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DEFENCE Againſt the Dread of Death, OR, ZACH. CROFTON'S Meditations and Soliloquies concerning the ſtroak of death ſounded in his ears, in the time Tow
of London, Anno. 1661, and 166
Digeſted for his own private ſatisfacti
AND NOW Made publique for the advantage of ſuch as abide under Gods preſent ViſitaLondon by the Peſtilence.
Printed in the Year 1
viz. the dreadful expectation of deaths ſtroak; in the multitude of my thoughts within me, the conſolations of God did refreſh and revive my ſoul: the kind of death wch threatned me, is different from what impendeth you; but the object of dread was to me and you the ſame, (viz) Death: and the ſame apprehenſions of its nature which did affect me, muſt affect you with fear and hope: the enterrors of night; the Arrow which flyeth by day; the Peſtilence which walketh in darkneſs, and the deſtruction which waſteth at noonday: calling more loudly for Antidotes to the ſting, then to the ſtroak of death; have reſtleſly ſollicited theſe papers to be put into your hands.
The dread of death is as common, as natural to man; as is the ſtroak thereof: it never appeared with its pale face, to any ſubject of of terrible things the moſt terrible; they could no way render it comfortable; but by repreſenting it the ſum, the completion, and ſo the period of evil and miſery: Cold comfort! The Scripture calleth it the King of terrors: which of Gods Saints have not feared to dye? David was beſet with the terrors of death: Paul could not deſire to be unclothed: The onely begotten Son of God, had his ſoul heavy unto death, and in a fearful agony deprethe three Children, and other Martyrs: muſt be the ſubjects of ſtoical ApaChriſtianun agere, is not, hominem exucre: Chriſtians ceaſe not to be men, nor is it fit they ſhould ſo do. Bernard well noteth of Peter the Apoſtle,
Mortem evadere voluit; quid iſtud criminis fuit? voluit mori; inculpabilis eſt: To be unwilling, affraid to dye, is lawfully humane, and not blame-worthy in a Chriſtifear to dye: and not to mourn for the dead. I muſt ſay with the holy Greenham, They are as well to be liked who fear death, as thoſe who joy at it: And I for my part fluctuating on the waves of
Greenh. work. p. Notwithſtanding my many croſſes which hinder the comfort of my life; I do not, I dare not deſire to die.
Death is in its nature moſt terrifySeneca placed the moſt dread in the Scaffold the Ax, the attendance, the ſpectators, the executipompa mortis: Theſe were no meanly affecting circumſtances to me in my expectation of a violent death; to you the ſuddenneſs, the ſolitarineſs, the certainty of the ſtroak, by an inevita
Familiarity breedeth contempt, and caſteth out fear: the Fox by freHungarian Prince, who affected his youthful brother, rebuked his daily meditations of death, with an unexpected ſummons to executiPlato perſwading to thoughts of death,
true Philoſophy to be a meditation of death: Certain it is, that they who will truly Chriſtianize, muſt be much in conſiCroeſus the rich King of Lydia, when captivated, ſtript, and tyed alive to the ſtake which muſt make his funeral pile; could affectionately cry out, O Solon, Solon! and preach to Cyrus his Conqueror Solons Dictates of Mortality, which in his proſperity he had deſpiſed. And Seneca decliNeroes favour, and drawing nigh to his violent death, did best diſcern, and moſt clearly declare that mans felicity was after death. The prophane men, which in health neglect and deſpiſe Gods Miniſters, and cannot endure to hear of death, or Jeſus Chriſt; can on a ſick bed
O Chiſt ſave me! O Chriſt ſave me! Nor is it marBalaam ready to curſe Gods Iſrael on the ſence of deaths appraach, cannot but wiſh to die the death of the righteous.
I would willingly hope, thoſe who have now the charge of your ſouls, are tender of you as Nurſes, and careful for you as Parents; and that with due affection and fidelovers and friends ſtand at a diſtance, and your Prophets all gone.
I am not ſo uncharitable as to conMagiſtrates to keep order; Phyſitians to help nature; and Miniſters to prepare for and encourage againſt death are bound to ſtay, and in the diſcharge of their duty to truſt God with their lives.
I cannot ſecure Miniſters their lives in contagious places; I well know that Hiſtories tells us ſome of the Miniſters and Deacons which miniſtred to the Saints in Alexandria,
Euſeb. Hiſt. l. 7. c. 22.Bullinger, and Beza were herewith infected, yet themSam. Fiſher, whoſe meditation on death in the time of the Plague in Salop, we have pubBlake were preſerved in their Miniſtration to that place, in the time of a raging Peſtilence: If deſpiſed I might be ſo bold, I would deſire your preſent Miniſters, to conſider the late Biſhop Halls adYou urge the inſtance of your Miniſters, how unequally,
Halls Epiſt. Dec. 4. Ep. 9.there is not more lawfulneſs in your flight, then ſin in ours: you are your own, we are our peoples: you are charged with a body which you may not willingly loſe, nor hazard by ſtaying: we with all their ſouls, which to hazard by our abſence, is to loſe our own: we muſt love our lives, but not when they are rivals with our ſouls, or with others: how much better is it to be dead, then negligent? then faithleſs? if ſome bodies be contagiouſly ſick, ſhall all ſouls be neglected? to run away from a neceſſary and publique good, to avoid a doubtful and private evil, is to run into a worſe evil then that we would avoid, &c.
Whilſt worthleſs I am dead as to my Miniſtry, I hope I may be aDeath; Its Dread, and the Defence againſt it: I beſeech you receive theſe as miniſterial ſuggeſtiobviate death, as ſuch in its genein the Lord, and for the Lord: ſo ſhall death conſummate our miſery, and conAuſtin well noteth, Quid intereſt an Febris (Let us ſay Peſtis) an ferrum nos de corpore ſolverit? noli qua occaſione,
Aug. Epiſt. 122. ad victori.
ſed quales ad ſe exeant, dominus attendit inſervis ſuis: It mattereth not whether Sword or Plague kill us: Saints are ſub
Now that God may fit you for death, familiarize to you that King of fears; fix your ſouls on Chriſt, who is life in death: and ſo fill your hearts with thoſe com
Terrible things the moſt Terrible? doth not the Scripture denominate it,
The King of Terrors? doth not the ſence of death daunt the couſnares, the ſorrows, the ſhade of Death, the things which David (that good, that ſtout man) did ſo paſſionately beHezekiah,
To chatter like a Crane, and mourn like a Swallow; The Devil well knew what he ſaid,
All that a man hath he would give for his life: The Lord of life entred not the Liſt, to enheavy ſpirit; he needed ſome comfortaMy ſoul is exceeding
ſorrowful unto death;
Father, if it be poſſible, let this cup paſs from me.
Shall I exſpect to be exempt from; Shall I be afraid or aſhamed to expreſs the paſſions which were exiſtent in all Gods Saints, and from which my Lord and Maſter himſelf was not freed? I am a Chriſtian, but yet a man; I am a Miniſter, but yet a man; if I dye, as I now fear, I dye innoPaul, was ſo far from being aſhamed,
he was preſſed above meaſure; when he deſpaired of life, and received in himſelf the ſentence of death,
Houſe from Heaven, could never yet deſire to be uncloathed of their earthly Tabernacle; nature can be much more content to be changed, then to dye.
Death draweth me out of the boſome of the Wife of my de
Death doth diſcapacitate me for the ſervice of my God and his Church; the grave cannot praiſe him; Death cannot celebrate him; They who go down into the pit
Pauls ſtrait?
more profitable that I dye?
Death doth deſtroy my being; when I am dead I am not; can diſſolution chooſe but dictate dread to ſenſible, much more to rational beings?
Death is the wages of ſin; the witneſs of Gods wrath; and the curſe of the Law, and by its cir
Death is the inlet of mine im
Let malefactours outface; out
My ſoul! keep thy paſſions withimpoſſibile eſt hominem exuere; Chriof Gods caſting thee into hell, have the prehemimens killing thy body; ſell not thy ſelf, to ſave a natural life; and then ſpare nothing to redeem the ſame from death; by the exception of this one thing thy ſelf, make the Devil a liar, as did Job; and then
(viz.) that all that a man hath he would give for his life; Let not the dread of death tranſport thee, to accept deliverance on terms of ſinning againſt God; then be not afraid or aſhamed to let men obſerve thee ſubjected thereunto; mourn not as without hope; then ſpare not to mourn that thou muſt part from them, whoſe duty it is to mourn over thy grave.
