should sever the Wheat from the Chaff the Sheep from the Goats the precious from the vile and in so doing we shall be as God's mouth and free from the blood of all men O then let this dreadful and amazing Doctrine of death and judgement be more frequently and effectually preached that souls in peril near run may see their sin and danger and flye to Christ as the only refuge knowing the terrour of God we perswade men 2 Cor. 5. 11. Mat. 3 7. 2. Converse with the best Christians viz. them that are grave sober solid savoury and sound in faith Such as make Religion their great business who love to speak of God and of the world to come and by whose counsel and example you may be stir'd up and perswaded to repentance and holiness to consider of death and judgement These were Davids excellent ones in whom he did delight and made his companions Psal 16. 3 119. 63. 3. Read the best Books and those that treat of death and judgement but especially the word of God There are the pure Chrystal streams and richest Mines in this field you will find the Pearl Let the word of God dwell in you richly be not ignorant of any part of it but be sure to accquaint thy self with those Scriptures that speak of the shortness of life the certainty of death and judgement heaven and hell Read the Book of Job and the twelfth Chapter of Ecclesiastes Psal 39. Psal 90. And let me desire you to be often urging upon your hearts some of those Scriptures that set forth the dreadfulness of that place of torment that will be the portion of all that forget God and make no provision for their precious souls Some few I have here set down which I desire you would all consider and apply Vpon the wicked he shall rain fire and brimstone and a horrible tempest this shall be the portion of their Cup Psal 11. 6. We be unto the wicked it shall go ill with them Isa 3. 10. He shall cast them into a furnace of fire there shall be weeping wailing and gnashing of teeth Matth. 13 42. Isa 33. 14. 66. 15. Matth. 25. 41. Luk. 16. 25 26. 2 Thes 1. 8 9. Rev. 6. 8 16 17. Direct 3. Make conscience of setting apart a little time every day on purpose to think of your latter end Do it so frequently until death and you become familar ever and anon put thy self into a posture of dying converse with thy winding sheet Coffin Grave let thy great change be so upon thy heart that thou may'st every morning or evening walk a turn or two with death Remember however it be with thee now thou mustere long be gasping and groaning for breath upon thy dying bed and grapple with the King of terrours and in a moment go down to the Grave and shall come up no more Job 10. 21. If thou shouldst affect thy heart with thoughts of thy latter end go down to Golgotha and think upon those dry bones putrified bodies and there revive the memory of your departed Relations Husbands Wives Children Friends Neighbours and look beyond the Chambers of the Grave converse with those miserable departed souls give the prisoners of the pit a visit Meditate on the raging furious flames that dismal darkness smoak and stink of the botomless pit the screeking of the damn'd and roaring of the devils the heart piercing complaints for water to cool their scorching tongues And when thou dost think upon those millions of souls that are hanging up in hell reflect upon thy sels and expect thy turn speedily Suppose every day thy last every meal thy last every journey thy last every duty Sacrament Sermon thy last And when the Lords day cometh think with thy self this will be the last spiritual market that I shall have to buy the spiritual Oyl of grace and to provide for the Bridegrooms coming after this day is ended I may never more hear the Lord Jesus speak to me by the mouths of his faithful Ministers never be invited to come to Christ or to beleive repent part with sin and accept of a pardon more and so demean thy self every day and in every duty as if thou should'st be called to Gods Bar and give up thine account at night In all thy thoughts words and actions say to thy self would I do thus and thus viz. would I eat drink sleep converse buy sell preach hear pray or worse if I certainly knew this day would be my last O let that Motto Memento mori which some carry in their Rings be engraven on your hearts it being the great concernment of our lives This is that which God people and some of the heathen too have been careful to remember King Asia made his Sepulcher in his life time 2 Cron. 16. 14. and some in their Gardens and places of solace and delight as Joseph of Arimathea John 19. 41. And some of the Heathen were wont to walk among the Graves to put them in mind of death some have had their Graves alwayes before their Gates other a dead mans skul presented every day at their Tables and shall we that beleive the doctrine of the other world put off the serious thoughts of death Solomon adviseth us to go to the house of mourning telling us it is better because the living will lay it to heart When you hear the tidings of the death of your Friends relations or Neighbours go thither though not personally yet contemplatively in your minds thoughts go and put your selves in their stead And think thus a living man or woman is become a dead Corps or cold clay the soul is gone to its everlasting habitation but to what place whether to be comforted or tormented who can tell If he were a godly man he is certainly gone to heaven if thou art such a one thy soul will shortly be with him but if an ungodly man he is certainly gone to hell and now among the Devils and if thou art such a one thou shalt erelong be there too 'T is true the dead can have no thoughts of the living but the living saith Solomon know that they must die And you that are young when you hear of the death of a lively lusty young man or alovely beautiful young woman stop reflect and consider may not this be thy case O man woman or child in a very little space I shall say no more by way of direction only desire you to review the particulars before mentioned and you that are Parents and Masters of Families who make conscience of looking to the souls of those committed to your charge may cause your Children and Servants to learn by heart the particulars I here set down 1. That it is most certain an end will be 2. At our latter end all things in this world will be gone for ever 3. All the pleasures of sin will be gone and leave nothing but a sting 4. That only which is eternal wil stand us
World and your Hellish lusts have had half your time O let the time past suffice Know your times are in Gods hands Psal 31. 15. So that you are not certain of a day to come therefore begin and make speed in you work And for the gray-headed against whom death hath raised his batteries you can have but a few sands in your glass your departing hour cannot be far your Candle is within the socket and it may be is come to a stinking snuff Do you not see the Keepers of the old rotten house begin to tremble and the strong men bow themselves Expect the next blast the house to fall If you that are leaning on your staves and looking through your spectacles being ready to enter upon Eternity don't mind your work immediately Wo wo be unto you for ever If God should work a spiritual Miracle in converting and pardoning an old grey-headed Sinner that hath been idle till the leventh hour Mat. 20. 6. would it not be matter of amazement and wonder to Men and Angels For the Devil to be cast out of possession after he hath an Inhabitant threescore years and more for such an one to be born again would be strange indeed I have heard of an old man who being really converted not long before his death caused this to be written on his Tomb Here lyeth a very aged man of Three Years Old He reckoned all his time and life before as lost and worth nothing Now that you that have put off God and hazarded your souls so long already might lose no more time consider these motives 1. The present time is Gods time and must be yours 2. God the Righteous Judge will reckon with you for your time 3. You have solemnly promised to redeem it 4. Men take and improve opportunity for other things 5. Satan your deadly enemy is always busie and will lose no time 6. Saving-grace is an active and springing principle 7. Time once had and lost cannot be recalled 8. Cons How they prize time that have lost it 9. God hath joyned Time and Duty together 10. On this moment of Time Eternity depends Motive 1. Consider The present time is Gods and it must be yours Don't you hear the Holy Ghost say It is now high time to seek the Lord and calling to you Come away make speed Hos 10. 12. Delayes and Laziness are the two great Gulphs in which multitudes of souls are drowned and perish How many are now in Hell that purposed and promised to turn to God as you do hereafter O fear and tremble lest it should be your case To enforce this take these few hints 1. The present time hath most Precepts and Gods Commands like warrants in the Kings name must be obeyed on sight thereof We say Must is for the King If thou art young read Eccles 12. 1. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts Psal 95. 6. First seek the Kingdom of God Mat. 6. 