dying man with an incurable wound unto eternal death As the sting of of the Scorpion inflameth and tormenteth the whole man that is stung so known sins unrepented of put soul and body in a flame of unquenchable fire thus it was with that miserable rich man Luke 16.24 Delay not thy repentance and the seeking of thy remission till thou art on thy death bed would ye not think that malefactor a careless fool and unnatural to himself who should delay to seek his remission unto the very day he were taken out of prison to the place of execution though God hath promised mercy to him that repenteth yet hath he not promised repentance to him that delayeth The sluggard foldeth his hands and saith yet a little sleep a little slumber and his poverty cometh as an armed man he cannot resist it Prov. 24.34 so it is with a careless Professor who sleepeth over his days and hath not a thought of death till it be at door then doth it surprize him as an enemy armed with the dart and sting of sin unrepented of and such a man not guarded by the shield of faith into the righteousness of Jesus Christ is confounded and overcome as a naked souldier with fear at the very sight of death Such debtors who delay to think on their debts and in time to speak for favour with their creditors when the term of reckoning and payment comes they are confounded with shame and fear therefore delay not but in time confess thy debts unto God seek thy discharge and acquittance in the blood of Christ who is the surety of the new Covenant Labour by faith in the charter and Covenant of grace for a sight of that great salvation purchased by the death of Jesus that at thy death with old Simeon thou mayst say and sing that Swan-like song Mine eyes have seen thy salvation now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace Luke 2.29 2. As thou wouldst be well prepared for death Labour to keep a good conscience in thy life-time This is the chest wherein thy remission and peace is kept a man of good conscience in all things willing to live honestly as the Apostle describes Heb. 13.18 he liveth aad dieth in peace It was Hezekiah his great comfort in his sickness and apprehension of death 2 Kings 20 3. I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart It was Pauls comfort 2 Tim. 4.7 8. I have fought a good fight henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness A good conscience is a continual feast it hath the sweetest relish at death when a man at that time is become like old Barzillai through age and debility 2 Sam. 19.35 his senses of seeing tasting and hearing fail him yet even at that time the relish of a good conscience will most refresh him 3. Be thou prepared as the wise virgins were to meet the bridegroom not only with light in their lamps as the foolish virgins were also but with oyl in their vessels Not only must thou have the light of a fair profession before the world but also thou must have in thy heart the oyl of charity toward God and man If thou have love toward God and his holy commandments and love unfained toward thy neighbour but specially toward those in whom thou seest most of the image of God then art thou prepared for death and life eternal is prepared for thee 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen ear hath not heard neither can it enter into the heart of man to conceive what God hath prepared for them that love him And 1 Joh. 3.14 By this we know that we have passed from death to life because we love the Brethren but thou who hatest thy neighbour art filled with bitterness and desire of revenge and wilt not commit thy cause to him who judgeth righteously thou art not yet prepared for death so long as thou art in the gall of bitterness for he that loveth not his brother abideth in death 1 Joh. 3.15 That rigid and merciless servant who had no pity on his fellow servant was cast into prison So saith our Lord our heavenly father will do unto us if we from our hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses Mat. 18.33.4 We should be prepared as good and faithful servants waiting for the return of their absent Lord. Luke 12.36 Having their loyns girded and watching In those Eastern countreys the servants for their better expediting business at home or their Journeys abroad did gird up their long cloaths that they should not entangle their feet and retard them in their course The Apostle Eph. 6. speaketh of the girdle of truth and sincerity when our affections are taken off from things earthly trussed up united together and set on God when our heart is in heaven where our treasure is Then and not till then is a man prepared for death When his minde is heavenly and his affections are not trailing on the things of the earth like long garments licking up the dust for a worldly minded man is not yet prepared for death A man that spendeth all his time and care upon repairing the house where he dwelleth for the present but speaketh not for another house nor sendeth away any of his furniture to it will ye say such a man hath any mind to remove so a worldly-minded man that spendeth his time and strength of spirit upon this present world who speaketh not to God in time by prayer for that eternal house in heaven that sendeth not his heart before him as a part of his heavenly furniture such a man is not prepared for removal out of this world Therefore let us obey our Lords warning Luke 21.34 Let not your hearts be oppressed with surfeiting or drunkenness and with the cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares A heart fixed on the