terrible as the wit and malice of men can possibly make it He can converse with his last enemy as one that hath lost his sting and power and so without the least fear or dismayedness of spirit None of these things move me sayes Paul neither count I my life dear unto my self that I may finish my course with joy His Afflictions did not move him did not terrifie him but if death should come what then Why that shall be welcom too saith he Acts 20.24 Who is afraid of a conquered enemy an enemy which a man seeth dead and slain in the field One that has all things ready for a dying hour he sees death to be a conquered enemy an enemy conquered by the death of Christ and so is carried above the fear of it 2. Hereby the soul is inabled in a holy manner to triumph over death and even to scorn and contemn it which is an higher Conquest still A man that has all things set right and well ordered in the matters of his soul he is not only carried above the fear of death but he rides in triumph over it as one that divideth the spoil He can with boldness and comfort challenge this last Enemy of his and even dare it to do its worst to him O Death where is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory saith the Apostle The sting of death is sin the strength of sin is the Law But thanks be to God who giveth us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15.55 56 57. As if he should say Death you talk of a Sting but where is it Grave you would threaten us with Victory and overthrow but do your worst conquer us if you can As a man that has disarmed his Enemy thrown him upon his back sayes to him O Sir where is your Sword Where is your Pistol Where is the execution you threatned Do your worst 3. Hereby the Soul comes to be able solemnly to choose and desire Death yea to exult and rejoyce in Death as that which of an Enemy is become a Friend and an in-let into all happiness to him So 2 Cor. 5.5 6 8. Now he that hath wrought us for the self-same thing is God who hath also so given unto us the earnest of his Spirit Therefore we are alwayes confident knowing that whilest we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord We are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. So Phil. 1.22 23. But if I live in the flesh this is the fruit of my Labour yet what I shall choose I wot not for I am in a strait betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better Mark he desires Death he chooses Death as that which is a Friend to him and an in-let into his happiness Such an one can say as I have read a German Divine did when dying I am ready sayes he and desire to be gone out of this life in which all things are not only full of miseries and calamities but which is to be lamented all things are full fraught with sins I say I desire to pass into that life in which there is no sin no misery Yea more such an one can exult and rejoyce in death Luke 2.29 30. Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes have seen thy salvation They are words of joy and exultation in the sight of Death's approach The Child of some tender and indulgent Father being abroad at sojourn and seeing a Messenger come from his Father to fetch him home how does he exult and rejoyce O sayes he my Father has sent for me home now I must go to live with my Father to eat and drink at my Father's Table to live in my Father's presence enjoy my Father's love and counsels and this he rejoyces in and exultingly embraces the Messenger 'T is the very case here the soul having all things ready all things set right within when Death comes 't is but as a Messenger to him to fetch him home to his Father's house which he can welcome and embrace with joy O sayes he my Father has sent for me home home to Heaven there to live immediately in his presence and upon his fulness and now I shall be for ever with my Father now I shall for ever feast my Soul with my Father's love and the constant views of my Father's face now I shall see him face to face whom here I could never see but through a glass darkly now I shall see and be for ever in the embraces of my sweet Lord my Lord that bled for me that died for that trod the Wine-press alone for me Now shall I enter into the glorious liberty of the Children of God I have hitherto been in bondage in bondage to Satan in bondage to my own heart which has all along wretchedly imposed upon me but now I shall enter upon the glorious liberty of the Children of God Now I shall partake of the Inheritance of the Saints in light Now I shall bathe my soul in the Chrystal streams of undefiled pleasures running fresh along the banks of Eternity at my Father's right hand Now I shall spend a whole Eternity in Praises Doxologies and Hallelujah's to God and the Lamb Now I shall have all my spots and wrinkles my sins and sorrows done away at once Now shall I sigh no more and which is infinitely better I shall sin no more for ever no more complain of dark visions and short visits from God no more complain of distances and alienation between him and my Soul for ever There shall be no more interruption of communion with my sweet Saviour but I shall stand in his presence and behold his face for evermore In a word hereby death the King of Terrors becomes the King of Comforts to the Soul and a man comes to die both happily and comfortably Some men die neither happily nor comfortably and such is the case of all who die out of Christ they die in their sins they die to be damned for ever Some die happily but not comfortably such is the case of poor Christians dying under dissertion whose Sun sets in a Cloud they die in the dark not knowing what shall become of their Souls to Eternity which yet go safe to Heaven being built upon the Rock of Ages the Lord Jesus Christ Some die both happily and comfortably such is the case of all those who have all things set right between God and them all things ready and in order before a dying hour comes Some die presumptuously thinking all is right and well in the matters of their souls when indeed nothing is so that is sad for Eternity The Lord deliver your souls and mine from such an Exit Some die tremblingly or doubtingly not knowing how things are with them whether well or ill but they fear ill that
