and your dear never-dying souls bound fettered and chained in that direful painful prison of hell is matter of the greatest wonder in all the world Have you not cause to doubt that many of your neighbours relations and sinful companions accquaintance are gone down thither it may be some of those you least suspect And you know not how many are now in flames for the very same sins that you stand guilty of if not less sinners then your selves O admire and bless God with your whole souls that you are yet on this side the grave and not gone down into that place of torment you enjoy many opportunities for your souls and are still exhorted to part with sin to turn to God to accept of Christ to think of death and hell that so you might never see it or feel it for there is much more in the paines of hell and wrath of God then ever you heard or can imagine According to thy fear said Moses so is thy wrath Psal 90. 11. Poor sinners you are still the living Monuments of infinite kindness and therefore let not the living man complain Suppose you had dyed when death seemed neer when you were sick and weak ready to give up the ghost or when those many thousands dyed by the Plague or Sword in what a miserable condition had your souls been to be shut up with Devils and damned spirits in that Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone And will you still maintain your enmity encrease iniquity and even dare God to damn you Sinners are you not besides your selves yea stark mad to make God that should be your best friend your worst fo for if his anger be kindled but a little it will burn to the lowest hell and none can quench it or stand before it Can thine heart endure or thine hands be strong in the day that I shall deal with thee Ezek. 22. 14. Who can dwell with devouring fire who would saith the Lord set the bryars and thorns against me in battel I would go through them I would burn them up together Isa 27. 4. O when will you come to your selves and throw away your arms and consider your souls or will you not be saved when shall it once be why will you dye Let these cords of love draw you and cause you to say Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God Consider others dreadful ruine hath been your warning that are now lockt up in that dark dungeon and shall come up no more and whom the Devils are now tormenting the worm biting and the fire burning You are at present free from that boyling Chaldron and in the Land of the Living O praise praise the Lord for his long-suffering you being but as it were under a repreive O prize and improve your life and timely prepare for death for if thy life were ended thy soul seperated and not peace with God made thou wert an undone soul There 's no place for repentance in the Grave no Christ or pardon to be obtained in hell Bless God your glass runeth your Lamp burneth the day of grace is yet continued your dear Lord is upon the Mercy-seat therefore there is hope Vse 2. This justly reprehendeth all that flight or neglect this great duty but especially these three sorts neither of which do seriously consider their latter end Viz. 1. The insolent Atheistical Sensualists 2. The Ignorant and considerate 3. The Self confident presumptuous 1. It condemneth Atheistical sensualists that put the evil day far from them Amos 6. 3. and who drown or banish the awful thoughts of God Death and Eternity out of our minds and hearts They take the Timbrel and Harp and rejoyce at the sound of the Organ and say unto God depart from us for we desire not the knowledg of thy wayes Job 21. 12 24. God is not in all their thoughts Psal 10. 14. They are resolved for a short life and a merry what ever the dreadful issue They chant to the sound of the Viol and drink wine in bowls and eat the Lambs out of the flock and stretch themselves upon their Couches saying in their hearts as that wretch Luk. 12. 19. take thine ease eat drink and be merry they will satisfie their lusts injoy the pleasures of the flesh walk in the wayes of their heart and in the sight of their eyes and hereby they make the breach wider and themselves seven times more the children of the Devil though at last they sit down in everlasting sorrow Let us eat and drink for to morrow we dye You poor desperately deluded souls did you beleive what you have read and heard of the other world or what the Scripture of infalilble verity speaketh of the infinitely holy great and terrible God who will in no wise clear the guilty you would quickly change your Course did you now consider you must dye and be judged that in a very little time you which hear me this day must stand before the dreadful God would you sin so freely love the world so immoderately mock at a Deity jeer at serious piety neglect your Duty trifle away your time forget eternity and hazard those your precious souls as you have done and do Such Rake hels and devils incarnate the Apostle speaketh of 2 Pet. 3. 10. Know this first i. e. before the end of the world There shall come in the last dayes scoffers walking after their own lasts and saying where is the promise of his coming Nevertheless these Vipers vile miscreants and monsters in mens shape think that they are wise when indeed they have no understanding Wise they are but it is to do evil to cavil against the truth dispute against the life of holiness but to do good they have no knowledg Jer. 4. 22. This was Jerusalems great sin immediately before the fierce anger of the Lord came upon them and this is the sad and dreadful case of many yea thousands in the world and in these Nations notwithstanding all those awakening desolating providences and amazing spectacles of mortality their eyes have seen There are but a few that look upon themselves as concerned at all just like a company of simple sheep in a fat pasture The Butcher cometh and fetcheth one to Day another to morrow the rest feed on and take no notice of what is become of their lost companions 'T is as if a company of condemned persons reprievd for a time should be appointed to be executed one after another within the space of so many Dayes This Day the first in order is brought forth and executed the day following a second yet all the rest that are to take their turnes fall a Drinking Carding Singing Swearing and so continue to the very last until they be all Hang'd Dead and Damn'd We may compare this mad deluded world to a company of poor blind men dancing about the brink of a very dangerous deep pit but do not perceive it or see how
each falleth in one after the other a first second and third drops down the rest not discerning the danger runs the round I shall thus apply it This day or hour a Swearer tumbleth down to hell The next a drunkard This evening or morning the pale horse mounteth one it may be a cursed Atheist or a malitious bloody persecutor or a filthy Adulterer or an idolatrous worldling and carrieth him to the place of Darkness The next day he receiveth his Commission to fetch some more of them those their brethren in iniquity that are lest behinde keep and continue their course and dance about the pit not considering they so must die and come to judgement How little do the living lay to heart this great business of their Mortality insomuch that when they would deny a thing with greatest confidence they will commonly say they thought no more of it then of their dying day as if death were not a matter of any moment but rather a meer toy or trifle not to be regarded She remembred not her last end Lam. 1. 9. You self destroying sinners Do you know that you must dye and leave the world for ever and are you so stupified and mad as not to think of Death in many dayes together yea hardly to entertain a serious thought of death and judgment at a house of mourning in the very sight of the dead you can be vain frothy jest pot pipe feast discourse of the world a sad proof that men do not consider their latter end Some at that solemn and sad season seem a little serious but as soon as the dead Corps is removed and the Grave and Coffin out of sight Death is no more remembred To make you sensible of this folly let me reason with you in a few plain hints What no thoughts of death you that have been under a sentence of death and brought to the very pits brink looking into Eternity Oh how sad is it to think how quickly those thoughts and impressions of your mortallity have worn out and past away Sinner remember and forget not those secret vows promises and engagements you then made to God viz. that you would part with sin leave your wicked company set loose to the world live godly and make it your business to be religious and loose no more of your precious time and opportunities for your soul If you have forgotten it the all-seeing and heart-searching God remembers it Know and consider in thy heart that death that did but warn thee then by sending his summons will shortly come himself Forgetful of Death and made of dust born of a woman and under a Decree not to be revoked by men or Angels Heb. 6. 27. Job 14. 3. As for man his dayes are determined the number of his months are with thee thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass Not mind your death you that have sickly weak diseased bodies full of paines and aches that are so many partial quotidian deaths yea a dying daily What put off the thoughts of death thou that hast been at so many Funerals heard so many passing Bells or Knells seen so many Graves Skuls and Coffins before thine eyes Forget your death and yet sinners and sinning daily carrying the cause and sting of death in your bosoms mors in corpore the body is dead because of sin Rom. 8. 11. Thy body is but a body of death sin hath kill'd it the sentence is past Gen. 3. The wages of sin is death Rom. 6. 1. The soul that sins must dye Ezek. 18. 20. What put off this evil Day and dead in part old and cold having one foot in the grave viz. feeble knees trembling hands wrinkled faces gray or bald heads the grave being ready for you What no more serious thoughts of death and so many pieces and parcels of your selves gone before to this long home so many Relations and Children now a sleep in the dust of death are they buried in perpetual oblivion never to be remembred any more What Sinner What not think of Death and Death at thy very heels and before thine eyes whither can you direct your eyes and not see that which preacheth or representeth Death all the Winter Death is on the Trees in our Gardens in every flower At your Table every day you feed on the flesh of dead Creatures to tell you that you must die and is not death in your beds every night what is sleep but the picture and image of cold Death and your beds but the representation of your dark graves O careless besotted sinners not consider of death and have precious souls that must live or die be saved or damnted to Heaven or Hell to bliss or burning to God or Devils to Saints or cursed Reprobates as soon as the breath is gon which may be the next day or hour this pale horse death hath the red horse Hell following him Rev. 6. 8. Lastly what not think of and prepare for Death and called Christians that profess you beleive the Resurrection of the body and life everlasting a happiness beyond the Grave For in this life only saith Paul wt have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable 1 Cor. 15. 19. Poor hardned sinners that now forget God and this great and mighty concern of your eternal souls what will you do in the day of Visitation when your iniquities shall compass you about and no friend in heaven above or in earth beneath that can stand you in stead and when conscience like a bold sturdy Sergeant shall take you by the throat and summon you in the Name of the great Judge to come and stand at or before the judgement seat Vnderstand ye brutish among the people and ye fools when will ye be wise Psal 94 8. to understand this to provide for your latter end 2. This blames the ignorant pettish and considerate soul who in an angry fit or passion wisheth for death out of a base end viz. as a writ of ease or out-let to present pain poverty sickness and other worldly troubles and perplexities not rightly considering how terrible death is or what are the dreadful consequences of it Now that we may be convinced of this sin and folly give me leave to tell you that between the worst longest and deepest miseries and calamities of this life and those after death there is no proportion but an exceeding distance Poor deluded souls what is the bite of a flea to the sting of a Serpent or a scratch on the hand to a stab at the heart what 's the heat and smart of a little candle to a hot fiery furnace or a devouring flame What 's a drop of gall to a Sea or Ocean of poyson or what is pain forture or anguish for an hour to intollerable misery time without end into which to the unconverted death will certainly be the door and are you so mad to imagine that there is nothing in the other world to be
