Sick-bed thoughts, upon those words of the apostle in Phil. 1, 23 ... Part. I containing an answer to that great and solemn question, what that state and condition is, which a person must be found in, before he can have good and sufficient ground, not to be affraid, or unwilling to dye? / by J.B.

By way of Information.

SEe here the difference the vast dif∣ference, between men and wo∣men, regenerate and unregenerate; be∣tween men reconciled to God and un∣reconciled; between men of a good Conscience, and an evil Conscience; and that both in their life, and in their death.

In their life, which in many things differs very much, I will reduce all to four heads, briefly. (1.) One of them, the regenerate person, lives holily, the whole course of his life is holy, in all the designs of it, in his con∣tinual practise, in a sincere, thorough, universal, constant obedience. He is freed from the bondage and power of

sin; he is no way under the dominion of it; it doth not reign in his mortal body; but he is very much dead unto sin, and alive unto God. There's no∣thing in the world that he hates and flys from, so much as sin and all occa∣sions and temptations, leading to it; Hee'l as soon adventure himself into a nest of hissing Serpents, or into an house infected with the Plague, as to go into any place or company, where his heart may be endangered, or his eyes and ears be vitiated, with corrupt, and corrupting objects, discourses and ex∣amples: And as for the Devil that is alwaies injecting filthiness into his thoughts, or laying snares before him, and still some way or other, is solicit∣ing him to evil, he is so much aware of him, that he stands upon his guard continually; is evermore struggling with him, and by his holy combates with him, (through the strength of Christ) never fails of making some conquest o∣ver him, more or lesse and whilst he

resists him, causeth him to fly from him: But now the other, the unrege∣nerate person, how wickedly and wretch∣edly, doth he live? What an unholy and impure life? How doth he wallow in his filthinese, as a Swine in its mire; and lick it up, as a Dog doth his vo∣mit? how doth his heart lye asoak in sin? and what a miserable Vassal and Slave is he to it? (multos Dominos ha∣bet, qui unum non habet) How many Lords is he under, whilest he diso∣beys the Lord his Maker? every lust exerciseth a domination over him, a great, and a severe Tyranny. How is he distracted betwixt this sin and that, be∣twixt this temptation and that? And how busie is he to make-provision for every Lust? I, and he must please the Devil too, whose Vassal he like∣wise is, so far is he from resisting or opposing him; and indeed how can he, he having laid his chains upon him? For doth it not fare with the Devils Bond-Slaves, whom he holds Captives

at his will, (as the Apostle speaks 2 Tim. 2.26. as it doth with the Turkish Galley-Slaves, who being both Manacled, Shackled, and fastned to their Seats and Oares, are made to work till the Irons eat into their very flesh, and besides that, to suffer as many cruel blows as their savage Task∣masters have a minde to give them: This then is one difference. A second is this, The Regenerate person walks with God, is in amity and friendship; with him, as Enoch was; there is a great good will betwixt God and him; they are agreed together, as the Pro∣phets Phrase is (Amos 3.3.) can two walk together except they be agreed? It is the regenerate man's daily and con∣stant care, in all things to please God, to do his will, yea, all his will, this is meat and drink to him; he is never bet∣ter pleased, than when like Christ himself (Luke 2.49.) he is about his Fathers business; this he mindes more than his appointed food. (as Job. did,

Job 23.12.) He will rather lose a Meals meat; two or three (for fail) than an opportunity of doing a service for God, or wherein he may any way injoy some good from him, in this or that Duty, or Ordinance: Which kindness God takes great notice of, and will be sure to answer again to him, and some way or other makes him sensible, how well he takes it at his hands: This blessing, and that, shall speak it out unto him; he will make good all that he hath promised to them that keep his Statutes, and his Judge∣ments to do them, Deut. 28.1.-15. All manner of blessings shal come up∣on him; the blessings of the City, and of the Field, of the Basket, and of the store; yea, of Heaven and of Earth, as is there at large expressed. But now, as to the unregenerate person, it is quite otherwise with him, he is at enmity with God, and God with him; he walks contrary to God, and God to him; he hates God, and God hates him, as 'tis

said of the howling Shepherds, (so they are called, Zach. 11.3.) that had no pity upon the Lords people; (ver. 5.) their soul, saies God, abhored me, and my soul loathed them, (ver. 8.) the wick∣ed and him that loveth violence his soul hates, Psal. 11.5. And thereupon must not such an one needs be under a curse a dismal one, and may he not reasonably look for it, every day? Yea, every hour, every moment, hath he not cause to fear that one curse or other; one sore Judgement or another, will fall upon him? What saies Da∣vid, Psal. 7.11, 12, 13. God is angry with the wicked every day, if he turn not, he will whet his Sword, hee hath bent his bow, and made it ready. Hee hath also prepared for him the Instru∣ments of death; he ordaineth his Ar∣rows against the Persecutors. And a∣gain, Psal. 11.6. Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible (in the Margent, 'tis a burning) tempest, this shall be the por∣tion of their Cup.

