laid up for me a crown of righteousness that the Lord the righteous Judge shal give me at that day And think ye not that very sweet that he would leave something unto you in Christs Name viz. And not for me only but for all them that wait for his appearance Now I come to the third thing proposed viz. To give some directions for helping you to prepare for death Direct 1. I intreat you be much in preparation for death every day for it is even a preparation for heaven to be taking a fight of your grave and latter end every day Direct 2. I intreat you be much in these duties First in self-examination that your compâ—… may be clear with God for many a ragged compt shal we have when death and we shal meet Secondly be much in the exercise of repentance that so ye may have every fault and corruption in you mourned for before death and you meet Thirdly be much in the exercise of faith making your calling and election sure Fourthly be much in the exercise of mortification and that will help you to keep a loose grip not only of the World but also of your other idols and if ye be much in these ye shall undoubtedly be prepared for death Direct 3. Be much in minding the excellent things of heaven a Christian that would be prepared for death should have all his thoughts and conversation there I think it would be an excellent help in preparation for death to take a sight of the crown every day Direct 4. Labor always to keep a good conscience void of offence toward God and man I say labor to keep thy conscience clear and that shal be a continual feast unto thee Direct 5. Slight not any known duty do not crucify any conviction neither break any resolution put these three together and that will exceedingly help you to prepare for death I say see that ye adventure not to slight any known duty see that ye adventure not to crucify any conviction and see that ye adventure not to break your resolutions Now we come to the second thing which we observed from the words viz. That this truth that we shal once see death is not much believed by many of us and to make this appear we shal only give some evidences unto you to prove that we are not as yet prepared for death 1. Evidence Doth not the unspeakable stupidity that hath overtaken many say that we are not people prepared for death Alace many of us would find our selves in a most stupid temper if we were presently to dye for many of us are no more moved with the threatnings and terrors of God then if they did not belong unto us and this saith We are not as yet prepared for death 2. Evid That we are not prepared for death in our pursuing so much after the vain and passing delights of a present World Many of us rise up early and go to bed late at night and eat the bread of sorrow all the day and load themselves with thick clay And I am sure that such a person being night and day taken up with the World is not prepared for death I remember a word recorded of such a wretched one who was exceeding rich said he I would give so many thousands of money if death would but give mâ— one day yet he got it not And O how suddenly will death surprise many of you as it did him 3. Evid Which speaketh forth our unpreparedness for death is our impatience under every petty cross that we meet with for the prepared Christian will be patient under very sharp crosses 4. Evid That we are not prepared is our not endeavouring to live within sight of our interest in God Oh if we were prepared for death durst we live in so much incertainty of our interest in God and of our assurance of heaven 5. Evid Some of us can let our idols lye in our breast six years without repentance and will never study to mortify them nor repent for them and surely such are not prepared for death Now I intreat you seriously to mind what hath been said and that ye may the more seriously think upon it I will tell you some material challenges that your conscience at death will present unto you therefore take heed that ye may know how ye will answer 1. Challenge Is the slighting of much precious time and sinning away the precious offers of grace O what will ye answer to that challenge when death shal present it to you Death will say or rather thine own conscience at death what ailed thee to sin so many hours without either praying reading or meditating Now have ye any thing to answer when death shal present this challenge to you I intreat you premeditate what ye will say I intreat you prevent death by presenting it first seriously to your selves 2. Challenge That death will present unto you will be for the killing of many precious convictions which ye have had What will each of you answer at death when your conscience proposeth this challenge unto you Thou metst with such a challenge at such a time and went home and crucified it And at another time thou metst with another challenge and went home and crucified it These challenges will be laid home to thy door therefore think on them 3. Challenge Death will charge you for a formal hypocritical way of going about duties I say your conscience will then tell you that ye went to such a communion with a selfish end and â— another time ye prayed hypocritically and formally And what will ye have to answer when ye meet with these challenges I confess I know not what ye can answer to these But I charge you be thinking what ye will answer for it may be that these convictions shall ly on your consciences that even this day you have heard two searching Sermons and did meet with some convictions but made no good use of them yea â—nd it may be ye did sleep all that time O! â—hat will ye answer when it will be said to you 〈◊〉 went to such a Sermon and sleeped all the one and ye went to such a Communion but had no other end before your eyes but to be seeâ— of men I intreat you consider presently whâ—… you will answer to these 4. Challenge Will be for your breaking many precious resolutions It will be said to some of you that at the Communion in this place ye took on vows and did break them I am sure yâ— connot question the Justice of this challenge therefore see what ye will answer 5. Challenge Ye slighted many precious offers of the Gospel O men and women in this City what will ye answer to this I was often exhorted to take Christ and yet would never take him What will conscience say to that when death shal table it before you I tell you what you must then answer O cursed I that ever refused Christ in the Gospel
