grim face of Death cannot awaken them it will be certainly thus with them soon after death Bellarmine telleth of a wordly wretch whom he went to visit upon his death-bed who when he exhorted him to make provision for another world answered him (u) De ante bene moriendi l. 2. c. 11. Sir I have much desired to speak with you but it is not for my self but in behalf of my wife and children for my self I am going to Hell neither is there any thing that I would desire in my own behalf and this he spake saith he with such composedness of mind as if he had spoken of going but to the next Town or Village vile brute who could be so apprehensive of his going to Hell and be no more affected with it could a man have spoken with this stupid set after he had been some time in Hell do we think he would have made as light of it as he did then Certainly if fear will not work upon men feeling will It is said of Dives (w) Luke 16.23 That in Hell he lift up his eyes being in torments and saw Abraham afar off He who all his life time scarce ever looked upward toward Heaven yet being in Hell-torments he lift up his eyes the most stupid conscience will then be awakened they who now will not see shall then see and be confounded in the latter daies they shall consider it (x) Jer. 30.24 Oh how happy a thing were it if men were of the same mind now that they will be of then that they would be perswaded to do that now which afterward they will most passionately wish they had done that they would but do that in time which all the world would be glad to do when it is too late On the other side how sad is it that men should never consider this till they be awakened by everlasting burnings Parisiensis calleth such the Batts of Faith as Batts do not look forth till the Sun be down so it is with such Austin compareth them to them who awake out of a Lethargy and fall into a Phrensie they awake out of a dead Lethargy of stupid carelesness and fall into the Phrensie of honour and everlasting despair to conclude this particuâ—ar seeing there is no man whatsoever but will one time or other approve of this course it should be our care now to set about it to do that in time which we will wish we had done when it will be too late 3. Consider that wisdom is in nothing so much seen as in this There is saith the Philosopher a wisdom in some particular as when men are wise in their own professions and wisdom in general (z) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when men are wise about their chief good by how much greater the good is we aim at the greater is the wisdom that is shewed in the attaining it Eternal happiness being the chief good wisdom is mainly seen in securing that to our selves There are three things in which true wisdom consists first to propound to our selves the chief good the right end which is Eternal blessedness Secondly to pitch upon the right means conducing to this end Thirdly to arm our selves against those difficulties which might hinder us in the attaining it as we act in this such we will appear to be at last if we be such as make seasonable provision for our everlasting condition we will appear to be wise men indeed but if after all our cares and plottings for other things we shall have neglected this we shall shew our selves the greatest fools it was for this cause that God calleth the rich man Fool a he was wise enough for the world he knew how to get it he ordered his business so that his ground brought forth plentifully when he had it he knew how to keep it he resolved to pull down his barns and build greater he knew likewise how to enjoy the comfort of it Thou hast goods laid up for many years take thine ease eat drink and be merry but because all his wisdom extended only to these things making no provision for his future estate God calleth him Fool Thou Fool this night shall thy soul be required of thee and then adds so is he that layeth up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God that is careful about things temporal but makes no provision for things Eternal we use to look upon them as unwise men who have only from hand to mouth who look only for a present supply but take no care for their future subsistence such are we if all our care be limited to this short life without providing for our future estate certainly they only are truly wise who are wise unto Salvation such as are wise for other things and regardless of this will at last appear to be the greatest fools He that getteth riches and not by right shall leave them in the midst of his days and at his end shall be a fool (b) Jer. 17.11 He that maketh it his great business to get riches and so as he may get them careth not whether it be by right or wrong shall not only lose them when he hath most need of them but shall have beside the imputation of a fool though as the Psalmist saith of such men Whiles he lived he blâ—ssed his soul and other men praise him thinking he doth well unto himself yet this his way is his folly (c) Psal 49.13 18. and this his folly will at last appear to all men at the end of his days he shall be a fool he was a fool before in the opinion of God and all good men but then he will appear so both to all others and to himself likewise he will then say what a fool was I to pamper a vile body and neglect a precious soul to take so much care about a short temporal life and make no provision for my everlasting condition 4. Things Eternal are worth the securing and worth all the pains we can take in securing of them The Psalmist speaketh of them by way of admiration [d] Psalm 31.19 Oh how great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee The Apostle saith Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him [e] 1 Cor. 2.9 What one saith of Venice that he that never saw it will not believe and he that hath stayed there but a while cannot know the stateliness of it may be more fitly spoken of Heaven we cannot comprehend it till we are comprehended by it It doth not yet appear what we shall be [f] 1 John 3.2 The best way to help our thoughts in conceiving of it is to represent it to our selves by those descriptions and comparative expressions by those particular good things the Scripture sets it out by As when a Mother saith Anselm giveth a great
