divide this general Doctrine into Two Branches and speak to each part The First is this THAT a Believer in the Moment of his Death can Triumph over Death in reference to his Soul FIRST as the Lord shall enable me I will prove this Truth and then explain and illustrate it FOR Proof I shall only at present give you two places of Scripture Rev. 14.13 And I heard a Voice from Heaven saying unto me Write Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their Labours and their Works do follow them Where First you have the Truth plainly asserted Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord or in dying in the Lord. 2ly The Reasons of it 1. They rest from their Labours 2. Their Works follow them i. e. They will meet with their Prayers and Duties entered on the File for their review as an additional to their eternal Delights 3. You have here insinuated the Certainty and Importance of this Truth 1. The Commandment to write they are weighty things usually committed to Ink and Paper and that for duration also Littera Scripta manet 2. The Commander the Spirit I heard a Voice from Heaven saying write c. THE second place is Heb. 4 19. There remaineth therefore a Rest to the People of God Their rest is not in this World but in another and they enter upon it in the moment of Death therefore they have then ground of triumphing I shall add to these the Experiences of Three Worthies The first was David's 2 Sam. 23.5 Althô my House be not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure For this is all my Salvation and all my Desire althô he make it not to grow David was now on the brink of Eternity taking a view of the past and present Disorders of his House and Heart yet rejoyces and triumphs in the view of the Covenant of Grace and his Interest in it and the influence it had on the Eternity he was entring into The second was that of faithful Stephen that glorious Proto-Martyr who when the Stones that dashed out his Brains and Life flew about his Ears cryed out triumphantly Lord Jesus receive my Spirit Acts 7.59 THE last I shall mention is the Experience of the blessed Apostle Paul Phil. 1.23 For I am in a straight betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better But very pat and pertinent to the purpose 2 Cor. 5.1 c. He being harrassed with Labours Perils and Sufferings at the apprehension of the time of his departure being at hand triumphs thus v. 1. For we know that if our earthly House of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a Building of God an House not made with Hands eternal in the Heavens HAVING thus from the Holy Scriptures of Truth proved the Doctrine I shall proceed to the explication of it 'T IS undeniable That Contraries do the better illustrate one another as black Spots make a white Skin shine the brighter and a Black-a-Moor is a Foil to set off an European Therefore I shall illustrate this Truth by another Contrary that I might the more emphatically explain it which is this The triumph of Death over an Unbeliever and thus lay down the Doctrine to be explained DEATH in Death triumphs over the Unbeliever and the Believer triumphs over Death in dying I shall begin with the first Branch viz. Death in Death triumphs over the Unbeliever and as the Spirit of the Lord shall assist me shew you in what respects 1. DEATH triumphs over the Unbeliever's sensual Pleasures Where are now says Death your vain Pleasures that you wantonly rolled your self in in your life time What are become of those jolly merry frolicksom hours that you lavish'd away with your frothy Companions Where are now your drunken Cups and Glasses and your riotous Feasts with which you so often drowned and glutted your sensual Appetite What do they profit you now What pleasure do you find now from your former repeated acts of Lusts and Beastliness What relish now from those brutish tickling of swinish Delights What does all your vain Merriment avail you now What fruit have you from those Things that formerly you reckoned your Heaven and Happiness Instead of Pleasures you now shall have your belly full of everlasting Torments Now your merry Moments are turned into an eternity of Sorrows Now instead of swimming in Wine and luxuriously feeding on Dainties you shall swim world without end in fiery Streams of burning Brimstone You shall drink your Tears and feed on your own tortur'd Flesh in endless and never-ceasing Misery Now the flame of your Lust is succeeded by a hotter flame even the flame of divine Vengeance Now instead of your frothy Spirit and vain Laughter you shall have enough of howling weeping and gnashing of Teeth Nay you shall carry with you all your Lusts and Corruptions to Hell not to please you but to pain you The same Water that the Fish swims in with delight if beated over the Fire will be the Fish's torment THE Sins you acted with pleasure in the World you shall act the same in great measure in Hell but to your eternal torturing You shall there act your Revenges but wound none with its poison'd Arrows but your own Soul You shall there have your covetous Desires enlarged as wide as the Hell you are in but it will only be your pain and punishment Your own Lusts there shall be the Flames that will scorch you Come thou trembling Wretch will Death say to the place of sinning and the place of punishment and thy very sinning shall be thy punishment Oh! then will Death insult in the words of the Wise-man Whatsoever thine Eyes desired thou keptest not from them Thou withheldest not thy Heart from any Joy Eccles 2.10 And now all will be Vanity and Vexation of Spirit to thee part of v. 11. And also in those Words as are written Luke 12.19 Thou hast long said to thy Soul Soul take thine ease eat drink and be mâ—rry But thou Fool I am come this Night to require thy Soul of thee part of v. 20. And to add no more Death will only change the Moods and Tenses in that portion of holy Writ Eccles 11.9 insulting thus Thou hast rejoyced Oh! Young Man in thy youth and thy Heart has cheered thee in the days of thy youth Thou hast walked in the ways of thine heart and in the sight of thine Eyes but know thou now thou trembling Wretch that for these things I am sent by the God of Justice to bring thee into Judgment CONSIDER this thou voluptuous sensual Wretch thou Drunkard thou Belly-slave thou unclean Beast thou Blasphemer thou Swearer thou Reveller and Persecuter consider this and ponder it in thy Heart thou must ' ere long come upon a Death-bed this greisly King of Terrors will stare thee in the
loose vain Conversation to my inward Deadness and Enmity and when Death approached to bring me to a State of perfection in Glory didst represent him to me as a dreadful King of Terrors But now Death is come and has executed his Office I welcome him and laugh thee to Scorn Free Grace has disarmed him of the Sting that thou wouldst have given him against me I shall now no more be perplexed with thy Gripes I shall now plainly see my Redemption eternal and always the same without as much as a Cloud as big as a Mans Hand to interpose I shall never look off the Lord my Righteousness my Sanctification and Covering but always behold my Fathers reconciled Face in the Face of my beloved Jesus I shall never depart from him any more I shall now have perpetual Freedom and Enlargement of Soul before him I shall never have an hard Thought of him any more nor ever sin the least sin against him any more Farewell eternally O Guilt of sin thou canst not enter into Heaven where I am going Thus I spurn thee now mounting up into everlasting Glory DEATH triumphs over the Pollution of sin and makes a full End of Corruption and Iniquity Then may the Believer cry O filthy sink of Sin thou shalt defile me no more How often even since Conversion hast thou ravished my Virgin Soul How oftentimes a day hast thou scattered thy Filth in my Conscience and left an envenom'd Taint there How often when I was going to approach an holy God didst thou appear in my Soul in thy ugly Colours to terrify me and to turn me aside from the living God Yea and though I often saw the Righteousness of Christ covering me yet thou often filledst my Conscience with such a Cloud of Filth and Stench that that glorious Covering was hid from mine Eyes but now thou shalt blind mine Eyes no more I shall now have perfect uninterrupted Visions of that spotless beauteous Garment wrapping me round and that to all Eternity Not the least