and is crying out that word in Isai 65.1 Behold me behold me O may we not summon Angels and those twenty four elders about the Throne to help us to wonder that ever such a command as this came forth that we should believe on the name of the Son of God after that we had broken that first and Primitive command That we should not eat of the forbidden tree VVas not this indeed to make mercy rejoice over judgement And O may we not wonder at the precious oath of the everlasting Covenant whereâ—…y he hath sworn that he delighteth not in the death of sinners What suppose ye were poor Adams thoughts when at first the doctrine of free-grace and of a crucified Christ Jesus a Savior was preached unto him in Paradise What a divine surprisal was this that Heaven should have preached peace to earth after that earth had proclaimed war against Heaven Was not this a low step of condescendency to behold an offended God preaching peace and good-will to a guilty sinner What could self-destroying AdaÌ„ think of these morning first discoveries of this everlasting Covenant Christ as it were in the morning of time giving vent to that infinite love which was resting in his bosome precious heart before the foundatioÌ„ of the world was laid We know not whether the infiniteness of his love the eternity of his love or the freedom of it maketh up the greatest wonder but sure these three joyned together maketh up a matculess and everlasting wonder Would any of you ask that question what is Christ worth We could give 〈◊〉 answer so sutable as this It is above all the Arithmetick of all the Angels in Heaven and all the men on earth to calculate his worth all men here must be put to a divine non plus This was Jobs divinity Job 28.13 Man knoweth not the price of wisdom and must not Jesus Christ who is the precious object of faith and wisdom of the Faither be a supereminent excellent One who hath that name of King of Kings and Lord of Lords not only engraven on his vesture which pointeth out the conspicuousness of his Majesty but even also upon his thigh to point out that in all his goings motioâ—s he proveth himself to be higher than the Kings of the earth And howbeit the naked proposing of the object doth not convert yet if once our souls were admitted to behold such a sight as Christ in his beauty and Majesty and to be satisfied with the divine rayes of his transcendent glory then certainly we should find a blessed necessity laid upon us of closing with him for Christ hath a sword proceeding out of his precious mouth by which he doth subject subjugat his own to himself as well as he hath a sword girded upon his thigh by which he judgeth and maketh war with his enemies We confess it is not only hard but simply impossible to commit an hyperbole in commending of him his worth being always so far above our expressions our expressions alwayes so far beneath his worth therefore we may be put to propose that desire unto him Exalt thy self O Lord above the Heavens But now to our purpose being at this time to 〈…〉 discourse upon that radical and precious grace of Faith we intend to speak of it under this twofold notion consideration First we shal speak of it as it is justifying or as it doth lay hold upon the righteousness of a crucified Savior making application of the precious promises in the Covenant of free grace which we call justifying Faith And in the second place we shal speak a little unto Faith as it doth lay hold upon Christs strength for advancing the work of mortification and doth discover the personal excellencies of Jesus Christ by which we advance in the work of Holiness and divine conformity with God which we call sanctifying Faith However it is not to be supposed that these are different habits of Faith but different acts flowing from the same saving habit laying hold and exercising themselves upon Christ indifferent respects and for diverse ends Now to speak upon the first we have made choise of these words The Apostle John in the former verse had been pointing out the precious advantages of the grace of ObedieÌ„ce of keeping of his CoÌ„mands that such an one hath as it were an arbitrary power with God doth receive many precious returns of prayer As likewise that one who is exercised in the grace of Repentance is Gods delight which is included in this that he doth those things that are well pleasing in his sight And now in these words he doth as it were answer an objection that might be proposed about the impossibility of attaining these precious advantages seeing his commands were so large and that hardly could they be remembred This he doth sweetly answer by setting down in this one verse a short compend or breviary both of Law Gospel viz. That we should love one another which is the compend of the Law and that we should believe on the Name of his Son which is the compend of the Gospel by this he showeth the Christian that there are not many things required of him for attaining these excellent advantages but if he exercise himself in the obedience of these two comprehensive commandments he shall find favor both with God and man And as concerning this precious grace of Faith we have 1. The advantages of it implyed in the words clear also from the scope as no doubt all the coÌ„mands have infinite advantages infolded in their bosom which redouÌ„ds to a believer by his practising of them And 2. the excellency of it holden forth in the words in that it is called his command as if he had no other command but this And the Greek particle is here prefixed which hath a great deal of emphasis and force in it and this is his Commandment But 3. there is this also the absolute necessity of this grace holden forth here in this word his Commandment as if he had said by proposing of this command I do set life and death before you and that you would not conceive that it is an arbitrary indifferent thing for you to believe or not but be perswaded of this that as an infinite advantage may constrain you to the obedience of it so absolute necessity must perswade you to act that which is of your everlasting concernment And lastly ye have the precious object upon which Faith which is justifying doth exercise it self and that is upon the name of the Son of God and no doubt faith is that excellent grace which doth elevate the soul unto a sweet inseparable union with Christ and is that golden precious knot that doth eternally knit the hearts of these precious friends together Faith is that grace that draweth the first draughts of Christs precious image on our hearts by love doth accomplish and perfect them No Faith
