it v. 55. O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory Which he further amplifieth by representing the length and strength of Deaths weapons v. 56. The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law And concludes with this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or song of triumph in the words I have chosen to insist upon But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Wherein we have this blessed Apostle expressing the courage and yet the humility of a Christian His confidence through Faith and withal the lowly deference that he owns to Almighty God through our Lord Jesus Christ Or more particularly we have the true Christians victory over Death First joyfully reported 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a victory to us Christians over Death Secondly thankfully resented 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thanks be to him that giveth us this victory Thirdly the Author of it acknowledged and magnified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thanks be to God Fourthly the procuring or meritorious cause of this victory signified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through our Lord Jesus Christ I begin with the joyful report of this victory over Death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This word victory is a martial term and intimateth First that Death is an Enemy There may be an obliging victory in the friendly contests of Lovers who endeavour to outstrip each other in offices of kindness and good-will But this victory is of another nature it is like the battel of the warriour with confused noise and garments rolled in blood Isa 9.5 It is the overcoming of a great and formidable enemy Such is Death and that First To the natural concerns of man To destroy either the Soul or Body of man is a work beyond the reach of Death or any other on this side that infinite power that made them both But what Death aims at is the separating of these old friends and dissolving the union that was so intimate between them And this is that which Nature so industriously endeavoureth to maintain that the dissolution must be an act of great violence to it To maintain this union Nature is not only forward to gratifie sense by eating and drinking what is pleasant and delightful but sometimes content to affront and annoy it by submitting to severe abstinences laborious exercises ungrateful and nauseous doses of Physick To maintain this the most greedy Mammonist will break off some pieces of his adored Idol employing his bags to compass this greatest purchase of continued health Yea the industrious Merchant will discharge his Ship of the most promising return to secure what he accounts the most precious thing aboard his life To continue this union how many are content to undergo the tediousness of a lingering distemper and chuse a dying life before death it self To maintain this how many do meet force with force and make their neighbours life a commutation for their own Yea for this end how oft do men expose and sometimes yeild to part with some of the less useful members of their own bodies to secure by composition the health of the whole All which sheweth how earnest desires and what diligent care Nature hath inspired us with of maintaining this union of Soul and Body and perpetuating it as far as may be And consequently what an enemy Death is in attempting the dissolution thereof Secondly to a man in his moral concerns Death is an enemy Even a criminal while he can escape the arrest of the Law thinks the best of his own condition and a sinner while he can hold up his head in the land of the living is apt to bless himself in his own sanguine conceits and to laugh at the doctrine of a Judgment to come But look what an enemy the Malefactor esteems him that hales him before an earthly Tribunal or a Debtor him that calls him to account for his scores such an enemy doth every man that knows himself to have offended and hath not sued out his pardon every man that hath run in score to Gods justice and hath not applied himself to that Surety that so graciously offers to pay his debts esteems Death that comes to bring him before Almighty God as a righteous Judg from whom he may expect a dreadful sentence and the great Creditor to whom he knows himself not responsible Secondly this term Victory supposeth a conflict Over a Coward that dares not to fight or a Town that surrenders upon summons we are not ordinarily said to obtain a victory This is properly the effect of strugling and striving for mastery And with this enemy Death every man hath a great conflict And that both First Eminùs at a distance when it threatens us and thus it begetteth fear which is a passion that commonly makes impression especially upon persons of soft and tender natures not inferiour to those that attend the approaches of evil Especially O death how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that lives peaceably in the enjoyment of his friends to him that is quiet and prosperous in his business and to him that hath an appetite and can relish his meat Ecclus 41.1 This is such a conflict as doth quietos sollicitare disquiets those that are at ease in Sion and disturbs them that are setled