speck of thee shall enter into Heaven in my Father's House I am entring into there 's nothing but compleat Purity and Holiness There is not the least Atom of Dirt in the Streets of the Jerusalem above Here thou filthy Load I finally part with thee I shall never be defiled any more with thee Hallelujah Amen And thus the Believer triumphs over Sin that is the Substance of the Sting of Death Thirdly THE Believer triumphs over the Law which the Words of my Text call the strength of Sin and the Law or the Covenant of Works is the strength of sin though it be in it self holy just and good in a twofold Respect 1. It condemns the Soul and tortures the Conscience so drives the Soul farther from God and encreases the Enmity against him and thereby puts the Soul more under the Power of sin enlarging and strengthening sins Dominion over it Rom. 6.16 Sin shall not have Dominion over you for you are not under the Law but under Grace Where 't is evidently implied to be under the Power of the Law is to be under sins Dominion and this is exemplified and proved plainly and clearly in the former Part of the seventh of the Romans which I cannot now stay to open 2. The Law judicially delivers the Soul up to the Will and Power of sin by way of Punishment Thus the Son of God is said to come in the Likeness of sinful Flesh and for sin or sinning to condemn sin in the Flesh Sin by the condemning Law has assigned it penally as Executioner a Power of sinning in the Soul from which Sentence only a crucified Jesus can free the Soul The Law therefore as it is the strength of sin is a sore Exercise to the Believer and the strength of the old Man or the Body of Death in his Soul all his life time but in his Death he may thus glory over it Thou Covenant of Works thou Killing Letter in my Conscience though I was much freed from thee by the Law of Righteousness which is of Faith yet thou didst still work there Gendring unto Bondage opposing the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus Gal. 4.29 Thou that wast born after the Flesh didst persecute that that was born after the Spirit Gal. 4.30 But now the Bond-woman and her Son shall be quite cast out Thou didst all my Life time endeavour all ways to keep up Guilt in my Conscience and if at any time removed to do it away by Obedience to thee by legal Sorrow and Contrition by Resolutions to amend and greater Watchfulness for the future Whilst I was thereby diverted from making first Applications to the Blood of sprinkling so that my sin was rather oftentimes compounded for than in Faith washt away in that Fountain that is opened for Sin and for Vncleanness Whence I was not only diverted from continual Believing into a bleeding Jesus but had my Conscience rather stupified than healed my sin made little harmless and familiar and rather encouraged than a real dying unto it and hence oftentimes my Soul cast into a deep Lethargy But now I am absolutely freed from that Yoak of Bondage Mount Sinai in my Conscience and shall be made for ever to Gal. 5.1 Stand fast in that Liberty wherewith the Son hath made me free indeed John 8.36 Thus will the Believer in Death triumph over the Law as it is the Strength of sin Fourthly THE Believer in Death may glory over the Justice of God as it is armed with Vengeance against Sinners Though Believers are fully delivered in their life time from the stroke of Divine Justice yet they do oft times not so fully apprehend it But after Death the Believer shall see as he is seen apprehend as he is apprehended and then be enabled to rejoyce thus Divine Justice whilst I lived though thou wast my Friend in Jesus yet many times I dreaded thee as mine Enemy but now I plainly see thou art my Friend indeed and that it is just with thee to justifie me in the Lord my Righteousness Thy Sword that was pointed at my Breast and should have now thrust me down to Hell was received by my crucified Lord into his own Bowels and I am now made for ever to escape Being made more than a Conqueror through him that loved me My dying Saviour in Falling wrested thy Weapon out of thy Hand and made his blessed Body a Grove planted from thy poisonous Quiver so that there is not an Arrow now left to spend upon me I now come O Justice in the Right of my Lord to sit for ever down in his heavenly Mansions to sing Hallelujahs to that righteous and true God for ever and ever Fifthly THE Believer in Death may triumph over Satan Satan though a Soul is Translated out of his Kingdom yet through his restless Enmity is always seeking to devour He has Wiles Methods and cunning Devices of Temptations to ensnare imperious Suggestions fierce
Assaults and fiery Darts to terrifie with these several ways of Attacks is the poor Believer harrassed as long as he lives but in Death he can insult over all Thus then can the Believer vaunt it Satan thou hast long tortured me with throwing in wicked and blasphemous Suggestions and then perswadedst me to my great Terrour I had sinned the sin against the Holy Ghost Thou shalt no longer be able to throw in any more of thy fiery Insinuations I am now beyond the reach of any of thy Darts Thou hast always endeavoured to tempt me to sin and then to make me question my Interest But now I shall sin no more nor question my Interest any longer I shall not now be tempted any more to Despair on the one hand nor presume on the other Thou darest not appear where I am going Thou vile Satan I shall be disturbed with thee no longer I shall have no further Concerns with thee till I come with my Lord to sit in Judgment upon thee at the great Day Sixthly and lastly THE Believer can thus triumph over the World which is the last thing that goes to make up the Sting of Death Thou empty confused World that didst use to terrify me with thy Threats I defy thee and them now and wast wont to allure me with thy Flatteries I am above their Undermining now I scorn thy Rattles and thy painted Beads and thy airy Bubbles I dread not now thy haggard Face nor shall I any more be moved with thine Enchantments It will add to my Pleasure in my Mansions of Glory to see thee burnt for thy Witchcraft I shall no more dread thy mighty Hunters nor be aw'd with thy grim Tyrants nor be enslaved in Body nor Conscience by thy bloody Laws now be harrased with brutish Executioners There are no oppressing Magistrates no Catch-poles nor Informers in the place I now enter to Nay now I tread under foot all in thee that is enticing I set Health Wealth Pleasures Honours Friends Relations and all in one Scale and my dear Fore-runner in the other and that Scale weighs down now to the Ground I now go to the heavenly Jerusalem and that better Country where I shall have better Riches and more durable Substance better Honours better Pleasures and far better Relations Thus will the Believer then triumph over Death and whatsoever goes to make up the Sting of it BUT Secondly The Believer can triumph over every thing else in Death that is formidable To instance in one for many Nature abhors a Dissolution and the Soul though it has but a bad Lodging does not care to be turned out of Doors It s tenement of Clay it cares not to be dislodged of though its all over tattered and needs Repairs It shrinks back at entring into a new way of acting separate from the Body when it has all the while been accustomed to act only by such an Organ It has been used to such a poor Garment yet as sorry as it is it knows not how to be undressed of it and made naked Whereas now in the Moment of Death that 's over to the Believer It can cry then like his Master giving up the Ghost All is finished It sees a better House to go to upon its being dispossessed of this even the Fathers House that has many Mansions And a better Garment to be cloathed with even his elder Brother's glorious Robe of curious Embroidery And can triumph in the Words of the Apostle varying a little the Form of speaking 2 Cor. 5.1 2. c. I now see that my earthly House of this Tabernacle being dissolved I have a Building of God an House not made with Hands eternal in the Heavens In this I have groaned earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with my House which is from Heaven I am sure being so cloathed I shall not be found naked For I that in this Tabernacle did groan being burdened not for that I would be uncloathed but cloathed upon And now Mortality shall be swallowed up of Life THUS the Believer triumphs over this Terror