of precious Time which at such a season will be esteemed precious tho' now it be not O how swift how short is my Time of Trial in order to Eternity how difficult how important a work is it to prepare for an Everlasting State What is all this World how little how meer a nothing to a departing Soul And shall I after such Reflections continue to pursue Shadows and please my self with empty Dreams when being so near my final Judgment the Common Wisdom of a Man requires me to mind it in good Earnest and be more solicitous about it than for any thing Temporal O in what manner will Death open my Eyes by shutting the Windows of Sense How shall I then see the Nothingness of what is but Temporal and the Reality of what is Eternal We sometimes laugh to see the Vanity of little Children who are greatly pleased with painted Toys and busily employed about Trifles It extorts a Smile to see them eager and industrious and mightily concerned in their Childish Sports to see them sigh or weep for little things which we despise to observe with what Solicitude and Care they 'll raise a little Fabrick which three Moments after they themselves pull down or would otherwise tumble of its own Accord We laugh at these but should weep over our selves as the greater and elder Fools who are every whit as silly yea infinitely more that considering we know the fraily of our present Life and can look beyond the Grave to another World should yet mispend our precious Time on things which cannot profit and please our selves with what is so unsuitable to our Age and State and suffer our Passions to work with violence for a thing of nought and our greatest Diligence Care and Zeal to be exercised on things impertinent and vain that are perishing in themselves and can contribute nothing to our Eternal Welfare And is it not thus with reference to all that Men toil and labour for with the Neglect of an immortal State The Voluptuous Sadducee will not refuse the present Gratification of his sensual Appetite because he is uncertain of another day Let us eat and drink for to Morrow we dye Should not the same Motive quicken my Diligence in a better work and because my Lord may come suddenly at a Thief in the Night immediately prepare to meet him Let me now therefore O my Soul look forward to the End of Life and Time and so let me esteem and seek and choose and do every thing in the first place which then I shall wish I had Let me do nothing now which I verily believe I shall then be ashamed or sorry to reflect on that by thinking what a Condition I shall then wish to have my Soul in I may now provide my self much better than I have done hitherto That while I am in the greatest probability of living I may suppose my change to be near and so not dare to do any thing but what I would or might do if I were in the present Expectation of Death To this end let me go down to the Potters-House descend to the Consideration of my Mortality and dwell among the Tombs remembring the Aegyptians built themselves better Tombs than Houses because they were to dwell longer in them Let every Nights repose serve me as a Memorial of my last sleep and let my Bed stand for the Model of my Coffin This is the only Way to be dead to this World to be able to judge of things now as we shall do after Death according to Immutable Eternal Truth SECT X. The Brevity of Life considered as the fruit of Sin There are but three ways of leaving this World as Abel Adam or Enoch A diligent Improvement of Time farther prest and the Neglect of it bewailed THE shortning of our Days is the fruit of Sin All the Funerals that have ever been in the World have been caused by Sin We dye because we have sinned and yet we should not sin as now if this were not forgot that we must dye From the first Transgression of Adam we derive our Death and therefore some of his Posterity lived longer than he Which proves that the lengthning of our Days is the peculiar Gift of God and yet 't is such a Gift as was more desired formerly than since the Appearance of Christ For we read of none in the New Testament since Life and Immortality is brought to Light by the Gospel who desired a long Continuance here on Earth Were we delivered from Sin the sting of Death by having made our Peace with God in the Blood of Jesus Death would not be frightful or put on such a Ghastly Vizor as to most it doth But we are uncertain of our Justification we waver between Hopes and Fears as to our final Sentence and are conscious to our selves that we are not ready for our great Account This makes Death so terrible Considering withal that it is inevitable The Way of all the Living For tho' the Curse be removed and the sting be taken out by our Blessed Saviour so that the Souls of Believers are safe and shall not be touch'd by the second Death yet God hath not taken away the stroke of it from the Body Tho' a Christian is assured of deliverance from Hell he is not exempted from the Grave as his Passage to Heaven Prepare me Lord by the free Remission of all my Sins and make me meet for the Blessed Inheritance by sanctifying Grace and then thy Time is best Thy Holy Will be done No matter then whether my Death be violent or what we call Natural It will be one of the two for I can't expect to be Translated by a miraculous Change as Holy Enoch was and as they shall be who shall be found alive in the World when our Glorious Judge shall come again There are but those three ways of leaving Earth and the Three first Men of whose Departure we read in Scripture are Instances of all Three Abel of a violent Death Adam of a natural One and Enoch of a Translation The Variety and Order of their Departure as one observes is very admirable and deserves to be considered For all Mankind must follow one or other of those three Examples Every Man or Woman that is born into the World must leave it by one of those three ways either be cut off by a violent Death as Abel the first Man who dyed or dye a natural Death as Adam did who was the second or be translated as Enoch who was the third we read of But though I know that within a few Years at farthest I must leave this World by one or other of these ways though I have been dying ever since I began to live am Dead to the last Year and to all the preceeding Portions of my Time and know withal that what remains will quickly pass and be gone after the same manner yet how have I overloved this Body as if I should
be lookt upon as eligible or fit to be refused as it is like to be an help or an hindrance with reference to Eternity we should then endeavour to do nothing unbecoming such an Expectation Considering this World as our Passage and the invisible future World as our abiding Country where we are to dwell for ever whatever we meet with here whether sweet or bitter easy or troublesome pleasing or ungrateful we should not much matter but as it relates to hereafter And were I certain I should have no longer time of Trial in order to this Eternal State than this one year which is now begun If a Messenger from God should convincingly assure me of it what would I not do to prepare for Death and secure the interests of Eternity With what remorse and deep Repentance should I reflect on the Follies of my past Life What what importunate cries should I beg Forgiveness How patiently should I bear Calamity for so short a time How little should I value the favours or frowns of Men How circumspect to improve every Season of doing and receiving good How careful to avoid Temptation and how resolute in resisting it Did I verily believe I had no longer time to live on Earth than this one Year at most How insipid would be the offer of carnal Mirth vain Pastime sensual Diversions idle Company c. How should I value every Hour every inch of my little Time under the Apprehension that Eternity is at hand O my Soul Shall I make no provision against the Possibility of such a case Is not my change as certain as if it were this year as if it were to Morrow Tho' I am not certain it is so near nor certain but it may be Let me then seek first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness Let me fix it well and make it clear that I have secured my great Concern and am ready for a sudden summons SECT XIV How a Good Man may improve and encourage himself under the Supposition of dying this Year even in the most uneasy and undesirable Circumstances I May dye this Year then all my Cares and Fears if I am Rich all my Sorrow and Calamities as to this World if I am Poor will die too I may dye this Year then I shall have no more Enemies no more Sickness and which is infinitely better I shall Sin no more I must shortly die it may be this Year but there is no other way to come to a blessed Life but by dying and my Saviour hath died for me and he that believes in him shall never see Death He lives who was once dead yea he lives for evermore and hath promised that I shall be with him to behold his Glory He hath the Keys of Death and Hell He is the Resurrection and the Life he hath removed the sting of Death and I need not fear a conquered Enemy If I dye this year I must quit the Company of all my dearest Friends on Earth but I shall go to better Company above and if they are the Friends of Christ we shall shortly meet again and love one another in a better manner than now and never more be parted I may dye this Year my Friends and Enemies may dye too Let me enjoy the one as mortal dying Persons that must e're long leave me or I them and not fear the other who may so soon Perish and quickly be uncapable of doing me or others Mischief I may dye this Year Let me not then think much of Temporal Sufferings of any Evils which may so soon be over Oh! what would condemned Sinners in the other World give to be able to believe and say so of their Sufferings I may dye this Year and can I wonder that I am sometimes Sick and in Pain and that my Body is out of order Am I not Mortal and dwell in an house of Clay which must shortly moulder into Dust and is it any thing strange that such a crasy Building doth sometime shake and need repair and threaten a dissolution 'T is a greater wonder I am any time well That such a Body compounded of so many little parts and so easily disordered by innumerable accidents should be in Health is hardly less to be admired than that an Instrument of a thousand strings should be kept in Tune I thank thee O heavenly Father for the many advantages of Sickness to weaken the power of Sin to humble my Pride and cure my Worldliness and Sensuality to reduce me from wandering to empty me of Self-conceit to awaken the consideration of Death and Judgment to impress the Thoughts of the vanity of this World and the Eternity of the next to assist me to mortifie the Flesh to rule my Passions to exercise Patience and quicken me in Prayer and try my Faith and Love and excite my diligence to redeem time and convince me of the Worth and Uncertainty of it and thereby promote my Preparations for my final change The Great Apostle by dying daily had as many victories over this World as he lived Days Oh! that I might so far walk by the same Rule as every day to think of providing for my last and in Health to do that which in Sickness I shall wish I had done I may dye this Year It may be by some tedious painful Sickness some troublesome and loathsome Disease But God hath promised his Grace shall be sufficient he will make my Bed in my Sickness and put under his everlasting Arms for my support and not suffer me to be tempted above what I am able he will encrease my Patience and carry me thro' the pangs of Death and the dark Valley and when Heart and Flesh fail be the strength of my Heart and my Portion for Ever I may dye this Year What if it should be by an hand of Violence if for Righteousness sake in defence of the Truth for a good Cause and a good Conscience and my Peace be made with God and I am accused for doing well or innocent of the Evil which is laid to my charge there is ground enough for encouragement and support Thousands of my Betters have met with the like whose names are precious and renowned Innumerable Christians have dyed by the Sentence of a Judge with more Chearfulness and Joy than others or it may be than they themselves would have done by the sentence of the Physician The Torture of many Diseases is unspeakably more formidable as to the meer Pain and for all else the Righteous Lord who loveth Righteousness will clear my Integrity if it may best subserve his own Great and Holy Ends At least he will stand by and help me when all forsake me and if He speak Peace and give inward Consolation who can speak Trouble And his final Judgment which is near at hand will distribute rewards and punishments to all according to their works Suppose farther that I should want a Scpulcher after Death There is nothing I could