I bleſs God, I ſee in nature much; in Scripture more abunIf it be poſſible let this cup paſs from me; If it be poſſible let this cup paſs from me;
Let this cup paſs from me; yet, I hope I ſhall nenot my will, but thy will be done; not my will, but thy will be done; not my will, but thy will be done: whilſt Death is Death, and I a Man, I cannot but dread it; I cannot deſire it; I will therefore endeavour to defend my ſoul a
DEath is of all things moſt certain;
duſt I am, and to duſt I muſt return; my life may be a while prolonged; but nothing is
man that is born of a woman, is but of few days.
My natural conſtitution is corruptible;
earthly Tabernacle, always out of repair, and ready to fall; patched up by daily bread, which will not be able to ſuſtain its being, when the grinders begin to fail; the Keepers of this my houſe do already tremble, my ſtrong men begin to bow; many diſeaſes now grow upon me; theſe are the Harbingers of mine ap
The contrary elements and quamilitation of theſe in me, tend to the annihilation of me: The hand of violence may indeed haſten on me that eſtate, which nature will moſt certainly, moſt ſpeedily effect: the Plumb which is not plucked, will fall: the Graſs which is not cut, will wither: the ſtouteſt Oak, of longeſt growth, will at laſt come to duſt, if it be not conſumed to aſhes: my ſtrength is not the ſtrength of ſtones, nor is my fleſh
My ſoul! my bodily conſtitution doth not more diſpoſe me to dye, then Gods determination doth bind me unavoidably to undergo it;
It is appointed unto all men, and ſo to me, once to dye: The conIn the day thou eateſt of this fruit, thou ſhalt ſurely dye: the ſin was committed, the covenant was violated; this condition was judicially denounby one man, ſin hath paſſed on all men, and death by ſin; the ſeverity of God, hath by a moſt righteous ſentence, ſubjected all men to the ſtroke of death; am I a man, and expect to
Immortality in the eſtate of in
The Lord Jeſus Chriſt hath inſting, not from the ſtroak of death; he doth ſecure me from the curſe, the conſequences of death; but he ſtayeth not the returned courſe of nature, from paſſing on my being; hunger, cold, neakedneſs, ſick
I do moſt certainly believe,
all ſhall not dye, ſome ſhall be changed: but I have no aſſurance that I am of that number; nor is it probable; for though I live in the laſt and worſt days of the world, that laſt day is not ſo near me as my lives end; the great things which muſt be accompliſhed before that great and terrible day of the Lord come, cannot be effected in thoſe few days nature will permit me to live; nor is it probable in this preſent age; I will not envy the Saints then li
Nature diſpoſing me unto death; God having determined death to paſs upon me; I can
My Soul! be wiſe; make a ver
DEath is not more certain to me,
common to men: this is the lot of all men; the man liveth not who ſhall not feel the ſtroak of Death; ſtrong or weak, rich or poor, noble or ignoble, good or bad, muſt all die:
redeem his brothers, no, nor yet his own life
from death; when I die I ſhall reſt with Kings and Counſellors of the earth;
with Princes who had gold, who filled their houſes with ſilver: Death hath ſubdued the moſt dreadful Conquerors of the world, and devoured the moſt puiſſant Armies:
Anack? what is become of the Giants of whom we read? are they not dead? could Sampſons ſtrength repel, or Davids Worthies ſtand under and againſt the ſtroke of death?
Abel, Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, David, Daniel, Peter, Paul, James, John, yea the Lord Chriſt himſelf are all dead; theſe with multitudes of all ſorts, ranks, qualities, langua
Death is not more common in its general nature,
ſpecial kind: Violent death by all ways of ignominy, and inſtruments of cruelty are common to men; eſpe
Ʋrijah, Iſaiah, Zechariah, and others: Chriſts Diſciples, Peter, Paul, James, John and others: The Primitive Fathers of the Church, Polycarpus, Ignatius, Juſtinius and others: And our firſt Reformers from Popiſh blindneſs, and abominations, Cranmer, Ridley, Latimer, Hooper, Rogers, Bradford, Taylor, Saunders, and many others went out of the world: What day returneth without the death of men? what age of the world hath paſſed not ſtained with the blood of Martyrs, or violent death of holy men? what kind of death pe
My Soul! be thy condition what it can, thou muſt conclude, there doth no temptation befall me but what is common to man,
Levius communia tangunt, ſay men by nature; how eaſie is a common yoke? whilſt then mine is the common ſtate of men, and good men; abate thy fears, adJane Gray give check to the admiNon aliena putes, homini qua obtingere poſſunt;
Sors hodierna mihi, tunc erit illa ſibi. I tread no untroden tract; I am not the firſt, I ſhall not be the laſt that dye; I go the way that many, moſt, and beſt have gone before me; and others muſt daily and hourly follow after me: whatOne dieth in his full ſtrength,
being wholly at eaſe, and quiet, his breaſts are ful of milk, and his bones are moiſtned with marrow; another dieth in the bitterneſs of his ſoul, and never eateth with pleaſure; theſe both lye down alike in the duſt, and the worm ſhall cover them, without any dif
DEath this common ſtate,
determined by the Lord: whatſoever doth relate unto this condition, is con
My time is then in the hands of the Lord, he will preſerve me from the force of any diſeaſe, and fury of the oppreſſor, until the date by him determined be expired; my time is appointed on the earth,
my days are determined, the number
of my moneths are with the Almighty; he hath ſet the bounds thereof; Theſe I cannot, I muſt not expect to paſs; nor can the diwhen and how God will have me go?
The decrees of Heaven are unthy will be done? or conſiſtent with that my reſolved
not my will but thy will be done? men are but like diſeaſes, executioners of Gods decree upon me; they have againſt me no power but what is given them from above; though therefore I am loath to leave my cottage, and preſent ſenſible com
Conſider, Oh my ſoul! it is the Lord (more righteous then to do me wrong, more gracious then to do me hurt) who doth diſpoſe my time and ſtate; Let him do what ſeemeth good unto him: There is a ſeaſon to every thing under the Sun;
a time to every purpoſe unthe Heaven: Gods time is the ſet time to all things; and the beſt time to the Sons of men: every thing is beautiful in its time; ſo ſhall death be to me, when my time
man goeth forth to his work, and to his labour,
until the evening: When Corn is ripe it muſt be cut done; I ſhall not fall with
THe aſſaults of Death, are the aſſaults of an enemy,
armed with power and irreſiſtible. This is very true! but yet, Death is the laſt enemy I muſt encounter; and cannot be otherwiſe conquered then by my falling under its ſtroak: my whole life hath been a militatiI have fought a good fight, I have finiſhed my courſe.
I have all my life-time fought with Death, as Sampſon with the Philiſtines; it often aſſaulteth me by hunger, nakedneſs, cold, inpower of grace, to vanquiſh him, whom I have by the ſtrength of nature, and help of art, I many times reſiſted and repelled.