33. You must not stay long Hos 13. 13. Bless God and wonder the golden thread of precious time is spin'd out so long 2. It hath most promises and they are great and precious I will receive you saith the Lord. They that seek me early shall find me The present time is an accepted time in which God may be found Psal 32. 6. Now God calls Heb. 3 7. and you may come and welcome John 6. 37. And it will be matter of unspeakable comfort to a man dying looking into Eternity to know he hath done the work for which he had his life and time 3. You have the hest examples And 't is our duty to imitate and follow them who are gone to Heaven before Your dead Lord would lose no time I must do the work of him that sent me while it is day When faithful Abraham was to offer his Son Isaac he made hast Gen. 22. 31. He rose up early in the morning Mary Magdalan came early in the morning to enquire after and to see the Lord Jesus whom her soul loved Mark 16. 2. Motive 2. God the righteous Judge will reckon with you for your time Not onely for your health wealth strength parts graces memories but for every minute of your time If at the day of judgement we must give an account for every idle word much more for so great a Talent so rich a Treasure as Time A Heathen could say that every wise man must tam otii quam negottii rationem reddere give an account of his business and of his idleness You may like fools waste your time neglect your duty and stand out against the call of God but it will cost your dear Eccl. 11. 9. Rejoyce O young man in thy youth and let thine heart chear thee in the days of thy youth and walk in the ways of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes but know thou for all these things God will bring thee unto judgement The great Landlord of your time is at great expence to continue it Those Luminaries of Heaven over your heads and principally the Prince of all the lights of Heaven the Sun that glorious and mighty Gyant the Prince and Crown of all corporal Creatures do tire and waste as it were their Celestial vigour to beget and give Time Time is so rich a Jewel that God would have one man value it to another If one man had hurt another he was to pay both for his cure and loss of time Exod 21. 18 19. So must you at the great day of account for all your time for every Sermon you have heard for every Sabbath and Sacrament you have had all your days Motive 3. You have all promised to redeem your time The Vows of Jehovah are upon you Say with David I will pay my Vows If the Godly man will perform his promise to his hurt Psal 15. 4. Much more should you for your profit Take the Counsel of the Wise Man Eccles 5. 4 5. When thou vowest a vow unto God defer not to pay it pay that which thou hast vowed better it is that thou should not vow then to vow and not pay How often you have engaged your selves to leave your known sins and to live soberly and righteously and Godly in this present World let Conscience witness If you that have resolved to read pray sanctifie the Sabbath c. should still waste and trifle away the time it will not only be a breach of promise but a sin against light for which thy heart will reproach thee and if thine heart condemn thee God is greater then thine heart and knoweth all things 1. John 3. 20. Remember the promises thou didst make at such a Sacrament or when struck at the heart by such and such a Sermon or when death was at thy Family or thy self near unto it and defer not to perform thy Covenant God who is a God of truth will not be mocked and
take a deep impression upon all that shall read these plain truths Seriously consider and believe 1. That it is most certain that an end will be For whatsoever the Scriptures speak of Death the Grave and Hell is an infallible Truth You are to consider that every man is mortal must dye and pass into the other World and that in every one of your bodies there is an immortal and never-dying soul and that after these bodies have slept in the dust of the Earth they shall live again there shall be a resurrection of the just and unjust and at the end of the World a Tribunal shall be set up before which all the World shall be made to stand And that as soon as your breath is gone the spirit shall return to God that gave it either to the Justice of God or to the Mercy of God to the place of joy or to the place of torment Our transgression natural constitution with a statute Law of Heaven have brought us under a necessity of dying Where ever this Viper fastneth it killeth certainly though not suddenly sin and death are twins sin is the great murderer that let death into the world For her house inclineth unto death and her paths unto the dead In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye Gen. 2. 17. That is thou shalt become mortal As soon as Adam had sinn'd he and we in him our representative became subject or liable to death Sin like a mighty Monarch reign'd from Adam to Moses a Malefactor cast at the Bar is dead in Law though he be repriev'd for a time the Body sayes the Apostle is dead because of sin some dye in the womb some in their infancy some in their youth they that live longest dy at last Death never hurts a man but with his own Weapon it always finds Sin in us and the sting of death is sin And where ever you meet it or see it you may say of it as Abab to the Prophet hast thou found me O mine enemy Death and every death is the fruit of sin death temporal death Spiritual and death Eternal The soul that sins shall dye Ezek. 18. 20. The wages of sin is death Rom. 6. 23. Our natural constitution rendreth us obnoxious to dissolution our flesh is not the flesh of stone or of brass but frail and mouldring dust to which as to our Centre we must return Gen. 3. 19. Dust thou art and to dust shalt thou return Eccles 3. 20. All go to one place all are of the dust and all turn to dust again Heb. 9. 27. It is appointed for man once to dye Job 14. 5. His days are determined the number of his moneths are with thee thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass No shield or Buckler can fortifie against this King of terrors impartial death the great Leveller knows no faces and therefore none can be exempted If faithfulness might challenge impunity from death then Moses might have been excus'd if beauty then Absalem if strength then Sampson if sinceriry and piety then David if sultilry then Achitophel if magnanimity then Alexander if riches then Croesus if wisdom then Solomon but one event happens to them all so that when the fatal moment cometh no ransom can be given no art nor skill can keep us here Sirs were this Doctrine of the other would believed it would have a greater impression upon our hearts did we seriously consider of that future state of retribution according to our faith of which we must live or die stand or fall to eternity it would have a greater influence upon our lives 2. Consider That at your latter end all things in this World will fail you and take their leaue of you for ever All your natural indowments outward enjoyments Parts Parentage Birth Breeding Wit Wealth Crowns Kingdoms Pearles Diamonds Houses Lands Wives Children Friends when your breath is gone all these are gone Prov. 27. 24. Riches are not for ever neither doth a crown endure to all generations The glittering Sun of all outward glory will certainly set which your own experience and Scripture evidence doth clearly evince Riches have wings and they fly away Prov. 23. 5. The fashion of this world passeth away 1 Cor. 7. 29 30 31. We brought nothing into this world and 't is certain we shall carry nothing out 1 Tim. 6. 7. If a man were possessed with as much of this World as Solomon the great King of Jerusalem who had great Magnificent Buildings fruitful pleasant Vineyards Gardens Orchards and Trees of all manner of fruits variety of servants possessions of great and small Cattel heaps of Gold and Silver peculiar Treasure of Kings Musical Instruments Men and Women singers and whatsoever his eyes desir'd yet when he takes a serious view of all things he would say with him all is vanity and that a man hath no profit of all his labour which he taketh under the Sun which made the wise man even to have life Eccles 2. Since the fall there is a curse upon the Creature which indeed is deceiving vexing decaying and all our outward comforts may be compared to Pharaoh's Hosts and alive this hour and the next drown'd and dead upon the Sea-shore and though you judge they shall endure for ever Psal 49. 11. Luke 12. 19. They will deal by you as Absalom's Mule that left him in his greatest extremity What woful miseries attend Wordly riches in the getting keeping and parting with them they are snares and thorns plagues and Scorpions unto many they pierce them thorow with many sorrows 1 Tim. 6. 10. Yet here men toyl beat their brains weary their bodies tire their spirits break their sleep perplex their thoughts rack their consciences ingulf and drown themselves in cares endanger their souls dreaming of nothing but perpetuity and when they have done all like the Silk-worm dye in their work Nay many a man survives his own happiness which perisheth before he perisheth and it s the worst of miseries to outlive our own happiness therefore let not riches highten your hearts and prompt you to pride which is too common This day the rich worlding sang a requiem to his sadly deluded soul concluding he had much laid up the night following his soul is required Haman is to day the second man in the Kingdom but soon lost all and his life too Now doth Nebuchadnezzar walk in his stately royal Palace of Babel priding himself in his outward pomp but while the word was in his mouth a voice came from Heaven saying O King Nebuchadnezzar to thee be it spoken thy Kingdom is departed from thee Dan. 4. 29 30 31. Jerusalem this year is the Princes among the Provinces the next year made tributary and they that live delicately are desolate and embrace Dung-hills Lam. 1. 1. and 4. 5. Yesterday Job's Cattle might be numbred by thousands and tomorrow he is stript of all and left naked Neither is our age without a sad
