which was wrought in me by the Law of God I was made to see my self lost and miserable and awakened out of my security Secondly when the soul is under some smart and notable affliction from the hand of God This is evident in that instance of Joseph's Brethren whose consciences were awakened when they were in distress and charged them with the guilt of their sin in selling their Brother Gen. 42.21 Thirdly when a man comes to die when the visions of death and the grave are before him Oh you little think how strict Conscience will be in its search how sharpe in its charge and how severe in its censure in a dying hour then if there be but the least frown in God's face towards the Soul the least flaw in his peace the least blot or blur in his Evidences for Heaven if there be but the least stain upon the Spirit the least sin unpardoned unrepented of it is a thousand to one but conscience will take notice of it and charge the Soul with it O Sirs you will find a great deal of difference between Conscience upon a bed of ease and Conscience upon a sick-bed between Conscience in an hour of health and worldly prosperity and Conscience in a dying hour in the one great things bear but little weight but in the other little things usually bear great weight in Conscience then the Language of Conscience to the Soul is these and these things hast thou done thus and thus things stand with thee at best grace is thus and thus weak corruptions thus and thus strong temptations thus and thus prevalent the heart thus and thus out of frame the spirit thus and thus alienated from God and the like Hence 't is that at death there are such confessions as you have sometimes from men and women that now they will send for some godly Minister or Christian to pray with them and for them though perhaps they could not endure Prayer all their life-time before Now if in a dying hour Conscience be thus quick and smart in its threats and charges against the Soul then surely we had need and 't is greatly our concern to have all ready all in order against that hour comes The fourth Proposition is this That in a dying hour we shall have to do with God in a very stupendious and amazing way in such a way as may well startle and affright us to think of it we are said to have to do with God here Heb. 4.13 we have here to do with God in Duties in Ordinances in Mercies in Afflictions indeed we had as good never have to do with these unless we have to do with God in these but though we have to do with God here while we live yet know we shall have to do with God in another-guess way when we come to die in such a way as may well overwhelm us to think of it I shall give it you in three steps then we have to do with God immediately with God immediately as our Judge with God immediately as our Judge for Eternity And O how loud do these things call upon us to get all in order in the matters of our foul against a dying hour comes 1. When a man comes to die he has to do with God immediately and that is an astonishing thing In death the body crumbles to dust but the soul returneth to God that gave it so the Holy Ghost-tells us Eccl. 12.7 The body which came from the dust crumbles to dust again but the soul that goeth into God's immediate presence to deal and to treat with him as it were face to face The soul is alwayes with God and cannot possibly be out of his presence Psalm 139.7 And yet here the Holy Ghost tells us when we die the soul returns to God intimating that then the Soul goes into the immediate presence of God and has more immediately to do with him then here he was ever wont to have then he beholds his naked Majesty and Glory Now what an astonishing thing is this You will find if you observe that the Saints of God yea the holiest of them when they have dealt with God in a more immediate way than ordinary they have been overwhelmed by it Take for an instance Daniel who upon receiving Visions from God tells us there remained no strength in him That his comliness was turned into corruption Dan. 10.8 I might instance also in John who upon a view of and converse with Christ that was a little more immediate than ordinary fell down at his feet as dead Revel 1.17 Also that of Jacob I have seen the Lord face to face and yet my life is preserved sayes he intimating it was a wonder that he could so immediately see God and live Gen. 32.10 Now if we are to deal with God immediately when we come to die we had need have all in order before a dying hour comes 2. When a man comes to die he has to do with God immediately as his Judge as one that is to try him for his life to pass sentence upon his Soul to determine his state in righteousness measuring out life or death happiness or vengeance to him in the other world And is not this an astonishing and an amazing thing Then saith Solomon speaking of death shall the dust return to earth as it was and the spirit return to God who gave it Eccl. 12.7 At death the Spirit returns to God but it is to God as a Judge to determine his future condition for him We must all stand before the Judgment-Seat of Christ and every one must give an account of himself to God so the Scripture tells us Rom. 10.12 And it is appointed for all men once to die and after that the Judgment Heb. 9.27 When a man comes to die that which is immediately before him is the Judgement of God the strict the righteous the impartial Judgment of God then away goes the Soul into the immediate presence of God as sitting upon a Throne of Judgment to pass a sentence of life or death salvation or damnation upon him And believe it we had need have all things set right and well ordered in our souls when we come thus to deal with him we had need have all things well ordered and set right in the matters of our souls when we come to deal with God but as sitting upon a Throne of Grace but much more when we come to deal with him as sitting upon a Throne of Judgment to conclude and determine our future condition what it shall be Judgment is an astonishing and terrifying thing the hearing of it made Felix tremble or as the Word is it turned him into terror or affrightment Acts 24.25 And the Apostle calls it the terror of the Lord 2 Cor. 5.11 Now when a man comes to die then he sayes or may say Now I am to deal with the great God the Judge of all Now I must appear before his righteous Tribunal and
