposition in them may become a trap unto them Psal 69.22 God then in giving thee course Diet sees it most fit for thee 9. Consid If you serve God you are not without your feasts you have several Spiritual feasts which are far better then bodily To name a few 1. you have the feast of a good Conscience Prov. 15.15 He that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast The Scripture oft puts Heart for Conscience 2 Sam. 24.10 Acts 15.9 1 John 3.20 The Hebrews have no other word but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to express Conscience by And because a good Conscience causeth joy or mirth therefore it 's rendred a merry Heart but it may be rendred according to the Original A good Conscience is a feast alwayes or at a feast continually 2. You have the Word of God which is a feast This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Clemens calls it Vitae aeternae viaticum David looked upon it as such Psal 119.19 I am a stranger here on Earth hide not thy Commandments from me He looked upon Gods Commands backt with Promises as his Spiritual food whilst travelling towards Heaven his own Country He esteemed it sweeter then honey or the honey-comb Psal 19.10 and Job esteemed it more then his ordinary food Job 23.12 3. You have the feast of the Lords Supper This is Heavenly Manna our viaticum to the Heavenly Canaan This is Spiritual meat 1 Cor. 10.3 It is Angelical food indeed an excellent banquet for saith Christ Joh. 6.55 My Flesh is meat indeed and my Blood is drink indeed Meat and drink indeed by way of reallity and by way of excellency see Psal 22.26 29. and 36.8
whole Town and Country too will have a loss of him for the streams of his goodness flowed abroad plentifully to the refreshing of many Answ Indeed the loss of a good man is a great loss if we consider 1. Good men are very scarce See Psal 12.1 Help Lord for the godly man ceaseth the faithful fail from among the children of men So Ps 14.1 2 3. The fool hath said in his heart There is no God they are corrupt they have done abominable works there is none that doth good The Lord look'd down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God They are all gone aside they are altogether become filthy there is none that doth good no not one So Rom. 3.10 c. Good men are as the shaking of an Olive tree and as the gleaning Grapes when the Vintage is done as it is Isa 24.13 So Mic. 7.1 2 3 4. The Church there complains of her small number Christ's flock is called a little flock Luke 12.32 Orig. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little little flock They are indeed little in their own eyes little in the eyes of the world and little or few in number In God's field there are many Tares little good Corn In this great house of the World many Vessells of dishonour but few there are of honour Salvian Salvian de Gub. Dei lib. 3 pag. 87. crys out Ipsa Dei Ecclesia quae in omnibus esse debet placatrix Dei quid est aliud quà m exacerbatrix Dei aut praeter paucissimos quosdam qui mala fugiunt quid est aliud penè omnis coetus Christianorum quà m sentina vitiorum So then they can ill be spared they are so few 2. Good men are blessings to the places where and persons among whom they live See Exod. 32.9 10 14 compared God oft spared Israel at the prayer of Moses The Righteous keep off God's Judgments as these places shew Job 22.30 Prov. 29.8 Jer. 5.1 Ezek. 22.30 31. Had there been but ten righteous persons in Sodom it had not been destroyed Gen. 18.32 And God tells us he would not destroy it till righteous Lot was gone forth Gen. 19.22 And God oft-times for the sake of the Righteous removes Judgements inflicted see Psal 106.23 29 30. so Isa 65.8 It is an extraordinary case when God will not spare for the sake of Moses and Samuel Jer. 15.1 so when Noah Daniel and Job shall deliver but their own souls Ezek. 14.14 The Tares are usually spared till the Harvest for the Wheat 's sake A cursed Cham was preserved in the Ark with Noah Gen. 7.1 St. Paul saved the lives of all that sailed with him in the Ship two hundred threescore and fifteen souls see Act. 27.22 23 24 37 compared Indeed the Righteous are Conduit-pipes of Blessings the greatest Benefactors to the places where they live See what Jacob saith to Laban Gen. 30.30 It was little that thou hadst before I came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it is now encreased to a multitude since my coming or according to the Original at my feet Blessings are sent to every place where the Saints feet tread So God blessed the Egyptians house for Joseph's sake Gen. 39.5 Wicked men are beholden to the Godly for their Lives Liberties estates c. In a word the Righteous are the Equites cataphracti the Chariots and horsemen of Israel 2 King 2.12 They are the glory and safety of a Nation they are instruments of doing much good by their purses prayers counsels reproofs and good example They like Lamps spend themselves for the good of others and when such Lights are extinguished by death how can we choose if we seriously consider it but be overcast with darkness and sorrow 3. And lastly The loss of a good man is great if we consider that the death of good men bodes misery It is a sad symptom or prognostication of approaching Judgments The people of Rome when they heard Germanicus was recovered of his sickness they sang it about the streets Salva Roma salva Patria salvus est Germanicus While that good man was well they thought it could not be ill with them And indeed a good man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Greg. Nazianzene Gregor Nazian Orat in laudem Patres calls him a crutch prop or pillar to support the Church when these pillars are taken away the building of frame of outward prosperity continues not long It is like Sampsons pulling down the pillars whereupon ensued a great destruction as you may read Judg. 16.29 30. A man intending to break up House removes his goods and truly God usually removes his People which are his peculiar treasure Exod. 19.5 either into some other place of the World or out of the World when he intends to leave a sinful people naked and destitute of defence and safety When Noah was housed in the Arke the storm came and the whole world save some few with him were buried in a watry winding-sheet Gen. 7. When Lot entered into Zoar the Sun was risen upon the Earth Gen. 19.23 The Sun was risen and the wicked Sodomites thought they should have had a fair day on 't but it was presently overclouded and there followed a fearful showre of fire and brimstone vers 24. Then when Lot was removed the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven After the death of good Josiah evil ensued upon Israel 2 King 22.20 And this was a chief reason why Jeremy and others made such sad moan at the loss of that good man and ever after in their doleful Elegies made mention of his death as you see they did 2 Chron. 35.25 After the death of St Austin Hippo was sack'd by the Vandals when Luther was dead then the civil wars broke out in Germany So then as the Prophet speaks Isa 57.1 The Righteous are taken away from the Evil to come And he there complains of a peoples stupidity when they do not lay to heart the death of righteous and merciful men We should weep if not for them yet for our own sakes who may justly fear miserys coming upon us Yet we must not weep immoderately or murmur at God's handy-work To this end let us consider 1. Consid Good men must dye as well as others It is said Gen. 47.29 The time drew nigh that Israel must die The godly must of necessity dye one time or other All the Patriarchs and godly Prophets are dead Zach. 1.5 John 8.52 The Apostles and Ministers are Earthen vessels 2 Cor. 4.7 like those Pitchers of Gideon Judg. 7. they are Earthen pitchers and have a Lamp in them they are chosen Vessels to bear the name of Christ to witness to his truth Acts 9.15 but earthen pitchers still and must shortly be broken by death We are all made of the same clay Isa 64.8 And as rich gilding upon an earthen pot keeps it not from
this he had said to God Job 10.2 Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me When God takes away Relations he testifieth against you as he did against Naomi who had lost her husband and two sons Ruth 1.5 21 compared that something in your lives hath been displeasing to him God oft-times visits the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children Exod. 20.5 34.7 2 Sam. 12.14 1 King 15.29 30. Isa 14.21 Parents may by their sins provoke God to bring upon their children a temporal but not an eternal death for Ezek. 18.20 The soul that sinneth it shall die Indeed all persons as well Children as Parents ow a death to God if not by reason of actual yet of original corruption that is in them Psa 51.5 Rom. 5.12 Yet God many times takes away Children and other Relations not having an eye so much to their sins as to the sins of parents and others that provoke God to inflict a penal evil Well then pray to the Lord to discover to thee thy sin which provoked him so soon to take away thy Friend Psal 4.4 Commune with your own heart upon your bed and be still When others are a sleeping do you be a thinking what sins you were guilty of that might cause God to deprive you of such a Relation Search into God's Word and see for what sins God usually punisheth with loss of Friends Now God might take away thy Relation for such sins as these 1. Thy sin might be undervaluing thy Friend May be thou didst not prize him according to his worth and now God will teach thee the worth of him by the want of him You would not follow his good counsels reproofs example c. and therefore God might because you did not work by it put out this burning and shining Light It may be you dealt by him as the Philistines did by Sampson make sport with him and a laughing-stock of him and therefore God took him away Or 2dly Thy sin might be overvaluing thy Friend You might over-love him too much rejoyce in him or trust in him too much God breaks the Conduit-pipes