of G. and C. Colledge in Cambridge afterward Preacher of Gods Word at Colchester in Essex By John Fairfax M. A. Hos 13. 14. I will ransom them from the power of the Grave I will redeem them from death O Death I will be thy Plagues O Grave I will be thy Destruction London Printed for T. P. 1681. THE SAINTS VICTORY OVER DEATH Opened in a FUNERAL SERMON Upon the occasion of the Death of M r. OWEN STOCKTON 1 Cor. 15. 57. But thanks be to God who giveth us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ SO soon as Sin entred into the world Death the King of terrors being therewith Armed began its Reign and hath Reigned not only from Adam to Moses over the race of Mankind but even to this day And as a Merciless Cruel insatiable Tyrant affrights the world making horrible Slaughters not at the rate of Saul and David who slew their Thousands and their ten Thousands but Death slayeth Universally beyond number from the Infant to the Aged from the dunghil to the Throne sparing neither Age nor Sex neither base nor Honourable neither great nor small neither Sacred nor Prophane The Cry of this misery of man being very loud reached up to Heaven and entred into the Ears of God that made him who heard regarded and pitied and in infinite mercy Ordained and Commissioned his own and Only Son the Lord Jesus Christ to be a Prince of Life and Captain of Salvation to miserable men to Redeem a remnant from the Terror Power and Tyranny of this All-devouring All-destroying Enemy The Son of God readily accepts this honourable Office and accordingly cometh down from Heaven and becometh Incarnate among the Sons of men to discharge it And girding his Sword upon his thigh in his Majesty he rode prosperously and his right hand taught him terrible things Having first trampled under his feet the forlorn hope of the Enemy Poverty Hunger Thirst Labour Weariness Griefs Persecutions Mockings Buffetings Scourging and acutest Pains he forthwith enters into the very Region of Death the Land of Darkness Encounters Disarmeth Overcometh and Destroyeth the King of Terrors in his own Territory the Grave leading Captivity Captive and Triumphing in a powerful and glorious Resurrection The vertue and benefit of which Victory he Communicates to all his followers the noble Army of Conflicting Saints listed under his exalted Banner In token whereof the Graves were opened and many bodies of Saints which slept arose and came out of their Graves after his Resurrection Mat. 27. 52 53. This glorious Conquest is the Apostles comfortable Argument throughout this Chapter Where he first Asserts and proves the Resurrection of Christ to vers 20. Concluding Now is Christ risen from the dead From whence he infers proves and illustrates the Resurrection of the Saints with the order and manner thereof from vers 20 to 55. In the Faith and Contemplation whereof he cannot contain himself but breaketh forth into this triumphant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 boldly challenging daring defying and out-braving Death vers 55. 56 57. O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy Victory The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law But thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ In which last words the Subject to be discoursed on there are four things observable The Enemy The Victory The Victors and the Triumph 1. First The Enemy which is supposed in the Text but expressed in the Context ver 55 56. viz. Death Armed by sin strengthned by the Law 2. Secondly The Victory over this Enemy that is The destruction of Death as to its terror and power 3. Thirdly The Victors who are Christ first and with him all that are Christ's ver 23. Every of whom shall be made alive in his own order Christ first afterward they that are Christs All that Harvest whereof Christ is the First-fruits vers 20. 4. Fourthly Th◠Triumph Thanks be to God The three former we will sum up in this Doctrinal Proposition Doctr. Believers are victorious over Death through Jesus Christ From whence the fourth will be inferred by most just and due Consequence Thanks be to God In speaking to which that we may the more commend and magnifie the Victory we will First Represent to you the Enemy over which the Victory is gotten viz. Death Corporal death for as is the Resurrection such must be the Death The Resurrection which the Apostle here argueth is of the body vers 35. How are the dead raised up And with what body do they come vers 44. It is sown a Natural body it is raised a Spiritual body And vers 53. This corruptible must put on Incorruption and this mortal must put on Immortality Such therefore must be the Death Concerning which as an Enemy take this account 1. It is a spoiling Enemy That devests a man of all his wordly Enjoyments Houses and Lands Gold and Silver the fruits of the Earth the encrease of Corn and Wine the pleasures of the flesh sensual delights the light of the Sun Society with men Conversation with friends the Comfort of Relations Husband Wife Father Mother Sons and Daughters Brethren and Sisters How sweet near and dear are these to the Living But when Death cometh it spoils him of all and puts an utter and everlasting end to his use and enjoyment of them and turneth him naked out of the world Psal 49. 16 17. Be not thou afraid when one is made rich when the Glory of his house is encreased For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away his glory shall not descend after him and vers 19. They shall never see light Which our Saviour exemplifieth in a Parable Luk. 12. 16. to vers 20. The rich mans ground brought forth plentifully till he said to his Soul Soul thou hast much goods laid up for many years take thine ease eat drink and be merry But the sad tidings of Death are next brought him This night shall thy Soul be required And what is the Consequence Whose shall those things be which thou hast provided Not thine be sure All thy interest in them is lost for ever It was Hezekia's Lamentation when it was told him that he should die Isa 38. 11. I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world And as Death spoils a man of all his possessions so also of his projects before him Ps 146. 4. His breath goeth forth he returneth to his Earth in that very day his thoughts perish And of all his hopes too Job 27. 8. What is the hope of the hyprocrite though he hath gained when God taketh away his Soul Death is a spoiling Enemy 2. It is a Surprising enemy It cometh upon a man as a thief in the night 1 Thes 5. 2. when he little dreameth of it and taketh him as a snare Eccl. 9. 12. Man knoweth not his time As the birds are caught in the snare so are the Sons of men
