Faith he pours out this Prayer with his last Breath Lord Remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom Let us think a little what could this poor Penitent behold in our Dying Saviour that should make him believe that his Remembrance of him could avail him in another World What was there in Appearance for which he should take him to be the Son of God or so much as an Innocent Man Was there any thing to an Eye of Sence that did bear Testimony to the Dignity and Excellency of his Person Could the Majesty of his Countenance demand Reverence and Respect was not his Face disfigured What Royal Purple was there but that of his own Blood which trickled down from his Wounds What Symptoms of his being Lord and King that he should think him to be such in Reality while the Jews and Romans call'd him so in Scorn What Crown had he on his Head but one of Thorns which was put on him as a mark of Infamy and not as a Badge of Honour not as a Royal Ornament but as a Token of Reproach In the Judgment of Sence what Treasures had he in his Hands to dispose of when both his Hands were pierc'd and fastened to the Gibbit with Nails If he be a King in the other World where are the Cherubims and Seraphims the Angels and the Heavenly Host to make up his Retinue If he be a King where is his Crown and Scepter his Guards and Train of Attendants when his own Disciples left him and his Cross was encompass'd with rude Soldiers to prevent his being deliver'd if any should attempt it And to render his Sufferings the more publick and shameful and yet by the Power of a Divine Faith he cries out Lord remember me c. Secondly Tho' he saw nothing that was Royal and Magnificent like a King to encourage his Faith and Prayer yet 't is probable he might hear something of that Nature But if we reflect upon the History of his Passion we find no such thing What Words did he hear him speak upon the Cross that might discover him to be the Messiah or but an extraordinary Person He heard him say I thirst but was such Weakness and Infirmity agreeable to one that was the Son of God Could he be thought able to dispose of the Kingdom of Heaven that needed a little Water to quench his Thirst He heard him say My God my God why hast thou forsaken me But could he judge him to be the beloved Son of God and yet hear him thus complain of his being forsaken He heard him say Behold my Mother But how could he think that the King of Heaven and Lord of Glory was born of a Woman his own Creature What in short did he hear or see that might encourage him to believe that he was able to dispose of the Heavenly Kingdom And yet he desires to be remembred by him as the Sovereign of it What then can we think or say as to his Case but that he was taught of God by the Holy Spirit enlightened into the Mystery of the Cross as the way to the Crown and perswaded that this was the true Messiah who was to be numbred with Transgressors and wounded for Transgressions and to make our Peace by his own Blood His Senses you see could not help his Faith in this Case Thirdly Let us further consider the Excellency of his short Prayer and how different from the common Lord have mercy of dying People after a wicked Life Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom The Matter Manner and all the Circumstances of his Request are very Extraordinary He does not beg to be deliver'd from his present Pain He prays not to be sav'd from that shamefull Death He requests not to be taken down from the Cross That the Nails might be pluckt out of his Hands and Feet Or that his sense of Pain might be mortify'd or his Sufferings shortned That he might not feel his Torments at all or but for a little while No he seems to have no Concern about the Sentence executed on him in this World but begs that Christ would be kind to him in the next Lord remember me c. Is this the Voice of a Malefactor or the Faith of a Disciple A strange Request from such a Person at such a Time to our condemned crucified dying Lord That a Criminal under the Sentence of Death should make such an Address to one that suffer'd as a Malefactor too and venture his Eternal State on his Power to save him By begging to be remembred of Christ in his Kingdom he owns his Ability to save him and that notwithstanding the shamefull Circumstances of his Humiliation he was a Glorious King Hereby he testifies his Hope and Expectation of a future Blessedness after Death and in this Prayer professeth his Belief of it in the midst of Tortures in the midst of Calumnies in the prospect of Death before a vast Assembly of Scorners He is not discourag'd but speaks it aloud before them all not caring who heard him Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom He was not scandaliz'd at his reproachfull Death As if his Eye had been fixt on his Resurrection Ascension and Glory And therefore talks of being remembred by him as one who had Power to save him and who was to be the Judge of quick and dead Lord remember me c. Which way soever we view this Prayer it is admirable and astonishing How weighty is the Matter How copious full and significant the Sense of every Word And yet how humble and modest the Expression I say how modest the Expression Lord remember me i. e. Lord I can presume to crave nothing higher nothing greater nothing more of thee than a bare Remembrance O Lord I beseech thee remember me and I leave it to thy Pleasure to determin how in what Manner and to what Purpose thou wilt remember me He acknowledgeth the Wisdom of Christ as fittest to chuse what Favour to grant him with a Sense at the same time of his own Unworthiness of any and owns the Mercy of Christ as able to overlook that Unworthiness and that he had Power to grant and confer the Blessedness which he prays for Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom i. e. Lord Remember to receive my departing Soul Remember to shew Pity to a dying Creature that now more than ever needs it O Lord I am passing into another World my Joynts are stretched my Heart pants my Breath grows faint I am even ready to dye But my great Request my earnest my only Petition now is that thou wouldest Remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom Lord Jesus this is what I most humbly beg that whither thou goest I may go That where thou shalt be I may be That I may have a Place with thee in Paradise That I may be with thee in the other World in thy Kingdom That then and there thou wouldest remember
me and be gracious to me and mercifully receive my Spirit Accept me now in the Agonies of Death and remember to acquit and own me after Death and let me dwell in thy blessed Presence and Kingdom for ever Something of all this seems imply'd and comprehended in his short Prayer Lord remember me c. Upon the Consideration of the whole can any Encouragement be justly taken from this Example for Men to delay their Repentance and Conversion to God till Old Age or a Sick-Bed and the Approaches of Death As we have seen how extraordinary this Prayer was we read how effectual it was also How speedily did he obtain a gracious Answer for our Lord tells him This Day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Nothing can match or parallel the wonderful Grace of this Prayer but the Kindness and Bounty of our Lord's Answer This Day shalt thou be with me in Paradise He craves a Remembrance of him but our Lord promises him present possession He begs a Favour as of one that was Absent Lord remember me c. but Christ assures him that he shall that very Day be present with him in the Happy Receptacle of Holy Souls departed This Day shalt c. There is no ground then from the Case of the Penitent Thief for any man to count much upon future dying Repentance because His was Effectual and Accepted at the last Hour I grant the Promises of Forgiveness are made to Repentance to Confession of Sin and Resolutions of forsaking it But I fear it is not enough consider'd That what we read of this in the New Testament doth especially concern * Traité des Sources de la Corruption qui regne aujour d'huy parmi les Chrestiens 8vo Amst 1700. partie 1. §. 