5. 3. and as thus in the Temptation so in the Punishment though the Devil be commissionated by God to torment wicked men and probably one wicked man shall help to torment another yet every man will be his own greatest Tormentor when he shall consider on the one side the punishment of loss what a great happiness he hath for ever lost when the understanding shall be enlarged to apprehend the greatness of his loss when Conscience shall be awakened to apply this loss to himself This loss is my loss I am the man that have seen Affliction when the thoughts that are now taken up about other things shall be wholly intent upon this loss when he shall further consider upon what fair terms Salvation was offered how much time he had to work out his Salvation what variety of means and helps God afforded him For what petty inconsiderable things he lost it when besides this punishment of loss he shall find by sad experience what before he would not believe what a dreadfull place Hell is what a fearful thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God When he shall further consider how often he was warned to flee from the wrath to come what means and helps God afforded him to escape the damnation of Hell and that nothing could prevail upon him When he shall further Consider that he himself was the cause of his own ruine that he lyeth down upon a bed of his own making that he is fettered in cords of his own twisting that he walks but in the light of his own fire and in the sparks of his own kindling when he shall add this to the former that his condemnation was through his own choice God set before him life and death and he chose his own delusions Oh! the rendings and tearings of Conscience which must needs result from these and the like sad reflexions which successively pressing upon the soul like the impetuous waves of a raging Sea one after another must needs afford everlasting matter for this Worm to feed on These considerations will be as the Wood Conscience as the Worm those as Fuel this as the Flame the one as Tow the other as a Spark they shall both burn together and none shall quench them For this is that which will make this worm most unsufferable because it is a never dying worm [e] Isa 66. 24. Mark 9. 44. Sometimes it is called fire a Furnace of Fire a Lake of Fire (f) Isa 66. 24. Mat. 13. 42. Rev. 19. 20. All which speak it terrible but that which makes it most terrible is because it is an unquenchable Fire (g) Mat. 3. 12. an Everlasting Fire (h) Mat. 25. 41. Fire here must be fed with continual supplies of Fuel or else it goeth out but this by the breath of God which like a stream of Brimstone kindleth it (i) Isa 30. 33. So that look how long God liveth so long this Fire burneth Wicked men shall burn in an eternity of Fire to and if possible beyond an eternity of duration Sometimes it is called a Prison (l) 1 Pet. 3. 19. and wicked men are said to be bound hand and foot (m) Mat. 22. 13. We read of a Prison amongst the Persians which was deep and wide and dark and only one hole at the top into which the Prisoners let in could no way get out therefore was called by them Lethe forgetfulness Such and far more grievous is the Prison of Hell out of which there is no redemption they are lying Histories which tell us that Trajan was delivered out of Hell by the Prayers of Gregory and Falconella by the Prayers of Teclaes No he that goeth this way never turneth again nor ever taketh hold of the paths of life The Prisoners here are not Prisoners of hope as we said of the Jews in their captivity in Babylon (n) Zech. 9. 12. and may be said of other Prisoners but are Prisoners of desperation being once doomed to these Prisons of fire they must continue for ever Fettered under Chains of darkness lying there like a wild Bull in a Net in vain roaring and begging for mercy through the grates of their eternal Dungeons Agree with k ardebunt in aeterno igne in aeternum ultra thine adversary quickly whiles thou art in the way lest at any time the Adversary deliver thee to the Judge and the Judge deliver thee to the Officer and thou be cast into Prison Verily I say unto thee thou shalt by no means come out thence till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing (o) Mat. 5. 25 26. But that I may contrive a large Picture in a small Ring to use Philoes expression and contract the Images of great things into a little glass Is it called darkness Do wicked men go from one darkness to another from inward to outer darkness That darkness is said to be eternal For whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever (p) Jud. 13. Is it called Death The wages of sin is death it is a death that never dyeth (q) Mors sine morte Death shall feed on them the Arabick readeth it shall be fed with them (r) Psal 49. 14. Death like a hungry Vulture shall not cease to feed on them to all eternity Is it called burning do wicked men go from burning to burning from burning in sin to burning in hell from burning in flames of lust to burning in flames of torment these burnings are for ever who shall dwell with Everlasting Burnings (s) Isa 33. 14. Lastly It is sometimes called torment as it is said of the rich man that he was in torments so as he cryeth out I am tormented in this flame that which makes these torments more tormenting is because they are eternal They shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever and The smoak of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever (u) Rev. 20. 10. 14. 11. t Luk. 16. 23 24. CHAP. IV. Of the Sublimeness of Eternity as Transcending all Expression Knowledge of it self or measure and all Imagination HAving dispatched the first Doctrine That things which are not seen are eternal I proceed to the second Doct. 2. That which puts the greatest weight upon things not seen and makes them the proper objects of a Christians aim and choice is because they are eternal Though if these and things seen were weighed together there were many other considerables that would give the precedence to things not seen yet that which chiefly casts the scale and maketh things not seen to preponderate is because they are Eternal This the Apostle layes down as the reason why they looked at these not at the other because the other are temporal but these eternal it is Eternity that mainly makes the difference and puts an infinite weight upon the unseen things of another life so that I am here to speak of the grand importance and concernment
