comforted Isa 54.11 till God brought him to the Haven◠Man's Life as a Ship before the Wind passeth on without any stay until it come to Shore Whether the Marriners in the Ship be sleeping or wakeing working or eating she runs on her course So doth Man's Life run on however he spends his time whether he sleeps or wakes serves God or serves the Devil the Wind of Divine Power and Providence is carrying our Ship of Life nearer its Port while I am thus Speaking and you Hearing God grant it may be the Cape of Good Hope Heaven to wit the best landing place Secondly As Man's Life is likened to a Pilgrimage by Land so this likewise declares it to be a Perilous Passage and Path-way We must not take the Word Pilgrimage in the Text either strictly or Superstitiously in the sence of the Popish Votaries Jacob was not to be looked upon no not by Pharoah himself to be a Popish Pilgrim nor any of the Holy Patriarchs his Predecessors The Popish Pilgrimage to Jerusalem is a Ridiculous as well as a Superstitious Practice for no one place can bring a Man nigher God than another all parts of the Earth have an equal distance from Heaven though the Romanists plead that Father Cyril went thither yet he himself professeth that he went not upon the account of any private Pilgrimage to Jerusalem but as he was ordered by Publick Authority to visit the Eastern Churches and to establish them in the Truth But we must understand Pilgrimage here largely for a Path-way a Thorough-Fare a Course Race or Journey from one place to another Thus a Pilgrim in Scripture-Sence is all one with a Traveller a Stranger and a Sojourner Man's Life is but his walk and way There be many Congruities betwixt them which I shall reserve to discourse upon in handling the Sixth Observation as being their proper place adding only here that there is a Two-fold Pilgrimage First A Natural Pilgrimage Secondly A Moral Pilgrimage First The Natural Pilgrimage is the course that a Man rides the Race that he runs even the whole Passage and Progress of his Life of Nature ab Vtero ad Vrnam from his Birth to his Burial for till then he comes not to his Journeys end or to the Period or full Point of his Pilgrimage There be two Terms in this former to wit the Grave of the Womb is the Terminus a quo or starting place Man begins this Pilgrimage as soon as he is Born of a Woman and comes out of the Womb into the World and he never rests from his Travel but is a poor Pilgrim sleeping and waking until he come to rest in the Womb of the Grave There the weary be at Rest Job 3.17 that is His Terminus ad Quem There is Secondly a Moral Pilgrimage wherein likewise there are two the like Terms This is a walking from our selves and from our Sins up unto God and unto Godliness The beginning of this Pilgrimage Morally taken is the privative part a ceasing from Sin or departing from Evil and the Accomplishment of it is the positive part a Learning to do well and not only a pursuing but also an overtaking of that which is Good Isa 1.16 17. and Psal 34.14 and Amos 5.15 And this is a Metaphorical Walk non Pedibus sed Affectibns as saith the Father with our Affections Those Feet of the Soul whereby it goes forth after Objects more than with those of the Body I. VSE Seeing your Life is but a Pilgrimage a coming and a going as David's Phrase is and of Joshuah before him Behold I am going the way of all the Earth 1 King 2.2 and Josh 23.14 that is The way of all the Men upon Earth who are all doom'd to go that way Hebr. 9.27 Oh consider both you young and you old your Life is a Path-way either to a Prison or to a Pallace it is a Thorough-Fare either to Heaven or to Hell Bethink your selves in time Be Men and Women of Consideration for that is it which distinguishes Men from Beasts c. II USE Then Agree with your Adversary an angry God for your Sins while you are in the way of your Life Matth. 5.25 While you are going your Pilgrimage before you come to the Judges House who will certainly send you if unreconciled into an Everlasting Prison If you walk in the broad way being all for Elbow-room to Sin and leading loose and Licentious Lives you are hastening down to the Chambers of Eternal Death Matth. 7 13. but if in the Narrow-way of a strict Conversation Then are you going to a Pallace not to a Prison ver 14. a good Life always bespeaks a good Death and all Persons are passing either to Heaven or Hell while they live and when they Die their Death is but a flitting to the one place or to the other c. Having thus far discovered the Nature of Humane Life defined or described in the Text to be not any Royal Progress which is constantly carry'd on and manag'd after a Splendid manner every way adapted to the Grandeur of Majesty No the Life of Man hath no such stately Prospect in this Holy Patriarchs eye but 't is a poor Pilgrimage twice inculcated here and as oft aggravated with contemptible Circumstances relating to both the Quantity and the Quality of this poor Pilgrimage From tke former of these two to wit the Quantity ariseth my Fift Observation Doctr. 5. The Pilgrimage of Man's Life is but a short Pilgrimage Thus this Blessed Patriarch computed his own Life in the Text to be but a short Life consisting only of a few Days though he had now attained to the Age of an Hundred and Thirty years Few and evil c. To speak distinctly of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it is so of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why it is so and of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the manner how it is so cannot be expected in this short Discourse save only some promiscuous Intimations of them all I. REASON The shortness of this Pilgrimage is Demonstrable three ways First In as much as Man's Life is measured by Days one of the least Computations of time not by Weeks or by Months much less by Years Thus Jacob computeth his own Life by Days in the Text twice over as he doth also the Lives of the foregoing Patriarchs Thus Job likewise numbereth his Life by Days over and over again as Job 7.1.6 and 14.1.5 and many more places too long to enumerate So David 1 Kings 2.1.4 and Psal 103.3.11 c. yea and all the most Mortified Men in Scripture do unanimously concur in the same Computation of their Lives by Days II. REASON The Second Demonstration that Man's Life is short as it is measured so it is numbered by his Days yea to be but as one day Because it consists only of a few Days This Epithet is expressed in the Text Few are my Days c. Man's appointed Time is but a few
shall eat drink or put on They hunger and thirst no more they are then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Angels that need no such things Mat. 22.30 The Lamb there Leads and feeds them Rev. 7.16 17 they are then clothed with Glory 2 Cor. 5.2 c 2. From Labours of Infirmity they have their Writs of Ease No more pain as well as no more pains Rev. 21.4 No Grief nor Gripes then Job in no fear of the Caldeans there Job 3.17 18. Their Bacah is then turned into Berachah their sighing into singing misery into majesty All Tears are wip'd from their Eyes 3. From the Labours of Iniquity All men are under a Sinful Necessity here Eccles. 7.20 Sin will keep house with us whether we will or no 'T is an heart-greiving Inmate till Death turn it out of doors as Sarah did Hagar Gen. 21.10 c. This the Anti-Type Typified by the fretting Leprosie that could not be scraped out of the walls of the house infected with it until all the Stones and Timber thereof were taken down to the ground Levit. 14.45 44 45. As Vltimus morborum medicus est mors Death heals all the Diseases of the Body So Peccatum erat obstetrix mortis mors erit Sepulchrum peccati Sin was the. Mid-wife to Death and Death shall be the Sepulchre of Sin in the Soul A believing Soul is not taken away in his sins as John 8.21 but from his sins Till then we are all bound to this Body of Sin which makes us cry out O Wretched men that wc are c. This brings down with Sorrow to the Grave But then Christ Delivers us from that Bond Rom. 7.24 25. Causing the Death of the Body quite to destroy that Body of Death till then mans life is a sore Travel Eccles. 