with fear Didst thou receive thy meat as in Gods presence and hadst thou an eye therein at his praise How didst thou behave thy self in thy Particular calling Did it no way incroach upon thy general Was thy conversation in heaven whilst thy dealings were about earth Wast thou diligent in the exercise of it righteous in thy dealings in it depending on God for a blessing on it What was thy carriage in company was thy life holy spotless exemplary profitable to others Mightest thou not in such a place have done thy God more service and thy Brothers soul more good May I not say to thee as God to Jonah Didst thou well to be angry at such a time upon no cause what were thy thoughts in solitude how wast thou imployed Had God any true share in thy thoughts hast thou watched thy self this day and kept thy heart with all diligence Hath none of thy precious time been lavisht away on unnecessary things Answer me faithfully to all these particulars that I may be able to return an answer to him that sent me O that I could but imploy one half hour every day with seriousness and uprightness in such soliloquies Lord thou didst create the world in six days and thou wast pleased to loâ—k back on every days work and behold it was very good and then ensued thy Sabbath Cause thy â—ervant to be a follower of thee as a dear child in minding every day the work thou hast given me to do that I may every night review it with comfort finding it good in thy Christ at the end of all my days looking back upon all my works I may see them very good through the acceptation of thy grace and with joy enter into my eternal Sabbath I Wish that I may end every day with him who is the beginning and first born from the dead That I may every night go to bed as if I were going to my grave knowing that sleep is the shadow of death and when the shadow is so near the substance cannot be far off Though lovers cannot meet all day yet they will make hard shift but they will find an opportunity to meet at night Should my devotion set with the natural Sun I may fear a dreadful night of darkness to follow That bed may well be as uneasie as one stuft with thorns that is not made by prayer If the soul lye down under an heavy load of sin the body can have no true rest Jacob could sleep sweetly upon an hard stone having made his peace with God when Ahashuerus could not though on a bed of down I cannot sleep unless God wake for me and I cannot rationally expect his watchfulness over me unless I request it My corruptions in the day call for contrition in the night How many omissions commissions personal relative sins heart life wickedness am I daily guilty of and â—hould I lye down under their weight for ought I know they may sink me before morning into endless wo. Whilst blood is in my veins sin will be in my soul. The weed of sin may be cut broken pulled up yet it will spring again I shall as soon cease to live as cease to sin Though I should be free all the day long from presumptuous enormities and onely defiled with ordinary humane infirmities yet these if not bewailed are damning The smallest letters are most hurtful to the eyes and far worse then a large Character Those sins which are comparatively little if not lamented are far more dangerous then Davids Murther and Adultery which were repented of When the soul like Thamar hath notwithstanding its utmost endeavours to preserve its chastity been ravished and by force defiled it must with her lift up the voice and weep If the Sun may not go down upon my wrath against man much-less may I presume to lye down under the wrath of God Besides how can sin be mortified if it be not confessed and bewailed Arraignment and Conviction must go before Execution The favours of the day past are not to be forgotten but to be acknowledged with thankefulness I receive every day more considerable mercies then there are moments in the day and when I borrow such large sums the principal of which I am unable ever to satisfie shall I be so unworthy as to deny the payment of this small interest which is all my Creditour requireth Whatsoever gain I have got in my calling whatsoever strength I have received by my food whatsoever comfort I have had in my Relations or Friends whatsoever peace liberty protection I have enjoyed all the day long I must say of all 〈◊〉 Jacob of his Venison The Lord hath brought it to me Surely the hearer of my morning prayers may well be the object of my evening prayses Aâ— how unreasonable is it that I like a whirl-pool should suck in every good thing that comes near me and not so much as acknowledge it Should any one be the thousandth part so much indebted to me as I am to God how ill should I take it if he should not confess it If a Beggar at my door receive a small almes from God by my hands I look for his thanks How often have I complained of the baseness and unworthiness of some that are engaged to me O what tongue can express what heart can conceive how much I am indebted to my God every moment though I am less then the least of all his mercies and doth not all his goodness merit sincere thankefulness Lord I confess there is not a day of my life wherein I do not break thy Laws in thought word and deed Sin is too much the element in which I live and the trade that I drive I find continually a law in my members warring against the Law of my mind and captivating me to the Law of sin and death Ah wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Since I am no day innocent make me every night penitent As my sins abound let my sorrow abound and thy grace much more abound Though I can never requite thy favours help me to admire and bless the fountain of them Suffer me never to go to bed till I have first asked thee my heavenly Father blessing Let the eyes of my soul be always open to thee in prayer and prayse before the eyes of my body be shut And O be thou always pleased so to accept my confessions petitions thanksgivings my person and performances in thy dear son that I may lay me down in peace and sleep because thou Lord makest me to dwell in safety Finally I Wish that every day of my life may be spent as if it were the day of my death and all my time employed in adorning my soul in trimming my lamp and in a serious preparation for eternity Whilst I am living I am dying every moment my sand is running and my Sun is declining I am as Stubble before the Wind and as
of others do speak aloud in thine ears that health and rest are mercies O how shouldst thou adore that God who distinguisheth thee thus graciously from others Mayst thou not think with thy self Here is a person full of pain the day is full of darkness to him and wearisome nights are appointed to him Lo his Wife and Children and Friends are weeping about him but cannot relieve or redress him all the comforts of this life are unâ—avoury to him His aches and grief and diseases hinder him much in spiritual performances and in the prosecution of a better life how much aâ— I bound to the Lord that it is not so with me I can relliâ—h outward mercies and am refreshed with bodily comforts I have no such distemper or pain to take me off from prayer or Scripture but I may be as frequent and as urgent as I will about my soul and eternal concernments Bless the Lord O my soul and all within me praise his holy name Surely health is the Prince the first-born of outward blessings Though foolish men deprive themselves frequently of it for the satisfaction of a sensual wanton appetite yet it s more worth then a thousand of those brutish transitory delights A Stomach is of more value then meat and a good digestion then raiment Men think not much to part with much of their wealth in their sickness for a little health O it deserves thy prayers to God for it with submission to his will when thou wantest it and thy praysing of God for it with enlarged affections when thou hast it 3. In observing the necessity of a timely repentance and its difficulty on a dying bed How unfit is a man to begin to live when he is wracked with pain and going to die The dolour and trouble of his body are great impediments to the good of his soul. When the outward man is in great distress and the inner man sympathizing with it the best words are often wasted and thrown away and the mind is unfit either to receive counsel or comfort Further How irrational is it to give Satan our prime our health or strength and God our weak and consumptionate and dying parts to present our enemy with our quick and nimble and active faculties and members and to put off our best friend with a body full of sores and a soul full of sin Besides the longer men continue in sin the more difficult their conversion will be He that hath wandred or travelled out of the right way all day will hardly be perswaded to go back all the way and set out again at night Where Satan hath dwelt long he will hardly be removed A Ship the longer it leaketh the harder it is to be emptied The fâ—rther a nail is driven in the more trouble to get it out The longer my soul continueth in disobedience the harder it will be to bring it to repentance The more sin is riveted and habituated in me the more pains and toyl and grief it will cost to get it subdued and slain 4. In learning more the excellency of grace and an interest in Christ and God which will do a man good in a day of â—ickness and an hour of death He is a friend indeed that is a friend in a day of adversity The sinners folly in neglecting durable riches teacheth the Christian wherein true wisdom consisteth and the worth of it That it consisteth not in heaping up such treasures or getting such friends as will be useless and unprofitable in a time of need but in laying up a treasure in Heaven and ensuring eternal comforts Cold â—harp weather sheweth the value of an healthy constitution A storm will speak the worth of a sure Anchor and a skilful Pilot. The excellency of grace and holiness and Christ and God are not fully known till we come into the other world where all sublunary comforts are wanting But the more any condition in this world resembleth that and the nearer we approach that the more visible is the value of divine and lasting blessings A Cordial is not esteemed till we come to fainting fits A soul that in time of health and wealth and outward prosperity made the fear and ways of God and the estate of the godly the object of his scorn and contempt when he comes to be awakened by the alarum of death and to look into the other world will make them the object of his choice and give a world if he had it for them A Good Wish about the visitation of the sick wherein the former heads are applied THe righteous Lord and God of all grace who for sin afflicteth man with sickness yet in the midst of judgement remembreth mercy intending his instruction not his destruction by it having designed such afflictions as rods to whip men to himself to make them out of love with sin the spring of all their sufferings and sorrows and to wean them from the earth who otherwise would make it their Heaven and hath also appointed men to be the means through which these mercies shall be conveyed and sicknesses sanctified to them I Wish in general that I may never omit to visit those Neighbours with pity whom God hath visited in fury muchless insult as the Edomites over the afflicted Israelites and persecute them whom God hath smitten drawing blood from those wounds which are already blew with the blows of the Almighty but may be faithful to the precept and purpose of my God in this particular and adopt my second table duties into the Family of the first table by visiting the sick not out of common civility but out of charity and in obedience to the God of my health It is my priviledge that my Almes may become Sacrifice my Courtesies worship and in paying that debt of love which I owe to my Neighbour I may pay that duty which I owe to my Maker O that in all my common transactions I might move upon principles of reason and especially in works that have a tendency Godward act upon grounds of Religion Lord thou hast an eye to my good in all thy providences and dealings why should not I have an eye to thy glory in all my practices and actings Cause thy fear so to possess my heart that I may visit the sick out of conscience and let thy grace so assist and accompany my endeavours that thou mayst visit them to their eternal comfort I Wish that the Command of my God may be a sufficient Motive and warrant to make me set about the practice of this work It is my duty to visit them that are sick as I am the Lords Servant I disown his authority I deny his Image if I do not sympathize with others in misery Nature it self commandeth me to be affected with the conditions of such as are afflicted All creatures will commiserate those of their rank and order that are in misery Bees will rather stay and starve with those of their kind that
militant Calvin was heard before his death often to sigh out How long Lord How long will it be ere thou avenge the blood of thy Servantsâ— The people of God are the purchase of Christ and of the same family and body with the dying Christian and therefore must needs be dear to him 4. For his Benefactours and those that have done good to him and his Paul had received some kindness from Onesimus he refreshed him in his bonds and in the 2 Tim. 1. 8. which was the last of his Epistles and thought to be written but a little before his death for he tells us in it I am ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand how pathetically doth he pray for him The Lord grant that he may finde mercy at that day 5. For our enemies This is to follow Gods pattern who doth good for evil and to obey his Precept who commandeth us to pray for them that despitefully use us Stephen when departing out of the World intreats mercy for them who were cruel to him Lord lay not this sin to their charge Act. 7. 60. Our blessed Saviour dying begs hard for their eternal lives who were the instruments and authors of his bloody death Father forgive them they know not what they do Luk. 23. 34. Thirdly In an holy exercise of Faith Courage Repentance Charity and Patience 1. Faith It s the Character of Gods Children that they live by Faith and they dye in the Faith Hab. 2. 6. Heb. 11. 31. The waters say some of the Pool of Bethesda wherein the Priest washed the sacrifices before he offered them was of a reddish colour to note that men must be washed by faith in the blood of Christ before they are ready to be offered a Peace-offering to God by death The dying Christian must expect strong assaults against the bulwark of his faith but what-ever he let go he must keep his hold on Christ. I know no grace that the Devil is such a sworn enemy to as Faith and I know no season that he is more diligent in to overthrow their faith then when they are under some dangerous sickness therefore it s the observation of a good man that he seldom seeth a sick Saint followed close with temptations to recover of that sickness for Satan knowing he hath but a little time useth all his craft and strength to separate the soul from the Rock of his salvation Upon a dying bed reflect upon former experienes of Gods love to thy soul and recollect the former evidences of of thy title to Christ and thereby to Heaven I must tell thee though the certainty of thy salvation depend upon the truth of thy Faith the comfort of thy dissolution will depend on the strength of thy Faith Faith is the shield of the soul and therefore above all in thy encounter with thy great enemy Satan and thy last enemy death take the Shield of Faith Eph. 6. 14. Epaminondas after his victory at Loâ—ctrum wherein he was mortally wounded understanding that his Buckler was safe bid his Chirurgion boldly to pluck out the Dart that stuck in his side and died cheerfully The Saint the Souldier of Christ who is wounded even to death and keepeth his Shield of Faith safe may leave the world with courage The Apostle Paul who knew whom he had beleived 2 Tim. 1. 