their Deaths too if we be not awakened to prepare for our own But alas How soon do the Impressions wear off of such awakening Spectacles It may be the ghastly looks or dying groans of dear Friends or departing Relatives gasping out their last breath and just passing into the other World for the present may affect us a little It may be when we see an open Coffin in our own House or a Grave gaping to receive the Body of one we knew and loved and lately conversed with this may move and startle us a little It may be when we behold the mournful Looks and Habit the Funeral Pomp and Solemnity that attends them to the House of Darkness some serious Thoughts are excited our Minds are aw'd into some reflections upon our own Mortality But when the Ceremony is over and we are gone from such a Spectacle when the Dead are buried out of our sight and we engag'd among the living World again how soon alas is all this forgotten and how few are Gainers by such a Loss in the manner they should be i. e. To take the Warning to be Ready and Prepared for the Coming of Christ to us which is as sure as if we were already dead One Help to get Ready our Selves for Death and Judgment is to consider and improve the Death of Others Either of such who were called and not Ready whose case speaks loudly to us not to delay and trifle as they did or of such as were Prepared and fit to Dye their Death hath also the like voice of that in the Text Be you also Ready Our Deceased Friend Mrs. Gearing I am perswaded was of this latter sort § 1. I Know very well that the praising of the Dead hath been scandalously abused as a more close way of flattering the living Relations and therefore would be cautious what I speak on such Occasions But the Honour of Gods Grace is not a little concern'd in the Honour of those in whom it did remarkably appear and he hath promis'd that they who serve and follow him shall be honoured To mention what was really imitable and praise-worthy needs no Apology or Excuse the matter carries its own Justification § 2. You of this Congregation could not but observe her Diligence and Constancy in attending on the Publick Worship of the Lords Day and to show forth the Lords Death every Month in the other Solemnity of the Supper Her early Attendance here before the publick Worship began thô she liv'd at a more remote distance than many of you is not unworthy of your Imitation § 3. Her strict Seriousness in Family-worship and Closet Duties by which the Life and Vigour of practical Godliness is to be kept up they who knew her best were well acquainted with § 4. There was one thing in her daily Course which should shame and awaken most Professors viz. the Conscientious daily practice of Self-reflection and Examination reviewing and calling over the passages of every Day in the Evening She made Conscience every Night to look back on the Duties she had performed and the Manner of 'em on the Mercies she had receiv'd on the Errors Weaknesses and Omissions she had been guilty of c. in order to Repentance or Thanksgiving Oh that there were more of such concerning whom this may be truly said We should be more Ready for the Table of the Lord every Month and more Ready for the presence of Christ at the Hour of Death if we did thus review the Actions of every Day at the close of it § 5. Not to insist upon her Faithfulness and Prudence Tenderness and Affection Affability and Friendly Carriage in every Relation with divers other things very Commendable in her Life I shall only take notice of a few things concerning her last Sickness which after ten days determin'd in Death § 6. Her Patience Submission and Resignation was answerable to the other part of her Character and Deportment that is truly Christian When sometimes by intervals her Distemper did affect her Head as soon as she recovered the use of her Vnderstanding and a composed mind very pertinent and earnest Supplications to Heaven discovered the holy Seriousness of her Heart and Frame When she could hardly speak more than Yes or No yet she did sufficiently signifie her Assent and cordial Approbation of any seasonable Religious Discourse that was made to her § 7. She owned her Hope and Trust in the Mercy of God thro' Jesus Christ for Pardon and Eternal Life and under the disorders of so painful and violent a Feaver yet acknowledg'd she had Peace within § 8. The day before she dyed she told a near Relation that she had a great work to do on the morrow And when it was replyed that 't is true It is a great and difficult Work to dye yet one moments Enjoyment of God in Heaven will make amends for all She very affectionately cries out I so it will I know that my Redeemer lives and that I shall go to him and be with him § 9. The Evening before her Departure after I had prayed for her in the presence of several Relations and Friends and seriously endeavour'd to commend her Soul into the hands of Christ I ask'd her Whether Jesus Christ were not the Chiefest of ten thousands to Her whether she did not desire and prize him above all whether she had not given up her self to him again and again with all her Heart and Soul entirely and without reserve and endeavour'd humane Infirmities and Backslidings repented of excepted to walk and live as a Follower of Christ under the Conduct of his Spirit and according to the Rule of his Word and some other such Questions that might assist her to discern the Truth of her Grace c. She answered in the Affirmative with extraordinary Modesty Humility Thankfulness and Affection And gave me her hand at Parting with thanks for my Prayers and Assistance begging of God the best of Blessings for me and mine which were her own words § 10. After which in a difficult struggle with the King of Terrors we hope and trust she was supported by the Everlasting Arms of that Powerful Grace of Christ who hath conquer'd Death and him that had the Power of it the Devil So that we may now say O Death where is thy Sting c. God grant those lively impressions of Death and another World which the Relations then present seem'd to have on that occasion may not easily wear off or lose their proper Influence And now Christians let us mix our Sorrows for our Deceased Friend with the Joys of Faith on the account of her being made meet and ready for the Presence of Christ Some Sorrow is allowable were it but as Death enters into the World as the fruit of Sin But she being Prepared for Death and made meet for the Promised Blessedness beyond the Grave that ought to be the matter of our Joy which we believe is so of hers
by Satan by his Sinful suggestions his subtile devices and snares and his siery darts and by that means our Integrity assaulted our peace of Conscience unsetled and our Perseverance indangered Our Conflict with him is so difficult and the issue of the Battel as to what depends on us so very uncertain that we are often ready to throw down our Arms and give up all as Lost For though he be a conquer'd and baffled Adversary through the Victory which our Captain hath obtain'd against him yet we cannot now Triumph over him as hereafter we shall And is it not far better to abandon this world of which he is the God 1 Cor. 4.4 and get above that Air of which he is the Prince Eph. 2.2 that we may be with Christ Moreover how doth our depraved Nature continually cast forth mire and dirt what remaining Filthiness is there yet to be purg'd what powerful Lusts to be mortified and subdued which indispose us for Spiritual duties and derive a damp and deadness upon all our Religious Exercises which cool our Zeal and abate the servour of our Spirits in the service of our Redeemer which weaken our Considence in Prayer and shame our faces before the Lord in secret And is it not far better to part with the body of Flesh that thereby we may be rid of this body of sin and death Rom. 7.24 and be like our Saviour in perfect purity Do we not complain of our Ignorance of Divine Truths and the blessed Mysteries of the Gospel notwithstanding all our means of knowledge of our earthliness and unbelief of unbecoming Thoughts of God and holy things of proud Imaginations and carnal reasonings against his Works and Word of languishing and imperfect Graces to be recovered and perfected c And is it not better to be with Christ where that which is imperfect shall be done away Is not God dishonour'd and provok't by our frequent Omissions and slight Performances of Duty do we not resist and quench and sadden his Holy Spirit and are we not often griev'd by God's rebukes and frowns by the wounds and smart regrets of our own Conscience so that we remember God and are troubled and cry out in the bitterness of our Souls Hath he forgotten to be gracious and will he be merciful no more Are not our holy Purposes inconstant and our best Resolutions wavering and unstedy and very quickly very easily shatter'd by the breath of a small Temptation Have we not a constant Watch to keep over our Hearts and wayes a perpetual War to manage with the infernal Trinity the World the Flesh and the Devil and do we know his rage and malice and serpentine