Dainties the Grave will fill their Mouths and Bellies with Dust Their Silks and Laces and abominable impudent whorish Head dresses their proud and lofty Crests shall be exchanged for stinking Rottenness odious Filth and crawling Maggots And instead of their stately Houses and Down Beds they must be content to take up with a dark Hole and a cold Bed of Clay The most vigorous Health then is vanished a little pitiful Vermine can there deal with the stoutest Hector and the strongest Sampson The fairest Face will soon prove as dismal there as the foulest Monster The most exquisite Beauty look as squallid and as horrid as the ugliest Blackamoor and none shall be able to see any Difference between the rotten Skull of the one and the other But having spoken somewhat to these things already and being desirous to hasten to other Matter I shall here put a Conclusion to this and only add three or four things to be considered in Death wherein Death and the Grave triumphs over a Sinners Body but the Believer triumps over Death and the Grave c. I shall speak to both the Contraries together by way of Antithesis 1. NATURAL Death to the Wicked is an entrance to eternal Death Heb. 9.27 And 't is appointed to Men once to die but after this the Judgment The Righteous Law of God has so ordered it for Sinners that Death as a Sergeant shall arrest and cast their Bodies to the Grave as to a Dungeon there to be reserved in Deaths Chains to the Judgment of the great Day But natural Death to the Godly is a Passage to eternal Glory and Death like a skilful Chymist takes their Bodies and puts them into the Alembick of the Grave and there distils them into pure spiritual and glorious Bodies against the great Day but more of this hereafter 2. NATURAL Death to the Wicked is a part of the penal Sentence of the Law Gen. 2.17 For in the Day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die The Law threatned a threefold Death spiritual temporal and eternal The Hebraism in the Original is emphatical to the Purpose dying thou shalt die To me having this Force dying in thy Body thou shalt die eternally in thy Soul 'T is evident that to the Ungodly natural Death is a part of that punishment inflicted by the righteous Law of God and what Death is the Grave is the same If one be the Laws Jaylor to the Body the other is the Laws Prison But to the Godly 't is far otherwise For as Death has lost his Sting to them so has the Grave 'T is not to them penal but purely natural the putting off the old Adam that the second Adam may take possession of the whole Body The Apostle in 1 Cor. 15. discoursing of the Necessity of the natural Death of Believers argues thus That the old Adam had first took possession of the Elect Vessels Bodies V. 46. That what of the old Adam is there is earthly and tends to Earth and Dissolution V. 47. It being the proper Nature thereof V. 48. Concludes thus that the Image of the old Adam on the Body must be wholly laid aside and that by Death so that the Image of the second might take sole and full Possession V. 49. As we have born the Image of the Earthy we shall also bear the Image of the Heavenly 3. NATURAL Death is a separation of the Body from all Life and thus it is to the Wicked Their Dust dwell alone in the Grave united to nothing only there reserved by an Almighty Power of God in an extraordinary way for the Glory of his Justice hereafter But the Dust of the Godly in their Graves are united to the Body of Christ now in Heaven and there is held still a secret Correspondence between their scattered Dust and the Life of Jesus who in this sence is the Resurrection and the Life To make this more evident 't is to be considered 1. That the Person of the Believer both Body and Soul in the first act of Faith is united to the Person of Christ yea joyned to the Body of Christ Rom. 7.4 2. That by vertue of this Union the second Adam takes Possession of the Body as well as the Soul as proved afore from 1 Cor. 15.45 to 50. especially 46. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual but that which is natural and afterward spiritual Observe that the Apostles Discourse must be here confined to the Bodies of the Saints for it is the Resurrection of their Bodies he is a proving 3. The Believer holds his natural Life upon another tenure than he did formerly even from the second Adam by vertue of his Implantation into him The great Apostle Paul in the 2 Cor. 4. declaring how his Body had been supported in the Work of Christ under all Perils Pains Watchings Labours Imprisonments c. almost insupportable declares the Cause V. 10. That it was from the Life of Jesus made manifest in his Body repeating the same in the last Clause of the 11th Verse only instead of Body there he writes mortal Flesh All which thus explained does evidently prove that the Bodies of the Saints derive now their natural Life in great measure from another Root 4. As an undeniable Consequence of this that that Life the Body holds from Christ does not quite vanish as that of the first Adam does but is gathered up into Christ and retreats back to him the Root as the Sap of Trees in Winter Time falls down from the Branches to the Root And I take that to be the Meaning of that place of holy Writ or at