warne every one that would stand in the evill day never to forget their latter end After the fall then God calles againe by a Sentence of mortality which he pronounced on man Dust thou art to dust thou shalt returne Gen. 3.19 to make men with new care to thinke upon death And this was a generall day of judgment in the beginning of the world as there shall be an other Generall judgment in the end of the world Then were we all in Adam Evah presented before the Tribunall judgment-seat of God receyved the sentence of the first death universally pronounced upon all men righteous or unrighteous elect or reprobate as there shal be a sentence of second death pronounced on the reprobate at last After this Sentence the Lord calles againe by the execution thereof from time to time while death being entred into the world reignes among men devouring all bringing all to dust yet so that the execution of this Sentence is revealed in manifold diverse degrees according to the great patience long their language but cut of their dayes from foure or five hundred to two hundred od yeares Gen. 11 18-32 And so with the ruine of Babel the life of man was ruinated The lofty tower of mans age that before ascended to so great an height by the steps of so many yeares was now throwne downe made lower by the halfe The noyse crash of this downefall sounded through many generations from Peleg to Terah warning all to be more watchfull because the execution of this sentence of death with double speed was brought upon them After this in the time of Abraham the generations following from two hundred od we finde the yeares of the Patriarkes brought to an hundred od Gen. 25.7 35.28 47.28 c. So was the reprive of man shortned againe And whē the Lord called Abraham his seed into his covenant he withall called both him the world by a new summōs as by sound of trumpet to repentance amendment of life by remembrance of their latter end which now pressed upon them with double hast to that it had done And lastly in the time of Moses the Lord being provoked by a new rebellion did againe halfe the age of man reduced the number of his yeares to seventy or eighty Psal 90.10 Then was the execution of the Sentence of death hastned more then ever before thereby the Lord called them still calleth us to remember our end Lord let thy call be effectuall unto us bring our hearts to true wisedome establish thou the worke of our hands fill us with thy mercy in the morning that we may seeke thee early be glad in thee all our dayes d If God should once more have halfed the age of man as he did before then can we not conceive how the world should have subsisted If our dayes upon a new provocation had bene shortned from seventy to five thirty if weaknes of old age had prevayled as much upon us at thirty as now it doth at sixty if at fifteene yeares men should have bene at their full strength then have begun to decline as now many doe at thirty being then in the height vigour of their age how manifold defects in learning practising would thē have ensued what wisedome experience could men have learned in so short a time how could liberall or mechanicall arts sciences have bene learned or what continuance of strēgth could have bene to have wrought exercised such trades sciences what a world of children old folkes yea what a world of fooles impotent persons should we have had though it be so already yet how much more then But the Lord will not contēd for ever though he be now provoked as much as ever before for the spirit would faile before him the soules that he hath made Esa 57.16 Therefore hath the terme of mans age continued at this stay from Moses to our time for about three thousand yeares together so as it was never settled in the former generations And therefore in speciall is this worke of God to be considered of us as being the last call warning of God in this kinde to make us remember our latter end Now though God doe not againe shorten halfe the dayes of man by such certaine determinate limits as formerly he hath done yet after another manner he doth not ceasse to cut them off prevent the course of nature for our warning as effectually as in the former judgemēts For still the Lord being provoked by the wicked cutts them off before their time they are brought downe to the pit they live not out halfe their dayes Psal 55.23 the number of their moneths is cut off in the middest Iob 21.21 as the vine shakes off his unripe grape the olive his flower Iob 15.33 And not the wicked alone but the elect the beloved of God as Henoch Gen. 5.23.24 are also taken away in the midst of their dayes though sometime they live to seventy or eighty yeares come to their grave in a full age as a shock of corne commeth in in his season Iob 5.26 yet oft they are taken away before Esa 57.1 in infancy childhood youth middle age c. Vpon every step of life death waites and thousāds are dayly translated on every yeare of mans