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
if Parents and Children Masters and Servants were resolved to serve the Devil and go to Hell John 8. 44. The neglect of Family-duties is a dreadful and provoking sin and that as a Godly Minister said which will untile the house and causeth God to rain curses upon the Table Read and tremble at the Prophets imprecation Jerem. 10. 25. Pour out thy fury upon the Heathen that know the not and upon the Families that call not on thy Name How many Prayerless husbands do give occasion to their Wives to say to them as Zipporah to her husband Exod. 4. 25. A bloody Husband art thou to me Your Wives Children and Servants will sadly bewail it and cry out living or dying O that ever we were married to such husbands born of such Parents bound to such Masters that had no regard to serve God or care of souls If you are Christians indeed let a constant course of reading in the Word Catechising and Prayer be kept up in your houses for when death hath separated you and your relations it will grieve you to the heart that you did no more to further the good of their precious Souls Acts 13. 2 30. 2. By taking all occasions where-ever you are or come to further the conversion of perishing sinners If you have tasted that the Lord is gracious and are taken out of the Iron Furnace as fire brands out of the burning where is your pity and bowels to souls in perils Can you be contented to be happy Jud. 22. and to go to Heaven alone to endeavour by your prayers counsels and examples to perswade and draw others into Heavens way Wicked men are active for the Devil who like Snails leave their slime behind them where ever they come and are emptying the poyson of sin one into the other and so furthering their damnation What multitudes do you see weltring in their blood and making post-hast to Hell whose desperate and deplorable case should excite your compassion and cause you to speak a word in season for their salvation Your Dear Lord whom you should imitate Went about doing good Act. 10. 38. He improved his opportunity John 4. to convert a notorious sinner though weary and thirsty was not careful of hastning the meat because he preferred the opportunity to bring her soul out of Satans snare and so save her When at your Tables or buying or selling or travelling opportunity may be taken to speak of God and the things of God and to leave some conviction upon the company Thus Philip falling in with the Eunuch whilst he was riding on his way homewards from Jerusalem closed with him and was an instrument to save the soul of him he never saw before Act. 8. And by the heavenly discourse that dropped from the mouth of Mr. Carter Pastour of Brainford in Suffolk a Gentlewoman was converted while she was waiting on him in his Chamber warming his Bed A Word spoken in season through Gods blessing may save a soul and it is our duty to endeavour it Mr. Ignatius Jordan of Exeter was exceeding instrumental this way who would go from house to house to put his neighbours in mind of their Soul-concerns Holy David was not afraid or ashamed to speak of God hefore Kings and to tell what God had done for his soul and said he I will teach transgressors thy ways and sinners shall be converted unto thee Psal 5. 13. for he that converteth a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death Jam. 5. 20. When at any time your neighbous are sick and under the hand of God take that opportunity to visit them to put them in mind of Death and judgment and to make them sensible of the necessity of Faith and repentance without which there can be no hope of Heaven Our Proverb is To strike while the Iron is hot Upon a bed of languishing when death looks men in the face they seem serious and fit to receive the impression of faithful counsel for their souls To which joyn serious prayer for The prayer of faith saith the Apostle shall save the sick and it may save the soul 3. By provoking and encouraging our fellow-Brethren in the way to heaven West must exhort one another daily while it is called to day Heb. 3. 13. And provoke one another unto love and to good works and so much the more as we see the day approaching Heb. 10. 24 25. Wicked men and the Children of the Devil have their go with us and do stir up one another in the way to Hell and shall not Saints edifie and build up one another in the most holy Faith Rom. 14. 19. 15. 2. 1 John 5. 11. Eph. 4. 26. 1 Cor. 14. 26. Jude 20. They that feared the Lord speak often one to another Mal. 3. 16. Christians ought and should spend that time in serious and profitable discourse which others spend and wast in idle and vain discourse Say with the man after Gods own heart Come all that fear God and I will tell you what he hath done for my Soul That which you have seen and heard you must declare to one another 1 John 3. 3. Hereby be helping forwards towards Heaven and comforting one another by the comforts wherewith our selves are comforted of God 2 Cor. 1. 4. When thou art converted strengthen thy Brethren Luke 22. 32. 4. We must do good to others by distributing to their outward wants and necessities and hereby lay up a treasure in Heaven before our treasure in Earth fail and we lose both Mat. 19. 