children this unwillingnesse to dye in Jeremiah (i) â—r 37.20 Therefore heare me now I pray thee and let my supplications be acceptable unto the King my Lord that thou cause me not to return to the house of Ionathan the Scribe lest I dye there Our Saviour foretelling Peter that bold professor Though all should be offended yet not I k Mat. 26.37 of his death foretold him also how unwillingly he would undergoe it Thou shalt be carried whither thou wouldest not (l) Iohn 21.18 And thus unwilling have the Saints been to dye not only when wealth and pleasures would have made them in love with life but even in such times as these when sinne and misery did abound in the world yet even then loath have they been to be took out of it just as Lot who though his righteous soule was vext day by day whilst he lived in Sodom (m) 2 Pet. 2.8 although he knew that a fearefull destruction was falling on it suddenly yet how strangely did he linger when God would take him out of it insomuch that the two Angels were constrained laying their hands on him to force him out So weak was the purest and best flesh that was ever made even our Saviours though united to the God-head that it begged If it be possible let this cup passe from me Ipsa vox non exauditi magna est expositio Sacramenti (n) Leo in Mat. 26.39 The mystery that Christ should be God and not be heard is to tell us that nature flesh and blood would not willingly purchase any good thing at so deare a rate as the price of its life and being Man then yes the best man nay God himselfe as he was a man being not able without some struggle and reluctancie to undergoe the last and sad departure of the soule from the body these deare intimate and ancient friends with what heart-breaking then and tormenting unwillingnesse doth a man formerly carelesse and customary in Religion yeeld up his soule Againe take notice how hard 't will be for him to resist the Devill who then especially recollects what malice and poyson is within him and vents it with most violence Vltimum magno scelus animo patrandum as Medea of her selfe (o) Sen. Med. Sad and present experience will tell you that when the besiegers of a Town heare that the siege is shortly to be raised by the reliefe of approaching succours whereby it must necessarily be for ever rescued out of their hands how fast and lowd will the Ordnance then thunder what underminings what stratagems what force will be then used then will they recollect whatsoever is man in them not a brain heart or hand which shall not be then imployed that their former hopes may not faile or their former labour be lost And can the Devill thinke you who hath besieged a soule for 30 40 50 or 60. yeares and all this while hath more then hopes of taking it be forced to remove siege ere hee hath tryed his utmost strength fury and policie And as the Devill will on our death-beds use his utmost endeavours so shall we formerly carelesse be utterly disenabled for resistance Alas we have not in time of health got unto our selves the whole armour of a Christian which is very improbable I will not say impossible to begain'd in the last sicknesse for the armour the chiefest whereof is the shield of Faith comes by hearing (p) Rom. 10.17 God therefore seldome very seldome bestowes his graces on those who in their health have not thrived by this Ordinance And this is the reason why many carelesse ones dye either without a Minister or happily having an ignorant loose one which knows not how to awaken a soule out of its damnable lethargy or lastly having a faithfull one cannot by reason of their present paines or feare of hell reape any profit by him and if any seemingly to us are by Gods blessing on a faithfull Minister brought to repent their repentance is scarce acceptable or sound 1. Not acceptable May not God say to such as he in the Comedy Cum nemini obtrudipotest itur ad me you make me your refuge not your choise nay you come not onely last unto me but you reserve that which is worst for me As in a barrell long drawn Non tantum minimum sed pessimum relictum what is left is not onely little but grownes and dregges the worst of all so offering your selves unto me on your death-beds you give me onely that little of your life that is left and this little is the worst part too made up of paines weaknesses feares and agonies nor this neither would you give me knew you how otherwise to bestow it What thank-worthy is it to be willing to leave your sinnes when you can keep them no longer to renounce the world and its vanities when you must be took from them to give means to the poore when you your selves cannot make use of them to forgive your enemies when you are disinabled to return their injuries or to perswade your wife and children to rely on my providence because you can no longer lay up for them 2. 'T is usually unsound Many at their last gaspe with teares in their eyes groanes in their hearts and confession in their mouthes miscarry and goe to hell which we assuredly conclude to be in heaven and have oft with joy related what good ends they have made looking onely at their last pensivenesse and not at their former lives by which onely may we guesse what followes death death being the Eccho to life so we usually dye as we live This sad truth my own reason and experience makes good Some have I known in extremity of sicknes being as they thought the last have made large confessions of their past errours and have profest strong resolutions of amendment for the future in supposition of recovery Oh! said they if it would please God to spare me suffer me to recover my strengh ere I goe hence adde unto my yeares mightily would I manifest how the Lord hath sanctified his visitation unto me by a reclaimed strict and exemplary life yet being restored againe to their former strength and liberty Dogges and Sowes as they are have suddenly returned to their vomit and mire this my experience tels me now my reason tels me that had these wretches died in this their repentance which the devill made them beleeve and they us was sound and true they must necessarily have gone to hell because their after relapses and wallowings proved them to be counterfeits Thus are we necessitated to fear the miscarrying of all these careless ones though they are permitted to dye in their beds with a long and ordinary sicknesse Oh then in what danger do they live and how do they walke upon the brinke of hell which care not through repentance and humiliation to make their peace with God in these dismall bloody dying times of ours when