look to your near and dear Relations for whom you expose your selves to so much pain care and trouble Look to Abraham your Father and to Sarah that bare you as the Prophet speaketh in another case to your Husbands Wives Children Parents Friends Neighbours Magistrates Ministers are these for ever No Many of them are gone down to the dark Valley already and shall return no more or look to those brave Heroes Alexander Caeser Pompey and where are they are they not all conquered by the King of terrors and held in the Prison of the Grave for many hundred years Look to your Silver Gold Pearl Perfumes costly Cabinets stately Structures Princes Pallaces are these for ever No They are corruptible things and cannot deliver in the day of the Lords wrath Kings Palaces are desolate places ready to become a heap Crowns are translated from head to head Scepters pass from one hand to another and Kingdoms have their rise and they have their ruine And will you sell your precious souls for pelf and transitory trash which indeed is more in expectation then in fruition consider how little that is worth for which you run the dreadful hazard of losing Heaven But now if you are Believers lift up your eyes to the everlasting Hills and put the Eagles eye of Faith within the Vail there 's the Ancient of Days God your Father the chiefest good and highest happiness there is Christ your dear Redeemer the Prince of Glory and a House not made with hands eternal in the Heavens and upon the favour of God the love and Righteousness of Christ you may see Eternity Again turn your eyes inward to the hidden man of the heart is there the seed of God or impress of his Image and the Divine Nature 1 John 3. 9. 2 Pet. 1. 4. Is there an active living springing principle of Grace John 4. 14. On this thou maist read Eternity Grace is the Heir of glory every drop of which runs into the Ocean and nothing else can befriend you For the things that are seen are temporal but the things that are not seen are eternal 2 Cor. 4. 18. 5. Consider which of the two Eternities you are going towards I would have you deeply and seriously consider That there is one place for the Sheep and another for the Goats one place for the Righteous and another for the Ungodly one place for Believer and another for Unbelievers one place for the Dead and another for the Living An eternal Night or eternal Day eternal Pains or eternal Pleasures eternal Bliss or eternal Burning an eternal Life or eternal Death an eternal Heaven or an eternal Hell Now Sinners stop here and consider unto which of the two do you belong Have you any certainty of a blessed and glorious Eternity that Heaven not Hell will be your place and portion for resolving of which consider and answer to these Queries Have you unfeignedly believed repented and turned to God with the renting of your hearts and resigned your whole souls to him do you find your hearts affectionately and venemently carried out to Jesus Christ so as not to be satisfied without Union and Communion with him Is Jesus Christ the Beloved and Darling of your Souls Have you being sensible of what you have done against him and of your unworthiness of him by a deep and heart humiliation laid a Foundation for Heaven and Happiness You must Sow before you can Reap and they that Sow in tears shall Reap in joy Psal 126. 5. Are you Heaven-born or born after the flesh only If by a sound work of conversion you are become new creatures indeed 2 Cor. 5. 17. It is well stand and wonder at amazing mercy if not fear and tremble for if you fail here you are utterly undone for ever Further are you risen with Christ or dead in trespasses and Sins Eph. 2. 1. Are you partakers of the first resurrection or are you in your graves rotting stinking in your sins being past feeling are you truely at odds with Sin and every sin or do you take pleasure in unrighteousness are you for Godliness in the life and power of it and is there no reigning allowed sin in your hearts and ways doth sin and every sin look ugly feel heavy taste bitter and no Idol of the heart to keep Christ out of his Throne no secret sin lived in against Conscience Do you pray and desire to live in the fear and as under the eye of God making conscience of secret sins and of secret duties with a sincere respect to Gods glory and your own good doth the heart-searching God find you in your Closets on your knees morning and evening pouring out your souls before him every one that is Godly will pray Psal 32. 6. Are you crucified to the World or do your souls cleave unto the dust have you a Treasure in Heaven or treasure in the Field onely Have you bought the Pearl or are you content with Pebbles Who are your Associates The Devils Herd or Christs Flock are you companions for Swine and filty Dogs the World of Ungodly or of the Doves and Lambs of Christ whose mark have you the mark of Sheep viz. Holiness humility innocency or the mark of Goats viz. Lust Pride and uncleanness who keeps the Throne the King of Saints or the God of this World do your hearts and lives speak Heaven Heaven Heaven or Hell Hell Hell Hell is not more the place of the devil then the heart of a wicked man Can you look upwards and say Our Father â—hich art in Heaven or must you look down-werd and say Our Father which art in Hell How can you take comfort in any thing of this World that are like to be unspeakably and eternally miserable in the other World Suppose you had as much of the Riches Pomp and glory of the World as any man that ever liv'd upon the face of the Earth If you could say this Crown this Kingdom this Countrey is mine this Gold this Silver or this Shop these Goods this Manner this Farm these Fields these Flocks this Corn these Cattle and these Mines these Pearls these Jewels are mine what would all avail you if your souls are the Devils Now how stands the case of your precious souls are they secured have you made a real preparation for death and judgement or left all undone Are you vessels of honour prepared unto Glory or Vessels of wrath fitted for destruction Rom. 9. 22 23. Let conscience speak commune with your hearts Psal 4. 4. Consider your ways Hag. 1. 5. Search and try your selves Lam. 3. prove your own work examine your selves whether you are in the Faith 2 Cor. 13. 5. Whatsoever you sow you shall certainly reap Gal. 6. 7 8. And in the place where the Tree falleth there it shall lye Eccl. 11. 13. If it falleth to the North it lyeth to the North if it falleth towards the South it lyeth towards the South If you live and dye towards
Eternity O let not London nor England forget that and other tremendous judgments which our sins have called for lest a worse then any yet should come upon us The forgetting of our latter end is a deadly and provoking sin and that which will hasten judgement Her filthiness it in her skirts she remembred not her last and therefore she came down wonderfully she had no comforter Lam. 1. 9. 8. Consider That where death cometh to strike the stroake your souls are stated your Eternity is cast without change for ever Then your immortal souls are for salvation or damnation for an eternal life or eternal death for an eternal heaven or an eternal hell You sadly besotted souls know and remember while you have a day before the golden threed of life be cut that if you be found without Christ Faith Repentance Holiness but a moment after death you are undone to Eternity After death all means and hopes fail there is no work or device in the grave Eccles 9. God will be then irreconcilable sin unpardonable heaven not attainable and your souls lost irrecoverably And then the Devil your bloody adversary will have his designe upon you he knoweth that if you be his in life and death that you are his forever and that he and you shall never part Sinners this is certain as the tree falleth so it lyeth as is the seed so will be the harvest if you do the Devils work you must have the devils wages if you march under the command and conduct of the Prince of Darkness and suffer him to lead and hurry you hither and thither at his will whil'st you live you will be his prisoners and slaves in that dreadful dungeon of dismal darkness after you are dead Consider the Land of darkness is no place for service there 's no repenting in the grave no Lord have mercy on us written upon Hell Gates no Sabbaths no Sermons no Ministers there 'T is in the time of life that you are to labour and make preparation for life eternal because according to your work and choice in this world will be your everlasting lot in the world that is to come It is appointed for you once to dye and after death the judgement Heb. 9. 