least I may allude to it Col. 3.3 Your Life is hid with Christ in God especially because of the following Verse when Christ who is our Life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in Glory which Glory respects the Body as well as the Soul 'T is to me plain that there is a secret Commerce between the Living glorious Body of an exalted Jesus and the Dust of a deceased Believer which may be further proved from Mat. 22.31 32. The Argument Christ himself uses to prove the Resurrection of the Dead and the force of his Argument I apprehend to lye here That God calls himself the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob though dead That God is not the God of the Dead but of the Living therefore that though Abraham Isaac c. were dead yet they were still united to the living God and by Vertue of those secret Beams of Life from him the inseparable Effects of that Union that still corresponded and preserved their mouldered Bodies in the Grave they should be raised up at the last Day This sence of the Place seems to be confirmed from the Answer of our Lord Jesus to Martha's Objection against the present Resurrection of her Brother John 11.34 Martha saith unto him I know that he shall rise again in the Resurrection at the last day John 35. Jesus saith
unto her I am the Resurrection and the Life c. As if he should have said thou grantest that I can raise him up at the last Day but how Is it not by Vertue of that Union that is between his dead Body and my living Body If then I will be his Life and therefore his Resurrection I am now his Life and consequently can be now his Resurrection I shall add that Argument the Lord the Holy Ghost the Spirit of Life abides and dwells in a Believer for ever in his Body as well as his Soul 1 Cor. 6.19 What know ye not that your Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you c. If it be granted then that he does still indwell in the separate Soul of the Believer why not in a sense in the separate Body too He brooded formerly over the Chaos till it was formed into a beautiful Creation and why not in like manner over the Dust till the appointed time of actual Life by the Father comes but 4. NATURAL Death tends to an utter Abolition Natural Death in it self tends to an utter Consumption of the Body and that by Steps retrograde to the Methods of the first Creation First There was a Chaos created and then that disposed and disgested into a very beautiful and lovely Frame but Death deals thus with Man the Epitome of the Creation reduces the fair Structure to a Chaos or Heap of Dust and then commits it to the Grave to annihilate it And so would the Bodies of Sinners be annihilated especially in the universal Conflagration but that as has been afore mentioned the God of Nature by his infinite Power preserves and sits them to be Vessels of Wrath for Destruction and at last raises them that they might be for ever miserable Companions to their miserable Souls on which he might make the Power of his Vengeance known to all Eternity That as the Body has been a a Companion to the Soul in sinning so it shall be World without end in suffering But as to the Bodies of the Saints it is otherwise Death only sows their Bodies into the Ground that they might be quickned again into more glorious Bodies 1 Cor. 15.36 37. compare with 42 43. c. And pulls down the old tottering House that it may be built up a more glorious Fabrick in the Day of Resurrection and they shall arise then from the refining Alembick of the Grave with several wonderful Advantages especially these five 1. THEN Corruptibility shall put on Incorruptibility 1 Cor. 15.53 For this Corruptible must put on Incorruption and when thrown into the Grave corruptible Bodies then shall be raised incorruptible V. 42. Sown in Corruption raised in Incorruption The Bodies of the Saints shall have no tendency to decay any more no more shall the Bodies of the Wicked but here will be the Difference the Bodies of the Saints will be unpassible and will not be capable of suffering Pains but the Bodies of the Wicked though not apt to decay yet will be the Seat of eternal Pains and Torments 2. Then Immortal shall put on Immortality 1 Cor. 15.53 54. And the Bodies of the Saints sown mortal shall rise immortal There will be no dying in the new Jerusalem above nor decaying nor fading but Bodies as well as the Spirits of the Just being made perfect shall endure the same in that glorious State to all Eternity 'T is true the Bodies of Unbelievers shall never die more but their Living and Continuing will be a constant Dying They will be dying to all eternity but never absolutely die and happy would it be for them if they could altogether cease to be But on the Bodies of Believers the second Death can have no Power at all As for instance The last Enemy that Christ will destroy for them will be Death 1 Cor. 15.26 And then Death will be swallowed up in Victory 1 Cor. 15.54 3. THEN natural Flesh will put on Spirit 1 Cor. 15.44 It is sown a natural Body it is raised a spiritual Body There is a natural Body and there is a spiritual Body Not that these natural Bodies in the Saints shall be turned into the very Essence of Spirits but they shall come as near their Natures as 't is possible