The Sure Mercies of David, Treatise · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII.
III. THE third head of Directions i… this, In what caſes may a Covenanted ſoul make uſe of, or improve theſe ſure mercies of David?
In anſwer to this I ſhall propound theſe ſeven caſes wherein a gracious ſoul may and muſt have recourſe to theſe Covenant mercies.
1. In caſe of diſſetling ſuggeſtions t… Atheiſm or unbelief, when reaſon begin to diſpute the being of God, or the truth of Scriptures, and ſhakes our confidence or ſtrikes at the foundation, then ſtudy and improve theſe ſure undoubted mercies, and lean upon Divine Authority, if God ſpeak it, the thing is out of doubt, his [ipſ… dixit] is beyond all demonſtrations; Divines diſtinguiſh of maxims in Divinity ſome whereof are mixtly Divine, other are meerly Divine; Primo credu…tur, & poſtea intelliguntur.in truths of the former ſort reaſon may ſerve in the ſecond place; firſt they are believed, then underſtood, as a man believes the immortality o… the ſoul, then he begins to take up the ſame from reaſon, Rationes precedentes minuunt fidem, ſed rationes ſubſequentes augent fid…m.only reaſon muſt not her… come before faith, but know her place for if ſhe ſhould offer to go before a… an Uſher to make way for faith, w… ſhould never believe; therefore Schoolmen ſay, Reaſons going before Faith, weaken… faith, but reaſons coming after faith ſtrengthens it; ſo that reaſon makes not the matter more ſure [ex parte veritatis dictantis] in reſpect of God the ſpeaker, See Weem's Pourtrait of Imag. Ep. to Read.[ſed ex parte intellectus diſſentientis] in reſpect of the weakneſs of our underſtanding. But now in things that are meerly Divine, and fall directly under faith, as the Myſterie of the Trinity of Incarnation, reaſon hath nothing to do but admire thoſe hid myſteries that ſhe can never reach unto. Oh take heed of doubting or unbelief: Goſpel-myſteries are without all Controverſie; here thy way is not to diſpute but believe; Gods Word is more than all the proteſtations, aſſeverations, bonds or obligations of all the men in the World; Conſider what's ſaid in the Doctrinal part, and give your full aſſent to all revealed truths: you may better believe God than your ſenſes: Senſes may deceive us; God cannot, many men are bruitiſh, will believe nothing but what is within the reach of ſenſe; they are meer Sadduces about ſpirits and ſpiritual things; but ſirs, will you belive nothing but what you ſee? then ſurely you'l not believe that there is ſuch a City as Rome or London becauſe you have not ſeen them. But let me tell you that that tempting ſpirit who perſwades you now to doubt of the being of God, and the reality of Divine things, cannot doubt thereof himſelf; for he to his coſt feels the truth thereof, though without any comfortable intereſt therein the Devil believes and trembles, Jam. 2.19. O therefore, Non eſt diſputatio a…t …ubitatio poſt Evang…lium reve…tum.ſilence all unbelieving and diſputing thoughts, doubt not after theſe clear revelations and demonſtrations: admit not this grand Goſpel-ſin of unbelief, this damning infidelity, but cry out as the poor man, Lord I believe, help thou my unbelief, Mark 9.24.
