Solitude Improved by Divine Meditation, Chapter 18 – Chapter 19
CHAP. XVIII. Meditation of Death.
THE uncertainty of life laſt mentioned, leads me to the ſubject next akin to it, that ſo conſiderable and conſequential point of Mortality, Death, and Diſſolution. O that here I could be the higheſt Artiſt to ſpeak moſt fitly and movingly to this ſubject Death, or at leaſt to do ſomething which might prove effectual to ſome ſuch proper and proportionate way of directing and quickning this ſo neceſſary and uſeful Meditation. This is the great momentous and moſt highly concerning thing, the end and winding up of life, and all affairs and matters relating to it, and that which caſts me, and determines my condition for all Eternity in woe or happineſs. Let me therefore endeavour the beſt I can at all times to improve my thinkings of it.
1. Let me firſt begin with the meritorious cauſe of it: That which Heathens knew not, Nature ſaw not, Philoſophy and Learning could not find out, nor reach; only holy Scripture tells me, and ſhews it to be that moſt black inlet ſin, Rom. 5.12. Death entred into the world by ſin, and v. 17. By one mans offence death reigned; not only entred, but reigned, hath maſtered, and will maſter all ſinners. Sin, that greateſt evil in the world, ſin the only contrariety to the living God that gave life to man at firſt, and ever ſince; ſin, that only injury to the bleſſed God, bred and brought death, the greateſt miſery to man here; ſin that provoked God to paſs the ſentence; ſin occaſioning the vindictive cauſe, the Juſtice of God, to let in death, death with the conſequences of it, that would follow without a Mediator that Adam knew not of: Death ſo conſidered, is the way of the very deepeſt revenge a God can take.
But then this black part of it, bodily death, without that blacker Train of Hell and Eternity in it, is that which muſt challenge a very great proportion of ponderings.
2. Let me look at, not only the riſe of it, and the bare wrath occaſioning the inflicting it, but that ſo fixt and irreverſible ſentence, that like the Law of the Medes and Perſians cannot be broken, Heb. 9.27. It's appointed for all; the univerſality of ſin hath given death an univerſal ſting; and the Statute of Heaven hath impowered Death's Extenſiveneſs over all, and ſet a ſeal of irrevocableneſs to it as to all men. Therefore it is appointed, I muſt think, particularly for me; whatever I am, or do, or can in utmoſt poſſibility do. I muſt not once think of making an eſcape from it.
Yea let me conſider, as I muſt die, ſo the very Year, MonethMonth, Day, Hour, and Moment is immutably fixt, and can never be altered, Job. 14.5. the place alſo where, the means whereby, the manner how, all circumſtances about it are unchangeably determined.
3. But how material is that particular of the uncertainty of the time and manner to me? that's a reſervation and ſecret kept in the Lord's own breaſt, not poſſibly to be exactly known before, without it be revealed, as Chriſt of the Great Day of Judgment ſaith, Mat. 24.36. Of that day and hour knoweth no man. And Verſe 42. Ye know not what hour your Lord will come. And 44. In ſuch an hour you think not your Lord comes; ſo the two latter may be applyed to this of death, when he calls for an accompt of our Stewardſhips and Talents, and paſſes particular and perſonal Judgment.
3. Let me paſs next, to the Meditation, ſerious pondering of the nature of it, and that great dreadfulneſs of that moſt terrible of terribles, that King of terrours, Job. 18.14. Here that I may duly look on it, let me look up for a God to teach me, as to number my days, Pſ. 90. ſo to be wiſe to conſider my latter end, to do that hard work, overcome that difficulty of looking Death-watd. Nature abhors the thinking of it, Corruption all it can oppoſes it; but Grace muſt bring and fix earneſtly and often the Eye upon it, familiarize death to me, let me then Eye my diſſolution, the parting of the two neareſt, deareſt friends, the Soul's taking its ſad farewel of its former dwelling; its going, going in an inſtant out of the Body, and then that which Death doth as an Enemy to all former Life concerns; and as an entrance upon an Eternal Condition.
