A defense against the dread of death, or, Zach. Crofton's meditations and soliloquies concerning the stroak of death sounded in his ears in the time of his close imprisonment in the Tower of London, anno 1661 and 1662 : digested for his own private staisfaction and support in the vale of the shadow of death, and now made publique for the advantage of such as abide under Gods present visitation in London by the pestilence.

SECT. XX.

DEath is that dreadful gulf, * 1.1 which once shot, lancheth mine immortal soul into the ocean of Eternity: Eternity! what is that? a word of astonishment! an estate of amazement! I cannot look into it without heart-sinking thoughts, soul-troubling apprehen∣sions: It is a depth unfathomable; a length and breath immeasurable; an height undiscernable; a conti∣nuance undeterminable, and un∣exspirable: but yet, Eternity is in all these respects, an estate most proper to mine immortal soul: herein an eternal subject, shall so∣lace it self, in its eternal object un∣to all Eternity.

Times return hath been the la∣mentation of my life, * 1.2 because it was the limitation of my comforts: were mine estate never so pleasant to me in respect of my health, wealth, plenty, peace, friends and

familiars, or the like enjoyments; the discernable approaching peri∣od of them, hath bidden a stand to my delight in them; and damped mine affections towards them: The things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal: * 1.3 sensual pleasures have the wings of the morning, they pass a∣way with time; but Eternity is an adjunct, a property which stamp∣eth no mean degree of excellency, on those glorious invisible objects, which are proposed to our faith; to counterpoise those visible but temporal good things, which cap∣tivate our sence.

My soul! in Eternity thou shalt not be tired, with telling the flee∣ting hours; with observing the rerurning days, moneths or years: thine expectation of good or evil shall not then be tedious: thou shalt be by death transported and resolved into perfect, full, and for ever enjoyment of perfect good:

and that without alteration, or de∣gree; without encrease or diminu∣tion; without consumption or expiration: Thou shalt now pos∣sess an everlasting noon day; thy sun shall no more rise, nor set; time shall be to thee no more; thine autumne shall abide fresh and green, fair and fruitful, without the least change by the encreasing reviving spring, or by the chilling, clouding, killing winter: thy stars shall not be clouded, thy moon shall know no changes in this estate of Eternity: There shall be no Sun, Moon or Stars; thou shalt not need, and therefore thou shalt not have those directions, and deter∣minations of time; for thy day shall abide in its perpetual bright∣ness, without any dawning, or the least approach of night.

Eternity existeen not in it self: * 1.4 it is a property which passeth on some condition: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 adjunct quality which standeth not alone, but ex∣isteth

in its subject. My soul look unto, and secure the subject, then wilt thou soon see, that Eternity is a quality greatly desirable; an adjunct unto thy great advantage; when death shall determine thy days it shall lanch thee into; but it shall not leave thee fluctuating on the uncertain waves of Eterni∣ty; for the spirit goeth unto God who gave it; and as the tree fall∣eth so it lieth; thou shalt most certainly be set in that estate, which must be thine Eternal estate, with∣out any possibility of alteration, or expiration: thou by death sailest into the sea of Elernity; or rather thou passest through the red sea, unto the resting, refreshing shores of eternal salvation, an eternal in∣heritance, eternal glory, and eter∣nal life: these are the blessed sub∣jects in which thin•• Eternity must and shall exist: Ha•••• thou not in this life tasted the ••weetness of those objects? hast thou not pro∣posed

these as that silver bell, for which thou hast run the race of righteousness? are not these the recompence of reward at which thou hast looked, as thine encou∣ragement to all thy travel, and in all thy trouble; in expectation of these, I have despised the shame, and endured the cross: can I chuse but desire these should be? can I chuse but leap for joy to know that these invisible things are eternal? My soul, stand still upon thy dy∣ing shore, take a second, a se∣rious view of eternity, as affixed to thy salvation to thine inheritance, to thy glory, and to thy life, and tremble, be troubled at the thoughts thereof if thou canst; thou wilt be more ready to tumble thy self headlong into, then once to turn back from thine Eter∣nity.

