A69538:71
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.
Poor sinner, What thoughts hast thou of thy dying hour, and of thy departing Soul! I wonder at thee, what thoughts thou hast of them, that thou canst sin so boldly, and live so carelessly and talk or hear of the life to come so senselessly as thou dost! Thou mightest well think I wronged thee, if I took ⟨p. 21⟩thee to be such a brute as not to know that thou must die! Thy Soul that brought thy body hither, that causeth it now to hear and understand, that carrieth it up and down the world, must very shortly be required of thee, and must seek another habitation. What thoughts hast thou of thy departing Soul! Will Christ receive it? Hast thou made sure of that? Or hast thou made it thy principal care and business to make sure! O what doth intoxicate the brains of sensual worldly men, that they drown themselves in the Cares of this Life, and ride and run for transitory Riches, and live upon the Smoke of Honour and Applause, and never soberly and seriously bethink them, whether Christ will receive their departed Souls! That they can fill their minds with other thoughts, and fill their mouths with other talk, and consume their time in other inconsiderable employments; and take no more care, and spend no more thoughts, and words, and time, about the entertainment of their departing Souls! When they are even ready to be gone, and stand as it were on tip-toes; when Fevers, and Consumptions, and many hundred Diseases are all abroad so busily distributing their Summons; and when the Gates of Death have so many Passengers crowding in, and Souls are making such haste away, will you not consider what shall become of yours? Will you say, that you hope well, and you must venture? If God had appointed you nothing to do, to prepare for your safe passage and entertainment with Christ, you might then take up with such an Answer: But it's a mad adventure to leave all ⟨p. 20⟩[…] ⟨p. 21⟩[…] ⟨p. 22⟩undone that is necessary to your salvation, and then to say, You must put it to the venture: If you die in and unrenewed and unjustified state, it is past all ventures; for it is certain that Christ will not receive you: You may talk of hoping, dut it is not a matter to be hoped for. Hope that God will make good every word of his Promise, and spare not: But there is no more Hope that Christ will Receive the souls of any but of his members, than there is that he will prove a liar.