A Little Cabinet, Section 48
A Preparation for death, that it may not come upon us before we are ready to dye.
DEath having ſomething to ſay to every man, in every ſtate and condition: it is but reaſon that all ſhould hearken to the meſſage. Now he that deſires to live ſweetly, and die comfortably; let him obſerve theſe and the like Rules: Firſt, there are ſix things to be conſidered: Secondly, there are ſeven things to be practiſed.
Firſt of the firſt, there are ſix things to be conſidered, viz.
1. The fewneſs of our years, moneths, weeks, and dayes.
2. The frailty of our Nature.
3. The Many dangers we every day paſs through.
4. That death is no reſpecter of perſons.
5. That death to the godly, is but a change of place, not of company.
6. Conſider, that death to a Chriſtian, is but a houſe, a bed, a ſleep, a reſt, &c.
1. The fewneſs of our years, moneths, weeks and dayes, here in this life, is ſwifter then a weavers ſhuttle, Job 7. 6. It is a ſhrub, a leaf, a reed, a ruſh, a graſs, a ſmoak, a cloud, a wind, a water, a bubble, a vapour, a ſhadow, a nothing, and ſo at our beſt eſtate altogether vanity, Pſalm 39. 5. Iſa. 64. 6. Pſalm 102. 3. 2 Sam. 14. 14. Jam. 4. 14. 1 Chron. 29. 15.
2. Conſider the frailty of our nature, Pſal. 39. 4. Lord make me to know my end, and the meaſure of my dayes, what it is, that I may know how frail I am: ſuch is the ſwiftneſs of mans dayes, and ſhortneſs of mans life, and frailty of his nature, that the ſwifteſt, ſhorteſt, and fraileſt things for the moſt part, that we read of, are not ſwift, frail and ſhort enough to compare mans life unto; mans body is but a magazine, and hoſpital of diſeaſes, and diſeaſes are but the meſſengers or forerunners of death; when diſeaſes are in the houſe, then death is at the threſhold; when ſickneſs is in the chamber, death is at the window: our body is but a cottage of clay, and that ſo frail and craſie, as were it not once or twice every day daubed over, it would fall about our ears: whereſoever we go we are fain to drag this clod, this clay; whereas Angels, free from the ſhakles of fleſh, can move from earth to heaven, and from heaven to earth, even as ſwift as can our thoughts. Oh that we were as low in heart as condition!
3. Conſider the many dangers we every day paſs through, 2 Cor. 11. 26. In perils of waters, in perils of Robbers, in perils amongſt our friends and foes, in perils in the City, in perils in the wilderneſs, enticed by Satan, allured by the world, deceived and cheated by our own heart. Oh how wilt thou do to lanch out into the Ocean! doſt thou know what will become of thee in another world? is thy peace made with God? is thy perſon juſtified? art thou in a ſtate of grace? art thou born again? art thou converted, and become as a little child? haſt thou repented? doth thy righteouſneſs exceed that of the Scribes and Phariſees? if ſo, it is well; if not, thou ſhalt never enter into the Kingdom of God, John 3. 3. 5. Matthew 18. 3. Luke 13. 5. Mat. 5. 20.
4. Let us conſider, that death hath ſomething to ſay to every one of us, he is no reſpecter of perſons; ſometimes he ſnatcheth away the babe newly born, ſometimes the child, ſometimes the young man, ſometimes the middle age, and alwayes the old aged; he reſpects no mans perſon, be he rich or poor, high or low, ſtrong or weak, beloved or hated, godly or ungodly, wherefore call thy ſelf to account every evening, examine what evil haſt thou hated this day? what vice haſt thou ſtood againſt this day? in what part thou art bettered now then thou waſt in the morning? Seneca reports of a heathen man that would every night ask himſelf theſe queſtions. I have heard of a heathen after his converſion, that was tempted to ſome ſin, he thruſt his finger into the fire, ſaying, ſin ſoul if thou canſt burn, and ſo overcame the temptation.