1.13 2.23 While the Plummets of Sin hang at the heels of our Souls we are Restless altogether Restless but when Death comes to Strike off those Plummets Then there is a Rest in deed The Third and last Resemblance in Job 9.26 is from the Eagles Flying the Climax here is very observable An Eagle is swifter than a Ship as a Ship swifter than a Post The Eagle of all flying Fowls is reputed the swiftest flight and hath the strongest Wing Habb 1.8 Prov. 30.19 The way of an Eagle in the Air is High Swift Strong Thus Life hasteth from us and Death hastens to us as doth the Eagle to the Carcass it desireth to devour Matth. 24.28 Then is the Eagle most swift when hunger as it were doth add Wings to his Wings then comes he upon his Prey like a Thunder-Bolt upon the Earth swiftly and suddenly before it can shift for it self Thus Death is not said to walk on foot but is mounted on Horseback Rev. 6.8 Death rideth upon the Pale Horse Death Rideth Post as above upon a winged Horse to us as Life doth the like in Posting from us Oh how suddenly some persons are surprized with sudden Death The Sixth and last Observation is from the Quality of it mans life is also a most miserable Life 'T is not only a poor Pilgrimage but 't is also a short and miserable one 'T is called here a Pilgrimage and that made up of a few daies and those evil ones also When Man came first out of Gods Mint in his state of Innocency he was a curious Silver-Peice which shone most gloriously Psal 8.5 Eccles. 7.29 c. But now since the Fall he is become a poor thin worn lost Groat Luke 15.8 9. Which hath lost its lustre weight the sound of silver and its image and superscription He is now the Prodigal lost and a Pilgrim wandering in the Wilderness of sin when cast out of the Garden of God Man is now become miserable every way miserable in his Name Enosh which signifies mere misery And in his Nature but a bagg of Dung a lump not only of Vanity but of Misery also Man is miserable 1. At his Birth Antequam natus est Damnatus saith Ambrose He is Condemned as he is Conceived His Birth is polluted Psal 51.5 and Ezek. 16.4 5. Job 14.12 He comes crying into the World prophecying as it were that he is now launching out of the Haven of the Womb into the wide Ocean of Care and Calamity So 2. He is miserable in his Life A Life Full of Trouble Job 14.1 He is Born to misery Job 5.7 His Childhood and Youth is not only Vanity Eccles. 11.10 But if not villany 't is yet misery Yea his Middie-Age is made miserable by grasping too greedily of that bundle of Thorns the World c. Much more his Old-Age which is expresly called an Evil Age Eccles. 12.1 Thus in these four respects man is more than thrice miserable as to his life 3. At his Death most of all if not Bornagain before he Dye then he doth but Begin his Endless Misery VSE I. Oh that I could be a Boanerges or Son of Thunder to awaken souls out of the fleep of Sin what meanest thou O thou Sleeper arise c. Jon. 1.6 Awake awake why sleepest thou c. Eph. 5.14 Call upon thy God and be not still fast lull'd asleeep by a Soul-undoing Devil in the bewitching Cradle of Carnal Security Knowest thou not that upon this moment and God only knows how short it may be depends no less than thy Eternity of Woe or Weal As the Tree falls so it lyes and so it rises again what way the Tree leans that way it falls either to South or North and it leans that way it hath most boughs on O then enquire on what side most boughs grow that to Heaven or that to Hell Ye had better dye in a Ditch Dunghil or Dungeon as Dye in sin Joh. 8.21 VSE II. Then Study this Patriarchs Opticks who had a Right Prospect of mans life that it is but a Lingring Death a Poor Short and Miserable Pilgrimage wherein thou must expect foul way and weather as well as fair A Returna Brevi Term may ere ever thou be aware determine thy Pilgrimage The Angels Question to Hagar Whence comest thou and whither goest thou Gen. 16.8 Whether to Heaven or Hell is of Infinite Importance He that gathers in Summer is a wise son Prov. 10.5 As this Young-Man whose Funeral we are Solemnizing did He had learnt to look upon all worldly things with a Pilgrim's Eye and to make use of them in his way Home with a Pilgrims Heart Much more might I say from my own personal Knowledge were it not that it is not my manner to Paint Sepulchres or to Beautifie the Tombs of the dead which is a work fitter for a Pharisee Mat. 23.29 than for a Gospel-Minister c. VSE III. Oh that all Young Men were such Mortified Timothies as He was who lived much in a little Time And though he be deprived of the residue of his dayes Isa 38.10 And hath not the long life promised to Piety yet God keeps his
evil but as he was Israel so his Days were many and good He had two Names Jacob and Israel Genesis 49.1 2. both given him from his Wrestling the farmer Name was given him for wrestling with his Brother for the Birth-right in the Womb wherein he Miscarried but the latter for his Wrestling with his God for the Blessing at Penuel wherein his Valour through Divine Condescension obtain'd the Victory When the Messiah saw Jacob's undaunted Courage in resolutely detaining him Asks him his Name Gen. 32.24 26 27. As if he should say Thou art such a Fellow as I never met with who though thou be lamed and laid Hard at yet wilt not let me go without my Blessing Thou hast let thy Flocks go and thy Herds go Thou hast let thy Wives go and thy Children go yet thou wilt not let me go nor my Blessing go I will not let thee go except thou Bless me saith Jacob v. 26. Hereupon He Honours Him as it were with the Honour of Knighthood saying to him Kneel down Jacob Rise up Israel for as a Prince thou hast had Power with God and with Men and hast prevailed Gen. 32.28 Hos 12.3 4. Now Jacob is a Name of Weakness the poor Worm Jacob Isa 41.14 Trampled upon and trodden under foot This Afflicted State made Jacob sigh out those Sad Words All these things are against me Gen. 42.36 and those of my Text also Few and Evil have the Days of the Years of my Life been But so far as he had Princely Power as Israel signifies both with God and with Men In this Sence his Days were many and good One Day with God is a Thousand elsewhere VSE Hence learn we the Reason why the Church is called Jacob through out the Scriptures when Speech is of her Weakness and Calamity But she is frequently call'd Israel to signifie her Splendour and Glory and as it is thus with the Church of God in General so it is with the Children of God in Particular Some times they are run down with strange Temptations and with strong Tribulations then are they the poor Worm Jocob Isa 41.14 The Shulamite found two Armies Warring in her The Army of the Flesh and the Army of the Spirit Cant. 6.13 When the Army of the Flesh or Amalek prevaileth as Exod. 17.11 then the Seed of Jocob droops but when they are made strong in their Weakness 2 Cor. 12.9 Strengthned with all Might Col. 1.11 and made able through the Supplies of Christ's Spirit Phil. 1.19 to Tread down Strength as Judg. 5.21 even the strongest Temptation without then are they called the Israel of God Gal. 6.16 for their Prince-like prevailing over Flesh World and Devil III. Observation From the Circumstances of the Text. The Third Observation ariseth from the Conjunction of these two Parts This Question and the Answer to it which is 'T is a Duty Incumbent upon all Mankind to be Asking and Answering How the Days of the Years of their Lives do pass away It was Moses's Prayer Lord teach us to number our Days that we may apply our Hearts unto Wisdom Psalâ— 90.12 In which Psalm it being â— Meditation of Man's Mortality corresponding with my Text therefore Mark 1. Moses mentions the Brevity and Uncertainty of Man's Life comparing it to a Watch v. 4. which is but the fourth part of a Night Mark 13.35 Then he goes on and compares it to a Sleep to a Dream all vanishing things and to a Tale that is soon told and is as soon forgotten lastly to Grass which we well know if it be not cut down in Summer or Autumn doth wither in Winter So such Mortals as are not cut down with the Sithe of Death in their Youth do yet wither away in the Winter of Old Age. Quid est Vita nisi quidam Cursus ad Mortem said the Ancient Father Life is nothing but a Posting to Death The 2d Occurrence in this Meditation of Moses upon Man's Morality is his assigning the proper procuring Cause of this Humane Miseâ—y to wit Divine Displeasure â—gainst Sin which causeth God to â—urn Man to Destruction ver 7 8. Man at the first was made Immortal he had then an Immortal Body a Suitable Companion for his Immortal Soul These two Sweet Associates had never been severed each from other if Man had not sinned against his Maker Had Adam stood on his State of Innocency He should then have rendred to the Lord a time of perfect Obedience and Service here upon Earth and when that Homage to his Great Landlord had been accomplish'd he should then have been Translated from Earth without the least taste of Death to Heaven the Soul should never have been separated from the Body as now it is for the Wages of Sin is Death Rom. 6.23 It was that one Man's Offence that pulled up the Sluce and let in Death as a Deluge with a Regal Authority over all the World Rom. 5.14 to 17. and Sin did not only let in Death but also all sorts of Sicknesses Sorrows and Sufferings that are Forerunners of it Then 3ly Moses Condemns Mans Dulness in taking no more notice of this Divine Displeasure ver 11. All other Creatures know their Times and their Seasons Jerem. 