multum navigare but multum jactari not to faile farre but to be much tost so old people may not so properly be said to live long as to be troubled long But grant that some old men have beene so healthy and happy that they never yet tasted the bitter of crosse or sicknesse and grant that with Wine good Company Cardes and a carelesse selfe loving heart they can merrily passe over the feares and miseries of Church and State grant that in such franticke jollity they attaine to 80.100 yeares yet that life is but vapor aliquanto diuturnior saith the Father a better lasting vapour t Austin in Psal 6. nay sitoto illo tempore viveres ex quo Adam è paradiso emissus est vsque in hodiernum diem videres vitam tuam sayes he non fuisse diuturnam quae sic avolasset if thou hadst beene borne when sinne slung Adam out of Paradise and lived to this present moment thou must necessarily confesse thy life may not properly be called long which is so swift-winged Seeing then our life is so short miserable and uncertaine may we not stand amazed at the generall pride that overspreades and oppresseth the whole Kingdome and aske almost every man we meet Why doest thou poor miserable nothing-man why doest thou boast thy selfe And thus much suffice for the proofe and illustration of the first branch of our first question let 's in the next place apply what hath beene said Applicati ∣ on No better use can we make of this first question and of the ground and reason of it thus open'd nor any likelier meanes to take us off from pride and boasting then by often and serious meditation of our earthy fraile and miserable condition to lay up against and to provide for death If our life at the best peaceablest and healthiest times be but a hands breadth u Psal 39.5 then certainly in these bleeding sicke and worst times we are fallen on 't is not onely before God but in it selfe nothing All of us now as David complaines x Psal 119.109 carry our soules in our hands or as our Divines y Ainsworth in locum with the Chaldee Paraphrast expound him being every day nay every houre through the destroying angels of Warre and the sicknesse raging amongst us in jeopardy of our lives it should make us again with David as Lorinus z Lorin in lib. Sapient 6.4 v. 7. and others expound him to carry our soules in our hands i. with meditation of the certainty of death and the uncertainty of its comming animam velutmanibus gestare ut Domino ad nutum offeramus so to carry our soules in our hands that we be ready willingly and preparedly to yeeld them up unto the Lord let him call for them never so suddenly And here bethinking my selfe both of the misery and carelesnesse of our times I am lost in the comparison If ever England were inhabited by people of Laish if ever we were lost in a Leathargie buried in security dull'd and deaded in a senselesse course of sinning then now especially What alatums and warnings have wee had and even now are bellowing in our eares and yet Behold joy and gladnesse slaying of Oxen and killing of sheepe eating of flesh and drinking wine a Psal 22. At such a carelesnesse the Prophet stands amazed even when judgement was threatned and for it the Lord assures the Jewes that they should be utterly destroyed this iniquity should not be purged away untill you die verse 14. Oh my Brethren how justly may we be lost then with the apprehension of the deadnes senselesse stupidity of our times and what a fearfull and utter destruction may we expect at Gods hands whose judgements are not onely threatned but in execution Oh! they fall thicke and heavy on us and yet are we still the same constant and carelesse trudgers on in the old sinnes of our nature cuâ—â—ome and crimes nay we hate to bee reformed accounting those our enemies and misusers who would recall and better us Warre Civill warre the most bloody and lasting of any and the sicknesse rage amongst us the sad breach betweene the King and his great Councell not made onely but proclaimed the gappe growes daily wider the Drumme speakes louder and the sword drinkes blood thirstier then ever massacres burnings batteries besieges things not heard of for many many yeares in our Island are our familiar misery and discourse yet alas alas as if we could neither see nor heare we continue the same carelesse indifferent Christians We often heare and reade of the cruell suffering of our Brethren both with us and beyond the Seas especially in bleeding and dying Ireland such sufferings that 't would make the heart ake to thinke of them the eare tingle to heare them and the tongue faulter to relate them and yet still tooke with the sinnes and courses of the world with the vanities idolatries and superstitions of pastimes you never set about the making up of your accounts betweene God and your soules of the making even with heaven the Lord knowes how soone sooner 't is to be feared then the Devill will let us beleeve we may be made to drinke the dregs of that cup which our poore Brethren have begun unto us 'T is much to be wondred at that you which have so many arguments for praying against sudden death should make such no-preparation against it But doe you know what in that short ejaculation you pray for In it you doe not so much pray against theeves bloody persecuters the Pestilence Impostumes Apoplexies Palsies Fire Water Thunder Earthquakes the hazzards and dangers of Civill Warre onely the usuall messengers of untimely deathes but that you may by a blessed use of the meanes such as praying hearing meditation conference sanctified afflictions c. so confirme your faith and perfect your repentance that you may at all times be armed and provided against death which meanes if you neglect you live contrary to your owne pretended desire and consequently your prayer is vaine and hypocriticall an abomination to the Lord. But if your prayer be hearty and your endevours answerable that thereby you are prepared to meet the Lord whensoever he shall call for you death then can never be sudden let it come when it will and how it will or by whom it will So much truth hath that of Solomons in it c Wisd 4.7 Though the righteous be prevented with death yet shall he be at rest though he be tooke away sooner then after the ordinary course of nature he might expect in his youth happily full strength or best complexion yet being tooke so doing standing on his watch and guard by faith and repentance having made Christ his and by a continuall circumspection living in a constant expectation of death he dyes in full assurance of rest and happinesse whereas wicked d Psal 55. vit bloody and deceitfull men shall not live out halfe their dayes i