policy with the Multitude Strength and Power of his Temptations How often we have been foil'd already and how soon we we may be so again and shall we not be desirous of a sinless state in the presence of Christ where no Tempter no Temptation shall ever be admitted Yea had we no corruption or Sin of our own to be delivered from yet our concern at God's dishonour by the sins of others should make us willing to depart as much more desireable than our abode on earth Job 24.9 Which is given into the hands of the wicked and defiled by it's Inhabitants Isa 24.4 Where the very Air is infected with Oaths and Blasphemies prophane discourse and filthy talk Where the very Being of a God is question'd his Providence deny'd and his Authority mockt Where the Gospel of Christ is disparag'd and despised his Laws contradicted his Worship polluted his Institutions subverted and his holy Name made a cloak for Licentiousness and his faithful Servants trampl'd on by the soot of Pride and scorned by men at ease and forc't to own his Truth with the peril of their Lives And can we say It is good to be here or is it not not far better to forsake such a Place and Company that we may be with Christ 3. Let us consider what are the grounds and Principles by which a Christian is assured of this Blessedness in the presence of Christ after his dissolution This Inquiry is necessary because the discourse of our future bliss with Christ cannot be supposed to have any effect or influence upon us to make us desire our departure while we disbelieve or make a doubt of the matter I hope it were needless to prove the Possibility of the Souls existence in a state of separation from the Body Whether in the Body or out of the Body 2 Cor. 12.2 would not have been a doubt to this great Apostle if he could not possibly have liv'd but in it neither could he desire to depart that he might be with Christ if after his departure he should not be at all And supposing the existence of the Soul notwithstanding the dissolution of the Body we have as full an assurance as the nature of the thing is capable of that holy Souls shall be present with the Lord in glory when absent from the body 1 Thes 4.17 Joh. 17.24 Mat. 24.25 Rev. 3.22 c. But because the Text hath a special relation to Christ and to be with him is that Blessedness on the account whereof 't is desireable to depart I shall only mention his Death and Resurrection as a sufficient ground to confirm our Faith in the certainty of being with him and to excite our Desires of a departure in order to it 1. The Death of Christ He hath cancell'd the Hand-writing against us and put away Sin which is the sting of Death by the Death of the Cross Eph. 1.7 A way is now open for us into the holy of holies by his blood Heb. 10.19 not for our Prayers only but our Persons He hath wounded the Head of the old Serpent even by permitting him to bruise his Heel by crucifying his humane Nature which was only Vestigium Deitatis As Benaiah slew the Egyptian with his own Spear 2 Sam. 23.21 Having destroyed death and him that had the power of it and delivered those who were all their Life-time subject to bondage through the fear of death Heb. 2.15 He hath set his foot on the neck of this Adversary disarm'd it of it's weapon and rob'd it of it's sting and abolish't the ugliness and poyson of it He hath dismounted Hell and Damnation from behind him that sat on the Pale-horse Rev. 6.8 Whether the first Adam were buryed in Calvary where the second was crucified as some affirm I need not enquire we know that his Death was our Victory and his Cross may be our Triumph since the Devil is conquered and death Sanctified and the Grave perfum'd by his burial so that we need not be afraid to lodge in a Sepulchre where our Lord himself hath slept Yea since the effusion of his Blood there is an amiable ruddiness in the Face of Death for that which was the Instrument of Justice is now the messenger of Peace and Joy that which was the gate of Hell is the way
the abridgment of that Liberty which other young persons take very often to their prejudice and ruine as a singular advantage and favour from Heaven § 14. In some part of her Sickness she had some humble becoming doubts and fears of her own state but having imparted them to a Reverend Person well acquainted in the Family and heard his Resolutions and Answers she was better satisfied and express'd her hopes of Pardon and Salvation through the Righteousness of Christ who loved her and washed her from her Sins in his own Blood Yea so far was she from questioning the goodness of God and the Truth of his Promise so far from doubting of the alsufficiency of Christs Mediation the Merit of his Sacrifice and his willingness to receive returning Sinners that the believing thoughts of it were her greatest support and joy saying often in the time of her Sickness That though her Sins were as Scarlet God could make them as Snow though red like Crimson they should be as Wooll Isa 1.18 § 15. Moreover she did thankfully acknowledge the Mercies of God to her in the former part of her Life whereof she had very many both Personal and Relative And particularly desired that Thanks might be returned to God for his singular goodness to her during her Sickness § 16. She was very desirous of Prayer to God on her behalf and very joyful and well pleased when she had it and being at any time ask't what particular request she desired should be made to God for her she mention'd not her Recovery and the lengthening of her days but the forgiveness of Sin through the Merit of her Redeemer an humble submission to Gods disposal and a prepared heart to acquiesce in his appointment And so in one sence she was full of dayes though she dyed very young being satiated with the Time she had liv'd on Earth and not importunate for a longer stay § 17. Within a few hours before her dissolution of the approach whereof she was more apprehensive than those about her she was very desirous that a worthy Minister whom she named might immediately be sent for Mr. S. F. to commend her Soul to God Who accordingly came thô at Midnight She her self joyn'd in that last Office with great seriousness and affection and afterward return'd him her hearty thanks for his great kindness therein saying Now I have nothing more to do but to dye Only requested him not to leave the house that night as knowing that his Company and Counsel might administer to the support of her Affectionate Mother and other Relations whom she should leave in sorrow thô she her self was passing to Eternal Joy § 18. After which she composed her self to rest and refused every thing that was offer'd her to take making Signs with her hands of her unwillingness to be disturbed § 19. In that short space of her Continuance which was not an hour she was heard to say Be gone Satan Be gone Thou art a Lyar from the Beginning and the Father of Lyes O come Lord Jesus And soon after she said He is come he is come and so fell asleep as in the Arms of her dearest Saviour or as the Jews report of Moses That he dyed with the Kiss of God O Death where is now thy Sting O Grave where is now thy Victory The sting of Death is Sin and the strength of Sin is the Law But thanks be to God who hath given us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ And blessed are the Dead that Thus dye in the Lord. § 20. Would to God that the Account here given might effectually convince us of the great difference between the Death of the Holy and the Vnholy of the Righteous and the Sinner Might convince us of the great Blessing of holy Parents and a good Education and encourage Parents to be diligent and faithfal to be serious prudent and affectionate in the Education of their Children because such a deportment is most likely to be owned by God with the desired Success And Oh that it might Convince us likewise of the Vanity of Youth the shortness of our Lives the uncertainty of our Time the nearness of our Change the necessity reasonableness and manifold advantages of Remembring our Creator in our younger Years And withal might hasten our Preparations and spirit our Desires to depart and be dissolv'd whenever God shall call us That following their Example who by Faith and Patience are gone to inherit the Promises We may at length meet those Precious Souls above who are gone before us that with them and all the Children of the Kingdom we may be for ever with the Lord which is Best of all THE END M rs SHOWER's Funeral Sermon BY Mr. JOHN SPADEMAN of Rotterdam Sickness and Death for the Glory of CHRIST A Funeral Sermon ON THE DECEASE OF M rs ELIZ. SHOWER Who Dyed the 24th of Aug. 1691. By JOHN SPADEMAN Minister of the English Church at Rotterdam LONDON Printed for J. Dunton and A. Chandler 1691. TO My Honoured Friend Mr. SHOWER SIR WHen after an unpleasing separation the Providence of God gave Opportunity of renewing our Converse in your Habitation I promis'd my self an unmix'd satisfaction during my stay with you And as none is more oblig'd to rejoyce in all the Good which you or yours are partakers of so none could be more heartily