And this is a second Difference, the third follows. A regenerate per∣son hath an awakened an enlightned, a tender Conscience, a good and bo∣nest Conscience, that will do all its Of∣fices faithfully; It will inform, accuse, give true evidence, rebuke, and passe a right Judgement too, as the case re∣quires. It will not suffer him to lye in his sin, or to neglect the means that may remove, either the guilt or filth thereof, and 'tis his constant care al∣waies to keep it wakeful and tender, apt to be convinced, and apt to rebuke upon all occasions: He no way des∣piseth the fore-warnings of it, to pre∣vent sin, and the checks of it, when sin is working, and ready to put forth it self, for by this means, principally the amity is kept up between God and him, and the peace that he injoyes inwardly, maintained. But how much otherwise is it with an unregenerate man? either he is a man of no Consci∣ence, that is, makes no Conscience

of any thing he doth, scruples nothing doubts nothing, but adventures upon any thing, any breach of Gods holy, and righteous Law, any act that may satisfie his own evil heart, be it never so foul; either sees no hurt, or will see none in it, is willingly ignorant, as the Apostle speaks, in another case, (2 Pet. 3.5.) and to that end, hates to be reformed, cannot endure a soul-searching Ministry, or a plain-deal∣ing Friend that may convince him of the sinfulness of his heart and waies, and so lies drowzing under a sleepy, and kinde of dead Conscience; or else, if his Conscience doth stir, at any time, and begin, either latrare, or lacerare, to barke, and it may be, to bite too; what doth he do presently? Doth he not do by this his barking and biting Conscience (ready to fly in his face) as a man that hath a fierce Mastiff-Dog, tye him up or Muzzle him? Thus he deals with his Conscience; and that he may bee the less at leisure to

hearken to, or hear the brawlings of it, is it not his common practise to go into some such company, or engage in some such business, or indulge himself in some such pleasure, recreation, or other sinful divertizement, as may wholly take him off from giving any, the least attendance, or regard to it? So long as he can keep his eyes o∣pen, he is thus employed, and when night comes, what care doth he take either to ingorge, or intoxicate him∣self, so as he may sleep it out, till day-light returns, or at least, that hour of it, that gives him the advantage of his accustomed course of sinning, with his wicked Companions, day after day? Thus he lives and wastes his pre∣cious time, not caring, or knowing, how soon death may Arrest him, and spoil his sport.

Fourthly and Lastly, A regenerate person is a man Crucified to the World, and the World to him: He is no more moved, or affected, with the pleasures,

the delights, and lying vanities of this world, than a living man is pleased with the presence of a dead Wife, lying by him; and all the splendours, gran∣deurs, blandishments, allurements, and bewitchments of this world, work no more upon him, than upon a dead man that hath neither sense nor motion, nor life in him: But yet, in the mean while, though his heart be dead to this world world and all the fine toyes and trifles of it, so as all the wealth, riches, gauderies, and glories thereof, be no∣thing to him, yet he is so wise, as to minde the things of the other world; these as he highly prizeth and values them, at their just rate, so he earnest∣ly seeks after them: His whole business lies here, namely, by patient continu∣ance in well-doing, to seek for glory, honour, immortality, eternal Life. (Rom. 2.7.) and this being the trade hee drives, every step he treads is to∣wards Heaven, and to a being made meet for the enjoyment of it. Con∣trariwise,

an unregenerate person takes quite another course, he is all for earth, and for earthly things; all for, either the profits of the world, if his heart be choaked with covetous cares and thoughts; or for the pleasures of the world, if he be a bruitish sensualist; or for the honours, dignities, and high∣places of the world, if he be of a lof∣ty and proud Spirit: As for the injoy∣ment of God, or the saving of his soul, they are matters too serious for him to minde; mundus cum suis fri∣volis, the frivolous World is his Idol, and that he will adore, though with the losse of Heaven it self, and all the blisses thereof for ever, which being so, may we not conclude, that every step he treads is towards Hell, and that he is ripening apace for it?

Thus we see what a vast difference there is, between a regenerate person, and an unregenerate in their lives. Let us see now what the difference is in their deaths.