of Death and every thing else in Death that is terrible And thus I have finished the first Branch of my Doctrine viz. That the Believer in Death triumphs over Death in reference to his Soul I should pass away now to various Uses but time will not permit I shall therefore wind up this Branch with one Word of Exhortation to poor Sinners O you poor perishing Sinners over whom my Bowels yearn In my Master's Name I beg that you would suffer a Word of Exhortation You must needs be all perswaded firmly of this that you must once die and you know not how soon You may perhaps go to bed well and never see Morning Would you then in that instant of time avoid being insulted over by Death and triumph over that cruel Dragon Death and his fatal Sting then look up to that brazen Serpent the blessed Jesus erected on the Pole of Gods Word the only Hope set before you in the Gospel O fly to it for Refuge Would you glory over that King of Terrors and all his Dread 2 Tim. 2.1 Be strong in the Grace that is in Christ Jesus Would you die the Death of the Righteous then you must live the Life of the Righteous and we are told what that is Rom. 1.17 The Just shall live by Faith Believe in the Lord Jesus the exalted Prince and Saviour and his God-like Righteousness and earnestly beg of the Lord for the Revelation of the Righteousness of God to you from Faith to Faith Rom. 1.17 That so when that Faith is going to be swallowed up of Vision you may triumph over Death and all its Terrors in respect of your precious and immortal Soul The Second SERMON 1 Cor. 15.55 O Grave Where is thy Victory SOME of you may remember that from the Words opened and Explained I raised this general Observation THAT every true Believer in the Moment of his Death can triumph over Death and the Grave as well in reference to his Soul as to his Body I divided it into two Branches the first whereof was this That a Believer in the Moment of his Death can triumph over Death in respect of his Soul which I have dispatched and now proceed to handle the second viz. THAT a Believer in Death can triumph over the Grave in respect of his Body I judge it most convenient to use the same Method in the Prosecution of this Branch as I did in the former viz. to illustrate it by its contrary and therefore lay it down thus to be spoken to THE Grave can triumph over the Unbelievers Body but the Believer can triumph over the Grave in respect of his Body SINNERS are apt to make Gods of their Bodies honouring them excessively with Food Rayment Lodging and the like and to glory in the Health Beauty and Strength of their Bodies but the Grave will trample upon all these Instead of delicious Wine and choice
that will carry on the Work of Sanctification in the Soul The spiritual Life of a Believer is from Faith and maintained by Faith It is written The Just shall live by Faith Rom. 1.17 Gal. 3.11 Heb. 10.38 Faith is said to purifie the Heart Acts 15.9 to sanctifie viz. the whole Man Acts 26.18 and Faith always respects Christ and his Grace The Blood of Christ i. e. pardoning Grace in the Blood of Christ received into the Conscience by believing is affirmed to purge the Conscience from dead Works to serve the living God Heb. 9.14 The Grace of God that bringeth Salvation and hath appeared to all Men in the Gospel but as revealed unto the Consciences of them that believe teacheth them that denying ungodliness and worldly Lusts they should live soberly righteously and godly in this present World Tit. 2.11 12. And the GOD of all Grace in manifesting his Grace to the Soul that he has called it to eternal Glory by JESUS CHRIST does go on to make perfect establish strengthen and settle the Soul Which Expressions comprehend all the Work of Sanctification in its several parts and degrees till it arrives to the fulness of the stature of a perfect Man in Christ Jesus 'T is apparent from these and several other places of the holy Scriptures that the Grace that is in us proportionably rises and falls to the believing Views we have of the Grace that is in the Heart of Christ towards us and in the Hand of Christ to give us To draw towards a close in this matter This is it I am at that our inherent Righteousness within us is begun and carried on by Faith in the imputed Righteousness of Christ without us These two are every way distinct yet so as the former still flows from the latter The All-wise GOD has so ordered it in the dispensation of his Grace that his free Grace shall be magnified and the Righteousness of his Son highly valued and advanced Were the only use of Christ's Righteousness and indeed that is a great use of it to secure eternal Glory for us we should be tempted to have little recourse to it by Faith for that being once done and our state secured corrupt Nature would be apt to insinuate to us there would be no great need of such frequent viewing that God-like Righteousness without us wherein we stand it being that that is so contrary to Flesh and blood But now our Holiness in every step of it depending upon the Righteousness of Christ being apprehended by the Soul in believing it must or it ought to necessitate us to have constant recourse by continued Acts of believing to this glorious Righteousness all the day long Since it is thus that every dram of true Gospel-Holiness flows into the Soul only this way The Apostle affirms it three times That now the just shall live by Faith which Life 't is evident he means to be a Life spiritual or Life of Holiness here And 't is necessary that the Work of Holiness be carried on continually and constantly and therefore that we believe in Christ and his Righteousness always The reason of all is this The Lord will have the Righteousness which is of Faith the imputed Righteousness of his Son always viewed believed in and admired by us So that hence you may believe the Doctrine of Free-Grace does not tend to Licentiousness as Satan in various Instruments clamours against it but the quite contrary Such undeserved superabounding Grace to pardoned Sinners being the main motive unto Holiness of Heart Lip and Life The Apostle plainly affirms Rom. 6.14 That the Souls being brought under Grace breaks Sin 's Dominion therein i. e. the Soul being brought in believing under the powerful influence of that Grace that Reigns through Righteousness unto eternal Life by Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 5.21 2. Infer The second and last use is for the encouragement of Sinners yea the chiefest worst and vilest to come to Christ from the glorious Grace that is held forth in the Doctrine The Believers that thus have and can triumph over Death and the Grave were once Sinners as you may be some of them as vile as the vilest of you Come you therefore and tast and see how gracious our Lord the Redeemer is Come you and joyn with us in a perpetual Covenant to serve the Lord. Accept of the peace of the Gospel and make a venture upon an offered Jesus Oh come you the worst of you and live the Life of Faith like the Just and you shall die the Death of the Righteous to triumph over all in Death Whatever your Objections can be this astonishing Free-Grace can answer them all Infinite Wisdom has permitted all along prodigious Mountains of Opposition to rise in the way of Grace on purpose that that Grace of God may declare it self boundless by triumphing over all Thus though it was designed from all Eternity that Free-Grace should have all the Honour in making the Elect happy Yet a Law for Life was set up that through the Breaches thereof Sin might be suffered to enter Sin that odious thing that was such an Affront to the whole Godhead and brought so great an eclipse on his manifestative Glory was suffered I say to enter that electing Grace might be magnified in mounting above it And the Law entered once again on Mount Sinai that so Sin might abound on purpose that Free Grace might super-abound and reign and triumph over all Free-Grace and electing Love does not only like Jordan overflow all its Banks but like the mighty Deluge cover the tops of the highest Mountains of Opposition in the World Therefore what Objections O Sinners can you have against bowing down to the Grace offered in the Gospel O harden not your Hearts but now hear ye his Voice Know assuredly this That objecting against your acceptance of the Grace of Christ be your Objections never so specious is no other but a gain-saying of Christ O do not rebell and gainsay against the wide-opened and stretcht-forth Arms of eternal Mercy and Compassion that now is extended to you Be thou the vilest on the face of the Earth yet as vile as thou has obtained Mercy There are on Record instances of Sovereign Grace greater than any of you can be What think you of Adam I durst almost engage to answer all thine Objections thou vilest Sinner from that single Precedent You say you are the greatest of Sinners you cannot be greater than he who was the Arch-Rebel and Traytor who led his whole Race into an horrid Rebellion against GOD yet he found Mercy Ay but your Sins are great not greater than his who in one Sin was guilty of the highest Ingratitude the most monstrous Unbelief and the most devillish Pride and Discontent c. besides his breaking the whole Moral Law in that one Sin Yet you may say My Sins are many I answer That first Sin of his was a pregnant Monster millions of Legions in it But you