dispos'd to do it Indeed the hopes of enjoying your Society sweetned the fatigues of a Voyage which after many Years absence I lately made unto my own Countrey In which I was truly delighted to find that not only your Person and Ministry were acceptable and useful but that there was a prospect that God would make your House to grow But when I was preparing to return I perceived that God had brought me to mourn with you under a most afflictive Providence In which though my Character had made me unfit to present Comfort to you yet few of your Friends had more light to discern the deepness of your Wound and greatness of your Loss For the intimate Friendship between us and our cohabitation in Holland gave me opportunity of understanding the worth of Her whom now you lament Though this Consideration as it makes your Tryal greater renders your Resignation more acceptable to God and useful to Men. To part with an ordinary Possession with willingness is a kin to that Patience which is exercis'd under merited Punishment which in the Apostles judgment hath no Glory or Commendation in it 1 Pet. 1.20 But 't is an Heroick Spirit a resemblance of that Faith which dignifi'd the Father of all who believe to give up a rare and endearing Treasure And if any Consideration hath strength to work this Noble Disposition in our Souls that which is taken from the Glory of God and the Redeemer hath 'T was this which led my thoughts unto the Meditations in the following Discourse which though much below the dignity of the Subject am willing to make thus
much otherwise it was with them not long ago And can we wish them back again while we sigh and weep and mourn we know all Tears are wiped away from their Eyes and they are singing the Song of the Lamb. They are now seeding on the pleasant Fruits of Paradise and would we have them back again to eat the Bread of Affliction and drink the Waters of Affliction Would we they should return from the state of Triumph after Victory to engage again in new Combats From the Port and Haven of Eternal Rest to be tost again upon a Tempeltuous Sea And this because they were 〈◊〉 Kindred and our Relations for you do not mourn that the Prophets and Apostles 〈◊〉 all the Faithful mentioned in Holy Scripture or since in former Ages that they are gone to Heâ—â—â—n The ancient Christians kept Days of Thanksgiving for the safe Departure of such But how dear soever they were to us we shall go to them they shall not come to us We are very unkind if we desire they should have Tarryed longer when God hath made them ready they are gone to better Friends than those they have lest behind And if you Loved me said Christ you would rejoyce that It said I go to my Father and your Father to my God and your God The Friends they have left are imperfect Sinning Sorrowing troublesome and unsuitable compared with those they meet above And there only our Friendship and Affections to one another will be without any mixture of Grief or Sin without any Infirmity Suspicion Discontent or other allay by their Weaknesses Sins or Sufferings There shall we have all our Wishes and Desires for our Friends as well as for our Selves and converse continually together without being weary of one anothers Company they had once such a vile Body as we have and such disorderly Passions such Errors and Mistakes and Actual Sins as we are guilty of they were troubled with such Temptations Doubts and Descrtions as we complain of but their probationarry State is now over their Warfare is accomplish'd their Work done their Race ended their Course finish'd and they are enter'd into the Joy of the Lord Oh let us remember that they are so while we Weep and Mourn partly for their Departure and more it should be for our unfitness as yet to be with them But we have the same God and Saviour the same Way and Rule the same blessed Recompence of Reward propos'd and promis'd and prepar'd the same Grace and Assistance offered to enable us to Persevere and Overcome It is but a little while since they had as malicious Enemies to oppose and conquer and as difficult a work to mind as we and were as unlikely to hold out as some of us their inward and outward Troubles were like to ours their bodily Weaknesses and Spiritual Distresses like to ours but they have overcome them yet a little while and we hope we may do so too And it is but a little while let us not then grieve immoderately being our selves to follow so soon after to partake we hope in that Blessedness with them for ever which we have often joyned together in Prayer to ask of God for them and for our selves And this we need not question if we choose the same Felicity * Mr. Baxters Life of Faith ch 26. as our End and Christ as the Captain of our Salvation to direct and lead us in the way thither if we build on the same Word of Promise and follow the Conduct of the same Spirit of Holiness if we live in the exercise of the like Grace and are conform'd to Christ our Head in Spirit Purpose and Behaviour and hold on in doing and suffering his Will with constancy to the Death If we do thus we shall shortly be with them and because we were wont to mourn with them when they mourned and to take part in their Afflictions let us do so in their Joys also Thanking God for their Deliverance and Rejoycing in their Felicity Fourthly The last Argument for our Support is the Belief and Hope of the Resurrection of the Dead when we shall meet them and all the Children of the Kingdom in the presence of the Lord. We know that those who sleep in Jesus he will bring with him and openly absolve and own them before all the World and give them the full possession of the promised Inheritance We are bid to Comfort our selves and one another with such joyful words 'T is Comfort that there is a Redeemer and that he is their Redeemer as well as ours that he Lives and will come again and that we know this on certain and infallible grounds and that when he shall appear we shall be like him by seeing him as he is It is Comfort that even these Bodies that must be buried out of sight and putrifie in a silent Grave shall be raised and enlivened and made like the glorious Body of our Redeemer Thô Death devour their Beauty and the Grave hold them Prisoners for some thousands of years tho they should be burnt to Ashes or devour'd by Worms Beasts or Fishes however crumbled and divided into little parts and these scatter'd and dispers'd into a thousand distant places yet he will raise and re-unite and restore them fresh and spritely beautiful and glorious That Power which at first did form and fashion them in the Womb hath engaged to do it This Corruptible shall put on Incorruption and this Mortal put on Immortality and Death be swallowed up in Victory What was sown in Weakness shall then be raised in Power our Bodies shall then be Active and Nimble quick and free easily passing in a little space to a great distance and readily obeying the Motions of our Glorified Spirits What was sown a Natural Earthly Body shall be raised Spiritual suited to the spiritual State and Life and work of Heaven not needing the supplies of Food or Physick or any of those things which now employ so much of our Time and Care in reference to the Body In a word they shall be raised in Glory however vile they now are as the Bodies of our Humiliation And shall shine brighter than the Sun in it's Meridian Splendor with a Glory suitable to the Excellency of that Power exerted in their Resurrection suitable to the Dignity of our Glorified Souls suitable to the Glory of that Place where they are to inhabit and of the Noble Services wherein they are to be employed and especially suitable to their Excellent Exemplar the Glorious Body of Christ whose Resurrection and Exaltation is the Cause Pattern and Pledge of ours And this we may depend upon for our Lord hath not only left us the Earnest of his Spirit to assure us of the Resurrection that our Mortal Bodies shall be quicken'd by the same Spirit that raised him from the Dead but he hath carried the Earnest of our Flesh into Heaven with him to assure us that all his Friends Favourites and
