that our first Parents fell from that primitive Holiness and Righteousness and so lost the Image of God for after that by the perswasion of the Devil they had entertained a love of themselves contrary to God and to the love of their Creator preferring their own Glory and Delectation before the love and glory of God and desiring to be equal with God himself their understandings were presently overspread with ignorance and blindness instead of Wisdom Their Wills grew Refractory and Disobedient to God and all their affections were perverse irregular and out of order so that now the thoughts of man from his infancy are evil and thus man not only fell from that eternal life for which he was Created but also became obnoxious to eternal Damnation Thirdly 'T is firmly to be believ'd that God took pitty on fallen Mankind and sent his Son to take upon him Humane Flesh and being made Man did by suffering and dying satisfie for us and deliver us from eternal death And did by his Merits relied on by a true Faith again make us Heirs of that blessed life which by our sins we lost and restored in us the decayed image of God and made us his and Sanctified us by his Holy Spirit that we might serve him in Righteousness and Holiness all the days of our life From whence it plainly appears who Christ is and what is the duty of a Christian viz. Christ is our Redeemer who reconciled us unto his Father and by his Merits made us his Brethren and Coheirs of his Kingdom when we were enemies to God defiled with sin and deserved to be punished with eternal death And a Christian who derives his name from Christ is one who acknowledges that he was indeed created by God in Righteousness and Holiness but by the Wiles of Satan fell from and rebelled against God and so being polluted by the stains of Original Sin and contaminated with many actual Transgressions he became liable to the wrath of God and everlasting punishment from which he is freed and redeemed by the alone Merits and Righteousness of Christ which by Faith is imputed unto him so that now he is to undertake such a way of living as may be well pleasing not to the Devil but unto God and therefore he is to avoid all sins from which he is redeemed by the pretious Merits of Christ and to serve God alone in an holy and religious life And from hence arises a threefold duty of a Christian The first is to acknowledge himself a sinner and to bewail his sins Secondly To believe Christ to be his Redeemer and to trust only in his Merits Thirdly To obey his Laws to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit not to relapse into sins from which by the death of Christ he is redeemed but to love God above all things and his Neighbour as himself Or to comprize all in a word the life of a Christian is a continual Repentance For since he is defiled with Original Sin and even the Just Man falls seven times Prov. 24.16 He will therefore be always sorrowful for his sins and sly to the Merits of Christ and serve God in true Righteousness and Holiness In sum 't is the Duty of a Christian to believe in Christ and to live holily which if he doth for Christs sake he will be acceptable unto God and shall in the end inherit eternal life But if he shall be deprived of this happiness if he is not in favour with God although he should possess the Riches of the whole World although he were Monarch over all the Earth although he were wiser than the best Philosophers yet would all be in vain and to no purpose Vanity of Vanities Eccles 1. all is Vanity except to serve God and to please him There are indeed many things to be done which are allowed of God but there is one thing necessary None shall be Condemned in the last Day that they were not rich that they were not in high places that they did not enjoy great honours that they were ignorant of many nice Subtilties of Nature But they alone shall be Condemned who do not believe in Christ and who are not the Children of God The Prayer GRant O Lord Jesus Christ that I may never forget those Vows wherewith I have obliged my self unto thee in the Holy Sacrament of Baptism but that renouncing the Devil and all his Works I may obey thy Commandments with my whole Heart and confessing my self to be a Miserable Sinner I may confide in thy Merits and serve Thee in Holiness and Righteousness all the days of my life Amen CHAP. XI That we must repent And first of sorrowing for our sins FOR as much as the Christian knows that he is conceiv'd and born in sins and that in this corruption of Humane Nature no body can sufficiently resist the Temptations of the World the Flesh and the Devil that there is no Man which sinneth not 2 Chr. 6.36 Prov. 20.9 for who can say I have made my Heart clean I am pure from my sin and that even the Just man falleth seven times Prov. 24.16 therefore he hates and bewails his sins and confesseth that by them he hath provoked Gods anger against him so that he justly deserveth the eternal pains of Hell But the Christian must bewail his sins seriously and from his heart 2 Cor. 7.10 For that is godly sorrow which worketh Repentance unto Salvation not to be repented of that is a true sorrow for sins joyn'd with faith Now this grief and sadness the Holy Ghost excites in us as also doth the Consideration and Meditation of Christs Passion As if a Man considers who he is whom he hath offended who it is that is angry with him and that his sins were the cause of his Saviours Passion For Man from himself is nothing but he is Gods Creature and whatever any one hath he hath it from God But God is the Creator of all things the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Omnipotent Immense most Wise most Good and most Great insomuch that between Man and God there is no proportion And yet Man by his sins rebell'd against God and deliver'd himself up into the Bondage of Satan and so provoked the infinite anger of his God against him Now the Passion of Christ is the Mirrior of the Divine anger And whoever considers with himself the reasons that mov'd the Son of God to become Man to suffer and to die and confesseth that it was the sins of the World which could no other ways be atton'd for than by the Death and Passion of the Son of God himself he who shall consider that Man who is Dust and Ashes fell away from his Creator the great and good God and listed himself under the Devils Banner and so by his sins provoked Gods anger enough to have thrown him headlong into Hell and withal shall confess it to be in part his own fault that the
Son of God underwent such Grief and Torments for others Crimes no doubt but such an one will abhor himself and be amazed at the consideration of his own guilt and if he were left to himself to rely upon his own strength and knew no ways of appeasing the wrath of God he must of necessity be driven to despair The Prayer WO is me O Lord who was conceived and born in sin the thoughts of my heart are inclined unto evil from my Youth Wo is me who have sinned against thee my Creatour and bountiful Lord and have done evil in thy sight But I acknowledge mine iniquity and my sins are ever before me Jet 9.1 Oh that my head were waters and mine eyes a fountain of tears that I might weep day and night for my sins whereby I have so often offended thee my Lord and Creatour whether shall I fly who will intercede for me who will deliver me in the day of thy fierce anger that I perish not for ever Alas there is none to save but thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ But forasmuch as faith in him is not our own work but thy gift blessed Lord let thy Holy Spirit excite preserve and daily increase in my heart a true and lively faith Mat. 11.27 O Holy Father since no man knoweth the Son but thou only neither knoweth any man thee save thy Son and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal thee draw me I beseech thee unto him that he may lead me unto thee least I die in my sins Vouchsafe to strengthen my weak Faith and perfect that good Work which thou hast begun in me Establish in me a firm Faith in my Saviour to the last breath of my life that amongst the many various errors and opinions of this World I may not in the least be perverted from the true faith but may always ask and obtain the remission of my sins from thee through the merits and intercession of the same thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ Amen CHAP. XII That we are to fly for refuge to the mercies of God and to believe in Christ BUT the Christian is not to despair altho' he must acknowledge himself to be a sinner John 3.16 but for as much as he knows that God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life he therefore puts his whole trust and confidence in the mercies of God through the merits of Christ For the merciful God hath promised pardon of sins to true Penitents this we find in divers places of Scripture Ezek. 33.12 As for the wickedness of the wicked he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness 2 Pet. 3.9 for God is long-suffering to us ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance As I live saith the Lord God Ezek. 33.11 I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live A broken and a contrite heart Psal 51.17 God will not despise Therefore also now saith the Lord turn ye even to me with all your heart and with fasting and with weeping Joel 2.13 and with mourning And rent your heart and not your garments and turn unto the Lord your God for he is gracious and merciful slow to anger and of great kindness and repenteth him of the evil Zechar. 1.3 Turn ye unto me saith the Lord of Hosts and I will turn unto you Ps 69.33 Mat. 12.20 Seek ye after God and your Soul shall live A bruised reed shall he not break and smoaking flax shall he not quench Act. 3.19 Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out And therefore the true Penitent may with affiance approach unto God and say Ps 130.3 If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquities O Lord who shall stand Father I have sinned against Heaven Luk. 15.21 and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy Son Ps 51.1 But have mercy upon me according to thy loving kindness according unto the multitudes of thy tender mercies Lu. 18.13 And God be merciful unto me a sinner Nor let him in the least doubt of the mercy of God whilst he relies on the merits of Christ Mat. 18.11 1 Joh. 1.7 For the Son of Man came to save that which was lost and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin 1 Joh. 2.2 And he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole World Rom. 8.1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus so that he may rest quiet in the mercies of God and in the merits of Christ as knowing that a full ransom was paid for his sins and that a most absolutely perfect righteousness able to stand before the judgment of God was purchased and obtained for sinners by the most holy Obedience of Christ which he performed to his Father both in his life and death and which the Holy Spirit offers to all the World in the Word and Sacraments desiring them to accept of it And to those who do not resist these means he excites increases and confirms their Faith that they may receive the grace of God purchased by Christ's merits and tender'd unto them in the Divine Word and holy Sacraments so that they may be confident that he who hath begun a good work in them will also perfect it and preserve them in grace unto the end of their lives For saith St. Paul I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come Nor height Rom. 8. ult nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. The Prayer BEhold O Lord I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me I know that in my flesh dwelleth no good thing and I see another law in my members waring against the law of my mind from this corruption of nature it proceeds that I am so disobedient to to thy Laws and Commandments even from my infancy until now I have infinite ways transgressed them in thought word and deed the good things which I ought I have not done and the evil things which I ought not I have committed so great is the number of my sins that I can no longer remember them all O Heavenly Father I am not worthy to be called thy Son but I acknowledge my transgression and my sin is ever before me Have mercy upon me therefore O God according to thy great goodness and cleanse me from all even my most secret sins enter not into judgment with thy Servant and remember not the sins of my youth Lord despise not a broken and a contrite