life some the first yeare that they are borne some in the second some in the third so forward every yeare thousands ten thousands even to the last and so a thousand calles hereby we receyve from God to remember our latter end with greater hast e The multitude number of these uncertaine untimely deaths are innumerable We may observe it in three worlds The old world perished all together strong men with their women children were smitten with the sword of Ioshuah Ios 11.4 How many did the sword of Gideon of David other Kings of Israel devoure Who can recount how much flesh those foure beasts or Monarchies devoured Dan. 7.3 c. Not to speake more of the heathens what untimely deaths did overtake Israel their infants were drowned in Egypt Exo. 1.22 Six hundred thousād of their carcasses fell in the wildernes And as the childrē especially were before destroyed in Egypt so now in the wildernes the mē especially A decree was made a bound set unto the murmurers that they which were twēty yeares old should not live longer then sixty yeares accordingly for the rest whereas their childrē might live to sevēty or eighty yeares Num. 14 29-33 How many were slaine in the time of their Iudges Kings In Ahaz his time an hundred twēty thousand valiant men were slaine in one day two hundred thousand captived 2. Chron. 28.6.8 In Ieroboams time five hundred thousand chosen men fell downe slaine at once 2. Chro. 13.17 And by innumerable such examples hath death
us further by applying unto us the merit of his sufferings Then as the childe neesed seven times so the new creature the converted soule doth manifest the truth of life received by severall degrees at the first neesing a new disposition appeares at the second new motions at the third new affections at the fourth new will purpose at the fift new fruits and workes at the sixt new thankesgiving and praise in joy of the holy Ghost so much in this life at the seventh neesing the old man is utterly abolished the flesh shaken quite off and the spirit caryed into a heavenly kingdome clothed with a white robe of perfect righteousnes in Christ the fulnesse of spirituall life Therefore all is to be sought principally in Christ c The outward meanes whereby the Spirit quickeneth are the ordinances and workes of God The primary ordinances of God are his Word Prayer Sacraments and Discipline The word of God is the word of life Deut. 32.47 Ioh. 5.25 6.63.68 Act. 5.20 a tree of life Prov. 3.18 the immortall seed 1. Pet. 1.23 that quickeneth the soule which cleaves unto the dust melteth for heavines Psa 119.25.28 By prayer men finde life for themselves Ioel. 2.32 Rom. 10.13 Esa 38 2-5 give life to others 1. Ioh. 5.16 Baptisme shewes us the laver of regeneration or new birth Act. 2.38 with Tit. 3.5 Ioh. 3.5 and the dead-harted are quickened by meditation of the grace represented sealed thereby By the Table of the Lord the fainting spirits are relieved revived through that spirituall food which is there exhibited 1. Cor. 11.24 The admonitious of Discipline are the corrections of life Prov. 15.31 therein is consolation for those that are ready to be swallowed up of sorrw 2. Cor. 2.7 By these things men live in all these is the spirit of life vivification Esa 38.16 therefore as we would have the life of the new creature to be dayly increased within us so are we to attend upon that word of life night and day to pray incessantly to watch thereunto with all perseverance and thankesgiving to sanctify ourselves for an holy use of the Sacramēts from time to time to submit unto Discipline for mutuall edification so to wait for spirituall life thereby to be ministred unto us d The secondary ordinances of God for vivificatiō of the new man are an holy Feast a holy Watch unto the Lord. As mirth is compared to the song in the night when a holy solemnity was kept Esa 30.29 Paul Silas sang together at midnight Act. 16.25 till midnight did Paul continue his speech unto the disciples at Troas Act. 20.7 And such meanes are the godly still upon occasion to use for their quickening in their spirituall life sitting under the shadow of him that is the true vine Ioh. 15.1 drinking the wine of his promises plucking the grapes of his consolation cōforting the poore heavy hearted communicating their joy one to another using his gifts in all sobriety and thankfulnes for their mutual support in this time of their pilgrimage e After these follow the tertian ordinances so to speake meanes of an inferiour order rank to wit Vowes and Covenants for the helpes of spirituall life As a religious feast and watch serve for the quickening of the soule in the use of the first and primary meanes so these in the third degree serve to binde us to the use of the secondary each supporting an other Vowes promises to God serve to binde us to the observance of other godly exercises at a certaine time we see how the godly upon occasion vowed to offer unto God a bullock a