Libris
OGDEN

THE CHRISTIANS DEFENCE
against die Fears of DEATH

THE

CHRISTIAN 's DEFENCE

AGAINST THE

FEARS of DEATH,

WITH

Seafonable Directions

HOW TO

Prepare Ourfelves to Die well.

Written originally in F RE N C H,

By the late Reverend DIVINE of the Proteftant
Church of PARIS,

CHARLES DRELINCOURr.

Translated into ENGLISH,

By MARIVS D'ASSIGNT, B.D.

The TWENTY-SECOND EDITION new Corrected:

With an ACCOUNT of the AUTHOR, and his
LAST MINUTES.

LONDON:

Printed for J. BUCKLAND ; J. F. and C. RIVINGTONJ W.OWEN;
T.LONGMAN; B. LAW 5 C. DILL-; G. G. J. and J. ROBINSON j
W. FLIXNEY ; W. GOLDSMITH; SCATCHARD and AYKITAKER ;
M. NEWBURYJ W. BENT j G. and T. WILKJEJ and R.
BALDWIN,

MDCCLXXXIX.

STACK ANNEX

THE

PREFACE

TO THE

CHRISTIAN READER,

true Character ofMonfieur Drelincourt,
the Author of theft excellent Meditations,
we find publified by Mr. Bayle, in his great
Hiftorical Dictionary, &c. as follow eth :

CHARLES DRELINCOURT, Minifter of the Church
of Paris, was born the loth of July at Sedan,
where his Father was admitted to an honourable Of-
fice, being Secretary to Henry Robert de la Mark,
Duke of Bouillon, and Sovereign Prince of Sedan ; af-
terwards he was advanced to be Secretary to the chief
Council of that City. His Son Charles was put to ftu-
dy Ethicks and Divinity in that Univerfity 3 but was
fent to Saumur, to complete his Philofophy under
Mr. Duncan. He was ordained Minifter in June, 1 6 1 8,
and began theExercife of his Function near Langres,
continuing there until he was called to the Church of
Paris in March, 1620. He was married, in the Year
1625, to an only Child of a rich Merchant of Pans,
called Monfieur Balduck, who had newly embraced
the Proteftant Religion. Providence blefledhim and
his Wife with a numerous Ififue, he having had fix-
teen Children by her; and gave no lefs Succefs to his
Minjftry. His Sermons were very powerful : But his

A 2 chief

iv PREFACE.

chief Talent was in comforting the Sick, and per-
forming all other neceffary Offices of a careful Paf-
tor. He was very faithful and zealous, in refpect of
his own Congregation and others ; his Judgement be-
ing always defired'in Matters of Moment. We can-
not fufficiently commend the Services he hath ren-
dered to the Church of God by his many Writings
he hath publifhed, whether we examine his Books
of Devotion, or of Controverfy. There is fo much
Piety contained in the former, and fo many excellent
Texts of Scripture explained in the latter, that many
religious Perfons both have, and daily do find feafon-
able Confolation. That which he hath written againfl
the Church of Rome, hath wonderfully ftrengthened
theProteftant ProfefTors: For by the Arguments that
he brings, the Ignorant and Unlearned have been able
to confound the Monks and Priefts, and to maintain
the Principles of their Religion againft the fubtilefl
MirTionaries ; fo that his Writings have caufed him to
be eftcemed the Scourge of the Roman Dijputants. Ne-
verthelefs, as he was beloved of the contrary Party, fo
he was highly efteemed by the grcatel! Lords of the
Reformed Religion, as the Duke De la Force, the
Marefchals of Clatillon, DeGaftiona.t\d Turenne, and
by the Lady De la Tremouilld, &c. He had aifo great
Refpect paid him by the frequent Vifits of Ambafla-
dors fiom feveral foreign Princes and States. He was

a Perfon who exprefled a particular Efteem and Ve-
neration for the Church of England, as appears by his
Letters to Dr. Durell. He died the 3d of November,
1666, in fuch an excellent and devout Difpofition of.
Mind, as may be expected in a Perfon who was ani-
mated with an holy Zeal, and had, with an unwearied
Diligence, confecrated all his. Study and Labours to
the Glory of God, and the Service of his Church. He
was more frequent in Prayer towards the Conclufion
of his Life : And when he was private and alone, he
never heard the Clock ftrike, but he fell upon his
Knees in Prayer to God,

PREFACE. v

'This is the approved Character published of our eminent
Divine. After a long Experience and Practice among ft
departing Souls, and in the Houfes of Mourning, at the
Requeft of fome of bis Congregation, who mightily ap-
proved of the proper and Jeajonable Arguments that he
made ufe of to fortify dying Perfons againft the Appre-
henfions of Death, f nit able to their Conditions and Tem-
per, he publijhed his Book 0/"Confolations. About twen-
ty Editions have been printed in France, and one at
Avignon, in the Pope's Dominions, with a SuppreJJion
of the Reverend Author s Name. How many Imprejfi-
ens have been publifaed in Holland, Germany, and elfe-
'where, I cannot determine. We find it tranjlated into
Jeveral Languages, I it was not in our Mother -Tongue,
until, at the Requeft of the Author's Son, late Dean of
Armagh in Ireland, / tranjlated it into Englilh : What
Reception it hath met with amongft us, let this twenty-
fecond ImpreJJion declare. Ifoall therefore judge it needlefs t
after Jo many publick 'Teftimonies of an univerfal Appro-
bation, amongft Chriftians of all Profeffions, to Jpeak any
'Thing in Commendation of this Defence againft the
Fears of Death. How ferviceable it may be to Divines
in Funeral Sermons, in vifiting jhe Sick, the Poor and
Affliffed, and how proper to be left as Legacies tofurviv-
ing Friends, at Funerals, I leave to others to judge,
who Jhall fincerely defire to promote the Salvation of
Souls.

And now I cannot but take fome Notice here of the
high Efteem and Commendation that a late Apparition, to
well atteftedto be flighted, hath given of this Book. An
exaft Account of it you have in the printed Relation here-
unto prefixed. 'To rejeft all Narratives of this Kind as *
fifiitious, argues, in my Judgement, as great an Error,
Weaknefs and Prejudice, as to believe all that is reported
of Apparitions. This comes to us clothed -with all the
Appearance and Circumjlancss of 'Truth, that may reafcn-
ably be expeffed in this Cafe. So that none but an unbe-
lieving Sadducee, or a profane Atheift, will offer to, quef-
tion the Reality. To confirm the Pojfibility and Truth

A 3 of

vi PREFACE.

cffome Apparitions, none can deny, that by tils Means
cur good GOD bath conveyed and confirmed to us federal
of the Myfteries of our holy Religion; as the Concep-
tion, Birth, Incarnation, Rejurrefticn, and glorious Af-
cmfion of our greai Meffiah, by the Apparition of An-
gels. And how often thofe heavenly Spirits were formerly
vifible in human Shapes for the Advantage, Information*
and Safeguard of the Pious, the Word of God fufficiently
declares. Now, as we live infuch an incredulous Age,
that will not believe GOD, and his Divine Oracles, though
attefted by the working of Miracles, concerning the future
State of the Righteous und Wicked, but requires a new
Teftimony and Evidence, as the Return of Souls from the
Dead, to witnefs the Happinefs of Heaven, the Torments
of Hell, and the Immortality of the Soul : Who knows, but
to render Men more inexcusable, GOD may condefcend,
that a departed Sottl, or its good Angel in its Stead, may
appear to declare thefe infallible and undoubted Truths to
an unbelieving World ? But we find by Experience, as in
this Cafe, that this Kind of Evidence is far more liable to
Exceptions, to be contradi5led and rejefled, as uncertain
and fabulous, and fooner than the facred Methods that
cur wife GOD hath taken to perfuade Men to the divine
Doctrines of our Salvation : As Abraham declares in
the Parable of the rich Glutton, condemned to the Flames
of Hell, If they will not believe Mofes and the Pro-
phets ; we may with more Reafon add, if they will not
believe CHRIST and his Apoftles, and fo many wonder-
ful Miracles at t eft ing GOD'S Omnipotency and Revelations
from above, neither will they be perfuaded, though
one rofe from the Dead.

Imuft here acquaint my Reader, that whereas in the
former ImpreJJions of this Book, fame Errata have efcaped,
whereby the Author's Senfe and Meaning may not be fo
clearly expre/ed as in the Original : And whereas alfo
upon fome Subjects, our Reverend Author diftaftes the
Reader by too frequent Repetions in his Prayers, contain-
ing Matters and Arguments of the foregoing Chapters :
Thefe and fuch trivial Objections have caufed feveral

Perfons

PREFACE. vii

Perfons to find Fault not only with the fr (inflation, but
even with the Book itfelf. To remedy therefore any Thing
cf this Nature, and to prevent all Complaints of this
Kind, and thatfo excellent and ufeful a Treatife may ap-
pear in our own proper and natural Language, not differ-
ing in any Thing material from the French Copy -, but
fuited, as much as conveniently it may be, to the nicer
Palates of our prefent Age; I have, in this Edition
taken the Pains to compare this Tranflatioh with a Book
printed at Berlin, the Court of the King of Pruffia,
1698. / have been in this more exaft, and have altered
fome Words and Phrafes, exprejfmg more plainly fbe Au-
thor's Meaning, and in Terms more agreeable with out
prefent familiar Way of fpeaking. Bejides, in this Edi-
tion cf Berlin, / have met with two or three PaJJages
which are not in the former French ImpreJJions, and
which I judged not convenient to be omitted. Some of
the Prayers that feemed to prolix, I have abbreviated,
comprehending only the principal Matters. And that no-
thing may be wanting in this Edition, that might mors
contribute to the Reader's Satisfaction, I have here ren-
dered in Englifh the laft remarkable PaJJages of this
pious and excellent Minijler of CHRIST, never before
printed in our own Tongue, as we find them at the End
cf the forementioned Book : that ye may here at once y
as in a Mirror fee the Behaviour ; religious Speeches,
Faith, Patience, and Refignation to the Will of GOD,
cf our Reverend Divine at bis Deceafe, reduced into
Practice, according to the excellent Advices and Confola-
tions that he recommends to us, to arm ourfelves againft
the Apprehenfions and Approaches of Death.

I have no more to add : But I befeech our merciful
and heavenly Father, to grant us all the Grace, the
like Faith, and Chriftian Refolution, that we may
not fear Death, nor its Confequences ; but may be
always ready prepared and provided to embrace it
with Joy and Submifiion to the Pleafure of GOD, and

A 4 the

PREFACE.

the Decrees of Heaven, whenever our Almighty
Creator and Redeemer lhall think fit to fummon us,
and take us to himfelf.

M. D.

THIS Bsok in the Original hath been fo well
approved of by all Perfons, though of different
Judgements in Religion, that it hath been about
twenty Times printed in France, befides what hath
been done in Holland^ and elfewhere in other Lan-
guages : It is of very great Ufe to Divines for Funeral
Sermons, and is very fit to be given away by well-
difpofed Perfons at Funerals, and of excellent TJfe to
every Chriftian Reader.

A TRUE

TRUE RELATION

O F T H E

APPARITION

OF ONE

Mrs. VEAL,
<Tbe next DAT after her D EATH-,

T O O N E

Mrs. BARGRAFE,

AT CANTERBURY:

The Eighth of September , 1705.

Which APPARITION recommends the Perufal of
DRELINCOURTs Book of Confolations again/} the
Fears of D E A T H.

THE

PREFACE.

\HIS Relation is Matter of Faff,
and attended 'with fuch Circum-
jlances, as may induce any reafon-
able Man to believe it^ It was
fent by a Gentleman* a Juftice of
Peace, at Maidftone in Kent, and a very intel-
ligent P erf on, to his Friend in London, as it if
here worded: Which Difcourfe is attejled by a
very fober and underftanding Gentleman, a
Kinfman of the faid Gentlewoman's, who lives
in Canterbury, within a few Doors of the Houfe
in which the within-named Mrs. Bargrave lived-,
who believes his Kinfwoman to be of fo difcern-
ing a Spirit, as not to be put upon by any Fal-
lacy, and who pojitively ajjured him, that the
whole Matter as it is related and laid down, is
really true ; and what fie berfelf had in the fame
Words (as near as may be J from Mrs. Bargrave's
own Mouth, who JJoe knows, had no Reafon to
invent and publijh fuch a Story, or any Defign to

xii PREFACE.

forge and tell a Lye, being a Woman of muck
Honefty and Virtue, and her whole Life a Courfe,
as it were, of Piety. The Ufe which we ought
to make of it, is to confider, 'That there is a Life
to come after this, and a jujl GOD, who will re-
tribute to every one according to the Deeds done
in the Body -, and therefore to reflcft upon our pafl
Co'urfe of Life we have led in the World; that
our Time is JJoort and uncertain -, and that if
we would efcape the Punijkment of the Ungodly,
and receive the Reward of the Righteous, which
is the laying hold of Eternal Life, we ought, for
the 'Time to come, to return to GOD by a fyeedy
Repentance, ceafing to do Evil, and learning to
do well: feek after GOD early, if haply he
may be found of us, and lead fuch Lives for the
future, as may be well pleajing in his Sight.

A RE LA-

RELATION

O F THE

O F

Mrs. VEAL.

HIS Thing is fo rare in all its Circurn-
fiances and on fo good Authority, that
my Reading and Converfation have not
given me any Thing like it: It is fit to
gratify the mod ingenious and ferious Enquirer. Mrs.
Bargrave is the Perfon to whom Mrs. Veal appeared
after her Death : She is my intimate Friend, and
I can avouch for her Reputation, for thefe laft
fifteen or fixteen Years, on my own Knowledge;
and I can confirm the good character fhe had from
her Youth, to the Time of my Acquaintance; though
fince this Relation, fhe is calumniated by fomc
People, that are Friends to the Brother of Mrs. Veal,
who appeared; who think the Relation of this Ap-
pearance

[ 2 ]

pearance to be a Reflection, and endeavour what they
can to blaft Mrs. Hargrove's Reputation, and to laugh
the Story out of Countenance. But by the Circum-
fbances thereof, and the chearful Difpofition of Mrs.
Bat-grave, notwithftanding the ill Ufage of a very
wicked Hufband, there is not yet the leaft Sign of
Dejection in her Face -, nor did I ever hear her let fall
a defponding or murmuring Expreflion ; nay, not
when actually under her Hufband's Barbarity, which
I have beenWitneis to, and feveral other Perfons
of undoubted Reputation.

Now you muft know, Mrs. Veal was a Maiden
Gentlewoman of about Thirty Years of Age, and for
fome Years laft pall had been troubled with Fits,
which were perceived coming on her, by her going
off from her Difcourfe very abruptly, to fome Imper-
tinence: She was maintained by an only Brother, and
kept his Houfe in Dover. She was a very pious Wo-
man, and her Brother a very fober Man, to all Ap-
pearancej but now he does all he can to null or quaili
the Story. Mrs. Veal was intimately acquainted with
Wirs.Bargrave from her Chidhood. Mrs.Veal's Cir-
cumftances were then mean; her Father did not take
Care of his Children as he ought, fo that they were
expofed to Hardftiips: And Mrs. Bargrave in thofe
Days had as unkind a Father, tho' fhe wanted neither
for Food nor Clothing, whilft Mrs. Feat wanted for
both, infomuch that fhe would often fay, Mrs. Bar-
grave, you are not only the left, but the only Friend I
have in the World , and no Circumftance in Life /hall
ever dijjbhe my Friend/hip. They would often condole
each others adverfe Fortunes, and read together
DRELINCOURT upon Death, and other good Books :
And fo, like two Chriftian Friends they comforted each
other under their Sorrow.

Some Time after, Mr. Veal's Friends got him a
Place in the Cuftom Houfe at Dover, which occafioned
Mrs. Veal, by little and little, to fall off from
her Intimacy with Mrs. Bargrave, though -there was

never

[ 3 1

never any fuch Thing as a Quarrel, but an Indiffe-
rency came on by Degrees, till at laft Mrs. Bargrave
had not feen her in two Years and a Half; though
above a Twelvemo nth of theTime, Mrs. Bargrave hath
been abfent from Dover, and this laft Half- Year has
been in Canterbury about two Months of the Time,
dwelling in an Houfe of her own.

In this Houfe, on the Eighth of September, One
Thoufand feven Hundred and Five, fhe was fitting
,alone in the Forenoon, thinking over her unfortunate
Life, and arguing herfelf into a due Refi2;nation to

* \~j ^j ^j

Providence, though her condition feelnhed hard. An&
faid fhe, / have been provided for hitherto, and doubt
not but I Jhall be ftill ; and am well fatisfied, that my
Afflictions Jhall end,. when it is moft fit for me: And
then took up her Sewing-work, which fhe had no
fooner done, but fhe hears a Knocking at the Door.
She went to fee who was there, and this proved to be
Mrs. Veal her old Friend, who was in a Riding-ha-
bit: At that Moment of Time the Clock ftruck Twelve
at Noon.

Madam, fays Mrs. Bargrave, I am furprifed to fee
you, you have been Jo long a Stranger ; but told her,
jhe was glad to fee her, and offered to falute her i
which Mrs. Veal complied with, till their Lips al-
moft touched -, and then Mrs. foal drew her Hand
crofs her own Eyes, and faid, / am not very well;
and fo waved it. She told Mrs. Bargrave fhe was
going a Journey, and had a great Mind to fee her
firft : But, fays Mrs. Bargrave. <c How came you to
C take a Journey alone ? I am amazed at it, becaufe
<c I know you have a fond Brother." Oh ! fays
Mrs. Veal) I gave my Brother the Slip, and came
away, becaufe I fad fo great a Defer e to fee you before
I took my Journey. So Mrs. Bargrave went in with
her into another Room within the firft; and Mrs.
Veal fat her down in an Elbow-Chair, in which
Mrs. Bargrave was fitting, when fhe heard Mrs. Peal
knock. Then fays Mrs. Veal, " My dear Friend,

5 " I am

t 4 ]

" I am come to renew our old Friendfhip again, and
<c beg your Pardon for my Breach of it , and if you
tf can forgive me, you are the beft of Women." "O,
<f fays Mrs. Bargrave, do not mention fuch a Thing;
<e I have not had an uneafy Thought about it ; I can
ce eafily forgive it." " What did you think of me ?"
faid Mrs. Veal. Says Mrs. Bargrave, " I thought
c< you were like the reft of the World, and that Prof-
cc perity had made you forget yourfelf and me."
Then Mrs. Veal reminded Mrs. Bargrave of the
many friendly Offices fhe did her in former Days,
and much of the Converfation they had with each
other in the Times of their Adverfuy j what Books
they read, and what Comfort, in particular, they re-
ceived from Drelincourfs Book of Death, which was
the beft, fhe faid, on that Subject, ever written. She
alfo mentioned Dr. Sherlock, the two Dutch Books
which were translated, written opon Death, and fe-
veral others : But Drelincourt, flie faid, had the clear-
eft Notions of Death, and of the future State, of any
who . had handled that Subject. Then fhe afked
Mrs. Bargrave, Whether fhe had Drelincourt ? She
faid, Tes. Says Mrs. Feat, Fetch it. And fo Mrs.
Bargrave goes up Stairs, and brings it down. Says
Mrs, Veal, f< L Dear Mrs. Bargrave, if the Eyes of
<f our Faith were as open as the Eyes of our Body,
< f we fhould fee Numbers of Angels about us for
" our Guard. The Notions we have of Heaven,
<f now, are nothing like what it is, as Drelincourt
tc fays. Therefore be comforted under your Afflic-
" tions, and believe that the Almighty has a parti-
ef cular Regard to you, and that your Afflicti-
<e ons are Marks of God's Favour; and when
" they have done the Bufinefs they are fent for,
" they fhall be removed from you. And, believe
" me my dear Friend, believe what I fay to
<c you, one Minute of Future Happinefs will infi-
<c nitely reward you for all your Sufferings : For a
. c I can never believe (and claps her Hand upon,
4 *

t 5 i

** her Knee with great Earneftnefs, which indeed
^' ran through moft of her Difcourfe, that ever God
ec will fuffer you to fpend all your Days in this af-
" flicted State: But be affured, that your Afflictions
* c fhall leave you, or you them, in a fhort Time.'*
She fpake in that pathetical and heavenly Manner,
that Mrs. Bargrave wept feveral Times, fhe was fo
deeply affected with it.

Then Mrs. Veal mentioned Dr. Horned? s Afcetick,
at the End of which he gives an Account of the
Lives of the Primitive Chriftians. Their Pattern
Jhe recommended to our Imitation, and faid, <f Their
if Converfation was not like this of our Age : For
" now (fays fhe) there is nothing but frothy, vain
* c Difcourfe, which is far different from theirs. Theirs
* f was to Edification, and to build one another up in
cc Faith ; fo that they were not as we are, nor are we
<f as they were : But (faid fhe) we ought to do as
" they did. There was an hearty Friendship among
tc them; but where is it now to be found?" Says
Mrs. Bar grave, It is bard indeed to find a true
Friend in thefe Days. Says Mrs. Veal, Mr. Norris
has a fine Copy of Verfes, called Friendftnp in Per-
feftion, which I wonderfully admire. Have you feen
the Book ? fays Mrs. Veal. No, fays Mrs. Bargrave ;
but 1 have the Verfes of my own writing cut. Have you ?
fays Mrs. Veal; then fetch them. Which fhe did from
above Stairs, and offered them to Mrs. Veal to read,
who refufed, and waved the Thing, faying, Holding
down her head would make it ache ; and then de fired
Mrs. Bargrave to read them to her, which fhe did.
As they were admiring Friend (hip, Mrs. Veal faid,
.Dear Mrs. Bargrave, I Jball love you for ever. In
thefe Verfes there is twice ufed the Word Elyjtan.
Ah I fays Mrs. Veal, thefe Poets have fuch Names for
Heaven! She would often draw her Hand acrofs her
own Eyes, and fay, Mrs, Bargrave, do not you think
lam mightily im-p aired by my Fits? No, fays Mrs.
, I th:n\ you look as well as ever I knew you.
B After

[ 6 ]

After all this Difcourfe, which the Apparition put
in much finer Words than Mrs. Bargrave faid fhe
could pretend to, and as much more than Ihe can
remember (for it cannot be thought, that an Hour
and three Quarters Converfation could all be retained,
tho* the Main of it, fhe thinks fhe does) fhe faid to
Mrs. Bar grave, She would have her write a Letter to
her Brother, and tell him, Jhe would have him give
Rings tofuch and Juch , and that there was a Purje of
Geld in her Cabinet, and that /he would have two
Broad Pieces given to her Coufm Watfon.

Talking at this Rate Mrs. Bargrave thought that
a Fit was coming upon her, and fo placed herfelf in
a Chair juft before her Knees, to keep her from fall-
ing to the Ground, if her Fits fhould occafion it ;
(for the Elbow-chair, fhe thought, would keep her
from falling on either Side) and to divert Mrs. Veal>
as fhe thought, took hold of her Gown-fleeve, feve-
ral Times, and commended it. Mrs. Veal told her
it was a fcowered Silk, and newly made up. But
for all this, Mrs. Veal perfifted in her Requeft, and
told Mrs. Bargrave, fhe mufl not deny her : And
fhe would have her tell her Brother all their Conver-
iation when fhe had Opportunity: Dear Mrs. Veal,
fays Mrs. Bargrave , this feems fo impertinent ', that I
cannot tell how to comply with it ; and what a mortify ~
ing Story will our Converfation be to a young Gentleman ?
Why, fays Mrs. Bargrave, it is much better, methinks,
to do ityourfelf. No, fays Mrs. Veal, tho' it feems im-
pertinent to you now, you will fee more Reajon for it
hereafter. Mrs. Bargrave then, to fatisfy her Impor-
tunity, was going to fetch a Pen and Ink ; but Mrs.
Vealfa\&, Le,t it alone now, but do it when I am gone;
lut you muft be fare fo do it: Which was one of the
laft Things fhe enjoined her at parting ; and fo fhe
promifed her.

Then Mrs. Veal alked for Mrs. Bargrave' s Daugh-
ter ; fhe faid, fhe was not at Home : But if you have
a Mind to fee her, fays Mrs. Bargrave, I'll fend
5 for

t 7 1

for her. Do, fays Mrs. Veal. On which (he left her,
and went to a Neighbour's to fee for her,- and by
the Time Mrs. Bargrave was returning, Mrs. Veal
was got without the Door into the Street, in the Face
of the Beaft-marketj on a Saturday (which is Market-
day) and flood ready to part, as foon as Mrs. Bar-
grave came to her. She afked her, why fhe was in
iuch Hade. She faid,y&<? muft be going, tho' perhaps
Jhe might not go her Journey till Monday; and told
Mrs. Bargrave, foe hoped /he Jhould fee htr again at her
Coufin WatfonV before fie went whither Jhe was going.
Then fhe faid, She would take her Leave of her, and
walked from Mrs. Bargrave in her View, till a Turn-
ing interrupted the Sight of her, which was three
Quarters after One in the Afternoon.

Mrs. Peal died the yth of September, at Twelve
o'Clock at Noon, of her Fits, and had not above four
Hours Senfes before Death, in which Time fhe
received the Sacrament. The next day after Mrs.
Veal's appearing, being Sunday, Mrs. Bargrave was
mightily indifpofed with a Cold, and a Sore-Throat,
that fhe could not go out that Day ; but on Monday
Morning fhe fent a Perfon to Capt. IVatJorfs to
know if Mrs. Veal was there. They wondered at
Mrs. Bargrave 's Enquiry, and fent her Word, that
Ihe was not there, nor was expected. At this An-
fwer Mrs. Bargrave told the Maid fhe had certainly
miftook the Name, or made fome Blunder. And
tho' fhe was ill, fhe put on her Hood, and went her-
felf to Capt. VPatforfs, tho' fhe knew none of the Fa-
mily, to fee if Mrs. Veal was there or not. They
faid, they wondered at her afking, for that fhe had
not been in Town; they were fure, if fhe had, fhe
would have been there. Says Mrs. Bargrave, lam
fure foe was with me en Saturday almcft two Hours.
They faid, it was impoffible; for they muft have
feen her, if fhe had. In comes Capt. Watfon,
while they were in Difpute, and faid that Mrs. Veal
was certainly dead, and her Efcutcheons were mak-

B 2 ing.

[ 3 ]

ing. This ftrangely furprifed Mrs. Bargrai'e, when
ihe fent to the Perfon immediately who had the Care
of them, and found it true. Then fhe related the
whole Story to Capt. Watfotf-t Family, and what
Gown fhe had on, and how ftriped ; and that Mrs.
Veal told her, it was fcowered. Then Mrs. Watjon
cried out, Ton have Jeen her indeed, for none knew,
but Mrs. Veal and myfslf, that the Gown was Jcow~
red. And Mrs. Watjon owned, that fhe defcribed
the Gown exactly : For y faid fhe, / helped her to
wake if up. This Mrs. fFatfen blazed all about the
Town, and avouched the Demonftration of the
Truth of Mrs. Bargrave's feeing Mrs. Veal's Appa-
rition. And Captain Watjon carried two Gentlemen,
immediately to Mrs. Bargrave's Houfe, to hear the
Relation from her own Mouth. And when it fpread
Ib faft, that Gentlemen and Perfons of Quality, the
judicious and fceptical Part of the World, flocked
, in upon her> it at laft became fuch a Talk, that fhe
was forced to go out of the Way ; for they were,
in general, extremely fatisfied of the Truth of the
Thing, and plainly faw, that Mrs. Bargrave was no
Hypochondriack; for fhe always appears with fuch
a chearful Air, and pleafing Mien, that fhe has
gained the Favour and Efteem of all the Gentry :
And it is thought a great Favour, if they can but
get the Relation from her own Mouth. I ihould
have told you before, that Mrs. Veal told Mrs. Bar-
grave, that her Sifter and Brother-in-Law were juft
come down from London to fee her. Says Mrs.
Ear grave, how came you to order Matters- Jo ftrange-
/v ? It could not be helped, faid Mrs. Veal. And her
Brother and Sifter did come to fee her, and entered
the Town of Dover, juft as Mrs. Veal was expiring.
Mrs. Bargrave afked her, whether fhe would drink
Ibme Tea. Says Mrs. Veal,- I do not care if f
do; hut ril warrant you, this mad Fellow (mean-
ing Mrs. B&rgrave's Hufband) bas broke all your

Trinkets*

[ 9 I

Trinkets. But, fays Mrs. Bar grays, PU get font-
thing to drink, for all that - y but Mrs. Veal waved
it, and faid, It is no Matter, lei it alone-, and fo it
paffed.

All the Time I fat with Mrs. BargraWy which
was fome Hours, fhe recollected frefh Sayings of
Mrs. Veal. And one material Thing more fhe told
Mrs. Bargravc, that old Mr. Breton allowed Mrs.
Veal Ten Pounds a Year ; which was a Secret, and
unknown to Mrs. Bargrave till Mrs. Veal told it-
her.

Mrs. Bargrave never varies in her Story; which,
puzzles thofe who doubt of the Truth, or are un-
willing to believe it. A Servant in the Neighbour's
Yard, adjoining to Mrs. Bargra^is Houfe, heard
her talking to fomebody an Hour of the Time Mrs..
Veal was with her. Mrs. Bargrave went out to her
next Neighbour's the very Moment fhe parted with
Mrs. Veal, and told her what ravifhing Converfation
fhe had had with an old Friend, and told the whole
of it. Drelincourt' 's Book of DEATH is, fince this
happened, bought up flrangely. And it is to be
obferved, that notwithstanding all the Trouble and
Fatigue Mrs. Bargrave has undergone upon this Ac-
count, Hie never took the Value of a Farthing, nor
fuffered her Daughter to take any Thing of any-
body, and therefore can have no Intereft in telling
the Story.

But Mr. Veal dees what he can to ftifle the Mat-
ter, and faid, he would fee Mrs. Bargraw, but yet
it is certain Matter of Fact, that he has been at Cap-
tain Weitfoits fince the Death of his Sifter, and yet
never went near Mrs. Rargrave , and fome of his
Friends, report her to be a Lyar, and that (he
knew of Mr. Breton's Ten Pounds a Year. But
the Perfon who pretends to fay fo has the Reputa-
tion of a notorious Lyar, among Perfons whom
{ know to be of undoubted Credit, Now Mr.

B 3

[ to ]

Veal is more of a Gentleman than to fay (he lyes; but
fays, a bad Hufband has crazed her. But (he needs
only prefent herfelf, and it will effectually confute
that Pretence. Mr. Veal fays, he afked his Sifter
.on her Peath-bed, whether (he had a Mind to dif-
pofe of any Thing; and fhe faid, No. Now, the
Things which Mrs. Veal's Apparition would have
difpofed of were fo trifling, and nothing of Juftice
aimed at in their Difpofal, that the Defign of it ap-
pears to me to be only in order to make Mrs. Bar-
grave fo to demonftrate the Truth of her Appear-
ance, as to fatisfy the World of the Reality thereof,
as to what (he had feen and heard, and to fecure her
Reputation among the reafonable and underftanding
Part of Mankind. And then again, Mr. F^/owns
that there was aPurfe of Gold; but it was not found
in her Cabinet, but in a Comb-box. This looks
improbable; for that Mrs. Watfon owned, that Mrs,
Veal was fo very careful of the Key of the Cabinet,
that fhe would truft nobody with it. And if fo, no
doubt fhe would not truft her Gold out of it. And
Mrs, Veal's often drawing her hand over her Eyes,
and a(king Mrs. Bargrave whether her Fits had not
impaired her, looks to me, as 'if (he did it on pur-
pofe to remind Mrs. Bargrave of her Fits, to pre-
pare her not to think it ftrange, that (he (hould put
her upon writing to her Brother, to difpofe of Rings
and Gold, which looks fo much like a dying Per-
fon's Requeft; and it took accordingly with Mrs.
Bargrave t as the Effects of her Fits coming upon
her; and was one of the many Jnftances of her won-
derful Love to her, and Care of her, that (he (hould
not be affrighted ; which indeed appears in her
whole Management, particularly in her coming to
her in the Day- time, waving the Salutation, and
when (he was alone; and then the Manner of her
parting, to prevent a fecond Attempt to falute
her,

Now,

Now, why Mr, Veal fhould think this Relation a
Refle&ion (as it is plain he does, by his endeavour-
ing to ftifle it) 1 cannot imagine ; becaufe the Ge-
nerality believe her to be a good Spirit, her Difcourfe
was fo heavenly. Her two great Errands were to
comfort Mrs. Bargrave in her Affliction, and to afk
her Forgivenefs for the Breach of Friendfhip, and
with a pious Difcourfe to. encourage her. So that,
after all, to fuppofe that Mrs. Bargrave could hatch
fuch an Invention as this from Friday Noon 'till
Saturday Noon (fuppofing that fhe knew of Mrs.
Veal's Death the very ftrft Moment) without jum-
bling Circumftances, and without any Intereft too;
ihe muft be more witty, fortunate, and wicked too,
than any indifferent Ferfon, I dare fay, will allow. I
afked Mrs. Bargrave feveral Times, if fhe was fure
fhe felt the Gown : She anfwered modeftly, <f If my
<f Senfes be to be relied on, I am fure of it.'* I afked
her, if (he heard a Sound when Ihe clapped her Hand
upon her Knee:' She faid, fhe did not remember fhe
did; but faid fhe appeared to be as much a Sub-
fiance as I did, who talked with her. " And I may
<c (faid fhe) be as foon perfuaded, that your Appari-
<c tion is talking to me now, as that I did not really
<c fee her: For I was under no Manner of Fear, and
<c received her as a Friend, and parted with her as
" fuch, I would not (fays fhe) give one Farthing to
<c make any one believe it : I have no Intereft in it j
<c nothing but Trouble is entailed upon rne for a long
<c Time, for aught I know j and had it not come to
<c light, by Accident, it would never have been made
<f publick." But now, fhe fays, fhe will make her
own private Ufe of it, and keep herfelf out of the
Way as much as fhe can ; and fo fhe has done fmce.
She fays, <c She had a Gentleman who came thirty
<c Miles to her to hear the Relation j and that fhe
" had told it to a Room full of People at a Time.'*
Several particular Gentlemen have had the Story
from Mrs. Bargravis own Mouth.

B 4 This

f 12 ]

This thing has very much affected me,, and I
am as well fatisfied as I am of the bed-grounded
Matter of Fact. And why we fhould difpute Mat-
ter of Fact, becaufe we cannot folve Things of which
we can have no certain or demonflrative Notions,
feems ftrange to me. Mrs. Bargraves Authority
and Sincerity alone would have been undoubted in
any other Cafe.

THE

CHRISTIA N's

CONSOLATIONS

AGAINST THE

FEARS OF DEATH.

CHAP. I.

fflat tiers is milling more dreadful than Death, to
Juch have no hope in GOD.

N infpired Pen ftyles Death very figni-
ficantly, 'The King of 'Terrors -, that is to
fay, the moft terrible of all other Things:
For there is nothing that we can imagine in
the World more dreadful and more frightful
than Death. It is poffible to decline the Edge
of drawn Swords, to clofe the Lion's Jaws, to
quench the Fire's Fury; but when Death fhoots
its poifoned Arrows, when it opens its infernal
Pit, and when it fends forth its devouring Flames,
it is altogether impoffible to fecure ourfelves; im-
poffible it is to guard ourfelves from its mer-
cilefs Fury. There is an infinite Number of war-
like Inventions, by which we commonly defeat the
evil Defigns of the moft powerful and dreadful
Enemies ; there is no Stratagem of the moft re-
nowned General, no Fortifications ever fo regu-
lar and artificial, nor Army ever fo victorious,
that can retard but for a Moment the Approaches

2 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

of Death, this laft Enemy. In the Twinkling of an
Eye it flies through the ftrongeft Bulwarks, the
deepeft Walls, and moft prodigious Towers. It leaps
over the largeft Ditches, the higheft Caftles, and the
moft inaccefiible Rocks. It blows down the ftrongeft
barricadoes, and laughs at all our Military Trenches ;
every where it finds the Weaknefs of our Armour,
and through the beft-tempered Breaft-plates it ftrikes
the proudeft Hearts. In the darkeft Dungeon it
comes to us, and fnatches us out of the hands of our
moft trufty and watchful Guards. In a Word, Na-
ture and Art can furnifh us with nothing able to
protect us from Death's cruel and infatiable Hands.

There is none fo barbarous, but is fometimes over-
come by the Prayers and Tears of fuch as caft them-
jfelves upon their knees to implore Mercy; nay, fuch
as have loft all Senfe of Humanity and Goodnefs,
commonly fpare in their Rage the weakeft Age and
Sex ; but unmerciful Death hath no more Regard of
fuch as humble themfelves, than of others that reiift
and defy it. It takes no Notice of Infants Tears and
Cries; it plucks them from the Breads of their ten-
der-hearted Mothers, and crufhes them in Pieces be-
fore their Eyes. It fcorns the Lamentations of dainty
Dames, and delights to trample upon their moft
ravifhing Beauties. It flops its Ears to the Requefts
of trembling Old-age, and cafts to the Ground the
grey Heads as fo many withered Oaks,

At a Battle, when Princes and Generals of the Ene-
my's Army are taken Prifoners, they are not treated
as common Soldiers; but unmerciful Death treads
under Feet as audacioufly the Prince as the Subject,
the Mafter as the Servant, the Noble as the VaflTal,
the rich Dives and the begging Lezarus together.
It blo\vs out with the fame Blaft the moft glorious
Luminaries, and the moft loathfome lamps. It hath
no more Refpect for the Crowns of Kings, the Pope's
Mitre, and the Cardinal's Cap, than for the Shepherd's
Crook, or the Slave's Chains. It heaps'them toge-
ther,

the Fears of DEATH. 3

ther, (huts them in the fame Dungeon, and in the
lame Mortar pounds them to Powder.

There is no War, tho' ever fo furious and bloody,
but it is interrupted with fome Days, or at lead fome
Hours, of CefTation and Truce : Nay, the mod in-
human Minds are at iaft tired with bloody Conquefts;
but infatiable Death never faith, If is enough. At
every Hour and Moment it cuts down whole Nations
and Kindreds. The Flefh of all the Animals that
have lived and died fince the Creation of the World
hath not been able to glut this devouring Monfter.
All Warfare is doubtful; he that wins the Victory
To-day, may foon after be put to flight. He that
rides at prefentin a triumphant Chariot, may become
the Footdool of his Enemy. But Death is always vic-
torious; it triumphs with an infufferable Infolence
over all the Kings and Nations of the Earth; it ne-
ver returns to its Den but loaden with Spoils, and
glutted with Blood. The drongeft Samjcns^ and. the
mod victorious Davids, who have torn in Pieces, and
overcome Lions and Bears, and cut off the Heads of
Giants, have at Iaft yielded themfelves, and been cut
off by Death. The great Alexander, and the trium-
phant C<efars, who have made all the World to
tremble before them, and conquered mod part of
the habitable Earth, could never find any thing that
might protect them from Death's Power. When mag-
nificent Statues, and dately Trophies, were raifed to
their Honour, Death laughed at their Vanity, and
made Sport with their Perfons. The rich Marbles,
where fo many proud Titles are engraved, cover no-
thing but a little rotten Flefh, and a few Bones which
Death hath broken and reduced to Afhes.

We read in the Revelation of the Prophet Daniel,
that King Nebuchadnezzar faw in a Dream a large
Statue of Gold, both glorious and terrible; its Head
was of pure Gold, its Breaft and Arms were of Silver,
its Belly and Thighs of Brafs, its Legs of Iron, and its
feet were partly of Clay, and partly of Iron. As the

Prince

4 &e CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

Prince was beholding it with Aftonifhment, a little
Stone cut out of a Mountain, without Hands, was
rolled againfb the Feet of this prodigious Statue, and
broke it all to-piecesj not only the Clay and Iron were
broken, but alfo the Gold, the Silver, and the Brafs;
ail became as the Chaff, which the Wind blows to
and fro. This great Image represents the Four Uni-
verfal Monarchies of the World : That of Babylon, of
the Perjlans and Medes, of the Greeks, and that of
the Romans. It reprefents alfo the Vanity and Incon-
itancy of all Things under the Sun : For what is the
Pomp, the Glory, the Strength and Dignities of this
' World, but as a Smoak driven with the Wind, and
a Vapour that foon vanifhes away? All is like a Sha-r
dow, that flies from us j or like a Dream, that difap-
pears in anlnftant. Man, created in the Image of God,
at his firft Appearance, feems to be very glorious for
a while, and becomes terrible: But as foon as Death
itrikes at his earthly Part, and begins to break hi?
iHefh and Bones, all the Glory, Pomp, Power, and
Magnificence of the richeft, of the moft terrible and
victorious Monarchs, are changed into a loathfome
Smell, into contemptible Duft, and reduced to no-
thing; Vanity of Vanities, all is Vanity..

Since therefore Death is fo impartial as to fpare
none, and its Power fo great that none can efcape or
refift it, it is no Wonder if it is become fo terrible,
and fills. with Fear, Grief, and Defpair, the Minds
of all Mortals, who have not fettled their Faith and
Afiurance of God. For there is no condemned Pri-
foner but trembles when he beholds the Scaffold
creeling, upon which he is defigned to be broken
upon a Wheel, or when he fpies in the Fire Irons,
\vith which he is to be pinched to Death.

In the Midft of a fumptuous FeaftyK'mgBtl/hazzar
faw the Fingers of a Man's Hand writing thefe Words
upon the Wall of his Palace ; Msns, Mene^ fckel,
Upharfin; which the Prophet Daniel hath thus inter-
preted ; Mene, God batb numbered tby Kingdcm, and
4 jfoj/M

againft the Fears of DEATH. 5

jinifhed it ; Tekel, Thou art weighed in the Balance, and
art found wanting; Perez, or Upharftn t Thy Kingdom
is divided, and given to the Medes and Perfians. As
foon as this great Monarch had caft his Eyes upon this
miraculous Writing, it is faid, that his Countenance
was changed, and his Thoughts troubled him fo that
the Joints of his Loins were loofed, and his Knees
fmoteone againft another. Certainly theproudWorld-
ling has a greater Caufe to be difmayed in the Midft of
his Glory and Pleafures, when he may perceive Death
writing upon every Wall of his Houfe in vifible Cha-
racters, and printing upon his Forehead, that God
hath numbered his Days, and this in which he now
breaths, fh all be foon followed by an eternal Night;
that God hatb weighed him h: the Balance of his Juftice
and found him as light as the Wind-, and that the Al-
mighty Creator, unto whom Vengeance belongs, will
foon diveft him of all his Glory and Riches, to clothe
therewith his Enemies, What Comforts can be found
for the wretched Sinners, who do not only underftand
their final Sentence, but alfo hear the thundering Voice
of the great Judge of the World exafperated by their
Impieties ? They may now perceive Hell prepared
to fwallow them up, and the fiery Chains of that dole-
ful Prifon ready to embrace them. They may at
prefent feel the Hands of the Executioner of divine
Juftice, that feized upon them already, and fee them-
felves before ftretched and tortured in that Place,
where there fhall be nothing but Weeping and horri-.
ble Gnafhing of Teeth. At prefent they may feel the
fierce Approaches of that Fire andBrimftone, which
is the fecond Death ; for it may be juilly faid of thefe
wretfched Variets, That Hell comes to than before they
go to Bell-, and that in this Life they have a Prefen-
timent of the grievous Pangs of their future Tor-
ments : Therefore fome of them in Defpair offerVio-
lence to themfelves, and commit an horrid Murder
upon their own Perfons, as if they were afraid not
to die by a Hand wicked enough. The Expectation

6 he CHRISTIAN'S Correlations

of Death, to them, is more infufferable than Deatfi
itfelf ; and they had rather caft themfelves into the
bottomlefs Pit of Hell, than endure the Apprehen-
lions and Fears of Hell in their guilty Confciencesj
and to be delivered of the Flafhes of Hell- fire, and
mount up their Souls in this Life, they caft them-
felves in a brutifh Manner into that unquenchable
Burning.

That which is mod terrible, is, that the horrid and
infufferable Fears that feize upon the Wicked, are
not fnort and tranfitory; for as a Criminal, that
knows there is a Sentence of Death pronounced
againft him, continually thinks upon thofe Torments
that are prepairing for him; as foon as he hears the
Door unlocking, or a Fly buzzing at his Ears, he ima-<
gines that fome are entering to drag him from his Pri-
ibn to Execution. In fome Senfe, he defires what
he apprehends, and haltens the Approaches of that
which he willies, but cannot avoid. Thus defperate
Sinners, that know there is a Sentence of eternal
Death proclaimed againft them in the Court of the
King of Kings, and that from this Sentence there is
no Appeal nor Efcape, muft needs be in continual
Fears. Such forefee the fearful Image of Death, that
difturbs their Quiet j and as St. Paul exprefleth
himfelf, thro* Fear of Death they are all their Life-
time Jubjett to Bondage y Heb. ii. 15. That is, they
are like fo many wretched Slaves, that tremble un-
der the inhuman Power of a mercilefs Tyrant.

I know that there be fome Atheijls who talk of
Death with Contempt or Scorn, and who make an
open Profeffion of braving Death without the leaft
Senfe of Fear ; nevertheless they feel in their Souls
fome fecret Thorns, with which Death often gauls
them j fome Fears and Apprehenfions, with which it
tortures and difquiets them, when they dream leaft of
it. It is true, they, for the moft part, boaft of not
fearing the Approaches of Death, and laugh at it,
when they imagine that it is at a Diltance from, them ;

b.ut

againfl the Fears of DEATH* *p

but thefe are they who are moft apt to tremble at the
near and grim Countenance of Death, and fooneft
difcover their Weaknefs and Defpair.

If there be any that feem to laugh at Death, their
Laughter is only an Appearance upon the Lips.
They are like a Child newly born, that feems to
fmile, when it is inwardly tormented in the Bowels >
or like thofe that eat of the famous Herb men-
tioned by the Herbalift, which caufes a pleafant
Laughter to appear upon the Lips of fuch, into
whofe noble Parts it conveys a mortal Poifon that
kills them.

There be fome, I confefs, that die without any
Concern ; but thefe are either brutifh or fenfelefs
Perfons, much like unto a fleeping Drunkard, who
may be call down a Precipice, without any Know-
ledge or Forefight of the Danger ; or they be plea-
fant Mockers, who are like the foolifh Criminals,
who go merrily to the Gallows , or they be fuch as
are full of Rage and Fury, whom I may well com-
pare to an enraged wild Boar, that runs himfelf in
the Huntfman's Snare: Such Monfters of Men de-
ferve not to be reckoned among rational and under-
ftanding Creatures.

CHAP. II.

y'hat in all the Heathen Philofophy .there is no
Jolid and true Comfort againft the Fears and Appre-
henjions of Death.

THERE are certain Empiricks, that feem at the
firft Difcourfe to be very well (killed in their Art,
that talk of Difeafes, and of their Caufes, moft learn-
edly and acutely j and nevertheless, in their Practice,

they

8 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolatwns .

they are both unhappy and ignorant. Their imfea-
fonable Learning difturbs the Patient more than their
Phyfick eafes him, and increafes the Sufferings of the
languifhing Body. Thefe Kind of Phyficians very
well defcribe to us, in this Particular, the Properties
df the Heathen Philofophers ; for when they repre-
fent the Calamities of our Human Condition, they
lharpen their Wits, and diicover all their Skill and
Khetorick. Some of them laugh ingenuoufiy at our
Miferies ; others artificially weep to behold them;
But in all their Writings and tragic FxprefTions, we
find not any folid and fincere Comforts to ftrengthen
us againft the Apprehenfions of Death.. Therefore
their contemptible and vain Fancies oblige us to tell
them, as Job his troublefome Friends, Tour Remem-
brances are like unto Ajhes^ your Bodies to Bodies of
, Job xiii. 12. It is true fome of thofe learned
Philofophers have very well fpoken, that we begirt
to die as foon as we begin to breathe ; that our life
is like unto a Candle that lives by its Confumption,
whereof the Flame devours and confumes it. For
the natural Heat that entertains our Life, infenfibly
undermines it ; it is that v/hich fpends our radical
Moifture, that yields the fame Benefits to our Life,
as Oil to a Lamp or Wax to a Taper.

Others have as well faid, that our prefent Life is but
a fwift Race from one Mother to another. They meant
from the Womb of our Mothers that brought us into
the World, into the Womb and Bofom of the Earth,
that will receive us at lafc -, for as foon as we are born,
we run a fwifc Race towards our Grave. At that In-
ilant when we fly from Death, we approach infenfibly
towards it; and, contrary to our Intention, we caft
ourfelves into its Embraces. Some of the fame School
have compared Man to a Bubble upon the Water, that
rifesand fwells, and immediately decreafes and breaks.
Others make him like unto the waterifli Bottles of di-
vers Colours, that Children Blow with their Breath,
and dcftroy with the fame. In Truth, all Maif s Beau-

Ggainfl the Pears ofDzATH. 9

ty is but a vain appearance, that vani/hes away in an
Inftant, Ifa. xl. All Flejh is like Grafs, and all the Glo-
iy of Man like the Flower of the Field, i Pet. i.

One of thefe great Philosophers, being afked what
the Life of Man was, anfwered never a Word; be-
taufe fuch a queftion deferved none, or rather be-
caufe he would imitate the Cuftom of his Age, of
fpeaking by Guefs, and fymbolical Reprefentatibns.
For that Purpofe he entered into a Chamber, and
patied out again at the lame Inftant, to fignify to his
Difciples that queftioned him, how that Man's Life
is but an Entrance in, and an Egrefs out of the
World ; the one fucceeds immediately the other.

Another of the fame Se<5l walked in a Bravado two
or three Turns, and thenfhrunk into a Pit, to fhow
that our Life is but a Kind of Mafquerade, a vain
Appearance that foon vanifhes : When Men have
-well admired themfelves in their Splendour, and have
drawn to them the Looks and Efteem of the World,
Death furprifes them, and fpoils all their Luftre, and
covers their borrowed Glory in a mournful Grave. It
Is with us as with Actors in a Comedy ; the one re-
prefents a King, the other an Emperor ; the one a
Counfellor, the other a Minifter of State ; but when
the Comedy is ended, and the Garments changed,
you know not which is which. We are all like Counters
upon a Table; fome fignify Units, others Tens,
others Hundreds, and others Thoufands and Millions;
but when they are fhuffled together, and put again
into the Purfe, the vaft Difference appears no more.
This is a lively Image of all Mankind; for in this
Life fome appear upon a Throne, others are feated
upon a Dunghill ; fome flourifh in golden and filken
Attire, others are cloathed in Nakednefs; fome com-
mand as Princes, others fubmit as Galley-Slaves; fome
are fed with exquifite Dainties, others muft be con-
tent with the Bread of Affliction. But when Death
has caft them all into their Graves together, then they
appear without any Diftinction.

io tte CHRISTIAN'S Conflations

All thefe witty Expreffions, and others of the like
Nature, are pleafant and true ; they teach well, and
flatter the Fancy; but they afford no real Comforts.
Therefore to all thefe learned Doctors we may fay,
as Job by the Way of Reproach to his Friends that
added Sorrow to his Affliction, You are all Phyjicians
of no Value. How then comfort ye me in vain ? Job xiii,
9. When a Patient is afflicted with the Tortures of
an unmerciful Gout, or of the Stone in the Kidneys,
that force from him every Moment moft 'grievous
Sighs and Groans, if any fhould offer to paint be-
fore him his Looks and Grimaces, or fhould coun-
terfeit them ingenioufly in his Prefence, he would
bring him little Eafe to his Torments, but rather In-
creafe to his Vexation and Trouble. The moft beau-
tiful Flower alfo can give no Delight to fuch as are
racked in the Executioner's Hand, or tied to four
Horfes that are ready to tear him to pieces. Thus it
5s with the moft eloquent and florid Diicourfe ; it can
bring no Comfort to a Soul that is departing : Da-,
vid's Harp alone can drive away the evil Spirits, and
appeafe the Troubles of a wounded Confcience.

But fome may imagine, in this general Survey of
ihe wife Follies and Vanity of the Heathen Philofo.
phe/s, I fiiould except the Stoicks : I confefs, in this
Particular, they exprefs more Gravity, but they pro-
ceed with no better Succefs ; nay, when I have well
confidered them, I find them to be far more infuffer-
able and impertinent than the reft; for befides that
they treat of the Immortality of the Soul in a very-
doubtful and inconfiftent Manner, the pretended
Comforts that they offer render Death more dreadful.
They tell us, that Death is the End and Centre
where all human Afflictions and Miferies ceafe; there-
fore it is rather to be defired, than avoided or feared.
They might have fome colourable Reafon for thisCon-
clufion, if they did but difcover beyond the Grave an
Happinefs which they might now expect and hope ;
for D?ath affures them of no- other Comfort, but only

agalnft f be Fears of DEATH. ii

to put a Period to all the Miferies of this wretched
Life. Therefore fuch Kind of Difcourfes are not pro-
perly Comforts, arid the Refolution that they beget
in us, is but a filly Paffiori much like that of a Cri-
minal upon the Rack, who impatiently wifhes for
Death, that he might be delivered from the cruel
Hands of the Executioners; and longs to be out of
thefe Torments, to get on the Scaffold where he is to
be broken upon the Wheel: O miferable Wretch ! the
Change of Tortures will bring no Eafe to thy Pains.
If thoucanft not endure patiently the Ropes that un-
joint thy Limbs, how wilt thou fufFer the Bar of Iron.
that fhall crack all thy Bones in Pieces ? O blind Phi-
lolbpher ! if thou canft not bear the JVIiferies of thii
Life, how wilt thou endure the Agonies of Death !

Moreover they tellus,That themoft cruel and pain-
ful Death is a noble Occafion to exercife our Virtue;
and tocaufe our Conftancy and Refolution to appear
with Admiration. This Difcourfe feems to be plau^
fible, but in Reality is nothing but Wind : For what
availeth this apparent Virtue ? It hinders us not front
falling into the deepeft Abyfs of Torment and Miferyj
but perifhes and dies with its Idolaters: Therefore
fuch as have moft admired it, have at lad acknow-
ledged it to be but a Shadow ; witnefs that famous
and worthy General, who fancied that hisVirtue would
procure him the Victory over all the Enemies of the
Commonwealth, in whofe Quarrel he took up Arms.
When the Battle was loft, and all his ambitious Hopes
had deceived him> being ready to flab himfelf with
his own Sword, he cried out, Ob, miferable Virtue !
what art thou, lut a vain unprofitable Word, a Name
without a Body! He thus exclaimed againft his Vir-
tue, that he had formerly adored, becaufe it could
yield him no Comfort in the Day of his Diftrefs, nor
free him from falling into utter Defpair.

The moft ordinary and ufeful Comforts they com-
mo.nly bring, are thefe : That Death is inevitable;
that we all enter into the World, upon Condition to

C i go

1 2 fo CH R i s T I A N 's Confolations

go out; that we have as much Caufe to be afflicted
with the Day of our Birth, as with the Day of our
Death ; that Humanity and Immortality are not con-
fident; that Death is a Tribute we all owe to Na-
ture ; that the Kings and greateft Monarchs are forced
to pay it, as well as the meaneft Subjects ; and
that this is fuch an univerfal Law, that it admits of
no Exception.

But thefe Kinds of Comforts increafeour Trouble,
and add to our Affliction. I have therefore good Rea-
fon to fpeak to thefe grave Philofophers in Job's Lan-
guage to his troublefome Friends, Miferable Comfort-
ers are ye all: For, in Truth, they do not only fearch
the Wound to the Quick, without any Application of
an healing Plaifter, but they alfo tear and widen it,
inflame and render it far more grievous. When we
are in Hopes of feeing an End to our Calamities, our
Mind is comforted, and arms itfelf with Conftancy,
and a patient Refolution ; but when we fee ourfelves
caft into an Abyfs of Evil, and that no Hopes appear
of getting out, we are then overwhelmed with Grief
'and Defpair. It is a lamentableThing to be born to die;
but it is far more lamentable and grievous to know
that Death is not to be avoided, that all the Treafurcs
of the World cannot free us from it; for his Affliction
is the greateft whofe Mifery cannot be cured.

This alfo is a falfe and deceitful Maxim; that the
Comfort of the Miferable is to have Companions in
Mifery. Though many Thoufands drink together of
the Waters ofAfarab, they feem no lefs bitter; and
although thou Ihouldft be burnt in a Fire where ma-
ny are confumed, thou fhalt not find there a more
cafy Abode. Thy Neighbour's Grief does not leflen
thy Affliction ; their Sicknefs cannot reftore to thee
Health, nor their Death comfort thee againft the Ap-
proaches of thine own. On the contrary, if thou haft
any Senfe of Humanity, thou wilt weep for their Mi-
fery and thine together. It is that which great Xerxes,
King of Pdrjla, nractifed; for upon Review of his

numerous

againft the "Fears of DEATH. 13

numerous Army, in which there were 1,700,000
Men, he confidering that within an hundred Years
fo many brave Captains and Soldiers would be rot-
ting in their Graves, was moved with Companion,
and wept. I mention not here the brutifh and foolifh
Opinion of fuch who imagine that Man's Soul is mor-
tal, and perifhes with the Body. This Confideration
brings no Comfort, but brings us into an irrecover-
able Defpair; for, befides the Torments of Hell-fire,
there is nothing that can be imagined more dreadful
than a Reducement tc a Non-entity.

It is alfo needlefs to mention the Platcnifts y who
have difcourfed of the Soul's Immortality, and of its
Blefiednefs after this Life. They imagine themfelves
very acute and fubtile; but their Difcourfes of this
Matter are fo grofs and extravagant, that inftead of
perfuading the Truth, they expofe it to Scorn and
Contempt. Let their fond and imaginary Defcrip-
tions of the Elyfian Fields be Witnefies j for what-
foever they have invented of this Kind hath been
reckoned among the Fables and poetical Fictions.
Thofe chirrjerical Gardens and Ground contain nor-
thing like to the Divine Excellencies, and unfpeakr
able Pleafures of the Paradife of God.

In a Word, feek amongft the rareft and moft pre-r
cious Treafures of Wit and Learning of the Heathen
Antiquity; turn over the Writings of the moft elo-
quent Orators, of the fubtileft Philofophers, of the
moft famous Poets j examine the Secrets of the moft
experienced Phyficians, confider their Practice, and
all the Remedies they prefcribe to the Soul, and you
lhall find them too unlkijful to perform the leaft
Cure. They do but charm and flatter the Difeafe ;
they'harden us againft Evilj they furnifh us with a
good Exterior, and teach us to bear a good Mien ;
but they have np real Antidote againft the Venom
that kills the Principle of Life ; nor the Remedy that;
reaches to the Heart: And as Torrents, that dry up
jn the hotteft Seafons, fuch Confolations that flow

C 3. nqt

CHRISTIAN'S Gonfolations

not from the Fountain of Life, vanifh away without
Effect, and dry up to nothing, when a deep Sorrow,
Fear and Affliction, feize upon a fmful Soul.

It feerns the Compilers of the Heathen Religion
were fenfible of this Truth; for they dedicated Tem-
ples, and ereftexi Altars, to all Manner of Gods and
Goddefies; not only to Virtues and Health, but alfo
to Vices and Difeafes^ to Fear, Cowardice, Anger, the
Fever, the Peftilence, and an infinite Number more;
but they left Death out of their Devotions. This is an
open Declaration, that they knew not how to ftrike
Acquaintance with Death, and win its Kfteem and
Favour. They had no Sacrifice nor Incenfe that could
allay its Fury j they looked upon it as their moft in-
human and irreconcileable Enemy. The very Name
of Death terrified them ; therefore it was one of their
moft unfortunate Omens. Adrian, the Emperor, is wit-
nefs of what I fay: He was one of thegreatelt Princes
in former Ages; he made moft Part of the inhabita-
ble World yield to his Sceptre, and put to Death
an infinite Number of Men ; but at laft he trembled,
and was aftonifhed himfelf at the Approaches of
Death: He had overcome the moft barbarous Na-
tions, and tamed r he moft favage Beafts ; but when
he came to this laft Enemy, he had no Weapon fit for
the Encounter. Therefore, on this Occafion, he dif-
covers the Weaknefs and Inconftancy of his Mind, far
more difturbeu than his Body was with the Dif^afe.
Sometimes he employed the magick Arft to retard
Death ; fometimes he made ufe of his Sword and.
Poiibn to haften it; at laft he killed himfelf by an
Abftinence from Food, neceflary to entertain his Life.
He had conquered all the World, and given Peace and
Happinefs to his Empire; but he could not overcome
himfeif, or appeafe the Troublesof his Confcience. He
was fofar from quieting the difturbed Thoughts of his
Soul, that he liiffered himfelf to be overwhelmed with
Defpair; he flattered his Soul in haftening its Ruin;
for when his Dikafe gave him Liberty to breathe, he

talked

cgainft tie "Pears of DEATH-* i $

talked unto it in this Manner : My little Soul, my
deareft Companion, thou art now going to wander in ob-
Jcure, cold, and ftrange Places : 'Thou fcalt never jeft
again according to thy wonted Manner ; thoujhalt never
give me any more Spcrt or Pleafure.

You will fay, Adrian, was a powerful Monarch, but
no great Philofopher; perhaps he knew how to go-
vern, and was well acquainted with the Politicks;
but he was ignorant of the Morals, and had no Skill
to die well. To anfwer this Objection, let us give
an Example beyond all Exception.

Arijlotle is generally efteemed tQ have been th
fubtileft, and the mod learned of the Heathen Anti-
quity, the Prince of all the Philofophers, the Glory
of his Age, and the Founder of his Seel: : When his
excellent Soul had furveyed all Things, examined the
Heavens, fearched among the Excellencies of the
Earth, pried into all the Wonders of the World, and
found out the rareft Secrets of Nature, he could ne-
ver find any folid Comfort againft the Apprehenfions
of Death. Notwithflanding all his admirable Subtil-
ties, and his profound Learning, the Fear of this
cruel Death terrifies his Confcience in fuch a Manner,
that he confefied, That of all terrible Ihings Death
was the mojl dreadful.

CHAP, III,

Of. divers Sorts of Deatb, with which we are to

encounter,

WHEN Dtfv/V/had a Defign to fight with Go-
liath, and could not make ufe of the Armour
of King Saul, he took a fmooth Stone out of his Bag,
caft it with his Sling, flruck the Philijline in the Fore*
head, and brought down this proud Giant, who had
defied the Armies of Ifrael. We have already exa-

C 4 mined

1 6 he CHRISTIANAS Confolattons

mined and tried all the Armour of human Wifdora
and Learning, laid up in the Store-houfes of the
greatest Wits of former Ages; and we have found
that they are not able to afford us any Affiftance
in an Encounter with Death. Let us, therefore, now
fee whether we may overcome this proud Enemy
with the Sling of our myftical David > with the
Weapons of our Divine Shepherd : But, before we
tegin the Refiftance, let us look and behold it in
the Face. The Enemy I intend you fhall overcome,
is a Monfter with three Heads ; for there are three
Sorts of Death, the Natural, the Spiritual, and the
Eternal.

The Natural Death is a Separation of the Soul from
the Body. Although our Body hath been fafliioned
with the Finger of God, it is but a weak and frail
Vefifel, made of Earth: But our Soul is an heavenly,
fpiritualj and immortal Subftance; it is a Sparkle and
a Ray of the Godhead, and the lively Image of our
Great Creator: For when God had made our firft Pa-
rent, he breathed into his Ncftrils the Breath of Life y
Gen. ii- 7. that we might thereby underftand, that
our Souls alone proceeded from his immediate Hand;
therefore he is named the 'Father of Sprits t Heb. xiil
and the faithful Creator of 'Souls , i Pet. iv. This Soul
raifes us a Degree above all Animals, and above the
celeltial Bodies, and renders us like the Angels of
Heaven. It is the Light that enlightens us, the Salt
that preferves us from Corruption. In one Word, by
this Soul we live, enjoy our Senfes, move and under-
ftand. As foon as this Angelical Gueft leaves its
Manfion the Body, it lofeth all its Beauty, and falls
of itfelf into a State of Ruin; for this Flefh that
we are fo careful of, and feed with all Manner of
Dainties, then corrupts and rots. After that it hath
been ftretched awhile upon Beds of Gold, and richly
attired in Purple and Scarlet, it is caft upon a Bed of
Worms, and covered with the vileft Infects of the

Earth. Notwithstanding all its former Perfumes, it
i j

yields

egainjl tie Fears of DEATH. 17

yields then a mod horrid Stink. Before, it ravifhed
the Eyes of the Beholders with its admirable Beauty;
but now it becomes fo odious and offenfive, that the
Living care not to fee it. It is at laft reduced to
Afhes, according to the Sentence that was pro-
nounced in the earthly Paradife, ~Duft thou art, and
unto Duft tbdttjbalt return.

The Spiritual Death is the Separation of the Soul
from God our Creator ; for he being the Soul of
our Souls, and the Light of our Life, we fall into
an Abyfs of Darknefs and Death : For all thofe that
depart from God Jhall peri/b, Pfal. Ixxiii. As the
Members, when they are cut off from the Body, com-
monly rot; as the Twig withers, when it is feparated
from the Vine; fo, in a Separation from God, we can
neither live, move, nor have a Being. And as it is
with the Body feparated from the Soul, it nourifhes
a Ned of Worms that devour it, and fends forth a
moft infufferable Stench; fo it is with our Souls at a
pittance from God: It yields thofe evil Affections
that torment and confume it; and the ill Scent of
its Crimes is offenfive to Heaven and Earth. Of this
Kind of Death our Saviour fpeaks to the Jews in this
Manner : If you do not Pelirve that I am be, you Jhall
die in your Sins, John viii. And to the Angel of the
Church at Sardis, 'Thou haft a Name that thou li-veft,
and art Dead, Rev. iii. The fame Death St. Paul
mentions in the fecond Chapter of the Colojfians, and
the fecond of the Ephefians ; When we were dead in our
JreJ^aJfes and Sins, God hath quickened us together with
Gbrift. And elfewhere he exhorts a finful Man,
Awake ) thou that Jleepeft, and arife from the Dead, and
Cfrrift Jbatt give thee Light, Eph. v. And it is of the
fame Kind of Death that St. Paul fpeaks concerning
the wanton Widow, that Jhe is dead while jhe liveth,
I Tim. v.

It was this Kind of Death thatddam fuffered as foon
as he had tufted of the forbidden Eruit, according to
God's Threatning; In the Day that thou eateft thereof

thou

1 8 'The CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

tbou Jkalt die the Death. For not only his Body be^
came fubjedt to Death, but his Soul was alfo caft into
the Death of Sin, and enflaved to Corruption. It
happened to him as to a Lamp newly put out; the
Snuff yields a moft ill-favoured fcent.

As the Life of Grace is a Preparative to the Life
of Glory, and furnifhes us with the Fore-tafte of the
heavenly Joys; fo, on the contrary, the carnal Life
js as it were the Suburbs of Hell; it is the firft Be-
ginning of an eternal Death, and the Entrance into
the infernal Pit. The eternal Death is nothing elfe
but an entire and irrecoverable Separation of the Soul
and Body from GOD, accompanied with infinite Tor-
ments; Torments, indeed, unto which all the Suf-
ferings of this mortal Life are light and inconfider-
able : Neverthelefs, as the Spirit of God reprefents
the heavenly Joys and Felicities by Things that are
moft pleafant and delightful; fo, to exprefs to us,
Hell-Torments, it borrows Things that are the moft
dreadful and painful in this Life: We are told of an
Alyjs or Furnace full of Flames, a bottomlejs Pit burn-
ing with Fire and Brimftone. The Scripture mentions
Chains ofDarknefe, an eternal Night, and an Hell- fir e^
where there are keeping andGnaJhing of Teeth. It tells
us, That Tophet is ordained of old, yea, for the King
it is -prepared; he hath made it deep and large: 'The
Pile thereof is Fire, and much Wood; the Breath of the
LORD, like a Stream, of Brimftone, doth kindle it^
Ifaiah xxx. 33.

Fancy to yourfelves a Man devoured with Worms,
burning in hot Flames, in continual Torments, in
\vhofe Wounds kindled Brimftone is poured without
Intermiffion, with boiling Lead, and burning Pitchj
if there be any other Pains more (harp and grievous,
fancy them alfo. All this will give us but a light and
irhperfect Image of the State of Hell; for all the
Pangs of the Body are nothing in Comparifon to the
Horrors, Troubles, and incredible Griefs, that fhaU
for ever rack and torture the damned Souls.

cgalnft f/je Fears of DEATH. 19

As Shame aggravates our Sufferings, and renders
them more terrible, the Damned fliall be loaded with
Shame and Infamy to all Eternity; their Names (hall
be hateful to GOD and his holy Angels, and they fhall
be curfed with an endlefs Curfe. And as it is an In-
creafe to our Torment to fuffer in the Company of
abominable Varlets, and to become a Companion of
the moil infamous Rafcals; they fhall fufFer with
Hell's Executioner, and fhall be fent to the Fire pre-
pared for the Devil and his Angels. All their Senfes
fhall fhare in thefe horrid Torments ; they fhall be
crufhed in the Wine Prcfs of God's eternal Wrath,
and they fhall feel for ever and ever the Strokes of
God's Vengeance, and of his almighty Hand. They
fhall then learn, by Experience, what a terrible Thing
it is to fall into the Hands of the living God, and
how infufFerable that Fire is, that fliall confume his
Enemies. Their Eyes fhall perceive nothing but the
bottomlefs Pit, the Devil's Image, and the Furies of
Hell ; their Ears fhall hear nothing but the horrible
Outcries, and fearful Roarings, of tormented Devils
and damned Souls. They fhall be choaked with the
noifome Smell and Fumes of the bottomlefs Pit;
they fhall then drink the very Dregs and Bottom of
GOD'S Anger and Indignation, and they fhall fuck
the Venom of his Arrows; Fire and Brimftom Jhall
be the Portion of their Cup.

The Sufferings of this Life are but fhort, and for a
Moment; but the Torments of the Damned fhall
never end; Their Worm dieth not, and their Fire jh all
never be quenched, Mark ix. Rev. xx. They lhall be
tormented Day and Night to all Eternity. When
they fhall have fufFered as many thoufand Ages, as
there be Drops of Water in the Sea, or Grains of Sand
on the Shore, it fhall be but the Beginning of their
Grief. They fhall live for ever, to die continually;
and they fhall die, and never be confumed. In the
Midft of thefe hot Hames, they fliall beg a Drop of
Water to cool their Tongue, Luke xvi. but we m?v

20 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

fay of the Fire that fhall torture the Damned, what
the Spoufe in the Canticles faith of the Divine Love
that had inflamed her Soul; Many Waters cannot
quench it, neither can the Floods drown it. Cant, viii.
And St. Paul tells us, I'hat the Things that God hath
prepared for them that love him, Eye hath notfeen t Ear
hath net heard, nor did it ever enter into the Heart of
Man, i Cor. ii So, on the contrary, we may fay, that
thofe Things that God hath prepared for them that
hate him, Eye hath notjeen, Ear hath not beard, nor
did it ever enter into the heart of Man. From hence
lhall proceed their Rage, Madnefs, and Defpair;
they fhall cry in Cain's Language, My Puni/hment is
greater than I can bear, Gen. iv. When they fhall
fee nothing but an extreme Mifery and woful Dark-
nefs, they fhall curfe God the King of all Creatures,
I fa. viii. In their Fury and Rage they will eat their
Tongues, and blafpheme the Great God of Heaven
and Earth. It had been far better for fuch Perfons,
that they had never been born; therefore they fhall
feek Death and fhall not find it, Matt. xxvi. They
fhall defire to die, that is, to be reduced to nothing,
Rev. ix- but this Death fhall fly from them ; Who
of you can dwell in eternal Flames ? Rev. vi. If the
Phials and little Cups full of God's Wrath force the
Wicked to cry out, how much more fhall the Rivers
and the Ocean of God's Vengeance draw from them,
O Mountains, fall on us -, Rocks, cover us, and hide
us from the Face of him that fits upon the 'Throne, and
from the Wrath of the Lamb ; for the Day of his Wrath
is come, and who may abide it? But as they have flop-
ped their Ears to God's gracious Calls, and hardened
their Hearts to his Invitation to Repentance, God
fhall alfo flop his Ear to their Out-cries, and his
F^yes to their grievous Sufferings; and when they
fhall be overcome with Fear and Defpair, God will
icorn and mock at their infufferable Mifery.

CHAP,

againft the Fears of DEATH. tl

CHAP IV.

That Jefus Chriil our Lord hath redeemed us front
eternal Death, and, by Degrees, rejcues us from a
Spiritual Death.

WE read in the fifth Chapter of the Revelations
of St. John, that he wept bitterly, becaufe no
Being in Heaven and Earth nor under the Earth was
able to open the Book fealed with feven Seals, that
was in God's Right-Hand. At that Inftant one of
the twenty-four Elders fpake to him, Weep not-, be-
hold the Lion of the Tribe of Judah hath prevailed to
open the Book, and to looje the feven Seals. Thus we
have until now wept bitterly becaufe we could find
nobody in the Armies of Ifrael to encounter with that
powerful Monfter Death. But let us alfo wipe our
Tears, and take good Courage, my Beloved; for this
fame Lion of the Tribe of Judah is appointed to fight
with this dreadful Enemy : Our victorious and tri-
umphing David, who had torn in Pieces the infernal
Lion, bruiied the ancient Serpent's Head, andfpci/ed
Principalities and Powers, triumphing over them in his
Crofs, Col. ii. 15. It is he that hath undertaken this
glorious Combat; it was for that Purpofe that he
left for a while the Throne of God the Father, and
the Company of his holy Angles, i Sam. xvii. It was
for that Intent that he came into the Camp and Con-
fufion of Ifrael. He hath not borrowed the Weapons
and Affiftance of the World, Heb. ii. All that he hath
taken from us, is our frail Nature. Buti? hath arm-
ed himfelf with Right eoitfnefs, as with a Breaji-plate, and
hath put on the Helmet of Salvation. He hath cloathed
himfelf ivith Vengeance as with a Clcak ; he hath trod-
den the IVine-preJs and nobody hath ajfifted him, Ifa. lix.
Ixiii. But his arm hath faved him, and his Hand hath
upheld him ; as David cut off Goliath's Head with his
own Sword, Jefus Chrift hath overcome Death by-
Death. Like unto the fbrong Samfon, he hath deftroyed
%}\ the Enemies of his Glorv by his Death, i Sam. xvii.

2 2 ^he CHRISTIAN'S Confotations

He hath overcome, in dying, him who had the Em-
pire of Death, that is, the Devil, Heb. ii. and hath de-
livered iihem, who through Fear of Death 'were all their
Life-time fuljetl to Bondage. Then was fulfilled this
Saying of Hofea, O Death, I will be thy Plague -, O
Grave, I will be thy DeftruRion, Hof. xiii. And that of
Jfaiah, He will fwallow up Death in Victory, and the
Lord God will wipe away 'Tears from off all Faces, and
the Rebuke of his People Jhall be taken away from all the
Earth, Ifa.xxv. i Tim. vi. This blefled Prince, King
of Kings, and Lord of Lords, who only hath Im-
mortality, and dwelleth in inaccefiible Light, hath
deftroyed Death, and brought to Light Life and Im-
mortality by the Gofpel, i Tim. i. Death where is thy
Sting ; O Grave 9 where is thy Viftory ? 'The Sting of
Death is Sin, and the Strength of Sin is the Law -, but
Thanks be to God who hath given us the Victory through
our Lord Jefus Cbrift, i Cor. xv.

This great God and Saviour has perfectly redeemed
us from eternal Death, as he himfelf teaches us in the
Gofpel of St. John ; he that hear eth my Word, and be-
lieveth on him that fent me, hath everlafting Life, and
Jhall not come into Condemnation, but is faffed from Death
unto Life, Ch. v. 24. I am the living Bread, which came
down from Heaven, if any Man eat of this Bread hefliall
live for ever, Ch. vi. 51. Ver. 40. Tour Fathers did eat
Manna in the Wilder nefs, and are dead; this is the Bread
which comsth down from Heaven, that a Man may eat
thereof, and not die, Chap. viii. Verily, verily, I fay unt9
you, if a Man keep my Word, he flo all never tafle of Death.
I am the Rejurreftwn and the Life \ he that liveth and
believeth in me, Jhall never die-, and he that believetb in
me although he were dead yet Jhall he live, Ch. xi. The
Wages of Sin is Death, but the Gift of God is eternal
Life through our Lord Jefus Cbrift. Bleffed and holy is
he that hath Part in the fir ft Refur re ft ion, Rev. xx. The
fecond Death Jhall never have any Power upon him. Iri
a Word, the Gates of Hell, that is to fay, Death can-
not prejudice them who are fettled upon Jefus Chrift,
4 the

agalnft the "Fears of DEATH 23

the Rock of Eternity. This merciful Saviour hath
alfo delivered us from the Spiritual Death, Eph. ii.
For we being dead in our Trefpafles and Sins, he hath,
quickened us, and raifedus up together unto Newnefs
of Life, Col. ii. He hath carried our Sins in his Bo-
dy upon the Crofs, that, he dying unto Sin, we might
live unto Righteoufnefs. We are buried with him in
his Death by Baptifm, that as Jefus Chrift is raifed
from the Dead by the Glory of God the Father, we
alfo Ihould walk in Newnefs of Life, i Pet. ii. Awake,
thou that Jleepeft, and rife from the Dead, and Jefus
Cbrift Jhall enlighten thee, Eph. v. For by his Death
he hath not only reconciled us to God the Father,
Rom. vi. Col. i. but he hath alfo procured to us the Holy
Spirit that creates in us a new Heart, and imprints tha
Image of his Holinefs, Ezek. xxxvi. 2 Cor. v. He
makes us become new Creatures, and regenerates us
by the uncorruptible Seed, i Pet. i. This is that
which the Scripture names the firft- Refurre<5tion,
Rev. xx. St. Peter was ravidied in Admiraron at this
great and wonderful Benefit, and therefore he ac-
knowledged it ; Bleffed be the God and Father of our
Lord. Jejus Chrift , which, according to his abundant
Mercy i hath begotten us again unto a lively Hope> by
the Refurrefiicn of Jefus Chrift from the Dead, i Pet. i.
God dilcovered to the Prophet Ezekiel a Field co-
vered with dry Bones, and commanded him to pro-
phefy upon thefe Bones, Ezek. xxxvii. At the Pro-
phet's Command they began to draw near to one ano-
ther ; then the Nerves began to appear, the Flefh
to grow, and to be covered with Skin ; but there was
no Life, till God commanded the Prophet to prophe-
fy again, Thus faith the Lord, Spirit ? come from the
four Winds j blow upon thefe dead Bodies, and let them rife
from the Dead. Then the Spirit entered into them,
they began to revive, and they flood upon their Legs.
This is the lively and true Image of the firft Refur-
rectioti ; for the Spirit of God, that blows whither it
lifteth, regenerates us by Degrees, Job iii. and the

new

f/L The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

new Man is created in our Hearts by little and little
3 the Child grows in the Mother's Womb.

When Jojbua brought the Children of IJrael into?
the Land of Promife, he deftroyed not all the Canaan-
ties, Joih. xxiii. there remained fome who became
Scourges in their Sides, and Thorns in their Eyes.
Thus our true and fpiritual Jo/bua, who hath let us
into the Kingdom of his Grace, hath not altogether
deftroyed all our evil Affections; fome yet remain,
that are like Prickles in our Sides, and like Swords
that pierce thro' ourSouls. Theyyet renderour Life
bitterand unpleafant; therefore we often defire Death
to come and put a Period to this Conflict. Sin was in
Poffeffion of us, as a ftrong Man armed in an Houfe j
but Jefus Chrift is entered into our Souls, and be-
come Mailer ; he hath therefore bound and chained
Sin, and hath nailed it to his Crofs. But this furious
Bead, tho' he hath received a mortal Wound, and is
ready to give up the laft Gafp, yet ftruggles and
foams within us. Our bleffed Saviour hath extin-
guifhed with the real Stream of his Blood, the infernal
Flames of our curfed Affections ; but yet there re-
main in the Afhes fome Sparkles of this devilifh Fire,-
that yet caufe in us feverifli Fits. Only this merciful
Redeemer, of his infinite Goodnefs, hath loofed us
from the Devil's Chains ; but that we might have
Caufe to be humble, to defire the Increafe of Grace,
and long for the Arrival of his Glory, he leaves
about us fome of the troublefome Fetters : By his holy
Spirit he files them off by Degrees j but one Day he
will take them away from us.

At the Voice of this Prince of Life, that reaches to
the very Bottom of our Hearts, we are rifen from the
Sepulchre of bur Vices with our Grave-clothes about
us, as Lazarus when he came out of his Tomb. We
are like the ancient Slaves who were fet at Liberty ;
we bear upon our Foreheads the vifible Marks of our
ancient Bondage ; but one Day our Lord Jejus Cbrift
(hall cover thele Marks of Infamy and Difgrace with

againft the Fears ofDEATH. 25

fln heavenly Diadem. If you defire another Image
of our fpiritual Condition, fancy to yourfelves a dead
Man caft into a foul Pit or Sink, unto whom Life is
reftored in a Moment; afterwards, by Degrees, he is
wafhed and clcanfed of that Filth that covered his Bo-
dy, We were not only dead of a fpiritual Death, but
we were alfo overwhelmed in an Abyfs of Corruption
and Filth. The Son of God hath pulled us out of
this Abyfs, and already reftored us to Life; but the
Dirt and Putrefaction with which we are disfigured.,
he wafhes away with the Water of Grace, Zech. xiii.
For there is a Fountain open for Sin in the Houfe 0/David,
IJa. iv. in the which God hath promifed to wafli
away all the Filth of the Daughter of Sion, and all the
Blood of Jerufakm. And as it happened to the cruel
King Adonibezek, when the Tribe of Judah took him
Prifoner, he loft the Thumbs of his Hands and the
great Toes of his Feet, but he fuflered not Death till
he came to Jerufakm -, thus our great God and Sa-
viour, the Prince of the Tribe of Judah, hath cut
off the Strength and Power of the Old Man, who
tyrannized in our Souls, and hath deprived him of
his venomous Nails, with which he wounded our
Hearts; he hath alfo given him a Mortal Wound,
but he furFers him to enjoy a languishing Life, and
will not take away his laft Breath, until we bring
him to the Gates of the heavenly Jerufakm.

But to {peak more openly ; Sin is yet in us, but it
reigneth not : For our Lord and Saviour Jefus Cbrift
hath broken its Sceptre, and pulled it from the
Throne ; and as he hath taken from it all Command
in us, he conftrains it to leave the Poffeffion of our
Souls by Degrees. As a ftrong and mighty King,
who, having won the Battle, purfues and drives the
Enemy, until he hath totally expelled them out of
his Kingdom; fo doth our Saviour deal with Sin.

And as it happens to a Woman with Child in her

old Age, there are in her Body two contrary Lives,

that of the Mother and that of the Child, the one

D decays

26 he CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

decays and dies infenfibly, the Child's Life grows and
incrcafeth by Degrees ; fo it is in the faithful and re-
generate Soulj there are two Lives, thatof&', that
the Scripture names the old Man; and that of the new
Man, which is created according to God in Righ-
teoufnefs and true Holinefs; the one diminilhes and
draws to its final End; but the other grows, and ga-
thers Strength, until we arrive to the perfect Stature
of our Lord Jefus Chrijl; the Spirit of God every Day
gets Ground of our Corruption and Weaknefs.

CHAP. V.

Why we are yet Jubjecied to the Corporal or Natural
Death, and what Advantage we thereby receive in
Jefus Chrift.

/ ~lpHE wife King teacheth us in the Ninth of Eccle-
A fiaftes, That the fame Accident happens to all, la
the Righteous, and to the Wicked, to the Clean, and to
the Polluted, to him that Jacr'ificeth, and to him thatja-
crific.eth not. Thefe Words are to be underftood of
the feveral Afflictions unto which we are expofed
during this mortal Life; but we may apply it to the
Natural Death : For /'/ is appointed ttnto all Men once to
die, and after that Judgment follows, Heb. ix. By one
Man Sin is entered into the World, and by Sin Death;
and thus Death is come upon all Men becaufe they have
all finned, Rom. v. Therefore, when Joflma felt him-
felf feeble and decay ing, he told the Children ofJ/ratl,
'That he was going the way of all Flejh, Jofh. xxiii. And
Job complains unto God, I know that thou wilt reduce
me to Death, and to the Houfe appointed for all Living,
Job xx. It was upon this Subject that the Royal Pro-
phet was exercifing his Meditation, when he cried our,
tVho is he that liveth, andfoall not fee Death ? Shall he
free his Soul from the Power of the Grave? Pf. Ixxx-ix.
And to fpeak the Language of Solomon, Q,r ever the
4 filver

agalnjl the Fears of DEATH. 27

/liver Cord be loafed, or the golden Bowl broken^ or the
Pitcher be broken at the Fountain, or the Wheel be broken
tit the Ciftern : That is to fay, the Back bv ne, where
Marrow is as white as. Silver, be loofed ; when the
Skull, which is like a precious Vefiel of Gold, be
broken; when the Vena Cava receives no more Blood
from the Liver, the Fountain of Life; when the
Lights, which draw in and pufh forth the Breath,
move no more; or when the Kidneys, which extract
the Humidity from the Veins, and caufe it to drop
down into the Bladder, as into a Ciftern, begin to
fail ; 'Then /hall the Body return to the Earth, as it was,
and the Spirit JbaU return unto God that gave it.

To exprefs to us this inevitable Fate, Mofes reckons
all the ancient Fathers, who have lived longett in the
firft World; he mentions one who lived 700, others
800, others 809 Years, and fome near 1000, Gen. v.
But when he had well fpoken of their Deeds, and of
their Children which they left behind, he adds, in
the Concluiion of all, and then fuch an one died.
Thus our Creator executes upon all Men the Sentence
once pronounced againil Adam, the Father of all
Mankind, Duft thcu art, and to Daft tboujbalt return.

By this Means God declared his Juftice and Truth,
and accomplifhed what was fignified by the ancient
Types, Lev. xiv. For according to the Laws which
God gave to IJrael by Mofes, the Houfe that was in-
fected with Leprojy, was to be demolifhed, and cad
into a noifome Place. There is a more urgent Caufe
for a Man's Body to be deftroyed, and laid in the Se-
pulchre, becaufe he was created to be the Palace of
the living God, the Dwelling of his Glory; but5V//,
a Kind of infectious Leprojy, hath infinuated itfelf,
and disfigur'd it, hath entered the Skin, corrupted the
blood, difordered the Spirits, crept into the Joints and
Marrow, and hath fpread its Venom in fuch a manner,
that there is none of our Members but is an Inftru-
ment of Iniquity and Unrighteoufnefs, Rom. vi. For
the fame Reafon, we cannot fufficiently admire the

D 2 Difference

28 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlont

Difference which God hath put between the Veflels
that were clean, and fuch as were unclean -, for he
commanded, that the earthen Veffels infected fhould
be broken in Pieces, Lev. xi. but that fuch as were of
a more valuable Subftance fhould be only wafhed
tvith Water, and purified with Fire, Numb. xi. The
Commands and Laws of the great God are excellent
Comrftentaries upon his Actions. Our Soul is like a
golden Veffel, becaufe it is a Spiritual and heavenly
Subftance, therefore God doth not altogether deftroy
it, although it be infected with Sin; but caufed it to
be wafhed and cleanfed at the Fountain of his infinite
Mercy. He purifies it with the Blood of his Son,
and caufes it to pafs through the Fire of his holy
Spirit. But for this miferable Body and earthly Veffel
and Tabernacle, he breaks it to Pieces, and reduces
it to Duft and Afhes. It is my Judgment, that Death
is an excellent Means to demonftrate the infinite
Power of our great God and Saviour : For the greater
the Difeafe is, the more admirable is the Cure. With-
out doubt, the Finger of God, in his infinite Power,
is far more vifible in raifing one Man from the Dead,
than preferving many Thoufands alive.

As God is wont to lighten our Darknefs, fo he
makes ufe of Death, to caufe his infinite Wifdom
to fhine and appear in all his Creatures. Sin hath
brought forth Death, and Death, on the contrary, as
a moft fortunate Parricide, kills and deftroys its
Parent, Sin : For it is Death that totally roots out of
our Souls all corrupt Affections.

Moreover, God, who is the fame Yefterday, To-day,
and for ever, Heb. xiii. will have all his Children pafs
through the fame Path, to takePoffcfiion of his eternal
Inheritance, and enter by the fame Gate into his royal
Palace. All the Faithful in the Old Teftament are gone
already th\s>Wa.y y fbrougbmany Tribulations, Acts xxiv.
They are arrived to the Kingdom of God, and through
Deach they are come to the Abode of Life and Im-
mortality. The Holy Scriptures, that are infpired of

God.,

agam/l the Fears of DEATH. 29

God, tell us, That the Reubenites, and half the Tribe
e/Manafies, Numb, xxxii. Jo/h. i. left their Dwellings
which they had beyond Jordan, to go over and fight
in the Army otlfrael, and did not offer to return, un-
til God had given Reft to their Brethren, and put them
into a peaceable Poffeffion of their Inheritances. If I
may make fome Stop at fuch an elegant Allegory, I
may fay, that thefe Pafiages reprefent to us a lively
Figure of the Faithful who die before the End of the
World : For they leave their Bodies, the Abode and
Dwelling of their Souls, and pafs through Death, as
through another Jordan, into the celeftial Canaan, to
encounter with God by their Prayers, in the Society
of the Firft-born, whofe Names are regiftered in
Heaven, and they will not return again to their Bodies,
until the Number of the Saints be complete, until the
Building of the Church be finifhed, and until our
great Jojhua hath introduced us into his eternal Reft,
and put us in Poflefllon of the incorruptible In-
heritances referved for us in Heaven. Then we (hall
not need to fight, but to enjoy peaceably the Fruits
of our Victories, and to reftforeverfromourLabours.
We (hall have no Caufe to offer to God Prayers and
Supplications \ but our Bufmefs lhall be to fing unto
him Praifes, and eternal Thankfgivings.

The more confiderable Reafon, in my Judgment,
of this our Deftiny, is, That God has predeftinated us
to be conformable to the Image of his Son, that he
might be the Firft-born among many Brethren ; he
will have us to be baptized with his Baptifm, and
drink in his Cup, and enter into Blifs by the fame
Gate, through which he hath already pafTed. Through
Shame and Difgrace he is arrived to Glory; and through
Death he is entered into Life. He hath drunk of
the Bitter Waters, before he tafted of the River of ce-
leftial Joys; and he went down into the Grave before
he would mount up to the Right-Hand of God.

Although it is appointed unto all Men once to die,
Ud\ ix. J dare affirm, that Death has no caufe to

P 3 triumph,

3$ 'The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

triumph, becaufe the chief Advantage is not on that
Side. We read in the Book of Efther, that King Aha-
Juerus would not recall the Proclamation that he had
fent forth againft the Jews, but he gave them full
Liberty to take up Arms to defend themfelves, to
attack their Enemies, and to make them fuffer all
the Mifchief they intended againft them. I find fome-
thing like unto this Proceeding, for God would not
call back the Sentence of Death pronounced againft
Mankind in the Garden of Eden ; neverthelefs he al-
lows us, nay he commands his true Ifrael, to take up
Arms againft Death, to conquer and trample it un-
der Feet.

In the firft Place Jejus dorifl, our Head, hath en-
countered with Death and overcome it; he hath pur-
fued it unto its Trenches, and baffled it in its own
Fortification ; Death thought to have devoured him,
but it hath been devoured itfelf. As the Fifties are
taken by the Hook that they think to fwallow ; and
as the Bees hurt thofe whom they fting, but do great-
er Harm to themfelves ; for they break their Stings,
and lofe thereby their Lives : Thus Death, by fixing
its Sting in the Humanity of Jefus Chrift, hath put
him to a great deal of Pain for a Time, but it hath
thereby loft all Strength and Vigour for ever.

The Men of Judab^ to fatisfy the enraged Philif-
tines, delivered into their Hands Samfon bound with
Ropes. When they faw him, they gave feveral joyful
Shouts; but the Spirit of God came upon him in fuch
a manner, that he tore in Pieces the two Ropes where-
with he was bound, and overcame them by whom he
was to be led away Prifoner, and killed aThoufand of
them. Thus themiferable 7<?^>foi"fearofthe Romans,
delivered unto them our Lord Jefus Cbrift, their Bro-
ther, according to the Flefh, bound like a Malefactor.
When Hell faw him nailed to the Crofs, and after-
wards laid in the Grave, it did wonderfully rejoice the
Devil, and his Angels began to fing Songs of Triumph.
But it was altogether impoffible, that the Prince of Life

ftiould

again ft the Fears of DEATH. 31

fhould be detained in the Prifons of Death. He hath
not only broken out of the Grave by his infinite
Power, but hath alfo trampled under Feet all his
moft furious Enemies, and overcome Millions of in-
fernal Fiends. And to declare how Life and Death
were in his Power, he baffled Death, when he was,
as it were, a Prifoner, fhut up in his Dungeon. He
hath broken open the Gates of this black Prifon, and
torn in Pieces all his Fetters : For when he was yet
in the Grave, he raifed to Life many that were Dead,
who were feen In the holy City; and yet at prefent he
holds in his Hand the Keys of Death and of Hell.
Therefore, as Children rejoice at their Father's Vic-
tory, and as the Subjects are concerned at the prof-
perous Proceeding of their King, and as the Mem-
bers are the better for the Glory and Honour of their
Head; thus we may juftly glory in the moft notable
Victories and famous Triumphs of Jefus Chrift, who
is our Father, King, and Head. We may alfo juftly
glory, that we are Lords of Death, and that we
have overcome it in the Perfon of our great God
and Saviour. I fay this after the Apoftle ^t. Paul,
1"hat God hath quickened us together , and raifed us to-
gether, and made us fit together in heavenly Places with
Jefus Cbriftt Hph. ii.

Moreover as our Saviour hath once overcome
Death for us, he continues to fubdue it in and by us.
He fulfers us not to encounter with our Enemies alone,
nor leaves us in our Agonies : But as, in a Day of Bat-
tle, a wife and provident General hath an Eye to every
Place, and encourages, by his Adtion and Voice, his
Soldiers, whom he perceives at Handy-Blows with the
Enemy ; fome he loads with Praifes, others with Pro-
mifes ; by that Means he encourageth fiich as behave
themfelves bravely, refcues the Weak and Feeble,
and to fuch as are overborne, he furnifhes them with
frefh Supplies : Thus deals with us our Lord and Sa-
viour, Jefus Chrift, the great God of Hofts, who fits
JR the Heavens in Triumph, and beholds all our

D 4 .Com*

32 *be CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

Combats and Encounters. When he perceives us
too weak, that we might not be overcome by our
dreadful Enemies, he furnifhes us with his Holy
Spirit, and his own Armour, as Jonathan did David,
when he delivered to him his Cloak, his Bow, his
Belt, and Sword. Befides this merciful Saviour
di farms Death of its moft hurtful Weapons, and
takes away all its Arrows and Darts.

As the Strength and Power of Sam/on lodged in the
Hair of his Head, which the Philiftines could never
have imagined; fo the Strength and Power of Death
confifts in fuch Things as the World lead dreams of.
The moil dreadful Weapons with which it terrifies
and beats us, are the Thunderbolts and Curfes of the
Laiv -, and our Sins are Poifon in which it dips its
Arrows, or rather our Sins are fierv Darts with which
it wounds and deftroys us. Now Jefus Chrift hath re-
deemed its from the Curfe of the Law, when he became a
Curfe for us, Gal. iii. He hath carried our Sins in his
Body upon the Crofs, i Pet. ii. and, as the He-goat
Harazel, hath tranfported them away into an uninha-
bitable Defart, Lev. xvi. he hath removed them from
the Eyes of our God, as far as the Raft is from the
Weft-, he hath call them to the Bottom of the Ocean,
and drowned them in his Blood : So that we may now
fee fulfilled what was foretold by the Prophet Jere-
miah -, The Iniquity of Ifrael Jhall be fought for, and
there Jhall be none-, and the Sim of Judah, and they
Jhall not be found. Chap i.

Therefore being befriended with the Grace of God,
and armed with the Virtue of his Holy Spirit, let us
fliew our Courage, and defy Death ; let us look it in
the Face without Fear, laugh at all its Threats, and
encounter it without Dread : For it is now like an
infolent Soldier without Weapons j it is like a Bee
without its Sting j it is like an old Lion that roars,
but hath loft all its Claws; it is like a Snake than
wquld convey its poifon, but hath no venomous Teeth
left, having been pulled out by him who hath bruifed
the Serpent's Head.

5 K

agalnfl the "Fears of DEATH. $$

If you confider nothing but Death's Exterior, its
Face and fearful Appearance, its frigid Eyes, its
meagre Body, its ironed Hands j you cannot perceive
any Difference between the Death of God's Children,
and that of the moft wicked Varlets. But if thoulifc
up the Mafic, and examine the Death of the one, and
of the other, more exactly, you will meet with as great
Difference as betwixt Heaven and Earth, the Para-
dife of God and Hell : For as Mofes's brazen Serpent,
which he lifted up in the Defart, had the Form and
Appearance of a burning Serpent, but nothing of
the Poifon and Fire ; thus the Death of the Faith-
ful appears as the Death of other Men, but hath not
the deadly and pernicious Confequences; for it is
not only a Sign and a Teftimony of God's Grace
and Favour, but the Beginning of our Deliverance,
and the Cure of all Diieafes. As Mofes, when he had
caft Wood into the Waters of Marah, they had the
fame Colour^ but not the fame Bitternefs and unplea-
fant Tafte: Thus the Death of God's deareft Chil-
dren hath the fame Tincture and Appearance as be-
fore ; but Chrift's Crofs hath taken away the Danger,
the Trouble, and extracted out of it diftafteful Bitter-
nefs, and changed it into unfpeakable Sweetnefs. As
Pharaoh was drowned before all his Army in the Wa-
ters of the Red-Sea y but the Children of IJrael found
a fecure and pleafant Palfage into the promifed Land;
when they were arrived upon the other Shore of that
dreadful Sea, they fung unto God Songs of Triumph
and Thankfgiving : Thus Death opens its Jaws to
devour the Reprobates, it is an Abyfs where they can
find no Bottom; but unto the Children of God it is
a favourable Paffage into an eternal Blifs ; as foon as
they are gone through, they are arrived at the Place
ofAffurance, Joy, and Reft, where God furnifhes
them with Songs of Triumph and Thankfgiving to
the Lamb, Rev. i. 15.

Balaam the Prophet was called to curfe the People of
God, but he bleifed them, contrary to the vain Expec-
tation

34 *The CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

tation ofBatak, King of Mobab.Thus Death hath been
brought inro the World by the Devil, to deftroy and
utterly abolifh the whole Seed ; but by God's infinite
Goodnefs and Wifdom hath changed it into Salvation
and Blefllng. Let us therefore not be any longer puz-
zled to find out the Meaning of Samjon's Riddle ; Out
of the Eater, came forth Meat, and out of the Strong
came fcrth Sweetnefs, Judg. xiv. For the Church of
God, unto whom Chrift hath difcovered the moft ex-
cellent Secrets of his Kingdom, teaches us to feek the
fweeteft Comforts out of the Belly of this old Lion.

It is not poiTible to judge of Mufick by a fmgle
Note, or of an Oration by a Period, nor of a Comedy
by a Scene. So we muft not judge of a Battle by the
firft AfTault, nor of a Wreftling by the firft Embraces
and Efforts of the Wreftlers: For fome in the Begin-
ning of the Battle turn their Backs, who neverthelefs
at laft often win the Viftory ; and fome in Wreftling
are foiled at theBeginning, who neverthelefs fupplant
their Enemy, and caft him upon the Ground. There-
fore, that we may better underftand the great and
notable Advantages we have over Death, we muft
examine it all along until the End of the Encounter ;
we muft take Notice of every Afiault that we give
unto this irreconcilable Enemy.

As foon as the Taper of our Life begins to burn,
Satan fends forth his Blaft to extinguifli it. Death la-
bours to undermine this poor Dwelling from the firft
Moment that it was built, befieges it on all Sides,
makes its Approaches; inTimeitfapstheFoundation,
it batters us with feveral Difeafes, and unexpected Ac-
cidents ; every Day it opens a Breach, and pulls out
of this Building ibme Stones. But if Death labours to
demolifh on his Part, we on ours labour to repair :
And as thofe who built the Walls of Jerujalem held
with one Hand the Trowel, and with the otheraSword
to fight; fowedefend ourfelves, as well as we are able,
againft the ArTaults of Death. Therefore we do not
only endeavour to preferve this earthly Lodge, that

God

agalnjl tie "Fears of DEATH. 3$

God hath let and fet to us for a Term, and to mend
up the continual Dilapidations that happen in it: But
at the very Sight of Death, when it gives us the Af-
fault, we do then alfo advance our fpiritual Building,
and labour to bring it to Perfection. So that we may
fay, as the Apoftle St. Paul, if our outward Man de-
cays, the inward Man is renewed Day ly Day, i Cor. iv.
To fpeak right, Death meddles with nothing but
with the exterior Part of Man : For our principal Fort
and chief Bulwark hath no Caufe to fear to be under-
mined or fapped, nor to be won by AiTault ; for it is
raifcd above the Heavens, and built upon theRock of
Eternity. It cannot be battered: For as the Thunder-
bolts, the Storms of Hail and ill Weather, cannot pre-
judice the Sun-beams, becaufe they are of a Spiritual
Nature j fo all the Fury of the World, and all the.
Powers of Hell, and the Rage of Death, can never
wrong the Soul, that is of a Spiritual and immortal
Nature; this Caftle can never be familhed, for God
furnifhes it with Manna from Heaven ; and from the
Rock upon which itis built there runs aSource of liv-
ing Waters, that rifes to everlafting Life. In a Word,
as the Serpents crawl only upon the Duft, Death hath
no Power but upon the earthly Part of Man; therefore
our Lord Jefus Chrift advifeth his Apoftles, not to fear
them that kill the Body, but cannot kill the Soul.

At the very Inftant of our Soul's Separation from
the Body, Death feems to have a great Advantage
upon us j but when I confider all, I find it hath no
Caufe to boaft of theVidlory. When a valiant Captain
marches out of a Town almoft deftroyed, to another
more fecured and better fortified, with his Weapons
in his Hand ; we fay that he has quitted his Station,
and not that he is overcome. Thus when the wretched
Body decays, and that our Souls depart well armed
with Faith and Hope, to lodge in a more fecure Place
in the higheft Heavens; nobody can fay, to fpeak pro-
perly, that we have been overcome. And as it happens
to fac.li as fail on the Ocean, when a violent Storm

threatens

36 *Tbe CHRISTIAN'S Confolattons
threatens them with Shipwreck, they think themfelves
very happy if they can quit their Veflel, leave it to the
Mercy of the Winds and Waves, and efcape to Land
with their Riches and Lives fafe : Thus it is with us
who fail upon the tempeftuous Sea of this World ;
when Death raifes its moll cruel Storms, we think
ourfelves happy if we can leave this miferable Body,
which feems as a Ship to our Souls ; and if we can
fecure our fpiritual Life, and our heavenly Riches.
Therefore we may juflly fay to the Faithful, that are
frighted when they fee Death threatening to drown
them in its Depths, as St. Paul to the Ship's Compa-
ny, who trembled for Fear at the Sight of roaring
and fwelling Waves, ake good Csurage, my Brethren,
for I a/Jure you y in the Name cf the living God, that your
Lives arejecure, and thai ycu Jhall loje nothing but this
Ship, Acts xxvii. We may furnifh them with ftronger
Comforts ; for thefe good Manners loft their Ship
without Hopes of recovering it again ; but we are
allured, that God will one Day gather up every Piece
of the broken Veffels of our Bodies, and will join
them together in a more perfect Eftate.

Therefore Death doth not carry away our Bodies
by Violence, but we leave them willingly ; we do not
ftay for its Summons, but we do prevent Death, and
give it a Licence ; when we have packed up our Bag
and Baggage, we are ready to depart out of this
wretched Abode, where we endure all Manner of Ca-
lamities ; for in this Houfe Defluctions fall down,
Vapours arife, the Pillars and Foundations tremble,
the Joints open, the Windows are darkened, and the
burning Fevers like violent Fires, confume it.

I mult not forget that the Faithful name their Death
not only a Removal of their Lodging, but a Removal
from a Tabernacle. This teaches us, that we muft de-
part from hence with as much Joy and Readinefs, as
a Soldier doth out of his Tabernacle, at the End of a
laborious and bloody Warfare; and with as much Plea-;
Jure as the Children of I/rael did out of their Camps, in

which

againft the Fears of D E A T H. 37

uhlch they had remained in the Defart, toenter into the
fweet and comfortableD wellings of the Land of Canaan.

Not only that Body is like to an hired Horfe, or to
a Tabernacle tranfported up and down; but it is by Sin
become to our Soul a woeful Prifon. Therefore Death
may be compared to the MefTengersfent by King Pba~
raoh, on purpofe to take Jcfeph out of the Dungeon,
and bring him to his Palace. The Body that was cre-
ated to be a noble Pavilion of Joy and Honour, is be-
come to our Soul a wretched incommodious Prifon;
and Death is like to the Furnace of Balylon, that burnt
andconfumed theBandsofthe three Children without
prejudicingtheir Perfons or Attire, Dan. iii. For itde-
ilroys the natural Bands that detain our Souls enflaved
to the Earth, but meddles not with its Ornaments,
with itsRighteoufnefsandSanctification. It is like the
Skin that enclofed the Child in its Mother's Womb,
or like the Shell where the Chick is formed: for of
Neceffity it muft be broken before we can enter into
immortal Life. In fhort, we may fay, that the Body,
which was given to the Soul for its Palace, is become
by Sin, its Grave, and loathfome Sepulchre, far more
noifome than that of Lazarus-, and that death is like
the Voice that calls upon us, Lazarus come forth.
Faithful Souls, you fee then that as Samfon carried
away the Gates of the City of Gaza, and tranfported
them to the Top of the Hill, fo hath Jejus Chrift, our
true Samfon, tranfported and carried the Gates of
Death to the higheft Pitch of Glory : Therefore,
whereas before we looked upon it with Horror as the
Entrance of Hell, now we may behold it with Con-
fidence and Joy, faying, as Jacob did of Bethel, This is
the Gate of Heaven.

Seeing therefore, that this is the Nature and Con-
dition of Death, I find that Men give it too much Ad-
vantage ; for we fhould not offer to fay, that fuch are
dead, whom God hath admitted into eternal Life;
becaufe the Qualification fhould be derived from the
chief and nobleft Part: As it is in Nature, there is no

Gene-

38 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

Generation without Corruption ; and we commonly
fay, that it is a Generation, when the Thing engender-
ed is more excellent than the Thing corrupted ; on the
contrary, that it is a Corruption, when the Thing cor-
rupted excels the Thing that is engendered. For this
Reafon our Change and Removal out of this World
ihall rather be filled a Life than Death: Tho' our
Body dies and rots in the Earth, our Soul revives, and
mounts up to Heaven ; and this mortal Life, which
we leave with the World, is nothing in Comparifon
of that Life which we fhall enjoy with Chrift, and his
holy Angels. God is named the God of Abraham, of
Ijaac, and of Jacob. Now he is not the God of the Dead,
but cf the living, Exod. iv. Matt. xxii.

I may alfo without any Figure affim, that Death,
in refpect to the Body, is no real Death, but a Kind of
Sleep; as is faid in the Phrophet Daniel, ManyJIeep in
the I)uft of the Earth, Ch. xii. And in Ifaiah, That
the Juftjleep in their Beds. Therefore our Saviour,
ipeakingof Janus' s Daughter, declared, 'fhe Child is
not dead, butfleepeth, Mat. ix. And Lazarus his Friend,
Lazarus our Friend Jltcpetb, and I go to awake him. Be-
loved, if thou art of the Number offuch as Chriftlov-
eth, thy Death will be but a Kind of Sleep of a fhort
Continuance, and of a few Days; the Lord will raife
thee up again; /or the Hour cometh and is already, that
the Dead/hall hear the Voice of the Son of God, and they
that Jhall hear/hall revive, John v. During this Life,
the AfTaults of Death are no better than light Skir-
mifhes; the moft fenfible and moft dangerous Blow
that it flrikes, in Appearance, when it Separates the
Soul from the Body ; but the laft and moft final En-
counter, that will put an end to all Difputes, will be
at the Day of Judgement, when Jejus Chrift will appear
from Heaven, with the Hoft of all his immortal An-
gelsand Saints, to encourage us to the Encounter. He
will come with an encouraging Voice of an Archangel,
and the laft Trumpetfhall found. Then Death will en-
deavour to keep us flill in its black Prifons, and our

Bones

againft the Fears of DEATH. 39

Bones will be found without Life or Motion but the
Spirit of God fhall breathe upon thefe dry Bones and
will caufe them to revive. As when the prophet Jonas
was three Days and three Nights in the Belly of a
Whale, God commanded the Fifh to vomit him y/p
again upon theGround; thus, when we fhall have made
fo longour Abode in our Graves, as God hath appoint-
ed in his Wifdom, Death fhall be forced to reflore all
that it hath fwallowed. And as Daniel came out of
the Lion's Den by Break of Day, thofe favage Beafts
having done him no Harm; thus at the Break of the
laft Day, a: the Rifing of the Sun of Righteoufnefs,
we fhall all go out of Death's deep Dens; and as if
God had fent an Angel on purpofe to (hut the Mouth
of this old Lion, we fhall then find that it hath done
us no Harm. Inftead of devouring us, it will prove a
faithful Keeper of our Bones. The Faithful then may
fpeak to Ceath in the Language of the Prophet Mi-
cah, Rejoice not againft me, O mine En;nr; , when 1 /hall
fait, I Jhall rife -, when I Jit in Darknefs> the Lord fljall bs
a Light unto me, Micah vii. 8. AsMffesfa.id.to Pharaoh^
We "will go into the Wilder ne{s to facrifice unto our God*
we will go out of thine Egypt with cur Young and with
cur Old, with our Sons and with cur Daughters, with
cur Flocks and with cur Herds ; there Jhall not a Hoof
be left behind^ Exod. x. Thus we, in an holy Confi-
dence, may talk with Death; maugre thy Rage and
Fury we will go up to Heaven to facrifice to our God
immortal Praife; we fhall get out of thy Fetters; we,
our Wives, our Children, our Brothers and Sifters,
our Parents and Friends, all the People of God,
whom thou doft at prefent keep in .a clofe Reftraint.
Notwithftanding the infernal Attempts of thine in-
human Power, there lhall not remain fo much as an
Handful, no, not fo much as the leafl Grain of our
Afhes behind us.

When the Son of God fhall appear in his Glory,
from Heaven, he lhall confume all Death's Trophies
and Monuments with irrefiflible Flames ; fo that it

fhall

4 6 ?&e CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons
fhall happen to this imperious Enemy of Mankind*
as it happened to the Kings of the Amorites mention-
ed in thzlfraelitijh Hiftory, Joft. x. 24. Jojhua fuffer-
ed them to live until he had returned from his Victo-
ry j and when he had perfectly overcome all his Ene-
mies, he commanded them to be brought forth, and
gave Orders to his Captains totreadupon their Necks;
and with his own Sword he difpatched them, caft
them into a Cave, and caufed great Stones to be rolled
at theEntrance of it. Thus fhall our true and celeftial
Jc/bua deal with Death ; he fuffers it to reign while
he is gone to purfue his Enemies ; for the laft Ene-
my that fhall be deflroyed by him, is Death. When
he fhall have perfectly purfued all other Enemies, he
will crown all his Victories with a glorious End, and
accomplifh the Church's Triumph, by caufing us to
trample upon Death, that fhall be caft in the bottom-
lefs Pit, whereof the Entrance fhall be fhut up for
ever, Rev. x. Then fhall be accomplifhed this glori-
ous Prophecy, Death is Jw allowed tip in Fiffory, i Cor.
xv. For the Spirit of God allures us, in exprefs
Terms, 'That Death /hall be no more.

By what we have faid, it may eafily appear, what
is become of the Rope thrice twifted by the Devi],
with an Intent to flrangle therewith all Mankind.
The ^on of God hath cut in Pieces the firft of thefc
unhappy Ties, by the Almighty Power; by the Spirit
of SanElification he loofens the fecond by Degrees; and
by the laft he draws us to himfelf, and then he burns
and confumes it altogether. Therefore we have no
Reafon to fear an eternal Death, nor to tremble when
Hell opens its wide Jaws. If we rejift the Devil he flees
away from us. Jam. iv. At laft we fhall trample him
under our Feet, Rcm. xiv. It is true, that the fad and
doleful Effects of the fpiritual Death commonly draw
out of us many a fad Groan and Tear, whilft our
Souls remain in this Sinful Flefh. We are already
got out of the Tombs of Corruption and Sin, but yet
bear about us, as it were, our Winding-fheet, and

fomc-

againft the Fears 0^ DEATH. 41

Tome odd Reliquesof our natural Mifery. But we
have this Confederation to comfort our drooping Spi-
rits, That Ckrift will fhortly give the fame Order
from Heaven to iis, as he did for Lazarus, Loofehim>
md let him go, John xi. So that inftead of the Cor-
ruption of our Nature, that is fo incommodious to
us, he will inveft us in an Eftate of Glory, Incorrup-
tion, Immortality, and perfedl Happinefs. In rela-
tion to the Natural Death, we may juftly fay, That
our Lord and Saviour hath freed us from all the'
Fears that it might caufe in us. So that it is my
Judgement, that we may not only affirm, that we
have not the lead Apprehenfion of it; but we may
expect it with 'Confidence: For if we be truly of the
Number of the Faithful, and God's adopted Sons,
we hope, defire, and rather haften Death's Arrival,
by our mod earned and paflionate Wifhes.

What I have already declared in this Chapter,
might fatisfy any Chnftian Soul, and furnifh it with
fufficient Confiderations to ftrengthen it againft all
Apprehenfions from Death. Now, as one who wants
to buy Stuffs in a Shop, when he cheapens fuch as
are flight, and of fmall Value, cafis his Eye only
upon a Piece or Pattern, and by that judges of the
reft; but when he intends to purchafe a rich Tape-
ftry of great Value, he defires to view and confider
every Part, one after another, and make an Eftimation
of the Value and Beauty of every Corner; fo I judge
that the wife and religious Reader will defire now,
that as I have difcovered to him, in grofs, the Body
of Confolations againft the Fears of Death, I fhould,
in the,next Place, unfold the hidden Excellencies,
produce every Part of them by Degrees to his Con-
templation, and with my Pen make him take Notice
of all the Rarities.

E C H A

42 ^he CHRISTIAN'S Confolationz

CHAP. VI.
From whence -proceed the Fears of Death.

AS a wife and difcreet Phyfician ufually examines
with Care the Caufes of the Difeafe, before he
prefcribes a Remedy ; and as an experienced Surgeon
fearcheth the Wound before he puts the Plaifter to it ;
thus I judge it necefiary to feek with Diligence from
whence the Fears of Death proceed, before we fhall
appoint Remedies to the faithful Souls : For when
we (hall perfectly underftand the Nature of the Dif-
eafe, and its principal Caufes, we fhall, without Dif-
ficulty, be better able to aflign a convenient Reme-
dy j when we fhall have fearched the Wound, and
walhed it clean, we will, with God's AfTiftance, pour
into it the true Balm of Gilead.

i.We have jufl Reafon to accufe ourfelves of too
much Unmindfulnefs of Death. We do not meditate
fo often as we fhould upon the Mifery and Frailty
of our poor decaying Nature. We acknowledge it, I
confefs, with our Tongues, that our Life is but a
Breath in our Noftrils, a Vapour that foon difap-
pears, a fhadow that quickly vanifhes away ; but
in the mean Time we flatter ourfelves in our Hearts
with more pleafant Thoughts and Defires, as Herod,.
that Men fnould look upon us as fo many little
Gods, slEfs xii. We fuffer ourfelves to be deceived,
by the flattering Infinuations of our corrupted Flefh,
and by the delufive Suggeftions of the old Serpent,
that whifpers to us, as to our firft Parents, Ton. Jball
not die., Gen. iii.

1. We commonly affirm, That Death is inexora-
ble j neverthelefs, for the moft Part, we live as if
we had made an Agreement with Death, and had fe-
cret Intelligence with the Grave, Jfa. xxii. Death ap-
proaches with Feet of Wool, without Noife; we ima-
gine, therefore, that it never will come near us ; as
that wicked Servant in the Gofpel, Matt. xxiv. who

con-

tigmnjl the Fears of DEATH. 4,3

concluded, from his Matter's Delays of coming, that
he would not come at all. We hate and abominate
the Sight of all Things that reprefent unto us any
Appearance of Death, or that call to our Minds its
Remembrance. If at any Time its Image come in
our Way, we turn from it our Eyes, and banifh out
of our Fancy all Imaginations of it, as of a mod odi-
ous and deceitful Illufion. Death feizes upon us
before we have well thought whether we be mortal
or no. Therefore we are furprized and aftonilhed at
the Approaches ; and we become like the foolifh If-
raelites, who trembled and fled before Goliath, becaufe
they were not accuftomed to behold him.

3. We depend too much upon fecond Caufes. We
look upon Death as a Thing that happens by chance,
or as an Evil that may be prevented, or at lead put
away for a Time j whereas we fhould be fully per-
fuaded, that God hach determined and appointed, not
only Death itfelf, but alfo all the Caufes and Means
by which it commonly happens. Therefore we are
often rilled with Difpleafure, and feduced to murmur
and repine againft God. We grin, and bite the Stone,
inftead of adoring in all Humility that wife Hand
that caft it. In a Word, whenever Death comes to
tis, we are ready to fay to it, as the Devils to our
Saviour. Wherefore art thou come to torment us before
the Time? Matt. viii.

4. We are too much tied to this Earth ; we are fo
united to the World, that we would willingly make
here our Abode for ever; and cannot abide to hear,
that Death will remove us. Our Lufts have no
Bounds, and we often fpend ourfelves in the Purfu-
ance of thefe miferable Advantages. When we draw
neareft to the End of our Life, and of our mortal
Race, it is then that many are mod earned to make
large Provifions of worldly Vanities. We build (late-
ly Dwellings, and fumptuous Palaces, at that very
Moment when wefhould think of nothing but build-
ing our Tomb, and repairing our Winding-fheet.

E a We

44 The 'CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

We have fo violent a Paffion for all the Enjoyments
of this Life, that to feparate us from them, is to
pluck out our Hearts, and to tear in pieces our tender
Bowels. When Death comes to our Bed-fide, and
offers to pull us out, we are ready to fay as the Slug-
gard in the Proverbs, A little Sleep, a little Slumber, a
little Folding of the Hands, Ch. vi. When our divine
Bridegroom knocks at our Gates, we are fcarce will-
ing to abandon our Delights, as the Spoufe in the
Canticles. What ! faith the Worldling, muft I leave
my fumptuous Palaces, my pleafant Dwellings, and
my delightful Gardens ? Muft I relinquifh all this
rich Tapeflry, thefe precious Moveables,and all thefe
rare and exquifite Ornaments, that enrich my Par-
lours, Chambers, and Clofets ? Muft this unmerciful
Death divert me fo foon of all Offices and Dignities,
and hinder me from a full and peaceable Enjoyment
of all thefe Riches and Treafures ? Muft it ravifh
from me in an Inftant all my Delights and Satisfac-
tions ? Is there no Remedy ? But muft I be plucked
from the Embraces of my beloved Wife, from the
Sight of my dear Children, and from the fweet Com-
pany of all my Friends ? Muft I receive no more the
Services of my Domefticks ? When we are in this
unprepared State, it is no Wonder if Death is fo ter-
rible to us, and if it caufes us to feel the Sharpnefs
of its Sting : For as of Abjalom, when he was hanged
by the Hair of the Head in a Tree of the Foreft,
Joab took three Darts, and ftruck him through the
Heart;, thus, when our Affections are too much en-
tangled with the World, and with the Expectation
of earthly Contentments, it is then that they are
miferably expofed to all the Darts and violent At-
tempts of Death.

5. Another principal Caufe of the Fear of Death
is a wicked Life. We are plunged in the Vice's and
Debaucheries of the Age. We fuffer ourfelves to be
corrupted by ill Company, and carried away with the
Torrent of vicious Cuftoms. It is therefore no Won-
der

againft the Fears ^ D E A T H . 45

der if Death fills our Souls with Apprehenfions, be-
caufe it comes to us armed with our Sins, and is pref-
fed by the Remorfeof Confcience, and Horror of our
Crimes. How comes it to pafs that fuch a terrible
Aftoniihment fell upon King Bet/baz&ir, when he
faw the Fingers of an Hand, writing upon the Wall
of his Palace the Sentence of his Doom ! Dan. v. It
was, becaufe he had profaned the holy Vefiels of God's
Houfe, and was rioting in the Society of lafciviousWo-
men. Wherefore did Felix tremble, when he heard
St.Paul difcourfe of Juftice, Temperance, and of Judg-
ment to come? Afts xxiv. It was, becaufe he was a
wicked Varlet, given over to all manner of filthy and
unjuft Living. Thus, becaufe we profane the Mem-
bers of our Body, which are as the Veflels of God's
Santftuary ; and becaufe our Lives are vicious and
diforderly, we cannot abide to hear Death mentioned;
and when it cometh to us, we are ready to fpeak to it
in Felix's Language to St. Paul, Depart for this 'Time.
So that the Love of Sin, and the Fear of Death, are
as two Sifters, who hold one another by the Hands ;
or rather they are Twins, that are born and die to-
gether. As the Prophet Amos faid to the Ifraelites, Ye
fut far the evil Day, and caufe the Seat of Violence to
come near, Amos vi. fo we may fay of the Men of this
Age ; You put as far from you as you can the Day
of Death, and draw near to all Manner of Impurity,
Covetoufnefs, Ambition, Pride, Vanity, Ufury,
Rapine, Violence, Envy, Malice, and fuch-like Soul-
plagues. You do not only draw near to thefe abo-
minable Vices, but what is worfe, you lodge them
in your Bowels, and harbour them in your Hearts.
Certainly we may well apply to all vicious Perfons,
what the Prophet Jeremiah fays of Jenifakm, Her
Filtbtnefs is in her Skirts, fie remembereth net her lajl
End, Lam. i.

6. I have taken Notice of another Defect in us t
"We miftruft the Providence of God, and know not
how to repofe ourfclves upon his fatherly Care. We

K 3 have

46 The CHRISTIAN'S Conjolations

have a too worthy Efteem of ourfelves, and of our
own Sufficiency. We cannot refolve to die, becaufe
we fancy ourfelves very ufeful in the World, and that
our Death would be a confiderable Lofs to the Church
of God, to the State, or to our Family.

7. Becaufe the Soul and Body are linked together,
in a very flricl: Union, we cannot imagine how they
can be feparated without great and unfpeakable Con-
yulfions. Our Infidelity is fo great, that we cannot
reft fatisfied upon the Promifes of God, who engages
to fuccour us in our Diftrefs, and to deliver us from
all our Troubles, IJ&. 1. It is true, Jacob's Ladder, that
reaches from the Earth to Heaven, may ravifh us j
but it feems very uneafy to afcend : Paradife is rich,
glorious, and delightful to the uttermofti but its Gate
is ftrait, and choaked up with Thorns and Briars.

8. I judge that one of the chief Caufes of the Fear,
of Death is, becaufe we look upon God as a moft fe-
vere and mercilefs Judge, inflamed with Anger and
Fury againft us, and armed with Vengeance: where-
as we fhould confider and acknowledge him to be a
merciful Father, full of Companion arid Kindnefs for
Mankind. Every Slave trembles at the Sight of his
Lord ; and there is no Malefactor but is afraid when
he appears before his Judge, to be put to the Rack ;
and can I, who am all fpotted with Sin, and blackenec^
with Crimes, can I appear before that glorious
Throne, that caufes the Seraphims to coyer their
Faces with their Wings ? If a. vi. How can I that am
but Stubble, fubfift in the Pre fence of the God of
Vengeance, ivbo is a consuming Fin? Hcb. x.

9. There is another vifible Fault in us : We do not
embrace with a true and lively Faith, the Death and
Paffion of our Lord and Saviour. We all fpeak of
Jefus Chrifl crucified; bur we do not know the divine
Virtue of" his Crucifixion, nor feel its Efficacy. We
do not confider, that his Death hath broken down the
Partition that fhutsus out of the Heavenly Sanctuary;
and that his Blocd hath tracked us a Way to ?ara-

4 dife 3

injl tie Fears of DEATH. 47

dife, and procured us an Entrance into that Place of
eternal Blifs.

10. Now, to prevent the Horror of the Grave, we
do not confider, as we ought, our Lord Jefus Chrift
in the Tomb, and that he hath fanflified it with his
holy and Divine Prefence. We do not imprint in our
Imaginations, that it is juft and reafonable that we
fhould be conformable to Chrift in his Abafement,
if we will have any Share with him in Glory and Ex-
altation.

1 1 . Befides, that which entertains in our Souls the
Fear of Death, is this : We look upon it as if it were
in its full Strength and Vigour ; whereas we fhould
remember, that Jefus Chrift hath overcome and dif-
armed Death by his powerful Refurrection j and that,
for our Parts, we need but follow the Footfteps of his
glorious Victories, and fatten that furious Bead to his
triumphant Chariot.

12. We do not confider as we fhould, with a feri-
ous and religious Application of Mind, how our Sa-
viour Chrift is not only rifen from the Sepulchre vic-
torious over Death, but that he is alfo afcended up
into the higheft Heavens, as our Fore-runner, to pre-
pare a place for usj and that, by departing out of
our miserable Bodies, we follow the Path of our ever-
blefTed Saviour, to reap with him the Fruits of his
mpft glorious Victories.

13. Weftoop too much to confider our frail, cor-
ruptible, and mortal Nature i and we feldom enter
into this moft ufeful Meditation, that by the Holy
Ghoft we are nearly and infeparably united to Jefus
Chrift, the Prince of Life, and the Source of Light j
and that we have already in us the Seeds of BlefTed-
nefs, of Glory, and Immortality.

14. As the Children of IJrael murmured againft
Mcfef in the Defart, and wifhed to be again in Egypt,
forgetting their bitter Slavery, under which they had
groaned, their painful Labouring amongft the Bricks,
and the Heat of their Furnaces, and minding only the

E 4 Plea-

48 he CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

Pleafure which they had loft, they dreamed of no-
thing but the Plenty of Bread and Flefh, of the Cu-
cumbers, Onions, and of the Meats with which they
had fo often rilled their Bellies : Thus we repine at
Death, becaufe we do not dream of the Evils from
which it deli versus ; we think only upon the vain Plea-
fures, and feeming Advantages, of which it robs us.

15. We imagine that Death deftroys and reduces
us to nothing; and we do not confider, that it never
meddles with the principal Part of our Being, but
only pulls from off us Sin, and breaks the reft of the.
Chains of our fpiritual Bondage; ib that Death is
rather the Death of Sin, than of the Faithful.

1 6. Here is another great Fault in us ; we do not
lift up our Minds to confider the Glory prepared for
us at the Egrefs of our Souls out of our mortal Bo-
dies. However we may demean ourfelves, and what-
ever we may pretend, we do not firmly, without
doubting, believe the Felicities which God promifeth
to us in the Contemplation of his Face. Sometimes
we may think upon the Joys of Paradife ; but it is
a Thought that paries through bur Souls with too.
much Speed, and does not take any Root. So that
many, if they were not afhamed, would be ready to
fpeak in the Emperor Adrian's Language, My little,
Soul, my deareft Darlingy O Gueft and Companion of my
Body, whither art thou going ?

17. To thefe former Caufes of the Fears of Death
in us, we may add another: That we fuffer our Eyes'
to dwell too much upon theRottennefs and Corrup-
tion that threaten our Body; whereas we fhould car-
ry our Eye-fight to behold its glorious Refurre&ion,
that flia'll foon follow. Pleafant Abode, and delight-
ful Companion of my Sou), muft Death, this cruel
Deiih, feparate it from thee with fo much Violence ?
Muft rhou part with thy dear and fweet Companion?
Muft my Soui leave thee upon fuch grievous and la-
mentable Terms, That of fo many Honours which
have been heaped upon thee, thou (halt not carry fo

much

again ft the Fears of DEATH; 49

much as their Shadow to the grave ? That of many
rich Moveables and Treafures, thou fhalt bear away
nothing but a Winding-flieet, a few Boards, or, at the
mod, fome Pounds of Lead ? After thou haft lived
in fo much Splendour and Magnificence, muft thy
Covering be at laft the Worms? After thou haft
walked fo proudly in Palaces gilded with Gold, and
perfumed, muft at laft thy Confinement be in aftink-
ing and loathfome Sepulchre ? Muft thefe beautiful
Eyes be clofed? Thefe Lips of Coral become pale?
This golden Mouth be ftopped ? And muft this
dainty Flefh rot, and become odious to the Eyes of
the World ?

jS. In the next Place, we do not meditate as we
ought upon that eternal Blifs and Glory that hath
been prepared for us from the Foundation of the
World, and into which we fhall enter, when Chrift
Jefus fnall come from Heaven with his holy Angels^
to judge both the Quick and the Dead; when he
fhall reunite our Souls and Bodies together for all
Eternity, that He may be glorified in his Saints, and
wonderful in all the Faithful.

^lUj* V 'I'*J* VVvV 'J"J *J**I**I ( 'I**I*V V V V *5* V *** *!* V** "I* * *** V * *** >"*^ *** V T* ***" * v *J* * ***

CHAP. VII.

*fbe Firft Remedy againft the Fears of Death, is y to

meditate often upon it.