converse and communion with God in such ways as are suitable to this present state and the highest happiness souls are capable of eternally in heaven is to live in the Divine presence and to see Gods face continually and to lodge for ever in the bosom of his love we may run out to a thousand things and when we have done all this will be the highest and indeed the only happiness of souls viz. to converse with God and to enjoy communion with God and they that miss of this will miss of all happiness for ever accordingly we should prize it and press after it we should account all things as nothing on this side God and communion with God in Christ the Saints of old have done so Many saith David will say who will shew us any good but Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Psal 4.6 as if he should say While others are seeking their happiness from carnal and earthly enjoyments Corn Wine and Oyl the happiness we desire is thy love thy favour the beamings out of the light of thy countenance upon our souls So Psal 39.7 Now Lord what wait I for my hope is in thee I have done with the streams as if he should say and I desire to cleave wholly to the fountain I have done with the creatures of which I have formerly been too fond and I would now take up my whole rest solace and satisfaction in thy self alone and also Psal 73.25 26. Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none on earth I desire in comparison of thee my heart and my flesh faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever The same spirit dwelt and acted in Austin All fulness and plenty says he which is not my God is want and poverty And again elsewhere Thou Lord art my God my happiness and unto thee and after thee do I breathe and suspire day and night O my Beloved did we indeed prize communion with God more we should live more in communion with him and this take for a certain truth that it will never be well with us indeed till we see all in God and account we enjoy all happiness in enjoying communion with him Secondly In the close of every day take a serious view of and diligently consider what hath passed between God and you what transactions there have been between God and your souls that day there doth not a day pass wherein there do not many things pass between God and his people and he that wouuld prevent distances and estrangements between God and him should seriously ponder and lay to heart vvhat hath passed between God and his soul vvhat tranfactions there hath been between God and him that day On the one hand ponder and consider vvhat hath passed from God to you and vvhat his carriage towards you hath been vvhat approaches he hath made to you vvhat intimations of love vvhat overtures of communion vvhat discoveries of himself and his glory how far and in vvhat vvay God hath been dealing vvith your spirits convincing enlightning quickening or comforting of them vvhat calls he hath given you vvhat myrrhe he hath dropped upon the handle of the Lock what tastes you have had of his sweetness and Grace vvhat holy impressions he hath made upon you and the like On the other hand ponder and consider what hath passed from you to God and what your carriages towards him have been what reception and entertainment you have given him making his approaches to you what value you have put upon his presence and the intimations of his love how far you have embraced and improved the overtures he made you of farther communion with him what awe there hath been upon you of his holiness and his all-seeing eye what out-goings of heart there have been found within you after him what breathings of love what holy longings and desires what springings and workings of spiritual joy and delight of soul to him and in him what place he hath had in your thoughts and contemplations how far you have lived to him and upon him wherein you may have either grieved or delighted his Spirit and the like Thus in the close of every day ponder and consider what hath passed between God and you and accordingly deport demean your selves before him wherein you have failed or been defective in any thing in order to keeping up communion between God and you be humbled and set all right by Faith and Prayer adore God in his acts of Grace and Condescension as to be sure you will find cause to do and loath your selves for any acts of sin or unkindness undutifulness or disrespect that you have been guilty of towards God O this would be a blessed course indeed to prevent distances and estrangements between God and you This David calls a communing with his own heart and enjoyns it as a duty of the highest importance Stand in awe and sin not commune with your hearts and be still Psal 4.4 it is what he lived in the practice of Psalm 77.6 if he were the Author of that Psalm I communed with my own heart and my Spirit made diligent search O be punctual in this work