O my ſoul! Sin my Dalilah, hath deceived me; and ſpoiled me of my natural ſtrength; I cannot now, as formerly, fight with, and beat back this Philiſtine: mine onely conqueſt of him, is to fall before,
My ſoul! conſider thy preſent ſtate; compoſe thy ſelf; cry unto God for ſtrength of faith; that thou mayſt by dying, be at once reſtrength, youth, growth, credit, comforts, and conſcience, all which I have all my time defended with much difficulty, and great danger: Death mine enemy, ſhall then ſet me free from the Devils temptation, the worlds enticements, the outrage of men, the arrows of
the Almighty, and the luſtings of mine own fleſh; all which have all my days ſtung my ſoul, and bat
Death is, though an enemy, yet a conquered, and diſarmed enemy: Chriſt, that Captain of my ſalvati(viz.) the Devil: herein Satan was out ſhot in his own Bow, and caught in his own ſnare: what gained the Philiſtines by bringing forth Sampſon to make them ſport; and to be inſulted over, in the houſe of Dagon; but their own deſtruction? the very ſame hath death and the Devil gotten by
O death!
where is thy ſting? O grave! where is thy victory? Since this foil death is befooled of its conqueſt over them whom it moſt inſultingly ſtrikes with ſucſeal man under indelible guilt; to ſet him under the curſe of the Law; and at everlaſting diſtance from the Lord:
The ſting of Death is Sin; the ſtrength of Sin is the
Law; but thanks be unto God, who hath given us the victory, through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord; for hereby death doth (to all that are in Chriſt Jeſus) effect what is directly contrary to its deſign, it diſchargeth that guilt under which they greived all their days; and releaſeth them from thoſe curſes of the Law, by which they were chaſtentranſmitteth their ſouls unto the immediate and eternal enjoyment of God and Chriſt; and although it holdeth the body for ſome time, yet, it divideth it not from Chriſt, to whom it is in
My Soul! why art thou afraid of a Bee which hath loſt its ſting? why doſt thou dread an enemy vanDavid kill'd Goliah, and ſhall not trembling,
Iſrael up, and purſue the Philiſtines? hath the Lord Chriſt gotten and given me the victory over death, by diſcharging thy guilt, and bearing the puniſhment thereof in his own body, unto the ſatisfaction of the Law; and wilt thou fear to encounter the fierceſt aſſaults thereof? What? ſhall a conquered enemy diſani
My Soul! in the world thou haſt tribulation; in death thou haſt terror; but be of good comfort thou art now engaged in the laſt encounovercome the world, and conquered death: Triumph in death; for thou ſhalt by dying, be made triumphant over Death, the World and the Devil: Thy warfare is now accompliſhed; let me now in my laſt act play the man, and ſhew the valour of my Faith and Patience, unto the due reſtraint of my now provoked fear and paſI have warred a good warfare; I have fought a good fight, I have kept the Faith.
DEath is a curſe,
puniſhment of mans ſin, the expreſſion of Gods wrath, and the execution of the Law; and dreadful ſentence pronounced againſt man. It is ſo, in its nature, and of it ſelf: But it is not ſuch to all that are thereto ſubjected: the voyce from heaven hath proclaimed them Bleſſed,
who dye in the Lord, and hath rendred two reaſons of the bleſſed ſtate of their death: Firſt, they reſt from their labour; they then reap no puhe that is entred into his reſt, ceaſeth from his own works (of ſin and ſorrow) as God ceaſed from his. Secondly, Their works follow them, unto their acceptance with, and re
The nature of death is changed to ſuch who are in Chriſt,
ſleep:
Dives, our friend Lazarus ſleepeth.
The righteous when they dye, are taken from evil to come:
pavilion and receptacle, into which they his jewels are gathered,
enter into peace, when the whole world is full of Wars; they reſt in their beds when the houſe is all in an hurly burly, and unquiet tuBalaam, are ready to curſe them whilſt they live) would gladly ſhare lots with them in their death: The worſt of men are ſo apprehenſive and affected that their latter end ſhall be exceeding
Death is indeed a curſe to ſincourſe of nature unto Saints: The direful exemeſſenger of divine favour to all who die in the Lord; an harbinger of peace to all who walk in uprightfetch home to their fathers manſions, all that are Gods children. Death is inAdam,; but the diſcharge of all ſin, ſorrow, pain, and travel to all the ſons of the ſecond Adam: death is in its nature vile and odiprecious in the ſight of the Lord, is the death of all his Saints: death is exceeding dreadful to ſuch who are obnoxious to its ſting; but the ſtroak of death is deſireable, to all ſuch who are acquitted from, and armed againſt its ſting.
Death by violence containeth in it a curſe,
a good conſcience, righteouſneſs towards God; and the teſtimony of Jeſus; being the cauſe procuring the ſame; maketh the moſt baſe, ignominious, and curbeleive in Chriſt; but to ſuffer, and that unto death, for
Stephen ſtoned for enforcing the truth of Religion (by the ſtrength of reaſon,
Heaven open to receive him at his death: The ſlain for the Word of God, and teſtimony which they held, are lodged under Gods Altar in glory;
Throne of the Lamb; they are cloathed in white robes, to attend the Lamb: the moſt curſed and ignominious death is changed and made glorious to juſt men, by having paſſed on Gods beſt ſer
My Soul! miſtake not the naShall the earth be removed for me?
not my will but thy Will be done.
God hath accounted poor, weak, worthleſs me, worthy of the MiIf I ſuffer with Chriſt, I ſhall be glorified with him; and raign with him.
I have all my days wandred in
Iſrael into the land of reſt, and yet ruine the Egyptians: the ſame Sheriff who doth execute Traytours and malefactours, doth put good ſubjects into the poſſeſſipoſſe comitatus is deſireable to the other: Shall I fooliſhly draw back, fear to be poſſeſſed of mine inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, becauſe I muſt be brought, and put
My Soul; chear up; reflect on thy ſelf; Chriſt his love; and Gods grace; notwithſtanding my many ſlips, falls, and infirmities; I will preſume to ſay, I have lived the life of the righteous; the Cove
IF I now dye, as mens rage doth threaten; mine enemies deſire and hope; my friends fear and deI dye as a Malefactour; and by the ſentence of a righteous Law, well, and what then?
Ed. 3. the only law declaring Treaſon.real or reputed.
Suppoſe my guilt were real (for Lord thou knoweſt mine innocency wherein I ſtand defamed) to die a malefactor is not inconſiſtent with eternal ſalvation: I may die for my ſin, and not dye in my ſin: I may be moſt juſtly puniſhed by men (that others may hear, and fear,
and do no more ſo wickedly) for that ſin which may be pardoned by the Lord: I may be condemned in the world for that crime, which ſhall never be charged on me by my God: my preſent puniſhment may provoke my repentance; and
due reward of his evil;
ſouls being that night in Paradiſe with his Saviour and fellow-ſuffeTyburn, or Tower-hill may be as near, as good, yea, a much better way to Heaven then any other: Happy is the ſtroke of juſtice,
Manaſſeh's fetC. firſt.
If there be in me any real guilt, for which I have deſerved to dye; I pray God convince me of it (for I yet ſee it not) and affect me with it: if in any thing I have violated the Law, though through error, or ignorance, God give me grace to juſtifie the righteouſneſs of that law by which I may be condemn
But O Lord, thou knoweſt the crime by which I ſtand defamed; & for which, I may be unjuſtly conreputed and not real; for my heart never yet admitted, or entertained the leaſt evil thought againſt the King, the Lords anointed: if then I dye in mine innoa juſt man that periſheth in his righteouſneſs; if thou ſeeſt the oppreſſion of the poor, and the violent perverting of juſtice
and judgement in a Provinces marvail not at the matter; for he that is higher then the higheſt regardeth it, and he is higher then they. I pray God prevent Englands King and Kingdom from ſlayAs for me, I am in your hands, do with me as ſeemeth good and meet unto you; But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye ſhall ſurely bring innocent blood upon your ſelves, upon this City, and upon the
inhabitants thereof; for of a truth the Lord hath ſent me, and ſtirred me up to ſpeak and write all the words which I have ſounded in your ears.
The reproach of my ſuffering as a malefactor, will indeed, and for a time cloud my credit; darnames, as well, as certainly, as a reſurrection of bodies, when the great Judge of all the Gods on earth, ſhall appear to call over the proceſs, take cognizance of the error, and reverſe the falſe judgeTreaſon, whilſt the fulfilling my miniſtry, and the faithful diſchardge of my duty, is the real ground, and onevil doers? and as ſuch, expoſed unto, and derided in their ſufferings? was not Jeremiah charged with Treaſon?
Paul with Sedition? and both as ſuch impriſoned and afflicted: Elijah was the troubler of Iſrael; was not Amos expelled the Court as a Dangerous Preacher againſt the King; was not Michaiah carged
bare ill will to the King? was not this the very lot of Chriſt himſelf? ſuffered not that righteous one, as a Blaſphemer, and as an enemy to Caeſar? ſhall I be deterred from following my Maſter? from drinking of the cup, whereof my deer redeemer hath begun? from travelling in the beaten road of all Gods Prophets? the very way prethe ſpirit of glory, and of Chriſt reſteth on me.
