Harvest-Home
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/A29933.0001.001
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
Harvest-Home: BEING The Sum of certain SERMONS upon Job 5.26.
- One whereof was Preached at the Funeral of Mr. 〈◊〉 Musson, an Aged godly Minister of the Gospel in the Royally Licensed rooms in Coventry; the other since continued upon the Subject, by J. B. D. D. Late Pastor of the Holy Trinity in that Ancient and Honorable City.
- The first part being a preparation of the Corn for the Sickle.
- The Latter will be the reaping, shocking and inning of that Corn which is so fitted.
LONDON, Printed for the Author, 1674.
The Preface.
THis small Treatise concerning the happy and heavenly end of an holy life, the Author hath presumed to send to some of his noble and most worthy friends; as an Earnest and Token of his hearty thankfulness for sundry expressions of their bounty, in his now declining Age; humbly desiring of them to receive it as such; and of Almighty God, that they who have thus ministered to one of the Laborers of his harvest, may be (by this or other means) found wheat, meet to be laid up in the Garner of him, who is the great Husbandman, which will be the great rejoicing of him who is their bounden servant, and daily Orator at the throne of Grace
J. B.
Job 5.26.
Thou shalt come to thy Grave in a full; age like as a shock of Corn cometh in, in his season.
SECT. I. The certainty and necessity of Death to all, the privileges of the godly; both in every State of life; and in death itself.
THis Text presents to every heedful eye
The unavoidable necessity
Of dying naturally, or violently;
There is not one
That lives on Earth, but shall ere long be brought
Unto the Grave: yet they may sing, that sought
To God in truth; and righteousness have wrought:
To God alone
Committed have their cause;
[Ver. 17]
resigning
Themselves into his hands; not once repining
At the Almighty's Chastning; nor declining,
When God doth call:
At least Endeavor with their utmost might,
To seek, commit, submit, as in his sight
Walking continually, with hearts upright:
These surely shall
Find,
[Ver 18]
when God maketh sore, He bindeth up;
Into their hands gives an all-healing Cup;
And when he others wounds, they Dine, and Sup
With bodies whole.
In six,
[Ver. 19]
and seven troubles he delivers;
Each evil in those troubles breaks to shivers;
At shapes whereof each ill man quakes and quivers:
Also the Soul
Of every godly man untouched stands;
Free from the force of Body-killing bands;
Their persons also scape their Enemies hands;
And they are hid
By powrfull providence from the scourge of tongue;
[Ver. 20]
Nor shall they fear destruction coming strong
Upon them; but thereof, ere it be long
Be fairly rid.
At famine and destruction they shall smile;
[Ver 22]
[Ver. 23]
Yea laugh at both; for God shall reconcile
Both beasts, and stones, within a little while,
Friendly to them.
Though for a while some Creatures may annoy
And trouble them, yet shall they not destroy;
Nor, when their forces all they do employ,
Ever undo them.
[Ver. 24]
And they shall know their Tabernacle shall
Be in sweet peace; their habitation small
Capacious enough to hold them all,
And theirs, shall be;
When they it visit;
[Ver. 25]
nor shall they offend
Sinningly: likewise shall their seed ascend
To greatness; and as Spires of Grass, at end:
Their Eyes shall see
It spring, and flourish: the Posterity
Of pious Parents have this honor high,
They're under influences heavenly,
Lastly, when fate
Knocks at their door, they heartily are willing
To open to it, Since it is not killing;
But opens to them Promises fulfilling;
The glorious Gate
That lets them into lasting happiness:
They therefore hear Deaths call with joyfulness:
Embrace him in their Arms with cheerfulness:
they sigh, and groan
To die, and be with God and Christ, at rest:
From Sinful passions, which they much detest:
From Travels, Troubles, wherewith sore oppressed
They sadly moan:
They come unto their Graves,
[Ver. 26]
even as it were
Upon their own Feet, without any fear
Going into them; and while they are here,
In life abiding,
They shall have health, & strength, and wealth at will;
And multitude of years their Age shall fill:
A Comely burial also; nothing ill
At all betiding.
O Then, who would not be a godly man!
When such a Troop of good does all it can,
To make him happy! Let us further Scan
His thriving Bliss:
He shall ascend, come in, as doth a shock
Of Corn into the Barn; there shall no Block
Be laid to hinder his free pace; no Lock,
No Bar there is
To stop his passage thither; when the time
That he must dy is come, the bells shall Chime;
Church-bells above the Stars, thus calling him,
Come, come up hither.
Angels, and blessed Saints crying aloud;
Make haste to us, and leave the sinful crowd,
That wraps poor Wights on earth, as in a shroud,
Shut up together.
An entrance in among the heavenly Choir
Shall patent be, according to desire:
And there with Love as hot as any Fire,
His panting Heart
Shall filled be; his tongue shall also sing
The praises of his tender-hearted King;
Who died that he might live: each one shall bring
His several part;
Joyning together,
Hallelujahs
sound,
To all eternity: and there sins round,
Coursing it in a ring, shall not be found:
Compleat perfection
Of holiness, and happiness, possessed
By all alike, from greatest to the least:
Both souls and bodies ever fed with blest,
And sweet refection:
These Lessons two, thus taught ith' Text;
The certainty of death, and next,
The promises of good to such,
As pious are, we'l briefly touch.
SECT. II. The certainty of Death proved by the joint Suffrages of Heathens, Testimony of Scripture, and Concurrence of Natural Causes: the time, place, means, and other circumstances of it unknown to us, are known only to God: And we are exhorted thereupon, not to search after the knowledge of them.
Hear Heathens first, speaking thus seriously:
We clasp our Earth in Lifes expired date.
Th'impartial Fates, whom all mankind are under,
With keenest Scissars snip life's thread asunder.
Deaths tract we all must tread; our lives fair light
Must be obscured, and set in Deaths dark night.
Pale Death stands knocking at the lofty Towers
With equal foot, this debt we all must pay
Heathens thus heard; what sacred Scriptures say,
And shall not feel the strokes death daily giveth?
We must needs die, and be as water spilled
Upon the ground; involved in
Adams
guilt.
That they shall die, the living know full well;
The Grave's the house where all ere long must dwell,
This is the way of all the earth, Decreed
It is by God, the Worms on all shall feed.
Natural Causes may be given, why
All bodies perish necessarily;
The elements striving daily to Supplant;
Some one in time will be predominant:
Next the first matter, burning with desire
Of new forms, longs th' old subject may expire;
And fresh succeed. Thirdly the Radicall
Moysture consuming still, threatens a fall;
After its passed the height of augmentation;
And wasted, needs must follow dissipation.
Fourthly the Blood, as it grows old grows thick,
By slow degrees, and so corrupteth quick.
The Spirits also, natural in the veins;
And vital in the Arteries (by means
Whereof the life's maintained) and animal
In nerves (whereby Sensations made) these all
By use and labor wast: These causes cry,
Testaceous Vessels; and obnoxious
To casualties, that are most various.
