Meetness for Heaven Promoted, Chapter 5
CHAP. V. Meetneſs for Heaven in diſpatching our work here, off our hands.
3. THE next thing wherein our meetneſs for this bleſſed Inheritance doth conſiſt, is in diſpatching our main work in the world, that God ſent us to do; whatever that is God expects we ſhould diſpatch it, and get it done; this we muſt all addreſs our ſelves chearfully to do, and be very diligent in doing it, Eccleſ. 9.10. Whatſoever thine hand findes, and do it with thy might. This is … a time of working, the other world is a day of retribution; and when the Child of God hath wrought his days work, its a fit time to go to Bed. Thus our dear Lord tells his Father, Joh. 17.4, 5. —I have finiſhed the work that thou gaveſt me to do: And now, O Father, glorifie me with thy own ſelf.
Queſt. What work is it that God ſets before Men to diſpatch and manage?
Anſw. There is a fourfold work lyes upon a Chriſtians hands to manage in this world.
1. Perſonal Spiritual work, Soul work, wherein God is more immediately concerned; which is the glorifying of God, and ſaving his own Soul: God hath involved theſe in one, they are inſeparable companions, and its a mighty buſineſs: Our Lord ſaith, I have glorified … on the Earth: This in … meaſure is required of us, and the ſincere Chriſtian makes it his deſign. Thou knoweſt, Oh my dear Lord, what is that which hath lain higheſt in my heart ever ſince thou openedſt mine Eyes: The earneſt deſire of my Soul hath been to be nothing in mine own eyes, that God alone may have all the glory; I will confeſs and give glory to God; I will, and through grace have deſired, to make it my buſineſs to give glory to God by believing, repenting, obeying, fruit-bearing; yea in eating, drinking, and whatſoever I do in natural, moral or civil actions. This, this is the mark I ſhoot at, my higheſt aim, that God in all things may be glorified, through Jeſus Chriſt, 1 Pet. 4.11. And my buſineſs is in order thereto, to ſtudy how to pleaſe God, and to abound more and more, 1 Theſſ. 4.1. to obey Gods Commandments, and to do thoſe things that are pleaſing in his ſight; 1 Joh. 3.22. and oh that my Perſon and Prayers might be accepted in Chriſt! The ſalvation of my Soul is more dear and precious then this poor periſhing Carcaſe. My grand enquiry is, what muſt I do to be ſaved? This is the one thing needful; other things are upon the by. Oh that I could work out my own ſalvation! I appeal to thee Lord, how many griefs and groans, prayers and pains, fears and tears, this main concern hath coſt me: I know there's much of this work about my precious Soul yet undone; but thou knoweſt the main is diſpatcht: I have fought a good fight, finiſht my courſe, kept the faith. 2 Tim. 4.7. And now my Land-buſineſs is done, let me go to Sea, and launch out into that boundleſs ocean of eternal happineſs.
2. Temporal work, the buſineſs of our Callings and particular occaſions. This alſo the dying Chriſtian is drawing into a narrower compaſs, that he may voluntarily leave the world, before the world leave him; the Chriſtian having had his head and hands full of buſineſs in his younger days, when old age comes, is glad of a [quietus eſt, or] writ of eaſe, that he may [vacare Deo] be at more leiſure for God in holy duties. Methink, ſaith the good heart, I have had my ſhare, both of the imployments and injoyments of this lower world, and am well content to ſhake hands therewith: I can behold with pity the laborious Ants and Piſmires running upon this Mole-hill, and buſily ſcrambling for a little duſt; let them take it, God hath made my hands to be ſufficient for me; I have what will bear my charges to the grave; let it go, I am glad I have ſo fairly parted with it; I would not be to enter again upon this buſie ſtage, or put forth to this tumultuous Sea; I have now other things to mind; I have now the great work to mind, of ſetting ſtreight my accounts for another world; my Peace to make with God; an Eternity to provide for, which the affairs of the world have thruſt out, or diſtracted me in: This, this ſhall be my imployment for the future; for what will it profit a man to gain the whole world, and loſe his own ſoul? I leave all theſe things to others that ſucceed me.
3. Relative work. This alſo may be in ſome reſpects diſpatched off our hands; and the doing of it maketh more meet for Heaven. This is not to be ſlighted, for it is needful in its place. When King Hezekiah was ſick unto death God ſends him this Meſſage; Set thine houſe in order, for thou ſhalt dye and not live, Iſa. 38.1. [i. e. Make thy Will, and diſpoſe of thy domeſtical concerns, ſo as may be a prevention of quarrels and contentions in thy Family after thy deceaſe:] And ver. 3. 'tis ſaid, that Hezekiah wept ſore: Why ſo? Was not Hezekiah a Godly Man? Was not his Soul in a readineſs for death? Yes doubtleſs, for he dare appeal to God that he had walked before him in truth, and with a perfect heart: What then was the matter? Why Hezekiah had yet no Son, Manaſſeh being not born till three years after this, q. d. Lord, if it may be thy will, ſpare my Life, and give me a Son, for if I dye at this time, I know not how to diſpoſe of the Crown, I am likely to leave the Church and State in miſerable diſtraction and confuſion, through the great uncertainty of a ſucceſſion, and the proneneſs of the people to backſlide to their falſe Worſhip. God heard his Prayer, gave him a leaſe of his Life for fifteen years: But this is a duty to all, though it be more neceſſary to ſome then to others: But however its uſeful to ſettle the Mind at eaſe, and prevent outward ill conſequences, and inward diſturbances of Spirit; but as that good Man was loath to go off the ſtage Heirleſs, ſo other circumſtances may call for the ſettlement of their Families by their laſt Will and Teſtament; eſpecially when Children are left young, &c. Yea, and others alſo may ſay, now God hath lengthened out my days to ſee my Children brought up, and hopeful for Religion, ſetled in Callings and Families; there was but this Child, or that buſineſs that I deſired to ſee well ordered, as to my Family-affairs: As Jacob cloſed up his Bleſſing of Dan, Gen. 19.48. I have waited for thy ſalvation, O Lord. Now at laſt, ſince God hath wrought on ſuch a Child, I will ſay with old Simeon; Lord, now letteſt thou thy ſervant depart in peace, according to thy word, for mine eyes have ſeen thy ſalvation. Luk. 2.29, 30.