First then, * 1.5 Death determineth all my woe; it giveth me an im∣munity from all evil; it passeth me

into the possession of salvation: salvation from sin, from sorrow, from weakness, from sickness, from all defects, and deformities, from all infirmities and imperfections, from diseases of body, disgrace un∣to my name, and distempers of mind; from all the envy of Satan, rage of men, and wrath of God; is the happy and certain sequel of my death through Christ my Lord. Can it possibly greive or amaze me to see, and to know that this sal∣vation is eternal? or that I am going to possess and enjoy it for ever? shall my heart ake to apppre∣hend it shall never ake more? shall I blear mine eyes with weeping, because God is about to wipe all tears from mine eyes for ever? Have not I beleived and preach∣ed this salvation, and the eternity thereof? shall now mine entrance thereinto, be mine affliction? I have professed, my self did and would, and I have earnestly per∣swaded

others, to persevere in piety, pressing to salvation, and waiting for the time when there should be no more weeping or woe, no more pain or greif; no more fear or sorrow; no more di∣stress, death, or danger: and shall I now give back, when God hath brought me to that time? shall I dread the discharge of evil, which I have all my days desired and groaned for? or shall the eter∣nity of this immunity, embitter mine expectation, or enjoyment of it; do I retain the sence of evil, and can I desire to return to it a∣gain? have not the Paroxismes of a Feaver; the Fits of an Ague, of the Stone, or Collick, perplexed me, and made my strength to fail? have not the threats of hu∣mane rage filled my soul with terror, and exceeding dread? have not mine apprehensions of Gods wrath, and eternal woe, which my sin hath deserved, filled

my heart with horror, my soul with fear and greif, and my bones with trembling? shall I now fear to be put into that estate, wherein all these evils shall end for ever? wherein I shall never more feel it, I shall never more fear it? Oh bles∣sed Eternity! annexed unto so great salvation!

2. * 1.6 Death putteth my soul into the possession of mine inheritance: the inheritance which Christ hath purchased for me; which God hath promised to me; the inheritance a∣mong the Saints; the inheritance of the Saints in light; the inheritance of an house in heaven; the inheri∣tance of the blessed mansions of God; the inheritance of a Kingdom; the Kingdom of Heaven, the King∣dom of God; in this inheritance I shall inherit the confluence of all honour and happiness; in this in∣heritance I shall sit down a Co-heir with Jesus Christ, the onely be∣gotten, the onely beloved Son of

God: shall it greive me that this inheritance is eternal? is not Eter∣nity the Emphasis, the excellency of this inheritance? my soul could never be so much ravished with the plenty, pleasure, scituation, so∣ciety, greatness, and glory of this mine inheritance, as it would be damped and deadned, dis∣couraged and discomfited with the vanity, the transiency of the same: what a cutting consideration would it be, to think there were but a possibility of a cutting off from this inheritance? or of my being cast out of it, though but for a time? unto this inheritance I have been called by the glorious Gospel; I have been sealed by the blessed spirit of adoption; I have received in my self the earnest, the first fruits of this inheritance; I have been thereby encouraged in mine expectation, and enflamed in my desire of a full possession thereof; shall I now draw back, and de∣cline

mine inheritance, and the en∣joyment of it, because it is in∣corruptible and fadeth not away? because it is eternal, without end? I have ever deemed and determi∣ned the most rich and honoura∣ble inheritance on the earth, a pompous vanity; because it is tem∣poral and transient: Shall I now dread to enter into the possession of that inheritance which is Real, because Eternal? can I be so foolish as to desire the worm of time should eat into my fair estate, and make my flourishing inheritance to fade; I have all my days lived a child in nonage, longing for, and looking at, but kept out of mine inheritance, but I am now at age, I shall now become a man, a grown man, and enter upon and into mine estate: and this is my comfort, mine advantage, I shall abide a man, a perfect man for ever; the second childehood of old age shall not overtake

me, to deprive me of, or disca∣pacitate me to enjoy this my hea∣venly inheritance: Oh! how have I longed and laboured? how have I panted and prayed? how have I pleaded with God? how have I pressed against the power of men and Devils, to get into the posses∣sion of this inheritance? now I am come to the door, shall I stand at the Threshold? shall I dread to enter in, sit down, and possess mine inheritance, because it is eter∣nal? will eternity be the burden of my heavenly estate?