I am not As the Cloud is consumed and vanisheth away so he that goeth down to the Grave shall come up no more He shall return no more to his House and his place shall know him no more Again Job 10.20 21. Are not my dayes few Cease then and let me alone that I may take comfort a little before I go whence I shall not return even into the Land of darkness and the shadow of death And again Ch. 16.22 When a few dayes are come then shall I go the way whence I shall not return All shewing that when a man is once gone off the Stage of this World there is no return for him any more Second Proposition is this That such is the state of men and women under death that there is nothing to be done for their souls there is nothing to be mended that is amiss nothing to be set in order that shall be found out of order Death my beloved is not the time of working but of receiving the reward of our work Death leaves us under an utter and eternal impossibility of ever doing any thing for another World Therefore whatever thine hand findeth to do saith Solomon do it with al thy might for there is no work nor counsel in the Grave whither thou goest Eccles 9.10 And I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day because the night cometh when no man can work saith Christ John 9.4 Death is a state of darkness and it deprives us of all helps advantages and opportunities of ever doing any thing for the good of our souls There is no repenting no believing no turning to God in the Grave There is no assuring pardon of sin no getting an Interest in Christ no making our Calling and Election sure there O no these things must be done now or they can never be done and if they be never done our souls are for ever undone 'T was an Epicurean saying of him who said Eat drink play for after death there is no pleasure but it would be a Christian saying to say to you and my own soul love God pray to him seek his face repent believe make sure of Christ for after death none of these are to be done They must be done here or never Third Proposition is this That such is the state of men and women under death that the Soul is actually and irreversibly stated and concluded in his eternal condition The Souls eternal state is absolutely fix'd and unchangeably determined without any alteration for ever 'T is an observation among the School-men that look what befel the Angels that sinned that in death befalls wicked men those that are not ready for a dying hour The Angels immediately upon their sinning were stated in an irreversible condition of wo and misery And wicked men unready souls immediately upon death are irreversibly stated in a like eternal condition they are eternally sealed up under damnation And the Devils may as soon get out of those Chains of eternal darkness whereinto they are cast and in which they are locked up being reserved unto Judgment as such persons can change or reverse that condition The truth is death when ever ot where ever it comes is a determining thing it concludes the soul for ever under an unalterable state of life or death of happiness or misery for as the Tree falls so it lies Eccl. 11.3 Hence in death the Spirit the soul is said to return to God Eccl. 12.7 Upon which a learned man has this observation God saith he receives the Soul of Man when he dies to himself and having received it he delivers it either to the Holy Angels that by them it might be carried to Heaven if it hath been holy and good or he delivers it to the evil Angels by them to be dragged into Hell if it hath been ungodly Hence the Apostle tells us after death comes judgment Heb. 9.27 By which is meant the particular Judgment of every man and woman immediately upon death which is nothing else but the stating of the soul in an eternal condition Hence also when Dives is brought in desiring that Lazarus might dip the tip of his finger in water to cool his tongue answer is made that it cannot be for as much as there is no going for any either from Hell to Heaven or from Heaven to Hell because there is a Gulph fixed Luke 16.26 Noting the unalterableness of that state which Death sets men down in whether of happiness or misery Well then if such be the state of men and women under death as we have heard then surely 't is highly our concernment to have all ready all in order against a dying hour comes Having given you thus briefly the demonstration of the point I shall make some practical improvement of it CHAP. V. Wherein sinners are convinced of their sin and folly in their neglect of this concern with six weighty Pleas or Arguments to set home this Conviction and awaken them to their work ANd is this indeed a concern of so much weight and moment to us Then how great is their folly and what enemies are they to their own souls who live in the neglect of this great business and concern which the most of men do God is pleased to spare yeâ— wonderfully to spare them for dayes for weeks for months for years together and