wholly annihilated Birth is a River saith Heraclytus which never drieth up but is continually supplyed by an accession of fresh waters though the Body be subject to death and after death to a thousand transmutations as men cast away at Sea may be devoured by Fishes those Fishes after eaten by men possibly some of those men devoured by wild Beasts those Beasts by Dogs those Dogs eaten up by Worms those Worms consumed to dust that dust scattered upon the Earth yet after all these revolutions and transmutations there is something remaining and God is able to make those dispersed pieces of dust like those scattered bones Ezek. 37. to come together one to another take twenty several sorts of seeds and mingle them together in the same vessel a skilful Gardiner is able to sever them one from another mingle the filings of Steel or Iron with so much dust that the filings are not perceived yet by the help of the Load-stone you may separate the filings from the dust according to their first quantity They say some exact Chymists are able out of the same herb to draw out the several elements by themselves That men can do this it is because God teacheth them as the Prophet speaketh of the Husbandman (w) Isaiah 28.26 And he that teacheth men knowledge shall not he know (x) Psalm 94.10 He that first made man out of nothing can much more repair him out of that something yet remaining Augustine hath a good meditation to this purpose Think saith he with thy self how old thou art whether twenty or thirty years old before that time what wast thou Where wast thou In the Grave whither thou goest there will be dust or ashes or something to be found toward a man whereas before that time there was neither dust nor Ashes nor any thing to be found towards thy Nativity God who at first made the body out of nothing can and will remake it out of something pre-existent and when it is thus re-made it shall be made Immortal and incorruptible So the Apostle * 1 Cor. 15.42.53 It is sown in corruption it shall be raised in incorruption This corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality We read Levit. 14. If the Plague of Leprosie were in a house they must scrape the walls and pull out the stones and plaister and put other plaister in the room but if the Leprosie brake out again they must pull down the house with the stones timber and morter thereof There is in every man the fretting Leprosie of sin In the work of Conversion God as it were takes out the Timber and Stones and putteth others in their room while he worketh a thorow change in the soul but still the Leprosie of Sin continueth till at last God sends Death which pulleth down the house with the timber and stones and thereby takes away both the Leprosie of sin and that mortality and corruption which sin bringeth As a Watch being battered or clogged with dust is taken in pieces pulled joynt from joynt and wheel from wheel to the end it may go better than before or as some goodly Statue of Brass being defaced is taken down pulled in pieces put into the Fire but all this is that it may be put together again and made a more goodly work manship Or if we arise and go into the Potter's-Field and behold his workmanship is not the Vessel made of Clay that was marred in the hands of the Potter * Jer. 18.4 yet he either maketh it the same Vessel so as nothing is wanting but its former deformity or if he pleaseth a mâ—re honourable vessel than before In like manner the body being by Adam's sin made liable to Death and Corruption God seeth good to take it in pieces by death that being put together again at the Resurrection it might be freed from this corruptibleness and put into an estate of immortality and incorruption To what end is the Body made thus immortal if not to continue in an eternal immortal condition From all this we conclude if man be an immortal Creature both in regard of his Soul which is immortal in its own Nature and in regard of his Body which shall be made Immortal by Gods Power his future condition must of necessity be immortal and eternal whether he be admitted into Heaven or doomed to Hell his condition is eternal and everlasting CHAP. III. Of Scripture-Proofs of Eternal Happiness Consisting in Sight Love Joy Praise with created Accessories and Eternal Misery Expressed by Wrath Worm Fire Prison Darkness Burning Torment HAving endeavoured to demonstrate the point from Arguments I proceed to prove it from Scripture though it be unusual in the method of Preaching to bring Arguments before Scripture-proofs yet it is frequent in Argumentation to reserve the strongest Proof till last Ruffinus reporteth that at the Council of Nice a Godly man of no great learning was the means of Converting a learned Philosopher whom the Bishops with all their Arguments could not perswade the person brake forth into this speech Against words I opposed words and what was spoken I overthrew by the art of speaking but when instead of words power came out of the mouth of the speaker words could no longer withstand truth nor man oppose the power of God Possibly what is spoken by way of Argument may not be so convincing to some who will seek to elude the strength of one Argument by another whereas proofs from plain places of Scripture silence all cavils and exceptions that therefore I have reserved for the last proof There is a twofold Eternity one of Happiness the other of Misery the Scripture is abundant in the proof of both I begin with the Happiness of Heaven The Schoolmen distinguish of a two-fold happiness one they call the essential happiness which they make to consist in the enjoyment of God the other accidental consisting in the enjoyment of those glorious things which God together with himself giveth unto his people Others say to the same purpose that there is an uncreated reward which is God himself I am thy exceeding great reward (a) Gen. 15.1 and a created reward consisting in those good things which God hath created to make his people happy both these the Scripture describeth to be Eternal 1. The great Happiness in Heaven consists in the enjoyment of God God is the happiness of the Saints in Heaven not only Efficiently as he is the author of it nor only finally as he is the end of it but objectively as being the object of this blessedness he is both the Giver and the Gift the Rewarder and the Reward the Crowner and the Crown it is God who both bestoweth the happiness and is himself the happiness of the Saints Whom have I in Heaven but thee (b) Psal 73.25 God shall be all in all (c) 1 Cor. 15.28 as this will hold in some other particulars so in this and as
to sin prevailed so far as to dispossess him of it yet he can never come into that Heavenly Paradise he was long since thrown out and his place no more found in Heaven Heaven is guarded from the intrusion of those Apostate Angels not only by the power of God who cast them out of their first Habitation and shut them up under chains of darkness but by its own inaccessable and impenetrable Nature We often read in Scripture of the opening of Heaven (a) Joh. 1.51 Acts 7.55 from which some gather that Heaven is impenetrable to any Creature but by a Miracle opened to Elect Angels and Saints The Devils though Spirits and therefore are able to pass through the hardest stone walls are no more able to pass through them than to pass out of their own Nature and Being and this is mentioned as a ground of joy in Heaven The Accuser of the Brethren is cast down (b) Rev. 12.10 3. Sin cannot Heaven is a Holy Habitation a Land wherein dwelleth Righteousness (c) Deut. 26.15 not harbouring any sin which might dispossess the Saints of the blessedness they enjoy There shall that be fulfilled The iniquity of Israel shall be sought for and there shall be none and the sins of Judah and they shall not be found (d) Jer. 50.20 4. Death cannot I am perswaded that neither death nor life shall be able to separate us from the love of God (e) Rom. 8.38 Death is so far from separating from God's Love and that Happiness the fruit of his Love that next to Jesus Christ it is the Believers greatest friend putting him into an everlasting possession of his desired Happiness On the other side There is no end