My soul! embrace death, the door, the dark entry which pas∣seth thee into thine inheritance; proceed with joy, with courage; praise God for the eternity of thy future state: is not this my sub∣stance, much better, because more enduring then all my worldly goods? hath not the hope of this, made me content with the loss, and to take joyfully the spoyling of those?

shall desireable, delight, eternity dismay my soul entring into the pos∣session of what I have so much e∣steemed, so long expected? who would not exchange a Lease for life, for an inheritance to be enjoyed for ever? who would not part with all, to purchase, to possess such an inheritance, a Royal, Heavenly, holy inheritance? and shall I not gladly breath out a dying life, to affix, and secure eternity to this mine inheritance?

3. * 1.7 Death shall invest my soul with GLORY: Eternity must needs be the sparkling lustre of GLORY: mine Inheritance shall be a Glorious Inheritance; and so much more glorious by being eternal; mine inheritance is a palace, not a poor cottage; a mansion, not a move∣able Tent; a Kingdom, not a Country Village; an Heavenly, not an Earthly Kingdom; a King∣dom of God, not of men; and is not this a Glorious Inheritance?

would not any man desire to enjoy this for ever? Mine Inheritance, or estate in this world hath ever been poor, vile, and base; but my soul shall now pass into Glory; and be invested with nothing but Glory; I shall when dead know by expe∣rience, what I have long desired, earnestly prayed, and industriously laboured to know by the Spirit of wisdom and understanding; (viz) What is the Riches of the glory of the inheritance of the Saints; * 1.8 Now I have finished my course on earth, I must go to Heaven; that I may there receive my Crown; may course here hath been the conti∣nual exercise of Grace; my con∣dition hereafter must be the con∣stant enjoyment of Glory: the place in which my soul must now abide; the business in which my soul shall be employed; the com∣pany with which my soul shall as∣sociate; and the qualities with which my soul shall be endowed,

are all glorious; these things are all transcendently glorious; I can∣not but desire they should be; my soul cannot but leap for joy to think these glories are Eternal.

The place in which my soul shall abide whilst parted from; * 1.9 yea when reunited to my body, is glo∣rious, transcendently glorious; for it is Heaven: My constant future residence must be in the Court of Heaven; the Heaven of heavens; the third heavens; the Paradise of God; the place into which the A∣postle Paul was taken up; in which he heard words not fit to be utter∣ed; * 1.10 and in which he saw Glories which he could not declare; the Court of the great King; the King of Saints; and the King of Kings; the peculiar Palace of Gods most glorious presence; the holy, the heavenly Jerusalem; * 1.11 the great Ci∣ty, whose gates are pearl; whose pavement is gold; and whose foun∣dations are precious stones; unto

which the Kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour; in which there is no need of Sun, or Moon; for the glory of God doth lighten it; and the Lamb is the light thereof; into which there shall in no wise enter any thing which defileth, neither whatso∣ever worketh abomination, or maketh a lye; but they only whose names are written in the lambs book of life. My soul! Dost thou linger to go unto, or dost thou fear too long continuance in this place of glory? How have hu∣mane sences been ravished with the glory of the structures raised by humane Art? how much have I admired the glorious work∣manship of God in the bespangled firmament, the most curious ena∣melling the same with the Sun, Moon and Stars? and yet these are but dark shadows; most im∣perfect representations of Heavens glory? and how far? how freely did

the Queen of the South travel to see? with what ravishing observa∣tion did she admire? how blessed did she esteem the men who did reside in the state of Solomons stru∣ctures? wilt thou my soul flock to God and see, yea and fit down in the place prepared by the Lord, for his blessed ones, before the foundation of the world was laid? the glimpse of this glorious King∣dom, when the Lord Jesus was trans∣figured, did so ravish the three Di∣sciples, that they thought it was good to be there, and began to cast how to build tabernacles, * 1.12 that they might there abide: Can I chuse but long to see, and to set down my station in the very place its self where our Lord is ever in the truth and fulness of his glory? Come my soul! goe forth with joy, and thou shalt at once possess that place of glory, from which thou canst no more remove, nor wilt desire to do it: in which the eternity of thy

residence, is and will be the excel∣lency of thine injoyment; it would more grieve thee to go from, then not at first to have come to Heaven.