It is appointed for all men once to die Are not my days few Cease then and let me alone that I may take comfort a little Before I go whence I shall not return even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death Job 10 20 21. For I know that thou wilt bring me to death to the house appointed for all living Job 30.23 Daniel Sennertus HIS MEDITATIONS Setting forth a plain Method OF LIVING HOLILY AND DYING HAPPILY Written Originally in Latin and noâ— Translated into English â—â— qui se meâ—ninerâ—nt inquilinos esse in conducto habitare 〈…〉 je gerunt 〈◊〉 miâ—â—s gravatim excunt ita qâ—i intâ—lligunt dâ—micilium câ—â—poris ad hâ—eve tempus à natura commadatum eâ—se vivunt temperâ—â—aius libentius moriuntur Sen â—â—ala mors putanda non est quam bond vita praecessit neque enim facit malam mortem nisi quod sequitur ipsam mortem St. Aug. de Civ Dei LONDON Printed for Sam. Keble at the Great Turks Head in Fleet-street over against Fetter-Lane MDCXCIV THE PREFACE WHEN Death shall put a period to our Lives we must appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ and according as we have behav'd our selves here we shall be consigned to an Eternity either of Bliss or Woe Which four last things being of such vast concern and moment to us have always been esteemed most worthy of our serious thoughts and contemplations for what is there that can more powerfully move a Man to forsake the ways of sin and walk in the paths of virtue and conform himself to the Divine Will than a constant Meditation on these things To what purpose should any one endeavour to encrease his substance by fraud injustice and oppression or set his heart on Honours and Riches still coveting to add field to field if he doth but think with himself that when Death approaches he must leave all these worldly things behind him and that for ought he knows even this Night his Soul may be required of him and then whose shall all these things be Who is there that would not be afraid of committing shameful and abominable crimes even in secret where no eye can see him when he considers that in the last day of Judgment the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed and all his most private actions be laid open before Men and Angels and that he must give a strict account of all his thoughts words and deeds before the great Judge of all the Earth Who would dare to drown himself in voluptuousness and the sinful lusts of the flesh if he did but remember that for the enjoyment of such vain and momentary pleasures he must endure the most exquisite torments of Hell to all eternity Who is there that would not chearfully walk in the narrow path that leadeth unto life though he were sure in the way to meet with tribulation distress and persecution bonds and imprisonment famin and nakedness peril and Sword if he did but lift up the eyes of his mind and behold that exceeding and Eternal Weight of Glory which is laid up in Heaven for those that suffer for Christ Jesus Since therefore the frequent consideration of these things hath so much force and efficacy to invite Men to vertue and deter them from sin I was easily induced to translate the following Meditatious into our Native Language notwithstanding the multitude of other books that have been written on the same Subject for Men being generally so forgetful of their mortaâ—ity especially in time of health and prosperity there can never be too many admonitions given to put them always in remembrance of these things although they know them already This Book was first publish'd in Latin at Wittembergh in the year of our Lord 1636. By that famous Physition Daniel Sennertus a Man well known to the learned World especially to the Gentlemen of his own faculty for his excellent works in that Art but besides what he so deservedly profess'd he was a spiritual Physitian also and took care to deliver such wholsom Medicines that all the Diseases of our Souls might be healed and that both Soul and Body might live for ever thereby imitating our Blessed Saviour who as he healed all manner of sickness and all manner of Diseases amongst the People so he also called all sinners to repentance and exhorted them to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven It may not be amiss here to add a short account of this Book M. Hen. Witten Memor Medicorum p. 105. Francof 1676. and its Author from one who hath given us some memorials of his life in an Oration spoken the year after his Decease in the Vniversity of Wittembergh The innocency saith he and probity of his Life and that Humanity which he shew'd to all Men did greatly advance his renown such was his love and care for Religion that he suffer'd nothing to be prefer'd before it He had perfectly digested in his mind the rules and precepts of it which he as carefully endeavoured to manifest in his life least he should appear to be in Word only and not in Deed a Christian the duty whereof he was perswaded did not more consist in the knowledge than in the practice of Christian virtues wherein that he might be the better exercised he had judiciously and accurately described THE NO-CHRISTIAN CHRISTIAN for he thought if vice were throughly known the contrary virtue would thereby be represented more fair and strong As the People of Lacedâ—mon recommended sobriety to their Children by bidding them look on the filthiness of Drunkards On the same design there is now lately publish'd by himself a most judicious Treatise of THE WAY TO LIVE HOLILY AND DY HAPPILY For he cannot without great hazard dye well who hath led an ill life and scarcely can any one live as he should that is ignorant of the right method or doth not diligently exercise himself in it He dyed on the 21st Day of July in the Year of our Lord 1637. When he had not yet been ill four Days Some may perhaps object against the composure of this Book that whereas the design of it is to prepare us to dye happily so many Chapters should be spent in the general and more remote preparation for Death whilst we are in our health and vigour and but one to be allotted for that more immediate and particular preparation which is to be performed when Death approaches This may indeed seem a great objection to Worldly Men who scarcely ever think of dying till they see they can live no longer But the devout Christian knows that a Death Bed is very unfit both for time and place for so great a work that all his life is little enough to work out his own Salvation and to prepare himself for an happy Eternity and that if he demeans himself soberly righteously and godlily whilst he lives in this present World he shall have the less to do when ever it shall please
not condemned He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Therefore being justified by Faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ The Prayer LOrd Jesu Christ guide me by thy Holy Spirit that I may walk in thy ways and always have in my mind this sum of the whole Duty of Man Eccl. 12.13 14. fear God and keep his Commandments For God shall bring every work into Judgement with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil O let every moment that voice sound in mine ears arise ye dead and come to judgement And at the last let me hear thy gracious voice saying come thou blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for thee from the beginning of the World I acknowledge indeed and confess that by my sins I have deserved the pains of Hell but thou by thy Passion Death and Resurrection hast redeemed me from them and merited Heaven for me In thee therefore in thy merits and mercies I put my whole trust and confidence and joyfully expect thy glorious coming Amen Come Lord Jesus Amen Rev. XXII 20. CHAP. V. The Joys of the Life eternal ALthough it cannot be imagin'd much less express'd in words what difference there is between the joys of Heaven and the pains and miseries of the damned yet for as much as many live as if it matter'd little or nothing whether after death they were to be admitted into the blessed Life above or to be cast into the bottomless pit it therefore well becomes a Christian daily to consider how vastly the miseries of Hell differ from the glories of Heaven that so he may be convinced how necessary it is earnestly to endeavour to avoid the one and obtain the other For who is there so void of sence that for the hopes of gaining one Farthing would run the hazard of losing an hundred thousand Crowns and yet this they daily do who defile themselves with sin that they may follow after the riches pleasures and honours of this World for all these things and even the whole World could any man gain it to himself are more vile if they be compared to eternal lise which is utterly lost by sin than the smallest mite compar'd to the greatest sum imaginable Or who is there so desperately wicked that would dare to commit crimes worthy of death in the sight of a Gibbet a drawn Sword or a flaming fire and in the presence of a Judge who he knew would immediately condemn him to these torments and yet this they do who well knowing that the pains of Hell are so plainly set before their eyes in the Holy Scriptures do yet daily commit such sins as justly deserve those infernal plagues Now eternal Happiness consists in these two things In the absence of all evil things and in the enjoyment of every thing that is good Rev. 21.4 For God shall wipe away all tears from the eyes of the blessed and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain And as it is written 1 Cor. 2.9 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 For what greater felicity can there be than to have no calamities to disturb us not to be terrified with the fear of death to behold the face of God to be amongst the Quires of Angels to serve our Creatour with the blessed Spirits and all the Saints and with perpetual Hyms and Praises to magnifie his glorious Name If you value and desire Health there shall be constant soundness and eternal Life If you are delighted with the friendship of good men there you shall have the familiar acquaintance of all the blessed inhabitants above who will all have one Heart and one Soul In short there will be nothing wanting that a man can wish for What saith St. Quid inquit Augustinus hac vita beatius ubi non est paupertatis metus non agritudinis imbectllitas nemo laeditur nemo irascitur nemo invidet cupiditas nulla exardescit nullum cibi desiderium nulla honoris aut potestatis pulsat ambitio nullus Diaboli metus insidia Daemonum nulla terror gehennae pracul mors neque corporis neque animae sed immortalitatis munere jucunda vita Nulla ibi discordia cuncta consona cuncta convenientia Sanctorum omnium una erit concordia Nox ibi nulla nullae tenebrae sed lux summa quoniam Dominus inluminabit civitatem Incerna ejus erit Agnus Sancti fulgebunt sicut stellae sicut splendor firmamenti Dabitur ibi consociare choris Angelorum intueri Patriarchas Prophetas videre Apostolos atque omnes Sanctos Gloriosa sunt hac sed multo glorisius erit D E V M intueri Manual cap. 17. Augustin can be more happy than this life where there is no fear of Poverty nor the weakness of Infirmities no body is hurt no body is angry none envies another no lust inflames them no longing after food no desire of honour and power disquiets them there is no dread of Satan no snares of the Devil no fear of Hell there is neither death of Body or Soul but by the means of immertality a most delightful life there will be no evil no discord but a perfect harmony because there will be a mutual agreement between all the Saints there will be no night nor darkness but the greatest light for the Glory of God will enlighten it Rev. 21.23 and the Lamb will be the light thereof Dan. 12.3 and the Saints shall shine as the Stars and as the brightness of the Firmament there we shall associate with the multitudes of Angels and Archangels and all the Heavenly Powers there we shall behold the Patriarchs and Prophets the Apostles and all the Saints these are glorious things but it will be yet much more glorious to behold GOD himself for the happiness and glory of eternal life doth chiefly consist in the vision and enjoyment of God who will then be all in all But how great this future felicity will be the mind of man is not capable to conceive however we may make some faint conjectures for seeing God is the Creatour and Preserver of all things it must needs be that all the things in the World which to us appear fair and beautiful are in him so much more eminently if therefore the prospect and contemplation of the Creatures be sweet and grateful the Creatour himself must needs be much more ravishing and delightful so that since we shall see God face to face all even the most beautiful things in this World will be surmounted by the transcendent beauty of God He shall be all in all the satisfaction of all desires and the perfect felicity of the Saints Psal 84.4 Blessed are they that dwell in thy House they will always be praising thee Psal 31.19 O