7. The pale horse death goeth before and hell followeth after Rev. 6. 8. there will be no change of your condition the eternal ruine or eternal welfare of your precious souls depends on those few minutes this swift stream of mans life after it once turneth or declineth ever runneth with a perpetual ebb never floweth again so that all that you leave undone now will be undone for ever If you die unbeleivers you will be unbeleivers for ever if you dye under the guilt and power of sin and wrath of God you will remain under the guilt of sin and wrath of God for ever but if you dye holy humble mortified sincere souls you will remain holy heavenly and in the favour of God for ever Rev. 21. He that is filthy will be filthy still and he that is holy will be holy still but the inpenitent unpardoned sinner though he live a hundred or a thousand years in satisfying his lust will be accurst at last Poor sinners that read this little Treatise let me beg you to up and be doing while it is day the night will come wherein you not no man can work John 9. 4. Then to your work with might and main while your candle is burning your Sun shining will you yet loiter and see your glass running your Sun setting your selves dying and your souls perishing O seek the Lord while he may be found Isa 55. 5. in an acceptable time 2 Cor. 6. 2. before the day pass as the chaff before the decree bring forth before the evil day cometh before they that look out of the windows be dark and the keepers of the house begin to tremble before the doors be shut in the streets and the silver cord be loosed or the Pitcher broken at the fountain before you are gone to your long home and the spirit return'd to God that gave it Consider with your selves are your fit to grapple with this mighty Monarch death are you fraughted for this long Voyage and ready and willing to pass through this dark Entry take heed and feare lest you be found unfit Think on the sadly deluded Virgins that had their Oyl to buy when their Lamps should burn and so came to the door but found it shut think upon poor Esan that was hunting for Vienson while he lost the blessing Poor perishing souls what do you intend to do if you will work it must be now or never Are you resolved to seek and secure the Kingdome of God first Mat. 6. 23. whilst it is called to day or will you bestow nothing but dregs and snuffs of rotten old age upon God and your immortal souls O that you might know in this your day the things which belong to your Peace before they be hid from your eyes 9. Lastly consider That it is the most dreadful and amazing sight on this side hell to see a Christless unbeleiver breathing out his last There are other sad sights viz. to see a man starving for want of bread or dying for want of a physitian or drowning for want of a boat or to see a man dead a dead corps a body without a soul but ah how sad and astonishing a spectacle is it to see a man near the coasts of Eternity viz. to behold a wretched sinner in his cold sweats and dying groanes with his precious immortal soul standing on his pale cold quivering lips and death the great Conqueror and the King of terrors marching furiously with his Writ of remove in one hand not to be reverst and his deadly dart and sting in the other hand conscience on the rack barking biting and tearing him like a Lyon the Devil Gods Executioner looking on and standing by the heart under dejecting and sinking despair the eyes dim and fixed his heart-strings ready to break with anguish his Wife Children Friends at the bed-side weeping sighing crying wringing their hands beating their breasts the Wife crying out alas my Husband the Child crying out alas my Father The poor perishing soul all this while looking backward upon his mispent time and by-past sins inward upon his own heart a dreadful sight where he seeth no Christ no grace no purity nothing but sin guilt death darkness Then looking upward to that God that hath been provoked to that Christ that hath been rejected to that Heaven and Eternity that he hath lost and looking down-ward to that dark and dreadful pit that must be his place and portion with a fearful looking for of judgement seeing the Devils come and ready to seiz upon him O what a dreadful out-cry and shriek will the soul make when it departs perceiving it self sinking down down to the burning lake and bottomless pit where he must take up his lodging with devouring
fire to all Eternity The pangs of death the worlds loss anguish of Conscience frights of hell meeting together will make a man perfectly miserable and force him to cry out with cursed Cain Gen. 4. 13. My punishment is greater then I can bear or to say with the sadly afflicted Church behold no sorrow like unto my sorrow And if the dreadful reflection of a guilty accusing conscience be so tormenting here what will the whole flame and Sea of wrath be when poured out to the very utmost Sensless sinners Consider this may be your doleful case when you come to die viz. to have much sorrow and wrath with your sickness Eccl. 5. 17. For there is no is peace to the wicked saith my God not one word in all the Bible but speaks terrour in life and death though the sinner live a hundred years he shall be accurst he dieth under the curses written in God's Book yea under that most dreadful Gospel curse 1 Cor. 16. 22. The apprehension of which will cause such distraction of spirit and sad reflection of guilt which will make them curse their God and their King looking down to the pit roaring out Who among us shall dwell with devouring fire who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings Therefore be wise to consider this all ye that forget God lest he tear you in peeces and there be none that can deliver Psal 50. 22. And as it is dreadful and amazing to see the unbeleiver dying so on the contrary 't is comfortable and reviving to see the godly man dying because his ultimum is his optimum his last is his best the day of his death is better then the day of his birth Eccl. 7. 1. His end is peace Psal 37. 37. God at peace Conscience at peace and all at peace O blessed sight to see the heaven born panting soul going out of the world upon the wings of joy calmness and serenity of spirit with full sail for heaven longing and crying out make no tarrying O my God haste my beloved haste so come Lord Jesus I desire to depart and to be with Christ which is best of all Phil. 1. 23. You have heard what are the great things to be considered namely that an end will certainly be this world is no place of continuance they that now see you ere long will see you no more for ever You have heard that your present things will perish that sin so full of deadly poyson will leave a sting a dart that will strike through your Liver and that the case of the wicked will be doleful dreadful yea desperate when they come to dye for when death comes your souls then will be stated so as there can be no alteration to all Eternity The next thing is to speak to the reasons why it is a duty and matter of such moment to consider are these following Reas 1. Is taken from God Because the only wise gracious most indulgent and soulcompassionating God wisheth it and that most vehemently O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end Sirs in this pathetical Option or desire there is the very tender bowels of God this is the very language of his heart and it is as if he had after the manner of men spoken thus to his faithful servant Moses I have but one wish or request and all is comprehended in this one viz. that thou shouldst go and tell them from me that they must be wise to consider this to remember the dayes of old and the years of many Generations what I have done for them in chusing them above all the Nations of the world to be my treasure portion and peculiar people and because I love them I have delivered them wrought wonders for them in Egypt the Red Sea and in the wilderness and have kept them as tenderly as the apple of mine eye carrying them upon Eagles wings but yet let them know that they have forgotten me provoked me and that their end is like to be miserable for afire is kindled in mine anget and unless they do speedily consider it will burn to the lowest hell Now you souls in peril which is best to thwart cross and greive your well-wishing dearest best and only friend or to please and geatifie your prosessed deadly implacable enemy your adversary the Devil can't endure that you should think of death or dying for if Satan that old Serpent would permit and suffer you to look into hell he could neither drag nor draw you thither at his pleasure And will you go on in the wayes of sin and death or bethink your selves