It is the cauſe, not the pain, maketh the Martyr, or Malefactor, my ſoul, be not troubled at the kind, or clamoured cauſe of my death: were I indeed really guilty;
condemned in and by the world, that I might not be judged of the Lord. But whilſt if I dye, as I now dread, I dye inoff-ſcowring of this world, and enemy of mankind; for my judgemy brethren caſt me out,
and cry; Let the Lord be glorified; yet, he will appear to my joy, and they ſhall be aſhamed; when Jeſus Chriſt ſhall come to judge, clear, and crown me as his Martyr; it ſhall
Malefactor.
IN death I ſhall feel pain;
precurſors, then I can feel in the ſtroak of death: the pain and ex
The greateſt pains of death are
tolerable, and paſs away in a moment: with how much eaſe did the Lord Jeſus give up the Ghoſt, in that dying act, the dreadful exHaukes (that holy Martyr, in our Marian Perſecution) in the midſt of the flames, did not forget to lift up his hands towards Heaven, before he gave up the Ghoſt; as a token to his Friends, that the raging pain of that ſiery death was tolerable. All Gods Saints have lien on this rack; and ſitten down on this little eaſe; and ſhall I give back becauſe of a little tolerable pain? Be the pains of death never
ſhort, ſoon paſs away; and are the Period of all pain; in reſpect of this, nature hath conbetter is the day of a mans death, then the day of his birth: all my life hath been nothing elſe but ſorrow and pain; my days have hitherto paſſed in anguiſh, affliction, and anxiety; yea, my reſting time, place, and ſtate, hath ſcared me with Dreams,
and terrified me with Viſions in the night, ſo that ſtrangling death, any kind of death, hath been more deſireable then life; Shall I now fear that one ſtroak, which though it cut me to the heart, will at once cut off all my pain and greif? doth not naPlotinus
Cato Major, that wiſe Roman, reflecting the pains he had endured, profeſſed if he might be rendred young again, and renew his age, he would not deſire it; he would refuſe it: Did the pain of life, take away the pain of death to Heathens? and ſhall it not much more do ſo unto Chriſti
My ſoul! ſtir up thy ſelf, make out a little faith and patience to endure this one pinch, and ſtroak of pain, which ſhall preſently ceaſe and be the period of all thy miſevale of
the ſhadow of death I will fear none ill; for Lord thou art with me: be with me O my God, that I may not over-paſſionately fear that little ſhort pain I muſt feel; make thou a lively faith in me, to bear up under, prevail againſt, and trilively ſence; that ſo my laſt little pain being paſt, I may poſſeſs eternal health and eaſe; and therein rejoyce, for that al
DEath will deprive me of all ſenſible pleaſure: it will ſo;
ſenſible; my ſoul found no pleaſure in it; nor did it ſatisfie my very ſences; theſe were tired in the poſſeſſion, and uſe of theſe;
The eye is not ſatisfied in ſeeing, nor the ear in hearing: The neceſſary novelty is an undeniable evidence of the vanity
ſenſible, my ſoul hath on wopleaſures of ſin;
cauſe of ſin: I never could poſſeſs them without ſin; I have in this reſpect paid full dear for all the pleaſures I have enjoyed under the ſun; they have ſtoln too much of mine heart and affections, they have eaten into, and eaten up too much of my precious time; they have dulled my ſences; ſtupified my ſoul, and diſcompoſed me unto the duties of holineſs; they have been baits and ſnares, whereby I have been entiſed unto, and entangled in ſin, they have diverted my ſoul from ſeeking, and ſolacing it ſelf, in more ſerious and ſatisfying delights: the ſinfulneſs of my pleaſure hath eaten out the ſweetneſs of my pleaſure.
Theſe pleaſures of ſin are but
for a ſeaſon; are often changing,
My Soul! Let me chearfully, contentedly ceaſe from my pleaſure among the living on earth; whilſt I ſhall therein ceaſe from the ſinning and ſorrowing, neceſrivers of pleaſures for evermore:
Moſes judgePharoah's Daughter? And ſhall not the ſence and expectation thereof make me content to leave the delights, which I cannot longer enjoy? It was my duty to have re
DEath will deprive me of all my outward comforts,
ch I have long enſo long a time; I am in the poſſeſneed of them: when I am dead they connot miimperfection to have need of them: is it not much better to be in an eſtate of perfection without them, then to have theſe comforts to me continued, and my ſelf abide imperfect?
Death doth deprive me of ſome comforts;
content; nor are they of any continuance: they are, though the beſt things under the ſun; yet at the beſt, they are but things under the ſun;
under the ſun are vanity and vexation of ſpirit: they give a little, and inflowers, flowers of beauty and pleaſure; but I muſt confeſs I ever found them fading, and full of pricks: I have not enjoyed them
vexation; and if I live longer, I ſhall ere it be long loſe them, and have them taken from me; they all have the wings of the morning, and flye away in a moJoſephs my Benjamins are not; mine outward enjoyments have been to me a Gourde of refreſhment, and preſent delight;
Jonahs Gourde of vanity, in the root of which is a worm, which doth and will ſoon make it wither: if I paſs not from my preſent comforts, they will peirce my ſoul with care and fear, and at laſt periſh in mine hand; I may well be content to die from thoſe comforts, which are ſure to die from me; and leave
worldly ſorrow which worketh death:
Death taketh me from my outward comforts; but yet, I leave them to, and for the comfort of my relations and friends, which ſtay
Though death deprive me of ſome uſeleſs moveables; yet it leaprecious jewels, and chiefeſt ſubſtance: the graces of my ſoul, the glorious priviledges of my faith, death cannot touch, or take from me; and theſe are more worth then all the world: My ſoul! play the Merchant, be content to ſee thy luggage, and empty cask caſt overboard, to ſave thy choice commodities, and thy pearls of price: death may take
riches, it cannot touch my righteouſneſs; it may anticipate my pompous Funeral, but it cannot hinder my graces from going with me to Heaven; though I muſt at death leave my outward comforts, this is mine advantage I may reintegrity: My ſoul! death ſhall not meddle with thy beſt treaſure; be therefore content to part with thy worſt enjoyments; thine outward comforts: whilſt thy tottering tabernacle muſt fall, thine earthly cottage muſt be burnt; rejoyce, and bleſs God that thou canſt ſave any thing; much more, that thy beſt goods, thy ſubſtance is eſcaped and ſecured; for being herewith ſtored, thou ſhalt poſſeſs an eſtate much more plentiful and pleaſant, then what thou hadſt in this life and world.
DEath will cut me off from my dear Relations, whoſe depenjudge of the Widows caſe, and with whom the Fatherleſs find mercy. It peirceth my ſoul to hear the Wife of my boſom cry, Oh Husband! What ſhall become of me, when thou the covering of mine eyes art taken from me? and to hear my Children cry, What ſhall become of us, when our careful, compaſſionate Father is gone? be ſtill my ſoul! ſubmit, yeild unto my God; even ſo father, for ſo it ſeemeth good unto thee: Is it not my duty by an act of faith, to caſt my fatherleſs Children on the Lord? have I not taught, and often aſſured my Widow, ſhe muſt truſt in God? was it not the Lord who provided for them by me? in vain had I riſen early, gone to bed late, & eaten the bread of carefulneſs, if God had not built my houſe: Shall
O my God! give my Wife and Children a fear of thee; ſubmiſſion to thee; and faith in thee; be thou the Husband of my Widow; and the Father of my fatherleſs Chil
AFter death,
lie down in the pit, I ſhall be covered with darkneſs; I ſhall not know what is done under the Sun; This will inI ſhall abide in ſafety, and be delivered from my brethrens rage and fury; My Brother Reuben proveth moſt faithIſhmaelite, their envy may enquire for me, but they ſhall not find me; I ſhall be prethey are verily guilty concerning their brother, in that they
ſaw the anguiſh of his ſoul,
when he beſought them, and they would not hear him: my being put into the pit, is the paſſage to glory God hath determined for his beloved Joſephs.
If darkneſs cover me; it doth the better ſuit my ſleeping ſtate, and capacitate me thereunto; light is indeed pleaſant to the eye, but it is perturbing, preventing, when men deſire to ſleep: my gracious God layeth me in the grave, as in an houſe of darkneſs; and as on a bed of ſilence; that my wearied body may the better ſleep and take its reſt; until it ſhall be awakened by his laſt trumpet; which ſhall ſummon me to meet my Lord in glory.