world is taken away unwillingly at death the worldly man who had his full heaven in a full barn his soul was taken from him Luke 12.20 The worldly-minded man unless he repent and become heavenly-minded doth in some respect die a violent death he doth not as our Lord did commit his spirit into the hands of his Father but his soul is taken from him against his will he is drawn forth as a Malefactor from the prison of his earthly house to the place of execution But the spiritual man that hath his heart drawn off the world and set on God he hath his soul ready in his hand to put it over into Gods hand he knoweth whom he hath believed and that his faithful creator will keep the good thing committed to him against that day As thou must gird up thy loyns so thou must watch for thou knowest not how soon thy Lord may send his messenger for thee Watch over thy heart that it depart not from the living God by unbelief nor be drawn away by thy inordinate concupiscence and unruly affections watch over thy
shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life if Grace received could be lost and dried up wholly like the winter brook in drought of Summer then should it not spring up unto everlasting life But as it is observed in aquaeducts the water will ascend so high as the place is from whence at first it did descend even so this water of life saving Grace as it descends from heaven it carries the soul a long to heaven for it springeth up saith our Lord unto everlasting life This truth is also evident from Ioh. 6.37 Him that cometh unto me I will in no waies cast out by coming to Christ is meaned our believing in him as is evident by comparing verses 64 65. Therefore a true Believer in Christ is never cast out from him but doth persevere unto the end Obj. Obj. It is true say some Christ casteth him not out but he may steal away his own heart by Apostacie from Christ and so cast out himself To this I answer first Answ 1 if the Shepheard of Israel and great Bishop of our souls did sleep or slumber his sheep might steal away wander and perish in their errors but he is vigilant over all his flock he is not like that Keeper 1 King 20.39 While he was busie here and there he lost tho man committed unto his keeping The Shepheard of Israel slumbers not his eyes are alwayes upon every one of his flock The crector of the ends of the earth fainteth not neither is weary Isa 40.28 he leads them in great compassion and wisdom Isa 40.11 He shall gather the Lambs with his arm and carrie them in his bosom and shall gently lead those that are with young he pittyeth us in our infirmities and will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able 1 Cor. 10.13 Though the great Shepheard of our souls in his wisdom suffer his little flock to wander in an hour of darkness to humble them with a sight of their own sillyness and weakness who hath neither wit nor strength to keep themselves yet he hath a watchful eye over them in their wanderings he looked upon Peter with an eye of Pitty and Power to bring him again by repentance after he had departed by a foul denyal he suffers not his own sheep to wander out of the sight of his mercy he sendeth out after them the Spirit of conviction and contrition he makes their barking conscience like the Shepheards Dog to pursue and turn them from their wanderings 2. Moreover if any of the slock of Christ could so stealaway that they should perish in their sins and errors Then Christ himself should cast them out which is contrary to his gracious and faithful Promise for such a disserting of them to go on and perish in their errors were a casting of them out of his care and Protection but our gracious Lord saith Him that cometh to me I will in no wayes cast out neither directly nor indirectly by suffering them to run on in the way of perdition Reasons from Scriptural Truths Reasons do also confirm the truth of this Doctrine 1. From the certainty and stability of election 1. The stability of Election Math. 24.24 There shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great signs and wonders insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceive the very Elect. 2 Tim. 2.19 The foundation of the Lord standeth sure It is not possible for those he hath elected in his unchangeable purpose to fall away totally and finally but so it is that a sound Believer is elected of God Iohn 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me all whom the Father elected to Glory and giveth to the Mediator that by the Merit of his death they may be brought unto the possession of that decreed glory all such sometime are made believers in Christ so likewise all who come to Christ and believe in him are given of the Father and elected There is a reciprocation betwixt election and believing as betwixt the cause and necessary effect Act. 13.48 As many as were ordained to eternal life believed To expound this place of a natural disposition and inclination for eternal life is Pelagianism and a violating of the text of such misinterpreters I say as Augustin contra Adimant S. Augustin if they do it out of ignorance there is nothing more blind and if they do it out of knowledge there is nothing more wicked 2. 2. Gods Power Reason is taken from the power of God Those who are kept by the power of God cannot be lost for there cannot be a greater power to pull them out of the hand of infinite and Almighty power but so it is that Believers are kept by the power of God 1 Pet. 1.5 They are kept by the Father Ioh. 10.29 By the Son Ioh. 10.28 And by the holy Ghost dwelling in them and keeping the house where he is lodged Rom. 8.11 all the three blessed persons have one common care to preserve Believers 3. 