Spirit Mark first he calleth Christ Lord implying him to be his Redeemer and Owner that bought him Secondly He commendeth into his hands his spirit being perswaded that he was able to keep it and to restore it So * Such Examples are superadded for Illustration Babylas of Antioch the Martyr for he said when he was dying Return O my Soul unto thy rest because the Lord hath blessed thee because thou hast delivered my soul from death mine eyes from tears my feet from falling I shall walk before the Lord in the Land of the living So †Dr. Hill in his direct to dye well p. 179. Peter Martyr for he said My Body is weak but my mind is well There is no Salvation but only by Christ who was given of the Father to be a Redeemer of mankind this is my Faith in which I die So blessed * Bagshaw in the life and death of Mr. Bolton p. 34. Bolton who when he was dying said to his hearers I feel nothing in my soul but Christ with whom I heartily desire to be So Pareus as the Preacher relates it in his Funeral-Sermon which I heard my self wrote to the same effect when his speech was gone This Catarrh hath taken away the use of my speech but he shall never rob me of my Faith in Christ The first Reason And it cannot be otherwise For 1. Their Faith can never fail them Luke 21.32 being like mustard-seed indeed Luke 17.6 which being ing once * Hemin l. 3. c. 24 sowen in a garden can hardly ever be rooted out again so that needs it must shew it self in death as well as life The second Reason 2. In death the Saints of God had most need of the use of their Faith by reason of First Satan who then will be sure to sift them as he sifted Peter Luke 22.31 and to bend all his forces against them to make them either presume or despair Secondly Carnal Reason which then will most of all discourage them suggesting such reasonings as these * Bernard Serm de Parm. 7 miserecord Who art thou or how great is that Glory and by which works thinkest thou to obtain it Thirdly Their own self-accusing Consciences who then above all times will most accuse them Rom. 2.15 being stirred up by Satan who is called the Accuser of the Brethren Rev. 12.10 So that they cannot but then especially exercise their Faith even as Souldiers in assaults and sharpest conflicts and battles when they must either conquer or die will then use their chiefest weapon most of all and so even die fighting if they must needs die like †Plutarchus Epaminondas who so ended his dayes in a fight I say the Saints cannot but so in like manner use their Faith as their principal weapon then most of all and so consequently die in with by and according to Faith APPLICATION For Application I 'll now deduce hence three Inferences 1. The Excellency of Saving-Faith 2. The Nullity of many mens pretended Faith 3. The Duty of all that will be counted godly and to be truly ennobled with Saving-Faith Of these in order The first Inference 1. Great then is the Excellency of Saving-Faith which holdeth out in death it self when Strength Physick Friends and all things else faile us Saul and Jonathan said David after their death were lovely and pleasant in their lives and in their Death they were not divided 2 Sam. 1.23 The same may be said of all the Godly and their Faith after their departure that they were lovely and sweet companions in their lives and that in their very death they were not divided for These all dyed in the Faith saith the Apostle of the Godly that is as I shewed in my former Exposition with Faith having Faith for their companion in their death and expiration And therefore what do we talk of Silver Gold and earthly Jewels that they are excellent and precious things here is a Jewel indeed a most excellent and precious thing without all comparison even Saving-Faith which in death it self stands by us and tells us in a manner that whilst we breath it will never leave us nor forsake us yea abideth with us in some sort as * Est etiam fides rerum quando non verbis sed rebus ipsis praesentibus creditur quod erit cum per speciem manifest am se contemplandam praebebit Dei sapientia Aug. 2. quaest Evangel cap. 39. Est enim duples sides 1. Verborum in hac vita 2. Rerum in futura Vid. Lombard 1.3 dist 24. Ames Medulla Theol. lib. 2. c. 6. some say even after death which is more whereas neither Silver nor Gold nor Gemmes nor any other earthly thing can then stead us when the last breath leaves us the pangs of death are upon us O Faith Faith how admirable and amiable art thou therefore and must needs be in the eyes of him that hath thee for if heaps of Silver and Gold and Pearls which in death we must leave behind us be so precious as usually they are in the estimation of those that possess them thou must needs be or shouldst be infinitely more precious in the judgment of him who so hath thee as that in death it self he cannot lose thee O that my soul were but condignly affected with thy transcendent Excellency that so I might accordingly set that value and price upon thee as befits thy most rare and admirable Eminency And O that you also my Beloved were but thorowly convinced of this stupendious Excellency of Saving-Faith For then there is no question but you would labour more after so rare a Jewel as Faith is if you did want it and make more account and use of it then you do if you have it The Lord open your eyes that you may see the Orient Splendor and matchless worth of this rarest Pearl which in death it self will not depart from ye The Second Inference 2. This sheweth the Nullity of many mens pretended Faith for who will believe it that they have or ever had true Saving-Faith who before they come to die live so loosely as that Heathens and Turks themselves who are professed Infidels cannot well live more licensiously Of this sort are they that 1. Hate and despise so the Power of Religion in all those that are most happily ennobled with it 2 Tim. 3.12 2. Live so prophanely themselves as that Esau himself in his Prophaness could not out-strip them Heb. 12 16. caring neither for God nor Church nor Teacher nor Prayer nor Bible nor Sabbath nor any other part of God's most holy Worship 3. Tear so the sacred Name of God with their bloody Oaths In a word those that are so disobedient to Parents Husbands Masters and so angry fierce and passionate in their speeches so unfaithful unjust and deceitful in their dealings so mendacious and false in their communications so envious covetous and ambitious in their hearts and so lascivious filthy and