whose you are what you have done whither you are going and what is like to become of you when your breath is gone what provision you have made for your other world that so the great business between God and your souls may be made up Sinners if the infinitely holy just and righteous God did desire or designe your ruine and destruction he would not have excited you to this solemn and serious consideration of the end of sin death and Eternity until it were too late and you left without remedy so that what is here intended hath a tendency to make you happy if it be regarded O that they were wise c. Reas 2. Because a deep serious and heart-affecting consideration of death and the grave will both realize it and represent it as near even at the door and make it to stand in open view Whereas things looked upon at a distance whether they be good or whether they be evil have but a little if any influence Now a fixed and hearty consideration will give as it were a being to future things and bring them near so that you may really converse with those things A truly godly man that hath a veiw of unseen things by divine contemplation here upon the wings of faith and hope he may ascend up into heaven and walk a turn in the golden streets of the New Jereusalem as the Prophet Ezekiel was in the Visions of God at Jerusalem in his mind when his body was by the River Chebar among the Captives in the Land of the Chaldeans so likewise those sadly wounded spirits who through fear of death are all their life-time subject to bondage being exercis'd with soul-conflicts and under powerful cutting and killing convictions of sin and misery or have such dark and dismal thoughts and apprehensions of hell and the wrath of God which make them ever and anon to enter into the Chambers of death and visit the prisoners of the pit and look upon that black guilt and fiery furnace to be so near that they are on the brink of it falling down continually This hath been the case of many of Gods precious ones who are now in heaven above all these fears and frights that were once more bitter then death And O how many travailing with these pangs and agonies of soul are ready to
each falleth in one after the other a first second and third drops down the rest not discerning the danger runs the round I shall thus apply it This day or hour a Swearer tumbleth down to hell The next a drunkard This evening or morning the pale horse mounteth one it may be a cursed Atheist or a malitious bloody persecutor or a filthy Adulterer or an idolatrous worldling and carrieth him to the place of Darkness The next day he receiveth his Commission to fetch some more of them those their brethren in iniquity that are lest behinde keep and continue their course and dance about the pit not considering they so must die and come to judgement How little do the living lay to heart this great business of their Mortality insomuch that when they would deny a thing with greatest confidence they will commonly say they thought no more of it then of their dying day as if death were not a matter of any moment but rather a meer toy or trifle not to be regarded She remembred not her last end Lam. 1. 9. You self destroying sinners Do you know that you must dye and leave the world for ever and are you so stupified and mad as not to think of Death in many dayes together yea hardly to entertain a serious thought of death and judgment at a house of mourning in the very sight of the dead you can be vain frothy jest pot pipe feast discourse of the world a sad proof that men do not consider their latter end Some at that solemn and sad season seem a little serious but as soon as the dead Corps is removed and the Grave and Coffin out of sight Death is no more remembred To make you sensible of this folly let me reason with you in a few plain hints What no thoughts of death you that have been under a sentence of death and brought to the very pits brink looking into Eternity Oh how sad is it to think how quickly those thoughts and impressions of your mortallity have worn out and past away Sinner remember and forget not those secret vows promises and engagements you then made to God viz. that you would part with sin leave your wicked company set loose to the world live godly and make it your business to be religious and loose no more of your precious time and opportunities for your soul If you have forgotten it the all-seeing and heart-searching God remembers it Know and consider in thy heart that death that did but warn thee then by sending his summons will shortly come himself Forgetful of Death and made of dust born of a woman and under a Decree not to be revoked by men or Angels Heb. 6. 27. Job 14. 3. As for man his dayes are determined the number of his months are with thee thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass Not mind your death you that have sickly weak diseased bodies full of paines and aches that are so many partial quotidian deaths yea a dying daily What put off the thoughts of death thou that hast been at so many Funerals heard so many passing Bells or Knells seen so many Graves Skuls and Coffins before thine eyes Forget your death and yet sinners and sinning daily carrying the cause and sting of death in your bosoms mors in corpore the body is dead because of sin Rom. 8. 11. Thy body is but a body of death sin hath kill'd it the sentence is past Gen. 3. The wages of sin is death Rom. 6. 1. The soul that sins must dye Ezek. 18. 20. What put off this evil Day and dead in part old and cold having one foot in the grave viz. feeble knees trembling hands wrinkled faces gray or bald heads the grave being ready for you What no more serious thoughts of death and so many pieces and parcels of your selves gone before to this long home so many Relations and Children now a sleep in the dust of death are they buried in perpetual oblivion never to be remembred any more What Sinner What not think of Death and Death at thy very heels and before thine eyes whither can you direct your eyes and not see that which preacheth or representeth Death all the Winter Death is on the Trees in our Gardens in every flower At your Table every day you feed on the flesh of dead Creatures to tell you that you must die and is not death in your beds every night what is sleep but the picture and image of cold Death and your beds but the representation of your dark graves O careless besotted sinners not consider of death and have precious souls that must live or die be saved or damnted to Heaven or Hell to bliss or burning to God or Devils to Saints or cursed Reprobates as soon as the breath is gon which may be the next day or hour this pale horse death hath the red horse Hell following him Rev. 6. 8. Lastly what not think of and prepare for Death and called Christians that profess you beleive the Resurrection of the body and life everlasting a happiness beyond the Grave For in this life only saith Paul wt have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable 1 Cor. 15. 19. Poor hardned sinners that now forget God and this great and mighty concern of your eternal souls what will you do in the day of Visitation when your iniquities shall compass you about and no friend in heaven above or in earth beneath that can stand you in stead and when conscience like a bold sturdy Sergeant shall take you by the throat and summon you in the Name of the great Judge to come and stand at or before the judgement seat Vnderstand ye brutish among the people and ye fools when will ye be wise Psal 94 8. to understand this to provide for your latter end 2. This blames the ignorant pettish and considerate soul who in an angry fit or passion wisheth for death out of a base end viz. as a writ of ease or out-let to present pain poverty sickness and other worldly troubles and perplexities not rightly considering how terrible death is or what are the dreadful consequences of it Now that we may be convinced of this sin and folly give me leave to tell you that between the worst longest and deepest miseries and calamities of this life and those after death there is no proportion but an exceeding distance Poor deluded souls what is the bite of a flea to the sting of a Serpent or a scratch on the hand to a stab at the heart what 's the heat and smart of a little candle to a hot fiery furnace or a devouring flame What 's a drop of gall to a Sea or Ocean of poyson or what is pain forture or anguish for an hour to intollerable misery time without end into which to the unconverted death will certainly be the door and are you so mad to imagine that there is nothing in the other world to be
