Apprehension was stupid and Sottish He answered Yes it was so Then being asked if he had not some Hope he replied that sometimes he was ready to think that if God had had a Purpose to destroy him he would have done it before now Not long after as he was going to Bed one Night he asked one what she thought of him as to his Living she answered she did not know what the Lord would do with him As to Sense you are not like to be long in this World he then being very weak And must I die then said he Oh I dare not die I dare not die Oh! 't is an awful thing to die c. Some short time after whilst he was in his bitter Complaints several Scriptures were laid afore him to encourage his Believing into Christ He said right if it had been in time but it is too late now He was answered it was not too late seeing the Lord had opened his Eyes on this side of the Grave and made him see his Need of Christ He said yes it is too late for I have had the proffer of Christ and the same Tenders of Salvation with others And I would not have Christ then and therefore it is just with God to deny him to me now But one added you can justifie God under all Oh! Ay said he Oh! Ay. He that hath born so many years Provocations at my Hands I will speak well of him 〈◊〉 long as I live however he deals with me Another time he desired that Scripture might be turned to Phil. 3.12 That I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Methinks said he it bears this Sense That Christ must first take hold of the Soul before the Soul can take hold of Christ A little before he kept his Bed he said to his Wife Dear What must I do There is no way for me but to close with Jesus Christ and I cannot do it I cannot do it I do not know either whether I am willing to be saved by Christ or no. May be if I should recover things would wear off Oh! I dread the Thoughts of it If I may but live till I have obtained Mercy I shall think I have lived long enough But Oh! the Thoughts how few find Mercy at last would make any ones Heart to ake It being on the Heart of his dear Relation to send to the Church of Christ at Rothwell to pray for him acquainted him with it asking him if it was not his Desire also He answered he thought of it some Days afore but durst not be so bold as to mention such a thing but did desire they should seek the Lord for him that he might close saveingly with Jesus Christ and have a true Godly Sorrow and Repentance never to be repented of Now we are drawing towards the Close of his Life The Friday before he departed he could scarce rise being exceeding weak but he began to be very earnest about his Soul He spake thus to Mrs. Bigg The Prayers of God's People are a great support to me I always had a great Esteem of the Prayers of God's People That Night he was confined to his Bed when he was laid in it he said very awfully I shall rise no more till the Trumpet sounds When in Bed he was complaining of the greatness of his Sins he was taken up by one saying Whether he thought his Sins so great as that there was not enough in Christ to pardon No says he I will not reflect such Dishonour on the Blood of Christ as to think so I know there is an effectual Plaister prepared but if not applied what then A little after he brake forth into this Expression As there is a fulness of sin in me so there is much more Fulness in Christ to pardon However that Night he continued very restless his Distress being such he could scarcely lay his Eyes together And in the Morning which was Saturday he spoke in great Agony I must die and have not the least bit of Hope Being then advised to venture on Christ and cast himself upon him as one able to save to the uttermost He with a Countenance that witnessed huge inward Grief replied it was too late His dear Relation answered him thus It is not too late God has opened your Eyes on this side the Grave and made you see your need of Christ therefore 't is not too late but he calleth you now He presently spake thus Shall I venture then upon Christ It was answered him He must Then having paused his Countenance more composed and cheary he spake resolvedly I can but perish then stopped Then his dear Wife observing his Words and countenance said Hope is a Dawning He quickly replied I hope it is and soon after burst forth into high Acclamations and Expressions of spiritual Joy and Admirations of the free Grace of God as Strength would permit But he was much afflicted that he had not Strength nor Breath to speak of God's free Grace to him that the World might know what God had done for him Notwithstanding he spake somewhat to this effect It troubles me that God should loose his Glory who hath not I hope suffered me to loose my Soul Oh that I had Breath to speak of Christ Methinks I could speak of Christ till Night I think I could speak of Christ a Year together And indeed all that Day when he had strength to speak it was excellently of Christ And once fetching his Breath with much Difficulty he said I shall breath out my last Breath with a blessed be God for Jesus Christ and little afterwards he would complain that he could love