2. Grieve the Spirit that should comfort them Whereas careful providers for death rather 1. Blow up the good motions and workings of the Spirit as much as in them lyeth by their careful and holy walking and applying of the Lord's Promises so that needs they must feel more joy and comfort then others that do not so even as one that bloweth up Coals doth feel more heat then he which suffers them to go out 2. Please the Spirit of God and cherish his motions by their conformity to his Nature in that they labour to be as Spiritual as possible they may and so consequently to partake of his Nature so as that the Spirit being pleased and cherished cannot but please and cherish them again as they please and cherish him for if we that usually are very unkind and ungrateful yet cannot but be kind to those that be kind to us and make much of them as they make much of us how much more will that most kind and holy Spirit of God chear up those that cherish him and make much of them as they make much of him See Acts 9.31 how therefore they that walked in the fear of the Lord are also said to walk in the Comforts of the holy Ghost 2. Such are most fit for comfort and joy For 1. The muchness of Grace which is in them and procedeth from them cannot but be evidently seen and observed by them and cause them to joy in it and to be even exceeding glad for it like a man that hath and finds a treasure that was hid in his field see Mat. 13.44 Now the finding of such a Treasure will chear up the heart 2. The enlargment of their holy desires and endeavours cannot but procure joy which is an Laetitia quasi latitia enlargement of the Heart Psal 119.32 and is given to holy and careful walkers as a gracious remuneration from God Psal 97.11 3. Holy walkers and careful providers for death cannot but attain to a most happy consecution of that good which they desire even the enjoying of Christ by Faith a cognition or knowledge of the same consecution which is * Delectatio requirit consecutionem boni convenientis et consecutionis cognitionem Tho. Aquin. 1.2 q. 32. a. 1. required unto delectation as well as the consecution it self so that they cannot but rejoyce more or less sooner or later with that joy which is called Unspeakable and full of Glory 1 Pet. 1.7 8. or at least with a lesser degree of joy if God for causes best known to himself be pleased to suspend and to deny that higher degree of rejoycing 4. They are in a manner in Heaven already and Heaven is in them in that they mind nothing almost but Heaven as I shewed that men ought so to do so as that they cannot but joy in that which is so full of joy enjoying the very same objective Happiness with the Saints in Heaven though not the same subjective Happiness as not being yet capable of it for if he that is but in a Goldsmiths shop cannot but receive some splendor from the Gold that is in it how much more shall they that mind nothing but Heaven and so have their conversation in Heaven partake also more or less of that Joy Blessedness which is in Heaven and which the true Believer seeth as it were and beholds by his Faith and seeing admireth and admiring in a manner possesseth for by Hope we are saved already saith the Apostle Rom. 8.24 * Arist 2. Rhetor 11. Aristotle saith expresly That Admiration is the cause of Joy and Delectation because it maketh us hope that we shall acquire something which is delectable and joyful And therefore conceive ye what Joy the vision taking possession of Heaven it self which is so rare and so full of admiration must needs cause in a truly serious savingly believing mind For your greater delight and encouragement I 'll here set down some of those triumphant passages which some careful Providers for Death have uttered to this purpose a little before they were by Death unmanned I feel a light said * Fox Justus Jusbery one of Christ's blessed Martyrs which refreshes me with joy far above that which I am able to express desiring nothing more now then to be dissolved and to be with Christ So Adolphus Clarebachius Martyr at his death I believe there is not a merrier heart in the world at this instant than mine And for my part said Mr. Deering as concerning death I feel such joy of spirit that if I should have the sentence of lise on the one side and the sentence of death on the other side I had rather chuse a thousand times seeing God hath appointed the separation the sentence of death than the sentence of life So Mr. John Holland a fruitful Minister of God's Word having the day before he dyed continued his Meditation and Exposition upon Rom. 8. for the space of two hours or more said on a sudden O stay your reading what Brightness is this that I see have ye lighted any Candles No said one it is the Shunshine Sunshine said he No it is my Saviours Shine Now farewel world welcome Heaven the Day-Star from on high hath visiced my heart O speak it when I am gone and preach it at my Funeral for he spake to a Minister c Mr. Leigh in his Sermon intitled The Souls Solace against Sorrow p. 17. who relates it God deals familiarly with men I feel his Mercy I see his Majesty whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell God he knows but I see things unutterable O what a happy change shall I make from night to day from darkness to light from death to life from sorrow to solace Thus joyful holy Walkers and true Believers have been at their departure and therefore be ye perswaded to trace their steps and to follow as ye ought those most needful Directions and Rules which were formerly delivered that so living and so dying by with and according to Faith you may also be mounted as the said Believers were upon the wings of Joy and feed as they did on those ravishing and transcendent Comforts which God like Manna is wont to rain down upon his holy Walkers in this men devouring Wilderness the World I mean from which God in mercy bring us all in the end of our dayes to a World of Joy and Glory which shall never have an end Amen Soli Deo Gloria FINIS
wanton in their lives these even all these questionless neither have now nor ever had yet that true and Saving-Faith in which by which with which and according to which the Godly who only are true Believers both live and die for they rather live in their sins in general and by their cozening cheating usurious lending and lying in special and according to their envious lustful covetous ambitious prophane and atheistical hearts desire than in by with and according to Saving-Faith and as they live so they will die unless God grant them Faith and Repentance before in with and according to their sins Nam qualis vita finisita For as men live so they die usually My meaning is 1. As here they have no Faith so in death they shall have no Comfort nor Joy nor Peace Isa 48.22 2. And as here they could not live without scoffing deriding swearing cursing cozening lying contending whoring and prophaning of God's Sacred Name Word and Sacraments so after their death they shall not be able to live without suffering the Vengeance of Eternal Fire for their boldness in sinning Rom. 2.8 9. 