The business in which my soul shall be employed in this glorious place, is also glorious: * 1.13 for after death attendance on, and acclama∣tion of praise to God and Jesus Christ, shall be the whole the only employment of mine immortal soul; beatifical vision shall be its business: I shall then know God, as I am known of God; I have here beleived in him whom I have not seen, rejoyced with joy unspeak∣able and full of glory: but shall then see him, in whom I have be∣leived; I shall see the Lord Jesus Christ, not darkly, as in a glass, but face to face; how full? how un∣speakable? how glorious must needs be the joy which reflecteth from my sence? how must it needs tran∣scend that which was onely the result of faith? my soul when par∣ted

from my body shall (as the glorious Angels now do) minister continually in Gods immediate presence; and behold his glory: Happy were Solomons servants who stood continually before him, and heard his wisdom; Behold my soul! a greater then Solomon is here; thou shalt attend on, minister before, and hear the wisdom, and behold the glory of the God of Solomons wisdom, and glory.

The souls which come out of great tribulation, are arayed in white robes, and advanced unto continual attendance on the throne of God; to serve him in his Tem∣ple night and day; where the whole of their business is, and for ever shall be to sing Halelujahs un∣to the Lord; to admire the majesty, wisdom power & goodness of God; to ascribe wisdom blessing, honour, pow∣er and glory unto God, for ever and ever; to him who sitteth on the throne, and to the Lamb for euer: Gods

service was on earth my perfect free∣dom; it must needs be much more such in Heaven: when I am once arrived at this estate of Glory, I shall be indeed, and for ever deli∣vered from all mine enemies; that I may serve him without fear all my days, which shall never end.

Oh the honor of relation to such a Master! oh the happiness of em∣ployment in such business! It is a good thing to sing praise unto our God; it is pleasant, and praise is comely: Oh the glory of attendance on so glorious Majesty! my soul, canst thou wish thy time in a rela∣tion so honourable; in an employ∣ment so happy; in an attendance so glorious, were as the days of an hireling? God forbid: Lovest thou the service of thy God? shall the length of thy servitude dismay thee? Wilt thou not consent, yea desire to be boared through the ear, that thou mayst abide in this thy masters service for ever? Dost thou

long to turn thy faith into sence? thy hope into fruition? thy prayers into praises? thine apprehensions of God and Christ, into immediate attendance on them? is it possible thou shouldst dread the eternity of this estate, thou so much, so ear∣nestly desirest? art thou my soul ca∣pable of surfeiting with spiritual joyes? dost thou not love and long to drink thy fill, to be drunk with the rivers of pleasure which flow continually in Gods presence? how have I mourned under the with∣drawings of Gods presence! shall I now fear to approach his presence, onely because I shall never more be banish'd from his Court & presence?

My soul! chear up; in Heaven, the frowns and frettings of thy Master, shall not make thee weary of waiting on him; his terrors shall no more make thee afraid, the splendor of his Majesty shall not dazle thine eyes, nor discapacitate thy vision of him; thy work shall

not there be tyring; thy service shall not then waste thy strength; wear thy cloaths; or dull thy spirits; that thou shouldst wish for a return of time, wherein to take thine ease, obtain refreshment, or re∣nue thine apparel: so eminent is this relation; so easie, so excellent is this employment; that the Eter∣nity hereof is mine exceeding, mine infinitely great advantage; I long to enter upon it; I shall never de∣sire to leave it; mine eternal enjoy∣ment of it, is mine onely hope, my Glory.

The Company with whom my soul parted from my body, * 1.14 shall asso∣ciate, is no less glorious then the place of my future residence; or the business of my future employ∣ment: when I dye I shall be ad∣mitted into, and entertained by the assemblies of the first born; whose names are written in heaven; and the spirits of just men made perfect; and the glorious Angels: those shall

henceforward be my companions for ever: Oh blessed company! who would not long to be with them? who would not gladly go to them? who can with any possible content think of parting from them? how foolishly loath am I to leave my friends on earth? yet I have not en∣joyed their company without a cross; many of them have scorned me; many of them have slighted me; many of them have failed me; many of them have fallen out with me; many times they have provo∣ked my passion, greived my soul, and vexed my spirit; all of them have one way or other given a check to my comfort and content in their society. I now parting from them, shall pass into, enjoy and never more be parted from much better, more desireable, and more pleasurable company.