I have no great cauſe to be trounot know what is done under the Sun: for there can be little done againſt me, after I am dead; nothing that can hurt me: ſuppoſe mens
good by my life; but that will be but very little; but I were therein ſure to know very much evil; and ſuch evil as would and muſt afflict me: whilſt I know no
What if I do not know what is done under the Sun?
know as I am known; I ſhall perfectly know God and Chriſt; ſhall I ſtick to enter
AFter death there ſhall be no remembrance of me:
a great name, fooliſhly purchaſed by the great precipitacie of ſome in the world; is nothing but a great bubble of vanity, which will wear out at laſt; time will eat it out of the ſtron
My ſoul! be not diſmaid, the Scripture doth declare the memory of the juſt is bleſſed;
righteous ſhall be had in everlaſting remembrance; God hath provided that
name is written in the book of life; and therein I have cauſe to rejoyce, more then if the devils we
DEath will remove me from my place,
Looking for a City whoſe founder and maker is God:
Dublin in Ireland.
laſt remove, for this remove ſhall be my beſt remove: for this remove ſhall move me from Earth to Heaan houſe not made with hands; an eternal houſe; whoſe builder and maker is God; a Manſion houſe, prepared by Chriſt my precurſor, for to entertain me, and wherein I muſt and ſhall abide for ever; an houſe which time canEjectione firma, force me out of my houſe: My ſoul! Shall I not be willing to go to, and live in mine own houſe? and that bethou beleiveſt in God, beleive alſo in Chriſt; he hath ſaid, in his Fathers Houſe are many manſions,
if it were not ſo he would have told us; he is gone before to pre
Why is my remove by death my terror? my trouble? this remove will tranſmit me into a ſtation, not more permanent then glorious: I am removing to a better houſe; yea, to poſſeſs a KINGDOM: A Kingdom, not like the Kingdoms of this world; not a narrow, empty, envied, diſtracted, divided, ſha
Seeing it is the will of my heavenly Father to give me a Kingdom; ſuch a Kingdom; and my Kingdom is not of this world; why ſhould I be unwil
DEath will take me from off my work;
my Miniſtry; I muſt now, no longer labour in the Lords Vineyard: It is very
I abide in the fleſh is for them more profitable;
to dye is gain; I ſhall be hereby eaſed of the charge and care of immorThere are twelve hours in the day,
wherein men work, and then commeth the night, wherein no man worketh: My day is not mea
The hinderance of my work ſhall be no hinderance to my wages:
recompence is with the Lord, and my reward is with my God, ſhall I repine to go to him to receive it? I will rejoyce I have been ſo long ſerviceable in Gods Church, and an inſtrument to glo
I ſhall when dead, labour no more in the Lords Vineyard; but I ſhall now drink my ſelf drunk of the fruit of his Vine, with himcompany to enforce their cry;
How long Lord, before thou wilt avenge our blood on thoſe who dwell on the earth? come Lord Jeſus, come quick
DEath will diſſolve my being;
I am not: but it will alſo diſcharge my bur
What hath been my whole life, but an eſtate of ſin, ſorrow, of pain and travel; a condition, full of cares, fears, greifs, temptaman that is born of a woman,
is born unto trouble, a
theſe are ſo natural to me, and inherent iwicked do and ſhall ceaſe from troubling;
the weary ſhall be at reſt; the priſoners do reſt together, and they hear not the voice of the oppreſſor.
My ſoul! were there no more in death, but this releaſe from greif, pain, ſorrow and travel; thou mayeſt well reſign me up to
all the days of mine appointed time, I will wait till my change come; but I may very cheerfully, wilſin, as well as from ſorrow; and death onely can be the diſcharge thereof:
In iniquity I was conceived,
in ſin did my Mother bring me forth; ſin is to me as natural as my ſelf; it is inherent in my being; it was born with me; it hath grown up with my
I cannot be rid of ſin, till I be releaſed of life: Oh the care to avoid, fear to commit ſin, to which I have been ſubject! how many times have I been forced to embrace ſorrow, to ſhun ſin? and to ſit alone, expoſed to ſcorn and miſery, becauſe I durſt not run to the exceſs of riot with other men? Mortification of ſin, hath been the main of my buſineſs, ſince I ſaw the ſinfulneſs of ſin: and yet do I what I could, it would and doth exiſt in me, and prevail upon me; to the often checking my comforts; hindring my communion with God; and wounding my conſcience by omiſſithat the good I would do I do not, and the evil I would not do, that I do; and an affectionate outcry; Oh wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliver me from this body of ſin? I muſt, I may whilſt I live, make it my care to keep under my bo
My Soul! Doſt thou deſire to be freed from the ſuggeſtions,
Philiſtines.
Come O my ſoul! be willing to ſtoop that thou mayſt lay down thy load; ſubmit freely to that ſtroak, which will for ever ſet thee free from all ſin, and from all ſorrow:
I ſhall reſt from mine own works of ſin and ſorrow; theſe are indeed moſt properly mine own works; produced, procured by my ſelf; created, continued by, and with my ſelf; acted by, exI may ceaſe to be the
DEath will deſtroy my body:
immortal; it ſhall be ſaved, and ſet in Abrahams boſom,
ſpirits of juſt men made perfect: What need I care how it goeth with my worſer, whilſt I have ſecured, and it goeth ſo well with my better part? my ſoul is an immortal being; out of the reach of humane rage, and the ſtroke of death: What if men and death kill my body, if God will not caſt my ſoul into hell, I eſcape well, and much better then I deI had forfeitI live in death: O bleſſed paradox! oh happy ſtate I
not to dye in dying! My body is but an earthen veſſel; I need not be much troubled if this be broken; ſo that my heavenly treaſure be ſecabinet, I ſee no great cauſe to be troubled if that be loſt, whilſt the jewel of my ſoul is ſafe; Paul might well call on the Marrino mans life ſhould be loſt but the ſhip onely: I travel with my ſoul through briars and thorns, ſhall I wonder that I am pricked, and that my cloaths are rent off me? My ſoul is of ſuch value, that all is to be adventured and thrown over-board for its ſalvation; What ſhall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and loſe his own ſoul?
corruptible things, as ſilver and gold; but with the precious blood of Jeſus Chriſt: Chriſt laid down his life to redeem my ſoul; and ſhall not I willingly lay down my life to keep my redeemed ſoul? O thou the Shepherd and Biſhop of my ſoul, keep it within thy ſheepfold, unſave his life muſt loſe it.
DEath will ſeperate my ſoul from my body;
ſeperate me from God; and that was the deſign of death; it cannot ſeperate either the one or the oI am perſwaded neither life, nor death, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things preſent,
nor things to come, nor any other creature ſhall be able to ſeperate us from the love of God, which is in Chrict Jeſus our Lord: ſhall not this inſeperable love to
tribulation, nor diſtreſs, nor perſecution, nor famine, nor nakedneſs, nor peril, nor ſword, ſhall not ſeperate Chriſt from me? as it is written, for thy ſake are we killed all the day long, and accounted as ſheep to the ſlaughter; love is a principle of union; it cleaveth to, and looketh after its object, in its moſt low eſtate, and loſt condition. Death ſhall not make me to be deſpiſed or forſaken by my God; This God is my God,
my God for ever and ever, and he will be my guide unto death; yea, in, and through the vail of the ſhadow of death, his rod and his staff ſhall comfort me:
Abrahams boſome, to the immediate enjoyment of himſelf: nor doth he diſregard my body, when diall my members are written in Gods book,
Zion, and all her ſons doth aſſure them and me, that her dead men ſhall live; together with his dead body they ſhall ariſe; awake and ſing ye that dwell in the duſt,
for thy dew, is as the dew of herbs, and the earth ſhall caſt out the dead.
My body remaineth Gods Jewel, when it hath loſt that luſtre the ſoul did give it; God locketh it up in the grave as in his cabinet: God well knoweth my body is liaenter into your chambers, though dark; qui
My ſoul and body are dear companions; it is not ſtrange to ſee theſe two parted with dread, and greif: and yet, neareſt relations, deareſt friends muſt ſhake parting hands each with other in this world; brethren that have lived long togefather of ſpirits. My body! conſent willingly to ſhake hands, and ſhut out thy ſoul; thou muſt for a time be ſhut up by God, from falling under thoſe deſperate dangers, and deep di
The deſign of death, in dividivide both from God: but this is impoſſible: for union with Chriſt and with God in him, is inſeperawhom they love once they love to the end, forever.
union between Chriſt, and the bodies of his people, is as real, as inſeperable; as the union between him
Let my God, and my Saviour, do with me what they pleaſe; ſo they will but pleaſe to be with me in life, and in death, whilſt I am: and with my divided parts when I am not; I will then perſwade, prevail with my ſelf, contentedly to enjoy them in my divided parts; until the time return, that my parts reunied, my whole ſelf, may be placed in an inſeperable poſſeſſion of them, in perfect glory, world without end.
