death by the help of thine heavenly Father thou maist raise upthy self so as to say with Job Job 13.15 Although the Lord kill me yet will I trust in him Ps 91.15 16. I am with him in trouble saith the Lord I will deliver him and honour him With long life will I satisfie him and shew him my salvation Rom. 3.39 Neither life nor death nor any creature can separate or pull us from this love of God seeing it is in Christ Jesus who is our eternal King and Saviour for ever The accusation of the Law the deformity of sin and the temptation of eternal casting off maketh the shew of death terrible seeing the sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law 1 Cor. 15.55 but call to mind the consolation that was before opposed to these monsters and that outward shew of death that is terrible to look upon will vanish and will be changed into a most pleasant sleep The sting of death Tempted By sin death entred into the world and is the due wages of sin how then should I not dread death Comforter Truly in and of it self death is the wages of sin and the revenging scourge of an angry God but to those that believe in Christ it is changed into a most sweet sleep For although those that are born again and believe in Christ as yet carry about remainders of sin in their flesh Rom. 8.10 whence also their body is dead that is obnoxious to death because of sin dwelling therein yet the Spirit is life because of righteousness that is because by true faith in Christ they are justified from sins and by the Spirit resist the lusts of the flesh therefore that sin as yet remaining in the flesh is not imputed to them but is covered with the shield of divine grace Greg. Nyss in orat de morte Therefore by death the true and spiritual life of the soul doth not end in them but rather begins whereto death is made to be as it were the midwife Thence flow those sweet appellations whereby the holy Spirit who is the Spirit of truth doth describe the death of the godly For those who in the eyes of fools seem and are said by them to dye those the holy Spirit says are gathered or congregated unto their people Gen. 25.8.35.29.49.33 that is into the company of the blessed and triumphant Church in heaven where they come to those that died before or rather went before That which we call death is a travelling Tertul. lib. de patient p. 12. Cypr. de mortal p. 214. Chrysost hom 45. in Gen. col 375. Hilar. in Psal 140. it is not an exit but a transit not so much an emigration as a transmigration from worse to better an ablation of the soul and a certain most happy translocation not an abolition for the soul is requir'd again and translated into a place of rest not killed It is a transcension and ascension to true life Ambr. de bon mort c. 10. 2 Pet. 1.15 Joh. 5.24 It is an Exodus because by it the godly pass from the bondage of sin to true liberty even as the Israelites heretofore out of Egyptian bondage into the land of promise The godly are said by death to enter into peace Isai 57.2 and to rest in their beds namely because they come from that daily warfare upon earth to a place of peace from the troublous sea of this life unto the haven from the toilsom prison of this world to a place of rest They are said to be dissolved and to come to Christ Phil. 1.23 because they are brought out of the Inn as it were of this present life to an heavenly country and from a crew of wicked men to the blessed company of Christ in heaven by death they are loosed from their bodily bands for as oxen having laboured all the day are let out of their yoaks at length towards evening and as prisoners are loosed from their chains so the godly are by death freed of the sad yoke of the labours and pains of this life and from the dark dungeon of sin and by a sweet change are translated to a better life They are said to pass out of the land of their pilgâ—image by the dissolution of their earthly tabernacle Heb. 11.5 2 Cor. 5.8 and to be present with the Lord namely because they come from the ruinous cottage of the world to an heavenly palace from an house of clay to a city not made with hands eternal in the heavens from the tabernacle of an earthly body to the heavenly Jerusalem and the blessed company of Christ inhabiting it Cypr. serm de mortal pag. 208. It is his part to fear death that is unwilling to go to Christ It is his part to be unwilling to go to Christ that believes not to begin to reign with Christ They are said to rest from their labours Rev. 14. Ambr. de Bono mortis c. 2. for not the godly man but his misery dieth If this life be full of burden surely its end is ease now ease is good and death is the end therefore death is good 1 Cor. 15.38 They are said to be sown in the ground or the field of the Lord by death and buryal in that the bodies of the godly like precious granes of wheat shall spring up hereafter again to life That crop which from deceased Stigelius bodies springs Immortal glory to the body brings As under clods the wither'd granes do lie Which you would think were clearly cast away Yet in a while sprung up you may espy And unperceiv'd grow taller every day Even so our bodies that entombed were First raised then in glory shall excell What death had swallow'd up shall trophees bear And in eternal light with God shall dwell The bones of the godly shall flourish and wax green Isai 66.14 2 Sam. 7.12 Isai 26.20 Dan. 12.2 Mat. 9.24 when the spring of everlasting life shall come Lastly they are said to fall asleep For as in sleep we rest from our labour regain our wasted strength our soul in the mean time performing her operations so by death being brought from all the labours and dolours of this life to rest we gather new strength of mind and body the more readily and perfectly to perform those works for which we were created in the beginning and redeemed by Christ the soul in the mean while living and rejoicing in heaven As in our sleep we mind not what is done about us nor are troubled with the crowds of humane businesses so those that die in the Lord rest without all care and anxiety and are no longer subject to the evils of this life As again we are awaked out of sleep so death will not be a perpetual sleep but the time will come in which we shall hear the voice of Christ calling us out of the grave we shall again go forth
Though I walk through the Valley of the shadow of Death I will fear no Evill for thou art with me thy r … thy Staff they comfort me Psa 23 O Death where is thy sting Thanks be to God which giveth us the Victory c. 〈◊〉 Cor 15. Divine Consolations Against the FEAR OF DEATH In a DIALOGUE between a Minister and a Tempted Christian Writen by John Gerhard the Author of the Meditations To which is added The Christians Triumph over Death with Divine Contemplations Ejaculations and Poems thereupon London Printed for Nath. Crouch at the George over against the Stock 's Market at the Lower end of Cornhill 1680. The Authors Epistle Dedicatory to his brethren in the Ministry IF any my honoured friends and reverend brethren in Christ will accommodate Plato's definition of Philosophy That it is the meditation of death unto the true divine doctrine of Christianity in so doing I think he will not go against truth seeing in a manner the All of it consists in a meditation of death But by Death I understand as well Christ's death as our own The death of Christ and his suffering is the summ of Christianity 1 Cor. 2.2 thence the Apostle judged that among his Corinthians he would know nothing save Christ crucified and dead By Christ's death is made an expiation of our sins a destruction of Satan's power a confirmation of the new covenant and a lessening of those terrours that are wont to accompany our death The meditation of the death of Christ therefore ought never to depart out of our memory But neither in any time of our life let us forget our own death As death awaits us every day so let us on the other hand expect it every day Hieron Epist ad Paulin. He that every day remembers he shall dye easily slighteth all worldly things prepares himself for a happy death by a true and serious conversion labours after sincere godliness patiently endures adversity and heartily burns with an ardent desire of eternal life Teach us O Lord Psal 90.12 to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom was Moses his prayer a great part therefore of Christian wisdom consists in a constant meditation of death We must long learn that which that it be once done well concerns our eternal salvation It is appointed for all men to dye but to dye godly to dye in Christ to dye happily is not every ones lot therefore the mind is be prepared to that blessed immortality and to be guarded with the shield of the word and prayer For if at any time surely in that last time of our life doth our treacherous and subtile enemy lay wait for our salvation and with all his might endeavou◠to deprive us of the possession of it wherefore some of the ancients say that the infernal serpent is said especially to bite the heel for he knows very well that all is sure on our part if he be overcome by us in that last conflict but on the contrary that it will be to our everlasting disgrace and damage if all the other parts of our life as of a Comedy having been well acted we behave our selves uncomely and cowardly in this last Catastrophe Hence are those various temptations wherewith as with battering Rams he assaults our heart in sickness and in the agony of death hence those fiery darts which he casts at us with all his strength hence that horrour and anxiety which we feel when we approch the gates of death Blessed is he that overcometh here blessed is he that is faithful unto death Rev. 2.3 he shall he partaker of all those good things which are promised in the Revelations to the stout Souldiers of Christ What is this life 't is death death life doth end Our life and death do both the same way tend But Christ of life's the Captain and the door Our death doth conquer'd lye by his deaths power On him alone His hope ought to relie That would not of eternal deaths wound dye But this our hope most bitter storms do drive When in the confines of death we arrive This is the toil these storms to overcome Lest that instead of life death be our doom Wherefore seeing some while ago I have endeavoured by an explication of the History of the passion and death of Christ to instill into the minds of the Godly the meditation of Christ's death I thought it would be worth the while if to such persons I should also propound the meditation of our death for which end I writ these divine consolations to be opposed to the terrors of death and to temptations in the agony of death for my own private use only for I carry about a sickly body a brittle vessel and besides death not long ago made a lamentable destruction in my own house and there are many reasons for which I fear my own life will not be long therefore I would betimes prepare and fence my mind for this last agony and being incompassed with so many domestick evils I bestow'd some days on the pious meditation of this little book which meditations of mine seeing perhaps they may be useful to others also I was not unwilling to publish them But this I would advise in the beginning of this Treatise that I writ not for secure impenitent and hard hearts but for contrite broken and bleeding consciences Exhortations to true godliness belong to another place this discourse is wholly spent in consolations to be opposed to death and temptations in death Whosoever therefore desires to receive this oil of consolation let him bring the vessel of a contrite heart for what doth comfort belong to him that is not yet contrite and made sad And I have dedicated this Manual unto you most dear friends and reverend brethren in Christ to give a publick testimony of that near friendship and brotherhood we are linked together in And you your selves also carry about you a body subject to diseases and there cannot but daily arise in your minds the remembrance of death I do not at all therefore doubt although your faith needeth not these props which for my own and others use I have collected in this little book but that notwithstanding the reading of it will not be unpleasant to you epecially seeing it comes from a friendly and candid mind I pray our Lord Jesus will every where bless us and the labours of our ministry by his grace and spirit John Gerhard An Index of the Temptations THE forerunners of death pag. 1 Deaths Trident. pag. 3 The anguish of sin pag. 5 The remembrance of actual sins pag. 8 A doubt concerning the application of the benefits of Christ pag. 12 The false persuasion of faith pag. 16 An insufficient sorrow pag. 19 The weight of sorrow pag. 22 Despair pag. 26 Blasphemy pag. 29 The particularness of the promises pag. 31 The absolute decree of reprobation pag. 34 The application of the merit of Christ pag. 40 The
insubsistence of words pag. 43 Falling from the covenant of Baptism pag. 48 The uncertain reception into the covenant of Baptism pag. 52 The unworthy receiving of the Lords Supper pag. 57 Weakness of faith pag. 59 The not perceiving of faith pag. 62 An inability to believe pag. 65 The small number of good works pag. 67 Want of merits pag. 70 The accusation of the Law pag. 73 The accusing of conscience pag. 76 Late repentance pag. 78 Doubting of the grace of God pag. 81 Want of due preparation pag. 86 Doubting of the indwelling of the Spirit pag. 89 Doubting of perseverance pag. 94 Satans wiles and strength pag. 98 The falling away of many pag. 101 Doubting of being written in the book of life pag. 104 The fear of death pag. 107 The sting of death pag. 111 The pains of death pag. 117 Untimely death pag. 119 Services farther owing to the Church pag. 122 Short life brought upon ones self pag. 124 The love of this life pag. 127 Separation from wife children kindred pag. 131 Stopping of the ears in death pag. 134 The seeming unprofitableness of Redemption pag. 137 The horrour of dust pag. 139 The incredibility of the resurrection pag. 147 The flames of Purgatory pag. 153 The rigour of the last judgement pag. 156 A prayer in sickness pag. 164 To these are added The Christians Triumph over Death pag. 169 Divine Contemplations and Soliloquies upon Death and Eternity pag. 198 Divine Poems upon death pag. 217 Divine CONSOLATIONS Against the FEAR OF DEATH And the TEMPTATIONS befalling them that draw near thereto The forerunners of Death The Tempted I Am opprest with sickness 2 Cor. 1.9 the forerunner of Death and have received the sentence of death in my self I see I must leave this life than which nothing is more pleasant this world than which nothing is more adorned the house of this body than which nothing is more dear The Comforter Thou wast not created for this miserable and momentany but for a blessed and eternal life Wisd 2.23 for God made our first Parent without corruption to immortality Nor wast thou redeemed by Christ for this fading and toilsom but for that everlasting and most happy life in the heavens for it is a certain and undoubted saying That Jesus Christ came into the world 1 Tim. 1.15 to save sinners Neither wast thou called of the holy Spirit by the word to the kingdom of Christ that thou mightst live here a little while but that thou mightst pass from the kingdom of grace to the kingdom of glory from the Church Militant to that Triumphant from a valley of tears into a field of joy for if in this life only we believed in Christ and had hope 1 Cor. 15.19 we were of all men most miserable Wherefore seeing thou must be brought through the gate of death to that life for which thou wert created of the Father redeemed of the Son and for which thou hast been sanctified by the Spirit reject not I pray thee Luk. 7.30 the gracious counsel of God against thy self but readily obey God that calls upon thee Deaths Trident. Tempted The thoughts of Death affright me the dreadful shape of that enemy disturbs my mind it shows me its sting 1 Cor. 15.55 which is death it threatens me with its cruel three-pointed weapon while it presents to my eyes and heart the Anger of God the accusation of the Law and the cruelty of my sins Rom. 6.23 in that death is the wages of sin and by sin death hath invaded me Rom. 5.18 as it has done all the world Comforter But I advise thee that being seriously and heartily sorry for the sins thou hast committed thou look to him that died for thee on the altar of the Cross that thou mightest not be liable to eternal death Turn thine eyes from the outward shew of death and turn them to Christ who by his death hath destroyed him that had the power of death Heb. 2.14 that is v. 15. the Devil And hath delivered us who through fear of death were all our life-time subject to bondage He is death unto our death Hos 13.14 he is a sting unto the hell we had deserved Joh. 11.25 He is the resurrection and the life he that believeth in him though he were dead v. 26. yet shall he live And whosoever liveth and believeth in him shall never die 1. Cor. 15.22 So that as in Adam that is because of sin derived from Adam upon us and of actual sins added thereto we are all liable to death and at length must die even so in Christ the captain of life and conqueror of death through faith are we all made alive Which that our Captain of life confirms with a solemn and serious oath Verily verily I say unto you Joh. 5.24 He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life And again Joh. 8.51 Verily verily I say unto you If a man keep my saying he shall never see death Therefore believe Christ who is the truth Joh. 14.6 believe him promising believe him swearing Luk. 21.33 Heaven and earth shall pass away but the words of Christ shall not pass away The anguish of sin Tempted I begin to remember my sins Psal 51.7 for I was not only begot conceived and born in sin but I have increased this sum of original and hereditary debt with manifold and most grievous actual sins all my life long how therefore can I hope God will be merciful to me whom I have so oft offended how shall I conceive any comfort in death seeing death is the due reward to my sins and a beginning of a second and eternal death to them that are not reconciled to God Comforter Look unto Christ hanging on the altar of the Cross and pouring out the price of thy redemption even his precious blood for thy sins 1 Joh. 1.8 The blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God cleanseth thee from all sin He is the propitiation for thy sins 1 Joh. 2.2 and for the sins of the whole world For he came not into the world to be ministred unto Mat. 20.28 but to minister and to give his life a ransom and price for the sins of many And that thou mightst not at all doubt of this matter therefore from heaven which is the throne of truth by an Angel which is the spirit of truth was brought that most sweet and comfortable name of Jesus and given to this our Mediator before he was conceived for what is Jesus but a Saviour Luk. 1.31 Mat. 1.21 Joh. 1.29 For therefore was this name given to Christ because he saves his people from their sins This is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world 1 Tim. 1.15 This is that Jesus Christ that came into