Christ no more That day there came a young Gentleman an Acquantance of his to visit him who found him very weak but when he had recovered a little Strength he addressed himself to him thus All that we have to do for God and our Souls Salvation is to be done here There is nothing to be done in the Grave and it is my Advice and my dying Counsel to all young Men that they labour to make sure of Christ in a time of Health and not put off so great a Work as I have done The following Day which was the Lords Day he was exceeding weak and pained in his Body and variously exercised in his Soul as appears by several Expressions that dropt from him at times Whilst he was complaining of his Illness he was told that however it was yet God is good He answered You shall never hear me say otherwise sink or swim saved or damned I will justifie him A little after being exercised in his Soul he cryed out How hard a thing it is to croud through the Throng of Sin and Guilt to Jesus Christ Sure Christ will not accept of such a filthy thing as I But said he again God's End in pardoning and saving Sinners is to glorifie his own free Grace and then why not towards me as well
as another What a wonderful Word is that A Man may die with that Word in his Mouth The free Gift is of many Offences unto Justification Then added And though my Flesh and my Heart faileth God is the Strength of my Heart and my Portion for ever Another time being somewhat clouded and speaking of the Grace of God I cannot demand it nor have I deserved it But being asked if he would not accept of it Yes reply'd he very thankfully Towards Night he grew more distressed for several Friends being gathered about him he looked upon them dolefully and said Oh I tremble being asked at what he answered at the possibility of Perishing One then sitting by that knew how it was with him told him it was impossible he being helped through Grace to commit his Soul into such Hands It was said further None can pull you out of his Hands He speaks a little after Poor Hearts you are willing to hope the best I wish you are not mistaken You know said he to his Wife Dear oppressed Nature will cry out for Relief but being answered that oppressed Nature could not rest on Christ for Salvation or to this Effect he was silent Next Morning he was much complaining that he was to die and do Christ no Service in the World He cryed out Oh that I might live but one Year but may be if I should I would be wicked But yet said he I think verily if I know my Heart I am willing to imbrace Christ on his own Terms I think verily if I was to live the strictest Life as ever Saint lived yet I think I could embrace none but Christ A little after being full of Complaints as to his Soul it was told him Yesterday you could say though my Heart and my Flesh faileth c. He answered But I cannot say so to day Some time after his Faith began to mount up and being melted under the Sence 〈◊〉 God's Grace to him he said If I had strength I would soon make my Confession Town-Talk I need not tell the Town what my Life hath been they know that very well But I would have them know the difference between them that have Grace and them that have none Monday about Noon Mr. Bear came to visit him and asked him What art thee going now to Christ He answered Better now than ever But he was so weak and laboured with such Difficulty of Breathing that he could scarce speak which he expressed himself saying That if it were to save his Life he could not speak yet desired Mr. Bear that he would wrestle and strive with God in Prayer for him that he might be helped sincerely to close with Christ A little after finding his Weakness increase upon him he spake thus I am brought to the Dust of Death That Night which was the Night before he departed about nine a Clock he grew weaker and weaker and fetch'd his Breath shorter and shorter Being a little lifted up on his Pillow he lifted up his Hands and bad all farewell After which he drew his Breath as one just departing being as 't was thought past speaking was spoke to by a Friend thus putting him in mind of his own Expression Blessed be God for Jesus Christ whereat he was heard to say softly Amen Then his dear Relation added Christ the Fore-runner is for thee entred Then he with a pleasant Countenance nodded his Head being not able to speak And now Death indeed was in his Face in all its Symptoms and all concluded him just a dying when all of a suddain his Blood returned into his Face Vigor and liveliness into his opened Eyes and with a Voice exceeding loud as if he had rose from the Dead on purpose to give in his dying Testimony for free Grace he thus spake triumphantly I know that my Redeemer liveth and that with these Eyes I shall see him and not anothers Come Lord Jesus come quickly Come Lord Jesus come quickly Come Lord Jesus come quickly These Words he spake with such Vehemence that he made the whole House to eccho when afore he could scarce be heard if one laid his Ear to his Mouth and then continued thus with no less Accent and Affection I am no more afraid to die than I am to shut my Eyes