when you forget the Fountain Gustavus the renowned King of Sweden said God would take him away because he was too much admired and his words were too true a prophecy Indeed hopeful Children godly Relations they are Jewels Mal. 3.17 but if you take them and make a golden calf of them and idolize them God may justly break them to pouder as Moses dealt with the golden Calf Exod. 32.3 4 20 compared So Hezekiah brake in pieces the brazen Serpent that Moses had made when he saw the people give divine worship unto it 2 King 18.4 When you make Idols of Friends and Relations bestowing that love joy and delight upon them which is due to God he may justly break them to pieces Jonah took more delight than he should have done in his refreshing Gourd and that hand that sent it sent a worm to destroy it Fond Parents like foolish Apes kill their young ones with imbraces Or 3dly Thy sin might be foolish indulgence Eli was too indulgent towards his Sons 1 Sam. 3.13 his Sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not or according to the Original frowned not upon them he was too gentle in his reproofs and corrections as you may see 1 Sam. 2.22 c. and God threatned that all the encrease of his house should die in the flower of their age and his two sons Hophni and Phineas should in one day die both of them ver 33 34. And accordingly it came to pass 1 Sam. 4.17 So David too fondly affected Absolom and he lived to see him come to an untimely death Or 4thly Thy sin might be undutifulness to thy own Parents Absalom even now mentioned had once three sons as you may read 2 Sam. 14.27 but he lived to see them all buried as you may gather from 2 Sam. 18.18 Absalom was an undutiful child seeking to take away the life of his Father and God takes away his childrens lives Or 5thly Thy sin might be Lasciviousness or Wantonness You read 2 Sam. 12.14 The Child gotten in Adultery dieth Solomon loved many strange women 1 King 11.1 and he left but one son behind him as we read of in Scripture Rehoboam by name v. 43. and he no wiser than he should be as you may reade 1 King 12. Or 6thly Thy sin might be Bloodshed or Murder God threatned Ahab's posterity for his murdering of Naboth 1 King 21.21 so God threatned David for his murdering Uriah 2 Sam. 12.9 10. that the Sword-should never depart from his house and he lived to see two of his Children slain incestuous Amnon 2 Sam. 13. and rebellious Absalom 2 Sam. 18. Or 7thly Thy sin might be Oppression See Job 27.13 14 15. God there threatens that the Sword or Famine or some such sudden and fearful Judgment shall sweep away the Oppressors Children So Amos 4.1 2. There is the posterity of Oppressors threatned God may most justly take away the lives of their Children who take away the livelihood of others Children It is seldom seen that a covetous griping Oppressor or Usurer leaves many Children behind him For these and some other sins mentioned before God may suddenly deprive us of dear and near Relations Now what saith Conscience doth it not fly in your face and tell you that you have been guilty of some one or more of these sins With Pharoah's Butler call to mind thy fault this day Gen. 41.9 And having thus found it out 2. Confess it to God be deeply humbled for it and pray heartily for pardon thereof Say as Josephs Brethren did Gen. 42.21 We are verily guilty concerning our Brother Let your uncircumcised hearts be humbled and accept of the punishment of your iniquity as the Expression is Levit. 26.41 Turn sorrowing for your Friend into sorrowing for your Sins that have deprived you of his sweet society We find 2 Sam. 24. David sin'd in numbering of the People and God punisheth him in lessening the number of them See what David doth vers 10. His heart smote him after he had numbred the People and he said unto the Lord I have sinned greatly in that I have done And now I beseech thee O Lord take away the iniquity of thy Servant for I have done very foolishly No sooner was David convinced of his sin by the testimony of his Conscience acted by the Spirit of God but presently makes his humble addresses to God confessing his sin and heartily bewailing his folly he prayes to God for pardon thereof vers 17. David seeing the People smitten by the destroying Angel he cries out Lo I have sinned and I have done wickedly but these Sheep what have they done David knew very well that the People were not without their faults justly deserving this and a greater judgment yet reflecting upon his sin as an occasion of this judgment he endeavours to acquit them taking the fault wholly upon himself and
thou hast magnified thy mercy which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life Oh then let death of others put thee upon blessing and praising God for sparing thee and not only praise him with thy Lips but with thy Life too Love him obey him cleave to him for he is thy Life and the length of thy dayes Deut. 30.20 Use 6 6. Let death of Friends teach you not to trust in the arm of flesh God would not have us by any means to put our trust in man as these places shew Isa 2.22 Isa 30.23 Isa 36.6 Jer. 17.5 7. So Psal 118.8 9. Luther on that place It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man c. calls it Artem artium mirificam sacrificium omnium gratissimum suavissimum cultum omnium pulcherrimum To trust in God and not in man is the Art of Arts the wonderful and great Art a most excellent Sacrifice and commendable piece of Religion He that builds his hopes on so weak a foundation as the life of Man he is like that foolish Man in the Gospel that built his House on the Sand Mat. 7.26 Or like a foolish Merchant that ventures all his substance in a crazy Vessel The Psalmist tells you Men of low degree are a vanity and men of high degree are a lie he gives great ones the lie Psal 62.9 He means all Friends both of high and low degree are lying vanities and perform not what they seem to promise so that whoever trust in any Friends as it is said in another case Isa 28.15 They have made lies their refuge and under falshood they have hid themselves And these Friends that they trust in like Absaloms Mule 2 Sam. 18.9 many times give them the slip when they have most need of their support and assistance for if they fail them not through willful treachery as many times they do Psal 55.12 Mic. 7.5 6. Luke 21.16 yet they may through unavoidable mortality as Jonathan failed and disappointed David of whom he saith I am distressed for thee my Brother Jonathan 2 Sam. 1.26 27. Mr. Duguard's Sermon on Psal 89.48 p. 17 18. Caesar Borgia that wicked Son of a more wicked Father Pope Alexander the sixth grounded many designs on his relation to the Pope but the Pope suddenly dies and dashes all And Borgia when he heard of his death cryed out I never dreamed of such an accident now all my purposes and projects are stifled and come to nothing He that knows man well enough knows him better then to trust in him Wherefore as it is Psal 146.3 4. Put not your trust in Princes nor in the Son of man in whom there is no help his breath goeth forth he returneth to his earth in that very day his thoughts perish His thoughts and designs of doing thee good if he had any die with him and thine hopes and expections are buried in his Grave therefore as it follows vers 5. Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help whose hope is in the Lord his God He casts Anchor amiss that casts it any where else save on the Rock of Ages Use 7 7. Let death of Friends teach you not to set your affections too much upon any Relation We see Friends stay but a short time with us who would be too fond of them We may love and rejoyce one in another Husband in Wife Wife in Husband Parents in Children Children in Parents c. But it must be moderately as though we rejoyced not seeing the time of enjoying is short and will quickly be expired 1 Cor. 7.29 30 31. The rivolet of our affections may run to other things but the full stream must run towards God Luke 14.26 If any man come to me saith Christ and hate not that is loveth not less then me Mat. 10.37 Father and Mother Wife and Children Brethren and Sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my Disciple Say then with the Psalmist Psal 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee And there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee God is called the Living God Psal 42.2 Let therefore the life and vigour of your affections as love joy delight c. be for ever set upon him and not upon mortal Friends which like Noah's Dove however they bring an Olive Branch promising peace and comfort yet they are upon the Wing and presently fly from us Or like Thorns under a Pot though they give a little blaze shining and comfort for a while yet they presently drop into ashes When you too fondly set your affections on them and think to hold them fast they give you the slip as Juno did Ixion or as Joseph did his Mistress when she laid hold on his Coat Gen. 39.12 13. Let therefore these perishing comforts have perishing affections Use 8 8. Let death of Friends put a stop to covetousness and immoderate desires after the riches of this World The wise man saith Prov. 23.4 Labour not to be rich And the Prophet Jeremiah saith to Baruch Jer. 45.5 Seekest thou great things for thy self Seek them not And David saith Psal 62.10 If riches increase set not your heart upon them Riches indeed are a very uncertain tenure 1 Tim. 6.17 Orig. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Silver and Gold those refined parts of the Earth are but corruptible things 1 Pet. 1.18 Worldly possessions are nothing certain Prov. 23.5 If they leave not us which they may do for they are subject to many casualties Fire may burn them Thieves steal them c. yet we must ere long leave them Death gives a Bill of Ejectment It divorceth from Gold and Silver Houses and Lands c. It squeezeth those Spunges that have suckt themselves full and leaves them as dry and empty as they were at first Job 1.21 Eccles 5.15 16. Psal 49.10 17. comp Luke 12.20 1 Tim. 6.7 8. Death that surly Serjeant as you see daily will not be bribed to put off his Arrest In a word you may be sick and die and be turned to dust yea and be damned too for any thing your riches can help you Prov. 11.4 And therefore project not for time to come as if this life would never be done Use 9 9. Let death of Friends be a curbing-bit to restrain intemperance in eating and drinking and an eager prosecution of sinful pleasures Many in the last dayes of this Worlds continuance Jehu-like drive on furiously in sinful pleasures They are lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God 2 Tim. 3.4 but God would not have us to indulge our selves in rioting and drunkenness in chambering and wantonness he would not have us to make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lust thereof Rom. 13.13 14. And methinks the meditation of death of Friends should be a means to prevent intemperance As I have read of one who had continually amidst the multitude of his dainties a Deaths Head served up in a Charger to
