Death the sweetest Sleep OR A SERMON Preach't on the FUNERAL OF Mr. WILLIAM HIETT Late CITIZEN of LONDON By Tho. Lye Mr. of Arts and formerly Minister of the Gospel in Alhallows Lombard-street London LONDON Printed by J. R. for Thomas Parkhurst at the lower end of Cheapside 1681. The Epistle Dedicatory To the worthily Respected Mrs. ANNE HIETT Relict of Mr. WILLIAM HIETT lately Deceased CHRISTIAN FRIEND THis plain Sermon was lately Preacht and is now Printed at your request What you heard with your Ear then you will now see presented To your Ey with some few additions which my Time then did not permit me To touch upon It hath been Alwaies my judgment That when Ministers of the Gospel ar called forth To improve funeral obsequies their proper Work is not so much To launch out into prais and panegyric of the Dead as to excite and profit the Living By this compass I hav endeavoured to steer in this discours And herein the judg of Hearts knows my Heart and Ey and Aim were steadily fixt on the Spiritual and Eternal Weal of that good Society whereof through Grace I am an unworthy Pastour and you A becoming Member I told them then and I tell you now that the Time of our departure to our Beds of Earth was at hand that we must all certainly if not sodainly sleep in the dust and if so may not the Blessed Moses his pathetick breathing be lookt on as a rational inference from that deep consideration O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end Deut. 32.29 That you ar not now to begin that great Work I do not question and do promise my self that in Gods strength you will vigorously endeavour so to improve this fatal stroke as by it the more To meditate on and prepare for your last lasting endless end You well understand the great Work and Business that you have yet To do before you fall Asleep It is certainly so to liv as that you may cheerfully welcom Death as a reconciled Friend or believingly defy it as a conquer'd Enemy To that end you will go on more and more To clear up your interest in that Christ who hath Turn'd the worst of poisons into the Best of Antidotes transform'd Death into sleep To liv in the constant Acts and Exercises of your Graces specially Faith Repentance Self-denial Heavenly-mindedness To liv whilst in Abov this vain fals vexing World To walk before God in Truth and with a perfect Heart And do but Ask your own experience whether That be not the way to be in Heaven here when even on A supposed Death-Bed To have your Lamp so fill'd with Oil so fairly trimm'd and cleerly burning as that when you com to die you may have nothing els left to do but to die to die in Christ to sleep in him and at his return arise and liv for ever with him That thus you may resolv and do thus liv and dy both is and shall be the fervent praier of Clapham Aug. 15th 81. Your sympathizing Friend and Pastor Tho. Lye JOH 11.11 Our Friend Lazarus sleepeth THese Words are an Affirmativ Proposition delivered by our blessed Saviour wherein we note 1. The SUBJECT of it or the Person spoken of who is here described by his Name (a) in Heb. Eleazar LAZARUS with his Relation a FRIEND OUR Friend 2. The PREDICATE Sleepeth Our Friend Lazarus sleepeth First As for the Subject Lazarus OUR Friend Not My Friend but Ours q. d. Behold my dear Disciples I who am your Liege Lord and King do yet stoop so far as To own you not only for my Servants and Subjects but for my FRIENDS and faithful Lazarus tho' now dead to be my Friend I am indeed your Friend and ye are my Friends and so was Lazarus whilst Living my Friend and your Friend Our Friend Lazarus From hence I infer I. That there is A Mutual Friendship a dear and intimate Lov betwixt the Lord Jesus and tru Believers 'T was so betwixt Christ and Lazarus CHRIST was certainly a Friend to Lazarus Both his Sisters attest it Lord he whom thou lovest is sick ver 3. The Evangelist averrs it Jesus loved Lazarus v. 5. and the Jews from his melting Tears and yerning Bowels conclude it ver 36. Behold how he lov'd him And that LAZARUS lov'd Jesus abundantly appears from his friendly Converse and Communion with him his friendly treats and entertainments of him Christ did often eat of his bread and drank of his Cup. That BETHANY which by Lazarus's Death may justly now be stil'd an hous of Sorrow was in Lazarus Life-Time to Christ a real BETHLEHEM an house of bread And so it was and is betwixt the Lord and all Tru Believers ABRAHAM is stiled the Friend of God by Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 20.7 and Jam. 2.23 becaus of his firm Covenanting and frequent Communion with him and GOD owns him as his Friend Isa 41.8 The like doth Christ our Lord. Henceforth I call you not servants but friends Joh. 15.14 15. This friendship is (b) Jer. 31.33 32.38 39. Zec. 13.9 Hos 2.23 Mutual I lov them that lov me Prov. 8.17 My Beloved