As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.
— Jeremiah 17:11
Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
— James 4:14
But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
— Luke 12:20
And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
— Luke 21:34-36
Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
— Revelation 3:2
Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
— Matthew 24:42
Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.
— Luke 12:40
And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
— Romans 13:11
For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
— 2 Timothy 4:6
For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
— 1 Corinthians 15:53-58
A Spiritual Antidote for a Dying Soul, by Thomas Doolittle. The following contains an excerpt from Part One of his work, “A Spiritual Antidote Against Sinful Contagion, A Cordial for Believers & Corrosive for the Wicked in Dying Times.”
Dear Friends,
The great concernment of every Man in this World, is with utmost and unwearied Diligence, to take care what shall become of his Precious and Immortal Soul in another life. But much more should this be minded with double Diligence, in a time of such great Mortality; when so many fall on the right hand and on the left; when Death is raging in every street; when it is breaking in at every Door, and climbing up in every Window: Bereaving Parents of their Children, which they have brought forth with Sorrow, and brought up with care; nay, not sparing the tender Babes, that hang upon the Brest, the Children of their Parents: Separating betwixt the loving Husband, and the Wife that loves as much as he.
Now, we are not sure of tomorrow, nor this hour of the next; how soon we must flit, we do not know; and a remove into eternity, will be the greatest remove we ever made: And though in his Providence, God hath removed me and my Family from the hearing of your Passing-Bells, and the doleful Lamentations that the ears of the there present, are filled with: Yet methinks I see the living laboring day and night, to Bury their Dead, while the other half, as yet remain, partly lamenting the Death of them departed, and partly looking for their own. Methinks I see many oftentimes viewing of their own Bodies, to see when the Tokens will appear. Methinks I see one sick and dying in one Room, and another in another; and those that yet are well, tread every step they take upon the Brink and Border of another World. Surely then, now is the time, if ever, for Men to be serious with God, and in good earnest about the Matters of another World: And now to pray, as those that might be arrested while they are speaking, and be fetched from off their knees to God’s Bar; and now to hear and do every duty, as those that are so near, so very near, to an eternal and unchangeable State. Oh what havoc doth the Plague make amongst Men’s Bodies! And what slaughter is Sin making amongst Men’s Souls! Oh how fast are Men passing into Eternal torments, when the Plague cometh and catcheth the Drunkard, the Swearer, in his known Impiety, and the Hypocrite in his close Hypocrisy! Ah that I could bewail the doleful state of the unbelieving and impenitent, of the Christless and the Graceless Souls, that must not live in this World, and yet are unfit to go into another! And yet must (when Death comes with its commission in its hand) (Poor Souls!) must into another life; which indeed, is a living Death, and a dying Life. Oh now are they the Blessed People (whatever thoughts the World had of them) that have walked close with God; that are washed in the Blood of Christ; that have the pardon of their sins! Oh now is Christ, a gift indeed; and now is saving grace, a mercy indeed! Grace is the truest, suitablest, and most durable riches; which neither Death, nor Men, nor Devils can strip us of! Oh will not that Christ, which was not valued by sinners in their life, be of greatest worth unto them when they come to die! Oh Dreadful Souls, that have now no interest in God, nor title to his Kingdom! Oh miserable Men and Women, who have Spots and spots; Spots upon the Body, that are not the Spots of those that must remain in life; and spots upon the Soul, that are not the spots of God’s Children! That die temporally by the Plague upon their Bodies, and die eternally by the Plague upon their Hearts.
