sayes the flesh it may be of a Saint I am afraid of the paines of death in dying truly this is a feare of our owne creating for how many thousands goe out of the World when standers by can scarce tell whether they sleepe or dye but grant it that the paines of death be strong upon thy flesh yet take this with thee it is all the paines that ever thy flesh shall beare men to live a dying life are oftentimes content to have their limes cut from their bodies which I beleeve is far more paine to the body then when death cracks it to let out the soule but the gaine farre exceedeth thus is soule and body at ease both when the body is but the dying of one limbe a little before the rest of the body it is but the deferring of death and it may be many deaths assaults the body in that time this is but a bugbeare in the fancie to fright children not worth the nameing among Saints let God breake what he will when he will and how he will he makes all good againe to his people in himselfe it was Christs end in taking the sting from death not to leave any ground of feare for his people so that beleeving Saints through Christ may truly glory in and over death in all the feares of it Fourthly Believing Saints through Christ may glory over death in the manner of it Whether it be according to the termes we use for distinction either naturall or violent death yet to a Saint through Christ it is in both but death without a sting and that which our flesh cals the worst of these the violent death God hath and doth make to be the portion of many of his deare Saints the Prophets Apostles and those glorious primitive Christians did many if not most of them drinke of this cup and did it with so much joy in God that the Tyrants of those times were more unable to invent cruel deaths then they were to undergoe them and the reason is visible for though these deaths had the cruelty of man in them yet there was also the kindnesse of God in them Christ had taken away the sting of death which was sin and though men might adde to their cruelty yet they could put no sting into death The Martyrs of late times as Histories tels us have gone leaping and rejoycing to the stake being joyfull in the embracing of flames and as one said to his fellow Martyr Be of good cheere though our break-fast be sowre yet our supper will be sweete in Heaven As if hee had said though these flames brings smarts with them yet they will put an end to all smâ—rts this is all the sting that is in death and it will soon have an end we shall sup with our beloved Jesus and abide in that love for ever it is sin in death that makes it bitter what ever the manner be but if finne be taken away there is no sting in death let the manner be what it wil it is all one to a Saint where he meets with Death whether in the field or at home in his bed whether it takes him in his greatest streÌ„gth with his bones ful of marow in his dâ—câ—ying state when his eyes grow dimme and his other faculties faile he mindes not the manner of dying but the matter of death death is without a sting so that where when or how death comes into his bosome that is of little value with him he on 〈◊〉 this to find death a friend without its sting and then through Christ he glories in and over both matter and manner of death Fifthly A believing Saint through Christ may glory over death in the ends of it There is two maine ends in Death which is proper to Saints The first is to put an end to a dying life to finish that worke which begins so soone as wee begin to live in these bodies of clay man begins to dye so soon as he beginâ— to livâ— because the whole life is but a progresse of death or a dying life all the time we live we dye invisible and when we dye indeed it is but vâ—sible death that which we carry about with us in the world then appeares to carry us out of the world that which sleepes with us many a short sleepe now casteth us into one â—â—ng sleep this is properly the end of death in Saints to put an end to all dying for it is a reall truth though a mistery to the world that Saints dye whilst they live and live when they dye So that this end of death is a Saints glory not his griefe not what he feares but what he hopes for counting himselfe most miserable of all men if Deaths end were not to put an end to his dying life The other maine end in death is To plucke up the flowers of heaven that growes in the earth by the rootes that they may be planted in their owne kingdome and flourish there for ever I meane those precious souâ—es of Saints which are here enclosed in those earthly mâ—ulds of our bodies by which the beauty of those heavenly flâ—wers are exceedingly short of that glory they shall have with Christ above and doe many times taste and savour of the earth they grow in Christ is the proper roote of those branches and Heaven the only place for them to grow and flourish in Now death comes only to transplant them from Earth to Heaven to crrumble that clay into dust which holds these flowers of heaven so fast that they cannot get home into their owne kingdome Now a Saint may well glory over this end of Death for Death is herein the soules servant to have it home to glory and to unprison it from all the bonds it lyes under But lastly A believing Saint through Christ may glory over Death in its victory My meaning is the victory which Saints have over death death in the wil of God lays Saints to sleep in their corruptible bodies But Saints through their union with Christ rise againe that in incorruption though it goe to the dust corrupt and noisome clay in dishonour and in weaknesse like a natural body yet Christ will raise it againe a spirituall body full of power and glory There is no losse to Saints in dying no not to their corruptible flesh for that hath an interest in Christ and Christ having conquered death for his people though their bodies shal by death be sown in incorruption yet they shall not lye there for ever the grave shall have no vâ—ctory but shall give up its dead and such as rise in Christ shall rise as Christ spirituall bodyes though the Earth shall have leave to roote the corruption of the body of Saints yet Christ will preserve his interest and raise it as the fruit of his redemption resurrection even a spirituall body Death hath its office and the grave its proper worke but Christ hath the command of both when death
is the light of the Spirit Now we have all this freedome because the Son hath made us free by bearing those burthens for us and what Christ hath borne for a believer that a believer is fully redeemed from Thirdly Christ hath borne the punishment due to sinne for us See this in Isa Isa 35 4 5.8.10 11. 35.4 5.8.10 11. Observe the Text. Surely he borne our griefes and carried our sorrowes Hee was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed For the transgressions of my people was he smitten It pleased the Lord to bruise him and to put him to griefe to make his soule an offering for sinne and he shall see of the travell of his soule and be satisfied I know not how fuller expressions should be made to set out this thing That Christ hath borne the punishment due to sin for the believer as fully as he hath the sinnes themselves With his stripes we are healed that is the punishment of our sins which he did beare for us so that as the wrath of God due to sinne we shall never beare them again for what Christ hath borne for us he hath delivered us from the bearing of it in our owne persons otherwise Christ dyed in vaine and this Text is not made good if we be not healed by his stripes Now if the punishment be not taken from the believer as well as the sinne how is the wounds of that soule healed by the stripes that Christ bore for it And if any shall say God made Christ to beare the believers sinnes but the believer must beare the punishment due to those sins though Christ was wounded bruised and chastised for them Such an affirmation will beare very hard upon the justice of God and question