for Gold as Chrysostom's Thief did say of himself and he is a Pirate at Sea hanging out false Colours to get in with us he seeks not whom to bite out whom to devour 1 Pet. 5.8 the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to swallow up at one mouth-full and that no less than our precious and immortal Souls therefore is he called Abaddon Hebr. A bad one indeed or the wicked one and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greek Rev. 9.3 both which names signifie a Destroyer He is a broken Bankrupt himself and ordained for Destruction and therefore his whole work is to involve all Mankind in his own Misery accounting it some comfort to have Companions therein Solamen miseris socios adhibere Doloris He hunts not as Nimrod that Cruel Hunter for our moneys houses lands or liberties but for our very lives as the Harlot doth Prov. 7.23 yea to steal away our Souls from God and the Crown of Glory from us he is called in Scripture by such names as are all of a destroying nature as 1. A Draggon Rev. 12.7 2. A Lion 1 Pet. 5.8 3. A Serpent Isa 27.1 4. A Wolf Jobn 10.12 5. A Murderer John 8.44 6. A Tormentor Matth. 18.34 7. A Fowler and Hunter Psal 91.3 8. Beelzebub Mat. 10.25 12.24,27 9. Devil quasi Do evil often and therefore it is no less than a Miracle of Mercy that we are not all of us destroyed by him through his craft and cruelty his power and policy especially considering how he hath the upper ground of us as he is Prince of the Power of the Air Eph. 2.2 when we are but weak and worthless Worms crawling here below upon the Earth insomuch that his Territories lay betwixt us and Heaven which is our Fathers House therefore was Lazarus's Soul carried by Angels through the Regions of the Air into Abraham's bosom Luke 16.22 Beside it ought to be considered with seriousness how Satan our Adversary as it signifies proved too hard for the Innocentest Man Adam too hard for the Strongest Man Samson and too hard for the Wisest Man Solomon If he could over-master all these Three who were green Trees what can we dry Trees expect Luke 23.31 If this Strong Man yea and Armed too even with Armour of proof Luke 11.21 became a Conquerour over Adam in his state of Innocency how much more may he more easily master the best of us Si hoc Adamo in Paradiso contigisset quid nobis in sterquibunt saith Bernard If this foul fall befell Adam in the Garden of Eden oh what may befall us who are now cast out of Paradise upon the dirty Dunghill of this present evil World Gal. 1.4 It may be said of the best of us as it was said of young Troilus's grappling with great Achilles There was Impar congressus a very unfit and an unequal match betwixt them Yea so bold and daring is this Devil that he dared to Assault the Second Adam as he had done before the First Adam hoping for the same success Even the Son of God himself who only could indeed over-match him not only for himself but more especially for all his Redeemed Moreover Satan is a Restless Adversary out of his unspeakable hatred against God and all goodness as it is said of the Scorpion there is not one minute of Time wherein he doth not thrust out his Sting but keeps it in a continual and speedy motion of poisoning and destroying whatever he can reach even so and much more that Old Serpent will watch night and day to sting our Souls worse than the Fiery Serpents did the Bodies of Israel Numb 21. Consider also how Satan is an Ubiquitary Adversary his Circuit he walks is the whole Earth Job 1.7 2.2 he is call'd the God of this World 2. Cor. 4.4 which lays in wickedness 1 John 5.19 As the True God in the beginning did but speak the word by his Creating Power and every Creature in the whole Creation was perfectly wrought so if Satan do but hold up his finger or give but the least whisper to his Vassals they are at his beck and obedience he leads them captive at his will 2 Tim. 2.26 Yea and this he doth all over the World no Land or Island is free from him but the whole Universe may be called as one part of it is Terra Diaboli the Devil's Land he is the Ruler of the Darkness of this World Eph. 6.12 He is a God in this sense because there is no fleeing from his presence c. as Psa 139.7,8,9 our base hearts and a busie Devil will meet in all Lands Add likewise to the abovesaid how He is an Everlasting Adversary both 1. In respect of the great World He began betimes with the first Man and Woman in the World and he hath continued ever since to this present time and he will continue even to the end until our Lord lays hold on him and chain him up for a 1000 years Rev. 20. And 2. In respect of the little World Man who is as an Epitome of the great World c. Satan begins betimes even at our very Conception for as the Serpent was more subtle than all the Beasts of tbe Field Gen. 3.1 so Satan's subtlety was most manifest in this matter that when his Luciferian Pride had metamorphos'd him from a glorious Angel as he was created into a damned Devil and therefore was cast out of Heaven into Hell and understanding how God designed to fill up that Habitation which he had left with his Angels Jude verse 6. by a Remnant Redeemed out of Mankind Hereupon he is said to be come down or rather cast down having great Wrath and Malice against Mankind Rev. 12.12 hating Man's Redeemer with a perfect hatred and sinning that unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost every moment c. and that his Cruelty to us is managed with the profoundest Craft and Policy as is apparent in this that he stayed not to pour his poison into every Vessel as it was brought forth into the World but he pours it into the Fountain or Spring head of Mankind well knowing that in poisoning our first Parents he likewise poisoned all their Posterity in all succeeding Ages to the end of the World Thus saith the Apostle by one Man Sin entred into the World Rom. 5.12 and Death by Sin and so Death passed upon all Men for that all have sinned and v. 14. Death hath Reigned from Adam to Moses and so down to us in our day c. even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's Transgression So that Infants are no Innocents being born with Original Sin the first Sheet wherein they are wrapped is woven of sin shame blood and filth Ezek. 16.4,6 c. They are said to sin as they were in the loins of Adam sust as Levi is said to pay Tithes to Melchisedech even in the loins of his Fore-father Abraham Heb. 7.9,10 otherwise Infants would not die for
namely of much smartings burning pains and sorrows if that Sting be not timely dâ—awn out by the Grâ—ce of true Repentance The Lord himselâ— pâ—…ed that Stinging Sermon unto Cain Iâ— thou dost well shalt thou not be accepâ—…d but if thou dost evil then sin lies at thy 〈◊〉 that is like a mighty Mastiff-Dâ—g whâ—ch lies sleeping at the Door and if once awakened he is there ready to pull out the Throat of the Soul Gen. 4.7 And Moses tells the People agreeable to this caution of the great God to Cain and surely your sin will find you out Numb 32.23 that is the Guilt of sin will haâ—… you at your Heels like a Blood-Hound and the punishment of it will ovâ—…ke you c. Yet such as do surely â—…nd â—t their sin by an unfeigned Repenâ—…ce before their sin thus fearfully find 〈◊〉 â—hem even all such as câ—nfesseth and â—…keth their sin shall fiâ—d 〈◊〉 Proâ— 28.13 Then if Death at 〈…〉 â—orth â—y Sting at us ' tiâ— no mâ—re harmâ—ul than an enchanâ—…d Stiâ—gâ— like those Serpents which th◠〈…〉 raised up by their Enâ—…ments Exod. â— 12 they were 〈◊〉 really Serpents but in appearanâ—… only and â—o thâ—ir Stings were like themselves more Phâ—…ms which could not 〈◊〉 sting any one true Israelite and as 〈◊〉 Mâ—…k-Serpents were swallowed up by Moses his real one even so Christ who is Life Essential hath swallowed up Death in Victory as before So that now through the Grace of Christ tho' Death may buzz about our Ears like a Drone-Bee that hath lost its Sting yet it cannot sting us with any mortal Sting for that is quite lost in the death of Christ for all his Redeemed as Christ hath taken away not sin it self but the Guilt of sin So nor hath he taken away Death it self but the Sting of it Thus Augustine doth phrase this double Purchase of Christ for us both in respect of Sin and in respect of Death saying Christus tollit Peccatum Mortem nonne sint sed ne obsint our Lord indeed doth take away both Sin and Death from us yet not that they should not be at all but that they should not be hurtful to those for whom he died And 't is for this glorious Priviledge that the Apostle Paul as one of Christ's chief Heraulds proclaimeth openly to the World and that with a world of Solemnity and Triumph his own Victory over Death by his dear Redeemer 1 Cor. 15.57 and therefore exhorts us to be always stedfast and unmoveable and always abounding in the work of the Lord well-knowing that our Labour shall not be in vain in the Lord ver 58. The same Apostle saith with such a firm Faith which both took Root downward and brought forth Fruit upward that for him to live was Christ and to die was gain and he longed to be dissolved Phil. 1.21,22,23 5 thly 'T is his returning Home to his Father's House c. because death to a Good Man is the day-break of an eternal Brightness 't is as the Vally of Achor as a Door of Hope into the celestial Canaan Josh 7.24,27 and 15.7 Hos 2.15 even into that Heavenly Country unto which the Holy Patriarchs so earnestly pressed to enter Heb. 11.13,14,15 and as it were hastened Home thither where their Father was and their All also Hereupon for them to die was no more but repaterasse as Father Bernard phraseth it that is to go Home again to their Father's House whither when they come they are assured of a most hearty and of a most happy welcome The Parable of the penitent Prodigal and his compassionate Father's meeting together at Home with Feasting and exceeding great Joy Luke 15.20,23,24 doth illustrate this The Prodigal only came but the Father ran and fell upon his Neck and kissed him and killed the fatted Calf for him and put the best Robe upon him c. to make him welcome yet all this was but a dim shadow of that exceeding excessive and eternal meeting of our Heavenly Father with his dear Children to whom Christ most lovingly speaketh Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the World Matth. 