instrument of Mordecai's honour whom ere-while hee would not suffer to sit covered before him and immediately afterwards hang'd on that Gallowes he rear'd for him z Est 7. How suddenly the scales have turn'd and good carding altered our own Chronicles will tell you yes our own times very late times will tell you how a long imprisoned person hath been took out of the prison judged and censured his but now mighty adversary 'T were losse of time to shew you those many whom sympathy and conversation have been long a twisting which in a thrice have been as famous for thei enmity as ever they were for their friendship One instance shall serve Sejanus had but now so much of the bosome of Tiberius as the Historian tells us (a) Tacitus that he stiles him consors curarum partnet in his cares and so much of his dignity that he stiles him Collega imperii partner in his Empire but how suddenly and fatally did the Scene alter next day nay next houre Calcamus Caesaris hostem Macro a new pellet but his old Adversary thrust him out of Tiberius his favour brought men and Authority to the Senate to spoyle him of his life and which was worse to an ambitious man of his honours too then those which but this houre were his Idolaters became with the hearing of six lines read proud to bee his executioners and made him the sacrifice which but this morning was their God Fourthly and lastly suppose thy friend thy greatest friend true and fast as constant too as the three paires the Heathens boast of let him be as close and sure to thee as Ionathan was to David nay further suppose him as close and as fast to his God too yet he is still but Gods instrument if thou dost ill he neither will nor dares stick to thee if thou dost well yet can he be nor more nor longer thine then God shall suffer him Nay let me tell you if high friends great dependance or mighty relation be that which you pride your selves in and boast of God may and 'c is probable he will so crush and humble thy great friend that thou maist gladly make use of Peters I know not the man 't was I believe somewhat in the cause why the Lord lesus so left Peter that he denied forswore and wept because he relied too much upon the man Christ Iesus Reade we not that 't was usuall amongst the antient to attach and accuse friends as accessories and conclude every traitours friend a conspiratour and that humour is not yet quite worn out For though judgement doth not so peremptorily as in old times seize the friends of the accused or guilty yet suspition sticks close to them and if jealous suspitious eyes are about thee 't is as bad as mosse about a tree 't will for the present hinder thee from thriving and at last by degrees wither thee No sooner was our Saviour betraid but present enquiry was made after his friends and followers then presently thou also Peter wast with Iesus of Galilee * Matt. 26.69.71 and again this fellow also was with Iesus of Nazareth b And though the Disciples fell not presently with their Master yet his cause was their death and because they persecuted him they persecuted them much more This have I said not that I would have you leave your Saviour or feare to professe friendship to his cause and servants but then you might know that friendship and relation only be they never so innocent may cause your overthrow Hence the Athenians Phocion asking them why others he only being thought guilty should bee accused answered onely quod amici fuerint because they were his friends Thus Alexander as Curtius tels us sought the death of all Parmeno's friends and allies and to Sejanus his friends amicitia objecta est they were accused of friendship Nay as Tertullian witnesseth of him * Apoloz portati sunt in carcerem emorituri puberes qui mortem nesciebant sub cultro ridebant 't was sufficient fault for his children to be his who tender wretches were put to death ere they know what it meant and sported with that axe that was to end both their mirth and life So suddenly may the wind turn and times change that you may with a heavy heart say of your great friend what Evodius does of Sejanus Aequè illum amasse quà m offendisse periculosum his friendship is now as dangerous as before his anger was To put this together then if some friends are basely treacherous many selfe-ended others inconstant and all but men fraile and uncertaine in their persons and condition subject to the miscarriages of state and change of times yes so subject that thy former friendship and relation with them may utterly ruine thee though thou and thy great friend be never so innocent This being so doubtlesse thou hast no just cause to boast of thy friends though I bate thee the sinfulnesse of it But were we not eare and eye-witnesses to the contrary we could not think that any one which hath not left to bee man can be so very a craven as to crow on these dung-hills boast of meere froth of these low wordly gaudy nothings a Heathen could say a Sen. prae sat in ratural quested quagrave m contempta res est homo si non supra humana so exercuirit man is a very inconsiderable thing if the things here below onely take up his time and thoughts yet there are bona animi the good things of the mind somethings within man such as knowledge sweet and affable dispositions morall vertues together with reason and other gifts and naturall endowments which a man may better call his owne and therefore the Heathens have so strangely boasted of them which some even Christians have thought may enable them expuris naturalibus meerely of themselves to lay hold and keepe fast their Saviour to worke out their salvation with feare and trembling as pround nature misconstrues that place of the Apostle and therefore some even Christians have boasted of these naturall and morall endowments But for my part so sensible am I and the Lord continue me so of these wretched fruits which radix ista damnata as the Father cals her o nature that dāable root brings forth b Austin ◠contia Iuian that I cannot but in respect of these good things of the mind also as they are called continue my wonder and question and aske the richest endowed the compleatess man that nature or industry hath made Why boastest thou thy selfe in these And first what just subject of boasting can the wisdome and knowledge of the experientest learnedst man afford him which some have thought at the best to be but opinion that whatsoever we are capable of is not onely uncertaine in its possession but in its knowledge also nay this Tenet of theirs That nothing can be truely knowne is not sufficiently knowne unto themselves as Lucretius well Nil sciri
