A Comfortable Corroborative Cordial OR A Sovereign Antidote against And Preservative from the Horrours Harms of DEATH Affording a Direction how to Live and Die so as to be fortified and fenced against the grearest fears and sharpest sense of that KING of TERROURS Represented in some Observations made upon Rev. 14.13 Upon occasion of the late Death and Burial of Mrs. REBECCAH JACKLER Late Wife of Mr. John Jackler of Kings-Lynn in Norfolk Woollen-Draper who deceased Octob. 5. and was buried Octob. 7. 1671. By John Horn Sometime Preacher of Gods Word in Lynn-Alhallows in the same Town Useful to be considered by all men living in this state of Mortality Because there is no man living but must certainly Die Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like to his Numb 23.10 For The righteous hath hope in his Death Prov. 14.32 Quanta est felicitaes eorum quam immensa latitia qui nimirum tripl ei gaudie De recerdatione transacta virtutis De exhibitione pro entis quieâ—â—s De certa expectatione sutura consummationis exultant Bern Serm. 2. in festo omnium Sanctorum LONDON Printed by Tho. Ratcliffe and N. Thompson for B. Southwood at the Star next to Serjeants-Inn in Chancery-lane 1672. To the READER Reader SEeing it is a thing generally known acknowledged whereof none can plead ignorance that it is appointed for men once to die for the living know that they must die Eccles 9.5 And seeing the time of death is generally to men most uncertain and the Word of God assures that after Death there will be a Judgment in which every man must give an account of himself to God and receive according to the things done in the Body whether good or evil Heb. 9.27 2 Cor. 5.10 Seeing also further that the same infallible word of the living God who hath given us life and breath and all things and hath us and our breath in his hands declares to us that He of his great mercy hath devised and made a way though not to escape this bodily Death yet whereby we may stand in the Judgment and receive the doom and Sentence of an everlasting and most blessed life which way if it be neglected there will insue an everlasting state of wo and misery It must needs follow that it is of greatest moment and concernment to All to enquire after and set their heart to that way and device making it their greatest work and business whatever else is neglected that they may lay hold on that eternal life and avoid that misery Yea and forasmuch as the time of this uncertain life is the whole of the time allotted for our preparing for the Judgment it behoves every man to take heed of mispending it and to be careful to redeem it and diligently improve it to make sure of Happiness in Eternity not procrastinating to seek after God nor presuming upon Gods patience and longer continuance in the Land of the living Which things being considered it must needs be by all thought and acknowledged that Discourses of this nature are always seasonable and if any thing well done worthy acceptance Discourses I say upon such a Subject as I here propound to present thee with namely such as shew the Happiness to be enjoyed notwithstanding Death and the way how we may be brought to the enjoyment thereof and to be secured against the Fears of Death or what harms or mischiefs will otherwise be occasioned by it to us I cannot I confess commend the worthiness of my performance upon so serious and weighty a Subject which deserves a far larger and more pressing Treatise and hath also obtained it by some more Reverend and Learned hands What I here present was not in the least intended in my first consideration of it or writing upon it for the Press onely to satisfie the desire of a loving Friend concerned mainly in the occasion of its consideration I have indeavoured to make it publick And such as it is commend it to Gods blessing and thy perusal Praying it may be both for my own and thy future and eternal benefit and resting a servant to thee and all men for Jesus sake John Horn. February 8. 1671 2. A Comfortable Corroborative Cordial Or A Sovereign Antidote against and Preservative from the Horrours and Harms of DEATH Rev. 14.13 And I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me Write Blessed are the Dead that die in the Lord from henceforth Yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them OUr Lord Jesus Christ having after many other things of great concernment to his Churches shewed by his Angel to his servant John in the twelfth Chapter the oppositions of the Dragon or Devil and Sathan first in the Roman Pagan Empire against Christ and his Church and his dejection or casting down from Heaven from his state of being worshipped as a Deity and after that in his stirring up a flood of errours and heresies to carry away the Church with and how God preserved her against them And in the thirteenth Chapter the troubles and persecutions that Sathan would further raise against his Church by a two-fold Antichristian persecuting power called Beasts setting up and managing a corrupt Worship and persecuting its refusers In this Chapter shews him divers things tending to animate his servants in their constancy against them As to say 1. Vers 1. He shewed him the Lamb Christ himself standing safe and unmoved for all his enemies upon mount Sion where God had set him as King Psal 2.5 a place which cannot be moved but stands fast for ever Psal 125.1 and 11.4 and with him in the same sure state an hundred fourty four thousand the number of the sealed in Chap. 7. having his Fathers name not the Beasts either Authority or Doctrine written in their foreheads as openly and boldly avowed yet by them 2. Vers 2. And made him hear a voice from heaven as the voice of many waters as loud evident and certain as if many peoples nations and languages compared to many waters Isa 17 12. and Rev. 17.15 had attested the things spoken as eye-witnesses thereof and as the voice of a great thunder signifying their boldness in Christ and dreadfulness to their enemies and a voice of harpers harping with harps as rejoycing in their victory over their enemies as was the custome in Israel to solemnize their Victories with musical instruments as in Exod. 15.20 1 Sam. 18 6. 2 Chron. 20.28 3. Vers 3. And they sung a new song as such songs of praises upon escapes of dangers and upon victories are stiled Psal 40.3 and 98.1 before the Throne and before the four living creatures was badly translated Beasts that is in short before God and his Church And no man could learn that song but the hundred fourty and four thousand which were redeemed from the earth either from the love of earthly things through the efficacy of Gods grace
as of their possibility and danger of sinning and dishonouring Christ their being exposed to griefs pains temptations and the like from which they shall then be for ever freed that add a Preheminence to the state of their Death as also that they shall be so at home with the Lord as before they were not nor could be as is implied 2 Cor. 5.8 Philip. 1.23 indeed as to usefulness to others they are not in so good a state they perish from among the Children of men Psal 12.1 Isa 57.1 They have no more opportunity of doing good to or receiving good from them they they are as to that in a place and state of silence whence its wisdom to be doing good to all while alive and we have thereto opportunity and to let our hand do what is finds to do with all our diligence to that purpose because in the Grave whither we go there is no Work which we can doe nor nothing we can devise for them as for that cause Saint Paul was in a strait and knew not whether to choose Death or Life because for him to continue in the Flesh would be better for his Brethren Philip. 1.22 24. but yet in respect of the Saints state of freedom from evils both of Sin and Suffering and enjoyment of the Lord they are much better then in the state of this Life as much better as it 's better for a poor Pilgrim and Forreiner exposed to variety of vexations and hazzards to be at home in his own Countrey in some safe quiet possession of a settled comfortable condition or for a poor tossed weather-beaten Seaman to be safely harboured in the Port he is bound for and that may be also one reason of the addition of the other word Henceforth And so we come to the next Inquiry 4. What is this Henceforth or why is that added Were they not blessed before Surely yes Ye are the Blessed of the Lord saith the Holy Ghost to persons yet or then alive that feared the Lord you and your Children Psal 115.13 15. and blessed is the man whether alive or dead as to the body that trusteth in the Lord or that keepeth his Commandments Psal 34.8 and 112.1 But this word Henceforth may be two ways referred as was signified before namely either 1. To the word Blessed the thing asserted of those that dye in the Lord as if they that dye at any time in the Lord are thenceforth Blessed even from the time of their Death and then it is not said so to imply they were not in a blessed way before or in the way to Blessedness But to imply that blessedness may rather or more properly from that time be stiled theirs as more actually and absolutely the subjects of it they were rather but in the way to it before then injoyers of it though being upright and perfect in the way they had the Blessing of God with and upon them and were blessed therein but yet as we said before there was an If upon them If they continue to the end Col. 1.23 If ye continue in the Faith grounded and settled and not be moved away from the hope of the Gospel He that endures to the end shall be saved Matth. 24.13 be thou faithful to the death and I will give thee a crown of life Rev. 2.10 but if the righteous man how long soever he hath been righteous and how near soever to the prize he be come turn from his righteousness and commit iniquity he shall dye Ezek. 33.13 18. There were some of the Israelites that held out till they were close by the borders of Canaan till the Fortieth year of their March and till they had seen the Conquest over the Amorites and yet then committing Fornication with the Daughters of Moab and eating the Sacrifices of the Dead they perished and went not over Jordan To admonish us that though there is no fear or danger to the diligent and circumspect yet it 's dangerous at any time to grow remiss because a possibility at any time of a miscarriage till the field be wonne the warfare be