you may observe as the temptations of dying Christians are stronger so the breathings of their souls the sense of Gods love the relish of spiritual things the ready and apt application of Scripture are more vivid and copious with them then than in all their lives before even as the Spirit of God and of glory hath been wont to rest upon the Martyrs when they were called to great and emâ—nent Susserings so here there are those supplyes of the Spirit and 〈◊〉 grace to help in this time of need that takes away the sting God suffeâ—â— Satan sometimes to draw out his strength like God Magog to the batter and stands himself as it were aloof for a while that he may give him thâ—â— more sudden and fatal overthrow I may therefore conclude this parâ—â— lar with the words of Christ Luk. 12.32 Fear not little Flook and of the Apostles 1 Job 4.4 Greater is he that is in you then he that is in the worâ—â— 10. Deaths sting is taken away in that how unavoidable soever it is or 〈◊〉 den unalterable yet its welcome to the Believer he is reconciled 〈◊〉 1. Though it come inevitably yet its welcome he doth not 〈◊〉 desire to avoid it as to meet with it t is the fruit of the promise the end of his desire the answer of his Prayers and an ease to all his sufferings They rest from their labours Rev. 14.13 If in this life only we have hope saith the Apostle v. 19. He doth not therefore desire to avoid death Mors si non bona est finis tamenâ—â—lla malorum saith Cato Hence Job hate his life and would not live alwayes Job 7.16 The Saints are even glad when they can find the grave they don't dye as those that must dy but as those that upon deliberation and choice desire to dye Luk. 2.29 Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace Hence Paul is so far from flying from it that he pursues it Act 22.13 As it is said of Cato Quasi morion diâ—eccasionem se nactum esse ganderet 2. Enough it come suddenly its welcome for it is not sudden to them that wait for it all their lives Job 14 14. All the dayes of my appointed time will I wait till my change comes They may dye sooner then they thought for but not sooner then they would they may dye too soon for others but not for themselves their own comfort and profit Yea even the child in Christ dyeth an hundred years old Isa 65.20 When I hear Job cry as Job 14. 13. O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave and and see the good old Patriarch break off from blessing and saying as Gen. 49 18. I have waited for thy salvation O Lord. Those that have the first fruits groaning as Rom 8.23 bearing a part with the whole creation and with the Bride Rev. 22.20 I rather think they dye too leisurely and slower then they would Doe not tell me of a sudden death where there hath been a setled course in a godly life Nemo parùm diu â—ixit qui virtutis perfectae profecto functus est munere He comes in like a shock of corn in its season Job 5.26 Thou shalt come to thy grave in full 〈◊〉 like as a shâ—ck of corn cometh in in his season now the season is never 〈◊〉 with being too sudden It was sudden we say of this and the other death but he was throughly ripe first and where there was sufficiâ—ney of life there cannot be suddenness of Death God knows when 〈◊〉 cut his harvest when to call in his labourers Yea but he lived but a 〈◊〉 â—ort time therefore his death was sudden Not so for some live more 〈◊〉 one year then others doe in many and for the true Christian he is alwayes ready Act. 21.13 I am ready to dye 3. Though it be unalterable yet it is welcome its certain the hours yesterday will never return again and he that is once gon off the stage 〈◊〉 â—turn no more There is no shooting of the Gulph of Eternity Lazarus cannot come as a Messenger to Dives his brethren He that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more But as there is no alteration so the Saints desire no alteration it s the best flower in their crown that their state of happiness is everlasting 1 Thess 4.17 So shall we ever he with the Lord. Do you think to scare the Saints with this you cannot tell them more joyful Tydings than that their joyes shall be for ever The Rivers of pleasures at Gods right hand flow alwayes The tree of life never fades The robes of glory never sully nor admit of spot or wrinkle or any such thing they doe not wax old Serving God instantly day and night will not weary nor will the light of heaven grow dim like a candle nor goe down as the sun the Lord shall be our light and our God our glory Isa 60 19. Set a man in such a condition as it cant be better with him and tell him it shall never alter nor be worse with him it will not much grieve him So it is with the Saints in light the chang is unalterable you shall dye no more nor be sick nor sorrow nor doubt any more nor sin no more nor want any more as Moses said to the Israclites so may it be said to the Saints The Egyptians whom you have seen to day you shall see them no more for ever as Exed 14.18 Well may Believers breathe our their souls in tryumph and say O Death where is thy sting Let that be our station where there is no alteration let the better part be ours which shall never be taken away For simple is the best of titles and that only is heaven in all other things we are but Tenants for life and hat at the will of our great