A69538:17
The last work of a believer his passing prayer recommending his departing spirit to…
The last work of a believer his passing prayer recommending his departing spirit to Christ to be received by Him / prepared for the funerals of Mary the widow first of Francis Charlton Esq. and after of Thomas Hanmer, Esq., and partly preached at St. Mary Magdalens Church in Milk-Street, London, and now, at the desire of her daughter, reprinted by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by B. Griffin for B. Simmons, 1682
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
No sinful, scandalous, or impatient friends to be our grief: And which is more than all, no earthly, sinful inclinations in our selves; no passions or infirmities; no languishings of soul, no deadness, dullness, hard heartedness, or we aknesses of grace▪ no backwardness to God, or estrangedness from him, nor fears or doubtings of his love, nor frowns of his displeasure: None of these do enter into that serene and holy region, nor ever interrupt the joy of Saints.
No sinful, scandalous, or impatient friends to be our grief: And which is more than all, no earthly, sinful inclinations in our selves; no passions or infirmities; no languishings of soul, no deadness, dulness, hard heartedness, or we aknesses of grace▪ no backwardness to God, or estrangedness from him, nor fears or doubtings of his love, nor frowns of his displeasure: None of these do enter into that serene and holy region, nor ever interrupt the joy of Saints.
The great work is yet upon our hands, to fight out the good fight, to finish our course, to run with patience the remainder of the race that is before us: And as we must look to Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith, as our great exemplar, so must we look to his Saints and Martyrs as our encouraging examples under him. Put the case you were now dying, (and O how near is it, and how sure!) What would you need ⟨image 5⟩most if the day were come? That is it that you need most now: Look after it speedily while you have time! Look after it seriously, if you have the hearts of men, and sin have not turned you into Idiots or blocks. What a disgrace is it to mankind, to hear men commonly at death cry out, O for a little more time, and O for the opportunities of grace again! and O how shall I enter upon eternity thus unprepared!] As if they had never heard or known that they must die till now! Had you not a life's time to put these questions? and should you not long ago have got them satisfactorily resolved? And justly doth God give over some to that greater shame of humane nature, as not to be called to their wits even by the approach of death it self, but as they contemned everlasting Life in their health, God justly leaveth them to be so sottish, as to venture presumptuously with unrenewed souls upon death, and the conceit that they are of the right Church, or party, or opinion; or that the Priest hath absolved them, doth pass with them for the necessary preparation; and well were it for them, if these would pass them currently into heaven: But O what heart can now conceive, how terrible it is, for a new departed soul to find it self remedilessly disappointed, and to be shut up in flames and desperation, before they would believe that they were in danger of it?