3. And as here they did even exceed in their drink pride malice envy wrath strife contention lust avarice atheism authotheism polytheism and epicurism so God will exceed in punishing adjudging and condemning them to so much greater torments than others as they have been greater and more heinous offenders than other for God will render unto every man according to his deeds Rom. 2.6 Mark According that is proportionably Hence (b) Bonaventura Brevil p. 7. c. 7. Bonaventure because that infernal Fire burneth not but according to the disposition of sin and of that guilt and spot which preceding the improbity of lust hath contracted and because that is not equal in all therefore it is that some are more burnt than others in the same This will be the catastrophe end and period of all such as do not or will not live and die according to Faith but according to their sinful desires He that suffreth least in that Infernal Lake suffers more pain than all they together who either were troubled with the Stone Gout Cholick Strangury or else were racked skinned boiled in Oyl rosted upon a Spit or Gridiron burnt starved or buried alive (c) Haec omnia quae hic patimur merus lusus ac risus sunt sicum illis suppliciis in contentionens veniant Chrys ad pop Ant. hom 49. all these things which men here suffer are but a meer play sport a laughingmatter being compared with those unutterable unexpressable and unconceivable Tortures which by any damned wrecth are to be indured in that horrid Dungeon called Hell to all eternity And therefore conceive proportionably how grievous and how insufferable will be the burning of some among us who having outmatched others in sinning shal suffer to the very uttermost the vengeance of that merciless Fire without ease or end O my Brethren how can you sit here so quietly under your Ministry you that are guilty of such sins as convince you to be both void of Saving-Faith and also to be the persons that shall endure those unspeakable Tortures and burn in those merciless Flames which will torment you for ever and ever so as that you shall have no rest or ease neither day nor night The third Inference 3. If godly men being Believers do not only live by Faith but also die in with by and according to Faith then it behooveth us to die so too whensoever we shall be called to that state if we count our selves to be of the number of the Godly and will be certain of it To help those which heartily desire to be informed herein I 'll in the next place set down such Principles as are most necessary to the right happy attaining to such a blessed Death Four Principles 1. (d) These two Principles the first and second make mightily and mainly for that Preparation which is to be made against the day of Death They that will die so must first live so as that they may die so 2. (d) These two Principles the first and second make mightily and mainly for that Preparation which is to be made against the day of Death They must make comfortable provision for death 3. They must be sure that they have Faith 4. They must use their Faith according to that condition in which then they are Of these methodically For the first 1. They must live so that is 1. As Abraham who dyed in the Faith left his own Countrey and died (e) Mors Civilis nihil aliud est quam exilium civis Dr. Vulteius Jurispr l. 1. c. 24. Civilly before he died Corporally vers 8. So must they leave their native soil which is the Countrey of sin and die to sin mortifying the Body of sin before Death approaching dissolves the body of earth Col. 3.5 I am not ignorant of the extream difficulty of this heavy Task unto which I perswade the Godly and therefore I 'll labour to facilitate it as much as I may affording a few Subsidies which I desire God to bless unto you The first Subsidy 1. Set Faith on work that mighty Conquerour and then the conquest will be very facile and easie for This is our victory that overcometh the World even our Faith 1 John 5.4 Quest How shall I overcome sin by Faith Answ Believe verily that sin shall not over-power thee though it trouble thee Because 1. God hath promised thee that it shall not have dominion over thee Rom. 6.12 2. Christ himself hath died for thee that sin might not live but die in thee Tit. 2.14 2. Unsheath against sin when it assaults thee the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God as Christ himself did Mat. 4. 3. Discharge the great Ordnance of Prayer against it as Paul did 2 Cor. 12.8 4. Famish it by detaining and withholding all such occasions from it as usually feed it like Joseph Gen. 39.10 5. Over-awe it and affright it continually with the gresly remembrance of Death for then as all the men of Israel fled when they saw Goliah that huge lump of flesh with his deadly weapons about him 1 Sam. 17.24 so all your sins will flee as not daring to shew themselves in the presence of death who with his deadly arrowes may shoot you and cut off the silver Cords of your precious and dear Life in the very act of sin So as that you may do well to reason thus with yourselves when fin doth entice you would I do so if I were now to die No no and therefore why should I yeeld to such an evil in the which it may please God to cut me off by death so as that I shall not be able to say so much as God be merciful unto me a sinner See Eccles 7.33 6. Assure your selves that nothing will plague you more when you come to die than such sins as did not die before you
for Satan will then be sure to muster them up before your face when he cometh up with you to have his last bout with you being indeed the craftiest and subtilest Adversary you have Rev. 11.12 Brethren what I tell you now of this Adversary before you come to die the Dying have found by experience and confessed it as an infallible truth O God said the Earl of Essex at the point of death and Judge of all men thou hast let me know by warrant out of thy Word that Satan is then most busie when our end is nearest Moriantur ergo ante te vitia tua Let thy sins die therefore before thee that when thou art dying they may not so torment thee 7. Mortifie your sins by degrees one after another for then your conquest will be far more easie than if you should set upon all at once Nam virtus unita fortior For united Forces are ever stronger If you take a bundle of Arrowes you cannot easily break them but take one by one and you shall burst them quickly It is proportionably so with your sins which are like Arrowes piercing the very soul 1 Tim. 6.9 10. and therefore take one and one and break them by degrees and then it will be an easie matter for you to burst the necks of all your sins in time that is as you are tempted now to one then to another being bent nevertheless against all in the purpose of your hearts 8. You must make this account that you can never attain to a well-grounded and comfortable assurance of everlasting Bliss to be enjoyed after death unless you may see the death of your sins in a competent sort before you no no for he that will live when he dyeth must die while he liveth die I mean to sin and to the world Gal. 6.14 and therefore what certainty can you have of such a life if you be not sure of a such death 9. On the contrary perswade your selves that dying after the death of your sins you may be sure you shall die as Conquerours nay shall live most certainly and be new born rather than forlorn Like valiant Epaminondas who dying after the conquest and slaughter of his enemies said to his victorious Souldiers (a) Nunc Epaminonda vascitur quia sic moritur Valer. Max. Now Epaminondas is born because he dieth after this manner Die die therefore before you die that you may be sure you shall not die but live when you die which the Lord in mercy grant unto you 2. As the Patriarchs Heb. 11.4 8. so must you correspond with the Will of God in all good things Particularly 1. As Abel offered and offered a more acceptable Sacrifice than Cain Heb. 11.4 so must you offer and offer more acceptable Sacrifices and Services to God than others that is you must pray fast sing read hear visit speak and give c. in a better manner than common prophane and civil men and hypocrites which you must transcend 2. As Abraham being commanded to go into a strange Countrey went he knew not whither so must you go even about those many strange duties unto which God leads us as he sent him to a strange place As for instance 1. The Duty of Reconciliation Mat. 5.25 2. The Duty of not resisting Evil ver 26 3. The Duty of suffering evil men with patience ver 39 4. The Duty of loving our Enemies ver 44 5. The Duty of labouring after that Perfection which is in God himself ver 48. 