12. rings a challenge in the ears of death O death where is thy sting and sings a triumphant ditty at the approach of death The time of my departure is at hand I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the Faith Henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. When Iacob had beleived the report of Iosephs life his heart was revived Is Joseph yet alive saith he I will go down and see him before I dye When the true Israelite can firmely credit the testimony which God hath given of Iesus the Son of Ioseph how he being an enemy was reconciled to God by the death of his Son and shall much more being reconciled be saved by his life and by faith can cling on him his heart though dying is then enlivened O with what comfort can he take his journey into the other world When Philip viewed his young Son Alexander Now saith he I am content to dye Old Simeon springs young again at a sight of Christ and having embraced his Saviour in the armes of faith as well as in the armes of his body he begs a dismission out of this valley of tears being assured thereby of an admission into fulness of joy Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes have seen thy salvation Having with an eye of faith beheld Christ he counts his life but a bondage and desires to depart or be loosed from fetters as the word signifieth and is taken Mat. 27. 17. We read of the Lords worthies that by faith they stopped the mouths of Lions Death is a fierce and cruel Lion but faith will pull out its teeth that it cannot hurt us or stop its mouth that it shall not devour us This grace like the Angel sent from Heaven when Daniel was cast into the Lions Den will save the Christian from being torn in peices O Friend The Robes of Christs righteousness is the onely Coat of Male which can defend thy soul against the shot of death If thou canst with Moses go up to Pisgah and take a view by faith of the Land of promise thou wilt comfortably with him lay down thine earthly Tabernacle Iob desired death as eagerly as the Labourer in an hot summers day desires the shadow Paul longed for it as vehemently as the Apprentice for the expiration of his Indentures and all because they had first beheld Christ by faith It s no wonder that many of Gods Children have called earnestly to be laid to bed knowing that it would prove their everlasting happy rest and when their bodies are carried by mortal men to their Mother Earth their souls should be conveyed by glorious Angels to their Father in Heaven 2. Courage A Christian should be a Voluntier in death Many of the Martyrs were as willing to dye as to dine went to the sire as chearfully as to a Feast and courted its pale and gastly countenance as if it had bee a beautiful Bride When King Lysimachus threatned Cyrenaeus Theodorus with Hanging Istis quaeso inquit ista horribilia minitare purpuratis tuis Thedori quidem nihil interest humine an sublime putrescat Threaten these terrible things to thy brave Courtiers Theodorus cares not whether he rot in the Air or on the Earth Cyprian said Amen to his own Sentence of Martyrdom Hierom reports of Nepotianus that he gave up his life so chearfully that one would have thought he rather walked forth then died When Ignatius was led from Syria to Rome to be torn in peices of wild
enough to check the greatest for their crimes How plain was Seneca in reproving Nero Diogenes in reproving Alexander and Zeno Nearchus It s said of Suetonius that in writing the lives of the twelve Caesars he took the same liberty in declaring their vices which they took to commit them and shall not Christians be as bold to check sin as others are to act it Reader what love dost thou show to thy Neighbour if thou seest him wounding and piercing his inestimable soul and thou dost not endeavour though against his will to hold his hand If thou shouldst see him take a Knife to stab himself at the heart thou wouldst not stay to ask his leave or fear his anger but do thy utmost to hinder him and canst thou see him destroying his soul and not seek to prevent him That pity without question is the best which relateth to the better part There was a barbarous Law among the Lacedemonians That no man should tell his Neighbour any ill news that befel him but every one should be left in process of time to find it out himself Alas what will become of poor sinners if none should tell them what they are doing whither they are going till they come to find it in the place of torments Were love burning in our hearts as fire was in the Temple or were our faces towards one another like those Cherubims which covered the Mercy Seat with their wings we should not onely not lie in sin our selves but also endeavour that others should not die in their sins That person who refused to smite his Neighbour when commanded in the name of the Lord was slain by a Lion 1 King 20. 35. If we refuse to smite sin Gods wrath will smite us Because this duty is of such concernment I shall give thee some few brief directions 1. Be sure that which thou reprovest be a sin and not a lawful or indifferent thing Some shew much heat but little holiness in keeping a great stir about nothing The Israelites raised a great Army to fight against their Brethren upon a supposition that they had built an Altar for sacrifice Iosh. 22. 16. Eli was mistaken in chiding Hannah for drunkenness and thinking she was not sober because she was almost overwhelmed with sorrow 1 Sam. 2. T is dangerous to apply corroding medicines upon supposition that the person hath a festered sore or to cut a man for the stone who is not troubled with that distemper It were better by much to be silent then to cry out against that which we cannot by Scripture prove to be sin He that reproves the deed will do more hurt then good if he be not able to convince the doer Tit. 1. 9. To some it may be said as Iob to his friends who accused him of Hypocrisie because of his calamity as if the stick could not be straight because t was brought to the fire How forcible are right words but what doth your arguing reprove Job 6. 25. Right words have great weight naked truth will be too hard for armed error but what power have mistaken or misapplied arguments what doth such arguing reprove Such arguings seldom reprove any but the arguer and him they always reprove 2. Reprove seriously Reproof is an edged tool and must not be jested wiâ—h Cold Reproofs are like the noise of Cannons a great way off nothing affrighting us He that reproves sin merrily as one that takes a pride to shew his wit and make the company laugh will destroy the sinner instead of the sin There are those that spit out their friends with their tongues and laugh them into enemies Sharpness and acuteness doth ill in sportful festivals but it becomes purging potions Lightness is commendable is nothing but worst in things that are weighty A vain jesting admonition is like rubbing a person with a poisoned Oyl which spreads the more for being put into such a fleeting suppleness The Areopagites banished Stilpo for proving by his Sophistry that Minerva was no Goddess alledging this for their reason that it was not safe for any to dally with things that were Divine Reproof is strong Physick and worketh many times to purpose and therefore is not to be given in jest Sin which is the object of it is not to be played with nor Hell its consequent a jesting matter Titus 1. 13. The Apostle enjoynes Titus to reprove sharply the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cuttingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they may be sound in the faith He that mindeth his Patients health will not toy or trifle or play with his mortal diseases the flesh must feel the plaister or it will never eat up the corruption in it Shouldst thou apply an healing plaister to skin the wound aloft when there is need of a corrosive to take away the dead flesh thou wouldst be false and unfaithful to thy friend When the water was bitter and the ground barren Elisha cast a cruse of Salt into it and it healed both Reproof like Salt must have in it both sharpness and savouriness Alas how fierce is that wrath how hot is that fire to which poor sinners are liable and wilt thou sport with their souls and joyn with them in making a mock of sin Saints must be zealous not onely in good works but also in reproving evil workers The Command is Cry aloud spare not lift up thy voice like a Trumpet and shew my people their trangression and the house of Jacob their sin Isa. 58. 1. This belongs in some sense to every member as well as to the Minister They must reprove sin powerfully cry aloud lift up thy voice as a trumpet particularly shew my people their transgression and the house of Jacob their sin Admonition without serious Application is like an Arrow with too many Feathers which though we level at the Mark is taken by the Wind and carried quite from it Some men shoot their Reprehensions like Pellets through a Trunk with no more strength then will kill a Sparrow those make sinners beleive that sin is no such dreadful evil and the wrath of God no such frightful end He that would hit the mark and recover the sinner must draw his arrow of Reproof home Reproof must be powerful the hammer of the word breaks not the heart if it be lightly layd on If the flesh doth not feel the plaister it will hardly be healed by it It must also be so particular that the offendor may think himself concerned Some in reproof will seem to aim at the sinner but so order it that their arrows shall be sure to miss him As Domitian when a Boy held for a mark afar off his hand spread with his fingers severed he shot his arrows so that all hit the empty spaces between his fingers Be the reproof never so gracious the Plaister never so good it will be ineffectual if not applied to the Patient 2 Sam. 12. 7. Act. 2. 36 37. 3.
good Companions will advise and direct my feet in the ways of peace If I fit in darkness and see no light by their counsel and comfort I may learn the way out of the mist. If I am perplexed in any labyrinths they may help me to unty that knot of which I have been labouring long in vâ—in to find an end If I be falling they will be props to support me if I wander they will be guides to reduce me if I be dull they will be whet-stones to quicken me if I do well they will be fathers to encourage me whatever my want be they will endeavour to supply me and whatever my condition be they will be like-minded both weeping with me in my sorrows and rejoycing with me in my joys Besides if I expect the presence of my God who is rich in mercy and the God of all consolations where can I find him sooner then in his Temple they are the Temple of God and I will dwell in them His Saints on Earth are his lesser Heaven wherein he takes up his abode O my soul what an Argument is here to perswade thee to fellowship with the Saints Theirs is the onely good fellowship Their Communion is a Conjunction in the service of thy God and tendeth abundantly to thy spiritual advantage and edification Thy Redeemer calls them the light of the world and they will guide thee in the way which he hath cast up The salt of the earth and they will preserve thee from corruption Their conversations are living Commentaries upon that word which is thy rule and so will both plainly teach thee thy duty and powerfully provoke thee to do it Their expressions will by savoury and help thee to learn the language of Canaan The tongue of the just is a tree of life and beareth excellent fruit The lips of the righteous feed many Besides amongst these Children thou mayst be sure to meet with the everlasting Father Where two or three are gathered together in my name I will be in the midst of them Though but two or three that the wicked despise them for their paucity though two or three never so low and mean that the world scorns them for their poverty yet if gathered together in his name they shall not fail of his presence Surely nothing will prevail more with a faithful Spouse to joyn with any company then this She shall meet with her beloved Husband amongst them O of what great price is this one promise I will be in the midst of them His presence like the nearer approaches of the Sun in the Spring will refresh their hearts with the warm beams of his love when they are chill and almost dead with the cold of frights and fears and cause in their souls a new shooting of grace that notwithstanding any foregoing winter of barrenness they shall now abound in the fruits of righteousness What can they or thou O my soul want which his presence will not supply Art thou laden with sin he can give thee rest art thou full of sorrows he is the conâ—olation of Israel art thou poor in grace with him is durable riches and righteousness art thou dull and dead in spirituals he is the Lord of life and can quicken thee He hath power enough to subdue all thy lusts he hath wisdom enough to resolve all thy doubts he hath grace enough to pity all thy weaknesses and mercy enough to pardon all thy unworthiness He is able to save to the uttermost Nay thou hast not only his Promise to meet thee in his Garden amongst his people but thou hast also his Performance of it for thine encouragement Then the same day at evening being the first day of the week when the doors were shut where the Disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews came Jesus and stood in the midst and saith unto them Peace be unto you And when he had so said he shewd unto them his hands and his side then were the Disciples glad when they had seen the Lord Then said Iesus unto them again Peace be unto you As my Father hath sent me so send I you And he breathed on them and said Receive ye the Holy Ghost O the value of those Jewels which are lockt up in this Cabinet All the Crowns and Scepters of the world had they been thrown in amongst the Disciples could not have caused the thousandth part of that comfort nor have brought any degree of that profit which the Disciples had by the presence of the holy Jesus Consider his words Peace be unto you peace be unto you Never did sweeter words or more melodious musick ever sound in humane ears What tidings could be more welcom to them that had known the terrors of an angry God and felt the curses of his righteous Law Didst thou never see a poor debtor arrested by severe Serjeants and hailed to the Goal in which nasty miserable place he was like to continue whilst he lived with wringing of hands and watering of cheeks and doleful screeches and afterwards upon the payment of his debts by some loving Surety with what clapping of hands and gladness of heart he was enlarged If so thou hadst some poor resemblâ—nce of that exuberancy of joy which the Disciples felt when they saw the Lord and heard those blessed words Peace be unto you They were all liable every moment to the arrest of divine justice for those vast sums which they owed to the Holy and Jealous God and in continual danger to be hurried by Divels his Officers to the Prison of Hell whence they could never have come out Now his appearance to them did evidence that the Law was satisfied that all their debts were discharged in that the Surety who took upon him the payment of them was by order of the Iudge released What news could find more acceptance with those that dreaded the fury of the Lord more then death and esteemed his favour far before life then that which did speak him reconciled to them And farther observe the work of the blessed Redeemer And he breathed on them Receive ye the Holy Ghost As if he had said I know your unbeleiving hearts will think the news of a reconciled God and of peace with him too good to be true behold therefore his love-token Receive the earnest of his favour his holy Spirit who knoweth his mind fully and was at the Council-Table of Heaven when all your names were engrost in the book of life and all the methods of grace and good-will towards poor sinners were debated and concluded and is sent to you on purpose to reveal them to you and assure you of them and therefore is an unquestionable evidence that he is at one with you This O my soul was the blessed Heavenly Banquet which the Redeemer entertained his Disciples with when they met together and wouldst thou miss such a feast for all the World Lord thou lovest the Assemblies of thy Saints they are the habitations