and delusions that are in the hearts of sinners such instances would not be rare but it would be a wonder how any sinner could die in his sin and in his wits too from such a fear as this Believers are delivered Though they may and do experience some measure of fears yet God doth always support with some degree of hope that they let not go all their hold of the Covenant of God In a word Believers are so far victorious over the fear of death that if they understand their case aright they have no cause to be afraid of death when they are they are more afraid than hurt The Hornet having lost its sting may threaten with its humming noise but cannot prick the flesh so death where sin is pardoned which is itssting may afright with its horrid aspect but cannot hurt 3. Death is overcome to Believers in that it cannot hold them by its power It is indeed the unalterable Law of Heaven that all must die And accordingly Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the Patriarchs Moses and Samuel and Isaiah and all the Prophets Peter and James and John and all the Apostles yea all the Saints from Adam to this generation are fallen asleep and shut up in their Graves But shall the Grave always contain them Are they there kept in an everlasting Prison under locks and bars that cannot be opened Did making the Sepulchre sure Sealing the stone and setting a Watch forbid Christs Resurrection No surely I went down saith Jonah a Type of the Resurrection to the bottoms of the Mountains the Earth with her bars was about me for ever yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption O Lord my God Jon. 2. 6. And though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold and not another though my reins be consumed within me saith Job ch 19. 26 27. Though the Saints be descended to the depths of the sea and hid in the bowels of the Earth and their bodies resolved into the farthest dust and that dust dispersed to the four Winds yet shall they be recovered and rise again The Sea shall not contain the dead that are in it nor the Graves the dead that are in them Their scattered atoms shall be recollected and reared up again to a goodly body Behold there shall be a shaking and their dry bones shall come together bone to his bone and lo the sinews and the flesh shall come up upon them and the skin shall cover them above And thus shall the Lord God say Come from the four Winds O breath and breath upon these slain that they may live and the breath shall come into them and they shall live and stand up upon their feet Ezek. 37. 7 8 10. This is it which the Apostle asserts here throughout the Chapter concluding that then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in victory Object But what more victory is this than what unbelievers shall have for they also shall rise again Answ Yes it is more beyond all comparison Joh. 5. 28 29. All that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth they that have done good unto the Resurrection of life and they that have done evil to the Resurrection of damnation The wicked shall rise but from death Temporal to death Eternal to die the second death This is Death's Victory over them The Godly shall rise from Death temporal to Life eternal to die no more This is the Saints Victory over Death 4. Death is so overcome to Believers as to be made serviceable and advantageous to them And this is the fulness and perfection of Victory when the Enemy is brought in Subjection to serve the Conquerour The Apostle in this Epistle reckons Death to be part of the Saints Inventory ch 3. 21 22. All things are yours whether Paul or Apollos or Life or Death And elsewhere he calleth it gain Phil. 1. 21. to die is gain What gain Answ 1. In reference to the present state Death is 1 st The end of Sin With the body of Flesh the body of Sin is also put off from which St. Paul longed to be delivered Rom. 7. 24. Here the best of Saints have their corruptions infirmities imperfections but at Death the Spirits of just men are made perfect Heb. 12. 23. 2 ly The end of all Sorrows There are no Pains or Diseases or Griefs or Losses or Crosses or Persecutions in the Grave Job 3. 17 18 19. There the wicked cease from troubling and there the weary be at rest There the Prisoners rest together they hear not the voice of the Oppressor The small and great are there and the Servant is free from his Master 3. Rest from Labours It is no light burden of works that is upon a Christians hand no small labour to discharge the duties of his general and particular Calling What saith the Scripture Labour work watch run strive wrastle fight give diligence endure hardness press forward c. But blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours Rev. 14. 13. The day of the Saints Death is his happy Jubilee when he is set at liberty and goeth out free from his Service Thus is Death gain in reference to the presence state 2. In reference to the future state for 1 st As for the Soul it being released from the body is admitted into the Heavenly Jerusalem to an innumerable company of Angels to the Spirits of just men made perfect and to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant Heb. 12. This day saith Christ to a dying Saint shalt thou be with me in Paradise Luk. 23. 43. St. Paul desires to depart that he might be with Christ which is far better Phil. 1. 23. 2 ly As for the body Death serves to refine it for 1 Cor. 15. 50. This I say that Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God neither doth corruption inherit incorruption These bodies which we now carry are so gross and corruptible they are not meet for an heavenly state They die that they may be changed Phil. 3. 21. They are sown in corruption to be raised in incorruption sown in dishonour to be raised in Glory sown in weakness to be raised in power sown Natural bodies to be raised Spiritual The old decayed house is taken down to be built anew and these weak crasie bodies are laid in the Earth to rise afresh This corruptible is corrupted that it may put on incorruption and this Mortal dieth that it may put on Immortality Thus is this Enemy overcome and made to serve as a mean and advantage to the Believers happiness This indeed is a glorious Victory over a very mighty and formidable Enemy So great and wonderful that it far exceeds the hope of Nature Flesh and Blood cannot believe the report thereof Paul's discourse of the Resurrection