that for this very end that they should make themselves ready and set all right in the matters of their souls against a dying hour comes but woe and alas for them This they mind not this they concern not themselves about but do live in a total neglect thereof than which what greater folly can they be guilty of Pray mind what God himself speaks in this case Deut. 32.28 29. Where he saith concerning Israel they were a Nation void of counsel nor was there any understanding in them And what then O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end Observe here two things attested and verified by God himself First that 't is a point of the highest wisdom the Sons of men are capable of seriously to consider their latter end that is to prepare for death to set all things right in the matters of their souls so as that things may issue well with them at last and they may go off the Stage of this World with comfort Secondly that not to do this is a point of the greatest folly It doth evidently argue men to be void of counsel and all true understanding It would have been their wisdom to have considered their latter end and their not doing of it argued them to be guilty of notorious folly These things you may see God himself attests and verifies here And my Beloved what greater folly can there be than for a man to live in the neglect of that which is of so much weight and importance for him to mind as this is Surely the greater the concern
and expectation whereof has the directest tender 〈◊〉 in it to wean and loosen the heart from all things here below And indeed as St. Bernard hath it he easily contemns all things here who looks upon himself as dying daily 3. It will conduce much to the engaging the heart to Heaven and the things of Heaven to a serious pursuit of a blessed Eternity So we find Heb. 11.13 c. Those all dyed in the Faith saith the Apostle not having received the Promises but having seen them afar off and were perswaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were Strangers and Pilgrims on the earth that is they were apprehensive they had but a little time to stay here And what then They desire a better Countrey that is an Heavenly the apprehension they had of their departure hence quickned them unto earnest desires and pursuits after the better Countrey the Heavenly Land And indeed one great reason why we breath no more and press no more after Heaven and a blessed Eternity is because we so seldom remember these dayes of darkness 4. It will conduce much to the quickning of the Heart to Duty and to diligence and faithfulness therein Christ himself made use of it for this end I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day the night cometh when no man can work Jo. 9.4 Peter also that holy Apostle made use of it to that end I will not be negligent saith he to do so and so in the way of my Duty as knowing that shortly I shall put off this Tabernacle 2 Pet. 1.12 13 14. The consideration of the near approach of his death quickned him to his Work and Duty And the Scripture propounds it as that which has a tendency to this thing Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with all thy might saith Solomon for there is no work nor counsel in the grave whither thou art going Eccl. 9.10 He propounds the consideration of our going to the Grave as a means to quicken us to our present Work By all which we see how much the serious remembrance of the dayes of darkness must needs contribute to our readiness and preparedness for these dayes Therefore be much in this work For my own part I have hardly found any one thing more quickning and engaging upon my Spirit than this And Souls I would beg you as you would live for ever think often of death 2. Would you indeed set all things right in your souls and make all ready for a dying hour Then be not fond of long life here in this World but rather covet to live as much as possible in a little time I would speak of each distinctly 1. Be not fond of long life here in this World A fond hope and desire of long life here is one of the greatest Enemies to a true preparation of Soul for our departure hence For pray observe take a man that is fond of long life here and all his thoughts and projects are for this World He is wholly taken up about and carried out after the concerns of Time scarce allowing himself one serious thought for Death and Eternity A sad instance you have hereof in the rich man Luke 12.19 he reckoned upon many years upon a long life here and what are the things he is taken up about verily the things of this world only the increase of his Goods and where to store his Treasures Fond hopes and desires of long life here will certainly produce great delays if not utter neglects in the great work and concern of your Souls and Eternity As ever therefore you would have all right and well in the concerns of your souls when you come to die be not fond of long life here but sit as loose in your thoughts hopes and desires both of this life and all the enjoyments of it as possibly you can And indeed my Beloved to reason it a little with you why should you be fond of long life here why should you covet a long stay in this world I would only plead with you in two things as to this 1. What is this world and what have we here that we should here covet a long stay is this world such a sweet such an amiable such a desirable thing it is an angry world a frowning world a dirty world a bewitching ensnaring world 'T is a waste howling Wilderness a strange Land an house of Bondage a troublesome tempestuous Sea an Aceldama a Field of Blood such