2. In caſe of guilt upon the Conſcience and fears of acceptance, then have recourſe to theſe ſure mercies of David, theſe are mercies, therefore mercy is working towards a poor ſinner in miſery, they are made ſure by Chriſt to all Heirs of Promiſe, and though thou canſt not ſenſibly apprehend him by faith, at ſome times, ye… he can powerfully comprehend thee what though thy ſins be many, yet mercy anſwers all demerits; 'tis not only mercy, but mercies; multitudes of tender mercies; he is plenteous in mercy, and will abundantly pardon; he doth not conſult thy fitneſs, but his free-grace; come then, poor guilty ſinner, venture thy weary ſoul upon theſe ſure mercies; he i… meeting thee half way (as the Prodigal… Father) and ready to fall upon thy neck his bowels are yerning towards thy ſinning ſoul, he is very free and liberal … diſtributing; be not thou coy and ſhy in entertaining theſe ſure mercies, h… waits to be gracious, do thou bid hi… gracious tenders welcome. Yea, but ſaith the troubled ſoul, though there be mercies, yet I queſtion whether they belong to me; I know they are ſure to ſome, but 'tis a great queſtion whether I be of that number; and I reply, why not to thee? what Scripture or reaſon haſt thou to ſuſpect that thou art excluded? the grant is in general terms, Jeſus Chriſt came to ſeek and ſave what was loſt, and thou art loſt, and feeleſt thy ſelf to be loſt, doth not he bid weary ſouls come to him? if thou wert righteous, thou mighteſt juſtly fear thou mighteſt go without him, but thou ſaiſt thou art a ſinner, and thou knoweſt he came not to call the righteous but ſinners to repentance; thou art a ſinner, a great ſinner: yea, chiefeſt of ſinners, and did not Paul look upon himſelf as ſuch, and yet he obtained mercy; and conſider ſoul if thou haſt no intereſt in theſe mercies, whence …hen are all thoſe fears, doubts, jealouſies, complaints, enquiries? whence are theſe ſad and dreadful apprehenſions of thy ſin and miſery? theſe convictions of the nothingneſs of thy duties, and ſufficiency of mercies only to relieve thy periſhing ſoul? whence are thoſe meltings of heart for …ffending bowels of mercy? and ſtrug…lings againſt ſin from the ſenſe of mercy? …hat mean thoſe prayers and tears, thoſe …oſſings of thy ſoul betwixt hopes and …ears about thy intereſt in mercy? and yet thou who thus complaineſt, wouldſt not give up thy title or quit thy claim to theſe Covenant-mercies for a full poſſeſſion of all the common mercies in the World; thou art not content without theſe, thy enquiry is chiefly after theſe, thy expectation i… moſt from, and dependance moſt upon, theſe Covenant-mercies, theſe and theſe alone are thy ſalvation and deſire. But ſuppoſe the worſt, that thy ſoul hath no intereſt as yet in theſe, why ſhouldſt thou deſpair of future intereſt? ſhouldſt thou not rather put it out of doubt by a preſent application thereof by actual believing? ſtand out, ſtand off no longer, take Chriſt upon his own terms, give up thy ſelf to him, give him the glory of believing, remember al… the ways the Lord hath taken to aſſure thee of theſe mercies, ſo that unbelief is the moſt unreaſonable ſin in the World; Joh. 3.19.this is the great damning ſin, ſay not with Cain, thy ſins are greater than can be forgiven, for thou lyeſt in ſaying ſo; is not the mercy of an infinite God beyond the demerits of a finite creature? nay further, thou giveſt God the lye who is truth it ſelf, he ſaith, there's life for dead condemned ſinners in his Son, 1 Joh. 5.10, 11.thou ſaiſt no, but I have been to ſeek, and I want life, but there's none for me; yes, yes, ſoul, there's life enough for thee, grace abounds, and you may have this life in abundance, only ſhut not out your ſelves by unbelief, but come to him and he will in no wiſe caſt you off, for he is ready to forgive your iniquities, and give you theſe ſure mercies.