5. Let us conſider, that death to a godly man is but a change of place, not of company; we ſhall have the company of the ſame Father, Son and Spirit, and Saints, and all the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect: a believer in this world is not in his own place, therefore oh Chriſtians, weigh anchor, hoiſe ſail, and be gone: death to a Chriſtian will put an end to all unprofitable things here we change joy for ſorrow, health for ſickneſs, ſtrength for weakneſs, honour for diſhonour, plenty for poverty, beauty for deformity, friends for foes, ſilver for braſs, gold for copper, &c. now death puts an end to all theſe, Rev. 21. 4. And God ſhall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there ſhall be no more death nor ſorrow, neither ſhall there be any more pain, Rev. 14. 13. therefore bleſſed are the dead that die in the Lord: death alſo doth put a change to our employment, our employment in this world doth lye much in praying, groaning, ſighing, mourning, wreſtling, and fighting againſt the world, fleſh and Devil, Epheſ. 6. 10. But in the world to come, our employment will lye in praiſing and magnifying the Lord: Again, our enjoyment ſhall be changed, as well as our employment, we ſhall change our unconſtant enjoyment for a more conſtant, 1 Theſ. 4. 17, 18. We ſhall change our dark and obſcure enjoyment, for a more bright enjoyment, 1 Cor. 13. 12. For now we ſee through a glaſs darkly, but then face to face; here we receive grace for grace, there we ſhall receive glory for glory.
6. Conſider unto what familiar things death is compared and preſented, to one that is in Chriſt; ſometimes it is termed a houſe, Job ſaid, I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the houſe of all living, Job 30. 23.
Sometimes it is repreſented as going to bed, Iſa. 57. 2. Sometimes death is ſtiled a ſleep, Dan. 12. 2.
What ſhall I ſay more, death to a wicked man is the king of terrors; but Chriſt came to deliver his flock from the fear of death, and the grave is embalmed by Jeſus Chriſt, he lay there three dayes, &c.
2. As in our preparation for death, there are the foregoing things to be conſidered▪ ſo in the next place, there are ſome things to be practiced, and the work we have is two-fold.
1. Get a title to Gods love.
2. Get aſſurance that thou haſt a title, which is, or may be done by improving theſe five things.
3. Improve the preſent opportunity, and put not off to the laſt minute as moſt do.
4. Store up a ſtock of faith, ſtore up a ſtock of promiſes, and ſtore up a ſtock of prayers againſt that day.
5. Endeavour ſo to live every day, as if it were thy laſt day.
6. Gather up all thy evidences and ſpiritual experiences, and keep them in mind and heart.
7. Make thy will in time of health, and leave all things clear upon thy book, both in ſhop and conſcience.
1. In all thy gettings, be ſure to get a title to Gods love, and then get aſſurance that thou haſt a title; the firſt is done by action, the ſecond is done by examination.
The action or actions are theſe.
1. GIve diligence to make thy calling and election ſure, 2 Pet. 1. 10. and that a man may ſo do, ſhorten worldly buſineſs, and be moderate in the uſe of worldly pleaſures: ſo fooliſh are we, that whilſt with much care and labour, we go about to make thoſe things certain, which are moſt uncertain: we make thoſe things uncertain which might be made moſt certain: he that hath two Irons in the fire at once, ſpoyls one whilſt he attends the other. See what care moſt have to make good their titles, to ſettle their inheritances upon their heirs: ſhall we not be as careful to ſettle our intereſt to eternal glory? if we be quiet now, yet the Devil will find a time to try thy evidences for heaven, and call our title into queſtion; ſickneſs and death are times of weakneſs to us, wherin he like a ſubtile enemy, diſplayes all his art. O conſider the miſery of doubting perſons at their death, think upon the anguiſh that their ſouls endure, they apprehend God angry with them, the Devil accuſing them, earth leaving them, heaven refuſing them, hell claiming them, ſoul and body parting, friends weeping, and themſelves hopeleſs, going they know not whither. O then, O then let us make our calling and election ſure before hand: as worldly men get riches in health to cheriſh them in ſickneſs, and as the Bees get hony in ſummer, to feed on in the winter; even ſo ſhould we in time of health get good grounds of aſſurance, that ſo we might live, enjoy, and dye in peace, and riſe in perfection, and raign in happineſs.