that truth of our Saviour upon the crosse that he had finished the worke of redemption part of which is the punishment as well as the sinne I verily believe when Christ bore the curse of the law he did beare the punishment due to all the sinnes of all his people and though I doe believe that God chastiseth every child whom hee loveth yet those chastnings are the fruits of his love and not of his wrath Christ hath borne all that in being made a curse for us Lastly Christ hath borne death for us as it is the wages of sinne 1 Cor. 15.53 to the end By which meanes death is swallowed up of victory The sting of death which is sinne and the strength of sinne which is the law have lost themselves their strength when they entered into Christ so that now a believer can blesse God that through Christ he hath victory over death sin hell law and grave and why so Why because Christ hath gone through he hath borne and overcome all these for us and wee are more then conquerours through Christ that strengthens us We are more because none of these can conquer Christ but he hath to all eternity overcome them for us This sting of death is swallowed up of victory for it is buried in the wounds of Christ but Christ is risen and is at the right hand of God and because he lives we live also John 14.19 Joh. 14.19 The second observation is this Observ 2 What-ever the free grace of God hath taken off from his Elect and laid upon Jesus Christ that his divine justice neither can nor will at any time to all eternity lay upon the elect soule againe This is justice sutable to his covenant of grace in the 31. of Jer. 34. For I will forgive their iniquities Jer. 31.34 remember their sinnes no more The faithfull God engages himselfe to remember his peoples sins no more and to make it good he layes them upon Christ which satisfieth his justice and carryeth our sins into the land of Forgetfulnesse Doe but observe how Gods justice as well as his mercy is engaged to make good this his owne covenant of grace For the law of creation that was doe and live self could not doe therefore selfe must dye Now surely the law of grace is not stricter then the law of creation so that Christ having fulfilled the whole law and performed every tittle of his Fathers will for us the justice of God is engaged to acquit Christ who hath paid the utmost farthing in him to acquit us for whom he hath made this full satisfaction As it was free grace in God to make us one with Christ so it is compleate justice that wee live in Christ who hath dyed for us And what ever Christ as the gift of free grace hath borne for us God in justice will never lay upon his elect in Christ again Whoever will deny this must deny God to be just and his covenant of lesse value then the covenant of a faithfull man his grace neither free nor full grace Christ not a compleat Saviour and then his death of no effect Now looke backe upon this truth and you shall behold sin the curse of the law punishment due to sin from the law of creation and death with its sting in it all borne by Christ for his elect body so that they shall never beare any of them more in their owne persons then glory in the free grace of God and the full redemption of Jesus Christ Thirdly Observ 3 Observe here the exceeding love that Christ shewes to those poore soules which his Father hath given him That hee would take upon himselfe the curse of the law the punishment of sinne due to fallen man and all this to redeeme them which his Father had given him though they lay under sin law punishment and death It had been great love and condiscention in Christ being God only to have taken our nature though he had never taken any thing else But then what love is this to take our sins and all that followed sin upon him Hee hath borne that weight for us which would have pressed us to hell if we had lain under it in our owne strength Rom. 5.8 These are heighths and breadths and depths and lengths of love Rom. 5.8 This commends love indeed to choose to beare all evill to deliver the sinner from it and by the same act to involve the sinner into all good Fourthly Observ 4 Observe from hence the glorious condition of a soule in union with Christ hee is taken up into the glory of God the bosome of his love he lives because Christ lives and as Christ lives above sin above a condemning reigning law above the punishment of sin and above death as it is the wages of sin above all that is below God Our fellowship saith the Text is with the Father and the Sonne and these things we write unto you that your joy may be full It is a life in the spirit above the flesh a feasting upon the fat things in Gods house and a resting upon the full
or parted God every tittle of revealed truth which is Christ written out by the Spirit it is all God and Christ in one and this Spirit that reveales Christ to the world in the word and to the believer in his soule this Spirit is God too that so all within the soule is God all about the soule is God and all comes from the soule is God and this is the freedome the believer in his conscience hath from the law in the letter it is not destroyed but established It is taken out of the hand of Moses the servant and put into the hand of Christ the Sonne it is not made void but fulfilled for us and in us who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Now behold the Law in its glory changed from law to Gospel from letter to spirit from Moses to Christ from death to life from an angry God to a loving Father as it is Gospel so it is Spirit 't is Christ yea it is God himselfe On the glory of that Law which is God not only declaring the mind will of God but in the spirit of love filling the soule with strength to obey from whence we find Christ in the Gospel calling upon those that love him to keepe his Commandements God Christ and the Spirit being in the Law it becomes the law of life when the law had in it but a naked demonstration what a Creator might justly require of a fallen creature but gave no strength it is held forth under the termes of the law of sinne and death by which it had not that glory to invite a poore soule to looke on it because the soule could see nothing but its death in it but as Christ being made under the law to redeem them that were under the law hath satisfied his and our Father fully in it for us so hee hath turned this law into his law of love into Gospel into Spirit into himselfe and his Father Now this law hath that beauty which allures and takes every beleeving soule nature turned into grace it is now meate and drinke to a believer to doe the will of God in the Spirit First This will let us truly to understand who they be that be Antinomians Those that deny the Law if I may judge I should say it is those that would keepe it in the hand of the servant out of the Sonne what can be a greater denying of it then to keepe it in the Letter out of the Spirit to rob it of that glory which is God and Christ in the Spirit What soule dare put it selfe under the Law out of Christ when in so doing it makes it selfe a debter to the whole law And as the Apostle in Gal. 3.10 11. sayes So many as are under the workes of the law are under the curse of the law and under that law which can never justifie before God Now to keepe the law in such a state as this is will make every soule shun it not daring to come under it as seeing nothing but death in it Sathan is the soules greatest enemy in darkning it with legall principles that it sees not Christ so are those the greatest enemies to the holy just and good law of God that would pul that nature of Christ in his Spirit from it and leave it still the law of the letter in the hand of Moses when God and Christ hath made it Gospel-law the law of love in the Spirit The law may here complain as the Spouse did of those watch-men that rent her vaile those that rend Christ from the law rend the beautifull vaile the glory of the law from it These holds forth the law dead like Lazarus in the