Characters of a Sincere Heart, Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV. Containing the Comforts which ſincere-hearted Perſons enjoy in their Deaths.
Sect. 1 HAving repreſented in the former Chapter the great comforts which ſuch whoſe hearts are ſincere with God receive in their lives, in the ſecond place I come to diſcover the comforts of them in their deaths: Although by no means may we make a judgment of the courſe of the life, by reaſon of ſome diſtempers and paſſions which oftentimes proceed from ſtrength of Diſeaſes; yet uſually we read of the deliberate, compoſed and ſerious profeſſions of many good Chriſtians, which they have made on the bed of languiſhing. Solomon ſaith, Prov. 14. 32. The righteous hath hope in his death. And hope grounded on Divine promiſes affords us ſuperabundant conſolation. When the Prophet Iſaiah was ſent to Hezekiah, to give him warning of his death, which was ſuddenly approaching, then Hezekiah recollects his ſerious thoughts, and reflects upon his upright walking with God in his whole life and converſation; the remembrance whereof adminiſtred ground of ſingular conſolation unto his Soul. The Hiſtory is on record in holy Scripture; 2 Kings 20. 1, 2, 3. In thoſe days was Hezekiah ſick unto death: and the Prophet Iſaiah the ſon of Amos came to him, and ſaid unto him, Set thine houſe in order, for thou ſhalt die and not live. Then he turned his face unto the wall, and prayed unto the Lord, ſaying, I beſeech thee, O Lord, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which was good in thy ſight. Likewiſe St. Paul, apprehending the time of his diſſolution to draw near, thus raiſeth to himſelf a ground of ſtrong conſolation, 2 Tim. 4. 7, 8. For (ſaith he) I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand: I have fought a good fight, I have finiſhed my courſe, I have kept the faith; henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of righteouſneſs, which the Lord the righteous Judge ſhall give me at that day, and not to me only, but unto all them that love his appearing. We commonly ſay, That the houſe of Death is the houſe of Truth; and where the ſenſes are exerciſed, and the memory and judgment are not extinct, there will be plain dealing, and there will be made plain diſcoveries. As for ſuch (for them only I now mention) whoſe hearts are upright with God, the remembrance of the ſincerity of their hearts, next to the conſolations of Gods ſpirit, will revive their ſpirits on their beds of languiſhing.
Sect. 2 Let us conſider before hand, that we ſhall all die; for Death is the common lot and portion of all mankind, Heb. 9. 27. it is Gods appointment: Would we not then be glad when we are caſt upon our Death-beds, to have ſomething at that time …o comfort us? when we are leaving of theſe houſes of Clay, and unclothing of our ſelves of our mortal Bodies, what is that which will be a ground of comfort to bear up our ſpirits? Will thouſands of Gold and Silver purchaſe the Favour of God? can the greateſt Mannors, Lordſhips, and Revenues of the World? Can an Imperial Diadem b…ib… Death to ſtay a longer time? Can all the Grandees and Poten…ates of this World, ſhould they all unite as one man, avail any thing to make our peace with God? No, queſtionleſs: For no great Perſonages, nor great Riches, can either d…er themſelves or us from the ſtroke of Death, nor pacifie their own nor our Conſciences, nor make any peace and reconciliation either for themſelves or for us at that day. Some in this World being arreſted for Debt, have made the Serjeant drunk, and ſo have made an eſcape out of his hands. But it is altogether impoſſible to deal ſo with the grim Serjeant Death; none can eſcape Deaths dart, wherever they run Death will ſtrike them to the heart. Now then, when all the Gold and Silver which the Univerſe can afford, when all the intereſt of Friends, though great and potent, cannot adminiſter any comfort, peace and ſatisfaction to us when we lie upon our Death-beds, then Oh then! is that neceſſary inſtant, when the light of Gods gracious countenance, ſhining upon us in the face of Chriſt, can only revive our ſpirits, and give us real and durable joy, peace and comfort; when all creature comforts are Phyſicians of Job 13. 4.no value, empty Cyphers, inſufficient and unable to give us any ſatisfaction. This then is that good which the Pſalmiſt had experienced, and prayed for it above all beſides, Pſal. 4. 