unto punishment He is overcome whose armour is taken from him wherein he trusted Luk. 11. 22. Thus it is with Death Where Sin hath no dominion Death hath none for Death reigneth by Sin Now as for the sins of believers God to whom belongeth the forgiveness of sins saith Isa 44. 22. I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgresons and as a cloud thy sins Jer. 31. 34. I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sin no more Numb 23. 21. He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob neither hath he seen perversness in Israel Mic. 7. 18 19. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage Thou wilt Cast all their sins into the depths of the Sea Act. 10. 43. whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of Sins What God said to repenting and believing David that he saieth to all believers 2 Sam. 12. 13. The Lord hath put away your sin ye shall not die Ye shall not die by the venemous sting of Death This indeed is in effect the whole victory over death This is the fatal mortal wound given to Death and will in time be the very Death of Death and therefore the Apostle triumpheth over it on that account vers 55. O Death where is thy sting What Luther sometimes said to God that may every Believer say to Death Feri Domine said he Strike Lord. Feri mors feri may they say Nam a peccatis absolutus sum Strike Death strike for my sins are pardoned Thou mayest kill me but thou canst not hurt me 2. Death is overcome to Believers in that it cannot amaze them with despairing terrors However it be to others it is not to them the King of Terrors Believers are freed from the bondage of the tormenting fear of Death Heb. â— 15. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death saith David Psal 23. 4. I will fear no evil Elijah makes request for himself that he might die 1 King 19. 4. The three Children valiantly yielded their bodies to the fiery fornace Dan. 3. 16. 28. Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace saith good old Simeon Luk. 2. 29. Paul and Barnabas willingly hazarded their lives Act. 15. 16. Paul had a desire to be dissolved Phil. 1. 23. Those worthies Heb. 11. 35. would not accept deliverance The Primitive Martyrs would hasten to the stake Such Victory had they gotten of the fear of Death The grant of their Pardon and their discharge from Condemnation which God hath Sealed to them The peace of a good Conscience which they carry about with them Their apprehensions that their bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost which he will never desert or neglect Their assurance of the faithfulness and power of God into whose hands they commend their Spirit The fore-tasts of the sweetness of Communion with God and Jesus Christ to be fully enjoyed in the other world Their faith and hope of a blessed Resurrection to Immortality Their Evidences for Heaven These are powerful Arguments which they improve against the fear of Death and by the strength whereof they Triumph over it Object But for all this Are not Believers afraid to die Was not Abraham afraid when he thought he should be slain Gen. 20. 11. Did not David complain The terrors of death are fallen from me Ps 55. 4. Did not Hezekiah weep sore when it was said to him Thou shalt die Isa 38. 1. And who almost is not afraid Answ 1. There is a Natural fear of death as it is the dissolution of the Compositum a separation of Soul and Body which are so intimately united which is not sinful Believers are not free from this Grace doth not destroy Nature Nature will be Nature and act its part even in the best of Saints They who have the surest hope of Eternal life and clearest Evidences of their Salvation yea and have an unfained longing and desire after the Heavenly state have yet a natural aversness unto Death and do rather endure than desire it St. Paul saith for himself and other Believers that though they knew that if their Earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved they had a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens and groaned earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with their house which is from Heaven yet they had a natural Love of life and abhorrence of death and their groaning was not that they would be unclothed 2 Cor. 5. 1 2 4. yea our Lord Jesus Christ himself in whom was no sin being found in fashion as a man when he humbled himself and became obedient unto death experienced this fear as the proper expression of his humane Nature When his hour was come Mar. 14. 33 34. He taketh with him Peter and James and John and began to be sore amazed and to be very heavy and saith my Soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death 2. There is a slavish inordinate sinful fear of death which Believers overcome and from which they are freed It was one end of Christs death that he might deliver his redeemed from fear of death to which they were holden in bondage Heb. 2. 