that Christ thy Lord obtaineth it on a double account both by being the heir of the Father and by the merit of his passion he is content with the first the latter he bestoweth on thee from whose gift challenge it for thy self and thou shalt not be confounded The temptation of despair Tempted The Devil solicits me to despair Comforter I would have thee despair namely of thy self and in thy self because thou art a sinner but despair not in God whose grace aboundeth over thy sin Rom. 5.21 Chrysost hom 3. de poenit For no more is the malice of man to the clemency of God than a spark of fire is to the sea The sea although it be great yet it admits of measure but the mercy of God is unmeasurable Neither despair of Christ and in Christ 1 Tim. 1.15 who came into the world to save sinners whose blood avails more to reconcile God than the sins of all the world to offend him Although thy sins be great and diverse and often repeated yet they are not greater nor more grievous than thou maist obtain pardon and forgiveness for in that the goodness of God is greater than the iniquity of all men Sins as it were set with the sun but the grace of God riseth with it Sins are the works of the Devil and of man To have pity to spare and to forgive are the works of God By how much therefore God is more powerful than the Devil and man by so much is his mercy above our malice The Lord is merciful and gracious Ps 103.8 slow to anger and plenteous in mercy v. 9. He doth not always chide neither doth he keep his anger for ever v. 10. He dealeth not with us after our sins nor rewardeth us according to our iniquities v. 11. For as the heaven is high above the earth so great is his mercy toward them that fear him v. 12. As far as the East is from the West so far removeth he our transgressions Heaven is incomparably greater than the earth which is but like a very little point in comparison with heaven but so is the mercy of the heavenly Father incomparably greater than all sins Bern. Serm. 11. in Cant. col 518. Be far then from saying Mine iniquity is greater than the pity of a merciful God Thou shalt find God more bountiful than thou art faulty Gerson de remed contra pusillan So great is God's mercy that if thou hadst all the sins of the world upon thee and wert sorry that thou hadst proudly offended so good a God by thy sins and didst firmly purpose for the future to refrain therefrom God would never condemn thee Dost thou so forget the satisfaction made by Christ that thou wilt prefer thy sins before the merit of Christ that is thy self before God Thou seest the greatness of the disease Aug. in Psal 55. and seest thou not the power of the physician Thy sins are great Christ is far greater that satisfied for thy sins Thy sins are diverse but Christ also suffered diverse things for thee God is an infinite good whom thou hast offended by thy sins but Christ is an infinite person who hath reconciled thee to God Sigh therefore unto the heavenly Father and pray in the name of the Son thy Saviour If thou O eternal God Ansh de redempt gen hum fol. 96. despisest me for mine iniquity as I deserve however for the dearness of thy beloved Son look upon me with pity Observe in thy Son what thou maist atone in thy servant Behold the Sacrament of his flesh and remit the guilt of my flesh remember what â—â—y good Son has suffered and forget what thy bad servant hath done The Temptation of Blasphemy Tempted I must needs confess I am not only solicited to despair but am also sometimes tempted with the spirit of Blasphemy for there arise such thoughts in my heart as are injurious against God himself my Creator and my Saviour I would choose to die a thousand times to be freed from this temptation Comforter These thoughts are not the actions of thine heart but rather its bitter passions seeing thou art not delighted with them but thy grief from them is more bitter than death it self They are the scourges of Satan whereby he afflicts and torments thee they will not be reckoned for sin unto thee by the Lord. And though thou have the greatest impatience of spirit from the infirmity of thy flesh yet the Lord knows thy groans and thy sighs The weight of temptations did force hard words even from Job and Jeremy which yet the most bountiful God did fatherly forgive them Thou seest by them how altogether no strength unto good thou hast from thy self that thou maist cleave unto God alone with full trust of heart This is the top and highest degree of thy fight against Satan see that thou despond not here the greatest champion will be with thee and will not leave thee destitute of his help Wait patiently and humbly till thou art freed of these fiery darts of Satan Eph. 6.16 in the mean time let the grace of God be sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12.9 It is the flesh which so striveth against the spirit and is so ready and obedient to receive the darts of Satan the sin that dwells in thy flesh shall not be imputed unto thee if through the spirit thou mortifie the deeds of the flesh and consent not to those blasphemous thoughts Those fiery darts of Satan shall be quenched in the blood of Christ turn towards him the shield of faith and as soon as thou perceivest any blasphemous thought to arise betake thy self to prayer and so thou maist kill it as it were in the bud The particularness of the premises Tempted I perceive some comfort of the Spirit in my heart I observe some trust in my mind that keeps me from despair when I behold the mercy of God abounding over my sins and the merit of Christ which is of infinite price and value But I doubt whether the Evangelical promises of the mercy of God and merit of Christ belong to me For God is not only merciful but he is also a most just and severe punisher of sins and alas experience sheweth that all are not partakers of the benefits of Christ Comforter But look thou give not way to those seducing thoughts of the particularness of the Evangelical promises God calleth all to him desireth all will come unto him he offereth the word of the Gospel and in it the benefits of Christ unto all and that not feignedly but sincerely not hypocritically but with a mind to bestow Ezek. 18.31 32. ch 33.11 As I live saith the Lord I desire not the death of a sinner but that he should turn and live Here thou hast the solemn oath of Divine truth thou seest their conversion is expected and desired by God that by their own fault die in their sins
conscience anew for the relapses of sin are very dangerous In this life there is yet time for pardon time for grace time for quieting conscience In this life the book of conscience may yet be mended out of the book of life But at the last judgment the books will be opened Rev. 20.12 and among them the book of conscience also in which before all the world shall be seen writ in fair letters all the sins of men that were not in this world blotted out by true contrition by faith and amendment of life Before that day of judgement come and the time of grace be past thou maist have a fair hope and sure trust that the blood of Jesus Christ Heb. 9.14 who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God will purge thy conscience from dead works to serve the living God Late repentance Tempted I am at last indeed sorry for having so wounded my conscience I do at last desire a remedy for my wounds at last I have a desire to keep a good conscience for the future but I fear lest my repentance be too late I am a fraid lest the divine grace being so oft rejected by me should also reject and forsake me Late repentance useth to deceive many Aug. de vera falsa poenit c. 17. and that repentance that proceedeth from a dying man he ought to fear lest it dye also Comforter No but there is nothing too late which is true and sincere Cypr. tract 1. cont Demetr While a man is in this life there is no repentance too late there are some who being called come into the Lords vineyard at the eleventh hour of the day Mat. 20.9 and obtain the reward of grace No delay of time prejudiceth God's justice or piety Fulgent Epist 7. Repentance is never late with God in whose sight as well past things as future are always accounted for present Behold the example of the thief on the cross who having confessed Christ with his mouth on the tip of whose lips as it were his soul was ready to depart obtains pardon of sins and a free promise of an heavenly paradise Heb. 3.13 Whilst it is called to day so long God doth earnestly will our conversion As long as the heavenly bridegroom delayeth his coming Mat. 25.5 so long the gate of grace and forgiveness is open A man's whole life even the last hour of it is granted for space to repent in Isai 65.2 The Lord stretcheth forth his hand all the day long Joh. 6.37 nor does he cast out any that cometh unto him at what time soever he come Have a care therefore that thy repentance be true and sincere and thou needst not fear it will be too late If when death approaches thou therefore repent because thou art deprived of opportunities to sin that is a false repentance for thus thou leavest not thy sins but they leave thee If thou therefore repent because thou seest the punishment of thy sins near that is also a false repentance for it proceeds from a love of thy self not from a sincere love of God It proceeds not from the hatred of sin but from the irksomness of a most just punishment Therefore that thou maist truly and heartily repent grieve for thy sins so often committed and therefore grieve because thou hast so often and so grievously offended a most gracious God by them In Christ seek for pardon of thy sins and firmly resolve to employ the remainder of thy life wholly in the service of God submit thy self to God and be humbled in thy heart before him permit to his will what and how great punishments a thousand times deserved he will inflict on thee that it may appear thou repentest out of an hatred to thy sin and not to thy punishment Such a contrite and humbled soul will be a most acceptable sacrifice to God for so he saith by the Prophet Psal 51.19 Isai 66.2 To whom will I look but to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and that trembleth at my word Doubting of the grace of God Tempted I feel in my heart indeed a deep contrition and sorrow for my sins nor do I altogether despair of the mercy of God but in the mean time my heart is shaken with the waves of doubts nor am I yet certain of the free pardon of my sins I hope well indeed but in the mean time I humbly doubt The consideration of God's mercy raiseth me up but the thought of my unworthiness presseth me down again I am turned to God and therefore I hope well I turn but late therefore in part I doubt still Comforter But I will put under thy staggering faith such strong props as whereon thou maist lean against all the storms of doubtings For that doubting is not an humble confession of our unworthiness but a dangerous opposing the faith we owe to God's promises nor is there any reason strong enough why we should doubt in late conversion and repentance seeing the divine clemency doth offer a most certain promise of remission of sins to all that heartily repent Attend first therefore to the immoveable truth of all God's promises Whosoever confessing and grieving for their sins seek for pardon of them in Christ and make a firm purpose of amendment of life to them hath God promised his grace forgiveness of sins and eternal life Joh. 13.15 Whosoever believeth in the son shall not perish but have everlasting life vers 18. 1 Joh. 5.12 Mark 16.16 He that believeth in him is not condemned He that hath the son hath eternal life He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved He that hath promised these things is God whose word is firmer than heaven and earth who is truth it self 2 Tim. 2.11 who is faithful and cannot deny himself or his word What therefore God offers with undoubted promises thou must accept with an undoubted faith and there is no reason thou shouldst object the infirmity of thy Nature which cannot embrace the promises with so great assurance of reliance for this is a fault of thy Nature which should be amended by the efficacy of the holy Spirit As thou believest not in Christ by thy natural strength but by the working of the holy Ghost so by the grace of the same Spirit thou maist be ascertained of the mercy of the heavenly Father against all inherent doubtings of corrupt nature 1 Joh. 5.10 He that believeth not God hath made him a liar As much as thou doubtest so much thou losest of thy faith thou must therefore resist that doubting which is not to be set off with the specious name of humility for humility ought to rise from the consideration of our unworthiness and yet in the mean time never the less a firmness of trust ought to arise from the meditation of God's promises Therefore hath God come forth from the secret throne of his Majesty
unto life None so easily raiseth one lying in bed Aug. serm 44. de verb. dom as Christ the dead out of the grave From all which things it plainly appears how truly the blessed Apostle called the death of the godly gain Phil. 1.21 for 't is gain to have escaped the increase of sin 't is gain to have passed from worse and to have arrived at better Psal 116.15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints and it is good to them because of rest better because of security best because of blessedness Pains of Death Tempted I fear not death but its pains for I have often seen the eyes of dying persons growing dim their ears waxing deaf their tongue faultering I have seen the sweat and anguish the horrour and nakedness of dying persons I have often heard the groans and complaints of the soul compell'd to go out of the tabernacle of the body Comforter Those that believe in Christ are preserved from those pains of death or at least their pains are mitigated Christ hath taken upon him what was most bitter in death namely the sense of God's wrath Ex. 15.25 Let us cast the tree of the cross into our death on which Christ died for us and it shall become a pleasant sleep Verily Joh. 5.51 verily I say unto you saith Christ if any man keep my saying he shall never see death that is he shall not only not see everlasting death but neither that ghastly and horrible shape of temporal death And if a very little taste of bitterness be in the cup of death we are to drink yet what and how little is it in respect of that brook whereof Christ drank in the way of this life for us Psal 110.7 how little is that little draught to be esteem'd in comparison of that cup which our heavenly Father gave him to drink off in our stead Matt. 26.42 Asaying of Methodius Our death is like a medicinal purge of our soul and body and seeing by it the poison of sin is as it were purged out of our flesh what wonder if some Aloes be mixt in this purge Our death is the midwife to life eternal what wonder if the same happen to us as to an infant born into the world out of the narrowness of its mothers womb by whom the pains of the birth are in part endured There is no birth without all pain That Fit will last but a moment and lo the day of our death will be the birth-day of eternal life Strait is that gate that leadeth us unto life what wonder if we feel something of straitness in its passage Christ is our Captain and breaker up Mic. 2.13 he opens the way before us we must cleave to him with a true faith that we may pass with him through the gate of death and may come to the path of eternal life that is known to him Psal 16.11 Sin yet dwelleth in our flesh what wonder if through the remainders of sin it be made to feel some straits of death Rom. 5.1 In the mean time our conscience hath peace in Christ who is our true peace Eph. 2.14 who rising from the dead brought the gift of peace to us Death hath nosting left whereby it can wound our soul it fasteneth its teeth in our heel but its poison is taken from it by Christ that it cannot infuse it into us when it fastens its teeth Untimely death Tempted I seem to be called out of this life too soon God snatcheth me away in the midst of my days Psal 55.23 therefore I fear lest this be a sign of God's anger seeing it is written Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days Comforter There is nothing untimely which God hath timed Long life indeed is God's gift but yet short life is not always a sign of God's anger seeing sometimes God commands even the godly and those that are beloved by him to pass betimes out of the habitation of this world that being freed from the dangers of sinning they may be translated into a security of not sinning and may not be made to undergo publick calamities that are often more sad than death it self God's people go and enter into their chambers Isai 26.20 and shall shut the doors upon them they shall hide themselves as it were for a little moment until the indignation be overpast Isai 57.1 The righteous perisheth and no man layeth it to heart the merciful men are taken away and none considers that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come He shall enter into peace he shall rest in his bed walking in his uprighteness Wisd 4.7 Though the righteous be prevented with death yet shall he be in rest For the honourable age is not that which is of long time 〈◊〉 neither that which is measured by the number of years But wisdom is the gray hair 〈◊〉 and an undefiled life is the old age He pleased God and was beloved of him 10 so that whereas he lived among sinners he translated him 11 He was taken away lest wickedness should alter his understanding or deceit beguile his mind 12 For wickedness by bewitching obscureth the things that are good and the unstedfastness of concupiscence perverteth the simple mind Though he was soon dead 13 yet fulfilled he much time 14. For his soul pleased God therefore hasted he to take him away from wickedness Though we cut down those trees that do not bring forth and let those stand that do yet God does otherwise The godly dies most happily whether he die in a good old age Sph. Philos c. 36. p. 411. or in the very flower of his youth Quid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aliud nisi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nisi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nisi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nisi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is What is life but violence what is the body but a grave what but a chain what our birth but a passing to the grave Wilt thou take it ill to be freed betimes from these evils and chains The earlier the heavenly Emperour recalleth thee from the station of this life the sooner he putteth thee in a place of rest peace and victory The services further owing to the Church Tempted I might in my place hereafter further profit the Church of God by my labour in some kind to this end therefore I could wish a space of longer life were granted to me Comforter All this is to be committed to God's disposal namely how long God will have thee to live for the service of his Church Therefore say with that ancient Doctor of the Church and most deserving Bishop Ambroses dying words recorded by Posidon in the life of Augusti◠c. 27. I have not so