I am sure 't is oftentimes to the poor Saints and people of God And what have we here Why here we have fears within and fightings without troubles on every side and from all hands from friends from enemies from men from devils here we have sorrows snares losses wounds deaths dangers temptations seductions disappointments vexation of spirit and truly little else is to be expected by us here except that which is worse than all this viz. dayly risings and ebolitions of lust violent eruptions of corruption great aboundings of sin and iniquity both in our selves and others continual breakings with God and departings from him renewing and increasing sin and guilt dayly Indeed this world is full of sin and temptation to sin 'T is as Augustin speaks of it tota tentatio all temptation and as it is all temptation so 't is little else but sin and why should we covet a long stay here Why saith one of the Ancients should we so much desire that life in which by how much the longer we live by so much the more we sin and the more numerous our days are the more numerous will our sins be who would desire to stay long in a Prison or a Dungeon in a state and place of sin and sorrow and such is this world 2. Is there not a better life a better place a better state for our souls to long and aspire after what do you think of the life above a whole Eternity spent in the Divine Presence in the bosom of Divine Love a life of love a life of pleasure a life of joy a life or admiration a life of holiness perfect and unspotted holiness a life every way correspondent to the Divine Life and the Divine Will is not this a better life to be with Christ is best of all Phil. 1.23 To possess a mansion in our Father's House prepared by our Lord and Head Jesus Christ for us to live for ever in the vision and fruition of Father Son and Spirit to dwell in the Heavenly City where no unclean thing can enter to joyn in with the glorious Host of Saints and Angels above and with them to spend a whole Eternity in Songs of Praise and Hallelujahs to God and the Lamb to take up all our waters at the Fountain head and indeed to dive and bathe unchangeably in the Fountain of all delights at the Father's right hand Oh how sweet is this life and how much to be desired by us
rebellion to obedience to God and his Laws the affections must be changed from earthliness to heavenliness from carnality to spirituality the Conversation must be changed from sin to holiness from vanity and loosness to strictness and seriousness in walking with God Oh how great must that change be that calls for so many and so great changes to sit and prepare us for it Thirdly it is such a change as though it do not put us out of being yet it puts us into a quite other manner of being than ever we yet had a change which sets us naked before the Tribunal of God to receive a definitive sentence of life or death from him a change which brings us into the immediate sight of God either as a gracious Father or as a revenging Judg a change which fully opens the eyes of the soul and makes him to see both grace and sin heaven and hell grace in its amiableness sin in its odiousness heaven in its glory and hell in its horrour for my Beloved whatever we are whether good or bad Saints or Sinners yet when we die our eyes will be fully opened to see these things we shall see unutterable things if we be good we shall see them with joy and exultation if we be bad we shall see them with anguish and confusion of soul Fourthly It is such a change as makes us capable of and actually puts us into unspeakably greater things either of happiness or misery comfort or confusion than ever here we knew or were capable of a change which in one moment in the twinkling of an eye carries the soul from small first fruits to the full vintage from a few drops to a bottomless boundless Ocean of either Happiness or vengeance Delight or Torment And withal there leaves him without any possibility of change or alteration for ever but that of its reunion with the body for it is such a change as leaves the state of the soul for ever unchangeable Oh then think much and often with your selves how great a change death will make with you certainly did men think and consider with themselves how great a change death will make with them when it comes they would not leave the matters of their souls in such disorders and discomposure in such an unready posture for it as they do Fourthly Would you indeed set all right in your Souls and make all ready for a dying hour then presently set upon Soul-work without admitting of the least delay or procrastination upon any account whatsoever delays and procrastinations in the work of our Souls and Eternity is the High-way to death and ruine what was it that ruined the foolish Virgins but their delays in this great work and their neglect of the great concerns of their soul till it was too late to mind them Mat. 25. begin Felix also was in a fair way and had a fair opportunity before him to have provided for another world but he delayed and his delay for ought we know was his ruine Acts 2.25 Truly the heart is very apt to delay and procrastinate Soul-work it is apt to cry out to morrow to morrow hence it is that the Scripture calls so often upon us for a speedy engaging in the work of our souls the Scripture saith now and to day now is the accepted time now is the day of salvation 2 Cor. 6.2 And to day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts Heb. 3.7 8. And if the Scripture saith now why shouldst thou talk of hereafter If the Scripture saith to day why shouldst thou talk