of the diligent maketh rich Prov. 10. 4. I heard of one who being a prisoner in a dark dungeon when the light was brought to him for a little time to eat his diet would pull out his Bible and read a Chapter saying he could find his mouth in the dark but no read in the dark An Argument that he made conscience of redeeming his time Sirs to be watchful diligent laborious in the faithful improvement of all your time talents gifts graces is the thing here intended The precept is for labour Luke 13. 24. 2. Pet. 1. 10. And the diligent in duty hath the promise of the Glory Heb. 11. 9. To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality eternal life Rom. 2. 7. 2. What time must be redeemed Answ All time Time is so precious that not any of it must be lost The whole time of our life must be imployed either about our souls in the service of God or in the works of our callings or in order thereunto Particularly 1. The time of youth 2. The time of health and strength 3. The time of affliction 4. The time of Gospel 5. The time of the Sabbath or the Lords day in special must be redeemed 1. First The time of youth must be redeemed The great God stands much upon priority to have the first and best The first ripe fruits the first that openeth the womb O then offer the Isaac of thy youth the spring and flower of thy age to God and stay not until the evil day Begin first with him from whom thou hast thy being go about the grand affair and work of thy dear and never dying soul before thou dost ingulf thy self in the cares of this world Resolve to present the first ripe fruits to that good and gracious God who desireth the first ripe fruits In the bright morning of thy life match thy soul to the King of glory and become his Bride before thou art defloured and defiled by sin and the World If the Celestial seeds of grace be sown in the morning the pleasant and sweet flowers springing out of these seeds will invite the Lord Jesus to come and walk in his Garden Cant. 5. 1. If thou would be the Temple of the Holy Ghost let him that made the house be the first and chief Inhabitant and suffer not thy heart to be a habitation for Dragons and Devils which will be thine undoing to all eternity You young-men and young-women know that the infinitely gracious God holds out the Golden Scepter and inviteth you to come unto him The ruddy David the Child Samuel the young Timothy God calls 1 Samuel 1. 11 12. 1 Sam. 3. 10. 1 Tim. 4. 12. and the sooner you come the better it will be Say then this instant behold we come thine we are thine we will be come now and take thine own God will accept you and take it kindly his arms and bosom are open to you Jer. 2. 2 3. I remember the kindness of thy youth the love of thine Espousals when the first fruits was Holiness to the Lord. If you would have the respect and kindness of a God offer unto him the finstlings of the flock Gen. 4. 4. viz. thy youthful days If a company of aged feeble persons or cripples were tendered to the King for service he would not accept them 1 Sam. 14. 52. Mal. 1. 8 13 14. David from his youth and Josiah while he was young began to seek the Lord Psal 71. 17. 2 Chron. 34. 3. Young men if you receive the seed of Grace in the morning of your age it will take the deeper root and impression upon your hearts and cause you to bring forth fruit in old age Cloth will keep color best that 's dyed in the Wool and the Vessel will scent longest of that liquor with which it is first seasoned O then Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth Eccl. 12. 2. 2. The time of health and strength is to be improved You that are now strong and lively must not expect to be so always You as well as others must count upon diseases sickness weakness which will confine you to your Houses Chambers and Bed Now then while your strength and health of body and natural vigour is continued be mindful of your work and time The great duties and difficulties in Heavens way are set forth by striving Wrestling fighting running which requires the best of our time and most of our strength Can a sick and weak man run so as to obtain or so strive and conflict as to overcome judge ye King Saul chose the strong and valiant for his service 'T is the strong must run the race Psal 19. 4. and the young must overcome the evil one 1 John 2. 14. If a man had a business of great concernment or a matter of life and death that requireth time strength and diligence for the doing of it and should omit it until he were stricken in years or until sickness and weakness invade him every one would be ready to charge him with folly If a Carrier amongst many stout strong Horses hand one poor lame sick Horse and should lay the burden of the greatest weight and worth upon that poor weak jade we should conclude that either he was cruel or that he wanted the understanding of a man This is our case the great affair of Immortal souls requireth time strength diligence and all little enough And shall we charge the whole stress of our everlasting state upon a few days sickness and weakness before our death God forbid Eccles 12. 3 4. 3. The time of affliction must be redeemed Christians in the day of adversity we must consider Eccles 7. 14. it was the time of Jacob's trouble when the Apostle exhorted believers to redeem the time God speaks by his rod as well as by his Word to both which we must have an ear God sometimes teacheth his as Gideon the men of Succoth Judg. 8. 16. with Thorns and Bryars of the wilderness Let the affliction be of what kind or degree soever either upon our Persons Names Estates Families Church or Kingdom yea and of long continuance we are to look upon it as from God and for our good For every affliction speaks to us in the Language of Ehud to Eglon I have a message unto thee from God And God will reckon with us for the rods he lays upon us I shall speak more to this in another place 4. The time of the Gospel must be redeemed Gospel time is our spiritual harvest and it is notorious folly to sleep or loiter in Harvest The time of the Gospel is a time indeed viz. a time of light a time of love a time of life a time of liberty Now the trumpet of Jubilee soundeth and all debts and morgages may be taken up and released Here 's liberty for the poor Captives and the opening of the Prison to them that are bound
'T is now an accepted time a day of Salvation 2 Cor. 6. 2. A time to accept or a time to be accepted a golden and glorious time indeed Behold now there is a broad and clear way to the Mercy seat the flaming sword is gone the partition wall is down all Bars and Gates are removed an Act of indempnity is proclaim'd and there is a free admission for all to come and be saved pardons are ready Isa 55. 6 7. Isa 45. Sinners your dear Lord Jesus the great Peace-maker is now an impotant Suitor unto your perishing souls namely an inviting knocking waiting promising Christ Prov. 22. 9. 4. Isa 65. 2. Math. 11. 28. Rev. 3. 20. Cant. 5. 2. John 6. 36. The treasures of grace are opened and offered to sale upon easie terms without money and without price Isa 55. 1. Rev. 3. 17. O make speed and come make the purchase buy the pearl of price that 's better then Rubies and you shall have a treasure in heaven The favour of Gods precious blood white raiment tryed gold and the eternal life of your never dying souls is worth the having Consider also that now the Holy Ghost calls and offers his assistance to close the bargain to tye the marriage knot between Christ and Souls Heb. 3. If you lose this opportunity you may never have the like The Spirit and the Bride say come Rev. last 17. 5. The time of the Sabbath or Lords day must be redeemed we must have a specially care of sanctifying that day it being the Sabbath of the Lord our God This golden day from morning to night must be spent in the service and worship of our Lord either in publick private or secret duties and no part of it must be lost Take no liberty upon that day for frothy vain and unprofitable discourse or recreations or to ride buy sell or work This dreadful God provoking sin of Sabbath-breaking is a sin in fashion hundreds in this Nation serve the Devil more upon the Lords day then on other dayes Then men are at leisure to serve the Devil and satisfie their lusts to go to the Ale-house or to exercise themselves in sports and pastimes O that Magistrates Ministers Masters of Families and Parents would look to it Neh. 13. 17. The Lord of the Sabbath commandeth thee that thou and thy Son thy Daughter thy man servant and all within thy gate keep that day holy The Sabbath is called a holy convocation Lev. 23. 2. and the Lord of the day is an infinitely holy just and jealous God The Sabbath heretofore was called Regina dierum the Queen of days in the New Testament it is called the Lords day Rev. 1. 10. a day in which we commemorate the greatest mercy viz. the glorious Resurrection of our crucified Lord and that which the purest Christians in the purest times did carefully observe In the Primitive times a serious and strict observation of the Lords day was a trial or badge of Christianity When the question was propounded Servasti Dominicum hast thou kept the Lords day the answer was turn'd Christianus sum intermittare non possum I am a Christian and cannot intermit it It was a saying of an eminent Divine that he would judge of a mans Religion according to the reverence and care he had of keeping the Sabbath Christians you are to keep your Lords rest and perform the holy duties of his worship chearfully reverently spiritually Joh. 4. 24. If ever you think to celebrate an eternal Sabbath with God in glory be careful of this duty To enforce it consider 1. How strictly the holy God imposeth it and to what end it is Remember the Sabbath day to keep it Holy Exod. 20. 8. This blessed day for communion with God is to be premeditated upon before it cometh therefore in the evening before the Sabbath let all your necessary occasions be done up that you may have nothing but what becometh the work of that day Be like David's good man Ps 112. 5. ordering your affairs with discretion especially your Spiritual affairs If you expected the company of some worthy friend would you be found in a sluttish posture or sweeping and cleansing your houses on that day and all out of order On the Lords day you should vehemently expect the approach and presence of the King of glory therefore make all ready to entertain him 2. Remember the excellent Epithetes and Titles of this blessed day it is called a High day a Holy day the holy of the Lord honourable Isa 58. 13. Therefore let it be redeemed lose no more Sabbaths 3. Consider the blessings and soul benefits of that day if it be rightly observed It is your Lords Market day in the which you have the precious Oyl the Golden Mines and treasures of grace opened that day There are spiritual dainties for your hungry souls to which you are by Christ invited that day Isa 54. 1. The Holy Ghost doth breath and blow that day by the secret and sweet gales whereof Saints mount up toward Heaven The great God comes down and gracious souls ascend that day Rev. 1. 10. And the Eunuchs that keep Gods Sabbaths have the promise of a name in his house for ever Isa 56. 4 5. I might add the severe threatnings and Gods signal judgements upon the prophaners of the Sabbath or Lords day The man that was found gathering sticks upon the Sabbath by an immediate command from God was stoned to death Numb 15. 32 34 35 36. How time must be redeemed 1. By taking and improving all opportunities for the glorifying of God 2. By laying hold on the present time and now a day of grace for settling and securing your everlasting state 3. By improving the present means of grace for your speedy growth in grace 4. By doing all the good you can to others while you may 5. By labouring to keep up constant communion with God in holy duties 6. By improving every providence and outward cross for inward and spiritual advantages 7. By casting up your accounts every day that you may make even with God 8. By labouring to order every days work in reference to your last day that having finished you work you may be fit to leave this World 1. By taking and improving all occasions for the glorifying of God Dear Christians this is your Fathers business and the great Errand for which you had your being You were born and new born to serve the interest of the holy and blessed God in the World this is that glorious end for which you should spend your strength and time and lay out your selves to the very utmost That which is the chief end of your life viz. to display and propagate Gods glory in the World must not be neglected other things are infinitely inferiour and must be subordinated unto this For the thoughts and designs of serving the Interest of your Lord is that which you must be always driving on in this evil
lives and most prodigious sins makes the days still evil What execrable abominations are there committed upon the Stage of this evil World Iniquity abounds wickedness is in credit and Religion under disgrace Many hate the power of Godliness but are not asham'd to wear the Devil's Livery May we not complain with the Prophet and say as Hosea 4. 12. There is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the Land By Swearing and Lying and Killing and Stealing and committing Adultery they break out and blood toucheth blood therefore shall the Land mourn And as Isa 12. 15. For our transgressions are multiplyed before thee and our sins testifie against us and truth faileth and he that departeth from Iniquity maketh himself a pray And Amos 5. 10 12 15. They hate him that rebuketh in the gate it is an evil time 3 Many are back slidden and apostatised How are the mighty fallen the falling sickness hath been an Epidemical disease Matth. 24. 12. Because iniquity shall abound and the love of many shall wax cold Jer. 2. 2. 2 Tim. 1. 15. Rev. 2. 4. 4. Doth not God frown and threaten to remove the Candle-stick and leave us in darkness Rev 2. 5. Amos 8. 9 11. 5. How is the Family of God and friends of Christ devided and subdivided one from another Moab and Ammon Herod and Pilate can unite against Christ and his Interest when Christ's little Flock are at a distance one unto the other 1 Cor. 3. 3 4. And when it thus comes to pass the days are evil and our time had need be redeem'd Reas 2. Redeeming the time will render us truly wise See that you walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise redeeming the time Eph. 5. 15. Eccles 6. 5. The wise mans heart saith Solomon discerneth both Time and Judgement To work while it is day and to do a great deal of work in a little time commendeth the wisdom of the Agent Whatever Learning Parts Endowments men have they are not wise unless they redeem the time The men of Issachar were of great account with David because they had understanding of Times to know what Israel ought to do 1 Chron. 12. 32. The wise God in whose hands is our time taxes the Jews for fools not observing the Times Jer. 8. 7 8. and so doth our Lord Jesus the Pharisees Mat. 16. 2 3. Therefore redeeming the Time is called a walking in wisdom as the Apostle expresseth it Col. 4. 5. The APPLICATION Vse 1. FIrst If Time will be redeemed we may infer that sure then there is an Eternity Let all the wasters of time count upon it It is as certain as any thing in this world that there is another World You may venture your Lives your Souls and all upon the truth of it Why should the blessed Astle Paul press Believers so strictly to redeem time but in order to their everlasting welfare Assure thy self of it and believe it as firmly as if both eternities did now present themselves to thy bodily eyes and thou didst see the Devils and reprobates in their chains of darkness and hear them cry and roar in those eternal flames and also see Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the Saints departed upon the Throne singing the Song of Moses and the Lamb. This is that which is either beleiv'd or fear'd by the best and worst of men O that it might have a deep and lasting impression upon all your hearts 2. The opportunity of time is a very precious privileage To have a gale of opportunity to convey us to glory or the white flag upon the wall inviting us unto our work to sue out our pardon before it is to late Time is a rich invaluable Treasure and yet a transient treasure Time Gods Post runs apace yea flyes as it were upon Eagles Wings and will be gone Time is compared to Golden Sands running between two Eternities and 't is an infinite mercy they are yet running that you have a day to work out your salvation to agree with the Adversary while he is in the way viz. to make up the breach between God and your souls Rev. 2. 