therefore it s of undoubted truth and asserted by the spirit of Truth that Gods people are in a blessed condition after death Not only such as die for the Lord who were put to cruell torments and to suffer death by Antichristian Persecutors for not complying with them in their idolatrous worship but such as die in the Lord are blessed i.e. such as were effectually called unto fellowship with Jesus Christ and united to him by faith as members of his mysticall body are happy in their death Death puts a period to all their troubles and labours and brings them to the enjoyment of rest and peace and to receive the reward of their works Here are no purgatory-torments mentioned to be endured by them after death but a perfect cessation from all labour and a full enioyment of rest and blisse To give instance in some examples of Gods people who have had hope in their death we finde that Jacob when he lay on his Death-bed professed his hope of salvation and enioying a better life Gen. 49.18 I have waited for thy salvation O Lord so Abel Enock Noah Abraham Sarah Heb. 11.13 These all died in faith not having received the promises but having seen them a farre off and were perswaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers on earth declaring plainly that they expected a better Countrey that is an heavenly Thus Moses chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasure of sin for a season Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward and endured as seeing him who is invisible vers 25 26 27. Job's spirit was upheld from sinking into despair under all his pressures losses and afflictions and he professeth his hope even in death Though he slay me yet will I trust in him Job 13.15 as if he had said if God should take away my life yet would I in the midst of death expect a better life from him So David Psal 23.4 Though I walk through the Valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil And Psal 73.26 my flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever his hope of being received into glory after death encouraged him to go on in the wayes of righteousnesse whatever afflictions he underwent in his life time Paul in time of his imprisonment at Rome lest the Philippians should be discouraged at his sufferings professeth his earnest expectation and hope of salvation and that he was not any way afraid of death but rather desirous of it in regard of the gain and benefit he should reap by it Phil. 1.21 for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain that is Christ is my life here by grace and hereafter by glory he is both the Authour and end of my life and if I be put to death that shall no way endamage me but rather bring me great advantage in regard that thereby I shall exchange and gain Heaven for Earth and an happy eternal life for this miserable and mortal life and vers 23 I am in a strait betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better And again 2 Tim. 4.6 7 8 giving notice of his approaching death and that the time of his Martyrdom was now at hand he professeth his hope in his death I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me onely but unto them also that love his appearing and again 1 Cor. 15.19 If we have hope in Christ in this life onely we are of all men most miserable Cyprian speaking of the nature of death to believers saith It is Janua vitae victoria belli portus maris The gate of life the victory of war the haven of the Sea death to Gods people is as the Angel was to Peter to fetch him out of prison and set him at liberty Act. 12.7 c. and as Pharaohs Messenger was to Joseph to remove him out of the Dungeon into Pharaohs Court Gen. 41.14 where he was highly advanced to Honour and Dignity The benefits which believers hope to be made partakers of by death are either such as concern their Souls or their bodies The Souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holinesse Heb. 12.23 and brought to the spirits of just men made perfect Death abolisheth sin and corruption in believers and brings finalem gratiam the perfection of grace that may make them capable of glorie as sin brought death into the World so death drives sin out of Gods peoples natures Rom. 6.7 he that is dead is freed from sin there is not so much as any remnant of sin that cleaves to a believing Soul after death but it is presented unto Christ without spot or wrinkle void of all sinfull infirmities Here the best of Gods Saints grone under the burden of their corruptions 2 Cor. 5.4 and cry out with Paul Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death before death the best Christians complain the good that I would I do not but the evil that I would not that I do Rom. 7.19 but now after death the least in the Kingdom of Heaven saith the evil that I would not I do not and the good that I would I do 1. By death they have full discharge from all possibility of offending God Death is a loosening to the Children of God here they are as it were tyed to a stake to be baited by Sathan and his instruments death is the breaking of the Chain and the Soul escapeth as a Bird out of the snare of the Fowler as the fire burnt the bonds of the three Children and so procured their liberty so death is a Goal-delivery to the Children of God That one happy pang which pulls away the Soul from the body doth also pull away sin both from the Soul and body Greenham Byfield Hieron Hildersam c. to this purpose many of our English Divines have written excellently to comfort the surviving friends of deceased Saints to cure them of the fear of death So Polan Syntagm 342. Mors electis credentibus non est pro peccatis satisfactio sed peccati abolitio transitus in vitam aeternam By death believers are freed from all occasions of sin Temptations to sin Power and dominion of it yea from all dregs and remainders of sin This made the Martyrs so willing to endure any kinde of death that Tyranny could devise that they might be rid of their sinfull bands and this corruptible burden which presseth down the Soul that looks