25.34 Oh the infinite Bowels of a Father yerning over his Adopted Sons and Daughters as if he had thus said Where have you been my dear Darlings all this time of my long absence from you and of yours from me come nâ—w and heartily welcome come now into my Bosom which is now wide open to receive you as the welcomest Guests that oâ—er accosted me ye shall lie warm in my Bosom to all Eternity c. and with Crowns of Glory upon your Heads ye shall sing Hallelujahs unto the Lord for ever and ever NB. Note well To know this upon a dying Bed câ—nnot but be a Rich Cordial to know that death is only Perta Coeli Janua Viâ—… the Postâ—rn Gate to the Heavenly City and the Narrow Door to Everlasting Life that it is our restoration into a better Paradise than that was out of which the first Adam was banished at first by his sinning but this Heavenly Paradise The Second Adam purchased for us by his suffering that death doth now by the purchase of Christ bring to us both Malorum omium Ademptionem Bonâ—rum omnium Adentionem that is the râ—moving of all that is evil and the receiving of all that is good This consideration brought Paul out of his Sâ—râ—it when he had been musing and â—…hting and knew not what he should châ—ose â—…ether Life or Death at last he 〈◊〉 â—orth into this resolve 〈…〉 I desire to be dissâ—lved and to return 〈◊〉 to my Father's House from whom I expect to hear Well done thâ—… good and faithful Servant enter 〈◊〉 into the Joy of thy Lord Matth. 24.21,23 which is a Joy so big so great that it cannâ—… enter into us Quicquid Recipitur recipitur ad Modum Recipientis saith the â—…losopher the Vessel receiving m◠〈…〉 Measure congruous to and c◠〈…〉 the Matter received Now 〈…〉 ouâ— Vessâ—ls are not large en◠〈…〉 Joy to enter into us th◠〈…〉 that we must enter int◠〈…〉 it is such a Joy as is more m◠〈…〉 Lord and Master than for 〈…〉 yet such a liberal Lord do w◠〈…〉 as will honour his Servants with 〈◊〉 matchless Joy We serve a most Honoâ—rable Master who employs us in most Honourable Work and will at last pay us with most Honourable Wages Unto all this aforesaid let me add the Christian's Charter as another pretious Cordial unto a dying Saint namely the large Inventory which the blessed Apostle distinctly describeth that belongeth to every true Believer saying all things are yours whether the World and so you lose nothing when you leave the World or Life or Death or things present or things to come all are yours and ye are Christ's and Christ is God's 1 Cor. 3.21,22,23 that is the World is theirs tho' not in possession yet by way of Reduction ye shall
Death is the wages of sin Rom. 6.23 and the Reign of Death is procured by the Reign of sin which hath reigned over all Mankind except Christ All are sinners infected with the guilt and filth of sin the Rot according to the Vulgar saying over-runneth the whole Flock Hence David reflects upon Original Sin as the Original cause of all his Actuals saying Behold I was shapen in Iniquity and in Sin did my Mother conceive me Psal 51.5 Thus Man's Malady begins betimes even in our Conception this subtile Serpent sowed his Tares very early so that we are all born in our sin Joh. 9.34 Adam begat a Son in his own Image Gen. 5.3 and his Childrens Teeth are set on Edge after he had eaten the sour Fruit of the forbidden Tree Ezek. 18.2 The same Hand that was reached forth to that forbidden Fruit reached out both Sin and Death to the Fruit of his Loins wherein that Fruit was seminally as the Branches are in a Common Stock the actual Sin did not determine the bound of Misery in himself but it brought a second Misery with it even the Misery of the whole Nature of Mankind Adam was the Representative or publick Person representing the whole mass of Mankind as a Parliament-man represents the whole Country he is chosen for while Adam stood we all stood in him while he kept his Obedience in his state of Innocency he kept his whole Estate and Nature safe and entire but when he fell we all fell in him in Adam all die 1 Cor. 15.22 Tho' we did not choose him yet God did choose him for us as our Representative and his Sin was the greatest Sin next to that Sin against the Holy Ghost as it had many aggravations against the greatest Light and the greatest Love that ever was vouchsafed to any man and therefore it was just with God so to punish not only himself but his whole Nature also for that sinful Act. Hereby all the Sons and Daughters of Adam came to be deprived of Original Righteousness we are all alienated from the Life of God Eph. 4.18 born the Children of Wrath Eph. 2.3 and come short both of God's Glory and of our own Duty Rom. 3.23 Adam first defiled the Nature of Mankind and ever since the defiled Nature hath defiled the whole Off-spring thereof leaving them under the Curse of God and liable unto Death in the latitude of it even unto Death Temporal Spiritual and Eternal The Fall of Adam was the Death of himself and the Death of us yea and also it was the Death of our dear Redeemer to redeem us from Spiritual and Eternal Death Now as is the Root so are the Branches as is the Fountain so are the Waters that flow from it Generatum sequitur Naturam Generantis that which is begotten doth follow the Nature of that which begetteth who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean not one Job 14.4 that which is born of the Flesh is Flesh Joh. 3.6 Corruptus parit Corruptum one corrupt thing brings forth another yea the Sower soweth clean Grain yet even that brings forth Chaff as well as Wheat from which it was winnowed before it was Sown Father Augustin saith There is nothing more certain than Original Sin yet nothing more secret and hard to be understood how it is conveyed from Parents to Children Many Disputes there be about the manner how Sin is propagated from Adam to his Off-spring some of which deserve no better Character than that of Aristotle de Vacuo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such discourses upon the empty place are but empty things 'T is sufficient for us to know that God by a just imputation doth realize the Infection into the whole Race of Adam in whom we were as in a common lump and in his Leaven we are all sowred We know that leprous Parents do beget leprous Children and there be Diseases which are call'd hereditary and incurable by man we took this Infection from our Parents and we transmit it to our Children so come we to be called a Seed of Evil Doers Children that are Corrupters as well as corrupted Isai c. 1. v. 4. I have read the story of some foolish People who falling all together into a deep Pit fell a disputing one with another how they came there c. but one wiser than the rest advised them to lay aside those Niceties and rather consult about some proper means whereby they might all be delivered out of that danger without which they were in all probability like to perish Even such are those vain Ventilations about this abstruce point of Sins entrance into the World whether by that one person Adam's fall or by every ones fall in his own person the frothy Wits of the Arminians do fondly deny Original Sin But such as are wise to Salvation have learnt better Lessons in Christ's School and they feel otherwise in the School of their own smarting experience Therefore we ought all seriously to consider how the Greek Fathers call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Seed-plot of all Actual Transgressions c. and the Latin Fathers call it Fomes Peccati the lasting Fewel that feeds the Fire of our burning Lusts but above all how the Holy Scriptures doth Charactarize it calling it the Body of Sin Rom. 6.6 and the Sin that dwells in us Rom. 7.17 and the Law of the Members ver 23. and that which so easily besets us Hebr. 12.1 and David calls it the Iniquity of the Heels which was ready to trip him up and to lay him all along upon the ground at every turn and return of the Tempter upon him Psal 49.5 And if we do as little Zacheus did namely climb up the Sycamore Tree to take a full prospect of his lovely Lord from top to toe Luk. 19.3,4 c. so if we get up into the Mount of the Old and New Testament and take a full view of the foulness of Original Sin The right Scriptural Account of Original Sin is this 1. That man who had been God's delight before Prov. 8.31 became both hated of God Psal 5.5 and an hater of God Rom. 1.30 the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying to hate God as Hell 2. That faln man is become intensively evil protensively only evil and extensively always and continually evil in the thoughts and imaginations of his heart Gen. 6.5 3. That man's Heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked Jer. 17.9 4. His Thoughts are Thoughts of iniquity Isa 59.7 5. He walks in the vanity of his Mind Ephes 4.17 having his understanding darkned and his Heart blinded ver 18. 6. His Conscience is defiled Tit. 1.15 7. His Eyes are full of Adultery and he cannot cease from Sin 2 Pet. 2.14 8. His Throat an open Sepulchre the poison of Asps upon his Tongue and Lips c. Rom. 3.13,14 9. In a word all mans Members and Faculties are marr'd and maim'd by the fall of Adam as might more largely