6. The Duty of not carking and caring so much for the things of this life Mat. 6.25 7. The Duty of entering into the narrow Way which leads to Life Mat. 7.13 With none of these we may dispence but we must put our selves upon them all being called thereunto by that great God and Saviour who can command all 3. As Abraham being in a strange Countrey dealt justly paying for what he bought and purchased most exactly For the sacred Story relates that he weighed his Silver to Ephron for a burying-place that it might not want anything Gen. 23.16 so must you 1 Thes 4.6 As he instructed his houshold in the fear of God Gen. 18.19 so must you Ephes 6.4 5. As he was liberal expressing so much by his ready and chearful entertaining of strangers for he sate in his Tent door at noon which was dinner time looking out for strangers whereas some will rather hide themselves from strangers Gen. 18 1. so must you Heb. 13.1,2,16 6. As Isaac was wont to exspatiate and to walk out into the field to meditate Gen. 24 63 so let us in like manner duly and dayly either at home or abroad John 1.8 1 Tim. 4.15 More particularly let us meditate on these four last things 1. Death 2. Judgment 3. Heaven 4. Hell 7. As those antient Believers who dyed in the Faith did what they did in Faith and by Faith Heb. 11.4,8 c. so do you for whatsoever is not done in Faith is sin Rom. 14.23 Quest If you ask me How must we do things in Faith Answ Believing 1. That God will assist you as he hath promised you Ezek. 36.27 2. That he will accept of your good Deeds in and for Christ in whom he is well pleased Matth. 17.5 3. That he will graciously reward you Heb. 11.6 Of these three Acts of Faith together with your good Works make a Confection like that of 1st Stacte 2ly Onicha 3ly Galbanum and 4ly pure Frankinsence which after the art of the Apothecary was to be made in the time of the Levitical Law Exod. 30.34 35. that it may yield a sweet savour unto the Lord who takes delight in Faith which must be the chief ingredient in so sweet a composition The Second Principle You must make comfortable provision for the day of Death like Marriners who against a long and troublesom Voyage provide sundry strong and Cordial Waters which may strengthen them when they navigate over the great Ocean and meet with grievous Storms and Tempests Quest If you demand what I mean by this Comfortable Provision Answ Such seasonable and sutable Sentences as shall be able to support your fainting Hearts in that last and forest conflict as Hos 13.14 Luke 12.32 23.43 Rom. 14.7 8. 1 Cor. 15.41 42 43. 2 Cor. 5.1 2. 2 Tim. 4.7 8. Rev. 14.13 Rev. 21.2 3 4 5 7 8. These precious Cordials being well digested will make us even long for Death and cause us to be chearful in Death Like a Kings Son who being sent for to come home from a far cold and barren Countrey into which he was formerly banished to take possession of a most rich most spacious and most flourishing Kingdom left him by his Father cannot but take his journey and go on in his way with much rejoycing For so we are but sent for when we must die to come away from the barren and uncomfortable soil of this world to be enstated in the most Glorious and Capacious Kingdom
these heavenly Performances those wicked spirits are most busie with us either to hinder us in them or from them or to make us proud upon them all which Spiritual Wickednesses must go down if we shall go up The Uses of the Point will be these Then 1. Be informed 2. Be convinced 3. Be startled 4. Be diswaded 5. Be perswaded I. Use Be informed And 1. Of the Power of Religion for one should think that the hearing of this should quench Religion and put it down as one would have thought that the fire which fell from Heaven would have been quenched by the water which was in the trenches 1 Kings 18.38 but as that Fire was not put out by all that abundance of water so Religion will by no means be extinguished or put out by all that abundance of difficulties of oppositions of powers of enemies †Superbia tumidis invidentia lividis fallacia callidis à justitia penitus alienis August de Civ Dei l. 8. c. 22. proud and crafty and fraighted with envy and malice which it meets with must overcome by force to win Heaven no no but it will bear up for all that and stand to it and even dare to look the proudest and the stoutest enemie it hath in the face to encounter him and to over-power him For it is of the same resolution that famous Captain * Paraenetical Treatise to the Princes of Europe pag. 26. Ferras was of alwayes bearing armes against the greatest Emperour of the world O it is a strong a stout a mighty thing this Religion neither Men nor Devils nor Death nor things present nor things to come can over-match it 2. Of the strange Wisdom of God A Father doth not count it wisdom to tell his Daughter whom he intends to prefer to a rich Man that he is hardly to be pleased and very strict and one that looks narrowly after every thing and of the troubles of such a marriage though he hear so much of him because that would discourage her utterly So Generals are not wont to tell Novices and young Souldiers of the dangers and hazards of War of the impregnableness of their Enemies Towns of the heighth of their Walls which they must scale of the puissance multitude and sierceness of their Enemies but rather of their weakness and effeminateness as * Curtius Alexander the Great did when he encouraged his men against the Persians lest they should be disheartned But the Wisdom of God is wiser than the wisdom of men for he because he knows that hardships and difficulties foreshewn do put men on hazardous bold and venturous attempts therefore tells us beforehand that it is no easie thing for a man to please God that he doth most narrowly look after every Souldier of his after all his doings that Heaven cannot otherwise be taken but only by Violence and that therefore it is one of the hardest things in the world for any man to go about it O Sirs observe then this great this strange this to be admired Wisdom of our God who knows full well that if he should not fore-tell us so much we would be apt to say then when we meet with dangers with enemies with difficulties Non putaramus that is We did not think so and so would basely and cowardly turn faces about and run away It is said of Laban that when Jacob expected to have Rachel to be given him to be his wife and found that it was Leah he told him It must not be so done in our Countrey to give the younger before the first-born Gen 28.26 So whereas men look for Rachel still that is all things fair God