15. To which yet some Believers are subject yea it may be All at sometimes more or less This ariseth from weakness of Faith from want of assurance from Conscience of lapses and contracted guilt from neglecting to search their own hearts from misapprehending and mis-judging their Spiritual state from inordinate love to this life and world c. for which they must blame themselves Believers as such so far as they are Believers are victorious Did they walk close with God improve grace received examine their own state wisely and judge thereof rightly Did they take hold of the Covenant of God live by Faith meditate on the Promises and apply them as their Portion which becometh Believers they might and would get above the slavish fears of Death In this method they might be ready to die and fear no evil When the Christian can say with David Psal 23. The Lord is my Shepherd he maketh me to lie down in green pastures he leadeth me besides the still waters he restoreth my Soul he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness He will then add also Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil 3. There is a despairing fear The presumptions of Hell the pre-occupation of Torment the fore-tasts of the wrath of the Almighty the scorchings of the Lake that burneth with fire and Brimstone that driveth the sinner past all hope and overwhelms the Soul in hideous darkness and horrible Confusions Have there not been instances of some wretched guilty Souls going out of the body as the Devil out of the Demoniack Mar. 9. renting and taring and wallowing and foming and raging and roaring again And were it not for the Atheism ignorance infidelity blindness hardness searedness flattery
snared by death in an evil time when it falleth suddenly upon them Every one may say as Isaac Gen. 27. 2. I know not the day of my death At an hour when ye think not saith Christ the Son of man cometh Luk. 12. 40. The man we mentioned even now was confident of many years before him and promised himself a merry long life Luk. 12. 19. yet ver 20. He that knew said to him Hac Nocte This night thou must die Who knoweth what shall be on the morrow or what a day may bring forth Nemo tam Divos habuit faventes Crastinum ut posset sibi polliceri Was not Nabal in his plenty Jobs Children in their feasting Nadab and Abihu in their offering Herod in his pride Belshazzar in his cups Zimri and Cozbi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. surprised by this Enemie 3. It is a destructive Enemy Destruction and Death are joyned together Job 28 22. yea this is the very name of Death Ps 88. 11. shall thy loving kindness be declared in the grave or thy faithfulness in Destruction Ps 103. 4. who redeemeth thy life from Destruction i. e. death A dead man is reduced to his first principle the Earth The body returns to the dust from whence it came and this is turning man to Destruction Ps 90. 3. If a man were Surprised and spoiled of all that he had without him and should yet escape with his life though naked it were a sore evil yet such as might be endured a great loss but such as might be repaired But Death spoils a man of himself taketh down the goodly frame and Constitution of Nature Cuts a man asunder and divideth Soul from body God taketh away his Soul Job 27. 8. Her Soul was in departing for she died Gen. 35. 18. Thy Soul shall be required Luk. 12. 20. So as no ground of hope is left to a dying man Life is a fundamental Being Take away that and ye take away all The dead are not Joseph is not Gen. 42. Lo he was not Ps 37. 36. Job 14. 7 8 9 10. There is hope of a tree if it be cut down that it will Sprout again and that the tender branch thereof will not cease Though the root thereof wax old in the Earth and the Stock thereof die in the ground Yet through the sent of water it will bud and bring forth boughs like a plant But man dieth and wasteth away Yea man giveth up the Ghost and where is he and ver 14. If a man die shall he live again 4. It is a certain unavoidable Enemy There is no defence to be made against it no humane power can withstand it no fortification of the body by utmost art can prevent its entrance either by some violent storming or Successive batteries or longer seige it wil prevail against the Stoutest defendants Psal 89. 48. What man is he that liveth and shall not see death shall he deliver his Soul from the hand of the grave The young the strong the healthful the wise the rich the honourable All have fallen and shall fall under the power of this irresistible enemy The experience of five thousand years and upwards which the world hath had is enough to Convince all the Living that they shall as certainly die as that they have been born 5. It is an abhorred Enemy Against which Nature relucts with the greatest passion and from which it fleeth with greatest aversation It will never be reconciled to that which dissolveth the nearest and most intimate union between Soul and body which taketh in pieces the curious Workmanship defiles the Glory and stains the beauty of the goodliest body which turns the lovely body into a loathsome Carkass resolves it into corruption and putrefaction and gives it to the worms for meat No Antipathy greater than between Nature and Death Skin for Skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life Job 2. 4. 6. It is a formidable enemy that affects a man with fear and terror We read Ps 91. 5. the terrour by night that is Death Job 24. 17. the terrours of the shadow of Death Psal 55. 4. the terrours of Death and Job 18. 14. It is called the King of Terrors i. e. The chief of Terrours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saith the Judgment of Nature of all terribles the most terrible This is Consequent upon the former It being a Spoiling surprising destroying irresistible abhorred enemy It must needs be very terrible What a terror possesseds the Egyptians when Death entred in at their doors and slew their first born Exod. 12. 