Two ranks of men there are; some good, some bad:
Deaths Cannon plays against them both: 'tis sad
To think why these must die; that they may go
Death is to them an entrance into Hell:
Not so to those who study to do well:
Yet they must die; that being freed from sin,
And death, by death; they may have entrance in
To heavenly mansions; and be ever there,
With God and Christ, loving without all fear;
Receiving their reward of God's free grace;
With joy beholding his most glorious Face.
The point is proved; the reasons rendered, why
All, as well good, as bad must doubtless die.
The circumstances where, and when, and how,
Are only known to God; and we must bow
To his good pleasure. First for time, it is
Determined by a Decree of His;
The critical, and punctual time; Before
Which, none shall part with life, on any score;
Beyond it shall not live a moment. Whether
The term of life be fixed, or altogether
Moveable;
Job
hath stated: some ith' womb,
After a short, dark life do find a Tomb:
(A thousand Sculls found in one Nunnery)
Some born alive, die in their infancy
In Childhood, Youth, and Man-age, very many:
The rest filled with years. Death spares not any.
The Poem stilled Mortification,
Transcrib'd, may prove edification.
How soon doth man decay!
When Cloaths are taken from a Chest of sweets
To swaddle Infants, whose young breath
Scarce knows the way;
Those Clouts are little winding sheets;
Which do consign and send them unto Death.
When Boys go first to bed,
They step into their voluntary Graves;
Sleep holds them fast; only their breath
Makes them not dead;
Successive nights like rolling Waves
Convey them quickly, who are bound for death.
When youth is frank and free,
And calls for Music, while his veins do swell;
All day exchanging mirth and breath
In Company;
That Music summons to the Knell,
Which shall befriend him at the hour of Death.
When man grows stayed, and Wise;
Getting a house and home, where he may move
Within the Circle of his Breath;
Schooling his Eyes;
That dumb inclosure maketh love
Unto the Coffin, that attends his death.
When age grows low, and weak,
Marking his Grave, and thawing every Year;
Till all do melt, and drown his Breath;
When he would speak;
A Chair, or Litter shows the Bier,
Which shall convey him to the house of Death.
Man ere he is aware,
Hath put together a Solemnity;
And dressed his Herse while he hath breath
As yet to spare;
Yet Lord instruct us so to dy,
That all these dyings may be life in Death.
We all are full of holes, and take in Water
At many breaches; made of brittle matter;
At any time may be deprived of breath;
We know not when: God knows our hour of death.
And as the Time; the Place is known alone
To God; scarce any of us, but can own
The place where first we took our breath; but where
We shall breathe last, this doth to none appear,
But him, whose breath gave us both life and shape.
The place assigned by him; none can escape
That strives to shunit: Th'infants of
Bethlehem
Crying in Cradles, Soldiers murder them.
Eglon
is killed in's Parlour. In the field
King
Saul
is slain. His temple would not shield
Sennach'rib
from dying init.
Ishbosheth
Upon his bed bereaved is of breath.
Joab
at th' very Altar. As the place
Uncertain is, where we shall end our Race;
So is the manner how: A thousand ways
There are, whereby men terminate their days
By sicknesses most ordinarily;
Of other ways there is infinity.
The Children of
Jerusalem
do die
By famine:
Sodom's
by Saturity:
The new seen baldness of the Zealous Seer.
Who did obey, not God, but him that lied.
And Daughters had their dissolutions,
In midst of feasting, by the sudden fall
Of that House, where they fed together all.
By th' earth that opened (so they paid dear
For their rebellion.) By a broken Stone
Two Captains and their fifties were by Fire
(Call'd for and sent from heaven) forced toexpire.
A Fire himself did kindle wittingly.
Some die by Dogs,
Euripides
did so.
Some by a Fly; a seeming silly foe:
So did a Pope of
Rome.
A Counselor
Of the same City, strangled with an Hair.
Tullus Hostillius
was with lightning struck.
Homer,
because he at a riddle stuck,
Propos'd by Fisher-men, died with grief:
And
Sophocles
with joy, being judged chief
By one voice only in a prize of learning:
Wherein he showed a judgment best discerning
A Raisin stone did stop
Anacreons
breath.
Thus numberless have been the ways of death.
O by how small a thread does our Life hang!
When such small things can give a deadly pang!
In what shape death unto him will appear,
No man can tell: these are to none made clear:
Time, place, and manner of men's dying known
Are unto God; and unto him alone.
These being secrets, hid in the breast of God
Let us not search them; but while our abode
Is here below; and while we move within
The circle of our breath, let us begin
To school our eyes, and minds, at length, and try
What use to make of deaths necessity.
SECT. III. An Enquiry why men decline fitting themselves for that Death, that is thus certain: Three Reasons of it assigned: directions how to overthrow any force that is in them: an Exhortation to die daily, and the way of its performance discovered: good men have no reason to fear death; and why.
BUt first a question must be answered; why
Men everywhere are found so brutishly
Sottish, and stupidly irrational;
That few do fit themselves against their fall.
The reasons are; first they immersed are
In businesses, and pleasures of this life;
To manage, compass these is all their care;
In this they strive, and dearly love the strife;
These earthly things take up their thoughts; expel
All serious minding either of Heaven, or Hell.
As Ants are toiling busily together,
From morning until night, with strength so steady,
To get provision in, in smiling weather;
Regarding not at all the foot, that's ready
To crush them; so do people generally;
Considering not at all that they must die.
A second reason is, Men look on Death,
As far off; most presuming that they may
And that its time enough when their last day
Is near approaching, to begin to live
A life of Godliness; that God will give
Them when they will, grace to believe, repent:
They think it folly to forbear delights
Of life, which is best spent in merriment;
Eat, drink, sport, sleep; they will put away frights
Of future judgment; these thoughts putting by;
That th'only thing worth living's well to die;
To learn how to the world to die; and then
How to die out of it: and that the vast
Concern of the eternal state of men
Requires their freshest spirits, strength, and haste:
They should think thus that not a dying sigh
•
Will waft them over to those joys on high:
Bedrid devotion; Chimney prayers, the Name
Of God brought forth in a Phlegmatick cough;
And Lord have mercy on me, will be lame;
Sickness-repentance will not be enough:
Though likely signs of truth of grace begin
To show themselves then, they will be too thin:
Too weak to work scarcely a charity,
In them that do survive: for if they die
True Penitents, as any seemingly,
Turning from vice to virtue, probably;
Leave them to God (saith
Austin
) who can tell
Another reason of this desp'rate folly
In most men putting off the thoughts of death;
(Which makes them that they care not to be holy,
Continue fruitless, as a Barren heath)
It is the terror and the dread, that such
Thoughts bring with them; frighting them over-much:
Death called is the King of terrors, which
Is tended with a thousand phantasies;
And Ghastly apparitions; when these pitch
Their tents about men's souls, they shut their eyes,
Dare not behold them; labor to expel,
Will not permit such guests in them to dwell.