I am no more afraid to die than I am to go to sleep God loves me dearly and I love God dearly I am sure he will do me no hurt Lord strike the Blow and the Work is done I long to be gone I long to see Jesus Christ O that all the Town might ring of God's free Grace to me What at the last Hour too Who would have thought of this a few Weeks ago Nothing less than Eternity is sufficient to admire free Grace This is blessed Work indeed This is Dying indeed Thy Father said he turning to his Wife will wonder to see me in Heaven He little thinks I am so near him His Wife asked him if he thought she should ever come where he was a going He answered I do not question it thou nor the poor Children neither Through God's Grace his dying Prophesie is in a likely way to be accomplished in all of them You will not be long after me Come one Bosom will hold us all He that hath begun the good Work in them meaning his Children will carry it on till the Day of Jesus Christ A Friend hearing him speak so heartily said Sir I hope you may live still He replied Oh do not tell me so I do not love to hear of that Ear I would not come back again for thousands of Gold and Silver but what the Lord will I am wholly swallowed up in Gods Soveraign will After he was spent with speaking he said I can speak no more I hope you are all satisfied Fare you well expecting as it seems he should have gone immediately to Heaven But it pleased the Lord to order it otherwise and to continue him till the next Night though under some Regret for he presently added Oh! I thought I had been going so sweetly but I am here still and next Morning hearing some Friends discoursing about the Distress he had been in he said to them but the Lord has now fully satisfied me Yet by reason his Dissolution was delayed it occasioned further Temptation and a black Cloud arose upon his Soul after all this glorious Sun-shine He burst out into such bitter Expressions as these God has forsaken me and I am afraid 't is a sore Judgment of God upon me that I lye in such a Condition I am afraid least I have deceived my self with false Hopes Some time after the beginning of his Distress there appeared on him Convulsive Fits whereupon he said to his Wife I have Fits She answered I am afraid you have He added I am almost frighted out of my Wits Being asked at what He replied At the Awfulness of Death This Conflict lasted for some time but the Lord was pleased to return again as was perceived for his Soul was composed and still His Fits ceased though his Strength was gone that he could speak but litttle However this for Satisfaction was had from him a little before he departed He said would I was up His Wife answered That would be a pleasant Sight indeed to see thee up again to tell us what thou hast seen on this sick Bed He answered I have seen that here which hath made my Heart and the Hearts of many more glad It was then told him you may see now what Satan's Temptations are when God permits him he will rob a Child of God of his Comforts but that is all he can do And it is a great All too said he it was that which made my Life a Burthen to me Being asked if he did not believe he should have Comfort again He answered Yes but did not know when But it was not long before he had it to the full for now he fell into a sweet Sleep the best he had for many Days in which Sleep he quietly slept in Jesus Thus I have given you an Account of some of his Death bed Experiences in whom though now dead he yet speaketh to you the Living and invites you all to partake of the same Grace with him that you may enter into the same Glory â—e now is in Have a care as I cautioned you afore to suck Poison to the Ruine of your own Souls out of this Instance of God's Free Rich and Glorious Grace but make this Improvement of it to stir you up now to accept of and venture on the boundless Grace of God in Christ Jesus Consider what has been said and the Lord give you Vnderstanding in all things His EPITAPH Here lies interred The Body of Mr. John Bigg Who departed this Mortal Life When he had seen his thirty seventh Year On the twenty eighth Day of January Anno Domini 1689. Cropt in his full blown Age if we by Grace His time compute he liv'd but five Weeks space Dead whilst alive in dying Life begins Short Race of Life But what a Crown he wins In Sin him Death attacks but Grace steps in And makes him Triumph over Death and Sin Thus by Christ's Death in death he 's made to cry Death where 's thy Sting Grave where 's thy Victory Now to the only wise God be Glory and Dominion World without end Amen FINIS