3. In caſe of perſecutions, afflictions, temptation from Satan, the World, or any other ways, you may then improve theſe Covenant-mercies, and find abundance of ſweetneſs, ſolace and ſatisfaction therein; were it not for theſe the ſoul of a child of God would ſink under his preſſures; how often doth David profeſs that he had periſhed in his affliction, Pſal. 119.did not Gods word of promiſe ſupport him; a Covenant-word will lift up the ſoul from the loweſt depth, a Covenanted God will incourage a Saint in the greateſt ſtraits; there is a Divine art in a Chriſtians improving this …tock to his beſt advantage, and affliction …s a proper ſeaſon to make uſe thereof; as ſuppoſe a man be in poverty there's enough …n the Covenant to make him rich, if in diſgrace, Covenant-mercies make him honourable, if ſick, one Covenant-mercy (even pardon of ſin) will make him ſound, Iſa. 33. Dei hominem & culto…em Dei ſubnixum ſpei veritate & fidei ſtabilitate fundatum, …gat mandi bu…us & ſe…uli in teſtatio…ibus commoveri. vid. Cypr. tracta…. cont. Demetr. p. 273.… in Priſon, Covenant-mercies ſet him at …iberty, if hungry or thirſty, why, Covenant-mercies are meat and drink to him, if derived of relations, ſtill Covenant-mercy makes up that loſs, and lets the ſoul ſee …etter relations in Heaven. Oh Chriſtians, our caſe can never be forlorn, as long as …u have ſuch rich mercies of the Covenant to ſupport and ſupply you; let all the …en of earth ſet themſelves againſt you, …ey can but ſtorm the out-works, they can …ver ſurprize your main Fort, or rob you … your beſt goods; theſe mercies of the Covenant which are made ſure to you by a Covenant of ſalt; oh hug and embrace theſe mercies in ſuch a time as this, when trade decays, your ſtock is ſafe; in a plundering time none can pluck away your treaſure and eſtate; you have ſomething that all the Devils in Hell, and Men on Earth cannot deprive you of, troubles will but knock theſe mercies into your breaſts more firmly and feelingly then deprive you of them, or render you ſuſpicious of your intereſt in them, for theſe are ſeaſons wherein God communicates moſt of himſelf to the ſoul; Gen. 28.13.Jacob's ſad and ſolitary journey was attended with the choiceſt heart-reviving diſcoveries; Heaven was opened, and God ſhined upon bleſſed Stephen's ſoul through a ſhowr of Stones. Act. 7.55.Oh Chriſtians, 'tis worth a World to have intereſt in God in the day of affliction; and 'tis your great work in ſuch a day to bear up your hearts with what you have in the Covenant of grace: take heed of diſcontented murmurings under any tryals, ſince you have a God that can and will be all in all to your ſouls in the want of all comforts and over-flowing of ſorrows.
4. You may improve theſe Covenant mercies in a day of ſpiritual dearth, in th… famine of the Word, which is the ſad deſ… judgement, when Means, Ordinances fail… and the ſoul is in great danger of pining then 'tis both ſafe and ſweet to ſuck growt… and ſtrength from the ſpring-head, eve… from God in a Covenant-way, theſe mercies nouriſh the languiſhing ſoul in a famiſhing ſeaſon, Iſa. 41.17, 18. when the poor and needy ſeek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirſt, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Iſrael will not forſake them, I will open Rivers in high places, and Fountains in the midſt of the Valleys, I will make the Wilderneſs a Pool of water, and ſtreams in the Deſart, and dry Land ſprings of Water. Oh bleſſed are Covenanted ſouls, they have meat to eat others know not of, hidden Manna, God hath ways to convey Marrow and Fatneſs into their ſouls when their ordinary proviſion is kept from them. I Read of a man, that was condemned to ſtarve to death in Priſon, his Daughter getting leave to viſit him once a day, yet not permitted to bring food, notwithſtanding preſerved his life a long time by the Milk which he ſucked out of her Breaſts. Oh how doth God preſerve the ſouls of his Children in Priſons, by that good nouriſhment they ſuck from God in the breaſts of the Promiſes! he keeps them alive in famine, bread ſhall be given them, their waters ſhall be ſure, Iſa 33.16.yea he makes affliction and adverſity both bread and water, wholeſome food, therefore called in Scripture, Iſa. 30.20.the bread of adverſity and water of affliction, becauſe ſouls are bravely nouriſhed thereby; Ordinances may for a ſeaſon be removed, but influences of grace are ſtill conveyed, grace is ſupported, the ſoul ſupplyed, as long as the ſpring remains free for a Chriſtians acceſs he ſhall be provided for, though the Chanel be ſtopt, ſtreams cut off, and outward means much obſtructed: therefore, Chriſtians, when the word of the Lord is precious, and there is little open viſion, make your addreſſes immediately to God, ſee what he will ſpeak to your ſouls; own him in Covenant-relation, lay your ſouls at his feet, and tell him that you are caſt in a thirſty Wilderneſs, your graces are withering, and hearts failing, tell him you can ſcarce meet with an inſtrument to receive a word of council or comfort from, but ask him if he cannot ſupply without as well as by the means; tell him, he ſometimes ſtops the Conduit that he may convince us where our refreſhment lyes, and whither we muſt have recourſe for freſh ſupplys; tell him when you enjoyed the means, they could not work without him, and now you want them he can work without them, though he hath tyed us to the means, yet he hath not tyed himſelf to them; tell him once again that the more immediate his Conveyances are, the more evidential they are, and the ſweeter emblems of Heaven.