upon their Lees. To think that this healthy body must e're long be distempered with diseases that those pleasures that have been the darlings of their souls must everlastingly forsake them that those riches for which they have toiled and laboured must take themselves wings and for ever fly away yea that this stately and beautiful structure of the body must yeild to dissolution and which is more dreadful than all the rest that when the dust shall return to the earth the spirit shall return to God that gave it Eccl. 12.7 to pass an account of the things which it hath done in the body and to receive a reward according to them whether they be good or evil 2 Cor. 5.10 This is that terror of the Lord through which so many are all their life time subject to bondage Heb. 2.16 Secondly and especially Cominùs when Death comes to conflict with us hand to hand when the battel is set in array and pila minantia pilis Can thy heart endure or thy hands be strong in the day when God thus dealeth with thee Ezek. 22.14 When Death is represented in its most ordinary habit this ghastly Skeleton armed with Scyth and Spade beset with the skulls and bones of dead men as trophyes of its multiplied conquests how dismally doth it look how far from the aspect of one that designs to court delicate Ladies yea more like to a Mormo designed to affright mankind But especially when it clothes it self in an habit of extraordinary terror when it appears in the scarlet cloak of a violent calenture in the purple robes of a pestilential feaver when it enamels its weapons with the stone or stains them
Victory over Death A SERMON PREACHED At Steeple-Ashton in the County of Wilts upon the 27th day of April 1676. AT THE FUNERAL OF Mr. Peter Adams The late Reverend Pious and Industrious Minister of Gods Word there Sometime Fellow of Vniversity-Colledge in Oxford By Paul Latham P. S. and V. W. Rom. 8.37 In all these things we are more than Conquerours through him that loved us London Printed by H. C. for Edward Gellibrand at the Golden Ball in St. Pauls-Church-Yard 1676. To my worthy and much respected Friend Mrs. Margaret Adams the sorrowful Relict of the deceased And to the rest of his near and dear Relations My Dear Friends VIctory over death as it was one of the blessed fruits of our Saviours death and resurrection and is one of the glorious priviledges of those that believe in him so if it had been represented unto you by the hand of that happy Comprehensor who now triumpheth in the accomplishment of it might have appeared like Apelles his Picture drawn by his own hand or like Cesars Conquests by himself recorded in his own Commentaries But that the Discourse upon it fell into an hand so unsuitable to the subject the misfortune is imputable to the charity of him that made his survey of the person with the charitable eye of a Friend and committed a matter of such weight like a beautiful Face to a sorry Limner or a rare Atchievement to an unskilful Herald only because he had a kindness for him That the representation of this Victory appeareth without the Walls where it was once divulged stands charged upon your candour that entertained this sudden production with more friendliness than the Parent had for it I shall not mention either the shortness of the time alotted for the composure or the intervening occasions that disturbed it nor yet the little leasure I had for reviewing and transcribing the Notes but leave it to the courteous interpretation of those that by knowing how to do far better do know also how to bear with the imperfections of others For your own parts I look upon your request for making this publick as the desire of true Friends to retain the Picture of a deceased Brother when the Prototype is removed from them Or like the ambition of the primitive Christians to preserve the memory of the Martyrs and Confessors that were gone before them and had taken heaven by violence Mat. 11.12 He hath run his part of the Christian Race and hath delivered the Lamp to us that are left God grant that we may not be slothful but followers of him and of all others who through faith and patience do inherit the promises Heb. 6.12 Though I know you have other and greater matters to draw you to hasten homeward yet I presume this will make an addition to the rest that you may be joined to our good Friend that sleepeth and to the rest of that general Assembly and Church of the First-born that are written in Heaven even to the Spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12.23 I doubt not but you have those comforts from Gods good Spirit that will support you under so great a loss And that this small memorial of our Reverend Friend may be a mean to stir up you and his late Parishioners and all others that may cast their eyes upon these lines to fight the good fight of Faith that they may attain victory in the great conflict and finally attain everlasting life is the hearty Prayer of Your sympathizing Friend and unworthy Brother Paul Latham Warmister May 22 1676. Victory over Death A SERMON ON 1 CORINTH XV. 57. But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ IF the Interment of a good Christian afford matter of solemn thoughts to that Minister who seriously considers such men to be