those that are given to it It is also clear Heb. 9. 27. It is appointed unto all men once to die So it is most clear that we must die I remember of one Philip King of Macedonia who had one substitute for this very end to cry at his Chamber door every morning Memento mori Memento mori Memento mori Remember thou art to die and it is reported to have been the practice of the Nobles of Greece and in the day wherein their Emperour was Crowned that they presented a Marblestone unto him and he was inquired after what fashion he would have his Tomb stone made which practices speak forth this unto us that although these were most destitute of light of the Scriptures yet were very mindfull of death Believe me death may surprise us before we be aware for it is most certain that we must die but there is nothing more uncertain then the way how and the time when we shall die Death will surprise some as it did Abel in the open field Gen. 4. 8 Death will surprise some as it did Eglon in his parlour Iudg. 3. 21. And death will surprise some as it did Saul and Ionathan in the flight 1 Sam. 31. Now in speaking to this point I shall first speak a little to these advantages which attend those that live within continuall sight of death Secondly I shall give you some Considerations to presse you to prepare for death Thirdly I shall give you some Directions to help you to prepare for Death And then we shall proceed unto the second point of doctrine which we observed from the Text and shall speak a few things from it unto you and so come unto a close for this time First then we conceive there are these seven advantages which attend those who live within the continual â—ight of this truth that they must die I. First The Faith of approaching death will make a soul exceeding diligent in duty this was our blessed Lords divinity Ioh. 9. 4. I must work the work of him that sent me while it is day The night cometh when no man can work That is death is approaching therefore I must work It is clear also 2 Pet. 1. 12. compared with vers 14. In the 12. vers Peter is exceeding diligencâ— in his duty and the ground of his diligence is in the 14. vers Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle c. Yea it is even the Epicures argument Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die and should not the Christian much more cry out Let mee watch and pray for to morrow I may die I say if the Epicures did make use of this notion to make them vigorous in the pursuit of their pleasures O how much more should a Christian improve iâ— for making him vigorous in the pursuit of his duty Therefore I say unto you all O bee diligent for your night is drawing near O Christians and expectants of heaven are ye not afraid lest yee be nighted before ye have walked the half of your journey For if yee bee nighted on your journey to heaven before ye come to the end of your race there is no retiring place whereunto yee may turn aside to lodge therefore O work work work while it is day for behold death is approaching and then shall we all bee called to an account II. The Faith of approaching death will make a Christian exceeding active in duty hee will not only bee diligent but also exceeding serious and zealous in the exercise of his duty This is clear from that notable exhortation Eccles. 9. 10. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with thy might and the reason is For there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave whether thou goest Wherefore O bee active while yee are alive for ye shall never work any more after ye are dead and if ye leave but one work undone there is no doing of it after death There is no work saith Solomon in the grave therefore O be active III. The faith of this Truth that we must all die will help a Christian to be exceeding mortified to the things of a present world Oh covetous men and women would ye shake hands with cold death but once every morning I should defy you to pursue the world so much as ye do Paul was much in the meditation of his change which made him 2 Cor. 4. 18. to overlook these things that are temporary while we look not saith he to the things that are seen which are temporal but to the things which are not seen which are eternal therefore chap. 5. 1. Knowing that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens Therefore in this we groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with our house which is from heaven What aileth you Paul might one have said may ye not take a look of the world no saith he For I know that if this earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved I have a house with God not made with hands but eternal in the heavens That is I know that ere long the pins of my tabernacle will be loosed and it will fall down about my ears therefore I must look for another dwelling house And 1 Cor. 7. 24. The fashions of this world passe away Therefore â—aith he vers 32. I would have you without carefulnesse caring how to please the Lord. And Phil. 4. 