how unsuitable it would be to have a mind filthy and stained with sin under a fair and clean garment Never undertake any business unless you have first humbly compos'd your mind and body to Prayer Thank God from your very heart that he hath been pleased to preserve you the last night and even all your life from the Snares and Violence of Satan and to keep you and yours from all outward perils and dangers and pray unto him that he would mercifully forgive you all your sins for the Merits of Christ that he would preserve you and yours all the faithful and the universal Church from the power and subtilty of the Devil that he would please to defend you from all dangers of Body and Soul and so guide you by his Holy Spirit that you may not offend him this day by any sin but that all your Thoughts Words and Actions may be directed to the glory of God and the good of Mankind that he will please not to take you out of the World unprepared by a sudden death and that if he should think it fitting to take away your life this very day he would be merciful unto you and receive you to himself Every Morning renew your resolutions of serving God and as if this were the first day of your returning to God and that hitherto you had done no kind of good firmly purpose in your mind to love the Lord your God and serve him only And humbly pray unto God that he would please to keep and assist you in these your good Resolutions of serving him In the Morning advise with your self what you are to do that day in the Evening take an account of what you have done And that you may have comfort at night stedfastly determine to spend the day well Having offer'd up your prayers to God read a Chapter or two in the Holy Scriptures and attentively consider what there is contained in it for your Consolation or Instruction or Admonition From the Sacred History you may observe how great Gods anger is against sins and with what terrible plagues he hath punish'd sinners and on the contrary with what signal Rewards he hath recompenced Holiness and how wonderfully he hath conducted his own People In short so read the Scriptures as thereby to confirm your Faith and excite in you the practice of Piety Do the same also at night when you are going to Bed and thus in no long space of time you will have read over the whole Bible and so will be provided with a sure guide in the paths of Virtue all the days of your life As Holy David saith Thy Word is a Lamp unto my Feet Ps 119.105 and a Light unto my Path. The Law of the Lord is perfect Ps 19.8 c. converting the Soul The Testimony of the Lord is sure making Wise the simple The Statutes of the Lord are right rejoycing the Heart the Commandment of the Lord is pure enlightning the Eyes The fear of the Lord is clean enduring for ever The Judgments of the Lord are true and righteous all together More to be desired are they than Gold yea than much fine Gold Sweeter also than Hony and the Hony Comb. Moreover by them is thy Servant warned and in keeping of them there is great reward Be careful therefore not to read the Holy Scriptures out of Custom only and as it were by the by but stay a while in the Meditation of what you have read for there is no Chapter but will yield very profitable matter for Holy Contemplations to wit on the Wisdom of God his Omnipotency Infinity Goodness Mercy and Justice On the Corruption of Humane Nature our own sins the Snares and Temptations of the Devil the punishments of the Wicked and the Rewards of the Righteous on the frailty shortness and mortality of Humane Nature On Repentance Faith the exercise of Holiness On our Blessed Saviours Incarnation Nativity Miracles Passion Death Resurrection Ascention Intercession and his Redemption of Mankind On the last Judgment the Happy State of the Blessed in the life to come and the misery of the Damned in Hell These and the like as they offer themselves are to be heedfully attended to and some time Meditated upon until some sorrow of Mind some ardor of Devotion some act of Faith some Divine flame of love springs up in your Soul Having thus performed your Devotions from which never suffer your self to be withdrawn by any thing whatever since there is nothing so serious and weighty as to be preferr'd before God you may then apply your self to the Duties of your Calling with a full intention to discharge them faithfully for the due performance whereof you are not only diligently to beware of offending God either in Thought Word or Deed and of injuring your Neighbour but you ought also to direct all your Actions to Gods glory and the good of others First as to what concerns your thoughts although the godly by reason of the Corruption of Humane Nature cannot avoid all evil thoughts yet be careful least you too much indulge them but suppress them betimes and be sure never to bring them forth to act nor suffer your self to be seduced in your Affections to any thing contrary to Honesty and Piety and which may in the least alienate your mind from the happiness of the life Eternal Never seek after popular Fame Be not Ambitious after Honours Riches or any Worldly thing but more especially do not prefer them before God be humble and contented with a competency and a good Conscience he is very happy and hath every thing who hath God for his Friend He is most miserable and hath nothing who hath God for his Enemy When ever any sinful affections begin by little and little to steal into your mind as Avarice Voluptuousness Envy Anger Enmity and Hatred and such like as we have before mentioned in the precedeing Chapter be diligent to stifle them in their first motions As to what concerns your words and discourse so govern your self as always remembring that severe expression of our Lords Mat. 12.36 That every idle word that Men shall speak they shall give an account thereof in the day of Judgment And therefore in your jesting observe never to cast a blot upon Religion or Scandalize any one or offend against the Rules of Honesty and Modesty So order all your Speech that you never Scandalize your Neighbour but endeavour to build him up in the most Holy Faith to this end pray with David Set a Watch O Lord Ps 141.3 and keep the Door of my Lips There is no true joy but what is joyned with the love of God and a good Conscience We often laugh when if the great danger we are in were rightly consider'd there is more need we should weep let your words and your Heart go together and let both always agree with truth avoid lying and desraud none with deceitful words when ever you
God to call him out of it Let not any then despise these counsels and directions as if they belonged only to sick and Dying Men but rather consider that if they daily exercise themselves in the use and practise of them whilst they are in their health and strength they will reap the greater benefit by them when they come to die and will depart this life with a comfortable assurance of God's favour but it is to be feared that they will find themselves very ill prepar'd for an happy departure hence at the time of their dissolution who when they were well us'd all their endeavours to put the thoughts of death out of their minds Be therefore intent and diligent in reading and meditating on Lectures of Mortality and learn to die whilst you live Put on the person of a dying man even now whilst the strength of your mind and body remains perfect and entire in you Do those things now which you would desire to do when you are a dying and then when ever the timâ— draws nigh that you must die indeed you will find all those holy preparations with which you so frequently exercised your self in your life time will be wonderfully helpful and subservient to you in that your last hour All the Divine Comforts and Consolations with which you entertain'd your self during the days of your Pilgrimage here will come afresh into your mind and you will have little more to do than to rejoyce in the reflexions on a well spent life and to commend your Soul into the Hands of God as into the Hands of a faithful Creatour and most Merciful Saviour And when ever any sickness seizeth on you remember that it doth not come by chance but by the hand of God and thank him for his Fatherly Correction towards you Commit your self to his Divine Providence and rely not too much on the Physitians help which we find king Asa reprov'd for in Holy Scripture Yet according to the advice of the Son of Sirach Honour the Physitian and make use of such means as God and Nature offer but let your greatest care be for the health of your Soul For since a dreadful Eternity succeeds the short moment of your life What madness would it be to employ all your Care and Diligence about this vain life which passeth away like a shaddow and to make no provision for your everlasting State in the other World till you are brought to the very confines of it But O Christian if you are wise be every day thinking that you must shortly put off this your Earthly Tabernacle even as the Lord hath shewn you And in any sickness that befalls you first reconcile your self to God and then you may be assured that either he will make the means you use conducive to the health of your Body or else will make your Disease and even Death it self healthful to your Soul A TABLE Of the Chapters in the ensuing Treatise comprizing the Sum of Christian Religion CHAP. I. IT is appointed for all Men once to die p. 1. Chap. II. And at death all things in the World are to be left behind p. 4. Chap. III. But after death there remains another life and death is the passage either to Eternal Happiness or Misery p. 10 Chap. IV. All Men after death must stand before the Judgment Seat of God p. 16. Chap. V. And some shall be Translated into Eternal life abounding with infinite Felicities p. 22. Chap. VI. Whilst others shall be cast headlong into the unspeakable Torments of Hell p. 27. Chap. VII And since they only are partakers of the Blessed life who die well it therefore concerns all Men to be careful how they live and to prepare themselves for a Blessed death as a thing very difficult Now this Preparation is either general and to be exercised every day or particular to be performed when death approaches p. 36. Chap. VIII Towards this general and daily Preparation it is requisite for a Man first to consider the certainty of death the shortness of life and uncertainty of the hour of death p. 38. Chap. IX Secondly Not to fear Death p. 52. Chap. X. Thirdly That he perform the Duty of a Christian p. 61. Chap. II. Now the Duty of a Christian consists chiefly in true Repentance And first in sorrow for sin p. 68. Chap. XII Secondly In an Humble Reliance on the Mercies of God and in Faith in Christ p. 73. Chap. XIII Thirdly In an Holy life p. 79. Chap. XIV And he lives well who loves God above all things p. 85. Chap. XV. And his Neighbour as himself p. 93. Chap. XVI And to this end he is to strive against all Capital and Enormeus sins which are contrary to the love of God and his Neighbour p. 97. Chap. XVII And that the Christian may the better persevere in the exercises of Virtue and Repentante it may be very useful for him to compose a Diary or a daily Form of Devotion p. 118 Chap. XVIII The particular preparation for death consists in two things one whereof concerns the sick Person and the other his Neighbour The first is that the dying Man make his peace with God and fortifie his mind against all those Temptations which usually insinuate themselves at this time The second is that he be in perfect Love and Charity with all Men and rightly dispose of all his Worldly concerns p. 140. IMPRIMATUR Feb. 15. 