6. Le Renvoy de la Conversion New Converts to Christianity who were brought to confess the Christian Faith and offer'd themselves to be Baptized Professed Repentance was requir'd of the Gentiles on their first Entrance into the Christian State and therefore Repentance is mentioned amongst the Fundamentals which the Catechumens were to be instructed in before and in order to Baptism Heb. vi 1 2. With this they were to begin the Christian Life But for Baptized Christians they are obliged to all holy Conversation and Godliness And is there no hazard for Christians to think to Finish where the Pagans were to begin to think to enter into Heaven by the same Door by which the Heathen entred into the visible Church I deny not the Possibility of a true and saving Repentance at last for who can limit or set bounds to the Free Grace of God but certainly a Death-bed Repentance is a very Deceitfull thing Who can be assured that it is safe in it self or know that God doth accept Mens Repentance and Sorrow for Sin after a Sinfull Life when they can Sin no more That instead of a whole Life of Obedience to God he will at last accept a few forced Tears and Prayers with some fair Promises and Resolutions to live well when the Men are Sick and must Die and can live no longer to sin as formerly if they had never so much a mind to it 'T is almost as reasonable to * Dr. Bates of Spiritual Perfection Chap. XI expect that the Sun should cross the order of Nature and rise in the West as that the Son of Righteousness should arise with Healing in his Wings upon an habitual obstinate Sinner at the last Hour There needs an Extraordinary Grace if their Repentance be true to render it Comfortable to the Dying Penitent For tho' we must follow a Judgment of Charity yet God onely knows whether the Heart be changed and whether the Life would be if the Person Recovered We have seen many seem Penitent and Devout upon a Sick Bed who after they have been unexpectedly restored to Health have plainly proved their Repentance was not unto Life I may express this in the Words of a * Archbishop Tillotson on Eccles viii 11. Of Godâ—s Long Suffering Serm. VIII Vol. VII Great Man Though Sincere Repentance at last be possible it is almost impossible for the Party himself much more for others upon any good ground to judge when it is Sincere God who knows the Hearts of all Men only knows the Sincerity of it I have therefore no great Opinion of that extraordinary Comfort which some have upon a sudden Repentance for great Crimes because I cannot discern any sufficient Ground for it I think great Humility and Dejection of Mind and a doubtful Apprehension of their Condition would much better become them because their Case is really so very doubtful in it self Let them exercise as deep Repentance as possible and bring forth all the Fruits meet for it as are possible in so short a time And for the rest humbly commit themselves to the Mercy of God in Jesus Christ Let them imitate as near as they can the Behaviour of the Penitent Thief the only Example the Scriptures have left us of a late Repentance that proved Effectual He gave the greatest Testimony of his Repentance but we don't find in him any signs of extraordinary Comfort much less of Confidence But he humbly commended himself to the Mercy and Goodness of his Saviour saying Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom This may primarily refer to the Case of Criminals condemn'd to Death by the Civil Magistrate but is applicable to any Man 's sudden Repentance upon a Sick-Bed after a Wicked Life It must needs be uncomfortable because 't is so exceeding hazardous and doubtful Exhortation under two Heads First Labour to be establish'd in the Belief of these Truths and to be suitably affected with them viz. These Important Truths of the two Eternal States That we may soundly Believe and seriously consider them The Influence upon our Affections and Practice will be according to our Faith Doubtless if we had such a certain view such a clear Apprehension of the great things of the other World as the Christian Faith may give us it would break the Snare of most Temptations from Earthly things If we did indeed believe the unspeakable Glory of Heaven and the Intolerable Misery of the Wicked in Hell and the Eternity of both as we believe and are perswaded of the Truth of what we see and feel and know by our our Senses Let us then consider whether these things are true or no and apply them to our selves Let us not apprehend the Distance to be very great between the present Pleasures of Sin and the threatned Sufferings of another World for how short and uncertain a thing is the Life of Man Let us not think it will be only the miserable Portion of a few when we have so much reason to think that but very Few will be Eternally saved in Comparison of the many that will perish Let us not think in General that this Misery is only for such who are greater Sinners than
deter us from Sin and awaken us to utmost Diligence to prepare for another World He is not reckoned a Wise Man for the World who lays up nothing against Old Age when it is in his Power tho' it 's possible he may not live to be Old But having such Assurance of Eternal Life and the Blessedness of the one State and the Misery of the other being so unspeakably great how should our Minds and Hearts be intent upon what relates to that World more than upon the Affairs of this Oh beg of God to strengthen your Faith and fix the Consideration of these things on your Minds and Hearts One would wonder that Men can sleep and wake lie down and rise and go from Week to Week about the Affairs of their Calling and the Business of the World as if there were no Truth in any thing of all this or no Danger of their losing Heaven and falling under the Sentence of Condemnation What can we say to it that professing to believe a Heaven and Hell we yet live as if we were certain there was neither We walk with the same Security Peace and Joy in the way to Hell as if we were perswaded that all that is said of it were only a Romantick Story We lose the Kingdom of God with as much Indifference as if we believ'd nothing of it Methinks the very Name of Eternity with Men of any Faith or Reason should blast all the Beauty and Glory of this World and weaken the Force of the most Powerful Temptations Methinks one Thought of Eternity should awaken quicken and make us serious when we are most cold dull or sleepy To be for ever ever ever with the Lord in Glory or under his most heavy Wrath What Words are these what Things what Thoughts are these Shall I not reflect and enquire which of the two is like to be my Portion What if I should die suddenly in the State I am now in will my Immortal Soul be lost or sav'd Am I a Stranger to Faith and Regeneration unreconcil'd to God in a state of Damning Ignorance and Unbelief or what Evidence can I give of Repentance towards God and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ If the Blessedness of Heaven will not draw me let me sometimes try the Thoughts of Hell to awaken my drowsie Sowl Let me not fear to make use of that Motive to work upon my Fear Heb. xii 29. even our God is a Consuming Fire Some weak and deceiv'd People suppose it legal and below the Spirituality of a Christian to preach or think much of the Damnation of Hell But they consider not that the Punishment of Sinners in onother World is oftner threaten'd and more largely describ'd in the New Testament than in the Old Our Saviour has said more of an Everlasting Hell than all the Prophets And therefore to dislike or condemn this Help to work upon our Fears is in effect to make themselves wiser than GOD more Evangelical than Jesus Christ and more Spiritual than St. Paul and the rest of the Apostles But the most are loth to apply such Thoughts for another Reason for fear of the Sentence their own Conscience will pass upon them now rather than of the Condemnation that God will inflict hereafter Such Truths if admitted to be certain and apply'd to a Man's particular Case who lives in Sin would disturb his Peace and damp his Pleasures would chill and cool his Carnal Mirth would check his pursuit after fleshly Lusts