Sons to peace lest they should lose the Kingdom he left his heir The Saint must conjure his Children to purity in the first place lest they lose their souls and the Kingdom of Heaven Mr. Robert Bolton on his Death-bed called his Children together Wisht them to remember the counsel he had formerly given them and he verily beleived none of them durst meet him at the great Tribunal in an unregenerate estate Mr. Sanders a little before his death in a Letter to his Wife writeth thus Dear Wife riches I have none to leave behind me wherewith to endow thee after this worlds manner but the treasure of tasting how sweet Christ is unto hungry consciences ' whereof I thank my Christ I feel part and would feel more I bequeath to thee and to the rest of my beloved in Christ to retain the same in sense of heart always O how pathetically how earnestly should dying Christians who know somewhat of the worth of grace and holiness and of the evil and end of sin and sinners perswade their Children and Relations to love and fear and serve the Lord when it s the last time that ever they shall advise or counsel them How hard should they woo that the souls of their Kindred may be married to Christ Secondly In commending thy self and others to God by prayer When the body breaths shortest it breaths quickest Though the Christian on his death-bed may want strength for long solemn devotion his short ejaculations should be both fervent and frequent The first thing a Child of God doth when new born is to breath to pray Act. 9. 27. And its one of the last things he doth Act. 7. ult He entereth praying into the place of praise Paul the Hermit was found dead saithe Ierom with his hands and eyes lifted up to Heaven that the dead corps seemed to pray Demus operam ut moriamur in precatione Let us endeavour to dye at prayer saith Austin 1. The sick man should pray especially for himself Lord Iesus receive my Spirit saith Stephen Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit saith Christ Lord saith dying Beza Perfect that which thou hast begun that I suffer not Ship-wrack in the Haven Children desire to dye in their Fathers bosome or on their Mothers lap Mr. Perkins died begging remission of sin and intreating mercy at Gods hands Bishop Vsher was often heard to desire the like end that Mr. Perkins had which he obtained for the last words which he was heard to utter were But Lord in special forgive my sins of omission not long after which he expired Luthers prayer a little before his death or rather thanksgiving was Pater mi caelestis Deus Pater domini nostri Iesu Christi ago tibi gratias quod filium tuum Iesum Christum mihi revelasti cui credidi quem sum professus quem amare c. My Heavenly Father the God and Father of my Lord Iesus Christ I thank thee for revealing thy Son Iesus Christ to me whom I have beleived whom I have professed whom I have loved Others must not be forgotten by us but our own souls must in a special manner be remembred Bellarmin tells us of a desperate Advocate in the Court of Rome who being exhorted on his death-bed to pray to God for mercy made this speech Lord I have a word to say to thee not for my self Ego enim propero ad inferos neque enim est ut aliquid pro me agas For I am hastening to Hell neither is there any thing that I would beg on my own behalf but for my Wife and Children This he spake saith Bellarmin who was then present as boldly as if he had been taking his journey onely to some neighbouring Village 2. For his Relations The more hot our affection is to any the more fervent our petitions should be for them Praying Parents are the most loving Parents When dying chiefly they should bless their Children in the Name of the Lord. So Isaac did Gen. 28. 1. Thus Iacob Gen. 48. 15 16. Godly Parents may plead the Covenant made to them and theirs unto God on their Dying Beds with comfort They are best acquainted with their Childrens conditions conversations wants weaknesses and so fittest to open their cases to God and to beseech grace on their behalves that they may be an holy seed a generation arising to shew forth his praise Christ when nigh death committed his spiritual Children to his Father and earnestly begged his care of them and favour for them Holy Father I come to thee I am no more in the World but these are in the world Keep them thrâ—ugh thy name keep them from the evil sanctifie them through thy truth So should a godly Father or Mother when dying Lord I am leaving my poor Children in the midst of snares and temptations and miseries I am coming out of the world to thy Majesty where I shall be above all frights and fears and beyond all malice and mischief but my children are in the world and will dayly be environd with allurements and affrightments with assaults and batteries from their spiritual enemies thou knowest the power and policy of the world and the wicked one the treachery and deceitfulness of the flesh within them and their weakness and inability to wrestle with and overcome the flatteries of the World and the suggestions of the Devil O keep them through thy name that they may look beyond the World live above the World and expect and eye their portion and happiness in a better World Though they live in the World let them not live as the World but walk all their days as heirs of another World Keep them from the evil of â—in however it please thy Majesty to deal with them about the evil of Suffering Give them the Shield of Faith whereby they may quench the fiery Darts of the Devil Let thy Covenant of grace be their portion thy love their cordial and thy Mansion-house their eternal possession Be thou their Father to direct protect govern and provide for them and give them a name in thy house better then of Sons and Daughters O sanctifie them through thy truth that they may be saved and may meet me with joy at the great day Luther when dying made this Will for his Wife great with Child and his little Sons O Lord God I thank thee that thou wouldst have me to be poor in this world I have no House Land or money that I should leave them Thou hast given me Wife and Children I restore them to thee Do thou O Father of Orphans and judge of Widows nourish teach keep them as thou hast hitherto me 3. For the whole Church of God It s good to pray by our selves but its ill to pray onely for our selves When we are dying and going to the Church triumphant we should be sure to put up some requests for the poor members of Christ and the Church
and life to the bitter in soul Job 3. 20. Light is one of the most excellent things that God hath made and is therefore used by the Holy Ghost to set out not onely the Word of God and the Work of Godliness Psa. 119. 105. 1 Iohn 1. 7. but also Christ and Heaven and God himself 1 Ioh. 9. 1 Colos. 12. 1 Iohn 1. 5. Life is the Apex the highest stair the top-stone the choisest of all temporal mercies There is no flower in natures garden for beauty or excellency comparable to it therefore men if brought to the pinch will part with all to redeem this Skin for skin all that a man hath will he give for his life The loss of life is the chiefest outward loss and esteemed the greatest satisfaction to justice or nature The desire of life is indeed the greatest earthly blessing the most loyal people can desire for their loving Prince Let the King live but light and life as precious pearls as they are become burdens most toylsom and tedious to men without comfort Joy to life is as the form to the matter which animates and actuates it and makes it spâ—ightful and lively Why is light given to one in misery and life to the bitter in soul Now Reader It is Religion that is the comfort of thy life by bringing thee to him who is the life of all thy comforts Other things can never suâ—e and so can never satisfie and therefore can never truly refresh or rejoyce the soul of man The body may sooner be fed and preserved with Air and Wind as the soul filled with the whole world They who swim down with a full stream of outward good things who have waters of a full cup wrung out to them and have more then heart can wish though they be Masters of hidden and bottomless mines as the Spanish Ambassadour boasted of his Soveraigns treasures in the Indies though they have thousands and millions of heads bare and knees bowing to them and are mounted to the loftiest pinacle of honour and fame and renown though their garments are of finest silk sented with the sweetest perfumes embroydered by the most skilful Artist and enamelled with the richest jewels though their food be the most choice and luscious delicates the most mellifluous Nectar that earth air and water can afford and though their bodies be in the most perfect state of health and thereby enabled to extract the quintessence of all this and so rellish it in the highest degree yet all this is not able to give them the least dram of true delight the smallest crum of true comfort In the midst of their sufficiency such Monarchs are in straights They may possess much but enjoy nothing Their faces someâ—times are featured with laughter when at the same time their souls are in little ease In the midst of mirth their hearts are sorrowful and the end of that mirth is heaviness As some Plumbs that are sweet and luscious in the outward part but have bitter kernels so the most rich and honourable sinners in the midst of their mirth and gigling and sports have inward gripes which like Leaven sowreth the whole lump of their enjoyments Haman though exalted to the highest seat next the Throne in the Persian Court and had the command of him who commanded one hundred and twenty seven Provinces yet had an aking heart and a worm gnawing his inwards that he cryeth out All this avails me nothing c. The Worlds greatest darlings whom she dandleth most upon her knees and to whom she granteth her sweetest kisses are but at best like a curious marble chimney-piece glorious and shining without but full of soot and blackness within God did at first for mans fall judge the earth to bring forth Briars and Thorns and all the fruit it beareth will be piercing and paining what ever men fancy to themselves But Reader though the curse of the earth be Thistles and Thorns yet the blessing of Heaven is light and joy Though the World be empty and vain and vexatious yet Religion is full and filling the soul with content and comfort Observe the very formal nature of it The Kingdom of God i. e. Religion consisteth not in meats and drinks but in righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. Peace and joy is the heart-chearing wine which groweth upon this vine A good conscience is a continual feast Natural things must be brought to their center before they can enjoy rest and how can it be expected that spiritual beings can enjoy true repose but in their centre the Father of spirits That peace which passeth all understanding that joy which is unspeakable and full of glory are the true and legitimate children of the power of godliness Outward things and formes like Glow-worms may be glistering but they are not warming T is the power of Religion like the Sun that brings refreshing light and enlivening heat along with it The wicked is snared in his wickedness but the righteous sing rejoyce 2. Is not that worthy to be made thy business in which thou hast to do with an insinite glorious and jealous Majesty If men are serious about the concernments of a Father or Master or Noble-man or King how serious should they be about the concernments of a God I must tell thee Reader that thou hast every moment of thy life to do with the great God Whether thou art eating or drinking or walking or buying or selling or ploughing or sowing or reaping as well as when thou art praying or hearing or reading or meditating thou haste still to do with God In all companies in all thy relations in all natural actions in all civil transactions at all seasons thou haste more to do with God then with any creature then with all the creatures And is his work to be slighted or dallied with or slubbered over Is it good playing or toying with his interest and concerns in whose hand is thy breath and life and all that thou hast Dost thou not know that his eyes is ever upon thee that his arm is able to reach and revenge him on thee when he pleaseth that he looks on himself as worthy to be observed and pleased in all thy thoughts and words and deeds and wilt thou dare him to his face and provoke him before his eyes and cast him behind thy back as not deserving to be minded or regarded Is his fury so light a burden or his favour so little a blessing that thou art so indifferent unto either Ah didst thou but know what a God thou hast to deal with in every part and passage and moment of thy life how sweet his love is far better then life how bitter his wrath is more dreadful then death didst thou know how great a good how blessed a friend how high an honour how choice an happiness how rich a cordial how vast a treasure he is to them that make his service their business didst
toucht it desileth but Fullers-Earth doth not so soon cleanse If Israel once joyn themselves to Baal-Peor they quickly eat the offerings of the dead and bow down to their Idols It s as ordinary to put on other mens faults as their outward fashions One Corah did but kindle the fire of rebellion and presently two hundred and fifty Captains brought wood to increase its flame to their own destruction If I know of any that have infectious diseases love to my body will not suffer me to drink of their Cup or to sit at their Table and when I know of them that have such contagious spiritual sicknesses shall not love to my soul move me to forbear their society Lord my prayer hath often been Lead me not into temptation shall I run into temptation thou knowest how prone I am should I walk with wicked persons to walk in their wicked paths and hast therefore laid thy strict command upon me Enter not into the path of the wicked and go not in the way of evil men Avoid it pass not by it turn from it and pass away Prov. 4. 14 15. keep me from hazarding this frail Potsherd my flesh upon the Rock of evil company from venturing amongst those vipeâ—s lest I be stung Enable me to avoid the Congregation of evil doers and keep me from going with the wicked lest I learn their ways and get a snare to my soul. I Wish that I may be the more fearful of joyning with sinners lest my God joyn me with them in their sufferings It is evil and woful to be found in that house which is all over in a flame The anger of my God is worse then a consuming fire and shall I associate with them that are always under his fury When a City is taken by storm in the night the sword makes no difference amongst the Inhabitants betwixt friends and foes What safety can I expect in being near them that are far from Gods Law and Love Wicked men are dross they have no good mettal in them they are neither fit vessels to serve nor currant mony to inrich me but though I be Gold if mingled with such Dross I must look to be melted If the Stork accompany the Cranes it s no wonder if she be taken in the fame Net Jehosaphat was a good man yet for joyning with the wicked wrath came upon him from the Lord 2 Chron. 19. 2. If I follow him in his sin shall I be free All that sailed in the Ship fared the worse for one disobedient Jonah his company cost them the loss of their lading and was like to have cost them their lives The whole body of Israel fell before their enemies because wicked Achan stood amongst them O my soulâ— dost thou think then to afford such thy presence and not to share in their punishment Consider with seriousness what thy God saith Depart from the Tabernacle of these wicked men and touch nothing of theirs lest ye be consumed in their sins Wouldst thou for any carnal profit be found amongst those persons who are every moment in danger of the bottomless pit The Earth clave asunder that was under them and swallowed them up their houses goods and all that appertained to them O what man unless bereft of his wits would be one hour contentedly in the company of these Corahs that are always liable to Gods curse Let the great use thou makest of such dreadful Doctrines be not to partake of their sins so much as by thy presence that thou mayst not partake of their plagues And they that were round about them fled at the cry of them for they said Let us be gone quickly lest the earth swallow up us also Numb 16. 26. and 31. 