3. The Mystical Union with Christ Reason is taken from the mystical Vnion of a Believer with Christ Those who are once in Christ cannot perish but do persevere in Grace to the end Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus but believers are in Christ and Christ is in them he dwelleth in their hearts by Faith Eph. 3.17 he is the Saviour of his Mystical body Eph. 5.24 A strong man will not suffer any of his members to be taken from him and our Lord is the stronger one Luc. 11.22 Obj. Obj. But if a member of the natural body through its own corruption doth rott a man willingly suffereth it to be cut off from the body so a man though once a member of Christs Mystical body may through his own prevalent corruption be cut off from Christ and perish for ever Answ There is no question Answ but even the renewed mans inbred and indwelling corruption if not restrained and overpowered by the Grace of God might carrie him far away from Christ but if any man could hinder that corruption to grow and prevail in his body or if he could restore a corrupt and defective member would he be so unnatural to the members of his own body as to suffer them to perish but so it is that our head the Lord Iesus Christ is able not only with mercie and strength of Grace to prevent the decayings of his Mystical members but also by the Grace of Repentance to restore them when their falls do disjoynt and dislocate them not from the body but from a lively and vigorous motion in the way of common duties with other believers that stand firm thus he restored David and Peter after their failings the corruption of such Members is not desperare and incurable The Union of a Believer with Christ is compared to
compleat In these words we have first the vicissitude of Pauls outward condition Four Points observable in the words at one time he abounds at another he is abased At one time he is full at another he suffers need 2. The sweet and gracious composure of his spirit expressed in two singular acts The first is his contentation of minde in all conditions In whatsoever estate I am saith he I am therewith content The latter is his prudent and pertinent comportment with his present condition I know both how to be abased and how to abound 3. The way how he attained this Contentation of minde I have learned saith he I am instructed This he learned not at the feet of Gamaliel but in the School of Jesus Christ who at the first initiation of his Disciples teacheth them by word example and by the powerfull operation of his spirit inclining them to the lesson to deny themselves to take up their crosse and follow him 4. The sole Authour of all the strength and ability he had either for doing or suffering the good-will of God I can do all things saith he through Christ that strengtheneth me From the first particular the variety and vicissitude of his outward condition at one time he abounds at another time he is a based and suffers need we observe this Doctrine The dear children of God in their outward condition are subject to many changes At one time they are in prosperity Doct. at another in adversity at one time cried up and highly honoured in the world at another time cried down and abased Job a man fearing God and eschewing evil was the richest man in the East to day but on the morrow the poorest and most distressed of all men in the whole earth in his time in great honour and reputation at one time Job 29.8 The young men saw me and hid themselves like School-boys out of an awfull respect to their School-master And the aged arose and stood up when they heard him they blessed him and gave an honourable testimony to him by approving and commending what he had spoken but at another time not only is he misprised and neglected but derided by the younger and baser sort of the people Job 30.1 Joseph at one time in great esteem and credit with Potiphar None greater in the house then he at another time disgraced and without any just cause cast into prison Gen. 39.8 9 20. Moses for the space of fourty years was in great honour at Pharachs Court but afterward was forced to fly with his life in his hand to Midian and keep sheep there other fourty years David a man according to Gods heart at one time in great prosperity and credit at Sauls Court and greatly beloved 1 Sam. 16.21 at another time in great adversity and perplexity he who before in a sudden fit of Court-favour was sought out and brought from his Father to the King in a more violent fit of spight and malice was chased from Court and hunted as a Partridge in the wildernesse 1 Sam. 26.26 Jehoshaphat a man of an upright heart at one time in great prosperity and had rest from all his enemies 2 Chro. 17.10 at another time a great change whereas in former times other Kingdomes round about feared him now the fear of them falleth upon him 2 Chron. 20.12 Paul at one time abounded and by a divine dispensation is loaded with such things as were necessary for him Act. 28.10 at another time he is in great adversity Thrice he suffered shipwrack in perils of robbers and in many other troubles 2 Cor. 11. he was in esteem at Lystra far contrary to his desire and in the same place was he disgraced contrary to his deservings Act. 14. such was his zeal to the honour of God he was more grieved with their blasphemous honouring then with their malicious disgracing of him The Reasons wherefore the Lord our God without any change in the purpose of his love Reasons in his wisedome worketh such changes in the condition of his own dear children are 1. 