1. As an Enemy to all enjoyments how ſweet ſoever: Pleaſures all now quenched, Honours now all daſht, Riches and Eſtate now all loſt, Power now utterly ceaſt.
2. An Enemy to all Relations, Friends, Acquaintance; now muſt I ſhake hands with all neareſt and deareſt, the ſweeteſt and moſt helpful Relations.
3. An Enemy to all Imployments, neceſſary or pleaſurable, no Work, no Buſineſs, no Invention after it.
4. An Enemy to all Opportunities and Means of Grace, never to read the Bible more, never to hear one Sermon more, never to receive the Lords Supper more, never to make one Prayer, the ſhorteſt of one of the feweſt words more; and then alſo when thou art juſt launching into the length of vaſt Eternity: But now muſt be Prayerleſs and totally helpleſs, yea now thy Souls condition becomes becalmed, and thou canſt not obtain one gale of the Holy Spirit to blow upon thee, and help move thee in any meaſure.
5. Its an Enemy quickly to the curious frame and ſo exquiſite building of thy body, with all its parts and members, made with ſuch adaptations and ſutableneſs whatever, with all the Tempers, Qualities, Offices, Abilities, and Actings of it: An Enemy likewiſe to all the ſenſes; ſeeing, hearing, the two diſciplinary, with feeling, taſting, ſmelling, the ſo likewiſe neceſsary.
6. It is an Enemy and Deſtroyer of all comlineſs, and beauty, form and ſhape: And all theſe former by being the Enemy and Deſtroyer of that thy ſo ſweet and precious life; by making that Jewel drop out of the Cabinet of the Body: or rather driving forth thy immortal and invaluable ſoul, bringing with it a Writ of forcible entrance, coming with an Execution, to turn out that old inhabitant of the body, ſecuring it from regaining poſſeſſion, making it ſtand empty, and thence expoſing the body to rot, ruine, turn to duſt, and expoſe it to Oblivion, as if it had never been.
But then upon thy Souls thus leaving thy Body, immediately and inſtantly it is caſt upon a ſtate of Eternity; of Miſery if thou wert not in Chriſt, or felicity if found and dying in him.
When Life ends, Eternity begins: O this all amazing Eternity; this ſo vaſt and inconceivable Eternity, no way to be expreſt or ſet forth, no way to be underſtood or known, a Glaſs that is ever running, a Chain that is ever lengthening: who can number the Sands of this Glaſs, who can reckon the links of this Chain of Eternity, without ſtop or period, bound or end? O let me be ever muſing of this Ever! have it ſo full in my Eye, while I have time, this moment of time here, that it may wind up and leave me in poſſeſſion of moſt happy Eternity.
But to affect my ſpirit aright, and be wiſe in the due managing of this Meditation of dreadful Death, let me look to and ponder the Scripture Commands, for remembring and conſidering my latter end, and the Arguments ſtrongly inducing to it. How frequently and earneſtly is it urged upon all? O let me lay the weight and ſtreſs of them cloſe to my heart, not ſuffering it to put by the thoughts of death, how awk and averſe ſoever my carnal ſpirit is towards it!
Let me therefore not only muſe on the ſentence, the peremptory and irrevocable ſentence paſſed upon all in general, and ſo upon my ſelf in particular, but on it as ready to be executed this hour, yea this moment, for ought I, or any in the world can tell: Ah let me ſay to my ſelf, the Warrant for my death at this very inſtant may be ſealing, and immediately in a moment put in Execution. Ah therefore ſhould I not ſtill daily repreſent and realize to my heart, my own particular coming Death! repreſent it by thoſe frequent Examples the hand of Death brings, and ſets full before my face, to force my Obſervation!
The deaths of both ſtrangers to me, and familiars with me, of near Neighbours, dear Friends, ſweeteſt Relations; bereaving me, it may be, of the Father that begat me, the Mother that bare me, the Children of my bowels, the Wife of my boſom, or the Husband that was my guide and ſtay; or ſome other very comfortable Relation, and ſo the comfort of any ſuch Relation ceaſes.