â—nquire of you What would you think if death were approaching this night unto you Thinâ— you that Jesus Christ is gone up to prepare place for you even for you Surely I think wâ— are all near to eternity and there are some hearing me to day whom I defie the World to assure that ever they shal hear another Sermon Therefore I intreat you all to hear this preaching as iâ— it were the last preaching that ever you should hear and O that we could speak it as if it were the last Sermon that ever we would preach unto you Believe me Death is another thing then we take it to be Oh what will many of us do in the day of our visitation when desolation shâ—… come from afar Where will we flee for rest and where will we leave our glory Old rich men where will you flee when death assaults you Old poor men where will you flee wherâ— death assaults you Old women where will ye flee when death assaults you Young men where will you flee when death assaults you Young women where will you flee when death assaults you It was an ancient observation oâ— David Psalm 39 5. That God had made 〈◊〉 days as an hand-breadth which either may relate to the four-fold estate of man viz. his infancy his child-hood his man-hood and his old age Or it may relate to the four-fold time of his life viz. his morning his fore-noon his after-noon and his evening yet all our lifetime is but a day And O think you not that our day is near unto close Now before that I begin to speak to any thiâ—… from the words I shall speak a few things to these two questions which I conceive may not altogether be unprofitable Quest. 1. Whether it be lawful for any to desire to dye and to return unto their long and endless home Whether it be lawful for one to cry out O time time flee away and all my shadows let them be gone that so long eternity may come Answ I say it is lawful in some cases for one â—o desire to dye For it was Pauls desire Phil. 1. â—3 I am in a strait betwixt two having a defire to â—epart and to be with Christ which is far better And 2 Cor. 2.2 We groan earnestly defiring to â—e cloathed with our house which is from Heaven 〈◊〉 long greatly till the twentieth one year of my Age come when my minority shal be overpast â—hat I may be entred Heir of that matchless inheâ—itance But to clear in what cases it is lawful to â—esire to dye 1. I say it is lawful to desire to dye when it â—oweth from a desire of uninterrupted fellowship â—nd communion with Christ and conjunction â—ith him this is clear 2 Cor 5.6 Knowing â—at whilst we are present in the body we are abâ—nt from the Lord therefore verse 8. We are illing rather to be absent from the body and to be â—esent with the Lord. As also it is clear Phil. 1. â— I am in a strait betwixt two having a desire to part and to be with Christ which is far betâ—… It was his great end to have near and unâ—ixed communion with Christ What aileth you Paul might one have said may you not 〈◊〉 content to stay a while here Nay saith Paul 〈◊〉 desire to be gone and to be with Christ. Waâ—… thou never with him here Paul I have beeâ— with him saith he but what is all my be inâ— with him here in comparison of my being with him above While I am present in the body I am but absent from the Lord. Therefore I will never be at rest saith he get what I will untill I get Christ untill I get those naked and immediatâ—… embracements of that noble plant of renownâ— the flower of the stalk of Jesse who is the light of the higher house the eternal admitation oâ— Angels 2. It is lawful to desire to die when it floweâ—… from the excellencies of Heaven and from a desire to partake of those excellent things that aâ— there this is clear 2 Cor. 5.4 We groan beinâ— burdened or as the word is We groan as they 〈◊〉 are pressed under a heavy burden that we may 〈◊〉 eloathed upon c. What aileth you to groan so Paul O! saith he I groan that mortality may 〈◊〉 swallowed up of life 3. It is lawful to desire to dye when it flowet from a desire to be freed from the body of Death and from those temptations that affault us aâ— from those oppressions whereunto we are maâ— subject by it Doubtless Paul desired to dye 〈◊〉 this account when he cryed out Rom. 7.24 〈◊〉 wretched man that I am Who shall deliver 〈◊〉 from this body of death He longed greatly for 〈◊〉 day wherein he should be made white like 〈◊〉 wings of a Dove covered with silver whose feaâ—ers are of a yellow gold O! Christ saith Paul 〈◊〉 am as one impatient till I be above where I shal be cloathed with those excellent and cleanly â—obes the righteousness of Christ Oh! saith Paul I think every day a year till I shal be possessed of that Kingdom where satan cannot tempt and the creatures cannot yield and where I shal â—e free from all my fears of sinning Now in all â—hese respects who would not desire to dye But â—o guard these I would give you these four Cauâ—ions 1. Caution Your desires to dye should not be peremptory but ye should desire to die with submission to the will of God so that although he would fill up fifteen years more to your life you should be content to live it out 2. Caution When your desires are hasty and off hand suspect them for some when they meet with any outward cross without all deliberation will cry out O to be gone O if I were dead But your desires to dye should be deliberate but not hasty or rash 3. Caution It is not lawful to desire to dye because of personal affliction Many when they meet with bitter afflictions will cry out O to be gone They long for death even upon that account such were Jobs desires Job 20.21.22 and chap. 6. vers 7.8 O that I might have my request even that it would please God to destroy me c. This desire was very unlawful 4. Caution It is not lawful to desire to dye when thy predominant idol is taken away froâ— thee yet such was Jonahs desire chap. 4.23 Jonâ— thought his credit and reputation which was hâ—… idol was gone and could never be regained therefore he wished to dye But I would say thâ—… to you that some will have ten desires for death when they have not one desire for Heaven And what moveth Christians to be desirous to dye It is not so much because of their hope as because of their anxiety it is not so much because of their confidence as because of their impatience But I say unto you when your desires of death are not accompanied with desires of Heaven suspect
