A Love-Token for Mourners, Essay

A Love-Token for Mourners · Essay

p. 183AN ANTIDOTE against the Fear of DEATH.

Some Thoughts, which the Author used to flatter and allure his Soul to be well-pleased with Death, when he with Reverend M^r Blake,In July and August, 1650 stayed in Shrewsbury (in the time of Gods last visitation of that place by the Pestilence) to execute their Pastoral Office amongst their people that did abide there in that doleful time where they were under the continual expectation of arrest.

I. DEath is the common lot of all men. p. 184Every man must die once. There is no discharge from that warre. The best that lived have trod this path. When I die, I shall go but the same way that other men have gone before me, farre better then my self; the same way that Adam, Noah, Abraham, David, Paul, yea that Christ himself went. Shall I not be willing to follow when so many, and such excellent ones, have gone before?

II. My times are in Gods hands; The term and date of my life is set, the way and manner of my death determined. I cannot out-live that date, and nothing shall shorten p. 185that date to prevent my life.Eccl. 3. 2.Eccl 3:2 Every thing is beautifull in its time, and so shall death be to me, when my time is come. When corn is ripe, it is seasonable to cut it down. I shall not be cut down, till it be seasonable. And how can I wish to stand any longer?

III. Death is that which I (as Job) have waited for all my dayes. Do I not live with expectation to die? It should neither be strange nor unwelcome▪ when it comes, which a man looks and waits for it before it comes.

IV. There is nothing but vanity under the Sunne, nothing that a man p. 186can please himself with, take comfort and contentment in, but it hath a worm in it, like Jonah's Gourd: A man (while… he hath it) is in danger either to be deprived of it, or vexed with it. Why then should I be troubled at death, which will case me of the trouble of …y life?

V. A mans life hath very little that is desirable in it. It is a life … of cares, troubles, temptations fears, …, sicknesses, losses, and which is worst of all, of sinfull weaknesses, and inward perplexities. Not my body onelyonly, but my soul, my darling labou… under sore burthens many p. 187times: My thinks death should be sweet unto thee, O my soul, when life it self is so troublesome.

VI. Jesus Christ hath tried the strength of death, and conquered it. By …ying, he overcame death, and him that had the power of death, which is the Devil. There Satan was out-shot in his own Bow, and catcht in his own Snare. What hath he got by bringing Christ to the Crosse, to the Grave? By getting, he hath lost the victory. A happy Paradox. Death shook the Lord Jesus with its sting, but lost its …ing by striking of him. Oh death, where is thy p. 188sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sinne, the strength of sinne is the Law. But thanks be to God who hath given us the v…ctory. See my Soul, Christ hath not only gotten the victory, but hath given us the victo…y which he hath gotten. What? Shall a conquered enemy, disanimate the Conquerour?

VII. Nay, Jesus Christ hath not only conquered death, and disarmed it, but hath blessed death, and sanctified it. He hath made it not only Not an enemy,1 Cor. 3. 221 Cor 3:22 but a friend, a priviledge to beleevers. Come my soul and play with death by faith. Esteem it as a priviledge, be not p. 189…fraid, be not troubled at …, as if it were still an ….

VIII. Whiles I am … the body I am absent …rom the Lord, and so I …ust be till I die. Shall … not desire, at least be …ontent to die, that I may … present with the Lord? Oh my Soul! Love to Christ should constrain thee to be willing to passe … gulf to come to thy be…oved.

IX. When death comes … hath only to do with …y body, nothing to do with my soul. And if it …et my soul alone which … my better part, I would …ot be troubled for that …hich it can do at my, …esh, my body, which p. 190is but the worser part.

X. For my body, though it be but the grosser part of the man, yet because it is a friend of my soul and a piece of my … despise it not. Therefor… I take comfort, that though my body shall die, yet i… shall not be lost. It shall be united to Christ…in … grave, as my soul to Christ in Heaven. Death cannot destroy the union betwixt Christ and the beleever in any part of him. Though worms destroy my flesh, or it be turned to dust, yet my dust shall be precious. God shall bring all together after the many changes, raise up my body at the last day, give it meeting with my soul, p. 191and then with these eyes … shall see my Redeem….

XI. Though I shall die, yet I shall die but once. The second death shall … no power over me. There is no condemnation … that are in Christ Iesus. He hath satisfied for me, and justified me by his bloud, who shall condemn? Since I must die once; what a mercy is it that it is not the worst, the second death!