ramme a lamb or goat male or female more or lesse insomuch that the sacrifices are sometimes called by the name of vowes the Lord accepted that vow of so small a matter Lev. 7.16 22.18 23.38 Num. 15.3 18.14 29.39 Psa 116 12-19 Mal. 1.14 with Act. 5.2.3 ch 21.23.24.26 And so now when men vow unto the Lord and binde themselves unto any particular work of mercy towards the poore or to keep a love-feast or any watch or to performe any labour of love unto the Lord for the quickening of themselves others the same is a sacrifice of sweet odour unto the Lord. Phil. 4.18 2. Cor. 8.4.5 Heb. 13.15.16 In like manner the covenants promises made unto mē whereby they binde themselves to one another for the performance of some dueties of religion or mercy together are also approoved meanes of mutuall comfort and vivification David bound himself by covenant to Ionathan 1. Sam. 18.3 to the Elders of Israel 1. Chro. 11.3 to other worthies cap. 12.17.18 And what his covenant was with the man of his covenant that profaned it we see in the Psalme of his complaint namely to be as guides to one another to take sweet of this way application of the former truth the Lord hath in his word given further light and direction by certaine peculiar workes which himselfe hath cōmended unto us as having pregnant special reference to our latter end to procure some more distinct certaine comfort by the particular observatiō practise of thē And therefore whereas some godly and christian friends doe mutually desire of one another some directiō counsell for their preparation to their end to such besides a general resolute purpose to have respect unto all the commandements of God in al things to keep fayth a good cōsciēce I would cōmend these dueties following I. In the first place a dayly invocation of the name of God for his help and assistance in this particular poynt that they may be prepared to die to leave this world come with comfort into the presence of God to stand undismayed before the throne of his grace The comfort of a happy end is worthy a speciall prayer every day for that particular benefit The maine blessing that Paul could wish unto Onesiphorus that had so oft refreshed him was this that the Lord would grant unto him that he might finde mercy of the Lord in that day 2. Tim. 1.18 And this he prayes for the Thessalonians that their hearts might be stablished unblameable in holines before God evē our Father at the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ with his Saints 1. Thes 3.13 againe that their whole spirit soule body might be preserved blamelesse unto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ 1. Thes 5.23 Now that which Paul so earnestly desired for his dearest friends that is also worthy to be desired of us for ourselves every day If Paul prayed night and day exceedingly to see the faces of his godly friends 1. The. 3.10.11 and that by any meanes he might have a prosperous journey cōming unto them for their mutual comfort how much more cause have we to pray night day with exceeding longing to see the Lord face to face to
without the body are like angels goe without feet embrace without hands see without eyes heare without eares speak without tongues for al these we leave in the grave But above all friends we then see God face to face whom here we could not behold Exod. 33.20 here we are as in a dungeon then we begin to looke about us Is there any losse in this change Ob. II. Others are troubled to thinke that they must leave house lands Ans He that teacheth bees to make such cabines closets for themselves will not suffer his owne children to be destitute of comfortable mansiōs nay the Lord hath promised they know it to be so that glorious pavilions chambers are provided for them Ioh. 14.1.2 2. Cor. 5.1 Every heart shall then be a pavilion chamber of rest delight unto each other yea the Lord himselfe shal be their house mansion for ever 1. Ioh. 4.15 Ob. III. Another sayth happily I care not so much for any outward things as to see the good of Gods Church in the accōplishment of his promises Among these there are three special things which a Christiā might wel desire above all other things to be seen enjoyed in this world viz. 1. The fall of Babylon destruction of Antichrist Rev. 18.20 2. The destructiō of Gog Magog the Turkish monarchy 3. The full conversion of the Iewes as a new Ierusalem comming downe from heavē as a bride trimmed for her husband It may wel be counted a happines to waite and come unto the sight of such dayes Dan. 12.12 1. Cor. 15.56.57 II. The freenes of Gods grace unto infants is applyed by the H. Ghost unto men of yeares that they also may depend on the same grace through faith Rom. 9.11.16.30 III. Many are called at the eleventh houre and God doth by such meanes greatly set forth the freenes of his mercy in pardoning sinners Matth. 