THis Chapter (with the foregoing and following) contey­neth the History of Balaam's Journey, Sacrifices, and Parables; and in this Nar­rative [Page 2] there are two things wonderful and extraordinary recorded, by the Man of God Moses; the one whereby the passion, the other whereby the covetousnes of Balaam the false Prophet was rebuked and restrained: first his passion was restrained by Gods putting words into the mouth of his Ass, 2 Pet. 2.16. [...]. the dumb Ass, speaking with mans voyce, rebuked the madnes of the Prophet: anger had put the man besides himself, so the Greek word there used signi­fies, and so it is in all other persons; though Balaam were a wise man, yet when his pas­sion was up, his reason was down; Anger is that feaver of [Page 3] the soul, Lacho­lere est comme une fievre chaude, qui nous fait dire un infini­te de cho­ses ridi­cules & nous fait entre­prendre beaucoup de sottes actions, dont neus nous re­pentons, lors qu'elle est passee. that makes the tongue talk idly, 'tis a short fury, it puts the mind into a rage; you may see how he frets and fumes, and chafes and storms and as wise as he was, had need to be admonished by an Ass,

2^ly. His coveteousness was rebuked by Gods putting words into his own mouth; and this was as great a wonder as the former, for though at first with some kind of maiden blushes and shamefac'd modesty he ex­cused himself from the work, yet he loved the wages of un­righteousness, in so much that in the 11 Verse of the Epistle of Jude Jude 11. he is called (in the ori­ginal) the Balaam of Reward, [...] [Page 4] a man who had no other soul but gain; so that he being such a person, it was a great wonder God should so over-rule him as to make his tongue speak that which his heart did least love;Prov. 16.1. thus the preparations of the heart are in man, and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord, So in that speech of Caiphas we read of, T'is expedient saith he that one man should dye for the people; and this said he not of himself, but being High Priest that year, John. 11.51. he Prophecied that Jesus should dye for that Na­tion &c. and so here, the Lord put a word into Balaam's mouth saying return unto Balak and thus thou shalt speak: Numb. 23.5. behold [Page 5] how the Lord limits him and tyes him up, to speak not his own words but the Lords: Against the inclination of his cove­teous heart his tongue must speak: usually out of the abun­dance of the heart the mouth speaketh, but here it was not so, but from the irresistible hand of God that was upon him, his mouth spake, the Lord thy God would not hearken unto Ba­laam,Deut. 23.5. but the Lord they God turned the curse into a blessing because the Lord thy God loved thee; God would not hearken to Balaam, but made Balaam hearken unto God, and so tipp his tongue with blessings, though he had a poisoned and [Page 6] envenomed heart, Saul went to Damascus to perseeute, and God converted him to be a Preacher; and Balaam went to curse, and God changed his words into a blessing; in the former God changed the heart. the latter God over-ruled the tongue.

The latter of these, the spee­ches and parables of Balaam. is the context; which is the first of his four parables; and in­deed when we read this para­ble, we may well say, who could have expected so sweet a breath, from so foul a stomack, such heavenly notes, from so hellish an instrument, surely this is the finger of God; And [Page 7] you may learn by the way, from Gods over-ruling this Prophet, That God can deal with them, that deal with the Devil; they which are most studyed in the black Arts of Hell, must forget the language of that infernal pit, and speak the dialect of Heaven,Psal. 118.23. when God will have them; this is the Lords doing and it is marvellous in our eyes.

The text is the [...] the last conclusion and winding up the first parable of Balaam, shewing the blessed estate of Israel, by his desiring no other condition for himself hereafter than that which they were to enjoy; but enough for the con­texture, [Page 8] or weaving together of the text with the other parts of this History.

In the words themselves, ob­serve, 1. Somethings generally and secretly implyed. 2 Some­things particularly and openly expressed.

1 Somethings implyed, which are Two; First That all those that are pertakers of hu­manity are subject to mortality: the common law of death is of an imperial and impartial na­ture; it layes hold on all with­out exception, all without di­stinction, bad and good, righteous and unrighteous; this Balaam lays down as a foundation that the righteous [Page 9] shall dye, there is a death even to the righteous. Even they that are freed from the sting of death are not delivered from the stroak of death: they which are freed by it,John. 20.3.4 are not free from it; our life (like the race of the two Disciples) is to­wards the sepulcher; as soon as we come out of the grave of the womb we hasten to the womb of the grave: we leave the place where we received life to enter into that where we shall find death; there will be a morning in which we shall not live till evening, or an evening in which we shall not live till morning: this is true of all in generall so as to except none, in [Page 10] particular: the righteous not exempted; nay we read the first man that ever dyed was righteous Abel: the best (at that time) that lived, was the first that dyed.

2^ly. This is implyed, that there is a great difference between the nature and consequents of death to the righteous and to the sinner, there is not only a holy difference before death but a happy difference after death; Therefore saith he, let my last end be like his. And indeed this is a very notable testimony of the immortality the soul, and of future re­compences from the mouth of a false Prophet, these words [Page 11] shew, that he held there was a reward after death to the just; [...] R. Schelo­moh. Hamme­l [...]ch in Michlal Yophi in loc. else why should he here desire to be in their state. Man ceaseth not to be at death, but his soul survives the body, so that he in­sinuates thus much, that though the righteous dye as well as the wicked, yet the wicked dye not so well as the righteous: the righteous are taken away from sinne, the wicked in their sinne; as to death it self there is no differenee, but in their death there is a difference; therefore, as the Apostle in a like case. They doe it to obteyn a corruptible Crown but we an incorruptible, so they dye to be damned,1 Cor. 9.25. we to be saved.

Secondly here is something expressed, and so the words are a passionate, wish, consisting of 2 parts, the concomitant se­curity, and the consequent fe­licity of a righteous mans death.

First he wisheth the conco­mitant security in death; Let me dye the death of the righteous, or as it is in the primitive lan­guage Let my soul dye the Death of the upright. [...] (Let my soul dye) the meaning of the dying of the soul is the parting of the soul from the body: the phrase doth not import the dying of the rational soul, (which is in­corruptible) but the remo­ving of it out of the mansion of [Page 13] the body, when it is translated by death.

