A Divine Legacy Bequeathed Unto All Mankind, Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. Counſel and Comfort to Young and Old, againſt the Evils of Old Age, the Fear of Death, and the Terror of the Day of Judgment.
THIS Eight Chapter conſiſts as well of Comforts (as of Counſel) againſt the Evils of Old Age, againſt the Fear of Death, and againſt the Terror of the Day of Judgment.
Firſt, The Comforts againſt the Evils of Old Age: 'Tis a Time deſired by all, (who are they that would not live long, &c?) but 'tis welcomed by few, becauſe of the Burden of Diſtempers that it brings along with it, &c. If God bleſs us to live up to Old Age, we ought not to complain of it, for 'tis a bleſſing we muſt bleſs God for, [Length of days is from the Right Hand, Riches and Honour from the Left, Prov. 3.16. And God promiſedto his Jeruſalem after its Reſtoration, [that there ſhould be Old Men and Old Women in the Streets of it, with Staves in their Hands,] Zech. 8.4. yea and it was God's Curſe upon the Houſe of Ely, [that not any that were Old ſhould be found in it,] 1 Sam. 2.32. Therefore if God do ſtill preſerve the rotten Thread of our Lives, and draw it out to laſt ſo long, and yet the Clue have a little more Yarn upon the Botton; Oh how thankfully ought we to welcome this Gueſt of Gods own ſending, and not to complain of it as our great Burden, but entertain it chearfully with God-praiſing hearts! 'Tis true, tho' Old Age be a rich Bleſſing of God in it ſelf, (as is largely demonſtrated before) and yet is called an Evil Age, for Reaſons afore-named. Notwithſtanding, God hath not left it comfortleſs, as 'tis ſaid, John 14.18. But the Spirit (who is the Comforter, hath left upon Scripture-Record ſo many Cordials, as are truly Soveraign againſt all the Evils that attend it; inſomuch as Old Age may be an eaſie Age, a calm and quiet Harbour, if Youth hath done it no diſſervice in filling its bones with the ſins of Youth before-hand; and if Intemperance (which is like the Thief in the Candle, waſting it away) hath not weakned its Head or Feet, &c. In this caſe Old Age hath cauſe to complain of the evil of the Man, and not the Man to murmure at the Evils of Old Age. Thus Old Job oft complains of the Miſery of his Old Age, ſaying, [Lord, thou changeſt our Countenances, and ſendeſt us away,] Job 14.20. and many myriads of ſuch Sighs, (too long to relate) do ever and anon iſſue out of his Mouth. And he himſelf tells us, the ground of all his grief was, [that God made him to poſſeſs the ſins of his Youth] Job 13.26. therefore (ſays he) thou writeſt bitter things againſt me, &c. Thus likewiſe Old David complained, [I am become like a Bottle in the Smoak,] Pſal. 119.83. and much more in many other Pſalms, &c. which drove him to groan out that Petition, [Lord, remember not againſt me the Tranſgreſſions of my Youth, for thy tender Mercies have been of old, &c. Pſal. 25.6,7. Both thoſe Inſtances were Holy Perſons, who after thoſe and many more ſuch Complaints, were (both of them) comforted by the God of all Comforts, 2 Cor. 1.3. and had their Old Age marvelouſly ſweetned to them, and had their beſt Wine at the laſt. both thoſe Good Men had remembred their Creator in the days of their Youth, Eccleſ. 12.1. and tho' their Youth-Time had been a very rough Voyage through a ſurging ſtormy Sea, yet their laſt Years were their beſt Years, as it was to Good Old Jacob, who after a long Life of manifold Miſeries, did enjoy ſeventeen Years of ſweet Tranquility and Comfort, &c. But alas, this Mercy can never be expected by thoſe who never had God, neither in their Heads, Pſal. 10.4. nor in their Hearts, Pſal. 14.1. nor in their Words, Pſal. 12.4. no nor in their Works, Tit. 1.16. and ſuch as drive a Through-Trade all their Lives in Weaving the Web of Wickedneſs, having been twice dipped