affecting manner to the faithful discharge of his Duty by that Consideration I charge thee before God and before the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and dead at his Appearance and his Kingdom or when he shall appear in his Kingdom 2 Tim. 4.1 The Jews knew and granted that the Messiah was to come as a Judge by the Traditional Prophecy of Enoch which began with those words The Lord shall come This they understood long before the Incarnation of our Saviour So that they were wont to begin their Writs or Instruments of the Greatest Excommunication with those words of the Prophecy of Enoch The Lord shall come As if besides all other Punishments they bound over the Excommunicated Person to the last great Assize to be Judged by the Messias And the Apostle seems to allude to this 1 Cor. 16.22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha i.e. Accursed with that great and terrible Excommunication The Lord shall come For so they call it from the first words as we often give Names to Writs and other Instruments by reciting the first words of them He shall come again he shall be revealed from Heaven in slaming sire with his mighty Angels to render vengeance to them which know not God and obey not the Gospel c. 2 Thes 1.7 9. We shall all be made to stand before his Judgment-Seat 2 Cor. 5.10 14. Rom. 14.10 And every one shall then give an account of himself to God and receive according to what he hath done in the body whether it be good or whether it be evil He is delegated and appointed by God for this Work and every way fitted and qualified to undertake it Acts 17.31 II. The Suddenness and Vnexpectedness of his Coming again The hour of it no man knows no not the Angels of God in Heaven It will surprize Mankind as the Deluge did the Old World in the days of Noah The time of it is lock'd up in the Treasuries of Heaven and we have no Key that will open it Neither the time of Christ's coming to Judge the World or the time of his calling us by Death to come to him is certainly known Behold I know not the day of my death we may every one say with Isaac Gen. 27.2 The Knowledge of this time and Season he hath reserved in his own power it belongs not to us it is no part of our Priviledge to know it Acts 1.7 If it had been fit and becoming adviseable and expedient for us to understand it if it had been for our Advantage to know the precise time of our own Death or of the Final Judgment if it would have added any whit to our Spiritual Stature and Growth in Grace if it would not have much better promoted our Watchfulness and serious Diligence and forwarded our Preparations to have remained Ignorant he would not have drawn such a Veil over that Day and Hour But would have left it written in fair Characters But he every way consulted our Interest and the general Good of the World by hiding this Knowledge from us God's Government of the World and the Magistrates influence under God for the Good of Men would very much be weakned if every Man did certainly know before-hand the time of his Death Our Usefulness to others would be very much check'd and the necessary Preparation for being so if we knew we should not out-live such a Year or such a Stage of our Lives Our Joys and Sorrows with respect to our Relations and Friends would then be immoderate our Carriage in Prosperity and Adversity would be more unbecoming our Dependance upon God and his Providence the Redemption of our Time the Contempt of this World and the Preparation for another would all be very much hindred by the certain knowledge of the time of Christ's Coming to call us to Judgment Therefore he tells us That in an hour we think not of the Son of Man cometh It shall be suddenly when he is not expected and therefore All should be Ready It is sometimes represented by the travailing Pangs of a Woman with Child which may over-take her at a distance from her own House when she looks not for it 1 Thes 5.3 'T is set forth by the surprize of a Thief entring the Window of a House by Night when the good Man of the House little expected him Rev. 16.15 Behold I come as a Thief blessed is he that watcheth And again we are told As a snare shall it come upon all that dwell upon the face of the earth Luk. 21.35 When Men are careless and secure and confident of Long-life when they are busie in pursuit of great things for themselves in this World when they are big with mighty Projects and Designs for hereafter when they enlarge their Imaginations to contrive the Satisfactions they shall have for many years to come in the Pleasures and Dignities and Wealth which they count upon before-hand when they say in their Hearts Our Lord delays his Coming I have yet time enough to get ready Then shall this day overtake them when they think not of it The Lord of that Servant will come in a day that he looked not for him and in an hour that he is not aware Luk. 12.46 III. The Necessity and Obligation of being Ready because of the Certainty and Suddenness of the Coming of Christ Where I shall First Consider the Nature of this Readiness and Explain something of it Secondly Shew the Force of the Argument and amplifie it in several Considerations to urge it the more effectually upon All to make Ready I. What is the Nature of this Readiness In the general it is expressed by Two or Three Evangelists under the term of Watching Which as the summary Preparation for the Coming of Christ takes in all the Duties of a Christian with respect to the Affairs of his Soul and the Everlasting World as awaking out of Security foreseeing our Danger providing against it carrying it suitable to the Expectation of the Appearance of Christ from Heaven Looking for Waiting for Praying for Hastning to or hastning of the Coming of the Day of God It comprehends an awaken'd Heart an active Faith a lively Hope a diffusive Charity and persevering Diligence in all the Fruits of Righteousness That we may perfect Holiness in the Fear of God lay up a good Foundation against the time to come and at last lay hold of Eternal Life That we may have Confidence at Christ's Appearance and be able to stand before the Son of Man with exceeding Joy This in general under the Name of Watching and being Ready is the Duty of all 2. Besides this General Account we may consider some of the Particular Metaphors under which our Lord represents himself or is set forth in Scripture when he comes again First As a Bridegroom And so our Readiness consists in our Accepting him and Choosing him in such a Relation I have espoused you
to Life He hath brought sweetness out of the Strong and meat out of the Eater 1 Cor. 3.21 and therefore Death as well as Lise is reckon'd in the Inventory of the riches of the Saints All things are yours because you are Christs and Christ is Gods 2. His Resurrection and Exaltation his rising from the Dead not only discovers the possibility of our Resurrection and gives us a pledge and assurance of it as declaring the sufficiency and acceptation of his Sacrifice that therefore the Dead in Christ shall live and with his Dead Body arise Rom. 8.14 Isa 26.19 But being punctually effected according to his prediction and promise it confirms the Truth of all his Word and seals the promise of eternal Life unto all Believers He hath open'd the Prison doors and loos'd the bands of Death and roll'd away the heavy Stones from the Graves of his people he is now become the first fruits of them that sleep in Jesus And hath the Keyes of Death and Hell Rev. 1.18 even the two most formidable enemies are under his Dominion who though once he were dead doth now live for evermore And for this very end did God raise him up that our faith and hope might be in him in reference to the Blessedness of another Life 1 Pet. 1.21 Yea saith the Apostle concerning that he raised him from the dead no more to see corruption Act. 13.34 God said I will give you the sure mercies of David or an Everlasting Covenant which Death shall not dissolve Isa 55.3 And his being risen is the Ground of our Faith and Hope that the Promise shall be fulfill'd For the Resurrection of Christ is the evidence of the validity and efficacy of his Death and Sacrifice and a sufficient proof that his precious Blood shed upon the Cross was the blood of an Everlasting Covenant Heb. 13.20 Establishing a Covenant of Grace and making it truly Everlasting for we know that he is a Priest for ever after the power of an endless Life Heb. 7.16 And therefore know to our unspeakable Satisfaction Incouragement and Joy in whom we have believed and that he is able to keep unto that day what we have committed to him 2 Tim. 1.12 to perfect what he hath begun Phil. 1.6 and at last present us blameless before the presence of his glory with exceeding Joy Jude 24. v. For our Life being hid with him in God we are fully assured that when he who is our Life shall appear we shall appear with him in glory Col. 3.3 4. and because he lives we shall live also and when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 1 Joh. 3.2 4. Let us consider Whence it comes to pass that notwithstanding the Blessedness of being with Christ and our assurance of it by his Death and Resurrection that yet we are so backward and unwilling to depart What is the true reason why so many of those who acknowledge it far better to be with Christ yet cannot say with the Apostle That they desire to be dissolv'd that they may be with him 1. The weakness of Faith concerning the Invisible World and the future Glory of the Saints is the reason why so many Christians are unwilling to dye They are very sensible of the inconveniencies of their present abode they complain to God and men of Corruption Temptation and Sin and they hear of a blessed Deliverance from all these by Death and a perfect Felicity in the presence of the Redeemer after their dissolution but unbelief makes them stagger at the Promise They are not fully satisfied that such a transcendent Glory will be consequent to Dying Did they but soundly believe the Testimony and Revelation which God hath given in his Word concerning