Comfort in DEATH A Funeral Sermon PREACH'D Upon the DEATH OF Mr. Timothy Cruso LATE PASTOR of a Church in London Who Died Novemb. 26. 1697. By MATTHEW MEAD LONDON Printed by S. Bridge for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside And John Lawrence at the Angel in the Poultry 1698. A Funeral Sermon On the Death of Mr. Timothy Cruso ROMANS viii II. If the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you He that ruised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal Bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you IT is the great Privilege and Advantage of all that are United to Christ that however things go with them in this World it shall be sure to go well with them in the next The great Care of God is about their Eternal State that whatever befals them in the Way they may not miss of Happiness in the End and this Happiness is asserted here Negatively in verse the first There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus NOW this eleventh verse with the former is a Prolepsis or a Pre-occupation of a secret Objection or Doubt arising from the fore-going Assertion The Objection or Doubt is this How can it be said There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus since Death which is the Fruit of Sin yet seises the Godly as well as others NOW this the Apostle makes Answer to in this and the foregoing Verse both by way of Concession and by way of Correction I. BY way of Concession The body is dead because of sin He doth not say only it is Mortal and subject to Death it shall and must die but in the Present Tense which carries great Emphasis in it the Body is dead and he Expresseth it thus for Three Reasons 1. Because of the Divine Determination It is appointed for all men once to die Heb. 7.29 And therefore the Bodies of Believers are as Mortal and as subject to Death as other Mens 2. It is dead because Death is begun Mortality seises upon us betimes by the many Infirmities that attack us how many Deaths do we die daily by Gout Stone Collicks Asthma's Catarrhs Fevers c. before Death it self comes to relieve and release us 3. Because of the Ground whereupon it proceeds and that is Sin The body is dead because of sin We do not die as the Beasts die Death is not a natural Accident but a Punishment it is an effect of the Justice of God for Sin By one man sin enter'd into the world and death by sin Rom. 5.12 II. HE Answers by way of Correction opposing a double Comfort against this dying of the Body Verse 10. The Spirit is Life because of Righteousness That is one Comfort BY the Spirit here we are to understand the Soul yet not simply and absolutely considered but as renewed by Grace So it doth live for the present and it shall live for ever AND mark the ground of the Benefit Because of Righteousness Because of Imputed Righteousness which gives us tight to this Life or because of Inherent Righteousness which is the beginning of this Life AND then the other Comfort is in the Text and that is If the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus front the dead dwell in you He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal Bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you The Sum of all is this IF you are Believers indeed though your Bodies die yet your Souls shall live and that for ever and your Bodies though they die yet they shall not die out-right they shall not finally perish for they shall be raised again SO that though Sin infers Death yet that Death is neither total nor final 1. NOT total It is but an half Death it seiseth only upon the Flesh The Spirit is Life because of Righteousness 2. NOT final Death is not such a Night as hath no Morning It is for a limited time and then the dead shall return again As the Life of Man is for an appointed time so is his Death too As Life is a Lease which when a Man hath lived out then he dies So Death is a Lease too which when a Man hath died out then he shall Live again JOB calls it a Set Time chap. 14.13 O that thou wouldst hide me in the Grave But how long would he be hid there Not for ever No but for the set time That thou wouldst appoint me a Set Time and remember me and in v. 14. he calls it an appointed time All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change comes This Change is not meant here of a Change by Death as many interpret it but of a Change by Rising again as appears by the Context It is the great Change when we shall all be changed 1 Cor. 15.51 when Christ will change our vile Body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious Body After this Change we shall hear no more of Changing for when this Mortal shall have put on Immortality then Death shall be swallowed up in Victory 1 Cor. 15.54 But how shall this Change be brought about That is Answered in the Words of the Text If the Spirit of him that Raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you In which Words you have Two General Parts I. A happy Resurrection Promised He that raised up Christ from the dead shall quicken your mortal bodies II. The