in the Devils Dye-Tub, (as the Greek word [foreign,] for Scarlet Sins, doth ſig…ie,) namely, in the Wool of their Youth, and in the Web of their Elder Years; thoſe can never expect any comfort in Old Age. Pliny tells us, [Serpens, Serpentem devorans, fit Draco,] as that Serpent, which commonly devoureth other Serpents, becomes to be a Dragon at laſt: So a long ſwallower of many Sins, becomes atthe length a moſt Monſtrous Sinner, &c. that Old and true ſaying, [that if Perſons prove not Fair at twenty, Strong at thirty, Wiſe at forto, Rich at fifty, and Religious at ſixty Years of Age, ſuch will never prove either Fair, or Strong, or Wiſe, or Wealthy, or Holy Ones all the days of their Lives.] This ancient Adage holds a moſt apt congruity with that ſaying of Solomon, [ſuch as ſeek me early, ſhall find me,] Prov. 8.17. Whereas the Habitual Sinner, (to whom God hath given the Space of Repentance many times, but never the Grace of it, Rev. 2.21,23.) leads the Life of ſin: Thoughts beget Delight, Delight begets Conſent, Conſent begets Action, Action begets Cuſtom, and laſtly, Cuſtom begets Neceſſity; ſo that he brings himſelf under a Law of an unavoidable Sinning againſt his maker, and as David tells Saul, [wickedneſs proceedeth from the wicked, as naturally as Water from the Fountain,] 1 Sam. 24.13. Satan is not ſatisfied to have Men Sinners only, but he will have them alſo to abound in ſin, and to be like the Crocodile (that grows while it lives,) in growing greaterand groſſer Sinners to the end of their Lives; Alas, this is but the laying of a bad (and not a good) foundation for the time to come: As we are commanded to lay up a better ſtore againſt Old Age and Death, and to lay hold on Eternal Life, 1 Tim. 6.19. NB. Note well, Our Lord tells Peter what Miſeries he ſhould meet withal when he came to be Old, John 21.18. He had the manner of his Death foretold him, that he ſhould glorifie God by Martyrdom, ver. 19. and obſerve what an holy Improvement he made of this Precaution; he had made his Solemn Appeal to an All-knowing Lord, ſaying, [thou knoweſt all things, thou knoweſt that I love thee,] ver. 17. and to teſtifie his Love to his Lord in feeding his Lambs, he wrote thoſe two famous Epiſtles General to the Churches of Chriſt; and in the latter of them he ſaith, [I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance, &c. Yea, I think it meet, while I am in this Tabernacle, to ſtir you up, &c. knowing that ſhortly I muſt put off this Tabernacle, even as our Lord Jeſus Chriſt hath ſhewed me,] 2 Pet. 1.12,13,14,15. He knew that his Tent or Tabernacle muſt ſoon be taken down, his Earthly Houſe, (as Paul, who was a Tent-maker, calls the Body a Tent, 2 Cor. 5.1. So both theſe two great Apoſtles did truly and duly endeavour to magnifie, and to glorifie Chriſt, both in Life and at Death, John 21.19. and Phil. 1.20. Thus both Peter the Elder, and Paul the Aged (as they ſtile themſelves, 1 Pet. 5.1. and Phil. ver. 9.) were well in-laid and fortified before-hand, to undergo the Evils that attended them both in their Old Age, &c. May we but get Hearts to own God while we are Young, then God will not forget us, but own us when Old; and as our days are, ſo ſhall our ſtrength be, Deut. 33.25. Now more particularly, the Comforts againſt the Evils of Old Age are,