them I would say this that there are some who will have ten desires for death when they will not have one for the death of the body of death But it were good for thee who art such to be desiring the death of the body of death then shouldest thou be in a more suteable frame to desire to dye 3. Some will have hearty desires to dye and yet when death cometh they will be as unwilling to dye as any It hath been observed that some who have much desired to dye when death came have cryed out O spare a little that I may recover strength c. There is a great difference between a desire to dye and death it self It is an easy thing to desire to dye but it is a very great business to meet with death and to look it in the face when it cometh We think death ere it come near to us to be but childrens play but when we meet with it it maketh us change our thoughts for it is a great business to dye Quest. 2. Is it lawful for a Christian to desire to live when he is summoned to dye Answ In some cases is it lawful for a Christian to desire to live even when he is summoned to dye which is clear from the practise of David Psal 39.13 where he prayeth that the Lord will spare him a little it is also clear from the practise of good Hezekiah Isai 38.3 when he was commanded to set his house in order for he should dye and not live he cryed forth Remember now O Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which was good in thy sight and Hezekiah wept sore Or as the word is in the Original he wept with great weeping but to guard this take these two Cautions Caution 1. Thy desires to live when thou art summoned to dye should not be peremptory but with submission to the will of God that if it be his pleasure to remove thee presently out of time thou shouldst be content to dye Caution 2. Thy desires to live should have gracious principles and also a very gracious end as is most clear from David Psalm 39.13 where he saith O spare me a little that I may recover my strength before I go from hence and be no more his desire to live was that he might have victory over his Idols as if he had said my desire to live is that I may have strength to wrestle with and overcome my idols and without all controversy Hezekiahs desire was a most precious and well-grounded desire However I would say this unto thee that thou shouldest examine thy desires to live as much if not more as thy desires to dye for we are ready to shun death if we could but he is that universal King unto whom all of us must be subject ere long Now in the words that are read unto you there are these six things which may be clearly observed from them First that it is a most true and infallible truth that all persons shal once see death as is clear in these words VVho is he that liveth and shal not see death Secondly that this truth that we shal once see death is not much believed or thought upon by many therefore it is that the Psalmist doubleth the assertion VVho is he that liveth and shal not see death Shal he deliver his soul that is his life from the hand that is from the power of the Grave Thirdly that sometimes a Christian may win to the solid Faith of this truth that once he must dye this the Psalmist wan unto as it is also clear in that word who VVho is he that liveth and shal not see death Fourthly that the certainty of this that once we shal dye should be kept in our mind therefore that note of attention Selah is put to it as if he had said Take heed that there is none living that shal not dye Fifthly that howbeit some persons put the evil day far away as if they were not to see death yet is the day coming when they shall see death and death shal take them by the hand Sixthly we shal take notice of this from the context that the Christian who is much in minding the brevity of his life will believe the certainty of his death The Psalmist was speaking of the shortness of his life in the preceeding verse and in this verse he speaketh of the certainty of death Now as for the first of these things observed viz. That it is certain and most sure that we must all once dye I hope there are none of you here who will deny it although I confess some few of you believe it yet said the woman of Tekoah 2 Sam. 14. VVe must all dye and be like water spilt upon the ground that cannot be gathered up again and God doth not accept the person of any And Job 30.13 I know thou wilt bring me to death and to the house appointed for all living And it is very clear Eccles 8.8 There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit neither hath he any power in the day of death and there is no discharge in that war neither shal wickedness deliver those that are given to it It is also clear Heb 9.27 It is appointed unto all men once to die So it is most clear that we must dye I remember of one Philip King of Macedonia who had one substitute for this very end to cry at his chamber-door every morning Memento mori memento mori momento mori Remember thou art to dye And it is reported to have been the practise of the Nobles of Greece that in the day wherein their Emperor was crowned that they presented a marble stonâ— unto him and he was enquired after what fashion he would have his Tomb-stone made Which practise speak this unto us that although these were most destitute of the light of the Scriptures they were very mindful of death Believe me death may surprise us before we be aware for it is most certain that we must dye but there is nothing more uncertain then the way how and the time when we shal dye Death will surprise some as it did Abel in the open field Gen. 4.8 Death will surprise some as it did Eglon in his parlour Judges 3.21 And death will surprise some as it did Saul and Jonathan in the flight 1 Sam. 31. Now in speaking unto this point I shal first speak a little to those advantages which attend those that live within continual fight of death Secondly I shal give you some considerations to press you to prepare for death Thirdly I shal give you some directions to help you to prepare for death And then we shal proceed unto the second point of doctrine which we observed from the Text and shal speak a few things from it unto you and so come to a close for this time First then we conceive