(The death of the righteous) the word Yashar is used in oppo­sition to that which is warp'd bent, [...] Rectus or crooked, Let my soul dye the Death of them that are upright and straight in their principles and practices, and from this root it is you read that Israel is called Jesurun, be­cause of the sincerity and uprightness that should be in them:Joh. 1.47 an Israelite indeed is one in whom is no guile; such whose Lives are straight their Death is safe: though they are tossed upon the waves, yet they are brought into a good and safe harbour by death. Death is the [Page 14] end of all humane misery, and the beginning of all divine good to the upright; the Se­pulchre is a sanctuary, and death it self a city of refuge to them; therefore, Let me dye the Death of the righteous: for that death which to others is the King of Terrors, to the upright is the King of Salem, that is of peace: the same red sea which was a grave to the Egyptians, was a place through which the Israelites passed with safety, and the same death which conveys the wicked to the belly of hell, carries the godly into the bosom of Abraham.

Secondly he wisheth conse­quent felicity after death, Let [Page 15] my last end be like his: last end, [...] the word used in the Hebrew denotes sometimes posterity, Dan. 11.4. and let my posterity be like unto his, and to this the Septuagint had an eye, [...] Septuag. when they render the words, let my seed become as the seed of these: so Balaam in the former part of the wish, desires, happyness for himself, in the latter, for his Children: this exposition is not contrary to the Hebrew, nor to be con­temned: yet above seven times seventy translators may be pro­duced, who here leave the se­venty interpreters, and turn the word as we, Extremum, the last end, the Arrears, or after Payment: and the mea­ning [Page 16] is, the Saints of God have not their portion in this world; they have only a pension, there's a great deal of Arrears the people of God shall receive at their death. So the same Hebrew word is used the end of that man is peace, Psal. 37.37. Prov. 24.20. Prov. 23.18.24.14. the last end, the Arrears of that man. So there is no Reward to the evill man, he hath nothing to come in the other world, but what he hath he hath here,Ʋtinam post hujus vitae exi­tum, fe­licitatem consequar his rectis repositam. Jun. in loc. but to the righteous there is an End, the best is behind: So Junius upon this place. O that after my pas­sage out of this life, I might ob­teyn the happines that is laid up for these upright ones: so that of Solomon, Pro. 14.32. the wicked is dri­ven [Page 17] away in his wickednes but the righteous hath hope in his death, the meaning of the place may be, either the righ­teous hath hope in the wicked mans death, that is, that things will be better when the wicked dye: or else he hath hope in his own death, be­cause there is a reward to the righteous.Psal. 92.12. [...] And indeed the happines of the upright is not a flower that grows in the gar­den of this world, the gold which enriches them is not fetched from natures mine: it is at their last end they have their recompence: so the Iews note from that of the Psalmist, the Iust shall flour­rish [Page 18] like the palm tree: Il savio Salomone chiama nell' Ec­clesiaste prositto vant ag­gio d'uno parolache significa romanen­teo varan­zo per­cioche in­quello che non ri­mane od advanza ma scorre ese con­suma non c' egua­dagno, hor le cose transito­r [...]epas [...]ano sono beni che corro­no e fug­gono come se fossero alati per andarse­ne a volo. the palm tree being a tall strait tree cast's its shade a great way off, from the body of the tree; so say they: the giving of re­ward to the just is a great way off, even in the world to come: whatever is on this side eternity is fleeting and perishing, it can­not be of any great moment be­cause it is but for a moment, that is of no great value, that is but of a smal continuance: therefore such a reward will not content a righteous man; the Preacher when he speaks of profit or gain uses a word in the Hebrew [...] that imports something which remains or abides, to teach that that which abides [Page 19] not is no true gain or pro­fit: now because the upright find not this here, they stay for reward till their last end, Turretin. Homil. 3 Supra Luc. 12.5, 6. &c.

But enough for the unfoul­ding the text,

Now considering together the Wish, the Person wishing and the successe of his wishing, we may gather this proposi­tion worthy our observation.

To dye the Death and have the last end of the upright, may be the Wish and desire of such, as for their wickednes shall never obteyn it.

You see Balaam a false Prophet, a Conjurer, one that dealt with the Divel, a repro­bate, one that is now fewel [Page 20] for unquentchable flames, to burn upon to all eternity; wished he might dye the Death of the upright.

Such being guilty of dam­nable hypocrisy may go loa­den with all their wishes to hell:Infer­nus ple­nus est bonis af­fectibus & desi­deriis Paradi­sus an­tem bonis effectibus & operi­bus. Bosq Consol. Desper. t'is an expression of a learned (in this no) Papist, that hell is full of good wishers but all the good workers they go to heaven: The Scripture is full to this purpose, such were they that said, Lord Lord open to us, yet, depart from me ye workers of Iniquity; such are all they whose works and wishes contradict one another, or whose works run not pa­ralel with their wishes. Now [Page 21] such persons though they never so earnestly desire yet shall never obtein the death of the righteous: and truly as the great God doth not judge ac­ding to our wishes, but our works, so neither wise men; our endeavours are the pulse by which we may learn the state and constitution of our wishes; though there be but one pulse that runs through the whole body, yet the Phy­sitian feels it at the hand, and so at the hand in our works we are chiefly to try wither our wishes are true and effectual.

Now to explain this, there are 2 things would be looked into, First why is the death [Page 22] and last end of the righteous desired by the wicked? Se­condly how comes it to passe that they do not obteyn it though they do desire it.

For the first of these, why is the death and last end of the righteous desired by the wicked? To answer this, it proceedeth from the conviction of the happines that the godly enjoy in and after death; that death finds and leaveth them in a good estate and lets them in to a better. This is that that is rivited in the natures of all men, they believe it is a great deal better with the godly at their death then it is with the ungodly: there is [Page 23] in the worst of men a spark of conscience, by the light of which they may read that its more safe to be in the estate of good men when death comes, then in that of the wicked. Conscience is a practical Prea­cher in the bosomes of men that much presses and applyes this doctrine, if men did hearken to its instructions. We need go no further to school, than into our own hearts where this lesson is a­bundantly taught, conscience being the school Mistriss: which made that Atheist (when he was asked which he liked best, the licentious loose lives of the profane, or the strict [Page 24] holy lives of the godly) to answer cum illis mallem vi­vere, cum his mori, I had ra­ther live with those, and dye with these: he had sayd bet­ter, I would chose to live with them, which I would be willing to dye with. The godly then are in and by death made happy in the very ap­prehensions of the wicked.