mind him of his mortality and keep him temperate in the use of Gods good Creatures Oh consider thou wretched Epicure that thy pamper'd body will shortly be a most noysome Corps Job 24.20 The Worm shall feed sweetly on it Consider the pleasures of sin are but for a season Heb. 11.25 Thou mayest hear that voice this present hour in the midst of Drinking Dancing Feasting Gaming Whoring c. which Pope Innocentius the 4th heard in his Court and was found dead the next day Veni miser ad judicium Come thou wretch to judgment Use 10 10. Let death of Friends give a check to pride and ambition * Dr. Stuarts Cathol Divin pag. 150. Some say The hand of a dead man stroaking the part cures the Tympany Methinks the spectacles of mortality presented so frequently before us should asswage the swelling of pride that is within us Who would be proud of popular applause which is indeed but a fancy for so Agrippa's pomp is called Acts 25.23 Orig. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did he consider his own mortality Herod would not have erected the plumes of pride as he did when the people flattered him had he looked on himself as a mortal man and that he should be so soon eaten up of Worms the vilest of Creatures Acts 12.21 22 23. Who would be proud of beauty considering if Deaths Hand do but touch the best complection'd Persons like the * Contacto◠cinerescunt Apples of Sodom they drop speedily into dust and ashes Who would be proud of Gifts and Parts seeing the Wise Man dies as well as the Fool Psal 49.10 Who would be proud of stately and pleasant Houses considering shortly he must be housed in dark and dankish rooms under ground Job 17.13 Who would be proud of his Pedigree considering he must say ere long to corruption Thou art my Father and to the worm Thou art my Mother and my Sister Job 17.14 Who would be proud of Apparel which must shortly be laid aside Or who would be proud of Riches which must be left at death and we know not to whom Psal 39.6 Who would be ambitious of great swelling titles as your Worship your Honour your Grace your Excellency your Greatness your Highness c. considering that the Greatest die and their Titles with them and their Glory will not descend after them Psal 49.17 Ambition like a blazing Comet portends no good and in a while vanisheth and comes to nothing How unbefitting a thing is it for man to be daily aspiring who is daily expiring to soar so high who must lie so low even under the feet of those whom he desires to tread upon Ahasuerus that could reckon 127 Provinces under his command Esth 1.1 had but about seven foot Sepulchre at most being dead And Alexander that sweated within the compass of the world as too narrow for him Aestuat infoelix angusto limite mundi Juvenal Sat. 10. Yet being dead had but a little patch of ground to contain his Body and that was with much difficulty obtained There is indeed some odds betwixt men whilst living in respect of birth education wealth wit alliance honour beauty c. yet to pull down the top-sail of pride man should consider that the same God made us all Job 31.15 Mal. 2.10 and of the same matter and we all at last return alike to the same earth Gen. 3.19 Eccl. 12.7 There is no odds amongst dead men Respice sepulchra vide quis servus quis dominus quis dives quis pauper discerne si potes vinctum a Rege fortem a debili pulchrum a deformi * Aug. lib. de nat et grat Aust Take a view of the Graves of men and you shall find all there have a like hollow eyes flat noses ghastly looks noysom scents c. there Dives cannot be distinguished from Lazarus nor beautiful Rachel from blear-ey'd Leah At a game of Chess as a learned * Doctor observes we see Kings and Queens and Bishops †Dr. Stuart's Catholic Divinity pag. 151 152. and Knights upon the board and they have their several walks and contest one with another in points of state and honour but when the game is done all together with the pawns are shuffled in one bag In like manner in this life men appear in different garbes and take diverse courses some are Kings some are Officers some Bishops some Knights some of other ranks and orders But when this life like a game is done which is sometimes sooner sometimes later all are shuffled together with the many or vulgar sort of people and lie in darkness and obscurity All their pomp is brought down to the grave and the worms shall cover them Isa 14.11 To shut up this point A proud man is a vain supercilious bubble that swells for a while and danceth about with a splendid gaiety upon the surface of the waters but presently disappears and is seen no more Who would then boast himself with Theudas to be some body Act. 5.36 or with Simon-Magus look upon himself as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 8.9 some grand Magnifico whereas in his best state he is but altogether vanity Psal 39.5 Use 11 11. Let death of Friends be a Cordial to keep you from fainting under any affliction You see Friends die daily assure your self ere long your turn will come and by death you shall be delivered from all your sorrows A Christian may say with Jacob Gen. 47.9 Few and evil have the dayes of the years of my life been This is Jacobs Arithmetick he casting the account of his days tells you they were by substraction and diminution Few by addition and multiplication full of evil Indeed Psal 34.19 Many are the afflictions of the Righteous The Latin word Quies which signifies rest wanteth the plural number for there is little rest in this world A good man meets with contempt from the world temptations from the Devil assaults from the flesh sometimes with rebukes from God checks from Conscience with spiritual desertions with poverty sickness reproach c. like a Ship sayling on the Sea of this world no sooner is he freed from one waye but he is immediatly lifted up by another but when he dyes he is safely landed on the shoar in the haven of Heaven above a state of misery and mortality too Old Chaucer's Epitaph is a good one * Manch Al. Mond p. 61. Mors aerumnarum requies Death puts an end to all sorrow We may write upon the Grave-stone of a Spiritual Pilgrim Hic mortuus requiescit semel Qui vivus requievit nunquam Death is a Sleep and the Coffin a Couch In quo illé mollius dormit quisquis durius in hâc vità se gèsserit Ambros The Sepulcher is a place of rest for the Antients called it Requietorium or Dormitorium And the Prophet Isaiah calleth it a Bed Isa 57.2 They shall rest in their Beds Men being hard-work't all day sleep sweetly at night So
Tent-maker compares the Body to a Tent or Tabernacle which is speedily taken down and removed St. James catechizing us in this point asks us a question and answers it himself Jam 4.14 What is your life it is even a vapour that appears for a while and then vanisheth away It is a vapour and that is such a thing as is next to nothing an apparition rather than reality and that apparition vanishing out of sight Moses tells us Psal 90.9 We spend our years as a tale that is told A tale is not long in telling Thus the Life of Man is short considered in it self but very short compared with the existence of God For as the same Moses tells us v. 4. A thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past and as a watch in the night which is but three hours continuance Christ calls it an hour John 5.25 The Wiseman calls it a moment Prov. 12.19 so doth St. Paul 2 Cor. 4.17 Our life-time here is but as a watch in the night as an hour yea but a moment compared with the existence of God and duration of eternity David sets out Man in his fading colours Psal 39.5 Mine age is as nothing before thee verily every man in his best state is altogether vanity Selah Or according to the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Original it may be rendred All vanity every man living or every living man is every vanity Universa vanitas omnis homo subsistens by th Or Universa vanitas omnis homo stans Pagnin Take man standing on his Pantofles in all his beauty and bravery and he is no other than a compendium of all vanities under the Sun Name what vanity you can or will man is that call him any thing but vanity and you call him too much Some have comprized the vanity of man's life in these verses Somnus bulla vitrum glacies flos fabula foenuÌ„ Umbra cinis punctum vox sonus aura nihil Man is not only vain but vanity in the abstract et abstracta sunt significatiora not vanity in the worst but best state nay not vanity only but altogether vanity There is not a verier vanity than vain man is And that we may not doubt it he ushers it in with a Verily and concludes it with Selah Which word growing of a root which signifies to lift up being added a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 elevavit by th shews we should lift up our minds seriously to consider the vanity of man Nay not only every man but all Nations before him are as nothing and they are counted to him less than nothing and vanity Isa 