34. Lord Thine Enemies enjoy many mercies through their Neighbourhood to thy Friends thou art so loving a Father that the servants of sin whom thou countest no better then Dogs do fare much the better for that bountiful Table which thou keepest for thine own Children the Dogs have eaten the crums which fall from the Childrens Table The Tares continue the longer in the field and the sickle of thy justice doth not yet cut them down for the unquenchable fire because the Wheat is amongst them but thy Saints have suffered much outward misery for their nearness to sinners thou art such an holy jealous God thine hatred of sin is so infinite that when the fire of thv wrath hath consumed unbeleivers some sparks of it have lighted on their best Neighbours when the hand of thy fury hath fallen heavy on the workers of iniquity thy Chosen sitting by them have been sensible of the blow My prayer hath often been Remove thy stroke away from me and my Complaint for I am consumed by the blow of thine hand I tremble to think of the frownes of thy face but surely the weight of thy hand would sink me indeed O guard thy servant so powerfully by thy grace that I may avoid all appearance of evil As I would avoid thy batteries let me avoid the Camp of thine enemies and keep me from giving them the least countenance that I may not be wrapt up in their vengeance I Wish that the great gain which I may get by good Companions may make me the more diligent to find them out Though it s no small unhappiness to be joyned to them that are ever standing under the spout of the Lords fury yet it s blessed to be near them that are always under the dropings of divine favour Christ is always present with his people and therefore I may say with Peter It is good to be there When a King comes to visit one of his Peers all the family oftentimes tasteth of his bounty but the Noblemans Relations of his grace and love he converseth with them and they with him If Sinners are the better for the Neighbourhood of the Saints and for their sakes God lets his Enemies experience his goodness surely Beleivers shall be the better for the Neighbour hood of their Brethren and shall have experience of special good-will I cannot conceive the kindnesses which may be done for me by these Friends at Court Their interest is great in the blessed and glorious Potentate The King is not he as was once said in another sense that can deny them any thing Whatsoever they ask the Father in Christs name he will do it for them When guilt flieth in my face and I dare not appear or when through the prevalency of temptation I cannot pour out a prayer they will appear for me put up my suits and that with success If I be dull they may quicken me If I am in doubts they may resolve me If I wander they will be faithful in acquainting me with my faults to reduce me If I walk uprightly they will be helpful by administring Heavenly Cordials to encourage me A faithful friend will be my second self and love me as his own soul. When I faint he will
be consumed Why may not my soul find some Pearl in the Heads of these Toads and get some spirital riches by trading with them for temporal Naturalists tell me its wholsom for a flock of Sheep to have some Goats amongst them their bad sent being Physical to preserve the Sheep from the Shakings Surely then the presence of ungodly men may sometimes be profitable for me and prevent that lightness and vanity which I am too apt to discover in every company Though I am loose amongst my friends and it be my sorrow I had need to be serious amongst mine enemies lest I become their scorn Frankincense put into the fire giveth the greater perfume Civet doth not lose its savour but is the sweeter in a sink O that my soul might draw the nearer to God because others depart farther from him and do him the more service and be the more diligent at his work because they are so unworthy and wicked Executioners and Hangmen are helpful to a Country to free them from those Felons and Murderers that would destroy the Inhabitants My sins may receive their deaths wounds through the hands of them who have no true love to me My Pride may well be abated because of their prophaness Free grace alone makes me to differ I had been as bad as the worst of them if infinite mercy had not preserved me I shall be as bad if boundless love do not prevent me to God alone therefore belongs the glory Possibly they may sometimes twit me with my faults and herein they may prove my friends Every man hath need of a Monitor My friends too often are cowardly and afraid to tell me my errors lest they should give offence my enâ—mies will speak their minds freely if they know any thing amiss by me and so do me a great kindness Myrrhe though bitter may heal wounds and preserve from putrefaction so may the taunts and gibes of ungodly men cure my inward sores and make me watchful against future wandring T was a worthy speech of the Macedonian King Philip when he was told that Nicanor spake evil of him I believe he is honest and I fear I have deserved it I may also be the better for wicked mens counsel as well as their carping if I have but the wit to follow it so far as it is good Evil Joab gave good counsel to David and had he desisted upon it from numbring the people it might have saved the lives of some thousands It is ordinary indeed to value the advice by the person and thereby it becomes unprofitable But is silk the less precious because it s spun by vile worms Are Roses the less sweet because they grow amongst briers and brambles Silver and Gold are not the worse by being taken out of the lowest element the Earth That Wine may strengthen and refresh my nature which is drawn out of a wooden or wormeaten caske O that I might take the counsel of the worst in that which is good and refuse the counsel of the best in that which is evil Lord thou canst command that these stones of wicked men be made bread to nourish my soul teach me by their falls to walk more humbly with thee and to cleave more fast to thy Son through whose strength alone I stand Blessed be thy justice which hath made them examples to me and blessed be thy mercy that hath not made me an example to them I Wish that whilst my God calleth me among them I may do good to them as well as receive good from them that I may as Musk cast a fragrancy amongst such course and foul linnen Though I hate their sins yet I am bound to love and pity their souls T is true they are vile and vicious they work iniquity they walk after the flesh they walk contrary to God and bid him depart from them But may I not say Father forgive them they know not what they do Did they know him they would not by their sins crucifie afresh the Lord of glory It s no wonder that blind men should wander out of the right way that those who have been kept in Dungeons all their days should be contented with the poor Rush-candles of creature comforts and never desire nor enquire after the Sun of Righteousness Alas the God of this World hath blinded their minds lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them He knoweth that did they but see the grace they abuse the love they despise the excellency and certainty of that Salvation which they neglect and the extremity and endlesness of that misery which they are hastening to they would quickly turn about and mind the things which concern their everlasting peace therefore he holds his black hand over their eyes and so they are alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them O what pity should I have for such ignorant persons as are running hoodwinkt to Hell If to him that is afflicted pity should be shewn what pity doth he call for who is all over infected with sin and every moment in danger of everlasting death Can I be troubled to behold the blind or the lame or the sick and have I no bowels for those souls that lye weltring in their blood Besides the time was that I had as low thoughts of God and his ways and as high thoughts of the flesh and the world as they I was once in their condition a servant of sin an heir of wrath and therefore I owe them the more compassion Those that have been sensible of the Stone or Gout or Tooth-ach are the more pitiful towards them that are affected with the same pain My God bids me to be gentle shewing all meekness towards all men Tit. 3. 2 3. Because I my self was sometimes disobedient deceived and serving divers lusts and pleasures When I was wallowing in my uncleanness and priding my self in my pollutions the heart of my God was turned towards me and the hand of mercy open to me O my soul shall not that infinite perdition to which thou wast obnoxious and that infinite compassion of which thou hast tasted prevail with thee to pity others O that thou wert so affected with the misery thou hast deserved and that rich love and grace which thou hast received that thou mightest seriously and studiously endeavour by thy affectionate counsel pious carriage and prudent admonition that others may be partakers of the same mercy and grace if my carriage be unblameable my counsel and reproof will be the more acceptable wholsom meat often is distastful coming out of nasty hands A bad liver cannot be a good counsellor or bold reprover such a man must speak softly for fear of awaking his own guilty â—onscience If the Bell be crackt the sound must needs be jarring I desire that I may be as bold to reprove as others are to commit sin yet that I may be so prudent
3. Think he did it ignorantly that had he known the consequence he would not have been guilty of such a crime Surely the man thought no hurt he spake on a sudden such words came out of his mouth before he was aware or he would never have spoken them I my self in an heat might have been as harsh When high winds blow storms will follow 4. If thou canst not be perswaded but the injury was wittingly offered then think He was overcome with some great temptation There were extraordinary fumes at that instant flying up into his head which made him talk idly and of which now he may be repenting before the Lord. The strong man was too hard for the weak Christian. Flesh and blood was easily conquered by Principalities Powers I may well forgive him his sin will cost him sorrow enough before his Father smile on him III. The Natural burthen as I may call it though it hath a relation to spiritual but not fully in the former sense of their infirmities Some by reason of bad instruments are but bunglars at their work They have naturally understandings very dull to receive and memories very slow to retain spiritual things They have ill constitutions of body and thereby the worse frames of soul and the more apt to be peevish and fretful Now we exhort you brethren that ye support the weak and be patient towards all men 1 Thes. 5. 14. All the persons in Gods family are not of the same height and strength though some are Old Men and Fathers and others are Young and strong yet some are little Children Babes in Christ some can go alone or with a little help if you hold them but by their leading-strings but others must be carried in arms and will require much love and patience to overcome their childish frowardness Christ winks at their weaknesses who hath most reason to be moved with them though his disciples were raw and dull and slow to believe and understand yet he bears with them Nay though when he was watching for them and in his bloody sweat his whole body being in a goar blood under the weight of their and others sins on his back and they lay sleeping and snoring and could not watch with him one hour he doth not fall fiercely upon them but calmly asketh them Could ye not watch with me one hour and afterwards excuseth it for them First From the natural cause There heads were full at that time ofâ— fumes Their eyes were heavy with sorrow They were full of grief for their dear Master and their sorrow hindring the digestion of their food filled them with vapours which ascending to their brains inclined them to sleep Secondly From the Moral cause they would but they could not The Spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak there better part would move more swiftly and do any thing at my call and command but their flesh draweth back and makes them drive heavily It s no wonder that their pace is so slow when like the snail they have such an house such an hinderance upon their backs The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak Who can think of this infinite grace of the blessed Redeemer in making such an Apologie for them whom he had such cause to be full of fury against and not be incited to imitate so admirable a pattern There is another famous instance in the Old Testament and that is Gods patience towards peevish Ionah by which all may see how much he bears with his froward children First Ionah runs from his business God sends him to Niniveh he will go to Tarshish here was plain rebellion against his Soveraign One would have expected that the jealous God should have given him a Traytors wages and when he was at Sea have suffered the Ocean of waters to have swallowed up his body and the Ocean of fire and wrath his soul but loe he cannot permit his Ionah to perish he will rather whip him to his work then let him wander to his ruine But how gentle is the rod God cannot forget the love of a Father though Ionah forget the duty of a childe but will rather work a miracle and make the devourer his Saviour then Ionah shall miscarry T is true he was tossed with a violent tempest and thrown over-board but God provided him a shelter before the storm and prepared a Whale to swallow him down not for his destruction but his deliverance And the Lord spake to the fish and it vomited up Jonah upon the dry land Well now the childe is brought home you will look that he should make some recompence for his former disobedience by his faithfulness and diligence for the future that the danger he had been in the death he had so narrowly escaped the miracle which had been wrought for him and the extraordinary mercy he had so lately received should have melted him wholly into Gods mould and have made him like Abraham to have come up wholly to Gods foot But alas he addeth sin to sin and neither mercy nor misery prevail with him to know himself Indeed he undertakes the journey and message he was called to upon a second command but as unwillingly as the Bear goeth to the stake After he had pronounced a sentence of death upon the Ninivites and shewed them a warrant under the high Gods hand and seal for their speedy execution how ill doth he take it that upon their humble petition a Reprieve should be granted them he frets inwardly against God and through the exceeding heat of his heart his tongue blisters with casting Gods mercy in his teeth He was wrath for that in which he had cause to rejoyce His love to his brethren might have made him glad of their escape and his love to his God should have quieted him in all his wise and holy proceedings But it displeased Jonah exceedingly and he was very angry and he prayed unto the Lord O Lord was not this my saying in my Country for I knew that thou art a gracions God c. Therefore O Lord take away my life He quarrels with Gods providence and he doth as it were twit God with that which is the glory of all his Attributes and actions and the best friend the poor children of men have his Grace and Pity desiring rather the destruction of above sixscore thousand persons then that himself by the blind ignorant world should be reckoned a false Prophet Behold impatience in its largest dimensions Ionah will dye because so many thousands are allowed out of infinite kindness to live O what a nest of vermine was in the womb of this disobedience Here is pride both in preferring his own will before Gods and in his unwillingness to suffer a little in his repute in the eye of the people Here was passion to the height and that against God himself Here was murmuring against sparing mercy and the Divine pleasure Here was unbelief as if God could not repair his