frieze and contract me let all these and whatsoever can come more happen to me so as I may be freed from Hell and may enjoy my Saviour in eternal blessedness And 2. There is as little reason on the other hand why we should envy the prosperity of ungodly men Suppose saith Chrysostome that a man one night should have a pleasant Dream that for the time might much delight him and for the pleasure of such a dream should be tormented a thousand years together with exquisite torments would any man desire to have such a dream upon such conditions All the contentments of this life are not so much to eternity as a dream is to a thousand years and little is that mans condition to be envied who for these short pleasures of sin must endure an eternity of torment In the time of the wars in Germany the Army being upon special service order was given that none should upon pain of death go a forraging one souldier notwithstanding this strict Command went abroad and amongst other things stole some grapes and brought them with him being deprehended he was adjudged to present death as he went to execution he fell to eating his Grapes the Commander asked Sirrah can you feed so heartily when you are to dye presently the poor souldier replied Sir must I pay so dear for them as the loss of my life and do you grudge that I should eat them do wicked men purchase their present pleasures at so dear a rate as eternal torments and do we envy their enjoyment of them so short a time Would any envy a man going to Execution because he saw him going up the Ladder in a Scarlet Coat or a Velvet suit What though wicked men be cloathed in Scarlet and fare Deliciously every day this is all they are ever like to have There is scarce a more terrible Text in the whole Book of God than that of Christ concerning the Pharisees Verily I say unto you they have their reward (s) Mat. 6. 2. Luk. 6. 24. and that parallel Text Woe to you that are rich for you have received your consolation Gregory being advanced to places of great preferment professed that there was no Scripture went so near his heart and struck such a trembling into his spirit as that speech of Abraham to Dives Son remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things (t) Luk. 16. 25. they who have their Heaven here are in great danger to miss it hereafter It is Gods usual way saith Jerom to remove from delights to delights (u) A deliciis ad delicias to bestow two Heavens one here another afterward Oh how much more worthy of our pity than envy is that mans condition who hath all his happiness confin'd to the narrow compass of this life but his misery extended to the uttermost bounds of an everlasting duration CHAP. X. An Exhortation to Restrain from Sin and Redeem Time 3. BUT that which I would chiefly insist upon is a Use of Exhortation and there are seveâ—al things to which we are to be exhorted from this Truth As 1. This should and being seriously considered might be a most powerful restraint from sin there is a two-fold eternity one of happiness the other of misery in regard of both these the malignant destructive nature of sin appeareth First It depriveth of eternal happiness there is never a sin thou committest never an oath thou swearest never a lye thou tellest but thou runnest a desperate hazard of losing God thy soul everlasting happiness and whatsoever may be dear and precious and not onely a desperate Hazard but without repentance an unavoidable Necessity so as thou canst have no hope of ever seeing the Lord in the Land of the living of ever tasting how good the Lord is or having any portion in those good things which God hath provided for his people and is it not a prodigious madness to lose all this for a base lust As the Drunkard doth for a pot of drink the Covetous man for a little thick clay the Swearer for just nothing for a sin in which there is neither profit pleasure ease nor any thing that might give any satisfaction to the mind Perhaps some may think If this be all they may do well enough (a) Regnare nolo sufficit mihi salvum esse As some St. Austin bringeth in speaking though I miss of Heaven I may do well enough in a lower condition wicked men now live without God and Christ in the world and think themselves well enough without them and therefore may think it no great misery not to be admitted into their presence they care not now for the company of Godly men but avoid it all they can and so will think it no great matter to be hereafter excluded their society But such should do well to consider that the time is coming when Heaven and Hell shall divide the world as there are but two sorts of men in the world Goats and Sheep Chaff and Wheat Righteous and Wicked so there are but two places remaining for them the Wheat to be gathered into Gods Garner and the Chaff to be burnt with unquenchable fire the Sheep to stand at Christs right hand with a come ye blessed c. the Goats at his left hand with a go ye cursed c. Besides these there is no other place no other condition remaining for men after this life if thou losest Heaven Hell must be thy portion And this shews further the devilish nature of sin it doth not only deprive of Heaven but without repentance unavoidably throws the Soul into the jaws of Eternal Condemnation Some say a man and a Crocodile seldome or never meet but it is the death of one It is certain sin and the soul never meet but one dyeth either sin must dye now or the soul dye eternally if repentance that Spirit of burning doth not burn our sins Hell fire will burn our Souls If then thou makest no great matter of losing Heaven and being excluded the Presence of God think with thy self whether thou beest able to lye for ever under the Arrests of Gods Wrath and to dwell with everlasting burnings Perhaps thou art hardly able to bear those temporal afflictions now lying upon thee and if thou hast run with the foot-men and they have wearied thee how wilt thou be able to contend with Horses If thou beest wearied out in this Land of peace how wilt thou do in the swellings of Jordan where all the waves of God shall pass over thee where thou shalt be like a Beacon on a hill or an Ensign upon the mountain exposed to all the Storms and Tempests of Gods Wrath When therefore thou findest thy self tempted to any sin and thy heart ready to close with the temptation pause a while and propound to thy self this unanswerable Dilemma If I yield to this temptation and commit this sin either I shall repent or not repent of it If I do
