The business and employment of dying persons is of so vast im- portance and weiglit, that every moment of their time needs to be carefully saved and applied to this their present and most important concern. How well soever you have improved the time of life, be- Heve it, you will find work enough upon your hand at death . dying hours will be found to be busy and laborious hours, even to the most painful, serious, and industrious souls, whose life hath been mostly spent in preparations for death. Leave not the proper business of other days to that day ; for that day will have business enough of its own. Sufficient for that day are the labours thereof.
A TEEATISE OF TME SOtTL OF MAN. 99
Let a few considerations be pondered, to clear and confirm this in- ference.
Cmsid. 1. The business and emplojnnent of dying person^, is of the most serious, awful, and solemn nature and importance ; it is their last preparatory work on earth, to their immediate appear- ance before God their judge, Heb. ix. 27. it is their shooting the gulph into eternity, and leaving this world, and all their acquaint- ance and interests therein for ever, Isa. xxviii. 11. It is therefore a work by itself to die, a work requiring the most intense, deep, and undisturbed exercises of all the abilities and graces of the inner man ; and all little enough.
Cansid. 2. Time is exceeding precious with dying men ; the last sand is ready to fall, and therefore not to be wasted, as it was wont to be. When we had a fair prospect of many years before us, we made little account of an hour or a day; but now one of those, hours, which we so carelessly lavished away, is of more value than all this world to us, especially if the whole weight of eternity should hang upon it, (as oftentimes it doth) then the loss of that portion of time, is the loss of soul, body, and hope for evermore.
Consid. 3. Much of that little precious time of departing souls will be unavoidably taken up, and employed about the inexcusable, pressing calls and necessities of distressed nature ; all that you can do for your souls must then be done only by fits and snatches, in the midst of many disturbances, and frequent interruptions : So that it is rarely found, that a dying man can pursue a serious me- ditation with calm and fixed thoughts : for besides the pains and faintings of the body, the abilities of the mind usually fail. Here also they fall into a sad dilemma ; if they do not with the utmost intention of mind fix their hearts and thoughts on Christ, they lose their comfort, if godly, and their souls, if ungodly ; and if they do^Jriends and physicians assure them they will destroy their bodies. These are the straits of men bordering close upon eternity ; they must hastily catch a few moments in the intervals of pain, and then are put by all again.
Consid. 4. There is no man living but hath something to dofor his own soul in a dying hour, and something for others also.
Suppose the best that can be supposed, that the soul be in real union with Christ, and that union be also clear: yet it is seldom found but there are some assaults of Satan : Or if not, yet how many relations and friends need our experiences and counsels at such a time ? How many things shall We have to do after our great and main work is done "i And others have a great deal more to do, though as safe as the former. O the knots and objections that are then to be dissolved and ansAvered ! Th6 u?ual onsets and assaults
loo A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
of Satan that are then to be resisted ! And yet most dying persons have much more upon their hands than either of the former. The whole work of repentance and faith is to do, when time is even done.
Consid. 5. Few, yea, very few, are found furnished with wis- dom, experience, and faithfulness, to give dying persons any con- siderable assistance in soul-affairs. It may be there may be found among the visitants of the sick, now and then, a person who hath a word of wisdom in his heart ; but then either he wants opportu- nity or courage and faithfulness to do the part of a true spiritual friend. Elihu describes the person so qualified as he ought for this work. Job XXX. 23, 24. and calls him. One among a tlwusand^ Some are too close and reserved, others too trifling and imperti- nent ; some are willing, but want ability ; others are able, but want faithfulness ; some cut too deep by uncharitable censorious- iiess; others skin over the wound too slightly, speaking peace where God and conscience speak none : So that little help is to be expected.
Consid. 6. How much therefore doth it deserve to be lamented, that where there is so much to do, so little time to do it, and so few to help in the best improvement of it, all should be lost as to their souls by earthly incumbrances and worldly affairs, which might have been done sooner and better in a more proper season ! O, therefore, let me persuade all men to take heed of bringing the proper business of healthful days to their sick-bed.
Iiif. 4. What an excellent creature is the soul of man^ which is capable , not only of such preparations Jbr God, whilst it is in the body, but of such sights and enjoyments of God^ when it lives with- out a body.
Here the Spirit of God works upon it, in the way of grace and sanctification, Eph. ii. 10. The scope and design of this his work- manship, is to qualify and make us meet for the life of heaven, 2 Cor. vi. 5. For this self-same thing, or purpose, our souls are WTought, or moulded by grace, into quite another frame and tem- per, than that which nature gave them ; and when he hath wTought out and finished all that he intends to be wrought in the way of sanctification, then shall it be called up to the highest en- joj^nents and employments for ever, that a qreature is susceptible of.
Herein the dignity of the soul appears, that no other creature In this world, beside it, hath a natural capacity, either to be sancti- fied inherently in this world, or glorified everlastingly in the world to come ; to be transformed into the image, and filled with the joy of the Lord. There are myriads of other souls in this world, be- side ours, but to none of them is the Spirit of sanctification sent,
A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAK, 101
but only to ours : The souls of animals serve only to move the dull and sluggish matter, and take in for a few days the sensitive plea- sures of the creation, and so expire, having no natural capacity of, or designation for any higher employment or enjoyment.