of the sufferings of the damned in Hell Some indeed have contended for it Origen thought that after a thousand years both Devils and Men should be released out of Hell-torments After him the Hereticks called the Aniti (f) L. 21. de civ Dei broached the same Doctrine Others that Angustine speaketh of contended that not all but some should be delivered out of their sufferings some that all Christians some all Catholicks some those that had received the Sacraments of the Faith some those only who persevere to the end in the Catholick Faith others those who were addicted to works of Mercy and Charity But who are these who darken Counsel by words without knowledge These fond conceits are solidly refuted by Aquinas and others who prove by undeniable Arguments that these sufferings if nothing else yet Death puts an end to them in the Grave the Prisoners rest together and those who are weary are at rest but Death shall not put any end to Hells punishment it is a death that never dyeth an end which hath no end a defect without any deficiâ—ncy It is a death that ever liveth an end which never beginneth a defect which never faileth we may well say of it as one doth Oh killing life Oh immortal death If it be life how doth it kill if death how doth it indure (h) Bellarm. de arte moriendi l. 2. c. 3. It is neither death nor life for both these have something of good in them Oh how happy would those poor miserable creatures think themselves if there might be any end of their misery they shall seek for death and dig for it as for hid treasures but all in vain They shall seek death and shall not find it and desire to die and dâ—ath shall flee from them (i) Rev. 9.6 They shall study plots and methods to dispatch themselves they shall cry to the Mountains to fall upon them and if possible to crush them to nothing they shall desire that the Fire that burns them would consume them to nothing that the Worm which feeds on them would gnaw them to nothing that the Devils which torment them would tear them to nothing They shall cry to God who first made them out of nothing to reduce them to that first nothing from whence they came but he who made them will not have mercy on them he that formed them will not shew them so much favour When the Angel pleaded with God in behalf of Jerusalem Zech. 1.12 How long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years It is said the Lord answered the Angel with good words and comfortable words (k) Zech. 1.12 When the Souls under the Altar cryed How long Lord holy and true dost thou not avenge our blood upon them which dwell upon the Earth (l) Rev. 6.10 Answer was returned how long they must stay and in the mean time were given them long white Robes but when those poor Creatures in Hell shall cry out How long Lord how long wilt thou torment the workmanship of thy hands how long will it be e're thou put an end to our misery There is no answer to be expected which might give them any hopes of the ending of their suffering God here often called to them How long ye simâ—le ones will ye love simplicity How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee * Prov. 1.22 Jer. 4.14 but they turned a deaf ear to Gods call and therefore it will be just with God when they cry how long not to hear them but to laugh at their destruction and mock when their fear cometh And that these sufferings are without any end or expiration this above all other things torments the damned and drives them to despair were there to be any end of their misâ—ry though after the vastest tract of time there would be some hopes they would end at last Some of the Ancients have well improved their Meditations in setting forth this One thus If they were to end after a little Bird should have emptied the Sea and only carry out her bill full once in a thousand years Another thus If the whole world from the lowest Earth to the highest Heavens were filled with grains of Sand and once in a thousand years an Angel should come and fetch away only one grain and so continue till the whole heap were spent A third to this purpose If one of the damned in Hell should weep after this manner that he should only let fall one tear in a hundred years and these should be kept together till such time as they should equal the drops of water in the Sea how many millions of ages would pass before they could make up one River much more a whole Sea and when that were done should he weep again after the same manner till he had filled a second a third a fourth Sea if then there should be an end of their miseries there would be some hope they would end at last but that they shall never never never end this is that which sinks them under horror and despair and fetcheth from them yellings and howlings able to rend Rocks and Marbles asunder CHAP. VI. Of Eternity without
wide and large entrance into Heaven but if we mis-spend this term it is so a forbearing that it is also an augmentation of our punishment the longer we live the more wrath do we treasure up Gods wrath is like a great bell that is long in raising but being up it gives a dreadful sound The Heathen Poet could say Gods Mill is not presently going but when it goeth it grinds all to dust and pouder (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if we ravel out this time in idleness and vanity it would have been better for us we had never had it better if we had been sent to Hell as soon as ever we beheld the light of Heaven Infinitely therefore doth it concern us to improve this time to the end it is given us to agree with our adversary quickly while we are in the way lest he deliver us to the judge and we be cast into Prison to lie there till we have paid the uttermost farthing in the ordinary passages of our lives we do more or less esteem of time as the business that depends upon it is of more or less consequence When we are cast into straits of time and have some business of great concernment which must be done in that time or not done at all in this case we account every minut precious and had rather lose a whole day at another time than an hour now thus this present time being given us to make provision for Eternity every parcel of time is as much worth as Heaven is worth and Eternity is worth some one hour of time in regard of the concernment of it may be as much and much more than all that eternity of duration which we are to enter upon after this life one hour rightly improved may procure more favour from God and more mercy to our souls than we can ever hope to attain during that infinite duration that doth await us one sigh flowing from a broken heart one penitent tear falling from the eye may through mercy prevail to discharge that great debt of sin which all the flames in Hell cannot expiate to all eternity How strongly then should that foundation be laid that hath such a building as Eternity to be built upon it How carefully should that anchor be cast that is entrusted with a vessel so richly laden as our everlasting condition Bellarmine telleth of an Vniversity where those who were to proceed Doctors had certain hard questions given them to resolve and four and twenty hours allowed them to study for their answer and according to the resolution they gave they were