WE become acquainted with the moft dreadful
Things by Cuftom and Converfation. Frefh
Soldiers commonly quaver and fhake at the Sight of
an Enemy; they tremble at the Vollies of Shot, and,
half-dead, fall to the Ground at the terrible Noife of
the great Ordnance. But when their Courage hath
been hardened by a long Exercife, they can then,
without Fear, feek the Enemy in his greateft Ad-
vantages, and can go as merrily to the Combat, as to
a Feait, or a Triumph. The Showers of fmall Shot,

the

50 *The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

the Lightening and Thunder of the Cannon, cannot
make them fo much as to fhut their Eyes orftoop their
Heads; they then laugh at their former Apprehenfions;
Thus the firft Conceits of Death commonly terrify us;
but when we ferioufly meditate upon it, and look it in
the Face, we fhall not only contemn it, but we fhall
feek it boldly in its Retreats, and with an undaunted
Countenance ; we fhall behold Death let fly all its
Arrows, and caft ing its Thunderbolts, without the lead
Apprehenfions. As they who are not wont to fee fa-
vageBeafls, dare not draw near to them, and canfcarce
look upon them without Fear; but fuch as are famili-
arly acquainted with them, can touch them without
Apprehenfion, and freely play with them : Thus it is
with them who never had any Confidence to look
Death in the Face ; they tremble, and are filled with
Aftonifhment, as foon as they fee its Approaches; but
they who often behold Death, are familiarly acquainted
with it, and therefore they can with Confidence thruft
their Fifts into its Jaws. Mojes fledaway from his Rod,
when it was firft turned into a Serpent ; but when he
began to take it in his Hand, and law that it returned
to its former Shape and Being, he was far from run-
ning from it, or entertaining the lean: Apprehenfion
of it ; he made a very happy Ufe of it, and by God's
Command wrought many Miracles. Thus it is with
Death, it frights us at firft, but if we can but take
hold of it with Hands of a true and lively Faith, it
will be fo far from fearing or frightening us, that it
will difcover to us a World of delightful Wonders.
Death therefore is fo far from terrifying fuch as are
accuftomed to it, that it fills them full of Comfort
and Joy. As a Child that looks upon the Father who
hath a Vizard on his Face, is frighted and begins to
cry; but if he hath but the Confidence to pull off the
Vizard, and take but Notice of the loving Smiles of
his Parent hid under that Deformity, he will not only
ccafe from Weeping, and fettle his Mind, but he
will alfo leap for Joy, and embrace him : Thus^ if

agalnft the Fears of DEATH. $j

we look upon Death with a timorous Countenance,
and behold its hideous Appearance, we fhall b- 'truck
with a fudden Horror j but if we can with any Af-
furance lift up his Vizard, we fhaH foon difcover our
heavenly Father, and with Tears of Joy we fhali run
to embrace him, As the Apoftles, when they sfpied
Jejiis Cbrift in the Night walking upon the Waves of
the Sea, cried out in a Fright, thinking that it had
been a Spirit ; but when he drew near to them, and
they heard his Voice, they perceived him to be their
Saviour ; when therefore they had received him into
their Ship, the Storm ceafed immediately: Thus, if
we look upon Death at a Diftance, the Blindnefs and
Ignorance with which we are poffefied will reprefent
to us a frightful Spirit ; but if we examine and behold
it nearer, by the Help of the Gofpel- Light, we lhall
find it to be our Salvation, and the Accomplifhingof
pur Redemption. All our Fears will then be calmed,
and our Souls will return to their former Temper,
In a Word, as he that runs from his Enemy increafes
his Courage, and renders him more earned, and re-
fol ved to purfue him; thus, when Death fees us tremble,
and decline its Approaches, it becomesmoreproud and
imperious over us. We muft therefore think betimes
of Death, reprefent it to ourfelves continually, and
enter into an acquaintance with it. It was holy job's
Practice ; for he cried unto tbe Pit, 'Thou art my Fa-
ther j and to Corruption and Worms, Te are my Mother
&nd my Sifters y Job xvi. And I imagine thai this was
vfre chief Reafon of Philip of Macedoris commanding
a Page every Morning to rouze him out of his Sleep,
with, King. ! remember then art a mortal Man. For
by this often repeated LelTbn he laboured to humble
his lofty Mind, and teach his frail Nature not to
glory fo much in the Splendor of his Crown and Scep-
tre, nor to abufe the Power committed to his Truft.
By this Means alfo he became acquainted with Death,
that it might not feem ftrange when it fhould come
in earneft and fnatch him away. This was alfo the

Defign

52 *fhe CHRISTIAN'S Conflations

Deflgn of the Emperor Meruan, or Meruanes, who
caufed this Motto to be engraved on his Seal, Re-
merr.ber that then muft die. Thefe Words minded him
of that which his Courtiers were afraid to mention to
him. So that this great Prince never confirmed with
his Seal the Death of any Man, but at the fame Time
he reprefented to himfelf, that his own Death was not
to be avoided. For the fame Reafon the Noblemen
of China are wont to have their Coffins ready made
in their Chambers, that at every Moment they might
look Death in the Face. And for that Intent the
Egyptians y in their moft fumptuous Feafts, commonly
placed a Dead Man's Skull in an eminent Corner of
the Room. By this Spectacle they intended not only
to oblige the Guefts to moderate their Joys, and to
reftrain their unruly Lulls, but alfo to bring them
acquainted with, and to accufbom them to behold
Death, amongft all their Delights. They treated it
as if their Defign had been to invite it to their moft
delicious Feaft, that they might rejoice together with
it, John xvi. I conceive that the Jews for the fame
Caufe built their Sepulchres in their Gardens of Plea-
fure, that they alfo might have the Image of Death
continually before them, and that in the Midft of all
their Divertifements, it might be their moft pleafant
and ordinary Entertainment. For us ChriftianSj to
oblige us to think upon Death, there is no need that
a Page fhould remember us every Day that we are
mortal, nor that the Motto of a Ring (liould call to
our Mind that we muft die; there is no need of a Cof-
fin to be placed in our Chambers: In fuch Things
there is many Times more Oftentation than Piety :'
Nor is it needful that a dead Man's Skull be put be-
fore your Eyes, or that a Sepulchre be built or'hewn
in our Gardens and Places of Recreation andDelight:
For as Alexander the Great nnderftood that he was a
Mortal, by .the Blood that ran out of his Wounds;
thus the Difeafes unto which we are fubjecl:, and the
daily Infirmities that we feel, fufficiemly inftruft and

afiure

again/I the Ftars of DEATH. 53

afiure us that we are Mortals : And as a famous Phi-
lofopher, when he received the unhappy News of his
Son^s untimely Death, anfwered the MeiTehger with a
fettled Countenance, I knew faid he, that I begot him
a mortal Man, Xenoph. Thus will the Faithful fay,
without Change of Countenance, or Appearance of
Fear, when his Death is declared to him, I knew that
my Mother had conceived me a mortal Man; I knew
very well that Death is the Tribute that we muil pay
to Nature, and that upon this Condition I am entered
into the World.

If we will makeufeof any exterior Help to imprint
this LerTbn into our Fancy, we muft practife with
Care the Advice of the wife Man j // is better to go to
the He life of Mourning, than to that of Pea/ling, Ecclef.
vii. fcr that is the End of all Men, and the Living will
lay it to bis Heart. Never look upon a deceafed Body
ftretched upon a Bed, or upon a dead Corpfe in a
Coffin, but remember that this is an universal Law,
unto which all Mankind muft pay Obedience ; that
it is the broad Road of all the Earth, and that there
thou mayeft behold the lively Image of thy future
State. I conceive 'this may be a good Expedient, and
very fucccfsful, to entertain in our Minds the conti-
nual Thoughts of Death, to make our laft Will be-
times, and frequently to perufe it : For as, wheu
we meditate upon a Farewel that we are to take of
our Friends, we feel in our Souls the fame Affections
and Motions as are in us at the Moment of our Se-
paration , thus will it be with us, when we ferioufly
meditate upon the laft Farewel that we are to bid
to the World. Death will feem to appear upon our
Lips, or rather we fnall think ourfelves already in the
fweet Embraces of the divine Jejus t our glorious
Redeemer.

Befides thofe Things that are extraordinary, I find
nothing in or out of us, nothing that we feel, tafte,
or relifh j in fiiort, nothing that paflfeth either in our
private or public Converfation, but is able to recall

54 *Tbe CHRISTIAN'S Ccnfotations

to our Minds the ferious Confideration of Death;
The Flefh that thou doft eat, the Wool that cloaths
thy Nakednefs, the Silk that adorns thy Body; in
general, all thy Garments and Ornaments are but the
Spoils of the dead Creatures. The Sight therefore of
all thefe Things muft call to Remembrance thy frail
and mortal State, and caufe thee to meditate upon the
Preacher's Saying; 'The fame Accident that happens to
the Beaft, the fame happens to Mankind; as is the Death
of the one^ fo is the Death of the other. They have all
the fame Breath, and Man hath no Advantage over a
Beaft ; for all is Vanity^ all go to the fame Place, all
proceed from Duft, andjhc.ll return to Duft again.

Never pull offthy Cloaths, but remember that thou
muft fhortly quit this miferableBody, and lay it down
in the Grave. When thou art entering into thy Bed*
think upon the Sepulchre where thou muft one Day
be ftretched. If thou doft awake in the Night, confidef
that Death will fhortly come, and put out the Tapef
of thy Life. Let thy Sleep be the Image of thy
Death, and let it call to thy Mind how thou rriufr,
within a few Days, Sleep in a Bed of Duft. When
thou awakeft, think upon the delightful Sound of the
Archangel's Trumpet, that fhall rouze thee out of
Death's long Sleep. Say within thyfelf, when thou
arifeft, It may be, that I fhall never rife again till the
Son of God fhall come from Heaven to lift me out of
the Grave with his Almighty Hand. When we caft our
Eyes upon the rifing Sun, let us fay within ourfelves,
Jt may be, I fhall never behold any other Sun rife a-
gain, buttheSunofRighteoufnefs, thatcarried Heal-
ing under his Wings. Confider when thou putteft on
thy Garments, that the Time is coming, when thou
muft becloathed with a more magnificent and glorious
Robe, a Robe of Light and Immortality. When thou
fitteftdowntoeat, thinkupon the Hour that is drawing
near, in which Death will feed upon thy Carcafej ima-
gine that it may be, that this is the laftTime that thou
Sialt fit at the Table ; that next thou mayeft fit with

Abraham^

againft the Fears of DEATFT. $$

Abraham, IJaac, and Jacob, with all the blefied Mar-
tyrs, who have wafhed and whitened their Robes in
the Blood of the Lamb ; and that it may be, that thou
{halt never tafte any more, but of the Food of Angels,
and of the Fruit of the Tree of Life ; and that thou
flialt never drink, but of the new Wine in the King-
dom of Heaven, and of the Rivers of eternal Plea-
fures, that run from the Throne of God.

Every Night that thou goeft out of thy Dwelling,
or changeft thy Abode, fancy to thyfelf, that in a lit-
tle Time thou muft depart out of this mortal Taber-
nacle. Art thou alone, and feparated from human So-
ciety ? Remember that within a few Days Death will
feparate and divide thee. Art thou going to any Meet-
ing or entering into any Company, or marching to-
the holy AfTemblies ? Difcourle with thyfelf in this
manner : It may be, that I fhall never go into any
other Company, until I come to the Church and Con-
gregation of the Firft born, whole Names are written
in Heaven. Art thou invited to the Marriage of a
Friend ? Say, unto thy Soul, It may be, I fhall never
go to any other Feaft, but to the Marriage of the Lamb
offered from the Foundation of the World. Doft thou
fee a rich and glorious Palace, or aPleafant Garden?
Say to thyfelf, It may be I fhall never fee any other
Palace, but that where the living God dwells ; and
it may be, I fliall never behold any other Place of
Pleafure, but the celeftial Paradife.

If thou cafteft down thine Eyes to look upon the
Earth upon which thou treadeil, confider at the fame
Time, that this Earth, or fomething like to it, fhall
afford thee a Grave, and that thou flialt fleep there
the Sleep of Death. Remember what God told Adam,
Duft thcu art, unto Duft thou Jh alt return, Gen. iii. Or
fay with the holy Man Job, Remember, I "pray tkes,
that tbou haft formed me of Clay, and that thou Jhalt
reduce me to Duft 9 1 jhalljleep in the Duft, and if than
fetkeft for me in the Morning, I Jball be no more,
Job vii.

56 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolatiotts

If thou takeft a View of the Plants, of the Herbs,
and Flowers, do not forget what the Word of God
fpeaks concerning our Life* in the xcth PJalm, That
Man is like the Grafs which grow elh up\ in the Morn-
ing it flourifheth, and is green , in the Evening it is cut
down, and withered. And in the ciiid Pfalm^ As for
Man^ his Days are as Grafs \ as the Flowers of the
Field, fo he flouri/heth : For the Wind paffelh over it,
and it is gone ', and the Place thereof Jh all know it no me/re .
And elfewhere, All Flefh is like Grafs t and the Glory of
Man like the Flower cf the Field, Ifa. xl. i Pet. i.

If thou takeft Notice of the Shadow of the Needle
In a Dial, that follows the fwift Motion of the Sun,
or of the Shadows which foli.d Bodies caft upon the
Earth ; in the Evening they ftretch a great Way*
and a little after vanifh : Confider ferioufly, and en-
grave in thy Mind this excellent Sentence ; Man is
like Vanity, his Days are as a Shadow that pajjeth a-way t
Pf. cxliv. and fay, as David, J am gene as a Shadow
when it dedineth, Pf. cix.

If thou heareft the Whittling of the Winds, which
God taketh out of the Stere-houfes, lift up thy Soul
unto God thy Creator, and fay with Job, Chap. vii.
Remember that my Life is but a H^tnd, mine Eye Jhall
fee no more Good j that is, the imaginary Good of this
miferable World. And elfewhere, 'Thou lifteji me up
to the IVind, thou caufeft me to ride upon it, and dij-
folveth my Sub/lance, Chap. xxx.

If thou lookeft upon the Glory and Beauty of the
Heavens, and bcholdeft the ravilhing Sight of the
Stars, confider that thy gracious God hath formed
thee after his Image j not to continue always amtjng
this flimy and miferable Earth, but to dwell with
him for ever in the Heavens; and that at the End
of the Race he will raife and carry thee into the Pa-
lace of his Glory, where thou fhalt Ihine as the Sun
in the greateft Splendor.

If thou doft meditate upon the Ch-angeablenefs of
the Seafons, remember that the Spring of thy Infancy,

the

ttgainjl tie Fears of DEATH; ty

the hot Summer of thy Youth, the Autumn of thy
Maturity, and fad-countenanced Winter of thy cold
and decrepid Age^ fhall fucceed one another in the
fame Order.

Let him who travels by Land, thiqk upon Job's
Complaint, My Days ba~:e been Jwifter than a Poft y
they flee away, they fee no Good, Job ix. Let him call
to mind the Apoftle's excellent Saying, 'fyis one 'Thing
I do, forgetting thoje Things which are behind, and reach-
ing forth unto thofe Things which are before \ I prefs
forward toward the Mark, for the Prize of the high
Calling of God, through Chrift Jefus, Phil. iii. 13.

Let him who fails upon the Sea, fancy the whole
World is a great Sea, (welling with waves, our Life
as a dangerous Voyage, and our Days as Ships that
pafs away in a Moment j and let him confider, that
thelaft Wind of Death will drive him into the Haven
of eternal Felicity, to the Enjoyments of immortal
Glory, Job ix.

Doth God blefs us with Children ? Let us urider-
itand that we are minded by them of our Mortality^
for they come to take our Room, and to fucceed in
our Eftatc : Doth God take them away to his Reft,
and 6f whom we are mofl fond ? Let this advertife us,
thatGod intends thereby to cut off all the lower Roots
that tie us to this Earth; to unloofe our Hearts and
Affections, that we may offer them up to him alone.
Inftead of fpending our Lives in Tears, and indulg-
ing our foolifh Humours in needlefs Difpleafures, let
us comfort ourfelves with this Confideration, That,
by this Means, a Part of ourfelves is entered into
Heaven, and that the other Part will follow a-pace.
Let us fay with David, We faall go to them, but thej
fa all not return to us.

Let the Magistrate, whenever he delivers his Vote,
or pronounces a Sentence, be provided with this Con-
fideration : That he who fits inJudgement-Seat, here
below, fhall (land at the Bar, and be judged him-
felf above: Thatqne Day he fliall appear as a poor

F Priibner

5 8 *fke CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

Prifoner at the Tribunal of his great God : That the
Books will be opened, and that the univerfal Judge of
the World will purfue every Particular of his Accufa-'
tion : That he muft render an account, not only of
his words and Actions, but alfo of his moft fecrct
Thoughts; and that without Examination at the Rack,
God will difcover the very Secrets of his Heart.

Let the Gentleman, wheneverhe receives his Rents
and Revenues, call to Mind the Tribute that he muft
needs pay to Death. Let the Prince and the Lord,
when he handles his Royal Patents, and his ancient
Charters, or when he examines the Homage and
Duties to be paid to his Houle and Family, take
Notice, that he muft go in Perfon to Heaven's Gates,
and pay his Homage to the Divinity. Let the King,
who fits in his Seat of Juftice, or Chair of State,
think upon the Throne of the King of Kings, before
which he muft appear, as well as the moft wretched
Slave, and the meaneft of his Subjects; and that he
muft be accountable to a juft God, who is no Refpec-
ter of Perfons.

Let the Minifter never be employed about the Du-
ties of his Function, but let him long and wifn for
that happy Day, in which the Lamb lhall inftruct and
feed him in Perfon, and lead him to the Fountain of
living Water.

Let the Chriftian Soldier engrave upon his Sword

this Sentence of Job, Is there not, as it ic.ere > a War-

fare appointed for all Mortals upon Earth ? Job vii.

And, inftead of thirfting after Human Blood, let him

prepare to encounter Death itfelf.

Let the Hufbandman, whenever he lows his Seed,
or when he reaps the Corn of his Fields, be mindful
of theSeafon thatcomeson a-pace, in which his Body
muft rot in the Earth, that it may grow up to Eter-
nity. Let him meditate upon what St. Paul faith,
O Fed, that which thou Joiveft is not quickened, except in
d : .s, i Cor. xv. And let him meditate upon David's
comfortable Perfuafion, 'They who few in "Tears, fljall
rea-p with Songs of 'Triumph. Let

agalnjl the Fears of DEATH. 59

Let any Handicrafts-man, that works in his Shop,
imprint in his Mind this excellent Sentence, Our Days
are like the Days of an Hireling ; and when he hath end-
ed his Tafk, and is departing to his Reft, let him
comfort himfclf with this Affurance, that as loon as
he fhall have ended that Work that God hath given
him to do, he fhall reft from a!l his Labours, Job vii.

Whenever the Phyfician vifits the Patient, or when
the Surgeon drerTes the Wounds, let them confider
that they have no Secret or Art able to protect them
from Death, or to cure the Breaches that it makes in
our corruptible Nature.

Let the moft cunning Lawyers, the moft advifed
Counfellors, and the moft eloquent Orators, remem-
ber, that all their Rhetorick and Subtlety will never
obtain for them their Suit againft Death, nor procure
a Moment of Refpite or Delay.

And let the moft learned Philofophers learn, 'That
tbefoundeft Pbilofophy is the Meditation of Death.

In fhort, whatever be our Employment, Condition,
or Age, let us lift up our Minds and Hands unto God
to fpeak to him in the Language of the Prophet Da-
vid; Lord let me know my End, and tbe Number of my
Days, that I may know how long I am to live ; or of
Mojes, So teach us the Number of our Days, that we may-
apply our Hearts unto Wijdom.

<35* * -O- O <& C* O *** 0- & <f O * -C* * <* *3* *2* *2* ** -^

A Prayer and Meditation on our Mortality.
My Cod, and heavenly Father, fence it is thy Plea-
fure that I Jfjould be mortal, and that my Body
fljould return to the Duft , grant me Grace to be always
mindful of my frail Condition, and ferioujly to refleff up-
n the feveral Changes of 'Times, the Variety of Seafons t
the Inconftancy of the World, and Alterations 1 meet
with, as Mementoes of my laft Change and Departure.
Let my Infirmities and frequent Dijiempers be looked up-
MI as JQ manf Mejfingers fent to fummon and warn

F 2

60 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

that I muftjhortly leave this Tabernacle. Let the Bed 1
reft on call to my Mind, that when all the Btifinefs of my
Life foall be finifhed, I mujl He down and reft in a Bed
of Duft. Let the Garments that 1 caft off at Night, the
Sleep that benumbs my Senfes, the To-mbs of my Predecef-
fors, Forefathers, and Friends, refrejh in me the 'Thoughts
of my Departure to my Uft Home. Gracious God, give me
Grace fo often to look upon Death and the Grave y that I
may be acquainted with them, and that they may not fright
or terrify, but Comfort me ; for tho* I know that I am born
to die, 1 know alfo this, that Death jh all introduce me in-
to the Prefence of my God, the only Author of Life and
Happinefs> to live for ever with him in Blifs. Amen.

CHAP. VIII.

"The Jecond Remedy againfl the Fears of Death, is to e\'-
feff it every Moment.

IT is not fufficient to think ofcen upon Death, and
to difcourfe of it in a pathetick Manner; and
there be fome that frequently mention Death with
many pious Rejections ; yet neverthelefs they cannot
boaft of being free from all Apprehenfionsof it. Their
Tongue is always ready to fpeak of Death, but their
Heart cannot yet yield to expect it. They know that
Death will feize upon them, but they entertain this
dangerous Opinion, that the Time is not yet come ;
they acknowledge that they are indebted to God and
Nature, but they delay the Payment of the Debt from
Day to Day, as if they were able to corrupt the Ser-
jeants of Death, and obtain a Reprieve at theirPleafure.
There is no Man fo old and decrepit, but flatters him-
felf with the Fancy of having as yet, at lead a Year to
live in the World. In fhort, we imagine always that
we perceive Death at a vaft Diftance from us, and
that we fhall, at our Leifure, prepare ourfelres to re-
ceive it as we ought. Therefore/whenever or where-

ever

againft the Fears of DEATH. 61

ever it comes to drag us out of the World, it furpri-
zeth and aftonifheth us.

To prevent this Mifchief, we muft not only confi-
der that we are mortal, but that our Life is Ihort,
and of no long Continuance; we muft continually
fay with Job, Are not my Days few ? Job x. and im-
print in our Minds this Sentence of David's> The
Lord hath made my Days as an Hand-breath > mine
Age is as nothing before him, Pfal, xxxix. Or that of
MofeSj Tbe beft of our Days are but Labour and
Sorrow ; for they are foon cut offl and we flee away,
Pfal. xc.

The Ancients painted 1'ime y with Wings, toexprefs
its unavoidable Swiftnefs. The Holy Spirit compares
our Life to a Weaver's Shuttle, to an hired Servant,
to a Poft that runs a-pace, to a Packet-boat, or to an
Eagle that flies after his Prey. The facred vVriters
fpeak of our Life as of a Torrent of Waters, of a
Cloud, a Vapour, a Wind, or a Breath. They tell us,
that our Days are gone as a Dream, they fly away as
a Shadow, they vanifh as a Word in the Air, and that
they perifh as a Thought. In a Word, all the lighten:
and themoft unconftant Things in the World, where-
of the Motion is very fudden and quick, are employed,
in holy Scripture, to exprefs the Vanity of our Life,
and Shortnels of our Days.

Befides that our Life is of a fhort Continuance, it
ilides away infenfibly, like a Clock ; the Wheels move
without ceafing, altho' the Hand appears to us to be
fteady; or to a Plant that grows continually, although
the Increafe and Growth is not to be difcerned by our
Eye-fight; or like to a Man who (lands in a Ship un-
der Sail, he goes forward, whether he will or no.
Thus, whether we deep or wake, whether we go or
lie down, whether we eat or faft, whether we work
or reft, we proceed on continually forward towards
our Grave. Our Body is like to a Tree eaten con-
tinually by Worms ; for Day and Night they feed
upon it without Intermifiion. In vain do you banilh

F 3 ~ out

62 T/^CHRISTIA N"'S Confolatlons

out of your Minds the Thought of Death ; if ye will
not call it to your Remembrance, it will not fail to
mind and remember you. The more you fly from it,
the more it follows and purfues you at the Heels ; and
when you imagine Death to be fartheft off from you,
it is the neareft to you.

As the Cancer, when it infects and enters into the
Breaft", devourstheFlefhwithoutInterruption } fo'Time
confumes and devours us continually. The Meat that
we fwallow, and nonrifhes us, brings us by Degrees
into the Embraces of Death, as the Oil that caufeth a
Lamp to burn, brings it to its End; or as when a
Torch is lighted it begins to decay, as foon as it be-
gins to burn; this I may fay without Miftake, that
the very firft Moment of this Animal Life is the firft
Moment of our Death: And as we fay of all fublu-
nary Bodies, that the Generation of the one is the De-
ftruclion of the other; fo it is with Time, the Birth of
one Hour, of a Day, of a Week, of a Month, of a Year,
is the End of that which precedes. It is like a Wheel
that mounts to no other End but to fall down again.

Since therefore our Life is nothing elle but a conti-
nued Death in proper Terms, wearemiftakento name
only the Moment of the Separation of the Soul and
Body the Hour of Death : For as, when many Cannon-
Shot are charged againft a Caftle to open a Breach, we
do not fay that the laft hath done the Work; or as,
'when a hard Stone is cut with a Chifel and Hammer,
or infenfibly carved and undermined with Water, the
laft Blow or Drop don't carry away alone the Glory
of the Performance ; thus, when our Bodies decay ancl
crumble away to Dull, we mult not only confider
the laft Strugglings againft Death, or the laft At-
tempt of this Enemy. Of a Ladder, where we afcend
and defcend, we view every Step from the Top to the
Bottom ; of an Hour-glafs, we look to every Grain of
Sand; of a Journey we reckon the firft League as well
as the laft : and in a Race, we take Notice of the firft
Step that we go our, as well as that when we (topped :

Thus

againft the Fears of DEATH. 63

Thus we muft reckon our Death to begin from the
firft Moment that we drew our Breach until the laft
when we yield up the Ghoft.

Befides what happens every Moment to this poor
anddefpicable Nature, an infinite Number of ftrange,
unlucky, and unexpected Accidents (lop and fhorten
our Race. The Taper is not always confumed by its
own Flame; many unkind Blafts and Showers extin-
guifh it. If our Life is fhort, it is no lefs weak and un-
certain. The Body in which welead a languifhingLife
is like Jonah's Gourd ; for if it be but moved with a
contrary and unwholefome Wind, or touched by an un-
happy Worm, it withers upon a fudden, Job i v. This
was the Thought of Elipbaz, when he fa id, We dwell
in Houfes of Clay, our Foundation is in the Daft, we are
. ?d before the Moth, Job iv. When God intends to
deftroy Mankind in his Wrath, and kill Multitudes in
his^Difpleafure, he doth not always commifTion an An-
gel as his Agent, as in the Cafe of the Firft-born of
Egypt; as when he flretched forth the Sword of his Ven-
geance upon Jerufalcm, and as when he cut off Senna-
cherib's Army in one Night, one hundred fourfcore and
five thoufand Men. He doth not always let loofe the
wicked Spirits, as when he gave them Leaveto raife a
furious Temped, which call to the Ground the Houfe
where Job's Children were buried in the Ruins, Job i.
He opens not always the Fountains of Heaven, as when
he w a (lied away the firft wicked World with a fearful
Deluge, Gen vii. He caufethnot always Fire and Brim-
ftone to rain from Heaven, as upon Sodom and Gomor-
rah, upon Admab and Zeboim. He works not always
Miracles in the Waters, as when he drowned Pharaoh
and his Egyptian Hoftin the Waters of the Red Sea. He
prepares not always Whales to devour us, as he did Jo-
nah. He fends not always burning Serpents, as to the
murmuring Generation of the JJraelites in the Defarts.
He commands not always the karth to open and fwal-
low us up, as he did Corab, Daiban and Abiram. He
fends not always from above great Hailftpnes, as when

F 4 he

64 *ke CHRISTIAN'S Confolations
he knocked down the Amorites; he deftroys not always
by Flames, that proceed from his Prefence, as he did
Nadab and Abihit, who offered unhallowed Fire upon
his Altar. He commands not always the Lions and
Bears of the Foreft to iffue out and devour us, as he
did when the rebellious Prophet was killed and when
the ill-tutored Children of Bethel mocked Eli/ha. In
fhort, God employs not always the Plagues and Judge-
ments of Peflilence, of War, and of Famine ; the un-
pleafant Smell of a fuming Snuff, a flying Vapour of
a malignant Smoak, is able to choak us, or kill us in
a Moment; a Fly, the Kernel of an Apple, the Hair
of the Head, or the Seed of a Grape, or Afhes, or Sand,
or fome other Atom, may flop the Breath of our Life.
Therefore God advifeth us by the Prophet Ifaiab, Cca/e
ye from Man, whofe Breath is in his Noftrils-, for where-
in is he to be accounted of? I fa. ii.

It istobeconfideredj that thefe Contingencies hap-
pen very frequently, and in every Place Death lays
for us his Snares, as well in the Bofom of our tender-
hearted Parents, and in the Embraces of our deareft
Friends, as amongft our moft mortal Enemies. Its
invifible Darts fly every-where, and, as the Pfalmift
informs us-, The Peflilence walkethin Darknefs, andDe-
ftruRion wafteth at Noon-day, Pfal. xci. Death is bufy
on the folemn Feftivals, as well as on the Working-
days; it drags us as eafily from the Table where we
take our Delights, as from the Bed of Sorrow, where
v/e figh and groan. There is no fecret Retreat where
we may find a Refuge ; it hath no more Regard of
the Temples dedicated to God's Service than of the
common Houfes. All the Riches of America, and
the Power of the greateft Monarch, -are not able to
protect us from its Purfuits; it requires a prefect Pay-
ment of the Debts that we owe, that it is not poffible to
appear by Deputy at the Summons that it fends to us.

Death claps the Summons on the Poft of the Door,
it trufts them not in the Hands of the Meffengers or
Lacquiesj there is no Warning, but it may write

down

agamjl the "Fears of DEATH, 65

down upon it thefe Words, /peaking to him in Prifen. It
furprifes us at Home and Abroad, in our Clofets, an4
in the Street, in our Beds, in our Sedans, in the Midft
of our Feafts, and all our Pomps. It offers Violence
to the facred Perfons of the greatefl Kings in their
moft fumptuous Palaces, in their mod flourifhing
Cities, in their ftrongeft Fortifications, in the Midft
of their moft faithful Subjects, and moft victorious
Armies ; upon their Thrones, and in their triumphant
Chariots. As King Ahab, when he was going to take
PofTeffion vfNabot&s Vineyard, told the Prophet Eli-
jah in a Rage, Haft thou found me, O mine Enemy ?
i Kings xxi. Thus when the profane Worldlings
dream of nothing but the pleafant Enjoyment of their
unjuft PoffefTions and fwimming in the Blood and
Sweat of the meaner People, they meet unexpected
Death, which they curfe in their Hearts ; and if it
did not flop their Mouths, they would fay alfo in a
Rage, Haft than found me, O mine Enemy?

This holy Meditation caufeth the beft King upon
Earth to tell us, Man knoweth not his ffme-, as the
Fijhes that are taken in an evil Net, and as the Birds
that are caught in a Snare, fo are the Sons of Menfnared
in an evil Time, ivhen it falls Juddenly upon them, Ecclef.
ix. 12. This fame Confideration caufed this ex-
cellent Sentence to be written in the Book of Job ;
In a Moment they Jh all die, and the People Jhall be troubled
at Midnight, and pqfs away, and the Mighty foall be
taken without Hand, Job xxxiv. that is, that to deftroy
Kingdoms and whole Nations, and to carry away the
moft lufty and mighty Men, E)eath has no need of
any other Ailiftance but its own Arm.

Do you defire, Chriftian Reader, tounderftand the
Refult of this Difcourfe? Let me tell you, that fince
Death is certain, and not to be avoided, and that there
is nothing fo uncertain as the Hour of its Arrival, we
pught fo to live, as if we were to breathe forth the
laft Gafp at every Moment. We Ihould behave our-
felves as if we had always our Souls upon our Lips,

yeady

66 he CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

ready to yield them into the Hands of our great Crea-
tor, and to i peak in Job's Language, Having our Fle/b
between our Teethy and cur Souls in our Hands, Job xiii.
In regard we know not at what Time, nor in what
Place Death intends to come upon us, let us expect
it at every Moment, and in every Place j and as we
lodge in this earthly ^Tabernacle, without any Term
prefixed, let us be ready to depart at the firft Warn-
ing : For it will be far better for us to go out willing-
ly, than to be dragged out againft our Will. It is
not convenient that Death fhould carry us away in the
lame manner as the Sea beats and tofles a dead Corpfe
upon its Waves: But we muft on this Occafion imi-
tate the difcreet Mariner, that trims his Sails, and
helps by his Art the Winds and the Tide to carry him
to his defired Haven. We fhould not follow Death,
as the Malefactor follows the Executioner, who drags
him to fuffer; bu: as the Child follows his Father,
who conducts him to a Feaft. We fhould not engage
in a Combat with Death by Conftraint, as the ancient
Slaves with the wild Beafts in the Roman Amphithea-
tres -, but we fhould imitate David's Courage, who of
his own Accord marched out of the Camp of I/'rael
to fight with Goliath; It is better for us to attack and
feize upon Death, than to be furprized and devoured
by it unawares.

Come when thou wilt, O Death ! thou fhalt never
furprizeme; for I wait for thee at every Moment,
with my Weapons ready in my Hand. Thou fhalt
never drag me forcibly; for I will follow thee wilfully
and joyfully. Though thou art my Enemy, yet will I
fpeak to thee in the Language of the Spoufe in theCVz-
ticks to her Beloved, Dra\v me, and I will run after thee.
Nay, I will meet thee in the Way, and receive thee with
hearty Embraces ; for inttead of dreading thy Coming,
\ defire it pafHonately, and hope for it ; for at the firib
Arrival, as foon as I have feen thee, I ihall overcome
thee, O bk-ffcd and happy Day, that promifeth me
fuch a glorious Victory, and fuch an eternal Triumph !

A Prayer

againft the Fears of DEATH. 67

A Prayer and Meditation upon the Continual
Expectation of Death.

f\ Gracious God, in whofe Power alone, and at whofe
Pleafure, are the 'Times and Seafons ; / know
it is appointed for all Men once to die, and that the
Grave is the Duelling which thou haft prepared to re-
ceive all Mankind. We under ft and fufficiently, by the Ex-
perience of former Ages, that none is able to fay , I lhali
live, and ftall not fee Death. Thou, O /ilmigkty God,
cur fupreme Judge, baft pronounced cur irrevocable Sen-
fence in the Earthly Paradife, that we muft die ; fo that
IJhould be guilty of the great eft Folly, if I did not firmly
believe that I muft die as others, and follow at my Turn
in the Way of all Flejh. But, Lord, thou haft beenpleafed
to hide from us the Iffues of thy Providence, and doft not
fuffer us to fee the Hand that marks cut the laft Hours
of our Life. We can perceive no Shadow to dif cover to us>
with Certainty, whatjhall be the Going-down of our Sun,
we know not at what Hour of the Day, or of the Night,
thou wilt call us to appear before thy great Tribunal.
Give me therefore Grace, moft merciful God, to le always
ready to anfwer to thy Call, and to obey thy holy Com-
viands ; that I may be as a Shit) at Anchor, that ft ays
only for a Wind to fet Sail ; or as a Soldier, wbo waits
cnly Jor a Signal to march to the Encounter. Give me
Grace, O good Lord, that I may be like the good and
faithful Servant, who expecls his Mafiers coming, and
hears his Voice asfoon as he calls ; cr like the wije Vir-
gins, who are ready to mee> the Bridegroom, and to fol-
low him to the Marriage Chamber. Since I am not to
knew either the Time or the Place when Death will come
to me, O that I may expeft and w differ it every Moment,
and at every Place ! O that I might live infuch a Man-
ner, that I may be always ready to die! that my Soul
were always upon my Lips, prepared to fly away ! that
I -n'tre continually in Readinsfs to commit it into thy
,:V. my God, my faithful and merciful Creator! By

this

68 ns CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

ibis Means Ijhall receive Death with Joy, when it comes
as thy Servant and Meffenger ; and Ijhall follow it wil-
lingly , being certainly persuaded that it will lead me into
eternal Life, and tranfport me into thy glorious and im-
mortal Palate. Amen.

C* *2* O*

CHAP IX.

Remedy againft the fears of Death, is to
confider that GOD hath appointed the Time and Man-
ner of Death.

WE are either Hypocrites, who draw near unto
God with our Lips, and honour him with our
Tongues, whilft our Heart is far from him, Mat. xiv.
or we muftdefire the Accomplifhmentof the Will of
God, and refign ourfelves wholly to it ; for every Day
we fay to him in our Prayers, Thy Will be done on Earth*
as it is in Heaven ; therefore we cannot abhor nor fly
from Death fo cowardly, if we be rightly perfuaded,
as we ought, that God hath limited the Time, and
appointed the Manner of our Death. That which
caufes us to complain of this laft Enemy, is a con*-
tinualEye that we have fixed upon the Power of the
Flefh, and a too great Confidence upon fecond Caufes.
We are like the Dog that bites at the Stone that flrikes
him ; for we commonly curfe the Means that God
employs to call and withdraw us out of the World.

It will eafily appear that God hath numbered our
Pays, and that by his wonderful and eternal Wifdom,
he hath decreed the Hour and Moment of every Man's
Death ; for, befides what our Saviour Chrift faith in
general, 'That God hath referred the 'Times and the Seajons
in his own Power, Adls i. Job tells us exprefly, The
Days of Man are determined) the Number of his Months
are with tbee, thou hajl appointed his Bounds that he
fann'ot pajs, Job xiv. The Royal Prophet fpeaks
to the fame Purpofe in the xxxift Pfatm, I truft in thee. t

Lord>

againjl the Fears 1 of DEATH. 69

Lord ; If aid, I'hou art my Cod, my Times are in thy
Hand. He is of the fame Judgment in the xxxixth Pf.
Behold, thou haft made my Days as an Hand-breadth. And
Pf. Ixviii. Unto God the Lord belong the IJJues of Death.
He alfo teacheth us the fame Leffon in his divine
Hymn, Pf. xc. for when he had reprefented how that
it is God that reduceth Man to Alhes, and maketh
him return to his firft Subftance, he tells us, fpeaking
unto God, I'hou turneft Man to DeftruRicn, and Jay eft,
Return again, ye Children of Men.

King Hezekiah's Comparifon is very notable; he
compareth the Life of Man to aThread that God hath
twifted, and that he cuts off at hisPleafure,^/i.xxxviii.
Mine Age is departed, and removed from me as a Shep-
herd's Tent ; I have cut off, like a Weaver, my Life ; be
will cut me off with, 'pining Sicknefs ; from Day even to
Night wilt thou make an End of me. Hannah, Samuel's
Mother, removes all Difficulty, and confirms this
Truth fufficiently, i Sam. \\.i. It is God, faid Ihe, who
killeth and maketh alive ; he bringeth dawn to the Grave,
find bringeth up. There is nothing more figniftcant
to the fame Purpofe, than our Lord and Saviour's
Words, I am he that liveih, and was dead; and behold
1 am alive for evermore, Amen, and have the Keys of
Hell and Death, Rev. i. This great God and Saviour
clofeth the Gates of the Grave when he pleafeth, and
it is not poffible to open them againft his Will. In
fhort, Whether we live, we live to the Lord; or whether
we die, we die to the Lord; whether therefore we- live or
die, we are the Lord's, Rom. xiv.

And our Reafon being enlightened with divine Re-
velation, teacheth us this good and profitable Leflbn;
for if God hath a Hand in our Conception and Birth,
and if he appoints the Time of our Entrance into the
World, wherefore ihould not he alfo have a Hand in
our Death, and mark out the Time of our Departure?
David fpeaks thus to God in Pf. cxxxix. My Subflance
was not hid from thee, when I was made in ferret, and
curioujly wrought in the loiveft Part of the Earth : Thine
i Eyes

jo *The CHRISTIAN'S Confolatwns

Eyes did fee my Subftance yet being imperfeft, and in thy
Book all my Members are written, which in Continuance
iff ere fashioned ^ when as yet there were none of them. We
may therefore fpeakunto God in the fame Language:
My Subftance fhall not be hid from thee, when this
miferable Body fhall fall to pieces, as rotten Wood,
and as a Moth-eaten Garment; thine Eyes fhall fee
me, when Death fhall cut off the Thread of my Life,
and feparate what thou haft joined together fo won-
derfully by thy Power and Wifdom ; thy Providence
fhall difpofe of me at my Departure, and nothing
ihall happen to me but that which thou haft fore-
ordained in thine unfearchable Decrees.

If God appoints the Time of our RefurreStlon^ and
if it be certain, that without his exprels Commiffion
the Holy Spirit will not breathe upon our dry Bones
to caufe them to revive; it is not probable that our
Bodies fhall fall into the Bed of Corruption, without
the Orders of the great and living God, Ezek. xxxvii.
He hath appointed the Sun its Courfe, and to the
Stars that fhine in the Heavens, their feveral Mo-
tions and Stations, If a. xl. And fhould he not aifo
appoint to his Children their Motions, fince they are
to fhine for ever in the Heaven of Heavens, where
Righteoufnefs dwells, as fo many immortal Stars ?
He hath meafured the Water in his Hand; he hath
compaffed the Heavens with his Span ; he hath
weighed the Mountains in Scales, and the Hills with
a Balance ; he hath fafhioned the Karth with his
Hands, and given Bounds to the roaring Sea; and
is it poflible that he hath not meafured the Time of
our Life, and that he hath not marked out with his
Finger the laft Moment ? He who hath numbered
' the Kingdoms of the Heathen Princes, hath he not
alfo numbered the Days in which he intends to reign
in our Hearts by his Holy Spirit ? Hath he not
appointed the Time for us to afcend up into the
higheft Htavens, where we are to reign with him in
the Kingdom of his Glory ?

tie Fears of DEATH. 71

If it be certain that God hath numbered the Hairs
of our Head, Mat. x. it is not to be doubted but that
he hath alfo numbered the Days of our Life. And if
a Sparrow fall not to the Ground without h : s Order,
how can it be that a Man can take his Flight up to
Heaven without his exprefs Commifiion ? He bottles
up our Tears, he keeps aRecord of all our Afflictions,
and takes an Account of our Sorrows, PJ. 1. and can
we imagine that he doth not keep an Account of the
Life and Death of Men, and that he minds not the
Time that we are to fpend in the Valley of Tears ?
He takes Notice of our Rifing, and of our Down-
fkting; he compafTeth thee round about, whether thou
doft Hop or go, Pf. lix. And can it be conceived bun
that he obferves thy riling at thy Birth, the feveral Paf-
fages of thy Life, and thy Going-down at thy Death ?

In fhort, if God hath appointed, in his eternal Coun-
fel, the Continuance of the great World; he hath alfo
without Doubt, limited the Life of Man, the little
World, and the Image and Compendium of the great,
as our Lord and Saviour teaches us. Man is not able
by his folicitous Care to add one Cubit to his Stature,
and our Experience fufficiently demonftrates, that we
cannot add a Year, a Day, or a Moment, by all our
Labour and Induftry, to the Continuance of our Life.

If Life and Death were not in God's Hand, there
would be nothing fettled or conftant, either in the
Kingdoms of the World, or in the Church of Chrijs.
The Prophets would be often found in grievous Errors,
and the eternal Election would be totally abolifhed ;
for the moil weighty Affairs of a Commonwealth de-
pend upon the Life of Princes. The Death of one Man
is able to turn an Empire uplide-down, and to change
the State of the Kingdom. If Alexander the Great had
been flifled in his Cradle, what would become of the
Prophecy of Daniel, who declared the glorious Victo-
ries that this Prince fhould obtain againft K'mgDariits,
the Pei'fian Monarch, under the Emblem of an He-
Goat, that fhould run at a Ram with all his Might,

Siat

72 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

that fhould break his two Horns, and trample hlrri
under his Feet ? And if King Cyrus had died before
the obtaining the Kingdom of Babylon, how fhould
JJaiaWs Prophecy be accomplifhed ? For he paints out
this young Conqueror in the moft lively Colours, and
calls him by his Name in this Expreflion ; I have faid
of Cyrus, He is my Shepherd, and Jhall -perform fill my
Pleafure, even faying unto Jerufalem, Vboujbalt be built ;
and to the Temple, Thy Foundation Jhall he laid, Ifa. xliv.

If the Devil could have deftroyed St. Paul's Life,
before his Journey toDamafcus, where he was ftrange-
ly converted by a Miracle, how could God's im-
mutable Decree be accomplifhed ? For he had de-
figned him, from his Mother's Womb, to be a noble
VefTel of his Grace and Mercy ^ and z faithful Ami of -
Jador of his Son, Gal. i. If the penitent Thief had died
before he had feen the Light, or if he had been killed
in one of his Robberies, how could he have been con-
verted upon the Crofs, where he repented of his Crimes?
Or how could he have heard from our Saviour thefe
bleffed and comfortable Words, Verily, I Jay unto thee
thoufoalt be with me this Day in Paradijc? Lukexxiii.

The Heathens have perceived and underftood this
Truthj but they have darkened and defaced it by
their impertinent and ridiculous Fictions: For their
Poets tell us there are three Pared, or infernal God-
deiTesj the one holds the Diftaff, and fpins; the other
winds up the Thread ; the Third cuts it, and puts a
period thereby to the Life of Man. By this Fable
they intend to teach us, that God lengthens or fhortens
at his Pleafure Man's Life. As it is therefore certain that
God has numbered ourDays, he hath alfo appointed in
his infinite Wifdom, the Means to convey us out of the
World. If one dies in Peace, another is killed in Wars
if one departs in his Bed, another is hanged upon a Gib-
bet ; if one perifhes with Famine^ another is (lifted with
the Plague , if one is (truck with Thunder, the other
is torn in Pieces by wild Beads ; if one is choaked in
the Waters, the other perifhes in the Flames;

agalnft the Fears of DEATH. 73

in (hort, if the Separation of the Soul from the Body
happens in adifferent Manner, it is not without the ex-
prefs Leave and Orders of our heavenly Father.

Therefore, when we fee the ftrangeft Accidents come
to pafs, and the moft unexptfied tragick Deaths before
our Eyes, we mud remember the Saying of the Pro-
phet, Jeremy, when he faw the Burning and Plunder
ofjemfakm, Who is he that faith, and it cometh to pafs,
when the Lord commandeth it not ? Out of the Mcutb of
the mcft High proceedeth not Evil and Good? Lam. iii.
We muft then confider with the Prophet Ifaiah, that:
it is God that creates Light and Darknefs, and that
fends Profperity and Adverfity, Ifa. xv. 45. or with
Amos, who enquires whether there be any Evil in the
City, and the Lord hath not done it? Amos iii. That is
to fay, that there is no Affliction nor Death that hap-
pens, but God has appointed it, and fore-ordained it by
hiswife Providence. If the Devil cannotdeftroy Job's
Flock of Sheep, nor hurry headlong into the Sea the
Herds of Swine, without his Leave who holds him faft
in Chains, Mat.vm. let us perfuade ourfclves, that all
the Powers of Hell and the World cannot caufe us to
die by a violent Death, if God hath not ordained it be-
fore in the Refolutions of his infinite Wifdom: So that,
if at any Time a Prince or Magi/irate fpeaks to us in Pi-
late's Language to our Saviour, Knoweft thou not, that I
have Power to crucify thes, and Power tofavethee? John
xix. beingftrengthened with an holy Confidence, let us
anfwer him as our Saviour, 1'hou coiddfl not have that
Power over me, if it were not given thee from above. With-
out the Leave and the Pleafure of my God, thou
canft not take from me an Hair of my Head.

We read in the Book of Judges, that when Abime*
lech afifaulted the Tower of 1'hebez, withaRefolution
to win it on a fudden, a Woman caft from the Top a
Piece of a Mill-done, that fell upon his Head, and
brake his Skull, Judg. ix. If we look only upon fe-
cond Caufes, this Accident may appear to be ftrange
and unexpected i but we muft life up our Eyes to the

G Almighty

74 The CHRISTIAN'S Conflations

Almighty Hand of an all-feeing Power and Wifdom,
far more dextrous than that of this poor Woman; for
the fame Relation declares that God by this Means
brought to pafs Jotbam's Prophecy, and rendered tbe
Wickednefs 0/Abimelech, which be did 'mi fa bis Father, in
flaying his f evenly Brethren with bis unmerciful Hand, upon
bis own guilty Head.

Ahab King of IJrael was difguifed, with a defign to
fight with the Syrians, \ Kings xxi. An unknown Sol-
dier lets fly by Chance an Arrow out of his Bow, which
ftruck him in the weakeft Part of his Armour, wound-
ed him to Death, and the Dogs licked the Blood that
ifiued out of his Wounds. At this fight a carnal and
earthly mind may fay, that this was but an Accident
of W#r; but the Spirit of God informs us better, that
this happened to fulfil the Prophecy of Elijah, and
the dreadful Threatnings which he had pronounced
againil this wicked Prince, who laboured, by tyran-
nical and devilifh Means, to invade other Men's
Pofie (lions : 'Thus faith the Lord, in the Place where Dogs
licked up tbe Blood cfNabothJhatt Dogs lick thy Blood,
even thine, i Kings xxi.

When we caft our Eyes upon the tragical Death of
Jojias King of Judab > atthefirft fight it appears bur
the Effect of the boiling Heat of Youth, which carried
him againft Reafon obftinately to fight with Pbarcab
Necho King ofEgypf-, or of the Strength and Swiftnefs
of his Enemies, according to the Complaint of Jere-
miah, the Prophet, Our Perfecutors arefwifter than the
Eagles of the Heaven-, they purfuedus upon the Mountains,
they laid wait for us in the Wildernejs--, the Breath of our
Nojlrils, the Anointed of tbe Lord, 'was- taken in their Pits,
cfwhom we f aid, Under bis Shadow wejhall Hue among the
Heathen, Lam. iv. But to underftand the Truth,
we muft enter farther into the Sanctuary, and adore
the Wifdom of God's Decree, that had refolved to
take away this good and religious Prince into eternal
Reft, and beftow upon him a more noble and richer
Crown, be fore he took in Hand the Sword ofVengeance

agalnjl tie Fears 0/* DEAttf . 575

to punifh the People of Ifrael for the many Idolatries
and horrid Crimes of which they had been guilty: By
this Means God fulfilled the Prophecy of Huldah, Ee-
bold., I will gather unto thee thy Fathers, andthoiijhaltbe
gathered into thy Grave in Peace, and thine Eyes /hall not
fee all the Evil which I will bring upon this Place, 2Kinga
xxii.

When we look upon the Death and PafTion of our
Lord Jefus Chrifl, we may imagine, at the ftrft View,
that only the Pharijees Envy, Judas's Treafon, the
Mutiny of the rude Rabble, Pilate's injuftice, Herod's
Jefts, and the cruelty of the Roman Soldiers, were the
Caufes of this Tragedy: But the holy Apoftles Peter
and Jchn, unto whom our Saviour had difcovered the
rareft Secrets of his Wifclom, confider the outward
Agents but as the Inftruments to bring God's great
Defign, Man's Redemption, to pafs; therefore it is
fpoken of in this manner, Acls iv. Againft thine holy
Child Jefus whom thou haft anointed, both Herod and.
Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the People of If-
rael, were gathered together, to do whatjoever thine Hand
and thy Counfel determined to be done.

If it happens that a Friend unadvifedly flrikesano-
therj if in a Wood where he is felling Timber, the
Head of the Axe fhould flip out of the Handle and kill
the deareft Friend of the Agent j there can be nothing
imagined to be more cafual in regard to the fecond
Caufes, Exod.xxi. But God declares in exprefs Terms,
that he caufed fuch an one to be under the Hand of his
Friend who killed him againft his Will. Tofecurethe
innocent Author of the unexpected Murder, God ap-
pointed Cities of Refuge for fuch to fly to, A^;^.xxxv

As when the Hour of our Death is come, all the
Riches of the World cannot pay our Ranfom j all the
Wifdom of the mod prudent Counfels, or Strength
of a Kingdom, are not able to free us from the Power
of Death; on the contrary, when it pleafeth God to
flicker and preferve our Life, all the Subtilty and
Cunning of the Devil, all the Power and Fury of the
World, cannot take it from us.

G 2 Ettt

CHRISTIAN'S Confoktwns

Efau, in his Rage, fullof Vengeance and Difpleafurff
againft his Brother, refolves to kill him. On Purpofe
to accomplilh this cruel Defign, he goes to meet him
with four hundred Men. But God, who holds in his
Hand the Hearts of all the Men in the World; God,
who turns the ftony Rocks into Fountains of Water,
and the Flints into Rivers of Oil, forced out of this
hardened Heart Tears of Companion and Love. The
fame Efau, inftead of drawing out his Sword againft
his Brother, embraced him with ExprefBons of Kind-
nefs, kified, and wept over.

Jacob's Sons had wickedly intended to deftroy their
Brother Jofepb-, they were ready to imbrue their cruet
Hands in the Blood of this innocent Lamb; but by a
fecret and wonderful Providence, God (topped their
hellilh Defign. This great and fovereign Monarch
of the whole World, who draws Light out of Dark-
nefs made ufe of the moft damnable Malice and
Hatred, to accomplilh his good Purpofe, and to raife
his Servant to a confiderable Degree of Honour and
Glory, which was prepared for him. Thefe inhuman
Souls, full of Envy and Difpleafure, confpired to-
gether, how to hinder the fulfilling ofjofepb's Dream.
But, contrary to their Intention, they made way,
and were inftrumental to the Accomplifhment of that
which God had revealed to his Prophet: There-
forej when his Brethren were afraid left he fhould re-
venge himfelf upon them, when he had Power in his
Hand, he anfwered them, with an Heart full of Cha-
rity and Love, Am I in the Place of God? As fcr you,
ye thought Evil againft me-, but God meant it unto Gocd,
Gen.l.

David, a Man after God's own Heart, fell into
many fearful Dangers, fo that he was reduced oft-
times to the very Gates of Death; but God preferved
his Soul from the Grave, his Eyes from Tears, and his
Fed from falling, Pf. cxvi. In the Wildernefs of Ma-
cn, King Saul had furrounded him with his Men on
every Side, fo that no Help or Succourwas to be ex-

pedled

againft the Fears of DEATH. 77

pe&ed from Man, i Sam. xxiii. But by a wonderful
Providence God delivered him : For when he was rea-
dy to be caught, a Mefienger comes to inform SauJ t
Make hafle and come, for the Philiftines are entered into
thy Land: So that neither the inhuman Perfecutions
of this Tyrant, nor the abominable Plotting of his
unnatural Sons, nor the Tumults and Revolts of the
People, nor the moft furious Tempefts of Hell and
the World, have ever been able to extinguilh his Life
before the Time appointed 1 . When he had fpent all
the Days allotted to him by God's good Providence,
he fell afleep, as a Man who lays himfelf down to
Reft quietly, after a long and Jaborious Talk.

Queen Jezebel was enraged againft the Prophet Eli-
jab: She had fworn by her Gods that hefhould fure-
ly be put to Death -, but by a Miracle God kept him
out of the bloody Hands of this incarnate Devil, and
by another Miracle he preferved from Famine and
Hunger him whom he had before preferved from Je-
zebefs ^word and Fury; he fent the Ravens to feed
him with Bread and Meat, Morning and Evening;
and for his Sake God increafed the Widow of Zarep-
ta's Oil and Meal. When he was ready to be famifhed
in the Wldernefs, God difpatched an Angel to him
to carry him Meat and Drink. In fhort, all the
Storms that the Devil raifed againft him, could not
deftroy his Life; fo that when God had refolved to
crown his Labours he fetched him away in a Chariot
of Fire, and carried him up into Heaven.

The Syrians were refolved, to take the Prophet EK-
Jba, becaufe hedifcovered their moft fecret Counfels,
and fruftrated all their Defigns: Therefore they be-
fieged the Town of Dofhan, to feize upon this Man
of God. When his Servant beheld the dreadful
Number of Horfes and Chariots, which furrounded
^hat weak City, he cried out in a Fright, Alas^
Mafter, what Jhall we do? And he anfwered, fear
not'y for they that be ivith us, are more than they that
be with them) 2 Kings vi. At thefe Words of /;Jba t

C 3 the

78 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

the Eyes of the poor Man were opened, and he favv
an innumerable Company of Chariots of Fire, and
Horfes of Fire, which Gfod had fent from Heaven to
guard his Servant the Prophet.

The Jews often plotted againft our Saviour Chrift,
and attempted to kill him, John*. They came fo near
to the Execution of their bloody Defign, as to take up
Stones to cad at him, and knock him downj and to
bring him to the Sides of an high Mountain to throw
him headlong: But he always efcaped out of their
Hands, andpafled through the Mid ft of them without
any Harm. It was impoflible for them to lay hold of
him, when they had undertaken andrefolved it. The
Reafon which the Spirit of God gives, is, becaufe that
his Hour was not yet come, John vii. 18.

The High-Priefts and the Sjajduceestoen inflamed
with a hellifh Fury againft the holy Apoftles; they
laid Hands on them, and caft them into the publick
Priibns, Afts v. But becaufe the Time of their Mar-
tyrdom appointed by God was not yet come, he fent
his holy Angels to free them from their Chains, and
fet them at Liberty. When Herod &vt that the Jews
thirfted for the Blood of God's Servants the Apoftles,
Aftsyi\\. and that they delighted in their Execution,
he cut off the head of James-, afterwards he took
Peter y clapped him in Prifon, and delivered him to
four Quaternions of Soldiers, with Intention to bring
him to Execution after the Feaft of -Rafter. But the
Hour was not yet come, in which his holy Apoftle
was to be crucified for the Glory of him who was cru-
cified for his Salvation. Therefore the Night imme-
diately before his defigned Execution, P^r was deep-
ing between two Soldiers, bound with two Chains,
and the Keepers before the Poor. On afudden a great
Light fhincd in the Prifon, and the Angel of the Lord
came and fmote him on the Side, and raifed him up,
faying, Arife up quickly, and his Chains fell from his
Hands, and the Angel faid unto him, Gird tbyf elf , and
bind en thy Sandals > and fo he did : Then he faith unto

jura,

agalnjl the Fears of DEATH. 79

him, Caft thy Garments about thee and follow me-, and
he went out and followed him, and he knew not that
it was true which was done by the Angel, but thought
he had feen a Vifion. But when they were pad the
firft and fecond Ward, they came to the Iron Gate,
which opened of its own Accord ; and when they were
pafled through one Street, the Angel departed from
him: ThenP^r, being come to himfelf faid, Now
1 know of a Surety y that the Lord hath Jent his Angel
and hath delivered me .out of the Hands of Herod,
and from all the Expectation of the People of the
Jews.

In fhort, when the Hour is not yet come, which
God has marked out, and appointed to take unto
himfelf his faithful Servants, there is no Miracle fo
great, but he will fhew it for their Sake; he dries up
the Seas, he flops the Lions Mouths, he" denies to
the Fire its ufual Heat, he keeps them alive in the
Midft of the Floods and Flames, in the Whale's Belly,
in the fiery Furnaces, and in the deepeft Gulfs.

If we did but examine the Memorials of our Fore-
fathers, and confider the Things that we have feen
with our Eyes, and experienced from our Infancy, we
fhould find, that the Means which God hath employ-
ed, and which he does daily employ, for our Deli-
verance, are no lefs wonderful than thofe of former
Ages. God's Arm is not fhortened, his almighty
Power is not leflened; he hath yet as much Authori-
ty as ever, ovrr Men and Devils; and divine Provi-
dence is no lefs watchful for the Prefervation of fuch
as fear and worfhip him. If we had the Eye of the
Soul as open as the Eyes of our Body, or if we could
but perceive the Things that are of themfelves invi-
fible, we fhould fee, that God looks upon us continu-
ally with the Eye of his Love, and of his fatherly Care;
and that he covers us with his Hand, as with a Buck-
ler of Proof, againft all the Darts of the World and
of Hell; we fhould fee, that we are encompafied
about with a Wall of Fire, and that the holy Angels

G 4 guard

8o The CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

guard us on every Side. We fhould then acknow-
ledge, that it is God that holdeth our Soul in Life,
and fuffereth not our Feet to be moved, Pf. lx. And
we Ihould cry out as David, O God, who is like unto
tkee? Then, who haft /hewed me great and fore Troubles,
/halt quicken me again, and bring me up again from the
Depths of the Earth: Thou Jhalt increaje my Greatnefs y
and comfort me on every Side, Pfal. Ixxi.

Although this wholefome and moft ufeful Doctrine
be plainly taught in holy Writ, and fufficiently con-
firmed by fo many Examples out of the Word of God,
fome there are that oppofe it with many needlefs Ob-
jections.

In the firft Place, they fay, That God promifeth
Length of Days to fuch Children as are obedient to
their Fathers and Mothers , from whence they think
to infer, that our Life hath no certain Time limited,
that it is prolonged, or fhortened, as we prove obe-
dient or difobedient to God and his holy Laws.
There is no Difficulty to give an anfvver to this Ob-
jection.

That in the Language of the Holy Spirit, the Word
that fignifies there to prolong, fignifies not always to
make a Thing longer than it was, or fhould be, but
only to make it of a long Continuance. So that God
promifes not here, that the Children who fhall obey
his facred Laws, iliall enjoy a longer .Life than other-
wife it ought to be, but only that he will do them the
Favour to let them live long and happy in this World.
We may prove this Expofition by St. Paul's Words,
v. r ho paraphrafes the firft Commandment of the fe-
cond Table in this manner: Children, obey your Fa-
thers and Mothers in the Lord, for it is juft : Honour
thy Father and thy Mother, which is the firft Command-
mcnt with Prc?nije, that it may be well with thee, and
that thou may eft live long upon the Earth. This Pro-
rnife is to be underftood with fome Exception; if
God fnould judge it expedient for his Glory, and for
the Good of his Children : For there are many pious

again ft the Fears of DEATH. 8 1

and obedient Children, whom God withdraws out of
the World in the Flower of their Age, to give them
an happy Life, which fhall have no other Limits
than Eternity.

In the next Place, they alledge the remarkable
Hiftory of King Hezekiab, unto whom IJaiab was fent
with this Meffage, Set thine Houfe in Order ; for tbou.
(bait die and not live. Nevertheless God was intreated
by his Prayers and Tears, and prevailed upon to fuf-
fer him to live longer. Therefore the Prophet told
him, that God had added fifteen Years to his Days.
To this objection I anfwerj

That, according to the ordinary Courfe of the
World, and the Difpofition of the natural Caufes,
Hezekiah was to d : e of that Difeafe: For the Scrip-
ture faith exprefly, that Hezekiab was fick unto Death;
that is to fay, that his Difeafe was mortal in regard of
the fecond Caufes, and the ordinary Courfe of Na-
ture. Therefore thefe Words, Set thine Honje in Or-
der> for tbou /bait die, and not live, ought to be under-
ftood with this Exception : Thou (halt die, if I do
not deliver thee by a Miracle, and if I do not employ
mine almighty Power to heal thee, and reflore thee
to thy former Health.

This may be alfo underftood in another Manner;
Thou {halt die, if thou dofl not repent, and turn unto
me with Prayers and Tears. In the fame Senfe God
caufed it to be proclaimed in the Streets of Nineveb,
Witbin forty Days Nineveh _/&#// be dejlroyed.

Let not any Man conclude from hence, that H*zt-
kiah's Repentance was the Caufe of the lengthening
of his Days, and therefore that it was a Cafualty very
uncertain: On the contrary, we may underftand, that
God, who had appointed, by his eternal Decree, thac
this wife and religious Prince fbould live beyond the
Difpofition of his Body, had alfo refolved to draw
from his Heart Sighs and Groans, and Tears from
his Eyes: For God knew all his Works from Eter-
nity, Afts i.

Others

S The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

Others argue againil this Doftrine, more imperti-
nently, That ifGodhad numbered ourDays, andpre-
fcribed our Life its Bounds, it is in vain to take fo
much Pains, and make fo much ado about our Bodies
difterapered with Sicknefsj and that it is tolittlePur-
pofe to adminifler any Remedy to them, or to pray
for the Recovery of their Health. In like Manner,
fuch may affirm, thatitisto noPurpofeto eat or drink,
and to hinder mad Perfons from calling themfelves
down a Precipice, or from {wallowing Poifon,becaufe
they lhall live neither more nor lefs than God has or-
dained from all Eternity. This Objection may feem
very plaufible at firft, although it be moft abfurd,
and fo foolifh, that it muft needs proceed from great
Ignorance or Malices for it is not to be doubted,
that when any one aims at an End, he defigns and
fuppofes by Confequence to attain unto it by the or-
dinary Means. For Example, God had appointed in
his eternal Counfel to preferve Jacob and his Family
from that Famine which raged the Space of Seven
Years: In order to that End, he fends Jofeph into
Egypt, to gather up Provifion the feven Years of Plen-
ty. IJaiah the Prophet had told Hezekiab from God,
that he fhould live the Space of fifteen Years mores
therefore he commanded him to apply to this Prince's
Sores and Boils a Lump of dried Figs. God had pro-
rnifed to David, that he fhould be King over the
Houfe of IJrael; to confirm this Promife, he ha4
been anointed with Oil, by the Prophet Samuel. This
Promife doth not hinder him from feeking the Means
to preferve himfelf from Saul's unjuft Perfecution.
And when Nathan tells him, that God had promifedto
eftablifh his Pofterity upon his Throne after him, this
doth not flop liisPrayers,or cool his Devotions on the
contrary, it was that which quickened him the more,
and inflamed his Soul with Love andThankfulnefs to
God; therefore he expreffeth himfelf in this Manner,
O Lord ofHoftSt God of Ifrael, then haft revealed to thy
Joying I will build thte an Houje -, therefore

katb

againft the Fears 0/ 1 DEATH. 83

bath thy Servant found in his Heart to pray this Prayer
unto tbee, &c. 2 Sam. vii.

Our Lord JefusChrift knew for certain all thatfhould
happen to him; neverthelefs, we find him fpending
the Days and Nights in Prayer; and when his Life
was in Danger, he neglected not the lawful and harm-
lefs Means. He told his Apoftles, Are not two Spar-
rows fold for a Farthing? And one of them Jhall not fall
to the Ground without your Father-, but the very Hairs of
your Head are numbered. This Conlideration hinders
him not from commanding them, that when they arc
perfecuted in one City, they fhould fly to another.

God had appointed to fave St. Paul's Life, and the
Lives of all the Company; therefore he revealed it to
him by an Angel; neverthelefs when he faw theMariners
feek to efcape, he told the Centurion, Iftheje do not flay
in the Ship, you cannot befaved, Actsxxvii. In fhort, the
Means and Caufes are fubordinateto the End in fuch
a Manner, that it is mere Folly and Extravagancy to
offer to divide them, or fuppofe them to be contrary.

It is without Reafon that fome bring the Hiftory of
King AJa againft this undoubted Truth. They affirm,
that this Prince was reproved for feeking to the Phy-
ficiansinhisSicknefs. Thefe are the Words of the holy
Scripture; Afa, in the thirty -ninth Tear of his Reign was
difeafed in his Feet, until his Di/eafe was exceeding great ;
yet in this Difeafe be fought not to the Lord, but to the
Phyftcians, i Chron. i, The Spirit of God blames not
this Prince, becaufe he defired the Afliftance of the Phy-
ficians, but becaufe he neglected to feekHelp of God,
pr to implore his Aid in the Day of his Diftrefs. He that
is fick may as freely take Phyfick, as he that is well
may eat and drink; yet we muft not altogether repofc
our Confidence and Truft upon the Remedies, but
rather upon God, who fends both Sicknefs and Health.
As Man doth not live by Bread alone, but by every
Word that proceeds from the Mouth of God ; fo it is
not by the Phyfick alone that the Patient is cured of
his Diftempcr, but by the Bleffing and Power of him

who

84 The CHRISTIAN'S Confotattons

who gives the Wound, and binds it up; whoftrikes
and heals when hepleafeth, Job v. Therefore as we
ought never to eat or drink before we pray to God to
vouchfafe his Bleffing upon our Meat andDrink, that
he may grant to them the Virtue of recruiting the
decayed Strength of our Bodies; likewife we fhould
never takes any Phyfick, without lifting up our Hands
to God for a Biefting, that the Remedy have the
Strength to expel ourDifeafe. All God's Creatures
are good, when they are received with Thankfgiving;
for they are fanctified by the Word of God, and by
Prayer, i ftm. iv.

Take Notice here, how much fuchPerfons are to be
blamed, who when they lament for the Lofs of their
Friends or Kindred, inftead of looking up to Heaven,
look dowr- upon Earth, and confider nothing but the
exterior Caufe of their Grief; inftead of adoring,
with all Humility, the wife Providence of God, that
difpofes of all worldly Events, and appoints themean-
eflCircumftances, they fretand murmur; they delight
to nourifh in their Minds Difpleafure, which con-
fumes them; and break forth into many needlefs
Complaints, which ferve but to open their Wounds,
and to render them more miferable. If it had not been
in fuch a Place, if he had not been engaged in fuch
a Way, if fuch a Phyfician had not been called, or if
another had been fent; if this or that had not been
done, if this Phyfick had not beenadminiftered to him,
if lefs or more Blood had been taken from him, if he
had been fuffered to eat more Meat, or if lefs had
been given; my Brother or my Sifter, my Wife, my
Child, or my Hufband, had been yet alive. It may
be, thou art miftaken, Friend; the Difeafe could not
be cured but by a Miracle; but when it fhould be
otherwife,wemuft neverthelefs life up our Eyes toGodj
and acknowledgehis Finger with allRefpe6t: Foroft-
times he blinds the Phyficians,fo that they cannot un-
derftand the Nature of the Difeafe, andfuffers them to
apply Remedies contrary to the Diftemper. As God
4 threatens

againfl the Fears of DEATH. 8

threatens to take away the Staff of Bread, that is to
fay, the nourifhing Strength and Virtue of the Bread,
Lev. xxvi. likewife he takes away his Bleffing from
the mod fovereign Remedies, and renders them al-
together ufelefs. It is thus with all other Accidents
that happen to us, and that bring us to our Graves;
for, when it pleafeth him to remove any Body out of
the World, he fuffers him to fhut his Eyes to all the
Light of Reafon and Prudence, and to call himfelf
headlong into the moft apparent Danger; as when he
defigned to deftroy Abjalom, and to cut him off, he
caufed him to be led away by evil Counfel, and difap-
pointed the difcreet and prudent Advice of Ahit&pbeL
Therefore, fince God hath appoint ed? or fore-ordained,
before Man's Creation, the Time and Manner of his
Death; at what Hour, in what Place, and by what
Means foever God calls away our Friends, or ftrikes at
our Perfon, it is always our Duty to poffefs our Souls
with Patience, and not to fuffer the leaft repining or
defpairing Word to proceed out of our Mouths.

If Death fuddenly fnatch away thy deareft Children,
orthymoflintimate Friends, complain notof itslnhu-
manity. Remember that it puts in Execution the De-
crees of God's eoerlafiing Will, and that it carries with
it a Commiflion fealed with the Signet of the living
God. Adore therefore with all Humility the Supreme
Monarch of Heaven and Earth, and fay to him as Da-
vid, with a profound Submiffion, Lord* I held my Tongue,
andjaid nothing, becauje it was thy doing, Ff. xxxix.

I do not wilh thee to have a Heart of Flint, with-
out natural Affection. Piety aqd Religion are not bar-
barous, they deprive us not of our Bowels; the Affec-
tion that thou bareft thy Children is not difpleafing
to the Father of Mercies, if it be but well governed,
and do not exceed the natural Bounds. It is lawful
for thee to be fenfible of thy Griefs, to weep for their
Diftempers, and to pray for the Recovery of their
Health: But when God hath dtipofed of them, and
received them into his eternal Reft, thou mult ftop

all

S6 he CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

all thy Sighs, wipe all thy Tears, and fay, as David
did after the Death of his beloved Child, Wcjhallgo
to them, but they Jhalt not come to us, 2 Sam. xiii.

Do they die of a violentDeath ? Stop not thy Con-
fideration at the evil Blafts that have carried them
away, but lift up thy Mind to the great God that draws
thefe Winds out of his Treafures; and being armed
with a holy Constancy, fay, with the patient Job, the
Lord gave r , and the Lord hath taken away ; blejjed be the
Name of the Lord. I am but a weak Inftrument, which
God hath employed to put them into the World; but
he is their King, their Father, their Creator; he is
alfo their Saviour and Redeemer. Now it is both
juft and reafonable, that God fholild difpofe of his
Subjects, of his Children, of his Workmanfhip, and of
thofe whom he hath redeemed with his precious Blood*

The Mafter of a Family gathers at his Pleafure the
Flowers and Fruits of his Garden; fometimes he cuts
off the Buds, fometimes he fuffers them to bloflbm,
fometimes he gathers the green Fruit, fometimes he
flays till it be ripe; and fhall not Almighty God
have the Liberty to difpofe, at his Will, of all that
grow in his own Territories ? The Mafter of the Fa-
mily hath not created the Trees and Plants that are at
his Command ; but God hath made and fafhioned,
with his Almighty Hand, all his Children, and all the
Men in the World. Our Flowers wither and fpoil in
a Moment, and our Fruits are foon rotten, and become
unprofitable, notwithftanding all our Care and Skill
to preferve them ; but the Flowers that God cuts of
pulls off, he tranfplants into his heavenly Garden,
and gives them a perfect and divine Luftre and
Glory, that never fades; and the greateft Fruits thaC
he gathers, he preferves for all Eternity in unfpeak-
able Sweetnefs.

Doth this Death draw near to threaten thy Perfon>
when it hath difpatched thy deareft Friends ? Be not
frighted at its Appearance; for it is not able to anti-
cipate a Moment the Hour appointed by the Wifdom

againft the Fears of DEATH 87

of Almighty God; and when that Moment fhall be
come, that he fhall call thee to himfelf from Heaven,
offer noRefiftance, and flop not thy Ears at thy Crea-
tor's Voice : Say, with the Prophet Samuel, Speak, Lord,
for thy Servant heareth, i Sam. iii. Exod. xxxiii. O
merciful God, fmce thy glorious Prefence goes be-
fore me, I am ready to depart out of this crazy Ta-
bernacle, and to quit this miferable Wildernefs, to
enter into the heavenly and happy Canaan: Say, with
our Saviour, Father, the Hour is come ; glorify thy Son,
that thy Son may glorify thee, John xvii.

Haft thou lived many Years upon the Earth ? Af-
cribe not the Caufe to the Conftitution of thy Body,
to the Manner of thy Living, nor to the Skill of thy
Phyficians \ but remember that God lengthens thy
Days, and come and caft at his Feet thy reverend grey
Hairs, which the Holy Scripture ftyles, A Crown of
Silver, or a Crown of Glory, Prov. xvi.

Art thou threatened with Death in the Flower of
thine Age? Fret not thyfelf at it, and let not the leafl
Word proceed out of thy Mouth, but what is feafoned
with the Salt of true Piety. Remember that it is God
alone cuts off the Thread of thy Life, and puts a Pe-
riod to thy mortal Race. Thou haft as much Reafon
to be grieved becaufe thou art born fo late, as to be
forry that thou died fo foon. Inftead of fpending thy-
felf in ufelefs Complaints, which is as if thou, who
art but an earthly Veflel newly formed, fhould caft
thyfelf againft the Rock of Eternity; remember to
adore and praife thy Great Creator, and return him
hearty Thanks, in that he is fo well pleafed to crown
thee in the Middle of thy Race, and fo bountiful as to
beftow the Salary of the whole Day upon thee, who
haft laboured but a few Hours. He is very favourable
to thee, to tranfplant thee before thou haft felt the
Heat of the Day, and the Scorching of the Sun. Re-
member that it isthepleafant Gale of his Divine Mer-
cy, that drives thee fo faft into the fecure Haven of
eternal Happinefs. Think not, therefore, that God's
i calling

CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

calling thee away in thy Strength, is a Teftimony of
his Difpleafure and Hatred; for to haften and render
a Perfon mod happy, is no Sign of Ill-will. It may be
that God calls thee, becaufe he hath found fome good
Thing in thee, as \r\Abijab the Son of Jeroboam King
cfffrae!; becaufe he loves thee dearly, and favours thee,
he intends only to remove thee from the approaching
Evils, as he did Joftas, one of the holieft and mod re-
ligious Princes that ever reigned; becaufe thou doft
walk before him, and feekeft to pleafe him, he will
take thee up into his holy and heavenly Paradife, as
he did Enoch> for fear that the Temptations of the
'World fhould alter thy religious difpofition ; and for
fear that the Enemy of thy Salvation fhould prevail
upon thee, by his continual and wicked Snggedions,
to leave the Way of Righteoufnefs, in which thou doft
walk at prefent. As there are fome rich Stuffs, where-
of the Aflies are the moft precious, and others, whereof
the Cinders are good for nothing but to be caft away j
tans there are fome happy grey Heads, where the
rich and precious Relicks of Righteoufnefs and Piety
fhine, whereas others are only fit to difcovcr the Fol-
lies and Vanities of our Human Nature. As there is
ibine Sort of Wine that grows better by old Age, and
preferves its Strength until it comes to the Dregs ;
whereas other Wine there is, that foon becomes four
and ufelefs ; likewife there are fome Men, whom
old Age makes better and vvifer; fo that they are like
to the Indian Trees, that yield precious Perfumes
and Frankincenie only when they begin' to decline
and wither. The old Age of fuch is mod honour-
able, and fends forth a bleffed Perfume of Piety;
whereas others corrupt with Age, and give out a mod
filthy Stench ; under a white Head they hide a black
'Soul, and wicked Confcience. In the Decay of
their Age, the Vices of their Mind gather Strength
and rlourifh. Indead of weeping for the Sins of
their Youth, they add Sin to Sin, and are more
hardened in Evil. Old Age imprints more Furrows

and

againft the Fears of DEATH. #9

and Wrinkles in their malicious Hearts, than it doth
upon their Foreheads. Neither Men nor their Lives
are to be meafured by a Yard or an Ell. We muft not
only confider how long we have lived, but how well
we have lived, nd employed the Courfe of this I ife;
for there are fome young Men, who have the Wif-
dom and Prudence of grey Heads; and there are grey
Heads that become as weak as Infants; and fome that
fcarce go out of that fimple Age. The firft are twice
Children, the others continue always in their Child-
hood. Some young Men have performed fuch brave
and glorious Deeds, that one would judge by the Paf-
fages of their Lives, that they have lived feveral Years
or Ages. On the contrary, fome old and decrepit Per-
fons can fcarce prove that they have been long in the
World, unlefs it be by the Church Regifter, by their
grey Hairs, or by the great number of their Wicked
and abominate Actions. This Confideration caufeth
the Author of the Book of Wijdom to fay, That old
Age is not the mofl reverend, that can Jheiv a Number of
'Years ; but IViJdom is to be reckoned old Age amongft Men,
and a Life without Spot, Chap. ix. It is certain he hath
lived fufficiently, who hath learned to live well, and
hath prepared himfelf to die well. To what Purpofe
fhould this miferable and languifhing Life be length-
ened a few Days? Art thou afraid to be happy too
foon ? And feared thou to fee the End of thy Tor-
ments ? Doth the Traveller endeavour to lengthen
out a painful and dangerous Way? Doth the Work-
man grieve to have fin ifhed betimes his laborious Talk;
Doth the Soldier murmur becaufe he comes off from
his Watch and Guard ? Miferable Man! What are
all the Years for which thou doft fo impatiently afflict
.thyfelf, and vainly defire? For a Day with God is as
a thoufand Years, and a thoufand Years in his Sight,
but as one Day.

He that fails upon the Sea admires the fpacious Ex-
tent of the Waters, and the Difference of its rolling
Waves, that mount up fometimes to the Clouds, and

H then

90 ne CHRISTIAN'S Confutations

then fall down again into aBottom. And fuch as travel
by Land, are delighted to fee on one Side deep Galleys,
and on the other high Mountains, that reach above the
Clouds; but if God had but taken us up into the Seat
of his Glory, and that we fhould from that high Hea-
ven caft down an Eye upon this contemptible Globe
of the Sea and Land, to behold the proud and ftate-
ly Mountains, with the moil fwelling Waves, they
would appear to us but an even Plain; or rather
they would feem altogether very little. Thus when we
compare the Men of the World the one with the other,
v/e fhall find that fome have lived long, and others
but a little while; that fome are old, others young j
but in refpeft of God, there is no Difference between
the young and the old; between an over-aged Metbu-

Jeh.h, who lived Nine hundred threefcore and nine
Years, GeneJ. v. and a Child that hath only feen the
Light of the Living; for the Life of Mankind is but
a Moment in Comparifon of Eternity.

If ihou art ready to die for Righteoufnefs, of a vio-
lent Death, meditate ferioufly upon the Saying of the
Prophet David, Pfal. cxvi. Precious in the Sigbt of the
Lord is the Death of c II his Saints. Arm thyfelf with
an holy Confidence, and fay with //', i Sam. iii. It is
the Lord -, let him do what feemeth him good. Imitate the
Generofity of St. Paul, Acts xx. and grave in thine
Heart thefe divine expreffions: The Holy Gboft wit-
neffeth in every City, faying, that Bonds and Afflictions
tibiae me; but none of tbe/e Things move me, neither
count I myfelf dear unto myfelf, fo that 1 might finijh my
Courfe iJiuth Joy, and the Mmiftry which I received of the
Lord j efus, to teftify the Go/pel cf the Grace of God. Re-
member always the Prayer that our Lord and Saviour
offered up unto God in the greateft Agony; O my Fa-
ther, if this Cup may not pajs away from me, except I
drink it, thy Will be done. Forget not alfo at this Time
Chrift's Advertifement, He that loveth his Life, {hall
lofe it -, and he that hateth his Life in this World, Jhall

fave it ts eternal Life, John xii. O great and glorious

Lord

again ft the Fears of DEATH. 91

Lord God, the Enemies of thy Truth are met to-
gether againfl thy dear Children, whom thou haft
fanftiried by the Blood of the Covenant; but they
are not able to do any Thing but what thou haft ap-
pointed to be done in thine eternal Vv'ifdom.

A Prayer andMeditation upon the Timeof Death.

/^ Merciful Lord, who doft govern all Things by thine
infinite Wifdom, and haft referred the Times and
ths Sea/ens in thine own Power ; thou haft not only writ-
ten my Name in the Book of the Living, but haft aljo
tneafured the Length of my Life, and appointed the Hour
of my Death. Thou haft numbereg my Days, and pre-
fer 'ibed to me my Bounds, that I cannot pafs beyond them.
This miferable Body is but a weak Tabernacle made up of
Earth, fubjett to all manner of Infrmities ; nevertheless
none is able to deftroy it without thy Divine AJjiftance.
The fame Hand that hath fajhioned and formed it, muft
break it in Pieces. If a Sparrow cannot fall to the
Ground without thy Permijfion, it is not pojfible that my
Soul foould fly away into Heaven, without thy Warranf.
My God and Father, give me daily Apprehenjions of
Death i but let me reft upon thee, who doft kill and give
Life, who doft caft into the Grave, and fetch from thence
again. Let Satan and all the Enemies of thy Glory lay
their Snare for me, they are not able to do any Thing, but
what thy Wtfdom hath crdained and appointed before the
Foundation of the World ; without thy Leave and Per-
mij/ion, they are not able to pluck an Hair fro >n my Head y
nor diminifh a Moment from the Time 1 am to live in
this earthly Tabernacle. O Almighty and moft merciful
Gcd, I recommend to thce my' Soul, as to my faithful
Creator, and yield it wholly into thine. Hands. Here I
am to accompli/Jj thy Will, and to Julmit myfeJf to thy
Pleafure > without any Refinance; whether this Soul*

H 1 which

92 Tie CHRISTIAN'S Confolatwns

which thcu haft created after thy Likenefs, and which is
an Imcge of thy Divinity, remain in this Body, that I
may be able to ferve thee on Earth \ or whether thcu deft
call for it, and take it up into Heaven, that it ma\ gtoHjfr
tbee in the Company of thy Saints, and cf the Bleffed and
glorious dngels.

A Prayer and Meditation upon the Manner of
our Death.

Q God, the Creator of all Flc/b, and the Father of the
immortal Spi its, I know that every Kind of Death
cf thy Children is precious in thy Sight , and that how-
feeder that Jhall happen, then wilt take Care of my Soul.
When I conjider all Things, I find that it matters not
whether my Spirit iffues out of my Lips, or out of a
Wound, fo that it enters into thy Glory to enjoy thine eter-
r.d Happinefs. What matter is it if my Lamp goes out
cf its own Accord, o* if it be blown out by fame envious
Blaft, fo that it be lighted again by the immortal
Beams of the Sun of Righteoujnejs, and continue for ever
glorious in the higheft Htt.vens? I JJoall be fttfficiently
happy if Id. e in tbee, Lord, and enter into thine eter-
nal eft, f'cm all my Labours, in what manner f sever
Death faults me. From all Eternity, O Lord, thott
kncweft all thy Works, and ixiih a Glance of thine Eye
th difc i-c.ift the Depths, and feeft into an endie/s Eter-
nity. As thcu haft marked cut and appointed the Mo-
ment of my Death, t/.cu ball alfo ordained the Manner
cf it I mu/l, O Almighty God, repeje my f elf upon
this wonderful and wije Providence, i<nd be contented
"joitb thy unconlr oul able Decrees. But, O m\ G-<d, and
heavenly Father, if thou wilt give me the Liberty, who
am but Du/i and Afre s* to /peak to / ec, and to fend up
the Tb u*lis cf wy Heart ; 1 bef ech thee to be Jo gracious,
as to /<;; ?/.v knew my tnd, tiat I may not be furprifed
en a ju^diii by an itnexpeSed Death ^ as Job's Children-^

and

againfl the Fears of DEATH. 93

andfo merciful as to give me timely Nttice of my De-
parture, as thcu didft to thy Servant Hezrkiah. I dc-
Jire not the Notice of many Tears, but cf a few Days, or
at leaft cf a few Hours immediately before, that my Soul
may net be dijlurb-d with evil Thoughts, or frighted with
falfe Conceits, and malicious Suggeftions of the Devil; that
I may end my Days with all Tranquillity and Satisfaction
of Mind -, tbat 1 may always have a perfettUfe of my Senfes*,
cf my Reafon and Understanding, and the Affiftance of
thy Grace-, tbat I may glorify tly Name, and edify mf
Neighbours, until the lajt Moment of my Departure. Suf-
fer net therefore my Soul to be /notched away, by fyrce on
a fudden, but grant me Time to commit it into thy merciful
Bands. Amen.

A Prayer and Meditation for one that dies in a
ftran^e Country in the Mid ft of Infidels.

O J

r\ My God and heavenly Father, hew grievous is this
Trial! Who can exprefs the Troubles of my Mind!
At the Moment cf my moft urgent Necejfily, and of the
Oppreffion of Soul, at the Time of my Agony, I fee
my f elf deftitute of all human Affftance. Here I am at a
Diftance not only from my Country, and pkafant Com-
pany of my Friends, and deprived of nil Jpiritual Com-
forts, of which I have, at preftnt, great eji Need in this
Extremity, but alfo, to my unfpeakable Grief, here 1
am in a ftrange Place, in the Power cf my cruel Ene-
mies. I have ncbody to ftrengthen me in the Faith cf
my Saviour Chrift. All Things that appear before we*
increafe and add to my Trouble; I am here among the
Adversaries of thy Truth, w^o labour to deftroy my In-
ter eft in Chrift, and caufe me to perijh, now that I am
entering to the Haven of Eternity. I muft encounter
with Death, with Hell it/elf, and with the fubtle Infi-
nuations of the infernal Spirits. O Sllmigbty and wcr-

H -

94 *he CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

ciful Lord, fufer me not to lofe my Courage, and to yield
to the prefent Temptation. By thy wonderful Providence,
and out of thine abundant Mercy, fupply all my Wants
and Infirmities, and grant that I may, with the Shield
of Faith, quench all the fiery Darts of Satan. I am be-
fet with many vijible and invifible Enemies -, but they
that are for me, are more in Number than they that
are again]} me. It is true, I am far from Heaven*
whereof the Earth is the Centre. 1 am at a Diftance
from all my earthly Friends -, but nothing can put me at
a Diftance frcm thee, O good God, who loveji me with
fin unchangeable Affection. 1 am in the Embraces of
mir.s heavenly Father, and of my God: I have not the
AJJiftance of a Mimfter to help me in my Grief and
Pain ; but I know that tbou wilt fend me thine holy
Angels, as once to thy beloved Son in his bitter Agony.
Thefe Angels Jhall proteft me againft all the Powers of
the Prince of Darknefs : thou wilt adminifter to me 9
thyfelf, the fweet Comforts of thy Salvation -, thy Rod and
thy Staff will aflift me in this Valley and Shadow of
Death. O Lord, thou deft Things that are not to be
fearcbed out, and fo man^f Bonders, that it is not pojjibls
to number them -, thy Grace is fufficient for me, and thy
Power is made manifeft in mine Infirmities. Thy Holy
Spirit, who is the true Comforter, and the great Power
of the Aimighty, Jhall refrejh me in thefe my dffliRions,
and in all Things Jhall make me more than a Conqueror.
'Tbou art Jironger than all other Beings, fo that I am
perfuaded nothing can ravijh me out of thine Hands.
I am certain, i bat neither Death, nor Life, nor Angels,
nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor Things prefent, nor
Things to come, nor Height, nor Depth, nor any other
Creature, can feparate us from the Love tbat tbou, haft
declared to me in Jefus Chrift my Lord; this precious
Faith, with which thou haft ftre ngthened my Soul, Jhall
vanyuijh the World, triumph over Hell, and d?ftroy Death
in its own Empire. Amen.

A Prayer

egainft the Fears {/DEATH. 95

A Prayer and Meditation upon the Death of a
beloved Perfon.

f\ My Gob I acknowledge that there is nothing, cer-
tain nor unchangeable on Earth, but thy precious
and holy Promifes; therefore it becomes us to enjoy the
Things of the World, as if we enjoyed them not. Thou
haft fnatched out of my Embraces, and pulled from my
Bcfom, my greateft Darling, and moft intimate Friend.
Thou haft opened my Heart, and torn my Bowels, and thou
haft feparated me from myfelf, fo that my life is but a
Burden and Pain to me. 1 did often look upon this plea-
fant objecJ of my Love as a Gift from above, and a
Mark of thy Favour and Liberality, it 'was my greateft
Joy, and my fweeteft Comfort. The Day that took it
away ovewhelmed me in a Sea of Grief. That which
doth moft difturb me, is, that 1 am afraid that this is
a Stroke and an Effect of thy Anger and Juftice. O
Lord my God, I muft needs acknowledge, that I havs
grievoufty offended thee, feeing thou doft thus chaftife
me with fo much Severity, and makeft me fed fo Jharp
an Affliftion. I am unworthy of all thy Favours, fee-
ing thou doft take from me Juch a precious Jewel, which
was Jhewed to me as Lightning. I am afraid I have
been wanting in fry Duly, and that this Death that kills
me, is the EffeSl of my Stupidity and Blindnefs : Me thinks
/ could have hindered this doleful Accident ; for if I had
behaved myfelf otherwife than I have done, my Life and
Souljhould not be in its Grave. God of all Comfort,
pardon my exceffive Grief, pacify my Sighs, flop the Cur-
rent of my Tears, remove all thefe vain Dif plea fares that
confume me, deliver my Soul from this unmerciful Grief and
Torment that it fuffers, and from thefe Troubles that are
more than human \ inftead of looking to th, j inferior Caufes,
and to the Circumftances of the Death of this beloved Per-
Jon, give me Grace to remember, that ihe leaft Things, as
well as the greateft, are, governed and ruled by thy wife
Providence, and that the Good and the Evil proceed from

H 4 thy

g6 he CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

thy divine Appointment. Give me Grace to conjider, that
thou deft hold in thine almighty Hand the Keys of Life and
Death, and thou alone doft caft us in the Grave, and lift eft
as up from thence again. O Sovereign Monarch of the
univerfal World, wbo doft not only let L'eatb loofe, but
alfo appoint eft all the Circumftances, make me truly fub-
mijfive unto thy f acred Plcajure, and to put my linger
upon my Lips, becau/e it is thy doing. If I open them t
let it be to adore thy Juftice, and Jing forth thy Praijes.
The Perfcnftr whom I lament fo much, was nearly relat-
fd to me, like another felf, and was alfo thy Creature,
thy Child, and a Member of our Saviour's myftical Body.
We, for cur Parts, believe we have the Right of dijpo-
Jing of our Wcrkmanfl-ip, and of that which we have
bought with our Money , and haft not thou, God, the
Liberty to difpofe of that which thou haft created after
thy Likenefs ? Bought not with corruptible ^Things, as with
Geld and Silver, but with the precious Blood of the Lamb
without Spot or Blemijh? 'Thou haft a Son, who is the
Brightnefs of thy Glory, and the exprefs Image of thy Per"
fen, whom thou haft not fpared for me ; end /hall I, Lord,
refufe thee my Heart and my Bowels? 'Thy only-begotten
Son came down upon Earth to Buffer the mcft cruel and ig-
nominious Death of the Crofs ; but thou haft taken up into
Heaven the Perfon whom my Soul loved, to crown him with
a glorious and ever happy Immortality. Shall his (or her}
Felicity be the caufe of my dffiifliom? And Jhall his (or
her} Reft occajion my Difpleafure? It is the Property of
tru* Lcve to prefer the Happinefs of the beloved Perfon to
cur Satisfaction-, therefore our Saviour told his Apoftles y
If you did love me, you wculd rejoice, becaufe I go to my
Father ; for my Father is greater than I. Between thee p
O great and living God, and us miferable Worms of the
Earth, there is as vaft a Difference, as there is between the
innocent and harmlcfs Delights of this World, and the
unjpeakable Pleafures of thy Prefence: For thefe are but
as Drops of Water, that are dried up with the lea ft Wind;
whereas the Satisfactions of Hsfiven are like a bottoinlefs
Sea of Delights, in which we Jhall faim for ever. Do I

there-

againft the Fears of DEATH. 97

therefore weep for kirn (or for her} who] e Tears thou haft
wiped away ? Do I wear a niouniful dpparel, and black
Scarf, for him who is now covered with a glorious At-
tire of Joy and Gladnefs, who is adorned with an Habit
as white as Snow ? Do I delight my/elf in Darknefs, and
doth he fo'ace himfelf at the Fountain of Light and Glcoy ?
Do I feek a folitary and melancholy Retieat, and doth he
rejoice amongft the Thousands of Angels, and the glorious
Company of Immortal Spirits ? 1 figh and groan, and
hefmgsa new Song t the Song of the Eleffed, which is al-
ways in his Mouth. All my Complaints and Groanings
fannot bring him back on Earth ; but if that were -pojfi-
ble, it is not juft to attempt it; my Knidnffs woula be
cruel, and my Love muft be inhuman. How could I re-
fclve to make him leave the Haven of eternal Felicity, t9
expofe him again to the furious Waves and Storms of this
irouhiefome Sea of the World; to engage him in frejb
Encounters, to clothe him with the Rags of Mortality^
to take him out of Rivers of P/eafures, and bring him
back again into a Sea of Gall and Biiternefs, and feed
him again with Bread of Afflifficn ? can I be fo cruel as
to wijh him out of thy Embraces, and the ravijhing En-
joyment of thy favour and Eternal Life., to deliver him
again into the torments of Mortality ? The Shortnefs of
this, Life minds me of my Departure after him, to the
Light of the Living, where we may again enjoy one ano-
ther. Lord, truly wonderful, and various in all thy
Difpenfations ! it is not only for the Advantage of this
happy Creature and tty Glory, . that thou haft taken him
into thy Reft; but for my Good, and the Inftruftion of
hisfurviving Friends; to put my obedience and Faith to.
a Trial, as thou didjl the Father of the Faithful, whofe
Trial was far greater than mine : For thou commandejl
him to facrince his Son with his own Hands ; but thou
require/I from me no other Sacrifice, but my Submijficn to
thy Holj Will. I will iherefare fpeak in Eli's Language,
It is the Lord, let him do as feemeth good ; or as
Job, The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away,
blefled be the Name of the Lofd. Thou haft taken

from

98 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

from we what 1 highly valued en Earth, that I might
look up to Heaven, whither he is departed from me. Grant
me therefore Grace to put an End to allthefe Sighs, Groans,
and Tears, and fpend no longer my Time and my Breath, la-
menting the Lofs of my beloved Objeft; but that I may em-
ploy myjelf to prepare for my Removal out of this earthly
Tabernacle. Grant that I may imitate the Piety, Zeal,
Faith and Conftancy, and all other Virtites of fuch as thcu
haft admitted into thine Eternal Reft, and crowned with
everlafting Joy and Happinejs. Let me die the Death of
the Righteous, and let my loft End be like his. Amen.

*2* -* "O

CHAP. X.

The fourth Remedy againft the Fears of Death is t*
difengage cur Hearts from the World.

THE Children of Ifrael decamped from the Wil-
dernefs with a ready Mind, and went joyfully
over the River Jordan, when God commanded them
fo to do. The caufe of their Readinefs was an earned
Longing for the Land of Canaan, and their unfettled
Condition in the Wildernefs, having nothing butTents
to live in. Death is to us the fame, in regard to our
heavenly Paradife, as tlv: River Jordan was to theChil-
dren of Ijrael, in refpect to the promifed Land. There-
fore from hence it appears, that the ftrongeft Motive
to oblige us to a Resolution of entering into this Paf-
iage willingly, is to free ourfelves from all Things
which might encumber, Itop or tie us to the World,
and keep ourfelves always in a Readinefs to depart.

For that Purpofe it is not neceffary that we fhould
go out of the World, but that the World fhould be
banifhed and driven out of us, and that we fhould
renounce all Vanities and unruly Affections, fo that
we might be able to fay with the Apoftle, The World
is crucified to me, and I am crucified to the World : For
there be many who depart out of this World, but
leave their Hearts and moft tender Affections behind;

agalnft the Pears of DEATH. 99

as Lot's Wife that went out of Sodom, but left there
her Treafures and Delights, her moft ardent Defires;
as the IfraeliteSj who, when they went out of -Egypf 3
left behind them their curfcd Affedlions, with their
Pots of Flefh and Onions.

The fame Thing happens to many, who feparate
themfelves without any NecefTity from the Acquaint-
ance of Mankind, and who affect a ftrange and auftere
Kind of Life. They leave the Society of wife and
virtuous Perfons, and the lawful Ufe of the Bleffings
which Heaven has granted them ; and they deprive
themfelves of all that deferve Efteem, and the Means
of glorifying God, and edifying their Neighbours.
But many Times they carry with them their Corrup-
tion, their Vices, and a Legion of wicked Thoughts,
and carnal Defires. By this Means they give way to
the Devil, and expofe themfelves to all his Tempta-
tions j for that wicked Serpent delights rather in the
Dens of wild Beafts, and in the Caves of the Earth,
than in the Palaces and Dwellings of Princes and
Kings. The moft abominable Vices creep and breed
jather in the Dcferts, and Places of Retreat, than in
Publick, and in great Cities that are full of Inhabi-
tants. Lot remained chafte in the moft abominable
City that was in the World j but when he went afide
to the Foot of a Mountain, and into the Cave to dwell,
he defiled himfelf with a monftrous Inceft. When.
Satan intended to tempt our Saviour Chrift, he carried
him into a Defert, and to the Top of a Mountain.
From hence we may learn, that this fubtle Enemy of
Mankind had learnt, by his long Experience, that the
Places of Retreat, and the moft folitary, are the fitteft
to lay his Snares. If our Saviour, who was wholly
innocent and free from Sin, hath been able to over-
come all Manner of Temptations, we are not of the
fame Temper, we are not furnifhed with fuch Armour
as he was, of Proof againft all the inflamed Darts of
the Devil : For our miferable Flelh delights in its own
Deftruclion, it opens the Ears and the Heart wide to

the

ioo *Ibe CHRISTIAN'S Confolathns

the deceitful Promifes of Satan^ and fuffcrs jtfelf to be
cheated by his damnable Inchantments. It flatters
us, and caufes us to be lulled aflee-p in its Bofom ;
then, like a treacherous Dalilah, it betrays us into the
unmrrciful Hands of our great Enemy.

Some clothe themfelves with Hair, and wear at their
Girdles a knotted Cord, whom the Devil drags to Hell
with the invincible Chains of LufL Others climb up
to the Top of frozen Mountains, and vet their Hearts
burn with impure Flames. Some affe<5r. a mournful
Solitarinefs, \vhofe Defires and Longings are for the
World and its Vanities. Others have their Hands
lifted up to Heaven, whofe Minds are enflaved to the
Earth, and rooted in the rotten and filthy Pleafures of
the Age. Some have a Lamp burning before them,
\vhofe Understanding is wrapped in grofs Darknefs,
more palpable than that of Egypt. Others have an
empty Stomach, whofe Spui is full of abominable
Paffions. Tn Ihort, fome live in Appearance like
Angels, and yet are po^iTeffed with Legions of infernal
Spirits. Others feem to have no Concernment in the
World, and yet lodge the whole World in their Hearts.

Under a coarfe Habit, dwells oft-times more Envy,
rr.ore Vanity and Ambition, than under the glorious
Attire of Silk and Gold. Through a torn Habit,
fome Souls may be perceived fwelled with Pride and
Arrogance : And in Company of Beggars are to be
found many Times the Defigns of Kings, and the
lofty thoughts of the greateft Monarchs. To fpeak
plainly, the good Things and Advantages of this
Life do not flop and wed us of themfelves to this
World, but rather that Love and Affection which we
bear to them.

For without Doubt, there be many that are more
carneft and affectionate for the Things they want, than
others that enjoy them. Some poor People have a far
greater Longing for Riches, than ever Solomon had in
the Mid ft of all his great Treafures. Some filly Wo-
men, who are covered with old Rags, and fome con-
temptible

agalnft tie Pears of DEATH. 101

temptible Joans, have more VaYity and Pride in their
Brains, than ever had Quteii Eftber in her richeft and
moft glorious Attire. The Prophet Daniel was raifed
to an high and eminent Honour; for he was the Go-
vernor of the third Part of the Monarchy of the Per-

Jians, and of the Medts\ neverthelefs, he was no more
concerned in Babylon, than if he had had there but a
Sepulchre, and worn the Chains of a Slave; he fends
forth as many Sighs, and pours as many Tears, as if
he had been fitting upon the Afhes of Jerufalem.

Some pitiful Beggars are more loth to quit their
Rags, than fovereign Princes to lay down the En-
figns of their Dignity and Honour. Such are more
cnflaved to their Filth and Eafinefs, than the greatest
Monarchs to the Glory and Splendour of their Em-
pire. Death labours as much to free a Man from his

'Prifon, and take him out of his Dungeon, as to drive
him out of his Palace, and to tumble him from his
Throne; the Poor and the Indigent, who have no
other Bed to lie upon than the hard Gronnd, make as
much Refiftance as the Rich, who are ftretched upon
thefofteft Couches: TheGalley-flaves areas unwilling
that Death fhould loofe them from their Chains, and
take them out of their Mifery, as the Kings and
Princes are to leave their Sceptres and their Crowns.
I am fully perfuaded, that David was more willing to
go from his Command, and from his Riches, than
many poor Wretches are to depart from their Dung-
hills, and their Meannefs. Some Perfons are tormented
with theGout, the Stone, and other grievous and fen-
fible Pains; they dcfire neverthelefs more paffionately
to live, than many who enjoy a perfect and flourifhing
Health. Carnal and earthly Souls are fo much wedded
to the Earth, that they feel a great Keluctancy, and an
unfpeakable Difpleafure, when they are to depart
from a Body rotten and falling to pieces with old
Age; whereas others, who are moft fpiritualized,
and that have tafted of the heavenly Gift, and of the
Powers of the World to come, depart moft willingly

out

102 *fhe CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

out of young and lufty Bodies, flourifhing in their
Strength and Beauty.

We muft not therefore remove out of the World
our Legs and Arms, but our Affections and vain Lufts.
If God beftows upon us his earthly Bleffings, we are
not to follow the Example of that extravagant Philo-
fopher, who caft into the Sea his S54ver, and his pre-
cious Stones, that he might not have the Trouble to
keep them; and who loft them willingly, that he might
not be in any further Danger of lofmg them afterwards:
But we muft take heed, that they caufe not our Faith
to make Shipwreck, and that we regard themnot more
than our Confciences ; for the Soul is a far more pre-
cious Jewel than the Body, and Life is far more con-
fiderable than Clothing. Seeing that God beftows
upon us fo many good Things, with an intent that we
Ihould enjoy them, we fhould fhew ourfelves unthank-
ful to his Goodnefs, contrary to the wife Providence,
and unjuft and cruel to ourfelves, to refufe the Means
of ever ufing and employing thefe Bleflings. All
God's Creatures are good, and none are to be rejected,
but received with Thankfgiving; for they are fan&i-
fied by the Word of God, and by Prayer.

The Honour and Riches derived to us from our
Birth, or that we obtain by lawful and juft Means, are
to be ranked among the Bleffings of God. Therefore
Eftber> who was but a poor Stranger, received with
Joy, as a Favour from Heaven, the Imperial Crown
that was put upon her Head, and refufed not to be the
Wife of the greateft Monarch of that Time. Jojepb
accepted willingly the Power and Dignity with which
King Pharaoh had invefted him j and the Prophet
"Daniel did not only take the honourable Commands
which were beftowed upon him by the King of Ba-
byl<M> but he employed his Power and Credit to raife
alfo his Companions to Places of Truft, and to the
Government of that Empire. God fometimes gives
Sceptres into the Hands of cruel and prophane Peribns;
fuch as were Pharaob, Abab, Nebuchadnezzar, Bel-

again ft the Fears of DEATH. 103

Jbazzar and Herod, to teach us, that it is not the chief
Good of Man, and that we muft aim at a more excel-
lent Kingdom, and at more folid and conftant Feli-
cities. He alfo places upon the Throne Men accord-
ing to his own Heart, whom he cherilhes as the Apple
of his I^ye, as David, Solomon, ' Jebofoapbat, Hezekiab,
and Jofws, to teach us that the Fear of God, and the
Expectation of an immortal Crown, is not incon-
fiftent with the Honours of this Life, nor with worldly
Glory : For true D iety bath the Promijes of this Life,
and that wbitb is to come.

The Riches of the Earth are no more hurtful than
the Honours and Dignities, unlefs it be by Accident;
they are very ufeful and advantageous to fuch as em-
ploy them well, and difpofe of them with religious
Difcretion. They are powerful Helps to true Piety,
and excellent Means to glorify God, and to exercife
our Mercy and Compaflion : I may fay, that they
give a Luftre to the Zeal and Charity of God's Chil-
dren. Riches turn to Evils, and are ill beftowed in
the Hand of a brute and fordid Nabal; at the Difpo-
fition of a mercilefs and voluptuous Glutton, as in the
Gofpel, of a perfidious and treacherous 'Judas, of a fil-
ly and debauched Youth, as the prodigal Son: Butthey
are the Bleflings of Heaven when they fall into the
Hand of a Jojepb, who nourifhed therewith his Fa^
ther, and all his Kindred j into the Hands of a David^
that employed them in Offerings to Almighty God in
the Sight of the People ; of a Solomon, who built a
magnificent Temple ; and of a Mary Magdalen, who
fpent them not in Luxury and Vanity, nor in curious
Trinkets, but to buy a Box full of precious Ointment,
which Ihe poured on the Head of the Saviour of the
World. Thefe are Bleffings indeed, when fuch an
one enjoys them as Cornelius the Centurion, who em-
ployed them in Alms, whereof the Perfume afcended
up to the Throne of the God of Mercies. In fhort,
our Lord Jefus Cbrift, who is the eternal Wifdom of
the father, hath uttered out of his facred Mouth,

that

104 *Tbe CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

that it was more lie (Ted to give than to receive*

*U O f

Acts xx.

I am not ignorant of the Oracle pronounced by this
great God and Saviour, 'That whojoever dotb not re-'
nounce Father ; Mothtr, Houfes and Lands for my Sake,
is not worthy of me, Matt. x. This was faid to teach us,
that we muft renounce with Heart and Affection all
Things in the World, and of this prefent Life, and that
we muft be always ready to forfake all, in cafe we can-
not keep them without offending God, and giving a
Scandal to his Church. But without fuch abfoluteNe-
ceflity, God requires not from us, in any PlaceofScrip-
ture, actually to quit and leave our worldly PoiTeflions.

J know alfo very well, that when a young Man en-
quired of our Saviour, What he was to do to inherit
eternal Life, this wife Teacher returned him this An-
fwer, Sell all that thou haft, and give it to the Poor, and
tbou /halt have Riches in Heaven ; then come and follow
me> Luke xviii. This was a particular Commandment
made only to that Man, upon a fingular Occafion ;
from whence it is not poffible, that we fhould gather
any Conclufion to oblige others to the fame Action :
For othervvife this might oblige all Chriftians in
general to fell what they have, without Exception, and
to give it to the Poor. The Commandment was given
upon this Occafion : This vain-glorious Pbarifee
boafted of having kept all the Commandments of
God from his Youth up. To remove this good Opinion
of himfelf out of his Mind, and to give Vent to the
S. veiling ofhis Pharifaical Pride, our Lord puts him
to a Trid, enjoins him to fell al! hisGoods, and to give
them to the Poor. At thefe Words the young Man
went away very fad in a Confufion, becaufe he had
much Riches, and his ftrongeft Affections were fixed
there. By this he difcovered, that he was far from
loving God with all his Heart, and with all his Soul,
and with all his Strength, becaufe it appeared, that he
.1 his -,vorld!y PoflelTions more than Cbrift and his
iednefs. You may therefore underftand with-
out

agamjl the Fears of DEATH.

outDifficulty, devout Souls, that this Commandment,
made to this young Man, extends not to all in general.
If it had been fo underftood, the holy Apoftles, who
were mindful of every Thing that tended to Perfec-
tion, would not haverefted fatisfied with the Lois of
their Goods, to follow Cbrift, as they declared to him
themfelves. We have left all and have followed thee,
Matt. xix. but they would have referved nothing for
themfelves ; which Courfe they never took: For St.
John, Cbrift's beloved Difciple, hadaDwelling-houfe,
where he entertained theholy Virgin afterour Saviour's
Death, John xix. And the other Apoftles had their Ships,
their Nets and Tacklings: Therefore after Cbrtft's
Refurrection they returned to their Fifhing-trade.

OurSaviour, upon theOccafion of the youngMan's
refufing to obey this exprefs and particular Command
offering bis Goods, and giving them to the Poor, informs
his Diiciples, 'That it is hard for a rich Man to enter into
the Kingdom of Heaven. But he explains in another
Place this PafTage in fuch a manner, that he leaves not
the lead Difficulty in it; when he faith, that it is hard
for them, who put their Confidence in Riches, to
enter into the Kingdom of God, M#//.xix. By this we
may underftand, that he fpeaks not of all rich Men in
general, but of fuch only who put their Truft in their
Riches. Therefore the Apoftle St. Paul does not com-
mand the rich Men to caft away their Eilar.es and
Goods; but he advifes them not to put their Confi-
dence in them,fo as to become more vain and haugh-
ty. In this Manner, he fpeaks in Timothy, Charge them
that are Rich in this World, that they be not high-minded,
nor truft in uncertain Riches, but in the living God, whs
giveth us richly all 'Things to enjoy, i Tim. vi.

Here are therefore the beft Directions, according
to my Judgment for a True Chriftian, who defires
his Soul to be acceptable to God, to attain the Dif-
pofitions necdlury for an happy Death.

i. We muft employ our molt conftant and earneft
Endeavours and Affections for the fpiritual Advan-

I tages

1 06 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

tages of the Soul, and of the Life to come. We muft
thirft impatiently for the Graces of God, and for the
Gifts of his holy Spirit. We mud figh and long for the
fpiritual Robes of the S ml, and labour with all our
Strength to attain to the incorruptible Crown and the
immortal Glory of Heaven. Cbrift gives us this holy
and fafe Advice: Seek, faith he, firfl the Kingdom of
God, and its Righteoujmjs > and all theje "Things (hall be
added unto y oily Mat. vi. And elfe where, Labour not
for tbe Meat which per'tfbetb y but for that Meat which
endureth unto ever iafi ing Life, John vi.

2. As the good King Solomon built firft the Lord's
Houfe, and then laid the Foundation of his own Pa-
lace ; thus we ought to proceed to labou'r, firft for the
Advancement of God's Kingdom and the Edification
of his Church, that then we may have Liberty to em-
ploy ourfelves about the Affairs of this prefent Life,
and about our worldly Concerns. But our Employ-
ment and Calling mud be juft, and warranted by the
Laws of God and Man ; for he that gains Riches by
unlawful Arts, is but a Thief and a Robber.

3. Before we engage in any Work, we muft pray
to God to vouchfafe his Bleffmg to it, and fpeak to
him as Mcfes, Lei the Beauty of the Lord our God be
tfpon us, and eftablifo thou the Work cf our Hand upon
as; yea, the Work cf our Hand, eftablijfb thou it, Pf. xc.
For without his AiTiftance and Bleffing all our La-
bours will be in vain, and to little Purpofe. It is God
that makes poor, and makes rich, that lifts up, and
abafeth, 'James ii. Neither is be that $1 ant eth any thing*
neither be that -ivateretb, but God that givetb the Imreaje y
i Cor. iii. The Royal Prophet is of the fame Judge-
ment, when he faith, If the Lord buildeth not the City t
their Labour is but loft that build it.

4. Our Labour muft be without Murmurings, and
miftrufting God's Providence; we mud banifh out of
our Minds all idle Thoughts, and groundlefs Expec-
tations, that difturb us, Pf. cvii. We muft pluck out of
our Hearts all the Cares and Difpleafures that trouble

us.

agalnft the Fears of DEATH. 107

us. We muft imprint in our Minds that excellentSen-
tenceof David, Cafl thy Burden upon the Lord, andhefhall
Juftain thee, Pfal. v. and that of St. Peter, Cajl all your
Care upon kirn, for he carethforyou, i Pet. v. We muft
rememberour Saviour's Charge, Take heedtoyourfelves,
left at any 'Time your Hearts be overcharged with Surf citing
ffndDrunkennefs, and the Cares of this Life, Luke xxi.

5. Above all Things we muft beware of the Slavifn
Vice of Covetoufnefs, that denies God's good Provi-
dence, and his fatherly Care. To thatPurpofeSt./W/
exhorts us in exprefs Words, Let your Converfation be
'without Covetoufnefs, and be content withfuch things as
ye have ; for he hath faid, I will never leave thee, nor
forfake thee, Heb. xiii. That he might beget in us an
Averfion to this infamous Vice, St. P##/ tells us, They
that will be rich, fall into 'Temptation and a Snare, and
into many fcolifo and hurtful Lufts, which drown Men in
~Deftruttion and Perdition, i Tim. vi. He adds nexr,
For the Love of Money is the Root of all Evil, which
while fome coveted after, they erred from the Faith, and
pierced themf elves through with many Sorrows, Col. iii.
The fame Apoftle declares that Covetoufnefs is
Idolatry, and that it fhall never inherit the Kingdom,
of God, Eph. v. Therefore we ought to follow the
wife King's Advice, Labour not to be Rich, but forbear
from any fuch Dejign, Prov. xxv.

6. If God pleafe to afflict us with Poverty, and to
caft us down in the Duft of a mean Eftate, notwitli-
ftanding our continual Labours in a lawful Calling,
let us endeavour to poflefs our Souls with Patience.
Look upon Chrift our Saviour, who for our Sakes be-
came poor, although he was rich, that we might be en-
riched by his Poverty. Let us befeech him to grant us
the bleffed Difpofition of St. Paul 3 that we may be able
to fpeak as he did, I have learned to be content inwhatfo-
ever Eftate I am, I know both how to be abafed, and I know
hew to abound, everywhere, and in all Things-, I am in-
ftmftedboth to be full, and to be hungry, both to abound and
tofuffer Need. I can do all 'Things through Chrift which
Jtrengtbeneth we, Phil, iv. Remember, Chriftian Souls,

I 2 t

i o 8 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolatians

to fettle your Treafure in Heaven, where neither
Moth nor Ruft can corrupt, and where Thieves can-
not break through and fteal; labour to be rich in Faith,
and in good Works, that ye may inherit the Kingdom
that God hath promifed to them that love him.

7. But if it hath pleafed God to blefs thy Labours,
and his powerful and liberal Hand hath railed thee
tip to great Honour, fo that thou enjoyeft Riches in
Abundance, thou mull remember to poffefs them in
fuch a manner, that they may not enflave thee; and,
according to St.Ptf#/V Advice, thou muft remember
to enjoy them, as if thou enjoyeft them not, and that
the Fafhion of this World pafTeth away. We muft not
truft upon them, nor pride in them. We ought to
glory in fomething elfe, as God himfelf exhorts us:
Let not the wife Man boaftof his Wifdom, nor the
ftrong of his Strength .; let not the rich Man glory in
his Riches; but let him that glories, glory in that he
hath underftanding, and knows me, Jer. ix.

8. We muft not only take off our Hearts and Af-
feftionsfrom the World andits Vanities, trample upon
them, and efteem them like Dung, in companion of
the unfpeakable Treafures of Heaven; but we muft
alfo be ready to leave them at every Moment, as fo
many Trifles, vain and perifhable Things.. As we are
to poflefs them without Difpleafure and Fear, fo we
muft part with them without Grief and Murmuring.
Though we ihould lofe in a Day all that God hath be-
flowed upon us in this World, it becomes us to
flrengthen ourfelves with an holy Confidence and Re-
folution, faying with Job, T'ke Lord gave, and tie Lord
loath taken away ; bkjjed be the Name of the Lord, Job i.

9. If we happen to part with our Goods, Honours,
and Dignities in the Service of God, arid for the Pro-
feflion o.Cbri/Fs Gofpel; in fuch a Cafe we ought to
endure the Lofs with a Chriftian Patience, and an ex-
cefTive Joy, becaufe that fuch a Lofs for a juft Caufe
will prove at laft to our Ad vantage and Glory. This was
the Practice of the faithful Hebrews > of whom St. Paid

renders

agalnft the "Fears of DEATH. 109

renders this Teftimony; Ton have taken joyfully the
Jpoiling of your Goods, knowing that you have in. Heaven
* better and more lofting Inheritance, Heb. x. Chriflian
Souls, reprefent unto yourfelves the Example of the
Prophet Mofes, who efteemed the Reproach of Cbrift
greater Riches than "Treafures of Egypt; for he had a
Refyett unto the Recommence of the Reward, Heb. x.

10. Whilft we enjoy our Goods, we muft take care
of the Poor, and be bountiful in Alms; and to fpeak
in St. Paul's Language, Whilft we have Time, let us do
Good, efpecially to the Hou/hold of Faith, Gal. vi. Who-
ever hath Companion on the Poor, makes God his
Debtor-, he will aflu redly return him his good Deed,
Prov. ix. Our Saviour promiles to recompenfe a Cup
of cold Water that fhall t>e given to the mesnefboffuch
as believe in his Name, Matt.x. Alms is a Seed that is
caftupon the Earth; but its Flowers, and moft excel-
lent Fruits are to be gathered in Heaven. Hethatfows
liberally, fhall reap liberally, 2 Col. ix. It is not there-
fore as that other Seed, mentioned Pf. cxvi. that they
that fow in Tears, fhall reap in Songs of Triumph:
For whofoever beftows his Alms fparingly and unwil-
lingly, he fhall be treated in the fame manner as he
thatrefufes topartwithit. Therefore St. Paul declares,
'Though I foould give all my Goods to nourijh the Poor, if
I have no Charity, I am nothing, i Cor. xiii. God loves
a chearful Giver, and delights in fuch Sacrifices, 2 Cor.
ix. Remember therefore, Chriflian, that God fhall
judge you at thelaft Day, not by Learning, Know-
ledge, Riches, or Dignities and Honours of this Life,
but by your Alms-deeds, and A6ts of Charity and
Hofpitality, and by diflributing of your Goods to the
Neceflities of the Saints. Make to yourfelves Friends
of the Mammon of Unrighteoufnefs, that, when ye
fail, they may receive you intoeverlafting Habitations,
Matt. xxv. Rom.^\\. Lukexxvi. that upon your Tomb
one may juftly engrave, He hath Jcattered, he hath gi-
ven to the Poor ; his Righteoufitefsj that is, his Chanty
and Alms-deeds, remain for ever, l j fal. cxi.

1^ ii. Finally,

I j o The CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

n. Finally, we muft not only take oiT our Hearts
and Affections from the Riches, Honours, and Vani-
ties of this World, but we muft alfo deny ourfelves,
tame and overcome our PafTions, and crucify our
Flefh with its Lufts. Therefore our great God and
Saviour Jefus Chrift calls upon us from Heaven, He
that will follow me, let him deny himfelf, take up his
Crofs daily , and come after me. Matt. x.

That we may be able to imprint this goodLeflbn in
our Minds, we muft ferieufly confider in the firftPlace
that we are but Strangers and Pilgrims in this World,

J3 t O *

and thatwehave no laftingCity,//^.xiii. The Houfes
that God grants to us, are no perpetual Dwellings,
but only Inns for our prefent Conveniency. This was
the frequent Confideration of the great Patriarchs,
Abraham, IJaac, and Jacob, who faw the Promifes afar
off, and believed and embraced them: For St.Paul in-
forms us, they did ingenuouQy profefs, that they were
no better than Strangers and Pilgrims upon Earth, and
their Intention was to march forwards to their celeftial
Country. This was Jacob's Language, when he appear-
ed before Pharaoh : The Days of my Pilgrimage have
been jhort and evil ; they have not attained to the Years of
the Life of my Fathers, and of the Time of their Pilgrimage,
Heb. xii. Gen. xlvii. And not only the ancient Patri-
archs, who never had any other PoflefTions in the World
than a Tomb, orfomefmall Piece of Ground, have ac-
knowledged themfelves to be Strangers and Pilgrims j
but Princes and Kings alfo, whom God hath fan&ified
by his Holy Spirit, have freely confefled the fame: For
Dtfttf'/declares, not in the Time of hisBanifliment, nor
of his Flight, nor in his Calamities and Mifery; but in
his moll fiouriihing State, and intheMidftof his Tri-
umphs, Glory, Plenty, and Profperity, he declares
unto God, / am a Stranger and a Sojourner ivi-th. thee, as
all my Fathers wm 1 , Plal.xxxix. and cxix. And when he
fpeaks notonly of himfelf, but alfo of the reft of God's
Children that are upon Earth, he makes no Difficulty
p confeis, We are Strangers and Sojourners with thee,

agamft the Pears of DEATH, in

as all our Fathers were, ami our Days are as a Shadow
upon Earthy and there is none abiding, i Chron. xxix.
Rich and Poor, Mafters and Servants, Princes and
Subjects, all of us in general, may, with Reafon, fay
to the Men of this World, as Abraham to the Children
of Heth, I am a Stranger and Sojourn.er in theMidjl of you.
Now he that travels in a ftrange Country may gather
fome Flowers in his PaiTage, or take with him a few
Ears of Corn; but if he be wife, he will never tarry
to build a Palace. If he be well-treated in his Inn, he
muft not defpife the good Cheer; but if his Entertain-
ment be bad, he muft endure with Patience the Incon-
veniencies, and contemn all theDiforders that happen
during his Abode. If the Way be deep, full of iVlud,
Briers and Thorns, he muft go out of them as foon as
he can; and if it be good and pleafant, he muft not
flop in it, to bufy himfelf with needlefs Enquiries.
Every one that is a Traveller, dreams of nothing but
howtoadvanceon his Journey, and go forward. Like-
wife, being accuftomed to Plenty and Want, to Riches
and Poverty, to Honour and Difhonour, we ought to
leave the Things that are behind, and to proceed for-
ward to fuch as are before, that we may attain to the
End and Reward of our heavenly Calling, Phil. iii.
2. Confider not only, I befeech you, that we are
Strangers and Sojourners in the World, and that we
are not to inhabit always in this foreign Country; but
that our Paffage will be but for a few Days, Rev. viii.
We need but little to nourilh. and entertain us in this
fhort Race; at the End of it we fliall neither
hunger nor third, and the Sun (hall burn us no more.
As it happened with Jacob and his Family, when they
went into Egypt, they had no other Corn nor Food,
but what was needful and neceflary for them in the
Way, becaufe they were certain to meet with Plenty
of all manner of good Things in Jofepb's Houfe:
Likcwife we need not make any great Provision for
ourfelves in this Life, becaufe we are marching apace
towards our Saviour Cbrift, our elder Brother, unto

I 4 whom

112 'The CH R i s T i A N 's Confolations

whom God hath given all Power in Heaven and on
Earth, Matt. xxiv. We are marching into a Country
that abounds with all Manner of true Riches, Ex-
cellency^ Glory, and Happinefs.

3. Confider that we are not only Chriftians, but
Soldiers, and under the Banner of Chrift our Captain,
who judges him that fights juftly, Rev. xix. Job ac-
knowledges that there is a Warfare appointed to all
Mortals upon Earth, Job vii. But I may fay, that this
Warfare is chiefly forfuch as aim at the glorious Im-
mortality, and thatGod calls them to endure grievous
and violent Encounters. Therefore St.Paul exhorts
his beloved Difciple ffmetly, to behave bimjelf as a
good Soldier m this jujt War, and to fight the good Fight
of Faith, i Tim. i. Now he that goes to War, muft
not incumber himfelf with the Enjoyments of this
Life.

4. Moreover, confider that we are like to Soldiers
who are engaged in an Enemy's Country, not with a
defign to conquer and eftablifh ourfelves there, but
only to obtain a free Paffage, havingonly an Intent to
pafs through into our own native Soil. We do not de-
}ire to get into our Hands the Inheritances andPofief-
fions of the Worldlings, to rob them of their Crowns
and Sceptres. We have no other Requcft to make to
them, but that which the Children of J/raelm&de to the
Inhabitants of Edom, when they were going into the
promifed Land, Numb. xxix. We defire Leave to pafs
peaceably,and go along by the King's H ighway,to take
Poffeffion of the Inheritance which God hath prepared
for us from the Beginning of the World. We would
not fo much as tafte of a Bit of Bread without paying
for it, nor drink a Cup of Water without Leave.

5. Confider that this Life is a Race, and the World
the Place to run in. Now fuch as are in a Race muft
take heed that Thorns do not catch hold of them in
their Courfe, nor that their Feet fink in the Mire or
the Clayj and that they may run fwifter, they muft
call off all Burdens and Incumbrances. If therefore

againft the "Fears of DEATH. 113

we will run this Race in fuch a manner, as that we
may obtain the Prize, we muft look that the Thorns
and Briers of the World take not hold of us, and that
we fink not in the Mire of the dirty Pleafures of this
Life. We muft caft away all the Burdens that over-
charge us, and efpecially the Burden of Sin, which is
fo grievous, that Nature itfelf groans under it. It is
the Intent of St. Paul's Exhortation, Seeing we are com-
paffed about withfo great a Cloud of WitnejJ'es, let us lay
afide every Weight , and the Sin which doth Jo eajily bejet
us-, and let us run with Patience the Race that is Jet
before us, looking unto Jejus the Author and Finijher of
cur Faith, who for the Joy that was fet before him, en-
dured the Crofs, Rom. viii. Heb. xii.

6. Confider, that our Life is a continual Wreft-
lingj for we wreftle not only againft Flefh and Blood,
but alfo againft Principalities and Powers, againft the
Lords of the World, and the Rulers of the Darknefs
of this World, againft fpiritual Wickednefs in high
Places, Epbef. vi. I Cor. x. Now he that intends to
wreftle well, muft diet himfelf accordingly. If there-
fore for a corruptible Crown, Men diet their Bodies,
render them fupple and pliant, and abftain from De-
lights and Pleafures ho\V much more Reafon have
we to do the like, for an incorruptible and glorious
Crown !

7. Confider that God wilUiave us to be conform-
able to the Image of his Son, and that we muft follow
hisFootfteps. Now this good Saviour reprefents tons
his own Condition, Rom. viii. i Pet. ii. The Foxes have
Holes, and the Birds of the Air have Nefts, but the Son of
Man hath not where to lay his Head, Luke x. There-
fore he made this Confeffion before Pontius Pilate, My
Kingdom is not of this World, John viii. And for that
Reafon he reproves the grofs and carnal Expectations of
the twpDifciples as they were goingtoEmmaus,O Fools
andjlow of Heart to believe all that the Prophets have

Jfoken ! Luke xxiv. Ought not Chrift to havefujfired
thefe Things, and to enter into his Glory? According to

his

H4 TJhe CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

his blefied Example, we mud have but a little Por-
tion, and Concernment in the World, and enter by
many Afflictions into the Kingdom of God, ABs xxiv.

8. I judge that it is alfo neceffary, that we fhould
reprefent, at every Moment, unto ourfelves, that, to
fpeak properly, we can have but the Ufe, and not the
right Enjoyment, of God's Creatures. We are in-
truded with his Favours, as the Stewards of his Bleff-
ings and Riches. At every Moment he may call us
to an Account, and require from us a Reafon of our
Behaviour, and take from us our Enjoyments. We
fhould therefore look upon our Houies andPoflefllons
as upon Things that are lent unto us: For as we are
not difpleafed to reftore what we have borrowed, and
what we enjoy, as long as it pleafes the lawful Owner

.to lend it; thus we fhould gladly leave this prefent
Life, and all our worldly Poffeffions, in cafe we can
but perfuade ourfelves, that all belong to God, and
that he hath lent them but for a Moment.

9. Moreover, it is necefTary for us to confider the
fruidefs Labours and Pains that we are at, when we
.purchafe the Riches of the Earth, and afcend up to
Dignities and Honours : For as the Hufbandman,
when he hath manured his Field, and watered it with
his Sweat, is many times deceived of all his fairFIopes
and Expectations, thus it commonly happens to the
Covetous and Ambitious; they toil and labour in
vain; the Good which they think to grafp, (Tides
away between their Fingers as Water, or as Wax that
melts at the firft Approach of the Fire; and all the
Honours which they expect to enjoy and embrace, are
as a Shadow that foon vanifhes, or as a Smoak that
flies up out of their Reach; when they have well la-
boured for thefe Vanities, they reap nothing but Grief
and Difpleafure.

10. Take notice of the fmall Satisfaction that there
is to be found in the moft entire and perfect Enjoy-
ment of the Advantages of this World. They arelike
Drink, which leaves us {till athirft, and like empty

4 Meat,

agclnft the Fears cf DEATH. 115

Meat, which cannot fatiate our Longing; like the
Waters of the Well of Sycbar, whereof our Saviour
faid to the Woman of Samaria, He that drinketh of
thisiyater y jhallthirft again, John iv. It happens to the
Worldlings, as to him who fleeps hungry, and dreams
that he is eating; when he awakes, his Stomach is
empty, Ifa. xxix. or like to another, who thinks in
his Sleep that he drinks; but when his Eyes are open,
he finds himfelf thirfty, and his Appetite unfatisfied:
For he who hungers for Money, is never contented
with the Enjoyment of it; and he who thirfts for
Vain-glory, can never be pleafed with all the great
Honours and Grandeurs of the World, Reel. v. In-
ilead of fatiating his longing Appetite, thefe Things
ferve but to increafe and augment it. The whole
World was not large enough to fatisfy the foolifh.
Ambition c>{ Alexander: For it is faid, he wept when
a Philofopher told him, there was yet many Worlds
to conquer. This Man, for whom fix Feet of Earth
was fufficient, had a Mind to command over a thou-
fand Worlds, if there had been fo many.

1 1. Confider that all the Treafures and Riches of
the Indies, and the Pomp and Grandeur of the World,
are not able to bring Peace to the Soul, nor quiet to
troubled Confciences. When a poor Man has got
together a little Silver and Gold, or when a Mean
Perfon is raifed to the higheft Offices and Dignities,
his Mifery continues ftill, though it changes its
Appearance. Oft times it is fo much the more in-
fufferable, in that it puts on a falfe Luftre, and a
deceitful Glofs, in that fuch are conftrained to live
always mafked, to fupprefs the Pangs, the Griefs, the
Sighs and Groans that often interrupt their prophane
Smiles, and carnal Delights and Paftimes.

Therefore our Saviour compares Riches to Thorns,
for they prick and gall not only the Hands, but the
Heart and the Bowels, of fuch as embrace them with
Affection. It may be alib faid, that they are like Lions
and Bears; for they are not to be caught without much

Difficulty,

1 1 6 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

Difficulty, and they are as uneafy to be kept, becaufe
we muft take heed that we be not bit with their veno-
mous and deadly Teeth. If you had but tried the hor-
rible Difpleafures, thefenfibleGriefs,and fecretFears,
with the tormenting Cares that attend upon the mo(l
glorious Sceptres, and the richer! Crowns, you would
never judge the Saying of that Prince nnreafonable,
who exclaimed againft his Royalty in this manner, O
Crown ! if any did but know thy Height, he would m-ver
lift thee up from the Ground. The moft Part of the Plea-
fures and Satisfactions of this Life depends much upon
Man's Imagination, and all this Grandeur and human
Glory is nothing but Wind. The Royal Prophet teaches
us this Truth with much Elegance, when he faith, 'That
every Man at his loft State is altogether Vanity ; Jurely
every Man walketh in a 'vain Shew, Jurely they are dij-
quieted in vain, Pf. xxxix. Solomon, the moft learned
of all Kings, the richeft and mod magnificent Prince
of his Time, had refufed nothing to his E) es to grati-
fy his Luftj he had tafted of all the Delights and Paf-
times that can be imagined ; but at laft he found fo
little Satisfaction and folid Content, that he was forced
to acknowledge, That all Things under the Sun are
but Vanity and Vexation of Spirit, Ecjef. ix.

12. Chiefly we are to confider, that if our Enjoy-
ments have been wrongfully gotten, as Balaam's' Re-
ward, Ackaris Wedge of Gold, and Scarlet Cloak, Ge-
btizi's Changes of Raiment, Ahatfs and Jezebel's Vine-
yard, Judas 's thirty Pieces, Numb. xxii. Jojh. vii. they
bring no real Content or Peace to the Soul; but they
rather fill us with Gripingsof Confcience, and with a
fearful Defpair, 2 Kingsv. i Kings xxii. If the voluptu-
ous Worldling, -who hath enriched himfelf by Rapine,
Ufury or Extortion, did wring with his Hands his fump-
tuous Garments, where his Pomp and Pride appear-
ed, he would vifibly fqueeze out the Tears of the afflict-
ed and poor People, Matt, xxvii. If he did but relifh
the right Tafte of theLiquors that he-drinks out of his
Cup of Jafper and Cryftal, he fhould find, inflead of

Wine

againjl the Pears of DEATH. 117

Wine and Lemonade, the Sweat and Blood of the
Miferable; and if he had but ferioufly looked into
the Silver and Golden Vefiels that are put upon his
Table, he fhould perceive the Marrow and the Bones
of fuch as he hath devoured. W 7 hofoever becomes fat
with the Subftance of the Widow and the Fatherlefs,
Ihall never open his Coffers, but he may fpy there the
Image of the Devil, and the hellifh Furies; he may
hear the Cries and Groans of fuch whom he hath de-
ftroyed by his Injufrice and Cruelty. If fuch efcapc
unpunifhed here upon Earth, they Ihall furely feel
the Severity of God's Vengeance hereafter. If there
be no Sword to ftrike them, nor Fire to confume
them, nor Leprofy to gnaw them, nor Dogs to tear
them, nor Halter to hang them, they have a Guilty
Confcience that will perform more than this; for it
will be their W T itnefs to accufe them, their Judge to
condemn them, their Rack, their Wheel, and Execu-
tioner to torture them. The Time will come, when
the Worm that never dies, and the Fire that Ihall
never be quenched, fhall torment and burn them.