21. This is to honour the Lord with your substance Prov. 3. 9. This is to make friends with the unrighteous Mammon and to provide your selves bags which wax not old a treasure in the Heaven that faileth not Luke 12. 33. This duty must not be forgotten Heb. 13. 16. because 't is a sowing of seed 2 Cor. 9. 6. and it will spring and bring forth a crop or harvest in this or the other world Eccl. 11. 1 6. God will not forget it Heb. 6. 10. The Lord Jesus will certainly reward it Mat. 25. 40. A well done from Christ hereafter will compensate all the service of well doers here Mat. 25. 31. 5. By labouring to keep up constant communiou with God in all holy duties Christians you may lose time in the very service of God if you are not careful therein to converse with him Take heed of a slight spirit in serious performances God looks upon the heart and most there Some serious preparation is necessary before you approach the presence of the high and holy God Joseph shav'd himself before he would come into Pharaohs presence Let your heaven-born souls in every duty with the love-sick Spouse go out to meet your Lord and taken up with nothing else 'T is not the picture of the husband but the presence of the husband that can satiate the truely loving longing spouse It is a blessed sight to see souls working towards
that you shall know ere it be long Jeptha would perform his vow to God I have said he opened my mouth unto the Lord I cannot go back Judg. 11. 34 35. Herod for his Oath sake murdered John the Baptist Matth. 14. 9 10. How many times hast thou engagest to dedicate and devote thy self to God and his Service therefore say Lord for my promise sake I will sacrifice my self and become thine redeeming my time for thy glory and mine own Salvation Motive 4. Cons Men take and improve opportunities for other things The fittest and best time is taken for buying selling plowing sowing and gathering into Barns and especially in evil and hard times Men will rise early run ride and labour in the very fire as the Prophet speaketh Redeeming the time 't is a Metaphor taken from Merchants that will be early in the Market lest the opportunity of buying the best Commodities should be lost The Proverb is that Time and Tide stay for no man and that we must make Hay while the Sun shineth There 's none but the sluggard will sleep in Harvest the diligent Husband-man will not lose a day then Christians in this great affair of your precious immortal and never-dying souls do as men about other things Millers and Marriners observe and improve every gale of wind yea the Stork in the Heaven the Turtle the Crane and the Swallow know and observe the time of their coming Jer. 8. 7. They that say to day or to morrow we will go into such a City and buy and get gain Jam. 4. 2. will as we say turn every stone and lose no time to buy a good bargain to make a rich purchase and shall we redeem our time and make the best of our spiritual markets to make provision for our souls that are more worth then all the world Motive 5. Satan that Enemy and grand Soul-deluder is always busie He is an active Devil and he loveth to find us idle Christians this old Serpent is never more at work then when we are idle for idleness layeth a man open to all his Hellish Snares and temptations and then if temptations come you are out of Gods way and if Satan find you on his ground he will be too hard for you The Apostle tells us he goeth about and still offers temptations for the wasting of our time This roaring Lyon hath a large circuit for ever since he was cast out of Heaven he hath been going to and fro in the Earth and walking up and down in it John 1. 7. His grand design is to devour 1 Pet. 5. 8. This black Prince loves to prey upon precious souls the soul being that sweet morsel he is still gaping at This Adversary hath his several walks he is in the Shop in the Market in the Street in the Chamber in the Closet and every where where sin is and he is also in the Congregation among the Assemblies of the Saints when they are about spiritual service When Joshua the High-Priest stood before the Lord Satan was standing at his right hand to resist him Zech. 3. 1. This deadly enemy was with Christ and his Disciples at the Passover for there he entred into Judas John 13. 26 27. Therefore Christians we have need to work and watch too The devil that hates you and all mankind doth bestir himself he goeth forth into the broad way of prophaneness and there he tenders and tempts men with sensual objects and he entreth in the by-path of error appearing as an Angel of light and enticeth wanton wits to suck down the poyson of his damnable doctrine And when once he hath injected his poyson into the head how much time is spent in writing and disputing to defend his delusions We read that it was while men slept this enemy Satan came and sowed Tares among the Wheat Matth. 13. 25. 39. He is a working busie Devil never at leisure but is always spreading his Baits and casting his Snares and Nets to catch souls Therefore be ye sober vigilant and watch unto prayer and employ this talent of precious time well Idleness is Satans Shop and the Mother of Mischief David was at leisure and on the roof of his house when Satan prevailed by that sad temptation 2 Sam. 11. 