Concerning Death and Heaven, Chapter 3

Concerning Death and Heaven · Chapter 3

p. 49CHAP. III.

The State of Man conſidered under Death. What it is to wait for Death, with Reaſons why we muſt prepare for it. Dying is an important, difficult Work. Death continually haſtning towards us, yet few conſider how ſuddenly themſelves or others may Die. Death comes violently to Wicked Men, yet no Man dies before his time; however in Scripture ſome are ſaid ſo to do. An Exhortation to prepare for Death, with Motives to quicken Chriſtians thereunto, and Directions to help them therein.

HAving ſpoken ſomething of the Life of Man, as it hath Relation unto the Subject I am ſpeaking to, which by Reaſon of Sin is become ſhort, frail, and uncertain; I ſhall now conſider the State of Man under Death, which is the end of his Temporal, but the beginning and entrance upon his Everlaſting State; which that Chriſtians may with the more profit and advantage meditate upon, I ſhall reduce all that I have to ſay of it unto three particulars. The State of Man under Death is a State that admits of no returning unto Life; a State that admits of no amendments; and a State that is fixed and determined.

Firſt, The State of Man under Death is a State that admits of no returning unto Life again. When once the Sun of this Life is ſet, it will ariſe no more upon thee for ever. Are not my Days few, ſays Job p. 50Ceaſe from me, that I may take comfort a little, before I go whence I ſhall not return. And Job 10.20. When a few Days are come, ſays he, I ſhall go whence I ſhall not return, Job 16.22. That's a ſtrange Journey indeed that admits of no return. That which pleaſeth us while we live, is the hopes of returning to our Homes again; but when we die, we take a Journey whence there is no returning; for there is no recovery out of the Grave, when once we are Dead. Indeed it is a fundamental Article of the Chriſtian Faith, to believe the Reſurrection of the Dead; for the Scripture tells us, that all Men ſhall ſtand before the Judgment Seat of Chriſt, to receive according to what they have done in the Body: Now if there be not a Reſurrection of the Dead, how can this be? therefore our Lord tells us plainly, John 5.28. that the hour is coming when all that are in their Graves ſhall hear his Voice and ſhall come forth; but this time is not yet come, and till this time comes, the ſentence of Death is irreverſible upon all. And though God hath already ſtretched ſorth his hand to the Grave, for the raiſing of ſome Perſons from the Dead miraculouſly; yet, as thoſe few that have eſcaped Death, make no breach upon this general Truth, that all muſt Die; ſo it doth not at all infringe this general Truth, that God will not now by the manifeſtation of the ſame miraculous Power, raiſe any from the Grave, becauſe ſome have been raiſed and recovered out of it.

Secondly, The State of Man under Death admits of no amendments or alterations. Life is the Time of Working, in Death we receive the Reward of our Work. Our Lord tells us of himſelf, I muſt Work the Works of him that ſent me, while it is Day, for the Night comes wherein no Man can Work, Joh. 9.4. Death puts an end to all Works p. 51whether they be Natural, Civil, or Religious. There is no eating or drinking, nor any pleaſure to be taken in any outward enjoyments in the State of Death: there is no buying, or ſelling, or getting gain when we are Dead; nay, Death puts an end to all Spiritual Works; thoſe Duties that upon Earth were the Saints exerciſe, in the Grave there is an end of them; there is a dying and periſhing for ever, in reſpect of Faith and Repentance, in reſpect of praying and hearing the Word, theſe are Heavenly Works; but the Time for the performance of them is while we are here upon Earth. None of theſe Labours are in Heaven or in Hell, no nor in the Grave, whither we are all going. In Heaven there is nothing but reſt; in Hell though there be no reſt, yet there is no labour: In Hell there is nothing but Wages, in Heaven there is nothing but Reward; our whole Work lies in the few Days that are on this ſide both. What we do for the obtaining of Heaven, or for the avoiding of Hell, it muſt be done now, for there is no Work, no Device in the Grave, whither we are all going.

Thirdly, The State of Man under Death is a State that is fixed and determined. He that dies under the Guilt of Sin ſhall never have it forgiven him, The Blood of Chriſt that was appointed for the Pardon of Sin, and for the Juſtification of a Sinner, ſhall never make God propitious to a Soul that dies under the Guilt of Sin; though that Blood now ſpeaks better things than the Blood of Abel; and crying aloud to Heaven, nay in Heaven, for Mercy, hath obtained Pardon and forgiveneſs for thouſands of Souls now in Glory; yet hath it no virtue in it that ſhall be applicable to any Sinner for the remiſſion of his Sins, when once the Sentence of Death is executed upon him. There is a Sacrifice appointed p. 52by God, to take away Sin in this Life, even the Blood of Chriſt that cleanſeth from all Sin; and now he intreats and beſeecheth Sinners to come unto him, that they may have Life by him: but thoſe that will not now accept of his Gracious offer, but continue in Sin, and Diſobedience all their days, and die under the Guilt thereof; there remains no more Sacrifice for them, and it is impoſſible they ſhould ever be Pardoned, becauſe the Sufferings of Chriſt were never Ordained as an Expiatory Sacrifice for their Sins. His bleeding and dying upon the Croſs will do them no good at all now; the Time and Seaſon of Mercy and Grace with them is gone and paſt for ever. Nay, let me add a dreadful word unto all ſuch, inſtead of any Benefit and Advantage that will come to them by the Blood of Chriſt, it is that which cries loudly againſt them for the Wrath and Vengeance of God to fall upon them to Eternity. Beſides, he that dies under the guilt of Sin, dies alſo under the filth and pollution of Sin, from whence he ſhall never be cleanſed. We read in Scripture of a Refiner's Fire; but Hell Fire is not of this Nature, it enrageth the Sinner, but it doth not Refine him. No, that Sin or Holineſs that accompanies Men out of this World, ſhall abide with them for ever; he that dies in a State of Sin, his guilt remains upon him for ever: there are no Seaſons of Grace to be enjoyed in another World, nor are there any Operations of the Spirit of God, vouchſafed to Renew and Change Men hereafter. Whilſt we are in this World, though the Law Condemns us for our ſin and guilt, and the Goſpel diſowns us for our filth and pollution; yet even ſuch as we have been Waſhed, have been Juſtified, have been Sanctified; and ſo may we, for the Blood of Chriſt is ſtill a Fountain open to waſh in for Sin and for uncleanneſs; and the Infinite though Provoked Majeſty p. 53of Heaven condeſcends ſo low as to entreat us with more Earneſtneſs and Affection to pity our own Souls and accept of a Pardon, then Guilty Condemned Sinners deſire to obtain it: but when this Life is at an end, there ſhall be no more Offers of Mercy, but the Blood of Chriſt, ſhall then be a Spring ſhut up, and a Fountain Sealed that none can waſh in it and be Cleanſed. Death Seals up the State of a Sinner for ever. You know what Abrabam tells the Rich Man in Hell, in Luke 16.26. Between us and you ſays he, there is a great Gulf, fixed, ſo that they that would paſs from hence to you cannot, neither can they paſs to us that would come from thence. The State and Condition that Men enter upon after Death, is fixed and unalterable. Therefore O Sinner what thou doſt for God, for Heaven, for thy Soul, do it quickly, for this is the only Time and Seaſon for thee to work in, and as thou now Soweſt ſo thou ſhalt Reap for ever.

The State of Man under Death being thus, it greatly concerns all Men to wait for Death. Job tells us, it ſhould be his Practice, Job 14.14. All the days of my appointed time, will I wait till my change comes. Now waiting as it relates unto Death may include three things. Meditation, Expectation, and Preparation.

Firſt, Meditation. He that waits for the Accompliſhment of any Worldly Buſineſs, eſpecially if it be of Concernment to him, how buſie will his Mind and Thoughts be in muſing upon it? He now that is waiting for the coming of Death, conſidering both the certainty of it, that it will come, and the uncertainty of it, when it will come, and believes withal that Eternal Happineſs, or Eternal Miſery, will be that State to which Death will bring him, cannot but have his Thoughts much taken p. 54up about it. This will make a Soul Truly and Spiritually Wiſe, and therefore the Pſalmiſt Prays, Lord teach us to number our Days, that we may apply our Hearts unto Wiſdom. He that is truly Wiſe will Meditate of Death, and he that Meditates of Death, will be truly Wiſe. The more we number our Days and think of our Time; the fewer Sins we ſhall have to number; for as a Copy is then ſafeſt from blotting when duſt is thrown upon it, ſo are we from Sinning, when we remember we are but Duſt.

Secondly, Waiting includes in it Expectation. That which we wait for, we are in Expectation of; and that Man, may be ſaid to wait for Death, that in every Action of his Life, in every Alteration of his State and Condition, ſaith to himſelf, well, I muſt Die; when though his Bones are full of Marrow, though Riches come in upon him like a Flood, yet ſaith he, I muſt die, I have no abiding Place here, I am but a Stranger and Sojourner in this World, as all my Fathers were. I have now Wife and Children, Friends and Lands, but I cannot enjoy any of theſe for ever; no nor my Life it ſelf, for I have but a Leaſe of it, and that but a ſhort one too, which will ſoon expire. I expect Death daily, even in the midſt of all my Enjoyments; I am but a Steward of all that I have here, and I muſt ſhortly be called to an Account; ſuch and ſuch are gone before me, and I am following after. The other day Death ſnatched away ſuch a dear Relation from me, this day it hath ſeized upon ſuch a Friend and Acquaintance, and to morrow the ſame Meſſenger may come for me. It is that I expect, and therefore I wait for it.

p. 55Thirdly, Waiting includes in it Preparation. He that waits for Death, ought to be preparing for it. This now is exceeding Requiſite, becauſe it is above the reach of Words to expreſs how much depends upon this Preparation; it is that our whole Life ſhould have reſpect unto; every thing that we do, ought to have a tendency in it to make Death Comfortable. But of this Preparation for Death, I ſhall ſpeak more hereafter in its proper place.