20 6-9 Rom. 5.20 The sight of Christ by faith gives title unto all comfort happines Luk. 2 30-32 And therefore the theef on the crosse seeing Christ at last was suddenly trāslated into glory Luk. 23.43 Neither let any say That is but one example for in effect there are many very like unto that even in the conversion of many theeves in prison in the hands of justice yea after they have received the sentence of death when they die better give more signes of true repentance then multitudes that die in their beds And besides every mans conversion is in a certaine houre or moment suddainly as well as the theefes on the crosse though it be not marked and it is as great a work the same in substance to be translated out of the state of nature into the state of grace by true conversion as to be translated out of this world into heaven the one following infallibly upon the other So Pauls suddaine conversion from a blasphemous persecutour of Christ to be a member and minister of Christ was as great as the theefes translation from the crosse or gibbet to paradise or rather greater The same may be sayd of those thousands of murderers of Christ suddainly converted at Peters sermon Act. 2. the conversion of each of these was as great as that of the theef and may as well serve for the comfort of sinners Christ is the doore whosoever knockes by faith whensoever is sure to enter Ob. VI. Besides this the paine and pangs of death are objected by many as a cause of their feare why they are loth to die Ans I. We have commandements comforts and promises from Christ to arme us against such feares Iohn 14.1 Revelat. 2.10 The feare of death is one of the greatest paines in death and yet a feare not to be feared II. If the paine of death be sharp yet it is quickly over it is but one stride and at one leap it transports a man over the gulfe of all sorrow into everlasting glory III. To God Our Samson teares this Lyon as a kid destroyes death out of the carcasse of death brings life honye hony combes of eternall comfort Let us therefore be cheerfull in the exspectation of this happy conquest with comfort entertayne the signes of death drawing neere unto us as dimnes of sight deafnes of eares weaknes of limmes whitenes of head hoare haires Oh how welcome should these the like be unto the faithfull As the children in our streets when they first see the stork the messenger of the Spring doe welcome thesame testify their pleasure with manifold joyful acclamations so should the godly congratulate themselves when they see the forenamed messengers of their Winter past Summer approching or els both children and the very storkes in the aire knowing the times of their comming shal be witnesses against us When the fig-tree putteth forth his leaves the Summer is nigh Matt. 24.32 when the almond-tree flourishes thē it hastens the comming of other fruits Eccl. 12.5 Ier. 1.11.12 when the heralds of death approch then is it time for us to lift up our heads knowing that our redemption is neere When the eyes of the body the windowes of our prospect into the world beginne to be dark then must we so much the more open the eyes of our minde the windowes of the soule for our prospect into heaven to see things otherwise invisible When the daughters of singing are abased then especially we should labour to open the eares of faith that we may heare afarre off the songs of the virgines that have the harpes of God ready to entertayne us into the fellowship of their sweet melodies When the grinders are flow beginne to cease let us then be more frequent in grinding the wheat of heaven chewing the cudde ruminating the manna of the Evangelicall promises that should be the old mans milk the old mans wine sweeter then that of the muscadell grape to warme his cold breast to revive his decayed spirits Having thus entertained the messengers of death we shal be the readier to welcome death it selfe The neerer we grow to our journeys end the greater will be our desire and longing to arrive at that Rendevous of friends after a long march that generall meeting-place after a wearisome vvandring over hilles and dales in this our pilgrimage As the diligent husbandman plowes harrowes sowes his seed waites for the first latter raine is glad when it begins to grow when the blade the stalk the eare appeares gladder whē it is ful growne when the regiōs are white unto the harvest when sithe sickle are taken into the hand but is then especially filled with joy when the last load of corne is brought home with shouring singing like to the custome that seemes to have bene in Israel in their harvest vintage Esa 16.9.10 so in like manner they that have broken up their fallow ground have sowed in righteousnes have not been weary in well doing but stedfast unmooveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord shall then know see that their labour hath not been in vaine in the Lord shall then have cause to shout sing for joy when the Angels that are called reapers Matt. 13.39 shall gather these wheat sheaves into the heavēly barne where the righteous shall shine foorth as the Sun in the kingdome of their Father O that we were wise that we understood this so should we ever with comfort remember our latter END Printed at DORT BY HENRY ASH M.DCXXXIX