contrarily tells them of Leah that is of things which are not so pleasing to them not being so fair in their eyes and saith in plain terms as Laban said It must not be so done in this Countrey or in this world to give men Rachel I should say Heaven before Leah that is before they have been matcht up first to hardships and used to things which they like not Rachel is reserved for the last place and Leah for the first O the infinite and incomparable Wisdom of God in all this for he knows that plain-dealing is best Satan deals with the Sons of men far otherwise for he tells them of nothing but of all fair first and afterward when he hath them at an advantage and thinks that he can make them irrecoverably fall of all bad all lost and therein he places and centers a great deal of his Serpentine wisdom but the most wise God holds it better and takes it to be far greater Wisdom to tell men of the worst first and of the best next because that usually speeds best and therefore let us here take up that rare Admiration and Exclamation of the Apostle of and about the Wisdom of God Rom. 11.33 O the Depth of the Riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his Judgements and his Wayes past finding out 3. Be informed that no wonder it is therefore that so few are saved as it is asserted Mat. 7.13 Because strait is the Gate and narrow is the Way which leads to lafe and few there are that find it Some wonder that of six hundred thousand men that went out of Egypt but two should enter into the Land of Canaan Deut. 1.36 38. Numb 14.38 But a wonder it is rather that any did enter for there they heard were Anakims huge Gyants Walls reaching as it were to Heaven Chariots of Iron Deut. 1.28 Josh 17.16 And so it is more to be admired that any one man is saved and enters Heaven than that but a few for between us and it there are Gyants also that is tall and mighty enemies stronger than we and men whose teeth and necks are like Iron like those in Dan. 2.19 Isa 48.4 and whose browes are of Brass ibidem and there are betwixt us and it Walls as it were reaching to Heaven that is such difficulties and such obstacles as seem to be insuperable and such as cannot be overcome by us When †Chrysost ad pop Ant. hom 40. St. Chrysostome preached once at Antioch he had these dreadful words in his Sermon How many do ye think there may be in this our City now Antioch was an exceeding great and populous City which shall be saved it will be very offensive what I shall say but yet I will speak it There may not be among these thousands one hundred nay of them I doubt also And what would he say if he did now live and preach among us * Augustine in Psal 48. p. 528. So blessed Austin in one of his Sermons upon the Psalms makes this speech This People which in the midst of God's People obtained mercy of what number was it O how few are they scarce any And will God be contented with so few say some and destroy such a multitude this they say who promise themselves
do thou work upon this peoples hearts and let the Spirit of Life come into the wheels of their souls let him so move their affections as that they may be lifted up like those Wheels in Ezekiel Ezek. 1.20 21. because the Spirit of Life is in them O let not all these my labours be utterly lost but let some poor souls be now won to the Shepherd of souls O Souls Souls are ye nothing moved yet with all this I hope you are nay methinks you are by your attention if ye be then move and move indeed I mean so strongly so vigorously so effectually towards Heaven to take it by Force as that the world may see your change your zeal your forwardness your labouring for Heaven Heaven ye see is even at hand as the Baptist said once The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand when he so preached it up Mat. 3.2 it was so and so it is now and divers enter into it nay take it by Force O do you so likewise and so live for ever So be it To God alone be all Honour and Glory A New and Living Way OF DYING OR A TREATISE Shewing how Saints after they have comfortably overcome Sin the World by Faith and after a New and Living Manner have lived an Holy and Heavenly Life by Faith may die at last after a New and Living Way by in and according to Faith Upon that Famous Scripture HEBREWS 11.13 These all dyed in Faith And provided especially for Preparation to be made by all men against the Approach of Death in these Sickly Times By Christopher Jelinger And Published by some Christian Friends London Printed in the Year 1664. To The Vertuous Lady The Lady ANNE SEYMOUR Grace and Mercy be multiplied MADAM MY great Respect and thankful Mind which I bear to your Worthy-Self and to your Noble Family for many Favours received hath caused and compelled me to Dedicate this Tract to your much-honoured Name and if it may but find entertainment and acceptance I shall count my labour well bestowed Only give me leave Much Honoured Lady to give you a short Account of this my present Undertaking These late Times are and have been very sickly and many every where are fallen asleep and when the time of our departure will be the Lord only knoweth and we our selves also know this that it cannot be long before we likewise shal go to our long home and be no more seen at our present homes because our life is but a vapour Jam. 4.14 and we flie away Psal 90.10 which not with standing how few are there which prepare themselves for that time Cogitantes de fine infinito ut vivant in infinitum VVhence it cometh to pass that most men when after they have lived a careless life they come to be unmanned by Death they go Imparati in locum paratum Unprepared to a place prepared idque in aeternum and that for ever for that which ends All is without end And their nearest friends are much the cause of it for the common fashion of Friends is to put their friends in mind of Death when they doubt that they can live no longer Zenas the Lawyer and Luke the Physician must have given them over before they will send for Barnabas to give them good Counsel and solid Consolation against their dissolution But I for my part will not deal so with my Christian Friends My design in this Tract is this To tell men plainly that shortly they must put off their caribly Tabernacles shew them evidently How they must die whilst they live that they may live when they die dying in by and according to Faith This this I aimed at when I penned this Treatise which if it be acted by Faith will so work upon mens and womens precious souls and do them so much good as that they will even long to enjoy the chiefest good and when their work here is done will shew them Heaven open for them where there is health only and no sickness living and no dying incorruption and no corruption ease and no pain singing and no sorrowing For the former things are passed away Rev. 21.4 Many I confess have written on this subject of Death but you will find that I have left the common road as much as I might for my principal aim in this Tract is To put men upon that New and Living Way which the Apostle speaks of Heb. 10.20 and which must be taken by Faith according to which we must die to live for ever That Great God and Saviour who can do whatsoever