the doors of thine ears shut never so much Isai 61.1 Luk. 4.18 The spirit of the Lord is upon him the Lord hath anointed him to preach glad tidings unto the poor he hath sent him to bind up the broken-hearted to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound The Lord hath given him the tongue of the learned Isa 50.4 that he should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary Cleave to him with a firm trust of heart commit thy self unto him by holy prayers he will comfort thee in season he will raise thy heart with the word of the Gospel when the darts of death are fastned in it he will bind up thy heart when it is wounded by death he will preach liberty to thy heart when thou art led captive by death as a prey he will preach opening to thy heart when thou art thrown into the prison of death The seeming unprofitableness of Redemption Tempted If Christ hath redeemed us from death why must we dye yet How was death conquered by Christ seeing it can shew daily preys as the trophees of its victory Comforter As Christ saved his people from their sins Mat. 11.21 not as if sin should no longer dwell in their flesh seeing in this life they remain sold under sin but that it should not condemn for ever those that are born again and believe so he hath redeemed us from death not as if we should no longer be liable to temporal death for our body is dead or subject to death because of sin Rom. 8.10 but that we might be at liberty from the chains of eternal death The death of the soul is true death Christ hath redeemed us from this enduring the pangs of hell in his soul The most sweet Jesus hath also made our temporal death it self sweet so that 't is only death in name but indeed it is a sleep yea the end of death and the beginning of true life The truly godly because of those daily calamities whereby they are oppressed in this life 1 Cor. 15.31 dye daily therefore their death is the end of death and by the gate of death they pass to a quiet and eternal life therefore death is the beginning of a true life Christ's death is the poyson of our death Hos 13.14 therefore although this poison hath not yet altogether killed our death whence it as yet moves its self and fastens its dart in our heel yet this poyson hath reached the heart of death therefore at last it shall dye by its virtue 1 Cor. 15.26 Death is the last enemy which Christ will utterly destroy at the last day and a stronger coming on this strong man armed shall powerfully take from him all his spoils Luk. 11.22 Death is to be beheld with spiritual eyes and its anger as being now captivated and overcome by Christ shall appear to be vain without strength It lays in wait for the lives of the godly and lo it bringeth them to true life It attempts to kill their soul and body with its darts and lo the soul being unhurt with any wound of death the body is only wounded which it self also shall hereafter be snatched out of the jaws of death It endeavours to deliver the godly to eternal death and lo it delivers them to eternal life The horrour of dust Tempted Be it what it will I see I must be laid in the ground and be reduced to dust A bed will be made for my body in the grave therefore I have said to corruption Job 17.14 Thou art my father and to the worms Ye are my mother and sister Comforter Mind not that whereinto thou art to be reduced ashes and dust but mind that future resurrection out of ashes and dust which we expect If thou hast said with Job to corruption that it is thy father say with the same person Job 19.25 that thy redeemer liveth who in the last day shall raise thee again from the earth he shall encompass thee with skin that in thy flesh thou maist see God The sayings of Scripture the strength of arguments the examples of those that have been raised do all prove this blessed resurrection of our bodies The sayings of Scripture in the old and New Testament are numerous at hand such as are most weighty and clear The blood of Abel cryeth unto the Lord Gen. 4.10.25.8.35.29.49.33 Exod. 3.6 in whose eyes he yet liveth The Patriarchs by death are gathered unto their people therefore by death they cease not to be the living people of the living God God is the God of Abraham Mat. 22.31 Isaac and Jacob now God is not the God of the dead but of the living so that Abraham Isaac and Jacob live before God they live I say in their better part and their bodies hereafter shall be recalled to life nay are already called in that when Christ rose again they * Mat. 27.53 rose together with him I know saith Job that my redeemer liveth Job 19.25 and at the last day I shall be raised from the earth Thy dead shall live saith Isaias my slain shall arise Isai 26.19 Awake and sing ye that dwell in dust Isai 66.14 for thy dew is as the dew of herbs Your bones shall flourish like an herb Ezech. 37.5 Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones Behold I will cause breath to enter into you and ye shall live I will lay sinews upon you and will bring up flesh upon you and cover you with skin and put breath in you and ye shall live and ye shall know that I am the Lord. Many of them saith Daniel Dan. 12 4â— that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake some to everlasting life some to everlasting shame and contempt The great King of the world 2 Mac. 7.9 say the seven Maccabean Martyrs will raise us up which dye for his Laws in the resurrection of everlasting life The hour cometh saith the Truth Joh. 5.28.29 in which all that are in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of man And shall come forth they that have done good unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation Joh. 6.39 This is the Father's will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day And this is the will of my Father that sent me 40.44.54 that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day Joh. 11.25 26. I am the resurrection and the life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die I have hope towards God saith S. Act. 24.15 Paul and expect that
15.36 37. That which thou sowest is not quickened except it die first And that which thou sowest thou sowest not that body that shall be but bare grain 38. it may chance of wheat or of some other grain But God giveth it a body as it hath peased him and to every seed his own body * Aug. de verb. Apost serm 34. He therefore that quickeneth granes of seed dead and rotten whereby thou maist live in this world much more will he raise thy self that thou maist live with him for ever Tertul. in Apolog. cap. 45. p. 738. The light that daily at evening disappears in the morning is renewed and darkness comes goes by turns the stars that vanish out of sight wax bright again the seasons of the year are ended and return fruits are consum'd and grow again at least the seeds do not rise with encrease unless first corrupted and dissolv'd all things by perishing are preserved all things are reform'd by death Day dies into night Id. lib. de resurrect carn pag. 54. and is in a manner buried in darkness The honour of the world has its funeral every substance is obscured All things grow vile are whisht and stand amaz'd there is every where a vacation a rest of things So light being lost is lamented And yet it revives again the same whole and entire to all the world with its ornament with its portion with the Sun killing its death the night breaking open its grave darkness enjoying it self till the night also return again with its attendants For the beams of the Stars also are kindled again which the morning had extinguished The absence of the Constellations is brought again which a temporal distinction had withdrawn The Moon is renewed which a monthly number had consumed Winters and summers springs and autumns are hurled round with their vertues manners fruits For earth has been taught by heaven to cloath the trees after their nakedness to colour the flowers afresh to put forth grass again to give the same seeds that were spent and not to give them till they are first spent An admirable way to become a preserver from a destroyer it takes away that it may restore it loses that it may keep it corrupts that it may keep entire that it may encrease it spends In that it restores more plentiful and gay than it bereaved Usury is spending and injury is usury and gain is loss in one word every condition is a relapse Whatever thou meetest with once was whatever thou hast lost all is again All things return to their station after departure They are therefore ended that they may be Nothing perisheth but for preservation Therefore all this revoluble order of things is a witness to the resurrection of the dead For God taught by works before he taught by letters he preached by his power before he preached by his word He first sent Nature to thee to beamistress to teach thee and afterwards Prophecy that being a disciple of Nature thou mightst the easilier believe Prophecy that thou mightst presently receive when thou heardest what thou hadst already seen every where and that thou maist not doubt that God will be a raiser up of the flesh who knowest him to be a restorer of all things Are such types to be esteemed in vain as are to be seen in the world is God to be thought weaker than Nature Idem in Apolog. adv gentes c. 45. p. 737. Nay view thy self in thy self discover a testimony of the resurrection Recollect what thou wert before thou wert even nothing for if thou hadst been any thing thou wouldst have remembred Thou therefore that wert nothing before thou wert becoming the same nothing when thou shalt cease to be why canst thou not again be of nothing by the will of the same author who would have thee to be from nothing What new thing shall happen unto thee thou who wert not wast made When again thou shalt not be thou shalt be made Give a reason if thou canst which way thou wast made and then ask which way thou shalt be made and yet surely thou shalt be made more easily because sometimes thou hast been who wert not difficultly made when thou hadst never been Idem de resurrect carnis p. 54. If God made all things of nothing he can bring the flesh reduc'd into nothing out of nothing He that hath made is fit to make again by how much it is more to make than to remake to have given a beginning than to have restored by so much believe it easier to restore flesh than to make it at first The flames of Purgatory Tempted I fear the avenging flames of the fire of purgatory after death for seeing I am beset with divers infirmities of sins I fear lest God therefore enter into judgement with me Psal 143.3 and most justly adjudge me to the flames of Purgatory Comforter Those with whom God enters into judgement that is who by true conversion in this life are not yet reconciled to God he adjudgeth not to any purgatory fire to be tormented for a certain finite time but to be burned in an infernal and unquenchable fire for ever But those who heartily acknowledge their sins and truly believe in Christ have the Warrant of their Saviour that no place of grief or torments after death is to be feared by them for thus he saith Verily verily I say unto you He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life Aug. lib. 3. hypogn The word of truth only owneth two sorts of men to wit good and bad penitent and impenitent believers and unbelievers it only acknowledgeth two receptacles after death to wit of consolation and torment of reward and punishment of heaven and hell a third sort of men or places we know nothing of nor do we find any thing in the Scripture Id. serm 8. de verb. Apost Id. 21. deciv Dei c. 25. There are two habitations one in an eternal kingdom the other in eternal fire therefore there is no middle place for any where a man may not be in punishment that is not placed in the Kingdom Id. 1. de peccat merit remis c. 28. any place that he can be in except with the Devil that is not with Christ He that believeth saith Christ and is baptized Mark 16.16 shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be damned †Joh. 3.18 He that believeth on the son shall not be condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already because he believeth not in the name of the only begotten Son of God vers 36.5.29 He that believeth in the son hath everlasting life but he that believeth not in the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him They that have done well shall go forth unto the resurrection of life but
death we who look for an house not made with hands are notwithstanding unwilling to leave this house of clay we who have the promise of a kingdom are yet unwilling to forsake our prison we are afraid to be dissolved though we desire to be with Christ we dread the passage though we rejoyce to approach to our home and habitation in the Heavens Notwithstanding what hath been said yet let us encourage our selves against the fear of death and by the example and in the words of St. Paul let us ask Oh Death where is thy sting For death truly considered is but a shadow a meer bugbear which children only ought to fear death is nothing and we are afraid of we know not what death only separates between soul and body why do we fear that it should thus dissolve us and not rather rejoyce that it cannot destroy us Let us not fear what may separate us from our selves but let us rather imbrace what will convey us to our Christ and our God Death is appointed for us all why then are we afraid of what we cannot possibly avoid Our willingness to dye is the only means to take away the terribleness thereof Let us therefore offer our lives to God freely which he will otherwise require from us as a due debt says Chrysostom The coming of death is uncertain and shall any thing that is uncertain cause in us a certain fear But rather since it is uncertain at what time or in what place death will overtake us let us therefore at all times and in all places expect and look for it says Seneca Besides death deals equally and impartially to all and this also should make us less afraid of it Who can reasonably complain says Seneca that he is in the same condition wherein all men else are Who can expect that death should spare any since it is indispensible to all when there is a general ruin threatened to the whole world who can think himself alone should escape The equality of death is some comfort against the cruelty thereof there are several ways of dying and why should that make us afraid of death 't is no great matter which way we dye since we can be but dead at last since we must dye let us not much regard by what means but let us take care whither we must go after death says St. Austin To conclude death is a thing that is indeed fearful to flesh and blood and yet all this should not make us afraid of death for it is not death it self but the fear of it that is so terrible and this also proceeds more from our ignorance than from the thing it self did we but know death we would not so much fear it says St. Chrysostome The fear of death is the punishment of our ignorance and negligence which makes us apprehend things to be new and strange which really are not so The only way therefore to free us from the fear of death is by daily meditation thereof to make it familiar to us to acquaint our selves with it before it comes that we may the less dread its appearance Thus shall we find that by learning not to fear death we shall at last come like our blessed Apostle to triumph over it and to say O death where is thy sting Death is not yet destroyed for St. Paul says the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death 1 Cor. 15.26 But yet it is disarmed already Oh death where is thy sting This seems to be an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Captains song of victory and the Souldiers song of deliverance they look like the words of a mighty conqueror bravely triumphing over a base and wretched enemy and who is this conqueror but Christ Jesus the Lord of Life it was he who spoke the words in the Prophet Hosea 13.14 O death I will be thy death And it is in the power of Christ that the Apostle speaks thus O death where is thy sting Jesus Christ did once subdue death for us and said O death I will be thy death and we may now triumph over death in the strength of Christ and say with our Apostle O death where is thy sting Jesus Christ overcame death by dying nay more by death he destroyed not death only but him also who had power over death the Devil Heb. 7.14 Our captain hath conquered our enemy at his own weapon he hath caught this Mighty Hunter in his own snare he yielded only to death to take advantage against death yea therefore laid he down his life that death might no longer live therefore says St. Chrysostom we do not believe that Christ is dead in death but we believe that death is dead in Christ Death that greedy whale durst venture to devour Christ Jesus our Jonas who was cast into the sea of the world that the storms and Tempests of the Devil and sin might cease but yet he was preserved alive in the fishes belly in the belly of Hell in the jaws of death that he might preach repentance to the Ninive of the Church This great whale Death swallowed the bait of Christs humanity but the hook of his Divinity intangled her and made her vomit up her bowels bait and all Death designed to have swallowed Christ and left him in darkness and obscurity but death it self was swallowed up in victory The serpent death was bold to sting our Saviour but he made him lose his sting for his labour so that in his name we may now chearfully ask Oh Death where is thy sting The sting of death is sin 1 Cor. 15.56 Christ the Lamb of God hath taken away the sins of the world John 1.29 In Christ Jesus therefore we may joyfully say Oh death where is thy sting Job asketh this question concerning man Man dieth and where is he Job 14.10 but we may ask the same question of Death man dieth and where is death yea we ask the same of the worst part of death which is its sting Oh death where is thy sting Jacob bewailed the death of Joseph saying Joseph is dead Joseph is not Gen. 42. and Rachel wept for her children and would not be comforted because they were not Mat. 2. because death had seized upon them they thought their children to be quite gone But to speak properly death does only convey us where we ought to be but death it self is indeed no where O death where is thy sting Death is utterly destroyed by the Cross of Christ When death first entered into the world it was like the waters of Marah exceeding bitter Exo. 15. but since the Tree of the Cross of Christ it is now made sweet and pleasant to us we might once have cryed out with the children of the Prophets Death is in the pot death is in the pot 2 Kings 4. but since our blessed Saviour hath declared This Cup is the new Testament of my blood we may now say with the blessed Saints of God This is