and turn his foolish Jollity into Melancholy Darkness He can't think of such things without a sad misgiving Heart Even they that seem to despise and deny all this yet owe all their Peace to their not thinking of it For notwithstanding all their false Courage in Company they tremble when alone If they dare think of Death and another World in the Darkness of the Night they find by their own Thoughts that the Candle of the Lord within them is not extinguished Secondly Let us follow the Counsel of Moses and the Prophets of Christ and his Apostles I mean let us hearken to the Word of God in the Holy Scriptures if we would not come into this place of Torment but have our Portion in Abraham's Bosom This I gather from the Close of this Parable The Believing Consideration of the two Eternal States would engage us to this It is imply'd methinks in the Desire of the Rich Man in Torment to prevent his Brethren's falling into the like Ruin by his sending one into the other World to convince them that the not believing or considering a future State was that which was like to undoe them They did not live according to the Word of God because they did not believe or consider the other World He thought there was so much strength in this Argument of Heaven and Hell to bring Men to Repentance that he did not question but it would prevail on his Wicked Brethren If one went from the Dead and told them what he suffered and what would be their sad Condition hereafter if they did not now prevent it Doubtless he thought as to himself that if he had been permitted to live again he should have been another Man and liv'd another sort of Life and so concluded that they would also if they did but believe the two Eternal States and that if one came from the Dead they would believe it We have commonly the same kind of Thoughts that such extraordinary means would prove effectual But Abaham's final Answer to the Rich Man's Request tells us our mistake that if we believe not Moses and the Prophets neither should we be perswaded tho' one came from the Dead The Ordinary means by the Word are sufficient for our Conviction and they that will not by them be perswaded do unreasonably and in vain desire Extraordinary I say unreasonably for it would destroy the End and Efficacy of Miracles by the two great frequency of them and make God's Almighty Power to become Cheap if at every turn it were to be thus employ'd for the satisfaction of every man's Doubts and Scruples There is almost the same Reason why Miracles should not be so common as there is why there should be Any at all And it may be we deceive our selves in thinking we should be certainly perswaded by such a Miracle If One might come from Heaven with the Light and Glory of the Lord shining in his Face and speak of the Pleasures Honours and Felicity of the Saints above We think that then we should believe what is said of Heaven Or if One of those miserable Creatures that are past Hope should appear in some frightful Shape Roaring and Yelling under the Wrath of God with despairing Cries and Screeches and should tell us with his Flaming Tongue and Breath what is the sad Portion of those that know not God and obey not the Gospel we conclude we should then no longer doubt of Hell or continue to live as if
Lives for him As to the Expressions The Wrath of God abideth on him Joh. iii. 36. and he shall not see Life which are likewise objected I would ask How can the Wrath of God be executed so as to abide on One who hath no Existence but is Annihilated Their abiding under Wrath doth not deny but suppose their Existence and Continuance in Being So of that Expression Matth. iii. 12. the Chaff shall be burnt up with unquenchable Fire for if the burning this Chaff be to consume and annihilate it why is it by a Fire that cannot be quenched when it has done its work it should be put out Besides To suppose the Wicked shall be Annihilated at the Day of Judgment is to equal all Sinners as to any Punishment after the Day of Judgment for one Man cannot be more Annihilated than another Whereas the Scripture is express That it shall be more tolerable in the Day of Judgment for some than for others Yea this would infer a very unjust Inequality of Punishment for then the case of those who died in their Sins at the beginning of the World would be very hard in comparison of such as died towards the end of it Suppose one died the last year or month before Christ's Coming and another that died in his Sins before the Flood the former I suppose the greater Criminal would come to an end of his Sufferings in a very short time whereas the other and suppose a less Offender who died in the beginning of the World has been suffering the Wrath of God for some thousands of Years If the Damnation of the Wicked at the Day of Judgment be Annihilation what account can be given of this Inequality of Punishment But the Endless Misery of the Wicked in another World is positively affirmed by our Saviour no less than five times in six Verses of one Chapter Mark IX 43-48 and in many other places Not only is the Fire said to be Everlasting where they shall be tormented and so Absolutely Everlasting as never to be quenched But so certain that it shall never be quenched that the Smoke thereof shall ascend for ever and ever The Sentence of their Condemnation will never be reverst Their Condition is never to be alter'd but their Torments will be endless and their Misery eternal If you believe the Holy Scriptures and the Gospel-Revelation concerning the Design of Christ's Coming into the World to save Sinners from future Wrath you will less wonder that they who deny the Divinity of Christ should endeavour to put out the Fire of Hell and make the Eternal Damnation of Sinners a meer Fiction For what need of the Son of God to come from Heaven and take our Nature and dye for our Sins to deliver us from Wrath to come if there be no such Wrath to come after the Day of Judgment There is reason to fear that many who hearken to the Socinian Principles as to Christ's Deity and Satisfaction little know the tendency of their Doctrine For what can the scoffing Atheist desire more than to lose his Being for ever since an happy one in another World he does not expect If the professed Belief of what the Scriptures so plainly speak concerning the Torments of Hell hath no more Influence to restrain men from Sin but the World be still so bad how much worse would it be if there were nothing at all of this to be fear'd 'T is manifest that the Providence of God in all Ages has made use of this Doctrine to preserve Humane Society from ruine by outragious Wickedness And therefore they that would take away this Fence and deliver Mankind from these Fears as groundless and unreasonable do most effectually serve the Design of the Devil to promote Sensuality and Licentiousness and turn serious Religion out of the World For 't is found by Experience that the Promise of the Heavenly Felicity does not so much affect us as threatned Damnation 'T is to escape the Latter men are brought to consider the Certainty and Greatness of the Former And it is one of the great Motives made use of in the Gospel to restrain Men from Wickedness and awaken them to give all Diligence to work out their own Salvation but if they were once set free from the Fear and Belief of Eternal Punishments one of the most powerfull Restraints from Sin and Motives to Religion is Remov'd But there are Others who oppose this Doctrine because a Vicious Life hath made it their Interest to do so They desire to follow their Pleasures without being disturbed by any such Fear and so would fain perswade themselves that there will be no such Everlasting Hell hereafter Nay there be many who have made bold with Conscience and contracted such Guilt that if the Holy Scripture be true they must be undone in another World And are forc'd to flee to Infidelity or Socinianism as a Refuge after Shipwrack to make themselves easie or at least to lessen their Fears when they think of dying And who doth not know what a Byass upon Men's Understandings Interest and Inclination will cast How easily do we believe what we