perfected so that such as neither the multitude nor greatness of their sins or miseries can overthrow their faith But that they can and do believe that though they die yet that in Christ they shall live and that eternally may be said to die in the faith Thus it is said of Abraham and Sarah and Isaack and Jacob and their posterity that though they received not the promise that is the accomplishment of the grace promised whether it concerned their Salvation by the Messiah or the possession of the land of Canaan which was but a type of their inheritance in heaven yet they died in a stedfast belief and expectation of it and therefore it is said they all died in the faith Hebr. 11.13 And thus all that die in a firm perswasion of the remission of their sins and of eternal life in and thorough the merits and mediation of Christ may be said to die in the faith and such as do so inseparably cleave unto the Lord that death cannot separate them may be said to die in the Lord. And such are pronounced blessed Rev. 14.13 Such as do not thus die in the faith die in their sins If ye believe not that I am he ye shall die in your sins Jo. 8.24 And as there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 that is by faith so there remaines nothing but condemnation to such as die without it But since all our comfort concerning our deceased friends depends upon their dying in the faith or at least upon our judging of them to be such I shall therefore in answer to the second Question endeavour to shew who they are that as we may judge do die in the faith And they are as I humbly conceive such as these 1 They that die in a sound and serious profession of the doctrin of faith He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ he hath both the father and the son 2 ep Joh. 9. Piscat in loc id est verum Deum novit ac proinde vitae aeternae particeps est He hath knows the true God and therefore is partaker of eternall life Joh. 17.3 2 They that die in a professed serious denyall and renouncing of their own righteousnesse Philip. 3.9 3 They that die in a serious profession of an unfained repentance of their sins and of all their aberrations from the rule of faith and life He that hath given us a command concerning him that shall trespasse against us seven times in a day and seven times in a day turn again to us saing I do repent that we should forgive him doth thereby manifest how charitable he would have us to be in judging of offenders when they professe repentance neither is the Lord lesse gracious towards sinners himself I said faith the Psalmist I will confesse my transgression unto the Lord and thou gavest the iniquity of my sin Psalm 32.5 4 Those that die in a serious profession of love and affection to God and his wayes and servants owning and approving of them and perswading others to the same duty 1 Joh. 4.7 12. Thus Abraham and Isaack and Jacob when they were on their beds or near dying gave such evident testimonies of their love to God and his wayes they have this testimony given them that they died in the faith 5 They who so stedfastly lay hold upon the mercy and grace of God in Christ for life and salvation that neither the temptations of Satan nor the allurements of the world nor the troubles of life nor terrour of death can cause them to faint or fall from the faith which they have professed but that they persevere therein unto the end These as I conceive we may and ought to judge that they die in the faith Infidells and reprobates are not wont to die thus See the difference between the penitent and impenitent thief the one dies owning and honoting of Christ the other up braiding reproaching and railing upon him Luk. 23.39 c. In our judging in these cases these or the like cautions are to be observed 1 We must know that we cannot judge of the finall estate of others by a judgment of faith or infallibility we have nothing revealed to warrant us in so doing and therefore our judgment being only conjecturall or at best but a probable opinion and no certain knowledge that it may be as indeed it ought to be a judgment of Charity it becomes us to be sober and moderate in judging of others and to that end we are to consider 2 What cautions the spirit of God speaking in the word hath given us against rash judgment Jam. 4.11 12. Why doest thou set at naught thy brother We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Every one of us shall give an account of himself to God Let us not therefore judge one another any more Rom. 14.10 12 13. Again judge nothing before the time untill the Lord come who both will bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and will make manifest the counsells of the heart 1 Cor. 4.5 The judgeing of the dead is indeed a a finall judgment which belongs not unto us but unto Jesus Christ It is true the saints shall judge the world that is they shall be present with and approvers of and consenters unto the judgment of Christ not that their judgment shall prevent but follow after the judgment of Christ 3 Our judging of others in our own thoughts must be such as we will be willing should come under the judgment of God how often do we find Christ bringing the Pharisees to shame for their evil and mis-judging thoughts See Matth. 9.4 and 12.25 Luke 7.39 c. We must judge of others as we would be judged our selves for with what judgment we judge we shall be judged Mat. 7.1 2. and with what measure we mete it shall be measured to us again whether it be in mercy or justice 4 If we manifest our judgment to others we must be sure that it be according to truth and also that the manifesting of it is for the glory of God the edification of our neighbour and in discharge of our own duty that we have a call to it and that it is either necessary or very expedient and seasonable and that we shall be at least in danger of sin if we do it not Let us therefore take heed to our wayes that we sin not with our tongues Let us first commune with our own hearts and say to our selves every one apart is this my duty is this according to the rule what good shall I do in so doing have I a call to it at this time in this place and in this company And here the sad occasion of this solemnity may have its place to be spoken to And were I to speake of one that rather needed an Apology to excuse him then deserved an Elogy in his commendations I should require no more but to confine mine
righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption his meaning is that Jesus Christ is he that doth make us wise and righteous and holy c. So here when Christ saith I am the resurrection it is as if he had said I am he that doth raise the dead Martha had said concerning her brother I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day And Christ replyeth in effect Thou mayest as well believe that he may be raised now Per quem tunc resurget po test modo quia ego sum resurrectio August since he is present by whom he shall be raised then for saith he I am the resurrection and I can as easily do it now as then I am the resurrection and the life first the resurrection and then the life quia prior est restitutio a morte in vitam quam vitae status Calvin the restoring from death to life is before the state of life The resurrection from the death of sin must go before the life of grace and the resurrection both from death temporall and death spirituall must go before a full enjoyment of the life of glory This may suffice for the opening of the terms of the first proposition I come now unto the Second He that believeth in me shall live In which proposition we have the proper subject of the resurrection and the life He that believeth the act that qualifieth and diposeth that subject and that is faith The object that gives life and virtue to that act and that is Christ he that believeth in me And lastly the grace that is promised to reward and crown it and that is life He that believeth in me shall live The subject of the resurrection in generall is that which is fallen as hath been said The subject of the resurrection at the day of judgement are the dead bodies universally both of good and bad The subject of the resurrection and the life or from the death of sin to life spirituall and eternall are all and only the elect which the father hath given unto Christ for all they and only they do come unto him by faith Joh. 6.35 37 39 40 44 47 53 54. All and only they do performe that act whereby they become fitly qualified and disposed to partake of such a grace And that not only in generall way as they are a body but every one for himself every one that is thus to be raised by Christ is to believe for himself The just shall live by faith Therefore he saith He that believeth in me And yet he spakes indefinitly so that it is all one as if he had said every one that believeth in me as Joh. 6.40 or whosoever believeth in me as in the next verse after the text Which notes also the object of faith Jesus Christ And to receive and rest upon him as the Christ the son of God as the only author of life and Salvation is to belive in him as appears by Martha in her answer v. 27. which is also the same with Peters Mat. 16.16 And He that beliveth in Christ is every one that by a true faith doth lay hold and rest upon Christ for life and salvation And he that thus believeth in him shall live that is shall live spiritually and eternally He shall forthwith receive that life which shall never have an end He shall never die that is spiritually and eternally This also may serve for the unfolding of the terms of the second proposition I come in the third place to the amplification of the power of Christ in these words Though he were dead yet shall he live Wherein he sets forth the exceeding greatnesse of his power in regard of the extent of it and that 1 In respect of the quantity or number of those that are to be raised up be their multitude never so great howsoever dispersed of whatsoever nation kinred or tribe whether Jews or Gentiles Barbarians Scythians bond or free 2 In respect of their quality be their condition never so desperate yet he that believeth whosoever believeth every one that believeth Though he were dead yet shall he live That is say some Though he were dead in the body Piscat in loc yet shall he live again the body unto life eternall Menoch in loc as he that believeth not shall rise again but unto death eternall Or though he were dead Cartw. Metaph. in loc yet seing I am the resurrection and the life if it be for the glory of God I can and will as often as I please restore him unto life again nether need I stay for the last day There are others that understand it especially of the spiritual death of the soul Calvin Maldonat or of the souls being dead in sin and by the power of Christ to be quickned to a new and spirituall life yet not without respect to the body which though dead naturally yet by his power should be raised up again But which way soever of these two the words are to be understood there may arise a doubt 1 If Christ speakes of the death of the body how doth he require faith of the dead can the dead believe The dead praise not the Lord neither any that go down into silence Psal 115.17 And as they can not praise him so neither can they believe in him In death there is no remembrance of him Psal 6.5 They that goe downe into the pit cannot hope for thy truth Isaiah 38.18 2 If he speake of the spiritual death of the soul by sin and of the raising up of such to the life of grace what is this to the businesse in hand The question is of restoring life to Lazarus his dead body and he speaks of giving life to the soul that is dead in sin For answer unto these there is no doubt but that Christ's answer to Martha is both proper and pertinent though every one may not so readily apprehend it But to the doubts themselves To the first we may say that he doth not require faith of the dead sensu composito that is that those that are dead in body should believe but of the living as if he should have said He that while he liveth doth believe in me though he were even now dead yet shall he be raised up again and live in the body and that eternally and thus he seemes to explain himself in the very next words where he saith whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die Again when he saith though he were dead yet shall he live it is to note either his omnipotency in that he can and will give life unto him and cause even the dead to live Or that although he be dead in respect of us yet he is still alive in respect of Christ in whom all believers live and shall never die And thus he is to be understood when he saith of Lazarus his sicknesse that was not unto death v. 4. and