either to receive their degree with honour and applause or to be sent away with shame and those probationers aâ— he observeth would for that time sequester themselves from company shut up themselves in their study scarce allowing themselves time to eat or sleep spending the whole time in studying to resolve thosâ— questions The time we here spend whether longer or shorter is given us by God to provide for our everlasting condition and seeing upon the improvemenâ— of this time dependeth an eternity either of bliss oâ— woe what manner of persons ought we to be how careful to pass the time of our sojourning here Suppose a man by some misdemeanour had forfeited hiâ— estate and life and that upon much intercession hiâ— Prince should cause an hour-glass to be turned anâ— set him some work to do telling him if he spent thaâ— hour well he should not only be freed from death but should be advanced to some great preferment â— he loitered away that time he should be put to eâ—quisite tortures it is not to be doubted but such aâ— one would improve that hour to the uttermost of hâ— power an hour is not so little to a mans whole life aâ— this life is to eternity yet upon the spending of this dependeth our everlasting weal or woe eternal life is now either gotten or for ever lost and if this were seriously considered it would be a forcible motive to make us walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise redeeming the time though time it self last not yet whatsoeveâ— is everlasting dependeth upon it and therefore shoulâ— be carefully improved to the best advantage CHAP. XI An Exhortation to look on Eternal things by our Meditations Expressions Affections of Desire Hope Love Delight and Endeavours 3. BE Exhâ—rted to look to the things that are Eternal this is that the Text speaks to while we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal and being the duty of the Text I shall the more enlarge in speaking to it it is chiefly meant of the Eternal happiness in Heaven as appeareth by the words before our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory To that therefore I shall chiefly speak and there are two things I shall do if God permit First shew what is meant by looking to things eternal or how we are to look to them and then lay down some quickning motives to engage us to it take the first in these particulars 1. We should look to them in our thoughts and make these unseen eternal things the continual subject of our meditations it should be our morning thoughts our evening thoughts our night thoughts our solitary thoughts when we are alone indeed our continual thoughts what shall become of us to eternity they say at the consecration of a Pope amongst other ceremonies a Herald proclaims these words before him Have in thy mind the years of Eternity Think of eternity was the Motto of Meursius a learned man (a) aeternitatem cogita and hath been of many others some writing it in their Books some upon the wall of their closet some upon some door in their house that they might upon all occasions be minded of it neither is there any thing that doth more deservedly challenge our more serious meditations we should every day set some time aside to retire into some secret place such as Isaac's fields oâ— Davids Closet or Cornelius his Leads and there to think of our eternal condition Thus it was with David or whoever was the Penman of the 77 Psalm ver 5. I have considered the days of old the years of ancient times it is in the Original the years of Ages and so the vulgar Translation readeth it I had the years of Eternity in my mind and to the same purpose both the Syriack and Aethiopick Versions and it seems he was so taken up with these thoughts that he could not sleep in the verse before Thou holdest mine eyes waking in the Original Thou hast held the watchings of mine eyes or as the vulgar Mine eyes have prevented the night watches It is said of an eminently religeous Minister (b) Mr. Ward that being at dinner with some company he sate
as one they are facile and pleasant to him but speaking of him that loveth not it is my sayings in the plural because to him the commandments seem many and grievous this is the great difference between them he that loveth not may do the same things the other doth but he doth them not with delight he looketh upon Gods service as a weariness and snuffeth at it he cryeth When will the Sabbath be gone whereas he that hath his love set upon Christ and Heaven looketh upon his yoke as easie counts it his meat and drink to do his will 8. What a man maketh his end now that shall be his portion God leaves every man to his own choice I have set before you life and death therefore chuse life (e) Deut. 30.19 and 11.26 Every mans choice is according to his inclination and apprehension of things for the Will followeth the ultimute dictate of the Vnderstanding the man that liveth by sense thinks these temporal things more worthy of his choice than the other he looketh upon his money saith Chrysostome and thinks he seeth more beauty and lustre in the gold in his purse than in the Sun in the firmament these temporal things are things seen saith the Text he seeth them he hath them whereas Eternal things are things not seen for ought he knoweth they are but an Idea a fancy of more credulous spirits who believe every thing is told them or if there be such things they are things future and better he thinks one bird in the hand than two in the Bush better a Wren in the cage than an Eagle in the clouds therefore he maketh choice of them but will not chuse the fear of the Lord whereas a godly man upon whom God hath wrought both by irradiating his Vnderstanding to see an excellency in heavenly things and by enclining and determining the Will to embrace the dictate of the Understanding thus enlightened such an one peremptorily concludeth that Heaven or nothing shall be the object of his choice that if Eternal things be not his portion there is none worth the having accordingly as there are two things we are said to will the end and the means the former they call the will the other the choice * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he wills salvation and Eternalâ— happiness as next to God his chief good his end and chuseth the service of God as the way and meanâ— of attaining it Chuse you whom you will serve saith Joshua but I and my house will serve the Lord. Leâ— thine hand help me saith David for I have chosen thy Commandments Mary hath chosen the better part Now God giveth to both these according to their choice Before man is life and death and what him liketh shall be given him (g) Eccles 15.17 the worldly man chuseth temporaâ—â— things as his chief good and God for the most part giveth him his desire fills his belly with hid treasures 〈◊〉 but this is all he is ever like to have woe to you thaâ— are rich now for you have received your consolation (h) Luke 6.24 He hath not reason to look for Heaven which he would not chuse When wicked-men shall cry with thâ— foolish Virgins Lord Lord open to us God will sooâ— stop their mouths by telling them they had thaâ— which themselves chose On the other side the godlâ— man who maketh things Eternal the matter of his choice and