Comfort against our own death p. 182. To familiarize death is one meanes of dying with comfort p. 92 E. Godly men are apt to envy prosperous wicked men p. 3 4. The cure of envy p. 5 6. God an Eternal Good p. 119 131. When a Christians evidences for heaven are clear he dyeth with the more comfort p. 85. F. Faith necessary p. 62 63. Flesh no fit judge of Gods providences p. 8. Flesh why put for corrupt nature Ibid. Mans folly in providing for the flesh p. 23 24. G. God a Christians strength p. 10. God a Christians comfort p. 105 106. God a Christians happiness p. 106. 107. God a perfect good p. 108. God the Christians defence p. 109 110 111. God a sutable good p. 115 116 117. God an eternal good p. 119. God the Saints peculiar good p. 120. Gods great condescention to sinners p. 77. Who is a godly man p. 140. to 143. Choose God for thy portion p. 147. God vide Portion H. Happiness what it is p. 114. Wherein the Happiness of man consisteth Vide God Hell its extremity and eternity p. 136 to 139. Humiliation necessary p. 69 70. I. Ignorance the cause of mans love to the world and his neglect of God Justification p. 62. K. Knowledge of God requisite in all that would choose him for their portion p. 151 152 153. L. Saints sick of Love to God p. 8 9. Christ to be loved above all p. 78 79. P. The excellency of the Saints Portion p. 7 11 105 139. Why God the best portion vide God The difference of the Christian and the Worldlings portion p. 127. The sinners portion is poor ibid. it is piercing p. 128 129. it is perishing p. 130 131. Characters of those that have God for their portion p. 139. They are known by their desires after God p. 141. their delight in God p. 142. their endeavours for God p. 143. God is a satisfying portion p. 158. a sanctifying portion p. 165. an universal portion p. 168. an eternal portion p. 171. Portion vide God Prosperity of wicked men a stumbling block to the godly p. 3. The causes of wicked mens prosperity in the opinion of the heathen p. 5. Saints have a propriety in God Psalms of David famous p. 2. S Saints gain by death vide Death Scriptures famous for their verity p. 1. Sin the cause of death vide Death The misery of sinners at death p. 49 50 51. The difference between a sinner and a Saint in affliction p. 123 to 127. God wooeth sinners p. 73 74. Sinners warned to prepare for death p. 29 30. Folly of men in neglecting their souls p. 24 25 26 27. Saints must labour to die with courage comfort p. 63. T. Time present to be husbanded well p. 40. Men ought to try themselves p. 139. Death will try men to purpose p. 47 48 V. Understanding of man satisfyed only with God the supreme truth p. 163. W. Will only satisfyed with God the chiefest Good p. 164. Worldly comforts unsatisfying p. 159 160. poor p. 127. uncertain p. 119 120. The world is defiling p. 166. ERRATA PAge 13. line 16. for unto read into p. 41. l. 12. for Demetrius Aster r. Demetrius Afer p. 48. l. 9. for fool r. foe p. 62. l. ult He seemeth to every person r. he seemeth to say to every person p. 67. l. 14. for lingering r. linger p. 106. l. 26. for that pipe r. the pipe of its p. 108. l. 11. for strength r. stream p. 123. l. 15. for no to cover r. no cover p. 126. l. 1. add when other birds are in want p. 139. l. 15. for his own provided r. provided for his own p. 149. l. 8. for wisely r. vilely
THE Fading of the Flesh AND Flourishing of Faith OR One CAST for Eternity WITH The only way to Throw it VVell AS ALSO The Gracious Persons incomparable Portion By GEORGE SWINNOCK M. A. Preacher of the Gospel late at Great-Kimbel in the County of Bucks Eccles 5.15 As he came forth of his Mothers womb naked shall he return to go as he came and shall take nothing of his labour which he shall carry in his hand Vides viventem cogita morientem Quid hic habeat attendis quid secum tollat attende Quid secum tollit multum auri habet multum argenti multum praediorum multum mancipiorum moritur remanent illa nescio quibus Aug. in Psal 49. v. 17. Incertum est quo te loco mors expectet itaque tu illam omniloco expecta Sen. Epist 26. LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Three Crowns in the lower end of Cheap-side over against the great Conduit 1662. There is extant of this Reverend Authors these Five other Treatises The Christian-mans Calling or a Treatise of making Religion ones Business wherein the Nature and Necessity of it is discovered as also the Christian directed how he may perform it in Religious Duties Natural Actions his particular Vocation his Family Directions and his own Recreation to be read in Families for their Instruction and Edification The first Part. The Door of Salvation opened by the Key of Regeneration or a Treatise containing the Nature Necessity Marks and means of Regeneration as also the duty of the Regenerate Heaven and Hell Epitomized or the true Christian characterized The beauty of Magistracy in an Exposition