The certain hope fullest assurance, both,
Of heaven, is scarce sufficient to disarm
Death of its terrors:
Paul
himself was loath
To be unclothed, though he knew no harm
Could come to him thereby, though he had been
Rapt up, and things unutterable had seen,
And knew assuredly that he should go
To God, when he departed hence, 'tis hard
To death to reconcile men; though they know
As much as
Paul
did: yet their minds are scared,
From serious thoughts of Death, how to resist
These reasons, upon means we'll next insist.
First, since we must, ere it belong
Leave all these earthly things, wealth, honor, pleasures;
Let us not have affections strong
Unto them longer, make them not our treasures:
Nor let us marry
To that which will not tarry:
To dying comforts, living Souls
That cannot die; much less say each to other,
Let us eat flesh, drink wine in Bowls,
For we shall die tomorrow: rather smother
Such carnal motions,
That smother true devotions.
Let us be merry while we may,
We never shall be younger: many such
Are heard thus speaking, every day,
In these our days; whose consciences no touch
Of grace have felt,
But into pleasures melt.
All earthly comforts let us view,
As they in truth are, Casks of happiness,
Fugitive fancies, Errors hue,
Embroidered lies, but gilded emptiness,
And sugared Gall:
Such poisons they are all.
So upon riches, honors let
Us look, and we shall find them nothing better.
Unto our time a period's set,
Which is but short (so saith the holy Letter)
Let us therefore
But use the world as not abusing
It; anything therein, though lawful; seeing
The best thereof we judge worth choosing,
At best is but a Scheme, a thing sans being;
Which every day,
Is posting fast away.
Considering especially,
The greatest Weight on smallest wyer hangs:
Upon times point Eternity:
O ponder what insufferable pangs
Mans Conscience
Will have for this offense!
For a small moment of delight,
To venture his souls everlasting state
One would think this thought should affright
From tampering with sin at any rate:
Now let us turn,
Else we shall ever burn.
This is the first means to expel
Those cursed reasons. Next let us not look
On death as far off, knowing well
What we find written in God's holy Book,
What? namely this,
Our life a vapor is.
The vanishing of which may be
The next: we are not sure to see
Another day, or hour: we should therefore
Make every day,
(In a Religious way)
Our last, our dying day, how this
Is to be done, give Ear attentively:
Because the danger if we miss
Is very great; Dying eternally
Will as our due,
Most probably ensue.
First break off Sin, and turn to God
As seriously this present day, as if
We should no longer make abode;
Never another see: with godly grief,
Bewailing sins;
Leaving them favor wins.
And when at any time, we are
Tempted to any sin; then sadly think
Soberly, saying, shall I dare
To swear, to curse, to lie, to whore, to drink,
Excessively?
If I were sure to die
This very day, the hour wherein
I spake or acted any of these Crimes?
I would not so be found to sin;
But rather choose to die a thousand times:
Because to die
So sinning certainly.
Is to die damned: next embrace
Occasions all offered of doing Good:
Kiss opportunities fair face;
Lay hold upon times fore-lock; giving food;
When any need,
Defer not them to feed,
Asking for Christ his sake your alms:
Whom you see naked, thin clad, give them cloth;
To cover, warm them: likewise balms
To sore, and wounded bodies: be not loath
Your coin to lend;
Forgive both foe, and friend.
Delay not doing good; life's span:
Chiefly to th' faithful, what we can:
Not weary of well-doing: thus saith
Paul.
And
Solomon
In the same path goes on
Say not unto thy neighbor, go.
And come again, tomorrow I will give
Thee, when thou hast it by thee, no:
Whether till then, thou knowest not thou shalt live:
He giveth sickly,
That cares not to give quickly.
What ever it be that thy hand sinds
To do, do it with all thy might; there is
No work, device, any man minds
In grave, whither he goes; nor any bliss
There to be had:
Deferring therefore's bad.
And as to matter we should look;
So to the manner too: upon this ground
Hypocrites doing good 'ith' Book
Of God (not to their good) are often found;
No small pains taking;
Marring good works ith' making.
Cain
brought fruits,
Esau
lamented;
Jehu
reformed;
Herod
did many things;
Pharisees
fasted,
Judas
repented;
Many such instances the Scripture brings,
To let us know,
More is required than so.
And that God loveth Adverbs, better
Than Adjectives: calls for sincerity
In Spirit, resting not in letter:
Yea that we do all duties fervently;
Each service so,
As we the last would do.
Now would we hear, read, meditate,
Confer, sing Psalms, receive, for blessings pray,
Work in our callings, recreate
Our selves, if we knew we should die this day?
Draw out at length,
We would our utmost strength.
So when thou read'st a Chapter, read
As if thou never shouldest read Chapter more:
Every time thou hear'st take heed;
Attend, apply each word, open the Door,
To let truth in,
To mortify thy Sin:
Make thee to live a life of grace;
Hear as if this Sermon should be last:
Let meditation run apace
On heavenly things, this day: as if when past,
Thine eye behold
Another never should.
So praise, and pray to God today,
As if thou never shouldst praise, pray again.
So eat, and drink, and work, and play,
And buy, and sell; with all thy might, and main
Strive to do all,
As if God should thee call
Presently hence, to give account
Of all these things that thou hast done: what care
Would'st thou take, higher much to mount
Than a bare outward form, no labor spare,
To be upright,
Not playing th' hypocrite?
Followes the third means of repelling,
The reasons taking off men's minds from thinking
Seriously on death; hold them rebelling
Against right reason; which if it were sinking,
into their hearts,
They would act better parts.
The Poem tit'led
Virtue,
teaching
That many spectacles do death present,
A Lecture of
Great Herberts
Preaching,
From his Theorbo's, let us be content,
That should'd make way,
To what we have to say.
Sweet day so cool, so calm, so bright,
The Bridall of the earth and sky:
The dew shall weep thy fall to night;
For thou must Dye
Sweet rose, whose hue angry and brave,
Bids the rash gazer wipe his eye;
Thy root is ever in his Grave,
And thou must Dye.
Sweet spring, full of sweet days, and Roses;
A box where sweets compacted lie;
My music show's you have your closes;
And all must Dye.
Only a sweet, and virtuous soul,
Like seasoned Timber never gives;
But though the whole world turn to Cole;
Then chiefly lives.
Let virtuous pious men not fear this King
Of frighting fearful terrors:
Having death suffered for this very thing;
This very end, to cure this fear of death;
Which gracious hearts
Was wont to pierce with poison'd darts,
As with a sharp sword drawn out of its sheath;
To wound them so, and work them such unrest;
In bondage they
With
Israel
served in brick and clay:
But their Redeemers Death their wounds hath dressed;
Delivered them from former Bondage; now
They may, and ought
To beds of ease and rest be brought:
No fear of dying in themselves allow;
But in triumphing wise with voices shrill,
Merrily sing,
O death where is thy mortal sting?