This waiting for Death by way of Meditation on it, by way of Expectation of it, and by way of Preparation for it, is very neceſſary, conſidering what an Important difficult Work the Work of dying is; and this will appear if we conſider two things. Firſt, what Death is. Secondly, what Death doth. Firſt, what Death is, and here are three things conſiderable. Death is a Deprivation, Death is a Deſolution, and Death is a Deſtruction. All which make Death terrible, and the Work of dying difficult.

Firſt, Death is a Deprivation. It ſtrips us of all thoſe Comforts that in this World did Refreſh us. Friends, Relations, Lands, Houſes; theſe have often delighted us while we live; yea it may be too much, by ſetting our Affections inordinately upon them, and now what Grief of Soul doth it create to us, violently by Death to be torn from them? but part we and they muſt whether we will or no, and that for ever. Job tells us, We came naked into the World, and we ſhall return naked out of it. The Apoſtle indeed ſeems to intimate as if ſome Men in our days could ſcarcely believe it, and therefore to beat Men off from ſuch a conceit, he tells them, 1 Tim. 6.7. We brought nothing with us into this World, this is true, and all Men will grant it; and ſays the Apoſtle, it is certain we ſhall carry nothing out of it. Death makes all lie equal in the Duſt.

p. 56Secondly, Death is a Deſſolution. In Life Soul and Body are united, and live lovingly together; there is a near union between them; a union, which becauſe of their long Acquaintance and Co-habitation together, is become ſo dear, that no union can be more deſirable as to the continuance of it, nor no union more dreaded as to the Diſſolution of it, except it be the Spiritual union between Chriſt and the Soul. There are ſeveral kinds of unions, and generally Love is the ground of them all. There is an union of Friendſhip between one Friend and another, whom Love hath united ſo ſtrongly, that they ſeem to Act as if one Soul animated them both; ſo Jonathan loved David even as his own Soul: This is a ſtrong union. There is alſo a Relative union between Parents and Children; ſo Jacob loved Benjamin, ſo that it is ſaid his Life was bound up in the Life of the Lad: This is a ſtronger union than the former. There is alſo a Marriage union between a Man and his Wife, and this is a ſtronger union than either of the former, Man and Wife making but one Fleſh, as the Scripture ſpeaks. But yet there is a union that is ſtronger and nearer than any of theſe Ʋnions, and that is the Ʋnion between Soul and Body, for theſe two make but one Perſon. Now all diſ-unions are uncomfortable, and ſome diſ-unions are dreadful; and as ſome diſ-unions are dreadful, ſo thoſe diſ-unions are moſt dreadful which rend that from us that is nearest and deareſt to us. For Friends to be parted, never to ſee the Faces of one another again, this is ſad. And therefore when St. Paul was taking his leave of the Saints in Macedonia, in Acts 20.38. it is ſaid, They fell on his Neck and kiſſed him, ſorrowing moſt for the words that he ſpake, that they ſhould ſee his Face again no more. But it is ſadder for Parents and Children to be diſunited. p. 57David found it ſo, when he cryed out ſo Paſſionately for his Son, 2 Sam. 18.33. O Abſalom my Son, my Son, would God I had died for thee, O Abſalom, my Son, my Son. It is yet more ſad to have a diſ-union made between a Man and the Wife of his Boſom, when God ſhall take away with a ſtroke the deſire of his Eyes, one that hath been a meet and fit Yoke-fellow in the Lord; whoſe Eyes can refrain from weeping, or their Hearts from bleeding under ſuch a ſad ſtroke of Providence. But yet there is a diſ-union, that comes nearer than all theſe, and that is a diſ-union between the Soul and the Body, thoſe two Old, Sweet Intimate Companions, born together into the World, and who have lived in ſweet Society together all their Days; for Death to come, and make a Diſſolution between two ſo near and ſo dear together, by a violent rending and tearing the Soul and Body aſunder: Oh this is exceeding ſad and dreadful indeed, and that which muſt needs make the Work of Dying hard and difficult.

Thirdly, Death is a Deſtruction. So David calls it, Pſal. 90.3. Thou turneſt Man to deſtruction. That Excellent Frame of Man's Body which David tells us, was fearfully and wonderfully made in ſecret, and curiouſly wrought in the lower parts of the Earth, by God himſelf, and that with Infinite Power and Wiſdom, Pſal. 139.14, 15. Sickneſs will not only ſtain its Glory and make the Beauty of it to conſume like a Moth: But Death will Demoliſh and pull it down to the ground, turn it into Corruption, and Putrefaction, yea into Duſt it ſelf, utterly deſtroying it ſo that it ſhall not be any more, until by the Power of God, it ſhall be raiſed up again at the laſt day. Death now being ſo deſtructive a thing unto Man, that nothing will content p. 58it leſs than his Annihilation in the Grave, dying muſt needs be a hard and difficult thing unto Fleſh and Blood.

Secondly, Dying is an important difficult Work, if we conſider what Death doth: now this I ſhall explain by opening theſe two things. Firſt, Death occaſions our Spiritual Enemies to aſſault us. Secondly, It awakens Conſcience againſt us.

Firſt, Death occaſions our Spiritual Enemies to aſſault us moſt fiercely. Now theſe Enemies are two, Sin and Satan.

Firſt, Sin. When doth the Guilty Priſoners Crimes come into his Mind, but when he hath a Summons to appear before his Judge? And when doth the Guilt of Sin fly in the Face of a Sinner, but when Death hath him under his Arreſt, to carry him before God, the Great Judge of Heaven and Earth? Multitudes of Sins, that before lay hid, and ſeem'd to be quite forgotten, now ſhew themſelves, and come freſh into a Sinner's mind, as ſo many Witneſſes againſt him, which upon the Review, he cannot but Remember, though formerly he had forgot them. Oh what a number of horrid Wickedneſſes do now haunt his Thoughts, with diſmal apprehenſions in the dark night of Death, walking up and down like ſo many Frightful Ghoſts, ſcaring and terrifying his Soul! Well may an Impenitent Sinner ſay then unto Death, haſt thou found me O mine Enemy? art thou come O Death to call my Sins to Remembrance and to ſlay my Soul?

Secondly, The Devil will then be very fierce and furious in his Aſſaults. His Time now is but ſhort, and therefore his Rage is great: This is his p. 59hour; yea, his laſt hour, and therefore the Power of the Prince of Darkneſs is now moſt put forth; he knows he hath but a few hours more to wait, and if he can but keep the Sinner ſo long, he is then his for ever. Aſſure thy ſelf therefore O Sinner, he will be diligent in watching thy Sick-bed both by night and by day; and if all the Power or Policy of Hell can prevent it, neither Cordial ſhall benefit thy Body, nor Counſel and Advice profit thy Soul. The Devil is the great Enemy of Souls, and becauſe he is miſerable himſelf, he therefore labours that all others may be as miſerable as he is: now the ways by which he expreſſeth his Enmity againſt Souls, that he may keep them from Eternal Life, are theſe: Sometimes by obſtructing the Work of Grace in the Souls of Men; and thus he works with all his might, by all his Wiles and Devices that he can to draw men unto and keep them in a way of Sin, that they may not ſet their Faces towards Heaven, much more that they may not with earneſt endeavours of Soul ſeek to obtain it. It is true, God always hath the Devil in a Chain, and can if he pleaſeth, reſtrain and hinder him in all his Malicious Attempts againſt his Children, and many times he doth manifeſt his Power and Grace towards his Servants in a dying hour, by curbing in the Malice of that Evil one, that he ſhall not be able to trouble and moleſt them in their Paſſage into Heaven. But yet ſometimes God doth then permit the Devil to ſhew his Malice againſt his People; and then how fiercely and furiouſly doth he make his Aſſaults upon them? Then it is they meet with the ſoreſt Trials; and becauſe he could not prevail upon them formerly as a Tempter, now he turns to be their Accuſer, charging all their Sins upon their Souls, with all the bloody aggravations of them, upbraiding them with all their Profeſſion, as if they had been but Hypocrites p. 60in all that they had done. This God ſometimes permits him to do, that their Grace being exerciſed, the Trial thereof may appear to be more precious than Gold that periſheth, being found to the Praiſe and Glory of God, and the Shame and Reproach of their Adverſary the Devil in a moſt Glorious Conqueſt over all his Temptations; for through the Grace and Strength of Chriſt they overcome him in all his Accuſations, and notwithſtanding all, they go not only quietly, but ſometimes Triumphantly into Heaven and Glory.