30 33. They were so affrighted that even Pharoah rose up in the night he and all his Servants and all the Egyptians and there was a great cry in Egypt for there was not an house where there was not one dead They said we be all dead men It is a threatning denounced by God Deut. 28. 65 66 67. The Lord shall give thee a trembling heart Why Thy life shall hang in doubt before thee And thou shalt fear day and night and shalt have no assurance of thy life In the morning thou shalt say Would God it were Even and at even thou shalt say Would God it were morning for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear The apprehension of this affrighted Gideon a mighty man of valour till the Lord encouraged him and said to him Fear not thou shalt not die Judg. 6. 23. At this the King Belshazzars Countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the joynts of his loins were loosed and his knees smote one against another Dan. 5. 6. And who that is but a natural man doth not experience trembling and astonishment at the approach and sight of Death yea many times at the very thoughts of it The world of men doth generally bear witness to that which is written Heb. 2. 15. that through fear of Death they are all their life time Subject to bondage There are two things both in the context which make Death so terrible 1 st Sin which the Apostle calleth the Sting of Death It was by sin that death entred in the world and it is by Sin that death reigneth in the world The poison of the Serpent is in his sting and the power of the Serpent is in his sting So the poyson of Death is in sin and the power of Death lieth in sin without which though it killeth it cannot hurt This is the only weapon wherewith Death is Armed against the Children of men but it is a deadly one That is a dreadful threatning indeed which our Saviour denounceth against the Jews Joh. 8. 21. Ye shall die in your sins According to what the Lord had before spoken by his Prophet Ezek. 18. 24. In his trespass that he hath trespassed and in the sin that he hath sinned in them shall he die It is our sad case that we are born in sin and worse that we live in sin but Oh! how dreadful
and miserable to die in sin in a state of sin in the guilt of sin under the reign and power of sin in the arms and embraces of sin Sin being the transgression of a righteous Law the violation of infinite Holiness and Justice and rebellion against Divine Majesty and Authority it always hath demerit and guilt consequent upon it which obligeth and bindeth the sinner to undergoe that punishment which is naturally due to it Which punishment is Death Rom 1. 32. they which Commit such things are worthy of death Thus sin becomes the weapon or sting of Death by which it hath power to destroy Death cometh upon the Sinner as a bailiff or Sergeant from the Judge with warrant to apprehend and bring the Sinner to give account or as an executioner to take vengeance to pay the Sinner the just wages of his sin for the reparation of a broken Law for the satisfaction of offended Justice for the Declaration of Divine hatred and displeasure against sin and for the manifestation of Gods Glorious power and wrath against the guilty And what a terror must Death needs be when it appears in this shape and armed with this sting Know O presumptuous and secure Sinner Though wickedness be now sweet in thy mouth and thou hidest it under thy tongue Though thou swallowest down deliciously thy forbidden morsells of sensual pleasure and worldly gain yet this meat will soon be turned in thy bowels and become the gall of asps within thee At last at death it will bite as a serpent and sting like an adder What horrour will fill thy soul when approaching Death shall awaken thy sleepy Conscience as oft times it doth and thy awakened Conscience shall charge thee with thy inexcusable transgression of a Righteous Law thy gross neglect of Commanded duty thy industerious provision to satisfie the flesh thy ready compliance with the call of temptations thy irreparable loss of precious time Thy hypocritical dealing with God in Covenant the Stopping of thine eares at the voice of Conscience the shutting of thine eyes against the light of Scripture the hardening of thy heart against the motions of the Spirit thy unbelieving refusals of an offered Saviour thy unprofitable misimprovement of means of Grace thy unthankful abuse of the mercies of God and obstinate incorrigibleness under his Judgments with many other instances of multiplyed and aggravated sins through a long life Whence will arise dismal apprehensions of the wrath of an offended God a certain fearful expectation of Judgment to come and a pre-occupation of eternal torments and everlasting burnings This is that sting of Death the weapon wherewith it is armed against thee wherein Consists its power and by which it is so terrible 2. Add to this the strength which this sting hath from the Law For saith the Apostle The strength of sin is the Law and that two ways 1 st As the Law discovers and convinceth of sin Rom. 5. 13. Sin is not imputed where there is no Law Men are not prone to charge themselves with sin where there is no Law therefore Gal. 3. 19. the Law was added because of transgressions that is to make transgressions appear Hence we read Rom. 3. 20. By the Law is the knowledge of sin and Rom. 7. 