40.17 Yet though Man be so vain his life so short some are loth to acknowledge it Agnoscere nolumus quod ignorare non possumus Cyp. de mort David prayes Put the Heathen in fear that they may know themselves to be but men Psal 9.20 It seems they took themselves to be more than men So did Empedocles Deus immortalis haberi Dum cupit Empedocles Horat. Arte Poet. Dr. Prideaux his Introduction to Histories p. 198. And Domitian the Emperor arrogated to himself Divine Honours and would be stiled Dominus et Deus noster Our Lord and God to which afterwards the Canonists entitled the Pope But the Pope hath little reason to admit this title for as Dr. Prideaux observes else-where one year Introduc History p. 151. four months and three dayes made an end of four Popes viz. Sextus the 5th Urbane the 7th Gregory the 14th and Innocent the 9th Most know they must die but they seldome think of it Thoughts of the last end are the last end of many mens thoughts Witness that prophane Proverb which is much in use amongst us when we would express that we never thought of such a thing we say we thought no more of it than of our dying-day Most sad it is that where spectacles of Mortality are most frequent as in Cities and Corporations and great Towns there they are the least regarded Mr. Fuller tells us of a Bird peculiar to Ireland called the Cock of the Wood these Birds will fly many together in Woods and if one of them be shot the rest remove but to the next bough or tree at the furthest and there they stand staring at the Shooter till the whole company be destroyed As foolish as the Bird is it is wise enough saith he to be the emblem of most in point of mortality Death sweeps away one and one and one and the rest remain nothing moved at it or minding of it till at last a whole generation is consumed When we are in health we put Death far from us And when we are sick we are apt to say as our Saviour did of Lazaru's sickness Jo. 11.4 This sickness is not unto death Thus men spend their days in wealth or mirth for the Orig. will bear either and in a moment when they little think of it they go down into the Grave Job 21.13 We read of some Isa 28.15 that said They had made a covenant with Death and with Hell or the Grave were at agreement A League or Covenant is made betwixt Parties consenting but merciles Death makes a League with none so that there is no Covenant made indeed but only in the wicked mans imagination who without any ground for it thinks Death will not yet seize on him So those Epicures said Isa 56.12 They would fetch Wine and fill themselves with strong Drink and to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant It is said of Jerusalem Her filthiness is in her Skirts she remembreth not her last end Lam. 1. â—9 So the rich Farmer sang a Requiem to his Soul Luke 12.19 20. Soul take thine ease thou hast Goods laid up for many years eat drink and be merry He reckoned on many years but reckoned without his Host and so was brought to a second reckoning far more sad than he thought on for God said to him Thou Fool this night shall thy Soul be required of thee He is branded with the name of a Fool for so doing to succeeding Generations So there were some in St. James's time James 4.13 That said To day or to morrow we will go into such a City and continue there a year and buy and sell and get gain We read Isa 40.6 the Prophet was to cry All flesh is Grass This crying doth intimate that men drowned in security forget their own mortality Now the reason why many presume upon long life is either 1. Because they would have it so for facilè credimus quod volumus We are apt to believe what we would have come to pass Or 2. Because they reckon by false * See Mr. Patrick's Serm. on Ps 90.12 rules as 1. Some reckon by their Age They are young healthful and strong of good Constitutions and so think to live many dayes Whereas according to what a worthy * Dr. Walker in his Serm.
the Poet to melt into tears saying O ubi Mors non est si jugulatis aquae What cannot make an end of us if a little congealed Water can do it Aeschylus the Tragedian was killed by a Crab-fish which fell from an Eagles talons who mistook as it was thought his bald Head for a Stone If thou stayest within doors thou art not there safe neither The House may fall upon thee as upon Job's Children Fire may burn thee a Spider may poyson thee Or thou mayest have a deadly fall from some upper Room As Ahaziah falling through a Lattess in his upper Chamber fell sick and died 2 Kings 1.2 17 compared And Eutychus falling into a deep-sleep fell down from the third lost and was taken up dead Acts 20.9 Pliny Plin. Nat. Hist lib. 7. cap. 53. reports of Emilius Lepidus that he did but hit his Toe upon the Door-sil yet though the hurt was so far from his heart he died upon it And the same Author tells us That Anacreon the Poet was choaked with the Kernel of a Grape And an Hair in a mess of Milk choaked Fabius See Dr. Abbot on Jonah 4.3 4. Lect. 26. p. 543. And we read elsewhere how a Fly in the Cup choaked Pope Adrian the 4th And Pope Victor was poysoned with Wine and one of the Emperors with the Bread he received in the Sacrament When we lie down to rest we are not sure we shall arise again in safety Sisera slept but never awaked more in this World Judg. 4.21 Benhadad being sick was confined to his Bed yet his sickness was not so destructive to take away his life therefore Hazael that treacherous Servant under pretence of doing him a kindness cunningly stifies him as you may read 2 Kings 8. chap. Furthermore we read in Scripture how Joab was slain at the Altar Zachariah in the Temple Amnon at his Table And prophane stories tell us That Carus the Emperor was slain by a Thunder-bolt so was the Emperor Anastatius Antiochus was murdered in his Coach Domitian in his Chamber Caligula in the Theatre Caesar in the Senate-house and Caracalla was put to death whilst he was about to case Nature Thus we are not safe by Land much less by Sea for there men are within a few inches of Death Qui nescit orare discat navigare The Poet said Illi robur as triplex circa pectus qui fragilem commisit pelago ratem Hor. He was a very bold man who first exposed himself to the Seas in so frail a Vessel as a Ship is How soon may it be split upon a Rock and cast forth its burden So uncertain a thing is Life that it is like a Candle carried in the open Air which every blast is ready to extinguish Thus as Seneca saith Mors ubique nos expectat tu si sapiens eris ubique eam expectabis Death waits upon us every where both at Sea and Land at home and abroad let us in every place and at all times wait for it sure I am it will be our wisdom so to do Deut. 32.29 O that they were wise that they would consider their latter end The Servants of the Lord expect it and look upon themselves as dying Creatures Abraham counts himself but Dust and Ashes Gen. 18.27 Jacob lookt upon himself as an Individuum Vagum as a Stranger or Pilgrim here to day and gone to morrow Gen. 47.9 So did the rest of the Patriarchs 1 Chron. 29.15 St. Paul durst not presume on much time but said He would do this and that if the Lord permit or if the Lord will as you may read Acts 18.21 Rom. 1.10 1 Cor. 4.19 1 Cor. 16.7 he thought himself Tenant at Will in the Clay-farm of his body So did St. James James 4.13 14 15. St. Peter lookt not to dwell long in his earthly Tenement 2 Pet. 1.14 Joseph of Arimathea erected his Tomb in his life-time in the midst of his Garden as some gather from Mat. 27.60 compared with John 19.41 that in the midst of his delights and pleasant walks he might think of Death The Heathens some of them have been very careful to preserve in their minds the thoughts of Death Plato one of the chief defined Life to be Meditatio Mortis a Meditation of Death And truly Death as the Philosopher writes of the Heart * Cor est primum vivens ultimum moâ—iens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristot should be the first thing that lives and last that dies in our meditation Some †Manchest Al. Mond p. 51. Philosophers had their Graves alway open before their Gates that going out and coming in they might alway think of Death And we read of one * Ibid. p. 139 140. Philostrates that lived seven years in his Tomb that he might be acquainted with it against his Bones came to lie in it And though Lewis the XI King of France of that Name gave a strict charge that none should dare to name Death within his Court Yet Philip the Father of Alexander and King of Macedon every morning had a Monitor of Mortality for a Trumpet every morning was sounded at his Chamber and these words uttered with a loud Voice by one whom he had appointed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Remember thou art a mortal Man He was willing every day to hear of Death which might any day rush in upon him Shall we by putting the thoughts of Death from us prove our selves to be worse than Heathens God forbid God as you have heard hath compared our Life in Scripture to things of short continuance And to such things as are oft in our eye that so we might not forget Death The two first Books of Moses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nativitas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exitus called Genesis and Exodus should mind us of that of the Poet Nascentes morimur finisque ab origine pendet At Birth begin we life to end This end doth on that Birth depend Every Dish of Meat that comes to our Table stands as a dead Corps So true is that of Seneca Mortibus vivimus We live by the death of other Creatures The four Seasons of the Year the Garments we wear scarce any thing that we behold but may mind us of our change for all things here below ring Changes The Sun setting may mind us that ere long the Sun of our Life must set Our very houses may mind us of our long homes When we are in Bed and darkness round about us we should consider that ere long we must lie in the Grave that House of Darkness for so it is called Job 17.13 Furthermore for I would fain convince the Reader of the shortness and uncertainty of his life every degree of Life is a step to Death one day added to our lives brings us nearer unto death Your life is shorter to day than it was yesterday God threatned Adam Gen. 2.17 That in the day that he did eat the