is mine and I am His. Can. 2.16 From hence Learn 1. The heigth Ela Zenith of a Tru Believer a clod of dust and sin his Exaltation that as the Son of God is not ashamed to call him Brother so both Father and Son are pleas'd to own and embrace him as a Friend 2. The infinit stoop and condescension of the Lord Jesus who tho' he thought it no robbery but rather claims it as his just Prerogative to be equal with God judges it no disparagement to match himself with weak and wretched men Our Friend Lazarus Friendship bespeaks a kind of a Parity (c) Amicitia est inter pares There may be lov where there is the greatest inequality Lov descends But Friendship either finds or makes an Equal II. That All those that are Tru Friends to Christ are mutually loving Friends each to other Not my Friend but OUR Friend saith the Text. Not a Friend to me only who am the head but To you also and all that are like you living Members of the Mystical body The holy Ephesians that had tru Faith in Christ had a sincere lov to All the Saints Eph. 1.15 So had the Colossians Col. 1.4 The Beloved Discipl assures us that 't is impossible to lov the Father 1 Joh. 4.20 21. or his Eternal Son if we lov not his adopted Children The Mutual lov of Saints is the very badg Joh. 13.35 livery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Distinctiv Character of a Tru Discipl By this shall all men Know that ye ar my Discipls indeed if ye lov one another Ecce ut Christiani se mutuo diligant was the blessed Elogy the convinced Heathens gav the Warm Christians of Old who were they now aliv would see too much reason to decry yea condemn the frozen
hearts and yet distemperd heats of the shallow Professors of this divided Age. We hav dispatcht the Subject proceed we to Secondly The PREDICATE of our Saviours Assertion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dormit i. e. mortuus est SLEEPETH i. e. is dead The Apostl makes use of that which we call an Euphemismus By a soft expression hinting that which is of a more harsh signification So to depart hence is To Die The Syriack Version renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jacet cubat decumbit is Laid down to sleep to rest himself on a bed of Earth on a pillow of Dust So the word is used 2 Sam. 7.12 Isa 14.8 and interpreted by the Septuagint But our Lords own Mouth is his Best Commentary What he Here calls Sleep ver 13.14 he most expresly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. most plainly without a Metaphor calls Death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is dead From hence we gather This Note That Obs A Tru Believers Death is a Sleep A sweet a Blessed Sleep Not a Natural sleep such as that Mat. 28.13 is Luk. 22.45 Act. 12.6 of this the Discipls misunderstood the words of Christ ver 12 13. of this Chapter But a Metaphorical sleep Our sleep here is but a shorter Death and our Temporal Death but as a longer sleep None can Know the Estate of Life or Death so well as our Blessed Saviour who is Lord of Both. It is enough that he tells us that Death is no other than Sleep Quest But What is That that is said to sleep in Death Sol. 1. Negatively ' Not the Soul after its departure from the Body No The Bodies of men indeed Gen. 3.19 Almondo a Via My body dies my spirit livs The day of death to the body is the birth of Eternity to the Soul after Death return to the dust and see corruption Act. 13.36 But their Souls having an immortal subsistence and vivacity neither die nor sleep but immediatly return to God that gave them Eccl. 12.7 The Souls of Believers ar at their Death made perfect in holiness the spirits of just men ar then made perfect Heb. 12.23 and do immediatly pass into glory So our Blessed Saviour assures the penitent Thief that that very day he i. e. his Soul should be with him in Paradise Luk. 23.43 and Paul Knows that as soon as ever his Soul departs out of his body it will be with Christ Phil. 1.23 and that when this our earthly house of this Tabernacle is dissolved the Soul hath a building of God an house not made with hands Eternal in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5.1.6.8 That as soon as we ar absent from the Body we ar present with the Lord. Not the Soul then but 2. Positivly The (a) Mat. 27.52 Body that and that only is said to sleep This Metaphor of sleep applied to Death is taken from the Body only Now the great Resemblance between a Believers (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plat. Death and Sleep appears in four Things 1. From those many Synonymical Texts that do all with one Mouth Eccho to this Truth David slept with his Fathers 1 Kin. 2.10 Solomon 1 Kin. 11.43 Asa Jehoshaphat Hezekiah 'T is Pauls usual Idiom to call death sleep 1 Cor. 7.39 and 11.30 and 15.6.18.20.51 a sleep in Jesus 1 Thes 4.13 14 15. Since the Fathers fell