of to morrow Austin confesseth this and withal tells us there is scarce any end of delays if once we give way to them I delayed saith he to be converted to God and put off my living to him from day to day And elsewhere he tells us that when God called upon him to awake to his work he returned nothing but a few sleepy words Anon Lord saith he anon bear with me a little but this anon and anon had no end and this bear with me a little went on a long way Take heed of this this hath been the ruine of thousands and ten thousands how many have been convinced that it is their duty and interest both to fall in with the work of God and their Souls to make preparation for another world but they have put it off till hereafter and satisfied their Consciences with resolutions hereafter to do so and so and have thus lost their season Oh fall presently without delay upon Soul-work and to quicken you a little hereunto consider four things First Consider the unreasonableness of delays no just Plea can be made nor true account given why you should delay your Soul-work one moment the Devil and a man 's own heart will make many Pleas but no just Plea can be made they will tell you it is too soon you are young and have time enough before you what need you engage so soon but is this a rational Plea Is it too soon to be saved too soon to be happy too soon to secure your eteraal interest is it too soon to lay hold on eternal life Is it too soon to know and enjoy God Is it too soon to be out of danger of perishing eternally Why truly it cannot be too soon for these things besides God calls for thy youth Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth Eccl. 12.1 And he greatly values the kindness of thy youth Jer. 2.2 Again they will suggest that such and such a business must be dispatched such a work done and carried off your hands and then you may attend this work Lord saith he to Christ I will follow thee but suffer me first to go bury my father and saith another Lord I will follow thee but first let me go and bid them farewell which are at home Luk. 9.57 61. But friends let me ask you if there be any business to be dispatched like the business of your Souls and Eternity is there any thing upon your hand that is of so much worth as your souls and of so much weight as Eternity is there any thing you are so nearly concerned to mind as that which is indeed the one thing necessary even the saving of your souls Oh the whole world is nothing to this and the greatest concernments on earth are but trifles to this concern Again they will tell you it is an inconvenient season and hereafter the work may be better done and minded by you than now it can which was Felix his case in the place before mentioned Acts 24.25 But hearken soul art thou sure of another season and art thou sure that that will be a more convenient season surely no if it be not convenient to day thou mayst fear it will be less convenient to morrow that Devil and deceitful heart that tells thee it is not convenient now will make provision that it shall be less convenient hereafter O therefore break through
that happiness for ever Therefore if you would have all things right all things ready indeed for a dying hour then labour for the exactest purity and holiness that possibly you can This is that which the Apostle aims at and prays for on the behalf of the Thessalonians as most conducing to the preparing of them for their latter end 1 Thes 3.12 13. And the Lord make you to abound and increase in love one towards another and towards all men even as we do towards you to the end he may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God even our Father at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ with all his Saints The posture he would have them to be in at the coming of Christ is the posture of unblamable holiness which indeed is the best and readiest posture The same thing he prays for in order to the same end in 1 Thes 5.23 And the very God of peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God that your whole spirit soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ This is that also which that other Apostle injoyns in order hereunto 2 Pet. 3.14 Be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless the more spotless and blameless we are in our spirits and ways the more ready we are for Death and Judgment O press after an eminency in holiness admitting of none no not the least taint or tincture of sin or sinful defilement upon any terms whatsoever unholy souls are unready souls they are unready for Death unready for Judgment unready for the future life and for men to talk of being ready for these and yet be unholy is the greatest folly in the world therefore labour for much purity and holiness First Labour for much purity and holiness in your lives and walkings this is what God indispensably calls for 1 Pet. 1.15 16. As he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation because it is written be ye holy for I am holy We should press after universal holiness there should be a vein and tincture of holiness run through all we do even our Civil as well as our Religious actions we should as near as possibly be dedicated and devoted to God and our Lives should be lives of walking with him they and they onely who walk with God while they live are those who will be found ready to live with God when they come to die As for all careless licentious ones let them never talk of being ready for death and the future life for they are at an utter distance from any such thing indeed ready they are but for what ready for Hell