desire should be true and how hardly are we perswaded of the Truth of that which in its Consequences speaks Terror to our own Case But whatever shifts any such may make for a little while to keep Conscience quiet they will find e're long to their Eternal Sorrow all their little Cavils and Objections answered if they will not now consider things in order to their Conviction Did they better know the Evil of Sin and the Infinite Majesty and Glory Purity and Justice Authority and Soveraignty of GOD who is Despised Affronted and Disobeyed by Sinners they would sooner understand the weakness of their Pleas against the Christian Faith They would not lay so much stress on what they pretend That they would not serve any of their Enemies in such a manner if it were in their Power They say they would not punish any Injuries and Affronts against them at that Rate as we suppose God threatens to do No surely they ought not For what is an Offence Affront and Injury against a Weak Perishing Sinful Worm compar'd with Obstinate and continued Contempt of GOD The Glorious and Eternal Majesty of Heaven and Earth Have you any such Dominion and Soveraignty over your Enemies Any such Propriety in them and Right to their Obedience Can you Challenge that from them which God may Demand of us Have you ever obliged them with any such Benefits as he hath loaded us withall It is from slight Thoughts of the Evil of Sin against the Holy Ever-Blessed GOD that makes us think it hard for GOD to punish finally Obstinate Rebels with Everlasting Wrath. We should rather be Thankfull that he hath so faithfully warn'd us of it and bid us to fear him who is able to cast Body and Soul into Hell And by how much the more terrible and severe such threatned Punishment
miserable Man who when he dies shall be miserable to all Eternity And can you think him Wise who will carelesly put it to the venture and will not bestirr himself to prevent it Now you have besides the Call of God's Word and Providence many Helps by Friends and Ministers ready to assist you and the Spirit of God has not yet forsaken you but if ye will shut your Eyes and stop your Ears and harden your Hearts and are resolv'd to go on Remember you are faithfully and plainly warned Secondly How valuable a Talent then is our Time How great a Sin is Idleness and the mispense of Precious Irrecoverable Time on which depends our Eternal Happiness or Misery What have we our Time given us for but to provide for our Eternal State If HEAVEN and HELL be great Realities and no such Insignificant Words as Infidels would make them If Endless Joy or Misery be the Consequent of Improving or Mispending our Time how ought we to value it Within the compass of this little uncertain Time must the great Question be decided where we shall have our Portion for ever Doubtless God hath given every Man sufficient Work in this World for all his Time And he that is unfit to die or uncertain of Salvation hath Work enough to do and should be ashamed to live as if he knew not what to do with his Time Very few consider that of all their Prodigalities this of their Time is the most impossible to be Redeem'd And what they would give when they come to die for a little of that Time that they Now are at a loss how to throw away If any of those who have left this World might have a Time of Tryal again what different Apprehensions would they have of the value of it But whether we Believe it or no Redeem it or Mispend it it is not long e're we shall know and find how much our present Time is worth How many young Gentlemen and Others live an Idle Sensual Life and so in a Continual Course of Sin against the Universal Law of God with the forfeiture of his Protection and their Daily Bread As if they had no Business in this World to mind but Recreation and Pleasure No God to serve no Soul to save or Eternity to provide for They consider not that it is not only Whoremongers and Idolaters and Drunkards and Notorious Criminals Matt. xxv 13. Chap. xii 22. but the Slothful and Vnprofitable Servant that shall be bound Hand and Foot and cast into outer Darkness where shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of Teeth A Life of Idleness is contrary to the great Ends of God both in Creation and Redemption for every Man is to honour God in the World and do all the Good he can to others To provide for his own Salvation and promote the Welfare of Humane Society which can never be done by an Idle Life And Christians are under special Obligation to be a peculiar People zealous of good Works Let any Man be as frugal of his Time as he can and he will find himself advanc'd in Years before he hath got a Competent Fitness for the Place and Station the Providence of God has put him in and it may be will arrive to Old Age if he do not die sooner before he hath liv'd to any such valuable Purpose as by that time he will wish he had done I speak not against all Diversions and Recreations which within the Bounds of Moderation are needful to keep the Body and the Mind in a due Temper for Service But too many make that a Business which should be only a Diversion and turn Recreation into a Calling by employing their whole Time in it which is neither becoming them as Men or as Christians And as to Sports and Pastimes in general the best of them come so near to Idleness and the worst of them to Vice that as the Latter should have no part the Other should have but a small Proportion of our Time only as our Health and fitness for Business does require For when we come to leave the World we shall think otherwise of the value of our Hasty Time than now we do Then you will bitterly lament the many precious Hours you spent in Vanity saying Oh that they might be recall'd Oh that the Opportunities of Mercy and the Invitations of Grace that once I had might be made me again Oh that God would try me a little longer How strictly and seriously would I employ my Time in Preparation for Eternity even that Time that I was wont to spend in Idleness and Folly in Vain Company and Sensual Mirth in Chaffering for the World or making Provision for the Flesh to fulfill the Lusts thereof But it may be then too Late Thirdly How Awful a thing is it and of how great Consequence must it be for any Man to die and leave this World Especially with what Dread should we admit the Consideration of the Change by Death of one that dies in his Sins The Apprehension and Thought of Death with one of these two Consequences must make this Change more Affecting Solemn and Serious to every Considering Person than commonly it is We hear of the Death of many we follow several of our Friends and Acquaintance to the Grave One after Another we talk of it in common Conversation Such a Man is Dead such a Woman is Dead such a Relation such a Friend is Dead but we do it oftentimes so slightly and carelesly as if there were no more in it than that Such and Such were gone a few Days Journey into a Neighbouring County or at most gone beyond Sea for a few Months But 't is a great thing to Die 't is an awful thing to be Dead Because the Soul must be saved or lost for ever Such a one is Dead O Sirs what is that to say What do ye mean by such words Why the Soul of such a Friend or Acquaintance of mine is gone to Heaven or Hell He or She whom we lately convers'd with is now unspeakably Blessed or intolerably Miserable and shall be so to all Eternity according to what their State and Condition was when they left this World If we miscarry in this great Affair and don't Die well do not die the Death of the Righteous we are lost for ever Death will determine our Everlasting State It is the way of all Living the way of all the Earth But it hath two Turnings the one on the Right-hand to Everlasting Joy and Blessedness the other on the Left to Everlasting Sorrow and Destruction How Serious and Important a thing then is it for any of us for every of us to die if we believe the Everlasting World and the Consequence of Dying When a Man comes to die and is apprehensive of his Eternal State then he cries out Oh Fool and Wretch that I have been to trifle away my precious Time to forfeit all my Hopes of Heaven