Oh, now my Friends, bless God that did incline your Hearts to close with Christ before this day of great distress did come; Do you now Repent of all the Pains you took for Heaven? Do you now not think that was the Best time you spent, which you spent upon your Knees in conversing with your God, in looking Down into your Hearts? Or do you not rather repent you spent no more? That God had no more of your Hearts and Time? That you have done no more for God? And received no more Influences from Him? Who, that waits and looks for Death, doth not wish he had better managed and improved his life? Do you not now find and see the difference betwixt Christ and Earthly Friends? Earthly Friends are full of Fears to approach near unto their Friends, when they are visited with the noisome Pestilence; but Christ doth not refuse to come into his People’s Hearts, when neighbors and Friends are afraid to come into their Houses. If the Door of your House should be shut up, yet keep open the Door of your Heart, and the King of Glory will come in: It is the Spots of Sin, and not Plague-Spots, that will make Christ stand at a distance from your Soul: and yet, oh, the Wonderful astonishing Love of an Holy Christ, that will come under the Roof of an Heart that is Stained with Sin, if it be the Sinners Grief, and Burden, and Complaint! Oh then get nearer to your Lord, and follow hard after the Enjoyments of your God, and Learn your Duty, what God doth in a special manner require, and expect at your hands, at such a time as this; and then you may with greater comfort trust yourself, and all your concernments with him; especially, be much in the practice of these following Duties, which, as a well-wisher to your Souls Health and Happiness, I would mind you of.
DUTY I.
At such a time as this, be Frequent and Serious in Self-examination Heart- scrutiny is every man’s unquestionable Duty, and multitudes do everlastingly miscarry by the willful neglect thereof: many do lay claim to God, and Christ, and Heaven, that have no Title to them; and God forbid that you should be numbered among such at the coming of the Lord to Judgment; and for the better managing of this so necessary and seasonable a Duty; do it,
First, Solemnly, as Judges when they sit upon Life and Death; and to the Solemnity of this work, reduce these particulars.
For the time, do this only; If you would search your hearts solemnly, exclude other things for that time; leave your worldly thoughts at your Closet Door, and remember you are now to inquire after the State of your Soul: the Question is, Do I Believe, or do I not? Do I Love God, or do I not, &c?
Set yourself, as before the Searcher of Hearts, whom you cannot deceive, though you should deceive yourselves. Think, Now I am in the presence of an All-knowing God; who perfectly seeth the State of my Soul; and desire God that he would search you.
Then produce the Statutes by which your Heart is to be tried; take your Bible, and know, this is the Book by which you must be damned or saved, live or die eternally.
Then plead for and against yourself, why you think and hope you do Believe; and why you doubt and fear you do not believe; what are your doubts, and how do you resolve them.
Then produce the Witnesses which must give in their Evidences, God and your own Conscience: These alone can tell you whether you are religious indeed; whether you pray sincerely, or no; and in all your actions design and aim at the glory of God, or no.
Then proceed to the passing of the Sentence, be it for you, or against you; and say, Oh my Soul! This day upon serious search, I have found that thou art out of Christ, that thou art a Stranger unto God; or, that you find you have unfeignedly closed with, and accepted of Jesus Christ for Lord and Savior.
Then Record this in your Memory, or your Diary, which might stand you instead when you have occasion to review it.
Secondly, Judiciously; be not rash, but weigh your Condition in the Balance of the Sanctuary; take heed that Pride and Self-love do not Blind your Eyes, that you should not see the Evil in you: nor unbelief and inordinate Self-loathing Blear your Eyes, that you should not see the Grace that God hath implanted in your Heart.
Thirdly, Effectually; bring the Question to an issue, if it might be; do not stir till you are resolved; if your heart begin to slink away, command it in the Name of God to abide the trial.
Fourthly, Humbly begging the assistance and the witness of the Spirit of God; you cannot have grace, till he give it; and you cannot see the grace you have, till he doth show it to you. Oh my Friends! Though the work be difficult, and displeasing to the flesh, yet be not kept from it, but press yourself to it, by considering,
First, That many now in Hell, once thought their condition good, till they found themselves irrecoverably lost.
Secondly, That it is an easy thing to be deceived about the sincerity of your Heart; and that,
Because of the near resemblance betwixt the highest degree of common grace, and lowest degree of saving grace. There is something in Hypocrites, like Faith in Christ, and love to God, that is neither Faith nor Love.
Because of the unskillfulness of the most, to judge where the difference lieth.
Because the worst Heart is apt to conclude the best of itself. Some think they are worse than they be; but the most, that they are better than they be.
Thirdly, That a mistake about the estate of your Soul, is most dangerous; and to die in this mistake, is to be lost irrecoverably.
Fourthly, That it is possible you may know whether you shall be saved.
Fifthly, That this will be very comfortable.