he will in Heaven and on Earth so bless these my Labours to you Madam and to al that shal read them as that both you and they may fare the better for them here and hereafter for ever So prayeth Your Ladiships Most humble Servants CHRISTOPHER JELINGER A New and Living Way of Dying HEB. 11.13 These all Dyed in Faith ALmighty God as one saith well hath given to men three Mansions of a diverse Quality 1. The World wherein they live 2. The Grave wherein they corrupt 3. Either Heaven wherein they are crowned or Hell wherein they are tormented In the World their Companion is Vanity In the Grave the Worms In Heaven the blessed Angels and in Hell cursed Devils I add For like and like sute best one with an other Good Men I mean with good Angels and evil Men with Angels-Transgressors and yet such is the folly of most men that they would have perpetual habitations and an ever-during happiness in this vain World where neither such felicity nor perpetuity is to be expected for as all have sinned so all for Sin must be by Death dissolved even the best not excepted as by those Worthies which my Text speaketh of it appeareth So that men should rather forecast what course it were best for them to take that being thrust out of those earthly Tabernacles in which now they mansion they might mount up into that most blessed and blissful House of God which is not made with hands Eternal in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5.1 What this Course is which men should take you will understand by my future Discourse wherewith I shall God willing entertain your Christian Patience declaring FAITH to be that most happy Instrument which must bring you to such a firm durable and glorious settlement This ushered and conveyed those gracious Saints which my Text speaks of out of their earthly and unstable habitations into those heavenly Mansions above and places of unexpressable Delights for they all dyed in Faith and the end of Faith is as St. Peter tells us the salvation of our Souls 1 Pet. 1.9 I shall therefore call the whole ensuing Discourse A New and Living Way of Dying and shew therein how we may in a most sweet comfortable manner after an holy and heavenly walking die at last by in and according to Faith Faith I mean unfeigned lively and saving In which the antient Patriarchs dyed according
a perpetual Meditation of Death It is saith Scipio The most honourable Philosophy to study a mans Mortality The Meditation of Death is the Life of the Wise nay it is the very Life of a Christian Life say I and the greatest wisdom of the Godly who is truly wise And therefore to help our selves herein The First Help Let us now and often pray with Moses the man of God Lord teach us to number our dayes that we may apply our Hearts unto Wisdom Psal 90.12 The Second Help Let us take an occasion by every thing we see to remember our latter end for as King Philips Remembrancer told him every day Philippe memento Mori Philip remember that thou must die so every Creature almost that comes to our view minds us of our Death saying as much to each of us in effect Remember man that thou also must die I 'le instance in Particulars The First Instance Our very Shooes we wear being made of Skins of dead Beasts tell us so much and therefore when we put them on let us remember that we also must die The Second Instance Our Victuals we eat being the flesh of dead Beasts say so much and therefore we need not then a Deaths-head to put us in mind of Death * Lang. Pol. as in ancient time among the Egyptians Deaths Picture was shewed to men at their Feasts to mind them of Death the Meat it self representing the Image of Death is a sufficient remembrancer whereby we may if we will yea ought to remember our Mortality The Third Instance When we walk in the coloured Fields and view the gay Diaperie of the Earth we may thereby be put in mind of Death for every Pile of Grass and every fading flower there tell us of it so as that we might if we did not turn our deaf ear to such Powerful Lectures hear as it were a Voice behind us saying All flesh is as Grass and all the Goodliness thereof as the Flower of the Field the Grass withereth the Flower fadeth because the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it Isa 90.6 I pray you therefore take notice of this Lesson The Fourth Instance The Earth we tread on preacheth the same Lecture telling us that being compounded of that Element we must needs return again unto it according to that * Damasc l. 1. de Fide c. 4. Philosophical Axiome Whatsoever is compacted of Elements must needs be dissolved again into the same Wherefore as often as we do but look on the Earth let us remember the Word of the Lord Dust thou art and to dust shalt thou return Gen. 3.19 The Fifth Instance The Corps Sepulchres and Monuments of the Dead tell every one of us so much saying as it were Hodie mihi Cras tibi To day it is my turn to morrow it may be thine Wherefore I advise you to walk now and then up and down in a Church or Church-Yard and to view such Sepulchres and Monuments of the deceased deliberately for then you cannot but mind your own Mortality reading theirs upon their silent Tombs and memorials engraved with most legible Characters not so much in Marble as in the very dust wherein they lie and unto which they are returned The Sixth Instance Your own frail Bodies consisting of contrary Elements as Fire Air Water Earth I mean the four Humours Choler Blood Phlegm Melancholic which are like them combating and fighting one against another can tell you that needs there must follow a dissolution for as I told you Composition is the beginning of a Combate a Combate of Separation a Separation of a Dissolution Wherefore as in old time one came after the ancient Emperors riding in their Tryumphant Chariots crying with a loud voice †Tertul. in Apol. adv Gentes cap. 33. Respice post te Look behind thee So let me now come after all those high and hurtful conceits which you have had of your own Parts Worth Strength Youth Wealth Health and after all those applauding Flatterers which have made you often too secure saying with a loud Voice Look but upon your selves and behold your Bodies which a thousand wayes may be on a sudden dissolved though but one way they entered into this present World for whilst you are speaking walking eating writing thinking or sleeping these four contrary Elements are ever fighting whereupon as in other Battels one party may prevail in an instant and cause a great slaughter so one of them may prove predominant and cause a final dissolution of your weak and mortal Bodies and this may fall out so even suddenly and unexpectedly as experience hath taught us by the sudden Deaths of many who had not so much leisure as once to speak one word more after they were so suddenly and violently assaulted The Seventh Instance When you go to bed you are even by that silent custom of yours thought and told you of your Mortality for how can there be almost a more lively emblem of Mans dying than 1. His unraying of himself which may mind him of the putting off his Body of Earth 2 Cor. 5.4 2. His * Cum in lecto cubas sit tibi ipse jacentis habit is figura in Sepulchro Clausi Isid de summo bone lying down upon his Bed which may put him in mind of his lying down in the Grave which will be his Bed 3. His very sleeping which may call to his mind his last and longest sleep when he shall sleep in his Death and rise no more till at that great and dreadful day of the last Doom the shril and loud sounding Voyce of the Son of God shall awake him out of his sleep saying Surgite Mortui venite ad Judicium Rise O ye Dead and come to Judgment Hence the very * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer Iliad 14. Heathen as well as the †Chron. 