All Relations are broken, by this Bond-breaker, this Tie-diſſolver, Death.
When I ſee theſe thus called away, and muſt be my Relations no more, ſhould not I hear my ſelf call'd upon to come away (ſhortly it may be) after them?
O but with theſe near warnings without me, let me take thoſe nearer warnings upon me, and within me, inevitably ſtill ſeizing me. Let me take thoſe many ſucceſſive ſummons given for my own perſonal change.
Ah how many are thoſe joggings the hand of Death daily gives me, for my awakening into that ſerious pondering, of that death I either ſeldom, or ſlightly mind!
How many ſtrokes may I obſerve Death daily gives at the Root of the Tree, making, as it were, the Chips flye in my face; making me ſmart by Pains, Aches, Weakneſs, Crazineſs, Failings, and Fallings of the ſpirits and ſtrength, and increaſe of Infirmities; by all declaring he is making at me: And how many pieces of my houſe of Clay may I ſee crumbling and mouldring away, now one and then another: After the morning of my Age, my Sun ſoon gets up higher, ſoon it is noon, afternoon, and night with me.
How ſoon is the Sun at the height with any in the bright and warm beams of bodily beauty and ſtrength? but how impoſſible is it for to ſay effectually to it, Sun ſtand thou ſtill and go not down, for the leaſt moment? How ſoon appear, one way or other, the tendencies to death in and upon us?
Decay in Beauty and Comlineſs. Sometimes, yea ordinarily, when we are in the Flower, preſently the Beauty and Comlineſs begins to blaſt: The beſt and faireſt Face, as to the pure White and Red, ſoon either becomes paler, or higher coloured, after grows darker and deader, ſtill one way or other worſe. As to the feature and curious ſhape of Face and whole Body, ſoon that likewiſe changes, either by a contraction in leanneſs and thinneſs, or by an extenſion in corpulency and groſsneſs: Both the curious and rare Colours and Features change, warning us of tendency to the laſt great coming change. Or ſometimes an intimation is given by the Grinders of our food, whereby we live, by the decayings ſtill of the Teeth; the Teeth which are abſolutely the hardeſt and ſtrongeſt things about us, theſe ſo ſoon decaying, as it is in moſt, plainly it demonſtrates that the ſofter and weaker things in and about us, and ſo the whole frame, will go at laſt. By this, the ſoon decaying of the bardeſt pieces, Death ſeems to ſet his black mark on us, we have his mark in the mouth; and by their decayings and rottings we touch, as it were, theſe his warnings continually with our Tongues, thence to mind us of what change is coming.
For when the Teeth fail (the Grinders and Meat Preparers, made to fit meat for the ſtomach) this cauſes the ſtomach to act leſs perfectly; and on its failing in degree, all the dependencies muſt needs fail in their Offices.
But if theſe-Deaths Marks begin not ſo in ſome, yet how do we find generally ſome other marks of decay ſet upon us?
If Death come not early, yet how ſoon upon moſt doth he ſet his mark? moſt obſervably on the very top of our Houſes of Clay, bringing forth gray Hairs on the higheſt part, the Head, and turning them whiter every day; Making the Almond Tree to flouriſh, as Solomon elegantly in Eccl. 12. And in how many Elegancies doth there the Wiſe man diſcover and repreſent rarely the decays of the Body in old age? all as demonſtrations of Deaths being continually buſie about us, both to prepare and reduce us to his poſſeſſion.
What varieties of warnings are given us in the impairings of this or that Member, or of ſeveral parts of the Body; by ſometimes Sores, Impoſthumes, Fiſtulas, Gangrens, and parts corrupting, ſhewing a coming diſſolution: How many mortal Diſeaſes (beſides others ſhaking the Houſes of our frail Bodies) I ſay incurable Diſeaſes, whereby we are told that Death hath us now faſt in his hand?
