Concerning Death and Heaven, Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
Thoughts of Death ought to be laid to heart by all. It is a Chriſtian's great Wiſdom, and ought to be his greateſt care to provide for Death. The great folly and danger of neglecting or delaying ſuch Preparations upon hopes of long life. Sickneſs a very unfit time for ſuch a work. Men very prone to put off thoughts of Death and Preparation for it, with the Reaſons thereof. Time ſhort, though long enough for our great work, if diligently improved. Excellent Eſſects that the Conſideration of our latter end would produce. It is a very comfortable thing to have all things ſet right between God and the Soul before a dying hour. Time ought therefore to be valued, and our days wiſely to be numbered.
THough the Life of Man be very ſhort, frail. and uncertain; though Death hath nothing of a peradventure in it, but is that which will moſt certainly over-take all Men; none being able to withſtand it, nor any priviledged againſt it. Yet how ſtrangely beſotted are the generality of Men in putting far from them this evil day; as if becauſe God hath not told them the exact time when they ſhall die, they were not bound to take any notice that they ſhall die? But doubtleſs this is as great a piece of Folly as moſt we can be guilty of: For why doth God ſo often viſit us with Pains and Diſtempers upon our Bodies, which threaten Death? Why are we ſo frequently called to the houſe of Mourning, to accompany others unto their long home? Is it not that hereby we might reflect upon our own Mortality with the moſt ſerious thoughts, by beholding the Death of others? Doubtleſs much of a Chriſtian's Life, ſhould be ſpent in the thoughts of Death, and in a right numbring of his days, ſo as to lay to heart his latter end: It is not that which ſhould be forced upon us by ſome unexpected Providence of God, in ſnatching ſome away out of the World by ſome ſudden ſtroke, by the hearing whereof we are amazed, and by whoſe Funeral the thoughts of Death force themſelves into our Minds, but we ſhould make it the Matter of our daily Meditation, the thoughts of which we ſhould accuſtom ourſelves unto; and that not only when with old Barzillai we have not long to live, when by Reaſon of Age our Strength is departed, when Infirmities and Diſtempers upon us are ſo many, that we can taſte no ſweetneſs in any outward Enjoyments; but even with Joſeph of Arimathea, who made his Sepulchre in his Garden a place of Pleaſure: ſo ſhould we in the midſt of all our Delights and Recreations, and when we are beſt able to reliſh what ſweetneſs there is in them; even then ſhould we check all ſuch Inclinations in us by accuſtoming our Minds unto the frequent, ſerious, awful thoughts of our latter end. For this we have the practice of our bleſſed Lord, who when he was transfigured before his Diſciples, the Glory whereof was ſo great, that St Peter's weak Eyes were not able to behold it; yet he then thought no Subject ſo fit to be diſcourſed of, as that of his Death which he was to accompliſh at Jeruſalem, Luk. 9.31. It is therefore a wicked Proverb that is frequent in the Mouths of many, They thought not of ſuch a thing no more than they thought of their dying Day. Alas poor fooliſh Man, what, not think of thy dying day? Doſt thou know what thou ſayeſt? Is the day of thy Death of no more Concernment to thee than ſo? What, not ſo much as to think of it? Doſt thou not know, Oh vain, trifling Man that thy dying day will be to thee the beginning of a ſtate of Happineſs that ſhall never ceaſe, or an entrance on a ſtate of Miſery that ſhall never know an end? And what, is it not worth thy beſtowing a thought upon it? For Shame, O fooliſh Man, (for I ſcarce know how to call thee, Chriſtian,) thy talk is ſo profane, and thy Life ſo looſe, that it ſavours little of Chriſtianity; to be ſure not of the power of Godlineſs, if thy ways be according to thy Words. It is ſaid of the Old World, that they eat, they drank, they married, and were given in Marriage until the day that Noah entred into the Ark, and they knew it not, till the Flood came and ſwept them away. What, was the Old World deſtroyed, becauſe they knew not of the coming of the Flood? No, Noah was a Preacher of Righteouſneſs, and doubtleſs he had told them of it many a time; but yet, it is ſaid, they knew it not till the Flood ſwept them away; that is, they knew it not, ſo as to conſider, and make Proviſion againſt the Deluge came; ſo they knew it not. So is it now with many in this Caſe; they are not undone eternally, by not knowing they ſhall die; for there are none how profane and Atheiſtical ſoever, but will own that they muſt die; but this ruines them for ever, that they conſider it not ſo as to make timely proviſion for a dying hour.