accomplished And therefore our Saviour saith to his Disciples Take heed least at any time how near soever you be come to the Gaol your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness and cares of this life and that day come upon you unawares for as a snare shall it come upon all those that dwell upon the face of the earth watch ye therefore and pray always that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things and to stand before the Son of man Luke 21.34 35 36. Sometimes a Ship that hath escaped the dangers of the Sea may through carelesness sink and be lost at the entrance into the Harbour but when in the Harbour then it 's safe It is so however here after Death there is no miscarriage Henceforth saith the Apostle when ready to be offered up and his departure was at hand is laid up for me the crown of righteousness 2 Tim. 4.8 then their state is fixed no passing or falling from Paradise again when that 's attained no going thence to the place of Torment Luke 16.26 Yea they are thenceforth not onely more absolutely and assuredly blessed but also more fully as to attainment being then at home with Christ as we said before from the time of their Death and before the Resurrection Though the fulness of their Blessedness is not till then yet both a more full enjoyment is had from the time of their death then before they go not to Purgatory then surely for then after death their case would be sadder then before and also a certainty of the enjoyment of that fulness in the time thereof It is laid up in a sure and safe Custody to be given forth by a most faithful and righteous hand yea the word there in 2 Tim. 4.8 rendred laid up is the same that 's used of Death and Judgment in Heb. 9.27 and there translated Appointed so as we may say that it is not more certainly Decreed that men Dye once and come to Judgement then it is that they who finish their Course in the Lord and keep the Faith shall receive the full and final reward of the Crown of Righteousness 2. Or else the word Henceforth may have a peculiar respect to the times before mentioned and to the Subject those that Dye in the Lord with reference to the times in the rage of the Beast when the greatest exercise shall be of the Saints patience when their patience shall be admirable patience indeed and they that then abide will be eminently and to purpose keepers of Gods Commandments and of the Faith of Jesus from that time Blessed are the Dead that dye in the Lord not as if they that indeed Dye in the Lord before were not Blessed but to signifie either 1. The great miseries that will attend those times through the oppression of Antichrist that it will be a wonderful
in Gods presence and his presence will give them rest Philip. 1.23 2 Cor. 5.8 Exod. 33.14 then the Soul shall have rest in its Husbands house as was prayed for for Ruth Ruth 2.9 then the Body rests in the dust from its Pains Weaknesses and Afflictions and Labours Job 3.13 17. 17.16 and the spirit enters more fully into peace Isa 57.2 and it is said to these Souls That they must rest a little while till the time of their Brethrens sufferings also be accomplished Rev. 6.11 Yea the whole man though parted asunder Soul from Body rests in safety not hearing any more the voice of the oppressour nor assaulted by the tempter Job 3.18 11.18 the small and the great rest there and the Servant is free from his Master Job 3.19 Yea the end of the Adversity and Affliction they have here is that they may rest then from it till the pit be digged for the ungodly Psal 94.12 13. They rest from their Labours 2. And their works follow them or follow with them These Works are something distinct from their Labours their Labours had Pain Sorrow and soil like to the Labour of a Woman in Travail that hath sorrow because her hour is come Joh. 16 21. and their toil and pain proceeds partly from their own infirmity partly from the bondage to corruption under which the whole Creation grones the Curse upon the Earth Gen. 5.29 Rom. 8 20 21 22 23. 2 Cor. 5.2 4. partly from the Badness Wickedness and Oppressiveness of the World and malice of Sathan Gal. 1.4 Exod. 1.13 14. Rev. 2.10 But their works are as the fruits of those Labours the Man-child brought forth as it were the things done by them in the body the fruits or works meet for repentance 2 Cor. 5.10 Philip. 1.22 Matth. 3.8 with Acts 26.20 and these they have with all their strength and courage to endure the labour attending them from Jesus Christ that root of David in whom they are ingraffed rooted and grow Rev. 22.16 Col. 2.7 He is the green Fir-tree from whom all their fruits are found Hos 14.8 the true Vine of whom they are Branches and from whom they abiding in him and his Word in them they derived such sap and juice vertue and spirit as made them bring forth much good fruit so as the Father the good Husbandman is therein glorified Joh. 15.1 4 5 8. being and trusting in him and making him their hope they were like trees planted by the waters side bringing forth their fruit in season Jer. 15 7 8. though we are justified by Faith without the works of the Law yet we are justified too by Works and not by Faith only Gal. 2.16 Jam. 2.24 not by a Faith without works