5. In your backſlidings and fears of apoſtacy, then, oh then improve theſe mercies of the new Covenant; you fall and miſcarry and loſe your hold of God, but God hath hold of you; you dare not venture to approach to him again, Jer. 3.12, 13.but he calls and tells you he will heal your backſliding, will not cauſe his anger to fall upon you, becauſe he is marryed to you, and he hates putting away; the mercies of the Covenant depend not on your mutable wills, but upon everlaſting love, your ſouls are carryed to Heaven in the Chariot of the Covenant which moves upon the ſolid Axle-tree of free-grace, which as it was not procured, ſo is it not continued by your merits, or goodneſs; 'tis true if you had carryed the matter ſo towards men as you have done to God, you might expect an heavy ſentence, but theſe are the ſure mercies of an infinite God; the Covenant is made in Chriſt, and made good by Chriſt, the Alpha and Omega, the Amen, the faithful and true witneſs is the Surety and Mediator of this bleſſed Covenant. Oh Chriſtians, lay your ſtreſs here; there's help laid upon one that is mighty to ſave, he can ſave to the uttermoſt pinch, he is good at this ſoul-ſaving work; do not fear, he that begun this good work in your hearts will perfect it, you may be confident of it; 1 Pet. 1.5. Rom. 14 4. Jer. 32.you ſhall be kept by the power of God through faith to ſalvation; though you be very weak, yet he is able to make you ſtand; you ſhall not depart from him; omnipotency is engaged for you; act faith therefore upon the numerous and gracious promiſes of perſeverance, though you have many fightings without and fears within, though you feel averſeneſs to good, and a tendency to ſin, wants and weakneſſes, burdens and breaches, ſnares and ſadneſs; yet lift up your hearts, you ſtand upon better terms with God than Adam in innocency, or the Angels in glory, who were not confirmed in their integrity, but are fallen by a dreadful apoſtacy; it were ſad for poor believers, if their happineſs did depend upon their mutable nature, or ſtrongeſt reſolutions; or if God ſhould revoke his mercies, as often as they provoke his juſtice, but bleſſed be God for Jeſus Chriſt, and the reſt of the ſure mercies of David; triumph in this, O ye Children of the promiſe, the Covenant wherein your ſouls are wrapped, is ordered in all things and ſure; Heaven it ſelf is engaged for you, the Gates of Hell ſhall not prevail againſt you, none can pluck you out of his hands, who is the rock of Ages, in whom is everlaſting ſtrength; you may confidently make bold and bleſſed Paul's victorious challenge, who ſhall ſeparate us from the Love of God, Rom. 8.35. ad finem, though your internal motions be often like Ezekiel's wheel, … 16 ….intricate, confuſed and perplexed, as a wheel in a wheel, grace ſweying one way, and fleſh another, yet if you be joyned to the living Creatures, and united to Chriſt in the bond of the Covenant, you ſhall go ſtreight on with conſtancy and uniformity till your ſouls arrive at glory: theſe mercies are not for a day, or week, or month or year, but they run parallel with the life of God and line of eternity, for with everlaſting mercies, he will have compaſſion on thee, Iſa. 54.7, 8.
6. In caſe of deſertions, and Gods withdrawings from him, the ſoul may and muſt improve theſe ſure mercies of David; now deſertions are ordinarily diſtinguiſht into Gods withdrawing. 1. His quickning. 2. His comforting preſence from the ſoul, in both theſe caſes the ſoul may improve them.