by forgetting or contradicting the End of Life How madly have I spent my Days without looking to the Endless World where is now the Gain and Pleasure of all my past Folly What fruit have I of those things which I am now asham'd to review and am going to answer for O that I I had liv'd in a Wilderness or in Rags and Beggery and never seen the Face of those Companions by whom I have been ensnar'd seduc'd and ruin'd Oh that God would spare me a little longer How differently do the same Truths relish What other Apprehensions doth the view of Death give us You may not be able upon a Bed of Sickness to stifle or lay aside those Reflections on Religion and another World which now we would urge you to admit Your Thoughts are now diverted by fond Imaginations and Conceits by false Principles and foolish Hopes by sensual Delights and Recreations by Carnal Mirth and ill-grounded Peace and ensnaring Company But all these will then have left you to dwell alone with your Pain and your Conscience But how much worse will HELL be than a Sick-bed You may have many things to alleviate relieve or assist you in this World but Oh the Change that Death will make The Careless and Secure who now fear not the Wrath of God dread not his Displeasure value not his Favour matter not whether he be their Friend or Enemy who are Stout-hearted and far from Righteousness and under the Power of horrible Presumption without thoughts of an After-Reckoning and an Eternal State who never say Where is God my Maker but live in a Contemptuous Forgetfulness of him yet when they die their Souls return to him they fall into his Hands They must awake and know God and Themselves They shall presently have their Eyes open and not be kept in Quiet by Ignorance and Forgetfulness as now but recollect all their past Sins with their Aggravations Remember their past Mercies with their Mis-improvement their past Seasons and Opportunities of Grace which they have lost They shall bitterly accuse charge shame and condemn themselves under the actual Wrath of God for the present with fearful Expectations of compleat and endless Misery after the final Sentence of the last great Assize How much better had it been for such they had never been born than thus to die and fall into the Hands of Divine Justice Better they had never liv'd in this World They shall then think so and wish so wish they had never been born to see the Light or that they had expir'd as soon as they began to breath and had their Names enter'd into the Bills of Mortality as soon as they came into the World Such Thoughts as these would rectify our Judgments cure our Vanity and help us to overcome the World and mortify the Flesh and fortify us with Strength to resist Temptation and excite us in earnest to provide for Eternity But how few will be perswaded to admit such Thoughts Men like not to be jogg'd to be awak'd they are ready to quarrel with us for disturbing them they are angry we will not let them alone to sleep the sleep of Death till they awake in the Flames of Hell And then with what an Accent of Sorrow will it be said Lo Psal lii 7. this is the Man who made not God his Strength Lo this is the Man This is the miserable deceiv'd Man that was so wise in his own Eyes so obstinate in his own Way who would not be advis'd and he hath not now a Word to excuse himself nor a Friend to speak for him nor a drop of Water to quench his Thirst or cool his Tongue I know very well some Subjects may be helpt by chosen Words by Figures of Rhetorick and Affecting Eloquence But there are Others too great for Words And this is one Of the Vnchangeable State of Mankind in another World The Thing it self the Change that Death will make exceeds all our weak Idea's No Human Language can express the thousandth part of the Reality of the Matter As when we speak of the Blessed GOD and his Perfections his Love or his Wrath so of the Blessedness of the Saints and the Intolerable Agonies of the Devils and Damned Spirits the Subject is too big for our Scanty Words We can find out none that will fully express the thing * Mr. Blackall of the Sufficiency of Scripture Motives 2d Sermon of Mr. Boyle's Lecture for the Year 1700. For what Tongue can utter or Heart conceive the horrible State of such a forlorn Creature depriv'd at Death of all Earthly Comforts and separated for ever from the Joy and Glory the Light and Comfort of God's Blessed Presence and the Felicity of the Saints depriv'd of all Good that others enjoy and he was once capable of and never to see the Face of God but fall under his Vengeance without any Alloy of Comfort or Hope to mitigate his Sufferings Not only banished from Heaven but sent accursed into Everlasting Fire with the Devils No wonder if there be horrible Lamentations doleful Cries and Screetches despairing Rage and Fury when such are made sensible of their Folly and of their Misery sensible of what they have lost and of what they begin to suffer and must for ever suffer without Intermission or End All the Pains and Miseries and Torments that any of Mankind or all of them put together in all Ages and Generations of the World did ever endure here upon Earth if all were join'd and united for one Man to suffer will be infinitely less than the Punishment of every Impenitent Sinner after Death Let us say all we can and heap up Superlative upon Superlative we must speak Defectively of the Misery of lost Souls Let us enlarge our present Thoughts never so much about it there 's still a great deal more and worse than we can imagine or fear The best Orator upon Earth yea the higest Angel in Heaven cannot describe it What a dismal Spectacle then is it to see an Impenitent Wicked Creature upon a Bed of Sickness without any Concern about his Everlasting State gasping for Breath unable to live ready to pass into another World under the Guilt of all his Sins and so under the Condemnation and Curse of God The Devils then wait for their Prey what a Miserable Portion must such a Man have before his Body be Buried or put in a Coffin He passes into another World where is neither Wine nor Women nor Sports nor Pleasures nor Friend nor Comforter but falls under the Wrath of God Remediless Insupportable Wrath when but a little before it may be he had Hopes of Heaven And certainly of all the lamentable Surprizes that Humane Nature is capable of there is none so terrible as that of the Death of a Presuming Deceiv'd Sinner who is confident of the Favour of God that he is in the way to Salvation and shall go to Heaven For such a One one Moment after
Death to be seiz'd by the Devil and carry'd into the place of Torment Oh dismal Thought to have the Confidence of a whole Life broken in pieces in one Moment How terrible to be found at Death under the Wrath of God when they would never believe it nor consider it till too late You can now Read or Hear a Sermon of an * See more of this Serious Reflections on Time and Eternity Sect. xix Everlasting Hell and of the Misery of a Lost Soul as one can bear a terrible Description of a Shipwrack who never was at Sea but it will be quite another thing if when you expect to be sav'd you drop into Hell O look into the other World make the Supposition of your own Death and what is like to follow Admit the serious Thoughts of it for a few Moments Retire sometimes on purpose for this But with how few can we prevail for so much as this You will not be perswaded to it lest it spoil your Mirth damp your Pleasure make you Melancholly and Sorrowful but if you die in Sin there will be nothing but Sorrow after Death And in your present Case I may say As the Lord lives and as thy Soul lives there 's but a Step between thee and Death between thee and Intollerable Endless Wrath. Now if you are a little awaken'd by a serious Sermon Book or Providence and Conscience begins to trouble you and make you uneasie you have many things to divert and quiet it but hereafter there will be nothing of all this How little is this believed by such as talk with a seeming Bravery of laying violent Hands upon Themselves And in case of extream Pain or any great Disappointment to put an end to their own Lives