8.7 but Man knoweth not the Day of his Visitation till He come to be Snared in an Evil Net c. Eccles 9.12 Though Man's Life be a Life full of all Inconveniencies of Indignities of Injuries of Infirmities and of Iniquities also yet such is the Stupidity of the Fall'n Nature that Man puts the Thoughts of these things far from him Amos 6.3 Fourthly Hereupon Moses begs God for Illuminating Grace wherewith to make a more Distinct Discovery of all Humane Frailty Lord teach w to number our Days c. ver 12. And the Sweet-Singer of Israel David will be of the same Chorus with Moses sighing as well as singing out these Synonimical Sentences Lord make me â—o know my end and the Measure of my Days what it is That I may know how frail I am c. Psal 39.4 5. Thus likewise Jacob in my Text carries on the like Concord and Consort to compleat the Harmony complaining here Few and evil have the Days of the Years of my Life been c. Adding only this one Note of Discord for making better Musick that God had taught him this great Truth concerning his own Frailty He had seen it for time past and He would be sensible of it for time to come his Days had been few and Evil Now they might be fewer and worse seeing He and all his were famished out of Canaan the Land of Promise into Egypt the place where his Posterity would be evilly intreated Gen. 15.13 VSE Moses teacheth us what use to make of the knowledge of our own Frailty It should strongly stir us up to an earnest imploring of Divine Mercy He maketh a loud Out cry after Mercy Crying Return O Lord How long c. Oh satisfie us early with thy Mercy
c. Psal 90.13 14. He could find nothing in all the World but Divine Mercy to be a Congruous and Competent Remedy for Humane Malady and Mortal Misery And 't is not a little of Mercy will do but he must have much even as much as will Satisfie Oh Satisfie c. The Salve must be suitable to the Sore for quantity as well as quality Great Misery smarted under requires Great Mercy to Cure it Yea and he must have it early also Oh Satisfie me early c. The Soul of a Frail Sinner made sensible of his Sinful Frailty even longs after Mercy He cannot Live without it he dare not Die without it He must have Mercy both the Giving and the Forgiving Mercy whatever else he wants 't is the Vnum Necessarium He must have it speedily or he cannot sit down satisfied Valde protestatus sum me nolle sic a Deo Satiari God saith Luther shall not put me off with Pleasure Treasure Honour or any thing below his Mercy Mercy gives us much yet forgives us more c. The Fourth Observation ariseth from the Body and and Substance of the Text more to be insisted upon to wit Doctr. 4. Man 's Life is but a poor Pilgrimage 'T is twice thus titled in my Text Jacob calls his own Life a Pilgrimage in the fore-part of it and the Life of his Progenitors he calls a Pilgrimage also in the latter part The Apostle James moves a Parallel Question to this of Pharoah's The latter asks What is your Age Gen. 47.8 and the former asks What is your Life Jam. 4.14 This of the Apostles admits of a double Answer The First is Philosophical And The Second is Theologicdl The First is that Answer which not Vain but Solid and Sage Philosophy gives to the Apostles Question What is Man's Life to shew the Nature of it 1. Plato that Divine Philosopher calls Man's Life a Game at Dice wherein what shall be the cast wore or less is not in the Gamesters Power yet whatever is the cast 't is the Gamesters Duty to make the best Improvement of it that he may win the Game This Platonick Notion carrieth a Correspondency with the Analogy of Faith and with the Scripture of Truth which saith Mans ways are not in himself c. Jerem. 10.23 'T is indeed the Saying of some quisque suae Fortunae Faber Every Man is the Framer of his own Fortune which may be taken in Sano Sensu if Interpreted only by that first Sermon after that upon the Fall which God Himself Preached to Cain Gen. 4.7 If thou dost well Shalt thou not he accepted But if thou Dost ill Sin lies at thy Door Notwithstanding It is not in Man to direct his own Steps faith Jeremy much less to order the Success of his Works Solomon saith Man's Diligence without God's Blessing cannot inrich Prov. 10.4 22. Man knows not therefore what his Cast shall be more or less in this Life yet is it his Duty to make the Best and if it be possible a Blest Improvement of all Occurrencies of Providence attending him That through Grace which is the true Philosopbers Stone that turns all it touches into Gold all Natural and Moral Evils may be converted into Spiritual good This is the only way to win the best Game in the World Vincenti Dabitur corona Vitae The Winner's Wage is Eternal Glory Revelat. 2.10 17 26. and 3.5.12.21 Secondly Next to Plato Hear Seneca These two were the two great Luminaries of the Heathen World who abounds in his Allusions upon this Point As 1. This Wise Morallist calls Man's Life a Warfare wherein how soon our Enemy Death will come upon us and overcome us we know not Therefore should we be always upon our Watch and Ward 2. He compares Man's Life to a Flash of Lightning which immediately appeareth and as immediately disappeareth again 3. The Philosopher comes up higher to the very Terms of our Text and plainly saith That Man's Life is but a Pilgrimage and Path-way to Death Some indeed say That this same Seneca was acquainted with the Apostle Paul his Contemporary in Nero's time and that Epistles were writ from each to other so might borrow such Divine Notions from him But sure I am he could not be Conversant with our Patriarch Jacob unless in Moses Pentateuch from which he might borrow such Sacred Phrases c. as Homer did his Alcinous Garden c. and Ovid his Deucalions Floud c. from thence Thirdly Pythagoras Briefly of the rest compareth Man's Life to a Stage-play on a Theatre where a Man acts his Part for a while then retireth being dis-attired or devested of all his Histrionical Attire and Acting Garments Fourthly To this add that of Simonides Related by Rodulphus Agricola who being askt What Man's Life was Answered with a Silent Sign shewing himself to the Company a little while and then with-drawing out of their sight Fifthly Epictetus Declares Man's Life to be like a Voyage at Sea upon the Narrow Seas wherein he meets with High Winds Rough Waters Surging Waves as it were all in a Conspiracy to swallow him up and if he escape the Storm either Ragged Rocks or Cruel Quick-Sands may Shipwrack him in a Calm Yea it may be that Pyrates may plunder him or some contrary Blasts may blow him too soon to Shore However in those Narrow Seas there is but a short Cutt from Shore to Shore Many more Sayings of those Heathen Sages might here be multiplied were it not to avoid Prolixity I have done with the Philosophical Answer to What is Man's Life Let us hear what is that which is Theological that hath a more Noble Original and is Taught in an Higher School Picus Mirandula saith excellently that Philosophy seeks Truth Divinity finds it and Piety possesseth it The Notable Essays of the former have been heard but Scripture Discovery is the more sure Word of Prophecy whereunto we shall do well to take heed 2 Pet. 1.19 The Word of God aboundeth with many Metaphors to Illustrate the Nature of the Life of Man being all Answers to the Apostles Question What is your Life I can but single forth some very few of them that this narrow Discourse swell not too much The First Resemblance waveing those I mention'd before from Psal 90 c. which I inlarged on the more because 't is a Paraphrase on my Text is that of the Apostle James who mov'd the Question What is your Life And gives himself the Answer to it no doubt but well Accommodated because he was inspired by the Holy Ghost to give it He saith It is even a Vapour that appeareth for a while and then vanisheth away Jam. 4.14 Oh what a poor empty thing is a Vapour no Solidity in it 't is not so much a Thing as next to No-thing It disperseth it self so soon as it is raised no sooner it appears but it disappears Oh then What a vain shew maketh Man in his Life Psal 39.6 The