1. In caſe God ſuſpend the gracious influences of his ſpirit, and the heart be ſhut up under deadneſs, hardneſs, unbelief, diſtractions, and the poor Chriſtian cannot feel thoſe lively ſpringings of the graces of the Covenant in his heart, then let him have recourſe to the promiſe wherein God hath engaged himſelf to give a ſoft heart, a new ſpirit, faith, love, repentance, the ſpirit of prayer, &c. all habits of grace, the lively exerciſe of grace, aſſiſting grace, quickning, enlarging, moving melting manifeſtations are bound up in this Goſpel-covenant; hence it is, that when David …inds his heart dull and out of frame; he runs to God and cryes out, my ſoul cleaveth to the duſt, ver. 107.quicken me according to thy word, Pſal. 119.25. and he goes often over with that phraſe, which imports, that David lay under the ſenſe of ſome promiſe; that God had made for the quickning of his heart, when it was out of frame, and accordingly he recounts the gracious influences of Gods ſpirit, and profeſſeth that he will never forget his precepts, becauſe by them he had quickned him, ver. 93. thus let dead hearts lay themſelves at Chriſts feet, and plead in this manner, Lord my heart is exceeding dull and diſtracted; I feel not thoſe enlarging, melting influences which thy Saints have met with, but are they not main material mercies of the Covenant; doſt thou not promiſe a ſpirit of illumination, conviction, humiliation? is not holineſs of heart and life a main branch of it? doſt thou not promiſe therein to write thy Law in my heart? to give me oneneſs of heart, to put thy fear within me, to ſubdue my corruptions, to help my infirmities in prayer? now Lord, theſe are the mercies my ſoul wants and waits for, fill my ſoul with theſe warming influences, revive thy work of grace in my ſoul, draw out my heart towards thee, inlarge my affections to thee, repair thine image, draw out grace into lively exerciſe; doth not that ſweet word intend ſuch a mercy when thou ſaiſt, Ezek. 36.26.thou wilt not only give a new heart but put a new ſpirit within me, to make my ſoul lively, active, and ſpiritual in duties and motions? dear Lord, am not I a Covenanted ſoul? and are not theſe Covenant-mercies? why then, my God, doſt thou thus harden my heart from thy fear? why doſt thou leave me in all this deadneſs and diſtraction? remember thy word unto thy ſervant in which thou haſt cauſed me to hope, and in which thou haſt helped me to plead; oh quicken my dull heart, according to thy word: thus improve theſe mercies in caſe of deadneſs.
2. In caſe of ſadneſs and diſconſolateneſs, and the hidings of Gods face from a troubled drooping ſpirit; Oh then make much uſe of theſe Covenant-mercies, both as they are mercies and as they are ſure mercies, they are as free and as firm as ever; if you ſee nothing but wickedneſs and wretchedneſs in your ſelves, remember mercy prevents you; if you ſee nothing but juſtice and frowns in Gods face, remember his faithfulneſs ingageth him; he is faithful, he cannot deny himſelf, would he love thee ſo as to make thee his, and will he not now love thee as his Child? conſider, the Covenant is certain, though there be a preſent ſuſpenſion, thy union to Chriſt is ſecured, though actual Communion be intercepted, yea real unneceſſary Communion is continued, though ſenſible manifeſtations be obſcured: for obſerve it, the ſoul holds Communion with Chriſt by that which deſertions cannot hinder, ſalvation may be there, though the joy of that ſalvation be gone, Covenant-relation may continue without comfortable ſatiſfaction, why baſt thou forſaken me? (ſaith Chriſt and David his Type) yet my God ſtill. Pſal. 51.8.Chriſtians, you are not to truſt to preſent feelings; David doth not ſay, make me to feel, but hear joy and gladneſs, ſaith one, becauſe ſenſe and feeling is of no worth of it ſelf, except firſt we hear it in a promiſe, that's a fancy that's felt and not heard from God, and we are to build upon a word of promiſe, even when we want the feeling of comfort; and 'tis not ſafealtoger the to lean upon former experiences only, though theſe are good ſecondary helps, yet our primary and Principal foundation is God in a Promiſe, as our God in Covenant; let a dark and troubled ſpirit read, ſtudy, and practiſe that