or a Child but for the loss of a Horse or a Cow than to hear they are in apparent hazard of losing eternal happiness but when after death they shall find themselves for ever deprived of it and shall have their understandings cleared and enlarged to know the worth of what they have lost then they will conclude that there is no loss like this loss and would think themselves happy if upon any conditions they might be but some little time within the possibilities of happiness They would be willing to give any thing thousands of Rams ten thousands of Rivers of Oyl or whatsoever men count precious they would be willing to do any thing if prayers tears humiliations watchings fastings would prevail to regain lost time how gladly would all this and much more be undertaken If it were to be regained by hewing their way through Rocks of stone by swimming through Seas of blood by encountring the greatest difficulties and dangers how willingly would they undertake any thing that is possible to be done they would be willing to suffer any thing if enduring the pain of a thousand deaths if lying a thousand years in Hell would satisfie Gods Justice for their former neglects and prevail for some longer time to be indulged them how tolerable would this seem How gladly would they accept of the Conditions But alas it will be then too late the door of hope and mercy will be then for ever shut up against them they will have nothing then to do but to lament their doleful loss and that they will do with howlings and lamentations able to rend Rocks and Marbles in pieces CHAP. XV. Of Directions to help us in looking after Eternal Blessedness HAving finished the Motives I proceed to some Directions The Apostle James speaketh of those as uncharitable men who give good words to the poor saying Depart in peace be you warmed and filled notwithstanding give them not those things which are needful to the Body and censureth their uncharitableness with (a) Jam. 2. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What doth it profit Probably I might incur the like Censure should I onely exhort men to labour for Eternal Blessedness and not withall give some Directions how it might be attained therefore shall lay down these ensuing 1. We should engage our selves by taking up fixed peremptory resolutions things fully resolved on are more than half done when a man out of a practical conviction cometh to be sensible both of his want of happiness that without it it had been good for him that he had never been born and of the worth and excellency of it and thereupon taketh up a set resolution that he must have it whatsoever it cost him that whatsoever he neglects he will not neglect this one thing necessary this man is not far off from the Kingdom of God Resolution when it is fixed like a principle in the Soul when it is both deliberate proceeding out of a settled judgment not rash sudden and precipitant and determinate with the full bent and tendency of the heart not a velleity a weak fluctuating inclination such a Resolution hath a twofold advantage 1. It hath a powerful influence upon the whole man he that fully resolveth upon a thing will put to the utmost of his power about it and when a man takes up a stedfast resolution to make Heaven his business this will engage all the Powers Faculties Abilities of the Soul all the wisdome study care thoughts affections endeavours in the pursuit of it such an one will stick at no pains but be willing to do any thing that he might obtain it 2. It will break through all Oppositions Nazianzen walking by the Sea-side and observing â—ow the waves beating upon the shoar brought with them many Cockle-shels stalks of Herbs and the like trash and returning with other waves swept them away again when in the mean time the Rocks about him stood firm being not a whit moved by the flux and re-flux of the raging waters deduced from thence this profitable Meditation That weak irresolved minds are soon overcome by contrary perswasions whereas a stedfast peremptory resolution will easily dash all temptations and keep a man that no contrary solicitations can remove him from his stedfastness As therefore they say Bees when they flye in a great wind ballast themselves with little stones that they might not be carried away with the wind so it should be our care to Fortifie our selves with strong and settled Resolutions onely we must take heed of resolving in our own strength Luther in his Comment upon the Galatians tells of Staupitius that he had often heard him complaining to this purpose I have many times resolved and covenanted for the Service of God but I cannot perform according to my resolutions hereafter I will take up no such Resolves for I well see if God be not merciful to me in Christ for all my vows and resolutions I shall never be able to appear before him and Luther commends it for a holy kind of despair what we think to build by our own strength we will soon pull down by our own weakness therefore when we thus resolve we should go forth in the strength of the Lord and make mention of his Righteousness only 2. We should improve that Power we have though a man in his natural estate is not able to believe and repent and do such things as more immediately accompany Salvation yet he may do something in tendency to it as 1. He may abstain from those sins that are Destructive of Salvation though he cannot abstain from sin collectively yet he may divisively though not from all sin because it is natural to sin yet from this and that particular sin though he cannot refrain from the inward lustings of the heart which continually sends forth sin as the Fountain sendeth forth water yet he may from many outward acts of sin every one of which strengthen the habit and more strongly encline to sin the Drunkard can continue sober while he is in sober company the Swearer if he be in the presence of a Justice of Peace will scarce swear an oath for some hours together and what they do at one time and in one company they might do in another though they cannot abstain from sin out of love to God or hatred of sin yet they may out of love to themselves and fear of Hell if the Laws of the land should ordain that he that sweareth or is drunk should be punished with death it would no doubt keep many from those sins and what they do out of fear of a temporal they might do much more out of fear of eternal death 2. A man may hear read pray confer meditate and use other outward means appointed by God if he doth something this way he might do more allow himself more time for these duties and when he sets about them might disengage himself from other things that he might intend them in a