for corporeal Substances to come So says our Lord himself in answer to the Sadduces Cavil Mat 22.30 For in the Resurrection they neither marry nor are given in Marriage but are as the Angels of God in Heaven i. e. They shall be as near to the Nature of Angels as is possible They will be of a purer and more incompound Substance than the purest Elements of Fire They will be endued then with wonderful agility and celerity and their motion surpassing swift probably they will fly then as swift as Thoughts We experience that our Thoughts now speed in an instant to the farthermost Regions of the Earth whilst the heavy Log of a Body stays behind and can go no faster than its Legs can carry it or some more artificial means But doubtless then our Bodies that believe will be fitted to keep pace with our glorified Souls in all their Motions for the Glory of God in Christ not hindred by Sicknesses and Ails nor made slow with any weakness imperfection or mutilation The Sun is swift in his race but what is his race compared to that of the glorified Bodies of the Saints then Fourthly DISHONOUR then will put on Honour and that that is sown in Dishonour will be raised in Glory 1 Cor. 15.43 Then they will be in part clothed with the Glory that is upon the Body of an exalted Jesus 'T is true there will be difference in degrees though not in kind For as there is one Glory of the Sun another Glory of the Moon and another Glory of the Stars For one Star differeth from another Star in Glory 1 Cor. 15.41 So the Glory on the Body of Christ will be as the Glory of the Sun and the Glory of the Bodies of his Children like the Glory of the Stars all shining in Brightness Splendour and Majesty though not equally alike When Christ appeared with Moses and Elias in the Transfiguration on the Mount the Glory then on his Body is set forth as in a Glass His Face did shine as the Sun and his Rayment was white as the Light Mat. 17.2 So will the risen Bodies of the Saints be shining brighter than the Sun whiter than the purest Light That that is sown in Dishonour as afore hinted will be raised in Glory They that are laid in the Earth little Infants will be raised in full growth and perfect statureâ— they that be entombed decrepit old and deformed shall rise again well-shaped vigorous and beautiful They that drop to the Grave poor tattered Servants and Slaves shall come out from thence rich free and illustrious greater than Kings and Emperours Then indeed in a literal sense the Eyes of the Blind shall be opened the Ears of
the Deaf be unloosned the Lame shall leap as an Hart and the Tongue of the Dumb shall sing for Joy Isai 56 c. For the bodies of the risen believers that are now wrapt up in Dishonour shall be then cloathed with the highest Honour Fifthly THEN Weakness shall put on Strength and that that is sown in weakness shall be raised in power 1 Cor. 15.43 Then the Coward shall be valiant and the Feeble exceeding strong their Strength and Courage will be very near Angelick then We read that an Angel destroyed an hundred thousand in one Night and how great ineffably great will be the Strength and Power of the spiritual Bodies of the risen Saints in that day But having spoke of this dispersedly afore under other Heads I shall now add no more thereunto nor mention several other Advantages that the Bodies of the Saints shall arise with that I might insist on For these are sufficient to evince that Believers can triumph over the Grave in respect of their Bodies THUS having dispatchd the Doctrinal part I now proceed to the Application which I briefly intend to finish in three or four Inferences The two first will particularly relate to the last branch of the Doctrine The two last will respect the whole Doctrine in general 1. Infer THE first Inference is for the Comfort of Believers against Death If it be so that their dead Bodies can thus triumph over the Grave what else is there in their Death that seems terrible As for their Souls they are then instantly lodged in the Mansions prepared for them above But if their Bodies are thus also excellently provided for every thing in Death is to be contemned Nor need we shrink at the Pangs that usually attend Death they are but the Cracks of a tattered House blown up in order to be rebuilt a stately Edifice or rather a Groan or two at farewel between two parting Friends that have been long loving Companions together but now must be separated for a great season that they might meet again to the greater advantage of both and these are the Body and the Soul And Death is no less to be scorned coming by his terrible Messengers Fire Sword Gibbets Poison or the like When he uses Instruments he is generally more courteous and gentle in his Dealings and quicker of dispatch A torrid malignant Feaver or a Torture of several Weeks or Months by the Stone Gout or Strangury have dealt more cruelly with a Body in dissolving it than the Spanish Rack or Parisian Wheel have done So that consider Death in all its affrighting Circumstances it need not be at all frightful to the dying Believer 2. Infer THE second Inference is for the Comfort of Believers against the tiresome fatigue of Pains Sicknesses and Infirmities The comfortable Consideration is this That all