21. The continuance of Time is very uncertain The time is short 1 Cor. 7. 29. The whole is but a span a very little space 'T is but a few days more and then thy last day a few hours more and then they departing hour a few breathings more and then thy last breath 3. Time as precious as it is and which should be redeem'd at any rate is often let slip What shall we do to pass away the time is common in some mens mouths it 's a commodity that lies upon their hands they know not what to do with it How profuse and prodigal are most of this great treasure who make no improvement of it How often hath opportunity come to us and waited on us but very few are found to lay hold upon it To how many time-wasters may that killing Text Luke 19. 41 42. be applyed And when he came near he beheld the City and wept he could not speak it without tears saying If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace but now they are hidden from thine eyes 4. Spiritual Sloth whereby we lose so much of our precious time is a sore evil and very dangerous Slothfulness Solomon faith casteth into a deep sleep Prov. 19. 15. The slothful man is like the door on the hinges Prov 26. 14. The slothful is brother to the great waster Prov. 18. 9. Therefore be not slothful Rom. 12. 11. Heb. 6. 12. We read that Joshua said to the Sun Stand still but God never said to the soul Stand still Religion requires action labour diligence for it doth not consist in airy empty notions and speculations of the head but in the exercise of the mind and heart Habits must be exerted Grace improved Heaven that is all up-hill must be strived for and gotten as it were by force and victory 'T is a shameful and deformed sight to see a man professing Godliness in a Lethergy and not prose-Cast off thy lazy and dull spirit temper lest thou be found like that wicked slothful and unprofitable servant who must be cast into utter darkness Mat. 25. 26. 30. Let me say to you as the Danites to their brethren having spy'd out a good Land Judg. 18. 9. Are ye still arise and be not slothful to go and to possess the Land The Heavenly Countrey is before you arise and work and lose it not for want of labour Let not spiritual sloth by eating out your time hinder your work and rob you of your wages Rev 3. 11. 5. If the best of Saints should redeem their time what have sinners need to do You that have been slumbring and sleeping all your time and not gone one step in the way to Heaven but many in the way to Hell had need up and be doing or else
you will be eternally undone Whilst it is called to day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts Do not spend so freely of this swift and precious stream of Time every drop of which hath an influence upon Eternity Knowing the time that now it is high time to awake out of sleep The night is far spent the day is at hand cast off therefore the work of darkness and put on the Armour of light Let us walk honestly as in the Day not in Rioting and Drunkenness not in Chambering and Wantonness not in Strife and Envying but put you on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the Flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof Rom. 13. 12 13 14. 6. If Time and every part and moment of it must be improved this serves to confute those that reproach serious diligence in Duty as a needless thing If the business of our immortal soul did not require great care and diligence why doth Paul here enjoyn us to walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise Christians 't is your wisdom to know your work and the time to do it There 's no trifling about eternity now is the day for the things of your peace let it not be hid from your eyes It will be very sad when you are passing into the other World to see that you have all your life time been sowing the wind Use 2. Examination Try whether you are redeemers of time or not Reflect upon what I have said and thy Conscience will tell thee thou hast spent more of thy time in sin and vanity How fruitful are thy duties Are thy hours for God Do Time and Duty go hand in hand Maist thou not cry out many a time Diem perdidi daily I lose a day Examine your selves don't silence stop the mouth of Conscience if so it will cry aloud another day Let me ask you these few questions 1. Have you seriously bewail'd the loss of time and begg'd the pardon of it 2. Have your souls sincerely closed with Jesus Christ and freely and fully given up and resigned your selves to him to be his for ever 3. Do the great concerns of Gods glory and your salvation bear down all before them Canst thou say though I follow my Calling and take care for my Family yet I am most solicious about my everlasting condition whether they be pleasures or profits I can say Pleasures of sin be gone world stand by There is a God to serve and honour I have a soul must be sanctified and saved I have a short time to redeem I have a debt to pay an account to give a Sentence to receive an Eternity to live This is not to be slighted I must and will save my soul Hell iI most intollerable and eternal 4. Will you now promise and stand to it that for the future you will trade more for eternity and get better evidences for Heaven Go about the work of Faith and repentance speedily lest death should call and you not ready Use 3. Of Lamentation That Professors should bo so far from redeeming of time or of doubling their diligence that they neglect their duty I may cry out with the Prophet call for the mourning women for who is not guilty in this kind Amos 5. 16. Sirs for this should our souls mourn in secret places the serious consideration of which is enough to fetch blood from our hearts and flood of tears from our eyes How little care is taken in spending that well which when it is gone we have no hope it can be restored to us again Do not you complain of the want of time seeing you waste time There are many poor frivolous excuses the Servant will say that he hath a hard cruel Master the wife complains of her wicked Husband the Child of his Ungodly Father another of the poverty of his Family he can spare no time Whoever pretends the want of time let me tell thee Thou hast a carnal dead sinful slothful heart the cause of all Hast thou not time for every other thing namely a time for eating drinking sleeping potting piping playing and none for Heaven Can you rise early go to bed late and eat the bread of carefulness to get the meat that perisheth and find no time for God and your Souls will this excuse thee another day thou careless ignorant deluded soul Your Corn Cattel your Sheep your Swine your Hawks your Horses and Dogs are cared for but for the better part there 's no care at all Wilt thou tell the great and terrible Judge at the last day I would have been saved but I had no time There are many that eat their bread by the sweat of their brows that take time for their souls who will be brought in as witnesses against you at the last day Will you squander away your time and the days evil and opportunities for your souls hardly come at O consider it 's high time to awake out of sleep Exhortation to redeem Time Use 4. You have heard what it is to redeem time and how time must be redeemed Now let all resolve without delay to put this so necessary a Duty into practise Let young ones resolve upon it and the middle-aged with the hoary-heads Tender unto thy God the cream and flower of thy age and time and think it not too soon In things of far less moment you are for hast and speed If you were starving for want of bread you would think every hour long till you had a supply If your bodies were tortured and tormented with pain and sickness would you think that ease and health might come too soon If a man were in the Sea near sinking can a Boat come to soon Or can a condemned Malefactor receive his pardon too soon hast thou lived without God and Satan's Slave and in danger of dropping into Hell fifteen or twenty years and canst thou get into Christ to secure thy immortal soul too soon Hast thou not been the Devils too long already Suppose thou hadst dyed in thy Christless state where had thy soul been Is is not better to be the Lord's servant then Satan's Slave Ask the Godly man that hath made tryal and he will tell thee The sooner thou art in a state of Grace the fitter thou wilt be for glory Make speed in thy work do thy spiritual business thy wages is sure and thou shalt be blessed Consider there was never any one repented living or dying that they were the Lords and converted betimes And for you that have past the time of youth in the satisfying youthful lusts and liv'd it may be thirty forty or fifty years in a course of sin and vanity is it not more then time for you to bethink your selves In so many years you have made sad work who can tell how often you have offended that have been profane Swearers Drunkards Lyars Sabbath-breakers so long if you were certain of living so many years to come yet the Devil the
World and your Hellish lusts have had half your time O let the time past suffice Know your times are in Gods hands Psal 31. 15. So that you are not certain of a day to come therefore begin and make speed in you work And for the gray-headed against whom death hath raised his batteries you can have but a few sands in your glass your departing hour cannot be far your Candle is within the socket and it may be is come to a stinking snuff Do you not see the Keepers of the old rotten house begin to tremble and the strong men bow themselves Expect the next blast the house to fall If you that are leaning on your staves and looking through your spectacles being ready to enter upon Eternity don't mind your work immediately Wo wo be unto you for ever If God should work a spiritual Miracle in converting and pardoning an old grey-headed Sinner that hath been idle till the leventh hour Mat. 20. 6. would it not be matter of amazement and wonder to Men and Angels For the Devil to be cast out of possession after he hath an Inhabitant threescore years and more for such an one to be born again would be strange indeed I have heard of an old man who being really converted not long before his death caused this to be written on his Tomb Here lyeth a very aged man of Three Years Old He reckoned all his time and life before as lost and worth nothing Now that you that have put off God and hazarded your souls so long already might lose no more time consider these motives 1. The present time is Gods time and must be yours 2. God the Righteous Judge will reckon with you for your time 3. You have solemnly promised to redeem it 4. Men take and improve opportunity for other things 5. Satan your deadly enemy is always busie and will lose no time 6. Saving-grace is an active and springing principle 7. Time once had and lost cannot be recalled 8. Cons How they prize time that have lost it 9. God hath joyned Time and Duty together 10. On this moment of Time Eternity depends Motive 1. Consider The present time is Gods and it must be yours Don't you hear the Holy Ghost say It is now high time to seek the Lord and calling to you Come away make speed Hos 10. 12. Delayes and Laziness are the two great Gulphs in which multitudes of souls are drowned and perish How many are now in Hell that purposed and promised to turn to God as you do hereafter O fear and tremble lest it should be your case To enforce this take these few hints 1. The present time hath most Precepts and Gods Commands like warrants in the Kings name must be obeyed on sight thereof We say Must is for the King If thou art young read Eccles 12. 1. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts Psal 95. 6. First seek the Kingdom of God Mat. 6. 33. You must not stay long Hos 13. 13. Bless God and wonder the golden thread of precious time is spin'd out so long 2. It hath most promises and they are great and precious I will receive you saith the Lord. They that seek me early shall find me The present time is an accepted time in which God may be found Psal 32. 6. Now God calls Heb. 3 7. and you may come and welcome John 6. 37. And it will be matter of unspeakable comfort to a man dying looking into Eternity to know he hath done the work for which he had his life and time 3. You have the hest examples And 't is our duty to imitate and follow them who are gone to Heaven before Your dead Lord would lose no time I must do the work of him that sent me while it is day When faithful Abraham was to offer his Son Isaac he made hast Gen. 22. 31. He rose up early in the morning Mary Magdalan came early in the morning to enquire after and to see the Lord Jesus whom her soul loved Mark 16. 2. Motive 2. God the righteous Judge will reckon with you for your time Not onely for your health wealth strength parts graces memories but for every minute of your time If at the day of judgement we must give an account for every idle word much more for so great a Talent so rich a Treasure as Time A Heathen could say that every wise man must tam otii quam negottii rationem reddere give an account of his business and of his idleness You may like fools waste your time neglect your duty and stand out against the call of God but it will cost your dear Eccl. 11. 9. Rejoyce O young man in thy youth and let thine heart chear thee in the days of thy youth and walk in the ways of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes but know thou for all these things God will bring thee unto judgement The great Landlord of your time is at great expence to continue it Those Luminaries of Heaven over your heads and principally the Prince of all the lights of Heaven the Sun that glorious and mighty Gyant the Prince and Crown of all corporal Creatures do tire and waste as it were their Celestial vigour to beget and give Time Time is so rich a Jewel that God would have one man value it to another If one man had hurt another he was to pay both for his cure and loss of time Exod 21. 18 19. So must you at the great day of account for all your time for every Sermon you have heard for every Sabbath and Sacrament you have had all your days Motive 3. You have all promised to redeem your time The Vows of Jehovah are upon you Say with David I will pay my Vows If the Godly man will perform his promise to his hurt Psal 15. 4. Much more should you for your profit Take the Counsel of the Wise Man Eccles 5. 4 5. When thou vowest a vow unto God defer not to pay it pay that which thou hast vowed better it is that thou should not vow then to vow and not pay How often you have engaged your selves to leave your known sins and to live soberly and righteously and Godly in this present World let Conscience witness If you that have resolved to read pray sanctifie the Sabbath c. should still waste and trifle away the time it will not only be a breach of promise but a sin against light for which thy heart will reproach thee and if thine heart condemn thee God is greater then thine heart and knoweth all things 1. John 3. 20. Remember the promises thou didst make at such a Sacrament or when struck at the heart by such and such a Sermon or when death was at thy Family or thy self near unto it and defer not to perform thy Covenant God who is a God of truth will not be mocked and
