Atten. This is a dreadful Story: and I would to G.o.d that it might be a warning to others to instruct them to fear before G.o.d, and pray, lest he gives them up to doe as John c.o.x hath done. For surely self-murderers cannot goe to Heaven: and therefore, as you have said, he that dieth by his own hands, is certainly gone to h.e.l.l. But speak a word or two of the other man you mentioned.
Wise. What? of a wicked man dying in Despair?
Atten. Yes, of a wicked man dying in despair.
Wise. Well then: {169a} This Mr. Badmans other Brother was a very wicked man, both in Heart and Life; I say in Heart, because he was so in Life, nor could anything reclaim him; neither good Men, good Books, good Examples, nor G.o.ds Judgements. Well, after he had lived a great while in his sins, G.o.d smote with a sickness of which he died. Now in his sickness his Conscience began to be awakened, and he began to roar out of his ill-spent Life, insomuch that the Town began to ring of him. Now when it was noysed about, many of the Neighbours came to see him, and to read by him, as is the common way with some; but all that they could doe, [Picture: Take note symbol] could not abate his terror, but he would lie in his Bed gnashing of his teeth, and wringing of his wrists, concluding upon the d.a.m.nation of his Soul, and in that horror and despair he dyed; not calling upon G.o.d, but distrusting in his Mercy, and Blaspheming of his Name.
Atten. This brings to my mind a man that a Friend of mine told me of.
[Picture: Take note symbol] He had been a wicked liver; so when he came to die, he fell into despair, and having concluded that G.o.d had no mercy for him he addressed himself to the Devil for favour, saying, Good Devil be good unto me.
Wise. This is almost like Saul, who being forsaken of G.o.d, went to the Witch of Endor, and so to the Devil for help. {170a} But alas, should I set my self to collect these dreadful Stories, it would be easie in little time to present you with hundreds of them: But I will conclude as I began; They that are their own Murderers, or that die in Despair, after they have lived a life of wickedness, do surely go to h.e.l.l.
And here I would put in a Caution: Every one that dieth under consternation of spirit; that is, under amazement and great fear, do not therefore die in Despair: For a good man may have this for his bands in his death, and yet go to Heaven and Glory. For, as I said before, He that is a good man, a man that hath Faith and Holiness, a lover and Worshipper of G.o.d by Christ, according to his Word, may die in consternation of spirit: for Satan will not be wanting to a.s.sault good men upon their death-bed, but they are secured by the Word and Power of G.o.d; yea, and are also helped, though with much agony of spirit, to exercise themselves in Faith and Prayer, the which he that dieth in Despair, can by no means doe. But let us return to Mr. Badman, and enter further Discourse of the manner of his Death.
Atten. I think you and I are both of a mind; for just now I was thinking to call you back to him also. And pray now, since it is your own motion to return again to him, let us discourse a little more of his quiet and still death.
Wise. With all my heart. You know we were speaking before of the manner of Mr. Badmans death: {171a} How that he dyed very stilly and quietly; upon which you made observation, that the common people conclude, that if a man dyes quietly, and as they call it, like a Lamb, he is certainly gone to Heaven: when alas, if a wicked man dyes quietly, if a man that has all his dayes lived in notorious sin, dyeth quietly; his quiet dying is so far off from being a sign of his being saved, that it is an uncontrollable proof of his d.a.m.nation. This was Mr. Badmans case, he lived wickedly even to the last, and then went quietly out of the world: therefore Mr. Badman is gone to h.e.l.l.
Att. Well, but since you are upon it, and also so confident in it, to wit, that a man that lives a wicked life till he dyes, and then dyes quietly, is gone to h.e.l.l; let me see hat shew of proof you have for this your opinion.
Wise. My first argument is drawn from the Necessity of repentance: No man can be saved except he repents, nor can he repent that sees not, that knows not that he is a sinner, and he that knows himself to be a sinner, will, I will warrant him, be molested for the time by that knowledge.