Lord. 11. The sting of Death is taken out in that the Saints know whither and into what estate they enter after Death The wicked walk in darkness and know not whither they go as he said Anxius vixi dulius morior heu quo vado They leap as it were from an high hill into a dark and deep pit not knowing where they shall light But the Saints know in whom they have believed how far and for what and are begotten again to a lively hope of the inheritance of glory they have their eyes upon it all their lives have a certain assurance of it and have the clearest apprehensions of it at Death Job 14 4. Whither I goe ye know and the way ye know 2 Cor 5.1 We know we have a Building of God 〈◊〉 house not made with hands eternal That which the Saints are ignorant of is the transcendent exellency of the glory they are going to 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen But we know when he shall uppear we shall be like him 1 〈◊〉 3.2 Our friends to us are as water spilt upon the ground but with 〈◊〉
they are as water in the Sea safe and united in its inclosure with the rest of the element so the Saints are gone to their place after death a place of rest and known to be so it s a known and knowing state which they enter into it s known for their is a clear description of it in the holy Scriptures a Map as it were of the heavenly Canaan It s a knowing state for then we shall know as we are known 12. Deaths sting is taken away in that it s made a passage into heaven The Saints they pass from death to life when the wicked pass from death to death from the first to the second death Hence they may be terrified at it and shrink but a Child of God when he considers its errand that it comes to carry him hence to his Fathers house he can entertain it with comfort Death to the Saints is the middle point between two lives it is an harbinger and fore-runner of their being received up the righteous being taken up thus they enter into peace Isa 57.2 they never reach the end of their race till now they have shot this gulph and now immediately they arrive at it No sooner are the Saints undressed here but they are cloathed upon in heaven No sooner doe they leave this lise but they enter upon a better Lazarus died and was carried into Abrahams bosome Luk. 16.22 The thief goes from the cross with Christ to Paradise Luke 23.43 This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Death is not an abiding but a transient state like a dark entry into a lightsome room Death doth assault but not conquer them it shall not have dominion over them as it hath over the damned in hell No death and hell as to them shall be cast into the lake of fire its dominion is taken away here yet its life is prolonged for a season and time as it s said of them Beasts Dan. 7.12 So death is prolonged here in this world after its dominion is broke â—hilst it is of use to the Saints and may serve the interest of mercy but â—â—n this is once over it shall be swallowed up So that is a suitable Eâ—â—aph which the holy Ghost has composed to be writ upon the Tombs â—â—â—e Saints lye BLESSED ARE THE DEAD WHICH Uâ—E IN THE LORD Rev. 14.13 Thus you see how the sting taken out by Christ and how he doth disarm Death VSE 1. Of Instruction 1. Hence see why the Saints deliberately 〈◊〉 and yet desire to dye the reason is because its sting is gone 〈◊〉 therefore is no way hurtful or terrible to the Saints they can oâ—â—â—munion with death and not be harmed by it A child may play with an Adder when it has lost its sting There is no sin nor curse nor sorrow nor pain that can hurt a child of God O no it s all removed in the blood of Christ were it not so they could not desire and long for it as they doe Paul presseth forward and reacheth forth to those things which are before and his mark is the Resurrection Phil. 3.13.14 Now in the mention of the Resurrection he necessarily includes Death yea a necessity of dying surely this argues death hath no sting to the Saints it ceaseth to be so great an enemy to them as it is to the Herd of ungodly men 2. Hence learn the great difference that there is between the Death of the righteous and the wicked They seem as to what is visible to be equal and alike in death they all goe to their long home and to the house appointed for all the living Yea but mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is prace Psal 37.37 even a wicked Balâ—â—m when his eyes were open could say seeing the great difference between the godly and the wicked O that I might dye the Death of the Righteous and let my last end be like his Numb 23.10 3. Hence learn wherein the Saints are more then Conquerours They are tryumphers over their spiritual enemies as the Apostle saith in another case God made them to tryumph in Christ so he and the rest of believers Rom. 8. are more then Conquerours i.e. Tryumphers Christ hath overcome for them and by his Spirit enables them to overcome to tryumph in himself 4. And lastly Learn unto whom the praise of all the case and comfort which the Saints have in their death doth belong viz. to Jesus It is he makes them to differ Death would be as powerful as piercing as painful to them as it is to others but that Christ hath pluckt out the sting of it as to them What Hallelujahs of praise are due to him that hath redeemed