forbidden Fruit he should surely die Now we know Adam did eat Gen. 3. and the threatning took effect for after that he had eaten every day some part of his life was gone The wise Man tells us Eccles 3.2 There is a time to be born and a time to die What no time to live Truly it may be the wise man thought this life-time was so short that it was not worth taking notice of or it may be he would give us to understand that all the while we live we are in a dying condition An Heathen by the dim candle-light of Nature had a glymps of this for saith Seneca Quotidie morimur quotidiè enim demitur aliqua pars vitae Vita hominum dum crescit decrescit dum augetur minuitur Cylind as a Candle you know is no sooner lighted but begins to waste it is not the last blaze that spends it but it spends all the while it burns So an Hour-glass is no sooner turned but presently the Sand begins to run out The longer a man lives the less he hath to live Oh did we but see the Glass of our Life running many of us would see but little Sand remaining Well then let your going to the House of Mourning and following the Corps to the Grave mind you of your mortality that God will shortly bring you to the Grave The House appointed for all men living Job 30.23 15th and last Use Lastly Let death of Friends put us upon preparing for Death Seneca said Aetate fruere mobili cursu fugit Use time while you have it He meant it not in that sence in which the merry Greeks and voluptuous Epicures take it 1 Cor. 15.32 Let us eat and drink for to morrow we die But he would have us to imploy our short time in doing vertuous actions Labour that the Temple of Grace be erected in your souls before the Temple of your bodies be pulled down I have read how Peter Waldo about the year 1160. a Merchant of Lyons Mr. Fuller in his Holy War rich in substance and learning was walking and talking with his Friends when one of them suddenly sell down dead which lively spectacle of mans mortality so impressed the soul of this Waldo that instantly he resolved on a strict reformation of life which to his power he performed Mr. Dugard in his Serm. on Ps 89 48. pag. 39. Ribad de vita Fr. Borgia lib. 1. c. 9. It is likwise reported of Sir Francis Borgia a Spanish Courtier That having been at the Funeral of the Empress and considering how little a Grave had devoured all earthly Greatness he said when he came home Augustae mors mihi vitam attulit The death of the Empress hath brought me life and forthwith he became a wonderfully reformed man So when Friends die and we return from their burial let us resolve to lay aside worldly vanities and return home more grave and serious Let us set our House and Souls in order Luke 12.40 Be ye therefore ready for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when ye think not As we know not the time of our general so neither of our particular judgment It is good for us to stand upon our watch Mar. 13.32 and to improve all our opportunities both of doing and receiving good that so we may be as the wise Virgins Mat. 25. having Oyl in our Lamps Grace in our Hearts and may be fitted and prepared to meet the Bridegroom of our Souls when ever he cometh Now because preparation for Death though last mentioned is a chief and principal use that we should make of death of Friends I shall therefore somewhat enlarge upon it and shew you in the next Chapter wherein it consists CHAP. II. Shewing wherein preparation for Death consists NOW preparation for Death consists in these following Particulars 1. In praying unto God 1. Dir. Praecandos Confess thy manifold sins at the Throne of Grace and pray to God for pardon thereof Moses David Daniel Paul and other good men mentioned in Scripture were conversant in this duty of Prayer Our Saviour himself in the dayes of his flesh offered up Prayers and Supplications with strong crying and tears Heb. 5.7 The * Per miserere mei tollitur ira Dei Publican confessing his sins and most humbly suing out the pardon of them went away justified Luke 18.13 14. How did Christ remember the Thief upon the Cross praying to him Luke 23. 42 43. Jacob was frequent and prevalent with God in prayer Gen. 32.28 even when he was old and weak he humbly presented his devotion to God Gen. 48.31 Heb. 11.21 Stephen that saw Heaven opened Acts 7.56 as he lived so he died praying Abel rediv in life of Luther and Erasmus vers 59. Luther he died praying and resigning his Spirit into Gods hands Erasmus breathed out his Soul in these Ejaculations Mercy sweet Jesus Lord loose these Bands How long Lord Jesus How long Jesus Fountain of Mercy have mercy upon me c. Bishop * Dr. Bernard in life of B. Vsher Usher he died like Mr. Perkins who expired with crying for mercy and forgiveness Pray then to God that he would pardon your manifold sins and fit you for death say with David Psal 39.4 Lord make me to know my end and the measure of my dayes that I may know how frail I am Pray with Moses Psal 90.12 Dr. Abbot on Jonah 4.2 p. 521. So teach us to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom Prayer rightly performed as a learned Doctor saith is the best Sacrifice which the Soul can send up into Heaven 2. Preparation for Death consists in bewailing our sins 2. Dir. Peccata deplorando We should be like Doves of the Valleys all of us mourning every one for his iniquity as the Prophet speaks Ezek. 7.16 A broken and contrite heart saith David O God thou wilt not despise Psal 51.17 The words are a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he means God highly prizeth a broken and contrite heart under the sence of sin St. Bernard saith Qui non plangit peccata non sentit vulnera He is not sensible of his spiritual wounds who doth not bewail his sinful condition And again saith another Father St. Austin Gravissima peccata gravissimus lamentis indigent Great sins call for great sorrows David saith Psal 6.6 All the night make I my bed to swim I water my couch with my tears and Psal 38.6 I go mourning all the day long so that night and day he mourned for his sins And Peter having sin'd he went out and wept bitterly Mat. 26.75 The crowing of the Cock was a Monitor of his fault And some say he never heard a Cock crow after but he wept bitterly for his offence in denying so shamefully as he did his Lord and Master St. Paul complains of a Body of Death Rom. 7.24 * Tertul. lib. de Panitent c. ult
of the rebellion of Corah and how the Earth opened her mouth and swallowed him up and his Company vers 32 33. So rebellious Absalom came to an untimely death and David was much moved with grief in that he died in rebellion 2 Sam. 18.9 33 compared See Prov. 16.14 The wrath of a King is as Messengers of Death but a wise man will pacifie it and it follows vers 15. In the light of the Kings countenance is life Be not disobedient and irreverent in your carriage towards Ministers which are your Spiritual Parens You may read 2 King 2.23 24. Two She Bears destroyed forty two Children for mocking the Prophet Though Children yet God would not bear it in them Possibly as some think because there were so many gathered together they were set on by their Idolatrous Parents to do what they did and therefore God justly punished them with the loss of their Children Lastly Be not disobedient to Natural Parents God may justly deprive them of natural life that are without natural affection Prov. 30.17 Prov. 20.20 Mar. 7.20 The eye that mocketh at his Father and despiseth to obey his Mother the Ravens of the Valley shall pick it out and the young Eagles shall eat it Homer though commonly reported to be blind yet saw and observed as much for speaking of one that did not relieve his Parents he tells us he lived but a short time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iliad Δ. Take heed then of disobedience to Magistrates Ministers or Natural Parents as you love your lives 2. Take heed of lustful uncleanness Sodom and Gomorrha and the Cities about them burnt strongly in lust Jude 7. and God sent a strange fire to destroy them from off the face of the Earth Gen. 19.24 25. So God cut off Onan for his filthiness Gen. 38.9 10. So 1 Cor. 10.8 you read how that for uncleanness there fell in one day three and twenty thousand Plin. Nat. Hist lib. 7. c. 53. Pliny tells us of Cornelius Gallus and T. Aetherius two great persons in Rome that died in the act of unchastity The dog-Dog-dayes of lust are very dangerous Indeed this sin consumes the radical moisture and so in its own nature tends to weakness and sickness and the shortening of a mans dayes The wise Man tells you The Harlots house enclineth unto death and her paths unto the dead Prov. 2.18 so likewise Prov. 5.9 11. Prov. 6.26 33 34 35. Prov. 7.22 23. Prov. 31.3 Solomons Mother there adviseth him not to give his strength unto Women 3. Take heed of intemperance in eating and drinking This is as a Knife to cut our own Throats see Prov. 23.1 2. When thou sittest to eat with a Ruler a Magistrate or some great Man consider diligently what is before thee and put a Knife to thy Throat if thou be a man given to appetite Some read it impones cultellum gutturi tuo and then the sence is this thou dost as good as put a Knife to thy Throat if thou be a man given to appetite thou mayest endanger thy life if thou feedest too plentifully So vers 29 30. Who hath wo who hath sorrow who hath wounds without cause who hath redness of eyes They that tarry long at the Wine Our own luxuries as one saith fill us full of Diseases which shorten this our short day of life and set our Clock forward that it striketh dead before the time of our natural circle is gone about Deinde cogitemus saith Musculus Musculus in Ps 6.2 quae sit illorum vaesania qui per gulam intemperantiam