feared or felt worse then outward pressures perils pains which are but bodily miseries and that but for a moment This sin not only the prophane world are guilty of but some of those that profess the Name of God Rebecah said to Isaac I am weary of my life because of the Daughters of Heth Gen 27. 46. Rachel cryes out give me Children or else I dye Gen. 30. 1. Elisha being threatned by Jezabel said O Lord take away my life 1 Kings 19. 4. Jonah for the loss of a poor gourd said it s better for me to dye then to live and told God to his very face that he did well to be angry even unto death Jonah 4. 9. The Israelites when they wanted water wisht they had died in the wilderness These and the like wicked wishes are in the mouths of many poor ignorant discontented persons who long to be out of this wretched world Now by way of conviction I shall lay down these following particulars 1. What think you of these inward and soul-straits and conflicts with which Gods poor afflicted people are sadly exercis'd And were you but sensible of the guilt and weight of sin a wounded spirit the wrath of God and those everlasting burnings it would quickly swallow up your outward miseries though never so many This is evident in the example of the Jaylor who for the loss of his prisoners was so tormented that he would have kill'd himself before he was convinced of the dreadful state of his soul that was in danger of ruin Act. 16. 27 28 29 30. Then he fell and cried out Sirs what shall I do to be saved 2. To wish for death because of the evils attending this life is very wicked and dangerous interpretatively and in effect it is to wish your souls in hell Consider and mind this also that your present sorrowes crosses troubles of what kind or degree soever they be are the fruits of your ill-doings and fatless then you deserve for its a wonder you are not in hell and will you dare to be so audacious as to flye in the face of your faithful Creator when you should be deeply sensible of your horrible wickedness and humble under Gods hand and accepting of the punishment of your sinye should repent and turn to God take away the cause and the effect will cease 3. You can please and gratifie the Devil your deadly adversaty in nothing more you wish for death so doth the devil too if you are his now you must be his then his here and his for ever He waits and longs that your breath were gone your souls separated therefore he would have you poyson hang drown starve or stob your selves that you might be dead damn'd and burn'd with him in hell 4. Moreover if you were dead you would suddenly repent and change your mind and if it might be give the world to be alive again with all the wants pains and greif you now endure Had you but a peeping hole into hell to see and here what they endure you would confess your sins judge your selves and close with Christ before you dye that so you might not come into that dreadful place of torment Now that you may hear and fear and do no more so wickedly Let me ask you 1. What think you of the sting and bitterness of death when a man comes to dye Conscience being awakened roaring like a Lyon death the King of terrours standing by when the guilt of past-sins and loss of precious time will be as so many fiery darts and stinging scorpions biting and gnawing on the heart What think you it will be to dye unconverted to dye in a state of sin and wrath a Trator to God in a state of unbelief and impenitency the soul-damning sins to dye with an evil heart an accusing conscience self condemn'd cast in your own breast to dye which is worst of all 2. What think you of the sadness and amazing terrour of approaching judgment the second death when a man comes to take a dreadful view of the other world and begins to reflect and think Wherefore was I born what have I been doing are all these my sins O where shall I leave them or how shall I be rid of them now I am dying whither am I going what will be my company where shall be the place and how near am I to it what must I endure and how long how long and conscience will answer to all eternity misery without end This will amaze confound and overwhelm the soul with fear and perturbation when it sees that heaven is lost and that it must down down to the Region of darkness and company of Devils in that state of everlasting wo. The killing thoughts of which made a great man wish that he might live though bur the life of a Toad 3. What think you of the impartiality of the Judge that will not spare the guilty must and will Judge and sentence according to the fact and reward every man according to his works He would not spare the Angels that sinn'd but cast them down to hell 2 Pet. 2. 4. not Adam but cast him out of paradise and set a flaming word against him neither will he spare any impenitent sinner in the day of his wrath justice obliges him to justifie the righteous and condemn the wicked 4. What think you of the impossibility of having any appeal There will be no Moses to mediate no mediator to plead no Daniel Noah or Job to intercede or to stand in the gap not an Intercessor in Earth or Heaven to be found to speak a word There can be no appeal to God his Calls and Councels have been refused his Interest opposed his Enemies countenanced his laws violated his Anger will burn like fire No appeal to Jesus Christ his Government hath been slighted his Grace and Person rejected or to the Holy Ghost he hath been quencht and greived or to angels or Saints all will be against you 5. Whar think you of the resignation of soul and body to the executioner and tormentor the red dragon 't is sad to see a poor malefactor committed to the Jaylor or Hangman but O how much more dreadful will it be for ever-living souls in the face of men and Angels to be delivered into the hands of that raging roaring Lyon the Devil When God the righteous Judge shall say in sight of the whole world here are the men that brak my Statutes prophaned my Sabbaths that hated my Saints that served the Devil in the satisfying their Lusts the open and professed Adversaries to my Name and Interest that would not though I often intreated them come at my call accept of my love receive my Son or endure a life of holiness or by any means be drawn and perswaded to think of and prepare for death and judgement though they had time and opportunity enough Now take them devil and away to hell with them for my soul abhors them Thy Covenant servants
the Silver Trumpet the Sun will go down over the Prophets Therefore while the watchmen are upon the walls take warning and finish your work while you have the light O Sirs improve for your eternal advantage those plain and powerful Sermons which you hear and read and let it not be accounted legal preaching Who were more severe in their preaching then our Lord and his fore-runner whom we ought to imitate otherwise we draw the horrible sin of bloud-guiltiness upon our souls Ezek. 3. 18 9. 'T is observ'd that there are more dreadful doctrines scatter'd up and down in the New Testament then in the Old the powerful application of which is very necessary both for secure sinners and drowsie Saints Holy David after his fall fell into a deep sleep and did not awake until Nathan came and told him plainly and particularlly of his sin And of the Virgins we read while the Bridegroom tarri'd they all slumbred and slept Mat. 25. O how many sleepy souls are there in the world and in many Cities Towns and Parishes in this Nation that will either living dying or after death sadly bewail the not improving the labours of their faithful Pastors 2. All your awakening Providences by which God warns and calls will have an end The great and glorious God for a long time together hath been speaking and calling to us by his Word and of late year she hath spoken by his dreadful Rod and that very terribly The Sword the Plague the Fire the decay of trade and other Judgements are the loud voice of an angry God Those afflictions on our Families Relations Estates Persons are in order to awakening us out of sleep and so for our profit When Manassch was among the thorns bound with fetters carried into Babylon he be sought the Lord and humbled himself greatly 2 Chron. 33. 11 12 13. After Ephraim was chastised he awaked turned and repented for the bonds and cords of affliction do open the car to instruction then he sheweth them their work and their transgression and commandeth that they turn from iniquity Jab 6. 9 10. Jer. 13 18 19. Now to have a deaf ear to the rod and word to be hardned and secure and go on in sin under awaking and amazing providences is a dreadful judgement that which ripens men for ruine 2 Chron. 28. 22. This is that King Ahaz who in the time of his distress did trespass yet more against the Lord Jer. 5. 3. 3. Your awakening Convictions will have an end too Those secret and powerful workings strivings and struglings of the Spirit of God under the rod and in the word will be suspended Christ will not always be at the door calling knocking and his Spirit that is so much greived and oppos'd will not alwayes strive and struggle with your hearts and conciences Gen. 6. 3. Now sinners if you have any love or regard to your immortal souls before all these helps be taken away be wise to consider and prepare for your end Lest God should speedily resolve and say to you as to the Jews Isa 1. 5. Why should ye be striken any more or as Hosea 4. 