of the 82 Psalm where is set forth the necessity Utility Dignity Duty and Morality of Magistrates There is in the press the Second Part of that practical Piece of Divinity entituled The Christian-mans Calling Containing Directions for our dealings with all men carriage in all conditions whether in prosperity or adversity in all companies good or bad in solitariness on the week day from morning to night in visiting the sick upon a dying bed To the Courteous Ms. Jane Swinnock WIDOW OF Mr. Caleb Swinnock LATE OF Maidstone Deceased Honoured Couzen THe whole World is fitly termed by the Holy Ghost a Sea of glass Rev. 4. A Sea for its tempestuousness all the passengers who sail on it are sure to be driven too and fro with the surging waves and high winds of sorrows Man entereth on this stage of the World crying goeth off groaning and the part which he acteth is chiefly Tragical his whole life being little else from the Womb to the Tomb but a chain of crosses and a circle of sufferings he is tost like a Tennis Ball from hazard to hazard till at last he fall to the Earth A sea of Glass for its brittleness Glass is soon broken be it never so much Guilded The fashion of this World passeth away all its carnal comforts perish with it The possessions of it are corruptible Gold and Silver are liable to that rust which will consume them The Relations in it are mutable whilst we are refreshing our selves with those pleasant flowers and embracing them in our breasts and sticking them in our bosomes they wither The Jews at this day have a custome saith one when a Couple are married to break the glass wherein the Bridegroom and the Bride have drank thereby to admonish them that though at present they are joyned together yet ere long they must be parted asunder The Saints of God themselves are not priviledged from such arrests nay those vessels which are most richly laden go often deepest in these waters The howling Wilderness is the direct way to the heavenly Canaan The late Providence which removed your loving and beloved Husband I hope to Heaven hath taught you the truth of these particulars The loss of such a relation must needs be a sore affliction The nearer the union is the more difficult the separation Husband and Wife are one flesh therefore to part them cannot but be painful but Grace will help you both to submit to that blow which is so grievous to Nature and to be the better for it It was some comfort to me to observe your Christian carriage under so great a cross The hour of affliction is an hour of temptation Satan loves to fish when the Waters are troubled He would bring us to hard thoughts of God by the hard things we suffer from God Touch him and he will curse thee to thy face In such stormy weather some Vessels are cast away A corrupt heart in adversity like Water boyling over the Fire then most of all discovereth its froth and filth Isa 8.21 But though frosty seasons are hurtful to Weeds yet they are helpful to good Corn. A sanctified person like a silver bell the harder he is smitten the better he soundeth Faith is a special Antidote against the poison of the Wicked one It can read Love in the blackest Characters of Divine dispensation as by a Rain-bow we see the beautiful image of the Suns light in the midst of a dark and waterish Cloud Gods Rod like Jonathans is dipt in Hony Our daily bread and our sharpest rod grow upon the same root Every beleiver may say in affliction as Mauritius when his Wife and Children were slain before his eyes Righteous art thou O Lord and in very faithfulness hast afflicted me Dear Couzen Since Gods Rod hath a voice as well as his Word and like Moses his Rod in Egipt worketh wonders in and for his people Let me beseech you to hear it and to know him that hath appointed it O how highly doth it behove you to labour that as Aarons Rod it may bud and blosome with the fruits of holiness Two Lessons principally God would teach you by it First That your affections be taken off from Earthly possessions Dying Relations call for dying affections When Israel doted on Egypt as a pallace God made it an Iron furnace to wean them from it and to make them weary of it The creature is our Idol by nature we bow down the knees of our souls to it and Worship it but infinite Wisdom makes it our grief that it may not be our God When Children fare well abroad they are mindless of home but when abused by strangers they hasten to their Parents The World is therefore a Purgatory that it might not be our Paradice As soon as Laban frowned on Jacob he talks of returning to his Fathers House Every rout the World puts us to sounds a retreat to our affections and calls off our heart from the eager pursuit of these withering vanities Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not Prov. 23.5 much less thine heart I have read of a young Hermit who being passionately in love with a young Lady could not by any Art suppress the fury and violence of that flame till at last being told that she was dead and had been buried about fourteeen days he went