Healer as our Lord Jesus is there is no kind of Disease can be found Incurable and thus the Prophet saith By his stripes we are all healed Isa 53.5 and tho' man have for his Mallady Satan who is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a roaring Lion seeking whom he may not only bite or scratch but Devour or drink up at one Draught or swallow down at one Mouthful as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies 1. Pet. 5.8 Yet this is our comfort that our Blessed Saviour who is also a Lion of the Tribe of Judah Revel 5.5 He is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one who saveth us from the wrath to come 1 Thess 1 10. Thus Man's Remedy against all his Malady is his blessed Redeemer but more particularly even from the mouth of our dear Redemer himself in his excellent Parable concerning the strong Man's peaceable possession of his house until the stronger Man came upon him with a writ of Ejectment and dispossession of him c. Luk. 11.21.22 As the former of those two Verses holds forth Mans Malady and Danger which is at large discoursed upon and discovered so the latter Verse gives a most clear demonstration of Man's Remedy and Deliverer namely himself whom he calls the stronger Man and most amply accomplished to effect a compleat Deliverance and Salvation for us sorry Mortals out of all the before-named Miseries In both those Verses we may behold as in a clear Looking-glass and discerne whose we are and whom we Serve as the Apostles phrase is Acts 27.23 whether we belong to Satan or to our Saviour c. as we find the witnessings of Gods Spirit with our Spirits Rom. 8.16 Concerning this possession of the strong Man and the Dispossession of him by the stronger Man c. as our Saviour calls himself in ver 22. which doth represent Gods Champion coming forth to redeem man fallen into misery by the wiles of Satan and one who will not be baffled in any of his Undertakings for our Lord is called Mans Undertaker Isa 38.14 and he saith likewise Oh Mankind thou hath Destroyed thy self but in me is thy Help Hos 13.9 or as another paraphrastick Reading runs what hath Destroyed thee even the mutability of thy will Deceived by the grand Deceiver who was by his Creation an Angel of Light and propably one of those Sons of the Morning who sung Praises to the great Creator for the Creation of the Heavens Job 38.7 Yet afterwards by his Luciferian pride Isa 14.14 was changed into the prince of Darkness Eph. 6.12 that glorius Angel was Turned into a Damned Devil and who first set himself against the great Creator himself saying with proud Lucifer Isa 14.13,14 Ero sicut Altissimus I will be like the most High and when he found that the thing formed was too weak for Him that formed it and that the Potter had power over the Clay c. Rom. 9.20 21. So that the Creature could not prevail against his Creator then Satan falls foul upon God's Creature Man whom he saw Created in the Image of God wherein he Acted like that malicious Traitor who when his devilish designe was disappointed of Assassinating the Kings Royal Person himself he then falls foul upon the Kings Picture and tears it all to peices Thus the Devil did with the first Adam who was Gods Picture by his Creation and prevailed yea and so as that he prevailed not only against Adams Person but also against all Adams Posterity by pouring his Poison into the Spring-head or fountain as is demonstrated before as Adam was the publick Person and Rrepresentative of all the whole Race of mankind hereby we are all born Children of wrath Eph. 2.3 Enquiry how did the Creator take this Affront and Indignity done to him by the Devil in rending his Picture into peices c. was God unconcerned Answer the 1 st Indeed it was once at the least a seeming Divine dispensation concerning bloody Herods Imprisoning and Beheading John the Baptist that famous fore-runner of the Worlds Reedemer yet all that time God seemed to be silent as if not at all concerned therein by any External or sensible Providence of God to testifie his dislike and Abhorrency of such a Barbarous murder Mat. 14,3,4,5 to the 13 th notwithstanding Gods seeming silence as to outwrrd Judgments upon those malicious murderers the Lord gave an Inward plague in perplexing Herods conscience for this bloody Butchery Luke 9.7 where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies that Herod pendebat stood amused and amazed and stuck fast in the mud as it were and could not stir his feet but was ready to hang himself as the words import so in an angry Conscience Herod heard an angry God c. But Answer the 2d As to this Original Affront of Satan to his Maker in Defacing the Kings Image by putting the first Adam to the Foil and to that foul Fall the King of Kings is most highly concerned and comes immediately to the very place and spot of ground where this very Villany was newly perpretrated Summons the Offenders personally to Appear and He saith to Satan well Satan thou hast prevailed indeed over the first Adam notwithstanding I have my Glorious ends in it So to over-rule it as to bring forth the greatest good out of that greatest evil by the Chymical Art of my Unsearchable Wisdom but be it known to thee I will send the Second Adam into the world who shall not only match thee but also over-match thee he shall disposseses thee of this thy new possession The seed of the woman shall break thy Head though thou by thy Serpentine subtlety hath now bruised mans Heel and put him into a limping and halting posture Gen. 3.15 I will send my Son in the Similitude of sinful Flesh who through his Death shall Destroy him that had the power of Death that is the Devil Hebr. 2.14 and tho' thou hast sinned from the beginning yet for this purpose the Son of God shall be manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil as well as the Devil himself 1 Joh. 3.8 Thus the Everlasting Gospel as it is called Revel 14.6 was preached even by God himself in Paradise and seeing God himself was the first Preacher of the Gospel therefore that employ of God's Embassadors is very honourable Work and not so contemptible as the blind World doth unworthily account it to be c. Behold here how our most Gracious Father in Heaven provides and prepares a most Sovereign Plaister made up of the warm Blood of our Blessed and Bleeding Redeemer who was the Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World Revel 13.8 So soon as the Strong Man armed had given this mortal Wound to the Root of Mankind even to Innocent Adam in his Paradise-Estate and this Gospel of Peace our good God himself did preach thus early that none of the Spirits of his dear Children though corrupted by the faln Nature might sink in
The Seventh Character of a Conqueror is to put his Laws upon the Conquered according to his will and pleasure as Jehoshaphat and Jehoram did by the assistance of Elisha who said to them this is but a light thing with the Lord to give you Water in your want but he will deliver the Moabites into your hands 2 Kings 3.17,18 but ye shall smite every fenced City and shall fell every good Tree and stop all Wells of Water and mar Hebr. grieve every good piece of Land with Stones as if it were a grief to any good Soil to become useless and unfruitful ver 19. all this was done to Moab ver 24 25. Thus also if we be Conquerors we must endeavour to batter down all the strong holds of Satan in us with Sling-stones as was the custom of that time which is now done by mighty Bullets out of the Mouths of great Cannons The Slingers went about Kirhareseth and broke down only the Towers of it this was the will and pleasure of the Conqueror not quite to demolish the Walls of it as he did the other Cities It were well if we could sling such smooth Stones as David did at Goliah's Head especially such of the Holy Scriptures as our Mistical David did at the Devils Head Matth. 4.3,7,10 So ought we to sling such Stones at the Tempter that we may knock down the Turrets of Pride and Presumption c. which Glory is our Shame Phil. 3.19 This we must do at the least tho' we cannot quite demolish the Walls and Foundation Oh that we could go thus far and Oh that we could with those Conquerors of Israel cut down every tall Tree which are of the Devil 's planting and watering that bring forth only wild and sower Grapes paltry Hedge fruit as Crabs and such Trash in us and Oh that we could mar or grieve every piece of Terra Diaboli the Devil's Land in us as one part of America is called which bears no Fruit but the unfruitful works of Darkness so called Ephes 5.11 And Oh that it were a grief to us as before to become useless and unfruitful in our Places and Stations Oh that we could mar or grieve every inordinate Affection in us which do mar or grieve our pretious Souls Yet farther Oh that we could likewise stop up every Well of Water namely all those filthy Issues of Sin which nothing can heal us of save only a believing Touch of our dear Lord Jesus Matth. 