to Mercy His Spirit is yet striving with you if you are willing to Repent and return to God He sought you and call'd you to return when you were wandring as a lost sheep in the broad way And can you think he will not be found of you if you seek him with your whole Heart Therefore renew your Repentance and beg more earnestly a Spirit of Humility Holy Fear and Watchfulness And every Morning implore Divine succours against that Sin and all Temptations to it which as much as possible you must avoid Constant and fervent Prayer after Repentance must be your Refuge and your Remedy If you let fall your Hands this Amaleck will prevail again As soon and as far as you fail in the Constancy and Fervency of that Duty your Sin will get strength and successfully attempt you another time But by this Practice God may turn Evil to work for Good make you gain by your Loss stand the faster by your Falls and become stronger by the discovery of your Weakness and so be better establish'd for the future But take heed that you pervert not the Grace of God and encourage your self to sin again by the Supposition that if you should Fall 't is but to Repent and renew your Resolutions and all will be well This is a subtile Artifice of Satan but such methinks as should take with none who have ever known by Experience what it is to Repent Who have felt the burden of Sin to be heavier than a Milstone than the weight of a Mountain Who have tasted how evil and bitter a thing it is to depart from God Who have loathed and abhorr'd themselves with deep Remorse and Sorrow and Anguish of Spirit wishing with all their Hearts that they had not sinn'd and if it were in their power would give all the World to retrieve it and would rather die than commit that Folly Luk. 23.30 17.2 again they then repented of Let those who have not their own Experience to confirm this read over and consider the Case of David when he wrote the Penitential Psalms How many like him have roar'd and cry'd out under the sense of Sin of stings and furies in their Conscience of the poison'd Arrows in their Souls and his Terrors surrounding them where-ever they went from the sense of his Sins Malignity the apprehensions of God's Anger and the consequent Fears of his Wrath. Serious Repentance after great Transgressions is another Thing than most imagine it When their aggravated Sins shall beset them behind and before be placed in order before their eyes and set in array against them 'T is always a work of Difficulty as well as Importance to crucifie corrupt affections to tear a beloved Lust from the Heart with self-indignation to abhorr and cast away what before you lov'd and delighted in How did David's Sin stare him in the Face It is continually with me it is ever before me said He. It haunted him like a Spectre or like Belshazzar's Hand-writing on the Wall it still appear'd before him in some horrid shape However Sin may smile in its first address and bespeak us in flattering language and promise Pleasure and Profit and great Advantages and Satisfaction these are but fair Appearances This is but the outside of the Cup and the Colour of the Liquor It will prove Gail and Wormwood and a mixture of deadly Poison if ever God set it home upon the Conscience and awaken us to a true sense of it And the Continuance of daily Repentance for Sin which all Christians are called to is no such easie matter neither Constant Self-abasement and Humiliation before God from a sense of his Majesty and Holiness and of our many Sins and Pollution thereby The imperfection of our best Duties continually to be bewailed inordinate Affections to be still mortified always resisting and opposing Sin in its Root and Branches conflicting against the whole Interest of the Flesh the World and the Devil seeking after more Holiness to be deriv'd unto us by the Grace of Christ to be wrought in us by his Spirit and maintain'd by his Power and making daily Applications to the Fountain of all Grace for spiritual strength to continue our warfare against Sin in all Instances of outward Duty and inward Actings of Grace even as long as we live all this is included in it Due Apprehensions concerning Repentance as so comprehensive and difficult a Duty would teach us to beware of Sin XXVII The Necessity of Christian Resolution to Vpright Persevering Obedience how full and extensive it ought to be and yet humble by what means we may be assisted to perform that which we resolve HAving acknowledg'd my Transgressions unto God and begg'd Forgiveness and experimentally learn'd the Evil of Sin by the bitterness of Repentance I resolve for the future to watch against it more narrowly and against every thing that leads to it endeavouring to please and honour my God and Saviour by an upright obedient Heart and Life And for the Remission of my former contracted Guilt I trust to Jesus Christ according to the Revelation made in the Gospel of what he is hath done and suffer'd and continues to do in Heaven for the Salvation of Repenting Sinners who desire to come unto God by Him But how often O my Soul have I mock'd God and deceiv'd my self with formal and faint Purposes of Amendment My good Resolutions have been all of them as the morning Cloud and the early Dew which quickly passed away One fresh assault of Temptation hath swept away all my good Purposes as a Spider's Web. I have falsified so many and broke my word so often that I dare not trust to any thing I now resolve or rely on any Promise I should farther make Succour me therefore O Lord by thy powerful Grace that what was defective in my former fruitless Resolutions may be now rectified Let me be more humble in the sense of my Weakness more dependant on thy Grace and more heartily seek it from time to time Strengthen me with Strength in my Soul with Might and Power in my inward man that I may so resolve and purpose as to perform that I may not be one day hot and the next cold zealous in the Beginning but faint and lukewarm in the Brogress fervent and serious only in Resolving but weak and impotent in the Execution Having chang'd my Master my End and my Hopes by returning unto God from whom I had gone astray I firmly resolve through the assistance of his Grace to change my Course of Life that Old things being done away all things may become New that * Rom. 6.22 being made free from sin by pardoning Mercy and become the servant of Christ I may have my fruit unto Holiness that my End may be Eternal Life In the interim whether I live or die let it be unto the Lord resolving both in Life and Death to be absolutely his And to that purpose O my Soul Let
Night Let me not say I shall not die this Day when I may this Hour and 't is but once for all there is no amending an ill Death by another Tryal When I lie down to sleep I hope to rise stronger and fresher and fitter for work but I know withal I may rise no more And may not my Name be on the Roll of those who shall next be called at least some time this Year Let me not then neglect or foolishly delay my Principal Business to provide against a Change which is inevitable but the time of it altogether doubtful Ought not my first and chiefest care to be imployed to make my peace with God He alone can be my happiness to his final Judgment I am hastening His Favour alone can give me Support and Joy in a dying Hour To his Mercy I must trust when I leave this World and can have no advantage more by any thing in it that he may mercifully receive my Soul at Death and be my Everlasting Portion Do I know my Life is thus vain and transient and shall I not seriously improve it to such a Purpose Shall these Thoughts leave no Impression upon me Do I breath continually in this Element of Vanity and yet forget where I am and remain insensible of so near a Change Shall these Thoughts pass away as a vanishing Cloud and distil no softening drops on my Soul Shall the Image of Death which meets me every where be only like an appearing Ghost or Phantasm that startles and scares a little but is presently gone and no more considered Oh! let me now remember to make God my Friend and secure an interest in his Eternal Mercy while the Day lasts yea while my Reason and Understanding are free and not disturbed and clouded by Fear and Pain and the Disorders of the Body as commonly they are in Sickness if God should vouchsafe me that Warning which yet I may not promise my self to have for I may be cut off by a Sudden Stroke before the end of this Year I now begin And how great and necessary a Work have I to do in so short and so uncertain a Portion of Time Endless joy or Misery will be the consequence of spending this present Time My ignorant Soul must be instructed my carnal Heart renewed many false Opinions must be unlearnt and sinful Customs changed and powerful Lusts mortified and strong Temptations overcome and many Graces to be obtained exercised strengthened and preserved to please and serve and glorifie an Holy Omnipresent God my Soveraign and express the Thankfulness of my Heart and Life to Christ my Saviour and is all this nothing Is not all my little hasty Time too little for such a Work to prepare for a safe and comfortable Death in order to a blessed Eternity SECT IV. Of the seeming Difference between so many Years Past and the same number of Years to come WHen I look back on the preceeding Years of my Life how easily can I grasp them all at once they are even as yesterday when 't is past But so many Years to come hath something great and vast which fills my Thoughts and affects my Mind after another manner Such is the difference between past Injoyments and the Expectation of future Let me suppose the same term and duration of Years and yet how different are my Apprehensions of what is past and of what is yet to come Things past by a remembrance of some remarkable Passages when they happened seem to be present with me But not knowing what may happen in the same number of Years to come I have nothing whereon to fix my Thoughts Or the Reason of this Difference may rather be that Men in this degenerate and necessitous State with unsatisfied Desires reaching after Happiness and sensible nothing present can afford it and knowing by Experience that nothing past could have done it are eagerly desirous of Felicity and because we know not but what is to come may procure it we hope it will which makes the Time seem long by reason of our Expectation and Desire of Good Whereas the foresight of Evil and the Expectation of that some years hence makes the Time rather seem short and near at hand So many years to come in the expectation and desire of Good are long and tedious such Hope deferred makes the heart sick even tho' 't is of that sort as must needs fail our expectations Prepare me Lord for what thine unerring Counsel shall please to order as to the remainder of my Time on Earth and suffer me not to count upon a great number of Years to come since this for ought I know may be my last Neither let me expect Rest and Happiness in this World which nothing Temporal can afford This is not the state or season wherein by any promise of God I am encouraged to hope it And if fifty or threescore years to come be thought so great a matter and really is so as to our stay on Earth Oh! what apprehensions ought I to admit concerning an endless everlasting State especially being as certain of the latter after Death as I am uncertain about the former whether so many Years be yet to come before my Death Let me not hereafter be so preposterous in my Solicitude Cares and Fears as to be anxious for to Morrow and yet be thoughtless of Eternity SECT V. The little Portion of our Time on Earth considered by a Computation of the Life of Man from the number of Years and Hours THink O my Soul how short is that Life at longest made up of Years and Months and Days such little parts and yet in number few Well therefore may it be exprest as I find in Holy Writ by years of Number that is such as may soon be numbred When a few Years are come saith Job (*) 16. Job 22.12 Ezek. 16. Isa 10.19 or the Years of number as in the Original I shall go the way whence I shall not return By the years of an Hireling which were not above three Isa 16.14 We usually compute Threescore and Ten Years to the life of Man Let me suppose fourscore The Bed with most imploys one half and hardly one in Thirty doth reach the Age of Seventy Years And (*) Winter-Evening Conference Conf. 1. they who live to such an Age do yet complain how soon 't is done Ignorant Childhood and heedless Youth and infirm old Age may be supposed to take up a third part of that Time In either of them very little of the great Ends of Life are answered We ordinarily begin to reckon our lives from our Birth whereas for a good while after we know not whether we are alive or no but are beholding to others to make the account for us When we first come to the steady use of Reason or what we call the years of Discretion how few are there but from the Prejudices of Education from the Corruption of Human Nature from the want of