1693 4. Guil. Lancaster R P D Henrico Epis Lond à Sacris Domesticâ—s ERRATA PAg. 13 line 5. for Theogenis read Theognis p. 45. l. 2. f. neglact r. neglect p. 52. l. 15. f. the r. a. p. 53. l. 28. f. World r. World p. 69. l. 19. f. Mirrior r. Mirroir p. 81. l. 9. f. in r. and. p. 103. l. 23. f. this r. his p. 108. l. 28. f. Languish r. Anguish p. 127. l. 11. f. putrisying r. putrify p. 172. l. 10. f. desire r. deserve p. 173. l. 8. f. make r. maketh Daniel Sennertus HIS MEDITATIONS OF Living holily and dying happily CHAP. I. That all must die WE are taught both by Sacred and Heathen Writers that we must all die whilst they often inculcate that it is appointed unto men once to die Heb. 9.27 Wisd 7.6 1 Kings 2.2 that all-Men have one entrance into Life and the like going out that Death is the way of all the Earth Thus also Ovid speaks Tendimus huc omnes metam properamus ad unam Omnia-sub leges mors vocat atra suas We all pass swiftly on to the same state And all are subject to the Laws of Fate And Horace Lib. 2. Od. 18. Omnes manet una nox calcanda semel via lethi A long dark Night will all the World o're spread And all the rugged paths of Death must tread But much more plainly doth daily experience and the Funerals we continually see go by our doors admonish us of our mortality Sen. Ep. 100. Omnis dies omnis
hora c. Every day every hour shews us we are nothing and by some fresh Arguments puts us in mind of the frailty of our Natures which we too easily forget and forceth us to look on death whilst we are thinking of abiding here for ever There is no man can promise himself an immunity from death by any of those things which are wont to distinguish Men from the rest of Mankind Neither Age nor Sex no condition or state of life neither learning nor honours nor riches nor beauty nor pleasure can defend any one from death Young and Old Kings and Beggars the Wise and the Ignorant the Fair and the Deformed must all die Pallida mors aequo pulsat pede pauperum tabernas Hor lib. 1. Od 4. Regumque turres Neque ulla est aut magno aut parvo lethi fuga Pale Death goes into all a like Id. Sat. 6. lib. 2. Serm. as well Towers of Princes as the poorest Cell Nor is there any one can flie from Death Thus as there is no difference observable in the birth of men so neither is there in their death The Prayer LOrd let me know my end and the number of my dayes that I may be certified how long I have to live Behold thou hast made my dayes as it were a span long and my age is even as nothing in respect of Thee Verily every man living is altogether Vanity We come up as a flower and are cut down and never continue in one stay Lord so teach me to number my dayes that I may apply my heart unto wisdom Grant that I may not be one moment forgetful of my mortality and knowing that I must die let me never think of setting up my rest here CHAP. II. The Consideration of those things which happen at Death THe devout Christian ought not only to be perpetually mindful of his own mortality but also seriously to consider what Death is and what usually befalls men when they are dying and when they are dead Imagine therefore before your eyes a man now on the Confines of Death just ready to give up the Ghost fix this object in your mind and every day revolve it in your thoughts See how he lies dying almost without breath His Body loses all its beauty and comeliness and begins to smell of the Earth from whence it was taken and none of its members perform their functions And yet this is that Body which not long since was so sumptuously fed so delicately cloath'd and nurs'd up with so much care and cost Then a man begins to despise his Gold and Silver his Jewels and Apparel his Riotings and Pastimes when he finds no assistance from them either against his Sickness or his Death he sees all his worldly delights are vanished away and others ready to possess his Honours and Riches and an afflicting thought it is to him to consider that for the obtaining these very things he hath undergone so much toil and labour and hath committed so many sins And hence will arise many conflicts of mind many tormenting thoughts and unquiet hours Sometimes the acuteness of his Disease afflicts him sometimes his Conscience wounds him and Satan sets before his eyes the multitude of his Sins which now appear more vile and heinous than ever before he thought them to be Sometimes he is distracted when he remembers how much time he hath prodigally spent in vanity and folly and that now he must give a strict account of all his thoughts words and actions sometimes his Soul is grieved by the temptations of the Devil driving him to despair and shewing him the direful punishments of Hell-fire Thus also when a man begins to think he can live no longer he then considers he must leave his Wise and Children his Kinsfolks and Friends his Riches and Honours and every thing that was dear to him here and this leads him to consider further that in a short time his Soul must be separated from his Body and that he must pass into another state of Life Then if a man hath not duly prepared himself for Death nor reconciled himself to God with what anguish shall his Soul be tormented when he can expect no help from any of those things which he before so much accounted of To live longer is not permitted him and to die is intolerable Then he calls to mind his former sins which he hath committed and sees the time of his examination and of the divine vengeance is at hand If he looks back upon his past life all the dayes he has spent seems but a moment of time If he looks forward on that infinite space of Eternity which is to come he then grieves that he hath preferr'd such vain delights and of such short continuance before an eternal weight of Glory and Happiness And these things do so disquiet him that no room is left for any comfortable thoughts for Death now approaching he will scarcely have either time or strength to think on any thing for his good to what purpose is it to give wholesome advice to administer profitable Counsels to one whose Senses are impair'd by the violence of his Disease and whose mind and understanding are weakned and disturb'd by the Indisposition of his Body For whilst he is considering that he is not prepar'd for Death as he ought and distracts himself with the thoughts of his sad Condition his Eyes begin to grow dim and his Ears deaf his Tongue falters and his Memory and Reason fail him Do those things therefore now whilst thou art in Health and God alloweth thee Time and Strength which thou canst not but think Reasonable should be done at thy last Hour arm thy self betimes against all those Evils and Temptations which commonly befall Men at the time of Death and seeing that neither Riches nor Honours nor Pleasures nor Friends can prolong our Lives for one hour nor free us from those Cares and Anxieties which are wont to disturb Men when they are dying believe it it is desperate madness to undergo so much labour for the sake of them and contrariwise to neglect those things which would help us toward the attainment of Everlasting Happiness And now O Man think what will become of thee after death As soon as thou art dead every one even thy nearest and best Friends thy Wife and Children and Kinsfolk will fly from thy Corps and will not be able to endure the sight of thee before they were pleased with thy Embraces but now thy very presence is Ghastly and Terrible Here then is the bounds of Worldly Love and Friendship It is therefore very unreasonable to place our Confidence in these things but let us rather put our Trust in those which may be useful to us even after we are dead Think how horrid and noisom the stink of thy Carkass would be even to thy nearest Kindred and yet this is that Body for the indulging whereof thou hast so often offended thy God How
nor any other worldly thing can any longer please or entice them And as nothing is more profitable for us than the daily meditation of death so on the contrary nothing is more hurtful than our forgetfulness of it and yet this is very common with the rich Men and great Ones of this World who as if they were to live the age of Methusalah lay up Provisions for many years continuance here and in the mean time think little or nothing of the life to come and so when they fancy they have attained to the top of their desires on a sudden with the rich Man in the Gospel they are forced to depart out of this life and too often descend into eternal destruction and forasmuch as the Devil well knows that nothing more powerfully excites men to holiness or better secures their souls from his snares than the meditation of death he therefore employs his greatest care and diligence to put these thoughts out of mens minds which if he can but obtain he easily gets every thing else he has a mind to and takes men captive at his will It is a sign of a mind altogether deprav'd and out of order which doth not care to hear Discourses and Conferences of Death which is sad and uneasie at the thoughts of it and therefore strives to divert it self with witty sayings and merriment with full bowls and all kinds of delight and pastime But on the contrary he who is in favour with God whose Soul is not plunged in sensual pleasures it is his delight to think often and to discourse of death for he knows 't is the only necessary way to everlasting bliss Secondly Towards our preparation for death we are to consider the shortness of our lives for how little time doth God allow us to live here many Infants expire at their very entrance in to life some die in their Childhood others in their Youth fewer arrive to their middle age but very few attain to old age from hence it is that in Holy Scripture our life is compar'd to those things that are most frail and momentary as the trace of a cloud a mist a spark Wisd 2. Job 14.2 Psal 90. Job 5.6.9 a shadow a flower a weavers shuttle a post a swift ship and an eagle that hasteth to his prey This also the Heathen declar'd and therefore Pindar call'd man the dream of a shadow Aeschylus the shadow of smoke M. Varro a bubble and with good reason are these names attributed to man for we die daily and some part of our lives are every day taken from us our whole state is nothing else but a journey a race to death And then Thirdly Consider that in this short life the time of death is uncertain for tho' it is appointed for all to die yet the hour of death is unknown some die in their Infancy some in their Youth and some in their old Age whilst others are overtaken by an unexpected death so that no one can assure himself of to morrow neither is the place or manner of our death known to us which is daily confirm'd to us by the dead Corpses we see carried by For all that die do not keep their Beds afflicted by a long continued