13. Confider, that it is pofiible to be very indigent
in the Midft of a great Plenty. The Poets have had a
Defign toreprelent this by the Fiction of a Man thirfl-
ing in a River, whereof the Waters reached up to his
Chin. The covetous Mifer reprefents this Miferable
Wretch. He may aifo be compared to the Fig- tree of
the Gofpel, curfed by our SaviourCr//f, that brought
forth no Fruit for others, and withered for want of
Nourifhment. Therefore a contented Poverty is more
worthy than Riches with Difcontent. Nature is fatis-
fiedwithalittle; Pietywithlefsj but Covetoufnefs hath
no Meafure. The Heathens have very well acknow-
ledged, that he was the richeft who was moft contents
for the more Things you defire, the more are wanting
to you. It matters not much, if the Cup, which is pre-
fcnted to you, be of Gold or Earth, fo that there be
Liquor enough toquench yourThirft. I would rather
drink of a little clear Stream of Water, than out of a

great

f 1 8 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

great River all muddy and troubled. A little Quantity

of Ground is fufficient to nourifh a Man in this Life,
but lefs necefTary to cover him when he is dead. A
little Money fatisfies to fubfift honeftly in the Fear of
God, but lefs is required to die happily, in the Favour
and Love of our good Saviour. Kings, and the great-
eft Monarchs, have but one Body to nourifh and to
clothe, as well as the rneaneft of their Subjects. They
who enjoy leaft in this World, life, or rather abufe, the
mod of any, the Things that they pofTefs. Inftead
of envying the Worldling's Opulency, let us me-
ditate upon St. Paul's excellent Saying, Having Feed
and Raiment^ let us le therewith content, i Tim. vi.
And let us imprint in our Minds that other Sentence,
Piety with Contentment is great Gain, i Tim. 5.

14. Chriftian Souls, caft your Eyes upon all the
Things of the World that are mod efteemed, and you
(hall find, that their Pofiefiion is but uncertain, and
of (hort Continuance; For Riches have Wings to fly to
Heaven as an Eagle. All Flejh is like Grafs, and the
Glory of Man as the Flower of the Field; and the World
pajjeth away with all its Luft, Prov. xxiii. There needs
but the Pillaging of a Town, the Breaking of a Mer-
chant, or an unfuccefsful or contrary Suit in Law, to
render thee poor, and bring thee to Want. A little
Sparkle of Fire is able to reduce all thy Riches into
Afhes, and to bring thee to extreme Poverty. The lead
Frown can cover thy Face with Shame andConfufion,
and caft thee down from the higheft human Glory, in-
to the deepeft Abyfs of Difgrace and Ignominy. The
wife Man informs us, That he who trujls in his Riches
jh all fall. We may fay fo of fuch as rely too much
upon greatMen's Favour: For itislikeabroken Reed,
that pierces the Hands of fuch as lean upon it. There
is nothing here below fo conftant as Inconftancy. If the
Earth did not often change its Face and Appearance,
it would not be Earth as it is j and if the World were
notir.conftant, itwouldceafeto be a World. Therefore
it is no Wonder, if the Heathens, who underftood not

God's

agalnjl 'the Fears of DEATH. 119

God's wifeProvidence, that governs the naturalBeings,
and "draws Light out of Darknefs, have reprefentcd
Fortune blind, mounting fometimes on a Wheel, and
in an Inftant tumbling down again. How many Per-
fons do we meet with, reduced on a Hidden to Beg-
gary, who a little before flourifhed in all manner of
Plenty ! How many are caft down into the Duft, and
become the Scorn of the World, who were once raifed
to -the higheft Dignities, and the higheft Honours!
How many fall into the Contempt andDerifion of the
Vulgar, \vhofe Praifes were once exalted up to Hea-
ven ! In a Word, how many do we fee before our
Eyes dragged along the Street, flint up in clofe Pri-
fons, brought upon the Scaffold and Gallows, who
were once the Glory of the World, admired of all
Men, and the Scourge of honeft Men ! When we run
over, and confider the flrange, unexpected, and fudden
Changes that we have feen in our Days, they feem to
us as Dreams. St. Paul reprefents this great Incon-
flancy of the World, to take off our Hearts and Affec-
tions from it. 'The Time, faith he, is Jbcrt; it remain-
eth, that both they that have Wives, be as though they
had none, and they that weep, as though they wept not,
and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not ; and
they that buy, as though they pojcjjed not ; and they that
life this World, as not a'bufing it; for the Faftjion of this
World pajfeth away, \ Cor. vii. Becaufe of this great
Inconltancy of all worldly Advantages, St. Paul in-
vites us to think upon the everlafting Riches : Charge
them, faith he, that are rich, that they put not their
Truft in uncertain Riches, but in the livin? God, lay-
ing up in Store for themjehcs a good Foundation
againjl the 'Time to come, that they mny lay hold on eternal
Life, i Tim vi.. For the fame Reafon the Son of God
advifeth us, not to hy up for ourfelves Treasures upon
Earth, where the Moth and Ruft do corrupt; but lay up
fpryourfehes Tretfures in Heaven, where the Moth and
Rufi do not corrupt, and whereTbi eves do not break through
andfteal y Matt. vi. A w\& Per/ion was well acquainted
with this Truth; therefore he hath left thisLefibn for

Pofterity,

120 be CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

Pofterity, Ihe World is ccnftant to no Man ; my Bro~
ther, apply thyjelf, and thy Heart, to tke great Creator of,
the World, and that Jhalljuffice thee.

15. Confider, that if Riches and Honours leave us
not in our Life-time, or in cafe none can take them
away from us by Violence, it is moft certain that Death
will deprive us of all, and will feparate them from us
forever, PJ. xlix. For when a Man dies he carries no-
thing with him, his Glory accompanies him not into
his Grave, i I'm. vi. We brought nothing into this
World, and it is certain that we can carry nothing out,
Job\. The Kings and the greateft Princes may fpeak in
thisLanguage, as well as the meaneft Soldiers of For-
tune, Naked I came from my Mother s Womb, and naked
JJhall return. All the Treasures, Riches, Sceptres, and
Crowns, fhall never advantage us after our Deceafe.
What was Nebuchadnezzar the better for having had
fo great a Number of People within his Dominions?
They could not hinder him from lying down upon a
Couch of Worms, nor preferve him from being eaten
with Vermin, If a. xiv. To what Purpofe did the rich
Glutton abound in all manner of Riches in his Life-
time? After his Deceafe he could not obtain a Drop of
cold Water to a flu age his violent Thirft, Lukexvi. The
Author of the Book otWifdom was entered into this Me-
ditation, when he reprefen ted the Worldlings fpending
themfelves in Lamentations for their former Follies,
and voluntary Blindnefs. What hath Pride profited us*
fay they, or what Benefit hath Riches brought us ? All thefe
things are pajjed away as a Shadow, as a Poft that runs
Jwiftly, or as a Ship thatjlides through the troubled Wave s,
Wifd. xvi. Our Heirs give us nothing of all our Sub-
ilance but a Winding-facet, a few Boards, or, it may
be, fome Pounds of Lead; all confumes with us, and
rots in our Grave in Time. In fhort, we mud not only
quit and abandon all our Honours, Dignities, Trea-
fnres and Riches; but we muft alfo quit this Body,
thisFlefh arsd Bones, covered with this beautiful Skin.
O Man! remember that thou art but Duft, and that
thou fhalt return to Duft. 16. Sa-

againft the Fears of DEATH. 121

1 6. Saladin, the famous Sultan of Egypt, hath left
to Pofterity an illuftrious Teftimony of the Vanity of
all Riches and worldly Grandeur; for upon his Death-
bed he commanded that his Winding-iheetfhould be
carried at the End of a Lance by a Herald, who was
to proclaim, Here is all that this great Prince hath car-
ried away of his Riches, Glory, Principalities, and Lord-
foips, which he enjoyed upon Earth.

17. Confider, that it is a great Caufe of Grief, that
we know not who lhall inherit the Fruits of all our
Labours, which we keep with fo much Care, and reft-
lefs Fears. Who knows but our greateft Enemies,
and, that which is worfe, God's Enemies, (hall clothe
themfelves with our Spoils -, and that which we have
been gathering many Years, fhall be fpent in a Mo-
ment? Of this Vanity and Evil the Royal Prophet
complains, Pfal. xxxix. Surely, every Man walketh in a
vain Shew -, furely they are dif quieted in vain; he health
up Riches, and knoweth not who Jhall gather them.

1 8. Confider well, Chriftian People, the dangerous
Effects wrought in us by the Love of the World, and
the Deceitfulnefs of Riches: It ftifles in our Hearts the
good Seed of the Gofpel, Matt. xiii. It hinders it from
growing up to Salvation : It keeps many from glorify-
ing God, and making an open Profeffion of the Truth;
as it is (aid of fome of the chief Pharifees, that they
believed in our Lord Jefus Chrtft, but they would not
confefs him before Men, becaufe they loved more the
Glory of Men than the Glory of God. Therefore
when Cyrus made proclamation, that the Children of
Ifrael fhould have full Liberty in their own Country
to rebuild Jerufalcm, to repair God's Temple, to re-
eftablifh his neglected Services, there were many Jews
that cared not to obey tms Prince's Command, nor
God's Call: becaufe they were fettled in Babylon, they
were too much wedded to the Pleafures and Delighrs
of that City, and therefore loth to part with their Con-
cerns there for Jerufalem. For the fame Caufc that
young Man, mentioned before, would not follow the

K Saviour

122 7 'be CHRISTIAN'S ^Consolations
Saviour of the World, nor obey his Command, becaufe
he had much Riches, and had fettled his Heart and
Affections upon them. As God's Ark and Dagon can-
not dwell together under one Roof, i Sam. v. fo the
Love of God and the Love of the World can never
fubfift together. Therefore St. John advifeth us, Love
not the World, nor the Ihings that are in the World; if
any Man love the World, the Love of the Father is not in
him, i John ii.

19. Take Notice, that this is the Pafiion that flops
fo many in their firft Beginnings of Piety: For, as
Lot's Wife was changed into a Statue of Salt, as foon
as fhe had looked behind her; fo when God fends his
Angels to take us by the Hand, and drag us out of
the fpiritual Sodom, there is nothing more dangerous
than to look with Regret and Longings for carnal
Delights and worldly Advantages, which we are then
totally to quit. That alone is able to flop our proceed-
ing forward, to flifle our Zeal, and to caufe all pious
Intentions to vanifh into the Air; there we muft im-
print incur Minds this excellent Sentence of our Sa-
viour, No Man that puts bis Hand to the Plough, and
doth look back, is fit for the Kingdom of God.

20. This is the Caufe that fo many Perfons, efleemed
well-grounded in Religion and Piety, are prevailed
upon, at lafl, to turn their Backs to God, and to make'
Shipwreck of their Faith. What was the Reafon of the
Jfraclites murmuring fo often, and defiring to return
into Egypt ? Was it not, as we have already taken No-
tice, becaufe their Hearts and Affections were fettled
and fixed on that curfed Land, from whence God had
delivered them by fo many Miracles? And where-
fore did Dem as leave St. Paul and Chrift's Gofpel ?
It was becaufe be loved too much this prejent World. In
Ihort, our own Experience confirms to us the Saying
of our Saviour, No Man can Jerve two Maftcrs ; for
either be will hate the one, and love the other ; or he will
cleave to the one, and defpife the other; you cannot Jerve
God and Mammon.

11, Con-

eigamjl the Fears of DEATH. 123

ai. Confider, that if thefe worldly Goods and Ho-
nours do not produce in ns thefe woeful and lamentable
Effects, they often produce them in our Pofterity.
Many would live happier in the World, and be ho-
nefter Men, if their Parents had not left them fo much
Riches and fo many Honours to poffefs. Their Riches
and Honours therefore draw upon them many Evils,
and oft-times they cad them headlong into feveral De-
baucheries and Infolencies. It is that which fills them
full of ridiculous Vanity, and of unfuffefable Pride,
that renders them hateful to God and Man. In a
Word, it is that which makes them to forgetGod, and
be unmindful of the Treafures and Advantages of his
Kingdom, Prc-v. xxx. Therefore dgar prefented this
excellent Prayer unto G.od, Give me neither Poverty nor
RicheS \ feed me 'with Food convenient for me-, left 1 be full,
and deny thee^ and Jay ^ Who is the Lord? or left I be poor,
andfteal, and take the Name of my God in vainJ Wretched
Man! to what Purpofe doft thou labour fo care-
fully to gather up Riches for thy Children ? It may
be that thefe Riches which thou takefl from others,
or which thou doft get with the Lofs of thy Soul,
fhall ferve to make golden Calves, to be the Subftance
of infamous Idols, as Gideon's Gold, plundered upon
the MidianiteSj was employed in an Ephod, which be-
came a Snare to his Houfe, and to all IJrael. Th-us it
happens many Times, that the Goods which are got-
ten with the Expence of much Blood and Sweat, and
the Honours unto which we climb up with fo much
Earneftnefs and ParTion, become a Snare to bur Pofte-
rity ; they caft them Headlong into an Abyfs ofMifery.

22. I fhould not forget that Death is a Kind of
Sleep; therefore, in Jioly Scripture, to die, and to fall
afleep, are to be underftood in the fame Senfe. Now,
as we cannot conveniently fall afleep, unlefs weietafide
and forget all the troublefome Affairs of the World ;
likewife it is altogether impofTible to die comfortably
and peaceably, if we banifh not out of our Hearts, be-
times, all the foolifh Fancies that difturb us, and all
the lharp Cares that undermine and confume u

K 2 23. To

124 T&e C H R I's T i A N * s Confolatlons

23. To this Purpofe, profane Hiftory tells us of
a remarkabls Paflage of Cyneas y a great Minifler of
State to PyrrbiiSy King ofEpirus; that when he faw his
Matter fo bufy in raifing an Army, to march againft
the Romans, he began to argue with him in this man-
ner; Sir, if it -pieaje God to grant you the Vittory over the
Romans, bolt) could you employ yourjelf next? The
King anfwered, We will then endeavour to conquer
the reft of Italy. And when we fhall have Italy in our
PofTefiion, replied Cyneas, what fhall we do after-
wards? We will go againft Sicily, faid the King. The
difcreet Cyneas continued to demand, And when we
have all Sicily, what fhall we do? Pyrrhus anfwered
him, We will pafs to Africa, and take Carthage-, and
after that we may recover Macedonia, and command
all Greece without Controul. But, Sir, replied Cyneas,
when we fhall have got all in our Pofieffion, what
fhall we do then? The King anfwered him with a
fmiling Countenance, We will then repofe ourfelves,
and take our Fill of Delights and Pleafures. Then
Cyneas began to afk the King, what hinders us now,
Sir, from taking our Rights and Delights? For we
have all that in our Hands, that we are going to
feek fo far, with fo much Bloodfned and Danger. We
may apply this to ourfelves; we have, molt of us, in-
tricate and hidden Defigns, which cannot be accom-
pli fhed in the Age of one Man. We are afraid to die,
as if Death had already caught us by the Throat ; and
yet we have fo many Defires to fulfil, as if we were
immortal.

We build and adorn our fumptuous Dwellings, as if
we were never to leave the World; and we are always
gathering fo much, as if we had the Charge of provid-
' ing for a royal Army. Let us therefore, in this Cafe,
imitate this wife Minifler of State; let us afk ourfelves,
For what Purpofe are thefe vaft Defigns? What End
do we propole to ourfelves of all our Labours, and
Care? What do we aim at when we run fo many
Dangers, and endure fo many Inconveniencies? Our
Souls will anlwer us, without Doubt, that it is with

agalnft tie Fears of DEATH. 125

an Intent at laft to reft ourfelves in Peace, to live at
Eafe, and to enjoy the Fruits of our Labours. Let us
enjoy that Happinefs and that Satisfaction at prefent;
let us not ftay to reft ourfelves, until Death (hallftretch
us in our Graves. Let us be fatisfied with the Goods
that God hath already beftowed upon us, and let us
ufe them with Thankfgiving. Miferable Wretches
that we are ! Why do we labour and torment ourfelves
for fo many Things, feeing that there is but one Thing
neceffary, and that is, Piety, the Fear of the Lord,
and the fc.xpectation of his eternal Felicities? Let ws
therefore make an Election of this good Part, and it
fhall never be taken from us, Luke x.

24. If we defire to imprint in our Minds the Con-
tempt of the World, and its Vanities, we muft often
meditate, with ferious Attention, upon the Excellency
of our Nature, fanctified by Grace, upon the Worthi-
nefs of our fpiritual Calling, and upon the Riches and
Glory of that eternal Happinefs which God hath pro-
vided for us in Heaven. It is impoflible to look upon
thefe Things as we ought; but we muft conclude with
the Apoftle, that the World, with all its Pleafures and
Treafures, is not worthy of us. The Woman that
appeared to St. John in a Vifion, was clothed with the
Sun, having the Moon under her Feet, and a Crown
of twelve Stars upon her Head. This is a lively Image
of Chrift's Church in general, and of every faithful
Soul in particular: For, when we are clothed and
adorned with Jefus Chrift, the Sun of Righteoufnefs,
we ought to trample upon all the Pomp and Magni-
fkence of the World, and laugh at the Revolutions
of the Ages, at the Vanities and Inconftancy of the
Earth. We muft feek our greateft Glory, and our
moft ravifhing. Delights, in the Doctrine of the twelve
Apoftles, who are fo many Stars fhining in the Fir-
mament of the Church. Let the World alter its Face
as often as the deceitful Laban; we ought to refemble
the Rays of the Sun, always alike: For our Glory
is not as that of the World and the Princes of this

K 3 Age,

1 26 T'/je CHRISTIAN'S Confolations
Age, which is reduced to nothing. It is not fettled
upon a vain and failing Foundation ; but upon the
living and true God, who is tjie fame Yeflerday, To-
day, and \yill be the fame for all Eternity, Heb. xiv.
Some glory in their Chariots, others in their Horfes;.
but we will boaft in the Name of the Lord our God,
Heb. xiii. PJal. xxix.

25. Confider, that God hath given us Faces looking
up towards Heaven, that he might thereby teach us to
life up thither our Hearts, and carry thither our
Affections andDefires. He hath created our Souls, and
given them a fpiritual Being, that they may take their
Flight above all earthly Matter. He hath adorned
them with Immortality, that they might contemn all
Things that are not immortal as themfelves, all decay-
ingandperifhingEnjoyments. Infhort, feeingthatGod
hath prepared for us in Heaven his Paradife, his Glo-
ry, his Treafures, and the Rivers of our eternal De-
lights, how can we confine our Defires, and be content
with this Duft of the Earth, where Serpents crawl?

16. When Alexander was preparing to leave Mace-
donia, and go to the conqueft of the Perfian Monar-
chy, he gave away all his Goods to his faithful Friends,
and Servants. Perdiccas, one of his Favourites, en-
quiring of him, what he had rekrved for himfelf, the
King anfwered, that he had referved HOPE. Thus
ought we to difpofe ourfelves to depart out of the
World, by leaving our Parents, Friends, and Eftates,
that we now enjoy. And if our Flcfli enquires of us
what we have kept for ourfelves, let us confidently
anfwer, that we have kept our HOPE. I may af-
fure you, ' Chriftian Souls, that this your Anfwer
fhall be better grounded than that of Alexander to
his Favourites: i^or this Prince left his Patrimony
and Kingdom without any Gonftraint; but whether
we will or no, we muft leave the World. Alexander
quitted certain Goods for a doubtful Hope; but we
abandon perifhing Enjoyments, for an Hope more
fecure^and fettled than Heaven and Earth. Alexan-
der's

agatnjl the Fears of DEATH. 127

tier's Expectation was but of a temporal Kingdom,
and of a fhort and vanifhing Glory; but our Expec-
tation is of an incorruptible Crown and eternal Tri-
umphs: Death, that feized upon Alexander in the
Flower of his Age, put a Period to all his Victories,
and con fumed all his Trophies; but we are in Hopes
of conquering Death itfelf, and this Hope will not
deceive us, Rom. v. This therefore being our AlTiit-
ance, it is no Wonder if St.PW 1 tells us, 'That Hope is
as a fure and unmoveable Amhor to the Soul, piercing int.
the Veil, that is, into Heaven itfelf } 'ivbere Jefus Ghrift
is entered in as our Fore-runner.

27. God hath hid in the Earth, Gold, Silver, and
Jewels, to teach us to trample upon the Riches and
Pomp of the World. But he hathraifed us up to the
higheft Heavens, our fpiritual Treafure, and our im-
mortal Crowns, that we might lift up thither our
Hearts, and our moft earned Affections. He defires
that we (hould imitate the Prophet -David, who al-
ways comforted himfelf, in his Banifhment and Perfe-
cutions, with the Expectation of the Kingdom pro-
mifed to him, and confirmed by Samuel's Unction.
God would have us to do as the true IJraelites in the
Babylonifo Captivity ; they had always their Hearts
and Affections in Jerujalsm; in the Midft of their
great Sorrows Jerusalem was all their Comfort. Like-
wife we, who are wandering up and down this mi-
ferable Wildernefs, who live in the World as in a Ba-
byUn, in a Kind of Captivity, ought to comfort our-
felves, and rejoice in Expectation of the Kingdom of
Heaven, which hath been prepared for our Fruition,
from all Eternity, and whereof the holy Spirit is the
true Unction, which hath confirmed the Promife of
it, and given us the Earned, Pfal. cxxxvii. Gal. iv.
The Eye of our Faith fhould always be fixed upon
our celeftial JeruJaUm, that is, the Mother of us all,
and the Place of our eternal Reft, Col. .in. TheApof-
tle therefore exhorts us, If you -be rifen with Chrift>
Jeek thofe 'Things that are above, whefe thrift fits at

K 4 the

ja8 T/je CHRISTIAN'S Con/olations

the Right-Hand of God , think on things that are abovf,
and not on Things on the Earth ; for you are dead, and
your Life Is hid with Chrift in God.

28. When Men are going to live in another Coun-
try, where their Money will not pafs, they furnifh
themfelves with Bills of Exchange, and find the Means
of receiving it in other Coin. Therefore, feeing that
our Gold, our Silver, and our prefent Jewels, will not
pafs in Heaven, the Place of our eternal Abode, let
us fend thither betimes all our Riches and Treafures
by Bills of Exchange. And that we may entruft them
with an Afiurance of a notable Advantage, and of a
lawful Gain, let us put them in God's Hands; for he
will reftore us a hundred Times more in his Kingdom.
Let us now diftribute them to the Poor, to the Mem-
bers of Chrift's myftical Body; and this divine Saviour
will then acknowledge, that they had been given to
his own Perfon. You that fear fo much to lofe your
Money, get fuch Purfes as will never decay, and
make yourfelves Friends of the Mammon of Unrigh-
teoufnefs, that when you fail, they may receive you
into eternal Habitations.

29. Laftly, as the Ifraelites, when they had tailed
of the Fruits of the Land of Canaan, defired, with a
moft eameft Paffion, to enjoy fuch a noble and deli-
cious Country, and their Abode in the Wildernefs be-
came tedious and unfufferable; likewife we, who have
the firft Fruit of the Spirit, and the Foretafte of our
heavenly Paradifc, let us afpire with our Hearts to
the heavenly Canaan, and let us long continually for
thofe unfpeakable Delights. All worldly Pleafures
fhould have no Reliih with us, and the greateft
Sweetnefs of this Life fhould be turned into Bitter-
nefs j fo. that we may often prefent David's Prayer un-
to God, Remember me, O Lord, with the Favour that
trjou bearejl unto thy People; O vifit me with thy Salva-
tion; that I may fee the Good of thy Chofen - y that 1 may
rejoice in the Cladnefs of thy Nation ; that I may glory
with thine Inheritance, Pf. cvi.

4 TQ

again/I the Fears of DEATH. 129

To conclude this Difcourfe; feeing that we have no
lading City here below, but that we feek for that
which is to come; feeing that we know not the Hour
when God fhall take us out of the World to introduce
us in his holy Jerusalem, Heb. xi. Luke xxi. let us
take heed, that our Hearts be not overcharged with
Surfeiting and Drunkennefs, and with the Cares of
this Life, left that Day furprife us unawares: And as
the holy Apoftles left their Nets to follow Jefus Chrift,
Matt. iv. let us leave alfo the vain Cares, the ill-
grounded Fears, and deceiving Hopes, that entangle
our Souls ; that when it fhall pleafe God to call us, we
may be ready to anfwer his heavenly Meffage. Let us
accuftom ourfelves betimes to will what God willeth,
and to obey him without Refiflance. Let us caft all
our Cares upon God, and repofe ourfelves upon his
wife and fatherly Providence, i Pet. v. Let us look
with Contempt upon the World, upon its vain Gran-
deur, and upon its decaying Riches; efteem not any
thing upon Earth, nor that which Man is able to pro-
mife or procure; but efteem and value the blefTed
Advantages that we expect in Heaven, and that are
difpofed and entrufted in God's own Hands, 2 'Tim. i.
Tit. u. Let us prefer Job's Dunghill and Afhes be-
fore the proud Throne and glorious Monarchy of
Nebuchadnezzar. Let us fancy the Beggary of poor
Lazarus more happy than the overflowing Abun-
dance of the rich Mifer. Imprint in our Minds
that blefled Saying of the Son of God, What would it
profit a Man, if he gains the whole World) if he de-
ftroys himfelfy and lojeth his Soul? Luke ix. Let us
have always before our Eyes the Image of that rich
Worldling, who had gathered much Wealth for
his Soul, but his Soul was not wealthy nor rich be-
fore God: Remember what he faith to his Soul,
Soul, then haft much Goods laid up for many Tears -,
reft thyjelf, eat and drink, and be merry: But what
fays God to him, Thou Fool, this very Night thy
Soul fi all bs taken away from thte-, and the Things that

then

130 'The CHRISTIAN'S Qonfolatlons
then haft gathered, whofe Jhdl they be ? Inftead of ftu-
dying how to enlarge our Barns and Cellars, and to
increafe our Revenues and Treafures, let us labour
to fet fome Bounds to our Defires, and let us be con-
tent with what we have at prefent. Seeing we have
but a Breath in our Noftrils, and that we are clothed
with a mortal Body, let us not entertain fuch vaft
Defigns, nor fuffer our Longings to be perpetual.
Let us always, in every Place, be ready to end our
Life, to put the laft Stone to its Building; or, rather,
let us be always in a Difpofition of' difiblving this
earthly Tabernacle. Let us willingly break all the
Bands and Ties that fatten us to this miferable Earth,
that when Death fball come, it may have nothing to
do but to cut the laft String, by which our Soul is
naturally joined to this languishing Body. Settle and
fix your ftrongeft Affedlions in Heaven, that where
your Treafure is, your Hearts may be there alfo.
Let us not be lulled afleep, as the foolifh Virgins;
but having our Reins girded, and our Candles
lighted, let us be prepared, at every Moment, to go
and meet our heavenly Spoufe, .and follow him into
the Marriage Chamber. Let us be like a Ship at
Anchor, ready to fet Sail with the firft fair Wind, and
as 'a Soldier newly armed, that waits for the Day of
Battle, and for the Signal to mount upon his Horfe,
that he may appear in the Field at the Sound of the
Trumpet. Let us fend, before-hand, all our preci-
ous Jewels into the moft glorious Palace of Eternity j
that our Bag and Baggage being ready prepared, we
may have nothing to do, but to take our laft Fare-
wel. If any Confideration of Flefh and Blood hin-
ders us, let us break afunder all thefe Bands by the
Strength of our Nazarem, that is, by the Virtue of
God's Holy Spirit, which he hath been gracipufly
pleafed to grant uato us. And if the Perlbns that
we love and chertfh as tenderly as our Soul, or thofe
whom we are to reverence and honour, labour to
ilir up the Bowels of our Companion, and to impede

agamjl the "Fears of DEATH. 131

us 5n our holy Refolutions, by bafe and earthly Con-
fideradons; let us tell them, as our Saviour did Mary
Magdalen, 'Touch me not; for 1 am going to my Father,
John xv. Stop not my Courfe; for I hold already the
Prize, and the promifed Crown. In fliort, as Abra-
ham let the Ram loofe, whereof the Horns were taken.
in a Thicket, and offered it up in Sacrifice to God,
Gen. xxi. fo let us free our Minds from all worldly
Cares and carnal Affections ; let us offer them up all
to God, as a fweet-ftnelling Sacrifice^ let usxprefent
them as a Burnt-offering, confume them in the Flames
of an holy Zeal and Love of his Divine Majefty. When
the Chriftian fhall be thus prepared, he fhall" never
Hand in Fear of Death; he will fay to it with an af-
fured Countenance, Come when thou wilt, O Death;
I defire no Reprieve; for, a long while ago, I have
fettled my Affairs, and wait for thee with Patience.'
The chief Part of myfelf is not here below; my Hearc
is already ravifhed into Heaven, where God expedts
me with open Arms. Therefore, notwithftanding thy
fearful Darktiefs, and the Defign that thou haft to de-
ftroy me, I will follow thee as courageoufly, and as
joyfully as St.Peter did the Angel of Night, that
opened to him the Gates of his Prifon, and freed him
from his Chains, Afts xii.

A Prayer and Meditation for fuch as prepare for
Death by a Renunciation of the World.

Q Infinite Lord of Heaven and Earth* who difpofeft
of Good and Evil ly thy divine Providence and ad-
mirable Wifdcm ! thcu haft not fuffered us to have here
an abiding City, that ice might feel for that which is to
come. Thou difcovereft before our Eyes the Vanity and In-
conftancy of all Things under the Sun, that we might la-
bour to attain to fdid and everlafting Advantages. Thou
haft placed and rejerved in Heaven mexhauftible 'Treafures
qf Riches, xncornqtibk Crowns of Glory and eternal

Triumphs,

132 ne CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

Triumphs, that thither we might transport our Heart sand
dffeclions. 'The Source of heavenly Pleafures is with thee^
that we might always be athirft for the ftrong and living
God ; and that we might dejtre, with an holy Earneftnefs,
to look upon thy beautiful and glorious Face. Moft glori-
ous Creator, feeing ihou haft beftowed on me an immortal
Sou^ fuffer me not to be fo wretched, as to doat upon thefe
perijhwg Vanities ; and feeing thou haft made it of a fpi-
ritual and heavenly Nature, fuffer me not to be fo unhap-
py as to wallow in this miserable Duft of the Earthy or
to caft myfelf into the Puddle and Dirt of carnal Lufts.
Give me Grace to renounce the World, and all the Vani-
ties that the World adores. Give me Grace to poffefs all
thefe decaying Things, as not pojfej/ing them -, that I may
trample upon all the Pomp and Glory of the Age ; that I
may confidtr, that the Gold, the Silver , the precious Jew-
els, whereof the apparent Beauty deceives the carnal Eye
of Man, is nothing elfe but concrete Earth, that will
dijjblve again into Duft -, that I may remember, that after
my Deceafe, all thefe Things will profit me no more than
the Earth and Stones which /hall cover my dead Corpfe,
or the Wood or Lead which Jhall be given to it for a
Coffin. Give me Grace to defpife all the Honours and
Dignities, after which Men of Pbe World run fo impa-
tiently \ for they are but like a Shadow that pajfes away,
and like the Smoak that afcendcth up out of our Reach.
Pluck out of my Heart the Cares of this Life, and all
Solicitoufneff for the Earth, that Death may never fur-
prize me unawares, and that there may be nothing to
ftop or hinder me from going to thee, when thou Jhalt be
pleaffd to call me ; that my Soul, being totally difengaged
and freed from all theje Briers and Thorns, I may be
ready always at every Moment, to be offered unto thee as a
living and burnt Sacrifice. The Children of Ifrael waited
for thine Orders to pitch and move their Camp: Give
me alfo Grace to be as ready prepared to live and" die, to
remain in this Tabernacle, and to depart out of it, when
tkou jhatt fend thy Warrant. And as this People went
ever ths River Jordan with a wonderful Joy, to take

Poffeffion

agalnjl the Tears of DEATH. 133

Poffejfion of the promifed Land; O that I might alfo
leave this miferable Wilderness with the Tranjports to
enter into the celeflial Canaan, where the Milk and Honey
of Divine Pleasure and of eternal Comforts flow, as in
their natural Channel ! O Go d, who art my Portion and
mine Inheritance, caft me not away with the Men of the
Worldy whofe Portion is in this Life. Thou filleft their
Paunch with thy good Things, fo that they are full, and
leave fufficient for their Babes. But y as for me, all my
Comfort is, that IJhall behold thy Face in Right eoufnefs,
and flail be fatisfied when I awake with thy Likenefs.

O* -O* *** -O*

CHAP. XI.

The fifth Remedy againft the Fears of Death is, to for-
fake Vice, and to apply ourfehes to the Practice of Piety
and Sanftificat-ion.

GOD is wonderful in all his Works, and he go-
verns all his Creatures in fuch a Manner that
draws from his very Enemies the Acknowledgment
of his Truth. You have an excellent Example in
Balaam, who, beholding the Tents of the Children of
Ifrael, breaks out into this pafiionate Wifh, Let me
die the Death of the Righteous, and let my lajl End be
like his, Numb, xxiii. He was a wicked Varlet, that
loved the Wages of Iniquity ; neverthelefs he perceiv-
ed, by that prophetical Light, with which his Soul
was enlightened, how fweet and comfortable Death
was to fuch as addifted themfelves, in this Life, to
the Service and Fear of Almighty God, and how
different it is to the Death of the profane Worldlings,
who give themfelves over to their Lufts, and delight
in the unlawful Pleafures of the Flefh : For as
Drunkards deep with a diflurbed and unquiet Fancy ;
likewife fuch as are drunken and full with the bafe
and rotten Pleafures of this Life, if they be not

hardened

134 tte CHRISTIANAS Confolatlons
hardened by Atbeifm, commonly depart out of this
World with ftrange Frights, and horrid Gripings of
C'onfcience, that cannot be expected. It is otherwife
'with a good Chriftian ; for as the Handicrafts-man,
who hath worked all the Day in his Shop, and the
Hufbandman, who hath wearied himfeff in following
the Plough, lays himfelf dowrt at Night in Peace; fo
It is with a good Chriftian, who hath carefully attend-
ed the Works of Piety and Mercy in this Life. He
takes his laft Sleep with great Quiet of Mind, and
Satisfaction of his Soul. As righteous Jacob,, when he
travelled a Journey to his Mother's Friends, at his
Father's Command, was not frighted to fee the Sun
go down, though he was in the Midft of an open Field,
Gen. xxviii. but he laid him down in Peace, and flept
fweetly, having no other Bed but the Earth, no other
Pillow but a Stone, no other Covering but the Hea-
vens, no other Curtains than the dark Shadows of the
Night; likewife a Soul fanctified with the Spirit of
God, that walks in all the Commands of his heavenly
Father, fhall never be aftonifted: For wherefoever
the Sun goes down, wherefoever Death arrefts_him,
he will look upon himfelf as in another Bethel; he
will fleep quietly in the Lord Jefus, and in the moft
cruel Death he will feel unfpeakable and glorious Joys,
and the Peace of God which pafieth all understanding,
Afts xxiii.

We may take Notice of this blefTed Difpofition in
the Apoftle St.Paul, who had behaved hirnfelf with
a good Confcience towards God, and towards Man,
i Cor. xv. He had laboured more in the Miniftry than
all the other Apoftlesj therefore he ftood in no Fear
of Death's Approaches: But rather we may fee him
full of Expectations andDefires to pafs through Death
into Glory, and eternal Felicity. This Difpofition is
no lefs remarkable in Stephen, the firft Martyr ofChrift y
Acts vi. In the Midft of the moft grievous Torments
he had a Countenance fhining as that of an Angel,
which was a certain Teftimony of his inward Peace

agalnft the Pears of D TAT H . 135

of Confcience, and of the extraordinary Joy of his Soul :
For, as the wife Man informs us, A merry Heart maketb
a chearful Countenance > Prov. xv. From the fame Wif-
dom proceeds this other Oracle, that foretels unto
every one w,hat fhall happen unto him, The Hoicked is
driven away in his IVickedneJs^ but the Righteous hath
Hope in his Death, Prov. xiv. Ec'cl. i. To this agrees
the excellent Sayiag of Jefus the Son of Sirach, It /hall
be well at the lafl with him who fears God; he Jb aft find
Favour at the Day of his Death. This Life is but a Mo-
ment that flies away apace; yet it determines our eter-
nal State-. It raifes us to the higheft Glory of Heaven,
or elfe it cafts us headlong into the deepeft Abyfs of
eternal Mifery : For what a Man foweth, that he ihali
reap; he that foweth in the Fie fh, fhall reap of the
Flefh, Corruption; but he that foweth in the Spirit,
ihall reap of the Spirit, eternal Life.

If you are afraid of a cruel and unhappy Death, keep
yourfelves from an evil and profane Life; for com-
monly, as a Man's Life is, fo is his Death. The moft
Part of thofe who live in filthy Lufts and Impiety, de-
part with hardened Hearts, or in Defpair. God's Pa-
tience, wearied out, turns into a juft Refentment, and
Wrath. Commonly, God leaves at ,the Hour of Death
fuch as have left him in the Courfe of their Lives. He
is inexorable to the Cries and Sighs of fuch as havefhuc
their Ears and Hearts to his holy Word, and his father-
ly Admonitions. He laughs at the Amazement and
mod fenfible Torments of thofe who trample upon his
facred Commands ; as he tells us, Becaufe I have called^
and ye refufed, I haveftretched out my Hand, and no Man
regarded -, but ye have fet at nought all my Cottnfel, and
would nsne of my Reproof; I alfo will laugh at your %-
lamity^ and mock when your Fear cometh, Prov. i.

King Ahab defired to hear a grateful Prophecy of
happy Things; of Viftory over the Syrian Army; ne-
verthelefshe continued in his Impieties and Tyranny:
Therefore, the Prophet Micah was not afraid of his
Pifpleafure, but tells him boldly of the approaching
5 Judgement

136 *The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

Judgement ofGod, which hanged over his guilty Head.
Likewife fome Sinners defire to be flattered and Toothed
up in theirExtravagancies; they expect, notwithftand-
ing their Crimes, Promifes for Joy and Profperity. But
we fhould be falfe Prophets, poflefTed with a lying Spi-
rit, if we did not foretel to fuch People, that a mod
lamentable and miferable Death haftens apace upon
them ; our Charity for them would be cruel, if we did
not labour to fave them by Fear, as out of a Fire ;
if we did not fliew them Hell with its Jaws open, ready
to fwallow them up, and the eternal Torments where-
with God will punifh all impenitent and hardened Sin-
ners. Knowing what God's Vengeance is, we mult
perfuade Men to embrace Faith and Righteoufnefsj
and if we did fail in this our Duty, their Blood
would be required at our Hands.

To what Purpofe have the Heathen Philofophers
difcourfed fo learnedly of the Shortnefs of our Life?
To what Purpofe have many of their Princes enter-
tained Mementoes of their Mortality, and (lightly paficd
over fuch Thoughts, whilft they reaped little Benefit
from them, becaufe they did not prevail upon them
to reform their Lives, and by confequence to prepare
for a blefled Death ? It was alfo to no Purpofe that
Balaam defired fo paflionately to die the Death of the
Righteous, and that his-laft End might be like a juit
Man's, Numb, xxiii. becaufe he lived the Life of
Sinners, and continued in their Abominations and
Idolatry, Numb. xxxi. therefore died he as they, and
was comprehended in their Punifhment. As he was
a Partner in their Crimes, it was but juft and reafon-
able, that he fhould (hare in their Calamity, and be
Partaker of their Torments.

To abandon Vice and Sin, is to take from Death its
Venom and all its fiery Darts. It is to pluck from this
furious Bead its Teeth and Claws. It is to break the
Cords and Chains, by which the Devil drags us into
eternal Damnation. It is to deftroy the Man tiers that
fright us, and ftifle the Furies that purfue us. In fhort,

agalnjl the Fears ofDzATH. 137

it tends to change Hell, and its grievous Torments,
into Heaven and its Glory. There was never yet any
Perfon that lived an holy and religious Life, but he
died happily in the Favour of God. Now that the Lord
knocks, open unto him the Doors of your Hearts, and
at the Hour of Death he will open unto you the Gates
of Heaven. Prefent and give him, whilft you are alive,
your Bodies and Souls, and doubtlefs he will accept
them, and confirm the Gift with his own Seal. Here
below he will enrich you with his Graces, and crown
you at laft with his Glory. BleJJed are they that die
in the Lord; but to die in the Lord we mull live to the
Lord, that we may be able to fay with St. Paul, Whe-
ther we live, we live to the Lord; whether we die, we die
to the Lord; whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.

To perfuade us to this religious Duty, we mud con
fider, in the firrt Place, the Command that he gives us
of loving him, fearing him, repenting of our Sins, and
of walking in his holy Laws. Unto this he exhorts us
in the Writings of the Old 'Teflament, as in Deuterono-
my vi. tfhoujhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart,
with all thy Soul, and with all thy Might. And in If a. viii.
Sanftify the Lord of Hofts himfelf, and let him be your
Fear and your Dread. And in Ch. iv. Let the Wicked
forfake his Way, and the unrighteous Man his Thoughts ,
and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have Mer-
cy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly par-
don. In the iid Chapter of Joel, Turn ye unto the Lord
with all your Heart, and with Fa/ling, and with Weep-
ing, and with Mourning. And in the fir ft Chapter of
Malachi. A Son honours his Father, and a Servant his
Lord : If therefor el am your Father, where is the Honour
due unto me? If lam your Lord, where is the Fear of
my Name?

2. Jefus Chrift is not come to abolifh the Law, but
to fulfil it, Matt. v. Therefore, in the New Teftament,
he calls upon us frequently to ftudy Piety and Vir-
tue. As in St. Matt. v. Let your Light fo Jhine before
Men, that they, feeing your good Works, may glorify your

L Father

138 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

Father which is in Heaven. And in the firft Chapter
of Mark, Repent ye, and believe the Go/pel. And St.
Paul to the Romans in this Manner, I befeech you, Bre-
thren, by the Mercies of God, that ye prejent your Bodies
a, living Sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is
your reafonable Service ; and be not conformed to this
World, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your
Mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and accept-
able, and perfect Will of God-, hate Evil, and cleave to
that which is good, Rom xii. And in Chap. xiii. Walk
honeftly as in the Day, not in Rioting and Drunkennefs,
not in Chambering and Wantonness, not in Strife and
Envying -, but put on the Lord Jefus Ghrift, and make no
Prcvifionfor the Flejh to fulfil the Lufts thereof. And in
i Cor. xvi. Awake to Rtghteoufnefs and fin not. And in
Ephefians iv. Put off, concerning the former Conversation,
the old Man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful
Lufts, and put ye on the new Man, which after God
is created in Righteoufnefs and true Holinefs. And in
Coloff. iii. Mortify your Members which are upon Earth,
Fornication, Uncleannefs, inordinate Affections, evil Con-
fupifcence, and Covetoufnefs, which is Idolatry. In
i The/, v. Watch and be fober, abftain from all Ap-
pearance of Evil. And in Philip iv. Whatjoever Things,
are true, whatsoever Things are honefl, whatfocver Things
arejuft, whatsoever Things are pure, whatfoever Things
are lovely, whatfoei-er Things are of good Report, if there
be any Virtue, and if there be any Praije, think on thefe
Things. I might with as much Eafe number the Stars
of the Sky, as reckon up all the Paffages that call up-
on us, and exhort us to an holy Life.

3. God not only commands 'us to apply ourfelves
to Holinefs, Juftice,andlnnocency of Life; buthepro-
pofes himfelf for our Example, that as the obedient
and good Children delight to imitate their Father's
Virtues, we alib might endeavour to copy out in our
Lives the divine Perfections of our heavenly Father,
and imprint in our Hearts his facred Image. There-
fore in Levit. xi. he tells us, Be ye holy, for 2 am holy.

And

agalnjl the Fears of DEATH. 139

And St. Peter repeats the fame Paflfage in this Manner,
As be that called you is holy, Jo be ye alfo holy in all Man-
ner of Converfation ; for it is written, Be ye holy, for I
am holy, i Pet. ii. And our Lord and Saviour "Jefus
Chrift gives us the fame Leffbn, Love your Enemies^
blefs thofe that curfe you. Do good to them that hate you*
^ray for them that perfecute you, that you may be the
Children of your Father that is in Heaven, Matt. v. For
he caujeth the Sun to rife upon the Good and Bad, and
fends his Rain upon the Juft and Unjuft', be ye therefore,
perfeft as your Father in Heaven is perfect. The Apoftle
St. Paul fpeaks in the fame Manner to the Ephejians,
Be ye Followers of God as dear Children; put off the
old Man, and put on the new Man, which is created ac-
cording to Godm Jujiice and true Holinefs, Chap. vi. And
in Colojf. iii. Nowputoff allthefe, Anger, IVrath, Malice,
Elafphemy, filthy Communication, out of your Mouth. Lye
not to one another, feeing that ye have put off the old Man
with his Deeds, and have put on the new Man which is
renewed in Knowledge after the Image of him that created
him.

4. Meditate ferioufly upon the excellent and pre-
cious Promifes that God hath given to fuch as addict
themfelves to Piety and good Works. As \nExod. xx.
Ifhew Mercy unto a thousand Generations of them that
love me, and keep my Commandments. And in i Sam. ii.
I will honour them that honour me. And in If a. iii. he
fays to the Righteous, that it jhall be well with them-,
for they fiall eat the Fruit of their Doings. And \nMatt.v.
Our Saviour faith, Eleffed are the pure in Heart, for
they Jhall fee God. And in Ch. vi. Seek fir ft ihe Kingdom
cf God and his Righteoufnefs, and all thefe Things jhall
be added unto you, over and above. And in Chap. vii.
Not every one 'that faith unto me, Lord, Lord, jhall en-
ter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the Will
cf my Father which is in Heaven. St. Paul fpeaks thus to
the Romans, If by the Spirit you mortify the Deeds of the
Fle/h, you jhall live, Ch. viii. And in the firft Epiftle
to Timothy, Piety or Godlinefs is profitable to all Things,
having the Prcmifis of this prefent Life, and of that

L 2 which

140 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

which is to come. And in Rev. xx. Bleffed and holy is
he who hath Part in thejirjl Refurretlion ; the fecondDeath
foaii have no Fewer over him.

5. Confider that the whole World trembles at the
Denunciation of the Judgements, with which God
threatens to punifh all impenitent Sinners, as in Exod.
xx. / am the Lord thy God, ftrong, jealous, vifiting the
Iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children, unto the third
and fourth Generation of them that hate me. And in i Sa-
muel i i . 7 will honour them that honour me, and will defpife
them that defpife me. And in St. Matt. xii. Of every
idle Word that Men Jhallf peak, they Jhall give an Account
at the Day of Judgement, And in St. John iii. Except a
Man be born of Water and the Spirit, that is, of a Spirit
purifying like Water, he cannot enter into the Kingdom
of God. And in Rom. viii. They who are in the Flejh can-
not -pie afe God. And in i Cor. vi. Be not deceived; nei-
ther Fornicators, nor Idolaters, nor Adulterers, nor Effe-
minate, nor Abufers of thcmfehes with Mankind, ncr
thieves, nor Covetous, nor Drunkards, nor Revilers, nor
Extortioners, Jhall inherit the Kingdom of God. And the
Apoftle to the Hebrews is not content to tell us, That
without Holinefs no man Jhall fee God; but he faith fome-
thing more, That if we fin wilfully, after we have receiv-
ed the Knowledge of the Truth, there remain? no more Sa-
crifice for Sin, but a terrible Expectation of Judgement, and
fiery Indignation Jhall devour the Adverfaries ; for our God
is a conf timing Fire, Chap. x. And in the Revelations it
is not only faid, that in the holy Jerufalem there Ilia;!!
no unclean Thing enter, or that commiteth Abomi-
nation, or a Lye; and that God will fhut out the Dogs,
the Witches, the Fornicators, the Murderers, the Ido-
laters and whofoever doth love or make a Lye, Chap.
xxi, xxii. But the Spirit of God afTures us, that theTi-
morous, that is, fuch as are more afraid of Man than
of God, the Unbelieving, the Execrable and Murder-
ers, the Fornicators and Witches, the Idolaters and
Lyars, friall have their Portion in the Lake that burns
with Fire and Brimftone, which is the fecond Death.

6. Though

ogalnft the Fears of DEATH. 141

6. Though we fhould fpeak in the Language of An-
gels, though we fhould give all our Goods to nourifli
the Poor, and though we fhould give our Body to be
burnt, if we have no Charity, we are but like the
found ingBrafs, and like thetinklingCymbal. Though
we fhould be able to perform Signs and Wonders, if
we be not clothed with Innocency and Holinefs, if we
be not adorned with Meeknefs and Love, Chrift will at
leaft treat us as the foolifh Virgins, with a Depart from
me\ I know ye not. Though we fhould be able to caft the
Devil out of other Men, it will avail us nothing, un-
lefs we can caft him out of our own Hearts, with all the
wicked Lufts that he cherifhes there. To whatPurpofe
fhall iuch cry out at the great Day, Lord, Lord, have
ive not prophefied in thy Name? Have we not caft out
'Devils in thy Name? Have we not done many Miracles in
thy Name? Jefus will return them this fad anfwer,
Depart from me, ye Workers of Iniquity.

7. Confider that whatfoever be your Portion of the
Advantages of this Life, when you fhall come to die,
you fhall carry away neither your Riches, your Ho-
nours, nor your Pleasures. But if you be rich in Faith,
and good Works ; if you be clothed with Holinefs,
and crowned with Righteoufnefs; if Piety, and the
Service of God, be your Delight; you fhall carry away
out of the World this fpiritual Treafure, the celeftial
Glory, and this angelical Satisfaction. It is what the
Holy Spirit teacheth, when he tells us, BleJJed are tbe
Dead that die in the Lord ; for they reft from their La-
bours, and their Works follow them.

8. Let us always have before our Eyes the blefled
Examples of fo many Saints, who have traced us the
Way to Heaven by their Piety and good Works; they
are entered into the Paradife of God, and the Glory of
his Kingdom. It is reported of a Painter, that when
he had a Defign to reprefent an accomplifhed Beauty,
he borrowed from divers Objects the Excellencies and
Perfections with which he was to adorn his Picture.
From the Lilies he took their Whitenefs, from the

L 3 Rofes

142 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

Rofes their red Tincture, from another Obje<5t the Won-
der of the Eye, from another the Coral of the Lips, and
fo of the other Parts. Likewife to reftore in our Souls,
the Image of God defaced by Sin, we muft borrow the
Virtues and Excellencies of primitive Men. For Ex-
ample, reprefent always toyourfelvesyf^/VInnocency,
Enoch's holy Life, Noah's Juftice, Abraham's Faith,
Lot's Hofpitality, IJaac's Obedience, the Faithfulnefs
of Jacob, the Chaftity of Jojeph, the Patience of Job,
the Meeknefs of Mojes, the Zeal of Phineas, the Con-
ftancy of David, the Wifdom of Solomon, the Piety of
Jojias, the Prayers of Daniel, the Tears of Jeremiah, the
Falling of Efther, the holy Earneftnefs of the Woman
of Canaan, the Devotion of Cornelius, the Charity of the
Samaritan, the Alms of Dorcas, and of the poor Widow,
the Publican's Humility, the good Chiefs Repentance,
the Tears of Mary Magdalen, the Weepings of Peter,
the undaunted Courage of St.Paul, and his indefatiga-
ble Spirit, and the glorious Martyrdom of St. Stephen,
and of fo many noble Souls of all Ages and Sexes, who
have gone to the Torments with as much Joy, as to
Feafts and to Triumphs; and who have fealed with
their Blood .the Truth of the Gofpel with an un-
daunted Refolution. Seeing therefore that we are en-
compajjed with Jo great a Cloud of WitncJJ'es, let us purjue
with Conftancy the Race that is Jet before us.

9. Chiefly, Let us look to Jejus the Author and Finijher
oj our Faith: For he hath left us an Example, that we
might follow his Footfteps. All the Virtues that we
admire of thofe faithful Souls, are but like many little
Beams of the Sun ofRighteouihefs, and a weak Image
of his Glory. There is no Fire fo perfeci, but yields
a Smoak; noRighteoufnefs fo accomplifhed, bur hath
its Imperfections, whilft we are clothed with this weak
Flefh. The Behaviour of the mod Holy and Per-
feci: is fpotted with many Infirmities j but our Lord
and Saviour is the Lamb without Spot andBlemifh, in
whofe Mouth there was no Guile: For it was neceila-
ry, that they fhould have fuch a High-Pricft, who

agalnft the Fears of DEATH. 143

is holy, blamelefs, feparated from Sinners. The per-
fect Image of all Virtues was never found in any mor-
tal Man on Earth; but Jefus Chrift is the faireft among
the Sons of Men j his Lips are full of Grace j in him.
alone we have a perfect Model of Virtues, and of all
imaginable Perfection. Therefore, when the Apoftle
had perfuaded the Romans to renounce the Lufts of
the Flelh, Drunkennefs, Anger, Envy, and fuch
like Sins, inftead of making an Enumeration of the
Virtues oppofite to thefe Vices, he thinks it fufficient
to propofe Chrift' s holy Example; Put on the Lord
Jefus Chrift> faith he, to teach us, that all the Virtues
and Graces centre and meet in the facred Perfon of
our Saviour Jefus Chrift> in the highefl Degrees of
Perfection.

10. We are fo much the more obliged to imitate
Jefus Chrift) and to imprint in our Hearts his holy
Image, becaufe that he is not only our Father, our
Lord, our King, but he is alfo the BleiTed Head of
that Body whereof we are Members. It is not proper
to unite defiled and profane Members to an Head fo
glorious and fo holy. Whofoever gives himfelf over
to his Lufts, and delights in the Corruption of Sin,
maims, as much as in him lies, that facred Body of
the Son of God. This Confideration drew from St.
Paul this ExprefTion, Shall I take the Members of Chrift

for to make them the Members of an Whore?

1 1 . The divine Spirit dwelling in our Hearts, is a
great Obligation to Holinefs of Life. Know you not,
that you are the Temple of God, and the Holy Ghoft
dwelleth in you ? i Cor. iii. Shall we be fo bafe as to
uncover our filthy and dirty Thoughts before fo holy
and divine a Gueft? Shall we be fo bold as to erect,
upon his Altar, Idols that may provoke him to Jealou-
fy ? His Eyes are fo clean and pure, that they cannot
fuffer the Sight of Iniquity and Sin: It is that which
moft afflicts and grieves him. Therefore when St.Paul
had advifed thsEfabtfians, 'That no corrupt Communication
jhould proceed out of their Mouth, but that which is good

L 4 to

144 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolattons
to the Ufe of edifying, that it may minifter Grace unto the
Hearers, he adds immediately after, Grieve not the Ho-
ly Spirit of God, whereby you are Jealed unto the Day of
Redemption. And if there be any that are not moved
with the Prefence of fuch a glorious Perfon, let him
tremble at this fearful Threatening, If any defile the
temple of God, God will deflroy him, i Cor. iii.

12. There were two Tables of Stone in the Ark of
God's Covenant, where God himfelf had written his
Law, which he gave to his People by the Miniftry of
Mojes, i Kings vi. Seeingthat theGodof all Mercy hath
chofen thy Soul to be his Sanctuary, and the Pavilion
of his Glory, his facrtd Commandments mud be there
engraven upon the Table of thy Heart; thou mud be
moved with an honeft Defire for the Service of God,
and for an exact Conformity to his holy Will, that we
may be able to fay to you, what St.Paul faid to the
Chriftians of his Days, Te are manifeftly declared to be
the Epiftle of Chrift, written not with Ink, but with the
Spirit of the living God; not in the tables of Stone, but
in thefejhly Tables of the Heart, 2 Cor. iii. And that
thou mayeft fay with the Royal Prophet, My God, my
Delight hath been in thy Will; thy Law is within me.

3. Let us reprefent to ourfelves continually the
great and many Obligations that we have to love God,
to fear him, to ferve him. Fie is the moft perfect of all
Beings, he is Perfection itfeif, infinitely lovely; fo that,
if there were neither Hell to punifh us, nor Heaven to
reward us, he ought to be ferved and rev/erenced, be-
caufe of himfelf and his divine Perfections. This Con-
fideration caufed Jeremiah to break forth into thefe
lofty Expreffions, Who would not fear thee, O King of
Nations? for to thee doth it appertain; fora/much as
among all the wife Men of the Nations, and in all their
Kingdoms, there is none like unto thee, Jer. x.

14, Whilft we are travelling here below, we are not
capable of any high and celeftial Meditation. It belongs
only to the ^Angels, whom God hath inverted with
Light and Glory ; and to the heavenly Spirits^ whom

againft the Fears of DEATH. 145

he hath admitted to the Contemplation of his Face.
Let us therefore ferioufly confider the Bleffings and
Favours which we have received from this great God,
who hath created us in his own Image, and who hath,
made us to be the Mafter-pieces of all his inferior
Wonders. He hath put in us the Epitome of the
Beauties and Perfections of the World. He hath
given us a Being, as to the Sun, Moon, and Stars; a
Life, like the Plants; Senfe, as to the Animals; Un-
derftanding, as to the Angels: In fhort, he hath in-
filled into this Body, fafhioned with his own Fingers,
an immortal Soul of an heavenly Subftance, a Beam
of his Glory, and a living Image of his Godhead. My
Soul, therefore blefs the Lord, and all that is within
me, blefs his holy Name; my Soul blefs the Lord, and
forget not all his Benefits, Pf. ciii.

It is for Man's Sake God hath ftretched out the Hea-
vens, fettled the Earth, poured out the Waters, and
prefcribed Limits to the roaring Sea. For Man's Sake
this gracious Creator hath adorned the Heavens with
fuch a Number of beautiful Stars, hath given to the
Moon its various Motions, with its wonderful Influ-
ences, hath placed in the Sun fuch a bountiful Source
of Light, and hath appointed the invariable Succefiion.
of the Seafons, of the Days, Months, and Years. For
Man's Advantage and lawful Recreation, fo many
Birds ling and fly in the open Air, fuch a prodigious
Number of Fifties fwim in the Sea and Rivers; the
Earth is beautified with fo many delicate Flowers,
brings forth fo many wholefome Herbs, and pleafant
Fruits, nourilheth fo many Kinds of Animals, and in-
genders in its Bowels, Gold, Silver, and precious Stones.
In a Word, for Man's Sake God has created the World,
filled it full of fo many Riches, and beautified it with
fo many excellent Perfections. Therefore it is no Won-
der if the Royal Prophet is ravifhed into an holy Ad-
miration, and burfts forth into thefe ExprefTions; O
God> what is mortal Man, that thou art mindful of him,
<ir the Son of Man j that thou doft regard him! fhou haft

made

1 46 The CHRISTIAN 's Confolations

made him a III tie lower than the Angels, thou haft crowned
him with Glory and Honour; thou haft eftabli/hed him
Governor ever the Works of thine Hands ; thou haft pit
all Things under his Feet, the Sheep and the Oxen, the
Beajls of the Field, the Birds of the Air, and the Fijhes of
the Sea. If the Example of this great Prophet is not
able to ftir you up, and perfuade you to the Fear and
Worfhip of God, by theConfideration of the wonderful
Works of the Creation, hear what the Angel declares,
that took his Flight through the Middle of the Heavens,
having the eternal Gofpel in his Hand; Fear God, and
give him Glory-, worjhip him that liveth for ever and
ever; for he hath made the Heavens and the Earthy the
$ea, and the Fountains of Water*.

1 6. We have not only in God our Life, Motion,
and Being; but he hath not left himfelf without W t it-
nefs in doing Good, and fending Rains from Heaven,
fruitful Seafons, filling our Hearts withFood and Glad-
nefs. He nourifhes us with Manna, and gives us to
drink of his Abundance. He overfhadows us with
his Protection, and enlightens us with his heavenly
Fires. He hath always his Eyes open to our Calami-
ties, and his Ears to our Sighs and Groans. He is al-
ways near them that call upon him, yea-, them that
call upon him faithfully. Let us therefore fay as Da-
vid, I love the Lord, becaufe he hath heard the Voice of
my Supplication; for he hath inclined his Ear unto me\
therefore will I call upon him all the Days of my Life,
Pfal. civ. cxvi.

17. Meditate often upon the Advantages that are
common to thee with the reft of Chriitians, and upon
the Bleffings and Favours which God hath vouchfafed
to any Perfon in particular. Remember how many
Times he hath fent his Afliftance from above, how he
hath wrought Miracles to deliver thee from the Evils
that threatened thee. Confider how liberal he hath
been to thee in the whole Courfe of thy Life, what
admirable and noble Means he hath employed to crown
thee with his moft precious Favour ; then thou wilt
fay with Jacob) Q God, I am not worthy of the leaft of

all

agalnjl the Fears of DEATH. 1 47

all thy Mercies, and of all the 'Truth which thou baft
/hewed unto thy Servant) Gen. xxxii. And with David,
Many, O Lcrd my God, are thy wendsrful Works, which
thou haft done, and thy thoughts which are to us ward,
they cannot be reckoned up in Order unto thee. If I Jhould
declare andfpeak cf them, they are more than can be num-
bered. And being ravifhed into an holy Admiration,
thou wilt fay in the Language of the fame Prophet,

God, who is like unto thee, who, when thou haft
made me fee many Diftrefles and Evils, at lafl haft
reftored me to Life, and drawn me out of the Depths
of the Earth? Pf. Ixxi. 'Thou foalt increaje my Greatnefs
again, thou wilt comfort me. And elfewhere, Whatjhall

1 render to the Lord, for all the Benefits that he hatb
done unto me? Pfal. cxvi.

1 8 .TheConfiderationofGod'sredeemingus, chief-
ly requires us to deny ourfelves, and confecrate our-
felves to his Service: for Slaves do not belong to them-
felves, but to him who had redeemed them, and paid
their Ranfom. As when God had delivered the Chil-
dren of IJrael from the Egyptian Bondage, he gave
them his Laws and Ordinances in Mount Sinai ; thus
God hath redeemed us from the Tyranny of the De-
vil, of the World, of Sin, of Death, of Hell, and from
the Power of all his Enemies, that we might ferve him
without Fear, in Holinefs and Righteouihefs, all the
Days of our Life, Luke i. He hath given himfelf a
Ranfom for us, that we might become a peculiar Peo-
ple to him, zealous of good Works, 2 Tit. ii. You are
bought with a Prices glorify then God in your Bo-
dies, and your Souls that belong to God, i Cor. vi.

1 9. One Love muft kindle another. The facred
Fire come down from Heaven muft .inflame our
Hearts with an holy Zeal for his Glory. God hath
had fo much Love for us, that he hath given his only
Son, that believing, we might not perilh, but have
everlafting Life. He hath not fpared his Son, who is
the Brightnefs of his Glory, and the exprefs Image of
his Perfon. He hath delivered him to Death for us,

148 *The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

yea, to the ignominious Death of the Crofs. And is
it not juft, that we .fhould love him above all worldly
Things, a God fo good and merciful ? Is it not juft
that we fhould love nothing but him, and for his Sake?
Is it not reafonable, that we fhould offer unto him our
Bodies and Souls as a living and holy Sacrifice, pleaf-
ing to his Eye ? And if we have any Luft that offends
him, is it not juft that we fhould willingly leave it be-
times, when it fhould appear as ufeful to us as our
Hands and Feet, and as dear as the Apple of our
Eye? Whofoever doth not deny himfelf, is not
worthy of him, Matt, x:

20. We muft treat the Body of Sin, which the holy
Scriptures flyle the old Man, and \hzjirftAdam, al-
moft in the fame manner, as Chrift, the new Man,
and the Jecond Adam, was treated upon the Crofs,
Rom. vi, Jnftead of flattering it, andfeeking tofatisfy
its Lufts, we muft deprive it of all its Pleafures, make
it drink Vinegar and Gall, tear its Head with Thorns,
bind and chain its Affections, and nail them to the
Crofs ofjefus Chrift, with all its inordinate and brutifh
Defires. Mortify therefore your Member s 3 that are upon
Earthy Fornication, Uncleannejs, inordinate AffeRion, evil
Concupifcence, and Covet oujnejs, which is Idolatry, Gal. v.
Col. iii.

21. To live in Sin, to delight ourfelves in Ini-
quity, is tofruftrate, as much as in us lies, our good
Lord, from that principal End which he defigned in
leaving for a while the celeftial Abode of his Glory
and Immortality : For he is come into the World to
deftroy the Works of the Devil. Now the chief Work
of the Devil, the great Enemy of our Salvation, in
which he takes moft Delight and Glory, is Sin, with
which he enfnares Mankind : For by Sin, Death,
and all Kind of Calamities, are ufhered into the
World. Jehn iii. Rom. v.

22. It is to trample upon the only Son of God, to
affront the Spirit of Grace, and efteem the Blood of
the Covenant a profane Thing. It is to render in-
effectual

agalnft the Fears of DEATHS 149

effectual the Death and Pafiion of our good Redeemer,
and pull down his Crofs: For he hath carried our Sins
in his Body upon the Crofs, that dying unto Sin, we
might live unto Righteoufnefs. He hath given him-
felf for his Church, to fanftify it, and render it a Glo-
rious Church, not having Spot or Wrinkle, nor any
fuch Thing. If the Blood of Bulls and of Goats, and
the Allies of an Heifer fprinkled, did fanctify the Un-
cleannefs of the Flefh, how much more fhall the Blood
of Chrift, who through the eternal Spirit offered himfelf
without Spot to God, purge your Consciences frcm dead
Works toferve the living God? Heb. ix.

23. Our Lord and Saviour was not only dead, but
alfo buried, to teach us to bury alfo with him our Sins,
and (hut up, in his facred Tomb, all our carnal Lufts.
Do not you know, all ye that have been baptized in-
to Jefus Chrift, that you have been baptized into his
Death? We are then buried with him in his Death by
Baptifm.

24. This glorious Saviour is rifen from the Dead,
and hath left the Sepulchre with his Funeral Attire, to
teach us to rife to Newnefs of Life, and to leave in our
Grave the Sin that encompaflfeth us, and the Ties of
our Corruption, that bind us fo faft. To fpeak in St.
Paul's Language, As Jefus Chrift is rifen from the Dead
by the Glory of the Father ; we alfo ought to walk in New-
wefs of Life -, for if we are made one Plant with him by
a Conformity to his Death, we fhall affo be one by a
Conformity to his Refurreftion. And as Chrift, who is
rifen from the Dead, dies no more-, Death hath no more
Dominion over him -, likewife we ought not to apply our
Members, as Inftruments of Iniquity, unto Sin ; but we
ought to apply them unto God, as being made alive from
the Dead, Rom. vi. He is dead, and rifen again, that
he might have Dominion over the Dead and the Living.
If any be in Jefus Chrift, let him be a new Creature. Old
Things are -paffed away ; behold, all Things are become
new t Rom. xiv. 2 Cor. v.

25. Jtjm

150 *be CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

45. Jtfets Ckrift, after his glorious Refurrection,
afcended up into Heaven, to lift up thither ourHearts,
and to draw thither our Affections ; and teach us
to reform our Manners, to live an holy, angelical,
and celeftial Life. If you are rifen with Chrift, feek
thofe Things that are above, where Jefus Cbrijt fits at
the Right-hand of God; think upon Things above,
and not upon Things on the Earth, Colof. iii.

26. There is nothing in the World fo lovely as
Virtue: It is the Delight and Pleafure of Heaven,
the Daughter of the living God, and the true and
lively Image of the great Creator. O blefTed Drefsof
a Chriftian Soul ! O rich and precious Ornament of
God's Children! O heavenly Grace! what rare and
ilrong Charms haft thou, to win the Hearts and Af-
fections of all fuch as behold thy perfect and divine
Beauty!

27. On the contrary, there is nothing fo ugly and
ill-favoured as Sin: It is a woeful Monfter of Hell,
and a frightful Image of Satan'. I confefs, it difguifes
itfelf, and takes a beautiful Appearance; but if you
lift this borrowed Mafk, you lhall perceive the De-
vil's fearful Looks, and the Depths of Hell.

28. Faithful Souls, weigh in the Balance of his
Sanctuary that dreadful Evil that Sin has brought in-
to the World. It has blotted out God's Image, and
defaced the Beauty of the Creation. It hath feparated
Heaven and Earth, and kindled a grievous War be-
tween God and Man. -It is an heavy Burden, under
which Nature itfelf groans : For, becaufe of Sin, all
Creatures figh, and are in Labour until now.

29. It continues yet its woeful Effects : For it is Sin
that grieves the Holy Spirit, afflicts the Angels, of-
fends the Weak, hardens the Ignorant, and that gives
an Occafion to the Enemies of God to blafpheme his
holy Name, and curfe his Gofpel, Rom. viii. It is Sin
that gratifies the Devil, rejoiceth Hell, upholds the
tottering Walls of Br.bylon, ftrengthens the Kingdom
of the Prince of Darknefs, and that caufeth him to

work

againft the Fears of DEATH. 151

work with Efficacy in the Hearts of the Children of
Difobedience, Epb. li.

30. Lift up your Eyes to the Crofs of Jefus Chrift y
and you fhall perceive how abominable Sin is: For
neither in Heaven nor on Earth, could be found an
Offering able to make Expiation for it. God hath
chofen rather to punifh it in the Perfon of his only-be-
gotten Son, than to leave it unpunifhed. O how grie-
vous and deep is the Stain of Sin, feeing that nothing
but th* Blood of a God can wafh and cleanfe it!

31. When you meditate upon theLord's Death and
Paffion, exclaim not againft yWtfjVTreafon, the Pba-
rijees Envy, the People's Mutiny 3 don't lay the Blame
upon the Impiety of Caiaphas, the Injuftice of Pilate,
or Herod's Scoffs and Jefts, nor upon the Cruelty of
the Roman Soldiers; but be angry againft your own
Sins and let an holy Difpleafure rife inyou againft
your Iniquities and Crimes. Say to yourfelves, our
Sins, our Sins alone have betrayed Chrift's innocent
Body, bound and faftened the Lord of Glory to this
ignominious Crofs, and delivered him into the Execu-
tioner's Hands. Our Sins -have crowned him. with
Thorns, nailed him to the Wood, delivered to him
Gall and Vinegar to drink. In fhort, our Sins have
pierced his Hands and Feet, and opened his Side. You
would abhor the Sightand Acquaintance of theHang-
man that would have faftened your Father to the Gal-
lows, and you would fcorn to kifs his bloody Hands.
How much more abominable Ihall we be to God, and
his holy Angels, if we cherifh and delight to entertain
Sin ! whereas we fhould be ftirred up againft it with
an holy Zeal and earneft Defi re of Revenge. Inftead of
nailing to the Crofs this unmerciful Parricide, and
crufhing to Pieces this hellifii Monfter, if we feed and
nourifh it in our Bowels, we fhall then be guilty of
crucifying afrelh the Son of God, and putting him to
an open Shame; guilty of trampling him under Feet,
and of efteeming the Blood of the Covenant, where-
with we are fan&ified, an unholy Thing.

32. Con-

152 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

32. Confider ferioufly the fearful Effects that Sir*
produces in you. Have you never been fenfible of the
horrid and cruel Torments of a poor Soul difturbed
with the Sight of his Crimes ? How {harp and pier-
cing are the Remorfes of a Confcience awakened from
a profane Sleep! It is a Pain, and an Anguifh, that
cannot be expreffed; it caufes our Head to diflblve
into Water, our Eyes to become a Fountain of Tears;
it caufes our Blood to be congealed, our Skin to be-
come black, our Bones to be cracked and brolien. It
is a common Saying, That Punifhment follows the
Sin clofe at the Heels; but imagine that it keeps al-
ways its Company, and is a Rack and Torture that
never leaves the Guilty: For, There is no Peace for
the Wicked, faith my God, I fa, xlviii.

33. Whereas there is no Satisfaction like to that of
a good Chriftian, who loves his God fmcerely, and
worlhips him in Spirit and in Truth; there is no Kind
of Delight to be' compared to that of a regenerate Soul,
that applies itfelf without Hypocrify to the Works of
Piety and Holinefs,}^. viii. For the Quiet of the Soul,
and the Peace of Confcience are of more Worth than
great Treafures, than Sceptres and Crowns. Therefore
the wife Solomon tells us, that the righteous Man's
Heart is a continual Feaft, Prov. xv. To perfuade us
that there is nothing like to that hidden Manna, to this
fpiritual Food, that the World knows not, and to thefe
angelical and divine Pleafures, the holy Apoille in-
forms us, that it is unfpeakable and glorious Joy, and a
Peace of God that pafTeth all Underftanding, Phil. iv.

34. If any Delight or Pleafure.accompaniesVice, it
is but in Appearance, fuperficial; as a Dream, itvanifh-
eth away; for the Triumph of the Wicked is of a fhort
Continuance, and the Joy of the Hyprocrite is but for a
Moment. There is always fome Thorn, fome Grief
hidden and fccret; in their Laughter their Heart is af-
flicted, and their Joy is cut off by Sorrow, Prc^.xiv.

35. But the holy Joys and celeftial Delights of one
that fears God, ana that worfhips him in Purity and

5 Inno-

agamjl the Fears of DEATH. 153

f nnocency of Life arefolid and lading; they caft a deep
Root in the very Bottom of our Hearts, and enter into
the Joints and Marrow, and difperfe themfelves all
over the inward Parts. The Gibbets, the /^^j^ck
Wheels, and the mod grievous Torments Cujiom to break
of this Life, cannot pluck thefe Joys notableOjfcnd-
from us; but they comfort the Soul in e ""^" aCart '
the midft of the greateft Diftreffes, and Whee
heal up the broken Bones.

36. The Worldlings become weary, tired with the
Accomplishment of their Luffs, and are afflicted at
their greateft Succefs. They loath at laft all their car-
nal Sports, and their greateft Sweetnefs turns into
Bitternefs ; we grow out of taftc with the Pleafures of
Sin, fo that we begin at lall to abhor them. It is
what Zophar intends to fhew us, when, fpeakingofthe
Wicked, he faith, His Meat in his Bowels is turned^
it is the Gall of Af-ps within him : He hath Jw all owed
down Riches, and he Jhall vomit them tip again ; God
Jhall caft them out of his Belly, Job xx.

37. It is otherwife with them who apply their Hearts
to the Fear and Service of God, and that find his Yoke
eafy and his Burden light, Matt. xi. They take great
Satisfaction in the Ways of Righteoufnefs ; they run-
with an holy Freedom to their happy End, and to the
Prize of their fpiritual Calling. The more they drink
of the Waters of Siloah, the more they thirft j their
Zeal is like an holy Fire, that never faith, It is enough,
Prov. x. As the Prophet Mcfes, after he had been forty t
Days and forty Nights converfing with God in his holy
Mountain, came down with a glorious Countenance^
fhining as bright as the Light, with two Tables of the
Law in his Hands j likewife a Chriftian Soul, that hath
been lifted up to God by frequent Prayers, and been
converfing with him in divine Meditation, cannot hide
its fpiritual Joys, and its unfpeakable Delights; it
burns with an earned defire of glorifying God, and qf
pleafing him in all Things. When the ApoflleSt.P^r
law our Saviour transfigured upon Mount Tabor, he .

M was

was ravifhed and tranfported in Rich a manner, that
he cried out, Lord, it is good for us to dwell here ; let
us make three Tabernacles; Thus the good Chriftian,
who is enlightened from above, is never weary in the
Company of God; if he fhould live feveral Ages, he
would not believe that he had too much Time to ferve
his Creator, to worfhip his divine Majefty, and to re-
freuS himfelf with the unfpeakable Pleafures of his
Prefence. As the Time of Jacob's Service feemed to
him but a few Days, becaufe of the Love that he had
to Rachael; thus the Days that we fpend in the Ser-
vice of God feem to be but a few Hours or Moments,
in cafe our Love for God be earned and fincere.

38. Reprefent to yourfelves the fearful Curfe de-
nounced againft the Wicked and Profane, Gen. xxix.
They carry about them every where the Marks of
God's Anger and juft Revengej they are the Objects
of his Hatred, and odious to the Publick. They who
flatter and fawn upon them mod for their own Ad-
vantage, abominate and curfe them in their Hearts;
and they who, out of a fervile Fear, feem to honour
and worfhip them in the Light of the Sun, would be
many times very joyful to dance upon their Graves,
and to erect a Gallows to hang them thereon.

39. It is not fo with good Men; they are honoured
by God and Man, and their greateft Enemies admire
their Virtues. Let us be never fo poor and contempti-
ble in the World, we are rich and noble enough, if we
fear God as we ought, and obey his holy Will ; for the
Fear of the L,ord is our chief Treafure, it is our
Crown, our Diadem, and our greateft Ornament.

40. The wicked Man is frighted and troubled of his
own Accord; he trembles in the Midft of his Guards,
and flies when no Man purfues: All Things fcare
him; he is jealous, and diftrufts his beft Friends; his
Children are fufpected ; and in the Embraces of his
deareft W T ife, he (lumbers with an unquiet Spirit.

41. It is otherwife with a good Man; he marcheth
every-wliere with an Head lifted up, and his Hearc

rejoiceth

againft the Fears of DEATH. 15$

rejoiceth in a perfect Tranquillity of Mind; for there
is no Bulwark like that of a good Conference: It is
like a Wall of Brafs, that divides and withftands the
Batteries of Times and Seafons. He that fears God
is free from all other Fears,P/". cxxv. The Finger of God,
that hath fettled in his Soul the Dread of his holy
Name, banifhes all other Apprehenfions, Pf. cxii. He
is like Mount Sion, that cannot be moved; he fears no
ill Report; his Soul is firmly fixed upon God ; in the
Midft of his greateft Dangers, and violent Storms, he
faith with David, 'The Lord is my Light and my Deli-
verance ; of whom Jhould I be afraid ? Ths Lord is the
Strength of my Life ; whom then foall I fear ? God,
thou art a Buckler round about me, my Glory, and the
Lifter up of my Head. I have laid myjelf down, I have
flept, and I have awaked; for the Lord upholds me. I will
not fear Thoujands of People, ^vhen theyjhallfet themf elves
round about againfl me ; when a whole Armyfball encamp
againft me, my Heart would never fear ', Pf. xvii.

42. Let the Wicked be never fo great and honour-
able, and be never fo highly advanced in the World,
their Fame (hall perifh eternally. It is to no Purpofe
that they rear up (lately Trophies, and fill whole Vo-
lumes with the remarkable PafTages of their Lives,
making the Marbles to publifh their Praifes for what-
foevertheydo, and to render their Glory eternal; their
Name (hall be always abominable to God and all his
holy Angels; and Mankind fhall never remember it
but with Curfes and Deteftation. Thefe infamous
Perfons are like a (linking Lamp, that gives Light
for a Time ; but when it is put out, it yields a moft
odious Stink. They may be alfo compared to certain
Devils, that never go out of a Place without leaving
an ill Scent behind them.

43. It is not fo with good Men ; their Fame fhall
flouriih for ever; and like the Palm, the more Men
prefs it down, the more it rifes. Their Name is en-
graven in the higheft Heaven, in the glorious Tem-
ple of Eternity, and it fhall always be bleffed by God
and the Angels of his Glory. The Example of Chrif-

M 2 tian

156 he CHRISTIAN'S Confutations

tian Virtues fhall remain after them, for a Model fo
their Pofterity to imitate. A faithful Chriftian, whofe
Soul is fan&ified by the Spirit of the Lord Jefus, is like
the Alabafter Box of Ointment, which, when it was
broken and fpilt upon our Saviour's Head, was a pre-
cious Liquor that perfumed all -the Room , for fuch
an one lives after his Death. When his Body is bro-
ken and reduced to Afhes, his good Name fpreads
abroad, to the Glory of God, and the Edification of
his Church. Mary Magdalen's Perfume filled only
the Chamber where they were fitting, and was foon
fpent ; but the fweet Perfume of an innocent and
holy Life, fills both Heaven and Earth with a grateful
Scent, and continues for ever and ever.

44. I judge, that another powerful Means to with-
draw us from Vice, and to induce us to Virtue, is, to
reprefent to ourfelves, at every Moment, the Excel-
lency and Dignity of our Calling; to take a Delight
in beholding, with the Spiritual Eyes, the white Stone,
where our new Name is written, which none knows
but he who receives it. It is the noble and high Qua-
lity of the Children of God, and of Believers, which
he beflows upon none, but upon fuch whom he hath
elefted from all Eternity, for the eternal Enjoyment
of Blifs in his glorious Kingdom. It is reported of a
certain young Prince, that when he had a Defign to
difgrace himfeif by luftful Actions and Debauchery,
a wife Philofopher reclaimed him from his Wicked
Purpofe, by telling him, Remember that thou art a
King's Son. Thus you, Chriftian Souls, when Satan,
the Flefh, and the World, fhall tempt you ro filthy
and unjuft Actions, or to any other Sin, call to your
Mind that you are the Children of the King of Kings.
Take great Heed you defile not fuch a precious Crown;
and as our Saviour faid to him who Ihould have fol-
lowed him, but was defirous firfl to go and bury his
Father, Suffer tbe Dead to bury the Deed; likewife we
fay unto you, devout Souls, who have freely confecrat-
ed yourfelves unto God, to his Service and Worfhip,

caft

again/I the Fears of DEATH. 157

caft away thefe vain and bafe Actions, and all thefe
dead Works; leave them to fuch as are dead in their
Trefpafles and Sins. But for you, behave yourfelves
according to your celeftial Calling, apply yourfelves
to Righteoufnefs and Holinefs, and to the Practice of
all other Virtues, as fuch who were dead, but now are
rifen to Life.

45. We muft continually meditate upon the Holi-
nefs and Purity of our futureAbode in Heaven, and the
Expectation that we have there, Rom. vi. For as Jefus
Chrift is gone to prepare a Place for us in the Houfe of. :
his heavenly Father, Johnxiv. it is butjuft and rea-
fonable that we fhould fit and prepare our Souls for
fuch holy and glorious Manfions, Rev. xxi. It is not
poffible to go to Heaven by treading in the Paths of
Hell. Nothing impure nor filthy fhall enter into the
holy City, the new Jcrufalem. As in Solomon s Temple
there was no Way to the Holy of Holies, but through
the Sanctuary j thus, if we will one Day enter into the
heavenly Sanctuary where Cbrifl dwells, the true Ark
of the Covenant, and the Mercy-feat, Eph. ii. it is ab-
folutely necefiary, that we fhould tread in the Path of
good Works, which God hath prepared that we fhould
walk in them, TV/, ir. It is upon this Confideration that
St.Paul grounds the Exhortation to Piety and Chrif-
tian Virtues ; 'The Grace of God that bringeth Salva-
tion, bath appeared to all Men, teaching us, that de-
nying Vngodlinefs and. worldly Lufts 9 we Jhould live
Joberly, righteoujly, and godly in this prejent World,
looking for that blejfed Hope, and the glorious Appearing
of the great God and Saviour Jefus Chrift, who gave
himfelffor us, that he might redeem us from all Iniqui-
ty, and purify unto him/elf a peculiar People, zealous of
good Works ; feeing that we have Juch Promifes, L't us
clennfe ourj'ehes from all Filth of the Flejh and Spirit ;
foii /hing our Sanffification in the Fear of God, i Cor. vii.
Si. John makes ufe of the fame Reafon, to perfuade
us to Holinefs ; Beloved, we are now the Children of God,
but what we Jhall be doth not yet appear ; now we know
that wben be Jhall appear, wefljall be like him-, for we /hall

M feg

1 5 8 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons
fee him as be is; and whofocver hath this Hope in htm,
ht himpurify himfelfas he is pure, i John ii. The Apof-
tle Si. Peter employs the fame Confideration to kindle
in our Hearts this pure and celeftial Fire : We, accord-
ing to his Prcmife, look for new Heavens and a new Earth,
wherein dwdlsth Right eoufnefs. Wherefore, Beloved,fee-
ing that ye look for fuch Things, be diligent, that ye may be
found of him in P eace, without Spot and blamelefs, 2 Pet. iii.

46. You k now, Chrifiians, that God created our firft
Parents after his own Image and Likenefs, before he
brought them in his terreftrial Paradife. There is
great Reafon that th-is divine Image fhould be re-
printed in our Souls, before we enter into the celeftial
Paradife. Unto this the Apoftle has a Regard, when
he tells the Ephefians, Be ye renewed in the Spirit of your
Mind, and put on the new Man, created according to God
in Right eoiifnejs and Holinefs, Chap. iv.

47. If the Place of our future Abode, unto which
we are defigned, requires from us Sanctification, the
Quality of the Perfons with whom we fhall fpend an
Eternity, doth no lefs oblige to the fame Behaviour;
for they fhall be Angels of Light, and the blefled
Saints, who have wafhed and whitened their Robes in
the Blood of the Lamb, Rev. v. is a glorious Church
that hath neither Spot nor Wrinkle, nor any fuch
Thing, Rev. v. It is the Spoufe of the Son of God,
clothed in fine Linen, clean and white, which is the
Righteoufnefs of Saints, Rev. xix. St.Paul had this
fame Confideration, when he faith, 'That we are Fellow
Citizdns with the Saints, and of the Houjhold of God ;
and that cur Ccnverfation ought to be as becometh Citi-
zens of Heaien. To wean us from the filthy Deeds of
the Flefh, and from the profane Difpofition of Efau y
he employs the fame Reafon to perfuade us, in Heb. x.
Ton are come, faith he, to Mount Sion, to the City of the
living God, the celeftial Jerufalem, to the Thousands of
Angels, and to the Affembly and Church of the Firft-born,
who are written in Heaven 3 and to the Spirits ofjuft Men
made perfeff.

48, As

againft the Fears of DEATH. 159

48. As the Child in its Mother's Womb begins to
live there the fame Life that it leads when it is come
into the World ; fo likewife a Chriftian ought to be-
gin to live in the fame manner upon Earth, as he
hopes to live for ever in Heaven. If we will live and
reign with Cbrift above in his Kingdom, we muft at
prefent have him live and reign in our Hearts here
below by Faith.

49. The chief Happinefs of Man confifts not only
in the true Knowledge of God, and of him whom he
hath feiit v to fave us, or in the fpiritual Peace, or ce-
leftial Tranfports of the Holy Spirit ; but it confifts
inHolinefs, without which none ftall feeGod,7^xvii.
Rcm. v. Therefore the Apoftle enquires of the Romans
of his Time, What Fruit hadyou in thofe Ihings whereof
ye are now ajhamed? But now being free from Sin, and
become the Servants of God > ye have your Fruit unto Ho-
linejs^ and the End ever lafting Life, Heb. xii. Rom. ix.

50. I find alfo that this is a very good Remedy to
keep yourfelves free from the Debaucheries and Cor-
ruptions of the Age; to abftain from the Company
and Acquaintance of vicious Perfons : For as he who
touched Things unclean, became thereby unclean ; and
as fuch as haunt among the Sick of a Plague are in-
fected with their Difeafe; likewife it is the Property of
evil Company to corrupt the befl Manners, i Ccr. xv.

51. Whereas we fhould earneftly covet the Ac-
quaintance of good Men, and delight in the Society
of fuch, who, like the Seraphims, excite and inflame
one another to glorify God, and (ing forth his Praifes;
we muft frequent fuch whom we defire to refemble :
For as Jacob's Sheep brought forth Lambs, fpotted
and marked, as the Rod upon which they caft their
Eyes j thus, if we had our Eyes fixed upon the holy
Examples of Piety and Virtue, we (hall fee ourfelves
infenfibly transformed into their Image and Refem-
blance. We ought to take Pleafure in their Com-
pany, with whom we hope to live for ever in the
higheft Heavens.

M 4 52. The

1 60 ^he CHRISTIAN'S Confolattons

52. The moft powerful and mod effeftual Motive
to oblige us to the Practice of Piety and Holinefs, and s
Purity of Life, is to look with the Eye of Faith upon
him who is invifible, and to reprefenr toourfelves the
great World as a large Temple where he dwells. Let
the Voide that Mofes heard out of the burning Bufh
found continually in our Ears and in our Mind ; Put
off thy Shoes from thy Feet, for the Place where thouftand-
efl is holy Ground, Exod. iii. Caft off there thy bafe and
earthly AfFeftions, and renounce thy fottifh and filthy
Lufts ; for thou art always before my Eyes,- that are
too clean and pure to fuffer the Sight of Evil, and the
Place where thou ftandeft is fanftified by my Prefence,
Heb. i. Remember that I fee thine Heart, that I fearch
thy Reins, and that I read thy moft fecret Thoughts,
Rev. ii. Chriftian Souls, imagine that God calls unto
you from Heaven continually, as he did \M\.Q Abraham y
Walk before me, and beperfeff, Gen. xvii. Let therefore
the dread of this divine Majefty feize upon thee, and
pnflfefs thee. When Potiphar's Wife tempted chafte
Jofeph to defile himfelf with Adultery, fhe perceived
nothing in the Room but this Object of her Luft;
but this holy Man faw the glorious Godhead between
him and this lafcivious Woman. He perceived God's
Eye, that penetrates into the greateft Depths. This
drew from him this Expreffion, How can I do this Wick-
ednefs, and fin again/I God ! Thus, if our Flefh tempt
us,, and if the Vicious and Profane incite us into
fecret and fhameful Retreats, to fhare in their filthy
Crimes, let us then remember, that God is every-
where ; and whereibever we hide ourfelves, God hath
an Ear to hear us, and Eye to fee us, and an Hand to
record all our Deeds, Words, and Thoughts. God is
all Ear, all Eye, and all Hand. He difcovers us as
cafily under the dark Shadows of the N ight, as at Break
of Day. He fpies us through our Fig-leaves, and be-
holds us under our moft fubtle Difguifes. He under-
ftands our moft inward Thoughts, and liftens to the
filent Language of our Hearts. He fearcheh into all

the

cgainft the Pears 0/" D E A T H. 161

the Clofets of our Souls, and into the Foldings and
Windings in our Conferences. In a Word, all Things
are naked and open to the Eyes of him with whom we
have to do. An ancient Philofopher perfuadeth fuch,
as defined to be virtuous, to chufe fome grave and vir-
tuous Perfon for their Example, to reprefent him al-
ways in their Prefence, and to live as in his Sight,
[Seneca.] We need not reprefent to ourfelves imaginary
Appearances j for in every Place where we are, and
whatever we. do or think, we are always in the Sight
of the Holy of Holies, who is both our Witnefs and
our Judge. It was David's Meditation, when he cried
out, O Lord, whither /hall I go from thy Spirit? or
whither fo all I go from thy Prefence? If I mount up to
Heaven, thcu art there : If I go down into the Pit, thoit
art there aljo : If I take the Wings of the Morning and
fly to ths uttermoft Parts of the Sea, there foall thins
Hand guide me, and thy Right-hand upheld me. If Ifay y
the Darknefs Jhall cover me, behold, the Night Jhall be
like Light round about me ; T)arknejs Jhall not hide me
from thee, and the Night foall Jhine as the Day j the Night
and the Day are to thee alike.

53. If the Devil and the World have enfnared us in
their Nets, and if we have been unhappily lulled afleep
in the Bofom of fome deceitful Pleafure; this Confide-
ration alone, that God fees and underftands us, is able
to awake us with an holy Dread and Fear. Let there-
fore the Words of St.Paul found continually in our
Ears, divake, thou that jleepeft, and arife from the Dead,
and Chrift fiall enlignten thee -, or, Awake to Right eouf-
nejs and fin not \ Eph. v. i Cor. xv. Truly, if we be
notftupefied and befotted above Meafure, thisdreadful
Voice, that God thunders from Heaven, is able, not
only to awake us from the Sleep of Iniquity, but alfo to
oblige us to cry out with faccb, God is here, and I knew
it not ! O bow dreadful is this Place! It is the tioiije cf God,
it is theGate cf Heaven, Gen. xxviii. Asfoon as Peter had
taken notice of our Saviour's Look, that he caft upon
Jiim, he went out of the High-Prieft'a Hall, and wept

bitterly

162 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolattons

bitterly for his Apoftacy. Thus if we could but per-
ceive and acknowledge that God cafts his Eyes con-
tinually upon us, we fhould repent of our Vices, and
our Hearts would quickly melt in Tears of Contrition.

54. They who have a powerful and malicious Ene-
my to watch over them, and to catch at fomething to
accufe them before the Judge, that they may be con-
demned, are always upon their Guard; and nothing
is able to induce them to utter a Word, or commit
an Action that may give an Advantage. No Enemy
is more powerful and malicious than Satan, who con-
tinually eyes us, that he may accufe us before God,
and draw us into Hell. For thatReafon he is named,
Revelat. xii. The Accujer of the Brethren, who accufe th
them before God Day and Night. It is probable he
regifters all our idle Words, and wicked Deeds, to
produce them before God's Throne, when the Books
fhall be opened, and he fhall render unto every one
according to his Works. Take heed, therefore,
Chriftians, of the dreadful Accufer, of this mortal
Enemy of your Salvation. Give him not Caufe to
rejoice at your Ruin, or to triumph at the Lofs of
your Souls. To this the Apoftle exhorts us, Epbef. iv.
Give no Place to the Devil.

55. And becaufe it is fometimes neceflfary to reftrain
ourfelves with an holy Awe, and to withdraw ourfelves
out of Luft, as out of the Fire; you religious Souls,
keep always in your Mind a fhort Account of the
Judgments of God, that have been inflicted from time
to time upon all Manner of Sinners. Confider how
God dealt with the heavenly Spirits, who did not keep
their original Purity ; they are referved for utter Dark-
nefs, and for eternal Chains, until the great Day of
Judgment ; and fay unto yourfelves, If God hath not
fpared the apoftate Angels, will he fpare Man, that
rebels againft him, and offends him with Delight?
Remember the dreadful Fall of our firft Parents, who,
although they had been falriioned with God's ownHandj
and inftructed by him, have loft both themfelves and

their

Ggalnjl the Fears tf/' D E A T H . 163

their Pofterity, by liftening to the deceitful Suggef-
tions of the old Serpent. Caft yonr Thoughts upon
the firft wicked World, which was deftroyed by a De-
luge; and upon the Cities ofSedem, Gomorrah, Admab,
and Zebcim, upon whom fell the Fire and Brimftone
of God's hot Difpleafure. Look upon Pharaoh arvd the
Egyptians, overwhelmed with all their Pride, in the
Waves of the Red Sea. Confider the three Thoufand
that were killed with the Levites Sword, becaufe of the
Idolatry of the Golden Calf; and the four-and-twenty
Thoufand, whom a fudden Death fwept away, becaufe
thy went a whoring after Baal-Peor. Look with Fear
upon the burning Serpents in the Wildernefs, that caft
their Poifon upon the Murmurers agiinft God, and
their Superiors; upon the Earth that opened its Mouth
to fwallow Corab, Dathan, and Abiram ; upon thofe
heavenly Flames that confumed Nadab and Abibu,
who offered ftrange Fire unto. the Lord; upon the
Bears who went out of the Foreft to devour two-and-
forty young Rafcals who mocked EHJha; upon the
Lion that devoured the Prophet that difobeyed God's
Command, and hearkened to a lying Brother. In
fnort, caft your Eyes with Aftonifhment upon Nebu-
chadnezzar feeding among the Beafts of the Field,
Jezebel eaten up by Dogs, Herod confumed with
Worms, and the rich Mifer burning in the Flames of
Hell, Dan. iv. 2 Kings ix. y/#jxii. Lukexvi.

56. Above all Things think upon the laft Judgment,
and confider this laft Day, in which we muft all appear
before the Jugment-feat of Chrift, to receive in our
Bodies that which we fhall have done, whether it be
Good or Evil. Remember that in this dreadful Day
God will bring to Light the hidden Things of Darknefs;
the fecret Contrivances and Thoughts of the Heart.
Before this Throne of Fire the Books fhall be opened;
not only God's Books, where all our Sins and Impieties
are regiftered, but alib the Books of our Confciences,
where the frightful Image of all our Crimes fhall ap-
pear. In the Day of his glorious Coming, the Heavens
5 fhall

164 7 be CHRISTIAN'S Confolations
fhall melt, the Elements fhall be difiblved, the Earth
and all its Works fhall be burnt with Fire, and every
Man fhall give an Account of every idle Word ; how
much more of every wicked Aclion and profane Dif-
courfe! Matt. v. 12.

57*.- That we may not be confounded nor afhamed in
the difmal Day, in which God will judge the World by
the Man whom he hath ordained ; let us be inwardly
perfuaded, that it is not fufficient to abftain from out-
ward Sins, but we muft alfo hate, and inwardly abhor
them, ARs xvii. For as the Leopard in Chains leaves
not his Skin nor his Spots, and changes not, for all his
Reftrarnt, his rapacious and cruel Nature, for he con-
tinues ftill a Leopard ; and as a Thief in Fetters, Ihut
up in a Dungeon, remains a Thief in his Heart : Like-
\vife fuch as abftain from exterior Sins only for Fear
of Man and the Seventy of the Laws, are neverthelefs
efteemed vicious and abominable in the Sight of God
and of his holy Angels, if every Time that he thinks
upon his Crimes, he is not moved with a true Con-
trition, and abhors them with all his Heart. The
beft Means to render ourConfcience whole, is to tear
it in Pieces with the Sorrows of Repentance.

58. It is not fufficfent to abftain from Thoughts,
Words, and Aclions, that God prohibits; but we muf
alfo apply ourfelves to the Study of true Piety, of Vir-
tue, and generally to all the good Works that God
requires : For as the Praife and Honour of a good
Bowman is never beftowed upon one who hath only
the Skill of not breaking his Bow, his Arrows, and his
Quiver, but to him who (hikes the Mark, and aims
well ; and as he is not able to become a good Artift,
who works not ill, becaufe he doth nothing at all;
but he who works well, and mews excellent Pieces of
Workmanfiiip : Likewife he is not to pafs for a good
and religious Chriftian, who only abftains from Evil,
and commits 'no outward Sins, but he that doth
Good, and applies himfelf to Virtue. Every Tree
that bringeth not forth Fruit, although it bear no evil

Fruit,

agalnft tie "Fears of DEATH. 165

Fruit, is hewn down and caft into the Fire, Matt. ii.
Our Saviour curfed theFig-tree, not becaufe it brought
forth evil Fruit, but becaufe it brought forth no good
Fruit, but was altogether barren. The wicked Servant
was caft into utter Darknefs, where there is Weeping
and Gnalhing of Teeth, not becaufe he had loft or
mif-fpent his Talent, but becaufe he had not em-
ployed it well, and turned it to his Lord's Advantage,
Mat. xxv. Not only fuch fhall be condemned to the
Flames prepared for the Devil and his Angels, who
afflict God's Children on Earth, and fpill the Blood
of his Servants; but fuch as have not clothed his
Members, vifited and comforted them, and giveji
them to eat and drink. In fhort, if you enquire from
the rich Mifer, how he comes to be condemned to
Hell, or tortured in the Flames, he will not tell you,
it was becaufe he took what was not his own, or be-
caufe he committed Murders, Violences, and other
horrid Deeds, but he lived without Charity, and had
not Pity on the Poor.

59. And as God requires that we fhould proceed
daily forward, until we come to the Meafure of the
perfect Stature in our Lord Jefus Chrift, we muft very
frequently take a View of our former Life, and feel
the Pulfe of our Lufts, to fee whether they be not
more fervent and violent than before, whether the old
Man continued to decline, and how much we have
gained upon ourwicked Affections, and reformedour
corrupt Difpofitions: For as.thofe that fwim againft
the Stream, if they flack but a little, are carried down-
wards by the Violence of the Current; likewife if we
employ not all our Strength to fwim up to our hea-
venly Source, Integrity, and Perfection, the Torrent
of our Lufts and of evil Cuftoms will force us down
into the deep Abyfs of Death, and eternal Deftruc-
tion. We muft therefore examine, every Day, what
Progrefs we have made in Piety and Holinefs; and
whether fmce fo many Years that God fpeaks to us,
and inftructs us to difcover what is pleating to him,

1 66 T/je CHRISTIAN'S Confutations
if we have more Piety, Zeal; and Charity, and more
Holinefs than before, we muft imitate the follicitouS
Care of fuch as have tranfplanted fome rare Plant of
the Eaft into this Ncrthern Climate; they have always
their Eye upon it, to take Notice of every Thing that
happens to it. We muft propofe for our Example a
Steward, having a great Account to make up, who
looks often on his Memorials and Regifters. An Hea-
then Philofopher was highly praifed, becaufe he never
laid himfelf down to deep, until he had well examined
what Progrefs he had made in Philofophy and moral
Virtue : Likewife a good Chriftian fhould never call
himfelf upon his Bed to fleep at Night, until he hath
ferioufly confidered how he hath proceeded forward in
Piety and the Love of God. In a word, a true Chrif-
tian by this means (hall never be lefs alone, than when
he is alone; for then he fhall entertain himfelf with
his God, and fhall difcover unto him his Heart, and
his moft fecret Thoughts. Then he fhall fpeak feriouf-
ly unto his Soul, and fhall examine exactly his Con-
fcience. Then he will look to his wicked Deeds, to
weep and lament for them with Tears of fincere Re-
pentance. Then he will caft himfelf upon the infinite
Mercy and Goodnefsof God, to embrace it with a live-
ly Faith and AfTurance. Then he will make a Reflec-
tion upon God's Commands, to walk in them with an
holy Zeal and Earneftnefs all the Days of his Life.

60. Amongft the Directions that I intend to give
to him that defires to apply himfelf to the Practice of
Piety, and to abandon Vice, I muft not forget this
Advice, that he muft never fatisfy his carnal Lufts
and Pleafures, but he fhould rather check and bridle
them; for when we grant them what they crave, we are
fo far from extinguishing thefe feverifh Flames and fa-
tisfying thefe hellifh Longings, thatwe do but increafe
and encourage them the more. As he that loves Money
is not fatisfied with Money, and as the Ambitious is
never exalted high enough in Honour; thus theluftful
Worldling is never contented with the fulleft Enjoy-
ment

agamjl the "Fears of DEATH. 167

ment of carnal Pleafures. It is a Fire that kindles an-
other, and a Flame that never faith, If is enough. Thefe
filthy Lufts are like the Serpent that flings the Bofom
of thePerfon who warms it in his Bread; or as the Fur-
nace of Babylon, that burnt up thole who firft kindled
it: So fuch as entertain the Flames of their flefhly
Lufts, keep in their Bofoms a Fire, that will at laft
burn and totally confume them.

6 1. We muft refift the firft Motions of the Flefh
with the Shield of Faith; extinguifh the firft inflamed
Darts of the Devil : For it is very eafy to put out the
firft Sparkle of an increafing Fire; but if we neglec"b
or cherifh it, it may come to be a fearful Burning.
And as we can without Pain pluck up with one Hand
a young Tree plan ted but a few Days; but if we fuffer
it to take Root and to get Strength, we fhould not be able
to pull it with both Hands, but muft be forced to em-
ploy the Axe, the Wedge, and the Saw: Likewife, if
we refift Sin in its Beginning, we (hall eafily overcome
and tame it; we fliall extinguifh, without Difficulty,
thefe firft Beginnings of a ftrange Fire; and we fhall
pluck up with eafe this bitter Plant, that will grow up
to our Sorrow. But if we fuffer this infernal Fire of
Luft to increafe, all the Water of the Sea will not be
able to extinguifh it; and if we give Leave to this cur-
fed Plant to grow, it will never be plucked up without
much Sweat and Labour. Sin never begins as it ends,
and difcovers not all its Poifon at once. As the Child
in its Mother's Womb is not made in an Inftant; thus
this Monfter of Satan is formed by Degrees; one Chain
of Hell is linked into another. When Luft hath con-
ceived, it brings forth Sin. From the thoughts pro-
ceed the Suggeftion, and from the Suggeftion Plea-
fure and Delight, and from Delight Confent, and af-
ter Confent follows the Deed, which begets the Habit.
From thence the Sinner proceeds to be hardened in a
Cuftomof Sin. Thus the Devil aggravates his tyran-
nical Yoke, and ftrengthens the Chain by which he
drags us into eternal Damnation.

62. As

i68 *Tbe CHRISTIAN'S Confolathns

62. As among the Planets there is always one thst
ruleth, and caufeth his influence to be feltupon Earth,
more than the reft; thus, among Sins and Lufts, there
is always fome one or other that fways in us, unto
which we are more addicled than to the reft: This
therefore we muft chiefly take heed of. Here we ought
to difcover our Strength and Induftry, for fear thatthe
Devil fhould employ it as a Means to enter into our
Souls, and eftablifh there his Tyranny. We muft imi-
tate the wife valiant Captains, who having a Place to
defend againft a vigilant and an aclive Enemy, fortify
the Places that are naturally the weakeft, and furnifh
them with the beft Soldiers, caufing there a watchful
and continual Guard to be kept. Chriftian Souls, be
fure you take all the Armour of God, that you may be
able to refift in the evil Day, and having overcome
all, that you may continue ftedfaft, Epb. vi.

63. We ought not to neglect any Sin, nor imagine
that there are fome light and inconfiderable ones that
God regards not; for alittle Leaven feafons andleavens
the whole Lump, and the leaft dead Fly corrupts and
caufeth feveral Confedtionstobubbleupandfpoil. The
leaft Scratch may caufe a feverifh Inflammation, and
but a little Poifon can Jay us in our Graves. The De-
vil cares not by what Gates he enters into our Souls,
and by what Tie he takes hold of our Hearts. Thus
the curfed Serpent flides through the leaft and narrowed
Crannies and Holes of the Houfe, as well as through the
wideft Gates. Chriftian Souls, give no Place to the
Devil, but fhut your Ears to all Enchantments.

64. We muft not only always efchew all Manner of
Sins, and abftain from ail Appearance of Evil; but'for
our better Security, that we may notendanger our Sal-
vation, we muft take heed of all thofe Things whereof
our Souls are doubtful, and about which our Confci-
ences cannot be fatisfied. We muft never do any
Thing, but we ought firft to be fully perfuaded, that
it is acceptable to God, and agreeable with his holy
Will ; for wbatfoever is done without Faitb, is Sin.

65. As

tigainft the Fears of DEATH. 169

65. As they who intend to flop the Current of a
running Water, are wont to cut for it a new Chan-
nel i fo if your vicious Lufts and Paffions are too vio-
lent, you muft divert them, and propofe to yourfelves
new and frefh Objects. Are you choleric ? Be angry,
and fin not: Fret and fume againft your own Sins and
Lufts, and crufh in Pieces thefe Children of Belial.
Are you oppreffed with Sadnefs and Grief? Let the
Caufes of your Sadnefs be your Offences againft God,
and the Scandals of his Church. Are you furious and
violent ? Remember to be of the Number of thofe
Perfons who take the Kingdom of God by Violence.
Are you inclined to Covetoufnefs ? Covet and be
greedy of the Riches and Treafures of Heaven, Matt. x.
Are you lifted up with ambitious Thoughts? Let
your Ambition's Aim be to raife you upon the im-
mortal Throne, and to attain to the incorruptible
Crown of Glory. Are you luftful, and given to
your Pleafures ? Labour to enjoy the divine and ra-
vifhing Delights of the Holy Spirit, and meditate
often upon the eternal Pleafures that are referved for
you in Heaven.

66. Devout Souls, who figh and groan for your
Infirmities, who labour to attain to Perfection, apply
yourfelves to read and meditate upon God's holy
Word with a religious Attention ; and before you
enter into this holy Lecture, fay with the Prophet
David, Lord, open mine Eyes, and I 'ft/all fee the Won-
ders of thy Law, Pfal. cxix. Intreat your great God
to open your Hearts, as he did Lydias, to receive
this incorruptible Seed of your Regeneration, and
that he may give you a filial Obedience, Afts xvi.
In fuch a Cafe, as foon as you fhaU hear the Lord's
Voice, you will find your Soul inflamed with his
holy Love, i Pet. i. When we only behold a beauti-
ful Countenance, we become noc more beautiful
thereby; nor do we take from it its excellent Fea-
tures, 2 Corinth, iii. But it is otherwife with us,
who behold, as in a Glals openly, the Glory of the

N Lord;

170 Tie CHRISTIAN'S Confolattons

Lord; we are transformed thereby into the fame
Image of his Glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.

67. Take Pleafure to meditate often upon God's won-
derful Works, and to fing forth his Praifes. The fpiri-
tual Songs infpired by the Holy Ghoft commonly ap-
peafe all the evil Motions of our Mind, and beget m
us an holy Joy and celeftial Peace. As when Saul was
tormented with a wicked Spirit, David was appointed
with his Harp to play before him, and by that Means
quieted his troubled Mind; likewife when Hatred,
Anger, Revenge, Covetoufnefs, Ambition, or Luft,
or any other of the unruly Paffions, which are as many
evil Spirits, difturb and torture our Souls within us,
we muft feek a Remedy from David's Harp, and fing
unto the Lord in Spiritual Songs and Hymns.

68. We ought carefully to attend at the public Exer-
cife of Devotion, and not leave off the Aflembling of
ourfelves together, as the Manner of fome is; for where
there are but two or three met together in the Name
of Jefus Cbrift, he is there in the Midft of them. St.
Thomas, who was not with the Apoftles when Chrift firft
appeared among them, loft the Comfort then ofeeing
himrifen from the Dead. And if this merciful Redeemer
had not had Companion on him, he had perifhed in
his Unbelief for ever. If upon the Day ofPentecoft any
of the Faithful had been found abfent from the holy
Company of the Faithful in Jerujalem, they had not
feen the glorious Appearance of the Holy Ghoft. Who
knows but, in a Sermon that we have neglected, we
have loft fome pious Advice, fome feafonable Exhor-
tation, by which God might have brought our Hearts
to Repentance? Who knows but, inftead of the Fire
that devours us, we rrvght have felt the holy Flames
kindled in us, like unto thofe Flames of the burning
Bufh, that would, burn in us, and not confumeus?
Who knows but, at the breaking up of the Aflcmbly,
we might have faid, as the two Difciples of Chrift,
going to Emmaus, Did net our Hearts burn within us
when befpake to us, and opened the Scriptures?

5 69. We

again ft the Fears of DEATH. 171

69. We. muft be fervent, zealous, and perfevering
in Prayer, and other holy Duties, and embrace our
Lord and Saviour with the Arms of Faith and Repent-
ance, and fay unto him, as Jacob, I will not leave tbee
'until thou haft bleffed me. Chiefly, we ought to apply
ourfelves to thefe holy Exercifes, when we feel the
inward and troublefome Strugglings of the Flefli
againft the Spirit. We fhould imitate the virtuous
Woman, who feeling two Children ftirring in her
Womb, fell to her Prayers, and unburdened her Sor-
rows in the Bofom of our heavenly Father. And as
St.Pefer, when he began to fink, lifted up his Hands
and Voice, Lordjave me, Matt. xiv. likewife we, who
walk upon this dangerous Sea of the World, as foon
as we find ourfelves finking into carnal Delights, or
as foon as the Waves of vicious Examples and dan-
gerous Cuftoms overpower us, let us cry out from
the Bottom of our Hearts, O merciful God, ftretch,
out thine Hand from above, and deliver me from thefe
Waters of Hell, that carry me away ; accomplifh thy
Virtue in mine Infirmities, and give me Grace, in re-
fifting againft Sin, to refift unto Blood, Pjalm Ixix.
Heb. v. Let thine Holy Spirit overcome mine; let
Heaven command the Earth, and let Paradife lead
Hell in Triumph. If we make this Petition with all
our Hearts, God will grant it from his holy Sanctua-
ry. He will extinguilh the Fire that burns us. He
will fhut the Lion's Mouth that is ready to devour
us. He will appeafe the Winds and Storms, that the
Devils have raifed in usj and at his firft Entrance into
our Ship, tofied up and down with Fears and Appre-
henfions, he will bring Peace and a blefled Tranquillity,
and will lead us to the fafe Haven of eternal Happi-
nefs. As Mofes, when he had been familiar with God,
came down from the Mountain with a fhining Counte-
nance; and as our Saviour, when he was in Prayer upon
Mount Tabor, was transfigured, his Garments were
white as the Light, and his Face appeared as glorious
as the Sun; likewife, if we life up ourfelves above all

N 2 thefe

172 Tike CHRISTIAN'S Confutations
thefe earthly and corruptible Things, and pray to God,
with an holy Earneftnefs and Zeal, we fhall fee, that
our Souls fhall be thereby clothed with Holinefs, and
full of Glory and Light. They will be transformed
into the bleffed Image of the great God, whom we
adore j for as foon as we behold him, we fhall become
enlightened.

70. To the End we may tame this Body, and that
we may reduce it to Obedience, and overcome all our
wicked and dangerous Lufts, Pfal. Ixxi. 12. it is ne-
cefiary that we fhould add Fafling to our Prayers. We
muft not always expect a Time appointed by the Ru-
lers of our Church upon folemn Occafions j but we
mull prefcribe to ourfelves a Faft, according as we
fhall fee it expedient and ufeful: For if this Flefh be
unruly and rebellious againft God, and his holy Lawsj
if Eafe and Plenty encourage its Impurities and Info-
lence; let us deprive it of its Food and Dainties, la-
bour to mortify it by Fallings and Abftinence, and
remember what our Saviour Chrift faith in the Gofpel,
jT.bat there arefome evil Spirits, that are not to be driven
<,ut but by Fajilng and Prayer^ Matt, xxvii.

71. If God gives us Grace to overcome Sin, and
mortify our Lufts by fervent and earned Prayers, by
auftere Fadings, by the bitter Tears of Repentance,
and by the Affiftance and Bleifing of his divine Spirit
upon our Devotions j take heed, that ye become not
carelefs and negligent in good Works. Deceive not
yourfelves., religious Souls, and be not furprized; for
many times the old Man looks as if he were dead,
that we might not offer to flrike him again to the
Heart, that he may recover more Strength. There is
always in the Allies fomething of that infernal Fire,
that is able to do much Mifchief. Luft is not rooted
out fo entirely, but that there remain fome Strings^u
our Hearts that may grow again. This Source of Ini-
quity is not fo dry but that it may run afreih. As du-
ring the Time of Peace, Men prepare new Armour for
War, and exercifc themfelves at Tilts and Tourna-
ments ;

agalnjl the Pears of DEATH. 173

ments; likewife during the Calm and Reft of our
Souls, we muft prepare fome Armour for our fpiritual
Warfare. And as it is not fufficient to win a Place by
Aflault, and to drive out the Enemy's Forces, but we
muft alfo watch Day and Night, and keep a conftant
and a ftrong Guard, that we may not be furprized and
overcome; thus when we have forced out the Devil,
and banifhed him out of our Hearts, we muft be al-
ways upon our v-<uard, and flop all the Avenues, for
fear that the evil Spirit fhould come upon us, accom-
panied with leven worfe Spirits, and that our laft Con-
dition fhould be worfe than the firft.

72. To thefe Works of Piety and Devotion, in which
we cannot be always employed, we muft remember to
add a lawful Calling; for Idlenefs is the Mother of all
Vices: When we are doing nothing, the Devil prompts
us to Evil. This befel David, a Man after God's own
Heart, when he gave himfelf over, contrary to his
former Practice, to bafe Idlenefs ; whilft he was look-
ing in his Neighbour's Houfe, the Devil entered into
his Heart, and with the Affiftance of a filthy Object,
inflamed his Soul with an unlawful Luft. As the Iron
that is not ufed becomes rufty, as the {landing Water
putrifies, and the Earth that is not manured begets
Infects, and venomous Serpents; likewife a Soul that
is not employed, is foon covered over with the Ruft
of Vice. It is eafily dragged along into the Corrup-
tion of the Age, and apt to beget and bring forth
Monfters. Therefore the Prophet Ezekiel examines
the very Beginning and firft Spring of Sodom's Sin,
faying, 'That it was the Plenty of Bread, Eafe> and Idle-
nefs, Ezek. xvi. Chriftians, if you defire to keep your
Souls pure and undefiled, that the Holy Spirit may
reign in them, give no Entertainment to the Devil:
Let him find you always well employed, and let him
never fee you at Leifufe to afiault you with his hellifh
Temptations, Epb. iv.

73. After all, we muft ferioufly think upon Death,
and reprefent it always before our Eyes: For as a

N 3 Pilot,

174 T&e CHRISTIAN'S Confutations
Pilot, to govern and fleer a Ship, ought to be at the
Stern, and fit at the Helm; fo, to govern the Courfe
of this Life as we ought, we muft confider our latter
End, live always as if we were ready to die, and to
breathe forth the laft Gafp. Therefore this Sentence is
worthy to be engraven upon Cedar in golden Charac-
ters, Whatever thcujayeft, and whatever tloou doeft, re-
member thy latter End, and thoufoalt never fin ,Ecclus yii;
Wonder not, Chriftian Souls, if in this Treatife,
where I am to furnifh you with Remedies againft the
Fears of Death, I would have Death itfelf to be a
Remedy againft Sin; for thefe Things are united and
linked together, or rather they hold one another by
the tT^ntr: For as a good and holy Life is a fafe Pre-
paration to a happy L-e<ith ; likewife Death is a ftrong
Motive to oblige you to live well: For there is none,
unlefs it be a brutifh and defperate Varler, but at the
Hour of Death laments at the Confideration of his
former wicked Life, and grieves that he hath not ap-
plied himfclf to the Fear or' God, and to the Practice
of Chriflian Virtues. If a Malefactor, afcer he is con-
demned to die, and has heard the Sentence of his Doom,
did mind nothing but Drinking and Play ing, infteadof
Prayer and Repentance, by which fuch an one is to
difpofe himfelf to go to God, every one would wonder
at him as at a Monfter and a Madman : Likewife, if
\ve confider as we ought, 'that Death .is certain and
unavoidable, that God hath pronounced the Sentence
in his Anger, and that none fhall be excepted; this will
be able to recall us from Vice, and perfuade us to Ho-
linefs, without which none fhall fee God, Heb. xii.
Therefore at every Moment, when Satcm> the World,
and our own Flefh, entice us to any evil Action, let
us think within ourfelves, Would I have Death find
and feize upon me in this Employment? Am I in a
good Difpofition to go thus unto God, and to appear
before his Tribunal? Jefus the Son of tirach had well
confidered this, when he pronounced this excellent
Sentence, whicji \ could wiih were engraven in the

Soul

againft tie Fears of DEATH. 17^

Soul of every Chriftian: Remember thy latter End, and
thou /halt not Jin.

We muft therefore live in the World without being
guilty of its Corruptions and Abominations, As Fifh
preferves its Sweetnefs in the Midft of the fait Waves
of the Sea, and as Sheep never learn to bark nor bite,
though Dogs be always with them; likewife, though
ourConverfation be in the World, among the profane
and vicious Men of this Age, we muft not imitate
their fiithy Words, their Oaths, nor their Blafphe-
mies; and lefs Reafon have we to follow their wicked
and abominable Deeds; we muft converfe among
them as Lot in the City of Sodom, as Jofeph in Egypt,
as Daniel in Babylon. BlefTed and holy is he who hath
Part in the firft Refurreclion ; the fecond Death fhall
have no Power upon him.

.When Jacob by God's command went to Beth-el, he
charged his Wives, his Children, and all that were with
him, Put away the Jlrange Gods that are among you, and
be clean, and change your Garments ; and let us arije and go
up to Beth-el, Gen. xxxv. And I will make there an Al-
tar unto God, who anfwered me in the Day of my Dijirefs,
and was with me in the W/ay which 1 went. Then they
delivered into Jacob's Hands all the ftrange Gods that
were in their Poffellion, and hid them under an Oak
in Shechem. Thus, before you go to the true Bethel,
to the Dwelling where you fhall eat your Fill of the
Bread of the Kingdom of Heaven, before you offer
unto God the Sacrifice of your Souls, you muft, if
you be true.Chriftians, renounce Sin, and all wicked
Lufts, which have been formerly your Idols. I would
advife you to bury them deep in this bafe Earth. But
you had better do as God commands you from Heaven,
'Trample under Foot all theje abominable Vices, and all theje
worldly Lujls, that are to you as Jo many falfe Gods thaty on
worjhip, Ezek. ii. Put away from before me thoje Idols
ofjealoufy, that provoke me to Jealoufy, and Janftify the
^em-pie of my Holinejs. Cleanfe your Hands, ye Sinners,
and fan&ify yourfelves, ye Double-minded. Put off

N 4 the

176 The CHRISTIAN'S Conjolations
the old Man with all his Deeds, and put on the new-
Man, created according to the Image of God in Righ-
teoufnefs and true Hoiinefs; and then ye fhall be ad-
mitted to the holy Temple of my Glory, to offer unto
me, amongft the innumerable Companies of Saints,
the acceptable Perfumes ofPraife and Thankfgivings,
James iv. Epb. iv.

This is a Duty fo juft and necefiary, that natural
Reafon itfelf, not enlightened by Grace, acknowledges
it to be fo; nay, the moft wretched Varlets are con-
ilrained to give Glory to God, and to condemn them-
felves; they confefs that they are indebted to the divine
Majefty, but the Payment of this Debt they put off
from Day to Day ; and whenever you come to themj-
they are ready to require a Delay; they acknowledge
their Faults, the Heinoufnefs of their Crimes, and the
Necefiity of Repentance; but they are always putting
off Repentance and Reformation of Life. As when a
Sluggard is newly awaked out of his Sleep, he defires
yet a little Sleepy a little Slumber, a little Folding of the
Hands to Sleepy Prov. xxiv. thus, whenever Death
appears, the Voluptuous are yet requefting to enjoy
their carnal Delights. When the Lord's MefTengers
are calling upon us to repair the Breaches that the De-
vil hath made in our Souls, we could willingly anfwer,
as the Jews did to the Prophet, that the Time is not
come that the Lord's Houfe Jhall be built , Hag. i. The
young Man in his Youth and Strength is apt to fay,
that it is not yet Time to bufy himfelf about Wifdom
and Reformation; and that when he comes to be old,
he will then repent of the Sins of his Youth. And the
old Man endeavours to put off his Repentance until
the Hour of his Departure. He then expects to make
a general Confeffion of all his Crimes, to fatisfy all his
Neighbours, and to reflore what he poflfeffeth unjuftly.
In fliort, all Men generally flatter themfelves in their
evil Courfes; and moft are fo extravagant, as to be
perfuaded, that 4 when they have lived in Sin and Ini-
quity all their Life, mif-fpent God's Blefling, abufed

his

againft tie Tears of DEATH. 1 77

his Mercies, a Tear, or a S'gh, at the Time of our
'Death, will make a fufncienc Amends for all; and
that he will be fully fatisfied, if we fay then, as the
prodigal Chi! d, My Father, I have finned againft Hea^
i-en and againft tbee; or, as the good Thief, Lord,
remember me, Luke xxiii. 42.

I have much to fay againft fo great a Miftake, fo
dangerous and profane a Perfuafion. Firft, What
Reaibn have we to believe, that God will accept our
Repentance, when we cannot endure to accept of his
Graces and Redemption -, that he will hear our Sighs,
and grant our Prayers, when we will by no means
give Ear to his Voice, nor obey the Commands that
he fends us of repenting?

Wretched Man ! doft thou ftay to glorify God till
the Moment when thy Breath fhall fail thee? Is itjuft
that thou fhouldil then begin to ferve him, when thou
fhalt be able to ferve and pleafe thy Fleih no longer,
nor fatisfy thy foolifh Lufts ?

This great God, who had commanded, during the
Shadows and Types ofMofes's Law, that the Children
of Ifrael fhould offer unto him their Firft-born, and
the Firft-fruits of their Inheritances, will he take it
well now in this admirable Sunfhine of the Gofpel,
that thou (houldft offer to the Devil, and to the
World, the Firft-fruits of thy Youth, the Strength of
thy Years, and that thou (houldft referve for him only
the Dregs and Corruption of a decaying old Age?

It is to mock God and Man, to dream of living well,
when our Life is far fpent and gone: To lift up our
Eyes and Thoughts to Heaven, when the Earth fails
us under our Feet : To reftore other Men's goods, when
we can keep them no longer: To renounce all Defires
of Revenge, when we have no Power of acting: To
abftain from the foul Lufts of the Flelh, when we are
able to continue in them no longer: To abhor Theft,
Ufury, Rapine, and Extortion, when a Coffin is pre-
paring to receive us, and Death looks us in the Face.
SuchPerfons cannot be faid to leaveSin, butratherSin
4 leaves

178 The CHRISTIAN '$ Confolations

leaves them, as the Ravens leave the Tree that falls
down wi:h Age, or that is ftruck with the Thunder.

By our unreafonable Delays, Evil and Sin grow
older, and the Cure becomes every Day more difficult:
For the more thou fhalt be hardened in thy Corrup-
tion, and confirmed in thy Sins, the harder it will be
for thee to break and melt thy corrupted Heart. The
deeper Luft fhall have caft its Roots in thy Soul, the
more Labour thou fhalt find in plucking them out.
In fhort, he that gives too much Liberty to his un-
lawful Affections, makes his Vices, by Cuftom, be-
come natural, and cannotbe converted without agreat
Miracle.

Man's moft important and difficult Affair in the
World, is his Converfion to God. Therefore it is a
great Folly to put it off to fuch a Time, as we fhall
be in the feebleft and weakeft Condition; to a Time
when we fhall have moft Bufinefs to do, and moft
Trouble. Doubtlefs he orders not his Affairs well,
who puts off his Praying to God, and his Thoughts
of Heaven, until he comes to be ftretched on his
Death-bed, for then we know not to whom we are
firft to anfwer. An Account of our worldly Concerns
is then required from us; we are then to make our
laft Will and Teftament; we call for a Scrivener, and
are inwardly vexed to behold him; the Vi fits of Friends
trouble us, and their Ablence doth much difpleafe us:
Pain feizes upon us; Defluxions are ready to choak
us; Fevers burn us, and difturb our Minds; Phyfi-
cians opprefs us with noifome Remedies; the Noife
is a Trouble tons, and Silence is fufpected; our Pa-
rents and Friends torment us with their officious Deal-
ings ; our Children and our greateft Darlings melt our
Hearts, and their Tears force us to weep. But the
word is, the Devils are then moft bufy and active.
Thefe hellifh b iends, like devouring Ravens, fly about
us, endeavouring to fright us. In fhort, it is then the
Prince of the Powers of the Air ftirs up againft us
furious Storms and Tempefts, to caufe us to perifh

againft the Fears of D E A T H . 179

in the very Haven. In the Mid ft of fo many Dlfturb-
ances, and fo many powerful Waves, it is a difficult
Tafk to poffefs our Souls in Peace, to think upon our
Confciences, to hear God fpeaking to us to prepare
for Death as we ought, and to keep ourfelves from
finking, and from being fwallowed up with its Appre-
henfions and Frights.

Old Age hath Infirmities enough ; we need not de-
file it with youthful Sins and Lulls : For many Times
it caufeth more Wounds in our Souls, than there are
Wrinkles upon our Skin. When the Body decays and
grows weak, the Lufcs of the Flelh become ftronger;
and oft-times, when it whitens the Face, it fpots the
Confcience. In a Word, the Bones of old Age are
weak enough, and fufficiently full of Pain, that we
need not over-burden them with rhe Sins committed
in the Flower and ftrength of our Age.

Moreover, we know nor when nor how Death will
affault us, nor what Favour we are to expecl: from it.
Who knows but that it intends not to give us the Li-
berty of fpeaking to our Friends, nor of thinking up-
on our Souls? For it fends not always a Warning to
us, as to the good King Hezekiab, Set thy Houje in Or-
der ', for thoujhalt die, 2 Kings xx. For as we have al-
ready taken Notice, it furprizeth us in every Age, in
every Time and Place, and in the Midft of all manner
of Employments. Old Eli fell down backward, and
brake his Neck, when he heard the unhappy News of
the taking of the Ark, and the Death of his Sons. Job's
Children dreamed of nothing but of folacing and de-
lighting themfelves in their Feafts and Jollity, when
the Houfe where they were fell down, and buried them
in its Ruins. But beiides thefe unhappy Accidents,
how many are there, whofe Mouth Death clofed on a
fudden, without fuffei ing them to fpeak a Word ! How
many are there in the World, who are thought to be
in perfeft Health, and yet fuddenly fall into an Apo-
plexy, and into other quick Difeafes, fo that they are
to be found fooner dead than thought to be fick !

Befides,

jgo The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

Befides, though we fhould have a greater Strength
and Vigour, fo that we might forefee the Time of our
Departure drawing near, Repentance is not at our
Command; it is given us from above, and a fpecial
Favour of the Holy-Spick. God works not Miracles
every Day ; he changer.fi not at every Moment Rocks
into Springs of Water, nor Srones into Rivers of Oil ;
he grants not the Favour to all Sinners, hardened in
their Lufts, and confirmed in their Apoftafy from him,
to be converted, and to be wafhed with the Tears of
Repentance.

If thou feeft a Thief repenting at the Time of his
Suffering, it is a particular Example that abolifhes not
the general Rule. By this Man God intends to comfort
Sinners who truly repent at the End of their Days, and
to afTure them, that the Arms of his Mercy are always
open to receive them into his Favour. I confefs, that
true Repentance can never be too late; but I affirm,
that it can never be too foon. It is moft certain, that
at any Time the Sinner repents, God will fhew him
Mercy ; but that Moment is not in our Power. For
one Sinner that repents at the Hour of Death, there
are Thoufands that depart in Impenitency. And to
let no other Example but that which Mount Calvary
offers to us; if thou feeft on one Side of Chrift a Thief
converted and believing, look on the other Side, and
thou fhalt perceive a Wretch, who having fpent his
Days in Wickednefs and Impiety, expires in his Sins,
belching forth grievous Blafphemies and Reproaches
againft the King of Glory: So that, if one of thefc
remarkable Paflages flatters thee, and lulls thy Con-
fcience afleep, the other fhould move and awaken thee
with an holy Fear. Moreover, the Thief was convert
cd at the firft Moment, and Cbrift called and invited
him. Therefore, now that you hear the Voice of God
calling, harden not your Hearts as in the Day of Pro-
vocation, for Fear that God fhould fwear in his An-
ger that you fhall never enter into his Reft. Now,
at this very Inflant that you read this, turn unto God

with

dgalnft the Fears of DEATH. 181

with all your Heart, and he will have Pity and Com-
paffion upon you.