In the following of which truth, let us consider, First the happy condition of the Saints in and by death positively, 2ly. relatively.

First positively, now there are three things wicked men are convinced of, that makes a godly mans death so much to [Page 25] be preferred and desired, First a total cessation from suffering, and therefore it is called a rest, there remaineth a rest to the people of God, Heb. 49. a Sabbatisme, a keeping of a Sabbath; death unto the Godly is a full stop and period to all the miseries of the present world: after their painful walk there is a per­fect rest: in this world we la­bour for rest, in that, we rest from all our labours. We were made by God and can never be happy till we are with God, we came out of his hands and can neuer rest till wee are in his bosom; there is a sweet calm from the storms of the world, a blessed silence from the cla­mous [Page 26] of the world; an absence of all evil, Sorrow shall de­part and sighing flee away, Esay. 35.10. saith the Prophet, and tears shall be wiped away, God (my friends) cannot so much as afflict a godly man in the other world. I will speak a great word, that God that can do all things, cannot do this thing, as he cannot destroy his People in this life, so he cannot so much as aflict them in the other. It is much with Gods people as with the stones that built the Temple, they were hewed and squared at the Quarry-side before they were brought to it, and there was no noise of Axes and Hammers in the Tem­ple, [Page 27] So there is no disturbance in the Kingdom of God, but a perfect rest after our painful walking, Now this being upon the hearts of all men to know there is such a rest, the wic­kedest of men cannot but de­sire it.

Secondly, at the death of a righteous man he obtaynes a per­fect degree of sanctity, a consum­mation of holiness, you know the greatest perfection we can here attaine unto, is this, an humble acknowledgment of the imperfections we have, and endeavouring after the per­fection we want; but now, though there be never so much imperfection in our state of [Page 28] grace here, yet the death of the body is the death of the body of death, the funeral of all our corruptions. This expre­rience teacheth, that whilst the soul dwels in the body, sinne will dwell in the soul, the Saints may cast it down but they cannot cast it out,Dejicere possunt non eji­cere. they may hinder it from having a throne in their hearts, but they cannot hinder it from having a room there; doe what they can there is no full seperation between sinne and the soul, be­fore a Seperation between the body and the soul, there it is that that which is imperfect shall be done away, as it is with a man that hath been under a long [Page 29] fit of sicknesse, though he be truly recovered from his di­sease, yet he is a long while before he can come to his full strength, (before he pick up his crummes) so its with the Saints here; though they are delivered from sicknesse of sin that it shall not be to death, yet not from sins of weaknesse until death. Or as it is with one that hath layn a long time in prison, though he be now really set at large, yet he may go limping all his dayes by the hurt he received from thelrons when he was in prison, so Gods people have so many corruptions as to make them go halting to their very graves. [Page 30] in the new man there is enough of the old man to make them continually greive and mourne whilst they are here; and God suffers this, that his people may depend more upon ju­stifying grace, and be quickned to look more after sanctifying grace, and be longing after con­summating grace,

Thirdly there is this in the death of a righteous man, that it is to him an immediate pas­sage to heaven, 1 It is a pas­sage, it is that which brings us to a happy journeys end; death is the ship that waft's us over to the shoar of a blessed eternity, 'tis that boat that is sent to bring us to the landing [Page 31] stairs of our fathers house.Gen. 24.57. Much like Abrahams servant that went to fetch Rebecca to be married to the son of the pro­mise; when they enquired at the mouth of the damsel, shee willingly and presently gives her consent to go with him.

So when death comes with his pale horse for a Saint of God,Gen. 45.27.28. he willingly gets up behind him; or (as one) death is like the waggons, Jo­seph sent to his father Jacob out of Egypt; when he saw the waggons t'is said the good Old-mans heart revived within him, and he cryed out Is Jo­seph my son yet alive, I will go down and see him before I dye, [Page 32] so when the Saints see the wag­gons of death, their hearts re­vive, Jesus is alive, I will go to Jesus.

2 And as it is a passage, so an immediate passage, that is, there is no such thing as a Pur­gatory, any place between Earth and Heaven where they are lodged,Luk. 16.22. as soon as Laza­rus was dead he was directly carried from dives his gate to Abrahams bosom: as soon as the penitent thief was dead he was carried from the crosse on which he was crucifyed, to the Kingdom where he is glorified; This day thou shalt be with me in Paradice, Luk. 23.23. As soon as the soul is breathed out of the [Page 33] body, it is with God; there is no temporal punishment held forth in the Scripture after this life, and therefore there is no Purgatory. Purgatory dero­gates from the blood of Christ, which purgeth us from all ini­quity: 1 John 1.7. If there be any such thing as Purgatory, (as the Papists dream) you must say one of these two things.

Either Christs blood doth not cleanse from all sins, or not perfectly from some sins; but both these are false, there­fore it follows there is no such thing. Yea what would be­come of those that shall be alive at the day of Judgement, surely they will have as much need of [Page 34] Purgatory as others, before they get to Heaven.Purgatorii dolores cum nec subiisse nec tolerasse legatur Christus, qui ta­men omne genus dolorum pro nobis pertulit cos fictitios esse consequitur, nulli credentium perti­mescendos: sequeretur e­nim aliquos dolores Christum non tulisse nostra causa quod absurdum. Bucan. loc. com. Besides, our Lord Christ bare all that mise­ry and punishment which the Elect were else to have suffered, but he never bore the do­lours of Purgatory, therefore its evi­dent they are but feigned sorrows, and not to be dreaded by Believers.

3. Its an immediate passage to HEAVEN; it lets the Godly into the Kingdom of glorious bliss; it is janitor coelorum, the Porter that opens Heavens gate to the Saints, that [Page 35] they may enter into the joy of their Lord: a joy so great, that it cannot all enter into them, therefore they are said to enter into it: a joy so great, that no­thing shall be found in it but what is desirable, and nothing can be desired in it but is shall be found. I may say of Heaven, the portion of the Godly, what was said by the Queen of the South, when she arrived at So­lomons Court: when she saw the magnificence of his Palace, the Liveries of his Servants, the state of his Attendance, there was no more Spirit left in her, but she breaks forth, the one half was not told me in my own Coun­try; thus when the righteous [Page 36] come to Heaven, when they be­hold the Palace of Eternity bespangled with Sun-beams of light and glory, when they view the Robes of Immortality, when they see ten thousands that stand at Gods Throne, and ten thousand times ten thou­sands that Minister before him, they shall burst out into admi­ration, and come to us Mini­sters saying, in the other life you did not tell us the half of the glory now revealed in and to us: indeed if every word we speak were a tongue, and every thought we think an heart, yet we should not be able to speak or think how great that glory shall be: I shall therefore spend [Page 37] no more time on this, but only put you in mind of the good old saying, Let others study how great the glory is, but let us study how we may best obtain, and be fittest to enjoy it.