Thirdly Be much conversant and that with all spiritual diligence in the ways and duties of Communion those ways and duties wherein God is wont to meet his people and maintain converse and communion with them and in all of them wait for God and his approaches to you there are those which we may call ways and duties of communion ways and duties wherein God and his people do hold converse with each other wherein God visits and communicates himself unto his people and wherein his people may be said to visit God and make out after God and these are the use of the Word and Sacraments the exercise of Prayer Meditation Self-examination and the like now as ever you would prevent the growing up of distances and estrangements between God and you see that you are much conversant in these and that with a holy and spiritual diligence waiting for God and the manifestations of God to your souls in them these are the galleries wherein Christ and his People do take sweet turns together the green beds wherein they lie down in the bosom of each others love therefore keep up a constant and diligent attendance on God in these and in all your attendances on him look after converse with him let it be your solemn aim to converse with him and see his face to have a visit a smile a descent of love from him I do suppose you to be such as do and will attend on publick Ordinances and wait for God there as they waited for the Spirit at Jerusalem that only then which I would press you to in this present case shall be to be much conversant in Prayer and Meditation between God and your own souls in these two great duties of communion with God secret
woful miserable and deplorable he saw their condition to be and how sad will it be with you if once Christ should come to say over you that dismal word now they are hid from your eyes 5. Is it an easie matter think you to set things right in your souls and to make all things ready for a dying hour Suppose my Beloved that you should live yet many days and withall your helps and advantages for the good of your souls should be continued to you yet is it an easie work which you have to do and shall you have time and days to spare Believe it Sirs all will be little enough to set things right to make things ready for a dying hour Pray consider with me these few things as to this 1. Consider in what a woful disorder all things are at present with you and how utterly unready for a dying hour I will give you the Scripture state of your case you are dead in trespasses and sins under whole loads and mountains of scarlet crimson guilt without Christ without hope without God in the world alienated and enemies in your minds by wicked works yea enmity it self against God and Christ full of sin both within and without and nothing but sin having no good dwelling in you void of all grace all true spiritual life under the power and predominancy of lust serving divers lusts and pleasures and carried Captive by the Devil at his will Closely glued to and deeply in love with this World ignorant of God and of the great Mystery of the Father and of Christ at least having no saving knowledge of them No savour of Heaven no relish of spiritual things in your souls wallowing in your blood and gore being filthy and abominable to every good work reprobate the heart strongly averse from God and all good and vigorously bent to sin and vanity nothing of Heaven within but full of Hell full of the Spirit and Image of the Devil under the Law of Sin strangers to the Law of Grace no Union with Christ no Oyl in the Vessel poor miserable blind and naked at most having but the form and denying the power of godliness This is your condition O what disorders are these And what an unready posture are you in for Death and Eternity 2. Consider how great a thing it is to be ready for Death ready indeed and to have all things set right and in order against a dying hour comes and how much is requisite in order thereunto 'T is a great saying of an holy man No one saith he can joyfully welcom Death but he that has been long composing his Spirit and making ready for it O my beloved to be indeed ready to quit the World to go into the Divine Presence the great the holy glorious presence of God to be ready to enter upon the Beatifical Vision to possess a Mansion in the Father's House to joyn with an heavenly Host of Angels and Spirits of just men made perpect in eternal praising admiring and adoring of Father Son and Holy Ghost Believe it this is a great thing and great things are requisite thereunto This calls for a near Union with Christ a firm peace with God clear Evidences for Heaven for much grace and holiness much heavenliness and spirituality of mind much weanedness from this World much holy deadness to sin self and the Creature much Victory over Corruption much Soul-cleansing much purity of heart and affections much diligence and faithfulness in Duties And my Beloved are these little things or things easie to be accomplished and attained unto O Sirs The Scripture speaking of these things calls upon us to strive Luke 13.24 to give all diligence in the pursuit of them 2 Pet. 1.5 10. To manage and dispatch them with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12 All which tells us that they are great things and not easily to be accomplished and attained unto Therefore we had need look after this and neglect no longer 3. Consider what lets and hinderances difficulties and oppositions you must expect to meet withall in your minding and managing this Work Not only is the Work it self great but you must also expect many lets and hindrances much