5. Let your moderation be known to all men The Lord is at hand As if he had said Death is approaching and at hand therefore I intreat you be sober But I think many of us will be found like Saul hid among the stuffe that is we will be lying amongst the middest of the pleasures of this passing world But I say unto thee who are such an one that death will break the strings of thy harp and thy musick will quickly cease O but death will make thee have a low esteem of the world O blessed is the person who hath these thoughts of the world all along his way which he shall have of it at death Have not the most cursed wretches been forced to cry forth Oh I would give ten thousand worlds for Christ Have not some persons who have had the Moon upon their head and that have made their belly their god being forced to cry forth at death O cursed person that I am that ever made the world my god Alas that I contented my self with the world Therefore I say unto thee who art such an one O stay thy pursuit after the world for death is approaching that will cause all thy worldly comforts evanish IV. When a Christian believeth this Truth that he must die it will be an exceeding great â—estraint to keep him from sinning as is clear Iob 31. 13. compared with vers 14. where Iob reckoning over many good deeds done by himself saith What
then shall I do when God riseth up and when he visiteth what shall I answer him As if he had said Sirs mistake me not I am not boasting much of my self for I could not have done otherwise else what should I do when God riseth up How could I answer to God if I had done otherwise I think it were a notable practice for each of you when temptations begin to assault you to say O temptation what will I answer to God when he riseth up to reprove me if I should yeeld unto thee Likewise Eccles 11. 9. Where Solomon disswading young men to pursue after vanity bringeth this as a reason Know thou that for all these things God will bring thee to judgement Therefore I say unto thee who art often tempted to sin let 〈◊〉 and reckoning with God be still in thy sight and I defy thee then to imbrace half so many temptations as now thou dost I intreat you to answer all your temptations with that word What shall I do when he riseth up And what shall I answer when he visiteth me V. When a Christian liveth within the sight of this Truth that he shall once see death it shall make him exceeding patient under every crosse wherewith he meeteth Such a Christian will hardly meet with a crosse but he will quiet himself with this Death will put me beyond this crosse this is but a cloud that will quickly passe away And for this cause did Divid so composedly put up that desire Psal. 39 4. Lord make me to know my end and the measure of my dayes He was sure that the knowledge of his end would put him in a sober and patient frame VI. The sixth advantage is this The faith of approaching death will teach the the person that hath it to study saving wisedome This is clear Psal. 90. 12. Where David putteth up this request So teach us to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts unto wisdome As if he had said I will never think my self wise till I know that blessed peece of Arithmetick How to number my dayes I would desire every one of you all to think with your self every morning when ye arise now I am a day nearer unto eternity then I was before and at the end of every hour now I am an hour nearer unto eternity then I was before I say think often yea alwayes thus I was never so near my death as I am now For oh are we not all nearer to eternity to day then we were yesterday VII The seventh advantage attending the faith of approaching Death is this That it will make a Christian very carefull in preparing for Death It is impossible for one to believe really that Death is approaching and not to prepare for it Say what ye will if ye be not carefull in preparing for death ye have not the solide faith of this truth that ye shall die Believe me it is not every one that thinketh he believeth this truth that believeth it indeed And O how dreadfull is it for an unprepared man to meet with death He desireth not to die yea he would give a world for his life but die must he whether he will or not for death will not be requested to spare a little when he cometh And therefore I say unto you all Set your house in order for ye shall surely die Old men and women set your house in order for surely ye must die Young men and women set your house in order for to morrow ye may die and be cut off in the flower of your age Think not that there are any who can sell time for I say ye shall never get time sold unto you Alas I fear the most part of persons that dieth now death findeth them at unawars for indeed the persons that die among us when we come to visit them we may give you a sad account of them for we think they are comprehended under these four sorts 1. First When we go to visit some persons on their death bed they are like unto Nabal their heart is dying and sinking like unto a stone within them they are no more affected with death then if it were a fancy alas for the great stupidity that hath overtaken many therefore I intreat you delay not your repentance till