there are these seven advantages which attend those who live within the continual sight of this truth that they must dye First the faith of approaching death will make a soul exceeding diligent in duty This was our blessed Lords Divinity John 9.4 I must work the work of him that sent me while it is day the night â—meth when no man can work That iâ— death is approaching therefore I must work It is clear also 2 Pet. 1.12 compared with verse 14. In the 12. verse Peter is exceeding diligent in his duty and the ground of his diligence is in the 14. verse Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle c. Yea it is even the Epicures argument Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shal dye And should not the Christian much more cry out Let me watch and pray for to morrow I may dye I say if the Epicures did make use of that notion to make them vigorous in the pursuit of their pleasures O how much more should a Christian improve it for making him vigorous in the pursuit of his duty Therefore I say unto you all O! be diligent for your night is drawing near O Christians and expectants of heaven are you not afraid lest you be nighted before you have walked the half of your journey For if you be nighted on your journey to Heaven before you come to the end of your race there is no retiring place whereunto you may turn aside to lodge therefore O work work work while it is day for behold death is approaching and then shal we all be called to an account 2. The faith of approaching death will make a Christian exceeding active in his duty he will not only be diligent but also exceeding serious and zealous in the exercise of his duty This is clear from that notable exhortation Eccles 9.10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with thy might and the reason is for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest Wherefore O be active while you are alive for you shal never work any more after you are dead and if ye leave but one work undone there is no doing of it after death There is no work saith Solomon in the grave therefore O be active 3. The faith of this truth that we must all dye will help a Christian to be exceeding mortified to the things of a present World Oh covetous men and women would you shake hands with cold Death but once every morning I should defie you to pursue the World so much as you do Paul was much in the meditation of his change which made him 2 Cor. 4.18 to overlook those things that are temporary VVhile we look not saith he to the things that are seen which are temporal but to the things which are not seen which are eternal Therefore chap. 5.1 Knowing that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an House not made with hands eternal in the Heavens therefore in this we groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with our house which is from Heaven What aileth you Paul might one have laid may you not take a look of the World No saith he for I know that if this earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved I have a house with God not made with hands but eternal in the Heavens That is I know that ere long the pins of my Tabernacle will be loosed and it will fall down about my ears therefore I must look for another dwelling house And 1 Cor. 7.24 The fashion of this world passeth away therefore saith he verse 32. I would have you without carefulness caring to please the Lord. And Phil. 4.2 Let your moderation be known to all men the Lord is at hand As if he had said death is approaching and at hand therefore I intreat you be sober But I think many of us will be found like Saul hid amongst the stuff that is we will be lying amongst the midst of the pleasures of this passing World But I say to thee who art such an one that death will break the strings of thy harp and thy musick will quickly cease O! but death will make thee have a low esteem of the World O! blessed is the person who hath those thoughts of the World all along his way which he shal have of it at his death Have not the most cursed wretches been forced to cry out Oh! I would give ten thousand worlds for Christ Have not some persons who have had the Moon upon their head and that have made their belly their God being forced to cry forth at death O cursed person that I am that ever I made the world my God! Alace that I contented my self with the World Therefore I say unto thee who art such an one O! stay thy pursuit after the World for death is approaching that will cause all thy worldly comforts to evanish 4. When a Christian believeth this truth that he must dye it will be an exceeding great restraint to keep him from sinning as is clear Job 31.13 compared with verse 14. where Job reckoning over many good deeds done by himself saith What then shal I do when God riseth up And when he visiteth what shal I answer him As if he had said Sirs mistake me not I am not boasting much of my self for I could not have done otherwise else what should I do when God riseth up How could I answer to God if I had done otherwise I think it were a notable practise for each of you when temptations begin to assault you to say O temptation what shal I answer to God when he riseth up to reprove me if I should yeeld unto thee Likewise Eccles 11.9 where Solomon disswading young men to pursue after vanity bringeth this as a reason Know thou that for all these things God will bring thee to judgement Therefore I say unto thee who art often tempted to sin let death and reckoning with God be still in thy sight and I defie thee then to embrace half so many temptations as now thou dost I intreat you to answer all your temptations with that one word What shal I do when he riseth up And what shal I answer when he visiteth me 5. When a Christian liveth within the sight of this truth that he shal once see death it shal make him exceeding patient under every cross wherewith he meets Such a Christian will hardly meet with a cross but he will quiet himself with this Death will put me beyond this cross This is but a cloud that will quickly pass away And for this cause did David so composedly put up that desire Psalm 39.4 Lord make me to know mine end and the measure of my days He was sure that the knowledge of his end would put him in a sober and patient frame The sixth advantage is this The faith of approaching death will teach the person that hath