When the Opportunity is once loft, it is not eafily
and at all Times recovered; therefore Painters have
reprefented Occafion with a great Tuft of Hair on the
Forehead, and all bald behind ; but unto every Thing
there isaSeafon. God hath vouchfafed unto us a Time,
and referved another for himfelf. Our Time is when
we are invited to Repentance; but God'sTime is when
he manifefts and declares his Juftice and Judgments.
During the fpace of one hundred and twenty Years,
Noah, an Herald of Righteoufnefs, preached Repent-
ance to the old World; this was their Time; but when
God's abufed Patience was iuitly provoked; it turned
into Fury. Then he fent a fearful Deluge, that covered
all the Face of the Earth; this was God's Time, and
the Day of his juft Vengeance. When Lot fpake td
his Sons-in-law to perfuade them to go out of Sodom,
this was the Time of their Salvation and Deliverance;
but when Fire and Brimftone overwhelmed and burn-
ed them alive, their Crimes and Gnafhing of Teeth were
as ufelefs as their Laughter and Mocking had been
formerly unjuft. When Efau fold the Privilege of
his Birth-right, it was the Time of thinking ferioufly
upon the true and heavenly Blefling; but when he had
fold it for a Sup of Pottage, all his Tears and Weep-
ings were as fruitlefs, as his Gluttony had been infati-
able, and his Temper profane. When the Bridegroom
in the Canticles was at the Door with the Dew of his
heavenly Joys, and Myrrh of his eternal Comforts, ic
was the Bride's Time, and the Occafion that was of-
fered to her to enjoy the heavenly Delight ; but when fhe
had delayed a while, unwilling to rife from her Bed,
and put on her Coat, he was gone, and it was to no
Purpofe that fhe fought him about the City; forinfiead
of meeting with the Embraces of her Beloved, fhe
finds her Enemies that beat and wounded her. When
the poor Lazarus begged his Bread at 'the rich Man's
Gate, it was the Time when this unmerciful Man fhould

have

1 82 The CHRISTIAN'S Con rotations

have repented: and fhewed Mercy to the Poor ; but
when in Hell, burning in the Flames, it was in vain,
that he lifted up his Eyes to Heaven to feek for fome
Comfort. When our Saviour exhorteth the Jews to
believe in him; when he wept fo bitterly over Jeru-
falem, that had killed the Prophets ; it was the Time
and Opportunity of this unhappy Nation, it was the
Time of their Salvation, and of God's BlefRngs; but
when they had obftinately rejected this great God and
Saviour, and defired that his Blood might be upon
them and their Children, God caft them away from
him, and they are become a Scorn and a Reproach
amongft all the Nations of the Earth. Finally, as it
is to no Purpofe that a Malefactor refolves to amend
his Life, when the Judge is at the Door, and when the
Serjeants have caught him by the Throat, or when he
is upon the Gallows, ready to be ftrangled and exe-
cuted; likewife it is too late to begin to think upon
God, when Death feizes upon us, and Hell opens its
Jaws to fwallow us. Miferable Wretch ! why defpifeft
thou the Riches of God's Goodnefs and Patience, and
of his Long-fuffering, not confidering, that the Good-
nefs of God invites thee to Repentance? But by the
Hardnefs of thine Heart, that is without Repentance,
thou treafureft up unto thyjelf Wrath againft the Day of
Wrath, and Revelation of the righteous Judgment of God y
who Jhall render to every Man according to his Works,
Rom. ii.

Certainly our Salvation is a Matter too important
to be neglected, our Life too uncertain to delay it till
the next Day, and our Soul too precious to run the
Hazard of lofing it. If we had many, we might ven-
ture the Lofs of one; but feeing that we have but
one only, and that, if it be loft, all the Riches and
Treafures of the World cannot redeem it, we Ihould
be moved with an holy Fear of fo great a Lofs, and
decline whatsoever might caft this our precious Soul
into the fecond Death and eternal Damnation.

tie Fears of DEATH. 185

It is our Lord and Saviour's Exhortation, Watch,
faith he, for ye know not the Hcur when the Lord is to
come. Watch and pray, that ye enter not into Tempta-
tion-, for the Spirit is willing, but the Flejh is weak,
Matt. xiv. Mark x. Luke xxii. This Advice was
fo neceflary, that he doth often repeat it; Take heed to
yourf elves, watch and pray , for ye know not when the Tims
Jhall be. Take heed to yourf elves, left your Hearts be over-
charged with Gluttony and Drunkennefs, and the Cares of
this Life, and that Day Jurprife you unawares ; for as a
Thief it Jhall come on all them that dwell on the Face of
the whole Earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always ,
that ye be accounted worthy to efcape all thefe Things that
Jball come to pafs, and to ftand before the Son of Man,
Matt. xiii. Luke xxi.

To awaken us to move from our fpiritual Drowfi-
nefs and profane Sleep, our Saviour brings this Ex-
ample of the Wicked Servant, who faid in his Heart,
My Lord delayeth his Coming^ Matt. xxiv. And there-
fore he began to beat hisFellow-fervants, to eat, drink,
and be drunk. Our Saviour adds, that the Lord of that
Servant (hall come in a Day when he looketh not for
him, and in an Hour when he is not expected ; and
fhall cut him afunder, and appoint him his Portion
with the Hypocrites j there fhall be Weeping and
Gnafhing of Teeth, Matt. xxiv. The Parable of the
fooliih Virgins had the fame Drift: They being fallen
afleep without any Oil in their Lamps, were fo fur-
prized at the Bridegroom's Coming, that they could
not be admitted into the Marriage-chamber; it was in
vain that they beat at the Gate, with a Lord, Lord,
open unto us, Matt. xxv. The Door could not be
opened to them; but it was anfwered from within,
Verily, I fay unto you, I know you not.

It is certain, the chief and principal Purpofe of this
and other Parables is, to teach us how we fhould be
prepared to expecl: the glorious Coming of our Lord
Jefus Chrift; but they may very well be applied to
Death j for it hath pleafed God to keep fecret and

hidden

CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

hidden the Day in which he will call us to himfelf, and
that of our Saviour's coming to Judgment, ' that we
may be equally prepared, and difpofed, for the one as
well as for the other. As we fhall be found at the Time
of our Death, fo fhall we be judged at the great Day,
when Chrift fhall come down from Heaven with the
Angels of his Power; and from that Judgment there
ihall be no Appeal. Let us therefore put off the Sin that
doth fo eafily befet us, and break all the Chains of our
filthy Lufts. Let us difarm Death, and take from it
its venomous Darts, and its piercing Stings. Let us
pluck off the Claws and the Teeth of this furious Beaft,
and extinguiih all its Fires, and it fhall never be able
to terrify us. Let us live the Life of Saints, and God
will give us Grace to die the Death of the Righteous,
and to end like them. Let us live as we would at the
Inftant when Death is upon our Lips. Let us live as
if at every Moment we were to die, and as if God were
calling to us, Come and appear to Judgement.

And when Satan, the World, and our own Flefh,
folicit and draw us to Evil, let us fay within ourfel ves,
Is it thus that thou wilt reward the Lord thy God,
and acknowledge all the BefTmgs and Favours that
thou haft received from his bountiful Hands? O Fool,
doft thou conceive that thou canft go to Heaven by
marching the Road to Hell? If thou doft wilfully caft
thyfelf away into the Depths of Sin, what Affurance
haft thou of rifing again by Repentance ? If thou for-
fakeft God, art thou not afraid God will forfake thee ?
Is it thus thou prepared thyfelf to die ? Are thefc
Lufts the Arms with which thou muft encounter
Death ? Art thou ready to draw near to the facred
Majefty of thy God, and to appear before his great Tri-
bunal ? The Night is far fpent, the Day is at Hand:
Let us -therefore caft off the Works ot Darknefs, and
let us put on the Armour of Light, Rom. x. Let us live
as Children of God, and Heirs of his Kinedom, Phil. iii.

* ^j *

Let us be blamelefs and ihine as Lights in the World.
Let our Converfation be as Citizens in Heaven,

from

againft the Fears of DEATH. 185

from whence we expect the Lord Jefus, Eph.ii. Let
us go to the heavenly and holy Jerufalem, by the Way
of good Works, which God hach prepared, that we
might walk in them, Zech. xiii. In all our Actions,
Words, and Thoughts, let there be engraven Holinefs
to the Lord. Let us difcover by our Deeds, that we
really believe, without doubting, whatfoever the holy
Scripture declares of the eternal Pains of Hell, and of
the unfpeakablc Joys of Heaven, Gal. vi. Whilft
we have Time, let us do Good to all, but chiefly to
the Houfhold of Faith, Epb. v. Let us redeem the
Time, for the Days are evil. Follow not Adam's Ex-
ample, who, to eat of the Fruit fo pleafing to his
Tafte, loft the Paradife which God had given him.
Let us not lofe the eternal Delights that God hath
prepared for us from the Beginning of the World, for
a Moment of carnal Pleafure.

Let us imitate the holy and wife Virgins, put Oil
Jn our Lamps betimes; let us enrich our Hearts with
Faith, Hope, and Charity, and put on the Robes of
Righteoufnefs and Holinefs. As God's faithful Ser-
vants, let us labour to accomplifh our Tafk. Let us
be ftedfaft andunmoveable, always abounding in the
Work of the Lord, that when Death (hall appear, or
rather when the Prince of Life ihall call us to himfelf,
we may be ready to give him an exact Account of our
Talents, with which he hath entrufted us, that we may
fay unto him in Sincerity and Truth, I have done the
Work that tbou haft given me, I have fought the good
Fight, I have finijhed my Courfe, I have kept the Faith.
O moft excellent Lord I have nothing elfe to do,
but to receive from thine Hand the Crown of Righte-

oufnefs which thou haft promifed to all that love thine
Appearance; I have nothing elfe to do but to enter
into thy glorious Reft, where thou doft embrace in
thine infinite Mercies all fuch as overcome Sin and
Death, and keep thy Word unto the End.

A Prayer

iS6 The CHRISTIAN'S Correlations

A Prayer and Meditation for one who prepares
for Death, by Repentance and an holy Life.

QINCE Sin hath brought Death into the World, and ren-
dered this Enemy Jo terrible to us -, enable me, with thy
divine Virtue, to dljarm it of all its fiery Darts and mor-
tal Poifon. In regard thou haft -prepared for me thine
heavenly Kingdom from the Creation of the World, grant
me Grace to employ the Refidue of this Life in purging my
Conscience from dead Works, in Jludying the great Bufi-
nejs of Sanffification, that I may be in Readinefs to enter
into that Abode of Holinefs, into which no impure 'Thing
can be admitted. O heavenly Father, difcover to my Soul,
by the Light of thine holy Spirit, the Foolijhnefs and De-
formity of Sin, and its dreadful Confequences - t that I may
abhor it as an universal Monfter, Satan's Image, and a.
grievous Pollution, that hath defaced in our Souls the
blejjed Features of thyfelf. Let me look upon it as a curjed
Burning, that hath kindled thy Wrath, and will at lafl
Jet on Fire and conjumethis Frame of the World. Let me
look upon it as an intolerable Burden, under which Na-
ture itj elf groans ; and Heaven complains of it as a pub-
lick Murderer of our firjl Parents, of all Mankind, and
of the Lord of Life. O that I may treat it as mine Enemy
that hath provoked thy Vengeance, andjlrives yet to caft
me into eternal torments: Make me fenfible of the Beauty
of Holinefs, and the Glory that Jball crown it > ''that mine
Affections may embrace it as an invaluable Jewel, taken
from me by Satan, as an Image and Beam of thy Perfec-
tions, and as that which Jhall make a principal Part of
our Happinejs in thy Kingdom. O God of my Salvation,
thoufeeft my Grief and inward trouble, to have Jo long af-
fifted this Tyrant Sin, to deftroy my Soul, and to have ne-
gletted my chief Bufinefs in the World, to Jerve and glorify
tbee. What Jhall I pretend as an Excufe for myjelf? my
Sovereign Lord, I have finned againjl thee, arid committed
abominable Afts. But I repent in Duft and AJhes, and
cannot but look back upon my evil Deeds with Horror. O
God, whojearchefl the Heart, thou knoweft that wy greateft
Grief proceeds fro;n my not grieving fufficiently, and as mine
5 Iniquities

againft the "Fears of DEATH. 187

Iniquities have deferved. The Number and Greatnejscfmy
Crime i are not bid from thee-, and tbou under Jlandefl what
I ought to do, and to be, to obtain Pardon. O Lord, 1 feek
not the Motive of it in myfelf, but in thine infinite Mercy ,
that defirejt not the Death of a Sinner, but rather that
he Jhculd turn and live. Turn me, O God, and grant me
the Grace of Repentance. Thou art able to change this
ftony Heart, and caufe it to yield penitent Tears-, but ra-
ther give me, inflead of this hard Heart, another fajhioned
after thine own Image-, an Heart that may be inflamed
with Love and Zeal for thee. O my Redeemer, thou haft
completed the Work of my Salvation, by fpilling thy t-i^n
Blood to atone for us. Continue that good W~crk in us.
SanRify my Soul and Body, and make me a new Creature.
Mortify this wicked Flejh, with all its Lufts, that the
L'fe I Jhall lead may be in Imitation of the holy Jefus.
Take Pojjeffion of me by theDiretlionand Government of thy
blejjed Spirit, that I may deteft and fimn all Appear-
ances of Evil, and the Garments defied with Sin. O let
the Thoughts of Death, thy holy Fear, the Mifery of de-
parting Sinners, and the Happinefs of fuch as die in thy
Favour, be entertained continually in my Mind, that I
may renounce all Impiety and worldly Lujls,and flnijh my
Litter Courfe in Sobriety, Juftice, and religious Duties*
But chiefly, let Charity influence my Affefiions and Ac-
tions ; for fuch Sacrifices are acceptable to thse. O merci-
ful God, the great Bujincfs of Life is not quickly finijhed ;
my Days are but Jhort, and I know not how focn tbou wilt
take me away. AJJift me therefore in the Performance of
what thou requirfft from me, and accomplijh in me thy
gocd Work, that at thy coming I may not be furprized
or troubled, being diligently employed in ihy Service. O
my gracicns and heavenly Father, vouchfafe unto me all
thofe divine Qualifications needful to difpofe me for thy
eternal Communion, and for the Society of thy blejfed Saints,
that are gone before me ; that, at my Departure, my Sa-
viour may receive and 'welcome my Soul, with a Come,
good and faithful Servant, enter thou into the Joy of
thy Lord. Amm,

O 3 CHAP.

The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

CHAP. XII.

tfhefixth Remedy c.gainft the Fears of Death is, to repcfe
cur/elves upon God's good Pr evidence.

SOME Perfons there are fo brutifh and ftupid,
that they never think upon the great End and
Defign of their Creation, and are not able to give a
juft Account wherefore God hath put them into the
World; carnal and earthly Minds who imagine that
they were created for themlelves, as brute Beads, only
to eat and drink. Such are mentioned by St. Paul,
their God is their Belly, and their End is eternal Mi-
fery. But there are alfo fome wife and virtuous Souls
that are continually meditating upon the Favours they
receive from Heaven, which they employ to their
right and proper Ufe. Such celeflial Underftandings,
being enlightened from above, confider very well,
that they are not born for themfelves, but for their
Country, for their Parents, for their Friends, and
chiefly to ferve God and his Church on Earth. There-
fore they defire to live only to glorify their Creator,
and advance his Kingdom.

When this good Defire is well governed, it is ac-
ceptable to God, as a fweet-fmelling Sacrifice. This
was David's earned Defire, in PJaL cxix. Let my Soul
live, that I may -praife thee. This holy Zeal, forced
fo many bitter Tears from King Hezekiah in his Sick-
nefs, and caufed him to entreat moft earneftly to live
yet longer in the World. This wife and religious
Prince well forefaw the fearful Evils, the grievous
Confufion, and the abominable Idolatry that was like-
ly to fucceed after his Death, in the Kingdom ofju-
dah. He was therefore very defirous to glorify God
on Earth, and to accomplifh the Reformation which
he had begun. He dcfired to have Children whom
he might teach to fear God with all their Hearts,
and to ferve him according to his holy and divine

Will,

agamfl the Fears of D E A T H . 189

Will, that that he might caufe Piety to continue in his
Houfe and Royal Family. He difcovers this holy De-
fire in his divine Hymn, which he lung unto God af-
ter his miraculous Recovery: Behold, for Peace I had
great Bitternefs, but thou haft in love to my Soul deli-
vered it from the Pit of Deftruftion-, for thou haft caft
all my Sins behind thy Back; for the Grave cannot prail"e y
Jfa. xxxviii. Death cannot celebrate thee, they that go
down to the Pit cannot hope for thy Truth ; the Living
be Jhall praife thee, as 1 do this Day-, the Father to the
Children Jhall make known thy Truth. The Lord was
ready to fave me, therefore will I fmg my Songs to the
ftringed Inftruments all the Days of my Life in the Houfe
of the Lord. We find the fame earned Defire in St.
Paul-, for when he looks upon himfelf, and upon
the Miferies that attend him on Earth, he lifts up his
Eyes to fee the heavenly Blifs that waited for him
above; he defines to depart out of this earthly Taber-
nacle, and to be with Chrift; and acknowledged! that
it would be his great Advantage. But when he looks
upon the Church of Chrift, his Defire of the Salva-
tion and InftrucYion of his Brethren caufeth him to
prefer their Comfort to his own Happineis and Joy.
// is, faith he, more expedient for you that I remain in we
Flejh; and 1 know for certain that I Jhall abide and
remain with you for your Advantage^ and the Joy cfysur
Faith.

This Defire of Life, with an Intent of glorifying
God is good and holy. But it is no eafyTafkto keep
it within itsjuft and lawful Bounds ; for very often it
becomes vicious, when it is flirred up by a fond Love
of our own Perfons, which makes us loth to die.

For Example: When a great Prince, animated with
an heroical Virtue, is engaged in a War for the Pre-
fervation of his Subjects, and for the Delivery of many
afflicted People from Oppreffion and Tyranny; if
God blefTeth his arms, and caufeth his glorious De-
figns to fucceed, he will not be pleafed, if Death at
that Initant offer to crofs him, to break in Pieces his

O 3 viclo-

190 he CHRISTIAN'S Confutations

victorious Arm, to put an End to his Conquefts and
to caft his Crown to the Ground. He may juftly com-
plain in this Manner: Muft I now leave off fuch a no-
table and brave Deiign ? Muft I here flop in the Midft
of fuch a glorious Race? Muft Death bury, with my
Body, the Expectations of fo many good Men? I am
afraid that all my Labours will vanifh away with my
Breath. I have juft Caufe to fear that my Fall will
draw after me the Deftru&ion of many poor People
that depend upon me. I fear, that Oppreflion and
Tyranny will rtfume frefh Spirits and a greater Bold-
nefs, and prove, for the future, more grievous and in-
fufferable. O cruel and inhuman Death! by taking
away my Life, thou bringeft my Friends to Execu-
tion, and the Arrows that thou ftickeft in my Heart,
pierce the Souls of many innocent People.

Likewifc he that is promoted to be the King'sVice-
gerent in a Province, or to be a Governor of a rich
Country, an important Place, may be grieved, becaufe
Death (hatched him away in the Midit of all his Bufi-
nefs, efpecially if it be in troublefome Times, and if
he fees none of a fufficient Ability to fucceed him.
Muft I, will fuch an one fay, muft I quit fo foon this
glorious Employment? Muft I fo quickly leave my
princely Service, and forfake fo many poor People, as
a Flock without a Shepherd? Death! how hateful and
odious art thou! Thou delighted to bring all Things
into Confuiion and Trouble.

Thus a brave General of a victorious Army, who
being full of Courage manageth a fuccefsful \Var for
the Honour of his Prince, and the Advantage of his

* <*J

Country, cannot but complain againft Death, when
he comes to fubdue him, before he hath totally fub-
dued and overcome his Enemies; efpecially if the
Times be fo unhappy, that none is able to fucceed
him in that Employ n.ent, he will be ready to break
forth into Complaints: Muft I leave offfo many glo-
rious Defigns? Muft I forfake my moft faithful bol-
diers, and abandon them to the Mercy of their Ene-
mies*

againft the Fears of DEATH. 191

mies, or to the capricious Humour of an unexperi-
enced Succeflbr? O Death, full of Envy! wilt thou
pluck out of my Hands fo foon this conquering Sword,
and cut off with one Blow of thy Scythe fo many great
Expectations ? In the fame manner he that fits in the
moft honourable Seat of Judicature, as a Judge, a
Prefident or a Counfellor, or any other chief Magif-
trate, will doubtlefs mourn if Death feizeth upon him
in the Flower of his Age; efpecially if he fears that
after him corrupt Men will fucceed, who may be
likened to whitened Walls. Mnft I, will he fay, leave
fo foon this noble Office, in which I took fo much
Delight? O inconfiderate Death! why doft thou not
fuffer me to wear my Purple, until fuch Time as I
fhall be weary to bear it? Why doft thou not permit
me to fit here upon this magnificent Seat, until I tum-
ble off" with old Age.

Likewife a faithful Minifter of the Gofpel, when
he perceives the Work of the Lord to profper in his
Hands, Satan falling from Heaven by his Means, as
Lightening, and Dagon brought upon his Face to the
Ground, mayjuftly wonder at Death's Approaches,
and fpeak after this manner : Muft I foon quit the
Duties of this holy Function, in which I took my
greateft Delight? Muft I break off from this facred
Work by which I advanced fo happily the Glory of
God ? I am afraid, when I am gone, ravening Wolves
will enter into the Lord's Flock, and a terrible Night
of Ignorance will overfliadow our Pofterity.

Thus a Father of a Family, who paflionately loves
his Wife and his Children, Ihall never fee Death, but
fhall feel all his Bowels move, and his Heart tormented
with Grief. He will figh out fuch Expreflions as
thefe: Muft I forfake a poor forlorn Wife, fwim-
ming in Tears ? Muft I leave my tender-hearted Pa-
rents, who found my Life a Comfort, and will find
my Death an Affliction? Muft I abandon my dear
Children, whom I love as my Soul, without a Guide,
and in Danger of lofing the fmall temporal Means

O 4 that

192 *Tbe CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

that I have provided for them; in Danger alfo of be-
ing overcome by the vicious Cuftoms of the Age, and
enticed to Idolatry and ^uperftition?

That we may be able to govern this violent Paffion,
that prevails fo much upon our Minds, we muft la-
bour berimes to bring ourfelves to this: 'fo reft upon
the good rovidence of our heavenly Father. Chriftian
Souls meditate upon this excellent Saving in PJal.
xxx vii. Leave thy Ways to the Lord, and truft in him y
end he will direff thee. And in .''fa!. Iv. Caft thy Burden
vpon the Lord, and he willjujlain thee. Forget not alfo
that bleficd Exhortation of St. Peter, Caft all your Care
upon God, for he careth for you. Imprint alfo in your
Mind St. Paul's Afiertion, All Things work together for
Good to them that love God. Remember the nob)e Re-
iblution of that great Apoftle: According to my earneji
Expeflaticn and my Hope, that in nothing I Jhall be
a/Joamedy but that with cdl Bcldnejs, cs always, Jo new
Alfo, Cbrift Jball be magnified in my Body, whether it be iy
Life or by Death >

Thou defireft to be inftrumental in the Service of
God, and of the Public. It is an excellent Defire
indeed, and Praife- worthy; but it belongs to God to
appoint the Service that he intends to receive from
thee. It belongs to him to prescribe to thee thyTafk,
and to order thy Bounds. He knows when he is to
rekafe thee from thy Labour, and how long thou
muft fight. Is thine Eye evil, becaufe thy God is fo
good and gracious to fhorten thy Work and Troubles ?
All fuch as follow chearfully the Banners of the Lord
of Hods, and never retreat without the Command of
the great General of Heaven and Earth, {hall enjoy
a blefied Victory, and obtain the Honour of the Tri-
umph; as well the Novice and the frefh Soldier, as
the old and long experienced. All fuch as labour
faithfully in the Lord's Vineyard fhall- receive from
him an eternal Reward, as well as he that continues but
an Hour, as the other that bears the Heat and Burden
of the Day. When thou fhouldil have gone but a

few

the Fears of DEATH. 193

few fteps in the Paths of Righteoufnefs, thy God is
fo noble and liberal, that he will beftowupon thee an
incorruptible Crown of Glory, as well as if thou hadft
continued there many Years.

Great Princes, who yield to the King of Kings a
religious Refpeft, that feek your greateft Glory in the
Crols of Chrift, fubmit yourfelves altogether to the
Pleafure of your univerfal Monarch: For feeing the
Lives of all Men are governed by his wife Provi ence
he hath a particular Regard, and an high Efteem
of the Lives of Kings and Princes, the Sons of his
Right-Hand. Therefore, whilft it is expedient for his
Glory, and their Salvation, that they fhould live up-
on Earth, he placeth round about their facred Per-
fons his holy Angels, and encompafTeth them with a
Wall of f'ire. Remember, that as foon as the King
of IJrad was feated upon the Throne, God com-
manded him to take in Hand the Book of his Law,
and to read in it all the Days of his Life. Afk from
him that Wifdom and Prudence that is requifite to
govern fuch Multitudes of People, and befeech him to
grant unto you the Strength and Virtue that is necef-
fary to bear fo great a Burden. Let the Sword that
he hath entrusted in your Hands, be to do Juftice
upon Offenders, and to protect the Guiltlefs. As you
are living Images of God's fovereign Authority over
his Creatures, remember that you fhould alfo imitate
his Goodnefs and Mercy. Follow the Example of
him who relifts the Proud, but gives Grace to the
Humble. Live in fuch a Manner, that your Subjects,
may cherifh and honour you as their common Fa-
ther, may obey and ferve you as their Lord, and
may refpect and fear you as their King. Suffer not
your Heart to be puffed up with Pride, when you
behold the large Dominions that God hath put un-
der'your Command, and the people that own you for
their Sovereign : But lift up your Eyes to the ipacious
Heavens, take a View of their vaft Extent, and
fee how the whole Earth is inconfiderable in Compa-
4 rjibn

194 7&* CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

rifon of them; and think upon God, before whom all
Nations are but as the fmalleft Duft of a Balance, and
as a few Dro>s of Water. Confider well that your Sub-
jects are Creatures that God hath made after his own
Likenefs, and redeemed by the Death of his Son, and
that they are to reign with you for ever in Heaven.
Remember, that the more God has committed to your
Truft, the greater muft be your reckoning, and that
you muft one Day appear in Perfon before his dread-
ful Throne, without Sceptre or Crown, or as other
wretched Sinners, to implore his Mercy. Search into
yourfelves, and examine what you are; your Bodies
are fubject to Wounds, Infirmities, and Difeafes, as
that of the meaneft of your Servants; your Souls are
alfo moved with the fame Paffions and Lufts as theirs.
In fhort, you are entered into the World in the fame
manner as the moft miferable Slave, and you fhall go
out of it again as he doth. So that if aCroud of Flatter-
ers footh you up, as they did Herod, the Voice of a God,
and not of a Man, Acts xii. mind well what God fpeaks
to you from Heaven, I have faid that ye are Gods and
the Children of the moft High ; never thelejs you Jhall die
as Men, and you that are the chief eft, jhall fall as the reft>
Pfal. Ixxii. During the Time of your Abode in the
World, employ yourBlood, Sweat, andall the Strength
and Power that Goql hath put into your Hands, for
the Good and Advantage of your Empire, and for the
Defence and Prefervation of your People, that are un-
der your Protection. And if, in the Midft of your
greateft and moft flourifhingProfperities, Death comes
to give you a fummons to depart, let fall the Sceptre
willingly, to join your Hands together, and fall down
and adore the King of the whole Earth. Grieve not
for the Lofs of worldly Glory, that pafleth away as
Lightening, or as a Shadow; for God promifeth ano-
ther, that fhall be more lafting than the Light of the
Sun. If you can but overcome Death and yourfelves,
God will caufe you to fit down upon another Throne,
and will beftow upon you a Kingdom that will never
be moved, Rev, iii, Heb. xiii. Wife;

agalnft the Pears of DEATH, 195

Wife and religious Princes, be not folicitous for
the Things fchat fhall happen after your Deceafe. He
by whom Kings reign, and Princes do Juftice, is able
enough to enrich your Succeflbr with the Graces and
Qualities that become a powerful Prince. It may be
that he will beftowupon him more Glory and Happi-
nefsthan upon you. When King David had ended
his mortal Race, God took him into his Reft. Ic
ieemed at firft, that the Lofs of fo good a Prince could
not be repaired -, but God caufed Solomon to fit upon
his Father's throne, and made him the wifeft and the
mod happy Monarch in the World. David did but
remove God's Ark, but Solomon built for him a (lately
and magnificent Temple. David was a Type of the
Encounters and Victories of the Son of God, but
Solomon reprefented his glorious Triumphs, and that
eternal Peace with which he fhall bids his Chofen in
the Kingdom of Heaven.

What if you leaveyourChildren under Age? Be not
difcouraged, for God will preferve them, as the Signet
upon his Right-Hand, or as the Apple of his Eye.
Think upon Jof.as, who was but eight Years old
when he fucceeded in the Kingdom of Jud<za\ never-
thelefs there was never a Prince more holy and more
religious ; none ever did more Good to the Church of
God. And that you may be able to ftrengthen your
Faith, and confirm your glorious Expectations, me-
ditate upon the Life of JoaJJj, who was but one Year
old when his Father was killed, and an infernal Fury
fought to deftroy him j but in the Middle of fo many
Tragedies God preferved him alive by a Miracle, and
placed him in a glorious Manner upon the Throne of
his Fathers. Seeing therefore that it is the Pleafure of

him who gives and takes away the earthly Crowns,
Jeave chearfully this corruptible one, to receive another
that is immortal and incorruptible. You alfo, noble
Governors of Countries and Caftles, that reprelent the
Peribns of your Kings and Princes, remember that
this Dignity comes not only from the Appointment of

your

196 *The CHRISTIAN'S Confutations

your Matters, but from God himfelf, who holds in his
Hands the Hearts of all the Kings and Princes of the
World. Remember what our Saviour told the Gover-
nor of Judaea, I'bou could/I have no Power upon me, if
it i2Kre not given to thee from abcvs> John xix. Let
all the World fee by you, that there is nothing more
agreeable, with Piety towards God, than Fidelity and
Loyalty to your Prince. Tak heed that you abufe
not your Power and Authority in fatisfyingyour Paf-
fions, and pleafing your Covetoufnefs or Vanity. Pro-
tect not the Guilty, and opprefs not the Innocent. See-
ing that you are appointed to punifh evil Doers, and
to encourage fuch as do well, behave yourfelves
as if you were always in the Sight of your Prince, or
rather behave yourfelves as in the Prefence and in the
Sight of God, before whom all Things are naked and
open, and as if you were to give up unto him an Ac-
count of your Stewardfhip. Whilft you are happily
employed in the Service of your Prince, and of your
Country, if Death comes to interrupt your Pro fperity,
yield yourfelves, without Refiftance, to the wife Orders
of him who is both your Sovereign Lord, and theirs,
to whom you mud be fubjecft on Earth.

Trouble not yourfelves with the Thoughts of the
Things that ihall happen after your Death, and think
not but that there are yet Ibme worthy and able to
fucceed you in your Employments. When God is
pleafed to be favourable to Kings, and to caufe their
Empire toflourifh,he raifeth up faithful Minifters, and
wife Governors ; as when he gave to Pharaoh a Jofeph>
to Hezekiah an Eliakim, to Nebuchadnezzar a Daniel.
When he pleafeth to fearch into his unfathomed Trea-
fures, he can quickly provide Men after his own Heart,
adorned with all the Abilities required for a worthy Dif-
charge of a glorious Employment. In the mean while,
ifthon haitovercome6/7ta;:,Sin, the World and Death,
thou {"halt go and take PoiTeflion of a greater and more
laiting Glory.' He that bears upon his Garments and
Thighs this Infcription, The King cf Kings } and the Lord

agalnft the Fears of DEATH. 197

if Lords, hath given out this unchangeable Promife,
He that Jhall overcome, and hath kept my Words until the
End, I will give unto him the Power ever the Nations,
and he (hall govern them with a Rod of Iron,

Right honourable Counfellors, that aflift your Prince
with your fage Advices, and you inferior Magistrates
and Judges, never forget what Jehofaphat faid to the
Judges of his Kingdom, 2 Chron. xix, Take heed what
ye do y for ye judge not for Man, but for the Lord, who is
with y mi in the Judgement: Wherefore, now let the Fear
of the Lord be up on you, take heed and do it; for there is
no Iniquity with the Lord our God, nor RefpeSt of Per-
Jons, nor taking of Gifts, Pfal. Ixxv. Whenfoever ye go '
to take your Place amongft the Judges of the King-
dom, remember that God fits there upon his Throne;
and every Time that you give a Charge, or pronounce
a Sentence, confider that you are to follow God's Di-
rections and that this great Creator takes Notice of
your Actions, Words, and of the Motions of your
Heart, and that he tmderftands your mod fecret
Thoughts. Judge with the fame Equity and Juflicc
with which ye defire to be judged. If you be tempted
to overthrow Right, to conceal Truth, or to commit
any Injuftice, either by a bafe Compliance, by an Ex-
pectation of worldly Advantage, or for filthy Lucre,
remember that it is the Devil that tempts you; pray
therefore to God, to deliver you from his Power. And
that you may be better able to command yourfelves
with an holy Awe, mind that Death fummons you to
appear in Perfon, nay, drags you before the univerfal
Judge of Mankind, to give up an Account of all your
Actions, and of the Sentences you have given. But if
Death furprizeth you when you are difcharging your
Office with all the Diligence and Integrity imaginable,
ftay not till it/orces you, but caft off willingly the
Robes of Judicature, to take the Habit of a Suppli-
cant, and pray to God that he may not enter into
Judgement with you, becaufe no living Creature lhall

\-j . * **^

be juftified in his Sight, PfaL cxliii.

Let

198 T^he CHRISTIAN'S Confutations

Let not the Thoughts of what fhall happen after
your Deceafe, obftruct your Chriftian Resolution.
There are Men enough in the World of a fufficient
Ability to fupply your Places j and God is able to raife
up fome that we dream not of, as when he created in
one Day threefcore and ten Judges in Ifrael, whom he
endowed with fufficient Abilities, and with the Graces
of his holy Spirit. He may produce fome that will
be as righteous and juft as yourfelves, and it may be,
more enlightened with Discretion and Prudence than
you. Come off therefore willingly from thefe Seats
of Judicature, fo befet with Thorns, upon which you
fhould never reft without Horror and Dread, if you
fincerely fear God; and go with Confidence to the
Throne of Grace, that you may obtain Mercy, and
find Grace to help in Time of Need, Heb. iv.

And as there may be as much Regard to Religion
in the Tents of David, as in the Temple of Solomon -,
and that the Sword of Gideon agrees well with that of
the Lord of Hofts; I may make my Addrefs to you,
worthy Generals, brave Captains, and generous Nobi-
lity, unto whom Kings, Princes, and Commonwealths
commit the Leading of their Armies. I fpeak not to
you, profane Atheifts, who laugh at the facred Myf-
teries, and are of Opinion, that all Fear of God muft
be banifned out of your Troops and Companies, and
that the moft wretched Varlets are the beft Soldiers ;
but I fpeak to you, chriftian and religious Comman-
ders, who forget not, by your Promotion amongfl
Men, that you are neverthelefs the Soldiers of Jefus
Chrift : and though you wear at your Side a material
Sword, forget not to employ alfo the Sword of the
Spirit, the Word of God that dwells in your Hearts.
Neither do I intend to fpeak to you that manage War
with an Intent only to fatisfy yourRevenge, your Am-
bition, or your Covetoufnefsj but I fpeak to you,
brave and worthy Captains, who have purified your
Weapons in an heavenly Fire, who undertake War
only to procure a more lafting Peace to the Public,

and

agamji the Fears of DEATH.

and fight only to ferve your Prince and Country; you
that are the great Bulwarks of States and Empires, by
whofe Labours and Vigilancy Men deep in Security.
Let the whole World fee by Experience in your Per-
fons that there is nothing that agrees better with true
Generofity, than Piety and the Fear of God. Behave
yourfelves always as in the fight of your Maker, who
is always prefent and accompanies you in all your
Actions. Remember that he hath commanded to re-
move all Filth from the Camp of IJrael, becaufe of
his holy and divine Prefence. If you will obtain his
Blefiing upon your Perfons and Defigns, cad out of
your Armies the Filth of Vice, and punifh, without
Mercy, Rapes, Burnings, Impiety, and Blafphemies.
Caufe your Soldiers to put in Practice St. John the
Bflptift's moft excellent Advice to the Military Men of
his Time, who enquired what they were to do to be
favedj Do Violence, faid he, to no Man, neither accufe
any falfly, and be content with your Wages. Live as
Lambs and fight as Lions. Spare as much as you can
the Blood of your Soldiers, and died not that of your
Enemies, but againft your Wills j for they are God's
Creatures and bear his Image. Never truft to your
own Valour and Experience, but remember that it is
God that gives courage and ftrengthens your Hands
in the Day of Battle, who caufeth Fear and Terror to
fly where he lifteth. Look always upon David's Ex-
ample j there was never a captain more courageous,
nor more willing to venture his Life; and yet there
was never a Perfon more zealous in Prayer to God,
nor more fubmiflive to his Will, nor more careful to
return unto him the Praifes of all his Advantages,
And if Death comes to put a flop to your Victories,
or to call you away in a Time when your Prudence
and courage are requifite, wonder not at it, confider
that God offers you by this Means an Occafion of a
more glorious Victory, and a more magnificent Tri-
umph: For the Victory over Thoufands of mortal
Men, and, the whole World, is nothing in Com-
parifon of the Victory over Death and Hell. Inquire

not

200 The CHRISTIAN 's Confoiations

not who fhall fucceed you in the Conduct of your Ar-
my, out of a Diftruft of God's Providence: For he
who is able to raife up Children unto Abraham out of
Stones, can raife up alfo from thence Captains and
Soldiers. When he pleafeth to give a Check to the
Enemies Pride, and to deliver his People from their
Tyranny, he can raife up Gideons, Jephthahs, Samfons,
and fuch like extraordinary Commanders. Who
knows but that he will caufe a General to fucceed
you, that fhall have more Courage and Generofity,
and, perhaps, fhall be blefTed with a greater Happi-
nefs, and more glorious fucceffes? When Mofes de-
parted to his Reft, Jojhua commanded in his ftead,
and for that Purpofe, God enabled him with a noble
Spirit of Wifdom and Courage. Forone Enemy that
Mofes overcame Jojhua deftroyed Thoufands. Where-
as Mofes did but coaft along the Land of Canaan, and
turn up and down in the Wildernefs; Jojhua brought
the People of Ifrael into that pleafant Country, and
into a peaceable Poffeffion of it. Since therefore itij
God's Pleafure, leave to others the care of temporal
Wars, and go ye, gather the pleafant and delicious
Fruits of an eternal Peace, which had been purchafed
unto you by the Blood of the Son of God.

Likewife, you faithful Minifters ofjefus Chrifl, re-
member to fhew the example of a Refignation to
God's good Pleafure, according to your Doctrine. Let
not Death caufe you to draw back. Thou haft, Brother
a Will to glorify God on Earth; well, but thou {halt
glorify him better in Heaven, with more Zeal, and
lefs Impediment. W T hilft thou art fettered with this
finfulFlefh, thy Miniftry muft needs be accompanied
with many Imperfections. Thou imagined, that if
it pleafed God to prolong thy Days, thou inayeft be
inftrurnental in the Reformation of the World; but
thou art miftaken, Brother; for this World is accuf-
tomed to Evil, and this Age is hardened in Iniquity:
Preach as much as thou wilt to the Inhabitants of this
inferior World, it ihall be as in the Times of Noak

the

agalnft the Fears of DEATH. 201
The Herald of Righteoufnefs, when the Patience of
God waited for the Converfion of Sinners 5 for the
whole Earth is fo corrupt, that all the Thoughts and
Imaginations of theHeart of Man areevil continually.
They are rebellious and fmful from the Cradle ;
and if God doth not interpofe his Almighty Hand,
and implant in us the Virtue of his Holy Spirit, they
, will grow worfe and worfe, until they tumble into
their Graves. If thou afflicl: never fo much thy juft
and innocent Soul, and fpend thyfelf in exhorting the
greateft Sinners to fly from the Wrath to come,
and the Judgements of God that hang over their
guilty Heads ; it may be thou fhalt be mocked by thy
neareft Relations, as Lot was by his Sons-in-law.
Though thou fhouldft thunder out the Threatnines

O O

of God's Law againft the abominations of ljrael> as
zealoufly as the Prophet Ifaiab, thou lhalt be forced
at J,aft to confefs, / have laboured in vain, I have em-
ployed my Strength for nought, Ifa. xlix. Jer. vi. Though
thine Eyes fhould be converted into a frefli Spring of
Tears, and thou fhouldft fpend the Days and the
Nights in calling upon the Superftitious, the Schifma-
ticks, and Idolaters, to forfake their falfeWorlhip, and
their unchriflian Proceedings, thou fhalt not be able
to foften the Hardnefs of their Hearts, nor overcome
their Obftinacy; but they will be ready to fpeak to
thee in the Jews Language to Jeremiah: As for the
Word thou haft fpoken to us in the Name of the Lord*
we will not hearken unto ,thee-, but we will certainly do
wbatfoever T'hing goeth forth out of our own Mouths,
to burn Incenfe unto the Queen of Heaven, and to
four out Drink-Offerings unto her, as we have done,
ive and our Fathers, our Kings and cur Princes, in the
Cities of Judah, and in the Streets of Jerufalem -, jcr
then we had Plenty of ViRuals, and were well, and faw
no Evil, Jerem. xliv. Though thou Ihouldft fpeal^
with a divine Tongue, and with an Heavenly Wif-
dom, thou mayeft have good Caufe to cry out, Who
hath believed our Report 3 and to whom hath ths Ann

P of

202 ^^CHRISTIAN'S Conjoint ions-
of the Lord been revealed? Ifa. liii. John xii. In fhorr,
as the Rivers of frefh Water, that run continually into
the Sea, cannot cure its bitter and fait Qualities; thus-
thy good and holy Life, thy learned and excellent
Sermons, will not be able to remedy the Corruption
of this prefent evil Age, nor flop the Torrent, and
hinder the Overflowing of Vice: For thy Labour and
Induftry, if compared with the Corruption; of the
World, are as inconfiderable as a few Drops of Water
in Comparifon to the Ocean. This curfed Earth may
be watered by thy Sweat and Tears; it will never-
thelefs bring forth nothing but Briars and Thirties.
The Weeds which thou thinkeft to pluck up, will
tear thy Skin, and draw Blood out of thy Hands. In
fhort, he that plants is nothing, nor he that watereth,
but it is God who giveth the Increase, i Cor^m.

It isjuftly to-be feared, that in (laying any longer
Time in this unwholfome Air, thou may eft receive fome
evil IrnprefTion from the general Contagion. It is to
be feared, that thou mayeft fully thy pure Hands by
handling fo many Wounds and Sores, and that the
Thorns of this curfed Earth may pluck off the Wool ef
thy harmlefs and innocent Life.

But though thou ihouldft have a thoufandTimes more
Gifts and Graces, and that thy Labours, fhould bring
far greater Advantages and Profit to Cbrift's Church,
it belongs not to thee to give Laws to thy God, but
to follow the Motion of his Will. Leave to him the
chief care of his own Houfhold, and reft upon his eter-
nal Providence. He hath more Right in the Church
than thou canft pretend to; for he hath created it by
his Power, and redeemed it with his precious Blood.
He that cares not for his own, efpecially for thofe of
his ramily, hath denied the Faith, and is worfe than
an Infidel. And can God, who is Faithfulnefs itfclf,
and the very Being of Truth; God, who cannot deny
himfelf, and whofe Gifcs and Callings are without Re-
pentance, Rom. xii. can fuch a God caft off all Care
W his Church, of that which he embraced with an

eternal

agatnft the "Fears of D E A T H. 203

eternal Love, and cherifheth as the Apple of his Eye?
Jer. xxxi. This Father of Mercies, who hath not fpar-
ed his own Son, but hath delivered him to die for his
Church, how ihould he not with him freely give her
all Things? Rom. viii. He underftands better than
thou, and all the Men in the World, what is proper
and advantageous for his holy Congregation, and for
every Member that compofes it. He knows how to
provide for all its Wants ; for his Wifdom is infinite,
and his providence is mod wonderful.

When this great God hath a Defign to plague his
Enemies, and to declare his Juftice, he hath always
Agents ready, and his Quiver full of Arrows. As foon
as he commands the holy Angels, that wait before him,
to caft their Sickles in the Earth, or to reap, or pour,
down the Phials of his Wrath, thefe holy Spirits fly
with an unfpeakable Swiftnefs to perform his facred
Pleafure, Rm. xiv. and xvi. Likewife when he intends
to do Good to his Chofen, he finds in every Place the
Heralds of his Mercy, and his divine Hand is always
fullofBleffings. As the main Ocean of his wonderful
Bounty can never be dried up, likewife the Channels
by which he conveys them to us fhall never fail.

TheCaufeof thy Complaints fhould ferve to appeafc
thy Grief, nourilh thy Faith, and increafe thy Hopes;
for if thou art graced with extraordinary Gifts, this
proceeds not from thy Nature, nor thine Induftry, but
God's Favour and Bounty. Now thou mayeft be affur-
ed, that his Hand is not fhortened, his great Power
is not lefiened, the Well-fprings of all his Bleffings
and Wonders are not flopped nor dried up, If a. lix.
He that fends a defired Whitenefs, the Prognoftick of
an approaching Harvefb to thefpacious Fields, Job\v.
he fends alfo, into his fpiritual Harveft, Labourers,
when he fees it convenient; In this latter Age, and
in the Old Age of the World, as well as in the firft
Appearance of his Church, Luke xix. he finds Men to
work in his Vineyard ; or rather he forms and fafht-
ons them with the Hand of his Grace, and enables

P 2 the in

204 *be CHRISTIAN'S Conjblations

them by his Holy Spirit; for he gives the Mouth and
the Tongue; he maketh deaf, dumb, and blind; and
reftores the Eye-fight; he calls Things that are not,
as if they were, Matt. xx. Exod. iv. Rom. iii.

When he defigns for himfelf a Tabernacle, he calls
by Name a Eezaleel, and fills him with the Spirit of
Wifdom, of Underftanding and Knowledge, in all
manner of Workmanfhip, Exod. xxxi. When he re-
folves to deliver the Children of IJrael from their Ba-
byloniflj Captivity, and to build the Temple of Jerufa-
lem, he hath at his Command Cyrus, Darius, and Ar-
taxerxes, Ezra vi. 14. He ftirs up 'iorvbabels, EJdraJJes,
and Nehemiabs. Likewife, when he intends to repair
the Breaches of his Houfe, and to increafe the Kingdom
of our Lord and Saviour, he makes Servants, and fit
Agents, and beftows upon them fufficient Graces for
fuch anobleWork, PJ. viii. Matt. xxi. As he has never
left himfelf without Witnefs in doing Good, thus he
hath never been without Witnefies to declare his facred
Truths,* Luke xix. By the Mouth of Babes he perfects
his Praifej and as our Saviour told the Jews, If tbefe
heldlbeir Peace, the Stones would cry out, Luke xix. God
will take the Pillars of the Idol's Temple to prop up
his Church, rather than fufrer it to fall down. He will
change the Wolves into Lambs, and the Lambs into
Shepherds, rather than his Sheep fhould want their
necefiary Pafture. He choofeth the feeble Things of
this World to confound the Strong; the Defpicable,
and fuch as are not, to deftroy fuch as are, i Cor. ix.

Thus God never leaves his Church without fome
Teftimony of his Favour, fome powerful Tnftrument
of his Grace: But many Times when he removes one
good Thing from us, he beftows upon us fomethiog
more rare and excellent. This Confideration glads the
Heart of Jojepb upon his Death-bed, as appears by
what he faid to his Brethren; I am going to die, but God
will not fail to vifit you, and caufe you to go up from bence
unto the Land, tkat he fware uuto Abraham, Ifaac, and
Jacob, Gen. 1. For inftead of a Jofepb, who had occa-

fioned

agalnft the Fears of DEATH. 205

fioned their Bondage, God raifed up aMofes, who deli-
vered them with almighty Hand and ftretched out Arm,
2 Kings ii. Thus God took up Elijah with a chariot of
Fire, but he gave unto Eli/ha a double Portion of his
Mafter's Spirit, and caufed his glorious Miracles to
appear more admirable. Alfo oufcLord and Saviour,
when he had finifhed the great Work of our Redemp-
tion, afcended up into I^eaven, a Cloud conveying
him up to the Throne of his Glory; but, according to
the Promife, he hath not left us deftitute, but hath lent
us the Comforter to dwell with us forever, namely, the
Spirit of Truth, whom the World feeth not, nor can
know, Jcbnxiv. Chrift's corporal Prefence was enjoyed
but by a fmall Number of People; but this divine Spi-
rit is like a large River, that fwells and runs over every
where, John vii. This holy Spirit is not only with us,
but alfo within usj he is poured out into our Hearts,
he leals us for the Day of Redemption ; he is the
Earneft of our Inheritance, until the full Confumma-
tion of the Glory refer ved for us in Heaven. Therefore
when this merciful Saviour faw'his Apoftles afflicted
in an extraordinary Manner for his leaving of the
World, he fpeaks to them in this Language; Becaufe I
have/aid thefe Things unto you. Sorrow hath filled your
Hearts: Nevertbelefs, I tell you the I'rutb; it is expedient
for you that I go away ; for if I go not away, the Comforter
will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will fend him unto
you, John xvi. When Stt.Paitl took his laft Farewel of
the Elders and People of the Church of Ephefus, they
wept bitterly, being grieved to the Heart becaufe he
faid, That none of them Jhouldfee his Face any more. But
to comfort them, he affures them, that in Heaven they
had a Father and Protestor, and fuch a Shepherd as
would never forfake them. I commend you, faith he, to
God, and to the Word of his Grace, which is able to build
you up, and to give you an Inheritance among all them that
are Janftified, Ads xxii. Remember therefore, O Man
of God, ferioufly to confider all rhefe Things; if the
Lord, who has called thee to the facred Fun&ion of

P 3 the

2c6 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolationt

the Miniftry, continues thee in the World, labour with
Courage and Diligence in thine holy Employment;
be not tired in the Service of this good Mafter, and
merciful Saviour; fight the good Fight of Faith; en-
dure patiently all Kind of Labour, as a good Soldier
of Jefus Chrift; b as earreft and as careful for the
Lord's Sheep, as Jacob was of thofe of Laban. Hear
what he profefTeth of himfelf, In the Day the Drought
confumsd me, and the Froft by Night, and my Sleep de-
parted from mine Eyes, Gen. xxxi.7<^0endured patient-
ly thefe grievous Pains and Labour, and the Time of
his Service feemed to him to be but a few Days, be-
caufe of the Love that he had for RachaeL Likewife
thou wilt joyfully endure the Troubles of thine Office,
and bear with Patience all the Hardfhips, if thou doft
fincerely love the Lord Jefus, and his heavenly Spoufe';
if thou dofl efteem the Salvation of Souls, for whom
Jefus Cbrift hath fuffered Death ; if thou haft well un-
derftood the Excellency of thine heavenly Reward,
and the Glory prepared for thee, when thou lhalt have
finished the Time of thy painful and difficult Service,
and of thy mortal Race: For they who bring many
to Righteoufnefs, fhall fhine as the Stars for ever and
ever, Dan. xii. Jacob had to do with a deceitful and
unfaithful Man ; but God is not a Man, that he
Ihould lye, or as the Son of Man, that he fhould re-
pent, Gen. xxiii. Be thou faithful unto Death^ and he
will give thee the Crown of Life, Rev. ii.

If it is the Lord's Pleafure to lefifen this Tafk, for
that, inftead of employing thee in his Vineyard, he in-
tends to take thee up into his Kingdom, to drink there
of his new Wine; if at the Time that thou thinkeft of
fowing with Tears, thou art tranfported to the Place
where thou mayeft reap with Songs of Triumph -, if
in lieu of the Oppofition which you muft fuffer from
Sinners, God will grant unto thee his eternal Confola-
tions,, and receive thee into the harmonious Societies of
the Church triumphant, adore his Goodnefs, and his.
infinite Mercy -, caft thyfclf into his Hands, and re-

folve

againft the Fears of DEATH. 2 07

fohre chearfully, to will what is pleafing to him. If
during thine Abode in the Valley of Tears, God hath
given thee a Livelihood; and if thou haft found in
him thy Joy, thy Satisfaction, and thy greateft Com-
fort, Death will be thy Advantage; thou fhalt find
in thy Saviour thy Reft, thy Glory, and eternal De-
lights, Phil. i. Meditate often upon the Words of the
holy Apoftle St. Peter, The Elders that are among/I you,
I exhort, who am alfo an Elder, and a Witnefs of the
Sufferings of Chrift, and alfo a Partaker of the Glory
that Jhall be revealed. Feed the Flock of God which is
amongfl you, taking the Oversight thereof, not by Con-
ftraint, but willingly, not for filthy Lucre, but of a ready
Mind ; neither as being Lords over God's Heritage, but
being Examples of the Flock. And when the chief Shep-
herd/hall appear, ye /hall receive a Crown of Glory that
fadeth not away, i Pet. v.

You alfo, who are afraid to leave behind you a de-
folate, afflicted, and comfortlefs Widow; come and
learn thisLeffon, to rely upon the Goodnefs and ten-
der Companions of the Father of Mercies, who never
fails to comfort the DiftrefTed in all their Afflictions,
and who is always near to them who call upon him
in their Troubles, i Cor. ii. PJaL cxlv. He favours the
Widow to that Degree, that he calls himfelf The Judge
of the Widows, Pf. Ixviii. that is, the Protector of their
Integrity and Right, and fevere Revenger of the
Wrongs that they may fuffer. Therefore God tells us
in exprefs Words, 'That he maintains the Widow, and
eft abli/heth her Borders, Prov. xv. S^tjob was fo mer-
ciful as to caufe the Widow's Heart to fing, Job xxviii.
iiow much more may fhe expect from God's Good-
nefs ? He will doubtlefs fill her with his heavenly Joys,
and the ravifhing Comforts of his holy Spirit. I mean
not the foolifh Widows, that feek for nothing but Plea-
fure, worldly Diverfion, and carnal Paftime; who live
in the Delights of the Age, and who are dead ivlilft tbtj
/he; but I mean thofe wife Widows, who being left
alone by their Hufband's Death, have their Confidence

P 4 and

5T^ CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

and Truft in God, continuing in Prayer Day and
Night.

Our great God, and merciful Lord, hath not only

faid in general, that he is the Judge, the Protector, and

Comforter of the Widow ; but he hath vouchfafed to

ibme his moft fignal Favours, and extraordinary Bleff-

ings. In the Reign oAhab t while a cruel Famine over-

fpread the Land, God fent the Prophet Elijah to a poor

Widow of Sareta- 3 who was preparing nerfelf and her

Son to die, as foon as they had ea- en a little Remnant

of Meal and Oil that was left. But the holy Prophet

comforted her in this Manner; Thus faith the LordGod

/7/Tfrael, The barrel of Mealjhall not wafte, neither Jhall

the Crufe of Oil fail, until the Day that the Lordjendeth

Rain uf on the Earth, i Kings xvii. Many poor Widows

have met with the like miraculous Supplies: For by

a fecret Benediction, God hath caufed their Provifions

not to fail them. Though perhaps they have not enjoyed

any extraordinary Plenty, this all-wife Purveyor hath

furnifhed them with Things neceflary for them : So

that not only both they and their Children have fub-

fifted in the greateft Calamities, but they have had the

Honour of aflifting God's Prophets. And as the poor

Widow in the Gofpel gave Alms out of her Poverty;

fuch Mites have betn more pleafing to God, than the

Treafures of the Wealthy. Moreover, when the Son

of God was in the World, he was pleafed to exprefs

how much Care and Companion he had of Widows:

For when he met at the Gate of the City of Nairn a

poor Widow that wept bitteily for her only Son, who

was carried out to be buried, he was moved with a

tender Feeling of her Affliction; therefore he raifed

the young Man to Life again, and reftored him to his

Mother. It was alfo at the Solicitation of feme devout

Widows, that St. Peter raifed Dorcas from Death to

Life. I muft needs take Notice here of an admirable

Story, proper to comfort every faithful Servant of God.

The Widow of a deceafecl Prophet made this bitter

Complaint to Eli/ha-, Thy Servant my Hit/band is dead,

qnd

agalnft the Fears of DEATH. 209

and thou knoweft that thy Servant did fear the Lord; and
the Creditor is come to take unto him my twc Sons to be
Bondmen> i Kings iv. God, who hear^ the Cry of the
Afflicted, had Companion on that poor diftreffed Wi-
4ow, fo that he gave unto her, by Elijha's Means, in
a Wonderful Manner, fufficient for the Payment of
her Debts, and to nourifh her Family. By this
glorious Example, God declares the Care that he will
have of his Prophets Widows, whilft they walk in his
Fear, and continue in his holy Covenant.

To conclude, modern and ancient Hiftories are full
of notable Examples of wile and virtuous Widows,
who have difcreetly governed their Families, and up-
on w lorn God's BlefTings have vifibly appeared.

Almighty God, who is wonderful in a!l his Works,
caufeth not only Fathers to make i'roviiion for their
Children, but he gives to fome fuch Children, in his
Mercy, who provide for their Fathers, and are an ex-
traordinary BleiTmg to their Family, as Jojeph was
to Jacob and his Houfhola. Such wife and virtuous
Children, who are fo neceflary to their Parents, whom
they love and honour, might, out of their great Af-
fection for them, fpeak to Death in the Language of
the young Man in the Gofpel, Suffer me to gofirft and
bury my Father. Let me alone a-while in the World;
fuffer me to live, O Death, until I have accompa-
nied my Parents to their Grave, until I have clofed
their Eye-lids, and performed the laft Duties that
Nature requires. But hearken, officious Son! what
the Lord faith to thee; Let the Dead bury their
Dead, but follow thou me. Leave to them that re-
main after thee the Care of worldly Affairs, but do
thou obey God's Call. Thy Charity for others mull
not caufe thee to be cruel to thyfelf, and difobedient
to the Command of thy God. Fear not to leave thy
Father and Mother, when thou art going to catt
thyfelf inco the ravilhing Embraces of thy Spiritual
Bridegroom, and of thy Heavenly Father. The
great God, who hath given thee, or rather lent

thee

tte CHRISTIAN'S

thee to them, who caufed them to fubfift before thou
hadft a Being, can feed and blefs them without thee.
His Mercy is not tied to thy Perfon, nor confined to
thine Induftry. When our Lord and Saviour was up-
on the Crofs, at the Sight of the blefled Virgin, and
the Difciple whom he loved, he faid to his Mother,
Woman, behold thy Son-, and to St. John, Son, behold
thy Mother, John xix. And from that Hour that Dif-
iple tack her unto his ovun Home. In like manner, when
God calls unto his eternal Reft him who was the Sup-
porter of his Family, as Jojeph was, he provides for
them by fome other Means. So that if Elkanah could
juftly fay to his Wife, when fhe wept becaufe (he had
no Child, Am I nst better to thee than ten Sons? i Sam. i.
we may fay with more Reafon, that God's Grace, his
Afliftance, and the Comforts of his holy Spirit, are
more worth than ten thoufand Children.

The flrongeft PafTion, and that which I judge to
be the moft apt to hinder a good Chriftian, is that
which Fathers and Mothers have for their little ones ;
efpecially if they be in an Age unable to help them-
felves. But that this natural Pafiion may not tranfport
us beyond the Limits prefcribed by Reafon and Piety,
confider well the Promife that God made to Abraham ,
I am thy God, and the God cf thy Seed after thee, Genef.
xvii. and what St.Peter told the Jews, To you, and to
your Children, was the Prcmife made, and to alljuch as
are afar off, as many as the Lord our God Jhall call,
A6ts ii. Chiefly meditate well on, and imprint in your
Minds, that which God fpake to you from Heaven, by
the Prophet Jeremiah, Leave me thy father lefs Children,
and I will give them to eat, and let thy Widows truft in me,
Jer. xlix. God is the Father of us all, but more efpe-
cially of the Fatherlefs; he hath Compaflion on them,
and provides for all their Neccflities. Thy Children
are more tender to him than to thee; for thou haft
been but a feeble Inftrument in his Hand to put them
into the World : But he is the Creator of their
Souls, the Maker of their Bodies and the Redeemer

ogamft the Fears of DEATH. 211

of them both. He loves them with a ftrorfger an^
mire conftant Love than the beft Fathers, and the
moft tender-hearted Mothers. Therefore he afTures
vs by his holv Prophet, that though the Mother fhould
forget the Child to whom fhe gives fuck, and though,
fhe fhould have no Pity on the Fruit of her Womb,
yet he will never forget us. So that all the Children,
;hat tear God, may fay as David, IVben my Father and
my Mother have forfaken me, the Lord will receive me,
Pfal. xxvii.

If Job had a tender Care of the Orphans, Job xxxi.*
and Pharaoh's Daughter had Companion on the Tears
of a little ftrange Child, how much more fhall God,
who is the Father of all Mercies, and the God of all
Comfort, have Pirv on Children, that he hath re-
deemed with the precious Blood of his only Son?
Exod. ii. 2 Cor. i. Since he hears the Cries of the
young Ravens, he will foon hear the Prayers, Sighs,
and Tears of his Servants Children, Pfalm cxlvii.
Matt. vi. He clothes the Grafs of the Field, which
To-day is, and To-morrow is cad into the Oven, G<?-
nef. ii. How much rather will he clothe your Chil-
dren, O ye of little Faith? Doth your heavenly Fa-
ther nourifh the Birds of the Air? And will he not
rather feed your Children, that are better worth than
all the Birds together? Jobrtxiv. In ihort, fince ood
hath had Companion OR little IJhmael y and on the
Children of Nhteveb, how much rather will he regard
Children who h ive been fanclified to him from their
Mother's Womb?

Our Lord Jefes Chrift y when he was on Earth, took
up in his Arms the iirrle Children th.it were brought
to him, laid his Hands wpon them, and recommend-*
cd them to God his Father. And now that he is in
Glory, his Love and tender Cornpaffion for them is
not leffened. Therefore if we offer him our Children
with all our Hearts, he will take them in his Pro-
tection, and will llretch over them the Anns of his
y, that he will never take from them. In fhorr,

fincc

212 We CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

fince he promifeth to them the Kingdom of Heaven,
and his eternal Felicities, he will not with-hold from
them Things needful for this prefent Life.

We can do nothing without God, but God can do
all Things without us. A great many Children be-
come debauched, and are fpoiled by their Parents
over fond Tuiton j whereas many that are out of their
Sight, and live when they are departed, (hew good
Examples of Piety and Goodnefs. For Example, in
Jjaacs Houfe, in the Prefence of this holy Man,
there was a profane Efau, a Glutton ; whereas Jacob,
that lived at a Diftance from his Parents, when he fled
for fear of his Brother, had always before his Eyes the
Fear 0/~lfaac his Father, Gen. xxvi. and xxxi. that is
to fay, the God whom his Father worfhipped. In Ja-
cob's Houfe, Reuben defiled his Father's Bed with In-
ceflj whereas Jojeph, in Potiphar's Houfe, chofe ra-
ther an apparent Death, and prefent Sufferings, than
to touch his Matter's Wife, Genef. xxxix. David had
the Unhappinefs to fee fome of his Children guilty of
Inceft and Murder, whereas Joajh and Jofias, two Or-
phan Princes, in their tendered Infancy became vir-
tuous and religious Kings, zealous for the Service of
God. How many Children are there, who notwith-
ftanding all the Care and Labour of therr Fathers, fall
into Extremity of Mifery ! How many are taken from'
their Parents Embraces, and dragged from thence to
the Gallows! whereas there are others, who, without
Father or Parent's Affiftance, do not only efcape
grievous Dangers, but rife to Honours and Dignities j
as Joje-ph in Egypt; Daniel in Babylon; and Efther, a
fatherlefs and poor captive Child, became a Queen;
and God made ufe of her, and of her Credit, to deliver
his People from Raman's Confpiracy. We fee every Day
that God blefieth in an extraordinary Manner many
Orphans. Caft your Eyes upon the Children of the
bleffed Martyrs, and you lhall find many whom God
hath made notable Inftances of his fpecial Favours, and
of the Mercy that he promifeth co-fliew unto thoufand

Genera-

ag&injl the "Fears of DEATH. 213

Generations of them that ferve him, and obey his holy
Commands. Thou {halt meet with fome that are
much more happy in this Life, than the Pofterity of
the Perfecutors. Thou (halt fee them with Aftonilh-
ment beftow their Alms upon the Children of fuch as
have plundered their Houfes, and Ipoiled their
Goods.

Whilft you are yet in Being, exhort your Children
to fear God, to ferve him, and to addict themfelves
with all their Heart to the ftudy of Piety, that hath
the Promifes of this Life, and the Life to come. Teach
them firft to feek the Kingdom of God, and its
Righteoufnefs, and all thefe Things fhall be added to
them over and above.

Finally, though your Life fliould be much more ufeful
to your Children than it is, remember what our Lord
and Saviour faith, He that loves Son or Daughter more
than him, is not worthy of him. Heaven is far more
excellent than the Earth: The Salvation and the Hap-
pinefs of our Souls, is to be preferred to all the Confi-
derations of Flefli and Blood. It is not juft, that fueli
as have given us, or to whom we have given, the En-
ioyment of a temporal Life, fhould hinder us from
the Fruition of a fpiritual and eternal Life. Befides,
when we recommend them to God, we put them in-
to the Protect ion of a true and wife Friend, who is
acquainted with their Necefiities, who is fo good to
procure them that which fhall be needful for them,
and is almighty, able to accomplifh all Things which
may be for their Advantage.

Let us therefore conclude, that it is the Duty of a
good Father, that fears God, not to refift Death, nor
to fly from it, when the Lord calls: But according to
the good Example of the ancient Patriarchs, he ought
to end his Days willingly; withthePraifesofGod in his
Mouth, and with Exhortation to his Children to love
him, fear him, and ferve him with all their Heart; to
continue in his holy Covenant, and to prefer him to all
the Riches and Honours of chismiferable Earth. And as

when

214 7#<?. CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

when our Saviour had beftowed his Blefling upon his
Difciples, a Cloud carried him out of their Sight into
Heaven: Likewife when a good Chriftian fhall have
thus given his Blefling to his Children, he will fhut
his Eyes to all inferior Things, and think upon no-
thing but the eternal Blifs of the heavenly Paradife.
If God callsustohimfelf in a miferableand wretched
Time, when our beloved Infants are weeping about
our Bed, ready to fay to us, as IJaac unto Abraham, My
Father here is Wood, a Fire and a Knife; but where
is the Beaft for the Burnt-Offering? Gen. xxii. God
caufeth the vifible Signs of his heavy Difpleafure to
appear every where; in every Corner we fee nothing
but Fire and Sword: Death's frightful Image, and
the fearful Appearance of Maffacres, do fcare and ter-
rify us: Deftruction is come into the holy Places, the
Fire hath reached as far as God's own Sanctuary,
and nobody is able to deliver us: The Deluge of
God's Wrath hath overfpread our Land in fuch a
manner, that, as Noah's Dove, we can find no Place
to fet our Feet on: All our Expectation is, that God
would alfo reach down his Hand to us from above, to
receive us into that Ark which is above the Heavens,
and to which our Soul is now departing, Gen. viii. If
our dear Children fpeak to us in this Language, let us,
with the Courage, Afiurance and Faith of the Father
of the Faithful, return to them this Anfwer, My Chil-
dren, the Lord will -provide, Gen. xii. Rom. iv. It is
he that acts beyond Probability, and contrary to Ex-
pectation; who caufeth the Dead to live, and caUs
Things that are not as if they were. He will fend to
you his good Angels to help you in all your Neceffi-
ties. When you fhall be reduced to the utmoft Extre*
mity, ready to receive the laft Stroke of Death, God's
Hand will flop the Sword of hisjuftice, he will change
your Crying and Fears into Joy and eternal Gladnefs.
There will be fome holy and devout Soul, that loves
the publick Peace and Tranquillity, that will bring to
you the Olive-branch of Peace. God can appeafe the

Tempeft

again ft the Fears of DEATH. 215

Tempeft with his Breath; at his Command the Winds
will be ftillj and the roaring Waves, that are ready to
devour you, will return to their former Tranquillity.
Otherwife he will preferve you miraculoufly alive in
the Midft of the greateft Troubles, and moft fearful
Confufion. And as Abraham found a Ram entangled
in a Bufh, likewife, in the Midft of the fharpeft Storms
of Affliction, and in the moft intricate Difficulties
that you dread, you fhall find unexpected Sweetnefs
and Comforts. And as feveral Colours of the beauti-
ful Rainbow appear upon the Cloud, whence proceed,
the Storms and the Rain; likewife thus, in the greateft
Afflictions, God will give you fome Teftimonies of his
fatherly Care, and of his divineLove. The Confidence
that you fhall have in God, fhall never be confounded;
for the Love of God is fettled in your Hearts, by the
Holy Spirit that he hath given you. The hotter the
Fire of Affliction fhall be, the more and greater Mi-*
racles it Ihall bring forth. The higher the Waters
cf your Flood fhall rife, the nearer they will approach
your Souls to God, and the nearer you will draw to
Heaven, the Place of your Souls everlafting Reft.
Comfort therefore yourfelves, my dear Children, and
afTure yourfelves, that by the favourable Affiftance of
God's Grace and Mercy, we fhall fpeedily fee one ano-
ther again. I fliall not return to you, but you fhall
come to me ; for I am going to that fpacious and
magnificent Dwelling, whither our Lord and Sa-
viour Cbrift is gone before, to prepare a Place for
us, and where he will embrace us all. / am going up
to my Father, and your Fat her $ to my God^ and to your
God.

A Prayer

2 1 6 he CHRISTIAN'S Confdatlons

A Prayer and Meditation for fuch as are in any
Command, to prepare for Death, by trufting
upon God's Providence.

Q King of Kings ; and Sovereign Lord of the World!
I adore thy divine Majejly, with a real Senfe of thy
fpecial Favour, for leaving placed we in this honourable
Station, advanced me to this Command and Empire, -which
I am now ready to refign into thy Hands : Suffer me not
to be puffed up with Pride., or to forget my mortal Con-
dition in the Midft of all this *ut c joard Splendour and Glo-
ry. While I continue here, grant that I may jiudy to pro-
mote thy Honour and Service, and treat fuch as are under
me as my Fellow-Creatures , and thy Servants : Grant that
I may behave myfelf as in thy Sight, and in all my Ac-
tions be ready to give up an Account to thee, my great
Judge, of my temporal Admimftr alien. Grant that Death
may never furprize me, but that I may always be pre-
pared to entertain it with ~joy 3 to lay down this Crown
and Sceptre, to caft off this purple Robe, and all thefe
Marks of my Authority., to yield them into thy Hands.
Wean my Heart and Affe5fions from their temporal and
deceitful Vanities, that I may be willing to part with
them at thy Command. Let me look up to thy heavenly
Kingdom, meditate upon thofe divine Excellencies of bter-
nity provided for me, from which Death fliall have no
Power to remove me. 1 fubmit myfdf wholly, with all
the Riches, Grandeur, and Power, that thou haft be-
jlowed upon me, unto thy divine Pleafure, to difpofe of
me as thy Wifdom Jhall judge convenient. But I bejeech
tbee, good God, take into thy Protection the Subjects that
I leave behind. Continue thy : i-ruth and Gcfpel to them,
and their Pofterity. Grant that my Succeflbr may have
the fame Zeal, Love, and Care for Religion, that he may
be a Support to it, and cauje it to flourifo more and more.
Give to ail thy People Grace to love ar.d j<ar tbee, to be
united among themfaves, and obedient to Authority, stnd
now, L:rd, receive me into thine eternal Mercy, and into
that Kingttfm where I may glorify thecfor ever. Amen.

A Prayer

agalnft the Fears of DEATH. 217

A Prayer and Meditation for a Minifterof the Gofpel,
who looks upon Death with Joy and Comfort.

Q Um-verfal Shepherd and Bijhop of Souls ! I cannot
juffidently acknowledge and value the Graces and
Mercies with which I find mifelf lleffed, and thy Favour
in calling me to an Office which the Angels efteem an Ho-
nour to be employed in, and in which thou haft been aftive
during thine Abode in the World. I'hcu hajl been pkafed
to appoint me a Mitrifter of thy People, and to commit to
wytfruft -the dear eft andmoft precious Thing in the florid,
namely, the Church, for which thou haft exprejjed fb great
a Love, as to give thyfelf and Life to redeem it. I am fen-
Jible, O Lord, of my Weakness and Insufficiency for fo
weighty a Charge-, fmce 1 am to encounter with the
World's Hatred and Cruelty, the Devil's Wiles and Ma-
lice, and many Hard/hips btfides, from thofe who Jhould
encourage me. I expeft therefore from thy Power and
Goodnefs the AJJiftance needful to fupport me under all
temporal Difficulties, while thou art pleafed to continue
me in this Employ. Open a wide Gate to the Gofpel of
thy Grace y that all People may fee the Salvation of God :
Difappoint all the Counsels of thine Emmies, and grant
that I may neither be frighted nor corrupted in the Dif-
charge of my Duty. Subdue Satan under our Feet, and
grant that thy Ttutb may be always victorious over Er-
ror and Herefy. I am now, Lord, to appear before theH,
to give thee an Account of my Stewardship. 1 appeal
therefore to thine infinite Knowledge, that can witnefs for
me, how faithfully and Jincerely I have endeavoured to
perform the Duties of my Calling j and my Conscience can
teftify for. me, that I have declared nothing but what is
agreeable with thy divide Oracles. I have endeavoured
to inftruff the Ignorant, to difcourage Vice and Profane-
nefs, to comfort the troubled in Mind, and in all Things
to promote Religion, Piety, thy Glory, and the Good of
thy Church in the World. I have preferred thy Will and
thy heavenly Treafure to all worldly Advantages ; I have

taken

2 1 8 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

taken a fingular Pleasure in declaring the wonderful
Gounfels of thy Wifdom, and the Myfteries of thy King-
dom , / have delighted arid endeavoured to fave Souls ;
Jo that I may Jay with David, the Zeal of thine
Houfe hath eaten me up. But for ell this, 2 -pretend
not to be jufiified before flee. In all Humility I caft my-
f elf at thy Feet, to implore the Pardon of my frequent Im-
perfetlions, Neglefls, and Miscarriages , which 1 have
been guilty of in thy Service. I conjejs 1 have been want-
ing in my "ieal and Charity ', too remifs in the Reproof cf
Vice ; too much concerned fcr my f elf, and too ajfeBionatc
for my worldly Inttreft. O Lord, if thcu foouldft now
treat me according to the Severity cf thy Juftice, and re-
quire from me the Souls petiftjed by my Negligence or evil
Example, I Jhould expecJ .the Doom of the unprofitable
Servant. But there is Mercy referved for me with thee,
O my God! Accept therefore my Repentance for all the
Errors and Omiflions of my Life paft, and lay them not
to my Charge, but comfort me with thy Salvation.
Strengthen my Faith, incrcaje my Hope and Affurance
in thee. And when Death (hall come to make a Dijfolu-
tion, give me Strength and Grace to welcome it as thy
Meffenger fent to remove me from my Station, to free me
from my Pains and Labour, And convey me to thine eter-
nal Rejl, where I jhall be r.o longer jenfible of the Vi-
cioufnefs and Impieties of tit Age. Gracious God, pre-
Jerve thy Church and People from all ravenous Wolves
and mercenary Souls, and raijf up a faithful, folid, wife,
and learned Clergy. Bring in $ur diffenting Brethren, and
give a Check to the Spirit of Dii ifion, that we may all
ferve thee in Unity of the Spirit, in the Bond of Peace.
But now I am called to another Mini/try, where I Jhall
meet with no Trouble nor Refinance ; no Wearinefs, Grief,
Pain, Sorrow, or Dijpleafure -, where I Jhall be received
into the Embraces of my blejjed Saviour, who will lead
me to the Fountain of living Water, and. wipe away all
1 ears from mine Eyes. Amen.

A Prayer

againjt the Pears cf DEATH. 219

A Prayer and Meditation for the Father of a
Family.

pATHE R of Eternity y I yield unto thee my unfeigned
Thanks, becaufe thcu baft made me an happy Inftru-
tnent to put into the World Children, out ofwbofe Mouths
thou may eft accomplijh thine own Praife, and who may ferve
thee here below, and worflrip thee for ever in Heaven
amongft the Thousands of Angels. Whilft I have been in the
World, I have brought them tip in thy Love and Fear. I
have caufed them to fuck from the Ere aft the Milk of Pie-
ty , and when they were come to an Age of Under ft anding^
I have taught them to walk in thy Precepts. 1 have la-
loured to Jhew them a good Example, and to guide them
in thy Truth. And now that I am ready to return unto
thee, who art the Author cf my Life and Being, the only
Source of my Happinefs, I leave them in thy merciful
Bands, befeeching thee to loak down upon them with the
Eyes of thy CcmpaJJion. They are thine, Lord, acknow-
ledge thine own Image and Handy-Work. Thy Finger hath
fajhioned their Bodies, where Jo many Wonders' are to be
feen-, and their Souls, that animate and move them, are
the Breath and Beams of thy Divinity. Thcu baft en-
gaged to be cur God, and the God of our Pofterity after
us. Thy great and precious Premifes have been made to
us, and to our Children. heavenly Father, I de/ire not
that thou jhouldft take them out of the World, but that
thou jhouldft keep them from Evil. Cover them under the
Shadow of thy Wings, and preferve them from thofe Mi-
feries and Calamities, which thou haft threatened to fend
upon the Inhabitants of the Earth for their Bins. If thou
chaftifeft them, let it be with the Rod of Men, and with
the Scourges of the Sons of Men; but withdraw not from
them thy Grace and thy Fatherly CompaJJion. Let the
Flames of Affliftion render their Faith more pure, their
Lives more holy, and their Zeal more fincere and earneft ;
and let it prepare them for thee, and thine eternal Blifs.
O holy Father, thou feeft that the Age wherein we live is
extremely corrupt, that the Earth is inclined to Vice, and

Q2 that

22O The CHRISTIAN'S Confolatwns

that Sin reigns every where. Thou knoweft alfo how weak
the Nature of Children is, and how inclinable to Evil ;
therefore -jlrengtken them, I befeech thee, with fuch Anti-
dotes as may preferve them from the Infection of the Times.
Suffer not the Wickednefs of the World to gain upon their
jiffeiBions, nor Satan to prevail upon them by his Suggcf-
tions, nor Evil Company to jpoil their pious Education.
Give them an Understanding to know thee, an Heart to
love thee, and Affections to embrace thee and thy Glory.
Let thy holy Angels guard them by Night and by Day.
Let thy Providence defend them, thy Word inftruft them,
thy Promifes comfort them, and thy Holy Spirit regenerate
them, and imprint in their Souls thy blejjed Image. Give
them neither Poverty nor Riches but ncurijh them with
Food convenient. Make them to tafte of the heavenly
Gift, and of the Powers of the World to come. Inflame
them with thy Love and Charity, and adorn them with
all Chrijlian Virtues ; but chiefiy fanftify them with thy
Holy Spirit, and make them to become new Creatures;
Jince without Sanclification none Jhall fee thy Face in Glo-
ry. Confirm them for ever in thy Holy Covenant, and give
them Grace to tranfmit it to their Pojlerity after them,
as a blejfed Inheritance that thou mayeft be glorified by
them from Generation to Generation, to all Eternity. Suf-
fer not the World, nor Hell, to pluck them out of thine
Hand, that nothing may Jeparale them from the Love
<whii h thou haft foewed to them in Jefus Chrift thine on-
ly Son. Let not Death terrify them-, but let it rather re-
joice and comfort them, becanfe that it is the Entrance to
the glorious Dwelling of their heavenly Father, and to
the cdfjlial Paradife. What fc ever Change or Alteration
Jhall happen here below, let them always lift up their
Eyes to thee, who art the fame Tefterday and 'To-day,
and Jhalt be the fame for ever. Let them never forget
their Duty to thee, from whom they have received their
Being and Life, that they may prefer the Glory of thy
great Name, the Purity of thy Worfhip and the Hopes of
thy heavenly Kingdom, to all. worldly Glory, Magnificence,
Riches, ^dv ant ages t and Plcafuros of the Flejh. Merci-
<i fid

agalnjl the Fears {/'DEATH. 221
fill and almighty Lord, I Jkall not fay to thee as Efau
did to Ifaac, when he had bleJJ'ed Jacob, My Father,
haft thou but one Bleffing ? Fcr lam certain, thai
then haft an infinite Number and many inexbauftille
Fountains of all Manner of BleJ/ings. But 1 befeech thee
with all the Zeal and Earneftnefs that I am capable of,
to blefs my dear Children with thy heavenly and princi-
pal Favours. 'Take them inti thy Proteftion, bear them
in thy Hands, embrace them with tender . Companion, and
. let them be as dear to thee as the Apple of thine Eye. I
am new leaving the World, and my Children, without
Grief cr mijlrufting thy Care of them. I am amending
with Joy up to thee, who art my God, my Father, and
their Father-, and I truft in thy great and eternal Mer-
cies, one Day we Jhall fee one another in thine heavenly
Kiugdom, when we /hall be admitted to behold thy Face,
which Jhall Jill us with unfpeakable Gladnefs and PUafure.
Amen.

CHAP. XIII.

firft Confolation againjt the Fear of Death: Gop
will not forfake us in our moft grievous Agonies.

MAN is naturally afraid of Pain, and abhors
Sufferings and Grief,.' Now the moft of us
are perfuaded, that it is impoflible to die without en-
during great Torments j therefore they abhor Death,
not fo much for its own Sake, as for the Evils it in-
flifts upon us.

That we may be able to drive away this ill-ground-
ed Fear, and ftrengthen our Minds againit all Appre-
henfions, we muft firft confider, that Death is not fo
dreadful and painful as is commonly imagined. The
Holy Ghoft calls it a Sleep, and the Heathens them-
felves have faid, that Sleep is Death's Coufm-german,
and the Image of frozen Detth. Now Sleep creeps up-
on us infcnfibly, it charms our Senfes foftly, and with

invifible

22 ^be CHRISTIANAS Confolatwns

invifible Fetters it ties and flops all our mod active
Faculties. Though we deep everyNight, we are not able
to difcover how this happens to us. It is faid of Socra-
tes, one of the moft famous Men of the firft Ages,
having in Obedience to the Decree of the Athenian
Judges, drank Poifon, when he felt the Venom be-
numbing his Senfes, and Death creeping intohisVeins,
he declared with a pleafant Countenance, 'That he had
never /wallowed any 'Thing more fweet and comfortable.
Nothing can be imagined more pleafant than the
Death of the old Patriarchs. The holy Scripture tells
us, that when Jacob had made an End of command-
ing his Sons, he gathered up his Feet into the Bed, and
yielded up the Ghoft, Gen. xlix. The fame is related of
King David, that when he had perfuaded Solomon to
fear God, and to do Juftce, he Jlept with his Fathers,
i Kings i. God is as merciful to many in thefe latter
Days, to caufe them to die in fpeaking and calling up-
on his holy Name. Their Souls are not plucked from
them by Violence j but of their own Accord they leave
the Body, and fly into Heaven with an holy Chear-
fulnefs. The Separation of fuch Souls happens with-
out Pain, Grief, or Suffering. Such are like to aTa-
per, that goes out without any Blaft of Wind, of its
own Accord, when the Wax that keeps it alive, and
nourifhes its Flame, is totally fpent. If you perceive
fome tofTed and tortured with grievous Pangs on
their Death-bed, they are not properly the Pangs of
Death, but the laft Strugglings and Motions of Life :
For I cannot imagine, that at the Moment of the Se-
paration of our Souls from our Bodies, we fuffer any
Pain; becaufe at that Inftant the Senfes are then
lulled afleep, and our Bodies have no more Strength,
nor Life, to hinder the Soul's departing.

Death is fo far from being fo dreadful and painful
as we commonly imagine, that on the contrary, it is
that very Thing that puts an End to all our Pains and
Miferies. And I am perfuaded, that the Difeafes that
bring us to our Graves, are not fo grievous as the

other

agalnjl the Fears of DEATH. 223

other Diftempers that we endure whilft we live here
on Earth, fuch as are a cruel Gout, a Stone in the
Kidneys, or a Cancer in the Breaft; for they are Tor-
tures that rack us continually, and a Fire that con-
fumes us without ceafmg. But if our Pains fhould be
far more fenfible, and that we Ihould have Reafon to
impute them to Death, we have no Reafon therefore
to fly from it, or abhor its Approaches : For we have
as good caufe to curie theHourof our Birth, and weep
for our Victories; for there is no Birth without Pain,
nor Victory without Struggling. The moft glorious
and flouriihing Laurels are watered with Blood and
Sweat.

The moft excellent Thing-s are attained with the

greateft Difficulties; and to fpeak according to the
common Saying, as One Nail drives another, fo one
Evil is a Remedy to many other Evils. We common-
ly feek, as a good Thing, that Evil that frees us from
the violent Pains that we can fcarce endure, To be
healed of our Diftempers, we fwallow bitter Pills and
Potions, to gripe and torment our Bowels. To be
freed from the Stone, we fuffer a moft painful Cut-
ting ; and that the Gangrene, which infects one of our
Limbs, might not get to our Heart, we endure it with
Patience to be cutoff, whether it be Arm or Leg,
Therefore, tho' Death Ihould be much more grievous,
bitter, and more cruel, than is commonly reprefented,
yet we ought to embrace it willingly, becaufe it deli-
vers us not only from fome one Difeafe, or fome par-
ticular Pain, but in general from all Pains, Aches,
and Diftempers. The Phyfick expels not always the
Humour that difquiets us. When we have drawn out
a Stone from the Bladder, many Times others grow in
the Place that are worfe. The Surgeon's Hand, let it
be ever fo expert, anfwers not always to the Patient's
.Expectation ; inftead of removing his Pain, it fome-
times increafeth it. But the Working and Cure of
Death is always certain, and never fails; the Succefs
js always happy to a Chriitian Soul.

That

224 *be CHRISTIAN'S Confutations

That I may fupply thee with fome Comfort in the
Midft of thy great Pains and Sufferings, my Brother or
my Sifter, remember that thefe Things happen to thee
not by Chance, butGod appoints them as hisWifdom
judges convenient. Afcribe not thy Difeafeto the In-
fluence of the Stars, to blind Fortune, &V. but lift up
thine Eyes to his Appointment, who hath ftretched out
the Heavens, and commanded the Succefilon of the
Seafons, and who is the Author and Lord of thy Life.
We need not tempt God, as the Philiftines of old, and
require from him a Miracle, to know if it be his
Hand; for God afiiires us, that he himfelf inflids
the Wound, and binds it up; that his Hand ftrikes,
and heals again, i Sam. v. jdffliti&n cometh not forth
of the Dufti neither doth Trouble faring out of the Ground,
Job v. Who is able to fay that thefe Things are come
to pals, and the Lord hath not commanded them?
Doth not Evil and good proceed from the Appoint-
ment of the moft High? There is no Evil in the
City but God hath done it; that is to fay, that there
is no Diftemper, nor Affliction, but he overrules and
governs it by his wonderful Providence.

This Perfuafion will ftop our Murmuring in the
Midft of our greateft Trouble and violent Pains: It
will caufe us to fay with David, I have held my Peace,
Lord, and have not opened my Lips, lecauje it was thy
Doing. Or if we offer to fpeak, it will be in the Lan-
guage of a bleffed Servant of God, Lord, thou trouUefl
me; but it is Jujjicient for me to know that it is thy Hand,
Job ii. As if he fhould have faid, This Phyfick is very
bitter, O greas Phyfician of my Soul and Body; butl
will freely drink it up, becaufe thou haft prefcribed it..
It is not juft to receive Good at the Hand of God, and
refufe Evil; to complain of a Dife'afe that he hath fent
us for a few Days, inftead of bleffing him for the
Health which he hath continued to us many Years.
In fhort, when our Souls fhall be troubled with An-
guifh of Death, when Drops of Blood fhall come out
of our Veins, we muftin fuch a Cafe lift onr Eyes to

Heaven,

again/I the Tears of DEATH. 225

Heaven, and fay with our Lord and Saviour, Father,
if it pleafe tbee that this Cup Jhould not pafs away from
me, except I drink it, thy Will be done.

The fame Confederation will keep us from falling
into Defpair, and from fancying, that the Evils will
fwallow us up: For fince God fends both Evil and
Good, and that he is faithful and juft, that he is true
and merciful, he will not fuffer us to be tempted, that
is, that we fhould be afflicted above that we are able,
but with the Temptation he will make Way to efcape,
that we may be able to bear it, i Cor. x. He kindles
not all his Wrath at once, and employs not all his
Fury. He difcovers not all the Strength of his Arm,
Pfal. Ixxviii. but when his Anger is hottell, he re-
members to have Pity and Companion on the Afflict-
ed; for he knows of what we are made, and that we
arebutDuftandAfhes, Hab.m. He remembers that we
are but Flefh, that is to fay,Weaknefs itfelf, a Wind
thatpafleth away, and returneth not again, Pf. Ixxviii.
He regulates his Chaftiiements, not according to the
Horridnefs of our Sins, but according to our great
Weaknefs, Gen. xviii. Pf. Ixxviii. Therefore, when
God fpeaks of David's Son, the true and lively Image
of the holy Seed with whom he had concluded an eter-
nal Covenant, he fpeaks in this Manner: If he commit
Sin, I will chaftjje him with the Rod of Men, and wish
the Stripes of the Children of Men ; but my Mercy /hall
not depart away from him, iSam.vii. And St. Paul,
treating in General of the Afflictions with which God
vifits his Children, i Cor. x. he ftyles them Human.
Temptations, to affure us, that they ihall never exceed
the Strength and Power of Human Nature.

The wife and experienced Phyfician appoints nei-
ther Phyfic nor Bleeding to the Patient, until he hath
well examined his Pulfe, and underftood thereby the
Difpofition of his Body; and fhall not God's eternal
Wifdom, that never acts without good Reafon, and
that perfectly knows the Pulfe and Temper of our
Souls, that fearcheth our Reins, and fees our very Heart,

proper-

226 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

proportion his Phy-fic and Remedies to our Weak-
nefies? For his Defign is to heal, and not to deftroy
us. He once inflicted Punifhments upon Babylon by
Meafure, and numbered the Phials of his Wrath which
he poured upon the Seat of the Bead: And (hall not
this good God meafure theRods,and weigh the Afflic-
tions with which he reproves his Children ? Shall not
he number their Sighs and Tears ? This Confideration
comforts King David, 'Thou, faith he, O God, tellejl my
Wanderings; 'put thou my Tears into thy Bottle: are they
not written in thy Book? Pf. Ivi. Although Flefh and
Blood may think otherwife, I am perfuaded, that Dif-
eafes may be looked upon as the fweeteft and moil fa-
vourable Affliction. It was David's Perfuafionj for
when he was to chufe one of thefe three Plagues, either
War, Famine, or Plague, which is the mod grievous,
moft hated, and dreadful of all Diftempers, he chofe
the Plague. We fhould never forget the "Reafon of
his Choice. Let us fall ncvj (faith he to the Prophet
Gad} into the Hands of the Lord, for his Mercies are
great, and let me not fall into the Hand of Man.

The Evils which God fends to us, are Expreffions
of Love, and of his fatherly Care of us : For God be-
gins his Judgements, that is, his Chaftifements, at his
own Houfe, and (hews moft Severity to his Servants,
whom he loves beft, i Pet. iv. Therefore he tells the
Angel of the Church of Laodicea, As many as I love, I
rebuke and cbaften, Rev. iii. The greateft Affliction
that can happen to us in the World, is, never to be
afflicted j and the moft grievous Temptation, is never
to be tempted. St. Paul to the Hebrews fpeaks moft
excellently upon this Subject. Forget not, faith he,
the Exhortation which fpeaketh unto you as unto Chil-
dren. My Son, dejpife not thou the Chafiening of the
Lordy nor faint when thou art rebuked of him ; for whom
the Lord loveth^ he chafteneth, and fcourgetb every Son
whom he receiveth. If ye endure chcftening, Gad dea'eth
with you as with Son? ; for what Son is he whom the Fa-
ther cbaftenetb not? But if ye be without Chaftifement,

where-*

againft the Fears of DEATH. 227

whereof all are Partaker s y then are ye Baftards, and n<Jt
Sens, Heb. xii.

All Things work together for Good to them that
love God, Rom. viii. The Difeafes of the Body are the
Phyfick of the Soul. The Aches which afflict thee are
Inftructions to thy Mind. God intends to make thee
figh for thy Sins, to water thy Couch with thy Tears,
and abhor the Remembrance of thy former Mifcar-
riages, Pf. vi. By the Caufes of thy prefent Pain and
Grief, he intends to taint thy Flefh, mortify thy Luft,
and make thee partake of his Holincfs, Heb* xii. If it
pleafe God to fanctify his Afflictions to thee, thou wilt
be able to fay with David y It was good for me that I
was afflicted, that I might learn thy Commandments. Be-
fore that I was afflitted I went aftray, but now I keep
thy Word., Pf. cxix.

Though our Lord and Saviour was the only Son, and
the Beloved of the Father, Heb. v. yet he learned Obe-
dience by the Things that he fuffered. God hath pre-
deftinated thee to render thee conformable to the Image
of his Son, that he might be the Firft-born among
many Brethren. God propofes to ftrengthen thee with
an holyConftancy, and to teach thee to pofTefs thy Soul
with Patience, Luke xxi. He caufed thee therefore to
learn by Experience, that all Flefh is as Grafs, and
all the Glory of Man as the Flower of Grafs. He de-
figns to humble thee under his mighty Hand, that he
may lift thee up in due Time, i Pet. iii. When God
purpofed to bring the Children of Ifrael out of Egypt>
Exod. xxi. 5. he caufed the Yoke of their grievous
Bondage to be more heavy, and loaded them with
more intolerable Burdens. For the fame Reafon God
fends Afflictions, and fills us with Bitternefs, becaufe
he would bring us to a Loathing of the World, and
of its Vanities, and to think upon Heaven, and its
eternal Happinefs. i Cor. xi. He chaftifeth thee, that
thou mayeft not perilh with the World i he punifheth.
thy Body, that thy Soul might be faved.

As the Gold is tried in the Fire, thus the Lord cafts
us into the Flames of Affliction, that our Faith might

228 he CHRIS TIAN'S Confolatlons

be tried, and appear more precious than fine Gold,
i Cor. v. We glory in God in the MidfL of Tribula-
tions, knowing that Tribulation produceth Patience,
Patience Experience, and Experience Hope, i Pet. iii.
Now Hope doth not make us afhamed, becaufe the
Love of God is fpread in our Hearts by the Holy
Ghoft, which hath been given to us. God will kindle
again thy languifhing Zeal, and enliven thy Prayers,
that they may be more acceptable to him. Tell me
not that thy Diftemper is an heavy Burden, that hin-
ders thy Soul from lifting itfelf towards Heaven, and
that thy grievous Aches dry up the Moifture of thy
Tongue, and caufe thy Lips to flick together; for I
mean not the Prayers compofed by Art, but the ho-
ly Affections and earned Sighs of the Soul, fent up
to God. A Groan of an opprefled Soul, and Sigh
from us by Neceffity, and a Tear dropped from a pe-
nitent Heart, are far more acceptable to him, than
Prayers of forty Hours, that come forth of an hypo-
critical Mouth.

When the Prophet Mojes faw himfelf inclofed be-
tween Pharaoh's Army and the Red Sea y he was fo
grievoufly perplexed, that he could not open his
Mouth; but God heard the Voice of his Heart, and
anfwered his filent Requefl. King Hezekiah muttered
as the Crane, or as the Swallow, and groaned as the
Pigeon; and God had a Refpect to his Groaning and
Tears, and heard him from his holy Sanctuary. The
Sighs of Jonas in the Whale's Belly mounted up
through the Waves of the Sea, and afcended to the
facred Habitation of God's Glory. The Cries ofjefus
dying upon the Crofs have pierced through the Bofom
of our heavenly Father, and have moved the Bowels
of his eternal Mercies. In fhert, God fpeaks thus of
all his Children, Before they cry y I will grant them their
Requeft ; and as they /halt yet be Jpeaking, I Jhall have
heard them. Therefore the Royal Prophet faith not
only, Afloat Gcd hath heard the Prayers, lut hath heard
the Defire of the Humble; thou wilt prepare their Heart s y
thou. wilt cauje thine Ear to bear. For that Reafon,

when

cgalnfl tie Fears of DEATH. 229

when the Apoftle St. Paul makes mention of that
Spirit that fupports our Weaknefles, and that teacheth
us to pray, he faith, 'That he crieth in our Hearts, Slbba,
Father, andmaketh Requeft for us with Sighs and Groans
that cannot be uttered, Rom. viii.

Take good Courage, my Brother, or my Sifter, and be
not frighted at the Sight of Death. Thou feed a nar-
row Pafiage, a Way all befet with Thorns and Briars;
but it is Heaven's Gate, and the Way that leads to thy
heavenly Paradife; for we muft of Neceffity march
through a Valley of Tears, before we can enter into the
City of the living God, Pf. Ixxxiv. We muft pafs
through manyTribulations tocome to theKingdomof
Heaven, ARs xiv. Blefied are they whom God afflicts,
for they fhall be comforted, Matt. v. Blefled is the Man
that fuffereth Temptation; for when he fhall be fuffi-
ciently proved, he fhall receive the Crown of Life,
which God promifeth to them that love him, *James i.
The Lord fends thee that Affliction, and this grievous
Temptation, not only for thine own Good and Salva-
tion, but alfo for the Benefit of others. By his won-
derful Wifdom he preferves the Communion of Saints,
and fo difpofeth of every one, that we all contribute
to the Building of his Tabernacle. Upon one he be-
ftows Riches, that he fhould be bountiful in Alms-
deeds; to another he gives Learning, that he might
inftrudt the Ignorant, and comfort the Afflicted; he
raifeth others to great Honours and Dignities, that
they might be able to protect the Innocent, and deliver
the Oppreffed. Others are afflicted with defperate Evils,
and grievous and long Difeafes; others are deprived
of their moft needful Senfes, as of their Eye-fight, or
of their Hearing, that they might edify their Neigh-
bours by an holy Conftancy and Chriftian Patience.
The Afhes of poor Jcb have more Luftre than all the
Gold and precious Stones in the World. It is many
Ages iince he endured grievous and dreadful Cala-
mities; neverthelefs, his Patience is yet propofed to
us for our Example, and to the End of the World it
will always inftruct the Church of God. He teacheth

thee

230 *fhe CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons
thee by the Evils which thou endureft, to be moved
with Mercy and Companion towards others in the
fame Condition: For as he required, that the Chil-
dren of IJrael fhouid be gracious to Strangers, becaufe
they had been Strangers in the Land of Egypt - y like-
wife he fends to thee Afflictions, that thou mighteft
pity the Afflicted, and fuffer with them, as Members
of the fame myftical Body. This appears in Jefus
Chrift our Head; for though the chief End of his Suf-
ferings was to redeem us, and to reconcile us to God
the father, neverthelefs the Holy Ghoft informs us,
that he was like unto us in all Things, Sin excepted,
that he might be a merciful High-Prieft, and have
Compaffion on our Infirmities.

Finally, the Affliction that grieves thee, is not only
fent to thee for thy Salvation, and for the Inftruction
of thy Neighbours, but alfo for the Glory of the great
and living God, who hath made and formed thee j for
we may fay of every, Difeafe that happens to good
Men, as Chrift fays of Lazarus' 's Diflemper, 'This Sick-
nejs is .not unto Death, but for the Glory of God, that the
Son of God might be glorified by it. Thou mayeft be fevere
to thyfelfj but thou muft be charitable to others, and
judge difcreetly of thy Brethren's Afflictions. When
thou art in Pain and Trouble, think ferioufly upon thy
Mifcarriages, and turn unto God with all thy Heart;
but when thou feeft others caft upon a Bed of Sicknefs,
do not argue from thence, as David's Enemies, that it
is becaufe they have committed fome grievous Crime;
rather confider, that it may be a Means which God de-
figns to employ to declare his Power, and his Servants
Patience, Faith, Piety, and Virtues. Therefore our
Lord and Saviour tells the Apoftles, when at the Sight
of a Man blind from his Birth, they enquired from
him, Whether the Man had finned, or his Father or
Mother, becaufe he was born blind ? That neither the
Man, nor his Father, nor Mother had finned, but that
the Works of God might be made mam f eft in him, John ix.
By thefe Words we are not to imagine, that they were
without Sinj for there is nonejuit, no not one; but

tgainft the Fears of DEATH. 23 1

we muft underftand, that they were not guilty of an
heinous Sin, nor had committed any fuch Crime as
had drawn upon them the Vengeance from above. It
was God's Will that this poor Man fhould come into
the World with natural Imperfection, that he might
make him an Inftance of his Grace, and declare in him
his almighty Power; and that our Saviour, in giving
him his Sight, might make appear that he was the true
God, who fafhions the wonderful Eye, and that he was
the true Light, that enlightens every Man coming into
the World, Pf. xciv. John i. Likewifewhen fome came
to inform this great and .wife Saviour, what had hap-
pened to the Galileans, whofe Blood Pilate mingled
with their Sacrifices, he replied in this manner, Suppofe
ye that theje Galileans were Sinners above all the Galile-
ans, becauje they Juffered Juch Things? I tell you, Nay-,
but except ye repent, ye jhall all likewije ptrijh. Or thofe
eighteen, upon whom the Tower of Siloam/^// and flew
them, think ye that they were Sinners above all Men that
dwelt in Jerufalem ? I tell you, Nay; but except ye re-
pent, ye jhall all likewife perijh, Luke xiii.

God is glorified divers Ways by the Afflictions and
Calamities which he fends to his Children: For, firft,
hejuftifies them before all the World from the Calum-
nies which are caft upon them; and he difcovers there-
by to all theSincerity of theirLove, and their unfeign-
ed Obedience. Satan accufeth us for ferving God for
the Advantages which we receive in this Life, Job i.
becaufe he is pleafed to protect and favour us by his
over- ruling Providence: Therefore God removes ma-
ny times from us that which is pleafing and delightful
to the Flefh; he gives us the Bread of Affliction for our
Food, and the Waters of Sorrow for our Drink j he
prefents us with Cups full of Bitternefs, and caufeth
his Rod to return upon us often. By thefe grievous
Temptations he flops the Mouth of the Accufer of our
Brethren, who accufeth them Day and Night before
God, Rev. xii. He declares by that Means to all the
Enemies of our Salvation, and of his Glory, that we

put

232 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations
put their full Confidence in God alone, and in his un-
changeable Promifes, and not in the outward Tokens
of his Mercy and Favour, Rev. ix. He fhews to all
the World, that the Anchor of our Hope is not fixed
here below, but that it is fattened in Heaven, where
Chrift is entered as our Fore-runner, Heb. vi.

As God is glorified in Afflictions, he is alfo honour-
ed by our Deliverance: If the Land of Judea had not
been peopled with Deaf, Dumb, Lame, Blind, Decre-
pit, and pofierTed with Devils, Afts ix. if Mneas had
not been fick eight Years, if a poor Woman had not
been grieved with aBloody-Flux twelve Years, if ano-
ther had not been vexed with theDifeafe that had bent
her Body, if the Sick of thePalfy had not been lying in
his Bed thirty-eight Years, if the Daughter of Jairus
had not been dead, if the Widow's Son of the City of
Nairn had not been carried to the Grave, in fhort, if
Lazarus had not been buried four Days, the Glory and
divine Miracles of our Lord and Saviour had not been
admired all over the World, Matt.ix. Lukexm. Johnv.
Likewife our defperate Difeafes, and our unexpected
Recoveries, when human Skill can do nothing, de-
clare to the mod fenfelefs Souls, that it is God alone
that can give the Wound, and bind it up, and that
leads to the Sepulchre, and brings back again, Lukevii.
John xi. Jobv. i Sam. ii. God's Deliverances of his
People from their Afflictions are of two Sorts j for
either he takes away the Burden from us, or he
ftretcheth out to us his merciful Hand, and helps us
to bear it; either he removes his Affliction, and pa-
cifies our Grief, or he (trengthens us with Power and
Courage, and arms us with Patience, and a generous
Refolution needful in fuch a Cafe. This appears in a
notable Manner in the Apoftle St.Paul; for fear that
he fhould be lifted up in Pride, becaufe of the Excel-
lency of his divine Revelations, God gave him a Thorn
in the Flefh, and fent the Angel of Satan to buffet
him, and to increafe the Bitternefs and Sharpnefs of
his Difeafe.. This holy Man prayed often to re-
move

again/I the Hears of D E A. T H . 233

move it from him, but God took not his Thorn away
from his Flefh; nor did he check that Mefienger of
Satan that afflicted him; but he delivered him in a
more illuftrious Manner: For he ftrengthened him
with his Divine Spirit; enriched him with his Graces;
he made him feel the Virtue and Power of Chrift with-
in him, and accompliflied his Virtue in Paul's Infir-
mity: Jnfomuch that this great Apoftle cries out in
the fharpeft of his Affliction, with Tranfports of Joy,
/ take Pleajure in Infirmities, in Reproaches, in Necejfi-
ties, in Perfecution, in Diftrcjfes, for Cbrift's Sake; for
when I am weak, then lamftrong: I can do all things
in Chrift that ftrengthens me, 2 Cor. xii. This may be
alfo ieen in the Martyr St. Stephen-, for he was con-
demned to die a Death the moil painful and grievous
that we can imagine; but God gave him fuch power-
ful Comforts, and filled his Mind with fuch Joys, that
his Face fhined as that of an Angel. You muft un-
derftand the Words of St.Paul in that Manner, in
his Epiftle to the Hebrews, Acts vi. Heb. v. Jefus
Chrift having offered up Prayers and Supplications,
\vith ftrong Crying and Tears, unto him that was
able to fave him from Death, was heard, in that he
feared ; for he was not altogether freed from the Suf-
ferings and Torments of the Crofs; but he endured
them courageoufly, and was more than Conqueror in
all Things. He drank up the very Dregs of the Cup
of God's Wrath; but by his divine Power he over-
came the Strength of the Poifon: His heavenly Fa-
ther took him not down from the Crofs, nor out of
the Hands of his Murderers ; but he hath erected
upon it his glorious Trophies, and the Crofs hath
been as his triumphing Chariot. Likewife, when you
fee a Chriftian bear up in the midft of a grievous Af-
fliction, and overcome his Grief by his Conftancy
and Patience, who inftead of Mourning rejoiceth,
and comforts himfelf in his Diftreffes; you may
then conclude, that fuch an one is ftrengthened by
God's Divine Spirit, who upholds him, and accom-

R pliiheih

234 Tfje CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons
plilheth his heavenly Virtue in his Servant's Infirmi-
ty. This is the mod miraculous and excellent of all
Deliverances.

I confefs, fome approve this Difcourfe very well,
and admit thel Cor, relations in their ordinary Dif-
eafesj but as foon as any extraordinary and violent
Grief feizes upon them, they are apt to murmur againft
God, and to complain, that their Punifhment is too
grievous. Some proceed farther, to curfe, as Job, the-
Day of their Birth; and, being brought into Defpair,
are ready to cry out with Cain, My Punijhmsnt is greater
than I am able to bear. Unhappy Man! Wilt thou
imitate the barbarous Heathens, who curfe the 1 Sun
\vhen it burns them, and let fly their Arrows againft
Heaven when it thunders? Wretched Man! Whac
xv-ill it avail thee to affront thy Creator? What Ad-
vantage wilt thou reap from the Blafphemies which-
thou belched forth againii the Sun of Righteoufnefs ?
Miferable Worm of the Earth! contemptible Duft!
wilt thou undertake to contend with God, to pluck
him from his Throne, and break the invincible Arm
of his Power? Doll thou imagine to ftop the Hand
of his Vengeance, by offending and finning againft
him? Wilt thou quench the Fury of his Wrath, by
foitting in his Face? Believed thou, that he will dretch
forth his Hand to deliver thee, and to increafe thy
Blefllngs, whilft thy Mouth is open to blafpheme him,
who is thy Sovereign Lord ?

Liden well, I befeech thee, Friend, to my Advice,
and I will help thee out of the Labyrinth where thou
art unhappily intangled; and, with God's Help, I
will caufe thee to underdand, that thou complained
wrongfully againft him, who performs all Things ad-
vifedly, and with Juftice and Reafon.

i. Run over the whole Courfe of thy Life, and
confider how many wicked Acls thou had committed j
ibme by Indifcretion, others wilfully; how many
Words have efcaped out of thy Mouth, how many
Though u have beta entertained in thy Mind, againft

Ggainjl the Fears of D PATH. 235

the Commands of Almighty God: Confiderferioufly
the Number and Heinoufnefs of thy Sins and Mil-
carriages, and thou fhalt find that God's Punifh-
ments are farlefs than thy Defertsj and that, for one
fenfible Stroke of a bitter Pain that chou feeleft, thou
haft deferved many Thoufands; fo that thou fhalt have
Caufe to confefs with the Prophet Damd, O Lord,
Righteoufnejs belongeth unto thee, but unto us Confujion
of Face y Dan. ix. And thou wilt fay with David, In~
numerable Evils have ccmpajftd me about, mine Iniqui-
ties have taken hold upon me, Jo that 1 am not able to
look up-, they are more than the Hairs of my Head; there-
fore my Heart faileth me; there is no whole Part in my
Flejh, becaufe of thine Indignation, nor Reft in my Bones,
becaufe of my Sins, Pfal. xl. ^_

2. Confider how many are in the World to be pre^
ferred before thee for Piety, and yet fuffer {harper and
longer Evils than thou haft hitherto endured, and
have not had fo much Comfort and Afilftance. If
thou compared thy Condition with theirs, thou lhalt
find that God fpares and favours thee very much,

3. Caft thine Eyes upon the Death and Paffion of
our Lord and Saviour, who, being juft and innocent,
hath fuffered for us wicked and abominable Sinners.
Thine Affliction is painful, I confefs , but that which
thy merciful Redeemer has undergone for thee, was
far more infufferable. Let his Exclamations, his
Tears, and Drops of Blood, which came out of his
Veins, be a Witnefs; and that earned Prayer which
he repeated three Times upon his bended Knees, Fa-
ther, if it be pojjible, let this Cup pafs from me, that
I may not drink if. Let that doleful Voice upon the
Crofs declare it, My God, My God, why haft thou for -

faken me?

4. Weigh, in jnft and equal Scales of the Sancluary,
all the Sufferings of this Life, with the Torments of
Hell which thou haft juftly deferved. Compare them
together, and thou wilt quickly conclude, that all thy
Pains are nothing in Comparifon to the grievous Tor-

K 2 tu res

^<j "ffje CHRISTIAN'S Confolattons

turesof that Lake ofFireandBrimftone, where there
is Weeping and Gnafhing of Teeth. If thou art fen-
fible of thefe vanifhing Pains, confider well how
much thou art obliged to the Goodnefs of God, who
hath freely pardoned all thine Offences, and redeemed
thee from that eternal and unfpeakable Mifery of the
other Life.

5. Thou muft imitate thofe Men, who having their
Sight dimmed with the extraordinary Splendour of
bright Colours, or of a Body of Light, turn off their
Eyes to look upon lefs offenfive Objects. Inftead of
handling always the Wounds and Sores, inftead of
thinking upon the Afflictions that lie heavy upon thee,
meditate upon the Goodnefs and Favour of God,
vouchfafed to thee fince thy Conception until now. i
give thee Leave to put in one Side of the Scales all thy
Croffes, Lofies, Difeafes, Pains and Grief, upon Con-
dition that in the other Scale thou wilt caft all the
Mercies, Favours, Bleffings, and Deliverances, which
thou haft received from God's liberal Hand. It is
true thou groaneft under thy Mifery, and complained
of thy Condition j thou verily believeft that there is
none fo miferable as thou art, fo that willingly thou
wouldft fay with the Prophet Jeremiah, Doth not this
move ye ', O ye that fafs by? Behold and fee if there be any
Sorrow like unto my Sorrow, which is done unto me, where-
with the Lord hath affliffed me in the Day of his fierce
Anger. But though there fhould be nothing elfe but this
alone, that God hath called thee to the Knowledge of
his holy Will, enriched thee with the Graces of his
Divine Spirit, and fown in thy Heart the Seeds of eter-
nal Life, and the blefied Hopes of feeing his Face in
Glory; thou oughteft to look upon thyfelf as one of
the happieft Creatures under Heaven.

6. Finally, Thou muft meditate with a religious

Attention upon the Joys, and the eternal Bleffednefs,

ofParadife: For I reckon, with the Apoftle, that the

Sufferings of this prefent Life are not worthy to be com-

:h the Glory which Jball be revealed unto us y

Rom.

againft the Fears ofDEATu. 237
Rom. vii. When we caft our Eyes upon the Earth
alone, we judge it to be very fpacious and large. Our
Sight is loft in the Contemplation of fo many Pro-
vinces, Cities, and Kingdoms; but, when we compare
it with Heaven, we find it to be but a Point. Like-
wife, when we look upon and reckon up the Hours,
Days, Weeks, Months, and Years of our Sufferings,
the Time appears very tedious and long; but, when
we compare all thefe Parcels of Time with Eternity,
they feem to us but a Moment. Though we fhould
have been plunged in the Depths of Evils andMiferies,
from the firft Inftant of our Entrance into the World,
until the laft of our going out; yet we have Reafon
enough to fay with St. Paul, Our light Affliction, which is
but for a Moment, workcth for us a far more exceeding
and eternal Weight of Glory ; while we look not on the
Things which arc feen, but on the Things which are not
f-een ; for the Things which are feen are temporal, but the
Things which are not feen are eternal, Cor. iv.

The only Spring of all our Comforts is God's gra-
cious Promife of feafonable Help in Timeof Need. Im-
print therefore in your Minds thefe divine Pafiages,
I'/hen he that loveth me /hall call upon me, I will anfwcr
him; I will be with him in Trouble, I will deliver him,
and honour him, Pfal. xci. The Lord delivers from all
Temptations them that honour him; he is rich unto all
that pray unto him, 2 Pet. ii. He is near to all them
that call upon him; yea lo all them that call upon 'him
faithfully, Rom. x. He accomplice th the Defire of the
Humble, he hears their Cry, Pfal. cxlix. The Righteous
is encompajjed with many Evils, but the Lord will deliver
him from them all, Pfal. xxxiv. Call upon me in the Day
of thy Dijlrejs, and I will deliver thee, and thou Jhalt
glorify me, Pfal. Iviii. When a poor Subject is courted
and vifited by his Prince, in the Time of his Sicknefs,
he looks upon it as a great Favour and a Happinefs
indeed : And, when we enjoy the Prefence of a dear
Friend, whom we defired to fee, in the midft of our
pioft grievous Pains, we are wont to fay, Methiuks t

H 3 A'*

238 *fbe CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

feel no more Pain now that I have the Jatisfaflion of
your good Company. Now the Glory of God's Majefty
accompanies the Tendernefs of his Love. He is the
Father of Mercies, and the God of all Comfort, who
comforts us in all our Afflictions. He is like that faith-
ful Friend that never forfakes us: For in our greater!
Calamities he fuccours us, Prov. xviii. He is the King
of Kings, and yet our moft cordial and fincere Friend,
who frequently vifi;s theHoufes of Sorrow, and is near
to every broken and bruifed Heart, PJal. xxxiv. The
more we are oppreffed with Evil, the more he re-
members us, JtJaL cxxxvi.

Notwithstanding our Childrens Imperfections and
Mifcarriages, we cannot bear to fee them in Diftrefs,
but are moved with CompafTion and perfuaded to
help them according to our Ability: And fhall thy
God, who loves thee moft fmcerely, and more cor-
dially, than the beft of Fathers, and the moft tender-
hearted Mothers, do their Children, forfake thee in
the Day of Affliction? This merciful and loving Fa-
ther, who did take thee into his Protection, when
thou didft enter into the World, and who fince hath
furniilied plentifully to all thy Neceffities; fhall he
deny his gracious Affiftance now in the Time of this
thy Calamity? He who hath fulfilled his Praife by
thy Mouth, when thou didft fuck at thy Mother's
Bread, who hath crowned thy youthful Days with
his divine Bleffings, will not forfake thee now in thine
old Age. He will not caft thee off in the laft Mo-
ments of thy Life, when thy Strength is decayed, and
thou art not able to help thyielf.

When we offer any Affiftance to our fick or wound-
ed Friends, we labour to leflen their pain; we employ
all our Skill, and difcover our moft excellent Secrets ;
at leaft, we endeavour to make them fenfible of our
Cifpleafure and Grief for their Diftempers, by our
Sighs and Tears, and by all good Offices. Their
Complaints and Groans are Darts that ftrike us to
the Heart: Likewife our merciful God is fenfible of

our

again ft the "Fears of DEATH. 239

our Calamities; when he fees us oppreffed with grie-
vous Pains, his Bowels yearn, his Heart is as it were
moved, and his tender Love for us is concerned. In
all our Afflictions he is afflicted; and whofoever
toucheth us, toucheth the very Apple of his Eye, Hof. i.
Ifa. Ixiii. He is faid to weep and grieve at the Tor-
ments that we feel, and to be fenfible of our Infirmi-
ties. He binds up our Wounds, and pours into them
his divine Balm, Luke ii. He cures the difeafed Heart,
and caufeth the bruifed Bones to rejoice, Job v. He
cafteth into our Beds of Sicknefs his mod excellent
Perfumes, and drives from thence all Grief and Dif-
pleafure. When a peftilential Fever hath feized upon
you, this heavenly Phyfician can give you fome cor-
dial Waters, powerful Antidotes to keep the Poifoh
from the Heart, Jer. xxx. Pf. cxlvii. li. xxxiv. Cant. i.
His gracious Hand can drive from the Soul the Ve-
nom with which the old Serpent labours to infect it.
He will, in thy Need, clap upon thy Head, thy Sto-
mach, or rather to thine Heart, not a bleeding Pi-
geon, but the living and cherifliing Virtue of the Ho-
ly Spirit. Only difcover to him the afflicted and dif-
eafed Part or Member of thy Soul or Body, and he
fhall anoint it with the Oil of Joy andGladnefs, that
lhall run down into thy Joints and Marrow. If thou
feeleft thyfelf weak or fainting, fay to him, as the
Spoufe in the Canticles, Comfort my Heart with Wine t
Chap. ii. and he will not fail to prefent unto thee
the new Wine of his Kingdom. If thou art thirfty,
afk of him fome Drink, and he will give thee of
that Water, Which if a Man drink, he/hall never be
athirft.

My Brother, or my Sifter, caft thyfelf upon God; for
his Power is as great as his Love to thee. He under-
ftands, better than Thou or we can, what is expedient
and good for thee. Li his due Time he will make thy
Pains to ceafe, and will pull out of thy Flefli its in-
commodious Thorns; either he will drive from thee
the Spirit that afflicts thee, or accomplish his Virtue in

R 4 thine

240 *fbe CHRISTIAN'S Confolations
thine Infirmity. He will ftrengthen thee in fuch a
Manner, and with fuch Patience, Conftancy, and
Faith, and fill thee with fo much extraordinary Joy
and Comfort, that every one fhall vifibly perceive,
that God himfelf is thy Help, and that his Virtue
iuftains thee. O how fweet and pleafant is God's Af-
fiftance to a Chrifiian Soul ! It brings along with it
fo much Pleafure and admirable Delight; it caufeth
fuch undeniable Teftimonies of our Predeftination to
appear ; it gives us fo many rare Foretaftes of our ce-
lestial Inheritance, that St. P<z/ prefers it not only to
all the Pleafures and Honours of the World, but alfo
to his being ravifhed into the third Heaven, and to
his feeing unfpeakable Things, which cannot be ut-
tered, 2 Cor. xii.

If Afflictions are increafed with Chrift, Joy and
Comfort .increafe alfo with him: For as God com-
mands Wine to be given to a Man whofe Heart is
opprefled with Sorrow, to drive away his Sadnefs,
2nd bury his troubled Thoughts in Oblivion ; fo in
the greateft Evils he fupplies us with the ftrongeft
and moil cordial Corifolations. It is on this Occafion
that he declares his greateft Power;, and pours out
mod plentifully his divine Graces, If a. ix. Though thou
fhouldeft walk through the Flames, the Fire fhall not
burn, nor touch thee: For as the Son of God was in
the Furnace with Daniel's three Companions in Baby-
Ion, Dan. iii. thus in thy mod violent Fits of the Fe-
ver, in the midft of thy mofi: grievous Aches, he will
fatiate thy Soul, and thou fhalt be like a watered Gar-
den, or as a living Spring of Comfort, that can never
be ftopped or dried up. Let the Storms and Floods
beat againft thee, let the Defluxions endeavour to
choak thee, If a. Iviii. thou mayeft fay with King Da-
vid) Ibavejet the Lord always before me-, becauje he is
at my Right Handy I ft all not be moved > Pf. xix. Though
I fheuld walk in the Valley of the Shadow of Death;
though I fhould have no other Help, nor Affiftance in
the World; though no more Strength remains in my
4 Body,

Ggalnjl the fears 0/* D E A T H . 241
Body, I would not fear; for, GW, thy Staff and thy
ftod ivill comfort me, Pf. xxiii. God will not only draw
near to thy Sick-Bed; but he will embrace and re-
ceive thee in his Protection, he will kifs thee with
the Kiffes of his Mouth, and make thee tafte of the
Sweetnefs of his divine Comfort, Cant. i. He will
cherifh thee as a Mother doth her Child to pacify it,
and make thee fo fenfible of his Love, that thou mayeft
fay with the Spoufe, His left Hand is under my Head,
and Ms Right Hand doth embrace me. With his graci-
ous Hand he will wipe off that cold Sweat, and into
his Boibm he will receive thy Sighs and thy Groans;
and thy Tears he will gather up into his moft precious
Bottles. And as when Drops of Blood fell from him,
the holy Angels appeared to comfort him, Luke xxii.
fo in thy greateft and moft difficult Encounters, when
thou fhalt be at Handy-blows with Death itfelf, his
faithful Minifters, his Mefiengers, the Angels of his
Right-Hand lhall vilit thee, to fupply thee with fpiri-
tual Comfort, 2 Cor. v. Revel, v. And when thefe
earthly Comforters fhall fail, he fhall fend to thee
fome of thofe powerful Spirits that wait before his
glorious Throne, Dan.vii. O good God, if we could
but perceive the Things that are of themfelves invi-
fible, and if thou didft but give us Eyes, like to thofe
of the holy Prophet, we fhould perceive Legions of
immortal Spirits flying about in the Houfes of Sor-
row, with an Intent to affift the Chriftian Soul, Ifa. vi.
2 Kings vi. Finally, as the Sun, with its Light and
the Strength of its Beams, drives away the thickeft
Clouds, and comforts with its delightful Countenance
the Face of the Earth; fo Jefus Chrift the Sun of
Righteoufnefs, who carries Healing under his Wings,
banifheth all Sadnefs with the Light of his divine
Grace, Malach. iii. and with the Prefence of his Holy
Spirit expels away the moft fenfible Griefs, and fills
us with unfpeakable Joy, and with the Peace of God,
which pafleth all underftanding.

A Prayer

242 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

A Prayer and Meditation for a fick Perfon, who
defires to prepare for Death.

f\ Almighty and gracious God! the Authour of Light
and Darknefs, and the wife Difpofer of Good and
Evil, I acknowledge and adore thy Hand, that thou haft
laid me upon this Sick-bed, to puni/h me for my Sins. 1
cannot complain of thy Juftice, but rather I reverence thy
Wifdom and Goodnefs ! for I have deferved a feverer
Treatment at thine Hands ; having abufed thy Mercies,
and mif- employed my Strength and Health in purfuing
after worldly Vanities and carnal Plealures, more earneftly
than after thy Glory, or mine own Salvation ; for which
"Negletl I am heartily Jorry, and repent, and could wil-
lingly water this Couch with my 'Tears. O my God ! that
knowe/l that this my Grief proceeds from a Jimere Dif-
pleajure for having offended fo gracious a Lord, who now
in this Correction dijcovereft to me thy tender Companion,
in that thou rebukeft me not in thy Wrath ; / take this
\Diftemper of Body as a Teftimcny of thy paternal Love
and Care, Jince this is thine ordinary Method of dealing
thy dear eft Children. I doubt not but it will prove
to mine eternal Advantage, in regard thou haft promifed,
that all Things fhall work together for Good to them

^_j t_J

that love thee. / am willing to fuffer thefe Pains and
siches, fo that they may advance thy Glory and my Salva-
tion. I refer my f elf to thy wife Difpofal; thou know eft
what is mojl expedient for me ; and I am Jenfible of thy
Power to reft ore me to Life, and refcue me out of the
Grave, ^hy BleJJing alone is able to give a healing Vir-
tue to all thefe Potions, Medicines, and Receipts admi-
niftered to me , but if it be thy Pleafure to continue this
Difeafe, continue to me t I befeech thee, O my Redeemer !
the inward Comforts and Ajfiftance of thine Holy Spirit.
Increafe my Patience, Faith, and Humility, that I may
hibmit to thy f acred Will. Remove from me all the Grief
and Difpleafure that renders me uneafy, and fill my Soul
with thy Peace> Joy, and Love , that ncw^ being fepa-
4 ratte(

egainft the Fears of DEATH. 243

rated from the Society of Men, I may lift up my Heart
and Mind unto thee, my God ! and withdraw them from
thefe lower Vanities. Grant that I may employ thefe few
nts that thou a for deft me, to prepare for my De-
fcr . j, to take a Review of my former Jinful Life, ta
} ardon, and repent, and to truft upon thine eternal
Mercy by a lively Faith, that I may lay hold on thy Sal-
vation, and be able to fay wit 1 David, My Soul fhall
be fatisfied as with Marrow and Fatnefs, and my
Mouth fhall praife thee with joyful Lips, when I re-
member thee upon mv Bed, arid meditate on thee in
the Night Watch. My Sicknejs feems tedious, but my
Sins have continued longer, and all this bodily Pain and
Grief is nothing in Comparifon of the Happinefs that I
expeft in Heaven. For what are thofe momentary Suf-
ferings in refpett of the everlafting Joys? Grant, I be-
feech thee, that this Diftemper of my Body may turn to
the Health and Safety of my Soul, and may oblige me to
confecrate the Rejidue of my Lije to thy Service, ar.d t9
thy Glory ; that I may be weaned from the World, and
rejign myfelf into thine Hands -, that Chrift may be Gam
unto me both in Life and in Deatb. But if it be thy IVill
to put a Period to my Sorrows and Sufferings by Death ;
here I am, God ! ready to obey thy Motion and IVill^
without the leaft Refinance or Difpkafure: For my troii-
blefome Abode, undermined by Sicknefs, caufeth me to wijh
for my Departure. My Soul is willing to for fake this in-
firm Body , for thou haft prepared for it a more lafting and
a glorious Dwelling above. This Couch, where I am
. /low ftretched, minds me of the cold Grave where I mujt
Jhortly reft; and this Death that draws nearer and nearer
to me, will free me from this Chain of Mifery ) put an End
te all my Grievances, and lead me out of this rotten Lodge y
to introduce me into the glorious Palace of Immortality,
where thy divine Majefiy dwells, and where I /bill for
ever glorify thee in the Company of the holy dngels, and
Sculs. A men.

A Prayer

244 7#* CH R i s T i A N *s Confolations

A Prayer and Meditation for a Tick Perfon tor-
mented with violent Pains.

f} Father cf Mercies, and God cf all Comfort! Lock
with an Eye of Pity upon my dreadful and Jharp
Sufferings. Thou fierce/I me through with thine Arrows,
flleft my Soul with Bitternefs; thy Wrath is kindled
againft me^ and thou increafeft my Sorrows and Pains,
both by Night and by Day. Sure, my Sins muft be ettra-
crdinary and heinous, fince they have -provoked thee to
deal fo feverely with me, who art Mercy itfelf, art not
willing to eff.ift the Sons cf Men. O my God, confider my
ffieaknefs and Frailty, and let not thine Almighty Power
find the Fiercenefs of thy Wrath be difplayed againft fuch
(in infirm Creature as I am? a Worm of the Earth, I) it ft
find AJkes, Nothing in Comparifon of thee ! O infinite
Being ! Remember that I am related to thee in thy blejfed
Son, and am thine adopted Child-, vouchsafe me there-
fore thy favourable rffliftance, to put an End to my Sor-
rows and Sufferings, that are Jo excej/ive and extraordi-
nary, that I could willingly fpeak as Jonas, Death i s
better to me than Life: For I am withered like parched
Ground in Summer, and a violent Heat confumes and
tortures me. O when wilt thou, my God, who haft re-
deemed me from the 'Torments of Hell, refcue me out of
thefe violent and bodily Pains ? I will give a Check to
thefe indecent Groanings and Complaints that become not
fuch a Jinful Creature as I am. Thou art in this moft
juft and righteous ; but I nwft cover my Face with Shame
and Confufton : For, were thy Punijhments far more
grievous, were I caft into everlafting Flames, I could have
-no Caufe to complain of thy Severity, by reajon of my ftn-
ful Life. O my God ! my Sufferings are great, but not
to be compared with my Saviour's, when the cold Sweat
and Drops of Blood fell down from his precious Body.
My grief is violent, but not to be -paralleled with
, the Glory that thou haft promt fed to thy chofen Servants.
merciful Saviour ! thine heavy Hand jhall never

binder

agalnft the Fears of DE A T H. 245

binder me from trujling and hoping in thee. I am per-
fuaded that this fever e Dealing is defigned for my Good
and Salvation ; and, in thine own Time, thou wilt take
away from me this bitter Cup, that I may not drink up
the Dregs : Neverthelefs, net my IV ill, but thine be done.
With this Affliction, grant me Grace and Strength ta
bear it patiently, and let thy Punijhments be proportion-
able to my Weaknefs ; and grant me an happy End and,
Jffue, and that neither Death, nor Life, nor Pain, nor Tor-
ment, may ever feparate me from thy Love, or pluck me
out of thine Hand. My good God I for fake me not in my
Diftrefs, but comfort and aflift me, and put an End to
this bitter Affliftion. I am fainting, and my Soul is weary
within me : Vouchfafe to me thy Divine Confolations, tha
Cordials of thy Holy Spirit. My Friends and Kindred
grieve and weep for mine Affliction, but can give me no
AJJiflance: Thou art my only Hope, thine Hand alone
can relieve and deliver me from mine exceflive Grief and
Sufferings. Quench thefe violent Pains that confume me,
and remove me out of the Reach of Mifery. I cannot but
long for Death, that will put a Period to my Torments^
releafe me from mine Affliction, and wipe away all Tears
from mine Eyes. O my God! when /hall my Cryings and
Groans be changed into Songs of Praife and Thankfgiv-
ings? When Jhall I be admitted to the Society of the
teleffed, who are efcaped out of all Tribulations, and have
wajhed their Garments in the Blood of the Lamb ? Draw
me, and I Jhall run after thee, and glorify thee for ever
in thine heavenly Temple. Amen.

CHAP.

,246 fbe CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

CHAP. XIV.

tfbe Second Confolation againft the Fears of Death
is, to look upon GOD as a merciful Father, and to
truft upon bis infinite Goodnefs.

THERE is no Child well defcended, but de-
fires earneflly to fee his Father's Face, and
cfpecially the Face of a good and gracious Father.
A great Prince's Son, who hath been brought up in
a foreign Country, rejoiceth when his Father fends
for him, to make him partake of the Glory and Dig-
nity of his Empire. He is not then grieved nor trou-
bled ; he feeks not to delay his Departure, but rather
cmbraceth with Tranfport of Joy, the MefTenger of
fuch good News. He thinks of nothing but haften-
ing his Journey: If he could borrow Wings, he
would fly with an unfpeakableSwiftnefs to his Father's
Palace. Now we are the Children of the great God,
\vhofe Throne is Heaven, and whofe Footftool is the
Earth: For our Faith, that looks upon Jefus Chriil
as our Saviour and Redeemer, confiders God as our
God and Parent: For to them, who have received
this only Son of the Father, hath been granted the
Privilege of being the Sons of God, to them who
believe in his Name i John i. So that we have jufl
Caufe to be tranfported in .an holy Excefs of joy,
with the Apoftle St. John, Behold, what Manner of
Love the Father hath heft owed upon us, that vttjhbkld be
called the Sons of God, i John iii.

We are by Nature Children of Wrath, as others;
but God, who is rich in Mercy, hathpredeftinated us
unto the Adoption of Children by Jefus Chrift to
himfelf, according to the good Pleafure of his Will,
Eph. ii. He gives us the gracious Affurances of this
free Adoption in this Life^ for as we are Children,
he hath fent the Spirit of his Son inco our Hearts, to

cry,

agnlnft the Fears of DEATH. 2 47

cry, Abba Father, Ephef. i. This Holy Spirit bears
Witnefs with our Spirits, that we are the Children of
God. If we be Children, then Heirs of God, and Co-
Jieirs with Chrift, Gal. iv. Yea, if we fuffer with him,
that we may alfo be glorified with him, Rom. viii. That
we might be the Children of God, he hath not only-
adopted us by Jefus Chrift, but alfo regenerated us
with incorruptible Seed. \Ve are not born of Flelh
and Blood, but we are born of God. His infinite
Goodnefs moved him firft to grant us a Being and his
incomprehensible Love hath inclined him to reform
ourBeings, and reprint his divine Image in our Hearts,
John i. i Pet. i. He hath begotten us by his pure
Grace, by the Word of his Truth, that we might be
theFirft-fruitsofhisCreatures,7<3*. i. Ble/edbetheGod
end Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift , whicb, according to
bis abundant Mercy, hatb begotten us again unto a lively
Hope, by the Refurreftion of Jefus Chrift from the Dead^
to an Inheritance incorruptible, undef.led, that fadeth not
<?tt/vzy, referred in Heaven for us, i Pet. i.