Sixthly, That a Heart unwilling to be searched, is much to be suspected. And now for the helping of you in the discovering the sincerity of your heart towards God, I would advise you to make some inquires About,
Sin.
Grace.
Duty.
First, Can you truly say, making your appeal to God, That sin is the object of your hatred? What is the special thing your Soul abhors? Every unregenerate man doth indeed hate God, and Christ, and the Power of Religion; and every sanctified person, doth unfeignedly hate those sins, which he cannot shake off. A wicked man might be angry with himself for sin, but yet he doth not hate it; might speak displeasing words against sin with his tongue, and yet have love for it in his heart: But as God hateth nothing more than sin, so everyone that is born of God, hateth nothing more than sin. True hatred to sin is,
Implacable, and therein it differs from anger. This may be pacified, but hatred is irreconcilable, especially when there is a radicated antipathy, as there is betwixt Grace and Sin. A man may be angry with his friend, and yet own him for his friend: A Father may be angry with his Child; and yet love him. Anger and Love are consistent, but so is not Love and Hatred.
Universal Hatred is to all the kind: He that hates a Toad, hates every Toad; he that hates anything as such, hates everything that is such: Love to one sin, proves there is not a hatred to any sin? Now then seriously inquire, Is there not any one sin that you love with a prevailing love, you might not care for prodigality; but do not you love covetousness? You might not care for sinful sports; but do not you love to please the flesh, in being brought under the power of your sensitive appetite?
Hatred tends to separation, fighteth with the strongest opposition, and longeth for a total extirpation of the sin you hate. It makes you strive and struggle to get the victory; to abstain from the very appearance of evil; and to hate the temptation to sin, as well as the commission of it. Doth it cost you daily pains to subdue and conquer it? Do you labor to weep it out at your eyes? And though the relics do abide, yet doth the Soul breathe and long after the extirpation of it? Doth it not make you willing sometimes to go out of the World, if God would call you, that you may get sin out of your Heart?
Secondly, How do you find your heart affected toward that sin which by way of special propriety you might call your own? Indeed, nothing is so properly our own, as our sin: But yet some one sin is dearer to us, then all the rest. All other sins are but attendants upon this, and all will be parted with, rather than this. One beloved sin hath kept many off from Christ, and out of Heaven. David proves the sincerity of his heart, by keeping himself from his own iniquity, Psal. 18:23. Do you love that part of God’s Word that doth most discover your bosom sin, though it be the sin, (1) Of your constitution. (2) That hath become your darling, by former frequent commissions, that you have been long accustomed unto. (3) That hath been the sin of your calling, and brought you in the greatest profit. If indeed you be sincere, that sin hath most of your hatred, that before had most of your love.
Thirdly, How do you find your heart to work against secret sins? Can you in secret mourn and grieve for such sins that were always secret? Do you know no sin by yourself, that never any man knew to be in you; that never did expose you to shame among men? Can you as heartily grieve, and weep, and mourn for this, as for others, that have discovered your infirmities unto the World? Is it more to you, that God doth see you, then if all the World did see you.
Make inquiry concerning your Grace. There is a great deal of counterfeit grace in the World. Many think they have grace, that are indeed under the power of their sin and lust.
First, Inquire after the truth of your Faith.
Doth it make you to prize, and value, and esteem the Lord Jesus Christ above all things in the World?
Are you unfeignedly willing to receive Christ, upon the terms of the Gospel, for Lord and Savior?
Doth it put you on to daily diligence to purify your heart, and to cleanse your inward man from sin?
Secondly, Inquire after your love to God and Christ. Is it a superlative love? Hath Christ the chiefest seat and room in your heart? Do you love his person, as well as his privileges? Doth your love make you labor to be like him? Doth it constrain you to unfeigned obedience, that is universal?
In respect of the Object, All God’s commands, though never so displeasing to the Flesh.
In respect of the Subject, That it is obedience, with all your hearts.
In respect of Time, That it should be constant.
In respect of Place, That you would obey God where-ever you are, with others, or alone. Doth your love to God appear in the loving of his people? In the loving of his ways, of his Word, and Ordinances?