VVHen I am dead my body will be covered with worms;
accuſing conſcience, that worm which never dieth: there is more mercy in being
Why ſhould it trouble me to bethou art my Mother,
and my Siſter? what am I my ſelf, but a worm? a weak creeping worm?
David did apprehend himſelf a worm; a King and yet a worm; and Bildad, Jobs friend, noteth of man in general,
IN Death I ſhall ſee corruption;
not to ſee corruption: but yet, I do beleive the reſur
God is the God of Abraham,
Iſaac,
Jacob; he is the God of the living, and not of the dead: though therefore the bodies of Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, be dead, and buried, and have ſeen corruption; and be diſſolved into nothing; yet, they ſhall live aSadduces of the reſurrection of the body; this priviledge was not pebeleive that my redeemer liveth; and that he ſhall at the latter day ſtand upon the earth;
and though after this skin, wormes deſtroy my body; yet in my fleſh I ſhall ſee God; him I ſhall ſee for my ſelf; whom mine eyes ſhall behold; and not anothers, though my reins be conſumed within me: My preſent
Adam to be a living ſoul; my reſurrection from death, and the grave, muſt witneſs the ſecond Adam to be a quickening ſpirit.
My body is part of my ſelf; it muſt not, it cannot be loſt: its ſeperation from my ſoul, maketh me ceaſe to be; this ſeperation continued, would continue me a nonentity for ever; my ſelf is remy ſelf; theſe divided muſt be reunimy ſelf may exiſt to en
After all the changes which ſhall or can paſs, and return upon my body; God will gather up my duſt; bring together my ſcattered bones; raiſe up this very body, and reunite it to this very ſoul: my body which ſhall corrupt and conſume to nothing, ſhall be raiſvery ſame for ſubſtance, that it now is; but it ſhall then be cloathed with more excellent quacorruption,
incorruption; it is ſown in diſhonour, it ſhall be raiſed in Glory: it is ſown in weaknatural body, it ſhall be raiſed a ſpiritual body: what then do I looſe by having my body for a time reſolved into nothing; conſumed into duſt? I looſe nono ſeed is quickened unleſs it firſt dye; my ſoul, reſiſt not the pleaſure, remy ſelf ſhall, my whole ſelf, conſiſting of ſoul and body,
I cannot but pray, that God would deliver me, my body; from wicked men, who are his ſword, his hand, to cut it down, and renot my will, but thy will be done; I will ſubmit; I will be content; I will wait my appointed time, till my change ſhall come; and I will retain the confidence, and poſſeſs my ſoul in the comfortable expectation of my reſurrection; for as for me, I ſhall behold thy face in righteouſneſs;
I ſhall be ſatisfied, when
I awake, and ariſe in thy likeneſs.
DEath is that dreadful gulf,
Eternity: Eternity! what is that? a word of aſtoniſhment! an eſtate of amazement! I cannot look into it without heart-ſinking thoughts, ſoul-troubling apprehenEternity is in all theſe reſpects, an eſtate moſt proper to mine immortal ſoul: herein an eternal ſubject, ſhall ſoeternal object unEternity.
Times return hath been the laThe things which are ſeen are temporal, but the things which are not ſeen are eternal:
Eternity is an adjunct, a property which ſtamp
My ſoul! in Eternity thou ſhalt not be tired, with telling the fleeEternity: There ſhall be no Sun, Moon or Stars; thou ſhalt not need, and therefore thou ſhalt not have thoſe directions, and deter
Eternity exiſteen not in it ſelf:
Eternity is a quality greatly deſirable; an adjunct unto thy great advantage; when death ſhall determine thy days it ſhall lanch thee into; but it ſhall not leave thee fluctuating on the uncertain waves of Eternity; for the ſpirit goeth unto God who gave it; and as the tree fallEternal eſtate, withElernity; or rather thou paſſeſt through the red ſea, unto the reſting, refreſhing ſhores of eternal ſalvation, an eternal inheritance, eternal glory, and eterlife: theſe are the bleſſed ſubEternity muſt and ſhall exiſt: Haeternal? My ſoul, ſtand ſtill upon thy dyeternity, as affixed to thy ſalvation to thine inheritance, to thy glory, and to thy life, and tremble, be troubled at the thoughts thereof if thou canſt; thou wilt be more ready to tumble thy ſelf headlong into, then once to turn back from thine Eternity.
Firſt then,
ſalvation: ſalvation from ſin, from ſorrow, from weakneſs, from ſickneſs, from all defects, and deformities, from all infirmities and imperfections, from diſeaſes of body, diſgrace unthat this ſalvation is eternal? or that I am going to poſſeſs and enjoy it for ever? ſhall my heart ake to apppreſalvation, and the eternity thereof? ſhall now mine entrance thereinto, be mine affliction? I have profeſſed, my ſelf did and would, and I have earneſtly perſalvation, and waiting for the time when there ſhould be no more weeping or woe, no more pain or greif; no more fear or ſorrow; no more dieternity of this immunity, embitter mine expectation, or enjoyment of it; do I retain the ſence of evil, and can I deſire to return to it aEternity! annexed unto ſo great ſalvation!
2.
inheritance: the inheritance which Chriſt hath purchaſed for me; which God hath promiſed to me; the inheritance among the Saints; the inheritance of the Saints in light; the inheritance of an houſe in heaven; the inheritance of the bleſſed manſions of God; the inheritance of a Kingdom; the Kingdom of Heaven, the Kingdom of God; in this inheritance I ſhall inherit the confluence of all honour and happineſs; in this inheritance I ſhall ſit down a Co-heir with Jeſus Chriſt, the onely beinheritance is eternal? is not Eternity the Emphaſis, the excellency of this inheritance? my ſoul could never be ſo much raviſhed with the plenty, pleaſure, ſcituation, ſoinheritance, as it would be damped and deadned, diſinheritance I have been called by the glorious Goſpel; I have been ſealed by the bleſſed ſpirit of adoption; I have received in my ſelf the earneſt, the firſt fruits of this inheritance; I have been thereby encouraged in mine expectation, and enflamed in my deſire of a full poſſeſſion thereof; ſhall I now draw back, and deinheritance, and the enincorruptible and fadeth not away? becauſe it is eternal, without end? I have ever deemed and determiReal, becauſe Eternal? can I be ſo fooliſh as to deſire the worm of time ſhould eat into my fair eſtate, and make my flouriſhing inheritance to fade; I have all my days lived a child in nonage, longing for, and looking at, but kept out of mine inheritance, but I am now at age, I ſhall now become a man, a grown man, and enter upon and into mine eſtate: and this is my comfort, mine advantage, I ſhall abide a man, a perfect man for ever; the ſecond childehood of old age ſhall not overtake
heavenly inheritance: Oh! how have I longed and laboured? how have I panted and prayed? how have I pleaded with God? how have I preſſed againſt the power of men and Devils, to get into the poſſeſinheritance, becauſe it is eternal? will eternity be the burden of my heavenly eſtate?
My ſoul! embrace death, the door, the dark entry which paſinheritance; proceed with joy, with courage; praiſe God for the eternity of thy future ſtate: is not this my ſubmuch better, becauſe more enduring then all my worldly goods? hath not the hope of this, made me content with the loſs, and to take joyfully the ſpoyling of thoſe?
eternity diſmay my ſoul entring into the poſinheritance to be enjoyed for ever? who would not part with all, to purchaſe, to poſſeſs ſuch an inheritance, a Royal, Heavenly, holy inheritance? and ſhall I not gladly breath out a dying life, to affix, and ſecure eternity to this mine inheritance?
3.
Inheritance ſhall be a Glorious Inheritance; and ſo much more glorious by being eternal; mine inheritance is a palace, not a poor cottage; a manſion, not a moveGlorious Inheritance?