Experience from the Infection of bad Company how few I say but spend their younger Years in those things which afterwards they are ashamed of when experience hath taught them the Wisdom of Men How great a part of our remaining Time is taken up in the Necessities of Nature about Food and Rayment and in lawful Cares to support the Body and how much more than needs in pampering dressing and adorning it Out of the small remainder how much is imployed in the concerns of a Family and near Relations in particular Callings in necessary Civil Business and in getting keeping or improving an Estate Besides all the Time that is spent in Recreations Visits unprofitable Discourse impertinent Thoughts Journeys Sickness and innumerable other Occasions some allowable some unavoidable and many needless After this how little Time remains wherein to cultivate and improve our Minds by Languages Arts and Sciences or the knowledge of a Trade c. How little then after all may we say is left for the matters of Religion for Devotion to God and serious Preparation for another World Alas how small a number of Years make up the Life of Man and how small a Portion of that is imployed about the Principal Business for which we were born and for which we live We divide Time into Past Present and Future But the Past is not now ours the Future is not yet and the Present now is past e're the sound be pronounced And yet this is all the Time allotted us wherein to secure the Blessedness of Eternity How many Hours more of our little Time might be improved than commonly are by the Best In every Year there are 8775 Hours If we allow the greatest half for sleep and necessary attendance on the Body and take but 4000 Hours for our Work and Business of consequence How poor an account can most Men give of all these 4000 Hours in every Year not one hour in seven not one in ten is ordinarily devoted to God and the purposes of Religion Should it not affect us seriously to consider this especially if we remember at what an uncertainty we are how small a number of Days and Hours do yet remain This Year this Month this Week this Day or Hour may be my last What an unsuspected Accident or a sudden Disease may do I know not But this I know that there is scarce any thing that hath not killed some Body an Hair a Feather a Vapour a Breath hath done it and when the Apostle James ask the Question What is your Life He Answers It is even a Vapour that appeareth a little while and then vanisheth away SECT VI. Of the Redemption of Time how precious and valuable a Treasure it is and will be thought to be when 't is too late IS the life of Man so short and fleeting our Days on Earth so few and so uncertain How careful should I be to manage every Hour endeavouring to match the Swiftness of Time by my celerity and diligence to improve it I can have no Business of greater or of equal Moment to mind than to secure the Happiness of my Soul in another World And shall I lavish my Time and lose my Pains about things unnecessary What will all other Business signifie in the end if this be neglected Is there any Interest more weighty that calleth me from such work Is there any thing else that so well deserves my Time That may be put into the Scales or weighed in a balance a gainst this Shall Eternity which comprehends all Time have the least share of my Time allotted for its concernments How little a part of my Time hath been hitherto employed in such work How reasonable how necessary is it to redeem the little Inch of Time that yet remains but hastens to a Period For as there is no Covenant to be made with Death so no Agreement for the Arrest and Stay of Time it keeps its pace whether I redeem and use it well or not The greatest part of our Life is designedly employed to avoid Death we eat and drink and sleep and labour and rest that we may not die and yet even by these we hasten to Death Every Breath every Pulse every Word leaves one less of the number which God hath appointed me and carries away some Sands of the Glass of Time and yet how little care is taken to employ it well We seldom value it till we can no longer use it to any advantage and though we know it can neither be retarded in its motion or recalled when past yet of nothing are we more prodigal Yea how many complain of it as a Burthen and know not what to do with their Time are exceedingly at a loss wherein to employ it what to do to be rid of it But alas how near is that Change when they shall think nothing too dear to purchase some few Grains of that Sand which now seem too many while they are passing through their Hour-glass How sad will be the review of our lost and ill-spent Time How different an Opinion of its Value shall we have on a Sick-Bed or when our Time and Hope is gone How many Weeks and Days and Hours O my Soul have I trifled away in Sloath and Idleness in foolish Mirth and hurtful Company in vain Thoughts and impertinent Discourse in excess of Sleep and needless Pastimes Feastings inordinate Care to adorn the Body or gratifie the sensual Appetite All that which is past is irrecoverable and the little remainder slies apace How quickly will it be gone how soon how suddenly may an unexpected Stroke of Death conclude it And yet this is all the opportunity I shall ever have to make my Peace with God and prepare for the everlasting World Did we consider it as we ought we should not foolishly throw away so much of it in Trifles and things impertinent or what is worse How much more might we redeem than commonly we do To how much better purpose might we husband it How much more work might we do were we never idle or did not loyter We might walk far did we not often stand still or go out of our way We see it plainly by the great and excellent Effects of some few Mens Industry in every Age. Art hath found means to set Spies and Watches as it were on the Sun that he cannot look out but they take hold of his Shadow and force it to tell how far he is gone that day And yet while we are curious in making Time give a just Account of it self to us how little do we consider the account of our Time which we must shortly give to God Oh! that such a Thought might effectually persuade me to redeem it that I may not tarry till the end of Time to know the worth of it Let me not undervalue it while 't is given me to be used that I may not eternally regret my Folly when Time shall be no more God calls me to Diligence
and Labour the Work he calls me to is excellent and the Reward glorious to know and love and serve and obey Him in order to Eternal Life and shall I yet be Idle Is this the Use and End of all my Time And do I know it and believe it Do I indeed believe it and yet delay and loyter and wast my precious Hours in Vanity Am I going into Eternity and entring into another World and know that I must be in Heaven or Hell for ever and have I Time to throw away Am I fit to die and to appear before my Judge or am I not Am I made meet for Heaven by pardoning Mercy and sanctifying Grace Have I the Earnest of the Spirit to witness and assure me of it Is my Interest in the Promise of Eternal Life as firm and my Evidence of it as clear as it may be made Am I not conscious to my self that much of this necessary Work is yet to be done And shall such an unprepared Soul as mine be careless and indifferent how I spend my Time SECT VII Of the Ordinances of Heaven Day and Night Summer and Winter Seed-time and Harvest their order and succession establisht by God is the effect of Infinite Wisdom and Goodness What they may teach us WHen I consider the beginning of another Year I can hardly avoid reflecting on its several parts Summer and Winter Spring and Fall Day and Night and their alternate Turns This calls me to observe and admire his Eternal Power and Godhead Wisdom and Truth who is the Great Author of this admirable variety Who hath fixed the Earth with his Foot and hanged it on nothing and setled the Luminaries of Heaven for Excellent Ends The Sun to Ruleby Day and the Moon by Night thereby to distinguish Times and Seasons to separate Day and Night Winter and Summer and consult the convenience of Man and Beast by their due Succession The Day is thine the Night also is thine thou makest Summer and Winter How wonderful is their Order Beauty and constant Course that when the Sun withdraws and the shadows of the Evening cover the Earth with darkness to conclude the Day the Moon and Stars supply the place of the absent Sun during the Night And that tho' they differ in length yet gradually lessen till they are both equal at the years end and have made the same Circuit How excellent a work of God is that quick succession to one another The supposition of a perpetual Night is a dismal gloomy thought O what will the Everlasting Darkness of the Infernal Prison be The Sun by day enlightens the Earth directs our Motion guides our Way governs our Travail assists Conversation awakens Industry warms the Earth and Air gives Life and Vigor and fruitfulness to all things under the Sun and makes the whole Inferiour Creation to rejoyce An Emblem of God's universal Goodness who is kind to all his Creatures How admirable is its Lustre how glorious is its Light how loudly doth it proclaim his Power and Wisdom who made this and the other Lights of Heaven by his powerful Word and preserves them hitherto by his daily Providence If God be now so glorious contemplated in his Works considered in the lustre of the created Sun viewed only through the Windows of Sense how much more glorious will he appear hereafter when we shall see him face to face and nothing interpose betwixt us and his incomparable Light If mine Eyes dazle to look upon the meridian Sun in what inaccessible Light must he dwell who is the Father of Lights If this lower World the common receptacle of his Friends and Enemies have so much of his Glory vouchsafed them by the Heavenly Bodies O what a place will Heaven be where shall be no Sun or Moon nor need of any but the glory of God shall lighten it and the Lamb be the Light thereof While I thus consider the Sun and the Day I must not think the Night is useless which discovers another part of the Heavens not discernable by the Day viz. the Stars and Planets refreshing the Earth cooling the Air giving necessary Rest to the Creatures c. Their order motions aspects oppositions influences are all useful and instructive The agreeable mixtures of Light and Darkness the regular succession of Day and Night within a few hours are exceeding wonderful and advantageous In other parts of the World where the Sun-beams are more direct and its heat excessive God hath made amends by the length of the Night under the Equinoctial Line it is always Twelve hours and in the more Northen parts where the Influence of the Sun is weaker the days are proportionably longer So good is God to all his Creatures in all parts of the world As the Morning and Evening answer to the day of Twenty four hours so doth Spring and Autumn to the Twelve months of the Year that we may not pass immediately from one extream to another but gradually be disposed for so great a change as is between Summer and Winter and Winter and Summer So merciful and gracious and infinitely wise is God in all his Works so that we cannot say one part of the Year is more necessary than another The Winter is as useful for the good of the Universe as the Summer In this we are supplied with what is necessary to maintain us in that And the admirable Situation of the Sun most probably in the Center of the World seems much to contribute to it If it had been at a farther distance from us our Earth would have been in a manner desolate because the Influence of the Sun could not have been considerable And if it had been nearer the Stars above would have wanted Light and this Earth under been burnt up The Excellent Order which it hath now obeyed for above six Thousand Years is also wonderful The Sun never stood still but once and that by a Miracle tho' much inferiour to that of it's daily Progress What a Subject is here to admire the Power Goodness Wisdom and Faithfulness of God Lord what is Man For whom thou dost all this And because I find every Year that the Day dies into Night the Summer into Winter and Herbs and Plants lose their Beauty and Verdure and shed their Blossoms may I not hence learn to consider and prepare for my own Approaching Change In Prosperity Health and Ease and Life to expect and make Provision for Trouble Sickness Pain and Death as every Wise Man in Summer would do for Winter and work with all my Might while it is called to day while the Light continues because the Night of Darkness is at hand when none can work SECT VIII Of Evils to be expected in this Year the Wisdom and Mercy of God in concealing from us the Knowledge of future Events NOT only few and uncertain but Evil likewise are the Days of the Years of my Life may every one say with the Patriarch Jacob. A