to dispatch themselves and die by their own Hands Is not this to proceed without the Leave of the great Governour of the World whose Propriety they destroy and against whose Providence they Rebel by such an Act * That it is unlawful according to Natural Principles See Mr. Adams's Essay concerning Self Murther 8vo newly printed But if there be a Heaven or Hell to follow Death which the greatest part of Mankind in all Ages at least of all Christians ten thousand to one have believed how hazardous and destructive is their Folly Fourthly We may hence take our Measures of Wisdom and Folly according to Mens Conduct and Care with reference to the other World and the two Eternal States of Mankind One would wonder how things of so great Moment should be forgotten and not alwaies in our Minds Would it not be strange * Dr. Spurstow Medit. xliii Upon Time and Eternity 8vo if a Man who was to be judg'd to morrow and receive the Sentence either of a Cruel Death or of a Rich and Honourable Estate should not keep in mind the Business of the next approaching Day without tying a scarlet thread on his Finger to mind him Is it not strange that the Infinitely greater things of Eternal Life or Death should not be remembred and thought of when we know not what a Day may bring forth Will not the Folly be Inexcusable as well as the Punishment of Sinners Dreadfull who shall feel Everlastingly what they would not be perswaded to fear Suppose a Man much desirous of Sleep and in his perfect Mind should have an Offer made of one Nights sweet Rest on condition to be punisht an hundred years for it would he accept of Sleep on such terms And do not they far worse and make a more foolish Choice who for the short Pleasures of Sin will lose Eternal Life and hazard the enduring of Endless Misery What is it that makes our Cares and Fears so Preposterous That we are afraid of a little Suffering here and not of Hell That we are Anxious about to morrow and Thoughtless of Eternity That we dread the Lightning and slight the Thunderbolt What Name can be given to that Folly for a Man to own his Soul may be lost for ever and yet take no Care to save it To believe an Everlasting Heaven and yet be at no Pains to obtain it To own the Horror of God's Eternal Wrath for Impenitent Sinners and yet Live and Die without Repentance These are Extravagancies beyond common Madness and of more Dangerous Consequence What will become of that Man's Wisdom who is not Wise enough to prevent Eternal Misery Who liv'd with some tolerable Reputation as a Wise Man in this World and yet so Dies as to call himself Fool for ever and suffer to all Eternity the Effects of his Folly Can the World and all that I shall gain of it save me from Wrath to come Bring me off when I appear before the Barr of Christ Prevent the Sentence of Condemnation or Release me from the Pit of Hell if I am once sent there Or will it be any Refreshment in the place of Torment to think what a brave Figure I made on Earth How many Hundreds a Year I had How Large and Beautifull Pleasant and Convenient a Dwelling How much I was Honour'd How many Servants to Attend me How many Thousand Pounds I got spent or laid up or had the Disposal of Will the Thoughts and Remembrance of these things give me any Comfort in Everlasting Burnings What 's all this to me if once my Soul be Lost Let us then judge Righteous Judgment and we cannot but conclude that is Wisest and Best which will prove so at Last Not to Believe the Eternal Torments of Hell after such Clear Evidence and Repeated Declaration of the Word of God is egregious Folly But not to Disbelieve them and yet do nothing to escape is more Astonishing Who would drink a Draught of cooling Liquor if told there is Poison in the Glass And yet Men go on in Sin and Drink in Iniquity like Water though they are told the Wages of Sin is Eternal Death All the Pleasures of many Years in a course of Sin cannot compensate for a Man's Burning in a Furnace at the End of that time though but for four and twenty hours How is it then that the repeated Threatnings of Everlasting Destruction should not weigh more to keep us from Sin than the Gain of a little Money or the pleasing a Friend or gratifying an Appetite in the short Enjoyment of a forbidden Pleasure Who would chuse to to be treated like a Prince or a King for one Day or Week or Month if he knew he must at the end of that time be rackt and tortur'd to Death and finish his Days in Exquisite Torments And what is this in Comparison of Dying the Second Death Suppose that Origen's Opinion should be true * Bishop Jer. Taylor The Foolish Exchangs Serm. XIX That Cursed Souls should have a Period to their Tortures after a Thousand Years would it not be madness to chuse the Pleasure or Wealth of a few Years now with Danger Trouble and Uncertainty and for this to endure
we disbeliev'd it But we are here told that the Testimony of God in the Holy Scriptures is à more certain Evidence than that can be If such a One should come from the Dead what could he tell us of Heaven and Hell more than has been told us already by Moses and the Prophets by Christ and his Apostles Can there be greater Arguments made use of to bring Men to Repentance than are in the Holy Scriptures Can we hear of a better Heaven or a hotter Hell than is described in the Word of God Or may we hope for the Concurrence of God's Grace with that rather than with his Word Such an Apparition may affect our Senses and strike our Minds a little for the present but would not turn the Will nor change the Heart nor reform the Life We see that by the Case of Pharaoh who had several Miraculous Plagues one would think enough to convince him but he harden'd his Heart still We see it in the History of the Jews who notwithstanding the sight of continu'd Miracles for forty Years they are complain'd of as a Stiffneck'd Ps lxxviii 22 23 24. Rebellious People Yea our Lord himself rose from the Dead and his Resurrection was confirm'd by Five Hundred Witnesses and yet how few Believ'd it We cannot have such Certainty of a particular Apparition as of the Resurrection of Christ And you 'd find it hard to distinguish a true Miracle in that case from a Counterfeit How many in the Church of Rome are deceived by Stories from the Dead If you had your Desire granted in this would you not be tempted to take it for a Spectre a Phantom a waking Dream a melancholy Mormo But if you should believe it and it should affright you for a little while yet 't is very probable that the Impression would by degrees wear off As we find by the Recovery of Persons from the Brink of the Grave who apprehended themselves in the very terrour of Death and the Pains of Hell did almost compass them about they were then full of Sorrow for Sin made many Resolutions against it but we find upon restored Health it quickly comes to nothing they relapse into their old Sins and are not perswaded even by their own Convictions If Lazarus had been sent to the Rich Man's Brethren was it likely they would have Believed him Might they not have plausibly rejected the Message and suppos'd it to be a Cheat How could they imagin that Abraham would take such a one into his Bosom as poor Lazarus or employ him on such an Errand 'T would have been a Disgrace to their Family to Believe such a Report of their Brother's Damnation especially when brought by such a Messenger It may be they would no more have hearken'd to Lazarus now testifying from the other World than heretofore when begging at their Brother's Door The Lusts and Vices of Men would very likely hinder the Success of such a Miracle as this and find ways and shifts to evade the Force of it as well as resist the Evidence and Force of what is laid down in the Scriptures What is said here in the Parable to be denied to One Lazarus was granted as to Another that is our Lord did raise one of that Name from the Dead after he had been Dead four Days and yet some of them who knew him before and when he was Dead and Risen again and convers'd with him afterwards yet were not convinced by that Miracle of Christ to Believe on him for we read Joh. xi 53. That from that very Day of