grave stinking and those that follow it weeping Or as Pharoah to the children of Isael doubling the tale of bricks and giving no straw what glory is there in this But those that hold out the Law in the Spirit holds it not only forth as a law that lives but a law that gives life so farre from requiring the tale of bricke to be doubled and give no straw that in every duty it brings Christ in whence we are able to doe all things This makes it plainely appeare who they be which deny the law and may justly be distinguished by the name of Antinomians Againe this exhorts Saints that seeing it is part of the redemption of the blood of Christ That no law but the law of love the spirit of life in Christ should rule or reigne in the conscience of a believer To take the counsell of the Apostle in Gal. 5.1 Stand fast therefore in that liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not entangled againe with the yoake of bondage God hath not given nor Saints received the spirit of bondage againe to feare but the pirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father This is the life of our lives to live in the spirit It is the great promise of the Gospel to give the Spirit This would I know when doth the soule feast but when God spreads tables of love and in the Spirit bids us eate my beloved eate abundantly and be satisfied Nature teaches the outward man to stand for liberty oh then what should grace doe how should this stirre us up to stand for that liberty which is our life loose this and loose all your spirituall life in a moment doe but once looke on the law out of Christ and it will be with us as those in 2 Cor. 3.15 But even to this day when Moses is read the vaile is upon their hearts This vaile will be a vaile of darknesse that the soule shall not see Christ in propriety in any of his offices benefits or merits If any or all these be deare oh then stand fast in this liberty wherewith Christ bath made us free This is that freedome the Sonne hath made which is freedome indeed But if the Sonne make us not free then are we bond men to eternity If thy heart be hard looke on him whom you have piereed and then shall it be evangelically melted If sinne sting thy conscience looke on him that is is lifted up which the brazen Serpent typified this is our freedome and Christs prerogative the governement is on his shoulders he is that King and his Spirit that Law which is only to reigne in the conscience of his people Why should not our soules count deare of that which is so deare to Christ and all his people This is that glory Christ will not give to another therefore this is that glory wee should only give to Christ Oh then admire and extoll for ever this glory of the riches of the free-grace of God in Christ that hath freely given this state of grace this glorious state to us that were by nature the children of wrath as well as others It doth not yet appear what we shall be so that more glory shall be then is yet revealed but our soules must confesse that
Seeking those things which are above where Christ fitteth on the right hand of GOD. Having its affections on things above and not on things on the earth Col. 3.1 2. As Christ so Saints in the world have no other businesse but to doe the will of their Heavenly Father Now truly the consideration of this may well put all Saints upon that great work of selfe-examination We are apt enough to see a mote in our brothers eye when wee overlooke the beame that is in our owne But it is the onely businesse of every Saint to live up Christ then it is worth the looking into our lives how much of Christ wee can find there what singlenesse of soule is in us to all the wayes will and worke of Christ whether we follow Christ for love or for the loaves For what hee is or for what hee gives Whether it be his love that constraines us to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts or whether feare of Hell shame or punishment stops the eyes pursute and stops the prractise of sinne Or whether our profession of godlinesse under what forme soever be to lift up Christ or selfe Whether if Heaven and Sinne might goe together we would not rather have sin live in our souls then Christ Whether that the profession of godlinesse which we seem so much to delight in be not a burthen to us in the power and life of it Whether that day in which Christ is most and selfe least in our souls be best to the souls content Whether it be the souls desire petition at the throne of grace to be unselft in every thing and that Christ may be all in all whether the soul doth indeed count that a lost day hour or moment in which he doth not in some measure lift up Christ and declare the in-dwelling of Christ in his soule by the out-goings of Christ in his life It is worthy a soules examination how the olde man dyeth and the new man is renewed in him day by day how pride and passion is brought under the feete of Christ in our soules how through Christ that loves us we are more then conquerours over sin and selfe by the love of Christ that conquers them in us and enableth us by his love to live like conquerours rejoycing and glorying in the free grace of our God the new creature is Christ in truth and truths as they are in Jesus godlinesse in power and the power of godlinesse holinesse in its beauty and the beauty of holinesse God in the Spirit and the Spirit of God heavenly mindednesse and a mind in heaven it is living and walking in the Spirit it is a soule united to Christ Christ in it and it in Christ Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature CHAP. X. Vanity and vexation of spirit compasseth all things under the sun Eccles Chap. 1. vers 14. I have seene all the workes that are done under the Sunne and behold all is vanity and vexation of spirit THIS Scripture is the testimony of the Wise man concerning all things under the Sunne and it is so upon seeing and trying all these things In the verse before this he tels us hee gave his heart to seeke and to search out by wisdome concerning the things that are done under heaven He hath attained the beholding of what he gave hie heart to seeke so that both seeking and seeing in wisdome he findes all to be vanity and vexation of spirit The vanity of the whole creation is the subject matter of all his booke He begins it thus in this first Chap. and 2d vers Vanity of vanities saith the Preacher Vanity of vanities all is vanity His heart is so full of the matter that hee doubles the sentence and as he begins with it in the generall so in his whole booke he followes the same subject in the particulars of it concludes his booke with the same generall in Chap. 13. vers 8. Vanity of vanities saith the Preacher all is vanity The Psalmist in Psalm 144. vers 4. Bears witnesse to this truth in the top-branch of all the creation Man saith he is like to vanity and he proves it for his dayes are as a shadow that passeth away And in Psalm 62.9 takes in men of high and low degree in the proofe of this generall truth Surely men of low degrees are vanity and men of high degrees are a lye to be laid in the ballance they are altogether lighter then vanity the vanity of the creature is a subject well worthy the study of a wise christian and truly none but Christ our wisdome can give us light into this vanity for method sake wee will draw out one generall truth which I thinke is visible in this Scripture That upon true discovery and knowledge of all things under the Sunne we shall finde them vanity and vexation of spirit For the proofe of this truth let us search the Scripture and our owne experience the wise man to prove this truth begins with man in his labour in his first Chap. vers 3 4. What profit hath a man of all his labour under the Sunne for he stayes not to keepe any fruit of his labour but passeth away one generation goeth and another commeth So in Chap. 2. vers 22 23. Man reapeth no content from all his labours under the sunne They fill him full of sorrow travell and griefe