Now though we be the Children of God, and the ap-
parent Heirs of his Crown, our Glory and Dignity is
not to be difcerned during the Years of our earthly
Pilgrimage. Our heavenly Father fufFers us here to live
in a contemptible State in the Eyes of the World, that
we might learn Humility, and long more earneft4y for
his celeftial Inheritance. As it happens in a d;
obfcure Midnight, Men tread under Fe-st Pearls, Dia-
monds, Sceptres, and Crowns, as Duft and Dung; and
now that a grofs Ignorance overfpreads the World,
the Children of God, the moft precious Jewels of his
Crown, are efteemed no better than the Scum of the
Filth of the Earth. This Confederation caufeth St.JcZn
to tell us, Beloved, v;z are now Children of God; it doth
not yet appear wbat ive Jba } l be ; lut -we knovj^ that
f jjbtn be Jhall appear, <- j:e fall b e // A: /> hj rij) f or v:e j:
fee him as he is, i John iii. As David lent for Abfc
out of the Pbiliftines Country, and gave him Leave to
. dwell in the City ofjerxfalem; bu: for the Space of:

248 Me CHRISTIAN'S Confolations
Years he would not fuffer him to enter his Royal

h e De vil^T SFaCC: T J^ G d hath fre i -
the Devil s Tyranny, and Hell's Power; he hath a-
mitted us into his holy Church, which is a, his ^
falem, w here he gives us a Foretafte of our heavenly
ttace and Reconciliation; but he delays for a Time
our Reception into the magnificent Palace of his Glo-
ry, and to the Enjoyment of his divine Prefence, our
higheft Satisfaction and greater! Happinefs. While
we remain in the Body, we are at a Diftancc from
God, io that we are faved, but by Hope, 2 Cor. v.
But when we fhall depart out of this Body, we fhall
be with the Lord and fhall enter into a real Fruition
of his celeftial Inheritance, Rom. viii. Finally, while
we dwell here below, we may fee the Image of our
heavenly Father, and behold his Face as in a Glafs ;
but when he fhall admit us near his Throne, we (hall
fee him Face to Face, we fhall be transformed into
his Likenefs, and be fully fatisfied with his Refem-
blance, Rom. i. Cor* iii. xiii. Pfal. xvii.

Let Death be ever fo frightful and ill-favoured, it is
the Meffenger of our Heavenly Father; and if we can
have the Confidence to open its Iron Hands, and look
into them, we fhall find gracious Letters, full of Love
by which this Father of Mercy calls us to the full En-
joyment of our eternal Happinefs. Death not only in-
vites us to God, but it ferves as a Ship to convey us
thro* thistempeftuousSeaof theWorld toourRedeem-
er, who experts our coming at the Haven of everlaft-
ing Reft: It is like Elijah's Chariot of Fire that carried
him up to Heaven, i Kings ii. If Death covers our
liyes with one Hand, and deprives us of the LHit of
the Sun, with the other it rends in Pieces that Veil
w j" c h hiftders us from the Sight of thofe Excellencies
oi God s immortal Sanctuary, anddiicovers to us -he
glorious Face of the Father of Light. With the one it
digs for our Bodies a Grave to caft them in, but with
the other Hand it, flings open for our Souls the Ga^es
of the heavenly Jerufalem, to introduce them into the-
Banquetmg-hall. Th

'tigainft the Fears 0/* D E A T H . 249

Therefore Death fliould be fo far from frighting us,
that its Arrival fliould rather comfort us, and caufe us
to refolve to follow it with an holy Chearfulnefs. For
wefhould notonly be willing togotoGodwithTranf-
ports of Joy, when he is pleafed to call us to behold
his Face, and to eat of the Bread of eternal Life in
his heavenly Kingdom ; but of our own Accord we
fhould be impatient to enjoy his glorious Prefence,
and in a continual Longing to fee that happy Day
that lhall bring us to him, and fatisfy us with unfpeak-
able Delights. A true Chriflian fhould be moved, on
this. Occafion, with David's Spirit: As the Hart 'pant-'
eth after the Water Brooks, Jo panteth my Soul after thee y

God : My Soul thirjleth for God, for the living God :
WTsen Jhall I come and appear before God?

I confefs that this great God, before whom we art
to appear, is clothed with Glory and Majefty, and
dwells in the Light which no Man can approach unto,

1 'Tim. vi, Iknow that he fits upon a dreadful Throne
of Fire, whereof the Wheels are like a burning Flame,
Dan. vii. That thoufand Thoufands wait upon him,
and ten thoufand Millions ftand before him, Ifa. vi.
I am not ignorant, that at his Prefence the Earth is
moved, the Sea and the Rivers dry up, the Mountains
tremble, and the little Hills fhake, the Rocks Ihrink,
the Pillars of Heaven fall, and the Seraphims cover
themfelves with theirWings, Rev. iv. But let not this
dreadful Majefty, and heavenly Pomp, terrify thee, O
believing Soulj for this great God is full of fatherly
Affection for thee. Round about this Throne of God
there is a beautiful Rainbow of a green Colour, like
to an Emerald , to fignify that God is reconciled, and
that the Covenant of our Peace is to continue for ever.
As out of his magnificent Throne proceed Thunders
and Thunder-bolts, that frightthe Worldlings, and caft
the proud Souls down to the Ground ; fo from thence
proceed alfo Lightnings, and fuch refrefhing Flames,

^as are able to comfort the Believer, and to direclhim
to his cekftial Inheritance. We are related to God more

S than

25 ^be CHRISTIAN'S Confolations
than the Angels and Seraphims ; for we are not only
his Creatures and Servants, but alfohis Children, and
the Members of his Son; nay, we are one with him,
John. xvii. Let us therefore return our hearty Thanks
to our heavenly Father, who hath made us meet to
be made Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in
Life, Col. i.

Let us go with Confidence to Mount Sicn; for there
are no Signs of God's Wrath, nor of his juft Vengeance,
to be feen. We ihall find no Boundaries to keep us
off from God; but we fhall find Affurances of Love
to invite and unite us unto him. We fhall fee no Fire
to devour and fcare us; but we fhall perceive the
comfortable Flames, which burn without confuming,
and which bring Confolation rather than Fear. We
fhall not meet there a terrible Lawgiver to drive us
from him, to terrify us with his Thunderbolts ; but
we ihall meet a loving Father to embrace and open to
us the Bofom of his tender Companion. In fhort, we
ihall not hear there the terrible Sound of theTrumpet,
that caufeth the Rocks to fplit afunder, that flings to
the Ground the proud Cedars, and makes the Deer
call their Young; but we Ihall hear the fweet and
melodious Voice, that will quiet our trembling Souls,
refrefh our languilhing Spirits, and fill us with Peace
and eternal Confolation, Heb. xii.

I acknowledge that God is juft; but he is alfo mer-
ciful, and his Mercy rejoiceth over Judgement. His
Juftice is like an exceeding high Mountain ; but his
Mercy may be compared to the bottomlcfs Deep,
PJalm xxxix. Therefore Mefes, who had feen God,
more than any living Man, cannot be fatisfied to ex-
tol and magnify his infinite Mercy, and the overflow-
ing Riches of his Love, PJalm xxxix. He names him
but once jiift, but many Times he calls him merciful,
gracious, long-Juffering, abundant in Goodnefs and
Truth, Exod. xxxiv. It is not unworthy of our Ob-
fervation, that the words Righteous or Juft, attri-
buted to God, often fignify alfo Merciful^ Gracious,
i and

Agamfl tie Fears of DEATH. $$1

and Loving, in the holy Tongue. It is true, God
holds in his Hand the Sword of his Juftice; but he is
girded and clothed with his Mercy, as with a Gar-
ment. In fhort, God is not only good and merciful,
but he is alib Goodnefs and Mercy itfelf, i John iv.
His Compafiion and Tendernefs is far greater than
that of the beft Fathers and Mothers, as he himfelf,
declares by the Prophet. Can a Woman forget her
fucking Child, that Jhe Jhould not have Companion on
the Son of her Womb ? Tea, they may forget -, yet will
I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the
Palm of my Hand, yea, in the Bottom of my Hearty
Ifa. xlix. Thefe fatherly Companions force him to
let fall the Sword of his Juftice, as he tells us in Hofea,
How Jhall I make thee as Admah ? How Jhall I Jet
thee as Zeboim ? Mine Heart is turned within me, my
Repenting* are kindled together : I will not execute the
Fiercenefs of my Anger, Chap. xi. Therefore David
had good Catife to be perfuaded, That though his Fa-
ther and Mother Jhould forfake him, the Lord would
receive him. If all Love, Kindnefs, and Mercy, were
totally banifhed out of the Earth, and all natural Af-
fection fhould be extinct, my God will not forfake
me while I live, and at the Hour of Death will re*
ceive me into his Bofom, and cover me with his
Wings. Chriftian Souls, let not the fad Remembrance
of your former Sins and Mifcarriages difcourage you.
For when we appear before the. Throne of God's Ma-
jefty, we muft not truft upon our own Righteoufnefs,
nor be puffed up with the Fancy of our Merits, butwe
muft place all our Affurance and Hope in the Mercy
of God alone. We muft imitate Daniel who fpeaks
thus of himfelf, and of his Proceedings, We do not
prefent our Supplications before thee for our Righteouf-
mfs, but for thy great Mercies, Dan. ix. The Com-
panions of God are our Merits. While God hath,
Store of Companions, we (hall not want Merits, St.
Bern. Now God's Mercies and Companions can ne-
ver fail j they renew every Morning; hisFaithfulnefs
is very excellent, Lam, iii. As I live, faith the Lord

S 2 God,

252 *Tbe CHRISTIAN'S Confolatiom

God, I have no Pleajure 'in the Death of the Wicked,
but that the Wicked turn from his Ways, and live,
Ezek. xxxiii. lam he that blots cut all thy Sins for my
cwn Sake, and will not remember thy Tranfgrejfions, Ifa.
xlv. Though your Sins and Iniquities appear to you with
all the Deformity and Uglinefs of Hell, be not over-
come with Grief, nor caft yourfelves into Defpair. Let
us rather fay with the Prophet Jeremiah, Wherefore
doth a living Man complain, a Man for the Puniflj-
ment of his Sins? Let us Jearch and try our Ways, and
turn again unto the Lord. Let us lift up our Hearts
with our Hands unto God in the Heavens: Or let us
fpeak in the Language of Micah, who is a God like
unto thee, that pardoneth Iniquity, and pajfcth by the
TranfgreJ/ions of the Remnant of his Heritage ? He re-
taineth not his Anger for ever, becaufe he delighteth in
Mercy* He will come again, he will have CompaJJion
tipon us, he will fubdue our Iniquities, and thou wilt
caft all their Sins into the Depths of the Sea, Mic. vii.
Let us comfort ourfelves with the Words of the Pro-
phet Daniel, To the Lord our God belong Mercies and
Forgivenefs, though we have rebelled againft him.

Tell me not again, I know that God is good and mer-
ciful, but my Sins are too many to believe that he will
vouchfafemeaPardon, and have Mercy upon me. And
after many repeated Vows, after many Groans, Sighs,
and Tears of Repentance, I have returned as a Dog
to his Vomit, and as the Swine to wallow in the Mire,
% Pet. ii. But, wretched Sinner, learn for thy Comfort,
that if thy Sins fhould be as many as the Sand by the
Sea-.fhore, or as the Stars of the Sky, Ifa. xliv. if thou
doft mod fincerely repent of them with a contrite Soul,
God will blot them out as a Cloud, and will caft them
into the Sea. For God's Mercy has no Bounds, and his
Companions are infinite, Mic.v\\. When thy Brother
has offended thee, if he afk Forgivenefs, the Lord com-
mands that thou fhouldft pardon him, not only feven
Times, butfeventy and-feven Times, Afo/. xvii. How
much more Reafon haft thou to believe, that God, who
is Goodnefs and Mercy, will pardon thee more Sins^and

oftener I

againft the Pears of DEATH. 253

oftener! Therefore, inftead of examining thy Mifcar-
riages accept of the precious Balm of his divine Con-
folations, and fay with the Royal Prophet, Blefs the
Lord, my Soul, and all that is within me, blefs his holy
Name ; blefs the Lord, my Soul, and forget not all his
Benefits-, who forgiveth all thine Iniquities, and healetb
all thy Difeafcs , who redeemeth thy Life from Deftruc-
tion; who crowneth thee with Loving- kindnefs and ten-
der Mercies-, who fatisfieth thy Mouth with good Things,
Jo that thy Touth is renewed like the- Eagle's. The Lord
executeth Righteoufnefs and Judgement for all that are
cpprejjed; the Lord is merciful and gracious, Jlow to
Anger, and plenteous in Mercy, he will not always chide y
neither will he keep his Anger for ever ; he hath not dealt
with us after our Sins, nor rewarded us according to our
Iniquities ; for as the Heaven is high above the Earthy
Jo great is his Mercy towards them that fear him', as
far as the Eaft Is from the Weft, Jo far hath he removed
our "Tranfgrej/ions from us. Like as a Father pitieth,
his Children, fo the Lord pitieth them that fear him,
Pfal. ciii.

Do not anfwer me, that your Sins are fo heinous and
abominable, that you cannot expect a Pardon: For if
they be as high as the proudeft Mountains, if thou arc
really fenfible of their Weigh t ; if they make thee to figh
and groan, Lam.v. God's infinite Mercy, like a Deluge,
fhall cover and wafli them away; or, like a Torrent,
it fhall tranfport triem out of thy Sight; for where Sin
abounds, God's Grace fhall fuperabound, in cafe there
be true Repentance, Ifa.\. Though your Sins were as
Scarlet, they fhall be as white as Snow; though they
fhould be as red as Vermillion, they Ihall become as
white as Wool. All the Offences that you are guilty
of, fince you were in the World, are finite and limited,
but God's Mercy is infinite. O Lord, if thou fiouldji
mark Iniquities, who /hall ft and ? But there is Forgive-
mfswith thee, that thou may eft be feared, PC cxxx.

He that hides his Tranfgreffions fhall not profper, but
he that confefles and forfakes them, fhall obtain Mer-
cy, Prov. xvlii. It is certain that there is no Sinner ever

254 T& e CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons
fo guilty, that (hall feek to God's Mercy by a true Re-
pentance, but fhall obtain his Requeft, PJ. cxiii. David
had defiled himfelf with an infamous Adultry, and
imbrued his Hands in the Blood of one of his mod
faithful Servants ; but as foon as he had made Requeft
to God with a broken Heart, and a Contrite Spirit, his
good andmerciful Creator cleanfed this foul Sinner from
all his Guilt, at the Fountain of his infinite Mercy. He
made him whiter than Snow, and comforted his bruifed
Bones. This Confideration caufed him to cry out, /
Jaidy 1 will confefs unto God my 'franjgreflions ; and thou y
O God, haft taken away the Puntjhment of my Sin. King
Manajebhad been addicted todevilifhArts, and to the
mod abominable and heinous Idolatries, 2 C6r0#.xxxiii.
Neverthelefs, as foon as he fighed in his Chains, his
Prayers and his Groans found a gracious Reception at
theThrone of Grace. The poor Publican in the Gof-
pel, being afhamedtoliftuphisEyesto Heaven, ftruck
upon his Breaft with this Expreffion of his penitent
Soul, God be merciful to me a Sinner, Luke xviii. And
God looked upon him with an Eye of Mercy, and
ilretched out unto him his gracious Hand, fo that he
departed to his Home juftified. The penitent Mag-
dalen was inwardly grieved at her former filthy and de-
bauched Behaviour, fo that /he came andcaft herfelf at
our Saviour's Feet, watering them with her Tears, and
wiping them with the Hair of her Head, Lukeix. But
Chrift foon lifted her up with thiefe comfortable Words,
tfhy Sins are pardoned; thy 'Faith hath fayed thee, go in
Peace. St.Peter, by Frailty, that (hould caufe the bed
Chriftians to tremble for Fear of falling into the fame
Apoftafy, denied his Lord and Mafter three Times,
with Curfing and Swearing, Afo/.xxvi. But this mer-
ciful God looked upon him with an Eye of Compaf-
fion, and gave him Grace to repent moft bitterly of
fuch afoul Crime. I doubt not, but at the fameTime
that St. Peter poured forth his Tears in God's Pre-
fence, he poured into his Heant the Oil of Joy and
Gladnefs, and comforted him moft effectually by his
Divine Spirit. Likewife, though your Sins be never fo

grievous

again/1 the Fears of DEATH. 255

grievous and abominable, if your Souls be touched
with Difpleafure, if your Hearts be truly penitent, fo
that you fhed fmcere Tears of Repentance, in cafe you
are heartily forry for the Want of a fufficient Grief for
your Sins, in cafe you proftrate yourfelves before your
heavenly Father, he will raife you up again by his infi-
nite Goodnefs, he will caft all your Sins and Tranfgref-
fions behind him. He will cry unto you inwardly, by
the Voice of his Holy Spirit, My Son, or my Daughter,
tby Sins are forgiven thee, John v. He will fill your
Souls with an unfpeakable Joy, Luke ix. and will caufe
you to fing with the Pfalmitl, BleJ'edishe'whoJel'ranf-
grejjicn is forgiven, whofe Sin is covered. Blejfcd is the
Man unto whom the Lord imputeth no Iniquity, and in
whofe Spirit there is no Guile, Pf. xxxii. Finally, think
not that it is ever too late to repent, and, when Death
is upon your Lips, that it is no Time to feek to the
Mercy of God. As the Bufmefs of Repentance can-
not be too foon, becaufe we know not when God will
call us to himfelf, it is moft certain, that it can never
be too late. For at what Time or Seafon foever the
poor Sinner melts into Tears of Repentance, in cafe his
Repentaoce be real, and his Tears proceed from a pe-
nitent Heart, God will always have the Arms of his
Mercy wide open to receive him. The Thief cruci-
fied at our Saviour's Side was at the laft Gafp when
he was converted; and when he uttered this excellent
Expreffion, Remember me, Lord, when thou comeft into
thy Kingdom, Luke xxiii. our good and merciful Savi-
our granted his Requeft, and encouraged him with
the moft excellent and comfortable Promife that could
be expected; Verily I fay unto thee, To-day Jhalt thou
bewith me in Paradtfe. In like Manner, when thou
art at the Point of Death, if God fpeaks to thee, and
awakens thy Confcience, it is an infallible Sign, that
he hath Companion on thee, and that he will not de-
ftroy thee. It is a Sign, that he opens for thee his
Heaven, full of Light and Glory j and offers to thee
his Paradife, with all its divine Excellencies. Doubt

S 4 not,

256 T&f CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

not, penitent Sinner, but that this is the acceptable
Day, the Day of Salvation, and the Time of God's
good Pleafure. Since this good God draws fo near
thee, thou mayeft with Freedom draw near him: And
fince he beats and knocks at the Door of thine Heart,
it is an infallible Token, that thou mayeft alfo beat at
the Door of his eternal Mercies, and that he intends
to open and fatisfy thee. In fhort, at what Hour fo-
ever we go to God, and appear before his Throne,
he ftretched out to us the golden Sceptre of his Fa-
vour, that we fhould obtain Mercy, and find Grace
to help in Time of Need.

Long and elaborate Speeches and Prayers are needlefs
to perfuade God to vouchfafe his Grace and feafonable
Help in fuch an urgent Necefiity. It is not neceflfary
that we fhould compofe them with the Arts andlnduf-
try of human Wifdoin. We need but pray to God,
as unto our Father, and weep in his Bofom j we need
but open to h'm our Hearts, and call ourfelves his
Children. That alone is fufficient to move him to
Compaffion, and to ftir up his fatherly Affections, to
appeafe his Anger, and to draw upon us his moft ex-
cellent Bleffings. The Prophet Ifaiab, the moft elo-
quent of the iVien of his Time, feeksno other Argu-
ment to perfuade God to have Mercy and Companion,
but this; Look down from Heaven, and behold from the
Habitation of thy Hclinefs, and of thy Glory : Where is
iby Zed and thy Strength, the Sounding of thy Bowels,
and of thy Mercies towards me? Are they retrained?
Doubtlefs thou art our Father, though Abraham be igno-
rant of us, and Ifrael acknowledged us not. 'Thou, O
Lord, art our Father, our Redeemer-, thy Name is from,
ever lajl ing, Ifa. xliii. Likewife after he had made this
Confefiion, We are all as an unclean Thing and all our
Righteoufnejfes are as filthy Rags \ and we do all fade
as a Leaf, 'and our Iniquities, like the Wind, have taken
us away ; and there is none that calleth upon thy Name,
that Jli.reth up biwfelf to take hold of thee -, for thcu
haft hid thy Face from us, and heft consumed us b.

again ft the Fears {/DEATH. 257

of our Iniquities, Chap. Ixiv. he adds, But now, O
Lord, thou art our Father ; we are thy Clay, and thou
art our Potter, and we all are the Work of thine Hand.
Be not wroth very fore, O Lord, neither remember Ini-
quity for ever. Behold, fee, we befctch thee, we are all
thy People.

" By this gracious and lovingTitle of Father the pro-
digal Son is perfuaded to be able to oblige his Parent
to have Companion on him: I will arife, and go to my
Father, and will Jay unto him, Father, I have finned >
againjl Heaven, and again/I thee, and am no more worthy
to be called thy Son-, make me as one of thy hired Servants v
Thus, though we have forfaken our heavenly Father,
mif-fpent the Riches of his Grace, and lived a filthy
and profane Life, neverthelefs, if we can be moved
withaferious and true Repentance, and fay to him from
our Heart, Father, I have finned againft Heaven, and
againft thee-, I am no more worthy to be called thy Sons
he will forget all the Mifcarriages ofour Youth and will
pafs by all the Offences that we have committed out of
Ignorance or Miftake; nay, he will blot out all our wil-
ful and deliberate Sins, he will not only embrace us
when we fhall cad ourfelves a& his Feet, and in the
Arms of his Mercy, but he will meet and receive us as
his deareft Children. He will kifs us with the blefled
Kifiesof his fatherly Love. He will give toushisHoly
Spirit, that fhall feal us for the day of Redemption, and
fhall afTure us, that we are admitted to the Liberty, and
all the Privileges of his Children. He will fhoe our
Feet with the Preparation of the Gofpel of Peace, and
willvouchfafeus all the Afiurance of our intire and per-
fect Reconciliation. He will clothe us here upon Earth
with Robesof Righteoufnefs and Holinefs, and in Hea-
ven he will beftow uponus incorruptibleRobesof Im-
mortality and Glory. In this Life he will give us the
Foretaftes of eternal Happinefs, and in the Life to come
he will lead us by the Hand into the Banqueting-cham-
ber, and will caufe us to fit there at Table with Abra-
ham, IJaac, and Jacob, and with all the Firfl-born, whofe
Names-are written in Heaven. Out of this celeftial

Abode

258 *be CHRISTIAN'S Confutations

Abode all Murmurings and Complaints fhall be banifh-
cd j but there fhall be rejoicing and Gladnefs for the
Converfion of poor Sinners, and for their Admittance
into the Kingdom of Heaven. God himfelf fhall in-
vite the holy Angels and blefled Spirits to fhare in
thefe public Rejoicings, faying to them, We muft re-
joice -, fer thefe my Children were dead, but now they are
alive; they were loft, but now they are found again.

Let the miferable Slaves of the Devil, and of their
filthy Lufts, tremble at the Approaches of Death, and
let them look upon God as a dreadful Judge, Rom. \\.
For our Parts, we have not the Spirit of Bondage to
be again in Fear -, but we have the Spirit of Adoption,
whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Let the Sons and
Daughters of Adam, who have no other Being in Life,
but that which they have received with their corrupt
Nature, fly from God's Prefence : For our Parts, we
that are regenerated by the Spirit of the fecond^dam,
will draw near to him with Boldnefs. We will not fay
as Adam, difturbed and frighted at the Confideration
of his Crime, / heard thy Voice-, I was afraid, and hid
tnyfelf, Gen. iii. but rather, having been brought up
in the Schools of the Prophets and Apoftles ; and hav-
ing learned that we muft prefer our Obedience to
God's Will, to all other Things whatsoever; we fhall
fay to him with Samuel, Speak, Lord, for thy Ser-
vant heareth, i Sam. iii.. Or rather, we will addrefs
ourfelves to him in plainer Terms ; O my God, and
heavenly Father, fpeak when thou wilt j for thy Ser^
vant is ready, and refolved to obey thy Command.
We will not ftay till God lhall call the fourth Time,
as that holy Man, i Sam. iii. who, becaufe of his ten-
der and unexperienced Years, could not diftinguilh
between God's Voice and that of Man, but we will
have our Ears always open to his Divine Orders, and
at the firft Motion and Summons of his Will we fhall
be ready .to follow him, as the Children of Ifrael were
in the Wildernefs, when they raifed their Camp, and
marched at his Motion, Numb. iii.

And

cgainjl the Pears of DEATH. 259

And as when the Levites Hopped, and put down
the Ark in its Place, i Chron. iii. Mofes uttered this
Prayer, O Lord, give Reft to the Thcufands of Ifrael ;
likewiie you, believing Soul, whom God hath chofen
for his Ark and Temple, as foon as you fhall perceive
the lead fign of Death, fpeak with an holy Confidence
and Joy: Rejoice, O my Souls the Time of thy Free-
dom, and of thine eternal Reft, approacheth. Here
is the Meflenger of good News, here is Death, thai
will ulherme into the glorious Palace of my Heavenly
Father. Father, the Hour is come-, glorify thy Son, that
thy Son may glorify thee, John xvii.

When the Hour was come that our Lord Jefus
Chrift was to get out of the World to the Father; he
faid to his Difciples who were grieved for his Depar-
ture from them, If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, becaufe
I faid, I go unto the Father, for my Father is greater
than I, John xiii and xiv. Chriftian Souls, fpeak in
this Manner at the Hour of yourDeparting. If fuch as
are about you happen to weep and lament, if they en-
deavour to move and flop you, by the Confideration
of Flefh and Blood, fay unto them, Why are you
grieved at my Deliverance, and at the End of my Mi-
fery ? Why fhould you hinder and retard my Glory
and Happinefs? O how cruel is your Love! How
blind and inconfiderate is your Affection ! Certainly,
if ye did love me as ye ought, ye would prefer my
Satisfaction, and the Accomplifhment of my Happi-
nefs, to the fmall Advantage that ye gather from my
Abode with you. Ye fhould confider, that the lean:
Part of the Joy that I fhall feel in my heavenly Fa-
ther's Houfe is a thoufand Times more worth than all
the Pleafure of the Earth, than the Honours of the
Age, and the Pomp and Glory of the World. My
Friends, or rather my Enemies, let me go ; for I go
to my Father; I go to behold his Face, which is the
moft divine Satisfaction; I go to take Poflefllon of
an Inheritance prepared for me from the Foundations
of the World, John xx, Alatth. xxi,

A fliort

260 Hhe CHRISTIAN'S Confutations

A /hort Player and Meditation for a Chriftian,
who prepares himfelf for Death, by relying
on the Mercy of God the Father.

God and Creator ; / perceive, by the Symptoms
of Death, that my Departure is at hand, and /
am fumtnoned to appear before thy dreadful 'Tribunal !
The Remembrance of my former heinous Sins cannot but
terrify me, when I view myfelf, Duft and AJbes, and
thine infinite Being, and Divine Perfections: When /
compare my Wickednejs and Guilt with thy fuperlative Ex-
cellence and Holinefs ; how can I, who am but as Straw
and Stubble, ft and before a consuming Fire ? If IJhould
fee thee, O my God! upon thy glorious Throne, fur-
rounded with Millions of immortal Spirits, armed with
'Thunderbolts, and enccmpajfed with Flames of Fire, and
ilofe of Mount Sinai, IJhould not only tremble for Fear,
but fall into Defpair, and fly from thee, as my firft Pa-
rents, or, as Mofes and Ifaiah, be difmayed, and deplore
my unclean Nature, not fit to draw near to fo holy a
God. But, O merciful Father I thy glorious Prefence
is not without fome Tokens of Mercy. 1 fee a Rainbow
round about thy Throne, an dffurance of my Peace and
Reconciliation. I dare therefore draw near the Throne
of thy Grace, from whence tbou reachejl to me the Scep-
tre of thy infinite Goodnefs, and fpeakeft to me in a
Language full of Love and Compajjion to comfort me,
to revive my drooping Spirits, and fill me full of Hope
and Confidence of my future Happinejs and Salvation.
Since, therefore, I fee about thee, my God ! no fucb
terrible Mark of thy Wrath, I will no longer yield to the
Spirit of Bondage, that inclines to Fear ; but will be
perfuaded by the Spirit of Adoption, to cry unto thee y
Abba, Father. For I am thy Child and Coheir witb
thy bkcd Son, who hath reconciled me to thee by the
Bksd of his Crcfs 9 ^hen I flood as an Enemy at a

Diflance.

againft the Fears of DEATH, 261

Diftance. But now that I am fo nearly related to thee,
wilt thou. deny me mine Inheritance, purchafed for me
by Chrift ? O heavenly Father ! I know mine Offences
are heinous ; and if thou didft treat me with Severity and
Juftice, I could expeft nothing but the eternal Flames.
Tet I am ajfured, that thou doft not delight in the Death
of Sinners, and haft promifed to accept my penitential
Tears and Amendment. And though my Sins be many
and grievous - s let thy Grace and Mercy be magnified
in the Pardon of them. I am perfuaded that thy Com-
pajjion will receive and embrace me, as a Father bis af-
Jlifted Child, and put far from thee mine Offences. Re-
turn then unto thy Reft, O my Soul! for the Lord is
gracious unto thee, and is ready to admit thee into his
eternal Kingdom. I under/land therefore Death's Sum-
mons to be the Voice of my Lord and Father, who calls
and commands me to come unto him. 1 will follow the
Example of the Prodigal Son, and Jpeak in his Lan-
guage-, Father, I have finned againft Heaven, and
againft theej and am no more worthy to be called
thy Son. / confefs, O my God ! that thou haft not been
fparing of thy manifold BleJJings to me; but I have not
employed them as I ought, to thy Honour and Glory. The
Temptations of the World have too much prevailed upon
me, and my wicked Inclinations have drawn me away
from thy Service, to gratify the Corruption of my Nature.
In thisfinful State that I am in, I fly to thee for Mercy
and Pardon. Have Compajfion on me, my heavenly Fa-
ther, whofe *Tendernefs for me far exceeds that of the
raoft tender-hearted Parents. 1 am fully perfuaded, that
thou wilt not rejeff me-, but art ready to embrace and
meet me on the Way, as the Father of the prodigal Son.
O unparalleled Love ! O infinite Goodnefs and Condefcen-
Jion! I am confident to find it in thee, my God, and to be
a Partaker of it I 1 doubt not, but that thou wilt quiet
my troubled. Spirit with a gracious Reception, clothe me
with the Robe of thy Right eoufnefs, and entertain me in
thy glorious Palace, where I /ball be admited to fclewnize
the Marriage of the Lamb, defignsd as an Offering from

tbt

262 Tbe CHRISTIAN'S Confolations
the Foundation of the World, in the happy Society of Ari'
gels, and immortal Spirits, where we Jhall glorify thee
and be everlajling Monuments of thine infinite Goodnefs
and Mercy. O admirable Wifdtm, in difpofmg of thine
EleR! We were loft Creatures-, but we Jhall be found in
God. We were dead in our Sins -, but by Death, which
we lead drawn upon curfelves, we Jhall return to Life.
We are cafl into the mcft horrible State , but thereby we
foall attain and be advanced to the highejl Felicity. O
my God ! 1 recommend unto thee my Soul as to a faithful
Creator: Heavenly Father, into thy Hands I commit my
Spirit. Amen.

CHAP. XV.
The Third Confolation ao-ainft the Fears of Death

is, to meditate continually on the Death and
Sufferings of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and to truft
upon the Merits of his Crofs.

IF we defire to die with a peaceable and quiet Mind,
we muft always meditate upon the Death and
Sufferings of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and reft upon the
Merits of his Crofs. For the Death of this Prince of
Life is the Model of ours, and the Fountain of Com-
forts and Joys of a believing Soul.

i. By looking upon this perfect Example, the
Wonder of Men and Angels, we learn to endure with
an holy Refolution and Patience, all the Evils and
Pains that attend upon Death. For though our Savi-
our's Torments were excellive, fo that his Soul was
JorrowfuluntoDeath; though there ifiued out of his in-
nocent Body a bloody Sweat, from the Violence of his
Grief, Luke xxii. yet out of his Mouth came not
forth the lead Sign of Repining or Impatience, Ifa. iii.
He was led to the Slaughter as a Lamb, and as a
Sheep before the Shearers is dumb.

c. From

agalnft the Fears of DEATH. 263

2. From hence we learn, that the laft Hours of our
Life, muft be employed in fervent and continual
Prayers to God, fmce this Beloved of our Father offers
to him at fuch a Time his Prayers and Supplications,
with ftrong Crying, and a Flood of Tears, as to him
who was able to deliver him from Death, Heb. v. In
the Bofom of this heavenly Father he poureth out all
his Grief; and three Times he prefents his Requeft,
Father, if this Cup may not pafs away from me> except I
drink it, &c.

3. We learn alfo to prefent ourfelves before God's
Divine Majefty with Humility, and to refign ourfelves
wholly to his adorable Providence: He who thought
it no Robbery to be equal with God, he whom the
Millionsof Angels and Seraphimsworfhip continually,
judged it no Difgrace to himfelf to fall upon his Knees
threeTimes to the Ground, and fubmit hisWill to that
of his heavenly Father. For after that he had faid,
Father, if it be poffible, let this Cup pafs away from me :
He adds thefe Words, Never tkclefs, O Father, not as
I willy but as thou wilt, Mat. xxvi.

4. If, at the Time of our Death, an excefiive Sor-
row, or a malignant Humour, feize upon our Minds,
and hinder us from feeing the Heavens open, or God,
who ftretcheth out his Arms to receive us into his
Reft; let us remember, that this merciful Lord fpeaks
to us, as he did to his three Apoftles, who flept when
he was in his Agony, Cannot ye watch one Hour with
me? Mat. xxvi. My dear Children, it is not Time
to fall afleep with the foolilh Virgins; trim your
Lamps, put on the Garments of Light, to meet your
celeftial Bridegroom, and to enter with him into the
Marriage-chamber, Mat. xxv.

5. God requires that we fhould do as much Good
at all Times to our Friends as we are able, and to ex-
prefs the Sincerity of our Affections to thofe to whom
Nature and Religion have caufed us to be related.
But chiefly at the Hour of Death we are more bound
to this religious Duty. Therefore Jefus Chrift hath

Ihewn

264 be CHRISTIAN'S Conjoint Ions
jfhewn us an excellent Example; for when he was nail-
ed on the Crofs, and ready to breathe forth his Soul
into the Hands of his heavenly Father, he took care
of his holy and blefled Mother, faying to his beloved
Difciple, My Son, behold thy Mother-, and to her, WQ-
man, behold thy Son.

6- We ought to do Good, and fliew Kindnefs, not
only to our Friends, but alfo forgive our greateil Ene-
mies, fuch as are the mod enraged againft us. For by
this means we fhall follow the blefled Footfteps of
our gracious Saviour; for he had Compaffion upon
them that crucified him, and mocked him. Father >
faid he, forgive them; for they know not what they do.

7. By the Crofs of Jefus Chrift, we learn to put our
Truft in the Goodnefs of God in our iharpeft Pains,
and to embrace him as our moft loving Father and
Redeemer, at that Inflant, when he feems to difcover
to us a fevere Countenance, full of Wrath. For this,
eternal Son of God, in his moft violent Tortures,
when his heavenly Father withdrew from him his Aid
and Affiflance, and with- held the Effects of his Grace,
the Exprefiions of his Love, and the Comfort of his
divine Spirit; yet he looked upon him as his God, and
prays to him with an holy Alfurance, repeating thefe
Words, My God! My God!

8. If we will die willingly, and leave thefe infirm
Bodies with a joyful Mind, when the Time-is come,
that we muft go to the Father of Spirits, we ought to
remember with what Refolution our Lord and Saviour
Jefus Chrift prepared himfelf for Death, and how will-
ingly he commended his innocent Soul into the Hands
of God his Father, when he required it. No Man taketb
my Life away from me, but Hay it down ofmyjelf; 1
have Power to lay it down, and I have Power to take it
again ; this Commandment have I received of my Father,
John x. Heb, x. This caufed him to fpeak in this Man-
ner, 'Here lam, OGod, to do thy Will, Luke.xxiii. There-
fore, when he gave up the Ghoft, he cryed with a loud
Voice, to (hew that his precious Soul was not taken

fro in

againft the "Pears of DEATH. 265

from him by Violence ; but that he willingly offered
it up as a Sacrifice to God.

9. In this excellent Defcription of Chrift crucified,
we may farther learn, what fhould, be our lad Words,
and our laft Thoughts. For if God grants us the Ufe
of our Tongues until the laft Moment, we cannot end
our Life more comfortably, than by fuch Exprefiions
as our Saviour made ufe of upon the Crofs, Father,
into tby Hands I commend my Sprit. But if we cannot
move our Lips, nor pronounce thefe Words, we
ought to have them inwardly in our Minds, and ex-
prefs them with the Motions of the Heart.

10. In looking exactly into the Death and Pafiion
of our Lord Jefus Chrift, we may eafily find how
much we are engaged to yield up our Souls to God,
when he is pleafed to call for them. For his blefled
Death is the Price and Ranfom that he hath paid for
them. Now, if it be reafonable to render unto every-
one that which he hath bought and purchafed with a
great Price, and if it would be a great Injuftice to re-
fufe to any Man that which he hath paid for with the
Blood of his only and beloved Son, how can we re-
fufe our Souls unto God, fmce they belong to him ?
Becaufe he hath not only created them, and ftamped in
them his Irnage, but hath alfo purchafed them with
the Bloocl of his only Son, in whom, from all Eter-
nity, he is well pleafed* We muft not therefore imitate
the Example of ill Paymafters; or unjuft PorTefTors of
other Men's Goods; we muft not expect, until our
Souls be plucked from us by Violence, but rather,
like the good and righteous Debtors, W ought to
return them willingly, and yield them up into his
Hands, who hath paid for them an infinite and inva-
luable Ranfom. David was of this Mind when he
aid, Info thy Hand I commit my Spirit; thou bajt re-
deemed me, O Lord God of 'Truth, Pfal. xxxi.

11. From this Death andPnflion of our glorious Re-
deemer, we underftandnotonlyourD,uty, but alfo find
fufficientGrounds of Comfort and Hopes andfufferme

T to

266 T&e CHRISTIAN'S Confutations
to fay, it is in the Bowels of this dead Lion, that we
meet with the fweeteft and moft ravifhing Confola-
tions. This Chief Prieft, who bears us upon his Bread
in his heavenly Sanftuary, or rather in his Heart,
will not forfake us in the Day of our Diftrefs, nor
yield us up to the Fears and Pangs of Death. For
fince he hath encountered with this cruel Enemy, fince
he hath felt its Stings, its Shiverings, and Pains, and
hath been tempted, as we have been, in all Things,
Sin excepted; he is merciful and faithful to have
Compafllon on our Infirmities ; he is no lefs able to
affift us in our Temptations, and to make us in all
Things more than Conquerors.

12. Believing Souls, confider with me the noble
Expreffions of St. Paul: Blejfed be God, even the Father
of our Lord Jefus Chrift^ the Father cf Mercies^ and the
God of all Comfort, who comforteth us in all our Tril/u-
iation, that we may be able to comfort them which are
in any Trouble, by the Comfort therewith we our f elves
Are comforted of God, i Cor. i . Thefe excellent Truths
may be very well applied to our Lord Jefus Chrift,
whom the Holy Ghoft names the dpojlle and High-
Prieft of our Profeffwn, Heb. iii. For the comfortable
Affiftances which he hath received from God, in the
Time of hisgreateft Anguifli, are preciousTokensand
infallible AfTurancesof God's future HelpinourNeed.
For as when he was in his bitter Agony, when his
Soul was caft down with a deadly Sorrow, an Angel
from Heaven came to comfort him; fo likewife, when
we lhall be engaged in an Encounter with Death, when
it fhall endeavour to fill our Souls with Sadnefs and
Apprehenfions; he will, doubtlefs, fend to us fomeof
his good Angels, that be at his Right Hand, I mean
the faithful Teachers of his Holy Word; or elfe he
will fend from Heaven fome of his blefTed Spirits that
itand about his Throne, who are commonly em-
ployed in the Affiftance of the Faithful. The Holy
Ghoft himfelf, the Comforter of afflicted Souls, and
the true Oil of Gladnefsj will then drive from our

Hearts

again/I the Pears of DE AT&. N 267

Hearts all Grief, and revive us with his heavenly
Comforts. He will not forfake us, till he has brought
us to the Head-fpring of eternal Joy and Comfort.

13. Our Lord and Saviour's Deliverance from
Death, is in fome Refpedb, an Image and Afiurance of
our future Deliverance, which we are to expect from
God's Mercy and Almighty Power. For as when
St.Paul faith, That this High-Prieft, in the Days of
the Flefli, offered up Prayers and Supplications with
ilrong Crying and Tears to him that was able to fave
him from Death, and was heard in that he feared -, we
are not to underftand, that he was altogether freed
from Death, but rather, that he had the Favour grant-
ed to him of fwallowing up Death in Victory, and of
triumphing over the Powers of Hell ; and that thro'
the Shame and Bitternefs of Death he is entered into
his Glory, and into the Joys of his heavenly Paradife:
Likewife when we pray to God in our grratei't Dif-
trefTes and deepeft Sorrow, when we pour into his
Bofom the Tears of a fincere Repentance, he hears us
from his Sanctuary, and delivers us from Death ; not
by hindering us from dying, but by conveying our
Souls through Death into an immortal Life; from
Suffering, into Happinefs.

14. To be fully perfuaded that God will not with-
hold from us the Joys and Comforts of his Holy Spi-
rit ; and that he will make us more than Conquerors
of Death, by admitting us into an eternal Felicity;
we need but caft our Eyes upon this Great God and
Saviour : For as he who grants a great deal, will not
refufe a little -, fo God, who has not fpared his only
Son, but hath delivered him for us all, to an ignomi-
nious and cruel Death, how lhall not he with him
freely give us all Things? St.Paul hath taught us to
argue in this Manner, and to gather this neceflary
Confeqtience of God's Proceedings, Rom. viii.

15. When Chrift our Lord gave up the Ghoft upon
the Crofs, the Veil of the Temple was rent from the
Top to th>e Bottom, Heaven was opened, and r. re-

T 2 pen ting

268 *Tbe CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

penting Thief was admitted. All this was to teach
us, that we may enter into the Holy of Holies, by
the Blood of Jefus, by the new and living Way,
which he hath confecrated; by the Veil, that is, his
Fleih ; that this merciful Lord hath always his Arms
wide open to receive us; and that he will never refufe
the Glory of Heaven, and the Delights of his Paradife,
to the greateft Sinners, who, repenting have Recourfe
to him by his eternal Mercy and infinite Merits.

16. The Death of this great God and Saviour is the
Payment of all our Debts, and the Expiation of all
our Crimes : It is the Healing of all our Difeafes, the
Freedom of all our Miferies; for it hath overcome
Satan and the Powers of Hell: It is the Death of an
eternal Death, the meritorious Death that hath pur-
chafed for us Heaven, and all its Excellencies; and
procured to us a Right to God's Paradife, and to its
Delights and Pleafures: In fhort, it is this Death that
introduces Paradife into our Souls before we enter into
Paradife, and fills our Minds with an heavenly and
divine Peace, and an unfpeakable and glorious Joy.

17. This Crofs of our Saviour may be compared to
the Wood, which Mqfes caft into the Waters ofMarab.
For it takes away from the natural Death of God's
Children whatsoever is incommodious and bitter, and
caufeth ustorelifh Sweetnefs and Comforts that cannot
beexpreffed. It isliketheSalt which the Prophet EHJha
caft into the Waters Q Jericho, to make them whol-
fome and fruitful: For it caufeth, that Death itfelf
proves our Salvation, and brings to us unfpeakable
Comforts. I may alfo liken it to the Meal which the
fame Prophet caft into the Pot, of which the Sons of
the Prophets had made this Complaint, O thsu Man
cf God, tbere is Death in the Pot! It is the Death of
Death, becaufe it removes from it all deadly Poifon,
and caufeth us to relifh angelical Satisfactions. I
may therefore fay of this glorious Crofs, Thatitis the
Tree cf Knowledge of Good and Evil; becaufe it makes
known and understood the dreadful Evils from which

agalnfl the Fears of DEATH. 269

we are delivered, and the infinite Advantages which
are procured to us by Chrift's Death. I may call it
alfo the Tree of Life- y for every one that gathers of the
Fruit of this Tree with the Hand of Faith, and eats of
it, fhall live for ever,John vi. Believing Souls, it is that
myftical Ladder which Jacob faw in a Vifionj for it
unites Heaven and Earth, finful Man with his God,
Gen. xxviii. It pleafed the Father to make Peace by
the Blood of his Son crucified, and to reconcile all
Things to himfelf, whether they be Things on Earth,
or Things in Heaven, Col. i. It is by the Means of
this BlefTed Crofs, that the good Angels are fent to our
Affiftance, and that all the Graces and Bleflings of God
are procured to us. By this Crofs we fhall afcend up
to God, and to his eternal Happinefs, Under the Sha-
dow of this divine Crofs our Souls reft, and enjoy the
Peace of God which pafleth all underftanding. It is
like the golden Sceptre which Kmgslbqfuerus ftretched
out unto Efther. For if we touch this precious Crofs
with the Hand of Faith, if we embrace it with a con-
trite Soul, we fhall obtaia from the King of Kings,
not only the half Part, but all his Kingdom, with all
its Delights, Honours, and Advantages.

1 8. Mofes's Rod was changed into a Serpent, and fo
were the Rods of Pharaoh's Magicians, but his Serpent
devoured all the reft. Thus the Death of the Lord and
Saviour is accompanied with Sorrow, Fear, and An-
guifh; but thefe Fears fvvallow up all other Fears, and
caufe us to draw near with Confidence to the Throne of
Grace. His Sorrows drive away all our Griefs, and fill
us with Joy and eternal Comfort. His Anguifh gives
Eafe and Satisfaction to our Souls. His troubled Mind
is the Caufe of the Settlement of our Confciences. His
Drops of Blood wafh away our Tears. His Groans hin-
der us from fighing, and his ftrong Crying caufes us to
fmg with Joy. The Fetters of this glorious Redeemer
have purchaled our Freedom; and his Condemnation
our Abfolution. He hath been content to drink Vinegar
mingled with Gall, and to fwallow the very Dregs of

T 3 the

270 *Tbe CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

the Cup of God's Wrath and Juftice, that he might
caufe us to drink of the Rivers of his divine Pleafure.
He cried out in the Violence of his Grief, My God,
my God, why baft thou forfaken me? Matth. xxvii.
That God might never fcrfake us, and that in our
greateft Troubles we might have always his fatherly
and powerful Afiiftance ready at Hand, he ftooped
down his Head to raife our Hopes. In fhort, he
died, that he might deliver them, who, through Fear
of Death, were all their Life-time fubject to a cruel
and unfufferable Bondage, Heb. ii. So that all fuch as
tremble, and are afraid, at the Approaches of Death,
have not yet felt the Power and Efficacy of the Crofs
of our Lord Jefus. They trample under Foot the
Blood of the Son of God, and, as much as in them
lies, they render the Fruits and Efficacy of his blefied
Death of no Effect.

19. Confider well, Chriftian Souls, and imprint
into your Minds this LefTon: Remember that Death
is never to be feared, but when it is attended with
God's Wrath, and the Curfe of his Law; when our
Sins and Offences have fupplied it with offenfive Wea-
pons; when the Devil, who feeks to devour us as a
roaring Lion, follows Death at the Heels; and when
at the fame Time Hell opens its infernal Jaws to
iwallow us up. But thofe who have placed their
Faith and Hope in the Death and Paffion of the Sa-
viour of the World, and who embrace his Crofs, are
exempted from all its Fears, and out of the Reach
of all its poifonous Darts.

20. My beloved Soul?, be not therefore frighted to
fee the Face of the great Judge of the World, i 'Tim. ii.
b.ecaufe we have fuch an excellent Mediator between
God and Man, namely, the Man Cbrift Jefus, who
hath given himfelf a Raqfom for all, Rom. iii. He
hath difarmed God's eternal Juftice, and flopped the
Proceedings of his Vengeance. For God hath ap-
pointed him from all Eternity to be a Propitiation,
by Faith in his Blood, Johnv, The Father judges

cigainft the Fears of DEATH. 271

no Man, but hath given all Judgement to the Son, as
he is the Son ofJVIan. There is now no Condemna-
tion to them that are in Chrift Jefus: Whofoever be-
lieves in him, fhall never come into Condemnation,
but is patted from Death to Life, Ron. viii. John v.

21. Fear no more the Thunderbolts and the Flafhes
of Fire of Mount Sinai ; neither tremble when you
hear its terrible Thunder: Curjed is every one who con-
tinues not in all Things written in the Book of the Law
to do them, Deut. xxviii. For though Chrift's Hands
were nailed and fattened to the Wood, they plucked
out of the Hands of God's Juftice his terrible Thun-
derbolts, and the Sword of his Vengeance. The pre-
cious Blood that runs down from the Wounds of this
divine Redeemer, quenches the fcorching Heat of his
confuming Fire and Flames. As at the Time of our
Saviour's Paffion he had a Care of his Difciples, and
therefore he defired thofe that came to take him, If
youjeek me> let thefe go, John xviii. Jikewife he hath
now a Care of all fuch as believe in his Name, to fe-
cure them under the Shadow of his Crofs. He takes
their Place, and for them he ftands before God's
Juftice, laying, Since you have taken me to be their
Pledge, and have purfued me without Mercy ; and
fince I have fufficiently fatisfied for their Crimes, and
have tafted for them the moft bitter and cruel Death;
fuffer them to enjoy the Freedom that hath-been pur-
chafed atfuch a dear Rate. Suffer them topafs through
Death into the Enjoyment of a blefTed Life, which
is the Price of my Bload, and the Fruit of my Victo-
ries. This merciful Redeemer hath put himfelf, of his
own Accord, in our Stead ; and hath endured in his
own Perfon, all the Pains which were due to our Sins.
He hath been (truck with Mofes's Rod, and pierced
through with the Darts of the Law ; he hath been
made a Curfe for usj for it is written, Curfed is . every
one that hangeth upon a 'Tree, Gal. v. But we are not
only by this means redeemed from the Curfe of the
Law, but we are alfo blefled in him, with all Man-

T 4 ner

272 T&e CHRISTIAN'S Confolations
ner of heavenly Bleffings. When we were without
Chrift, we were Aliens from the Commonwealth of
JJrael, having no Hope, and without God in the World.
But we, who were far off, are made nigh by the Blood
of Chrift ; we have Accefs with Confidence by Faith
in his precious Blood ; fo that we may go with Bold-
nefs to the Throne of Grace, to find Mercy and Help
in Time of Need, Heb. iv. Rejoice, therefore, Chrif-
tian Souls; for you are not come to the Mount that
might not be touched with Hands, nor to a burning
Fire, nor unto Blacknefs, and Darknefs, and Tempeft,
and the Sound of a Trumpet, and the Voice of Words,
which Voice they that heard, intreated, that the Word
fhould not be fpoken to them any more; but ye are
come unto Mount Sicn, and to the City of the living
God, the heavenly Jerufakm, and to an innumerable
Company of Angels; to the general Afiembly and
Church of the Firft-borrv, which are written in Heaven;
and to God the Judge of all; and to the Spirits of jufl
Men made perfect ; and to Jefus the Mediator of the
new Covenant; and to the Blood of Sprinkling, that
fpeaketh better Things than that of Abel: For Abel's
Blood called for Vengeance againft his Brother, Heb, xii,
Col. i. but the Blood of Chriit pleads for Mercy, Par-
don, and Forgivenefs, for them who were his Ene-
mies in their Underftandings, and wicked Deeds.
And if, when we were Enemies, we have been recon-
ciled to God by the Death of his Son, Rom. v. how
much more now, that we are reconciled, lhall we be
faved by his Life and Intercefiion!

22. Never fear the Devil, nor all the Powers of Hell;
for, according to God's ancient Promife, the Seed of the
Woman Jhall bruife the Serpent's Head, Gen. iii. The
Lord of Glory hath fpoiled the Principalities and
Powers; he hath made a Shew of them, openly tri-
pmphing over them on his Crofs, Col. ii. By his
-Death he hath deftroyed him who had the Empire of
Death, that is the Devil; fo that he hath crufhed to
Pieces this red Dragon that devoured whole Nations

and

agalnjl the Fears of DEATH, 273

and People, Heb. ii. Rev. xii. As it happened when
the Children of IJrael looked up to the brazen Ser-
pent fet up by Mojes in the Wildernefs, they were
perfectly cured of the Bitings of the fiery Serpents:
Thus, wretched Sinners, who ftel the venomous and
deadly Wounds of the old Serpent, caft the Eyes of
your Faith upon Jefus 'Chriil crucified, and you fhali
be faved from Death, John iii. As when the Angel de-
ftroyed the Firft-born of Egypt, he had not the Power
to meddle with the Children oIfrael 3 who had fprink-
led their Doors with the Blood of the Pafcha.1 Lambj
fo the Devil, who dcftroys the Children of this World,
hath not Power to touch thofe whofe Hearts and Con-
fciences are wafhed in the Blood of this fpotlefsLamb.
And as Pharaob, and all the Egyptians that followed
him, were overwhelmed and drowned in the Waters of
the Red Sea, Heb. x. which ferved as a Pafiage to the
Children of 7/r^?/ to their promifed Land: Thus Satan,
and all his wicked Spirits are, as it were, fwallowed
up in the precious Sea of Chrift's Blood, which opens
to us a Way to the celeftial Canaan. Rejoice, ye Hea-
vens, and you that dwell in them ; for the Accufer of
your Brethren is caft out, who accufed them Day and
Night before God ; but they have overcome him by
the Blood of the Lamb, i Pet. i. Jam. iv. Chriftian
Souls, refift the Devil, and he will fly from you. If he
goes about as a roaring Lion, feeking whom he may
devour, be not troubled at his Fury, nor at his infer-
nal Power; for he is tied to a Chain that he cannot
itretch nor break; he hath been overcome by the
Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Take therefore the Shield
of Faith, that you may be able to quench all the fiery
Darts of the Devil, Rev. vi. and to fpeak to him
with an undaunted Spirit, get thee behind me Sa-
tan, for thou haft no Part in me; I belong to the
Lord Jefus, who hath paid my Ranfom, who hath re-
deemed me with his Blood, and fcaled me with his
Spirit. The Gates of Hell have no Power upon thofe
^yhp are built upon the Rock of Eternity, Mat. xvi.

23. Let

274 ^^CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

23. Let not your Sins caft you into the Abyfs of
Defpair, nor drive you from the Anchor of your Hope.
For God hath fo loved the World, that he hath given
his only Son, that whofoever believeth in him fhould
not perifh, but have everlafting Life. They that are
whole have no need of a Phyfician, but they that are
fick, John iii. Our Saviour is not come to call the
Jll to Repentancej fuch as are puffed up with a vain
Conceit of their own Righteoufnefs; but Sinners, who
acknowledge their Faults, and are forry for them. The
facred Arms of our Redeemer, that were ftretchedwide,
open upon the Crofs, are yet ftretched wide open to
receive us; and from the higheft Heavens where he
dwells hecaufeth thefe comfortable Words to be heard,
Come unto me, all ye that labour ', and are heavy laden >
and 1 will give ycu Reft, Matt. xi. This merciful Lord
is come to feek the loft Sheep, to fave fuch as were
perifhed, and to redeem his People from their Sins. As
by one Man Sin came into the World, and by Sin
Death; thus Death is come upon all Men, for they
have all finned; likewife, by the Obedience of one, we
are become Conquerors over Death, Rom. v. and we
have obtained the Gift of Righteoufnefs and Immorta-
lity: It is the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sins
of the World, who hath made an Atonement for all
our Iniquities, John i. i v or as the Ram that was caught
by the Horns in a Thicket, was offered up to God as
a Burnr-offering inftead of Ifaac, Eph. v. thus the true
Lamb of God hath been offered up unto God upon
the Crofs for us, as aBurnt-facrifice weil-pleafing unto
him. He hath borne our Iniquities in his Body upon
the Tree, and by his Stripes we are healed, If a. liii. He
hath borne our Griefs, and carried our Sorrows; the
Chaftifement of our Peace was upon him. As Aaron
put upon the live Goat Hazael all the Sins of the Peo-
ple, Lev. xvi. God hath made him who knew no Sin,
to be made Sin for us, that we might become the
Righteoufnefs of God in him, 2 Cor. v.ARsyi. Who-
foever believes in him fliall receive Remiflion of Sins

(igainft the Fears of DEATH.' 275
in his Name. Therefore, rather than run into Defpair,
as Cain, debit opbel, and Judas, let us cry out with
King David, O ble/ed is the Man whcfe Tranfgreffion
is forgiven, and whofe Sin is covered! O bleffed is he
unto whom the Lord imputeth no Sin! Pfal. xxxi. Or
let us burft out into St.Paul's Language, Who Jh all
lay any Thing to the Charge of God's Elett? It is God
that juftifietb j who is he that condemneth? It is Cbrift
that died, Rom. viii. Let us therefore embrace this
crucified Jefus, and fay with the BleiTed Virgin, My
Soul doth magnify the Lord, and my Spirit hath rejoiced
in God my Saviour; or, with the glorified Spirits in
Heaven, To him that hath loved us, and wajhed us from
our Sins in his Blood, be Glory and Strength for ever and
ever. Amen.

24. Chriftian Souls, if the vaft Number of your Sins
come into your Remembrance, confider that it is not
faid, that the Blood of Chrift cleanfeth us only from
a certain Number of Sins, but, that if we confefs our
Sins, He is faithful andjuft, that is, true and merciful,
to forgive us our Sins ; and that the Blood of Jefus Chrift
cleanjeth us from all Sins. Let them be never fo nu-
merous, drown them all, as fo many hellifh Monfters,
in the Blood of thy Saviour. Take hold of this divine
Jefus, with the Arms of Faith and Repentance. Wrap
yourfelves up in his Winding- fheet ; repofe yourfelves
upon his Crofs, and reft fecure in the Shadow of his
Almighty Interceflion.

25. But if the Heinoufnefs of your Crimes fright
you, take hold at the fame Time of the Horns of this
myftical Altar, and all the Powers of Hell will not
be able to pluck you thence. Comfort thyfelf, finful
Soul; for there cannot be a Spot fo black, or fo deep,
but the Blood of Chrift is able to wafh it clean away.
There is no Crime fo abominable, but the Sacrifice of
this Lamb without Spot, that taketh away the Sins of
the World, can make an Atonement for it. Let thy
Sins be never fo great, they have their Limits; but thy
Redeemer's Merits are without Limits, and the Efficacy

ay 6 <n> CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

of his Sufferings continues for ever. To afiure thee of
this Truth,, and to encourage thee, he was pleafed up-
on the Crofs to difcover the Riches of his Mercy upon
a wretched Robber, who fuffered then by the Hand of
Juftice for his Crimes. As foon as he faw him moved
with Repentance, he changed his infamous and painful
Crofs into a Paradife of Glory and Happinefs, and
filled his 5oul with the fweeteft Comforts of his holy
Spirit. This merciful Redeemer is the fame Yefterday
and To-day, and fliall be the fame for ever. Therefore,
if thou art reckoned amongft the mod filthy and abo-
minable Sinners, if thou doft groan under the Burden
of thy Sins, and art moved with Contrition, Heb. xiii.
thou oughteft not to caft off thy Hopes, and be dif-
couraged; draw near with Humility to thy Saviour's
Crofs, and wafh rhyfelf in the Blood that comes out of
his Veins. All the difeafedPerfons that entered into the
Fool of Bethefda, were healed of all Manner of Dif-
tempers, John v. Thus all fpiritually difeafed, are cured
in this divine Pool of all their Griefs. It is not necef-
fary to (lay till a good Angel came from Heaven to
move the Waters; for Chrift's Blood is always frefh,
living, and of the fame Virtue and Efficacy. We need
not fear, that others (hould ftep down before us, or that
the Throng fliould hinder us ; for a thoufand Worlds
may be all healed at the fame Inftant. Neither can we
pretend, that there is nobody to caft us into this myf-
tical Pool ; for our Lord will never refufe to admit
you. When you (hall have been Bed-rid eight-and-thirty
Years, as the poor Man that was troubled with the
Palfy ; and when you fhall be nailed to a Crofs, as
the good Thief; you may neverthelefs dip yourfelves
into the divine Pool, and feel its faving and healing
Virtue. It doth not only wafh away the Filth, and
heal all thy Difeafes, but it gives alfoLife to the Dead,
and renders the Living immortal. Whofoever thou art

that dipped thyfelf in this precious Blood, thou mayft
fay with the Apoille St.Paul, This is a faithful Say-
ing, and worthy of #11 Acceptation, that Jefus Chnft

came

again ft the Fears of DEATH. 277

came into the World to fave Sinners, of whom I am
the chief, i Tim. i. Howbeit I have obtained Mercy;
the Lord will deliver me from all wicked Works, and
will preferve rrie to his heavenly Kingdom; to him be
Glory for ever and ever, Amen^ 2 Tim. iv.

26. You underftand therefore very well, believing
Souls, that you have no Caufe to fear Death, fmce all
its Darts have been broken to Pieces, all its Armour
hath been torn, and its Spoils appear fo vifibly upon
Chrift's Crofs. You may fee the Claws of this old
Lion, the Paw of this devouring Bear, the Teeth and
Poifon of this infernal Serpent, and the Head of this
prodigious Dragon; you may fee Death fwallowed up
in Victory, and the Prince of Life leading it in
Triumph. Follow then the glorious Chariot of this
noble Conqueror, faying with the Apoftle, O Death !
where is thy Sting? O Grave! where is thy Vitfory?
The Sting of Death is Sin, and the Strength of Sin is
the Law-, but bleffed be God, who hath given us the Vic-
tory through our Lord Jefus Chrift, i Cor. xv.

27. Therefore, when God fhall draw near to you,
under Death's Veil, be not terrified j feek not to run
from him, and to hide yourlelves from his all-feeing
Eye, unto which Darknefs is as the Noon-Day,
Gen. iii. Though you are by Nature poor, wretched,
blind, and naked, you have more fubftantial Gar-
ments than Fig-leaves; for you have th,e Leaves of
the Tree of Life, that are defigned for the Salvation
of the Gentiles y Rev. xxii. The Leaves that fhall never
fade fhall cover all your Nakednefs, and adorn your
immortal Souls. For it is the eternal Righteoufnefs,
the moft accomplifhed Righteoufnefs of our Lord
Jefus, who hath been made unto us of God, Wif-
dom, Righteoufnefs, Sanctirication, and Redemption,
i Cor. i. 30. It is Jefus Chrift himfelf who is named,
The Lord our Righteoufnejs. It is the the precious Garment
of Salvation, the glorious Clokc of Righteoufnefs
mentioned by the Prophet, Ifa. Ixi. It is the Wed-
ding Garment whitened in the Blood of the Lamb

without

278 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

without Spot, and the fine and bright Linen, which
are the Righteoufnefs of the Saints, Ezek. xvi. In
fhort, it is a Garment, which will not only cover and
adorn you, but will alfo heal all your Infirmities, and
advance you to Immortality, Rev. vii,

28. If you come before your heavenly Father, with
this perfumed Clothing of your elder Brother, Jefus
Chrift, Gen. xxviu-for rather, if you be clothed with
him as with a Garment, Rom. i. you fhall not only
obtain the beft and moil advantageous Bleffing, but
you fhall enter into the Pofieffion of the in corruptible
Inheritance, prepared for you from the Beginning of
the World. For the Wages of Sin is Death , but the
Gift of God is eternal Life, through our Lord Jefus
Chrift, Rom. vi.

cfcc^c$Dc&c$oc$cc&c$oc^c^c&c&c&

A Prayer and Meditation for a Chriflian, who
flrengthens himfelf againfl the Fears of
Death, by meditating upon the Death and Paf-
fion of our Lord Jefus Chrift.

r\ Merciful Saviour / who haft taken our mortal
Nature, that thou might eft offer it up as a Sa-
crifice to God, vcuchfafe'me thine AJfiftance, and an In-
crtafe of my Faith and Hope, now that I am threatened
to be devoured by Death. I embrace thy Crcfs and Paf-
fion as mine only relief; I take hold of the Horns of this
Altar, and claim an Intereft in thy Suffering and Righte-
cufnefs. How grievous were thy Torments^ O blejfed
Redeemer / which made thee fweat Drops of Blood, re-
quired the Comfort of Angels, and drew from theeftrcng
Crying and Tears. But thy Death was not as mine, or
as the Departure of thine holy Martyrs, who went will-
ingly to Execution with Exprefficn of Joy. 'Thy Death
was an Atonement for the tins of the whole World; b t
ours can yield no Satisfaction to the divine Jnftice -, if
makes us capable of reaping the Fruits of thine eternal

CcmpflJ/icns

agalnft the Fears of DEATH. 279

Compqffions and Mediation. 'Thou Jufferedjl tie heavy
Strokes of God's Wrath, and tookeft upon thee the Load
of our Sins j but we y inftead of this confuming Fire y
quenched ly thy precious Death, perceive in our Death
the Flames and Motions of thy Love. In/lead of the
Hand of thy Vengeance, we meet here with the Em-
braces of thy Mercy, ready to admit us into eternal
Happinefs. Death appears to u* armed with our Sins t
and the dreadful Confequences of Hell and Damnation*
But I fee all this Armour hanging upon thy Crofs, as
the everlafting 'Trophies and Monuments of thy Glory.
'Thou haft been pierced with the Darts of a cruel Death,
fuffered the terrible Thunderbolts and Curfes of the
Law ; and thou haft drunk the Dregs of the Cup of
God's Fury for our Sakes, that thou mighteft conquer
Sin, Death, and Satan, and free us from the Curfes we
have deferved. O wonderful Saviour! Thou haft fpoiled
Principalities and Powers, Jhewing them openly, and
triumphing over them on the Crofs. How marvellous
are thy Works, and worthy of the continual Admiration
cf Men and Angels! What extraordinary Benefits do
I reap from thy blejjed Paffion! Thy violent Sufferings
are Preventions of my Torments-, thy Bruifes and
Wounds are my Safety and Cure-, tly Fears comfort
and fettle my Mind-, thy diftreffed Soul fills mine full
of Joy -, thy Crying appeafes the Troubles of my Confci-
ence; and thy Drops of Blood wajh away my Tears-, thy
Bitternefs is my Sweetnefs, and thy Death my Victory,
and thy Crofs my Triumph. I feall no longer tremble at
the Approaches of Death, fince thou haft purchafed for
me Life and Immortality ; and the Kingdom of Heaven
is thine by a two -fold Right, as thou art the Son of God>
and Heir of all Things-, and as thou haft paid for it
a valuable Price, by thine infinite Merits. The firft is
Jufficient for thee: By the fecond we have a Claim to
this Kingdom, and ft.iall pG/fefs it as the Fruits of thy
Death and Sufferings. My Hope is in thee, O blejjed
Lord! fuffer me not to fail in my Expectations. I know
that nsthing impure Jhall enl. j r info tby holy City, but

thy

280 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolattom

iky Blood /hall wajb and cleanfe me from all my Sins.
glorious Lord ! bow w -nderful art tbou, and how pre-
cious is thy Death, the Atonement of thy Crimes, and
the Rimfom of the whole World ! It is our Peace with
God t our Reconciliation with Heaven, and with the
Angels of Light. In a Word, it hath not only refcued
we out of an Abyfs of Misery, from an eternal Damna-
tion, and the endlejs Torments of Hdl\ hit it bath
furchafed for me Heaven and its Glory, and Paradife
with all its unfpeakable Delights. And the Method
then haft taken, O victorious Son of David ! to ac-
compli fo this, deferves our Admiration. By thine own
Death tbou haft conquered Death ; and by entering into
its dark Prjfon, haft given to Death its mortal Wound.
'Thy Crofs therefore, to me, is as Jacob's Ladder, where
fit the Bottom I may Jleep fecure from Sin, and the Fears
of ths Grave, and by it afcend up to .the Throne of Grace,
to obtain Mercy and Help in Time of Need. It is the
Source of Sweetnefs, Comfort, and Joy, and of the nobleft
future Expectations. It is a -perfect Example to inftruB
me, how to die well, and how- 1 ought to be prepared when
1 leave the World. Grant me Grace to imitate thee, to
exprefs to all my Relations that cordial Affection and Ten-
der nefs which I find in thee, to forgive my great eft and
mortal Emmies, to pray for my Perfecutors, to fubmit
with Patience to thy Will-, to behave myfelf with Courage
and Refolution, with Zeal and 'Affeflion for thy Glory.
Here 1 offer myfelf to thy Difpofal. My Scul belongs to
thee, as to its Creator and Redeimer-, for thou haft ran-
fomed it, wajhed, and fanftified it, clothed it with thy
Righteoufnefs, and put it into a Capacity of entering into
thy heavenly Sanctuary, and of appearing before the Father
of Lights. Take into thy Cuftody, fweet Jefus, who
baft been crucified for me, a wretched Sinner. Grant } I
befcech thee, that I may for ever live and reign with the*
in Gkry, in thine eternal Kingdom. Amen. .

CHAP,

ugalnft tie Pears of DEATH. 281

CHAP. XVI.

The Fourth Confolation againft the Fears of Death
is, to meditate often upon our Lord Jefus Chriji, m
bis Sepulchre.

MAN naturally abhors and hates the Sight of
Graves. Some cannot pafs by a Church- Yard,
without expreffing a Diftafte and Dread. Not only
they who make their Abode in glorious Places, and
(lately Dwellings, but alfo they who refide in poor
Huts, or in pitiful Cabins; they who are fhut up
in black Dungeons, or expofed to the Injury of the
Weather, who have no other Covering but the Sky,
can never think upon Death without Fear, when they
-call to mind, that this Body muft go into the Bowels
of the Earth, and lie down in a {linking and noifome
Grave.

If we will banifh from our Souls this dangerous Ap-
prehenfion, and needlefs Fear, we muft confider feri-
oufly, with a religious Application, that we ought
never to abhor the Earth, becaufe our Bodies have
been made of Earth ; it hath been, as it were, the
Mother from whence we proceed.

We muft alfo confider, that it is the General Rule
pf Nature, that all compounded Bodies muft return,
at their Diflblution, every Part to its firft Principle.
Therefore, as the Soul afcends up to its firft Source,
and returns to God who gave it; likewife it is no
Wonder if the Body returns to Duft, becaufe it pro-
ceeds from Duft, and God hath pronounced a Sen-
tence in the earthly Paradife, which (hall never be
revoked; Duft thcu art, and to Duft then faalt return,
Gen. iii. Nicodemus enquired of our Lord Jefus
Chrift, How can a Man be barn when be is old? Can
be enter the fecc/nd Time into his Mother's Wcmb, find be

U born?

282 *fke CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

born? John Hi. This ridiculous and improbable Con-
ceit is proved, in a Manner, to be true on this Occa-
fion, for we muft enter again into the Womb of the
Earth, our common Mother, that v/e may be born
again, and pafs into another Life.

It is not amifs to confider often the notable Repre-
fentations of Death, mentioned by St.P#/, in the
xvth Chapter of the firft Epiftle to the Corinthians.
For our Bodies are as the Seed which is caft into the
Earth, that it might bring forth. O Fool, that which
thcujoiueft is not quickened except it die. It cannot flou-
riih until it rots. The Students of Nature inform us,
that the Generation of one Thing is the Corruption of
another. On this Occafion we may affirm, that the
Corruption and Diffolution of this wretched Body is
the Means and Way thatleads to a more glorious Ge-
neration. You that weep for the Deceafe of your
Friends and Kindred, when you fee them laid in their
Graves, remember what David faith, They that fow
in Tears, fhall reap with Songs of Joy, PfaL cxxvi.

Confider, That Death is the Way of all Flefh, and
the Grave is thelaft Retreat which God hath appointed
for all Living: So that if we be loth to enter into the
Tomb, we muft defire Almighty God to grant us a
Lodging by ourlelves, to change the common Courfe
of Nature, or to create for us another World.

Now, the Sepulchre is not only the general Ren-
dezvous of all Mankind, but it is a Couch where they
reft after their laborious and painful Race. There-
fore, when the Prophet Ifaiab fpeaks of the Death of
good Men, he faith, They enter into Peace, they reft in
their Beds, Ifa. Ivii. For when he looks to the
bleiTed State of their Souls, he tells us, that they are.
entered into that great and eternal Peace that reigns
in Heaven. But when he cafts an Eye upon their Bo-
dies, he faith, they reft in their Beds. For this Caufe
the Places appointed to bury the Dead are named
fleecing Places, by the Greeks, to teach us, that they
are faiien afleep, in Expectation of the great Morn,

when

againfl the Fears of DEATH. 283

when God (hall awaken them with the Sound of the
Archangel's Trumpet.

Therefore, when Jacob was ready to give up the
Ghoft, he commanded his Son Jofepb not to bury
him in Egypt, that be might Jleep with his Fathers,
Gen. xlvii. Likewife Job fpeaks in the fame Man-
ner, I Jhall Jleep in the T)uft of the Earth, Job vii.
And God ufed this Language unto Mofes, tfbou art
going to Jleep with thy Fathers, Deut. xxxi. And to
David, When thy Days be fulfilled, thou jhalt Jleep with
thy Fathers, i Sam. vii. And when the Prophet
Daniel fpeaks of fuch as were deceafed fince the
Creation of the World, he faith, 'They Jleep in the Duji
of the Earth, Dan. xii.

Particularly take Notice, Chriftian Souls, that when
God fpoke to Mofes from the Midft of the burning
Bufh, he told him, / am the God of Abraham, the
God of I faze, and the God of Jacob, Exod. iv. they
had been dead may Ages before; neverthelefs, God
names himfelf their God. Now God is not the God of
the Dead but of the Living, Matt. xxii. Thofe holy
Men were not dead in regard of their Souls j for they
are immortal, and God hach admitted them into eter-
nal Blifs. Their Bodies alfo, to fpeak properly, were
not dead, but flept in their Graves, as our Saviour
faid of Jar ins' s Daughter, fbe Damfel is net dead, but
Jleepeth, Matt. ix. And of Lazarus, Lazarus our Friend
Jleepeth, John xi. Moreover, we may juftly fay, that
the Condition of our Bodies in the Grave is better,
and more pleafant than our daily Sleep ; for when we
reft in our Beds, we are often difturbed in our Fancy,
we labour and fweat, and thericheft and moft magni-
ficent Couches are not free from this Evil; whereas
in the Grave our Bodies are at Reft, and fecure from
all Senfe of Pain, and enjoy a perfect Sleep, and a
Reft without Difturbance.

The greateft Princes, and the proudeft Monarchs,
are conitrained to take up* their Lodging, one after
another, here in this Houfe, which God hath prepared

U 2 for

284 &e CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons
for all Living, and to repofe themfelves on that
Couch, which is to receive all the Sons of Adam.
When the facred Hiftory gives an Account of the
Kings of Judah and of Ifrael; it adds, at the End of
their Life, hejlept with his Fathers. Let us be ever
fo wretched, poor and miferable, we fhall be enter-
tained in this Dwelling of Kings, and lay ourfelves
down upon their Beds; therefore, when Job, through
the Grievoufnefs of his Pain, complained, becaufe he
had not died immediately after his Birth, he faith,
For now foould I have lain Jlill and been quiet , I Jkould
have Jlept, then had I been at Reft, ivith Kings, and
Counfellors of the Earthy which built dcfolate Places for
tbanfehts, or with Princes that had Gold, who filled
their Houses with Silver.

It is in this Houfe, and upon this Couch, that the
Patriarchs, Prophets, Apoftles, Evangelifts, Martyrs,
and generally all the Faithful, reft, who have lived
in all the Ages of the World; as it is recorded of St.
Stephen, when he commended his Soul into the
Hands of the Lord Jefus, that he fell ajleep, A6ts vii.
Therefore, when St. Paul reproves the Corinthians,
and acquaints them, that God had puniihed them
with divers Difeafes and Death, becaufe they had
profaned the Lord's Supper ; he tells them, For this
'.- many are feeble and fick amongft you, and
many Jleep. And when he fpeaks of all thofe that
v/ere dead in the Profeflion of Chrift's Religion, he
faith, They Jleep in Jefus ; and he names them, they
that Jleep. Now, we are not better and nobler than
the Saints of Paradife, to expect that our Bodies ihould
receive a better and more favourable Entertainment
than they.

In fhort, There is nothing more able to remove
from our Fancy that Horror of our Graves, than the
Confideration of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift,
who did enter into the Earth, like other Men, and
laid himfelf down there. He hath fanctified and per-
fumed that Place with his divine Prefence, and hath

Ggainft the Pears of DEATH. 285

made it the Object of our Defines, and the Caufe of
our Glory. For there is no Subject but thinks it an
Honour to lodge in his Prince's Chamber, and to lie
down and deep upon the Bed, where he hath taken his
Reft, though he hath remained there but a Moment,
or an Hour. O blcfTed Tomb, where Death and
Life, Difgrace and Glory, are lodged together, and
where the Prince of Life, the Author of all Honour
and Happinefs, refted himfelf !

Chriftians, who define to banifh from your Souls
all Fears of Death, and Apprehenfions of your
Graves, look upon your Sepulchres in the fame Man-
ner, as if you mould fee there Jefus Chrift, the King
of Glory, the Prince of your Salvation, yet remaining
afleep. When old Jacob heard the miftaken News
of the Death of his Son Jofeph, he was overcome with
a violent Grief, fo that he cried out, / fb all go down
with Sorrow to my Sen into the Grave. But the certain
News of the Death and Burial of the true Jcfeph
will fill us full of unfpeakable Comforts, and will
caufe us to fpeak in another Manner, I fhall go
down to my Father into the Sepulchre with Joy. The
Prophet Elifoa raifed to Life a Child which was laid
in his Chamber upon his Bed; when he flretched him-
felf upon it, the Soul that was departed came again.
And Eli/ha raifed another in the fame Manner, by
applying his Mouth to the Child's, his Hands and
Eyes to his. But, believing Soul, God works for
thee, on this Occafion, a far more wonderful Mira-
cle: For our Refurrection and Life proceed from
the Death and Burial of our great Prophet. If we
go into his holy Tomb, if we lay ourfelves down
upon his precious Body, if we embrace it with a true
and lively Faith, and a ferious Repentance, he will
quicken us again, and caufe us to become immortal :
For he hath been pleafed to enter into the State of tiie
Dead, with an Intent to procure us a Blefling, and
a glorious Immortality.

U 3 A Prayer

286 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolati&ns

A Prayer and Meditation for a Chriftian, who
ftrengthens himfelf againfl the frightful Afpecfl
of the Grave, by looking upon our Lord Jefus
Chriftlaid in his Tomb.

Wonderful Mediator between God and Man ! Ihou
art God immortal, and yet haft voucbfafed to take
upon thee our mortal Nature, and to die for me a miferable
Sinner , and to remain for a Time in the State of the Dead,
that thou mighteft procure to me a blejjed Immortality.
Give me Grace to meditate, as I ought^ upon thy fzcrcd
Body, wrapped up in a Winding-jheet, and laid in the
Earth. For by this Means, facet Jefus, I Jhall be re-
conciled to the Sight of the Grave -, I Jhall look with a
ftcdfaft and fettled Countenance on the Pit into which I
muft enter, when thou fh alt appoint it. For the Servant
is net "greater than his Mafter. It belongs not to the
Creature to prefer it (elf above the Creator. Since I expert
to Jhare in thy Glory and Exaltation; it is but juft and
reafonable that 1 take feme Part in thy Difgraces and
Abatement. My Reafon, ajfifted by thine Holy Spirit, teach-
eth me that 1 muft be content to be wrapped up in thy Dark-
nefs, and remain with thee in the Valley of the Shadow
cf Death, fince I hope to be clothed one Day with Light >
and crowned with an eternal Life. I muft not only look
upon the Grave without Fear, but I Jhall conjider it with
Joy, in regard thou hc.ft honoured it with thy holy Prefence,
and perfumed it with thy divine and celeftial Odour. I
Jhall look upon it, as if thou didft yet lie down in it, as if
I were to keep thee Company there, my Lord and my God.
A dead Man returned to Life again, when he did but
touch the Bones cf thy Prophets j but I do not only touch
the Prince of Prophets, but embrace thee by Faith^ as thou
art, for my Sins, and as reftirg in thy Grave for my Sal-
vation. *i hou Jhall therefore make me fenfible of thy
divine Virtue, put in me the Seeds of Immortality, and

raife

again/I the Fears of DEATH. 287

raife my Hopes up to Heaven. My Soul hath alreaay d
Share in the firft RefurretJ-ion^ and one Day this infirm
Eodyjhall return to Newnefs of Life. If my Refurreftion
be not fo quick and fpeedy, as that of the Dead raifed to
Life by the Prophet, itjhall be far more glorious and lofting,
that I may blefs thee with all thy Saints, and praifethee for
with thine Inheritance in Heaven. Amen.

CHAP. XVII.

'The Fifth Confolation againft the Fears of Death
is, to meditate upon the Rejurreflion of our Lord
Jefus Chrijl.

AS there is nothing more grievous and unfulFer-
able, than to behold a proud and infulting
Enemy, who is always victorious, and whom none
can overcome in his infolent and braving Humour ;
likewife there is nothing more pleafant and comfort-
able than to fee luch a Pride caft down, and to tri-
umph over fuch an Enemy. Therefore the Children
of Ifrad, who had long groaned under the cruel Ty-
ranny of Paraoby fang with Joy a Song of Thankf-
giving, when God deftroyed that wretched Tyrant,
and buried him and his Army in the Waves of the
Red Sea. For this Caufe, when the Red Dragon, the
ancient Serpent, called the Devil and Satan, Rev. xxii.
who feduceth whole Nations, was overcome and caft
down from Heaven to the Earth; -there were Songs
of Joy and Gladnefs heard in Heaven, Rev. xii. Now
is come Salvation and Strength, and the Kingdom of our
God, and the Power of his Chrift; for the Accufer of
our Brethren is caft doivn, which accujed them before
our God Day and Night \ therefore rejoice, ye Heavens,
and ye that dwell in them.

U 4 From

288 *fbe CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

From, hence let us conclude, Chriftian Souls, as
it was a grievous Affliction, and a fenfible Grief, to
behold Death tyrannizing over all the World, and
fhutting up in its Dungeons, Kings and Monarchs,
Patriarchs, Prophets, Apoftles, and Martyrs, and
generally all the Children of Adam of what Condi-
tion or Degree foever; likewife, it is a great Comfort,
and unfpeakable Joy to us, to behold this cruel and
proud Enemy brought down, overcome, and difarm-
ed; to fee our Lord Jefus Chrift marching out of
Death's Fortifications, loaden with its Spoils: Rejoice,
therefore, ye Heavens, and ye that dwell in them ; for
the Murderer of our Brethren is fwallowed up into
Victory.

We, who are the Members of this great Conqueror,
have a Share in this Honour and Glory j in his Per-
ion, we are Conquerors of Death, fo that we may
Jay with the Apoftle, That God hath quickened us toge-
ther, and raijed us up with him.

This Prince of Life hath not only loofened all
the Bands of Death, and broken to Pieces all its
Chains, but he hath led away Death in Triumph, and
made it fubject to his celeftial Empire. He hath an
abfolute Power over Death, as he himfelf declares in
thefe Words, / am he that liveth, and was dead-, and
lehold, 1 am alive for evermore, Amen ; and have the
Kt.ys of Hell, and cf Death.

For it ftands with Reafon, that if this invincible
Lord, when he was in the Prifon of Death, command-
ed over Death itfelf; he broke in Pieces its Iron Bars,
and its brazen Gates; if he caufed the Dead to go
out, and led them into the holy City; now, that he
is out of the Grave, a victorious Conqueror, he muft
needs command with an uncontrollable Power this
dreadful Enemy, which he hath already overcome,
and brought under by his almighty Hand.

O Death ? fret and foam out thy Rage and Fury;
1 fee that thou art tied as a Prifoner to the triumph-
ing Chariot of Jefus Chriit my Saviour; and I am

certain,

agalnjl the Fears of DEATH. 289

certain, that thou canft do nothing without Leave,
and that thou canft not go a Step, unlefs he lengthens
thy Chain.

As Jojhua, when he had overcome the Kings of
Canaan, called for his Captains, and fpoke to them in
this Manner, Come near, and 'put your Feet upon the
Necks of theje Kings ; fear not, nor be dijmayed-, Is
Jlrong, and of good Courage-, like wife, we may ima-
gine, believing Souls, that our divine Jojhua, the
Conqueror of Death, calls to us from Heaven, Tread
upon this wretched Death with Boldnefs $ fear not,
nor be difmayed.

The Children of Ifrael, who trembled at theThreat-
enings of Goliab, were freed from all Apprehenfions,
when they faw him fall with a Stone from David's.
Sling, fo that the moil timorous could have freely
put their Feet upon his Neck. And lhall not you,
Chriftians, banifh from your Hearts all Fear and
Dread of Death, now that you fee it is caft.down
at the Feet of our true David, that great Shepherd and
Bifhop of our Souls? For though it opens its Jaws,
and foams out Flames of Fire, it hath, neverthelefs,
received the Stroke of Death, and is at the laft Gafp.

And as the Servant of Jonathan, the Son of Saul,
difpatched and killed thofe whom his Mafter had caft
down ; thus, we need but purfue the glorious Victo-
ries of the Son of the King of Kings; or rather, we
need but gather up the pleafant Fruits of his Con-
quefts. Jbor this Prince of Life, that hath overcome
Death for us, offers to overcome it alfo in us, with
the Weapons with which he arms us. In fhort, to
fpeak properly, there can be no Death for fuch as are
incorporated in Jefus Chrift by a true and lively Faith.
For he that lives, and believeth in him, fhall never
die; and he that believeth in him, though he were
dead, yet (hall he live, Jobn\\.

A Prayer

290 'The CHRISTIAN'S Confolatloiu

A Prayer and Meditation for the believing Soul,
who arms himfelf aginft the Fears of Death, by
meditating upon the Refurreflion of our Lord
Jefus Chrift.

TORD JtfuSy who haft been fully declared to be the
Son of God with Power y by the Refurrettion from the
Dead) and who Irveft for ever and ever, ftrengthen me in
my JVeakneft, ^comfort me in my Sorrow, and drive from
my Soul all Fears and Apprehenfions of Death. O wonder-
ful Saviour! I need no longer dread this cruel and proud
Enemy -, for thou haft broken all its Fetters and Chains*
and haft overcome Death and the Grave. glorious and
triumphing Monarch! flail I tremble before a difccmfited
and difarmed Enemy , whom I fee lying under my Feet, and
chained to thy triumphing Chariot ? I need but follow the
facred Footfteps of thy Victory, and gather its excellent
Fruits. If thou haft been able to deal with Death when
thou waft flut up in a Dungeon, if thou didft then bring
down its Pride, and carry away its Prifoners, what may I
not expefifrom thy victorious and almighty Arm, now that
ihou haft in thy Hand the Keys of Hell and Death ? O
moft mighty and merciful Lord, thou haft not only over-
fcme Death for me, but thou wilt aljo overcome it by me,
who am thy Child, and the fleep of thy Pafture, whereof
thou haft paid the Ranfom. 'Thou art not only raided from
the Dead, but thou art alfo the Refurreftion and the Life.
Thou art the Prince of Life^ the Lord of Glory and Im-
mortality, fo that he that liveth and believeth in thee
jhall never die ; and whofoever believeth in thee, though he
were dead, yet flail he live. Sampfon's Aft was admi-
rable when he flept until Midnight, rofe up, and carried
away the Gates of Gaza upon his Jhoulders up to an high
Mountain : But who would not admire thee, O invin-
cible Nazarite, who, having Jlept until the third Day in
the Bowels of the Earth, didft rife again by thine divine
Virtue, carry away the Gates of Hell, and make them to
the Gates of Heaven } and the Entrance into the

agamft the Fears of DEATH. 291

cehflial Paradife! Let me die, ftnce the Redeemer liveth,
and intends to introduce me into an happy Life, pur"
chafed for me with his moft precious Blood, and fecurea,
for me by his glorious Refurreftion. Amen.

CHAP. XVIII.

The Sixth Confolation againft the Fears of Death is,
the AJccnfion of Jejus Chrift into Heaven, and fitting
at the Right-hand of God.

IT is indeed a great Joy and Comfort to behold a
cruel and proud Enemy overcome and difarmed,
and ourfelves freed, by that Means, from the heavy
Yoke of his unfufferable Tyranny; but our Joy
would be turned into Grief and our Comfort into
Sadnefs, if we did but perceive at the fame Time, the
Author of our Freedom choaked with his own Blood,
and breathing out his laft Gafp at the Moment of his
Victory. It is requifite, to render our Satisfaction com-
plete and perfect, that his Triumphs might be ever-
lading, and that he might be advanced to the higheft
Glory and fovereign Empire. Now there is no Enemy
more cruel and terrible thanDeath. We have beheld it
difarmed upon the Crofs of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and
perfectly vanquiihed and fubdued by his glorious Re-
furrection. But if with the Eye of our Faith welooka
little higher to the* glorious Afcenfion of our divine Sa-
viour,we (hall fee the fameDeath bound to his triurnph-
ingChariot, and this conquering Redeemer exalted above
the higheft Heavens, and fitting glorioufly at theRight-
hand of God ; we Ihall fee him invefted in an Almighty
Power, adored by all Creatures; wefhall fee him com-
mandingnotonly theAngelsof Light, andtheceleftial
Spirits, that are about his magnificentThrone, butex-
ercifingDominionalfoovertheWorld, over Death, the
Devils, and Hell. Becaufe he hath been obedient unto
Death, yea, to the ignominious Death of the Crofs, God>

bath

292 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolatwns
bath highly exalted him, and given him a Name 'which is
above every Name, that at the Name of Jejus every Knee
jhall bcw, of Things in Heaven, in Earth,, and under the
Earth, Phil. ii. And that every Tongue jhall confefs, that
Jefus Chrift is the Lord, to the Glory of God the Father.

Every Soldier fhares not always in the Triumph of
the General, and all the Subjects tafte not of their
Prince's Happinefs; but as we are the Brethren of
our Lord Jefus Chrift, and the Members of his myf-
tical Body, we have a Share in his Triumph, and in
the Glory of his Empire. Therefore the Apoftle
St. Paul informs us, That our Life, that is to fay, our
, Glory and eternal Felicity, is hid with Chrift in God.
In. another Place he tells us, in exprefs Words, that
God 'who is rich in Mercy, hath made us fit in heavenly
Places with Jefus Chrift.

This glorious Saviour is gone to take Pofleflion of
the Kingdom of Heaven, not only for himfelf, but
alfo in our Names, and for us. Therefore he informs
the holy Apoftles, and all true Believers, That in his
Father's Houfe there are many Manftcns ; 7 am going
to prepare a tlace there for you. In the fame Manner
he fpeaks in that admirable Prayer, in the which he
confecxates himfelf to God, for the great Work of our
Redemption : Father I will that they alfo, whom thoit
haft given me, be with me where I am, that they may
behold my Glory, which thou haft given me. For the
fame Reafon, St. Paul tells us, in his Epiftle to the
Hebrews for our Comfort, Heb. vi. that Chrift is
gone into Heaven, as our Fore-runner.

The High-prieft of the Jews entered into the earth-
ly San&uary, to prefent himfelf before God for the
People, Heb. ix. Thus our Lord Jefus Chrift is gone
into the Heavenly Sanctuary, to appear for us in the
Prefence of God. The High-prieft of the Jews car-
ried upon his Breaft and Shoulders the Names of the
twelve Tribes of Jfrael, but Jefus Chrift hath engra-
ven us upon his Heart, according to the Prayer of
the Spoufe in the Canticles, Cant. viii. Set me as a

4 Seal

again/I the Fears of DEATH. 293

Seal upon thine Heart, as a Seal upon thine drm-, for
Love is as ftrong as Death. The High- pried of the
Jews did caft off the Names of the twelve Tribes with
the Robes; but neither Death nor Life, nor Things
prefent, nor Things to corrie, (hall ever feparate us
from the Love of God in Jefus Chrift, Rom. viii.

The royal Diadem that was put upon Efther's Head,
never caufed her to forget her People and Parentage;
fhe was mightily grieved for Haman's Confpiracy, and
the Decree which he had caufed the King Ahafuerus to
fign and feal with a Signet. I may likewife fay, that the
Glory to which our Lord Jefus Chrift is nowraifed, can
never make him forget the People that he hath re-
deemed with his Blood. He is not unmindful of Satan's
Plots, norof the Sentence and Doom pronounced againft
us by the great Monarch of the World, and confirmed
by his great Seal. His glorious Head may be crowned
with the Rainbow, but his merciful Heart is inflamed
with Love for us. He thinks it no Difgrace to acknow-
ledge us for his Brethren, and to pray to God for us, who
fits upon his Throne, where thoufand Millions wait up-
on him, andtenthoufandThoufandsworfhip him. He
is able to fave to the uttermoft all fuch as draw near
to God through him; for he lives always to intercede for
us. If the Father hath always granted him his Re-
queft, when he was in his greateft Abafement, can we
imagine, that his Interceffion will be fruitless now,
that he is afcended up to the higheft Glory?

From this Exaltation to Heaven, he beholds all our
Encounters and our Strugglings with Death. He fees
all the Enemies that aflault us, and the Dangers unto
which we are expofed. Fie is acquainted with the deep
Malice, and crafty Defigns, of the Enemies of our Sal-
vation. He perceives all the Darts that they let fly
againft us. Therefore he covers us with a Shield, and
will not fuffer us to be overcome by Temptation.
He fulfils his Virtue in our Infirmities, and makes us
more than Conquerors. He hath an Eye always upon
his Flock, he holds his Sheep all in his Hand, and
none is able to pluck them from thence.

When

294 y& e CHRISTIANAS Con fo/af ions

When he was upon Earth in his Agony, at this
Word, that dropt out of his Mouth, / am He, John
xviii. His Enemies fell backward; and when he was in
Death's Prifon, he forced it to obey him. And {hall
not he, now that he is exalted up to the higheft Hea-
vens, in the Glory of his Triumph, have the fame
Command and Power over Death, the World, and
Hell ? When he walked upon the Waters, he cried to
his Apoftles, his I; be not afraid, John vi. How much
rather may he fpeak to us in this Manner, now that
he fits upon the Throne, that can never be moved !
Chriftian Soul, who trembles at the Approaches of
Death, imaginethat the Lord Jefus, crowned with Glo-
ry, calls to thee from Heaven : Fear not; for I call
thee, and hold out unto the my Arms, I that am
thy Saviour and Redeemer, who have fatisfied for all
thy Sins with my Blood, and who have redeemed thee
from the Curfe of the Law, and eternal Damnation. I
have difarmed God's Juftice, vanquished Hell, broken
the Serpent's Head, and fwallowed up Death inVifto-
ry. I have purchafed for thee the Glories of Heaven,
and the Delights of Paradife ; I have trampled upon
the World and all its Powers. I am worfhipped by all
the Church triumphing in Heaven, and by Legions of
Angels that fly about myThrone. I will therefore fend
fomeof them to guard thee, and when thou fhalc leave
the Body, where thou lived as a Stranger, they fhall
bring up thy Soul into this magnificent Abode of Im-
mortality, whither lam come to prepare a Place for thee.
Without Doubt, if the Anchor of our Hope is fixed
within the Veil, that is, in Heaven, where Jefus Chrift
is gone in as our Forerunner, we (hall not apprehend
the moft contrary and boifterous Storms raifd againft
us by the Prince of the Powers of the Air, who
works with Efficacy in the Children of Rebellion. We
fhall tread under Foot all the Billows of this trouble-
fome Sea, and through thefe fwelling Waves we fhall
march fafe to our divine Jefus. If at anyTime we begin
to fink, and that our Soul is frighted, this Almighty

Lord,

figainjl the Fears of DEATH.' 295

Lord, who hath not only delivered himfelf, but is the
Saviour and Deliverer of his Church, will fpeak to us
as the Apoftle, Man of little Faith, why didfl thoii
doubt? Knoweft thou not, that I command the Winds,
that I can ftill the Waves, and drive away the Tem-
peft? Knoweft thou not that I have in my Hands the
Keys of Hell, and of Death? When a Perfon is to go
to a Place of Reft and Happinefs, that he cannot pafs
to it, but through a painful and thorny Paflage, he
marches with Refolution and Courage, when a Friend
of his is gone before, and ftretcheth out to him his
Hand to help him. Now it is not poffible to attain to
the Glories of Heaven, and the Joys of Paradife, but
through the Paflage of Death; a PaiTage very uneafy
and grievous to our prefent Seeming; but Jefus Chrift,
who loves us with an eternal Love, hath gone through
this Paflag'e before us. He is pafled from this World
to the Father; he is gone to his God and to our God.
And that we might go to him, he hath fent the Light
of his holy Word to direct us, John ii. He vouch-
fafes to us his Staff and his Rod to comfort us, PJaL
xxxiii. and ftretcheth out the Right-hand of his Al-
mighty Power, to caufe us to pafs from Death to Life;
Where I am, faith he, there jhall alfo my Servants be,
John xii.

When the Apoftles went up to Jerufalem, and Je-
fus went before them, Mark ix. they were terrified
and frighted; but we that go up to the heavenly Je-
rufalem, and tread upon the Footfteps of this mighty
Saviour, ought to be full of Boldnefs and Chriiiian
Confidence.

This great God and Saviour reigns in Heaven; he
commands the Earth, the Sea, and the Deep; there-
fore we may die without Fear, and with an holy Joy.
For who would not rejoice to enter into the glorious
Palace of Immortality, where we {hall fee not only the
Patriarchs, Prophets, Apoftles, Martyrs, the holy and
bleffed Virgin, with all the Saints of Paradife; but we
ihall fee, Face to Face, our great God and Saviour Je-
2 fus

296 ^he CHRISTIANA Confolattons

fus Chrift, whom fo many Kings and Prophets have
defired to fee and hear: While we remain in thefe Bo-
dies, we areabfcnt from this victorious Lord, therefore
rather defire to be abfent from the Body, and to be
with Chrift. This Confolation caufeth trie holy Apo-
ftle to confefs, That bis Dz/ire was to depart, and to be
iffitb Chrift y which was far better for him, Phil. i. 23.

The Queen of Sheba, left her Kingdom, and came
from a Corner of the Earth, to fee KingSc/flw.c;;, who
was but a Type of Chrift, and who had but a little of
his Wifdom and Glory: And is there any Treafure
on Earth and Honour in this Age, or Pleafure in
this Life, that might hinder us from going to fee our
Saviour Jefus Chrift? When he was in his Infancy,
the Shepherds left their Flocks and made hafte to-
wards Bethlehem to look upon him; the Wifemen
came from the Eaft to adore him; and if he were yet
on Earth, we fhould undertake a tedious Pilgrimage
to the Ends of the World, and part with our deareft
Enjoyments, to fee him. But the littleVillage of Beth-
leban is nothing in Comparifon of the celeftial Jerufa-
lem-y and what is the Sight of the Lord Jefus in Swad-
ling-clothes, lying in a Manger, and in the Arms of
his bleffed Mother, in Comparifon of the Sight of a
Chrift clothed with Light, crowned with Glory, and
fitting on the Right-hand of God the Father, upon a
magnificent Throne, worihipped by all the Angels,
and the glorified Spirits; The Father of the Faithful
was tranfported with Joy, when he faw in Spirit the
Day of the Lord; and theSpoufe in tht Canticles was
exceeding glad, when fhe heard him knocking at her
Dporj and old Simeon was ravifhed above Meafure,
when he beheld Chrift in his Arms : How much
more lhall we be tranfported and ravii"hed into Ad-
miration and Joy, when we fhall look upon
as he is now in his "higheft Glory, and railed to the
moft magnificent State, and when we (hall enjoy him
never to leave him again ! When St. Stephen be-
held the Heavens open, and Jefus Chrift fitting at

the

agalnjl the Pears of DEATH; 297

the Right-hand of God the Father, his Face became
radiant as that of an Angel. Therefore how luminous
and fliining lhall our Countenances be, when we fliall
enter into thefe Places of Light, and behold Face to
Face this blefied Redeemer forever!

When old Jacob heard that Jofepb was alive, and
reigning in Egypf, whom he had fo tenderly loved,
and for whom he had fhed fo many Tears, he was
paffionately defirous to fee again this dear Son, and to
be Witnefs of his Glory: // is enough, faith he$ Jo-
feph is yet alive i I will go and fee him before I die,
Gen. xlv. And what think you, believing Souls,
when you underftand that your true Jofeph, whom
you heartily love, lives and reigns above in Heaven,
and that he is there worfhipped by all the glorified
Spirits ? Do not you earneftly defire to fee his Face,
and to behold his divine Glory and Happinefs ? This
Old Father was weak and feeble through Age, and op-
prefled with Grief j but his Spirit revived when he faw
the Waggons that Jofepb had fent to fetch him :
And you, my Chriftian Brethren, when old Age
and Sicknefs have weakened your Bodies, and Grief
and Difpleafure have undermined your Hearts., do
hot you feel yourfelves revive when Death draws
near, and you perceive^ with the Eyes of Faith, the
Horfes and Chariots which Chrift hath fent to carry
you away to the Paradife of his Glory ? Jofeph re-
ceived his Father and Brethren with Tears of joy, and
all the Houfe of Pharaoh rang with outward Expref-
fions of Gladnefs : With what Joy* with what Kind-
nefles and Love, will Chrift embrace us ! What Re-
joicing will there be in Heaven at your Arrival ! It
is not to be exprefied, but with Tongues of Angels.
Jofeph fed his Father and his Brethren j but he never
yielded up to them any Part of his Glory: Whereas
our Lord Jefus Chrift, who excels Jofeph as much in
Power and Magnificence, as in Love and Mercy, (hall
not only feed us with the Bread of his Kingdom, and

X give

298 Tfie CHRISTIAN *s Confolations

give us to drink of the Rivers of his Pleafures, but
he will alfo impart unto us fome of his Glory and
Splendour, as he promifed to his Apoftles, / appoint
unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto
me, Luke xxii. jT0 him that overcome!}}, I will grant
to fit with me on my Throne, even as I alfo overcame, and
cm Jet down with my Father in his throne : Be thou
faithful unto Death, and I will give thee a Crown of Life >
Kev. iii. Jofeph's Brethren, notwithftanding his Dig-
nity and Power, became Slaves; but Jefus Chrift will
place upon our Head a Crown of pure Gold. Jojeph
could not defend his Brethren from Death; all died one
after another, and he alfo in his Time yielded up the
Ghoft: But Jefus Chrift, who is rifen from the Dead,
dieth no more; Death hath no more Dominion over
him; fo that he lives for ever and ever, and will caufc
us all to become immortal. Therefore, inftead of de-
firing, as Jacob, to live to go down into Egypt, to fee
his Son Jofeph, we ftiould earneftly defire to die, that
we might alcend up into Heaven, there to behold our
Lord Jefus Chrift, our Father and Redeemer. When
Jacob embraced again this wonderml and beloved
Child, in the exceeding Tranfport of his Joy and
Love, he burft out into this Kind of Language, Let
me die > now that I havefeen again thy Face, and that
thou art alive. On the contrary, when wefhall embrace
Chrift in his Glory, when we fliall behold his Divine
Countenance, we fliall fpeak in another Manner: My
Lord, and my God, fince I now fee thee alive, and.
reigning in Heaven, I fliall live alfo and reign with
thee for ever and ever, Aunen*

ti'galnjl the Pears of DEATH. 299

A Prayer and Meditation for a believing Soul,
which arms itfelf agairtft the Fears of Death,
by meditating on the glorious Afcenfion of
Jefus Chrift into Heaven, and his fitting at the
Right-Hand of God*

Holy and Divine Saviour, I have often looked upon
thy generous Behaviour, and glorious Vift 'cries, to
Jlrengthen myfelf againft all Apprebenjtons of Death; but,
if thsu wilt render my Joy moft perfeff and accomplifaed,
grant me Grace to meditate upon thy divine Triumph. As
thou haft been engaged in many Encounters for my Sake,
and haft vouchfafed to give me a Share in thy Victory y
grant me aljo a Share in thy glorious Afcenfion and Tri-
umph. As thou haft fitffered for my Sins, and art rijen
figain for my Juftification-, thou art aljo afcnded up into
Heaven to prepare a Place 'for me. Thou art willing,
that IJhould be admitted into thy noble and divine Pa-
lace ; that I flwuld be where thou art, that I may be-
hold thy Glory, which thou haft enjoyed with God the
Father, before the Creation of the World. OJweet and
merciful Lord, what Caufe have I to fear to go to Hea-
ven, Jince thou art there feated in the higheft Glory and
Felicity, and ftretcheft out thy merciful Hand to receive
me ! Have I not good Reafon to expeffi to be glorified
in thy Kingdom, Jince thou thyfelf doft beftow upon
thofe that ferve thee, immortal Crowns and Sceptres ?
O great Gcd and Saviour, thy Throne is Jurrounded
with Glory and Splendour; never thelejs I will draw
near unto it with Boldnefs ; for it is a Throne of Love,
and a Throne of Mercy, unto which every penitent Sin-
ner may come. Round about this glorious Throne I fee
a Rainbow of Emerald-colour, that certifies me that thy
Covenant is everlafting. When thy Glory and Majejly
increafed, thy Love for me was not dimini/hed, and thy
Comp'aJ/ion and Goodnefs were always alike. Thou art
the fame Tefterday and To-day, and thou Jhalt always

X 2 h

300 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

be the fame for ever. 'Thou haft been pleafed, for my Sal-
vation, to lie in a Manger , and to lye nailed to a Crofs.
1'hou haft given thy Soul for my Ranfom ; and haft fpilf
thy precious Blood- to wajh and cleanfe me from my Sins,
and to mark me a Way that I might enter into thine holy
Sanctuary. In the midft cf all that Glory and Light 'with
which than art now clothed, thou haft not thought it a
Scorn to acknowledge me for thy Brother, and for a Mem-
ber of thy myftical Body. It is for my Sake that thou ap-
pear eft before thine heavenly Father -, and it is for me
that thou offer eft up unto him Prayers and Supplications.
O wonderful Lord, it is in thy Power to give me the
'Things which thou haft merited by thy Sufferings, and
which thou defireft for me by thy Prayers and Intercejfion ;
for all Power is given unto thee in Heaven and in Earth.
O Sovereign Monarch of the whole World, haft thou not
made us this great and gracious Promife, When I fhall
be lifted up from the Earth, I fhall draw all Men
after me ? And is it not for us that thou haft prayed in
this excellent Manner, Father, 1 will that they alfo,
whom thou haft given me, be with me where I am,
that they may behold my Glory, which 1 thou haft
given me ? Since therefore thou haft left this wretched
Earth, to go and reign above in Heaven, take unto thee
wy Soul, O wonderful Redeemer) and deliver it from this
Valley cf Tears and Mifery. Caufe it to underftand at
the "Time of its Departure thefe fiords of Joy and eter-
nal Comfort, Verily I fay unto thee, this Day fhalt
thou be with me in Paradife. Lord Jefus> draw me
with the Cords of thy Mercy and Grace, and I Jhall run
after thee. And in Regard Imuft ofNcceJfity pafs throtigb
Death income to thee, the Prince of Life and Immorta-
lity, give me Grace to covfider of it in the fame Manner as
the Prophet Elias did the fiery Chariot that lifted him up
to Heaven ; or as Jacob did the Waggon that carried him
into Egypt, to his Sen that reigned there. 'This holy
Father in a Tranfport cf Joy crycd cut, Let me fee my
Son Jofeph again, and then let me die. But when I

Jball

agalnft the Fears of DEATH. 301

JJjall be ravijhed with an unfpeakable and glorious Joy, I
JJyall fpeak in another manner: Let me die, that I may
behold my true Jofeph, the Soul of my Soul, the Light of
Life, the Author of my Glory and Happinefs. O Jweef
Jefus, I Jhall freely and willingly leave this wretched and
' infirm Dwelling, to enter into thy heavenly Palace, to be-
hold thy Glory and Magnificence,. King of Kings, and
Lord of Lords, when Jhall I hear that divine Wifdom
that drops from thy Lips? When Jhall I fee theefeated
upon the throne of thy glorious Majefty, where Thcufand
'fhcufands wait upon thee, andTen Millions worjhip thee?
When Jhall I enter into the glorious Company of Saints*
and bleffed Spirits, that fing forth thy Praifes, and caft
at thy Feet their precious Crowns ? victorious Mo-
narch, who art now in thy Kingdom enjoying a perfeft
Happinefs, forget not thy poor Servant ; be not unmindful
of thy Son \or Daughter] who am now overwhelmed with
the Sorrows of this miferable Life, and the Anguijh of
Death. Let not the Songs of the holy Angels, and the
Applaufes of all the glorified Spirits, hinder thee from
lijtemng to my Sighs and Groans. O Almighty and merci-
ful Lord, look upon me with the Eyes of thy Love, and
reach unto me thine helping Hand. Send to me thine An-
gels of Light to receive my Soul, andprotecJ me from the
Angels of Darknefs, that endeavour to deftroy me, and to
drag me headlong into Hell. Let fame of thofe glorious
Spirits that wait for thine Orders, and fly at thy Com-
mand, deliver me from Death, and carry me upon their
Wings into thy Bofom. I Jee the Heavens open, and Je~
fus Chrift Jilting at the Right-hand of God the Father*
Lord Jefus, receive my Spirit. Amen.

X CHAP.

302 be CHRISTIAN'S Confutations

CHAP. XIX.

The Seventh Confolation againft the Fears of
Death is, our ftritt and infeparable Union with
Jefus Chrifty by the Means of his Holy Spirit, and
the Firfl-fruits of our bkjfed Immortality.

OUR Lord Jefus Chrift is not only alive, and
triumphs in Heaven, but it is from thence our
Life, our Glory, and our blefled Immortality, pro-
ceed. For, as the Father hath Life in himfelf, he
hath alfo given to the Son to have Life in himfelf;
and as the Father raifeth and quickeneth the Dead,
Jikewife the Son quickeneth whomfoeyer he will : So
that we may not only fay to him, as St.Peter, Thou
baft the Words of eternal Life, John ix. but we may
juflly fpeak to him in David's Language, With thee is
the Fountain of Life -, in thy Light, Jhall we fee Light ,
Pfal: xxxvi. Therefore, all thofe that are united and
incorporated into this Prince of Life, participate of
the Fulnefs of his Holy Spirit, and by that means they
become Partakers of Immortality and Happinefs.
Now, by the Virtue of Chrift's Death and Patfion, we
are not only made Partakers of the Fruits of his
Sufferings, but we are united to, and incorporated in
him ; fo that by that means we have obtained not
only the great and precious Promifes of Glory and
Immortality, which he hath purchafed for us by the
infinite Merits of his Sufferings; but we receive
the Firft-fruits and Fore-taftes of our future Blef-
fednefs.

He that is lifted up, and dwells on High, quick-
ens the Spirits of the Humble, Jfa. Ivii. He dwells
in our Hearts by Faith, Eph. iii. i. He pours into
our Souls his holy and quickening Spirit: For, be-

caulq

againft the Fears of DEATH. 303

caufe we are the Children of God, he hath fent the
Spirit of his Son into our Hearts to cry Abba, Father,
Gal. iv. Whofoever hath not this Spirit of the Lord
Jefus, he is none of his. By the means of this Spirit
he dwells in us, and we in him; we become Members
of his Body; and we may boaft, that we are his
Flefh and his Bones.

All Things, that are mod ftridly united by Nature
or Art, are employed to reprefent this admirable
Union, John vi. which we enjoy with Jefus Chrift,
by the means of his Spirit that quickens us, Rom. xiii.
From hence are derived thefe Expreffions of the holy
Apoftle, We' have put on the Lord Jefus Chrift, Gal. iii.
And that when we draw near to him who is the living
Stone, rejected of Men, but lifted up, and of great Price
'with God, i Pet. ii. we, likefo many living Stones, are
built up together to viaks a Jpiritual Houfe : For the
fame Reafon our Saviour informs us, Jebnxv. That
he is the 'Free, and that we are the Branches. And St.
Paul allures us, that if we are become one Plant with
him by the Conformity of his Death, we fhall alfo
be one by the Refemblance of his Refurrection,
Rom. vi.

To exprefs ta us that this facred Union contains
many Ties of Love, our Lord Jefus Chrift is repre-
fcnted as onr Brother, our Father, and our Bride-
groom: Therefore the Apoftle tells us, that he thinks
it no Difgrace to own us for his Brethren, in faying,
Heb. i. / will declare thy Name unto my Brethren; and
alfo where he informs us, Rom. iii. that God hath pre-
dejiinated us to be conformed to the Image of his Son, that
he might be the Firjl-born among many Brethren. And
after his Refurrection, he fpeaks thus to Mary Magda-
lene, John xx. 'Touch me not; for I am not yet afcended
to my Father; but go to my Brethren, and fay unto them,
J ajcend unto my Father, and to your Father, and to my
God, and to your God. Therefore this glorious Re-
deemer, fhewing himfelf unto God, Heb. ii. with all

X 4 the

3 04 tte CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

the Elect, faith. Here lam-, and the Children which thott
baft given me. And by the Mouth of Hofea, Hof. ii.
he (peaks to his Church, and makes this Promife to
her, I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will be-
troth thee unto me in Right eoufmfs, and in Judgement^ and
in Loving-kindnefs, and in Mercies : From hence it is
that this Church is called, the Spoufe of the Lamb in the
Revelations; and, in the Canticles, the fpiritual Union
between Chrift and his Church is exprefied by a conti-
nual Allufion to a Marriage between a Man and his
Wife.

And becaufe our Meat and Drink are turned into our
Body and Subftance, Jefus Chrift afiures us, That his
Fle/b is truly Meat, and his Blood is truly Drink , that he
is the true Bread come down from Heaven, that gives Life
to the World, and'ushofoeverfoall eat bimjball live for ever.
But, among all the Similitudes borrowed to reprefent
our Union with Jefus Chrift by his Holy Spirit, there is
none employed more frequently in holy Scripture than
that of the human Body ; for there is not any more pro-
per for us. All the Spirits that give Life and Motion
proceed from the Head, and asfoon as the Members are
feparated from it, they die. In like Manner, the Spirit
that quickensus, and makes us become new Creatures,
proceeds from Jefus Chrift; fo that whofoever is fepa-
rated fr m his Head, he falls into Death, and eternal
Deftruftion. And, as there, are many Members, never-
thelefs they make up but one Body, becaufe they are
all animated with the fame Spirit, and they are kept
alive by the fame Head: So there be many Members
belonging to Chrift's myftical Body, fome in Combats
yet upon Earth, and others glorified in Heaven ; never-
thelefs, they make up but one only myftical and fpiri-
tual Body; for they are quickened by the fame Spirit,
and receive all the celeftial Influences from the fame
Head. St.Paul teacheth us this Doctrine, in ex-
prefs Terms, i Cor. xii. For as the Body is we, and
bath many Members, and all the Members of that one Bo-
dy, being many, are one Body; fo aljo is Cbnjl -, for by one

Spirit,

egainft the Fears of DEATH. 305

are we all baptized in,to one Body, whether we be
Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have
been all made to drink into one Spirit. Finally, becaufe
the fame Spirit that is in our Lord, as in the Head and
Fountain, and in the Church in general, as in the
Body, which is quickened and moved, is alfo in every
particular Member; the holy Apoftle is not fatisfied
to call this fpiritual Body of Chrift, and his Church,
Chriftj but he tells us moreover, that whofoever is
united unto him, is made but one Spirit with him.

Thefe, and fuch like Reprefentations, let them be ne-
ver fo lively and noble, are but dark Shadows, and im-
perfecl: Images, of our Union with Jefus Chrift by his
Holy Spirit : For the richeft and moft magnificent Gar-
ment can never keep off from the Body Difeafes, nor
hinder the Approaches of Corruption that creeps upon
if. There is no Foundation ever fo firm and well fet-
tled, that can free the Houfe built upon it from the
Ruins and Breaches of Time and Weather. Although
the Sap mounts up from theRoot of the Vine, and runs
into the Twigs and Branches, they wither at Jaft, and
are caft into the Fire. The rarefl Meats, and the
moft delicious Drinks, can never make our Bodies
become immortal $ Death fnatcheth away the Bro-
ther from the Brother, the Father from the Child,
and the Wife from her Hufband. The Stroke of
the Sword can feparate a Body from the healthieft and
ftrongeft Head; nay, without any fuch Violence,
the Head dies as well as the Body, and the Spirits that
run in our Veins are far from hindering the Corrup-
tion of our Bodjes; for they corrupt of themfelves,
and vanifli away. In fhort, the ftrifteft Unions of
Nature and Art are difiblved by Time, fo that all
Things under the Sun are fubject to Vanity and
Inconftancy: But the Spirit of our Lord Jefus is
the Principle of an eternal Life, and the Seed of
an incorruptible Glory. Whofoever is united to him
by this Spirit, nothing can feparate him from Chrift,
neither Life, nor Death, nor Hell, nor the World, nor

Things

306 he CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

Things prefent, nor Things to come. Therefore our
blefied Saviour could find nothinghere upon Earth, nor
amongft all the Creatures, worthy and able to reprefent
this perfect and infeparable Union : He feeks an Imao-e
of it beyond all natural Beings, in the Holy Trinity;
that unchangeable Union, which was, which is, and
which fliall ever be, between him and God the Father.
As we may fee in his excellent Prayer, John xvii. Fa-
ther, I fray for them all which Jhall believe in me, that
they all may be one, as thou, Father y art in me, and I in
the e-, that they alfo may be one in us, that they may be
one, even as we are one. Banifli, therefore, from your
Minds all Fear, believing Souls; for all the Three
Perfons of the mod Holy, moft Glorious, and moft
Wonderful Trinity, are engaged for your Salvation,
to bring you to your eternal Happinefs. The Fa-
ther, by his infinite Wifdom, hath found out a Means
to reconcile us to himfelf, to fatisfy his offended Juf-
tice, and to declare the Riches of his unparalleled
Mercies : The Son hath purchafed for us this great
Salvation, by fuffering the ftiameful Death of the
Crofs, and by fpilling his moft precious Blood for
the Forgivenefs of our Sins: And the Holy Spirit,
by incorporating us into Jefus Chrift, makes us
Partakers of the infinite Merits of his Sufferings,
Rev. iii. That is the true Hyffop that fprinkles the
divine Blood of the Lamb, without Spot or Blemifii,
to cleanfe our Souls, Heb. xii. It is he that gives
us the white Stone, where the new name of Eleft
and Believer is written, Rev. ii. which none knows
but he that hath it: He gives to eat of the hidden
Manna, and - of the Food of Angels, John iv.
which the World knoweth not. It is inftead of a
precious Ring or Jewel, by which ourfpiritual Bride-
groom promifes and confirms to us his conjugal
Faith, It is the Seal of the living God, that feals
to us the Covenant of Grace, and the Promifes of
Glory and Happinefs made to us in the Gofpel, as
the Apoftle himfelf tells us, Ejb* i, that now hav-

ing

againft the "Fears 0/* DEATH. 307

ing believed the Gofpel of our Salvation, we have
been fealed by the Spirit of Promife. Therefore he
exhorts us, Ephef. iv. not to grieve the Holy Spirit of
God, by whom we have been fealed for the Day of Re*
demption. Finally, this is the Spirit that witnefleth
with our Spirits, that we are the Children of God :
If we be Children, we are Heirs, Heirs of God, and
Jointrheirs with the Lord Jefus Chrift, Rom. viii.

Think not, Chriftian Souls, that I defign to per-
fuade you, that this Holy Spirit of our Lord Jefus
fhall come and whifper in your Ears, or call
unto you from within, that you are the Children
of God, as the extravagant Quakers amongft us
imagine. _ The Teftimony that he gives to our Spi-
rits is a real and effectual Teftimony, if I may fo
fpeak; for he regenerates us, and makes us become
new Creatures , he gives a more certain Af-
.furance of his Adoption, than if he did declare
from Heaven, Thou art my Child, and thy Name is
written in the Book of Life. As the Seal imprints
its Image in the Wax, thus the Spirit of the Lord
Jefus imprints in our Souls the Image of Holinefs
and divine Virtue. Now, as the Figure that re-
mains upon the Wax, makes us judge, without
Difpute, what Manner of Seal made the Impreffion;
likewife, when you find God's Image printed in your
Hearts, acknowledge the Finger of God, and the
Virtue of his Holy Spirit, who have been there : For
none can have the blefied Image, but he muft needs
be the Child of God. The Holy Spirit, that gives
it to our Souls, kindles in us the blefled Flames of
holy Love, and produceth in us Tongues of Fire;
he makes us fpeak to God with Boldnefs, as to
our Father, and lift up our Eyes to Heaven with
Joy and Gladnefs, as to the Place of our Inhe-
ritance. All the Goodnefs of this prefent Life may
be, nay, will be, loft at laft, Prov. xxiii. Riches
fake Wings, and fly away, like an Eagles Honour

vanifheth

3 o 8 T/je CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

vanifheth away, as Smoke carried away with the
Wind; earthly Delights and Pleafures hade away as
a Torrent, or the Waters of a River that flide along
the Banks, and they end at lalt in a Sea of Bitternefs
and Sorrow. If by Chance thefe Vanities continue
with the Worldlings, while they remain on Earth,
Pfal. xlix. they can continue no longer; for they are
ftript of them at the Grave. Their Riches, and their
Honours, are buried with them; and all their un-
fettled Delights fly away with their Breath. But
Death hath no Power over this Spirit of Life, which
is pur true TTreafure and Glory, and everlafting De-
light.

Again, The true and lively Faith, that embraceth
Jefus Chrift our Saviour, fhall ceafe; and Hope, that
confiders the Advantages to come, fhall one Day be
abolifhed. While we are in this earthly Pilgrimage,
we walk by Faith, and not by Sight; and while we
are tofled up and down upon this dangerous Sea of the
World, Heb.vi. we have need of the Anchor of our
Hope, and to expect with Patience the fulfilling of
that we hope for, Rom. viii. But when we fhall come
to pur Heavenly Country, we fhall have no Need of
a Staff to walk with, nor of a Shield to defend us,
and to quench the fiery Darts of the Devil. When
we fhall be fecure in the Haven of Eternity, we fhall
have no Occafion to make ufe of this Anchor; for
our Hope fhall be changed into a perfect Fruition.
When we fhall be in Paradife, we fhall need no
Wings to carry us up to God, but only to fly about
his Throne, as the Seraphims. In fliort, we fhall need
no Looking-glafs to fee the Glory of God; for we
fhall behold him Face to Face. All that we believe
at prefent without feeing, we fhall then fee, and be-
lieve no more. But the Spirit of the Lord Jefus.,
whom the World knoweth not, and cannot receive,
is not given us for a Time, but to dwell in us for
ever. As the Humanity, which our Lord took from
us, was never caft off, nor ever fhall be j thus, the Spi-
rit

agalnjt the Fears of DEATH. 309

rit, which he hath given us, fhall never be taken from
us. The Humanity which our Saviour united ia
the Perfon of the divine Word, hath been glorified
by this eternal Union; but the Spirit which he hath
united to our Spirits, by this gracious Union, is the
Foundation of Glory, and of our eternal Happi-
nefs.

This Spirit of Life is not only the Seal of the Pro-
mifes of God, but alfo the Earned of our incorrupti-
ble Inheritance, referved for us in Heaven. This is
St.Paul's Doctrine, Ephef. i. for when he had faid,
Ton have been fealed by the Holy Spirit of Promife, he
adds, which is the Earneft of our Inheritance, until the
Redemption of the purckafed Pojjejfion, unto the Praife of
bis Glory. Becaufe this Divine Spirit is the Seal of
the living God, he is the Earned of our Inheritance.
For this heavenly Image that it imprints in our Souls,
lhall be Part of that Glory with which he will crown
us in his holy Paradife. Therefore the Wifdom that
is Veracity in every Refpect, doth not call this Spi-
rit, a Pledge or Gage, but an Earned. For though
both be given as a Confirmation of Promifes, and
an Afiurance of their Accomplifhment, there is this
Difference, that Men commonly take back again
the Thing engaged, when that which is promifed is
done; but the Earned remains always, and is Part of
the Sum to be paid. As therefore the Earned which
is given, is never taken away, but Men commonly
add to it the remaining Sum promifed; likewife
our Saviour never takes away from his Elect the
Spirit of Adoption, which hath been once bedowed
upon them; but he increafeth its Graces and Ad-
vantages, until he hath raifed them to the higheft
Glory, and mod divine Happinefs, which he hath
promifed.

It is in this Cafe, as with the Sun, which, as foon

as it appears upon our Horizon, increafeth the Light

more and more, until it afcends up to our Meridian:

I Or,

310 TJbe CHRISTIAN'S Confotations

Or, as the Streams and Rivers, which the farthef
they run, the more they increafe, until they come to
the Sea: Therefore, when our Lord and Saviour
fpeaks of this Spirit of Grace, which fuch as believe
in him receive, he tells the Jews, John'vii. He that
believeth in me, Rivers of living Water Jhall flow from
his Belly. And to the Samaritan Woman he ipeaks in
this Language, John iv. He that /hall drink of the
Water, that I Jhall give him, Jhall never thirft-, but the
Water, that I Jhall give him, Jhall become to him a Foun-
tain of Water, Jf ringing up to eternal Life. This was
fometime {hewn in a Vifion to the Prophet Ezekiel,
Ezek. xlvii. by the Waters that ran down from the
Sanctuary; for, at the firft, they reached no higher
than the Prophet's Ankle-bones; afterwards they
rofe up to his Knee, and then to his Middle; at laft
they increafed in fuch a Manner, that they became a
great Torrent, and a deep River, which was not to
be forded over, and which difcharged itfelf into the
Sea.

As David, in the Beginning of his Reign, com-
manded but one Tribe, but afterwards he en-
larged the Limits of his Kingdom over all the
Tribes of IJrael, that fmall Portion of the King-
dom was not then taken from him, but only in-
creafed, and became greater: Thus it is with us
during this Life; we have a fmall Part of the
Kingdom of Heaven intruded in our Hands ; or,
if I may fo fay, we have now fome Jewels of the
incorruptible Crown, which is promifed hereafter.
This Part Ihall not be taken from us, this bright
JJeam of our future Glory fhall never be put out
in the Life to come. We Ihall poflefs as much of
this Kingdom as we are able, and Ihall be clothed
with all the Light and Splendour of the heavenly
Glory.

But as there is no comparifon ever fo juft, but
is wanting in fome Refpe&s, there is no fmall Dif-

, ierence

Ggalnji the "Fears of DEATH. 3 1 1

ference in thisj for the Tribe of Judab was the no-
bleft and richeft Part of the Kingdom of Ifrael, but
that Part which our Souls enjoy at prefent, of the
Happinefs and Glory of the Kingdom of Heaven, is
but as a drop of Water, in Comparifon of the
Ocean; or, as a weak Ray of Light, in Comparifon
of the Sun, 2 Cor. xii. Therefore the Apoftle St.
Paul, who had been ravifhed into the third Heaven,
and who knew better than any Man in the World,
what were the Joys and Glories of Heaven, when he
mentions this Spirit of Adoption that God fends into
our Hearts, he calls it, Rom. vii. the Firft -Fruits of
bis Spirit: To teach us, that there is as vaft a Dif-
ference between the Meafure of the Gifts and Graces
which we receive here below, and the overflowing
Abundance which we fhall enjoy in Heaven, as be-
tween fome few Ears of Corn, and the whole Harveft
of a Field. It is like a fmall Quantity of Fruits
which were brought to the Children of Ifrael in the
Wildernefs, compared to the great Abundance of all
the Land of Canaan. It is like fome fmall Crumbs
of the heavenly Bread, of which we fhall have our
Fill in the Kingdom of God; or as fome fmall Drops
of that new Wine which we fhall drink for ever in
the heavenly Jerufalem.

Therefore, believing Souls, you may from hence
conclude, that the Approaches of Death ought not
to fcare nor fright you j becaufe that you have
within you the Principles of a Life everlafting, and
the Seeds of a glorious Immortality, which cannot
be taken from you. Jefus Chrift does not only
wait for you, and flretch out unto you his Arms
to receive you into his Reft.; but he himfelf is
alfo with you/ and will render the Paflage more
eafy and pleafant to this new World, where Jufticc
and Righteoufnefs dwell. He will work Miracles
for your Sake, John xi. and if you believe, you

fhall

312 The CHRISTIAN'S Cdnfolatiotis

fhall fee the Glory of God, Exod. xix. We do no
only follow the Footfteps of this divine and true Jo-
Jhua, but we pafs over with him, and he pafleth over
with us, Jojhua iii. We are not like the Children of
1/rael, that went through the River of Jordan, whilfi
the Priefts held the Ark in the Middle of the River;
but we may be compared to the Priefts themfelves,
i Pet. ii. that did bear the Ark of the Covenant, and
caufed the Waters to return back to the Spring again,*
For we are a Generation of Priefts, and we bear in
our Souls the Lord Jefus, in whom the Fulnefs of the
Godhead dwells bodily, and in whom are hid all
Treafures of Wifdom and Knowledge. In fhort,
our Souls return to God, the Fountain from whence
they came^ Let therefore that heavenly Voice,
which was heard in the Holy Land, found in our
Ears, Ifa. xliii. Fear not; for I have redeemed thee,
I have called thee by thy Name ; thou art mine. When
then pajfeft through the Waters, I will be with thee -,
and through the Rivers, they Jhall not overflow thee.
When thou walkeji through the Fire, tbott Jhalt
mot be burnt, neither Jhall the Flame kindle upon thee.
And fay with David, When I Jhall walk through the
Valley of the Shadow of Death, I Jhall fear no Evils
for thou art with me-, thy Staff and thy Rod Jhall comfort
we, Pfalm xxiii.

It feems the Primitive Chriftians had a Defign
to ftiew us. this Truth by the Picture of a Giant-
like Man, wading through the Sea with a Staff
in his Hand, and a Child upon his Shoulder. For
this Giant is the Emblem of a Chriftian, who
lifts up his Mind as high as Heaven: The Sea
fignifies the Dangers of this World, and the Fears
of" Death: The Staff reprefents Kaith, that keeps
us up in our Paffage through Life and Death, upon
which, when we lean, we worlhip the living God
of Heaven and Earth: And the Child is an Image of

Chrift -.

againft the Fears of DEATH. 313

thrift \ therefore he that bears him is called Chrijlo-
pbcrus, that is, He that bears Chrift. Ctefar could not
endure to fee his Pilot tremble in a furious Storm at
Sea, becaufe he was in his Boat. We have far lefs
Reafon to be afraid, fmce we carry in our Hearts the
great Emperor and Monarch of the World, the
Hope and Comfort of IJraeL C<ejar was as much in
Danger as his Pilot to make Shipwreck; but the Lord
Jefus Chrift hath all the Winds at his Command :
He can ftill the moft diflurbed Sea, and through the
moft terrible Death he can caufe us to pafs and arrive
at the fafe Haven of eternal Reft, and of a moft happy
and glorious Life.

When David fliewed himfelf with a Purpofe to
fight with Goliath, he fpoke to this dreadful Philiftine
in this Manner; / come unto thee in the Name of the
Lord of Hojls, the God of the Armies of IJraeL But
you, Chriftiaa Souls, when you are to encounter with
Death, you may fay to it, not only I come to thee,
in the Name of him who commands Legions of An-
gels, and all the Armies of immortal Spirits; but,
I come to thee clothed with his Armour; ftrength-
ened by his holy Spirit, and aillfted by him in
Perfon. For Jefus Chrift, who has overcome Death
for us, intends to overcome Death by us. We are
the living Stones which he hath chofen of his wonder-
ful Grace and Mercy, to bring down that proud
infulting Enemy, which caufeth all Worldlings to
tremble, and cover their Faces with Shame and Con-
fufion.