3. Therefore set God alwayes before you keep in his way and be doing your duty that you may be kept from his fiery darts The flying Bird is seldom shot The cautious diligent active soul is most secure Motive 6. Time once gone cannot be recalled Time past is gone for ever Time present if we may so call it is going future Time is most uncertain neither Men or Angels can hinder or stop it turn or bring it back again If opportunities be not now taken they may never be had Be good husbands of your time and work now or you may never work Time's redemption may be your salvation therefore follow and improve the light before darkness overtake you You all know that yesterday or the last hour will never come again If thou hadst as much treasure in thy custody or power as the whole world is worth it cannot purchase one minute of time past You that are old may as easily call back your youth or become young again as recover any part of this precious time Luke 19. 42. Motive 7. The nature of saving-Grace is working and springing up which turneth all the powers and faculties of the Soul Heaven-ward Such is the activity and vigour of this gracious nature that it will bring a man to a What wilt thou have me to do Acts 9. 6. Ephes 2. 10. 'T is not a lazy and languid thing but full of life and power The state of sin in Scripture is described by death and darkness which are a cessation and privation of life and light and motion and the state of Grace is described by life Eph. 2. which is powerful and most vivacious like the Sword of the Lord and Gideon doing great things It is no wonder to see the men of the world that are born after the flesh to be dull sluggish and unactive But you that have a Divine Nature and a Spirit of life and power in your hearts should be diligent and laborious 2 Tim. 1. 6. Rom. 8. 2. This living principle of Grace made the holy Apostle who excited others to redeem their time so to employ his Talent the Grace of God in him made him labour more then they all 1 Cor. 15. 10. The streams of grace that flow into the Soul are called Rivers of Living Water John 7. 31. and a Well of water springing up unto eternal life John 4. 14. So that Christians have greater advantage of doing good and of living to Gods glory Therefore stir up the grace of God that is in you cast off slothfulness and put on diligence and laying aside every weight rejoyce as the Son to run the Race that is set before you Motive 8. Consider How highly they prize time that
and dreadful instance viz. famous London on the Lord's day standing by Wednesday burnt and laid in ashes and thousands of the Inhabitants housless and harbourless therefore if riches encrease set not your hearts upon them they are uncertain cannot satisfie cannot profit will perish and that for ever O then let those precious dear everlasting jewels laid up in your mouldring decaying dying bodies be cared for What can it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul Mat. 16. 26. 3. Consider How soon all the present pleasures of sin will be gone and leave nothing but a sting Old age weakness sickness will make a great change in the whole outward man as to beauty strength natural vigor liveness of senses and all whereby a man might take any pleasure in the world or in his lust When sickness old age deaths fore-runner cometh it will make a strange change in the most comely countenance corporal comeliness and beauty is soon stain'd sickness will not only fade it but deface it You that are endowed with comely proportion sparkling eyes well-favouredness amiableness of colours of white and red with straitness agility of body with a cheerful aspect when old age cometh it will plow deep forrows in those fair faces and yet many ignorant of their foul souls and filthy hearts are proud of their fair faces and comely features so that they grow wanton by reason of it and to set out their beauty and whiteness of their skins not being contented with Creators curious make will add painting patches powdering crisping curlings artificial hair and what not Know that old age will not onely whither your beâ—… which is but skin deep but aâ—… outward strength natural vigor liveliness of senses and all whereby you may have any worldly pleasure Old age is Solomon's evil day when the Sun Moon and Stars will be darkned the keepers of the House tremble and the strong men bow themselves and the grinders cease and all the daughters of Musick shall be brought low and fear shall be in the way when the whole outward man is decayed viz. eyes dim or dark Ears deaf Teeth rotten Gums bare Head bald Breath corrupt Hands and Feet weak and trembling an evil day indeed in which you shall find no delight in your former dalliances for the Grashopper will be a burden and desire shall fail Eccles 12. But the beauty of Grace withers not under the greatest declinings of natural beauty for grace is the Oyl in the Lamp that never goeth out but shineth more and more The Kings Daughter is all glorious within Psal 45. Godliness which is Gods likeness casts a lustre that is very lovely in the sight of God and Man Thou art all fair my Dove and there is no spot in thee Sinners you that now taste the sweet of Sin rejoyce to do