us to God by his bood Rev. 5.9 How thankful how dutiful should all the Saints be to the blessed Lord Jesus as v. 57 58. Thanks be to God that giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus and I follows Be steadfast and immovable alwayes abounding in the work of thâ— Lord. II. Let all hence be exhorted all and every one to labour to get this stin removed Make it your work while you live do not leave and neglect it till you be alarumed by Death and it comes in view when slesh 〈◊〉 heart fails and Paysitians grow doubtful or despair of your escapeâ—â— Conscience is startled when distress and anguish take hold on you Doe not defer it I say till then but make it your business while you live 1. Labour to last the bitterness of sin so as to be duely affected with it and to be aff icted and mourn for it It s sin makes death bitter and painful but now let sin be therefore throughly sorrowed for and repented of that you may not dye in your sins then death will not nor cannot sting you O you poor mortal sinful men that must shortly dye Labour to repent and turn your selves Let your hearts be grieved and your reins be pricked for your sins Repent that your sins may be forgiven before you come to dye get the strength soveraignty and dominion of sin taken down this is the way to peace in a dying hour Wo to you saith Christ that laugh now Luk. 6. 2. Live by Faith depending on and cleaving to the Lord Jesus as your Redeemer and Deliverer There is none that can save and deliver us but He Act. 4.12 VVhen you have done all you can t is he alone that can save you and deliver you from the sting of death live so by Faith that you may dye in Faith as they Heb. 11. that will take away the sting of Death the shield of Faith quenches the fiery darts of the Devil Eph 6.16 the way to loose the pains of Death is to set and cleave close to Christ and to depend upon him 3. Live well Walk with God live holily righteously and godly in this present world serve your Generation as David get your work done it is a dreadful stinging thing for a man to have his work to doe when his day is done and death is come No Work while it is day work out your Salvation with fear and trembling be stedfast and immoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord so it shall be a blessed thing to you to Dye in the Lord and rest from your labours How much of this was exemplified in the life and expressed in the Death of this honourable and virtuous Lady who is now gone hence to be with the Lord for ever who was chiefly in my thoughts in the choice of this Text. What ardor of desire What Faith What Hope What Confidence What gleamings of joy What Patience and willingness to depart is now issued in her is known to some and somewhat to my self I shall not therefore insist But since it was not my lot to attend her in her more solemn obsequies I thus come to lay down these little branches of Bays and Cypress on her Tomb. And as it was her earnest desire that whenever this her great change should come her own Family might reap the saving benefit of it so it is my hearts desire and Prayer that this Coogregation may have some saving benefit by and a sanctified use of her death that the remembrance of her pious Life may teach us how to live so that when our lise is â—pun out we may dye in peace and receive a Crown of Life FINIS
humbly with their God to watch and pray They that are fit to dye they are and will be fit for any service that God calls them to Paul prepared for Death and willing to dye is fit to continue and abide with the Churches and to be eminently useful for their furtherance and joy of Truth Phil. 1.25 There are solemn exercising Changes foretold by the fearful signs of this time if we are prepared for Death we are armed against the worst and to endure the greatest affliction that can betide us on this side Death Acts 21.13 Paul being ready to dye is ready for bonds and imprisonment at Jerusalem O how comfortable a thing is it to be ready to doe and suffer any thing for the Name of Christ But not to insist longer here If we would be prepared for Death 1. Be and live in the daily and lively exercise of Repentance It is Sin that makes Death bitter and terrible to the sons of men Be thorough and serious in Repentance for sin Let no sin lye unrepented of This was Pauls practice while he lived to exercise himself to have a Conscience void of offence Acts 24.16 Not but that he had to charge himself with and which Conscience might accuse him of yea but he cleared all Reckonings between God and himself by a lively renewed exercise of Repentance Pass not a day without a serious and close review of your actions and wayes and without deep searchings of heart and repentings for all your errors and violations of Gods holy Law and your Rebellion against the Gospel Give diligence to be found of God in peace and this will make the time of Death and Judgement times of refreshing Act. 3.19 If you can allow and live in any known sin if you can digest sin without great bitterness sorrow of a surety you are not prepared for this Change 2. Believe to the saving of your Souls Believe on the Name of the Lord Jesus To dye in truth is to dye comfortably it easeth and looseth the pains of Death This is the way to dye in the Lord Rev 14.13 and to sleep