Pomp of Great Princes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Swoln Bubble a big Phansie Act. 25.23 The Sâ—â—ond Resemblance is Smoak My Days saith David are Consumed like Smoak Psal 102. 3. Good God what a Vain thing is Life if no better than Smoak a Vapour may be lovely with its comely Colours but Smoak is a Sooty thing pleasing to none but offensive to all none thinks that Smoak is worth keeping so Life may be as Smoak to the Eyes burdensome enough Though the Flame of Fire be Smoak fired yet the Smoak it self hath not a Spark of fire in it Thus this Temporal Life hath not so much as a Spark of Light and Life in it compared with Eternity Who can hold Smoak in his hand or take and keep an handful of it No more can he his own Life Oh how Smoak hastens up into the Heavens in its Rowling Pillars and circular Agglomerations so doth Man's Life to the Fountain of Life froâ— whence it came The Spirit returns to God Eccles 12.7 The Third Metaphor is a Shadow Man fleeth as a shadow and continueth not Job 14.2 and Psal 112.11 A Shadow we know lasteth not long at any time it can but last the length of a Day at the longest for as soon as the Sun hides his Head under the Earth die Shadow is gone But mostly it lasteth but a little part of the Day because the Sun is oft hiding his Head under a Cloud and so oft is the Shadow gone The Shadow of the Dyal hasteth to its Period and who can stop it So doth Man's Life It flieth as the Shadow of the Night before the Day and as the Shadow of the Day until Night returneth The Shadow passeth along as the Body passeth and who can hold it but the Night cometh and taketh it away Man carries an handful but of Smoak or of a Shadow while he carries his Life in his hand Oh what a poor handful is that which cannot be held Oh how many like Aesop's Dog do catch at this Shadow of a Temporal Life which is slippery as Smoak or as a Shadow so cannot be held and oft so Vain and vexing that 't is not worth holding neglecting in the mean time that great Command Lay fast hold on Eternal Life 1 Tim. 6.19 The Fourth Similitude is a Shepherds Tent Mine Age is departed and removed from me as a Shepherds Tent saith Hezekiah I saiah 38.12 The Shepherd removes his Tent as his Flock removeth from one place to another and he can remove it easily and speedily Now the Lord is our Shepherd Psal 23.1 and our Bodies are as so many Tents or Tabernacles Blessed Paul who was a Tent-maker Act. 18.3 compareth the Body of Man to a Tent or which is all one to a Tabernacle 2 Cor. 5.1 The Tent stands not or falls not at its own but at its owners Pleasure so Man's Life is not at his own choice but at God's Command The Body is not call'd there a Temple as Christ Body was John 2.21 which could see no Corruption Psal 16.10 Act. 13.35 but was to stand like a Stable Temple wherein the God-head dwelt Bodily Col. 2.9 For ever but 't is call'd an earthly House a shaken weather-beaten House a decaying Cottage and a Tottering Tabernacle that must be taken down God 's own hand that erected it comes in a Fit of Sickness and gently slackens the Cords and draws out the Pins that upheld this Tent or Tabernacle and sometimes the Tent is blown down with some Blast of sudden Death c. Yet if Godly to be raised again is a more Glorious Pallace The Fifth Comparison is the Shuttle of a Weaver Job 7.6 which in a moment passeth from one side of the Web to the other The Shuttle hath a very sudden Motion and a very swift Passage from end to end it stops not till it ordinarily be through the Web yet Job saith My Days are swifter than a Weaver's Shuttle that is the time on my Life hastens far faster than it to its appointed Period And Hezekiah compares God to a Weaver and his own Life to the Thread which the Weaver cutteth off either when the Web is finished or before it comes to the Thrums even at his Pleasure Isa 38.12 He will cut off like a Weaver my Life c. Before my Web be throughly wrought before it reach the Thrums that are tyed to the Beam at the end of the Loom The Blind Heathens did hammer at this great Truth in their Fiction of the Three Fatal Sisters Atropos Clotho and Lachesis Clotho colum Bajulat Lachesis Trahit Atropos Occat Clotho holds the Distaff Lachesis Spins out the Thread and Atropos cuts it off at Pleasure As the Shuttle is cast to and again and carries the Thread along with it forward and backward c. So is Man's Life tossed too and fro backward and forward Night and Day The Night casts this Shuttle of Life to the Day and the Day casts it back to the Night again but at length this tender Thread either breaks or is cut off according to Hezekiah's Phrase and possibly the Weaver will cut the Web out of the Loom before it be half accomplish'd as this Dead young Man may sufficiently demonstrate As to the Case of Hezekiah He then thought his Thread had been in breaking but God the good Weaver tyed the almost broken Thread again upon a Weavers Knot so Hezekiah's Life became as an interrupted Web anâ— was woven on for Fifteen Year longer And surely the Messiah puâ— forth the most Exquisite Skill of aâ— excellent Weaver upon all thosâ— whom he raised from Death to Life so made that tender Thread hold oâ— as firmly as if it never had beeâ— cut off or broken Lavater hath aâ— useful Note upon those two Texts oâ— the Weaver's Shuttle saying You that are Weavers or but Lookers up on their Work Meditate on your Mortallity and your hastening as the Shuttle to your End and learn thence to live Holily that you may Die Happily for without Holiness you cannot have Happiness Hebr 12 14. The Sixth Parallel omitting the many more Metaphors occurring in Sacred Writ of which some I may mention upon the next Observation is that is may Text Man 's Life is a Pilgrimage Sometimes the Scripture compares the Life of Man to a Voyage at Sea and sometimes to a Pilgrimage by Land These two are a Sisters Synonoma's and have the same Sence and Significations thought in differing Expressions First As Man's Life is likened to a Voayage at Sea so it representeth the Perils from Pyrates Tempests c. that Mortal Man is exposed unto Is there not an appointed time Job 7.1 The Septuagint reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Locus Piratarum Zanchy a place of Pyrates The Ship is never safe but in Harbour But Job makes this Allusion more plainly saying My Days are passed away as the swift Ships Job 9.26 Alas how was poor Job as a Ship tossed with Tempests and not