asleep 2 Pet. 3.4 the sleep of death Psal 13.3 Thus the Protomartyr Stephen his Death is exprest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 7.60 He fell asleep 2. From those Terms that are given to the Saints Graves They are call'd their Beds They shall rest in their Beds Isa 57.1 2. When a Believers Work is done all he hath to do is to go to Bed and take his rest on his Bed not of down but dust Hence the places of the Saints Burial both in Greek Latin French 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dormitoria Cemitieres i. e. sleeping places As in Dutch Gods-acre becaus bodies ar only sown there to be rais'd again which the Heb. express with a greater Faith by calling the Grave Beth-chaim the house of the Living 3. From that which is Contrary to Death viz. Resurrection It is call'd An Awaking When I awake with thy Likeness Psal 17.15 Many that sleep in the Dust shall Awake Dan. 12.2 To allude only to that Isa 26 19 20. Awake and sing ye that dwell in the Dust 4. From that notable Parallel that most clearly runs betwixt Sleep and Death which say judicious Divines appears principally in two things Rest and Resurrection 1. Rest Sleep argues Rest at least it tends to it and disposes for it They shall rest in their (a) Ut somnus mortis sic lectus imago sepulchri Beds Isa 57.2 Sleep on now and take your Rest Mat. 26.45 When A Believer dies he goes to his Rest to a sweet repose in his Bed of Earth Warm'd and Perfum'd for him by the precious Body of his Lord and Saviour A fivefold Rest from Labour Troubl Passions Sins Temptations 1. From Labour This Life is the day of the Saints Labour and Working his Death is the Night of his Resting The Sun ariseth and Man goeth forth To his Labour till the Evening Ps 104.23 When the Sun of A Believers Life ariseth he goes forth to his Labour till the Evening of Death Till Evening but no longer for then he shall rest from his Labours Rev. 14.13 A Christian here is like quick-silver Vidus Bressius If Gods Spirit say Tru I shall strait rest from my Labours my Soul is even taking VVing to fly to her resting place which hath in its self a principl of motion but not of rest is never quiet His Life is a continued motion his Death a continued Rest Here as a Ball upon the Racket as a Ship on the Waves a Strong man in his Race Death brings him To his Goal to his Port of Rest This life is but nois and tumult Death is silence 2. Troubls sufferings oppressions and these either publique or private I. Publique The Lord foresees a storm of Blood and Wrath to com in mercy he houseth A Believer before the Storm falls As the Egyptians hous'd their Cattle and Servants before that dreadful thunder Exod. 9.20 Isa 57.1 and hail came Merciful men are taken away from the Evil to com This the Lord is pleas'd To promise as A gracious Answer and Return To Josiahs praiers tears Humiliation reformation viz. that he should be gathered to his Grave in peace and that his eies should not see all the evil which God would bring upon Jerusalem 2 Chron. 34.27 28. II. Private and Personal Man is born to Troubl as the sparks fly upward They that will liv Godly must suffer persecution Affliction is the Lot of Gods Israel This World ever was and ever will be An Egypt to the Saints and here they must expect to find most cruel Task-masters This Life is so full of Trouble that 't was the
ye beloved of the Lord and know that the time is shortly coming when ye shall lie down quietly in your Beds and not have one waking moment or distracting dream When once you are gone down to this bed the grave when the Curtains of darkness ar drawn about you you shall never open your eies any more till the Morning of Eternity dawns and breaks forth in lustre on you Behold to your Everlasting comfort That which is To others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A King of Terrors to you is the King or chief of Comforts what is DEATH to others is but A SLEEP a sweet sleep to you You may safely play on the Hole of this Asp on the Den of this Cockatrice nay handl this Asp it self This Death that was once A Serpent is now none or if it be 'T is a Serpent without A Sting T' hath left its sting in the side of Christ 1 Cor. 15.55 56 57. What that foolish Agag cracks out falsly you may in holy Triumph cry out Truly surely The bitterness of Death is past 1 Sam. 15.32 See how Death it self is even embalm'd and clothd in such soft and silken Language that It carries even A sweetness and beauty in it 'T is A sleep no more than A sleep 2. Sleep tho' it chains up the senses for a Time yet it dissolvs not the union between the Soul and the Body So neither doth Death the Spiritual mystical union betwixt Christ and Tru Believers nor indeed betwixt Believers themselves I. Not between God in Christ and Tru Believers Tho' Abraham Isaac and Jacob be dead To others