The righteous man's hope at death consider'd and improv'd for the comfort of dying Christians, and the support of surviving relations : to which is added Death-bed reflections, &c. proper for a righteous man in his last sickness / by Samuel Doolittle ; this was the first sermon the author preacht after the death of his mother Mrs. Mary Doolittle, who deceased Decemb. 16. 1692. and is since enlarged.

III. After Death cometh Judgment: what an a∣wakening Thought this is, and ought to be. How this Thought may, and should be im∣prov'd by us in our last Sickness, particu∣larly, to put us upon Confession, the exercise of Repentance, and earnest Prayer to God for Pardoning Mercy.

SICKNESS Summons Men to die; Death Summons them to Judgment. May this Sickness be my last, and do I suppose it will? hearken O my Soul! and thou may'st hear Deaths Voice: Come un∣to the Bar, come give an account of thy Self to God; in the NAME of the ETERNAL GOD, whose Servant, and Messenger I am, I cite thee, O Man, to make thine appearance before the Tribunal of thy Maker, Sovereign, and Judge in the other World. Awful Ti∣dings! what awakening, and startling words are these! must I O my Soul! quick∣ly Dye, and after that be judg'd? go from my Death-bed to the Bar of an Infi∣nitely Holy, Just, and Jealous God? must my

Life be examined? all my Actions scan∣ned? and my everlasting state in that mo∣ment, be determined? must a Righteous, and Irreversible Doom pass upon me? must I Dye in one moment, and in the next be Judg'd? and shall not I search my ways, examine my state, take a survey of my Heart and Life, before I pass to that final and irreversible Judgment; and hold up these guilty hands of mine at God's Tri∣bunal? shall I not endeavour to know what has been amiss, that I may confess, be humbled for, repent of it, and beg pardon? Lord▪ help me a sick, Lord, for Jesus sake, help me a dying man in this serious, solemn work: help me to find out my sins, to repent; and implore thy mercy through the Lord Jesus Christ, who is my only hope in Life, at Death, and after Death.

I was born a sinner, and came into the World guilty and polluted: behold, I was shapen in iniquity: and in sin did my Mother * 1.1 conceive me. As I am a Child of Apostate Adam (dreadful thought!) I am unlike to the Holy and Blessed God, and resem∣ble the Devil, the worst of Beings; and had I no other sin, this were enough to shame, confound, silence, and condemn me. But alas! have I not found this ori∣ginal sin active in my Heart, and fruitful

in my Life? with what force, and vio∣lence has it hurried me to the commission of sin! oh, what cursed streams has this bitter Fountain been sending forth! how much, how often, and how greatly have I offended God! what one Command∣ment is there, I have not broken in thought, word, or deed! my sins are more than can be numbred; and how many Legions of Lusts are quartered in my Heart! oh, that my Head were Waters, and mine Eyes a * 1.2 Fountain of Tears, that I might weep day, and night!

Did I not once O my Soul! live as with∣out God in the World! how many, and great were the sins of my unregenerate state! what a sinner! Lord, what a vile sinner was I then! were not all the facul∣ties of my Soul, and Members of my Bo∣dy the Instruments of Unrighteousness un∣to sin? Did not sin sit in the Throne, sway the Scepter? and had it not the entire, quiet, and peaceable possession of my Heart? Was not I a willing Slave, an obedient Servant, and a Volunteer in any wicked service, was I not at the beck of every Lust, the will of every Temptation, and did not Satan carry me captive at his plea∣sure? during that wretched state, how did I forget God, and my self; Eternity, and another World; thwart the design of

my Creation; and cross the end of my be∣ing made a Man? Was I not sensual, car∣nal, and earthly; a stranger to an Holy, Heavenly Life; without any delight in God, desire after, or care to please him? did I not run into Sin, as the Horse rushes into the Battle without any fear? how long? O my Soul! how long was I a grief to that blessed Jesus, who wept, and swet, bled, groan'd, and died for me! how did I despise his Grace, slight his Love, his dying Love; spurn at his Bowels, and trample on his Blood? with what sweet, and endearing; melting, and charming language, did he plead with me! he called, but I did not answer; he pleaded, but I was not moved; his Bowels yearned, but my Heart did not relent, how oft did the Holy Spirit move and work upon my Heart? and how oft did I resist, vex, quench, and grieve him! how oft was my Conscience awakened? and how soon did it fall asleep again! Holy Lord, I blush, I am ashamed, and confounded to look back upon this part of my life: I weep, Lord, I weep, I desire to weep bitterly for the sins of my unconverted state: I wish again, Oh, that my Head were Waters, and mine Eyes a Fountain of Tears, that I might weep day and night!