the Cup of Salvation Salvation is in the cup death is now no more since the Lord of life destroyed death his death hath quickened our life and hath sweetned and taken away the sting of death from us Our Apostle does not ask Oh death what is thy sting though the words which follow seem to be an answer to such a question the sting of death is sin it seems then that death is not the sting of sin but sin is the sting of death for says Anselm we do indeed dye for sinning but we do not sin for dying And as those words following answer to a Question which they ask not so the former words ask a question to which those following answer not Oh death where is thy sting Now not to tell you where it is is as much as to say it is no where death hath now no sting let us all rejoyce and be glad this serpent may hiss at us this wasp may buz about us but it can now neither bite not sting us the sting of death is gone and nothing remains but the name nay the name too is gone to them that are in Christ Jesus the death of the godly man is not to be called a death but a sleep a resting from their labours a delivery out of prison a laying down their burden a flying to their desired home death now hath lost her sting it is not now a punishment but a happy passage not so much an end of this life as an entrance into a better not a destruction but a dissolution only a separation of the soul and body for a short time that so they might be joyned together to enjoy heaven and happiness with Christ our Lord and life to all eternity Thus have we asked this one question of death Oh death where is thy sting now let us ask another of our selves why are we so desperately and despairingly afraid of death since we have heard and do certainly know that death hath lost her sting Oh faithless and faint-hearted man why dost thou tremble O Christian to encounter with thy last enemy since its weapon is now taken from it why dost thou shrink at the coldness of the serpent when thou knowest her poyson and sting are quite taken away Oh faithless and faint-hearted soul to be so afraid of a shadow Alas why do we so dreadfully fear death since our souls are not lost but sent before it is for those only to tremble at death that pass from one death to another from the death of the body on earth to the death of the body and soul in hell for ever it is for those only to fear a temporal death so terribly who are either ignorant or do despair of eternal life who go from their Prison in this world to the place of their execution world without end But as for those that are in Christ Jesus they pass from a prison to a Palace from a dungeon to a Throne from a crazy and miserable Tabernacle here to an eternal habitation in the heavens It is for them says Cyprian to fear to be dissolved who have no hope to be with Christ A despairing fear of death is but a despair of eternal life after death Men naturally chuse rather to suffer a great deal of pain and live than to endure a small pain in dying which demonstrates that it is something after death and not death it self which we so much dread Let those only desire to linger in the miseries of this present life who hope thereby to delay a while the torments and miseries of the life to come But as for us Christians we that are in Christ Jesus why are we afraid to arrive at our haven of rest after so many dangers storms and shipwracks which we have suffered in this world having fought a good fight and finished our course why do we doubt or delay to go and receive our Crown of glory having run our race why seem we so unwilling to receive the prize let us not fear the threats of a Temporal death but rather let us rejoyce in the promises of eternal life For whether we live we live unto the Lord and whether we dye we dye unto the Lord therefore whether we live or dye we are the Lords Let not our lives be so wicked and prophane as that we should be therefore ashamed to live neither let us be so negligent and ignorant of death as to be therefore afraid to dye But at the instant of our departure let us every one say as that dying Saint did which Hierom mentions go forth my soul go forth what dost thou fear Let every soul of us learn to say sincerely and chearfully at his last passage from his earthly Pilgrimage What though I dye I know that my Redeemer liveth though my body be dissolved yet shall my Spirit be conjoyned with Christ my Saviour Lye down then O my body and return unto thy dust mount aloft O my soul and meet thy Saviour in the Air my body shall be earth and worms meat for a short time but my soul I am assured shall be a companion with Saints and Angels for ever and ever Amen Divine Contemplations and Soliloquies upon Death and Eternity I. AS all the creatures O God were made by thy wisdom so they may be useful for our instruction to teach us to dye my garments that wax old may put me in mind that I my self shall wax old like a Garment and that as a Vesture I shall be changed Let me not therefore love the shadow and leave the substance let me not change heaven for earth things temporal for things eternal and since my life is but as a day let me so live by thy Divine assistance this day as if I were certain to dye to morrow and since my life is but as a watch in the night my soul shall wait for thee O Lord before the morning watch I will wait for thee in zealous Affections in unwearied patience in undoubted confidence and expectation of the joy that will come in the morning wherein thou wilt appear for my deliverance out of this transitory life and with my lamp prepared I will be in readiness to meet my Bridegroom at his coming II. Whilest I behold the heavens the works of thy hands O Lord and the Sun and Moon which thou hast ordained which shall all pass away as a tempest I will look for a new heaven and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness the heaven of heavens the City of the ever-living God the celestial Jerusalem the place where thy honour dwells therefore while I am on earth let me consider that I am but earth let me always remember that I am but dust an house of clay a body of corruption let me not be earthly-minded like those whose God is their belly whose glory is their shame and whose end is destruction who mind earthly things While I look upon the water-flouds let me say this is mine
the world to save sinners Eph. 5.2 This is the high Priest of the New Testament who hath given himself for our sins an offering and a sacrifice unto God for a sweet smelling savour Mat. 26.28 1 Pet. 2.24 Isai 53.5 Christ it was who shed his own blood for the remission of sins who bore our sins in his own body on the tree who was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities the Lord laid on him and caused to rush upon him as an Army the iniquities of us all 2 Cor. 5.21 God made him sin for us who knew no sin that is he imputed our sins to him he laid the punishment of our sins upon him he made him a sacrifice for our sins Nor did Christ resist this counsel and decree of his heavenly father Psal 40.9 but obeyed his will with the readiest mind that might be Gal. 1.4.2.20 and gave himself for our sins he loved us and gave himself for us There is a Baptism I will be baptized withal saith he Luk. 12.50 and how am I straitned until it be accomplished This was the Baptism of his Cross and the distress wherewith that our most bountiful Saviour was wholly overwhelmed from no other motive than from his immense and unspeakable Love towards us this was it that so straitned and put him forward How great soever his outward pain was in his passion yet his inward love towards us was still greater and more ardent by which he was prepared to suffer more for our sins if that price of our redemption which he paid had not seemed sufficient But there is no reason we should doubt of the sufficiency of the price there is the fullest redemption with him Bern. Ser. 22. in Cant. col 554. for not a drop but a stream of blood flowed plentifully from five parts of his body he cryed out that all things were finished on the cross and by the cross and therefore he fully and perfectly * Heb. 1.3 by himself purged our sins †10.14 by one offering of himself he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified * Rev. 1.5 he hath washed us from our sins in his own blood Believe therefore so clear so manifest so express words of the holy Spirit and firmly resolve that by Christ's death and passion there was made a sufficient satisfaction for thy sins The remembrance of actual sins Tempted May be Christ only took upon him original sin so that I my self must either make satisfaction for my actual sins or burn Therefore though I firmly believe that Christ hath washed away original guilt yet I am troubled and oppressed with those actual sins which through the whole course of my life I have committed in number very many in weight most heavy in desert damnable Adam is opposed to Christ Rom. 5.18 therefore the benefit by Christ will not extend further than the guilt which is derived upon us from Adam Anothers fault may be made up by anothers satisfaction but a mans own fault requires his own satisfaction Comforter No 1 Joh. 1.7 but the blood of Christ cleanseth thee from all manner of sins not only from that contracted from Adam but also those which have been added thereto by thy self Rom. 3.25 God hath set forth Christ to be a propitiation through faith in his blood we may come thereto by true faith and obtaining remission of our sins be reconciled to God as often as the weight of our sins oppresseth us Heb. 4.16 We may come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need And what redemption or what reconciliation would this be if Christ had only satisfied for one sort of sin we being still bound and engaged to make satisfaction for all the rest which are greater and more numerous Christ's redemption is not so maim imperfect and by halves Heb. 10.12 14. but offering one sacrifice for sins by that one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified and he hath obtained such remission of sins that no more offering for sin is necessary v. 18. 1 Joh. 2.1 If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous 2. He is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world Therefore if when we have faln into sin through the infirmity of the flesh we heartily repent we have a refuge in Christ's intercession the foundation whereof consists in his merit and satisfaction for therefore is Christ's Intercession effectual for us because he hath made a full and perfect satisfaction for our sins thence and therefore the stroke of divine justice and severe judgement due to our sins falls not on us because Christ hides our sins with the cloak of mercy obtained and merited by the price of redemption paid by him Aug. 4. de Trin. c. 13. Let this therefore be held for certain that Christ by his death having offered one true sacrifice for us hath purged abolished and put out whatever sins there were whereby Principalities and Powers did justly hold us to suffer punishment Therefore in him and by him we obtain the remission not only of original sin De merit remis pecca t◠c. 13. but of all the other we have added thereto For * Tit. 2.14 he which I pray remember gave himself for us that he might redeem as from all iniquity He is an infinite person who hath satisfied and how shall not his suffering be also of infinite merit What so deadly that could not be healed by the death of the Son of God who is life it self What so bloody and defiled that could not be cleansed with the precious blood of God A doubt concerning the application of the benefits of Christ Tempted But how can I be partaker of that most precious treasure Christ indeed died for all but the fruit of Christ's death redoundeth not to all from whence therefore shall I be certain that the benefits of Christ belong to me also Whence can it be manifest that I am indeed and certainly partaker actually of all those things that Christ by his passion and death hath merited for us Comforter God offereth to thee the word of the Gospel and in it all the benefits of his son Esay 65.2 He stretcheth forth his hand all the day long he calleth all inviteth all therefore he also calls invites and wooeth thee What therefore God offereth thee with the hand of his mercy that receive with the hand of a firm affiance Bern. Serm. 31. in Cant. col 597. Bern. Serm. 3. in Annunc col 113. As far as thou puttest forth thy foot into the good things of the Lord so far thou shalt possess them God putteth not the oil of his mercy save in the vessel of trust Thou shalt possess so much of the good things
perfect it By it thou art liable to death and all that troop of calamities miseries and diseases which precede death An insufficient sorrow Tempted I acknowledge and perceive that I was not only born and conceived in sins but also that God hath been offended by me by divers manifold and great transgressions I perceive this and I am heartily sorry but may be that sorrow is not sufficient as not being answerable to the faults nor an equivalent satisfaction for my transgressions Comforter True the grief and trouble of conscience that arises from the consciousness of sin can never answer the grievousness and deformity of the sins seeing God is an infinite good that is offended sin an infinite evil that is committed and the punishment of hell prepared for sinners is infinite how then by thy contrition canst thou satisfie the infinite justice of God and expiate his infinite wrath Christ hath performed that which of thy self and by thy own strength thou couldst not he hath made an infinite and equivalent satisfaction for thy sins If thou couldst have satisfied by thy self if thou couldst have done away thy sins by thy own contrition and grief what need had there been for Christ to have come down from heaven and to have laboured so long under the weight of the Cross Isai 43.24 Thou hast made him to serve with thy sins and hast wearied him with thine iniquities He has trodden the wine-press alone and of the people there was none with him Look therefore that thou think not that the grief of thy contrition either can be or ought to be so great as that it should answer to the greatness and deformity of thy sins but therefore and for this end doth God require a true confession of sin and a sincere contrition of heart that the free remission of sins which thou obtainest through Christ apprehended by faith may take place Christ preacheth but it is to the meek that is Isai 61.1 Luk. 4.18 Mat. 9.12 the humbled in spirit he heals but it is the broken-hearted For the whole have no need of the physician that is those that think themselves to be well He preaches remission but it is to the captives that is to those that are sensible of the spiritual captivity of sin for that man desires not to be freed from bondage that thinks himself free in every respect He preacheth sight Joh. 9.41 but it is to the blind that is to those that lament the spiritual blindness of their heart for they that say they see their sin remaineth They that say they are rich and increased in goods and have need of nothing know not that they are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked He preacheth forgiveness but it is to the broken and contrite in heart The Lord killeth 1 Sam. 2.6 and maketh alive he bringeth down to the grave and bringeth up He kills by contrition that he may make alive by consolation he bringeth down to the grave by the hammer of the Law that he may bring up from the grave by the comfort of the Gospel The weight of sorrow Tempted Troubles have compassed me about my heart is broken and overwhelmed my sins come flocking before me which grievously torment my conscience and strive to bring me down to hell Psal 32.3 there is no quietness in my bones from the terror of the Lord my soul refuseth to be comforted 77.2 v. 3. I am troubled and my spirit is overwhelmed I see no place whither I can flee and seek a remedy of my sins Comforter If thou wilt flee flee to Christ He friendly inviteth all that labour under the weight of sin Mat. 11.27 and are pressed with the yoke of that evil mistress Iniquity Hide thy self in his wounds until the tempest of God's anger be overpast Rom. 3.25 Christ is the propitiatory to which thou maist flee by a true faith and rest under the shadow of his wings Psal 42.1 As the hart panteth after the water brooks so thy soul being even spent by the heat of thy sins and the anger of God thirsteth after Christ the fountain of living water springing up to everlasting life If thou comest to him he will not refuse thee nor thrust thee from him for thus run the promises Rev. 22.17 Whosoever thirsteth let him come and whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely 21.16 To him that thirsteth will I give of the well of life freely Mat. 11 28. Come to me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest In me and through me ye shall find rest to your souls v. 29. Him that cometh unto me Joh. 6.37 I will not cast out With a faithful heart embrace these words of Christ which are the words of eternal and immoveable truth let thy heart propound to it self these his promises Psal 27.8 and seek the face of God Put Christ as in the midst between thee a sinner and an angry God Appeal from the throne of God's severe justice to the throne of mercy prepared for thee in and by Christ The infernal hawk follows hard after and persecutes thy soul let it flee therefore like a fearful and frighted dove to the elifts of the rock Cant. 2.14 which are the wounds of Christ Moses accuseth thee therefore sigh that Christ may interceed for thee Thy conscience is troubled Bern. Serm. 61. in Cant. but let it not be cast down from hope and trust but remember the wounds of Christ Aug. in Medit. Let the firmness of all thy trust be in the wounds of Christ which flow with the streams of mercy and want no holes whereby they may flow out Idem Serm. 22. in Cant. Let the Passion of our Saviour Jesus Christ be thy last refuge and the only remedy of thy sins It can help thee when thy wisdom fails thy righteousness is not sufficient the merits of thy holiness are of no avail And this is another and indeed an essential property of true faith to look with the eye of the heart on Christ hanging on the cross from his wounds to hope for and draw a remedy for a mans own wounds to rest upon him with a sincere trust of heart and as it were to wrap ones self in his most holy merit For this is the voice of true faith Behold me thou who on the cross didst die And to my sins thy side a shelter give My heart pants after thee my sins pass by By sin I dye but by thy blood I live If therefore being pricked for thy sins thou hunger and thirst after righteousness Bern. Ser. 22. in Cant. believe on him that justifieth the ungodly and being justified by faith alone thou shalt have peace with God Confess thou art not worthy Lib. 1. vit Bern. cap. 13. nor canst obtain the kingdom of heaven by thy own merits but let this be thy trust