their hands or walke with their feet or eate with their teeth or speake with their lips the memoriall of death is in each of these set before them And as in the outward parts of the body so the like weaknes decay of strength is to be observed in the inward parts and as a cause of that which is in the outward The silver coards of the sinewes which carry the faculty of sense motion from the head in old age are loosed Eccles 12.6 that cable of the marrow in the backbone which was wont so firmely to hold stay the fraile barke of our body tossed with so many motions and by those many conjugations of nerves like so many paire of oares on each side did row the gally up and downe begins now to dissolve The head which is the golden bowle wherein is emboxed the brayne that ministers that faculty of sense motion through age is broken becomes crazie The many pitchers of the veines which carry the nourishing blood from the well of the liver unto each part of the body become like unto broken vessels And the wheele of the arteries which by the reciprocall motions pulses doe convey the vitall spirits from the cisterne of the heart into the furthest coasts of the little world for the quickening of the whole flesh even to the toes fingers ends through languishing age begins to turne returne slowly weakely And all these faint operations are so many memorials of death and doe plainely portend the approch of our latter end every one of them admonisheth us to watch Againe from this weaknes decay of strength both in the outward and inward parts ariseth an other memoriall of death to be seene in that which is esteemed no taste what he eates or what he drinkes 2. Sam. 19.35 old Isaac by his touch cannot feele the difference betwixt the hands of his son the skinne of a beast Gen. 27.16.21.22.23 old David is covered with clothes feeles no heat 1. Kings 1.1 concupiscence departs Eccle. 11.5 Abishag the faire virgin lies in his bosome he knowes her not 1. Kin. 1.4 Yea the inward senses beginne to faile also memory decayes the understanding is diminished old men some times in their decrepite age come to be little children againe not able to discerne betwixt good evill 2. Sam. 19.35 How inexcusable are they that live securely thinke not of death whereof they have so many warnings before hand m With decay of strength sense comes the decay of health Old age is many times a continuall sicknes when the dayes of man are multiplyed they are but labour sorrow even the strength of them Psa 90.10 Then is the time when the evill dayes approch and the yeares of which man sayth I have no pleasure in them Eccle. 12.1 Then is the light of Sunne Moone starres obscured and then the clouds returne after the raine one infirmity after another v. 2. Through decay of naturall heat ariseth indigestion crudity of stomack thereupon follow rheumes catarrhes and from thence comes ach in the bones manifold paines diseases whereby the Lord as with an yron pen writeth our lesson engraveth this sentence deep in our flesh bones Remember your latter end approaching In all the paines of old age the finger of God nippeth pincheth men to make them think of his call prepare for death upon God shewes that then he exspects a speciall act of humiliation when at our end he visites us with such paines that we are to mourne for sinnes committed in the world before we depart out of it when he sends such sorrow unto us at that time especially Then are we called to stirre up the grace of God within us and to rayse up our spirits with all love reverence to meet the Lord that we may receyve his blessing and enter into his gates with joy into his courts with thanksgiving a Againe this paine prevayling at the approch of death causeth men to ly downe to fall flat along upon their beds Iob. 33.19 Act. 5.15 and to let all the affaires of the world alone with the works of their calling Through infirmity of the body God forceth them to stoope calleth them to remember their frailety their end as if he should command them to couch downe before him and require them to prostrate their soules at his footstoole in seeking his favour mercy in Chirst even as their bodies are prostrate by his hand This very position of the body represents unto us how the grasse withers the flower falls and admonisheth us in our soules to worship fall downe before the Lord our maker and by faith to enforce our bodies also leaning on our staffe to worship upon the beds head Heb. 11.21 Gen. 47.31 and 48.2 that he may straightway lift us up for ever As Iacob bowed himselfe to the ground seven times at the approch of his brother Esaw Gen. 33.3 so the Lord himselfe by sicknes thrusts us downe seven times