sufficient Portion of Evil for every year may well be expected when our Lord tells us there is a certain Measure allotted for every Day Sufficient to the Day is the Evil of it Not only is our Life short but troublesome full of vexations Mixtures We cannot sing a Requiem to our Souls when one great Calamity is past for we know not in this Region of Changes but another a greater may be be at hand One Messenger of ill News may succeed and outdo another as it was with Job We come weeping into the World in a most helpless forlorn State and if we escape the Dangers of Infancy and the Casualties of Childhood and after that outlive the Snares and Follies of Youth we are tost upon the Pikes of Time and Chance and sadden and disquiet our selves with a thousand Griefs and Sorrows by inevitable and unexpected Occasions though we encrease the number of needless Cares and Fears and Discontents 'Till at length a sudden stroke arrests us we fetch a groan and dye Who can give a Catalogue of the Afflictions and Calamities Perplexities and Disappointments Incumbrances Crosses and evil Accidents of Humane Life By means whereof Millions are disconsolate and sad mourn and complain weep and sigh and from day to day are fed with the Bread of Affliction and the Water of Adversity Not to mention Mens fluctuating restless Thoughts of Heart importunate Desires baffled Projects defeated Purposes which suppose or bring Vexaation A good share of these is not to be avoided and yet very few can be Particularly foreseeen Who could prognosticate a year ago the Mercies or the Evils which have happened since Publick and Private Personal and Relative to the Countries Cities Families and Persons we are concerned for And who can certainly foretel the Eyents of this ensuing Year God hath intermixt Good and Evil in the Life of Man He hath set Prosperity against Adversity saith Solomon to the End That Man should find nothing after him Eccles 7.14 that he may not know what shall come next whether a Prosperous or a Calamitous Event What a Change may be made in a year by the meer Casuality of Humane Events by the Treachery of Friends or the Malice of Enemies or the more immediate Hand of God We know not what shall be on the Morrow much less what a Twelve Month may produce Because whatever may be disposed to happen from natural Causes or civil Counsels may be altered by a particular Decree of Providence Prepare me Lord and every of those in whose Felicity I more especially take part for all the Calamities and Sorrows thine infinite Wisdom shall think fit to exercise us with this following Year and by thy merciful Providence and gracious Conduct cause them to work for Good Furnishing us with suitable Strength and Wisdom to acquiesce in thy good Pleasure and obey thy Will Let me follow thee as the Father of the faithful tho' I know not whether thou wilt lead me Knowing the Wisdom and Faithfulness of my Pilot let me therein be satisfied though I know not particularly what Course he will steer I thank thee O Heavenly Father that thou hast reserved the Knowledge of future Times and Seasons to thy self and hid Events from Men Lest by considering them Certain we should presume in case they are Good or should despairingly afflict our selves by foreseeing the Evil we know to be inevitable Did we certainly foreknow the Good that would befall us we should not Trust in Thee to bring it to pass or heartily implore thy Care and Conduct Did we foresee the Evils we shall suffer before they overtake us we should be overwhelmed with Diffidence and Despair Many a Mother who rejoyceth at the Birth of a Son would mourn to foresee what a Man what a Son he will prove Such an increase of Knowledge would increase our Sorrow such a Prescience would transport and discompose us by unseasonable Joys and Sorrows born out of Time make us remiss in our Duty to Thee and weaken our Dependance on thine own unerring Wisdom Truth and Power SECT IX The Supposition of dying this Year should be improved the Consequence of Redeeming Time and Providing for Eternity farther prest The Folly of Elder Persons is condemned and checkt from the Example of Children 'T is adviseable to familiarize the Thoughts of Death and to imagine before-hand what Apprehensions of things we shall then have THE longest Life is but a day multiplied and who can certifie or assure me which will be my last He only who was God as well as Man could say Mine Hour is not yet come Is all my Life given me to resolve this Question Whether I shall be in Heaven or Hell for ever And have I any time to lose and squander away as superfluous have I any more than needs 'T is no impossible or unreasonable Supposition to make that I may dye this Year Let me admit that Thought and imagine my self on a Bed of Sickness wearied with Pain and ready to leave this World the Physitians gone despairing of my Recovery my Friends about me weeping and all things in a doleful Melancholy Posture suited to such a state feeling within my self the presages of Death expecting the final stroke in an hour or two more What is then the value of sensual Pleasures can I then relish or savour them what then is Honour to me who shall never go abroad more to receive it 'till carried to my Grave will it then comfort me to have lived in Reputation and Applause if my Heart was not humble under it and the Honour of God promoted by it Can Riches and a great Estate support me when I am just packing up for a Removal to the other World In that Hour will it be any Satisfaction to have made a stir and noise for a few years upon Earth to be talkt of for a while longer than other Men Are these the things my dying thoughts will be most concerned to reflection These Dignities Pleasures and Possessions offered to a dying Man would rather upbraid than tempt him they come too late as a Prince's Pardon to a Man whose Head is off Die I must and appear before my Judge to answer for all that I have received and done in the Body Fool that I was shall I then too justly say to my self not to have considered this much sooner not to have provided for it at a better Rate my Sins stare me in the Face my Conscience tells me I am not ready for such a Trial I have lived a stranger to such Thoughts as now I cannot refuse and which should have been admitted sooner But if to such a state any hope of Mercy may be granted tho' it be unspeakable little yet I cannot promise my self any such Warning by Sickness The sleeping Virgins were called at Midnight and so may I. Where can I pitch my Tents on Earth to be secure against a sudden Remove Lord make these Thoughts effectual to prevent my Loss
must suppose the hopes of a Better Let others therefore O my Soul who expect not an Everlasting Heaven beyond the Grave place their Affections on Earthly Things and mind this World as if there were no better no other Let them who doubt or disbelieve the promised Rewards of Eternity take up with what they must shortly leave and labour for the Bread that perisheth But since I profess to believe and seek the Life Everlasting let me daily entertain my self with the Hopes of it and let all the flattering Dreams of what is desirable upon Earth give place to nobler and better Thoughts Let me derive my principal Joy from the Promise and Expectation of that future Felicity and endeavour nothing more than a meetness to partake of it O my God my God! thou art my Life and Joy and Portion in Thee and in thy Love all my Desires and Hopes are answered and all my Wants supplied However Evil this World is made by Sin yet thou art the infinite and supream Good How mutable how uncertain how perishing soever are all sublunary things yet thou art the Rock of Ages the Fountain of Everlasting Life and hast appointed another World and another Life when this is ended wherein thou wilt be better known and loved and served and honoured and communicate thy self more abundantly than now to Those the Desire of whose Souls is towards thee that believe and love thee that partake of thine Image and are devoted to thy Fear The Assurance of this and nothing else will answer the Objection of the present Vanity and Misery we are subject to SECT XII The Consideration of the Death of Others especially of Relations Friends and Acquaintance how to be improved What Instructions we may learn by the sight of a dead Carkass or a Deaths Head and the usual Motto on it and what by the Death of Holy Persons to quicken our desires to be as they HAth divine Patience added one year more to the number of my Days when so many others were removed by Death the last Year Others whom a few Months since I knew in vigorous health wiser stronger more likely to live and to answer the ends of Life than me some of them my near Relations and useful Friends in whose Converse I took delight and promised my self advantage by their Company and Examples but they are taken and I am left Thy Holy Will O Lord is done and they who were prepared are infinite Gainers by this my loss Quicken my Preparations by following their Piety to meet them in thy Heavenly Kingdom Let thy long-suffering lead me to Repentance and suffer me not to slight thy warning by the Death of others to expect my own Lord cure my Earthly-mindedness and practical Unbelief and by all such admonitions of thy Providence teach me to possess and use this World as knowing I must shortly leave it and let not the thoughts of my Mortality wear off as soon as the Funeral of my Friends is over Every year some or other of our Acquaintance drop into the Grave we attend them thither and lament it may be for a few days their departure and removal but consider not that others will e're be long do the same for us it may be before this year is ended Oh! how soon do we forget our deceased Friends and our selves who are likewise dying and count upon a long Life which we cannot reasonably expect and hug the enjoyments of this transitory World as if our present State would last for ever Will nothing but our own Dissolution effectually convince us of our mistake and folly in this particular Though the Arrows of Death fly continually round about us sometimes over our Heads when Superiours are taken away sometimes fall at our Feet when Children and Servants and Inferiours die sometimes on our left Hand when an Enemy is cut off and while I am pleased with that in that very hour it may be another Arrow on our right hand strikes the Friend of our Bosom and Delight And can we see all this that great and small high and low friends and foes are all Vanity and drop down dead round about us and shall we not consider that we are as Vain as they and must shortly follow Shall we not by a Christian Chymistry extract Spirits out of these dead Bones and by these Examples learn the end of all Men and lay it to Heart Whenever I see the Funeral of another let me think thus with my self why might not I have been that Man or Woman that is now carried to the Grave If we had been compared a few days since 't is probable I should have been thought as likely to have been his Monitor by dying first as he mine By such an Improvement of these warnings the request of the rich Man to Abraham were in great measure granted for 't is a call from the dead that speaks loudly to us to consider our selves and prepare in time for so great a Change and say as the Prophet to Hezekiah Set thine house in Order for thou shalt die Can we look upon a Deaths Head and not remember what we shall shortly be may not much be learnt from its common Motto Sum quod Eris Fueramque quod Es. I am that which thou shalt shortly be and have been that which thou art now that is I have been as gay and jocund as brisk and merry as proud and vain as rich and great as careless and secure as honourable and as much esteemed as beautiful and as well beloved as witty and as learned as Thou art or canst be now I valued my self as much upon my Estate and Trade and Health and Beauty upon my Education Profession Imployments Parts Friends Family c. as thou hast ever done or canst do I lived in ease and pleasure in mirth and jollity I minded the World as much and indulged my self as much in sensuality and was as careful of my Body pampered and pleased my Flesh as much as thou and thought as little of a sudden Death and prepared as little for such a change as thou dost But now my dry Bones are lookt upon with contempt and scorn but thou shalt shortly return to dust and be as vile as I am It cannot but affect us did we consider it to see divers snatch'd away in their Youth and outward Prosperity and in the midst of their Sin and Folly without any visible signs of true Repentance Or in terrible anguish and horror for their past crimes And yet how few do take the warning carefully to prevent the like unhappiness O Lord preserve those strong Convictions those serious Thoughts those holy Resolutions those lively Apprehensions of the Life to come of the Evil of sin and the Terrors of thy wrath which the sight of dying persons hath at any time awakened in my Soul O the Eloquence of a dying Sinner to perswade to Repentance Even when he hath lost his Speech and lies gasping and trembling on a