it to study saving wisdom this is clear Psalm 90.12 where David putteth up this request So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom As if he had said I will never think my self wise till I know that blessed piece of Aâ—ithmetick How to number my days I would desire every one of you all to think with your selves every morning when you arise Now we are an hour nearer unto eternity then we were before and at the end of every hour Now we are a day nearer unto eternity then we were before I say think often yea always thus We were never so near death as we are now for oh are we not all nearer to eternity to day then we were ye sterday The seventh advantage attending the faith of approaching death is this That it will make a Christian very careful in preparing for death it is impossible for one to believe really that death is approaching and not prepare for it Say what you will if you be not careful in preparing for death you have not the solide faith of this truth that you shal dye Believe me it is not every one that thinketh he believeth this truth that believeth it indeed And O how dreadful is it for an unprepared man to meet with death He desireth not to dye yea he would give a World for his life but dye he must whether he will or not for death will not be requested to spare a little when he cometh and therefore I say unto you Set your house in order for you shal surely dye Old men and women Set your house in order for surely ye must dye Young men and women Set your house in order for to morrow ye may dye and be cut off in the flower of your age Think not that there are any who can sell time for I say you shal never get time sold unto you Alace I feat the most part of persons that dye now death findeth them at unawares for indeed the persons that dye amongst us when we come to visite them we may give you a full account of them for we think they are all comprehended under these four sorts First when we go to visite some persons on their death bed they are like unto Nabal their heart is dying and sinking like unto a stone within them they are no more affected with death then if it were a fancy Alace for the great stupidity that hath overtaken many Therefore I intreat you delay not your repentance till death lest the Lord take away your wit so that you cannot then repent for your senslesness and stupide frame of spirit A second sort we find in a presumptuous frame saying They have had a good hope all their days and they will not quite it now they will go down to the grave with their hope in their right hand or rather they will go down to the grave with a lye in their right hand they live in a persumptuous frame and they dye in the same delusion for when we tell them that by all probability they are going down to hell they answer God forbid I was all my time a very honest man or woman But I love not that confession for there are many such honest men and women in hell this day The third sort we find have some convictions that they have been playing the fool all their days but we can get them no further I shal only say to such To go down to the Grave with convictions in their breast not making use of Christ is to go down to hell with a candle in their hand to let them see the way and truly the greater part that dye dye in this manner Fourthly there are some whom we find in a self-righteous frame trusting upon the covenant of works and their own merits and trusting by these to go to heaven yet neglecting the offer of Christs righteousness But alace we find not one of a thousand in this frame I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ that is best of all And scarcely do we find any in such a frame O wretched man that I am who shal deliver me from the body of this death Therefore I say unto you who are all here O will you mind death before it take hold on you Oh mind your work now for you will find that death shal be work enough for it self though you leave no work till then The eighth advantage that attendeth the Christian believing this truth that once he must dye is this Death will not be so terrible to him as it is to many when it cometh What think you maketh death a King of terrors What maketh many to shake like the leaf of a tree when they are summoned to appear before Gods Tribunal It is even because of this they have not been thinking on death before it came so as to prepare for it and I fear many in this place may be feared for death and that when it cometh to them they will say unto death as Achab said to Elijah Hast thou found me O mine enemy Surely death will take you and bring you to the Judgement-seat of Christ therefore study by all means to think ofren upon it and make ready for it for believe me death is a very big word for it will once make you stand with horror in your souls if your peace be not made up with God I know not a more dreadful dispensation then death and a guilty conscience meeting together The second thing that I shal speak unto from the first observation viz. That it is a most certain and infallible truth that all persons shal once see death shal be to give some good considerations for pressing you to prepare for death The first consideration is this that to dye well and in the Lord is a most difficult work therefore I intreat you prepare for death It is a difficult work to communicate aright it is a difficult work to pray aright and it is a difficult work to confer aright But I must tell you it is a more difficult work to dye aright then any of these it is true it is more difficult to communicate aright then to pray aright yet it is much more difficult to dye aright then to communicate aright for it is a most difficult work to dye in the Lord. Death will put the most accurate Christian that is here to a wonderful search and therefore I will tell you nine things that death will try in thee 1. Death will try both the reality and strength of thy faith it may be easy for thee to keep up faith under many difficulties but death shal put thy faith to the greatest stress that ever it did meet with Yea know this that the faith of the strongest believer may get and ordinarily doth get a set at death the like whereof it never got before therefore prepare for death 2. Death will try thy love to God some persons pretend much love to