Secondly, Death awakens Conſcience. The Practice of a Sinner is to lull Conſcience aſleep, that he may the more quietly and undiſturbedly go on in Sin; but when Death comes, uſually the Conſcience of a Sinner is awakened, if the Sinner be not paſt feeling, & given over to a reprobate ſence. Conſcience hath its Times and Seaſons of ſtirring in the Souls of Men; as ſometimes under the Preaching of the Word Conſcience begins to ſtir within a Sinner, and tells him that thoſe Duties that have been laid before him by the Miniſter, are the Commands of the Great God, and therefore ought to oblige him to Obedience: Here Conſcience is an honeſt Informer. Sometimes when a Sinner is taking the Word of God into his hand and falls a Reading of it, where he meets with ſome things Commanded by God, which poſſibly through ignorance or heedleſſneſs he did not take notice of before to be his Duty, Conſcience at ſuch a time takes part with the Word of God, and by its Admonitions, helps forward the Convictions of the Word upon the Heart of a Sinner, that ſo there may be an Obediential Conformity thereunto: Here now Conſcience is a Faithful Monitor. At another time, when a Sinner hath, not only through careleſſneſs, but through wilfulneſs p. 61and preſumption fallen into the Commiſſion of ſome great and horrid Sin; poſſibly at ſuch a time ſome Friend comes to him and deals plainly and freely with him by reproving him ſharply and ſeverely for his Sin: Conſcience now joyns in with the Reproof, and becomes as true a Friend unto the Sinner as any he hath, if he will but hearken unto him; here now Conſcience thunders out both the Threatnings of the Law, and the Vengeance of the Goſpel; telling the Sinner, that they that do ſuch things, are worthy of Death; nay, that they deſerve Hell, for becauſe of theſe things ſake, ſays Conſcience, cometh the Wrath of God upon the Children of Diſobedience. Conſcience here now ſhews it ſelf an exact and upright Reprover. But then there is another Office that Conſcience hath, and that is to be an Accuſer, and this Office it commonly makes uſe of when it is throughly awakened upon a Death-bed; for when a Man comes to lie upon a Sick-bed, and ſees the Viſions of Death and the Grave before him, the Charges of Conſcience at ſuch a time upon a Sinner, are moſt quick and ſmart: for Conſcience being juſt as it were a going to give up its Accounts unto the Great God, the Judge of all Fleſh, where it will ſpeak nothing but the Truth, begins now to give the Sinner ſome Account of what it muſt and will ſay before the Tribunal of God then. And this is one Reaſon, why Conſcience is ſo ſtrict and ſo ſevere in its Charge againſt the Soul, that it will let nothing paſs that comes into the mind of a Sinner, without leaving ſome ſtinging Remembrances of its former guilt, even ſuch as are more bitter than Death it ſelf. This now makes Dying to be ſo hard and difficult a Work. O happy Souls are they who at ſuch a time have their hearts ſprinkled from the Evil of an Accuſing Conſcience by the Blood of Jeſus Chriſt, for they only can p. 62have Peace and Comfort in the hour of Death.

This Work of dying though it be ſo hard and difficult a Work, yet is it that we muſt all undergo, for Death is continually haſtening towards us. The Bleſſed Apoſtle St. Paul thought Death always to be near, it made ſuch ſpeed to him, that he lookt upon himſelf always as a dying Man, and therefore he tells us, That he did die daily, 1 Cor. 15.31. and in Rom. 8.36. For thy ſake, ſays he, we are killed all the day long, we are counted as Sheep for the Slaughter. And if we make Hezekiah's Reckoning to be our own, (though he was under a fit of Sickneſs when he ſaid it, but we are in Health) yet we ſhall not be much miſtaken in the Account, when he tells us, From day even unto night, ſays he, thou wilt make an end of me. What though Death hath not laid his cold hands upon us by ſome Mortal Diſeaſe, yet may he not lie in Ambuſh for us, and cut us off ſuddenly? Time hath Wings and flies away ſwiftly from us; and truly Death doth not creep, but with the ſame ſwiftneſs poſts towards us. Man is waſting and conſuming every day; his Body waſtes, his Strength waſtes, his Parts waſte, his Time waſtes; yea, his very Life waſtes; and whither tend all theſe Conſumptions and Waſtings, but only to the haſtening of Death? neither will theſe end till they terminate in Man's Diſſolution.

But though Man in this Life is always hurrying on unto Death, yet how few are there that conſider, how ſuddenly themſelves or others may die? we eaſily and ſlightly paſs over the Thoughts of Death, and the ſuddenneſs of its approach, becauſe it is that we have no mind to. We would not yet die our ſelves, and therefore we will not think we ſhall. Gueſts that are unwellcome to us, we either keep them out of our Houſes, or turn them out as ſoon p. 63as we can. Such are the Thoughts of Death, either of our own or others, and therefore if poſſible we endeavour to keep them out of our minds altogether; but if ſometimes they will thruſt in upon us, we turn them out again as ſoon as we can, filling our Thoughts with ſome other things. But alas this will not do always, for the Thoughts of Death will return again upon ſome occaſions or other. God by ſome Providence may be will awaken Conſcience, and ſtir up Thoughts of Death in our minds, let us do what we can to hinder them; yea, though we do what we can to ſtifle them; but this is no thanks to us, for of our ſelves we will not be brought to think of, or regard how ſuddenly others do and our ſelves may die, till by ſome ſad Providence, we are brought to the Sick bed of ſome Friend, whom Death hath bedewed with cold Sweats, and rackt with Convulſims, ſo that he lies gaſping and dying before us: till our Eyes be brought thus to Affect our Hearts, our Hearts are ſeldom Affected as they ought with the Sence of our Mortality.

Now as Death comes ſuddenly upon many, ſo commonly it comes violently upon wicked Men, their Souls are not ſurrendred or delivered up unto God, but they are rent and torn from them by Force and Violence. A wicked Man cannot commend his Soul into the Hands of God when he is dying. Indeed we have a form of making the Wills of dying Men, wherein the Perſon that lies upon his Death-Bed, ſays, I commend my Soul into the Hands of God which (in the Judgment of Charity): becauſe we have nothing to do to Cenſure Mens Eternal State) in the General we muſt not wholly Condemn; yet it is to be feared, that few that ſay thoſe words, do it heartily and ſincerely, and upon ſuch Grounds, as God will accept and receive, when they leave their Bodies. There are ſome who have p. 64lived in Sin all their Days, yet have ſtrong preſumptions of the Mercy of God upon their Death-beds. God is a merciful God ſay they; and therefore with boldneſs and confidence they commend their Souls unto him, relying upon his Mercy for Salvation: But ſuch are ſtrangely Ignorant of the method of God in ſaving Sinners, and by Cuſtom in Sin, and the Judgment of God upon them for it, they are become inſenſible, their Conſciences are ſeared and aſleep, and ſo neither their Sin, nor the miſery they are liable to for Sin, doth in the leaſt trouble them. But otherwiſe the Death of a wicked Man is violent, he doth not reſign up his Soul unto God, but it is forced from him whether he will or no.

But though a Sinner's Death be violent, yet no Man dies before his time, though ſome in Scripture are ſaid ſo to do: Hence we read that Caution of the Wiſe Man, Eccleſ. 7.17. Be not wicked over much, why ſhouldſt thou die before thy time. And God threatens, Pſal. 55.23. Bloody and deceitful Men ſhall not live out half their Days. And it is a common ſaying among us, that ſuch a one is cut off in the midſt of his Days.

To all which I ſhall only return this ſhort Anſwer, That ſimply and in it ſelf conſidered, it is impoſſible but that the whole tale of Days, that God hath appointed to every one, muſt be fulfilled, according to the Number of them. They are ſet down by God, and no Man can die before God's time. It is true a Man may die before his time, that is, before he is prepared by Grace, or before he is ripened in the courſe of Nature: Such expreſſions as theſe denote no more, than either, that God cuts them off in their full ſtrength, and in the vigour of their years, when yet they might according to humane probability have lived much longer; or elſe, comparing the p. 65ſhortneſs of their lives with the length of others, God ſeems as it were to break it off in the very midſt before he hath finiſhed it.

And is Death the lot of all Men ſooner or later? Though all die not the ſame way, and after the ſame manner, nor at the ſame time; yet is Death the end of all Men? Doth Death paſs upon all becauſe all have ſinned? Why then, let every one prepare for Death. The Spirit of God tells us, that all fleſh is graſs, and the goodlineſs thereof as the flower of the field, which ſoon withers and dies. And is it ſo with theſe Bodies of ours, that they are frail and dying? The Wiſdom of a Chriſtian then ſhould manifeſt it ſelf; not in labouring to avoid the ſtroke of Death, for that is impoſſible; nor yet in ſpending too much time in daubing over a Houſe of Clay; or in repairing and propping up of an Earthly Tabernacle, which when we have done all, will at length crumble into duſt; but ſeeing the Body is appointed for and will turn to duſt, to be ſollicitous that when it dies, it may die happily and comfortably.

Chriſtian, whoever thou art, into whoſe hands theſe lines may fall, know that I am come to acquaint thee with a meſſage from the True and Faithful God, that cannot lye, that the Leaſe of thy Life is almoſt expired, and that the time of thy departure is not far off: What habitation haſt thou provided for thy precious and immortal Soul, that it may not at its departure out of thy Body take up its dwelling with Devils and damned Spirits for ever? It may be thou haſt provided well for thy Wife and Children, heap'd up much Silver and Gold together for them, added Houſe to Land, that they may dwell upon the Earth; it may be thou haſt ſettled thy Eſtate, ſo as to prevent all diſputes and quarrelings when thou art dead: I cannot ſay but thou haſt done p. 66well, and that theſe things ought to be done, I condemn thee not: But what haſt thou done for thy Soul all this while? Haſt thou not laid out much more care and pains for thy never dying Soul, than thou haſt for thy periſhing Body? If not, let me ſay unto thee, O careleſs Sinner, as the Mariners ſaid unto Jonah in the Storm, What meaneſt thou, O Sleeper? What meaneſt thou O drowſy ſtupid Sinner? Ariſe, for God's ſake, and for thy Soul's ſake, and beſtir thy ſelf; look about thee; Whither art thou going? What will become of thee? Is not Eternity before thee? And muſt not thy State and Condition be for ever hereafter, as thy Preparations are now? O that God would open thine Eyes, that thou mayeſt ſee what will make for thine Eternal Intereſt, before Death open them, when it will be too late.