1. Changes make men fear God For their Instruction By such changes the Lord instructs his children to fear him It is said of the wicked Psa 55.19 They have not changes and therefore they fear not God because Sentence against their evil works is not executed speedily therefore their heart is fully set in them to do evil But by great changes from prosperity into adversity the children of God learn to fear God and eschew evil Ezr. 9.13 After all that is come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great trespasse seeing our God hath punished us lesse then our iniquities deserve Should we again break thy Commandments Hos 3.4 5. The children of Israel shall abide many daies without a King and without a Prince and without a Sacrifice Afterward shall the children of Israel return and seek the Lord their God and David their King and shall fear the Lord and his goodnesse in the latter daies Here was a great change the people of Israel was sometime the praise of the earth for good policy both civill and ecclesiasticall but here a great change and desolation they have neither a King nor face of a Church God in his gracious and wise dispensation sendeth these changes in their outward condition that he may thereby work a change in their hearts and practice in after times that they may repent of their former evil doings and fear the Lord their God from generation to generation who shall hear of such fearfull changes and shall serve the Lord with fear the Lord sends changes to teach them where they should seek solid content and happinesse even in God himself who is alsufficient and without any shadow of change If our estate were alwaies prosperous in this world we would rest on it and say as Peter lifted up in the mountain Mat. 17. It is good to be here yea like beasts in fat pastures we would eat and lie down upon them Therefore the Lord sends a change and teacheth us to seek hearts rest in God alone Hos 2.6 I will hedge up thy way with thorns and make a wall that she shall not finde her paths She shall follow after her Lovers but shall not overtake them Then shall she say I will go and return to my first husband for then was it better with me then now 2. 2. By changes men are chastised for sins against mercies God doth it for their correction to chastise them for sinning against their father in a time of prosperity Solomon was in great peace and prosperity but when he sinned and to please his strange wives displeased the Lord his God by authorizing and countenancing a false and idolatrous worship God sent a change and stirred up against him one adversary after another 1 King 11.14 23. Ezechias was in health and prosperity after the time he had been dangerously sick yet for his ingratitude the Lord sent a change and
him a little before the time of publick execution of the sentence whereas a man reconciled and absolved is well content with any morsell So a wicked impenitent person at his death hath no contentment with all his worldly advantages But if thou be reconciled to God thy contentment in thy prosperity is multiplied for then thou lookest upon the good things of this world as pledges of better things and this super-addition to them of a new relation multiplies thy contentment and at death thy contentment is encreased as that of a Pilgrim at the border of his own Countrey and Seafaring man at the entrance of the harbour 2. Receive Christ to dwell in thy heart by faith and then nothing can come amisse that comes with Christ we make strangers welcome to our house who come along with a dear Friend No affliction is so strange but it will be made welcome with Christ Not only are beleevers content with it but glory in it As couragious Souldiers to be employed in hard service So did the Apostles when they were ignominiously beaten Act. 6.41 Paul and Silas did sing in the dungeon Act. 16.14 it was Pauls gloriation Gal. 6.17 that he bare in his body the marks of the Lord Jesus he esteemed them marks of favour and honour put upon him by his Lord he gloried in them as a valiant Souldier in the cicatrice of his wounds Our Lord brings with him peace to the soul where he dwels Peace with God Rom. 5.1 and peace to the conscience which is the Eccho and resound of our peace made in heaven with God This peace is the health of the soul and as a man in bodily health can well comport with course diet for a time whereas a sickly man frets and cankers at better entertainment So a man that hath peace with God and with his own conscience can comport with the bread of adversity and water of affliction But the man that hath not this peace hath a fretting of spirit in the midst of his plenty while there is laughter in his mouth there is much sorrow in his heart 3. Labour to be holy in all manner of conversation for holinesse hath the promises of this life and that which is to come 1 Tim. 4.8 The precious promises of God are the common places out of which faith draweth several arguments of contentment for all our several wants bodily or spiritual Out of the bounty of providence the godly man gets supply for his outward condition and out of the Fulnesse of Christ he receives for his inward man grace for grace Lastly Moderate thy desires after things worldly Impatient desires to have breed much discontentment for disappointment and immoderate desires still to enjoy what we once have breeds us much discontentment at our losses Rachels impotent desires of