9 13. I was alive without the Law once in my own opinion but when the Commandment came Sin revived and I died I was convinced I was in a state of Sin and death and v. 13. Sin by the Commandement becomes exceeding sinful Thus sin as the sting of Death is strengthned by the Law while men thereby are more cleerly and fully convinced of it and the greater the conviction is the sharper is the sting 2 ly As the Law Curseth and condemneth the sinner Gal. 3. 10. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them hence as before Rom. 7. 9. When the Commandment Came. I died and 2 Cor. 3. 7. The Law is called the Ministration of death The Law binds the sinner over to the Judgment of the great day It holds him fast under his guilt without hope of pardon passeth sentence of Condemnation upon him and begins the execution by wounding the Spirit terrifying the Soul with pre-apprehensions and foretasts of the wrath to come The sum of the terror of Death is this Approaching death awakeneth the secure Conscience Awakened Conscience charged with the guilt of sin This sin is strengthened with a Convincing cursing Law The dying wretch seeth his day of sensual delights and pleasures his day of worldly gains and purchases his day of Carnal fellowship with men and especially his day of Grace and mercy with God passing away finds his Spirit fainting his heart and flesh failing anguish and pangs taking hold of him and his soul forthwith to be Required Apprehended Arrested Summoned and haled out of his body from all freinds means helps and hopes to appear naked before God the Judge of all men to give an account of a sinful life and to receive a righteous doom viz. Depart from me ye Cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels and then to go away into everlasting punishment At this what heart of man can contain and possess himself without fear Who but must be appalled confounded amazed terrified Knowing the terror saith St. Paul 2 Cor. 5. 1. Speaking of this appearance and account Felix trembled saith St. Luke Act. 24. 25. When he heard of Judgment to come It is a fearful looking for of Judgment and fierie indignation saith the Author to the Hebrews chap. 10. 27. and a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God ver 31. Thus have we represented the Enemy Death in its power and pomp as it reigneth over the fallen Sons and Daughters of Adam which appears so terrible that woe be to those that fall under the power of it 2. We will now shew you this Enemy fallen and overcome before Believers Believers are Victorious over Death Object But saith Natural Carnal reason Is not this a great Paradox who will believe it One Enoch indeed was translated that he should not see Death and Elijah went up to Heaven in a fiery Chariot But else the Patriarchs and Prophets and Apostles and all the Saints in their Successive generations have yielded up to Death And doth not every day bear witness Are we not all here this day lamenting a very holy and Eminent Saint and Servant of Jesus Christ fallen by the stroke of Death Where then is the Victory And How is Death overcome Answ Notwithstanding all this yet Verily Death is overcome Not ut ne sit but ut ne obsit Not that it should not be but that it should not be hurtful to believers and this Victory consists in four things 1. Death is disarmed to believers that it cannot sting them When death cometh it finds no sin in them unpardoned no guilt remaining as an obligation
from the dead seemed no other than babling to the Learned Philosophers at Athens Act. 17. 18. And was thought incredible by Festus and Agrippa and the Captains and Principal men of Caesarea Act. 26. 8. Yea the Resurrection seemed as an idle Tale at first to the very Apostles Luk. 24. 11. and they believed it not So great is the Glory of this victory over Death that even Angels come down from Heaven to make report of it and to Celebrate the Triumph Mar. 16. Luk. 24. Tell no more then of the mighty Acts of Nimrod or Chedorlaomer of Sennacherib or Nebuchadnezzar of Cyrus or Alexander or of all the Caesars or the rest of those great Names that have filled the world with their Fame who have subdued Kingdoms and led Nations Captive and made many glorious Triumphs Yea let no mention be made of the Victories of Joshua or Baruk or Gideon or Jephtha or Samson or Saul or Jonathan or David or of all his worthies who have Victoriously fought the Battles of the Lord against the Arms of flesh and whose Sword returned not empty from the blood of the slain Behold the greater Glory of this Victory in the Text which darkneth the lustre of all their Triumphs Their Acts were mira but this miraculum Their Victories were wonders but this a Miracle The Gates of Hell the power of Darkness the King of Terrors before whom all these Triumphing Victors at last fell fallen at the feet of the Saints Quest But if Believers be thus victorious and their Victory be so great and Glorious which you tell us as indeed it is How do they obtain it Where lieth the great strength of these Samsons Are they not all Clay of the same lump with other men Are they not the Sons of men Do we not know their generation Their Parents Brethren and Sisters are they not with us Whence then have these men these mighty Works Answ Truly they are so They are of the same Nature with other men promise no more than other nay less as to sense and reason for they are not many wise after the flesh not many mighty not many noble 1 Cor. 1. 