is but a step between thee and an endless state and wilt thou not be more industrious for thy Soul and Heaven If a man were to run or wrestle for his Life or for a Crown or Kingdom how would he strain and strive and that with all his might If a man were to go over Sea for his life and had but one gale of wind in his Life-time would he come to the water-side and lose it If a Malefactor had but a day appointed him to sue out his pardon would he not improve it This is all our cases God hath given us but a day to work when the day is ended it will be night for ever Luk. 19. 19 42. John 9. 4. Now it may be Christ is at the door offering thee help open to him lest he withdraw and come no more It s probable the spirit of Life and Power striveth to turn thee to God O refuse not to comply with it lest the Spirit serve thee as Samuel did Saul that came no more to him 1 Sam. 15. 35. I shall conclude the Motives with the words of the Psalmist to day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts left God swear in his wrath that you shall not enter into his rest Psal 91. 7. 11. Now if thou art resolved to put this duty into practice through the help of Heaven speedily and diligently observe these Directions Directions for the redeeming of Time 1. Take heed and beware of those things which rob you of your time 2. Labour to convince your selves of the worth of time and value it accordingly 3. Set apart a considerable portion of time for the most secret duties 4. Cast and compute your time 5. Maintain a holy fear upon thy heart of coming to the end of time before thy work be done Direct 1. First Take heed of those things which rob you of your time Now the thieves that will rob you of this exceeding rich Jewel are these six against which watch as for thy life 1. Vain Thoughts 2. Worldly Cares 3. Vnnecessary Visits 4. Vnprofitable Discourse 5. Excessive indulging of the outward man 6. Vnlawful or immoderate recreations 1. Vain Thoughts These are secret and subtile Thieves that insensibly rob us of our time every day and in every duty vain impertinent and wicked thoughts like Pharaoh's Frogs creep and crowd in upon us and thrust out good thoughts so that we cannot keep our mind steddy and compos'd Solomon saith Prov. 17. 24. The eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth so are our thoughts gadding wandring up and down here and there and every where These evil thoughts spring and rise from within us as naturally as sparks from the fire Gen. 6. 5. Matth. 15. 19. Out of the heart proceedeth evil thoughts And they follow us continually into every place and in every service as the Birds on Abraham's Sacrifices which Abraham did drive away They must not Lodge Jerem. 4. 14. Though we cannot hinder the Fowls from flying in the Air or over our heads we may hinder them from pitching on our heads Holy David had vain thoughts but he hated them Psal 119. 113. There is not a minute but many thoughts pass from us as in a minute sands do in an Hour-glass Psal 94. 19. Christians consider how much of that time is lost which you spend in holy duties by vain thoughts when we should draw nigh to God our hearts by our thoughts steal away And there are but a few awakened tender spirits truly sensible of this intrinsical secret evil though much of a Christian's duty and the very inwards of Religion lies in observing the thoughts and in watching the heart Therefore above all keeping keep thy heart Prov. 4. 23. and take heed to thy spirit Mal. 2. 15 16. 2. Worldly Cares are great wasters of our precious time The most do mind Earthly things Phil. 3. 19. Men heads hearts and thoughts are so intent about the things that perish that they do hardly entertain a serious thought of God and Eternity all the day God is not in all their thoughts They that are the flesh do mind the things of the flesh Rom. 8. 5. and not only the children of this World but Professors themselves are so eager and vehement in the pursuit of this poor Earth that almost all their time and strength is spent about it And while men are so careful and solicious about many things and in a very crowd and hurry of business it is impossible for them to redeem time for God and their souls As soon as their eyes are open and the things of the World stand as so many Suitors to invite and draw them Some have their hearts so over-charged and surfeited with the Cares and fears of this evil world that their abundance will not suffer them to sleep Luke 21. 4. Eccles 5. 12. Now when it is thus Opportunities are lost Souls are neglected Holy duties omitted or if used they are very unsuccessful Ezek. 33. 31. Math. 13. 22. Therefore take heed of the world so great a devourer of our time 3. Vnnecessary visits are great wasters of our time of which you must take heed it being no mark of Godliness but the contrary The wise man speaking of the vicious and vertous Woman giveth them this different Character viz. the one her feet abideth not in her House Eccl. 7. 11. the other looketh well to the wayes of her houshold and eateth not the bread of idleness Prov. 31. 27. And we read of some that wandred about from house to house being idle Tatlers and busie-bodies speaking things which they ought not 1 Tim. 5. 13. How many do trifile away the time in going from house to house to whom it may be said as Pharaoh to the oppressed Israelites Ye are idle ye are idle Let that time you have to spare from your Calling and Families be spent in Reading Prayer or other Religious exercises and in all your Visits intend and design the doing of good or the receiving of good and not the passing away of this precious time When your friends or neighbours are sick and under the hand of God go to them and give them counsel for their souls Rom. 15. 2. 4. Vnprofitable Discourse robbeth us of much time Some employ their Tongues in telling fabulous or filthy stories others in discoursing of Parties and Opinions and in talking of the Faults and Miscarriages of other men Some about the Times and enquiring after News Thus did the men of Athens who spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing Acts 17. 21. And the most when they come together pass away the time in discoursing of the World and the concerns of it But let Christians when they converse imitate their Lord the words that proceeded out of his mouth were gracious words Walk in wisdom toward them that art without redeeming the time Let your speech be always with Grace seasoned with Salt
that you know how you ought to answer every man Col. 4. 5 6. 5. Excessive indulging the outward man Much of our time is spent in making provision for the flesh Rom. 13. last Some hours are taken up every day in providing for the belly to please the Pallate and some at their Tables take up much time Others to gratifie a proud fancy much time is wasted in decking and trimming the body There are those that spend more time in looking into a glass then upon their knees in praying to God A godly Minister coming to a Gentlewomans house to Dinner where he waited from ten a clock till one all the while she was dressing burst out in weeping to think that she should spend so much time in Trimming and he so little in Praying Also excessive Sleep doth devour a great part of our short life and time When we should be on our knees in our Closet we are in our beds or on our Couches Others waste their precious time in Ale-houses and Tavers and Brothel-houses from day to day God's day being not exempted Against such there is a dreadful Wo Wo unto them that rise up early in the morning that they may follow strong drink that continue until night till Wine inflame them Isa 5. 11 12. 6. Vnlawful or immoderate Recreations are the occasions of great expence of time Recreation not to be used but as Physick in case of need is an ingrosser and wafter of our time that 's dear and precious Many are so excessive in it as if they were sent into the World to do nothing but sport What time is spent is Carding Dicing Dancing Interludes Stage-plays Bear and Bull-baitings Hunting Hawking and in reading Romantick Books which for Men and Women professing the Gospel are not of good report Phil. 4. 8. The turning of the Bible or of some good Book is more becoming a Christian then turning a pair of Cards a Game so much accustomed by the Prophane and an occasion of much sin These things will cause bitterness and horror at last they are Honey to the Fansie but a sting to the Conscience Consider which will afford most comfort dying Item so many days in recreation or so many days in humiliation so many hours in prayer or so many hours in playing at Cards so many hours in vain filthy discourse or so many hours in serious and Heavenly conference Item so many Sabbaths in reading hearing and singing of Psalms or so many Sabbaths spent in eating drinking walking or worse Holy Bradford counted that hour lost wherein he had not done some good Titus Vespasian was wont to say Diem perdidi I have lost a day Direct 2. Set a due estimate upon this precious Jewel of Time that your hearts may be so truly tender as to make conscience of wasting of it A Godly Minister was wont to say when he saw the morning clear and serene 'T is pity this day should be lost O value your time reckon more of one Sabbath then of the best Fair or Market that ever thou wasted in all thy life Set upon the now day of Grace the price of Eternity I have told you already the damned in Hell if it might be would give a World for one opportunity to make peace with God Direct 3. Set apart some considerable portion of time for the most secret duties 1. For ordinary secret prayer and meditation set some time apart in the morning and evening of every day and do not catch and snatch at praying-times Many serve the world and the flesh all day and put off God with a few words or sleepy prayers at night Prayer is the breath of the new Creature and the sign of spiritual life Act. 9. 6. Christians let your prayers be secret sincere fervent constant The way to Heaven said a good man is through the Closet and they that have been eminent in Piety have been excellent in Prayer Holy David would not let a morning pass without prayer Psal 5. 3. Yea three times a day he was at this blessed duty Psa 55. 17. It was his Element and constant employment Psal 109. 4. Your prayer must be fervent if it be effectual Prayer without fervency is as a Bullet without Powder or as a Bird without wings that cannot mount up into the Air. Holy fire must be put to the daily Sacrifice God answers by Fire He that looks upon the heart regards the manner of your Prayers more then the number of your prayers Cold slight mumbling over a few Petitions either out of custom or to stop the mouth of conscience will not prevail Ps 25. i. Isa 26. 9. Jam. 5. 15. Christians the time that you spend with God in secret is the sweetest time and best improved Therefore if thou lovest thy life be in love with prayer Resolve to spend some time with God in private every day 2. Extraordinary private Fastings is a duty very necessary and practised but by a few Soul-afflicting dayes between God and a man's self would though grace be much for spiritual advantage Husbands should mourn apart and their Wives apart Zech. 12. 12 13. Fasting-days will be Soul-fatting days Acts 10. 30. and Blessed are they that mourn Mat. 5. 4. 3. The third private duty is self-examination When thou art alone ask thy self these questions 1. Is it most certain that I am in a state of Grace 2. Is Grace thriving Doth my inward man prosper 3. Do I live in no known sin against Conscience Psal 19. 1. 28. and exercise my self unto Godliness 4. Do I make conscience of redeeming time so as to joyn time and duty togetogether A Precious Servant of the Lord was wont to say if a man could answer to these two Questions he need not to fear First Am I Gods child Secondly Am I in Gods way Psal 119. 94. Direct 4. If you would redeem your time compute your time Pray thou mayest do it Psal 90. 12. Psal 39. 4. Numbring the People was David's sin but numbring his days a duty 'T is common for men to number their Sheep their Cattel Houses Lands Wares Money but to number our days is a rare kind of numbring for the neglect of which what arears are we fallen into with the great Land-lord of our time Christians divide your time into parcels and consider how little God hath how much time was spent in thy Infancy and Child-hood before thou hadst the use of reason how much is spent in our Callings and Employments about the world how much in Eating and Drinking and unprofitable discourse besides all this half or more is spent in sleeping so that in the work of God and about our immortal souls we employ but a very little Therefore 't is more then time to redeem it Direct 5. Maintain always a holy fear upon thy heart of coming to the end of time before thy work be done Live continually in an expectation of your great changes Buy Sell Converse Read Pray Hear and do all as