posterity bred her so much discontent with the want of children Therefore the Apostle exhorts Heb. 13.5 Let your conversation be without covetousnesse and be content with such things as ye have Covetousnesse is like Hagar there is no peace in the house to Sarah till she be cast out so there is no quietnesse nor contentment to our spirits until covetousnesse be mortified Moderate therefore your desires after the things of this world and the greater shall be your contentment both in your abundance and in your wants Covet the best things even the Kingdom of God and his righteousnesse and things worldly shall be added to you Ye cannot exceed here in your desires after things heavenly but your enjoyment in heaven will exceed all your desires for it cannot enter into the heart to conceive what God hath prepared for them that love him To this God Father Sonne and holy Ghost be all praise honour and glory now and for ever Amen Now followeth the fourth and last particular to be considered in the words to wit The fourth particular the sole and only author of all his ability and strength for doing and suffering the good will of God I can do all things saith he through Christ which strengtheneth me Before I raise the Doctrine the words would be cleared 1. What is meant by this strength 2. Next Wherefore it is called the strength of Christ And 3. How it is said he can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth him First By strength is not meant that infinite power 1. What is meant by strength wherein Christ is equal with the Father that mighty power by which in a soveraign and authoritative way he wrought miracles Luk. 9.73 They were all amazed at the mighty power of God by which he subdued all things and will raise the dead Phi. 3.21 Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things This strength is essential to the Sonne of God and incommunicable to the creatures the mighty one of Israel puts forth this strength toward the defence and protection of his own children in time of danger but puts it not in them as a strong man will use his strength for the defence of them that are weak but puts not his strength within them But by strength is here meant an ability created and infused into the heart of a beleever whereby he is enabled in such perfection as is accepted of God in Christ for doing and suffering the will of God It is a strength from Christ in them as the Original imports 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is a strength in the innerman but from his Spirit Eph. 3.16 strengthened with might by his Spirit Secondly 2. Why it is called the strength of Christ It is called the strength of Christ 1. Because Christ hath procured this strength to us by his merit and intercession Joh. 14.16 I will pray the Father and he shall give you another comforter that he may abide with you for ever Our Lords departing out of the world by the death of the Crosse was the cause procuring to us the comfort and strength of of the Spirit Joh. 16.17 If I go not away the comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you 2. Because Christ is the efficient cause and worker of this strength in us 1 Tim. 1.12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath enabled me it is the same word which is used here 2 Tim. 2.1 Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus or by Christ Jesus as the Preposition is frequently used as Mat. 5.34 it is rendred by the Heaven Matth. 23.20 21 22. where it is five times so used Rom. 12.21 Overcome evil by good so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Christ who by the efficiency of his Spirit applieth to us the strength of grace procured by the merit of his death Thirdly 3. How a man by the strength of Christ is able to do all things As to the third thing to
original corruption and preach unto him humiliation and repentance as weariness so sickness in the body is a fruit of sin It is a commotion and collision of those humors in the body which God restrained from breaking out one upon another so long as man by sin transgressed not the bounds set to him by God but when man passed his bounds then the humors of the body passed their bounds and like an impetuous flood after the bulwark is removed over-runs the whole body Sin made way to this inundation which in the estate of integrity was barred up in the body by the over-ruling providence of God who shutteth up and openeth the barrs even of the great ocean at his own pleasure Thirdly from sin is that tormenting fear of death 3 Tormenting fear of death which keepeth the heart of miserable man in straitness and bondage Heb. 2.15 Through the fear of death all their life time are subject to bondage In which words a sinner is compared to a Malefactor condemned shut up in prison and under a continual fear of the execution of the sentence It is the Apostles allusion also Gal. 3.22 The Scripture hath shut up all under sin that is it hath convinced all men of guiltiness and of obligation to eternal death Iob 18.14 Death is called the King of terrors Heathens called it the most fearful of all fearful things Caligula the fourth Roman Emperour hid himself under a bed when he heard the noise of thunder guiltiness in the conscience is the worm that breeds this gnawing and tormenting fear of death Cains guiltiness made him fear every one that met him would kill him This fear of death until it be qualified and tempered by Faith in the Merit of the death of our Lord doth exceedingly torment and disquiet the heart of man in the midst of all his pleasures