Now that I may preſs this Exhortation the more home upon thy Conſcience, I ſhall lay down two or three Reaſons for thy more thorough Conviction, that it will be much for thy Intereſt and Advantage to be ready and prepared for Death.

Firſt, Conſider, Conſcience will then be very buſie and active in reviewing thy Life. Now if for the moſt part thereof thou haſt walked uprightly with God, Conſcience will then give thee ſome meaſure of boldneſs towards God. But now if at ſuch a time, when Conſcience is reflecting back upon thy former Life, it cannot but ſay, if it will ſpeak the Truth (as uſually upon a Death bed it doth,) I have been conſidering thy former ways, and the Account that I can give of them in general is, that they abound with multitudes of Sins and Provocations, which no Man can number; to particularize them would be endleſs; but if it may tend any way to thy Repentance, before it be too late: Remember, O Sinner, p. 67(for I do,) how long God hath lengthened out thy Life, how many tenders of Chriſt and Salvation by him he hath made unto thy Soul, which thou haſt rejected. How many years of Sabbaths haſt thou enjoyed? How often hath the Spirit of God moved upon thy Soul, and ſtirred up holy motions in thy Heart, which thou haſt reſiſted and quenched? What multitudes of mercies, wherewith God would have drawn thee to himſelf, haſt thou ſlighted and abuſed? How many corrections and afflictions hath God laid upon thee, wherewith he would have imbittered Sin unto thy Soul, that himſelf might have been more ſweet, which thou haſt deſpiſed and grown more hardened in Sin under? How hath the Patience of God been even wearied with waiting upon thee, whilſt thou haſt preſſed him with thy Sins, even as a Cart is preſſed with Sheaves, and yet thou wouldſt not forbear thy wicked ways? Doeſt thou not remember the particular times and days, the ſeveral ſeaſons and occaſions wherein it hath been thus and thus with thee? Surely, ſays Conſcience, thou canſt not forget it, theſe things are all down in my Book, though thou thoughteſt I took no notice of them, and I am now a going to open this Book to ſhew it to thy Judge, where I ſhall juſtifie them all to thy very face; for I do very well remember every one of them: O that for thy Soul's ſake I could ſay, I do as well remember thy praying, thy hearing, thy reading, thy Meditation of holy and heavenly things, with the ſincerity; yea, the fervour and earneſtneſs of thy Soul expreſſed in all theſe; that I could bear Witneſs to thy Faith, to thy Humility, to thy Patience and Self denial, to thy Repentance and Godly Sorrow for Sin, to the daily longing and breathing of thy Soul after the being rid of a Body of Death, that thou mighteſt never offend God any more; but I cannot ſay theſe things of thee, and I dare not p. 68now flatter thee and tell thee, that I can, when I cannot, and if I ſhould it would do thee no good at all; for the Great Judge of Heaven and Earth, before whom thou and I are now going to appear, knows all theſe things that I have now told thee of to be true, and will quickly undeceive thee, whatever thy hopes are now, and make thee know theſe things unto thy everlaſting confuſion; unleſs out of the infinite Riches of his Grace and Mercy he give thee Repentance preſently, which thou canſt have very little hopes of now at Death, ſince thou didſt not turn to him in thy Life.

Secondly, Conſider, when thou comeſt to die, thou wilt then have to do with God himſelf immediately. It is true, while we are here in the Body we have to do with God, and all our Affairs whatſoever are tranſacted under his Eye and in his preſence; therefore we read in Heb. 4.13. That all things are naked and open unto the Eyes of that God with whom we have to do. There is no Prayer we make, no Sermon we hear, no Holy Duty we perform, no Mercy we enjoy, no Affliction we lie under, nor any Action we do in our whole lives, but we have to do with God in it: But when we come to die, we have to do with God in another way and manner than what we have to do with him in this World; here we have to do with God in Duties and Ordinances; but it is in ſuch a way as is becoming our preſent ſtate of diſtance from him; of which I may ſay, as the Prophet doth in another caſe, it is neither clear not dark, inſomuch that Faith it ſelf hath much a-do ſometimes to diſcover God unto the Soul; and no wonder then, if a Carnal Eye cannot diſcern him: But when as the Wiſe Man ſpeaks, the Soul ſhall return to God that gave it, the Soul then goes into the immediate Preſence of God, having to do with p. 69him in ſuch an immediate way and manner, that there is nothing in the Eye of the Soul to obſcure or hinder the ſight of the Divine Preſence; no vail of Fleſh between God and it, but naked Majeſty and Glory diſcovers it ſelf to the Soul with the rays of its own light, which is ſo full of wonder and aſtoniſhment, that we know not now how to conceive of it, much leſs to expreſs it. And if a holy Prophet, ſeeing but a Viſion of God, crys out, Wo is me, I am undone, for I am a Man of unclean Lips, and mine Eyes have ſeen the King, the Lord of Hoſt, Iſai 6.5. O how much more may it overwhelm a Soul, when ſtripp'd of its Body, to ſee not only a Viſion of God, but to ſee God himſelf as it were face to face! But this is not all; for the Soul is not by Death barely brought before the Great and Glorious God, but it is brought before him to be judged to an Eternal State. In this Life we come into the preſence of God upon a Treaty of Peace, between God and our Souls. God is now in Chriſt reconciling Sinners unto himſelf, and is willing not to impute their Sins and Treſpaſſes unto them; and if they will accept of his terms they may make Peace with him, for he ſaith now unto Sinners, let them take hold of my ſtrength and ſo make Peace with me, and they ſhall make Peace with me; but if Sinners will not throw away the Weapons of their Rebellion out of their Hands, I mean their Sins out of their Hearts, whereby they fight againſt God; but Death comes and ſtrikes them dead with their Weapons in their Hands, I mean in the embracements of their luſts; God and they muſt treat after another manner, not upon terms of Peace, but upon terms of Judgment; for away they go immediately after Death before God as a Judge, the Spirit then returning unto God that gave it, to receive a determinative ſentence of Happineſs or Miſery for ever. And who would p. 70not then be always prepared for the ſtroke of Death, that carries the Soul into the preſence of ſuch a Judge, who hath power to, and who will determine its everlaſting State?

Thirdly, As a farther Argument to perſwade Chriſtians unto a preparation for Death, Conſider the miſery of thoſe who when Death comes upon them are unprovided for it: And this I ſhall do in theſe following particulars briefly.

Firſt, An unprepared Sinner at Death loſeth all his outward comforts and enjoyments. In this Life it may be Providence did abound towards him with variety of outward enjoyments, as Riches, Relations, Pleaſures, Profits, and the like; but Death is now come and hath ſwept away all of theſe things that were deſirable. It was a doleful expreſſion of Ahraham unto the Rich Man in Hell, Luke 16.25. Son remember thou in thy life-time receivedſt thy good things. Oh what a cutting word was this to his Soul, when he was paſſed into another World? And will it not wound thy Soul as deeply, O Sinner, who haſt not made thy Preparations for Eternity, when thou comeſt to paſs through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, to conſider thou haſt received all thy good things already? yea, and having received them, if thou couldſt always live with them, and keep them always with thee, it might be ſomething to thee; but alas thou canſt not; for when Death comes it will turn thee out of all thy poſſeſſions and enjoyments; when thou dieſt thou ſhalt take nothing in thy hand with thee of all thy labour, as the Wiſe Man ſpeaks, Eccl. 5.15. The things of this World will not go one ſtep with thee beyond this preſent Life; and think, O Sinner, if thou canſt, what a doleful thing will it be for a poor Soul to be … p. 71down naked upon the vaſt Ocean of Eternity, having nothing to relieve and ſupport it ſelf with, all its Riches and Treaſures being left behind it in another World.

Secondly, The Miſery of an unprepared Sinner for Death appears in this, that then he ſhall be deprived of all the Seaſons and Opportunities of Grace. It is no mean Mercy to thee, O Sinner, hadſt thou a Heart to improve it, that thou now enjoyeſt the Ordinances of Life and Salvation, that thou haſt the tenders of Mercy, the entreaties of Miniſters, the motions of the Spirit, invitations to come unto Chriſt, leave and liberty to caſt down thy ſelf at the Feet of God, and by Prayer and Supplication ſeek his Face, and be as earneſt and fervent as thou wilt or canſt be for Mercy: But let me tell thee at Death the door of Mercy will be for ever ſhut, there will be no Praying, or Preaching, or Hearing in the Place whither thou art going; no declaring this loving kindneſs of God in the Grave, nor this faithfulneſs of his in Deſtruction. Now the Ordinances of God, though precious to others, yet are they tedious and irkſome unto thee; the Church of God to thee is little better than a Priſon, the Sabbath-day is the longeſt day in the Week in thy Account, thou wouldſt fain be rid of it; the Commands of Chriſt, which to a Gracious Soul are ſweet and delightful, are no better than Bonds and Fetters unto thee, which thou wouldſt fain break aſunder and caſt away from thee; the Language of thy Carnal Heart is this; (though the Sermon be commonly meaſured by the ſpace of an hour;) yet thou cryeſt, when will the Glaſs be out, when will the Duty be done, when will the Sabbath be over, that we may follow the World again; thou thinkeſt Prayer too long, and Sermons too long, and Sabbaths too long: Well, be p. 72patient, O Sinner, for a while, and in a ſhort time thou ſhalt never be troubled with theſe long painful Duties any more; Death will eaſe thee of all theſe Burthens; that Night is coming upon thee, wherein there ſhall be no more of theſe Works done for ever; and then though with Eſau, thou ſhouldſt carefully ſeek a place of Repentance, with Tears, to bewall thy former Folly, yet thou ſhouldſt not find it.