looketh upon them as his end this man at present is not far off from the Kingdom of God anâ— shall certainly have at last according to his choice that which is his end now by way of election shal be afterward his end by way of fruition according to that excellent Saying of St. Austin Eternal blessedness is begun in election and perfected in fruition while Martha was cumbred about many things Mary chose to attend the preaching of Christ the means of Salvation and what she chose she should certainly have Mary hath chosen that better part that shall not be taken away from her saith the same Father Happiness is neither given to any man against his will but is matter of his choice nor is taken from any man against his will he who chuseth salvation for his portion and looketh upon it as his chief good shall certainly at last obtain his choice shall have a wide and large entrance into the kingdom of Heaven From all these particulars it appeareth how much it doth concern us to make eternal things our end and aim CHAP. XIII Of Motives drawn from other things other men our selves and the unspeakable benefits of a prospect of things Eternal HAving shewed how and in what manner we are to look to things Eternal I proceed to the second things propounded to lay down some Motives to provoke us in this manner to look to them To this purpose I shall propound four sorts of Motives 1. From other things Ask saith Job the beasts and they shall teach thee and the Fowles of the air and they shall tell thee or speak to the earth and it shall teach thee and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee (a) Job 12.7 All these may seem to teach us this Lesson The Philosopher observeth that all Bipedes creatures with two feet are still looking upward Birds and fowles seldom stay long upon the earth when they light there it is to seek their food no sooner have they gotten that but they mount upward toward Heaven â—hough where the carkass is the Eagles are gathered togeâ—her yet when they have got their prey and satisâ—ied their hunger they sore aloft as if they mounted â—p to Heaven Beasts though they cannot mount â—pward and are made so as they look downward yet they are often seen to lift up their heads toward Heaven especially in the time of extremity Naturalists observe of the Lion and the Cock that they express their joy at the rising of the Sun as being sensible of the motion of the heavenly bodies the like may be said of some fishes in the Sea they tell us of a fish which hath but one eye which is seated like a â—verticial point upon the top of its head always looking towards Heaven therefore is called by the Grecians the beholder of Heaven (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 others tell of a precious stone taken out of the head of a fish called Synodus that beareth some resemblance of the Sun and Moon and other heavenly bodies if we come lower to vegetables Proclus observeth that plants and flowers and other vegetables have all a dependence and many of them some representation of the Heavenly bodies the Tulip Marigold and some other flowers wait upon the Sun as the Handmaid upon the hand of her Mistress opening by degrees as the Sun ascends and again shutting up themselves gradually as the Sun declineth and this so punctually that though the Sun appear not a man may more infallibly know when it is high noon by their
begotten Son and perhaps some of the friends of God of whom Christ speaketh I call you no more Servants but friends for all that I have heard of the Father I have made known to you such as are Gods friends know more of his mind than others The seâ—ret of the Lord is with them â—hat fear him (x) Psal 25.14 The Papists say of Bonaventure that being asked by Aquinas out of what Books he had those heavenly expressions that were in his writings he pointed to the Crucifix saying that is the Book which prompts to me what I write being prostrate at the feet of that Image I receive more light from Heaven than from all the Books I read if what they ascribe to the Crucifex we transfer to Christ himself it will hold for a sound truth They looked to him and were lightened (y) Psal 24.5 We find the bodily sight is much strengthened by looking upon suitable objects when the eye is dimb if it be fixed a while upon some green Meadow or flowry bank it much helpeth the sight Artificers after long poring upon some dark work finding a dimness in their eyes are wont to take some Emerald or some other green thing by the verdure whereof their eyes may be refreshed and their sight strengthened it will hold as true in spiritual sight the light of knowledge and understanding is much increased by looking upon the unseen Eternal things in Heaven 14. It would sweeten death and that nothing else can It was an usual speech among the Heathens that only Christians were contemners of death the Philosophers especially the Stoicks made it their work to furnish themselves with arguments and get their hearts into such a frame that they might be above all passions might not fear any evil that could befall them no not death it self and though in other things they went far even to the shame of most Christians yet when it came to death they fell short of what they propounded to themselves Socrates is thought to go as far as any other whatsoever evil befell him he was yet the same man no alteration appearing in his carriage insomuch as another Philosopher Antisthenes said If the Gods would grant him what he desired he would desire nothing else but to have the spirit of Socrates and this was so much the more remarkable because that equanimity he attained to was quite contrary to his natural temper There came on a time a fellow to Athens who pretended great skill in Palmestry that by the sight of mens hands he would tell what disposition they were of and having guessed shrewdly in many he was at last brought to Socrates looking upon his hand he affirmed him to be of a froward peevish disposition the people began to hout him having had so long experience of his meekness and moderation but Socrates said do not blame the man for the truth is such a one I am by nature only I have cured the intemperance of nature by the practice of Philosophy yet this man who was so far able to master himself and his passions in other things was not able to master the fear of death though at first he seemed undaunted yet when the cup of Poison was reached out to him he looked as pale as ashes the like it was with others Plato discoursing highly of the contempt of death was answered by one he spake beyond what he lived Tully was well versed in the writings of the Stoicks and thought himself fortified against the fear of death but when death came complained I know not how it comes to pass but so it is the remedy is too narrow for the disease Though while men look upon death at a distance they may hope by the improvement of Philosophical arguments to master the fear of death yet when death cometh in good earnest when all the senses the ports of the soul are beset with the ambushes of death when death mounts up all her batteries and beateth down one hold after another driving the soul from one part of the body to another till at last the soul be forced