secondly he had many occasionall additions to his estate and is well known to you all This to free him from making too much hast to bee rich Again that he was not covetous these reasons prove First he dislik't sure I am ever since I knew him the unjust griping trade of usury Secondly he never made purchase as I have heard not himselfe only but some neighbours affirm wherein he gave not of the most Thirdly and lastly he was liberall at his door and hospitable in his house Whosoever shall be apt to condemn him out of this opinion that thrift and providence and the Lords blessing on these a joyning house to house and land to land cannot be without covetousnesse this man is much out of the way The truth doutblesse is quite of the otherside those which are carelesse of their own estates are most covetous of their neighbours witnesse Cataline of whom Salust sui profusus alieni appetens men oft spend that wit and time in taking from others which should have been imployed in keeping or encreasing their own becomming thus at the same time theeves and loyterers Some the desire of others goods and skill in cheating leaves them carelesse of their own others againe wasting their own estates become covetous of their neighbours The fifth as the last and chiefest his constancy in the observation of religious dayes and duties never since God sent me to you doe I remember that ever he absented himselfe from our holy meeting unlesse sicknesse or some undeniable and lawfull occasion detained him constantly did he observe set times of prayer in his Family And so punctuall was he in the observation of the Lords own day that when the violent danger of a fit and the earnestnesse of his friends his Minister urging reasons for it could not be perswaded that a Messenger should on that holy day travell for a Physician no not after our publike devotions were ended But his Religion wil more brightly appeare when as in the last and next place you shall heare how religiously and thriftily he husbanded the time of his sicknesse Which was almost nothing else but a continued prayer a praying alwayes a praying without ceasing For his sicknesse seized him with such violence deadly symptomes that it told him at first what he was to look for wherefore he presently pronounced 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto himself resolv'd for death and thereupon forthwith betook himself unto God in a long and serious prayer and unlesse it were in some necessary intermissions of rest of receiving either spirituall or temporall food and Physick he continued in the same posture and action untill his last fit which took him away praying Nay when he was quite tyred with the extremity of his fit sleep offered it selfe he would oft refuse it saying he could not spare so much time from his devotions and when I answered him that by rest he would be the better fitted and quickned for prayer he replyed but oh I shal have ill thoughts get within me even in my sleep to my great hinderance at last when I told him that such ill thoughts that seized on him thus unwillinly and were suddenly sorrowed for awaking would as soon vanish and be pardoned he was with much difficulty brought to admit of an houres intermission for that rest which he so much wanted Yet even then too did he manifest himself part of the Church of Christs Spouse who though she slept yet her heart waked b Cant. 5.2 for seemingly to us asleep yet many times the up-moving of his hands showed his heart was awaked unto God But when he was perfectly awaked with such earnestnesse even in his extreamest fits did he fasten his eyes and hands and heart too I dare say towards heaven that I believe 't was with him as with Stephen c Acts 7.56 By faith he saw the heavens opened and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God whom he then so earnestly plyed to pray the Father for him He came at last to such a delight in prayer that spending one whole almost even a terrible night of many threatning fits in this heavenly Colloquy and familiarity with God and I asking him the morrow following how he had sped that night Oh said he I have had many brave fits and told me withall that God would not let him lose one fit but ever after it he found his faith and comfort encreasing The Lord by them does work me said he and by degrees I creep unto him When we first sate about the great businesse of preparation for death which truth is ought to be the businesse and task of our whole life I could not take the course usuall with me on the like occasions first to administer the Law its exactness terrors and curses on the disobedience allowing some certain time and dayes for the working of it ere I administred the Gospel but by reason of the danger his fits threatned I was forc't to make a confection of the Law and Gospel to administer them mingled and compounded acquainting him at the same time with terrours and comforts threats and promises hell and heaven lest he might have been suddenly cut off in a desperate sorrow or a false joy And God bee praysed accordingly it wrought with him now you should have his eyes fastened on the ground in token of humiliation anon piercing the Heavens in token of confidence now you should have his hands wrung in token of griefe anon again held up in token of hope now a teare in token of sorrow and then a smile in token of joy just like this Month of April raine and Sun-shine stormes and calm But towards his end these enter changes ceast the calm begun to be full and glorious he might have cryed out with the Church d Cant. 3.11 12. Lo the winter is past the raine is over the flowers appeare on the earth the time of the singing of birds is come the voyce of the Turtle is heard For I asking him whether or no his comfort did encrease he answered me excellently greatly and how faith held out hee replyed strongly even then when I could scarce hear him Whereupon demanding of him loath I was the the Devill should at last gull him whether he could at the present resist unto blood be burnt undergoe the fiery tryall for his Saviours cause and glory he answered me gladly gladly Lastly the Lord so much shewed himself unto him gave him so full a view of his treasures such a largetaste of those joyes that were laid up for him in heaven as wee are charitably given to believe that he underwent the extremity of his fits not with patience only but with comfort and left the world his wealth friends and pleasures not out of a dull sense of the paine and agony of his sicknesse or a prophetick sensiblenesse of the miscries falling on this Kingdom which he would oft lament nor made he in this respect a vertue of necessity carelesly left it because he could no longer enjoy it this were like a condemned thiefe or traytor who seem willing to lay down their lives because they can no longer keep them not in this or that or the other false respect did he welcome death but therefore was with joy and cheerfulnesse dissolved because his faith assured him he should be with Christ FINIS