The Care and Wiſdom of a Chriſtian diſcovers it ſelf much by his Preparations for Death. The Prudence of a Man appears in nothing more than in making a good choice for himſelf: Now there are two Eſtates that do abide all Men, a State of Happineſs in Heaven, and a State of Miſery in Hell; and theſe are both of them eternal. Life is the time of our choice; Death, which comes at the cloſe of our days, diſcovers what our choice hath been: The daily Improving of our Time in the preparing our Souls for our Diſſolution, is a good Evidence of a wiſe and happy choice. Job complains of ſome that die without Wiſdom; the Reaſon is, becauſe they live not wiſely, that is, they do not with Care and Wiſdom prepare themſelves for Death. This Wiſdom is wanting in moſt Men; in regard whereof we may ſay of them, as the Pſalmiſt, Pſal 49.20. Man that is in honour, and underſtandeth not, is like the Beaſts that periſh: That is, though in their Lives they be Men of great Honour and Excellency; yea, though wiſer in their Generation, as our Lord ſpeaks, than the Children of Light: Yet they periſh like a Beaſt; for he that dies unpreparedly, dies fooliſhly. For the Wiſdom of a Man diſcovers it ſelf much in ſerious Meditations of, and diligent Preparations for his great Change. This was that which God ſo paſſionately wiſh'd for his People of old, Deut. 32.29. Oh that my people were wiſe that they underſtood this, that they would conſider their latter end. And the truth of it is, it is a great piece of Wiſdom, and a high attainment in a Chriſtian, with Care and Prudence to conſider of and prepare for his latter end; yea, ſo great is it, that it is too wonderful to be gained by Art or Study, we muſt get it upon our knees by Prayer. Holy David therefore, as one convinced, both how neceſſary and profitable this Wiſdom would be; and being ſenſible alſo of his own inability for to attain it, makes it his earneſt Prayer unto God, that he would inſtruct him herein, Pſalm 39.4. Lord, make me to know mine end, and the meaſure of my days, what it is that I may know how frail I am. As if he had ſaid, Lord, I have taken this and that and the other thing into my thoughts (for poſſibly his mind had been in the duſt, and he had been handling the Clay, out of which he was taken) yet by all theſe Conſiderations of the Natural Conſtitutions of my Body, and my Subjection thereby unto Death, and the Grave, being a poor feeble Creature, I cannot bring my Heart to be ſo thoroughly ſenſible of my frailty as I ought: Lord, therefore do thou make me to know it. The ſame Holy deſire we find breathed out, by Moſes, in Pſalm 90.12. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto Wiſdom: as if he had ſaid, Lord, I have been at the work my ſelf, I have endeavoured to number my days, to count over the time of my life, but by what I can do, I cannot tell how long or how ſhort my life will be; it is true I can tell to threeſcore or fourſcore years, which uſually is the longeſt term of Man's life, and I can tell no farther, but yet for all that I cannot apply my heart unto Wiſdom; this I muſt have from thee; therefore, O Lord, teach me. Though we need but little Arithmetick to number our days Naturally, yet we need a great deal of Grace to number them Spiritually. Dying is a great work, and requires great care and circumſpection. We can die but once; how careful ſhould we be then that we die well? Man had need be very exact in doing that which he cannot do a ſecond time, and ſuch is the work of Dying. An Errour in Death is like an Errour in War, which we cannot commit twice. O what Reaſon have we then to be careful that we do not Err at all, where it is impoſſible of Erring again? Actually to Err twice, is more ſinful, but not to have a poſſibility of Erring twice is moſt dangerous. We tranſgreſs the Laws of living a thouſand times over, but the Laws of dying, no Man ever tranſgreſs'd a ſecond time. And that we ſo often tranſgreſs the Laws of Living is an aggravation of ſin upon all Men; and that we can tranſgreſs the Laws of Dying but once is the Seal of Miſery upon moſt Men. How ſhould we then cry unto God for Wiſdom to make us careful always to live ſo that we may be prepared for a dying hour?