and at last he cannot lye downe and rest in them They are a bed of thornes unfit for rest yea when the poore creature comes to lye down indeed and sleep that sleep of death it find â—s no rest in all its labours under the Sun of what kinde soever So in Chap. 1.6 9.17 18 19. verses He tels us mans labour under these vanities is so great that he cannot utter it and that without any satisfaction though what is pursued be enjoyed For though the eye see yet it is not satisfied with seeing and though the eare doe he are yet it is not filled with hearing The creature can never give so long and so much till that which receives from it saith it hath enough though it give objects to the eye yet the eye wants more objects then it can give and though it offers to fill the eare yet the eare is not filled with all that it can give there is no new thing under the Sunne but that which hath been shall be and that which is done is that which shall be done So that though I give my heart to know all things wisdome madnesse and folly yet I find nothing new in them And in stead of content in all this variety of knowledge I found vexation of spirit for I will tell you the best and then judge you the rest In much wisdome is much griefe and he that encreaseth knowledge encreaseth sorrow And if this be the best of the best who can tell what is the worst of the worst he comes to particulars in Chap. 2. vers 1. he
not made with hands but eternal in the heavens 2 Cor. 5.1 This wil be lasting glory when as the longest day the worldlings glory lives is but till the earthly tabernacles bee dissolved their joy and glory amounts to no more then the crackling of thornes under a pot it is certainly perishing because it is not God himselfe It were well if Saints did not suck in too much of this perishing glory But there is another glory which Saints too often sit down in and too much make their boasts of which is short of the true subject of glory even GOD himselfe And that is Circumcision and Uncircumcision Paul Apollo and Cephas externals formes outsides somethings in the way of God when they should only glory in the end God himselfe a soule that truly lives in God submits to all the will of God and walkes in all the wayes of God revealed to it by the Spirit but lookes upon them all as below his rest Hee can fixe and glory in none but God himselfe it pleaseth God through meane things to make known himselfe to his people and to have communion with his people in but hee contrives and makes up the salvation the life rest and glory of his people in his owne eternal love and free-grace and would not have his people lye downe in the streames but passe through them into the Ocean of his owne bosome of love and free-grace it wil be a smal advantage when Christ comes to make up his jewels for any soule to say I was of this Church or of that known by this name or the other Circumcised or not circumcised availes not at that day Christ lookes for the new creature his owne image the worke of the eternal love and free grace of God in every soule The glory of that day will be God is mine and I am his His free-grace is my salvation and my salvation is the worke and fruits of his owne eternal love and free-grace Therefore sayes the Apostle in 1 Cor. 3.22 23. Let no man glory in man for all things are Gods whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are Gods and yee are Christs and Christ is Gods Glory not in man nor any thing comes by man all these are yours in that great gift the Lord Jesus Christ glory in him then you have a right subject for your glory namely God Paul and Apollo is yours to use but not to glory in Christ and God in Christ is the only centre for a Saint to rest and glory in Oh then away with any lower glory then the Lord himselfe hee is a never failing glory at his right hand are glories for evermore In the 21. of Revel 23. The glory of God is the light of the new Jerusalem and the Lamb is the light thereof It is only God in Christ that is the glory of heavenly soules therefore let such soules glory in nothing else It is very unbecoming the heires of Canaan to take up their glory in the Wildernesse provision much lesse to hunger after the Onyons of Aegypt It is not huskes with Swine but bread in our Fathers house that is our portion as children then surely our glory should be in God and in Christ the bread of life all lower glories are the sin and shame of Saints and when Gods people doe take up lower glories it pleaseth the Lord in much mercy to take away those dung glories that his people may be ashamed to glory in any thing but himselfe who is the everlasting God in as much as the riches of the eternal love and free-grace of God hath made himselfe the inheritance of his people and their glory It is not presumption but true interest and duty for every Saint in point of glory to overlooke al of this side God himselfe and not to rest but in the eternal original love and free-grace of God I shall conclude with this cordial truth to all the people of God Your real and proper glory can never be taken from you because 't is God himselfe the World may hate and persecute Saints because of this but they shall never be able to strippe us of our glory it may be they thinke to doe it when they shal scatter Churches and Saints from one another but this is their darkenesse they know not Saints proper glory God himselfe is their glory he is the glory of all Church-fellowship and communion with Saints Worldlings are mistaken if thy thinke to put out this glory though God doth many times make use of meanâ—s in which hee makes knowne himselfe yet hee is not bound up to meanes If the men of the World could so scatter Saints as they should never see the faces one of another more yet by this they cannot hinder them from seeing the face of God in Christ and this is Saints glory It is an unexpressable glory that our glory is in God and that God himselfe is his peoples glory though the malice of men seems to be boundlesse yet certainly their power is bounded they are in fetters and chaines before they come to their owne home though they may perfectly envy yet they cannot in the least disappoint or destroy Saints in their glory God can in a moment unpower and destroy them but they can never un-God him they cannot diminish his original eternal love and free-grace and rich mercy they cannot make him unjust or unfaithful nay they shal feele that he is both They cannot strip God of his holinesse righteousnesse purity power perfection infinitenesse and eternity therefore they cannot strippe Saints of their glory because God in all this and all he is is his peoples glory Saints have this glory above a dying World therefore above the reach of dying men Oh then Saints rejoyce in the Lord alwayes glory in God who is fulnesse of glory let the World see we have meate to eate which they know not of and a God to glory in which they can never hinder us of Let them see that wee are already risen with Christ into his glory and do know that if these earthly Tabernacles were dissolved nothing could hinder us of the ful enjoyment of our God in glory who is our God and our glory so that the Spirit of God hath imprinted in our hearts and lives this precious exhortation He that gloryeth let him glory in the Lord. CHAP. XIIII Saints have victory through Christ over Death and by faith glory in it 1 Cor. 15.55 56 57. verses 55. O Death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory 56. The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sin is the Law 57. But thankes be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ THE subject-matter of this whole Chapter is Death and the Resurrection from the Dead The generall scope of these three verses is Death and that under a two-fold consideration Death in its strength with its