Thirdly, The Miſery of an unprepared Sinner for Death lies in this, that he then ioſeth all his hopes and expectations. Hope, it is the Anchor and Support of the Soul in time of Trouble; ſometimes the Soul is brought to ſuch ſtraits, and under ſuch ſore preſſures, that it hath nothing to live upon but Faith and Hope; Faith believes there ſhall be a happy iſſue out of thoſe troubles the Soul is under, and therefore Hope encourageth the Soul to wait patiently till a time of Deliverance doth come; it will come, ſaith Faith, for God is Faithful who hath promiſed; I will wait therefore, ſaith Hope, and my expectations ſhall not be in vain, for they that wait upon him ſhall not be aſhamed: But now all the Hopes of a Sinner will fail and diſappoint him at Death; for indeed he had no true well-grounded Hope. We read in Scripture of a true and lively Hope, 1 Pet 1.3. but this is found only in the Saints, Bleſſed be God (ſaith the Apoſtle) who hath begotten us again to a lively Hope, by the Reſurrection of Chriſt from the Dead: But a Sinner's Hope is not a lively but a dead Hope; and what can the Fruits of ſuch a Hope be but ſhame and diſappointment? When a Wicked Man dies, ſays the Wiſe Man, his Expectations ſhall periſh. Prov. 11.7. And what is the Hope of the Hypocrite, ſays Job, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his Soul, Job 27.8. why nothing but ſhame and p. 73diſappointment. And if Hope deferred, maketh the Heart ſick, as Solomon tells us, then Hope fruſtrated, eſpecially a Hope of Heaven and Happineſs, muſt needs kill, even as with a thouſand Deaths.

Fourthly, An unprepared Sinner at Death loſeth his Soul; and this is ſuch a Jewel that its worth and value is not known on Earth, but ſhall be fully known in Hell. Were it poſſible for thee, O Sinner, to underſtand what is included in the loſs of thy Soul, it would be as a Dagger at thy Heart; the thoughts of it would make thee mingle thy drink with weeping, and imbitter all the Comforts of thy whole life unto thee. In Matt. 16.26. What is a Man profited if he gains the whole World, and loſe his own Soul, or what ſhall a Man give in exchange for his Soul? Behold here, O Sinner, of what an incomparable worth and value thy Soul is, and what an irreparable loſs it is if thou loſeſt it; this is ſuch a loſs, as there is none like it, for the gain of the whole World cannot balance the loſs of one Soul. It is alſo an irrecoverable loſs: God hath given thee two Eyes, two Hands, and two Feet, and if thou loſeſt one Eye thou haſt another, or if thou loſeſt one Limb, thou haſt more; but God hath given thee but one Soul, and if thou loſeſt that, thou haſt no more. If thou loſest thy Eſtate, by thy diligence and the Bleſſing of God upon thy endeavours, thou mayeſt recover it again: yea, if thou loſeſt thy Life, thou mayeſt be a gainer by it, for thou mayeſt find it again, for he that loſeth his Life for my ſake, ſays Chriſt, ſhall find it. How ſo, ſhall he live again here on Earth? no, but he ſhall find it with infinite gain and advantage in Heaven; for inſtead of a Temporal Life, he ſhall gain an Eternal Life. But if thy Soul, O Sinner, be once loſt, thou art undone for ever; this is ſuch a loſs, that the thoughts thereof p. 74may make thy Hair ſtand on end upon thy Head; yea, it is that which when ever thou readeſt or thinkeſt of, may make thy Heart to ake; do not thy Ears tingle, and thy Loyns tremble to hear of it?

Having thus laid down ſome quickning Conſiderations to ſtir up Chriſtians to prepare for Death. I ſhall in the next place endeavour to propound ſuch Directions as may, by the Bleſſing of God, be helpful to them in their Preparations for their latter end.

Now the General Direction for a Chriſtian's Preparation for Death is to get an Intereſt in Chriſt by a Work of Converſion, changing the State and Condition of the Soul. This now is the main Work of a Chriſtian, without which he is no real Chriſtian. Profeſſion of Chriſtianity gives a Man the Name of a Chriſtian, but it is only Implantation into Chriſt by believing, that gives a Man the being of a Chriſtian. It is Eſſential to a Chriſtian as a Chriſtian, that he be in Chriſt. By Nature all Men are Strangers; yea, Enemies to God and Chriſt; and therefore it is neceſſary, that there be a Manifeſtation of the Power of Converting Grace to change our Hearts, and Sanctifie our Natures, and till this be done, we are but Nominally Chriſtians; we have only a Name to live, but we are dead. He that is not in Chriſt, is not a Chriſtian in Deed and in Truth. Now this being in Chriſt, which is always accompanied with Converſion and Sanctification, is that which makes Life comfortable, Death eaſy, and Heaven ſure and certain. He that hath an Intereſt in Chriſt, may live joyfully in any Condition, if he knows but his own Happineſs, he need not be troubled, let what will befal him; whether he hath more or leſs, he hath it with the Love of God; all his Mercies come ſwiming to him in the Blood of Jeſus, and therefore he may well ſit down and be p. 75content; yea, be thankful and rejoyce, knowing that all things ſhall work together for his Eternal Benefit and Advantage; there being no Condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus. And as for Death how eaſy a thing is it to ſuch a Soul? I confeſs Death is very terrible to one that is out of Chriſt, but to one that is in Chriſt, Death is his Friend; yea, his beſt Friend next to Chriſt; what ſays the Apoſtle of ſuch, 1 Cor. 3.21. All things are yours, that is for your Benefit and Advantage, whether Paul or Apollo's, or Cephas, or things preſent, or things to come, or Life, or Death, all is yours. But how comes all this about? why becauſe you are Chriſt's, and Chriſt is God's. Death therefore cannot hurt ſuch. The Happineſs of thoſe that are in Chriſt, lies in the Manifeſtation of the Divine Love and Favour unto their Souls; now this Death cannot hinder them of. I know many of God's People, have not the Light of his Countenance liftted up upon their Souls in Death, but their paſſage to Heaven is dark and uncomfortable; God loves them, though they know it not; yet by this darkneſs and uncomfortableneſs which Death brings upon them by their paſſage through it, Death is but bringing them to the moſt clear Diſcoveries of the Love of God to their Souls in Heaven, with which they ſhall then be filled and ſatisfied to all Eternity. Our Comfort in Death lies in the Knowledge of our Intereſt in Chriſt, but ſo doth not our Happineſs, that lies in our Intereſt in Chriſt, whether we know it or not. Our Conſolation in a dying hour ſprings from our Aſſurance that Chriſt is ours, and we are his, but our ſafely and ſecurity in that hour, ariſeth from the certainty of our Intereſt in Chriſt. Indeed our Ignorance that we are in Chriſt when we come to die, may prejudice our preſent Peace and Comfort in Death; but it ſhall not prejudice p. 76our future Happineſs after Death. They that are in Chriſt are always in a ſafe Condition; they may die uncomfortably indeed, but they cannot die miſerably; they are built upon the Rock of Ages; and therefore though they fall by Death into the Grave even as others, yet they periſh not with others. Death may kill them, but it cannot hurt them. He that hath an Intereſt in Chriſt, being united to him by Faith, need not fear what Death can do unto him. True and thorough Converſion from Sin unto God, is a ſure Foundation for Peace and Safety both in Life and Death. He that is intereſted in Chriſt is built upon a Rock that is Impregnable, the Gates of Death and Hell ſhall not prevail againſt him. To behold a Man dying that is in Chriſt, this is Comfortable; for ſuch a one dies that he may live for ever, and changes only a Temporal for an Eternal Life. To behold a Chriſtleſs Perſon, but not in a dying condition, this is ſomething tolerable, for who can tell but that the next Sabbath, or the next Sermon, God may make it a time of Love to his Soul, even ſuch a day of his Power and Grace towards him, as thereby ſavingly to draw him unto Chriſt. But to behold a dying Man, and a Chriſtleſs Man alſo, this is dreadful; yea, even intolerable, for ſuch a one dies from Earth to be Damned in Hell. It was a ſad and doleful Complaint (and Oh that it might ſtartle and awaken ſome ſecure Sinner to look after Chriſt) that was once uttered by one upon a Death-Bed, being juſt a dying, Oh I want nothing now but a Chriſt to Save me. O miſerable State and Condition indeed, for in having him, the Soul hath all that can do it good, or make it good; but in wanting of him, the Soul hath nothing that can do it good here, or make it happy hereafter. Intereſt in Chriſt is the only true Preparation for Death. This now p. 77is the general Direction for our Preparation for Death, without which there is no dying happily or comfortably. But the more particular Directions are theſe that follow.