XII. Death is the last enemy▪ that is to be destroyed (in that sense that a believer may call it an enemy) when that is over all the worst of a believers state is over. Oh my Soul, be willing to p. 192die, that thou maist … back and say, Thanks be … God, Now I am past … worst.

XIII. For the … death: Whether I … the Pestilence, of … other disease, or by … hand of violence, there … no great difference. …thing …ll betall me, … that which is common … other Saints. All dea… are much alike to a me… ber of Christ: all … sting'd, all sanctified. … Plague indeed shuts the man up from his friend… but it doth not shut … out from the man, and where God is he makes a Palace of a Pest-house. However it is but death. (The Plague cannot make p. 193it another thing) and deaths a friend.

XIV. For the pains of death, I should not be troubled, God can make death easie. Some feel lesse in death, then in other diseases, and commonly more in the sicknesse before death, then in death which follows the sicknesse. But … the worst, though sharp, yet they are short, and not intollerable. All the Saints have endured them, and therefore, O my Soul, do not give back for a little pain. That God which hath carried so many through this gulf, is able to carry thee with faith and patience thorow. Say with the holy Singer, Though I walk thorow p. 194the valley of the shadow of death, yet will I fear no ill, for thou art with me. Lord be with thy servant in that hour, that I may not fear.

XV. There may be sore temptations, and on-sets of Satan at that time, when the body is weakest. And indeed some precious Saints have been in great darknesse before their death, and it may be so with me. It is true, O my Soul, and thou hast deserved the withdrawings of God at such a time, because thou hast not improved his presence in former times. If thou fearest this, let it be th… warning. Now take heed of grieving the Spirit. But p. 195consider, though some of the faithfull have been called out to such Conflicts before death, yet their Conflicts have been crowned with Conquests; God hath made their light break forth of obscurity, and put them into Heaven, or rather Heaven into them, whiles they have been yet upon earth. However, this is the comfort; Though Satan may trouble the Saint, yet he shall not conquer him: And therefore trust in the Lord, O my Soul. It lies upon Jesus Christ, the Captain of thy Salvation, to keep all that which is committed to him of the Father. He would neve… have sowed, if he had meant that p. 196Satan should go away with the harvest. It cost him his bloud to redeem thee. Do not think he will part with that easily, which he hath purchased at so dear a price. He never yet left any of his Saints in death, I trust he will not make me the first.

XVI. Though death will make a separation betwixt soul and body, yet death shall not separate from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. This Paul was perswaded of Rom. 8. And so am I upon the same grounds. Gods love is not changable in it self, nor conquerable by death. He loved thee, O my soul, notwithstanding thy unworthinesse, and therefore p. 197be assured, he will not separate thee from his love, because of thine unworthinesse. And now I see what it cannot do…, Lord keep me from being dismay'd at the utmost that it can do against me.

XVII. If death take away some outward comforts from me, or rather me from them, viz. Wife, Children, Friends, Possessions; This is my Comfort, God hath suffered me to enjoy them, whiles I had need of them, or could have benefit by them; when I am taken from them, I shall then have no more need of them. And why then should I care for not having what I p. 198do not want. It is a mercy to have them, but speaks the imperfection of our state to need them. It is better be in a state of perfection without them, then still to have them and be imperfect.

XVIII. It is true, death will strip me of some outward accomplishments, but it shall do me as good a turn, to deliver me from all my troubles. And I would have thee know, O my Soul, that the troubles of this life of sicknesse, pain, losse, sorrow, fear, &c. may very well lie in the balance against all earthly enjoyments: It is a saving match at least, to sell our outward contentments, to be freed from p. 199our this lifes miseries.

XIX. Though death take away some uselesse moveables which have served my turn whiles I had need, yet as a friend it leaves me my best Jewels. My Soul, thou shalt still enjoy thy precious graces, and glorious priviledges, when death hath taken thee from thy cheaper and more troublesome luggage. Death will not, cannot meddle with thy best treasure. And wilt thou not be content to part with those, since it leaves thee these?

XX. What I leave of outward things when I die, I leave to others that stay behinde. There will still be use of them to p. 200those that live to use them. They will not be lost, because I leave them. And when my turn is served, why should I grudge that others should be served as well as I?