But then Secondly, as we may consider the death of a righteous man absolutety, so comparatively; compare the death of the righteous, with the death of any sort of person you can name, and you shall see the death of a righteous man is to be preferr'd, and that by the light of a wicked mans own reason.

To instance in particulars;

First, compare the death of the righteous, with the death of [Page 38] the Infant; there are some per­sons that having considered the sin, misery, and vanity of this present life, have said, That the best thing in the world is not to be born, and the next best thing is to dye as soon as we are born; and truly the World is like a stormy Ocean, or flame of Fire; now if you were to go over a tempestuous Sea, you would not say your passage was too short;Non puo esser trop­po presto quello che e il mig­liore, anzi e sempre tardo il lasciar la vita mi­sera per la felice. so if a man was to run through a flame, he would not stand lingring, but make what hast he could, and the sooner through the better: it is never too soon to dye, but rather alwayes late to leave a miserable sinfull, for a happy [Page 39] sinless life. Besides, the shorter our lives, the easier our account we are to give to God; so that if some were to dye, they would choose to dye the death of the Infant.

But alas, though our In­fancy be the best time to dye in, because the Soul is not stained with actual sin, yet our Infancy is a state of Death; we were born Enemies to God, Children of Hell,Eph. 2.3. Children of wrath by na­ture, and so obnoxious to Gods displeasure, and to be Children under his wrath, which to en­dure is intollerable, and to a­void is impossible.

The best of us all was born with a poysoned and infected [Page 40] nature, we brought enough with us into the World to ruine us; if we should dye in our most innocent estate, yet we are depraved by evil, and destitute of good; there is enough of the Old man in the youngest babe to damn it; when you behold the prophaness of the World, and see the profligate Impie­ties, Drunkeness, Adultery, Murders, and other sins that are committed; when you hear the cursed and damned Oathes, those dreadfull imprecations of flagitious men, the nature of an harmless Infant is the seed-plot of all this; so that a poor innocent babes death, is more dangerous than the death of the [Page 41] righteous; we may hope well of such babes, but we may believe better of the righteous.

Secondly, compare the death of the righteous, with the death of a Patient; some persons you know they are often choo­sing in their discourses what kind of death to dye, whether a sudden and violent death, or a death by the hand of a long sickness; many persons would choose this latter, because, say they, they have time to repent, time for others to pray for them, and have warning by the languishing condition they are in: But alas consider, God may take this latter time to judge thee in, because thou [Page 42] tookest not thy former time to seek him in; he that has pro­mised life to the penitent, has not promised repentance to e­very one that is under a long sickness. 'Tis true, thy warn­ings are a mercy, but better it is to dye the death of the righ­teous, though thou shouldest dye suddenly: If thou art righteous, thou art habitually prepared; but if thou hadst never so long sickness, it would be very uncertain whether that would contribute to thy pre­paration or not.

I have often thought a Mi­nister could not have a better time to speak to, and work upon a people, then when they [Page 43] are sick, but I find the quite contrary, and that they that have neglected the things of their peace in the time of their health, though they have had a great deal of time to prepare themselves, when exercised with a lingring sickness, yet they have not improv'd it: Therefore trust not too much to that.

Christians, If a man have many strong and able Beasts, and he should take the burthen off from these, and should have but one pittifull creature, that was lame and scarce able to go, and should lay it upon this, would you not think this a strange man? Thus it is with [Page 44] many men. O! the many strong and lusty dayes men have, and yet lay the whole burthen of their repenting and turning unto God, upon the few lan­guishing dayes of sickness; but this I may say, those that forget holiness till sickness, seldom remember it in sickness; we see in such sicknesses usually, when the Physicians have done,Ʋbi desi­nit Me­dicus, incipit Theolo­gus. the Divine begins; a most dreadfull delusion: Men desire a lingring sickness, but the Devil knows there is not one of ten thousand lets his sin live long with him, but his repen­tance dyeth with him; remem­ber as God did not love a blind Sacrifice, so not a sick Sacrifice.

Thirdly, compare the death of the righteous, with the death of the Honourable; If many a man were to choose what death he would dye, he would dye the death of a King, or some Great Person, that he might be magnificently entombed, and make posterity to know his re­nown: But alas, Gods Tribu­nal and the Grave are no re­specters of persons; there is no difference between the Peasant and the Prince, the Leather and the Velvet Coat, the Canvass Suit and the Tunick and Vest, the Presbyter and the Prelate, even then the Kings of the Earth, are but Kings of Earth; you know when Trees grow in [Page 46] a Wood all together, we can say there stands an Oak, and there an Elme, and there a Cedar, and there a Shrub, but when these Trees are burnt and turned into ashes, which of you can say, this is the ashes of such a Tree, or such a Tree.

Death is that great Leveller that maketh all persons equal: In the mowing of a Field, though some grass be higher, and some flowers bigger than others, yet when they are mowed they lye all flat upon the ground; an Earthen Pot though never so great, is as subject to be broken as a little one. 'Tis a very remarkable [Page 47] observation the Jews have of David, 1 Kings 1. per totum, compa­red with 1 Kings 2.1. [...] in his life time he is seldom mentioned in Scripture without some preface of Ho­nour, as King David, my Lord the King, &c. and so he is a­bout forty times called King David, and my Lord the King David, in one Chapter; but now see what an alteration there is in the first verse of the next Chapter, When the dayes of Da­vid drew nigh that he should dye; He that was my Lord the King so often a little before, now he comes to dye is plain David; so that you see death maketh all equal. Do you then desire to dye the death of a Great man! Surely it is not [Page 48] so good as to dye in the fear of the great God: and therefore Hezekiah a potent and noble Prince, when he had a message of death, pleads not, Remem­ber Lord that I have been a King, that I have worn the Crown, and swayed the Scep­ter,Isa. 38.3. but Remember Lord that I have walked before thee in truth, with a perfect heart, and have done that which is right in thy sight: its a poor thing in death to have been saluted, Your Lordship, and Your Lady­ship, Your Honour, and Your Grace, Your Highness, and Your Majesty at every word, if we cannot see our selves to be the persons whom the [Page 49] King of Heaven delights to ho­nour.