contrary to his being law and honour though he be so perfect a God that no sin can be hurtful to him yet he is so pure a God that every sin is hateful to him Therefore the Scripture speaking of God after the manner of men represents it as offensive to every of his senses It grates his ears and thence he complains of the cry of Sodom It provoketh his eyes and hence it is said Evil cannot stand in thy sight neither canst thou behold the workers of iniquity It oppresseth his feeling wherefore he â—s said to be pressed with â—in as a Cart is pressed with sheaves It displeaseth his smell and so he calleth sinners rotten carâ—â—sses open sepulchres that send forth noisom savours He proclaimes to the world the offensiveness of sin to his sacred Majesty by the names he gives it in his royal Law wherein â—e forbids it He calls it dung mire vomit filth superfluity of naughtiness filthiness a menstruous cloth a plague an issue an ulcer And yet though sin be thus infinitely loathsom and odious to him he bears with men that are all over infected with it in the highest degree 2. The condition of sinners His patience is much heightned by considering who they are that distaste and provoke him with their sins they are his creatures the work of his hands They rebel against him who were made and are every day maintained by him They forget him that formed them and fight against the fountain of their beings They are his obliged creatures such on whom he hath laid millions of engagements They cannot speak a word or think a thought or fetch their breath without him they live every moment wholly upon his mercy Hear O Heaven give ear O earth he hath nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against him He is daily multiplying mercies on them and yet they are daily multiplying iniquities against him they are creatures full of enmity against him they sin against him out of hatred of him The carnal mind is enmity against God If it could lay a plot to take away the life of God it hath malice enough to put it in execution Hence there appears little reason why he should pity or spare them If a man find his enemy will he let him go yet God is patient towards them 3. The multitude and greatness of sins and sinners He cannot look down from heaven but every moment he beholds millions of transgressors proclaiming war against him walking contrary to him and provoking him before his face The whole world is a field wherein the inhabitants are continually with drums beating and colours flying with brazen foreheads and stubborn hearts letting flie whole volleys of sins and impieties against heaven Their whole work is to stretch out their hands against God and strengthen themselves against the Almighty From the highest to the lowest they disown his authority deny his dominion deface his image dishonour his name despise his laws scorn his love and moâ—k at his threatnings All sin and come short of the glory of God The whole earth is a kind of hell in regard of blasphemy and pollutions and all manner of provoâ—ations His pure eyes behold the Devil-worship amongst Heathen the Imposter-worship amongst Turks the Idol-worship amongst Papists and the belly and flesh-worship amongst Protestants He seeth in the Rich oppression atheism swearing cursing pride persecution of others in the Poor envying murmuring carnal-mindedness drunkenness and ignorance in the Young head strong passions uncleaness youthful lusts in the Ancient impatience covetousness prophaness He understandeth the several hearts of men so many sinks of sin and the several lives of men so many treasons and conspiracies against his Being and Law and so many men in the world so many monsters of wickedness Though he enjoyn them his Precepts they cast them behind their backs though he would allure them by his Promises they scorn them as Babies to fool children withal though he would affright them with his comminations and threatnings they laugh at the shaking of those spears and look on all his words no better then wind Though he endeavours by his works to reclaim them from their wickedness sometimes loading them with his benefits that his goodness might lead them to repentance sometimes scourging them in measure that they might not be condemned with the world yet they slight his favour are not afraid of his fury and by their impenitency and continuance in sin dare him to his very face He sendeth his Ministers to tell them of their danger he sets up Conscience within them to mind them of their duty he hangs up others before them as spectacles of his wrath that they might take warning and escape destruction and yet they laugh at Ministers for their weeping over them check Conscience for its boldness to check them and think themselves wiser then to be frighted with the scarecrows of Gods judgements on others They sin against â—is Wisdom his Power his Goodness his Faithfulness his Patience his Providence his Ordinances his Son his Spirit his Law his Gospel their own Promises and engagements the voyce and cry of his Vicegerent within them and that day after day and this throughout the whole earth and yet notwithstanding all these high affronts and notorious indignities repeated and continued every moment he beareth with them The meekest man in the world no not all the men in the world have patience enough for one sinner what patience then hath God that beareth so much with a world of sinners It is the saying of one If but any tender-hearted man should sit one hour in the Throne of God Almighty and look down upon the earth as God doth continually and see what abominations are done in that hour he would undoubtedly the next set all the world on fire O how patient is that God that beareth with it so many years The meekest man upon earth could not endure the â—rowardness of one people and they the best people in the world the peevishness of the Jews drove him into that passion for which he was excluded the earthly Canaan How meek and patient then is God who beareth the evil manners of all the nations of the world the greatest part of which make it their work to spit their venome and malice and blasphemy in his face every day The whole world is a volume in every leaf and in every line of which Patience Meekness Gentleness Long-suffering Forbearance are written in broad letters 4. How he knoweth all their sins He doth not forbear sinners from ignorance of their sins he seeth and knoweth all things All the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord and he pondreth all his goings His eyes behold and his eye-lids try the children of men Men bear with others because they know not their secret treasons and heart-rebellions but God knoweth all the wickedness that is committed in the world He telleth man his thoughts All secret sins are publick to
commission of their sin There are those of the Serpents brood that have been crushed in the egge and others that have stayed longer have been ripe for ruine before they had attained their full age Though the Creditour hath forborn thee five hundred talents yet he hath not forborn some others five hundred pence wrath hath sometimes followed sin so closeâ— that it hath lodged where sin supped Gehezis leprosie and lie were contemporary Absolons life and treason against his Father expired toâ—gether A sudden Thunder-bolt from Heaven hath struck some into Hell without any fore-runner to give warning of it yet thy God hath spared thee 2. He that forbore thee who hast so often offended him did not forbear Angels a moment after they had once offended Behold the severity and goodness of God! towards Angels the highest and noblest house of the creatures severity towards thee goodness He that stated those excellent natures in an irrecoverable condition of wo and misery upon their first fault hath born with and forborn thee after millions of affronts 3. He that spares thee did not spare his own Son The Son of God did no sooner stand in the place of sinners but it pleased the Lord to bruise him and to put him to grief and to make his soul an offering for sin Though he were free from sin he was a man of sorrows and thou who art little else then sin hast not so much as tasted what such sorrows are Thy God hath forborn thee a monster of rebellion and wickedness when he would not in the least forbear him who was a miracle of obedience and dutifulness Nay he did not spare him that he might spare thee and would not forbear him because he intended to forbear thee Wonder O my soul at this transcendent grace and goodness Is it possible for thee to consider how a sudden Arrow hath shot others dead on thy right and left hand how Angels themselves upon their first breach of the divine law were without any pity or forbearance reserved in chains of darkness to the judgement of the great day Nay how the Son of Gods boundless love who never offended him for becoming onely a surety for others sins was without the least forbâ—arance arrested and forced to pay the utmost farthing and that thou who art a lump of lust a sink of sin an old enemy and traytour against the crown and dignity of the King of Heaven after thousands and millions of provocations against Law and Gospel Light and Love Precepts and Promises art to this day spared Canst thou I say consider all this and not be transported into an high and holy passion of love and admiration at such unparalled patience Thou mayst well say with the holy Apostle In me Jesus Christ hath shewed forth all long-suffering and patience for an example to them that should hereafter believe on him unto life eternal O my soul what dost thou think of these things was ever patience represented in such lively lovely colours Thou mayst now fully satisfie thy self in the reason of thine abode so many years on this side the unquenchable lake Dost thou ask Why was I not cut off from the womb and hurried through the light of this world to blackness of darkness for ever I answer because thy God is patient Dost thou ask Though I was not as a poisonous viper crusht to death as soon as brought forth with the foot of divine wrath for the venome which was in me yet when I put it forth to the injury of others and did spit it in the face of God himself why was I spared I answer because God is patient Thou sinnest often every day every hour in every thought in every word in every deed and he spares as often because He is patient Thou readeâ—t of a season when the patience of the Saints doth especially triumph Here is the faith and patience of the Saints This world is the stage and this life is the time wherein the patience of thy God doth act its part to the amazement of all judicious spectatours Here is the faithfulness and patience of thy God O that I could affect and admire it embrace and entertain it according to its worth O that my heart were filled with its warmth my tongue with its praise and my life with its end O thou that art so much in favour with God and so great a friend to men that thou wert engraven upon the palms of my hands and thy walls were ever before me O that thy noble deeds and what wonders thou hast wrought for the children of men were written for the generations to come that the people yet unborn might praise the Lord When O when shall this patience of my God make a suitable impression upon my spirit I live upon it I live by it I had been a fire-brand of Hell at this moment had it not been for it yet how great a stranger am I to it It goeth with me when I walk abroad it abides with me when I stay at home it followeth me up and down day and night I am beholden to it for my life and all my mercies for my present enjoyments and future expectations yetâ— alas how little am I affected with it I wonder at the patience of some choice Christians that hold their tongues when others revile them and their hands when others assault them and do not wonder at the patience of my God when their injuries are nothing to his either for nature or number and their patience to his far less then the smallest Drop to the Ocean O my soul how wilt thou be able to answer for this sensless stupidity Must the Candles of creatures be gazed at with amazement and thy God alone be neglected Is a beam of the Sun worthy of such admiration and not its glorious body worthy of much more Wilt thou not value a pearl of such infinite price and disesteem all the meekness and forbearance of men in comparison of the patience of thy God O where is thy judgement that thou valâ—est so little such unsearchable riches that thou dost not cry out O the height and depth and length and bredth of the forbearance of God Where are thy affections that they do not cling about it cleave to it close with it delight in its presence and desire its continuance Where is thy heart that it doth not taste its sweetness smell its savour love its gracious Author and meditate on its precious nature and pleasant effects night and day Where are my spiritual senses that they are not conversant about so worthy an object I cannot open mine eyes but I may behold it in every thing that is visible The food and raiment and life and health and strength and liberty that I and others enjoy present the patience of God unto me Every friend I converse with every drunkard and unclean person and atheist yea every man I meet tells me God is patient The Oaths and Curses and
8. 14. And what is the substance of those shadows but that Christians who are a spiritual Priest-hood should every day have their solemn Morning and Evening addresses to God and offer up holy sacrifices acceptable to God in Iesus Christ. Davids purpose was to be early at prayer O God my voice shalt thou hear in the morning in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and will look up And his practice was answerable I prevented the dawning of the morning and cried Psa. 5. 3. and 119. 147. He was up before the day and risen and at work before the Sun Nay he tells God In the morning shall my prayer prevent thee As if he would be at his prayer before God were stirring and going abroad But surely we cannot rise so early but God is awake before us for he that keepeth Israel never slumbereth nor sleepeth His eyes are ever waking who holdeth sometimes our eyes waking But David meaneth rather that his prayers should prevent Gods servants his severest or most solacing providences not God himself He would send a Messenger with Petitions or Thanksgivings to God before God should send any Messenger with good or bad tidings to him he would be too early either for crosses or comforts 2. The Promise to secret Prayer And thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly God heard Paul in the Dungeon as well as Peter on the House top The Sun of Righteousness looks as well into the narrow Closet Casement as into the large Church Windows Secret prayers are audible to him that made the ear As he bottleth up our secret tears so he registreth our secret prayers Though the Ark was close on every side that every man might not look into it yet it had a Window open to Heaven As the Flowers open themselves in the morning to take in the sweet influences of the Sun so should the Christian open his heart in the morning to receive a blessing from the Father of lights Mary went early in the morning to the Sepulchre of Jesus and had the honour and favour to have the first sight of him after his resurrection Many a Saint hath had a blessed vision of the glorified Saviour in a morning prayer Knowest thou not O man saith Ambrose that thou owest the first fruits of thine heart and voice to God therefore meet the Lord at the Sun rise that the Sun rising may find thee ready It s reported of Cardinal Wolsey that though he was Lord Chancellour and had great and weighty employments yet he would not go abroad any morning before he had heard two Masses I wish the Popish Mattinâ— did not shameâ— the Protestants for their sluggishness and their frequent omissions T is much that some should be so diligent at their blind devotion which comes to nothing and others that have experience how profitable their spiritual trade is so backward to it and careless about it Gods mercies prevent us early and therefore our prayers should prevent him His going forth is prepared as the morning he satisfieth us early with his mercies that we may rejoyce and be glad all our days Hosea 6. 3. Psa. 90. 