evil Company consisteth First if thou wouldst exercise thy self to Godliness in evil society Labour to keep thy self unspotted from their sins Ungodly men are called filthy and compared to Swine that are apt to defile all that have to do with them They as the Night are dark and full of unwholsom vapours it concerns thee therefore to be well fenced that thy spiritual health may not be impared by them Be careful that they hurt thee not either inwardly or outwardly Thou art in a double danger amongst sinners thou art in danger of having thy soul wounded and also of having thy name and estate blasted There is a necessity therefore of a double guard of a guard upon thy soul that it may not be wronged and of a guard upon thy tongue that thy outward comforts may not be ruined I say 1. Be watchful over thy soul that thou contractest no guilt It s hard to be near those that are dirty and defiled and yet to keep our Garments unspotted and clean Wicked men as Diers and Painters who use colours are usually besmeared themselves in their hands and habits and they also besmear others The Lake of Sodom is called Asphaltides or the Dead Sea because of the venemous vapours which arise out of it insomuch that Birds which flye over it fall down dead and beasts that drink of it sicken and dye Some men have found evil society as poisonous to their souls as brutes have found the Dead Sea to their bodies Pope Nicholas the thirds Concubine by looking on a Bear frequently was brought abed of a Monster Thy frequent vision of their wicked actions may cause too great a likeness in thy conversation But the Saint should resemble the Carbuncle which being cast into the fire is nowhit defiled or impaired thereby but therein shines most brightly If it be closed fast say some in a ring of Lead and cast into the fire we may see the Lead molten but the Carbuncle not so much as mollified or in the least blemished Thy watchfulness friend must be great if thou wouldst keep thy self unspotted from the World Jam. 1. ult Rust will fret into the hardest steel but not into the Emerald Sin will fiâ—d speedy acceptance with a prophane sinner but not with a preciouâ— Saint Ioseph kept his Chastity though often in the company of his wanton Mistress Lot did not lose his sanctity though he dwelt amongst ungodly Sodomites The Arch-Angel disputed with the Arch-Divel yet was not infected by his poisonous breath Satan did set upon the blessed Saviour but could not fasten the least sin upon him Naturalists tell us that the Diamond if true will lie in the â—ire and not consume the Herb Narcissus or Yellow Crowbellies flowreth in February and keepeth its Flower under the Snow The Olive Tree in the midst of the Flood kept its branches green The Christian ought so to converse with the wicked that his grace may neither waste nor his conscience be wounded Thy Duty is as Cloaths well dyed to keep thy colour in all Weathers and as a good constitution to retain thy spiritual health in the most unwholsome Aires The Apostle writes to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 5. 11. Not to company with any that are called brethren and are fornicators or covetous or idolaters or railers or drunkards or extortioners The word in the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both in the 9 and 11. verse which signifieth not to mingle with them They may be amongst them but they may not mingle with them that which mingleth with any filthy thing receiveth of its filth and though it were pure before is polluted thereby The people of God ought not in this sense to mingle with the world but to keep themselves though not untoucht yet untainted It s storied that the Rivers of Peru run into the main Sea twenty or thirty miles and yet are not mingled with the Sea but continue fresh water So the River Rodanus is said to run purely through the Lake Lemanus without mixture of waters It s also reported of the River Dee in Merionithshire in Wales that running through Pimbe Meer it remaineth entire and mingleth not with the waters of the Lake Thus should the people of God those Chrystal streams though they are necessitated sometimes to meet with keep themselves entire and not mingle with the puddle water of unclean persons Pliny reports of a Family near Rome that could walk on live coals and not be burnt It s honourable to keep thy self pure among them that are evangelically perfect but to preserve thy self from pollution amongst them that are prophane is Heroical It s the excellency of a Christian to hold on his course without slipping or falling when many rubs and hinderances are laid in his way And it s the glory of grace to keep its beauty and lustre notwithstanding the attempts of the World and the Wicked one to soil it It was a notable speech of the Souldier that Erasmus speaks of who being told of a numerous Army coming against him answered Tanto plus gloriae referemus quanto sunt plures quos superabimus The more famous our opposition the more illustrious our Conquest That Great Commander had never been so renowned if he had not eaten his way over the Alpes that were supposed inaccessible The greater our difficulties and the more greivous our enemies the greater our valour and the more glorious our victory That expression concerning Asia hath some worth Though it be no praise never to have seen it yet to have lived soberly and temperately in it is praise-worthy indeed The Holy Ghost giveth thee wholsom counsel Be not partaker of other mens sins keep thy self pure 1 Tim. 5. 22. It may be Reader thou art called sometimes amongst Swearing Drunken and Ungodly persons Well thou art in more danger then in a Pest-house therefore look well to thy self Satan thinks though he could not conquer thee amongst the Saints that now he hath caught thee amongst a Company of venemous Serpents one or other of them will sting thee and then he hopeâ— to overthrow thee Watch thy self narrowly if thou wouldst be safe Be not partaker of other mens sins It may be as bad to have communion with others sins as to commit sin in thy own person He that is Surety for another is as liable to the debt as the Principal and we count him most foolish that takes anothers debt upon himself Indeed Satan hath this for his comfort that hereby he hath the more in bonds to the Laws Curse Three ways thou mayst partake of those sins which are committed in thy Company I shall not speak of thy commanding men to sin so David was guilty of Vriahs death though the Sword of the Ammonites slew him â— Sam. 12. 3. Nor of counselling men to sin so Ionaciaâ— was guilty of Ammons incest 2 Sam. 16. 21. Nor of comâ—ending others for sin so a man may be accessory 〈◊〉 the fact Rom. 1.
independence on thee he beareth with thee and forbeareth thee oughtest thou not to forbear and forgive others Again Thou mayst put this question to thy self Have not I wronged others Doth not the righteous God now pay me in my own coin May I not say as Adonibezek As I have done to others so God hath requited me Nay possibly others offend me ignorantly unawares or through some violent temptation but I have offended others knowingly wilfully and upon weaker inducements O what cause have I to forgive who am so prone to offend Lord teach me to obey thy precept in forbearing my brethren that offend me and so to imitate that blessed pattern of thy Majesty who art pleased daily to requite evil with good that I may be able comfortably to pray Forgive me my trespasses as I forgive them that trespass against me I Wish that I may according to my poor ability be helpful to the weak and tender members of Christ by administring Cordials sutable to their conditions My duty is not onely to counsel the doubtful but also to comfort the sorrowful If I saw a body fainting and drooping I were bound to afford it what assistance I could and not to hide mine eyes from mine own flesh Doth not my Neighbours soul as far more precious call for more pity and command my help to my power If one Sheep be sick many others will flock about him and in an hot day after their manner refresh him by keeping the scorching Sun from him The Sheep of Christ should have more sense of others misery and more knowledge of the means relating to their recovery and shall they be less diligent for others health To him that is afflicted pity should be shewn if I deny this I forsake the fear of the Almighty How tender was my Redeemer of broken bones and sorrowful Saints When he arose from the dead he appeared first to mournful Mary and then takes special care that penitent Peter have speedy notice of that blessed news Go tell my Disciples and Peter that I am risen They that have smarted with inward wounds themselves have the more reason to compassionate others in their sorrows Lord the time hath been that thou didst cast me into the deep into the midst of the Seas thy Floods compassed me about all thy Billows and thy Waves passed over me I roared by reason of the anguish of my Spirit under the sense of thy wrath and the curse of thy Law The weight of my sins lay heavy upon my conscience and I was even sinking under them into the bottomless pit The sorrows of death compassed me about the pains of Hell gaâ— hold of me I found trouble and sorrow I knew not which way to turn nor whither to go for any ease or releif If I said My Friends should help me or my Possessions abate my grief I soon found them all miserable comforters and Physitians of no value If I said My bed should comfort me and my Couch ease my complaint then thou didst scare me with Dreams and terrifie me with Visions All the creatures were unable to afford me any succour When I lay thus half dead they all as the Priest and Levite passed by on the other side they had neither pity enough for such dreadful wounds nor power enough to work their cure Then called I upon the Name of the Lord O Lord I beseech thee deliver my soul out of the belly of Hell cried I unto thee and â—hou didst hear my voice For thou hast delivered my Soul from Death mine Eyes from Tears and my Feet from falling Thou wast the good Samaritan that hadst compassion on me that didst bind up my wounds pouring in Oyl and Wine and undertake my cure Thou didst send a Barnabas a Son of Consolation to me to proclaim liberty to me a poor captive and the opening of the Prison to me that was bound How beautiful were his feet that brought the glad ridings of peace to my poor soul O that I might be able to support the weak and comfort the feeble-minded God I Wish that I may be both faithful and wise to recover a fallen Brother out of his sin and error Jonathan a true friend of David promised to tell him if there were any danger and accordingly warned him whereby he saved his life I profess my self a lover of my Christian Companions but I am false in my profession if I suffer sin to lye upon them Yet I confess it is a difficult work to perform this duty in a right manner The best plaister may be ineffectual if it be not fitly applied I can seldom with Moses seek to unitâ— quarrelling Christians but one of them with the Hebrew is ready to quarrel with me and say Who made thee a Ruler or a Judge over us Men are seldom more touchy then when their sores are searched and therefore he that would not have their wounds to bring them into a Fever or Fury must handle them with much wariness I desire that Wisdom Courage and Love may be the ingredients of which all my medicines may be compounded Wisdom that I may observe the quality and temper of the Offendour the nature of his offence and the sittest season and manner of administring the reproof the quality of the person if he be my Superiour that I may do it with reverence rather exhorting and beseeching the plainly rebuking The temper of the offendour if he be of a fierce nature that I may so manage my work with meekness as when I am endeavouring to heal his distemper I may not increase it The nature of the offence If the sin be small that I may not make it great by giving stronger medicines then the disease requires The season of reproving that I may not give open rebuke for private offences but observe my Saviours râ—le If thy Brother offend thee tell him his fault between him and thee The presence of many may make him take up an unjust defence who in private would have taken upon him a just shame The open air makes sores to wrankle the more publique rebukes are for Magistrates and Courts of Justice to give Possibly it may be my suspicion more then any real fault as in the case of the Blessed Virgin and Joseph and then what wrong should I do him to accuse innocency before a multitude The manner of delivering it that I may give him his due praise as well us his deserved reproof This will somewhat allay his passion and make my reproof the more prevalent The Iron when heated red hot in the fire is bent and beaten afterwards without breaking which way the Smith pleaseth When I have heated him hot with the fire of commendation I may then beat upon him with reproof in greater hopes of success I would desire courage also that I may deal faithfully and not skin over a wound that hath dead flesh at the bottom Should I dally I destroy the Patient If the Ofâ—endour be so