we are often up downe we lift up our selves but cannot hold up our heads God teacheth us there by to come submissively creeping into his presence humbling ourselves under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt us 1. Pet. 5.6 b An other warning to thinke of the end at hand is that distast of meat and want of appetite in sick persons when their life abhorreth bread their soule dainty meat Iob. 33.20 When the staffe of bread failes the stay of naturall life is withdrawne then God calles the sick persons to remember their end to double their care for eternal life to seeke the hidden manna unknowne unregarded of the world Rev. 2.17 to feed upon the bread of God which commeth downe for their end This yron sleep is a black cloud of death a night-shade a particular darkenes of which in its measure is verifyed that more generall saying of our Saviour The night comes when no man can work Ioh. 9.4 and therefore while there is light liberty of minde in the time of health the end is to be remembred provided for before the houres of oppression doe come upon the minde e Sometimes in sicknes though sleep oppresse not there is a kinde of raving distraction caused by phrensie or melancholy or other distemperatures which doth overwhelme the minde as Nebuchadnezzars once was by the stroke of God Dan. 4. so that it is unfit to thinke of death or to seeke any comfort against the danger thereof And frō hence therefore it doth likewise appeare how unwise they are that deferre the time of their repentance unto the time of death when it is uncertaine whether they shall be masters of their owne wits naturall understanding not to speake of supernaturall grace which is further above the reach of man yet necessary to salvation f Sometimes the very vehemency extremity of paine
thereunto The ordinary Sacraments of the old Testamēt were Circumcision the Passeover In circumcision there was a painefull cutting off of the foreskinne a marke for the mortification of the flesh printed in the body of man for a perpetuall memoriall of this duety so that the Holy Ghost under the phrase of circumcision doth oft describe our mortification unto us as Deu. 30.6 Ier. 4.3.4 Rom. 2.28.29 Col. 2.11 Godly sorrow is a knife of mortification to circumcise the heart to cut off the foreskin superfluities of sinfull lusts In the passeover the separation of the lambe from the tenth day unto the fourteenth day the killing of it sprinkling of the blood the rosting of it eating it with sowre herbes unleavened bread Exod. 12.4.6.7.8 c. did represent the deadlines of sin purged in such manner even by the blood of Christ the undefiled lambe slaine for us to be applyed unto us sprinkled upon us to be eatē with sowre herbs of godly sorrow for sin a purging out of the old leaven of maliciousnes putting off the old man his workes that we might be a new lump 1. Cor. 5.7.8 That which the Sacraments represented unto them was in like manner signifyed by the Sacrifices of the old Testament by laying handes upon the head of the beast that was slaine burnt for sacrifice Lev. 1.4.5 c. and these of many kindes in great number every day upon divers occasions and especially upon their feast dayes when many thousands were sometimes sprinkled him with water to make him cleane Num. 19.14.21.22 but a dead beast did not defile all that came into the tent or stable where it was IV. Not the carcasses of all beasts but onely of those that were uncleane beasts did defile men not the carcasses of sheep oxen goates doves harts hindes roes c. but the carcasses of swine camels vultures c. Lev. 11. but for men the carcasses of all men whosoever cleane or uncleane good or bad did defile all that touched them Num. 19.11 V. The bodies of uncleane beasts did not defile but onely when they were dead otherwise it was lawfull to ride upon horses mules camels and asses as Christ did according to the prophesy Zech. 9.9 with Matt. 21 2-7 but the bodies of uncleane men while they were living did defile other men many wayes as we see in the lepers and such as were defiled with other naturall uncleannesses Levit. 13.46 15.5 c. 2. Cor. 6.17 To have touched a venomous toad had lesse defiled then the touch of a most glorious king or the touch of the fairest woman though but the hemme of their garments without the least motiō or lust of evill when they were but ceremonially polluted VI. He that was defiled with the carcasse of an uncleane beast was not required to wash more then his clothes but he that was defiled with the carcasse of a dead man or some other uncleane persons was required to bathe himselfe in water also Num. 19.19 Lev. 15.13 VII Those that touched the carcasses of uncleane beasts were purged with common water Lev. 11.25.28 those that were defiled by touching of the dead were not to be purged but by water and blood to wit by a speciall water of purification made with the ashes of a red heifer Num. 19 2-9.17 By all