either as a judgement on their hard hearts which cannot repent they shall be cut off in the midst of their strength and sinnes as most interpret the words or wicked men though they die feeble and aged yet are they said dies dimidiare not to live out halfe their dayes because they are so deeply in love with the world and greedy of life that they would willingly live as long againe as already they had or lastly are so carelesse of their walking so little knowing how the precious time passes away that they are at their journeyes end ere they thinke they have gone halfe way thus being tooke away before they expected death they are tooke away also ere they could halfe provide for it Whereas if wee consider how fraile and brittle even naturally how subject to variety of casualties the frequent instruments of sudden death wee are how many continually fall on every side of us what store of blood-thirsty Papists and desperate Libertines rage and swarme in our land each whereof suae vitae incuriosus tuae dominus growne carelesse of his owne life becomes master of thine and upon these considerations alwayes keep e Sen. Ep. 66. in our view and minde approaching death we should never be unprepared for it Non subito moriuntur qui semper se morituros cogitaverunt i.e. those which with Saint Paul dye daily f 1 Cor. 15.31 for so also may he be understood cannot die suddenly If therefore thou art resolv'd to pray From sudden death good Lord deliver us pray also with David g Psal 92.12 Teach us so to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts unto wisdome i.e. bring them to wisdome make them wise Now a wise mans heart saith the Preacher h Eccles â— 5 discerneth both time and judgement the last time death and the last judgement at Christs second comming not that he punctually knowes the time when he shall die or when Christ shall in flaming fire be revealed from heaven no these times and seasons belong unto God alone but that he so well discernes the one and the other that neither of them shall take him unprovided to this purpose as it becommeth a wise sonne he gathereth in summer l Prov. 10.5 In the long dayes of peace and the glorious sun-shine of the Gospel he layes up against Winter i.e. either against times of blindnesse and persecution when the meanes shall be denyed him or else against death when his strength like that of Plants returnes to the earth there to be kept untill the Resurrections spring You therefore which desire to be freed from sudden death and by your prayer will witnesse this your desire witnesse it also I beseech you by your carefull endeavour to prepare for its comming pray that you may apply your hearts unto wisdome and manifest your selves to be wise sonnes by gathering in Summer O gather therefore gather apace whilst it may be yet said to be Summer For ought I know our Sunne may be declining and our Summer drawing towards an end darkenesse and spirituall blindnesse may be comming faster on us then the yeares Winter We have truth is at this time a great shine great store of excellent and faithfull Preachers but this may be but Vltimus lucernaefulgor the last blaze of a dying candle greatest at last The times are dangerous full of teares and dismall expectations what bloody and desperate designes are continually hatcht and discovered strange talke and projects abroad God knowes whether the Jesuites many yeares plot may now have issue the scales may turn sure I am our sinnes and hardened hearts deserve it nay doe we not see them swagge and much adoe to keepe even and did not the prayers and humiliations of some few good soules amongst us which sigh and cry both for their owne and the abominations of the land adde weight unto the right scale we were utterly lost O how suddenly may the freedome and liberty of injoying God in his Ordinances for want of valuing and rightly using them be tooke from us Let therefore you and me and him let every one of us resolve with his Saviour m Iohn 9.40 To worke the workes of him that sent us whilst 't is day because the night comes when no man can worke the workes of him that sent mee not of my Father Vt obligationem faciendi ipso missionis nomine declaret n Maldon in locum that he might shew the necessity of performing these workes from his purposely being sent for their performance So ought wee whilst 't is called to day the time of our life the time of our liberty or the time allowed us for comming in let us ply the businesses breeding faith and perfecting repentance not onely because they are the works of our Father works tending to his glory but also because they are the works of him that sent us to this end hath hee sent us into the World that we might repent and beleeve It concernes us therefore carefully to use all the meanes to attaine to this perfection ere we are took out of the world ere the night of death come on us when no man can work And for ought I know to the contrary this night wherein no man can work may as well include our last sicknesse the time of dying as that after it Death is a harder task and there is more to do in it then most men think of How much businesse we may then have and how little time allowed for its dispatch God onely knowes A carelesse man going on in the sinnes and courses of the world who thinkes it not worth the while in times of health and content to trouble himselfe with the melancholy of repentance will finde it employment more then enough on his death-bed for his weak heart and giddy head to set his house in order the chief thing in these troubles cared for by worldly Achitophels with patience to undergoe his present paines or to make the little and spiritlesse flesh God shall leave him willing to depart What no time then my brethren and quiet will he have to make even with God having run on 30 40 50. or more yeares in horrible arrerages what little leisure then will hee have to resist the Devill quiet his conscience or answer his clamorous sinnes I shall in a word shew you what a toile and trouble almost invincible 't will be for that man to dye well that hath lived ill acquainting you with these 2. things 1. How hard it is for such a one to be willing to dye 2. How hard it is for him dying to resist the Devill First see how hard it will bee for him to bee willing to dye Whatsoever is destructive to being or life nature abhorres the continuance and preservation of this being its onely appetite Such a one then as yet being in the state of nature cannot but mightily dread death Nay there hath been in the dearest of Gods