another place which is not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience or a covenant towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ Be baptized Acts 22.16 and wash away thy sins saith Ananias Gal. 3.27 As many of ye as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ and by faith ye are all the children of God For Christ sanctifieth his Church Eph. 5.27 cleansing it with the laver of water in the word From all which thou maist strongly conclude that Baptism is a ransom for captives Basil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tom 1. p. 446. Cyrill Hieros in praefat Catech. a remission of debts a death of sin a being born again a bright garment of the soul an inviolable seal a chariot to heaven the Inn of the kingdom the gift of adoption * Naziaâ—z orat in S. Bapt. p. 615. It is the brightness of souls the change of life the answer of the conscience towards God an help of our weakness It is a putting away of the flesh a following of the Spirit a communion of the word It is an amendment of the creature a deluge to sin a partaking of light a dissolution of darkness It is a chariot unto God anaccompanying of Christ the prop of faith the perfection of the mind the glory of the kingdom of heaven a change of life a taking away of servitude a loosing of bands a changing of apparel Tertul. 4. adver Marc. p. 231. Aug. 2. cont Crescon c. 18. Paulin. epist 12. ad Sever. It is the spring of true life and true righteousness an abridged laver the Sacrament of life and eternal salvation The holy Ghost into this pool descends Whose waters by an heavenly spring are fed Which influenc'd by th' Deity forth sends An holy offspring from eternal seed For in the Baptism of Christ it was demonstrated by visible signs what the divine grace worketh invisibly in our Baptism Chemnit in cap. 17. Harm The water of Baptism was sanctified by the touch of our Lords body for whatsoever Christ promerited and obtained in the body of his flesh he deposited as it were in his Baptism He received Baptism with us sinners to testifie that we by Baptism are made his members As the eternal Father in the Baptism of Christ said This is my beloved son so at this day he adopts for sons all that believe and are baptized As in the Baptism of Christ heaven was opened so to this day by the sacrament of Baptism the gate of the heavenly paradise is opened to us As the holy Ghost in Christ's Baptism descended upon him in the form of a dove so in our Baptism the holy Ghost is present and therein doth effectually work our regeneration and renovation so that thus in Baptism concurr the grace of the Father adopting the merit of the Son cleansing and the efficacy of the holy Spirit regenerating If therefore thou art baptized thou canst not doubt of the grace of God the remission of sins and the promise of eternal life Baptism is the laver of regeneration where there is regeneration there is remission of sins there is the grace of God there is perfect righteousness there is renewing there is the gift of the holy Ghost there is adoption and there is the inheritance of eternal life Falling from the Covenant of Baptism Tempted I believe indeed that I was received into the covenant of grace by the sacrament of Baptism that I thereby obtained remission of sins and was writ in the book of life but I have faln from the grace of this covenant again by my sins by repeating my transgressions I have made void the aforegoing remission and have often deserved to be blotted out of the book of life Comforter No but the covenant of God is an everlasting covenant to which thou maist always return by true and hearty repentance For as God declares concerning the sacrament of Circumcision Gen. 17.13 that it is an everlasting covenant so let us not doubt but that in Baptism which succeeded in the place of Circumcision Col. 2.11 God enters into and establisheth an everlasting covenant with us I will betroth thee to me for ever saith he by the Prophet Hos 2.19 yea I will betroth thee in righteousness and in judgement and in loving kindness and in mercies I will betroth thee to me in faithfulness Isai 54.10 The mountains shall depart and the hills be removed but my kindness shall not depart from thee neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Rom. 3.3 God forbid we should say the faith of God is made without effect by our unbelief If we give never so little belief to his words or depart from him 1 Tim. 2.13 yet he abideth faithful always the same true and constant he cannot deny himself Therefore by the sins of thy natural infirmity thou fallest not from the free covenant of God By sins committed against thy conscience thou fallest indeed from the grace of God and the covenant of grace but thou maist return to the everlasting covenant of God by true repentance The ship of Baptism splits not though we leap out of it into the sea of sins therefore by repentance which in this sence may be called secunda post naufragium tabula Hier. in c. 3. Isa v. 9. we may return again to the same ship of Baptism that we may in it be wasted to the port of eternal salvation Tertul. lib. de poenit p. 479. Therefore embrace repentance as a shipwrackt person catches hold of a plank this will lift thee up when ready to be drowned in the waves of thy sins and will carry thee into the haven of Gods mercy Peter had denied his Master but being converted he notwithstanding seeks the promise of salvation in Baptism 1 Pet. 3.21 The Galatians and the Corinthians had faln foully yet when they were renewed again by repentance the Apostle offers them comfort drawn from Baptism declaring that as many of them as had been baptized Gal. 3.27 had put on Christ and clearly affirming that they were washed 1 Cor. 6.11 12 13. and by one spirit were baptized into one body namely mystical whence it clearly appears that the efficacy of the Baptismal covenant is extended to the future and is not quite enervated and abolished by mans fall but on God's part remains continually a firm and established covenant When Paul therefore says Aug. 1. de nup. concup c. 33. that Christ cleanseth the Church in the laver of water in the word it is thus to be understood that in the same laver of regeneration and word of sanctification all the sins of regenerate men are cleansed healed not only those by-past all which are remitted in Baptism but also those which are contracted afterwards by humane ignorance and frailty Not that Baptism should be
repeated as oft as men sin but because by it once given there is obtained pardon unto the faithful of all the sins committed not only before but also after Confess therefore and grieve for thy sins but yet renounce not nor forget the covenant of grace that was enter'd into with thee at thy Baptism but though thou fall a thousand times yet return again Return unto me Jer. 3.12 Psal 27. thou backsliding soul saith the Lord and I will not turn away my face from you because I am merciful saith the Lord and keep not anger for ever Let thy heart present this word to God and he will have mercy on thee being mindful of his promise 2 Tim. 2.13 for he cannot deny himself nor his word The uncertain reception into the covenant of Baptism Tempted But whence can I be sure that I am again received by God into the covenant of Baptism I wish my heart could be perswaded by some certain seal I wish there were some sacrament by partaking whereof the promise of grace might be ratified to me Comforter Yea there is such an one namely the holy sacrament of the Lords supper wherein thou receivest that body Christ gave to death for thee and drinkest of that blood which Christ poured forth for thy sins on the altar of the Cross Wherefore seeing thou receivest in that holy supper the most holy price of thy Redemption namely the body and blood of Christ thou maist be sure that thou truly partakest of all those things which Christ hath merited on the altar of the Cross by giving up his body and pouring out his blood viz. the grace of God the remission of sins righteousness life and eternal salvation When thou drinkest that blood by the pouring out whereof the covenant of grace was established and confirmed how canst thou doubt whether thou art truly received again into that covenant What is more near to God than his only-begotten Son as one that is in his bosom Joh. 1.18.14.10.10.30 that is in the Father and the Father in him that is one with the Father Again what is nearer to the son of God than his flesh and blood or the humane Nature assumed as that which he hath joyned to himself in a personal and indissoluble league Therefore by eating Christ's flesh and drinking his blood thou art most closely joyned to God These being eaten and drunk do cause that Christ abideth in thee and thou in him Hilar. S. de Trin. p. 141. What is nearer to us than what we eat and drink as that which is either turned into the substance of our flesh as natural and elementary meats are or does as it were change and turn us into it self as that spiritual meat of the Lords body and blood which we eat indeed but we change not him into us but we are changed into him Therefore by eating the quickning flesh of Christ thou receivest spiritual life from it by drinking the precious blood of Christ thou comest to the well of life Christ assumed humane nature from us in it he condemned sin he destroyed death he repaired life and replenished it also with fulness of grace and heavenly good things That very nature assumed from us and repaired in him doth he return thee again in the Lords supper sanctified and filled with heavenly treasures that thou maist be sure that that truly belongs to thee which he hath deposited therein as in a rich storehouse He implants as it were thy depraved nature in his most holy and quickning flesh that from him thou mightst draw the juice of life and an antidote to remedy that spiritual poison that lies hid in thy flesh He is the vine Joh. 15.5 we are the branches he that abideth in Him and He in him the same beareth much fruit The impurity of thy nature is overshadowed as it were and covered with that most holy body of Christ that thou receivest and that most precious blood that thou drinkest that it appears not before the tribunal and in the sight of God They are taken by thee for an acceptable apology and earnest of eternal life Liturg. … ter Damas 4. fid Orthod cap. 14. for the confirmation and defence of the soul and the body for the remission of sins and for eternal life Moreover in the holy supper there is given a wholsome viaticum in that therein are exhibited to thee the symbols of a future resurrection Can. Nicaen whereby is confirmed to thee a title of acquaintance and entertainment to be expected in a heavenly country Joh. 6.54 He that eateth my flesh saith Christ and drinketh my blood hath eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day Therefore it cannot be I say it cannot be that thy body should abide in the grave Iren. lib. 4. c. 34. when it hath been nourished with the body and blood of our Lord namely with that meat that is the * Ignat. ep 11. ad Ephes medicine of immortality the antidote against death and a powerful remedy that we may live in God through Christ By this meat thy weakness shall be strengthened that thou maist arrive at the mountain of the Lord with Elias 2 Kings 13.21 The bones of Elisha being now dead did enliven him that was to be buried in the same tomb how much rather shall the flesh of Christ now living and quickening being received by faith quicken thee to eternal life The unworthy receiving of the Lords supper Tempted I confess that in the true and salutary use of the Lord's supper the godly are made partakers of these benefits but that troubles me not a little which the Apostle affirmeth 1 Cor. 11.27 That they that eat this bread and drink the cup of the Lord unworthily become guilty of the body and blood of Christ I am afraid therefore lest I also be an unworthy guest at that heavenly banquet Conforter By acknowledging and lamenting thine unworthiness thou maist avoid the imputation of an unworthy guest for the Apostle calleth those unworthy not who are weak in faith seeing this sacrament was instituted for the strengthening of faith and comforting of the weak 1 Cor. 11.28 29. but those who examine not themselves nor discern the Lord's body that is those who without true repentance and a lively faith who without hatred of sin and a firm purpose of amendment of life come to the holy supper as to a common feast who difference not this heavenly banquet from other common meats that they might acknowledge its true excellency and duly prepare their hearts Such unworthy guests at this banquet sin no less by unworthy eating and drinking the flesh and blood of Christ than the Jews did in crucifying him But far be it from thy piety far be it I say that thou shouldest be in their number For thou acknowledgest the filth of thy sin thou lamentest the uncleanness of thy nature thou breathest after Christ the physician
in a boasting manner will make ostentation of his righteousnesses to God any more than a woman of a menstruous cloth to a man Neither our works nor our sufferings are worthy of the glory that shall be revealed in us Rom. 8.18 We cannot by our obedience merit a crumb of bread to feed upon but we are glad to beg it of God by daily prayers how incomparably less can we obtain the wages of eternal life by our merits Aug. in Psal 31. Therefore if thou wilt fall from grace boast of thy merits Idem de verb. Apost serm 15. God giveth altogether freely he saveth freely because he finds nothing for which he should save but much for which he should damn Fulgent 1. ad Monim p. 21. From grace is given not only a good life to the justified but also an eternal life to the glorified therefore death is called wages but eternal life is called grace because that is paid but this is bestowed Bern. serm in nat Mar. col 213. Let whoso will therefore seek after merit do thou study to find grace let thy merit be the mercy of God thou art not altogether without merit as long as he wants not compassion Serm. 61. in Cant. Serm. 67. in Cant. There is no room for grace where merit hath already taken place grace wanteth so much as thou ascribest to merit Serm. 68. in Cant. It sufficeth to merit to know that merit sufficeth not Place all thy trust in God only embrace his mercy 〈◊〉 the wounds of Christ seek thy merits and thou shalt not be unwâ—â—thy of merits The accusation of the Law Tempted I confess our works are not meritorious nor appease God but we must please him by faith But how can they chuse but displease him when they are not perfectly conformable to his Law The Law is an eternal and immoveable rule of righteousness condemning all that is not conformable to it self Therefore it brandisheth at me and my works the weapon of damnation unless you show me what shield I may defend my self withall Comforter Christ hath redeemed thee from the curse of the Law being made a curse for thee because it is written Gal. 3.13 Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree When the fulness of time was come Chap. 4.4 God sent his son made of a woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the law vers 5. that we might receive the adoption of sons Rom. 16. Christ is he end and fulfilling of the Law for righteousness to every one that belie … There is therefore no condemnion to be feared from the law 〈◊〉 thee and all such as are Christs Chap. 8.1 by faith and walk not after the flesh vers 2. The law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made thee free from the law of sin and of death vers 3. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God hath done sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin hath condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us vers 4. that walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Wherefore if by true faith thou appliest the benefits of Christ to thy self thou needest not fear the curse of the law 1 Cor. 15.55 56. The sting of death is sin the strength of sin is the law But thanks be to God who hath given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ He hath overcome our death by his death he hath satisfied for our sins by his sufferings and hath most perfectly fulfilled the law for us by his most holy obedience And yet there is no abolishing of the law but only a transferring Nor do the Law and Gospel destroy one another Gal. 3.21 seeing the Law is not against the promises of the Gospel Rom. 3.31 but is established by faith For what the law requires of us that the Gospel declares to be performed by Christ in our stead What the Law commandeth that Christ obtaineth The Law condemns sin and us for sin Christ yieldeth satisfaction for sin and bestows his righteousness on us The Law therefore is satisfied by Christ's obedience because it is perfect on the other hand the fulfilling of the Law performed by Christ redounds to us Chytr lib. 1. de vita morte p. 43. because not due Therefore as thou oughtest not to behold sin in thy body but in Christ raised again the conquerour of death and the giver of life and eternal salvation sin not in thy conscience but in Christ the lamb of God that beareth and taketh away thy sins and the sins of all the world as thou oughtest to behold hell and temptations of eternal rejection not in thy self and the innumerable multitude of the damned but in Christ bearing on the cross and overcoming for us the temptation of casting off so thou oughtest to behold the Law not as it is writ in thy heart but as it was fulfilled by Christ and fastned to the cross with him The accusing of Conscience Tempted My conscience beareth witness to the accusation of the Law it as an uncorrupted judge riseth against me and while none accuseth me or bringeth ought against me is my accuser Chrys hom 64. in Gen. Nazianz. orat 26. I cannot shun that home tribunal in this great volume I see and am agast at all my sins writ with the pen of truth Bern. de convers ad Cler. c. 3. col 414. Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this court of judgment wherein the criminal the accuser witness judge racker whip and executioner are the same Comforter If thy heart condemneth thee Joh. 3.20 yet God is greater than thy heart If the remembrance of thy by-past sins accuse and torment thee yet Christ the Redeemer who hath satisfied for sins is more powerful he acquitteth freeth and saveth thee Col. 2.14 For he hath blotted out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us he hath taken it out of the way fastning it to his cross That accusing hand-writing of thy conscience is fastn'd also therewith by the nails of Christ crucified so that it is void and of no force before God Rom. 5.1 For being justified by faith thou hast peace with God peace of conscience quiet of heart and that blessed tranquillity of soul which Christ the conquerour of death sin and Satan brought with him from the grave Bern. de conv c. 6. col 415. and bestowed on his disciples Wherefore if thou feel the worm of conscience in this present life thou oughtest presently to stifle it not to nourish it to immortality for conscience putrified breeds never dying worms Stifle therefore the worm of conscience by unfeigned repentance beg of God quiet of heart and pardon of sin and take heed of wounding thy