26. and therefore we may well ask the question How they overcome The remaining Text will resolve this They get not the Victory by their own Sword neither do their own Arm save them But 3. The Victory is given them by God through our Lord Jesus Christ We will express this in three particulars 1. Jesus Christ disarmeth Death by his satisfaction 2. He destroyeth Death by his Resurrection 3. This Victory becomes the Believers by participation and communion with him 1. Jesus Christ disarms Death by his Satisfaction The sting of Death is sin saith the context and the strength of sin is the Law Sin being the Transgression of a Righteous Law hath in it a fundamentall demerit and natural obligation to punishment which is moreover Confirmed by the Laws threatning Thou shalt die the Death This is the sting of Death wherewith it is armed from the poyson power and pain whereof none can be delivered unless the obligation be voided by making satisfaction This being impossible to meer man Jesus Christ undertook it To which purpose our sins were translated on him by imputation Isa 53. 6. All we like Sheep have gone astray we have turned every on to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all He was made a Priest that he might offer Sacrifice to expiate this guilt and to Satisfie the Law Heb. 5. 4 5 6. And no man taketh this honour unto himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high Priest but he that said unto him Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee and again Thou art a Priest for ever c. The Sacrifice to be offered up by this Priest for this purpose must be an humane Soul and body for the Subjection of mans Soul and body to the curse of the Law was the punishment which the Law exacted for mans sin and wherewith only it would be satisfied This Soul and body did Christ assume Joâ— 1. 14. The word was made flesh Hebs 10. 5. When he cometh into the World he saieth Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not but a body hast thou prepared me For the Sanctification of this Sacrifice to be offered up to God there must be an Altar Math. 23. 19. The Altar Sanctifieth the gift which Altar was his divine nature Heb. 9. 14. Througth the eternal Spirit he offered himself And Joh. 17. 19. I sanctifie my self I as God sanctifie my self as man And being thus instructed he actually offered up himself to God Eph. 5. 2. Christ hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God He humbled himself and became obedient unto Death even the Death of the cross Phil. 2. 8. and so was made a Curse for us as it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree Gal. 3. 13. By this did Christ satisfie the Law expiate guilt cancelled the hand writing the obligation to punishment appeased the wrath of God and obtained remission of sins Eph. 1. 7. Thus did he finish transgression make an end of sins thus he made reconciliation for iniquity brought in Everlasting Righteousness Thus he disarmed death by making satisfaction 2. He destroyeth Death by his resurrection By his satisfaction he took away the power and efficacy of Death but by his resurrection he destroyed the very Being of death actually as to himself virtually as to believers Rom. 6. 9. Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more Death hath no more dominion over him and v. 10. For in that he died he died unto sin once Ad delendum peccatum ut semel in nihilum redigat peccatum in nobis saith Beza he died once for all utterly to blot out sin in us but in that he liveth he liveth unto God Apud Deum or secundum Deum vita caelesti et immortali a life worthy of God an heavenly and immortal life We read Joh. 11. 44. concerning Lazarus that he that was dead came forth There the power of Death was suspended at present that it could not hold him but the Being of Death remained for he rose to die again and therefore he came forth bound hand and foot with Grave-Clothes and his face was bound about with a Napkin But when Christ rose both the Power and the Being of Death ceased as to him and therefore he left his Grave-Clothes behind him and carryed nothing belonging to Death with him Joh. 20. 6. 7. The rising body of Christ was not only not dead but not mortal His body rose a glorious body a spiritual body an heavenly body Not only Death but mortality is swallowed up by the resurrection of Christ And as by the resurrection of Christ the Being of Death was destroyed actually as to himself so vertually to believers for
or resistance But how much greater will their horror and amazement be at the near approach and present appearance of this deadly Foe when their eyes shall be awakened and enlightned more clearly and convincingly to see its power and Terror and their heart more tender and sensible to feel the pain and poyson of its Mortal Sting Can thine heart endure or can thy hands be strong in the day when thy Flesh shall wast thy Spirits faint thy Strength fail the Sorrows of Death compass thee about the pains of Hell take hold on thee and Almighty wrath be renting thee in pieces like a Lion and there is none to deliver thee Surely a guilty Conscience a cursing Law an avenging Justice and present Death are a weight more insupportable than Talents of Lead than Rocks and Mountains enough to break the stoutest heart and will certainly damp the Courage of the most daring