Inheritance, or eſtate in this world hath ever been poor, vile, and baſe; but my ſoul ſhall now paſs into Glory; and be inveſted with nothing but Glory; I ſhall when dead know by expe(viz) What is the Riches of the glory of the inheritance of the Saints;
Grace; my conGlory: the place in which my ſoul muſt now abide; the buſineſs in which my ſoul ſhall be employed; the company with which my ſoul ſhall aſqualities with which my ſoul ſhall be endowed,
glorious; theſe things are all tranſcendently glorious; I canglories are Eternal.
The place in which my ſoul ſhall abide whilſt parted from;
glorious, tranſcendently glorious; for it is Heaven: My conſtant future reſidence muſt be in the Court of Heaven; the Heaven of heavens; the third heavens; the Paradiſe of God; the place into which the APaul was taken up; in which he heard words not fit to be uttered;
Glories which he could not declare; the Court of the great King; the King of Saints; and the King of Kings; the peculiar Palace of Gods moſt glorious preſence; the holy, the heavenly Jeruſalem;
Solomons ſtrugood to be there, and began to caſt how to build tabernacles,
glory, from which thou canſt no more remove, nor wilt deſire to do it: in which the eternity of thy
go from, then not at firſt to have come to Heaven.
The buſineſs in which my ſoul ſhall be employed in this glorious place, is alſo glorious:
attendance on, and acclamation of praiſe to God and Jeſus Chriſt, ſhall be the whole the only employment of mine immortal ſoul; beatifical viſion ſhall be its buſineſs: I ſhall then know God, as I am known of God; I have here beleived in him whom I have not ſeen, rejoyced with joy unſpeakSolomons ſervants who ſtood continually before him, and heard his wiſdom; Behold my ſoul! a greater then Solomon is here; thou ſhalt attend on, miniſter before, and hear the wiſdom, and behold the glory of the God of Solomons wiſdom, and glory.
The ſouls which come out of great tribulation, are arayed in white robes, and advanced unto continual attendance on the throne of God; to ſerve him in his Temmajeſty, wiſdom power & goodneſs of God; to aſcribe wiſdom bleſſing, honour, power and glory unto God, for ever and ever; to him who ſitteth on the throne, and to the Lamb for euer: Gods
perfect freedom; it muſt needs be much more ſuch in Heaven: when I am once arrived at this eſtate of Glory, I ſhall be indeed, and for ever delivered from all mine enemies; that I may ſerve him without fear all my days, which ſhall never end.
Oh the honor of relation to ſuch a Maſter! oh the happineſs of emIt is a good thing to ſing praiſe unto our God; it is pleaſant, and praiſe is comely: Oh the glory of attendance on ſo glorious Majeſty! my ſoul, canſt thou wiſh thy time in a relahonourable; in an employhappy; in an attendance ſo glorious, were as the days of an hireling? God forbid: Loveſt thou the ſervice of thy God? ſhall the length of thy ſervitude diſmay thee? Wilt thou not conſent, yea deſire to be boared through the ear, that thou mayſt abide in this thy maſters ſervice for ever? Doſt thou
eternity of this eſtate, thou ſo much, ſo ear
My ſoul! chear up; in Heaven, the frowns and frettings of thy Maſter, ſhall not make thee weary of waiting on him; his terrors ſhall no more make thee afraid, the ſplendor of his Majeſty ſhall not dazle thine eyes, nor diſcapacitate thy viſion of him; thy work ſhall
Eternity hereof is mine exceeding, mine infinitely great advantage; I long to enter upon it; I ſhall never deeternal enjoy
The Company with whom my ſoul parted from my body,
glorious then the place of my future reſidence; or the buſineſs of my future employaſſemblies of the firſt born; whoſe names are written in heaven; and the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect; and the glorious Angels: thoſe ſhall
companions for ever: Oh bleſſed company! who would not long to be with them? who would not gladly go to them? who can with any poſſible content think of parting from them? how fooliſhly loath am I to leave my friends on earth? yet I have not en
I ſhall now aſſociate with Angels, thoſe glorious creatures, the beauty of whoſe feet mortal eye can hardſpirits, who wait immediately on God; and with all power and ſpeed perform, the pleaſure of the moſt high; thoſe active ſpirits which are ſent of God, to miniſter unto the heirs of ſalvation, theſe are now attendant on me, though I ſee them not; they do me many good turnes, though I perceive it not; by them I am guarded in many dannature, office, or miniſtry; but now my Soul! they attend my death, to perform their laſt work to me; to receive thee, and carry thee into Abrahams boſom, and to place thee in fellownatures and offices; thou ſhalt fa
My ſoul! though at death thou art taken from among men, and made a mate for Angels; yet thou ſhalt not onely converſe with theſe glorious creatures, different in nature, and ſeemingly above thee; thou ſhalt now alſo aſſociate with the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect: thou ſhalt ſit down with Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of God: thou ſhalt now be placed under the Altar, among the ſouls of them who were ſlain for the Teſtimony of Jeſus: I have taken abunAdam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Iſaac, Jacob, Joſeph, David, Solomon, Iſaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Zachariah, Peter, Paul, James, John, Ignatius, Polycarpus, Justin, Athanaſius, Wickliff, Hus, Luther, Calvin, Beza, Cranmer, Ridley, Latimer, Hooper, Glover, Rogers, Laurence, Bradford, with many others; of theſe I have onely heard, and read, I never yet knew them: but now my ſoul ſhall go to them; now my ſoul ſhall know them; it ſhall dwell in houſe, and be moſt famielect of God, whoſe names I have not
Eternity the height of its deſire, of its delight: who would not live for ever in ſo good a Neighbour-hood? it hath often greived me to part from good men on earth; I now lament that I muſt leave my godly friends on earth, and go to Heaven with
The Qualities of my ſoul ſhall be ſuitable to this heavenly place,
Glorious: after death, conformity to God; and exact ſimilitude to the Lord,
we are now the Sons of God; it doth not yet appear what we ſhall be; but we know, when he ſhall appear, we ſhall be like him; for we ſhall ſee him as he is: Oh bleſſed viſion, which transfortwo cannot walk together except they be agreed; there can be no ſaLike to like, is the formal reaſon of all true, and full content; they that will ſee God and live, muſt be
holy, as God is holy; and perfect, as God is perfect.
My ſoul! paſſing into immediate communion with, muſt be made conformable to God: his image ſtamped on man in his creation, was the principle and capacity of communion with God: this defaced by ſin, man was driven, and hath been kept at a diſtance from God; but this ſhall be now reſtored to, and compleated in my ſoul; that it may return into conſtant comholy as God is holy; and perfect as God is perfect: it ſhall not only have perfect qualities, the principles of union; but alſo thoſe degrees of perfection which ſhall capacitate it for full communion with my God,
The faculties of my ſoul ſhall be enlarged, unto the perfection of knowledge and affection: I ſhall after death, be able to pry into the deepmans fall, and ſalvation; of the glorious unconceivable ſubſiſtency of the Trinity in unity, three perſons, in one undivided eſſence; of the miraculous hypoſtatical union of the two natures, God and Man in one perſon; of the bleſſed incarnation, and whole work of redemption, which is nothing but a Cabal of myſteries: I ſhall then comfull content: mine affections will then moſt freely cloſe with, and take full complacency in thoſe glorious ob
Such ſhall be the changed eſtate, qualitie and endowments of my ſoul, that the things which were to
ſupernatural; irkſom, greivous and hateful, becauſe contranatural; ſhall become eaſie and encouraging; lovely, acceptable and delightful, becauſe connatural; the very, prointerruption, intermiſſion, or expiration of enjoyment by the return of time; Oh folly! to dread Eternity, which muſt exiſt in the exerciſe and enjoyment of theſe glorious qualities of my ſoul! the diſparity and diſproportion which keepeth my God and me at a diſtance, ſhall now be diſcharged, and quite removed; can I deſire the time in which they ſhall again reEternity in conformity to God, my only capacity of eternal communion with God.
4.