2. Get aſſurance that thou haſt a title, viz. make a curious, narrow, impartial, diligent ſearch into thy own ſoul, and ſee what humility, what ſelfdenial, what ſin-abhorrency, what love to Chriſt, what delight in his Ordinances, what zeal to Gods glory, what contempt of the world, what deſires after the ſociety of the Saints, what ſympathizing with them in their afflictions▪ and if thou findeſt any impreſſions of grace, any ſpiritual work, any ſaving ſavoury diſtinguiſhing operations upon thy heart, &c. canſt thou mourn in ſecret for open and ſecret ſins? doſt thou de…ire to have ſin purged, as well as pardoned? doſt thou leave ſin from a right principle to a right end, and ſo through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the fleſh? art thou willing to be ſearched by any Chriſtian in any thing? doſt thou approve thy heart to God in all thy duties and ſervices? doſt thou do what thou doſt for God, at leaſt in deſire and endeavour to obey him freely, univerſally and conſtantly? then thou haſt a title: for theſe are flowers of Paradiſe, that grow not in natures garden: when thou comeſt to dye, God doth but take a flower out of the wilderneſs, and plant it in Paradiſe; or takes a roſe out of the field, and puts it in his boſom: ſurely death to a Chriſtian is but an unloading him of all his burdens, and freeing him from all his troubles, Rev. 21. 4. Rev. 14. 13.
3. If we would dye comfortably, let us improve the preſent opportunity; for we have a great deal of work to do, and but a little time to do it in; this work deferred will be ſtill greater, the time to do it in will be ſhorter, the ſtrength to do it by will be leſs, our underſtanding will be more dark, our hearts more hard, our wils more crooked, our affections more diſordered, our conſcience more benummed: the work we have to do is as followeth, viz. We have a God to honour, a Chriſt to reſt on, a race to run, a crown to win, a hell to eſcape, a heaven to obtain: we have weak graces to ſtrengthen, and ſtrong corruptions to weaken, we have many temptations to withſtand, and afflictions to bare, we have many mercies to improve, and many ſervices to perform.
If Heſter had not improved the preſent opportunity, ſhe and her fathers houſe had been deſtroyed.
If Abigal had not improved the preſent opportunity, many a mans life had been cut off, 1 Sam. 25. 34.
There was an opportunity that the children of Iſrael had to enter in the Land of Canaan, upon the return of the ſpies, but they not improving of it, were fain to ſtay longer in the wilderneſs.
Jeruſalem had an opportunity to be gathered together, as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, but for want of improving it, it was deſtroyed.
Let us now redeem the time, leſt our candleſtick be removed, Rev. 2. 5. Leſt as Paul and Barnabas ſaid to the Jews, to you is the word of this ſalvation ſent, but ſeeing ye put it from you, lo we turn to the Gentiles, Act. 13. 46, &c. Yet the dayes of plenty are amongſt us, let us with Joſeph lay up in ſtore, leſt we dye in the famine: yet the weather is calm, and the ſeaſon fair, let us with Noah build up an Ark, leſt with the reſt we periſh in the flood, Gen 7. 21. Yet the Angel▪ tarryeth at the gates of Sodom, let us with Lot depart thence, leſt we be deſtroyed, Gen. 19. 24. Yet the bridegroom tarryeth and waiteth, let us haſt to enter in with him, leſt with the fooliſh Virgins we be repelled, Mat. 25. 12. Yet wiſdom cryeth in our ſtreets, Oh then, now let us harken to her. Yet the Lord ſetteth open his ſtorehouſe of mercy, let us now turn to him for a bleſſing, leſt coming too late with Eſau, we find none, Heb. 12. 17. Yet the Lord knocketh at the door of our hearts, let us now open to him, leſt he ſay to us as he did to Jeruſalem, Luke 19. 42. Now it is hid from thee: yet the Lord waiteth for our return from Babylon, oh then let us now return whilſt we have time, leſt hereafter he ſay to us as the Angel ſware, there ſhall be no more time, Rev. 10. 6. Yet the Lord is ſaying to us as in Prov. 1. 23. Turn ye at my reproof, behold I will pour out my ſpirit upon you, leſt he ſay to us as in ver. 24. Becauſe I called, and you refuſed, you ſhall call, and I will not hear you; yet the Lord is ſaying to us as to Nineveh, Jonah 3. 4, 5. yet forty dayes, and you ſhall be deſtroyed, let us repent as they did, leſt we be deſtroyed indeed.
