The Christians Compass, Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
The chird quarter of the duties in the Chriſtian Compaſſe.
HAving paſt two parts of our Compaſs, wee'l haſten over the other two; onelyonly let me intreat you to mind and con theſe well, e're you proceed to learn the other. But when you have got by heart, or rather into the heart this half, then proceed unto the next, which is our Southern quarter, and here remember your eight points likewiſe.
1. Set thy ſelf alwayes as before the Lord: Imagine nay believe it, S.thou art alwayes as directly before the Lord, as the South is juſt in a ſtrait line before, or in the face of the North: I have ſet the Lord alwayes before me; he is at my right hand, I ſhall not be moved: 'Twas the ſaying of David, Pſal 16.8. nay, of Chriſt, who was David's Lord and ours, as it's clear by Act 2.25. This is the nature and life of holineſs, to eye God alwayes; without holineſs we ſhall never ſee God here, nor hereafter; And tis holineſs which fixes our ſight upon God. The Southern Sun doth not more directly caſt his beams upon the North, then the ſanctified ſoul doth caſt his eyes, and every glance of his ſoul upon God. It's the height of thy ſoul, the Meridian point of thy piety always to have thy face and thy heart toward thy God.
2. See weakneſs haſtening thee to death, S. & by W.even when thou art at higheſt pitch or point. Even the Sun at the height in the South, moves immediately to the Weſt, and its firſt differenced motion from South, is by Weſt. You remember in our points of knowledge, chap. 3. I termed Weſt our death point, & South our holineſs point, &c. Now it's in alluſion to that notion that I make this my ſecond practical Rule in this quarter of our Compaſs. Even holy men at, and in the height of holineſs are by death. It's appointed for all once to dye. As ſin hath brought death upon all, ſo holineſs doth not exempt any, I mean death natural. 'Tis true, in a ſpiritual divine ſenſe, Saints do not, ſhall not, cannot dye; but in a litteral humane ſenſe, even the higheſt Saints that have come up to higheſt degrees of Sanctity, have and muſt drink of deaths cup; and it's much for the advance and ſtrengthening of holineſs in our hearts, to ſee our ſelves alwayes ſtepping towards the grave, going to ſet in the point or place of death.
3. See Sin (which is the ſting of death) as taken out, S. S. W.and away by Chriſt, if ever you expect to dye in peace. Often mind, and think upon that Scripture, 1 Cor. 15.55, 56. and ſearch thy ſoul, to ſee whether upon good ground thou canſt ſay, Oh death, where is thy …ing! It's not ſword, or plague, or devouring Monſters at Sea or Land, which can make death ſt…nging, if the ſoul can ſee the bloo… of Jeſus to have cleanſed it from all its ſins; Death onelyonly ſtings with poyſon and pain ſuch as live and dye in their ſins. But to ſouls who are true believers, who are waſhed with the blood of Jeſus, death is a Bee having much hony, but no ſting at all.
4. Store up Wiſely Some proviſions every day for your dying day. S. W. & by S.Dying men need cordials, and ſo do dying Chriſtians ſearch and lay up promiſes; ſtudy and ſtore up experiences; How will you be able to ſee ſin as gone, except you be acquainred with ſin-pardoning-promiſes, and except you have eyes, and taken notice of divine experiences? Mark how, and by what God at any time ſpeaks peace to your ſoul in the blood of Jeſus. Treaſure up every hint and intimation of Grace and Glory, which at any Sermon, in any duty, upon, or after any eminent danger & deliverance (which thou …ſt had) the Lord hath ſweetly given in unto thy ſoul. Oh what reviving comforts, what conſcience-cordials unto a dying ſoul are the r…memembrances of ſuch & ſuch diſcoveries and taſts of God at ſuch and ſuch a time! Verily the experienc…s of our life are often cho…ce refreſhings in, or at our death.
5. Set Worldly things under your feet before death come to look you in the face; Its the world, S. W.and the things of it, which next to ſin, makes death bitter: We therefore fear to dye, becauſe we are loath to leave the world: houſes, trades, lands, relations &c. make the thoughts of death dreadful; where as were we weaned from thoſe, we ſhould with much eaſe & quiet of mind, be willing to go down to the grave.
6. Still wait and ſtand upon your watch with loynes girded, S. W. & by W.and Lamps trimmed: Be not ſo mad as the fooliſh Virgins, to have a Lmp without oyle; nor ſo fooliſh as the wiſe were, to ſlumber, and let your Lamps be untrimmed; But ſee your Lamp be ready, your oile prepared, and you your ſelves as w…ſe, waking, watchful, ready ſervants, who upon any call or knock can go out to open to your Lord, and to meet your bridegroom: ſtudy Chriſts words, Luk. 12.35.36, 37. and practice his counſel which he there gives in this particular.
7. Weigh Soul-works, and all, W.S.W.in the Ballance of the Sanctuary, leſt when thou come to be weighed at the night of death, thou be found to have deceived thy ſelf, and be too light. Many never put their ſoul into the Ballance, to ſee whether or no that be not as Belſhazar, found wanting, and too light. Others never weigh their works, or words, &c. but do thou try all by weight, allowing grains for infirmity (which God permits.) Certainly it will be a dreadful word if it be ſaid to thee in the night, Thou art to dye, (as it was ſaid to Belſhazzar in his) Thou art weighed, and found too light: Judge thy ſelf by Gods weights; his weights are internals, ſincerityes, Chriſts Righteouſneſſe; but word weigh nothing with God, pretences, ſemblances are too light with him; all mans righteouſneſſe in his ballance, weigh not as the duſt of the ballance; God loves truth in the inward parts, and they alone hold weight in his Ballance, that are found in his Sons Robes.
8. Wind thy ſoul about Christs neck, W & by S.and ſo thou mayeſt dye in peace. Simeon with Chriſt in his arms, could ſing and dye, Luk. 2.29. Though the Papiſts hang about a Crucifix (as many of them have done) yet I am confident it hath been rather a hinderance than a help to them: Superstition cannot be a ſolid comfort: yet Chriſt embraced by faith, and hugged with delight, makes death very pleaſant. The Sun never ſet clearer in the faireſt evenning when it came to its Western point, then the ſoul can, and doth, when it lyes down with Chriſt in his arms, and goes with him as it were in his boſom to his burial.