I may not be unwilling in the flower of my Age and Time in Youth and Strength to leave this World let me think often that no one age or part of Life is more priviledged against the stroke of Death than another If I have done my work betimes as my deceased Fellow Traveller had is it not better to receive the blessed Recompence than to to tarry longer in a World of Sin and Suffering absent from the Lord Shall I not thereby escape a multitude of Temptations Sins and Sorrows which others by living longer are exposed to If my Peace be made with God what should make me willing to live at this distance from him What should render this World so desirable where God is so dishonoured where I am so often tempted to displease him and so often yield to such Temptations And may I not fear lest I should fall into such scandalous and grievous sins that may bring a publick reproach on the Gospel of Christ and sadden the Hearts of all my Acquaintance who love the Lord Jesus in sincerity By dying early I shall contract less guilt and commit less sin and see and feel less Sorrow than others who live longer And tho' I should maintain my Integrity yet in this World my highest love and obedience to God and my sweetest Communion with him is but imperfect How many Impediments and Diversions do I daily meet with that deaden my Heart to Heavenly Contemplations and Affections What disappointments and sorrowful disasters to convince me that this is not the place of Rest and Happiness What smart afflictions may some of my Relations prove What dangerous Snares may attend me in the remaining Portion of my Time What Opposition and Hatred from Men may the stedfast professing of the Truth and Fidelity to God expose me to what Publick National Calamities may I have my share in c. But if I consider Old Age it self which we do desire to reach what and how many are the Infirmities and Griefs and troublesome Circumstances which attend that State which dying young will prevent Are not most Men who reach a very great old Age helpless Objects of Pity A Burthen to themselves and to all about them And which commonly happens may I not then be as unwilling to dye as at present As loth then to leave the World as now tho' in a manner it will have left me For how many Old Men past the Relish of Sensual Pleasures are yet inordinately fond of a longer Life Have I not been told by Heathens as well as Christians that 't is not the length of time but it 's improvement that doth really make a Long Life If I have answered the Ends for which I were born 't is not too soon to dye No Man ever miscarried as to his Everlasting Interest because his Life was Short but Evil. He that is prepared for Death he that dyes in the Lord hath lived long enough and should thank God for a speedy Call to the Possession of that Felicity which the Holiest Saints on Earth desire and breath after Gideon lost nothing by returning from Victory while the Sun was yet high He hath fought long enough who hath gained the Victory If I have wrought but a few Hours in a Vineyard and done but little Service for my Lord and Master and yet am dismist and rewarded before the rest of my Fellow-Labourers shall I repine and think my Lord doth not befriend me If he hath any farther Service for me he will prolong my Days and make me Diligent I hope and contented Otherwise I pray he would make me ready to dye and make me willing and desirous to depart this Life For to be only content to dye that I may be perfectly Holy and fully Blessed is methinks too low for a Christian who acts like himself believing the Certainty of his avowed Principles and Hopes and knowing that While we are present in the Body we are absent from the Lord. SECT XVI The Contemplation of our Approaching Change may assist us to mortifie the Lusts of the Flesh the Lust of the Eyes and the Pride of Life to cure Ambition and promote Contentment ALL that is in the World saith the Apostle is the Lust of the Flesh the Lust of the Eyes and the Pride of Life The Dust and Ashes of our own Mortality duly considered and applied will help to deaden and extinguish each of these By Pride of Life we lift up our selves against Heaven and despise our Maker by the Lust of the Flesh we overlove and indulge the Body and study to gratifie the sensual Appetite By the Lust of the Eyes our Desires are immoderate after Temporal and External Goods The thought of our approaching End hath a Tendency to oppose and mortifie these Lusts to humble us before God to take us off from the inordinate Love of the Body and to moderate our Passions to Earthly Things It may help us against Pride by shewing us the infinite distance between the Eternal Self-sufficient God and such poor Dust as we who are but of Yesterday and if he uphold us not and maintain our Souls in Life shall be laid in the Dust to Morrow It will mind us of his Justice against Sin the Parent of Death and of all the Miseries of our mortal State and convince us of our Weakness to resist his Will or avoid his Wrath. As to our fond Affection to the Body it may instruct us that it deserves not to be so much accounted of it will open our Eyes to discern the Preference of our immortal Souls and what Concerns them to the Interest of a perishing Body It may convince us that we are Cruel and unkind to our very Bodies by overloving them because we thereby contribute to their Eternal Sufferings and so teach us to love and use our Bodies as Servants to our Souls in this World and as expecting to share in Glory with them after the Resurrection It may also help to moderate our Desires after Earthly Good and so cure the Lust of the Eyes by letting us see the Vanity Uncertainty and short Duration of these Things and their Insufficiency to make us Happy and give us true Content The Thoughts of an Approaching Change may if any thing will do it damp the Mirth of the Luxurious Epicure and strike him into a fit of Trembling as did Belshazzar's Hand-writing on the Wall It may discover the Distraction of living in Pleasure and of Care to please the Senses and the fleshly Appetite when the End is so near It may likewise check the Folly of Ambitious Designs that Men should make so much ado to get into slippery Places from whence they may so easily fall Where being puft up with vain Applause they forget themselves and their latter End 'till their Life and Glory expire together Where are now the Great and Mighty and Honourable who have made such a Noise in the World What is now the Difference between the Dust of
an Alexander or Caesar and that of their meanest Slaves or Captives Could their Dignities and Earthly Glory preserve any of them from the Stroke of Death or the Judgment of God or without Repentance from his condemning Sentence Think O my Soul how little it will shortly signifie whether I have been known and honoured among Men or no any farther than God may be glorified by it How should it suppress Vain-Glory to think of being one day esteemed and worshipt reverenced and applauded by dying Men and laid in the Grave the next Let me rather seek that Glory and Honour to which Immortality is annext and labour to be accepted with God at whose Bar I must be judged endeavouring to keep the Testimony of a good Conscience and then it is not much whether I pass through Good Report or Evil Report no Contempt or Frowns or Threatnings of Men need then discourage me Tho' I should be trampled on by the Foot of Pride while others are happy in a Dream for a little while and it may be have a prosperous Passage to Damnation I 'll rather thank God for delivering me from their Temptations and giving me the Opportunity and Call to hasten my Preparations for a Better World Let God dispose of my Condition here and Reputation too as best shall please his Sovereign Will only be pleased to keep me upright and to preserve me from Everlasting Shame and Confusion of Face after the general Resurrection and final Judgment Vouchsafe me a Portion now in thine approving Love and own me for Thine at last in the great and terrible Day of Reckoning that then I may hear the Blessed Euge and enter into my Lord's Joy SECT XVII The same Argument considered farther as dissuasive from Worldliness and Earthly-mindedness and as proper to confute the Vanity of long Projects and great Designs for this World ARE the Years of my Life but few and they hastening to a Period and may this be my last Let me not then greedily covet Riches and Abundance and waste my little time to scrape together large Provisions for many years to come when I have no Assurance to see the End of this Is it becoming such a Belief to toyl from Day to Day that I may lay up that which I must so soon leave As if I were to spend an Eternity here on Earth and in the mean while neglect the One thing necessary Am I not upon the Shore of Eternity May not the next Tide carry me off And shall I spend my whole Life in Diversions from the main Business of it Have I nothing else to do but to gather Shells if they were Pearls the absurdity were still the same and pile them upon Heaps till I am snacht away past all Recovery Shall I be regardless of an Eternal State and run the Hazard of being undone for ever by sollicitous Care about pretended Necessaries for a long Abode on Earth Much less for Superfluities when I am not certain of the Possession this one Year Shall I magnifie and admire what is so soon to be parted with Value my self upon these Things so as to Despise those that have less and-Envy such as have more and suffer my Mind to be distempered and my Passions immoderate on every Change of these things Tho' I know besides my own Mortality that to inforce the Argument there is a Principle of Corruption in all these Things that our very Manna here in a little while will stink and Bread which is the Staff of Life moulder our richest Garments wax old and rot Silver and Gold rust and the greatest Beauty wither and every thing that is Earthly decay and perish And shall not this teach me to sit loose from all such things Can I imagine that in my last Hour it will be easier to part with much than little Or better in the Day of Judgment to have a great Estate to answer for than a lesser One We read concerning the Patriarch Abraham who rightly understood the Transitory Nature of Riches and his own mutable Condition that the only Purchase he made with his Riches was a Grave chusing to take Possession of the Land promised him rather by a Mark of his parting with it than of his possessing it Did I think oftner and more seriously O my Soul of tarrying here but a little while I should more easily be perswaded that a little of this World were sufficient to carry me through it I should consider more that my Heaven-born Soul is made and designed for another an Endless World And therefore should not so far forget his own People and Fathers House as eagerly to pursue and seek what is suited only to the Body for a little while and whereof a little with Contentment will be sufficient The same Reflection may be useful to contract our Thoughts to present Duty that we may not perplex our Minds with long Designs and Projects which if we dye this Year will come to nothing Our great Business in this World is adapted to the little Portion of Time which is allowed us Not that good Designs for the Publick Benefit may not be begun by one and finisht by others or that we are not obliged prudently to provide for those who shall come after us by attempting many Things of probable Advantage to Posterity But considering the Shortness and Uncertainty of Life not only should the most Necessary Things be first minded and not put off by prosecuting such Designs as may signifie somewhat to Others when we are Dead But we should not now omit that which we may hope to compass our selves to begin such Things whose Accomplishment must depend on the Pleasure of our Successors Consideration and faithful Counsel would in this case have prevented the fruitless Expence of many Mens Time and Money which if otherwise employed might have turned to good Account to Themselves and Others And this heightens our Folly that while we pursue great Projects in reference to this World and dye without effecting them our Preparations for Eternity are neglected and so we are suddenly cut off in the midst of our Folly and all our Thoughts perish How easily how soon may they do so The Difference and Distance between Death and Life being no more than that of a Candle lighted from its being blown out and if it is exposed to all Winds how quickly may that happen SECT XVIII The Consideration of the Certain near Approach of an Everlasting State amplified and prest to enforce an Holy Life IN this World we begin a Year and quickly come to the End of it and e're long the little Number of our Years and Days will be expired But when Death conveys us into the World of Spirits the Day of Eternity shall never be closed with an Evening Of how fearful Consequence is that Death by which an Eternity must be decided What Attention what Seriousness what Diligence what Care doth the Decision of so important a Matter call for ETERNAL