9.20 And yet a little higher Oh that we could sow those Lands we have already conquered out of the hand of the Strong Man by the helping hand of the Stronger Man our pretious Redeemer our Goel with no other thing but Salt as Abimelech did Judg. 9.45 the City of Sechem which he not only pulled down but he also sowed it with Salt as a token of its utter extirpation This was the custom of Conquerors which they used against Cities of greatest provocation and affronts to them because Salt is taken in Scripture not only for a Sign but also for a Cause of Barrenness Gen. 19.26 Deut. 29.23 Judg. 9.45 Psal 107.34 and Zeph. 2.9 for Salt made the Land in those hot and dry Countries utterly barren and desolate when it was sown upon it as nothing but Nettles and Salt-pits were found in Moab when it was devoted to perpetual Desolation And thus it is with all Spiritual Conquerors through Christ's love to them and his strength in them they pray to the Lord that all their fleshly Lusts which war against their Souls 1 Pet. 2.11 may even every one the best beloved of them may be put to death as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.13 signifies In order hereunto when those Spiritual Enemies have received their Mortal Wound whereof they must die tho' it be of a long lingering death like those People that die of Consumptions and this Deadly Wound is always given to them at our first Conversion yet all along if we be right Conquerors in Christ we must still pray to the Lord that the Deadly Wound then given may never be healed any more as that was which the Apocaliptick Beast had gotten and was healed again Rev. 13.3 Our earnest Petition to the Lord must be that he may put rhe same Curse upon our Lusts which he put upon the fruitless Fig-tree saying Let no Fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever and immediately the Fig-tree withered away Matth. 21.19 at which his Disciples marvelled c. ver 20. Accordingly we should desire an everlasting Barrenness may come upon those wild Olive Trees our fleshly Lusts so called Rom. 11.24 wild by Nature yea and upon that Root of Bitterness to wit original Concupiscence which springeth up too too often to trouble us Heb. 12.15 We must beg hard of the Lord that all these sinful Soils may be sowed with Salt even to a perpetual Destruction that we may learn in Christ's School to deny all Ungodliness and worldly Lusts which is the negative part of a Christian and likewise to live soberly as to our selves justly as to all men and holily as to the great God in this present World Tit. 2.12 This is the positive part of a Christian where Note well that three Adverbs Sobre Juste Pie do much exceed the three Adjectives Sobrius Justus Pius for in those latter are included only Acts of Grace but in the former are included the Habits of Grace for it is not one single Act or two but a constant Habit of Grace notwithstanding some interruptions in our way that gives the denomination of a true Christian Now this excellent state can never be attained unless we first become Conquerors through Christ so as to be able to give Laws to our Lusts which are called deceitful Lusts Ephes 4.22 and deal with them as Joshuah dealt with the Gibeonites who made them hewers of Wood and drawers of Water Josh 9.21 Tho' they had deceived him but once yet our deceitful Lusts have deceived us even times and days without number and in all other Scripture-instances we find that evermore the conquered become Tributaries to the Conqueror As 1 st Those Canaanites that could not be driven out yet they did serve Israel under Tribute Josh 16.10 according to the Law of Moses Deut. 20.11 2. Thus the Tribes of Israel when they became strong did put the Canaanites to Tribute as Ephraim Judg. 1.28 and Napthali ver 33. and the Danites by the help of Joseph his Brother ver 35. 3. Thus likewise did David unto Moab after he had cast his Shoe over it c. Psal 60.8 as its Conqueror treading them under foot then the Moabites became David's Servants and they brought him Gifts 1 Chron. 18.2 And this was a prodigious Gift unto David's Successor namely an hundred thousand Lambs and an hundred thousand Rams with their Wool 2 King 3.4 The King of Moab was a great Sheep-Master and his Tribute he paid yearly was this vast number of
of God in and of it self otherwise God would never have made it the matter of this exceeding great and pretious Promise which he was pleased to annex to the Fifth Commandment Honour thy Father and Mother that thy days may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee Exod. 20.12 Matth. 15.4 Ephes 6.2,3 This Duty of Children to obey their Parents in the Lord the Apostle calls it a Right Duty Ephes 6.1 and commends it moreover as a Duty not only good before Men but acceptable also unto God 1 Tim. 5.4 This Fifth Commandment is called the First Commandment with Promise Ephes 6.2 that is the First Affirmative Commandment or the First in the Second Table or the First of all the Ten with such a Special Promise of Long Life in the Land of the Living that thou maist live long Ephes 6.3 As good Children do help to lengthen their Parents days so Joseph did Jacob's c. So God for encouraging them in their Duty doth promise to lengthen their Days and if at any time God take this Long Lease from them here he grants them a Freehold-Estate of a greater Value hereafter If God do deny to give them the Silver of a Temporal Life in this lower World he will be sure to pay them most plentifully with the Gold of an Eternal Life in the upper and better World whereas on the contrary such as are stubborn and undutiful Children as they shorten their Parents Lives and bring down their Gray Hairs with sorrow to their Graves So God often doth shorten the Lives of such wicked Children and cuts them off in the midst of their Days as God did to wicked Abimelech of whom it is said that the Lord rendred upon him the Evil which he had done unto his Father Gideon Judg. 9.56 Yea and Solomon saith the Eve that mocketh at his Father as cursed Cham did at Noah and despiseth to obey his Mother the Ravens of the Vally shall pick out that mocking Eye Prov. 30.17 God takes notice of the offending Member and appoints this Punishment for it and a sad one too if this be understood of the Infernal-Ravens those Black Devils of Hell those are cursed with a witness whom the Holy Ghost thus curseth with such emphatical expressions and in such exquisite Terms Those Ravens of the Vally are said to be most ravenous and the first thing they do to a Carcase is to pick out the Eyes as Horace saith Effossos Oculos Voret Atro Guttare Corvus And our Saviour adds to the saying of Solomon He that curseth Father or Mother let him die the Death Matth. 15.4 All this does make it manifest that as a short Life is a Curse so a long Life is a Blessing otherwise as on the one hand Godliness would never have left to it by the Lord so many precious Promises as these to name but a few of the many beside the afore-named 1. God promiseth to his people 1. That he will fulfil the number of their days Exod. 23.26 that is they shall dye full of days as Abraham Gen. 25.8 as Isaac Gen. 35.29 and as David did 1 Chron. 29.28 They all did fall like full-ripe Apples into the hands of God the right Owner and the great Gatherer of them 2. That He will take away Sickness from them Deut 7.15 that is he will bestow the great blessing of Health upon them which is the best of Temporal Blessings for a sickly Life is a lifeless Life and no better than a lingring Death Non est Vivere sed Valere Vita saith Martial Health is the Reward of Piety Prov. 3.8 3. That they shall be blessed in the City and blessed in the Country blessed every where Deut. 28.2,3 c. mercy and goodness follows them all the days of their Lives as David saith of himself Psal 23.6 as before he had said he asked Life of thee and thou gavest it him even length of Days c. Psal 21.4 and he describing the State of a godly Man in Psal 91. he reckons up the mighty Power of God in preserving his Person from manifold Calamities so far as it consists with God's Glory and the godly Man's good yea tho' he die of the Plague for the best are not exempted from common Calamities yet shall he be saved from the plague of the Plague and with long Life will I satisfie him Psal 91.16 4. Another Divine Promise is cleave unto the Lord for He is thy Life and the length of thy Days Deut. 30.20 Agreeable unto this is that Godly Wisdom shall add both length of Days and a long Life and Peace unto such as are blest with it Prov. 3.2 an thus God told wise Solomon seeing thou hast not asked long Life c. but Wisdom of me yet if thou wilt keep my Commands I will add length of Days to thee 1 King 3.11,14 Many more Promises of along Life might be added but to avoid prolixity this shall suffice adding only that length of Days is a transcendent priviledge and desirable in general by all Mankind This was David's Doctrine which he proclaimeth with a challenge to the whole World crying as it were with sound of Trumpet What Man is he that desireth Life and loveth many days that he may see Good Psal 34.12 Augustine brings all sorts of Mortal Men and Women who all unanimously answered to David's Question saying with much eagerness every one for themselves Ego Ego I would and I would c. All Persons do desire a long Life many happy Days and a comfortable Enjoyment of all But alas how few there be that take right Courses to obtain the true Happiness according to that wholesom Counsel which David doth prescribe for the compassing of it ver 13 14 15 c. Again 2 dly What a blessing is long Life may be farther demonstrated by the many direful Threatnings which the Lord hath denounced against wickedness as before his pretious Promises to Godliness c. that the Wicked shall not live out half his days Psal 55.24 and in many more Scriptures too long here to relate all shewing that a short Life is a curse c. yet know that in some cases it is a blessing as to those who are taken away from the evil to come 1 King 14.13 and Isai 57.1 Just as when a Fire breaks forth in an House then Men carry forth their Jewels but God conveys his Cabinet into a better World their Souls enter into Rest and pass to Heaven The Conclusion of this 1 st Point then is this That seeing a long Life is promised by the Lord to the Godly and short Life is threatned by Him to the Wicked therefore it must necessarily follow from these two aforenamed premises that a good Old Age and to go the Grave full of Years and full of Graces as well as Years as Abraham did is a great blessing of God as to its own Nature and Substance c. The 2 d Point I have