sting and Death under victory bereaved of its sting Death is a generall subject it concernes all flesh for it reacheth puts a period to all flesh truly as this other Scriptures holds it forth it is a very weighty subject and is worthy of the most serious meditations and considerations of all dying flesh that is in this life but clay wals and prisons to immortal soules such fraile buildings Death shal certainely cracke and leave in the grave til they be crumbled to dust from whence they were taken but the weight of Death lies not barely in this as it puts a period to the being and breathing of all flesh but in the sting of death which is sin and the strength of sin which is the law and under these considerations the Apostle takes it in this Scripture and in vers 55. puts a holy triumphing question O Death where is thy sting Not that hee was ignorant what was the sting of Death for in the very next verse he tels us what is the sting of Death and the strength of that sting but hee puts the question to let Death know that in the free-grace of God through Jesus Christ he had victory over him As if he had said Death I know that sinne is thy sting and the law is the strength of sinne but this I know in the Spirit of God that Christ hath born my sins fulfilled the law and satisfied divine justice for my soule so that now Death thou hast no sting in thee for me Christ in taking sin from me hath taken thy sting from thee so that now Thanks be to God which giveth me victory through my Lord Jesus Christ I can with glory put this question to thee O Death where is thy sting Death shal certainly sit in the bosome looke in the face and close the eyes of all flesh but whether in this presence Death appeares a friend or an enemie whether with or without his sting this is the great maine thing to be enquired after to be resolved in this the soule must look up to Christ behold Death first in him To be more distinct upon this weighty subject take some particular heads and observations from the words First That union with Christ gives Death to sinne gives satisfaction to the law and victory over Death The Apostle doth acknowledge that sin is the sting of Death and that the law is the strength of sin but notwithstanding hee blesseth God for victory over Death through our Lord Jesus Christ so as that which giveth victory over Death must be the death of sin and the satisfaction of the law and that is saith the Text our Lord Jesus Christ union with propriety and interest in Christ Christ by dying for his elect body did not only save them from their sinnes in being made sinne for them 2 Cor. 5. last and redeemed them from the curse of the law being made a curse for them Gal. 3.13 But did thereby give us victory over Death Christ by taking away sin bereaves Death of his sting by which Christ conquers Death for all that have union with him and interest in him so that through Christ that loved us wee are conquerours over Death Death where it hath no sting can have no victory but the death of sinne is victory over Death Christ he overcomes sinne and Death by dying he dyes for his people and his conquest over Death was for them for whom he dyed so that a believing soule looking upon Death through Christ doth triumph as the Apostle here O death where is thy sting And doth with Christ reigne over Death as an enemie destroyed and put under his feete vers 25 26. The believing soule in its union with Christ is above Death as Christ is above it not but that the bodies of Saints shall for a time sleepe in the grave but Death being without its sting is in that but a servant to put Gods children to bed for a time till corruption shall have put on incorruption and mortality hath put on immortality and then shall be brought to passe the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in victory The 2d. Observation is this That such as dye not in union with Christ they dye under the sting and victory of Death Death is as I may say death only in the sting when the sting appeares in Death then and then only hath death a grim countenance it is sinne that puts the terrour into Death but when the sting of sinne was taken away the Apostle could glory in and over Death but to Christ lesse soules Death comes in its full power It is appointed for all men once to dye and after death to come to judgement Now to a Christ-lesse soule death and sin appeares together and the sting of Death which is sin will goe along with the soule to judgement this makes death to be dreadfull to such poore soules and here Death is not a servant to lay the body to sleepe but a Jayler to bring soule and body in sinne before the just and righteous Judge to a soule out of Christ it is death to thinke of appearing before a righteous and holy God but when Death comes and the soule must certainly appeare before this tribunall this is death indeed a thousand deaths in one to such a soule it is death to live because the sentence will be goe you cursed this shall be your curse you shall live for ever out of the presence and glorious enjoyment of the everliving holy glorious God the sting of death is sinne Where death and sinne meets in one soul there death stings to death and then it is truly death because it hath its sting and there sinne hath its strength the law of God to accuse and the curse of that law to condemne to all eternity thus is Death in strength to Christ-lesse soules soules not in union with Christ I intend not in this meditation to take in all the parts of this subject for then I should be very large Nor shall I in this place take into consideration how Christ hath delivered his people from sinne and the curse of the law though both are proper to this Scripture because I have done it in some other parts of this booke I shall take that for granted and confine my meditations to that which I judge to be chiefe upon the Apostles spirit in this Scripture which is namely this The glory and excellency of Saints as we may glory in and triumph over Death through our Lord Jesus Christ First a Saint through Christ may glory over death in the very nature of it Death here is no death the sting being taken away it hath as it were lost its nature it is changed it is not what it was at first it is the nature of Death to devoure and destroy that appeares by the sting which is sin but through Christ Death is bereaved of this power having lost its sting in stead of a destroyer
it becomes a servant not only to God but to Saints also Death is through Christ a servant to all Saints to waite on them till they have finished their worke on Earth in the will of God and then layes them to rest in the dust It waits till all the worke be done and then doth its worke in the appointment of God resting the weary body from its labours cracking the clay walls that the thirsting soule may meete its Beloved in perfection of glory so meet as never to part more but to be for ever with the Lord to behold the love of God in glory and be for ever swallowed up in the glory of that love Death which in it selfe is grim and frightfull is through Christ to a Saint welcome and pleasing because it comes without a sting and hath no other businesse but to serve Gods end in freeing both soule and body sets the foule free from the body of death and the body from a weary and toilesome life Death is but a sleep in which the body lyes till at the glorious appearance of Christ it riseth incorruptible the nature of death is through Christ but to be our Fathers messenger to bring us home that we may see his reconciled face in glory and enjoy the mansions prepared for us that wee may tast the love of his heart know him in himselfe reape the full harvest of all our hopes possessing glory above the life of faith our feasting in heaven will be fruitions not a crown of glory in promise only but in possession the joyes the hopes the desires of a gracious soule in all his life is by death brought in at once the joy of this soule is that the day drawes nigh in which the body shall be dissolved and it shall be with Christ It hopes to meete its beloved in perfect glory and never part more it desires to be absent from