14. If his mercies are renewed on us every morning our acknowledgements may well be renewed unto him Every favour makes us debtors and all the pay he expects is thanks If any man should every morning send us who have little of our own to live upon very considerable presents we should esteem our selves very uncivil and unworthy if we should not as often return him our service and thanks and sense of his kindness How great and how many are the mercies with which our God loadeth us every morning and are we not sordidly ungrateful if we neglect the acknowledgement of them Our ordinary mercies are of extraordinary merit and deserve hearty thanks The damned could we speak with them would tell us that life a naked abode on this side Hell were an infinite mercy The siâ—k and such as are troubled with continual Aches or tortured with the Stone or Gout or Collick would tell us that health is a great mercy The Blind and Lame and Deaf would tell us that Limbs and Senses are a great mercy The Hungry and Naked and Houseless and Friendless would tell us that Food and Raiment and Habitations and Friends are great mercies Poor Prisoners and such as are vexed with cruel Wars and forced to flie before their enemies will tell us that liberty and peace are great mercies The Saints in Heaven could we speak with them would tell us the Patience of God the Gospel of our Salvation the tenders of Grace are inestimable mercies and do not all these which every morning are notwithstanding our notorious abuse and frequent forfeitures renewed upon us deserve our solemn and sincere thanks every morning The Jews some tell us are bound to say over an hundred Benedictions every day and among the rest these two when they go out in the morning Blessed be he that created the greater light and when they come in at evening Blessed be he that caused darkness David was frequent at this duty I will bless the Lord at all times his praise shall be continually in my mouth Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgements Psa. 34. 1. and 119. 164. It is a Motto say some often repeated in Mercers Chappel Think and Thank Our many wants and necessities command us to be every morning at Heavens Gate for supply We are needy indigent creatures and must get our living wholly by begging all the day long we want forbearing preserving supporting mercy It must be Divine power that must enable us to follow our callings to stir or move about our business that must defend and protect us in our out-goings and incomings and prosper and succeed our undertakings God alone can shield us from spiritual and corporal enemies that can supply us with inward and outward good things and surely such blessings are worth asking They who will have mercies that are not of the growth of their own Country Earth must send thither to Heaven where they are to be had Prayer like the Patriarchs and Solomons good House-wife fetcheth our food from far As the Merchants Ships it supplieth us with commodities of all sorts from forraign Countries No mercies hang on so low a bough as to be pulled to us and gathered by our own armes therefore it behoveth us to beg Give us this day our daily bread Besides our dangers and difficulties every day are many and call us to be early and earnest at this duty Our callings every company all earthly affairs are snares and temptations to us unless they are sanctified by prayer It s not safe to drink of those streams wherein so many poisonous creatures dip their venemous heads unless this Vnicorn hath healed them They who walk abroad without prayer may fear they walk abroad without Gods Protection Oratio matutina clavis diei
doth imagine It s called a Resurrection from the dead a new Creation the Work of God because nothing less then a Divine Almighty power can effect it Revel 20. 6. Ephes. 2. 10. Ioh. 6. 29. Ephes. 2. 6. 4. Speak to the necessity of a change in him both of his disposition by Repentance and of his condition by faith in Iesus Christ That these are not works which may be done or left undone but such as must be done or he is undone for ever Tell him the necessity of a change 1. Of his Nature by Repentance how God himself hath said Except he repent he shall perish and that it is not possible for the whole creation to make void Gods Word That as he is a corrupted depraved creature he is no way capable of Heaven for God hath shut him out and bard the gate of bliss against him Into it i. e. Heaven can in no wise enter any thing that defileth or is unclean Rev. 21. ult And he hath shut himself out by his vicious nature for spiritual pleasures are not sutable neither can be enjoyed by depraved and ungodly creatures Let him know that swinish dispositions cannot rellish heavenly delights and therefore if it were possible for him to get to Heaven in a carnal estate Heaven would be no Heaven that is no place of joy or pleasure to him Acquaint him especially wherein the nature of repentance consisteth not in a few sighs or sobs for sin or in crying God mercy or saying I am sorry I ever sinned but in a real change of the heart and nature that his mind must be changed to see the ugliness and deformity of sin his will to refuse it as the greatest evil his affections to loath it and hate it above all things whatsoever that he must abhor himself and loath himself and bemoan himself for all his abominations if ever he would fiâ—d mercy that he must in his whole man be altered turned upside down be contrary to what he is by nature be converted and born again or he can nevrr see the Kingdom of God Mat. 18. 3. Ioh. 3. 3. Forget not also to discover the necessity of a change 2. Of his state by faith in Iesus Christ how the Son of God can alone deliver him from the wrath of God that there is no name under heaven by which he can be saved but the name of Christ that all his prayers and tears and duties cannot satisfie the divine justice for the least of his sins or deserve the least favour on the behalf of his soul that he must of necessity be united by faith to Christ and submit to his guidance and give up himself to his Government or perish eternally that though Christ died for him without his will yet he will not save him against or without his will but he must be heartily willing to accept Christ as his Saviour and Soveraign as ever he looks for salvation by him Here it may not be amiss to acquaint him with the fulness of Christs merits and the freeness of Gods mercy to them that do sincerely repent and believe How God commands intreats threatens promiseth and all to draw men to mind the things of their peace 5. Speak to the shortness of his time to do this weighty and necessary work in that now there is no dallying no delaying for within a few hours it may be too late that grace must be got now or never that Christ and pardon and life must be obtained now or never that no sin shall be forgiven no person shall be justified no soul renewed or cleansed in the other world that is not pardoned and sanctified in this that Heaven and Hell are before him and within a short time the matter will be determined which of the two he shall be in for ever that he must now get a title to bliss or miss it for ever now prevent the unquenchable fire or burn in it for ever that he is now upon the shore just stepping into the Ocean either of Honey or Wormwood Joy or Horror and therefore it concerns him nearly to consider what he doth and to be diligent to the utmost if he would escape the endless company and torments of Devils and damned Spirits Take heed of giving him hopes of recovery which many do to please the sick or their friends for hereby thou mayst exceedingly injure his soul frustrating all the means used for his spiritual health Think not much to be often with the sick person in case thou hast opportunity Let his misery move thee and the love of Christ draw thee When we fell an Oak thirty or forty of the first strokes seem to be lost because the Tree stirs not yet if we continue it comes at last down and sheweth the effects of the first as well as the last strokes If he be converted thou wilt be satisfied however thy reward is with God If this unconverted person be scandalous then it may be sometimes convenient to hint at the horrid nature of such sins being committed against common light and abhorred by many of the very Heathen and marked particularly for vengeance by the jealous God 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Gal. 5. 19 20 21. Ephes. 5. 5 6. Thou mayst have the more hopes of success in visiting such a one because conscience in this sinner will probably prove thy friend and joyn with thee in terrifying him for those sins from which it could not though it frequently attempted disswade him If the unconverted person be one that liyed civilly and orderly in his outward conversation paying every man his own keeping his Church forbearing enormous crimes c. It will be then needful to commend his civility Iesus looked on such a man and loved him but also to discover its defects and insufficiency that there is one thing lacking how his nature is universally polluted and it must be throughly purified or he is a lost man that its one thing to have a wound hid and another thing to have it healed that many Inâ—idels have been unblameable in their outward carriages who yet perished being without Christ that the Scribes and Pharises went farther then most civil men for they had not onely a negative holiness in denying gross sins but a Positive holiness in shew at least they prayed fasted c. yet he to whom it is impossible to lye tells us Mat. 5. 20. Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no wise enter into the Kingdom of Heaven It will be good also in dealing with such a person to insist much upon the latitude and purity of the Law of God how it forbiddeth and condemneth for the least sinful thought and how nothing less then perfect obedience can answer its demands or satisfie the Law-giver because such men are apt to judge themselves righteous comparing themselves with those that are notoriously vicious They think all is well their minds being darkned and unable to
Beasts he often wished by the way that he were in the midst of those Beasts that were to devour him and that their appetites might be whetted to dispatch him fearing lest it should happen to him as to some others that the Lyons out of a kind of reverence would not dare to approach them being ready he said rather to provoke them to fight then that they should suffer him to escape Bradford being told by his Keepers Wife that his Chain was a buying and he was to die the next day pulled off his Hat and thanked God for it When some wondered that Adam Damplip could eat his food so well when his end was so near he told them Ah Masters Do you think that I have been Gods Prisoner so long in the Marshalsey and have not yet learned to die Yes yes and I doubt not but God will strengthen me therein Ann Askew subscribed her Confession in Newgate thus Written by me Ann Askew that neither wisheth for death nor feareth his might and as merry as one that is bound towards Heaven Indeed it s said of a wicked man that his soul is required of him and that God takes away his soul Luk. 12. Job 27. 10. but of a godly man that he giveth up the Ghost and he cometh to his grave Gen. 25. 8. Job 4. ult Nature will teach the Heathen that death is the end of all outward miseries to all men hence some of them drank of its cup with as much constancy and courage as if it had been the most pleasant Julip but grace will teach the Christian that death is not onely a remedy against all his bodily and spiritual maladies as Sir Walter Rawleigh said of the sharp Ax that should behead him this will cure all my infirmities but also an inlet into fulness of joy and felicity Reverend Deering said on his death-bed I feel such joy in my spirit that if I should have the sentence of life on the one side and the sentence of death on the other side I had rather a thousand times chuse the sentence of death since God hath appointed a separation then the sentence of life Tiâ—us Vespation the mirror of mankind being a stranger to Christ was very unwilling â—o leave the world being carried in an Horse-litter and knowing that he must dye lookt up to Heaven and complained pittifully that his life should be taken from him who had not desired to dye having never committed any sin as he said but onely one Socrates and some of the wiser Heathenâ— comforted themselves against the fear of death with this weak Cordial that it is common to men the way of all the earth Hence it was when the Athenians condemned Socrates to dye he received the Sentence with an undaunted spirit and told them they did nothing but what nature had before ordained for him But the Christian hath a greater ground for a holy resolution and a stronger Cordial against the fear of death even his hopes of eternal life and surely if he that exceeds others in his Cordials be excelled by them in Courage he disgraceth his Physitian Aristippus told the Saylers who wondred that he was not as well as they afraid in the storm Ye fear the torments due to a wicked life and I expect the reward of a good one It s no marvail that they who lived wickedly should dye unwillingly being frighted with the guilt of their past sins and with the fears of their future torments therefore the holy Ghost saith of such a one The wicked is driven away in his wickedness as a Beast that is driven out of his den to the slaughter or as a Debtor driven by the Officers out of his house wherein he lay warm and was surrounded with all sorts of comfort to a nasty loathsom prison But that the righteous who hath hope in his death should even dye almost with fear of it before-hand is matter of wonder Lots soul is exceedingly vexed with Sodom yet he is loth to leave it This world is a wilderness a purgatory a step-mother a persecutor to all the Saints and yet some of them when called to leave it sing loth to depart and would linger behind partly from nature which dreads a dissolution and partly from the weakness of grace To fear death much argueth sometimes wickedness always weakness 3. Repentance It s said of St. Augustine that he dyed with tears in his eyes in the practice of repentance and Posidonius saith of him that he heard him often say in his health that it was the fittest disposition for dying Christians and Ministers Laudatos saith he Chistianos sacerdotes absque digna competenti paenitentia exire de corpore non debere We dye groaning iâ— regard of our bodies why should not our souls sigh that ever they sinned against so good a God! Beasts bite their enemies with more venome and indignation when they are ready to dye Maxime mortiferi solent esse morsus morientium animaliâ—m The Christian should give sin his most deadly bite his greatest abhorrency and grief and shame when he is dying and shall never see sin or sorrow or shame more As its noble and excellent to dye forgiving sinners so also taking revenge upon sin Moses a little before his death is commanded to avenge the Children of Israel of the Midianites and then he is gathered to his people Numb 31. 1 2. Samuel takes vengeance on Agag when he was old and knew not the day of his death David could not dye with comfort till he had charged Solomon to execute that justice on Ioab which he had omitted The last time the Judge seeth the Felon he passeth sentence of death upon him O how should the soul of a dying Saint be inflamed with anger against sin when he considers the rich love that it abuseth the glorious name that it dishonoureth the blessed Saviour that it pierceth and that vast happiness which he is going to possess of which without infinite grace and mercy it had deprived him Some persons when they have been to take their last revenge on their enemies have done it to purpose The beleiver on his dying bed takes his last revenge on sin he shall never have another opportunity to shew his love to his God and Saviour in his spite at and hatred of sin therefore then he should do it to purpose as dying Sampson put forth all his strength and beg divine help that he may utterly destroy it and be avenged on it for all the defilement and bondage it hath brought on his soul and dishonour to his Saviour Dying Iacob cursed the sins of his own Sons Cursed be their wrath for it was fierce and their anger for it was cruel O my Soul enter not thou into their secrets The dying Child of God should curse his passions his pride his unbeleif his selfishness even all his lusts for disobeying such righteous Laws and displeasing such a gracious Lord. When David Chrytaeus