after Christ M. Marshal It was an expression of that excellent Preacher holy mann ow with God Mr. Marshal The weakest Saint in articulo mortis hath more grace than Paul had in his life time 1 Cor. 13.10 And this consideration should make Christians willing to die that they may be rid of sin and be made perfectly holy Mr. Hildersam in the close of his 65 Lecture on Psal 51. hath a solemne Speech worth our serious consideration which is this Certainly he that desireth not that striveth not to be willing to die even upon this ground because death and nothing but death will perfect the work of mortification in him hath just cause to suspect that there is no truth of saving grace in him no sense of the vile corruption of his nature it is no bondage to him Another benefit which the Souls of believers partake of by death is this They do immediately passe into glory Phil. 1.23 For I am in a strait between two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better In which words we have Pauls strait and his own inclination expressed rather to die than to live here and the ground of this his desire because it s far better for the Soul to be with Christ than to abide in the body where also he implies two things in the death of the Saints 1. There is a dissolution of the Soul from the body 2. That there is a conjunction of the Soul with Christ He expected not by death to be utterly extinguished but translated hence some other where not an annihilation but a dissolution and he makes no intermission of time or interposition of place between his dissolution and his being with his Saviour he speaks of his being with Christ as the immediater certain consequent of his dissolution Death should be to him but as a Portal opening to give him speedy admittance into the presence of the Lord in whose presence is fulnesse of joy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore And this he speaks of as a Priviledge not onely peculiar to himself as an Apostle or a Martyr but common to all true believers 2 Cor. 5.1 4 6 8. Heb. 12.23 Luke 23.43 Act. 7.59 Luke 16.22.23 25. The Angels are ministring Spirits attending on them that are Heirs of salvation to receive their Souls at death and to carry them into Abrahams bosom i.e. a state of rest and happinesse where they are comforted where they behold the face of God and see him as he is and know him as they are known of him 1 Cor. 13.12 and where they behold Christs glory Joh. 17.24 so that you see that death is exceeding gainfull to believers and that the righteous have hope in their death that their Souls being made perfect in holinesse shall immediately passe into glory and enjoy rest and blisse in Communion with Christ Further the righteous hath hope in his death in the behalf of his body Psal 16.9 my flesh also shall rest in hope that is as Aynsworth renders and explains it shall dwell in confidence or abide with hope i.e. boldly safely and securely meaning that his body should abide or rest in the grave with sure hope of rising again from the dead The bodies of believers being still united to Christ do rest in their graves untill the Resurrection 1 Thes 4.14 them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him tanquam membra cum capite The grave is but a withdrawing room for the bodies of the Saints a sleeping room where they rest as in their beds Isa 57.2 Act. 7.60 Joh. 11.11 13 1. The bodies of believers after death remain still united to Christ though death cause a separation betwixt their Souls and bodies yet not betwixt Christ and their dead bodies The union wrought in effectual calling is betwixt Christ and the believers whole man and it is an inseparable indissoluble and eternal union they are joyned to Christ as their husband 1 Cor. 6.13 the body is not for fornication but for the Lord the Lord for the body vers 15. know ye not that your bodies are Members of Christ c. Yea temples of the holy Ghost which is in you vers 19.20 Yea the spirit of Christ dwells in believers Rom. 8.9 10 11. Ioh. 6.37 39 40. The Union betwixt Christ believers holds firm in and after death so that their dead ashes are part of the Members of Christ in the grave Gods Covenant is still of force with them in the dust Mat. 22.31 32 c. Mr. Consule Zanch. in 1 Thes 4.14 Perkins in his Cases of Conscience 1. Book 9. Chap. 3. Sect. expresseth himself thus There is a mystical union and conjunction between Christ and every believer and that not onely in regard of Soul but of body also which being once knit shall never be dissolved but is eternall whereupon the dying dead rotten and consumed body remaineth still a member of Christ abideth within the Covenant and is and shall be ever a Temple of the holy Ghost and by vertue of their Conjunction with Christ shall be raised to glory at the last day 2. As the Bodies of Beleivers after death remain still united to Christ so