I ſhall dye but once; my death ſhall be mine enlife; and my life ſhall be eternal; the ſecond death ſhall have no power on me: ſeeing I muſt once dye, oh how happy am I that I do not live to dye the ſecond death! the firſt death divideth my ſoul from my body; but the ſecond death would have dividid my ſoul and body from God, and that for ever: but this death ſhall not befall me; for there is no condemnation to them who are in Chriſt Jeſus;
juſtified me; who ſhall condemn me? he hath delivered me from the dread of the firſt, by redeeming me from the power of the ſecond death: I may be of good comfort, I ſhall not dye, but live; I ſhall live in death; I ſhall paſs
death to life; and whilſt life is the ſubject, who would not deſire to have eternity the adjunct? My ſoul, canſt thou chuſe but joy, to know that thy life is eternal life? do I dread to die, and tremble to think of Eternity in life? O ſtrange conendureth for ever? that I ſhall eternally live in the ſalvation of God, to enjoy mine inheritance among the Saints and Angels in light; to attend on, contemplate, and have communion with God and Chriſt? were not eternal life affixed to theſe enjoywaters of life? Eternity abMoſes his chance, Moſes his curſe; he led Iſrael to the banks of Jordan, to the borders of Canaan; he went up to mount Nebo, and ſaw the goodly land, but he entred not inEternal life; I have perſwaded men to purſue it, to preſs after it; I have led them to the brink of the grave, and am ready to lye down and dye, & now I dread the eternal life that attendeth me. O my folly! but bleſbook of life; but having purpoſed, purchaſed for me, and promiſed to me ſalvation, an inheritance, an eſtate of glory; he hath ſecured me my life in, and unto the poſſeſſion thereof; and made eternity the bleſſed, inſe
My ſoul! where art thou? what? art thou lanched into? loſt in eternity
before thou go hence, and be no more ſeen; look back on thine own thoughts; ſurvey the land which the proſpect of thy faith hath deſcried in the ocean of eternity: O the immenſity! O the depth of eternity! this is an aſtoniſhing ocean; an amazing ſea; whilſt I ſtand on the banks of a temporal life, how do I tremble to look upon eternity, in its abſtracted nature? but ſtay my ſoul! let us be wiſe; let my faith follow this flood; and deliberately obſerve how it ſtreams it ſelf in the Paradiſe of God; into eternal ſalvation; oh wonderful! Eternal inheritance; O this is deſirable! how do I long for it? Eternal glory; that is delightful! the rayes thereof raEternal life; O the emphaſis, the excellency of all the reſt! ſhall I dread to ſhoot this gulph of death? ſhall I fear to lanch out into the depth of this eternity? can theſe bleſſed, deſired, never
eternity? if they could, would they be ſo good? would they be ſuch things? is not eternity the very formality of them? is not eternity that maſſie ſubexceeding weight of glory, which counterpoilevity of thoſe afflictions which we now ſuffer for a moment? Eternity is the ſting of ſorrow, but the ſtrength of joy; the horror of damnation, but the honour of ſalvation; the dread, the dolor of the reprobate: but the deſire & delight of the Elect; the plague, the ſting of the gnawing worm, and tormenting not conſupleaſure, the luſtre of the wedding garment, and of the cooling, refreſhing ſtreams of the waters of life: My ſoul; Chriſt my Savior hath redeemed me from the one, and ſealed me to the other of theſe conditions; fear not therefore to go out of this body, to paſs
Eternity; remember, conſider thy Lord long ſince declaſtrait is the gate, and narow is the way which leadeth unto life: I will by Gods grace ſtoop at this ſtrait gate; I will preſs through this narrow way; ſeeing life, ſo rich, ſo glorious, ſo bleſ
§. MOſt bleſſed Jeſus! thou art the Lord of life and glory: of thine own good will in compaſſi
Thou haſt ſubjected thy ſelf to death; to the moſt violent, ſhame
Thou having felt the ſting, and encountred the ſtrength of death; didſt conquer and triumph over the grave: thou haſt gotten; thou haſt given all that beleive in thee the victory over death: thou art in thy Church, and to thy Saints, the firſt fruits from the dead; thy glorious reſurrection is our pledge, and aſthee for ever.
§. I thy weak and worthleſs ſerthe captain of my ſalvation.
Be not far from me my God, and my Saviour, in this hour of my temvale of the ſhadow of death: O be my God! my God and my Guide unto, & under death.
§. Death is natural to man; common to all men; but its nature is changed unto ſome, and but to ſome of the ſons of men; this dreadful Executi
Be pleaſed O my Redeemer! to know me, and make me know my ſelf to be one of that number, to whom the nature of death is chang
§. Union with thy glorious ſelf, can only ſecure againſt the ſting, and encourage under & againſt the terthee; death ſhall not ſeperate my body from thee; but my duſt ſhall be re
§. Thy grace (O Lord) hath been extended to me; make me to ſee it; teach me ſeriouſly to reflect it, unto thy praiſe and the encourage
I am through thy grace and aEſau, deſpiſe this my birth-right; but muſt, and by thy grace I will rejoyce, that I pertake of the fatneſs of the Olive;
Thou didſt bleſs me (O Lord) with Chriſtian nurture and educati
Thy ſpirit hath been and is in me, the ſpirit of conviction and of bur
Thy glorious Goſpel, thy gracious ſpirit (O Lord) hath convinced me of, and affected my ſoul with mine own guilt; thy fathers wrath and juſtice, and the ſalvation wrought out by thee, and by thee alone; I
beleive there is no name by which men can be ſaved, but thy name moſt bleſſed Jeſus; thou art the true Meſſiah; the only Mediator between God and man; the all-ſufficient Saweary and heavy loaden with my ſin; Oh give me eaſie! preſſed with a dread of thy fathers wrath; plead my cauſe, ſatisfie for me his offended juſtice; be the propitiation for my ſins: oppreſſed with my luſts; Oh ſave me from my ſin; ſubdue corruptions in me; change my nature; be to me a perfect Saviour, for to thee I run, on thee I relye; thee I embrace with all my ſoul, to be my Lord and my King; refuſe, reject me not, O God of my ſalvation.
I have reſigned up my whole man to thy moſt holy word and will; and deſire to walk in thy moſt holy ways: thy love ſhed abroad in my heart, hath enflamed me with a love to thy name, to thine ordinances, thy peothe zeal of thy houſe hath conſumed me; I have through thy ſpirit, embraced, eſteemed thy truth in the love thereof; and thy people for the truths ſake which is in them.
For thy ſake I have denied all outthy ſake I am killed all the day long; I am accounted as a Sheep for the ſlaughter; the reproaches of them who reproach thee, are fallen upon me; all this is come upon me, yet have I not departed from thee; nor dealt falſly in the Covenant, in which thy glory is concerned.
§. Theſe things O Lord I do re
§. Grant unto me O Lord; the remiſ
Secure unto my ſoul thy ſufferings, as the full ranſom of my ſoul, and the ſatiſO death where is thy ſting, O grave where is thy victory; I ſhall then triumph over death; and him who hath the power of death, the Devil: If my heart deceive me not, I would not ſin that grace thanks be unto God who hath given met he victory through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord.
§. O thou the only high Prieſt of my
I walk in the vale of the ſhadow of death; that I may with all patience and meekneſs lie down, and receive that ſtroak of death which I cannot avoid, and yet cannot be willing to receive. That I may with ſubmiſſion drink that bitter cup thou putteſt into my hand, concerning which; my nature not corrupted with ſin could not but pray, Father if it be poſſible let this cup paſs from me: give me an heart groaning to be clothed on, with my houſe from heaven; whilſt I cannot deſire to be uncloathed of this earthly tabernacle: and ſeeing my preſence in the fleſh, is mine abch is beſt of all.
§. As a man I cannot deſire, I cannot but fear to die: be pleaſed (O my Savior) to convince me of, and afflict me with, the happy ſequels of my death; that the ſence thereof may make me contrary to the power & property of my nature deſirous to die: let not the dread of death drive me to accept on ſinful terms the deliverance from the moſt violent, and ſhameful ſtroak thereof: enable me to live, the laſt breath of this my dying life in the ways of thy truth and holineſs, to the praiſe of thy grace, and in this laſt act to play the man, couragiouſly evidencing my ſelf affected with a clear ſence that all the evils of death are diſcharged, and aſſured that I am uniwho art the reſurrection and the life; through whom, though I die, I ſhall live again; and having fought the good fight of faith, and finiſhed my courſe of naAmen, Amen, Amen.