have I to live can I tast what I eat or drink c and how long have I to live ver 34. that is my Breath is corrupt or my Spirits are Spent my Days are extinct and the Grave is ready for me as Job speaks of himself Job 17.1 He was Senex quasi Seminex half dead and felt himself pedetentim mori to die by peace-meal even sensim sine sensu insensibly yielding every day somewhat to Death and therefore he tells David with a most thankful Heart that it was not adviseable for him to embrace his Royal Offer of a Courtly Life to him who was now superannuated and was already as it were dead both to Meat and Musick all such delights of the Sons of Men Eccles 2.8 Those days saith he are come upon me wherein I can have no pleasure Eccles 12.2,3,4 Therefore 't is high time now for me and for all such Aged Ones as I am to make and pack up our Fardles and prepare to pass hence into that better Country which is Heaven as the Holy Patriarchs did Heb. 11.13,14,15,16 My continuance can be but short here in this World saith old Barzillai to David and therefore I would not now leave my Habitation where I may retire and rest me from the Noise of the World but now my whole work is a firm resolve to make ready for Death and to lay hold on Eternal Life 2 Sam. 19.35,36,37 1 Tim. 6.19 And indeed this is the indispensable Duty not only of such as are Old but 't is necessary for all that are Young to do so likewise because this Quantity and the length of the Lives of all Persons in all Ages is very uncertain the Proverb saith as soon goes the Lambs Skin to the Market as that of the Old Sheep the Young may die as well as the Old must die And 't is an old observation yea and a true one that there be more of Mankind which die under Ten Years old than they which live above Sixty Years We all live in Houses of Clay and our Foundation is in the Dust easily crushed as the Moth with the least touch of Man's Finger and much sooner are we crushed with the Finger of God Job 4.19 If our Cottages of Clay had a Foundation of Brass or Marble they might possibly stand some time in the World but seeing our best Foundation is no better than Dust call'd Terra Fricabilis which is so easily crumbled asunder in the Hand of a Child Oh 't is no less than a Miracle of Mercy that some of us do subsist so long alive upon the Earth seeing the Walls of our Earthly Tabernacles as Paul calls the Body 2 Cor 5.2 are weak and the Foundation of our Clay-House is far weaker being but Dust light flying and unstable Dust which is soon wherried and whirled about with every puff of Wind Hence Man is not only a Clod of Clay neatly made up by a skilful Potter as was the first Man Adam of the Earth Earthy 1 Cor. 15.47 and a Lump of Dust Gen. 3.19 but also he is but an heap of Vanity yea at his best estate Kol-Adam Kol-Abel omnis Adam est totus Abel every Adam or Man is wholly Abel or Vanity even when he seems to be well underlaid on all sides and most setled and likeliest to live Psal 39.5,11 And again Adam Abel's compar est Adam is Abel's Mate Man is like to Vanity and as a Shadow that hath no substance in it or subsistence at all Psal 144.4 and he not only consumes away like a Moth as Psal 39.11 as before with the least touch the Moth is crushed but 't is said further that Man is crushed before the Moth Job 4.19 It is not said there before the Lion that would be no wonder but 't is said before the Moth to shew what a poor thing Man is when a Moth can crush him that a Fly can choak him as it did Pope Alexander that an Hair in a Mess of Milk may stifle him as it did great Marius the Roman General and as some say Pope Adrian also Thus Druslus the Emperor Claudius's Son was suffocated with a Pear that was cast up and catched by his Mouth in sport only Thus Aemilius Lepidus was destroyed by a light bruise upon his Toe Many such Stories I might relate of this Nature but to be short let me add only one more which I can both affirm and confirm upon my own knowledge that a great Lord of this Land who was my Patron c. that was brought to his Death only by paring a Corn upon his Toe which did after Gangreen and struck upwards whereof at last he died All these Instances with many more which might be added do demonstrate the uncertainty of our Lives as there is nothing more certain than our Deaths for that is established by the great Statute of Heaven that all Men must once die Heb. 9.27 yet as to the time of it there is nothing more uncertain especially considering how Man is destroyed from Morning to Evening Job 4.20 the Hebrew reading is he is beaten to pieces as in a Mortar with one Misery upon another until the very Breath be beaten out of his Body at length yea and all this from Morning to Evening that is not only all the day long but even all the life long which is here for its brevity compared to an Artificial Day and such as no Man can be sure he shall have twelve hours to his Day For how many are there whose Sun hath set at High-noon even in the prime and pride of their Days they have been snatcht away by the Hand of Death yea yet higher how many do we see whose Sun doth set at its very rising so that they are carried from the Grave of the Womb to the Womb of the Grave even from their Birth to their Burial And assuredly we all every Hour as well as every Day do yield somewhat unto Death and nearer and nearer do we approach to our latter end yea and the longest liver of us hath but a short cut from the first Rising of our Sun to its last Setting from our Birth to our Burial The Psalmist saith that the Sun knoweth the time of its going down Psal 104.19 But this cannot be said of any of the Sons of Men that they know the time of their going down to the Grave good Isaac knew it not Gen. 27.1,2 except only Hezekiah who by a special dispensation from God knew it much less can we that are old know the time of our going down or the Quantity of our Old Age. The Jewish Rabbins do mention three Steps or Degrees in the measure of Old Age the first they call Senes the second they name Annosi and the third they stile Decrepidi and thus they reckon when a Man comes to be Sixty Years old such an one they reckon'd to be reached only to the Borders of Old Age passing along until he stepped on unto Seventy Years
and Honourable are joined together Isai 9.18 nor could Hoary Hairs be a Crown of Glory as Soloman saith Prov. 16.31 nor could a Gray Head be an Old Man's Beauty Prov. 20.29 if not found in the way of Righteousness A gray headed experienced Christian is called a Father 1 John 2.13 such as whose due is the highest veneration Levit. 19.32 especially such as are described in Psal 92.12,13,14 Such are of the highest Form in Christ's School for NB. Note well a Christian hath his degrees of Growth distinctly described in the Word of God As 1 st We have his Conception Gal. 4.19 2 dly His Birth 1 Pet. 1.23 3 dly His Childhood 1 Cor. 3.1,2 4 thly His Youth or well-grown Age when he is past the Spoon 1 John 2.13 5 thly His full-grown Age Ephes 4.13 And 6 thly His Old Age as 1 John 2.13 Acts 21.16 c. Job 29.8 and 32.4,6,7 Rom. 16 5,7 and 1 Tim. 5.1,2 Unto all these Scriptures shewing how a Good Old Age ought to be highly valued and reverenced I may add the Testimony of a Pagan Poet who extolls that Golden Age wherein he lived having only the Light and Law of Nature to conduct them in their Lives yet thus he writes Credebant hoc grande Nefas Morte piandum Si Juvenis Vetulo non assurexerit si Barbato cuicunque Puer licet esse videret Plura Domi farra majores Glandis Acervos Tam venerabile erat praecedere quatuor Annis These are the Verses of Juvenal in his 13 th Satyr the sense whereof in short is this That in this Pagan Poet's time all Men looked upon it as a Capital Crime and counted it punishable by the Judges if Young People did not rise up and reverence such as had Hoary Heads tho' the Young were rich the Aged were poor c. which is a clear demonstration that the Law and Light of Nature did concur and taught the same Truth with the Law and Light of Scripture Levit. 