Sinner Where ever dwelt the man and what was his Name who was so hardy and confident as not to be moved yea not to be struck to the very heart at the sight of the Pale Horse coming amain upon him the Name of whose Rider is Death with Hell at his heels What thinkest thou O guilty Sinner Is thy state of sin so little dangerous that thou mayest securely rest in it Is Death so weakly Armed and art thou so strongly fortified that thou mayest bid defiance to its Assaults Wilt thou sin and laugh and sleep and drive away the Melancholy thoughts of thy approaching Terror by diverting to the Mirth and Follies and Vanities and Pleasures of a present Transitory and helpless World Reflect upon thy heart and ways review the number and Nature of thy multiplied and aggravated Transgressions throughout a long life have patience to hear the Charge of thy veracious and faithful Conscience and seriously consider with what a sharp and poisonous sting thou hast Armed Death against thine own Soul Run not the desperate hazard of being killed with Death Who ever hardened himself against this Terror of the Lord and fell not under it The stoutest hearted are spoiled they have slept their sleep and none of the men of Might have found their hands Wert thou Behemoth or Leviathan for strength and Courage were thy bones as strong pieces of Brass or like Bars of Iron were thy heart as firm as a stone yea as heart as a piece of the nether Milstone and thou a King among all the Children of pride yet shall this sword of the Lord approach thee and break thy bones and this arrow of the Almighty pierce thy heart and the poyson thereof shall Drink up thy spirit Flatter not thy self with vain hopes founded upon presumption or infidelity Think not the Lion to be painted fiercer then he is When thou hearest the menaces of Death the words of the Curse bless not thy self saying I shall have peace Make no Covenant with Death nor be at agreement with Hell Lest thou make lies thy refuge and under falshood hide thy self for thy Covenant with Death shall be disannulled and thy agreement with Hell shall not stand Thou hast but one method of safety one course to take Venture not alone in thy own strength to meet and encounter with thy mortal foe But Turn thee Turn thee to the tents of the Conquerour make hast to list thy self under the standard of the Prince of life Thou hast been told what is the sting of Death and where its strength lieth Do to it as the Philistines did to Sampson Cut off its locks Pluck out its sting Break off thy sins by repentance and work away thy guilt by faith in the blood of the Lamb that God may give thee Victory through Jesus Christ 2. How blessed and comfortable is the case of all true believers There are but two evils can make a man miserable Sin and Death The believer is freed from the Law of both It is indeed the irreversible Law and ordination of God that Believers die as well as others but withal It is their unspeakable distinguishing priviledge that their Death hath no sting no Curse no Victory over them Their Lord Jesus the Captain of their Salvation who died for them hath overcome Death disarmed Death Sanctified Death Sweetened Death Subjected Death to them and turned it to their advantage Death indeed cometh after the same visible manner upon the body of the Saint and of the sinner by Sword or Famine or Pestilence Consumption and burning Feaver with aches and pains whereby the earthly house of their tabernacle is dissolved Saul and Jonathan were not divided in their Death Ahab and Josiah fall alike in the battle by the hand of the Archers Stephen and Achan are both stoned The good and bad thief give up the Ghost together upon their Cross But as to their Souls how vastly different are their Deaths in the dispensation of God! The one is Cursed the other blessed in his Death On dieth in his Sin the other in the Lord One departs under wrath the other in peace The Spirit of one is delivered to Satan the Spirit of the other committed into the hands of God The Soul of one carried by Devils into the place of torment The Soul of the other carried by Angels into Abrahams bosome The one passeth from death to death The other passeth though death to Life This is the blessedness of the dead which die in the Lord. This is the happy Victory of the Saint over Death even in dying Of which difference of the death of Saint and sinner the sinner is sometimes so convinced that he cannot but wish with Balaam Let me die the Death of the Righteous and let my last end be like his It is the Saints happiness here both living and dying to have the Victory over death by faith which is to them the evidence and presenting of the future Resurrection not yet seen But it will be much more their happiness to have this Victory by sense as they shall in their glorious Resurrection Two things commend it 1. It is the Victory over the last enemy ver 26. and so implieth Victory over all enemies For if any remained this were not the last Sin and world and Devil are all conquered when Death is conquered Hold out then O believing Soul in thy Spiritual conflict Be thou faithful unto Death maintain thy Christian Courage against Death take hold of the strength of Christ and overcome it Thou shalt fight no mor but there remains thee Everlasting rest 2. It is the Victory of Christ which the Saints have in communion with him and so it is a Sure Victory He that got it by his Almighty power will by the same power keep it that it shall never be lost Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more and till Death can prevail over Christ it shall not prevail over the Christian Joh. 14. 19. Because I live saith Christ ye shall live also 3. Let Believers live and die as becomes those that