Fourthly, another had ra­ther dye the death of the Weal­thy; many persons we see in the World, they toyle, and la­bour, and sweat, and if you ask them the reason, it must needs be this, that they might leave something behind them when they dye.

Christians, that is not our own, which we cannot carry with us into another World; the rich man in this respect is like a poor man, that is invited to a great mans Table; whilst he is there, he makes use of the Plate, and Silver Spoons, and other things, but he must [Page 50] pocket up none of these, but leave them behind him when he goes thence; so God gives him a great many things here to use, but he must leave them all at death.

Or just as it is with Travel­lers, who make use of the mo­vables of an Inne for that night they lodge there, but the next morning they leave them, and go onward in their journey;Job 21.13. They spend their dayes in wealth and in a moment they go down to the grave: Who would not choose to dye the death of the righteous, rather than of Na­bal, or the rich man in the Gospel? What a vain thing is man to desire to dye rich? To [Page 51] leave a portion of Goods be­hind him, and not to have a good portion in Heaven? Surely the wealth and accom­modations of the World, do not make any person the more fit or willing to dye. I re­member a story, that when the Duke of Venice shewed Charles the 5th. at Venice his Earthly Paradice, stately Palace,Haec sunt quae faci­unt invi­tos mori. [...] Rabb. Gar­dens, Riches, Furniture, Plate and Jewels, and asked the Emperor what he thought of them; he doth in a most Chri­stian manner make no other answer but this, These are the things that make men unwilling to dye: Another shewing a pri­vate Christian the like sight, [Page 52] expecting to be admired for it, drew this speech from the Christian; Sir, you had need make sure of heaven, or else you will be a great loser when you dye. He that has set his heart on these things while he pos­sesses them, they will go to his heart when he is torn from them, he will be unwilling to dye.

Fifthly, let us compare the death of the righteous, with the death of the Valiant; some would choose this: what large renown have many that have dyed upon the place, in an en­gagement against the Enemies of their Country? How doth their fame shine in History, and [Page 53] the Chronicles of Nations em­balm their Names to posterity? Such as that glorious King of Sweden Gustavus Adolphus, Killed but not Conquered; and that noble Captain Consalvo, who being counselled to retire a little backwards from the E­nemy, made this answer,Essendo egli consigliato a voler retirarsi alquanto in­dietro, rispose, desiderare d'haver piu tosto al presente la sua sepoltura un palmo di terrerro piu avanti, che col' retirarsi indietro poche braccia allungar la vita cen­to anni. Guicciard. That he had rather at that time get a span of ground forwards, though he were sure to find his grave there, then retreat a few yards to lengthen out his life a hun­dred years. But though this may seem to be a brave and [Page 54] noble thing to dye so, yet how poor comfort is it to their souls, if they be not Souldiers of the Lamb, called, chosen, and faithfull? What does it avail them to be praised where they are not, and be tormented where they are? All their courage and resolution, all their valour and magnanimity, what is it to their Salvation without grace and piety? They are lauda­ble Virtues, but not saving Graces: 'Tis true, it is very honourable for a man to dye for his Country, but let me dye the death of the righteous.

Sixthly, let us compare the death of the righteous, with the death of the Learned; if some [Page 55] men were to choose what death they would dye, they would choose to dye the death of a Philosopher; when they have read of Seneca, Plato, Socrates, and others, with how much constancy and courage they looked death in the face, they think it brave to dye like one of these; but one spark of Grace is a better Lanthorn to lead you to happiness, than all the reason and wisdom those men had; they were wise to admiration, and yet not wise to salvation. It was the speech of St. Austin in his time,Surgunt indocti & rapi­unt coe­lum, &c. Ʋn­learned men arise and snatch Heaven away, whilst we with all our Learning go loaden to [Page 56] Hell. Therefore what will it profit to dye the death of the Learned? I tell you, Solomons repentance was better to dye with, than all Solomons wis­dom; Learning is a poor cor­dial to a dying man; Scholar­ship is a rare Ornament, but a miserable Comforter, when you come to dye; a good Hand­maid to Godliness, but a bad supplyer of the place of it when Godliness is wanting: There­fore what will it profit a man to dye the death of the greatest Philosopher that ever was, if that be all.

Seventhly, another it may be would choose to dye the death of the Antient; some say, [Page 57] if they might choose what death they would dye, they would wish to dye in a good old age, to spin out the thread of their lives to a great length, and to go away at last like a Lamp for want of oyl; gradu­ally to spend the radical moi­sture of the body, and then without pain to yield unto na­ture: But unless you dye the death of the righteous, the lon­ger your death is deferred, the greater will be the misery that will be inflicted; the longer a sinner lives, the more wrath he layes up for himself; and therefore excellent is that ex­pression of the Apostle,Rom. 2.5 Accor­ding to thy hardness and im­penitent [Page 58] heart thou treasurest up wrath against the day of wrath: What is the meaning of the phrase? 'Tis just like a covetous Miser that is making of a hoard, he is every day adding something to it till it come to a great sum: So thou treasurest up wrath; the lon­ger God continues thee, the greater the wrath will be at last which thou must suffer. Or as a man that every day is carry­ing a stick to a pile of wood, with which at last he is to be burned; the longer he lives the greater the pile, and the more formidable the fire will be: the longer God forbears thee, the more interest thou [Page 59] must pay: he will be thy sorer enemy, because he was no sooner thine enemy. If thou livest to be an Old man, and not a Babe in Christ, thy case is most dreadfull: Old age in it self is not desirable; an Old man is an animated grave, [...] a Sepulchre with a little life in it; it is the refuge and anvil for diseases to meet in and beat upon; and therefore they are called evil dayes in which there is no pleasure. Eccles. 12.1. 'Tis true, the hoary head (when nature has snowed Gray hairs upon a man) is a Crown of Glory, Prov. 16.31. but it is no Crown to thee, unless found in the way of righteous­ness: Therefore the Text is thus [Page 60] read in the Holy tongue, [...] in fut. niphal. The hoary head is a Crown of Glory, (of ornament, or comeliness) in the way of righteousness let it be found, or it shall be found; it is either to be understood as a promise, thus, in the way of righteousness the Crown of Glory shall be found by the hoary head; or as a command, thus, that the Gray head may be a becoming ornament to the an­tient, let it be found in the way of righteousness; it is necessary it should be found in that way. What do Old men that are not good so long in the World? What is the advantage they get? Surely only this, They live to see more evil, and to do [Page 61] more evil, and to deserve more evil than others do, that is all the happiness of an Old man that is not gracious; for it is not the venerable face that will commend to God, nor the snowy head of the Antient, that will make way for him before the Ancient of dayes, but to dye the death of the righteous. To name one more,