cure of the fear of Death All which he well understood not only by Speculation but by Experience He who had gained the best Interest and could upon good ground say My Beloved is mine and I am his He who aimed at the best End and industriously pursued it viz. the Glory of God was doubtless so fortified with the grace Consolation and Covenant of God as to triumph over the King of Terrors Having the testimony of his Conscience that in Integrity and Sincerity of heart he had fulfilled his general and particular calling and served his generation by the will of God and having the assurance of Gods Holy Word for his reward in a better World It was no difficulty to him to die He was so far above the fear of Death that he seemed altogether unconcerned at it as to the terror of it or danger after it both in sickness and in health In his perfect health Considering the evil of the day he lived in he would often say It is a good time to die I am content to live and willing to die To me to live is Christ I have no other design of life then to serve Christ He breathed out with Greg Turon Domine siad huc Populo tuo sim necessarius fiat Voluntas tua Desidero quietem non recuso laborem If God hath further Service for me to do I am content to live else I rather choose to die Such clear apprehensions he had of the Glory of Heaven and such full assurance of hope thereof that as he expressed himself to his Friend he looked upon all that this world can afford as dross and dung compared with it As death was not terrible so neither was it unexpected to him He presaged it long before it came He told his Friend conversing with him more than a year before he died that he had apprehensions that he should not long live and that for some time past God had inclined his heart to study how a Christian might get above the fear of death And what he found to be his strength and Consolation against that last enemy he had digested into method and for his own and others use Committed it to writing and had almost finished it and did then lay an obligation upon his friend in case he did Survive him to perform the last office for him and commended to him for his Subject 1 Cor. 15. 57. as the testimony of his affectionate and hearty thanksgiving unto God who gave him the Victory over the fear of Death through Jesus Christ our Lord. This was no vain presage though yet he had a Strong constitution of body which he had used with all temporance and Sobriety and was then in his full strength and the maturity of his age Scarce declining from his state of Consistency His natural temper did somewhat incline him to feaverish diseases A feaver having Commission from God seised on him Aug. 31. This Visitation of God as all former he accepted with all Patience and Submission Casting himself on the care and resigning himself up to the will of his Heavenly Father His disease encreasing and strength declining he told some about him that he had some apprehensions he should and desires also if God pleased to have died a Martyr but now he thought he should not Adding withal God is wiser than I and knoweth my weakness Discharging his dying office by grave exhortations and encouragement to Serious Religion and Suffering for it which he especially applied to his only Child Owning and professing his Nonconformity to the last as judging himself obliged thereto in Conscience towards God Blessing God for his invaluable Gift of Jesus Christ to the children of men Blessing God who had called him to the honourable employment of the Ministry of the Gospel and had enabled him to be faithful therein and encouraged him with his presence and blessing under all the difficulties thereof Blessing God who had lifted him up above the fear of Death Rejoycing in the peace and testimony of a good Conscience and hope of the Glory of God after 10 or 11 days conflict with his disease which after some hope of recovery very suddenly and unexpectedly seised his head He quietly slept in the Lord Sept. 10. 1680. in the one and fiftieth year of his age This being the blessed exit of this Eminent Saint methinks I hear him say to those he left behind as his dying Saviour to the daughters of Jerusalem Weep not for me I have died in peace am entred into peace am at rest in my bed have passed through Jordan and am come to Canaan I am beyond sin and sorrow and trouble and labour am come to the Heavenly Jerusalem to an innumerable company of Angels and the spirits of just men made perfect and to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant to that Eternal Sabbath that remains the people of God Weep not for me And doth he not also add weep for your selves You shall see my face no more you shall enjoy communion with me no more you shall hear my voice no more I shall despense the Gospel to you no more Ye shall come to me but I shall return to you no more O what is the meaning of this dark providence that in such a day as this God should call from his work one so fully instructed so willingly zealous to serve him and his Church in the Gospel of his Son Whether God hath done this in his just displeasure for the unprofitableness unthankfulness and itching ears of those that enjoyed so precious a blessing Or whether to warn us of some approaching dreadful judgment from which he hath hid this and other his holy Servants in their graves or whether both it concerns us seriously to consider and upon either account he may say to us Weep for your selves We read 2 King 13. 