probably this benefit of dying by a long sicknesse in the bed being denyed them they may be suddenly cut off with a head full of Wine hands full of oppression eyes full of uncleannesse and a heart full of malice and thinke Oh thinke what then Object I know the jolly customary sinners ordinary objection no great decision sure I am no disprofit to answer it Though we as yet take our swing in the wayes and courses of the world and death may overtake us ere we are prepared for it yet God can make us doe much in a little time and that as much in as little time too as the thiefe on the Crosse did Sol. 'T is truth to God nothing is impossible much lesse can any thing bee hard to him yet know that the LORD is infinitely just as well as omnipotent and I know not how it can stand with his infinite justice miraculously to worke faith and repentance in a man on his death-bed distracted with sicknesse weeping friends a clamorous conscience and a misgiving heart which in time of strength and quiet wilfully did shut his eyes against light counted the preaching of the Word foolishnesse 1 Cor. 1.19 by which foolishnesse as hee and such like count it it pleaseth God to save them that beleeve he hath appointed as a meanes to worke faith in them whom he intends to save Rep. But did he not make the thiefe on the Crosse much repent and beleeve in a little time and why may he not take the same course with me too Resol This Example of the Thiefe onely proves that if thou doest as truely repent and beleeve on thy death-bed as the Thief did on the Crosse though thou hast beene formerly never so desperately wilde and carelesse and canst manifest the truth of thy faith and repentance by as lively fruits as he did thou art call'd though at the last houre and art assured of heaven but it does not prove that God chooseth the last houre to call soules in though faith and repentance be it given when it will cannot misse of heaven yet seldome or never never but once have we read or heard of God bestowes these graces on them which till then never thought them worthy the seeking The Fathers and moderne Divines afford store of answers to this carelesse Objection First that of Augustine is very good Verum quidem dicis quod Dous poenitentiae tuae indulgentiam promisit sed huic dilaetioni tuae diem crastinum non promisit Å¿ Aug. de verb. Dom. Serm. 16. That mercifull God which hath promised pardon upon repentance hath not promised to morrow to him that deferres it Whensoever therefore thou art call'd come doe not deferre thy comming till the eleventh houre because you have heard of the Thiefe then call'd 't is very likely in these bleeding dying times that thou shalt not live to the sixth Secondly t Bolton Comfort Walk from the Creation to this present houre we have read but of one so miraculously snatcht out of the fire 't was a miracle wherewith God honoured the passion of his Sonne and we may then onely looke for the like miracle when Christ is againe to suffer Thirdly and lastly u Down Warf part 1. lib. 2. c. 32. Princes now and then though very seldome as tokens of their clemency pardon some man at the blocke yet if any shall in hope hereof wilfully offend and having offended delay suing for a pardon till he be led forth to execution certainly he richly deserves to suffer not onely for his offence but for his presumption just so the Lord to manifest the riches of his mercy pardoned the thiefe when death death eternall was seizing on him now those which hereupon shall take occasion by continuing in their old and sinfull courses fearefully to displease his Majestie or having fearfully offended yet shall deferre by faith and repentance to sue for pardon utterly unworthy are they of grace and mercy and as probably as deservedly shall perish in their sinnes and be delivered up to the blacke tormentor To conclude therefore this first application the sutablenesse whereof both to our times and sad occasion hath lengthened it a great deale beyond my intention considering how hard almost impossible it is to repent in our last sicknesse and how probable it is that the last and usuall leisure of a long sicknesse will by reason of our naturall frailties the raging of infectious and violent diseases together with the thousand casualties of a bloody Civill warre be utterly denyed us Let us speedily set about working forth our salvation with feare and trembling Let 's forthwith endeavour to make our calling and election sure Now now in this breathing time of health and liberty let 's make good our title to heaven confirm our evidence our Faith which is the evidence of things not seen (u) Heb. 11.1 and have in readinesse our witnesse which is a good conscience The Scripture will not give you any incouragement or allowance for the least delay 'T is to day if you wilt heare his voyce harden not your hearts (w) Psal 95.7 8. not to morrow if you will heare it a dayes procrastination doth harden the heart T is now is not hereafter will be the acceptable time Behold now is the day of salvation (x) 2 Cor. 6.2 The glorious time of the Gospel wherein peace and reconciliation through Christ is tendered on condition of faith and repentance is exprest by the present time and this day to tell us as I conceive that there is a certain time allowed for every man to come in which nick and opportunity through a desperate carelesnesse o'reslipping he is irrecoverably lost And therefore ought we to make so thrifty a use of this day nay of this present time of this present houre of my discourse as though this glasse were now turn'd up upon you and that the time allotted for your and your comming in did expire with the falling of the last sand For therefore faith a Father (y) Austin is our last day conceald from us that we may beleeve every day to be the last Oh that the Lord would make me a blessed instrument to move melt and soften but one heart here present with the apprehension of that horrour and trembling which seizes a foule impenitent and unprovided sinner suddenly death-strucken and with the blow having his conscience awakened or into what everlasting burnings and torments he sinks being never awakened But I have already trespassed too much in the lengh of the use of the first branch I shall recompence your patience in the shortnesse of the other uses I goe forwards therefore to the second branch Branch 2 Of what dost thou boast thy selfe i. e. what hast thou which might be a just subject for boasting whatsoever thou darest own or call thine are either the good things of thy body fortune or thy mind as they are commonly distinguished we will make our