with fear Didst thou receive thy meat as in Gods presence and hadst thou an eye therein at his praise How didst thou behave thy self in thy Particular calling Did it no way incroach upon thy general Was thy conversation in heaven whilst thy dealings were about earth Wast thou diligent in the exercise of it righteous in thy dealings in it depending on God for a blessing on it What was thy carriage in company was thy life holy spotless exemplary profitable to others Mightest thou not in such a place have done thy God more service and thy Brothers soul more good May I not say to thee as God to Jonah Didst thou well to be angry at such a time upon no cause what were thy thoughts in solitude how wast thou imployed Had God any true share in thy thoughts hast thou watched thy self this day and kept thy heart with all diligence Hath none of thy precious time been lavisht away on unnecessary things Answer me faithfully to all these particulars that I may be able to return an answer to him that sent me O that I could but imploy one half hour every day with seriousness and uprightness in such soliloquies Lord thou didst create the world in six days and thou wast pleased to loâ—k back on every days work and behold it was very good and then ensued thy Sabbath Cause thy â—ervant to be a follower of thee as a dear child in minding every day the work thou hast given me to do that I may every night review it with comfort finding it good in thy Christ at the end of all my days looking back upon all my works I may see them very good through the acceptation of thy grace and with joy enter into my eternal Sabbath I Wish that I may end every day with him who is the beginning and first born from the dead That I may every night go to bed as if I were going to my grave knowing that sleep is the shadow of death and when the shadow is so near the substance cannot be far off Though lovers cannot meet all day yet they will make hard shift but they will find an opportunity to meet at night Should my devotion set with the natural Sun I may fear a dreadful night of darkness to follow That bed may well be as uneasie as one stuft with thorns that is not made by prayer If the soul lye down under an heavy load of sin the body can have no true rest Jacob could sleep sweetly upon an hard stone having made his peace with God when Ahashuerus could not though on a bed of down I cannot sleep unless God wake for me and I cannot rationally expect his watchfulness over me unless I request it My corruptions in the day call for contrition in the night How many omissions commissions personal relative sins heart life wickedness am I daily guilty of and â—hould I lye down under their weight for ought I know they may sink me before morning into endless wo. Whilst blood is in my veins sin will be in my soul. The weed of sin may be cut broken pulled up yet it will spring again I shall as soon cease to live as cease to sin Though I should be free all the day long from presumptuous enormities and onely defiled with ordinary humane infirmities yet these if not bewailed are damning The smallest letters are most hurtful to the eyes and far worse then a large Character Those sins which are comparatively little if not lamented are far more dangerous then Davids Murther and Adultery which were repented of When the soul like Thamar hath notwithstanding its utmost endeavours to preserve its chastity been ravished and by force defiled it must with her lift up the voice and weep If the Sun may not go down upon my wrath against man much-less may I presume to lye down under the wrath of God Besides how can sin be mortified if it be not confessed and bewailed Arraignment and Conviction must go before Execution The favours of the day past are not to be forgotten but to be acknowledged with thankefulness I receive every day more considerable mercies then there are moments in the day and when I borrow such large sums the principal of which I am unable ever to satisfie shall I be so unworthy as to deny the payment of this small interest which is all my Creditour requireth Whatsoever gain I have got in my calling whatsoever strength I have received by my food whatsoever comfort I have had in my Relations or Friends whatsoever peace liberty protection I have enjoyed all the day long I must say of all 〈◊〉 Jacob of his Venison The Lord hath brought it to me Surely the hearer of my morning prayers may well be the object of my evening prayses Aâ— how unreasonable is it that I like a whirl-pool should suck in every good thing that comes near me and not so much as acknowledge it Should any one be the thousandth part so much indebted to me as I am to God how ill should I take it if he should not confess it If a Beggar at my door receive a small almes from God by my hands I look for his thanks How often have I complained of the baseness and unworthiness of some that are engaged to me O what tongue can express what heart can conceive how much I am indebted to my God every moment though I am less then the least of all his mercies and doth not all his goodness merit sincere thankefulness Lord I confess there is not a day of my life wherein I do not break thy Laws in thought word and deed Sin is too much the element in which I live and the trade that I drive I find continually a law in my members warring against the Law of my mind and captivating me to the Law of sin and death Ah wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Since I am no day innocent make me every night penitent As my sins abound let my sorrow abound and thy grace much more abound Though I can never requite thy favours help me to admire and bless the fountain of them Suffer me never to go to bed till I have first asked thee my heavenly Father blessing Let the eyes of my soul be always open to thee in prayer and prayse before the eyes of my body be shut And O be thou always pleased so to accept my confessions petitions thanksgivings my person and performances in thy dear son that I may lay me down in peace and sleep because thou Lord makest me to dwell in safety Finally I Wish that every day of my life may be spent as if it were the day of my death and all my time employed in adorning my soul in trimming my lamp and in a serious preparation for eternity Whilst I am living I am dying every moment my sand is running and my Sun is declining I am as Stubble before the Wind and as
that in the other world I may stand among thy Sheep on thy right hand and hear that blessed heart-chearing voice Come thou blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for thee before the foundation of the World For I was hungry and thou gavest me meat I was thirsty and thou gavest me drink I was a stranger and thou didst take me in I was sick and thou visitedst me when my soul shall be above all sin and my body above all sickness and both blessed in thy favour and fruition for ever and ever Amen CHAP. VIII How a Christian may exercise himself to Godliness on a Dying Bed SIxthly and Lastly Thy duty is to exercise thy self to Godliness if God give thee opportunity on a Dying Bed The work of a Saint is to glorifie God not onely in his life but also in his death The Silk-worm stretcheth out her self before she spin and ends her life in her long wrought clew The Christian must stretch out himself on his dying Bed and end his life in the work of his Lord. Every Man by his death payeth his debt to nature He is earth in regard of his Original creation and must be earth in regard of his ultimate resolution Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return Gen. 3. 19. The Sinner when he dyeth payeth his debt to Sin Satan and the Law To sin as he is the servant of unrighteousness and so must receive its wages which is death To Satan as he hath sold himself to work wickedness at his will and so must have his tempter to be his eternal tormentor To the Law as he hath violated its precepts and commands and therefore must undergo its punishment and curse The Saint when he dieth payeth his debt to God for he oweth him honour as well by his death as by his life Hence we read not onely of their living in the Lord and to the Lord but also of their dying in the Lord and to the Lord Rom. 14. 8. Rev. 14. 13. Which though some expound in that place of the Revelations to the cause for which they died they did not dye out of humour or obstinacy or any carnal selfish interest but purely as Martyrs at Gods call and for Gods cause They loved not their lives to the death for the testimony of Iesus Yet the words may as clearly speak 1. The state in whiâ—â— they died They died in the favour of God reconciled to him through the death of the Mediatour The Castle of their souls was not taken by storm or in a state of emnity and opposition but by a quiet voluntary sâ—rrender or in a state of peace and amity 2. The manner of their deaths They died in the fear of God they exercised grace as well in sickness as in health and when dying as when living their spiritual motions were quick when their natural motions were slow Plutarch reports of Lucius Metellus high Priest of Rome that though he lived to a great old age his voice did not fail him nor his hand shake in his sacrificing to the Gods It s said of Moses when he was a hundred and twenty years old and dyed that his natural sight did not fail him neither was his heat abated So it may be said of the Christian that though he die old his spiritual sight doth not fail him nor his divine heat abate As Caleb he is as strong in regard of grace his inward strength when he is entering into the promised Canaan as he was when he first went forth as a spie by faith to search the land flowing with milk and honey The Heathen counted him happy that dyed either in the midst of the goods of fortune hence they say if Priamus had died a little before the loss of his Town he had died the greatest Prince in all Asia or in the exercise of their moral vertues Hence they so highly extol Seneca and Socrates who seemed to dare even death it self out of resolution and fortitude Though those seeming vertues were but as Austin terms them Splendida Flagitia Famous Vices and their confidence arose not from any grounded knowledge of their good estates but from their blindness and ignorance of their depraved wicked and woful estates He is the happy man indeed that dieth in the faith that sleepeth in Iesus that goeth to his grave in the exercise of grace The Master of Moral Philosophy commendeth that Pilot whom a Ship-wrack swalloweth up at the Stern with the Rudder in his hand The most high God commendeth that person whom death seiseth doing the work for which he was sent into the world Even the blind Mole if Naturalists may be credited opens his eyes when he comes to dye and the crooked Serpent stretcheth out her self straight when she is going to fetch her last breath and shall not the Saint be best at last Reader Observe how careful the Saints have been to do their last work well and to go out of the world like some sweet spices perfuming the room in which they fetch their last breath with holiness and leaving a sweet savour behind them Jacob when dying worshipped leaning on his staff Heb. 11. 21. What a Character doth he give of the Angel of the Covenant and what blessings doth he pray for and prophesie to come on his children when he was going from them How was his heart enlarged in pantings after the Lord Christ Gen. 48. 16. and 49. per tot The living waters of his graces ran with the greater strength when they were emptying themselves into the Ocean of glory Moses like the dying Swan sings most sweetly being to go up to Mount Nebo to dye there What excellent doctrines reproofs instructions doth he deliver to the Israelites How pathetically rhetorically divinely doth he dictate his last legacies to his Political children who can read and not be ravished with wonder and delight Deut. 32. 33. Ioshua like the morning star shines brightest at last He gives his people so strict a charge to serve the Lord such gracious counsel when he was going the way of all the earth that it could not but be remembred many days after Dying Ioseph will lay his bones at stake for Gods faithfulness and that he will visit Israel and deliver them out of Egypt Sampson did the Church of God much service in slaying more of her enemies at his death then in his life Iulius Caesar among the Romans and Olympia the Mother of Alexander among the Grecians were famous for their care to die handsomely and not to commit at last any ill beseeming action whereby their memories should have been rendred inglorious But the Christians care hath always been to die holily and to do their God most service when they are going to that place where they shall do him no more in a proper sense Philosophers tell us that the soul upon deaths approach is more divine and supernaturally inclined certain it is the soul of a Saint onely doth then more