19.32 and the rest afore-named especially when this Evil Age in it self becomes by Grace a Good Old Age 't is to be honoured c. 2 dly The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why it must be so the Reasons be these over and above that before-mentioned namely that Old Age must be a good thing of it self and in its own Nature and Substance altho' it is made an evil thing in too many by accident as before because it is a Blessing which the Lord hath both graciously promised and performed to many of his Servants c. And a short Life is a Curse which the same God severely threatneth unto the Wicked yea and long Life it self is also a Curse unto all Christless ones tho' they live untill they attain to the Age of an Hundred Years Isai 65.20 Moreover the Reasons that demonstrate this great Truth we must be careful and conscientious in making our Old Age a Good Age are principally Three The first is because this doing as it ought to be done will be a blessed Remedy against those three woful maladies of Old Age to wit the Natural Moral and Spiritual Evils afore-mentioned therefore Solomon prescribeth the Remembrance of God in the days of Youth as a most comfortable preservative against all those Evils which commonly Old Age is attended with and maketh it an unpleasant time As 1 st A Good Old Age is a Sovereign Antidote against the Natural Evils accompanying it As 1. Against the loss of Bodily strength then the Grace of Faith in the Good Old Age doth put Strength in Weakness Health in Sickness and Ease in Pain this comes to pass by the sorce of Faith Heb. 11.34 Joshuah is one of those that was strengthned in the weakness of Old Age which he acknowledgeth saying and now behold the Lord hath kept me alive Josh 14.10,11 which mercy was the greater because he out-lived many Thousands of other Israelites whose Carcases did fall in the Wilderness Yet then he saith of himself I am this day fourscore and five years old yet lo I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me to spie out the Land of Promise Numb 13. which was forty five years ago as my strength was then when I was but forty years old even so is my strength now at fourscore and five for War both to go out and to come in Viridis Vegeta Senectus singulare Dei Donum est a fresh and vigorous Ability for Generation-work in Old Age is a singular Gift of God This Gift God gave to Moses Deut. 34.7 and to Paul the Aged as he calls himself Phil. v. 9. whose strength was perfect in weakness and when he was weak in Nature then was he strong in Grace 2 Cor. 12.9,10 and thus that seeming Contradiction is reconciled And this Gift God gave likewise to famous Mr. Dod in our days who as he was another Moses for meekness which is a great prolonger of Life so he was not unlike him and Joshuah in Health and Strength of Body when he arrived to an exstream Old Age this was a Mercy which that Good Man most highly valued So that 't is said of him Desicere potius quam Desinere Visus est that is he seemed rather to decay dissolve and melt away by Inches than to die by any Agony of Death 'T is my frequent and fervent prayer to God that he would grant us an easie passage out of this World and an open passage into the better World and to die like a Lamb is universally esteemed as a great Gift of God An exemption from the Torturing Torments of the Stone of the Strangury of the Gripes and of the Gout c. is my Singular Mercy 2. As to the loss of their younger near and dear Relations this Good Old Age wants not sufficient Cordials wherewith to sweeten the Bitterness and allay the Grief of this great Evil also as good Old Abraham did comfort his own Spirit saying let me bury my Dead out of my Sight c. when he had lost a pretious Rib out of his Side in the death of his dear Wife Sarah not only dear to him but also very dear to God himself Insomuch that God gave this Honour unto her above all other Women in Scripture Record that the Age of her life is Recorded and of Her only c. Gen. 23.1,2 Why the length of the Life of any other Woman save only Sarah's is not Recorded by God's Pen in Scripture our Divines render this Reason that it was to humble that Sex which was first in bringing Sin and Death into the World 1 Tim. 2.13,14,15 and therefore deserved not to have the continuance of their Lives mentioned in Sacred Writ by the unsearchable Will and Wisdom of God 'T is said indeed that Abraham mourned for her Death and she was the first also that we read of who was mourned for when she died as well as the only one of that Sex whose term of Life
Mercy that no deadly â—oison of Satan doth now harm us as our Lord did promise unto all Believers after his Resurrection Mark 16.17,18 Oh that all we Aged Ones could sincerely praise the Lord for this high Favour that 〈◊〉 now find by sweet experience we can better resist the Devil now so as to make him flee from us Jam. 4.7 We can now resist him more stedfastly in the Faith 1 Pet. 5.8,9 than we were able to do in our youthful days and tho' we be able through Grace to say this yet out of an Holy Jealousie over our own Hearts we must still make a farther enquiry what is the principal procuring Cause of such an happy and easie Conquest over our own Corruptions and Satan's Temptations now in our Old Age whether we be not more beholden herein unto the decays of our own Natures in us than to any strength of God's Grace freely given to us because we may die to sin by the deficiency of our natural strength of Body when sin doth not die to us through those powerful Operations of the mortifying Spirit of Grace Rom. 8.13 but more of this after c. Now come we to the Second Reason why a Good Old Age is a great blessing because the goodness of it is not only a blessed Antidote and Preservative against those threfold Evils before-named but also it is a blessed Preparative for Death at the end of our Old Age and of our Lives This preparation for Death is not only an universal but also an indispensable Duty for after death comes the Judgment Heb. 9.27 then is the time of Reckoning which our Lord Requires after his Returning however long or short it be wherein all Mankind both the good and the bad Servants must Reddere Rationem or give an exact account of their Stewardship whether they have wasted or improved their Lord and Master's Goods Matth. 25.14,19 Luke 16.1,2 and 19.15 c. as I shew at large in my Fourth Volume of the History and Mystery of that Parable pag. 185 186. Now every Man's Death-day is his particular Dooms-day for then the Spirit returns to God who gave it Eccles 12.7 when the Body returns to Dust of which it was first made Gen. 2.7 by rotting in the Grave c. Then the Soul goeth to God not to dwell with him for there the Speech is made of all Men both bad and good but to be disposed of by him for his Final Estate then is the Soul or Spirit as being there opposed to the Body to receive its Final Doom either for Everlasting Weal or for Everlasting Wo. Therefore to prepare for Death is a most necessary tho' it be a much neglected Duty Now such as be good in Old Age their goodness consists in being alway prepared for it both Habitually and Actually they learn to die daily 1 Cor. 15.31 and makes Death familiar to them both at Bed and Board Their Conversation is in Heaven while their Commoration is here on Earth Phil. 3.20 They labour and learn to live with dying Thoughâ—s because they hope at last to die with more living comforts They have Heaven as an happy Harbour of Rest in the Eyes of their Hope which serves to season and sweeten all Sorrows and Sufferings to them as it was with blessed Paul who had his Eye fixed upon that Crown of Glory which was laid up for him and for all Believers 2 Tim. 4.8 and therefore he was not at all discouraged at his light Afflictions which were but for a moment in comparison of that exceeding and eternal weight of Glory 2 Cor. 4.17 where we have a most elegant Antithesis or opposition and a double Hyperbole beyond the reach of our English Translation As thus 1. For Affliction here is Glory 2. For light Affliction here is a weight of Glory And 3. For momentary Affliction here is Eternal Glory and the sight of this by an Eye of Faith put Paul upon his Cupio Dissolvi I desire to be dissolved Phil. 1.21,22,23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there signifies to loose off from the shore of this Mortal Life and to launch out into the Ocean of Immortality which he accounted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is far far better and best of all Thus this preparation for Death had caused Old Simeon before this Apostle even to sing his Soul out of his Body as before This likewise made that Good Old Man Job to say I would not live always Job 7.16 for he hoped to behold his Redeemer c. Job 19.25 Thus may we accordingly say we would not be Young always because we have been so hampered and pester'd with many youthful Lusts which now through Grace a Good Old Age hath weakened An Hoary Head that is found in the way of Righteousness doth ripen fast like good Fruit upon the Tree of Life in its Autumn and becomes day by day more mellow for Death and hath nothing thâ—n to do but to die being able through Mercy to say with his sweet Saviour Father I have finished my work which theâ—… gavest me to do in the World John 17.5 Oh how ready was David how willing and how prepared to die and to fall asleep in Jesus 1 Thes 4.14 when he could say his Conscience bearing witness with him in the Holy Ghost as Rom. 9.1 that he had served out his Generation in his whole Generation-work according to the will of God Acts 13.36 The Third Reason why a Good Old Age is a most rich Blessing and Benefit to the Sons and Daughters of Mankind is because it doth priviledge them with a true Title unto Mansions of Glory prepared for them in a better World Such as have continued in ways of Holiness all their Life and become faithful unto death Rev. 2.10 they shall assuredly at the last arrive at the Haven of Heaven and Happiness when they die for God himself hath assured us and God Keeps the best and surest Ensuring Office that having our Fruit unto Holiness then our end shall be Eternal Life Rom. 6.22,23 for then comes first the Joy of Harvest as when fruitful Fields are white unto Harvest John 4.35 then comes the Husbandman with his Sithe or Sickle and cuts down his Corn binds it up in Bundles and carries it Home to his Barn c. even so God the great Husbandman as Christ calls him John 15.1 when he sees his old Servants as it were white unto Harvest with Hoary Heads and fully ripened in the way of Righteousness then doth he take them down by the hand of Death and gathers them Home into his heavenly Garners Our Lord doth certifie this great Truth to us over and over again saying that Heaven is surely secured for us and we are likewise safely secured for Heaven by the mighty Power of God the word there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth we are kept as with a Guard and in a Garrison and that at the last we shall receive the end of our Faith even the