Eightly, compare the death of the righteous, with the death of the Martyrs; all that dye for such, are not saved, but all that dye righteous they are saved; there are many persons that may give their bodies to be burned, 1 Cor. 13.3. and yet their souls shall burn in Hell; many per­sons [Page 62] that may be Martyrs in our account, who are but Malefactors in the account of God: If we dye the death of a Martyr, and not of a Godly one, it will be no profit; for it is not the death, nor the cause only, but the heart that makes a Martyr.

Three things make a Mar­tyr; there must not only be suffering, but a good cause to suffer in, and a good consci­ence to suffer with; some Mar­tyrs that seemed nothing else to us, may really be nothing less, when as no righteous persons, but they are happy: There are some persons that may seem to us, to dye for the [Page 63] Lord, and yet do not dye in the Lord; but all upright men dye in the Lord, and therefore you see, if we make the comparison here, the death of the righteous is much to be preferred: And thus you have the first thing, the reasons why wicked men when they come to dye, desire to dye the death, and have the last end of the righteous.

The second thing is, How it comes to pass that though they desire it, yet they do not obtain it. I would not speak now concerning the sins of wicked men, by which they forfeit this desired happiness; if a man should never so much desire health, and yet go immediately [Page 64] and drink off a cup of poison, death would be his portion be­fore health: if a Water-man should never so much desire to be at Westminster, and yet row towards London-bridge, his desires would be but in vain: Thus it is with sinfull men, they contradict their desires in their pratices, therefore their de­sires further them nothing in the way to happiness, their practices carry them faster to Hell, than their desires can to Heaven. But if you ask me, Why do those that desire it not obtain it? My answer is, Be­cause they do but desire it; they have nothing but faint velleities, which is too sloath­full [Page 65] full a way to get these great things by; there are many means conscientiously to be used, that this last end of the upright may be enjoyed: the Lepers in the Gospel were cu­red not sitting still, but walk­ing,Luke 17 [...] 14 as they went they were cleansed: we must be up and doing: we must be at the charges and expences, not only of many an earnest wish, but of many a salt tear, and many a bitter sigh, and many a deep groan, and many a hard pull before we can obtain this bles­sing: an happy estate in death, and a glorious life after it, are commodities not to be had at so cheap a rate, as for a wish: [Page 66] we can gain but a little of the Earth, though we take a great deal of pains for it; and do we think to obtain Heaven with no pains? It was the saying of an antient Rabbin, [...] Rabb. If thou canst ob­tain but a little of this World which thou pur­suest so much, how canst thou look for any thing of the other World which thou followest not at all? We must then be work­ing as well as wishing;Lam. 3. 41. Oratione operatio & opera­tione ful­ciatur o­ratio. Hieron. there­fore 'tis said, Let us lift up our hearts with our hands to God in the Heavens; our hearts, in praying and wishing, our hands, in acting and doing: [Page 67] We ought to support our pray­ing with our working, and our working with our pray­ing, both these should go to­gether; we must be as well in the operative way, as in the optative mood.

I remember the Fable of the Country man, whose Cart stuck fast in the mire; he falls a praying to Jupiter to help it out, but doth nothing else; and Jupiter bids him set his shoulder to the wheel, and then cry to Jupiter: so we must set our hands to the work, and then desire to dye the death of the righteous. Solomons ad­vice is good,Prov. 2.3, 4. if thou shalt cry after knowledge, and liftest up [Page 68] thy voice for understanding, if thou shall seek for her as for silver, and search for her as for hid treasure, &c. not only cry and lift up the voice, but seek and search: so the Apostle counsels,Col. 3.1, 2. [...]. to seek the things that are above, as well as to mind the things that are above: hence the Church prayeth in the Psalm,Ps. 67.1. God be mercifull to us, and bless us, and cause his face to shine upon us; the Hebrew is, [...] and cause his face to shine with us; that is, his grace to accompany our endeavours: Gods grace is to be desired, and mans endeavour not to be spared.

Now this may be summed [Page 69] up in a few words; here are the two reasons why they do not obtain, though they do desire.

First, They neglect the active obedience of a righteous life; they neglect the performance of those duties that lead to this end; Obedience though it be not the cause of Heaven, yet it is the cawsey to it; though it doth not merit, yet it is the means; when our wishes go without duty, then they are lame and out of joynt; there must be Faith, Repentance, Ho­liness, Ordinances, Obedience to the commands of God, &c. 'tis by these we please God: Its said of the Ninivites, and [Page 70] God saw their works that they turned from their evil way; [...] Seder Maamadoth ex tract. Sabbath. the Prophet saith not, and God saw their Sackcloth and their Fasting, but their works, that they turn­ed from their evil way. Re­member this, He that made you without your assistance, will not save you without your obedi­ence; and this obedience is to be universal, not only to the easier duties, but to the more difficult: Some are easie, as to believe we must be saved by an imputed righteousness, to trust to another when we see our own imperfection, these we are easily [Page 71] perswaded to; but then to love our enemies, to mortifie our cor­ruptions, to pull out our right eye, and cut off our right hand, these are hard sayings; men will not go to the cost of uni­versal active obedience, and therefore wish and wish, and do not obtain.