my Spirit from those words of the Prophet Isa 40. 27. Why sayest thou O Jacob and speakest O Israel my way is hid from the Lord and my judgment is passed over from my God And did encourage my Soul still to hope in God and wait for his strength from the following words v. 28 29. 31. Hast thou not known hast thou not heard if thou hast not known it by experience having found his everlasting Arms under thee for thy support yet hast thou not at least heard it that the everlasting God the Lord the Creator of the ends of the Earth fainteth not neither is weary He giveth power to the faint c. Continue thou therefore O my Soul to wait upon the Lord. Lord what an accursed hard heart have I that sin which grieves thee Gen. 6. 6. thy Son Mar. 3. 5. thy Spirit Eph. 4. 30. should not grieve me that sin which wearieth thee Isa 43. 24. should not be a burden to me that I should not be troubled for want of thy Presence when as the hiding of thy face made our Saviour cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me That Eternity and Judgment to come should make no impression upon me that I can hear yea speak of thy Word thy wrath c. and yet not fear thee not tremble at thy Word nor at this my Condition Feb. 19. Being Sabbath day Having formerly perceived a desperate hardness in my heart that that Word which works upon others should do me no good that no means no mercies did melt my Soul and almost despairing of ever having it softened After Prayer I was encouraged from the Lord in reading Mr. Hooker upon Act. 2. 37. who from those words When they heard these things they who had Crucified our Lord Christ were pricked at the heart raiseth this observation It is possible even for the most stubborn sinner to get a broken heart And now O my Soul Why art thou cast down Is not the Lord greater than thy heart Can Satan be more malicious to destroy thee than the Lord is merciful to save thee Yet the actings of my Faith hereupon are but faint Upon Examination of my self I have sometimes found that to mine own sense and feeling I have been altogether void of any love or fear of God and that I have been at such a time as unable to work up my heart into the Love and fear of God as to say to this Mountain Be thou removed and cast into the Sea Such wonderful deadness hath seised upon my Soul so greatly have I been enslaved and held captive by Satan that I have not been able truly to desire the Spirit of God O that my heart could bleed at the remembrance of this great evil that I should not only be cut off from Communion with God but be contented with this condition that I should have no groanings in Spirit to be delivered from this miserable bondage Be instructed hence O my Soul to ascribe every good motion to God if thou feelest any hungrings after Jesus Christ or any sorrow for want of Gods presence or the like own it as his work and bless him for it I have sometimes found my condition much like the man mentioned Joh. 5. who lay a long time by the pool of Bethesda but was not able to put himself in that he might be healed even so it is with my Soul Though God hath opened a Fountain for sin and for uncleanness to wash in and I find my Soul exceedingly polluted yet I am not able to step into this Fountain that I may be healed O my Soul the Lord seeth thy weakness and that thou hast been now a long time in this case wait thou on God Who can tell but that as the Bowels of Jesus Christ did yearn towards the poor man so may his Compassions be great towards thee and he may heal thee also Cease not to importune him saying Jesus thou Son of God have mercy on me O Lord heal my Soul Having at several times found diverse workings upon my heart as Convictions and thereupon some pantings and breathings after God but as yet nothing come to perfection I thought of and found that I had cause to take up the complaint of Hezekiah in another case It is a day of trouble and rebuke the Children are come to the Birth and there is no strength to bring forth Isa 37. 3. Some time after reading Isa 66. it seemed to me that that word v. 9. was suited to my Case Shall I bring to the Birth and not cause to bring forth saith the Lord Shall I cause to bring forth and shut the Womb saith thy God O my Soul wait thou on God who will perfect his own work in thee He hath said He will not break the bruised Reed nor quench the smoking Flax till he sent forth judgment unto Victory I have oftimes seen a Law in my Members warring against the Law of my mind and leading me into Captivity to the Law of sin and death So powerful and mighty have been the Actings of some inward corruptions that I have not been able to overcome them but have been hurried Captive by them Hereby I come to see that truth the heart of man is desperately wicked who can know it I cannot fathom the depth of iniquity which is in my heart Hereupon I am made to cry out with St. Paul O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of Death O Lord be not thou far from me but make hast to help me Let the sighing of the Prisoner come before thee proclaim liberty to thy Captive and the opening of the Prison door to him that is bound with the Chain of sin Isa 61. 