Make inquiry concerning your Duties. Judge not by the matter so much, as by other circumstances; for there is no external duty you can perform (materially considered) but a Hypocrite may do it as well as you; yea, and excel you. Do you pray? So doth an Hypocrite. Do you hear and talk of God? So doth an Hypocrite. Do you Fast sometimes, and sometimes Feast at the Lord’s Table? So doth an Hypocrite. Inquire then after those things concerning your Duties.
1. What is the Principle from whence all your duties do proceed? If your Principle be wrong, then your heart is not right. Is it only natural conscience, or custom, or Religious education, or profit in the World, or praise among men? You can then take no comfort in sickness, or at death, in any such duties. Many now in Hell have prayed and heard the Word of God upon these accounts: Or can you say, you pray from a Principle of love and fear; because you love him, and love to converse with him, therefore you pray unto him?
2. What is the care of your Souls, as to the manner of your duties? It is the manner that will, in Christ, commend you unto God? Do you do your duties, (1) Humbly, with self-loathing, as becomes a Worm, dust and ashes mingled with sin, before a pure, holy, perfect God? (2) In the Name of Christ, trusting to his merits alone for favor and acceptance. (3) Looking up for the assistance of the Spirit, as one that believeth you can do nothing pleasing unto God, but by his help. (4) Watchfully. Do ye watch against Satan, Sin, and the World, that they may not divert your thoughts from the thing you are about? Or, if you do not watch always to prevent distractions in holy duties, yet do you watch to be humbled for them. (5) Laboriously; do ye labor in Prayer as becomes one praying for the favor of God; the pardon of sin, eternal life, and against everlasting flames? (6) Constantly. Is it now and then that you pray; or do you keep a constancy in these holy duties, as you do in eating and in drinking?
Thirdly, Inquire after the End of all your duty: Such as your end is, such is your heart. A Thief might arm himself, as well as an honest Man; but it is for other ends. Ask then your own heart, do you perform Religious duties,
That you may bring glory to God? Is this the White you principally fix your eye upon? Though you be slighted, disesteemed, and debased in the eyes of Men; doth your heart desire, Oh that I could now pray, that God might be glorified by me; and that I might now hear that his honor might be promoted by my hearing?
Is it your end that you might have communion with God, and meet with him? And do you count that duty lost, and that time lost you spent in duty, and did not meet with God? And go away weeping and complaining when you miss of him?
Is it your end that you might have power more against your sins, and not to feed your lust of pride and vain glory?
Is it your end in all your duties, that you may have more ability to walk more close with God, and to increase in grace, that you may delight and rejoice more in God?
Is it your end in all your duties, that you may be fitted more and more to live with God in glory; that every Prayer, and Sermon, and Sacrament, may make you more meet to be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light? Oh my Friends, answer to all these Serious Demands, which you put to your own souls, as dying men would do; as men, that do not know how soon the Plague may seize upon you; as such, that have Death staring in your Faces where ever you walk. Search therefore, and rest not, till you can find it thus with you; and then you may have solid ground of peace and comfort, whether you live or die, whether you fall among the rest into your grave, or remain alive when this Visitation is over.
DUTY II.
A second thing you should now labor after, is, Assurance of the Love of God unto your Souls, of Salvation when you die. When you are going to your Prayers, it is uncomfortable not to know, whether he be your God you are going to; but to doubt of this when you are going to your Grave, will be very terrible; to doubt when you are to die, will fill you with amazing fears; and make you much dishonor God at the very closure of your life. Oh, what is Death, though by the Plague, to him that knows he hath Eternal Life, that can look toward Heaven, and say, Yonder is the Place of my everlasting habitation, with yonder God and Christ; in yonder Heaven and Glory must I shortly be. Oh, now make sure of God and Christ, for you can be sure of nothing else.
Especially, get clear Evidence of the Pardon of your sins; oh, get off Guilt before you die; and if you can get clear discoveries of the removal of your Guilt before Sickness comes upon you, assurance of your Pardon would lighten your afflictions, Isa. 33:24. The Inhabitant, &c. Would it not be a reviving to your departing Soul, to have the secret whisperings of the Spirit, saying unto you, as Christ to the Sick man, Matth. 9:2. Son be of good cheer, thy Sins are forgiven thee. You know you have sinned; but do you know that you are pardoned? You may read your Sins; but can you read your Pardon? If not, pray answer these following Questions, which might be as so many Motives to provoke you to look after Pardon.