I shall now associate with Angels, those glorious creatures, the beauty of whose feet mortal eye can hard∣ly

look upon and live: those holy spirits, who wait immediately on God; and with all power and speed perform, the pleasure of the most high; those active spirits which are sent of God, to minister unto the heirs of salvation, these are now attendant on me, though I see them not; they do me many good turnes, though I perceive it not; by them I am guarded in many dan∣gers; they keep me in all my ways; they pitch their tents about me; they do me much good, and yet I understand not their nature, office, or ministry; but now my Soul! they attend my death, to perform their last work to me; to receive thee, and carry thee into Abrahams bosom, and to place thee in fellow∣ship with themselves: thou shalt thenceforward know them, their natures and offices; thou shalt fa∣miliarly converse with them, and not be affrighted by them; nor shalt thou be weary of their com∣pany;

these will not scorn thee; these will not vex and grieve thee; but as fast and faithful friends they will with freedom and fullness com∣municate themselves unto thee; to the abundant increase of thy joy, which will be the more abundant by the eternity of thy abiding with them.

My soul! though at death thou art taken from among men, and made a mate for Angels; yet thou shalt not onely converse with these glorious creatures, different in na∣ture, and seemingly above thee; thou shalt now also associate with the spirits of just men made perfect: thou shalt sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of God: thou shalt now be placed under the Altar, among the souls of them who were slain for the Te∣stimony of Jesus: I have taken abun∣dant pleasure in the fellowship of the Saints on earth; yet there in∣firmities have many times occasi∣oned

to me great vexations: Oh how pleasurable will their compa∣ny be, now they are made perfect? I have had reverend thoughts of the Saints departed; the Fathers of Old; and the Martyrs of latter days: how precious do I account the memory of Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, David, Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Zachariah, Peter, Paul, James, John, Ignatius, Polycarpus, Justin, Athanasius, Wickliff, Hus, Luther, Calvin, Beza, Cranmer, Ridley, Latimer, Hooper, Glover, Rogers, Laurence, Bradford, with many others; of these I have onely heard, and read, I never yet knew them: but now my soul shall go to them; now my soul shall know them; it shall dwell in house, and be most fami∣liarly, most intimately acquainted with them; and not onely with these, but also with all the elect of God, whose names I have not

yet heard of: this blessed society shall so much increase the joy of my soul, as to make Eternity the height of its desire, of its delight: who would not live for ever in so good a Neighbour-hood? it hath often greived me to part from good men on earth; I now lament that I must leave my godly friends on earth, and go to Heaven with∣out them; and yet this my loss is made up by the enjoyment of o∣thers as good, yea, much better: and I have an assurance, that those I leave behind me, shall come to me; though I cannot come back to them: but Oh what an hell would it be, if time could cut me off from the blessed fellowship of these glo∣rified Saints and Angels! My soul! put out; pass freely into the Ocean of Eternity; seeing thy voyage is made so comfortable, by sailing in such blessed company. * 1.15

The Qualities of my soul shall be suitable to this heavenly place,

work and company; for these also shall be Glorious: after death, con∣formity to God; and exact simili∣tude to the Lord, * 1.16 shall be the en∣dowment of my soul: we are now the Sons of God; it doth not yet ap∣pear what we shall be; but we know, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is: Oh blessed vision, which transfor∣meth its subject! the sight of God and Christ by faith, as they are represented to us in the Gospel, doth on earth begin that change in mans soul, which is compleated by the beatifical vision of their real ex∣istency in themselves: there can be no symmetry, without similitude; no communion without conformi∣ty; two cannot walk together except they be agreed; there can be no sa∣tisfying apprehension of the object, but by a suitable organ; Like to like, is the formal reason of all true, and full content; they that will see God and live, must be

holy, as God is holy; and perfect, as God is perfect.