If now the Wiſdom of a Chriſtian conſiſts in making preparations for Death, then thoſe Perſons are guilty of great folly and run deſperate hazards who upon hope of long life, neglect ſuch Preparations. Yet if a Miniſter in a great Congregation ſhould go from Man to Man, and ask them whether they are prepared to die, would not, muſt not moſt, if they will ſpeak the Truth, be forced to ſay they are not? if upon this you deal faithfully with them, and ſhew your ſelves a true Friend to their Souls, laying before them, their great folly and danger herein, by ſuch Strong and Powerful Convictions that their Conſciences are forced to yield to you, and themſelves brought with Tears to confeſs their fooliſhneſs; hereupon what Reſolutions do they take up, and what Promiſes do they make, binding their Souls to God by many Vows, witneſſed with many Prayers and Tears, that they will make it the buſineſs of their Lives for the time to come, to prepare for Death: but alas, how ſoon do theſe ſeemingly ſtrong Reſolutions die and come to nothing? and Death that under thoſe Convictions they feared was ready to ſeize upon them every moment, is now as far from their Perſons they hope, as he is from their thoughts. He threatens them not as formerly, and therefore they fear him not as formerly. Diſtempers of Body which ſometimes frighted them into an awe and fear of Death are now departed from them, and ſo is Death with them, at leaſt as to their Apprehenſions. They have now a Healthful ſtrong Conſtitution of Body, and what doth this Prognoſticate but long Life and many days yet to come they hope? Doth not the Word of God ſay that the Age of Man is Threeſcore years and Ten, and many times by Reaſon of Strength, which they feel no want of, it is Fourſcore; and for their parts they have not lived above Thirty or forty years as yet, and therefore ſurely they have a great deal of time ſtill to come, and then they will bethink themſelves of dying, and that will be time enough. But O fooliſh Man, what vain confidence is this in which thou truſteſt; who gave thee this Knowledge of thy Life and Time, that thou art thus ſtrangely bold and preſumptuous as if thou hadſt the Leaſe thereof in thine own hands, and at thine own diſpoſe. Indeed we read of good Hezekiah, that upon his recovery from a fit of Sickneſs, God gave him a Leaſe of his Life for fifteen years, but who ever had the like Scripture and Experience, ſpeak of nothing more plainly than the Frailty and uncertainty of Man's Life. It is therefore compared to the Wind, to a Leaf, to a Flower, to a Shadow, to a Vapour; by all which the Spirit of God ſets forth to us, the Frailty, Brevity and uncertainty of Man's Life endeavouring hereby to take us off from all fooliſh conceits and vain hopes of long life; for what is our Life, but a Vapour that appeareth for a while and then vaniſheth away? a little breath turned in and out by the Noſtrils, a narrow paſſage that is ſoon ſtopt and we are gone. We have no Aſſurance of our Life, no not for a moment, Death lies in Ambuſh every where for us. We have a Proverb, that the young Man may die, but the old Man muſt die; whereas Obſervation will inform us, that incomparably more die young than old. And did we but ſeriouſly conſider, by what ſmall pins this Frame of Man is held together, it would appear no leſs than a Miracle, that we live one day or hour to an end, ſo many dangers, ſo many Caſualties do we paſs through every moment: and are the thoughts of Death and thy preparation for Death and that Eternity that follows it, to be put off to ſuch uncertainties. Are not all thy days on Earth few, and thou haſt ſpent ſome of them already, and poſſibly thoſe few days of thine that are already paſt and gone, are all the days thou haſt to paſs: ſay not then to God, to thy Conſcience, or to others that put thee upon a preſent preparation for Death and Eternity, I will do it to morrow, or hereafter; boaſt not thy ſelf, O vain Man, of to morrow, for thou knoweſt not even what this day may bring forth to thee; poſſibly this day may bring forth thy death, and where then will be thy to morrows preparation for it?