1 Sam. 21.6 and immediately breaks that Oath and Pacification and through the evill Spirit that was upon him sought again to smite him to the wall with his Javelin b vers 10. anon after David being certified by Ionathan of his Fathers murderous intentions c 1 Sam. 20. à ver 37. ad 41. was forc't to flie for his life and in his flight betook himselfe to Ahimelech the Priest for reliefe and succour and so well told he his tale that he got of him the Shew-bread and Goliah's Sword d 1 Sam. 21 à ver 6. ad 9. But see the ground and Author of this great mischiefe Doeg was then in the Temple and heard all as 't is the peculiar lot of Gods people to fall into the hands of Doegs treacherous and deceitfull people this sneaking Parasite carries and aggravates the businesse to Saul I saw the Sonne of Iesse comming to Nob to Ahimelech the Priest and he enquired of the Lord for him e Sam. 22.9.10 and what of that 't was after treason and conspiracy the King enquired sed ea ratio est adulatorum ut si principem calentem videant velint eum incenderc ex stulto prorsus insanū facere f Pet. Martyr in loc but such is the condition of flatterers that they 'l blow a heated Tyrant into a flame and turne his folly into madnesse Upon this false information Ahimelech and the rest of the Priests with all of their Families were sent for g ver 11. they come Saul becomes both the accuser and the Judge and presently falls upon the tryall Heare now thou Sonne of Ahituh and he answered Here am I and Saul said unto him Why have yee conspired against me h ver 12.13 But wherein laid the conspiracy in relieving a man faithfull to his God and Prince And who is so faith full amongst all thy Servants as David which is the Kings Son in Law Conjuratio est consensus aliquorum contra rempub i Pet. Martyr Ib. The conspire which mischievously plot against the Common-Wealth he goeth at thy bidding and is honourable in thy house did he then begin to enquire of God for him k vers 14.15 i.e. is this the first time I enquired for him or being thy Son-in-law and thy faithfull Servant I did not so much enquire of God for him as for thee At last knowing he was to deale with a Tyrant whom reason law or right would nothing move hee gives over pleading and falls to begging Let not the King impute any thing to thy Servant for thy Servant knew nothing of this more or lesse l ver 15. What if you had Ahimelech would you not therefore have relieved him because the King unjustly persecured him would that have beene faire dealing think you If others had been of this minde he had never overcome the Tyrants cruelty But now I see that our Priests as they desire to be cald are not the first that would rather renounce a just cause then displease an unjust man Our cruell High-Priest violent and peremptory as he was did with his power so brow-beat and dare all the rest as one of themselves lately and publikely confest that they had but one voice amongst them all the rest being but his ecchoe's his dictates out-nois'd those of their conscience for woe had been to them who had done otherwise who had relieved any though never so innocent and religious whom his Grace had slung his Iavelin at sent his Citation for or once cal'd Puritane Rubet auditor cui frigida mens est But to goe forwards would this Priest his closing with Saul serve his turne no certainly For the King said Thou shalt surely die Ahimelech thou and all thy Fathers house m ver 16. The sentence is past between which and execution some respite ought to be but no such matter now he immediately sayes unto the foot-men that were about him Turne and slay the Priests of the Lord n ver 17. fearing happily lest cooling and comming to himselfe he might on better consideration not have been guilty of so much innocent blood But wherefore should they be slaine Because they knew when David fled and told it not unto me but where is the witnesse Doeg you 'l say did affirme it but is not this against the known Law o Deut. 17.6 At the mouth of two or three witnesses shall hee that is worthy of death die but at the mouth of one witnesse he shall not die But see the honest Guard farre honester then their master would not put forth their hand to fall upon the Priests of the Lord p vers 17. they well know he was but Gods Minister for their good mandatorius siquid vult facere contra mandatum id jubet esse irritum q et Martyr Ib. and whatsoever a Commissioner injoynes beyond his Commission is voide and ought not to be obeyed But if one won't another will the Devill will alwayes supply Tyrants with suitable instruments Doeg seemes to be glad of the office and resolute to doe whatsoever the King should command him never interposing that honest condition of the Israelites to Ioshua onely the Lord be with thee r Iosh 1.17 and forthwith he fals to work fell on the Priests of the Lord and slew on that day fourescore and five persons that wore a linnen Ephod ſ 1 Sam. 12.18 he slew the Priests the Priests of the Lord he slew men unarm'd men consecrated to God he slew old men and women he slew children and sucklings to whom Scythians and Parthians have shown mercy in the time of the cruellest warre and to make up the summe he slew so many innocents he slew them he their informer was their executioner first bely'd them with his tongue and then butchered them with his hand chuse which you will now either Saul or his instrument and you cannot but confesse there is cause more then enough of my Psalmists question and exclamation Why dost thou Saul thou envious malitious unjust bloody Tyrant or why dost thou Doeg thou sneaking base informing Parasite thou cruell murdering butcher why dost thou boast thy selfe in this so unheard of a mischief But happily on good grounds Davids wonder may be that any whatsoever should boast in any whatsoever mischief therfore I shal endeavor to make good the question in general And now me thinks I am brought into a wildernesse the subject I am fallen on is so large and fearefull should I let fly my Meditations with that bitternesse and liberty wherewith such mad and prodigious boasters ought to be took up I should lose both you and my selfe But the sutablenesse of my first questions businesse both to our times and our present occasion tempted me to so much over-largenesse that I could not but in equity promise brevity in the following questons that therefore I may bee as good as my word I shall not keep you long