First, How can you think of God, or anything in God, if you have not hopes or assurance of your Pardon? How know you, but his Justice might condemn you? And that his Power might break and crush you? His Patience come forth in judgment against you? But if you know your Sins are pardoned, all God’s Attributes would administer certain ground of solid comfort to you, in all Conditions and sorest of Afflictions.
Secondly, How can you read with comfort the Word of God? Either his Word of Precept, when you consider how you have transgressed it; or his Word of Promise, when you question your Interest in it; or his Word of Threatening, when you fear it is your Portion? And do not know but you may read your own Sentence: This is not to discourage your studying the Word of God, but to excite you to look out after Pardon.
Thirdly, How can you have any delightful forethoughts of the Joys of Heaven, when you do not know but unpardoned Sins might Bar the Gates thereof against you?
Fourthly, How can you, without amazement and fear, forethink of the Torments of the Damned, when you cannot see your deliverance from them? Can you seriously think of Eternity, and extremity of Torments, while you doubt of your own escaping of them, and not fear and tremble?
Fifthly, How can you think of the certain near approach of Death, while you do not know your Pardon? Is Death round about you, and every day making nearer and nearer approaches to you, and you not able to say your Sins are pardoned?
Sixthly, How can you think of the Resurrection of the Dead, while you are uncertain of your Pardon? That the Soul of an unpardoned Sinner must be presently dragged to the Bar of God; when it leaves its sinful body, is dreadful; but that the Body must also come forth at the sounding of the last Trumpet, addeth to the Horror of such persons; a dark and stinking Grave, will be too good a place for the Bodies of unpardoned Sinners forever to remain in.
Seventhly, How can you think of the Day of Judgment, and not tremble when you do not know your Pardon? Blessed are they that die in the Lord, for they rest from their labors, and their Works do follow them; but cursed are they that die in their sins, for they rest not, (as to their Souls) from their Sorrows, and their sins will follow them, and meet them at the Day of Judgment; and then to see the Books produced and uncrossed, will be terrible; and if they are now blotted out, and you not perceive it, in the meantime it must be uncomfortable.
Eighthly, How can you lay down yourself to sleep, when you do not know whether your debts are remitted? Is your Pillow soft, or your heart hard, that you can sleep so quietly, and yet are uncertain of your pardon?
Ninthly, How can you so cheerfully prosecute your worldly affairs, and mind your earthly concernments, while you are ignorant of the pardon of your sins? Is the making sure of riches, of greater moment then the making sure of pardon? Can you buy and sell so eagerly, while you cannot evidence the forgiveness of your sins?
Tenthly, How can you with comfort go to God in Prayer, or sit down at his Table, while you do not know but your guilt remains? When you do not know, but you pray to God as a guilty malefactor speaks unto the Judge? And will not this exceedingly prevent your solacing joys at the Lord’s Table, when you fear you are there in your sins?
But that you may get this Question resolved, Whether your sins be pardoned, you must take this course.
Search the Word of God, that you may know what are the qualifications of those persons, whose sins God hath remitted: For though there be no causes of our pardon in ourselves, yet there are conditions of our pardon, which are wrought by the Spirit of God in the hearts of pardoned sinners.
Search narrowly your own heart, whether there be a Transcript of those things in your Soul.
Beg the Testimony of the Spirit, to evidence to you, what he hath wrought within you. If therefore you ask, how you may know whether your sins are pardoned, I answer,
First, A pardoned sinner, is a self-loathing sinner. He is truly ashamed of the sins he hath committed: As he is pardoned, he can rejoice; but as he hath sinned, he abhors himself. Mary that was pardoned, stood behind Jesus, as one ashamed of her former courses, Luk. 7:38. And the Justified Publican, through self-abhorrence, stood afar off, and through shame could not lift up his eyes, Luk. 18:13,14.