There is in thee much good; nothing of ill.
Death thou wast once an uncouth hideous thing,
Nothing but Bones:
The sad effect of sadder groans:
Thy mouth was open, but thou couldst not sing.
For we considered thee as at some six,
Or ten years hence;
After the loss of life and sense:
Flesh being turned to dust, and bones to sticks.
We looked on this side of thee, shooting short,
Where we did find
The shells of fledg Souls left behind,
Dry dust sheds no tears but may extort.
But since our Savior's death hath put some blood
Into thy face,
Thou art grown fair and full of Grace;
Much in request much sought for as a Good.
Therefore we can go die as sleep, and trust
Half that we have,
Unto an honest faithful Grave
Making our Pillows either down or dust.
The Dialogue Anthem's likewise worth our hearing
The Christian first
Questions with death, init self accurst:
Which questions too, but sans the Christians fearing.
Where is thy famous force, thy Ancient sting?
Gospel and read how I have killed thy King.
Thy curse being laid on him makes thee accurst.
These arms shall crush thee.
Chr.
Spare not do thy worst:
Thou so much worse, that thou shalt be no more.
Death should be unto Godly men no more
Terrible than
Sleep is unto a weary man:
A rest from labors, crosses many a Score,
Unruly passions, which do vex them here:
From winnowings
Of Satan, dreadful buffetings:
They'r freed from these by death, and from their fear.
The day of death is unto them a day
Of Liberty;
Beginning of felicity;
Ferfect in part, which after a small stay,
Shall be consummate at the resurrection.
When they shall be
Rewarded for their industry;
Have vision, and fruition in perfection.
While they live let them make their lives as free
From fears and griefs, as possibly they can;
Eating and drinking; merry let them be;
Singing cares, fears away, during this span:
Let all clouds scatter:
What shall befall hereafter, make no matter.
The Lord's Prerogative royal it is,
Future events to order as he pleaseth:
Let come what will, nothing can come amiss,
To those that love him; this the Spirit easeth
When 'tis oppressed,
In midst of cursed chances these are blest:
Every wind blowing them profit; griefs
The greatest, are, if taken in their way,
Ready to prove themselves greatest reliefs;
However every drooping Christian may
Utter these words;
Which by his Servant God to him affords.
Awake sad heart whom sorrow ever drowns,
Take up thine eyes which feed on earth,
Unfold thy forehead gathered into frowns;
Thy Savior comes and with him mirth.
Awake, awake,
And with a healthful heart his comforts take.
SECT. IV. The several blessings and comforts comprised in the Text, for good men; instances of such as have enjoyed them. Objection, that experience tells 'tis otherwise, with many of the Godly; Several Answers put in to this.
THe several comforts in this text held forth,
To every pious person, we
Will mention first, next prove, apply the worth
Of each of them, that each may see,
Who will take pains.
Till he an int'rest in the promise gains.
A healthful sound fresh lively constitution,
Is the first blessing promised;
He shall until his day of dissolution,
From sole of foot to crown of head
Free from attaches
We read of
Moses
faithful in God's House,
This promise was made good to him,
He lived sixscore years: 'tis written thus,
His eye at this age was not dim;
Nor natural force
Abated; if not bettered, nothing worse
Fourscore and five years old I am,
This day, as yet I am as strong as though
But forty five; as when I came,
From spying out
(Sent on that errand)
Canaan
round about;
As was my strength at that time so 'tis now,
Both to go out, and to come in:
These two examples strive to show us how
Every Saint may comfort spin,
And weave and wear it:
A body sick and weak they need not fear it,
No sickness I will put on thee,
Who hearknest to my words (let this be noted)
The filial fear of God shall be
Marrow to bones:
By reason of tormenting pain: Incline
Thine ear unto my sayings; then
Behold at hand preventing medicine;
Thou shalt not be as Godless men,
Who cry and roar;
Their bodily distempers are so fore;
Thy health shall spring forth speedily,
New vigor thou shalt get (which is more worth
Than worlds wealth which is naught set by,
When health is wanting,
And men on beds are through diseases panting)
The second blessing follows hard
At th' heels of this (which is so much prized health)
'It is that which most men have in most regard,
Even plenty of this worldly wealth:
They happy are accounted who have store
Of riches, give them these they'll ask no more.
What pains is taken everywhere
To get abundance? compass Sea and Land,
Run upon Pikes of danger, without fear:
No difficulties can withstand
Them in their course, stick not at any evil;
Willing for gain, to go unto the Devil.
Now give thyself to Godliness
In truth, not only show (as many do
Resting in frozen forms) this happiness
With it thou shalt inherit too:
All sorts of outward blessings very much,
Are very frequently promised to such:
Who Piety in power embrace,
God's hand in pouring forth will not be scanting;
Those that possess his sanctifying grace;
Silver and Gold shall not be wanting:
With houses, cattle, corn, they shall be blest;
And with all other earthly goods the best.
Had also riches, fullness of Estate:
The promise reacheth all of
Abraham's
stem:
God's deed of gift bears the same date
Who walk in
Abraham's
steps are sure to find
They shall have fullness of these outward goods;
For then I open will my treasures deep;
Rain down from heaven enriching floods:
And have no need to borrow ought of any.
Shalt lay up Gold as dust, even
Ophirs
Gold,
As the stones of the Brooks; and even now
Such numbers as cannot be told,
Of Silver pieces: take one Context more,
Which proves the point as well as many a score;
That greatly in his statutes doth delight;
To make his seed great, heavens will accord;
Riches and wealth shall be in sight
Of him, and his; their houses shall stored be,
That others shall with admiration see
How God doth bless his holy ones,
Not suffering one of them to want what's fit;
In times of greatest drought makes fat their bones
When wicked shall be hunger-bit:
This is a second blessing, and we find
A third succeed of the same blessed kind.
Good men and women shall live long:
This space God's promise hath set strong;
Stronger than brazen pillars 'gainst our fears:
None sooner shall
If any sooner die, the clock goes wrong.
How many longliv'd godly men
De we read of? take an essay of some:
In cited Scripture-Texts, and then
See, and say if the point be proved home,
And if it be,
Conclude with me
We all may safely say to it, Amen.
The promise of long life is made
How much to prove this truth is said
In the renowned law-givers last Book;
Who doth discover
Over and over,
This to our eyes lest he should be mistook.
So doth the holy
Psalmist
speak,
Loves many days, and not to break
By some untimely act, life's holding band?
Keep thou thy tongue
From guile and wrong;
Thy flesh shall not grow thin nor sinews weak.
For very many years together,
Thou shalt see good, no ill at all shalt feel:
Not changed at all, at any weather;
As fair as is the Moon; as firm as steel;
Thou shalt continue;
With thy retinue:
When thousands round about thee fall together.