Days Job 7.1 and 14.13.14 A few Days are the number of his Life Psal 39.4 Yea the Days of an Hireling who is hired only for some few Days to do some Jobb of Work which requireth haste and is but for a Spurt not lasting Nay Sometimes the Hireling is hired but for one single Day as Matth. 20.1 2 c. where the Parable calls Man's Life but one particular Day consisting of twelve Hours And what a poor part of time is one Day especially when the Sun Sets at the Noon of that Day Amos 8.9 This makes it a very short Pilgrimage indeed as was that of this Young-man III. REASON The Third Demonstration is drawn from Scripture Metaphors which Illustrate the swiftness of Man's Life in its Passage through the World all implying the shortness of that Passage for the swifter that the Motion of the Runner is the shorter is the time wherein the Race is run I might Re-assume here the Philosophical Allusions of Man's Life As First Plato's Game at Dice is soon play'd out Secondly Seneca's Flash of Lightning soon vanisheth Thirdly Pythagoras's Stage play is soon Acted Fourthly Symonide's shewing his Face soon shewed his Back and was gone Fifthly Epictetus's Voyage is very short and all the former are short none of them long abiding So likewise the Theological As l. James's Vapour soon Evaporaeth 2. David's Smoak soon Dwindleth 3. Job's Shadow soon Vanisheth 4. Hezekiah's Tent is soon taken down 5. And both Job and Hezekiah's Shuttle hath both a swift and a short Motion c. 6. The Prophet's Grafs soon withereth and his Flower soon fadeth The Time for all these is but a short Time as saith the Apostle The time is short 1 Cor. 7.29 But to insist only upon those three great Metaphors that Job seriously plays upon all together a Post a ship and an Eagle Job 9. 25 26. to shew the swiftness and thereby the shortness of his own Life or Pilgrimage The Improvement of these three Points must stand here for a Third Application The First Simile The First Metaphor Resembleth Man Riding Post My Days an swifter than a Post c. which Allusion hath a fourfold Congruity First As the Post-Boy is one that Rides upon Swift Horses spurring them End-ways and sparing no Horse-stesh Riding always upon the Speed with Haste Haste Haste for His Majesties Service from City to Country and from one Kingdom to another carrying always Matters of Great Concern along with him So every Man is Riding Post in this Life carry'd in the Chariot of Time which is drawn by the swiftest Horses even such as be Winged Horses like Pegasus and so Flee faster than any Post according to Job's Phrase My Days are swifter than a Post They flee away c. They run faster and outrun the Post Oh that Men would consider the great Concern of the Pacquet they carry and the Tendency of their way c. Bethink your selves 2 Chron. 6.37 as the Hebrew Reading is and consider 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuagint Reads Psal 119.59 Make a Dialogue with your own Hearts commune with them upon your Beds as David did Psal 4.4 Excutite Excutite Zeph. 2.1 Shake your selves from Sluggishness as Sampson did Judg. 16.20 Consider and better consider Hagg. 1.5 7. do it not to half part Secondly The Post Rides Night and Day without either stop or stay making no long Meals any where but takes a Bit and away c. So Man's Life is ever in motion it makes no stands at any place or time but every Moment he is yielding some little unto Death his Life is passing towards it while he is sleeping in his Bed He is ever Riding Post be it Winter or Summer time or be his way and weather fair or foul in Prosperity or Adversity Oh that there were such an Heart in Men Deut. 5.29 to consider their latter end Deut. 32.29 Seeing every Year Month Week Hour and Minute you are riding Post to your Graves They that do not Remember their latter end are to be lamented because they will come down wonderfully Lament 1.9 Thirdly The Post is Betrusted with Matters of weightiest Moment sometimes the saving or sinking of a Kingdom depends upon the Posts Carriage or Miscarriage he therefore in such a Case is commanded to Ride upon pain of Death and dare not loiter or linger carelesly till he come at the end of the Stage and till his Pacquet be carefully delivered So Man in his Riding Post is betrusted with a concern of Infinite and everlasting Consequence to wit his Pretious Soul which is a Jewel of more worth than the whole World Christ who is Truth it self saith so and he is best able to know the worth of Souls because he alone paid the price of Souls Matth. 16.26 and 20.28 Oh consider how everyone of you are Riding Post with this Pearl of great Price in your hands take heed of scattering it or trucking it away for Trash and Trifles you Ride upon pain of Death be not careless your Life Spiritual and Eternal lies at Stake how can you be too careful beware of Spiritual Slumber until your pretious Pacquet be delivered upon a Dying Bed and you then be able to say with the Proto-Martyr Stephen Lord Jesus Receive my Spirit Act. 7.59 or better with your Blessed Redeemer saying Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit Luke 23.46 Thus David was careful to deliver his Pacquet into Right hands both Living and Dying Psal 31.5 c. Fourthly Some Posts Ride longer Stages than others and some shorter with their Mail and Errand yea some are stopp'd and Robb'd of their Charge c. Thus no Man knows the length of his Post-Stage We know that it is but short in General but alas we know not how short it may be in particular We are bid not to Boast of to Morrow for we know not what a Day may bring forth Prov. 27.1 Jam. 4.13 Matth. 6.34 We know not what lies hid in the Womb of Time one Big-belly'd Day may dismount us as young as we as strong as we have been dismounted yea some we see daily are unhorsed assoon as thy set out dying in their Child-hood God call'd from Heaven to Abraham saying Stay now thy striking Gent 22.10 11. and he may call upon any one of us this or the next Moment saying Stay now your Riding God indeed gives to some enough of Riding Post they are weary with Posting weary of the World and the World as weary of them they live undesired and die unlamented But all must wait till their change come Job 14.14 The Second Allusion in Job 9.26 is a Man Sailing in a Ship Mark the Gradation The Second Simile First A Ship is swifter than a Post and thence Job riseth higher there but an Eagle is swiftest of all the three A Ship passeth swiftly before the Wind and stoppeth stayeth not till she come to the Shore some one Port she is Bound for and rests not strikes not Sail
till she reach her desired Harbour or Haven Mark also the Congruity in sundry Particulars betwixt Man's Passage through this Life and a Ships passing through the Sea The First Congruity is as a Ships Bulk being built just after the manner of Man's Body in a Supine posture the Bottom-Tree answering our Back-Bone which hath many Ribs rising up on both sides c. is made for Motion not Rest Hence the Ignorant Indians call'd the first ships they beheld Moving Islands All ships are made for launching out into the Deep Waters Psal 107.23 24. And when heaved from off the Stocks where they are built in order to their passing down into the Deep have a peculiar Name as the Good-Speed the Adventure c. put upon them Even so it is with the poor Isle of Man so called he upon his first Launching forth from his Mothers Womb into a Sea of misery hath some significant Name put upon him with many hearty wishes from Parents and Relations sent after him both for his Safety and Success Secondly No sooner is the Ship Launched out into the Main Ocean but she meets with contarry Winds raging Waves dreadful Storms c. as before so that she is never safe or quiet till she reach her Rest in her desired Haven Psal 107.30 Thus it is with Man while in this lower World the place of Pyracy Job 7.1 ut supra He is assaulted with many Pyrates who hang out false Colours to decoy him within the Command of their Cannons He is Afflicted tossed with Tempests and not Comforted Isa 54.11 This present evil World is a very Shop fully furnished with All Tempting Tools and the life of man is but as one Temptation continued from First to Last 'T is a life made up all of Temptation Man is ever under either Visible or Invisible Dangers He passeth through Perils in Perils often as Paul 2 Cor. 11.26 every moment untill he Reach to that Everlasting Rest in a Desired Haven Heb. 4.9 Revel 14.13 The Third Congruity is A Ship is not only made for Motion but for Swift Motion Hence Job phraseth it My days pass away as the Swift Ships Hebr. Ships of Ebeck which may be read Ships of desire whether they be Ships of Pleasure or Yatches which are Built Frigat-wise for Sayling Swiftly Or they be Ships of Pyracy as Mendoza reads it saying Naves Piraticae mercibus Vacuae quam velocissime Rapiuntur Plundering and Pilfering Privateers being empty of Burdens make the most speedy way in Plowing through the Waters especially when they have both Wind and Tide with them to promote their Progress Thus it is with poor mortal Man who is a rowling tumbling thing like a Ship hopping from Hill to Mountain and meeting with no Resting Place Jer. 50.6 He reels to and fro as if drunk like the Marriners in a tossed Ship Psal 107.26 27. Yea and many mens motions to Hell are as swift Ships making great haste thither Prov. 1.16 Isa 59.7 Rom. 3.15 mans life is swift of it self but it runs most swiftly when the wind of Temptation and the tide of Corruption concurr to carry it forward c. Oh would to God the motions of your minds made as much expedition towards Heaven as wicked men do towards Hell All men are Ships of Desire both good and bad All are Home-bound to one of those ports and never do the winds so much fill the Sails of such and such a Ship as Desires do fill the minds of the Mariners to be at such and such a Desired Haven 'T is true the worst of wicked men do not Desire Hell yet though they do not desire that end they have strong desires towards the way to that end how ought every gracious soul to pray for the fresh gales of Gods Spirit John 3.8 and to cry with the Spouse in the Song Awake O Northwind and come thou Southwind blow upon me c. Cant. 4.16 a Godly Person hath with Paul his Cupio Dissollvi a desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 O how should we all with the penitent prodigal Hasten home to our Fathers House c. Luke 15.17 18 20. Heaven is our home 2 Cor. 5. from 1. to 7. 