in this wildernesse Mad and prodigious boasters have I cald them and truly both these they are First they are mad for who but a mad man would boast that he had given himself his deaths wound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sinne is the death of the soule t Ezek. 33.12.13 Who but a mad man would boast of that heavie burden he is forc't night and day to sink under a heavie burden are my iniquities faith David they are too heavie for me u Psal 38.4 This heavie burthen the Prophet cals a Talent of Lead w Zach. 5.7 yes heavier and more intolerable then Hell or the Devill himselfe for 't was sinne made Hell and 't was sin sunk the Devill into it without it he cannot adde a dram weight to depresse or keep us from making towards heaven nay though unwillingly hee furthers us in the way but 't is sinne alone and only which keeps us down Again who but a mad man would boast in what arrerages he runnes with his Creditours vauntingly publish how all hee hath is morgaged and that Vsury eates him up apace 't is truth indeed some may and many do base and unworthy as they are pretend poverty say that they are ready to starve that thereby they might starve Christs cause But I cannot deeme that man truly himselfe which really boasts how bravely he is undone Now to obey Gods law is a debt due from us to him Cursed is hee that continueth not in all the words of the Law to doe them x Deut. 27.26 and all the people shall Amen that obedience is our debt we cannot deny our consciences seale to this bond the counterpane of it is wrote even in every naturall mans heart y Rom. 2.15 every sinne then being a transgression of the Law is an arrerage and upon this arrerage the soule is morgaged and without repentance lost and forfeited the sinner is utterly undone he shall be delivered up unto the tormentor untill he hath paid all his debt z Mat. 18.34 Once more who but a mad man will boast that he is a loathsome creature a wicked man is a loathsome man saith Solomon a Pro. 13.5 loathsome in Gods eyes my soule loaths him saith the Lord b Zach. 11.8 loathsome in the eyes of good-men and not only loathsome but infectious too the Prophet therfore resolved not to be in a wicked mans company c Psal 26.5 Lastly it makes him loathsome and contemptible in the eyes of his nearest friends yea of those friends which ought according to the Laws of God nature not only to love but to reverence him Thus the Prophet of Icrusalem by reason of sinne Icrusalem hath grievously sinned d Lam. 1.18 therefore they that honoured her dispised her and though for want of faith and by reason of the weaknesse of spirituall judgement wee cannot discover the filth and uglinesse of sinne yet doubtlesse at Christs second comming when hee shall be revealed from Heaven this also shall bee revealed even what an ugly noisome creature an impenitent sinner is then saith the Prophet speaking of Doomes-day and sinners they shall be an abhorring to all flesh e Is 66. ult Againe as these boasters in mischiefe are mad so are they also prodigiously wicked for who but a man prodigiously wicked would boast that God is fallen out with him such a boaster is he which boasteth in sinne for 't is sinne that separates between us and our God f Isa 59.2 secondly every sinne is a contempt against God quo ejus pracepta contemnimus temnimus saith Bernard g Serm. 31. de mod bene viven di how prodigiously then doth he contemn God which boasts that he hath contemned him Thirdly sinne is that which excludes us heaven and flings us into hell that which deprives us of all that we call good and brings on us all that is miserable 't is the greatest of curses and the worst of judgements Hence Saint Paul labouring to expresse how much Christ had suffered for us sayes he was made sinne for us h 2 Cor. 5.21 How prodigiously wicked then is he which boasts of the greatest misery that man is capable of Lastly sin being that alone which crucified the Lord of life which tore our Saviours head with thorns pierc'd his side nail'd his feet which made him sweat blood water which put the gall and vinegar to his mouth and wrung from him that bitter complaint My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Tell me then sadly tell me is not he prodigiously wicked which boasts in that which after so cruell and shamefull a manner crucified our Saviour Nor is this boaster in mischiefe mad onely and prodigiously wicked but which must necessarily follow and be supposed is in a desperate and forlorne case and for these two reasons First because such a one sinnes with the fullest swing and willingnesse without any reluctancy and scruple nothing hath hee of the Spirit in him which might cause opposition or pawces The words of his mouth are intquity and deceit as my Psalmist of him he hath left off to be wise and to doe good hee deviseth mischiefe upon his bed hee setteth himselfe i. e. gladly goes on in a way that is not good i Ps 36.3 who being past feeling hath given himselfe over to worke all uncleannesse and greedinesse k Ephes 4.19 Secondly because these of all men are farthest from Christ and heaven being farthest from repentance whose sinnes are so farre from being a load and heavy burden unto them that they glory in their shame 'T is with these boasters as with men dived to the bottom of the water as long as they lye in the water they are nothing sensible of its weight but once recovering out would be overwhelmed with a small quantity of it So these boasters being sunke to the bottome almost as low as hell and lying there under never so many and hideous sinnes are never senfible of their load and burden whereas to a man by Gods grace recovering out of them one and the least sin will be a talent of Lead And so much of this second Question a short application and I have done Applic. And here let 's pawse a while with our best and serious thoughts admire and lament the miserable condition of our land wherein so many of these madmen of these prodigies of these desperately forlorn wretches swarme and spread amongst us Go abroad and listen and you shall hear the Drunkard boast how many swine he made the last night you shall hear the Ruffler boast what a new handsome full-mouthed oath he hath got the Goat how many women he hath abused and the Fox how many he hath over-reached and cousened Fiunt Fiunt ista palam cupiunt in asta referri But alas these though miscreants are but novices and bunglers in respect of some closer workers and deeper instruments of the devill who first guild