Law But thanks be to God who hath given us the victory through our Lord Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 15. 57 58. The Naturalists tell us of a precious stone called Ceraunias that glisters most when the Skie is Cloudy and over-cast with darkness Godliness friend will cast the greatest lustre on thee and put the greatest comfort in thee when thy time of trouble and day of death is come This this is the friend that is born for the day of adversity Therefore the sweet singer of Israel having this with him promiseth Though he walk in the valley of the shadow of death he will fear none ill Psal. 23. 9. Is not that worthy to be made thy business which will help thee to comfort and confidence at a dreadful day of judgement and cause thee to lift up thy head with joy when thousands and millions shall weep and wail The day of judgement will be a terrible day indeed the judge will come in flaming sire a fire devouring before him and behind him a flame burning His tribunal will be a tribunal of fire Out of his mouth did proceed a fiery Law and by that law of fire he will try men for their eternal lives and deaths The earth at that day will be consumed with fire and the elements melt with fervent heat If the cry of fire firè in the night now be so dreadfull and doth so afright and amaze us though it be but in one house and possible not very near us how dreadful will that day be when we shall see the whole world in a flame and the Judge coming in flaming fire to pronounce our eternal dooms Who can abide the day of his coming or who can stand when he appeareth Then the Kings and Captains and Nobles and Mighty Men will call to the rocks to fall on them and to the hills to hide them from the face that sitteth in the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb Rev. 6. 15. O Reader of what worth is that which will help thee as the three Children to sing in the midst of so many flaming fiery furnaces and preserve thee from being hurt or so much as toucht therewith Truely Godliness will do this for thee it will turn this day of the perdition of ungodly men into a day of redemption to thee As true Gold is not consumed by the hottest fire and the Salamander can live in the greatest flames so the godly man in the midst of all those fires and flames will live and flourish though millions of ungodly ones are scorched and tortured As he is a King now reigning over his stubborn lusts and unruly passions that will be his Coronation day wherein he will appear before the whole world in all his glory and royalty As he is a Husbandman now sowing to the Spirit that will be his Harvest-day wherein he shall reap the fruit of all his prayers and tears and watchings and fastings and labour and sufferings As he is compared to a Virgin betrothed to Christ now keeping his garments white and clean and devoting himself to the service and honour and commands of his Lord that will be his Marriage day wherein he shall be arrayed in fine linnen the righteousness of the Saints adorned with the jewels of perfect graces and solemnly espoused to the King of Saints the heir of all things and the fairest of ten thousands the Lord Jesus Christ. As he is a servant now doing not his own but the will of his Master in Heaven and finishing his work that will be the day wherein his Indentures will expire and he shall enjoy the glorious liberty of the Sons of God As he is a Son now yielding reverence and obedience to the Father of Spirits that will be the day wherein he shall be declared to be of full age and enjoy his portion and inheritance As he is a Souldier now fighting the good fight of faith warring a good warfare enduring much hardship as a good souldier of Iesus Christ that will be the day wherein he shall be called off the guard discharged of those tiresome toylsome duties incumbent on him in this life and receive his garland a Crown of everlasting life Little dost thou conceive Reader the worth of Godliness at that day Godliness will then be honoured and admired not onely by them that have it and rejoyce in it but also by the most prophane and carnal wretches and those who now despise and deride it Then the blind world who now shut their eyes and will not see and the atheistical world who harden their hearts and will not believe shall return and discern and see and believe a difference between the godly and ungodly between them that fear the Lord and them that fear him not O friend what wouldst thou give at that day that godliness had been thy business at this day Godliness will make the judge the Lord Jesus Christ thy friend the Father by whose authority he fits the King of all Nations thy friend the Iustices who will be upon the bench for he shall come with thousands of his Saints thy friends Godliness would make the law by which thou art to be tryed thy friend Godliness would make thy conscience which is to be brought in as the evidâ—nce thy friend Godliness would strike dumb all thy accusers Satan thy corruptions and suffer none of them to hurt thee as thy foes And is not Godliness worthy to be made thy business which will do all this for thee 10. Is not that worthy to be made thy business which will do thee good to eternity The fool is for good for many years but a wise man is for goods that will last to eternity In worldly matters we value those houses and goods highest which will last longest We will give much more for the fee-simple or inheritance for ever of a dwelling or lands then for a term of few years or for a lease for life though we can enjoy them but during life O why should it not be thus in spirituals Why should we not set the greatest price and take the most pains for that which is not for years or ages but for ever for that which we may enjoy and have full solid comfort in to eternity No good that is eternal can be little if it be but an humane friend whom thou lovest to enjoy him for ever or a bodily health to enjoy it for ever or near relations to enjoy them for ever will infinitely advance the price and raise the value of them but to enjoy a God for ever the blessed Saviour for ever the comforting Spirit for ever fullness of joy for ever rivers of pleasures for ever and exceeding weight of glory for ever a crown a kingdom an inheritance for ever which is the fruit of Godliness what tongue can declare what mind can apprehend the worth of these Alas frailty is such a flaw in all earthly tenures that it doâ—h exceedingly abate their value and should our
32. Psa. 10. 9. Nor of setting others a bad example so Ieroboam was guilty of the Idolatry of the Iews but of those ways whereby Christians are usually guilty of others sins when they are amongst the wicked 1. By Compliance If when thou seest or hearest others sin thou dost inwardly approve it thou art partaker of it He that consents though but in his thoughts to anothers fraud is before God a Felon Paul before his conversion was consenting to the death of the Protomartyr Act. 8. 1. and after his conversion he pleads guilty of the Murder Act. 22. 20. It may be Reader when thou hearest lascivious stories or sinful witty jestings or tales of slie subtile cheats or the like thou dost secretly applaud and approve them I tell thee thou art partaker of them If thou hast an heart in the sin thou hast an hand in the sin Thy affecting it makes thee as really guilty as if thou didst act it Nay I must tell thee the greatest guilt ariseth from the fullest consent of the Will It s possible for the approver to be more guilty then the actor 2. By Silence or not reproving sin A man may sin by speaking and he may sin by silence This silence when sin is comâ—iâ—ted speaks thy consent to it It was a speech 〈…〉 That he had often repented of speaking but never of holding his peace but there is a sinful holding the peace as well as a sinful speaking It s bad to hold the breath long Nicodemus though he was at first fearful and wore the badge of his profession under his cloak out of sight yet when he was amongst the enemies of Christ he took courage and would not by his silence betray his Saviour and wrong his own soul Ioh. 7. 50 51. It s a sign of little love to see men wounding by Oaths and Blasphemies or Scoffs and Jears our best friend and not to wish them to forbear and do our utmost to take them off Dion writes of Severus that he was careful what he did but careless what he heard but the good Christian is careful of the latter as well as the former knowing that sin may enter in at that Casement and remembring that the Cannon Bullet which split the Vessel in which all the hopes of mankind were embarqued was shot in at that Port-hole The Crocodile because he hath no use of a tongue living always in the waters hath none but God hath given Man a tongue and calls it his glory Psa. 16. 9. with Act. 2. 26. partly because speech is one thing wherein men excel Beasts Brute creatures can make a noise but man onely articulate his voice partly because it is given him to glorifie God withal It is pity he should ever open his lips whose mouth will not shew forth Gods praise Thou canst usually no way better clear thy self then by condemning the sin to the very face of the sinner As the World thinks of God when he is silent and doth not destroy them with the breath of his mouth so the wicked think of the godly when they are silent and do not open their mouths to reprove them These things thou didst and I kept silence thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self Psa. 50. 21. Silence in the presence of sin implyeth a liking of it though thou sayst not Euge saith Austin yet if thou sayst not Apage there is a mutual approbation Nay he goeth farther and saith Pejor es tacendo quam ille convitiando thy silence is more dangerous to thee then his sin to him But I shall speak more largely to this duty of reproving before I conclude this Chapter 3. Thou mayst be partaker of others sins by Provoking them to sin Our Lord is said to be crucified at Rome Rev. 11. 8. because he was sentenced by a Roman Iudge executed by Roman Souldiers and put to death by authority of the Roman Empire yet the Murder of Christ is all along in Scripture charged on the Iews Peter preaching to them saith whom by wicked hands ye have taken and slain and Stephen expresly Of whom ye have been the Betrayers and Murderers because though the Execution of it was from the Romans yet the Provocation to it was from the Iews Act. 2. 23. and 7. 