death left the Lord take away your wit so that ye cannot then repent for your senslesnesse and stupid frame of spirit 2. A second sort we find in a presumptuous frame saying they have had a good hope all their dayes and they will not quite it now they will go down to the grave with their hope in their right hand or rather they will go down to the grave with a lie in their right hand they live in a presumptuous frame and they die in the same delusion For when we tell them that by all probability they are going down to hell they answer God forbid I was all my time a very honest man or woman But I love not that confession for there are many such honest men and women in hell this day 3. The third sort we find having some convictions that they have been playing the fool all their dayes but we can get them no further I shall only say to such to go down to the grâ—ve with convictions in their breast not making use of Christ is to go down to hell 〈◊〉 a caâ—â—â—e in their hand to let them see the way and truly the greater part that die die in this manner 4. Fourthly There are some whom we find in a self righteous frame trusting upon the Covenant of Works and their own merits and trusting by these to go to heaven yet neglecting the offer of Christs righteousnesse But alas we find not one of a thousand in this frame I desire to be dissolved and be with Christ that 's best of all And scarce do we find any in such a frame O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Therefore I say unto you all who are here O will ye mind death before it take hold on you Oh mind your work now for ye will find that death shall be work enough for it self though ye leave no work till then VIII The eight advantage that attendeth the Christian believing this truth that once he must die is this death will not be so terrible to him as it is unto many when it cometh What think ye maketh death a king of terrours What maketh many to shake like the leaf of a tree when they are summoned to appear before Gods Tribunal It is even because of this they have not been thinking on death before it came so as to prepare for it and I fear many in this place may be feared for death and that when it cometh to them they will say unto death at Ahab said to Elijah Hast thou found me O mine enemy Surely â—â—ath will take you and bring you to the judgement seat of Christ
down arms and let you trample on them Believe me mortification is not a work of one day or one year but it is a work will serve you all your time begin as soon as ye will And therefore seeing you have spent your dayes in the works of the flesh it is time that now yee would begin and pursue after him whose works is with him and whose reward shall come before him III. Now there is this third evidence by which a Christian may know whether he bee in the Faith or not and it is that Christ is matchlesse and incomparable unto such an one according to that word 1 Pet. 2. 7. To you that believe Christ is precious and that word that Luke hath in his 7. Chap. at the close That shee to whom much was forgiven loved much Now lest this likewise should prove a discouragement to any I would only have you taking notice of this that a Christian may bee a Believer and yet want the sensible discoveries of this that Christ is matchlesly precious to him but this is certain that they which are in the lively exercise of Faith it is impossible then for them not to esteem Christ matchlesse and I would speak this likewise to many who are here Have yee not been living these ten years in Faith and I would pose you with this Esteem yee not your idols more matchlesse then Christ and more of worth then hee It is impossible that there can bee any lively exercise of Faith and not esteem CHRIST matchlesse It is not to say it with your mouth and contradict it with your heart will do the businesse For if your hearts could speakâ— it would say I would sell Christ for thirty pieces of silver But my idols would I sell at no rate Are there not many of you who love the world and its pleasures better nor the eternity of joy Oh know yee not that word O yee desperately ignorant of the Truths of God That he who loveth the world the love of the Father is not in him And yet notwithstanding of the light of the word yee would sell your immortal souls with Esau For a messe of poâ—tage O but it is a poor bargain when yee have sold the eternity of joy for a passing world and for its transitory delights I would earnestly know what shall be your thoughts in that day when ye shall be standing upon the utmost line betwixt time and eternity O what will bee your thoughts at that day but you are to follow on to an endlesse pain by appearance and then yee are to leave your idols I shall only desire that ye may read the word Isa. 10. 