it they would choose to be absent from the body Some of the Ignorant Heathens have been desperate in their Choice of death only as the Period of present Calamities but others who were doubtful of the Consequence have yet entertained it with an hearty Welcome As Socrates for instance who profess'd That he ought not to fear death because he could not tell whether it were good or evil And shall not we who understand the Grounds and Principles the greatness and certainty of a future Blessedness after Death be as willing to depart A confirmed Faith is therefore necessary and adviseable in the present case and the rather that thereby we may quench the fiery darts of Satan who if he cannot hinder us of our Crown would rob us of our Joyful Prospect of it if he cannot prevent out future Glory would render us dejected in our passage thither if he cannot prevail to exclude and banish us for ever from the Presence of Christ would darken our present comfort by the desire and Hope of it but more especially at the prospect and approach of Death for that is his hour and the power of darkness But by this shield of Faith we may be able to stand even in that evil day of our dissolution Eph. 6.11.16 2. The Pains of Death They pray that God would hasten his Glorious Kingdom and bring them to it and believe it to be most eligible to be with Christ yet are loth their own Prayers should be answered and the end and object of their Faith obtain'd through the discouraging apprehensions they admit of a dying hour Would we not be with the the Lord and know him better and Love him more and enjoy him fully and shall we stick at a little pain as introductory to so great a Happiness A Pain that will speedily convey us to Eternal ease and rest which thousands of Holy Souls in Glory have indur'd more of than we can fear But suppose the Agonies of Death are ne're so frightful to Flesh and Blood hath not our Redeemer a Rod and Staff to comfort us in the dark Valley Ps 23.4 Doth he not know what it is to dye and how much we dread it doth he not understand our weakness remember our frailty pity our infirmities and bid us ask for support and Strength yea hath he not promis'd that when Heart and Flesh shall fail that he will be the Strength of our Hearts and our Portion for ever Psal 73.26 Shall ignorant hopeless Heathens without God in this world without the expectation of being with Christ in the next be so desirous of Immortality as to dispatch themselves and be their own Executioners to force an escape from the Body And shall we resist and struggle draw back and fear object and be unwilling when our Saviour calls us to endless and unspeakable Felicity Is not this the last Experiment of our Faith and Patience and holy Resolution the last essay of our Christian Courage Are not the antecedent pains of dying the fruit of sin no less than the throws and pangs of Travelling Women and are the latter tolerable in hopes of Children and their own deliverance and may we not support the Former by the assistance
of a greater and better Hope Are they at all considerable and worthy our fear if put in the ballance with the promised Salvation to sollow on our departure Are they comparable in the Nature of Evil to the blessed Life they lead us to in the Nature of Good or comparable to the gripes of Conscience which unpardon'd Sinners meet with in Life and Death yea do we not think them greater and make them worse by our foolish fears than most do find them Is not the Sting of Death remov'd and the Heavenly Mansions prepar'd and promis'd And is it a reasonable Request that God should vary from his settled Course and sixed Law upon our sole Account Will nothing else content and please us but that Heaven must descend to Earth or we be in a moment translated thither to prevent our Pain and supersede the necessity of our Dissolution which we fear will be so attended As a proper Remedy in the present Case let us samiliarize the Thoughts of Death by frequent serious Meditation Let us view it oftner in our way that it may not meet us with so much Terror at our Journeys end Let us admit the Thoughts of a Departure with particular Application to our selves and improve the Funerals of our Friends as a seasonable memento that our own is near Let us lay open the Picture of Death naked to our view and urge it to our Hearts with the infinite Glory that immediately succeeds and take in the Death and Promise of Christ as our assurance of it And this will reconcile us more to a Departure and help to overcome our unreasonable fears of Pain and Sickness antecedent to it 3. The weakness and declension of our Love to Christ is another ground of our Unwillingness to depart and to be with him To a degenerate Soul that is destitute of the Love of Christ an Everlasting Distance would be more desireable than a Local Presence For that could not make him happy he would still be as far remov'd from Bliss by being with the Lord as the Centre of a Milstone in the bottom of the Sea would be from moisture But the Company and Converse of those we Love must needs be Eligible and the more we love them the stronger will still be our desire of being with them and the more impatient shall we be of every delay And is it not the sease and secret language of our Hearts Whom have we in Heaven but Christ And are we not desirous to forsake this Earth to enjoy his Presence Certainly the growth and strength and exercise of Holy Love to Christ would even render our Dissolution grateful in order to it and make our Hearts rejoyce at the approach of Death as it did old Jacob's to see the Waggons that are sent to fetch us to our beloved Jesus who is Lord of that Countrey whither we are going 4. Immoderate Love to this present World and our Temporal Life Were we crucified to fleshly Pleasures and sensual Joys to worldly Honours and earthly Riches we should less regret the Thoughts of Dying and more heartily desire to be with Christ For as the Pangs of Death are not ordinarily so violent and intolerable to one whose strength is wasted by a pining Sickness as to him who is Arrested suddenly in his full strength and vigour so will he more easily leave this World who for some time past hath been dying to it Were we more crucified to the World and the World to us by the Cross of Christ Gal. 6.14 we should not so affectionately hug the Carkass of a dead Enemy whom we our selves have crucified and slain but wait for the Time and long for the happy Hour when we shall leave it and be gone to our Eternal Rest Let us therefore make use of all the Christian methods of Mortification and look on this World as a strange place and our selves as Pilgrims and Strangers here as Exiles from our own Countrey and hastening to it And we cannot but wish our selves at home and desire a departure as necessary thereto and in the interim sigh to think of the vast disproportion and difference between the slender Entertainments of our Inn and the plentiful Provisions of our Father's House 5. Blotted Evidences and the want of Assurance concerning our Title to the Heavenly Glory And this we all pretend as the reason of our Unwillingness to Die A Sadducee is loth to die lest he should not be at all an Vnprepared Sinner for fear of being Miserable and a Doubting Christian because he knows not whether Happiness or Misery shall be his Portion after his Departure For were we well assured we should be with Christ for ever we could not be so backward and unwilling to be dissolv'd Had we any better grounds to hope that Sin was pardon'd and God our Covenant-Father that Heaven would be our Inheritance and we should not come into Condemnation we might rejoyce to think of our departure when and how it shall please God to call us When the Psalmist could say The Lord is my Shepherd he could boldly venture upon Death and walk through the Valley of Darkness without fear of evil Psal 23.4 6. But when Distress had brought his Sin to remembrance and made him doubt of his Condition he cries O spare me a little longer that I may recover strength before I go hence and be no more seen Psal 39.13 Could you say with the Spouse of Christ in the Canticles My Beloved is mine and I am his Cant. 6.3 you might chearfully joyn your Amen when you hear the Spirit and the Bride say in the Revelations Come Lord Jesus come quickly Rev. 20.22 Therefore Try your State and Examine your selves a-fresh and endeavour with your utmost Care and Diligence to obtain a well grounded Assurance founded on the Testimony of a good Conscience by comparing the Promises of Remission and Eternal Life with the requisite Qualifications and Conditions of them For if our hearts condemn us not we shall have considence towards God 1 Joh. 3.21 even in a dying hour To which end let us endeavour by daily Acts of Repentance to obtain a daily Pardon Let us sum up our Accounts at the foot of every Page I mean reflect every Night on the Passages of the preceding Day that we may rest on our Beds with the sense of a daily Pardon and be as sit to die as we are to sleep 6. Our fond Affections to our Friends on Earth may make us loth to die though we hope to be with Christ in Heaven But is not his Bosom more desirable than the Arms and Embraces of our dearest Friends and nearest Relations Must we not abandon and hate them all for his sake Luke 14.26 i. e. use them as contemptible and hated things if they keep us from him Have we not solemnly engag'd to do so by our Covenant with God and shall we not stand to our Agreement Is there no difference between our Friends on Earth