XXI. I shall know no more sensible pleasure and contentment here, but I am well content, because I shall sinne no more in the enjoyment of such pleasure. I have paid dear enough for all that I have had, whiles I had it. The sinne of my pleasure, hath devoured all the sweetnesse of my pleasure, that working me more smart after my pleasure, then all my pleasure was worth, whiles I was enjoying it. My Soul, be content to p. 201rejoyce no more amongst the living, upon this account, that death will free thee from sinning any more amongst them.

XXII. In death there will be no more remembrance of me: But it is no matter, I hope when I am forgotten, my sin and shame will be forgotten also. I am content the rest should be forgotten, so that my folly and weakness may be no more remembred. And yet my Soul be not discouraged, The Scripture saith: The memory of the Just is blessed, Psa. 10. 7. And the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance, Psalm 11▪2. 6. God hath provided that our Names should live, when our p. 202flesh consumes. The rotting of the Name is a curse entailed upon those that are rotten in their lives.

XXIII. I shall lie in the pit, and not know what is done under the Sunne. Darknesse will cover me in the grave: But if I lie in the pit I shall be safe; No body will envy, No body will hurt me there. And though it be a dark place, it is the better for a sleeping place. I tell thee, O my Soul, the recompence of not knowing what is done under the Sunne. Thou shalt not know the wickednesse, the blasphemy, the oppression and violence that is done there. p. 203Since thou canst not know a little good, without the knowledge of so much evil under the Sunne, which is so great a burthen, be contented to be eased of thy burthen by not knowing what is done.

XXIV. Worms may perhaps consume my body, but that is no great matter neither. I shall not feel their gnawings of my flesh. What though my body cannot escape those feeble creatures, when it is dead, yet blessed be God, that hellish worme of an accusing Conscience, shall not be suffered to disrest my Soul. There is more mercy in being freed from one worm, then from p. 204a thousand. The wormes feed upon my body: I remember David said, He was a worm. A King, and yet a worm. Sure I must be something below a worm: But if a worm, let the worms feed upon their fellows; I am glad that worms may be better for me when I die. It is my grief that men have been so little better for me while… I lived.

XXV. My treasure is in Heaven, my best goods are there; they were not sent thither, laid up there for me to …arry long behinde. I must go from hence before I can come thither. And I must tell thee, O my Soul, I like not to lose my treasure p. 205by staying here.

XXVI. When death puts an end to this life, it will give an entrance into eternall life. The ending of one is the beginning of the other: Who would not be willing to be at the end of a worse, to be at the beginning of a better, of a blessed life? Lord, make thy servant not only willing, but covetous of this.

XXVII. When I die, I go to rest, to rest from my labours. I shall be out of the reach of care, trouble, sorrow, sicknesse, temptations, persecution. Here I am, as other of my brethren, the But of Satans rage, of the malice of wicked men. I have p. 206not been free to speak or deliver my Masters Message without danger. Men have laid wait to ensnare me in my own words, to make my tongue my trap. These shall follow me but to my grave; There they will lose the Sent. O my Soul, Thy grave is thy Burrow, in death thou shalt be quiet.

XXVIII. As soon as breath goes out of my body, I trust my soul shall be mounted upon the wings of Angels into Heaven, into Abrahams bosome; And this will not be long in doing; Who would not ride on such a Chariot, to such a place Great things are spoken of Heaven; And I have p. 207spoken as great as I could, to make it an attractive, a powerfull Argument to draw other men to the love of Holinesse. If I be not willing to go to Heaven, I betray my faith, I shame my practice. Shall not he that preacheth Heaven, be willing to die, that he may be in Heaven? My Soul, thou wouldst be loth to have all thy Heaven upon earth. And therefore when Gods time comes, Wilt thou not be willing to part with …arth, that thou maist enjoy thy Heaven where it is?

XXIX I have accounted sle…p a speciall blessing of God for the refreshing of Nature; My sleep hath been the image p. 208and similitude of my death. When I have slept, I have been like to one that is dead for that time. Death is the truest sleep: As when I slept I was as one that were dead, so when I die, I shall be but as one that is asleep. And though I shall sleep longer in my grave, then in my bed; yet as when I have slept, I awake and rise again, so after this sleep of death, when it is off, I shall awake and rise again. O my Soul, when I am weary of the day, I willingly lay me down t… sleep. Thou art content the body should have rest, I pray thee be as willing, when this wearisome day of thy natural life is at an end, in the night of death p. 209to let thy body lie down to sleep in its bed of earth, till the morning of its resurrection comes. To die unto a Saint is but to undresse, and go to bed.