to quit her former habitation when a man comes to feel what he never felt before to do what he never did before nor is ever to do a second time when he cometh now to have the last cast for an Eternity either of happiness or misery to cease any longer to be what he was before and to enter upon a new but never ending condition when it cometh to this they must be better and higher arguments than can be learned in natures school that will be able to afford support and comfort to the departing soul As soon may a man think to gather Grâ—pes of Thorns and Figs of Thistles as by the sole improvement of these to grapple with the terrors of death Lypsius lying upon his death-bed when a friend that stood by said It would be in vain to suggest any arguments of consolation to him who was so well acquainted with the writings of the Stoicks he is said to turn himself towards Christ saying Lord give me the true Christian patience whereas the Believer whose mind is taken up with heavenly things being already dead to the world findeth it no hard matter to part with it as that Martyr Julius Palmar said to them that have their souls linked to the flesh like a Rogues foot to a pair of stocks it is indeed hard to dye but for him who is able to separate soul and body by the help of Gods spirit it is no more mastery for such an one to dye than for me to drink this cup of Beer having before-hand sent his heart to Heaven he looketh upon death as a favourable wind to carry him sooner to his desired Haven Moses converseth with God as a man converseth with his friend and when God bad him go up to the Mount and dye there Moses maketh no more of it he went up into the Mount and died according to the word of the Lord the Jews say that his soul was sucked out of his mouth with a kiss he who now converseth in Heaven when he dyeth only changeth his place but not his company removeth to a higher form but continueth at the same school while he liveth he is like the Bee which converseth amongst sweet flowers or like the Birds of the fortunate Islands which they say are all their life-time nourished with perfumes and when he dyeth he dyeth like the Phoenix in the sweet odours of an heavenly conversation 15. It would give us after death a wide and large entrance into Heaven They that look here to things Eternal shall after this life have possession of them shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven when others who â—ook no higher than things temporal shall be called the â—east in the Kingdom of God Heaven like the Halâ—ions nest will hold nothing but its own bird the Apostle blesseth God because he had made them meet
reply'd Sir I have been often in the Church-yard and have observed that there are as many graves shorter than I as there are longer and if I should die before I be eight years older what will become of my soul if I be ignorant of the Law That many are snatched away by death in the morning of their age we see by daily experience what befalleth them may befall any of us and how sad would it be if Death should take us out of this world before we have made provision for another It was a cutting speech of Caesar Borgius While I lived I provided for every thing but death now I must die and am unprovided to die What provision we make for this world whether we have more or less is no great matter our abode here being for so short a time the great thing is what provision we make for death and Eternity that follows it and seeing the time of our life the only time of providing for it is so short it infinitely concerneth us to improve this short time to the best advantage to work the work we have to do while it is day 6. When this short time is once past there is nothing to be done in this great work If a man die shall he live again [n] Job 14.14 It is an affirmative interrogation and hath the force of a strong Negation he shall not live again as to a natural life this life is called an earthly house [o] 2 Cor. 5.1 being once dissolved it shall not be inhabited from generation to generation it is a Tabernacle in the same place A Shepheards Tent [p] Isa 28.12 Other Tents are taken down and set up again but when this is taken down the stakes thereof are removed and the cords broken it is never set up again till the Resurrection It is a Candle The spirit of man is the Candle of the Lord [q] Prov. 20.28 if it be once put out it is never lighted more the sun of our life being once set it never riseth again after the evening of its setting there is never till the last Resurrection [r] Job 14.14 a morning of its up-rising the Glass of Life being run out it is never turned again we are as water spilt upon the ground which cannot be gathered up again A wind that passeth away and cometh not again [s] Psal 18.30 As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more [t] Joh. 7.9 As the Flood decayeth and dryeth up so man lieth down and riseth till the Heavens be no more (u) Job 14.11 12. It was the saying of Charles the fifth I have spent my treasuâ—e but that I may recover again I have lost my hâ—alth but that I may have again but I have lost a great many brave souldiers and them I can never have again the like may be said here other things may be lost and yet recovered again Job lost his whole estate yet God blessed his latter end more than his beginning Hezekiah lost his health and fell into a grievous sickness yet God added fifteen years to his life but if the time of life be once past it is past all recovery to weigh the fire to measure the wind and to call back a day that is past are three things mentioned by the Angel of the like impossibility (w) 2 Esdras 4.5 While the sheep liveth though the wool be clipt off every year it growâ—th again to the like weight but clip it off when the sheep is dead and there never cometh any more while life lasts though much of our time be wilfully lost and much snatcht away against our will yet by our Repentance and future care we may regain it as that expression redeeming the time implyeth but if the term of life be once past there is no redeeming of lost time being once entred upon our eternal condition there is no returning back to the enjoyment of formerly neglected opportunities When a few years are come I shall go the way whence I shall not return (x) Job 16.22 After death there is no returning back to do any of these works we might have done here (y) Eccles 9.10 Whatsâ—ever thy hand findeth to do do it with all thy might for theâ—e is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest (z) John 9.4 I must work the work of him that sent me while it is day the night cometh when no man can work I might shew it in all those works we are to do in reference to securing eternal happiness are we to secure it by praying as Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (a) Rom. 10.16 that is not to be done after death Because he hath enclined his ear unto me therefore will I call upon him as long as I live (b) Psalm 116.10 implying when he should cease to live he should cease to pray Are we to secure it by hearing as Hear and your soul shall live (c) Isa 55.3 neither can that be done after death Dives desired that one might be sent to preach to his Brethren on earth but desired