salvation of our Souls 1 Pet. 1.4,5,9 Insomuch that Death which is in it self no other than Nature's Divorce the Bodies Prison the Soul's Banishment the Arrest of Judgment the Curse of Sin and the King of Terrors as well as the Terror of Kings Job 18.14 unto all Mankind in General yet such a change doth the power of Godliness both in Young and Old that are chosen and called make in their Changes from one World to another that their Death's is only their 1. Harvest or Ingatherings into God's Garner c. 2 'T is the Joy of Marriage which is called a Rest in the House of the Husband Ruth 3.1 so Death is our Rest A Rest from their Labours Rev. 14.13 they shall Rest 1 st From their Labours of Necessity their Needs of Nature shall then cease for ever they shall Hunger no more they shall Thirst no more c. as they have done while in the Body 2 dly They shall Rest from their Labours of Infirmity they shall never complain of any more Aches and Pains in any one of the parts of the Body as they have done frequently heretofore in the time of their Mortality 3 dly From the Labours of their Callings c. they shall toil no more in the Sweats of either their Brows or their Brains c. And 4 thly Which is above all they shall Rest from their Labours of Iniquity a Laboribus Peccati as well as Officii they shall never sin any more whereas heretofore in the time of their sojourning upon Earth they had this weight upon them which they could never lay aside nor cast it off and sin did then easily beset them so that they could not run the Race that was set before them Heb. 12.1 Because of the Law of the Members that did continually war against the Law of their Minds and oft bringing them into Captivity yea and as oft making them to cry out Oh wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me c. Rom. 7.23,24 But now Christ is come to them and knock'd off all their Fetters which formerly clogg'd them c. and setteth them at perfect liberty Isai 61.1 and those whom the Son of God doth free they are free indeed John 8.36 3. Death to those that die in the Lord and in a Good Old Age also is not only the Christians Harvest Marriage and Rest as before but 't is likewise their Conquest over all their Spiritual Enemies so they have also the Joy of Victory as well as of Harvest of Marriage and of Rest They are become by their Holy Life and Happy Death more than Conquerors Rom. 8.37 even Triumphers in Christ 2 Cor. 2.14 and so as they have won the Crown of Glory by their overcoming the Wicked one through the strengthning Love of Christ upon them so they shall wear it as Kings Rev. 1.6 and as Conquerors for evermore 'T is said the last Enemy to be destroyed is Death 1 Cor. 15.26 Now to all true Believers Death is already swallowed up in Victory ver 55. as Fuel is swallowed up by the Fire and as the Sorcerers Serpents were swallowed up by Moses his Serpent so that they can say to Death when it comes to them as Jacob said to Esau surely I have seen thy Face as the Face of God Gen. 33.4,10 Thus that Esau Death doth meet a Member of Christ with Kissing rather than with Killing or so much as Frowns yea and guards him home to his Father's House as Esau guarded his Brother Jacob Home to Canaan after his long absence from it he went before Jacob as his Life-guard ver 12. Thus after a long Conflict by the Indwellings of Sin all our Life comes the Conquest at the last in our Death Alas we cannot beat sin out of Doors as Sarah did the Bond-woman Hagar but this Fretting Leprosie sin can never be either washed out or scraped off from the Walls of our Earthly Tabernacles until the House that is infected with that Plague be demolished by Death and the Stones and Timber thereof be altogether taken down As it was thus in the Type under the Law concerning the House of Leprosie Levit. 14.43,44 So it is with our Houses of Clay as the Antitype which can no way be Amended but must be Renewed and this is only done in part while we are in the Kingdom of Grace But this cleansing Work is compleatly perfected when Death gives us a dismission from hence into the Kingdom of Glory The belief of this made Old Simeon sing his Soul out of his Body and Paul the Aged Phil. v. 9. was not only a Conqueror but which was more even a Triumpher in Christ as before for he sang a Triumphant Song over Death and the Grave singing as well as saying Oh Death where is thy Sing and Oh Grave where is thy Victory 1 Cor 15.55 This is the boldest and the bravest Challenge that ever any Mortal Man did ring in the Ears of Death in which words he as it were out-braved it calling it Craven to its Face as the Vulgar saying is and bids it do its worst to him that it could do like the Philosopher Anaxarchus who with an undaunted Courage told the Tyrant who was beating his Body to pieces with a great Iron Pestle in a large Mortar made purposely for that Barbarous Butchery in the very Act of his Martyrdom he most confidently cryed out to his Tormentor Tunde Tunde Tyranne Vasculum frangis sed Anaxarchum non Laedis Beat on beat on thou Bruitish Tyrant thou indeed doth break the Vessel of the Man but thou can never hurt Anaxarchus the Man himself Much more might this blessed Apostle insult over this greatest of Tyrants that universal Destroyer of Mankind to wit Death with his Javelin in his hand seeing he was so able as to render such weighty Reasons for his Triumphing Insultation as he saith the Sting of Death is Sin c. ver 56. signifying hereby that our dear Redeemer had been the Death of Death by his Death Mors Mortis Morti Mortem quoque Morte dedisset The Death of Christ gave Death its Death as it was prophesied of him Oh Death I will be thy Death c. Hos 13.14 thus our Saviour did disarm Death and took out the Sting from this Venemous Serpent so that we may now as safely put Death into our Bosoms in a serious Meditation of dying Daily as some men whom I have seen have with enough of safety put into their Bosoms a Snake whose Sting was before pulled out If Death do now shoot out any Sting at us we may thank our selves for our not being more constantly sound in the way of Righteousness If at any time we turn aside to crâ—…ked Paths there will the old crooked Serpent meet us and he will not only sting us there but also leave his Sting behind him in us as the Bee doth to those that are stung by it and this may be the procuring Cause of many sad effects
it is indeed a Terror to Kings too the Philosopher calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most formidable of Formidables and Nature in the best doth find it frightful enough yet our Lord saith I will not leave you Comfortless John 14.18 The First Comfort against the Fear of Death and that our Lord hath left us for our Relief is 1 Cor. 15.55 that Christ hath unstinged that Serpent and that now his Redeemed may triumph over it Moses first fled from the Serpent but being better informed he took it by the Tail and then it became an Useful Rod in his Hand Exod. 4.3,4 Thus Israel at first fled from Goliah as affrighted with the sight of such a Monster of Mankind but so soon as they understood that David had slain him and laid him along without his Head upon the ground then did they run as fast to him to trample upon him c. as they had before run away from him sore affrighted 1 Sam. 17.24,52 So could we but believe that Christ our Lord David had swallowed up Death in Victory as we are assured Isai 25.8 and that Christ's Death is the Death of Death Hos 13.14 then might we sing a Triumphant Song with the Apostle over both Death and the Grave c. A Second Breast of Comfort against the Fear of Death is that precious Promise of God Thou shalt not be afraid when Destruction or Death cometh Job 5.21 and thus God said to Old Jacob fear not to go down to Egypt for I will be with thee and I will bring thee back again c. Gen. 46.3,4 Accordingly our Saviour saith to his sanctified ones Isai 13.3 Fear not to go down among the Dead which is a going the way of all the Earth Josh 23.14 for I will go down with thee and I will assuredly also bring thee back again as one of my Children of the Resurrection Luke 20.36 as if he had said I will bring you without failure from the Jaws of Death to the Joys of Heaven as surely as Ezra and Nehemiah