choice inſtruction, Iſa. 50.10. truſt in the name of the Lord, there's enough in Gods name to anſwer all…d ubts, read it, Exod. 34.5, 6— mercy there anſwers to our miſery, grace to our undeſerving, long-ſuffering to our continued apoſtacy, goodneſs anſwers our vileneſs, truth and faithfulneſs anſwers to our Covenant-breach and falſhood; God keeps Covenant, though we break it, yea, God keeps Covenant with us though we are apt to think he breaks it; David thought Gods mercy was clean gone, and that his Promiſe failed for evermore, but he is convinced at laſt that that apprehenſion was his infirmity, Pſal. 77.8, 9, 10. therefore let a clouded ſoul in its blackeſt deſertions lift up his eyes and heart to theſe ſure mercies, and ponder thus; 'tis true my ſoul is dark, and God withdraws, it is a night of great affliction, but was it never day with thee, O my ſoul? hath not the bleſſed day-ſtar of grace riſen in thy heart? hath not God united thee to Jeſus Chriſt? did he never give thee the earneſt of his Spirit? didſt thou never feel the ſtirrings of its graces, or the ſtealing of its comforts? reflect upon thy former ſtate, or rather ſtudy the freeneſs and the fulneſs of Goſpel-grace; what though I be without any ſenſible feelings of Gods grace, or ſhinings of his face? is not my life ſometimes hid with Chriſt in God, even from mine own eyes as well as from others? may not the Sun be under a Cloud? ſhall I ſay my Father doth not love me, becauſe he doth not always dandle me upon his knee, and evidence his love to me in ſweet embraces? I am reſolved to cleave unto him though he kill me, and to believe in him though I cannot ſee him, I will venture my weary ſoul upon his free-grace in Chriſt; the Covenant is firm, its mercies are ſure, there's hope in the God of Iſrael; it may be he will caſt a propitious aſpect on a weary …oul, however I am reſolved to lye at his …eet, and act affiance and dependance on his …mmutable promiſe, whether he ever ſhine upon my ſoul or no, this will bring a good iſſue.
7. The laſt caſe wherein a Chriſtian is to improve theſe ſure mercies of David is in the hour and power of death, when that grim Serjeant looks upon us with its ghaſtly face, and arreſts us with its cold hand, then mercy will ſtand us in ſtead, and ſure mercies will be our ſweeteſt Cordial, theſe mercies pluck out the ſting of death, perfume the grave, make way for the gracious ſoul to take its flight to glory, ſo that death is now become the Chriſtians friend, and ſervant, reſt and intereſt, conqueſt and Crown; the Apoſtle doth therefore reckon up death as one part of the Saints Inventory, 1 Cor. 3.21, 22. all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollo, or Ceph…s, or the World, or life, or death, or things preſent, or things to come, all are yours— this is the fulleſt, longeſt, ſureſt title; here's a ſufficient enumeration, nothing can be wanting either in the mercies enſured, or manner of enſuring, or the duration, it's to all Eternity, and it's the beſt and cleareſt Tenure [in capite] in the head Chriſt; and 'tis both by Purchaſe and by Conqueſt, nothing is wanting to make theſe mercies ſure for ever, for death which diſſolves all other bonds of relation doth more firmly and cloſely joyn God and the gracious ſoul; 'tis as a Porter to let them into their Fathers houſe; a divine Limbeck to purifie and prepare them for glory, and that voice which calls to the believer ſaying, come up hither; in this life ſouls are but eſpouſed to Chriſt, 2 Cor. 11.2.after death they are preſented to him, and the marriage is conſummated; 2 Cor. 5.6, 8. ver. 1, 2. Phil. 1.21.here we are abſent from our husband, while preſent in the body, but 'tis more deſirable to be abſent from the body and preſent with the Lord, and this is done by a diſſolving of the earthly houſe of this Tabernacle; ſo that hereby death becomes a gain, and brings believers to their proper home; and why ſhould we be afraid of a ſtingleſs Serpent, or helpful ſervant, that doth us the greateſt kindneſs? why are believers afraid to dye? why do they not rather ſay with that good man, [egredere anima egredere] go forth my ſoul, go forth, and meet thy dearly beloved. But we need go no further to prove either the immortality of the ſoul, or the