even a glancing thought of death maketh his heart sorrowful Amidst all his plenty he is like unto Damocles who had not a heart to taste the dainties on Dionysius his table for fear of the drawn sword hanging over his head by an hair in like manner the fear of death in his adversity doth wonderfully disquiet him he taketh a very small cross though it were but a sore head to be a beginning of his endless woes to be a drop of that cloud of fierce wrath that is to be poured out upon him in vials at his death and judgement and to be a Messenger sent of God to arrest him Fourthly 4. Pain in dying Pain in dying is also a bitter fruit of sin This bitterness and Antipathy betwixt the living man and death is a part of the wages of original sin It is true some wicked men may have little or no pain at their death Psal 73.4 There are no bands in their death But all that calmeness is but a shore Sun-shine before a storm the fearful tempest of Gods wrath abideth them their day comes on apace wherein their worm dyeth not and their fire will not be quenched The rich Glutton no doubt at his death had store of all Lenitives that could give him any ease whereas Lazarus had none But that rich man afterward felt the pain to the uttermost he got not a drop of cold water to refresh him The death of some wicked men is like those Fishes going down with much facility through Jordan till they once fall into the dead Sea and there they die so the wicked man is driven away in his wickedness but the righteous hath hope in his death Prov. 14.32 Fifthly 5. Separation of the soul and body In the first death is implyed the dissolution it self when the soul and body by their union making up one person are separated the one from the other This actual separation is also a punishment of sin Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is death It is true Enoch and Elias were born in sin but had not this separation of soul and body yet it is certain when they were translated in the body to heaven they were separate from the society of men living on the earth they were changed from a state of corruption which was a separation not of the soul from the body but of all corruption from the body and of the remainders of sin dwelling in both Moreover God who is above all his penal Laws and Statutes might according to his good pleasure give an Indulgence and Immunity to his servants from that penal Ordinance of death as he did grant unto David an Indulgence to eat of the Shew-bread notwithstanding there was a positive Statute to the contrary The sixt and last evil of misery implyed in death threatned against man before his fall and deserved by his fall 6. The cuâ—â—â— of death is the curse of death when it serve has a darke dreadful passage into the second dâ—aâ—h and outer darkness This by the fall was deserved by all and herein stands the curse of death that not only it separateth the soul and the body but as Gods officer it openeth the prison door to the end the soul the prime malefactor may be first drawn forth and put under the execution of wrath and therefore the body which did second the soul in obeying the lusts of the flesh is put to the suffering of eternal wrath at the day of resurrection Death to the rich Glutton was a dark trance carrying him into hell As hell it self and the bottomless pit are the wages of sin deserved by all so is also the curse of death in being a passage unto hell due unto all sinners for as the Malefactor deserveth the execution of the sentence of death so in like manner to be carried in such a way that leads to the place of execution This Doctrine serveth for our humiliation Vse 1 seeing sin is the cause procuring death with all the alterations going before Sin is matter of humiliation in all bodily distempers the pain accompanying and the destructions following it It is our duty when ever any change seiseth on the body to humble our spirits before God and to acknowledge the sins of our souls Remember the distemper of the soul brought on all the distempers and indispositions upon the body There may be many new and strange diseases in this sinful age whereof it is hard for the most skilful Physitian to finde out and shew the true natural cause but it is most easie to find out the true spiritual cause both of our new and old diseases which is the corruption of our inward man as in the last and worst of times new and strange sins do abound foretold 2 Tim. 3. which our Ancestors and many honest Pagans having nothing but natures light would have abhorred and said as Hazael Am I a dead Dog to do such things so no wonder there be new diseases inflicted justly by God as new punishments of new and uncouth transgressions Therefore at what time soever thou findest any alteration in thy