Condition upon which the Promise is made If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you In the Resurrection promised you have Two Things I. The Author of it or the Efficient Cause and that is God the Father Described by this Periphrasis or Eminent Work of Power He that Raised up Jesus from the Dead II. The Way or Manner of bringing it about and that is By his Spirit that Dwelleth in you The Doctrine that I intend to Insist on upon this Occasion is this Doct. That the Bodies of all the Saints shall at the the last day be quickened and Raised by that Spirit which Dwells in them I shall speak to this under Two Heads I. That the Spirit of God Dwells in the Children of God II. He Dwells in them as a Principle of Resurrection Power and is the Ground and Cause of their Happy Resurrection 1. That the Spirit of God Dwells in the Children of God This is plain in the Scripture 1 Cor. 3.16 Know you not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you 2 Tim. 1.14 That Good Thing which was committed to thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwells in us John 14.17 The Spirit of Truth He Dwelleth with you and shall be in you So in the Verse but one before the Text If so be the Spirit of
Saints are blessed Revel 14.13 Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord You 'll say they are blessed because their Souls are gone to Heaven and enjoy God I but that is not all for then it would rather have been said Blessed are the Souls of them that die in the Lord. But pray mind it is that which dies that hath the Blessing affixed to it Blessed are the dead Now the Soul is not dead that lives and who knows not that the Soul that lives in Heaven is blessed But the design of the Holy Ghost here is to Comfort Believers concerning their bodies when in the Dust Doth the Body die why yet it partakes of a blessing in Death Blessed are the dead Nothing of a Saint dies but his Body why then Blessed are the dead And mark how his Right to the Blessing accrues He dies in the Lord i. e. in Union to the Lord Death makes no separation And if so then as what Union there was between the Spirit of Christ and the Soul of a Saint remains still so what Union there was between the Body of a Saint and the Spirit of Christ remains still He dies in the Lord. 5. IT must be so if we do but duly consider the Subject of Sanctification and what is that Not the Soul only but the whole Person that is Body and Soul it is not any one part only that is Stamped with the Image of God but the Intire Nature of every Believing Person the whole Soul and the whole Body For Sanctification is a Repair of the Decay of the Vpright State of our Creation Now in the First Creation our whole Nature was stampt with God's Image not only the Soul but the Body too was Interested in the Image of God by a Participation of Original Righteousness AND when Man Sinned the Image of God so far as it was our Righteousness and Holiness was utterly Defaced and Lost it departed from our whole Nature Body and Soul and hence the whole Person is said to be Polluted and Defiled by Sin not only all the Powers of the Soul but all the Members of the Body As you may see Rom. 3.13 14 15. Rom. 6.19 NOW this being the Case of all Men therefore our Sanctification which is the Reparation of God's Image must Respect the whole Man equally and the Image of God must be stamped upon the Body as well as the Soul and so it is wherever Sanctification is wrought This is Evident from the Apostle's Prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thessal 5.23 The God of Peace Sanctifie you throughout i. e. in your whole Man for so he Explains it in the next words in body and soul and spirit It is not a Sanctification thoughout if the Body be not made Holy as well as Soul and Spirit NOW do but see how Christ Argues about his Lying in the Grave from the Holiness of his Body Psal 16.9 10. My Flesh shall rest in Hope for thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell that is my Body in the Grave nor suffer thine Holy One to see Corruption What is meant here by thy Holy One it is meant only of the Body of Christ for his Soul was in Heaven nor was that capable of seeing Corruption NOW God would not Suffer the Dead Body of Christ to see Corruption and why Because it was Originally and Perfectly Holy never Tainted with the least Sin and therefore saw not the least Corruption in the Grave which else it would have done and which the Bodies of the Saints do BUT that other Argument of Christ is common to all Believers with him My Flesh shall Rest in Hope for thou wilt not leave my body in the Grave And this Not leaving the Body in the Grave speaks Two Things I. The Abiding Vnion of the Eternal Spirit with the Body II. THE Future Resurrection of the Body by the Spirit from the Grave and why Because the Body is God's Holy One. NOW I would Querie Whether was the Spirit of God separated from the Dead Body of Christ or no That his own Soul was separated from his Body that is certain for that he recommends to his Father Luke 23.46 Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit Therefore it is evident his Soul was separated from his Body but yet the Spirit of God was not and the Reason was because in that Covenant that passed between the Father and the Son the Father engaged to take Care of him in Death and to Raise him again to Life And for this Cause though his Soul was Separated yet the Spirit of God was not his Holy Body continued in Union to and under the Special Care of the Spirit of God every moment it lay in the Grave and in the Faith and Comfort of This Christ died so he tells you Therefore my heart is glad my glory rejoyceth myflesh also shall rest in hope Now mark the Reasons he gives they are Two-fold ONE is from His State in Death THE other is from his Certain Restauration to Life I. FROM His State in Death which is a State of Union to the Eternal Spirit Thou wilt not leave my body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lisheol in the Grave It is not only meant of his Remaining there but of his being left of the Spirit while he was there Tho' my Body lye in the Grave thou wilt not leave me when I am in that state II. THE other is from his Certain Resurrection to Life v. 11. Thou wilt shew me the Path of Life Herein he points to the Covenant between Father and Son wherein God promises that He shall prolong his Days Now therefore Isa 53.10 says Christ in the highest Considence and Assurance Thou wilt not leave my Body in the Grave There is the Union asserted Thou wilt shew me the Path of Life There is the Resurrection secured NOW then I assume the Querie again Was the Spirit of God separated from the Body of Christ when Dead in the Grave or not If it be said that it was then it will undeniably follow That there was a part of Christ's Sufferings that was not Meritorious yea the greatest Part for his Death was the Chief Part of his Sufferings the Compleating Act and there could be no Merit in Christ's Death if his Body was not in Union to the Spirit of God for what should give the Value and Virtue to his Death That which gave Value and Virtue to his Death was the Eternal Spirit AND if the Dead Body of Christ was in Union to the Spirit when in the Grave then so must the dead body of every Believer be also and that upon a Two-fold Account 1. Because every Believer is a Member of Christ Body and Soul are in Membership and therefore if the Spirit was in Union to Christ as Head so it must be to the Members also for we have the Spirit from Christ it is in us derivatively from him as he is the Head of Influence to every
great difference between the one and the other And it will appear in Four Things I. THE Resurrection of the Believer is Founded in the Covenant of Grace And what is the Tenour of that Covenant It is That God will be our God for ever Now this Covenant is not made with the Soul of a Believer only but with the Person Soul and Body and therefore from this Covenant our Lord proves the Resurrection against those Sadducees Matth. 22.32 I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob God is not the God of the dead but of the living The Argument like a Two-edged Sword cuts both ways it proves the Immortality of the Soul in that God is said to be the God of the living And it proves the Resurrection of the Body in that God is said to be the God of Abraham And therefore not the God of his Soul only but of his Person Soul and Body therefore whole Abraham must live for ever because of the everlasting Covenant of God He is thy God as much when thou art dead in the Grave as when thou art asleep in thy Bed because of the Covenant which cannot be dissolved and if he dies in Covenant he shall rise in Covenant NOW it is not thus with Unbelievers they arise too but not by virtue of any New Covenant Interest They lived out of this Covenant while they lived and died out of this Covenant when they died and they shall rise out of this Covenant when they rise again And that is a sad difference as much as is between Heaven and Hell II. THE Body of the Saints rise by Virtue of their Union to Christ He is the Head and they the Members This Oneness is the great Foundation upon which the Saints Resurrection stands if the Head be risen the Members cannot always lie rotting in the Grave As the Effect is bound up in the Cause so is the Resurrection of the Believer in the Resurrection of Christ Because I live Joh. 14.19 ye shall live also BUT the Wicked don't rise by virtue of Union to Christ and therefore the Life and Power of his Resurrection doth not animate and quicken them No they rise by the Power of Christ as Lord of the Dead but not by virtue of Union to Christ They rise by the Power of Christ as Judge but not by the advantage of his Mediation III. THE Bodys of the Saints arise as a part of the Harvest belonging to Christ as he was a First-Fruits in his Resurrection So he is called 1 Cor. 15.20 Now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that sleep But to whom is Christ a First-Fruits to all No but only to Believers Under the Law the First-Fruits were