brought all the Captive Jews out of the Captivity of Babylon and we must consider for our Comfort that Death seizeth upon the Body only which we derive from the First Adam as Joseph's Mistress seized only upon Joseph's Garment his Person escaped so the pretious Soul is returned to God that gave it Eccles 12.7 A Third Breast of Consolation for Saints to suck against the Fear of Death is the Righteous hath Hope in his Death Prov. 14.32 Death to a Believer is as the Vally of Achor Josh 7.24,27 Israel's entrance into the Land of Promise a Door of Hope Hos 2.15 into the Heavenly Canaan there to sing Hallelujah's to the Lord for ever Death indeed to Sinners is but a Trap-door that drops them down into Hell Psal 9.17 When that Grim-Sergeant Arrests them by God's Permission and Commission in the Devil's Name and hurls them into an Infinite Ocean of Hell-fire Oh what Dreadful Skreaks doth that Guilty Soul give when it is hurried away and hurled into Everlasting Burnings Isai 33.14 and to swim naked as i◠Scalding Lead and Liquor for evermore But blessed be God 't is better with the Saints whose Debts are all paid by their Dear Redeemer they are not afraid of the Arrest of Death but looks upon it as God's Officer sent to give them possession of a Mansion of Glory and therefore their Hearts are not troubled when their Lord sends for them to be ever with him in Heavenly Happiness John 14.1,2,3,4 and 16.7 and 1 Thes 4.17.18 Oh how willing was Old Jacob to go down into Egypt when it was only to see his younger Son Joseph whom he had not seen for many years c. How much more willing yea desirous ought we to be to go up to Heaven a far better place than Egypt there to see our Elder Brother Jesus Christ How glad were those Three Wise Men of the East to take a long Journey when it was only to see the Babe of Bethlehem Christ in the Cradle c Now if we can but say as those Wise Men said We have seen his Star c. Matth. 2.2,11 how much more ought we to long for this Journey c. that we may behold our Lord Christ advanced upon the Throne of his Glory and to behold his Face in Righteousness Psal 17.15 c. which is a Beatifical Vision a Sight far exceeding those Three Romam in Flore Paulum in Ore Christum in Carne which Father Augustin so earnestly wished to see namely Rome in its Glory Paul in the Pulpit and Christ in the Flesh Alas all those Sights are infinitely below the beholding him in his Glory 1 John 3.2 It was a good Prayer of the same Augustin saying Lord can no Man see thy Face and live O then let me die that I may see it c. A Fourth Cordial against the Fear of Death is Better is the day of our Death than the day of our Birth Eccles 7.12 'T is better every way For 1. Our Birth begins our Miseries but our Death ends them if we die in the Lord we are blessed Rev. 14.13 Whereas Man born of a Woman is born to trouble c. Job 14.1 Yea miserable so soon as warm in the Womb at Conception Psal 51.5 Birth is our entrance into this lower present Evil World Gal. 1.4 but Death in Christ is our entrance into the best and blessed World 2. We come crying into this World c. but some Saints have gone singing and triumphing out of it into a better World hoping that their Death was but the Day-break of Eternal Brightness c. A Fifth Cordial is that Death cannot separate us from the Love of God Rom. 8.28 'T is so far from destroying the Union that it is called a sleeping in Jesus 1 Thes 4.14 And as by sleep the frame of the Body is refreshed so by Death the Union of the Soul is refined Now when we are wearied with our days Labour we are not afraid to go take our rest When Lazarus died our Lord said our Friend Lazarus sleepeth John 11.11 and he said the same of Jairus's Daughter Matth. 9.24 and this is the frequent Phrase in Scripture to call Death a Sleep Job 7.21 2 Sam. 7.12 1 Cor. 11.30 Now as Sleep doth not separate Friends but only for a time betwixt good Night and good Morrow so no more doth Death which is but a bidding good Night for after sleeping in the Grave as in a Bed Isai 57.2 the Morning comes to rise again The Sixth Cordial is 2 Cor. 5.1,2,3 to 9. We know 't is not we think or we hope only this is the true Triumph of our Trusting in Christ our leaning upon the Lord Isai 50.10 that when our Clayie Cottages moulder down we have a Mansion of Glory to go to While we abide in those tottering Tabernacles we groan earnestly being Burdened ver 2.4 that is both with Sin and Misery whereof we have here our
Back-burdens Now who would not but be disburdened and be at Ease and Rest in the Grave the Weary find Rest Job 3.17 but the Rest that is found in Christ Matth. 11.28,29,30 is for the Soul as well as Body c. Rev. 14.13 and who would not be willing to put off Rotten Rags and to put on Royal Robes c. Many more Cordials might be mentioned as 7 thly For me saith Paul to die is Gain Phil. 1.21 because Death to a good Man brings freedom from all Evil and a fruition of all Good And hereupon he 8 thly He desired to be dissolved c. ver 23. The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to launch forth to loose off from the Shore of Life and to launch out into the Ocean of Immortality and Glory this was all his Song he longed to be with Christ ever after he had been wrapt up to the Third Heaven 9 thly Yea and Old Simeon thought it best of all with Paul to die when he sang that sweet Song Lord now let thy Servant depart in peace c. Luke 2.29 as is largely spoke to before adding only this here he only saw the Lord's-Christ in weakness with an Eye of Sense but we see him in Glory with an Eye of Faith therefore may better depart not in Peace only but also in Joy and Comfort 10 thly How couragious was that Proto-Martyr Stephen against the Terrors of a most Terrible Death after he had seen the Heavens opened and Christ standing at the Right Hand of God Acts 7.56 The like Prospect we have offered to our Faith which is the Key that opens Heaven and may we but fix our Spiritual Eyes upon that Glorious Object this would wonderfully enable us to lay down our Mortal Bodies in peace and send up our Immortal Souls into the Hands of him that bought it crying Lord Jesus receive my Spirit Lastly But thanks be to God who giveth us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15.57 with 55 56. Thirdly The Cordials against Terrors of the Day of Judgment which surely follows Death Heb. 9.27 and which is called a Terrible and Dreadful Day very often in Scripture as that Day shall burn like an Oven Mal. 4.1 the Sun turned into Darkness and Moon into Blood Acts 2.20 and Elements shall melt with fervent Heat c. 2 Pet. 3.10 and the Lord will come in flaming Fire c. 2 Thes 1.7,8 and with Fire and Sword will God plead with all Flesh c. Isai 66.15,16 see likewise Joel 2.31 Matth. 25.31,32 Rev. 1.7 c. Now if a Crack of Thunder and a Flash of Lightning at the breaking of a single sorry Cloud do so affright us how much more when the whole Heavens break and drop down like Scalding Bell-Mettal about our Ears c. Yet Note well 1 st There is Comfort for the Chosen Ones they shall be caught up in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air and so shall ever be with the Lord and therefore comfort your selves c. 1 Thes 4,16,17,18 2 dly As Death leaves us so the Day of Judgment will find us as the Tree falleth towards the South or towards the North there it lieth Eccles 11.3 Even so as is before observed if we fall by Death upon the Right Hand of Christ among his pretious Sheep then are we called upon to lift up our Heads for the Day of our Redemption is come Luke 21.28 Ephes 4.30 that way the Tree leans that way it falls Oh that while we live we may lean to Christ 3 dly The due Observation of the main end of Life is to be useful to the end of our Lives wee should be ever ready Matth. 24.44 May we but become good Stewards then blessed is that Servant whom his Master shall find so doing ver 46. 4 thly Tho' we be conscious to our selves that our Obedience has been exceeding narrow to God's Commandments which are exceeding broad Psal 119.96 yet may we rejoice with Trembling Phil. 2.11 because our Judge is our Advocate who became sin for us c. that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 1 John 2.1,2 5 thly May we but upon good grounds be persuaded that we are justified by Faith then have we peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 5.1 this is known if we be sanctified by the Spirit 2 Thes 2.13 For this latter doth evidence the former and having got God's Seal and Earnest which he never gives to a Reprobate then fear not Gen. 15.1 6 thly Be sure to have the Line of Scarlet Thread bound to our Windows as Rahab had Josh 2.18 this was the saving Colour a Red Cord Thus Israel's Door-posts must be Red with Blood when the destroying Angel passed over Egypt Rahab made haste and delayed not as Psal 119.60 So soon as she dismissed the Spies long before Jericho fell c. Oh could we get this Scarlet Line the Blood of Christ fixed upon our Hearts this Sign saved Rahab and made her famous Heb. 11.31 and Jam. 2.25 then our Joshuah will save us and say to us also Come ye blessed of my Father inherit c. Matth. 25.34 In the mean time we Aged Ones must be ever praying Lord cast me not off in my Old Age and forsake me not when strength fails me Psal 71.9 Laus Ei Soli tribuatur omnes Cujus Afflatu Labor extat omnis Fructus ut Vitae reserantur omnes orbis in Oras FINIS Christopher Nesse aetatis suae 56 1678 Minnister of the Gospel in fleet Street London