difficulty and opposition in the managing of it You must expect lets and oppositions from the Devil he is the Enemy of Souls and you must expect that he will make use of all his wiles methods and devices all his craft and cunning all his Artifices and that he will stir up all his wrath and malice against you he is your Enemy and he is a subtil Enemy a potent Enemy an indefatigable Enemy an Enemy that always goes about seeking whom he may devour 1 Pet. 5.8 You must expect lets and oppositions from the World too from the men of the world from the things of the world from the smiles of the world from the frowns of the world The world is your Enemy as well as the Devil So much is intimated 1. Joh. 5.4 and you must expect opposition from it The men of the world will discourage you the things of the world will divert you the troubles of the world will mightily depress you the enjoyments of the world will miserably ensnare and entangle you The world is of a marvellous bewitching ensnaring and entangling nature it is indeed opposite to God and all goodness and so to the whole interest of our souls The friendship of the world is enmity to God Jam. 1.4 The world will plead for and take up your time your strength your thoughts Oâ— the hinderance that the World is to thousands and ten thousands in the work of their souls truly this ruines multitudes for ever This ruined him we read of Matth. 19.32 And saith Paul Demas hath farsaken us having embraced this present World 2 Tim. 4.10 You must expect lets and hinderances also from your own hearts yea from them above all others The heart the Holy Ghost tells us is deceitful above all things and disperately wicked Jer. 17.9 And who of us does at all observe it and the workings of it does not find it to be so Now it will openly oppose you then it will secretly seduce and ensnare you Now it will carry you off and draw you back from God and Duty Hebr. 3.12 then it will turn you aside to sin and vanity Isai 44.20 Now it will divert you from Duty then it will make you dead and slothful in Duty 'T is indeed wholly set against all that is good and it has a thousand wayes to hinder you in your Great Work and you must expect that it will do its utmost to hinder you This is a close Enemy it is alwayes at hand there is no end of its opposition till life it self ends One of the Ancients I remember breaks out into a sad exclamation against his own heart thus My heart saith he is a wicked heart a vain heart a roving a wandring heart My mind is exceeding light wonderful unconstant a
hence and be no more Sinners will you set about this great business your work is wholly yet to do though it may be your day is far spent your Glass is almost run your Sun near setting and all your work to do Oh 't is high time for you to awake out of sleep unless you mean to sleep the sleep of Eternal Death Saints will you set about this great business while God spares you You have done somewhat but there is much more yet to be done there is much out of order yet in your souls Grace weak it may be Corruption strong Peace broken Evidences blurr'd and blotted Unbelief powerful within you the heart much estranged from God little suitableness to Heaven in your Spirits and the like will you now labour to recover strength how many of us may complain as that holy man St. Bernard once did I am ashamed to live because I am so unprofitable and I am afraid to dye because I am so unprepared Surely this truth concerns the best of us all and if we understand our selves we cannot but know it the Lord help us to know it effectually And if after all you would indeed address to this great work and business then I have several great and weighty directions to propound to you for your help therein of which some more general some more particular and I would speak of each distinctly CHAP. VII Wherein are propounded several general directions in order to a through preparation of Soul for a dying hour 1. WOuld you indeed set all things right in your souls make all ready for a dying hour then in your most prosperous and flourishing state here maintain a frequent and serious remembrance of death and the grave upon your spirits If a man live many years saith Solomon and rejoyce in them all yet let him remember the days of darkness for they are many Eccl. 11.8 By the days of darkness here we are to understand death and the state of death the abode of our bodies in the grave which is a Land of darkness and where the light is as darkness Job 10.20 Now saith he though a man live many years and rejoyce in them all that is though a man live long and prosperously long and joyfully yet let him remember death and the grave the future state 'T is true there are other days of darkness which we are subject to in this world and should be remembred by us days of outward darkness the darkness of outward trouble and affliction and days of inward darkness the darkness of spiritual distress and dereliction and indeed 't is of marvellous use to us in our prosperity to remember these days of darkness but especially we should remember death and the Grave we should carry a lively remembrance of these days of darkness daily upon us and indeed our not remembring these days of darkness is one great cause why we are so unready for Death and the Grave as we are When we are in the midst of our enjoyments and the streams run pleasantly about us we are too apt to forget these days of darkness we are so taken with our earthly comforts that we are loth to think of Death and Eternity putting far from us the evil day as those in their enjoyments did Amos 6.3 And therefore when