We have feen a Sam/on breaking in Pieces, with an
admirable Strength, the Cords with which he had been
bound by the Philiftines y Judges xvi. and tearing alfo
the Body of a young Lion, in which he found, a few
Days after, Honey moft pleafant to his Tafte. It will
be much eafier for us, when we fhall be ftrengthened
with the divine Virtue of the Lord Jefus, of whom
Samfon was but a Type, to tear in Pieces all the
Cords and Chains of Death. We fhall rend in Pieces

Y the

314 he CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons
the Body of this old Lion, and when we fhall fearch
into his Bowels with a ferions and repeated Medita-
tion, we fhall find the fweeteft and moft ravifhing
Comforts.

As when the Prophet Elias was carried up to Hea-
ven in a fiery Chariot, he let fall his Cloak, with
which Elifta feparated the Waters of Jordan, fo that
he pa{Ted through the River on Foot; likewife our
Saviour Jefus Chrift, being afcended up above the
Clouds to the Throne of his Glory, hath left to us
the Cloak of his Righteoufnefs , he hath granted us
his Holy Spirit, that we might pafs through the tur-
bulent Waves of the tempeftuous Sea of this World,
by its divine Virtue, and that through Death we
might enter into immortal Life.

And as the Death of our Lord Jefus Chrift feparated
his Soul from his Body, although his innocent Soul
and holy Body remained always united perfonally to
his Divinity; in the fame Manner, the Believer's
Death difunites for a Time his Soul from his Body,
but it can never feparate it from the Spirit of the
Lord Jefus, that is the Soul of our Souls, and fuch
an holy Flame that it can never be extinguifhed.

When the High- Pried of the Jews put off his
prieftly Ornaments, he caft off at the fame Time his
Breaft-plate, where the Names of the Twelve Tribes
were engraven, Exoa. xx. Not only our Names are
written in the Lamb's Book of Life, not only our
Pictures are printed upon the Palms of his Hands
with the Blood of the Covenant, but we are as a
Signet upon his Heart, Cant. viii. fo that we cannot
be feparated from him, any more than his Heart can
be taken from him. His Love is ftronger than Death,
and his Embraces are hrn braces of Love.

Ruth promifed to Naomi, that Death alone fhould
be ault to feparate them, Ruth i: But on the contrary,
we may tell our Lord and Saviour, who is our Father,
Brother, and Hufband, Not only Death lhall never be

able

ogainft the Fears of DEATH. 315

able to feparate us, but it rather fhall bring us nearer
to thee, and caufe us to reft in thy Bofom, where we
lhall be for ever fatisfied with thine heavenly Delights.
Chriftians, you need not fear Death; for you are not
to be wounded by all its Darts ; for you have been
dipped in the River that fprings to eternal Life. The
Spirit of the Lord Jefus that is in you, is the Spirit
of Life, the Beginning of Immortality, and the only
Spring of eternal Glory and Happinefs. Since the
Breath of the Prophet Elias raifed a dead Body to
Life, the Spirit and Breath of the Father and the Son
will be able to keep your fpiritual Life from decay-
ing ; unlefs it be in Death's Power to (top the Breath
of the Almighty; unlefs it be able to limit the Beams
of Light and Glory that come from his divine Coun-
tenance; unlefs it can caufe the Rivers of living Wa-
ter that fpring out of his Throne, to ceafe and dry up;
it is not poffible, that it Ihould caufe us to perifh,
and render us miferable. Therefore you are certain
of your eternal Happinefs, while Jefus fhall be the
Author and Well-fpring of Light, Life, Glory, and
Immortality; and that his Holy Spirit lhall be victo-
rious over Death and Hell; and you may fmg with
David, IJhall not die y but live, and declare the Works of
the Lord, Pfal. cxviii.

You are not only fure of this Glory, and eternal
Happinefs; and you are not only entered into PoiTef-
fion of it by your Faith and Hope; but you begin al-
ready to enjoy it, and its Firft-fruits. For he that be-
lieves in Jefus Chrift is paffed from Death to Life, and
whofoever hath the Son of God, hath eternal Life. As
the Prophet Mofes, when he was in the Wildernefs,
faw not only afar off the Land of Promife, but he
tailed its delicious Fruits: Thus we do not only be-
hold afar off, with the Eye of Faith, our celeftial In-
heritance; but we tafte, at prefent, and relifh fome of
its bleffed Delights. And as the Fruits brought by
the Spies were the fame, and like to them that the

Y 2 Children

316 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

Children of IJrael fed upon in the Promtfed Land-, in
like Manner, the Fruits that we relifh in the Wilder-
nefs of this World, are Fruits of the Tree of Life,
with which we fliall be fully fatisfied in Heaven. For
the Grace that God beftows upon us here below, by
his Divine Spirit, is theBeginningof Glory, with which
he fhall crown us above. The fame Light that fhines
upon our Souls on Earth, fhall fhine brighter for
ever in Heaven. But whereas we look upon it, at
prefent, as it were, through a black Mift, with much
Imperfection ; then we fhall fee it clearly without Veil
or Darknefs. The fame Holinefs that adorns at pre-
fent our Souls, fhall be their Ornament and Glory ;
then it fliall appear without Spot or Blemifh. That
fame Peace of Confcience that preferves our Hearts
and Senfes, fhall be without the leaft Disturbance.
In fhort, the fame Jefus that is conceived in our
Hearts, and that is formed and grown in us by De-
grees, fhall then appear in a perfeft Stature, that fhall
want no more Increafe.

As it is with the Sea, it enters into the Rivers before
the Rivers can run to the Sea; in like Manner, God
comes to us before we go to him; and Heaven enters
into our Souls before we can enter into Heaven.

Aged Simeon waited patiently for Death; but as
foon as he had feen the Saviour of the World, and
embraced him, he ran to meet Death. He thought
upon aothingbut his latter End; therefore he prayed
to God molt earneftly to receive him into his glorious
Reft. O Chriilian Soul, how fhouldeft thou difpofe
and prepare thy felf to die, fince thou beholdeft with
the Eyes of Faith, this blefTed Redeemer, not wrapped
up in Swaddling-clothes, but crowned with an in-
finite Glory and Light! He is not in thine Arms,
but he lodges in thine Heart; thou haft not received
him, to return, or part with him again, but to
be united to him for ever, and to be incorporated
into his myftical Body. Since therefore Death brings

thee

againft the Fears of DEATH. 3 17

thee the nearer to thy Redeemer, perfefts this blefled
Union, and cafts thee into the very Fountain of Life;
inftead of being frightened at it, and grieved when it
comes to thee, thou fhouldeft then rejoice, and be
tranfported above Meafure with Gladnefs. We fhould
meet this Death with a chearful Countenance : I
mean, that we fhould meet the Lord Jefus, this mer-
ciful Prince of Life, who, having vouchfafed to thee
the Sight of his Salvation, intends to receive thee
into hio Reft, and glorious Peace, who reigns above
in Heaven.

A Prayer and Meditation for a Chriftian Soul
which arms itfelf againft the Fears of Death,
by meditating on our ftricl: and infeparable
Union with Jefus Chrift, by his Holy Spirit,
and the Firft-fruits in us of our blefled Im-
mortality.

f\ Mighty and Merciful Lord, the Son of Right e^
oufnejs, and Fountain of living Water^ drive away
from me the dark Shadow of Death, and quench all
the Fires that it kindles in my Soul. Thou baft not
only died for me, but thou art pleafed to live in me, that
I might one Day live for ever with thee. Thou hafl y
of thy pure Mercy, chofen me for thy Child, and haft
made me a Member of thy myftical Body, Flejh of thy
Flc/h, Bone of thy Bone, and caujed me to be a Par-
taker of thine Holy Spirit. God has given thee the Spi-
rit without Meafure, that of thy Fulnefs we might
receive Grace for Grace. By the means of this blef-
Jcd and infinite Spirit that abides in my Soul, I am
united to thee in a more perfect Manner, than the Tree is
to the Root that bears it, or the Child to its Mother

Y 3 that

318 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

that ncurijhetb it in her Womb, or the Members of the
human Bcdy to the Head that gives them Life. Ties that
unite me unto thee, O glorious Saviour, are more un-
changeable than the Heavens and the Earth : As nothing
can pluck vie out from thine Hand, there is nothing can fe-
parate me from thine Heart. Whether I live or die, I
am thine, my Lord and my God, and nothing can alter thine
Affection for me. Death can take me out cj the World,
and carry me cut of the Embraces of my dearejl Friends -,
but it can ne~~er feparate me from thine Holy Spirit, the
Soul of ?;.; 'tul, and the Li^ht of my Life, which cannot
lie put cut by all the envicus Blafls and Storms of the
Prime of- Darknefs; but it will rather bring me nearer
to behold thy Face, to reft in thy Bojcm, and unite me to
thee more perfectly for ever. To whomjhall I go? 'Thou
loc.ft the Wr.'ds of eternal Life, and art the inexhauftible
Fountain. Thou art my Hope, and my I'reafui e, my Glory ',
and mine only Happinefs. O faithful and unqiiejlionable
U itr.ejs ! I Jhould be worfe than an Infidel, if I queftioned
my future Salvation and Glory, fnce the Father hath
not fpared thee for me, though thou art his only belovea Son,
the Brightness of his Glory, and the cxprefs Image of his
Perfcn ; fmce thou, O merciful Lord, haft willingly Buf-
fered the moft Jhameful Death of the Crofs, and fpilt thy
precious Blood to waft) a'.^ay my Sins, and fotisfy for my
Crimes ; and Jince thine Holy Spirit is come into mine
Heart, to make me a Partaker of that precious Blood, and
feal me for the Day of Redemption. O glorious Spirit
of my Saviour , that rejls upon me ! ^ben I fljall be able
to fpeak the Language of Angels, I fcall not fufficiently
.exprejs the wonderful Operations that then produceft in my
Soul. Thou kindlejl in me juch heavenly Flames, as never
go out, but are arrays alive, as the Fire of thine Altar.
Ihou formeft in me a white Stone, where a new Name
is written, which no Man knows but he that receives if.
Ihou giveft me to eat of that hidden Manna, of that
Food of Angels^ that the World knoweth not. *Ihou wit-
wj/eft with my Spirit, that I am a Child and Heir of

God)

againft the Fears of DEATH. 3 1 9

God, and joint-heir with Jefus Chrift the King of Kings.
Thou deft not only feal me the Pardon of all my Sins, but
doft alfo purify my Confcience from all dead Works to
ferve the living God. Thou caufeft me to cry out Abba,
Father; and imprinteft in my Heart the glorious Image
of my heavenly Father. 'Thou art the Seal of my Adop-
tion, the Earneft of mine incorruptible Inheritance, pre-
pared for me in Heaven. Thou haft given me the infal-
lible Ajjurances of a glorious and eternal Life, and be-
gun it already in my Scul, granting me its Firft-fruits.
'Thou caufcft me to behold the Sun-Jhine of thy Grace, and
makeft it to give Light in mine Under/landing. Thott
doft not only vouchfaje me the Favour of beholding from
this Valley of 'Tears thine heavenly Canaan, but caufeft
me to tajle of its fruits. 1 am not yet come to the
Fountains of Waters that fpring forth to eternal Life ;
lut I tafte the Streams and Rivers that flow in me. I
am not yet in thine holy Paradife^ but thou haft caufed
Paradife to be in me ; thou haft given to mt an unfpeak-
able and glorious Joy, and haft beftowed ttpon me the
Grace of God that pafleth all Under/landing- living
and quickening Spirit, unknown to the World] Thou
Jlrengtheneji me in fuch a Manner, that Death Jhall never
be able to fright me. Thou haft united me to thyfelf by
an inseparable Union, O Prince of Life; and haft put
me in a State of Immortality, an infallible Principle of
Glory, and a Source of unfpeakable Happinefs : Thou art
in me to dwell with me for ever; therefore thou jh alt fill
vp the Meafure of thy mo ft Jignal Favours. My Faitb^
by thy divine dffiftance^ hath fpjed out the Kingdom pre-
pared for me from the Beginning of the World ; and
Jhortly, I /ball fee with mine Eyes the inexprejjible Beau-
ties of that celeftial Country, that flows with the Milk
cf the pureft and fmcereft Joys, and with the Honey
cf the fweeteft and moft ravi/hing Comforts. Thou haft
fent a Fore- tafte of the Fruits of the Tree of Life ; but
I Jhall come into thine heavenly Paradije; I Jhall ever
have my Fill of thofe delicious Fruits. NoW) thou haft

Y 4 caujed

320 *Tke CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

caufed fame Drops cf the Dew cf Heaven to fall upon
mine Heart, -, but tben thou wilt make me drink of the Ri-
vers of thy divine Pkafures. At prcfent, in my painful
Paffage, in the Midjl of my Groans and 'Tears, I may
gather feme Ears -, but when I come to my heavenly
Country, I jhall reap my Hands full with Songs of Joy.
Here upon Earth I fee God as in a Glafs, obfcurely ;
but in Heaven I Jhall behold him Pace to Face, and I
foal! be fatisfied with his Likenefs. My Lord and my
God, who, by the infinite Merits of thy Sufferings, haft
pur chafed for us this Spirit cf Life, and who haft given
to my Soul Juch an authentick Seal of my Salvation, and
fuch a precious Earneft cf thine eternal Btifs; I feel in
me the Motions and Endeavours of this new Man, that
ftrives to leave this Body of Darknefs and Death, to en-
ter into the. Light of the Living. Lcrdjefus, fince thou
haft granted me the Spirit of thy Grace, enlightened my
Soul with thy divine Knowledge, and caufed me to know
the Way of Life ; fence thou haft given me to tajie of the
heavenly Gift cf the Powers of the Life to come ; and
haft vouchsafed to me the Fir ft- fruits of thy Glory ;
end that I already fed Heaven in my Soul; Jince I
~behcld thee with the Eyes of my Faith, I embrace thee
uoitti* all my Affections, and that thou dwelleft in my
Heart , perfett in me the Work cf thy Grace, and bring
me at laft to thy eternal Glory. Lord, now letteft
thou thy Servant depart in Peace 3 for mine Eye$
have feen thy Salvation. Amen*

CHAP,

againft the Fears of DEATH. 321

CHAP. XX.

The Eighth Confolation if, to confider that Death
delivers us from all temporal 'Evils, that we daily
Jufer.

THERE are certain Pictures with two Faces;
the one reprefents mofl ugly Features, and the
other beautiful and pieafant Things. This is 'the true
Emblem of Death; for it may be painted with a
fearful Countenance, a lean Body, and Iron Hands,
that ravilh us from our Goods, and our Honours;
and that divide our Perfons, dragging our Bodies
into a loathfome Sepulcher. If we look upon Death
in this Manner, we cannot but tremble and fear.
We may alib look upon it as a powerful Deliverer,
that unloofeth all our Fetters, breaks our Chains to
Pieces, raifes our Souls to the higheft Glory and
Happinefs. If we confider it thus, there is nothing
more lovely than Death, and nothing more to be
de fired.

I have hitherto endeavoured to (hew how a Believer
Ihall ftrengthen and comfort himfelf againft the
Fears of Death; but now I fhall add fomething
more, with Heaven's Afiiftance. I fhall labour to
prove, not only that Death is to be expected with-
out Apprehenfion, but to be received with an holy
Joy; that it is not at all dreadful, but rather is to
be earneilly defired. I fhall no longer give, to fpeak
properly, any Confolations againft the Fears of
Death; for I hope to make it plain, that Death itfelf
is to be looked upon as the grcateft Confolation and
Comfort.

That I may attain my Purpofe, I fhall fhew, as in
a Picture, a ihort View of all the dreadful Miferies,

from

322 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

from which Death delivers us; and then I fhall en-
deavour to paint out in the brighten: Colours, or ra-
ther I fhall chalk out unto you, the Bleflednefs and
Glories into which it ufhers us.

Man's Life and Mifery are Twin-fifters that are
born at the fame Time, and own Adam for their
firft Parent; they die together at the fame Inftant
in true Believers. We all know, that Man begins
his Life weeping and crying, and ends with Sighs
and Groans. We come into the World ail covered
with Blood, and we go out covered all over with a
cold Sweat. If the Child cries not fo foon as it is
born, we judge that it is dead; and when the fick
Body ceafes to grcran and figh, we fay, that he is paft
Hopes. So that our crying is a Token of Life, and
the End of our Sighs is likewife an infallible Sign of
our Death. Wretched Man! how miferable is thy
Condition! Thy beft Friends rejoice at thy Crying,
and they weep and lament when thou ceafefl to figh
and groan.

All the reft of thy Time between the Cradle and
thy Grave is no happier. It is but a continued
Chain of Mifery, a Mixture of Pains, a Succeffion
of Evils, and a Sea of Bitternefs. As one Wave
falls upon the Back of another, one Evil is no fooner
gone, but another follows and threatens us. One
Depth calleth another, and all Manner of Floods and
Storms pafs over our Heads. As the Sparks rife out
of the Fire to fly up, Man is born for Mifery and
Pain, Job v. and as the wifeft of Kings fpeaks, His
Days are nothing but Pain, and his Employments but
trouble-, in the Night bis Heart refteth not, Ecclef. iii.
There are fcarce any Dwellings but Meifengers of ill
News arrive at them fometimes, as they did to that
of Joby Chap. i.

By God's unchangeable Order and Appointment
the Days fucceed the Nights, and divide the Year in-
to two equal Parts. For if the Nights are longer

agalnft the Fears of DEATH. 323

in one Seafon, fo much the fhorter they are in ano-
ther. But the Niehts of our Afflictions are fo long,

*-> O'

that rh; / feem to laft feveral Ages; whereas the
Davs of /''rofperity are fo fhort, that they are gone
in a Moment. So that we may juftly fay with the
Prophet MoJeSj The befl cf our Days are but Labour
ar.d Sorrow -, fo Joon doth our Life pafs away, and
iv e are gone ', Pfal. xc, It is as eafy a Tafk to number
the Stars of the Firmament, and to reckon up the
Grains of the Sand upon the Sea-fhore, as to make
an exact Examination of all the Evils that happen
to us as Men belonging to a civil Society, or as
Members of God's Church, and his adopted Chil-
dren. Therefore old Jacob had Caufe to complain,
that the Years of his Life had been fo fhort and
evil ; but ours are fo evil, that they cannot be too
fhort.

I fhould compofe many Volumes, if I fhould under-
take to defcribe perfectly all the Infirmities and Dif-
eafes that undermine the Body, all the cutting Pains,
and cruel Tortures, that torment and rack us.

The moft languishing Sicknefles, and the moft vio-
lent Pains, that afflict and difturb this Body, are no-
thing in Comparifon of the exceffive Sadnefs and mor-
tal Anguifh, that feize upon our Souls, and fill them
full of Gall and Bitternefs. I think there is no Man
iipon Earth that can boaft of having pafled but one
Day without fome Difpleafure, either inward or out-
ward. For we either feel prefent Evils, .that ftrike
through our Hearts as fo many Darts, or the Remem-
brance of former Griefs trouble us, or elfe the Fears
of future Mifchiefs vex and fret us. I may juftly fay,
that the Devil is not fo cruel to himfelf, as we are to
our own Perfons; for this evil Spirit cares not to be
tormented before the Time, whereas we anticipate
the Evils by unquiet Apprehenlions, and wilful Vex-
ations entertained in our Minds. The Fear of Mifery
makes us far more miferable; and the Apprehen-

fion

324 *Tht CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

fion of an imaginary Evil caufeth us to refent a real

Affiiclion, and an unfeigned Torment.

When we confider any Man's Life, we only look
upon that which appears moft delightful and pleafant.
We confider the Nobility of his Blood, ' the Variety
of his Pleafures, the Greatnefs of his Riches, the
Glory of his Offices and Victories, and the Pomp of
his Triumphs. But fcarce any Man takes Notice of
his Miferies and Afflictions ; or, if fome be fo ob-
ferved, they are but fuch as are too obvious to every
Man's Eye; as the publick Affronts and Difgraces,
the Lofs of a Battle, the Degradation from an Office,
Bani/hments, Imprifonments, and fuch-like unhappy
Afflictions. But, befides thefe Calamities, which
are vifible to all the World, and the common Mo-
tives of the condoling Lamentations of our Friends,
there are many fecret Evils, that be far more painful.
Our neareft Relations difcover not always our mofl
fenfible Wounds, to pour into them an healing Balm;
they feck not our deepeft Sorrows, nor do they dream
of applying to our Souls the moft proper Com-
forts.

When you behold Stage-players capering upon 'a
Theatre, fpeaking as big as Kings and Princes, you
feldom think, that, under their magnificent and glori-
ous Attire, they hide many filthy Rags, and perhaps,
fome incommodious Vermin, that fting them to the
quick. Thus when you caft your Eyes upon Riches,
Glory., Pomp, and the Magnificence of worldly Men,
you do not difcover and fee the Canker-worm that
gnaws their Hearts, and the fecret Fire that devours
their Souls. Some there be,thatlaughin publick before
Company, and appear with a merry Countenance, who
are full of Defpair, and in private tear off their Hair,
figh, and pour forth Abundance of Tears. Some feed
themfelves before the World with the moft delicious
Meats and drink the rareft Wines ; f but inwardly
they are glutted with Poifon and Gall. This was the

Con-

again ft the Fears 0/* D E A T H . 3 2' 5

ConHderation ot'the wifeft of Kings, when he writ this
Sentence, I have Jaid of Laughter, It is mad> and of
Gladnefsy What prcfitetb it? Ecclef, ii. 2.

As Poverty and a me.in Eftate are never without a
Train of fretful Sorrows and Cares; likevvife Riches
and Honour are never without Fears and Difturbances.
And as there is no Flame ever fo pure, but fends up a
Smoke, nor a Rofe fo beautiful, but has its Prickles;
fo there is no Condition fo fplendid or glorious, nor
any Profperity fo flourishing, but hath its Troubles
and fharp Thorns. Every Man upon Earth (without
Exception) bears his Crofs, or hath a grievous Thorn
in his Side. The Moth fticks to the richeft Stuffs;
the Worm gets into the Heart of the faireft Flowers
and Fruits; and the Thunderbolt ftrikes down the
loftieft Oaks, the higheft Steeples, and the moft mag-
nificent Palaces: Likewife Care and Grief commonly
eat up the Flower of the greateft Profperities ; and
the nobleft Dignities are often fubject to the ftrangeft
Alterations, and to the mod terrible Downfalls.
The richeft Crowns caft all their Splendor and Glory
outwardly; but inwardly they are felt to be weighty
upon the Heads of fuch as bear them. A great
Prince found his Diadem fo burdenfome and un-
fufferable, that he cried out, O Crown! if thy Weight
were well known, none would lift thee up from the
Ground* It is not without a good Caufe, that fuch
as are paffionate for the World and inclinable to the
Delights of the Flefh, are in a continual Fear and
Dread; for they be expofed to the mod imminent:
Dangers. If their Eyes were open, they would fee
a naked Sword always hanging over their Heads.
As in that Statue which Nebuchadnezzar faw in his
Dream, the Head that was of pure Gold was as
eafily broken as the earthen Feet, and became as
light as the Chaff which the Wind carries away:
Likewife the mod honourable, the richeft, and the
moft glorious Eftate, is equally fubjeft to the fame

Mifchanccs,

226 *Tbe CHRISTIAN'S Confblafions

j /

Mifchances, as the loweft, the pooreft, and the moft
wretched. Where are any Riches and Treafures,
that are not fucceeded by Poverty? Where rides
that Pride and Pomp, that hath not Shame to attend
it? Is there any Grandeur in the Age not fubjeft
to the furious Blafts of Envy? Where is that lighted
Taper, that a Whirlwind and a Storm of Rain can-
not put out? Chriftian Souls, take good Notice of
the Fruits which the World gives to its Servants
and Children, and you fhall find that they are much
like to certain Apples of America^ of an excellent
Beauty, and of a fweet Smell j yet they are full of
the ranked Poifon^ that kills infallibly fuch as unad-
vifedly eat of them. There is no Sweetnefs fo great
upon Earth, but hath a Mixture of Bitter; nor Joy
fo pure and Jailing, but is often interrupted with
Sighs and Tears. The rareft Pleafures have a fad
Countenance, and a groaning Afpect. Our Hearts,
in the Midft of Laughter, feel an OpprefTion, and
our Joy is accompanied with Sorrow. Therefore,
when the moft experienced of all former Princes had
taken exact Notice of all Things under the Sun, and
tafted all the Delights of Life, he concludes with this
Confeffion, That alll'hings under the Sun are nothing
lut Vanity and Vexation of Spirit.

It is not needful, that I fliall make here an
exacl: and particular Defcription of all the fad and
troublefome Accidents of Life, that are able to
turn the moft flourifhing Eftate upfide down. Re-
member, ingenuous Reader, to run over carefully
the whole Courfe of thy Life, and examine in the
juft Scales of the Sanctuary, all the good and evil
Things which thou haft found by Experience. In
one put all the Satisfactions of the Flefh, and what-
foever brings thee any Advantage or Content; and
put ia the other all thy fretful Cares, Griefs, Dif-
pleafures, and Difgraces. If thine Evils and Miferies

weigh

againft the Fears of DEATH. 327

weigh not down the Balance, thou mayeft efteem it a
Wonder, and a Miracle. Thou haft no Caufe to
boaft of thy earthly Happinefs. Mind well the
Speech of Solon, one of the wifeft Men of Greece, to
Crcefus, a Prince puffed up with his Riches and Pro-
fperityj 'That none could be efteemed happy before his
latter End, and the Hour of his Death. Confider,
that fome who have attained to a greater Degree of
Happinefs than thou haft, have fallen into a mod
wretched State on a fudden. He, who lately abounded
in Wealth and Plenty, is reduced oft-times to the
loweft Poverty. He, who had whole Armies at his
Command, is fometimes forfaken of all the World.
He, who had Princes for his Subjects, is oft-times
forced to obey a Slave. Some that fed daintily, are
glad to eat the Bread of Affliction, and to quench
their Thirft with Tears. Some who lately flourifhed
in gorgeous Apparel, and Palaces adorned with
Gold and Silver, are now rotting in a loathfome
Dungeon. Some are dragged from their magnificent
Dwellings to the moft infamous Death. The richeft
and nobleft Crowns have not protected the wifeft
Heads.

When it fhould be pofiible to go through this Life
without feeling any Alteration in thine Health, nor
fuffering any Lofs of Goods, nor Change of thy happy-
Condition, which is as rare a Thing to be found as
a ftrange Bird called a Pbarnix-, haft thou no Chil-
dren, Parents, nor Friends, whom thou loveft, or
oughteft to love tenderly? Are thofe Perfons without
any Affliction? And is it not poflible, that it fhould
feize upon them ? Certainly, unlefs thou haft an Heart
as infenfible as Marble and Steel, unlefs thou haft re-
nounced all natural Affections, thou muft needs be
moved with thefe Evils and Difgraces that happen to
them in their Life-, and when Death fnatcheth them
away, it muft needs tear thy very Heart, and rend
thy Bowels,

But

~28 The CHRISTIAN'S Con filiations

But if it fhould happen (which is impoffible), that
nothing hath ever afflicted thee in thine own Perfon^
or in that of thy Friends, and if all fuch as are re-
lated to thee live in perfect and flourifhing Profpe-
rity, like to thofe Countries of the other World,
that are always covered with Flowers and Fruits;
caft thine Eyes upon the Earth, and thou fhalt there
behold fo many Evils and Calamities, that if thou
haft any Senfe of Humanity, thou fhalt have Caufe
to weep, God commmanded the Prophet Jeremiah to
deliver the Cup of his Wrath to feveral People, one
after another; but now it feems, that he delivers this
Cup to them all at once. For, where is that People
or Nation, that may boaft of never having drunk of
it, and of not being in Danger of drinking? Some
have drank it up to the very Dregs, others drink it
by Degrees, others have this bitter Cup brought to
their Lips.

Our Saviour caufeth his beloved Difciple to fee
two Angels, who had each of them in his Hand a
fharp Sickle to reap the Corn, and gather the Grapes,
Rev. xiv. Afterwards he difcovered to him feven
more, who had in their Hands golden Phials full of
the Wrath of God, which they poured upon the In-
habitants of the World, to plague and punifli them,
Rev. xv. But at prefent, the holy Angels appear in
Troops and Legions to cut off Mankind, and to
tranfport them to the Wine-prefs of God's eternal
Vengeance. The Wrath of God feems no more to
be meafured out by Phials, nor by Cups; but it
overflows as a great River, and a bottomlefs Sea,
that fwells and runs over the Banks and the Shore.
In fhort, the Deluge of Evils that cover the Face of
the Earth, is fo univerfal, that the Doves, I mean
the innocent and meek Souls, that love Peace and
Heft, can find no Place to fix and fettle their
Feet.

againjl the Fears of DEATH. 329

If thou haft any Chriftian Zeal and Charity to in-
creafe thy Senfe of Humility, thou canft not poflibly
behold with unconcerned Affections, the defpicable
and dangerous State of Chrift's Church on Earth.
For it is like Noah's Ark in the Midft of the roaring
Waves, like the burning Bufh of Mount Oreb fur-
rounded with Flames, like the Prophet Daniel in the
Lion's Den, and like his Companions in the fiery Fur-
nace j fo that it may juftly fpeak in the fame Manner
as the ancient Jefufalcm, Is it nothing to all you that
pafs by ? Behold, and Jee if there be any Sorrow like
unto my Sorrow which is done unto me, wherewith the
Lord hath ajflicJed me in the Day of his fierce Anger,
Lam. i. O bleffed Church of God, thou haft felt
Perfecution from thine Infancy until now, PJal. cxix.
Prepare therefore thyfelf to fuffer much more in this
Decay and Old-age of the World; for the Devil will
perfecute thee with fo much the more .Fury and Vio-
lence, becauie he knows he has but a fhort Time,
and muft foon be fhut up in the Lake of Fire and
Brimftone.

In this Cafe, Grief is not only lawful, but com-
manded; for God requires us to put on Sackcloth and
Afhes, IJa. xxii. He defires that we fhould be fickfor
the Troubles of Jofeph, Amos vi. That we fhould weep
with them that weep, Rom. xii. That we fhould re-
member the Prifoners, as if we were Prifoners with
them ; and that we fhould fuffer with them that are
tormented, as being Members of one Body, Heb. xii.
We have good Reafon to apply to the World, and to
the Worldlings, David's Saying, Woe is methatlfojourn
in Mefeck, that I dwell in the 'Tents of Kedar! My Soul
hath long dwelt with them that hate Peace, Pfal. cxx.
Jeremiah had never fo much Caufe as we to lament,
and to wilh that his Head were diffolved into Water,
and his Eyes were a Fountain of Tears, to weep
Day and Night, Jer. ix. And the Prophet Ifaiah
had never fo much Reafon to cry out in the Dif-
pleafure of his Soul, Look away from me, I will weep

Z bitterly,

330 T# CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

Utterly, labour not to comfort me; becaufe of the Spoiling
of the Daughter of my People, I fa. xxii.

It is not therefore without good Caufe that the
Preacher acquaints us, tfhat the Day of Death is far bet-
ter than the Day of our Birth; for our Birth caufeth us
to weep, and Death wipes off all Tears from our Eyes.
Our Birth difcovers that large Theatre upon which all
worldly Tragedies are acted; Death draws the Cur-
tain, and puts a Period to all fuch bloody Scenes. Our
Birth cafts us into the Fire and Water of divers Af-
flictions ; and Death draws us out of thofe Flames and
Bitternefs. FinaJly, fi nee our Life is but a Chain of
Mifery, and that Death breaks in Pieces the lail Link;
fince our Life is but a continual Fighting, and that
Death alone is the Victory ; it ia mod certain, that
Death is not to be feared as an Evil, and an Enemy,
but rather to be defired as a good Friend, and a Blef-
fing. It is reported of the librarians, that they buried
their Dead with Expreffions of Joy; and the Inha-
bitants of the Fortunate I/lands fung and danced at
the Funerals of their deareft Friends. I do not com-
mend thefe foolifli Examples of extravagant and bar-
barous People, who were without Hope, and with-
out God in the World. Such cannot fear Death toa
much; for, if it freed them from fome prefent and
light Evil, it caft them into an Abyfs of excefiive
Torments. Death is an Happinefs, it brings with it
a iblid Comfort and Joy; but it is when we die in God's
Favour, and in the Faith of our Lord Jefus. God
hath fufficiently declared the Happinefs and Pleafure
of his Children's Death; for he often abridges the Days
of thofe whom he favours and efteems. Becaufe he
had feen fome good Thing in the Perfon of Abijah,
the eldeft Son of Jeroboam, King of Ifratl, he took
him away in the Flower of his Age, i Kings xiv. He
granted the fame Favour to Jofias, King of Judah y
one of the molt religious Princes in the World; for
he had declared to him, by Haldab the Prophetefs, Be-
bold, I will gather tbee unia thy Fathers, and tboujhalt

agalnft the Fears of DEATH. 331

Is gathered into thy Grave in Peace; and thine Eyes
foali not fee all the Evil which I will bring upon this
Place y 1 Kings xxii. It is not to be doubted, but
that fuch are moft happy that die in the Lord, and
reft from their Labours; but I judge them happy in
a two-fold Manner, that die, or rather ceafe from
dying, in fuch miferable Times, fo full of Confufion
and Uiforder.

Would you not laugh at a Workman, that fhould
grieve when hisTafk is ended, and his Labour finiihed?
Or, at a Way-faring Man, who fhould lament to
fee the End of his painful Journey through Prickles
and Thorns, and the fcorching Heat of the Sun, or
the infufferable Cold of the Winter? Or, would you
not wonder at one that ihould vex himfclf when he is
fafely arrived in the Haven, efcaped the Waves of a
tempeftuous Sea, and in a Shelter from the Storms ?
Wretched Man ! Thou art far more foolifh and ex-
travagant than thofe of whom we fpeak ; for the moft
painful Labours of a Workman, the moft grievous
Wearinefs of a tedious Journey, and the fwelling
Waves of a troubled Sea, are nothing in Comparifon
of the Labours, Mifery, and Troubles of this lan-
guifhing Life. You would, doubtlefs, efleem it a
very great Folly and Madnefs in a Prifoner, to be
forry for being delivered out of his noifome Dungeon;
or in a Galley (lave, to be angry when he is to be
loofed from his Chains; or in an Offender, to vex
when he is freed from his Torments. What think ye?
Is there lefs Madnefs and Extravagancy in you, when
ye are grieved to fee Death freeing your Souls from
this miferable Body, where it is imprifoned, withdraw-
ing it from the painful Employ merits of this unhappy
Age, more grievous and intolerable than that of the
Galley-flaves, and difcharging you from the Trou-
bles of the Soul, far more painful than the moft infuf-
ferable Tortures of the Body? No, no; Death, that:
thou dreadeft fo much, is not the Death of the Faith-
ful, but the End of his Miferies, and the laft Period

Z 2 of

332 *Ihe CHRISTIAN'S Gonfo fat ions
of all his Torments. Noah, Gen. viii. when he went
out of the Ark that flopped upon Mount Ararat, had
never fo much Caufe to praife God, and to offer to
him the Sacrifice of Thankfgiving, as we have, when
he is pleafed to caufe us to fee the End of the Inun-
dation of fo many Evils and Calamities, and to make
this floating Life, or this living Death, to (lop upon
Mount Si on.

The Children of Jfrael fang Songs of Thankfgiving
when they came out of Egypt, and faw themfelves de-
livered out of a bitter and painful Bondage; where
they had been employed in gathering Stubble, and
burning of Biick: But we have much more Caufe to
rejoice, and to fing Songs of Praife, when Death takes
us out of the World, where we fuffer a Kind of Bond-
age, labouring in vain, and enduring the fcorching
Heat of many Afflictions that confume us. Thou
findeft Fault with fome of that inconilant People, who
murmured to return again into Egypt, when they were
upon the Borders of the Promifed Land \ but rather
find Fault with thine own filthy Flefn, if it offers to
murmur and revolt, when thou art at the Entrance of
thy celeftial Canaan. Joftyh rejoiced when the King
of Egypt fent for him out of Prifon, Gen. xiv. And
have we not Caufe to be joyful, when God fends for
our Souls out of the World, and caufeth them tofgo
out of their Bodies, which to them is a Kind of a
Dungeon?

If therefore we can fpeak without impatient Mur-
muring, I conceive we have as good Reafon as Jonas-,
to fay, O Lord, take, I befeech tbee, my Life from me \
for it is better for me to die than to live, Jonas iv. Or,
as the Prophet Elias, If is enough, Lord, take away my
Life, i Kings xix. Such a Soul may, in an holy Tranf-
port, fafely fpeak in the Language of David, the Man
after God's own Heart, Bring my Soul out of Prifon,
that I may pratfe thy Name. 'The Righteous Jhall com-
pajs me about', for thou jh alt deal bountifully with me t
Pfal. cxli.

I A Prayer

4gain/l the Fears of DEATH. 333

A Prayer and Meditation for a Chriftian, who
comforts himfelf with the Confideration, that
Death delivers us from temporal Evils, without
Number, which fo often afiauk us,

/") Glorious Prince of my Salvation I Thou haft hi-
thirto ftrengtbened me againft all Fears of Death;
hit now I heartily befecch thse to afford me fuch Grace,
that Death may not terrify nor affliff me, but fill we f.utl
of Joy and Comfort. Suffer me n-;t to follow the Exam-
ple of the Ifraelites, who, forgetting the Hard/hips cf
their former Bondage , and minding only the Pleafures and
Plenty of Egypt, mutinied to return back from the Bor-
ders of Canaan. Let not the Delights of this World, nor
the fle/hly Lulls, poffefs my Svul ; but grant that 1 may
fo mind the Labours and. Mifsries of this prefent State,
that as a Workman, contented to fee Night put an End
to his 'Toil ; or as a 'Traveller, either by Sea or Land,
willingl} enters the Haven or Inn, where he is to reft-,
I may look upon Death in the fame favourable Manner ;
and the rather, becaufe of the terrible Confufions, the
Calamities, Streams of Blood, and Mifchiefs of War, of
Fire and Sword, that threaten and devour us. 'The la-
mentable State of thy dijirejfcd Church chiefly affezts me
this is like a fmall Boat in the Midft of r&aring and
/welling /Paves, ready to fink, were it not for thy powerful
Protetfivn, who commandefi the bufterous Element ; or
like Daniel in the Lion's Den, in Danger to bs devoured^
.didft thou not defend it from the furious Beafts. I am
weary to behold fo many bloody 'Tragedies afted, to
continue jo long in a World of fPifkednefs, and to be
an Eye-witnejs of the Sufferings, and to hear the Com-
f hints o f thy chef en People. O heavenly Father, I ant
contented to be /reed from this Chain of Mifery, from this
Life, where fo many Calamities opprefs and afflifi me;
Calamities of Sicknefs, and Diftempers that torment my
fiody; and of other Slffltfiions, of which I am jenftble.
wilt thou releafe me, O my God, from this Prifon
Z and

334 ^ v CHRISTIAN'S Confolattons
find dark Dungeon, that thy blejfed Angel may convey my
Soul to a better StJte, cut of the Reach of the DeviFs
Malice and Pon-er ! When wilt thou fend for me to in-
troduce me into thy celeflial Jerufalem, where I Jhall,
with the reft cf thy Chojen. glorify thee, my God, and for-
get all my former Sorrows, thatjhallbejwallowedup in
everlafting "Joy, where no Pain nor Gn?,f Jhall ever come
near us, but /hall be fecured by thy divine Prefence from
the Senfe and Apprehenfion of all Evil, and be put in Pof-
fejfion of an everlajling Happinefs ? Amen .

CHAP. XXI.

Ninth Confolation; Death Jhall deliver us from
Sin, which we may fee reigning in the World, and
from the Remains of our 'Corruption^

WHEN God fent Angels from Heaven to fetch
Lot out of Sodom, and fecure him from the
Flames with which he intended to deflroy that abo-
minable City, this good Man's Wife could not for-
bear looking back; but flie was, in that very Mo-
ment, fufficiently punifhed, by being turned into a,
Pillar of Salt, the Emblem of that holy Prudence,
that this Example recommends to Pofterity. That
which made this unhappy Woman break the Angel's
exprefs Command, was her Affection for the Riches,
Plenty, and Pleafures of that Country, which fhe had
left; not thinking upon the Bafenefs, Filth, and abo-
minable Vices, that brought God's Wrath and Ven-
geanceupontheunworthy Inhabitants. Likewife, when
God intends to take us out of the World, and to fe-r
cure us from the Senfe of his dreadful Judgements ;
than which caufeth us to look back, and hinders,
us from following the Angels that God fends to
us, to lead us up to the Mountain of our Salva-
tion, is, that we think upon nothing but the Riches,
Honours, and Pleafures of this wretched World,

inftead

agamjl the Fears of DEATH. 235

inftead of confidering the Iniquities that reign here
below, wherewith we are defiled, while we continue
in this corrupted Flefh.

Chriftian Souls, will you prepare yourfelves to go to
God ? And do you wifh, that Death would comfort and
rejoice your Hearts, inftead of afflicting them? Caft
your Eyes upon thofe dreadful Vices that are fo com-
mon, under which the whole Creation groans as under
an heavy Burden. O good God! In what Age are we
born ! An Age like that of Noah; for all theEarth hath
corrupted its Way, Gw. v. Nothing but a Deluge of
Fire is able to purge it. There was never more Injuf-
tice, Perfidioufnefs, Treachery, Debauchery, Infolence,
and Envy; never more Vanity, Luxury, Pride, Cruelty,
Blafphemies, Impiety, and Atheifm. We may juftly
apply to our Days that which the Prophet Hofea faid
of the Corruption of his Time: There is no Truth, no
Mercy, no Knowledge of God in the Land : There is no-
thing but Swearing, Lying, Killing, Stealing, and commit-
ting Adultery : They break out, and Blood touchcth Blood,
Hof. iv. Therefore we have good Caufe to make Da-
vid's Prayer, Help, Lord; for the godly Man ceajeth,for
the Faithful fail from among the Children of Men. They
fpeak Vanity every one with his Neighbour; with flatter-
ing Lips, and ivith a double Heart, do they fpeak, Pf. xii.
O wicked World, a World overflowing with Iniquity,
a Sink of Impurity, a burning Furnace, heated with
the impure Flames of the bottomlefs Pit, and choked
with the Smoke of Hell! But Sin reigns not only in this
wretched World, but it defaces alfo theChurchof God,
and caufeth mod fearful Diforders among thofe that
bear the glorious Name of Chrijlians. They were anci-
ently to be difcernedfrom the reft of the World by their
Speech, Converfation, and Behaviour; but the Devil
hath wonderfully debauched them; he hath blotted out
God's Image in their Souls,hath taken from them that
noble Diftin<5tion that removed far away all Difference
between them and the World. We cannot with Juftice
lay to mod Chriftians of our Age, as was faid to the

Z 4 Apoftle

336 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

Apoftle St, Peter, Thy Speech bewrayeth thee: Nor ap-
propriate to them what IJaac faid to one of his Sons,
'Thy Voice is the Voice of Jacob; but thou haft the Hands
of Effiu ; for they have both the Voice and Hands of
the profane EJau; they fpeak and live as he did, they
publifh their Crimes with a brazen Face, and endeavour
to glory in their Shame. The Air is infected with
their profane and filthy Language, with their impu-
dent Lying, with their fearful Oaths, and grievous
Blafphemies; and the Earth is defiled with their
horrid Sins, and abominable Crimes: Covetoufnefs,
Ambition, Luft, and all manner of Vices, have
afcended the Throne; they aft and command in chief
in every Place. They who have in their Mouths the
holy Name of the -Lord Jefus, and make Profeffion of
following his facred Footfteps, give us good Caufe to
take up again St. Paul's Lamentation and Complaint,
Many walk, of whom 1 have told you often, and now tell
you, even weeping, that they are Enemies of the Crofs of
Chrift ; whoje End is Deftruflion, whofe God is their
Belly, and whoje Glory is their Shame, who mind earthly
Things, Phil. iii.

If we would feek in thefe Days for the Chriftian
Virtues, where fhall we find Faith, Hope, and Cha-
rity? Where fhall we meet with Righteoufnefs, Fi-
delity, Holinefs, Innocence, Goodnefs, Meeknefs,
Humility, Patience, Piety, and Devotion? You
Daughters of Heaven, what is become of you? We
cannot fee any more your angelical Countenances.
We are fo far from beholding the delightful Beams of
your divine Prefence, that we cannot fpy out any of
your Footfteps upon Earth. You may thereby un-
derftand, Chriftians, that the Son of God is at Hand;
for Iniquity abounds, Charity grows cold, and there
is no more Faith upon Earth.

In the Midft of fuch a woeful Corruption, who of
us afflicts his Soul, as righteous Lot? Who weeps
Day and Night, as David, a Man after God's own
Heart? Where can we fpy out the Fountains of
Tears of the Prophet Jeremiah? Or, the Confufion

agdinft tie Fears of DEATH. 337

of the Face of Daniel'? Or, the Zeal of Mofes and
Pbiuehas, and of St.Paid? If the Angel of God, that
went through the Midft of Jerufakm, did take a Re-
view in our Days of the Inhabitants of this Land, I
am afraid he would not find many marked with the
Letter Tan-, nor any weeping and fighing for the
Abominations that are amongft us. For Evil and
Wickednefs are become familiar to us, by the Means
of an univerfal Infection. Our continual Converfa-
tion with the Vicious accuftoms us to their heinous
Crimes, and to their impious Difcourfes j as we are
accuftomed by Degrees to breathe in an unwholefome
Air without Averfion, and to hear the fearful Down-
fall of the Cataracts of the River Nile without Re-
pugnancy.

But we are fo far from grieving at the univerfal
Inundation of Vice in the World, that we ourfelves
are carried away with the impetuous Torrent of Cor-
ruption. Sin gets upon us infenfibly, and overcomes
us; fo that the World is not unlike to the Houfe
mentioned by God in the xivth of Leviticus-, for it
is not only infected with an incommodious Leprofy,
but it infects all fuch as dwell therein. The Men of
the World have an eafierTafk to teach us their Vice,
than we have to teach and perfuade them to Virtue;
as a peftiferous Body may fpread the Infection, and
give it to a Thoufand who are found; whereas a Thou-
land in perfect Health cannot heal one infected with
the Plague: So that, as under the Ceremonial Law,
the clean Veflel fanctified not the defiled; but the
defiled infected, by its Approaches, fuch as were
clean; evil Companies corrupt good Manners, and
the Flames of the mod burning Zeal are extinguifhed
by the Coldnefs of the Age. As Lambs cannot feed
among Briars and Thorns, without leaving behind
them fome of their Wool; likewife the harmlefs and
meek Souls cannot live amongft fo much Cozenage
and Malice, without lofing fomething of their Inno-
fence, and Chriftian Simplicity.

Who

3 3 8 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

Who is it amongft us that can fay, with a fafe Con-
fcience, that the World Is crucified to him, and that he
is crucified to the World? Gal. vi. Or, who is it that
lives in the World without being guilty of its Sins,
as the Fifh drinks of the Sea-water, and receives no-
thing of its Bitternefs ? PJal. xxvi. Who can converfe
in the Courts of Princes, zsjojeph in Egypt, as Daniel
in Babylon, or as the Queen Efther in the Court of Aha-
Juerus? Is there any that can juftly fay, that he hatb
wajhed his Hands in Innocence, and purified his Con-
Jcience from all dead Works to ferve the living God?
Heb. ix. Who can fpeak in this Manner, I have puri-
fied my Heart, lam clean from my Sin? Prov. xx. In
Truth, If we fay that we have no Sin, we deceive our-
f elves, and the "Truth is not in us, i John i. We have good
Reafon to break out into the Prophet Ifaiah's Exclama-
tion, when he faw God fitting upon his Throne, Woe is
me! for I am undone, becaufe I am a Man of unclean Lips,
and I d\ veil in the Midft of People of unclean Lips, Ifa. vi.
Or we may fay with the fame Prophet, From the Sole of
the Foot unto the Crown of the Head, there is no whole
Part. Not only the Souls that are fixed on the Earth,
butalfo iuch as mount up to Heaven by fervent Prayers,
and devout Meditations, have good Caufe to acknow-
ledge their Imperfections, and to afk Forgivenefs. If
any fancy himfelf to be perfectly whole, and free from
all Infection, let him look intohisConfcience, and feri-
oufly examine it, and it will happen to him as loMofes-,
when he put his Hand into his Bofom, he took it out
again as white as Snow, all covered with Leprofy, Exod.
iv. Where is there a Chriftian, that feels no Law com-
manding in his Members, and ftruggling againft the
Law of his Mind? Who is there, that finds not by Expe-
rience the Truth of St. Paul's Saying, The Flejh luftetb
againft the Spirit, and the Spirit againjl the Flefo, and thefe
are contrary the one to the other, Jo that ye cannot do the
'Things that ye ivould? Rom. vii. Gal. v. Without
Doubt, filch as know not, nor ever have felt, the bitter
and vehement Stragglings of their carnal Lufts that

war

againft the Fears of DEATH. 339

war againft the Soul, i Pet. i. cannot conceive what it
is to deny themfelves, to 'put off the old Man with his
Deeds, to crucify the Flejh with its Affettions and filthy
Lufts, Ephef. iv. Such know not what it is to mor-
tify our Members, to cut off our Right Feet and
Right Hands, and to pluck out our Right Eyes,
Mat. x. that is to fay, to deftroy, and by an holy
Violence, to give a deadly Wound to all our brutifri
Paffions, and vicious AfTeftions, when they fhould
feem to us as dear and as ufefi.il as ourHands andEeet,
and as tender as our Right Eyes, Col. iii. Mat. v.

If thefe accurfed Affections could but declare their
Names, they would fay, as the evil Spirits of the
Gofpel, Our Name is Legion; for we are many. As
that Devil that poflefied the Lunatick, mentioned by
St. Matthew, cajl him Jometimes into the Fire, at other
'Times into the Watdt ; thus thefe carnal Lufts labour
to caft us, fometimes into the Flames of Ambition,
or into the burning Heat of Covetouihefs, or to hurry
us headlong into the Gulph of unlawful Delights, or
into the Mud of filthy and carnal Pleafures. Further-
more, they break the Chains and Ties with which we
imagine to flop their Fury; they war and fight againft
us by Day and by Night, and at every Moment they
return to charge us home, and renew the Combat.
Every where they affault us, and have no more Re-
fpec~b for Temples and Houfes of Prayer, than for
common and publick Places. As Satan had once the
Boldnefs to encounter with JehoJJoua the High-prieit
before the Angel of God; likevvife thefe curfed Lufts
are fo impudent as to attempt us in the moft religious
ArTemblies, and the devouteft Congregations, as well
as where we are engaged in the moft hellifh and de-
bauched Companies of the World.

But thefe Lufts, that war againft the Soul, are as
fubtle and malicious, as they are cruel and obftinate:
When they perceive us upon our Guard, and fee that
there is nothing to begot, they conceal their Weapons
and their Fire, but it is with a Defign to furprize and

burn

34 o 2^* CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons
burn us when we are leaft aware. As there are certain
Creatures that counterfeit the Dead, that Men might
fpare their Labour to kill them; likewife this trea-
cherous Flefh appears ofits own Accord as dead, that
we might fpare it, and not totally deprive it of Life.
If then we leave it in Peace and Quiet, it recovers its
Strength and Vigour, and affaults us afrelh with its
poifonous Darts. When we imagine that we have
cut up this wretched Plant by the Root, it grows,
and breaks forth into Bitternefs. When we think, that
we have put out this Fire with the Tears of our Re-
pentance, it kindles again, and burfls forth into fierce
Flames. As foon as we have cut the cunning Serpent
to pieces with the Iharp Knife of true Repentance,
it gets together, and when it feems to have loft all
Strength and Heat, it recovers again in our Breads,
and wounds us to the very Heart. In Ihort, as the
vil Spirit, mentioned by our Saviour in the Gofpel,
when he was driven out of one Houfe, waited for a
good Opportunity to return; which as foon as he per-
ceived, he took unto himfelf feven other Spirits worfe
than himfelf, fo that the laft Condition of that Man
was worfe than the firft, Mark xii. thus, after an af-
flicting Fall, and fervent Prayers; after a Torrent of
contrite Tears; when we imagine that we have caft
out of our Hearts the moft dangerous Lufts; if we
begin to relent, and to open to them the Door, they
. burfl in again upon us with more Fury, and render the
Sequel of our Life far more bitter and unpleafant.

But if you had not fo many SinSj and your Lufts
were not fo violent, when the old Man fhould not have
fb much Strength in our Members, and the Tempta-
tions fhould not overcome us fo often; tell me, I pray,
Chriftian Souls, in what Virtue do you excel? Have
you all the Beauty, the Glory, and Perfection, that
God requires ? Is your Holinefs without the leaft Spot
or Blemifh ? Is your Innocence as white as Snow, and
as bright as the Light? Is your Zeal as hot and burn-
ing as that of the Serapbims? Is your Charity fincere,

without

agalnft the Fears of DEATH. 341

without Painter Difguife, as that of Chrift, who gave
his Life for you ? Do you love God for his Name-fake,
or becaufe of his excellent Perfections? Do you love
him with all your Heart, with all your Strength, and
with all your Thoughts ? Do you love him more than
you love yourfelves, or any Thing in the World? Do
you hate all Things that he hates? And do you care-
fully abftain from every Thing that difpleafeth him ?
Do you love your Neighbour in God, and for the
Sake of that good God whofe Image he bears? Do
you love him as you love yourfelves, without Hypo-
crify or Difguife? Do you never deal otherwife with
others, than you would have them deal with you ?
And do you perform to them the fame good Offices
that you would have them perform to you, if they
were in the fame Condition as you are at prefent?
Do you fhine in the Midft of the dark Night of this
Age, as fo many Tapers lighted with the Beams of
the Sun of Righteoufnefs ? Phil. ii. Do you live as
Citizens of Heaven, and as Fellow-citizens of the
Saints, and as the Children of God ? Phil. i. 5. Or
as fuch as expert the blefled Hope and Appearing of
the Glory of the great God and Saviour Jefus Chrift?
Tit. ii. Is your Heart in Heaven, where your Trea-
fure Ihould be, and your Glory and Happinefs? And
do you walk as Perfons that afcend up by the Steps
and Degrees of Piety to the heavenly Jerufalem? Do
you go from Faith to Faith, from Hope to Hope?
And do you make every Day fome new Progrefs in
Holinefs? Do you never grieve the Holy Spirit, by
whom you have been fealed for the Day of Redemp-
tion ? Are you immoveable, abounding always in the
Work of the Lord ? Ephef. iv. And do you endeavour
to be found in him, without Spot or Blemiih, in
Peace? i Cor. xv. 2 Pet. ii.

Tell me, devout Souls, whether you be not as the
Fire and Light? For as there is no Flame fo pure,
but hath its Smoke, no Star fo bright, but difappears
at the Rifmg of the Sun > fo there is no Life fo holy

and

342 be CHRISTIAN'S Confolations
and harmlefs, but hath its Imperfections, and cannot
abide the Sight of an impartial God, and the exact
Inquifition of his Juftice. When we have well prayed
and wept, and begged Forgivenefs, God hath beftowed
upon us a new Heart, and a new Spirit: After all, we
have Need that he fhould enlighten us afrefh with the
gracious Beams of his divine Countenance, that he
fhould lead us by the Hand, direct us by his Wifdom,
and accomplifh his Virtue by our Infirmities.

Examine ferioufly, my dear Friends, to what Exer-
cifes of Devotion you are mod inclined, and what fe-
cret Motions you feel in your Souls. Who is it that
hath the greateil Share in your Heart and Affection ?
What Thoughts lull you afleep, and what are thofe
that awake you? What do you think upon, for the
moft Part? Upon God and his Glory, or upon the
World and its Vanities ? Upon Heaven and its Excel-
lencies, or upon the Earth and its Riches? Upon Pa-
radife and its immortal Delights, or upon theFIeih and
its bafe Satisfactions ? And when you meditate upon
divine Things, are you certain that you perform it
with a religious Attention, with an inward Delight
that ravifhes and comforts poor Souls? And when
you offer any Prayers to God, do you difcharge this
Duty with Humility, and an holy Zeal ? Are your
Hearts and Affections carried up to Heaven before you
lift up thitherward your Eyes and Hands? Are your
Oraifons like the Perfume of the Saints, that come out
of golden Phials ? Are they like the Incenfe of the an-
cient Ifraelites, that imoked upon an Altar, burning
with a celeftial Fire? Do they thus proceed from a
Soul purified by Faith, which is more precious than
tine Gold ? Do they come from an Heart that is in-
flamed with a Zeal that never dies, and that afcends
continually on high? Do you bellow your Alms with
that earneiland fervent Charity that God requires of
you ? Do you open your Bowels to your Brethren, be-
fore you. open to them your Purfe ? And do you be-
ftow your Hearts upon the Poor before you beftow
your Money? And

agalnft the Fears of DEATH. 34-

And for the publick Devotions that yon owe to God,
pray tell me with what Humility and Refpeft they are
performed: Do you call your Delight the Days dedi-
cated to his Glory, and to the Celebration of his holy
Myfteries? IJa. Iviii. Or do you look upon them as
troublefomer Do not they caufe you to complain in
yourfelves, as thofe profane Jews fpoken of by M.ala-
(hi> Behold what a Wearinejs is it! Mai. i. Do you go
up to the Houfe of God with the Voice of Melody,
and Tranfports of Joy ? Pfal. xli. Or do you go up thi-
ther out of Cuftom in a carelefs Manner ? When Ja-
cob went up to Bethel to offer Sacrifices, he buried un-
der Ground all the Gods of Gold and Silver, that were
in his Family, Gen. liii. Likewifeyou, religious Souls,
when you intend to go up to offer your fpiritual Sacri-
fices in the true Bethel, where God bellows in fuch
Plenty his Bread from Heaven that gives Life to the
World; do you not forget to bury all your earthly
Cares, your carnal Lufts? Or elfe, do you nouriili
in your Hearts all thofe falfe Gods, of whom the
World is fo fond? Do you look upon the holy AfTem-
blies with an unconcerned Eye? Or do you behold
them withReverence andRefpect, as the living Images
of that glorious Church, gathered together before
God's majeftick Throne, which worfhip him Day and
Night in his holy Temple? Are thofe divine PJalms
that are there fung, only upon your Tongues? Or do
you fing them with your Hearts to the Lord ? Do you
think upon the Angels Songs, and the Holy Spirit's
Hallelujahs, with facred Tranfports of Joy ? Is the
Word of God only an airy Sound, that ftrikes your
Ears, or doth it reach your Confciences ? Col. iii. Doth
not your Heart burn within you, while God (peaks
by the Ministry of his Servants, and opens to you his
holy Scriptures ? Rev. xix. Doth this Heart of yours
burn with an heavenly Fire, or with reftlefs Impa-
tience, to fee the End of your Devotions, that you
might return to your domeftick Affairs, to your world-
ly Delights, or to your carnal Paftimes? Luke xiv.

Doth

' 3 44 7* CHRISTIAN'S Conflations
Doth your Soul third for God, for the ftrongand living
God ? PJaL xliii. And is the performing of the holy
Will of your heavenly Father become your Meat, and
your only Delight? Jobniv. Pfa/mcin. In fhorr, do
you fly as fwift as the bleffed Angels, when your great
God and Saviour offers to you an Occafion of ad-
vancing his Kingdom, of comforting his chofen, and
edifying the Souls for whom he died ? When Abraham
offered unto God many Beafts in Sacrifice, a Flight of
Birds came, and lighted upon his dead Offerings, Gen.
xv. Thus, when we prefent unto God the Sacrifices
of Praife and Thankfgiving, and intend to multiply
the Acts of our Devotions, a great number of vain
and idle Thoughts come to interrupt us. Abraham
frighted away thofe troublefome Birds; but it is not
always in our Power to drive away from on rMindsthefe
intruding Thoughts that difturb us in our Devotion.
When we will lift up ourfelves unto God, and draw
near to his facred Throne, our Hearts are far more
dull and heavy than ever Mofes's Hands were ; fo that
they fall down again to the Earth, and mind earthly
Things. We need therefore, that oar Chief-prieft
fhould hold them up : And furthermore it is neceffary
that they fhould be perfumed with the fweet Odours
of his moft holy Sacrifices, Exod. xvii.

If David, a Man after God's own Heart, intreats
that he would be pleafed to fan&ify the Words of his
Mouth, and the Meditations of his Heart, PJaL xv.
if the Prophet Daniel t whom the Holy Spirit ftyles a
Man greatly beloved^ Dan. ix. who fpent the Days and
Nights in Devotion, leeks how to make his Prayers
acceptable toGod; if the Propheilfaiab had Need that
his Lips Ihould be purified with a burning Coal taken
from the Altar, If. vi. Who will wonder if the Medi-
tations of the devouteft Souls be fo often interrupted?
If their Prayers be fo cold and lukewarm, who can
think it flrange, that we are not able to pray as we .
ought? Rom. viii. And that we have Need to defire
God's Holy Spirit of Prayer and Supplication, who

prays

agalnjl the Fears of DEATH. 345

prays and intercedes for us, with Sighs and Groans
which cannot beexprefled? Zech. xiii. Rom.vm.

That which afflicts moll the true Believers, is, that
when the imagine that they have attained to fome
Kind of Perfection in the Exercifes of Piety, they find
many Tims to their nnfpeakable Sorrow, that they are
but Beginners, and that they have made no Progrefs
at all. For as the Stone caft up into the Air falls down
of its own Accord, by reafon of its natural Weight ;
and as the Water often heated, becomes as often cold
and frozen, becaufe Cold is a Property belonging to it;
likewife our Souls, that mount up to God in holy
Meditations, and zealous Prayers fall down again to
thefe earthly Vanities; they become cold and heavy;
for thefe are their natural Properties. If God refufed
the Sacrifices of fiich Beafts as were lame and fickly,
how will he accept of us, or our Devotions, if he
Ihould treat us with Severity, who are faint in his
Service, and cannot walk in his Ways without halt-
ing and ftumbling every Moment? For thefe Confi-
derations I may apply to the Spiritual Joy, what was
faid of the earthly and worldly Mirth, Joy is cut off by
Sadnefs, Ifa. Ixv. For when we have felt in our Breads
this unfpeakable Joy of the Holy Ghoft, and it be-
gins afterwards to abate, it feems to us as if it had
taken its Flight to Heaven, as the Smoke of Manoah's
Sacrifice j then as great a Sorrow feizeth upon our
Souls; therefore we may complain and cvy out as Da-
vid, Will the Lord caft me off" for ever, and will he be
, favourable no more ? Is his Mercy clean gone for ever ?
Doth his Promije fail for evermore? Hath God forgot-
ten to be gracious ? Hath he in Anger jhut up his tender
Mercies? Pfal. Ixxv. And pray in the Language of
Jj'aiah, Lord, awaken thy Jealoufy, and the Stirring of
thy Bowels, that are JJjut up to me. Finally, if after all
the Exercifes of Devotion, if after a ferious and fettled
Meditation upon God's holy Word, if after Faft ing
and Mortification, and Prayers and Tears, and a con-
ftant Attendance in the Duties of Religion, we find

A a any

346 ^he CHRISTIAN'S Confolations
any good Progrefs in Piety, we may then alfo per-
ceive Vice to proceed out of our mod glorious Vir-
tues, and perfeeteft Graces. For as the Moth enters
iboneft into the richeft Stuffs and Cloths; thus Pride
creeps into the nobleft Souls, and breeds in the moll
enlightened Underftandings. As a primitive Doctor
of the Chriflian Church hath very well obferved, All
Vices are begot by Corruption, and by other Vices j
only Pride and Prefumption proceed from Virtue.
O how hard a Tafk is it for a Man enabled with Gifts
and Perfections that raife him above the Vulgar, not
to be puffed up with Pride, nor deceived with a fond
Conceit of himfelf! As the beautiful Bird looks upon
and admires the dainty and various Colours of its
Wings; thus we behold and admire ourfelves, we are
in love with our own Beauty, and idolize our Virtues.
Therefore, as the Nurle leaves the Child fometimes
to its Legs, and fuffers it to fall, that it might know
its own Strength, and learn to hold fatter by the
Hand; thus God withdraws from us the Affiftance
of his Grace, to humble us, and to caufe us to im-
plore moft earneftly the Help, and favourable Suc-
cours, of his Holy Spirit. When St. Peter felt the
facred Flames of that holy Zeal that was kindled in
his Heart, and that fmcere Love that he had for
Chrift, he rejoiced, and imagined himfelf to be ftrong
enough to refift all the Powers of Hell, and to frui-
trate all the fiery Darts of the Devil. This good Opi-
nion that he had of himfelf, and of his own Ability,
tranfports him to that Confidence, as to contradict
our Saviour Chrift, and to proteft, Although all flwuld
le offended in tbee, yet will I not be offended-., though I
jhould die with f bee, yet will I not deny thee. This was
he that trembled at the Voice of a Damfel, whofe
Fall and Apoftafy was as remarkable as his Confi-
dence was great; fo that he, who thinketh he ftand-
eth, fhould take heed left he fall, Rom. xi.

There is no good-natured Child, but is vexed to
live amongft fuch as curfe and reproach ins Parents ;

and

agalnft the Fears of DEATH. 347 '
and if it fhould happen to be concerned unawares in
the Offence, or to occafion the Death of him from
whom it had its Being, it will feel an eternal Diiplea-
fure. Now, it is certain, that whilft we live in this
World, we muft fpend our Time amongft thole that
blafpheme the holy Name of God, and abule the Glory
of his eternal Godhead. Moreover, Vice and Corrup-
tion are fo univerfal, that we ourfelves offend this
Father of Mercies and Companions-, we add Sin to"
Sin, and complete the Meafure of our Iniquities.

Let us therefore conclude from hence, believing
Souls, that Death is not to be feared as an Evil, or a
Calamity, but that it is rather defirable as an Advan-
tage, and a Blefilng. For feeing that it is to be longed
for, becaufe it. frees us from all the Mifchiefs and Suf-
ferings of the World ; we are rather to feek it with
God's good Leave, becaufe it cloleth our Eyes, and
conveys out of our Sight all the Sins and Abomina-
tions that are in the World > and becaufe it flops our
Ears, and hinders us from hearing the Impieties and
the filthy Difcourfes, that infect the Air. Since Death
is to be embraced with Joy, becaufe it delivers our
Bodies from the Difeafes that torment them, and our
Minds from the Cares and Diipleafures that vex. and
afflict them; it deferves to be welcomed with greater
Expreffions of Gladnefs, becaufe it delivers us from
all Remains of Sin, and puts a Period to our natural
Corruption: So that it is to be efteemed, and looked
upon, as the Death and Deftruction of the old Man,
rather than the Death of a true Believer.

Samjon rejoiced in his Death, becaufe he knew,
that in dying, his mortal Enemies ibould die alfo, and
be deftroyed with him. We have more Caufe to re-
joice at our Death, and to give God Thanks at that
Times fince in our dying, or rather in paffing from
Death to Life, we may fee the Deftruction of all the
dangerous Enemies of our Salvation, who are more
dreadful to us than the Pbiliftines we're to Samfon.
All the mod cruel and barbarous Men of the World

A a 2 are

348 T&e CHRISTIAN'S Conflations

are not fo much to be feared, as the Lufts of our fil-
thy Flefh, that put out the Eyes of our Underfland-
ing, that caufe us to be the Devil's Sport, and to
worfhip many falfe Gods.

We commonly run out with Hade from a Place in-
fefted with the Plague: And fhould we not make as
much Speed, by our Vows and Prayers, to get out
of the World, fince Vice is fo infectious and univer-
fal all over it, that fo many thoufand Souls are there-
with miferably fpoiled; fince the World is a.Babylon>
where all Manner of Debauchery, Vice, and Folly,
are mixed together; where Injuftice and Impiety
reign ? Have you not greater Caufe to be tranfported
with Joy, when God delivers us from our woeful Cap-
tivity, than the Children of Ifrael had, when it pleafed
him to call them out of Babylon? Should they not
fmg to him, when the Lord brought them back, and
reftored them to Sion, who came from their Capti-
vity, we were as thofe that dream; then our Mouths
were full of Laughter, and our Tongues with Songs
of Triumph ?

In fhort, as the Lord Jefus, when he had reftored
Lazarus to Life, and taken him out of his Grave,
had Compafllon on him, and could not fee him any
longer wrapped up in his Winding-fheet, and tied
with a Napkin ; therefore he commanded, Loofe him y
and let bim go: Thus, this merciful Lord, who hath
made us to be Partakers of the firft Refurrection, and
called our Souls out of the noifome Grave of our
Lufts, is moved with Companion for us, when he fees
thefe wretched Souls drag about them the Reliefs of
Sin, and fome Remains of that Corruption in which
they were wrapped. Therefore he will caufe them
to hear his fweet and comfortable Voice, Loofe them,
and let them go. Let them go to the eternal Manfions,
to the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jertt-
Jalem, to the glorious Companies of Angels, and to
the Church and Congregation of the Firft- born, whofc
Names are written in Heaven.

A Prayer

agalnft the Fears of DEATH. 349

A Prayer and Meditation for a true Chriftian, who
comforts himfelf with this Confideration, That
Death ihall deliver him from Sin, that reigns fo
much in the World, and from all Remains of his
wretched Corruption.

Moft Gracious Higb-prieft, Holy, Innocent, fe-
parated from Sinners, exalted above all Heavens,
art noiv Jhining in Light and Glory ; look upon
me from thy Sancluary, and have Compajjion on my
wretched State. 'Thou underftandeft well the Caufe of
my Grief, O Lord, who f ear c heft the Heart, and readefl
my moft fecret Thoughts, that I grieve to fee Jo much
Injuftice and Impiety reigning this Day in the Worlds
to fee ISice and Wickedness defacing thy holy Church.
But that which chiefly increafeth my Pain and aggra-
vates my Difpleafure is, to find my j elf guilty, andfpot-
ted with the general Corruption, and my Flejh warring
and ftruggling again ft the Spirit. The Lufts of the
Flejh not only dijlurb me, but they get many 'Times the
Victory, and infult over mine Infirmities. Sin appears
to me, not only in all its hellifh Deformity, fo that I
am thereby afhamed of myfelf; but I alfo acknowledge,
to the Praife of thy Grace, that all that is beft in me,
cannot endure an exaft Inquijition of thy Juftice. Alas,
my God I How imperfect is my Piety! How languijhing
is my Devotion ! I worjhip thee too much for Cujtom,
and in a very flight Manner. I often praife thee with
my Tongue, and honour thee with my Lips, whilft my
Heart is far from tbee. The Love that I bear to thee
is not pure and fervent -, and my Charity, inftead of
being burning, is quite cold, cr lukewarm. I have not
a fufficient Truft upon thy Prmifes, and upon thy fa-
therly Care-, my Hope is not fettled, it doth not fill my
Soul with heavenly Joys and Comforts. Thine Eyes,
O Lord, that fee all the fecret Clofets of my Heart,
and pierce into tbe Depths, are too holy and pure to
pafs over the Sight of Evils, and to approve of tbe ill-
favoured Features of Satan, yet imprinted in me. Thou

A a 3 difawerefl

CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

difcovereft not only my Sins, Iniquities, and all my evil
Deeds, but then alfo beholdeft all the Spots and Jmper-
fetJions of my left Performances, and of my moft ghri-
cus Atls. My Lord, and my God, I am not only grieved
to fee fo much Sin in the World, in the Church, and in
myfelf, but I am alfo troubled, that I have not Grief
enough-, that my Soul is not Sufficiently vexed, as that
of righteous Lot; that ibe Zeal of thine Houfe doth
not eat me up, as it did the Man after thine own Heart -,
that mine Eyes are not become a Well-fpring of 'Tears, as
thofe of the Picphet; that I am not heartily concerned
for thy Church, as thine holy Apojile \ and that I do not
figh and cry, as the Servants whom thou didft mark with
jbe Letter Tau. wonderful Lord! Since it is tky
Pleafure, wherefore do I not embrace thee with a lively
Faith and a fmcere Repentance? Wherefore do I not
flrive by Prayers and Supplications, to obtain from thee
thy moft precious Blejfings, an inward Change of myfelf
f.nd Spirit , that I may heartily love, fear, and adore thee
as thou defervejl ? Lord, I find thou haft not forfaken
we, but haft commiffioned Death to convey ms out cf
this troublefome and forrcwful /4bodt t to dejlroy all my
mortal Enemies, my Sins and Lufts, and advance me to
the Freedom of thy Children. I am not difturbed at the
Approach of fo great a Benefaflor, that rejoiceth my
Heart, and caufeth me to embrace and welcome its Arrival
as thy Meffenger, fent to draw me out of this- Egypt of
Cruelty and Opprejfion, cut of this Babylon of Vice and
Abomination. I am ready, Lord; when wilt thou free
me from thefe Chains and Fetters of Mortality, to afcend
-up to my God and Saviour , who is ready to embrace me ?
Difpatcb to me feme of thy bleffed Angels, who may carry
we up to thy holy Mountain, to thine heavenly Jerufalem,
to thy glorious Paradife, where no Impurity can be ad-
mitted, no Serpent to feduce us, nor Temptations to pre-
vail upon us i where 1 /hall never offend thee, nor grieve
thy Holy Spirit, whereby I am feakd to the Dy cf Re-
demption. my God! I am weary to hear thy holy
JSamefo often blafphetned, andtojeejo much Impiety and

Wicked*

againft the Fears of DEATH. 351

Wickednefs reigning every where in the World. Hafte my
Departure hence, and the Accomplishment of all the glo-
rious Promifes of Salvation to thy Church and People ;
when I Jha'll behold thy Face continually-, love thee with
a perfect love, and worjhip thee without Difturbance in
the Society of the glorified Spirits, and holy Angels; when
I jhallfing forth thy Praifes in Heaven, be clothed with
the white Robes of thy holy Martys, and with the Se-
raphims attend upon thy magnificent 'Throne. O my God !
grant that thy holy 'Leal, kindled in my Soul, may Jerve
me as a fiery Chariot, and a f acred Flame, to carry and
hajlen me up to thy celejlial Palace, where thou haft pre-
pared for me an eternal Manjion, and a blejjed Inheri-
tance. Amen.

'2* -O- **

CHAP. XXII.

The Tenth Confolation is, the Glory and Hap-
pinefs of our Souls at their Departure out of the
Body.

IF there were neither Punifhment nor Torment
after this Life to be feared, tht Wicked and Un-
believers, who profper in the World, might juftly
efteem themfelves the happiefl of all Men. And if
there were neither Glory nor Rewards to be expelled
after Death, the Righteous and the Faithful, who
drink here below, Cups full of Bitternefs and Sorrow,
would be the mod miferable of all Creatures. The
Condition of the Beads would appear more happy
than theirs , for they enjoy in Quiet and Peace, all the
Pleafures that their Animal Nature is able to relifh.
They are not tormented by fo many Difeafes as vex
our Bodies; neither do they know the Cares and Dif-
pleafures that confume and fret our Minds. They
grieve not for the Time pad, nor trouble themfelves
with any Apprehenfions of the Time to come. They

A a 4 never

352 *The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

never feel the fierce Aflaults of Luft: They are ig-
norant of many of thofe Paffions that torment and
domineer over our Souls. All their Pains and Suffer-
ings vanifh with their Breath; fo that when they are
dead, their Sufferings have an End. If we make our
Eyes the Judges of thefe Things, we may fay, I'hs
Accident that happens to Men and Beafts is the fame
Accident; as is the Death of the one, fo is the Death of
the other. But if we fearch and examine farther, we
fhall find more Difference than between Heaven and
]Earth, between Light and Darknefs: For it is true,
that the Death of Beafts delivers them from the
Senfe of all Evils, but doth not introduce them into
any real Happinefs. When it puts an End to their
Mifery, it puts a Period to their Being, and to all
that Pleafure and Content, which they formerly en-
joyed j for they die without any Hopes of living
again.

If we look to the Wicked and Unbelievers, we fhall
find, that Death deprives them not only of their Ho-
nours, Riches, and of all their Pleafures, and carnal
Enjoyments, but puts out their Taper in the blackeft
Darknefs, and all their greateft Delights are loft in a
vaft Sea of Bitternefs. If Death loofeth them from
the Chain of Miiery, unto which all the Children of
Adam are tied, if it frees their Bodies from the Pain
of any temporal Evils, it cafes their Souls into eternal
Torments. But for the virtuous and believing Chrif-
tians, if Death is fo great a Friend to them, becaufe
it delivers them from many Evils and Miferies, it is
a greater Friend, in regard it opens to them the Gate
that leads to an endlefs Glory and Happinefs.

The Son of God had a Defign to perfuade us of this
Truth, in that remarkable Parable of the xvith of
Si. Luke's Gofpel. For at one hand he fhews a rich
Mifer clothed in Purple and fine Linen, feeding upon
Dainties, and living in much Splendour, and Magni-
ficence i and at the other he difcovers to us a poor
Wretch, named Lazarus, all covered with Sores, ly-

again/I the Fears of DEATH. 353

Sng at the rich Man's Gate, intreating that he might
fhare with the Dogs in the Crumbs that fell from the
rich Man's Table. The Dogs had Compafiion on him
and licked his Sores. At laft, the Poor Man died, and
was carried by the Angels into Abraham's Bofom. O
wonderful Change! He that was lately a Companion
fcarce good enough for Dogs, now folaces himfelf in
the Angels Embraces. He that was lying at the Gate
of a proud and unmerciful Wretch, is admitted into
the glorious Palace of Immortality, and repofes him-
felf in the Bofom of a charitable and rich Abraham^
where he is fatisfied with the Bread of the living God,
and drinks of the Rivers of his Pleafures. The rich
Man died alib; but whilft his Body was laid in the
Earth with State and Honour, the Devils dragged his
Soul into Hell, and caft it into a Fire that burns
continually, and that nothing is able to extinguifh.
Therefore our Saviour reprefcnrs this damned Soul
crying out of Hell-fire, Father Abraham, have Pity
upon me, and fend Lazarus, that he may dip the Tip of
his Finger in Water, and cool my Tongue; for I am tor-
mented in thefe Flames. In the next Verfe our Lord
fhews, how all the Complaints of the Damned are
fruitlefs, and their Tortures remedilefs. He makes
Abraham return an Anfwer to this wretched Son, My
Sen remember, that thou in thy Life-time receivedft thy
good Things, and likewife Lazarus evil Things ; but now
he is comforted and thou art tormented.

The Heathens have looked upon Death as the End
of all their Afflictions and Sufferings j but they have
never tafted of the Powers of the Life to come, they
have never had any AfTurance of future Glory and Hap-
pinds. Thefpiritual Joys, and Celeftial Comforts, God
keeps for them th?.t fear him, and worfhip him in
Spirit and in Truth. Thefe precious Riches, anddi-
vine Excellencies, are only diicoverable to the Faith-
ful, chiefly fmce the Time in which Chrift our Saviour
hath brought Life and Immortality to Light, through
the Goipel. Hitherto I have given you a fhort Survey

354 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons
of the Calamities that attend upon us in this mortai
State; I have effayed to prefent to you all the Com-
forts that we may gather from thence, to ftrengthen
a believing Soul, and enable it to withftand and en-
dure all the Encounters with which it is affaulted in
this Valley of Tears. At prefent I intend to defcribe
its future Happinefs, when it is feparated from the Bo-
dy, and introduced into Heaven. I fhall, as far as lam
able, difcover to you that Glory and Blifs which our
Souls enjoy, in Expectation of the great Morn of the
Refurrection. You muft not think to fee here any
perfect Image of our celeftial Paradife, or any mag-
nificent Draught of the Advantages referved for us
there. Ic would be as difficult a Talk as to paint the
Sun in its Splendour, or to meafure theWaters of the
Sea. I cannot find Words to exprefs my Thoughts j
all my Conceptions are far below an Happinefs fo per-
fect, and a Glory fo fublime. I fhall think that I have
done enough, if I can but reprefent to you fome few
Beams of fo great a Light, if I can but- fhew fome
Drops of that Ocean of heavenly Pleafures, in which
we fhall fwim for all Eternity.

I lhall not deliver any Thing from my own Fancy,
nor offer to fpeak of that which I have never learned
from the great Doctor of our Souls. I fhall not en-
gage myfelf in vain Speculations, more fit to pleafe
and puff up the curious Wits, than to comfort and re-
joice the devout Souls, or fatisfy fuch as hunger and
thirft after Righteoufneis. OneWord from the Mouth
of the Lord is better, and far more worth than ail
the Realbnings of human Wifdom, than all the Sub-
tilties of Philofophy, than all the Arguings and Con-
clufions of the moft refined and eloquent Ages. In
this Defcription I fhall not feek mine own Glory, nor
the Applaufes of the World, but the Glory of my
God and the Inftruction of Souls which he hath pur-
chafed with his Blood. I defire to be underftood of
the weakefl Capacities, as well as of the learned. I
that fuch as know the Language of Canaan, fuch

(igainfl tfo Pears cf DEATH. 355

as have tafted of the good Word of God, and of the
Powers of the Life to come, will not miftake me.
For others, who have not been accuftomed to the
Relifh of ipiritual Things, to whom the Language
of God's Holy Spirit is infipid and unfufferable; if
they are not moved nor benefited by this Treatife, I
dare fay it is none of my Fault, but theirs. There-
fore, as the wife Men, when they travelled to Beth-
lehem, where Jefus Chrift was lying in a Manger,
took the Star of the Eaft to their Guide; fo we, who
are marching to our true Bethlehem, where our great
God and Saviour is fitting upon the Throne of his
Glory, will follow no other Guidance, but that di-
vine Light which comes down from Heaven. And
as it is impoflible to number all the Stars that fhine
in the Heavens, but we are wont to reduce them to
certain Figures and Conftellations; thus we will not
undertake to {hew you every Particular of our private
Meditations, upon this rich and divine Subject; but
we will difcourfe to you of the chief Heads, leaving
the reft to your pious Thoughts, and the Information
of God's Holy Spirit.

Whofoever thou art that haft embraced Chrift,
dead and crucified, by Faith and Repentance, and
knoweft thyfelf united to him, and incorporated into
his myftical Body, remember to praife this merciful
Lord, and rejoice in his Salvation. Learn to admire
the fuper-excellent Riches of the Treafures of his
Grace, and ferioufly confider how magnificent and
liberal he is to thee. For he intends not only to de-
liver thee from all the Sufferings and Calamities that
afflict thee, but he will alfo raife thee up to the higheft
and mofttranfcendent Felicity. He will not only draw
thee out of the deep Abyfs of Death, and eternal
Damnation, but he will take thee up to the Enjoyment
of the moft bleffed Life, and an immortal Glory. He
will not only remove thee from this wretched Wil-
, dernefs, where thou art tormented with Hunger and
Thirft, and expofed to the fcorching Heat of a burn-
ing

356 'The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

ing Sun, in poifonous Bitings of the fiery Serpents
but he will introduce thee into his celeftial Canaan*
where the Milk and Honey of the pureft Joys, and
mod folid Comforts, flow in Abundance, and where
thou (halt for ever repofe thyfelf, under the refrefhing
lhadow of the Tree of Life. He will not only deli-
ver thee from the Captivity of this miferable World,
which is a true Babylon, full of all Manner of Abomi-
nations; but he will lead thee into his holy Jerufalem,
and carry thee thither upon his Arms ; not with an In-
tent that thou fhouldft build and repair it with Coll and
Labour,but that thou fhouldft behold the glorious and
magnificent Structures, reared up by him alone from
the Creation of the World, and that thou mayeft be
eternally fatisfied with his overflowing Plenty. He
will not only pluck off from thee the filthy Rags of
Sin and Corruption, but he will clothe thee with a
Garment of Light, of perfect Righteoufnefs and Ho-
linefs. He will not only wipe away all Tears from
thine Eyes, but he will put into thy Mouth Songs of
Praife and Thankfgiving. He will not only break
the Fetters from thy Feet, but he will place upon thy
Head a Crown of pure Gold. He will not only draw
th?e out of a black and noifome Dungeon, but he will
place thee upon a Throne of Glory and Magnificence.
He will not only extinguilh all the carnal Lufts that
war againft thee, and put an- End to all thy trouble-
fome Combats, but he calls thee to the Fruition of
eternal Peace .and celeftial Triumph. In (hort, God
will not only feparate thee from the Acquaintance of
fmful and debauched men, but he will caufe thee to
enter in amongft the Thoufands of Angels, and ad-
mit thee to the Vifion of his glorious Face.

When a compounded Thing comes to be diflblved
every Part returns to its firft Principal: Thus, when
Man dies, his Body returns to Duft, from whence
it is taken, and the Soul returns to God that gave it.
As the Bird, when its Cage is broken, flies away into
the Air, to ieek its Liberty and Pkafurej thus when

this

againft the Tears o/~ D E A. T H . 357

this Body is broken to Pieces by Death, the Soul flies
above the Heavens, where it meets with Reft and
Happinefs: Or, as it is when the Net is torn, theFifh
falls into the Water, where it lives, and enjoys all its
Delights; fo when Death comes to break the Strings
of this wretched Body, the Soul enters into the River
of living Water, and into an Ocean of heavenly De-
lights: Finally as the Death of our Saviour thrift
rent in Pieces the Veil of the earthly Sanctuary, and
difcovered all its wonderful Myfteries; thus the
Death of a Believer rends the Veil of this infirm and
fmful Flefh, and gives us a Sight of the rich Trea-
furies and magnificent Excellencies of the heavenly
Sanctuary. You Chriftians whom God calls to his
glorious Reft, who may exprefs the Greatnefs or
your future Happinefs? It is impoffible to form a
right Idea of it. When your whole Lives fhould
have been nothing elfe but a Continuation of Mifery,
and a Chain of Calamities; you have now juft Caufe
to comfort yourfelves, and rejoice in God with un-
fpeakable Joy. For when all Things are reckoned up,
the Sufferings of this -prejent lime are not worthy to be
compared with the Glory which /hall be revealed in us.
You can lofe nothing in this Life, but God will reitore
it to you an hundredTimes more in his Kingdom; be-
fides, there is no Comparifon between the Advantages
of the Life to come, and of this mortal State or Be-
ing. Grieve not, believing Souls, to forfake an Earth
overfpread with Darknefs, full of Mifery, and all in-
fected with Sin, fince thy Godpurpofeth to receive thee
into new Heavens, all enlightened with a divine Light,
and enriched with endlefs Felicities, whereRighteouf-
nefs and Holinefs fit upon the Throne. Grieve not
for thy Separation from the moft pious and regene-
rated Societies, fince thou art to be admitted into the
Companies of the glorified Saints, and bleffed Mar-
tyrs, who have wafhed and whitened their Garments
in the facrecl Blood of the Lamb; fince thou art from
henceforth to be reckoned in the Number, and of the

Society,

358 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolatwns
Society, of the Angels of Light, and of the glorious
Cherubims. Fret not to leave behind thee the holy
Congregations of the militant Church, for thou art
goingapace to the glorious Congregation of the Ch urch
triumphing; and in a few Moments thou fhalt find
thyielf amongft the Thoufands of Angels and Saints,
that \vorfhip God Day and Night, and adore him who
lives forever. If God haft bellowed upon thee worldly
Riches, leave them without Regret orDifpleafure; for
thou art going to poifefs ineftiinable Treasures, which
fhall never be taken from thee. If thou art advanced
to worldly Honours, caft off thy Purple and Scarlet
willingly of thine own Accords for God will fhortly
clothe thee with an inconceivable Glory, that fhall
never change. "\Yhen thou fhouldeft be raifed up to
the h-igheft and moil fplendid Dignities, when thou
fhouldeft enjoy a great, a flourifhing Kingdom, come
down from thy Throne with Joy, and let fall thy
Sceptre, and thy Crown; for God calls thee to fit
upon a Throne that can never be fhaken, to an in-
corruptible Crown, and to endlefs Triumphs.

Can there be any Town fo rich, fo great and noble,
that thou mayeft juftly grieve to forfake it, at that
Time when God intends to make thee a Citizen with
the glorified Saints of the Jerufalem above; where
neither Crying nor Labour, neither Fear nor Grief,
neither Poverty nor Want, (hall ever come near thee ;
where all the Inhabitants are Kings, and poffefs in-
eftimable Riches? Is there any Dwelling fo beautiful
and magnificent that fhould caufe thee to depart out
of it with Sorrow ? for God will lead thee into his
own Palace, all built with fine Gold, and precious
Stones, where he himfelf is the Light, and the Lamb
is the Sun. Art thou delighted in the Enjoyment of
fomepleafant Inheritance here on Earth? Then con-
fider, that all the Inheritances of the Earth are no-
thing in Comparifon of that incorruptible Inheritance
which God keeps for thee in Heaven, and hath pre-
pared fmce the Creation of the World. Haft thou a

pleafant

Ggainjl the Fears of DEATH. 359

j>Ieafant Garden, or a rich Field? But what are all
the Gardens of the World, in refpect of the heavenly
Paradife, where the Tree of Life grows, that brings
forth its -Fruits every Month of the Year, and where
the River of living Water, as transparent as Cryftal,
runs continually ?

W T hat Reafon haft thou, Chriftian Soul, to grieve,
when thou forfakeft the Pleafures of the World, that
thou enjoyed with the Children of the Earth, or the
Delights of the Body, which are common to thee witli
the brute Beads ; fmce God will fatisfy thee with his
moft precious Delights? For in the blefied Vifion of
his Face, thou {halt meet with Fullnefs of Joy. Haft
thou any Friends on Earth? Let it not trouble thee
to leave themj for, infteadof one Friend here below,
whom thou fancied to be real and fmcere, thou haft
Thoufands in Heaven, who will receive thee into the
eternal Manfions, and embrace thee as their Compa-
nion, and the Partaker of the fame Glory and Hap-
pinefs. Haft thou any Parents or Relations? I fup-
pofe they are not burthenfomc to thee, and that thou
receiveft much more Pleafure and Affiftance from
them, than Grief, and Ingratitude ; yet thou haft a
fpiritual Parentage in Heaven and eternal Relations.
Thou haft, in the Manfion-houfe of thy heavenly Fa-
ther, a great Number of Brothers and Sifters, with
whom thou fhalt live in a blefled Unity, as Members
of one Body, governed by the fame Spirit, and in-
flamed with the fame Zeal.

Thou Hufband, whom.Deathfnatcheth away from
thy beloved Wife, ferioufly eonfider, that God will
unite thee to himfelf by an infeparable Union, and
that he purpofeth to take up to him fome Part of thy-
felf, that thy Expectations, thy Hopes, and Affections,
might be now in Heaven. And thou alfo, O Woman !
whom Death plucks out of the Embraces of thy dear
and loving Hufband, remember that thou haft a Huf-
band alfo in Heaven, who hath efpoufed thee to him-
felf for ever in Righteoufnefs, in Mercy, and Com-

paffion j

360 tfbe CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

paffion; a Hufband always living and glorious; a
Hufband, who loves thee with an eternal Love, that
is ftronger than Death; whofe Affections are inflamed
for thee in fuch a Manner, that the Water of all the
Seas and Rivers is not able to extinguifh; a Huf-
band, who bears with all thine Infirmities, and hath
redeemed thee from all thy Sins ; a Hufband who
hath not fpared for thee his precious Blood, that he
might procure for thee the Glory and Happinefs of
his Kingdom; who invites thee to his heavenly Nup-
tials, having prepared and appointed for thee a Room
in theBanqueting-chamber, where Thoufands of glo-
rified Saints fhall fit, and there the melodious Har-
mony of Angels fhall be heard; a Hufband, who
calls to thee, reacheth out to thee his Hand, and
opens his Bofom to receive thee. If thou halt found
any Satisfaction and Pleafure in the Company of that
Perfon, whom God hath given thee for an Affiftant
and Mate, judge from thence, what angelical De-
lights thou fhalt meet with in the ravifhing Embraces
of thy heavenly Spoufe. The moft pleafant Marriage-
days are gone as a Shadow; but the Day, which fhall
bring thee to the celeftial Bridegroom, fhall never de-
part nor darken, and the heavenly Contentments fhall
abide and continue with thee for ever, without the
lead Diftafte.

You beloved and loving Children, who are yet in
the Bofom of a good Father, or of a tender-hearted
Mother, fuffer Death patiently to remove you far
from them, and depart with Joy to that good God,
that will receive you as his Children, fatisfy your
Souls with the Milk of his moft bleffed Confolations,
and will make you his Heirs, and Coheirs with his
Son Jefus Chrift; fay to him as the holy Prophet,
When my Father and my Mother /hall forfake me 3 yet the
Lcrd 'will 'receive me, Ifa. Ixvi. Rom. viii. Pfal. xxviii.
And you, Fathers and Mothers, that have a tender Af-
feftion for your Children, if Death takes them out of
your Sight, and deprives you of the Comfort of their

Company,

againft the 'Fears of DEATH. 361

Company, grieve not as thofe who have no Hope.
For when they fhould be everfo accomplifhed, when
they fhould always have given you Pleafure and Di-
vertifement, what are all thefe pitiful Delights that
pafs away in a Moment, and change oftentimes into
Bitternefs and Sorrow, if compared with the eternal
Pleafures which we fhall enjoy in the Contemplation
of God's glorious Face, and in a familiar Acquaint-
ance with his divine Wifdom? You fhall not return
to them, but they fhall in their Time go to you. So
that you fhall fhortly fee one another in the Dwelling
of the Father of Spirits, Matth. xxvii. Death fepa-
rates you for a while ; but the Author of your Life
will bring you together for ever.

Finally, of what Age and Condition foever you be,
if you perceive the Breath of your Life to flop, never
grieve nor murmur at it. For if Death feparates you
from yourfelves, it brings you nearer to God, your
chief Good ; and, inftead of a wretched and perifhing
Life, it will promote you to the Fruition of an eternal
and ever happy one.

If we had lived in the Days when our Lord was on
Earth, there is none of us but would have looked up-
on it as a fingular Happinefs and Honour to have been
admitted with Peter y James y and John, when they
went up to the Mount 'Tabor, to be Eye-witnefTes of
our Saviour's Transfiguration. A iar greater Ho-
nour and Happinefs Death is endeavouring to pro-
cure you; it will ufher you up to Mount Sion, it will
tranfport you above the Heavens, where you fhall
behold more excellent Wonders than ever the Apo-
flles beheld upon Mount Tabor. For you fhall not
only fee this glorious Saviour whiter than Snow, and
brighter than the Sun, but you yourfelves fhall be
transfigured with him, and clothed with an exceed-
ing great Glory : The holy Apoftles faw but two Pro-
phets; but you fhall fee all the Prophets, all the Pa-
triarchs, Apoftles, ConfelTors, Martyrs, the holy and
blefled Virgin, and in general all the Saints that reign

B b and

362 The CHRISTIAN *s Confolations

and triumph in Heaven. The Apoftles had a Sight
of this Glory of our Saviour, as of a Flafh of Light-
ning; it continued with them but a Moment; for
ibon after they came down from that holy Mountain,
and were again cxpofed to the fame Temptations as
before, and befieged by the fame Calamities. It will
be otherwife with thee, O Chriftian Soul, that art fly-
ing up to Heaven, from whence thou fhalt never de-
fcend, till the great Day of the glorious Refurrection
of our Bodies. Thou fhalt not be alTaulted any more
by any Temptations. Thou fhalt have no more Ene-
mies to overcome, nor Bitternefs to digeft. Thou
art going to reap and enjoy the bleffed Fruits of thy
Saviour's Victories, and to be eternally fatisfied with
the celeftial Pleafures that are at the Right-hand of
the God of Mercies.

We efteem St. John highly privileged, becaufe the
Lord gave him a Sight of his Glory, of the Riches
and divine Excellencies of the New Jerusalem : But
how much greater is thy Privilege! For that which
this holy Apoftle beheld in a Vifion and a Dream,
God will difcover to thee in Truth and Reality. Let
thine Heart liften, and thou fhalt hear the Voice of
thy Saviour, calling already to thee out of Heaven,
as unto his beloved Difciple, Come and fee; come, my
good and faithful Servant; come, my Son (or my
Daughter) and I will fhew thee my glorious and
magnificent City; I will fhew thee the Palace of my
Glory, and all the Splendour and State of my King-
dom. Come, and I will expofe before thine Eyes
all my Riches, Treafures, and my mod precious
Crowns. Come, and I will caufe the River of living
Water, which illues from my Throne, to run before
thee, and the eternal Delights that proceed from my
Face. I fhall fhew thee all thefe heavenly Treafures
and Glory, all the angelical Satisfactions, not in the
Vifions of the Night, in an Extafy, in an holy Ra-
vifliment of the Mind, or in a prophetical Elevation
of the Soul; but I will difcover them to thee in Rea*

againfl the Pears of DEATH. 363

lity and Truth by the Afliftance of a purer and more
glorious Light than that of the Sun. 1 fhall not only
caufe thee to behold this Glory, thefe Treafures and
Delights, but I will caufe thee to be a Partaker of
them for ever: For as thou haft pledged me in the
Cup of my Bitternefs and Sorrows, as thou haft con-
tinued with me in my Afflictions, and haft been faith-
ful unto Death; I will give thee the Kingdom, as the
Father hath given it to me. I will give thee the Crown
of Life, and will caufe thee to fwim in the vaft Ocean
of the eternal Pleafures. Thou fhalt not only fee all
my Treafures, all my Pomp and Glory; thou fhalt
not only behold the Rivers and the Seas of my moft
wonderful Delights, and fhalt be a Partaker of them;
but thou fhalt fee me as I am in my Kingdom. I will
pull off the Veil that covers me, and fcatter the
Clouds and Mifts that hide me, fo that thou fhalt look
upon me without Impediment, and behold me Face
to Face. Thou fhalt be transformed into my Like*
nefs, and be fatisfied with my Refemblance. You fee
therefore Chriftians, that though Death appears to us
dreadful and ill-favoured, we may apply to it what
David faid of Ahimaaz^ that it is the MefTenger of
good News; notwithstanding its hideous Veil and
Cloak of Darknefs, we have juft Caufe to liken it to
the Chariot of Fire, that carried up the Prophet Elijah
into Heaven.

From what we have faid, you may eafily conclude
with the wifeft of Kings, 'That the Day of cur Death
is better than the Day of our Birth. For our Birth
makes us Inhabitants of amiferableEarth; but Death
carries us into a Paradife of heavenly Delight. Our
Birth expofeth us to feveral Encounters; but Death
lifts us up upon a Chariot of Triumph. Our Birth
forceth us from Crying and Tears; but Death makes
us fing for Joy. Our Birth brings us into the Light;
but Death caufeth us to fliine as the Sun. Our Birth
makes us to live a fcnfual and animal Life, of a fhorc

B b 2 Con -

364 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

Continuance; but Death introduces us into a fpiritual
and angelical Life, that fhall continue for ever. In
fhort, our Birth cafts us into the Arms of Deaths but
Death leads us to the Well-fpring of Life.

Therefore the Apoftle St. Paul confefleth, that
Chrift is gain to him both in Life and Death, Phil. i. 21.
And for the fame Reafon the Primitive Chriftians
could not endure to fee any Perfon afflicting himfelf
for the Deceafe of Believers, becaufe it was the Day
of their Deliverance, Reft, Glory, and Happinefs.
They commonly forbad all Manner of Mourning;
for they judged, that it is not proper that we fhould
clothe ourfelves in Black and Sadnefs, for their Sakes
who are clothed in White, and fhining Garments of
Light and Immortality. They looked upon this Life
as upon a continual Death; and upon Death as upon
the Beginning of a real Life. Therefore they (tiled
the Anniverfary Day of the Martyrs Death, The Day
cf their Nativity. From hence proceed the ufual
Songs of Praife, which they commonly fang to per-
petuate their bleited Memories.

I need not caufe you to take Notice, devout Souls!
of the notable Difference between the Death of God's
Children, and the Death of the Wicked. It is as
great as between Heaven and Earth, between Para-
dife and Hell. Balaam had good Caufe to defire the
one, and fear the Confequence of the other. We
have as much Reafon to cry out as he did, Let me
die the Death of the Righteous, and let my lajl End be
Uke his, Numb, xxiii.

You have heard how Adrian, an Heathen Prince,
made his Addrefs to his Soul, My little Soul, my little
Darling, Hoftefs and Companion of my Body; thou art
going to wander up and down in cold, obfcure, and fear-
ful Places; thou Jhalt never delight thyfelf in Jefting,
as thou baft been wont ; thou Jhalt never give me any
more Paftime. But when the Chriftian Soul,goeth out
of this mortal Tabernacle, he may talk to it in
another Manner: O my Soul! pleafant Hoftefs,

and

agalnft the Fears of DEATH. 365

and heavenly Companion of this weak Body, thou
cantl not wander out of thy Way; for thou haft a
faithful and a knowing Guide. Thou art already in
the blefled Company of Angels that Ihall bear thee
upon their Wings; thou art going to a noble Palace,
enriched with Light and Glory, and blefled with the
fmcereft and moll heavenly Delights. Thou (halt
meet with no more Sorrows, Grief, nor Difplea-
iiire, which fo often difturb thy Quiet here upon
Earth; thou {halt rejoice for ever with all the
glorified Saints, and fing Songs of Praife and
Thankfgiving with all the celeftial Spirits. O my
Soul! How great is that Glory and Happinefs
which thou mayeft juftly expect from thy God, who
hath both an infinite Power, and an infinite Mercy
and Goodnefs, fince he hath endeared thee unto
himfelf, by giving his own Life to free thee from
Death, and eternal Damnation! If your Friends, or
rather your Enemies, on this Occafion, weep and
are grieved at your Departure; if they labour, by
their Tears and Sighs, to remove your Heart, and
to perfuade you to remain yet here below; fpeak to
them as St. Paul did to thofe that wept about his
Neck, Wbat mean ye to weep y and to break my Heart!
Acts xxii. St. Paul was then in his Journey to Je-
rujalem y where he was to be bound, imprifoned,
and to be carried to the City of Rome, where he
was to die upon a fcaffold, by the Separation of his
Head from his Body; notwithflanding St. Paul's
Friends comforted themfelves with this expreffion,
I'he Will of ihe Lord be done. And what mean
ye, my Friends! Will ye (top me from going
up to an Heavenly Jerufalem, at the Gates where-
of I muft caft off ail thefe Chains and Fetters of
Mortality? I muft leave all my Sins, my Sufferings,
and Grief. I fhall enter into a new Glory, into the
ever- blefled Company of Saints and Angels. If your
Love be fmcere and real, prefer my Felicity and Reft
to the fmall Satisfaction that you find in my Com-

B b 3 panv

366 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

pany here below. Confider that in the Houfe of my
God, and in the Vifion of his glorious Face, I fhall
find every Moment more Joy and Pleafure, than I
fhould have met with upon Earth in Thoufands of
Ages; all the Pomp and Splendour of the World, all
the Glory and State, its Riches and Treafures, its
Pleafures and Delights, are mean and contemptible
to thofe I am going to enjoy in Heaven, as a few
Drops of Water to a boundlefs Sea, or as a Flafh of
Lightning to the Noon-day Sun. Muft the blind Paf-
fion which you have to enjoy me, hinder me from fee-
ing the Kace of my God, and heavenly Father? Sup-
pole I were now fhut up with you in fome dark Dun-
geon, and bound with the fame Chain; would you ra-
ther fee me your Companion, to continue in your Mi-
fery and Sufferings, or to behold me at aDiftance at Li-
berty, in the Fruition of a perfect Satisfaction? Pre-
tend not that we fhall never fee one another any more :
For can yon be fo great an Unbeliever, as to doubt
of God's Mercy, that intends to bring us together
again in Heaven? Death feparates us for a Moment;
but the Prince of Life will unite us together for ever
in his Father's Houfe, whither he is gone to prepare
a Place for us. O devout and religious Soul! by
fuch Language as this thou (halt be able to mollify
the hardeft Hearts, and prepare them to behold thy
Tranflation into Heaven, as Eli/ha, when he faw his
Matter's Rapture. If they feel any Difpleafure and
Grief for thy Separation from them, they will have
more Joy and Comfort to confider, with the Eye of
Faith, that extraordinary Glory and Happinefs, into
which God intends to receive thee, through his infi-
nite Goodnefs and iV'jercy.

If it happens otherwife, and that thou art to deal
with weak Minds, whofe Love is blind, and whofe
Paffions are fo unreafonabie as to refill God's Ap-
pointment, and hinder thy Promotion to Happinefs;
thou muft overcome by the Strength of God's Grace,
the Affiftance of his Holy Spirit, all the furious

Reluctance?

againft the Fears of DEATH. 367

Reluctances of Nature. Thou mud imitate St. Peter,
when he faw our Saviour Chrift in his Transfiguration,
upon Mount Tabor, he forgot his Family, and all the
deareft Enjoyments in the World; therefore in that
Excefs of Joy he cried out, Lord, if is good for us to be
here. In the fame Language muft you fpeak, Chriftian
Souls. I dare be bold to affirm, if your Mind is raifed
up by Faith in Heaven, to behold Jefus Chrift fhin-
ing in Light and Glory, and furrounded by all the
holy Angels, and immortal Spirits; as foon as you
fhall have but the leaft Relifh of Paradife, you will be
fo ravifhed with that extraordinary Happinefs, that
you will eafily forget the moft lovely Enjoyments of
the Earth, unto which you have devoted your Affec-
tions. So that in that tranfport of Joy you will be
ready to burft out in this Language, My Lord, and
my God, I am fick with Love for thee; I wifh for
nothing but for thy glorious prefence; my chief Hap-
pinefs is to be with thee, and to behold thy Face, where
I fee already fo much Light and Love. I confefs, we
fhall not fay as St. Peter, Let us build Tabernacles , for
we fhall never be concerned as Soldiers and Travel-
lers in Fights and Journies. We fhall not fay, Let
us build an Houfe, that we may dwell with thee and
thy blefied Company: For I fee, O God, with the
Eye of Faith, the Palace which thou haft built from
the Foundation of the World, where thou haft pre-
pared a Place for me. Lord, open to me the Gates
of this glorious Palace, that I may enter in, and fmg
forth thy divine Praifes.

My dear Friend, fhall the miferable Pagans, who
never tafted of the Heavenly Gift, who were never
made Partakers of the Spirit of Grace, nor of the
Powers of the Life to come, the Heathens who were
without Hope, and without God in the World ; fhall
they march courageously to meet Death; and wile
thou, that haft fome foretaftes of the Happinefs of
Heaven, and haft feen fome Beams of its Glory,
canft thou not refolve to depart out of the World ?

B b 4- Shall

368 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

Shall a Seneca, who hath no other Means to ftrengthen
himfelf but the Perfuafion of his vain Philofophy;
who hath no Expectation of Advantage of the Life to
come, fhall fuch an one look with ftedfaft Counte-
nance upon his Blood and Life gulhing apace out of
his Veins? And thou, my Brother, haft thou been
brought up under the Tuition of an eternal Wifdom ?
Doft thou embrace, by Faith, the Glory and Felicities
prepared for thee by God, and art not able to look
upon Death with Refolution and Courage? And canft
not leave the World with Expreffions of Jo> ? Shall
Socrates^ whcfe infirm Body was animated by a finful
Soul, and who had no Manner of Antidotes againft
Death, drink up that Poifon that was mixed for him,
as a pleafant Potion? And thou, Chriftian, who art
animated by the Spirit of the living God, thatfeals to
thee his great and moil precious Promifesj thou,
Chriftian, who enjoyeft theEarneft of that Inheritance
prepared for thee in Heaven; fhalt not thou be able
to fwallow down, with Content, the Cup that Death
holds out to thee! Thou haft a powerful and an infal-
lible Antidote againft this Poifon; for, after this bit-
ter Cup, thou art going where thou fhalt drink at
Leifure out of the Rivers of eternal Pleafures. Shall it
be faid, that in the Jew's Houfes, at the T ime of Death,
the Sound of Inftruments of Mufic was heard, toge-
ther with Cryings and Lamentations ; and at thy Dwell-
ing, who haft an Intereft in Chrift crucified, and feeft
him reigning and triumphing in Heaven, there fhall
be nothing h^ard but weeping and fighing, and no
praifing God, nor giving of Thanks?

finally, In regard fo many Perfons of all Ages,
Sexes, and Conditions, have defired Death, to be free
from all earthly Evils and Calamities, haft not thou
greater Reafon to wifii for it heartily, when it (hall
pleafe God, that thou mayeft enter into the Fruition of
the Advantages and Happinefsof the heavenly Life ?
How excellent is thy loving Kindnefs, O God !
Therefore the Children of Men, or rather thy Chil-
dren,

againji the Fears of DEATH. 569

dren, the Brothers and Sifters of Jefus Chrift, thy
well-beloved Son, put their Truft under the Shadow
of thy Wings; they fhall be fully fatisfied with the
Fatnefs of thy Houfe, and thou fhalt caufe them to
drink out of the Rivers of thy Pleafures.

If thou be paffionately defirous to tafte of the ange-
lical Delights, and relifh the Divine Pleafures, that
flow from the Throne of God, and of the Lamb; if
you be really athirft for God ; will not you fpeak in
David's Language? PfaL xliii. A s the Hart pantetb
after the Water-brooks , Jo -panteth my Soul after tbee, O
God; my Soul thirfteth for God, for the living God:
When/hall I come and appear before God? And elfe-
where, Pfal. Ixiii. O God, thou art my God; early will I
feek thee; my Soul thirfteth for thee, my Flejh longeth for
thee, in a dry and thir-fty Land where no Water is, to fee
thy Power and Glory, Jo as Ihavefeen thee in the Sanc-
tuary. It is not poffible to tafte of the Heavenly
Joys, but we are conftrained to cry out as the Man
after God's own Heart, How amiable are thy taberna-
cles ', O Lord of Hojls! My Soul longeth, yea, even faintetb,
for the Courts of the Lord; my Heart and my Flejh
crieth out for the living God, Pfal. Ixxxiv.

Confider well, believing Soul, what .vaft Diffe-
rence there was between the earthly Jerufalem for
which David was fo paffionate, and the heavenly Je~
rufalem where God intends to receive thee. What
great Difproportion was there between the little
Stream of Sbils, and the large River of Paradife;
between the material Tabernacle, the Mercy-feat co-
vered over with fine Gold, upon which the Cberubims
ftretched out their Wings j and the immaterial Sanc-
tuary of Heaven, of Jcfus Chrift the true Ark of the
Covenant, in whom are hid the richeft Treafures of
Wifdom and Knowledge, in whom the Fulnefs of
the Godhead dwells bodily, and in whofe glorious
Prefence the Seraphims cover their Faces with, their
Wings! Col. ii. How contemptible were the Sacri-
fices, Oblations and Burnt-offerings of the Children

i of

370 he CHRISTIAN'S Correlations

of Jfrael, in Comparifon of the fpiritual Sacrifices
that are prefented to God in Heaven, in Comparifon
of the Offerings burning there intire in the Flames of
an holy Zeal, and of a perfect Charity! And what
was all the Frank incenfe of Arabia, and the fweet
Smells of the Holy Land, which were confumed in
God's Prefence, if compared with the facred Perfumes
that mount up out of the golden Phials that are in the
Hands of all the Members of the glorified Church!
Since David efteems a Door-keeper of the Houfe of
the Lord an happy Man on Earth, how great fhall
thy Glory be, and extraordinary thy Happinefs, O
believing Chriftian! For thou art going to be ad-
vanced to the moil honourable Room of that celeftial
Dwelling, which God hath built with his own Hands.
To this Purpofe, our Lord Jefus hath made thee this
gracious Promife, Him that overcometh will I make a
Pillar in the 1 'em-pie cf my God, and be Jh all go no more
6ut, and / will write upon him the Name of my God, and
the Name of the City of my God, which is the new Jeru-
falem, which cometh down out of Heaven from my God,
and I will write upon him my new Name, Rev. iii. 12.
If this great King was fo defirous to hear the Levites
fmging the Praifes of God with their Tongues and In-
ftrumentsof Mufic; how much more paffionatefhould
we be to hear the Harmonies of Heaven, and celeftial
Hymns of the Holy Angels, Archangels, Cherubims,
Seraphims, and of the glorified Saints, who have in
their Mouths every one anew Song, the Song ofMo-
Jes, and of the Lamb!

When the Shepherds heard fome few ExprcfTions of
the Angels Songs, whopraifed God at the Nativity of
the Son of God, they began to rejoice with an exceed-
ing great Joy, that they left their Flocks, and ran in
Hafte to look upon the Child Jefus in the Manger of
Bethlehem. And thou, devout Soul, thou heareft al-
ready the fweet Anthems of Paradifc, and theravifliing
Concerts of Thoufands of Angels ; thou knoweft that
thy Saviour fits there upon a Throne clothed with

Glory,

againft tfo Fears of DEATH. 371

Glory, and divine Majefty : And wilt thou not forfake
all the bafe Employments of this fenfual and animal
Life, to go and fee this wonderful Saviour, who ex-
pects thee, and intends that thou lhalt fit alfo with,
him upon his Throne?

Zaccheus climbed up upon a Sycamore-tree, with an
earneft Defire to behold the Lord Jefus as he pafled
by, when he was in a State of Humiliation and Abafe-
ment: hhouldft not thou be as earneft, O Chriftian
Soul, to fly up above the Heavens, to fee this merciful
Saviour in the State of his Glory and Elevation, and
to have him always in thine Eye for ever and ever ?
When our Lord was come into the Houfe of this poor
Publican, he told him, 'That Salvation was that Day
come to bis Houfe: And fhalt not thou, O blefled Soul,
have more Reafon to fay, when thou fhalt enter into
the Palace of this glorified Redeemer, I am this Day
entering into my Salvation, and my Glory ?

We highly efteem Jacob's Happinefs, when he was
in Bethel, becaufe God appeared to him in that admi-
rable Vifion mentioned in the xxviiithof Genefis\ but
if thou art an Ifraelite without Fraud, I efteem thee to
be in a more happy and a more bleiTed State. Thou
haft more Reafon to break out in Jacob's Language,
This is God's Houfe, and the Gate of Heaven. Jacob fa\v
the Heavens open, but he was not admitted into them ac
thatTime; but nowGod opens thefeHeavens to receive
and lodge thee for ever. The holy Angels of God went
up and down the Ladder, that reached up from the
Earth to Heaven, but they left Jacob at the Bottom
of this Ladder; whereas the Angels that are about thee
are come down to caufe thee to afcend up with ttiem,
or rather to carry thee up in their Hands, and bring
thee to Chrift, typified with this myiterious Ladder.
Jacob faw God at the Top of this Ladder, but he was
to go afterwards to ^Padon-Aram-, he was to travel up
and down, tofuffermanylnconveniencies, the Heat of
the Day, the Froftof the Night, the Difpleafureof his
Father-in-law, and his Treachery 5 he was to fly from

the

37 2 *The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations
the Cruelty of his Brother Efau; nay, more than that,
he was forced to ftruggle and wreftle with God him-
felf : Whereas here is now the End of thy Pilgrimage,
of all thy Troubles and Encounters. Thou fhalt ne-
ver feel the burning and fcorching Heat of thy Af-
flictions. Thou (halt be no more tortured with the
Fears and Apprehenfions that now congeal thy Blood :
Thou (halt no more ftand upon thy Guard for Fear of
Deceits, and violent Dealings of Men. Thou fhalt
wreftie no more with God by Prayers, Supplications,
and Tears ;' for they fhall be no more in Ufe. God
fhall load thee with his mod extraordinary Bleflings,
and bellow Himfelf upon thee.

The Prophet Mojes wifhed very paflionately to fee
but for a Moment God's Face, whereof he had be-
held fo many glorious Expreffions: And fhouldft not
thou defire as paflionately to fee that beautiful and
ever-fhining Countenance in its Glory and Splendour?
O religious Soul, who art inflamed with divine Affec-
tion, Ood will fhortly gratify thy Defires: So that
thou mayefl fay to him as one of the Prophets, Thou
Jhalt cauje me to know the Way of Life-, in thy Face is
the Fulnefs of Joy, and at thy Right -Hand are Pleafures
for evermore.

Chriflian if thou hadft but as much Faith and Af-
furance, as there is Glory and Happinefs in Heaven ;
with what Excefs of Joy wouldfl thou leave theWorld,
and all its Vanities, to afcend up to the magnificent
Palace, purchafed for thee with the precious Blood
of thy Redeemer !

Jonathan's Eyes were once enlightened, when he tafted
fome Honey with the End of his Rod, which he had
found in a Rock; and thou, Believer, if thou haft by
Faith tailed the divine fweetnefs that proceeds from
Chrift, the Rock of Eternity, thine Underftanding
\vill be all enlightened. Thou fhalt need no other Con-
folation againft Death; for Death itfclf fhall fill thee
full of Confolation, and real Joy ; fo that thou fhalt
have Cauie not to fpeak only as Jacob, God, lexpeft

tty

cgalnft tie "Fears of DEATH. 373

thy Salvation, Gen. xlix. but as King David, I was glad
when they Jaid unto me, Let us go up into the Houfe of
the Lord; our Feet Jhall ft and within thy Gates OJeru-
falem, Pfal. cxxii. By this Means thou fhalt not only
expert with Patience, and embrace with Joy, the
blefled News of this glorious Salvation ; but thou (halt
endeavour to haften its Conning by thy continual and
repeated Sighs. O my God, when wilt thou ftretch.
out to me from above thy glorious Arms ? When
fhall I fee plainly thy divine and glorious Face? When
wilt thou caufe me to drink out of the Rivers of Plea-
fures? How bleffed is the Man whom thou haftchofen
and taken to thyfelf, to dwell for ever in thy Courts!
Such fhall be fatisfied with the good Things of thy
Houfe, and of thy glorious Palace.

Jojeph marched out of his Prifon in Hafte, to go to
the Palace of the King of Egypt-, and haft not thou as
much Reafon to make as much Hafte out of the Prifon
of this wretched Body, O believing Soul, that thou
mayeft afcend up to the Palace of the King of Kings,
who intends to inftal thee into fuch a glorious State,
in Comparifon of which, all the Pomp of Pharaoh,
and of all the Kings and Princes of the Earth, is no-
thing but as the Hoar-froft of the Night.

Bartimeus forfakes willingly his Mantle to creep to
the Lord Jefus, when he called him; and thou, Chrif-
tian Soul, wilt not thou leave this Body, which is as
a troublefome Garment to thee, to afcend up to this
Divine Saviour, who intends to cure thec- of all thy
Diftempers and Difeafesj and who purpofes to load
thee with his Bleflings, and unfpeakable Favours? Pie
will not only bring thee to behold the refrefhing Light
of Heaven ; but he will alfo caufe thee to Ihine as the
Sun for ever and ever.

Religious Soul, caft off this fpotted Garment of
the Flelhj and fomuch the more chearfully, becaufe
God holds out in his Hand a Garment of Light and
Glory, which he will beftow upon thee. For it fhall
happen to thee as to the Prophet Elijah, who having

let

374 T&e CHRISTIAN'S Confolations
Jet fall his Mantle, he found himfelf all encompafied
about with Flames of Fire, and an extraordinary Light.
As foon as thou lhalt caft off this miferable Body,
thou fhalt be furrounded with celeflial Flames, in
which thou fhalt mount up to Heaven into the Dwell-
ing of Immortality, where thou fhalt be like God,
who clothes himfelf with Light as with a Garment.
To this Purpofe the Words of the Prophet Zecbariah
concerning the High-Prieft Jofljua, are very proper ;
he was arrayed with filthy Garments, but an Angel
from Heaven calls to them that waited before him ;
'Take away the filthy Garments from him, and clothe
bim with Change of 'Raiment , let them Jet a fair Mitre
upon his Head: This, O Chriftian Soul, is the true
Image of thy Condition at thy Departure, and the
lively Portraiture of thy future Happinefs. At pre-
fent thou art clothed with a Body undermined by
Sicknefs and Labour ; thou beared about thee the Re-
licks of the old Man -, but, behold, God calls to thee
from his holy Sanctuary, Take away from him this
old Garment, pluck off all Remains of his old Cloth-
ing befpotted with Sin, where the Devil's Image is yet
to be feen, and give him the facred Ornaments of a
royal Priefthood; clothe his Soul with a long Gar-
ment whitened in the Blood of the Lamb ; gird it
about with theEphod of Righteoufnefs ; put upon its
Head an incorruptible Crown, and in its Hand a
golden Phial, that it may for ever offer up the heaven-
ly Perfumes in Company of the glorified Saints.

If, after all this, O Chriftian! thou doubted of the
Felicity and Glory of fuch as dieintheLordJefus, hear
what an Apoftle faith, who was himfelf raviflied up in-
to the third Heaven, where he beheld in this glorious
Palace unfpeakable Things; IVe know, that if our
earthly Houfe of this 'Tabernacle were diffofoed, we have
41 Building of God, an Houfe not made with Hands, eter-
nal in the Heavens. For in this we groan, earneftly defire-
ing to be clothed upon with our Houfe which is from Hea-
*f J be that being clothed wejhall not be found naked-,

for

againft the Fears of DEATH. 375
for ive that are in this tabernacle do groan, being
burdened, not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed
upon, that Mortality might be fwaltowed up of Life. And
liften to what the Holy Ghoft faith, Elejfed are the
Dead that die in the Lord, f or fo faith the Spirit ; for they
reft from their Labours, and their Works follow them.

Would to God, that we had fome other Word, be-
fides that of Death, to exprefs the wonderful and
happy Change that we make when we go out of this
miferable World ! For, to fpeak properly, we cannot
be faid to die, when we leave a Place full of Mifery,
to enter into another bleffed with endlefs Felicity ;
when we exchange a laborious State for a peacable
and happy Reft; when we come off from a cruel War
to enjoy the Pleafures of everlafting Joys; when we
pafs through Death to an endlefs Life; and forfake a
Tomb, to mount up upon a Throne. Chriftian Soul,
remember thy Beginning, and thine t 1 nd ; confider
what thou art, from whence thou proceeded, and
whither thou goeft. Thou art a living Image of thy
Creator, and a Beam of Glory ; thou art of a celeftial
and immortal Nature. God hath wafhed and cleanfed
thee in the Blood of his Lamb, without Spot, or
Blemifh, and fanftified thee by his Holy Spirit.
He hath brought thee to a Difpofition fit to enter
into his holy City, and he is ready to admit thee to*
the Fruition of his Glory ; thou haft fought a good
Fight, fcnifhed thy Courfe, and kept the Faith ; it is
therefore high Time that thou ihouldft receive the
Crown of Life. Thou haft this precious Crown
already in thy Hands. Thouartatthe Gateof Heaven,
at the entrance of Paradife.

O therefore, O believing Soul ! Go with Joy and
Gladnefs to this great God, that calls thee; to this
merciful Saviour, thatftretcheih forth his Hands to
thee, and opens his Bofom to receive thee. Go into
the glorious Company of Angels and blefled Spirits.
Take upon thee thefe beautiful Robes of Light, with
which thine heavenly Father will clothe thy Naked-

nefs j

376 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations
nefs ; and accept this immortal Cfown, that he offers
to thee. Go, and fatisfy thyfelf with the Bread of the
Kingdom of Heaven, and remove thy Thirft with
the cryftal Waters of that River of Pleafure which
proceeds from the Throne of God, and of the Lamb. Go
and behold the Face of the Father of Lights; be
happy with his divine Refemblance, and be trans-
formed into his glorious Image.

O bleffed Soul ! Seeft thou not already the Heavens
open, and Jefus Chrift at the Right-Hand of God the
Father, holding out his Hand to thee, offering to re-
ceive thee into his glorious Reft ! Seeft thou not the
Angels of Heaven (clothed in white Raiment) coming
to tranfport thee out of this miferable State ? Seeft
thou not how thou art already encompaffed about with
Light, and celeftial Flames ? Doft thou not relifh the
S weetnefs of Paradife ? Is there not an Heaven already
in thine Heart ? Heareft thou not the Hymns of the
glorified Spirits ? Hath not the Lord caufed thee to
underftand tjiat fweet and comfortable Voice founding
in thine Ear, Verily, J Jay unto thee, thoujhalt be this
Day with me in Paradife. Come, good and faithful Ser-
vant-, enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord! Feeleft thou
not thyfelf lifted up above all earthly and perifliing
Things? Doft thou not fly upon the Wings of
Faith and Repentance to the Throne of God's Glory ?
Doft thou not caft thyfelf into Paradife, into the
Arms of Almighty God, into the Bofom of the
Lord Jefus, to reft there for ever, and to be fatisfied
with the good Things which Eye hath not feen, Ear
hath not heard, and which are not entered into the Heart
of Man, but which God hath prepared for them that
love him?

A Prayer

agalnft the Fears of DEATH. 377

A Prayer and Meditation of a Chriftian Soul,
which prepares to depart out of its Body, and
comforts itfelf in tj.ie Contemplation of the Glory
and Happinefs of Paradife.

f~\GOD! the Author of my Being, and the Sove-
reign Lord of my Life, thou feeft all the Motions
and Difpcfitions of my Soul! 'Thou knoweft that I have
wholly rcfigned myfelf into thy Hands, and defire nothing
elfe but to depend upon thy good Pleafure ; fpeak, Lord,
for thy Servant heareth-, here 1 am to do thy Will, Q
God. As the Ifraelites wailed for the Motion and Or-
der to remove their Camp ; fo I am as ready at thy Corn-
mand to leave this earthly 'Tabernacle. And as the golden
Cberubims were always upon their Feet, their IVings
firetched out, and their Faces towards the Mercy-feat j
in like Manner, I defire to be in a Pojlure to take my
Flight up to thy Mercy-feat, to my Lord Jefus, the
Propitiation for my Sins, as foon as thou jhalt ftretch forth
thine Hand unto me, to take me out of this troubled Sea,
and out of this dark Night of Affliction. I am as will-
ing to go to thee, blejj'ed Saviour, and to leave my rag-
ged Garments behind, as blind Bartimeus, or as Eli-
jah, to caft off this Mantle of the Flejh, that I may
afcend unto thee in a bright Chariot of Fire. I am not
grieved to quit this earthly 'Tabernacle-, for thou haft pre-^
flared for me a more la/ling Dwelling in Heaven. Let
my Body return to the Duft from whence it proceed?,
fo that mine immortal Being, a Beam of thy Glory,
may be admitted into thy Favour, Mercy, and Pre-
fence, unto which it defires to return. I doubt not of
'thy gracious Reception of it, fince thou haft promised
to give the Crown cf Life to all fuch as perfevere in
thy Faith and Fear; and the Rewards of . Immcrtali-
ty, to fuch as fight under thy Banner, and over-
come Satan, Sin, and \bs World. By thy Grace and
Power, I have vanquijhed thefe Emmies of my Salva-
tion, and have no other to contend with but Death. O

C c ftrenthen

378 he CHRISTIANA Confolatlons

ftnngthen we with thy Holy Spirit, that I may conquer'
this laft Enemy , that I may find by it a Paffage to thine
eternal Glory and Happinefs. I truft upon thy fatherly
Goodnefs, and unchangeable Affection, upon that intimate
Relation with which I am honoured, and am confident
thcu wilt not for fake me in my urgent NeceJ/ity and Agony*
Send to me thy good Angels that they may carry me upon
their Wings, and introduce me to thy heavenly Kingdom*
and may fee thy Salvation complete. I long to be with
tbee in thy celejlial Jerufalem, and enter into thy holy !
Sanfluary, into the Society of the glorified Saints, and im-
mortal Spirits, that minijler before thy Throne. I am fen*
Jible of thy faying Grjce beftowed upon me, and mine Af~
felJions are already feparated from the World \ at prefent
fill my Thoughts and Expectations are with tbee, my good
Gcd. Receive me into thy magnificent Palace, that I may-
fee thy Face in Glory, and embrace my blejfed Redeemer*
And before I go hence, fpeak to my Soul in a Language
anfwerable to its vehement Longings, and let me hear this
comfortable Saying, This Day thou fhalt be with me in-
Paradife. 1 am already fenfible of that Joy, that expefts
me in thy Prefence, where it Jhall be full and complete ;
of that Peace and Happinefs, into which I am going apace.
1 have already the Fore-tafte of thy heavenly Pleasures,
which muft needs exceed all that we can fay or think. I
fee the Heavens open, and my Lord Jefus ready to re-
ceive me. Into thy Hands 1 commit my Spirit > for tbott
baft redeemed it. Amen.

te&$x&&^^

CHAP. XXIII.

yhe Eleventh Confolation. The glorious RefurreRivn
of cur Bodies.

WHEN God created Angels, he gave them a
fpiritual, and altogether celeftial Nature,
that had no Affinity with Matter. I confefs, that

thefe

againft the Fectrs 0/* D E A T H 379

thefe heavenly Spirits have often appeared in human
Bodies to the ancient Patriarchs; But thofe Bodies
were extraordinary and miraculoufly formed by the
Power of Almighty God for fuch Occaftons. Befides,
thofe holy Spirits were not in thofe Bodies as the Soul
is in ours, quickening and animating them in the fame
Manner; but only as the Pilot is in the Ship that he
governs. Therefore as foon as they had fulfilled the
Work about which they were employed by God, they
left thofe Bodies without Prejudice to their Beings, as
the Pilot leaves and goes out of the Ship when he hath
brought it to the defired Haven. All the Happinefs
of thefe glorified Spirits confifts in this, that God hath
confirmed them in his Grace and Love, and admitted
them for ever to a continual Contemplation of his glo-
rious Face. It is notfo with our Souls; for although
they be alfo fpiritual, and of an heavenly Subftance,
God hath not created them to be alone, and to fubfift
at a Diftance from all Matter, but to live in the plea-
fant Company of thofe elemental Bodies, which he
hath falhioned in a moft artificial Manner. When he
creates an human Soul, and conveys it into an orga-
nized Body, it is not that it fliould be there asWater in
a VeflTel, or as a King in his Palace; it lives not there
as an afiifting Form, or as an outward Caufe of the
Body's Operations; but it is united to it by a very ftrict
Union, and ferves as an eflfential Form. It is the
Principle of our Life, the eternal Caufe of Motion,
of Senfe, and of Understanding. So that, to fpeak
properly, Man cannot be faid to be altogether of a
fpi ritual Nature, as the holy Angels ; nor a fingle Bo*
cly, as the Sun and Stars; but he is made up of both.
Therefore, if our Souls wifli to depart out of this
earthly Tabernacle, it is not out of any Hatred of it as
it is initfelf and its proper Nature; for none ever hated
his own Body; every onefeeks to nourifh and cherifh
it; but by Accident, becaufe of the Vanity and Corrup-
tion to which Sin hath enthralled it, we dtfire earneftly
to depart out of it to a Place where Riglueoufncfs and

C c 5. true

380 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

true Holinefs reign, that we might be with the Lord
Jefus, to behold him nearer. It is therefore an un-
doubted Truth, that unlefs the Body partakes of the
lame Happinefs and Glory as the Soul, Man cannot
be faid to be perfectly and intirely happy. I confefs,
it is a great Joy to us, to know that when our Soul
cafts off this earthly Body it enters into the eternal
Dwellings of Heaven, whither it goes to behold the
Face of the Father of Lights; but this holy Joy is
difturbed with fad Reflections, and this heavenly Sweet-
nefs is ftrangely altered with the bitter Confiderations
of this poor Body caft into the Earth, and left to the
Mercy of the crawling Worms. For it is a mod hate-
ful Thing to view our Body rotting and turning to
Afhes j that Body that was our Pavilion, our Palace ;
nay, more than fo, that was half Part of ourfelves.
Therefore, if we will render our Joy accomplifhed,
and apply an effectual Comfort to our Souls, we mud
nourilh and entertain this pleafant Affurancc, that the
Ruin of our Bodies, for which we lament fo much,
{hall not be eternal; but as our Body falls down by
Death, it fhall rife again one Day at the general Re-
furrection. This is one of the nobleft and moft ex-
cellent Myfteries of our Chriftian Religion, and one
of its moft glorious Advantages. The Wifdom of the
World, with all its Reafonings, and the Heathen Phi-
lofophy, with its rareft Subtilties, could never attain
to this wholfome and comfortable Doctrine. There-
fore, when St. Paul preached to the Council of Athens,
he was heard with Admiration, until he had fpoken to
them of the Refurrection; as foon as he began to men-
tion that, they laughed at him.

Therefore, while human Re of en remains in its Dark-
nefs, and natural Ignorance, it cannot of itfelf find out
this glorious Myftcry. But as foon as it is enlightened
with the Light from above, it difcovers the moft re-
markable Circumftances, and acknowledged the
Juftice and Necejfity of the future Reftirreftion of our
Bodies.