They are not so to God Mat. 22.32 God is not the God of the dead but of the living The Relation of God to Abraham and of Abraham to God was as strong when dead as living The Sleep of the Wife breaks not the Marriage Knot between her and her Bridegroom The union betwixt Christ and Believers out-lives Death Tho' Death triumphs over the Natural union between the Body and the Soul yet not over the mystical union between the Soul and Christ Let them liv they liv in and to Christ Let them dye they die to and sleep in Christ 1 Thess 4.14 Living and Dying they are the Lords Ro. 14.8 II. Nor yet between Believers themselvs As Faith is the Evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 that are future So It is a clear Reflection on things that are past By Faiths ey we may easily look on the pale face of the first Martyr Heb. 11.4 and with Faiths ear Tho' he be dead yet hear him speaking Is a Godly Sarah dead 'T is possible for her surviving spiritual Daughters to convers with her as tho' aliv mark her outward dress her inward ornaments how she Trusted in God and obeyed her Husband 1 Pet. 3.1 to 7. There is not A Saint of God that dies but leaves A glass behind him in which when ere you pleas to be Truly serious you may behold their face and conversation The succeding Jews did so nearly convers with Jacob that was dead 2000 years before that they thought themselvs to be present with him and his God at Bethel Hos. 12.3 4. By his strength he had power with God yea he had power over the Angel and prevailed He found him in Bethel and there he spake with us The Holy Exampls of the dead what ar they but the Spiritual Heb. 12.23 lively monuments of the Spirits of just men made perfect now living 3. Sleep is A refreshing reviving Enjoyment A man lies down in weakness sleeps and rises up in Strength Like A Giant refresht with Wine mounts up like an Eagl runs and is not weary walks and faints not 'T is Reported of Antaeus A Giant of Italy that as oft as he was weary he would but touch the Earth and immediately he rebounds and rises with renewed strength The Death of a Believer is like the Death of a grain of Corn. It dies only to spring up in more lustr beauty fruitfulness Joh. 12.24 if It dy it bringeth forth much fruit As by sleep A Believers Body is refresht so by Death his Body is refin'd 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 weakness It is raised in power Use 4. OF EXHORTATION TO TRU BELIEVERS in General Is your Death no more than a sleep 1. Away then with all inordinate immoderate slavish sinful (a) Heb. 2.15 fear of Death 'T is Tru Job 18.14 Death to Nature is the King of fears and it hath its poisonous sting with which it will wound the wicked whom it ushers into Hell But now To prop you up against this sinking fear of Death Know 'T is no wors to you than FALLING ASLEEP Even Gods own peopl ar too too much like foolish Children afraid to put off their cloaths and go to bed in A dark Chamber All this while we utterly mistake the case of our dissolution We take it for An Enemy it provs a Friend There is no littl pleasure in that wherein we suppose the greatest horrour Who is afraid after the weary toiles of the day to take his rest by night Or what is more refreshing to the spent Traveller then a sweet sleep It is our infidelity and unpreparedness that makes Death any other than advantage I grant indeed A bloody Cain A foolish Nabal an Apostat Saul An intemperate Felix and that Ranting company mentioned Rev. 6.15 16. may justly fear Death The Conscience of Unregenerate men brings in A black Bill of Inditement against them and convinces them of Rebellion against their Lord and Soverain and then no wonder if as arraigned and condemned Malefactors they live in continued fear of the Ax or Gibbet 'T is no wonder If their evil Conscience be To them like the hand-writing on the Wall to A Carousing Belshazzar Dan. 5.5 6. and makes their countenance to change to caus the joints of their loins to be loosed and their Knees to smite one against another But Believers Through infinite Mercy That 's not your case Death to YOU is not A summons To Eternal Death but A gentl Lullaby and softer Hush To A Sweet sseep and that in order to A Resurrection An Awaking to An Eternal Life 2. Adore bless lov the Lord Jesus for his infinite lov and mercy To you and All other sound Believers in that by his Painful shameful Accursed Death he hath pluckt out the sting of Death and alter'd both its Name and Nature That which once was death is now but A SLEEP A Cooling A refreshing shadow of Death and no more Heb. 2.14 15. 1 Cor. 15.55 56. 3. Carry it so while you liv that your Death may be A sleep A sweet sleep when you die Eccl. 5.11 The sleep of A Labouring man is sweet The sleep of A diligent Servant of A Laborious Husbandman of A painful Tradesman O how sweet is it