Hear God himself to every truster.
In his power, goodness, truth and providence,
Thus speaking, giving such a cluster
Of grapes unto them, as revives their sense,
Reason, and faith;
For thus he saith
Of all my Angels having took a Muster;
A charge is given them to keep
Do hurt their feet, and when they sleep,
Sweetly to be their keepers: not a bone
E're shall so much
As have a touch;
Of evil enraged floods, and waters deep
Shall not harm them: more-over I
Who am their loving friend, mighty to save
With long life will them satisfy;
And show them that of my hand they shall have
Salvation;
And Vision
Thereof, both here; and to Eternity.
Three Angels have already sounded: Hear
The fourth preparing is to sound; a call
Is given to all Saints to lend their ear:
You must remove from hence both great, and small
Your bodies turned to a Clod;
Your souls appearance make before your God:
This call to die ungrateful is to most:
O how unwilling worldlings are to leave
Those loved things! whereof they make their boast
Wealth, honors, pleasures, friends, death will bereave
Of everyone of these: a Dart
Is that that galls them to the very heart.
The godly on the other side shall be
Most willing to leave all: nothing so dear
Is unto them, which with alacrity
They cannot part with: it is joyful cheer
To them, to hear they are called away:
'Twould be death to them to make longer stay
O loose this frame: this knot of man untie;
That our free souls forthwith may take their flight;
Soa
•
up to God, and Christ: this is their cry;
There, there, and nowhere else is our delight:
They in their death are Volunteers:
In the ungodly no such thing appears:
Unwilling oft They are to live, but find
No will to dy; their life's thrust out of door
With violent hand; not with a cheerful mind:
Their shame poured out upon the open floor:
Death welcome is unto them, why?
Life is a burden through their misery:
It's otherwise with godly men: attend,
Depart; my life most joyfully I end.
And so St.
Paul
had a desire to bow
To be dissolved and to be with Christ!
Thus shall it be with every godly one;
(Truth having sealed it) and Christ having been
Laid in the dark bed of corruption;
Perfuming it; without corruption seen:
T'undress themselves they all see cause
And called to come they seldom use to pause:
Nor without honor shall they thither come:
This is the fifth good promised in these words.
To good men; th' illustration following home
No small addition of delight affords:
But that a while must be suppressed
Till application's made of all the rest.
Yet a few words we'll speak toit, though the dead
Are not at all affected with what's done
Unto their bodies, yet when we do read
(Among the rest) this commination
Against
Jehoiakim,
that he
Should have the burial of an Ass, and be
And find
Josiah, Jacob, Stephen
were
Brought to their graves with a most doleful ditty;
Great mourning made for them: it doth appear,
'It is necessarily inferred
'It is a great blessing to be so interred.
To be with honor buri'd none shall miss,
Of such a happy life and death as hath
Described been; whoever godly is
And persevereth in a pious path.
Against these points objections lie:
Experience seems to prove the contrary.
Some very godly very sickly are;
[Object.]
Most of the best are very poor; and many
Dye very young; nor is it very rare
To find
Saints
loath to part with life; scarce any
Have honor more than usual,
When they are born unto their burial.
I Answer,
[Answ.]
first, all is not gold that glisters;
Many seem godly; really not so;
No other than ith' Churches body blisters:
Who find by search themselves such, let them know
These blessings are denied to them;
Because they are not of the holy stem.
The promise is not made to Hypocrites:
If upright sincere hearted ones be sickly;
In want; short lived; at sight of death have frights,
Loth to depart; and meanly buried; quickly
This answer is returned; though letter
Be not made good to them, they have much better.
In lieu of all: who hath the weight in Gold,
For so much promised brass, will not complain
Of breach of promise? were it good, God could
Give every
Saint
all these in kind; maintain
Health, wealth, long life: Its good some want
Some of these outward goods; have measure scant:
But all's made good in value, passing kind
Abundantly: Communion with God,
Is best ten thousand fold; content of mind
Fully they have; though here under the rod
Of sickness, poverty; they have
In God, health, wealth, long life, all passing brave.
SECT. V. What is requisite to render us happy? where it is shown, that God is the Greatest and only happiness of a Christian: all things desirable are found in him: Reasons why nothing else can satisfy the mind of man; and that the promise of all good things is with advantage fulfilled to us in the enjoyment of God.
A Pure, sufficient, satisfying good,
Eternal also, must that good thing be,
That can make happy: if but one of these
Be wanting, it is understood,
By all that have but half an eye,
There's not enough to give man perfect ease.
It must be pure; if any ill be in it,
Sinful, or penal, it will never do it:
Sufficiency is likewise requisite:
And satisfaction too to win it:
Eternity must be put to it:
Else happiness will be far out of sight.
Now God, and he alone these properties
Of beatification hath in him:
Light without any darkness: all sufficing:
Abounding with abilities;
An Ocean wherein man may swim;
And in joys full, and true, without disguising.
But nothing else is such a good: the best
Of creature-comforts mixed with something which
Is not good; else how could they vanity
Be called? and with vexation dressed?
Men honorable, healthful, rich,
That this is truth, do by experience try.
Again, all creatures in the world, if they
Stand by themselves, so many Cyphers are;
(Till God a solid number added be)
Not to be valued but laid by;
As light, as blasted Corn, or tare;
Set God aside there's not sufficiency.
For one Soul in the whole creation: who
Hath most of this worlds goods, hath not enough;
He that hath least, he hath too much; unless
He can (as
Austin
did) say so;
All the abundance I pass through
Is just nothing but want; doth not me bless
At all, if it be not my God; in whom
Is all the good that is in wife, child, friend,
Health, beauty, learning, wisdom, wealth and power,
Though not the same in kind; the same,
And more in value doth extend
Beyond them all; and on the owner show'r.
The world and God together put, are not
More excellent than God alone, for if
An excellency be in any creature
More eminently every jot,
Already 'tis in God, the chief:
Nor does that adding give a fuller feature.
What ever God is pleased to bestow,
Upon me, let him take it all away;
Give me himself; the bargain will be good
Enough;
(St. Austin)
speaketh so,
So should each pious person say;
So saying, and so thinking breeds good blood.
Satisfactoriness, sufficiency
Follow: no happiness without content,
And quietness of mind; if what we have
Do not delight, and fill; stand by,
Say sense and reason: merriment
Cannot be had, if th' appetite shall crave.
Now leave out God; what ever we take in;
The heart will still be capable of more:
The world with all its stock; which cannot fill
The narrowest soul: let us begin
To search the reason, why such store
Cannot make silent, but here's craving still:
Some say because the world is sphericall,
The heart triangular: others do drill it
To the concupiscible faculty,
Whose size so large is, that not all
The earth being a globe can fill it,
But there will still be some vacuity.
Others say th' object is not suitable
Unto the faculty: none fill a Chest
With wisdom, nor a Bag with virtue can:
Even so things gross, and mutable
Have no conveniency at best,
With spirits: no fit food for th' heart of man.