6, 7, 8. There be many that ſay, Who will ſhew us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Thou hast put gladneſs in my heart, more then in the time that their corn and wine increaſed. I Aſpice nos ſereao vultu, oſtende te nobis favere, recipe no… in gratiam, conſolare to, laetifica no. tuâ praeſ… tiâ: id non famus ſoliciti quid fiat in hoc mundo, car impit per veni…at ad ſummas ope…, & eccleſia miſere …primatur. Mollerus.will both lay me down in peace and ſleep; for thou Lord only makest me dwell in ſafety. Hence it evidently appears, that the only ſaving good conſiſts in the light of Gods gracious countenance. For this we muſt be earneſt and indefatigable ſolicitors at the Throne of Grace: However the men of the World may frown on us, and the Riches of the World may forſake us, yet if God ſmile on us, and be reconciled to us in Chriſt, he will never leave us nor forſake us, no not when we are gray-headed, and upon our beds of languiſhing; and when our natural ſtrength fails, and our diſeaſes do much afflict us, and the pains thereof make us roar, the reflection of our wellſpent time in giving up our ſtrength to the ſervice of God, and of improving of our health to glorifie God, will be even our Death-beds ſingular ground of conſolation, even the reviving of the memory of ſuch time, ſtrength, and health ſo imployed in the ſervice of God. When the faithfuleſt of our Friends, and ſuch as are moſt willing to do us good, are not able to help us at all; when learned Phyſicians have given us over, as altogether deſperate and incurable; and when the pains and pangs of a long, waſting, lingring and tormenting diſeaſe, even a complication of diſeaſes are inexpreſſible, and our throats rattle, and the abundance of Phlegm is ready to ſuffocate us, and our eye-ſtrings are ready to break, and our eyes are dim and gaſtly, and every breath we take (though with much difficulty) is like to be our laſt breathing. Oh! then is the time that the teſtimony of a good conſcience, that (as the Apoſtle profeſſeth, 2 Cor. 1. 12.) in ſimplicity, and in godly ſincerity, we had our converſation in this world, will abundantly comfort us; and the apprehenſion of the love of God in Chriſt will revive our fainting ſpirits, and give ſtrength in our weakneſs, and raiſe up our ſpirits, and make us couragious, that we ſhall not be afraid of Death, the King of terrors; which though it be terrible in it ſelf, and (as the Philoſopher ſaith) foreign.the moſt terrible of all terrible things; yet through the mediation of Jeſus Chriſt, Death is a conquer'd Enemy; Chriſt hath conquer'd Death, and took away its ſting. That which makes Death ſo terrible, is the ſting of ſin; but when the ſting is took away, Death can no more hurt us than a Snake that hath loſt its ſting, or an Adder that hath its teeth knockt out. The Apoſtle cries out, 1 Cor. 15. 55, 56, 57. O Death, where is thy ſting? O Grave, where is thy victory? The ſting of Death is ſin, and the ſtrength of ſin is the Law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. What is Death to a Child of God, reconciled to him by the … hriſt? It's no more (as a d…ing Saint expreſt) then a Child of God can embrace with both his arms: And he cloſing his arms together died immediately. To a Child of God Death is the greateſt preferment; by Death he is tranſlated from a vale of tears and miſery, to everlaſting happineſs. It's like … Gaol-delivery, which delivers the Soul from the Bodies impriſonment, and ſets it at liberty to enjoy the happineſs amongſt Saints in glory. VVhat's then the grand duty incumbent on us all? It is thus: If we would deſire to die happily, we muſt live holily; if we would die the death of th…ghteous, we muſt labour to live the life of the righteous: we ſhould ſo live every day, as we deſire to be ſound at the laſt day. And if we deſire comfort in our death, we muſt make daily preparation, by approving our hearts to God in a holy and circumſpect life and converſation. It is a very great mercy and condeſcenſion in God, to accept Evangelical inſtead of Legal perfection; and to accept of a willing mind inſtead of real performances. For we read, Heb. 11. 17. that by faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Iſaac. And likewiſe the Apoſtle ſaith, If there be a willing mind it is accepted, according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. When then we come to die, to conſider that our hearts are ſincere with God, and that our peace is made with him by the redemption and interceſſion of Chriſt, and that all our ſins are waſht away, and we are made white in the Bloud of the Lamb, theſe Meditations will comfort us in Life and in Death.
Sect. 3 Let's add hereunto for incouragement and comfort to the living, the dying Speeches of many eminent Saints, who upon their Death-beds breath'd forth ſnch ſavoury Speeches, which ought to be had in everlaſting remembrance. I ſhall gather ſparingly from ſo great a heap, and only ſelect ſome choice Inſtances, which deſerve a ſpecial remark to be ſet upon them.
Old Simeon's Song was ſweet before his Funeral, ſaying, Luke 2. 29, 30. Lord, now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace, according to thy Word; for mine eyes have ſeen thy Salvation,
Stephen, the Protomartyr, breath'd forth this dying Prayer, Acts 7. 59. Lord Jeſus receive my Spirit.
Ignatius, who liv'd in the ſirſt Century, foreign. Vid. Ignat. epiſt. ad Rom.who was (as the Eccleſiaſtical Writers ſay) twelve years of age when Chriſt was crucified, and afterward St. John's Auditor, uſed frequently to ſay, My Love is crucified. And when he was brought to Martyrdom, and the wild Beaſts were let looſe to tear him in pieces, he couragiouſly ſaid, I am the Wheat or Grain to be ground with the teeth of Beaſts, that I may be pure Bread for my Maſters tooth: Let fire, rack, pullies, yea and all the torments of Hell come on me, ſo I may win Chriſt.