How many, and great have been my sins since my Conversion to, and acquain∣tance with God? How oft have I fallen, to the dishonour of God, the discredit of Religion, the wounding of my self, and grieving of others! how many duties have been neglected; and how many carelesly performed? in a cold, lazy, and trifling manner! how many of my Talents, which might have been improved for the Glory of God, my own comfort, and the good of others, have been wrapped up in a Nap∣kin, and buried in the Earth! how weak is every Grace? and how much evil is mixt with all my good! how oft, letting down my Spiritual Watch, has Satan sur∣priz'd me, and Temptation prevail'd! how much have I conformed to the World, complied with the sinful customs, and fa∣shions of it! how much have I lived con∣trary to my Profession; and below my hopes as a Christian! what a slow pro∣gress have I made in the ways of Holiness, how many younger Christians have out∣stript, got the start of, and are gone before me! nay, have I not shamefully declin'd, and backsliden, and lost much of my first love, zeal, and tenderness? how frequent, and strong have been the workings of Spiritu∣al Sins; as unbelief, pride, passion, envy, and uncharitableness, &c. Lord! how ma∣ny

have been the sins of this state? and how are they aggravated by all that love, and mercy thou hast shewn to me; and the long experience I have had of thy boun∣ty and goodness? Art thou my God, and have I affronted? my Father, and have I displeased thee? have I by these sins wounded that Redeemer who died for me? grieved that Holy Spirit who has comfort∣ed me? ah sinful, silly Soul! what hast thou been doing? what an hearty sorrow, and unfeigned grief do these sins call for? I mourn, Lord, help me to mourn more: thou hast given me the habit of Repen∣tance; give me now in this evening of my Life to act, and exercise it. Oh, for a broken Heart, and a contrite Spirit! oh, for inward shame, and hearty remorse! oh for a melting frame, and a bleeding Soul! oh, that this Rock might be bro∣ken, and this Heart be turned more, and more into an Heart of flesh!

My time is short, my strength little, my sins many and great; Lord help me to live repenting, and die repenting; to go to my grave weeping: Weeping not tears of despair▪ but tears of Gospel-sor∣row, which make way for eternal joys. I do repent, Lord! from the bottom of my Soul I do repent; let my last repen∣tance be most solemn, particular, and se∣rious,

and do thou accept it! wash me in these penitential waters, and because these muddy waters can't cleanse; wash me, Lord, wash me in the blood of Je∣sus for that can cleanse from all sin. O pardon, pardon a dying penitent, who confesses and acknowledges his sins, and flies to thy mercy through the merits of Christ!

My sins are gone over mine head, as a bur∣den * 1.3 they are too heavy for me. Sin is an heavy burden and intollerable; but most of all so to a dying man. Look upon mine * 1.4 affliction, and forgive all my sins: If I must weep with one eye, Lord let me read my pardon with the other.

I have deserved Hell, and if God should cast me into it; I have forfeited Heaven, and if God should eternally ba∣nish me from that blessed place; I must say, Righteous art thou, O Lord, and upright * 1.5 is thy Judgment: But save me from the one, and bring me to the other, for thy mercies sake. I find it is written, He that * 1.6 confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall find mer∣cy. And again, if we confess our sins he is * 1.7 faithful and just to forgive us our sins. This I have done, this I will do, and shall I not obtain mercy? I am ashamed, and confounded; I loath, and abhor my

self; I repent in dust and ashes; I wish I had never done as I have; were I to live over my life again, (Divine grace assist∣ing) these Errata's should be corrected; I do repent, and will not God pardon? I do heartily mourn, and will not God forgive? Oh for a pardon for Jesus sake! mercy, mercy, Lord! mercy for a dy∣ing sinner, who comes unto thee accord∣ing to the tenor of the Gospel. The thing I ask is great, and I, sinful I, wretch∣ed I, am altogether unworthy; but Christ is worthy: Lord, lo, here is the blood which bought my pardon, and it has been and is now crying in thine ears with a loud voice; Lord, pardon, and save yonder penitent sinner, and shall my prayer backt with the pleadings of that blood be shut out?