Another reason's given; namely this:
The appetite is raised by having; as
A fire's increased by fuel, it is fed
Withall: Some say the reason is
Because we running in our race,
Are after our perfection carried;
And cannot terminate desires in ought
That's short of that which all the Creatures are.
What ever is the cause, we are most sure,
That's true which
Solomon
hath taught
(And we must ponder on with care)
Cannot be satisfied with Silver, nor
Who loves abundance with increase; As naught
Can be the Souls perfection; so nothing
Can be its satisfaction; for
These are concurrent in our thought.
What wants the first, cannot the second bring.
Nothing (I say) but he that made the soul;
None but the chief good can suffice it:
El
Shaddai;
beyond whom naught's imaginable,
Can give a satisfying Bowl:
(The way unto it who can tell?)
Beyond whom nothing is desirable.
Add lastly all is nothing, if it be
Not always: now there's nothing in this world,
That changeth not; but God the same forever
Of whom all
Saints
have full and free
Enjoyment; and are never hurld
Into unhappiness: blest ones persevere.
Th' objection's answered: all these blessings are
Made up abundantly in God;
Possest by everyone,
Who hath in truth Religion;
No robber meets on th' road;
Enjoying all these goods in manner rare.
Or if he seem to be robbed of health, wealth;
In lieu of lead, he gainth gold:
Even sanctifying grace
Takes up those common blessings place;
Which he doth firmly hold
Esteems it therefore a most blessed stealth.
Am I not better to thee (saith the Lord)
Than all these outward worthless things?
Thy Christian-patience I
By these afflictions prove, and try:
Sickness health; want wealth brings:
These seeming evils real goods afford
One grain of faith a thousand worlds is worth:
Take comfort then in this, that thou
In tears repentant sowing;
And in all saving graces growing;
Joy springs thou knowest not how;
Shalt shortly reap when th' blessed fruits brought forth
Cast all thy care on me for time to come:
Mind only what thou hast to do:
Seek to me and submit:
With even foot I will make thee fit,
Upright to come, and go,
Until like Corn shockt up thou art brought home
SECT. VI. Reasons why Good men are sometimes unwilling to die. some grounds of their desires of longer life, in several objections and their invalidity discovered; those objections answered: Three things further discovered, for the cure of this unwillingness to die.
THe illustration of these Promises,
By this similitude in the' text,
Will to our taste be sweet;
And meditation not unmeet,
Is to be handled next;
Will bring the soul to everlasting ease.
Before I come unto this illustration;
Job's
coming to his grave in a full age
Comes fresh again into my meditation;
Deserves to come again upon the Stage;
To act its part a little longer, I
With this desire, without regret comply.
Come on then; let us see what can be said,
For and against Saints willingness to die;
And leave this life; it cannot be gain-said,
But that some practicers of Piety
Out of that sinful City; where his Soul
Was daily vext with hearing, seeing; So
It fares with other Lots who cannot roll
Off from their hearts this load; for so they find
This loathness to depart, is to their mind.
What should the reason be? Death is a parting
Of two most dear, inward and ancient friends:
Besides the best believe in part: grace rends
Not all corruption out, till heartstrings break
Moreover there are seeming reasons, why
Some Saints so willing are longer to live;
Form them into objections, by and by
We will; to each of them an answer give:
No real force in any we will prove,
To make good men unwilling to remove.
Loth I am to part with friends:
[Obj. 1]
Wife and children toleave unsettled:
[ 2]
Pleasures profits honor ends:
[ 3]
With loss of these my heart is nettled:
And of my body specially,
[ 4]
Which in a loathsome grave must lie.
I would live but to such an age;
[ 5]
To fourscore or a hundred years;
Then willing to go off the Stage
I would be; and without all fears:
More service unto God,
[ 6]
and men
I fain would do; fain live till then.
To the first allegation
[Ans. 1]
This answer I return: where is
In any habitation,
One friend with any Emphasis?
Though
David
had his
Jonathan,
Scarce such a one hath any man
Mortall at best, they are: and Saints
By death get friends delectable,
Of whom they'll never make complaints:
As for thy Wife and Children left,
[ 2]
God's promises to them bereft.
Provided for, when thou art gone:
Father of fatherless is He;
The good man's widow's portion;
Settle thy heart in this belief.
They shall not fail to find relief.
Thou leave'st them better husband, father
Than any that could look to them,
In this world; to be chosen rather
Ten thousand times of more esteem:
Lastly it is but for a while,
That thou shalt be without their smile.
As for the worldlings Trinity,
[ 3]
Of Riches, Honors, Pleasures, these
Are such poor nothings; vanity
Thou canst not part with but with ease:
Especially considering
Death will all these redoubled bring.
As for thy body; which thou sayest
Thou art so loath to lay down; think
What it in truth is; then thou mayest
Be satisfied; and not shrink:
Its not the man: the Soul is so;
The bodies but the Casket. Know
Moreover it a Prison is,
A rotten, ragged, garment, and
If thou enamored be with this;
Then to thy comfort understand,
It shall ere long restored be,
(When by the grave refined) to thee.
As for thy stint of time;
[ 5]
be sure
Death the same to thee will appear
Then, as it doth now: to endure
A little longer, thou wilt hear
Thy heart crave hard; O might I spend
But some few months before my end:
Who tost on Seas, is troubled that
He's got so soon to th' Haven? if
Desire be served, contemplate
What cares, disgrace, distempers, grief,
In days to come thou art like to find;
Who sees not storms will rise, is blind.
What fears of sin falling away
Will daily seize upon thee? then
Consider, death's a debt to pay:
Due first or last to God or men
Its every whit as good, its best
To pay this, then thou wilt be at rest.
The last is only a pretence:
[ 6]
However this may Satisfie;
God will not call for any hece,
Until their work be done, till he
Provided be his business
To do, without them, more or less
Again its best give over, while
We're doing well; and if god
•
pay
For half a day our penny, smile;
We may and ought to praise him: pray
That these objections thus removed,
What follow's next may be improved.
Three things I shall commend for cure
Of this unwillingness in
Saints
to die:
First the great
•••
evils that
Are in it; nothing that is pure
Is to be found; but what doth putrefy,
And much contaminate:
Obscure the evidence of our new birth;
Trangress against example,
Of such as wisht to part with breath;
To be translated from this wretched earth
On which they long to trample.
We shame much our Religion
Which doth not fright with purgatory-fire:
Are worse than Heathens were;
Who did embrace death coming on
With cheerfulness, and very great desire:
Without all show of fear.
We do resemble wicked wights,
Who use to tremble when they hear of dying:
So
Felix
did: yea worse
Than children, mad men, whom no frights
Of death possess; nor make them think of flying
From it as from a Curse:
All creatures groan and call for change:
We are below them all, if that we fear it
This is a shameful thing,
And a disease that us doth range
Below the beasts; let none be loath to hear
The first Peale thus to ring.