and our beloved Saviour How often is an unactive Pity vouchsafed in the room of Succour when they need our Assistance or we intercede for theirs We know if they are unholy they shall for ever be banish'd from the Presence of Christ and we may well be ashamed to be unwilling to die on their account And if they are holy tho' we shall not return to them yet we know that they shall shortly come to us And cannot God instruct them in his Fear order their Conditions dispose of their Affairs provide for their Comfort and answer all our Prayers in reference to them after our departure yea hath he not often done so Have we any Friends on Earth that are every way so accomplish'd as alway to delight and please us Or are we so perfectly wise and good as never to disgust and disoblige them Is there not some Selfishness Design and private Interest some Hypocrisie Flattery and Dissimulation some Inequality Unsuitableness or Inconstancy in our Friendships here Are not the Best of those we love Ignorant and Mistaken Erroneous Deceived Weak and Impotent and as likely to desile and grieve us by their Corruption as to edifie and rejoyce us by their Grace But hereafter when that which is imperfect is done away they shall all have suitable Qualifications to recommend them to our most sincere and constant Affection and be every way more fit for our Content and Joy We shall then be never weary of each others Company we shall fully understand one anothers Mind we shall live in perfect Harmony and full Satisfaction without the dread of Absence or fear of Separation Now if we have some Friends we have many Enemies but in the presence of Christ there shall be none but Friends and such as shall for ever be so their Persons being more amiable and their Society more desirable than now it can be Now if we are pleased with their Converse we may quickly lose it and the desire of our eyes be taken from us by a sudden stroke Ezek. 24.16 that we know not how to value or love them till 't is too late And shall we be unwilling on their account to depart and be with Christ since they are hastning after us and after a few days absence we shall meet them again and dwell with them for ever 5. The Application remains which shall be only in Four Particulars as Inferences from what hath been said 1. We may hence take notice of the great Efficacy and Power of the Christian Faith and Hope That notwitstanding our fondness and affection to the Body and the contrariety of Death to our sensitive Inclinations that yet this Faith and Hope can urge us to desire a Dissolution in order to it 2. We may hence inferr That the Soul doth not sleep in the Grave with its Companion the Body until the Resurrection but immediately pass into a state of Bliss For the Apostle to abide in the Flesh was more expedient for the Philippians For him to live would be Christ Ver. 21. i.e. For the advancement of his Glory How then was it better to depart or in what strait could he be whether he should choose a longer Life or a present departure if no Blessedness were expected till the Final Judgment And why doth he mention his being with Christ as that which made Death desirable Is not the Presence of Christ with us on Earth and our serving the Ends of his Glory in this World much more eligible than to sleep in the Grave till dooms day 3. Is it better to depart and be with Christ than abide in the Body Then the Fable of Purgatory is hereby Exploded Were we to be transported by our Dissolution only from lesser Pains to greater or from a Life of Sorrow to a State of Suffering such as the Romanists imagine their Purgatory to be equivalent to the Torments of Hell in the Extremity of them though different in Duration how were it far better to depart that we may be with Christ 4. Is it the Object of a Christians desire to depart and be with Christ And is that far better than to continue in the Body Then let us not Grieve immoderately at the departure of those who have obtain'd their wish and enjoy their desire Did they long to be with Christ and choose to be dissolv'd in order to it And is it their unspeakable Satisfaction that they are so And do we express our Love and Kindness to them by repining at their Felicity Shall their desired Repose and Rest and Happiness be our Torment Grief and Sorrow Would we that contrary to their own well-grounded Inclinations they should continue longer here on Earth or return back again from Heaven meerly to gratifie our fond Affections Have they obtain'd a speedy Victory after a short Conflict and receiv'd the Crown of Life as soon almost as they begun their Christian Race the glorious Recompence of Reward though they had wrought but one hour in the Vineyard when others must labour twelve And shall we mourn like utter Strangers to the Christian Faith and Hope Would we delay the Glory of God in their Salvation and deser their Felicity in the blessed Presence of the Redeemer and be content that a Voice should be wanting in the Heavenly Quire rather than we be Sadned by their departure Would Parents have their Children continue in their Swadling-Cloaths Or when advanc'd to riper Years wish them back again to Infancy and hinder their Possession of that Inheritance which they are born to and dispos'd to enter on and enjoy Are not you your selves hastning to the Grave and hope e're long to be with Christ And is it not a refreshing Thought to consider that your Treasure is there before you with their Father and your Father with their God and Saviour and yours I mean your Holy Clidren and Friends whom you dearly Love The Primitive Church was wont to Solemnize the Funerals of Holy Persons with singing Psalms and Hymns of Praise to God for their Deliverance and Felicity obtain'd by Dying And shall we refuse to be comforted for the Death of those who sleep in Jesus and desired to do so as if in this Life only we had Hope in Christ Something 't is true of Grief and Sorrow must be allow'd to Nature Duty Custom and Contracted Friendship and the Honour of the Deceas'd for they are reckon'd to die miserable who are hurl'd into the Grave without the attendance of a Sigh or Tear or Funeral Lamentation But our Assurance of the future Glory they possess with Christ which they themselves preferr'd to a longer abode on Earth should wipe our Eyes and prevent Excess We mourn that they are gone and desire their Company but we know they do not wish themselves back again for the sake of ours no they are gone to better Friends above than those they have left below And were it not for the weakness of our Faith and Hope in reference to the Invisible
But tho he would not heal and recover sick Lazarus he sends a most excellent Remedy unto his Sisters to cure their mistakes to ease and heal their minds which was the intention of this Reply unto their Importunate Message This sickness is not unto Death but for the Glory of God c. In which we are called to consider 1. The Manner 2. The Design 3. The Import of this Answer I would make a few Reflections upon the two former and then shall insist upon the last as most suitable to our present Affair I. As to the Manner of this Answer 'T is easie to perceive the obscurity and dubiousness of the former part This Sickness is not unto Death For the Event did at least seem to contradict the literal meaning of this Declaration which expresly denies that the sickness of Lazarus was unto Death and yet Laxarus dyeth This seeming contradiction must render this part of the Answer dubious and dark unto those to whom it was sent Indeed notwithstanding this obscurity there was a most certain Truth in this part of the Answer which speaks of such a Death as truly answers that Character viz. Such a Privation of Life as puts a final Period unto it on which account it can truly be said of the Dead That their places know 'em no more and that they go the way whence they shall not return Job 8.10 c. 16.22 As also That they see corruption Acts 13.36 The Body quite losing that Organization that makes it a fit Habitation for a humane Soul This is the primary and proper notion of Death and under which the Spirit of God speaks of it See Rom. 5.12 14. 