yet that which would be the portion but of one man would be far more grievous than all the cruel deaths and exquisite tortures which have been inflicted upon men ever since the world began But though they be thus dreadful in themselves yet that which mainly and indeed infinitely adds to the greatness of them is because they are eternal as one said If Hell were to be indured but a thousand years methinks I could bear it but for ever that amazeth me Bellarmine i out of Barocius tells of a learned man who after his death appeared to his friend complaining that he was adjudged to Hell-Torments which saith he were they to last but a thousand thousand years I should think it tolerable but alas they are eternal And as it is the eternity of these sufferings which chiefly maketh them so great so the greatness of them proveth them to be eternal otherwise they could not be so great as they are described e De arte bene moriendi 4. A fourth Argument to prove the point may be taken from man himself who is (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an immortal Creature (l) Wisd 2. 23. God created man to be immortal and made him an Image of his own eternity though he be not eternal and immortal as God is who is therefore said only to have immortality (m) 1. Tim. 6. 16. and therefore Divines distinguish between the eternity of God and the sempiternity of man God is a whole eternity both backwards and forwards from everlasting to everlasting man's onely a half eternity forwards but not backwards to not from everlasting God ' s is a simple eternity he can no way cease to be man's onely (n) secundum quid in some respect because he may be annihilated by Gods power God's is an uncreated man 's a created eternity God's causal mans derived God's independent being onely from himself man's dependent and limited but though he be not eternal as God is he is truely and properly an immortal Creature There are two essential parts of man the soul and the body and in regard of both these he is immortal First the soul is an immortal substance and that not onely (o) per gratiam by the grace and favour of God as the body of Adam was in the state of innocency and as the bodies of the Saints shall be at the Resurrection but (p) per naturam by its own nature having no internal principle of corruption so as it cannot (q) vi naturae suae by any thing from within it self cease to be neither can it be annihilated by any thing from without (r) Math. 10. 28. Fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul Gregory observeth there are three sorts of Created Spirits the first of those whose dwelling is not with flesh or in fleshly bodies they are the Angels the Second of those which are wholly immersed in flesh the souls of beasts which rise out of the power of the flesh and perish together with it the third is of those which inhabite bodies of flesh but neither rise out of the Power of the flesh nor dye when the body dyeth and these are the souls of men when the body returneth to the earth as it was the Spirit shall return to God who gave it (s) Eccles 12. 7. From this immortality of the Soul we may infâ—rr the eternity of mans future condition (t) Quorsum animae immortalitas nisi ut immortaliter vivat aut immortaliter moriatur the soul being immortal it must be immortally happy or immortally miserable I shall not stand to enumerate those many arguments that are brought to prove the souls immortality but whatsoever Arguments are or may be used to prove this they will all undeniably conclude the eternity of mans future estate A further proof of it may be taken from the body which though it be subject to death yet not to dissolution Simo Stenius Professor of the Greek Tongue at Heidelberg being visited by the Minister lying upon his Death-bed amongst other Discourses the Minister asked him if he desired with Paul to be dissolved and to be with Christ rendering the word after the vulgar Translation he answered with some kind of indignation that that was not the proper signification of the word (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by the Apostle which properly signifies to depart to be unloosed not to be dissolved Death is only a change not an annihilation After a Creature is once in being it is never wholly annihilated Birth is a River saith Heraclytus which never drieth up but is continually supplyed by an accession of fresh waters though the Body be subject to death and after death to a thousand transmutations as men cast away at Sea may be devoured by Fishes those Fishes after eaten by men possibly some of those men devoured by wild Beasts those Beasts by Dogs those Dogs eaten up by Wormes those Wormes consumed to dust that dust scattered upon the Earth yet after all these resolutions and transmutations there is something remaining and God is able to make those dispersed pieces of dust like those scattered bones Ezek. 37. to come together one to another take twenty several sorts of seeds and mingle them together in the same vessel a skilful Gardiner is able to sever them one from another mingle the filings of Steel or Iron with so much dust that the filings are not perceived yet by the help of the Load-stone you may separate the filings from the dust according to their first quantity They say some exact Chymists are able out of the same herb to draw out the several elements by themselves That men can do this it is because God teacheth them as the Prophet speaketh of the Husbandman (w) Isa 28. 26. And he that teacheth man knowledge shall not he know (x) Psal 94. 10. He that first made man out of nothing can much more repair him out of that something yet remaining Augustine hath a good meditation to this purpose Think saith he with thy self how old thou art whether twenty or thirty years old before that time what wast thou Where wast thou In the Grave whither thou goest there will be dust or ashes or something to be found toward a man whereas before that time there was neither dust nor Ashes nor any thing to be found towards thy Nativity God who at first made the body out of nothing can and will remake it out of something pre-existent and when it is thus re-made it shall be made immortal and incorruptible So the Apostle (y) 1. Cor. 15. 42 53. It is sown in corruption it shall be raised in incorruption This corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality We read Levit. 14. if the Plague of Leprosie were in a house they must scrape the walls and pull out the stones and plaister and put other