{171b} This, as it is testified by all the Scriptures, so it is testified by Christian experience. He that knows of himself to be a sinner, is molested, especially if that knowledge comes not to him untill he is cast upon his death-bed; molested, I say, before he can dye quietly. Yea, he is molested, dejected and cast down, he is also made to cry out, to hunger and thirst after mercy by Christ, and if at all he shall indeed come to die quietly, I mean with that quietness that is begotten by Faith and Hope in G.o.ds mercy (to the which Mr. Badman and his brethren were utter strangers,) his quietness is distinguished by all Judicious observers, by what went before it, by what it flows from, and also by what is the fruit thereof.
I must confess I am no admirer of sick-bed repentance, for I think verily it is seldom {171c} good for any thing: but I say, he that hath lived in sin and profaneness all his dayes, as Mr. Badman did, and yet shall dye quietly, that is, without repentance steps in "twixt his life and death, he is a.s.suredly gone to h.e.l.l, and is d.a.m.ned.
Atten. This does look like an argument indeed; for Repentance must come, or else we must goe to h.e.l.l-fire: and if a lewd liver shall (I mean that so continues till the day of his death), yet goe out of the world quietly, "tis a sign that he died without repentance, and so a sign that he is d.a.m.ned.
Wise. I am satisfied in it, for my part, and that from the Necessity, and Nature of repentance. It is necessary, because G.o.d calls for it, and will not pardon sin without it: Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish. This is that which G.o.d hath said, and he will prove but a fool-hardy man that shall yet think to goe to Heaven and glory without it. Repent, for the Ax is laid to the root of the tree, every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit, (but no good fruit can be where there is not sound repentance) shall be hewn down, and cast into the fire. {172a} This was Mr. Badmans case, he had attending of him a sinfull life, and that to the very last, and yet dyed quietly, that is, without repentance; he is gone to h.e.l.l and is d.a.m.ned. For the Nature of repentance, I have touched upon that already, and shewed, that it never was where a quiet death is the immediate companion of a sinfull life; and therefore Mr. Badman is gone to h.e.l.l.
Secondly, {172b} My second argument is drawn from that blessed Word of Christ, While the strong man armed keeps the house, his goods are in peace, till a stronger than he comes: but the strong man armed kept Mr.
Badmans house, that is, his heart, and soul, and body, for he went from a sinfull life quietly, out of this world: the stronger did not disturb by intercepting with sound repentance, betwixt his sinful life and his quiet death: Therefore Mr. Badman is gone to h.e.l.l.
The strong man armed is the Devil, and quietness is his security. The Devil never fears losing of the sinner, if he can but keep him quiet: can he but keep him quiet in a sinfull life, and quiet in his death, he is his own. Therefore he saith, his goods are in peace; that is, out of danger. There is no fear of the Devils losing such a soul, I say, because Christ, who is the best Judge in this matter, saith, his goods are in peace, in quiet, and out of danger.
Atten. This is a good one too; {173a} for doubtless, peace and quiet with sin, is one of the greatest signs of a d.a.m.nable state.
Wise. So it is. Therefore, when G.o.d would shew the greatness of his anger against sin and sinners in one word, he saith, They are joyned to Idols, let them alone. {173b} Let them alone, that is, disturb them not; let them goe on without controll; let the Devil enjoy them peaceably, let him carry them out of the world unconverted quietly. This is one of the sorest of Judgments, and bespeaketh the burning anger of G.o.d against sinfull men. See also when you come home, the fourteenth Verse of the Chapter last mentioned in the Margent: I will not punish your daughters when they commit Wh.o.r.edom. I will let them alone, they shall live and dye in their sins. But,
Thirdly, My third argument {173c} is drawn from that saying of Christ: He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their hearts; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, and be converted, and I should heal them. {173d}
There are three things that I will take notice of from these words.
1. The first is, That there can be no conversion to G.o.d where the eye is darkned, and the heart hardened. The eye must first be made to see, and the heart to break and relent under and for sin, or else there can be no conversion. He hath blinded their eyes, and hardned their hearts, lest they should see, and understand and (So) be converted. And this was clearly Mr. Badmans case, he lived a wicked life, and also died with his eyes shut, and heart hardened, as is manifest, in that a sinful life was joyned with a quiet death; and all for that he should not be converted, but partake of the fruit of his sinfull life in h.e.l.l fire.