But ſuppoſe Death ſhould not cut us off ſuddenly, but give us warning of its approach by Sickneſs and Diſtempers of Body; yet how unfit a time is that to prepare for dying? for Diſeaſes ſometimes come with that Violence, that they quickly take away Mens Senſes and Ʋnderſtandings, and having loſt the uſe of their Reaſon they are fit for nothing And haſt thou, O preſumptuous ſinner, that truſteſt to a Sick-bed preparation for Death and Eternity, and Aſſurance, that this ſhall not be thy State and Condition then; nay, thou haſt juſt cauſe to fear that thus it ſhall be, becauſe in the time of thy Health and Strength when God called after thee to look towards himſelf, and to mind thy Everlaſting Concernments, thou wou'dit not: therefore now that thou art come to lie upon a Death bed, and thy Conſcience is awakened with horrour, becauſe of thy former negligence, and the proſpect of thy future Miſery; that now the Violence of thy Diſtempers ſhould be ſo great, as to render thee uncapable of ſuch a Work. Or if God ſhould be ſo merciful to thee, (which thou haſt no reaſon to expect) as to continue to thee the uſe of thy Reaſon and Ʋnderſtanding, ſo that being apprehenſive of the approach of Death, and Conſcience alſo be awakened and terrifying thee with the fears of a ſtrict account, that thou art going to give unto the Great God of all that thou haſt done in the Body, whether it be good or evil; dreading alſo what the Conſequences thereof may be; by reaſon of thy negligence and careleſſneſs in the time of thy Health and Strength, to make preparation for thy Eternal State. It being thus with thee, and thine Eyes being opened to ſee whither thou art going, thou art very deſirous it may be now to ſet thy Soul in order, becauſe thou feareſt thou ſhalt die, and not live. Yet thy Sickneſs may be ſo ſharp, and pains may come upon thee with that Extremity, that all thou canſt do will be little enough to mind thy Body. God may viſit thee with ſuch ſtrong pains upon thy bed, as may make thee cry and roar with ſuch horrours, as may make thee a terror to thy ſelf and to all that come near thee; ſo that all thou canſt do for thy ſelf, or what others can do for thee, may not be able to give thee any eaſe, or relief. And is this the time thou chooſeſt to prepare thy ſelf for Death and Eternity in? What, when thou canſt hardly tell how to turn thy Body upon thy Bed, for a little eaſe? Doſt thou think this a fit time to turn thy Soul fron Sin unto God in? Suppoſe thou wert now caſt upon a Sick-bed, and thy Body full of pains, if any one ſhould come and put thee in mind of ſome Worldly Buſineſs, wouldſt thou not think it a good excuſe, to ſay, Pray trouble me not now, becauſe I am Sick; Speak to me of theſe things when I am Well again? And doſt thou think it Reaſonable to be excuſed from Worldly Buſineſs, becauſe thou art Sick; and yet doſt thou Judge it the beſt time for thee to be employed about thy Spiritual concerns when thou art ſick, yea when thou art dying? Surely deſperate folly and madneſs is in the hearts of theſe Men, who thus live, and thus think to die. Alas, the time of Sickneſs is a time of ſpending not of getting; it is not a time to gain Evidences for Heaven, but to uſe them, and to take the comfort that flows from them. Alas poor Man, thou ſhouldſt now be ſolacing thy Soul in God as thy Father reconciled to thee in Chriſt; and having made it the buſineſs of thy life to ſerve and pleaſe him ſincerely, though not without weakneſſes and imperfections; thou ſhouldſt now be able to ſay, thou haſt through Jeſus Chriſt received the Atonement, and art continually rejoycing in hopes of the Glory of God; the comfort whereof ſhould be ſo great, as to ſwallow up all thy Bodily pains and diſtempers, and carry thee chearfully through the Pangs of Death; ſo as that thou ſhouldſt be able to ſay, Bleſſed be God I am not ſick, for mine Iniquities are forgiven me. This ſhould be thy State and Condition upon a dying bed. But if thou haſt thy work to do, thy Preparations for Heaven and Eternity to make when thou art upon thy Sick, yea thy Death-Bed, Oh how miſerable, I had almoſt ſaid, how deſperate is thy Caſe! How many Gracious Souls have found it work enough upon a Death-bed to attend the Pains and Diſtempers of their Bodies? and believe it, O Sinner, who ever thou art, thou wilt find it a great truth, that to ſuffer, and be ſick is work enough for any Man at one time.