Secondly, they decline the passive obedience of a righte­ous life, and that makes them miscarry; they would be wil­ling to be saved by the Cross of Christ, bit they are not wil­ling to bear the Cross of Christ; they would be willing to fol­low Christ to his Kingdom, but they would not follow him to his Cross; they would fol­low [Page 72] him into the Garden of pleasure, but not to Golgotha the place of Souls; they would be willing to eat bread with Christ at his Table, but are loath to pledge him in his bit­ter Cup; they would be glori­fied with his Glory, but not be baptized with his Baptism: There's the great reason men do not attain Heaven, they would be willing to dye the death of the righteous, but are unwilling to dye the death for righteousness sake. Alas! (Christians) the Lord Jesus Christ will be your head, but it is a head under a Crown of Thorns; God will be your God, as he was to Moses, but [Page 73] he will appear to you in the burning Bush; we must first enter into the sorrow of our Lord, before we can enter into the joy of our Lord; there are first those groans that are un­utterable, and then those joyes that are unspeakable: He that hath not learned the lesson of the Cross, has not learned his A. B. C. in Religion: The Scriptures teach, first a suffer­ing with Christ, and then a reigning with him: Now there are few persons willing to suf­fer, and therefore it is that so few get to Heaven. Few think themselves to be graced (as they in the Acts.)Acts 5.41. when they are disgraced; few that count [Page 74] themselves dignified, when they are villified for Christ; few that are convinced, that though they lose all for Christ, yet they shall lose nothing by him; nay, that though they lose all for him, yet they may find it all again, and more in him; few that are like the an­tient Christians, that were glad they had any thing to lose for Jesus Christ; thus should it be with us all: we must neither neglect the active, nor decline the passive obedience of a righ­teous life, if we would dye the death of the upright, and have our last end like his. Thus I have answered the two Que­stions; let me now conclude [Page 75] in a few inferences from the premisses.

And first, this shews us the wisdom and happiness of those that make choyce of a righteous life; 'Tis the best wisdom, be­cause they only take the right way to ensure a blessed death; they have a prospect into fu­turity, they consider what is coming, and therefore provide for it. And 'tis their great happiness, because they make sure of a heavenly reward after death; therefore how strange­ly do we argue, when we see a Worldling dandled upon the knees of prosperity? we are prone to think,. surely this is one of the Favourites of Hea­ven, [Page 76] the darling of provi­dence, surely God loveth that man, he makes him so great and rich; and on the other hand, when we see the righteous afflicted in this World, re­proached, threatned, impove­rished, imprisoned, banished, martyred, we are apt to judge, surely this is not a person that God loves; but it must be the end that must be regarded, and then it will appear who is the happy man;Psa. 37.37. mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is Peace; the happiness of life is to be esteemed of by the end and issue of it: though the righteous mans way be afflicti­on, [Page 77] yet his end is peace; that is, an absence of all evil, and the presence of all good: the Hebrew word for Peace, comes from a root which denotes per­fection; his end is perfecti­on of happiness: hence the Rabbin tells us, [...] Rab. Shimson Ben Chol­peta misna okatzim sub finem. that the Holy blessed God finds not any ves­sel that will con­tain enough of blessing for Is­rael, but the vessel of Peace, according to that of the Psal­mist,Psa. 29. ult. the Lord shall bless his people with Peace: indeed this is ALL, therefore Balaam himfelf, though a wretch and a reprobate, wished himself no [Page 78] more happiness, then the righ­teous should enjoy at death, and in the other life.

If an unskilfull man should go to an exquisite Limner, and see him draw the rude draught of a Picture, he would wonder what he intended; but if he would but stay till he had set to his ultimam manum, his last hand, and finished the piece, he would see it to be excel­lent: Thus it is with foolish men, they look upon the rude draught of a Godly mans con­dition in this World, and mis­judge it; but if they had but patience to suspend their judgement till God had fi­nished it, they would find it [Page 79] excellent; and worthy to be desired.

If a man had been present with God at his first dayes creation, when God began to make the World, when in the tohu vabohu, [...] Gen. 1.2. in the indigested Chaos, all things lay disorderly and confusedly jumbled toge­ther, fire and water, cold and heat, light and darkness, dry and moist, if a man had seen this, he would have wondered, what will the wise God make of this piece of confusion; but if this man had staid till the end of the sixth day, he would have said with God, Behold all is very good. Thus he that looks upon the troubled estate [Page 80] of the righteous, may wonder what God intends with them; but stay to the end, and you will see their condition bles­sed: wicked men look no fur­ther then just before them, to receive their good things in this life; but you know there are many persons that may be coached to Hell, when others may be whipped to Heaven; nay many if they were not kept short of the things of the Earth, would come short of the joyes of Heaven. Doth any person think the Malefactor happy, because he may ride in a gilded Coach to the Gal­lows? Or the Child to be un­happy, because the Father [Page 81] takes the rod and corrects him? I remember one of the Popish Writers compareth the righte­ous, and the wicked, to the Hens and Hawks that are kept in Great mens houses; you know whilst the Hen is alive, she is not suffered to come into the house, but to scrape upon the Dunghill, and get her living there; but when the Hen is killed, she is served in to the Masters table: whereas the Hawk whilst alive is kept in the house with great atten­dance, but when 'tis dead, 'tis good for nothing, but thrown out upon the Dung­hill.

So here the wicked have it [Page 82] may be a great deal of provi­sion, but when they dye there is no more use of them, when as the Godly are preferred: Now I appeal to you which of these is the happiest estate; surely that is the best that is the best at last; none would be so mad as to desire first his happiness, and then his mise­ry: which would you choose of these two, either to go through a pleasant Gallery, where are all sorts of Pictures, variety of sweet smells, and all manner of delights, to run through this into a flaming fire; or to run through a fla­ming fire, to come into a place of liberty, peace, and comfort? [Page 83] See then the wisdom and hap­piness of those that make choice of a righteous life.

Secondly, we learn hence the necessity of looking about us, whether our endeavours are suitable to our wishes, or else (as you see) for all your wishes to dye the death of the righteous, you may dye the death of the reprobate.

Pray think of it, the time will certainly come, and may suddenly come, when nothing but the life of the righteous will yield you comfort; the Physicians they have left thee, the Minister he is to come, (but alas it is too late to send for him, for thou art not ca­pable [Page 84] of receiving any in­struction) thy reasonable soul, thy precious soul, thy immor­tal soul sits trembling upon the threshold of thy lips, to take its flight into another World; go backward into this life you cannot, stay here you may not, go forward into ano­ther World you dare not. Now this is the time, and if have not lived the life of the righte­ous, what a dreadfull estate are you in then?