the body and present with the Lord and in all this death is through Christ a servant to a Saints death hath all its poyson in its sting and Christ taking away the sting from death hath quite changed the nature of it Death with its sting kils where it conquers but Death without its sting only changes the body of Saints from wormes to cold clay So Job hee waited all the dayes of his appointed time till his change came by death Saints change their place but not their company whereas before they lived in God now they live with God Saints on earth have communion with God and Christ in the Spirit and Saints in heaven have the same company but in greater glory Death changes our place of communion but not those wee have communion with Saints on Earth live upon love tokens from God and Christ sent to them by the Spirit but in Heaven upon the originall and fulnesse of all that love here by the Spirit we read the love and kindnesse of God and Christ in a Covenant of free-grace and many gracious promises but in heaven we taste of love in the fountaine in the very bosome of God and Christ to all eternity here wee glory that glory waits for us in heaven there our glory is to be swallowed up into glory and to be made glorious in the fulnesse of that glory In this Saints glory over the nature of death it doth not kill them but change them from a cloudy to a more exceeding and eternall weight of glory And as for the bodies of Saints it may be said of them as Christ did of the Rulers daughter shee is not dead but sleepeth Death changes them in this their sleep is something longer then at other times yet they are not dead but sleepe for Christ is the life of Saints And because Christ lives they live also John 14.19 Their clay is colder in this sleepe then in others and by degrees crumbles into dust here is a change indeed and it is no more for this corruptible must put on incorruptible and this mortality must put on immortality and then it will fully appeare that death is swallowed up in victory 1 Cor. 53 54. The nature of Death is changed by Christs taking the sting away from being the King of terrours it becomes the messenger of glad tidings Death is now so free from terrours that it brings tidings of the greatest joy to Saints it tels the Spouse of Christ she shall goe and be for ever in her beloveds armes Your wildernesse days are accomplished in which you went many times to the Watchmen to enquire for your Beloved and you found them in the darke as well as your selfe but now you shall finde your Beloved and be filled with his love and live in the light of the Lord for ever Death tels the children of God hee is come to fetch them home to their Fathers house yea to their Fathers Kingdome in which they shall all reign with him They shall be as children under-age no longer they shall now possesse the mansions prepared from eternity to eternity not only have all teares wiped from their eyes but to live for ever in the beholding and enjoying perfection of glory Death brings glad tidings both to body and soule it tels the body head you shall ake no more stomacke you shall be sicke no more heart you shall tremble and be affraid no more flesh you shall bleed and smart no more I am come to put an end to all these feares and troubles God will looke you up in the cabinet of the earth that you may there sleep in peace till Christ raise you incorruptible and carry you into glory And to the soule sayes Death you shall have no more time for sinne and vanity perfect holinesse to eternity shall now swallow you up I come only to put an end to sinning dayes you shall now groane under sinne no more that body which held you and was subject to temptations shall now goe to sleepe in the dust till the tempter be chained up in eternall darkenesse in stead of mourning under sin you shall now for ever glory over sin your feares shall end so shall your faith for in stead of the evidence of things not seene you shall both see enjoy the heighths breadths depths and lengths of the love grace kindnesse faithfulnesse and glory of that God you have believed in Feare not me sayes Death I come from your Father so as you mâ—y be sure I have no commission to hurt you Christ your beloved Huâ—band Brother Head and Redeemer tooke care that I should not be able to hurt you for he tooke my sting from me before I should come unto you I am come without a sting to tell you God and Christ loves you but that is not all my errand they love you so well that they can suffer you no longer to be out of the full enjoyment of their love and I am sent to cracke the clay walls which is your prison that you may flye home and be at rest there your rest
shall be as high as heaven and filled with God where no troubles can ever reach you nor no power be able to unrest you this is the true nature of death to Saints Christ having taken sin from them which is the sting of death so that in all this and exceedingly more may believing Saints glory in the very nature of death Secondly a Saint through Christ may glory over Death in the time of it though it be uncertain in the time of its comming yet that hinders not a Saints glory For a beleeving Saint knowes when ever death comes it shal be without a sting and this made the Apostle to glory in Phil. 1.21 For me to live is Christ and to dye is gaine If death stay longer before it comes yet I can glory in the length of time For to me to live is Christ and in the strength of Christ I can wait patiently all the dayes of my appointed time till in the wil of God my change shal come And if death be at hand and settle it selfe in my bosome the next moment yet herein I have glory For to die is gain A beleeving Saint can tell Death he hath his time as wel as his work appointed him you have both your time and your power given you by my Father and though to me it is a secret when your time shal be yet in the Spirit of God this is revealed to me when ever you come the love of God my Father comes with you and your work shal be to have me home that I may feed upon the bankets of love for ever Therefore sayes such a soule I feare not the time of your comming but wait patiently for it in the wil and Spirit of God yet in all that time thirst earnestly to be dissolved and to be with Christ The uncertain time of death may justly be sad and amazing to such as have their good things and their portion of good onely in this world and that by terme of life for here Death crops all in a moment and they are left empty though their barnes be full as the foole in the Gospel But to such a foule whose lise is hid with Christ in God and when Christ who is its life shall appeare wee shall then appeare with him in glory Here the uncertain time of death can be no disadvantage because Christ to this soule is eternal life so that it lives certainly and eternally with Christ in God Gol. 2.3 4. it hath a certain life and therefore can glory in it and over the uncertain time of death 2 Cor. 5.1 For wee know that if our earthly House of this Tabernacle were dissolved wee have a building of God an house not made with hands eternall in the Heavens Though we know not the time of dissolution to this earthly Tabernacle yet this we know when it shall be it will be a time of advantage for wee leave a tabernacle that may and must be dissolved to possesse a building of God an eternal Mansion house in heaven Therefore sayes a beleeving soule Death I can glory in thy time Christ hath made thee my friend by taking my sins which was thy sting away from thee and now I long and earnestly desire to see thy face O death my friend If I must waite yet a few dayes or yeares before the appointed time shall come for thee to lay my weary body asleep in the dust yet I doe see the beauty of my Fathers will in that but if thou beest at hand thou art truly welcome if the next moment bee thine for me it is a blessed moment the moment of my first entrance into the full fruition of blessednesse this thy time is the time of wiping all