4. The next thing to be practiced of all that would live ſweetly, and dye comfortably, is, firſt, ſtore up a ſtock of faith. Secondly, ſtore up a ſtock of promiſes. Thirdly, ſtore up a ſtock of prayers, and thou ſhalt attain the art of dying well.
1. Store up a ſtock of faith, and that will ſhew us that Chriſts death is a death concerning death, 1 Cor. 15. 56, 57, &c. Chriſt in his death put death to death. Again, faith will aſſure the dying party, that the Lord will be with him in the hour of death, Pſalm 23. 4. Though I walk in the valley of death, I will fear none ill, &c. Again, faith will make a Chriſtian willing to dye, Luke 2. 28, 29. Now let thy ſervant depart in peace, for mine eyes have ſeen thy ſalvation.
2. Store up a ſtock of promiſes againſt that day; I will be with thee in the fire and in the water, ſaith the Lord in one promiſe, and in another promiſe he ſaith, I will never leave thee, nor forſake thee; the labour of the Olive may fail, our neareſt and deareſt friends may fail, our eyes may fail, our tongue may fail, our ſtrength may fail, our fleſh and heart may fail, our ſpirits may fail; yet ſaith the Lord, I will be with thee, I will not fail thee; ſee theſe precious Scriptures, Joſh. 1. 5. Joſh. 21. 45. and 23. 14. 1 King. 8. 56.
3. Store up a ſtock of prayers; amongſt all thy requeſts to God, in all thy addreſſes to him, intreat him not to forſake thee at that time.
5. The fifth thing to be practiced, is to endeavour to live every day as thy laſt day, Pſalm 90. The Prophet ſpeaks of death, ver. 10. ſee what follows, ver. 12. So teach me to number my dayes, that I may apply my heart to wiſdom: a natural man conſiders of death notionally, their ſenſes tell them that all muſt dye, but as for preparation for it, that they put off till the laſt year, and when that is come, to the laſt monethmonth, and when that is come, to the laſt week of that monethmonth, and when that is come, to the laſt day of that week, and when that is come, to the laſt hour of that day, and when that is come, to the laſt minute of that hour, and ſo knock when the gate is ſhut, Mat. 25. 12. the gate of grace is ſhut, and the gate of mercy, and the gate of indulgence, and the gate of repentance, and the gate of hope, and the gate of comfort, &c.
But let a Chriſtian live every day as his laſt day, and make ſure his intereſt in God, whilſt God is reconcilable, and whilſt his bowels of mercy are not totally reſtrained, and whilſt the treaſury door of mercy and grace is open, and whilſt there is a blank in the leaf for the ſinners name to be put in, before the glaſs is out, and the Sun ſet, and the golden ſcepter taken in.
6. Gather up all thy evidences and ſpiritual experiences, and keep them in thy heart and memory, and ſtand on thy guard, having put on all the armour of Chriſt; as a valiant ſouldier, conſtantly maintain war, and thou ſhalt uſually obtain victory; reſolve in the ſtrength of Chriſt, either to conquer, or dye conquering; for let no man think to dance and dine with the Devil, and afterwards to ſit down with Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of heaven.
Let us therefore live in Chriſt, and not in our ſelves, for in our ſelves there is a body of luſt, corruption and ſin, and a Law accuſing and condemning; but if we live by faith in Chriſt, and in the apprehenſion of his love, laying hold on the life, righteouſneſs, obedience, ſatisfaction of him whom the pirit cals ours, ſaying, Chriſt is ours and we are Chriſts, and Chriſt is Gods; and thus a believer is bleſſed only in a righteouſneſs without, not with in; and all our aſſurance, confidence, and comforts are to flow in unto him, through a channel of faith, and not of works: by faith we ought to live above ſin, infirmities, temptations, deſertions, ſenſe, reaſon, fears, doubts; it makes the yoke of Chriſt eaſie and ſweet; it ſtates the ſoul in the poſſeſſion of heaven, whilſt the body remains on earth: by faith we can chee…fully part with, and ſuffer deprivation of the ſweeteſt outward comforts and enjoyments, and welcome death, knowing that we do but exchange the worſt place and things for better, the Lord Jeſus having ſpoken peace to the ſoul, that he hath paid all▪ his debts for it, and that his ſins ſhall be remembred no more; now the ſoul knows it is happy, and enjoys the comfort of it.