dying men and passing to receive the recompence of endless Joy or Wo. Christians if you would work while it is day If you would glorifie God on Earth If you would secure and eternally save your immortal souls If you would not be a prey to the Prince of Darkness If you would stand with comfort before the Lord Jesus at his dreadful Bar If you would not spend your days without hope Arise therefore and be doing and the Lord be with you Deut. 32. 29. O that they were Wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end IT is always seasonable to insist on such subjects as direct us to speak of another world especially in time of great Sickness and Mortality in which thousands of souls night and day have been crowding into Eternity witness the late dreadful Plague in sixty five I therefore made choice of this serious and heart-wakening subject that drowsie secure souls might be awakened to a deep consideration of the world to come The whole Chapter is stiled the Song of Moses his Swan-like Song or Song before his death the dying words of that eminent faithful servant of God and if the words of a dying man are to be regarded how much the words of a dying Moses This Moses being ready to go into the other world composeth this song of which the Text is apart and dying words are weighty and make the deepest impression This song is partly Narratory Minatory Promissory In the Narrative you have 1. A Narration of the infinite greatness and most glorious attributes of the God of Israel introduced with a pathetical and awakening acclamation Give ear O ye Heavens and I will speak and hear O Earth the words of my mouth 2. We have a Narration of their corruption ingratitude and rebellion verse 5. 6. They have corrupted themselves they are a perverse and crooked generation do ye thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise Notwithstanding the remarkable favours and rare indulgence of God toward them yet they forsook him provoked him to jealousie with strange Gods and sacrificed to Devils and not unto God Vers 16. 17. Because of which he threatens 1. To hide his face from them then which nothing more bitter to the soul Ver. 20. 2. To inflict variety of sore temporal judgements upon them then which nothing more burthensome to the body I will heap mischief upon them I will spend mine Arrows upon them they shall be burnt with hunger and devoured with burning heat and with bitter destruction the sword without and terrour within shall destroy both the young man and the Virgin with a man of gray hairs for a fire is kindled in mine anger and shall burn to he lowest Hell And Vers 27. God gives the reason why he would not utterly destroy them and make a full end of them Were it not that I feared the wrath of the envying c. And now the words of the Text seem to be the Application of the whole O that they would consider their latter end You may look upon these words as it were a Mount cast up by which the people of Israel might take a view of things to come and have a prospect of what should befal them in their latter end O that they were wise to be wise is opposit to that brutishness ver 28. They were a Nation â—oid of counsel for they wanted the right exercise of reason and that wisdom which is from above to observe and improve the gracious providences and dispensations of God That they would consider Consideration is a fixed act of the understanding or mind in order to practice for doing and considering are frequently joyned together Judg. 18. 14. Now therefore consider what ye have to do Heb. 10. 27. Let us consider one an other to provoke unto love and good works The same thing is variously expressed in Scripture viz. to look narrowly upon a thing to call to mind to know and consider in ones heart to call things to remembrance to commune with a mans heart Psal 77. 5 6. Their latter end By which we are not only to understand those tremendous and desolating judgements that should surprize them in this world but to remember the great things of the other as also old age death the grave erernity death with its antecedents concomitants and consequences The words contain a pathetical Option or wish O that they were wise In which observe 1. The person wishing viz. the most great and gracious God 2. The thing desired and that is Divine Wisdom a Jawel indeed a price far above Rubies 3. The person for whom God thus desireth viz. for Israel a people nigh unto the Lord and yet a bruitish inconsiderate and unwise people O that they were wise c. 4. What this wisdom is or wherein it doth consist viz. in the consideration of their latter end The Doctrines observable from the words are these Doct. 1. That God doth earnestly desire and long for the good of a people Doct. 2. That an inconsiderate people are a foolish and unwise people Doct. 3. That want of serious consideration is incident not only to the prophane but to men professing God and Godliness The Israelites were the onely Church of God then in the World and yet they were not wise to understand and consider their latter end I shall not handle these apart but speak to the chief scope and intent of the words in this one proposition Doct. That it is a duty and matter of high concernment to consider our latter end O that they were wise that they would consider viz. practically consider and live always in the belief of the other world so as to do up all their work while it is day This seems to be the great import of the spirit of God in this Text. Eternal souls whatever escapeth your thoughts this must not this should be your vade mecum It should rise up with you lye down with you walk with you where-ever you go are This Moses himself that precious and renowned servant of God desir'd seeing such a dreadful mortality in the Wilderness and so many sad spectacles of Divnie wrath Psal 90. 10. So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts to wisdom And as Moses desir'd it so also holy David Psal 39. 4. Lord make me to know my end and the measure of my days what it is that I may know how frail I am And Solomon sets a better upon it Eccles 7. 2. It is better to go to the House of mourning then to the House of Feasting for that is the end of all men and the living will lay it to his heart And it is an Argument that men are dead when at a House of mourning they are not moved with compassion to a due and deep consideration of their doleful and dying condition I shall come now to show you what we are to consider concerning our latter end and O that it may
timerous fearful cowardly Apostate and back-slider in heart who for fear of a little outward hardship declin'd his professed principles and turn'd his bach on Christ and his persecuted little Flock may be heard to wish that either he had never known the way of righteousnees or that he had been faithful unto the death Secure and sadly deluded souls consider you are not far from this direful gulf where multitudes of souls lament and weep day and night and certainly if the horrible and amazing cries and yellings of those infernal spirits were sounding in your ears you would not rest quiet in your Beds or Houses There were sad and astonishing out-cries when the world was drown'd when Sodom was burn'd to see the Clouds suddenly drop fire on their heads and houses and men women and children burning together but this was but a flea-bite to that place where is weeping and gnashing of teeth to all Eternity Remember all you that forget God the day of your calamity is at hand and the things that shall come upon you make haste Deut. 32. 35. But if you are the servants of the Lord and real Saints Mourners in Sion lift up your heads and hearts for you belong to another place and better Country viz. to mount Sion and unto the City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to an inumerable company of Angels to the general Assembly and Church of the first born which are written in heaven and to God the Judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect And to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things then that of Abel Heb. 12. 22 23 24. And know that you are almost come within the hearing of those heavenly Songs eternal triumphs and Hallelujahs of Saints and glorious Angels in your Fathers house Where you will have fulness of joy and pleasure for evermore Ps 16. 11. 7. Consider How sudden violent or unexpected your end may be Therefore let none think or say they shall dye in their nest or promise your selves a time of preparation by a long life or a lingring sickness Consumption or such like Fearless careless sinners you don't know what a night or what an hour may bring forth the rich man in the Gospel while he dream'd of many dayes was arrested by a killing and dreadful message Thou fool this night thy soul shall be required of thee Luke 12. 20. He lives not that knoweth where when or how he shall dye some have gone to bed well and dyed the same night others have dropt dead from their Horses some have died at their Tables whilst the meat hath been in their mouthes others have died in their full strength being wholly at ease and quiet with breasts full of milk and bones moistned with marrow others die in the bitterness of their soul and never eat with pleasure They shall lye down a like in the dust and the worms shall cover them when they are brought to the grave and to remain in the tomb Sirs There are many dreadful instances in the word of God of the sad and sudden approach of this merciless messenger death which stand as so many Sea-marks to give you warning least death should come in an hour you look not for it and find you unprepared The King of the Chaldeans in his greatest jollity and having not a thought of death saw a hand-writing on the wall which was very terrible and the same night was slain While he was feasting and drinking wine and praising the Gods of Gold and Silver in the same hour came forth fingers of a mans hand and wrote over against the Candlestick upon the Plaister of the wall of the Kings Pallace and the King saw the part of the hand that wrote Then the Kings countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the joynts of his loynes were loosed and his knees smote one against another Dan. 5. 3 4 5 6. and 30. Death is the King of terrours and terrour of Kings Good Hezekiah received a sudden summons for death Isa 38. 1. which made him turn his face to the wall pray and weep sore and to chatter like a Crane and mourn like a Dove in the bitterness of his soul because he was to go to the gates of the grave and to the pit where there is no hope The first born in Egypt were slain at midnight which made a great cry Exod. 29. 30. Korah and his wicked company were swallowed up in the midst of their Rebellion Numb 16. 30 31. They went down quickly into the pit and all Israel fled at the cry of them There dyed suddenly of the men of Bethshemesh fifty thousand and threescore and ten because they looked into the Ark 1 Sam. 6. 19. And God many times taketh away the desire of our eyes with a stroak as he did Ezekiels Wife Ezek. 24. 16. Job's children died at their banquet Ishbosheth was smitten and died in his sleep Ananias and Saphira being Husband and Wife died within three or four hours one of the other with a lie in their mouths Act. 5. 5 10. The righteous Judge many times shoots an arrow suddenly at wicked men who dye in the act of sin Ps 64. 7. When they are about to fill their bellies the Lord doth cast the fury of his wrath upon them as he did upon the chosen men of Israel Ps 78. 30 31. Many times God to execute his fierce wrath sends out his destroying Angels who will make dreadful work in a little time for in one night in the Camp of the Assirians the angel of the Lord smote a hundred and fourscore and five thousand that in the morning were all dead Corpses Isa 37. 36. How short and uncertain is our life subject every moment to the stroak of death which the least crumb or flye may put an end unto as it hath to many And as our end may be sudden so also it may be violent a mortal disease may invade both Heart and head and poor dying creatures many times are so distressed and distracted that they cannot think of any thing but their tormenting pain being uncapable to say any thing to God or men about their souls O how stupid and unsensible do many souls make their passage into the other world like Nabal or like a man in a lethargy or as so many stocks or stones and not awake till they awake in the flames of hell The rich man dyed and in hell he lift up his eyes his first and second death was very unexpected All you obdurate sinners stand here and wonder at the matchless mercy and infinite patience of the great God in delaying the King of terrors so long God hath not dealt so kindly with thousands of sinners that are gon before unto judgement and who went down to the pit in a moment witness the late dreadful Plague by the means of which a hundred thousand souls were sent into