teares from my eyes and revealing all glory to my soule of putting an end to all misery and the beginning of joyes without end thy time is my triumphing my waited hoped longed for moment I did tell the World that scorned me that I was an heire of glory had mansions and a crowne prepared and waited for me in my Fathers glory and art thou now come O death to fetch me home to bring me to Christ my head with whom I shall for ever possesse that glorious inheritance which I have gloried in this is a blessed time and moment in which I be held thy face thou art not come before thou art welcome I have nothing to stay me here I have waited long for thee my God and Father is in Heaven so is Christ my beloved there perfection purity is onely there my treasure is there so is my heart also and art thou now come to set mee cleere of this corrupt empty perishing World that I may bee onely there and for ever there O blessed be the Lord that thou art come thy time is a welcome time a time of deliverance from sinning in the body and the body of sinne thy moment puts an end to all howers of temptation and though the men of the World may trample over my clay yet my soule shall tryumph in reall glory above this imaginary glory thus may a beleeving soule glory over death in the time of it Thirdly A beleeving Saint through Christ may glory over the feares of death What ever feares there be in death they are onely to Christlesse soules for soules in Christ may glory over them all because to them death hath no sting as first the grand feare in death is this that it may prove eternall the haling of soule and body out of the World to come before the righteous Judge of quicke and dead where it shall receive this sentence Goe you cursed into eternall fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels for ever This is more then a feare for it is really so to Christ lesse soules where death comes with his sting in him but when the sting is gone this feare is gone too and the beleeving soule in Christ may glory over death as it is bereaved of his sting and so over death in this great feare the Scripture tels us It is appointed for all men once to dye and after death to come to judgement That is to come before the righteous Judge but the description which the Word of Gâ—d giveth us of that day is that there shall be a right hand and a left to distinguish betweene the Sheepe and the Goates on his left hand Depart from me you cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels so to the Sheep on his right hand he will say Come you blessed of my Father inherite the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the World 25. Mat. latter end The feare in death is a seare of judgement but the judgement day is a blessed day to all the members of Christ 't is that day when soule and body shall meet againe to be blessed for ever in inheriting of the kingdome prepared for them it is the day of the bodies full redemption and eternall nuptiall with the
but to be above the reach of all temptations where we can never possible be tempted more how exceeding precious and glorious is this a Saint would if it were in his power give the whole World so that he might never sinne more it must hten needs be of great advantage to him to be carryed above the reach of any temptation to sinne you shall never meet a Saint at the throne of grace but his breathings are Lord inlighten me in thy will make thy minde clearer and clearer out unto me by thy spirit leave me not in the darknesse of my owne flesh now then how precious must it needs be to this soule to be taken out of all clouds to have all clouds even the clouds of the flesh done away so that not the least shaddow of darknesse doth remaine Why all this and much more is the advantage of a Saints soul in the death of its body for this death without the sting of sinne is death to the body of sinne that it can be no more a body to sinne in it separates light and darknesse the soule and body that both might goe to their proper place and then the soule complaines no more of darknesse it is darke clay that hinders the soules light when it is quit of that it is perfect in light and this makes Saints so thirsting to shake off the rags of flesh their clouds of darknesse their places of temptation and their sinning body now when death comes he satisfies all these thirstings fils up all these desires and accomplisheth the present designe of God concerning the fleshly body in which the precious soules of beleeving Saints are through Christ aboundantly benifited and advantaged but this is not all the benefit and advantage which death without its sting through Christ bringeth to the soules of beleevers There is another generall which is this The soule ip now taken us into the perfection of Gods eternal love free grace full glory everlasting purity and thus to be for ever with the Lord. When I say this comes in with death I meane it is then so perfected as it could be never so before for the bodies of Saints must bee sowne in corruption before they can rise in incorruption and the soule is never perfect till it be quit of the corruptible body and this evill World but this being once accomplished Then the soule in God and God in the soule makes up perfection to all eternity the soule hath now no let to full injoyment of his Masters joy it is now a childe of full age nothing can hinder him in possessing his full inheritance in his Fathers love and glory The mansions prepared from all eternity are now possessed to all eternity the love which lay hidd in our Fathers heart and was too great to be revealed in the World is now spred open to the soule and the soule is bid eate my beloved O drinke abundantly and be satisfied this feast of love will hold out for ever eternity cannot exhaust it it is the love of God this is the supper of the Lambe slaine before the foundation of the World in the designe of Gods free grace this mystery is now revealed and the soules of Saints filled with the glory of it Saints in Heaven are in the light of the Lord and all filled with the Lord their Light perfection is there the portion of every soule Christ hath given up the Kingdome to his Father and God is the perfection and fulnesse of all his Children this perfection of glory is Gods end in redeeming his elect that we might be heires of God fellow-heires with Christ in his eternall love full glory and everlasting purity never to know sinne or sorrow more to be above the breathings of any defilement or the buddings of any vanity what we shall then possesse will bee nothing but all God it will be all God and alwayes God God will bee the light of our eyes the life of our soules the excellency of our glory the sweet of our sweets and the perfection of our purity in Heaven Heaven is the presence of God the full perfect glorious and the eternall presence of God will be our Heaven when death hath layd our dying bodies asleepe when the corruptible sleepes away its corruption the incorruptible soule possesseth a crowne incorruptible and full of glory so that the time of death without its sting is through Christ to a Beleever of great benefit and advantage both in soule and body Saints in Christ ought to improve the joyes and consolations which comes from the free grace of God to their soules amongst which I am sure this truth is very eminent and therefore ought to be well improved and first this calls upon beleeving Saints to whom through Christ death when ever it comes wil be without the sting of sinne that they should not have sadd or hard thoughts of death we should not make feare in our flesh or spirits to be the associate of the thoughts of death there is no cause for it the sting being taken away by this needlesse and unbeleeving feare of death in Saints we doe prejudice our selves and bring an evil report upon our friend First wee prejudice our selves for through a feareful fancy of evil and danger in death we many times doe what we should not and leave