't is our Desired Haven Psal 107.30 even everlasting happiness Fourthly the Fourth paraphrase upon Jobs phrase that mans life is like a Ship followeth that as a Ship leaves no visible tract behind her so life passeth unto death and the memory of it is forgotten Solomon saith the way of a Ship in the midst of the Sea cannot be tracked Prov. 30.19 for though she make deep furrows in her passage all along ye◠do they immediately close up again and the same Solomon saith of men yea of great men that carry a great figure in their place and be of a Ruffling grandeur in the world when once Dead the memory of them wears out of the mind Eccles. 8.10 and 9.5 Thus Aegypt forgat Joseph Exod. 1.18 and Israel Gideon Judg. 8.34 35. Yea men Friends and Familiars remember the dead no more Thus likewise some understand that phrase in Dan. 8.5 The he goat toucheth not the ground in this sence that it imports not only the speed and expedition of Alexanders prodigious conquests but also that in ā short time no man would know what was become either of that great conqueror or of any of his vast Conquests there would be no print of any their footsteps left behind they would no more be found than the way of a ship in the midst of the Sea Yet O how good it is to be a godly person for the Righteous shall be had in Everlasting Remembrance Psal 112.6 the memory of the just full be blessed Prov. 10.7 they shall be mentioned with much veneration after death even by those that spared not to Reproach them in their life their very name shall be honourable and acceptable to God and men whereas the name of the wicked rotteth and stinks above ground Prov. 10.7 Fifthly and lastly a Ship never rests till she come into her desired Heaven so mans life stays no where till it comes to its long rest and that is a blessed rest to those that dye in the Lord Revel 14.13 that fall asleep in Jesus 1 Thes 4.14 God takes a way their Souls out of their bodies as it were by a Kiss thus Rabins read that phrase Gnal pi Jehovah Deut. 34.5 at the mouth of the Lord Moses dyed not as we according to the words of the Lord As if God had taken away his Soul with a kiss of his mouth such a kiss of love as the Spouse prayed for from the mouth of Christ Cant 1.2 when this is done what follows after but rest from labours 1 from Labours of necessity 2 from labours of Infirmity and 3 from labours of Iniquity 1. They Rest from the first to wit the Necessary yet toilsom◠Labours of this Life they take no more thought Propoter Victum Amictum what they
fold 1. â—o let go sin not only in action but â—n affection also and 2. to lay hold on Christ as one undone without Him Thus came this blessed Soul to be broken off from the Wild Olive Rom. 11.24 In his letting go and â—aying down of sin as the greatest evil and by Grace became grafted â—nto that Blessed and Bleeding Vine â—he Lord Jesus John 15.1 2. who ever after his happy grafting time became a fruit bearing branch haveâ—ng juice and nourishment administred abundantly to him from the â—ree of Life Jesus Christ as the sequel will manifest in almost unparalâ—eld instances Thus far in short for his experiences in his first Conversion now come we to treat more largely of his whole Conversation some parts whereoâ— shall be reduced to the three following Heads His Exercises His Exâ—minations of Himself and his Evidences for Heaven which he attainâ—â— unto c. CHAP. II. NOW after his thorough aâ—â— sound Conversion follows 〈◊〉 holy Conversation which appearâ—â— to be much in Heaven by his conveâ—sing so much with God and with 〈◊〉 own heart in his due preparatioâ— for and true participation of thâ—â— greatest of ordinances the Lords Sâ—â—per as is manifest by those experiences writ with his own hand upon that subject which with no small trouble yet with great delight are here transcribed Now that he was bred and made a new creature by his effectual calling he found and felt a necessity that he must also be fed so asks councel about the concern of his Soul and learnt those Divine Lessons which He recorded As 1. the Lords Supper is so called because our Lord ordained it at his last Supper instead of the Passover 2. 't is the duty of Beleivers to receive it else they do slight his Love and disobey his Command 3. And to receive it often according to Christs command and the Apostles practice 4. That being dull and doubting under my Spiritual wants saith he I must give all dilligence toprepare my Heart for so great a work All are naturally unfit God will come and veiw his guests I have to do with the Son of God c. 5. This preparation must be made by a narrow search of my own Heart concerning my Sins my wants and my Graces and by fervent and solemn prayer 6. The Graces I must go to God and get from him are Knowledge Faith Love Repentance and New Obedience 7. I must have Knowledg for without it the heart cannot be good nor can I know my self nor discern the Lords Body I must know how man was created and how he fell and I in him how we are recovered by Christ how renewed after the image of God in knowledg c. till then my understanding is dark and ignorant my conscience benummed my affections out of order and set upon wrong objects my memory brittle my eyes full of adultry and my whole Frame out of Frame the knowledg of those things will help to break my heart that such a filthy lump of Sin as I am should see and feel the arms of Christ imbracing me 8. I must have Faith whereby I may hartily receive him as my Lord and Redeemer and rely upon him alone both for safety and salvation Without faith 't is not possible to please God and I may not displease him at his own Table when I go thither for the food of my Soul 9. I must have repentance because I must judg my self that I be not judged I must both mourn for sin and turn from sin when I come to the Lords Table c. 10. I must have Love too because the Apostle saith without Love all is nothing 't is uncomfortable to sit down at the table of an enemy whom we love not and who loves not us but 't is dreadfull and dangerous to sit down in our Enmity 11. I must have new Obedience also else I come in my rebellion and for Some Sinister end not out of obedience I must here renew my covenant with God and be as serious as if I were to dye Both in begging to be rid of that Sin which most disturbs the peace of my Soul and to have that mercy which would do me most good in a Dying Hour c. 12. I must quicken and draw forth into act all these forenamed Habits of Grace when I come to the Lords Table there meditating upon the great work of mans redemption Gods severity against sin in the death of my Surety Savior the preciousness of my Soul that cost such a price and the priviledges purchased for me thereby for which I must be thankful c. Having thus solemnly prepared his Soul for this great and tremendous ordinance from July 22. 1681. to August the 7h before he was yet twenty years old he sat down the first time upon that day at the Lords Table Upon this first Sacrament he received August the seventh thus he writes Before I sat down and at my first approach to the Table something of Fear and Trembling seized upon me but soon after I had some Sweet Sights of my Dear Redeemer I saw him by Faith how he stood with his Arms wide open to receive me and how he was Pierced that the Blood came out of his Blessed and Bleeding Sides I had then a clearer Sight of my God through my Redeemer and of his blessed Angels This was ravishing and Oh how refreshing but could not get my heart Inflamed enough with Love to Christ I laid open my Sins and beg'd the Pardon of them might be Sealed I promised to live up to this Obligation c. Concerning the Second Sacrament he Received Sept. 4. 