they rest in their Graves as in their Beds they rest from all labour and toyl from all trouble and paine yea from all the motions of sin and drudgery of Sathan Musculus in Psal 16.9 Observandum est mortem carnis interpretatur esse quietem non interitum ergo carni piorum sepulchrum non est fovea sed lectulus quieti destinatus The Bodies of the Saints at Death are only fallen asleep Act. 7.60 We know that naturall sleep is not perpetuall we sleep and awake again in the morning so it s but a certain time that their bodyes shall lie at rest in the Grave they shall be awakened and raised again in the morning of the Resurrection and again the body being asleep can easily be awakened and roused up by being jogged or called upon with a loud voice so the dead bodyes of saints shall be much more easily raised and awakened by the power of Christs voice Joh. 5.28 And as sleep is a great refreshing to sicke and weary bodies so that they are more vigorous and lively when they awake so when beleivers bodies shall be awakened out of the sleep of death and raised out of their Graves as from their Beds they shall be more active and nimble for God than ever they were before 1. Cor. 15.42 43. it is sown in corruption it is raised in incorruption it is sown in dishonour it is raised in glory it is sown in weaknes it is raised in power So that the bodies of beleivers after death doe not only rest in their graves but they rest in Hope even in hope of a glorious resurrection which is a 3. priviledge of the righteous in their death in regard of their bodies The Righteous hath hope in his
death that his dead body shall be again united to his Soul and 3. raised up in glory 1. Cor. 15.43 Yea our vile bodies shall then be changed and fashioned like unto the glorious body of Christ Phil. 3.21 Col. 3.4 The Glory of beleivers bodies at the Resurrection will appear in these 5. particulars 1. They will be perfect and entire in regard of Parts limbs or senses however they might be maimed or defective before 2. They will be faire beautifull and illustrious full of splendour and brightnes what ever blemishes or deformityes they were disfigured withall before Matth. 13.43 then shall the Righteous shine forth as the sunne in the Kingdom of their Father The most beautifull body on earth is but like Carrion sullyed with smoke and foot in respect of the glorified body of poor Lazarus at that day 3. They shall be immortall i.e. in such a condition that they can never die again This mortall shall put on immortallity and so Death shall be swallowed up in victory 1. Cor. 15.53 54. 4. Incorruptible i.e. not only free from putrefaction but also from all weaknes both of infirmity and deformity such as cannot again be corrupted with sinne Now our bodies are corruptible and so mutable subject to manifold infirmityes but then they shall be strong and powerfull 1. Cor. 15.42 43. It is sown in corruption it is raised in incorruption it is sown in weaknesse it is raised in power 5. Spirituall Bodies not that our bodies shall vanish into Ghosts or spirits but they shall be so admirably glorifyed and perfected that they shall be able to subsist without meat drinke physike sleepe c. wherewith naturall bodies are sustained Rev. 7.16 they shall hunger no more nor thirst any more Matth. 22.30 This hope of a glorious Resurrection of his Body at the latter day comforted and refreshed Jobs spirit in the depth of his misery under Bodily boiles and distempers and all his other pressures This was an Article of that Christian faith which he made Confession of Job 19.25 26 27. Thus have I proved and cleared the truth of this Doctrinall Proposition viz The Righteous hath hope in his Death I shall proceed now to lay down some Reasons and Grounds hereof Reasons Reason Because the Lord hath made many rich and precious Promises to the Righteous concerning the life to come as well as for this life 1. Tim. 4.8 Godlines is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come Beleivers have heard of future good things promised in the Gospell to be bestowed upon them after this life and this is a ground of their hope in death Psal 130.5 I wait for the Lord my Soul doth wait and in his Word doe I hope Paul speaking of the fruits of faith and love which abounded among the Colossians mentions a motive whereby they were incited and provoked thereunto Col. 1.5 for the hope which is laid up for you in heaven i.e. for those glorious things which your hope assureth you are laid up for you in heaven Hope being there taken by a Metonymy for the thing hoped for But how came they to hope that there were good things laid up for them in heaven He shews the ground of their hope in the next words to be the Word of God whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the Gospell so Titus 1.2 In hope of eternall life which God that cannot lye promised before the world began but hath in due time manifested his word through preaching Beleivers are heirs of promise unto whom God being abundantly willing to shew the immutability of his Counsell confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us 2. Reas Because of Christs Resurrection from the dead 1. Cor. 15.17 18 19 20. if Christ be not raised then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished if in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable but now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept Christs Resurrection is a pledge of ours hence Peters Benediction 1. Pet. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead i.e. confirmed in us a living hope or hope of life in and after death by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ because God raised him up that we might believe and hope in God for our Resurrection unto Glory Vers 21. 3. Reas Because of Christs Ascension Heb. 6.19 20. which hope we have as an Anchor of the Soul both sure and stedfast and which entreth into that within the vail whither the forerunner is for us entred even Jesus Hope is as the Anchor cast out of the ship on firm ground when tossed and driven with winde and waves this anchor of the Soul is cast within heaven though a believer be yet as a ship at sea tossed with troubles and tempations in this world yet all is safe the soul is sure the anchor of hope being cast within heaven taking hold on Christ the rocke of our salvation who is entred and ascended into heaven as our fore-runner to prepare mansions for us Job 14.2 3. 4. Reas Taken from Christs Intercession that is another ground of a believers hope in death Joh. 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my Glory which thou hast given me Christ having prayed that believers may be with him in eternall Glory and happines after death they have good ground to hope and expect that they shall be with him and behold his Glory for the Father heareth him alwayes and never denies him in any suit that he makes in the behalf of his People Joh. 11.42 5. Reas Because God hath not only delivered up his Son Christ to die for them and to purchase life and salvation for them but hath also given Christ unto them and revealed and framed him in them and given them his spirit as an earnest in their hearts 2. Cor. 1.22 whereby God assures them that he will pay as it were the whole sum of his promises for an earnest is as a pledge whereby we confirm a bargain or a peice of money whereby we assure the payment of the whole the first gift therefore of the spirit and of life is a pledge of their whole inheritance which they hope to enioy after death so Ephes 1.13 14. Col. 1.27 Christ in you the hope of Glory and Rom. 5.5 Hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given unto us yea the experience of Gods goodnes and
faithfullnes towards them which they have had in time of their life confirmes their hope of obtaining what good things he hath promised them after death Vers 4. experience worketh Hope So that believers in greatest straits may argue as David against Goliah 1. Sam. 17.37 The Lord that delivered me out of the Paw of the Lion and out of the Paw of the Bear he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine and as Paul 2. Cor. 1.9 10. We had the sentence of death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raiseth the dead who delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us 6. Lastly Because of Gods bounty towards others in this life The Lord bestows liberal portions of outward blessings upon many that regard not to serve and honour him but go on in wayes of Rebellion wicked men prosper and abound in worldly comforts sometimes when good men want them surely then this argueth that he hath reserved better things in store for his own Children after death Psalm 31.19 O how great is thy goodnesse which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee This consideration David made use of as a ground to confirm his hope in death of enjoying happinesse after this life Psal 17.14 15. the men of the World have their portion in this life whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure As for me I will behold thy face in righteousnesse I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likenesse he professeth his resolution to go on in the wayes of God expecting a gracious yea a glorious issue out of all his dangers and persecutions q.d. I will not live wickedly as they do but righteously and then I shall enjoy thy favour here and Heaven hereafter I shall view thy face and see thee plainly and perfectly and stand in thy presence where is fulnesse of joy when I awake i.e. from the sleep of death when I am raised out of the dust I shall be satisfied with thy likenesse having thine image upon me and thy glory fully manifested unto me in Heaven this beatifical Vision shall so abundantly satiate and solace my Soul that it shall say I have enough So Ps 49. when in death worldly men leave their wealth to others and are like the beasts that perish i.e. dying without hope of any further happinesse yea in a worse condition for death shall feed on them vers 14. yea the second death shall have power over them and they shall lye in Hell-torments then saith the righteous even under the pangs of death vers 15. But God will redeem my Soul from the power of the grave for he shall receive me Selah Where Selah is added not onely as a bare Musical Note for raising of the voice c. but it calls for elevation of minde and more than ordinary attention pointing at a clear Testimony for the immortality of the Soul and for a better life after this the hope whereof fills the hearts of the godly with comfort and triumphant joy even under the pangs of death For he shall receive me whensoever the fatal hour shall come that body and Soul must part God will receive my spirit into Heaven So again Psal 73.24.26 against all the discouragements which he met with in the wayes of God from the present prosperity which the wicked enjoyed and the manifold afflictions