The regenerate person, (1.) Hath no stings, nor gaulings of Conscience his main worke is done, when he comes to lye upon his dying-Bed. It hath been his every daies work to set things right, and to keep them so, (to the utmost of his endeavour) betwixt God and him, to get, and grow up into an intire friendship with him, and still to call himself to an account for e∣very thing that might offend, and with all speed to hasten to the blood of sprinkling, to be washed and cleansed: he would never be at rest, so long as guilt remained upon his own heart, or one frown in the face of God towards him. But this the unregenerate person never did, nor would ever by any means be perswaded to it; self-Exa∣mination, self-Reflexion, and self-Judging, were Duties which he was alwaies a stranger to, these were works for an awakened, and a tender Conscience, which he never had, nor desired to have; and so now, judi∣cially,

is given up, happily, to a Con∣science past feeling, and that cannot be sensible of any thing. (2.) In case a regenerate, and holy person should be under some little clouds for a while, and through the malice of Sa∣tan, by Divine permission, be some∣what damped in his inward peace and comfort, when hee is about his last work of dying, yet, as hath been said, there is no just reason why it should be thus with him; and 'tis very rare, that any good man or woman is long vexed thus; but to be sure, the storm ends at last, and the rest of their pas∣sage is usually under a pleasant and fair gale, God himself as I may so say, sitting at the sterne, and the holy Angels spreading the Sails: And Oh then! the calmness of their mindes! the serenity of their peace! the inward quiet of their souls, how great is it! How is not Death then at all dreadful! but rather a welcome Messenger, which they now look for, and wonder that

his Chariot wheels move no faster! which blessed repose being now cast in∣to, after their buffetings and combates with Satan, on a sudden, they breathe forth their perfumed breath, and so fall asleep in Jesus.

But alas! How far otherwise is it with a wicked unregenerate man, when he comes to this dying worke? For, if his Conscience be not so far seared, blinded, and left judicially insensible, as was but even now mentioned; but is let loose upon him, and inabled by the God of Conscience, to charge him, and accuse him home: If it calls all his sins to remembrance, and sets them in order before him (a work, which some∣times God, to shew his Power, will assist this or that wicked mans Con∣science in as himself speaks Psal. 50.21.) I say when once Conscience acts this part upon some obstinate and impenitent wretch, and hath a com∣mission so to do. Oh then! the roar∣ings! the yellings! the howlings, of

such a Conscience! How then doth death come with all its stings! how doth Hell fire flash in his face with all its flames! And how doth the Devil himself, as 'twere haunt and affright him with all his Feinds? Oh now the horrors, the terrors, the soul-sinking o∣ver-whelming dreads that are upon him! may not his Name bee now changed into magor-missabib, fear round about? He that before seemed to have no such power, faculty, or prin∣ciple of Conscience in him, (call it what you will) no such vicegerency of the Divine Majesty, for what is Con∣science, but Gods Vicegerent?) Be∣hold now he findes it much otherwise: he now experiments the truth of those words in Prov. 20.27. The Spirit of a man is the candle of the Lord, search∣ing all the inward parts of the Belly; and 'tis not onely a shining, but a burning Candle too, that kindles wrath, as wel as discovers sin: and can you imagin it possible for such tormented ones, as

this poor miserable self-condemned man, is not to be afraid to dye? Doubtless they are afraid, and afraid to such a degree, as is not easie to be expressed; and yet whilst they live in this manner, is not their very life a burthen to them, and a sore torment? are not these the men of whom Epi∣ctetus speaks, apud Stob. c. 120. (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.) a certain wonderful sort of men, that are weary of life, and yet have no minde to dye, or of whom Seneca speaks in his fourth Epist; Inter mortis metum & vitae tor∣menta miseri fluctuant, & vivere no∣lunt, & mori nesciunt, that are mise∣rably tossed betwixt the fear of Death, and the torments of Life; have no desire to live, and yet know not how to dye? And the same Seneca again, Epist. 101. Invenitur qui malit inter supplicia-tabescere & perire membra∣tim, & toties per stillicidia amittere animam quam semel exhalare? Inve∣nitur

qui velit trahere animam tot tor∣menta tracturam? Usque adeonè mori miserum est? Est tanti habere animam, ut agam? Would one think that the man should be found upon earth, that would rather waste away by de∣grees among grievous sufferings, be content to rot in pieces one member after another, and let his soul go out, as 'twere by drops, rather than to send it out all together, at one single groan? That any man should bee found that would endure the length∣ening out of his life under so many torments? Is death so miserable a thing, to be thus affrighted at it? Yea and is life too, of so great value, as to be thus defired? The like passage we finde in Cyprian also (in his Book de Mortal.) concerning some in his age; Pati non vultis, exire timetis, quid faciam vobis? Ye are unwilling to live under your sufferings, and yet ye are unwilling to dye, what shall I do unto you? Or, how shall I com∣fort you?