this it appeares how marvellous great the pollution of mans sinne is which God would have him so many wayes to be put in minde of to avoyd the tent and company of wicked men that by so many exercises of mortification he might learne to touch no uncleane thing As David in detestation of himselfe sayd unto the Lord I vvas as a beast before thee Psal 73.22 so we are here taught to consider and confesse that we are worse then beasts as it is also elswhere noted for our mortification Esa 1.3 Ier. 8.7 Prov. 6.6 c. f Moreover whereas it is a speciall very sight of the creation which way soever we turne us might serve to abase and humble men before the Creatour To this end are they propounded by the Spirit of God unto us the height of the heavens the depth of hell the length of the earth bredth of the sea Iob 11.8.9 The terrour evē of some creatures is such that man is ready to die and perish at the sight of them The sight of an Angel made the watchmen and keepers of the grave to quake and become as dead men Mat. 28.4 When the Disciples thought they saw a spirit they were troubled and cryed out for feare Matt. 14.26 At the sight of the Leviathan men are cast downe when he rayseth up himselfe the mighty are afraid because of breakings and terrours beginne to purify themselves to confesse their sinnes to pray for the pardon of them and to seek reconciliation with God Iob 41.9.10.25 This hath God ordained for the mortificatiō of sinners that hereby they might conceive how unable they are to stand before him Whē the Lord would make Iob to be vile in his owne sight and to abhorre himself in dust ashes he sets before him the glory of the creation and his majesty shining therein and leads him along in the spirit to behold the cheef of them ranked in order before him Iob 38. 39. 40. 41. ch with ch 41.4 42.6 And even unto this day God doth sometimes speak unto us as it were out of the whirlewind and by the sight of the heavens the earth the seas doth call us unto mortification The Lord sometime giveth dayes of darknes and gloominesse of cloudes and thick darknesse Zeph. 1.15 he clothes the heavens with blacknes and makes sackcloth their covering Esa 50.3 in their mournefull countenance they call us to thinke what cause of mourning we have Yea in them the wrathfull countenance of God is as it were pourtrayed before us a smoak is sayd to come out of his nostrils and devouring fire out of his mouth when he thunders from heaven sendeth forth his lightnings for the terrour of sinners and for the mortification of their corrupt and wicked lusts Psal 18 8-14 29.1 c. 97.2.3.4 1. Sam. 12.16.17.18 By the sight of the raging roaring sea bounded within the sands the Lord cals mē to feare before him to trēble at his presence Ier. 5.22 And whereto serve the storms upon the sea if not for the mortification contrition of heard-hearted serve to humble them and call to their minde their owne unworthines which then especialy by comparison of Gods free love with their contrary deserts doth more appeare unto them So it was with David humbling himselfe before God in the consideration of his mercies 2. Sam. 7.18.19 even as Mephibosheth had done to him in another case 2. Sam. 9.7.8 so did Elizabeth Luk. 1.43 If Abigail might say of her marriage with David Let thine handmaid be a servant to vvash the feet of
behold the glory of all his angels to tast of the pleasures of his right hand If David prayed so often and so earnestly that he might enjoy the presence of God in his earthly sanctuary to behold the beauty of his ordinances there Psa 27.4 and 42.1.2 84.1 c. how much more ought we to pray constantly for our entrance into his heavenly sanctuary to enjoy the glory that 5.7 Lev. 5.16 Every man therefore that would have comfort in death peace in his conscience at his latter end must labour according to his utmost power to make cleare with the world by restitution satisfaction for wrong done for debts undischarged for fraudulent bargaines overreaching of his neigbour for any other injuries by word or deed against the person or credit of his neighbour He that would finde his soule reconciled to God must labour betimes without delay to see himself reconciled with men III. As there is a needfull Reconciliation so there is a holy zealous Revenge necessary to be sought before death that men may die with more comfort Neither let it seeme strange that seeking of revēge should be reckoned among the speciall preparatives unto death Though to take the sword for carnall revenge to satisfy the private lust of the flesh be oft forbidden of God Rev. 13.10 Mat. 26.52 Rom. 12.19.20 Pro. 25.21.22 24.17.18 20.22 yet is there a just glorious revenge of sin commanded of God both upon others upon ourselves Moses a little before his death is commanded to avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites that then he might be gathered unto his people Num. 31.1.2 One of his last workes was to be