The soul of a man at death, is like a Prince beaten from one strong Hold into another; the soul is first made to fly out of the lower parts of the body, the legs and thighs, and then [Page 85] comes into the upper parts of the body; but the disease be­siegeth it there, and then it flyes to the heart, (its last re­fuge) and cannot hold out long there.

Upon this account it con­cerns us greatly, to ask every one himself, How have I lead my life? Where are my Graces? What have I been doing nothing but wishing for Heaven, and not labouring for it? O consider how much you should be awakened and alla­rum'd by this! you ought to deal honestly with your selves; it is high time to bestir your selves, you are upon the bor­ders of Eternity; none of you [Page 86] but desire to dye the death of the righteous, O labour that your endeavours may be an­swerable: If there was but one of you that had been wishing and not endeavouring, and so like to be excluded out of bliss, it might greatly startle you all who this might be: When Christ told his Disci­ples, one of them should be­tray him, they come and say every one, Lord is it I? and when we tell you there are a great many in the World, that do not endeavour, but only wish to be saved, and for this are in danger to be damned, methinks you should every one say, Lord is it not I? If [Page 87] there was but one man in the whole World that was to be damned, it might awaken us all, lest any of us should be that one man: As if an Army was drawn into a Field, and a voice should come from Heaven, that a Dart should strike one man of that Company dead, and not tell the man, would not every one have cause to be afraid? So have we cause to entertain an holy fear and jealousie, lest we should be of the number of such as shall fall short of the Glory of God.

Thirdly, we learn hence the duty of adding working to our wishing, in order to our arri­val at the death of the righte­ous; [Page 88] and this we are to endea­vour both seriously, and sea­sonably: 2 Pet. 1.10. 1. seriously; Give di­ligence to make your calling and election sure; 1 Cor. 15. ult. Eccles. 9.10. Abound in the work of the Lord; What­ever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might: Be in good earnest for thy precious and immortal soul.

And then 2ly. do it sea­sonably; because thou art so uncertain of the continuance of a natural life, therefore be speedy in respect of a spiri­tual life.Psa. 119. [...]. We should make hast and not delay to keep Gods Commandments: there may be cases wherein its not only law­full, but laudable for him that [Page 89] believeth to make hast; such a case is this of our souls, in which expedition is highly commendable: 'Tis observed of Solomon, that he was but seven years in building the House of God,1 Kings 6. ult. — 7.1. and thirteen in building his own: [...] Miclal Yophi in loc. R. Shelomoh Yar­chi writes of it, that the Scripture speaks it to his praise, that he was so quick in Gods, and so slow in his own work. It is much with us in respect of our lives, as with men that are sail­ing in a Ship before the wind, whether they sit or lye, work or be idle, walk or stand still, whatsoever they do, yet the [Page 90] Ship is going forward towards the Port it is bound for: So it is here, whether we repent or do not repent, pray or neglect to pray, believe or do not be­lieve, be holy or remain un­holy, our lives wear away apace: Therefore we had need look about us, and to quicken our pace in the path of God­liness.

Men complain of the short­ness of their lives,Non su­mus vitae inopes sed prodigi. and yet live as if their lives were too long; O methinks there is enough in the death and last end of the righteous, to perswade you to the way of the upright! Be therefore adding working to your wishing; remember that [Page 91] of Paul, Gal. 6.7, 8. Be not deceived, God is not mocked; according as a man soweth, so shall he also reap: He that sowes to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corrupti­on; but he that soweth to the spirit, shall of the spirit reap life everlasting. The meaning of the Apostle is plainly this, that there is a consonancy betwixt a mans life and death; such as his sowing is, such shall his reaping be.

Lastly, to conclude the whole, this may be the com­fort of such as do live the life, as well as desire to dye the death of the upright; that choose the former part, as well as the lat­ter end of the righteous; for [Page 92] as the wicked go from a tempo­ral life to an eternal death,Vita ad mortem sic impi­us vivit, mors ad vitam sic pius mo­ritur. so the righteous go from a tem­poral death to an eternal life; their death is both precious to God, and advantageous to temselves: The righteous may welcome death, for death to a righteous man, though it parts two near friends, Soul and Body, yet it unites two better friends, the Soul and its Saviour to all Eternity.

The Scripture records con­cerning Moses, in the last Chap­ter of Deuteronomy, Deut. 34.5. that Moses the servant of the Lord dyed according to the word of the Lord; the words in the Hebrew are, [...] Moses dyed upon the mouth [Page 93] of the Lord: The meaning is, say the Jews,l'Empe­reur pa­raph. Jach. in Dan. p. 258. Moses dyed kissing of God; surely so it is with the Saints of God, their Father gives them a kiss, and so layes them down in the bed of the Grave; therefore they that have lived righteously, may at death smile themselves into a corpse; for the body of a Godly man goes to his Lords bed, and his soul to his Lords bosom; the Grave is perfumed for his bo­dy, and Heaven prepared for his soul. I may say of righ­teousness as Solomon, (in a case not much differing)Prov. 6.22. when thou goest it shall lead thee, when thou sleepest it shall keep thee, and when thou awakest it shall [Page 94] talk with thee; that is, (ac­cording to the Gloss of the Rabbinical In­terpreters) [...] when thou goest it shall lead thee, viz. in thy pas­sage through this World; when thou sleepest it shall keep thee, viz. when thou lyest down in the Grave; and when thou a­wakest it shall talk with thee, viz. when thou art awakened at the glorious Resurrection.

Well then, (all ye that are upright in heart and life) I bring you glad tydings of great joy;Psal. 58.11. Eccles. 8.12. Verily there is a re­ward for the righteous, and it shall be well with them that fear [Page 95] God, that fear before him: it shall be so well, that none of you shall desire to have it bet­ter; while the languid wishes of the wicked betray them to the pit of Perdition, your holy and earnest endeavours shall deliver you into the Mansion of Glory;1 Cor. 15 ult. your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord: God is too good to suffer him­self to be overcome in love; Dieu est trop bon pour se laisser surmon­ter en a­mour. it shall never be said, there is more love in man to righteous­ness, than there is love in God to the righteous. Therefore comfort your selves with these words, for you shall in this World certainly obtain a com­fortable dissolution, and in the [Page 96] other World a joyfull Resur­rection; You shall dye the death of the righteous, and like unto his shall be your last