My soul! passing into immediate communion with, must be made conformable to God: his image stamped on man in his creation, was the principle and capacity of communion with God: this defaced by sin, man was driven, and hath been kept at a distance from God; but this shall be now restored to, and compleated in my soul; that it may return into constant com∣munion with God: all that dispa∣rity and disproportion which ren∣dred God dreadful and destructive to my being; and therefore deter∣red mine approach to him; shall at death be utterly and for ever dis∣charged: My soul shall then indeed be holy as God is holy; and perfect as God is perfect: it shall not only have perfect qualities, the principles of union; but also those degrees of perfection which shall capacitate it for full communion with my God,

Christ, and his Holy Angels, and glorified Saints; even the utmost degree of perfection such a creature is capable of; and an estate of so glorious communion doth call for, and require.

The faculties of my soul shall be enlarged, unto the perfection of knowledge and affection: I shall after death, be able to pry into the deep∣est mysteries of mans fall, and salva∣tion; of the glorious unconceivable subsistency of the Trinity in unity, three persons, in one undivided es∣sence; of the miraculous hypostatical union of the two natures, God and Man in one person; of the blessed incarnation, and whole work of redemption, which is nothing but a Cabal of mysteries: I shall then com∣prehend incomprehensible glory, without the least defect, doubting, or difficulty; I now know but in part, I shall then know perfectly; knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness, those parts of the new

man, shall then attain to a perfect virile strength and stature; the di∣vine nature whereof I here partake shall then be in me compleat: I shall then know all things fully, and with full content: mine affections will then most freely close with, and take full complacency in those glorious ob∣jects, mine understanding shall then know & comprehend my: mind shall not know more of God and Christ, then my soul shall admire, mine af∣fections imbrace, unto the fulness of my comfort, forcing out the loud halelujahs, and acclamations of joy and thanksgiving to God for ever: the imbicility of the natural man, which could not; the enmity of the natural man, which would not dis∣cern and savour the things of God, shall now be discharged, destroyed for ever; for now the natural man it self, shall expire and cease to be.

Such shall be the changed estate, qualitie and endowments of my soul, that the things which were to

it tiring, dulling & difficult, because supernatural; irksom, greivous and hateful, because contranatural; shall become easie and encouraging; lovely, acceptable and delightful, because connatural; the very, pro∣per and only element in which my soul can live and enjoy it self: in this respect nothing could be so dis∣maying, afflicting and tormenting to my soul, as interruption, intermis∣sion, or expiration of enjoyment by the return of time; Oh folly! to dread Eternity, which must exist in the exercise and enjoyment of these glorious qualities of my soul! the disparity and disproportion which keepeth my God and me at a distance, shall now be discharged, and quite removed; can I desire the time in which they shall again re∣turn upon me? hath not the loss of Gods image in me, and thereby the loss of his presence with me, cost me dear enough already? I cannot enjoy God for ever, unless I be

like God for ever; my perfect pro∣portion to God must fit me for per∣fect possession of God: welcome then Eternity in conformity to God, my only capacity of eternal commu∣nion with God.

4. * 1.17 Though I dye, I shall dye but once; my death shall be mine en∣trance into life; and my life shall be eternal; the second death shall have no power on me: seeing I must once dye, oh how happy am I that I do not live to dye the second death! the first death divideth my soul from my body; but the second death would have dividid my soul and body from God, and that for ever: but this death shall not befall me; for there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus; * 1.18 the Lord hath justified me; who shall condemn me? he hath delivered me from the dread of the first, by redeeming me from the power of the second death: I may be of good comfort, I shall not dye, but live; I shall live in death; I shall pass

through death to life; and whilst life is the subject, who would not desire to have eternity the adjunct? My soul, canst thou chuse but joy, to know that thy life is eternal life? do I dread to die, and tremble to think of Eternity in life? O strange con∣tradiction! the result of a weak faith, and of a clouded reason: na∣ture hath taught me to desire and endeavour the preservation, and if it were possible the perpetuation of my natural, sinful, sorrowful life; shall not grace much more make me to rejoyce, that my holy, happy life endureth for ever? that I shall eter∣nally live in the salvation of God, to enjoy mine inheritance among the Saints and Angels in light; to attend on, contemplate, and have communi∣on with God and Christ? were not eternal life affixed to these enjoy∣ments, what would they avail me? what? should I delight to tantalize in the waters of life? Eternity ab∣stracted, I do but catch at the hap∣piness