sickness for some are taken away suddenly or in a moment lose their Senses by Appoplexies others are choak'd by violent Catarrhs some are kill'd by falls some by the ruins of Houses whilst others are trod under feet by Horses some are drowned in the Water and others are struck with Lightning whilst others unexpectedly fall into the hands of Thieves and Enemies and come to an untimely end which they never were afraid of Now what happens to one may happen to all and what may happen to all every one ought to expect may happen to them For man also knoweth not his time Eccles 9.12 as the fishes that are taken in an evil net and as the birds that are caught in the snare so are the sons of men snared in an evil time when it falleth suddenly upon them being then men we ought to think that whatever is common to man and does sometimes happen to others may also befal us Now hereby we are admonish'd to be every minute ready and prepar'd for death For God was pleased to let us be ignorant of the time of our death that the uncertainty thereof might be a means of exciting in us a constant practice of vertue and avoiding of sin and a perpetual care and endeavour to secure our eternal wellfare for how dangerous is it to live in such a condition that if a sudden death should surprize us unawares our salvation is utterly to be despair'd of and who can ascertain us that at the end of our lives when death comes on us like an armed man we shall be in so good a disposition as to be able to bewail our sins and implore the grace and mercy of God Indeed were we permitted to die often and return again to life their rashness and security were excusable who so seldom think of death but since 't is appointed unto all men but once to die and that there is no leading of our lives over again 't is manifest what great danger they run whom death overtakes before they are provided for it since it for ever takes away from them all hopes of salvation Let us then be always prepared for death let us fly from sin and not defer our repentance let us not cherish anger and revenge evil affections and a fond desire of living long in this World but let us account every day to be our last and when we go to sleep let us so demean our selves as if we were never to arise again from our beds and when we arise in the morning let us so spend every hour of the day as if we were never to lie down in our beds again let us so use the good things of this World as if we were to leave them every moment let us not vainly promise our selves along continuance here with that rich man in the Gospel who said unto his Soul Luk. 12.19 Soul thou hast much goods laid up for many years take thine ease eat drink and be merry whereas that very night his Soul was required of him but let us daily pray with holy David Ps 39.5 Lord let me know my end and the number of my days that I may be certified how long I have to live and let us not neglact that wholsom Admonition of our Saviour who saith Mat. 24.46 Vsque ad fin Blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find watching Verily I say unto you that he shall make him Ruler over all his Goods But and if that Evil Servant shall say in his Heart My Lord delayeth his coming and shall begin to smite his fellow Servants and to eat and drink with the Drunken The Lord of that Servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for
him and in an hour that he is not a ware of And shall cut him asunder and appoint him his Portion with the Hypocrites There shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth but let us be wise and faithful Servants that are always ready expecting their Lord for we know not what hour he will come Mark 13.35 whether at even or at midnight or at the Cock crowing or in the morning Least coming suddenly he find us sleeping and unprepared for him St. Augustin tells us In quo enim quemque invenerit suus novissimus dies in hoc eum comprehendit mundi novissimus dies St. Augustin cap. 11.3 that in what ever condition our last day leaves us in the same state will the last day of the World find us For as a Man dies in the one so in the other he shall be judged To this purpose that saying in Ecclesiastes is usually applied if the Tree fall toward the South or toward the North in the place where the Tree falleth Com. Sup. Eccl. cap. 11. there it shall be This St. Hierom thus interprets that as a Tree certainly lies which way soever it salls so when thou art cut off by the stroke of Death thou shalt always remain such whether your last Moment found you Cruel and Unmerciful or Meek and Charitable Could any one tell for certain that he had but one day more to live and evidently knew that he must die to Morrow surely such a Man were extreamly wicked if he could not Abstain from sin for so short a Season and should not employ all that little space of Life in the Exercises of Piety and Virtue when as that Judgment which is passed on us at our Death shall most assuredly always remain firm and unalterable And who is there can warrant himself to morrow Who is there that knows as a thing sure and undoubted that he hath another day nay another hour to live O Man whosoever thou art there will come an Evening whole Morning or a Morning whose Evening thou shalt never see and whether this may not be to day or to morrow thou knowest not So that they are without all manner of reason who are not afraid to defile themselves with deadly sins when they know not whether they shall be allowed the space of one hour of one moment to bewail their Crimes and beg pardon for them at the hands of God God hath indeed promised Pardon to the Penitent but he hath never promised to the Sinner any portion of the time to come Make no tarrying therefore to turn unto the Lord and put not off from day to day for suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord come forth Eccl. 5.8 and in thy security thou shalt be destroyed and perish in the day of vengeance This the wiser Heathen well understood insomuch that 't is a shame Christians should be out done by them in this matter For thus Seneca speaks Qui ut bonus sit in senectutem differt apertè astendit se nolle virtuti dare nisi tempus ad alia omnia inidoneum Et alibi Audies plerosque dicentes a quinquagesimo in otium secedam sexagesimus annus ab officiis me dimittet Et quem tandem longioris vitae praedem accipts Quis ita sicuti disponis irae patietur Non pudet te ad reliquias vitae te tibi reservare id selum tempus bonae menti destinare qued in nullam rem conferri possit Quum serum est tunc vivere incipere cum desnendum est Quae tam stulta mortalitatis eblivio in quinquagesitnnm sexagesimum annum differre sana consilia inde velle vitam inchoare quo pauci perduxerunt Seneca de Brev. vitae He who desers being good till old Age shows plainly that he is loath to give up himself to Virtue until he is fit for nothing else And in an other place you shall hear almost every one saying after fifty I shall be at leasure when I am threescore years Old I shall be free from all Offices but what Security have you now for a longer life Who will undertake for you that all things shall go just as you have order'd them are you not asham'd to reserve your self the reliques of your life for your own good and set a part that time only for wisdom and goodness which is worth nothing How late is it then to begin your life when you must be forced to leave it how foolish a forgetfulness of your mortality is it to put off all good counsel till you are fifty or threescore years old and to begin to live at an age to which few arrive What penance it is to leave your Harlots when you are forced to leave them whether you will or no to begin to be temperate when you can no longer taste what you eat or what you drink To this purpose saith St. Maledictus qui florem juventutis diabolo foces Senectutis DEO consecrat Augustin discreetly Cursed be he that dedicates the flour of his youth to the Devil and the dregs of old age to God When once the last moment of our Life is past there is then no longer time for repentance and in a little time a Man will be made sensible of that State which can never be alter'd to all Eternity therefore whatsoever thou takest in hand remember the end Eccl. 7. ult and thou shalt never do amiss Let us then every moment be ready to receive the summons of death by preparing our selves for it whilst we are in our health It is a very unseasonable time to begin to fit our selves for another World when we are just on the confines of death and are strugling with the agonies of it for then the lively powers both of mind and body languish and decay then the man is so distracted with pains and other grievances which his sickness occasions that he can never seriously apply himself to die well nay many times a frenzy seizes on the sick person and on a sudden deprives him of the use of all his reason we often see that even good men cannot list up their thoughts unto God as they ought when an acute pain in their teeth or eyes or ears or any other part troubles them but their whole mind is carried thither where their grief is Now if this happens to good men when the disease is not dangerous what can we think shall befal those who never had any serious thoughts of God who know not how to search out or confess their sins who can scarcely tell what repentance means how will they be tormented when the pangs of death are upon them to consider that they are now leaving their dear Wife and Children and that all their riches which they have hoarded up with so much care will now stand them in no stead What madness then is it to defer a business of such weighty consequence on which our eternal salvation depends
to so improper so unfit a time it is rightly said that late repentance seldom happens to be true and serious and God by a just judgment oftentimes disregards those when they are dying who thought it grievous to remember God when they were well in health Of these the Divine Wisdom thus speaks Prov. 1.24 c. Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded but ye have set at nought all my counsel and would none of my reproof I also will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh when your fear cometh as desolation when distress and anguish comeâ—h upon you Then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not find me For that they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord they would none of my counsel they despised all my reproof The Prayer O Most infinite Wisdom thy thoughts are not like our thoughts since then it did not please thee to reveal unto us the hour of our death grant that I may be always prepared for an happy departure hence that at thy coming I may be found watching and ready let not the hour of death surprize me in my sins and let me never spend one day without true repentance Inliven my Soul to be perpetually aspiring after thee and loving thee that so all things that happen to me may work together for good and nothing may be able to separate me from the love of Christ Jesus thy Son our Lord Amen CHAP. IX That Death is not to be fear'd SInce then it is certain that all must die that life is short and the hour of death is uncertain and that therefore it becomes us to be every moment prepared for an happy departure hence unless we will run the hazard of losing our Souls for ever the devout Christian therefore may prepare himself to die well if in the second place he learns not to fear death This then is the second head of those general and daily preparations for a blessed death that we bear the thoughts of death with a couragious mind and that we never be captivated with the false pleasures of life and the fond desire after earthly things for the pleasures of life and the blandishments of this World are chiefly to be reckon'd amongst those things which make death most bitter and formidable to us We know no union more close than that of Soul and Body so that nothing can appear more terrible than death which separates