divide this general Doctrine into Two Branches and speak to each part The First is this THAT a Believer in the Moment of his Death can Triumph over Death in reference to his Soul FIRST as the Lord shall enable me I will prove this Truth and then explain and illustrate it FOR Proof I shall only at present give you two places of Scripture Rev. 14.13 And I heard a Voice from Heaven saying unto me Write Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their Labours and their Works do follow them Where First you have the Truth plainly asserted Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord or in dying in the Lord. 2ly The Reasons of it 1. They rest from their Labours 2. Their Works follow them i. e. They will meet with their Prayers and Duties entered on the File for their review as an additional to their eternal Delights 3. You have here insinuated the Certainty and Importance of this Truth 1. The Commandment to write they are weighty things usually committed to Ink and Paper and that for duration also Littera Scripta manet 2. The Commander the Spirit I heard a Voice from Heaven saying write c. THE second place is Heb. 4 19. There remaineth therefore a Rest to the People of God Their rest is not in this World but in another and they enter upon it in the moment of Death therefore they have then ground of triumphing I shall add to these the Experiences of Three Worthies The first was David's 2 Sam. 23.5 Althô my House be not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure For this is all my Salvation and all my Desire althô he make it not to grow David was now on the brink of Eternity taking a view of the past and present Disorders of his House and Heart yet rejoyces and triumphs in the view of the Covenant of Grace and his Interest in it and the influence it had on the Eternity he was entring into The second was that of faithful Stephen that glorious Proto-Martyr who when the Stones that dashed out his Brains and Life flew about his Ears cryed out triumphantly Lord Jesus receive my Spirit Acts 7.59 THE last I shall mention is the Experience of the blessed Apostle Paul Phil. 1.23 For I am in a straight betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better But very pat and pertinent to the purpose 2 Cor. 5.1 c. He being harrassed with Labours Perils and Sufferings at the apprehension of the time of his departure being at hand triumphs thus v. 1. For we know that if our earthly House of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a Building of God an House not made with Hands eternal in the Heavens HAVING thus from the Holy Scriptures of Truth proved the Doctrine I shall proceed to the explication of it 'T IS undeniable That Contraries do the better illustrate one another as black Spots make a white Skin shine the brighter and a Black-a-Moor is a Foil to set off an European Therefore I shall illustrate this Truth by another Contrary that I might the more emphatically explain it which is this The triumph of Death over an Unbeliever and thus lay down the Doctrine to be explained DEATH in Death triumphs over the Unbeliever and the Believer triumphs over Death in dying I shall begin with the first Branch viz. Death in Death triumphs over the Unbeliever and as the Spirit of the Lord shall assist me shew you in what respects 1. DEATH triumphs over the Unbeliever's sensual Pleasures Where are now says Death your vain Pleasures that you wantonly rolled your self in in your life time What are become of those jolly merry frolicksom hours that you lavish'd away with your frothy Companions Where are now your drunken Cups and Glasses and your riotous Feasts with which you so often drowned and glutted your sensual Appetite What do they profit you now What pleasure do you find now from your former repeated acts of Lusts and Beastliness What relish now from those brutish tickling of swinish Delights What does all your vain Merriment avail you now What fruit have you from those Things that formerly you reckoned your Heaven and Happiness Instead of Pleasures you now shall have your belly full of everlasting Torments Now your merry Moments are turned into an eternity of Sorrows Now instead of swimming in Wine and luxuriously feeding on Dainties you shall swim world without end in fiery Streams of burning Brimstone You shall drink your Tears and feed on your own tortur'd Flesh in endless and never-ceasing Misery Now the flame of your Lust is succeeded by a hotter flame even the flame of divine Vengeance Now instead of your frothy Spirit and vain Laughter you shall have enough of howling weeping and gnashing of Teeth Nay you shall carry with you all your Lusts and Corruptions to Hell not to please you but to pain you The same Water that the Fish swims in with delight if beated over the Fire will be the Fish's torment THE Sins you acted with pleasure in the World you shall act the same in great measure in Hell but to your eternal torturing You shall there act your Revenges but wound none with its poison'd Arrows but your own Soul You shall there have your covetous Desires enlarged as wide as the Hell you are in but it will only be your pain and punishment Your own Lusts there shall be the Flames that will scorch you Come thou trembling Wretch will Death say to the place of sinning and the place of punishment and thy very sinning shall be thy punishment Oh! then will Death insult in the words of the Wise-man Whatsoever thine Eyes desired thou keptest not from them Thou withheldest not thy Heart from any Joy Eccles 2.10 And now all will be Vanity and Vexation of Spirit to thee part of v. 11. And also in those Words