20 21. Elisha died and they buried him and the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the Coming in of the year And it came to pass as they were burying a man that behold they Spied a band of men and they cast the man into the Sepulchre of Elisha and when the man was let down and touched the bones of Elisha he revived and stood upon his feet and Judg. 16. 30. The dead which Sampson slew at his death were more than them which he slew in his life In allusion to which I conclude with this wish God avert the bands of the Moabites but would to God the dead in sin would apply their dead hearts to the Sepulchre of this dead Prophet that at the touching of his bones they might live and that the providence of his death may be more effectual to the mortifying of sin in Survivers than all the labours of his life Mors Triumphata OR THE SAINTS VICTORY OVER DEATH Opened in a FUNERAL SERMON Preached upon the occasion of the Death of that Eminent Servant and Minister of Jesus Christ Mr. Owen Stockton M. A. Sometimes Fellow
snared by death in an evil time when it falleth suddenly upon them Every one may say as Isaac Gen. 27. 2. I know not the day of my death At an hour when ye think not saith Christ the Son of man cometh Luk. 12. 40. The man we mentioned even now was confident of many years before him and promised himself a merry long life Luk. 12. 19. yet ver 20. He that knew said to him Hac Nocte This night thou must die Who knoweth what shall be on the morrow or what a day may bring forth Nemo tam Divos habuit faventes Crastinum ut posset sibi polliceri Was not Nabal in his plenty Jobs Children in their feasting Nadab and Abihu in their offering Herod in his pride Belshazzar in his cups Zimri and Cozbi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. surprised by this Enemie 3. It is a destructive Enemy Destruction and Death are joyned together Job 28 22. yea this is the very name of Death Ps 88. 11. shall thy loving kindness be declared in the grave or thy faithfulness in Destruction Ps 103. 4. who redeemeth thy life from Destruction i. e. death A dead man is reduced to his first principle the Earth The body returns to the dust from whence it came and this is turning man to Destruction Ps 90. 3. If a man were Surprised and spoiled of all that he had without him and should yet escape with his life though naked it were a sore evil yet such as might be endured a great loss but such as might be repaired But Death spoils a man of himself taketh down the goodly frame and Constitution of Nature Cuts a man asunder and divideth Soul from body God taketh away his Soul Job 27. 8. Her Soul was in departing for she died Gen. 35. 18. Thy Soul shall be required Luk. 12. 20. So as no ground of hope is left to a dying man Life is a fundamental Being Take away that and ye take away all The dead are not Joseph is not Gen. 42. Lo he was not Ps 37. 36. Job 14. 7 8 9 10. There is hope of a tree if it be cut down that it will Sprout again and that the tender branch thereof will not cease Though the root thereof wax old in the Earth and the Stock thereof die in the ground Yet through the sent of water it will bud and bring forth boughs like a plant But man dieth and wasteth away Yea man giveth up the Ghost and where is he and ver 14. If a man die shall he live again 4. It is a certain unavoidable Enemy There is no defence to be made against it no humane power can withstand it no fortification of the body by utmost art can prevent its entrance either by some violent storming or Successive batteries or longer seige it wil prevail against the Stoutest defendants Psal 89. 48. What man is he that liveth and shall not see death shall he deliver his Soul from the hand of the grave The young the strong the healthful the wise the rich the honourable All have fallen and shall fall under the power of this irresistible enemy The experience of five thousand years and upwards which the world hath had is enough to Convince all the Living that they shall as certainly die as that they have been born 5. It is an abhorred Enemy Against which Nature relucts with the greatest passion and from which it fleeth with greatest aversation It will never be reconciled to that which dissolveth the nearest and most intimate union between Soul and body which taketh in pieces the curious Workmanship defiles the Glory and stains the beauty of the goodliest body which turns the lovely body into a loathsome Carkass resolves it into corruption and putrefaction and gives it to the worms for meat No Antipathy greater than between Nature and Death Skin for Skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life Job 2. 4. 6. It is a formidable enemy that affects a man with fear and terror We read Ps 91. 5. the terrour by night that is Death Job 24. 17. the terrours of the shadow of Death Psal 55. 4. the terrours of Death and Job 18. 14. It is called the King of Terrors i. e. The chief of Terrours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saith the Judgment of Nature of all terribles the most terrible This is Consequent upon the former It being a Spoiling surprising destroying irresistible abhorred enemy It must needs be very terrible What a terror possesseds the Egyptians when Death entred in at their doors and slew their first born Exod. 12. 30 33. They were so affrighted that even Pharoah rose up in the night he and all his Servants and all the Egyptians and there was a great cry in Egypt for there was not an house where there was not one dead They said we be all dead men It is a threatning denounced by God Deut. 28. 65 66 67. The Lord shall give thee a trembling heart Why Thy life shall hang in doubt before thee And thou shalt fear day and night and shalt have no assurance of thy life In the morning thou shalt say Would God it were Even and at even thou shalt say Would God it were morning for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear The apprehension of this affrighted Gideon a mighty man of valour till the Lord encouraged him and said to him Fear not thou shalt not die Judg. 6. 23. At this the King Belshazzars Countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the joynts of his loins were loosed and his knees smote one against another Dan. 5. 