away discouraged crying with the Prophet My leanness my leanness woe is me I can do no more good (e) Isa 24. 16. and are sometimes ready to resolve with the Prophet Jeremy I will Prophesie no more in the name of the Lord as fearing lest God hath sent them as he did the Prophet Isaiah to make the hearts of people fat and their ears heavy and shut their eyes lâ—st they should hear and see and understand and convert and be healed for alas whereunto may I liken the men of this Generation they are like unto Children crying one to another we have piped to you and ye have not danced we have mourned and ye have not wept Ministers may be then said to pipe when they sound the silver Trumpet of the Gospel publishing the glad tydings of peace and eternal Salvation then to mourn when they are constrained to ring in mens ears the doleful knell of their everlasting misery but people generally are as little affected either with the one or the other as if they were but meer fantasies as if Heaven were but an Idea like Plato's Agathopolis or Mahomet's Paradise or Moores Utopâ—a as if Hell were but a scare-crow set up to put an awe upon more credulous spirits Ministers out of their several Pulpits cry out Eternity Eternity Eternity and yet cannot prevail with men to take the least care about their eternal condition How many be there who have lived thirty or forty years under the powerful preaching of the word and have heard many hundred Sermons the main drift of which hath been to exhort them to this one thing necessary and yet it is to be feared the time is yet to come with a great many that ever they spent one serious hour in making provision for their everlasting estate like those They come and sit and hear the Word and seem to be affected with it as if they heard some pleasant song (f) Ezâ—k 33. 31. but they do it not they are no more prevailed upon as to any serious care and endeavour after things eternal than the very stones they stand on When Bede was old and blind yet he would take all occasions to preach the unhappy boy that led him on a time led him amongst a company of Stones telling him there were a company of men assembled and he preached to them and indeed as good preach to stones as to stony-hearts there is almost as much hope to prevail upon hard stones as upon heard hearts it was a strange expression Bonaventure used upon that promise of God I will take away the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh Lord saith he I will none of this promise none of this heart of flesh let me have my heart of stone still I read the Altar at Bethel clave asunder at the words of the Prophet when Jeroboams heart continued heard the stones rent in pieces at the death of Christ when the hard-hearted Jewes were not affected let me rather have a heart of stone than such a heart of flesh and indeed it is true in his sense no stone so hard and unmalleable as the stupid heart of man and that is the reason of those frequent Apostrophes in Scripture whereby God turning from a stubborn people applyeth his speech to the sensless creatures Hear O heavens and give ear O earth Hear O mountains the Lords controversie and ye strong foundations of the earth (g) Isa 1. 12. Micah 6. 2. implying that as soon may the heavens and earth hear as soon may the mountains and foundations of the earth tremble as a stupid sottish people whom it most concerneth And that men that are so often and earnestly called upon should be so little affected and wrought upon this is a lamentation and shall be for a lamentation this is one aggravation of that stupidity which is in men 2. If we consider how soon men may enter upon their eternal condition though at present we be in health and strength yet our strength is not the strength of stones nor our flesh of brass we are frail mortal creatures our foundation is in the dust our life is in our hand our breath in our nostrils we carry about in our bodies the matter of a thousand deaths and may dye saith Calvin a thousand several wayes each several hour as many senses as many members nay as many pores as there are in the body so many windows for death to enter in at Death needs not spend all its arrows upon us a Worm a Gnat a Flye a Hair a Stâ—ne of a Raisin a Kernel of a Grape the fall of a Horse the stumbling of a Foot the prick of a Pin the pairing of a Nail the cutting of a Corn all these have been to others and any one of them may be to us the means of our death within â—he space of a few dayes nay of a few hours we may be well and sicken and dye and forthwith enter upon our eternal estate Death being the Door of Eternity forthwith transmitting us to an eternity either of joy or torment and truly one would think that this consideration should prevail with men to make some timely provision for their future estate Cato had many times moved in the Senate that Carthage which had been so offensive to them might be destroyed but could not prevail being still opposed by Scipio On a time he brought a Fig with him into the Senate telling them that that Fig Was three dayes before growing in Carthage and that for ought thâ—y knew an Army from Carthage in as short a time might arive at their Gates upon which the Senate considering the suddenness of the danger they might be in gave order for the demolishing of it Though we seem at present to be fresh and flourishing like fruit growing in a fruitful ground yet we do not know but in a short time perhaps within the space of three dayes we may be cropt off by death and transmitted into another world and therefore should be so wise as to make provision for our future estate both by dying to sin which otherwise will be the death of our souls and by the Use of all other means conducing thereunto but that notwithstanding this great uncertainty men should live as if they were â—o live alwayes should put off the thoughts of death as if they shâ—uld never dye should content themselves to live in that condition in which they dare not dye or in which if they should dye they should be eternally miserable this argues as great a folly and stupidity as the nature of man is capable of Thou wouldest be troubled if thou certainly knewest thou wert to live but one month longer and art thou not affected when perhaps thou shalt not out-live one day (h) Fleres si scires unum tua tempora mensem Rides cum non sit forsitan una dies Eliphaz speaking of a Vision he had saith A thing was secretly brought me and mine ear