Firſt, Wouldſt thou be prepared for Death, then die unto Sin, by daily and conſtant endeavours to mortifie and ſubdue the Power and Strength of it in the Exerciſe of a Holy Life. The Apoſtle tells us in Rom. 6.23. That the wages of Sin is Death. By which he means Temporal and Eternal Death: This now is the Fruit of Sin, for Luſt when it hath conceived, bringeth forth Sin, and Sin, when it is finiſhed, bringeth forth Death. But is there no way to eſcape this Death? yes, from Spiritual and Eternal Death, there is a deliverance, and therefore the Apoſtle tells us, in Rom. 6.13. That if we through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the Body, that is the deeds of the Body of Sin, then we ſhall live and not die; that is we ſhall live Spiritually, and not die Eternally; and as for a Temporal Death, though we cannot ſcape the ſtroke of it, yet we ſhall be free from the Curſe and Sting of it. Wouldſt thou therefore, O Chriſtian, be prepared for Death when it comes, then take from it now its Power and Strength. When the Philiſtines ſaw Sampſon was too ſtrong for them, they labour to know wherein his great Strength lay, and when they found it was in the Hair of his Head, they would not be quiet till they got his Hair cut off. Every Chriſtian hath to deal with a dreadful Enemy unto Nature, and that is Death. Aſſault he will all of us at one time or other; yea, and be too hard for us. If now we would overcome him, we muſt find out where his great Strength lies; the Spirit of God now tells us, that the Power and Sting of Death is Sin, ſo we read in 1 Cor. 15.56. The Sting p. 78of Death is Sin. And the Power and Sting of every Mans particular Death lies in his own Sins. Death cannot hurt any of us but by that Power and Strength that our ſins put into its hands. Chriſtian, the way how thou mayeſt overcome thine Enemy Death, is ſet open to thee, his Strength is diſcovered to thee, that thou mayeſt have thine Advantage againſt him, to weaken him, and to take away his Strength, and that is by dying unto Sin, this will be the Death of Death. Yield not therefore at any time to its Solicitations, for this is but to make Death the more ſtrong and Powerful to wound thy Soul and Conſcience. When therefore thou art tempted unto any Sin, though it may ſeem pleaſant and delightful, yet before thou yieldſt unto the Temptation, ſay to thy ſelf, O my Soul, how will this reliſh with me when I come to lie upon a Death-bed, and my Soul ſits trembling upon my Lips ready to take its Flight unto the Tribunal of God? What Peace and Comfort will it procure to my Conſcience then? Will not the Remembrance of it prove more bitter than Gall and Wormwood, and the grating Reflections of Conſcience more ſtinging and tormenting to the Soul, than a thouſand Deaths could poſſibly be? Wouldſt thou not have Death bitter then, let not Sin be ſweet now. Part with Sin betimes, get that removed that is the troubler of a Death-Bed, and the Sting of Death; and that is Sin. Make it your daily buſineſs to be dying unto Sin. Now this dying unto Sin implies our conſtant endeavours to ſubdue the Power and Strength of Sin, and this is done by daily Mortification. It is true in the People of God Sin doth not Reign, and that is Comfortable to conſider. Sin in the Work of Converſion hath received ſuch a Wound as is incurable; but yet wherever Sin is in any Soul, it doth not uſe to lie dormant; but where it cannot Reign, it will moleſt p. 79and ſtruggle; yea, and it may be, prevail to a Victory ſometimes, even over thoſe, over whom it ſhall never prevail unto Condemnation. This now calls for a conſtant work of Mortification. Every day there are corrupt Inclinations and Propenſions to be kept in, ſinful thoughts to be contended with, Evil motions to be ſuppreſt; and it is not the meer Habis and Principle of Grace received in our firſt Converſion, without the vigorous and conſtant Exerciſe of it in a way of Mortification, that will overcome all theſe. Though Regeneration hath given Sin its Deaths wound, yet Mortification muſt daily weaken and ſubdue its Power and Strength; and according as the work of Mortification is ſucceſsful in the Soul, ſo will be our Peace and Purity in Life, and our Joy and Comfort in Death.

Secondly, Keep Conſcience clear, that it may not have the guilt of any known ſin to charge you withal. Now Conſcience may then be ſaid to be clear, when it is pure, and when it is a Peaceable Conſcience that is peaceable muſt be pure, and a pure Conſcience, uſually is a peaceable Conſcience. When Conſcience is free from all known and willful defilements, and not juſtly burthened with the guilt of Sin, then is Conſcience clear. If it be poſſible do not wound Conſcience, and if you would not, have a care of Sin: he that is not watchful to avoid Sin, cannot have a clear Conſcience. It is impoſſible for us, while we are ſurrounded about with Infirmities, and oppreſſed with a Body of Sin and Death (which the Apoſtle complains of) to keep our ſelves free and unſpotted from all Sin, for in many things we offend all. Thoſe Sins now that are Sins of weakneſs and Infirmity, as they are uſually ſmall Sins, and ſo hardly diſcernable many times by our ſelves nor others; ſo they do not break our Peace with God, nor obſcure the clearneſs of our Conſciences; but they p. 80are known and willful ſins that waſte and wound the Conſcience, and they that are not careful to keep themſelves from ſinning thus, can never have a clear Conſcience, nor be in a prepared State for Death; for how can Conſcience ſpeak Peace unto the Soul upon a Death-bed with the guilt of any known ſin upon it? If you wound Conſcience by ſin now, Conſcience will wound you for ſin hereafter. Any known ſin committed againſt Conſcience, will exceedingly diſcompoſe and trouble the Soul in a dying hour. Reader, doth thy Conſcience reprove thee for living in any ſinful way, or for being careleſs and remiſs in looking after Heaven and Eternity? hearken unto Conſcience now, that Conſcience may hearken unto you another day. O Sinner, when thou ſhalt come to lie upon a Death-bed, and begin to examine thy Conſcience how things are with thee, and how it is like to go with thee for ever; thou wouldeſt then be glad to have Conſcience give thee a comfortable anſwer, and ſay all is well, and all ſhall be well with thee to Eternity; thou haſt been Faithful in following my Counſels and Reproofs, that from the Great God according to his Word I delivered unto thee, and now I will be as Faithful in declaring to thee, the Truth of things as to thy future State, fear not therefore, for it ſhall certainly go well with thee for ever. Wouldſt thou now have Conſcience ſpeak thus comfortably to thee at Death? hearken to what Conſcience ſaith to thee now; for if thou doſt not hearken unto Conſcience in thy life time, when it Faithfully Admoniſheth and Reproves thee; Conſcience will not hearken unto thee at thy Death, to excuſe and acquit thee, but will prove thy great Accuſer and Condemner. Guilt lying upon the Conſcience, makes the Soul aſhamed and afraid to come before God even in this Life, much more at Death. A Guilty Sinner p. 81chooſeth rather to run away from God, that if it were poſſible God might not find him. Thus we imitate our Grand-Father Adam, who as ſoon as he had ſinned, endeavours to hide himſelf from God among the Trees of the Garden. And who of us is there but may obſerve the ſame by himſelf; what ſlaviſh fear, what dejection and ſinking in our Spirits doth ſeize upon us when we come before God in the Performance of a Duty after we have provoked him by ſome known ſin? with what Doubtings, with what Fears and miſgiving of heart do we come into his Preſence, as if we were not willing that God ſhould take any notice that we are before him; and if we are not in continual pain while we are performing the Duty, yet we would willingly enough that the Duty were done and over. And if we cannot tell how to engage in Duty with a guilty Conſcience; how ſhall we be able to contend with Death with a guilty Conſcience? If the Preſence of God in Duty be ſo dreadful and terrible unto the Soul under the Apprehenſion of ſome known ſin committed by it and not pardoned to it, that it makes it quake and tremble to come before him, what then will the Preſence of God in Death and Judgment, when Conſcience ſhall be awakened to make terrible Reflections, not upon a particular ſin, but upon the ſins of a whole Life, if not Repented of? Oh with what horrour and amazement, with what Conſternation and Confuſion muſt ſuch a Soul be filled withal? But now he whoſe Conſcience is clear, Oh how doth he Rejoyce to draw nigh to God, how glad is he to go up unto the Houſe of the Lord, as David ſpeaks, with what delight doth his Soul haſten unto God in Duty, that it may taſte how good the Lord is, that it may ſee the Power and Glory of God, ſo as it hath ſometimes done in his Sanctuary; O with what Peace and Contentment of Mind, ſhall I ſay? alas p. 82theſe are Expreſſions of too low and too mean a Signification, to repreſent the workings of ſuch a Soul towards God; rather with what Joy and Rejoying, with what Triumph and Exultation, doth ſuch a Soul make its abode and ſtay with God in Duty, where it enjoys the ſweet and refreſhing Smiles of his Countenance, and ſits under the delightful Banner of his Love. Thus it is with a Chriſtian in Duty, that hath a clear Conſcience. And if it be thus with him in Duty, and Conſcience continue to keep its clearneſs and inoffenſiveneſs in an upright walking with God daily; it cannot be bad or ill with ſuch a Soul at Death. A Conſcience kept clean and pure in Life, will be quiet and peaceable in Death; nay, let me ſay more, he who hath made it his care and buſineſs to walk continually with a clear and inoffenſive Conſcience in his Life, ſhall certainly have much boldneſs; yea, and uſually a great deal of Joy and Rejoycing in Death; and though the Devil may and will labour to diſturb ſuch a Soul's Peace and Comfort then; yet a Conſcience ſprinkled with the Blood of Chriſt, ſhall be too hard for him. And what Conſcience doth in God's Name on good grounds upon a Death bed, God will confirm and enlarge to the Soul's everlaſting Comfort and Conſolation, when Death ſhall bring it to appear before him.