But ſuppoſe God ſhould be ſo Gracious to thee, as by ſome lingering and gentle ſickneſs for many days, yea months together, give thee warning of thy approaching Diſſolution; and thy Conſcience alſo ſhould be awakened to ſtir up in thee ſome ſerious thoughts and endeavours to prepare thy ſelf for thy departure hence; yet ſince thou haſt ſo often turned thy back upon God, and refuſed to hearken unto thoſe many Calls that he hath vouchſafed unto thee in the time of thy life, to be Wiſe for thy ſelf by conſidering thy latter end, but thou wouldſt not; how juſtly may he now reject thee at the time of thy death, though thou follow'ſt him with never ſo many earneſt cries, yea and Tears alſo? That is a moſt dreadful place of Scripture, Oh that it were Engraven with a Pen of Iron, and with the Point of a Diamond, upon the heart of every careleſs negligent ſinner! Proverbs 1. from 24. to 31. Becauſe I have called and you have refuſed, I have ſtretched out my hand, and no Man regarded. But you have ſet at nought all my Counſel, and would none of my reproof. What then O dreadful, O Soul confounding words! I alſo will laugh at your Calamity, and mock when your Fear cometh. When your fear cometh as Deſolation, and your Deſtruction as a Whirlwind. When Diſtreſs and Anguiſh cometh upon you. Well, but what follows upon this? will not God be Entreated? cannot Prayers and Cries do any thing with God? No, for it follows in the next words; Then ſhall they call upon me, but I will not Anſwer; they ſhall ſeek me early, but they ſhall not find me; for they hated Knowledge, and did not chooſe the fear of the Lord: They would none of my Counſel, they deſpiſed all my Reproof. What's the Concluſion of all this? why, that we have in the next words, therefore ſhall they eat the Fruit of their own ways, and be filled with their own Devices. Whoever thou art that Readeſt theſe Lines, if through thy careleſſneſs this ſhould ever come to be thy Caſe, becauſe thou wilt not take warning, I have only this doleful Word to leave with thee for thy ſerious thoughts and meditations, and from my Soul I wiſh it may do thy Soul good; this State, that I am ſpeaking of, will be a State ſo full of diſmal anguiſh, and perplexing horrours, that no words are able to expreſs the miſery of it.
Moreover, a ſick-bed Repentance, and Preparation for thy Eternal State is very queſtionable. How hard a matter wilt thou find it then to ſatisfie thy own Conſcience, or to convince others, that what thou now doſt is done in the uprightneſs of thy Heart, and not in Hypocriſie? Alas the preſent feeling of the wrath of God, and the future expectations of fiery indignation in Hell, may conſtrain thee unto all that thou doſt. It was a very ſad Relation, (and I wiſh the reading of it may do ſome Soul good) which once I received from the Mouth of an eminent Godly Miniſter, of many years ſtanding in the Miniſtry: I have, ſays he, been called to viſit abundance of Perſons upon their Death-beds, who reflecting back upon the wickedneſs of their lives, hav profeſſed a great deal of grief and ſorrow, and made many Promiſes what they would do, and how they would live, if God would reſtore them to their health again; but among them all, ſays he, thus dying, I could never yet meet with one that could give me good ground to believe the Happineſs of their future ſtate and condition in another World. O let the conſideration hereof cut thee to the Heart, O thou ſlothful and delaying Sinner.
But if thou ſhouldſt be ſincere then in thy turning unto God, and thy Preparations for Death and Eternity, ſuch as are ſound and not hypocritical and feigned; and God ſhould be graciouſly entreated of thee in this laſt and greateſt hour of thy diſtreſs; yet will it not wound and pierce thy Soul to conſider what Peace of Conſcience, what joy in believing, what comfortable teſtimonies of God's loving kindneſs to thy Soul thou haſt loſt; the ſweetneſs and delight whereof would have born up thy Soul in a dying hour, and have carried thee triumphantly through the gloomy valley of the ſhadow of Death, ſo that thou ſhouldſt have feared no evil. But now inſtead thereof, by reflecting upon the former courſe of thy life, which hath been a continual trade of Sin and Wickedneſs, whereby God hath been diſh moured and provoked by thee all thy days, he now appears to thee as thy dreadful Enemy, viſiting thee with nothing but terrible Rebukes of horrour and wrath in thy Conſcience: And though God may have mercy upon thy Soul eternally, and the ſtate of thy future Happineſs may be ſure and certain in it ſelf; yet thy paſſage to it may be very uncomfortable; inſomuch that as to thy ſenſe and feeling thou art but leaving Earth to go to Hell, God's bringing thee to Heaven being by the Gates thereof.