offer'd to God for the sanctifying and blessing the whole Harvest and as the First-Fruits are so is all the rest if the first-fruits be holy the lump is holy Ro. 11.16 If the First-Fruits be safe not a Shock nor a Sheaf nor an Ear nay not a Grain shall be lost So our Lord Christ testifies This is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day Joh. 6.39 Believers arise then as a part of that Harvest of which Christ is a First-Fruits But Sinners do not arise thus Christ is no First-Fruits to them Tho the First-Fruits bless the Corn yet it don't bless the Tares and Cockle and Weeds that grow among the Corn. You know what their Sentence is Matt. 13.30 Gather together the Tares and bind them in bundles to burn them And this is a sad Difference IV. BELIEVERS arise by a Power within them the Wicked arise by a Power upon them The Spirit of Christ dwells in every Believer as a Principle of Resurrection Power and by virtue of this Power they rise again But the Wicked rise not by virtue of the Spirit of Christ in them but by the Power of Christ upon them as he is the Lord of Death and the Judge of the World O! HOW great is the difference between the Resurrection of Saints and Sinners Believers shall rise perfect from all Sin The Wicked shall rise loaded with all their Sins and Lusts Believers will rise like Pharaoh's Butler to great Exaltation and the Wicked like the Baker to be Sentenced to Execution Believers rise to be gathered as Wheat into the Garner the Wicked as Chaff for the unquenchable Fire 3. Let us labour to make a due Improvement of this Truth especially in Four Things I. Admire the condescending Love of the Spirit of God in this Work for it is truly admirable To take our Bodies for his Temple while they are living to dwell in them and that personally this is great condescention But that he should own them when dead and continue his Union to our Flesh when our own Soul hath forsaken it and abide with it in Dust and Rottenness O What amazing Love is this Don't let us slight this Truth therefore but admire it For it is the greatest condescention of the Spirit that we read of in all the Scriptures O! How much doth it make for the Honour and Dignity of Believers that he whom the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain should vouchsafe to take up his Residence in our flesh Had it been in our Souls only that had been great condescention but not like this for the Soul is of a more excellent Nature than the Flesh But he dwells in our Flesh and not only so long as we live but in Death too and holds his Union with it through the whole course of the Grave from the first Moment of Dissolution to the blessed Day of our Resurrection O what condescention is this II. Improve this Truth by getting an Interest in Jesus Christ Here is a double Motive to inforce it in this and the foregoing Truth The Interest both of Soul and Body is concerned in it Here is a Motive from the Soul it secures the life of that tho the Body dies v. 10. If Christ be in you the body dies because of sin but the Spirit lives because of Righteousness And then here is a Motive from the Body too tho it dies yet it dies in Union to the Spirit who will quicken it again He shall quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you Therefore Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord. III. Improve this Truth with respect to the Spirit of God 1. By begging and praying for the Spirit to dwell in you now as a Principle of Sanctification or else he will neve ' dwell in you as a Principle of the Resurrection If your Bodies be not his Temples now if he doth not dwell in them and purge them from filthiness and prepare them for Glory here he 'll never raise them at the last day and then better never rise again I tell you meerly to Rise from
the Dead is no Priviledge no Judas and Herod and Pilate shall rise again and Cain that slew his Brother and so shall Gardner and bloody Bonner all the Wicked that dyed in their Sins shall rise again but alas it will be a Dreadful Rising Daniel says Dan. 12.2 some shall rise to shame and everlasting Contempt John 5.29 And Christ speaks of a Resurrection to Damnation And were it not better that the body should lye and Rot in the Dust for ever then to rise from the Grave to be thrown into Hell and made Fuel to feed the Fire that never goes out yet this shall be the lot of all the Wicked they rise by the Power of Christ that they may be Damned by the Wrath of Christ I say therefore to Rise again may be no Priviledge but a Judgment and a Curse the Priviledge lies in Rising again by the Spirits power quickening your dead bodies This is a Priviledge indeed for here begins the Glory and Salvation of your bodies therefore it is called a Resurrection to Life Everlasting Dan. 12.2 and hereby your Blessedness comes to be made perfect for though your Souls are Glorified with God at Death yet they are not compleat in Glory till the Resurrection II. CARRY your selves Worthily to the Spirit of God for he dwells in you he dwells in the soul he dwells in the