A SERMON PREACHED at the FUNERAL OF Mr. John Bigg To which is added Another SERMON upon the same Subject ALSO A NARRATIVE of Mr. BIGG's CONVERSION c. By R. DAVIS Minister of the Gospel LONDON Printed for ROBERT PONDER MDCXCI TO THE READER INstead of an Epistle Dedicatory I shall only briefly acquaint thee with the Reasons that induced me to print these Sermons and why they came forth so long after they were preached I have sometimes ceased to be a Friend to the Press and never intended to print them at all though often put upon to do it But the Lord the Redeemer whose Blessing and Power made Clay and Spittle to open the Eyes of the Blind was pleased to own these so as to make them of great use to several Their Entreaty with divers others prevailed with the Widdow of the Deceased to importune me further so that her Importunity joyn'd with theirs obtained upon me at least to redeem when I could now and then a little time from the great Work of Christ that is upon my Hands to set them in order and so venture them into the World There fell in also another cogent Motive viz. The Consideration of the false and lying Stories scattered through City and Country concerning me and the Doctrines I preach made me willing to let all know if they please to read what those Doctrines are and so they may make a better Judgment afterwards And I do assure thee these Sermons contain the chief Substance of what I preached here in the Country Therefore I have made some Additions hereunto and Alterations suitable to my main Scope in preaching this Year past Had the Men of the World only cast Dirt it would have been more tolerable Better could not have been expected from them but to act according to their Nature But this has been piercing that the Truths of Jesus have been wounded in the House of Friends Here a sufficient Occasion is given for a pathetick Lamentation But tell it not in Gath and publish it not in Askelon c. VVhatever Blows some aim at one another they all fall upon their holy Profession whilst a too eager Vindication is persued of our good Names and Reputation from undue and unjust Calumnies The Name of Jesus and his Gospel may be exposed to greater Reproach This made me choose to lie still with a Gag in my Mouth whilst I was and am still cloathed with Sambanettoes than use the Methods I might to assert my wronged Innocency leaving it to God the Judge of all to vindicate his Name and Gospel in his due time and in his own way which I am certain he will And as for me let my Name lie in the Dust provided it may make for the Honour of Christ and the Furtherance of his Gospel I am endeavourring to learn this Lesson to rejoyce in Reproaches from whatever Tongues they come as well as in Infirmities for Christ's Sake and I would press after that meek Spirit of the Gospel that being defamed to intreat viz. To intreat Christ on the Behalf of my Defamers and entreat them in the Bowels of Mercy to lay aside their Enmity against the Lord Jesus his Truths and VVays Reader I shall add no more but commend thee to God and the Word of his Grace which is not only able to translate thee out of Darkness into the Kingdom of his dear Son but also build thee up therein and give thee an Inheritance among them that are sanctified And now the God of Peace that brought again from the Dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the Sheep through the Blood of the everlasting Covenant make thee perfect in every good Work to do his Will working in thee that that is well-pleasing in his Sight through Jesus Christ to whom be Glory for ever and ever Amen A SERMON Preached at the FUNERAL OF Mr. BIGG Gent. 1 Cor. 15.55 56 57. 55. O Death where is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory 56. The Sting of Death is Sin and the Strength of Sin is the Law 57. But Thanks be to God which giveth us the Victory thrô our Lord Jesus Christ OUR Great Apostle in this Epistle of his having answered several Cases of Conscience to the Church at Corinth in this Chapter refutes that dangerous Error that denied the Resurrection of the Dead HE founds his Argument for the overthrow of the Error and the Establishing the contrary Truth chiefly upon the Resurrection of a buried Jesus Having prosecuted this from v. 12. with the Intermixture of other Mediums and also exhortatory Inferences to v. 35. he there states the Adversary's Objection in these Words With what body do they come again THIS Objection he answers shaving rebuked the Objector with the Title of a Fool v. 26. from the Nature of Grain thrown by the Sower into the Ground rising into a Crop of beautiful Corn pleasant to the eye and useful for food Further shewing and explaining the difference between human Bodies and the Flesh of Beasts Birds and Fish and the difference of their Glory from the Terrestrial and Coelestial Bodies even the difference between Coelestial Bodies themselves in Glory HAVING managed this from v. 36 to 42 he there applies it to the case in hand shewing in v. 42 43 44. That the Bodies of the Saints are sown in Corruption but raised in Incorruption Sown in Honour but raised in Glory c. This he repeats varying his Phrase v. 53 54. And draws in this Inference in the Close of the 54 v. Death is swallowed up in Victory which Inference he confirms in a way of triumph in the Words of my Text. O Death where is thy Sting c. IN which words you have the Apostle triumphing in the Person of every dying Believer wherein are contained these Parts 1. THE Apostles Triumph in v. 55. 2. THE Cause of it 1st laid down negatively v. 56. The Sting of the Believer's Death being pulled out by the Abolishing of Sin which is Death's Sting and the Reign of the Law over him which is the Strength of Sin positively laid down in v. 57. viz. A Victory being obtained over Death through our Lord Jesus Christ which the Apostle mentions with Thanksgiving to the Almighty IN handling these Words I shall only insist on the Triumph or Ovation in v. 55. and the rather because the Prosecution of the Truth that shall arise from that Verse will reach and take in the chief Matter contained in the following Verses IN these words you have as was aforementioned the Believer's Triumph over Death and that in a twofold Respect 1. In respect of his Soul O Death where is thy Sting 2. In respect of his Body O Grave where is thy Victory Without spending further time in opening the Words they afford us this Doctrinal Observation Doct. THAT every true Believer in the Moment of his Death can Triumph over Death and the Grave both in reference to his Soul and Body I shall