But though delays in this caſe are dangerous, and ſick-bed preparations for Heaven and Eternity at beſt, but uncomfortable; yet how prone are moſt Men to put off the thoughts of Death and their Preparations for it? Solomon tells us, Eccleſ. 7. That it is better to go to the Houſe of Mourning, than to the Houſe of Feaſting, for this is the end of all Men, and the living will lay it to Heart. We ought indeed daily to familiarize Death to our Souls, by frequent thoughts and meditations of it; but when we go to the Houſe of Mourning, to ſee any laid in the Grave, this is a ſpecial proper time and ſeaſon for the living to lay Death to Heart; and it is probable if Men will at any time lay Death to Heart, ſurely they will do it at ſuch a time as that is; for when will Men think of Death, if not when they ſee it before them? It is true, ſome do lay Death to Heart, when they are called to ſuch Solemnities: O then they have a fit of grief upon them; but as ſoon as they have vented their Paſſion, the fit is over, and ſo is their thoughts of Death with it. And though Solomon ſeems to promiſe for the living, that in the Houſe of Mourning they will lay it to Heart; yet there are very many, that have been ſo often there, that they are grown familiar with Death; but in a bad ſence; for the frequency of ſuch occaſions, have worn off all impreſſions of Mortality from their Hearts; ſo that now they can go to the Grave again and again, and not be affected with it; they look upon it as a matter of Cuſtom and Formality for Men to die and be buried, and when the ſolemnity of the Funeral is over, the thoughts of Death are over with them; and as ſoon as they can get out of the ſight of the Grave, their Preparations for the Grave are out of their Mind. The Holy Hiſtory tells us, in 2 Sam. 10.12. that when Amaſa was ſlain by Joab, and lay wallowing in his Blood in the midſt of the high way, every one that came by ſtood ſtill, being aſtoniſhed to behold ſo diſmal a Spectacle: But afterwards we read, that Amaſa was removed out of the High way into the Field, and a Cloth caſt upon him: And what then? why, the Holy Text tells us, All the People went on after Joab. So is it with us, if we behold a Perſon lying upon a death-bed, gaſping and bleeding, and with dying groans ready to expire his laſt breath; here we make a ſtop, and pauſe with ſome aſtoniſhment at ſo ſad a ſight; but let a Cloth be thrown over the Dead, and the Corps drawn aſide into the Grave, and covered with Earth; preſently we go to our employments and trading, and poſſibly ſome to their ſinful Practices again; as if the laſt Man that ſhould die were now buried.
Now the Reaſons of this ſtupidity and careleſsneſs may be ſuch as theſe.
Firſt, The great Love and Affection Men have to the World, and the things thereof. Theſe take up all the thoughts and time of ſome Men, ſo that they have no leaſure nor deſires to think of Death, or to make Preparations for another Life. The Pleaſures, Honours, and Profits of the World are fine things in their Eyes, they pleaſe their Fancies, and ſo poſſeſs their Minds with a fond deſire of long Life, that they may delight their ſenſes in theſe earthly things, and theſe ardent, earneſt deſires of theirs will let them think of nothing leſs than many days to ſatisfie their ſenſual part in theſe delightful enjoyments. If we ſhould look abroad into the World, we may eaſily perceive which way the Inclinations of moſt Men carry them; How eagerly do ſome purſue the Pleaſures of the World? How unweariedly do others follow the Profits of the World? And how impatiently do others thirſt after the Honours and Preferments of the World, as if their Happineſs were wrapp'd up in theſe outward Accommodations? Whereas our Lord tells us, that a Man's Life conſiſts not in the abundance of the things that he enjoys here in this World. And by theſe things the thoughts of Death are not ſuffered to come into Men's Minds; and if they will crowd in upon them ſometimes, they are ſoon caſt out again as unwelcome Gueſts, that come to diſturb their Peace.
Secondly, Men put off the thoughts of Death and Preparation for it, becauſe they generally look upon it as that which is afar off: And this is the greateſt ſottiſhneſs in the World. If you go to thoſe that are young, and tell them that they muſt die; it is true, ſay they, and Old Men ought to conſider it, and prepare themſelves for it; but ſurely for us there is no ſuch haſt yet. Alas, they think they muſt of right and courſe live till they are Aged. If you go to Old Men, and tell them that they muſt die; alas, their Age tells them ſo, they cannot deny it; but though God viſit them with weakneſs and infirmities, the Companions of Old Age, which impair their Health, and waſte their ſtrength continually; yet they Hope theſe decays are not ſo great, nor ſo violent, but that they may yet weather out a few years more; thoſe that are healthful and ſtrong think they need not prepare for Death, till they have warning given them of its approach by Sickneſs: And thoſe that God doth ſummon to the Grave by Sickneſs and Diſeaſes, they have a ſecret hope, that becauſe they have formerly eſcaped from other diſtempers, therefore they may do ſo again. Thus now moſt Men thruſt Death from them, and put the evil Day afar off. And it is a true ſaying, that uſually the hopes of a long life, is the cauſe of an evil life; for becauſe Men hope they ſhall live long, therefore they are careleſs how they live at preſent, preſuming they may have time enough to repent and amend all hereafter.