XXX. Whiles I am here in the world, I am but in a moveable condition, alwayes flitting and shifting, from one house to another, from one place to another. And this hath been very irksome. But I think God hath wisely ordered it, that by moving to many places, I might be in love with none. If I have liked my house never so well, I have been forced to leave it, either because none of mine, or because my work hath been ended in the place where I p. 210have pitched. How often have I been forcibly removed from people whom I have lov…d, from places where I had thought to have rested! In Heaven I hav… an house of mine own, a better house then any the world affords, not made with hands; an eternal house, whose builder and maker is God. An house that wants no convenience. An house that is ready and amply furnished. If thou wert there, O my Soul, thou shouldst not need to flit, it is thine inheritance by gift, and he that gave it will not put thee out. Shall I not be willing to live in mine own, rather then a strangers, in an heavenly then in an p. 211earthly house; in an house of Gods buildings then of mans; in an eternal, rather then in a falling ruinous habitation? While I live here, I shall be put to shift, when I die I shall make but one remove, and never flit again. Let me remove once, and do it cheerfully, that I may remove no more.

XXXI. But what do I speak of an House, in Heaven? (my Soul) there is a Kingdom, Not like the Kingdoms of this world, not a narrow, envied, divided, shaken, sinful, temporal Kingdom. Not subject to warres, tumults, fire, famine, pestilence, oppression, ruine, desolation, but a spiritual, heavenly, p. 212glorious, u…shaken, large, united, undefiled, peaceable, everlasting Kingdom, Not subject to any invasion, to any change, to any danger. Since therefore God hath given me a Kingdom, and the Kingdom is not of this world, which …e hath given me; Why should I desire to continue in this world, and not go where my Kingdom is? Would any man that is heir to a Kingdom desire to live any where but in the Kingdom to which he is an heir? Especially, if his own be such, that in comparison it shames all others that may be brought to make comparison. Lord, since it pleaseth thee to give me a Kingdom, Help p. 213me to walk worthy of the dignity, and hopes of a King, whiles I live, and let not this beggarly life, nor any thing that belongs to it, keep me from being willing, nay desirous to enjoy a Crown. If such a worm may speak such a word, To say he is a King; I beseech thee make me willing, or else when the time comes, stay not for my willingnesse, but set me upon the Throne, bring me to the Kingdom promised. Put, oh put that pure Crown of Righteousnesse, that incorruptible Crown of Glory upon my head. Its a glorious thing to be a King. Ambition makes graceless men, whose portion is in this life, desperately p. 214daring to adventure their All to get one of these poor Cottage Kingdoms. Oh my Soul, Shall not grace make thee willing to put off thy natural life, to put on this living and immarcessible Crown?

XXXII. The Scripture speaks admirable things of the glorified estate of the Saints, what is reserved in Heaven for them, what they shall enjoy there. At present it tels us we know but in part, and we know it tels us true by our great ignorance. It cals all that we have on this side Heaven our tastes and earnests of what we shall have. We are now the sons of God, but it doth not yet p. 215appear what we shall be, saith S^t John. 1 John 3. 2.1 John 3:2And the Apostle saith, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 1 Cor. 2. 9.1 Cor 2:9Surely there are some stranger things reserved to be revealed and enjoyed in Heaven, or else we should not have such high and farre-meaning expressions from the holy Spirit. While… thou art here (O my Soul) thou hast but a poor imperfect glimpse of that which lies wrapt up in the promise. Thou livest by faith not by sight. Thy happinesse now lies pri…ipally in the hope of what shall be thy happinesse in Heaven. p. 216And therefore since this is not the place for accomplishing thy happinesse, be thou carried out with desire to be in that place, where thy happinesse may be accomplished, to die and be dissolved, that thou maist know and enjoy all that is spoken of the blessed state of the blessed Saints in glory.

1. I desire to know experimentally, what it is to be in a state that is absolutely free from trouble, fear, sorrow, sicknes, temptations, enemies, especily from …inne: Oh what a thing is that? Here I know little else but sinne and sorrow. Lord, let me know what it is to be freed from these, what it is to sin no p. 217more, to weep no more. It is in the promise, Rev▪ 1. 4. Oh let me have it in performance.