Firſt, That then the Law of our Members cannot ſo eaſily lead us into captivity unto ſin, Rom. 7.23. as formerly in the Heat and Vanity of our Youth. Indeed the Witty Fable runs thus, [Cupid (that Pagan God of Love,) and Mors, that is, Death happened to meet together, and to lodgeall Night, (both of them in one and the ſame Inn,) but in the Morning they chanced to miſtake each others Quivers filled with Darts. Hereupon Cupid (after this) ſhot the frozen Darts of Death at many Young People in their briskeſt time of their Loving and Luſting, whereby many Young Gallants and Tempting Ladies were brought unto an untimely Death, &c. But on the contrary, Mors did ſhoot the Fiery Darts of Cupid, at the Aged Perſons, who in the Courſe of Nature were haſtening to the Grave; and hereby aroſe that wantonneſs of Old People for Marriage, &c. by which means it may be ſaid (as to Second Cauſes) ſome have ſhortned their own Lives, &c. Tho' the Moral of this Fable hold true in ſome ſingular Inſtances, yet for the General, 'tis an undeniable truth, that Old Age may comfort it ſelf with this bleſt freedom from Youthful Luſts; Aged People cannot be ſo Eye-ſick, nor ſo Heart-ſick of Luſtful Deſires, as the Young are, but are then arrived into a more quiet Harbour from the furious Tempeſts of Carnal Concupiſcence
Secondly., The Aged may comfort themſelves with their long experience in the World, for experimental Knowledge doth far exceed, and excel that which is meerly Notional; and upon this account 'tis truly ſaid, [Tho' Young Men think Old Men Fools, yet the Old are ſure, that the Young are Fools, for want of experience:] For as Experience is called the Miſtreſs of Fools, ſo it truly is the Mother of Prudence. It was a Prophane Saying of a Pagan Poet, that Prudence was above Deſtiny; but a Chriſtian may ſafely ſay, that next to Divine Providence, Humane Prudence may challenge the higheſt place in the management of Humane Matters; and that Old Age hath the chiefeſt intereſt in that Prudence. Young Elihu did acknowledge this for a great Truth, ſaying [multitude of Years ſhould teach Wiſdom,] Job 32.7. And Muſicians do experience, that Old Lutes make a ſweeter Sound than New Ones. The not knowing of this Truth was both the Folly and the Ruine of that Fooliſh King Rehoboam, [who chooſd to follow the Counſel of his Green-heads that ſtood before him, rather than of thoſe Grave Senators who had ſtood before his wiſer Father,] 1 Kings 12.6,7,8,9,10, &c. As Young Men are properly for Action, ſo Old Men are principally for Advice; and therefore the Roman Senate conſiſted of Senators, (ſo called for their Age) which became ſo famous in the World, that it occaſioned that ſaying, [Romani Sedendo Vincunt,] as if the Advice of their ſitting Senate did contribute more to all their Glorious Conqueſts, than all the brave Actions of their Fighting Soldiers; and thus the Heads of Cities, &c. are hence called Aldermen, &c.
Thirdly, The Aged may comfort their own Hearts with this Conſideration likewiſe, that they have ſo long weathered the point under the conduct of their Gracious God, through ſuch a broad and tempeſtuous Sea of a moſt troubleſome Life. Oh, happy are thoſe that can ſay, [many have been my Troubles, but the Lord hath delivered me out of them all,] Pſal. 34.19. and God's Angel hath redeemed us from all our Evils, in our whole Lives hitherto,] Gen. 48.16. and that the Pillar of Divine Providence hath hitherto been our Guide in the Wilderneſs of this lower World, (as the Cloudy Pillar did guide Iſrael in that wayleſs, Waterleſs Wilderneſs, in their many motions and mutations,) and we have walked all along as Helpleſs Children, in the Hands of our Heavenly Father, whom we have ſometimes followed (as it were) blindfold, like Abraham the Father of the Faithful, [who went out, not knowing whither he went,] Heb. 11.8. who tho' he knew not whither he went, yet he well knew with whom he went, for he was ever as a Child in his Father's Hand. Happy are ſuch as can ſay, [Lord, thou haſt been our King of old,] Pſal. 74.12. and [we have been Young, but now are Old, yet never ſaw the Righteous forſaken, nor his Seed, tho' begging Bread,] Pſal. 37.25. and [we will Remember the days of Old, &c.] Pſal. 143.5. and [this God is our God for ever and ever, he will be our Guide even unto Death,] Pſal. 48.14.