in him and many more And thus I have answered this Question with all the brevity and perspecuity I could as the Lord has enabled me and as time would give leave And now methinks some are ready to ask in the words of the blind Man whom Christ had restored to his Sight Quest BUT who is he that I might believe on him John 9.36 You say he must be seen and ventured on pray then who is he Answ I shall answer you from the Sermons of the Apostles preached by them after they were endued with Power from on high And first the Apostle Peter tells you who he is Acts 2.22 23. Jesus of Nazareth a Man approved of God him being delivered by the determinate Counsel and Fore-knowledge of God ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and stain comp with 32. This Jesus hath God raised up whereof we are all Witnesses 33. Therefore being by the right Hand of God exalted hath received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Ghost Once more Acts. 5.30 The God of our Fathers hath raised up Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a Tree 31. Him hath God exalted with his right Hand to be a Prinee and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and remission of sins Add to these Heb. 12.2 Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith who for the joy set before him in the saving of Sinners enduring the Cross despising the shame and is now set down at the right Hand of God In short he that was made of the Seed of David according to the Flesh Rom. 3. who yet is God over all blessed for ever Rom. 10.5 That mighty glorious God-Man who was born of a Virgin that lived and preached in Judea Rom 8.38 that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right Hand of God who also ever lives to make intercession Col. 1.18 the first born from the dead Col. 1.15 and the first born of every Creature the despised Jesus of Nazareth 1 Col. 2.9 in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily And all the Glory Excellency Beauty and Majesty that shines on Jesus of Nazareth is the Glory Excellency c. of the Godhead This is he that blessed Object of your Faith this is he whom you must believe in When he lived on Earth the Faith of his Children was more dark about his God-head than his human Nature but now he is in Heaven their Faith is more at a loss about his human Nature and it is to be lamented that the glorified human Nature even Jesus of Nazareth is so little in the Preaching Profession Faith and Experience of Gods own Children But yet this is the Lord whom we through Grace have seen and tasted to be gracious Will not you too O Sinners come and taste and see how gracious he is Cant. 5.16 This is our Friend this is our Beloved O Daughters of Jerusalem He is altogether lovely Cant. 5.10 He is the chiefest among ten thousand He is able Heb. 7.27 to save you to the uttermost O come therefore and venture your Souls upon him commit them to him O that you would but try him you have tried his Patience to the utmost by your Rebellion and Obstinacy in Wickedness O that you would but try his boundless Grace by casting your selves into the Ocean of it You must venture on his Grace or you must be damned Mark 16.16 He that believeth shall be saved he that believeth not shall be damned If you accept not of this offered Jesus you despise this only Sacrifice and there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sin but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery Indignation which shall devour the Adversary Heb. 10.26 I am now come to the second Branch the Believers triumphing over Death AND 1. the Believer triumphs over the Sting of Death and what else does concur to make it 2. THE Believer triumphs over every thing else in Death that is formidable First THE Believer triumphs over the Sting of Death He then can rejoycingly cry out O Death I fear thee not thou art very harmless unto me Thou comest indeed like a Dragon with open Mouth but where is thy Sting I dread not that open Mouth or that wide Throat I with Joy am swallowed up of it and pass through it up to the highest Heavens into my Redeemers Arms. Here at this dark Portal I undress my self of this mortal Flesh and fly with holy Confidence to the Presence of the Lamb upon the Throne and the Presence of God the Father in him and the bright innumerable Company above in this full Assurance that I shall not be found naked Wellcome Death to dissolve and pull down this earthly House of my Tabernacle that so I may go to my House not made with Hands the Building of God eternal in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5.2 Wellcome sweet Messenger that comest to fetch me home from this mad confused wicked raging tottering World into my Fathers House I thank thee O grim Porter who openest the Gates to eternal Happiness 'T is true the News of thy Approach did terrifie me as the Report of the Coming of rough blustering Esau with his armed Men did Jacob Gen. 32. But yet now thou art come to me I can say as he did I behold thy black and grisly Face as the Face of the Angel of God or the Messenger of the Lord Jesus Christ For in thy black Face I see Beauty in thy grisly Terrors great Glory In thy Dragons Mouth no Sting at all O Death where is thy Sting Thus the Believer in dying triumphs over the Sting of Death 2. THE Believer in dying triumphs over those things that go to make up the Sting of Death And 1. OVER Sin The Sting of Death is Sin says the Words of my Text. And 1. In its Guilt 2. in its Pollution And 1. OVER the Guilt of Sin Thus the Believer in dying glories over it O Guilt of Sin who in my life-Life-time since my Conversion notwithstanding I was washed with the Blood of Jesus and he had obtained an eternal Redemption for me didst often use to sting my Conscience and thereby to fill me with Dread and Horrour and so didst weaken my Faith and Confidence in the Lord Jesus didst strengthen the Hands of my Unbelief in making me depart from the living God Didst make me often come in Prayer to God as my angry Judge and not as to my Father reconciled to me in Christ And thereby didst bind up my Soul fetter my Spirits so that I had no freedom of Access to God through Christ Thou didst often deal with me as the Man that went from Jerusalem to Jericho didst wound me and strip me and leave me half dead Didst often force me to entertain hard murmuring and outragious Thoughts against my dear Lord and Master Jesus and my reconciled God and Father in him Didst often make me add Iniquity to my Sin and a carnal
Dainties the Grave will fill their Mouths and Bellies with Dust Their Silks and Laces and abominable impudent whorish Head dresses their proud and lofty Crests shall be exchanged for stinking Rottenness odious Filth and crawling Maggots And instead of their stately Houses and Down Beds they must be content to take up with a dark Hole and a cold Bed of Clay The most vigorous Health then is vanished a little pitiful Vermine can there deal with the stoutest Hector and the strongest Sampson The fairest Face will soon prove as dismal there as the foulest Monster The most exquisite Beauty look as squallid and as horrid as the ugliest Blackamoor and none shall be able to see any Difference between the rotten Skull of the one and the other But having spoken somewhat to these things already and being desirous to hasten to other Matter I shall here put a Conclusion to this and only add three or four things to be considered in Death wherein Death and the Grave triumphs over a Sinners Body but the Believer triumps over Death and the Grave c. I shall speak to both the Contraries together by way of Antithesis 1. NATURAL Death to the Wicked is an entrance to eternal Death Heb. 9.27 And 't is appointed to Men once to die but after this the Judgment The Righteous Law of God has so ordered it for Sinners that Death as a Sergeant shall arrest and cast their Bodies to the Grave as to a Dungeon there to be reserved in Deaths Chains to the Judgment of the great Day But natural Death to the Godly is a Passage to eternal Glory and Death like a skilful Chymist takes their Bodies and puts them into the Alembick of the Grave and there distils them into pure spiritual and glorious Bodies against the great Day but more of this hereafter 2. NATURAL Death to the Wicked is a part of the penal Sentence of the Law Gen. 2.17 For in the Day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die The Law threatned a threefold Death spiritual temporal and eternal The Hebraism in the Original is emphatical to the Purpose dying thou shalt die To me having this Force dying in thy Body thou shalt die eternally in thy Soul 'T is evident that to the Ungodly natural Death is a part of that punishment inflicted by the righteous Law of God and what Death is the Grave is the same If one be the Laws Jaylor to the Body the other is the Laws Prison But to the Godly 't is far otherwise For as Death has lost his Sting to them so has the Grave 'T is not to them penal but purely natural the putting off the old Adam that the second Adam may take possession of the whole Body The Apostle in 1 Cor. 15. discoursing of the Necessity of the natural Death of Believers argues thus That the old Adam had first took possession of the Elect Vessels Bodies V. 46. That what of the old Adam is there is earthly and tends to Earth and Dissolution V. 47. It being the proper Nature thereof V. 48. Concludes thus that the Image of the old Adam on the Body must be wholly laid aside and that by Death so that the Image of the second might take sole and full Possession V. 49. As we have born the Image of the Earthy we shall also bear the Image of the Heavenly 3. NATURAL Death is a separation of the Body from all Life and thus it is to the Wicked Their Dust dwell alone in the Grave united to nothing only there reserved by an Almighty Power of God in an extraordinary way for the Glory of his Justice hereafter But the Dust of the Godly in their Graves are united to the Body of Christ now in Heaven and there is held still a secret Correspondence between their scattered Dust and the Life of Jesus who in this sence is the Resurrection and the Life To make this more evident 't is to be considered 1. That the Person of the Believer both Body and Soul in the first act of Faith is united to the Person of Christ yea joyned to the Body of Christ Rom. 7.4 2. That by vertue of this Union the second Adam takes Possession of the Body as well as the Soul as proved afore from 1 Cor. 15.45 to 50. especially 46. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual but that which is natural and afterward spiritual Observe that the Apostles Discourse must be here confined to the Bodies of the Saints for it is the Resurrection of their Bodies he is a proving 3. The Believer holds his natural Life upon another tenure than he did formerly even from the second Adam by vertue of his Implantation into him The great Apostle Paul in the 2 Cor. 4. declaring how his Body had been supported in the Work of Christ under all Perils Pains Watchings Labours Imprisonments c. almost insupportable declares the Cause V. 10. That it was from the Life of Jesus made manifest in his Body repeating the same in the last Clause of the 11th Verse only instead of Body there he writes mortal Flesh All which thus explained does evidently prove that the Bodies of the Saints derive now their natural Life in great measure from another Root 4. As an undeniable Consequence of this that that Life the Body holds from Christ does not quite vanish as that of the first Adam does but is gathered up into Christ and retreats back to him the Root as the Sap of Trees in Winter Time falls down from the Branches to the Root And I take that to be the Meaning of that place of holy Writ or at least I may allude to it Col. 3.3 Your Life is hid with Christ in God especially because of the following Verse when Christ who is our Life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in Glory which Glory respects the Body as well as the Soul 'T is to me plain that there is a secret Commerce between the Living glorious Body of an exalted Jesus and the Dust of a deceased Believer which may be further proved from Mat. 22.31 32. The Argument Christ himself uses to prove the Resurrection of the Dead and the force of his Argument I apprehend to lye here That God calls himself the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob though dead That God is not the God of the Dead but of the Living therefore that though Abraham Isaac c. were dead yet they were still united to the living God and by Vertue of those secret Beams of Life from him the inseparable Effects of that Union that still corresponded and preserved their mouldered Bodies in the Grave they should be raised up at the last Day This sence of the Place seems to be confirmed from the Answer of our Lord Jesus to Martha's Objection against the present Resurrection of her Brother John 11.34 Martha saith unto him I know that he shall rise again in the Resurrection at the last day John 35. Jesus saith
unto her I am the Resurrection and the Life c. As if he should have said thou grantest that I can raise him up at the last Day but how Is it not by Vertue of that Union that is between his dead Body and my living Body If then I will be his Life and therefore his Resurrection I am now his Life and consequently can be now his Resurrection I shall add that Argument the Lord the Holy Ghost the Spirit of Life abides and dwells in a Believer for ever in his Body as well as his Soul 1 Cor. 6.19 What know ye not that your Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you c. If it be granted then that he does still indwell in the separate Soul of the Believer why not in a sense in the separate Body too He brooded formerly over the Chaos till it was formed into a beautiful Creation and why not in like manner over the Dust till the appointed time of actual Life by the Father comes but 4. NATURAL Death tends to an utter Abolition Natural Death in it self tends to an utter Consumption of the Body and that by Steps retrograde to the Methods of the first Creation First There was a Chaos created and then that disposed and disgested into a very beautiful and lovely Frame but Death deals thus with Man the Epitome of the Creation reduces the fair Structure to a Chaos or Heap of Dust and then commits it to the Grave to annihilate it And so would the Bodies of Sinners be annihilated especially in the universal Conflagration but that as has been afore mentioned the God of Nature by his infinite Power preserves and sits them to be Vessels of Wrath for Destruction and at last raises them that they might be for ever miserable Companions to their miserable Souls on which he might make the Power of his Vengeance known to all Eternity That as the Body has been a a Companion to the Soul in sinning so it shall be World without end in suffering But as to the Bodies of the Saints it is otherwise Death only sows their Bodies into the Ground that they might be quickned again into more glorious Bodies 1 Cor. 15.36 37. compare with 42 43. c. And pulls down the old tottering House that it may be built up a more glorious Fabrick in the Day of Resurrection and they shall arise then from the refining Alembick of the Grave with several wonderful Advantages especially these five 1. THEN Corruptibility shall put on Incorruptibility 1 Cor. 15.53 For this Corruptible must put on Incorruption and when thrown into the Grave corruptible Bodies then shall be raised incorruptible V. 42. Sown in Corruption raised in Incorruption The Bodies of the Saints shall have no tendency to decay any more no more shall the Bodies of the Wicked but here will be the Difference the Bodies of the Saints will be unpassible and will not be capable of suffering Pains but the Bodies of the Wicked though not apt to decay yet will be the Seat of eternal Pains and Torments 2. Then Immortal shall put on Immortality 1 Cor. 15.53 54. And the Bodies of the Saints sown mortal shall rise immortal There will be no dying in the new Jerusalem above nor decaying nor fading but Bodies as well as the Spirits of the Just being made perfect shall endure the same in that glorious State to all Eternity 'T is true the Bodies of Unbelievers shall never die more but their Living and Continuing will be a constant Dying They will be dying to all eternity but never absolutely die and happy would it be for them if they could altogether cease to be But on the Bodies of Believers the second Death can have no Power at all As for instance The last Enemy that Christ will destroy for them will be Death 1 Cor. 15.26 And then Death will be swallowed up in Victory 1 Cor. 15.54 3. THEN natural Flesh will put on Spirit 1 Cor. 15.44 It is sown a natural Body it is raised a spiritual Body There is a natural Body and there is a spiritual Body Not that these natural Bodies in the Saints shall be turned into the very Essence of Spirits but they shall come as near their Natures as 't is possible for corporeal Substances to come So says our Lord himself in answer to the Sadduces Cavil Mat 22.30 For in the Resurrection they neither marry nor are given in Marriage but are as the Angels of God in Heaven i. e. They shall be as near to the Nature of Angels as is possible They will be of a purer and more incompound Substance than the purest Elements of Fire They will be endued then with wonderful agility and celerity and their motion surpassing swift probably they will fly then as swift as Thoughts We experience that our Thoughts now speed in an instant to the farthermost Regions of the Earth whilst the heavy Log of a Body stays behind and can go no faster than its Legs can carry it or some more artificial means But doubtless then our