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
from the dead seemed no other than babling to the Learned Philosophers at Athens Act. 17. 18. And was thought incredible by Festus and Agrippa and the Captains and Principal men of Caesarea Act. 26. 8. Yea the Resurrection seemed as an idle Tale at first to the very Apostles Luk. 24. 11. and they believed it not So great is the Glory of this victory over Death that even Angels come down from Heaven to make report of it and to Celebrate the Triumph Mar. 16. Luk. 24. Tell no more then of the mighty Acts of Nimrod or Chedorlaomer of Sennacherib or Nebuchadnezzar of Cyrus or Alexander or of all the Caesars or the rest of those great Names that have filled the world with their Fame who have subdued Kingdoms and led Nations Captive and made many glorious Triumphs Yea let no mention be made of the Victories of Joshua or Baruk or Gideon or Jephtha or Samson or Saul or Jonathan or David or of all his worthies who have Victoriously fought the Battles of the Lord against the Arms of flesh and whose Sword returned not empty from the blood of the slain Behold the greater Glory of this Victory in the Text which darkneth the lustre of all their Triumphs Their Acts were mira but this miraculum Their Victories were wonders but this a Miracle The Gates of Hell the power of Darkness the King of Terrors before whom all these Triumphing Victors at last fell fallen at the feet of the Saints Quest But if Believers be thus victorious and their Victory be so great and Glorious which you tell us as indeed it is How do they obtain it Where lieth the great strength of these Samsons Are they not all Clay of the same lump with other men Are they not the Sons of men Do we not know their generation Their Parents Brethren and Sisters are they not with us Whence then have these men these mighty Works Answ Truly they are so They are of the same Nature with other men promise no more than other nay less as to sense and reason for they are not many wise after the flesh not many mighty not many noble 1 Cor. 1. 26. and therefore we may well ask the question How they overcome The remaining Text will resolve this They get not the Victory by their own Sword neither do their own Arm save them But 3. The Victory is given them by God through our Lord Jesus Christ We will express this in three particulars 1. Jesus Christ disarmeth Death by his satisfaction 2. He destroyeth Death by his Resurrection 3. This Victory becomes the Believers by participation and communion with him 1. Jesus Christ disarms Death by his Satisfaction The sting of Death is sin saith the context and the strength of sin is the Law Sin being the Transgression of a Righteous Law hath in it a fundamentall demerit and natural obligation to punishment which is moreover Confirmed by the Laws threatning Thou shalt die the Death This is the sting of Death wherewith it is armed from the poyson power and pain whereof none can be delivered unless the obligation be voided by making satisfaction This being impossible to meer man Jesus Christ undertook it To which purpose our sins were translated on him by imputation Isa 53. 6. All we like Sheep have gone astray we have turned every on to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all He was made a Priest that he might offer Sacrifice to expiate this guilt and to Satisfie the Law Heb. 5. 4 5 6. And no man taketh this honour unto himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high Priest but he that said unto him Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee and again Thou art a Priest for ever c. The Sacrifice to be offered up by this Priest for this purpose must be an humane Soul and body for the Subjection of mans Soul and body to the curse of the Law was the punishment which the Law exacted for mans sin and wherewith only it would be satisfied This Soul and body did Christ assume Joâ— 1. 14. The word was made flesh Hebs 10. 5. When he cometh into the World he saieth Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not but a body hast thou prepared me For the Sanctification of this Sacrifice to be offered up to God there must be an Altar Math. 23. 19. The Altar Sanctifieth the gift which Altar was his divine nature Heb. 9. 14. Througth the eternal Spirit he offered himself And Joh. 17. 19. I sanctifie my self I as God sanctifie my self as man And being thus instructed he actually offered up himself to God Eph. 5. 2. Christ hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God He humbled himself and became obedient unto Death even the Death of the cross Phil. 2. 8. and so was made a Curse for us as it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree Gal. 3. 13. By this did Christ satisfie the Law expiate guilt cancelled the hand writing the obligation to punishment appeased the wrath of God and obtained remission of sins Eph. 1. 7. Thus did he finish transgression make an end of sins thus he made reconciliation for iniquity brought in Everlasting Righteousness Thus he disarmed death by making satisfaction 2. He destroyeth Death by his resurrection By his satisfaction he took away the power and efficacy of Death but by his resurrection he destroyed the very Being of death actually as to himself virtually as to believers Rom. 6. 9. Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more Death hath no more dominion over him and v. 10. For in that he died he died unto sin once Ad delendum peccatum ut semel in nihilum redigat peccatum in nobis saith Beza he died once for all utterly to blot out sin in us but in that he liveth he liveth unto God Apud Deum or secundum Deum vita caelesti et immortali a life worthy of God an heavenly and immortal life We read Joh. 11. 44. concerning Lazarus that he that was dead came forth There the power of Death was suspended at present that it could not hold him but the Being of Death remained for he rose to die again and therefore he came forth bound hand and foot with Grave-Clothes and his face was bound about with a Napkin But when Christ rose both the Power and the Being of Death ceased as to him and therefore he left his Grave-Clothes behind him and carryed nothing belonging to Death with him Joh. 20. 6. 7. The rising body of Christ was not only not dead but not mortal His body rose a glorious body a spiritual body an heavenly body Not only Death but mortality is swallowed up by the resurrection of Christ And as by the resurrection of Christ the Being of Death was destroyed actually as to himself so vertually to believers for
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
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
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