Fourthly, The Aged may comfort themſelves, that now they are approaching near the end of their troubleſome Voyage, through a dangerous Sea, both of manifold Tribulations, and of many Temptations alſo; yea, and nigh to the end of their Toilſom Travel, and Wandrings in the Wilderneſs of this lower World, and now drawing nigh toward their Harbour and Haven of Eternal Happineſs in Heaven. The end of all Motion is Reſt, and the nearer we come to our Centre, the more active and haſtening we ought to be, that we may contradict that uncharitable Proverb, [Juvenis in Sanctis, Senibus Satanizat in Annis,] that is, Young Saints ſometimes prove no better than Old Devils; whereas ſuch as are Saints while they are Young, ought to become Angels when they come to be Old; for [the Path of the Juſt is like a Shining Light, that ſhineth more and more to a perfect day,] Prov. 4.18. Plutarch affirms concerning the Laborious Bee, that it never degenerates into an idle Drone: And Auguſtin's Character of a true Chriſtian is, [Semel Electus, Semper Dilectus,] once Elected, and ever Beloved; this therefore makes our Election ſure, 2 Pet. 1.10. As we draw daily nearer our beſt Home, then to hunger after it, and haſten toward it ſo much the more, &c.
Fifthly, The Old Diſciples of Chriſt may comfort themſelves with this conſideration, that the Lord loveth his Mnaſons, Acts 21.16. even when they are paſt their work; foraſmuch as they have taken heed to fulfill their Miniſtery they received in the Lord, Col. 4.17. Hitherto to the beſt of their Abilities, their Conſciences bearing Witneſs hereto in the Holy Ghoſt, Rom. 9.1. 2 Cor. 1.12. Acts 23.1. and 24.16. they are ſtill beloved of God, for what work they have already wrought for his Glory, and for the good of many Saints; the reflection of this cannot but conduce much to the Comfort of their own Souls: Tho' now they be like Travellers that ride upon Tired Horſes, they can proceed no farther in publick Generation-work, yet they can ſay with Paul the Aged, Philem. ver. 9. [to will, is preſent with us, but how to perform, we find not,] Rom. 7.18. And now their only work is to Ripenfaſt, and to become fully Mellow to be gathered home, &c. NB. Note well, The Lord's tender loving-kindneſs to the godly Levites under the Law, [in giving them leave, when Old, to retire from that Laborious Service of his Sanctuary,] Numb. 8.23,24,25. yet were they as Judges, &c. all which may comfort us under the Goſpel, &c. Still God commands, [let the Younger ſubmit to the Elder,] 1 Pet. 5.5. and as David was kind to Young Chimham, for Old Barzillai's ſake, 2 Sam. 19.38. So the Lord is kind to the Off-ſpring of his Old Servants, who are Children of many Prayers, &c. Thus, tho' they be laid aſide, as Old Almanacks, uſeleſs by Men, they are not ſo by their loving God, &c.
Secondly, The Cordials and Comforts that the Lord hath left us upon Record againſt the Fear of Death. If we would get good Gold, we muſt go to Ophir; good Balm, we muſt go to Gilead, &c. So if we would get good Comfort, we muſt go to the God of all True Comfort, 2 Cor. 1.3. and to the Book of God, which conſiſts of thoſe full Breaſts of Conſolation which weare commanded to ſuck and be ſatiſfied againſt all our Fears, &c. Iſai. 66.11. Job calls Death the King of Terrors, chap. 18.14. and ſo it is indeed a Terror to Kings too; the Philoſopher calls [foreign,] the moſt formidable of Formidables, and Nature in the beſt doth find it frightful enough; yet our Lord ſaith, [I will not leave you Comfortleſs,] John 14.18.
The Firſt Comfort againſt the Fear of Death, and that our Lord hath left us for our Relief, is 1 Cor. 15.55. that Chriſt hath unſtinged that Serpent, and that now his Redeemed may triumph over it. Moſes firſt fled from the Serpent; but being better informed, he took it by the Tail, and then it became an Uſeful Rod in his Hand, Exod. 4.3,4. Thus Iſrael at firſt fled from Goliah, as affrighted with the ſight of ſuch a Monſter of Mankind, but ſo ſoon as they underſtood that David had ſlain him, and laid him along without his Head upon the ground, then did they run as faſt to him to trample upon him, &c. as they had before run away from him ſore affrighted,1 Sam. 17.24,52. So could we but believe that Chriſt, our Lord David had ſwallowed up Death in Victory, (as we are aſſured, Iſai. 25.8. and that Chriſt's Death is the Death of Death, Hoſ. 13.14.) then might we ſing a Triumphant Song (with the Apoſtle) over both Death and the Grave, &c.
