Obj. 3. But how can death itself be a correction, when it takes away life, that we have no time to be better ?
Ans. I answer, God, to his children, before he takes them out of the world, he 1 1 gives them his Spirit, that they sharply repent, and put much to a little time ; and God requires rather truth of heart than length of time. As we see sick bodies shoot out suddenly that did not grow before, so a sick afflicted soul it shoots out suddenly. God \'isits it with sharp repentance, though it be short, perhaps that they call their ways to account ;^y and though he take them out of the world, yet he saves their souls.
Ohj. 4. But perhaps it is but hypocritical repentance before my death (because many recover, and shew themselves to be hypocrites after) ; and so if I sJwuhl die, jio'hajys I should die an hypocrite.
Ans. Oh! take heed of that. Many do so; as an ancient saith, He that is never good but under the cross (he means only), is never good.-'.=* He that is good under bonds is never good ; if he doth it from fear, and not
* ' Though ' Bot in B, C— G. t ' And ' in B, C— G. % Qu. ' lose ' ?— Ed. § ' By him ' in B, G.— G. || ' Ho ' not in B, C.— G.
^ ' Perhaps that . . . account,' not in B. C — G.
*-^ This reads in B, C, ' He that is never good but under the cross, such a one is never good ' in B C. — G.
judgment's reason. 107
from hatred of sin. But thou shalt know that it was not in hypocrisy that now thou hast repented in thy sickness, if thou desire rather the grace of God, than to recover. A soul that is sanctified had rather have pardon of sin, and strength against corruption, than to have recovery; and he desires God from his soul : Now, Lord, sanctify this sickness, and this cross before thou take it away; for the plaster would fall off if the wound were healed ; and the malady would cease if there were not a ground. I beseech you therefore, those that make that objection, let them consider whether they desire the removal of the cross rather,* or to have it sanctified, before it be removed from them. A true heart doth so ; and it were better that we should be under the cross all the days of our lives, and to have the cross laid more heavy upon us, than that we should grow worse under it, as many do, and are not the better for it. But say thou, ' Nay, Lord, rather sear mo, and burn me, and chastise me ; save my soul and do what thou wilt.' That is the disposition of a Christian ; for God takes a great deal of liberty with our carcases, and in our outward estate. Such things we must leave behind us, we know not how soon ; andf therefore he takes Hberty to correct us in them sharply ; but so he saves our souls, all is in mercy. It is a blessed correction that draws us nearer to him, that makes us hate sin more, and love the ways of God more.
Obj. 5. But it will be objected again, hut I am. accessanj to my oini death, I have been an intemperate man, I have shortened my own days.
Ans. Beloved, a heavy temptation at the hour of death ! But be not discouraged. For so blessed Josiah shortened his own days ; for he went rashly when he had counsel to the contrary ; and so ' the good prophet ' shortened his own days when the lion met him and slew him by the way for his disobedience, 1 Kings xiii. 24 ; and so the good thief. Therefore despair not at that, if the thing should be that thou shouldst fall into some course whereby thou shouldst shorten thine own days, and be accessary to thine own death ; as these Corinthians, they were accessary to their own deaths,! and they slept before their time ; they cut the thread of their own life and they put out their own candle. No question but this was heavy upon the conscience ; I brought myself to it. This is the hell of hells of the damned souls ; I brought myself hither. So when we are guilty of the punishment and affliction of ourselves, it is most bitter unto us. But, I say, consider the former examples, God hath strange ways to bring his children home to him, and sometimes the furthest way about is the nearest way home. § God sufters his children to sin, and by sin to shorten their days, and all to occasion repentance and a sight of their corruption, and a hatred of themselves, and of their base courses, and to give themselves to him more thoroughly than before. So infinitely wise and gracious is God to those that belong to him. So that, notwithstanding all objections to the contrary, the position laid down before is true, that God sanctifies correc- tions to us, that we should not be damned with the world.