Polycarpus, when the Proconſul urged him to deny Chriſt, anſwered, I have ſerved Chriſt Eighty ſix years, and he hath not done me hurt, and ſhall I now deny him? When they would have tied him to the Stake to be burned, he deſired to ſtand untied, ſaying, Let me alone, I pray you; for he that gave me ſtrength to come to this fire, will alſo give me patience to abide in the ſame, without your tying.
Cyprian, that eminent Martyr for the truth, after his condemnation, ſaid, Bleſſed be God for this Gaol-delivery.
Ambroſe, on his Death bed, ſaid to his Friends about him, I have not ſo lived, that I am aſhamed to live any longer; nor fear I death, becauſe I have a good Lord. Some young men ſeeing the excellent death of St. Ambroſe, and hearing what rare ſpeeches he uttered, one of thoſe young men turned to his fellow, and ſaid, Oh! that I might live with you, and die with him.
John Lambert, a Martyr in Queen Mary's daies, ſaid amidſt the flame, None but Chriſt, none but Chriſt.
Mr. Bradford, at the Stake in Smithfield, embraced the Reeds and Fagots which were ſuddenly to be ſet on fire to burn him, and ſaid, Strait is the Gate, and narrow is the Way that leadeth unto Life, and few there be that find it. And he encouraged his fellow-Martyr, ſaying, Be of good comfort, Brother, for we ſhall have a merry Supper with the Lord this night: If there be any way to Heaven on horſe-back, or in fiery Chariots, this is it.
Martin Luther, that great ſcourge of the Pope, and Champion ſor the Proteſtant Religion, on his Death-bed ſaid, Thee, O Chriſt, have I taught, thee have I truſted, thee have I loved; into thy hands I commend my ſpirit.
Bucer, an eminent Reformer, ſaid ne… his death, No man by talk ſhall with draw my mind from Chriſt crucified from Heaven, and my ſpeedy Depa… ture, on which my Soul is fixed. Whe… one adviſed him to arm himſelf again… Sa…ans temptations, he anſwered, Satan hath nothing to do with me; Go… forbid but that now my Soul ſhoul… be ſure of ſweet conſolation.
John Ardley, a Martyr in Queen Mary'… dai…s, ſaid, If every hair of my hea… were a man, it ſhould ſuffer death i… the faith I now ſtand in. To the ſam… purpoſe William Sparrow ſpake, and Ag… nes Stanley.
Alice Driver, when the Chain was about her Neck, Here is (ſaith ſhe) … goodly Neckerchief, bleſſed be Go… for it.
John Noyes, a Martyr, kiſſing the Stake ſain, Bleſſed be God that ever I wa… born for this day. And he added farther to his fellow Martyrs a word of ſingular conſolation, ſaying, We ſhal not loſe our lives in this fire, bu… change them for a better; and fo… Coals have P…arls. &c.
What need I produce any more Inſtances? with what joy have many ſincere hearted Chriſtians lookt death in the face, ſo that they had rather die than live?
Melancthon rejoyced when he was to die, ſaying; That he ſhould be with Chriſt, and enjoy fellowſhip with him and the Church triumphant; and then be freed from all thoſe hot diſputes and contentions of Divines, which were very great in thoſe days.
Grynaeus, a great Scholar, when he came to die, ſaid; O happy day, when I may depart out of this troubleſome and ſinful world, and to go to thoſe bleſſed Souls before departed. He writing to his friend Chytraeus, ſaid; If we never ſee one another again in this world, yet we ſhall meet in that place where Luther and Zuinglius agree very well together.
Mr. Bolton on his dying b…d ſaid; I am now drawing on apace to my diſſolution: Hold out faith and patience, your work will quickly be attained.
That great Magazine of Learning Mr. John Selden, when he came to die, ſaid; That he accounted all his Learning nothing at all in compariſon of Christ.
Mr. Giles Workman, a worthy Miniſter of the Goſpel in Gloceſter ſhire, a little before his death ſaid; That he had a little ſincerity of heart, and that was a comfort to him.
Mr. John Ferriby, a Miniſter of the Goſpel in Eſſex, when he was dying ſaid; That he left his Wife and Children with God, and his gracious promiſes.
Mr. Gifford, a Miniſter in Northampton-ſhire, ſaid to his Children upon his Death-bed; That if they feared God, (to which he earneſtly exhorted them) they ſhould not want; but if they did not fear God, he wiſht that they might want till they did fear him.
Mr. Samuel Hieron, a rare Miniſter, (whoſe excellent writings praiſe him in the gate) on his Death-bed ſaid; That the ſame God who took care for the Ravens and Sparrows, would likewiſe take care for the young Hierons.
And ſo it came to paſs, for God ſtirred up the hearts of ſome charitably affected perſons, who carefully educated his Children; and ſo thoſe young Hierons were well provided for.
I ſhall conclude this head with the words of the Pſalmiſt; Precious in the ſight of the Lord is the death of his Saints, Pſal. 116. 15. Surely he ſhall not be moved for ever; the righteous ſhall be in everlaſting remembrance, Pſal. 112. 6. And I will only add words of Solomon, Prov. 10. 9. The memory of the just is bleſſed.