The Saints' Everlasting Rest

This is it that makes a dying man to be usually wiser then other men are, because he looks on Eternity, as near, and knowing he must very shortly be there, he hath more deep and heart-piercing thoughts of it, then ever he could have in health and prosperity; Therefore it is, that the most deluded sinners that were cheated with the world, and bewitched with sin, do then most ordinarily come to themselves, so far as to have a righter judgment then they had; and that many of the most bitter enemies of the Saints, would give a world to be such themselves, and would fain dye in the condition of those whom they hated; even as wicked Balaam, when his eyes are opened, to see the perpetual blessedness of the Saints, will cry out, O that I might dye the death of the righteous, and that my last end might be like his: As Witches when they are taken, and in prison, or at the Gallows, have no power left them to bewitch any more; so we see commonly the most ungodly men, when they see they must dye, and go to another world, their judgments are so changed, and their speech so changed, as if they were not the same men, as if they were come to their wits again, and Sin and Satan had power to bewitch them no more: Yet let the same men recover, and lose their apprehension of the life to come, and how quickly do they lose their understandings with it? In a word, those that were befooled with the world and the flesh, are far wiser when they come to die, and those that were wise before, are now wise indeed. If you would take a mans judgment about Sin, or Grace, or Christ, or Heaven, go to a dying man, and ask him which you were best to choose? ask him, whether you were best be drunk or no? or be lustful, or proud, or revengeful or no, ask him, whether you were best pray, and instruct your Families, or no? or to sanctify the Lords Day, or no? though some to the death may be desperately hardened, yet for the most part, I had rather take a mans judgment then, about these things, then at any other time. For my own part, if my judgment be ever solid, it is when I have the seriousest apprehensions of the life to come; nay, the sober mention of death sometimes, will a little compose the most distracted understanding. Sirs, do you not think (except men are stark devils) but that it would be a harder matter ⟨p. 615⟩to entice a man to sin, when he lies a dying, then it was before?

This is it that makes a dying man to be usually wiser then other men are, because he looks on Eternity, as neer, and knowing he must very shortly be there, he hath more deep and heart-piercing thoughts of it, then ever he could have in health and prosperity; Therefore it is, that the most deluded sinners that were cheated with the world, and bewitched with sin, do then most ordinarily come to themselves, so far as to have a righter judgment then they had; and that many of the most bitter enemies of the Saints, would give a world to be such themselves, and would fain dye in the condition of those whom they hated; even as wicked Balaam, when his eyes are opened, to see the perpetual blessedness of the Saints, will cry out, O that I might dye the death of the righteous, and that my last end might be like his: As Witches when they are taken, and in prison, or at the Gallows, have no power left them to bewitch any more; so we see commonly the most ungodly men, when they see they must dye, and go to another world, their judgments are so changed, and their speech so changed, as if they were not the same men, as if they were come to their wits again, and Sin and Satan had power to bewitch them no more: Yet let the same men recover, and lose their apprehension of the life to come, and how quickly do they lose their understandings with it? In a word, those that were befool'd with the world and the flesh, are far wiser when they come to die, and those that were wise before, are now wise indeed. If you would take a mans judgment about Sin, or Grace, or Christ, or Heaven, go to a dying man, and ask him which you were best to chuse? ask him, whether you were best be drunk or no? or be lustful, or proud, or revengeful or no, ask him, whether you were best pray, and instruct your Families, or no? or to sanctifie the Lords Day, or no? though some to the death may be desperately hardned, yet for the most part, I had rather take a mans judgment then, about these things, then at any other time. For my own part, if my judgment be ever solid, it is when I have the seriousest apprehensions of the life to come; nay, the sober mention of death sometimes, will a little compose the most distracted understanding. Sirs, do you not think (except men are stark devils) but that it would be a harder matter