Firft,

againft the Fears of DEATH. 381

Firfty Since Rewards and Punifhments ought to be
proportionable and anfwerable to Him who is to pu-
nifh and rev/ard, we mull of Neceffity believe the Re-
furreclion of our Body; otherwife the Pains of the
Wicked cannot be extreme, and the Happinefs of the
Godly can never be abfolute and perfect.

Secondly , As, when a Traitor is executed, Men are
wont to fallen to the Scaffold, or to burn in the Fire
the Inftruments and Tools with which he had affaulted
or offended his Prince ; in the fame Manner, the Bo-
dies of the profane and impious Varlets, of the Trai-
tors againft God's Divine Majefty, ought to be treated;
they ought to be eternally punifhed with their Souls in
Hell-Fire, becaufe they have been the unhappy I*n-
flruments employed in affronting their Creator.

Thirdly, The Body is not only the Inftrument em-
ployed by the Wicked againft God, but encourageth
them, and hurries them on in Sin. For its Humours
ftir it up, inflame, and carry in to evil Acls. For
Example, its ianguine Confiitution makes it luxuri-
ous, and inclinable to the filthy Lulls of the Flefh ;
its Choler hurries it to violent and furious Adlions;
its Melancholy prompts it to the molt horrid and hel-
lifli Attempts. So that if fuch are CO be punifned
\vho caufe us to perform heinous Deeds, as well as the
Aclors, it belongs to God's Juilice to infli<fl upon
the Body, as well as upon the Soul, eternal Puniih-
ments.

Fourthly, To every Tiring there is a Seafon, end a
Time to evsry Purpcfo under tbc Heavens. Ecclef. iii.
As the Bodies of the Wicked and Reprobate have had
their good Things and Satisfactions durino-this Life,

CJ vJ O '

they muft needs have allb in another Life their Pu-
nifhmentsand Torments.

Fifthly, But, not to forget the Reafons which have
a Relation to the Faithful, and which are the Pillars
and Supporters of our Faith and Hope; we may fay,
that Jefus Chrift is no lefs able to fave us, than Adam

C c 3 was

382 *The CHRISTIAN'S Confilatidtos

was to deftroy us. T$o\v Adam having loft both Soul
and Body, we mud conclude, that it belongs to Chrift
to fave them both. Therefore the Body is to rile
again, that it may partake of that Salvation or Re-
demption procured to us by this great Saviour.

Sixthly, As ive have borne the Image of the firft Man,
ivho was of the Duft of the Earth , T-.Y muft alfo bear the
Image ofthejecond Man, ivho came from Heaven, i Cor.
xv. Now we bear not this Image at preient in this
Life; we therefore muft bear it in another.

Seventhly, God hath not made a Covenant with Part
of Man, but with all Man, compofed of Soul and
Body. The Body muft therefore needs rife again,
that it might partake of the eternal Fruits of Glory
and Happinefs, which are promifed to us by his di-
vine Covenant.

Eighthly, God is not only ftyled the Father of Spirits,
and the God of the Spirits cf all blejh, Heb. xii. but
be declares himjelf to be the Gcd /". Abraham and of Us
Pofterity, Exod. iii. 6. He is not only the God of the
Soul; or the God of the Body alone; but he is the
God of believing Perfons, of both their Souls and Bo-
dies. PYom hence it neceffarily follows, that the Bo-
dies of fuch as are deceafed, are not utterly deftroyedj
for God will raife them up again. With this Argu-
ment Chrift flopped the Mouths of t\\tSadducees, who
denied the Refurrection : Concerning the Rejurreftion of
the Dead, fa id he, Have you not read what God himjelf
fpeaks to you? I am the Gcd of Abraham, the God of
jfaac, and the God of Jacob: God is not the God of the
Dead) but of the Living.

Ninthly, tied hath adopted us to himfelf by Jefus
Chrift, according to the good Pleafure of his Will, to
make us the Heirs of his Kingdom, and Coheirs of
his Son. From this Paflage we may gather a certain
Affurance of the Refurrection -, for when this Father
of Mercies (hall fee our Bodies lying in the Duft, out
of his Tendernefs and Compaffion, he will fay, Thefe
are the Bodies of my Children, the Members of mine

only

again/I the Pears of DEATH.

only Son. It 5s not convenient to leave them always
in that (hameful State, in the Bowels of the Earth.
That Love that 1 bear to them cannotfufferit. Doubt-
lefs it was this Confideration that caufed the Apoftle to
call the Redemption of our Bodies, Adoption^ for by
that he aflures us, that he fhall fetch out of their
Graves the Bodies of all them whom he hath adopted ;
and that our future Refurrection is an Effect, and a
neceflary Confequence, of our Adoption.

I'enthly, If we confider Death in itfelf, as it is in its
own Nature, we fhall find it to be the Wages of Sin,
and a Punifhment of our Crimes. Now Jefus Chrift
hath paid for us thefe Wages, and fatisfied for all our
Sins, abolifliing them in his Crofs. We may there-
fore conclude, that Death is to be deftroyed in refpect
of Believers, and that their Bodies mud needs rife
again.

Eleventhly, St. Paul afiures us that Jefus Chrift is
the Saviour of his Body. Now the myltical Body of
this great God and Redeemer conlifts not only in the
infinite Number of Souls purchafed with his Blood,
but alfo in the Union of all Bodies, that have been the
Companions of thefe blefied Souls: Therefore as he
hath faved our Souls from fpiritual Death, and eternal
Damnation, he mufl alfo fave our Bodies from cor-
poral Death, and redeem them from the Power of
the Grave.

1'welfthly, If Death did for ever detain our Bodies
in the Grave, we could not fay, to fpeak properly,
that our Saviour hath fwallowed up Death in Victory,
and that he hath deftroyed the Sepulchre; for, in
fuch a Cafe, Death and the Grave would remain
victorious, and triumph eternally over thefe miferable
Bodies.

Ihirteenthly, Our Saviour hflth fufTered in his Soul,
and in his Body; and by that means hath purchafed tp
himfelf both our Souls and Bodies, according to St.
Paul's excellent Intimation, Ten are bought with a Price\
glorify therefore God in your Bodies^ and in yew Seu/s,

C c 4 that

384 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

that belong unto God: From hence we muft conclude
that this glorious Saviour would be deprived of Part
of that which he hath purchafed by his ineftim-able
Sufferings, if our Bodies always continued in the
Power of Death.

Fourteenthly, the Holy Ghoft hath fanctified our
Bodies, and made them his Temples, as St. Paul
teacheth us, Know ye not, that you are the 1 em-pies of
God, and that the Holy Ghofl d-welleth in you? From
hence the Refurrection of our Bodies muft needs fol-
low as a neceflfary Confequence. For can we imagine,
that God will fuffer the Temple of his Holinefs to
continue for ever in its Ruins and Dcfolations? Will
he not rear up again the noble Pavilion of his Glory,
caft down by Death ?

Fifteenthly, God hath predeftinated us to make us
conformable to the Image of his Son, that he might
be the Firft-born, amongfc many Brethren. Now the
Soul and the Body of this Only-begotten of the Father,
that were fepa'rated by Death, have been joined again
in his glorious Refurrection, and received into Heaven.

tr*

Therefore our Souls, that depart out of the World to
enter into Paradife, muft return again to their Bodies,
that we may afcend up to Heaven both in Soul and
Body. All the Difference that appears between Chrift
and us, is, that the precious Body of our noble Cap-
tain could not be fubject to Corruption, butwas raifed
again as foon as it fell, becaufe of that ftrict and pcr-
fonal Union between his Humanity and Divinity;
whereas the moft Part of all other Bodies are cor-
rupted, and reduced to Allies.

Sixteenthlyj We have the fame Holy Spirit, and di-
vine Virtue, dwelling in us, which was in our Lord
Jefus Chrift, the efficient Caufe of his Refurre&iorij
altho' not in the fame Meafure and Degree ; therefore
It will produce in us the lame Effect, and raife our Bo--
dies alfo from the Duft. St. Paul makes ufe of this
Reafon, in theviiith of the Romans, If the Spirit of him
that raifed up Jefus from the Dead, dwell in you; h&

that

againft the Fears of DEATH.

that raijed up Chrift from the Dead, jhall alfo quicken
your mortal Bodies, by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Seventeenthly, The dead Body that touched the
Bones of the Prophet Elijha, revived again on a fud-
den. WehavemoreCauie to expect the Refurrection
of our Bodies, becaufe our Bodies do not only touch.
Jefus Chrift-, dead and rifen again, but we are become
one Body with him, Flefh of his Flefh, and Bone of
his Bone: lam (faid he) the Refurre&ion and the Life-,
be that liveth and believeth in me, /ball never die-, and
he that believeth in me though he were dead, yet Jhall he
live, John xi. 25, 26.

Eighteenthly, God hath imprinted upon our Bodies
his own Signet, and the Marks of his Love ; he hath
given them vifible and palpable AfTurances of their
future Blefiednefs. Under the Old 'Tejlament, Believ-
ers carried the Seal of the Covenant of God in their
Flefh -, for Circumcifion was the Seal of the Righteouf-
nefs obtained by Faith, and Hope of the blefled Im-
mortality. They alfo are the Flefh of the Pafchal
Lamb, which was aType of Jefus Chrift the true Lamb
of God, that taketh away the Sins of the World. Like-
wife, under the new Covenant) God confecrates to him-
v felf our Bodies by the Water of Baptifm, and by the
Bread and Wine of the Lord's Supper: So by this Means
he allures them of a joyful and glorious Rcfurredlion.
For if by eating of this Bread, and drinking of this
Wine, we eatand drink fpiritually the Flefh and Blood
of Jefus Chrift, it is an infallible AfTurance, that this
Divine Saviour will raife us up again at the End of the
World, as he himfelf promifeth ; Whofo eateth my
Ple/b, and drinketh my Blood, hath eternal Life, and I
ivill raife him up at ibe laft Day, John vi. 54.

Nineteenthly, The Body of a Believer endures many
AfTaults and Evils for Chrifl's Sake, and for his holy
Profefllon. It is often expofed to the mofb fhameful
and moil cruel Torments, and partakes in the fame
Sufferings as he did on Earth. Therefore itisjuft, that
it Jhould partake in hisTriumphs, Glory, and eternal

Happinefs.

386 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

Happinefs. // is a faithful Saying -, for if we be dead with
him, we jhallalfo live with him -, if wefuffer, we jhall alfo
reign with him. IVe always bear about in our Bodies the
dying of our Lord Jefus, that the Life of Jefus might be
made manifeft in our mortal Flejh, iT'im. ii. 2 Cor. iv.

Twentiethly , There is nothing that God doth in vain;
he never beftows upon usufelefs Defiresj therefore to
what Purpofe hath he kindled in us fuch an earned
longing to fee this wretched Body out of theMiferyand
Corruption unto which Sin hath fubjecled it, and in
the Fruition of Glory and Immortality? As St. Paul
tells us in thefe Words, The Creature was madefubjeft to
Vanity, not willingly, but byreafon of him who hath/ubjeft-ed
thejame in Hope, becaufe the Creature itjelf alfo fljfili be de-
livered, from the Bondage of Corruption, into the glorious
Liberty of the Children of God. He adds immediately
after, For we knew that the whole Creation groaneth and
travaileth in Pain together until now ; andnot only they but
curfekes alfo, which have the Firjl-fruits of the Spirit ,
tven we ourfehes groan within ourfehes, waiting for the
Adoption, to wit the Redemption of our Body, Rom. viii.

Finally, Since whatfoever God hath appointed in
his eternal Counfel, muft be fulfilled in Time, and all
Things in the world attain to thofe Ends for which
he made them; andfince he created our Souls not to be
alone, but to live in the Company and Fellowlhip,
with the Body ; therefore this Body, which falls down
by Death, muft needs rife again at the Refurre&ion,
that the immortal Soul might return to, and dwell
with it for ever.

To fay that the Refurrection of ourBodies is impof-
fible, is the greateft and moft abominable Atheifm in
theWorld. It is Impudence to deny the infinite Power
of God, and the facred Hiftory of the World's
Creation. For if Things are in their Beings, as they
are in Workings, and if their Operations are corre-
fpondent to their Natures, we muft of Necefilty con-
clude that if there be a God of an infinite Being, he
muft needs have a Power anfwerable to his Being ;

and

again ft the Fears of DEATH.

,and by Confequence, that this Almighty God may
without Difficulty raife the Dead. If thou believeft,
that God calls theThings that are not, as if they were*
wherefore doft thou not alfo believe, that this fame
God will alfo call the Things that have been already,
toreflore them to that Being which they have formerly
enjoyed from his Almighty Hand? If thou believed,
that God hath fafhioned Eve out of one of her Huf-
band's Kibs, that he made Man of the Duft, and cre-
ated this Duft out of nothing, canft thou not alfo be-
lieve, that God is able at the Day of the Refurreftion
to make again thy Body of that Duft into which it is
reduced by Death? If thou believeft, that God hath
breathed into-ddam's Noftrils the Breath of Life, that
he hath created thy Soul, and infilled it into thy Body,
where it was never before, how canft thou queftion
his Power of returning one Day, the fame Soul into
the fame Body, where it formerly made its Abode ?
Jn fhort if thou believeft, that the Holy Ghoft, by
moving upon the Waters, hath caufed fo many beau-
tiful and noble C reatures to appear, and that he hath
made Light to fhine out of Darknefs, canft thou not
be alfo perfuaded, that this fame Holy Ghoft can
(hew his Power amongft the Graves, and fetch the
Body out of the dark fhadows of Death, to intro-
duce it into the Light of the Living?

Thou feeft by Experience, that every Day a new
Houfe is built upof old Materials; and doft thou won-
der how the wife Architect, who hath built the great
World by his Word alone, can gather up the olcl
Pieces and Materials of this little World, to make
up a new Building, adorned with divine graces and
Beauty? Shall the Statue-maker be able toreflore again
his bruiled Image reduced to Afhts, and (hall not God
be able to reftore Man, create'd after his own linage
and Likenefs, to his primitive tlate and Being? In
Word, let the Difficulties feein never fo great, re-
member (Chriftian Soul) what the Angel (jabriel told
tte blefied Virgin, Witb God nothing Jball be impojjiple.

I know

388 *he CHRISTIAN'S Confutations

I know very well, that this is an old Maxim in Phi-
lofophy. From Privation of the Habit there is no rtr
turning. That is to fay, when once we are deprived
of, and have loft a natural Faculty, it is never to be
recovered again. But the profane Atheifts wrong-
fully abufe this Maxim againft the Article of our Re-
furrection ; for it is moft true in refpet of natural
and fecondary Caufes. It is not to be doubted, that
when the Faculties of Nature are once loft, they are not
to be rellored by human Art or Skill; and when
a Man is dead, it is not poffible for all the Creatures
to bring him to Life again: But nothing is able to
limit the Power of an infinite Agent, He that hath
formed the wonderful Eye, and in whom we live,
move, and have cur Being; cannot he open the Eyes
of a Man born blind, and reftore Life to a dead
Corpfe? This fame Phiiofopher, whereof the Maxims
are brought againft the Refurrection, declares openly,
'That God can do all Things that imply no Contradiction.
Now there is no Contradiction in believing that God
can render Life to him that had loft it; and
what is fallen down by Death, fhould rife again by
the Refurreclion. To the end that this Refurreclion
of our Bodies might feem lefs ftrange, God hath
been pleafed to give us in Nature many Images and
Refemblances. I amperfuaded, believing Souls, that
you will not be difpleafed, if I mention here feme of
the Chief.

Fir/?, As when the Sun goeth down, and the Earth is
covered with the dark Shadows of the Night, Man's
declining, and the Darknefs of the Grave is reprefent-
ed; likewife, when this King of the Stars rifes, when
he brings with him the Day over our Heads there is a
beautiful and perfect Image of the Refurreclion.

Secondly^ When the Moon parts with all its Light
and Splendour, which it borrows from the Sun, when
it covers itfelf with a Veil of Darknels, it is the
Image of Death, and a Reprefentation of that Veil
which it draws over our Eyes ; but when the Sun
j begins

agalnft the Fears of DEATH. 389

begins to look upon it again, and by that Means it
recovers its former Brightnefs and Glory, it difcovers
before our Eyes, in a Manner that which fhall happen
to our Bodies, when the Sun of Righteoufnefs lhall
rife and caft upon them his favourable Afped.

Thirdly, The Spring, Summer, and Autumn follow
one another, and the Winter (hews us an Image of
Death. But when the Sun begins to return again over
our Heads, when it covers the Earth with a beautiful
Green, and revives the fleeping Virtue of Nature, it
expreffeth to us the Refurrection in lively Colours.

Fourthly, The Trees that are in Winter without
Flowers, Fruits, or Leaves, difcover to us the hideous
AfpecT: of Death, that ftrips Man's Body, and deprives
him of all that is beautiful and pleafant to the Eye.
Bun when the fame Trees flourifh again, and are loaden
with frefh Leaves and Fruits, they put us in mind of
the blefifed Refurrection of our Bodies.

Fifthly, The feeds that corrupt and rot in the
Ground, reprefent our Bodies rotting in the Grave;
but when the Seeds appear above Ground and flou-
rifh they exprefs excellently well the bleiTed State of
our Bodies, riling again to a new Life, and recover-
ing a perfect Beauty. This Similitude the Son of God
him felf recommends to us: If a Grain of Wheat, which
falls ti the Earth, doth not die, it remains alone; but if
it dies it brings forth much Fruity John xii. And the
Apoftle St.Paul infifts at large upon this Compari-
fon; thereupon he exclaims" againft the ftupid Athe-
ifts, who will not believe that a dead Body can revive
again: O Fool, that which thou Joweft is not quickened,
except it die, i Cor. xv.

Sixthly, I find more wonderful what is faid of certain
Herbs, which rife again out of their Afhes; for Exam-
ple, if you burn Mugwort, inLaf. Artemijia, to Afhes,
and caft the Afhes upon the Earth, you fhall fee the
fame Herb grow again. Many have tried and found:
this by Experience : The fame is reported of a Kind
of Palm-treej and becaufe, in the Greek, *ow, a

Palm,

390 he CHRISTIAN'S Confolations
Palm, is called Phoenix, this Experiment hath given
Occafion to the Fable of the Ph&nix, a Bird that fs
faid to revive again out of it* own Marrow and Aflies.
Who will offer to deny, that this is an excellent Ex-
preffion of the Refurrection of our Bodies?

Seventhly, There are alfo feveral Sorts of Infects,
that reprefent to us Dgath and the Refurrection : As
the Silk- worms; for when thefe fmall Creatures have
finifhed their Work, and fpun out that Silk with
which the Garments and {lately Attire of Kings and
Princes are made, they bury themfelves in a Tomb
which they build; afterwards they become like a little
Bean, which hides under its thin Skin the Formation
of a white Butterfly. The fame is obferved of the
Caterpillars; for, when they feem to be ftark-dead,
they creep out of their little Sepulchres in the Form of
Butterflies of fo many rare and various Colours, that
they delerve admiration; fo that many curious Per-
fons keep them in their Clofets awiongft their Rarities.

Eighthly, Amongft the Beads alfo, fome feem to be
dead for feveral Months of the Year, being without
Senfe or Motion ; but afterwards they awake again,
or rather they begin a new Life to move about as they
did before.

Ninthly, But we need go no farther than ourfelves
to find the Image of Death, and of the Refurreclion.
For is there any Thing that can exprefs Death mere
perfectly than our dead Sleep, that flupifies the Senfes,
puts a Stop to the Spirits of our Bodies, and binds up
our moft active Faculties ? So that we have then Eyes
^without feeing, Ears without hearing, a Nofe and can-
not fmell, and a living Body, but we have no Feeling.
But as foon as fuch a Perfon comes to awaken again,
to open his Eyes, and to ftir and act, he reprefents a
rnoft perfect Image of the Refurrcction.

1 might alfo add, amongft the Images of Death and
the Refurrection, the feveral Changes and Alterations
that happen to the States and Empires of the World.
For oft-times they appear as dead and buried j but af-
terward*

againjl the Fears of DEATH. 391

terwards they rife again from their Falls, and march
out of their Obfcurity, as in a glorious Refurrection,
But I fhall wave thefe Similitudes, and confider only
fuch as the Church of God, in feveral Ages, hathre-
commended to us as Types of the future Refurrec-
tion of our Bodies.

Firft, Noah and his Family (in which all the
Church of God at that Time was comprehended) re-
mained in the Ark as in a floating Coffin, during the
Space of one hundred and fifty Days. But, after the
Deluge, God caufeth them to march out of that Ark.
In the fame Manner, after our Bodies fhall have been
in the Graves fo manyYears or Ages (as God has ap-
pointed in his wonderful Wifdom; he will draw them
out again by his infinite Power, and will fay to us all,
Come forth, and appear to Judgement.

Secondly, The People of Ifrael went down into
Egypt, and dwelt there 200 Years or thereabouts, as
in a Kind of Sepulchre j but God delivered them at
lad, and caufed them to go up to the land of Canaan,
as by a blefiedRefurrection.

Thirdly, The Red-Sea, into which this People went
down, and in which Pharaoh with all his Hoft was
drowned, is an Image of our Grave; and the great
Power of God difcovered to make this People pafs
through that dreadful Sea, and to go up out of its
Depth, as by a Miracle, fhews to the blinded Under-
(landings, that Omnipotence which God will one
Day manifefl in drawing his People out of the Depths
of Death, that we may be able to fmg the Song otMofes
and of the Lamb.

Fourthly, When the Ark of God's Covenantor taken
Captive by the Philiftines, and Ihut up in the Houfe of
Dagon, it was a Type of thofe Bodies which God hath
chofen for his Ark, and which are to remain for a
Time in Satan's Priibn under the Command of Death.

But when the Pbili/lines fent back again this Ark,
and that the Children of Ifrael received it with out-
ward Expreffions of great Joy, it is a plain Defcription

392' The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

of that which fhall happen, when God jfhall oblige
Death to open all its Prifons, and releafe all its Pri-
foners : A Description, I fay, of the wonderful Joy
of the Inhabitants of the celeftial Canaan.

Fifthly, Babylon alfo, where the Church of IJrael re-
mained Captive Threefcore and Ten Years, is a fym-
bolical Reprefcntation of the Grave, where thefe mi-
ferable bodies are to continue in Captivity. There-
fore in Allufion, the Prophet ftyles it a Lake without
Water; but the Deliverance of IJrael from the Baby-
Icnijh Captivity, is a Type of our glorious RefurreHion.
For that Reafon the Holy Man of God fpeaks of it
in fuch Terms as have Refpect to the Refurreftion
of our Bodies from the Grave.

Sixthly , Solomon's Temple, that was demolifhed and
pulled down by Nebuchadnezzar, and that lay many
Years in a defolate Condition, is another Type of the
Bodies of Believers deftroyed by the Devil, and re-
maining for a Time in the Duft. But when the Jews
were returned from Babylon, they reared up the Walls
of this Temple, and built it again. This reprefents
the Refurre&ion of our Bodies, the Temple of our
Living God. Our Saviour had an Eye to this Allu-
fion, when he told the Jews, Deflrcy this Temple, and
I will build it up again in three Days : For his beloved
Difciple adds immediately after, that he fpoke of the
Temple of his Body.

Seventhly, You may find the Types and Images of
the fame Thing in many of the Faithful, in Jofeph,
Daniel, and Jonas. For as the Prifons of Egypt, the
Lions Den, and the Whale's Belly, reprelent the
Graves; likewife, when Darius caufed Daniel to be
taken out of the Den, and when God ordered the
"Whale to caft up Jonas upon the dry Ground, the
Refurreftion is thereby defcribed.

Eighthly, But there is no Pafifage, Type, nor Fi-
gure, more plain in the Old Teftamcnt, concerning the
Refurreftion, than that of the xxxviiith of Ezekiel.

For

again ft the Fears of DEATH. 393

For that the Children of IJrael might underftand the
Greatnefs of God's Power, able to free them from the
Babylonijb Captivity, hecaufed the RefurrecHon of the
Dead to appear before his Prophet. He carried him
away into a large Field, covered all over with dead
and dry Bones. At God's Command thefe Bones drew
near to one another, and began to be joined j after-
wards the Sinews appeared, the Flefh covered them>
and the Skin was ftretched over them; then a Breath
came from the four Winds upon thefe dead Bodies,
entered into them, and they rofe up alive upon their
Feet, fo that they feemed as a great Army.

But God hath not only reprefented the Refurre&ion
by many illuftrious and excellent Types, but he hath
alfo exprefsly foretold it by the holy Prophets-: Ifaiab
fpeaks of this Myftery in an excellent Manner, TJyy
dead Men Jhall live together., with my dead Body /hall they
rife ; awake andfing, ye that dwell in the Duft , for thy
Dew is as the Dew of Herbs, and the Earth Jhall caft
out the Dead, Ifa. xxvi. And there can be nothing
plainer than the Prophecy of the Prophet Daniel, And
many of them that Jleep in the Duft of the Earth Jhall
awake, Jems to everlafting Life, and fome to Shame, and
everiafting Contempt, Dan. xii.

Therefore, in Hopes of the Refurrection, the Patri-
archs were very careful of their Tombs. Abraham,
the Father of the Faithful, had no Inheritance in the
Land of Canaan, and yet he was very defirous to buy
for himfeif and Family a Burying-Place. When *Ja-
coblzy upon his Death-Bed, he commanded his Son
Jofeph, Deal kindly andtruely with me ; bury me not, I
pray thee, in Egypt ; but I will lie with my Fathers,
and thou /halt carry me cut of Egypt, and bury me in
their Bury i;ig- Place, Gen. xlvii. And when Jofeph was
ready to yield up his Soul unto God, he told his Bre-
thren, That God would furely vifit them; and that they
jhould carry his Boms from thence, Gen. 1.

All the Faithful of the O/^T^yl;;;/^/ have publickly
declared their Expectation of this blefled Refurreclion

D d from

394 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations
from the Dead ; as it may appear by that notable Paf-
fage of Job, 1 know that my Redeemer liveth, and that
he {hall ft and at the latter Day upon the Earth ; and though
c.fter my Skin Worms deftroy this Body, yet in my Flejb
/hall I fee God ; 'whom I foall fee for myfelf, and mint
Eyes Jhall behold, and not another's, Job xix. As may
alfo appear by the magnificent Words of David, I will
behold thy Face in Right eoufnefs, I Jhall be fatisfied, when
J awake, with thy Likenejs, Pfal. xvii.

Thofe blefied Martyrs, mentioned in the Book of
Maccabees , were fo well perfuaded of this Doctrine,
that they had the Courage willingly to offer their Bo-
dies to Death and Torments the moft dreadful. You
may hear one fpeaking boldly to King Atitioebus, that
moft cruel Tyrant, who would have forced him to
break the Law of God, Thou Murderer, thou deprivejl
us of Life-, but the King of the World Jhall raife us up
at the Refurreffion to an eternal Life, fmce we die for
his Laws. Another, animated with an holy Zeal, and
an heroick Spirit, delivers his Tongue and Hands to be
cut off, with this Saying, / have received thefe Things
from Heaven ; but I now defpife them for the Laws of my
God ; for I hope he will reftore them to me again. A
third, flighting the Tyrant's Threats and Promifes,
uttered this excellent Saying ; // is better for me to
leave the Expectations of Men to look for what God prc-
mifes, that I may again rife by his Power. But nothing
appears more admirable than the Mother of thofe
illuftrious Children, when fpeaking to the Seventh, the
youngeft of all, (he ufes this Language ; / know not
how you were formed in my Womb; for I never gave you
a Spirit, nor Life, nor gathered together your Limbs into
a Body; but the Creator of the World, the Author of
'Nature, who by his Power and Goodnefs has formed the
Beginning of ail Things, he will of his Mercy reftore to
you again your Spirit and Life, becaufe you now value not
yourfeh-es for the Sake of his Laws.

Mart he, the Sifter of Lazarus, was well acquainted
with this Myftery, a^ is to be proved by whatfhe told

our

agamjl the Fears of DEATH. 395

cur Saviour Chrift, / know that my Brother Jhall rife
again at the Refurreftion at the laft Day. And the Pha-
rijees maintained the Belief of the Refurreftion from
the Dead againft the Sadditcses> who denied the Refur-
reftion and Immortality of the Soul. Therefore when
St. Paul waSi.to anfwer for himfelf before the Jews
Tribunal, where Half were Pbarifees, and Half were
SadduceeS) he made this Profeffion, / am a Pharifee,
and' the Son of a Pharifee; for the Hope of the Refur-
reftion of the Dead I am called in Queftion : And when
he made x his Apology before Felix the Governor, he
fpoke in this Manner : 'This I confefs unto ihee, that,
after the lay which they call Herefy, I worjhip the God
of my Fathers, believing all things which are written in
the Law and the Prophets ; and have Hope towards God>
which they themfelves alfo allow, that there jhali be a Re-
furreffion of the Dead, both of the Juft and of the Unjuft.

As the%WJ'pf our Time have forfaken God, God
hath alfo forfaken and given them over to a reprobate
Senfe; for as theyfet aiide the infinite Merits of the
Death and Pajfwn of Jefus Chrift, they^vainly perfuade
themfelves, that their Sins are fufficiently expiated by
their own Deaths ; notwithstanding the grievous Cor-
ruptions that are to be found in their Doftrines, that
depart out of this Life, in Hopes of rifmg again one
Day. For that Reafon they are careful in wafhing
their dead Bodies, in burying them with Honour and
Decency: And when they have thus laid them in their
Graves, they bow themfelves three Times towards the
Earth, and caft behind them Grafs newly plucked up
from the Ground. By which Ceremony they would
have us underftand, that Corpfe which they lay in the
Earth, lhall one Day rife again, and pufh forth, ac--
cording to the Prophet's Expreflion, Tour Bones Jball
grow as the Grafs.

But this Article of the Refurrection of our Bodies,
which is found in fome few Paflfages of the Old Tefta-
mentj is to be feen almoft in every Page of the New ;
and the Texts concerning this Truth are fo plain and

D d 2 exprefs,

396 *Ihe CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

exprefs, that it is not poflible to rejefl this wholefome-
Doctrine, but wemuftatthcfameTime abjure theChri-
itian Religion, and give the Lye to the Holy Ghoft.

That our Faith might be the better fettled, God has
beenpleafed not only to publifh the Refurrectionfrom
the Dead by his Prophets and Apoftles ; he hath not
only difcovered to us many excellent and delightful
Types and Figures of thisTruth; but, to give us a more
experimental Teftimony of his Power, he hath raifed
feveral from the Dead. In the Old Ye/lament, God raifed
up two Children, one at the Prayers of the Prophet
Elijah,t\\z other at the Requeft ofEKJbtt, his Succeflbr,
I Kings xvii. And when the dead Body had been laid
in Elifoas Grave,and touched his Bones, it returned to
Life again, 2 Kings xiii. And, during our Saviour's
Abode on Earth, he raifed to Life the Daughter of Jai-
rus that was deadj thcWidow'sSon of Nam, who was
carriedout of the Gateto be buried; and Lazarus y who
had been four Days lying in his Grave; whofe Body
began to ftink, Matt. \x.Luke\\\. When this merciful
Saviour gave up the Gholl upon the Crofs, 'J'he Graves
were opened, and many Bodies of Saint s which flept, arofe,
and came out of the Graves, after his Rejurrettion ; and
went into the holy City, and appeared unto many, Matt,
xxvii. After his Afcenfion he raifed from the Dead,
Dorcas, a charitable Widow, at the Prayers of St. Pe-
ter, to comfort the poor Widows that wept for her j
and a young Man, named Eutychus, was reftored to
Life by the Means of St. Paul, that the Congrega-
tion of Believers might be comforted, who were trou-
bled at his unexpected Fall and fudden Death.

But chiefly we have the Example of our Lord, who
hath raifed himfelf up by a Divine Power. This glori-
ous Inftance is able not only to excite our Admiration,
but alfo to fettle our Faith, and nourilh our Hopes :
For the Refurrection of other Perfons fhowswhat God
can do, but the Refurrection of Chrift declares to us
what God will do, and is an Earneft to aflure us of
our future Refurreclion. It is notpoffible to believe,

Ggainft the Fears <?/* D E A T H . 397

as we ought, that Jefus Chrift is rifen from the Dead,
but \ve muft alfo, by a necefiary Confequence, believe
that he will raife us likewife. This St. Paul endea-
vours to teach us, Jfwe believe that Jefus Chrift is dead
and rij'en -, even Jo them alfo which Jleep in Jefus, will
God bring with him, i Theff. iv. As the Head is, fo
fhali the Members be. As theFirft-fruits are, fofhali
the reft of the Harveft be. The fame Apoftle labours
toperfuade this Truth inthefe excellentWords, Chrift
is rijenfrom the Dead, and be come the Firft -fruits of them
that flept ; for fmce by Man came Death, by Man came
alfo the RefurrecJion cf the Dead, for as in Adam all
die, fo in Chrift- _/Jtf// all bs made alive: But every Man
in his own Order, Chrift the Firft -fruits, afterwards
they that are Chrift's at his coming.

Againft this holy and divine Doftrine, Ibme object,
That there are Bodies confumed by Fire, and burnt to
Aflies. But what follows from hence? For, whether
the Bodies be reduced toDuft or Afhes, it matters not;
God is able to reftore them, and render to them their
primitive Forms. Since certain Herbs (confumed to
Afhes) rife again out of the Ground by a natural Tn-
clination, as we have already obferved; and fmce Art
is fo induftrious to make them tranfparent Bodies (of
an extraordinary Beauty) of melted Afhesj fhall not
God, who is fo infinitely above all Abilities of Nature
created by him, and of all Arts and Sciences which
proceed from his Direction, be able of Afhes to com-
pofe a beautiful and perfect Body ?

Others pretend next, that a great many Bodies have
been drowned in the Seas, and fwallowed up in the
Waters. I acknowledge that to be true : But I affirm,
that God is altogether as able to draw a Body out of
the Depth of the Sea,as outof the Bowels oftheEarth.
Hewhohath prefcribed Bounds to this great Sea, who
drivesupitsvaft Concavities, andlaysopen itsimmenfe
Bottom, hath not he a Command over this Sea ?
Cannot he oblige it to reftore thofe Bodies that have
been committed to its keeping, as when he com-

D d 3 manded

398 'The CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

manded the Whale to bring again to Land the Pn>
phet Jonas, whom it had [wallowed up alive?

Some object, that there are Bodies devoured by the
Beafts, which have been their Food, and have been
turned into their Subftance. But this Objection is not
to be valued ; for when a human Body fnall have parTed
through the Bowels of the Beafts, and been changed a
thouiand and a thouiand Times into their Subftance,
there is nothing that can hinder God from reftoring
them again at the Day of the Refurredtion. For thofe
Animals mail never rife again ; 'tis therefore nothing
to the Purpofe to enquire after them, when the Body
fhall re-affume that which they fhall have devoured,
and turned into their own Subftance, The ftrongeft
and moft plaufible Obje&ion concerns \hzdntbrtyo-
f>bagi^ihe Eaters of Men. For 'tis very well known, that
in the Indies there are fome Savages fo barbarous as to
feed upon human Flefh, and to efteem it as their great-
eft Dainties. Some anfwer to this, That; fuch Kind of
Inhumanities are not ordinary, and that fuch wretched
Indians never practife fuch heinous Things but in
urgent Neceffity, or when they purpofe to revenge
themfelyes upon their Enemies. But fuch as have
given an Account of the New-found America, relate,
That in fome Provinces there have been fuch cruel
and inhuman Savages, as not only devour the Flefh
of their Enemies, whom they facririced to their Idols,
but alfo of their deareft Friends, whom they cut in
Pieces in their Shambles. 1 he fame Hiftorians tell
us, That fome of the barbarous People are fo impi-
oufly miftaken, as to reckon it an Aft of Piety and Du-
ty to their Parents and Friends, to give them a Sepul-
chre in their own Stomachs. Again, they fay, that
there are fome, who, like fo many mad Dogs, feed upon
InfantSj and hunt after Men, as we do after wild
Beafts in the Field. In Caie all thefe Relations fhould
be true, I muft defire my Reader to take Notice, there
are two Kinds of Parts that compofe the human Bo-
dy, the one folid, as the Bones and Nerves, and fo

dTential

againft the Pears of DEATH. 399

eflential to it, that without them it would ceafe from
being any longer an human Body; the other Parts are
adventitious, accidental, and changeable j they ferve
to maintain it almoft as the Food and Nourifhment.
Now this I affirm, as an undoubted Truth, that when
it happens that Men feed upon their own Kind, God
takes Care, by his wonderful Providence, that the ef-
iential and folid Parts of the Man devoured, never
enter into the Subilance or Compofition of the folid
Parts of the Devourer. At the great Day of the Re-
furredion, the Bodies will re-aflume all their eflential
and folid Parts, without which they "cannot be true
Bodies; but they fhall not need the accidental and
fluid Parts, as are the Humours and Blood; for then
they fhall have no more inwarcf Heat to confume them,
and no more Hunger and Thirft. Therefore they
fhall never have any Need of Meat or of Drink, or of
any other Things whatfoever, to ferve them inftead of
Nourifliment. Let the Metals be never fo much min-
gled, the Goldfmith feparates them with Eafe. Thus
let our human Bodies be never fo much altered and
fhuffled together, God will be able enough to feparate
and diftinguifh the one from another. When the
Goldfmith will feparate the Metals, he cafts them into
the Melting-pot, and caufeth them to pafs through
the Fire; but God, who can do all Things without
Means, hath no Need of the Fire, or the Melting-
pot; for by his Word, at the Twinkling of an Eye,
he can caufe this Separation to be made ; and render
to every Body that which neceflarily belongs to its
Compofition. In a Word, if the Difficulty fhould be
far greater than it is, and if the Refolution of this
Objection were not fo eafy to be made, it fhould not
leflen our Faith, or caufe us to doubt of the Refur-
redtion of our Bodies.

When it concerns Things that the Holy Scripture
doth not exprefsly declare and decide, or that cannot
be drawn from it by neceflaryConfequence, it is lawful
to difpute either for or againft fuch Things; but if it

D d 4 concerns

400 be CHRISTIAN'S Ccnfolatlons

concerns fuch as this facred Writ, infpired of God,
plainly fet forth, our Faith mud learn her Duty, to
fubmitto Almighty God, and believe that there is
nothing impofiible with him. Now this Doctrine of
the Refurrection of theDeadisfo exprefsly and plainly
found in this holy Scripture, that it feems as vifible
as the Beams of the Noon Sun. Many Queftions are
made upon this Subject; fomeareof that Importance,
that an Anf\ver will give Satisfaction upon this excel-
lent Subject. Firft, They enquire by whom, and by
whofe Power, fhail the Refurrection be effected ? The
Scripture gives an Occafion to make this Enquiry ?
for it afcribes it fometimes to theFather, as in John v.
'The Father raljes the Dead, and quickens them ; fome-
times to the Son, as in Phil. iii. Jejus Chriftjhall change
cur vile Bodies according to his mighty Working, whereby
he is able to fubdue all Things itnto himjelf; and fome-
times to the Holy Ghoft, as in Rcm. viii. If the Spirit
of him who rc.ijed Jejus from the Dead, dwell in you ;
he that hath raifed up Chrift from the Dead Jhall alfo
quicken your mortal Bodies, by his Spirit that dwelleth in
you. This Difficulty may be thus refolved j all the
outward Works cf God, that concern the Creatures,
are common to the Three Perfons of the molt holy,
moil glorious, and mofl wonderful TRINITY.

So that we (hall rife again by the infinite Power of
the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft. Ne-
verthelefs, the Refurrection is efpecially afcribed to
the Son, as he is the Judge of the Quick and the
Dead. In Order to the Difcharge of that glorious
^Employment, all Power hath been committed to
him in Heaven, and in the Earth, and in the Seas.

2. Some enquire farther, When {hall this Refurrec-
tion be ? I anfwer, that it fhall be in the Day in which
God hath appointed to judge all the World, by the
Man whom he hath ordained, Acls xvii. You are not
, to expect from me, Chrijiians, that I fhould point out
to you precifely the Day when this fnall come to pafs ;

for

agalnjl the Fears <?/* D E A T H . 401

for it belongs not to us to know the Times and the
Seafons, which God hath referved to himfelf. 'Tis
true, we may lee, that mod Part of the Prophecies are
already fulfilled; fo that we may fay in general Terms,
The Lord is at band, and our Salvation is martr than
when we believed, Phil. iv. Rom. xiii.

Neverthelefs, I cannot undertake to mark out unto
you this glorious Day, nor to tell you the Year nor
.Age when this 111 all be. There is no Man upon Earth,
nor Angel in Heaven, that is able to fpeak of it with
Certainty. Therefore Jefus Chrift himfelf informs
us, But of that Day and Hour knoweth no Man, no, not
the Angels of Heaven, but my Father only, Mat. xxiv.
If our Saviour faith more, That the Sen himfelf hww-
eth not the Day, Mark xiii. we muft underftand this
as he is a Man, and during his Abode in the World;
for, as he is God, he knoweth all Things from all
Eternity. And now that he is glorified, as he is a Man,
he underftands all Things. But he hath hid from
Men the Time of his Coming, that we might expe6t
him at every Moment. As he tells the holy Apottles,
Watch therefore ; for ye know not what Hour the Lord
doth come ; but know this, that if the good Man of the
Houfe had known in whc.t Watch the Thief would come,
he would have watched, and would not have fuffered his
Houfe to be broken up, Matt. xxv. He writes in the
fame Language to the Angel of the Church of Sardis ;
Remember how thcu haft received and heard, and hold
fafl and repent; if therefore thou Jhalt not watch, I will
come to thee as a Thief, and thou, Jhalt not know what
Hour I will ccme upon thee. The rlrft Chriftians were
very well acquainted with this whole fome Doctrine, as
we may judge by this Paflage of St. Paul to the Tbtf-
falomaiu : But of the Times and of the Seafons, Brethren,
you have no Need that 1 write unto you; for your/elves
know perfectly, that the Day of the Lord fo ccir.eth as a
Thief in the Nigbf. For when they jhall jay, Peace and
Safely; then fuddm I)eftrufticn corns tb upon item, as
Travail upon a Woman with Child, and they Jhall not
4 efcapt,

402 he CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

efcape t I ThefT. v. As the Days of Noah were, fo fhall be
the Coming of the Son of Man. For as they were before
the Deluge, eating and drinking, marrying, and giv-
ing in Marriage, and were not fenfible of the Deluge,
until it was come, and carried them all awayj fo fhall
it be at the Coming of the Son of Man, Matt. xxv.

The wife Man tells us, That Hope delayed caufeth the
Heart to languijb y Prov. xiii. But we muft except the
Hope and Expectation of the Refurreftion , for though
this blefled Refurrection fhould not come to pafs yet
many thoufand Ages, it fhould not caufe fuch as die in
the Lord to languifh. For while their Bodies are in
their Graves, they fuffer nothing; and as they are there
without Senfe, they cannot be impatient, no more than
a Man that is in a deep Sleep. For the Soul enjoys
in the Contemplation of God's Face fuch unfpeakable
Satisfactions, that it is not capable of Grief, Sorrow,
Difpleafure, or the leaft Difturbance. St. P^rteils us,
That a tkoufand Tears with God are but as a Day, i Pet.
iii. We may fay the fame of thofe who were admitted
to God's glorious Prefence to behold his Face ; for a
thoufand Years, in fuch an happy State, appear lefs
than one Day in this miferable Condition. The Hun-
dreds and Thoufands of Years pafs away far quicker
to the blefTed Inhabitants of Heaven, than the Mo-
ments to fuch as live in Troubles upon Earth.

3. Others defire to know where this Refurrection
{hall happen. The ^Vw^&Wfiimfies and Extravagan-
cies have given Occafion to this Qiieilion j for they
think, that the dead Bodies rife in no other Place but
the Holy Land. Therefore they have made another
childifh Fable, that the Bodies of all their Nation, that
die in feveral Parts of the World, fhall go through

* O O

earthly Vaults, and roll through the fecret Convey-
ances of this Globe, until they come to the Land of
Canaan^ where they are to arife from the Dead. And
as one Error occafions another, they fay further, That
they fhall feel more or lefs Pain in their PafTage, ac-
cording to the Goodnefs or Sins of their Lives. I need

not

againjl the Fears of DEATH. 403

not fpend any Time in the Refutation of this foolifh
and impertinent Opinion; but it may juftly caufe us
to acknowledge the juft Judgement of God upon this
unhappy People, who have refufed, with a- devilifh
Obftinacy, the great Saviour of the World. For, be-
caufe they have not received the Love of the Truth,
that they might be faved, God hath fent them flrong
Delulions, that they might believe a Lye, and hath
given them over to a reprobate Senfe, 2 ^hejf. ii. For
us Chriftians, we fay, That, without fo much ado,
where the Body is at the laft Day, there it fhall rile
from its Grave.

The next Queftion is, What fhall rife from the
Dead ? I anfwer, That the fame Body which falls by
Death, fhall rife again at the general Refurre6Hon.
If God fhould make a new Body to join it to our Souls,
it would be no more a Refurreftion, but rather a new
Creation -, neither (hall we only take fuch a Body as
our own , for Things that are only alike, are not the
fame, let them be never fo much alike ; but we fhall
take again the fame Body, which our Souls animate
during its Abode here below ; and if I may make ufe
of the Exprefiions and Terms of Divines, it fhall not
only be the fame Body, but alfo the fame Individual.
As in the firft Refurreclion God creates not a new
Soul, but he regenerates and fan6lifies that which was
dead in its Trefpafles and Sins ; thus in the fecondRe-
furreclion, God makes not another Body, but he only
beftows another Life upon that which was lying in Cor-
ruption, and amongft the Dead. As when our Saviour
role from the Dead, he made not for himfelf a new
Body, but he took again that fame which had been
formed in the Womb of the bleffed Virgin j like-
wife, in the general Refurre&ion, he will not create
for us new Bodies, but he will reftore to us that fame
which we had from our Mothers Wombs. This
Argument is not to be anfweredj for the Refurrection
of jefus Chrift is not only the efficient or meritorious
Caufe of ours, but alfo the Pattern and Model, or, as

the

404 ^be CHRISTIAN'S Confutations

theSchoolmen tell us, itis the exemplary Caufe of our
future Refurredtion. But there is no Need of Argu-
ments, when the Word of God is fo clear and exprefs
on this Subject. St. Paul informs us, That the Lord
Jball change our vile Bcdy -, that this Corruptible muft put
en Incorrupt wn> this Mortal muft put en Immorta lity, Phil,
iii. i Cor. xv. And that the Life cf Jefus flail be made
manifeft in our mortal Fiefl, i Cor. iv. And the holy Ji>b
faith, Job xix. not only, that he flail fee God, but that
he Jhall fee God in his I'lefl, and that be flail fee him
with his Eyes : For the fame Reafon, in fome ancient
Copies, in our Apoftles Creed, as in the Creed of
Aquila> I find not only, / believe the RefurreRicn cf
the Flefl, but I believe the Rejurrefticn cf this Flefl.

5. Some afk whether the Bodies of the Wicked fhall
rife from the Dead, as well as the Bodies of the Righ-
teous ? The JewSy who delight in whimfical Inven-
tionS; fancy a Refurrection only for the Juft, in which
Unbelievers and Reprobates have no Share. To
ftrengthen this Dream, they abufe the Words of the
firfl Pfalm, 'The Wicked Jhall nctftand in Judgement ; nor
Sinners in the Congregation of the Righteous. Finally,
They are fo much befotted with an high Conceit of
themfelves ; that none are righteous but of their own
Nation ; that none are pleafing to God, or ought
to rife again from the Dead, but the Ifradites. But we
Chriflians are brought upand inftructedin better Doc-
trines; we believe, without Hefitation, that all Men
that are dead fince the Beginning of the World, of
every People and Nation under Heaven, fhall rife
again at the Day of Judgment. For St.Paul aflures
us, That there flail be a Refurreftion of the Juft, and of
the Unjuft. David, in his firft Pfalm, fpeaks nothing
againft thisTruth, which is as clear as the Sun, and as
infallible as the Heavens and the Earth j for he faith
not, the Wicked fhall not rife again, but only that
they (hall not (land before God in Judgment i that is
to fay, that they fhall not fubfift before the Tribunal of
God's Juftice, nor be able to abide the fiery Pre-

fence

agamft the Fears of DEATH. 40 5

fence of God, angry and difpleafed for their Impie-
ties. But this we may obferve, that although God will
raife up all the Men of the World, without Excep-
tion, from their Graves, there fhall be a notable Dif-
ference between them; for he will raife the Wicked
up, and draw them out of their Graves, as a Judge
drags an Offender out of his Dungeon, to fentencehim
to Death. But he will raife again Believers as their
Redeemer, that their Bodies, as well as their Souls,
might enjoy the blefTed Fruits of the Redemption
purchafed for us. Therefore this Divine Saviour
ftiles them Children of the Rcjurreclion ; for none but
they fhall inherit his Bleffings, and partake of his
eternal Glory.

6. Some enquire further, In what Manner fhall this
Refurrection be? I anfwer, That our Lord and Sa-
viour lhall come down from Heaven, clothed with
Light and Glory, and attended upon by the Angels of
his Power, and Millions of his Saints. He fhall be pre-
ceded by the Cry of the Archangel, and the Trumpet
of God, for the Trumpet fhall found : And as at the
founding of the Silver Trumpet that proclaimed the
Jews Jubilee, all the Prifons were opened, and the
Prifoners fet at Liberty; in the fame Manner, at the
Sound of the laft Trumpet, all the Prifons of Death
fhall be broke open, and the Bodies that were impri-
foned fhall go out; to fpeak in the Language of the
Holy Ghoft, The Sea/hall give up her Dead ; and Death
and Hell Jhall reftore the Dead that are in them. And
as Lazarus rofe up as foon as Jefus Ghriflhad called to
him in his Tomb, Lazarus, come out -, likewife when
the Voice of this great God and Saviour fhall found in
our Tombs, at that Moment we fhall rife again, and
appear before him. For the Hour cometh, that fuch
as are in the Graves- fhall hear the Voice of the Son
of Godj and they that hear, fhall live.

7. The next Queftion is, In what Stature of Body
fhall we rife ? Some are perfuaded that we fhall rife
in the fame Stature that we die. This they gather

from

406 Te CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

from St. John's Defcription of the laft Judgment, IfaW
the Living ami the Dead, the Great and the Small^ ftand-
ing before Ged. Others think, that all the Elect fhall
rife again in perfect Stature, arid fhall be like to our
Saviour Chrift, which they endeavour to prove by St.
Paul's Words, We Jhall meet in a ferfeft Man^ to the
Meafure of the perfeff Stature of Chrift.

When it concerns Things that relate to our Salva-
tion, it is a refpectful Ignorance to refufe to pry into
thofe Things which God hath concealed, ornot thought
proper to reveal. Therefore, as the holy. Writ is
filent concerning this, we cannot fpeak of it with too
much Sobriety. I dare not affirm, that we fhall rife
again in the fame Stature; I confefs, that this Opinion,
That all the Saints fhall have a Stature like to our Sa-
viour Chrift, and that they fhall bear the Image and
Likenefs in that Refpect in their Bodies, contains no-
thing contrary to Piety. Rut I dare fay, that this can-
not be proved by the Words of St. Paul; for the
Sequel of his Difcourfe fhews moft evidently, that he
intends not the Stature of the Body, but that of the
Soul, which confifts in Knowledge and Holinefs.

That Opinion which appears to be moft likely, and
moft conformable to the Analogy of Faith, is, that
the Elect fhall rife again in perfect Stature. For the
Beauty and Perfection of the Stature contributes
much to the Glory and Majefty of the Body, without
which Man cannot be faid to be moft perfectly happy.
Befides, this Perfection is agreeable to that Command
and Dominion, which God fhall give to the Saints,
over the Creatures, after the Refurrection. If thofe
who die in their Childhood rife again in the fame
Stature ; if thofe who depart in their old and decrepit
Age, come out of their Graves with their feeble and
infirm Bodies, how could either of them be fit for that
Glory and Perfection where nothing fhall be amifs or
wanting? As the promijed Land was the Type of the
celeftial Canaan, it is not without good Caufe that the
Scripture takes Notice, that there was none of thofe

that

againjl the "Fears of D E A T H ; 407

that went over Jordan into the Holy Land that was
old and decrepit, unlefs it were Jojhun and Caleb ;
none of the reft were threefcore Years old. I may alfo
apply to the Jerufalem above, that which the Prophet
faith of the Jerufalem here below, the/Type and Fi-
gure of the celeftial : Froyi henceforth, there Jhall not
be any Child of a few Days old, nor any ancient Perfon
'who fulfilleth not his Days.

Finally, As God created Adam and Eve in a perfect
Stature, to fettle them in the terreftrial Paradife, it is
my Opinion, that he will alfo raife up all the Faithful
in a perfect Stature, to introduce them into the celef-
tial Paradife. In this Life the Body of a Child is
many Years before it can attain to the Stature of a
perfect Man; but at the great Day of the Refurrcc-
tion, God will grant it to him in a Moment.

That which is fpoken of in Rev. xx. is not contrary
to this Doctrine ; for when the Holy Ghoft faith,
That the Dead, Small and Great, Jhall ft and before God- t
that relates not to the Stature, or Bignefs of Body, but
to the State and Condition of the Perfon ; that is to
fay, the Kings and Princes fhall appear to Judgement,
as well as the vileft and moft contemptible Subjects,
and the moft wretched Slaves : Therefore thefe for-
mer Words are defigned to exprefs nothing more than
what St. Paul faith, That we muft all appear before the
Judgement-Seat of Chrift, that we might receive in our
Bodies according as we have done, whether it be Good or
Evil.

Some are ready to afk,What Manner of Bodies fhall
the Reprobates have after the Refurrection ? I have no
Mind tofpeakanyThingof myfelf; otherwifel fhould
anfwer,That inConfideration of the Fury of Hell-Fire,
the Smoke of the bottomlefs Pit, and the Violence of
the exceffive Torments which they fhall fuffer, they
fhall appear moft deformed, ugly, ill-favoured, and
dreadful to look upon. 1 fhould fay, that there fhall
appear in their guilty Looks and frighted Counte-
nances, the Devil's Image,- and that of the hellifh Fu-
5 ries.

40 $ The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations
ries. But it will be fufficient to reply, That the Bodies
of theWicked (hall be immortal, and that their Immor-
tality fhall be mod miferable; that it had been far bet-
ter for them to have never been, or to have been as the
Beafts, that die without any Hope of living again;
for they fhall live to die eternally, and they fhall die,
but never confume away. It fhall not be poffible to
add anyThing to their mod violent Tortures, for they
fhali be inexprefiible; nor to the Continuance of their
Sufferings, for they (hall be eternal. Therefore, as
we have already taken Notice, they fhall feek Death,
that is, they fhall defire to be reduced to nothing;
but Death fhall fly away from them, and give them
over to a Worm that fhall never die, and to a Fire
that fhall never be quenched. O miferable Bodies !
O wretched- Souls! whom God fhall caft into the
Midft of Hell's fierceft Flames, and againft whom the
Devils fhall let fly all their Arrows, difcharge all their
Fury, and kindle all their Fires, and whom they will
take Pleafure to torment for ever and ever.

9. Some enquire what Manner of Bodies the Chil-
dren of God. and the Members of Chrift, fhall have,
after they are rifen from the Dead ? I anfwer, That
their Subftance fhall be the fame which they had be-
fore Death; they fhall not be imaginary or falfe Ap-
pearances, but true human Bodies, made up of Fle/h
and Bones ; for we may fay of all the Bodies of the
Faithful, as that of our Saviour Chrift, that the Re-
furreflion will procure to them a confiderable Glory
which they never had before, but it fhall not deftroy
their Nature and Manhood. They fhall be able to
fpeak in the Language of our Redeemer, Feel and fee-,
a Spirit hath neither Flefh nor Bones, as ye Jee that I have.
As our Soul fhall lofe nothing of its Being, only it
fhall be perfectly cleanfed from all Sin and Corruption,
and fanctified in fuch a Manner, that it will not be pof-
fible for it to entertain any vicious Inclination ; like-
v/ife there fhall be no Alteration in the efTential Parts
pf our Bodies; but there fnall be a wonderful Change
' in

againft the Fears of DEATH: 409

In regard of the Qualities j for they fhall caft off all
Corruption and Mortality, and fhall never be fubject
to Sicknefs, Pain, nor to the Inconveniencies that
difturb it during this Life. And, if they have now
any Imperfection, they iriall be perfectly freed ; fo
that we may juftly fay of the celeftial Jerufalem, that
in it no Blind nor Lame fhall be fuffered to enter;
for all the Bodies of the Saints fhall be perfect and
beautiful, that the leaft Spot or Blemifh fhall not be
feen in them, i Sam. yi.

Iknow that Jefus Chrift tells us in hisGofpel, Mat.
V. If thy Right Eye offend thee, pull it out, and caft it
from thee ; for it is better that one of thy Members pe-
rijh, than that thy whole Body jhould be caft into Hell-,
and if thy Hand or thy Foot offend thee, cut ij off, and
caft it from thee; for it is better that thou foouldft enter
into Life lame or maimed, than to have two Feet and. two
Hands, and to be caft into Hell-fire, Mark iv. But thefe
Words are figurative ; by them our Saviou r would teach
us, that for hisSakeand Glory wemuftdenyourdeareft
Affections, and our moft importunate Lufts. And if
thefe Words fhould be taken in their literal Senfe, we
rnuft underftand a Suppofition, if it were pofiible to
enter into the Kingdom of Heaven with one Eye, lame,
or maimed, it would be far better to be admitted to
that bleffed State, than to have a perfect and a whole
Body, and to be caft into the Torments of Hell. From
thence we cannot infer, that the Faithful are to rife
from their Graves with imperfect and deficient Bodies;
for that is repugnant to an accomplifhed Happinefs :
Since Sin fhall be utterly abolifhed and deftroyed, the
Punifhment of Sin fhall continue no longer.

There are, neverthelefs, fome who believe, with fe-
veral ancient Doctors of the primitive Church, that
the holy Martyrs fhal! bear about them the Scars and
other Marks of their Sufferings for the Name of
Jefus, in the fame Manner as their glorious Saviour,
after his Refurrcction, could fhew the Print of the
Nails that had fattened his Feet and Hands to the

E e Crofs,

41 o The CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

Crofs, and in his Side the Hole that the Spear had
made. They efleemed fuch Marks glorious and ho-
nourable Scars j fo that, according to their Judge-
ment, the Martyrs lhall be like to the generous and
noble hearted Soldiers, who have received Wounds
in the Service of their Prince, which they bear about
as undoubted Exprefllons of their Courage. I lhall
hot altogether contradict this Opinion; for it is not
contrary to the Analogy of Faith : But I dare not
affirm it as a certainTruth ; for we cannot learn this
from the holy Scriptures, that reprefent thefe bleffed
Martyrs, clothed with long Robes, wafhed and
whitened in the Blood of the Lamb, without making
any Mention of their former Sufferings. OurSaviour
was pleafed to preierve the Marks of his Sufferings,
that he might convince St. 'Thomas of his Unbelief,
and that he may one Day difcover and fhew them to
thofe that have pierced him through : But, from
this Inftance, I cannot fee how we can conclude any
Thing to the Purpofe. We may fafely fay, either
that the Martyrs (hall have no fuch Scars, or, if they
have, they fhall bring no Deformity to their Bodies,
nor fhall they deprive us of any Member, or Part
required in us, to make us perfect. If it fhould be
otherwife, we could not be entirely and perfectly hap-
py. After the Refurrection, the Bodies of God's
Children fhall have none of thefe Imperfections that
Sin hath brought into the World. They fhall not
feel any of the Infirmities, unto which the Bodies of
Adam and Eve were fubject in the State of Innocence;
for their Life was fenfual and Animal-like, diflurbed
with Hunger, Third, and Wearinefsj there they had
Need of Nourifhment and Drink, and efpecially of
the Fruits of the Tree of Life, to fupply fo much of
their natural Heat. 1 conceive alfo, that they flood
in Want of Reft and Sleep ; and although God
\vould have protected them from all dangerous Acci-
dents, if they had continued in their Integrity ; if
we confider them in themfelves, without any fuch
i Pro-

againft the Fears of DEATH. 411

ij they might have been injured by Fire and
Sword, and burnt with the fcorching Sun. But it
fliall be otherwife with the Bodies of the Righteous,
after the Refurre&ion > they fhall not be fubjed to
any Infirmity 3 they fhall be free from Pain, Weari-
nefs, and from the Senfe of Violence, as the Holy
Spirit promifeth ; they fball hunger and third no
more, the Sun fhall not burn them, nor any Heat in-
commode them. It is not to be doubted, but that a
glorified Body fhall enjoy all the Perfection that a hu-
man Body is capable of> and that the greateft and
fared Beauties on Earth are but deformed Objects,
in Comparifon of the cfcleftial, which fhall never
change nor fade away, no Accident lhall ever be able
to deftroy or diminifli them. Years, Ages, and Thou-
fands of Ages, fhall not imprint upon our glorious
Faces the lead Wrinkle; we fhall be always young
and lufty, as a precious Stone that preferves its Ludre
and Beauty without Alteration, and as the Sun than
never decreafeth in Light and Heat. Thofe glorified
Bodies fhall cad off all grofs and heavy Quajities that
incline them to Earth, fo that they fhall be more
nimble than the Eagles, and fhall be able to fly up
as quick as the Fire. St.-Paul intends to teach us
this Truth, when he tells us, that this Body is fown
an earthly and lenfit.al Body ; but it fhall rife again an
heavenly and a fpiritual Body. We are not fo tounder-
ftand thele Words, as to think that God will change
them into Spirits, or into fuch uncompounded Bodies
as are the Heavens j for they fhall yet be made up of
Flefh and Bones, and they fhall have all the effential
Parts of an human Body, as we have already taken
Notice: But I conceive, that they are named fpiri-
tual and heavenly, becaufe they fhall have no more the
grofs and earthly Qualities, and they fhall live no
more a fenfitive and an animal Life, in a Word, they
fhall need no more Meat nor Drink, than the Scars
and celeftial Bodies, no more than the holy Angels
of God.

E e 2 I con-

4 1 2 he CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

I confefs that our Lord Jefus Chrift afcended up
into Heaven in a Cloud; not becaufe a Cloud was ne-
cefiary to fupport and keep up his glorious Body: For
if in the State of his Infirmity and Humiliation, this
divine Body was able to walk upon the Waves of the
Sea without finking, by the Affiftance of his divine
Nature ; how much more, fince his Glorification, fhall
it be able to afcend up on high, and to go whither he
lifteth ! If the Help of any Creature had been neceflary
to fupport him, he might have had Legions of im-
mortal Angels to carry him up; but Chrift needed
not to be affifted, neither by a Body, nor a Spirit, nor
by any other Creature. This Cloud, therefore, that
appeared at his Afcenfion, was no Token of the In-
firmity of his human Nature ; it rather manifefted the
Glory and Magnificence of his divine Majefty, unto
which this precious Body was united perfonally. God
hath often revealed himfelf, attended by a Cloud, as
upon Mount Sinai, in the Ark of the Covenant, at the
Dedication of Solomon's Temple. Therefore, that
Cloud in which God was pleafed to difcover himfelf,
is (tiled, 'The Glory of God, that is, the Sign and vifible
Expreflion of his glorious Prefence, and divine Ma-
jefty. Let us therefore conclude from hence, that the
Cloud which attended upon the glorified Body of Jefus
Chrift, was no Affiftance to carry him up to Heaven,
but as it were a Chariot of Triumph, to caufe him to
afcend with more Glory and Pomp. The Bodies of
the Saints, after the Refurredion, fhall fhine, and be
full of Glory; they fhall not only have fome fuperfi-
cial Splendour upon their Countenance or Skin, as
MoJeSy when he had been with God forty Days and
forty Nights, in the holy Mountain; but they fhine,
within and without, -as a true Diamond, that cafts
abroad on all Sides its Light and Flames: So that it
lhall happen to them, as it happened to our Saviour
upon Mount 'Tabor ; for it is faid, that his Garments
became white as the Light. In the fame Manner, at
the Time of our Transfiguration, our Bodies, that

are

againft the Fears of DEATH. 413

are but Garments of our immortal Souls, (hall be as
clear as the Light, and as bright as the celeftial Globes.
I fpeak here nothing but what the Prophet Daniel
faid before me, Dan. xii. They that be wife Jhall Jhim
as the Brightnefs of the Firmament, and they that turn
many to Righteoufnefs, as the Stars for ever and ever.\
And our Saviour affures us, Matt, xxiii. The Children
cf God /hall Jhine in the Kingdom of their Father, as the Sun.
Thefe glorified Bodies fhall never corrupt nor pu-
trefy, but they fhall be for ever incorruptible. There-
fore St. Paul allures us, that this Corruptible muft put
en Information. So that I may fafely affirm, that their
Glory fhall be more durable than that of the Sun, or
of the Moon, or of the Stars. For though thefe celeftial
Bodies never corrupt, out, of any inward Principle;
though there can ne Alteration happen to them, neither
from their eflential Form, nor from the Properties that
iflue from it, nor from any other inherent Quality,
they fhall neverthelefs corrupt, out of an external
Principle; for the Almighty Hand of God, which
made them, fhall change and alter them, as the royal
Prophet tells us, in PJalm cii. I'he Heavens Jhall perijh,
but thou Jhalt endure ; yea, all of them fhall wax old like
a Garment; as a Vefture Jhalt thou change them, and they
Jhall be changed, 2 Pet. iii. The Heavens^ faith he, fhall
fafs away with a great Noife. Whereas the glorified Bo-
dies fhall never corrupt, neither by any internal-Prin-
ciples, nor by their eflential Form, nor by the Proper-
ties and Accidents that flow from it, nor by any ex-
ternal Caufe, or by any Accident whatfoever, that can
be imagined; for the Almighty Hand of God fhall
make them, never to marr them again. From thence
it follows, that they fhall die no more, but fhall con-
tinue immortal ; for with Incorruption they muft
put on Immortality. Therefore, when our Saviour
fpeaks of the State of the glorified Saints, Luke xx.
he faith not only, that they fhall not die ; but they cannot
die any more, becaufe they Jhall be like the Angels, being
the Children of the Refurreftion. In this confifts the

E e 3 Dif-

414 he CHRISTIAN'S Confolatians

Difference between them and thofe whom God hath
raifedup, already mentioned in the OA/and NewTefta-
ment. For they were forced to return to their fenfual
Life, to eat and drink, and therefore they were again
fubjecT: to Corruption and Death. But at the Day of
the general Refurrection, whatfoever is mortal fljall be
Jwalhwedup by Life; therefore St. Paid applies to this
glorious Day the Accomplifhment of this Prophecy,
Death is Jw allowed up in Viftory. And he brings in
thefe Perfons who fhall be clothed with this immor-
tal Glory, braving Death and the Grave, in this tri-
umphing Language, O Death, where is thy Sting I O
Grave, where is thy ViSloryl

In fhort, to make us fenfible that our Bodies fhall
put on the richefl and mod noble Qualities that can
be imagined, and to exprefs all in a Word, the Holy
Ghoft afiures us, that they fhall bear the Image of the
Son of God, and be made conformable to his glorious
Body. St. Paul declares this Truth, i Cor. xv. The
firft Man, faith he, 'was of the Earth, earthy ; the fe-
cond Man was the Lord from Heaven ; as is the Earthy ,
Juch are they that are earthy ; and as is the Heavenly,
Juch are they aljo that are heavenly ; and as we have
borne the Image of the Earthy, we Jhall aljo bear the
Image of the Heavenly. And in Phil. iii. he faith, IVe
wait for the Lord Jejus from Heaven, who fljall change
our vile Body, that it may bs like to his glorious Body.
From hence you may underftand, Chriftians, that at
the rebuilding of this little Temple of the Godhead,
there (hall happen no fuch Things, as at the rearing
up of the Temple at Jerufalem\ for when that was re-
building, at the Return from the Babylonijh Captivity,
they who had feen the former Temple, and its won-
derful Glory, wept aloud, and their Weeping inter-
rupted the others Expreffions of Joy and Gladnefs,
At the Reftoration of the Temple of our Bodies, no-
thing will be heard but Songs of Triumph and Jubi-
lee. Such as have feen with the Eyes of Faith, Man's
Body as it was in the State of its Integrity, in the

earthly

again/I the Fears of DEATH. 415

earthly Paradife, fhall not be then forry, that it hath
been defaced by Sin, and dertroyed by Death. They
(hall not be forry for anyThing that is pafTed ; they
ihall not be able to wifli for any Increafe of Happi-
nefs and Glory for the future; for at the very Inftant
of its riling from the Grave, it fliall be railed to its
higheft Splendour, Happinefs, and Magnificence; fo
that it fliall be truly faid, That the Glory of this Jecond
lioufejfjall be greater than that of the firji, Hag. ii.

Now that we have treated fufficiently offuch as fhall
rife from their Graves, it remains that we take a View
of them whole Bodies fhall never be laid in the Duft,
and who fhall be alive at Chrift's coming down from
Heaven: For that Purpofe St. Paul informs us, i Cor.
xv. Behold, I Jhew you a My ft cry, we Jhall not all fleep,
but we /ball be changed in a Moment, in the 'Twinkling of
an Eye, at the Sound of the loft Trumpet: And he fpeaks
in this Manner to the Thejfalonians, i ThefT. iv. For
this we Jay unto you, by the Word of the Lord, that we
which are alive, and remain unto the coming of our Lord,
Jhall not prevent them that are ajleep ; for the Lord him-
Jelf fhall dejcend from Heaven with a Shout, with the
Voice of the Archangel, and with the Trump of God, and
the Dead in Chrift Jhall rife firft ; then we which are
alive, and remain, Jhall be caught up together with them
in the Clouds, to meet the Lord in the Air, and we Jhall
ever be with the Lord; wherefore comfort one another
with thefe Words. I know very well, that St. Paul
tells the Hebrews, that it is appointed unto all Men once
to (lie: Therefore I conceive, that this great Change
that {hall be made in the Bodies of them that fhall be
then alive, fhall be a Kind of Death; for Chrift will
deftroy and abolifh altogether, in them, all Corrup-
tion and Inclination to Mortality. And when he fhall
change the Bodies of the Reprobates, he will make
them like to the other Reprobates, whom he fhall
fetch out of their Graves. He will make them im-
mortal, that they may be eternally tormented in Hell.
JJijt he will caufe the Bodies of Believers then alive to

E e 4 be

4 1 6 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

be like the other Believers, that they may all partake
and enjoy the fame Glory and eternal Blifs.

Chriftians, in what condition foever you be, fe-
rioufly apply to yourfelves, thefe divine Confolations.
You that are grieved to fee your Bodies maimed and
deprived of one of your Members, of your Eyes,
Hearing, or of fame other of your Senfes, whether
you be fo born, or whether fuch a Privation hath hap-
pened to you by a Difeafe, by a Mifchance, or by any
other Accident, rejoice and comfort yourfelves with
this AfTurance, that you (hall fee one Day this wretch-
ed Body reftored to a perfect State, to a Perfection
that fhall never be loft. You who fret and vex your-
felves, to behold how old Age and Sicknefs have dif-
figured your Bodies, what Breaches and Ruins they
have caufed in you, comfort yourfelves in Expecta-
tion of this glorious Refurrection, which fhall fup-
ply this decayed and languifhing Body with new
Strength and Vigour, and adorn it with a perfect
Beauty and an eternal Glory.

And you, whom Death undermines, and intends
ihortly to lay in the Duft, grieve not at it j for what
you lofe at prefent, you fhall find again at the great
Day of the Refurrection. When Jofeph died, he com-
manded his Brethren concerning his Bones, that they
fhould carry them out of Egypt into the Land of Ca-
naan. Now our Bones are the Bones of Jefus Chrift,
our true Jofeph. Therefore he will command his An-
gels to gather them up fafe, he himfelf wiil have a
Care to preferve them; at the great Morn of the Re-
furreetion, he fhall fetch them out of their Graves,
as out of an Egypt, out of an Houfe of Bondage, and
will carry them to his celeflial Canaan. When the
Tabernacle was taken in Pieces, the High-prieft de-
livered every Piece, in Charge to the Levites, fo that
when they were to let it up again, there was nothing
wanting. Likewife our Saviour hath given in Charge,
and delivered by Retail to our Tombs, every Mem-
ber and Part of our Bodies, thefe Tabernacles, which

agalnfl the "Fears of D E A T H . 417

he hath fan&ified for himfelf. Therefore they lhall
.all be found again at the Refurrection, without the
leaft Diminution. Thefe Tabernacles (hall not only
be found entire, but they lhall be beautified with a
far greater Glory and Splendour than before.

There is none but would be glad to lay himfelf
down to fieep in his Bed, and pull off his Garments
willingly, if he were certain to be more healthy, and
to find his Garments frcflier and more beautiful in the
Morning ; if he were perfuaded, that, inftead of old
Rags, he were to put on a Royal Attire, and mod
magnificent Garments. Who would not willingly go
out of a pitiful Cabin, and forfake a miferable Lodge,
which fhall be one Day changed into a golden Palace
adorned with precious Stones? Comfort thyfelf, be-
lieving Soul, and rejoice in God thy Redeemer; caft
off willingly this Garment that is fo incommodious
and troubiefome to thee. ' Forfake this wretched Bo-
dy, undermined by Sicknefs and Difeafes, and con-
fumed by Time. Sleep quietly in the Lord Jefus,
and repofe thyfelf in his Bofom; for when thou ihak
wake again at the Sound of the Archangel's Trum-
pet, thou {halt find this Garment whiter than Snow,
and as brighs as the Light. Grieve not to fee this
miferable Dwelling fall to pieces and rotj for God
fhall build it up again with his own Hands, and con-
vert it into his own Temple, and a Pavilion of his
Glory. Thou mayeft be faiei fhortly to return again,
and to find this woful Lodge of Earth become an
- heavenly Place, purer than fine Gold, and brighter
than Diamonds, Rubies, and all precious Stones.
Weep not for thy beautiful Eyes, that are fhut; nor
for the reft of thy Senfes, that are loft; or for the
Members of thy Body, that confume away one after
another. For with tnefe fame Eyes, that have loft,
or lhall Ihortly lofe the Sight of the Day, thou fhalt
behold a divine Light, that fhall fhine eternally, in
Heaven j thou fhalt behold the Face of the King of
and all the Glory and Magnificence of his

King-

4 1 3 ^be C H R i s T i A N 's Conjoint ions

Kingdom. With thefe Ears, that are almoft deaf,
and that fhall be fhortly flopped, thou fhalt hear,
with Tranfports of Joy, the ravifhing Harmonies of
the Saints, and the Songs of the blefled Angels. With
this Hammering Tongue, which is to lofe the Facul-
ty of Speech, thou fha-lt fmg with a loud Voice the
Praifes of Almighty God, in the glorious Company
of the Church Triumphing. With thefe unfteady
Hands, that can fcarce hold any Thing, thou fhalt
one Day receive immortal Palms, and golden Viols,
which thou fhalt never quit. With thefe Feet, that
are dying, and that can fcarce fupport thee, thou fhalt
follow the Lamb whitherfoever he goeth, and thou
jhalt walk about the Streets of the heavenly Jerufa-
hm. And this fame Body, that is going to rot, and
to be turned to Duft, lhall one Day fhine as the Fir-
jnament, and as the Sun in its greateft Splendour.

What defireft thou more, Chriftian Soul, for thy
Comfort ? What Addition can there be made to thine
Happinefs? Since thou art going to the Fruition of
eternal Joys, and of endlefs Pleafures in Heaven. In
the mean while, the Body fhall endure no Pain nor
Grief j and God will fhortly raife it up again from this
deep Sleep, that begins to dull thy Senfes, and clofe
thine Eye-lids. Shortly God will publifh the Year of
the great Jubilee 3 all the Priibns of Death fhall be
then opened, and the Prifoners fhall be fet at Liberty.
Thou ihak fhortiy hear the Sound of the laft Trum-
pet, thatfhail roufe thee out of the Duft, and caufe
thee to appear in the Prefence of thy great Redeemer.
Thou leavefl a wretched Body, full of Darknefs and
Corruption, affauited by Death on all Sides j but fhak
ihortly be made incorruptible, immortal, and adorned
with Light and Glory.

Let therefore thy Heart rejoice, thy Tongue be
glad, and thy Flelh reft in Hope ^ for the Lord will
not leave tHee always in the Grave, he will not fuf-
fcr thee to continue for ever in Duft and Corruption ,
he will not only difcover to thee the Ways of Life,

but

agalnfl the Fears of DEATH. 419

but he will fhortly come down himfejf from Heaven
to tranfport thee thither.

When Death fhall be upon thy Lips, when it ihall
be ready to lay thee in thy Grave, let not this difturb
the Quiet of thy Soul nor the Peace of thy Confid-
ence j let it not fhake thy precious Faith that keeps
thee up, nor drive thee from the Anchor of thy blef-
fed Hope fixed in Heaven^ where Jefus Chrift is en-
tered as thy Fore-runner. In fhort, when thy Body
fhall be all covered with Sores and Boils, as that of
Job Cy0xix.) when it fhall all fall To-pieces before
thine Eyes, let nothing hinder thee from crying out
with this patient Man, I know that my Redeemer liveth 3
and that he Jhall ftand at the latter Day upon the Earth-,
and though after my Skin, Worms deftroy this Body, yet in
my Flejhjhall I fee God, whom IJhallfee for myjelf, and
mine Eyes Jhall behold, and not another. And with St.
Paul, Phil. iii. We look from Heaven for the Saviour, the
Lord Jefus Chrift, who Jhall change our vile Bpdy, that
it may be fajhioned like unto his glorious Body, according
to the mighty Working, whereby he is able even to fiibdue
all Things unto himjelf.

A Prayer and Meditation of a Chriftian, who, being
ready to depart out of the World, comforts him-
felf with an Aflurance and Expeclation of the
glorious Refurrection of his Body from the Duft.

Eternal and divins Word ! by whom all Things
were created, and without whom was not any Thing
made that was made; thou haft not only formed our Souls ;
and fajhianed our Bodies with thy Jkilful Hands-, but*
when they were mijsrably loft and corrupted with Sin,
thou haft been pleafed to redeem both our Souls and Bo-
dies with thy moft' precious Blood, and to renew thy glo*
rious Image m us. This wretched Body is but an earthen
Vejfel; yet thoii haft indofed in it the richeft Treajure cf

fjft

420 The CHRISTIAN'S Cov/b/afions

Life and Light. Thou haft appointed it to be' the Temple
cf the Holy Ghoft, and a noble Pavilion of the Godhead,
to participate with the Soul in the eternal Happinefs of
tby Kingdom. I feel my Strength failing me ', and this earthly
'Tabernacle decaying every Day, and every Hour, fo that
J am certain it jhall be reduced to Duft. But, Lord,
I c.m Jis.fficiently comforted with this Knowledge, that if
the outward Man decays, the inward is renewed Day by
Day ; // this wretched Eody falls down fa Death, ihotc
wilt ratfe it up again at tke general RefurreSlion. My
Lord and my God, tbcu art Jufficiently able j for all
Power is given to thee in Heaven and in Earth, and
the Depths of the Sea. As the Father raifeth and quick-
eneih the Dead, thou doji alfo quicken them whcm thou
haft chofen. Thou haft fajhioned my Body of Duft, and
created this Duft of nothing -, and/halt not thou be able
of the fame Duft, into which this my Body ft: all be turned
by Death, to make and fajhion it again ? Thou haft by
thine Almighty Power created my Soul, and infufed it in-
to this Body , and canft not thou command it back again,
when it foall pleafe thee, to live for ever in a more
blejfed Society than before? Prince of Life, Death hath"
fufficiently felt in thy Perfon thy infinite Power. Its
Purpofe was to devour thee, but thou haft overcome it in
a glorious Manner. Thou haft yielded to die, but art
returned to live for ever and ever, and haft in thy Cufto-
dy the Keys of Hell and of Death, to open and Jhut, to
kill and make alive at thy Pleasure. Lordjefus! the
RefurretTtion and the Life, I know that thou art both
willing and able to deliver this Body cut of the Powor of
Death, and awake myfleeping Duft with the Sound of the
sir changer* Trumpet, as thou haft promifed. I expeff to
fee that glorious Day of thy Triumph, when accompanied
by all the mighty Angels of Heaven, thou wilt Jet at Li-
berty all the Prifoners of Death, and reftore to us again
all the Blejjings forfeited by Sin. The Sea and the Earth
jhall furrender unto thee the Bodies they have in their Cuf-
tody, and obey thy Commands. O omnipotent Word,
that made the Heavens end the Earth! Thou fnalt bs
leard, and operate effelually in cur Graves, that we

may

againft the "Fears of DEATH. 421

may march out, and ft and before the dreadful Tribunal.
We Jhall then appear not wrapt in our Winding- fleets,
as Lazarus, nor -with any Relicks of Infirmity, but with
Bodies mot ; beautiful, -perfect, and glorious, than for-
merly: So that we may have good Caufe to admire the
Glory of that fscond Building, which by thine Almighty
Power thou wilt rear cut of the Duft, and which will be
far greater than the prefent. For this infirm Body Jhall
be made conformable to the celeftial Body, this Corruptible
Jhall put on Incorruption, and this Mortality fo all be fw al-
lowed up by Immortality, and an eternal Life. I am
therefore fully perfuaded, my glorious Redeemer! that
with theje languijhing Eyes I JJoall behold thy magnificent
Coming in a Cloud, furrounded with Flames of Fire, and
fitting on a throne. With thefe Ears I Jhall hear the
terrible and loud Voice of the Archangel's Trumpet, and
the Songs of tke blejjed Companies of Heaven. With this
Tongue I hope to tune forth thy divine Praijes ; with thefe
dying Hands to embrace thee, my blejjed Saviour j and
with thefe trembling Feet, already in the Grave, I Jhall
follow thee into thy Heavenly Jerufalem; and this fame
Body, condemned to rot in a Tomb, JJjall one Dayfuine
in thy heavenly Kingdom. 1 am ready, Lord, to depart
hence, my Breath fails me, Death appears before me,
threatening to Jlrike the lajl Stroke ; but, notwithftanding
ail Difficulties and Objections, I know I Jhafll rife again
to behold thy Magnificence and Glory. Amen.

********** ***********************************
CHAP. XXII.

The Twelfth Confolation: 'The Deftruffion of Death, and
the eternal and moft blejjed Life which we Jhall enjoy
both in Soul and Body after cur RefurretJion.

WE have iufHciently treated of that Happinefs
which is prepared for our Souls at their De-
parture from the Bodies, and of the glorious Refur-
re6tion promifed to thefe Bodies, when Jefus Chriil
ihall come down from Heaven in his Glory to judge

the

422 *fhe CH R i s T ! A N *s Confolations

the Quick and the Dead. It feems that we have no-
thing more to fay; but as Mofes when he had made
the Ark ofShittim-wood, and lined it with fine Gold,
he put round about a Crown of Gold upon the Top ;
in the fame Manner, now that we have declared to
you the Incorruption and future Glory of our Bodies,
which are to be looked upon as a facred Ark, where
God's Majefty fhall dwell for ever; now that we have
fhewn how, by the Almighty and Gracious Power of
God, they fhall become more incorruptible than the
Shittim-wood, and more glorious than fine Gold $ I
will now, with God's Afiittance, draw about them a
Crown more precious than thepureft Gold, and richer
than all the Jewels in the World. I mean to crown
this Work, and intend to end it with as perfect a Pic-
ture as I am able to draw, of the eternal Glory and
Happinefs whch we expect to enjoy both in Soul and
Body, after our Refurrection. But firft, I fhall fay
fomethingof the entire and perfect Deftruction of all
our Enemies j and reprefent to you the Overthrow
and the final Conqueftover Death*

When Jefus Chrilt fhall appear again to judge the
World in Righteoufnefs, he fhall fit upon a glorious
and mofl fplendid Throne. Sohmoifs magnificent
Throne was but its Shadow, and imperfect Type
He fhall then fend forth his Angels, who fhall ga-
ther together the Eleff, with the Sound of a Trumpet,
from the four Parts of the World, and from one End
of the Heavens to the other. The Sight of this glo-
rious Saviour fhall then fill us with an unfpeakable
Joy, and caufe us to burfl forth into this Language,
Jfa. xxv. Lo y this is cur God -, ive have waited for him y
and he will fave us ; this is the Lord, we have waited
for him y we will be glad and rejoice in his Salvation.
But when all the Kindreds of the Earth fhall behold
this magnificent King in the Clouds of Heaven, with
Power and great Glory, they fhall lament and ftrike
their Breads in Defpair, they fhall call to the Moun-
tains and Rocks, Rev. vi. Fall upon us, and hide us
from the Face of him that fittetb upon the Throne, and

from

agalnft the Fears of DEATH. 423

from the Wrath of the Lamb ; for the great Day of his
Wrath is come ; who Jh all be able to ft and ?

Then the Lord (hall bring to Light the hidden
Things of Darknefs, and fhall manifeft the Thoughts
of the Heart, with the moft fecret Contrivances. The
Books lhall be opened, not only of the guilty Con-
fciences, where Satan's Image and Deeds fhall be en-
graven, but alfo the other Books, where God himfelf
hath written, with his own Finger, all our Aftions,
Words, and our moft hidden Thoughts. All Men
fhall be judged according to the Things written in
the Books. St. John declares this, in the xxth of the
Revelations : I Jaw a great white Throne, and him that
Jat on it, from whoje Face the Earth and the Heaven
fled away, and there was no Place for them j and 1 Jaw
the ~Dead, Jmall and great, ftand bejore God, the Books
were opened, and another Book was opened, which is the
Book of Life, and the Dead were judged out of thoje
Things which were written in the Books, according to
their Works. Unto this St. Paul agrees, We muft all
appear before the Judgment-Seat of Chrift, that every
one may receive in his Body according as he hath done t
whether it be good or evil.

There are three Sorts of Perfons who are to (land
before this glorious Tribunal : Such as never had any
other Tutor but Nature, who were not acquainted with
any other Works of God, but of Creation and Provi-
dence. For God hath not left himfelf without Witnefs
in doing Good. The fecond Sort have been affiftedwith
a divine Revelation from above, under the Law, which
hath diftinftly taught them what Works are pleafmg to
God. Thefe may have heard fomething of a Mefliah
from the antient Prophets, they may have feen his
Portraiture in the Types and Shadows of Mojes's Or-
dinances. The other Sort have had the Grace of God
clearly and plainly revealed to them, to .whom our
Lord Jefus Chrift hath brought Life and Immortality
to Light through the Gofpel. There are none of thefe
Perfons, if they have lived in Impiety and Debauchery,
and are dead in Impenitency, that /hall be able to ex-

cufe

424 ^be CHRISTIAN'S Gonfoloti&ni
cufe themfelves in this dreadful Day of Judgement,
But fome are. more guilty than others, therefore they
ihall be condemned to greater Punifhments.

The Knowledge that God hath beftowed upon Man
hath been obfcured by the Prince of Darknefs, but it
hath not been totally extinct ; and that Law which
God hath engraven in the Soul-of Man, hath not been
altogether blotted out, but there remain yet fome Re-
licks 5 fo that no Man living can affirm, that he hath
done all the good Deeds which his Confcience was
perfuaded that he ought to perform, and that he hath
omitted all the evil Acts of which his Confcience con-
vinced him. They who have lived and are dead with-
out any Law of God revealed to them, (hall be judged
without the Lav/. Such fhall be condemned for hav-
ing taken Pleafure in extinguifhing the Remains of
their natural Light, and in fmothering the good and
rational Dictates of their Confciences. They fhall
be condemed becaufe they have abufed Heaven's Fa-
vours and filled themfelves with God's good Creatures,
v/ithout returning to him due Thanks; and becaufe
they have not meditated as they ought, upon fomany
ftately and noble Works of Nature, nor learned by
that Means to know God, who has left in thefe Works
fo many Imprefilons of his eternal Power and God-
head ; and becaufe that; knowing God, they have not
glorified him as God. This St.- Paul teacheth in
thefe Words, As many as havj finned 'without Law,
jhall atyoperijb without Law, and as many as have finned
in the Law, Jhall be judged ly the Law (for when the
Gentiles which have not the Law, do by Nature theThings
contained in the Law, thefe, having not the Law, are
a Law unto themfelves, which fiew the- Work of the Law
written in_ their Hearts, their Confcience alfo bearing
Witnefs, and their Thoughts the mean while accufing or
elje excufing one another) in the Day when Qod Jhall judge
the Secrets of Men ly Jefus Cbrift, according to my Gofpely
Rom. ii.

They that profefs to know the Law, fhall be judged

by the Law; fuch as have already heard the Thunders

r of

agalnjl the Fears of DEATH. 4.25

of Mount Sinai, they fhall one Day feel the Thunder-
bolts. They fhall underftand by Experience what it is
to rebel againft God, and to draw upon themfelves,
and their guilty Heads, the dreadful Curfes of God's
Law, Deuf. xvii. Curfed is every one that continusth not
in all 'Things which are written in the Book of the Law to
do them, Gal. ii. There is no doubt but that the Jews,
upon whom Mojes and the Prophe-ts have fpent fo
many fruitlefs Exhortations to live well, lhall be pu-
niihed with fharper Torments than the poor Savages,
to whom God never fent any MefTage, who never had
any Acquaintance with the Commonwealth of Ifrael,
being Strangers from the Covenant, having no Hope,
and being without God in the World, Eph. ii. For
that Servant who knoweth his Matter's Will, and
doth it not, fhall be beaten with more Stripes than
he that knoweth it not, Luke xii.

But no People upon Earth have Caufe to expect and
dread a more fevere Sentence than wicked Chriflians
who make ProfeOion of knowing God, and believing
in Jefus Chrift, who nevertheless deny him by their
Works, and trample under Foot the Riches of his
Grace. How can it be otherwife? For fuch as have
heard the Gofpel preached, who have feen Jefus
Chrift as it were crucified before their Eyes, and yet
have made no Advantage of all this, ought to be pu-
nifhed in another Manner, than the bare Auditors of
Mofes, that never faw the Meffias but afar off, and
in the Shadows of the ceremonial Law. Take No-
tice of thefe divine Expreffions of St./***/ to the He-
brews, He that defpifed Mofes's Law, died without
Mercy under two or three Witneffes; cf how much forer
Puni/hment, fuppcfe ye, JJjall be be thought worthy, who
hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted
the Blood of the Covenant, wherewith he wasfanflified,
an "unholy Thing, and hath done Defpite to the Spirit of
Grace ? For we know him that hath /aid, Vengeance be-
longetb unto me, I will recompenfe, faith the Lord\ and
again, The Lord Jljall judge his People. It is a fearful
Thing to fall into the Hands of the living God. There -

F f fore

426 ffje CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

fore when St. Paul fpeaks of fuch as obey not the
Gofoel, he faith, c fhat they //jail be -punijhed with eter-
nal Punijhments from the Presence of God, and from the
Glory of his Power. And our Saviour teacheth us, that
fuch asreject fo great Salvation, fhall bepunifhedmore
grievoufly than the moft abominable Sinners, unto
whom it was never revealed. Thereforewhen he fends
forth his Apoftles to preach, he tells them, Whojoever
Jhall not receive you, and hear year Words , when you de-
part out of that Houfe or City, /hake off the Duft of your
Feet : Verily I jay unto you, it JJjall be more tolerable for
the Land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Judge-
ment, than fen that City. Likewifewhen he reproaches
the Incredulity and Impenitency of the Cities thatwere
not converted by the Preaching of his Gofpel, and the
Glory of his Miracles, he tells them, Mat. xi. Wounto
thee Chorazin! Wo unto thee, Bethfaida! for if the
mighty Works which have bscn done in you, had been done
in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in
Sackcloth and AJkes. But I fay unto you, it foall be more
tolerable for Tyre and Sidon, at the Day of Judgement)
than for you. And ihou Capernaum, which art exalted
unto Heaven, Jhall be brcught down to Hell. For if the.
mighty Works which have been done in thee, had been done
in Sodom, 'it would have remained unto this Day; but I
fay unto you, that it /hall be more tolerable fr the Land of
Sodom in the Day of Judgement than for thee.

The Great Judge of the Wor,ld (hall place at his
Left-hand all wicked Souls which have lived with-
out any Fear of God, and without exprefiiiig Charity
to the Members of his myftical Body; and fhall pro-
nounce to them this dreadful Sentence, Depart frcmme,
ye Curfed, into eternal Fire, prepared for the Devil andkis
Angels ; for I was an hungred, and ye gave me no Meat ;
Iwas^thirjly, andys gave me no Drink ; I was a Stran-
ger, and ye took me not in ; naked, and ye clothed me
not -, Jick and in Prifon, and ye vijited me not : Verily
I Jay unto you, inafmuch as ye did it not to one of the
leaft of thefe } ye did it not to me. But the Faithful, who

have

againfl the Fears cfDEATtf. 427

have witnefled their Faith by a good and holy Life,
and by Works of Charity and Mercy, he will place
at his Right-hand, and, iri the Prefence of God, and
all his holy Angels, he fliall fay unto them, Come,
ye Blejfed of my Father ; inherit the Kingdom prepared for
you from the Beginning of the World, for I was an hun-
gered and ye gave me Meat; I was thirfty-, and ye gave
me Drink; 1 was a Stranger, and ye tock me in ; naked >
and ye clothed me-, I was fick, and yc vifited me ; I was
in Prifon, and ye came unto me. Verily I Jay unto yen,
inafmuch as ye have done it unto one of the leafl of theje my
Brethren, ye have done it unto me.

There be fome that make this Queftion, What

Sign fhall precede immediately, or accompany the

Coming of Chrift in the World ? Our Saviour hath

given Occafion to this Demand; for when he fpeaks

of the Things that are to happen about the Time of

his glorious Appearance, he faith, 'That the Sun Jhall

be darkened, the Me on jh all not give Light, the Stars Jh all

fall from Heaven, and the Powers of the Heavens Jhall be

fljaken, and then Jhall appear in Heaven the Sign of ihs

Son of Man.

Some imagaine that this Sign of the Son of Man
is the Sign of the Crofs, which will be vifible in the
Air. This Opinion in itfelf is harmlefs ; but in re-
gard that it hath no Foundation in holy Scripture, I
am not to infift upon it. Others believe that it (hall
be the Fire with which Jefus Chrift fhall burn the
Earth, diflblve the Elements, and punifh Unbeliev-
ers. This Conceit is grounded upon St.PauI'rWord*
to the TheJJalonians, i Thef. i. // is a righteous Thin?
with God to recompenfe Tribulation to them that trouble
you, and to you who are troubled., Kejt with us-, when
the Lord Jefus Jhall be revealed from Heaven with his
mighty Angels in flamingl 1 ire, taking Vengeance on them
that know not God, and that obey not the Gofpel of our
Lord Jefus Chrift. Others conceive, that the Sign of
this Son of Man is nothing elfe but the Body of Je-
fus Chrift, bearing and discovering the Print of the
Nails in his Hands and Feet, and the Wound of the

F f a Spear

428 he CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

Spear in his Side. This they gather from thefe Words?
in Rev. \. Beheld he cometh with Clouds , and every Eye
Jhall fee him^ and they alfo which pierced him. There
be others yet, that take it in another Senfe, and be-
lieve that there (hall be no particular Sign, but that
we mufl underftand by this Sign of the Son of Man,
all thofe Things which fhall declare the End of the
World, and the Coming of Jefus Chrift to judge
the Quick and the Dead. If we take the Words in
this Senfe, there will be an excellent Allufion to that
which is commonly praflifed, when Kings and Princes
make their publick Entry into great Cities; for their
coming in is proclaimed by the Sound of a Trum-
pet, and by the Attendants of Majefly, a Train and
Pomp that ufually accompanies it. In the fame Man-
ner, the glorious Coming of Jefus Chrift fhall be
known by the Sound of the Archangel's Trumpet,
and by the Signs and wonderful Alterations which
ihall fuddenly happen in the Heavens. This laft Opi-
nion is very likely, and the former is not contrary to
the Analogy of Faith.

Therefore in Matters indifferent, not plainly de-
cided by the Word of God, we leave to every pious
Soul a Liberty to choofe that which it likes belt.

Some. enquire farther, if the Souls of the Damned
go down into Hell immediately after their Egrefs
out of the Body, and are tormented in an unquench-
able Fire, whereof the Heat never leffens, as the
Chriflian Religion teacheth, and as we may under-
ftand by the Parable of the rich Glutton; doth it
not follow, that thefe Wretches -are already judged?
How is it then, that the Son of God will judge them
again at the laft Day, and fend them to an everlafting
Burning prepared for the Devil .and his Angels ?
I anfwer, Firit, That it is no abfurdity to fay, that
one Sentence fhall be pronounced twice; for Men
are wont to read the Sentence of Doom to the Pri-
foner, before he is taken out of Prifon ; afterwards
the fame Sentence is published in the Audience of
the. People, at the Time of Execution. Likewife,

when

ag&inft the Fears of D E A T H . 42 9

when the Souls of the Wicked depart out of their
wretched Bodies, God pronounceth to them the Sen-
tence of Death; but when Jefus Chrift fhall fit upon
the Throne of his Glory, he fhall publifh the fame
Sentence before all the Men of the World, and all
the Angels of Heaven. Befides, that Sentence was
never declared but to the Soul ; but then it lhall be
declared to both Soul and Body, and both together
fhall be fent to the everlafting Burning, from whence
they never fhall be releafed. From hence, therefore,
Chriftians, you may underftand, that there are three
Degrees of Punifhment or Torments to the Wicked ;
for in this Life they have a Worm that gnaws their
Bowels and Heart, and a Kind of Hell, where they
fuffer unfpeakable Torments. At that Time their
Bodies are fenfelefs in their Graves, as the Bodies of
the Righteous; but at this laft and dreadful Day of
Judgement, as the Grave fhall reftore all the DeadBo-
dies, Hell, which is the Place defigned for theTor-
ments of the Damned, fhall give up all the Souls that
are tormented in its Flames; and thefe curfed Souls
fhall be fent back to their Miferable Bodies to fuffer
the Pangs of an eternal Death, Rev. xx. Thus they
ihall be can: Body and Soul into the Bottomlefs Pit,
where there is Weeping and gnafhing of Teeth. At
that Time the Beaft, the falfe Prophet, and all the
Enemies of God and of his Church, fhall be caft alive
into the Lake burning with Fire and Brim ftone, which
is the fecond Death, Rev. xx. 10, u. And when all
thefe Offenders fhall be executed, the Executioners
the mfelves fhall be punifhed for their Crimes ; when
the Damned fhall be caft into Eternal Tortures, the
Devils and infernal Furies fiiall be fent after them ;
as it is faid, The Devil who f educed the Nations, Jhall
be caft into the Lake of Fire and Brimftone, where the
Beaft and the falfe Prophet are, and Jhall be tormented
Day and Night for ever and ever. Rev. xx. 10. What
a dreadful Sight will it be to look upon all thofe roar-
ing Lions, thofe furious Dragons in their Rage vo-

F f 3 miting

43 *be CHRISTIAN'S Confections
miting forth Fire and Flames? What a joyful Spedta-
c!e lhall this be to the Children of God, to look upon
thefe infernal Devils, bound faft with thofe Chains
which they fhall never be able to break, and (hut up
in the bottomlefs Pit, out of which they never fhall
be releafed !

Our Lord fhall caft into this Lake of Fire and
Brimftone, and fhut up in this Bottomlefs Pit, not
only the Devil and his Angels, the Bead and the falfe
Prophet, and in general all wicked Souls and Unbe-
lievers, but he fhall caft therein alfo Death and the
(Grave, or rather, he fhall aboliih them for ever. As
Jojhua when he conquered the Kings of the Amorites y
put them not to Death until he had overcome all his
Enemies; likewife our Lord Jefus Chrift, our true
JoJhHdy has encountered with Death upon the Crofs,
and overcome it by his Refurredion; but he will not
tleftroy it altogether until the laft Day, when he fhall
come to judge the World. Then to perfect all his,
glorious Victories, he lhall deftroy this laft Enemy,
this Deftroyer of his Brethren, and of his Members ;
ib that Death Jhall be no mere. It fhall be no more
for the Wicked, they fhall .feek it in vain to be freed
from their Torments. It fhall fly away from them
as a Shadow that departs, and is no more to be found.
Death fhall be no more for God's Children 3 for it
ihall never difturb their Reft and Happinefs.

If the old Serpent could enter into Paradife, we
Ihould fear his Temptations and inflamed Darts ; and
if Death continued in its Empire, we fhould dread its
Approaches: But then it fhall not have the leaft Pow-
er, it fhall be totally abolifhed; and all the Living
ihall become immortal. And although God will not
deftroy the Being, nor take away the Malice of the
Devil; yet to us he fhall be as if he were not; for he
ihall never be able to break his Chains, or to efcape
out' of his Prifon; and between him and us there fhall
be Depths that can never be filled. So that as Mcfes
vvhen he caft his Eye upon Pbaraob and the Egyptians >

againjl the Fears of DEATH. 431

who purfued the frighted Ifraelites, he told them, Stand
fall, and fee the Salvation of the Lord, which he will
Jkew to you To-Day ; for the Egyptians, whom you have
Jeen To-Day , ye Jhall fee them again no more for ever ;
likewife when ye think upon Satan y and all his infer-
nal Armies thatpurfue you, you may fay with Confi-
dence, Settle your Minds, Chriftian Souls, and with
the Eye of Faith behold the Salvation of the Lord;
for thefe hellifh Furies, that have perfecuted you fo
long, fhall be reduced to that Condition, that they
fhall not be able to do you the lead Difpleafure, or to
give you any Apprehenfion. God is going to drown
them in the Red-fea of his Wrath, and to fhut them
up for ever in the bottomlefs Pit of his juft Revenge.
So that, as in the heavenly Paradife, there fhall be
neither Pain, nor Sorrow, nor Grief, nor Crying, nor
Sighs heard, likewife there fliall never be any Fear or
Fright, or the lead Alarm; but we fhall live there in
a fettled Peace and Quiet for ever.

It is reported of the Macedonians, that they wept for
Joy, when they beheld their King Alexander the Great
feated on the Throne of Darius, and trampling under
Feet the Pride and Empire of Perjia. But how ex-
ceeding great lhall our Joy be, when we fhall behold
Jefus Chrift, our great Monarch, fitting upon the
Throne of God, and trampling under Feet the Pomp
of the World, crufhing the Red Dragon, and all the
tyrannical Powers of Hell! The Glory of Alexander
vanifhed away with his Breath ; Death deftroyedallhis
Trophies: But our Lord fhall triumph over Death it-
felf; it fhall be thelaft Ad of his eternal Juftice, to
deftroy the great Murderer from the Beginning.

At that Time there fhall be no more Enemies to
encounter with, no Evils to be feared, neither fhall
there be any Advantages to be defired, nor Honours
to be expected; for God will admit us to the bot-
tomlefs Ocean of the moft divine Pleafures, and raife
us up to the highefl Glory that Nature fhall be ca-
pable of. This Happinefs, and this Glory, fhall be
infinite in regard of its Durance. It fhall not be like

F f 4 the

432 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

the Pomp and Magnificence of the Kings and Princes
of this World, which vanifhed away in an Inftant,
nor like to the Brightnefs of Mojes's Face, which
departed with his Life; nor like the Transfigura-
tion of Chrift upon Mount I'abor, which foon difap-
peared. For when it fhall have continued as many
hundred Ages as there are Stars in the Firmament,
it fhall then but begin and appear in its Rifing; fo
that there we may have juft Caufe, and more Rea-
Ibn than St.Peter, to fay, Lord y it is good for us fo be
here. There is no Place in the World fo pleafant and
delightful, but at laft one fhall be weary to con-
tinue in itj nor Company fo amiable and fweet, but
becomes tedious 1 in Time; nor Pleafure foravifhing,
but gives a Diftafte. The greateft: Perfons on Earth
ligh under the Burden of their Greatnefs; the Bright-
nefs of their Glory dazzles them: When nothing trou-
bles them, they are troubled of. their own Accord,
and their mofl magnificent Triumphs difturb and
weary them. Oft-times their Heart groans in the
midft of the greateft Acclamations, and publick Ap-
plaufe; they think themfelves more unhappy than
thofe who envy their apparent Happinefs. For all
that fhines is not Gold; the mod beautiful Rofes are
not without their Prickles, and many Times they hide
dangerous Serpents.

As the Glory and Happinefs of Paradife is infinite
in regard of its Durance, fo in refpect of its Dignity
and Excellency. For God will not only fatisfy all our
Defires, and anfwer all our Expectations, but he will
alfo give to us above all that we can afk or think.

Shall I undertake to paint out unto you this Glo-
ry, and perfect Happinefs? When St. Paul fpeaks
of thefe Evangelical Myfteries, he afiures us, that
they are Things that the Eye of Man hath never
feen, that his Ear hath never heard, and that never
entered into his Heart, i Cor. ii. If this hath been
fpoken of the Doctrine that reveals this Glory and
eternal Happinefs 5 how are we able to comprehend

the

againft the Fears of DEATH. 433
the Glory and Happinefs itfelf? Therefore the fame
Apoflrle tells us in another Place, 'That Godwotketbin
us abundantly, above that we are able to ajk or think,
Eph. iii. I cannot boaft of having fpoken with God
Face to Face, as Mofes, Numb. xi. of having been ra-
viflied, as St. Paul, into the third Heaven, i Cor. xii.
God hath not carried me up, as St.Jobn, into the ce-
leftial Jeriijalem\ neither hath he delivered to me, as
to his holy Angels, a Reed to m'eafure the holy City.
But when I fhould have enjoyed thefe glorious Privi-
leges, this divine Entertainment, thefe fupernatural
Elevations, when I fhould have walked about, and
taken a full View of the celeflial Jenifalem^ when I
fhould have been in the Company of the Seraphimsthat
fly about God's Throne, when I fhould have beheld
God Face to Face, although I werethemofteloquentof
all Men, and fpoke with the Tongues of Angels, and
had in my Hand the Pencil of an Archangel, I fhould
not dare to undertake to reprefent this exceeding great
Glory, nor to paint out to you the Brightnefs of that
heavenly Light; whereof the lead Beam is able to
dazzle me. St. Paul had been near the Body of this

freat Light; he had beheld the Riches and Glory of
aradife; yet he confefleth, that they be Things not
to be exprefled by any Tongue.

But as thofe who cannot caft their Eyes directly to
look upon the Sun, becaufe it blinds them with its ex-
ceeding great Light, behold its body with moreEafe
and Leifure in the Water, or in a Looking-glafs; thus
we fhall confiderand look upon the Images which God
himfclf hath exprefted for us in his holy Word, of this
divine Brightnefs of Heaven, which we are not able
otherwife to comprehend. For God hath dealt with
us as aFatherdoth with his young Babes, who babbles
with them, and reprefents to them the Light of the
Sun with a black Coal; or as the Attrologers, who re-
prefent the heavenly Conftellations by the Figure of
Birds, or four-footed Beads, and of creeping Things.

For

434 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

For nothing can enter into our Underftanding, but
by the Door of our Senfes; therefore fpiritual and ce-
]eflial Things are reprefented under the Notion of cor-
poreal and earthly Enjoyments, which we paffionately
love. And becaufe there is not oneThing here below,
that can exprefs to us the Glory and Happinefs of Para-
dife ; fo many Perfections are not to be found in any
one Enjoyment ; therefore the Holy Ghoft gathers
together all the Excellencies, Riches, and Beauty, fcat-
tered about in the inferior Creatures, and borrows the
Ideas and Notions of thofe Things that are rareft and
moft glorious, and thatgiv 7 cus thegreateft Pleafureand
Satisfaction, to reprefent to us the Glory of Heaven.

To begin, in the firft Place with the Word Para-
dife-y itjignifies a delightful and a pLeafant Garden, it is
often made ufe of to exprefs to us the Joys and Hap-
pinefs of the Life.to come, and to make us fenfible,
that what we have loft by Adam, is reftored to us by
Jefus Chrift. Our Lord and Saviour, who is Good-
nefs itfelf, fhall beftow upon us another Eden, another
Garden of Pleafure, watered with living Water. In
the Midft of it is the Tree of Life, that brings forth
its Fruits every Month. Inftead of an earthly Para-
dife, fubj eft to Change, we fhall find an heavenly and
an unchangeable Paradife. The earthly Paradife is no
more to be feen ; it is thought that it was fwallowed
up and deflroyed by the Waters of the Deluge ; but
the heavenly Paradife can never be deftroyed by the
fierceft Fire, nor by the moil fwelling Waves. It is
above all Winds, Storms, and Tempefts: Therefore
St.Peter aflures us that it is an incorruptible Inheri-
tance, that fadeth not .away. It hath no need of an
elemental Water; for it is watered every where with
the River of living Water, that proceeds 'from the
Throne of God and the Lamb. And whereas Che-
rubims, armed with a flaming Sword, flood at the
Entrance of the earthly Paradife, to hinder Adam from
approaching near to the Tree of Life, and from ga-
thering of its Fruits; now whole Legions of Cheru-

bims

againfl tie 'Fears 0/* D E A T H . 435

Ibims are to carry us up upon their Wings to the true
Tree of Life which ftands in the Midft of the hea-
venly Paradife; and Jefus Chrift himfelf, the Prince of
all the Angels, of all the Cherubims and Seraphims,
promifeth to admit us topartakeof itsdelicious Fruits,
by thefe blefled Words, To him that Jhall overcome, I
will give him to eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the
Midft of tbe Paradife of God.

It is the common Cuftom of Men to have an high
Efteem of beautiful and great Cities, whereof the
Buildings are ftately, and the Inhabitants numerous:
Therefore the Jews were wont to boaft of Jerufalem,
and to call it, The City pcrfeff in Beauty, The Joy of the
whole Earth. Therefore the Holy Ghoft reprefents to
us the Glory and Happinefs of Heaven, by a City
which he names Jerufa /em. And St. Paul, in his Epi-
file to the Hebrews makes the fame Allufion. For
when he had faid, T&at Abraham by Faith hadfojourn-
ed in the Land of Promife.. as in a ftrange Country, dwell-
ing in Tabernacles with Ifaac and Jacob, tl?e Heirswitb
him of the fame promife ; he adds immediately after,
For he looked for a City which hath Foundations, whofs
Builder and. Maker is God>. and a little after, God is
not ajhamed to be called their God; for he hath prepared
for them a City, Heb. xi. And in the xiith Chapter of
the fame Epiftle, he fpeaks to Believers in this Man-
ner; Te are come to Mount Sion, and unto the. City of
the living God, the heavenly Jerufalem, and to an innu-
merable Company of Angels. And elfewhere, We have
. no continuing City here below, but we feek one' to come,
Heb. xiii. 14.

God is pleafedj not only to defcribe to us our fu-
ture Paradife, under the general Notion of a City, and
of Jerufalem, but he difcovers to us its heavenlyBeau-
ty, its Glory, and Magnificence. You cannot find
a richer and more excellent Image than that of St.
John, who himfelf had been a Spectator of the New
Jerufalem, and had beheld all its Rarities and Won-
pers. For when the Angel, who had in his Hand

2 a goldea

436 Y6e CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons
a golden Reed to meafure this glorious City, had faid
unto him, Come, 1 will foew thee the Spcufe, the Wife of
the Lamb; he carried him in the Spirit to an high
Mountain, from whence he had a profpect of this great
and holy C'rtyjerufalem, which came down from Hea-
ven from God, decked as a Spoufe prepared for her
Hufband, having the Glory of God and his Light.
This faithful Witnefs allures us, that its Buildings,
and the Streets of this blefled City, were all of fine
Gold, as bright as Cryftal; its Foundations were of
precious Stones; its twelve Gates were twelve Pearls ;
at each of them flood an Angel of God. This holy
City had no need of the Light of the Sun, or of the
Light of the Moon ; for the Light of God enlightens
it, and the Lamb is the Light thereof: There is no
Temple therein, for the Lord God Almighty and the
Lamb are the Temple of it.

It is our Delight to abide in {lately and magnificent
Houfcs, and in rich and glorious Palaces: Therefore
Paradife is exprefTed to us by a Dwelling, and by a
Palace, which God himfelf hath built with his own
Hands. This is the Picture the Royal Prophet re-
prefrnts to us in Pfal. Ixv. when he fpeaks of God's
Houfe, and of the holy Place of his Palace. And St. Paul
doth the like in i Ccr. v. when he faith, We know that
if our earthly Houfe of this Tabernacle were diffolied, we
have a Building of God, an Houje not made with Hands,
eternal in the Heavens. And our Saviour, when he
was ready to leave the World, comforts his Apoilles
in this Manner; In my Father 's Houfe are many Man-
Jions-, 1 go to prepare a Place for you. And St. John
heard a mighty Voice from 'Heaven, faying, Behold
the Tabernac.e /?/ Gcd is with Men ; he Jhall dwell with
them, and they ft all be his People ; and Gcd himfelf Jhall
be with them, and be their God.

Every one defires to be rich; there be fome that
efteem it their chief Happinefs; therefore the Holy
Ghoft reprefents the Happinefs of Heaven under the
Notion of Riches and Treafure: Our Saviour himfelf

fpeaks

agalnjl the "Fears 0/* D E A T H . 437
fpeaks of it in this manner, in the vith of St. Mat-
thew; Lay not up for your f elves Treafures upon Earth,
where Moth and Rufl doth corrupt, and where Thieves
break through andfteal : but lay up for yourfelves Trea-
Jures in Heaven, where neither Moth nor Ritft doth cor*
rupt., and where Thieves do 'not break through and fteaL
Therefore when the Holy Ghoft defcribes Heaven's
Glory, and mentions Gold, Pearls, and precious
Stones, it hath a Regard to' this Notion.

And becaufe Men are for the mod Part defirous of
Honours, Greatnefs, and Dignities; and that there
is nothing in the World more efteemed than Sceptres
and Crowns; therefore the Glory of Heaven is ex-
prefled by a Kingdom, by Thrones, Crowns, and
Triumphs. Our Saviour fpeaks in this Language to
his Apoftles, To you who have continued with me in my
Afflictions, I appoint a Kingdom , as my Father hath ap-
pointed unto me, Luke xxii. In another Place he fpeaks
of all his Church in general, Fear not, little Flock',
for it is your Father's Pleajure to give you the Kingdom,
Luke xx. And at the 1 aft Day he will fay, Come yc,
BleJJed ,of my Father; inherit the Kingdom prepared for you,
from the Foundation of the World, Matth. xxv. And
to the Angel of his Church at Smyrna, and the faith-
ful Souls, this Divine Saviour makes this Promife;
Be thou faithful unto Death, and I will give thee a
Crown of Life, Rev. ii. And to the Angel of the
Church of Lao dice a; To 'him that overcometh will I
grant to fit with me in my Throne, even as I alfo over-
came, and amfet down with my Father in his Throne,
Rev. iii. And St. Paul tells us, That we run to obtain
an incorruptible Crown, i Cor. ix. And when he faw
himfelf at the hnd of his Race, he cries out, I have
fought the good Fight, I have finijhed my Courfe, I have
kept the Faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown
of Right ecufnefs, which the Lord, the righteous Judge,
Jhall give me at that Day, and not to me only, but unto
all them alfo that love his Appearing, 2 Tim. iv. And
St. James fpeaks in the fame Language, Ble/ed is the
5 Man

43 8 T&f CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

Man that endureth Temptation; fcr when be is tried, he
foall receive the Crown of Life, which the Lord hath pro-
mijed to them that love him, J ames i. Finally, we read
that the glorified Saints Xavi- Palms in their Hands,
and Crowns of Gold upon & it Heads, and in their
Mouths Songs of Praife : They fpeak thus to cur-Sa-
viour: 'Thou haft redeemed us to God ly thy Blood, cut of
every Kindred, and tongue > and People, and Nation ; and
baft made us to our God, Kings and Priefts-, and we JhalL
reign on Earth, Rev. iv. 4.

The great Men of the World delight in gorgeous
Apparel, Come in perfumed Garments ; therefore the
Holy Ghoftcondefcends to this Weaknefs of Man, and
promifeth in Heaven Robes more fragrant than the
Perfumes of Arabia. He promifeth a Garment whiter
than Snow, and brighter than the Light itfelf. And So-
lomon, when he confiders his Spoufe as the Type of the
Church, he faith, 'The King's Daughter is full of Glory
within ; her Clothing is of wrought Gold ; Jhe Jhall be
I r ought unto the King in Raiment of Needle-work.

And when God himfelf fpeaks of the Glory of his
Church, which he begins now, and will perfect here-
after, he faith, that he hath adorned her with Gold,
Silver, and precious Stones; that he hath clothed her
\vithfine Linen, with Silk and Needle-work. There-
fore the Church fpeaks in this manner : I will greatly
rejoice in the Lord, my Soul (hall be joyful in my
God ; for he hath clothed me with the Garments of
Salvation -, he hath covered me with the Robes of
Righteoufnefs, as a Bridegroom decketh himfelf with
Ornaments, and as a Bride adorneth herfelf with her
Jewels. And if you take Notice of fuch as ftand be-
fore the Throne of God, and the Prefence of the
Lamb, that worfhip him Day and Night in his Tem-
ple, you will find them clothed with long Robes,
whitened in the Blood of the Lamb. Look alfo upon
that magnificent Woman of the Revelations, the
true Type and Reprefentation of the Church, and
you fhall fee her clothed with the Sun, and a Crown

egatnft tie "Fears of DEATH. 439

of twelve Stars upon her Head. In a Word, hearken to
the Song of the glorified Saints, and you (hall hear them
fpeaking to one another, Let us be glad and rejoice, and
give Honour to God; for the Marriage of the Lamb is come,
find his Wife hath made herfelf ready ; and to her was
granted, thatjhejbould be arrayed in fine Linen, clean and
white; for the fine Linen is the Right eoufnefs of Saints.

Men commonly love good Chear, and to partake
of fumptuous Feafts ; therefore the heavenly Delights
are reprefented to us under the Notion of delicious
Meats, and exquifite Drinks, of noble Feafts, and
magnificent Banquets. In this manner the Royal Pro-
phet fpeaks to them in the xxxvith Pfalm. How excel-
lent is thy Loving-kindnefs, Cod! Therefore the Chil-
dren of Men put their Truji under the Shadow of thy
Wings ; they Jball be abundantly Jatisficd -with the . \tfnefs
of thy Ho ufe, andthou Jhalt make them drink of the River
of thy Pleafures. And in the Ixvth Pfalm, Blefled is the
Man whom thou chujeft, and caujeft to abroach unto thee,
that he may dwell in thy Courts; he /hall be fatisfied with
the Goodnefs of thy FLoufe, even of thy holy 'Temple. And
the Prophet !Jai<ih fpeaks in the fame Language, Inthis
Mountain Jhall the Lord of Hofts make unto all People a
Feaft of fat Things; a Feaft of Wine on the Lees, of fat
things full of Marrow, of Wine en the Lees well refined*
This Confideration caufeth a Doftor in the Gofpel to
fay, BleJJed is he that Jhall eat Bread in the Kingdom of
Heaven. And our Saviour himfelf faith, that many (hall
come from the Eajl and from the Weft ; and Jhall fit at
Table in the Kingdom of Heaven with Abraham, Ifaac,
and Jacob. Ahafuerus's Feaft continued an v hundred
Days ; but the Feaft which we fhall celebrate in Hea-
ven, and which hath been preparing from the Foun-
dation of the World, fhall continue for all Eternity.

Of all Feafts, fuch as are for nuptial Solemnities
aremoftefteemed, when they are for Kings and Princes
of the Earth ; for on fuch Occafions there are the
greateft and moft extraordinary Rejoicings ; therefore
the Happinefs of Heaven is exprefied by a Marriage.

Our

44 *The CHRISTIAN'S Conftlations

Our Saviour himfelf makes Ufe of this Comp'arifon
in the xiiith Chapter of St. Matthew. The Kingdom
cf God, faith he, is like unto a King which made a Mar-
riage for his Son. This caufed the glorious Church
to fpeak in this Manner ; Let us rejoice and be glad, and
give Glory to the Lord our God', for the Marriage of the
Lamb is come. Finally, the Holy Ghoft hath com-
manded to write and record thefe Words for ever;
Blejfed are thoje that are called to the Marriage Feaft of
the Lamb,

Some Perfons are very much delighted with the
fweet and pleafant Concerts of Mufick: Therefore the
Holy Ghoft, to fignify tons that in Heaven there (hall
be all Manner of Pleafures and nothing wanting, tells
us, that about God's Throne Millions of Angels and
glorified Saints lhall fing forth the divine Praife. Be-
iides he acquaints us with the Subftariceof their hea-
venly Songs: When IJaiah mentions thefe wonderful
Seraphims that fly round about God's glorious Throne,
he faith, That they cry one to another ; Holy, Holy, Holy,
Lord God of Hofts, the -ivhole Earth is full of thy Glory.
And when St. John fpeaks of thole glorified Saints, he
faith that they ftand before his magnificent Throne,
playing with their Harps, and finging a new Song,
that it is to fay, a mod rare and excellent Song ; and
that they have always in their Mouths the Song of
Mofes and of the Lamb; and that Heaven itfelf re-
founds with their facred Hallelujahs, which fignifies,
Praife God, or Set forth the.Praifes of God. There is no
ingenuous Soul but loves Peace and Reft ; for this Caufe
the Glory and Happinefs of Paradife is reprefented
under this lovely and pleafant Notion, as in the ivth
Chapter of the Hebrews ; For we which have believed^
do enter into Reft, as he f aid, As 1 have fworn in my
Wrath, if they Jhall enter into my Reft. For if Jefus
had given them Reft, then would he not afterwards have
fpoken of another Day; there remaineth therefore a Reft
to the People cf God; for he that is entered into his Reft,
be alfo bath ceafed from his own Works^ as God did from

his a

agdmft the "Fears of DEATH. 441
bts. Let us labour therefore to enter into that Reft. This
caufed old Simeon to cry out, Lord, now letteft thouthy
Servant depart in Peace. Finally, the holy City is called
Jerufalem, which fignifies a Vifion of Peace-. And God
himfelf makes this Promife, Behold, I will extend Peace
to her as a River, Ifa. Ixv. Wherefore if this Peace which
God grants to believing Souls in this Life, furpaffeth all
Underflanding, PhiL iv. what may we judge lhall be
the full Enjoyment of an eternal Peace in the King-
dom of Heaven ? The Tongue* of Men and Angeb
are not able to exprefs its Dignity and Excellency.

Laftly, Becaufe Men are Lovers of Pleafures, De-
lights, and Pomp; and that the moft Part feek for
nothing but how to drive away their Sorrows, and to
recreate themfelves with Paftimes; therefore the Fe-
licities of Paradife arc reprefented by Rejoicings, Plea-
fures, and eternal Solemnities, as in PJal. xxxvi. I'hou
foalt caufe them to drink of the River of thy Pleafure.
And in Pfalm cxxvi. They thatfow in 'Tears, /ball reap
in Joy. And God himfelf, fpeaking of that moft
blefled Time, faith, Behold, 1 create new Heavens and
a new Earth ; and the former Jhall not be remembered, nor
come into Mind ; but be you glad and rejoice for ever in
that which I create-, for, behold, I create Jerufalem a
Rejoicing; and her People a Joy. Therefore when the
Holy Glioft reprefents the Condition of the glorified
Saints, he declares not only, that God will wipe away
all Tears from their Eyes, and that there fhall be no
more Sorrow, nor Crying, nor Labour, nor Pain,
nor Grief; but he adds, over and above, that in their
Mouths there fhall be Songs of Praife, and upon their
Heads an eternal Joy of Gladneis like to a precious
Crown, which fhall never be taken from them. For
this Caufe they call ib earneftly upon one another,
Let us be glad e.nd rejoice, and give Glory to the Lor dour
God, Rev. xix.

All our Senfes (hall partake in thefc heavenly and
everlafting Pleafures; our Eyes fhall behold with
Tranfports of Joy the facred Countenance of our

Gg Re-

442 fhe CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons
Redeemer, the Riches and wonderful Beauty of his Pa-
lace, the Glory and Magnificence of his Empire; our
Ears lhall be delighted with the Mufick of the blefifed
Saints, and with the Harmonies of Angels, and of
the Church triumphant: our Smelling fhall receive
the fweet Perfumes of the Bridegroom, whofe Gar-
ments are of Myrrh, and the grateful Odours of his
Vine always blofibming. Our Palate fhall tafte the
Bread of Angels, the hidden Manna, the Fruits of the
Tree of Life, the Waters ifiuing forth to everlafting
Life, and the new Wine of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Our Hands fhall embrace the Saviour of the World,
and with our Feet we fhall walk about the Streets of
that golden City, the heavenly Jerufalem, and we (hall
follow the Lamb wherefoever he goeth, Rev. xiv.

Although I fpeak to you in this Manner, I am
perfuaded, Chrijlian Souls, that you underiland very
well, that thefe Expreffions, and fuch like, are not to
be underftood in a literal Senfe j they are but dark
Shadows, and imperfect Images, of the Advantages
of the Life to come. You have not forgot what St.
Paul faith, That there are Things which Eye hath not
feen, Ear hath not heard^ and which never entered into
the Heart of Man, 'which God hath -prepared for them
that loi:e him, i Cor. ii. And that this great God,
whofe Riches are inexhauftible, doth in us abundantly
above what we are able to afk or think, Eph. iii. So
that when you fee before you all the moft beautiful,
amiable, glorious, and excellent Things in the
World, you may fay in yourfelves, Without Doubt
the Glory and Happinefs of Heaven is fomething
more than all this; for it is elevated fo much above
all earthly Enjoyments, and furpaffeth fo much all
the Thoughts and Conceits of Man, that it is not
poflible todefciibe it in its own Colours, nor to fancy
it really as it is.

Think not therefore, Clrijiian Souls, to meet in
Heaven with a Paradife fomething like to your Gar-
dens; nor with Flowers like to fuch as adorn your
pleafant Walks aad Fields; nor Fruits like to fuch
4 as

agalnft the Fears o/* DEATH. 443
as hang upon your Trees: You may be afiured, that
God will difcover Things infinitely morepleafant and
delightful, and more lading. Fancy not fuch a City,
built up as ours is, where Gold, Silver, Pearls, and pre-
cious Stones are to befeen. You may expect fomething
more noble and magnificent, than all the richeft and
moft ftately Cities of the World. God will caufe you to
fee, not only the JBeauty of Silver, the Purity of Gold,
the Whitenefs of Pearls, and the Brightnefs of pre-
cious Stories; but you (hall difcover fomething more
beautiful, purer, whiter, brighter, and fomething more
furprifing, than any earthly Thing. Think not to re-
ceive any material Crown, or to afcend upon Thrones,
like to thofe of Kings and Princes; you may juftly
fancy fomething more glorious, and more lafting.

1 am alfo perfuaded, Chriftians, that you expec~b
not in Heaven to find Tables covered, as thofe of the
rich Worldlings, nor to glut yonrfelves with a Feaft,
like that of the Nuptials of earthly Princes ; without
Doubt, your Faith hath an Eye to fomething more
heavenly and glorious. Your Soul hungers for more,
exquifite Dainties, ajid is a-thirft for more delicious
aud fweeter Drinks. You are too well inftru&ed to
think to live in Heaven an animal and fenfual Life*
Such a grofs Conceit becomes only the Impoftor Ma-
hornet, and his imaginary Paradife.

In this Life that we lead upon Earth, there are two
Things which chiefly difcover our natural Infirmity :
The firft is, our Eating and Drinking, abfolutely ne-
ceflary to make up the Breaches caufed by Labour, and
the natural Heat, which fpend and feed upon the radi-
cal Humour, which ferves to our Life as Oil to a Lamp.
The other is Marriage, appointed by God for the Con-
tinuance and Propagation of the human Race. But in
Heaven our Life fliall be altogether angelical, fpiritual,
and fupernatural. Our Bodies fhall be no more fubject
to Corruption, nor to any Alteration ; they fhall wane
no more Food than the Stars do at prefent, and the
reft of the celeftial Bodies. Therefore the Holy Ghoft *

G g 2 fpeaks

444 ^ e CHRISTIANAS Confolations
ipeaksexprefsly, that we fhall neither hunger nor thirft,
that theSun (hall not burn, nor any other Heattroublc
us. That is to fay, we fhall never be inclinable to
eat or drink; the moft burning Heats, and the fierceft
Flames, fhall have no Power to hurt our Bodies, *
when they (hall caft off all fenfual and earthly Quali-
ties, and inftead of them, fhall be clothed with Light
a'nd Glory. Therefore at that Time there fhall be no
Need of propagating the Species, or of multiplying
the Perfons by Marriage ; for we fhall not be then
fubject to earthly Pafllons, and the Number of the
Elect fhall be complete. The Congregation of the
Saints fhall be full, and the Building of the Church
fhall be perfectly made up. Therefore our Saviour
Jefus Chrift affures us, that in the Kingdom of Hea-
ven they fhall neither take nor give in Marriage, but
that we fhall be like the Angels of God; we fhall en-
joy the Light of their Understanding, the Holinefs
of their Wills, and the Purity of their Affections.

When the Queen of Sbeba faw the Glory and State
of King Solomon, and heard all his excellent Dif-
courfes, fhe was ravifhed in Admiration, and told
this great Prince, // was a true Re-port that I heard
in mine own Land of thine Atts, and of thy Wifdom j
howleit, I believed not the Words, until I came and
wine Eyes had fee n it\ and, behold, the Half was not
told me ; thy Wifdom and Prosperity exceedeth the Fame
which I heard; happy are thy Men, happy are thefe thy
Servants which ft and continually before thee, and hear
thy Wi/dofa. I am perfuaded, believing Souls, that
fomething like to this fhall happen to us, when we
fhall come to the Heavenly Jerusalem, to behold our
Lord Jefus Chrift himfelf, of whom Solomon was but
a Type and a Figure; for he had but a Spark of his
Glory, and but a Beam of his Wifdom. When we
fhall fee this peaceable King crowned with an hea-
venly Rainbow, we fhall be ravifhed into Admiration,
and as it were tranfported out of ourfelves; then we
fhall fpeak in this Manner to. his divine Majefty, O

glorious

againfl the Fears of DEATH.

glorious Monarch, all that I have ever heard or ima-
gined of thy Wifdom, of thy Glory, Riches, Beauty,
and extraordinary Pleafure of thy Paradife, is lefs
than true ; for it is not the thousandth Part of that
which I fee this Day. O blefTed are they that dwell
in thy Houfe, and that praife thee without ceafing.
Happy are they who behold thy glorious Face, and
hear thy divine Wifdom. After that the Queen of
Sheba had been fome Time in the Court of King Solo-
mon, fhe returned back to her own Home; but when
we fhall be once entered into the Glory and Happi-
nefs of Paradife, we fhall never depart out again.
We fjiall behold continually this glorious King of
Kings; and we fhall hear with divine Tranfports of
Joy, the wonderful ExprefTions of his Wifdom ; we.
fhall not only be with him for ever and ever; but we
fliall always be in him, and he in us.

To take offyour Mind from all carnal and worldly
Thoughts, the Glory and Happinefs of Paradife is re-
prefented to us by the Light, as in Dan. xii. They
that be wife Jhall foine as the Brightnefs of the Firma-
ment 3 and they that turn many to Righteoufnefs, as the
Stars, for ever and ever. And in Matth. xiii. our Sa-
viour faith exprefsly, That ihe Righteous Jhall Jhine as
the Sun in the Kingdom of his Father.

Finally r , It is promifed as the higheft Glory and
Happinefs, that we fhall ft and before the Throne of
God, that we fhall fit with Jefus Chrift upon his
Throne, and that we fhall fee his Face. St. John in
Rev. xxii. fpeaks in this Manner, in the Defcription
of the heavenly Jerufalem, he faith, that the Throne
of God, and of the Lamb, are in it; that his Ser-
vants fhall ferve him and fee his Face, and that his
Name fhall be upon their Forehead. When we look
upon the Sun, our Faces become not brighter, nor
more luminous, nay, many Times our Eyes thereby
dazzle, and our Skin becomes blacker and more fwar-
thy: But when we look upon God jn his Love and
Glory, we fhall bejperfedly enlightened, and become

G g 3 brjghtef

446 The CHRISTIAN *s Confolations

brighter and more fhining. This appears by Mofes*s
Perfon ; when he came down from the Holy Moun-
tain, his Face was full of Beams of Light, fo that the
Children of JJrael could not endure his Splendour. If
therefore this faithful Servantof God had fuch a bright
Countenance, by his Continuance with God upon an
Earthly Mountain, during the Space of Forty Days
and Forty Nights, and by a Sight of fome light Ex-
preffions of his Glory ; what will be, think ye, your
Light, and the Brightnefs of your Countenances,
v/hen you (hall be raifed above the Heavens, to con-
tinue with God, and to behold his Face Thoufands
and Thoufands of Ages, and at the End of all that
Time, it lhall be but the Beginning of that moft
bleffed Contemplation which fhall never end?