as are written Luke 12.19 Thou hast long said to thy Soul Soul take thine ease eat drink and be mâ—rry But thou Fool I am come this Night to require thy Soul of thee part of v. 20. And to add no more Death will only change the Moods and Tenses in that portion of holy Writ Eccles 11.9 insulting thus Thou hast rejoyced Oh! Young Man in thy youth and thy Heart has cheered thee in the days of thy youth Thou hast walked in the ways of thine heart and in the sight of thine Eyes but know thou now thou trembling Wretch that for these things I am sent by the God of Justice to bring thee into Judgment CONSIDER this thou voluptuous sensual Wretch thou Drunkard thou Belly-slave thou unclean Beast thou Blasphemer thou Swearer thou Reveller and Persecuter consider this and ponder it in thy Heart thou must ' ere long come upon a Death-bed this greisly King of Terrors will stare thee in the
in him and many more And thus I have answered this Question with all the brevity and perspecuity I could as the Lord has enabled me and as time would give leave And now methinks some are ready to ask in the words of the blind Man whom Christ had restored to his Sight Quest BUT who is he that I might believe on him John 9.36 You say he must be seen and ventured on pray then who is he Answ I shall answer you from the Sermons of the Apostles preached by them after they were endued with Power from on high And first the Apostle Peter tells you who he is Acts 2.22 23. Jesus of Nazareth a Man approved of God him being delivered by the determinate Counsel and Fore-knowledge of God ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and stain comp with 32. This Jesus hath God raised up whereof we are all Witnesses 33. Therefore being by the right Hand of God exalted hath received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Ghost Once more Acts. 5.30 The God of our Fathers hath raised up Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a Tree 31. Him hath God exalted with his right Hand to be a Prinee and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and remission of sins Add to these Heb. 12.2 Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith who for the joy set before him in the saving of Sinners enduring the Cross despising the shame and is now set down at the right Hand of God In short he that was made of the Seed of David according to the Flesh Rom. 3. who yet is God over all blessed for ever Rom. 10.5 That mighty glorious God-Man who was born of a Virgin that lived and preached in Judea Rom 8.38 that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right Hand of God who also ever lives to make intercession Col. 1.18 the first born from the dead Col. 1.15 and the first born of every Creature the despised Jesus of Nazareth 1 Col. 2.9 in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily And all the Glory Excellency Beauty and Majesty that shines on Jesus of Nazareth is the Glory Excellency c. of the Godhead This is he that blessed Object of your Faith this is he whom you must believe in When he lived on Earth the Faith of his Children was more dark about his God-head than his human Nature but now he is in Heaven their Faith is more at a loss about his human Nature and it is to be lamented that the glorified human Nature even Jesus of Nazareth is so little in the Preaching Profession Faith and Experience of Gods own Children But yet this is the Lord whom we through Grace have seen and tasted to be gracious Will not you too O Sinners come and taste and see how gracious he is Cant. 5.16 This is our Friend this is our Beloved O Daughters of Jerusalem He is altogether lovely Cant. 5.10 He is the chiefest among ten thousand He is able Heb. 7.27 to save you to the uttermost O come therefore and venture your Souls upon him commit them to him O that you would but try him you have tried his Patience to the utmost by your Rebellion and Obstinacy in Wickedness O that you would but try his boundless Grace by casting your selves into the Ocean of it You must venture on his Grace or you must be damned Mark 16.16 He that believeth shall be saved he that believeth not shall be damned If you accept not of this offered Jesus you despise this only Sacrifice and there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sin but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery Indignation which shall devour the Adversary Heb. 10.26 I am now come to the second Branch the Believers triumphing over Death AND 1. the Believer triumphs over the Sting of Death and what else does concur to make it 2. THE Believer triumphs over every thing else in Death that is formidable First THE Believer triumphs over the Sting of Death He then can rejoycingly cry out O Death I fear thee not thou art very harmless unto me Thou comest indeed like a Dragon with open Mouth but where is thy Sting I dread not that open Mouth or that wide Throat I with Joy am swallowed up of it and pass through it up to the highest Heavens into my Redeemers Arms. Here at this dark Portal I undress my self of this mortal Flesh and fly with holy Confidence to the Presence