all to save themselves from the grave they would leave but little to Friends or Executors could they but bribe Death with their Silver and Gold I have read of one who would make a tryal and so called for a Bag of Gold when on a Sick-bed and laid it to his trembling heart but presently cried out Away away with it it will not do Oh my Beloved Riches will not avail you in the day of wrath Prov. 11. 4. and as it will not in the Day of Judgement so it will not in the hour of Death The brutish person dies and leaves his wealth behind him Psal 49. 10. The Cardinal of Winchester who procured the death of the good Duke of Glocester in the Reign of King Henry the Sixth was shortly after taken with a grievous Disease who understanding by his Physicians that he could not live murmurring and repining thereat he cried out Fie will not Death be hired Will money do nothing must I die that have so great riches If the whole Realm would save my life either by policy I can get it or by riches I can buy it But yet all would not do the proud Cardinal must submit to death 5. As Riches will not deliver from the power of the grave so likewise earthly power and worldly sovereignty and greatness cannot do it all the mighty Potentates and Monarchs the holy Scripture and ancient Histories acquaint us of where are they hath not Death subdued them all After all their grandeur and pomp they were all cut down by Deaths all-conquering hand and now their glory lies in the dust Augustus Caesar one day triumphs in the greatness of his strength the next day is stabbed to death with Bodkins Herod King of the Jews one hour is admired as a God the next hour is made a Feast for Worms Acts. 12. 22 23. The great Conqueror Alexander who subdued he greatest part of the World is at last overcome by Death Death makes no difference between the King in his Royalty on the Throne and the Begger in Rags upon the Dunghill Alexander having received 2 wounds at the siege of great City in India finding himself to be sore wounded was in some measure made sensible of his own fragillty and cried out to his flattering followers You call me the Son of Jupiâ—er but I perceive I am subject to wounds and death as well as other men Death bringeth down the loftiest looks of man I have read that in the Library of Dublin there is a Globe at the one end and at the other end the picture of Death to shew that though man was Lord of the whole Universe i. e must submit to Death Thus you see that all the pomp and glory of the world hath been cut down by the power of the grave But again 6. As Worldly Dignities cannot deliver from the power of the Grave so glorious Titles will not do it Those Worthies that God conferred glorious Titles upon yea so far as to give his own name unto them to be called gods One would think that this if any were the most likeliest to exempt a man from the grave and yet it will not do Psal 82. 6 7. I have said ye are gods but with the same breath adds ye shall die like men and fall like one of the princes But 7. Eminency in grace and spiritual endowments or divine qualificacations will not be able to rescue a soul from the power of the grave All the Patriarchs of old they are gone where are all those choice and renowned in grace that we read of who shined in their day like the stars in the firmament Oh! where are those Troops of Israelites that excelled in patience chastity temperance holiness and humility these could not deliver themselves from death The righteous perish and no man layeth it to heart and merciful men are taken away none considering that the righteous are taken away from the evil to come Isa 57. 1. 8. Lastly No spiritual Dignity Office or Place can deliver from the hand of the grave though a person be never so much in the favour of God and honoured by Christ Jesus though never so laborious for the good of souls as to be an Embassador of Peace and Minister of the Gospel yet these will not exempt from death your Fathers where are they and the Prophets do they live for ever Zech. 1. 5. Thus you have heard the Doctrine made good and confirmed That there is no man living that shall not see death or be able to deliver himself from the power of the grave I shall onely give you two or three reasons of the point and so proceed to the Application If you question why all must die take two or three things for an Answer 1. Reas Because all have sinned Sin and Death came into the world together Death came by the fall in the Garden 't is part of the punishment due to us for that transgression Rom. 5. 12. Wherefore as by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned the wages of sin is death Rom. 6. 23. We may cry out in the words of a holy man O sin sin 't is thou which by thy just deserts hast caused all the funerals that ever have been Thus you see all must die because all have sinned 2. Reas Because God hath decreed that all men must die Heb. 9. 27. And as it is appointed for men once to die and after that to judgement Though death be natural and the punishment of our sins yet we die by Gods appointment We let in death by our sin and God causeth death to proceed upon us to make good the justice and severity of his own threatning I know saith Job thou wilt bring me to death to the house appointed for all living Job 30. 23. On the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die dust thou art and to dust shalt thou return Gen. 2. 17. 3. 19. 3. Reas Lastly Why God will bring all men to the grave and I shall add no more Because he would thereby magnifie his glorious Attributes as first out of infinite grace commiseration and goodness he brings his own children to the grave knowing the miseries sad afflictions and troubles that doth attend them in this life Here most times poor Saints with Lazarus have their evil things many are their afflictions and this way God takes to deliver them out of them all Death opens a door to glory to every gracious soul and secondly God by death prepares the bodies of his Saints for eternal bliss and happiness He brings the body to the grave that it may be purified and made a glorious and most amiable body 't is sown that it might be raised more glorious 1 Cor. 15. 42 43 44. God doth with the bodies of his Saints with reverence be it spoken as they do with their Earthen Vessels in China they bury them in the earth for many