If not ſo, yet what warnings otherwiſe are given, in the ſenſes beginning to fail? as our Sight growing dimmer, Hearing duller, and in the reſt. And as in the parts more common, ſo in the noble and principal parts, in the Liver, Heart, Head, and others; theſe not performing ſo perfectly their Offices, whence the ſpirits, ſtrength, and motion are impaired, the Fleſh waſtes, the Skin wrinkles, Memory and Ʋnderſtanding likewiſe decay, and appearances of death come all the Body over; what are all the forementioned and concurrent decays, but a being Death-ſmitten? a coming out full of the Tokens of Death? What are all theſe ſucceſſions of decays, but ſo many added links of that great Chain Death holds in his hand, and draws us to him by? All Meſſengers that have the ſound of their Maſters feet, Death behind them.
O how exceeding gracious is God in his Multiplications and Connexions of warnings, who might ſmite every Sinner, without any notice of death given!
Therefore as a piece of higheſt wiſdom, let me ſtrive to repreſent the poſſible ſuddenneſs of Deaths ſad coming upon me; and this by all the ways and inducements I can apply. The Examples, ſuch as are in Scripture, of Abels death, Lot's Wife, Nadab and Abihu, Ʋzzah, Amnon, Abner, Ananias and Sapphira, Herod, and others: And in Hiſtory and Experience, of ſo many and ſo various ways ſuddenly ſnatcht away.
Not a Year, or ſome ſmall portion of time, but it furniſhes with freſh Examples: What hath befallen others, may befall me, I have no ſecurity againſt ſudden death; but whereſoever, and in whatever time death may ſeize me.
If I Travel, a Thief may kill me, my Horſe may throw and kill me, the Coach or Carriage I paſs in may ruine me; on the Water, I may there be drowned; on the Land, and when I am paſſing in the Streets, ſome caſualty may diſpatch me; at home, by ſome miſchance or ſudden diſtemper, ſomething at the Table, Fire, Bed, or other place, within or without doors; ſome Impoſthume, Palſey, Apoplexy kills, or ſome venomous inward vapour may ſtrike me to the heart.
Multitudes of Experiences we continually have: If not ſuddenly Death ſeizes, but is a ſtroke with warning, either ſhorter or longer, yet it comes at laſt, in the way, and at a time, or hour I juſt know not.
My beſt way therefore is to, frequently in my thoughts, put my ſelf into the condition of a preſent dying: How it muſt be with me, let me look on my ſelf how certainly, without flattery, I am prepared to dye! If I have a Chriſt in my boſom, the Love of God aſſured, and can dye in the Lord, 2 Cor. 13.5. dye in Faith, and look Death in the face boldly, reſign up my ſoul freely into Chriſts hands, theſe make for this Agony the higheſt Cordial; theſe furniſh me with Armour of proof againſt this Enemy.
But let me then look on my ſelf as having no means farther to preſerve me, all Phyſick, Art, and Experiences withdrawing their uſual help, Friends ſtanding about me, pitying, lamenting me, but not able to evidence more than their kind wiſhes, and I my ſelf perceiving Deaths ſummons ſent me, as to King Hezekiah, but without expecting any Meſſenger after to be ſent with better News: Prayers now and all ſuch means alſo reverſed, and proving labours loſt, I now feeling my decays and haſtening away; my diſquiets and pains encreaſing, ſtrength failing, ſpirits ſinking, heat turned into chillneſs; Cramps, contractions of Nerves and limbs following, breath ſhortening, ſpeech faultring, heart pangs and agonies now multiplying, the whole frame of the body ſhaking, the Hands ſnatching, Eye-ſtrings, as they ſay, breaking; and after many deep heavy ſighings and groanings, the Soul comes forth with gaſpings, and ſitting upon my quivering lips, upon the laſt gaſp takes its nimble flight, leaves its old habitation to rottenneſs and corruption, and launches forth into an everlaſting new condition.