but by a Faith that worketh by Love Gal. 5.6 the believing in which we receive the forgiveness of sins and are justified to life is not a bare speculation of or assent to the Opinion or Doctrine of Truth resting in the brain nor so far onely affecting the Heart as to ease it of and quiet it from its griefs and fears but it is such a believing as is to the saving of the Soul Heb. 10.39 even to the saving it from the power of sin and Sathan as well as in other respects Such a perswasion of the truth of Gods testimony and so that Jesus is the Son of God and Saviour of the World and that all that the Prophets and Apostles have delivered concerning him and the grace in and by him is true as wherein the heart is so affected with him and drawn to him as that it saith of him He is my rock and my fortress my God in whom I will trust So as it comes to him for all direction and guidance Grace and blessing and yield up it self to him to obey and follow him in a confident expectation therein of meeting with his promised Salvation and Blessing And where with the heart a man so believeth it is to righteousness and will not be barren destitute of the fruits of righteousness or of the works of righteousness piety charity all goodness Heb. 11.13 Psal 91 2. Joh. 6.35 37. Rom. 10.9 10 2 Pet. 1.9 10 11. And these works in Death and when dead follow them or follow with them so as they shall be rewarded of God for God is not unrighteous to forget their work and labour of love Heb. 6.10 neither labour nor work shall be forgotten their labour shall not be in vain in the Lord who tells their wandrings puts their tears in his Bottle and keeps account of them in his Book 1 Cor. 15.58 Psal 56.8 and their work shall be rewarded Jer. 31.16 And that 1. In some sort at the time of thier departure hence and in their separated state in that they have in their Consciences the joy and comfort of their Works and comfortable assurance of further reward in the day of the glorious Appearance of the Lord Jesus their works are now estimated of God and laid up in his treasures laid up as it were with them and together with them to be brought forth to open view in the day of Christs glorious appearing And the Reward is also laid up reserved and unalterably appointed for them as was before noted from 2 Tim. 4.8 so that they not onely have hope in their Death but also after their Death there is a Separation of them from others according to their Works so as that whereas others are cast into Prison and reserved as it were in Chains of Darkness against the Judgment of the great Day the wicked is reserved to the day of Destruction and they shall be brought forth to the day of Wrath when the Heavens shall reveal his iniquity and the Earth shall rise up against him and his way shall be declared to his face and he shall be repayed what he hath done Job 21.30 31. 20.27 these that dye in the Lord are at rest and safe for ever quiet from the fear of evil being out of the reach henceforth of Sathan and all his instruments and whatsoever may trouble or disquiet them they that can kill the Body and it may be have killed theirs have no more now that they can do to them their sorrow and sighing is for ever past and they are comforted in Paradise and in Abrahams bosome while others are tormented Luke 16.25 for they are in Paradise with Christ as Christ said to the Malefactor that confessed him This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise Luke 23 43 Their Soul or Spirit dies not as some hold with the Body but returns to God into whose hands they commit it as they pray him to receive it so he doth receive it too Eccles 12.7 Psal 31.5 49 15. Acts 7.59 Philip. 1.23 Yea they may be understood to be those that stand with the Lamb upon mount Sion and that sing the new song with the melody of Harps unto God which no man else can learn they being in a
believe the Gospel Mark 1.15 And I say so too repent of these vain excuses and put them away repent of minding other things and neglecting the Gospel and Gods salvation therein that God having given Christ for thee and holding him forth to thee and Christ having giving himself for thee for it was for all men 1 Tim. 2.6 and made peace and atonement through his Blood and being filled with all the fulness of God and calling thee by his Gospel and standing ready upon thy compliance to help and save thee to pardon thee and give thee his holy Spirit admit thee into his favour and protection and make an everlasting Covenant with thee yet thou lettest him stand without knocking and dost not take him into thee nor yield thy hand to him to be taken in to him but runnest away from God thy Saviour after lying vanities after the World and the Flesh and the Devil after pride and Covetousness and the like labourest for the bread that perisheth and refusest to seek and labour in listening to and following thy Saviour for that bread that endureth to everlasting life that he would give thee Repent of this thy carriage and so also of seeking Gods favour by any works or ways of thine own or other mens proposing and not by and in listening to him Repent of these and all other like things and believe and obey the Gospel But be sure it be the Gospel thou believest not what any though an Angel saith contrary to or beside the Gospel Gal. 1.6 9. Not those doctrines of men That God hath rejected the most men absolutely before they were born and is not willing they should be saved contrary to 1 Tim. 2.4 2 Pet. 3.9 that Christ Dyed not for all but only an Elect number contrary to 2 Cor. 5.14 15. 