goeth out Now thy dominion over these is in the hands of Jesus Christ he hath them all in his power and at his dispose He hath vanquished all these enemies and triumphed over them And by death destroyed him that had the power of death that is the devil And delivered them who through fear of death were all their life time subject unto bondage Heb. 2.14 15. He hath led captivity captive And he must raign till he hath put all his enemies under his feet 1 Cor. 15.25 He shall have a full and absolute conquest over them They shall be so thoroughly subdued that they shall never rise again 2 As he can remove all hinderances and oppositions that nothing may resist him So he can command all helps furtherance what ever may be requisite He can command the sea to give up the dead that are in it and death and hell to deliver up the dead that are in them Rev. 20.13 even with more ease and better successe then a conquerour can command his captives that are at his mercy He can give power to all meanes that they shall be effectuall if he speake but the word it shall be done By the word of the Lord were the heavens made and all the hosts of them by the breath of his mouth and all power both in heaven and earth is in his hands as was shewed even now And if this be so that the power of raising of believers from death to life spirituall and eternall be so fully and absolutly in the hands of Jesus Christ then how much doth this commend and magnify the priviledge and happinesse of believers He that is their Lord and Master their brother and friend head and husband who is so inseparably and unchangably theirs and hath loved them better then his own life hath all things in his own power life and death both temporal and eternall are in his hands and he can dispose of them at his pleasure so that they may boast and glory in this saying with the Psalmist He that is our God is the God of salvation Ps 68.20 And I may say unto every believer as the women said unto Neomy Blessed be the Lord which hath not left thee this day whithout a kinsman who shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life and a nourisher of thine old age for thy daughter in law which loveth thee which is better to thee then seven sonnes hath born him And blessed be God for Jesus Christ whom he hath given unto thee and who hath loved thee better then his own life behold even he it is that hath the power in his own hands to be the restorer of thy life yea the raiser of thee up unto eternal life And it is better that it is in the hands of Christ then in the hands of any friend in the world were there but such a power put into the hands of a father or brother or kinsman or friend we should be apt to rejoyce in it and to esteem it a great priviledge and yet it is possible they might faile us But it is impossible that Christ should faile Yea it is better then if it were in our own hands for had we such a priviledge and were but left to the liberty of our wills as Adam was we should be as apt to commit a forfeiture as he was And therefore that the foundetion of God might stand sure and that the Lord might know who are â—is He hath reserved it in a surer hand God hath raised up the Lord and will also raise up us by his own power 1 Cor. 6.14 and 2 Cor. 4.14 But here it may be Questioned that if there be such a full and absolute power in the hands of Christ of raising up believers when he please and that to life spiritual and eternal in respect of all the degrees of it even a full power of raising them up from the death of sin to the life of grace and of recovering them after all their relapses the raising them up to higher degrees and at last to raise them from death naturall to life eternall and from the grave to glory Quest 1 1 Why should Jesus Christ suffer so many of those whom the farther hath given him to lye so long dead in their sins before he raise them up to live the life of grace Quest 2 2 Why should it be so long ere he raise them up to perfection in grace Quest 3 3 Why should he suffer the bodies of believers which are holy the temples of the holy ghost and members of his own body to lie so long in their graves to corrupt and putrify and that there should be no difference between the condition of the believer and unbeliever neither that their dust shall be capable of being distinguished the one from the others For answer unto these though there were no other reason to be given but this in generall that it is the will and good pleasure of God to have it so yet that were sufficient to set bounds to our curiosity in inquiring after the reasons of his dispensations But yet it may be farther said though all that I shall adde will be in order to the better understanding of that Ans 1 To the first That Jesus Christ doth suffer many of those whom the father hath given him to lie long dead in their sins before he raiseth them up unto the life of grace I answer first Negatively 1 He doth not do so by all some are sanctified and raised up in the very womb 〈◊〉 1.15 Jer. 1.5 and from the womb Some in their youth and some not untill they are ready to drop into the grave 2 That he raiseth up some sooner or more early then others doth not proceed from any worthiness that is in one more then another either in respect of birth that one is born of better and more gracious parents then another or that one hath had better education then the other or that the one hath better natural or acquired parts or hath had better means or opportunities or naturally had better inclinations to be wrought upon Manasseh the son of good Hezekiah who in all likelihood as he had the priviledge to be born of a very Sincere and gracious father who doubtlesse was not wanting in the duty of a father either in precepts example or prayers besides other good meanes were not wanting neither for any thing that appears did he want parts to apprehend and approve them And yet we see it was long ere he was raised up Josiah the son of wicked Amon in a worse time and under lesse means and yet he is raised up betimes 2 Chron. 34.3 3 I answer affirmatively It is 1 To manifest the liberty and power of his own will in the dispensation of his grace It is in his power to do with his own as he please Neither have they that were called in at the first hour reason to boast of themselves or to envy at