Mr. JANEVVAY'S SAYINGS Not long before his DEATH.
- 1. TO disparage Sin, and to incourage Holiness is none of the least Works of a Minister of Christ.
- 2. The Wicked may drink, roar, and swagger, and sell their precious Souls for a moments joy, and make light of Damnation, but let them know, for all these things God will bring them to Judgement, an eternity of intollerable sorrows must pay for their short pleasures.
- 3. Hence it is that the serious Christian makes it his business to avoid this dreadful misery; let the wicked please themselves in their sorrows, he knows 'tis but a little while, and all will be mended, and their minds changed.
- 4. He is willing to stay for his happiness and joys, till he come to another World; and he doth not envy the Wicked what they do enjoy, let them make the best of it.
- 5. The unseen world, which most forget, is always in the Christians eye, and if he may but live happily there, he passeth not if he run through reproaches, injuries, and a thousand Deaths, to that glorious and endless Life.
- 6. This is the grand Reason of the Christians patience; this makes him judge it no folly, but the greatest wisdom to keep the Commandements of God, and the Faith of Jesus.
- 7. Those which live like Devils, are not like to dye like Saints, that count all their time lost, they do him no service in, which make a jest of Damning, and are as merry within a step of Hell, as if it and a Tavern were alike.
- 8. And yet how well are wicked men pleased and contented with their own condition, and laugh at the Godly, as if it were a dangerous and mad thing to go to Heaven, and the truest happiness to be miserable for ever?
- 9. The Devil himself may as well expect to shake off his chains, and be restored to his lost glory, as they: O be not deceived, as you sow so you must reap.
- 10. God gives this world oftentimes to his greatest Enemies; he gives glory in another World to none but his Friends and Children.
- 11. Nay, let me speak it freely, they which gain this World with their negligence of Heaven, shall at their death lose both.
- 12. Many that would be counted wise, drive a great Trade for that which is next to nothing, and that lay in no better provisions than gravel, clay, or dung, when they are bound for eternity.
- 13. They think they make a very wise bargain, when they sell their Conscience, God, and Heaven, for a little of that which some call riches.
- 14. O that I could but bring down the price of subluary things, and raise the things of that other World, to their true worth.
- 15. Think not meanly of Holiness, it's the most excellent thing, it is the greatest Riches, and man's highest Dignity.
- 16. He that knows the worth of Christ, and the Nature of his own soul, let him not envy those that swell like bladders upon water for a moment, and God puffs them of, and where are they?
- 17. How can they look for Heaven when they dye, that thought it not worth their minding whilst they lived?
- 18. Whatsoever men pursue below Christ, will yield them but little happiness and comfort in another World.
- 19. Not every one that wears Christ's Livery shall have his wages.
- 20. How many seeming Saints shall gain nothing at Death, but a thorovv knowledge of their own folly?
- 21. O please not your self with fancies, sickness and death is coming, and then you will know better, the reason of my earnest pleading with you in this matter.
- 22. He that hath not got more then ever any Hipocrite could attain, or shall, will miss of Heaven.
- 23. The best of God's Children are most suspicious of themselves, and afraid of their own deceitful hearts; and their great request is, that God would deliver them from mistakes in matters of everlasting consequence.
- 24. It's a common thing for VVicked men to carry their false peace along vvith them to the grave.
- 25. Hovv many thousands are there that dye like Lambs, that are but Svvine, and have the Devils brand upon their fore-heads?
- 26. Many are caried very quietly to Hell, and fear nothing till they feel, and are not brought to their sences, till unspeakable horror and anguish doth it.
- 27. It hath not a little puzled some, as vvell as David, to see the vvicked dye quietly, and the godly to have a strange death; but God vvill shortly resolve this Riddle.
- 28. That soul vvhich hath seen the death of Sin, is a person fit for death.
- 29. That Man is like to be a gainer by Death, vvho contemns earth, and makes heaven his choice.