ready for the wrath of God ready for destruction but they are not at all ready for a blessed Eternity The Apostle weeps over such as being indeed thus ready Phil. 3.18 19. Many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are enemies to the Cross of Christ whose end is destruction whose God is their belly whose glory is their shame who mind earthly things Many there are who profess and hope well of themselves as to another life who yet are loose and carnal wicked and licentious in their lives and walkings they do not watch and keep their garments but wallow in the mire of their lusts and pollutions they stain their profession with foul gross and scandalous sins at least they live and allow themselves in some secret way and haunt of sinning indulging this and the other Lust But my Beloved these are far indeed from being ready for a dying hour and must expect to be cast off from God and Christ for ever Such were those Mat. 7.22 23. They came and cried Lord Lord came with their gifts parts and privileges but Christ sent them away with a depart from me ye workers of iniquity So in Jer. 7. and beginning we read of some that made profession of God and his ways and yet walked in sin and wallowed in all manner of abomination And what is the issue Verse the 15th saith God I will cast you out of my sight God will at last cast off all loose licentious walkers Psal 21.9 David prays thus Gather not my soul with sinners And truly if you would not be gathered with sinners at last you must not walk in sin with siners now and as for the Saints themselves so far as they let down their watch and neglect their walking with God so far as they give way to a loose vain heedless way of living so far they have things out of order with them and they are unready for a dying hour Behold I come as a Thief saith Christ blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his Garments lest he walk naked and they see his shame Rev. 16.15 So far as the Saints carry it unbecoming their high and holy Profession which is too too frequent with them so far they are short of that compleat readiness for Death and Eternity they should press after Secondly Labour for much purity and holiness in your hearts and affections we must be pure and holy within as well as without in our hearts and affctions as well as in our lives and walkings if we would have all right indeed for a dying hour Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord and who shall stand in his holy place The answer is He that hath clean hands and a pure heart Psal 24.3 4. And Christ expresly tells us Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Mat. 5.8 Indeed impure hearts are unfit to see God he is a pure and holy God nor may impure-hearted ones expect that blessed sight I remember a saying which I have read in one of the Ancients which I look upon to be a great saying Woe and alas O Lord saith he how preposterous is it how rash and unadvised how inordinate how remote from the rule of the Word of thy Truth and Wisdom for a man to desire to see God with an unclean heart Oh have a watchful eye upon your hearts and labour to keep them as free from any taint and tincture of sin as possibly you can First Be sure you suffer no lust to get up into the Throne where it is too too often found When sin is consented to by the Will the lust is on the Throne in the heart and indeed it is wonderful to think how soon one or another corruption will mount up into the Throne in the Soul if we let down our Watch but a little But oh take heed of this so far as any one lust whatsoever is predominant within us so far we are marvellous unready for a dying hour And not onely so but Secondly Watch narrowly against the very first risings and motions of sin within Nip Lust if possible in the very Bud and Blossom It is true this calls upon us to have a very curious eye upon our hearts
welcom is the Harbour to him especially after having been long toss'd and beaten with storms and tempests and how sweet will rest be to the poor troubled tempted labouring travelling Saint whose whole life has been little else but trouble labour and sore travel who here could scarce all his days find a resting place for the sole of his foot the world as to him being covered with a deluge 3. Death whenever it comes will turn your conflicts into victory this Aceldama or Field of blood for such is this world into a Mount of Triumph and a Throne of Glory What is this world but an Aceldama a Field of blood to the poor Saints Sure I am this life is little else but a perpetual war and conflict with lusts with devils with afflictions and with temptations hence 't is call'd a fight a warfare and the like and the enemies which they in this warfare have to grapple with are formidable enemies We wrestle not says the Apostle with flesh and blood but with Principalities and Powers and spiritual wickednesses Eph. 6.12 13. We wrestle not vvith flesh and blood that is vvith men or any thing that is frail and vveak no vve have more potent and formidable enemies to deal vvithal vve vvrestle and conflict vvith Devils vvho are potent subtile and indefatigable Enemies as Calvin observes upon the place which wound before they appear and kill before they are seen Enemies which deal not onely by force and power but who are dreadfully crafty and subtil yea enemies which have fiery darts to cast at us as afterwards he speaks and for my own part I think it vvere vvell for us over what it is if these vvere the vvorst enemies vve had to grapple and conflict withal but there are legions of lusts within which I look upon