these days come they find us so unready and our spiritual concernments so discomposed as usually they do But my Beloved as ever you would have all right and in order in your souls against a dying hour comes let me recommend this to you as one special help maintain a deep and frequent remembrance of Death and the Grave upon your Spirits remember the days of darkness and that especially these two ways 1. Remember them so as to have them much in your meditation be much and frequent in the contemplation of Death and the Grave This the Holy Ghost calls a considering our latter end and withal mentions it as a business of great importance to us Deut. 32.29 To consider is to revolve a thing in our minds and to keep it much in our thoughts and meditations And thus we should consider our latter end and remember the days of darkness this is that the Saints of old have been much conversant in they were much and frequent in the thoughts and meditations of death as I might instance in the good old Patriarchs Job David and others And 't is what does marvellously conduce to our preparation for it The meditation of death saith one is life it is that which greatly promotes our spiritual life therefore walk much among the Tombs and converse much and frequently with the thoughts of a dying hour 2. Remember them so as to have them daily in your expectation In the midst of all your enjoyments expect Deaths approach daily this is called a waiting for our change All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change comes Job 14.14 And we are commanded to wait for the coming of our Lord as that which lies in the directest tendency to the exactest readiness and preparation for his coming Luke 12.36 Expect death every hour saith one for 't is every hour approaching thee In the morning when thou risest think with thy self this may be the last day In the evening when thou lyest down think with thy self this may be the last night I may ever have in this world I know not when my Lord will come whether in the morning or in the evening at mid-night or at the Cock-crowing therefore I will be always expecting his coming Woe and alas for us we are apt to talk of many years yet to come as he did Luke 12.9 whereas we should live in the expectation of death every moment Thus let us consider the days of darkness it will marvellously conduce to the preparation of the Soul for them the meditation and expectation of death will conduce much among others to these four things 1. It will conduce much to our humbling and self-abasing Let a man own himself to be a mortal saith Austin and pride will it must down And think frequently of death saith another and thou wilt easily bring down thy proud heart Hence also the consideration of Death is often in Scripture mentioned by the Holy Ghost as an argument to make us humble Dust thou art and unto dust thou shalt return Gen. 3.19 as elsewhere 2. It will conduce much to the weaning of our hearts from this world and to the loosening of them from the things here below The time is short saith the Apostle what then Why it remaineth that they that have Wives be as though they had none and those that weep as though they wept not and those that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not those that buy as though they possessed not and they that use this world as not abusing it for the fashion of this world passeth away 1 Cor. 7.29 30 31. He mentions the shortness of time as that the meditation
welcomest news a poor soul can possibly hear to be told that God is his and Heaven is his and Eternal Life is his and when once this news is come then welcom life and welcom death welcom time and welcom eternity then the Soul can say O sweet Eternity O blessed Eternity O Sirs be not satisfied without some good assurance of Gods love to your souls and your right and title to heaven and eternal life yea without the fullest assurance that is attainable here for know that there are degrees in Assurance it self the Scripture mentions three degrees of assurance First there is assurance The work of righteousness is peace and the fruit of righteousness is assurance for ever Isa 32.17 and give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure as in the place before quoted Secondly there is much assurance Our Gospel came unto you not in word only but in power and in the demonstration of the Spirit and much assurance 1 Thes 1.5 Thirdly there is a full assurance We desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end Heb. 6.11 Now my Beloved I would not have you satisfied without assurance without much assurance yea without a full assurance the more full your assurance is the more chearfully joyfully and triumphingly will you die Thirdly Would you indeed have all all right all in order in the matters of your souls for a dying hour then labour to maintain a constant actual peace with God every day making even with him and renewing the sense of his pardoning love in your souls as a firm union with Christ and a well-grounded assurance of an interest in God and eternal Life so also an actual peace with God and a daily renewed pardon from him is requisite to a thorough readiness and preparedness for a dying hour David had an interest in God yea and his interest was clear to him yet how sollicitous was he to get all even between God and him and how uncomfortable was it with him till he had renewed his peace with God when by his fall it had been broken Psal 51.8 12. This also is what is evidently held forth Job 7.21 where Job pleads thus with God Why dost thou not pardon mine iniquity and take away my transgression for