Soul and Body those two intimate companions moreover in this life there are many things we much value and which engage our affections to them such as are magnificent Buildings sumptuous Apparel Vessels of Gold and Silver Riches fruitful Fields delightful Gardens pleasant Vineyards Parents Children Wife and Friends of all which since death bereaves us 't is no wonder if we account it bitter Hence 't is said in Ecclesiasticus Cap. 41.1 O death how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that liveth at rest in his possessions unto the man that hath nothing to vex him and that hath prosperity in all things But now a diligent consideration of the miseries and troubles of this life of which we shall speak by and by and of the joys of eternal life of which we have before treated will soon root out of our hearts all fondness and complacency for earthly things for these pleasures are false and counterfeit and under the sweet lies gall and bitterness This made Solomon the wisest of Kings who wanted nothing this Wotld could afford to make his life happy upon his own experience say that all things under the Sun are vain and empty Vanity of Vanities Eccl. 1.2 all is Vanity In this World we live like Strangers and Pilgrims why then do we not desire to return into our own Countrey what ever we leave behind us here shall there be recompenced with far more Excellent and Transcendent Rewards Thus our Saviour adviseth us Mat. 6.19 Lay not up for your selves treasures upon Earth where moth and rust doth corrupt and where thieves break through and steal But lay up for your selves treasures in Heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break through nor steal Altho' many things here are pleasant and grateful to us yet compar'd to Eternal Life they are nothing to be accounted off when we die we do not lose all those faithful Servants of Christ which were here so dear to us they will follow a little after When we die we are gather'd to our people and go unto our Fathers and we shall there have the acquaintance of more and far better Friends Angels and Archangels without number Dan. 7.10 for thousand thousands minister unto God and ten thousand times ten thousand stand before him what an unspeakable joy will it be to have a familiar conversation with the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs and all the faithful Servants of Christ And as the pleasures of this life are as nothing if they be weighed in an even ballance with the glories of immortality to which we pass by the gate of death so also death it self is not to be feared by us for though it is called the most terrible of all evils because it separates those two intimate Friends Soul and Body and delivers up the Body which was here so tenderly beloved and provided for to be eaten up by Worms though death consider'd in it self be the punishment of sin and befalls us by the Divine Malediction and though death be to be dreaded by one who is involved in a multiplicity of worldly business and is not provided for his departure out of this life and so is very doubtful of his future state yet forasmuch as by the death of Christ it is made the way and passage to eternal life to a good man who is prepared for an happy death it is not at all to be fear'd that the day of death is better than the day of ones birth Eccl. 7. â— For when we are born we enter into this World which is a scene full of miseries and calamities but when we die we leave them all and are translated into that other blessed life which is replenish'd with all kinds of felicities We are first of all in this World subjected to the slavery of our corruptions and original Sin whilst afterwards the seeds of many lusts spring up in us infidelity ambition covetousness hatred envy uncleanness and such like thus St. Paul complains that he was sold under sin Rom. 7.14 This is the height of misery and to a man enflamed with a desire after an holy life and in whose breast one spark of piety remains nothing can happen more grievous than the corruptions of the flesh of this the Apostle farther complains Ibid. v. 18. I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no
heart for with thee there is mercy and plenteous redemption To thee then O thou Son of God and my Saviour I fly for succour Thou camest into the World to save sinners thou hast called unto thee all that are weary and heavy laden and hast promised to give them rest and ease Behold I come unto thee bowed together with the weight of my sins O do thou lift me up for thou art the Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the World thou didest that all that believe in thee should not perish but have everlasting life Lord Jesu I believe in thee O pity and help my infirmities Amen CHAP. XIII That we must live Holily BUT it is not enough barely to know that Christ died for sin Since the Devils are not ignorant of this mere knowledge which puffeth up 1 Cor. 8.1 is one thing and a vain boasting of Faith is another and a true lively Faith is another which as by an inward formal Act it receives and apprehends Christ with all his benefits to Justification Gal. 5.6 so also outwardly it worketh by love And therefore Christ having redeemed us from the hands of our Enemies we ought to serve him in Righteousness and Holiness all the days of our life To this purpose St. Paul exhorts us 2 Cor. 5.15 That Christ died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again For the grace of God that bringeth Salvation Tit. 2.11 hath appeared to all Men Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly Lusts vers 12. we should live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World vers 13. Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Who gave himself for us vers 14. that he might Redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar People zealous of good works All they therefore that think to have their sins remitted whilst they go on in their wickedness deceive themselves and make a mock at the Merits of Christ and may so fall away Heb. 6.6 as even to Crucifie unto themselves the Son of God afresh Heb. 10.29 and put him to an open shame And account the blood of the Covenant wherewith they were Sanctified an unholy thing and do despight unto the spirit of grace For since Christ hath redeemed us from the Slavery of Satan and restored us again to our former liberty it is very fitting that we should lead a new life bid farewel to all iniquity and serve God with a pure heart fervently Now this restoring Man to his pristine state in which God at first created him and from whence by sin he fell is in holy Writ called a Renovation Or a new Creature For so says the Apostle Eph. 4.22 23 c. Put off concerning the former Conversation the old Man which is corrupt according to the deceitful Lusts And be renewed in the Spirit of your mind and put on the new Man which after God is Created in Righteousness in true Holiness Wherefore putting away lying speak every Man truth with his Neighbour for we are members one of another Be ye angry and sin not let not the Sun go down upon your wrath Neither give place to the Devil Let him that stole steal no more but rather let him labour working with his hands the thing which is good that he may have to give to him that needeth Let no corrupt Communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace unto the Hearers And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of Redemption Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all Malice And be ye kind one to another tender-hearted forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you And a little after Eph. 5.3 But Fornication and all Vncleanness or Covetousness let it not be once named amongst you Although it plainly appears from this Exhortation of the Apostle what a Regenerate Man whose sins are pardon'd is to do and what he is to avoid yet we may briefly comprize the whole exercise of Godliness under these two Heads viz. the love of God and of our Neighbour This is the Sum of all the Commandments as our Saviour himself teaches us Mat. 22.37 Luke 10.27 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and with all thy Soul and with all thy Strength and with all thy Mind and thy Neighbour as thy self The Prayer O Merciful Father who in thy Son Jesus Christ hast pardoned all my sins what shall I render unto thee for all the Benefits which thou hast bestowed on me Grant that I may delight my self in thy Commandments that I may not love the World nor the things in it but may Crucifie my flesh with its Affections and Lusts guide me with thy Holy Spirit that I may daily persevere in true Repentance may war a good warfare keep Faith and a good Conscience and increase more and more in Righteousness and Holiness working that which is well pleasing in thy sight And for as much as of my self I am not able to do any good thing do thou O Lord who givest both to will and to do perfect that good work which thou hast begun in me and bring it to an Happy Issue and keep me in all my ways that I depart not from thy Statutes Lead me in the paths of thy Commandments Thy word is a Lanthern unto my Feet and a light unto my paths Order my steps in thy word and let not any iniquity have Dominion over me Ps 119.133 CHAP. XIV That God is to be loved above all things FOR as much as God at first created us Christ by his Death redeemed us from eternal Death and the Holy Spirit sanctifies us and leads us to everlasting life therefore are we to love God above all things whatever Love naturally desires what is good and excellent and what any one loves that he always esteems best most profitable and beautiful now there is nothing can be suppos'd better and more beautiful than God and therefore he is to be loved above all things This is the first Commandment Exod. 20.3 Thou shalt have no other Gods before me Deut. 5.7.6.4 Mar. 12.29 And hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine Heart and with all thy Soul and with all thy Might He who loves God above all things hath no other Gods but who ever loves any thing more than God he makes that his God for he prefers it before God and sets it up as an Idol in his Heart Therefore a Christian is to despise all things in respect of God how great and profitable how beautiful and