When we caft our Eyes upon a beautiful Perfon,
we become neither more beautiful nor happier : No-
thing but an unprofitable Idea remains in our Fancy,
and many Times that alfo quickly vanifheth away.
But when we fhall look upon God, we fhall become
like him, and in this Likenefs we fliall find Fulnefs
of Joy, of Happinefs and Glory; this is promifed to
Vis by the Royal Prophet in PJalm xvi. In thy Prefence,
O God, Is Fulnefs cf Joy, and at thy Right-hand there
are Pleafures for evermore. And in PJal. xvii. As for
me, I will behold thy Face in Right eoufnefs; I jhall be
fatisfed, when I awake, with thy Likenefs. And the
beloved Difciple, of the beloved of the Father, whofe
Writings are full of Love, confirms this Truth : Be-
loved, faith he, now we are the Sons of God, and it doth
net yet appear what wejhcll be ; but we know, that when
Ipe Jhall appear, yue Jhall be like him-, for we Jhall fee him
d-s he is.

You fee therefore, Chriftian Souls, to what a high
Perfection of Glory and Felicity we have a Right to
pretend. For in Heaven God fhall not only make
Vis fhine as the Sun and the Stars, he fhall not only
cloath us with the Brightnefs of the glorified Saints
and Angelsj but he promifes a great deal more, to

make

agalnft the Fears of DEATH. 447
make us like, to himfelf; he fhall not only fatisfy us
with the Fatnefs of his Houfe, and caufe us to drink
of the Rivers of his Pleafures ; he fhall not only fill us
with his Treafures, enlighten us with his Brightnefs,
cloth us with his Honours, and crown us with his
Glory; buthehimfelf will become our Meat and our
Drink, our Treafure, our Sun and Glory : And, if I
may fo fpeak, to fatisfy and perfect our Happinefs,
God (hall as it were diflblve himfelf into Rivers and
Seas of divine and unfpeakable Pleafures. But, that I
may not be mifunderftood in fuch bold and figurative
Language, it fhall fuffice me to fay with St. Paul,
lhat God will be in us All in all ; that is to fay, that
he will dwell and make his Abode in us, in refpect of
his Being; and that he will caufe us to feel in his
glorious Prefence, as much as a finite and a limited
Nature, as ours, is capable of. What the Jews have
invented of the Manna which their Fathers fed on in
the Wildernefs may juftly be appropriated to Al-
mighty God, as he intends to reve.al himfelf to us in
Heaven. For there is no Tafte but fhall be fatisfied,
no Defire but fhall be filled. Moreover, God fhali
be our Meat and our Drink, our Light, alfo our
Clothing, .and all that we can imagine; in him and
his divine Enjoyments, we fhall find beyond all that
we can think or defire. The Knowledge of fpiritual
and celeftial Things, which we can attain to here be-
low, is like the Breaking of the Day ; and that we
lhall enjoy hereafter fhall be like that of the Sun,
when it fhines in our Meridian. But, to fpeak in the
Apoftle's Language, Now we know in part, and we
prophecy inpart- t but when that which is perfeft Jhall
come, then that which is in part fball be done away. For
now wejee through a Glajs darkly j but then we Jh all fee
him Face to Face. \Vh:lft we continue in this Life,
God difcovers to us only the Borders of hisWifdom;
we cannot underftand much of it. But, in the Life
to come, he fhall reveal to us the Depths of his glo-
rious Myfteries, into which the Angels themfelves
4efire to pry. In our Understandings, God fhall be

G g 4 as

44$ The CHRIS TI AN ^ Confolatwns

as a Sun, to enlighten them for ever and everj and
to fcatter away all Mifts of Errors and Miftakes. Ac
prefent our Will hath its Imperfections, and oft-times
it rebels againfl God ; but then it (hall be perfectly
fanctified and reformed according; to the Image of

+J C7

God. It (hall burn with an holy Zeal, and with a
Love for him. It fhall defire nothing but his Glory,
and a Conformity to his holy Will. It fhall not only
obey God without Refiftance, but it fhall fly, with
an holy Earn eftnefs and Speed, to the Performance of
his facred Commands. Whilft we remain in the Fet-
ters of this infirm and finful Flefh, there is always
fome Filth and Diforder in our Affections ; but when
we fhall come to this State of Glory, God will fanctify
them in fuch a manner by his holy Prefence, that
they fhall be purer and clearer than the Stars or the
Sun-beams; they fhall become celeftial Fires, and
divine Flames, proceeding from God's Love to us,
In a Word, that Being of Beings, who is Perfection
itfelf, that Author and Origin of all Beauty, that Ob-
ject fo exceeding glorious and lovely, fhall ravifh us
in fuch a Manner, that our Underftandings fhall be
continually employed in beholding him ; our Wills
and Affections in loving and embracing him; and all
the Faculties of our Souls fhall labour to be united to
him, and to be like him. It fhall be in this Manner
that we fhall be made Partakers of the divine Nature.
For we muft not fancy that we fhall be made Par-
takers of God's infinite Being ; for his divine EfTence
is indivifible, and uncommunicable to the Creature,
Ib that none but God can enjoy it. But God's Holi-
nefs fhall imprint in our Souls its blefied and glorious
Image, and that of all its wonderful Perfections;
when God fhall fhew himfelf to us as he is, he wilj
caufe us to become like him, by producing in us an
ImprefKon of his divine Countenance.

It may be you will enquire of me, Whether we fhall

fee God, and how we fhall behold him ? This Quef-

tion is fo rich and confiderable, that it deferves to be

examined

agalnft the 'Fears of DEATH. 449
examined with an holy and religious Application. I
am perfuaded, Chriftians, that you will not be dif-
pleafed not only to hear my Judgment, but that of
the holy Scriptures, from whence we draw all our In-
{truction, as out of a Fountain. Some imagine, that
God cannot be feen, neither in this Life, nor in the
Life to come. Their Reafons are very ftrong and
weighty; for, Firft, God is of an invifible Nature.
This Attribute is afcribed to him by the facred Wri-
ters; as in the xith of the Hebrews the Apoflle faith,
that Mofes, by Faith, faw him who is invifible. And,
in the ift Epiftle to Timothy, in the Firft Chapter, he
faith, To the King eternal, immortal, invifible, the only
wife God, be Honour and Glory, for ever and ever ', Amen.
Secondly, We read in the xxxiiid of Exodus, when Mofes
faid to God, I pray thee let me fee thy Glory ; God an-
fwered him, Thou canfl not fee my Face; for no Man
Jhall ever fee my Face and live. Thirdly, St. John, in
the Firft Chapter of his Gofpel, fpeaketh thus; No
Man hath feen God at any Time j the only-begotten Son,
which is in the Bofom of the Father, he hath declared
him. Ltifily, St. Paul feems to remove all Doubts;
for he faith, not only, that God alone hath Immortali-
ty, that he dwells in a Light unto which no Man can ap-
proach, and that no Man hath ever feen him ; but he
iaith more, that no Man can fee him, i Tim. vi.

Others are of a contrary Opinion, That God may be
feen in this Life; but that in the Life to come he fhall
be feen more perfectly. That which encourageth this
Opinion is, that God hath put into the Hearts of all
his Children an earned Defire of feeing his Face; and
that in this Contemplation, they place their greatcffc
Happinefs and Glory. This was David's Defire, a Man
after God's own Heart, in the ivth Pfalm, There may be
that fay, Who Jhall foew us any Good? Lord, lift thou up
the Light of thy Countenance upon us. And in Pfal. Ixii.
My Soul thirfteth for God, for the living God: Whenjhall
/ come and appear before God? This is the Defire alfo of
(he Prophet AJajtb, in the Ixxxvth Pfalm, God ofHofts,

taupe

45 7f CHRISTIAN'S Confolations
caufe thy Face to Jhine, and we Jhall be faved. Secondly ,
We have heard 'David fay, 1 Jhall fee thy Face in
Right eoufnejs, I Jhall be Jatisfied, when I awake, with
thy Likenejsy Pfal. xvii. And St. Paul promifeth, that
we fhall fee God Face to Face. And St. John affures
us, That wejballjee God as he is. thirdly, In the xiith
Chapter of Numbers, God fpeaks in this Manner to
Aaron and Miriam, who had murmured againft their
Brother Mofes ; If there be a Prophet among Jt you, I the
Lord will make myfclf known unto him in a Vifion, and
will /peak unto him in a Dream \ my Servant Mofes is
not fo, who is faithful in all mine Houfe ; with him will I
fpeak Mouth to Mouth, even apparently, and not in dark
Speeches , and the Similitude of the Lord Jhall he behold.
Laftly, We have heard the Voice from Heaven, that
reprefents to us the blefled State of the Glorified, fay-
ing, That they Jhall fee the Face of God.

If it were lawful for me to engage myfelf in fuch
an high Meditation, which is above the Capacity of
Men and Angels, I fhould declare to you in few Words,
how it may be faid that we fhall fee God, and in what
Manner it is impoflible to behold him. But, firft, we
muft take Notice of two or three Diftinctions, which,
being well underftood, will remove the principal Dif-
ficulties in Queftion.

Fir/I, God may be confidered in three feveral Re-
fpedts; as he is in himfelf, and in his proper Being.
It is in this Refpect that our Souls earneftly long for
him, and defire to draw near, and be united to him,
as to their fovereign Good, and the bottomlefs Foun-
tain of Glory and Happinefs. Secondly, As he reveals
and difcovers himfelf on Earth, by certain Images and
Tokens of his favourable Reception. Thirdly, As he
fhall manifeft himfelf in Heaven by the glorious
Images, and divine Marks of his Prefence,

Secondly, We muft diftinguifh the feveral Kinds of
Sight ; for there is a Sight of the Body, which looks
only upon the Objects, whereof the Images and Spe-
cies are within the Reach and Capacity of our Eye-
fight,

Againft tie Fears of DEATH. 451
fight, as are Colour and Light. There is the Sight of
the Underftanding, which fees and beholds the Things
that are at a Diftance from our Senfes, as the fpiritual
and invifible Subftances* and the efiential Forms of
the Body. There is alfo the Sight of Faith, which
rifeth yet fomething higher than our Understandings,
as it is during our Abode here below; when it is en-
lightened with God's divine Grace, it fees and beholds
Things which the Eye of the Body never faw, and
the fenfual Underftandings of Men could never com-
prehend, as the Myfteries of the Chriftian Religion,
and the Powers of the World to come/

Laftly, We mud diftinguifh the Knowledge of the
Underftanding; for fometimes it isobfcure and con-
fufed, at other Times it is clear and diftinct. More-
over, that Knowledge which is the cleareft and the
mod diftinct is of two Sorts; the one hath Bounds and
Limits fuitable to its Subject, that is to fay, fuitable
to the Ability and Reach of the Underftanding; the
other is abfolute, and of the fame Extent as its Ob-
ject, that is to fay, as the Thing itfelf which the Un-
derftanding looks upon and beholds.

God, as he is in himfelf, and in his own EfTence and
Being, hath never been feen by the Eye of the Body,
and fhall never be, neither in this Life, nor in the Life
to come; for God is a Spirit, and of an invifible Na-
ture, i Tim. vi. In this Refpe<5t St. Paul affirms, That
God dwells in a Light which no Man can approach unto ;
that no Man hath ever feen him, nor can fee him, John iii.
But this good God, who of himfelf is invifible, de-
lights to fhew himfelf to his Creatures in feveralWays.

Firft, God fhews himfelf to all Men, in the Works of
the Creation of the great World; for, as St. Paul faith
in the firft of the Romans, The invifible Things of God,
from the Creation of the World, are clearly jeen, being
underwood by the Things that are made, even his eternal
Power and Godhead. Particularly, he hath given the
I>5ght, which is as its eldeft Daughter, and the firft of
al! outward Productions, and Image and Refemblance

452 $he CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

of him. For as there is nothing more ample, purer,
and more beautiful, than the Light j fo there is no
vifible Creature that reprefents fo well this great God,
who is a Being mod pure, moil beautiful and perfect,
the Father of Lights, and the true Sun of Souls.

Secondly, God difcovers himfelf by all the Workings
of his wonderful Providence, and chiefly in his extra-
ordinary and miraculous Operations. For when Men
perceive Works which exceed all the ordinary Strength
of Nature, they are forced to acknowledge, that they
come immediately from an infinite Power. As Pha-
raoh's Magicians, when they found, that, by their
inagic Art, they were not able to counterfeit Mofes's
Miracle, confefled, That it was the Finger of God.

Thirdly, God difcovers himfelf in his holy and di-
vine Word, which is to us a perfect and divine Look-
ing-glafs, where we may fee his Image, and Bright-
nefs of his Glory j that was St. Paul's Judgment,
when he faith, That all we that behold, as in a Gtafs,
the Glory of the Lord with open Face, are changed into
the fame Image from Glory to Glory > even as by the Spirit
cf the Lord, i Cor. iii. 18.

Fourthly, God revealed himfelf to the Church of
IJrael, in the Ark, the Sign and ordinary Token of
his gracious Prefence. He fpoke to his People from
the Midftofthe two golden Cherubims, and pub-
lilhed his divine Oracles. There was he pleafed to
difcover himfelf in divers Reprefentations, chiefly in
the Cloud and Fire which came down from Heaven.
Therefore the Sign, bearing the Name of the Thing
fignified, is fometimes ftyled the Lord-, as in that Pai-
fage, where David faith, My Soul is a-thirji for God, far
the mighty and living God ; O when Jh all I go and appear
in the Prejence of God ! Pfal. xlii,

Fifthly, God manifefted himfelf to the Patriarch*
and Prophets, in Dreams and Vifions, by divine Rap-
tures, and prophetical Elevations. In this Manner he
appeared to the Patriarch Jacob in Bethel; for when
it is faidj that God was at the End of the myftical

^Ladder,

agalnfl the Fears of DE A T H. 453

Ladder, which reached up to Heaven, without Doubt,
he gave fome Sign and Teftimony there of his Pre-
fence. And when the Prophet Ifaiab mentions his glo-
rious Throne he makes no difficulty to fay, / faw
the Lord fitting upon a Throne, high and lifted upland his
Train filled the Temple-, above if flood the Seraphims,
each one had fix Wings, with two he covered his Face, and
with two he ctvered his Feet, and with two he did fly,
and one cried to another, and faid, Holy, Holy, Holy, is
the Lord of Hofts, and the whole Earth is full of his
Glory ; and the Pojls of the Door moved at the Voice of
him that cried, and the Houfe was filled with Smoke, Ifa.vi.
And the Prophet Micaiah, when he fpeaks of this
Vifion he faith, / have Jeen the Lord fitting upon his.
throne, and all the Hojl of Heaven ftanding at his Right-
hand, and at his Left, i Kings xxii. And the Prophet
Daniel defcribing one of his Vifions, fpeaks in this
Manner, / beheld, till the Thrones were caft down, and
the Antient of Days did fit, whofe Garment was white as
Snow, and the Hair of his head like the pure Wool ; his
Throne was like the fiery Flame, and his Wheels as burn-
ing Fire ; a fiery Stream ijjued and came forth from be-
fore him -, thoufand thousands miniflred unto him y and ten
thousand Times ten thoufand flood before him.

Sixthly, God {hewed himfelf to Mofes in a particular
Manner, not only when he appeared to him in Horeb,
and fpoke to him out of the flaming Bufh, but efpe-
cially when God appeared to him in the Holy Moun-
tain, and for the Space of forty Days and forty Nights
difcourfed with him familiarly, as with a Friend. For
at that Time he fet before him fuch glorious and mag-
nificent Tokens of his divine Prefence, that it was al-
moft the fame Thing as if he had feen God himfelf.
God gave him more Light and Knowledge of his
Glory than any other of his Prophets, and revealed
himfelf to him in a more familiar Manner than to any
other living Perfon. . Becaufe of thefe glorious and
extraordinary Appearances of God's Prefence and of
the Brightnefs of his Light, which fhined fo clear iu

the

454 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations
the Soul of Mofes, becaufe of that holy Familiarity
which he had with God, that he fpeaks of it in fuch
a manner, in the xiith Chapter of the Book of Num~
lers; for we cannot underftand that Place in a literal
Senfe, that Mofes did really fee God himfelf; and that,
with the Eyes of the Body, he beheld his Being, which
is altogether invifible. But we mud thus underftand
it, that never any Man beheld fuch glorious Expref-
fions of the Godhead with the Eyes of tlie Body, that
never any Man difcourfed fo familiarly with God, as
Mofes j never any Man hath ever had fo clear and plain
a Knowledge of his great Glory, and divine Majefly.
Seventhly, God had often appeared to Men in hu-
man Shapes, and hath given them fuch vifible Ex-
preffions of his holy Pretence, that fuch as have feen
thofe Images, tell us, that they have feen God. In
is in this Manner that Jacob fpeaks when he had
wreftled with an human Body, moved, not only by
an aflifting Angel, but alfo by God himfelf, who dif
covers there his divine Virtue; I have feen, faith he,
God Face to Face, and my Scul hath beenfaved, Gen.
xxxii. Manoahy the Father of Samfon, tells as
much, when he had feen the human Shape in which
God was pleafed to appear, when he afcended up
into Heaven in the Flames of his Sacrifice, For
certain we JJjall die; for we have feen God, Judg. xiii.
In like Manner, when God appeared to Abraham in
the Shape of a Man, this Man is called the Lord,
and Abraham bowed himfelf before him, and wor-
fhipped. And at another Time this holy Patriarch
faw no lefs than three human Shapes which appeared
to him at once. Some think that* God was vifible
but in one of thefe Shapes and the two others were
Angels. That which confirms this Opinion is,
that of thefe three Perfons, there is but one that
fpeaks as God, and receives Abraham's Adoration*
and then he appears no more ; .the two others are
filled Angels, in the Beginning of the xixth Chap-
ter. But others believe witk fome ancient Doctors

againft the Pears of DEATH. 455

of the Church, that thefe three human Shapes were
a true Image, and living Reprefentation, of the mod
holy, moft glorious, aod mod wonderful Trinity,
in this Opinien there is nothing contrary to the
Analogy of Faith.

Finally, God hath difcovered himfelf by his Son in
a particular Manner; he is named therefore The Image
of Cody the Image of the invifible God, and God manifeji
in theFleJh. God hath not only imprinted in him fome
Tokens of his Godhead, and marks of his Divine
Power; he hath caufed him not to walk and move as
the borrowed Bodies of the Old 'Teftament : He hath
not only engraven in him the perfect Image of all his
Divine Perfections} God is not in him in a Shadow,
or a Figure, as he was in the Ark, and in Solomon's
Temple, but he hath dwelt in him bodily, and by
his eternal Godhead, as St.Paul informs us, 'That in
kirn dwelleth bodily, that is to fay, really and eflenti al-
ly, all the Fullmjs of the Godhead; therefore our Sa-
viour tells St. Philip, 'That he that hath feen him hath
Jeenthe Father , John xiv.

This being granted, let us now confider how we
fee God now here below, and how we fhall fee him
hereafter in Heaven. At preient we fee him with the
Eyes of the Body in his vifible Works; and we fee
his Being alfo with the Eye of our Underftanding,
but in a weak and imperfect Manner; we know him
with a very obfcure and clouded Knowledge. For
this Caufe St.PW faith very well and truly, That
we know him in part, and we prophefy in part. We
fee God alfo with the Eye of Faith; it is with this
Eye that we fee him, as Mcfa did, who is invifible,
and that we behold our Lord Jefus Chrift, fitting at
the Right-hand of God the Father, above all the Prin-
cipalities and Powers, worfhipped and adored by all
the glorified Church in Heaven. In Paradife we hope
to fee with the Eyes of our glorified Body, the Ima-
ges and Marks of the Divinity, fo glorious and mag-
nificent, fq beautiful and full of Majefty, that, in

Comparifon.

456 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations
Comparifon of that, whatfoever appeared to the Pro-
phets and Patriarchs, in their illuftrious Vifions, was
nothing butObfcurity and Darknefs. And with the
fame Eyes of the Body we fhall fee God in the Perfoh
of our Saviour who is the Brightnefs of his Gltfry, and
the exprcfs Image of hisPerfon; fo that we may well
fay with Job in a full AfTurance of Faith, I know that
my Redeemer Hveth y and that hejhalljland at the laft Day
upon the Earth; and though after wySkinWormsdeftrcy this
Body, I Jh all fee God in my Flejh, whom Ijh all fee for my-
felfj and my Eyes Jhall behold y and not another ', Job xix.
But for the EfTence of God, and for the eternal God-
head, we fhall not, nor can we, fee it with the Eyes of
the Body, let them become never fo glorious, incor-
ruptible, and immortal: Neither fhall we fee it with
the Eye of Faith ; for then Faith fhall be totally abo-
lifhed, and we fhall not walk any more by Faith, but
by Sight: But we Ihall fee God with the Eye of the
Underftanding, enlightened with a Divine Glory.
Now, as we have taken Notice, there are two Sorts
of Contemplation and Knowledge ; the one perfect,
proportioned to. the Object, which we behold, and
look upon; the other imperfect, fuitable to the Sub-
ject that looks and fees. Our future Knowledge of
God, fhall not be of the firft, but of the latter Sort;
that is to fay, that we fhall never fee into the Bottom
of the Myfteries of God's divine Majefty, and of his
Glory. We fhall never know perfectly this highefl
Perfection, this infinite Being, this incomprehenfible
and glorious Godhead. For things are in their Ac-
tion as they are in their Beings and in their Abilities :
Now, in the moft glorious State of Heaven, our Be-
ings and Abilities ihall be limited and circumfcribed.
Therefore it fhall be abfolucely impofilble for us to
comprehend perfectly the Being of God, which is in-
finite in itfelf, and in all its wonderful Perfections.
The holy Angels themfelves, the Cherubims and Se-
raphims, thefe Creatures of Light and Glory, are
not able to pry into thefe bottoinlefs Depths, they
' are

againjl tie Fears of DEATH. 457

are not able to approach this infinite Light. In a
"Word, it belongs only to God himfelf, to compre-
hend and underftand perfectly the infinite Glory, and
highett Perfections of the Godhead.

Although our Sight fhall not be able to fearch into

i_> CJ

the Bottom of thefe Depths of the Divinity, though
we fhall never be able to comprehend perfectly the in-
finite Being of God ; neverthelefs, we hope to behold
openly this wonderful Object, and to obtain as much
Knowledge of it as (hall be requifite to render us per-
fectly happy. For as when our Eye beholds the Noon-
fun, it cannot ftedfattly look upon it, nor receive all its
Beams, but it partakes of as much as is neceffary to
enlighten it; and when there fhall be a thoufand Suns,
our Eyes would never make ufe of more Light than
they do at prefent: Likewife, in beholding the Fa-
ther of Lights, this beautiful Sun of our Souls, it is
altogether impofilble to admit the Immenfity of its
Beams; but we fhall partake of 'as much as fhall be
riecefTary to drive away all our Darknefs, and to fill
us full of perfect Light, to make us become Light
in the Lord, and to caufe us to fhine forever, as fo
many Stars and little Suns. As an empty VefTel, when
i: is caft into the Sea, comprehends not all its Wa-
ters, but it receives only enough to fill it up, fo that
there is no Part empty ; thus, when we fhall be caft
into the Ocean of the Godhead, we fhall not be able
to comprehend and receive God's infinite Glory and
Happinefs; but we fhall receive and comprehend as
much as (hall content all our Defires, and fatisfy all
our craving Appetites. So that there fhall be nothing
at all wanting in us, which might be expected in the
hightft Felicity of an human Creature*

I do not fay, in the higheft Felicity, abfolutely
without Limitation : For there are two Sorts of Fe-
licities; the one abfolutely perfect, beyond which
there can be nothing expected. This Felicity or
Happinefs is only to be found in God. The other
is perfect, in a certain Degree. A* the perfect: Flap-
H h pinela

45 8 T&e CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

pinefs of the Angels is to attain to that Degree of
Glory, of which the angelical Nature is capable;
like wife the perfect Happinefs of Man is to enjoy all
that Blefiednefs, which the human Nature alone and
lingle is able to enjoy : I muft fay the fingle Nature
of Man, to diftinguifh it from that which is united to
the Perfon of the eternal Son of God. For by this
Union, this hath attained to an incommunicable
Glory, of which other Creatures cannot partake in
the fame Perfection ; it hath attained to an Happinefs
far above the Glory of all the Children of God, and
of all the holy Angels of Heaven, far above what
they can or may expect.

- Again, I may fay, that there is afupreme and per-
fect Happinefs, independent, which fubfifts of itfelf,
without any foreign Affiftance. This Kind of Hap-
pinefs is only to be found in God : For, as he is of
himfelf an infinite Being, he borrows nothing from
others, and of himfelf is abfolutely and perfectly hap-
py. The other Happinefs is, that which proceeds
not out of ourfelves, but is derived to us from ano-
ther ; fuch is the Glory and Happinefs of the Angels.
This Lefibn the Holy Ghoft teacheth us in thefe
Words, God futs Light into his Angels, that is to fay,
that thefe holy Spirits have nothing of Light or Glory-
in them, but what is derived to them from the Father
of Lights, and his gracious Afpect. Such alfois the
Glory of our Lord Jefus Chrift, as Mediator. There-
fore he fpeaks thus to God his Father, Glorify thy Son,
that thy Son may glorify thee, John xvii. In a Word,
fuch lhall be our Glory and Happinefs ; for as we
have our Being from God, it is from him that we de-
five our Well-being; alfo it is from him only that
we can expect all our Glory and Blifs.

From hence you may eafily underiland, that God
is the only Object, and the only Source of our eter-
nal Glory, and future Happinefs. If you enquire
from me, What fhall be the eflential Form? I an-
fwer, That it fhall be our Likenefs and Refemblance

with

againft the Fears of DEATH. 459

with Godj which fhall be as perfect as an human
Creature is capable of. Now this Refemblance and
Similitude fhall confifl in three Things; in a pure and
bright Light, which fhall not be mixed with the leafl
Obfcurity ; in a perfect and complete Holinefs, where
there fhall not be the leaft Blemifh ; and in an infinite
and unalterable Joy and Content, where there ihall
never be the leaft Cloud of Grief: But of this we
have furHciently treated already.

Some there are that enquire whether in Paradife
there fhall be an Equality, or an Inequality, in Glo-
ries and HappinefTes. This Queftion is more curious
than necefTary. For we need notenquire whether there
fhall be any more or lefs happy than ourfelves. It
fhould fuffice us for our Comfort, to know, that if we
be true Believers, and truly penitents if we fear God
as we ought, if we ferve him with a religious Mind
until the laft Gafp; that in fuch a Cafe we fliall at-
tain to the Glory of the Children of God, and pofiefs
them with a perfect and eternal Happinefs. Never-
thelefs, that we may feem to omit nothing which
might give Satisfaction to every believing Soul, I
fhall examine this Particular; but it fhall be without
advancing any new Thing, which I have not feen in
the Gofpel, nor learned from the true Doctor of our
Souls. 1 fhall declare the Opinion of the moft learned
upon this rich and excellent Subject. Afterwards I
Ihall add my own, which I fubmit, as the reft of this
Treatife, to the Judgement of the wifer and more
learned Perfons, who are bettter acquainted than I
am with the fpiritual and heavenly Enjoyments.

Some believe, that in Paradife there fhall be every
where the fame Glory and Happinefs, equal and uni-
form in every Perfon that fhall enjoy it. Their prin-
cipal Reafons are, t-irft, That we can have no Glory
nor Happinefs, but that which hath been purchafed
for us by the Death and Paffion of our Lord Jefus
Chrift; and that as this glorious Saviour hath pur-
chafed this Glory and Happinefs for all the Elect
H h 2 equally,

460 The CHRISTIAN'S Confutations

equally, they fliall all enjoy it in the higheft Degree
and Perfection. Secondly, That the Holinefs of all the
Blefied (hall be perfect; therefore, as they fhall be all
perfectly holy, they (hall be alllikewife perfectly happy
in the fame Degree. Thirdly, That our Saviour faith
exprefly, without any Exception, 'That the Saints Jhall
Jhine as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father, Matth.
xxiii. Now the Sun is the King of the Stars, and the
brighteil of all the heavenly Bodies. Fourthly, That
the Elect are reprefented in Heaven as fo many Kings,
having upon their Heads Crowns of Gold, Rev. i. 4,
5. Now there is no Inequality between Kings j for
each of them is in Pofleffion of Sovereignty, and an
independent and fupreme Authority. Fifthly, That
Jefus Chrift reprefents to us the lad Tranfactions of
the World, by the Parable of a Father of a Family,
who at the End of the Day beftows the fame Salary
upon every one that hath laboured in his Vineyard,
Matth. xx. Sixthly, That it is faid in general Terms,
That ivejhalljee God Face to Face; and that we foalljee
him as he is, I Cor. xiii. i John iii. And that in this
blefifed Vifion fhall confift the chief Happinefs of
Man. Laftly, That after the Refurreclion, Godjhall
be unto us All in all; which Expreffion declares the
higheft and mod complete Happinefs and Glory.

Others think the contrary, that in Heaven there
fhall be an Inequality of Glory, and feveral Degrees
of Happinefs. This their Opinion they ftrengthen
chiefly with two PaiTages of holy Scripture; the one
in Jfj'm xiv. where Chrift faith to his Apoftles, In my
Father's Hcufe there are many Manfwns. The other is
in i Cor. xv. where St./\?/>/ difcourfing at large of
the Happinefs of the Saints after the Refurrection,
faith, There is one Glory of the Sim, another Glory of the
Moon, a/id another Glory of the Stars; for one Star dif-
fer eth from another Star in Glory; fo alfo is the Refur-
refticn of the Dead.

There are fome that are not content to believe an
Inequality of Glory and Happinefs, but undertake

farther

againjl the Fears of DEATH. 461
farther to difcourfe of this Matter, with as much Con-
fidence, as if God had admitted them to the Know-
ledge of his eternal Secrets, as if he had dilcovered to
them all the Wonders of the heavenly Jerufalem, more
plainly than to his beloved Difciple. They tell us,
that there fhall be not only divers Degrees of Glory
and Happinefs ; but they affirm, who they are that
lhall obtain fuch and fuch Degrees. They determine
abfolutely, and prefcribe what Glory (hall belong to
Virgins, what fhall be that of ConfefTors, and what
fhall be that of Martyrs. In a Word, fome are fo
puffed up with an high Conceit of themfelves, and of
their meritorious A6ts, that they make an open
Profeffion of being of the Number of fuch as fhall ob-
tain the highefl Degrees of Glory and Happinefs.

But my Opinion is, that the Truth is to be found
between thefe two Extremes. I fhall not prefcribe a
Law to the Confciences of any, in a Matter whereof
the Decifion is not abfolutely neceflary to Salvation :
Yet we may fay, that in Heaven there fhall be divers
Degrees of Glory and Happinefs ; but we dare not
defcribe them, nor venture to apply them to any
Perfon, or to tell who of us fhall poflefs fuch and
fuch Degrees. This were a bold Prefumption againft
Heaven, and an Attempt upon the forbidden Fruit.
Inftead of being ferviceable to others, we fhould wil-
fully lofe ourfelves: For fuch as are fo audacious to
fearch into the divine Majefty, fhall be fwallowed up
in his Glory, Prov. xxv.

And though we verily believe Degrees of Glory, yet
we may fay, without Offence to any Perfon, that this
Belief is not to be eftablifhed upon the forementioned
Paffages, from whence we cannot make any fuch Con-
clufion j for in St'Jcbn xiv. our Saviour faith not,
that there are divers Degrees of divine Manfions,
whereof fome are richer and more glorious than others;
but only that in his Father's Houfe there are many
Manfions. The Meaning of our divine Saviour is.
clear as the Day j he had an Intent to raife up the

H h 3 drooping

462 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlon$

drooping Courage of his holy Apoftles, and to com-
fort them in his Abfence ; for that Purpofe he allures
them, that he was going to lodge in an Houfe, where
there was not only Room for himfelf but alfo for them,
and for all that lhall believe in him, through their
Teaching. He expounds his Words plainly in the
xviith Chapter of the fame Gofpel, where he fpeaks
to God in this Manner, I willy that thy alfo whom then
haft gh en me, be with me where I art, that they may be-
holdwy Glory, which thou haft given me. For the other
Text in i Cor. I befeech you, devout Souls, read over
the ApofUe's Words 5 and confider with a religious
Obfervation, what goes before, and what follows af-
ter. You fhall find, that the Apoftle defigns not tq
compare the Saints the one with the other, but only tq
difcover the Difference which is between our Bodies as,
they are in this corruptible and mortal Life, and a$
they fhall be when they fhall have put on Incorruption
and Immortality. Therefore, when he hath faid, "There
is one Glory of the Sun, another of the Moon, another of
the Stars, for one Star, dijferetb from another Star in
Glory; he doth notadd likewife, So fhall be the Glory
of one blefled Perfon differing from another; but he
faith, So Jhall be the Refur region from the Dead; the.
Body is f own in Corruption, it Jhall be raifedin Incorrup-
tion ; it is f own in Dijhonour, it is raifed in Glory ; it is
jcwn in Weaknejs, it is raffed in Power-, it is fown a
natural Body, it is raifed a fpiritual Body..

What is it therefore that may incline us to believe
thefe divers Degrees of Glory and Happinefs? I
anfwer, Firft, The divers and different Pains and
Punifhments of the Damned. For as in Hell there
fhall be divers Degrees of Torments; likewife it is
very pobable, that in- Heaven there fhall be di-
vers Degrees of Happinefs, and feveral Degrees of
Glory. Secondly, God, to declare his divine Wif-
dom, which is various in all Things, beftows, at
prefent, all his Blefllngs and Riches with a wonder-
ful Variety, and admirable Order, Thus you may

fee

againft the Fears of DEATH 463

fee in Nature, that God hath fcattered up and down
the World divers Gifts and Excellencies : For Ex-
ample, the Smell and Beauty of the Rofe is different
from that of the Lily ; the Brightnefs of the Dia-
mond is not like that of the Ruby; the Light of the
Sun differs from that of the Moon and Stars. It is
very porbable, that above all the Heavens, there
(hall be divers Degrees of Light and Glory. Among
the holy Angels, there are Difti notions of Honour,
and fome Dignities are named, Archangels, Thrones,
Dominions, Principalities, and Powers. As therefore
amono;ft the Angels there are divers Degrees of Glo-

o o o

ry, it is alfo very probable, that the fame Order fhall
be obferved amongft the Glorified in Heaven. Be-
fides, as in the Church militant the Graces of God
differ very much ; fo the Souls of the Faithful are
not the fame in all Refpects, they have different Qua-
lities and Excellencies ; there are in them divers De-
" grees of Light, of Knowledge, of Faith, Hope,
Charity, and Holinefs : Likewife, according to the
Analogy of Faith, there fhall be alfo, in the Church
glorified, divers Degrees of Glory and Happinefs;
and the rather, becaufe Glory is nothing elfe buc
the Completion and Perfection of Grace. This
Reafon is fo much the ftronger, becaufe of the Pa*
rable of the Talents. Jefus Chrift beftows upon his
Servants a Glory proportionble to the former Riches
of his Grace. None can imagine, that the Words
relate to God's Favours distributed to his Children
on Earth j for our Lord fpeaks of that which he
intends to do for them, when he (hall come down
from Heaven to judge the World. The Words re-
late to the Time when he fhall fay to fuch as have
well employed the Talents of his Mercy, Well done,
good and faithful Servant-, enter into the Joy of thy
Lord. They relate alfo to the Time when he fhall
caufe the unprofitable Servant to be caft into utter
Darknejs tvhere there Jhall be -weeping and gnajhing of
I ought not to forget what we read on this
H h 4 Subjed

464 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolatwns

Subject, 2 Ccr. ix. He which Jowetb Sparingly, flail reap,
alfo Jparingly, and he 'xhicbjcwetb bountifully, ft) all reap
eljo bountifully. They are St. Paul's Words, which
exprefsly declare an Inequality of Glory and Happi-
nefs to be expected amongft the Rewards in Heaven.
It may be alfb worthy of our Obfervation, that the
Felicities of Heaven are reprefented to us by a Feaft,
where all partake of the fame Meats, but fome are
advanced to a more honourable Room than others.
This, as I conceive, may be gathered from our Sa-
viour's Words, Manyjkall come from the Eaft, and from
the Weft; and Jh ail fit at 'Table in the Kingdom of Hea-
'JM 3 icitb Abraham, I fane, and Jacob. It may alfp
be underftood from that other Paffage, where Laza-
rus is carried by the holy Angels into Abraham s Bo-
fom. Lajity, I ground my Opinion upon the xiith
Chapter of Daniel) where this blefled Prophet, when
he had fpojcen in general Terms of the future Hap-
pirjefs of the Faithful, who (hall rife to eternal Life,
he offers to mention fome, on whom God hath be-
llowed more Light upon Earth, and whofe Miniftry
he hath made ufe of, to bring many Souls to Salva-
tion ; among thefe he feems to put divers Degrees
of Glory j They that are ivije Jhallfoine as the Brigbt-
iicjs of the Firmament., and they that bring many to Rigb-
fcsiifnefs, as the Stars for ever. From this Text one
may apparently conclude, that as the Light of the
Firmament differs much from that of the bright Stars,
and as among the Stars there is a Diverfity of Light;
in like Manner there fhall be divers and different De-
grees of Glpry amongft the bleffed in Heaven.

Now, in Anfwer to that Argument, That Jefus
Chrift hath purchafed for us the Glory and Happinefs
of Heaven, that therefore this Glory and Happinefs
fhould be equal, I confefs this Realbn is weighty. I
intend not abfolutely to deny it; but I fhall offer fe-
veral Things to the Confideration of the pious and
devout Souls, who (hall perufe this Treatife. Fir$->
Thatalthoughthe Blood of Jefus Chrift hath purchafed

for

agalnjl the Fears of DEATH. 465

for us Heaven; and that we are not able to claim it
by our moft regenerate Action, or merit it by our
mod painful Sufferings and Martyrdom; becaufe
that when we have performed all that is commanded,
our Saviour requires us to fay, We are unprofitable
Servants becaufe we have done nothing but what we are
bound to do, Luke xvii. and becaufe his holy Apoftle
allures us, that when all Things are reckoned up, the
Sufferings of this prefent Time are not worthy to be com-
pared with the G-lory which Jhall be revealed to us, Rom.
yiii. neverthelefs, God is fo good, merciful, and
bountiful, that he bears with our Imperfections, and
he rewards as a Father, with a free Reward, all the
good Works of his Servants, chiefly the Works of
Charity. Therefore Jefus Chrift tells his Apoftles,
and generally all the Faithful, Whofoever Jhall give
unto you to drink a Cup of Water, becaufe you are Chrift' s y
verily, I fay unto you, he' Jhall not lofe his Reward. And
becaufe it is theCuftomof theEaftern People to warm
their Drink, therefore to give a Cup of cold Water
may be reckoned the fmalleft Afiiftance, our Saviour
fajth> Whofoever Jhall give unto one of thefe little Ones
to drink a Cup ' of cold Water only, in the Name of a,
Difciple, verily, I fay unto you, he Jhall not lofe his Re-
ward, Matth. x. If fuch as beftow a Cup of cold
Water for God's Sake, are rewarded in Heaven,
what may not thofe bountiful Souls expect there, whd
now fpend their Eftates in charitable Deeds ? Be-
fides we have heard a Prophet tell us, that all fuch
as by the Light of their Doctrines, and the Holinefs
of their Lives, lead many Souls to their Salvation,
fhall Ihine for ever in Heaven, as fo many bright
Stars. It ftands with Reafon; for if our Saviourwill
in his infinite Mercy reward fuch a fmall Kindnefs as
the Gift of a Draught of Water to one of his Chil-
dren, they {hall excel in Glory, who fpend for his
Sake, in his Quarrel, every Drop of their Blood, and
by their Deaths, confirm his holy Gofpel. This is a
faithful Saying If we die with Jefus Chrift t we Jhall

al/9

466 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

alfo live with him-, if ive Juffer with him, we /hall
reignwithhim. But that which feems to me yet ftrong-
er, which makes for this Purpofe, is, that all thefe fpiri-
tual Graces which are beftowed upon us in this Life,
proceed from the Holy Ghoft, purchafed for us by
the Crofs of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and by his precious
Blood. Now thefe Graces are different and various.
Therefore as there are divers Degrees in Grace, why
fhould not there be alfo divers Degrees of Glory, fince
both have been purchafed for us with the fame Price,,
by the Death and Paffton of our Lord Jefus Chrift ?

The other Argument drawn from theHappinefs and
Perfection of the Glorified, is rational, but not infal-
lible. For feveral Diamonds may be perfect in their
Kind, fothat the cleared EyecannottakeNotice of any
Default; neverthelefs they may differ in Weight and
Price. All the Stars have their Perfection and Light;
neverthelefs one Star differs from another Star in Glo-
ry. All the Angels of Heaven are perfectly happy and
holy; and yet there is a great Inequality amongft them
in Glory and Dignity. Likewife, although all the
Bleffed fhall attain to a perfect Holinefs, in my Judg-
ment, that cannot hinder the Diverfity of Degrees of
Glory and Happinefs.

I acknowledge alfo that the other Objection, drawn
from thefe Words The Jujl Jhall Jloine as the Sun in thi
Kingdom cf their Father ) is not to be defpifed, but it con-
cludes nothing to the Purpofe. For if you fhould cut
put excellently well fome Orbs of Cryftal, of different
Sizes, fome greater, fome lefs, and fhould put them all
in the Sun; they would be all full of Light in every
Part, every one of them would reprefent the beautiful
Image of that Sun that looks upon them; fo that it
may very well be faid of them all, that they fhine as the
Sun. Neverthelefs, according to their Brightnefs and
Size, they receive more Light, and the Sun feems
greater in the one than the other. To the other Ob-
jection, That all the Glorified in Heaven are named
Kings; I anfwer, that this is not to be underftood in

a literal

againft the Fears of DEATH. 467

a literal Senfe, no more than when it is faid, That they
had on their Heads Crowns of Gold. That I maycon-
tinue in the fame Comparifon, I may fay, That all
Kings have a fovereign Majefty, which acknowledges
none above it, but God, from whom it proceeds ; and
neverthelefs fome have a greater Power and Riches
than others: Likewife all the glorified Saints fhall
enjoy a fovereign and perfect Happinefs, and receive it
immediately from God; but this cannot hinder them'
from differing from one another in Glory. I anfwer
next, the other Argument, taken out of the Parable of
the Father of the Family, who at the Evening of the
Day rewarded equally all his Labourers, that had been
employed in his Vineyard, givingto every one of them
a Penny: That Parables are as Pictures, in which, be-
fides the Thing intended to be drawn, there are many
Particulars, which ferve but as Flouriihes to adorn the
Pieces. If we fhould confider every Particular of this
Parable, we mightconclude from hence, that, amongft
fuch as fhall be faved, there (hall be fome murmuring
againft God, who fhall envy their Companions; which
js a grofs Abfurdity to imagine. The Defign of our
Saviour is not to fpeak of the Equality of the glorified
Saints; but his Intent is to Jhew, that thofe whom God
calls firft, fhould not dcfpife the others; becaufeGod,
who doth with his own what he pleafeth, is able to
make them equal, and to beftow upon them the fame
Advantages. Laftly, as every one whom the good
Man of the Houfe fent into his Vineyard at feveral
Times of the i. ay, received for their Salary a Pennyj
in the fame Manner, whofoever God calls into his
Church effectually at any Time, nay, at the Hour of
Death, they fhall receive from his infinite Bounty eter-
nal Life; but from hence we eannot conclude any
Thing contrary to this Truth, that in Heaven there
{hall be divers Degrees of Glory.

The greateft Difficulty, in my Judgement, is in thi&
Allegation, Th.it ive fljalljee God Face to Face\ and thc.t
be will be All in a!!, j Cor, xiii. i Cor. xv. Neverthe-

46 8 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolatkns

Jefs we may fay, that as all the Damned in Hell (hall
lofe all Sight of God, yet that cannot hinder the divers
Degrees of Pain and Torment; likewife, all the glo-
rified in Heaven fhall fee God; but this Sight, which
all enjoy, cannot remove the Inequality of their Glory
and Happinefs. As when all Men look upon the fame
Sun, but feveral receive the Benefit of its Beams in a
different Manner; thus we fhall all behold the fame
God; but the gracious Afpect of his Countenance
fhall be caft upon us varioufly, and produce in us di-
vers Effects. We may alfo make ufe of another Com-
parifon : As when we caft many empty Veffels into the
fame Sea, they are filled up; ib that it may be faid of
them, that the Sea is in them all; yet fome may be
more capacious, and receive more Water than others;
likewife all the Saints fhall enter into the fame wonder-
ful Ocean of the Godhead, and they (hall be all filled
tip to the Brim with his glorious Prefence; fo that God
fhall be All in all: Neverthelefs, we fhall receive dif-
ferent Meafures of the Waters iffuing forth to eternal
Life. In a Word, as God will caft headlong all the
Reprobates into the fame Lake of Fire and Brimftone,
yet there fhail be divers Degrees amongft them of
Punifhments ; fo God fhall caufe all the Elect to drink
out of the fame River of Pleafure; but there fhall be
a Difference amongft their Degrees of Glory. More-
over, this Pafiage may be thus underftood : God /hall
le All in all\ that is to fay, he (hall be to us all Riches,
Glory, Light, Meat, Drink, Pleafure, &c. In my
Judgement, we cannot conclude from hence, that he
is to be in all equally.

If any have other Thoughts, or is of another Opi-
nion, 1 fhall not offer to condemn him, nor under-
take to contradict him: For I conceive, that fince
Almighty God hath hid the Glories and Happinefs of
Heaven, and covered them over with a thick Cloud,
on purpofe to limit our too curious Enquiry, we can-
not mention them with too much Modefty and Re-
fpeft. Only J mud make, another Remark for the

* "* /- r

Comfort

agalnft the Fears of DEATH. 469

Comfort of devout Souls, whofe Thoughts and Minds
arc in Heaven; that when we affirm, that there fhall
be different Degrees of Glory in Paradife, we muftnor.
fancy that this fhall be any Prejudice to the perfect
Happinefs of the Glorified. For if I may once again
make ufe of the Comparifon of the Sun-beams, and
of theWaters of the Sea, I cannot find any more proper
for the Purpofe. As a!l Eyes that look upon the clear
Sun, without Cloud or Mitt, receive its Rays in a dif-
ferent Manner; yet they have all Light enough to fee
to guide themfelves, and to rejoice in this beautiful
Light that enlightens them; iffometake in a greater
Meafure of that Light, this hinders not the reft from
enjoying alfo a Sufficiency: So fhall it be with all the
glorified Souls, when they (hall behold God the Fa-
ther of Lights, the true Sun that lhall fhine for ever
and ever: If any of them fhall have more or lefs of
Light, that fhall not concern or prejudice their fove-
reign Happinefs, for every one of them fhall enjoy
as much as they lhall be able to contain, or lhall be
necefiaryto complete their Joy, and perfect their Hap-
pinefs. And as when we caft into the Sea many empty
VefTels, fome greater, fome lefs, the greater contains
more Water, and the lelTer not fo much; yet they all
receive enough to be filled up to the Brim : If the
lead of thefe Veflels had the Knowledge to fpeak,
they would not complain of the greater, for contain-
ing more than they, becaufe they have all as much as
they can either defire or expect ; likewife when the
Saints lhall be admitted into the bottomlefs Sea of
Glory and Happinefs they fhall be filled all up to
the Brim, fo that they fhall not be able to defire any-
more. They fhall be all, according to their different
Capacities, perfectly and encireiy happy. Confider
therefore, Chriftian Sou!, that if thou enjoyed fo much
Satisfaction and Delight as thou art capable of, altho*
others may have foinething more, thou art no lefs
happy for their Overplus. There is none but God
alone, who, according to the Infmitenefs of his Be-
ing,

47 o *be CHRISTIAN 's Confolaltons

ing, pofiefTeth an unmeafurable and infinite Glory
and Happinefs. This bottomlefs Source of Glory
and Blifs fhall for ever and ever overflow all the Glo-
rified in Heaven, and fatisfy their Souls with unfpeak-
able Delights.

You may afk, Chriftians, In what Part of the great
World fhall God caufe us to enjoy fo many rare Plea-
fures, and heavenly Contentments? Where fhall he
difcover fo much Glory and Splendour? In whatPart
doth he intend to fhew fo many divine Marks of his
gracious Prefence? I anfwer, That this Place is above
the elemental World, above all the Heavens, that
appear before our Eyes, and that roll about us. If
we will underftand this, we mull remember that the
Holy Scripture makes mention of three Heavens :
The firft is the large Extent of the Air, diftinguifhed
by the learned into three Regions. In this Senfe it is
to be underftood when it fpeaks of the Birds of the
Air. The fecond Heaven comprehends the heavenly
Spheres, the Globes that are between the Moon and
the Firmament, where are all the fixed Stars j and
if beyond this there be any other Sphere, whereof
the Motion is fo powerful and fwift as to carry with
it the inferior Globes, and to caufe them to roll round
in the Space of four-and-twenty Hours. Of this
Heaven David fpeaks in PfaL xix. 'The Heavens de-
clare the Glory of God, and the Firmament Jheweth bis
Handy -work; he hath -put in them a Tabernacle for the
Sun. Now, above all thefe heavenly Spheres men-
tioned by the Aftronomers (fome reckon up nine or
ten, others more;) there is yet a third Heaven fpoken
of by St.Paul, i Cor. xii. I know, faith he, a Man
in Chrift, which was taken up into the third Heaven ;
/ know that he was taken up into Paradife, and heard
fiords which cannot be fpoken, which are not pojfil/le for
Man to utter. The holy Apoftle leaves no Manner
of Difficulty; for the third Heaven he names Para-
dife, where he heaid unfpeakable Words, which are
not poffible to be uttered.

i The

agalnft the Fears of DEATH. 471

The celeftial Globes roll about continually; but
this third Heaven, for its Excellency, is filled, the
Heaven , and is fixed in an eternal Settlement. And
as much as thefe beautiful Orbs have a greater Light
and Glory than the Air, and the inferior Bodies; fo
much the more doth this third Heaven excel them. It
is my Judgment that Solomon means this third Hea-
ven fituate above all the reft, which exceeds them fo
much in Beauty and Glory, when hefpeaks to God of
the Heavens, and of the Heaven of Heavens , i Kings viii.
That is to fay, the moft excellent, the higrieft, and
the moft glorious of all the Heavens, are not able to
contain thee\ and God himfelf declares by his holy
Prophets, the Heavens are my Throne^ and the Earth
is my Footflool, Ifaiah Ixvi. For in this high Heaven
God hath placed his Throne, where he difcovers his
Glory, and the Brightnefs of his luminous Counte-
nance. There the Seraph ims fly, and thoufand thou-
fands worfhip him, and ten thoufand Millions ftand
continually before him, Ifaiah vi. Dan. vii. Here
the blefTed Soul of our Saviour Chrift afcended as foon
as it had left the Body, according to what he pro-
mifed the crucified Thief, Verily , I Jay unto thee, 'This
Day jh alt thou be with me in Paradife, Luke xxiii. Into
this Place our glorious Saviour entered, both in Soul
and Body, after his Refurrection; and here it was that
St.Stephen faw him, when he cried out, I fee the Hea-
vens open, and Jefus Chrift fitting at the Right-hand of
God, Acts vii. And to this Place the Souls of all fuch
as die in his Favour are carried up. Therefore St. Paul
to the Hebrews mentions, immediately after the thou-
fand s of Angels, the Spirits of jufl Men madeperfeR;
and the Church and Congregation of the Firft-born, whofe
Names are written in Heaven. In Ihort, it is the glo-
rious Seat, where we hope that God will receive us
both in Soul and Body, at that Day when we fiiall be
taken up into the Air, above the Clouds of Heaven,
to be for ever with the Lord Jefus.

Some enquire, What fhall become then of this
elemental "World ? Whether this Heaven that appears

472 be CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

to our Eyes, and this Earth that fuftains us,
perifli? Or whether they fhall remain yet after the
great Day of Doom ?

Certain profane Atheifts are perfuaded, that the
World (hall remain for ever, as it doth at prefent,
and that there fhall be no Kind of Alteration. The
Apoftle St. Peter hath prophefied of thefe Perfons,
and defcribed them in their own Colours; There Jhall
come at the loft Day Mockers, walking after their own
Lujls, faying* Where is the Promije of his Coming ? For
Jince the Fathers are afleep, all Things continue in the
Jamc Manner, Jince the Beginning of the World. I need
not trouble myfelf to anfwer fuch Impieties : I fpeak
to none but to devout Souls, who reverence the Divi-
nity of the holy Scriptures, and are fully perfuaded
of the Truth of all the Articles of our Creed.

When Menoppofe a falfe Doctrine, they often run
from one Extremity to another. Therefore fome ima-
gine, that the World fhall totally perifli; and that as
God hath made the Heavens and Earth, and the reft
of the blements out of nothing, he will reduce then:
all again into the fame nothing; and that he intends
to create others, more beautiful, more holy, and far
more glorious. There are two forts of Expreffions
that feem to favour this Opinion. The firftfpeaks
of the Heavens and of the Earth, as of perifhing and
decaying Creatures. In this Manner D^wWdifcourfeth
of them in PJal. cii. after him the Apoftle to the He-
brews, Thou, Lord, haft eftablifhed the Earth, and the
Heavens are the Works of thy Hands; they Jball feri/hi
but thou Jljalt endure ; they JJoall wax old as doth a Gar-
ment ; and as a Vefture Jhalt then fold them up, and they
Jhall be changed. And our Saviour tells us in Matth.
xxiv. The Heavens and the Earth faall pap away, but
my Word Jhall not fafs away. Efpecially the Words of
St. Peter, in the 2d Epiitle, and in the iiid Chapter,
are remarkable, The Heavens Jhall pafs away with a
Noife; and the Elements /hall melt with Heat ; and the
Earth, with tht Works that are within, Jhall bt burnt

agalnft the Fears of DEATH. 473

up. The other PafTages mention new Heavens, and
a new Earth, as in JJa. Ixv. Behold y I create new Hea-
vens, and a new Earth; and the former Things Jh all be
remembered no more . Likewife, mi Pet. iii. before-
mentioned, We look for new Heavens and a new Earthy
according to his Promife, wherein dwelleth Righteouf-
nefs. And Rev. xxi. I Jaw a new Heaven, and a new
Earthy for the fir ft Heaven and the firft Earth were
puffed away ; and there was no more Sea. Moreover
St. Paul to the Hebrews fpeaks of the World to come.
From hence fome conclude, that the old World
ought to be abolifhed, and that God will create a
new World.

There is no Man, that is a Chriftian, can doubt
of that wonderful Change which (hall happen to the
World at the lail Day, if he confiders the fore-men-
tioned Paffages of holy Scripture; efpecially that of
St. Peter > The Heavens Jh all pa fs away with a Noife,
and the Elements Jhail melt with Heat ; and the Earth^
with the Works that are therein, jhall be burnt up. As
the Walls of Jericho fell at the Sound of the Priefts
Trumpets; fo this great World fhall be turned up-
fide down at the Blowing of the Archangel's Trum-
pet. Our Reafon alone, being enlightened by divine
Revelations, feems to confirm this Truth; for fmce
the Houfe infected with a fpreading Leprofy was to
be demoliihed, how much rather ought the World
to be deilroyed becaufe in it are to be feen apparently
the Spots and Blemifhes of Sin, the fpiritual Le-
profy !

But though this great Fabrick of the World muft
be ruined, and turned upfide down, we do not be-
lieve that it fhall be reduced to nothing. Its Qua-
lities (hall be changed, and it may be, its Form fhall
be altered ; but its Subftance and Matter fhall con-
tinue always the fame. For, firft, as God hath cre-
ated the World for his own Glory, he cannot be for
ever difappoin ted of the Intent of his Creation. And
becaufe this World hath not glorified him as it

I i ought

474 be CHRISTIAN'S Confolatiotis
ought, he will put it into a Condition proper to glo-
rify him anfwerable to the Purpofe, for which he
drew it out of nothing. Secondly, Since this World
was created to ferve Man, as a Looking-glafs, to
behold the eternal Power of God; and that this beau-
tiful Looking-glafs hath been fpotted and fullied by
Sin; it is yet poffible to cleanfe it, and make it
brighter, that it might reprefent its Creator better,
and fhew forth a more perfect Image of his Divins
Majefty. Thirdly, Since God doth nothing in vain,
there is no Likelihood that he fhould deftroy the
World totally, and reduce the primitive Matter to
nothing, from whence it was drawn, to create new
Matter, becaufe he is able of this old Matter to make
a ne\ Earth, and new Heaven, as pure and undefiled
as if the Matter had been newly created. Fourthly,
Sin hath fpoiled and disfigured the Works of the Cre-
ation; but it hath not touched either the firft Mat-
ter, or its Being; fo that God can take away this
Defilement, and remove this Deformity, without
touching the Matter, which of itfelf is innocent. In
Man, the little World, and the Compendium of the
great, I find a beautiful and perfect Image of that
which God will do with the whole World. God in-
tends not to deftroy the Subftanceof Souls, but only
to purge them from all vicious Qualities, and beau-
tify them with Righteoufnefs and true Holinefs; fo
that they fhall be as the Angels of Heaven. Like-
wife he intends to deftroy the Subftance of our Bo-
dies, but he will free them from Corruption, from
Death, and clothe them with Glory and Immortality j
fo that this vile Body fhall be rendered conformable
to the glorious Body of the Son of God, and fhali
Ihine as the Sun: So God will not altogether deftroy
the World, and abolifh his Subftance, but he will
rectify all its Imperfections, and add to it a greater
Glory. If it be lawful for me to difcover here all my
Thoughts, I muft fay, that I put a greater Difference
between Heaven and Earth ; for the Earth is altoge-
ther

agalnft the Fears of DEATH. 475

ther corrupt, and fpoiled with Sin; it is the Earth
chiefly, that groans under the Burden of fo many Ini-
quities, which reign in it; but if Heaven is guilty of
any Crime, it is becaufe it hath given Light to fuch
as have been Rebels againft the Divine Majefty, and
affifted the curfed Earth by its favourable Influences.
Becaufe of this great Difference, it is my Opinion,
that the Earth fhall be deftroyed by Fire; and that
all its beautiful Buildings, and proud Palaces, fhall
be turned into Afhes. But the Change which iliall
happen in Heaven, fhall only be to make it more
beautiful and brighter, that the Children of God may
have there a more glorious Palace. This feems to
have been typified in the ceremonial Law ; for as we
have already obferved, fpeaking of that which fhall
happen to the Soul and Body, that when an earthen
Veffel was defiled, it was to be broken to pieces ; but
fuch Vefiels as were of a more precious Metal, as of
Brafs, or of Silver, or of Gold, were to be purified
with Fire; likewife the Earth, with all its Works,
fhall pafs through the Flames, fo that it fhall lofe its
prefent Shape and Qualities. But Heaven, that is
as Brafs, or rather as fine Silver, fhall only be puri-
fied by the Fire of the lafl Judgment. If you re-
move the Caufe, you take away alfo the Effect; if
you remove away Sin, you alfo remove its Punifh-
ment. Now it is becaufe of Man's Sin, that the
World hath and fhall fee fo great a Change. There-
fore as God, by his infinite Mercy, hath forgiven
Man's Sin, it is alfo to be expected from the fame
Mercy, that he will not totally deftroy the World,
but that he will rather free it from Corruption, unto
which our Sin hath made it fubject.

Unlefs God deals in this Manner, our Joy and
Comfort feems not complete, and God appears not
perfectly fatisfied and reconciled. While a Subject
continues in Rebellion, and in the Difpleafure of his
Prince, not only his Perfon is purfued and punifhed,
but all chat belong to him bear the Marks of \Vrath

I i 2 and

476 he CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

and Indignation of the Prince whom he hath offend-
ed. His Dwelling-houfe is commonly pulled down,
his Woods are cut and mangled, and his Inheritance
is deftroyed: But when he has made his Peace, his
Houfe is built up again, all figns of the King's Dif-
pleafurc are taken away, and every Thing appears with
a more pleafant Countenance. Thus becaufe of our
Rebellion, and our Treafon againft God, he hath
punifhed the World for our Sakes, and hath made it
fenfible of his Wrath : But now that our Peace is
made, or rather, God having made Peace by the
Blood of his Son, we may juftly expect that he will
remove all Signs of his Difpleafure and Revenge. I
remember, upon this Subject, what David faid to God,
when he faw the Angel deftroy Jerufalem; I have
finned, and I have done -wickedly, hit thefe Sheep, what
have they done? 2 Sam. xxiv. In the fame Manner
every Believer may fay to God, Lo, I have finned,
O Lord; 1 and my Brethren have done wickedly;
but thefe inanimate Creatures, what have they done?
Our Sins have defiled the Earth: And all that may
be objected againft Heaven, is, to have yielded Light
and Affiftance to us Rebels. Since therefore thou
blotted out our Sins, and pardoned our Rebellions,
fpare thefe harmlefs Creatures, which cannot be pu-
nifhed for our Sakes.

At prefent we may, without Difficulty, underftand
the fore-mentioned Paffages of holy Scripture, and
iuch as tend to the fame Purpofe. For when David
and St. Paul aflure us, That the Heavens Jhall perijh,
and they Jhall be changed as a Garment ; I anfwer, That
they fhall perifh in refpect of their Qualities, but not
of their Subitance; and that the Change fhall not be
as when one Garment is caft off, and another taken;
but as when the Spots and Blemifhes of an old Gar-
ment are taken away, and it become a frefher. When
your Clothing is grown old, and worn out, if it
were in your Power to make it become new again,
and as beautiful as ever it was, you would never think

agamji the "Fears of DEATH. 477

of feeking for new Stuff. That which is impoffible
to Men, is pofilble with God, Luke vi. And when,
our Saviour in St. Matthew's Gofpel, faith, That the
Heavens and the Earth Jhall pafs away, but my Word
JJjall not pafs aivay, I might affirm that thefe Words
are to be underftood comparatively, that is to fay,
that the Heavens, and the Earth, fhall pafs away,
rather than that the Words of God fhould fail of an
Accomplishment. Our Saviour confirms this Inter-
pretation, when he faith, in St. Lukes Gofpel, It is
eafitr for Heaven and Earth to pafs away* than that one
Tittls of the Laiv jhculd not be fulfilled. The holy
Scripture is full of fuch Kind of t xprefiions ; but I
would rather flick to the Anfwers which I have al-
ready given in the former Text, and fay, that the
Heavens and the Earth fhall pafs away, not in Re-
gard of their Subftance, but only in Regard of their
Qualities and Accidents that belong to them.

In St. Peter's Expreflions, I find a double Compa-
rifon or Allufion -, the one relates to the Tents that
are pulled down when the Pieces are taken afunder.
This Comparifon is very proper ; for this World is
like a great Tabernacle, ^glorious Pavillion. God fhall
pull off the Coverings, he fhall cut the Cords, and
ieparate every Piece. But he will one Day raife it
up again, gather every Piece, and make it a Royal
Tabernacle, full of Splendour and Glory.

The other Comparifon is borrowed from Goldjmiths,
who cad the Gold and Metals into Pots, and then
melt them in the Fire. Now as they deflroy not by
this Means the Gold and the Silver, but they cleanfe
them from the Drofs and the Froth, caufe them to
appear in all their Brightnefs and Beauty, and give
them a new Shape and Form; fo the Fire of the lad
Judgement fhall not confume the Heavens and the
Earth, but fhall only give them a new Form and
Beauty.

The flrongeft Objection, in my Opinion, is occa-
fioned by the Words of St. Peter, The Earth, and the

I i 3

4/3 The CHRISTIAN'S Csnfihtions
Works that are iberein y Jball be burnt: B.:: I
to this, That there is a great Difference between
burning, and being totally confumed and abolifhed.
If it were in the Power of a Man, whofe Houfe is
confumed to the Ground, to raife it up again from
its Ruins, and to make it more beautiful and glorious
than before, by h i alone, he would never feek

fcr other Materials. Now fliall I fay again, that
what is impoffible with Men, is poffible with God ?
He hath already created the World with his Word,
and he is able to reftore it again by the fame Word.
Art hath found a Means to make beautiful Veflels
of melting Aflies; and fliall not God's Hand, unto
which all the Skill of Art and the Strength of Na-
ture cannot be compared, be able to gather up the
Alhes of the Earth, and to make of it a Body full
of Glory and Light?

From hence you may perceive, how we are to un-
derftand that there fhaH be new Heavens, and a
Earth; they fliall not be new in regard of their Sub-
ftance and Matter, which (hall have been from the
Beginning of the Wor'.d, but they fliall be new in
regard of chofe noble Qualities which God (hall give
them. When a debauched Fellow leaves his wicked

. and applies himfelf to the Practice of Piety and
Virtue, we commonly fay, That he is not the fame,
but that he is become another Man. Befides, when
a Man hath caft off his old Rags, and put on a mag-

*r.t Gormen:, we are wont to fay, that he is
another Man : We ftiall have much more Caufe to
declare, that the Heavens, and the Earth, fliall be new
when God {hall have renewed them. In fhort, he
(hall enrich the World with fo many wonderful
Beauties, he fhall fill it full of fo much Glory and
E.X-C iervcy, he fnall caufe it to be fo perfeft, that we
{hah have juft Reafon to look upon it as upon a new
World, and to fay with the Appftle, The old Tlrings
are faffed away-, behold all Things are become new. I
%ould not have you think, Cbrijtians, that this (

nion

againft the Fears of DEATH. 479

nion is grounded only upon human Reafon. It is
drawn from the Words of St. Paul, who, fpeaking
of the earthly and infenfible Creatures, as may appear
by his Defign, he faith not only, that they are Jubjeft
to Vanity > not willingly > but becauje of him who bath
fubjetted them -, he underftands Man, who by his Sin
and Rebellion hath fpoiled the World, and corrupted
Nature ; but he adds immediately after, 'That they hope
to be delivered from the Bondage of Corruption, to be in
the glorious Liberjy of the Children of God; afterwards
he faith, For we know that the whole Creation groanetb
and travaileth in Pain together until new ; and before
he faith, That the earneft Expectation of the Creature
waiteth for the Manifeftation of the Son of God. In
xvhich Words, pray take Notice, that St. Paul faith
not, that thefe Creatures fhall be abolifhed, and to-
tally destroyed ; but only that they lhall be delivered
from Vanity, and from the Bondage of Corruption,
unto which the Sin of Man hath made them fubjectj
and that this bleffed Deliverance fhall be brought to
pafs at the Day of the Redemption of our Bodies,
that is to fay, at that Day when God lhall redeem
our Bodies from their Graves, and raife them up to
the highelt Glory and Happinefs, which hath been
prepared for us from the Creation of the World.

Then fhall happen that which is wont to be feen at
the Marriage of a great King, or at a Coronation, or
a Triumph. For not only the Prince and his Spoufe,
and all the Court, appear in their richefl and moft
glorious Attire, and loaden with their moft precious
Jewels, and the ufual Pomp of Triumphs is as extra-
ordinary and glorious as can be contrived > but on
fuch Occafions, the Prince's Palace is adorned with
the richeft, with the moft magnificent and rareft Or-
naments j and the Town where this Solemnity is kept
ihows forth fome Signs of the publick Rejoicing.
Many Places are beautified with feveral Rarities;
Theatres are erected, and triumphal Arches j the
Streets are covered with Flowers andTapeftryj Fires

I i 4 arc

480 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

are kindled, and Torches are lighted; and there is
no Corner but Ihows fome Expreflions of the publick
Joy. Thus when our Lord Jefus Chrift lhali come
down from the Clouds of Heaven, upon a Chariot of
Triumph, when he (hall come to confummate his
Marriage, and to crown his Spoufe, he (hall not only
appear in his greateft Glory, and mod divine Pomp,
but the Church alfo, his Spoufe, fhall be clothed
with a Garment brighter than the Sun, and crowned
v/ith an immortal Glory. All the bkflfed Saints fhall
appear in rheir Attire of Joy, having Palms in their
Hands, and Crowns upon their Heads; and the Com-
panies of holy Angels fhall fing round about. At that
Time Paradife, which fhall be his Palace and Bride-
chamber, fhall be adorned and enriched with all the
Light and Glory which I have already efTayed to de-
fcribe to you. The whole World alfo, and every
Part of it, fhall partake of this great Glory, and ce-
leftial Pomp. The richeft Coronations, the moft
magnificent Triumphs, tiVe mod {lately Nuptials, are
gone in a few Hours: Therefore the Fires of Joy are
foon put out, the Hangings of the Streets are taken
down, and the Arches and Pageants difappear, and
the City is to be feen in its wonted Drefs. But as this
Glory and Joy of the Church fhail never end, there
the World fhall for ever and ever bear the Signs of
it. The Ornaments which it fhall receive in this joy-
ful Day, fhall never be taken away, and the celeitial
Fires of Gladnefs fhall never go out.

Although it is my Opinion, that the World fhall
never be totally deftroyed, but that it fhall become more
beautiful and glorious than before, I fhall not under-
take to give you a Defcriptidn of its feveral Parts, nor
to tell you how it fhall be employed. For Example,
I fhall not determine whether v,e are to underftand our
Saviour's Words in the Goipel literally, That the Sun
jhall become dark y and the Moon /hall not give its Light,
and that the Stars Jhall fall from Heaven-, or whether
thcfe heavenly Bodies fhall flill continue $ whether

they

agamji the "Fears of D E A T H 481

they fliall be decked with a new Light and Glory, and
to what Purpofe they fhall ferve. For then we (hall
be enlightened with a greater Light than that of the
heavenly Bodies. I fhall only propofe two Things :
Fir/t, That as in the human Bodies there are fome
Members which at prefent are ufeful, but then they
fhall be only for Ornament and Beauty; likewife in
the great World, there are many Things which fhall
then beofnoUfe; neverthelefs, they fhall be pre-
ferved for the Beauty and Perfection of the World.
Secondly, That as Man, the little World, fhall then be
more beautiful and perfect than when God firft cre-
ated him ; likewife this great World fhall receive more
Beauty, more Ornaments and Perfection, than when
God drew it out of its firft Chaos. As muchDifference
as there is between the fecond Adam and the firft, be-
tween the heavenly Paradife and the earthly, fo much
fhall there be between the firft and the fecond World.
So that we fhall have good Caule to fay of this great
Palace, which is to be deftroyed, and reared up again
by the mighty Hand of God, as the holy Prophet
faid of Solomon's Temple, which we have already ap-
plied to our glorified Bodies, 'The Glory of this fecond
Houfe Jhall be greater than the Glory of thefirft.

Some enquire whether we fhall know one another
in this ftate of eternal Glory and Happinefs; I mean,
whether the Subject fhall know his Prince and King ?
Whether the Sheep fliall know their Paftor, and the
Paftor his Sheep? Whether the Father fhall know his
Son, the Son the Father, the Hufband his Wife, and
the Wife her Hufband, and fo forth ?

Though this Queftion is of the Number of fuch as
are more curious than needful to be known -, never-
thelefs, an Anfwer feems to carry with it fome Kind
of Comfort and Satisfaction. I fhould judge, that
this Treatife would not be perfect, if I did not fay,
fomething to this noble Subject: But what I fliall fay,
fhall be with the fame Moderation and Refervednefs^,
as I have exprefled in anfwering to the former Quef-

tions.

The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

tions. For although what I fhall fpeak, feems to me
very plain, and without Difficulty; others may have
a different Opinion, without any Prejudice to their
Salvation. However, I may affirm for a infallible
Truth, that the^Gflory of Heaven, as well as Grace,
Jhall bring Nature to Perfection, but fhall notdeftroy
it. It {hall add to it other Excellencies, but it fhall
not take away thofe that it hath already. It /hall not
abolifh any of the Faculties, but it fhall beautify and
enrich them with new Ornaments. Therefore, con-
fequently, it fhall not take away our Memory, which
is one of the rareft Gifts and Abilities of the reafon-
able Soul.

J ccnfefs that it is faid, 'That the former Things /hall
be remembered no more, and that they Jhall come no more
into our Mind. But this is to be underftood of the
Evils and Calamities, of this prefent Life : And we
are not to underftand theWords fo, that we fhall to-
tally forget all the former Evils and Miferies, and
fhall not remember to have fuffered them. St.Jofat
faith the contrary,when he reprefents the Angel open-
ing the fifth Seal j that he faw under the golden Altar,
which was before the Throne of God, the Souls of
them who had been martyred for the Word of God,
and for the Teflimony of the Truth, crying out with
a loud Voice, How long, O Lord, holy and true, doft
thou not judge and revenge our Blood upon the Inhabitants
of the Earth? I confefs thefe Words may be under-
ftood in a figurative Senfe, as when God faith to Cain,
The Voice of thy Brother* sBlood cries from the Earth un-
to me , and as St. Paul faith, that the Blood ofjejus
Cbriftjpeaks better Things than the Blood of Abel. How-
ever, from hence we may conclude, that the Remem-
brance of the Calamities and Perfections which we
have endured in this Life, is not inconfiftent with
Happinefs. This Remembrance is fo far from pre-
judicing our Felicity, that on the contrary, it Jhall
increafe" and enlarge it, and caufe us to relifh it the
more. When the Prophet faith, That theforjnerThings

JbaU

again ft the Pears o/" DEATH. 483

Jhall be remembered no more, and they Jh all nevtr come to
Mind, he underftands that the former Evils fhall ne-
ver be felt, and that we (hall be for ever flickered
from all Miferies and Misfortunes.

I cannot exprefs this by a nobler and more proper
Example, than that of Jofeph: When he went out
of Prifon to take the Government of Egypt, and had
ftrengthened himfelf by a rich Alliance in Marriage,
he named his eldeft Son Mana/jeb, which fignifies,
Forgetfulnefs > or forgetful; for be faid y God hath made
me forget all my Labour, and my Father's Houje\ altho*
this holy Man had not altogether forgotten thofe
Things; for he knew afterwards his Brethren, and
told them of the Mifchief which they had intended
ao-ainft him. and which God had turned to Good :

^j *

But he fpoke in this Manner, becaufe God had chan-
ged his Mifery and Imprifonment into Glory and Ho-
nour. In this Senfe we are to underftand thefe Words,
The former Things Jball be remembered no more-, becaufe,
inftead of the Evils and Miferies which we endure here
below, we fhall enter into an eternal Glory and Hap-
pinefs. The Prophet expounds himfelf fufficiently in
the next Words; for when he had faid, The former
Things Jhall not be remember ed y nor come into Mind> he
adds immediately after, Be glad and rejoice in that which
I create. The Holy Ghoft confirms us in this Inter-
pretation in another Place, in thefe Words, All Tears
fliall be wiped off from our Eyes-, there Jhall be no more
Sorrow y nor Crying, nor Pain j but eternal Joy and
Gladnejs Jhall be upon our Heads.

Since God intends not to deftroy thofe Gifts and
Abilities, which he had beftowed upon us in this Life,
much lefs fhall he abolifh our Knowledge, which is
one of the brighteft Beams of Glory. This Know-
ledge fhall be fo far fromdiminifhing or decaying, that
it fhall then increafe more and more, until it comes
to the higheft Perfection. As the Air loofeth nothing
of its Twilight at Break of Day, when the Sun rifeth
Vpon our Heads i but it rather lofcth all Obfcurity

484 T&e CHRISTIANAS Confolatlom
and Darknefs, which the Prefence of the Sun draws
away, until it be perfectly enlightened ; likewife our
Underftanding fhall lofe nothing of that Light and
Perfection which it receives now from the Breaking
of the Day of God's Grace. But as the Sun of
Righteoufnefs rifeth upon it more and more in Joy
and Salvation, it fhall perfectly lofe all Darknefs and
Ignorance by Degrees until it be fully enlightened.
From hence we may probably conclude, that we fhall
know all the Perfons in Heaven, whom we have
known here on Earth. For if the Glorified fhall re-,
member theWicked, who have tormented them, they
mud needs remember all Believers, who have beflowed
on them their Alms, and done them Good. If it
were otherwife, the Apoflle St.P^/ would not tell
the Corinthians, We are your Glory-, as alfo you are curs,
at tke Day of the Lordjefus: And he would not write
thus to the c Tbejfalmians -, What is our Hope, cur Joy^
and cur Crown cf Glory ? Is it not you before the Lord
"Jefits Chrift at Ion Coming? Eerily you are our Glory
and our Joy. Now, if in the State of Glory St.Prfz//
ihould not know the Corinthians and Tbefftiloma-na, unto
whom he had preached the Gofpel, how fhall they be
his Joy, his Glory, and his Crown, at the Coming
of the Lord Jefus? This Reafon feems to me as clear
as the Sun. Neverthelefs, I cannot affirm, that in Hea-
ven we fhall know again them whom we have known
upon Earth, by the Features of their Countenance j
for there fhall be a wonderful Alteration. The Faces
of all the Saints fhall be beautiful, fo perfect, and full
of Light and Glory, that the mofl knowing fhall not
be able to judge them to be the fame whom we have
feen upon Earth. Some therefore fancy that we fhall
know one another, by the Afliftance of our Difcourfc j
but our Voice fhall then be changed as well as our
Countenance; and it is doubtful whether we fhall dif-*
courfeof the formerThings which happened on Earth;
for our chief Employment fhall be to behold God's
Face, and to fing forth his Praifes. I had rather there-
5 fore

agalnfi the Fears of DEATH. 485

fore affirm, that we fhall know one another by an in-
fufed Knowledge, by which we fhall know all Things
which are poflible to be known, and by the Light of
that Glory with which God fhall fill our Souls. Inlhort,
this Knowledge fhall proceed from no other Principle
than that of all the Knowledge with which we fhall
be crowned in that State of Glory and Perfection.

I am therefore more than fully perfuaded, that we
fhall know in Heaven our Parents and our Friends,
and generally all the Perfons whom we have known
here below: But we fhall alfo perfectly know them
whom we never knew in the World, and never fa\v
with the Eyes of the Flefh. We fhall know the holy
and blefied Virgin Mary, the Patriarchs, the Prophets,
the Apoflles, the Evangelifts, the ConfefTors, the
Martyrs, and generally, without Exception, all the
Saints, who fhall be crowned with Glory and Joy in
Heaven. There is nobody can queftion, but that, in
the celeftial Paradife, we fhall have more Knowledge
and Underftanding, than everddam had in the earthly.
Now when God caufed a deep Sleep to fall upon him,
when he took one of his Ribs and formed therewith a
Woman, hehadfeen none of this done; neverthelefs,
when his Eyes were open, he knew her: Therefore he
declared his Judgement in this Mariner, This is Bone
of my Bone, and F/e/b of my Flefh. And fhall not we, when
God (hall roufe us up from the deep fleep of Death,
with the Sound of the laft Trumpet, know the Spoufe
of the Son of God, which he hath drawn out of his
Side and moulded with his own precious Blood ? St.
Peter, when he was enlightened by a Beam of our Sa-
viour's Glory in his Transfiguration, knew Mofes and
Elias, whom he had never feen before. And fhall
not we know all the Children of God upon Mount
Sion, when we fhall be transfigured ourfelves; and that
we fhall fhine as the heavenly Light; whereof that of
Mount Tabor was but an imperfect Shadow and Rc-
prefentation ? But though we fhall know in Heaven all
the Perfons whom we have known on Earth, we fhall

look

486 ^CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

look upon them in another Manner, and love them
with another Affection; for all that we have of {he
animal and earthly Life fhall be totally abolifhed ;
and as our Knowledge fhall be clear and certain, our
Love fhall be pure and heavenly. I am not able to
exprefs,this better than St.Paul doth in thefe Words,
Although I have known Chrift according to the Flejh^ ne-
vertbelefsj I know him no more according to the Flejh.
Chriftians, confider well thefe Expreffions ; they will
be able to remove all Difficulty and Doubts out of your
Minds. We are fully perfuaded, that all the Inhabi-
tants of Heaven fhall know very well our Lord Jefus
Chrift : For how can it be otherwife, but that we muft
know this glorious Monarch of Men, and of Angels,
whofe facred Countenance fhall fhine as the Sun j and
who fhall fit upon his magnificent Throne, about
which Legions of Seraphims fly, and who fhall be there
adored for ever by all the Church of Glory? Never-
thelefs St. Paul faith, That although he hath known Jefus
Chrift according to the Flejh\ that is to fay, according
to the Manner of his low and earthly Life, when he
lived here on Earth j at prefent he did not know him
in the fame Manner, he did not confider him other-
wife, but as he is at prefent invefted with an unfpeak-
able Glory and Splendour. In the fame Manner, al-
though we fhall know all them whom we have known
on Earth, we fhall no more know them according to
theFlefh, that is to fay, according to this animal and
fenfual Life j our Love fhall have nothing of earthly or
carnal, but it fhall be altogether fpiritual and heavenly.
I befeech you, Chriftians, confider well what St.
Matthew tells us in Chap. xxi. The Sadducees, who
fay there is no Refurreftion, came to Chrift to en-
tangle him with this difficult Queftion, Majier, Mofes
/aid, If a Man die having no Children^ his Brother Jhall
marry his Wife, and raije Seed unto his Brother. Now
there were with usfeven Brethren , thefirft) when he had
married a Wife* dsctafed-, and having no Iflite, left his
Wife unto his Brethren ; Ukewift the Jecond aljo, and the

third*

againft the Fears of DEATH. 4? 7

third, unto the feventh ; and laft of all the Woman died
alfo ; therefore in the Refurreftion, wbofe Wife Jhall Jhe
be of the fe*uen\ for they all had her. Our Saviour an-
fwers not, That this Woman fhall belong to none of
thofe Hufbands becaufe they fhall not know her, nor
diftinguifh her from other Women ; but he replies to
them, Tou do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the
Power of God , for in the Refurreftion they neither mar-
ry ^ nor are given in Marriage ; but are as the jlngels of
God in Heaven. From hence \*e may conclude, that
although in Heaven we fhall know one another, we
fhall have nothing of that carnal Love, which we have
at prefent, and which caufeth us to put fo much Dif-
ference between one Perfon and another. A Father
may know his Children, but his Love fhall not be
grounded upon Considerations of Flefli and Blood ;
he fhall love them only, becaufe they are amongft the
Children of God, and the Heirs of the Kingdom, and
beeaufe he fhall appear in the Image of the heavenly
leather cloathed with his Light, and crowned with
his immortal Glory. Finally, We fhall love nothing
but in God, and for his Sake, as they fhall be in God,
and God in them. In this Manner it fhall not be pof-
fiblc to love them more or lefs j Charity or Love,
the Queen of Virtues, fhall then fit upon its Throne,
and attain to the higheft Degree of Perfection.

If you think ferioufly upon this, Cbrijlians, you fhall
find Arguments to anfwer the vain Objections of fuch
as fay, That if we come to the Knowledge of one
another in Heaven, that will be able to difturb us of
our Satisfaction. For as it is a Comfort and Joy to
meet there with our Parents and Friends; in like
Manner, it will be a Trouble and Affliction, not to
find there all fuch whom we have formerly loved. We
may form and retort the fame Objection, with more
Reafon, againft thofe who believed that we fhall not
know one another in Heaven. For we may fay alfo,
that not knowing the Perfons, we fhall not know whe-
ther our Parents, or our Friends, are there ; and this
i is

488 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

is likely to difturb and trouble the Quiet, and Satif-
faction of our Minds. But to argue in this grofs
Manner is to confound Heaven with the Earth.

Grief and Difpleafure can never be admitted in a
Paradife of Joy and perfect Happinefs. In this
glorious Condition, our Knowledge fhall be fo clear,
our Charity fo pure, our Love to God fo fervent,
that as we fhall love all Things which God fhall
love, and where his Image fhall appear; fo it fhall
not be poffible for us to love them whom God fhali
hate, them who fhall bear the Marks and Characters
of the Devil.

When David was yet here upon Earth, he faid unto
God, Lord, do 1 not bate them that hate thee ? I hate
them with a perfeff Hatred; they have been to me as
wine Enemies, Pf. cxxxix. In the fame Manner wejhall
rather fpeak in Heaven, in the State of Perfection,
when God fhall be in us All in All, and we fhall be all
in God. Some there arc that enquire, What Kind of
Language we fhall fpeak in Heaven? Some reply,
That we fhall fpeak the Language of Angels; ground-
ing their Opinion upoa what St. Paid fays to the
Corinthians, Though I fpeak with the Tongues of MM,
and of Angels, and have not Charity, I ar,i become as
founding Brafs, or a tinkling Cymbal.

But this is a fantaftical Opinion ; for as the Angels
are pure Spirits, they can have noTongue, norpro-
per Language. I confefs, in fome holy Apparitions,
Angels have fpoken to Men j but it was by moving
the Tongues of their borrowed Bodies; or by em-
ploying fome other corporal Organ. Then they fpoke
in the Language of thofe to whom they were fent, and
had no particular or proper Dialect. But if Angels did
fpeak, their Language would excel as much that of
Men, as the angelical Nature excels the human. By
the Tongues of Angels therefore our Apoflle under-
ftands an excellent Tongue, better than that of Men.

Others fancy, that in Heaven we fhall fpeak no other
Language but the Hebrew t becaufe, fay they, that it is

the

agciinjl the Fears of DEATH. 489

the Tongue which God hath faaftified from the Beginning of
the World, in which he fpoke to the Patriarchs and holy Pro-
phets; in which he proclaimed his Law upon Mount Siaai, in.
the Audience of all the People of Ifmel, and in which he hath
recorded his facred Law with his own Finger. They fay that 'tis
the Language which Adam fpoke in the earthly Paradife, in the
State of Innocency, and which all. the Inhabitants of the World
made ufe of before God fent among them a Divifion of Tongues.
And we may alfo affirm, that 'twas the Language ufed by our Sa-
viour while he was on Earth. For the Sjriack, which he com-
monly fpoke as the reft of the Je-jjs, is a Dialed of the Hebrew ,
or a kind of corrupted Hebtenu* Others are yet of Opinion, that
as then we mall attain to all the Knowledge and Sciences, we
fhall not be ignorant of any Kind of Languages, but that with
them we fhall declare the wonderful Works of God, as the
Apoftle at the Day of Peiitectijl. As the holy Scripture is filent upon
the Matter, I fhall affirm nothing.

But in general Terms I may declare, that as God caufed a
divifion of Tongues to puniih Man's Infolence and Pride; and
as the different Languages of People is an Effect of their Sin,
'tis more certain, that this Confufion and Difference fhall be al-
together taken away, and that nothing fhall be faid in Heaven
but lhall be very well underftood by all the glorified Saints. I
may add, moreover, that in cafe we fhould fpeak fo well all
Manner of Languages which have been in the V/orld, 'tis ne-
verthelefs very likely that we fhall all fpeak but one Language,
that we may all praife God with the fame Voice. But whether
tnis- fhall be the holy Language; or another more perfect and
majeftick, which God fhall fanftify for this Purpofe, we cannot
know until God of his infinite Mercy lhall have raifed us to this
itate of Glory and perfect Happinefs. From what we have al-
ready faid, Chi iitians, you may eafily undedtand, that our Hap-
pinef hath three Steps or Degrees; the lirlr, is attainable in this
J .ile ; the fecond at the Egrefs of the Soul out of the Body ; the
third is at the great Day of our glorious Refurreftion. For al-
ready in this Life, God beftows upon us the Firft-fruits of his
Glory, and the Foretaftes of his Paradife. The Spirit of God,
and of his Glory, refts at prefent upon us, which fills us full of
an unfpeakable glorious Joy, and with the Peace of God
which paffeth all underflanding. When our Souls 'depart out
of this wretched and infirm Body, God gathers them up
into the Bundle of Life; he introduceth them into the bleffed
Company of the Angels and glorified Spirits, and admits them
to the Contemplation of his Face, which is Fulnefs of Joy.
But in this Day of Triumph, when Chrift fhall come down
from Heaven to judge the Quick and the Dead, he will ad-
vance us both in Soul and Body, to the higheft Glory and
Happinefs whereof we are capable. For this Reafon the Name

K k f

490 Te CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

of Glory is afcribed to the high degree of Happinefs whicn
is promifed to us at the bleffed Appearing of our Lord Jefus
Chrift, in the viiith Chap, to the Romans, where the Apoftlc
fahh, That the Creature icns made fubjefi to Vanity, not iciUlng-
ly, but by Rrajcn cf him ii-ho hath fubjeBed the fame in Htpe ; be~
caufe the Creature itfelf Jhall be delivered from the Bondage of Cor-
ruption into the gmrfatt Liberty of the Children of God. And in
the iiid Chaf. to the Cokjf. he faith You are dead, and your Life
is hid icith Chrfi in God ; i^hen Chrift who is your Life Jhall ap~
pear, you Jkall appear atfo ivitk him in Glory. Therefore this

florious Appearing is ftiled, A blejffed Hope, that is to fay, the
ulfilling and Accomplifhment of all that we expeci or Hope
for ; as in the iid Chap, to Titus St. Paul faith, We expefl the
tlej/ed Hope, the Appearing of the Glory of our great God, ivho is
the Saviour Jefus Chnjl.

Then fhall be the Confumrnation of the Glory, Head, and
Members ; for then the Son of God fhall caufe the Damned to
feel that Almighty Power which he pofleffeth in Heaven and
Earth, and in the Depth. He fhall difcover himfelf to the Faith-
ful, in his greateft Glory, and moft divine Splendour. Therefore
this glorious Day of his Defcent from Heaven, with the Angels
of his Power, is mentioned as the firft Day of his Mamftftation,
of his Appearing, and of his Kingdom. For this Caufe, when the
Holy Ghoft fpeaks of this Day, he ftiks it, The Day of our Lord
Jefui Chrift, or the Day of our Lord Jefus ; as alfo, the Day of the
Lord, and the Day of God. As it fhall be the Day of the Lord
Jefus, it fhall alfo be our Day. Therefore St./W/ calls it, The
Day of our Redemption, becaufe that in this Day our Lord fhall
redeem our Bodies out of their Graves, and fhall beftovv upon
both our Souls and Bodies, Eph. iv. all the Fruits of the Redemp-
tion, which he hath purchafed for us with his Blood, Rcm. viii.
and fhall raife up to the higheft Glory, and moft perfect Happi-
nefs, Heb. ix. 'Tis the happy Day of Confumrnation of our Mar-
riage with the Divine Lamb. 'Tis the Day of our Joy and
Triumph with the glorified Men and Angels. 'Tis the Day of
our Coronation, and of our Entrance into our Kingdom, when
the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, fhall crown us with his
own Hand, and put us in PofTeffion of an Empire prepared for
us in the Beginning of the World. In a Word, 'tis the Day when
we fhall come to the Lord Jefus, and be with him, as he with the
Father, that we may be all in one.

Becaufe of the glorious and wonderful Tilings that fhall come
to pafs on this Day, 'tis named, The great Day* St. JudeCaMs it
thus: When he fpeaks of the revolted Angels, he faith, That
Gcd hath referred them in e<verlafting Chains under Darknefs unto the
Judgment of the great Day. In th ; s Manner many underftand the
Words of St. John, when he defcribes the foul Spirits, and likens
them to Frogs that he faw coming out of the Dragon's Mouth,

and

againjl tie Fears of DEATH. 491

Snd of the Beaft, and out of the Mouth of the falfe Prophet, and
faith, they are the Spirits cf the Devil working Miracl-s, which GW
fent forth unto the Kings of the Earth, and cf the whole World, to ga-
ther them to the Battle of that great Day of God Almight\, P v ev. xvi,

Laftly, This glorious Day is not only called the Day cf Judg-
ment, the Day of the Lord, the Day of our Redemption, and the great
Day; but oft-times without any Addition, is ftiled the Day, and
that Day, as Hebrews x. Let its confidcr one another to provoke itnto
Love and good Wtyks; not fbrfaking the aj/embling curfelves toge-
ther, as the Manxtroffome is ; but exhorting one another, andfo much
the more as ye fee the Day approaching. In the Epiftle to the TheJJa-
Icnians, You are not in Darknefs, that that Day Jhould furprife you.
Thus in the fecond Epiftle to Timothy, and ift Chap. St. Paul
faith, / knciu whom I have believed, and am perfuaded that he is
able to keep that which I have committed unto him againJJ that Day,
And when he remembers the good and charitable Deeds of
Onejiphorvs, he prays for him in this Manner, the Lord grant
vnto him, that he may fnd Mercy cf the Lord in that Day* and in
the ivth Chapter, ipeaking of himfelf, he faith, / have fought
a good Fight, I have jtnijbed nj Courfe, I have kept tlx Faith:
Henceforth tkerf is laid up for ne a Crzvcn cf Rightecufnefs, whici>
the Lord, the right ems Judge, Jk all give me at that Day.

It is fo iHIed, becaufe of its excellency; it is the Day of D
the End of all the Seafons, the Confummation of all Ages and
Times; after this there fhall be no more Alteration of Days,
Months, and Years. Therefore an Angel is reprefented in the
Revelaiiinj lifting np his Hands to Heaven, fwearing by the liv-
ing God who hath created Heaven and all Things therein, the
Earth and all Things in it, and the Sea, and the Things that are
therein, That there (hall be no more Time : For inftead of this
unconftant Time, which flies away without leaving any Sign of
its Being, an everlaftinj Eternity fr.ail fucceed; an Eternity al-
ways the fame, always bleffed with Happinefs, always glorious
and joyful. This divine and magnificent Day fhall begin at the
End of other Days, but (hall never draw to an End. Therefore
St. Pf.vr in thefe Words, calis it an eternal Day, or Eternity-,
2 PC-/, iii. Ghry be to the Lord and Saviour Je/us Chrift, bcth mov>
and for ever, Amen. And in Expectation of this Day of Days,
all Creatures are groaning and travelling in Pain until now; but
efpecially Believers, who have the Firft-fruits of the Spirit,
grosn in themfelves, defiring with an eamelt and holy Defire to
fee the Breaking of the great and glorions Day. It is the End
of all the Prophecies, and the Acccmplifhroent of all G
gracious Promifcs, to his People in all Ages of the World; it is
the End and Reward of cur fpiritual Calling, and fulfilling of all
our Defires and I ns, and crowning of all our LaL

and t: ,f that Glory ; .we *

->retend.

: z You

492 The CHRISTIAN'S Confoldtions

"You devout Souls, that delight in the Contemplation of celef-
tial Things, I pray confider with me the Accomplishment and
the Perfection of three Kinds of Work, which have been fucceed-
ed by their feveral Refts. The firft was that of the. Creation of
the World; for in fix Days, God created the Heaven and the
Earth, and all Things in them, and when he had finifhed his
Works, and found that they were good and perfedt, he refted the
feventh Day, Gen. i. and ii. therefore he bleffed and fanftified it.
The fecond great Work was that of Redemption ; for when our
Saviour had fulfilled all the Prophecies which mentioned him;
when he caufed the Meaning of all the antient Types and Fi-
gures to appear in his Per/on and Sufferings ; when he had fully
fatisfied the Juftice of God, and purehafed for us with his Blood
an eternal Redemption, he cried out, All is finijhed, John xix.
and he bowed his Head, and gave up the Ghoft. After this,
Chrift had nothing more to do, nor fuffer, but he is gone into
Heaven to reft from all his Works, Rev. v. and to take Poffef-
iion of all Power, Riches, Wifdom, Strength, Honour, Glory,
and Praife. The third Work is that of our Glorification', when
we fhall fee the new Heavens appear, and a new Earth, when
our Bodies fnall be clothed with Incorruption and Immortality,
and united again to our Souls ; and when in both Soul and Body
we mail attain to the higheft Glory, and moft perfect Happinefs,
then he that fits upon the Throne of Eternity mall fay with a
loud Voice, Rev. xxi. All is finijhed.

Afterwards the Sabbath of Sabbaths fhall fucceed that eternal
Reft, and that Peace which fhall never be interrupted by any
Unhappinefs. We may fay, that the firft Reft is that of God the
Father, the fecond belongs to the Son, the third is the Reft of
the Holy Ghoft, that fhall have then gathered all the Saints to-
gether, reared up the Houfe of God to the Roof, and perfectly
enlightened and fnn-itified the Catkolick Church, from whence {hall
.proceed its eternal Glory and Happinefs: Or rather, we may fay,
that this laft Reft is the Reft of all the three Perfons of the mad
holy and glorious Trinity; for then they fhall reft from all Man-
ner of Works for ever and ever, and we in the Bofom of their
Glory: We fhall alfo enjoy an everlafting Reft. When the Works
of Creation were finifhed, the Works of Redemption were next
expected; and after the Works of Redemption, we hope for the
Works of our final Glorification. But when God fhall have
brought us all into his glorious Reft, and that he fhall have de-
clared for the third Time from Heaven, All is finished, we fhall
then expert nothing, neither from God's Juftice, nor from his
Mercy ; for all God's Enemies fhall be then deftroyed, and it fhall
not be poffible to add any Thing to the Infamy of their Punilh-
inents, nor to the Violence of their Torments. There fhall be
no more Tears to be wiped, no more Evils to be feared, nor
Advantage to be expected, nor Crowns to receive ; for then all
the Children of God fh.aU be perfectly glorified. They lhall en-

againft the Fears 0/~ D E A T H . 49 3

joy God hlmfelf, who fliall be their Inheritance for ever, and the
bottomlefs Fountain of all their Delights ; fo that it fliall not be
poflible to add any Thing to their infinite Glory, nor to their eter-
nal Happinefs. God fhall then, if I may fo fpeak, takeaway all
Means of exprefling any greater Liberality and Bounty.

Abraham leaped for Joy, when he faw the Birth-day and Hu-
miliation of the Son of God : How fliould we rejoice and be tranf-
ported out of ourfelves, when we think upon this glorious Day
of the Appearing of our great God and Saviour! When with
the Eye of Faith we behold him fitting upon the Clouds of Hea-
ven, coming to put a Period to Sin and Death ; to (hut up the De-
vil and his Angels in the bottomlefs Pit of Hell, to deliver his
Church from all Evils, Enemies, and Dangers, and to promote it
to the higheft Felicity, and to an everlafting Glory.

After this, believing Soul, I muft draw the curtain, and fufFer
my Pen to fall from my Hand ; for mine Eyes dazzle at the Sight
of fo fhining a Light, and my Soul is furprized at the Confide-
ration of fo much Glory, and fo perfeft an Happinefs.

Although I have lengthened this Treatife more than I at
firft propofed to myfelf , I muft needs confefs, that whatfoever
I have faid upon fo rich and glorious a Subject, falls far fhort
of the Truth. But I am perfuaded, that there will be here
enough for pious and devout Souls, who feek not for the Or-
jiament of Language, nor for the FJourifhes of Rhetoric!-:,
but for the true and folid Comforts of God's holy Word. You
Chriftians and believing Souls, for whofe Sake I have under-
taken this Work, I intreat you for the Glory of God, and for
your own Salvation, to preferve in your Minds the Ideas of
thefe Things that I have now fpoken of. Imprint them in
your Memories, grave them upon your Hearts with the Point of
a Diamond, and efpecially take Delight in reducing them to
Practice, and you (hall affuredly find both Joy and Comfort.
Think often upon Death, let it be the moft familiar and mod
pleafant Subject of your Difcourfe; expecl it at every Moment,
and lead fuch a Life as if Death were ready upon your Lips. Fear
not the many Troubles of this human Life; doubt not but that
God hath determined the Time and Manner' of your going out of
the World, and that every Kind of Death of the C hildren of God
is precious in his Sight. Since you are to live but a fhort Time
upon Earth, fettle not your Hearts, but pollefs your Riches and
Advantages, not as poffelfingthem, remembering, that the Fafhion
of the World paffeth away. Since it is Sin alone that makes Death
appear fo terribleto us, hate all Manner of Vice, and ftudy the
Practice of Piety.

And in regard there is nobody at the Hour of Death but
wifhcrh that he had lived well, think upon your latter End, and
you fliall never be ab'e to fin. If your Mind is diiturbed with
the Confideration of thofe Things which lhall happen after you/

K k 3 Dcceafe,

494 TV CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

Deceafe, learn to reft upon the wife Providence of God, that
fees into the Depths of Eternity, that provides for all Things,
and that draws Light out of the greateft Darknefs. Are you caft
upon a Bed of Sicknefs and Difeaie, open the Eye of Faith, and
you fhall fee yourfelves encompafled about with holy Angels, and
in the Arms of God himfelf : Dread not the Violence of Pain,
for God fhall never forfake you in your Grief, he fhall never
fuffer you to be afflicted above what you are able to endure.
Fancy him not as a dreadful and mercilefs Judge, but look upon
him as a gracious and loving Father, who dcfires not the Death
of a Sinner, but rather that he fhould repent and live. If Death
appears to you with a frightful Countenance, if it fill you full
of Terrors, caft your Eyes by Faith upon the Crofs of our Lord,
Jefus Chrift, and you fhall fee there all the Weapons and Ar-
jnour cf Death broken in Pieces. You fhall fee there a divine
and precious Blood running down, which has fatisfied for all
our Sins, and marked unto you the way of God's eternal Sanc-
tuary. Let not the Grave that is digging for you terrify you,
fince the King of Kings has been laid there before you, and
filled it with his moft divine Odours. Let Death feem to you,
never fo dreadful, remember that our Saviour hath overcome
it by his Refurrection. Fear not therefore to encounter it, for
our great God and Saviour fhall make you partake of his Vic-
tory. And that you might caufe in your Souls an earneft Long-
ing to go to Heaven; looking upcn Jefus Chrift there, who pre-
pares a Place for you, and defires that you fhould be eternally
with him, to behold his Jov and Glory. Fear not the Separation,
of the Soul from the Body, fince Death, which fhall feparate
you from yourfelves, is not able to feparate you from the Spirit
of the Lord Jefus, the Soul of our Souls, the Seal of the Pro-
mifes of God, and the F.arr.eft of our future Inheritance. Inftead
of looking behind, and longing for thefe perilhing Advantages,
and for Honours that can only dazzle the Eye; confider that
Death fhnll wipe away all Tears, remove all your Grief, and
raife you above all the Stores of the World, above all the Mife-
ries and Troubles that cover the Face of the Earth, That you
may be able to follow this Death more chearfully, remember
that it draws you out of a Place all polluted with Sin, and infecl-
ed with Impiety, to tranfport you into a new Heaven, adorned
with Righteoufnefs and Holinefs, and perfumed with the
Prayers, Praife, and Thankfgiving of the glorified Saints : Re-
member that it frees you from all Remains of Corruption, and
gives Death's Wound to all your Lufts. Mind not fo much as the
ialfe Appearance of Death; for to the Wicked it is as it were
the Suburbs of Hell, the Jaws of the bottomlcfs Pit, and the
Beginning of their endlefs Torments; but to you, Believers, it is
the Gate of Heaven, and Entrance into Paradife, and a PafTage
to a moft happy Life. Learn to relifh now the Joys wherewith

again/I the Fears of DEATH. 495

your Souls fhall be for ever fatisfied, when God fhall crown yo li
with his Glory, and make you drink of the Rivers of his Plea-
fure. Since your Soul is going to put on a Garment of an im-
mortal Colour, and to dwell for ever in the Palace which God
hath built with his Almighty Hand, caft off willingly this
wretched, infirm, and corruptible Body.

Depart willingly out of this earthly Tabernacle, which turns
of itfelf to DufC Confider well, that though it fall by Death, it fhall
rife again at the Refurrection ; and that then it fhall at laft be-
come the Temple of God, and the Tabernacle of his Glory. Fi-
nally, O religious Souls, {hut your Eyes to the World, and to
all the Vanities that the World adores, and afpire to the real
Advantages which God hath prepared for you before the Cre-
ation of the World, and in which you fhall joy when the World
fhall be no more. Let your precious Faith, and your Welled
Hope, enter into Eternity itfelf, to behold that extraordinary
Happinefs and Glory which God fhall accomplifh when he fhall
bring us both in Soul and Body into this celeftial Paradife, to fee
his Face, in which is Fulnefs of Joy.

In regard to this perfect Happinefs and infinite Glory, which
never entered into the Heart and Thoughts of Man, fhall never
be perfectly accontplifhed, but at that Day when Jefus Chriil
fhall appear from Heaven, to be glorified in his Saints, and to
become wonderful in all Believers ; think always upon this
glorious Day, the End of all our W T ifhes, the fulfilling of all our
Hopes, and the Perfection of all thofe Defigns which God hath
purpofed in himfelf from Eternity.

You devout Souls, that are grieved to fee the World profper,,
and Satan s Empire flourifh, to fee God's Children fubject to all
the Darts of Death, take good Courage, and rejoice with an
holy Joy; for fhortly all the Enemies of God and of our Sal-
vation fhall be punifhed with an everlafting Punifhment, as
from the Prefence of the Lord, and from the Glory of his Pow-
er. Shortly the Devils, his Angels, his Agents and Slaves, fhall
be bound up in Chains of Darknefs, and caft into the Lake of
Fire and Brimftone, and fhut up in the Bottomlefs Pit. Shortly
Death ihall be no more, and this Church of Jefus Chrift, whofe
Miferies and Afflictions caufe you to weep, fhall be clothed
with unfpeakable Light and Glory ; it fhall enter with Joy and
Triumph into the heavenly Jtrufalem, and you yourfelves fhall
{ing with all the glorified Armies of Heaven.

Since Chrift fhall come as a Thief in the Night, and fhall fur-p
prife all the Children of the World unawares, to incline your
Souls, Believers, to the Love of God, and Expectation of your
merciful Lord; behave yourfelves in the fame Manner as you
would do if you were now at the Eve of this great Feftival, as if
you did fpy already the Breaking of this moil happy Day. Enter-
tain now the fame Affection and Joy, as if you did hear the Voice
of God, and the Trumpet of the Archangel, as if the Earth was

K k ^ ahead./

496 ^The CHRISTIAN'S Confolatlons

already in a Flame, and as if Jefus Chrift himfelf were coming in
the Clouds ef Heaven. And in regard no impure Thing fhall
enter into the heavenly and holy jerufalftn, and that without
Holinefs no Man mall fee the Face ef God, cleanfe yourfelves,
Chriftians, from all Filthincfs of the Flefh and of the Spirit, per-
fecting Holinefs in the Fear of the Lord. Forfake all Manner of
Vice, give yourfelves over to Virtue, and to the Practice of good
Works: imitate the Diligence of that faithful Servant, that you
may not be amamed at the Coming of your great Matter. Take
heed that ye be not like the wife Virgins, that flept as well as the
foolifh; but watch and pray, that you may not enter into Temp-
tation : for the Spirit is willing, but the Flefh is weak. Redeem
the r \ ime, for the Davs are evil, and make hade to put on the
Garments of Righteoufnefs and Innocence; fill your Hearts
\vith the holy Oil of Faith, of Hope, and of Charity. Take your
Lamps in your Hands, and let your Souls fhine with a divine
Light.

In this bleffed Difpofition let us go and meet our heavenly
Bridegroom, and haften his Coming by our Prayers and Groans.
Let our Souls be full of Love; let them figh for our divine Jefus,
and being moved with the fame Affections as St. Jehu, let us fay
to him with an earneft Defire, Come, Lord Jefus; and if he anfwers,
For certain I come quickly, let the Longing of our Souls increafe
more and more, that we may be able to pray more fervently, and
let tliis Cry reach up to Heaven, Come, Lard Jefus, even come,
Lord, come quickly. Amen.

A Prayer and Meditation for a believing Sou], that rejoiceth
and comforts itfclf in looking upon Death's Deftnicton ,
and the evcrlafting and bleiled Life which \ye hope to
enjoy, both in Soul and Body, after the Refurreclion.

O Great Judge of the Wwld t Author of Life and Happinefs, thy
Grace hath btftfautd upon me the Seeds of Immortality, the Firft-
fruits of Glory, and the Foretajles of POerlajKng Delight ; by Faith I
have a Profpefl into thofe Joys and F flic; lies of Paradife, into which
my Soul ft; a II enter at its Departure out of this wicked World, and in-
to that Glory prepared for my Body at thy Appearing. O raij'e ?xy Mind
to eye continually that compleat and unjpeakable Felicity and Glory ,
prottlifed to both Soul and Body, when thou Jhalt be revealed from
Heaven iwito Flames nf Fire, to take Vengeance of Unbelievers, and
to glorify the . Saints, Let me not be unmindful cf that magnificent
1 hr',ne, where thou jhalt Jit to judge the Quick and the Dead, before
nulnck the great eft Princes and Monarchs, as well as their meauej}
Subjeffs and Slaves, mnjl appear, to hear the ji>J} Sentence cf their
., and to receive the Reward of their Deeds. Grant that I maj
rejoice in Expectation of that happy Day, in which all the Eac-
of thy Glory and our Salvation jknll be d/ftryed, in lubicb Sa-

againft the F 'ears of DEATH. 497

tan, Its Angels and wicked Agents, and tbelnftruments of his Kingdom*
/hall be bound in Chains, and c aft into the Lake of Fire and Briniftone
from whence tbiy Jhal! never be re leafed', in which Death jhall be no
more; all the Living jb all become immortal, and thy Church be crown-
ed and enter in Triumph into that magnificent City, built -with Gold,
Pearls, and precious Stones, where thy Glory Jhall continue for ever to
enlighten it, and ciccomplijb our Happinefs. O that I may now expect
with (Somfort and Joy, that bleJJ'ed State where we Jhall neither hun-
ger nor thirjt, but be advanced to the Condition and PirftBipn of An-
gtls, be clothed with Light and Glory, and being crowned with an
eternal Felicity, rejoice with the cehjlial Socitties and Patriarchs ,
Prqpbctj, Jpoftles, Confejjors, and Martyrs , and with' all the Princes
and Monarch;, who have lived, and are departed, in thy Fear and
Favour, and where we jball be admitted to the Vifion of God, and be
{hanged and fat is fie d with his divine Likenefs. O Lord! grant that I
tnay always have this glorious and happy Day in my Thoughts, when
ail thy Promifes Jhall be fulfilled, all thy Works finffied, and our Dejires
and Expectations fully accomplijhed. And becaufe this Time and Day
is nv.k><c<xun to us, give us Grace to live always waiting fsr it, as if
we were at the Eve of this eternal Sabbath, that our Lamps may be
trimnnd, provided, and burn with the Oil of Faith, Hope, and Chari-
ty, and we ready and awake at thy glorious Appearing, clothed with
a. Wedding-Garment, fit to enter with thee into eternal BleJJednefs.
Grant us Grace to defire and look for this prowifed 'Redemption, longte
hear the Sound of the laft Trumpet, and behold thy Coming in the Clouds
of Heaven, divine Saviour ! that we may afcendto meet thee, and
welcome thy glorious Appearance. Lord, forgive our impatient
Wilhes, and hajien that Day for the ElecTs Sake, Come with thy pow-
erful Angels, and the Minijlers of thy heavenly Court, to execute Juf-
tice on thine Enemies, and deliver tly Servants. Come and put an End
to this Wicked World, infejled with Sin, and fubjeft to Corruption
and Vanity, and purge the Heavens and the Earth from all Pollution.
Come and take Vengeance for r/.e innocent Blood of thy Martyrs, jhed.
by Antichriji and his cru>:l Agents ; bind the Devils in Chains of Dark-
nefs, andjbut them up with Death for ever in the bottomlefs Pit. Lord
Jefus, have Pity on the Cries and Sufferings of thy diftrejfed People.
Come and deliver them out of this cruel Egypt, out of this abominable
Babylon, where they continue in Captivity. O merciful Lord! Is it
not Time that thou Jkwldjl bring us to thy celejlial Canaan ? Give us
to tafte of the Milk and Honey of the moft refined Joys and Comfort,
and introduce us into thine hdy Jerufaiem, the City of Peace and
everlafting Reji : Come, therefore and wipe away the Tears, and
Jhp the Crying of thine afflifted People. Take them out of this infa-
mous Prijcn, open to them the Gates of thy magnificent Palace, clothe
them with Light, a,nd perfttt thy Salvation and their Happinefs. We
Ipave been a long while contending with our J'piritual and temporal
Enemies, in our tedious and troublefome "Journey through the World,
and at a Dijiaiicc f> om thee ; we n;w long to be nearer to thee, O won-
dtrful Rtdeetner ! who baft act amplified all thy Works, and that of our
4 Redeemer

498 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

Redfemtf ly i^y Blood and Sufferings: Perfect, a//o, we befeecb thef,
teat oftur Glorif cation; receive us and thy Church into that com-
plete Felicity prepared for us from the Beginning cf the World, and
fayfhafeditiitb thy precious Blood and Sufferings, O merciful God !
admit us to that State 'where we have nothing ti fear, nothing to
dejtre, and nothing to nvijk for, but be always employed in praijtug
thine infinite Boun'y and Mercy. 'Join our Voices vuith the Anthems
of the holy Angels, that with the blefftd Saints ive may be able to fay t
fffW is c^me Salvation and Strength and the Kingdom of our God,
and the Pyiuer cf his Chriji \ fcr Death is fivaUvweJ, up in Viclory*
and the grand Accufer of our Brethren is jhut up in the bottomlcfs
Pit y which accufed them before car God Day and Night. And they
have overcome hijn by the Biotd of the Lamb, and have not loved their
civti Lives unto Death. Unto him, vaho hath loved and vuajbed '.'S
from all our Sins in his Blood, and hath made us Kings and Prtejis u?i/a
God his Father ; to hi?n I fay, as to the Father and the Holy Ghoj'{ t be
Glory, Poivcr, and Dominion, for ever. Amen.

An Account of feme Remarkable Paffages relating to Mr.
Drelincourt, who departed this Life at Paris, the ^th of
November, 1669 ; taken out of the French Edition of his
Book of Death.

TO prevent falfe Reports fpread abroad concerning the
Death of our reverend Author, I thought it convenient to
publifh this brief and exacl: Narrative concerning his Perfon,
Sicknefs, and Death : He was of a very ftrong and healthy
Conftitution, indefatigable in his Miniftry, of fuch a fharp and
aftive Spirit, and fo pious for the Glory of God, that he fpared
not himfdf, either by Night or Day, in difcharging the Duty
of his Function, and in Acls of Charity, being naturally of a
courteous and obliging Temper. He fucceeded Mr. Du Mon-
th!. who was removed to Sedan; and was a long Time the third
Minifter to ferve that Congregation at Channton: This con-
tinual and reftlefs Employment in his Miniftry', by Degrees,
mightily impaired his Health, efpecially in the Declenfion of his
Age.

"in the Year 1668, the joth of April, though indifpofed, he
adventured to accompany one of his Grand-daughters to her
Grave, affifted by one of his Sons; but could fcarce return
Home; being weary and in a fainting Sweat, and his Counte-
nance changed, which alarmed his Family; but, by fome pre-
fent Remedy, he then recovered. This Accident hindered him
not from preaching the next Day at Charenton, in his Turn,
-nor from his daily Offices, wifhing often he might die with his
Pen in his Hand. When his farqily jntreated him to fparn
* himfelf

agamft tie Fears of DEATH. 49

himfelf in his old Age, in vifiting the Sick and the Poor, unto
whom he was very acceptable by reafon of his excellent Talents
in praying, and understanding how to comfort the Difeafed,
he told them, that he had once that Refolution; but the Im-
portunities of his People, and the Defire he had to be fervkeable
to them, would not fuffer h;m to omit doing it.

In a ftormy Seafon, at Nine of the Clock at Night, he adven-
tured to vifit a departing Soul, and and returned not till after Mid-
night, and feemed very glad to be able to perform it ; but thefe
continual Fatigues made him pafs this Judgment upon himfelf,
that he would not long continue, and therefore was in a conftant
Preparation for his Change,

This made him frequently perufe his Book of Ccnfolations
againft Death, praifing God who affifted him in publifhing fuch.
an ufeful Work : He was then writing feveral other excellent
Treatifes, which he earneftly defired to finifh, with Submiffion
to the great Wifdom of God, as he exprefleth himfelf in a Prayer
at the End of his Book called Charitable Vifits. Lord (faith he)
/ kc've li<ved and preached a long Time: I <wait for thy Salvation
find Deliverance', 1 am not iveary'to ferine fo good a Mafter, and fo
bountiful a Lord; but, O my God; when it Jkatl pleafe thee to put an
End to my Labours, 1 Jball depart to a Fiilnefs of Joy into thy glorious
Reft.

This he writ the Year before his Death; the next Year he
had fome Intervals of perfect Health, but they were followed
by two dangerous Relapfes : The firft was in April; yet though
jndifpofed, he forced himfelf to preach at Charcnton, againil
the Advice of his Phyficians, and he continued in the Exercife
of his Function. On the gth of May he opened the Synod of
Charenton, and at the Conclufion of his Speech he received the
Applaufes of his Brethren there aflembled, for which he gave
God Thanks for having enabled him with fo much Strength ;
and on the izth of September, 1669, being a Faft-day, he preached
again twice in the Court of the '-femple, with much Freedom and
Vigour. This Interval of Health continued till the 2/th of
October following, when in his Turn he preached at Cha.rr.n-
ijn; and his Auditors found, that he fpoke with much Free-
dom, and powerfully. It is remarkable, that he left the Epiftle
of St. Peter, that he was expounding before; and chofe for a
Text, Pfal. li. 7th and 8th Yerfes, Purge me with Hyflbp, and I
Jball lie clean ; luajh me, and I Jball l>e whiter than Sno<iv.

This laft Sermon was looked upon afterwards as a Prefage he
had of his Death, and a Preparation for it, by defiring the Par-
don of his Sins, and a Cleanfing from all the Pollutions of his
Flefli and Spirit, through the infinite Mercy of God, and the
Blood of his baviour. The whole Audience were very well fatif-
fied with his laft Performance, which they judged to be excellent,
sad worthy to crown all his former religious Exercifes. At his

Return

500 The CHRISTIAN'S Confolations

Return to the City he fpent the reft of the Sabbath in Afts of
Piety and Charity; and, at his Return Home, being defirous
to enjoy the Company of all his Family then at Paris, he fupped
with them, and feemed very pleafant in his Difcourfe; he con-
tinued well on Monday, and the next Day, till the apth of Ofio-
ber, the fatal Day in which his mortal Dijlemper began to attack
him ; from that Morning he felt an Indifpofition, and had no
Appetite at Dinner; yet could not forbear vifiting fick Perfons
in his Diftrift. This good Man came Home very feeble, and out
of Order, with a Fever upon him : Some Time after his Speech
failed him; and when Mr. Malnoe (Advocate in Parliament, his
Son-in-Law) was come to vifit him, he was fcarce able to fpeak;
he was perfuaded to take his Reft, he fuddenly fell upon his
Knees, and made fuch an excellent Prayer, that his Family never
heard from him one more fervent : He difcourfed of the Frailty of
human Life, of the Condition be was in, of the Church of God, and in-
Jijled earnejlly upon her Deliverance ; he prayed for all the Members
of his Family; and in this laft religious Exercife performed
amongft his Domefticks, he omitted nothing material, prayed
with Zeal and Vigour, with a clear Voice, and without Hefita-
tion, to their Comfort, and his own Satisfaction, being then on-
ly a little feverim. In this hopeful Condition he went to Bed;
but about Midnight he relupfed again into his former Difficulty
of Speech: The Fever incrcaimg upon him by Degrees, a Phyfi-
cian by his Prefcriptions gave him Relief; and he remembered
the P/al'ns which he was wont to repeat, namely, xxxi, xxxii,
sxxiv, xli, li, Ixiii, cxvi, and cxxx. He had always a great Ve-
neration for the Book of Pfalms, which made him like the read-
ing of John de Lere; who writes, how fomc Sa^ja^es of Brazil were
wonderfully affefted and ravifhed at the hearing of one of thofe
divine Hymns fung. A certain Perfon that came to vifit him,
prayed that God would change his Bed of Sicknefs to a Bed of
Health: He anfwered, My Bed of Health and Reft will be in
Paradije. A noble Lady, then a clofe Prifoner, for whom the fick
Terfon had a hign Efteem, having fent to enquire of his Health,
he told the Meflenger he was very forry for her Confinement,
ordered him to prefent his Service to the good Lady, and to tell
her, that he mould fee her no more but in Heaven.

During this fhort Interval, his Mind was free to difcourfe about
his domeftick Affairs ; but in a litttle Time after his Cough and
Fever increafing violently upon him, his Phyfician watched
with him till Morning. Our Patient perceiving his dangerous
Condition, fpake in this Manner to him : Sir, though all go'jd
Chrijiians ought continually to be prepared to die, and though God hath
granted nit the Grace to be ready tvoat he Jhall pleafe to call me, yet if
you find I am draining to my End, pray give me Notice of it ; for I am.
willing to put my Affairs in Order. About two or three Hours af-
ter, the Phyfician rinding he could not live much longer, it was

judged

againft the Fears of DEATH. 501

convenient by his Son-in-Law to acquaint him with it;
to whom he fpake to this Purpofe: / find the 'Time of ?ny Deliver-
ance is drawing near, and that God wiif :a*e me to his Rtji. 1 Jhall
IK glad to dijfonrfe ivith ytftt privately : 1 hr^e not only looked apcn
you as my Son-in-Law, but as my Child, zvbom I have loved, and ten-
derly love; I recommend my Family to you Care, atai dtjireysu all ti,
live in perfect Union. And having given his LefTon to all his
Children, as well abfent as prefent, he ordered the private Af-
fairs of his Family, and the Rewards to be given to thofe that
had been forviceable to him in his Sicknefs; and ordered his
Son-in-larM to intreat Mr. Girard, the Elder of his Church, to
carry this MeiTage to the Conjijlory of Charenton, That he died
their faithful Servant, and prayed God with all his Heart to pre-
ferve the Church.

After this he fpent moft part of his Time in Prayers to God, re-
peating feveral Texts of Scripture, but with fuch a weak Voice,
they could only guefs by fome Syllables what he faid. He was
often heard to repeat the Words of "job, I know that my Redeemer
liveth; and thofe of the PA?//;/;, I have put my Truft in thee, &c. 1
recommend my Soul into thy Hands. Thus he continued in his pious
Meditations. Then his Son-in-Law offered to read to him out of
hjs Book of Confolations againjl the Fears of Death, which he at-
tended to, and feemed to be well pleafed with the Confolation for
a. dying Mini/it r, and with the Prayer appointed for fuch a one
who faced Death with a holy Joy. That is (faid he) very good:
I don't fpeak it bec;iufe it came from me: God be praifed, that
he enabled me to publifh this Book, to comfort others, and my felt".
The next Morning, the ift of November, when Mr. Girard came
to vilit him, he repeated to him the fame Words that he had given
to his Son-in'lavj in Charge to tell him; and he delivered to him
a Bill to be prayed for publickly in the Congregation. At that
Time Mr. Daille, Mr. Morns, and Mr. Claude came to fee him,
expreffing their tender ArFeftion and Concernment for him; at
which he feemed to be moved. Mr. Daille made a pathetick Ex-
hortation, which the Patient kindly accepted; and fpeaking of
the Lofs the Church would fuftain by his Death, Mr. Drelincourt
anfwered, Sir, Tun are far more ujeful to her than 1 can be ; my Defire
is to depart, and to be with Ckrijl, which is far tetter for me. At
which Words Mr. Daille afked him, Don't you add with the
Apoftle, that it is more neceflary for the Church that you (hould
continue in theFlem? He replied, Gad will raij'e Minifters who
Jhall difcharge their Duty tetter than 1 fa?/. When Mr. Daille nflced
him whether his Hope was not in the Mercy of God? he an-
fwered him in divers Texts of Scripture, fuch as thefe, / know
in whom I have believed; I haw fought tht good Fight t I have fi-
vijbed my Courfe, I have Lpi th Faith, &c. / draw twardi the
Mark of the Prize of the high Calling, &c.

Mr. Daille perceiving how painful his Speech was to him, ad-
vifed him to fpeak to himfelf, to hinder the Increafc of his Dif-
temper; but he anfwered, hnv wilting he wai to glorfj Qcd ;c the

lafl

he CHRISTIAN'S Confolationi

loft Gaff, and edify ly bis Speech, fuch as nvere there prefent: Tlieft
having embraced each other at their parting, Mr. Daille told
him, he did not altogether defpair of his Recovery, and that he
hoped God would fave him, according to the Prayers of the
Church : He replied, The Will of the Lord be dsne, I rejign myfelf
entirely fo the Order of his Providence* The two other Minifters
were not wanting in their Prayers and Exhortations. About
Noon thefe Gentlemen left him to his Reft, which he defired
then to take; but inftead of fleeping, he was heard to pray very
earneftly three or four Times, and concluded each Prayer with
Our Father , and / believe in God, &c. He gave his Bleffing to all
his Children, and to them that defired it of him. The After-
noon Mr. Claude returned to him again, and continued till Six;
our Patient anfwered him diftinftly, but briefly, by reafon of his
great Weaknefs. About n of the Clock at Night, feveral Phy-
ficians came to him ; and at the Sight of him they agreed, that
there were fcarce any Hopes of him; mean Time ue was praying
and addreffing himfelf to God, but could not be well under-
ftood. Yet when a Lady, one of his irrtimate Friends, came to his
Bed- fide, he faid, Madam, You are an Eye-^witnefs of my Groans and
Sufferings; but I cannot well fpeak to you. And aboutTenat Night
he called to mind that a Pledge of fome Value had been com-
mitted to his Keeping: He ordered it to be taken out of his Clo-
fet, brought to him, examined if it were all there, and gave
Order to reftore it to the right Owner.

His fecond Son, Minifter of the Reformed Church of Fontaine-
lleau, came into the Room to fee his dear Father departing, w'ho
knew him, and fcemed to be moved at the firft Sight of him :
Mr. Claude then afked him if he knew his Son : He anfwered,
Tes ; this was the laft Word he was heard diftinftly to fpeak.
His Son affifted his dying Father with his Exhortation and
Prayers: 'He was fenfible to the laft, his Countenance never
changed till about an Hour before he deceafed; and though Na-
ture was ftruggling with the Difeafe, and he tormented with a
burning Fever, he feemed by his Looks to be tranfported with
Joy, and full of Comfort. On Sunday the fourth of Novemfoft
1669, this reverend Divine yielded up his Soul to God.

This was the End of this. holy and zealous Servant of God,
who departed this Life in the /^th Year of his Age, the 52d Year
of his Miniftry, and in the 501!! Year after his being called to
ferve the Reformed Church of Paris. He died in the Bed of
Honour, in the Exercife of the Duties of his Function, preaching
the Gofpel, writing in Vindication of the Truth, and comforting
the Sick, fcfc.

The eloquent Tongue of Mr. Daille and Mr. Morns, from the
Pulpit of Charenton, the Tears of the whole Congregation that
Day and the next, when they committed his Body to the Grave,
in expectation of a joyful Refurreftion (in a Word, the Com-

meodatio.u

agalnfi the Pears of DEATH. 503

mendation of People of both Religions) fufficiently verified the
Saying of Solomon, The Memory of the Jujl is blejed. The Pour-
traiture of his excellent, learned, and religious Mind may be feen
in his Works, particularly in this ufeful and comfortable Treatife,
The Confolations againjl the Fears of Death.

We doubt not but he is gone to receive in Heaven the incor-
ruptible Crown of Glory, which the great God and Redeemer of
our Souls promifeth of his Mercy to all faithful Servants. God
grant we may imitate his excellent Life, and follow him in his
happy End!

A TABLE of the Chapters of this BOOK.

Chap. I. t~V*HAT there is nothing more dreadful than Deatlj

JL to Juch at ha<ve no Hope in God P a g e *

Chap. II. That in all the Heathen Philofophy there are no folid or true

Comforts againft the Fears and Apprehenjions of Death p. 7

Chap. III. Of divers Sorts of Death ivitb ^.hich <we are to en-

counter p. 15

Chap. IV. That Jefits Ckrift our Lord hath redeemed us from eternal

Death, and by Degrees re/cues us from afpiritual Death p. 21

Chap. V. Why <iue are yet fubjefled to the corporeal or natural

Death, and ichat Ad-vantage cjce thereby receive in Jefus Chtt/i

p. 26.

Chap. VI. From nvhence proceed the Fears of Death P 4 2

Chap. VII. The firft Remedy againft the Fears of Death is, to me-

ditate upon it P* 49

Chap. VIII. The feccnd Remedy againft the Fears of Death is, to

expeft it every Moment p. 6to

Chap. IX. The third Remedy againji the Fears of Death is, to con-

Jider that God hath appointed thcjTime and Manner of our Death

p. 68
Chap. X. The Fourth Remedy againft the Fears of Death, is,, to dif-

engage our Hearts from the World p. 98

Chap. XI. The fifth Remedy againjl the Fears ef Death is, to for-

fake Viet, and apply our/elves to the Practice of Piety and Sancli-

foation P' I 33

Chap. XII. Thejixth Remedy againjl the Fears of Death is, to repoj'e

curfelves upon God's good Providence p. 188

Chap. XIII. The firft Confolation againjl the Fears of Death is, Gud

ivill nrt forjake us in our grievous Agonies p. 22 1

Chap. XIV. The .fecund Confolation againjl the Fears of Death is,

to Ink upon God us a merciful Father, a?td to trvft it fan bis infinite

Goodneft p. 246

Chap.

A TABLE,

Chap. XV. The third Confolation againjl the Fears of Death is, to
miditate continually upon the Death and Sufferings of our Lord Jefus
Chrijl, and to trujl upon the Merits of his Crdfs Page 262

Chap. XVI. The fourth Con/olatioft agaiiift the Fears of Death is, to
faedilate often upon the Lord Jefus Chrift in his Sepulchre p. 281

Chap. XVII. The fifth Confolation againjl the Fears of Death is, to
meditate upon the Refurrcftion of our Lord Jefus Chriji p. 287

Chap. XVIII. The Jixth Confolatisn againji the Fears of Death is,
the Afcenfion cf Jejus Chrijl into 'Heaven, and his jitting at the
Right Hand of G ad p. zgi

Chap. XIX. The feventh Confolation agauift the Fears of Death
is, our Jirifi and infepatable Union with Jefus Chriji ly the
means of his holy Spirit, and the Fruits of his blejftd Immor-
tality p. 302

Chap, XX. The eighth Confolation againjl the Fears cf Death is,
to confider that it delivers us from all temporal Evils that <u'r* daily
fuffer p. 321

Chap. XXI. The ninth Confolation ; Death Jhall dtli<ver us from Sin,
which <we may fee reigning in the World, and from the Remains of
eur Corruption p. 366.

Chap. XXII. The tenth Confolation is, the Glory and Happinefs of
our Souls at their Departure out of the Bodj p. 383

Chap. XXIII. The eleventh Confolation; the Refurrefiion of our
Bodies p. 412

Chap. XXIV. The Twelfth Confolation ; the Deftrufiien of Death,
and the eternal and m r jl llejjed Life, which iut Jhall enjoy both in
Soul and Body after cur Rtfurreflion p. 4 ^ 5

An Account of fame remarkable Paflages relating to Mr. Drelin-
court p. 498

The Meditations and Prayers, proper for every Condition, are at
the End of the feveral Chapters unto which they belung.

FINIS.

JUST PUBLISHED FOR, AND SOLD

J. Lackington,

OCTAVO,

(PRICE, SEWED, 2s. 6d.)
A Short Relation of the

RIVER NILE,

OF ITS

SOURCE and CURRENT;

And of other Curiojities.
By an EYE-WITNESS,

Who lived many Years in Afyffinia.

N. B. This Work was tranflated from the Portuguese
by order of, and printed for, the

And as Lord Brounker, Sir Ifaac Newton, Dr. Barrow,
Dr. Wallis, Mr. Gregory, Dr. Halley, and other
learned Men were Members of the ROYAL SOCIETY
at that Time, no Doubt can be made of its Authen-
ticity. ^

THE above Work being very fcarce, it was judged
that a new Edition of it would be very acceptable to
the Public, and the more fo as a late Traveller arro-
gates to himfelf the unique Merit of difcovering the
Head of the NILE, and takes uncommon Pains to
make his Readers believe that no other Pcrfon had
ever arrived at thefe fo much famed Sources. But it
is very remarkable, that this modern Traveller's Ac-
count of thefe celebrated Fountains are nearly in the
very Words of this old Work; the inference is obvi-
-- v I TO this new Edition is prefixed a new Preface,

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