2. The second thing that I take notice of from these words is, That this is a dispensation and manifestation of G.o.ds anger against a man for his sin. When G.o.d is angry with men, I mean, when he is so angry with them, this among many is one of the Judgments that he giveth them up unto, to wit, to blindness of mind, and hardness of heart, which he also suffereth to accompany them till they enter in at the gates of death. And then, and there, and not short of then and there, their eyes come to be opened.
Hence it is said of the rich man mentioned in Luke, He dyed, and in h.e.l.l he lifted up his eyes: {174a} Implying that he did not lift them up before: He neither saw what he had done, nor whither he was going, till he came to the place of execution, even into h.e.l.l. He died asleep in his soul; he dyed bespotted, stupified, and so consequently for quietness, like a Child or Lamb, even as Mr. Badman did: this was a sign of G.o.ds anger; he had a mind to d.a.m.n him for his sins, and therefore would not let him see nor have an heart to repent for them, lest he should convert, and his d.a.m.nation, which G.o.d had appointed, should be frustrate: lest they should be converted, and I should heal them.
3. The third thing that I take notice of from hence, is, That a sinfull life and a quiet death annexed to it, is the ready, the open, the beaten, the common high-way to h.e.l.l: there is no surer sign of d.a.m.nation, than for a man to dye quietly after a sinfull life. I do not say that all wicked men, that are molested at their death with a sence of sin and fears of h.e.l.l, do therefore goe to Heaven, (for some are also made to see, and are left to despair (not converted by seeing) that they might go roaring out of this world to their place:) But I say, there is no surer sign of a mans d.a.m.nation, than to dye quietly after a sinful life; than to sin, and dye with his eyes shut; than to sin, and dye with an heart that cannot repent. He hath blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart; (no, not so long as they are in this world) lest they should see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. {174b}
G.o.d has a Judgment for wicked men; G.o.d will be even with wicked men: G.o.d knows how to reserve the unG.o.dly to the day of Judgment to be punished: {174c} And this is one of his wayes by which he doth it. Thus it was with Mr. Badman.
4. Fourthly, {174d} It is said in the Book of Psalms, concerning the wicked, There is no bands in their death, but their strength is firm. By no bands, he means no troubles, no gracious chastis.e.m.e.nts, no such corrections for sin as fall to be the Lot of G.o.ds people for theirs; yea, that many times falls to be theirs, at the time of their death.
Therefore he adds concerning the wicked, They are not troubled (then) like other men, neither are they plagued like other men; but go as securely out of the world, as if they had never sinned against G.o.d, and put their own souls into danger of d.a.m.nation. There is no band in their death. They seem to go unbound, and set at liberty, out of this world, though they have lived notoriously wicked all their dayes in it. The Prisoner that is to dye at the Gallows for his wickedness, must first have his Irons knock"t off his legs; so he seems to goe most at liberty, when indeed he is going to be executed for his transgressions. Wicked men also have no bands in their death, they seem to be more at liberty when they are even at the Wind-up of their sinfull life, than at any time besides.
Hence you shall have them boast of their Faith and Hope in G.o.ds Mercy, when they lye upon their death-bed; yea, you shall have them speak as confidently of their salvation, as if they had served G.o.d all their dayes: when the truth is, the bottom of this their boasting is, because they have no bands in their death.
Their sin and base life comes not into their mind to correct them, and bring them to repentance; but presumptuous thoughts, and an hope and faith of the Spiders (the Devils) making, possesseth their soul, to their own eternal undoing. {175a}
Hence wicked mens hope, is said to dye, not before, but with them; they give up the Ghost together. And thus did Mr. Badman. His sins and his hope went with him to the Gate, but there his hope left him, because it dyed there; but his sins went in with him, to be a worm to gnaw him in his conscience for ever and ever.