commodities of death than the ſubject we are upon, even theſe ſure mercies of David, for they continue to David even when he is laid in the grave, therefore our Saviour proves the Reſurrection from the Covenant with Abraham, Numb. 18.19. Mat. 32.31.Iſaac and Jacob, becauſe it is a perpetual Covenant, a Covenant of Salt, and thus runs the argument, God is the God of the living and not of the dead, therefore theſe Patriarchs are living and have an exiſtence, becauſe he hath made a Covenant with them; otherwiſe if theſe ariſe not, then muſt the Covenant of neceſſity ceaſe, but the Covenant endures for ever, therefore thoſe with whom he makes the Covenant muſt live for ever, ſince God calls himſelf their God, Exod. 3.6.even after they are laid in their graves; therefore let Chriſtians reſt in hope, when they are laying down their heads in the grave, for the Scripture ſaith the righteous have hope in their death, the Covenant abides firm ſtill; the mercies thereof dye not when the body dyes; the Heathens themſelves ſaw this; Socrates ſaith, the Swan was Dedicated to Apollo, becauſe ſhe ſung ſweetly before her death; and the Romans when their great men dyed, and when their bodies were burnt to aſhes, they cauſed an Eagle to fly and mount on high, to ſignifie that the ſoul was immortal; and ſhall not the Children of Promiſe ſing chearfully when their ſouls are ready to mount up to eternal manſions. I confeſs I am really aſhamed when I read Cicero, Cicero Tuſc. Queſt. lib. 1. De contemn…adâ morte: Maximum & argumentum eſt naturam ipfam de immo talite animorum tacitam judicare, quod omnibus curae ſ…nt, & maxime quidem quae poſt mortem futura ſ…nt: Serit arbores quae alteri ſecuco proſint— quid procreatio liberorum, quid proparatio nomi…is, quid adoptiones filiorum, quid teſtamento…um diligentia, quid i…ſa ſepulchro um monumenta, quid elo…ia ſignificant, niſi nos futuna etiam cogitare? — Nemo unquam ſine magna ſpe immortalitatis ſe pro patria offeret ad m…tem: — and againſt fear of death he adds —Acherontia templa, alta orci. pallida leti, obnubila, obſita tenebris loc…, nonpudet Philoſophum in eo gloriari, quod haec non timeat: — itaque non deterret ſapientem mors, quae propter incertos caſus cotidiè imminet, & propter brevitatem vitae nunquam longe poteſt abeſſe.that any that call themſelves Chriſtians, ſhould diſpute againſt the immortality of the ſoul, when he brings ſuch arguments and Authors to aſſert it, but I am much more aſhamed that any real Saints ſhould ſhrink with fears of death, when even that poor Heathen hath ſpoken ſo much for the contempt of it. Let Chriſtians learn ſomething from Heathens. Take a few hints in the Marg.
I muſt but give a taſte in this kind, a world more inſtances might be brought out of Heathen Authors to ſhame profeſſed Chriſtians, that have an higher ſort of Arguments againſt the fear of death, yet the ſenſe of Covenant-relation is the ſtrongeſt, and the ſureneſs of Covenant-mercies is of ſingular uſe to ſweeten thoſe bitter pangs, when the King of terrours doth appear in the moſt formidable manner, and ſtrikes its laſt ſtroke with the moſt terrible kind of death: and truly I may (with Mr. Dod) call death the friend of grace, though it be the enemy of nature; our Saviour hath pluckt out its ſting and altered the very nature of it: The Church. pag. 180.I ſhall conclude this Branch with a Poem of Divine Herberts called Death.
Death thou waſt once an uncouth hideous thing.
nothing but bones,
the ſad effect of ſadder groans,
Thy mouth was open, but thou couldſt not ſing.
For we conſidered thee as at ſome ſix
or ten years hence,
after the loſs of life and ſenſe
Fleſh being turn'd to duſt, and bones to ſticks:
We lookt on this ſide of thee ſhooting ſhort,
where we did find
the ſhells of fledge ſouls left behind,
Dry duſt, which ſheds no tears, but may extort.
But ſince our Saviours death did put ſome blood
into thy face,
thou art grown fair and full of grace,
Much in requeſt, much ſought for as a good.
For we do now behold thee gay and glad
as at dooms-day;
when ſouls ſhall wear their new aray;
And all thy bones with beauty ſhall be clad.
Therefore we can go dye as ſleep, and truſt,
half that we have,
unto an honeſt faithful grave,
Making our pillows either down or duſt.