The fading of the flesh and flourishing of faith, or, One cast for eternity…

Invasions are judged far more dangerous then pitched Battles, because those are sudden, and usually take men unprovided, I must tell thee that when ever Death cometh, twill be dreadful and dangerous, for (continuing as thou art) twill surprise thee unprepared, and unable to make any resistance; O how twill tear thy soul like a Lyon, renting it in pieces, whilst there is none to deliver it. No Chapman comes amiss to him whose shop is ever furnished; but every Enemy will foil him, who ⟨p. 40⟩goeth always unarmed and naked. Death to a sinner is always sudden. They go down quick into hell. Job 21.

Invasions are judged far more dangerous then pitcht Battels, because those are sudden, and usually take men unprovided, I must tell thee that when ever Death cometh, twill be dreadful and dangerous, for (continuing as thou art) twill surprise thee unprepared, and unable to make any resistance; O how twil tear thy soul like a Lyon, renting it in peices, whilst there is none to deliver it. No Chapman comes amiss to him whose shop is ever furnished; but every Enemy will foil him, who ⟨p. 40⟩goeth always unarmed and naked. Death to a sinner is always sudden. They go down quick into hell. Job 21.

¹Thirdly, Dost thou not know, that whensoever Death comes, twill be too late to prepare for it? The Ship must be Rigged in the Harbour, twill be too late to do it in the main Ocean in a storm; Probably enough (though now thou canst spend thy days delightfully without Christ and grace, yet) when the Bridegroom cometh by Death, thou wilt, as the foolish Virgins, talk of getting Oil, because thy lamps will be then gone out; but alas then twill be too late, only such as are ready enter in with him. I have read of a Woman in Cambridge, who lying on her death bed, was visited by persons of Worth and Piety, and heard much Heavenly discourse from them; but they could hear nothing from her, save this, Call time again, Call time again: But time runs swiftly, and being once past is irrecoverable. Time, saith Bernard, were a good commodity in Hell, if it could be bought up at any rate. Ah when thou comest to dye, a Week, a Day, nay an Hour, would be more worth to thee then all the World. But twill be impossible to put off the Trial which Death hath with thee for thy soul till another time, till another Term. When Death calleth, at leisure, or not at leisure, ready or unready, willing or unwilling, thou shalt not deny, but must go the way whence thou shalt never return.