mind to make their Wills have not had a tongue to do it with Others who have had a tongue have lost the use of their understandings partly because in sickness we should have as little as may be to do with the World All occasions of disturbance or distraction to our souls should be prevented The disposition of what God hath given thee must be with prudence for the maintenance of love among Relations with plainness that thy meaning may not be mistaken and with judgement and ability for the preventing of all Quarrels and Law-suits amongst such as are interested in it Reader If thou art careful and faithful in the discharge of these particulars thy Funeral will prove a Festival and the Sun of thy life will set as the natural Sun in a clear evening not in a cloud but in such a red skie as to prognosticate the ensuing day to be fair thy certain and comfortable resurrection to bliss and honour Thy name will live when thou art dead and thy memory be blessed amongst all that fear the Lord. Tacitus makes one of the Sempronii not wholly to degenerate from the honour of his house onely for dying well Constantia mortis hand indigna Sempronio nomine Nero did tacitly wipe Claudius the Emperour though himself were the worst of the two when in an ambiguous phrase he mentions his death Desinit Morari inter homines Every sinner goeth out like a snuff but the just shall be had in everlasting remembrance By practicing these duties thou shalt come to die in the Lord to rest from thy labours and to have thy works following thee to thine endless blessed reward A Good Wish about the Christians exercising himself to Godliness on a Dying Bed wherein the former heads are applied THe righteous God having appointed death to be the end of all the Children of men as the common road through which they pass into the other world to receive according to what they have done in this life whether it be good or whether it be evil I Wish that I may be wise to consider of my latter end and so live that I may rather desire then be afraid to dye that my last days may be my best days and I may imitate my Redeemer in bringing my God much honour and doing his Church much service when I am entring into my Masters joy The evening praiseth the day the last scene commends the Act. The rivers the nearer they draw to the Sea the sooner they are met by the tide Though to guide a vessel safely along in the Ocean argueth much skill and such a Pilot is worthy of praise yet at the very entrance into theâ— Haven then to avoid the Rocks and to cast Anchor in a safe Road argueth most skill and deserveth most praise Musitians reserve the sweetest strain for the close of their lesson Orators though in every part of their speech they use great care yet in the close of their speech they use the utmost of their Rhetorick and put forth all their art and skill to stir up all the affections of their hearers that they may leave at last the deepest impressions upon their hearts of those things which they would perswade to My whole life ought to be noâ—thing else but a pleading with my God for mercy and a walking according to his word but when I come to the period of my days how powerful should my prayers how pious my practices be how lively my graces how holy my whole conversation that my God may say of me as once of Thyatira I know thy works and charity and service and faith and thy patience and thy works and the last to be more then the first Though violent Motions are slowest at last as being farthest from that strength which forced them contrary to their own inclinations yet natural motions proceeding from an inward principle the nearer the centre the swifter the motion Though Hypocrites and such as have onely a form of godliness grow worse and worse and fill up the measure of their lusts with the measure of their lives yet gracious persons and such as have the power of godliness grow better and better and compleat their task with their time O that the longings the desires the faith the hope the delight of my soul like the approaches of a Needle may be so much the more quick by how much they draw nearer to their Load-stone Iesus Christ. Lord thou hast an absolute dominion over me both living and dying It s thy word None of thine liveth to himself or dyeth to himself But whether they live they live unto the Lord and whether they dye they dye unto the Lord and whether they live or dye they are the Lords O help me to glorifie thee both by my life and by my death Let thy spirit be strong within me when my flesh is weak When the Keepers of the house shall tremble shew thy self the Keeper and strength of my heart When the Grinders shall cease because they are few or weak give me to feed on the Manna of thy promises and that bread which came down from Heaven When the Daughters of Musick shall be brought low let me hear by faith the song of Moses and the Lamb sung by the celestial quire When they that look out at the Window are darkened let the eyes of my soul be opened to behold with thy dying Martyr Stephen Iesus sitting at the right hand of God Let my hope and desire look out at the Windows and say Why is his Chariot sent to fetch me to himself so long a comming Why tarry the wheels of his Chariot Make hast my beloved be thou like the Heart and Roe upon the Mountains of spices Whether I perish in the field with Abel or in the Prison with the Baptist or in my bed with Jacob grant me thy gracious comforting presence and then though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death I shall fear none ill O do thou undertake my conduct in my passage over the rough waters of this Jordan into Canaan and then there will be no danger of drowning Assist me so to live by faith that I may dye in the faith and when my friends take my earthly body to their disposal O do thou receive my Heaven-born soul into the armes of thine infinite mercy for thou hast redeemed it Lord God of truth I Wish that I may frequently ponder what a serious solemn thing it is to dye How ever light or vain or jesting my life hath been my death will be in earnest I cannot dally or trifle with it It will not dally or trifle with me It can be done but once and upon it my everlasting making or marring depends It â—s so certain that all must willing or unwilling ready or unready undergo it Neither the policy of Achithophel nor the strength of Sampson nor the wisdom of Solomon nor the beauty of Absolom nor the piety of Abraham nor the wealth
answerable to my peril and my danger Lord when that day and hour draweth near that I must go hence and be no more seen do thou draw near in boundless mercy to my poor soul When I must enter into the Chambers of death and make my bed in the grave save me from the paws of Satan and the power of Hell that the bottomless pit may not shut her mouth upon me and give me to triumph in that hour of tribulation as knowing that neither tribulation nor persecution nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor life nor death can seperate me from thy love which is in Christ Jesus my Lord. I Wish that when I am going to the place of silence I may speak the excellencies of my God and make his praise glorious It is the unhappiness of worldlings and wicked men that they cannot when they dye commend the principles whence they have acted nor the vain pleasures which they have minded and pursued How many of them whose lives have been nothing but a bundle of false-hood and lies when God hath called them to leave the world have spoken truth and told their Friends and Relations that sin is an evil and bitter thing that carnal pleasures are guilded poisons that the greatest and choicest of worldly comforts though they may have honey in their mouths have a sting in their tailes and what a vain empty nothing the whole creation is How often have they complained how the world hath deceived them the flesh deluded them and Devil beguiled and destroyed them It is my priviledge as well as my duty to extol my Master whom I have served to commend the sweetness of his ways the pleasantness of his worship the reasonableness of his precepts the richness of his promises and the vastness of that portion which he hath laid up for his Children when they come to age I have sometimes tasted his work and ways to be sweeter then the honey and the honey comb I have viewed by faith his reward to be vastly glorious and beyond all apprehensions excellent O why should I not diswade others from their eager pursuit of foolish fading shadows and perswade and encourage them to earnest endeavours after real substance and durable riches The sinner who hath wallowed all his life time in the mire of filth and wickedness will when he comes to dye and begins to return to his wits from his own experience of the emptiness and unprofitableness of his ungodly courses and from the convictions of his natural conscience acknowledge a sober sanctified conversation to be safest and the ways of God to be most gainful and upon these accounts advise his friends and relations to forsake and abandon the lusts of the world and flesh and to follow after holiness as they would be happy eternally And have not I much more cause to shew my abhorrency of sin and love to my Saviour and his image when I am entering into my Fathers house The sinner hath onely found at last a fleshly life to be vain and fruitless and is like to pay dear for his learning but I have known the paths of piety to be paths of pleasantness and rejoyced more in them then in all riches The sinner hath onely the dim light of nature to shew him the loathsomness of vice and the loveliness of grace but I have the holy Spirit of my God to enlighten my mind in the knowledge of both The sinner hath only a carnal love to his Neighbours and Kindred he knoweth not what it is to love them in Christ and for Christ I have some knowledge of the love and Law of Christ of the worth of their souls of the price paid for them by the Lord Iesus and their unchangeable conditions in the other world O that my language to them might be somewhat answerable to the love of Christ to me Lord It is unrighteousness to die in debt to man and not to endeavour to make them satisfaction according to my power I am sure to dye in thy debt for I am less then the least of all thy mercies and unable to requite thee for the smallest of thy favours It is my comfort that all the recompence thou expectest is a thankful acknowledgement and hearty acceptance of thy grace and good will O what injustice and ingratitude were I guilty of should I deny thee so small a request Be pleased to help thy servant in his last hours both to accept unfeignedly of thy grace for his own good and to acknowledge thy good will and bounty and faithfulness to thy glory for the good of others I Wish that my lost breath may be drawn Heaven-ward I mean that I may enter praying into the house of blessing and praise I am no Christian if I do not give my self to prayer whilst I live It is one choice piece of my spiritual Armour whereby I have often assaulted and conquered my soul-enemies It is the Ambassadour which I have many a time sent to the heavenly Court that always received a favourable Audience and obtained his errand It is the Vessel which hath brought me food from far and ever returned richly laden if it were not my own fault It is the element in which I live the aliment by which I subsist the pulse the breath of my soul without which it must needs dye On my death-bed I have as much need of its succour as at any season My adversaries will then imploy their greatest power and policy to rout and ruine me I am but weak flesh and blood altogether unable to combat with Principalities and Powers and how can I expect supplies from the Lord of Hosts unless I send this Messenger to intreat it My wants and weaknesses at such a time will be more then ordinary Faith must then be acted in spight of all the frights and fears which a malicious Devil and an unbeleiving heart from the number and nature of my sins the strictness of the law and the justice of God may put me to Repentance must then be exercised and my sins lye nearer my heart then my sharpest diseases In patience I must possess my soul under all the pains and pressures which the wise God shall lay upon me I must then chearfully submit to the divine pleasure and by my willingness to leave all the world to go to Christ shew that I hate Father Mother Wife Child House Lands Life and all for Christ. Those graces and many other must be put forth at suâ—h a time none of which I can do by my own power and therefore have abundant cause to fetch help from Heaven by prayer Besides the distempers of my body will discompose my soul and unfit it in a great measure for all holy service Again my Benefactors my near Friends and Relations the poor afflicted Church of God do all call aloud to me to pray for them as the last kindness I shall ever do for them I profess
cometh such pride and carnal confidence in prosperity but because men beleive not the meanness and vanity and emptiness of riches and that divine mercy not the merits of men are the original of them There is no sin so monstrous but unbeleif will venture upon it He that beleiveth not will never be allured by divine promises nor affrighted at divine threatnings nor obey divine precepts nor submit to divine providences As Cicero said of Parricide I may say of Unbeleif It s a teeâ—ing vice a well of wickedness many sins are bound up in it No wonder the Apostle gives such a serious warning and so strict a charge against Infidelity as the mother and nurse of all Apostacy Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbeleif whereby ye depart away from the living God Heb. 3. 12. The superstitious Pagans thought that their Idol Vibilia kept them from erring out of their way The religious Christian knoweth by experience that his faith keeps him within the limits of his duty Faith ingrafts the soul into Christ and into the fellowship of his death by which the old man is crucified and the body of sin destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin Rom. 6. 5,6,7,8 For therefore did Christ bear ouâ— sins in his body on the tree that we might become dead to sin 1 Pet. 1. 24. Faith enableth the soul to conquer sin by enabling it to overcome the three grand provocations to sin The World the Flesh and the Wicked one There is neither of these enemies but Faith hath wounded mortally 1. Faith enableth to overcome the World the World indeed hath conquered millions the greatest Souldiers have been slain by it Alexander could subdue the Nations in it but could not subdue his Affections to it As great a conqueror as he was over it he was its slave and vassal for his ambition was still larger then his Dominions But faith cloathing the Christian with the Sun helps him to trample this Moon under his feet This is your victory over the world even your Faith 1 Joh. 6.4 The World hath two faces the oneâ— ugly and deformed toâ—affright the Saint the other comely and painted to allure him to sin but Faith seeth how pittiful onely touching the body her threatnings are and how poor onely skin-deep her promises are and makes the soul to disdain both It was by Faith that Luther could say Contemptus a me Romanus favor furor I scorn both Romes favour and Romes fury The worlds Furnace and Musickâ— are much alike to a Beleiver he is blind and deaf nay dead to both The special object of Faith is the Cross of Christ whereby saith the Apostle I am crucified to the world and the world to me Tickle a dead man or lance him it s all one he is sensible of neither As Fabricius the Noble Roman told Pyrrhus who one day tempted him with Gold and the next day sought to terrifie him with Elephants I was not yesterday moved with your money nor to day with your beasts So Basil when first offered preferment and afterward threatened with imprisonment if he would not deny Christ and turn Arrian to this purpose answered the Messenger Such babies of preferment are fit to catch Children with and such bug-bears of bonds and imprisonment may fright your tender Gallants and Courtiers Faith enableth the Christian to mount up to heaven and thereby secures him from the baits and shots the snares and lime-twigs which attend him on earth Homer saith Vlisses caused himself to be bound to the Mast of the Ship and every one of his fellows ears to be stopped with Wax that they might not hearken to the Songs of the Syrens and so be drowned in the Sea Faith fastens the soul to Christ and so ravisheth iâ—s ears with the glad tidings of pardon and peace and eternal life that it is deaf to the worlds musick 1. Faith enableth the soul to overcome the affrightments of the world Faith like blown bladders keepeth the soul from sinking in deep waters It s a Target under which a soul is free from the hurt though not from the smart of evil It s the Ark wherein he rides triumphing when the windows from above are opened and poure down and the floods from beneath are broken up In this strong Tower the soul finds shelter Faith like Ioseph layeth up in a time of plenty against a time of scarcity in a day of prosperityâ— against a day of adversity and so feareth it the less Faith sheweth the Christian a place of refuge in the time of trouble He shall hide thee saith Faith in the secret of his presence i. e. cover thee with the warm wings of his providence he shall keep thee secret in his Pavilion An allusion to Princes retiring rooms which are sacred and secure places for their Favourites Nature teacheth all creatures to run in distress to that which they count their defence The Conies run to the Rocks the Goats to the Hills the Ravenous Beasts to their Deâ—s the Child to his Mothers Armes This grace discovereth to the soul a Rock a Refuge a Fort a Fortress an High Tower which makes him fearless of the worlds threatnings and bugbears The lame and the blind those most shiftless creatures when they had got the strong hold of Sion over their heads scorned the Host of David 2 Sam. 5. 