of the Lamb upon the Throne and the Presence of God the Father in him and the bright innumerable Company above in this full Assurance that I shall not be found naked Wellcome Death to dissolve and pull down this earthly House of my Tabernacle that so I may go to my House not made with Hands the Building of God eternal in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5.2 Wellcome sweet Messenger that comest to fetch me home from this mad confused wicked raging tottering World into my Fathers House I thank thee O grim Porter who openest the Gates to eternal Happiness 'T is true the News of thy Approach did terrifie me as the Report of the Coming of rough blustering Esau with his armed Men did Jacob Gen. 32. But yet now thou art come to me I can say as he did I behold thy black and grisly Face as the Face of the Angel of God or the Messenger of the Lord Jesus Christ For in thy black Face I see Beauty in thy grisly Terrors great Glory In thy Dragons Mouth no Sting at all O Death where is thy Sting Thus the Believer in dying triumphs over the Sting of Death 2. THE Believer in dying triumphs over those things that go to make up the Sting of Death And 1. OVER Sin The Sting of Death is Sin says the Words of my Text. And 1. In its Guilt 2. in its Pollution And 1. OVER the Guilt of Sin Thus the Believer in dying glories over it O Guilt of Sin who in my Life-time since my Conversion notwithstanding I was washed with the Blood of Jesus and he had obtained an eternal Redemption for me didst often use to sting my Conscience and thereby to fill me with Dread and Horrour and so didst weaken my Faith and Confidence in the Lord Jesus didst strengthen the Hands of my Unbelief in making me depart from the living God Didst make me often come in Prayer to God as my angry Judge and not as to my Father reconciled to me in Christ And thereby didst bind up my Soul fetter my Spirits so that I had no freedom of Access to God through Christ Thou didst often deal with me as the Man that went from Jerusalem to Jericho didst wound me and strip me and leave me half dead Didst often force me to entertain hard murmuring and outragious Thoughts against my dear Lord and Master Jesus and my reconciled God and Father in him Didst often make me add Iniquity to my Sin and a carnal
Dainties the Grave will fill their Mouths and Bellies with Dust Their Silks and Laces and abominable impudent whorish Head dresses their proud and lofty Crests shall be exchanged for stinking Rottenness odious Filth and crawling Maggots And instead of their stately Houses and Down Beds they must be content to take up with a dark Hole and a cold Bed of Clay The most vigorous Health then is vanished a little pitiful Vermine can there deal with the stoutest Hector and the strongest Sampson The fairest Face will soon prove as dismal there as the foulest Monster The most exquisite Beauty look as squallid and as horrid as the ugliest Blackamoor and none shall be able to see any Difference between the rotten Skull of the one and the other But having spoken somewhat to these things already and being desirous to hasten to other Matter I shall here put a Conclusion to this and only add three or four things to be considered in Death wherein Death and the Grave triumphs over a Sinners Body but the Believer triumps over Death and the Grave c. I shall speak to both the Contraries together by way of Antithesis 1. NATURAL Death to the Wicked is an entrance to eternal Death Heb. 9.27 And 't is appointed to Men once to die but after this the Judgment The Righteous Law of God has so ordered it for Sinners that Death as a Sergeant shall arrest and cast their Bodies to the Grave as to a Dungeon there to be reserved in Deaths Chains to the Judgment of the great Day But natural Death to the Godly is a Passage to eternal Glory and Death like a skilful Chymist takes their Bodies and puts them into the Alembick of the Grave and there distils them into pure spiritual and glorious Bodies against the great Day but more of this hereafter 2. NATURAL Death to the Wicked is a part of the penal Sentence of the Law Gen. 2.17 For in the Day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die The Law threatned a threefold Death spiritual temporal and eternal The Hebraism in the Original is emphatical to the Purpose dying thou shalt die To me having this Force dying in thy Body thou shalt die eternally in thy Soul 'T is evident that to the Ungodly natural Death is a part of that punishment inflicted by the righteous Law of God and what Death is the Grave is the same If one be the Laws Jaylor to the Body the other is the Laws Prison But to the Godly 't is far otherwise For as Death has lost his Sting to them so has the Grave 'T is not to them penal but purely natural the putting off the old Adam that the second Adam may take possession of the whole Body The Apostle in 1 Cor. 15. discoursing of the Necessity of the natural Death of Believers argues thus That the old Adam had first took possession of the Elect Vessels Bodies V. 46. That what of the old Adam is there is earthly and tends to Earth and