raising Lazarus The High Priests and Rulers took Counsel together how they might put him to Death And we read of One blind and dumb and possessed of a Devil who was healed by Christ Matth. XII 22. where were three Miracles in one and yet it did not convince for we read ver 38. Certain of the Scribes and Pharisees say unto him Master we would see a Sign And after our Lord had miraculously fed Five Thousand Persons with Five Loaves and Two Fishes Joh. VI. some of those very Men who had seen the Miracle and eaten of it and were so far convinced for the present as to say to one another This is of a Truth the Prophet that should come into the World Yet the next Day or within a Day or two when he told them they followed him for the Loaves They say unto him What Sign shewest thou that we may See and Believe as if he had never wrought a Miracle before Yea the Disciples of Christ himself who were Witnesses of so many Miracles were not so far perswaded by them as not to forsake him nay not to deny him To Conclude We are not to expect any such Extraordinary Method for our Conviction while the standing Revelation of the Will of God in the Scriptures is sufficient and the Doctrin there taught hath been abundantly confirm'd by Miracles And if one should rise from the Dead and appear to us 't is probable enough it would not perswade us to Repent if the Word of God will not perswade us But no other Sign our Lord says shall be given but that of Jonas the Prophet That is what 's signified by it the Resurrection of Christ And that hath been Confirm'd by numerous and undeniable Miracles by all manner of Evidence and Proof that such a matter of Fact is capable of Which will leave us without Excuse if we Believe not his Doctrine the Truth of which is sealed by his Rising from the Dead We should therefore study the Holy Scriptures and the Rational Grounds of our Believing Christ to be the Son of God and consequently that All that he hath told us of the Other World will most infallibly come to pass His Resurrection confirms the Truth of all And we are not to expect Any more to Rise from the Dead till We our Selves do unto our Last Judgement The Book is seal'd as the Gulf too is fixt And they that hear not Moses and the Prophets Christ and the Apostles are not like to be perswaded at all But if the Gospel continues to be hid 2 Cor. iv 3. it is hid to them who are Lost AS to our Deceas'd Friend Mr. Shatterden Thomas whose Repentance and Death occasion'd this Discourse and at whose Desire I preach'd and publish it what I shall say concerning him from my Self shall be more in the General because several Particulars I apprehend will be mention'd with more Advantage from the Account given of him by a very Worthy and fit Person who frequently visited him in his last Sickness whose Acquaintance with him Love to the Memory of his good Mother Respect for his Family and Relations and tender Compassion to his Case made her willing to discourse him and give that serious Counsel and Advice which oftentimes is better and more effectually receiv'd from such a Friend than from a Minister And his just Regard for her Quality and Character
if you believe another an Everlasting World and that this is all the Time you have to prepare for it and that you have lost a great deal and that One Day in Seven is but a small Proportion of Time Employ that Day as taking more Pleasure in the Service of God than in Earthly Business accounting it the most honourable and delightful Work to be so employ'd and that accordingly you may expect the Divine Blessing all the Week after and you will surely find it And here I cannot but take Occasion to justify and praise the Attempts of the Worthy Societies for Reformation of Manners in and about this City one part of whose Business is to suppress and punish such a Liberty in Publick Houses upon the Lord's Day as is contrary to the Commandment of God and the Law of the Land and tends to ruin the Souls of Men. I can easily believe what I am told That they find more Difficulty and Opposition in this part of their Work than in any other especially in the Out-parts of the City But the Word of God and the Testimony of Men's Consciences when awaken'd to a Sence of Sin is on their side and should encourage them to proceed I am far from reflecting upon All his Acquaintance as if none of those who were frequently in his Company but were notorious Drunkards and Prophaners of the Sabbath I know divers of them of a very different Character None but the Guilty can apprehend themselves concern'd in any thing he said or I say of him I shall be heartily glad if there be very Few who have reason to accuse Themselves and that they may All profit by his Example and Counsel It would not be difficult to enlarge on the many Evils that attend Drunkenness and the many Sins it leads to as disposing to the violation of almost all the Commandments of God I beg you would consider the sad Effects of that Vice even in this World How it makes Men despis'd by their Inferiours How it impoverisheth Families How it occasions Quarrels How it weakens and destroys the best Constitution of Health and is often followed with manifold Diseases How it debases the Humane Nature overturns our Reason and so far destroys the Natural Image of God upon the Soul which is a greater Affront to the Majesty of Heaven as one well says than if a Subject should deface the King's Arms or Image and set up the Image of a Swine or Dog in its room How it runs Men into Extravagancies for which they beg Pardon the next Day and are forgiven with the like Shame and Contempt as we pardon Fools and Madmen How it betrays the Secrets of our Heart which Duty and Interest obliges to conceal and those of our dearest Friends which it may be we have vow'd never to discover I beg you to consider how it unfits for all holy Thoughts Words and Actions and is directly contrary to the being filled with the Holy Spirit How it besots the Mind and hardens the Heart so as to render a Man weak and unable to make good his Resolutions for though after a Debauch he resolves the next Morning never more to commit the like Folly 't is ten to one but he yields at the Summons of the next Temptation And further let it be considered that by a Man's opposing his Light and breaking his Vows and Resolutions by repeated Instances of Guilt in this sort his Conscience must needs be uneasie and clamorous And hereupon he is easily perswaded to stupify himself with Wine that he may be armed against the Apprehensions of his own Mind and returns to hard Drinking as needful for his Cure and Relief to defend himself against his own Accusing Thoughts and try to forget his ill Condition 'Till at last an Habitual Sottishness saves him the Labour of a daily Conflict and Skirmish with his Conscience Which is the deplorable Case of many who have harden'd themselves by Custom and Continuance in Sin so as to be past Feeling and unlikely ever to be brought to Repentance And yet the Scripture is most express as to the other World that Men of this Character without Repentance shall never inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. vi 9 10. Gal. v. 21. Matt. xxiv 49 51. I am charg'd by the Deceased to speak at this Rate in hope of calling Some to Repentance for their past Sins and of warning Others against Temptation I hope it will be consider'd as the Faithfull Admonition of a Dying Penitent But I have promis'd you a further Account of his Last Sickness from Another Hand which is as follows An Account of some Passages of the last Sickness of Mr. S. T. by another Hand WHEN I told him his Doctors despaired of his Recovery and press'd him to consider how awfull a thing it was to appear before the Bar of a Holy God He said he was sensible it was so and that it was not his leaving this World that was his Concern or that he fear'd the pain of Death But what would become of his poor Soul He that had been such a vile Wretch and despis'd all the Methods that a Gracious God had us'd to make him Happy He had broke through all the Restraints of Grace the Advantages of a good Education the Calls Offers and Warnings of God by