no more you shall hear him pray no more preach no more and is not this a ground of lamentation 9. Saints and Ministers of the Gospel are the interest of the Nation City or Place where they live Was not Lot the interest of Sodom I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither Gen. 19. 22. Till Lot was gone fire and brimstone could not come upon that miserable City Oh what love hath God to the poor Preachers of righteousness But again Was not Jacob the interest of Labans family How did God bless him for Jacobs sake The like might be minded of Joseph to the Egyptians Ye saith our blessed Saviour are the light of the world and the salt of the earth To whom did he speak but to his Disciples his holy Apostles that he sent forth to preach glad tydings of great joy unto the Nations I might shew you wherein they are the interest of the place where they are but I must hasten Take onely two or three brief hints 1. They stand in the gap or in the breach Ours is a great one the Lord look upon us They plead with God When Moses hands are up Israel prevails and when he lets down his hands Amalek Prevails Exod. 17. 11. Oh how doth he cry out for a provoking generation When Jehovah cries Let me alone that I may destroy them Exod. 32. 10. Oh saith Joshua what wilt thou do for thy great name If thou wilt not forgive their sin saith Moses blot me out of thy Book Nay though God promised to make of him a great Nation yet he still lifts up a cry for them Exod 32. 10 11 32. 2. They are the interest of the Nation where they are by counselling warning and admonishing 3. By their holy and exemplary conversations Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant we should have been as Sodom and should have been like unto Gomorrah Isa 1. 9. 10. Ground of Lamentation is because sin usually is the cause why God removes his faithful Embassadors He sends to treat with sinners about the concerns of their souls I wish this stroke be not in judgement to some of your souls The Message they bring is often slighted and thereby sinners slight and reject the King himself They cry and lift up their voice like a trumpet fore-warning of danger but none lays it to heart They spend their strenght and weaken their bodies for the good of sinners souls but sinners slight it Nay if they should sweat drops of blood it would not do it would not work in them remorse of Conscience and repentance unto life Well saith God now I 'll wait upon thee no more him that you despised and contemned or neglected to hear or whose counsel you did not regard you shall hear no more The taking 〈◊〉 of faithful Preachers is one of the greatest judgement that can come upon sinners But alas it may not onlâ— be for the sins of the ungodly world â—â—on unconverted sinners but a punishment upon Professors and Church Members for their inquiry they may not prize the mercy nor walk worthy of the blessing They may not carry it as they ought to do to the Labourer that is amongst them They may grieve and wound his heart by their disorderly walking and God may from hence be provoked to take him a way Nay they may on the other hand overvalue him they may idolize their Teachers and look upon them above what is meet though sinful yet 't is possible to eye man more than God by man God may remove them Upon this account the Apostle speaks of some that had mens persons in admiration I am satisfied there is too great extreams in the world We should have a care we do not receive the Truth for the sake of a man or to please men because such and such says it but out of Love to Jesus Christ and because God hath commanded it Beloved it may not be amiss to lay these things to heart 't is good to hear the Rod and to know who it is and for what it is appointed I do not charge any in particular 11. And lastly Here is cause of lamentation because evil and dark dayes many times follows the removal of Gods Worthies When God take away so many faithful ones what may we expect to look for I might give divers instances of the sad effects or what hath followed the taking godly persons sincere Labourers away But I am afraid I have been too tedious already remember what the Prophet saith The righteous perisheth and no man layeth it to heart Merciful men are taken away and none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come Isa 57. 1. Thus much by way of Lamentation and Consolation I have onely one Use more which shall be in the fourth place by way of Comfort and Consolation 1. Must all dye the godly as well as the wicked Is the Grave the place prepared for all Living Must Fathers Husbands Wives Children Ministres and the dearest Friends we have dye How shall we then comfort our selves against death If thou art a Beleiver I I have a word of comfort for thee there is none I am sure for Christless Souls 2. Consider death cannot hurt thee it cannot hurt those that are Believers because it hath lost his sting Death may hiss but cannot hurt Nothing makes death terrible to an ungodly man but it's Sting The sting of death is sin but this is taken away from Believers by Jesus Christ Oh death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory 1. Cor. 15. 55 56. 2. Death cannot hurt a Believer because it cannot bring an annihilation of the body though it bring an alteration upon the stare and condition of the body yea and though the body be dissolved to dust yet it shall not be lost it shall rise to life again 3. Death cannot dissolve or break that blessed union there is between Jesus Christ and believers Though it may separate soul and body yet it cannot separate either from Jesus Christ and the soul immediately will be in a more glorious enjoyment of Christ and though the body for a while must lie in the grave yet that dust is precious dust in Christs sight 4. Consider Death cannot keep the body long under its power nor keep soul and body apart 't is but a little while and they will meet again Death and the Grave are conquered enemies Saints by faith can now through Jesus Christ triumph over them and shall have a compleat a full Conquest over a short space 5. Death has not power to cast into hell if Conscience condemns thee not if the Word convicts thee not if God passeth not the Sentence upon thee Death has no power to do it Death can but bring to the grave 't is sin that casteth the soul into hell 6. Consider Death is thine that is 't will be for thy profit and advantage every way Remember