A Second Breaſt of Comfort againſt the Fear of Death is, that precious Promiſe of God, [Thou ſhalt not be afraid, when Deſtruction or Death cometh,] Job 5.21. and thus God ſaid to Old Jacob, [fear not to go down to Egypt, for I will be with thee, and I will bring thee back again, &c.] Gen. 46.3,4. Accordingly our Saviour ſaith to his ſanctified ones, Iſai. 13.3. [Fear not to go down among the Dead, (which is a going the way of all the Earth, Joſh. 23.14.) for I will go down with thee, and I will aſſuredly alſo bring thee back again, as one of my Children of the Reſurrection, Luke 20.36.] as if he had ſaid [I will bring you without failure from the Jaws of Death to the Joys of Heaven, as ſurely as Ezra and Nehemiah brought all the Captive Jews out of the Captivity ofBabylon; and we muſt conſider for our Comfort, that Death ſeizeth upon the Body only, which we derive from the Firſt Adam, as Joſeph's Miſtreſs ſeized only upon Joſeph's Garment, his Perſon eſcaped; ſo the pretious Soul is returned to God that gave it, Eccleſ. 12.7.
A Third Breaſt of Conſolation for Saints to ſuck againſt the Fear of Death is, [the Righteous hath Hope in his Death,] Prov. 14.32. Death to a Believer is as the Vally of Achor, Joſh. 7.24,27. Iſrael's entrance into the Land of Promiſe, a Door of Hope, Hoſ. 2.15. into the Heavenly Canaan, there to ſing Hallelujah's to the Lord for ever. Death indeed to Sinners is but a Trap-door that drops them down into Hell, Pſal. 9.17. When that Grim-Sergeant Arreſts them, (by God's Permiſſion and Commiſſion,) in the Devil's Name, and hurls them into an Infinite Ocean of Hell-fire, Oh what Dreadful Skreaks doth that Guilty Soul give when it is hurried away and hurled into Everlaſting Burnings Iſai. 33.14. and to ſwim naked as i… Scalding Lead and Liquor for evermore But bleſſed be God 'tis better with the Saints, whoſe Debts are all paid by their Dear Redeemer, they are not afraid of the Arreſt of Death, but looks upon it as God's Officer, ſent to give them poſſeſſion of a Manſion of Glory, and therefore their Hearts are not troubled when their Lord ſends for them to be ever with him in Heavenly Happineſs, John 14.1,2,3,4. and 16.7. and 1 Theſ. 4.17.18. Oh, how willing was Old Jacob to go down into Egypt, when it was only to ſee his younger Son Joſeph, whom he had not ſeen for many years, &c. How much more willing, yea deſirous ought we to be to go up to Heaven, a far better place than Egypt) there to ſee our Elder Brother Jeſus Chriſt! How glad were thoſe Three Wiſe Men of the Eaſt to take a long Journey, when it was only to ſee the Babe of Bethlehem, Chriſt in the Cradle, &c! Now if we can but ſay as thoſe Wiſe Men ſaid, [We have ſeen his Star, &c. Matth. 2.2,11.] how much more ought we to long for this Journey, &c. that we may behold our Lord Chriſt advanced upon the Throne of his Glory, and to behold his Face in Righteouſneſs, Pſal. 17.15, &c. which is a Beatifical Viſion; a Sight far exceeding thoſe Three, [Romam in Flore, Paulum in Ore, & Chriſtum in Carne,] which Father Auguſtin ſo earneſtly wiſhed to ſee, namely, Rome in its Glory, Paul in the Pulpit, and Chriſt in the Fleſh. Alas, all thoſe Sights are infinitely below the beholding him in his Glory, 1 John 3.2. It was a good Prayer of the ſame Auguſtin, ſaying, [Lord, can no Man ſee thy Face, and live? O then let me die, that I may ſee it, &c.]