Bodies that believe will be fitted to keep pace with our glorified Souls in all their Motions for the Glory of God in Christ not hindred by Sicknesses and Ails nor made slow with any weakness imperfection or mutilation The Sun is swift in his race but what is his race compared to that of the glorified Bodies of the Saints then Fourthly DISHONOUR then will put on Honour and that that is sown in Dishonour will be raised in Glory 1 Cor. 15.43 Then they will be in part clothed with the Glory that is upon the Body of an exalted Jesus 'T is true there will be difference in degrees though not in kind For as there is one Glory of the Sun another Glory of the Moon and another Glory of the Stars For one Star differeth from another Star in Glory 1 Cor. 15.41 So the Glory on the Body of Christ will be as the Glory of the Sun and the Glory of the Bodies of his Children like the Glory of the Stars all shining in Brightness Splendour and Majesty though not equally alike When Christ appeared with Moses and Elias in the Transfiguration on the Mount the Glory then on his Body is set forth as in a Glass His Face did shine as the Sun and his Rayment was white as the Light Mat. 17.2 So will the risen Bodies of the Saints be shining brighter than the Sun whiter than the purest Light That that is sown in Dishonour as afore hinted will be raised in Glory They that are laid in the Earth little Infants will be raised in full growth and perfect statureâ— they that be entombed decrepit old and deformed shall rise again well-shaped vigorous and beautiful They that drop to the Grave poor tattered Servants and Slaves shall come out from thence rich free and illustrious greater than Kings and Emperours Then indeed in a literal sense the Eyes of the Blind shall be opened the Ears of
'll reply I sinned against Knowledge So did he against the most perfect Knowledge of God and his Will yes and against the most perfect enjoyment of God too that is more than you can do But you will object I have sinned grievously I reply Adam was reeking hot in his deep-dyed Iniquity when Mercy stepped in True say you but I have shunned Mercy So did he when he fled to hide himself in the Garden But you may again object I have extenuated mine heinous Sins instead of abhorring my self for them Indeed you have done ill yet though thou hast done as evil as thou couldst yet do not let that discourage thee from accepting of offered Mercy which to refuse is the greatest Sin of all So did he and charged God with it too The Woman thou gavest me c. yet he found Mercy and why not you Many other things of this nature might be added but that I am now bound to the greatest brevity What shall I add the case of Paul who was an injurious Person a Persecuter and a Blasphemer yet he obtained Mercy or the case of Mary Magdalene who had seven Devils of the Woman of Canaan and the Woman mentioned Luke 7. c. who were all three notorious Sinners yet Sovereign Grace was extended to them Let me add but one instance more and that is fresh in your Memories the case of Mr. Bigg whose late decease gives the occasion to this Discourse and the present Solemnity His Death-bed attended with the manifestation of such Sovereignty of Grace and Power from above has allarmed the Neighbourhood And you seem all to be in a surprize and at a gaze about the things you have seen and heard relating thereunto I shall therefore give as an exact account of the whole as has come into my Hands that though he be dead he may yet speak to you And though in the Account I shall give it will be necessary to touch upon his former Life yet it shall be done with a favourable hand only so much as may tend to the advancement of that glorious Free-Grace manifested towards him But ere I begin I must antidote my Hearers with this Caution Because it pleased the Lord to magnifie his glorious Grace towards him on his Death-bed that none of you dare to presume from thence to put of your coming to Christ till a Death-bed season The voice of this mighty Providence is Turn now the worst of you and live 'T is not Defer Believing till a dying time I durst almost venture to say That whoever encourage themselves to continue in ways of Impenitency from this example have breaking forth upon them the black Marks and Tokens of final Rejection It was well observed by one One Thief on the Cross in his dying Moments obtained Grace that none might despair and but one that none might presume So but one Mr. Bigg perhaps in an Age that none may think when they have lived all their Life-time to Sin they shall with ease and at pleasure die to Christ Thus having given this Caution I now proceed to my Narrative A NARRATIVE OF Mr. BIGG's CONVERSION c. MR. Bigg when married to worthy Mr. Browning's Daughter was very sober and well enclined and by some thought to be Godly But it appeared in some time after the Work was but outward for being led aside by vain Company and being at first as it was thought and he expressed it to some filled with dreadful Horrors for it he fell into a woful Security and continued hardned in Sin especially that of Company-keeping for several Years At last he was surprized with a lingring Distemper that brought him nigh to the Gates of Death during which time he continued stupid and unconcerned about his Soul but it pleased the Lord that then he recovered and continued well for about two years or above but then fell into a dangerous Relapse and then there appeared pretty early in him some Concernment about his Soul though he kept it very secret as indeed he was by Nature reserved close and of few Words except he was amongst his Company and distempered in his Head The first time he was seen to be apparently concerned was upon this following Occasion It has pleased the allwise God whose ways are in the Deep and whose Judgments are past finding out to lay his heavy Hand upon a Child of his of twelve years of age who is known to be very gracious in that strange and unusual Distemper that hath seized many others which Dispensation of God towards us makes us to be taken up into the Mouths of Talkers and to be gazed and wondred at by many who pass their Censures variously as they are disposed Though we desire humbly to acquiess in the Will of the Lord waiting for his Salvation not in the least questioning but he will eminently glorifie himself in the Issue as he has already in some Measure blessed be his Name and then they that have reproached us shall see and hear and be ashamed The Distemper afflicting the Child with Light-headedness the first Effect of it in that kind as was observed on her she talked of divers things and amongst the rest of what good People there were in the Neighbourhood that she loved and amongst the rest she said her Mother was good and would go to Heaven but being asked concerning her Father whether she thought her Father would go to Heaven she replied she desired he might Hereupon Mr. Bigg being called and she again in his Presence asked what she said of her Father Nothing says the Child very gravely and awfully but that I wish his eternal Good which Words fell upon him with such Power and Weight that it cast him into great Passion of Weeping for some time About that time being very restless in the Night said to his dear Relation he needed to have something It was answered supposing he meant Physick that nothing would do him more good than a little Sleep He replied yes a little Hope would do me more good It was told him True a little good Hope through Grace would do you more good indeed Remember that Place of Scripture Isa 45.22 Look unto me and be saved all the ends of the Earth For I am God and there is none else He presently answered That was not so easily done and then continued These Words have run in my Mind of late to terrifie me Because I have called and you have refused c. And many dreadful Scriptures altogether Then he was told That Christ was able to save to the uttermost Yes said he and able to destroy to the uttermost too Then he ended speaking nothing of Soul Matters but what the Force of Terror one while and Joy another while made him Some time after he was again complaining which whilst he was doing he was acquainted That his Condition was hopeful though painful It being added Time was when you have been under God's Hand and in great Danger and to my