Lusts and Desires of the Flesh and to hinder us from treating it with softness and delicacy let us often consider that a little while hence our Bodies will become stinking Carkases For what is our Flesh how finely soever it be treated and cloathed and fed and pampered but food for Worms Luxury chiefly comprehends Lust and Drunkenness Against Lust a Christian ought diligently to fortifie himself The prize of Chastity is of all the most difficult the Conflict is perpetual but the Victory rare Remember therefore what St. Paul says Flee Fornication 2 Cor. 6.18 every sin that a Man doth is without the Body but he that committeth Fornication sinneth against his own Body Our Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost the Tabernacle into which is received the Holy Body and Blood of Christ Take therefore the Advice of Ecclesiasticus Cap. 9. v. 7 8. Look not round about thee in the Streets of the City neither wander thou in the Solitary places thereof Turn away thine Eye from a Beautiful Woman and look not upon anothers Beauty Drunkenness which is the other part of Luxury is amongst other Vices more especially to be avoided because now a days it is by many thought no sin but rather accounted praise-worthy although there be no plague more dangerous to Christianity and nothing more severely forbid than this Isa 5.12 For the Drunkard regardeth not the work of the Lord neither considers the operations of his Hands 1 Cor. 6.10 Drunkards shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Wine and Drunkenness captivates the Heart of Man so that the Holy Spirit will no longer reside in him It is very dangerous even to be once Drunk For our Saviour adviseth us to take heed to our selves least at any time our Hearts be overcharged with Surfeiting and Brunkenness but to be sober and to watch unto Prayer because the hour is uncertain when the Son of Man will come we therefore ought always to keep our selves free from this sin because we must appear before the Tribunal of Christ in the same state as we were in at the hour of Death let every one therefore consider what a terrible thing it would be for a Man whilst he is Drunk to be taken on a sudden out of the Land of the living by some unexpected fall by the Sword or some other Violence or by a fit of an Apoplexy and withal let Drunkards consider how many poor Christians there are in the World who would think themselves happy if they might have their fill of Bread and small Drink whilst they so unjustly and lavishly wast the pretious gifts of God let them beware least at last it happens to them as it did to that Rich Glutton who when he had fared Sumptuously every day and denied poor Lazarus the crums that fell from his Table he was buried in Hell where not so much as a drop of water would be allowed him to cool his Tongue in those infernal flames And because Idleness administers the greatest fuel to Luxury therefore more especially avoid idleness Be always intent about something or other Meditate Read Write Pray Work or follow diligently the business of your particular Callings and by these means the love of Pleasures will be more easily damp'd and exstinguished Another sin we are to arm ourselves against is Envy which is a divelish Vice and according to some was the cause of Satans fall and which made him endeavour the overthrow of Mankind Against this let us consider that all the good things we enjoy are not from our selves but are dispenced and distributed amongst us by the great Lord of all as he sees best Why then O Man shouldst thine Eye be evil because he is good and kind to thy Neighbour It is rather thy Duty when thou seest all things succeed well with thy Neighbour to give thanks unto God and to think that thou art not worthy of such prosperity or that it would not be profitable unto thee Why shouldst thou envy another those things he possesseth without thy loss or hurt When as if he had them not thou wouldst not have them Is it not a property of the Devil when thou art by the just Judgment of God under any Misery or Trouble to wish that others were miserable also Lastly consider what good envy doth most certainly thou canst not by it transfer thy Neighbours goods unto thy self Thou hurtest thy self only whilst thou breakest thy Heart with Vexation and Languish thou art only thy own Tormentor and Executioner After all the most present Remedy for Envy is to be Humble to avoid Pride and Covetousness from whence Envy generally proceeds For whoever lives contented with his own condition never envies the Honours and Riches of other Men. And to name no more the Christian ought to fortifie his mind against Anger Enmity and Hatred Slandering and false accusation by considering that all the while a Man is out of Charity with his Neighbour so long he is unacceptable to God insomuch that such an one under the Old Testament could offer no Sacrifice to God and under the New cannot say that Prayer which our Lord hath taught us For thus our Saviour Admonisheth us Mat. 5.23 24. If thou bring thy gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy Brother hath ought against thee leave there thy gift and go thy way first be reconciled to thy Brother and then come and offer thy gift And in the Lords Prayer we Pray Mat. 6.12 Forgive us our Debts as we forgive our Debtors which is farther enforced at the end of the Prayer by this reason for if ye forgive Men their Trespasses your Heavenly Father will also forgive you vers 14 15. But if ye forgive not Men their Trespasses neither will your Father forgive you Let us also reflect on those severe words of our Saviour Mat. 5.22 But I say unto you that whosoever is angry with his Brother without a cause shall be in danger of the Judgment and whosoever shall say to his Brother Raca shall be in danger of the Council but whosoever shall say thou fool shall be in danger of Hell fire and in another place Luk. 6.27 Love your Enemies do good to them which hate you verse 28. Bless them that Curse you and pray for them which despitefully use you verse 31. And as ye would that Men should do unto you do ye also to them likewise verse 32. for if ye love them which love you what thank have ye For sinners also love those that love them verse 35. But love ye your Enemies and do good and your reward shall be great and ye shall be the Children of the Highest for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil verse 36. Be ye therefore merciful as your Father also is merciful verse 37. Judg not and ye shall not be Judged Condemn not and ye shall not be Condemned Forgive and ye
speak of God or Holy things do it reverently and discreetly and take not the name of God in vain speak ill of no body neither maliciously slander any person whatever And then as to your Life and Conversation commit your ways unto God and whatever you take in hand begin it in his Name and do all to the glory of God What ever you are about to do think first whether you would approve of it if another did it For why should you do your self what you would not like in another What ever you hear and see another speak or do that is good and praise-worthy do you endeavour to imitate it But if you observe any one to do things for which he deserves to be blam'd beware least you do the like Moreover consider whether you can give a good account of what you are going to do before the great Judge at the last Day Your own Conscience will be a better Judge of your Actions than all the World and although Men are ignorant of what you do yet remember that God sees you and that you can do nothing so privately but your own Conscience will be a Witness and a Judge of it In the duties of your calling trust in God nor ever attempt to discharge them by unlawful means which God hath forbidden Never think any thing gainful or expedient which may in the least hinder the Salvation of your Soul Do what is right and just and never prefer the praise of Men before the favour of God if God be gracious to you be not concern'd though the World hate you In short let this be your constant rule to direct all your actions to the glory of God and to the good and profit of your Neighbour so that whatever offends against this forbear it however goodly and specious it may appear In all your Conversation behave your self as becomes a faithful Servant that you may one day hear that joyful voice of God Mat. 25.21 Well done thou good and faithful Servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make thee Ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. When you are about to eat or drink pray for Gods Blessing on it that it may succeed to the health of your Body and take so much as may suffice for the satisfying of your hunger and thirst after you have done render thanks unto God for all his gifts and graces bestowed on you and desire his blessing may go along with them And when your Body is full take care that your Soul be not empty but beg that it may be replenish'd with the Grace of God All the day long whatever your Employment be lift up your Heart unto God in frequent and short Ejaculations rendring him thanks for all his benefits and commending you and yours to his Protection and Governance On Holy-Days or any others appointed by the Church for Prayers or hearing Gods Word let no business ever detain you from joyning your Prayers with those of the Congregation for the obtaining publick and private Blessings from God since our Saviour hath promised his gracious presence where two or three are gathered together in his Name It is also requisite towards our dying Happily that we frequently receive the Holy Supper of our Lord that amongst other Fruits of this Divine Banquet we may be Admonished of our Union with Christ and so be fortified against the fears of Death for altho' our Bodies putrifying in the Grave or be any other ways dissolv'd yet is there no danger of our being separated from Christ with whom we are made one by the Bond of the Holy Spirit but when we are dead we still remain united to him both in Body and Soul and in the last day when our Bodies shall be again joyned unto our Souls they will arise unto Eternal Glory for it is not possible that our Bodies should remain in their Graves when they are united to the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ Moreover for as much as none can be certain of the hour of their Death nor promise themselves to morrow and that on our last hour depends our Eternal State and that after Death we shall be translated either to the joys of Heaven or to the everlasting Torments of Hell it is therefore our great concern to be always thinking of that hour on which depends our Eternal Happiness or Misery He is a prudent Man who thinks that every hour may be the last hour of his life Such a one will not easily fall into notorious sins but will use the things of this life thriftily and look upon them as vain and transitory But this cannot be done without Gods assistance so that it will be very fitting as you regard your Eternal Salvation to pour out your Prayers unto God with Ardent affections for his direction and assistance in such a form as is at the end of this Chapter or any other that suits your Devotion When the day is finished before you go to sleep be sure you never omit to examine your own Conscience which judging of the Conscience being a thing so very useful was even by the Heathen much approv'd of so that it will be a shame for Christians to come behind them in the study of Vertue and will hereafter be very dangerous Pythagoras hath described this Examination of the Conscience in very elegant Verses the sense whereof is that at night before we compose our selves to rest we ought to call to mind the Actions of the day past and chiefly to enquire into three things what we have done what we have lest undone and wherein we have transgressed our Duty and as we find our actions to have been accordingly we are to behave our selves to be griev'd and displeas'd with our selves for what we have done amiss and to take delight in what we have done well This Examination of the Conscience Seneca did not omit even amongst the Noise and Distractions os the Court I use saith he this Authority Vâ—or hae pâ—testate quotidie apud â—e causam dico 〈◊〉 sublatum Conspeâ—â—e lumen est conticuâ—t uâ—â—◠〈…〉 conseta â—â—â—ium 〈…〉 sirutor facâ—â—◠〈…〉 remetiâ—r 〈…〉 semdo 〈…〉 enim 〈…〉 mels 〈…〉 cere vide ne 〈…〉 saclas nunc 〈…〉 Lib. 3. de 〈…〉 and daily plead my cause with my self when the light is withdrawn from my sight and my Wife is silent being now inured to this custom I examine with my self the whole day past and review all that I have said or done I hide nothing from my own Serutiny I pass by nothing for why should I fear any thing by reason of my Errors When as I can say see that thon doâ—t it no more and for this time I will pardon thee Much more necessary then will it be for thee O Chrisâ—â—an to recal to your mind every day what things you have done and compare them with what you did the day before when Evening comes to summon