6. And who that is but a natural man doth not experience trembling and astonishment at the approach and sight of Death yea many times at the very thoughts of it The world of men doth generally bear witness to that which is written Heb. 2. 15. that through fear of Death they are all their life time Subject to bondage There are two things both in the context which make Death so terrible 1 st Sin which the Apostle calleth the Sting of Death It was by sin that death entred in the world and it is by Sin that death reigneth in the world The poison of the Serpent is in his sting and the power of the Serpent is in his sting So the poyson of Death is in sin and the power of Death lieth in sin without which though it killeth it cannot hurt This is the only weapon wherewith Death is Armed against the Children of men but it is a deadly one That is a dreadful threatning indeed which our Saviour denounceth against the Jews Joh. 8. 21. Ye shall die in your sins According to what the Lord had before spoken by his Prophet Ezek. 18. 24. In his trespass that he hath trespassed and in the sin that he hath sinned in them shall he die It is our sad case that we are born in sin and worse that we live in sin but Oh! how dreadful
and miserable to die in sin in a state of sin in the guilt of sin under the reign and power of sin in the arms and embraces of sin Sin being the transgression of a righteous Law the violation of infinite Holiness and Justice and rebellion against Divine Majesty and Authority it always hath demerit and guilt consequent upon it which obligeth and bindeth the sinner to undergoe that punishment which is naturally due to it Which punishment is Death Rom 1. 32. they which Commit such things are worthy of death Thus sin becomes the weapon or sting of Death by which it hath power to destroy Death cometh upon the Sinner as a bailiff or Sergeant from the Judge with warrant to apprehend and bring the Sinner to give account or as an executioner to take vengeance to pay the Sinner the just wages of his sin for the reparation of a broken Law for the satisfaction of offended Justice for the Declaration of Divine hatred and displeasure against sin and for the manifestation of Gods Glorious power and wrath against the guilty And what a terror must Death needs be when it appears in this shape and armed with this sting Know O presumptuous and secure Sinner Though wickedness be now sweet in thy mouth and thou hidest it under thy tongue Though thou swallowest down deliciously thy forbidden morsells of sensual pleasure and worldly gain yet this meat will soon be turned in thy bowels and become the gall of asps within thee At last at death it will bite as a serpent and sting like an adder What horrour will fill thy soul when approaching Death shall awaken thy sleepy Conscience as oft times it doth and thy awakened Conscience shall charge thee with thy inexcusable transgression of a Righteous Law thy gross neglect of Commanded duty thy industerious provision to satisfie the flesh thy ready compliance with the call of temptations thy irreparable loss of precious time Thy hypocritical dealing with God in Covenant the Stopping of thine eares at the voice of Conscience the shutting of thine eyes against the light of Scripture the hardening of thy heart against the motions of the Spirit thy unbelieving refusals of an offered Saviour thy unprofitable misimprovement of means of Grace thy unthankful abuse of the mercies of God and obstinate incorrigibleness under his Judgments with many other instances of multiplyed and aggravated sins through a long life Whence will arise dismal apprehensions of the wrath of an offended God a certain fearful expectation of Judgment to come and a pre-occupation of eternal torments and everlasting burnings This is that sting of Death the weapon wherewith it is armed against thee wherein Consists its power and by which it is so terrible 2. Add to this the strength which this sting hath from the Law For saith the Apostle The strength of sin is the Law and that two ways 1 st As the Law discovers and convinceth of sin Rom. 5. 13. Sin is not imputed where there is no Law Men are not prone to charge themselves with sin where there is no Law therefore Gal. 3. 19. the Law was added because of transgressions that is to make transgressions appear Hence we read Rom. 3. 20. By the Law is the knowledge of sin and Rom. 7. 9 13. I was alive without the Law once in my own opinion but when the Commandment came Sin revived and I died I was convinced I was in a state of Sin and death and v. 13. Sin by the Commandement becomes exceeding sinful Thus sin as the sting of Death is strengthned by the Law while men thereby are more cleerly and fully convinced of it and the greater the conviction is the sharper is the sting 2 ly As the Law Curseth and condemneth the sinner Gal. 3. 10. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them hence as before Rom. 7. 9. When the Commandment Came. I died and 2 Cor. 3. 7. The Law is called the Ministration of death The Law binds the sinner over to the Judgment of the great day It holds him fast under his guilt without hope of pardon passeth sentence of Condemnation upon him and begins the execution by wounding the Spirit terrifying the Soul with pre-apprehensions and foretasts of the wrath to come The sum of the terror of Death is this Approaching death awakeneth the secure Conscience Awakened Conscience charged with the guilt of sin This sin is strengthened with a Convincing cursing Law The dying wretch seeth his day of sensual delights and pleasures his day of worldly gains and purchases his day of Carnal fellowship with men and especially his day of Grace and mercy with God passing away finds his Spirit fainting his heart and flesh failing anguish and pangs taking hold of him and his soul forthwith to be Required Apprehended Arrested Summoned and haled out of his body from all freinds means helps and hopes to appear naked before God the Judge of all men to give an account of a sinful life and to receive a righteous doom viz. Depart from me ye Cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels and then to go away into everlasting punishment At this what heart of man can contain and possess himself without fear Who but must be appalled confounded amazed terrified Knowing the terror saith St. Paul 2 Cor. 5. 