3. What will ye do in the day of visitation and in the desolation which shall come from far To whom will ye flee for help and where will ye leave your glory Ye shall then preach mortification to the life though all the time of mortification shall be then cut off O but to hear a worldly minded man when eternity of pain is looking him in the face preach out concerning the vanity of this world might it not perswade you that the world is a fancy and a dream that shall flee away and shall leave you in the day of your greatest strait IV. And there is the fourth evidence of Faith That a Christian who doth truely believe hee is that Christian who intertaineth a divine jealousie and a holy suspition of himself whether or not he doth believe I love not that faith which is void of fear this was clear in the practice of believing Noah that though by faith he built the Ark yet hee had fear mixed with his Faith I know that there are some who are ignorant concerning this what it is to doubt concerning eternal peace and more it is not every one that doubteth that certainly shal get heaven for I think an hypocrite may doubt concerning his eternal salvation however I think the exercise of a hypocrite under his doubtings it is more the exercise of his judgement then the exercise of his conscience And I may say That if all the exercise of the Law which is preached in these dayes were narrowly searched it would bee more the exercise of light then the exercise of conscience We speak these things as our doubt which never was our exercise and we make these things our publick exercise which was never our private and chamber exercise And I think that if all that a Christian did speak to God in prayer were his exercise he would speak lesse and wonder more We would be speechlesse when wee go to God for often if we did speak nothing but our exercise we would have nothing to say And certainly it is true that often wee fall into that wofull sin of desperate lying against the holy Ghost by â—lattering God with our mouth and lying unto him with our tongue And I shall only say these two words There are some who have this for their great designe viz. they would bee at peace with their conscience and also they would bee at peace with their idols they would gladly reconcile conscience and their idols together that is their great designe And there are some whose designe is a little more refined they study rather to be reconciled with their conscience then to be reconciled with God Their great aim they shoot at is this to get their conscience quieted though they know not what it is to have the soul comforting peace of God to quiet them V. Now There is this last evidence of Faith That justifying Faith is a Faith which putteth the Christian to bee much in the exercise of these duties by which it may bee maintained for wee must keep Faith as the apple of our eye Aod for that end I would only give you these three things by which Faith must be keeped in exercise aud a real Christian will bee endeavouring in some measure to attain unto these I. It keepeth Faith much in exercise to bee much in marking and taking notice of the divine exercise and proofs of the love of God wherewith a Christian doth meet as is clear from that word in Rom. 5. 4. Experience worketh hope I durst be bold to charge the most part that are indeed in Christ with this that they are too little in remarking and taking notice of the experiences of his love Yee should mark the place of your experience and much more yee should mark the experience it self as is clear from Scripture that the very place where Christians did meet with experience in such ane enjoyment of God they marked it Ezek. 1. 1. By the rivers of Chebar the heavens were opened and I saw the visions of God And Gen. 32. 30. Iacob called the place Peniel the place of living after seeing of the face of God it was so remarkable unto him And we conceive that ye would mark these two things mainly in your practice First Ye would mark if ye can possibly the first day of
say one word also to you who are strangers from God and arâ— destitute of the grace of Christ and will noâ— by faith close with this excellent Object There is a fourfold crown that once shall bâ— put upon your heads but do not misinterpret the vision There is a difference betwixâ— the Butler and the Baker ye may prophesiâ— good things to your self but there is a crowâ— of death which ye shall once have put upoâ— your heads ye shall be alwayes dying anâ— never able to die there is a crown of sorrow that ye shall have put upon your head when ye shall eternally sigh forth that lamentation O to be anihilat and reduced unto nothing when the reduction of you into nothing would be a heaven when ye shall bâ— tormented in those everlasting flames Anâ— I would say this by the way ye will be alâ— miserable comfortlesse one to another therâ— will be no ground of consolation that ye shalâ— reap for the community of your sorrow shall increase the degrees of that sorrow And there is another crown also that ye shalâ— put on and that is a crown of sin instead oâ— that crown of righteousnesse would you knoâ— your exercise O ye that are predestinate uâ— to these everlasting pains Would ye knoâ— your exercise It is this ye shall eternally blaspheme and curse the God that made you I am perswaded of this that the terrours of hell will afflict you more and doth then that of the sinning perpetually in hell Ye would think