dye he screeched out dreadfully O that I had never raigned O that I had never been King for then I should not have now to Answer for my neglect of doing the good I might and my not hindering the evil I ought in my Government Sirs I beseech you give me leave to be faithful to you Will it not be a dreadful time with you when you are tumbling on your dying beds and neer your eternity if conscience should flye in your faces for your falseness and unfaithfulness in your places and make you cry out O that I had never been Mayor of Maidstone O that I had never been Justice O that I had never been Jurat for then I should not have now to Answer before the dreadful tribunal of a righteous God for all the Oaths Fornications Prophanation of the Lordâ— day and other evils which I might have hindred and did not and for all the good which I might by my holy pattern and encouraging others in piety have done and would not Alass ye cannot imagine the dreadfulness of such a mans condition on such a day Therefore now be Terrors to evil doers and encouragements to them that do well if ye would find comfort then for as in Philosophy so in Divinity They who mind not the premises make but mad but sad conclusions The Naturalists assure us that the Ashes of a Viper applied to that part of the body which is stung will draw the venome out of it natural attraction as it were calling home that poison which injury and violence had misplaced the serious consideration that you must dye and be turned into dust and ashes will be a soveraign medicine against the poison and pollution of sin it will make you both good men and good Magistrates The Latter part of the Treatise containeth the Gracious Persons Glorious Portion Therein I have endeavoured so to set forth the vastness of the Saints estate though I must confess neither men nor Angels can cast up its total sum that I might prevail with you to desire the felicity of Gods Children and the Inheritance of his chosen ones This is the portion which is as the Spanish Ambassadour said of his Masters treasure in the Indies without a bottom Though the seven streams of Nilus are known yet the head of it was never found out Much of the riches and beauty and perfections of the ever blessed God may be read in the book of the creatures more may be seen in the glass of the Scriptures but the longest line of humane or Angelical understanding can never fathom his boundless bottomless nature and being yet there is so much to be known of him even in his life as may draw out your hearts to chuse and close with him The World is ready to wonder what the people of God see or enjoy in him that they are so fearful of his fury and so joyfully in his favour as the ignorant wretch could see nothing in the Picture of Helena why Nicostratus should admire it so much but as Nicostratus told him O friend if thou hadst my eyes thou wouldst wonder at it as much as I do so had the World but the Saints eyes could they see what a Crown of glory What a Paradice of pleasures What a Mine of riches What a loving able and faithful friend God is could they but behold that beauty and bounty grace and peace love and life which are in the infinite God they would admire him too yea their eyes would affect their hearts Qui Venetias non vidit non credit quiae aliquandi ibi non vixit intelligit that they could not but love him and delight in him but Satan with his black hand like Swallows dung puts out mens eyes that they not seeing so great a good might not desire him The Italians have a Proverb He who hath not seen Venice doth not beleive and he who hath not lived there some time doth not understand what a City it is This is most true of God he who hath not with Moses seen him that is invisible doth not beleive and he who never had fellowship with the Father and Jesus Christ his son cannot understand what a vast alsufficient and infinite portion the eternal God is O friends did your eyes with Isaiah see this Lord of Hosts or with Israels Magistrate beheld but his back parts or had you with Paul ever been caught up into the third heavens ye would quickly trample on all the honours and pleasures and treasures of this lower World as toys and trifles and say with David whom have we in heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that we desire besides thee I have undertaken briefly in the ensuing discourse to shew also the vast difference between the Christians and the Worldlings portion by which you may understand that if any one among you could enjoy the wealth of Craesus the wisdom and glory of Solomon the beauty of Absolom the strength of Sampson the pleasures of Sardanapalus and to all the long life of Methuselah yet in the midst of all these his soul would be as beggerly as the body