lived as to be ashamed to live amongst you nor yet am I afraid to dye because we have a good God He that has furnished thee with the gifts of teaching for the benefit of his Church knows how to endow others also with the same Wherefore if with the Apostle thou be'st straitned so as thou knowst not which of these two to chuse Phil. 1.23 desiring to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best or to abide in the flesh which is more profitable for the Church know that to die is gain to thee and to live is benefit to the Church Rom. 14.7 8. None of us liveth to himself neither doth any die to himself For whether we live we live unto the Lord namely that we may gain unto him more souls in the Church or whether we die we die unto the Lord that we may obey his fatherly will calling us from our station whether we live therefore or die we are the Lord's that most gracious and powerful Lord's from whose love neither life nor death Rom. 8.3 8 39. can separate us Hitherto thou hast obeyed the will of God in faithfully bestowing thy services on the Church obey him also in readily embracing his will calling thee to the fellowship of the Church triumphant Thou art duly solicitous for the increase of the Church out of charity but yet in the mean time thou oughtest to commit the care of governing and preserving the Church unto God out of faith Nothing is more wholsome here nothing better nothing more conformable to piety than to resign ones self wholly to the divine will and by pious prayers to commit unto him a full power to dispose of our life or death Bern. in me dit devotis c. 6. col 1196. We may undoubtingly hope for one of these two things He will either give that which we ask or that which is better Psal 37.5 Commit thy way unto the Lord and trust in him and he shall bring it to pass Short life brought upon ones self Tempted I fear I my self have made my life shorter by my sins how then can I hope for the presence and help of God in death Those that are guilty of their own death obtain not a better life after death Comforter But that is to be understood of those that from impatience lay violent hands on themselves and force the soul to go out of the tabernacle of the body against the will of God far be such a purpose from thy piety For none ought to bring a voluntary death on himself to avoid some temporal afflictions Aug. 1. de civ Dei c. 26. lest he fall into those that are everlasting none may do this for other mens sins lest he come to have this most grievous one of his own who was not polluted by those of others none may do this for by-past sins for which he has the more need of life that they may be healed by repentance none may do this out of a desire of a better life that is expected after death because those that are guilty of their own death obtain not a better life after death But if thy mind be troubled with those thoughts that by the immoderate use of meat and drink or from any other disorder thou hast made thy life shorter lament this with hearty groans and place all thy confidence on the merit of Christ firmly purposing to amend thy life and God will pardon thy iniquities who hath promised forgiveness of sins to those that truly repent Manasses a man of blood had himself broken the thread of his life and yet heartily repenting he obtained the glory of eternal life The thief on the cross received things worthy of what he had done Luk. 23.41 but heartily returning unto God he entred with Christ into paradise Gen. 3.15 Nay our first parents had brought death on themselves and all their posterity yet nevertheless embracing that Evangelical promise of him that should break the serpents head they were cheered again with enlivening consolation Ambrose's saying to Theodosius the Emperor Wherefore if thou hast followed them sinning follow them also repenting with tears Gods hand is not yet shortned nor hath his mercy failed by the number of years the gate of pardon is not yet shut seeing there is granted still space of repentance The love of this life Tempted I could have wished longer to have enjoy'd this life and the benefits of it I could have wished longer to have possessed the blessings of God granted me in this life Comforter See that by the inordinate love of this life thou bewray not thy self not truly to love the chief good Anselm de mensur crucis lit E. All our heart is so owning to the love of God that so much of it as is given to another is taken from God He loves God less that with him loves any thing which he loves not for his sake Thy heart is a vessel but it is full of the love of the world therefore there is no room for the true love of God to enter turn out the inordinate love of the world that the love of God may enter in Does the present life so delight thee which is all of it a dangerous and hard warfare What else is it to live long than to be afflicted long and to sin long Cypr. serm de mortal pag. 215 If in thy dwelling the walls should totter for oldness and the roof above should shake thy house now weary with its aged structure should threaten a sudden downfal wouldst thou not pass out of it with all speed If when thou art sailing a troubled and stormy tempest should foretell a future shipwrack by the waves raised with the force of the winds wouldst thou not make swiftly towards the haven Behold the world totters and slides and witnesseth its ruin not now by the age but the end of things and dost thou not give God thanks dost thou not congratulate thy self that being withdrawn by a timely exit thou escapest the ruins the shipwracks and the storms that are a coming Ambros in cap. 8. ad Rom. As the sea stirr'd up by contrary winds insults and causeth a tempest to the sailours so the generation of the unfaithful being mov'd by a conspiracy disturb the minds of the faithful and the enemy acts with so great perverseness that one cannot tell what first to shun For if the Powers cease to be against us he enrageth the spirits of private persons if these be also bridled he raiseth a combustion by those of the same family and if this be quencht by his art he causeth discord amongst the brethren themselves that the house being beat upon at its four corners it may fall on some side wherefore with one consent Christians must flee from hence For they should follow that holy man's example who knowing that war is here waged against perfidiousness desired that he might depart in peace This
there shall be a resurrection of the dead both of the just and unjust 1 Cor. 15.53 This corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in victory 2 Cor. 4.14 We know that he that raised up the Lord Jesuss Phil. 3.20 21. shall raise us up also by Jesus Our conversation is in heaven from whence also we look for our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like to his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself 1 Thes 4.14 If we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him Rev. 20.12 13. John saw the dead small and great stand before God and the books were opened And the sea gave up the dead which were in it and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them These sayings of Scripture writ as it were with the sun-beam are seconded by strong reasons For so the Apostle concludes If Christ be risen 1 Cor. 15.12 Tert. de carne p. 33. we shall al so rise again teaching us that the resurrection of Christ is the key of our graves and the example of our hope 1 Cor. 15.20 Christ was made the first-fruits of them that sleep Therefore as by God's appointment the harvest followed the offering of the first-fruits Exod. 23.19 Lev. 23.20 so shall the harvest of the universal resurrection follow the first-fruits of our Lord's resurrection Christ is our head Aug. 20. de trinit c. 17. what went before in the head shall follow in the members and thence the Apostle confidently affirms Eph. 2.6 that we are raised up together with Christ and placed in the glory of the heavenly paradise Maxim in Serm. de res For the flesh blood and portion of every one of us is in Christ-man Where therefore our portion reigneth there we believe to reign where our blood ruleth we perceive our selves to rule and where our flesh is glorified we know that we are glorious 1 Cor. 15.21 22. Moreover as by one man namely the first Adam came death so by one man namely the second Adam came the resurrection As in Adam we dye so in Christ we rise again Adam's fall was available to bring in death shall not Christ's resurrection be able to obtain our rising again unto life Christ in his glorious resurrection shew'd himself a conquerour of all his enemies then surely of death also which at length he shall utterly abolish Christ is the eternal King surely therefore he will raise from death the citizens of his kingdom that they may live for ever with him Christ freed not our foul only but our body also from the yoke of sin and ordain'd it to an inheritance of eternal life therefore it shall be raised out of the dust that it may go to the possession of this life obtained for it by Christ Theodor. in 1 Cor. 15. tom 2. p. 77. From all which it clearly appears that Christ is as it were the surety and pledge of our resurrection 1 Cor. 3.16 Moreover our bodies are the temples and tabernacles of the holy Ghost he will not let this his temple lie hid in dust and rubbish but he will build it again and hereafter will make it far more illustrious than it was in this life Even as the latter temple of Jerusalem had greater glory than the former Hag. 2.4 In Solomon's temple there were unfading palm-trees 1 K. 6.32 so the bodies of the godly shall not be liable to eternal corruption seeing they are the dwellings of the eternal Spirit Nay seeing our bodies are sanctified by the body and blood of Christ Iren. lib. 4. cap. 34. in the salutary use of the Lords supper how can they abide in the grave How shall that flesh be said to come into corruption and not to partake of life which is fed by the body and blood of Christ As that bread which is of the earth after consecration is no longer common bread but the Eucharist consisting of two things an earthly and an heavenly so our bodies also partaking of this Eucharist are not corruptible having hope of a resurrection Christ's flesh is enlivening meat Joh. 6.54 whoso therefore eateth this flesh hath eternal life Lactant. lib. 4. instit c. 48. and Christ will raise him up at the last day Moreover seeing the soul in this life works by the body and with the body whether good or bad whilst it is in the body therefore divine justice requireth that those that are joyned in the work should be also joyned in the wages those which are joyned i◠the fault should be joyned also in the punishment thence and therefore we shall all be made to appear before the judgement sea◠of Christ 2 Cor. 5.10 that every one may receive the things done in his body whether they be good or evil Tert. in Apolog. c. 45. p. 337. Tert. de re sur p. 44. Lact. 6. div instit c. 18. The soul did not deserve without the body in which it did all Lastly besides these strong arguments there are the examples of those that have been raised whom Christ by his own power the Prophets and Apostles by a divine power have recalled to life for a testimony of the future resurrection which as Candidates of immortality and eternity they give to us who by faith and confession are joyned to them The incredibility of the resurrection Tempted The Article of the resurrection is very much against the nature of our bodies and humane reason whence the hope of the resurrection also is sometimes not a little weakened with the storms of various cogitations in my heart Comforter The foundation of our faith are the oracles of the holy Spirit not the dictates of our reason We believe the resurrection of the dead 2 Cor. 10.5 to the obedience of this faith we ought to bring all reason into captivity Eph. 3.20 God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think * Philo. lib. de decal p. 477. If therefore thou find God doth promise thou shalt find he will perform whatever God saith they are not words but works Let us suppose that God can do any thing which we confess we cannot tell how it can be done and therein the whole reason of the work is the power of him that sayes he will do it †Aug. ep 3. Bern. serm 4. de nativ col 43. It will be easie for him by whom his mother her self lost not incorruption of flesh by bringing forth to cause that this corruptible should put on incorruption by rising again Nay in Nature there are set forth divers resemblances of the resurrection 1 Cor.
they that have done evil unto the resurrection of condemnation Mar. 25.46 The blessed shall go into everlasting life and the cursed into everlasting torment And that this immediate separation of the godly and ungodly shall not only be made in the last day but is made also presently after death the example of the rich glutton teacheth us Luk. 16.23 whose soul is thrust down to hell and of holy Lazarus whose soul is carried by Angels into paradise the example of the converted thief teacheth us the same Luk. 23.43 to whom Christ promises that he shall enter into paradise on that very day whereon he was to dye the Spirit of truth confirms the same pronouncing that from henceforth blessed are the dead in the Lord. Rev. 14.13 There is no other purgation or expiation of sins save in the blood of Christ that washeth us wholly from all sins 1 Joh. 1.7 Isai 53.5 The chastisement of our peace was upon him that he might be peace unto us Therefore he that believeth in him Rom. 5.1 1 Joh. 3.14 Wisd 4.1 is justified and has peace with God He is translated from death unto life and he need fear no torment after death The rigour of the last judgment Tempted I fear the rigour and terrour of the last judgment Above will be a severe Judge below a gaping hell within a gnawing conscience without a burning fire on the right hand accusing sins on the left affrighting Devils round about good Angels to drive me to hell and bad to draw me thither Satan will accuse me my sins will accuse me my conscience will accuse me Bern. in rythm I much dread the face of a severe Judge from whom nothing will lye concealed by whom nothing will remain unrevenged None shall be able to escape his power to deceive his wisdom to bend his justice to repeal his sentence Comforter If thou believest on the Son Joh. 3.18 thou shalt not be condemned namely with the severe and condemning rigour of judgement Joh. 5.24 If thou hearest Christ's word and believest it thou shalt not come into condemnation thy cause shall not be examin'd in that rigorous trial of judgement seeing Christ hath delivered those that believe in him from the wrath to come 1 Thes 1.10 The day of judgement is to be dreaded indeed of bad men Aug. in Psalm 100. because of punishment but to be loved by good men for a crown to those it will be a day of anger and revenge to these it will be a day of grace and large reward Lift up your heads Luk. 21.28 saith the Son and know that your redemption draweth nigh The Bride dreadeth not the coming of her Bridegroom now by faith thy soul is betroathed to Christ at the day of judgment he shall appear to that end that he may introduce it as his Bride to the heavenly marriage Rev. 19.7 What place therefore can there be here for fear or dread That day shall be a day of deliverance because it shall throughly free us from the miserable captivity of sin and death into the perfect service of Christ it is a day of deliverance because it shall ease us of all burden of evils and weight of calamities it is a day of deliverance because it shall wholly redeem us from that daily lusting of the flesh and dangerous warfare It is a day of refreshing Acts 3.20 because it shall bring us thirsty and panting from the scorching heat of calamities into a place of rest to a fountain of living water Let Christ our Bridegroom therefore come Let every soul that is a true spouse of Christ that is sealed by the Earnest of the spirit that is drawn with a true love of Christ say Come Lord Jesus Rev. 22.20 Aug. in Psal 147. If we truly love Christ let us then also desire his coming It is perverse to fear his coming whom thou lovest to pray Thy kingdom come and fear lest thou be heard But whence is thy fear because the Judge shall come what is he unjust is he malevolent is he envious is he expecting to know thy cause of another that perhaps he whom thou hast intrusted should either deceive thee by collusion or not be able to set forth the imperfect good of thine innocency with eloquence enough None of these Who then shall come why dost thou not rejoyce Who is to come to judge thee but he that came to be judged for thee Fear not thine accuser of whom thy Judge hath said The Prince of this world is cast forth Fear not an evil Advocate for he is now thine Advocate who shall be thy Judge He will be both thy self and thy cause the pleading of thy cause the testimony of thy conscience Whosoever therefore thou beest that fearest a future Judge now correct thy conscience There is no reason then that thou shouldest fear thy future Judge He shall be thy Judge that shall be thine Advocate He shall be thy Judge that hath given a promise to his Sains that by their testimony and example they shall judge the world He shall be thy Judge in whom thou wert elected unto life from eternity He shall be thy Judge who is also thy King how shall a King lose his people He shall be thy Judge a true member of whom thou art by faith how shall the head destroy his members Who shall accuse God's elect Rom. 8.33 It is God that justifieth who shall condemn It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again that sitteth at the right hand of God and intercedeth for us how shall he destroy them whom he hath taken into his patronage for whom he came into the world that they might not be lost Rom. 2.16 Christ shall judge according to the Gospel Now they that believe have not rejected it but received it with a true faith They have listened to the voice of Christ inviting to conversion Matt. 11.18 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest therefore they shall also hear the voice of him inviting to the possession of the heavenly kingdom Come ye blessed of my Father Mat. 25.34 inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world He shall be the Judge before whose face go grace and truth grace hath abolished the sins of believers truth hath given them the promises of eternal life Nor is there reason thou shouldst fear the horrible destruction of heaven and earth Luk. 21.33 Isai 40.8 Heaven and earth shall pass away but the words of Christ shall not pass away The word of the Lord abideth for ever if by true faith thou cleave unto this word thou shalt also abide for ever Thou hast lost nothing where thou hast possessed nothing with inordinate love thy treasure is not the riches of this world but the delights of the heavenly kingdom Let the world burn it is enough for