A Fourth Cordial againſt the Fear of Death is, [Better is the day of our Death, than the day of our Birth,] Eccleſ. 7.12. 'Tis better every way: For,
(1.) Our Birth begins our Miſeries, but our Death ends them; if we die in the Lord, we are bleſſed, Rev. 14.13. Whereas Man born of a Woman, is born to trouble, &c. Job 14.1. Yea miſerable ſo ſoon as warm in the Womb at Conception, Pſal. 51.5. Birth is our entrance into this lower preſent Evil World, Gal. 1.4. but Death in Chriſt is our entrance into the beſt and bleſſed World.
(2.) We come crying into this World, &c. but ſome Saints have gone ſinging and triumphing out of it into a better World, hoping that their Death was but the Day-break of Eternal Brightneſs, &c.
A Fifth Cordial is, that Death cannot ſeparate us from the Love of God, Rom. 8.28. 'Tis ſo far from deſtroying the Union, that it is called a ſleeping in Jeſus, 1 Theſ. 4.14. And as by ſleep the frame of the Body is refreſhed, ſo by Death the Union of the Soul is refined. Now when we are wearied with our days Labour, we are not afraid to go take our reſt: When Lazarus died, our Lord ſaid, [our Friend Lazarus ſleepeth,] John 11.11. and he ſaid the ſame of Jairus's Daughter, Matth. 9.24. and this is the frequent Phraſe in Scripture, to call Death a Sleep, Job 7.21. 2 Sam. 7.12. 1 Cor. 11.30. Now as Sleep doth not ſeparate Friends but only for a time, betwixt [good Night] and [good Morrow,] ſo no more doth Death, which is but a bidding [good Night,] for after ſleeping in the Grave, (as in a Bed, Iſai. 57.2.) the Morning comes to riſe again.
The Sixth Cordial is, 2 Cor. 5.1,2,3, to 9. [We know,] 'tis not, we think, or we hope only; this is the true Triumph of our Truſting in Chriſt, our leaning upon the Lord, Iſai. 50.10. [that when our Clayie Cottages moulder down, we have a Manſion of Glory to go to.] While we abide in thoſe tottering Tabernacles, [we groan earneſtly, being Burdened,] ver. 2.4. that is, both with Sin and Miſery, whereof we have here our Back-burdens, Now who would not but be disburdened, and be at Eaſe and Reſt; in the Grave the Weary find Reſt, Job 3.17. but the Reſt that is found in Chriſt, Matth. 11.28,29,30. is for the Soul as well as Body, &c. Rev. 14.13. and who would not be willing to put off Rotten Rags, and to put on Royal Robes, &c. Many more Cordials might be mentioned; as,
(7thly) For me (ſaith Paul) to die, is Gain, Phil. 1.21. becauſe Death to a good Man brings freedom from all Evil, and a fruition of all Good: And hereupon he
(8thly) He deſired to be diſſolved, &c. ver. 23. The Greek word [foreign,] ſignifies, to launch forth, to looſe off from the Shore of Life, and to launch out into the Ocean of Immortality and Glory; this was all his Song, he longed to be with Chriſt, ever after he had been wrapt up to the Third Heaven.
(9thly) Yea, and Old Simeon thought it beſt of all (with Paul) to die, when he ſang that ſweet Song, [Lord, now let thy Servant depart in peace, &c. Luke 2.29. as is largely ſpoke to before; adding only this here, he only ſaw the Lord's-Chriſt in weakneſs, with an Eye of Senſe; but we ſee him in Glory, with an Eye of Faith, therefore may better depart, not in Peace only, but alſo in Joy and Comfort.
(10thly) How couragious was that Proto-Martyr, Stephen, againſt the Terrors of a moſt Terrible Death, after he had ſeen the Heavens opened, and Chriſt ſtanding at the Right Hand of God, Acts 7.56. The like Proſpect we have offered to our Faith, which is the Key that opens Heaven, and may we but fix our SpiritualEyes upon that Glorious Object, this would wonderfully enable us to lay down our Mortal Bodies in peace, and ſend up our Immortal Souls into the Hands of him that bought it, crying, [Lord Jeſus, receive my Spirit.]