fire to all Eternity The pangs of death the worlds loss anguish of Conscience frights of hell meeting together will make a man perfectly miserable and force him to cry out with cursed Cain Gen. 4. 13. My punishment is greater then I can bear or to say with the sadly afflicted Church behold no sorrow like unto my sorrow And if the dreadful reflection of a guilty accusing conscience be so tormenting here what will the whole flame and Sea of wrath be when poured out to the very utmost Sensless sinners Consider this may be your doleful case when you come to die viz. to have much sorrow and wrath with your sickness Eccl. 5. 17. For there is no is peace to the wicked saith my God not one word in all the Bible but speaks terrour in life and death though the sinner live a hundred years he shall be accurst he dieth under the curses written in God's Book yea under that most dreadful Gospel curse 1 Cor. 16. 22. The apprehension of which will cause such distraction of spirit and sad reflection of guilt which will make them curse their God and their King looking down to the pit roaring out Who among us shall dwell with devouring fire who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings Therefore be wise to consider this all ye that forget God lest he tear you in peeces and there be none that can deliver Psal 50. 22. And as it is dreadful and amazing to see the unbeleiver dying so on the contrary 't is comfortable and reviving to see the godly man dying because his ultimum is his optimum his last is his best the day of his death is better then the day of his birth Eccl. 7. 1. His end is peace Psal 37. 37. God at peace Conscience at peace and all at peace O blessed sight to see the heaven born panting soul going out of the world upon the wings of joy calmness and serenity of spirit with full sail for heaven longing and crying out make no tarrying O my God haste my beloved haste so come Lord Jesus I desire to depart and to be with Christ which is best of all Phil. 1. 23. You have heard what are the great things to be considered namely that an end will certainly be this world is no place of continuance they that now see you ere long will see you no more for ever You have heard that your present things will perish that sin so full of deadly poyson will leave a sting a dart that will strike through your Liver and that the case of the wicked will be doleful dreadful yea desperate when they come to dye for when death comes your souls then will be stated so as there can be no alteration to all Eternity The next thing is to speak to the reasons why it is a duty and matter of such moment to consider are these following Reas 1. Is taken from God Because the only wise gracious most indulgent and soulcompassionating God wisheth it and that most vehemently O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end Sirs in this pathetical Option or desire there is the very tender bowels of God this is the very language of his heart and it is as if he had after the manner of men spoken thus to his faithful servant Moses I have but one wish or request and all is comprehended in this one viz. that thou shouldst go and tell them from me that they must be wise to consider this to remember the dayes of old and the years of many Generations what I have done for them in chusing them above all the Nations of the world to be my treasure portion and peculiar people and because I love them I have delivered them wrought wonders for them in Egypt the Red Sea and in the wilderness and have kept them as tenderly as the apple of mine eye carrying them upon Eagles wings but yet let them know that they have forgotten me provoked me and that their end is like to be miserable for afire is kindled in mine anget and unless they do speedily consider it will burn to the lowest hell Now you souls in peril which is best to thwart cross and greive your well-wishing dearest best and only friend or to please and geatifie your prosessed deadly implacable enemy your adversary the Devil can't endure that you should think of death or dying for if Satan that old Serpent would permit and suffer you to look into hell he could neither drag nor draw you thither at his pleasure And will you go on in the wayes of sin and death or bethink your selves whose you are what you have done whither you are going and what is like to become of you when your breath is gone what provision you have made for your other world that so the great business between God and your souls may be made up Sinners if the infinitely holy just and righteous God did desire or designe your ruine and destruction he would not have excited you to this solemn and serious consideration of the end of sin death and Eternity until it were too late and you left without remedy so that what is here intended hath a tendency to make you happy if it be regarded O that they were wise c. Reas 2. Because a deep serious and heart-affecting consideration of death and the grave will both realize it and represent it as near even at the door and make it to stand in open view Whereas things looked upon at a distance whether they be good or whether they be evil have but a little if any influence Now a fixed and hearty consideration will give as it were a being to future things and bring them near so that you may really converse with those things A truly godly man that hath a veiw of unseen things by divine contemplation here upon the wings of faith and hope he may ascend up into heaven and walk a turn in the golden streets of the New Jereusalem as the Prophet Ezekiel was in the Visions of God at Jerusalem in his mind when his body was by the River Chebar among the Captives in the Land of the Chaldeans so likewise those sadly wounded spirits who through fear of death are all their life-time subject to bondage being exercis'd with soul-conflicts and under powerful cutting and killing convictions of sin and misery or have such dark and dismal thoughts and apprehensions of hell and the wrath of God which make them ever and anon to enter into the Chambers of death and visit the prisoners of the pit and look upon that black guilt and fiery furnace to be so near that they are on the brink of it falling down continually This hath been the case of many of Gods precious ones who are now in heaven above all these fears and frights that were once more bitter then death And O how many travailing with these pangs and agonies of soul are ready to
cry out with holy Job Chap. 6. 4. The arrowes of the Almighty are within me the poyson whereof drinketh up my spirit the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me Such is the nature of meditation or consideration that it will cause future and remote things to have a real powerful and deep impression on our minds As for instance A Merchant in India by his meditation or contemplation may converse with his Affairs his Wife Children and Friends in England or a Merchant that 's walking on the Exchange in London may have his mind and thoughts in Spain or Italy or else where a Malefactor cast into Prison for some notorious Crime may long before the Assizes converse with all the sad circumstances of his tryal he may in his thoughts see him self brought to the bar standing before a terrible Judge to heare his indictment read the Charge prov'd his doom and sentence pronounced and see as it were himself at the place of his execution with the rope about his neck which must immediately hang him and if you would in good earnest set your selves to consider your latter end you may really and heart-affectingly converse with old Age Weakness Sickness your death-Bed short-Breathing cold sweats dying Pangs and Groans Winding-sheets Coffins and see your selves as it were streched out nail'd up and on the shoulders of men carrying to the grave where Worms and filthy Vermine must feed upon you The Servants of God and Saints of old have done this with great success soul advantage and so should you They have reckoned or counted their Lives by dayes because they were every day liable to Death and expected it daily Teach us to number our dayes said Moses Psal 90. 12. Few and evil have the dayes of my life been said old Jacob. For man that is born of a woman is of few dayes Job 1. 1 5. All the time of which said Job will I wait till my change come Job 14. 14. For I know that thou wilt bring me to death and to the house a dark house appointed for all living And Chapter the 17. 1. he said my breath is corrupt my dayes are extinct the Graves are ready for me where-ever he went or came he was looking for a Grave Again by consideration we may not only look to the Grave but beyond it to the great Transactions and astonishing things that shall be after death We may converse with the worlds burning Christ's coming the Trumpets sounding the Graves opening the Deads rising the Wickeds roaring who as jolly as they are shall then cry to dead and deaf Mountains and Rocks to fall on them to hide them from the dreadful face of the now slighted Son of God for in that great day of his fierce and terrible wrath they will not be able to stand Rev. 6. 16. 17. By realizing this consideration we may see the Judge standing behind the door and the Son of God as it were ready to break forth out of the Clouds with power and great Glory as Hierom did who said whether I eat or drink I hear this voice in mine ears Arise ye dead and come to judgement Now if a right consideration of the great things to come be so penetrating and heart-awakening let death which alwayes doggeth you at your heels be often upon your thoughts your heads and hearts too should be much upon it every night you lye down and every morning you arise let there be some serious and awful thoughts of death and Eternity That which many have engraven on their Rings viz Remember to dye let it be by the Pen of a Diamond written on your hearts It 's storied of Philip of Macedon that he laid a charge upon one of his servants to come every morning into his chamber and proclame this that he was mortal and if a Heathen were so careful of keeping the memory of his mortality much more should a Christian we should alwayes remember the dayes of darkness and keep life and death heaven and hell before us there being but a step between us and death The neglect and want of this was Israels sin and Jerusalems too She did not remember her last and therefore she came down wonderfully Lam. 1. 9. And this God who would have us remember and consider doth sadly complain ofby the Prophet Isa 1. 3. calling heaven and earth to witness for him Hear O heavens and give ear O earth the Oxe knoweth his owner and the Ass his Masters crib but Israel doth not know my people do not consider Reas 3. A serious consideration of your latter end through grace will prove an absolute and soveraign Antidote to expel the greatest evil yea a means to escape an infinite loss viz. sin and the dreadful effects and consequences of it What is the cause of that inundation and sea of wickedness and most prodigious sins that are now in the world and in this Nation in every City Town and Place and in the most Families among all ranks and degrees of men viz. Magistrates Ministers People Parents Children Masters Servants but this their not duly and deeply considering their latter end this we find laid down in the word of God to be one main ground of all sin and of the neglect of all duties You careless souls did you beleive and remember that you must die and come to judgement that your naked souls and naked sins must shortly stand before the most tremendous direful Judge of quick and dead the reflection hereof would be as a knife at your throats as a sword at your breast or as a hand-writing on the wall to retard and hinder your constant and desperate course of wickedness O what horrid hellish outrages are now committed and that deliberality impudently obstinately even against the light of nature Conscience Scripture What Cursing Lying Swearing Blaspheming Sabbath-breaking Cheating Couzening Stealing what wantonness filthiness uncleanness swinish drunkenness covetousness earthly-mindedness what mocking scoffing wrath envy malice pride passion and spiritual wickedness too as unbeleif a theism impenitency hypocrisie apostacy hatred of God his people ministers wayes and ordinances every where aboundeth Men declare their sins like Sodom and are not ashamed of the unfruitful works of darkness and why but because they doe not set their minds and hearts upon their latter end Poor dying sinners Let me out of tender compassion to your bleeding and almost sinking souls intreat you as for the Lords sake to goe down to the grave to go down to hell in your thoughts and stop here and think of the King of terrours the worm of Conscience the approach of Devils the burning lake the bottomless pit the loss of God of Christ of Heaven and your precious souls remember those fiery scorching endless flames the presence and company of Devils Reprobates and damned spirits and your sweet morsels will be gall and wormwood to you these amazing things being truly reflected on will be as lightning in your eyes as thunder
feared or felt worse then outward pressures perils pains which are but bodily miseries and that but for a moment This sin not only the prophane world are guilty of but some of those that profess the Name of God Rebecah said to Isaac I am weary of my life because of the Daughters of Heth Gen 27. 46. Rachel cryes out give me Children or else I dye Gen. 30. 1. Elisha being threatned by Jezabel said O Lord take away my life 1 Kings 19. 4. Jonah for the loss of a poor gourd said it s better for me to dye then to live and told God to his very face that he did well to be angry even unto death Jonah 4. 9. The Israelites when they wanted water wisht they had died in the wilderness These and the like wicked wishes are in the mouths of many poor ignorant discontented persons who long to be out of this wretched world Now by way of conviction I shall lay down these following particulars 1. What think you of these inward and soul-straits and conflicts with which Gods poor afflicted people are sadly exercis'd And were you but sensible of the guilt and weight of sin a wounded spirit the wrath of God and those everlasting burnings it would quickly swallow up your outward miseries though never so many This is evident in the example of the Jaylor who for the loss of his prisoners was so tormented that he would have kill'd himself before he was convinced of the dreadful state of his soul that was in danger of ruin Act. 16. 27 28 29 30. Then he fell and cried out Sirs what shall I do to be saved 2. To wish for death because of the evils attending this life is very wicked and dangerous interpretatively and in effect it is to wish your souls in hell Consider and mind this also that your present sorrowes crosses troubles of what kind or degree soever they be are the fruits of your ill-doings and fatless then you deserve for its a wonder you are not in hell and will you dare to be so audacious as to flye in the face of your faithful Creator when you should be deeply sensible of your horrible wickedness and humble under Gods hand and accepting of the punishment of your sinye should repent and turn to God take away the cause and the effect will cease 3. You can please and gratifie the Devil your deadly adversaty in nothing more you wish for death so doth the devil too if you are his now you must be his then his here and his for ever He waits and longs that your breath were gone your souls separated therefore he would have you poyson hang drown starve or stob your selves that you might be dead damn'd and burn'd with him in hell 4. Moreover if you were dead you would suddenly repent and change your mind and if it might be give the world to be alive again with all the wants pains and greif you now endure Had you but a peeping hole into hell to see and here what they endure you would confess your sins judge your selves and close with Christ before you dye that so you might not come into that dreadful place of torment Now that you may hear and fear and do no more so wickedly Let me ask you 1. What think you of the sting and bitterness of death when a man comes to dye Conscience being awakened roaring like a Lyon death the King of terrours standing by when the guilt of past-sins and loss of precious time will be as so many fiery darts and stinging scorpions biting and gnawing on the heart What think you it will be to dye unconverted to dye in a state of sin and wrath a Trator to God in a state of unbelief and impenitency the soul-damning sins to dye with an evil heart an accusing conscience self condemn'd cast in your own breast to dye which is worst of all 2. What think you of the sadness and amazing terrour of approaching judgment the second death when a man comes to take a dreadful view of the other world and begins to reflect and think Wherefore was I born what have I been doing are all these my sins O where shall I leave them or how shall I be rid of them now I am dying whither am I going what will be my company where shall be the place and how near am I to it what must I endure and how long how long and conscience will answer to all eternity misery without end This will amaze confound and overwhelm the soul with fear and perturbation when it sees that heaven is lost and that it must down down to the Region of darkness and company of Devils in that state of everlasting wo. The killing thoughts of which made a great man wish that he might live though bur the life of a Toad 3. What think you of the impartiality of the Judge that will not spare the guilty must and will Judge and sentence according to the fact and reward every man according to his works He would not spare the Angels that sinn'd but cast them down to hell 2 Pet. 2. 