7. Make thy will in time of health, and leave all things clear upon both books, of ſhop and conſcience, that thou mayſt have nothing to do but to dye, and to meditate upon, and to have faith in the precious promiſes, which ſpeak of reſt, joy, peace, and perfect happineſs, which is provided for us in heaven, firmly believing that God will after this life give us all thoſe things with himſelf which he hath promiſed, as certainly as thou haſt in thy will given to thy relations ſuch and ſuch things for them to enjoy; and ſo exerciſe faith in the reſurrection of thy body, 1 Theſ. 4. 16. to have a ſpiritual body, 1 Cor. 15. 43, 44. to have a glorified body, Phil. 3. 21. to have fulneſs of knowledge, Epheſ. 3. 18, 19. to have fulneſs of joy and pleaſure, Pſal. 16. 11. ſ…ch as ſhall be internal, pure, full, ſpiritual and eternal, where no miſery, hunger, cold, nakedneſs, pain, grief nor wearineſs, but reſt without labour; in reſt tranquility, in tranquility content, in contentment joy, in joy variety, in variety ſecurity, in ſecurity eternity, &c. thus ſhalt thou that haſt prepared for death aforehand, dye ſweetly, whilſt others that put off preparation to the laſt, O what a hurry be they in! Oh the anguiſh that their ſouls endure! they apprehending God angry with them, the Devil accuſing them, earth leaving them, heaven refuſing them, hell claiming them, ſoul and body parting, friends weeping, and themſelves hopeleſs, going they know not whither.
But to a godly man, death is neither ſtrange nor fearful unto him; not ſtrange, becauſe he dyed dayly; not fearful, becauſe whilſt he lived he was dead, and his life was hid with Chriſt in God; to dye then is nothing elſe, but to reſt from our labours, and to go home to our fathers houſe, unto the City of the living God, the heavenly Jeruſalem, to an innumerable company of Angels, to the general aſſembly and Church of the firſt born, to God the Judge of all, and unto the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect, and to Jeſus the Mediator of the New Teſtament; whilſt his body is ſick, his mind is ſound, for God maketh all his bed in his ſickneſs, Pſal 41. 3. and as his outward man decayeth, the inward man …renewed day by day, when the ſpeech of his tongue ſaltereth, the ſighs of his heart ſpeaks lowder unto God; when the ſight of the eyes faileth, the Holy Ghoſt illuminates him inwardly, with abundance of ſpiritual light: ſometimes he is ſaying with Paul, I deſire to be diſſolved and to be with Chriſt, Phil. 1. 23. and with David, Pſalm 42. 2. As the heart panteth after the water brooks, ſo panteth my ſoul after thee O God, when ſhall come and appear before him? come Lord Jeſus, come quickly. So when the appointed time of his diſſolution is come, knowing that he goeth to his father and redeemer in the peace of a good conſcience, he ſaith, Lord now letteſt thou thy ſervant depart in peace, &c. and ſo ſurrenders up his ſoul, as it were with his own hands, into the hands of his heavenly Father, ſaying with David, Into thy hands, O Father I commend my ſoul, for thou haſt redeemed me O Lord, thou God of truth; and ſo ſaying with Stephen, Act. 7. 59. Lord Jeſus receive my ſpirit.
Thus far of the preparation for death, with a taſte of the ſad condition of one dying out of Chriſt, and the ſweet condition of a Chriſtian dying, that is a member of Chriſt, that did prepare for death before it came. I had once intended here to have ſpoken to the ſad condition of the ungodly after death, reſurrection and laſt judgement, and alſo of the bleſſed condition of all that dye in the faith, after death, reſurrection and laſt judgement, but that will not fallin order here; but towards the end of this book, when we come to ſpeak of the reſurrection of the body and laſt judgement, when Chriſt ſhall deliver up his Kingdom to his Father, and God ſhall be all in all. I ſhall proceed now to ſpeak of the ſecond coming of Chriſt in power and great glory, &c.