English Puritan & Reformed

Sayings Not Long Before Death

James Janeway (1636-1674) · 1,545 words · 7 min

The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/B25222.0001.001

Project Note

This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.

The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.

This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.

Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.

However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.

This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.

Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org

Mr. JANEWAY'S SAYINGS Not long before his DEATH.

1. TO disparage Sin, and to encourage Holiness is none of the least Works of a Minister of Christ.
2. The Wicked may drink, roar, and swagger, and sell their precious Souls for a moments joy, and make light of Damnation, but let them know, for all these things God will bring them to Judgment, an eternity of intolerable sorrows must pay for their short pleasures.
3. Hence it is that the serious Christian makes it his business to avoid this dreadful misery; let the wicked please themselves in their sorrows, he knows 'tis but a little while, and all will be mended, and their minds changed.
4. He is willing to stay for his happiness and joys, till he come to another World; and he doth not envy the Wicked what they do enjoy, let them make the best of it.
5. The unseen world, which most forget, is always in the Christians eye, and if he may but live happily there, he passeth not if he run through reproaches, injuries, and a thousand Deaths, to that glorious and endless Life.
6. This is the grand Reason of the Christians patience; this makes him judge it no folly, but the greatest wisdom to keep the Commandments of God, and the Faith of Jesus.
7. Those which live like Devils, are not like to die like Saints, that count all their time lost, they do him no service in, which make a jest of Damning, and are as merry within a step of Hell, as if it and a Tavern were alike.
8. And yet how well are wicked men pleased and contented with their own condition, and laugh at the Godly, as if it were a dangerous and mad thing to go to Heaven, and the truest happiness to be miserable forever?
9. The Devil himself may as well expect to shake off his chains, and be restored to his lost glory, as they: O be not deceived, as you sow so you must reap.
10. God gives this world oftentimes to his greatest Enemies; he gives glory in another World to none but his Friends and Children.
11. Nay, let me speak it freely, they which gain this World with their negligence of Heaven, shall at their death lose both.
12. Many that would be counted wise, drive a great Trade for that which is next to nothing, and that lay in no better provisions than gravel, clay, or dung, when they are bound for eternity.
13. They think they make a very wise bargain, when they sell their Conscience, God, and Heaven, for a little of that which some call riches.
14. O that I could but bring down the price of subluary things, and raise the things of that other World, to their true worth.
15. Think not meanly of Holiness, it's the most excellent thing, it is the greatest Riches, and man's highest Dignity.
16. He that knows the worth of Christ, and the Nature of his own soul, let him not envy those that swell like bladders upon water for a moment, and God puffs them of, and where are they?
17. How can they look for Heaven when they die, that thought it not worth their minding whilst they lived?
18. Whatsoever men pursue below Christ, will yield them but little happiness and comfort in another World.
19. Not everyone that wears Christ's Livery shall have his wages.
20. How many seeming Saints shall gain nothing at Death, but a thorough knowledge of their own folly?
21. O please not yourself with fancies, sickness and death is coming, and then you will know better, the reason of my earnest pleading with you in this matter.
22. He that hath not got more then ever any Hipocrite could attain, or shall, will miss of Heaven.
23. The best of God 's Children are most suspicious of themselves, and afraid of their own deceitful hearts; and their great request is, that God would deliver them from mistakes in matters of everlasting consequence.
24. It's a common thing for Wicked men to carry their false peace along with them to the grave.
25. How many thousands are there that die like Lambs, that are but Swine, and have the Devils brand upon their fore-heads?
26. Many are carried very quietly to Hell, and fear nothing till they feel, and are not brought to their senses, till unspeakable horror and anguish doth it.
27. It hath not a little puzzled some, as well as David, to see the wicked die quietly, and the godly to have a strange death; but God will shortly resolve this Riddle.
28. That soul which hath seen the death of Sin, is a person fit for death.
29. That Man is like to be a gainer by Death, who contemns earth, and makes heaven his choice.
30. He that counts nothing worth the having, except Christ, and for Christ, cannot be miserable, when he is lodged safe in his embraces.
31. God is oftentimes better, but never worse than his word: the running Christian shall at last obtain the prize, and the crown he fights for he shall wear.
32. What though the Vessel be tost and broke? it shall come safe with its rich Lading, to the desired Harbor.
33. O you foolish world, condemn not these spiritual wise Merchants, till you know what their returns are, when their burden is delivered.
34. He that is willing to die for Christ, shall live as long as Christ lives, in happiness and rest.
35. Those souls are out of gun-shot, that are instrumental for the shaking the Kingdom of Satan, and weakening the interest of Hell in the world.
36. Who would not be a Christian in good earnest? sure none but a mad-man or a fool.
37. The highest worldlings are below the meanest and lowest child of God.
38. Christianity is a clear demonstration of invisibles, witness the many earnests of their Profession, what warm refreshing Rays of Divine love break in upon their souls, what joy, what experiments, and blessed intercourses have past betwixt God and such souls, the fire hath burnt, and of a sudden the soul hath, e're it was aware been carried above the world.
39. The Spirit of truth will not witness to a lie, neither will goodness itself, put a cheat upon poor creatures.
40. Balaam 's wish may thoroughly convince sinners, that Holiness is no Madness, Piety no Fancy, and Religion no Delusion.
41. I am persuaded that all the Reprobates in Hell, will one day justify the children of God, for their seriousness, and wish a thousand times, that they had had their Scornes; losses, and torments.
42. Well then, our Enemies themselves, being Judges, an Israelite indeed, is a person of true worth; and without controversy, his estate is, and shall be comfortable, blessed, and glorious.
43. O Christian, as long as God is true, you shall not be deceived, as long as he is happy, you shall not be miserable, you are well enough, go on resolutely, 'tis but yet a little while, and you shall see all this, and more than this a thousand times.
44. Death will shortly tare off Joshua 's rags, and present him before the Lord, without spot or wrinkle.
45. Sin indeed accompanies the wicked to another World, he rests from his pleasures, and his wicked works follow him.
46. But it is far otherwise with the godly, sin was his burden, and death shall unload him.
47. Sin shall be confined to Hell, Heaven entertains no such deformity.
48. This Tyrant shall no more enslave any of Christ's Subjects.
49. The house of Saul, and the house of David shall no longer contend, that sad conflict between the flesh and the Spirit, shall then be determined by a full victory.
50. Death sets the Soul out of the Devils reach.
51. This Angel hath nothing to do in Heaven, this Serpent shall not come into the higher Paradise, nor Satan creep into this Eden.
52. O happy day, when will it come when the Devil shall be as unlike to tempt, as our hearts to close?
53. When we are got once safe to rest, the Devil shall as easily shake God 's throne, as our happiness.
54. Death turns the key, and bolts and bars this enemy out; then, O then thou shalt see this Pharaoh cast dead on the shore.
55. Christian, expect not as long as any of that Cainish generatian breath, that thou shouldst be long secure.
56. What though the world speak great words? thou shalt e're long ride in state to glory, and then let them do their worst.
57. When thou art in Heaven, they may curse and increase their own misery, but they shall not in the least diminish thy tranquility.
58. The beauty of this inferior world will be darkened by the brightness of that light, which Death leads thee into.
59. Death blows the dust out of our eyes, it plucks off the veil, and shows us quickly the glory of both Worlds.

FINIS.

London, Printed by A. Purslow, 1674.