52. That which is committed by our Instigation is ours by just Imputation I fear many good men are partakers of others sins in this sense either by stirring up others that are passionate to anger or by inciting some that have been guilty of handsom in the worlds judgment cheats to relate and boast of them For its little difference whether men hold the sack open or fill it both are guilty SECT III. SEcondly If thou wouldst exercise thy self to Godliness in evil Company Do not needlesly expose thy self to sufferings He is but a fool that will lay his life in anothers lap without a call Christ did not commit himself to the Iews because he knew their hearts and we are not lightly to commit our selves to any because we know not their hearts Set a watch before thy tongue lest it make thy throat thy Sepulchre a Grave to bury thy estate and outward comforts in It s a sin in many Christians that they know not when to be silent The wise man tels us there is a time to speak and a time to keep silence Eccles. 3.7 This is a great part of Christian prudence to understand when to keep silence It s much harder to learn to be silent then to learn to speak Though we must not as some Turks be always dumb perpetuum silentium tenent ut muti yet we ought sometimes to hold our breath in Therefore the prudent shall keep silence for it is an evil time Amos 5. 13. 1. Their cross was weighty It was an evil time a time of much danger and difficulty Sin abounded Sinners were enraged God was provoked and the Godly oppressed 2. Their carriage was wise They shall keep silence The words may have a two fold exposition 1. If they be taken in relation to God as some think they speak the patient submission of the faithful in that evil day to the divine providence and pleasure 2. If they be taken in relation to men as others expound them they speak the prudent conversation of the gracious in that day of persecution they shall not causlesly throw themselves into greater miseries but shall keep all due silence to avoid needless sufferings Indeed thy care must be to own Christ ever and to profess him publiquely when thou art called to it but as thy policy should not eat up thy zeal so thy zeal must not eat up thy wisdom I would not discourage thee from confessing the Lord Jesus yet I must tell thee that thou art not bound to proclaim in all companies of what judgement thou art nor what Church Government thou wouldst choose not what society thou meetest in c. Nay thou art bound to the
thrust my self into danger yet never betray my cause or break through any Command to avoid the cruelest death It s common with the Hypocrite as the Snail to look what weather is abroad and if that be stormy to pull in his horns and hide his head The Hedghog alters his hole according to the wind The swallow changeth his nest according to the season The Bird Piralis takes the colour of any cloth on which she sits There is a Tree say some Naturalists which opens and spreads its leaves when any come to it and shuts them at their departure from it The flies will abound in a sunshiny day but if once it be cloudy they vanish When Christ rides to Jerusalem in triumph many cry Hosanna who when he is taken and tryed for his life cry Crucifie Crucifie The Jacinct is changed with the Air in a clear season its bright but if the air be overcast its darksom The unsound Christian is often sutable to his Company if they own godliness it shall have his good word if they disrelish it he can spit in the face of it But pure Coral keeps its native lustre and will receive no colouring The upright soul is constant in his profession and changeth not his behaviour according to his Companions Oh that I might never through shame or fear disown him who hath already acknowledged me Alas I have that in me which he might well count a disgrace to him I am his creature and so infinitely his Inferiour The vilest beggar is not near so much below the most potent Emperour as I am in this respect to the Great God and my Saviour The whole Creation is to him as nothing yea less then nothing and vanity what then am I poor silly worm that lie groveling in this earth I am a sinner and thereby his disparagement and dishonour If a sober Master be ashamed of a deboice drunken servant much more may the holy Jesus be ashamed of me an unholy wretch and trayterous rebel against his Crown and Dignity yet for all this distance for all his difference he is graciously pleased to acknowledge me and shall not I own him If I be ashamed of him I am a shame to him But why should I be ashamed of Christ The object of shame is some evil which hath guilt or filth in it but he knew no sin though he was made sin for me that I might become the righteousness of God in him He was a Lamb without spot and blemish None of his malicious enemies could convince him of sin He is so far from being the object of shame that he is infinitely worthy to be my boast and glory He is the Prince of life the Lord of glory the King of Kings the Fountain of all excellency and perfection The highest Emperors have gloried in being his Vassals Angels count it their honour to serve the meanest of his Servants and shall I think it a disgrace to be one of his Attendants O that I might be ashamed of my sins loath my self for all my abominations be often confounded because I bear the reproach of my youth but in no company be it never so great or prophane be ashamed of him who is the blessed and onely Potentate and the glory of his people Israel Again Why should I out of fear disown my Saviour Is there any safety but in sanctity Whilst I travail in the Kings High-way I have a promise of protection but if I leave that upon any pretence I run my self into peril and perdition Those that when called to fight flie from their colours die without mercy What can I expect if I leave the Captain of my Salvation but Marshal Law even eternal death I may possibly by my cowardise keep my skin whole but I wound my conscience I sink my soul to save my body as Lot prostitute my Daughter my dearest off-spring that will abide with me for ever to save my guests which lodge with me for a night and will be gone from me in the morning What is it I fear that I should be guilty of so hainous a fault Is it the worlds frowns and fury Why Its kindness is killing and therefore its cruelty is healing If my God see it good he can and will defend me from the worlds cruelty without my denying Christ and in direct courses and if it be his will that I suffer for well-doing I may commit the keeping of my soul to him as to a faithful Creator Certainly there is nothing to be gotten by the Worlds love and nothing worth ought to be lost by its hatred Why then should I seek that love which cannot help me or fear that hate which cannot hurt me If I should be so foolish as to love it for loving me my God would hate me for loving it Do not I know that the friendship of the World is enmity against God If I loath it for hating me it cannot injure me for loathing it Let it then hate me I will forgive it but if it love me I will not requite it for since its love is hurtful and its hate harmless I may well contemn its fury and hate its favour Lord thou hast commanded me neither to love the worlds smiles nor to fear its frowns I acknowledge that its allurements have been too prevalent in gaining my love and its affrightments too powerful in causing my fear O that thy exceeding rich and precious promises might make me despise all its glorious proffers and faith in thy threatnings stablish my heart against all its childish bug-beares The fear of man bringeth a snare but he that trusteth in thee is sure Let the dread of thy Majesty swallow up as Moses rod the Egyptians all fear of men And since thy truth hath no need of my lye thy power hath no need of my sin to preserve me safe let me never break over the hedge of any of thy precepts to avoid an afflicting providence but in a way of well-doing commit my ways unto the Lord and my thoughts shall be established Suffer me never to say a confederacy to them to whom thine enemies say a confederacy neither to fear their fear but to sanctifie thee the Lord of Hosts and to make thee my fear continually I Wish that since my God intends in all his providences my spiritual and eternal good I may gain something by those that are most graceless and though Satan purposeth my defilement in my converses with them yet they may prove my profit and advantage That blowing which seems to disperse the flames and trouble the fire doth make it burn the more clear The waters of others opposition may increase my spiritual heat A dull Whet-stone may set an edge upon a Knife A mean vile Porter may bring me a considerable present Black coals may scour and make Iron Vessels bright Ashes cast upon fire put it not out but are helpful to preserve it all night against the morning which would otherwise
good Companions will advise and direct my feet in the ways of peace If I fit in darkness and see no light by their counsel and comfort I may learn the way out of the mist. If I am perplexed in any labyrinths they may help me to unty that knot of which I have been labouring long in vâ—in to find an end If I be falling they will be props to support me if I wander they will be guides to reduce me if I be dull they will be whet-stones to quicken me if I do well they will be fathers to encourage me whatever my want be they will endeavour to supply me and whatever my condition be they will be like-minded both weeping with me in my sorrows and rejoycing with me in my joys Besides if I expect the presence of my God who is rich in mercy and the God of all consolations where can I find him sooner then in his Temple they are the Temple of God and I will dwell in them His Saints on Earth are his lesser Heaven wherein he takes up his abode O my soul what an Argument is here to perswade thee to fellowship with the Saints Theirs is the onely good fellowship Their Communion is a Conjunction in the service of thy God and tendeth abundantly to thy spiritual advantage and edification Thy Redeemer calls them the light of the world and they will guide thee in the way which he hath cast up The salt of the earth and they will preserve thee from corruption Their conversations are living Commentaries upon that word which is thy rule and so will both plainly teach thee thy duty and powerfully provoke thee to do it Their expressions will by savoury and help thee to learn the language of Canaan The tongue of the just is a tree of life and beareth excellent fruit The lips of the righteous feed many Besides amongst these Children thou mayst be sure to meet with the everlasting Father Where two or three are gathered together in my name I will be in the midst of them Though but two or three that the wicked despise them for their paucity though two or three never so low and mean that the world scorns them for their poverty yet if gathered together in his name they shall not fail of his presence Surely nothing will prevail more with a faithful Spouse to joyn with any company then this She shall meet with her beloved Husband amongst them O of what great price is this one promise I will be in the midst of them His presence like the nearer approaches of the Sun in the Spring will refresh their hearts with the warm beams of his love when they are chill and almost dead with the cold of frights and fears and cause in their souls a new shooting of grace that notwithstanding any foregoing winter of barrenness they shall now abound in the fruits of righteousness What can they or thou O my soul want which his presence will not supply Art thou laden with sin he can give thee rest art thou full of sorrows he is the conâ—olation of Israel art thou poor in grace with him is durable riches and righteousness art thou dull and dead in spirituals he is the Lord of life and can quicken thee He hath power enough to subdue all thy lusts he hath wisdom enough to resolve all thy doubts he hath grace enough to pity all thy weaknesses and mercy enough to pardon all thy unworthiness He is able to save to the uttermost Nay thou hast not only his Promise to meet thee in his Garden amongst his people but thou hast also his Performance of it for thine encouragement Then the