I have now but a little time, my glass is almost run, the day is far spent, the shadows of the evening are stretched out, the night will quickly come; Lord, be not angry if I renew my request, urge thee with thy promise, and lie at thy foot till I obtain my pardon, and Con∣science be enabled, and authorized to read it. I am miserable and without thy pity must be so for ever; and Lord, I cannot, I will not take a denyal: I am

thine, save me. In this sickness I have * 1.8 been examining my heart, searching my ways, and I have done it seriously, and impartially; what sins I have found out I heartily bewail: pardon these, and those I have not. Who can understand his * 1.9 Errors? Lord cleanse thou me from secret faults.

Blessed Jesus! thou great friend, and lover of Souls; from this my sick and death-bed I look up to thee for help, and mercy; Oh stand my friend now, plead my cause now, and let me have the pardon thy blood did purchase! thou didst die for me, thou wast crucifyed for me, and thy blood was shed for me, and carest thou not if I now perish? May thy Tears, * 1.10 Wounds, and Blood speak, and plead for me; for I am sure they will be heard if mine cannot! within a few days, with∣in a few hours, I must appear before an Holy, Just, and Terrible God; and I tremble, O my Saviour! I tremble to think any one unpardoned sin should meet me at that Tribunal: Oh, procure my pardon for me before I die! if Satan meet me there to accuse me, I know thou wilt answer him and plead for me: But if any one unpardoned sin meet me there, it will condemn me, and I am lost, and lost for ever.

I am not sinless, I have not perfectly obeyed the Law; but I am not impeni∣tent. To exercise repentance for my sin, has been my daily work ever since my first conversion; and it has been so par∣ticularly in this present sickness. My heart hath been turned from the love of sin, and now I loath it more than ever; there's nothing troubles, afflicts, and grieves me so much as sin; vile sin, cursed sin! thou hast cost me more tears, sighs, and groans than all my pains have done. I Repent, I Repent, Lord, I do repent; Oh! pity, and spare, spare, and pardon, pardon and love, love, and save me for ever. Have mercy upon me according to the mul∣titude of thy tender mercies; and blot out * 1.11 all my sin. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not * 1.12 iniquity. Blessed! he, and only he is the blessed man; though he be a poor man, a pained man, a sick man, a dying man, yet he is a blessed man: Oh, that this blessedness might be mine! I am now sick, and I have no hope of recovery; my body grows weaker, and weaker, and nature sensibly decays; this earthly Ta∣bernacle shakes, and it will quickly tum∣ble, Death, Pale, and Grim Death is posting towards me; I am near unto eter∣nity;

but I cannot die, I dare not step into the other unseen Eternal World with out a pardon. Believing, O my God, that word of thine, that word, which to me is of more worth than a thousand Worlds; Let the wicked forsake his way; and the * 1.13 unrighteous man his thoughts: And let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abun∣dantly pardon. I beg, and through the mediation of thy Christ, and my Jesus, will expect the pardon of all my sins. Let it be unto me according to thy word, in which thou hast caused thy Servant to hope! Amen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Psal. 51. 5.
• * 1.2

  Jer. 9. 1.
• * 1.3

  Psal. 38. 4.
• * 1.4

  Psal. 25. 18.
• * 1.5

  Ps. 110. 137.
• * 1.6

  Pro. 28. 13.
• * 1.7

  1 John 1. 9.
• * 1.8

  Ps. 119 94.
• * 1.9

  Ps. 19. 12.
• * 1.10

  Mark 4. 38.
• * 1.11

  Psal 51. 1.
• * 1.12

  Psal. 32. 1, 2.
• * 1.13

  Psal. 55. 7