nothing many of you to be in hell if there were no pain there for the exercise of sin it will be your delight and life but be perswaded of it that when your conscience is awakened the exercise of sinning shall exceedingly aggreage your pain And there is this crown lastly that ye shall put on and that is the crown of shame The Prophet Isaiah maketh mention of a crown of pride but ye that have put on that crown of pride ye shall once put on that crown of everlasting confusion and shame when ye shall not be able to lift up your eyes to him whom ye have peirced I would fain desire you to know what will be your exercise at these three dayes what will be your exercise when death shall be summonding you to remove and ye shall first be entered heirs unto these everlasting pains I am perswaded ye will reflect much Will ye not reflect upon many Sermons that ye have heard wherein ye have been invited to partake of the sweet offers of Salvation I remember of one that upon his death bed cryed forth A world for time a world for one inch of time one that perhaps did hold his head high and no doubt was greater than the greatest here his Crown could not purchase on inch of time but dying with this Call time again call time again that petition was denyed and so it shall be I fear to the most part that are here I think it was a pretty Hieroglyphâ—ck of the Egyptians they painted Time with three heaâ—s The first head that painted out time that was past Was a greedy Wolfe gaping which importeth this That our time past was mispent and there was nothing left but like a Wolfe to gape for it again And there was that second head of a roaring Lyon round which import the time prâ—sent and for this end was so painted that people might lay hold upon their present opportunities otherwise it would be the matter of their ruine and of their eternall undoing And there was that last head which was of a deceitfull Dog fawning which signified that people they â—eceive themselves with the time to come thinking they will be religious at their deaâ—h and that they will overcome at their death but this is â—â—attery no better then the fawning of a mad Dog I think wee may learn much of this even to be provoked to lay hold upon ouâ— golâ—â—n opportunities that wee sell not â—ur time but that wee buy it There are two thiâ—â—gs that a Christian must not sell that is sell not the truth but buy it and sell not your time but buy it I am perswaded of this that one moment of time is worth ten thousand worlds if improven And I would ask you what advantage shall yee have of all things that yee have â—oâ—mented your selves about when time shall be no more I suppose indeed this is an ordinary evil amongst the people of this age of which we have our own share and proportion There are many that envy Godlinesse and the Godly The excellent ones that are in the earth that think it a pleasure to vent their malice against such I know that ordinary practice it is older by a thousand years then themselves that they persecure Godlinesse under the name of hypocrisie They call Godliness hypocrisie and upon that account they begin and speak maliciously against it onely â— would ask you this question What will â—e say in that day when Christ will ask that question at you that Gideon asked at Zeba â—od Zalmuna who are these that ye killed with your tongue Most it not be answered Every one did resemble the person of a King â— will ye not believe will ye not close with Christ I know it is ordinary that we run â—pon these two extreams Sometimes we â—o not believe the threatnings of the Law â—nd sometimes we will not believe the proâ—ises of the Gospel But I would only deâ—e to know what if it had been so orderâ—â— in the infinite wisdome of God that all â—â—e letters of this Book should have been â—â—earnings what should have been our lot â—â—all the promises should have been sâ—raped â—t of it But certainly this must be your â—t all â—he promises of the Book of this Coâ—nant shall be taken from you and all the â—â—ses thereof shall be a flying roll that shall â—â—er within your houses and shall there â—â—â—rnally remain Know this O ye that are â—â—emies to Christ know it and think upon it Every battel of the warriour is with confused noise and with garments rolled in blood But that war that Christ shall have against the hypocrites in Zion and those that are ignorant of him and will not close with him it shall be with fewell of fire and eternal iâ—dignation O what will be your thoughâ—â— suppose you when Christ shall come wiâ—â— that two edged sword of the â—ury of thâ— Lord to enter to fight with you It iâ—â—â— delightsome exercise Oh that ye were nâ—â— almost but altogether perswaded to be Christians and that once Christ might conqâ—â— you with that two edged sword that proceedeth out of his mouth that so ye might subject your selves to Him and make Him tâ—â— object of your Faith Now to Him thâ—â— hath engraven upon His vesture and on 〈◊〉 thigh that He is the King of kings and 〈◊〉 Lord of lords we desire to give praise A SERMON Concerning the Great-Salvation Heb. 2. 3. How shall we escape