1. Speaking of this appearance and account Felix trembled saith St. Luke Act. 24. 25. When he heard of Judgment to come It is a fearful looking for of Judgment and fierie indignation saith the Author to the Hebrews chap. 10. 27. and a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God ver 31. Thus have we represented the Enemy Death in its power and pomp as it reigneth over the fallen Sons and Daughters of Adam which appears so terrible that woe be to those that fall under the power of it 2. We will now shew you this Enemy fallen and overcome before Believers Believers are Victorious over Death Object But saith Natural Carnal reason Is not this a great Paradox who will believe it One Enoch indeed was translated that he should not see Death and Elijah went up to Heaven in a fiery Chariot But else the Patriarchs and Prophets and Apostles and all the Saints in their Successive generations have yielded up to Death And doth not every day bear witness Are we not all here this day lamenting a very holy and Eminent Saint and Servant of Jesus Christ fallen by the stroke of Death Where then is the Victory And How is Death overcome Answ Notwithstanding all this yet Verily Death is overcome Not ut ne sit but ut ne obsit Not that it should not be but that it should not be hurtful to believers and this Victory consists in four things 1. Death is disarmed to believers that it cannot sting them When death cometh it finds no sin in them unpardoned no guilt remaining as an obligation
or resistance But how much greater will their horror and amazement be at the near approach and present appearance of this deadly Foe when their eyes shall be awakened and enlightned more clearly and convincingly to see its power and Terror and their heart more tender and sensible to feel the pain and poyson of its Mortal Sting Can thine heart endure or can thy hands be strong in the day when thy Flesh shall wast thy Spirits faint thy Strength fail the Sorrows of Death compass thee about the pains of Hell take hold on thee and Almighty wrath be renting thee in pieces like a Lion and there is none to deliver thee Surely a guilty Conscience a cursing Law an avenging Justice and present Death are a weight more insupportable than Talents of Lead than Rocks and Mountains enough to break the stoutest heart and will certainly damp the Courage of the most daring Sinner Where ever dwelt the man and what was his Name who was so hardy and confident as not to be moved yea not to be struck to the very heart at the sight of the Pale Horse coming amain upon him the Name of whose Rider is Death with Hell at his heels What thinkest thou O guilty Sinner Is thy state of sin so little dangerous that thou mayest securely rest in it Is Death so weakly Armed and art thou so strongly fortified that thou mayest bid defiance to its Assaults Wilt thou sin and laugh and sleep and drive away the Melancholy thoughts of thy approaching Terror by diverting to the Mirth and Follies and Vanities and Pleasures of a present Transitory and helpless World Reflect upon thy heart and ways review the number and Nature of thy multiplied and aggravated Transgressions throughout a long life have patience to hear the Charge of thy veracious and faithful Conscience and seriously consider with what a sharp and poisonous sting thou hast Armed Death against thine own Soul Run not the desperate hazard of being killed with Death Who ever hardened himself against this Terror of the Lord and fell not under it The stoutest hearted are spoiled they have slept their sleep and none of the men of Might have found their hands Wert thou Behemoth or Leviathan for strength and Courage were thy bones as strong pieces of Brass or like Bars of Iron were thy heart as firm as a stone yea as heart as a piece of the nether Milstone and thou a King among all the Children of pride yet shall this sword of the Lord approach thee and break thy bones and this arrow of the Almighty pierce thy heart and the poyson thereof shall Drink up thy spirit Flatter not thy self with vain hopes founded upon presumption or infidelity Think not the Lion to be painted fiercer then he is When thou hearest the menaces of Death the words of the Curse bless not thy self saying I shall have peace Make no Covenant with Death nor be at agreement with Hell Lest thou make lies thy refuge and under falshood hide thy self for thy Covenant with Death shall be disannulled and thy agreement with Hell shall not stand Thou hast but one method of safety one course to take Venture not alone in thy own strength to meet and encounter with thy mortal foe But Turn thee Turn thee to the tents of the Conquerour make hast to list thy self under the standard of the Prince of life Thou hast been told what is the sting of Death and where its strength lieth Do to it as the Philistines did to Sampson Cut off its locks Pluck out its sting Break off thy sins by repentance and work away thy guilt by faith in the blood of the Lamb that God may give thee Victory through Jesus Christ 2. How blessed and comfortable is the case of all true believers There are but two evils can make a man miserable Sin and Death The believer is freed from the Law of both It is indeed the irreversible Law and ordination of God that Believers die as well as others but withal It is their unspeakable distinguishing priviledge that their Death hath no sting no Curse no Victory over them Their Lord Jesus the Captain of their Salvation who died for them hath overcome Death disarmed Death Sanctified Death Sweetened Death Subjected Death to them and turned it to their advantage Death indeed cometh after the same visible manner upon the body of the Saint and of the sinner by Sword or Famine or Pestilence Consumption and burning Feaver with aches and pains whereby the earthly house of their tabernacle is dissolved Saul and Jonathan were not divided in their Death Ahab and Josiah fall alike in the battle by the hand of the Archers Stephen and Achan are both stoned The good and bad thief give up the Ghost together upon their Cross But as to their Souls how vastly