Pains and Maladies prepare and hasten the Body for the place of refining as they are Nature's Sufferings so they are the effect of Grace mellowing the whole Man for Glory They in whom Grace shines most are commonly most infirm in their Bodies for the Souls that are most on the Wing for God whose Graces are most vigorous in their Exercise eat out soonest the Tenement of Clay As the painful feeling of the Body of Death within is the nailing of the old Man to the Cross by the new Creature and Corruption painfully felt and odiously seen is Corruption a mortifying proved by the Apostle Rom. 6.5 where he calls the Mortification of Sin a being planted into the likeness of the Death of Christ which was a painful and shameful as well as a cursed Death v. 6. he calls it the crucifixion of the old Man and the destruction of the Body of Sin that of Galat. 2.20 being added thereunto and compared with Romans 7. from the 15 vers to the end particularly vers 24. compared with vers 25. From all which places 't is evident that the painful feeling of Unbelief and the Body of Death within is Unbelief and the Body of Death crucified and the dying Tyger roaring in the Soul The inward Blows of that Nature we feel are Stabs at Heart given to inbred Corruption by the second Adam So the pains Believers feel in their Bodies are but as so many Blows the second Adam gives there to the first in order to drive him out and take up the whole Room for himself Comfort thy self then with these words thou sick Believer under thy tedious malady and sore pains or with such arguings as these These Pangs indeed are sharp but they will after yield peaceable and blessed fruits for 't is in order that that which is earthly may be done away that that which is spiritual may fill up all in all 't is for the refining of Flesh and Blood for Flesh and Blood as now circumstanced cannot inherit the Kingdom of God neither Corruption inherit Incorruption 1 Cor. 15.50 I will be patient under my greatest pains then since their tendency is to eat out Corruption in my Body so that it might inherit eternal Glory together with my Soul in incorruption THE other remaining Inferences relate to the whole Doctrine as laid down in the first Sermon 1. Infer THAT the Doctrine is a cogent motive to Holiness in Life and powerful Godliness in Conversation If so be that a Believer can triumph over Death and the Grave in reference to his Soul and Body then the unspeakably free rich glorious Grace of God in Christ manifested in him and believed into must needs oblige the Man or Woman to all manner of holy Conversation When Men have said all they can against the Doctrine of Free Grace impiously branding it with the Names of Antinomianism and Licentiousness yet this is undeniable from the experience of the most Godly as well as from the Word of the Lord that nothing constrains to all manner of holy Obedience like the Love of Christ revealed to the Conscience and the Love of the Father in his Love All that are most godly can say what is said of the Woman in the Gospel they weep much and do much as she Luke 7.44 47. because they love much and they love much because much is frankly forgiven them This is certain that the inherent Holiness of the Soul is the Strength of the Soul and the Strength or inward Sanctification of the Soul depends upon looking to by Faith that Grace that is in Christ Thou therefore my Son be strong within 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 2.1 5. in the Grace that is in Christ Jesus viz. at God's right hand 'T is not said Be strong in the Grace that is in your selves for that is to seek the living among the dead a living Christ in our dead Frames when he is never to be found there for he is risen and ever lives at the Father's right Hand to make intercession for his Children and a constant steady looking to him there always interceding and still full of Grace and Truth 't is
A SERMON PREACHED at the FUNERAL OF Mr. John Bigg To which is added Another SERMON upon the same Subject ALSO A NARRATIVE of Mr. BIGG's CONVERSION c. By R. DAVIS Minister of the Gospel LONDON Printed for ROBERT PONDER MDCXCI TO THE READER INstead of an Epistle Dedicatory I shall only briefly acquaint thee with the Reasons that induced me to print these Sermons and why they came forth so long after they were preached I have sometimes ceased to be a Friend to the Press and never intended to print them at all though often put upon to do it But the Lord the Redeemer whose Blessing and Power made Clay and Spittle to open the Eyes of the Blind was pleased to own these so as to make them of great use to several Their Entreaty with divers others prevailed with the Widdow of the Deceased to importune me further so that her Importunity joyn'd with theirs obtained upon me at least to redeem when I could now and then a little time from the great Work of Christ that is upon my Hands to set them in order and so venture them into the World There fell in also another cogent Motive viz. The Consideration of the false and lying Stories scattered through City and Country concerning me and the Doctrines I preach made me willing to let all know if they please to read what those Doctrines are and so they may make a better Judgment