seipsos donâ— sanitatis privant variis morbis obnoxios reddunt We may say of fasting and feasting as the Womâ—n sang of Saul and David Sam. 18.7 Saul hath slain his thousands and David his ten thousands feasting kills more ten to one than fasting Poor people who have the shortest meals have commonly the longest graces and the best health The Glutton digs his Grave with his own teeth the Drunkard drinks healths so long to others that he hath none to himself Non est in potâ vera salute salus And it is but just with God to strike him dead that makes himself dead drunk Take heed then of this sin it is good advice at all times but most seasonable at this time which is a time of much feasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pythag. Aurea Carmina We ought saith an Heathen to have a care of our bodily health and to observe a mean in drinking dyet and recreation 4. Take heed of immoderate sorrow This like an heavy burthen breaks a man and makes him stoop Prov. 12.25 Heaviness in the heart of man makes it stoop So Prov. 15.13 A merry heart makes a chearful countenance but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken David tells us Psal 31.10 My life is spent with grief and my years with sighing And the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 7.10 The sorrow of the World worketh death Immoderate sorrow for loss of worldly things weakens the body and hasteneth death 5. Take heed of impatience passion and discontent The murmurring Israelites were destroyed of the destroyer 1 Cor. 10.10 An impatient man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his own scourge We say truly the hasty man never wants wo. Pettish fretful passionate persons like the Demoniack in the Gospel Mar. 5.2 3. wound and cut themselves Wrath is compared to fire in Scripture Gen. 39.19 20. Esth 1.12 Est intus flamma medullas This fire of passion devours and consumes that which should maintain natural life The passionate man like Mount Aetna consumes his own bowels with inward burnings Thus as Eliphas tells Job Job 5.2 Wrath killeth the foolish man Vexing and fretting under providential dispensations spends a mans spirits and puts him upon taking such unlawful courses as are oft-times attended with destruction Prov. 19.19 A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment for if thou deliver him yet thou must do it again q. d. A passionate man is no sooner delivered from one danger but he brings himself into another 6. Take heed of Envy Job 5.2 Envy slayeth the silly one If a man be so silly as to hug this Viper in his bosom he doth it to his destruction Envy like a Moth doth insensibly consume a man depriving him of health and the comforts of this life Hence the wise Man calls envy the rottenness of the bones Prov. 14.30 The envious man melts away at the prosperity of others as you may see Psal 112.10 Invidus alterius rebus macrescit opimis The Dart of Envy is as a worthy Divine observes like that in Homer Dr. Pierce in Sinner impleaded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iliad γ. v. 348. Reflexa est ei cuspis Scuto in valido It alway recoyls into the breast of him that shot it and mischieves most at rebound 7. Take heed of pride and ambition
Prov. 16.28 Pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall Aspiring Absalom soon expired so did ambitious Adonijah Proud Haman had a sudden downfal like the Toad in the Fable he swell'd till he burst Herod when he took that glory to himself which was due to God he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eaten up of Worms Acts 12.23 8. Take heed of blood-shed and murder See Psalm 55.23 Bloody and deceitful men i. e. say some deceitful murderers that lie in wait privily for blood see Prov. 1.10 to 20. that can speak fair and seek your ruine these shall not live out half their dayes they shall be suddenly cut off and come to some fearful end But whether blood-suckers do it by secret conspiracy or by open violence God hath threatned them with death So Psal 140.11 Evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him So Gen. 9.6 Whoso sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed The Sword of Justice is especially committed to the hand of Magistrates to cut off such offenders Rom. 13.4 To this Head I may refer your Duellists who for trifles challenge the field If you be assaulted you may justly defend your self but to agree upon a bargain of blood-shed to use Bishop Hall's Bp. Hall in Decad. 2. case 2. expression is wicked and damnable And though both should come fairly off yet the very intention to kill is murder saith that worthy Bishop To end this Prov. 28.17 A man that doth violence to the blood of any man shall flee to the Pit let no man stay him or endeavour his rescue 9. Take heed of decit and fraud See that forementioned place Prov. 55.23 I think we may safely make them two distinct Offenders and deceitful men as well as the blood-thirsty shall not long prosper The same Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies life signifies likewise livelyhood 1 John 3.17 and it is a grievous sin to cheat another out of his livelyhood as well as to take away anothers life 1 Thess 4.6 That no man go beyond and defraud his Brother in any matter because the Lord is the avenger of all such as we also have forewarned you and testified But the worst piece of theft or fraud is that Pia fraus to take away or alienate that which is given to pious uses as to the relief of Ministers or poor People Mal. 3.8 9. Prov. 20.25 It is a snare i. e. destruction to the man who devoureth that which is holy i. e. Takes that to his own use which was appointed to God's Achans sin in stealing the Babylonish Garment and the two hundred Shekels of Silver and the Wedg of Gold Josh 7.21 was sacriledge as well as theft for God had reserved the spoyls of Jericho for his own Treasury Josh 6.18 19. and you see it cost him his life Josh 7.25 You read Acts 5. beginning Ananias there sells a Possession which he had devouted to the Churches use and kept back a part of the price and in this as Chrysostome Chrysost in Acts. Hom. 12. saith he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taken stealing his own Goods and for this struck dead Now if he that takes away from the Church but a little of that which was once his own be so severely punished how severely will divine Justice pursue those who by fraud and violence take away the possessions wherewith other men have endowed the Church So Sapphira his Wife agreeing with him in this ungodly act was struck dead immediately after her Husband as you read vers 10. These two by their lying and fraudulent dealing are said to tempt the Spirit of the Lord vers 9. You fraudulent Trades-men that say your Commodities cost you so much and you cannot afford them under such a rate and you have your Wives at your elbows ready to back you in what you say what do you by thus lying and sinning against your Consciences but even presumptuously tempt the Spirit of the Lord to try whether he will be just or no Remember Ananias and Sapphira having lyed to God and dealt fraudulently sunk down being stark dead Deal fairly then above-board as we say lest God strike you dead beside the Counter 10. Take heed of covetousness or worldly-mindedness Great and earnest care for the things of this life is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies heart-dividing and heart-distracting care Matth. 6.25 Phil. 4.6 excessive care for the things of this life spends a mans spirits Cura facit canos quamvis homo non habet annos See 1 Tim. 6.9 10. The wise Man tells us He that hateth covetousness shall prolong his dayes Prov. 28.16 but covetousness may provoke God to shorten them Gehezi by his covetousness provoked God to plague him with the Leprosie 2 King 5.27 Take heed then as Christ saith lest at any time your hearts be overcharged as with surfetting and drunkenness so with the cares of this life Luk. 21.34 Deluculò surgere saluberrimum est 11. Take heed of Idleness Labour in an honest Calling provided it be moderate Ad ruborem non ad sudorem is most healthful Prov. 10.16 The labour of the Righteous tends to life Moderate exercise preserves health but a sedentary idle life subjects a man to diseases Prov. 21.25 The desire of the sloathful kills him for his hands refuse to labour Otium est vivi hominis sepultura Sen. That which the slothful man desires which is his ease and rest layes his soul open to temptations and his body to diseases as standing Waters most putrifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Of idleness comes no goodness therefore take heed of it 12. Take heed of unworthy receiving the Sacrament See 1 Cor. 11.29 For this cause viz. for want of due preparation when they came to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper God sent a fearful sickness amongst them whereof some were then weak others sick and many fallen asleep that is taken away by temporal death This Sacrament which to the worthy communicant is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wholesome potion of immortality to the wicked impenitent wretch through an ill disposition in him turns to the bane and ruine except speedy repentance step in both of soul and body I gave you notice this morning that your Minister purposeth the next Lord's Day through God's assistance to administer the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper be exhorted to fit and prepare your selves See Exhortation at the Celebration of the Communion else by receiaing the same unworthily you become guilty of the Body and Blood of Christ your Saviour You eat and drink your own damnation not considering the Lords Body You kindle Gods wrath against you you provoke him to plague you with divers Diseases and sundry kinds of death 13. Take heed of rejoycing at the calamity of others Prov. 17.5 He that mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker and he that is glad at calamities shall not go unpunished So Prov. 24.17 18.