1 Cor. 15.21 26 54 56. Not to mention several other places Unto such a Death the sickness of Lazarus was not his Death was not a final Period but only a short interruption or cessation of Life which like some Rivers which run under ground for a space only for a while disappear'd and then was again brought to light This being granted we cannot deny that there is some darkness in the manner of expression Had it so pleased the Redeemer he could have spoken in a much plainer Language he could have said Tho this sickness shall deprive Lazarus of his Life yet it shall soon be restored to him again tho' he shall truly die yet he shall not long remain under the power of Death for I design to work a Miracle to raise him from the dead Thus could the Redeemer have expressed himself had it so pleased him but he chooseth to speak obscurely not only to these Sisters but afterward to his Apostles when he said Our friend Lazarus sleepeth v. 11. Which Metaphorical and dark way of speaking led them into a mistake as we read v. 13. Many other instances of this kind might be produc'd as that which this Evangelist relateth Ch. 16.16 17 18. And as the Language so the Carriage of Christ hath obscurity in it his ways are unsearchable and his footsteps are not known both with respect unto visible Providences and invisible dealings with the Soul Many there are whom Christ really loveth who walk in darkness are brought into a kind of a Labyrinth where they are strangely perplext and are tempted to conclude that their Lord hath quite forsaken and cast 'em off when he retains the kindest and most gracious purposes toward ' em As God did toward Abraham when he commanded him to go out of his Countrey and yet did not acquaint him with the Place which was design'd to be his Inheritance Heb. 11.8 Thus was Abraham try'd and so are the Children of Abraham as indeed this conduct of God is admirably suited unto the state of Probation in which we now are All that darkness and perplexity which at any time we are brought into are design'd by God to try and discover the sincerity and constancy of our obedience And 't is our grand concern to stand out this Tryal to undergo this Probation aright and then whatever darkness there is now in the dealings of Christ he will after a while scatter every Cloud and will be an everlasting Light unto us 'T were easie to make large Reflections upon this Subject but your own Meditation can supply this defect Nor may I dwell long upon the II. Observable in the Text The Design of this Answer made by Christ which was to afford present Support unto the dejected Sisters of Lazarus He whose Eye discerns the most hidden and distant Objects knows how their tender Hearts were disquieted and that such a Spectacle as a deceased dying Brother must wound and afflict their Souls and the more when their Expectations were disappointed as to the speedy visit of Christ What! might they be apt to argue not make so charitable so seasonable a Visit to one whom he loveth to one who needs his help and must perish without it Is this Kindness to neglect a distressed Friend till Life and all be gone Such disquieting Thoughts would begin to rush into and disorder their Minds Now 't was to still this Tempest that the Redeemer sends this Reply to ' em This Sickness is not unto Death but for the Glory of God c. q. d. Though the Danger and Progress of this Sickness joyn'd with my seeming Neglect of their Brother will be an Occasion of Trouble unto them Sorrow and Fear will take hold of their Spirits yet let not their Hearts be troubled there is no just ground of disquieting Fear notwithstanding the dismal Appearances this Matter will have a happy and honourable Issue When our Lord Jesus doth not grant the expected Relief yet he always provides Support and Consolation for his faithful Followers When He determin'd to send away the Multitudes who had followed him into the Wilderness he resolves that he will not send 'em away fasting lest they should faint by the way Mat. 16.32 Though they must for a time be deprived of his Presence yet he takes care that they might not faint and perish This was his Carriage toward his Apostles in general and more particularly toward the Apostle Paul who when he besought the Lord thrice that the Messenger of Satan might depart from him tho' this Request was not granted tho' the Thorn in the Flesh was not removed yet this most supporting Answer was given to him My grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12.9 Sometimes the Carriage of Christ bears an Aspect of Unkindness and Neglect but even at such a time his Heart is fill'd with Love and his Hand is employ'd to Support 'T is worthy our notice what care the Spirit of God hath taken to remove the Suspition of Unkindness in the Redeemer toward his Friend Lazarus whom he refus'd to Visit and Recover as his Sisters requested and expected for in the Verse which immediately follows this Answer of Christ the Evangelist adds this cautioning Remark Now Jesus loved Martha and her Sister and Lazarus His not complying with their intimated Desire of
one time he complain'd of his Service and Burthen and desired rather to die than bear it any longer Num. 11.14 15. At another time he spoke with indecent Passion unto the Israeltes and then God pronounc'd the Arrest which you read Num. 20.12 That he should not bring the Israelites into the Promised Land Now the executing of that Sentence did glorifie God because it manifested his Holiness which could not behold the desiling Blemishes that were in Moses who was one of the most eminent Favourites of God 3. The Divine Sovereignty and Dominion are honour'd by the Obedience and Resignation of Sick and Dying Believers When a Christian exercises that Submission unto the Orders of God that he willingly drinks the bitterest Cup which his Father gives him how Honourable must this be unto God I This last act of Obedience Crowns the whole Christian course certainly there is no Spectacle more grateful unto God than a Christian chearfully yielding back his Soul unto him who gave it 'T was a resigning Obedience that rendred the Death of Christ a Sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour unto God who was in a most eminent manner glorified by it Though a Dying Christian cannot offer an Attoning Sacrifice yet he is a kind of Holocaust when his Death is perfum'd with a chosen Submission unto the disposing Will of God On this Account the Death of the Saints or as the Hebrew word imports the Favourites is precious in the sight of the Lord Psal 116.15 4. The Powerful Grace of Christ is honour'd by the inward support and refreshment which sick and dying Christians receive from him at a time when the Daughters of Musick are brought low and all the Pleasures of Life are without relish then to feel an invigorating strength which renews the inner Man when the outer decays and is salling down this magnifieth the powerful Grace of God who giveth power to the Faint and to them that have no Might encreaseth Strength Isa 40.29 A Principle of Natural Courage will afford some Support but 't is Divine Grace alone which can enable a Christian to triumph over the Pain and Danger of a Mortal Sickness 2 Cor. 5.6 5. Especially God and Christ are glorified in the Victory which a Christian gains over Death This last Enemy is a very Formidable one An Alexander who could Encounter the vast Armies of Asian Monarchs who had despised the Terrour of Battels in his last Sickness was so afraid of Death that his Court was sill'd with Diviners and Victims and all imaginable Methods were try'd to preserve his Life When therefore a Christian though of the tender fearful Sex is raised above the Fear of Death is confident and willing rather to be absent from the Body and present with the Lord as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 6.5 This doth highly Honour the Grace and Power of the Redeemer through whom alone it is that a Christian is more than a Conqueror Rom. 8.36 37. 6. The Redeemer is glorified in that Blessedness which he immediately confers upon the Souls of his deceased Friends No sooner had the Israelites pass'd the Red Sea and got upon free Land but they send up their joyful Praises and mention how gloriously God had Triumphed over their Enemies What Heart can conceive the Songs of Praise which Celebrate the Lamb and him who sits upon the Throne when one believing Soul is set free from the House of Bondage and transplanted into the Heavenly Countrey when a Soul that is Imprison'd and Fetter'd in a House of Clay is received into the heavenly Habitations which the Redeemer hath prepared Surely if those who heard of the Conversion of Paul glorified God in him or on his account those who were Witnesses and Spectators of a far more surprizing Change could not be wanting in their Admiration and Praises of that God who Crowns with unfading Glory 7. The Death of a Christian brings glory unto the Redeemer as it is the Occasion of that astonishing Operation which will raise the dissolved Body and transform it into the likeness of his own most glorious Body The sinal Conquering of the last Enemy must be exceeding glorious unto that Power which effects it The Raising of Lazarus and re-instating his Body in a perishing Life did glorifie the Redeemer and this he had his Eye upon in making this Answer What then must be the Raising of a Corrupted Body unto a blessed Immortality By which the Children of the Resurrection are made like the Angels of God Read and consider that memorable passage 2 Thes 1.10 Let us now briesly reflect upon