(Laſtly) But thanks be to God, who giveth us the Victory, through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, 1 Cor. 15.57. with 55, 56.
Thirdly, The Cordials againſt Terrors of the Day of Judgment, which ſurely follows Death, Heb. 9.27. and which is called a Terrible and Dreadful Day, very often in Scripture; as that Day ſhall burn like an Oven, Mal. 4.1. the Sun turned into Darkneſs, and Moon into Blood, Acts 2.20. and Elements ſhall melt with fervent Heat, &c. 2 Pet. 3.10. and the Lord will come in flaming Fire, &c. 2 Theſ. 1.7,8. and with Fire and Sword will God plead with all Fleſh, &c. Iſai. 66.15,16. ſee likewiſe Joel 2.31. Matth. 25.31,32. Rev. 1.7, &c. Now if a Crack of Thunder, and a Flaſh of Lightning, at the breaking of a ſingle ſorry Cloud, do ſo affright us, how much more when the whole Heavens break, and drop down like Scalding Bell-Mettal about our Ears, &c.
Yet, Note well, (1ſt) There is Comfort for the Choſen Ones, they ſhall be caught up in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air, and ſo ſhall ever be with the Lord, and therefore comfort your ſelves, &c. 1 Theſ. 4,16,17,18.
(2dly) As Death leaves us, ſo the Day of Judgment will find us; as the Tree falleth towards the South, or towards the North, there it lieth, Eccleſ. 11.3. Even ſo (as is before obſerved) if we fall by Death upon the Right Hand of Chriſt, among his pretious Sheep, then are we called upon to lift up our Heads, for the Day of our Redemption is come, Luke 21.28. Epheſ. 4.30. that way the Tree leans, that way it falls; Oh, that while we live we may lean to Chriſt.
(3dly) The due Obſervation of the main end of Life, is to be uſeful to the end of our Lives; wee ſhould be ever ready, Matth. 24.44. May we but become good Stewards, then bleſſed is that Servant, whom his Maſter ſhall find ſo doing, ver. 46.
(4thly) Tho' we be conſcious to our ſelves, that our Obedience has been exceeding narrow to God's Commandments, which are exceeding broad, Pſal. 119.96. yet may we rejoice with Trembling, Phil. 2.11. becauſe our Judge is our Advocate, who became ſin for us, &c. that we might be made the Righteouſneſs of God in him, 2 Cor. 5.21. 1 John 2.1,2.
(5thly) May we but upon good grounds be perſuaded, that [we are juſtified by Faith, then have we peace with God through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord,] Rom. 5.1. this is known, if we be ſanctified by the Spirit, 2 Theſ. 2.13. For this latter doth evidence the former; and having got God's Seal and Earneſt, which he never gives to a Reprobate, then fear not, Gen. 15.1.
(6thly) Be ſure to have the Line of Scarlet Thread bound to our Windows, as Rahab had, Joſh. 2.18. this was the ſaving Colour, a Red Cord: Thus Iſrael's Door-poſts muſt be Red with Blood when the deſtroying Angel paſſed over Egypt, Rahab made haſte and delayed not, as Pſal. 119.60. So ſoon as ſhe diſmiſſed the Spies, long before Jericho fell, &c. Oh, could we get this Scarlet Line, the Blood of Chriſt fixed upon our Hearts; this Sign ſaved Rahab, and made her famous, Heb. 11.31. and Jam. 2.25. then our Joſhuah will ſave us, and ſay to us alſo, [Come, ye bleſſed of my Father, inherit, &c.] Matth. 25.34. In the mean time we Aged Ones muſt be ever praying, [Lord caſt me not off in my Old Age, and forſake me not when ſtrength fails me, Pſal. 71.9.
Laus Ei Soli tribuatur omnes,
Cujus Afflatu Labor extat omnis,
Fructus ut Vitae reſerantur omnes;
—orbis in Oras.
FINIS.
Christopher Neſse aetatis suae 56: 1678 Minniſter of the Gospel in fleet Street London.
End of the text · Christopher Ness, A Divine Legacy Bequeathed Unto All Mankind (1700)