in Jesus 1 Cor. 15.18 i. e. in union with God in Christ They that dye in Christ will die in Peace and be sound of God in peace for there is no condemnation to such Rom. 8.1 And the blood of Christ also cleanseth Believers from all sin now it is a blessed thing to be free from the guilt of sin and to have our consciences purified in the blood of Christ this will prepare us for an happy and comfortable Death Now it s the Son only that can make us free in this matter and that must be in a way of union with Christ by Faith O believe in the Lord Jesus he oft and constant in the renewed exercise of Faith as it is said of Abraham Gen. 15.6 He believed Though he believed long before that when he answered the call of God Heb. 11.8 The Apostle tells us By Faith Abraham when he was called obeyed and yet after this its said He believed as if he had not believed before 3. Be throughly mortified to the world Get your Affections crucified to the honours pleasures and profits of this life Weep as though you wept not Rejoyce as though you rejoyced not Buy as though you possessed not Vse this world as not abusing it as the Apostle exhorts 1 Cor. 7.30 31. When this or that aâ—urement of the world bids high and sollicits strongly for your affections then think with old Barzilloi How long have I to live O my friends God forbid that you should glory save in the Cross of Christ If you are Christ's then crucifie the flesh with its whole Train of carnal and sensual Lusts these corrupt the judgement and put a false varnish upon the things of the world It is a dreadfull sign upon any soul to love the world it undeniably evinceth that the love of the Father is not in him 1 Job 2.15 And he that is destitute of the love of the Father is not fit to dy He shall never be received into the everlasting Kingdome that is totally destitute of the Love of God O then mortifie and purge out all inordinate affection to the world and the things of this life whatever you doe get your hearts dead to the Sins Gallantryes and Jollityes of this time 4. Live to the Lord Serve your Generation this is the way to dye unto the Lord and in death to be the Lords Rom. 14. The comforts of a well compleated coâ—â—â—â— of life and service to God therein will give as a serene and quiet frame of spâ—â—â—â— in Death I am ready to be offered up and the time of my departure is at hand 〈◊〉 comes he to be thus ready I have finished my course saith he 1 Tim. 4.6 7. 〈◊〉 the labouring Saints and Servants of Christ Death is but a Dismission to Rest So it was to David Acts 13.36 and to Daniel Dan. 12. ult Doe much for God while you live Death will be then sweet and comfortable to you Especially consider and put forth acts of charity and bounty to Christ's poor ones 5. Secure a firm Vnion with Christ that you may dye in the Lord and sleep 〈◊〉 Jesus It hath pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Col. 1.18 In hiâ—â— there is a full supply of Grace to enable you to live and dye to doe and sufferâ—â— whatever he calls you to now if you are Partakers of Christ have mystical union with him then by the almighty power and working of the holy Spirit you shall have a full supply of all Grace and ability to increase those Graces in Death which are necessary for your comfort an I security in such an hour 6. Number your Dayes yea so number your dayes as Psal 90.12 General Conclusions concerning Death should be enforced upon our hearts by particular application The brevity of Life the certainty of Death and the uncertainty of the time of Death should be thus enforced upon our hearts I know thou wilt bring me to Death Job 30.23 So Eliphaz tells him he shall come to his Grave Job 5.26 27. Hear know it for thy good Lastly Pray to God to prepare and fit you for Death as David Psal 39.4 Lord make me to know my end and the measure of my dayes So Moses applyes himself to God Psal 90.12 in a sence of his own inability to learn Thus in a few words have I desired to discharge something of that great care which bears strongly upon my heart if God shall help us to fall on and seriously to practise this great lesson then our Death will be but a loosing from this troublesome Shore and however various our Course and the season of our departure hence are yet our meeting and Mansion with Christ in his Fathers House shall be sure and everlasting which that it may be is and shall be the Prayer of Madam your most obliged Kinsman
but God takes them to himself Body and soul are taken assunder as the pieces of a Watch out of order not to be lost but to be set together again that they may goe better God is a carefull and faithful keeper of those precious Reliques and will bring them together the word of his Truth is for it Ezek. 37.12 O my people I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves What then though they part asunder since neither of them part nor are disunited from â—he Lord Jesus O happy parting to leave this Cell this crazy earthly â—â—bernacle for a glorious Mansion and to embrace a dear Saviour It s but like going to bed at night the body rests and the soul keeps in action while the night time of the grave lasts in this world the bodies of the Saints sleep in Jesus but their souls are in bliss The Souls of just men may bespeak their bodies as the Lord Jesus did