the 2. Evidence which I propounded viz. How the Sickness and Death of Christians glorifie God with respect unto them who survive whether they be more nearly or distantly related And 1. God is thus glorified on such Occasions because he manifests his Divine Power in compensating and supplying that Loss When useful and serviceable Christians are removed by Death nothing but Almighty Power can fill up such a void empty space and raise up others to carry on his Work so that the Church resembles that Poetical Tree in which as fast as one Branch was broken off another did spring in the same place Thus when Moses dies God finds a Joshua who was qualified to succeed him When a David is laid unto his Father's and sees Corruption God sills his Throne with a Solomon 2. The Exercises of Graces in surviving Relatives or Acquaintance doth glorifie God on such Occasions When holy Job upon the surprizing Death of all his Children at the same time doth Adore the Sovereignty of God and blesseth his Name when he took his dearest Comforts away this did effectually refute the reproaching Accusation of Satan and brought a singular Honour to God who is also 3. Glorified in the Comforting of those who are troubled and cast down by such Providences This is one glorious Character of the blessed God That he comforteth those who are cast down 2 Cor. 7.6 Did not his Hand bind up the Wound no other could do it all the Consolations which a Creature can present are weak and ineffectual things but the supports of the heavenly Comforter are never more sensible than under the sense of afflictive Providences 2 Cor. 1.3 4. In the 4. And Last place The Sickness and Death of Christians bring Glory unto God as they are serviceable unto the Souls of them who survive As those Fruits that fall from the Tree and lye about it make the Soyl more fruitful such sorrowful Providences being excellent Instructions about our Duty and powerful Arguments to excite us unto our great Work What the Apostle saith concerning his Bonds was equally true concerning his Death They were for the furtherance of the Gospel Phil. 1. How many have owed their Conversion and Establishment unto the Counsels and Examples of dying Christians The Histories of every Church abound with such Instances I should now have shewed 3. On what accounts this Consideration is sufficient to Quiet and
Support a Christian under such sorrowsul Providences Of this I shall give this Threefold Account 1. That Love which a Christian bears unto God and Christ makes their Honour dearer unto him than any Interest of his own and consequently the advancing of that will sweeten all the Crosses that can oppress him When Jeptha's Victory over the Amonites had got him more than ordinary Honour this was so pleasing to his Daughter that she was willing to endure the harsh Effects of her Father's Vow Judg. 10.36 Such a temper there was in the Apostle when he could declare that his chief Expectation and Design was that Christ might be magnisied in his Body whether by Life or Death Phil. 1.20 2. A Christian knows that when God and Christ are glorified then the grand Purpose and End of God are attained We are sure that the blessed God cannot design any Gain or Prosit to himself in his Actings but his design is to get himself Glory and it must be very delightful unto God when this Councel of God is accomplish'd 3. A Christian obtains his own chief Request when God is glorified all his other Petitions are subordinate unto this He remembers that the Hallowing or Glorifying of God's Name stands in the very first place in that Exemplar Prayer which Christ hath left unto the Church and therefore when God doth glorifie himself though in a way that is grievous unto the Humane Nature yet a Christian Rejoyceth And now it were easie to draw many instructive Inferences from this Answer made by Christ As 1. It will follow from hence that the surprizing Death of the most holy and useful Persons Applicat is no Objection against the Providence and Government of God 'T was usual among the Heathens to Accuse their Gods yea some of 'em proceeded to deny the Existence and Providence of a Deity because some excellent and vertuous Persons were taken away by a surprizing Death The Epicurean who disputes against Providence thought his Queries unanswerable when he ask'd Why if there was a Providence the two brave Scipio's were Routed and Slain by the Carthaginians Cicer. de N. D. l. 3. with several such like Questions which were more tolerable in the Gentiles who knew not God but it is inexcusable in those who have the Oracles of God committed unto them to think or speak at such a rate 2. What adorable Wisdom belongs unto the blessed God who can glorifie himself by those very events that seem most dishonourable unto him 'T is observed by the Apostle that the foolishness of God is wiser than men 1 Cor. 1.25 i. e. In those very events which seem inconsistent with Wisdom wherein God seems to act foolishly yet in them he infinitely surpasses all the skill and Wisdom that are in men The Divine Wisdom can build Trophies upon those very places which seem to swallow it up The cutting off the natural Branches the casting away the Body of the Jewish Nation at the first view appear'd dishonourable unto the Truth and Fidelity of God but the consideration of this event draws from the Apostle that admiring Exclamation Rom. 11. v. 33. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! 3. How vast is the distance between the Thoughts of God and those of Men Isa 55.8 The subject of the Text gives a memorable instance The Sisters of Lazarus might be apt to conclude that their Brothers Sickness and Death would be on various accounts dishonourable unto Christ 1. As they seemed to import Unkindness or Impotence in Christ who on this occasion carry'd it as if he either neglected his Friend or was unable to help him And 2. As they seem'd to argue the unprofitableness of Christs Service When Lazarus was Dead and laid in his Grave those who knew the Friendship of the Redeemer unto him would be tempted to speak on this manner How little advantage hath poor Lazarus got by his Acquaintance with and service unto Christ who if he had Power to Recover and prevent the Death of his Sick Friend has been guilty of strange unkindness But in the conclusion the Sickness and Death of Lazarus did bring a far greater Honour unto Christ than his recovering would have done That Miracle which was wrought in raising him from the Dead did exalt the Name of Christ and encreased the number of his Followers take heed therefore of leaning unto your own understanding but whenever the ways of God have a perplexing obscurity in them imitate the Practice of the Psalmist Psal 73.17 Go into the Sanctuary and view them in Scripture light this will discover a refreshing brightness in those Events which have the most horror in them 4. How real and great a difference doth Converting Grace make between a Christian and the unbelieving World The latter are wholly insensible unto the consideration us'd in the Text the glory of God and Christ have no efficacy to quiet and support their minds Arguments taken from their own Reputation or Interest have some force to moderate Sorrow and keep it from excess but the glorifying of God by their Crosses is an Argument which hath no strength with them whereas it hath the greatest with a Christian to whom nothing else need be represented Our Saviour well understood to whom he made the Answer in the Text they were his sincere Disciples who were capable of perceiving the force of this Consideration which afterward our Saviour repeats unto Martha v. 40. Thou shouldest see the glory of God Unto a Martha this would be a grateful and transporting spectacle when a Judas had far rather see thirty pieces of Silver than this glory of God Let us try our selves by this Rule this will discover our State and our Character and whether our Patience under Tryals be a Christian Grace or but a Philosophick Virtue this latter groweth from other Principles when therefore our Minds are quieted under dejecting Providences without having recourse unto the support of the Text 't is a sad evidence that we are alienated from the Life of God If the consideration of his Glory cannot over-ballance the Pain and Loss that we are expos'd to we are very unlike to our Redeemer whose troubled Soul was composed with this Thought that his Fathers Name would be glorified by his accurs'd Death John 12.27 28. 5. Let us whom this sorrowful occasion hath drawn together and all who but hear of it give diligence to correspond with the design that God hath in this severe Providence Surely he hath not made this breach only to open a passage unto Sorrow and Compassion much less to furnish us with new matter of discourse No he designs that we should glorifie him in our Hearts and Lives more than we have formerly done And this leads me unto that particular Application which I propounded to spend some time in and which will assist us in making that Improvement of this Providence as will bring glory unto God All that I