that himself under-went he comforts himself in certain hope of eternal life and being received up into glory and hereupon resolves still to follow the conduct and direction of Gods word and spirit Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel in this life and after this life ended wilt receive me to that glory which thou hast promised me Thus have I made good the truth of the Doctrinal Proposition The righteous hath hope in his death and confirmed it by shewing you several grounds and reasons and should now come to make application of it but I desire first to remove one objection that seems to lye in the way Quest If the righteous have such hope in their death how comes it to passe and why is it that some good Christians are so fearfull of death and so unwilling to die Why are they not rather desirous to die having such hope of future glory happiness Answ It is true there may be in the dearest of Gods Children an unwillingnesse and fear to die Jeremy petitioned King Zedekiah that he might not be sent again to the house of Jonathan the Scribe lest he should die there Jer. 37.20 if he were shut up close prisoner in that nasty stinking Dungeon so our Saviour forewarning Peter of the manner of his death tells him he should be carried whither he would not Ioh. 21.18 and some of the Martyrs have sometimes found fear and unwillingnesse in themselves to die Latymer in a Letter to B. Ridley writes thus Pray for me I say pray for me for I am sometimes so fearfull that I would creep into a Mous-hole c. as Lot lingred when God would take him out of Sodom so there is some backwardnesse and unwillingnesse in the Saints of God to leave this world and to die And the reasons of it may be 1. Death causeth a parting of two most dear inward and ancient friends the dissolution of Soul and body one from the other is unpleasing to nature old friends are loath to part when David and Jonathan were to depart one from another O how grievous was their parting 1 Sam. 20.41 But the Soul and body have been more inward and ancient friends than Jonathan and David were no marvel therefore though they part so unwillingly The untying of the Marriage-knot between Soul and body is unwelcome to nature though grace may bid it welcome which suggests another reason 2. The best of Gods Children believe but in part and are not perfectly rid of sin and corruption till death They have flesh remaining in them as well as spirit Gal. 5.17 and though the spirit be willing yet the flesh is weak Matth. 26.41 The spirit saith to death as to Christ Come but the flesh saith Go The flesh saith its good being here though the spirit saith it s better being in Heaven and it may be believers do not stir up their graces nor read over their Evidences nor consider seriously of their Priviledges by and after death Yet lastly I answer Though there be some unwillingnesse in the best to die yet they know it is their fault and sin to be unwilling and they chide themselves for it and overcome this unwillingnesse in the end many who in their life-time have seemed unwilling to die and afraid of death yet when it hath come to the point have been suddenly strengthened beyond expectation willingly and cheerfully to lay down their heads on the block yea to yield up their bodies to the flames and have bid death welcome though it hath seized upon them with
instruments of cruelty and tormenting pains as old Hilarion encouraged himself to die Egredere anima mea noli timere go forth O my Soul be not afraid to die However though some let the aqua vitae Bottle hang by and use it not when a qualm comes yet such as actuate their faith and renue their repentance dayly and exercise themselves in having a good conscience may rejoyce in hope of the glory of God and be above dismaying fears though they walk in the Valley of the shadow of death I hasten now to the Application of the Doctrine seeing the Righteous have Hope in their Death The uses hereof may be of 1. Confutation 2. Information 3. Examination 4. Exhortation Use 1. Vse 1. Of Confutation of that grosse cursed opinion of the Mortalists who deny the immortality of the Soul hold that mans Soul dies with the body that whole man is a compound wholly mortal and that the present going of the Soul to Heaven or Hell is a meer fiction with much more such unsavoury stuffe which hath been published of late better becoming Professours of Epicurisme than of Christianity whereas the Scripture teacheth us that the Soul of Man is the spirit of life breathed in by God and made immortal that it cannot die at the separation from the body Genes 2.7 Math. 10.28 And that the spirits of believers and just men in their separation from their bodies passe immediately to Heaven to be and live with the Lord Math. 22.32 2 Cor. 5.4 8. Phil. 1.23 In that 22. of Matth. 