of Lazarus and as restless and unsatisfied as the stormy tempestuous Ocean No Water say Naturalists will quench the Dragons thirst No creature can fill the vast desires of a capatious immortal soul As among all the Beasts of the field there was not a meet Companion for man Adam was solitary and alone notwithstanding their numerous society so amongst all the creatures in the World there is not a meet portion for the soul its poor and beggerly without God in the midst of all its possessions your heads may be solicitous and your hearts industrious to heap up creature-comforts and when ye have got what the World can give ye would be but as hungry men in a Room full of Stones or Chips That which is unsutable to the souls nature cannot be satisfying to the spirits desires There is a nourishment proper to every Animal Spiders feed on Flies Moles on Worms the Horse on Grass the Lyon on Flesh there is also food proper to mans soul Spiritual Meat and spiritual Drink my flesh is Meat indeed my blood is Drink indeed all other is bibi potus tantummodo umbra this this is that which when the soul comes once to feed on it it s filled it s satisfied Philosophers observe that the matter of the Heavens desireth no other form whereas in all sublunary things it constantly doth and the reason is because of the Actuality and Perfection of that heavenly form While the soul fasteneth on any sublunary thing as its happiness it desireth more and better but when it doth once chuse the blessed God it desireth no more no better because of those infinite perfections which are in God One God answereth all the souls desires and necessities Plut. in vit To keep you no longer out of the body of the book It is Recorded of Marcus Cato that after
encouraged him to expect mercy from God He had not concealed nor shut up Gods faithfulness from men and therefore knew that God would not conceal his loving kindness from him But David on the other hand when night in his own thoughts drew near was as importunate to fit up longer God seemed to call him to bed but he begs hard O spare me that I may recover strength before I go hence and be no more Psa 39. ult Now mark the reason of this petition David as t is generally conceived was now persecuted by Absolom the unnatural Son forced his Father to flie He in his suffering reads his own sin and Gods indignation and so dreads an appearance in the other World in such a condition He who when things were clear betwixt God and his soul could walk in the valley of the shadow of Death and fear none ill could even give Death a challenge now when things are cloudy and dubious runs back like a Coward He had lost the sense of Gods favour and therefore could not think of venturing into his presence without much fear The train of his corruptions threatned to wait on him to the highest Court and he durst not appear before the Lord with such company He had been declining in his grace under a sad distemper and as a weak consumptionate man he was affraid to travail so great a journey as the way whence he should never return The Tenant who wants his rent loves not to hear of the Quarter day Friend If thou wouldst leave the World chearfully live in the World conscienciously take heed of those fiends which will fright thee in the night of Death chuse suffering before sin and punish thy body to keep thy soul pure The Ermin some say will die before she will go into the Dirt to defile her beautiful skin and the Mouse of Armenia will rather be taken and slain then preserve and pollute her self in a filthy Hole As the white is always in the Archers eye so let thy Death be in thine that it may quicken thee to diligence and exactness in thy life Logicians who regard not the premises infer wilde conclusions so if thou art careless of thy conversation expect but an uncomfortable dissolution As when God looked on all his works and saw that they were good then followed his Sabbath of rest so when thou canst reflect upon the several passages of thy life and see that through Christ they are good and thou hast not been guilty of enormities though of infirmities after this thou wilt joyfully by Death enter into thy everlasting Sabbath Thy evidence will be clear if thy conscience be kept clean but the truth is many even amongst Christians wound their souls by venturing on sin and thence flinch and start back when they come to be searcht besides they neglect casting up their accounts so long that they know not whether they are worth any thing or nothing and so may well be unwilling to have their estates ransackt into If thou shouldst fall I would not sad any Saint take heed of lying there but be as speedy as is possible in calling to Christ to raise thee up If thy conscience be raw with the guilt of any sin a light affliction much more Death will make thee kick and fling and unwilling to bear it But when thy flesh is sound thy spirit healed by