4. Another work to be diſpatcht off our hands is publick work. This concerns men in a publick or private capacity; as when Moſes had led Iſrael out of Egypt, and through the Wilderneſs, he had diſpatcht his work, and having been faithful in Gods houſe he was fit to dye. So when Joſhua had conquered many Kings in Canaan, divided the Land to Iſrael, he got a diſcharge and fell aſleep. Thus David, after he had ſerved his own generation by the will of God, fell on ſleep, and was laid unto his Fathers; Acts 13.36. And ſo Aaron, Samuel, and the reſt of the Prophets, marcht off the Field by the order of our great Lord General, when they had diſpatcht their warfare, and delivered their meſſage: Your Fathers, where are they? and the Prophets do they live for ever? Zech. 1.5. And indeed to what purpoſe ſhould they or we live, when our work is done? Eſpecially when Gods ſervants have not only diſpatcht that work that concerns preſent, but future Generations: For this is alſo the work of our preſent day. Thus Solomon built God an houſe for future times: And the Apoſtle Peter lays in for after ages, 2 Pet. 1.15. Moreover, I will endeavour that you may be able after my deceaſe, to have theſe things alwayes in remembrance! Its the property of a good man to take care that Religion may live when he is dead. Ambroſe ſaith of Theodoſius, I loved the man exceedingly, that when he dyed he was more ſollicitous for the Churches then his own danger. Then indeed is the Chriſtian meet for Heaven when he hath diſpatcht his work on Earth, and laid a foundation for good in after times; however bears his teſtimony againſt corruptions in future generations; as Moſes, Deut. 31.26.-30.
Queſt. You will ſay how can any man be ſaid to diſpatch his work till his life be done? Surely the date of work and life run parallel.
Anſw. 1. Active; doing work may be oft at an end, when ſuffering work is but a beginning; for God often reſerves ſuffering work to the laſt, that patience may have her perfect work; that the Chriſtian may be perfect and entire wanting nothing: Jam. 1.4. The Chriſtian hath little to do, but lye in bed, and patiently wait Gods pleaſure; and this uſually follows on doing Gods will: See Hebr. 10.36. This is indeed a great work to bear our burden patiently, chearfully, thankfully and fruitfully; and ſay, well for the preſent, and will be better ſhortly; the greateſt part is then over.
2. Though ſomething be to be done or ſuffered, yet when the greateſt part of a Chriſtians work is done, it may be ſaid it is finiſhed. So it was with our Saviour; Joh. 17.4. I have finiſhed the work which thou gaveſt me to do. But was not dying upon the Croſs for the ſins of Men a principal piece of Chriſts work? Anſw. It was ſo nigh, that he ſpeaks of it as already done; ſo ver. 11. I am not in the world; for he was juſt a going out of it: Beſides he had done moſt of his work, and was ready preſt to do the work fully, the reſt that was behind: And when our Lord had taſted the vinegar, he ſaid, it is finiſhed. Joh. 19.30. This is a cloſing word, as giving up the ghoſt was a cloſing work.
3. Sometimes Divine Providence takes off Gods children from much of their work before their dayes be ended; this is obvious to a rational eye that then their work is done, as ſometimes by natural cauſes. Thus Iſaac, Jacob could preſage their own death by the certain prognoſtick of death, namely, old age: Others by ſome ſickneſs, Conſumptions, which are uſually mortal: Others are taken off moſt of their work by Perſecutions, Priſons, &c. Others are taken off the ſtage of the World by violent death: As a dying Miniſter ſaid on the Scaffold, Iſaac was old and knew not the day of his death, I am young, and know the day, manner, and inſtruments of my death: Its but a nodding the head, and death doth its office. Now my work is ended.
4. Yet once more: Some godly Miniſters and Chriſtians have had a kind of inſtinct, that death was approaching even in their beſt health and younger days; and ſo conſequently of the diſpatch of their work; as ſome Creatures by natural inſtinct foreſee a falling houſe. So we find of Biſhop Juel, that long before his ſickneſs he foretold it approaching, and in his ſickneſs, the preciſe day of his death; he dyed in the fiftieth year of his age. The like we have of James Andreas, who foretold the year, yea, hour of his death. I ſhall but add one inſtance of that Holy Man of God, and my dear Friend Mr. Iſaac Ambroſe, his ſurviving Wife told me of his ſolemn farewel he gave to his Daughter, and ſome other Friends: Yea, the very day of his death ſeveral Friends from Garſtang viſited him at Preſton, with whom he diſcourſed piouſly and chearfully, telling them he had finiſht his work, having the night before ſent his diſcourſe of Angels to the Preſs, attended them to their Horſes, returned, dyed that Evening in his Parlour, where he had ſhut up himſelf for Meditation. Thus Gods children are made meet for Heaven by diſpatching their work on earth.