converse is in Heaven who is continually drawing water out of the Wells of Salvation and bathing his soul in those Rivers of Everlasting pleasures Some observe that the Grashopper neither feeds upon grass as beasts do nor upon seeds as birds do nor upon Flowers as Bees do only feedeth on the dew falling from Heaven and yet is both a nimble creature often skipping up and down and a cheerful creature frequently singing a true Believer as he doth not much trouble himself about the world so for the most part he hath little of it at least in regard of what the world giveth but conversing with things heavenly and eternal this filleth him with more joy than others have when their Corn and Wine encreaseth 13. It conduceth much to the encreasing of heavenly light and knowledge the higher men stand the further they see they that are in a Plain cannot see far they that are in a Valley see but a little way such as are in the bottom of a well see only that point of the Heavens that is perpendicularly over their heads whereas those that stand upon the top of an high-Mountain see over all the Country round about questionless they who are frequently conversing in Heaven cannot but know more than other men Origen upon those words of the Apostle Rom. 11. That when the fulness of the Gentiles is come in all Israel shall be saved hath this expression what is meant by all Israel shall be saved and what by the fulness of the Gentiles only God knoweth and his only begotten Son and perhaps some of the friends of God of whom Christ speaketh I call you no more Servants but friends for all that I have heard of the Father I have made known to you such as are Gods friends know more of his mind than others The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him (x) Psal 25. 14. The Papists say of Bonaventure that being asked by Aquinas out of what Books he had those heavenly expressions that were in his writings he pointed to the Crucifix saying that is the Book which prompts to me what I write being prostrate at the feet of that Image I receive more light from Heaven than from all the Books I read if what they ascribe to the Crucifex we transfer to Christ himself it will hold for a sound truth They looktd to him and were lightened (y) Psal 24. 5. We find the bodily sight is much strengthened by looking upon suitable objects when the eye is dim if it be fixed a while upon some green Meadow or flowry bank it much helpeth the sight Artificers after long poring upon some dark work finding a dimness in their eyes are wont to take some Emerald or some other green thing by the verdure whereof their eyes may be refreshed and their fight strengthened it will hold as true in spiritual sight the light of knowledge and understanding is much increased by looking upon the unseen Eternal things in Heaven 14. It would sweeten death and that nothing else can It was an usual speech among the Heathens that only Christians were contemners of death (z) Soli Christiani mortis contemptores the Philosophers especially the Stoicks made it their work to furnish themselves with arguments and get their hearts into such a frame that they might be above all passions might not fear any evil that could befall them no not death it self and though in other things they went far even to the shame of most Christians yet when it came to death they fell short of what they propounded to themselves Socrates is thought to go as far as any other whatsoever evil befel him he was yet the same man no alteration appearing in his carriage insomuch as another Philospher Antisthenes said If the Gods would grant him what he desired he would desire nothing else but to have the spirit of Socrates and this was so much the more remarkable because that equanimity he attained to was quite contrary to his natural temper There came on a time a fellow to Athens who pretended great skill in Palmestry that by the sight of mens hands he would tell what disposition they were of and having guessed shrewdly in many he was at last brought to Socrates looking upon his hand he affirmed him to be of a froward peevish disposition the people began to hout him having had so long experience of his meekness and moderation but Socrates said do not blame the man for the truth is such a one I am by nature only I have cured the intemperance of nature by the practice of Philosophy yet this man who was so far able to master himself and his passions in other things was not able to master the fear of death though at first he seemed undaunted yet when the cup of Poison was reached out to him he looked as pale as ashes the like it was with others Plato discoursing highly of the contempt of death was answered by one he spake beyond what he lived (a) Fortiùs loqueris quà m vivis Tully was well versed in the writings of the Stoicks and thought himself fortified against the fear of death but when death came complained I know not how it comes to pass but so it is the remedy is too narrow for the disease Though while men look upon death at a distance they may hope by the improvement of Philosophical arguments to master the fear of death yet when death cometh in good earnest when all the senses the ports of the soul are beset with the ambushes of death when death mounts up all her batteries and beateth down one hold after another driving the soul from one part of the body to another till at last the soul be forced to quit her former habitation when a man comes to feel what he never felt before to do what he never did before nor is ever to do a second time when he cometh now to have the last cast for an Eternity either of happiness or misery to cease any longer to be what he was before and to enter upon a new but never ending condition when it cometh to this they must be better and higher arguments than can be learned in natures school that will be able to afford support and comfort to the departing soul As soon may a man think to gather Grapes of Thorns and Figgs of Thistles as by the sole improvement of these to grapple with the terrors of death Lypsius lying upon his death-bed when a friend that stood by said It would be in vain to suggest any arguments of consolation to him who was so well acquainted with the writings of the Stoicks he is said to turn himself towards Christ saying Lord give me the true Christian patience (b) Domine da mihi patientiam Christianam whereas the Believer whose mind is taken up with heavenly things being already dead to the world findeth it no hard matter to part with it as that Martyr