same day at evening being the first day of the week when the doors were shut where the Disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews came Jesus and stood in the midst and saith unto them Peace be unto you And when he had so said he shewd unto them his hands and his side then were the Disciples glad when they had seen the Lord Then said Iesus unto them again Peace be unto you As my Father hath sent me so send I you And he breathed on them and said Receive ye the Holy Ghost O the value of those Jewels which are lockt up in this Cabinet All the Crowns and Scepters of the world had they been thrown in amongst the Disciples could not have caused the thousandth part of that comfort nor have brought any degree of that profit which the Disciples had by the presence of the holy Jesus Consider his words Peace be unto you peace be unto you Never did sweeter words or more melodious musick ever sound in humane ears What tidings could be more welcom to them that had known the terrors of an angry God and felt the curses of his righteous Law Didst thou never see a poor debtor arrested by severe Serjeants and hailed to the Goal in which nasty miserable place he was like to continue whilst he lived with wringing of hands and watering of cheeks and doleful screeches and afterwards upon the payment of his debts by some loving Surety with what clapping of hands and gladness of heart he was enlarged If so thou hadst some poor resemblâ—nce of that exuberancy of joy which the Disciples felt when they saw the Lord and heard those blessed words Peace be unto you They were all liable every moment to the arrest of divine justice for those vast sums which they owed to the Holy and Jealous God and in continual danger to be hurried by Divels his Officers to the Prison of Hell whence they could never have come out Now his appearance to them did evidence that the Law was satisfied that all their debts were discharged in that the Surety who took upon him the payment of them was by order of the Iudge released What news could find more acceptance with those that dreaded the fury of the Lord more then death and esteemed his favour far before life then that which did speak him reconciled to them And farther observe the work of the blessed Redeemer And he breathed on them Receive ye the Holy Ghost As if he had said I know your unbeleiving hearts will think the news of a reconciled God and of peace with him too good to be true behold therefore his love-token Receive the earnest of his favour his holy Spirit who knoweth his mind fully and was at the Council-Table of Heaven when all your names were engrost in the book of life and all the methods of grace and good-will towards poor sinners were debated and concluded and is sent to you on purpose to reveal them to you and assure you of them and therefore is an unquestionable evidence that he is at one with you This O my soul was the blessed Heavenly Banquet which the Redeemer entertained his Disciples with when they met together and wouldst thou miss such a feast for all the World Lord thou lovest the Assemblies of thy Saints they are the habitations
was the debtor God-man the surety who made satisfaction to God the Creditour How he was born of a mean woman that we might be born of the most high God he was tempted that he might conquer Satan for us and succour us when tempted by him what a life he led filled with miracles and miseries what a death he died embittered with shame and pain and all that we might be exalted to eternal honour and pleasure How he triumphed over Death the Grave the Curse of the Law Satan and Hell in his Resurrection and ascended into Heaven leading Captivity Captive appears in his Fathers presence pleading his death as the prise of his Chosens fafety and life sitteth at his right hand and ever liveth to make intercession for us Its precepts excel all the commands and Statutes and Laws that ever were in the World in purity and justice and goodness much more then the Firmament of Stars doth a Wisp of Straws Its promises are exceeding great and precious of special efficacy superlative excellency and unquestionable certainty In a word the Scripture hath all in it requisite either for counsel or comfort for necessity or delight for knowledge or action for direction in life or consolation in death 3. The form of the Scripture renders it worthy my highest esteem and hottest affection 1. It s inward form is That perfect correspondence and agreement between the commands and promises laid down in the word and that infallible and certain truth of Gods own understanding The books of men are sutable to their minds and their minds being but in part sanctified their works must be answerably imperfect but the Lords understanding being infinitely pure and true his word must bear some proportion to it God is truth without the least shadow of error holy without the least tittle of mixture hence his word is certain without the smallest colour for doubts Thy law is the truth pure not admitting of the least sin or darkness Thy word is very pure therefore doth thy servant love it Because of its exact conformity to the eternal will of God it s called his word As a man maketh known his mind by his words so doth God hence it s called the mind of God Pro. 1. 23. The Word of God 1 Pet. 1. 15. The counsel of God Act. 20. 27. The Oracles of God Rom. 3. 2. The Law of God Psalm 1. 2. Not onely in regard of its Author which is the divine wisdom but also in regard of its matter which is the divine will 2. It s outward form is both plain and difficult according to Gregory so shallow that lambs may wade in it and so deep that Elephants may swim in it It s stile is so plain as to encourage the most unlearned and yet so difficult as to exercise the greatest Scholars and most profound Rabbies To those that are babes in understanding the Scripture is milk to them that are men in knowledge the word is strong meat It s therefore called light the nature of which is both to discover it self and other things also Thy word is a light to my feet and a lanthorn to my paths It s a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the day-star arise in our hearts Psa. 119. 105. 1 Pet. 1. 19. It is plain in regard of fundamentals and things necessary to be known and done What we are to believe concerning God the mediatour our own estate of innocency apostacy recovery what we are to practise in order to salvation are all perspicuous and clear to ordinary capacities Though there be some whose eyes the god of this world hath blinded lest the light of the glorious Gospel should shine upon them yet all wisdomes ways are plain to him that understandeth 2 Cor. 4.4 Pro. 8. 9. The Scripture sheweth the greatest simplicity both in words and phrases and figures that the weakest need not be afraid of searching into it There is such obscurity also in things not absolutely necessary to salvation that the deepest understandings need not be ashamed of reading and studying it Peter affirmes that in the Epistles of Paul there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some things hard to be understood There are such abstruse texts in the word of God that no man can make a certain comment on them The Jews themselves confessed that in the latter end of Ezekiel there are many things mentioned which are beyond all their apprehensions against which and all other difficulties in the Old Testament they comfort themselves according to the expression of the woman of Samaria Messias venturus est qui nobis annunciabit omnia The Messias will come and tell us all things Now the wise God seeth fit to let some truths in Scripture be dark 1. To shame us for our ignorance which is the fruit of our fall from him The pride and height of man is laid low by the profound and hard places in the Word of God 2. To quicken us to diligence in reading and meditating and comparing Scripture with Scripture The deeper a mine of gold lyeth in the earth the harder we must labour to dig it out 3. To raise our price of the Word of God We are apt to slight things that are easie and ordinary and to value things at the highest that cost us dearest 4. To provoke us to pray to God that he would give us his key whereby we may unlock this cabinet of precious Jewels He onely that made the Scripture can best acquaint us with his mind in the Scripture therefore David intreated divine light that he might understand the divine Law Psa. 119. 18. Open mine eyes that I may see the wonderâ—ful things of thy Law 4. The final cause of the word will speak it full of value and worth Namely the glory of the great God and the salvation of lost man The honour of God shines more brightly then the Meridian Sun through the whole Heaven of the Scripture The Scripture exalteth God in regard of his infinite nature and being his transcendent excellencies and perfections his eternal decree his works of creation and providence It advanceth God in all his attributes declaring to us 1. His wisdom how he is the onely wise God the foolishness of God is wiser then the wisdom of men yea that Angels themselves are fools to him His understanding is infinite 2. His Power how he is mighty in strength the Almighty God to him nothing is impossible doth what ever he pleaseth can do more then he will do 3. His mercy how he is full of mercy rich in mercy the Father of mercys hath multitudes of tender mercies his mercy endureth for ever hath an heighth and depth and length and breadth in it which none can reach 4. His Iustice how he fails not the least in the performance of his promises and accomplishment of his threatnings how he will by no means clear the guilty not the greatest of his favourites not
would not reverence the issue for the Authors sake Surely that coin deserves esteem which hath that Kings Image and Superscription on it The matter in thee merits respect Thou art a Love-letter from God to his creature revealing his eternal thoughts of good will publishing his acts of grace and oblivion to all traytors and rebels in arms against his Majesty upon condition they will throw down their weapons and become Loyal Subjects for the future Thou art the Churches Charter containing all the priviledges which the blessed Jesus purchased for her What wise man would not value the deeds and evidences which speak and give a right to pardon love grace joy peace and the undefiled inheritance for ever When thou comest to a soul salvation comes to that soul Thou art always attended with a rich train of all sorts of comforts The good tidings thou bringest and great blessings thou conveyest where ever thou comest may well make thee welcome I may well say unâ—o thee beholding the bracelets and ear-rings wherewith thou adornest the Spouse of the true Isaac as Laban to Abrahams servant Come in thou blessed of the Lord why standest thou without I have prepared lodging for thee If I am bound to bless my God for the natural lights which he hath made the greater to rule the day and the lesser to rule the night because thereby it appears that his mercy endureth for ever Psa. 136. 7 8 9. How much am I bound to bless him for the spiritual light of his word that true that marvellous light which shineth in a dark place till the eternal day dawn O what mercy what mercy enduring for ever is there in every leaf in every verse in every line of that sacred Book If Regeneration be a mercy to be partaker of the divine nature the stamping the lovely Image of the glorious God upon thee then the word is a mercy for that is the seal in the hand of the Spirit which imprinteâ—h it on thee Iames 1. 18. Is faith a mercy that shield of the soul whereby it quencheth the fiery darts of the Devil that Ladder by which the soul mounteth to Heaven and converseth daily with its Lord and Master then the word is a mercy for faith comes by hearing the word is the door of faith Rom. 10. 14. Act. 14. 