it shall be as far from an end Oh! that the thoughts of Eternity may be powerful and prevailing above all others that I may Judge of every thing by its relation to it by its influence upon it Chuse now my Soul whether Everlasting Joys or Miseries shall be thy Portion But consider well that thine Eternity is concerned in thy present choice and that this choice must be pursued with stedfastness and constancy as long as I live And what are a few Years to prepare for an Eternal State Were we obliged to spend several hundred years in serious humble preparation for it with the greatest strictness and severity of Life during all that Time it were infinitely less than to spend an hour or two in preparing for the greatest Dignity and Imploy on Earth which can be enjoyed but for a few years at longest For to these an hour hath some proportion but an hundred or thousand years have hone with an Everlasting Duration Therefore to consider how many years of toyl and pains and diligence many bestow on the probable prospect of some Temporal Good should reprove and shame my negligence and remisness in providing for Eternity SECT XIX The Punishments of the Damned considered as Intolerable and Everlasting and as unquestionably certain What the Reflection upon Hell-Torments may and ought to teach us THE Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom the entrance into the way of Life as it is ordinarily one of the first Means to awaken the Soul to a serious Concern for Eternity Let me therefore first consider the Endless Punishment of the Wicked in the other World before I enter upon the ravishing Prospect of the Blessedness of Heaven promised to the Righteous And with what serious Trembling should I think of the Terrors of an Everlasting Destruction which our Lord shall be revealed from Heaven to render to All who know not God and obey not the Gospel When the wicked shall go away into Everlasting Punishment as the Righteous into Life Eternal The Dreadfulness of that Punishment the Endless Duration of it joyned to the Consideration of its Unquestionable Certainty deserves the most Attentive Thoughts of every Man who loves his Soul and would manifest he doth so by securing his greatest Interest The Description of that Misery under Insupportable and Eternal Torments demands more than a Transient View because no words can sufficiently express the Horror of that State What is it O my Soul to be banished from the Blessed Sight and Presence of God for ever and all the Impressions of his Holy Image and Likeness and to know that this is the Fruit of my own Choice that I lost it by my own Fault and Folly that I deserved to lose it that the Sentence is as Just as it is Irrecoverable Who can fully imagine the dismal Despair of a Condemned Sinner under the Anguish of a Guilty Self-accusing Mind while under the Stroke of God's Almighty Revenging Justice with a Distincter View and Knowledge than now of God and his Excellencies of himself and his own Vileness and Malignity which must greatly increase his Rage and Torment Add to this his being enraged by the Accusations and Cries of wicked Acquaintance and Relations and his being mockt and insulted over and tortured by malicious damned Spirits with a clear Understanding of that glorious Felicity he despised refused and forfeited with a deep Sense of his former Madness in preferring the Sinful Pleasures and Advantages of this World and this after so many Warnings and Invitations and Calls from God to have prevented it and never to be diverted one moment from the Consideration Sense and Feeling of his Misery and the duration of it to have all his Passions let loose with the greatest violence and nothing to satisfie them and continually to preserve an Hell of wickedness and Horror in himself and to endure the reproaches convictions regrets and stinging Reflections of Conscience the gnawing Worm which shall never die Who can conceive the unspeakable misery of such an accursed State So great Calamity and yet Everlasting How long doth one Day or Night now seem to a Man under some violent racking Pain in any one part of his Body tho' he be under the means for Cure and have his Friends about him to pity comfort assist him with the hopes of Ease in a little while and the certain knowledge that it cannot last long Oh! what then will be the dismal state of tormented (h) See Mr. Baxter 's Saints Rest part 2 Chap. 4. Sinners in Hell How infinitely must it exceed the most terrible idea we can now frame of it to languish out a long Eternity in that Gulph of Darkness and Despair under unpitied intolerable Torments without Intermission or Hope of End Miseries without Measure Judgment without Mercy Pains and Sorrows intense and yet endless without the least Succour or Relief Relaxation or Remedy Diminution or Change without a Drop of Comfort without a Moments Rest without the smallest Beam of Light or the least Glimmering of Hope Perpetually dying and never dead under unsufferable Wrath which yet will be for ever Wrath to come seeking Death and never able to find it but Eternally to endure all that Calamity which the Conjunction of Death and Life together can render dreadful What Groans and Cries will these Thoughts and these Sufferings wring from their Hearts But no Refuge will then be found no Excuses admitted no Prayers no Entreaties will then prevail no Tears move Pity He that made them will shew them no Mercy and he that formed them will shew them no Favour 'T is Never Never that is the killing Word that breaks the Heart of those hopeless Prisoners in the Place of Torment When once deliver'd over to that Prison of God's Wrath they shall no longer be Prisoners of Hope Judgment shall be brought forth unto final Victory and the Redemption of the Soul shall cease for ever The vain Hopes of Sinners shall then be ended in Eternal Desperation Hell will be full of those who did once hope they should never come there And full of those who despair of Deliverance from thence but shall suffer exquisitive Pains that cannot be numbred or measured or endured but that every Minute of an Hour will seem an whole Year and yet must eternally be endured by miserable Sinners who will not be wise in time to prevent such an intollerable Portion Let me therefore O my Soul descend into Hell by Meditation whilst I live that I may not descend thither when I dye and be shut up for ever in that Prison the Place of Endless Torment Might we but suppose that one of those Miserable Souls did let fall but one Tear in an Hundred Thousand Years and if after he had by this means wept so much as that his Tears would equal the Drops of Water in the whole Sea his Misery should have an End this were Hope this were Comfort But alas after that Period his
And is it not a greater Favour never to be thrown into Hell which I have so often deserved How grateful would a damned Person be to be freed from those Flames and plac'd in the same Condition I now am in What a Life of serious self-denying Obedience would he lead And hath not God done more for me Am I not more indebted to his Goodness He hath kept me out of Hell and offers me the Heavenly Glory upon Reasonable Honourable and easie Terms Blessed be God I may yet escape the Wrath to come Let me heartily compassionate the Delusion of those Multitudes of deceived perishing Souls whose Eyes are blinded by the God of this World who will not believe it till they are convinc'd by the Light of that Fire which shall never be extinguisht Yea when I read or hear of Ten or Twenty Thousand Men slain in a War whether of Infidels or Christians let me think of it with other Apprehensions than formerly I was wont to do Considering that many it may be the most of these shall never have any Comfort or Mercy more fearing lest the same Sword or Bullet that gave them their Mortal Wound hath fixt them under God's Everlasting Wrath and that by dying they are undone for ever In very many other Cases the Faith of this Article would rectifie my Opinion and direct my Actions if seriously considered and improved This would make me think of Death under another Notion than 't is commonly considered For without the Consideration of Hell annexed to it it is not so very formidable but that Heathens have been able to despise it The most Contrary Sects among them on different Grounds have been able to do it but consider Death as a Passage to Eternal Misery as the Gate of Hell as the End of all Comfort to a Wicked Man and the Beginning of an Endless Calamity and nothing can be imagined more dreadful to a Guilty Unholy Soul Some of my Acquaintance it may be who died this last Year are now among those Hopeless Despairing Wretches who expect the final Judgment of God to consummate their insupportable Misery If they were permitted to come and tell us what they suffer and what they know what a Terrible Consuming Fire God is what Vanity Lust and Folly brought them to this Place of Torment what Diligence they would advise us to while in a State of Hope to prevent the like if we have any Love and Kindness for our selves any Bowels of Compassion to our own Souls What a Change do we think it would work upon us But if we will not hear Moses and the Prophets Christ and his Apostles neither should we believe tho' one came from the Dead SECT XX. The Eternal Blessedness of HEAVEN considered as the Perfection of Holiness to quicken our Desires and Endeavours after greater Meetness to possess it DOth one Year after another hasten me to the End of Time And doth the Blessedness of Eternity depend on the Communications I now receive from God On the Preparations I now make and the Meetness I can now attain for Eternal Felicity in the Presence of my God and Saviour O with what Intenseness of Mind should I now prosecute that Glorious Object with what unwearied Diligence should I run the Race that is set before me lest I fall short of the Incorruptible Crown of Life How should every thing be undervalued and rejected that would divert retard or hinder me from pursuing this End Lord be not a Stranger to my Soul in this distant Wilderness state Let me see more of thy Light be transform'd more into thine Image experience more of thy Love feel more of thy vital Presence and quickning Spirit Let the Divine Life in my Soul be more powerful and the Characters of thy Likeness be more legibly stampt upon it by the daily Exercise of Faith and Hope and Holy Affections carry me through this World 'till my Pilgrim state be over and thou hast brought me to perfect Everlasting Holiness And let the believing Fore-thoughts of it fill all the Powers of my Soul with Joy and Wonder Desire and Love Give me Lord to think aright of the Heavenly Glory as a Confirmed State of positive perfect Holiness of Heavenly Light Love Liberty and Joy with the satisfying Vision of God in the Face of Christ and his impressed Likeness dwelling for ever in the direct and steady View of his Transforming Glory with compleat Conformity of the Soul to Eternal Goodness Truth and Love as its Perfection esteeming nothing desiring nothing but that God and Christ may be glorified with an entire Subjection to his Will Adherence to him Rest and Confidence in him Swallowed up in the Love Admiration and Praise of God and our Lord Jesus living in joyful repeated Acts of Subjection Adoration and Acknowledg'd Dependance ravish'd to behold the Glory of God in the Face of Christ to see his blessed Image perfect in every one of the Saints c. When all the present Blindness of our Minds the Errors of our Judgment the Perverseness of our Will the Disorder and Rebellion of our Passions the remaining Aversation from God and Disaffection to him which in this World we complain of shall all be done away The Flesh shall no more lust against the Spirit or the Law in our Members against the Law of our Minds but an Everlasting Tranquility and Holy Peace take place a Peace which passeth all Understanding without any outward Molestation or inward Cause of Disquiet Our corrupted Nature shall no more cast forth Mire and Dirt as now we shall have no more vain or wicked Thoughts no more sinful Fears or foolish Hopes unbecoming Heats unruly Desires Sensual Inclinations Earthly Affections Feeble Sloathful Spiritless Duties Dead and Heartless Prayers Cold Thanksgivings c. But as we shall then know God without Errors and see our Lord Jesus Face to Face so we shall love him without reserve more than now we can think and serve him without Dulness and Distraction and Praise him without Weariness the Spiritual Actings of our Souls shall have no Allay of Dross And thus shall we be with him and admire and injoy him without end Thus when Death is swallowed up in Victory and what was imperfect is done away and what was Corruptible and Mortal hath put on Immortality God in Christ shall be All in All And when it is truly and perfectly so Then it is Heaven The Blessedness whereof is Unconceivable A Blessed Person is not exprest in the Singular Number by the Hebrews but in the Abstract and in the Plural Beatitudes instead of Blessed because the Blessings are as many and great as they have Powers and Capacities to partake of Blessedness So will it be in Heaven A Word tho' commonly used as little understood as Holiness which is one of the greatest Mysteries in the World but will hereafter be fully and delightfully understood by the Blessed Saints as the Malignity and Intrinsick Evil of Sin shall