him but death will propose this question to such a person Lovest thou him more then these Lovest thou him more then thy wife More then thy house More then thy friends But your unwillingness to dye giveth us much ground to fear that many have little love to Christ but much to the World and so dare not answer the question Lord thou knowest that I love thee 3. Death will try thy enjoyments some of you may be ready to think that you meet with many enjoyments so that you might reckon as you think to fourty enjoyments and sweet out-lettings but beware that death bring them not down to twenty I have known some who thought they had met fourty times with God but when death came it made them take down the count to the half therefore seeing death will try the reality of thine enjoyments O prepare for it 4. Death will try thy patience thou mayest seem to have much patience now but when death cometh thou art put to dye it will put thy patience to a great tryal therefore prepare for it 5. Death will try the reality of thy duties yea even those duties wherein thou hadst most satisfaction as thy communicating aright in such a place thou hopest that is sure thy reading the Scripture at such a time aright thou hopest that is sure thou prayedst at such a time aright and hopest that is sure thou meditatest in such a place aright and thou hopest that is sure But believe me death may make thee change thy thoughts for there are some persons who have communicated and prayed c. as right as any in this generation who for all that will not find six duties wherein they can find satisfaction at death 6. Death will exceedingly try thy sincerity when it cometh An hypocrite may go all along his whole way undiscovered yet death may bring him to light and make it appear what a man he is 7. Death will discover unto thee hid and secret sins of which thou never had a thought before yea albeit thou thoughtest these had been forgotten death will let thee see them standing between thee and the light of his countenance 8. Death will accurately try thy mortification Some think they have come a great length in mortification but believe me death will try it and put it to the touch-stone 9. Death will try thy hope whether it be real or not I shal only say this that all the other graces must low their sails to faith and so it is faith must carry us thorow being that last triumphing grace which must fit the field for us when all the other graces will faint and ly by It is faith that must enter us fairly within the borders of eternity It is faith must gainstand all the temptations of death yea all the other graces as it were stand by and see faith strike the last stroke in this war The second consideration to press you to mind death is this That ye are to dye but once O! labor to do that well which you are to do but once and the wrong doing of which can never be helped If ye pray not aright ye may get that mended and if ye communicate not aright ye may get that also mended but alace if ye dye not aright there is no mending of that Therefore O prepare for death that ye may dye well seeing ye are to dye but once The third consideration to press you to mind death is this That ye are pronounced blessed who dye in the Lord Rev. 14.13 Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord. O let that provoke you to prepare for death that so ye may dye in the Lord that is the only way to make you eternally happy I confess it is a question difficult to determine whether it be more difficult to dye well or to live well I shal not answer it but rather desire you to study both The fourth consideration to press you to prepare for death is this viz. That though thou put all thy work by thy hand before death ye shalt thou find that death shal have work enough for it self yea as much as thou shalt get done It will then be much for thee to win to patience it will be much for thee to win to the sight of thy justification and it will then be much for thee to win to assurance O then is it not needful for thee to put all thy work by thy hand before thy latter end come Wherefore I may say to you as Moses said in his Song Deuter. 32.29 O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end O that ye had this piece of divine wisdom I pray you consider that sad word Lam 1.19 She remembered not her last end and what of it Therefore she came down wonderfully So will the down-coming of many in this generation be wonderful who consider not their last end The fifth consideration for pressing you to prepare for death is this viz. That their labor shal end but their works shal not be forgotten as is clear from that fore-cited place Rev. 14.13 They rest from their labors and their works follow them and is not that a glorious advantage The sixth consideration to press you to prepare for death is this viz. That death may come upon you ere ye be aware ye know not but death may surprise you this night before ye go home to your houses and therefore let that press you to study a constant preparation for death The seventh consideration to press you to prepare for death is this viz. That as death leaveth you so will Judgement find you If death shal leave you strangers to Christ ye shal appear before his Judgement-seat strangers unto him therefore I intreat you all to prepare for it I think that noble practise of Paul exceeding worthy of imitation 1 Cor. 15.31 I dye daily which I think doth comprehend these three things 1. That Paul had death always in his sight 2. It comprehendeth this that he labored to keep such a frame as that every moment he should be ready to dye so that whensoever death should put the summonds in his hand he should be content to answer 3. It comprehendeth this that he labored to lay aside and remove all things out of the way that might detain him from laying down his tabernacle O saith Paul I labor so to clear my self of all hinderances as that when ever I shal be summoned to remove out of time I may willingly lay down my life Therefore I would ask you this question viz. When did you make your last testament I think it were suitable for us to be renewing our latter-will every day for in so doing Paul made an excellent testament the better of which none that died since have made 2 Tim. 4.7.8 I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith these are very sweet articles and then he addeth Henceforth there is