21.1 Acts 1.60 Pen-men of Gods Holy Spirit have resembled Death to a sleep and called sleep Deaths * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mnesimachus Com. Mystery and Death Sleeps Brother So †In Filiavel scient bené moriendi Fol. 47. Synopa the Cynick being nigh his end and very sleepy said to his Physician awakening him Ne mireris frater fratrem autevertit Wonder not at my sleeping one Brother preceds another * Pausan in Lacon Pausauias in like manner writes of the Laconiens that they set up two Simulachres for Death and Sleep as two Brethren Wherefore I beseech you that as often as you are going to bed to take your natural rest you will constantly remember by these three things that one needful thing which is Death making a particular application of each emblem as thus let a Godly man say to himself As now I go to my bed so I must go to my Grave and as I put off my Cloaths so ere long nay this night it may be I must put off my Earthly Tabernacle which is my Body and as I shall fall asleep and know
nothing that is done while I am asleep so must I very shortly sleep up and die not knowing any thing that shall be done here about me or with me or to me nor can or will any Sanctity or Godliness that is in me be able to deliver me from the fatal stroak of Death which will steal upon me like sleep for the very Godly must die as well as others And here let me press upon you a few Perswasives to this remembrance which is so rare in the very best The First Perswasive Consider how secure the best of us are without it like the people of Lais before the Damtes came upon them and slew them Judg. 18.27 so are we no longer then death is before us doth any thing almost go neer us or move us as appears by many things The instance but in a few 1. When the Plague doth cease in a place near us 2. When any other common sicknesse doth leave us or ours in our Families 3. When Warrs or rumours of Warrs threatning us do surcease among us 4. When a Funeral which did mind us of Death is forgotten again by us how secure grow we by and by and slow to good whereas as long as we were in some fear or danger and so consequently mindful of our latter end we were mightily stirred up to Duties And therefore should we not for this very cause strive to remember our Mortality more then we do that so doing we might shake off that gross security which is so common among us The Second Perswasive And do ye not see how strongly sin doth prevail against you when such holy thoughts of Death are departed from you Just as it was in the dayes of Moses with Issrael so it fares with us now when Moses was but gone out of their sight upon the Mount they presently fell to Idolatry and made a Golden Calf Exod. 31.3 4. So soon as Death is but a little departed out of our mind we fall to Spiritual Idolatry and make a God of the Belly Phil. 3.19 Or of out Parts or of our Money Ephes 5.4 Or of our Children or of our Gardens Houses Walks Friends In a word how foolish and vain are we as Moses implyeth Deut. 32.29 Psal 90.12 Do ye not find it so can ye deny it and had we not need then to keep Moses I should say death ever with us and not to let him go out of our minds that we might not so soon and easily fall to such Idolatry The Third Perswasive Consider we likewise how unquiet and how dubious we are most times when we do put off the most needful remembrance of death For as thereupon it comes to pass that we grow secure and backward in Duties and prone to sin as I have already shewed so can we not but after that even question our estates to God-ward and interest in those unknown and unexpressable joyes delights and pleasures which attend the Godly after Death in Heavens Kingdom like Aristotle who said when he was dying Anxius vixi dubius morior nescio quo vado so should we be forced to say in a manner if in that Case we should be assaulted by Death Anxiously we have lived doubtfully we die we know not whether we shall go to Heaven or Hell So true is that excellent saying of a wise man that sine Meditatione Mortis tranquillo esse Ammo nemo potest That without this Meditation of Death none may be quiet or enjoy true tranquility in his Mind Let none therefore that is Godly either refuse to pray as I said with Moses Lord teach us to number our dayes that we may be more wise and sober or to be beholding to any Creature to be put in mind by it of Death Forasmuch as you all see what need we had all so to do that we may not be so secure so prone to sin and so doubtful as many times we are and have been The Fourth use Must Godly men dye as well as others then let none of us that is Godly build Tabernacles here but rather let him live as a Pilgrim upon Earth like those ancient Believers Heb. 11.13 And as the * Chrysost in Matth. 22. hom 70. Scythiens who travel up and down not having any fixed or certain mansion-house so let him be in this present World as without a House without Lands without Money without a Wife without Children and without Friends that is if he have an House Land Money Wife Child Friend let him be so loose so indifferent so free so un-engaged un-intangled and untyed in his affection as if he had none 1 Cor. 7.29 30. because he may yea must ere long be * Habui enim illos tanquam amissurus Seneca Epist 64. without them And if he have no great means let him rather pass by them valiantly than peruse after them inordinately or wickedly for if he had them he would be forced very shortly to leave them and to be gone though he should be never so holy and godly according to my Text Those all dyed Guerrius †Considerat of Eternity hearing these words read in the Church Gen. 5.5 6 7 8. And dyed and dyed was so wrought upon thereby that he retired himself from the world and gave himself wholly to his devotion that he also might die the death of the godly Let these words of my Text work in like manner upon you I pray you and then your hearing will make you as happy as his did him How they dyed 2. You have heard of the death of these holy Patriarchs that lived before and after the Flood would you know how they dyed then mark what followeth In the Faith or rather According to Faith as the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Original hath it and both antient and modern Interpreters translate it and the meaning of this speech is as †Gagueius in loc Expositors say they dyed * Lyra in loc by and with †Calvin in loc Faith that is being * Piscat in loc constant in the Faith and laying hold on the Promises made to Faith where by Faith we must understand likewise not a dead or historical or temporary Faith but a lively saving justifying Faith which is first discribed in the very front or first verse of this Chapter and then exemplified by so many Instances in the residue to the very end and period of it Whence resultes this most profitable and useful Observation The Second Doctrine That the Saints of God being true Believers do not only live by Faith but also die in by with and according to Faith So did all those holy Patriarchs that are mentioned by the holy Apostle in the beginning of this Chapter and so did the test whom he reckoneth up in the middle and ending of it as you may note veâ—se 21 22 31 39. So did Stephen the Proto-Martyr uttering when he was dying with much considence these very words Lord Jesus receive my