sickness but Epaphroditus did not regard his life to supply the Philippians lack of service towards Paul Heming in Phil. 2.30 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat perperam consulere uti faciunt qui se in apertum vitae periculum conjiciunt Epaphroditus was willing to hazard health and life to supply St. Pauls wants And as Hemingius saith Hoc facere in loco pro Christo non est stultitiae aut imprudentiae sed verè coelestis sapientiae c. Thus to hazard life is not folly but true wisdom And as Musculus saith of Epaphroditus's sickness Muscul in Phil. 2.27 Id omnium erat optimum quòd in tà m pio verè Christiano opere incidit in hanc morbum beati sunt qui hoc mortis genere auferuntur ex hoc saeculo It was best of all that he fell sick in so good a work and happy are all they that die thus in the Work of the Lord Rev. 14.13 I end this point with that of our Saviour John 12.25 He that loveth his * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Hom. 66. Luk. 14.26 more then is fitting more then Christ his Church or Truth shall lose it in another World but he that hateth his life in this World loving it less for that 's the hatred here meant Gen. 29.31 then the Truth and Church of Christ shall keep it unto life eternal So much for this time Epaphroditus's Recovery Third Sermon PHIL 2.27 but God had mercy on him Dearly Beloved I Handled in the morning a Doctrine implyed which was this That life and health are mercies And in handling that Point as a Divine though TheologoruÌ„ minimus I shewed you Viam rectam ad vitam longam the true way to health and long life according to the Scriptures I shall not trouble you with repetition of what I then delivered because I have much matter before me and I would willingly finish this Text at this time I come then to the last and chief Point these words import which is this That God doth sometimes graciously recover or mercifully restore his People though they be grievously visited with sickness That God that knockt off Peters Chains and released him from Prison brought forth this Epaphroditus who like a Prisoner was confined to a sick Bed with few Attendants about him That God that ruleth the raging of the Sea Job 38.11 and stilleth the Waves thereof when they arise as it is Psal 89.9 put a stop in his due time to the fury of his Distemper We read of Dr. Willet that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that in his Journey from London he was forced to take up his lodging at Hodsdon in Hertfordshire having by a fall from his Horse broken his right Leg there being sick he continued God's Prisoner about nine dayes together and died It pleased God as my * Abel Redivivâ—â— in life of Dr. Willet Author speaks who hath appointed to every man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his own proper and peculiar kind of death and without whose providence not a Leaf falls from the Tree so to dispose of this Godly mans death that as a Pilgrim here on earth he must die in an Inn He was carried thence by Coach to his Town of Barley where he was Preacher and there buried He fell sick not far from home yet recovered not to go alive thither But Epaphroditus who fell sick at Rome above six hundred miles from Philippi through God's mercy was restored to health and returned to his People who were not a little comforted at the sight of him Now that God doth sometimes deliver his when nigh unto death is clear 1. From Scripture Texts see 1 Sam. 2 6. so Deut. 32.39 so Job 5.18 19. Eliphaz speaking of God saith He maketh sore and bindeth up he woundeth and his hands make whole He shall deliver thee in six troubles yea in seven there shall no evil touch thee So saith David Psalm 34.19 Many are the afflictions of the Righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of them all So Psal 68.20 He that is our God is the God of Salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad salutes Bythner according to the Original it is Salvations in the plural Number because he delivers several wayes and at several times and is the God of all manner of Salvation Temporal Spiritual and Eternal and then it follows * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exitus i e Domini est educere a morte Bythner in locum Unto God the Lord belong the issues from death in most deadly dangers he oft-times sends in help 2. The Point is clear by Scripture-Examples God recovered Hezekiah who was deadly sick 1 King 20.1.5 So he did Job yea and David oft insomuch that he describes God by this Periphrasis Psal 9.13 Thou that liftest me up from the gates of death That is from the power of death E portis mortis i. e. è potestate mortis sumiter enim porta in Scripturis pro magistratu potestate quòd in portis solerent exerceri judicia Muscul Muscul in Psul 9.13 in loc So Psal 116.6 I was brought low and he helped me So God delivered Paul from deadly dangers as you may gather from 2 Cor. 1.8 9 10. Thus it was with Epaphroditus in my Text who being sick nigh unto death the Lord had mercy on him Significat quod attinebat naturae vires actum fuisse de vitâ illius ideóque quòd sanitatè restitutus erat singulari fuisse ope ac virtute Dei factum Muscul Muscul in Phil 2.27 Vbi humanum deficit ibi incipit divinum auxiliums Many thousands in this Nation who have been sick even unto death both in the apprehension of themselves and others have been raised up again by God as so many Acts and Monuments of his mercy I therefore cease any farther proof of this known Point and shall proceed to give you the reasons of it And here for your profit I will take the Proposition into two parts and accordingly to each give in the Reasons of the Point and then I shall put them together again and make application of the whole The first part is this God is the Deliverer of his People And the chief Reasons why he doth deliver them I conceive to be these three 1. Because he is related to them and they to him He is their Husband Head King Master Father c. and they are his peculiar People his Spouse Members Subjects Servants Children and what not that speak thâ—m a People near and dear unto him Surely then as Samuel said 1 Sam. 12.22 The Lord will not forsake his People for his great Names sake because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his People 2. Because of his Promises of deliverance which he hath made to them See Psal 41.3 Psal 50.15 Isa 41.10 1 Cor. 10.13 These are precious Promises 2 Pet. 1.4 which God hath given to his People and in
without his leave nor leave aking without his help Quest But what would you have us to use no outward means to take no Medicines to consult no Physicians Answ Not so I would have lawful means to be used Physicians to be consulted and that betimes before Distempers become inveterate and so scorn the vertue of soveraign Drugs Ovid. Principiis obsta Pharmaca nascenti sunt adhibenda malo Our Saviour saith Mat. 9.12 The whole need not the Physician but they that are sick The sick then do need him and ought to seek unto him So we read Luke 8.43 of a woman that had an issue of blood twelve years and had spent all her Living upon Physitians neither could be healed of any Yet our Saviour did not blame her for seeking to them for help nor the Physitians for taking their Fees though they did her no good for she rather grew worse saith another Evangelist Mark 5.26 Yet considering that life is so great a mercy as you heard in the morning methinks Physitians should not be too exacting but do something for the poorer sort of people for charity-sake and for conscience-sake I hope Physitians will pardon me this short digression for I am pleading for them Asa is not blamed for seeking unto Physitians but because he sought to them chiefly neglecting God 2 Chron. 16.12 And in the very next verse you read of his death vers 13. Means never help without God Jer. 46.11 nor doth God now-adayes usually help without means God requires we should use means as a learned Mr. Corbet in Serm. on 1 Cor. 1.27 Divine saith Ex indulgentiâ non ex indigentiâ To honour us not to help him The same reasons which moved God to make the Creatures move him still to use them not necessity and want of power but love and goodness Object 1 If God have decreed I shall recover I shall recover though I use no means Answ Non sequitur It doth not follow that if God have decreed you shall recover you shall recover without using means You may as well say If God have decreed I shall have a Crop of Corn this ensuing year I shall have it without Ploughing and Sowing If God have decreed I shall come to my journeys end I shall come thither though I sit still or walk a contrary way It is a known rule Praedestinatus ad finem ad media etiam praedestinatus God hath appointed means in order to the end and what God hath joyned together let no man put asunder He may justly lose the fruit of an happy end that neglects the use of lawful means God had promised to add fifteen years to Hezekiah's life Isa 38. and Hezekiah was assured of it by a certain sign from the Lord yet he must take a lump of Figs and lay it for a Playster upon the Bile vers 21. God assured Paul in that great tempest that there should be no loss of any mans life among them but of the Ship Acts 27.22 23 24. and St. Paul himself believed as much vers 25. yet tells them vers 31. Except these abide in the Ship ye cannot be saved Object 2 But cannot God cure if he will without means or by weake and improbable means Answ Yes God nourished Moses and Elias forty dayes without food he made Clay and Spittle which one would think should put out sight a means to recover it John 9.6 7. He so wrought