27. If repentance be a mercy those second and best thoughts of the soul that recovery of the man to his wits and right mind then the word is a mercy for t is the voice of Christ in the word that casteth the Devil of impenitency and sensuality out of the heart where it raigned and raged sending out fire and flames like AEtna for many years and makes the man like him in the Gospel out of whom the Devil was cast to sit at Iesus his feet in his right mind bitterly weeping and mourning for his former folly and madness T is the hot beams of love that shine in the Gospel that thaw the frozen spirits Is hope a mercy â—hat Helmet of salvation which defendeth the head of Christians from Swords and Musquets the souls of Saints from the darts and dangers of temptations those Bladders of the soul which keep it from sinking in deep waters then the word is a mercy for we through patience and comfort of the Scripture have hope Rom. 15. 4. Hope had never lookt out at the window longing for the coming of its beloved if the word had not come before as a faithful Messenger and brought certain news that he was upon the way Are pardon reconciliation with God adoption growth in grace yea Heaven it self a mercy then the word is a mercy All those Jewels are lockt up in that Cabinet Man durst not have presumed he could not have conceived that the glorious jealous God should ever have such infinite respect for such wretches and rebels if he had not found it written with his own hand in the word T is on the waters of the sanctuary that the Saint saileth safely through the Sea of this world to the Port of salvation There was no visible bridge laid over the Gulf of Gods wrath for sinners to pass into the Kingdom of grace here and glory hereafter till the Gospel erected one O my soul what honour can be high enough what love hot enough for the holy Scriptures 1. Consider the preciousness of them in the eyes of good men and the love they had for them Iob preferred them before food before his necessary food Solomon before ornaments of gold crowns of glory Paul before all other Doctrines though Preached by Angels David before the honey and the honey comb great spoils thousands of gold and silver all riches And when he ceaseth to compare beginneth to admire iâ—s worth Wonderful are thy testimonies And his own fervent affection to it O how love I thy law it is my meditation all the day 2. The price paid for it It cost the blood of thy beloved well may the Scriptures be called Testaments they were both sprinkled with blood and made valid by the death of the Testatour Heb. 9. 15 16 17. And for this cause he is the mediatour of the New Testament that by means of death for the redemption of transgressions that were under the first Testament they which were called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance For where a Testament is there must of necessity also be the death of the Testator For a Testament is of force after men are dead otherwise it is of no strength at all whilst the testator liveth 3. The pearl hid in it The Lord Jesus Christ is the matter as well as the Author of it Well may it be called the Word of Christ. Search the Scripture for they are they that testifie of me He was the substance of the Law and he is the sum of the Gospel Thou hadst not known sin but for the Law nor the Saviour but for the Gospel When David considered the kindness he had receâ—ved from Ionathan he said to his servants Is there none left of the house of Saul that I may shew kindness to for Jonathans sake He could not but in gratitude study some return suitable to that good will of his dear friend Great is the kindness I have received from the Scripture What wilt thou say what wilt thou do O my soul for this Word of thy God! O swear unto the Lord and vow unto the mighty God of Jacob surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house I will not go up into my bed I will not give sleep to mine eyes nor slumber to mine eyeâ—lids until I â—inde out a place for the law of the Lord and an habitation for the Gospel of the God of Jacob. Wilt thou not willingly O my soul rather then this worthy guest should lie without doors take it into thy heart O that thou wert the ark wherein the two Tables the two Testaments might be laid up for ever Lord I will
for vengeance what will the blood of a murdered soul do Why should I to humour any mans lust injure his soul hinder my own peace and incur the anger of the Lord. O that no foolish pretences whatsoever may keep me off from acquainting sinners with thâ—â—â—â—il and end the nature and danger of their sins It s Gods order first to cast the soul down and then to lift it up The ground must feel the Plow before it receive the Seed Sorrow must precede comfort and they must sow in tears who would reap in joy God must shake all Nations before the desired of all Nations will come to him We come to Sinai the Mount that burneth with fire and to blackness and darkness and a tempest which makes even a Moses to fear and quake exceedingly before we come to Mount Sion the City of the living God the Heavenly Ierusalem and to Jesus the Mediatour of the new Covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things then the blood of Abel The Law is a School-Master to drive us to Christ. Austere Iohn with his Ax laid to the root of the Tree threatning the fire to those that bring not forth fruit prepareth the way for the sweet alluring Iesus Mourning and Grief is the Midwife of true mirth Penitential tears are the streams that lead to the Rivers of Pleasures Even the doleful sound of the Trumpet attendeth the Iudge when he is going to acquit a Prisoner by publique Proclamation Violence must be offered to corruption or there will be no acceptance of the Lord Christ. The building of holiness is the more strong for having its foundation of humiliation laid deep The safety of the soul doth depend like Jonahs upon his being cast over-boord and utterly lost in his own apprehension The blessed Iesus himself is brought into a desolate Wilderness before Angels are sent from Heaven to comfort him O that I might follow my God in his usual way and never prophesie smooth things to rugged and â—â—â—â—ed men but endeavour to break their hearts on â—â—th who have persisted in the breach of his holy Laws that their backs may not be broken in Hell Yet I would not instead of beating down the rotten Paper walls of presumption drive any into the Dungeon of desperation but as the good Nurse have the breast of consolation as well as the rod of correction in readiness for such Children Moses and Christ met together upon Mount Tabor The Gospel must be Preached to heal those wounds which are opened and discovered by the Law The Lord sendeth me to proclaim liberty to the Captives and the opening of the Prison to them that are bound Lord thou killest and makest alive bringest down to the grave and bringest up It s easie and ordinary with thee to break those bones which thou intendest to rejoyce and to perplex those Rams in Briars and Thorns which thou intendest to accept of as a sacrifice Teach thy Servant to know how to speak a word in season both to the wicked and to the godly how to divide thy word aright both in its minatory and consolatory parts that as occasion shall â—e I may awaken the wicked out of their deadly slumbers and quicken the godly to their spiritual watchfulness and help to sweeten that bitter cup which thou hast put into their hands O that thy blessing might water my labours for both their welfares Alas poor sick unregenerate ones are dropping into boundless and endless sorrows and yet are without sense Though they are dying they know not what they are doing nor whither they are going Their eyes are shut by the god of this World that they see not that unspeakable misery to which they are liable every moment their hearts are hardened through custom in sin that neithâ—â—â—â—reatnings nor promises prevail with them to feel their wounds and sores O thou great Physitian thou Lord of life thou God of health open their eyes send some Ananias to them that they may receive their sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost enable them so to mourn now that they may be comforted when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord and help thy servant to deal so faithfully with those whom thou callest me to visit that I may never give thy Majesty cause to say of me as once of the Prophets of Israel They have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly saying Peace Peace when there is no peace I Wish that I may be close and home in my Applications to sick persons and speak what is proper to their estates with ardency and affection to their very hearts It s ill dallying with edged tools O how sad is it to toy and trifle to be formal or customary in counsel or reproof or comfort to immortal souls that are launching into the Ocean of eternity Death is a serious thing and that which they never did before nor shall ever do again Sin is a serious thing as the damned find in Hell by woful experience Though there they are in blackness of darkness yet they have light enough to see sin to be the evil of evils and altogether sinful Christ was serious when he took upon him my nature and therein did offer up himselfâ— a sacrifice for sin God is serious in commanding faith and repentance and in promising Heaven to the faithful and holy and Hell to unbeleivers and atheists And shall not I be serious and in earnest when I am dealing about matters of eternal life and death and about the concernments of God and Christ and souls and eternity O with what earnestness should I perswade the wicked to turn from their wickedness and live If ever their souls would draw near to the Lord of life it concerns them to do it when their bodies are drawing nigh to the Chambers of death It is but a very few hours and their condition will be past all amendment all alteration In this poor pittance of time all must be done upon which the Scales must turn for their salvation or damnation They are going to make that change which will admit them into endless joy or torment and render their estates unchangeable Their time is hastening that they must struggle with dreadful pains and strong distempers and death the King of terrors and must review that life which is ending and look back upon all that they have done and judge their persons and actions impartially whether they will or no that they must take their leave of all their friends and food and sleep and lands and houses and honours and pleasures and riches and step into eternity and appear before God without their Relations or Possessions or any worldly comforts to help or encourage them that they must be tried by an holy Law and an holy Judge for their everlasting lives or deaths and can my expressions be too full of weight and reason or my affections too full of bowels and pity