none for himself knowing it was then too late Are we to do it by praising God as Death cannot praise thee the grave cannot celebrate thee (d) Psal 50.23 Isa 38.18 Are we to do it by Repentance which is therefore called a Repentance to salvation (e) 2. Cor. 7.10 Repentance depends upon time I gave her space to repent of her fornication When the time of life is past though men cry like that fool Berbaldus speaketh of Oh Repentance Repentance where art thou where art thou oh Repentance (f) Rev. 2.21 they shall find no place for Repentance though with Esau they seek it carefully with tears Are we to do it by believing in Christ as Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved (g) Acts 16.31 After this life there is no future offer of Christ to be expected The daies come when you shall desire to see one of the days of the son of man and shall not see it (h) Luke 17.22 Are we to do it by Hope which is therefore called the Hope of Salvation To him that is joyned to the living there is hope (i) 1 Thess 5.8 Eccles 9.4 but after death there is no place for hopes What hope hath the Hypocrite when God taketh away his soul (k) Job 27.8 The door of hope and mercy is then for ever shut up Alexander laying siege to a City that refused to yield upon his summons caused a Torch to be lighted letting them know while that torch burned they might have conditions of peace but if they stood out till that was burned out they must expect nothing but fire and sword the time of this life is a torch of mercy that God hath lighted while
seemed like a nail fastened in a sure place which have been like Shebna removed from their station and tossed up and down like a Ball in a large Countrey we can have no more assurance of these things than if we take a model of this daies clouds and think to compare them with them that will the next day appear Some have compared great men to the mountain Vesuvius near Naples which they say is so abundantly fertile that it is worth thousands yearly but when it happens to cast forth its fery entrails doth sometimes more hurt in a day than it brought profit in a whole age and how many who have been raised to the highest pitch of wordly greatness yet in one days miscarriage have been deprived of all they have been so long gathering together and lived to be objects of pity to all that knew them We need not take Histories for examples daily experience sealeth to the truth of this he that in times of so great mutability hath not learned this lesson of the worlds uncertainty deserveth to be taught it as Gideon taught the men of Succoth and Penuel with thorns and brambles of the wilderness Or if these things last till death that is the longest day I remember (r) Rogers his Treatise of Love one telleth of a worldly wretch who when he saw he must dye taketh a piece of Gold and putteth it into his mâ—uth saying Some wiser than some whatsoever cometh of it I will carry this with me but could the sot think to carry his gold with him into another world God tells the rich fool This night shall thâ— soul be required of thee and then whose shall these things be which thou hast provided Whose soever they should be they should be no longer his when men have been all their lives time lading themselves with thick clay it fareth with them at death as with the Hedge-Hogg which having laded her self with Apples upon the prickles of her back and with much adoe dragged home her over-heavy burden perhaps carrieth one in her mouth but hath the rest swept off by narrowness of the hole which she only made wide enough for her own passage We brought nothing into this world (s) 1 Tim. 6.7 and it is certain we can carry nothing out So that if we look after temporals we cannot be sure either of getting or keeping them whereas if we make Eternals the matter of our choice and labour for them in a right manner we may assure our selves of both The wicked worketh a deceitful work but to him that soweth rigteousness shall be a sure reward (t) Prov. 11.18 God hath not said to the house of Jacob Seek ye me in vain (u) Isa 45.19 24. If we would take as much pains for Heaven as others do for the world we might undoubtedly obtain it and being obtained there were no danger of losing it I give them Eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand (w) John 10.28 and the consideration of this cannot but be a powerful motive and encouragement So it was to the Apostle I therefore so run not as uncertainly (x) 1 Cor. 9.26 other runners though they run with all their might are upon great uncertainties Know ye not that they that run in a race run all and but one receiveth the prize And so it is in all other adventures about worldy things most have but their labour for their pains but it is otherwise in this spiritual race I so run not as uncertainly so fight I not as one that beateth the air And upon the same ground the Apostle encourageth others Be ye alwaies abundant in the work of the Lord forasmuch as your labour is not in vain in the Lord (y) 1 Cor. 15. last 9. Consider what we have done in this great work how little and how much 1. How little the greatest part of men are scattered abroad in the world like the Israelites about the Land of Egypt to gather stubble or like Ants about a mole-hill busying themselves about impertinencies Sir Thomas Moore saith There is a Devil called Business (z) Negotium that carrieth more souls to Hell thâ—n all the Devils in Hell beside most men have so many Irons in the fire are cumbered about so many things that they wholly neglect that one thing necessary Nay it is to be feared many in the bosome of the Church who have lived forty or fifty years under powerful preaching have heard many hundred Sermons to provoke them to this duty yet the time is yet to come that ever they spent one hour together between God and their consciences in promoting that great work of their Salvation strangers have devoured their strength other things and that for the most part impertinencies have devoured the strength of their abilities the cream of their time When Heaven and eternal happiness have been neglected as if they were not and if it hath been thus with any of us let the time past be enough to have been so prodigiously regardless of that which so nearly and infinitely concerneth us Let it be our care for the future to redeem our lost time the word used by the Apostle (a) Eph. 5.16 properly signifies to buy a thing back again a metaphor taken from men that mortgage their Land and redeem it again by how much more careless we have been the more dilligent should we be for the future compensating former neglects by our after-care a man that hath some work to do that must of necessity be done if he hath loytered away most of the time allotted for the doing it had need work the harder Such as come not into the Vineyard till the ninth or eleventh hour must then be more diligent if they would be equal with them that have born the heat and burden of the day When the Husbandman breaks up a piece of ground that hath been long fallow he expects a double crop to satisfie for its former barrenness the like God expects from us 2. How much we have done there are many who like Agrippa are almost perswaded to be Christians who are so far convinced that they have taken some pains heard many Sermons put up many Prayers set a part many hours that they might attend the business of their Salvation and perhaps have suffered much for their forwardness in Religion and think how sad a thing it would be for such to lose all the Sermons they have heard all the prayers they have made all the time they have spent all the pains they have taken and after all this to go to Hell for want of not going through with this work such may not unfitly be compared to unhappy Mariners who have sailed to many ports conflicted with the difficulties and dangers of a tedious Voyage and with much hazard and pains fraught their Ship with rich Merchandize yet after all this when they are well nigh arrived