6 7. The Egyptians that dwell in the fens are much troubled with Gnats therefore they sleep in High Towers whither those Insects cannot flye The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower the righteous run unto it and are safe Prov. 15. Such a soul is like a strong Tree which no wind can shake or like Mount Sion which cannot be moved Therefore he can sing when unbeleivers quake and tremble Though the Earth be troubled though the Mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea though the Waters roar and the Mountains shake yet we will not fear The Lord of Hosts is with us the God of Jacob is our refuge Psa. 46. 56. and 91. 2 3. Faith is like the Cork in the Net when the Lead wound sink the Net the Cork keeps it above water This Faith is the Anchor of the soul both sure and stedfact entering into that within the vail and so stayeth the Saint against all the winds and waves of affliction Faith or beleif of the resurrection and that happiness which then should be enjoyed was that which enabled Paul to dye daily and to fight with Beasts at Ephesus 1 Cor. 15. 30. In the greatest distress Faith can see deliverance and when it is at the greatest distance salute it as Abraham did Christs day afar off When the weather is cloudy it can see the Heaven begin to clear and notwithstanding his present pain and poverty cause the Christian to rejoyce in his hope of bliss and glory The eye of Faith looking to the recompence of reward seeth afflictions with the Israel of
Did not ye hate me and expell me out of my Fathers house why are ye come unto me now ye are in distress Didst not thou hate me and expell me out of thy heart and house didst thou not deride and jeer and persecute me against all the commands and threatnings and promises and intreaties of God and his word and why art thou come to me now thou art in distress I must tell thee thou wilt then weep and howl and lament to God as the Israelites did in their extremity Deliver us only we pray thee this day Lord help me Lord save me Deliver me this day from the jaws of the roaring Lion Lord let not hell shut her mouth upon me Who can dwell in everlasting burnings who can abide devouring flames But thou mayst expect the same answer which God gave them Go and cry to the gods which ye have chosen let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation Go to the flesh and the world Go to thy riches and honours and sinful delights which thou hast chosen and preferred before me and let them deliver thee in this time of thy tribulation Where are those gods the rocks in which thou trustedst Let them rise up and help thee and be thy protection Iudg. 11. 6 7. Iudg. 10. 15 32. Deut. 37. 38. A Saint can sing in such a day of trial knowing that death is come to him as the Angel to Peter striking on his side not to hurt but to awaken him to beat off his fetters and set him in the glorious liberty of the children of God The Saint and the Sinner never differ so much at least in open view as in their ends Sin in the bud is sweet but in the fruit bitter and holiness though at first draught seems not so pleasant yet afterwards is all sweetness Though the path of sin be smooth and pleasing to thy flesh yet thou wilt find it slippery and killing to thy spirit It s like an evening star to usher in a night of blackness of darkness for ever The way of holiness is more harsh to the body but the onely Nectar of the soul Ah Reader if thou wilt but choose it thou wilt find by experience that t will be like Hannibal's passage over the Alpes a way which will require some pains but t will lead thee into the heavenly Paradise at that did him into the worlds garden Italy Reader Let me therefore bespeak thee or rather God himself Thus saith the Lord of Hosts Turn unto me saith the Lord of Hosts and I will turn unto thee saith Lord of Hosts Zach. 1. 3. After all thy neglect and contempt of God and his word after all thy wandrings and wickedness thou hast one call more to turn and live In which thy Maker doth three times pawn and interpose the authority of his name to confirm his word The Lord of Hosts three times he doth as it were bring his Angels his Hosts with him in this precept and promise as once to Sinai at the delivery of the law 1. As witnesses of his truth 2. As avengers of him on them that despise his call 3. As rejoycers for those that turn unto him O friend Consider it that God who might have turned thee into hell commandeth thee now after all thy folly and lewdness to turn to him yea he promiseth that if thou dost come at his call he will meet thee half way and turn unto thee It is not for his own sake that he is so earnest with thee for he can be happy without thee he hath no addition by thy salvation he suffereth no diminution by thy damnation but he calleth on thee for thy good that thou mightst be happy in his favour It was the saying of Antigona that she ought to please them with whom she hoped to remain for ever Ah doth it not concern thee to please that God upon whom thoâ— dependest for thy eternal weal or wo When Antiochus was in Egypt in armes against the Romans they sent P. Popilius with other Ambassadours to him where when he had welcomed them P. Popilius delivered some writings to him containing the mind of his Masters which he he commanded Antiochus to read which he did Then he consulted with his friends what was best to be done in the business Whilst he was in a great study P. Popilius with a wand that he had in his hand made a circle about him in the dust saying Ere thou stir a foot out of this circle return thy answer that I may tell the Senate whether thou hadst rather have war or peace This he uttered with such a firm countenance that it amazed the King wherefore after he had paused a while he answered I will do what the Senate hath written or shall think fit Reader I shall onely allude to it and conclude Thou art if in thy natural estate a rebel against God thy heart is full of enmity and thy life of treason against his blessed Majesty thou art daily discharging whole vollies of shot against him he hath sent me as his Embassadour to offer thee terms of peace and to require thee in his name to throw down thine armes and to submit to his mercy I know thou art ready to consult with thy seeming friends but real enemies the world and the flesh what thou wert best to do in this case but whilst thou art thus musing I charge and command thee in the name of God and by his authority who sent me to thee that before thou closest the book thou returne to thy Maker in thy conscience thine answer whether thou hadst rather have peace with him whose wrath is infininety worse then death and whose favour is better then life or war If considering the excellency necessity and profit of godliness thou sayst I will through the help of Christ do all that the Lord hath written or thinketh fit to be done in order to my recovery out of this estate of woe and misery I shall inform thee that God is ready to receive thee the Spirit to assist thee thy Saviour to embrace thee the rich and precious promises of the Gospel containing pardon love peace eternal life are all ready to welcome thee But if thou deniest thy God thy real able and faithful friend and wilt gratifie thy profest though politick enemy the Devil so much as to continue in thine ungodly courses I must assure thee that Phrygan like thou wilt repent when it is too late and be taught by woful experience that it had been far better to have hearkened to the Counsels and Commands of God that with prudent Prometheus thou mightst have forseen a danger and shund it then to walk on in the broad way to hell with foolish Epimetheus without any consideration till thou art unconceivably and irrecoverably miserable and plunged in that lake and amidst those dreadful torments of which there is no FINIS AN Alphabetical Table OF THE Chief Heads contained in the foregoing
in the counsel of the ungodly and to go in the paths of the destroyer that my feet should tend to death and my steps take hold of hell yet for thy sons sake teach me thy way and lead me in thy righteousness that my soul may never be gathered with sinners nor my life with bloody men that I may die the death of the righteous and my latter end may be like his I wish that I may look upon a dying Bed as a Fit Pulpit in which I may preach my Makers and Redeemers praise The speeches of dying persons are often highly prized as savouring of most sincerity and least suspected of selfish ends They who scorned my counsel and rejected my advice in my health and strength as fearing it proceeded rather from interest then simplicity of heart will if they have the least grain of charity believe me in earnest and my words to be the language of my soul when I am dying and entering into my eternal estate The worst of men have some reverence and respect for dying Christians What thrusting and crowding even to the prejudice of their bodies hath there often been to hear the speeches and last words of dying men The vilest Malefactour who is cut off by the Sword of justice is permitted with patience to speak and attended to with diligence at the Gallows If enemies have some respect for dying Felons and will hearken to them with meekness what hopes may a dying Saint have of advantaging the souls of his friends O that I might greedily embrace such an opportunity of advantaging the interest and honour of my God the service and good of my neighbours and by my pious language and gracious carriage at my latter end make others in love with holiness holy men and the holy one of Israel Sinners catch hold of every season to propagate their ungodly seed and commend Satans rotten wares to the men of the world Why should not Saints be as vigilant as diligent for their God and Saviour Lord I know not in what manner by what distemper it will please thee to call me to thy self I beg if it may seem good in thy sight that nothing may befal me on my dying bed which may render me uncapable of commending thee and thy ways and worship to others My chearfulness in bearing thy will and activeness to extol thy work and reward may through thy blessing perswade Satans drudges to forsake his slavery and admit themselves thy servants O that I might allure others to prepare for such a day by lifting up my head with joy when that day of redemption draweth nigh The Apprentice makes merry when his time is expired and he enjoyeth his freedom The Bride hath a feast and musick when her Marriage-day is come This life is my time of service death sets me at liberty In this World I am contracted to my dearest Saviour my solemn marriage is in the other world into which I pass through death Why should I fear that Messenger which brings such good news and be troubled at that friend who will do me so great a courtesie O enable me to live every day according to thy Gospel that keeping my conscience clean and my evidences clear I may in the day of my death rejoyce and be exceeding glad Give me to savour the sweetness of thy love the pleasantness of thy paths to feel the powerful influences of thy spirit the vertue and efficacy of thy word so to rellish communion with thy self and thy dear Son all the days of my life that when I am going out of the world and comming to thee O Father I may from my own experience quicken and encourage others to forsake earthly vanities before earthly vanities forsake them and to take thee for their chiefest good and choicest happiness who will never leave them nor forsake them I Wish that the nearer I draw to my reward the more zealous and industrious I may be about my work and that when my body droppeth and faileth most my soul may be most vigorous and active in the exercise of grace I am infinitely indebted to the blessed God for his unspeakable grace to my precious soul my engagements to the dearest Redeemer for loving me and washing me in his own blood are far beyond my apprehension This is the last opportunity that I shall ever enjoy to testifie my thankefulness and to do my God my Saviour my soul any service O how diligent should I be to promote their interest and improve this season Nature in its last conflict with a disease puts forth it self to the utmost it draweth in those spirits which before were scattered in the outward parts to guard and arm the heart it rallieth all those forces which are left if possible to win the day O why should not grace in its last encounter muster up all its strength and put forth it self to the utmost Lust is strong to the last when nature is weak and spent and the sinner disabled from his unclean or intemperate acts even then he can hug them in his heart and roul them under his tongue as a sweet morsel and commit them over and over again in his thoughts and fancy and affections The dying Theif on the Cross when his hands and feet were nailed and by force kept in order could yet find his tongue at liberty before his death to rail at and revile the Lord of life Ah is it not a thousand pities that grace should be outvied by lust and that those that are paid with such lamentable wages as everlasting burnings should dye serving their cruel Master and enter into Hell belching out their blasphemies and spitting their poison in the face of Heaven and that the Children of God should do their father so little service when they are going to their blissful mansions and can do him no more love to my self as well as to my God may quicken me to labour with all my might when I draw near my last hour As I fall now I lie for ever My eternal estate dependeth more upon my death then my life It s possible though rare that a prophane life may be corrected by a penitent death but a wicked death can never be amended He that shoots off a piece if he be not steady just at its going off loseth his Charge and misseth his Mark He that dieth ill dieth ever he is killed with death He that goeth awry when he goeth out of the world shall never come back to recal or amend his steps If I am a conqueror now I am a conqueror for ever if I am foiled now I am foiled for ever Cowards will sight desperately when they are in extremity and must either kill or be killed The Historian saith of Cn. Piso a confederate of Catalines that though he had an heart like an Hare yet he could sight like a Lyon when he apprehended a necessity of fighting for his life O that my pains my diligence may be