1681. He gives this account I had not duely prepared my Heart for so great a work and Ordinanance but blessed for ever blessed be the Lord who did not deal with me according to my unpreparedness which if he had done I had not been here but been banished from his presence and so been under the Death of Deaths But he was pleased to give me a Sight of himself which I esteem above life and likewise a Sight of God and Christs conferring about mans Redemption I saw the Lord as it were saying Come ye Holy Angels behold man is fallen see if ye can find a way for his recovery which they could not but Christ took upon him mans salvation And I saw my self as it were in Hell where I had for ever laid but Christ came and drew me out then I embraced him as my Prophet Priest and King and became willing to forsake the World and all for Christ O that I may do it more and more and never have this frame worn off but that while I am below with my Body my Soul may be above with my God c. The Third Sacrament was October 2d 1681. on which he writes thus as the minister in administring was saying So that you are unfeignedly willing to receive Christ and whom nothing will satisfy but him I bid come and welcome
I have learnt no more from so eminent a Patern of Piety through hopes of enjoying him longer and oftner This made me neglect observing and remembring many sweet expressions which now I wish I had not done c. The Third and most Perfect Character I have from his own Gracious Sister who writes thus of him My Dear Brother Mr. John Draper was born March 26.1663 of Godly Parents though he was much bereaved of the benefit of their Education of him they dying before he was 12. Years old yet had they done their duty for him till then putting up many earnest prayers to God in his behalf which the Lord graciously answered in taking care of the fatherless after in the Year 1675. he was put to a School-Master who was as careful for his Soul as for his Body c. In the Year 1678. He became an apprentice where he served his Master faithfully being effectually called in the first Year of his time and then reflecting upon himself for his former mispending of time and neglecting seasons of grace He now begins to make a better improvement of the Assemblies Catechism which he had got by heart before he was 11. Year old at home and the Sermons he had writ abroad at School now became he more sweet to us all I never saw him out of an Heavenly frame but if he was not hearing something of God he would be speaking something from God if at any time we desired him to stay with us he would answer my time is not my own I must not neglect my Masters business much less Gods to whom I must give an account of all my Thoutghs Words and deeds I have much Work to do and but little time to do it in this should aw our hearts from sin and make us earnest for pardoning preventing mercy O what need we have to stir up one another in ways of Godliness for Heart-work is hard work and we love the World more than God He would oft bewail with tears to behold how the Youth generally prophaned the name of God and were unwearied in doing the Devils drudgery whereas we call'd Christians are soon weary with doing our Masters will whose Yoke is easy and his Burden light adding 't is free grace that makes the difference betwixt us and those Vain Youths He expressed his fear of setting up for himself often observing how many were Zealous while Apprentices yet declined when became Masters who being asked why they had lost their first love answered it was for want of time to which he replyed it was more for want of love than of time this he feared might be his own case if God prevented it not Being asked if he were willing to suffer for God he answered if God call me to it he will quallifie me for it but he thought God would not put that honour upon him The time that others take for recreation he spent in holy Duties and the money others spend idelly he laid out either profitably or charitably His sickness began Jan. 23. 1682. which he bore with wonderful patience all along Ever desiring God would compleat his work in and upon him O how would he bless God that it fared well with his Soul how ever it fared with his Body and that God was never wanting to us when we are not wanting to our selves though some blamed him for being too bookish during his weakness he answered should reading impair my health I am sure it refreshes my Soul and I wish you all to prize Communion with God and to make your peace with God before the night come had I now that work to do I might expect frowns where through my Dear Redemer I have smiles upon me which I cannot express When in the greatest extremity He would say what is all this to that which Christ suffered for me crying out O the gentleness of God to me compared with Crhists sorrows calling to hear the 14 15 16 and 17. Chapters of John read to him when weakest he would lay smiling with his eyes and his hands lift up to Heaven and a few days before he dyed he said thus to me Sister I know you wish me well I cannot be well here therefore be willing to let me go 't is not long since God made you willing to leave me in a troublesome World and now will not you be willing to give me up to God if a tast of Heaven be so sweet here what is the full injoyment let me go first 't is but a little time and we shall meet again c. I have forborn to mention my death to the loss of my self and others because your spirit cannot bear it O how am I comforted in the stock of prayers going for me when I cannot now pray for my self especially that Christ is interceding for me in Heaven After this his speech was scarce intelligible yet understood he said Lord thou knowest what I have done and what I have left undone oft over and all night spake with such earnestness as thinking he was understood the next morning friends perswaded me to withdraw as being no more useful to him but hurtfull to my self and if he became more sensible it would grieve him to see me grieve But after some hours absence returning to him he took me by the hand to comfort me saying with Arms spread my God hath chained up Satan which was an answer to that very request put up for him a little before Thus when death That King of terrours and terrour of Kings was unstung he submitted to its stroke and changed his life for a better Aug. 3. 1682. He appointed the Text for his funeral Sermon to be Gen. 47.9 as is related before in the time of his Health yet finding the sentence of Death upon himself c. He was born 1663. began his last sickness on Jan. 23. and dyed when August was but 3. days old Thus This Blessed Soul passed from Three to Three Handed by Three in one the Trinity From Womb to Tomb. Three threes compleats his race Turns all his griefs to everlasting Peace The Next Character is that of a Minister who writes thus to him in his last sickness c. Shall I be sorry to hear of your sickness I am as it is an evil to Nature but I rejoyce in hope that it will increase your Grace not doubting but to such a serious Christian and Religious person as you have been this Affliction will be the taking away of sin and this rod with Aarons will blossom with the Peaceable fruits of Righteousness your great knowledge in the mystery of Salvation and eminent proficiency in the School of Christ may well put a Supersedeas to any instructions from me yet give me leave as a faithful Monitor to mind you of your duty of Patience that you may be as eminent in that Grace in the time of your sickness as you were in other Graces in the time of your health I know 't