ways that thou maist be found in thy Lords ways walking in his holy commandments blessed is the man whom his Master when he cometh sindeth so doing as thou watchest over thy own heart and ways so watch and long after the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and this longing for death out of a love to be with him is a sure evidence of a soul well prepared for death 2 Tim. 4.8 The Lord will give a Crown of righteousness not to me only but to them also who love his appearing To him with the Father and holy Ghost be all praise Amen Having spoken of the sting of death we proceed to speak the cure and of our deliverance from it Of the cure of death The Author of our deliverance and victory is the Lord Iesus Christ the Captain of our salvation The Apostle compareth death to a conquering and prevailing enemy which by its sting and weapon woundeth many with a mortal and incurable wound because such men as live to sin and die in their guiltiness go down by the first death to the second into that bottomless pit out of which there is no redemption Jesus Christ our Lord by the merit of his death alone hath overcome death Doct. Christ only hath overcome death for all that believe in him and of a bitter enemy hath made death a comfortable friend to all who believe in him for by him alone we get victory over death That we may understand this point the better we should consider in what respect Christ hath delivered us from death he hath not delivered us from our obligation and subjection to the necessity of dying for we see believers dye as well as unbelievers Neither hath he delivered us from being subject to sicknesses and alterations going before death David complains the pains of hell got hold upon him Psal 116.3 that is extream pains in his body and anxiety in his spirit Neither hath our Lord delivered from pain at the hour of death nor from the separation of soul and body by death But our Lord hath overcome death in these respects 1. In respect of 1. The sting of death In respect of the sting of death he hath taken away our sins and as an enemy is overcome when his deadly weapon is taken out of his hand so our Lord overcame death by taking away sin on his cross for sin is the sting of death Hos 13.14 O Death I will be thy plagues This the Apostle cites 1 Cor. 15.54 The Captain of our salvation upon the cross as in an open and pitched battel did spoyl principalities and powers Col. 2.15 One of these powers armed against us was death he took away our sins on the cross and so spoyled death of his weapon as a valiant Conquerour takes away the weapons from a subdued enemy 2. 2. The fear of death Jesus Christ our Lord hath freed us from the fear of death Heb. 2.15 he was partaker of flesh and blood he took upon him our nature that he might deliver them who through the fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage Our Lord by taking away our sins the sting and weapon of death doth deliver us from the fear of death for that which maketh an enemy fearful is his deadly weapon It is true sometimes men may fear even a naked enemy but they have no cause seeing he cannot harm them so some of Gods dear children at a time may exceed in the fear of death but they have no such cause of fear neither would they be so afraid 3. The curse of death if they were strong in the faith of Jesus Christ who hath disarmed death 3. Our Lord hath delivered us from the curse of death that to us the first death is not a dreadful passage to the second Ioh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life Rev. 14.13 Blessed are they that die in the Lord that henceforth they may rest from their labours As for weakness sickness pain and alterations in the body though our Lord hath not delivered us from them yet by the merit of his death and the grace of his Spirit he sanctifieth them to us and in a gracious providence turneth them to a good and spiritual use Our Lords death is like to that salt that purged and sweetned the naughty waters of Jericho 2 Kings 2.21 and like the meal cast into the pot wherein was the bitter herb 2 Kings 4.41 The death of our Lord hath taken wrath and the curse from out of all our afflictions and maketh them useful and profitable unto us Our Lord in a gracious dispensation turneth the bodily sickness of his own children into a spiritual medicine for purging an humorous and distempered soul for bringing down the tympany and swelling pride of the heart such as glory and boast in the beauty or strength of the body do see in time of sickness the weakness and vileness of the body and so being humbled learn to glory onely in the Lord and in the beauty of his grace in the inward man A sanctified sickness purgeth out of the heart covetousness the hearts Dropsie thirsting for more of this present world when the sick man seeth the emptiness of things worldly which cannot give him any ease in the time of his greatest need A sanctified sickness purgeth out unruly lusts which are as a burning feaver to the soul sickness takes down the body and grace sanctifying it turns it into a temple to the holy Ghost The wise Master-builder useth sickness as a sharp edged tool for polishing the body for the inhabitation of the Spirit that it may be a temple prepared In like manner our wise and merciful Lord though he deliver not his own children from death yet he maketh their death to be of singular good use to them It is a putting off of corruption that they may be clothed upon with incorruption The death of wicked men dying in their guiltiness is like unto a thiefs putting off his cloaths to the end he may be scourged but the death of the godly is like unto a childs putting off the old garment that he may put on the new that is incorruptible and will not fade but ever have a beautiful lustre It is for this their soul doth groan and long 2 Cor. 5.2 In this we groan earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven 4. The dominon of death As for deaths dominion and power over our bodies in the grave our Lord did take it also away by the merit of his death and declared his victory over and our deliverance from it by raising his own body and by loosing the bonds of death when our Lord awoke from death and stretched out the strength of his Godhead like Sampson he broke asunder those bonds as cords of flax Our deliverance from the grave will