as another What a wonderful Word is that A Man may die with that Word in his Mouth The free Gift is of many Offences unto Justification Then added And though my Flesh and my Heart faileth God is the Strength of my Heart and my Portion for ever Another time being somewhat clouded and speaking of the Grace of God I cannot demand it nor have I deserved it But being asked if he would not accept of it Yes reply'd he very thankfully Towards Night he grew more distressed for several Friends being gathered about him he looked upon them dolefully and said Oh I tremble being asked at what he answered at the possibility of Perishing One then sitting by that knew how it was with him told him it was impossible he being helped through Grace to commit his Soul into such Hands It was said further None can pull you out of his Hands He speaks a little after Poor Hearts you are willing to hope the best I wish you are not mistaken You know said he to his Wife Dear oppressed Nature will cry out for Relief but being answered that oppressed Nature could not rest on Christ for Salvation or to this Effect he was silent Next Morning he was much complaining that he was to die and do Christ no Service in the World He cryed out Oh that I might live but one Year but may be if I should I would be wicked But yet said he I think verily if I know my Heart I am willing to imbrace Christ on his own Terms I think verily if I was to live the strictest Life as ever Saint lived yet I think I could embrace none but Christ A little after being full of Complaints as to his Soul it was told him Yesterday you could say though my Heart and my Flesh faileth c. He answered But I cannot say so to day Some time after his Faith began to mount up and being melted under the Sence 〈◊〉 God's Grace to him he said If I had strength I would soon make my Confession Town-Talk I need not tell the Town what my Life hath been they know that very well But I would have them know the difference between them that have Grace and them that have none Monday about Noon Mr. Bear came to visit him and asked him What art thee going now to Christ He answered Better now than ever But he was so weak and laboured with such Difficulty of Breathing that he could scarce speak which he expressed himself saying That if it were to save his Life he could not speak yet desired Mr. Bear that he would wrestle and strive with God in Prayer for him that he might be helped sincerely to close with Christ A little after finding his Weakness increase upon him he spake thus I am brought to the Dust of Death That Night which was the Night before he departed about nine a Clock he grew weaker and weaker and fetch'd his Breath shorter and shorter Being a little lifted up on his Pillow he lifted up his Hands and bad all farewell After which he drew his Breath as one just departing being as 't was thought past speaking was spoke to by a Friend thus putting him in mind of his own Expression Blessed be God for Jesus Christ whereat he was heard to say softly Amen Then his dear Relation added Christ the Fore-runner is for thee entred Then he with a pleasant Countenance nodded his Head being not able to speak And now Death indeed was in his Face in all its Symptoms and all concluded him just a dying when all of a suddain his Blood returned into his Face Vigor and liveliness into his opened Eyes and with a Voice exceeding loud as if he had rose from the Dead on purpose to give in his dying Testimony for free Grace he thus spake triumphantly I know that my Redeemer liveth and that with these Eyes I shall see him and not anothers Come Lord Jesus come quickly Come Lord Jesus come quickly Come Lord Jesus come quickly These Words he spake with such Vehemence that he made the whole House to eccho when afore he could scarce be heard if one laid his Ear to his Mouth and then continued thus with no less Accent and Affection I am no more afraid to die than I am to shut my Eyes I am no more afraid to die than I am to go to sleep God loves me dearly and I love God dearly I am sure he will do me no hurt Lord strike the Blow and the Work is done I long to be gone I long to see Jesus Christ O that all the Town might ring of God's free Grace to me What at the last Hour too Who would have thought of this a few Weeks ago Nothing less than Eternity is sufficient to admire free Grace This is blessed Work indeed This is Dying indeed Thy Father said he turning to his Wife will wonder to see me in Heaven He little thinks I am so near him His Wife asked him if he thought she should ever come where he was a going He answered I do not question it thou nor the poor Children neither Through God's Grace his dying Prophesie is in a likely way to be accomplished in all of them You will not be long after me Come one Bosom will hold us all He that hath begun the good Work in them meaning his Children will carry it on till the Day of Jesus Christ A Friend hearing him speak so heartily said Sir I hope you may live still He replied Oh do not tell me so I do not love to hear of that Ear I would not come back again for thousands of Gold and Silver but what the Lord will I am wholly swallowed up in Gods Soveraign will After he was spent with speaking he said I can speak no more I hope you are all satisfied Fare you well expecting as it seems he should have gone immediately to Heaven But it pleased the Lord to order it otherwise and to continue him till the next Night though under some Regret for he presently added Oh! I thought I had been going so sweetly but I am here still and next Morning hearing some Friends discoursing about the Distress he had been in he said to them but the Lord has now fully satisfied me Yet by reason his Dissolution was delayed it occasioned further Temptation and a black Cloud arose upon his Soul after all this glorious Sun-shine He burst out into such bitter Expressions as these God has forsaken me and I am afraid 't is a sore Judgment of God upon me that I lye in such a Condition I am afraid least I have deceived my self with false Hopes Some time after the beginning of his Distress there appeared on him Convulsive Fits whereupon he said to his Wife I have Fits She answered I am afraid you have He added I am almost frighted out of my Wits Being asked at what He replied At the Awfulness of Death This Conflict lasted for some time but the Lord was pleased to return again as was perceived for his Soul was composed and still His Fits ceased though his Strength was gone that he could speak but litttle However this for Satisfaction was had from him a little before he departed He said would I was up His Wife answered That would be a pleasant Sight indeed to see thee up again to tell us what thou hast seen on this sick Bed He answered I have seen that here which hath made my Heart and the Hearts of many more glad It was then told him you may see now what Satan's Temptations are when God permits him he will rob a Child of God of his Comforts but that is all he can do And it is a great All too said he it was that which made my Life a Burthen to me Being asked if he did not believe he should have Comfort again He answered Yes but did not know when But it was not long before he had it to the full for now he fell into a sweet Sleep the best he had for many Days in which Sleep he quietly slept in Jesus Thus I have given you an Account of some of his Death bed Experiences in whom though now dead he yet speaketh to you the Living and invites you all to partake of the same Grace with him that you may enter into the same Glory â—e now is in Have a care as I cautioned you afore to suck Poison to the Ruine of your own Souls out of this Instance of God's Free Rich and Glorious Grace but make this Improvement of it to stir you up now to accept of and venture on the boundless Grace of God in Christ Jesus Consider what has been said and the Lord give you Vnderstanding in all things His EPITAPH Here lies interred The Body of Mr. John Bigg Who departed this Mortal Life When he had seen his thirty seventh Year On the twenty eighth Day of January Anno Domini 1689. Cropt in his full blown Age if we by Grace His time compute he liv'd but five Weeks space Dead whilst alive in dying Life begins Short Race of Life But what a Crown he wins In Sin him Death attacks but Grace steps in And makes him Triumph over Death and Sin Thus by Christ's Death in death he 's made to cry Death where 's thy Sting Grave where 's thy Victory Now to the only wise God be Glory and Dominion World without end Amen FINIS