- 30. He that counts nothing vvorth the having, except Christ, and for Christ, cannot be miserable, vvhen he is lodged safe in his imbraces.
- 31. God is oftentimes better, but never vvorse than his vvord: the running Christian shall at last obtain the prize, and the crovvn he fights for he shall vvear.
- 32. VVhat though the Vessel be tost and broke? it shall come safe vvith its rich Lading, to the desired Harbour.
- 33. O you foolish vvorld, condemn not these spiritual vvise Merchants, till you knovv vvhat their returns are, vvhen their burden is delivered.
- 34. He that is vvilling to dye for Christ, shall live as long as Christ lives, in happiness and rest.
- 35. Those souls are out of gun-shot, that are instrumental for the shaking the Kingdom of Satan, and vveakning the interest of Hell in the vvorld.
- 36. VVho vvould not be a Christian in good earnest? sure none but a mad-man or a fool.
- 37. The highest vvorldlings are belovv the meanest and lovvest child of God.
- 38. Christianity is a clear demonstration of invisibles, vvitness the many earnests of their Profession, vvhat vvarm refreshing Rays of Divine love break in upon their souls, vvhat joy, vvhat experiments, and blessed intercourses have past betvvixt God and such souls, the fire hath burnt, and of a sudden the soul hath, e're it vvas avvare been carried above the vvorld.
- 39. The Spirit of truth vvill not vvitness to a lye, neither vvill goodness it self, put a cheat upon poor creatures.
- 40. Balaam's vvish may throughly convince sinners, that Holiness is no Madness, Piety no Fancy, and Religion no Delusion.
- 41. I am persvvaded that all the Reprobates in Hell, vvill one day justifie the children of God, for their seriousness, and vvish a thousand times, that they had had their Scornes; losses, and torments.
- 42. Well then, our Enemies themselves, being Judges, an Israelite indeed, is a person of true worth; and without controversie, his estate is, and shall be comfortable, blessed, and glorious.
- 43. O Christian, as long as God is true, you shall not be deceived, as long as he is happy, you shall not be miserable, you are well enough, go on resolutely, 'tis but yet a little while, and you shall see all this, and more than this a thousand times.
- 44. Death will shortly tare off Joshua's rags, and present him before the Lord, without spot or wrinkle.
- 45. Sin indeed accompanies the wicked to another World, he rests from his pleasures, and his wicked works follow him.
- 46. But it is far otherwise with the godly, sin was his burden, and death shall unload him.
- 47. Sin shall be confin'd to Hell, Heaven entertains no such deformity.
- 48. This Tyrant shall no more inslave any of Christs Subjects.
- 49. The house of Saul, and the house of David shall no longer contend, that sad conflict between the flesh and the Spirit, shall then be determined by a full victory.
- 50. Death sets the Soul out of the Devils reach.
- 51. This Angel hath nothing to do in Heaven, this Serpent shall not come into the higher Paradise, nor Satan creep into this Eden.
- 52. O happy day, when will it come when the Devil shall be as unlike to tempt, as our hearts to close?
- 53. When we are got once safe to rest, the Devil shall as easily shake God's throne, as our happiness.
- 54. Death turns the key, and bolts and bars this enemy out; then, O then thou shalt see this Pharaoh cast dead on the shore.
- 55. Christian, expect not as long as any of that Cainish generatian breath, that thou shouldst be long secure.
- 56. What though the world speak great words? thou shalt e're long ride in state to glory, and then let them do their worst.
- 57. VVhen thou art in Heaven, they may curse and encrease their own misery, but they shall not in the least diminish thy tranquility.
- 58. The beauty of this inferiour world vvill be darkned by the brightness of that light, vvhich Death leads thee into.
- 59. Death blovvs the dust out of our eyes, it plucks off the vail, and shevvs us quickly the glory of both VVorlds.
FINIS.
London, Printed by A. Purslow, 1674.
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