Thirdly, Men put off the thoughts of Death, becauſe ſuch apprehenſions bring a great deal of Fear and Terrour with them. Death is that which Nature abhors to think of; it cannot endure the thoughts of Separation, between thoſe near and dear Companions of Soul and Body. Oh to think that this Body, that is here pamper'd and made ſo much of, ſhould become vile and loathſome in the Grave, laid in a Bed of ſtench and rotteneſs, covered with Worms, mouldring away into the duſt of Oblivion! This is a ſad and melancholy ſubject for our thoughts to muſe upon; O this King of Terrours, Death! How un… come is he unto the thoughts of moſt men; eſpecially conſidering him as having his ſting in him which is Sin: O then it is no wonder that thoſe wh… are Conſcious to themſelves of … …ing, guil… dare not think of ſtanding before the dreadful Tribunal of God, whither Death, God's Serjeant; will bring them; but cry out with Horrour, Who among us can dwell with devouring Fire! Who among us can dwell with everlaſting Burning! … it is no wonder that ſuch put far from them th… thoughts of Death, becauſe they know that day whenſoever it comes, will be to them …n evil day.
But if Men would ſeriouſly conſider, how ſhou… their time in this World is, the hazard and danger… they run by their delays would be prevented. Surely they that have a lively ſenſe of the things of Eternity upon their Hearts, that know their time her… to be but ſhort; and believe that upon the improvement of this ſhort time, their miſery or happineſs for Eternity doth depend, will not be ſo fooliſh as to put off their Preparations for Death and Eternity till hereafter, when they have no aſſurance of their lives, no not for a moment. This is ſo weighty a conſideration that if it were laid to Heart, would, prevail with all Men that have the right uſe of their Reaſon and Ʋnderſtanding; Our time in this World is ſhort and uncertain, yet is our work very great: We are but of yeſterday, and poſſibly before to Morrow we may not be, and the Great God hath ſuſpended Eternity upon the improvement of this moment; a few days, or a few hours, nay poſſibly a few minutes, will determine our everlaſting State and condition; and according as we are in ſpending of them; ſo ſhall our Doom be either to Eternal Happineſs, or to Eternal Miſery; and why, Oh why ſhould our precious and immortal Souls be ſo vile in our Eyes, as to loſe them by ſloth and careleſsneſs? Why ſhould any of us be ſuch Fools and Mad-men, to hearken to the ſollicitations of the Fleſh, or to the allurements of a flattering deceitful World, ſo as to put off and neglect our everlaſting concerns? Should we not rather ſay to the World, or whatever it be that would hinder us in our great work; Stand off, for we are working for Eternity, an Eternity that is but a few days, it may be but a few hours hence; a boundleſs, a bottomleſs, endleſs ſtate and condition, into which we know not how ſoon we may be caſt; and therefore we have no time to dally in, or to trifle away.
But though our Time be ſhort, yet is it long enough for our great Work, if diligently improved. We have ſo much time allotted us, as will ſerve to do our real buſineſs in, and to anſwer the ends of living. A Chriſtian's Work in this World, is not to incumber himſelf with many things; or to vex himſelf about the accompliſhing of great deſigns for the World, to get a great Eſtate, to abound with Pleaſures, to grow great in the eſteem of Men; theſe things are as much below a Chriſtian's Work, as they are below his Reward: And whoever thou art that deſigneſt theſe things for thy ſelf, thou maiſt not have time enough for the attaining of them; but yet Heaven may be got in that time that the World cannot; thy Salvation may be wrought out, God may be made propitious to thee through Chriſt, the one thing needful, the better part that ſhall never be taken away from thee; theſe may be obtained by thee, and ſecured to thee as thy Portion, in that time that God hath given thee, if thou art diligent in improving of it: Do not ſigh and mourn therefore that thou canſt number no more days; do not murmur and complain at the ſhortneſs of thy Life: What wouldſt thou do if thy days were more? What uſe wouldſt thou make of thy time, if it were longer? Is it that thou mighteſt ſave thy Soul, and make thy Peace with God, that thou deſireſt more time? Why thou needeſt not more time for theſe purpoſes than God hath allotted thee already; thy Life is long enough if thou didſt uſe it aright. It is not a little time that we have; but it is a little that we uſe: God hath not given us a little, but we throw away much. Our Portion is not ſmall; for what we are to Trade, but our miſpence is exceeding great. God is not niggardly and ſparing in wha… he hath given us; but we are prodigal and profuſet fooliſhly waſting away our hours; they that have, abundance of time given them, through their Imprudence and Miſpence are utterly undone; and then they whine like Beggars, as if they had had no time; whereas thoſe that have leſs time than others, that make theſe Complaints, have ſo improved that little, that, Thanks be to God, they are rich in good Works, and ſay it is enough, let God call for them when he pleaſeth.