to his breast Hic sat lucis Hâ—re is abundance of light of joy He asked one of his Friends What news His Friend told him None Then saith he I will tell you some news I shall presently be with my Lord Christ. I shall give thee two or three quickening Motives and then direct thee about the workâ— of exercising thy self to Godliness on a Dying Bed and because its the last time of a Christians working for his God I shall in the third place annex some brief helps to this duty In reference to the Motives Consider First What a serious thing Death will be to every Man and Woman in the World It s ill and dangerous for any to cozen themselves and undertake to mock God in their health and life but it s worst of all and desperate for any to do this on a sick and dying Bed The Heathen hardened in sin and wholly under the power of Satan ignorant of the evil of their hearts and lives and of the sad consequence of a wicked end made light of death Flavius Vespasian none of the worst of the Roman Emperors died as Sir Thomas Moor with a jest in his mouth Vt puto Deus fio Methinks I am going and growing to be a God Augustus Caesar esteemed the best of them whose death the people so much lamented that they said Vtinam aut non nasceretur aut non moreretur Would he had never been born or never dyed went off the Stage of the World with a Complement Livia Nostri Conjugii memor Vive Vale Farewel and Live Wife mindful of our Marriage Galba dyed desperately crying out Feri si ex re sit Populi Romani Strike if it be for the common good Tiberius dyed dissemblingly of whose death Tacitus wittily Iam Tiberium vires corpus non dissimulatio deserebant Now strength and life hath lest Tiberius but not dissimulation But Christians who understand the holiness and justice of God the infinite demerit of sin the certainty of an unchangeable condition in the other World either in joy or torment know that death is no jesting matter that to dye is one of the most serious searching things that they can possibly do Two or three Particulars will shew what a serious thing death is 1â— Death will try men When the Bridegroom comes it will appear who have Oyl in their Vessels and who have noneâ— As soon as ever thou takest thy leave of temporal good things thy spiritual riches will be known A scorching Summer discovers what streams are fed with Ponds and what with Springs The Wind sheweth which Clouds have Rain in them and which have none Death will anatomize every soul and reveal all that is in it Conscience will then bring in a true Verdict in despight of all those bribes and frights which formerly kept the Bill in suspense or caused it to write on it an Ignoramus There are marks by which Saints and Sinners may be distinguished whilst they live as great mens servants are by the Liveries that they wear but these characters being most inward and known to none but themselves and the Lord they serve it is their dying onely that will reveal infallibly what they are and to whom they belong This World is as a common Inn wherein all are lodged and no difference is made between the good and bad onely that the worst men have the best usage but the very moment of mens dissolution makes a plain and vast distinction Death is the way of all the earth according to Ioshua's Periphrasis of it but this way hath two turnings one on the right hand to joy and bliss another on the left hand to misery and horror now as when the attendants of two Lords travail together on the road their servants cannot easily be distinguished especially if the Servants of the one counterfeit the livery of the other but when they come to the Bivium the parting way then it s clearly known who belong to the one and who to the other for each then followeth his own Master waits on him to his house stayeth and abideth there with him So though whilst men live all professing themselves Christians and most for a shew at least putting on the livery of Christ it is not known who belong to the Prince of Life and who to the Prince of the powers of the Air but death will discover it to themselves and the Elect Angels 2. It will appear that Death is a serious thing in that Eternityâ— When thou diest thy condition will be like the Law of the Medes and Persians such as cannot be altered At death thou goest the way that thou shalt never return David speaking of his dead Child saith I shall go to him but he shall not return to me And Iob by asking the question denyeth it If a man dye shall he live again God will never trust thee with a second life or give thee leave for second thoughts or better purposes or more serious and sober actions when thou art once landed in the other world He will not offer thee a Christ and Grace and Heaven when thou art gone from this earth Think of it seriously is not that work to be done well which can be done but once Shouldst thou not use thine utmost care and strength and diligence to dye well when thy everlasting making or marring dependeth on it Ah Friend If thou failest now thou failest for ever if thou dalliest now thou art undone eternally There is no wisdom nor knowledge in the Grave whither thou art going Eccles. 11. 7. 3. Death will appear to be a serious thing in that all the powers of Hell will then assault thee Thou mayst say of it in some respects as Christ did to wicked men and the Wicked one This is your hour and the power of darkness The Devil its observeable is most busie at the conclusion of a duty as of prayer that the Christian might be hindered and distracted when he closeth up all in the name of Christ and so all his desires be frustrated so he is most busie in the conclusion of our days adding fearful dreams to our slumbers strong distractions to our fancies increasing our pains with terrors driving the good if possible to despair and intoxicating the bad with presumptuous conceits and all because his time is little The Devil is come down having great rage knowing that his time is short Rev. 12. 12. At the approach of death through pain of body and perplexity of mind men are least able to resist and therefore this cowardly enemy will then be most ready and fierce to assault When the Christian is down then if possible he will â—rample upon him The last persecutions of the Church under Dioclesian and Maximinian were the soarest The last messenger the Devil sent to Iob concerning the sudden violent death of all his Children pierced his heart deepest The subtle serpent reserved that great Ordnance for the last hoping the former small
Joseph shall send to convey me to the true Goshen I Wish that I may with patience submit on my dying bed to the divine pleasure It hath been far from some Moralists to murmure either at the extremity of their sickness or the necessity of dying By impatience I do not help but rather kill my self before-hand It s the general lot of mankind to sickeâ— and dye Am I angry that I am a man that I am mortal Because I know that I must be sick and dye I know that I must submit The knowledge of an approaching evil is no small good if improved Though it cannot teach me to prevent it by all my power or providence yet it may teach me to prepare for it and to bear it with courage and patience Discontent and quarrelling are great arguments of guilt and a defiled conscience The harmless sheep conscious of their innocency do quietly receive the Knife either on the Altar or in the Shambles and give death entrance with small reluctancy when the filthy loathsom Swine roar horribly at their first handling and with hideous cries are haled and held to the fatal block The Children of God and members of Christ who are perfect through their head do often give up the Ghost and desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ when the souls of wicked men are required of them and they are strangely passionate at the approach of death and with dreadful screeches salute its Harbinger sickness O that patience might have its perfect work in me when I am taking my leave of it and its work is near an end Lord my heart is too prone to be impatient under thy hand though thou art infinitely wise as well as gracious and knowest what is best for me In my sickness turn mine eyes upon my sins that my discontent may be at my self for that which is the original of all my sorrows and then I shall never repine or murmur against thee I Wish that I may daily think of death and wait beleiving and repenting and working out my salvation till my change shall come My whole time is given me that therein I might prepare and dress my soul for my blessed eternal estate Why should it not be imployed for that end The Child who hath all day been diligent about his duty may expect his Fathers good word at night But what Master will give a reward to him in the evening who hath all the day long served his enemy My life is the seed which will yeild a crop of horror or comfort in an hour of death If that be good my Harvest will be glorious and joyful if that be sinful my Harvest will be bitter and sorrowful Do men gather Grapes of Thorns or Figs of Thistles The Grapes of comfort are not to be expected from the Thistles of corruption nor the Figs of peace from the thorns of impiety I should blush to commit to the keeping of a cleanly and considerable person a foul and filthy vessel With what face can I commend to the holy and glorious God an impure and polluted soul O how dreadful will it be to meet with my dying bed before I have met with the Lord of life and to be going out of the world before I have seriously considered why I came into it My great work in this world is to get my depraved nature healed by the blood and spirit of Christ ifâ— I forget my business when I have time to do it and trifle away my days in doing evil or doing nothing I lose my soul am unfaithful to my Master and deepen my judgement by the number of my days â— That Traveller may well be agast and perplexed who hath a long journey to go upon pain of death in one day for which the whole day is little enough and seeth the sun near setting before he hath begun his journey How ill doth the evening of my time and the morning of my taske accord together How justly may God reserve the dregs of his wrath for me if I reserve the dregs of myâ— days for him What folly am I guilty of in deferring my preparation for death If he be a ridiculous person that having choice of lusty horses should let them all go empty and lay an extraordinary heavy load upon a poor tired jade that is hardly able to go much more foolish is he that prodigally wasteth his youth and health and strength in the service of the flesh and the world and leaves the great and weighty affairs of his soul and eternity to be transacted on a sick or dying bed O my soul what little cause hast thou to future or delay thy solemn provision for the other world First thy life is uncertain thou hast not another day at thy disposal There are some creatures they say in Pontus whose life lasteth but one day They are born in the morning come to their full growth at noon grow old in the evening and dye at night What is thy life but a vapour that soon passeth away The first minute thou didst begin to live thou didst begin to dye Death was born when thou wast born the last act of life is but the completing of death As on thy birâ—hâ—day thou didst begin to dye so on the day of thy death thou dost cease to live How many outward accidents and inward diseases art thou every moment liable to May I not say to thee as Michael to David Save thy self to night for tomorrow thou shalt be slain Others have died suddenly by imposthumes or the falling-sickness or violent means and if thou promisest thy self a fair warning before the fatal stroak thou dost but cozen and cheat thy self But secondly If thou wert sure to see the evening star of sickness before the night of death overtake thee thou art not sure thy sickness shall not be such as may not incapacitate thee for the working out thy salvation Extremity of pain anguish of body lack of sleep the violence of a fever may indispose thee and distract thee that thou canst not so much as think of God Or thy distemper may be such that the Physitian may charge thee not to trouble thy self with melancholy or sad thoughts lest thou wrongest thy body and yet the Minister commandeth thee to pull up those sluces of sorrow if thou wouldst not lose thy soul for ever Or cold diseases as the Lethargy or Palsie may surprise thee and incline thee to continual slumbers till at last thou sleepest the sleep of death O how sottish art thou and how grosly doth the destroyer of souls delude thee to defer that work of absolute necessity of conversion to God upon which thine endless weal or wo dependeth to a dying Bed when thou art not sure to dye in thy bed but mayst as well dye in thy Shop or Fields or in the Streets when thou art uncertain what disease if thou shouldst meet with a dying bed should send thee to thy eternal