Lord teach me ſo to number my days, ſee how frail I am, Pſal. 90.12. Pſal. 39.1. let me ſo often realize this dying to my ſelf, in moſt ſerious Meditation, put my ſelf into this condition of Deaths coming, and acting his part, his utmoſt on me, that I may both familiarize and facilitate this ſo dreadful and difficult work, that I may be greatly deſirous to be diſſolved, and be thereby with Chriſt, which is beſt of all; O that I may perform this laſt work beſt! which that I may, and make that great Enemy my great Friend, my Loſſes greateſt Gain, let me ſtill mind Chriſt's healing this bitter water, making it ſweet, making this Deaths-day better than the Births-day; let my thoughts be on the Sting's pulling out, that it cannot hurt, if I am Chriſt's.
Death is ours if we are Chriſt's, and for our moſt high advantages, as being the great outlet of all evil and miſery, I now ſhall ſin no more, be tempted and enſnared no more, the World ſhall now be corruptions bait, and Satans Hook no more, Satan ſhall never throw at me any fiery dart more, God will never deſert me, hide his face from me more.
All Miſeries, Croſſes, Loſſes, Poverty, Shame, Pain, Sickneſs, Weakneſs, Wearineſs, Faintneſs, Hunger, Thirſt, Cold, Nakedneſs, Labour, Toil, Cares, Fears, Sorrows, and Diſquiets, and whatſoever of this lifes Evils can be named, is at an Eternal end.
And Death becomes the great inlet of all good, to flow in moſt abundantly; a paſſage to Heaven, to be poſſeſt of a Crown of Glory, to enjoy the innumerable company of Saints and Angels, to be with Chriſt, and ſeeing God face to face, and fulneſs of felicity for evermore.
CHAP. XIX. Of Judgment after death.
ON the ſad parting of thoſe two deareſt friends, Soul and Body comes inſtantly the doom and ſentence, Heb. 9.27. the particular Judgment of the perſon, to paſs and be put in execution, to an Eternal Eſtate, either of Happineſs or Miſery, immediately as to the immortal Soul, and afterward at the General Reſurrection of Body and Soul in Conjunction.
This therefore little foregoing Day of Judgment, upon which, by the Bodies mortality and neceſſity of dying, and the Souls immortality and neceſſity of not dying, every perſon comes to be ſtated in eternal miſery or happineſs unavoidably; is a point of moſt high conſequence, to be well conſidered, deeply weighed, often dwelt upon in our moſt prudent improvements of retiredneſs.
A very great frequency, and repetition of our beſt thoughts and ſerious ponderings, muſt be the Tribute of this concern, this vertical point, this Judgment which caſts the ſcales, and makes full weight for miſery or felicity for ever; For as the tree falls, ſo it lies, as Death leaves, Judgment, this particular Judgment, finds us, dooms us irreverſibly; there is no bringing a Writ of Errour, no Appeal to be made, no pardon now the Judge will give, no petition he will receive, no ſtay of proceedings can in the leaſt be granted, or lookt for on any ground.
This to every particulat perſon in ſome reſpect is his great day of Judgment, this diſpoſes and diſpatches, this ſecures and keeps me for the great general Aſſize and Judgment; this is the Foundation that will be the Superſtructure, this is ſecret, that is ſolemn, this for a private execution, that for one in open view of all.
But this Judgment particular ſtrikes the firſt ſtroke of utter undoing, or lends the firſt hand of help to an eternal ſaving, and without which the great Judgment doth not proceed.
Ah then well may I afford this Judgment a great frequency, largeneſs, & ſeriouſneſs of thoughts, which launches the Ship of my Soul into the Ocean of Eternity, which lets my Soul, either preſently to ſink into the Bottomleſs Pit, purpoſely ſends it thither, caſts it into the Lake of Everlaſting Fire, or ſends it into Abrahams boſom, into the harbour of eternal happineſs, and enters this Jewel into the Cabinet of Heaven. Ah how unſpeakably conſiderable is this particular Judgment! The very moment of my death, that is uncertain, and the very next moment after death comes certain Judgment, irreſiſtably, and irrecoverably, and determines our ſtate of Eternity.