of our death and the day of our death but the end of our birth-day our birth-day precedes the day of our death but the day of our death is preferr'd before that of our birth by the wise Solomon Eccl. 7.3 The day of death is better than the day one is born And did we rightly consider this our birthday is indeed a purishment and the day of our death in comparison thereof a reward for death only is the remedy against the miseries of life and to dye is but to rest from those labours and to be free from those sorrows whereunto we are born What a plague and punishment were the day of our birth into a sinful miserable world did not the day of our death give an end to all such evils both of sin sorrows and pains Now since as I have said our birth-day is but the beginning of our death and the day of our death but the end of our birth-day we seem to speak improperly to call the day of our departure only the day of our death On our last day indeed we cease to live but from our first day we begin to dye our last day is not the cause of our death but the consummation of it it doth rather finish than begin our death it is not the last and utmost minute of our life which brings death upon us it doth rather manifest and declare that death was always with us As the Prophet speaking of persecution says we are killed all the day long Psal 44.22 and the Apostle St. Paul concerning his own sufferings I dye daily 1 Cor. 15.31 So that though no violence or injury were offered to us yet even through natures frailty we dye daily and by fatal Mortality are killed all the day long we dye daily from the time we first begin to live the first day of our life is our longest day and every day afterward takes away one day from our lives and the longer we have lived the less time we have to live Quotidie morimur c. sayes Seneca we dye daily and every day takes away part of our life and while we are yet growing up our life decreases the very day that we now live we do divide it with death As by the time we spend in eating sleeping working and playing so by the moments which pass away in reading speaking writing our lives are shortened We dye daily our times dye daily our actions dye daily our Persons dye daily our times dye daily the time past is dead to the time present the time present is dying to the time to come yester-day is dead to this day and this day is dying to the morrow our actions dye daily what is done and past is dead to what we are now doing and what we now do is dying to what we shall do hereafter we hardly remember what we have nor conceive what we have done nor delight in what we have done so do our actions dye daily to our memories our understanding our Affections Our persons dye daily our infancy dies to our childhood our childhood to our youth our youth to our manhood our manhood to our old Age and our old Age dies into our death A man is in a continual Consumption of himself his days waste him as well as he spends his days one part or other of him languisheth perisheth or corrupts every day we dye by piece-meal not all at once saith Seneca There is not one day but wherein our spirits do in some measure waste our blood cools our moisture dries our stomach fails our liver corrupts our Lungs consume our bowels yearn our hearts faint or our head akes Every day either some vein stops some sinew shrinks some bone breaks some skin is withered some flesh bruised or at least some parts or member decayed The eyes grow dimmer of sight the ears more dull of hearing or the palate more unsavory of tasting every day than other Thus the several parts dye by little and little and thus at last the whole becomes dead As the Candle consumes from the time it first begins to burn so doth the Oyl and marrow of mans life waste from the very time he begins to live Man is like a candle that either consumes himself in the Candlestick of this world or else he is smothered under the Bushel of his mothers Womb. An hour-glass runs constantly from the very time it is turned up man is like this hour glass he is but running sand or moving dust and as the sand in the hour-glass falls by degrees one sand after another till the whole be run out so a man drops away by little and little till the whole is extinguished A traveller goes forward many days towards his journeys end man is a Traveller his life is the way he goes and death is the end of his journey and is it then a strange thing for us to dye when our whole life is but the way and path that leads to death Do we think we shall never arrive to that which we are continually going toward sayes Seneca There is no way on earth to which there is not an end the most intricate Labyrinth hath a way out of it at last We are continually walking towards death how can we then chuse but meet with it at last we dye daily how can it then be avoided but at last we must come to be dead Wretched man then that thou art why dost thou not daily dispose and prepare thy self for death since thou diest daily sayes St. Bernard Imagine thy self to be dead since thou must of necessity dye Wo unto us wretched creatures that all of us are so near death and yet most of us put this day so far from us Death is ready to take us by the hand in the natural execution of its office before we are willing to take it to heart by our Christian Meditation We go toward the grave with our faces turned backward so that our feet are just ready to fall into the pit before our eyes do once look upon it There are many who feel death before they know what it is and do wofully hazard and experience it before they could be perswaded either wisely to consider or conceive thereof for though we daily see death seizing upon others yet we can hardly be perswaded to believe our selves concerned as a learned Author says men behold nothing more familiarly than death and yet they forget and neglect nothing more Death then is a mighty King the great Conquerour of mankind to whom all the Glorys of this world must submit and yet our blessed Apostle exultingly cryes out Oh death where is thy sting Let us then consider St. Pauls Appellation or his summons to death Oh death what art thou a Chimera a fable a bugbear a dream a shadow a nothing Oh death thou art none of Gods creature the Wise man saith God made not death neither hath he pleasure in destruction Wisd 1.13 God is the God of
our life and being and he delights not in our destruction death was never intended against us but against our sin we were therefore made mortal that our sins might not be immortal we must dye once that sin may not always live Oh death what dost thou Thou dissolvest the rarest composition of heaven and earth thou dividest our spirits from our clay thou dost separate soul and body sharper art thou than any two-edged sword and entrest to the dividing asunder the soul and spirit yea thou dividest between the marrow and the bone Thou makest our dust return to the earth and our Spirit to God that gave it Oh death Thou makest our spirit to vanish our breath to stop our blood to cool our colour to change our beauty to fade and our strength to fail thou as Solomon saith Eccles 12.2 makest the keepers of the house our hands to tremble and the strong men our feet to bow themselves thou makest the grinders our Teeth to cease and them that look out at the windows our eyes to wax dim thou shuttest the dores of our lips and stoppest our windpipes the Daughters of Musick Thou cuttest short the silver Cord of our Marrow and breakest the golden bowl of our brain pan thou breakest the pitcher of our veins at the fountain of our liver at the cistorn of our heart there breakest thou the wheel of our head Oh death Thou art ordained for us all It is appointed for all men once to die we must all walk in this way all-tread this same path we must all sleep the same sleep our last sleep and the dark night of death will at last overtake us all our fathers are dead saith the Father our friends are dead and we our selves must die also Some are gone before us some do accompany us and some will come after us as wave after wave dashes against the Rock so shall we all one after another dash against this hard and cold Rock of death And thus sooner or later we all must die at last We are born with that condition that we must die we do therefore put on the Garment of our body that we may again put it off Death is the Law of Nature and to dye is but to pay a Tribute due to Nature it is as natural for us to live and then to die as it is for us to wake and sleep Oh death Thou wilt certainly come yet it is most uncertain when nothing is more certain than death but than the hour of death there is nothing more uncertain of that day and hour knoweth no man Matt. 24.36 that is of the day of judgement and the hour of death Death comes as a thief in the night both certainly suddenly and violently it takes one upon the house top another in the field one working in the Vineyard another grinding at the Mill one upon the house top of honours another in the field of pleasures one labouring in the Vineyard of a Christian calling another grinding at the Mill of worldly cares and troubles a man knoweth not his time Eccl. 9.12 that is the time of his death God will not discover to us the time when death shall come upon us because he would have us think it to be ever near us he will not let us know our last day because he would have us imagine and expect every day to be our last This one hour the hour of death is hidden from us that all the hours of our life might be the better improved by us saith St. Augustine Oh Death Thou art impartial and indifferent to all thou callest equally and as soon at the gate of the Palace as at the door of the Cottage thou makest the skull of the King and begger alike and between the dust of either thou knowest no difference thou hast neither pity upon the poor nor respect unto the rich thou neither scornest the foolish nor dost thou reverence the wise How dieth the wise man says Solomon even as the fool Eccl. 2.16 Thou dost long threaten the old man and soon betrayest and sruprizest the young thou never sparest any for their Age Sex degree or wealth we can by no power or force resist thee nor by any diligence avoid thee no tears can move thee no money bribe thee no art nor Eloquence can perswade thee Oh Death Thou hast manifold appearances and comest to us in several forms and shapes toward the old man thou approachest pale and lean toward the young bloody and boysterous to the bad man thou appearest as black as Hell it self and terrible to every man Thou comest to us sometimes by the hands of men sometimes by the Teeth of beasts sometimes by Fire and sometimes by water sometimes by a cold blast of wind sometimes by the slipping of a foot and sometimes by the falling of a tyle or stone sometimes in our cloths and sometimes in our meat and drink We dye several ways and by divers means some dye in War and some in peace some by sea and some by land some in the field and some in their beds some by their own neglects and intemperance others by a sudden wound or a languishing disease and thus by a Thousand ways of dying one death or other at last destroys us all Oh Death How bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that liveth at rest in his possessions Oh Death how acceptable is thy judgement to the needy saith the Wise man Ecclus 41.1 2. Oh death thou art indeed like a shadow thou fliest those that follow thee and followest those that flye from thee thou hastnest toward us when we desire to avoid thee and when we would imbrace thee thou then delayest us Death is the rich mans fear the poor mans desire Thou art often called upon in adversity seldom or never thought on in Prosperity In prosperity we complain and cry with Hezekiah Isai 38. to have further time added to our days but in adversity we are apt every one to wish with Elijah It is enough now O Lord take away my soul for I am no better than my Fathers 1 Kings 19.4 Oh Death How dreadful a thing art thou to flesh and blood how do we abhor to think that the Grave should be our house and that we should make our bed in darkness to say to corruption thou art my father and to the worm thou art my sister and my mother How hateful is it to inherite serpents and worms to be separated from our selves and return to our dust How terrible is death to us not only from our own experience but from the example of others as often as we see or hear that another is dead we are concerned to think that we must dye also and when we are sick and think that death is coming upon our selves how are we troubled not well knowing what we shall do or whither we must go we are afraid to dye even we who have good hope of a better life after
infirmity I am lighter than water that runneth away apace I beseech thee therefore O my God who sittest upon the floods of water and art a King for ever to send the heavenly dew of thy grace upon me who am part of thine inheritance to refresh my wearied soul Let every herb that I behold cause me to contemplate my own estate that I shall one day be cut off like the green herb and shall wither away like the grass let the Sun that shines over my head lift up my heart to the Son of righteousness to that light which lightens the Gentiles and the Glory of the people Israel Let the Moon that rules by night make me call upon thee the father of light to illuminate me while I sit in darkness and in the shadow of death in whom is no variableness nor change as there is in the Moon finally let the beasts the birds the fishes yea the very flies and insects which seem to be the very scorn of nature let them all by the shortness of their lives remind me of the brevity of my own and since it is thy blessed will O dear Saviour let me be contented and rejoyce therein for ever III. O Lord the life of my life and the God of the spirits of all flesh make me willing to dye since it is thy ordinance and appointment for all things serve thee let me not forget thee nor behave my self frowardly in thy Covenant make me willing to die and to say with old Sin can Lord now let thy servant depart in peace and with St. Paul I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ and because my spirit is willing and my flesh weak raise it and quicken it with thy free spirit by bringing to my remembrance thy promises and comforts to me on every side and since it is thy holy pleasure I should die and not live I am satisfied therewith for thy law is within my heart therefore make no long tarrying O Lord my God IV. How long O God shall I live to sin against thee for as long as I live in this earthly Tabernacle I can do nothing but sin to will is present with me but I find no strength nor ability to perform for I find a Law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind making me captive to the law of sin and death so that the good which I would do I do not but the evil which I would not do that do I. Deliver me therefore dear Lord from this body of death that I may enter the gates of life and go to the Angels and Saints and be one of them and continue with them to all Eternity my soul thirsteth for God even for the living God make hast therefore O Christ and deliver me V. Let my Conversation in this world O Lord be such that I may neither be ashamed to live nor afraid to die I know that to the natural man death is very fearful and terrible but let me be thine by thy grace strengthen me in my greatest weakness be present with me with thy consolations even to the last moment and compass me about with songs of deliverance and then though I walk through the vally of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me thy left hand is under my head and thy right hand doth embrace me why should I be afraid in the evil day or why should my soul be disquieted within me for death will then be to me advantage let me therefore sigh and groan in being desirous to be delivered from this burden of the flesh and to be thereby made partaker of immortality and of those unutterable joys and pleasures which thou O my blessed God and Saviour dost enjoy for ever let my faith O Lord scatter all my fears and let my soul long for thy salvation deliver my soul out of Prison and take me to thy everlasting mercy put an end to my sins by the end of this life that I may live with thee without end VI. Set a watch O Lord before the doors of my heart and so order my thoughts that I may always set thee before me and in the midst of life let me so remember death that when my days in this world are at an end I may return unto thee my rest let not the flight and departure of this my Spirit from my body be on the Sabbath day that is in the rest and tranquillity of my sins nor in the winter or frost of my hard heart nor in the midnight of my security when I least look for it let not this dangerous thief of carelesness and security break into my soul nor hinder me from a serious and continual meditation of death and of the heavenly habitations If I forget Jerusalem in my mirth let my right-hand forget her cunning those thoughts that are imployed about my death are my best teachers teach me therefore to die unto sin and to live unto righteousness Morning evening and at mid-day let me wait for the coming of my blessed Saviour who shall turn my night into day my darkness into light my heaviness into joy my labours into rest when death shall be swallowed up into victory where the serpent shall sting no more and where the second death shall never hurt me VII Guide thou O Lord my God the ship of my soul through the sea of this world by the direction of thy holy word wherein thou hast caused me to put my trust let me sayl so safely that by the winds and waves of temptations I may never be driven either upon the Rocks of Presumption or Despair but that I may happily arrive at the haven of the promised land of thy heavenly Kingdom While I behold thee O Lord in thy justice I am afraid and am ready to despair and while I look upon thee in thine infinite mercies I am subject to presume Let thy hand therefore so support me that I may be defended by thy fatherly goodness as with a shield that I may not be cut off by the course of thy severe justice as with a sword I must confess that in justice I have incurred thy wrath and deserve condemnation but through thy manifold mercies O Lord I long and look for thy salvation I am the workmanship of thy hands destroy not therefore that which thou hast made but bless it and bring it to a perfect end thou hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of truth and therefore I promise to my self that I cannot be lost if I sincerely put my trust in thee for then thou hast promised me salvation in thy word and thou hast bound this thy promise with an Oath and sealed it with the blood of thy Son and that before the best witnesses in heaven or earth thy holy spirit bearing witness with my spirit that I am a child of God Now upon such considerations as these I fix and ground my faith and am perswaded that after