that sweet word of Paul to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 3. 22. Whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours it will be every way for thy good Consider what freedom thou wilt gain thereby 1. It will free thee from a body of sin and death that often makes thee go with a sorrowful heart Oh! hath it not oft made thee to cry out with St. Paul Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of sin and death Oh what is a greater trouble to a Child of God than indwelling sin He cannot do the things he would do But now comes death and frees thee of all these soul perplexities and disquietments Sin makes a Saint to groan being burthened but now thou shalt grieve Christ and his spirit nor thy own soul no more Is not this that a poor Saint longs for 2. 'T will free thee from a poor crazy diseased or distempered Body There will then be no crying out of back or bone nor head not heart any more 't will be with thee as with the Church in the glorious day to come Rev. 21. 4. There shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away 3. It will free thee from an evil and wicked world Oh what a defiling ensnaring and bewitching world is this What hinders us of our joy and peace in Christ more than it What greater vexation to us Oh how many precious Saints are clogged and imprisoned by the cares of the world which many times is ready to choak the seed of holy desires after Christ But by Death thou shalt be delivered 4. It will free thee out of the hands of presecutors Thou wilt with our dear Brother be out of their reach then they shall not disquiet thee imprison thee nor torment thee any more There saith Job speaking of the grave 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 Job 3. 17 18. 5. Death will free thee from an envious raging and tempting Devil He will have not more power to disturb thee accuse thee nor by his cursed suggestions to vex and perplex thy soul no nor any other ways to hurt or annoy thee O will not this be to thy great advantage Who would be unwilling to die that hath an interest in Jesus Christ 6. Thou wilt hereby also be freed from all the discords and troubles that rise amongst Brethren The unworthy and disorderly lives of Professors shall sadden thy heart then no more This was that which worried and grieved the blessed Apostle Phil. 3. 18. Our dear Brother is set at liberty from all these things disorders in the Church no loose walking of Members thereof will burden nor trouble him again 7. Nay and Death will free thee of all that trouble that riseth from those inward becloudings and hideings of God's face It will never be night with the soul any more thou wilt then be with Christ and behold his face with joy for ever 8. And lastly Thou wilt also be freed of all thy toilsome pains and labour of what nature soever it be O how good is rest to a weary soul Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them Rev. 14. 13. But then once again Consider what a blessed state thy soul will be in at death If thou art a true Beliver thou shalt not onely have hereby a negative good it will not simply a freedom from all those sorrows and troubles thou hast heard but thy soul shall immediately receive transcendent joy with Jesus Christ For me to live saith Paul is Christ and to die is gain The advantage the soul receives upon this account made Paul so much desire to depart and be with Christ which he says is far better Phil. 1. 21. Pray observe his words he doth not say it will be gain to him when he rises again no but to die is gain I shall receive more joy more consolation more of the fulness of God and Christ as if he should say when I die then I can whilest I am in this body Mind that passage in 2 Cor. 5. 1. For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God a house not made with hands eternal in the heavens Compare this with ver 6. Therefore we are always confident knowing that whilst we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. The Apostle doth not say we know when this earthly house is broken down and raised up again we have a building with God eternal in the heavens Pray consider it but plainly when it is dissolved when it is turned to its dusty crums We have that is our souls he can intend nothing else By we he means their better part which he compares to an inhabiter and the body to the house or tabernacle in which it dwels Oh what an excellent thing is the soul of man over the body And now beloved That the soul or better part is capable of being separated from the body and in its seperate state from the body capable of glorious enjoyments of God and high raptures of joy with Jesus Christ doth appear most evident from that passsage of the Apostle in 2 Cor. 12. 1 2 3. It is not expendient for me doubtless to glory I will come to vissions and revelations of the Lord. I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago whether in the body I cannot tell God knoweth such a one caught up to the third heaven ver 4. says he was caught up into paradise and heard unspeakable words which is not lawful for a man to utter The soul or spirit then it appears may be seperate from the body I from this place thus argue 1. If the soul or spirit of man be not capable of being seperated from the house of clay or earthly tabernacle then Paul might have boldly and safely have said the whole man was taken up a soul and body together and not one without the other because it is impossible to seperate them but since Paul says he knows not whether in the body or out of the body he plainly shews what opinion he was of And then secondly I may from what he says reason after this manner viz. If the soul in its seperated state from the body be not able or capable to enjoy or take in heavenly comforts or consolations of Jesus Christ Paul might boldly and Positively have said he was taken up in the body because however he was caught up whether within or without the body he heard and saw unexpressible things he had high and soul-filling raptures of joy The Lord Jesus promised the penitent Thief that he should that is