now shall I sleep in the dust thou shalt seek me in the morning but I shall not be In the verse before he acknowledged he had sinned and here he intimates that God frowned on him for his sin the sense of pardoning love was not renewed in his soul which here therefore he pleads for and that upon this account because he was speedily to die intimating he could not die with comfort till he had a renewed sense of Gods pardoning love And this is the very thing which David begs in the Psalm of my Text in order to his comfortable going hence viz. that God would take away his transgressions Psal 39.8 As long as there is any sin any guilt lying upon our Consciences any sin unpardoned any difference between God and us any frowns in his face towards us we are unready for death and cannot with that comfort and boldness of spirit welcom it as we ought but when our peace with God is maintained and we have a renewed sense of his pardoning love in our souls then are things right and in order with us indeed deed and we may think of death with boldness and comfort and therefore mind this as ever you would be found ready for a dying hour every day even things between God and you every day get a fresh sense of pardon from him First as near as possible may be do nothing that may occasion any breach between God and you or raise any frowns in his face towards you if you do not break with God he will not break with you all breaches as to peace and friendship between God and us begin on our part yea neither will God break with us for little things in case they be not allowed by us but watched and striven against therefore as near as possibly you can do nothing to break and interrupt your peace with God for one moment And because when you have done all many things may and will fall out we having sinful sinning hearts and living in a world of snares and temptations for which God may justly frown upon us let us Secondly every day make even with him in the close of every day let us consider wherein we have broken with God come short of duty given any grief any distaste to his Holy Spirit and by Faith and Prayer let us sue out the pardon of it and let us not lie down if possible without some intimation of his pardoning love for which end First We should act Faith on the Blood and Advocateship of Jesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through faith in his Blood to declare his righteousness for remission of sins Rom. 3.24 25. And indeed Christ hath set up a Standing Office in Heaven which we may call the Pardon-Office he procureth new Pardons for his People daily under their new sins We have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins 1 Joh. 2.1 2. Have daily recourse to the Blood of Christ truly without it there is no living the best the holiest on earth have daily need of his Blood and should have daily recourse unto it for the maintaining of their peace and for the renewing of Gods pardoning love in their souls Secondly We should be humbly and earnestly importunate with God in prayer resolving not to let him go without this blessing carrying upon our spirits the sense of the worth and also of our unworthiness of it Thus the holy men of God of old have done they have sued out the pardon of their sins by Faith and Prayer and gotten a fresh sense of Gods love when they have broken with him as I might instance in Job in David and others we should every day pray as that Father did O Lord saith he do not after the manner of a Judge weigh or consider what I have done what I have spoken what I have thought but blot out all my sins with thy own Blood And as another of them did Lord saith he there is that in me which may offend thy holy eyes I know and confess it but who shall cleanse me or to whom shall I fly for relief but to thee O hide not thy face from me Truly when we have walked most watchfully most circumspectly many things may and will fall out that may offend the pure eyes of Gods Glory which we should confess and bewail before him suing out the pardon of them by the Blood of his Son Some of the Saints have made this their daily practise and so have maintained their peace for many years together and when they have come to die have gloricusly triumphed over Death
of them to fit loose from them and make God and communion with God all in all to him 'T is a great saying which I have read of a learned man Although adversity breaks many yet prosperity and a fulness of enjoyments kills many more And how rare a man is that who in prosperity does not at least a little in some degree or other let down his Watch and remit his strictness and exactness in walking David was a wise man and Solomon was a wiser and yet both the one and the other discovered great sin and folly through abounding prosperity So that I say 't is both a rare and difficult thing but by how much the more rare and difficult it is by so much the more excellent and eminent when attained Oh for a man to swim Chin-deep in the streams of creature-comforts and yet not to forsake the Fountain of living waters for a man to have the streams run pleasantly on each hand of him and yet to bathe and delight onely in the Fountain as his rest and happiness for a man in the height of prosperity to be able to say to God as the Psalmist in his affliction did Psal 73.25 Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth I desire besides thee this is noble Grace indeed O labour to come up to this whatever your worldly enjoyments are though never so great so high so pleasant yet as ever you would be ready for a dying hour fit loose from all die to all the more dead