Thirdly, Would you be prepared for Death, get ſin pardoned, and labour much after the Aſſurance of it. Sin is the cauſe of death, the means by which Death came into the World; had there been no ſinning, there would have been no dying: but ſin coming into the World, death came along with it. Rom. 5.12. As by one Man ſin entred into the World, and death by ſin, and ſo death paſſed upon all Men, for that all have ſinned. By ſinning againſt God, Man is come under a neceſſity of dying. p. 83The wages of ſin, ſays the Apoſtle, is Death; nay ſin is that which gives Death its ſting; ſo we read 1 Cor. 15. and 56. The ſting of Death is ſin. This is it which gives Death its power, and makes it ſo dreadful; and becauſe of Guilt lying on the Soul, makes it unfit to die. But now where the Soul is ſprinkled with the Blood of Chriſt, the Guilt of Sin taken away by an Act of Pardon and Forgiveneſs, that Soul is prepared to receive and entertain Death whenſoever it comes; and though it make not that Death ſhall not be, yet it makes that Death ſhall not hurt, for Sin is pardoned. Sin is that which makes the Soul cry out bitterly under the Apprehonſions of Death, and of the Wrath of God. Oh, that I had never committed ſuch and ſuch Sins! Why know, O pardoned Sinner, thou haſt thy wiſh; for God when he pardons Sin, makes it to be as if it had never been committed. Things forgotten are no more to us than as if they had never been. Why now ſays God, I will forgive their Iniquities, and I will remember their Sins no more. And doth God, O fearful Soul, make thy Sins to be as if they had never been by his pardoning Grace and Mercy; and ſhall not thy former fears of Sin, and of Death by Reaſon of Sin, be now as if they had never been. Thou need'ſt not fear, O trembling Soul, that thou ſhalt ever be queſtioned again for thoſe Sins that God hath once forgiven thee. God's Acts of Oblivion can never be repealed; for the Gifts and Calling of God are without Repentance. Guilt binds a Sinner over unto Puniſhment, no wonder then that an unpardoned Sinner who is unfit to die, is afraid of Death; for whenever Death comes to ſuch a Soul, it comes with a deadly incurable Sting. Death to an unpardoned Sinner, is Death with a witneſs; for it is Death and Hell in to the Bargain. But now to a pardoned Sinner, let Death come p. 84when and how it will, he is prepared for it, his Condition is ſafe, he cannot be miſerable; Death may kill him, but it cannot hurt him; and therefore what need he fear it. Now if you would know the Safety and Happineſs of your Condition, labour for an Aſſurance that your Sins are pardoned. Your future Happineſs depends upon the pardon of Sin, but your preſent Comfort depends upon your Aſſurance that Sin is pardoned. He whoſe Sins are pardoned dies ſafely, but he who knows his Sins are pardoned dies comfortably. Pardon of Sin frees from Condemnation, but it is Aſſurance of Pardon that brings Peace and Comfort. That Man is not ſo ready to die, nor in ſuch a prepared Frame of Soul for Death as he ought to be in; who, though his Sins are pardoned, and thereby he hath a Right and Title unto Heaven, yet walks in the dark, and is at Ʋncertainties whether his Sins are pardoned or not; for as our pardon of Sin is neceſſary to our dying happily, ſo the Aſſurance of our Pardon is neceſſary to our dying comfortably. Take a Man that is at a loſs and under Doubts and Fears that his Sins are not pardoned, if Death ſhould come to him while he is under thoſe Doubts and Fears, with what difficulty would he make a ſhift to die? How hardly would he be brought to it? What Pretences and Excuſes would he make? Alas, ſays he, I know not where I am, nor what Death will do with me; and though I am ſo ſick that I cannot live; yet I am ſo afraid I dare not die; for I know not whither I am going, nor where my Dwelling ſhall be for ever, whether in Heaven or in Hell. O what ſhall I do therefore. But now he whoſe Sins are not only pardoned, but he walks daily under the comfortable Aſſurance thereof, it being ſealed and witneſſed to him by the Spirit of God, which Spirit as the Apoſtle ſaith, witneſſeth with our Spirits that we are p. 85the Children of God: If Death comes to him he rejoiceth; for, ſaith he, I know that if my earthly Houſe of this Tabernacle be diſſolved, I have a Building of God, an Houſe not made with Hands, eternal in the Heavens. The Sum of all is this; Pardon of Sin is very good, for it is our Safety; for they that are pardoned ſhall certainly be ſaved: but to have Sin not only pardoned, but to have the Aſſurance that it is pardoned, this is much better. For God to love us ſo as to pardon and accept us, is the ground of our Hopes for Heaven hereafter: But to have God manifeſt his Love, and to aſſure us that he loves us, is our Heaven on this ſide Heaven. And the more we have of this Aſſurance, the more joyfully and comfortably ſhall we be able to paſs through a dying Hour.

Fourthly, Would you be prepared for Death, labour for Hearts and Affections crucified to the World, and all things here below. It is impoſſible we ſhould ever be willing to leave the World, when God calls us hence, till we have firſt learned to uſe the World as if we uſed it not, 1 Cor. 7. and 31. For if our Affections are ſet upon worldly Things, and our hearts engaged in an eager proſecution of them, it will be as Death to us before we die to think of parting with them; and much more unwilling ſhall we be to take our everlaſting Farewel of them, when Death comes to us in good earneſt. This is commonly the Temper, or rather the Diſtemper of moſt Men, the Delights and Accommodations that God affords them for their more comfortable paſſage through this World, and to encourage them with greater Chearfulneſs to ſerve him; have got ſuch an Intereſt in their Hearts and Affections, that they prize and value them above meaſure. The Love of the World, and the things of the World is grown ſo prevalent with many, that p. 86if they might have their Deſires, they would not care for, nor trouble themſelves with any other Heaven, but would be content to live here always; ſaying, Let us build Tabernacles; nay, let us have a continuing City here: But, O Lord forgive them, for they know not what they ſay: They never experimentally taſted the Excellency and Sweetneſs of Heaven, and heavenly Things, and that is the Reaſon they are ſo in love with Earth and earthly Things. Now what wonder is it, that thoſe who place their Happineſs in the Things of this World, ſhould be unwilling to die; that the Thoughts of Death which parts them and their Happineſs, ſhould be bitter and unpleaſant? This now is naturally the Temper of all Men, till God opens their Eyes, and diſcovers to them more excellent Things, even Things of a ſpiritual and divine Nature, which as they are more ſuitable to their Souls, ſo are they more durable and ſatisfying; and having once taſted what preſent Sweetneſs, Peace and Joy there is in God, and in ways of Holineſs, beſides what is laid up for them hereafter in Heaven; their Hearts and Affections are now become dead to the World, and all worldly Things, ſo that they have no reliſh and ſavour of theſe Things upon their Spirits: But as St. Paul ſaith of himſelf, ſo it may be ſaid of them; they are now crucified unto the World, and the World is crucified unto them: The World ſees no Glory, or Beauty in them, and they ſee as little in the World. How eaſily now can ſuch take their leaves of it, when God by Death calls them to it. The Apoſtle tells us, for his part he did die daily, 1 Cor. 15. and 31. And did we die daily in our Deſires and Affections unto the World, and the Things thereof, it would not be ſo hard for us to die when we come to it in good earneſt. When Death comes to a Man whoſe natural ſtrength p. 87and vigour hath been waſting and conſuming a long time by lingring Sickneſſes and Diſtempers, his Death is not ſo hard and ſtrong, as that Man's Death is, whom a few day's Sickneſs cuts off in the midſt of his ſtrength and Vigour, Nature being ſtrong in him to make reſiſtance againſt it, whereas in the other the ſtrength of Nature is waſted and conſumed, and ſo Death to him is more eaſie. So is it here, the Chriſtian whoſe Love and Affection to the World, and the Contentments of this preſent Life, hath for many years been conſuming and dying, will more freely and readily part with them at Death, than he whoſe Love and Affections are ſtrongly and eagerly bent upon them; ſuch a one muſt be rent and torn from them by force and violence in the hour of Death. When our heart's ſet looſe from all things that are deſirable under the Sun, and there is nothing upon Earth that inſnares and intangles our Affections towards it, one Difficulty; yea, and a great one too, in our way of dying is then removed. Death will rend and tear that heart that is glued in love to any thing in this World.

Therefore, O Chriſtian, as to all thy worldly Enjoyments, poſſeſs them as if thou poſſeſſed'ſt them not, rejoice in them as if thou rejoicedſt not, and uſe the World as not abuſing of it; for the Faſhion of the world paſſeth away. How dreadful will Death be to one, who as the Apoſtle ſaith, minds earthly Things? and how eaſie will Death be to one, whoſe Mind and Converſation is in Heaven?

It is good therefore for us to conſider, that we are but Strangers and Pilgrims here. Heaven is the proper Place and Dwelling for holy Souls. Make proviſion therefore by a holy weanedneſs of Heart and Affections for your departure bence; ſend your beſt things to Heaven before-hand, that is your Heart, your Love, your Delight, and then p. 88you your ſelves will the more readily and willingly follow after them.