her space to repent of her fornications (q) Rev. 2.21 God doth not give us so much time to be ravelled out about trifles but to repent to make our peace with God and make provision for our Eternal condition the time spent about other things is but lost time It is said of Abraham and some other good men that they dyed full of daies but some observe it is no where so said of any wicked men Their daies are not full but empty they possess months and years of vanity empty moneths (r) Job 7.3 as Gregory calls them alluding to that Some more refined Heathen thought that not worthy to be called by the name of life which is not spent in doing good Seneca saith of a vitious person who arrived to a great age that he was along time but lived but a little space and of another alluding to Mariners he was tossed up and down much but sailed little such persons will have a sad account to make at last who bring their years to an end as a tale that is told spending all their time about other things and neglecting this (s) Parson Resolut one expresseth it thus suppose a Merchant should send his Factor beyond the Seas to negotiate his a affairs and after his staying there seven or eight years being called for home by his Master and demanded how he spent his time should bring in such an account as this so much time spent in Hawking and Hunting so much in going to Taverns and Ale-houses would not every man laugh at so fond a reckening But suppose being asked further what he had done about his Masters oc asions he should answer that his time was so taken up with the other that he could allow no time for his Masters business would he not be thought worthy of a severe punishment The time is coming when we must be answerable to God for every hour every minute of time we spend and let us think before-hand how sad it will will be if being summoned before Gods tribunal we shall be able to give in no other account than this so much time spent in eating drinking and sleeping so much in the pursuit of the profits and pleasures of the world perhaps so much in gluttony and drunkenness in chamebring and wantonness in strife and envy in the mean time little or none in that great work for which all our time was bestowed upon us 3. It is for this end that God giveth us his word and Gospel his Sabbaths and Sacraments and all the Means of grace we live under for this end he sends his Ministers to make offers of Eternal happiness to this end they bring line upon line precept upon precept exhorting admonishing perswading beseeching us to look after the things of our everlasting peace and if notwithstanding all these helps to Heaven we shall neglect so great Salvation this will make our condition more sad our condemnation more inexcusable it is not here as it is in Livings and other Ecclesiastical promotions which perhaps are worth an hundred or two hundred pound by the year and yet not above ten or twenty pound in the Kings Books no God taketh exact notice what means we enjoy how many Sabbaths we have how many Sermons we hear The year and month when the word of God came to the Prophets stand upon record in Scripture (t) Ezek. 1.1 and 81. c. There is never a Sermon preached to us never an exhortation pressed on us by the Masters of the Assemblies never a motion from Gods Spirit but are laid up in store with God and sealed up amongst his treasures and wilâ— at last day be produced as so many swift witnesses against us if we turn our backs upon so many offerâ— of salvation and when we shall call to mind whaâ— helps and furtherances we have had and what little improvement we have made of them how much God did for us and how little we did for our selves how much God did to save us and how little we could be perswaded to do toward our own salvation the thoughts of this will be as so many coles of fire to kindle and encrease the flames of our justly deserve torments as so many rods or scorpions with which conscience will lash us to all Eternity this being theâ— the great thing we have to do what remaineth but that we set about it 2. Consider there is no man whatsoever but will on time or other approve of this course and justifie the practice of those who are most serious and diligent in providing for their eternal condition Wisdom is now justified of heâ— children but will be one day justified of her greatest adversaries Pliny the second being written to by a friend to give some directions how he might better order his conversation wrote back to him that he would not â—â—ouble him with many directions but would give him one which might serve in stead of all that we would he be same men when we are well that we profess our selves to be and promise to be when we are sick It was the saying of a moâ—e refined Heathen but verily it is a speech deserving to be written in letters of Gold or rather to be engraven with the point of a Diamond in the hardest Rock in such legible characters that whosoever runs may read it Oh how happy a thing were it if men were alwayes of the same mind that they are of upon their sick-beds It is noted by Zaleuchus in the Proem of his Laws that when men come to dye there â—nvades them a sorrow for what they have done amiss and â—n earnest desire that all their former life had been just â—nd vertuous And as remarkable was that saying of Plato Know this for certain that when a man cometh to â—his to see that he must dye there cometh upon him both â— great fear and a great care of those thing which he beâ—ore neglected in his life-time It is an usual thing for â—arnal men in the time of health to look upon the service of God as a weariness to cavil against the â—trictness of Religion what need is there of so much â—raying and hearing and pains-taking but it is a are thing to hear men speak thus upon their deathâ—eds Some say the Mole which continueth blind â—ll her life-time hath her eyes open towards her â—eath how many have we heard of who have lived â—ll their time as if there were neither God nor Heavâ—n â—or Hell yet at the time of death have their eyes oâ—ened and conscience awakened How many whoâ—ave passionately befooled and blamed themselves for â—heir former neglects one crying out call time back â—gain another My life is done but my work is undone others wishing that God would try them once more that they might live a little longer time promising what lives they would lead what care and pains they would take or if any be so far given over to a stupid security that the