speech of Marcus Aurelius upon his death-bed When we begin to live we imagine our life will endure a whole world but when it is ended it seemeth to us to be but a puffe and blast of wind The Scripture somtimes expresseth the term of mans life by years (i) Psal 90. 10. The dayes of our years are threescore years and ten sometimes it is reduced to moneths (k) Job 14. 5. The number of his moneths are with thee sometimes it is confined to dayes So teach us to number our dayes (l) Psal 90. 12. sometimes it is limited to a day (m) Job 14. 6. That he may accomplish as a Hireling his day A man that hath some great work that must of necessity be done and but one day for the doing it had need work hard it is so with us only we are upon a far greater uncertainty the shortest day hath its morning noon afternoon and evening so that he that hath work to do knoweth before-hand what time he hath for doing it but it is otherwise in the day of our life some have a morning but no noon they are born and forthwith dye step from one grave to another from the grave of their mothers womb to the grave of the earth the common mother of all some have a noon but no afternoon their sun sets at mid-day when their bodies are full of strength and their bones full of marrow some have an afternoon but no evening and which of these may befall us we know not There was a Jewish youth that went to a Rabbie desiring him to instruct him in the Law the Rabbie asked him how old he was he answered eight he told hâ—m he was too young to understand the Law willing him to stay till he were eight years older and then if he came he would instruct him The youth replyed Sir I have been often in the Church-yard and have observed that there are as many graves shorter than I as there are longer and if I should dye before I be eight years older what will become of my soul if I be ignorant of the Law That many are snatched away by death in the morning of their age we see by daily experience what befalleth them may befall any of us and how sad would it be if Death should take us out of this world before we have made provision for another It was a cutting speech of Caesar Borgius While I lived I provided for every thing but death now I must dye and am unprovided to dye What provision we make for this world whether we have more or less is no great matter our abode here being for so short a time the great thing is what provision we make for death and Eternity that follows it and seeing the time of our life the only time of providing for it is so short infinitely concerneth us to im prove this short time to the best advantage to work the work we have to do while it is day 6. When this short time is once past there is nothing to be done in this great work If a man dye shall he live again (n) Job 14. 14. It is an affirmative interrogation and hath the force of a strong Negation he shall not live again as to a natural life this life is called an earthly house (o) 2 Cor. 5. 1. being once disâ—olved it shall not be inhabited from generation to generation it is a Tabernacle in the same place A Shepheards Tent Other Tents are taken down and set up again but when this is taken down the stakes thereof removed and the cords broken it is never set up again till the Resurrection It is a Candle The spirit of man is the p Isa 38. 12. Candle of the Lord (q) Prov. 20. 28. if it be once put out it is never lighted more the sun of our life being once set it never riseth again after the evening of its setting there is never till the last Resurrection a morning of its up-rising the Glass of Life being run out it is never turned again we are as water spilt upon the ground which cannot be gathered up again A wind that passeth away and cometh not again (s) Psalm 18. 39. As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more (t) Job 7. 9 and As the Flood decayeth and dryeth up so man lyeth down and riseth till the Heavens be no more (u) 14. 11 12. It was the saying of Charles the fifth I have spent my treasure but that I may recover again I have lost me health but that I may have again but I have lost a great many brave souldiers and them I can never have again the like may be said here other things may be lost and yet recovered again Joh lost his whole estate yet God blessed his latter end more than his beginning Hezekiah lost his health and fell into a grievous sickness yet God added fifteen years to his life but if the time of life be once past it is past all recovery to weigh the fire to measure the wind and to call back a day that is past are three things mentioned by the Angel of the like impossibility (w) 2 Esdras 4. 5. While the sheep liveth though the wool be clipt off every year it groweth again to the like weight but clip it off when the sheep is dead and there never cometh any more while life lasts though much of our time be wilfully lost and much snatcht away against our will yet by our Repentance and future care we may regain it as that expression redeeming the time implyeth but if the term of life be once past there is no redeeming of lost time being once entred upon our eternal condition there is no returning back to the enjoyment of formerly neglected r Sam. 14. 14. opportunities When a few years are come I shall go the way whence I shall not return (x) Job 16. 22. After death there is no returning back to do any of these works we might have done here Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with all thy might for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest (z) John 9. 4. I must work the work of him that sent me while it is day the night cometh when no man can work I might shew it in all those works we are to do in reference to securing eternal happiness are we to secure it by praying as Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (a) Rom. 10. 16. that is not to be done after death Because he hath enclined his ear unto me therefore will I call upon him as long as I live (b) Psalm 116. 10. implying when he should cease to live he should cease to pray Are we to secure it by hearing as Hear and your soul shall live (c) Isa 55.