Fifthly, Would you be prepared for Death, live every day then as if it were your laſt, doing nothing therein, but what you would be willing to be found doing at Death and Judgment. He that ſhall every day ſeriouſly conſider with himſelf, for ought I know this may be my last day: The ſhadows of Death may ſtretch themſelves over my Life, before the ſhadows of the Evening overtake me. I have no Aſſurance of my Life here, no not for a moment. How is it therefore with thee, O my Soul as to Eternity, what is thy daily Work and Employment? Is it that wherein if I ſhould meet with Death at the end of it, I can comfortably give an Account thereof unto the Great God? If I knew this to be my laſt Day, would I be thus employed as I now am? If not, why do I venture upon the doing of that, which I would be loath Death ſhould find me a doing; ſince I know not but Death may overtake me, before I have finiſhed what I am about. Reader, whoever thou art, poſſibly thou mayeſt be guilty of no very great miſtake, if thou ſhouldſt think with thy ſelf, as healthful and as ſtrong as now I am, yet there may be ſome ſecret, inviſible Hand of Death ſtretched out towards me, poſſibly this very day I may feel ſome Symptoms and ſome Fore-runners of it, ſome mortal, incurable Diſeaſe may ſeize upon me before Night, and caſt me upon a ſick Bed, which to me may prove a Death bed. Suppoſing now that this were thy very Caſe, and that thou hadſt received the Sentence of Death, though not as Hezekiah did, by a Meſſenger ſent immediately by God unto him, as he had, but by the Violence of ſome Diſtemper, accompanied with thoſe Signs and Tokens that uſually are and have been preſages of Death unto others; How then wouldſt thou p. 89ſpend thoſe few ſmall Moments of Time, that thou haſt yet left thee on this ſide Eternity? How would thy Thoughts work? What would thy Words and Diſcourſes then be? Surely thou wouldſt not be ſo abominable ſtupid and ſecure, ſo wretchedly careleſs and negligent of thy Soul, and of thy eternal Intereſt and Concerns, when thy Soul is as it were ſitting upon thy Lips, and looking over into Eternity, being ready to take its ſudden flight thither; as to be plodding and contriving in thy Thoughts how to enjoy the Pleaſures, Profits and Delights of the World, which you now find to be nothing but Vanity and Vexation of Spirit; nor yet would you be ſo deſperately mad and bold, as to ſend then for your vain and wicked Companions, with whom you have conſumed ſo many Days and Years in Sin and Wickedneſs, that you and they might now laugh and waſte away your laſt Hours; together alſo. No, certainly there is no reliſh and ſavour now in any of theſe Things, unleſs it be that which is bitter; yea ſurely the Remembrance thereof will then be more bitter to the Soul than Gall and Wormwood. Oh now the Conſideration of the Wants and Exigences of the Soul begin to thruſt and force themſelves into the Mind and Thoughts of a Sinner! O the ſight of a righteous and a ſevere Judge, of a ſtrict Account, and of a dreadful Tribunal! Oh the bitter Ʋpbraidings and Terrors of an accuſing Conſcience, the fearful Reflections upon paſt Sins, and the Expectations of future Torments, the Fears and Thoughts of theſe Things do now fill the Mind and perplex the Soul, and make a Sinner cry out, O what ſhall I now do to be ſaved? Were you never in all your Lives by the Death-bed of a careleſs, negligent Sinner, whoſe Conſcience was then awakened under Horrors and Deſperation? If you have not, others have; and what hath been p. 90their dying words? Oh, that God would pardon their ſins; that he would Sanctifie and Save their Souls; that he would ſpare them a little ſpace; that he would grant them a little time longer, that they might recover their Strength, that they might Repent of their Sins, and Reform their Lives, or elſe that he would graciouſly manifeſt his Love and Favour to their Souls, and receive them to his Mercy. This is the Language, theſe are the Thoughts and Cares of Men upon a Sick bed, when they ſee death coming near them, and ſtaring them in their Faces. And if this were thy Caſe and Condition, O Sinner, that thou didſt now lie tumbling and toſſing upon a Sick-bed, yea upon a Death-bed; would not theſe things be in thy mind? would not the ſame Thoughts and Cares poſſeſs thy Soul, and the ſame words and diſcourſes fall from thy Mouth? why let the ſame Care, the ſame Thoughts, the ſame words, take up ſome part of every day and hour of this Life now; for thou knoweſt not, but that this moment thou art as near death, as if thy Friends and Relations, yea and thy Phyſicians alſo deſpaired of thy life, and had given thee over for dead. O if we could thus ſpend every day, as if it were our laſt, we ſhould then hardly be brought to the doing of any thing, but what we would be willing death ſhould find us doing; and how exceedingly would this further our Preparations for a dying hour.

Sixthly, He that would be in a readineſs for a dying hour, muſt frequently meditate of his own death and of the death of Chriſt. To Meditate of our own death, will make us Studious to prepare for it; and to Meditate of the death of Chriſt, will Arm us againſt the Fears of our own Deaths. He that by frequent Meditations of his own death, and of the death of Chriſt, hath made death familiar p. 91to his Soul, is not only prepared for death, but in a great meaſure alſo freed from the fears of death. As to the conſidering of our own death, the Scripture is often in calling upon us to lay the thoughts of it to our hearts. Oh that my People were wiſe, ſays God, that they underſtood this, that they would conſider their latter end. And though a Man lives many years and rejoyces in them all, yet let him remember the days of darkneſs, for they ſhall be many. Eccle. 11.8. By days of darkneſs we are to underſtand death, or the State of death during the abode of our Bodies in the dark Grave, or in the darkneſs of the Grave. He that frequently ponders of his ways, will at length be brought to turn his feet unto God's Teſtimonies, as David ſpeaks of himſelf. So he that often thinks upon death, will by the ſerious thoughts of it be ſtirred up to make ſome timely preparation for it, this being the end to which the Contemplations of death doth tend. This is that Wiſdom which Solomon tells us, the Living gain by going often to the Houſe of Mourning, even ſo to lay to heart the thoughts of death, ſo as to make preparation for it. It is ſad, that the Goodneſs and Mercy of God ſhould occaſion our forgetfulneſs of him and of our ſelves, and yet it is commonly ſo with us. When God lays his Afflicting hand upon us, eſpecially under ſome ſmart ſtroke; we are then brought to ſeek God, as the Prophet ſpeaks, In their Affliction they will ſeek me early. There is ſome tendency in Afflictions to make us mindful of God, and of our own Intereſt and Concerns, which is the deſign God aims at in Afflicting us. But when God is pleaſed to open his hand towards us, as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks, and fill us with his Bleſſings, then we are very prone to forget both him and our ſelves; we forget God, becauſe when we are full, we are ready to deny God, and ſay who p. 92is the Lord? and we forget our ſelves, becauſe we return not that Duty and Obedience which ſuch Goodneſs and Mercy ſhould engage us to. And becauſe the Streams of Mercy now run pleaſantly about us, we conſider not how many the days of darkneſs are that will overtake us ſhortly, but put far from us the thoughts of death and the Grave; and this is the Reaſon, why when death comes it finds us ſo unready and unprepared, and we ſo troubled and diſcompoſed in our Spirits, and under ſo many fears and doubts as to our Spiritual and Eternal concerns. Frequently therefore, O Chriſtian, make thy private Retirements, Commune with thy ſelf alone, viſit Death and the Grave in thy thoughts; take a walk now and then in the Valley of the Shadow of Death, ſuffer not thy thoughts to be eſtranged from ſuch Meditations: If thou findeſt thy ſelf ſhy and unwilling to engage in ſuch a work, yet bring thy heart to it, inure thy ſelf to the thoughts of Death in general, and of thine own death in particular. And that thou mayeſt not be afraid of it, to the Meditation of thine own death, joyn the Conſideration of the death of Chriſt, who hath Conquered death, took away its Sting. By dying he ſlew death, was the death of death, as it was Propheſied of him, in Hoſea 13.14. O Death I will be thy Plagues, O Grave I will be thy Victory. He now that by Faith in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt is intereſted in his death, may ſay, when ever the time of his departure comes; thanks be to God through Chriſt, I am ready and prepared for it. Muſe therefore much upon the Death of Chriſt, for herein lies thy ſupport and comfort, O Soul, againſt thine own Death.

Seventhly, He that would be prepared for death muſt labour for an aſſurance of a better life, always living by Faith in the Contemplation of the Glory p. 93and Happineſs of Heaven. He that is aſſured of an Eternal Life in Heaven, need not, nay will not much fear a Temporal death here upon Earth. Chriſtians, the time is coming when you and all things and perſons in this World muſt take your leaves one of another and part for ever; what then, O Chriſtian, will bear up thy Spirit at ſuch a time? why nothing leſs than the ſenſe and hopes of the love of God, and of thy Intereſt in Chriſt, ſome Evidences of a work of Grace upon thy Soul, which is an earneſt and foretaſte of Heaven and Glory: Theſe are the only things that will bear up thy Soul in a dying hour. When a Man hath attained to ſome well grounded Aſſurance of his Intereſt in God and Chriſt, and thereby of his Right and Title unto Heaven, then are things in a good poſture with him, and he in a readineſs for Death and the Grave: And how light will that Soul make of death, that hath the aſſured hopes of Heaven and Glory to encourage him to go through it? He that by Faith lives in the daily Contemplations of the Glory and Happineſs of Heaven, walking in the Light of God's Countenance, and is able to ſay, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that when this Earthly Tabernacle of his Body ſhall be diſſolved into duſt, that he hath a Building of God, an Houſe not made with hands, Eternal in the Heavens, which death will bring him unto, and this is all the hurt death can do him; he that hath ſuch an Aſſurance as this is, cannot but welcome death, and embrace it not only with Contentment, but with Delight and Joy, and even then when his Soul is ſtruggling and ſtriving to get looſe from his Body, with what Holy Longing and vehemency of deſire will he cry out and ſay, come, Lord Jeſus, come quickly.