The opinion therefore of the common people concerning this kind of dying, is {175b} frivolous and vain; for Mr. Badman died like a Lamb, or as they call it, like a Chrisom child, quietly and without fear. I speak not this with reference to the strugling of nature with death, but as to the strugling of the conscience with the Judgment of G.o.d. I know that Nature will struggle with death. I have seen a Dog and Sheep dye hardly: And thus may a wicked man doe, because there is an antipathy betwixt nature and death. But even while, even then, when Death and Nature are strugling for mastery, the soul, the conscience, may be as besotted, as benummed, as senceless and ignorant of its miserable state, as the block or bed on which the sick lyes: And thus they may dye like a Chrisom child in shew, but indeed like one who by the Judgment of G.o.d is bound over to eternal d.a.m.nation; and that also by the same Judgment is kept from seeing what they are, and whither they are going, till they plunge down among the flames.
And as it is a very great Judgment of G.o.d on wicked men that so dye, (for it cuts them off from all possibility of repentance, and so of salvation) {176a} so it is as great a Judgment upon those that are their companions that survive them. For by the manner of their death, they dying so quietly, so like unto chrisom children, as they call it, they are hardened, and take courage to go on in their course.
For comparing their life with their death, their sinful cursed lives with their child-like, Lamb-like death, they think that all is well, that no d.a.m.nation is happened to them; Though they lived like Devils incarnate, yet they dyed like harmless ones. There was no whirl-wind, no tempest, no band, nor plague in their death: They dyed as quietly as the most G.o.dly of them all, and had as great faith and hope of salvation, and would talk as boldly of salvation as if they had a.s.surance of it. But as was their hope in life, so was their death: Their hope was without tryal, because it was none of G.o.ds working, and their death was without molestation, because so was the Judgment of G.o.d concerning them.
But I say, at this their survivors take heart to tread their steps, and to continue to live in the breach of the Law of G.o.d; yea they carry it statelily in their villanies; for so it follows in the Psalm. There is no bands in their death, but their strength is firm, &c. Therefore pride compa.s.seth them (the survivors) about as a chain, violence covereth them as a garment. {176b} Therefore they take courage to do evil, therefore they pride themselves in their iniquity. Therefore, Wherefore? Why, because their fellows died, after they had lived long in a most profane and wicked life, as quietly and as like to Lambs, as if they had been innocent.
Yea, they are bold, by seeing this, to conclude, that G.o.d, either does not, or will not take notice of their sins. They speak wickedly, they speak loftily. They speak wickedly of sin, for that they make it better than by the Word it is p.r.o.nounced to be. They speak wickedly concerning oppression, that they commend, and count it a prudent act. They also speak loftily: They set their mouth against the Heavens, &c. And they say, How doth G.o.d know, and is there knowledge in the most High? And all this, so far as I can see, ariseth in their hearts from the beholding of the quiet and lamb-like death of their companions. {177a}
Behold these are the unG.o.dly that prosper in the world, {177b} (that is, by wicked ways) they increase in riches.
This therefore is a great Judgment of G.o.d, both upon that man that dyeth in his sins, and also upon his companion that beholdeth him so to dye.
He sinneth, he dyeth in his sins, and yet dyeth quietly. What shall his companion say to this? What Judgment shall he make how G.o.d will deal with him, by beholding the lamb-like death of his companion? Be sure, he cannot, as from such a sight say, Wo be to me, for Judgment is before him: He cannot gather, that sin is a dreadful and a bitter thing, by the child-like death of Mr. Badman. But must rather, if he judgeth according to what he sees, or according to his corrupted reason, conclude with the wicked ones of old, That every one that doth evil, is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delighteth in them; or where is the G.o.d of Judgment?
{177c}
Yea, this is enough to puzzle the wisest man. David himself, was put to a stand, by beholding the quiet death of unG.o.dly men. Verily, sayes he, I have cleansed my heart in vain, and have washed my hands in innocency.
Psal. 73. 13. They, to appearance fare better by far than I: Their eyes stand out with fatness, they have more than heart can wish; But all the day long have I been plagued, and chastned every morning. This, I say, made David wonder, yea, and Job and Jeremiah too: But he goeth into the Sanctuary, and then he understands their end, nor could he understand it before. I went into the Sanctuary of G.o.d: What place was that? why there where he might enquire of G.o.d, and by him be resolved of this matter: Then, says he, understood I their end. Then I saw, that thou hast set them in slippery places, and that thou castest them down to destruction.