afterwards And I do assure thee these Sermons contain the chief Substance of what I preached here in the Country Therefore I have made some Additions hereunto and Alterations suitable to my main Scope in preaching this Year past Had the Men of the World only cast Dirt it would have been more tolerable Better could not have been expected from them but to act according to their Nature But this has been piercing that the Truths of Jesus have been wounded in the House of Friends Here a sufficient Occasion is given for a pathetick Lamentation But tell it not in Gath and publish it not in Askelon c. VVhatever Blows some aim at one another they all fall upon their holy Profession whilst a too eager Vindication is persued of our good Names and Reputation from undue and unjust Calumnies The Name of Jesus and his Gospel may be exposed to greater Reproach This made me choose to lie still with a Gag in my Mouth whilst I was and am still cloathed with Sambanettoes than use the Methods I might to assert my wronged Innocency leaving it to God the Judge of all to vindicate his Name and Gospel in his due time and in his own way which I am certain he will And as for me let my Name lie in the Dust provided it may make for the Honour of Christ and the Furtherance of his Gospel I am endeavourring to learn this Lesson to rejoyce in Reproaches from whatever Tongues they come as well as in Infirmities for Christ's Sake and I would press after that meek Spirit of the Gospel that being defamed to intreat viz. To intreat Christ on the Behalf of my Defamers and entreat them in the Bowels of Mercy to lay aside their Enmity against the Lord Jesus his Truths and VVays Reader I shall add no more but commend thee to God and the Word of his Grace which is not only able to translate thee out of Darkness into the Kingdom of his dear Son but also build thee up therein and give thee an Inheritance among them that are sanctified And now the God of Peace that brought again from the Dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the Sheep through the Blood of the everlasting Covenant make thee perfect in every good Work to do his Will working in thee that that is well-pleasing in his Sight through Jesus Christ to whom be Glory for ever and ever Amen A SERMON Preached at the FUNERAL OF Mr. BIGG Gent. 1 Cor. 15.55 56 57. 55. O Death where is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory 56. The Sting of Death is Sin and the Strength of Sin is the Law 57. But Thanks be to God which giveth us the Victory thrô our Lord Jesus Christ OUR Great Apostle in this Epistle of his having answered several Cases of Conscience to the Church at Corinth in this Chapter refutes that dangerous Error that denied the Resurrection of the Dead HE founds his Argument for the overthrow of the Error and the Establishing the contrary Truth chiefly upon the Resurrection of a buried Jesus Having prosecuted this from v. 12. with the Intermixture of other Mediums and also exhortatory Inferences to v. 35. he there states the Adversary's Objection in these Words With what body do they come again THIS Objection he answers shaving rebuked the Objector with the Title of a Fool v. 26. from the Nature of Grain thrown by the Sower into the Ground rising into a Crop of beautiful Corn pleasant to the eye and useful for food Further shewing and explaining the difference between human Bodies and the Flesh of Beasts Birds and Fish and the difference of their Glory from the Terrestrial and Coelestial Bodies even the difference between Coelestial Bodies themselves in Glory HAVING managed this from v. 36 to 42 he there applies it to the case in hand shewing in v. 42 43 44. That the Bodies of the Saints are sown in Corruption but raised in Incorruption Sown in Honour but raised in Glory c. This he repeats varying his Phrase v. 53 54. And draws in this Inference in the Close of the 54 v. Death is swallowed up in Victory which Inference he confirms in a way of triumph in the Words of my Text. O Death where is thy Sting c. IN which words you have the Apostle triumphing in the Person of every dying Believer wherein are contained these Parts 1. THE Apostles Triumph in v. 55. 2. THE Cause of it 1st laid down negatively v. 56. The Sting of the Believer's Death being pulled out by the Abolishing of Sin which is Death's Sting and the Reign of the Law over him which is the Strength of Sin positively laid down in v. 57. viz. A Victory being obtained over Death through our Lord Jesus Christ which the Apostle mentions with Thanksgiving to the Almighty IN handling these Words I shall only insist on the Triumph or Ovation in v. 55. and the rather because the Prosecution of the Truth that shall arise from that Verse will reach and take in the chief Matter contained in the following Verses IN these words you have as was aforementioned the Believer's Triumph over Death and that in a twofold Respect 1. In respect of his Soul O Death where is thy Sting 2. In respect of his Body O Grave where is thy Victory Without spending further time in opening the Words they afford us this Doctrinal Observation Doct. THAT every true Believer in the Moment of his Death can Triumph over Death and the Grave both in reference to his Soul and Body I shall