17. Ephraim is joyned to Idels let him alone They will have their lusts and they shall have them As I live saith saith the Lord this iniquity shall not be purged till youdie Sith nothing will prevail I am resolved saith God they shall never hear an awakening soul-Searching Sermon more never have a Correction or Conviction more till they go down to hell Motive 5. Consider that the earnest cries tear prayers of unbeleivers when they comes to die it will be in vain fruitless and unsuccesful though you speak in the anguish of your souls and complain in the bitterness of your spirits when your flesh upon you shall have pain and your souls within you shall mourn it will be to no purpose You that will not seek God betimes and make supplication to the Almighty that will not pray while you have time to pray helps to pray health to pray encouragements to pray Now God invites you may have audience and find acceptance your prayers in a dying hour will be but the expressions of your fears and terrors arising from the sence and nearness of your danger when there will be but a step between your departing souls and the state of Devils God seldom hears from some men unless trouble sickness fear distress and anguish cometh upon them then pain will make them pray and how upon their beds and 't is but howling not Praying Hos 7. 14. But will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him saith Job 27. 9. No saith the Lord I will not be enquired of by you Ezek. 20. 3. Because it cometh from an evil mind or stinking breath proceeding from a corrupt rotten cursed heart and then it must needs be abominable Prov. 21. 27 15. 8. I will saith David wash mine hands in innocency and then compass thine Altar for if I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my prayer Psal 66. 18. If God would not hear a Davids prayer a man after Gods own heart he will not hear a Devils prayer nor the prayer of a Swearer Sabbath-breaker Drunkard he heareth not sinners that like and love their lusts No saith the holy God though they seek me early they shall not find me Here note That there is a two fold early namely Gods early and mans early Gods early is in the morning of our life in the time of youth then God cals and invites to come Prov. 1. 24. Eccl. 12. 1. Mans early is in the evening or at the end of life or when man is high unto death when pain sorrow and anguish cometh upon him In their afflictions they will seek me early Hos 5. last When fear cometh as desolation and destruction cometh as a whirlwind then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but shal not find me Prov. 1. 27 28. God will say to all such sinners remember it as Isaac to Abimelech Gen. 26. 27. Wherefore come ye to me seeing you hate me and have sent me away from you Or he will say as once to the Children of Israel that cryed to him in their sore distress Go cry to the Gods which ye have chosen let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation as for me I will not deliver you Judg. 10. 14. You have served the Devil embrac'd the world satisfied your lusts joyn'd with mine enemies go to the Devil go to your lusts to your wicked company let them deliver you in your distress Now death and devilsare come for you I will not own you nor your prayers your soul abhorred me my soul abhors you and your prayers depart from me I know you not Motive 6. It s the great comfort of the godly mans life to hope and know that he is fit for death Whatever be their lot and Portion in this
world be assured it shall go well with them in the other world Art thou in astate of grace at odds with fin and truly in love with Christ and holiness Be of good chear go thy way and eat thy bread with joy and drink thy wine with a merry heart for the bitterness of death is past The king of terrors that had the power of death is conquered by the Lord of life Terrible death that rides on the pale horse is dismounted by thy dear Lord that rides on the white horse under whose bloody Cross thou mayest see him disarmed wounded and dead death that raigned from Adam to Moses is now swallowed up in victory Isa 25. 8. I will ransoms thee from the power of the grave I will redeem thee from death O death I will be thy plagues O grave I will be thy destruction The beleiving soul is dead with Christ while he lives Rom. 6. 8 and is delivered not only from the damnation of sin but the dominion of sin and there is hope in his death When he dyeth he shall die in the Lord Rev. 14. 13. he shall sleep in Jesus 1 Thes 4. 14. his end shall be peace Psal 37. 37. This made the Apostle after his sad conflict Rom. 7. to triumph over the last enemy death 1 Cor. 15. 55. Motive 7. If you should not prepare for death yet you will wish you had as many do when it is to late You that are for making provision for the flesh and so eagerly pursuing the world When you shall be cast upon the bad of languishing you will wish in the very torment of your minds and flames of horrour that I had parted with my sin O that I had been careful to please and honour God and to get an interest in Jesus Christ then should I have now dyed the death of the righteous but this I wholly slighted I prosecuted the world with might and main and got so many thousands for my Posterity I liv'd a merry and jovial life but for my soul for my eternity things of infinite worth I have done nothing I forgat my soul Now here 's the Messenger of death come for me to imprison my body in the Grave the Chambers of darkness and to carry my soul I know not whither I fear to hell O that I had been wise to under stand this to consider my latter end What would I now give to live but a few years more to make provision for this soul that must now enter the gulf of endless eternity Motive 8. Consider the gaines will be exceeding great As will appear by these following particulars Would you haue sin as hell and be more truly holy Consider your latter end This is most certain that all the evil antecedents and dreadful consequences of death spring and grow out of this bitter root what is it that wounds stings paines and kills what is it that brings Diseases threatens death that murders the body and that damns and burnes the soul What is that doth necessitate the to make use of Physick Physicians whilst alive and bringeth thee to a Coffin and Grave when thou art dead is it not sin which thou embracest in thy bosom You poor blind deluded souls as little and as lovely as sin looks in your wanton eyes it is the Mother and Nurse of all your miseries hacht in hell the Devils spawn or excrement He that committeth sin is of the devil 1 Joh. 3. 8. This is that evil thing and bitter that hales death and hell at the heels of it yea that arms death devils and hell against us Were it not for this black ugly fierce ouer and bloudy adversary Law or Justice could not condemn us Death could not kill us Devils could not torment us Hell could not burn us Sin is the Traitor and Murderer of your immortal souls and those nails that will shortly dig your Graves will you hug hide and hold it fast Will a woman put that knife into her bosom that hath kill'd or murder'd her dear Child or Husband no by no means it must be broken and cast away for ever Now Sirs if sin be the enemy use it as an enemy or murderer kill it take the sacrificing knife and cut the throat of it or strike the heart vein and let it bleed until it dies Deal by it as Samuel by Agag cut it in pieces Did you think seriously of death and hell you would hate it to purpose and say away to hell with it from whence it came and it would put you upon a desire and earnest endeavour after holiness Being expos'd to a dissolution what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness 2 Pet. 3. 11. But if you forget death you will make dreadful work namely your accounts greater and hell the hotter you will increase your sin and God will heap up wrath against the day of wrath And if ever God shâ—w mercy it will cost you dear your souls must mourn your hearts must break and bleed for sin for unless you repent you will certainly be damned Luk. 13. 5. 2. Would you speedily call off your hearts from the world lay up treasure in heaven Remember your latter end In the greatest affluence of worldly prosperity alwayes consider that you must die Poor worldlings that make gold your hope whose plottings and ploddings are for earth If death and eternity were more in your thoughts you would let go that in your affections which you cannot hold in your possession and love that but a little that will be lost and which you cannot love long Riches have wings and they will be gone Consider how little the things of the world will stand you in stead in the evil day your gold and silver cannot keep you from diseases while you live nor from hell after you are dead Prov 11. 4. Psal 49. 6 7. It falleth out with many of the great storers of this world as it doth with a Sumpter Horse who all the day carrieth a great treasure on his back but at night it is taken from him and he thrust into a foul Stable So many wealthy worldlings that tire them selves to get and carry worldly treasure when death cometh it s taken from them and they for their ill getting or ill using of it are thrust down to hell the rich man dyed and in hell lift up his eyes And if you would deaden your hearts to this empty earth and look after a treasure above a happiness beyond the grave that shall last as long as your souls shall last think often of death this would divert your worldly cares and projects Remember from this day to your last day cannot be long your Journey or Voyage is short and a little Provision is enough neither Poverty nor Riches but food convenient is the desire and choice of a Citizen of Sion Converse more with death and be often looking into eternity and thou mayest here as it