4. not Adam but cast him out of paradise and set a flaming word against him neither will he spare any impenitent sinner in the day of his wrath justice obliges him to justifie the righteous and condemn the wicked 4. What think you of the impossibility of having any appeal There will be no Moses to mediate no mediator to plead no Daniel Noah or Job to intercede or to stand in the gap not an Intercessor in Earth or Heaven to be found to speak a word There can be no appeal to God his Calls and Councels have been refused his Interest opposed his Enemies countenanced his laws violated his Anger will burn like fire No appeal to Jesus Christ his Government hath been slighted his Grace and Person rejected or to the Holy Ghost he hath been quencht and greived or to angels or Saints all will be against you 5. Whar think you of the resignation of soul and body to the executioner and tormentor the red dragon 't is sad to see a poor malefactor committed to the Jaylor or Hangman but O how much more dreadful will it be for ever-living souls in the face of men and Angels to be delivered into the hands of that raging roaring Lyon the Devil When God the righteous Judge shall say in sight of the whole world here are the men that brak my Statutes prophaned my Sabbaths that hated my Saints that served the Devil in the satisfying their Lusts the open and professed Adversaries to my Name and Interest that would not though I often intreated them come at my call accept of my love receive my Son or endure a life of holiness or by any means be drawn and perswaded to think of and prepare for death and judgement though they had time and opportunity enough Now take them devil and away to hell with them for my soul abhors them Thy Covenant servants
and voluntary slaves they were in time and thy prisoners in chains of darkness they shall be eternity to be tormented day and night for ever Rev. 20. 10. 6. What think you of eternal banishment and separation from God Christ Angels Saints Heaven This is the punishment of loss and the worst of hell Matth. 25. 41. Then shall he say unto them on the left hand depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels O terrible terrible to be doom'd or sentenc'd to lye under the wrath and hatred of the infinitely great and dreadful God for ever and ever as long as God shall live whose being is to eternity as long as there is a Devil to torment or to be tormented shall their plagues last The fearful and unbeleiving and the abominable Murderers Whoremongers Lyars Dogs Sorcerers carry all their sins down to hell with them the fuel that feeds the wrath of God so that the Oyl of sin causes the Lamp of wrath to burn flame everlastingly The debt of sin can never be paid justice never satisfied for the damn'd soul remains impenitent and God implacable so that there can be no hope of pardon The sentence is strict unchangeable irreversable eternal O eternity eternity this stings plagues and augments and aggravates the most intollerable punishment of the damn'd After an innumerable thousands of years they shall think it but the beginning of their sorrows and shall be so far from an end as if they had been in hell but an hour It will be everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power 2 Thes 1. 9. In comparison of which all the rendings rackings tearings torturings of mens bodies here by the most exquisite torments upon racks gibbets wheels grid-irons boyling lead boyling oyl and other bloudily invented engines and instruments of amazing cruelty are but a flea-biting Sinners 't is hell hell that will make the sadly tormented soul seek death wish and long for that which shall never be Rev. 9. 6. And will you desire and wish for the woeful day God forbid now your condition may be changed then it will be stated Wo wo unto you that desire the day of the Lord to what end is it for you The day of the Lord is darkness and not Light Amos 5. 18. A day of glosminess a day of clouds and of thick darkness at which the people shall be much pained and all faces shall gather blackness the inhabitants of the Land shall tremble for the day of the Lord is very terrible Joel 2. Now therefore do not wickedly wish it but wisely consider and prepare for it And blessed is that servant whom when his Lord cometh findeth so doing 3. It reproves the selfc-onfident and presumptuous who conclude upon a fitness and preparedness for death and judgment upon very slight and unwarrantable grounds namely because they separate from the notoriously wicked are not prophane make a profession shew some legal sorrow for sin run the round of duty though carnal and heartless enough in those duties from hence they easily perswade themselves that all is well viz. That they are the Children of God in a state of grace and going to Heaven and as fit to dye as the very best How many thousands are there in the Christian world that securely sleep and dream of an interest in Christ that hope and promise themselves a future and glorious felicity who are but meet moral men and worse or rotten painted Hypocrites at the best having only a form of Godliness restraining counterfeit or common grace Such were the Scribes and Pharisees the foolish Virgins yet confident to the very last they came to the door with a Lord Lord open unto us They had blazing Lamps but no oil in their Lamps or Vessels no real union with Jesus Christ no precious faith no sincere love or evangelical repentance the root of the matter was not in them You that have a name to live take heed you be not deceived if you are not truly united unto Jesus Christ he will certainly disown you The Lord Jesus tells us of such sadly deluded souls that shall stand up at the last day and challenge a reward in Heaven to whom he will protest I know you not Matth. 7. 23. they never savingly knew him had never any union or communion with Christ in the world Many are called but few chosen the Children of the kingdome saith Christ shall be cast out And I must tell you who-ever comes to heaven will miss many there which they thought to find and find others there they little expected The Sinners in Sion are more then a few the Goates more then the Sheep the Tares more then the Wheat more reprobate silver then pure tryed gold The pure in heart and truly godly man that mourns and bleeds for sin that loves God and prizes Christ above the world is many times full of feares and doubts about his soul and the eternal condition of it O what would he not give to be assured that all is well between God and him to know that God and Christ is his that he is fit to live or die because a mistake here is very dreadful and of an infinite consequence But on the contrary the foolish disobedient and that are deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures living in sin and alienated from the life of God having no hope and without God in the world are highly confident and strongly perswaded that it shall go well with them in the world to come I knew a poor ignorant prophane wretch being told on his death bed and but a little before he entred into eternity that death was come replied where is it I 'le go forth and meet it putting his legs over the beds side in a little time gave up the Ghost Therefore in this great soul-affair let none be so fool-hardy as to trust without tryal But let every man prove his own work and then shall he have rejoycing in himself and not in another for every man shall bear his own burthen Gal. 6. 4 5. Quest If the consideration of our latter end is a matter of such moment why do men and women that have immortal souls think no more of it Answ 1. The great cause is from that horrid cursed atheism and unbeleif which is deeply rooted and riveted in mens minds and hearts They do not credit that wonderful and astonishing Doctrin of the other world according to the beleif of which they must live or die to all eternity If we should take a serious prospect of endless eternity of those great things men seem to beleive namely that they must dye that in every mans body there is a never dying soul that there will be a different and unchangeable estate of men after death and that without holiness real holiness of heart life no man shall see the Lord and compare the lives and practises of those that
world be assured it shall go well with them in the other world Art thou in astate of grace at odds with fin and truly in love with Christ and holiness Be of good chear go thy way and eat thy bread with joy and drink thy wine with a merry heart for the bitterness of death is past The king of terrors that had the power of death is conquered by the Lord of life Terrible death that rides on the pale horse is dismounted by thy dear Lord that rides on the white horse under whose bloody Cross thou mayest see him disarmed wounded and dead death that raigned from Adam to Moses is now swallowed up in victory Isa 25. 8. I will ransoms thee from the power of the grave I will redeem thee from death O death I will be thy plagues O grave I will be thy destruction The beleiving soul is dead with Christ while he lives Rom. 6. 8 and is delivered not only from the damnation of sin but the dominion of sin and there is hope in his death When he dyeth he shall die in the Lord Rev. 14. 13. he shall sleep in Jesus 1 Thes 4. 14. his end shall be peace Psal 37. 37. This made the Apostle after his sad conflict Rom. 7. to triumph over the last enemy death 1 Cor. 15. 55. Motive 7. If you should not prepare for death yet you will wish you had as many do when it is to late You that are for making provision for the flesh and so eagerly pursuing the world When you shall be cast upon the bad of languishing you will wish in the very torment of your minds and flames of horrour that I had parted with my sin O that I had been careful to please and honour God and to get an interest in Jesus Christ then should I have now dyed the death of the righteous but this I wholly slighted I prosecuted the world with might and main and got so many thousands for my Posterity I liv'd a merry and jovial life but for my soul for my eternity things of infinite worth I have done nothing I forgat my soul Now here 's the Messenger of death come for me to imprison my body in the Grave the Chambers of darkness and to carry my soul I know not whither I fear to hell O that I had been wise to under stand this to consider my latter end What would I now give to live but a few years more to make provision for this soul that must now enter the gulf of endless eternity Motive 8. Consider the gaines will be exceeding great As will appear by these following particulars Would you haue sin as hell and be more truly holy Consider your latter end This is most certain that all the evil antecedents and dreadful consequences of death spring and grow out of this bitter root what is it that wounds stings paines and kills what is it that brings Diseases threatens death that murders the body and that damns and burnes the soul What is that doth necessitate the to make use of Physick Physicians whilst alive and bringeth thee to a Coffin and Grave when thou art dead is it not sin which thou embracest in thy bosom You poor blind deluded souls as little and as lovely as sin looks in your wanton eyes it is the Mother and Nurse of all your miseries hacht in hell the Devils spawn or excrement He that committeth sin is of the devil 1 Joh. 3. 8. This is that evil thing and bitter that hales death and hell at the heels of it yea that arms death devils and hell against us Were it not for this black ugly fierce ouer and bloudy adversary Law or Justice could not condemn us Death could not kill us Devils could not torment us Hell could not burn us Sin is the Traitor and Murderer of your immortal souls and those nails that will shortly dig your Graves will you hug hide and hold it fast Will a woman put that knife into her bosom that hath kill'd or murder'd her dear Child or Husband no by no means it must be broken and cast away for ever Now Sirs if sin be the enemy use it as an enemy or murderer kill it take the sacrificing knife and cut the throat of it or strike the heart vein and let it bleed until it dies Deal by it as Samuel by Agag cut it in pieces Did you think seriously of death and hell you would hate it to purpose and say away to hell with it from whence it came and it would put you upon a desire and earnest endeavour after holiness Being expos'd to a dissolution what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness 2 Pet. 3. 11. But if you forget death you will make dreadful work namely your accounts greater and hell the hotter you will increase your sin and God will heap up wrath against the day of wrath And if ever God shâ—w mercy it will cost you dear your souls must mourn your hearts must break and bleed for sin for unless you repent you will certainly be damned Luk. 13. 5. 2. Would you speedily call off your hearts from the world lay up treasure in heaven Remember your latter end In the greatest affluence of worldly prosperity alwayes consider that you must die Poor worldlings that make gold your hope whose plottings and ploddings are for earth If death and eternity were more in your thoughts you would let go that in your affections which you cannot hold in your possession and love that but a little that will be lost and which you cannot love long Riches have wings and they will be gone Consider how little the things of the world will stand you in stead in the evil day your gold and silver cannot keep you from diseases while you live nor from hell after you are dead Prov 11. 4. Psal 49. 6 7. It falleth out with many of the great storers of this world as it doth with a Sumpter Horse who all the day carrieth a great treasure on his back but at night it is taken from him and he thrust into a foul Stable So many wealthy worldlings that tire them selves to get and carry worldly treasure when death cometh it s taken from them and they for their ill getting or ill using of it are thrust down to hell the rich man dyed and in hell lift up his eyes And if you would deaden your hearts to this empty earth and look after a treasure above a happiness beyond the grave that shall last as long as your souls shall last think often of death this would divert your worldly cares and projects Remember from this day to your last day cannot be long your Journey or Voyage is short and a little Provision is enough neither Poverty nor Riches but food convenient is the desire and choice of a Citizen of Sion Converse more with death and be often looking into eternity and thou mayest here as it