Jesus receive my spirit Acts 7.59 or with Christ himself Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit Luke 23.46 and if God seem to be angry at that time then let him interpose the Death of his Son between his Wrath and his own soul in his last prayers saying (c) Hosius in Confess petrocoviens c. 13. I enterpose the Death of our Lord Jesus Christ betwixt me and thine anger no otherwise do I contend with thee And if he say to him Thou art a sinner let him answer Lord I put the Death of the Lord Jesus Christ betwixt thee and my sins If he say Thou hast deserved Damnation say I set the Death of our Lord Jesus Christ betwixt me and my bad merits and I offer his Merits instead of the merits which I ought to have but yet have not Thus I instruct the dying Christian to pray as men were taught many hundred years agone and therefore I beseech you that you will lay up these sayings in your hearts as Mary the thrice blessed Virgin the Shepherds words Luke 2.19 that so you may be able with much readiness to prompt them and to make use of them according to Faith and in Faith to your unutterable and endless Comfort which the Lord of Life in mercy grant unto you Let me add a few Incentives and then I have done So doing as hath been shewed in all these Rules and Directions you shall purchaseto your selves 1. Much Boldness 2. Much Quietness 3. Much Chearfulness 1. Much Boldness There is a twofold Boldness 1. A Well-grounded 2. A Groundless The one is good the other is bad 1. The good and Well-grounded I mean which proceedeth 1. From Righteousness and an holy walking with God which maketh a man as bold as a Lyon Prov. 28.1 For as the * Hemin l. 1. c. 105. Lyon being pursued by the Hunter doth not hide but rather shew himself and counteth it a great shame to flee yea * Isidore Etymol l. 6. looketh the Hunter in the very face and is not affrighted or daunted but rather encouraged So careful holy Walkers do not flie or shrink or fear or hide their faces but shew themselves most when death is nearest and are bold even to look him in the face as we may note in the three Children when they were threatned with death yea with a most grievous and extraordinary Death Dan. 3.18 and in divers holy Martyrs I 'll instance but in one * Ignatius Epist ad Pim. de Smyrna per Ephes O that I might but once enjoy those Beasts said Ignatius which are prepared for me and which I wish may quickly consume me and not being terrified abstain from me as they did from others and if they will not touch me I 'll impel and urge them Forgive me I know what is expedient for me let the Fire the Cross the constancy of Beasts Abscision Separation confraction of all my Members and a dissolution of my whole body and all Satans whips come to me that I may win Christ Thus he 2. From a holy Confidenc in God upon former experiences for such as be so careful to walk so holily as hath been formerly shewed cannot but find much sweetness in God and receive many tokens of love and favour from God Psal 31.19 20. so that needs they must be very confident in their lives bold at last in their death The Hebricians call therefore Boldness Betac Confidence because it proceedeth from it and the (b) Aqum 2. Sent. dist 26. q. 1. a. 3. Schools define it by Considence II. Much Quietness For 1. There can be no such discord as is and must be in careless providers for Death between 1. The Law of God and their own Consciences because they strive to the utmost to agree with it that it may not prove in the end their greatest adversary So Austin understands our Saviours speech Mat. 5.25 2. Hope and Reason for Reason it self cannot but reason for them upon such grounds drawn from holy Writ as cannot be denied For instance that one pregnant passage 2 Pet. 1.10 11. cannot but afford such a Premise as must needs infer for them a most firm Conclusion that entrance shall be ministred unto them upon their diligence in making their Calling and Election sure by an Holy Walking into the everlasting lasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Christ 3. God himself and them for In every Nation he that feareth him and worketh Righteousness is accepted with him Acts 10.35 and as without Faith its impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 so with and by Faith a man cannot but please God and so be at peace with God Rom. 5.1 2. They that shall follow these Rules shall fix their minds upon the Lord 's never-failing Promises according to one of the said Rules and therefore they must needs be very quiet stayed and firm for the Promises are most firm even Yea and Amen in Christ 2 Cor. 1.20 and therefore they that stay themselves in them must needs be so too even as he that buildeth upon a Rock builded firmly and as he that standeth upon a Rock stands firmly Hence when an holy Man was asked how he could pass his last sickness so without any trouble he answered That he did ever eye that excellent promise in Esa 26.3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because be trusteth in thee True it is that some holy Walkers and eminent Believers as Mr. Glover Mr. Peacock and others have been much troubled for all this in their latter end which may seem to cross what I have said but their trouble was not perpetual For fiâ—st They had comfort at last 2. Was rather a kind of peace then a war for their trouble was a war with Satan Now our war with Satan as Tertullian saith truly Is our peace because it brings peace at last 3. Was extraordinary whereas ordinarily an holy walking and confidence brings quietness and so I desire to be understood I close up therefore the prosecution of this second Incentive with a Speech like unto that which an Hebrew Interpreter made to King Ptolomy asking him How he might be at rest when he Dreamed Let Piety be the scope of all thy sayings and doings for by applying all thy Discourses and Works to excellent things whether thou sleepest or wakest thou shalt have quiet rest in regard of thy self Thus he And as he said to him so say I unto you would ye die and sleep up quietly then do as he advised him and put your trust in the Lord withall and it will be so 3. Much chearâ—ulness which is a higher degree of comfort being Positive wheras quietness is Negative comfort I or 1. There is not such cause and matter of discomfort and sadness in such as do so carefully provide for death and labour to die in and according to Faith as in other loose and careless persons who 1. Quench the Spirit that should comfort them