your Conscience to Judgment to set in order the miscarriages of the day past to see what things you have omitted that you ought to have done what you are to do the day following and what you are to beware of Nor is this a business of small importance For although our sleep may be quiet and pleasing without it yet it can never be safe He only rests securely that is reconciled unto his God and hath adjusted his accounts with him so that whether he dies in the Night or awakens in the Morning he is sure to have God propitious to him But it is most impudent rashness most pernicious presumption to indulge your self in sleep whilst your Soul is defiled with guilt your Conscience wounded in the day by sin And not made sound again by Repentance For should death seize on you in your sleep before you are restor'd to Gods favour by Repentance whether will your Soul go they therefore very foolishly consult their own Welfare who spend the Evening in Drunkenness and Jollity and when they are satiated with Wine and Mirth and rest invites them they go the next way to their beds and are soon quite overcome with sleep Such precipitancy as this is most desperate madness If therefore you would have your sleep quiet and without fear first examine your own Conscience bring to your remembrance the Divine Favours if you have done any good that day rejoyce and give God the glory but if any evil bewail it beg Gods Pardon for your sins and firmly resolve to live better for the future But if you do not not daily follow this course and that not negligently but with care and diligence the same sins after divers months and years are past will still live and thrive in you Whereas on the contrary such an examination of the Conscience is a powerful incitement to vertue he who daily examins himself neither desires others praises nor stands in need of their Admonitions or Reprehensions He doth not seek aster the praise of Men but he hath the applauses of his own Conscience for saith the Apostle Our Rejoycing is this 2 Cor. 1.12 the Testimony of our Conscience And those Reprooâ—â— which he doth not hear from others he hath within from himself There is no one so cautions who doth not daily sometimes forget himself allowing himself too much liberty or falling into the snares of Passion Idleness or some other Vice Now in the Evening it is in his own power to recover his steps and again set himself free from the cruel Bondage of sin And thus every day reproving and correcting himself for his Errours he will at length utterly extirpate the whole Body of sin in him When ever you find your self to have transgressed for there is no Man that sinneth not if you have not time for more yet devoutly and from you heart say Lord be merciful to me a sinner Have mercy upon me O God after thy great goodness according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences But if you neglect this Examination and hush your Conscience to sleep whilst it is grieved and guilty of sin and out of favour with God you are ruin'd and for ever undone if this night should be your last and what security have you for your life one night longer Now he frees himself from these dangers who searches diligently into his own Soul before he betakes himself to rest endeavours to appease his offended God by a lively Faith and sincere Repentance through the Merits of our Saviour for should his Soul even that night be taken away from him yet would he die well and happily And more especially if by any Temptation you should be drawn aside to strife and contentions with your Neighbour do not suffer the Sun to go down upon your Wrath but be reconciled unto him and forgive him even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you Furthermore it is necessary before you go to sleep that you read some portion of the Holy Scriptures and then humbly return thanks to God for all the Mercies and Benefits of the day past and pray unto him that he would mercifully forgive you all your sins by which you have so grievously offended him that he would please to preserve you the following night from the power and wiles of Satan and from all perils and dangers of Soul and Body and with your self commend all yours and all faithful Christians to the protection of God When you put off your Cloaths bethink your self that the time will surely come and that for ought you know very speedily when you must for ever leave all things in this World Lastly When you lay you down in your bed let it put you in mind of your Grave in which your body is to sleep till the day of Judgment let your bed mind you of the Earth that is to cover you your Cloaths your Winding Sheet in which when dead you are to be wrapt and let your approaching sleep mind you of Death it self And as you desire to awake safe and in good health in the Morning so desire of God that you may joyfully arise our of your Grave at the last day and may with good assurance stand before the Throne of Christ our Judge and at last when you are going to sleep say I will lay me down in peace Ps 4. ult and take my rest for it is thou Lord only that makest me dwell in safety The Prayer O Eternal and most gracious God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hast been pleased mercifully to preserve me in safety to this present day and hast defended me from the violence of Satan let thy Holy Spirit direct and rule me in all my ways that I may know how frail I am how few and evil the days of the years of my life are that so I may apply my heart unto Wisdom Forgive me I beseech thee all the sins which from my Child-hood until now I have committed against thee by Thought Word and Deed and by omitting to do those good things which thou hast commanded me to perform Have mercy upon me O God according to thy loving kindness according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my Transgressions And enter not into Judgment with thy Servant O Lord for in thy sight shall no Man living be justified And grant O Lord that I may spend the remaining part of my time in working out my own Salvation with fear and trembling doing always such things as are well pleasing in thy sight O let the thoughts of death be continually in my mind O let the apprehensions of that strict account which I must make before thee at the last day deter me from Transgressing thy Laws that I may so spend every day and hour of my life as if they were the last I had to live Establish in me a full purpose of mind to direct all my Thoughts Words and Actions to the glory of thy
best done if instead of thinking any more on Death it self he rather transfers his thoughts and fixes them on the most Happy State of the Heavenly life to which he is hastning Apoc. 14.13 For Blessed are the Dead which die in the Lord they rest from their Labours and their Works follow them For although Death be the Wages of Sin yet by the Death of Christ it is changed into a happy passage to a true life by which being set loose from the Prison of this World from the Bondage of Trouble and from the Chains of sin we come unto Christ By the Dissolution of our Corporeal Tabernacle we are Translated from our Earthly Pilgrimage to dwell for ever with the Lord By Death we leave this valley of Tears this Dungeon of Misery and mount up to the Heavenly Jerusalem where there is no crying nor pain nor Death but perpetual Pleasures and rejoycing for evermore Hence the Apostle truly calls Death the gain of the godly for is it not great gain to leave evil things and to possess an infinite good The sick Person may perhaps be sad and melancholly when he thinks that he must now endure a great deal of pain and when he is dead must be left by all his Friends and Travel alone into an unknown Region but to confort him against this let him consider that he enjoys the presence of God and the Divine assistance according to Gods promise that the Blessed Angels will wait on him to Conduct his Soul to the Pallace of the Great King for they are all Ministring Spirits Heb. 1. ult sent forth to Minister unto those who shall be Heirs of Salvation That as no Body is born into the World by chance so doth no body die by chance neither but that Diseases and Death happen to us by Gods appointment And let him Meditate on such Texts of Scripture as these Thus saith the Lord Isa 43.1 â— when thou passest through the Waters I will be with thee and through the Rivers they shall not overflow thee When thou walkest through the fire thou shall not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee Call upon me in the day of Trouble Ps 50.15 I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me Though I walk through the Valley of the shaddow of Death I will fear no Evil Ps 23.4 for thou art with me Ps 43. ult Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me Hope in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my Countenance and my God Ps 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee And there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee vers 26. My Flesh and my Heart faileth but God is the strength of my Heart and my portion for ever vers 28. It is good for me to draw near to God I have put my Trust in the Lord God Mat. 10.29 vers 30. vers 31. Joh. 8.51 One Sparrow shall not fall to the ground without your Father and the very hairs of your Head are all numbred Fear ye not therefore Verily verily I say unto you if a Man keep my saying he shall never see Death That is not only he shall not see Eternal Death but also shall not feel the bitterness of the Temporal Death Rom. 8.31 2 Chr. 20.21 If God be for us who can be against us O our God we know not what to do but our Eyes are upon thee 2 Pet. 2.9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of Temptations Shall we receive good at the hand of God Job 2.10.1.21 Job 13.15 Job 19.25 and shall we not receive evil Blessed be the Name of the Lord. Though he slay me yet will I trust in him I know that my Redeemer liveth and though after my skin worms destroy this Body yet in my flesh shall I see God 1 Cor. 10.13 God is faithful who will not suffer you to be Tempted above that ye are able but will with the Temptation also make away to escape that ye may be able to bear it But suppose you should feel some of the cruel pangs of Death yet consider that they befal you by the Will of God to whom the very Hairs of our Head are known and without whose Pleasure nothing in the World happens That they are Tokens of Gods Favour rather than his Anger Heb. 12.6 for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth However these pains are very short and Momentary and by them we have admission into Eternal life Our Nativity is attended with Sorrow and Crying But the sharper these pangs are the sooner they will be over and then succeeds everlasting Joy and Gladness Rom. 8.18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us 2 Cor. 4.16 For which cause we faint not but though our outward Man perish vers 17. yet the inward Man is renewed day by day For our light affliction which is but for a Moment encreaseth for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory If we die with him we shall also live with him 2 Tim. 2.11 We must through much Tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God and the God of all grace 1. Pet. 5.10 who hath called us unto his Eternal glory by Christ Jesus after that ye have suffered a while will Establish Strengthen and Settle you Chronical Diseases may perhaps be troublesome and painful for some time yet all even the longest are but a moment in respect of Eternity Therefore wait on the Lord Ps 27.14 be of good courage and he shall strengthen thine Heart wait I say on the Lord For though he should seem to hide his face from thee for a Moment Isa 54.8 yet with everlasting kindness will he have Mercy on thee His anger may endure for a Moment Ps 30.5 but in his favour is life weeping may endure for a Night but joy cometh in the Morning If any should be concern'd least in the agony of Death their Ears should be deaf and their Senses fail them and so should be destitute of necessary Consolations let them remember that the Spirit it self will bear witness with our Spirits Rom. 8.16.26 that we are the Children of God Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered He is the true and only Comforter who when our Eyes are darkned inlightens our Heart when our Ears are shut will speak Consolation to our Souls Let them also attentively meditate on what our Saviour said a little before his Passion Now is the Prince of this World judged Joh. 16.11 that is he who brought Death into the World is overcome by my Death and condemned and is deprived