nor the Mean man for his Poverty O Fool O Wretch that I am shall many then say who now brave it out in Pride and Vanity unconcern'd about a future Judgment not to be persuaded by the Terrors of the Lord which I was so often warn'd and foretold of What Refuge of Hope can I now flie to What can I say for my self What can I do to escape to die to exist no longer I would have no compassion on my own Soul I would not so much as consider its danger I shall now find none from Christ I can expect none His Mercy is gone and gone for ever I am lost undone tormented and must eternally be so O the Amazement Horror and Despair of self-condemned Sinners in that day of Vengeance O my Soul what is there of greater Consequence or of greater Certainty from the Word of God than that I must appear to Judgment when Christ shall come again Lord teach me to believe it firmly to consider it often to lay it seriously to heart to act under the Influence and Power of it as long as I live that at the Great Resurrection from the Dead I may lift up my head with a joyful Hope and find the Judge to be my Friend my Advocate my Jesus and not my Enemy and Destroyer XXIII Meditations of the Glory of Christ in his Glorified Saints and of the thankful Admiration of Believers when He shall come again from Heaven which shall be continued to all Eternity THE Terror of our Lord's Appearance to Judgment cannot be greater to the Wicked than the Comfort and Joy of it will be to the Saints When they shall see Him whom their Souls love ascend with him to Heaven and be welcom'd according to his Promise with those endearing words * Mat. 25. Come ye blessed Children of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from before the foundation of the World 'T was for your sakes I assumed Flesh lived on Earth and died on the Cross to purchase this Glorious Kingdom for you which I now come to give you the Possession of 'T was for this I prayed and suffered on Earth for this I interceded ever since in Heaven I was heard in that Prayer accepted in those Sufferings and my Intercession granted that where I am you may be also to behold my Glory Come therefore good and faithful Servants enter into your Lord's joy O what ravishing words will these be What an Ecstasie of Love and Kindness is implied in them What matter of rejoycing may it now give me to admit the Hope that my Blessed Savior will say such words as these to me and bid me stand upon his Right Hand among his Sheep O what an exulting frame of Soul will such Expressions raise How shall all my Doubts and Fears and Sorrows be scattered in a moment and cease for ever O Glorious Day when my blessed Lord shall thus publickly acknowledge me for his own and plead my Cause against all the Accusations of Satan and the malicious Calumnies of all his Instruments when I shall be able to say of all my sins and sufferings as my Lord upon the Cross It is finished it is finished My warfare being accomplish'd being more than Conqueror over all through him who loved me and died for me and now is come to wipe away all tears from mine eyes as it were with the Napkin that was bound about his Head when laid in the Grave all being the fruit of his meritorious Death Then shall I have nothing more to fear or wish or beg I shall offend provoke and dishonour him no more or by my folly and scandal discredit his holy Name and Gospel but by consummate Holiness be fitted to rejoyce in his Presence and Love and celebrate his Praise for ever I shall never more lament his Absence or complain of his Anger never see a cloud on his Face or a frown in his Look any more Now I must wait and pray struggle and strive labour and suffer desire and expect believe and hope c. but then perfect Rest and Holiness Love and Joy Vision and Fruition Bliss and Glory unutterable and everlasting shall take place All the Attributes of God all the wonderful Perfections of Christ will then be glorified in Believers and admired by them His invariable Truth will then be honoured which they trusted to and waited for for now they shall know and find they did not wait in vain They hop'd in his Word and ventur'd their Salvation upon it and now they shall receive the end of their Faith and Hope infinitely beyond what they ever expected or believed The Glory of Divine Wisdom will then appear when the Constitution Administration and Design of the Mediator's Kingdom shall be fully known in the admirable Order and Beauty of every part of it with the exact Tendency of all the particulars to one Glorious End and the whole Undertaking crown'd with so blessed an Issue What is now a Mystery even to Believers themselves and hath a Veil upon it shall then no longer be so all the Riddles of God's Grace and Providence shall be plainly understood O how transporting a View must it needs be when the Glory of all the Divine Attributes which God intended to accomplish in and by Christ shall be manifest to his Redeemed Saints The whole method of our Salvation will then appear to be the fruit of unserchable Wisdom when we shall all see the Reality and Substance and entire Scheme of all that God designed in and by him all that was typified of him and foretold concerning him in the Old Testament How will it all appear to be the manifold Wisdom of God! Ephes 3.10 As in uniting Heaven and Earth together in the Person of our Moderator fulfilling the truth of a terrible Threatning in his Death and by the same way accomplishing * Vid. Mr. Charnock of the Divine Attribute Wisdom many gracious Promises satisfying Justice and at the same time shewing Mercy manifesting infinite Grace and Kindness by shedding of Blood conquering Death by dying and disarming the Law by Obedience to it c. afterwards subduing the World to the Faith of the Gospel by the foolishness of Preaching making men wise to Salvation by the Knowledge of the Cross and spreading that Faith the more by all the opposition made against it c. How wonderfully will a clear View of these things discover and glorifie the Wisdom of God! But the Love and Grace of Christ the infinite Goodness and Compassion of God will then be magnified in an especial manner What but Sovereign Love in the whole Contrivance and Council of God about our Redemption What admirable Love and Grace in the whole Management of that design What unparallel'd kindness in the Accomplishment of it by the Sacrifice of the Son of God And how Glorious will this Love appear when he shall come again to give us the full Harvest of all his Purchase With what admiring Thankfulness
living in Ease and Honour and outward Prosperity for a little while the saving my Body from Suffering or my Life from Violence or whatever else be the motive of my Unfaithfulness to God and Apostacy from him Is Any is All of these any way considerable compared with the Blessedness of having God to be my God For thereby I have the Forgiveness of all my Sins and the Assurance of his Favour the certainty of present Protection and Provision all Creatures reconciled to me and to be employed for my Good as the Friend of God All things to work together for my Advantage and by the evidence of my Adoption a well-grounded Hope of Eternal Life God as my Sun and Shield will give Grace and Glory and with-hold no good Thing So unspeakably Comprehensive are the Privileges of so near a Relation to God in Christ O happy are the People who are in such a case Blessed are the Persons whose God is the Lord. Do I resolve to abide by my Choice and to trust in Christ for Persevering Grace And shall I not ought I not to take Comfort in it Shall I not give God the Glory of his infinite Goodness by adhering to him and rejoycing in him notwithstanding all Temptations to the contrary Casting all my Care upon him and quieting my self in the All-sufficiency of my Heavenly Father having a God in Covenant who will supply all my wants and take care of me as his own Shall I not give him the Glory of his Truth and Power by trusting him in every Condition By Confidence in his Promise Dependance on his Word Faithfulness to his Interest and Constancy in his Service to the end Is it not a most encouraging Thought That God doth never abandon any who do not first forsake him And after such strict Engagements as I have laid upon my self shall I ever strike the fatal stroke with my own Hand Shall I be off and on say and unsay promise and retract And after I have proceeded thus far shall I forsake the Fountain of Living Waters and turn again to broken Cisterns After I have examin'd my self consider'd my ways confess'd my Sins and upon serious Deliberation am come to a Resolve and in pursuance of it have devoted my self with such solemnity to be the Lord's shall I ever after this forsake Him and my own Mercies and lightly esteem the Rock of my Salvation Now I have learn'd in some measure what Sin is by the sorrows and anguish of an Hearty Repentance now I have discover'd so much of the Snares and Devices of Satan whereby I have formerly been betray'd now I am sensible of the dangerous and powerful influence and infection of bad Company the Treachery of fleshly Lusts the bewitching Temptations of the World and have tasted a little by my own Experience of the Pleasantness of Wisdom's Paths the Peace and Satisfaction of Devotedness to God by the present Rewards of a calm Conscience the communications of Divine Grace and the Encouragement of an Holy Hope c. and am persuaded of the Stability of his Word and the Certainty of Eternal Life to all who continue in Well-doing shall I after all this ever break with God again Shall I ever cancel this Engagement violate this my vow and falsifie so many repeated Promises and Resolutions Oh that his Power may rest upon me and his Grace work in me both to will and to do that this God may be my God for ever and my Guide unto Death Let me never re-assume this Gift and Surrender of my self or defraud God of his Right and Propriety His I am and him I will serve living wholly to Him using all I have for him being willing he should do what he list with his own and consequently dispose of me and of all that any way belongs to me as shall seem good in his eyes I am Thine O Lord save me Command me my work appoint me my Duty direct my Station order my Condition Let me be Thine tho' employed in the meanest service and the most laborious self-denying work Tho' I should be but a Door-keeper in thine House an Hewer of Wood or a Drawer of Water Tho' I must pinch the flesh and swim against the Tide and renounce what before I valued yet This God shall be my God for ever By this means when I come to die if God should add more Years to the little number I have past besides this I have now begun I may be able to say with Upright Hezekiah Remember Lord how I have walked before Thee in mine Integrity that in the face of Death and the Grave in the view of another World and the near prospect of Eternity I may be able to Rejoyce in Hope and say Lord Jesus Receive my Spirit Thou art my Saviour and I have waited for thy Salvation I have sought Thee with my whole Heart I have chosen thy Favour rather than Worldly Grandeur and Prosperity I have prized thy Love and endeavour'd to obey Thee as the best Expression of my own tho' with many Imperfections which I bewail I have delighted more in thy Service and Presence than in the Pleasures of Sin and Vanity thy Testimonies have been the Joy of my Heart I took no delight in the Company of the Ungodly after I was devoted to Thee O let me not have my Portion with them in the other World Fortifie me now against the King of Terrors strengthen me in this my last Conflict enable me to triumph over Death by the Cross of Christ my victorious Redeemer and carry me through the dark valley at the divorce of Soul and Body and grant me an abundant entrance into thine Heavenly Kingdom Let me be numbred among thy Chosen and my Body wait in Hope till the General Resurrection that I may then see thy Glory and dwell with Thee for ever I gave up my self to Thee and do not repent my Choice acknowledge me now for Thine and do not lose that which is thy own Lord Jesus Thou hast paid my Ransom to deliver me from Satan and from Eternal Wrath Oh do not now reject me and cast me off Is it not thine Office and Covenant to save those that Trust in Thee Oh remember thy Word unto thy Servant wherein thou hast caused me to Hope when I ventured my Salvation on thy Promise and trusted to thy Gracious Word for Eternal Life Thy Love hath already overcome the greatest impediments of my Salvation 'T is as easie now to receive me as to Love me Thou hast prepared Glory for thy Redeemed ones and hast bid me believingly to follow thee and wait for thy Salvation Thou hast begotten me to a lively hope by the Incorruptible Seed of the Word Let me not now be depriv'd of the Inheritance Can that Love that pitied me in my Blood and fetcht me from the Gates of Hell now suffer me to fall into it Oh Crown thy Grace and perfect thy Preparatory Mercy with Everlasting Mercy By