different are their Deaths in the dispensation of God! The one is Cursed the other blessed in his Death On dieth in his Sin the other in the Lord One departs under wrath the other in peace The Spirit of one is delivered to Satan the Spirit of the other committed into the hands of God The Soul of one carried by Devils into the place of torment The Soul of the other carried by Angels into Abrahams bosome The one passeth from death to death The other passeth though death to Life This is the blessedness of the dead which die in the Lord. This is the happy Victory of the Saint over Death even in dying Of which difference of the death of Saint and sinner the sinner is sometimes so convinced that he cannot but wish with Balaam Let me die the Death of the Righteous and let my last end be like his It is the Saints happiness here both living and dying to have the Victory over death by faith which is to them the evidence and presenting of the future Resurrection not yet seen But it will be much more their happiness to have this Victory by sense as they shall in their glorious Resurrection Two things commend it 1. It is the Victory over the last enemy ver 26. and so implieth Victory over all enemies For if any remained this were not the last Sin and world and Devil are all conquered when Death is conquered Hold out then O believing Soul in thy Spiritual conflict Be thou faithful unto Death maintain thy Christian Courage against Death take hold of the strength of Christ and overcome it Thou shalt fight no mor but there remains thee Everlasting rest 2. It is the Victory of Christ which the Saints have in communion with him and so it is a Sure Victory He that got it by his Almighty power will by the same power keep it that it shall never be lost Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more and till Death can prevail over Christ it shall not prevail over the Christian Joh. 14. 19. Because I live saith Christ ye shall live also 3. Let Believers live and die as becomes those that
have the Victory even above and beyond the fears of Death If we have the same precious faith which this Apostle had let us put on also the same confidence and courage and in assurance of the Victory that Christ hath gotten for us bid an holy defiance to this enemy O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy Victory Was it not the end of Christs conquest to deliver his Saints not only from the hurt but from the fear of Death Would it not then be either a denial or a disparagement of Christs Victory for a Saint to live in bondage to the fear of Death That Souldier must either be very ignorant or very much a Coward who is afraid to meet his disarmed and conquered Enemy Such is the weakness and Cowardise and ought to be the shame of too many professing Christians How far do we desire to remove death from us How sad and damping are the very thoughts thereof to us What reluctance have we against the very Name of Death What trembling at the approach thereof How do we say as they Jer. 41. 8. Slay us not for we have treasures in the field of wheat and of barley and of Oil and of Honey And with Hezekiah turn to the wall and weep sore But whence is all this Is it not because we look upon death only with an eye of nature and not with the eye of faith and that we look at our dissolution more than at our resurrection Is it not because of the darkness of our Evidence and carelessness of gaining better assurance of life eternal Is it not from our inordinate affection to our worldly interest our Carnal enjoyments and relations Or is it not from the Conscience of some indulged sin which we have not effectually mortified Surely our Consciences will tell the guilty that some or all of these are the cause of our averseness lothness and fears to die But are these becoming professing Christians and worthy of the faith of the Resurrection Oh for the honour of Christs Victory for the commendation of Religion for the Conviction of Sinners for the comfort of our own souls let us shake of these clogs lay aside these weights and get above these slavish fears Improve and encourage faith against sense and carnal reason Mortifie thy inordinate affections hold a good Conscience Clear up thy interest in Christ and in the Covenant of God Have thy conversation in Heaven and from thence look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change thy vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body and fear not Art thou to encounter death hast thou apprehensions of its approaches towards thee And doth thy heart fail for fear hereof Hear Christ rebuking thee as sometimes he rebuked his disciples Why art thou fearful thou of little faith Let me say to thee for thy encouragement if thou beest a Christian indeed as Deborah to Barak when he was to Encounter Sisera Judg. 4. 14. Up Is not the Lord gone out before thee Hath not Christ disarmed thy Enemy and taken out its sting Hath not he overcome death and opened the doors of the grave and given thee the Victory yea Doth not the Lord go out with thee and stand by thee in this thy last conflict And is not the presence and assistance of Christ enough to encourage thee against fear Isa 43. 1. 2. saith God to Jacob Fear not when thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and v. 5. Fear not for I am with thee In the strength of which promise say with David Ds 23. 4. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of Death I will fear none evill for thou art with me Verily there is a power in faith It is a Victorious grace It engaged the strength of him that raised up Jesus from the dead Live then by faith and thou shalt die by faith and overcome death by faith Many witnesses can set their seal to this as a certain truth that a Christian by the improvement of grace may if not triumphanter yet at least patienter mori may be content if not rejoyce to die 4. Add for a conclusion the Apostles application in the text Thanks be to God The Victory being gotten being given the triumph is to be made We read whether they be the words of God to the Church or of the Church to God the sense is the same Isa 26. 