soul 1 Pet. 1. 17. Who would make his Belly his Gut his God who confidereth that every meal may be his last or that thinketh his dainty diet his fine fare doth but provide a greater feast for wormes Who would give way to sinful wantons who beleiveth that whilst he is unloading his lust God may put a period to his life He that is high in conceit of himself little dreameth how low he must shortly be laid Who would be proud of that body which shall ere long see corruption become such a noysom loathsom carcass that the nearest and dearest relations will not endure the sight or sent of it He who loveth the world inordinately forgetteth that he may leave it suddenly and must leave it certainly Would Haman have bragged so much of Hesters banquet if he had known that his own corps should be served in for the last course Would the Israelites have tempted God for meat if they had thought that death should have been their sauce Would Achan have coveted the golden wedge if he had mused of his so sudden departure into the other world Without question he would have forborn the Babylonish garment if he had seen death at his back so ready to strip him naked Had the rich fool thought that his bed should that night have proved his grave he would never in the day have prided himself in his goods Who would not at Gods call vilifie that flesh which will be ere long a lump of filth and be choice of that soul which lives for a more high and heavenly flight It is reported of the Brachmans that they use no cloaths but Bear-skins no houses but Caves no food but such as nature dresseth When Alexander came to them in his travails he asked them the reason of this severe kind of living They answered him We know we shall dye whether to day or to morrow we know not and therefore why should we take care either for power to govern others or for riches to live in pleasures or for honour to be esteemed of None are so loose to the world that great hinderance of holiness as they who ponder they must leave it Travellers who look on themselves near their journeys end care not to burden themselves with much baggage Their moderation will be known to all men who believe The Lord is at hand Those who are most mindful of their deaths are most faithful in their lives Iob was eminent in grace because Iob was daily conversing with his grave All the days of his appointed time he waited till his change came Job 14. 14. That servant will follow his work most and best who expecteth his Masters coming every moment It is said of the Kite that by the turning of his tail he directs and winds about his whole body The same is reported of the Glede or Puttock Fish also say Naturalists turn and wind about by the fins in their Tails Reader could I but prevail with thee to mind the end of thy life it would help thee very much to order thy conversation aright O said God that my people were wise then would they consider their latter end Deut. 32. 29. The Thebans made a Law that no man should build an house for himself to dwell in before he had made his grave Several of the Philosophers had their graves made before their doors that when ever they went abroad they might remember their deaths If thou wouldst but in thy out-goings and in-comings behold the place of thy burial I doubt not but thou wilt be watchful over all thy ways When thou art in the midst of thy delights as Ioseph of Aritmathea have thy tomb in thy garden and it may prevent thy surfeiting by those dainties When thou sittest at Table let the first dish set before thee be according to Prester Iohns custom a deaths-head and then with what fear wilt thou feed how thankfully wilt thou receive the creatures even as through the beloved Son how soberly wilt thou use them even as in Gods sight If God raise thee to the height of prosperity and some friend do but as Moses and Elias to Christ when his Face did shine as the Sun and his Raiment was as white as Snow Luk. 9. 30 31. talk to thee of thy decease which thou must shortly accomplish it will abate thy love to the worlds withering vanities and quicken thine endeavours after the eternal weight of glory If God cast thee into great adversity and thou dost but consider thy time here is but short and therefore thy troubles cannot be long this will make thee contented in the saddest condition When thou beholdest thy relations and fore-thinkest that thine eternal separation from them is at hand and that within a few days thou shalt never have another opportunity to help them heaven-ward how will it stir thee up to do them all the good thou canst now both by thy Precepts Pattern and Prayers If when thou attendest on publique Ordinances thou wilt but cast thine eye on the Graves in the Church-yard as thou passest along and meditate thus Within a little time I must be laid in the dust when I shall hear no more pray no more enjoy a Sabbath no more when I shall never never more have a tender of a Saviour never more have a season to beg mercy in for my poor soul. After such awakening thoughts with what attention wouldst thou hear with what affections wouldst thou pray with what intention and devotion with what seriousness and uprightness wouldst thou perform every duty Some say that nothing in this world is so strong as death because it subdueth the mighty it conquereth the greatest conquerours it overcometh all Sure I am that death hath great force and power over mens souls as well as over their bodies The thought of it hath raised some to a spiritual life The consideration of death hath also caused others to live much in a little space when they have sâ—en the â—un of their lives near setting and the night of their deaths approaching they have in the day followed their work with the greater diligence None will work so hard as they who think themselves near their everlasting homes There were two Emperors Adrian and Charles the fifth that in their life time caused their Coffins to be carried before them and their exequies to be solemnly celebrated to this end possibly that considering they were but men dying men they might thence be righteous in their government and virtuous in their actions It is reported of Turannius that after he was ninety years old he got leave of Caesar to retire himself from Court and the old man would needs be laid in his bed as one that had breathed out his last and all his Family must bewail his death Friend do thou in earnest what he did in jest Suppose thou wert this day to bid adiew to thy Friends Relations Honours and Possessions and to travail into the unknown other world to
undergo so strict an examination Well may the time of judgement be called a day for it will declare and manifest the worth of grace and holiness which in the night of this life is not observed Ah who can conceive the value which the vilest wretch on earth will put upon holiness at that day then grace will be grace indeed and godliness will be godliness indeed Then they who mock at Saints for their purity and strictness and look upon Sanctity but as Hypocrisie and the acting of a part to cozen the world with and think it is enough to put God off with a few prayers now and then when their pastimes and lusts will give them leave will call to beleivers as the foolish to the wise Virgins Give us of your oyl for our lamps are gone out then the graceless Princes and Potentates of the world will throw their Crowns and Diadems at the feet of the meanest Christian for a dram of his grace and holiness The Apostle speaking of that day puts the question Where shall the sinner and ungodly appear 1 Pet. 4. 18. Now indeed those that â—coff and deride and scorn at holiness and holy ones may appear before great men in many parts of the world with praise and applause Now they may appear in the Country and be respected of their Drunken Atheistical Brutish Neighbours and probably be the more honoured for their opposition to the Spirit of grace and holiness but then Where will the sinner and ungodly appear Not in Heaven for that is no Stie for Swine no Kennel for Dogs no Gaol for Malefactours no place for such unholy God-provoking persons Into it can in no wise enter that which is defiled or unclean Such a Pallace is not fit for Beasts Snakes and Serpents and Adders are more fit for the bosome and embraces of men then such men for the bosome and embraces of God Heaven cast out wicked Angels and will not take in wicked Men Where shall they then appear Not on Earth for that will be burnt up with fire Their Houses and places must know them no more for ever The earth groaned under their weight whilst it bare them but now is eased of such loads and shall not be pestered with such Plagues again But where shall they appear Not before Christ the Iudge with any comfort for him they have derided buffeted crucified they have rejected his Laws trampled on his blood told him to his face that they will not have him to raign over them But where will they appear Not before the Saints for they have maligned oppressed imprisoned persecuted them as a company of Cheats and Hypocrites O where shall the sinner and ungodly appear 1. Consider The holiness of the Iudge He is the holy Iesus He loveth righteousness and hateth iniquity Psa. 45. What will the ungodly sinner do when he shall be judged by the holy Saviour Who can stand before this holy God 1 Sam. 60. 20. His eyes are like a flame of fire and so he knoweth the most secret works of darkness His Law is very pure and observeth and condemneth the least spots the least defilement and how will unclean ones endure to be judged for their everlasting lives and deaths by such a Law His throne is a white throne and how will the black sinner do to stand before this white throne Reader Thou hadst need to be a faithful and loyal subject if thou wouldst then be owned and acknowledged by thy Soveraign How exact should he be in his life who must be tried by so holy a Law If thou callest him Father who without respect of persons will judge every man according to his works pass the time of thy sojourning here in fear 1 Pet. 1. 17. 2. Consider The strictness of his proceedings Every thought word and action shall be revealed examined and weighed in the ballance of the sanctuary There is nothing hid that shall not be revealed nor secret that shall not be made known The thoughts of thy heart shall then be as visible as the features of thy face When God shall judge the secrets of mens hearts by my Gospel Rom. 2â— 16. All thy words will then be as audible as if thou hadst had a voice to reach every child of Adam both alive and dead Verily I say unto you that of every idle word ye shall give an account at the day of Christ Mat. 12. 36. Every action of thine will then be legible not onely to God as it is at this day but also to Angels and Men We must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ to give an account of all things done in the body whether they be good or whether they be evil 2 Cor. 5. 10. All the works of darkness will then be brought to light We must all appear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely be present in person and not by a proxy but be laid open and manifest be transparent so the word signifieth to give an account of every thing done c. to render a reason of every individual thought word and deed what was the principle from which we acted what was the rule by which we acted what was the end for which we acted When Benjamins sack was opened the silver cup appeared On that Fair-day all mens packs will be opened and then it will be known what ware they carry about with them Hence some have conjectured that it will not be a short time nor the judgement soon passed over It is called a day but not in relation to our natural or artificial days for Christ judging as man in his humane nature by his divine power will probably employ a far greater time in searching into and publiquely revealing every mans condition and conversation Though I am not of their opinions who say it will be precisely a thousand yearsâ— because it s said A thousand years are in thy sight but as one day Yet I judge it to be taken indefinitely and as Aâ—stin saith That the day of judgement shall begin is certain but when it shall end is uncertain I find two Divines eminent both for grace and learning in their generations speaking One saith I humbly conceive that the day of judgement shall not be passed over in an instant but shall be of long continuance sor if Christ should judge onely as God he could dispatch it in a moment but he judging as man it must be after the manner of men that the creature may understand admire and approve what is done The other saith It must take up some large quantity of time to manifest all the secret sins of men and therefore it may be made evident both from Scripture and reason that the day of Christs kingly office in judging the world shall last happily longer then the day of Christs private administration now in governing the world 3. Consider The weight of the sentence It s called the eternal judgement because the sentence then pronounced shall never be