Secondly, A pardoned sinner, is a weeping sinner. He cannot read his pardon with dry eyes, nor without a sorrowful heart. Luk. 7:38. Mary when she was pardoned, stood behind Jesus weeping; and these tears do proceed from joy and sorrow. From sorrow, that he sinned; from joy, that he is pardoned. But, no contrition, no remission, Acts 2:38, and 5:31. I have reckoned eleven places in the Scripture where Repentance and Remission are annexed. Whence I do infer the necessity of Repentance, if you will be pardoned; and the certainty of your pardon, if you do repent.
Thirdly, A pardoned sinner, is a Christ-loving sinner. Mary’s eyes were broached with tears, and her heart did burn with love, Luk. 7:47. Much was forgiven her, for (i.e. therefore) she loved much. And to whom little is forgiven, they love little; but more or less they truly love. And if our love were proportionable to our pardoned sins, Oh, how great would our love then be! Oh, can you think you are pardoned, and forbear to love your Lord?
Fourthly, A pardoned sinner, is a believing sinner. No faith, no pardon, Luk. 7:50; Acts 10:48. He that hath obtained a pardon, hath received Christ into his heart. If you do believe your sins are certainly forgiven, then see to the truth of your Faith. If you are mistaken about the nature of your Faith, you will come short, and be disappointed of the Pardon.
Fifthly, A pardoned sinner, is a reformed, changed sinner, both in heart and life. Mary that was pardoned, was wont to lay out her hair to entice her lovers; but afterwards, with them she wiped the Feet of Christ. Whatsoever was a Mans sinful course before pardon, he walks directly contrary after pardon, Acts 26:18.
Sixthly, A pardoned sinner, is a sin-mortifying sinner. Wheresoever God takes away the guilt of any sin, he taketh down the reigning power of it. You might know an unpardoned sinner by his death in sin; a pardoned man by his death to sin. Do you cry to God for strength against your sin? Do you long for the ruin of your Iusts? Could not you be content with a pardon, without you also have the death of your sins?
Seventhly, A pardoned sinner, is a sin-fearing sinner. Psal. 130:3,4. With thee there is forgiveness, that thou mayest be feared. Such a one is afraid to sin after pardon; he is afraid of a temptation to sin; he is afraid of an occasion unto sin, and maketh conscience of abstaining from the appearance of evil; and when tempted, saith with Joseph, Gen. 39:9. How can I do this thing, and sin against God? If you search these Scriptures, upon which these evidences of a pardon are bottomed, you will see sufficient reason, why you should be satisfied concerning this grand and necessary question: And if you find it so with you, you have the Word of God to prove your pardon.
Though you must understand that a poor sinner might be pardoned, and yet he might not have the sense and comfort of his pardon; so that his condition is safe, though it might not be so sweet. A poor distressed Soul may pray for pardon oftentimes, and may have it, but not see it; yet let not that discourage you; for,
David did so as well as you, after he was pardoned; he did want the comfort of his pardon. 2 Sam. 12:13; Psal. 51.
Was it not long, before God did bring you on your knees, seriously to ask for a pardon? And will you think much, if God doth defer to tell you, that you are pardoned?
God might do this to make you prize a pardon; when you have got it, then you must say, This pardon is a fruit of many tears, and sighs, and groans. You will set a higher valuation upon pardoning mercies, and God will have his pardons to be prized.
God might deny you long the sight of your pardon; that when you have it, you might take heed that you sin no more willingly after pardon. Did you pray so long, and weep so much, and fast so often, before you could see your pardon? And will you not after this be more careful, and more watchful, that you run not in arrears with God again?
It might be, you have not prayed earnestly for a pardon: It may be you pray for pardon of your sin with dry eyes; and do you think you shall obtain that without tears, which Christ purchased by his Blood? Christ did bleed, and will not you weep, that you may be pardoned.
Thus I have given you my thoughts in this Second Direction, That you would now get the assurance of the Love of God, and particularly in the pardon of your sins; because I have often found by standing by the Bedsides of dying men, That the doubting of their pardon, hath filled them full of tears, to consider they must into Eternity; but whether pardoned or unpardoned, they could not tell.
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