The second sounds the little reason
Which godly men can see why they should wish
To live one half hour longer;
And not to think this instant season
The best wherein to feed upon deaths dish:
To make their courage stronger.
To do this let them ponder well,
The utter insufficiency of all
Things here to contribute,
To make man unto happy swell;
To be thus kindly beneficial
They move no foot.
So far I say from comforting,
In time of need; that sore vexations
They prove themselves to be,
The Preacher doth strong reasons bring,
To work in all men's hearts convictions,
That this is verity:
The third means for the cure of this
Unwillingness to die in godly ones;
Is seriously to muse,
That very great reason there is,
Why they should send for death with sighs and groans;
And not its stroke refuse:
The miseries of this present life:
The life of nature, and the life of grace:
And then the happiness
They have by death: evils are rife
That load the life of nature; all the space
They live here comfortless.
Reduc'd to sins, and punishments,
Sins are of two sorts, one without them roars;
Adams transgression,
Justly imputed conscience rents:
Others inherent like a Piercer boars,
With sharp compunction:
These are of two sorts; some defile
Our nature; which are called Original:
Others our actions; these
Are called actual; all the while
We live on earth the best into such fall;
Thereby their God displease:
These are committed several ways,
By thoughts, and words, and deeds of ignorance,
Error, infirmity,
Presumption also all our days,
We guilty make ourselves, by choice; by chance;
In some a long time lie.
By everyone of these we are
Subject to debt, and danger, both divine:
Bound over to God's ire:
The punishments which sinners bear,
Arithmetic's not able to define:
Lastly Eternal fire.
The second sort of miseries
Molest the life of grace: How many wants!
God's presence; fellowship
Of best friends; liberty, and ease:
For want of these each Christian-spirit pants,
Till these rich wines they sip.
Add to these wants; how many evils?
The danger of offending God is one;
Daily corrections;
Dangers from creatures, men, and Devils:
Danger of stumbling at full-many a stone:
State alterations:
All these and thousands more death frees
Us from: great reason therefore there is why
we should not long to live:
Longer one day; with cold to freez;
With scorching fires to burn incessantly:
See next what death doth give:
Admission into happiness
Ineffable, and inconceivable:
Angels, men's tongues, and hearts
Cannot conceive, much less express:
Neither are of this matter capable:
In any of its parts.
Yet so much of the heavenly glory;
Into which every Saint doth pass at th' point
Of death revealed is
Unto them, in the sacred story;
To make them (if they will their eyes anoint)
See death their choicest bliss.
SECT. VII. Whether good men may not only be willing, but desirous to die: five cases wherein death may be lawfully desired. Objection touching the painfullness of Death answered, proposals to remove such apprehensions from us. A second objection about sudden or violent Death; a way of cure for such fears.
MAy godly men desire
As well as willing be to Dye?
Many we read of did conspire;
And to the question put did answer, Aye
Moses, Elias,
and
Sampson, Paul, David, Jonah, Job,
Simeon,
and others, who do stand
Shining in the Celestial glorious Globe.
Some of these prayed to God
To take away their lives; but why?
They would no longer make abode,
To bear so many a martyring misery.
This was not a good ground:
Self love and discontentments swaying:
To recantation they were bound;
Such passionate infirmity bewraying:
But in five cases, we
May lawfully desire, and pray
For death; If we may glorify
God most thereby. Next to be taken away.
From lewd men's company;
Who daily grossly break God's Laws:
From sinfulness especially:
That we no more make in our conscience flaws;
Grieving the holy Spirit:
And that we may be rid of grief,
And crosses; which our Sins do merit:
Yet with submission to our Sovereign-chief
Finally for the full
Accomplishment of Union
With Christ, (from whom sin would us pull)
By death we gain perfect communion.
Nor to be rid of Sin,
And be with Christ, may we desire
To die, unless we compass in
God's will; who doth on pain of death require.
Us in our Station,
Like Soldiers obedient,
To tarry till dismission
Be given to march from this low regiment,
Unto the higher: but yet
It is a grace we should strive for;
As for departure to be fit;
So to be willing ever more, and more,
To quit our Station here:
And to rejoice at warning given
By sickness, that our end is near;
Death being the porch through which we pass to heaven
The chiefest reason why
With full cry of affection, we
Should gallop after Death: thereby
We are from sinning anymore made free.
While this life lasts we never
Give over sinning, no man knows
Whether he shall one hour persevere
In doing well, a spite the devil owes
Us; and the greatest spite
He can us do, is to allure
Good to omit; Sin to commit;
That we shall not be foil'd we are not sure;
Having in us a Source
Sending streams forth continually;
Setting us running in a Course
Of all impiety, iniquity;
A root of bitter gall,
And wormwood, never stocked up wholly
Ready at every pin to fall,
And to be more, and more, each hour unholy:
Never cured perfectly
Of our disease Hereditary,
That loathsome cursed leprosy,
Which whilst we live on earth will with us tarry.
And little do we know
How far we may fall ere we die:
It's therefore best for us to go
Thither, where there's no possibility.
Of sinning; falling more:
And willingness to die is one
Effectual means to wound, and gore,
And kill original corruption.
But some may yet object
[Object. 1]
The painfullness of death; this terrifies.
To cure this fear,
[Answ. 1]
let them reflect
Upon worse pains which do from life arise,
From day today: nor is there pain in death,
But life gives pain at parting with its breath.
No sting in death being found;
It cannot hurt at all; though it may pain:
There's pain in curing of a wound:
The Mariner, e're he the Haven gain,
Takes no small pains, and thinks it well bestowed;
Though it was painful, all the time he row'd.
All wounds by death are cured:
Who would not bear a little, for so great
A happiness? a Haven being procured?
Thereby an everlasting resting seat.
But yet there is another senseless thing,
Which doth to some Saints sense of terror bring.
Namely some kind of dying:
[Object. 2]
Sudden, and violent death they cannot look
On, with a smile; nor without crying:
Nor can they bring their hearts these deaths to brook.
Since we must die,
[Answ.]
it matters not what kind
Of death we die, this should not move our mind:
Matter we should not how
We go from hence, so much as whither we
Shall go: remember Christ did bow
His head; and died a cursed death, to free
Each kind of death from being a curse to his;
That every kind of death should be their bliss.
SECT. VIII. Reasons why some good men in prospect of death have petitioned for a Reprieve: Practical directions to make us both willing and fit to die. Self-murder shown unlawful, and probably damnable.
WHat may the reason be
(May some demand) that sundry precious
Saints
[Quest.]
Beg'd living light longer to see;
When they saw death at hand? made sad complaints?
Their love of life proceeded from the love
[Answ.]
Of honoring God below; not yet above.
From lawful self-love too;
Having not yet attained assurance full;
They prayed for a previous view
Of th' heavenly
Canaan;
before the Pull
Of soul from flesh: desired some short abode;
More quietly to render up to God.