31 32. Christ proves against the Sadduces the Resurrection of the body by an argument drawn from the immortality of the Soul and maintains it that Abraham Isaac and Jacob were then living in regard of their Souls though their bodies were in the dust They whose God the Lord is must needs be in being and living But the Lord said long after their death Exod. 3.6 I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob It is well observed in our English Annotations on Math. 22.32 He doth not say the Lord of Abraham for he is Lord of livelesse things also Math. 11.25 the Lord of Heaven and Earth but the God of Abraham i.e. in Covenant with him Now seeing this Covenant of God was with the bodies of these three Patriarcks as well as with their Souls as appears by their Circumcision it follows that as their Souls were then alive so their bodies must needs be raised from the dead and be made eternally happy Mr. Burroughs in the beginning of his Gospel-Conversation notes that Phil. 1.23 is a notable Scripture to prove the immortality of the Soul for certainly if the Soul did die with the body it could not have been better for Paul to have been dead than to live it were better that Paul had lived even to the day of Judgement than to have died and so to be nothing and turned into dust but he saith that when he died he should be with Christ which was better for him therefore he knew the Soul doth not die with the body So Zanchy observes two arguments in that desire or wish of Paul Phil. 1.23 to prove the immortality of the Soul 1. in that expression to depart be dissolved or loosed Death is no destruction but a dissolution onely or taking asunder the parts of which we are composed that is a separation of the Soul from the body Solutio a corpore declarat animam esse substantiam per se subsistentem 2. to be with Christ which cannot be unlesse the Soul be a substance subsisting by it self Animae sanctorum exutae corporibus migrant in coelum sunt cum Christo So Psal 49.15 is a clear testimony for the immortality of the Soul and for a better life after this without which assurance we might say with the Apostle in the language of Epicures 1 Cor. 15.32 Let us eat and drink for to morrow we die which Athiestical speech of theirs the Apostle reproves in the words following and fully confutes their Opinion in that chapter 2. Vse Of Information in 2. Branches 1. It informes us of the Gaine of Godlines if the Righteous have such hope in their death then surely the mystery of Christianity is a most rich and gainfull Profession if it be followed and improved by us aright 1. Tim. 4.8 Godlines is profitable unto all things having the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come so 1. Tim. 6.6 7. Godlines with contentment is great gain Death will plunder and bereave us of all our worldly gain and prove a trap-dore to let our soules drop down into hell if we have busied our selves in the pursuit of worldly riches with the neglect of godlines as the Apostle shews vers 9.10 and therefore he calls off Timothy from following after worldly gain too greedily yea he bids him flee these things and exhorts him to follow after Righteousnes Godlines that so he may lay hold on eternall life vers 11.12 and Paul tells us Phil. 1.21 for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain Death is gainfull to such as live to Christ so Solomon Prov. 11.4 shewes us what is more profitable and gainfull than Riches namely Righteousnesse and when and also wherein it will appeare so even in the day of wrath and houre of death when riches will not profit then Righteousnes will stand us in greatest steed and prove most advantagious to us Riches profit not in the day of wrath but Righteousnes delivereth from death Death is the King of terrours Hells stalking horse the feare of it keeps men in bondage most men look upon it as their greatest enemy not to be resisted nor avoided by them But now Righteousnes delivers from it The righteous hath a wonderfull victory over it and receives wonderfull gain by it as I have shewed at large before therefore Righteousnes is better than Riches 2. I hasten now to the 2. Branch of the use of Information which is to shew us the truth of that Proverb The Righteous is more excellent then his neighbour Pro. 12.26 and wherein it doth appeare viz in this that the Righteous hath hope in his death Psal 37.37 Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace However the wicked and ungodly may vilify and despise Gods people counting them as the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things while they live thinking meanely of them as a company of silly fooles and mad men yea speaking evil of them because they will not run with them to the same excesse of riot yet when believers come to die then it will appeare that they are the excellent of the earth in so much that even Balaam wished that he might die the death of the Righteous and let my last end be like his Numb 23.10 Yea as the saints are the most precious and excellent in the
account of God while they live so that he reckons them as his Jewells and peculiar treasure so also their death is precious in the sight of the Lord Psal 110.15 But as for the wicked it is not so with them Psal 34.21 Evil shall slay the wicked i.e. they shall perish in their sins the vulgar Latin translates it Mors peccatorum pâ—ssima the death of sinners and wicked men is worst of all and Bellarmin glossing upon it gives this reason quid initium erit cruciatuum aeternorum because death to wicked men is the beginning of eternall torments an inlett to endlesse woe and misery However for a while wicked men may seeme to flourish as the green Bay tree and the proud may be counted happy they that worke wickednes may be set up and they that tempt God may be even delivered yet there will come a time when the Lord will make up his Jewells and then we shall discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not Yea the day cometh that shall burn as an oven and all the proud and all that doe wickedly shall be stubble But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of