cannot live without him or be absent from him Having tasted of the Grapes of Eshcol he must go to Canaan to see the good Land that goodly Mountain A foresight or glimps of the sweetness beauty and glory of the Lord Jesus will cause most vehement longing to be with him Now let thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation For this we groan earnestly And O how confidently quietly and comfortably may such a soul entertain the thoughts of death that hath sincerely repented of all sin and to whom sin is so greivous a burden that he would dye to be rid of it And whose soul is â—â—l'd and fraughted with grace and assured of glory and his heart sent as a Harbinger to Heaven before him And indeed a serious and hearty consideration of our eternal state would provoke us to press earnestly after all this To close up all let me ask you as in the presence of the great Judg of quick and dead at whose dreadful tribunal you must all shortly stand these following Queries Quer. 1. First Whether a seasonable preparation for death and Judgement viz. how you may escape Hell and come safe to Heaven be not the most urgent and important business that you have in all the world Let your conscience judge and determine Quer. 2. Are not they in a very happy condition that do believe repent and turn to God with their whole heart who by living a life of grace are truly prepared for death and out of the dreadful hazzard of loosing Heaven Rom. 8. 1. Psal 37. 37. Quer. 3. Is it not possible that you being yet on this side the Grave and Hell may prepare for this evil day were you resolv'd upon it would be done you have often intended it promised it when shall it be none but the Devil and your flesh will stop and hinder you Quer. 4. Do you firmly beleive the things here will fail that death will come that sin that accursed thing will sting and that the impenitent sinners case at the hour of death wil be sad and very desperate Let me say to all such there is not a night you lye down upon your beds but you run a very great hazzard If death should call and you not ready you must go though you be ruin'd to eternity Matth. 25. 10 11 12 16 22 23. Quer. 5. Have you so liv'd as to be fit to lye down in a Grave to rise again and stand before God who is a consuming fire Do you know your selves in a state of grace that you are new born that your evidences for heaven are clear and certain is your work done do your Lamps burn and have you a well-grounded assurance that you are in the Number of those to whom death will be a priviledge Phil. 21. Quer. 6. Can you chearfully and without dread entertain the thoughts of a dissolution and of leaving all your earthly and sensual delightes Suppose the dreadful Judge should at this instant send death into this place with the names of five or six of you in his writ or forehead and death should say you and you this man and that woman must go along with me I have received a comand from the great and terrible God who hath the power of death and of hell to bring you young man young woman this day or night before the Judgement seats I have often warned you by sending my Deputies and and that this ten twenty or forty yeares every Coffin every dead Corps or Grave you have seene was so many intimations of my coming Now saith death I am come look here upon my commission see my dart and my sting This dart must kill the body and send thy soul unto eternity I command thee this moment to bid adieu to and take thy leave of Friends Relations Houses Lands pleasures of sin once for all Thou shalt never see or jnjoy them more Luke 12. 19. 20. O how can you think of your dying the worlds burning the trumpers Sounding the deads rising and staunding at the Bar and not fear and tremble You Sons and Daughters of pleasures did you consider what horror and astonishment dogs you as the heels which will inevitable come upon you as travel on a woman with child you would not say unto God depart and treasure up wrath lay up scoorges and scorpions for your distressed souls against the last day Quer. 7. Let me ask you that pass for Saints and hope for Heaven whether your consciences in secret do not tell you that you have made poor preparation for it yea it may have done less for Heaven then many that are now in hell You say you must dye and come to judgement but how stands the case as to the other world If you look downward to this world it s well but how is it within with your precious soul Do you beleive that Atheists Unbeleivers Drunkards Swearers Murderers Thieves Persecutors Lyars Sabbath-breakers Adulterers worldlings are going swiftly to hell Do you beleive that Christs flock is little and not fear your selves Do you think that Esau Judas Ahab Agrippa Herod Simon Magus the foolish Virgins are in hell and yet confident of your going to heaven These have out done many of you Esau wept and cryed for the blessing Heb. 12. 17. Ahab humbled himself 1 Kings 12 29. Herod did many things and heard John joyfully Mark 16. 20. Agrippa was almost a Christian Acts 6. 28. The Scribe was not far from the kingdom of God Mark 12. 34. The foolish Virgins were not prophane they took care to trim their Lamps and knock at the door Now what sins have you lest what grace have you exercis'd what duties have you performed and how Take heed you be not deceived Strive to enter in at the strait gate for many will seek to enter in and shall not be able Luk. 13. 24. Quer. 8. 4. You having so many warnings time and means to prepare for death judgment and will not who will pity you when you perish God will not Prov. 1. 26 27. Christ will not Luke 19. 27. Angels Saints Ministers will not all will say away with them let them be damn'd And O what a killing and amazing sight will Christs coming in the clouds be to all that either denied his coming or who would not prepare for it His incarnation was terrible Matth. 2. 3. His Crucifixion was more terrible Luk. 23. 44. 45 47. 48 But his being on the tribunal will be most terrible Then shall the tribes of the earth mourn Math. 24. 3. And men cry to the rocks and mountaines to fall on them Rev. 6. 15 16. When they shall see so many thousands and millions of men and women dragged down with all the Devils of hell to that burning lake of fire and brimstone How will they then mourn for sorrow of heart and howl for vexation of spirit and with bitterness of soul wish they had never heard of Christ that they had been born among the Heathen or never had a being or enjoy'd a life of pleasure upon the Earth How will the wretched sinner beat his breast pluck off his hair tear his bowels crying out when he sees all hope is gone O that I had now no soul or that this immortal soul were mortal that I might now dye and breath no more or that my sentence might be but to lodge with Devils in this burning lake ten thosand years that so I might not remain in a state of banishment from the face and presence of God to all eternity O then pray that serious thoughts of death may be alwayes upon thine heart and whethere thou goest let them go and where thou lodgest let them lodg that thou mayest speak of it to thy Children and Family when thou sitttest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest down and when thou risest up O let these great things of death and judgment be bound as a signe upon thine hand and write them upon the posts of thine house and on thy gates that they may be always before thine eyes and for thy good alwayes that thou may'st beware least thou forget the Lord thy God and the everlasting concernments of thine immortal soul and gods anger be kindled against thee and destroy thee suddenly with a mighty destruction Consider now what I have spoken and the Lord give thee understanding in all things 2 Tim. 2. 7. Which is that God wisheth in the Text O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider thrir latter end FINIS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tempus spatium temporis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est opportunitas Qui quid atotiis retro est mors tenet Sen. in Epist Prov. 22. 6. Luke 13. 24. 1 Cor. 9 24. 25. Eph. 6. 12. 1 Tim. 6. 12. Schola crucis est Schola lucis Luth. Ps 94. 12. Math. 4. 16. 2 Tim. 1. 10. Ezek. 13. 8. Rom. 5. 8. Isa 61. 1. John 6. 16. Tempus acceptum or tempus acceptabile Bez. in loc Quodoffertur gratia ex gratia Dei est qui sua contuit rebus omnibus momenta ut oblatam occasionum arripiamus The youth that lately was hang'd for murdering his Fellom Servant confess'd that his Sabbath breaking made way for all his other prodigious sins Tempus non potest Deo consecrari nisi quo modo redemptum Calvin in loc * Punctum est quod vivimus puncto minus Nonexignum temporis habemus sed multum perdimus Sen. Enigua pars est vitae quem nos vivimus