as the Grape-gleanings of the Vintage Mic. 7.1 If the parting with a dear and intimate Friend be tedious to him that considers such an one to be more pretious than the Gold of Ophir If the translation of a dear Brother and faithful Labourer from serving God in his Church on earth to attending on him and enjoying him in heaven do cause sad thoughts of heart in him that duly surveys the greatness of the Harvest Once more if the removal of a Minister that was in his life time a burning and shining light be to a considerate Parishioner like the setting of the Sun in the Firmament Then all these circumstances combined in the sad occasion of this solemn Assembly may justly render it very mournful to me To whom the greatness of grief might most justly have enjoined silence had not the earnest request of our Reverend Brother now with God which had the power of a command upon me appointed speaking to be my work this day Who if he had also thought fit to have suggested words for my subject at this time they might have been like the Mantle of Elijah attended with some of his Spirit and thereby being dead he would once more have spoken unto you Heb. 11.4 But seeing it was his pleasure to repose that confidence in me as to leave the choice of a subject to the conduct of my own thoughts I shall not disappoint his expectation by gratifying my own passion For then to express my tender brotherly affection I might have insisted upon such words as those of David I am distressed for thee my Brother Jonathan very pleasant hast thou been unto me thy love to me was wonderful passing the love of women 2 Sam. 1.26 Or rather to express a more honourable and reverent affection more suitable to my juniority in years and deficiency in attainments I might have spoken of him and by a figure to him in such words as those of the King of Israel to the Prophet My father my father the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof 2 King 13.14 But instead of humouring my self which would be a very unsuitable design in him that steps up into the Chair of so worthy and self-denying a man of God I shall rather chuse to represent unto you your late Reverend Minister now dead in living colours and in his example and attainments to set before you at once your duty and happiness in obtaining a glorious and comfortable victory over death And for this end I have chosen to insist upon this portion of Scripture Thanks be to God which hath given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Which words are the result of the Apostles joyful preapprehending by the eye of Faith that victory which shall hereafter be compleated to Believers over the last great enemy Ver. 54. He stretcheth forward his head to look unto this 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 Whereupon he subjoineth a confident challenge to death or rather he manfully defieth
men are killed all the day long they are not only victors but more than conquerors Rom. 8.36 37. And even in dying they are troubled but not distressed they are perplexed but not in despair persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed 2 Cor. 4.9 More particularly First they are victors over the fear of Death That fear that ariseth from an apprehension of turning their backs upon the fruit of their labours they overcome by considering that in heaven they have a better and more enduring substance Heb. 10.34 Even an inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for them 1 Pet. 1.4 That which springs from the thoughts of the dissolution of this beautiful and majestick piece of Gods workmanship which hath been so much adored and deified Phil. 3.19 is overcome by considering that if their earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved they have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens 2 Cor. 5.1 That which ariseth from the preapprehension of the pains of death in the violent ejecting of this old inhabitant the Soul from its beloved mansion the Body is overcome by considering both the necessity of this violence and our being but once molested with it which are thoughts that offer themselves to all mens consideration and withall that Death is a passage though a strait one unto life a Porter though a rugged and surly one that lets us into the Palace of the great King And who will dread that which delivers him from so much sin and misery and puts him into possesion of so great good in another place though like the Angels to Lot it use some friendly violence in haling him hence Gen. 19.16 This makes a good man not only to submit to death and say the will of the Lord be done Act. 21.14 and it is the Lord let him do what seemeth good in his sight 1 Sam. 3.18 but further to be desirous to depart and to be with Christ as esteeming that to be far better Phil. 1.23 yea to groan being burdened desiring to be clothed upon with their house which is from heaven 2 Cor. 5.2 and to account Death as great gain Phil. 1.21 Secondly they are conquerors over the pains of Death which are a great evil and sorely pressing to humane nature These a good man overcomes not so as to be exempt from the same exquisite sense of pain which other persons feel yea God is ofttimes pleased for most wise and gracious ends to