a work of revenge that being done he was to die with more comfort The remembrance of that revenge wrought by Phinehas could not but comfort him at his last houre Num. 25.11.12.13 Saul therefore had extreme anguish discomfort in death for not executing a revenge upon Amalek as it was told him of the Devill because he would not learne it of God 1. Sam. 28 15-20 with ch 15 1-35 David on his death-bed could not die quietly till he had cōmēded that work of revenge unto his son upon Ioab Shimei which himself had deferred omitted in his life time 1. Kin. 2 1-9 And all Magistrates having the sword committed unto them of God shall die with more comfort when according to their power they have so used it besides common justice have on some special occasions manifested some speciall zeale for the suppressing rooting out of the maine evils raigning in their times They that have the sword of the Spirit committed unto them of God are to have revenge in readines against all disobedience by admonitions rebukes spirituall censures of sin thē Now I know that thou lovest me because thou hast not spared thy wealth from me c. And therefore besides dayly common workes of mercy the H. Ghost commēds unto us some extraordinary workes of mercy upon speciall occasion either of mercy received by us or afflictiō layd upō others Whē the kingdome of heavē was opened after the ascension of Christ the Spirit powred out many converted spiritual joy abounded the comfort thereof produced extraordinary fruits of love as when Ioses or Barnabas others that had lāds houses sold thē distributed to the poore Act. 4 34-37 such gifts could not be givē every day yet though it were done but ōce in their life the cōfort thereof might well last so long as they lived Zacheus that in the day of his joyfull conversion calling stood forth gave at once the half of his goods to the poore though he could not every week make such distributions yet the comfort of that one act approoved accepted of Christ as a fruit of his faith token of his salvation could not but be a perpetuall consolation to be thought on even to death For earthly blessings received speciall offerings were to be made at solēne times appointed of God such were the feast in Abib of the first fruits of barly harvest the feast of weeks of the first fruits of wheat harvest the feast of tabernacles or of gathering in the fruits of the land in the end of the yeare Exo. 23.16 34.22 Lev. 23. to teach us that new blessings call for new expressions of thankfulnes that we may honour God with our substance and with the first fruits of all our increase Prov. 3.9 And as upon occasion of speciall comforts we are to be mooved unto the workes of mercy so also at the consideration of the speciall afflictions and wants of others In the time after the captivity when the necessity was great and the bondage heavy upon the Iewes then did godly Nehemias forbeare to take the bread of the Governour the stipend of former rulers and shewed extraordinary love compassiō in which he comforts himselfe praying the Lord to think upon him for good according to all the kindnes that he had done for his people Nehem. 5 14-18.19 When with extreme need there appeare in persons lively tokens of faith and godlines thē especially should take place the counsel of Iohn Baptist that we should abridge ourselves of our food raymēt rather thē see others want Luk. 3.10.11 Such good workes cannot but follow the godly to the grave and minister comfort at the last Rev. 14.13 Act. 9.36.39 It is a shame unto the disciples of Christ that so many and great purgatory-gifts have proceeded frō the false faith of merit-mongers when the faith of his most glorious Gospel doth not work the like in true beleevers a shame that an idle dreame servile feare of imagined purgatory should doe more then the assured and certaine persuasion of the love of God in Christ V. With the work of mercy is to be joyned the work of humility meeknes as a speciall preparative for a comfortable death translation out of this world For as with those that are translated out of this world into heaven there is no respect of persons poore Lazarus is carried first in the bosome of an Angell and then in the bosome of Abraham the Father of the faithfull Luk. 16.22 so those that would beginne a heavenly life here in the end with comfort be translated are in like māner to make themselves equall with them of lower estate Rom. 12.16 to converse with the poore to cary them in their bosome not onely to give a few pence of silver but to powre out their heart and their love unto them Esa 58.10 This was prophesyed of as a fruit of Christs kingdome Esa 11.6.7.8 such correspondence with the poore Christ commends unto us with promise of a large recompence Luk. 14.12.13.14 We are to walk by faith not by sight 2. Cor. 5.7 now by faith we see the Angels ministring unto them who shall be heires of salvation Heb. 1. l. Rev. 22.9 therefore