1 Tim. 2 6. Heb. 2.9 1 Joh. 2 2. and the like doctrines and so all such as deny the Person Satisfaction Resurrection or Mediation of Christ his Personal appearance the Resurrection of the Dead the last Judgment and the like Repent and believe the Gospel If thou sayest How canst thou believe Is not Faith the gift of God I answer Yes and he gives it in a sober and diligent hearing of his Word not wilfully closing the eye and stopping the ear and hardening the heart against him Rom. 10.17 Gal. 3.2 Incline thine ear then and hearken unto him Hear and thy soul shall live Isa 55.3 yea while it is said or called to day if thou wilt hear his voice harden not thy heart and thou shalt hear and live onely obey in hearing as he enables thee and is in the power of his light and truth by his Spirit working in thee to will and to do of good pleasure Work thou out in his working thine own salvation with fear and trembling Philip. 2.12 13. doing all things without murmuring or disputing vers 14. putting away and not wilfully retaining what he reproves and yielding thy self to God to follow his counsels and instructions waiting upon him is his wayes and looking to him and calling upon him as he enables thee for his help and thou shalt be saved Be but willing to this Consent and Obey and though thou hast been or hitherto art as bad as one of the Rulers of Sodom or as the people of Gomorrha thou shalt eat the fruit of the land the promised land Thy scarlet sins shall be white like snow and thy crimson sins like wooll Isa 1.10 18 19. Be but as industrious in minding and following after the Gospel and after God and Christ as drawing instructing and strengthening thee as thou hast been and others are for the World and for their corrupt desires and lusts and thou mayest lay hold on Eternal life Prov. 2.1 5. 1 Tim. 6.11 12. This is the sum of the instructions given by the Apostle James when having affirmed that every good gift and every perfect giving comes from above from the Father of Lights with whom there is no variableness or shadow of turning and that of his own will begat he them by the word of truth that they might be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures He adds and infers Wherefore my beloved Brethren let every man be swift to hear slow to speak slow to wrath and laying apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness receive with meekness the ingraffed word which is able to save our souls but be ye doers of the word and not hearers onely James 1.17 18 21 22. But then it is to be minded too that having begun to doe thus it in neccesary to go on and to continue in so doing abiding in Christ minding and believing the Gospel and obeying it and him in and by it and exercising our selves to believe on him and following after him that we may know him more and more and so be more rooted and grounded in and united with him walking in him according to our receipt of him and taking heed of what might turn us out of the way of understanding As of 1. High-mindedness as if we were rich enough and knew and had attained enough already Prov 16.18 2. Sloth and what principles tend to that and to high mindedness Such as That that if we have once believed aright we cannot whatever we may do totally and finally miscarry Prov. 19.15 1 Cor. 10.12 3. Taking offence at either Gods ways and providences Psal 73.2 3 12 13 14. Or at those that fear God so as to break Communion with them lest forsaking the Assemblies and sitting alone we grow hardned through the deceitfulness of sin and for want of right exhortation and provocation to cleave to God withdraw from him through an evil heart of unbelief Heb. 3.12 13. 10 24 26 29. or else we fall into the snares of such as would seduce us against which things the minding and delighting in Gods Law will secure us Psal 119.165 and hereto also it 's good and needful to pluck out the right eye where it offends and cast it from us for in fellowship and unity with the fearers of God God doth command his blessing and life for evermore Psal 133.13.4 Eccles 4.9.10 11. Take heed too 4. Of the Love of the World and of the things in the world and of whatsoever doctrine or practice may corrupt us from the simplicity in and single cleaving to Christ Jesus 1 Joh. 2.15 18. 2 Cor. 11.2 3. I enlarge not to these things nor add any other lest I be volumnious 7. Whereas we may be tempted to grow Weary by reason of the many Afflictions Troubles Temptations and Toilsomness to the Flesh that we may meet with in the way of God and of godliness and especially in times and cases of Persecutions here it also incouragement to patience not only because Christ hath faithfully promised to be with his followers in their sufferings and services to help them as is said Isa 41.10 13 14 and that in the taking courage and not cowardly desponding and laying