exercise the best of men under most tedious and exquisite pains But yet they are conquerors in the conflict though the encounter be sharp Partly through that great measure of Patience which God gives them under his hand which then hath the best opportunity for shewing its perfect work Jam. 1.3 And it is a glorious victory when patience holds out to the end and this strong man cannot be brought to bow under the greatest burden of extremity that can be laid upon it witness the case of Job whose invincible patience under the greatest sufferings was to the glory of God and to his own comfort and ease at present and future honour Partly through the strength of that other grace of Faith whereby they look unto that fatherly hand that lays these things upon them and thereby are not only drawn to a filial submission which gives ease to the mind under sufferings but also take the advantage of deriving comfort from him that smites and will also heal them So that when the outward man decayeth the inward is renewed day by day 2 Cor. 4.16 And withall this grace enables a good man to look up into Heaven in the midst of the pains of Death as St. Stephen did Act. 7.55 and to see his Saviour there standing ready to receive him to himself in glory And this makes him though not to hate his own body nor simply to desire to be unclothed yet willing and desirous to be clothed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life 2 Cor. 5.4 and comfortably to bear those difficult methods whereby the divine wisdom thinks it fit to bring this to pass Thirdly over the sting of Death There is a sharp and poysonous thing put into the tayl of this Serpent through our transgressing the Law of God and this is that which is most dreadful in Death to a considering person and that which even a Roman courage could not prevail to master But a Christian finds that in the word of God that fortifies him against this also Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect it is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth it is Chirst that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for us who shall separate us from the love of Christ I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8.33 34 35 38 39. Here then is the strong man disarmed the Lions mouth shut the Serpents sting taken from him Fourthly over the Power of Death To reason not improved by the supplemental light of divine revelation it seemed incredible that God should raise the dead Acts 26.8 And to him that considers the severity of Gods justice it might seem that when the judg should have delivered us to the officer and he cast us into prison we must by no means come out thence till we should have paid the utmost farthing Math 5.25 26. That is never at all But when we consider that as Christ was delivered for our offences so he rose again for our justification Rom. 4.25 we may thence very reasonably conclude that he that raised up the Lord Jesus from the dead will also quicken our mortal bodies Rom. 8.11 And upon this account a good man hath confident hopes of victory over the power of Death and can say I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth And though after my skin worms destroy this flesh yet with mine eyes shall I see God Job 19.26 The precedent discourse being reflected upon may be useful First to shew us the excellency of the Christian faith above all other notions of a Deity that have been entertained in the world in that it enables us for the great conflict and gives us victory over the worst of our enemies Indeed the ancient Romans have shewed themselves sufficiently audacious in looking death in the face but their confidence was supported by slender props Amor patriae laudumque immensa cupido a desire to advance and enlarge the City whereof they were freemen and to erect a monument of their own praise to posterity this made them prodigal of their lives and fearless of death But a Christian hath a desire to depart hence that he may be near unto Christ and upon a full and
his own body there before us This Unicorn by dipping his own horn before-hand hath rendred these waters safe and wholsome So that we shall rest in our graves as in beds every man that hath walk'd before him in his uprightness Isa 57.2 Fourthly he hath vanquished the power of death by his resurrection Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who of his abundant mercy hath begotten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 1 Pet. 1.3 Hereby he shewed to the World that he had by death overcome him that had the power of death even the Devil Heb. 2.14 Yea that he hath not only commanded a passage for himself whom death could not possibly hold any longer than was necessary for the satisfying of Divine Justice Acts 2.24 but hath also taken away the keys of power from this surly Porter and made way for his own people to follow him And because I live ye shall live also Joh. 14.19 Fifthly he killed the Hopes of death by his Ascension Thereby he made it evident that he had fully accomplished his mediatory Function upon earth and that Christ being risen from the dead dieth no more death must have no more dominion over him Rom. 6.9 that he should no more submit to take on him the form of a servant and