to be vvorse enemies vvhich vve do and must vvrestle vvith intestine enemies are in many respects the vvorst these war against our souls 1 Pet. 2.11 and vvere it not for these all the Devils in Hell could do us no hurt Thus this life is to the Saints a vvarfare a conflict and O the vvounds the bruises the bloodshed vvhich they are exposed unto in this War now their Peace and then their Grace now their Comforts and then their Consciences are sorely wounded and they lie a bleeding for days and weeks and months together yea sometimes like him that vvas travelling from Jerusalem to Jericho they are vvounded and left half dead and did not the good Samaritan pass by take compassion on them and pour in of his Wine and Oyl his Blood and Spirit into their vvounds they vvould soon be vvholly dead Well but now when Death comes that puts an end to this War and sets them all down upon a Throne of Triumph To him that overcometh says Christ will I grant to sit with me upon my Throne even as I also overcame and am sate down with my Father on his Throne Rev. 3.21 When death comes then you begin an eternal Triumph with Christ then the Palm vvill be put into your hands and you shall triumphingly cry Victory Victory for ever O how sweet vvill this be how sweet is the Victory to a Souldier that has been long and hard put to it in the Battel and indeed the harder the Battel the more glorious the Triumph 'T is a sweet and a great saying which I have read in Aug. to this purpose The Conquerour saith he triumphs and unless he had fought he had never conquered and by how much the greater his danger and difficulty was in the battel by so much the greater is his joy in the triumph O Sirs not only will death set you upon a Mount of Triumph but know for your encouragement the sharper your conflicts and warfare have been here the more glorious will your triumph be when Death shall set you upon the Throne 4. Death whenever it comes will change your bondage into liberty your spiritual thraldom into glorious freedom and is not this a kindness Poor soul one thing which here thou bleedest and groanest under is that spiritual bondage and thraldom which thou liest under And indeed this world is no other than a Prison a Dungeon an house of Bondage to thee the Land of thy Captivity Here thou liest in Chains and Fetters the Chains and Fetters of Sin and Guilt yea and the iron sometimes enters into my spirit Hence we read of the bondage of corruption which indeed is the forest bondage in the world a worse bondage ten thousand times than that which Israel groaned and sighed under in Egypt who yet were made to serve with rigour and whose lives were made bitter with hard bondage Exod. 1.13 14. Truly this lust and the other lust this corruption and the other corruption are as so many Egyptians cruel Task-masters which make thee serve with rigour and thy life bitter to thee with hard bondage and oh how dost thou groan and sigh under the bondage of a proud dead hard carnal unbelieving heart an heart bent to backsliding from God And indeed who that is sensible of it can but groan under it This drew that heavy groan from Paul and bitter out-cry Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am says he Why Paul what is the matter Oh says he I find a law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin and death I am by sin brought into captivity to sin and I have a body of sin and death lying heavy upon me heavier than a Mountain of Brass or Iron and who can but groan and as 't was with him so 't is with all the Saints in their measure Well but when death comes Sirs that will turn all this your boudage into liberty yea into the glorious liberty of the Children of God Rom. 8.21 that will turn again this your captivity And oh how sweet will that be You have some little tastes of this liberty here for where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3.7 and the tastes of it are sweet very sweet but O how sweet vvill the full enjoyment on 't be Paul breaks out into praises in the faith of it before-hand I thank God through Jesus Christ Rom. 7.25 O soul how should this make thee long for Death Can a Prison can an house of Bondage can a state of thraldom be pleasant to thee Canst thou be vvell-pleased to lie in chains and fetters of sin and guilt Shouldest thou not rather vvelcom that vvhich alone vvould vvork thy deliverance 5. Death whenever it comes will be the death of all your sins and the perfection of all your graces and will not that be a kindness Poor Saint how dost thou here bleed and groan under the sense of the life and vigour of thy sins on the one hand and of the weakness and imperfection of thy graces on the other hand yea how great are the conflicts and holy contentions of thy spirit to
kill and bring down the one and to quicken and perfect the other How dost thou with the holy Apostle of old forgetting those things which are behind follow after that thou mayst apprehend that for which also thou art apprehended of Christ Jesus pressing towards the mark c. Phil. 3.12 13 14. O the watchings the warrings the wrestlings of thy soul for more grace more holiness more victory over and cleansing from sin Oh the many prayers and tears sighs and groans that thou pourest out between God and thy soul in order hereunto These things are the business of thy life yea and after all sin is still strong and lively and grace is still weak and imperfect the sense of which breaks thy heart almost and makes thee go mourning all the day long What daily cleansing thy self and yet still unclean daily perfecting holiness yet still imperfect