Their spirits, with submission
To his good pleasure: another reason may
Be rendered, why they feared dismission
Because the old man still in part bore sway.
Best but in part are sanctified; but
Before their end their fears are all out shut.
Considerations working willingness
In Christians all to die, premised thus:
Pass we to things in Practice: nothing less
Effectual to work this will in us
Provided we be righteous.
First we must cleanse our hearts from carnal love,
Of earthly things; the worldlings Trinity
Must be renounced; we must get above
The soul to them too steadfastly:
It cannot with good will be loos'd from them:
The means to cut this Gordian knot, must be
Carefully learned by all of
Abraham's
stem:
First leave they must evil Society;
And sort with godly company.
Next needless cares, and business restrain:
Then strive with God by prayer; and believe
That he will give, what they would compass fain,
And every day they must not fail to grieve;
For Sin; and regularly live.
Our sins must die before us; else we are
Sure to die damned: who can willing be
To die in such estate? but if we care
To rid our hearts of damned hypocrisy;
We shall depart then cheerfully.
These are the motives, and the means to get
This grace: if still we find a reluctance,
And that we are loath to depart, as yet;
Let's not despond; but live in expectation,
Our end shall be endless complete salvation.
That we should always willing be to die,
Hath been so proved, that none can it deny,
To be a duty, and a privilege,
Promis'd to
Saints,
of which naught shall abridge
Them: but whether it's lawful to desire
Death is a doubt to which we have given fire
Determined th' affirmative; in case
God's name thereby more glory may embrace
Another is that we may be set free
From wicked men's vexing Society.
A third that we may make an end of sinning.
With this proviso; not immoderately
Desiring ease; but most submissively.
Lastly, to be with Christ, and to enjoy
Intire communion, without mixed alloy.
May one in any case (may some demand)
His own life take away with his own hand?
I answer roundly in no case we may
[Answ.]
By poison, halter, knife, or other way
To Make ourselves away attempt, we must
Cast the world out of us (this is most just)
But not ourselves out of the world, its base
To run away like cowards; our short race
We ought to run; staying till God doth call
Us hence: and then most gladly farewell all.
Till then abide the battle we are bound.
None but most wicked are in Scripture found,
Who killed themselves:
Achitophel
did so:
And
Saul:
and
Judas:
(as for
Sampson;
though
He pulled the house upon him; this was done
In zeal for God by inspiration)
It's damnable to leave our work, before
God bid us leave it, upon any score.
Who is himself; and breaks the jail, must die,
For such a breach and that eternally.
Yet pass not sentence upon such a soul;
It may repent in parting: sans control
The act is heinous, hideous, killeth both
Body, and Soul; unless repentance doth
Suddenly interpose itself: and grace
Step in a moment into justice place:
Neither of which will probably be given;
This sin beyond all others forfeits heaven:
A sin most Criminous, and borders most
Near to the sin against the Holy Ghost.
FINIS.
Postscript.
I finished have
The first part of this quickening Text,
Presenting to all good men death and grave,
Passing desirable: the next
Part, I must crave
Leave to delay
The presentation of it, till
More strength of spirit, body gain I may
Which when God granteth; then I will
make an Essay.
The illustration
Of what's there promised to unfold
Humbly commend it to your meditation,
And for a closure shall make bold
some Consolation
To annex, by
Mentioning a doctrine which
Hath in it truth in probability,
Containing treasure very rich
(Pray lend the eye)
Gives hope to all
Who virtuous, pious, patient are
That they in the first resurrection shall
Have part, with blessedness most rare.
Holy withal,
Transcendently
Their souls, and bodies both shall be
These raised, from the dead primarily;
Those to them reunited by
Omnipotency:
And live in bliss
A thousand years; during which space
They shall bless Christ their head with Emphasis
For merit, mercy and free grace
vouchsafed them: this
Work of thanksgiving
Will be the only, or the chief
Employment of the raised Saints, who living
Shall all those years find fresh relief:
together striving,
Who shall outstrip
Another in this glorious work
Of praising Jesus with one joyful lip
For treading down the
Pope
and
Turk;
Smiting thigh, hip,
They all shall join,
In singing Hallelujahs to their King,
From whom none shall dominion purloin;
Nor from his Saints, whom he shall bring
With him: conjoin
Co-heirs in face
Of all the World, who shall behold,
Each of them Kings over the total mass
Subdu'd unto them uncontrol'd
And in the end as
Commissioners
Of Oyer and of Terminer
With him: Apostles; Gospel-Ministers
Shall highest sit; much statelier
Each one appears
Than Earthly Lord's;
Next these to pious private men
A power of Judging also Christ affords
ill spirits; their carnal offspring; when
Of death the cords
Are loosed which
detained in grave, till the last day
Of general judgment poor and rich
Who wicked were; all cast away
into the ditch,
And Lake of fire
Burning with Brimstone; sentenced hither
By them whom then the whole world shall admire
Assessors with their King together,
Here counted mire.
O then rejoice
At thoughts of reigning upon Earth
A thousand years; which ended with great noise;
Yea who have had a second birth
While here; a choice
Tranquillity
More Millions of years th
••
sands,
On shores of Seas, even to Eternity
You shall enjoy safe in his hands,
Who did both die
And rise again,
Ascended, sits, and reigns above,
Hath purchased for them freedom from all pain,
Embraceth you with arms of Love;
By him you will gain
A Kingdom that
Is apthartal, amiantal,
Amarantall beyond the reach and hate
Of persecuting enemies all,
Who at no rate
Without, within,
Shall neves vex them more; mutations
There shall be none in heaven; nor unto sin
any the least temptations
as first have been.
Shall ere be there
But fellowship with God and Christ
Uninterrupted; not the smallest fear
of ever having loos'd the twist
Of grace made here
This doctrine of
The raised, reigning Saints of God
A thousand years, hath proof enough
In holy writ, and their abode,
By Earthly stuff.
Inheritance.
Of the whole earth is frequently
Promis'd unto them, and as now all
France,
is
England's
Kings titularly,
who seem to dance
Afterit alone,
Possessing not a foot of ground
Of that fair Realm: but as they shall anon
Possessors of it all be found;
really own
That wholly; as
They have done, do, these kingdoms three:
Thus it in time shall probably come to pass:
Though haply our eyes shall not see
save in a glass.
This wished event
Right so, though Saints at present have
Little or naught besides bare aliment
And raiment; both too far from brave,
yet well content;
They, ereit be long
As
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob
shall
Inherit actually (as by faith strong
Those did, while living)
Canaan
all:
which did belong
To them and theirs
By God's donation: so with them,
We being (as they were) of this world heirs,
(which plain appears.)
Shall really
Possess a thousand years together
This Earthly Globe with each commodity
It doth produce, and serene weather,
Lets then leap for joy.
FINIS.