Castest them down, that is, suddenly, or as the next words say, As in a moment they are utterly consumed with terrors: which terrors did not cease them on their sick-bed, for they had no bands in their death. The terrors therefore ceased them there, where also they are holden in them for ever. This he found out, I say, but not without great painfulness, grief and p.r.i.c.king in his reins: so deep, so hard and so difficult did he find it, rightly to come to a determination in this matter.
And indeed, this is a deep Judgment of G.o.d towards unG.o.dly sinners; it is enough to stagger a whole world, only the G.o.dly that are in the world have a Sanctuary to go to, where the Oracle and Word of G.o.d is, by which his Judgements, and a reason of many of them are made known to, and understood by them.
Atten. Indeed this is a staggering dispensation. It is full of the wisdom and anger of G.o.d. And I believe, as you have said, that it is full of Judgment to the world. Who would have imagined, that had not known Mr. Badman, and yet had seen him die, but that he had been a man of an holy life and conversation, since he died so stilly, so quietly, so like a Lamb or Chrisom child? Would they not, I say, have concluded, that he was a righteous man? or that if they had known him and his life, yet to see him die so quietly, would they not have concluded that he had made his peace with G.o.d? Nay further, if some had known that he had died in his sins, and yet that he died so like a Lamb, would they not have concluded, that either G.o.d doth not know our sins, or that he likes them; or that he wants power, or will, or heart, or skill to punish them; since Mr. Badman himself went from a sinfull life so quietly, so peaceably, and so like a Lamb as he did?
Wise. Without controversie, this is an heavy judgment of G.o.d upon wicked men; (Job 21. 23) one goes to h.e.l.l in peace, another goes to h.e.l.l in trouble; one goes to h.e.l.l being sent thither by his own hands; another goes to h.e.l.l, being sent thither by the hand of his companion; one goes thither with his eyes shut, and another goes thither with his eyes open; one goes thither roaring, and another goes thither boasting of Heaven and Happiness all the way he goes: One goes thither like Mr. Badman himself, and others go thither as did his Brethren. But above all, Mr. Badmans death, as to the manner of dying, is the fullest of Snares and Traps to wicked men; therefore they that die as he, are the greatest stumble to the world: They goe, and goe, they go on peaceably from Youth to old Age, and thence to the Grave, and so to h.e.l.l, without noyse: They goe as an Ox to the slaughter, and as a fool to the correction of the Stocks; that is, both sencelesly and securely. O! but being come at the gates of h.e.l.l!
O! but when they see those gates set open for them: O! but when they see that that is their home, and that they must go in thither, then their peace and quietness flies away for ever: Then they roar like Lions, yell like Dragons, howl like Dogs, and tremble at their Judgment, as do the Devils themselves. Oh! when they see they must shoot the Gulf and Throat of h.e.l.l! when they shall see that h.e.l.l hath shut her ghastly Jaws upon them! when they shall open their eyes, and find themselves within the belly and bowels of h.e.l.l! then they will mourn, and weep, and hack, and gnash their teeth for pain. But this must not be (or if it must, yet very rarely) till they are gone out of the sight and hearing of those mortals whom they do leave behind them alive in the world.
Atten. Well, my good Neighbour Wiseman, I perceive that the Sun grows low, and that you have come to a conclusion with Mr. Badmans Life and Death; and therefore I will take my leave of you. Only first, let me tell you, I am glad that I have met with you to day, and that our hap was to fall in with Mr. Badmans state. I also thank you for your freedom with me, in granting of me your reply to all my questions: I would only beg your Prayers; that G.o.d will give me much grace, that I may neither live nor die as did Mr. Badman.
Wise. My good Neighbour Attentive, I wish your welfare in Soul and Body; and if ought that I have said of Mr. Badmans Life and-Death, may be of Benefit unto you, I shall be heartily glad; only I desire you to thank G.o.d for it, and to pray heartily for me, that I with you may be kept by the Power of G.o.d through Faith unto Salvation.
Atten. Amen. Farewell.
Wise. I wish you heartily Farewell.
MARGIN NOTES