Dissolution V. 47. It being the proper Nature thereof V. 48. Concludes thus that the Image of the old Adam on the Body must be wholly laid aside and that by Death so that the Image of the second might take sole and full Possession V. 49. As we have born the Image of the Earthy we shall also bear the Image of the Heavenly 3. NATURAL Death is a separation of the Body from all Life and thus it is to the Wicked Their Dust dwell alone in the Grave united to nothing only there reserved by an Almighty Power of God in an extraordinary way for the Glory of his Justice hereafter But the Dust of the Godly in their Graves are united to the Body of Christ now in Heaven and there is held still a secret Correspondence between their scattered Dust and the Life of Jesus who in this sence is the Resurrection and the Life To make this more evident 't is to be considered 1. That the Person of the Believer both Body and Soul in the first act of Faith is united to the Person of Christ yea joyned to the Body of Christ Rom. 7.4 2. That by vertue of this Union the second Adam takes Possession of the Body as well as the Soul as proved afore from 1 Cor. 15.45 to 50. especially 46. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual but that which is natural and afterward spiritual Observe that the Apostles Discourse must be here confined to the Bodies of the Saints for it is the Resurrection of their Bodies he is a proving 3. The Believer holds his natural Life upon another tenure than he did formerly even from the second Adam by vertue of his Implantation into him The great Apostle Paul in the 2 Cor. 4. declaring how his Body had been supported in the Work of Christ under all Perils Pains Watchings Labours Imprisonments c. almost insupportable declares the Cause V. 10. That it was from the Life of Jesus made manifest in his Body repeating the same in the last Clause of the 11th Verse only instead of Body there he writes mortal Flesh All which thus explained does evidently prove that the Bodies of the Saints derive now their natural Life in great measure from another Root 4. As an undeniable Consequence of this that that Life the Body holds from Christ does not quite vanish as that of the first Adam does but is gathered up into Christ and retreats back to him the Root as the Sap of Trees in Winter Time falls down from the Branches to the Root And I take that to be the Meaning of that place of holy Writ or at least I may allude to it Col. 3.3 Your Life is hid with Christ in God especially because of the following Verse when Christ who is our Life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in Glory which Glory respects the Body as well as the Soul 'T is to me plain that there is a secret Commerce between the Living glorious Body of an exalted Jesus and the Dust of a deceased Believer which may be further proved from Mat. 22.31 32. The Argument Christ himself uses to prove the Resurrection of the Dead and the force of his Argument I apprehend to lye here That God calls himself the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob though dead That God is not the God of the Dead but of the Living therefore that though Abraham Isaac c. were dead yet they were still united to the living God and by Vertue of those secret Beams of Life from him the inseparable Effects of that Union that still corresponded and preserved their mouldered Bodies in the Grave they should be raised up at the last Day This sence of the Place seems to be confirmed from the Answer of our Lord Jesus to Martha's Objection against the present Resurrection of her Brother John 11.34 Martha saith unto him I know that he shall rise again in the Resurrection at the last day John 35. Jesus saith
unto her I am the Resurrection and the Life c. As if he should have said thou grantest that I can raise him up at the last Day but how Is it not by Vertue of that Union that is between his dead Body and my living Body If then I will be his Life and therefore his Resurrection I am now his Life and consequently can be now his Resurrection I shall add that Argument the Lord the Holy Ghost the Spirit of Life abides and dwells in a Believer for ever in his Body as well as his Soul 1 Cor. 6.19 What know ye not that your Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you c. If it be granted then that he does still indwell in the separate Soul of the Believer why not in a sense in the separate Body too He brooded formerly over the Chaos till it was formed into a beautiful Creation and why not in like manner over the Dust till the appointed time of actual Life by the Father comes but 4. NATURAL Death tends to an utter Abolition Natural Death in it self tends to an utter Consumption of the Body and that by Steps retrograde to the Methods of the first Creation First There was a Chaos created and then that disposed and disgested into a very beautiful and lovely Frame but Death deals thus with Man the Epitome of the Creation reduces the fair Structure to a Chaos or Heap of Dust and then commits it to the Grave to annihilate it And so would the Bodies of Sinners be annihilated