wickedly that spend your time in riotous Drunkenness Chambers of wantonness lye upon Beds of Ivory and stretch your selves on your Couches and eat the Lambs out of the flock that chant to the sound of the viol that drink Wine in Bowls that are uot grieved for the afflictions of Joseph that put far away the evil day Know that the fire of sin will burn and that your sweet morsels are but for a moment those sweet morsels and delicate dainties will cost your dear Hear now this you that are given to pleasure that feast your selves in doing evil 't is but a little time and you will see and say that all your delights hopes joys are past and gone and that you shall never see or taste them more only the gravel gall guilt and sting will remain You that love this Hellish banquet of sin the stoln Waters that are sweet and bread eaten in secret that is pleasant don 't know that the dead are there and that her guests are in the depths of Hell Prov. 9. 17 18. Sin is a sweet poyson pleasant in the acting but bitter in the end For the soul that sinneth shall dye Ezek. 13. 20. And will you spare it and keep it still within your mouth hide it under your tongue untill it becometh the gall of Asps within you Job 20. 12 13. Consider also that your secret wickedness committed in the dark in corners that is mask'd and close kept is known to God The infinite Holy and heart seaching God marks them Job 10. 14. Hos 7. 2. Watcheth them Job 14. 16. Sealeth them they are down among his Tresures Deut. 32. 34. and they will find you out Num. 32. 23. If not truly and deeply repented of and pardoned they will lye down with you in the Grave and follow you into the other World and meet you at Gods dreadful Bar and be discovered in the sight of the whole world evil shall pursue the Sinner This evil thing and bitter bred in the womb not buried in the grave nor extinguished by the fire of Hell shall pursue the sinner unto Hell Sinners this is most certain unrepented sins will never leave you but lye down and rise with you your bones are full of the sins of your youth which shall lye down with you in the dust Job 20. 11. Sin is a bad bed fellow and a worse grave-fellow and if it sleep with you it will awake with you when the dreadful Trumpet shall sound Arise ye dead and come to jndgement The damned in Hell have all their sins about them that which was the cause of their being cast into Hell will be their everlasting campanion there and will you take these Vipers and Scorpions into your bosom that will be always gnawing upon your hearts Know this your posting Sun of all sinful sensual delights will set in the dreadful Ocean of endless easeless and remediless sorrow 4. Consider That only which is eternal will stand you in stead when you come to dye viz. when you shall shoot the vast Gulf and lanch out into the infinite Ocean of Eternity that hath neither bounds banks nor bottom Immortal souls Do you see any thing that hath Eternity engraven upon it There are variety of objects both of persons and things that present themselves to your view Lift up your eyes to the vast Heavens that are bespangled and beautified with a glorious Sun Moon and glittering Stars that have been there for some thousands of years see whether eternity be there No they had their beginning and must have their Period Gen. 1. 1. Heb. 1. 10 11. Thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the Foundations of the Earth and the Heaven are the works of thine hands They shall perish they shall wax old as doth a garment but thou remainest The day is coming wherein the Sun shall be turned into darkness and the Moon into blood The Stars of Heaven shall fall and the Powers of the Heavens shall be shaken the Elements shall melt with fervent heat and the Earth with the works that are therein shall be burnt up Matth. 24. 29. 2 Pet. 3. 10. Moreover
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
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
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 say we must now part farewell for ever We shall never see or enjoy you more we shall never eat drink or converse more buy or sell more all our fleshly and sensual delights are ended our joy our mirth is ceased and all the blessed advantages for our salvation now will terminate Farewel the means of grace and all the golden opportunities for our souls farewell all those faithful Ministers that we have heard farewel all those powerful awakening Sermons that have sounded in our ears farewell all the blessed Sabbaths farewell all the Counsels Examples Reproofs Prayers of our serious and religious friends and Relations we shall never see the face of a Minister more or hear a Sermon more never have the door of grace and life opened to us any more for ever And what remains but a doleful remembrance of those good things that are past and gone and a severe strict account that is yet behind O dreadful change and loss indeed to them that make the world their home that have their heaven on this side heaven and no provision or portion beyond the grave The thoughts of which made a wicked young man very thriving in the world to utter these words If I live I shall be a rich man but this is the plague of it I must die which accordingly came to pass not long after 3 No wonder death is so terrible for after death the judgement Death is a Purservant that summons guilty souls to comend give an account at Gods dreadful bar And what more terrible to the Malesactorthen the sight and presence of an angry Judge While Paul reasoned of judgment Felix trembled and bid him be gone that Doctrine did so gall him that he could not endure it Acts 24. 