his Disciples Joh. 14.3 It is expâ—diens â—â—r you that I goe away and if I goe away I will we again and receive you to my self The Body like Onesinus is an unprofitable servant for the present Phil. v. 11. therefore departs for a while that it may be received for ever 4. The Sting of Death is taken out in that though the body rot and consume and becomes loathsome yet it is but dissolved it is not destroyed As Christ told Martha Thy Brother shall rise again Joh. 11.23 so the body shall rise again hence the Apostle though he grants that the body doth dye yet it is no otherwise then as a fruitful seed dyeth that it may spring up again v. 36.37 of this Chapter Job 19.25.26 27. For I know saith Job that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the Earth 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 God doth not intend to lose what he leaves behind in this world no but as he brought Israel out of Egypt so will he ransome us from the power of the Grave and redeem us from Death Hos 13 14. he will not leave an hair nor a broken bone nor a dust behind All that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth Joh. 5.28 29. Christ shewed a Type of it at his own Resurrection Mat. 27.52 c. And the Graves were opened and many bodyes of Saints which slept arose which shall be fully accomplished in all the Saints in the general Resurrection The Grave shall then be found to be a chamber of Repose and a bed of Rest Christ having made it so to the Saints And as for the soul of a child of God it shall not see corruption It s not so much as dissolved but released and set at liberty Sin here makes its motion towards heaven and its progress in grace flow The body is a weight pressing down but when Death shall rid us of this the souls motion and pass into heaven shall be quick and speedy like the Thief on the cross no sooner crucified and dead but glorified This day saith Christ thou shalt be with me in Paradise Let who will dream of the souls sleep they are asleep that think so saith Calvin No assoon as the vail of the body is removed we with open face behold the Glory of the Lord. The spirit shall return to God that gave it 5. The Sting of death is taken away in that all the dolorous accidents 〈◊〉 attendants of death are by Christ qualified sanctified What are pains agonves of Body but the putting down of this earthly Tabernacle iâ— order to the raising of a spiritual and everlasting Building the breaking off of our chains fetters in our being released hence While the bodies of the Saints are filled with pains their souls are filled with the comforts of God Our friends lament but Angels rejoyce though we must now part from them yet there is Gods Host the Life guard of heaven ready to accompany us thither Suppose a Saint going to his grave and the mourners by trains going in the streets could the departed utter a word would it not be that of Christ to the danghters of Jerusalem Luk. 23.28 Weep not for me but weep for your selves and for your Children 6. The Sting of Death is taken out in that though the purposes of a godly man in death are destroyed yet his main purpose and his chief design stands and abides his main purp ose and design was to glorifie God and save himself his own soul Now he that hath walked with God that hath traced the wayes of holiness that hath studied the mysteryes of the Gospel that hath laboured and not fainted and that is found so doing that hath committed his soul into the hands of God and is able to stand at the appearing of Christ he doth not miss of nor lose his purpose I have fought the good fight I have finished my course saith Paul did henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness 2 Tim 4 7 8. What though men gather no more of the wealth of this world Heaven is inheritance enough What though they gain no more repute here Their Record is on high What if they attain not the end of their labours Yet their reward is with the Lord. What though their worldly affairs be discomposed if their eternal concerns be fixed What if their dayes be cut off since their work is done It would not avail a man any thing to win the world and lose his soul its profit enough if a man save his soul though he lose the world It was a sad thing for the Mariners to cast over their goods Acts 27.18 but when Paul told them that no life should be lost v. 22. they are comforted So here though we leave our stuff and lose our worldly labours yet our lives 〈◊〉 safe the main Chance is secured 7. The Sting of Death is taken away in that the Saints are dead â—â—nd mortified to the world they glory in nothing more then in the cross 〈◊〉 Christ be which they are crucified unto the world and the world unâ—â—â—â— them 〈…〉 11. Hence they enjoy this world as though they enjoyed it not 〈…〉 Hence while they live in the world and upon the necesâ—â—ry com 〈…〉 they live above it Hence it s no hard matter for them to dye and 〈◊〉 out of the world The world will have no great miss of 〈◊〉 and I shall 〈◊〉 no great miss of it Things dead have no seeling or sence of any parting from each other Wicked men think the Saints not worthy to live in the world Acts 22.22 and God thinks the world not worthy of them Heb. 11.38 nor doe they esteem the world worthy to be desired the time past of their lives in this