19. Thy dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they arise for thy dew is as the dew of herbs which revives them in the spring after a Killing winter and the Earth shall cast out the Dead There 's the Victory What then awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust There is the triumph Thus Ps 30. 3. O Lord thou hast brought up my Soul from the grave then ver 12. To the end that my glory may sing prise to thee and not be silent O Lord my God I will give thanks unto thee for ever Thus again the Psalmists sings Ps 118. 14 15 17. The The Lord is my strength and Song And is become my Salvation The voice of rejoycing and Salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous the right hand of the Lord doth valiantly c. Why I shall not die but live and declare the works of the Lord. Victory is always matter of rejoycing and should reflect honour upon the Conquerour We read 1 Sam. 17. Goliah of Gath that monstrous and terrible Giant cometh forth before his camp of Philistins and defieth the armies of Israel who fled from him and were sore afraid when behold David goeth out to meet him and encounters him all alone and with the Giants own sword cuts off his head and discomfits all his host Did they not then come out of all cities of Israel Chap. 18. 6 7. singing and dancing with Tabrets and joy and instruments of musick answering one another as they played and saying Saul hath slain his thousands and David his ten thousands What is it that we see Is it the Vision Rev. 6. 8. Behold a pale horse and the Name of him that sits on him is Death and Hell followeth with him and power is given unto him to kill And at this are we sore afraid Why Look again Rev. 19. 11. c. I saw Heaven opened and behold a white horse and he that sate upon him doth judge and make war in righteousness and he is clothed with a Vesture dipt in blood and his Name is called The Word of God He goeth forth Conquering and to Conquer He takes Death and Hell and casteth them into the lake of fire Come then let us Sing the Song of Moses Exod. 15. 1 2 3. The Lord is my strength and Song He is my God I will exalt him The Lord is a man of war The Lord is his Name I will sing unto the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously the Horse and his Rider hath he cast into the
fire This Victory was won by Christ t is worn by us It was dear to Christ t is cheap to us It cost him labour and pain and sorrow and sweat and blood but it is given to us we overcome not by expence of our own blood but by the blood of the Lamb. What then shall we render to the Lord Shall we give him less than a Song a Song of thanksgiving especially when we can give no more O ye that are the redeemed of the Lord whom he hath ransomed from the power of the grave send out your thoughts a while into the Land of Darkness and take a more exact view of the triumphs and trophies of Death which it hath erected over the Vanquished Sons and Daughters of men that have fallen under its power Look into the prison of the Grave where the bodies of the slain are holden under Chains of Darkness reserved to the execution of the Great day Consider the poyson venom sharpness and power of the deadly sting that is entred into their Souls strengthened with all the plagues and Curses that are writtten in the book of the Law of a righteous avenging and Almighty Judge the worm of Conscience gnawing the Soul as well as the worm of Corruption feeding on the body Hark what are the hideous Cryes and woes and wailings the roarings and yellings the gnashing of teeth and bitter lamentations of the wretched prisoners captivated under the insulting Enemy and then recall your thoughts to the solemn meditation of this happy word the glad tidings of the Glorious conquest and Resurrection of Jesus Christ in fellowship with whom you are rescued from the cursed power of this Death and Hell and made heirs of the grace of life of life eternal And if you have any sense of the Infinite love of God and his compassions towards you of the incomparable labours and sufferings of Jesus Christ for you of the unspeakable misery from whence you are redeemed and the glorious Immortality to which you are intituled and whereof you shall be possessed Your meditations methinks cannot but issue with the Apostle's in this greatful pathetick and triumphant doxologie Thanks be to God who giveth us the Victory through our Lord Jesu Christ FINIS ERRATA Pref. read Curriculum vitae page 7. l. 9. r. affect and. l. 19. r. shining p. 18. l. 28. r. Dr. Tuckney p. 27. l. 18. r. may p. 28. l. 18. r. means and l. 2. r. on the week day p. 32. l. 3. r. Jesus Christ p. 34. l. 9. r. the strongest p. 44. l. 21. r. worthy of p. 45. l. 4. r. being p. 57. l. 19. r. visit p. 59. l. 1. r. look to Christ p. 61. l. 5. r. moderation p. 69. l. 27. r. send p. 73. l. 24. r. hear p. 75. l. 15. r. separated p. 63. l. 20. r. hides p. 99. l. 2. r. if A Catalogue of Books Printed for and Sold by Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside 1. A Word to Sinners and A word to Saints the former to awaken the latter to direct and perswade 2. Christian directions to walk with God all the day long 3. Principles of Christian Religion Explained to the Capacity of the meanest with Practical Applications to each Head whereby family Catechising may be with much ease performed 4. The young mans Guide through the Wilderness of this World to the Heavenly Canaan 5. The surest and safest way of Thriving which is in being Charitable to the Poor all five Written by Tho. Gouge Minister of the Gospel Ars Sciendi sive Logica nova methodo disposita novis preceptis aucta Self Employment in secret containing Evidences upon self examination Thoughts upon painful afflictions Memorials for practice Parents Groans for their wicked Children by Edward Lawrence M. A. Troughtons apology for the Nonconformists preaching Of thoughtfulness for the future by J. Howe M. A. Barretts reply to the Dean St. Pauls late Book No Evidence for Diocesan Bishops by Mr. Clarkson The Life of that reverend Divine Mr. Owen Stockton late of Colchester There is now a Printing an Exposition on the Prophecy of Isaia by that reverend divine Mr. Arthur-Jackson The Little Book for little Children is lately Reprinted Corbetts self Imployment in secret