we are to the world the more ready we are to go out of the world a worldly spirit a spirit in love with this world is most unready for a dying hour how can he be ready to leave the world that is in love with the world a worldly spirit is most odious to the Spirit of God and most unsuitable to the future life and one living in that spirit cannot be fit to die 'T is a great saying I have read in one He is perfect whose soul is alienated from the world but says he that soul is far from God to whom this miserable life is sweet that is to fay who is fond of these poor things here O die die daily to the world under all your enjoyments of it if you would indeed be ready to die 3. For a man to be empty and yet full to be destitute of all outward comforts and enjoyments and yet to want nothing but to be content and to see all in God and enjoy all in God for a man to be afflicted and distress'd and yet at the same time see a fulness and sufficiency of all good and happiness in a naked God and naked Godliness and accordingly to live upon him and rest satisfied in him this is a noble strain of Grace indeed this the Prophet and in him the Church resolved upon Heb. 3.17 18. Athough the fig tree shall not blossom neither shall fruit be in the vines the labour of the olive shall fail and the fields shall yield no meat the flock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stalls Here you see is a most sad supposition a most forlorn and destitute condition supposed to come well and what then in case all this comes to pass what will the Church do then that the 18 verse tells us Yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation she is resolved to live upon God and delight her self with God she sees enough in him alone and sets him and her interest in him over against all wants losses and afflictions So the Apostles 2 Cor. 6.10 who were as having nothing yet possessing all things they saw all in Christ and enjoyed all in Christ Here as one glosses upon the place we possess nothing but do wander up and down from place to place yet possessing Christ in him we possess all things Oh for a man to see and enjoy all in Christ when the world frowns upon him and is low with him this is a noble strain of Grace and let me say this that 't is an argument that we have carnal hearts if we see not all in God and enough in God to satisfie us and make us happy whether we have any thing or nothing of this worlds Heaven which death sends us to if we are indeed ready for it is no thing else but the vision and fruition of God for there he is all in all and certainly if we do not see all in God now and enough in God now we cannot suppose our selves to be so fully ready for death and Eternity as we ought to be 4. For a man to have no affliction and yet to be deeply afflicted to be wholly free from all personal affliction and yet greatly to lay to heart and be afflicted for the afflictions of Gods name and people this is glorious Grace Grace in lustre 'T is the observation of a worthy Divine That in the day of the Churches trouble and affliction when both his name and people do greatly suffer God does sometimes leave some of his people an affluence of all outward good things when others are stript of all their comforts they are full when others are in straights they abound neither is there any cloud upon their Tabernacle and this God does to try them whether they will take up in their enjoyments and forget the afflictions of his name and people and truly not to do so but in such a case to lay the Churches afflictions to heart and to bleed and mourn with the bleeding interest of Gods name and people this is pure Grace and marvellous pleasing to God such Grace some of the Saints have come up unto such Grace was sound in David 2 Sam. 7.1 2. And it came to pass when the King sate in his house and the Lord had given him rest round about from all enemies that the King said unto Nathan the Prophet See now I dwell in an house of Cedar but the ark of God dwelleth within Curtains Mark all was well with David he had rest and he dwelt in an House of Cedar he had all things suitable for and becoming a King ah but all was not well with the interest of God and his worship Davids house and interest prospered but it fared not so well with the house and interest of God and therefore all his enjoyments were as nothing to him he so laid the sufferings of Gods name and worship to heart The like was found in Nehemiah Neh. begin all things were well with him in his own person he was the Kings Cup-bearer and lived under the enjoyment of an affluence of all outward contentments and yet was in deep affliction of spirit upon the account of the Churches affliction When I heard these words says he verse 4. these words what words why that the remnant that were left of the Captivity were in great affliction and reproach that the wall of