charitable Assistance of him that when his Heart is most serious his Spirit most composed and devout and his Affections most vigorous and lively he would not forget to put up one Prayer to Heaven for me for Greater Holiness and Abilities to Honour God and persevering Faithfulness to his Truth and Interest whatever Temptations to desert it may be employed by the World the Flesh and the Devil the three Great Enemies of thine and my Salvation J. S. FINIS THE CONTENTS Sect. I. OF the changeable State and short Duration of Earthly things especially of Man how little it is considered and believed how necessary it should be p. 1. Sect. II. Of the change in Mens Inclinations Opinions and Actions which one year shews how observable it is in Others how much more discernable in our selves Honour and Reputation c. how uncertainly preserved and how easily blasted p. 7 Sect. III. Of the Uncertainty of living to the Period of another Year The Vanity of this Life The Swiftness of Time and how to be Improved p. 13. Sect. IV. Of the seeming Difference between so many Years past and the same number of Years to come p. 20 Sect. V. The little Portion of our Time on Earth considered by a Computation of the Life of Man from the number of Years and Hours p. 22. Sect. VI. Of the Redemption of Time how precious and valuable a Treasure it is and will be thought to be when 't is too late p. 26. Sect. VII Of the Ordinances of Heaven Day and Night Summer and Winter Seed Time and Harvest their Order and Succession establisht by God is the effect of Infinite Wisdom and Goodness What they may teach us p. 30. Sect. VIII Of Evils to be expected in this Year the Wisdom and Mercy of God in concealing from us the Knowledge of future Events p. 36. Sect. IX The Supposition of dying this Year should be improved the consequence of redeeming Time and providing for Eternity farther prest The folly of Elder Persons is condemned and checkt from the Example of Children 'T is advisable to familiarize the Thoughts of our own Death and to imagine before-hand What Apprehensions of things we shall then have p. 39. Sect. X. The Brevity of Life considered as the fruit of Sin There are but three ways of leaving this World as Abel Adam or Enoch A diligent Improvement of Time farther prest and the neglect of it bewailed p. 44. Sect. XI Of the Expectation of another Life The Vanity and Misery of Man in his Best Estate if there be none The satisfactory removal of that Supposition by the Thoughts of God and of Eternal Felicity in his Blessed Presence p. 48. Sect. XII The consideration of the Death of others especially of Relations Friends and Acquaintance how to be improved What instructions we may learn by the sight of a dead Carkass or a Deaths-Head and the usual Motto on it and what by the death of Holy Persons to quicken our desires to be as they p. 55. Sect. XIII What Influence the Consideration of Eternity would have upon our Hearts and Lives if soundly believed and considered especially if the Supposition of dying this Year be annexed to it p. 62. Sect. XIV How a good Man may improve and encourage himself under the Supposition of dying this Year even in the most uneasy and undesirable Circumstances p. 67. Sect. XV. Of dying in a Foreign Country and of dying Young Considerations proper to Reconcile the Mind to both p. 74. Sect. XVI The Contemplation of our approaching Chance may assist us to mortifie the Lusts of the Flesh the Lusts of the Eye and Pride of Life to cure Ambition and promote Contentment p. 81. Sect. XVII The same Argument considered farther as disswasive from Worldliness and Earthly mindedness and as proper to confute the Vanity of long Projects and great Designs for this World p. 85 Sect. XVIII The consideration of the certain near approach of an Everlasting State amplified and prest to inforce an Holy Life p. 89. Sect. XIX The Punishments of the Damned considered as Intolerable and Everlasting and as unquestionably certain What the Reflection upon Hell-Torments may and ought to teach us p. 97. Sect. XX. The Eternal Blessedness of HEAVEN considered as the Perfection of Holiness to quicken our desires and endeavours after greater Meetness to possess it p. 112. Sect. XXI A devout Meditation upon Psalm 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee And there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee p. 127 Sect. XXII The glorious Appearance of J. Christ to Judgment considered as certain the Terror Astonishment Confusion and Despair of Wicked Jews and Christians to behold their Judge and bear his condemning Sentence to EVERLASTING Destruction p. 141. Sect. XXIII Meditations of the Glory of Christ in his Glorified Saints and of the Thankful Admiration of Believers when He shall come again from Heaven which shall be continued to all Eternity p. 151. Sect. XXIV Concerning the Examination of a Man's Heart and Life the Reasonableness Advantages and Necessity of it Some Direction and Advice concerning the Time and Manner That we may know in what Preparedness we are for ETERNITY p. 163. Sect. XXV How Christians ought to Examine their Decays of Grace and Piety The greatness of their Sin and of their Loss under such Declensions Gods Displeasure and Departure from them considered to awaken Endeavours of Recovery In what manner the Faith of Adherence may be acted by one who hath no Assurance p. 174. Sect. XXVI Confession of Sin Humiliation and Repentance must follow upon Self-Examination Advice concerning Repentance for some particular Backsliding The great Perplexity and Distress of a Penitent Sinner represented as a Caution against returning to Folly p. 187. Sect. XXVII The necessity of Christian Resolution unto Vpright Persevering Obedience how full and extensive it ought to be and yet humble by what means we may be assisted to perform that which we Resolve p. 199. Sect. XXVIII The Import and Obligation of our Baptismal Covenant The renewal of it by a solemn Dedication of our selves to God the Father Son and Holy Spirit Exemplified and recommonded p. 207. Sect. XXIX Practical and consolatory Reflections on the preceeding Self-dedication or Covenant with God p. 214. Sect. XXX Thanksgiving to God for his many Benefits and Mercies particularly in the Year past with some Direction and Advice concerning it p. 224. The Appendix from what time the Jews reckoned the Beginning of their Year of the difference between their Sacred and Civil Account The Feast of Trumpets on the first day of the Year its Institution Nature and Design The Traditions and Customs of the Jews respecting that Day
will blast the fairest Reputation with the far greatest part of the World It may be lost by unwary Mistakes by false Reports by Envy and Malice by the subtle Hatred of Enemies or by the Weakness and Credulity of Friends who will listen to every Back-biters Story or by one or two Indiscretions of the Man himself and no Man can be certain to secure his Reputation whilst he lives much less after he is dead Who can content all Men however he live And who is well spoken of by all when he is dead Who is so esteemed that some do not despise him The wisest Conduct cannot hinder but some will judge hardly and amiss How vain and faulty is an Ambition to be talkt of after we are dead which will be but by very few and that very differently and but for a little while There is no Remembrance of former things neither shall there be of things to come with those that shall come after Eccles 1.11 For how little a while do the proudest Monuments last that are set over the rotten Flesh and Bones of many to preserve their Memory God hath promis'd 't is true that The Righteous shall be had in everlasting Remembrance but it must be understood so far only as the frame and state of this World and the Revolutions and Vicissitudes of Time will permit But what Good can it do us farther than the Interest of God's Glory and the Good of others is concerned in it The Blessed will not need it and the Damned have no Advantage by it And no Endeavours can be certain of Success For People will talk of us as they please and their Opinions very often change from one Extream to the other But he who hath the loudest Fame shall only be talkt of a little longer than his Neighbours and that by a few dying Men that must themselves be e're long forgotten And how small a part of the inhabited World is acquainted so much as with the Name of the greatest Men in Europe And how different and contrary are mens Opinions and Discourses of them where they are known and talkt of And how many holy excellent Persons are buried in Oblivion or mis-represented as unworthy to live on Earth whose Names will be found in the Book of Life Our Life is yet as mutable and uncertain as any of theirs The Time is hastning when we shall be too old to Live but at any time we are old enough to Die Our Breath is in our Nostrils and though there be room enough for it to go out we have no Assurance that we shall have power to draw it in again SECT III. Of the Uncertainty of living to the Period of another year The Vanity of this Life The Swistness of Time and how to be improved I Now begin another Year But what Assurance have I to out-live it I cannot not say how soon my Sovereign Judge may call me hence and summon me to appear before his Righteous Bar. O let me not defer my necessary Preparation for Death which may be nearer than I imagine Let me mind the Great things first which are of absolute necessity to be done some time or other before I dye This perishing Body which I have pampered and indulged at the expence of so much Cost and Time may be putrifying in a silent Grave before half this Year be past Lord bless this thought to awaken my diligent endeavours to secure the Blessedness of Eternity to mortifie the desire of Great Things for my self in future Years by the considered Possibility of dying before the end of this Let me look into the Graves of others and consider that this may quickly happen to me and must ere long be my own ease Let me think what this Body will shortly be when it hath been six or eight days separated from my Soul how vile how loathsome that I may despise the Beauty and be dead to the Pleasures of the Body which so easily so suddenly so strangely may be changed For no Glass is more brittle no Bubble more vanishing no Ice more dissolving no Flower more fading no Shadow less substantial no Sleep or Dream more deceiving no Sound more transient nothing more vain and more uncertain than Life on which all other things in this World depend My days are as nothing saith Job though they lasted above two Ages There is hardly any thing very frail and feeble mutable and uncertain but the Spirit of God in Scripture sets forth the Vanity of Life by as if he would teach us by it from the Light of every perishing Object which our Eyes behold to reflect on our own Mortality We sleep every Night in the outer Chambers of Death And in some Diseases Sleep which is the image and Picture of Death is taken away to give place to the Original and make way for death And every year every week every day are we hastening to our final Change which may overtake us e're we are aware Every day we lose some part of our Lives in our very growth from Infancy to Manhood our Life decreases and grows less Every Pulse and Breath doth tell us we are hastening to the End of Time and calls upon us to dispatch our Work If we consider * Dr. Donn's Devotions Time to be the measure of Motion however it may seem to have three Stations Past Present and Future yet the First and Last of these are not one is not now and the other is not yet That which you call Present is not now the same it was when you began to call it so in this Line before you sound that word Present or the Monasyllable Now the Present and the Now is past If we consider Eternity into that Time never entred Eternity is not an Everlasting Flux of Time but Time is a short Parenthesis in a long Period and Eternity had been the same as it is tho' Time had never been If we consider not Eternity but Perpetuity which shall out live Time and be when Time shall be no more What a Minute is the Life of Man to that How soon must it end Every Word we speak is formed of that Breath whereby we live and we may not live to pronounce another Sentence but the Lamp of Life may be extinguisht and blown out by a sudden Blast Every thing we do carries away some Sands of our little Glass of Time and how little may remain Or how soon may the Glass be broken Our Souls are in our Bodies as a little Air inclosed in a thin Bubble how easily is that broken and where are we How many who are now alive in health and vigour who deliberate on their Meat and Drink and are curious of Air and Exercise to maintain themselves in Health and please themselves with the Dream of Years to come shall never see another New-years-day It may be not another Month or week or morrow Many have promised themselves great things on the morrow but dyed before