the blood of Christ Death it self will be but a light burden on thy back How merrily mayst thou though thou hast not a penny in thine own purse go the way of all the Earth travel into the other World when thou art sure of Christ in thy company who will bear thy charges all the way The second Means 2 Wean thy heart from the World Secondly Mortifie thy affections more to the World and all its comforts They who love the World most leave it worst Lots Wife lingered in Sodom so much and was so loth to depart because she loved it overmuch When boards lye close one upon another they are easily parted but when they are glewed one to another t will cost some trouble and pains If thy heart be loose to the World t will be a small matter to thee to leave it but if thou art fastened to it in thy affections t will not be done without much reluctancy and opposition The Wife who hath been so faithful to her Husband as to keep her heart wholly for him is ready always to open the Door to him when she that entertaineth other Lovers though her Husband knock at the Door dares not run presently to open it but first makes a shuffling and busling up and down to hide or get them out of the way The more thy affections are set on Christ thy true Husband the more the World is taken out of thee and so the more easily wilt thou be taken out of the World He who hath laid up his heart in Heaven will comfortably think of laying down his head in the Earth When the pins of the Watch are taken out which held it together how easily doth it fall in peices When thy affections from these things below are removed how quickly how quietly will thy soul and body fall asunder If the World be as loose to thee as thy Cloak thou canst put it off at pleasure but if it be as close to thee as thy skin they shall have somwhat to do who shall perswade thee to part with it We read of some unwilling to dye for they had treasure in the field Jer. 41.8 Where their treasure was their hearts were also Make it thy work therefore by considering the Worlds vanity and deceitfulness and by pondering Heavens glory and happiness to wean thy heart from sublunary things hereby thou wilt as willingly leave them as ever infant did those breasts which long ago t was weaned from The third Means 3. Familiarize the thoughts of Death Vse thy heart to the frequent thoughts of Death When Children are frighted at a Dog or a Cat we do not give way to their foolish fears but bring the brute to them and get them to touch and handle it and shew them that it is not such a frightful thing as they imagine and hereby in time they are so far from being frighted that they can play with it familiarly Dost thou dread this King of Terrors Death give not way to this fear but bring death up to thy spirit handle it feel it there is no such hurt in it as thou imaginest nothing which should terrifie thee hereby at last thou mayst come to play upon the hole of this Asp One ground I suppose why Job made no more of dying was because he was so well acquainted with Death Strangers are startled at many things in a place which they that are home-born and used to can delight in I have said to corruption Thou art my Father and to the Worms thou art my Brother and Sister Job 17.14 Job was as familiar with Death
who art so near God need'st not wander about this world but should'st live as one whose hope and happiness is in a better world When one was askt whether he did not admire the admirable structure of some stately building No saith he for I have been at Rome where better are to be seen every day If the world tempt thee with its rare sights and curious prospects thou maist well scorn them having been in Heaven and being able by Faith to see infinitely better every hour of the day but if upon examination it be found that God is not thy portion think of it seriously thou art but a beggar and if thou diest in this estate shalt be so for ever It may be thou art worth thousands in this world but alas they stand for cyphers in the other world how little will thy bags of silver in thy chest be worth when thou enterest into thy Coffin It is reported of Musculus that when he lay upon his death-bed and many of his friends came to see him and bewaild the poverty such an eminent Minister of Christ was brought to one of them said O quid sumus Musculus overheard him and cried out Fumus When thou comest to die the whole world will be but air and smoak in thine own account What man wilt thou do whither wilt thou goe the God that thou wilt cry to in distress weep and sob and sigh to at death is none of thy God Thou rejectest him now and canst thou think that he will affect the then either make a new choice or thou canst never enter into peace CHAP. XVII An Exhortation to Men to choose God for their portion THe third use which I shall make of this doctrine shall be by way of Exhortation 3. Vse choose God for thy Portion If the