this life ended I shall enjoy life eternal and in this confidence I commend my soul unto thee and in the belief thereof I do resolve to live and die VIII No man dreads death as he ought but he that always expects his summons and therefore O my soul thou maist truly judge thy self wofully secure and a wilful contemner of thy future good if thou canst go to thy bed and rest on thy pillow in the apprehension of thy known sins without a particular humiliation for them for how often doth a sudden unexpected death arrest men we see and know in our daily experience that many lay themselves to sleep in health and safety yet are found dead in the morning Thus suddenly are they snatcht from their quiet repose to their irrecoverable judgment perhaps from the bed to the flames Such is the frail condition of our brittle lives that in the small particle of an hour we live and sicken and die yet so gross is our blindness that from one day to another nay from one year to another we triflingly put off the reformation of our lives until our last hour creep on us unlookt for and draggs us to eternity IX How long saith St. Austin O how long shall I delude my soul with to morrow's repentance Why should not this hour terminate my sinfulness We are every minute at the brink of death and every hour that we pass through might prove for ought we know the evening of our whole life and the very close of our mortality Now if it should please God to take away our soul this night as it happens to many what would then become of us In what eternity should we be found whether amongst the damned or the blessed Happy were it for us if we were but as careful for the welfare of our souls as we are curious for the adorning our bodies if our cloaths or faces do contract any blot or soiling we presently endeavour to cleanse the same but though our souls lye inthralled in the pollutions of sin this alas we feel not it neither provokes us to shame nor moves us to sorrow Therefore let us look into our hearts with a more severe eye let the shortness of our days stir us up to the amendment of our sinful lives and let the hour wherein we have sinned be the beginning of our reformation Our repentance must not only be sincere but timely also whilst we have the light let us walk as children of the light let us no longer cheat our souls in studying to invent evasions or pretences for our sins but let us rather lay open our sores and seek to the true Physician that can heal them X. All the creatures under the Sun do naturally design their own preservation and desire that happiness which is agreeable to their nature only man is negligent and impiously careless of his own welfare We see the Hart when he is stricken and wounded looks speedily for a certain herb well known to him by a kind of natural instinct and when he hath found it applies it to the wound The swallow when her young ones are blind knows how to procure them their sight by the use of her Celandine but we alas are wounded yet seek for no Remedy we go customarily to our Beds to our Tables to our good Company but who is he that observes his constant course of prayer of repentance of hearty and sincere humiliation for his sins We go forward still in our old way and jogg on in the same Rode though our judgment hasten Hell threaten Death stand at the door yet we run forward still But alas miserable souls that we are how can we imbrace quiet rest and uninterrupted sleeps with such wounded Consciences how can we be so secure being so near our time XI The whole world promised for a reward cannot perswade us to endure one momentany Torment in Fire and yet in the accustomed course of our lives we dread not we quake not at everlasting burnings But O thou delicious and dainty soul who cherishest thy self in the joy of thine heart and the delight of thine eyes whose belly is thy God and the world thy Paradise Oh bethink thy self betimes before that gloomy day that day of clouds and thick darkness that day of desolation and confusion approach when all the inhabitants of the Earth shall mourn and lament and all faces as the Prophet Joel speaks shall gather blackness because the time of their judgment is come Alas with what a doleful heart and weeping eyes and drooping countenance and trembling loyns wilt thou at that last and great Assize look upon Christ Jesus when he shall most gloriously appear with innumerable Angels in flaming fire to render vengeance on them that know him not What a cold damp will seize upon thy soul when thou shalt behold him whom thou hast all thy life long neglected in his ordinances despised in his members rejected in his love when thou shalt see the judgment-seat the books opened thy sins discovered yea all the secret counsels of thy heart after a wonderful manner manifested and laid open to the eye of the whole world what horrour and perplexity of spirit will possess thee to view and behold but the very solemnities and circumstances which accompany this judgment when thou shalt see the heavens burn the Elements melt the earth tremble the sea roar the Sun turn into darkness and the Moon into blood and now what shall be thy refuge where shall be thy succour Shalt thou reign because thou clothest thy self in Cedar Shalt thou be safe because with the Eagle thou hast set thy nest on high Oh no it is not now the greatness of thy State nor the abundance of thy wealth nor the priviledge of thy place nor the eminency of thy wrath or wit or learning that can avail thee ought either to avoid thy doom or prorogue thy Judgment XII All states and conditions of men are alike when they appear at the bar of Christ there the Prince must lay down his Crown and the Peer his Robes and the Judge his purple and the Captain his Banner All must promiscuously attend to give in their accounts and to receive according to what they have done whether it be good or whether it be evil Here on the earth men that are great and glorious in the eye of the world as long as they can hold their habitations have both countenance to defend and power to protect them from the injuries of the times but when the dismal face of that terrible day shall shew it self then shall they find no eye to pity nor arm to help nor palace to defend nor Rocks to shelter nor mountains to cover them from the presence of him that sits upon the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. Shew me the most insolent spirit the most undaunted soul that now breaths under the Cope of heaven who now fears not any created Being no not God himself
yet when he shall hear that terrible sound Arise ye dead and come to judgment how will his heart even melt and his bowels quiver within him when he shall have his severe Judge above him and hell beneath him and his worm within him and fire round about him Oh then my soul dye unto thy sins and to thy pleasures here that thou maist live to God hereafter XIII Death is the ending of our days not of our life for when our day shall close and our time shall be no more then shall our death conduct us to a life which will last to all eternity for we dye not here to dye but to live for ever therefore the best guide of our life is the consideration of our death and he alone leads a life answerable to his Christian profession who daily expects to leave it It is very strange that we should be so industriously carefull to avoid death and so carelesly improvident of the life to come whereas nothing makes death bad but that estate which follows it but the reason is we are spirtually blind and see not nor know in this our day the things that belong to our peace We have naturally neither sight nor feeling of the joyes to come But when God shall enlighten the darkness of our minds and reveal his son in us when once the day dawneth and the day-star ariseth in our hearts Oh then our death will be our joy and the rejoycing of our hearts then shall we infinitely desire to be dissolved to be with Christ Let us therefore with unwearied endeavours labour to bring Christ home to our hearts and to keep him there Let us dye to our sins and our lusts here that so in the world to come we may everlastingly live unto Christ and in him Divine Poems Man that is born of a Woman is of few days and full of Trouble Job 14.1 I. OUr time 's still flying and we all make hast To live our last We come into the world to see 't and then Go out again We are born crying and we spend our breath In sighs till death Our life is but a Toil ere we can try What course of life is best 't is time to dye II. The Merchant wasts himself with fretting cares With hopes and fears And when his bags are fill'd his last day comes He leaves his sums When he would joy in what his pains hath got Straight he is not By all the care wherein his life is spent Perhaps he gets a costly Monument III. The Scholar bends his curious thoughts to find What is the mind He studies to know good but seldom does The good he knows Some winding up their Wit to an high strain Have crackt their brain He that 's most learned only comes to this To know at last how Ignorant he is IV. The ranting Gallant wears out time and cloths To learn new Oaths He scorns to take affronts but thinks it brave To be Hells slave The countrey Farmour's thinking night and day Of Corn and Hay But Hawks and Hounds are for the better sort Who lose their time in seeking of their sport V. In every Action whatsoe're it is Something 's amiss We ne'er observe a mean we run and sweat Or can't get heat Some bitterness still interrupts our joyes Or too much cloys Our choicest Comforts are inlaid with fears And all our pleasures sprinkled o're with tears VI. Amidst this Trouble here 's my hope that I Shall shortly dye Our time o'recast with sorrow soon decays Like winter days W' are Pilgrims here on earth This is our way No place of stay The way 's unpleasant come Death be my friend And bring me quickly to my Journies end Vpon the death of Christ I. THis day prest with our sins the most high fell Lest he should feed on us Christ satiates Death With his own blood quenching the Flames of Hell Enkindled by the fire of 's Fathers wrath To make atonement for our sins God dyes Our Jesus is God Priest and sacrifice II. Lo how the hasty Jews cry Crucify Lo how they judge the Holy one to death Whose atribute is Immortality Lo how they murther him who gave them breath The King of glory suffers shame and he That made the world is hang'd upon a Tree III. Lo how they nail unto the Cross his hands Who spans the Heavens how his feet they pierce Who over hell and Death Triumphant stands Whose boundless presence fills the Universe How every Varlet the Almighty scorns Lo he by whom Kings reign is crown'd with Thorns IV. And now the souldier with his cruel spear Dares pierce the side of the Blest Prince of peace His torments are so great as man can bear The angry Godhead will not make them less When God himself withdrew grief fill'd his heart Curst sin for which God and Christ seem'd to part V. He bow'd his head on which so heavy lay The sins of Adam and all Adams seed Which by his death he did revive this day To Heal our wounded souls his Limbs did bleed Lord I believe let me partaker be Of thy Deaths power that I may live to thee Vpon the Resurrection of Christ I. Our Lord is risen and the powerful Grave Holds him no longer He hath made his way Even through the Gates of Death that he might save His heavenly flesh from turning into Clay The Grave knew not whom he had taken when He saw who 't was he let him out agen II. Upon this day the Suns Creator rose And the Eternal life came from the dead He that made ours did his blest eye unclose And saw the place where his own Corps were lay'd Death Conquer'd thus he laid his grave-cloths by As Trophees of his signal victory III. I know not whether may more strange be thought For God to dye or man to rise again Our holy Jesus made both true he fought The Lyon Death even in the Grave his den And thus he entred the strong bounds of Fate Not as led Captive but to captivate IV. The King of terrors now has lost his power And is become a servant unto all Who will but imitate their Saviour Who made a triumph of his Funeral And now he 's up me thinks I hear him say To all that dye in him Rise come away Vpon the Ascension of Christ I. WHo on the water walkt now climbs the Air And without dying thus he goes to heaven Although his habitation now be there Yet we on earth are not of him bereaven He 's like those lights which in the skies appear Though there his Body be his Rays are here II. Now he 's ascended up on high Lo he Gives us his hand that we may get up too By him our strength we walk our light we see He makes us able shews us what to do To heaven he 's gone for us there to provide Blest man whose God 's his Harbinger and guide III. Look up my Soul and with blest Stephen see Thy
Jesus standing o' th right hand of God And then think earth too mean a place for thee Whom he redeem'd with his most precious blood Sweet Jesus Thouwast pleas'd to buy me come I 'm not the worlds but thine then fetch me home If in this life only we have hope we are of all men most miserable 1 Cor. 15.29 THE world presents thee Ophir gold but stay Lose not thy Interest in God for Clay The world presents short pleasures to thine Eye Thy God presents blest Immortality Be circumspect the world 's a crafty Cheat And sells its Vanities at too dear a Rate Thy Soul 's more worth than all the world enjoys Exchange it not for Fooleries and Toys Which to thy fancy may seem precious things Yet are but Adders Poyson Serpents stings Wounding the dying soul that cannot die Nor live less than to all Eternity Consider him who said My soul take pleasure Go eat and drink thou hast abundant Treasure Laid up for many years That very night This wretched soul was stript of all delight And hurried hence amidst its chiefest joy By furious Ghosts Triumphing in their prey There are but few that solid wisdom prize And search Eternity with sacred Eyes Of saving faith Imploring not to miss Grace here below in Heaven Eternal Bliss Let thy Redeemer in thy heart be fixt So shall no sorrow with True joy be mixt Nor tempting vice thee from his precepts draw Omit no time fulfill his Royal Law With son-like fear and thou shalt have no less I' th end than everlasting Happiness The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is Eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6.23 There is therefore now no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8.1 SAid I not Lord that I would sin no more Yet sin again hath got me on the score Pray I not without ceasing to be free From sinful thoughts yet sin abides in me When I awake sin seeks to gain my heart Contending for precedence by desert Of Birth-right from the womb and would controul My holy thoughts and close besiege my soul That matchless gift of thine what shall I do Comply with sin and be its Captive too Who arms the Creatures with enticing smiles And with deceitful arguments beguiles Unstable Souls no I will shun its charms Thy strength my God to shield me from its harms I do implore else I am lost undone O let me find redemption in thy son The son of thy dear love who 's freely bent To bath my soul and make it innocent With his pure crimson streams whose mighty power Trampled on Death and Hell that dreadful hour The Graves restraint he vanquished at length By his victorious and triumphant strength The Temple Veil he rent in open view And gave himself to Gentile and to Jew A sacrifice for sin He is that Lamb Foretold and Typified in Isaac's Ram. The builders Scorn yet the chief Corner-stone Ezekiels Shepherd Daniels Holy One My Rock my only confidence my stay Forsake me not but guide me in thy way I am the Jonah I did cause the Rout To beg a Murtherer and cast thee out I stript thee of thy cloaths and of thy skin And my transgressions tortur'd thee within My sins thy sharpest sufferings contriv'd My sinfulness thee of thy life depriv'd Drew down thy fathers wrath which none could bear But only thee my Lord my Life my Fear Uphold me yet a little to endure Sins Buffetings the victory is sure Faith tells me so and patience bids me wait And I shall gain a conquest to the height Of my expected hope I shall but die And then shall go to immortality To live with perfect souls in perfect bliss Discharg'd of such a Nothingness as this Then wait my soul with patience for thy rest Prepar'd from everlasting to invest Thy nakedness with purest white array Free from the Moth and power of times decay While with incessant pleasures thou art fed A Crown of glory shall begirt thy head Perpetual Halelujahs shalt thou sing Unto thy God thy Saviour and thy King The souls Longing COme Lord my head doth burn my heart is sick While thou dost ever ever stay Thy long deferrings wound me to the quick My Spirit gaspeth night and day O shew thy self to me Or take me up to thee II. How canst thou stay considering the pace Thy blood did make which thou didst wast When I behold it trickling down thy face I never saw thing make such hast O shew thy self to me Or take me up to thee III. When man was lost thy pity lookt about To see what help i' th earth or sky But there was none at least no help without The help did in thy bosom lye O shew thy self to me Or take me up to thee IV. There lay thy Son and must he leave that Nest That hive of sweetness to remove Thraldom from those who would not at a feast Leave one poor Apple for thy Love O shew thy self to me Or take me up to thee V. He did he came O my redeemer dear After all this canst thou be strange So many years baptiz'd and not appear As if thy love could fail or change O shew thy self to me Or take me up to thee VI. Yet if thou stayest still why must I stay My God what is this world to me This world of woe hence all ye clouds away Away I must go up and see O shew thy self to me Or take me up to thee VII What is this weary world this meat and drink That chains us by the teeth so fast What is this Woman kind which I can wink Into a blackness and distast O shew thy self to me Or take me up to thee VIII With one small sigh thou gav'st me t' other day I blasted all the joys about me And frowning on them as they pin'd away Now come again said I and flout me O shew thy self to me Or take me up to thee IX Nothing but drouth and dearth but bush and brake Which way so'ere I look I see Some may dream merrily but when they wake They dress themselves and come to thee O shew thy self to me Or take me up to thee X. We talk of Harvests there are no such things But when we leave our Corn and hay There is no fruitful year but that which brings The last and lov'd though dreadful day O shew thy self to me Or take me up to thee XI Oh loose this frame this knot of man unty That my free soul may use her wing Which now is pinion'd with mortality As an intangled hampred thing O shew thy self to me Or take me up to thee XII What have I left that I should stay and groan The most of me to Heaven is fled My thoughts and joys are all packt up and gone And for their old acquaintance plead O shew thy self to me Or take me up to thee XIII Come Dearest Lord pass not this Holy season My flesh and bones and joynts do pray And even my verse when by the rhime and reason The word is Stay sayes ever Come Oh shew thy self to me Or take me up to thee Vpon Death WHy should we not as well desire our Death As sleep No difference but a little breath 'T is all but rest 't is all but a releasing Our tyred limbs why then not alike pleasing Being burthened with the sorrows of the day We wish for night which being come we lay Our body down yet when our very breath Is Irksome to us we are afraid of death Our sleep is oft accompanied with frights Distracting dreams and dangers of the nights When in the sheets of Death our Body's sure From all such evils and we sleep secure What matter Doun or earth what boots it whether Alas our body 's sensible of neither Things that are sensless feel not pains nor ease Tell me and why not worms as well as fleas In sleep we know not whether our clos'd eyes Shall ever wake From Death w' are sure to rise I but 't is long first Oh is that our fears Dare we trust God for nights and not for years Conclusion THe God of love my Shepherd is And he that doth me feed While he is mine and I am his What can I want or need II. He leads me to the tender grass Where I both feed and rest Then to the streams that gently pass In both I have the best III. Or if I stray he doth convert And bring my mind in frame And all this not for my desert But for his holy Name IV. Yea in deaths shady black aboad Well may I walk not fear For thou art with me and thy Rod To guide thy Staff to bear V. Nay thou dost make me fit and dine Even in my enemies sight My head with Oyl my Cup with wine Runs over day and night IV. Surely thy sweet and wondrous love Shall measure all my days And as if never shall remove So neither shall my praise FINIS