that undone which we ought to doe how many stretch their consciences to doe that which they have no rule for and otherwise would not doe but that they feare it may cost them their lives if they should not and how much duty is neglected upon this very consideration upon a feare in doing to lose or indanger life the feare indeed is to meet with death in doing therefore chuse rather to omit duty but it is safe and blessed through Christ to meet death in duty sad and hard thoughts of death I verily beleeve doe much prejudice Saints in their streight and even walking with God through this wildernesse it were happy if in reading wee could read our owne hearts But secondly These fleshly feares of Saints bring an evill report upon death which through Christ is our real friend it is very imbecomming Saints to scandalise any out that we should do this to death who is so real a friend to us and the messenger of such glad tidings as what hath gone before proveth him to be this is very disingenious if Saints looke upon him with a feareful eye he wil then be taken for an enemy to all the World for to others hee commeth with his sting so as they have just cause to feare but to Saints death is a reconciled friend in Christ and we doe him injury when ever we looke upon him as other nay truly we dishonour Christ to feare death after hee hath conquered him the redemption of Christ for his people is so ful that they may and ought to serve him without feare the victory over death is part of the redemption of Christ so that
now feare of death is no lesse then diffidence of that Redemption therefore Saints should be very watchful that they harbour no sad nor hard thoughts of death because in so doing wee dishonour a true friend nay Christ that made death thus to be our friend In the next place this cals upon Saints that when death comes to sit in our bosomes wee should bid him truly welcome and give him the entertainement of a friend that is be truly joyful to see him let him finde by the joy of our hearts that he is welcome to our besomes let his countenance be pleasing to us for though hee be pale death to our flesh yet that flesh shall be a gainer by its palenesse and finde nothing in death but a quiet rest til it shal put on incorruption But to the spirit death is a messenger from God and Christ of glad tydings and the feet of those which bring glad tidings should be beatiful to us let death when he comes finde he is a long looked for friend that he is not come before he is welcome but should have beene welcome if hee had come much sooner that thou takest him for so good and so real a friende that thou art heartily willing to goe with him and to leave all thy friends in the flesh that thou hast kept them company but til he comes and now art willing to leave them all to goe with him Saints may wel bid death welcome as a friende for Christ is in him and the love of Christ when Christ tooke sinne from Saints which was the sting of death he gave them love in the roome of sinne so as before we had sinne in all now we have love in all and though death to Saints have not the sting of sinne yet it hath the love of Christ and is worthy to bee bidd welcome and entertained with gladnesse when hee commeth But in the next place This calleth loude to Saints that they beleeve strongly in that love of Christ who hath taken away the sting of death which is sinne and thereby made death that was an original enemy to be a true and constant friend the Scripture teleth us 1 Cor. 15.26 The last enemie that shall be destroyed is death Now death as an enemy to Saints is destroyed in the death of Christ for his sting which is his enmity is taken away by Christ that I inferre is this Saints have much cause to beleeve strongly in that love the strength of which hath overcome all enemies for us Christ hath overcome death the last of enemies why should we ever then feare the fading of that love which hath left no enemies to make us afraide Saints feares are of their owne creating for what ever might have beene a true cause of feare hath beene under Christs destroying for he hath destroyed all enemies and where no enemy is there is no true ground of feare what remaines then Why nothing but a firme and lasting foundation of faith the love of Christ is a strong foundation for a Saint to beleeve strongly in what should we feare death is our friend the love of Christ hath made him so the breakings forth of this love is ground sufficient to banish all feares if death be no enemy then there is no enmity betweene death and us for death is the last destroyed enemy and the love of Christ hath destroyed that enmity Saints have many that hate them but none that can hurt them take this for proofe death is a Saints friend there can bee no greater testimony of love then the destroying of enemies for no man will destroy the enemies of him that he is an enemy to himselfe enmitie would make enemies it is onely love that destroyes them and this love is Christ to his people his love is so great that he will leave us no enemy that is no person persons or things shall ever be able to destroy a Saint then surely Saints may and ought to beleeve strongly in the love of Christ let worldlings know their nailes are too short to scratch out this love their strength too weake to shake this eternall foundation if they suck our bloods they may choak themselves but doe us no hurt for through the love of Christ Saints are conquerers over death Saints may believe strongly on the love of Christ for a worse enemy then the World shall never be able to destroy them even sinne for Christ hath destroyed sin and in that death for all that believe in him so as a Saint triumphs over death in the want of its sting is in the love of Christ which hath taken away sin and this is that love which the soules of Saints should believe in and rest strongly upon Saints need not fear they cannot lay more upon this love then Christ is able and willing to beare nay then he hath born already for he hath borne all the transgressions iniquities sinnes griefes sorrowes stripes and chastisements of his people Isâ— 53. So that hee hath redeemed his from the whole of sin and believing Saints may not feare to venture their soules in all upon the love of Christ nay doubtlesse it is the duty of Saints to live believing strongly in the love of Christ which hath put Death to death and overcome all enemies for them But in the fourth place Saints should make this improvement of these truths to waite upon God patiently in believing Death will assuredly come and deliver them from all their troubles in the flesh Faith made Job to waite patiently all the dayes of his appointed time till his change did come There is an appointed time in which the change shall come and beyond that time it shall not stay There can be no loss of faith in this thing for death waits upon our Fathers will and shall certainly come at his appointed time I confesse it is hard for Saints that are heires of heaven and know it willingly to stay longer out of heaven and their Fathers imbracings and in that time to be in a body of sin and a sinful world to beare the infirmities of the body with the scornes slanders persecutions of the World yet remember that this is the fulfilling of the will of our God and all this time death our friend is a comming every moment bringeth this longed for blessing nearer and nearer and we cannot tell but it may be at the doore that death may be in the next moment is the worlds feare let it be a Saints joy and serve to quench immoderate thirst here is this to answer all feares it will certainly come and cannot be farre off Christ longeth more for us then we doe or can doe for him and though we thinke him long yet he that shall come will come and will not tarry Remember the body is made of brittle earth it will be soone cracked or moulder away it cannot by its constitution last long the word of truth calleth him a foole that counted upon many yeares when