especially in the universal Conflagration but that as has been afore mentioned the God of Nature by his infinite Power preserves and sits them to be Vessels of Wrath for Destruction and at last raises them that they might be for ever miserable Companions to their miserable Souls on which he might make the Power of his Vengeance known to all Eternity That as the Body has been a a Companion to the Soul in sinning so it shall be World without end in suffering But as to the Bodies of the Saints it is otherwise Death only sows their Bodies into the Ground that they might be quickned again into more glorious Bodies 1 Cor. 15.36 37. compare with 42 43. c. And pulls down the old tottering House that it may be built up a more glorious Fabrick in the Day of Resurrection and they shall arise then from the refining Alembick of the Grave with several wonderful Advantages especially these five 1. THEN Corruptibility shall put on Incorruptibility 1 Cor. 15.53 For this Corruptible must put on Incorruption and when thrown into the Grave corruptible Bodies then shall be raised incorruptible V. 42. Sown in Corruption raised in Incorruption The Bodies of the Saints shall have no tendency to decay any more no more shall the Bodies of the Wicked but here will be the Difference the Bodies of the Saints will be unpassible and will not be capable of suffering Pains but the Bodies of the Wicked though not apt to decay yet will be the Seat of eternal Pains and Torments 2. Then Immortal shall put on Immortality 1 Cor. 15.53 54. And the Bodies of the Saints sown mortal shall rise immortal There will be no dying in the new Jerusalem above nor decaying nor fading but Bodies as well as the Spirits of the Just being made perfect shall endure the same in that glorious State to all Eternity 'T is true the Bodies of Unbelievers shall never die more but their Living and Continuing will be a constant Dying They will be dying to all eternity but never absolutely die and happy would it be for them if they could altogether cease to be But on the Bodies of Believers the second Death can have no Power at all As for instance The last Enemy that Christ will destroy for them will be Death 1 Cor. 15.26 And then Death will be swallowed up in Victory 1 Cor. 15.54 3. THEN natural Flesh will put on Spirit 1 Cor. 15.44 It is sown a natural Body it is raised a spiritual Body There is a natural Body and there is a spiritual Body Not that these natural Bodies in the Saints shall be turned into the very Essence of Spirits but they shall come as near their Natures as 't is possible for corporeal Substances to come So says our Lord himself in answer to the Sadduces Cavil Mat 22.30 For in the Resurrection they neither marry nor are given in Marriage but are as the Angels of God in Heaven i. e. They shall be as near to the Nature of Angels as is possible They will be of a purer and more incompound Substance than the purest Elements of Fire They will be endued then with wonderful agility and celerity and their motion surpassing swift probably they will fly then as swift as Thoughts We experience that our Thoughts now speed in an instant to the farthermost Regions of the Earth whilst the heavy Log of a Body stays behind and can go no faster than its Legs can carry it or some more artificial means But doubtless then our Bodies that believe will be fitted to keep pace with our glorified Souls in all their Motions for the Glory of God in Christ not hindred by Sicknesses and Ails nor made slow with any weakness imperfection or mutilation The Sun is swift in his race but what is his race compared to that of the glorified Bodies of the Saints then Fourthly DISHONOUR then will put on Honour and that that is sown in Dishonour will be raised in Glory 1 Cor. 15.43 Then they will be in part clothed with the Glory that is upon the Body of an exalted Jesus 'T is true there will be difference in degrees though not in kind For as there is one Glory of the Sun another Glory of the Moon and another Glory of the Stars For one Star differeth from another Star in Glory 1 Cor. 15.41 So the Glory on the Body of Christ will be as the Glory of the Sun and the Glory of the Bodies of his Children like the Glory of the Stars all shining in Brightness Splendour and Majesty though not equally alike When Christ appeared with Moses and Elias in the Transfiguration on the Mount the Glory then on his Body is set forth as in a Glass His Face did shine as the Sun and his Rayment was white as the Light Mat. 17.2 So will the risen Bodies of the Saints be shining brighter than the Sun whiter than the purest Light That that is sown in Dishonour as afore hinted will be raised in Glory They that are laid in the Earth little Infants will be raised in full growth and perfect statureâ— they that be entombed decrepit old and deformed shall rise again well-shaped vigorous and beautiful They that drop to the Grave poor tattered Servants and Slaves shall come out from thence rich free and illustrious greater than Kings and Emperours Then indeed in a literal sense the Eyes of the Blind shall be opened the Ears of