I cannot hold; I do fall under Moses his chance, Moses his curse; he led Israel to the banks of Jordan, to the borders of Canaan; he went up to mount Nebo, and saw the goodly land, but he entred not in∣to it; he enjoyed it not; he died in the mountain: I have preached Eternal life; I have perswaded men to pursue it, to press after it; I have led them to the brink of the grave, and am ready to lye down and dye, & now I dread the eternal life that attendeth me. O my folly! but bles∣sed be God he hath not been pro∣voked; he will not be by me per∣swaded to blot my name out of the book of life; but having purposed, purchased for me, and promised to me salvation, an inheritance, an estate of glory; he hath secured me my life in, and unto the possession thereof; and made eternity the blessed, inse∣parable property of them all.

My soul! where art thou? what? art thou lanched into? lost in eter∣nity

before out of my body? return; recover thy self before thou go hence, and be no more seen; look back on thine own thoughts; survey the land which the prospect of thy faith hath descried in the ocean of eternity: O the immensity! O the depth of eternity! this is an astonishing ocean; an amazing sea; whilst I stand on the banks of a temporal life, how do I tremble to look upon eternity, in its abstracted nature? but stay my soul! let us be wise; let my faith follow this flood; and deliberately observe how it streams it self in the Paradise of God; into eternal sal∣vation; oh wonderful! Eternal in∣heritance; O this is desirable! how do I long for it? Eternal glory; that is delightful! the rayes thereof ra∣vish my heart: And Eternal life; O the emphasis, the excellency of all the rest! shall I dread to shoot this gulph of death? shall I fear to lanch out into the depth of this eternity? can these blessed, desired, never

enough desired things be abstracted from? be enjoyed without eternity? if they could, would they be so good? would they be such things? is not eternity the very formality of them? is not eternity that massie sub∣stance, affixed to the exceeding weight of glory, which counterpoi∣seth, weigheth down, and witnes∣seth the levity of those afflictions which we now suffer for a moment? Eternity is the sting of sorrow, but the strength of joy; the horror of damna∣tion, but the honour of salvation; the dread, the dolor of the reprobate: but the desire & delight of the Elect; the plague, the sting of the gnawing worm, and tormenting not consu∣ming fire; but the pleasure, the lustre of the wedding garment, and of the cooling, refreshing streams of the waters of life: My soul; Christ my Savior hath redeemed me from the one, and sealed me to the other of these conditions; fear not therefore to go out of this body, to pass

through this red Sea; this dark, dreadful, dismaying gulf into the Ocean of thine Eternity; remember, consider thy Lord long since decla∣red, strait is the gate, and narow is the way which leadeth unto life: I will by Gods grace stoop at this strait gate; I will press through this narrow way; seeing life, so rich, so glorious, so bles∣sed life is the end thereof; to be en∣joyed for ever.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Death en∣tereth m•• into eter∣nity; bu•• it is of good.
• * 1.2

  Times re∣turn is trouble∣some.
• * 1.3

  2 Cor. 4.18.
• * 1.4

  Eternity an adjunct to the best things.
• * 1.5

  Eternal salvation.
• * 1.6

  Mine In∣heritance is eternal.
• * 1.7

  Eternity is affixed to glory.
• * 1.8

  Eph. 1.18.
• * 1.9

  Heaven a glorious place.
• * 1.10

  2 Cor. 12.2, 4.
• * 1.11

  Rev. 21.
• * 1.12

  Matth. 17.2, 3, 4.
• * 1.13

  In hea∣ven the work is glorious.
• * 1.14

  In Heaven I shall have glo∣rious com∣pany.
• * 1.15

  ••orious ••ualities ••all en∣••ow my ••••ul.
• * 1.16

  1 Joh: 3.2••
• * 1.17

  My future life is e∣ternal.
• * 1.18

  Rom. 8.1.