2. The Scripture speaks of the spirits of just men made perfect. Those just men are no where but in Heaven, and there they have their souls accomplisht with perfection. They have their natural faculties enlarged and filled, they have the image of God, all their graces, that Divine Nature (as Peter cals it) compleated to the highest degree. It is now with them, as it was in the beginning, they are like unto God himself, and in his perfect similitude, according to the measure of creature-perfection. Oh my Soul, p. 218dost thou not desire experimentally to know and enjoy this happiness, to be absolutely and compleatly sanctified, to have all thy graces shining in their lustre and glory? Oh me thinks thou shouldst long to know what this is to be like unto God that made thee, who when he made thee, made thee like himself.

3. I hear great things spoken of Heaven, what a glorious place it is, and how farre it excels all that is visible on this side. Art hath raised many glorious structures, which do very much catch the senses, ravish the beholders. But that part of the visible Heavens which is the workmanship of God drawn over p. 219our heads, the beautifull ground-work, and curious enamelling of the Sunne, Moon and Starres, doth exceedingly shame all the invention and art of man. These I have seen, and been sometimes much taken with them. But I have not seen what is the glory of the highest Heavens, the Paradise of God. I have not seen the City of the great King, the glorious high Throne on which Christ Jesus fits. Oh my Soul, why dost thou linger? Art thou not willing to leave this world, that thou maist know, behold, and live in that place of Glory, which so farre transcend… all that thou hast seen, and which thou canst not see p. 220until thou leave this world? Wouldst thou not fain see that mansion that Christ went to prepare for thee?

4. My Soul, thou hast very reverend thoughts of the Saints departed, of the Fathers▪ that died in the faith long ago, and of the Saints and Martyrs of Jesus that died in later ages, of Adam, Noah, Eno…h, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshuah, Samuel, David, Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezek…el, Daniel, Peter, Paul, Calvin, Luther, Cranmer, Ridley, Latimer, Bradford. My Soul, thou hast onelyonly heard of these, thou hast not seen them. But now, my Soul, when thou goest to Heaven, thou shalt behold and p. 221know all these, with all the rest of those glorified Saints that went before thee. Thou shalt sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven; and those whom thou now so much admirest, shall be thy Companions. If thou leave behinde thee some precious Saints, whom thou lovest, there will be no losse of Company, there thou shalt finde others more worthy of thy love, in Heaven all is exchanged for better. Thou knowest those already that are here. There thou shalt be acqainted and familiar with those thou never knewest.

5. The Angels are excellent glorious Creatures, All p. 222Spirit, exceeding holy, they wait upon God immediately, they passe up and down with incredible ce…erity, are Instruments to do God great service; yea though we see them not, yet are they ministring spirits unto the heirs of salvation. Doubtlesse they now perform many good offices for us, which are not yet understood by us for whom they are performed. My Soul, these glorious Creatures, whose feet a man can hardly now behold and live, thou shalt in Heaven have the full knowledge of them, of their Natures, Office and Ministry. Thou shalt converse with them familiarly, and not be afraid of them. Here thou art but p. 223a Companion for men, and many of those men amongst whom thou livest have scorned to be thy Companions; Let this make thee willing to leave this world, to go to Heaven, where thou shalt be a M…te for Angels, and shalt not be scorned by them.

6. The Scripture saith, Our light afflictions which are but for a moment, do work for us a far more exceeding,1 Cor. 4. 17.1 Cor 4:17 and eternal weight of glory. My Soul, thou dost not at present enjoy this; nay, I am sure thou canst not comprehend what lies in this expression. It is spoken for thee to wonder at, Glory, a weight of Glory, an exceeding weight of Glory, a nore exceeding weight of p. 224Glory, a farre more exceeding weight of Glory, a farre more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory. My Soul, dost thou know what this means? Sure it is some wonderfull thing, which the Apostle, guided by the Spirit, heaps so many words upon, as if it were something that did exceed the most exceeding expressions; Oh my Soul, though now thou dost not comprehend the expression, but admirest something which thou dost not understand, yet when thou comest to Heaven, thou shalt not only understand the phrase, but possesse the thing. Art thou not willing to take thy wings and flie from hence, that thou maist no… p. 225only understand, but be laden with this blessed burthen, which the Spirit cals an exceeding weight of Glory? Who would need Arguments to perswade, that might be assured by going to such a place to have leave to carry away his lading of gold or precious treasure? Why, my Soul, if thou wilt go to Heaven, all thy burthen shall be thy glory: This Glory is ten thousand times more precious then gold. And it hath this advantage, though it be a weight of Glory, yet it is no burthen, shall never weary him that carries it.

FINIS.

End of the text · Samuel Fisher, A Love-Token for Mourners (1655)