Imatges de pàgina
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God's grace and mercy, how far he may think fit to exert it beyond the conditions and promises of the new covenant, at least to the lessening of such a person's misery in another state. We are sure he is not within the new covenant; and since he has not repented according to the tenor of it, we dare not, unless we betray our commission, give any hopes beyond it*.

Dr. Assheton's sentiments on a death-bed repentance.

When (says Dr. Assheton, page 45 and 46 of his Death-bed Repentance +) you visit sick beds, and hear a poor dying creature lamenting his sins with tears, and most earnestly begging pardon for the sake of Jesus Christ; when you observe how passionately he resolves, that, if God will but spare him, he will become a new man, and never be guilty of such extravagance; what do you say or do in such a case? Nay, what must such a wicked man do, who, having lived in sin, shall thus happen to be surprised by death? Dare you be so uncharitable as to declare that he is past hope; that there is no remedy, but that he will certainly be damned?

I answer, that I dare not presume to limit God, whose mercies are infinite. In such a case I will not censure him, but admonish and instruct him to the best of my judgment and abilities. I will exhort the dying sinner to remember his sins, to bewail them, to beg pardon for them, to form firm re

* By this quotation it is evident, that Bishop Burnet had no opinion of a convert of a week's standing, nor of any such accounts given by well-meaning but ill-judging attendants on the sick. Dean Sherlock, in his treatise on death, has the same sentiments of these death-bed conversions. See Sherlock on Death, the latter end of his fourth chapter. All such notions of a sudden death-bed repentance seem to them to have no solid foundation in the Gospel.

+ See a treatise on a death-bed repentance, by the judicious Dr. Assheton, Rector of Beckenham, in Kent.

solutions of amendment, and (where there is oceasion) to make restitution; and, having prayed earnestly for him, and recommended him to God's mercy, do I then say such a one will be damned? No, I dare not. But do I say he shall be saved? No, I cannot. What then do I resolve? What do I determine in this matter? I will be silent, and determine nothing; for, as I dare not flatter him into a false and groundless presumption, so neither would I sink him into the horror of despair. I say, I will determine nothing; I will judge nothing before the time. All that I can do in this dark intricate case is to commend him to the extraordinary mercy of God, to which we must leave some singular cases, not knowing what to judge of them ourselves. Possibly it may please God to let this dying sinner be a signal example of his unlimited power and prerogative to save beyond all ordinary rules. Whether it may be thus, or thus, I dare not determine. What God can do from the fulness of his power or prerogative, is not for us mortals to dispute.

However, I must be so faithful to my ministerial office, as to admonish this dying sinner, that the Gospel (by the laws of which we are to be judged) expressly declares, that "without holiness no man "shall see the Lord," and that Christ is the author of eternal salvation unto them (and to them only) who obey him. (Heb. v. 9.) When therefore the sick man has been vicious and extravagant all his life long, if God accepts his dying resolutions, it is more than he has promised *, and it is more than he has given his ministers power to preach and declare.

*But if, which is not often the case, he be a true penitent, (of the sincerity of whose repentance God alone, who knows the secrets of all hearts, can be a judge,) there is reason to hope he will find mercy.

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Helps for forming a true judgment of a death-bed
repentance.

As repentance is a change of heart from an evil to a good disposition, no man can justly be called a true penitent till his heart be thus changed; and whenever that change is made, repentance is certainly complete.

Now there is reason to conclude God will consider that life as amended, which would have been amended if he had spared it. Repentance in the sight of man cannot be known but by its fruits. The only way man can judge is by the rule Christ himself has given us; "By their fruits ye shall "know them." (Matt. vii. 20.)

But God, our great Creator, sees the fruit in the blossom or in the seed. He, and he only, knows those resolutions, which are fixed; those conversions, which would be lasting; and will receive such as are qualified by holy desires for works of righteousness, without exacting from them these outward duties, which the shortness of their lives hindered them from performing.

All therefore a minister can do is to recommend a death-bed penitent to the mercy of God: but it is impossible for him to pronounce what will be his state in another world.

SECTION VI.

HELPS FOR CONVERSATION ON DEATH AND
ETERNITY.

Helps for conversing on a general view of Death.

1.

DEATH is the separation of the soul from the body.

It must be left in the grave, a prey to corruption and worms.

It will be raised in corruption.
It has been the instrument of sin.
It has been the subject of diseases.
It is the prison of the soul.

2.

Death is a departure from this world.

A real Christian will not value the world overmuch.

He considers himself as a pilgrim here, and the world as an inn. "Your fathers, where are they?" He leaves his wife and children in the hands of a good and gracious God; and in the hope of meeting them again to part no more.

3.

Death is an entrance into another world.

A real Christian dies in the faith, fear, and love of God, and his Son Jesus Christ, and in submission to his will.

He leaves mortal for immortal friends.

He dies in the Lord, because he has lived in the Lord; he dies happy, because he has lived holy. He shall rest from his labour, sin, sorrow, and death.

He shall be admitted into the joy of his Lord.

Death is certain; life very uncertain. How little then is to be expected from life; and how much is it our duty and wisdom to set our affections above, where only is true and lasting happiness! Here our friends die; our comforts fail; our hopes vanish; our promises to ourselves remain unsatisfied. There is nothing durable and fit for our portion on earth. "Arise, therefore, and depart, for this is not your rest: it is polluted." Micah ii. 10.

Helps for conversing with the sick on the fears of death. To talk of death, and really to die, are two very different things: to view death as an awful mes

senger from God, actually approaching with his open commission in one hand, and his uplifted dart to execute it in the other, (an expecting grave and eternal judgment in his immediate train,) is as different, as to view a lion painted on the sign at an inn, and really to hear his tremendous roar, and to see his rolling eyes as he fiercely advances to devour us.

He who is not prepared for death, has just cause to fear it: but he who is reconciled to it by faith, repentance, and renewed obedience, and so qualified for the enjoyment of heaven, has no just cause to fear death.

The fear of death proceeds either from the pangs or the consequences of it.

1. If from the pangs of it, consider, that many suffer greater pains in some part of their lives. We submit to present pain in hope of future ease; as in the amputation of a limb, or cutting for the stone, &c. A few mortal pangs will cure us of all diseases, and recover us to everlasting happiness.

2. If our fear of death proceed from the consequences of it, they are dreadful indeed to the impenitent.

Daily meditate on mortality and immortality, and earnestly pray and strive to have your follies and weaknesses die before you. Consider, that the natural heat necessary for the preservation of the body daily consumes it.

Death, though terrible to nature, seen with an eye of faith, is disrobed of its terrors, and clothed with its comforts. "Thanks be to God, who giveth "us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Cor. xv. 57. "Blessed are the dead which die "in the Lord, that they may rest from their la"bours." Rev. xiv. 13. " There remaineth a rest "to the people of God." Heb. iv. 9.

O blessed time! when "mortality shall be swal"lowed up of life;" (2 Cor. v. 4.) and death and

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