body and he dwells in both for ever Therefore carry it becomingly to him 1. BY following his Leadings living and walking in the Spirit If we believe in the Spirit let us walk in the Spirit Gal. 6.25 2. BY fetching our Comforts from the upper Springs we are too sensual in our Respects and Aims we consult the animal Life more than is meet while we fetch our Refreshment and Satisfaction from any of these Nether Springs Are not Spiritual Pleasures more Noble and Sweet than Bodily Sure they are or else we must say that Sensual Men have more Pleasure and Joy in their Life then God hath in his 3. BY Avoiding every Thing that may Grieve the Spirit WHEN you neglect Duty you Grieve the Spirit WHEN you don't keep your Gifts and Graces in Continual Exercise you Grieve the Spirit WHEN you suffer Spiritual Slumber to seize upon you you Grieve the Spirit WHEN you Indulge Fleshly Lusts and yield your Members to be Instruments of Sin you Grieve the Spirit for you defile the Temple which the Holy Ghost hath taken up to dwell in and will hold in a Union to himself when it lies in Dust and Rottenness and will raise it to Glory at the last IV. LET us improve this Truth for Comfort it hath in it that which is matter of Great Comfort 1. AGAINST all present Sufferings Afflictions What can Sweeten the Bitterness of any Cup and lighten heavy Burthens and make present Distresses easie and support in all Calamities like Faith in a Resurrection There is a Resurrection State will Free us from All 2 Cor. 4.17 and in the mean time Our light Afflictions which are but for a moment work for us a far more Exceeding and Eternal Weight of Glory 2. IT is a great Comfort under the loss of the Faithful Ministers of Christ of Godly Relations Friends for they are not lost for ever the Spirit of God hath the care of them and he 'll quicken them again and therefore we may say with Martha when her Brother was dead Matt. 11.14 I know that he shall Rise again at the Resurrection You shall see them again and know them again and enjoy them again and that in a better manner than ever And is not this Comfort 3. IT is a great Comfort against our own Dissolution the thing which Nature so much abhors the Horrour of a Grave is very Affrighting and Dreadful to many That this Flesh of mine this tender Flesh this delicate Flesh that now the Wind must scarce blow on that I spend so much precious time to feed and pamper and dress and adorn that this very Flesh must be turned to Stench and Corruption and become loathsome to my Dearests Friends and be Prostituted to Worms and Rottenness this makes the very thoughts of Death a Disease NOW how would the Belief of this Truth relieve Comfort against such Thoughts as these Revel 14.13 1 Thes 4.14 If I Dye I Dye in the Lord Death is but a Sleep and I Sleep in Jesus too when my my Body is laid in the Grave it is laid into the arms of the Spirit if it doth rot in the Dust its Union to the Spirit can't rot And therefore farewel my Flesh While I go into the immediate blessful Presence of God go thou to Bed in the Dust I commit thee into the Arms of the Spirit and do willingly leave thee in that Union till he sees good to raise thee and bring us together again For this he will do in the Last Day And therefore Go my Flesh and rest and hope Joh. 6 4â— and wait the appointed time till thy change comes for then this corruptible shall put on incorruption and this mortal shall put on immortality 1 Cor. 1 53. and Death shall be swallowed up of Life IN this Faith you may triumph over the Grave you may resign your Bodies to the Earth chearfully and to the Guardianship of the Spirit of God there for he who hath it in an indissoluble Union will preserve it to a glorious Resurrection as he did the dead Body of Christ Psal 1 10.11 for he did not leave it in the Grave but shewed it the path of life HOW willing to die should this make every Believer and to say with the Apostle I desire to be dissolved And yet Alas Philip. 23. what Cowards are we How fearful are we of dying You may as well be afraid of going to Bed Let them be afraid to die that never knew how to live that are dead whilst they live and that have no hope after this life He that hears of the Glory of a Resurrection-State and yet is afraid to die either he hath but a little Faith or he hath an ill Conscience WHAT was it that revived and supported Job's Spirit amidst all his Griefs but this very thing I know that my Redeemer lives and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the Earth and tho after my Skin Worms destroy this body Job 19.2 26 27. yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self This was such a reviving to his Soul that you never find him in his impatient despairing Fits after it Pool Loc. I beg of God therefore that when-ever I die I may die in this Faith That my Soul shall immediately enter into the full fruition of God And That my Body shall lie down in the Dust in an everlasting Vnion to the Sprit of God who will at last quicken-it because he dwells in it For if the Spirit of him that raised Jesus