that the very shadow of Peter should heal multitudes of all Diseases Acts 5.15 God's hand is not now shortned nor doth the antient of dayes like an old man grow weak and infirm in the latter end of the World What he hath done he can still do if it please him Psal 115.3 But we are not to expect now-adayes God's miraculous working A potentiâ Dei ad actum non valet consequentia nisi etiam accedat voluntas Dei God commonly sets down a course of means which he will not alter and then as one saith it concerns us to answer providence with industry and to put forth our strength and use such means as God vouchsafes We are now to expect a concourse of second causes which in their Sphere may derive to every effect a proper vertue through God's ordinary blessing Object 3 Best Physitians kill more than they cure Turba medicorum Cesarem perdidit Answ I think not so but the chief reason why so many die in their hands is this Because people repair to them when it is too late Serò Medicina paratur Hopes of outwrestling the Distemper fear of expences or some prejudice against Physitians make many people to delay making application to them Or it may be they have been tampering with some Quacksalvers or Mountebanks for cheapness and indeed these may afford their Physick for little for it is little worth and their knowledge cost them little having never seen the Universities except in some journey who not understanding the nature of the Distemper apply wrong means so that the Patients growing worse betake themselves to a more learned man but it is too late for him to cure them so that men dying in his hand he shall be sure to have his back sadled with illfavoured language though he deserves it not Have recourse then betimes to learned and experienced Doctors in that Art for the cure of your Distempers Thousands in this Nation as well as my self can tell you experimentally of the good service done this way Object 4 Last If my appointed time be run up means are not available Answ But who knows when his appointed time is run up Old Isaac said I know not the day of my death Gen. 27.2 Christ told the Apostles Acts 1.7 It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power God makes none of his Privy Council herein What saith Moses Deut. 29.29 Secret things such as this is belong unto the Lord our God but revealed things to us c. Let us do our duty in consulting Physitians and then let God do his pleasure Let us use means and leave the success to God Means then are to be used Physitians to be consulted but God is principally to be eyed as the best Physitian for so indeed he is And that you may find him ready to help you in your sickness put these following Directions into practice 1. Pray and get others to pray for thee Thus did David in sickness and the like straits as you may see Psal 6.2 3 4 5. so Psal 25. 16 17 18. so Psal 39.10 The Title of the 142 Psalm is Maschil of David a Prayer when he was in the Cave When thou art pursued with some violent Distemper and confined to a sick-bed as to a Cave then make thy supplication unto God as David did I doubt not as Musculus Musculus in Ps 6.2 saith but David in sickness made use of Medicines but he prayes to God to bless those outward means as
the Righteous when the night of Death approachcth after all their hardship and sore labours have their bodies laid down to rest in the Grave where they sleep quietly until the Resurrection Chear up then ye Servants of the Lord under all your Grievances your Afflictions cannot continue long because your life is short See 1 Cor. 7.29 30. Weep as if you wept not for it will be shortly better with you than now it is God will wipe away all tears from your eyes Rev. 7.17 21.4 As Athanasius said of his Banishment so may you of your Affliction what ever it be * Bp. Pilkington on Neh. 4.16 it is but Nubecula cito transitura a little Cloud that will soon be dissipated and blown over Niceph. 10. cap. 19. Thus as the Psalmist saith Psal 30.5 Weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning After a wet night of Affliction comes a bright morning of Consolation which no night shall ever overtake Though Spectacles of Mortality administer Comfort to the Righteous under Affliction yet they may strike terror into the hearts of impenitent Wretches for they may reade their own death in the death of their Friends They must shortly die aswell as others Job 24.24 Psal 37.35 36. 49.10 And though Death put a period to the sorrows of the Righteous yet it is an inlet to the wicked man's misery See Job 20.5 6 c. The Lord laughs at the cruel wicked man for he seeth that his day is coming Psal 37.13 The day of vengeance is drawing on therefore envy him not v. 1 2. Neither be afraid of him Isa 51.12 To end this we read Dan. 5.5 6. There came forth fingers of a mans hand and wrote over against the Candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the Kings Palace and the King saw the part of the hand that wrote These fingers did not snuff the Candle of Belshazzars joy to make it burn the brighter but quite put it out for the King's countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the joints of his bones were loosed and his knees smote one against another Methinks every Spectacle of Mortality should be to wickedmen as this Hand-writing upon the wall to Belshazzar It should make them crest-faln stand in fear For Death like Israels Pillar of the Cloud Exod. 14.20 as it brings Light to the Godly so Darkness to the Wicked Prov. 13.9 The Light of the Righteous rejoyceth but the Lamp of the Wicked shall be put out Use 12 12. Let death of Friends make us careful to do all good with as much speed as we can It is said Gen. 47.29 The time drew nigh that Israel must die So the time of thy Departure draws nigh therefore whatever thine hand finds to do do it with all thy might Eccl. 9.10 hide not thy Talent in a Napkin thou knowest not how soon thou mayest be called to an account assure thy self when a night of Death comes no man can work John 9.4 Why stand you idle the day of your life being for ought ye know well-nigh spent A man cannot think to have his money when he hath spent it you cannot spend your time and have it As you have therefore opportunity do good to all especially to them of the houshold of Faith Gal. 6.10 Make to your selves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness that when ye fail they may receive you into everlasting habitations Luk. 16.9 and as Solomon adviseth Withhold not good from them to whom it is due when it is in the power of thine hand to do it Say not to thy neighbour Go and come again and to morrow I will give when thou hast it by thee Prov. 3.27 28. Be provident to lay up something for Wife and Children Prov. 13.22 1 Tim. 5.8 We hold our life with great uncertainty be careful as may be with a good conscience to lay up something for posterity to live upon Joseph in a time of plenty laid up against dearth and scarcity Gen. 41.48 especially labour to promote the spiritual welfare of Relations and others whom you converse with lead an exemplary life reprove rebuke instruct and pray for them Ministers should do so ex officio they are called and appointed hereunto Isa 58.1 2 Tim. 4.2 Private Christians should likewise do it ex charitate out of christian care and charity Levit. 19.17 so 1 Pet. 4.10 And for encouragement consider Prov. 11.30 He that winneth souls is wise And Dan. 12.3 They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament and they that turn many unto righteousness as the Stars for ever and ever So Jam. 5.19 20. Brethren if any of you do err from the truth and one convert him let him know that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins Furthermore if we endeavour the conversion of souls and do not effect it yet the Apostle tels us for our comfort we shall not lose our reward 1 Cor. 3.8 Every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour It is not said according to success but according to labour Heb. 6.10 God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love This comforted the Prophet Isa 49.4 Then I said I have laboured in vain I have spent my strength for nought and in vain yet surely my judgment is with the Lord and my work or reward with my God However as another Prophet shews Liberavimus animas Ezek. 3.17 18 c. we free our selves from that guilt which we might have contracted through negligence Well then hast thou a treasure of spiritual Wisdom and Grace labour to communicate it betimes for Death ere long may stop either your mouth or the ears of others and then it will be too late to make Dives's motion to forewarn your Brethren lest they come into the place of torment Luke 16. latter end The Apostle Peter was diligent in putting people in remembrance of good things knowing that shortly he must put off his tabernacle 2 Pet. 1.13 14 15. And St. Paul is earnest in his exhortations and spiritual directions to Timothy especially knowing the time of his departure to be at hand 2 Tim. 4.5 6. Mr. Perkins his Motto was Hoc age do the business you are about what concerns you most Abel-Redivivus in Life of Mr. Perkins do it speedily exactly And truly that good man as if presaging that his life was likely to be short for he dyed at the 44th year of his age husbanded his time with double diligence to God's glory and the good of many others Oh then let us consider the taper of our life may be almost spent and therefore tanquam ultimus lucernae fulgor let us now shine most gloriously to the good of others And truly as some think if there were grief in Heaven it would be most of all for this that Believers did no