If now upon the ſerious Conſideration of the ſhortneſs of time, any ſhall be ſtirred up and provoked to a diligent Improvement of it, ſo as to prepare themſelves for their latter end, they ſhall find ſuch Benefits as theſe redounding to their Souls thereby.
Firſt, It will be a great means for the Prevention of much Sin. He that ſhall ſeriouſly conſider with himſelf, I muſt ſhortly die, how ſoon I know not, will preſently reflect upon himſelf under a Temptation to Sin, and ſay, Why ſhould I commit this or that Evil, which if it be not a means to haſten my end, yet will certainly make it more uneaſie and uncomfortable, when I come to lie upon a Death-bed, and conſider what I have done amiſs: Poſſibly I may die to morrow; for who knows what a day may bring forth? O why then ſhall I venture to commit that evil to day, which will be as Gall and Wormwood, and like Bitterneſs and Vexation to my Soul then! Would I do it did I believe that I were to die to morrow? Why ſhould I then do it to day, that know not whether I ſhall live till to morrow; for it is poſſible this may prove the laſt day of my Life?
Secondly, He that ſhall ſeriouſly conſider his latter end, and ſhall diligently employ himſelf and his time accordingly, ſhall find his life moſt comfortable and contentful, and his Death moſt eaſie and peaceable. As for the Contentment of Life; if you look abroad among Men in regard of their outward Eſtate and Condition, you ſhall find that that Man, who by his Induſtry hath got to be aforehand in the World, hath much more Peace and Quietneſs in his Life, than he that is behind-hand or gone back, and is continually ſtruggling with Neceſſities and Wants. So is it in Spirituals alſo; he that hath been wiſe in improving the Opportunities that God hath vouchſafed him for the getting of Grace, and making his Peace with God through Chriſt; he that hath done thus, a great part, yea a chief part of the buſineſs of his Life is done; he is prepared in ſome meaſure for all Conditions the wiſe Providence of God may diſpenſe to him, be it Sickneſs or Health; be it Life or Death; for he is aforehand, as it were, in the buſineſs of his everlaſting Concerns; ſo that if God lengthen out his Life in this world, he carries on his great work and buſineſs unto greater degrees of Perfection, not only without Trouble and Diſturbance, but with great Eaſe and Pleaſure: Or if God ſee good to cut ſhort his days; and call him to give an Account of his Talents, his great buſineſs is not now to go about, but his Accounts are ready, and he in ſome meaſure prepared to give them up unto his Lord and Maſter; and, O bleſſed is that Servant whom his Maſter when he comes ſhall find ſo doing.
But this is not all, the frequent conſidering our latter end brings Eaſe and Peace in Death; it abates, if not removes the fears of it. Death in Scripture is called the King of Terrors, and many times the fear of Death is more terrible than Death it ſelf: Now that which makes Death thus terrible to us, is the knowledge of our Guilt, and the Apprehenſions of God's Wrath and Diſpleaſure juſtly deſerved thereby; this gives Death its Sting and Terror. Now he that makes it his buſineſs to live in conſtant Preparation for Death, by Acts of Repentance for former Sins, and by frequent Applications of the Blood of Chriſt to his Soul by Faith, he removes both the Sting and the Fear of Death at once: For how can he be afraid of Death, whoſe frequent Thoughts and Meditations of it make it familiar to him: And as for the Sting of Death, that cannot hurt him neither; for where Sin is truly repented of, it is really pardoned; and Sin being pardoned, the Power and Sting of it, whereby it hurts and wounds others, is taken away as to him; ſo that though others are held in Bondage under the fear of Death all their lives, and feel the deadly Sting of it when they come to die; yet he fears not either the ſuddenneſs of its Approach, nor the power of its Sting.
Now dying being a work of great weight and difficulty, it is not only of great Concernment, but it will be full of Sweetneſs and Comfort to us when we come to lie upon a … had to be able to ſay, that all things are ſet ſtraight and right between God and our Souls: Such Perſons are no ſmall Proficients in Grace and Holineſs, but are ſtrong in the …