should sever the Wheat from the Chaff the Sheep from the Goats the precious from the vile and in so doing we shall be as God's mouth and free from the blood of all men O then let this dreadful and amazing Doctrine of death and judgement be more frequently and effectually preached that souls in peril near run may see their sin and danger and flye to Christ as the only refuge knowing the terrour of God we perswade men 2 Cor. 5. 11. Mat. 3 7. 2. Converse with the best Christians viz. them that are grave sober solid savoury and sound in faith Such as make Religion their great business who love to speak of God and of the world to come and by whose counsel and example you may be stir'd up and perswaded to repentance and holiness to consider of death and judgement These were Davids excellent ones in whom he did delight and made his companions Psal 16. 3 119. 63. 3. Read the best Books and those that treat of death and judgement but especially the word of God There are the pure Chrystal streams and richest Mines in this field you will find the Pearl Let the word of God dwell in you richly be not ignorant of any part of it but be sure to accquaint thy self with those Scriptures that speak of the shortness of life the certainty of death and judgement heaven and hell Read the Book of Job and the twelfth Chapter of Ecclesiastes Psal 39. Psal 90. And let me desire you to be often urging upon your hearts some of those Scriptures that set forth the dreadfulness of that place of torment that will be the portion of all that forget God and make no provision for their precious souls Some few I have here set down which I desire you would all consider and apply Vpon the wicked he shall rain fire and brimstone and a horrible tempest this shall be the portion of their Cup Psal 11. 6. We be unto the wicked it shall go ill with them Isa 3. 10. He shall cast them into a furnace of fire there shall be weeping wailing and gnashing of teeth Matth. 13 42. Isa 33. 14. 66. 15. Matth. 25. 41. Luk. 16. 25 26. 2 Thes 1. 8 9. Rev. 6. 8 16 17. Direct 3. Make conscience of setting apart a little time every day on purpose to think of your latter end Do it so frequently until death and you become familar ever and anon put thy self into a posture of dying converse with thy winding sheet Coffin Grave let thy great change be so upon thy heart that thou may'st every morning or evening walk a turn or two with death Remember however it be with thee now thou mustere long be gasping and groaning for breath upon thy dying bed and grapple with the King of terrours and in a moment go down to the Grave and shall come up no more Job 10. 21. If thou shouldst affect thy heart with thoughts of thy latter end go down to Golgotha and think upon those dry bones putrified bodies and there revive the memory of your departed Relations Husbands Wives Children Friends Neighbours and look beyond the Chambers of the Grave converse with those miserable departed souls give the prisoners of the pit a visit Meditate on the raging furious flames that dismal darkness smoak and stink of the botomless pit the screeking of the damn'd and roaring of the devils the heart piercing complaints for water to cool their scorching tongues And when thou dost think upon those millions of souls that are hanging up in hell reflect upon thy sels and expect thy turn speedily Suppose every day thy last every meal thy last every journey thy last every duty Sacrament Sermon thy last And when the Lords day cometh think with thy self this will be the last spiritual market that I shall have to buy the spiritual Oyl of grace and to provide for the Bridegrooms coming after this day is ended I may never more hear the Lord Jesus speak to me by the mouths of his faithful Ministers never be invited to come to Christ or to beleive repent part with sin and accept of a pardon more and so demean thy self every day and in every duty as if thou should'st be called to Gods Bar and give up thine account at night In all thy thoughts words and actions say to thy self would I do thus and thus viz. would I eat drink sleep converse buy sell preach hear pray or worse if I certainly knew this day would be my last O let that Motto Memento mori which some carry in their Rings be engraven on your hearts it being the great concernment of our lives This is that which God people and some of the heathen too have been careful to remember King Asia made his Sepulcher in his life time 2 Cron. 16. 14. and some in their Gardens and places of solace and delight as Joseph of Arimathea John 19. 41. And some of the Heathen were wont to walk among the Graves to put them in mind of death some have had their Graves alwayes before their Gates other a dead mans skul presented every day at their Tables and shall we that beleive the doctrine of the other world put off the serious thoughts of death Solomon adviseth us to go to the house of mourning telling us it is better because the living will lay it to heart When you hear the tidings of the death of your Friends relations or Neighbours go thither though not personally yet contemplatively in your minds thoughts go and put your selves in their stead And think thus a living man or woman is become a dead Corps or cold clay the soul is gone to its everlasting habitation but to what place whether to be comforted or tormented who can tell If he were a godly man he is certainly gone to heaven if thou art such a one thy soul will shortly be with him but if an ungodly man he is certainly gone to hell and now among the Devils and if thou art such a one thou shalt erelong be there too 'T is true the dead can have no thoughts of the living but the living saith Solomon know that they must die And you that are young when you hear of the death of a lively lusty young man or alovely beautiful young woman stop reflect and consider may not this be thy case O man woman or child in a very little space I shall say no more by way of direction only desire you to review the particulars before mentioned and you that are Parents and Masters of Families who make conscience of looking to the souls of those committed to your charge may cause your Children and Servants to learn by heart the particulars I here set down 1. That it is most certain an end will be 2. At our latter end all things in this world will be gone for ever 3. All the pleasures of sin will be gone and leave nothing but a sting 4. That only which is eternal wil stand us
instead 5. Consider which of the two eternities are you going towards 6. We are all near our everlasting habitation 7. You know not how suddenly or unexpected your end may be 8. When death comes your souls are stated your eternity is cast 9. 'T is a dreadful and amazing fight to see a Christless soul breathing out his last 4. Vse May be of comfort to the poor people of God who through fear of death are all their life-time subject to bondage Let not you hearts be trobnled fear not neither be terrified because of this King of fears But cheer up your spirits and comfort up your hearts with this that death as terrible as it is to the wicked cannot hurt you The day of your death will be better then the day of your birth and thereffore death is put into the Beleivers Inventory and reckoned amongst his priviledges 1 Gor. 3. 22. Death will be gain to the Godly man viz. an out-let to all his present misery and an in-let to endless glory Then the truely penitent perplexed wearied soul shall be perfectly free from the power of Satan the firy darts and dreadful temptations of that unclean spirit Then the old Serpent for ever will be under their feet Then the body of death shall be put off and the in dwelling of sin that natural fountain of corruption will be perfectly dryed up You shall never complain of vain thoughts or hard hearts any more Never doubt of the truth of grace or favour of God more The beleiver shall then be with Jesus Christ the day of his dissolution will be the day of his Coronation he shall then receive the Crown and sit down on the Throne and enter into his Masters joy which is fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore Object I sometimes think of death but the thoughts of death and judgement are very terrible I fear I am not fit to die how shall it be known Answ There is a habitual fitness for death and an actual fitness for death Every graciously upright man or woman in the world that fears God in truth is habitually fit to dye so prepared for his great change that the sting of death or second death shall not hurt him having past the the strait gate shot the gulf he is out of danger As soon as a man is in a state of grace born again made a new creature and by faith united unto the Lord Jesus Christ God is reconciled his person justified his sins pardoned and recorded in the Court of Heaven though his pardon is not brought down transcrib'd and seal'd in the Court of his own conscience The truly converted soul is Gods special favourite and shall lodge in his bosom and never more be out of his favour 't is true heaven may be out of sight God may frown but will never condemn There is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Rom. 8 1. If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous 1 John 2. 1. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect it is God that justifieth it is Christ that dyed Rom. 8. 33. 34. Quest When is the godly man actually prepared for death Answ When his spiritual estate is well setled viz. all made sure between God and his soul particularly 1. When a man is truly conscious to himself that he hath sincerely and with much brokeness of heart repented of all his known sins committed before or after conversion so that there is no fresh or former guilt remaining on him This godly sorrow is the godly mans pleasure he delights to be sowing in tears loves with his soul a wet seed-time for they that sow in tears shall reap a harvest of joy which is a time of refreshing rom the presence of God compare Psal 126. 5 6. and Acts 3. 19. 2. When sin is so great a bur den that he is weary of this body of death and willing the infected house should be pulled down that the Leprosie might be cured that so he might never sin or offend his Father more The serious thoughts and sence of which is a heavy burden and matter of greif that makes him groan and complain We in this Tabernacle do groan being burthened and O how bitterly did St. Paul complain Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death He had been in deaths often for the sake of his dear Lord but this death his body of sin troubled him more then any It was so great a burden to holy David that he felt it in his very bones Psal 38. 3. 3. The godly man is fit to dye when the work of grace is perfected and his Generation work ended When the beleiving soul hath his Vessel full of Oyl and the Wedding garments of the glorious Righteousness of Christ about him then he is a Vessel of honour prepared unto glory Rom. 9. 23. wrought for the self same thing 2 Cor. 4. 5. and made meet or fit for the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1. 12. The ship that 's laden or fraugthed is fit to put to Sea and to sail from hence or for it s appointed Port. The labourer is fit to receive his wages when he hath done his work so when the heaven born soul hath faithfully served his Generation and done the work in his Place Calling and Relations for which God sent him and intrusted him though the best fall short being in some degrees unprofitable servants then is he fit to welcome death though to the flesh it s the Kings of terrours When the godly man liveing or dying can apeal to the heart-fearching God as Hezekiah did Isa 38. And say I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do John 17. I have finish'd my course and there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness 2 Tim. 4. 8. this makes him fit and willing to depart to be with Christ When sin is pardoned and the pardon sealed i e when the clamorous noise of the guilt of sin in the conscience is calmed and silenced by the blood of sprinkling and his evidences for heaven bright and clear so that his better country is within view and the gate of glory wide open namely abundant entrance into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1. 11. Lot had a mind to prolong his time in Sodom it was a goodly City and he was not well assured wither to go when he had lest it But when the gracious soul his assured of a better state a better life that 's hid with Christ in God so that he can say as once an eminent godly man dying I shall but change my place I shall not change my company He may then being seal'd to the day of Redemption long for his dissolution 5. When the heart is weaned from and weary of this evil world and so enflam'd with love to Christ that it