And ye shal then bâ— confounded because this is your sin Believe me there was never an offer of this everlasting Gospel and of Christ in it made unto you that shal not at death before or after it be brought to your remembrance And O how sad and doleful will it be to you when Christ shal open the Book where your sins are written and begin with the sin of slighting the great Salvation Thus I invited you when you were twelve years old but ye would not come I invited you when you were thirty years old but ye would not come I invited you when you were sixty years old and ye would not come What will ye answer to this Have ye any thing to say Or must ye not stand speechless before your Judge when he shall put home this challenge unto you Therefore think seriously upon it how ye will answer to it 6. Challenge Will be for your sinning oftentimes against light And O how painful and sad a challenge will that be at the day of death when it will be said Thou sinned with a witness in thy bosom that thou wast doing wrong Thy conscience will say Oftentimes I did tell thee this is sinful yet wouldest thou not abstain from it And what will ye answer to this 7. Challenge Oftentimes ye sinned upon very small temptations and what will ye answer to that Must ye not then confess it and say Oh how often have I deserted Christ and embraced my idols upon a small temptation Now I intreat you be thinking what ye will answer to these seven most material challenges which certainly shal be presented to you at death I assure you ye must either answer all your challenges in Christ else ye will not get them well answered Therefore I would exhort you to embrace the Gospel and Christ in it that so let death propose never so many challenges unto you ye may answer them all as David did viz. God hath made with me an everlasting covenant And that will answer all your challenges Though my house be not so with God yet I have the everlasting covenant to â—ilâ— my salvation upon Now to press you to make use of Christ I shal give you these four considerations Consideration 1. If ye embrace not Christ now death will be very unpleasant to you O what else can comfort thee when going through the region of death but this I am Christs I am Christs Is there any other thing can comfortâ— thee in that day but only this I am Christs and he is mine Consideration 2. If ye embrace not Christ and the great Salvation now it will be an hundred to one if ever ye get time or liberty to do it when ye are going to dye For although many delay their closing with Christ till death yet scarcely one of a hundred getteth favor to grip Christ at death Therefore think on it for you will not get your mind so composed at death as ye imagine nor all things done as ye suppose therefore now embrace the great Salvation Consideration 3. If ye delay your closing with Christ till death seize upon you ye shal never be able to make up that loss For will the dead rise and praise God Or shal any one come from the Land of forgetfulness to take hold upon a crucified Savior Therefore O will ye take him for your Salvation Consideration 4. If ye will take Christ now he shal be your guide when ye are going thorow the valley and shadow of death And O how blessed is the person that can sing that word Psalm 48.14 This is my God he will be my guide even unto death If ye can sing that pleasant song O how may ye be comforted when your eye-strings shal begin to break O how happy is he who can say Though I walk thorow the shadow of death yet will I fear no ill for I know that the Lord is with me Now this is the acceptable day and the year of Salvation therefore do not delay but embrace Christ lest death surprise you ere ye be aware and so the acceptable day be lost But unto these who think they may delay till death I say surely there are many damned Atheists in hell that sometimes did think as ye think I will make all wrongs right when death and I shal meet I hope that three days repentance will satisfy for all my wrongs for I am sure there are many in hell who did never get three days to think upon their former wayes Therefore O come come and embrace Christ presently Now are ye all perswaded of this truth that ye shal once see death Then study a tender walking for believe me there are many of us that shal go thorow death with many bruised bones because of untender walking before God We know it is not the multitude of words can perswade you to embrace Christ for many of you never minded the thing but believe me death will preach these things unto you in a more terrible manner then we can do at this time Therefore I say to each of you O prepare to meet thy God for if death find you in an estranged estate from God I defie the Angels in Heaven to free you out of that estate and the day is coming wherein thou shalt cry out O slighter of the great Salvation that I am I would give ten thousand worlds for one Sermon again that I once heâ—… wherein Christ was freely offered to me when thâ— shalt be tormented without hope of remedy therefore while it is to day harden not your heartâ— for your late wishes shal not be granted when are gone if ye make not haste O therefore hasâ— haste in time and come out from the land of your câ—ptivity and from the house of your bondage aâ— take Christ for your Redeemer the guide of yoâ— youth and old age Now unto him who can leâ—… you thorow all these steps betwixt you and Heven be eternal praise Amen FINIS