God is pleased to enlarge the heart and vouchsafe a special assistance in the duty when a man stirreth up himself to take hold of God and continueth wrestling with God by a holy importunity He shall approach to me for who is this that engageth his heart to approach unto me (i) Jer. 30. 21. and let him take hold of my strength that he may make peace with me and he shall make peace with me (k) Isa 27. 5. 4. When the hearts of Gods Ministers are enlarged when those goads nails given from one Shepherd are powerfully fastened upon the conscience by the Masters of the Assemblies When Christ was teaching it is said The power of God was present to heal It holds true in regard of spiritual healing (l) Luk. 5. 17. when the Word is powerfully preached God whose way is in the Sanctuary whose Walk is in the midst of the golden Candlesticks is then more specially present to make his word effectual We then as workers together with him beseech you that ye receive not the grace of God in vain then followeth Behold now is the accepted time now is the day of salvation (m) 2 Cor. 6. 1. 5. When there is wrought in the heart some remorse for sin When John Baptist preached in the Wilderness of Judea the people went out to him and were baptised of him in Jordan confessing their sins and then he tells them Now also is the Axe laid to the root of the tree (n) Mat. 3. 10. 6. When there are stirred up in the soul some desires after grace and salvation Hoe every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters then Seek ye the Lord while he may be found call upon him while he is near (o) Isa 55. 1. 7. When God by threatning or inflicting some great judgement doth awaken and terrifie the conscience Thus the Prophet having threatned a sore judgement he adds Therefore now also saith the Lord turn to me with all your heart c. (p) Joel 2. 12. 8. The time of sickness when a man cometh to apprehend he must dye and forthwith enter upon his Eternal condition Tully observeth (q) Morbo gravi mortifero-afflictis c. when men draw near to death then they begin to thing of vertue and to repent deeply of those sins and offences they before committed Beza saith That God laid the foundation of his spiritual health in a violent sickness that befell him at Paris 9. After some great mercy conferred or some great deliverance vouchsafed which is apt to put the heart into a melting frame when the Angel minded the people of Gods mercies to them and how ill they had requited him they wept abundantly (r) Judg. 2. These and the like are the particular times when God worketh more close with man to bring back his soul from the pit to be enlightened with the light of the living but here is the great misery men that are careful to take the proper seasons in all other things yet in this which most concerns them are more inobservant than the Stork and Crane and other brutish creatures and this is the great cause of the miscarriage of many thousands of souls Because to every purpose there is a time and judgement therefore the misery of man is great upon him (s) Eccles 8. 6. It holds true in the miseries that befall men in this life because there is a nick of opportunity when every thing may best be done and with most advantage and sometimes when it must be done or not done at all and men many times want judgement to discern this time this is the great cause of those evils that befall the Sons of men Esau lost the blessing for want of coming a little sooner Saul lost his Kingdome for want of staying a little longer And as in the things of this life mens not timing things aright is the cause why they miscarry in their undertakings so it is more especially in spirituals because there are some particular seasons and articles of time when God draws more near to men and makes more immediate offers of mercy and salvation and men will not know the time of their visitation hence it comes to pass that the misery of men is great upon them this is that that sets open the flood-gates of damnation that makes Hell to enlarge it self and swallow innumerable souls there is no one sin I think I may say not all sins put together that is the cause to the damnation of so many under Gospel-light as this one sin there are few who live under Gospel-dispensations but are convinced of the necessity of making provision for their Eternal condition and have many purposes and resolutions to do it only they will not take Gods time they put it off and think it will be time enough afterward and this is that fatal Rock where millions of souls dash themselves in pieces that great stumbling-block at which innumerable men stumble and fall and perish everlastingly Could we lay our ears to Hell and hear the cryes and complaints of those poor tormented creatures I doubt not but we might hear them crying out against this sin as the chief cause of their perishing if therefore our souls our salvation our everlasting welfare be precious to us take heed of neglecting those seasons and opportunities which being once past can never be recalled again but let us in this our day know the things that belong to our peace Yet further though at these and the like times God worketh with men yet we may probably conceive that there may be sometimes one particular time when God above others draweth more near in this kind To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under Heaven (t) Eccles 3. 1. There is a particular season when every thing may be best done and sometimes must be done then or not at all When Elisha desired that a double portion of Elijah's spirit might be given him Elijah answered Thou hast asked a hard thing nevertheless if thou see mee when I am taken from thee it shall be so unto thee but if not it shall not be so Elisha being with him and seeing him when he was caught up had accordingly a double portion of his spirit whereas had he missed that time he had likewise missed of what he desired Some have observed that there are few men but some one time or other in their life have an opportunity put into their hand for advantaging themselves in regard of their outward condition in the world some one opportunity more conducing thereunto than they have all their lives beside and if this be neglected many times they never meet with the like again Samuel appointed Saul to tarry seven dayes he tarried six and part of the seventh and Samuel not coming he forced himself and offered a Burnt-offering the Text saith As soon as he had made an end of offering Samuel came and tells him