the morning he gives an high encomium of Godliness to strengthen her in love to the good ways of God saying 't is the great work we have to mind in this lower World therefore need we to meet helps to forward one another therein 't is not a small thing or a by-business to be forgotten c. 't is the best riches that cannot be taken from us as there are all good things in it so there is no danger to loose it yet find I a proneness to be triffling and tampering with transitory vanities while the true riches are neglected O this Heart-work is Hard-work and the way to Heaven is up the hill but our Captain if we follow him close will make it easy helping us to hold on and to hold out to the end not only as living but also as lively Christians not loitering in the way of sin but lustily running our race seating our selves under Gods eye All lower persons and things be changeable Relations may be our friends to Day and they may be dead to morrow or they may live yet their love may die and our delights to day may be our sorrow and our horror to morrow c. but still in Godliness we have an unchangable God our thoughts of this must be bellows to blow up the flame of our desires and the spur to our dull affections In another Letter to his younger Sister which came also to my hand O what a travelling spirit was upon him that Christ may beformed in her saying to her My hearts desire and prayer 〈◊〉 that you may be saved conâ—â—der your sad estate by nature you are a slave of Satan a stranger to God and if you dye in that estate you are undone for ever O that you may see in this your day the things that belong to your everlasting peace least they be for ever hid from your eyes For judgment will certainly find you where death doth leave you if you die in an unregenerate slate you will be banished from the presence of God and an eternity of horror and terrour is to be endured c. But if you make your calling and election sure then may you expect nay you will have everlasting bliss O think much on these things you have now time to make your peace put it not off if you love your Soul no not till to morrow as too many young persons do thinking it soon enough yet and yet but know you may be dead before the morrow pray therefore for conveâ—â—ing Grace and for power to cast off sin especially that which lays nearest your heart for if the heart-sin be loved better than Christ 't will undo you for ever let but your Lord have your chiefest love and you will soon find more pleasure in ways of holiness than in all the ways of sin In another letter to his kinswoman I find him very warm in his exhortations saying Now is the time of stirring up one another to prepare for approaching evils seeing the Cloud thickens and looks black over our head we have need to have our rock ready to fly to and to have our evidences for Heaven cleared to have our loins girt and our lamps burning and to sit loose from those lower things that seem now to be leaving us O that sweet word Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to us for the end of this dispensation is to drive uâ— further off from sin and nearer God And O sweet word In the world ye shall have tribulation but in Christ peace who would not travel through a world of trouble to find that peace in Christ This kinswoman was so touched with his lines that she cast in this character of him after his death saying God took him from me because I was unworthy of him he told me 't was better to want time than to want an heart for doing good he cryed oft hearing the clock strike O Time Time I am so much nearer eternity and O the Love of Christ that purchased an eternity of weal for me is there any Love like Christs c. In another I find these short rules comprized in Verse very useful to him when time would not permit him to make any use of larger helps Let not soft sleep thy weary eyes invade Before the same confine with the nights shade Thy thoughts retire and make it their last task Of the days deeds three questions thus to ask Wherein Have I transgressed this day what good deed have I wrought And what have I forborn to do which to have done I ought Or Thus. What have I done amiss this day What well What Good have I omitted Conscience tell This Distich as his who sent him them intimates comprehends all our thoughts words and deeds and by pondering and improving them duely and daily they both reaped great â—â—nifit c. In another I find that the method of correspodency betwixt his Friend a gracious young man and himself was carryed on by a communication of Experiences or practical and profitable discourses upon the joys of Heaven the love of God in Christ the second coming of our Lord the evil of sin c. As to the first of those points the joys of Heaven their intercourse maketh this mention The Glory which we ought to have our Faith fixed on for our comfort is called in Scripture comparisons A Crown of life of Righteousness and of Glory an incorruptible inheritance a rest for the People of God the recompence of reward an House not made with hands an excellent place which the eye hath not seen c. The City of the Living God the Heavenly Jerusalem the Holy kingdom the Blessed hope and end of our holy race the City whose builder and maker is God the house not made with hands the heavenly Country the strait Gate c. The contemplation of all these divne comparisons afforded strong consolation to Both their Souls c. No less comfortable was their interchange of communion about the other point of Christs second coming which is likewise called in Scripture a Day of consolation and of corronation an harvest day a marriage day and a day of admiration wherein Christ will be admired of all his Saints at his Glorious appearance though now we be dispised by the world as our dear Redeemer himself was yet this is our joy our redemption day draweth nigh c. In another letter he hath this passage I suppose to some Minister saying Sir though I be a stranger to you yet cannot nay dare not hoâ—â— any longer from speaking to you for asking my own heart whether I were fit to dye it was answered that could not be till accounts were cleared concerning the sins I groaned under between God and my Soul about this Sir my present address is for your profitable advice Therefore I beseech you search me throughly to the very inwards of my heart c. Many more such savoury lines all seasoned with the salt of sincerity and sanctity I might add out of several other of his Letters which must be omitted to avoid prolixity To Conclude upon the View of the whole I must only add this though we have not his picture drawnin paint by some skilful limner for refreshing the memory of Relations and to prefix before this Book yet it is limned to the life in black and white both by private Christians and publick Ministers He was without flattery a mirror of piety especially in making so strict a scrutiny over all his own steps and taking so serious a prospect over all his own works both upon Sabbath days and upon every week-day between them that He might keep his heart with all diligence Prov. 4.23 O how exact was he in Self-Examination as well in civil and secular as in sacred affairs I have been young and now am old yet never in all my acquaintance found I so much faithful Self-tryal which is indeed a most necessary but alas a much neglected duty and I am confident most Christians are at a great lost in their inner man by the omission hereof as to my own part I am utterly ashamed to behold my self now an old Minister of Forty Yeâ—rs standing in the Ministry so far out stripped by so Young a Man not attaining the third part of my age and so private a Christian as an Apprentice would to God we could all young and old Ministers and People imitate this Pattern of piety calling our faithless hearts to a faithfull account daily and ever keeping upon our Watch-Tower c. This would be a blessed means to keep in the fear of God all the day Prov. 23.17 to live much more in a little time as he did from 1678. to 1683. to be neither ashamed to live nor afraid to dye like him who lived his little short life with Christ in this lower world and now reigneth with Christ in the upper and better world FINIS Thâ— I did dilligently correct every Sheet yet for want of some Revises these faults with some others have escaped ERRATA In the Epistle page 5. line 18. dele 6 p. 6. l. 24. read got p. 36. l. 18. to wit trans p. 49. l. 9. for third r. threefold p. 63. l. 20. for Heaven r. haven P. 77. 1. 21. for soul r. seal p. 79. 1. 17. r. than p. 108. 1. 6. r. get p. 116. 1. 21. r. jeered and 1. 24. r. that p. 150. 1. 12. for to r. I. for by r. because p. 170. 1. 9. for 82. r. 83.