which he had quench'd and griev'd the Holy Spirit These things lay as a heavy Load upon his Soul and broke his Rest and wasted his Spirits for some time before He wept very much I asked whether Sin did not now appear an Abominable thing And Holiness in the most Difficult parts of it appear very Amiable And They the only wise Persons that shun and mortify Sin and endeavour to attain and promote Holiness He answer'd with great Seriousness and Earnestness that his Apprehensions and Opinion of those different courses of Life was so alterd that he now saw Sin to be the only Evil worse than any Affliction and that if he knew his own Heart which he found Deceitful he would chuse rather to dye although his Case was so hazardous than to live such an odious Life and dishonour so Good a God as he had done And he further said that he was now convinc'd that a Holy Temper of Soul in Conformity to God could only make him Happy Oh saith he my Sentiments and Notions of God and Jesus Christ of Sin and Holiness are quite otherwise than when in Health What the Word of God reveals of these things I feel to be Real and Momentous indeed Here he proceeded to charge himself with Excess in Drinking with Disregard to the Sabbath Day and a constant allowed Neglect of almost all the Positive Duties of Religion especially Closet-Retirements And then added Do you think there is Hope for such a vile Wretch I told him Yes doubtless there was Forgiveness with God for the Chiefest of Sinners which I endeavour'd to demonstrate from the Infiniteness of God's Mercies the Valuableness of the
hope for Mercy and told him We are saved by Hope and without it we must perish I discoursed to him of the Riches Freeness and Soveraignty of God's Grace and the General Call and Invitation of the Gospel I minded him of the Instance of the Penitent Malefactor who was Crucify'd with Christ and his Effectual Prayer at last Lord Remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom c. He did not yield to the Temptation to Despair though he had a just and great Remorse for his past Offences against God for his Neglect and Contempt of him and for Sins of Omission aggravated by his Education and Knowledge of the Principles of Christian Religion whereof he had a great share And which is the more to be pity'd he had withall considerable Natural Parts so that if he had apply'd himself to Business and Diligently endeavour'd to Cultivate and Improve his Mind he might have liv'd to have been very Serviceable in the World This he himself reflected on and mentiond with Sorrow When I told him I was the more encouraged to assist him and pray for him in his last Sickness because of his Parentage and Family as descending from good Parents who had devoted him to God and often pray'd for him c. He answer'd that in some Respects it was an Encouragement but saith he it is the aggravation of my Folly and Sin that after such Advantages I have liv'd no better Under such Apprehensions of himself and his nearness to another World you 'll easily believe that he spent much of his Time in Prayer His Heart was lifted up to God continually Day and Night when others thought he was Asleep and sometimes when they thought he was talking to himself He discover'd a great Value for the Holy Bible and Recommended the Reading and Studying of it above any other Books of Religion which are all but to help us to understand and improve that and to imprint upon our Minds and Hearts the Truths contain'd in the Holy Scriptures He frequently lamented the Case of such as were Ignorant of the Principles of the Christian Religion saying what can be done for them upon a Sick Bed when there is no Foundation of Scriptural Knowledge A good Education in the Knowledge of the Principles of Christianity he said might be of Use one time or other It will help to preserve us from some Sins as I know by Experience and we cannot so easily or so soon fall into others and may very much assist our Repentance afterward And though the Advantage of it do not presently appear it may be of use even in the last Scene of a Man's Life As was very Evident in his own Case He spake often of the Happiness of a Good Man's Condition who lives a Regular and Unblameable Life and hath Hope in God through Jesus Christ for another World and the vast Difference between the Case of such and of those who live in Sin and have no well-grounded Peace especially after a good Education and against Knowledge These saith he have commonly a very uneasy time of it by reason of the Checks and Challenges of their own Conscience He sadly owned that of late Months he had had many Uneasy and Restless Nights for he had often gone against his Conscience to divert it And thought the Disturbance of his Mind had been a great hindrance of his Recovery He profest that he had more Peace and Comfort now in his Repentance and seeking after God and could sleep better tho' he was not certain what God would do with him than for six Months past He loathed his past Life saying He would rather die than live so again And was the less desirous to live lest he should again fall by Temptation tho' as far as he knew his own Heart he should detest and abhor to do so for he had now other Thoughts of the Holy Scriptures of the Lord's-Day of Sin and of the World of Ministers of Preaching c. than formerly God had mercifully kept him from some sorts of Youthful Lusts by which many others have been defiled insnared and undone He could not be charged with Lewdness and Debauchery as to Women altho' by Bodily Temper and Constitution he was less inclin'd to that Sin yet Intemperate Drinking he said doth so commonly introduce and make way for Uncleanness These Sins are so seldom separated that it was not owing to himself but to the Providence and Restraining Grace of God He did not therefore go about to excuse himself but acknowledged his own Vileness Tho' some he said will be ready to lessen my Faults and say of me that I have not liv'd so ill as many Others I have not been guilty of such notorious Crimes as several Young Men Only Drinking But this is one of the greatest Sins because it leads to all Other and many Others are involv'd in it I have neglected God and liv'd as without him in the World and tho' I did not Swear Curse and Blaspheme yet I did not Worship and Obey God As to Excess in Drinking He said 't was Idleness and Company led him to it adding that the want of an Employment lays a Man open to all Temptations His good Temper and Disposition made him less able to resist that of Company He directed me thereupon to warn Others against it in his Funeral Sermon Particularly against that Cursed Practice I use his own words That Cursed Practice of going to a Tavern on the Lord's Day and order'd me to recommend the strict Observation of the CHRISTIAN SABBATH the Neglect or Profanation whereof makes way for all other Wickedness and provokes God to leave Men to the Power of Temptation Let Men pretend what they will he said if they have no regard to the Sabbath I am sure their Religion is vain This I hope will be remembred is none of the Peculiar Tenents of Protestant Dissenters but the receiv'd Doctrine of the National Church * Homilies of the Church of E. Hom. xx Of the Place and Time of Prayer That all good Christian People should rest from their common Daily Business upon the LORD's DAY or Christian Sabbath and use it holily and also give themselves wholly to the Heavenly Exercises of God's Holy Religion and Service You will not wonder if the Socinians who deny the Eternal Punishment of the †Volkelius de V. R lib. 2. c 15. lib. 3. c. 29. lib. 4. c. 14. And the Author of the Racovian Catechism de Prophet Christi munere c. 1. Wicked do deny the Religious Observation of a Seventh Day to be of Divine Right and Obligatory under the Gospel But without raising any Difficulties about the Morality of the Fourth Commandment I beseech you do but spend that Day as believing you owe God as much Service as the Jews or as the Ancient Christians who employ'd the whole of it in Publick and Private Devotion as knowing what the Common Principles of Christianity and Reason oblige you to