Jerusalem was broken down and that the gates thereof were burnt with fire So verse 3. Now when I heard these words I sate down and wept and mourned certain days and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven and in Chap. 2. beg his countenance 't is said was sad upon this account Oh this vvas rare Grace choice Grace no personal affliction yet deeply afflicted in and vvith the afflictions of the Church so deeply afflicted that all his personal comforts though great were nothing to him The like you find in Daniel Dan. 10.2 3. Oh labour to come up to this strain of Grace it may be things are well with you and you have all that heart can wish but if they are not so vvith the interest of Gods name and people you should be deeply afflicted for this in the midst of all your personal comforts and the more of this spirit is in you the more excellent your Grace is 5. For a man chearfully to submit to and acquiesce in the vvill of God when most sharp and severe upon his outward interest this is a noble strain of Grace When God shall exercise a man with rending tearing dispensations adding sorrow to sorrow to him breaking him with breach upon breach causing all his waves and his billows to go over him and yet then for him quietly to acquiesce in and chearfully to submit to what God does this is choice Grace such Grace was found in Aaron Lev. 10.3 God slew two of his Sons at once and the dipensation was attended with so many aggravating circumstances as made it almost unparallell'd not to be equall'd so terrible was it and yet under that great stroke Aaron held his peace he submitted freely and acquiesced chearfully the like was found in Job when God had broken him all to pieces he worships him and blesses his name Job 1.21 22. and this was eminent in Christ himself and was indeed his crown and glory Father not my will but thy will be done Mat. 26.39 he freely submits his will to the Fathers though he saw the Father coming forth against him in a most terrible dispensation O for a poor soul to lie down at the foot of God and to be so melted into his will as chearfully to bow to it and acquiesce in it under the sharpest dispensations this is noble Grace indeed Oh press after this this is very necessary to prepare us for a dying hour and the more of this the more ready for that hour 6. For a man to maintain the actings of his Faith in God and to think honourably of him when yet he frowns and all things seem to make against the soul this is a noble strain of Grace Such Grace was found in Abraham who 't is said against hope believed in hope and so was strong in faith Rom. 4.18 19 20. when he had no encouragement yea when all things opposed him yet then he maintained his faith in God So Job chap. 13.15 though he slay me yet will I trust in him O to love a smiting God and to trust in a slaying God this is noble Grace for a man to maintain the actings of his Faith in God when he comes forth as an enemy against him this God calls for he expects that when we walk in darkness and see no light then we should trust in the name of the Lord and so to do is noble Grace Isa 50.10 11. truly 't is oftentimes the case of Gods people that they walk in darkness and see no light all things seem to be against them Possibly God frowns and afflicts he frowns within and he afflicts without yea the poor soul sees nothing but difficulties and discouragements look which way he will he looks into his own heart and there he cannot find any one grace or gracious disposition he looks into the Word and there perhaps he can't see any one Promise that he dares lay hold upon he looks back for former experiences and they are all out of sight he runs to his evidences and they are all blotted that he can't read them Thus he is beset vvith difficulties and all things seem to make against him both vvithin and vvithout and yet now vvhen thus in the dark for the soul to believe in God and think vvell and honourably of him this is noble Grace indeed this is Faith in lustre to call Christ Lord vvhen he calls us Dog and to fasten by Faith upon him vvhen he is beating us off as to sense at least as 't was with the vvoman Mat. 15.26 27 28. this is glorious Grace for a man to think vvell and hope vvell and believe vvell in the face of frowns and discouragements for a man when God is frowning and smiting cordially to say This is but for a time he will smile again he is but behind the Curtain and will appear again his desire is not to ruine me but refine me he is but making me to prize his Grace and presence more there is love in all this O for a man to believe that there is love in Gods heart when he sees nothing but frowns in his face and meets with nothing hardly but blows from his hand for a man to believe that God intends nothing but good when he inflicts variety of evils surely this is glorious Grace O that you would labour for such Grace such Grace will look death in the face with boldness 'T is a great speech which holy Rutherford hath I lay inhibitions on my thoughts says he that they receive no slanders of my onely onely beloved let him even say out of his own mouth there is no hope yet I will die in that sweet beguile it is not so but I shall see the salvation of God it is my joy to believe under the water and to die with faith in my hand griping of Christ Beg such Grace of God 7. For a man to see a beauty and excellency in service as well as in enjoyment in work as well as in reward and accordingly to have his heart lie in it this also is noble Grace Sirs there is a beauty and excellency in service for a man to be used and employ'd for God and to act for him in the world is the highest honour and excellency next to union and communion with him that can be put upon a poor creature 't was the honour of Christ it is the honour of Angels service is better than enjoyment 't is a more blessed thing to give than to receive Acts 20.35 now when a soul has answerable thoughts and apprehensions about it does practically and indeed see a beauty and excellency in service for God and accordingly is active for him willing to be employed by him and that though he has no reward at present from him this is noble Grace This was found in Paul Vnto me says he is this grace given to preach unto the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ Ephes 3.8 he look'd on 't as an honour a favour to be