comfort of a Christian in his saddest condition be this that God is his portion let me then perswade thee Reader to chose God for thy portion I look on thee as rational and accordingly shall treat thee in this use not doubting but if reason may be judge I shall prevail with thee to repent of thy former and resolve on a new choice Thou art one who hast chosen the world for thy portion but hast thou not read what a poor what a pitiful what a piercing what a perishing portion it is why then dost thou spend thy strength for what is not bread and thy labour for what will not satisfy Hearken to me and eat that which is good and let thy soul delight it self in fatness I offer thee this day a portion worthy of thy choicest affections a portion that if thou acceptest the richest Emperors will be but beggars to thee a portion which containeth more wealth then Heaven and Earth nay ten thousand worlds are nothing in comparison of this portion If a man should offer thee a bagg of gold and a bagg of counters a bagg of pearls and a bagg of sand which wouldest thou choose surely the former The world in comparison of God is infinitely less then brass to gold or sand to pearles and wilt thou not choose him for thy portion Didst thou never laugh at Children for their folly in choosing rattles and babies before things of much greater worth And art thou not a bigger child and a greater fool to choose husks before bread a mess of pottage before the birthright the blessing to choose a seeming fancy before reall felicities a little honour which is but a farthing candle that children can puffe out with one breath and blow in with another blast before the exceeding and eternall weight of glory to choose broken Cisterns before a fountain of living waters dirt before Diamonds vanity before solidity drops before the Ocean and nothing before all things Man where is thy reason Samuel said to Saul Set not thine heart on asses for is not the desire of all Israel to thee Friend why should'st thou set thy heart on asses or thy flock or shop or any treasure when thou hast the desire of all Nations to set thine heart upon As Christ said to the woman of Canaan If thou knewest the gift of God and who is that speaketh to thee thou wouldst aske of him and he would give thee living water John 4.10 So say I to thee If thou knewest the blessed God and who it is that is offered to thee the sweetest love the richest mercy the surest friend the cheifest good the greatest beauty the highest honour and the fullest happiness thou wouldst leave the colliers of this world to load themselves with thick clay and turn Merchant Adventurer for the other world thou wouldst more willingly leave these frothy joys and drossie delights for the enjoyment of God then ever prisoner did the fetters and bondage and misery of a goal for the liberty and pleasures and preferments of a Court Austin speaks of a time when he and his mother were discoursing together of the comforts of the Spirit Lord saith he thou knowest in that day how wisely we did esteem of the world and all its delights O Reader couldst thou but see the vastness the sutableness and the fulness of this portion I am confident thou wouldst suffer the natives the men of this world Psal 17.14 to mind the commodities which are of the growth of their own Country and wouldst fetch thy riches as the good housewife her food from far The cause of thy wrong choice I mean thy taking the world all this while for thy portion is thy ignorance of the worth and excellency of this object which I am offering to thee 'T is in the dark that men grope so much about present things 2 Pet. 1.9 Knowing persons prefer wisdome before silver before choice gold nay before rubies Prov. 3.14 15. Every one will sell his heart to that chapman which biddeth most now the Devil he courts man for his soul with the brutish pleasures of sin the world wooeth for the heart with its proffer of treasures and honours which like it self are vain vexatious and perishing God comes and he offereth for the heart the precious blood of his Son the curious embroydery of his Spirit the noble employment and honourable preferment of Angels fulness of joy and infiniteness of satisfaction in the fruition of his blessed self to all eternity Now what is the reason that the Devils money is accepted and the worlds offer embraced and Gods tender which is farther superiour to theirs then the glorious heavens where the King of Saints keeps his Court and sheweth all his State and Royalty and Magnificence is to a stinking dunghil should be rejected Truly nothing but this Men know not the worth of what God biddeth them for their wares The money which the devil and world offer are their own country coin and a little of this they sooner take because they know it then much more of another Nations the value of which they do not understand Swine trample on Pearls because they know