25. Vse 2. The second use is to exhort perswade and stir you up to put this duty of so great and infinite concernment into practice O Sirs I beseech you to entertain some timely thoughts of your dying hour that death and you may be more familiar The best friend you have in heaven and earth longs to see it done O that therewere such an heart in them Now if you would do any thing in this blessed work viz. to prepare for death and judgement it must be done 1. Suddenly 2. Seriously 3. Effectually 1. It must be done suddenly it s a business of that importance that must not be neglected or delay'd for a moment of time Did you but see that you are upon the confines of eternity and in danger every day of being undone for ever you would quickly come to a resolution To further and encourage you consider 1. Life as dear and precious as it is is very uncertain What a nothing is this life a wind a vapour a dream a breath a bubble How soon may the Thread be cut the Glass run or this bright burning Lamp be dim and out when how or where this short dying life will terminate thou dost not know Whether at home or abroad among they friends or strangers in the field or house at thy table or in thy Bed who can tell 2. Death may come suddenly When the pase horse will set forth whether in the morning or at mid-day or midnight no man can tell thee There is a fatal hour which none can pass Luk. 12. 20. Psal 73. 18. 19. Psal 64. 7. 1 Thes 5. 3. 3. When death comes it strikes sure This King of terrors on the pale horse always rides the circuit and doth execution where-ever he cometh no shield or buckler or armour of proof can defend us no not an army of guard of men or Angels If dreadful death finds a King on his Throne or a beggar on the dunghil it 's all a case The strength of man though a Sampson this great Leviathan Death counts but a straw death doth his work speedily easily witness the last plague I shall adde here 1. Death calls warnings and alarums are very frequent not one of you but have had many a call and knock to mind you of death 2. Deaths commands are peremptory he brings his warrant a long with him Death coms in the name of the terrible Judge takes his Commission out of the court of heaven in order to the accomplishment and execution of an eternal irrevocable decree so that he must doe his work will have his Errand If a man had Mines of Gold and Silver to give it cannot deliver from the arrest of this inexorable Serjeant 3. Deaths Conquest is great I know thou wilt bring me to death and the place appointed for all living What man is he that liveth and shall not see death Thou hast set his bounds that he cannot pass They that have conquer'd Kingdoms and Countries and carried all before them have been subjected by death when death comes and takes a man by the throat though the proudest stoutest strongest in the world he must go willing or unwilling 't is all one to death 'T is observable that of bad men their souls are not resign'd but taken away What is the hope of the hypocrite though he hath gained when God taketh away his soul Job 27. 8 20. A tempest stealeth him away in the night This night shall thy soul be required death will not stay a night T is in vain for them that are strong and lively to say to death go to the wrinkled faces to the gray heads to the pile cheeks to the naked backs the dry bons to the dry breasts meddle not with this young man strike not this comely beautiful woman that is in the flower and prime in nature Go to yonder consumptive declining decaying dying old man go to that weak wither'd old woman Let me alone or be excus'd O but death regards it not For this great Conquerour death knocks as often at the young mans door as at the door of the old woman Death arrests and carrieth away the strong the healthy the rich the honourable the learned prisoners to the grave as often as the weak the sickly the poor the base and ignorant 2 You are to do it seriously with thy soul The living will lay it to heart Eccl. 7. 2. The dead cannot there 's no device in the grave Then go about it now in good earnest before old age and death cometh 3. Do it effectually go thorow with the work leave it not undone or but done to halves let every lust be mortified every duty performed every grace exercis'd As good never a whit as never the near Now you have opportunity before you the day of grace is continued Christ is at the door open to him and make all sure for if ever thou be justified pardoned sanctified it must be now The considerations to perswade you are these following Motive 1. Consider there 's an absolute and indispensible necessity for the doing of it a present necessity an infinite and eternal necessity other things may be done this must be done and its more then time this great
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