Oh hovv fad is this Well but Soul vvhen death comes things vvill be strangely alter'd vvith thee that vvill do that for thee in one moment vvhich thou by a vvhole life of prayers tears faith vvatching vvarring labouring couldst not do ' t vvill make thee perfect Hence those above are said to be so the spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12.23 then all that is imperfect will be done away and that which is prefect shall come 1 Cor. 13.10 perfect grace perfect holiness Novv there is much lacking in thy faith thy love thy obedience thy humility thy heavenliness thy joy and delight in God but death vvhen it comes vvill make up all in a moment yea novv thou art stained and defiled vvith sin and this lust and the other lust stirs and vvorks and vvars vvithin thee but vvhen death comes that vvill purge avvay all Death is the Saints only perfect cleanser through Christ Indeed 't is said of vvicked men and hypocrites that their iniquites shall lie down with them in the dust Job 20.11 vvhich is a dreadful vvord indeed Death does not kill their sins no they live in the grave they go vvith them into the other vvorld and vvill there live in them for ever vvhich vvill be a great part of their torment 't will be indeed however they may now think of it the one half of hell for vvhat is hell but sin at the highest and vvrath at the hottest but though it be thus vvith vvicked ones yet 't is otherwise vvith the Saints Death through the Grace of Christ vvill for ever put a period to your sin and perfect your graces Oh sweet vvho vvould not vvelcom death 6. Death vvhenever it comes vvill set thee above all afflictive distances between God Christ the Comforter and thee and vvill set down thy soul in the full constant and immediate vision and fruition of all for ever and is not this svveet Poor Saint here thou complainest that God is as a stranger to thee and as a way faring man that turneth aside to tarry but for a night Thou hast only novv and then a short visit from him Jer. 14.8 Thou complainest that thy Beloved withdraws himself and is gone Cant. 5.6 Thou complainest that the Comforter that should relieve thy soul is far from thee Lam. 1.18 thou complainest of many sad and woful distances from God and of the lowness of thy communion and well thou maist for indeed how little a portion is there here seen or enjoyed of him by thee well but when death comes that will lift thee above all those distances between God and thee Christ and thee and set thee down in the full constant and immediate vision and fruition of him for ever the thoughts of which made Paul and others to desire to be gone and to chuse death rather than life 2 Cor. 7.6 7 8. We are confident says he knowing that whilst we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord for we walk by faith not by sight we are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Pray observe Paul enjoyed as much of God and Christ here as most did and yet all that communion he enjoyed here he accounted as no communion to that which he should enjoy after death While we are present in the body says he that is while we live in this world we are absent from the Lord absent from God and Christ our communion here is but distance and estrangement so low and unconstant is it in comparison of what we know we shall enjoy after death and therefore says he we had rather be absent from the body we had rather be gone hence and be present with the Lord Death will bring us to anotherguess presence and enjoyment of God and Christ than here we shall ever be able to reach unto Alas all we enjoy of God and Christ here is but as an earnest so the Apostle speaks in the verse foregoing He that hath wrought us for this self-same thing is God who also hath given us the earnest of the spirit but when Death comes we shall enjoy the full inheritance all we enjoy here is but as the first-fruits we that have the first fruits of the spirit says the Apostle Rom. 8.23 but when death comes we shall have the full vintage full incomes of love full manifestations of light and life and glory fulness of joy and pleasure in the Divine Presence Psal 16.11 full embraces in Christs bosom full views of his face full visions of his glory Death when it comes will bring us to the Beatifical Vision which is all good and happiness in one Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Mat. 5.8 They do see God now they see him by Faith and those sights of him are sweet glorious soul-ravishing and transforming sights but after death they shall have other sights of him such sights of him as will even infinitely surpass all that ever they had or were capable of here Here they see him but through a glass darkly that is they have but low obscure mediate sights of him they see and enjoy but little of him but when death comes then they shall see him face to face that is fully clearly immediately 1 Cor. 12.12 The sum is as a learned man gives it us that in this life we have but low and slender sights and enjoyments of God in comparison of what we shall see know and enjoy of him in eternal life Glas Rhet. Here they see but his back parts as God said to Moses but when death comes they shall see his face that is his glory here they see him but negatively as it were what he is not but then they shall see him as he is 1 Joh. 3.2 we shall see him as he is in all his glorious excellencies and perfections In short they shall then have such sights and enjoyments of God and Christ as shall eternally fill delight solace satisfie and set at rest their souls for ever such sights and enjoyments as shall so