Righteousnesse arise with healing in his wings Mal. 3.17 18. Chap. 4.1 2. David having in the first Psalme described the Righteous by his Properties and mentioned some of his Priviledges and pronounced him blessed puts a difference vers 4. c. between the righteous and the wicked and tells us the ungodly are not so but are like the Chaffe which the winde drives away and as Solomon tells us in the words before my Text the wicked is driven away in his wickednes Having considered the state of the righteous in his death and shewn it to be very hopefull and comfortable that it may more fully appear that the righteous is more excellent than his neighbour viz. his wicked neighbour that is set so neer him in the Text let us a little consider what becomes of him at his death what is said of him here He is driven away thrust at chased as chaffe before the winde Here let us enquire into these 4 particulars 1. the manner how 2. the place whence and from what he is driven 3. whither 4. by whom he is driven by what Drivers How is the wicked driven away 1. suddenly 2. violently 3. desperately First suddenly and unexpectedly Psal 73.18 19. surely thou didst set them in slippery places thou castedst them down into destruction how are they brought into Desolation as in a moment they are utterly consumed with terrours Job 21.13 in a moment they goe down to the grave Secondly violently forcibly against his will Job 27.20 21. Terrours take hold on him as waters a tempest stealeth him away in the night the east winde carrieth him away and he departeth and as a storm hurleth him out of his place the troubles and terrours which befall wicked men at their death are here set out by similitudes taken from a deluge of waters or storm of winde which come suddenly and prevaile irresistibly overturn all in their way like a whirle-winde Death takes them away suddenly spite in their teeth Luk. 12.20 Thou foole this night shall thy Soul be required of thee Eccles 9.12 as fishes that are taken in an evil net and as the birds that are caught in the snare so are the sons of men snared in an evil time when it falleth suddenly upon them Thirdly desperately driven away in his wickednes dying either in the act of sin or under the guilt and bondage of sin Joh. 8.21 it was a dreadfull doome threatned by our saviour against the unbelieving Jewes ye shall die in your sins its better to die in a ditch or in prison or on the gallowes than to die in sin to be driven away in ones wickednes is a desperate driving away to die without hope opposite to the righteous mans case in his death Prov. 11.7 when a wicked man dieth his expectation shall perish and the hope of unjust men perisheth i.e. his affection of hope and happines hoped for and strongest meanes to attain to his hope shall end with his life and die at his death and vanish away at the time of his destruction So Job 8.13 14. Thus for the manner how the wicked is driven away Secondly from whence and from what He is driven from all earthly friends Comforts enjoyments hopes habitation Iob 18.14 his confidence shall be rooted out of his Tabernacle and it shall bring him to the King of terrours vers 18 he shall be driven from light into darknesse and chased out of the world from all meanes of Grace Eccles 9.10 from all further society with Gods people yea from Gods gracious presence and protection 2. Thess 1.9 3. Whither into darknes his body into the slimy valley into the pit of corruption and his Soul into the pit of destruction Psal 9.17 the wicked shall be turned into hell and all the nations that forget God Death to wicked men is Hells pale stalking-horse or the Riden on that pale horse with whom Hell followed after Rev. 6.8 4. By what Drivers By sword diseases Death sinne sathan c. The Prophet Ezekiel denouncing Gods vengeance against the Ammonites Moabites and other Enemyes for their insolency and insulting over the Jews in their Calamity saith Ezek. 35.6 Bloud shall pursue thee sith thou hast not hated bloud bloud shall pursue thee as Abels bloud pursued Cain with Hue and Cry for vengeance Prov. 13.21 Evill pursueth sinners Pro. 11.19 As righteousnes tendeth to life so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death 2. Pet. 2.1 wicked men eagerly pursuing their own lusts bring upon themselves swift destruction The Psalmist speaks of a driving Angel that shall chase and pursue wicked men Psal 35.5 6. let them be as the Chaffe before the winde and let the Angel of the Lord chase them yea let the Angel of the Lord persecute them Thus you see there want not Drivers to chase away the wicked out of the world and to hurry them into the pit of destruction whereby the second branch of the Use of Information hath been fully and cleerely made good that the Righteous is more excellent than his Neighbour Death is so far from putting an end to the miseries of wicked men that its the beginning of their sorrowes an entrance into endlesse woe and misery it puts an end to their joyes and troubles too in this world but it brings them to a world of everlasting troubles Revel 2.23 they shall be killed with death Death is killing to the wicked but it s mors vitalis quickning curing and very gainfull to the Godly it puts them into possession of eternall life the Righteous hath hope in his death Therefore let none be discouraged from the wayes of God because of the flowrishing of the wicked or the troubles and afflictions of the righteous in this life let them