to be obedient to death Phil. 2.8 And consequently it may encourage Believers that as it is appointed for men once to die Heb. 9.27 so this trouble shall be dispatched at once so that they that have part in the first resurrection over them the second death shall have no power Rev. 20.6 Sixthly he shall destroy the very being of death at the last day Death hath its commission extended to the end of this World and then the rod that hath so long been used for the trial and chastisement of mankind shall it self be cast into the fire The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death 1 Cor. 15.26 Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written I will ransom them from the power of the grave I will redeem them from death O death I will be thy plagues O grave I will be thy destruction repentance is hid from mine eyes Hos 13.14 As consequents of this that hath been last spoken First we may consider how glorious was the Conquest of Christ in his sufferings Well might it be said that he was made perfect by them Heb. 2.10 For he obtained by dearh a most compleat victory over death in all its circumstances and over him that had the power of death both for himself and also for all his people Secondly therefore how great was God's love in sending his Son into the World Joh. 3.16 So God loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son Scarcely for a righteous man would one die Yet peradventure for a good or useful man some might be found that would even dare to dye But God commended his love to us in that when we were so far from being good and useful men that we were not so much as righteous and innocent men yet in due time Christ dyed even for the ungodly Rom. 5.7 8. Thirdly let us hence learn to fly unto Christ and to secure our interest in him This is the way to have a right to that comfort that flows from his incarnation and death and thereby to have satisfaction and comfort both in our life time and at our death to be secure under the preapprehensions of it and to entertain it with joy and comfort when it cometh If his wrath be kindled yea but a little blessed are all they that put their trust in him therefore let us kiss the Son Psal 2.11 12. and give all diligence to make our calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 let us examine our selves whether we be in the faith and prove and know our own selves whether Christ Jesus be formed in us 2 Cor. 13.5 that when death shall summon us to an encounter we may be victorious over it Fourthly let the redeemed of the Lord walk with joy and thankfulness before him as in a sense of all other his mercies so particularly of this blessed fruit of our Saviours death and resurrection the glorious victory thereby obtained for us over death Bless the Lord O our souls and all that is within us bless his holy name Bless the Lord our souls and forget not all his benefits Who forgiveth all our iniquities who healeth all our diseases Who redeemeth our life from destruction who crowneth us with loving-kindness and tender mercies Psal 103.1 2 3 4. And let us walk chearfully before God in a sense of our great priviledg amongst all the troubles of the world that accompany us in our abode here and under the thoughts of leaving this world at last forasmuch as this last enemy is vanquished let us not fear any thing else but under our dependencies let us call up our souls to a more comfortable and chearful temper let us chide away dejectedness and drooping and say why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me Hope in God for I shall yet praise him who is the help of my countenance and my God Ps 42.11 And that I may come to a closer application of the point and pass à thesi ad hypothesin this victory over death which I might have been representing unto you from the words of the Apostle as attainable by a Christian and his singular priviledg was no doubt the acquisition and priviledg of our dear and reverend Brother whose Remains we are now assembled to inter And for that reason I have insisted upon this subject to press us all to imitate him in fighting for the same victory The name of the wicked shall rot saith the wise man but the memory of the just shall be blessed Pr. 10.7 Of wicked Jehoram it is said he departed without being desired 2 Chr. 21.20 But of good Jehoiadah and I am now speaking of a Priest though not an High Priest that the people did him honour at his death because he had done good in Israel ch 24.16 The wicked leaves the world like a filthy Lamp leaving an offensive stench in the Nostrils of all that knew him but a Good man ends his dayes like a Wax-taper that exchangeth its pleasant and useful light for the grateful scent it leaves behind it The Psalmist tells us That precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Ps 116.15 And our Lord Jesus Christ when he conversed with men on earth when Lazarus a good man was dead although as man he believed his Soul to be removed to present Bliss and as God he knew that he should return to life again in this world being free from those turbulent Passions that are our sin and at once our burden it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jo. 11.33 He troubled himself and expressed his trouble of mind by