1. Mar. 26. 1654. I find that though in my judgment and Profession I acknowledge Christ to be my Righteousness and Peace yet upon Examination I observe that my heart hath done quite another thing and that secretly I have gone about to Establish my own Righteousness and have derived my Comfort and Peace from my own Actings For when I have been disquieted by the Actings of my sin that which hath recovered me to my former Peace hath not been that I could find God speaking Peace through the blood of Christ but rather from the intermission of temptation and the cessation of those sins when I have been troubled at an evil frame of heart I do not find that the Righteousness of Christ hath been my Consolation but that which hath relieved me as far as I can find was that afterward I found my self in a better temper Having been in trouble and perplexity I have read the Scripture gone to Prayer and in doing these I have been relieved yet I do not find that at such times I had real true living Communion with God in such duties or that the Spirit of God did in those duties reveal to me my interest in Christ and so quiet my Conscience Hence I come to see
disunion and Separation of the Soul from the body so our spiritual life results from the Souls Union with Christ and spiritual death is our separation from him Now I feel my self as a poor withered branch cut off from this Vine unacquainted with the actings of this Spiritual life as living by faith Serving God in Spirit Mortifying Sin by the Spirit walking in the Spirit loving God above all things and seeking his Glory in all things I have sometimes Prayed against sin resolving against it striven with it avoided occasions thereto all which a natural man may do but sin hath returned upon me and overcome me How to fetch power from Christs death to mortifie sin how to believe in God for subduing it how to do it by the Spirit these have been mysteries to me Lord When shall the day dawn and the Day-Star arise in my heart When shall the Day-spring from on high visit my Soul to give light to him that sits in darkness and in the shadow of death Come Lord Jesus thou light of life Come quickly That which kept me a long time from resolving to give up my whole heart to God in Covenant was a fear that I should break my Covenant and so double my sin But I perceive since that this was but Satans policy to keep my heart from God and the true ground of my not doing this was not conscienciousness of sin as Satan once made me believe but a loathness to part with all sin and to serve God with all my heart A Strong encouragement thou hast O my Soul to enter Covenant with God to serve him with thy whole heart from that portion of his Word which thou didst read this morning May. 11. 1654. in Jer. 30. 21 22. Who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me saith the Lord Ye shall be my people and I will be your God Since my Covenanting with God I come to see more fully the truth of that place Rom. 8. 7. The carnal mind is enmity against God is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be For I find a Loathness to walk closely with God yea under a profession of Religion my carnal heart hath been at enmity to the power and life of it and this enmity hath lyen hid under and been covered with a performance of some duties which have not been destructive to that evil principle that hath lived in me Yea I find my carnal heart is hungring after the flesh-pots of Egypt after its old delights and sinful pleasures is ready to murmur against God in the wilderness and speaks of returning into Egypt and being impatient of the cross it revolts from God many a time and seeks relief and contentment from the creature Since my Covenanting with God I see more of thee treachery and hypocrisie of my heart I found my Soul for a while more tender of Sin and my heart seemingly engaged to serve the Lord. but I soon forgot the covenant that I had made and in a short space I did not find that my Covenanting had any influence on my heart or life So that I see I did but flatter the Lord with my mouth and lyed unto him with my tongue for my heart was not right with him neither was I stedfast in his Covenant Ps 78. 36 37. My unstedfastness in my Covenant with the Lord did arise as far as I perceive from these two grounds 1. My heart was not right with God when I made it there was not that inward cordial full resolution to part with all Sin and that for ever from an antipathy to it and dislike of it neither that inward resolution of cleaving to God to have him my All in All to take all my contentment and joy in him and to seek it in nothing else which should have been 2. I neglected my watch and did not as I should renew my Covenant often and engage my heart to walk with God and while I was slothful and negligent my heart was stolen away by the Devil and the World and is now in league again with Sin Lord make me upright and clear up to me my Sincerity Search me and try me and let me know the bottom of my heart Keep me upon my watch and guard that I may keep my Covenant Jul. 23. The Lord did awaken my Consience to such a sense of my sin and lost estate in the reading and hearing of his Word that when I went to Prayer I was before him as a lost creature being under wrath and the sentence of death lying in my blood and pollution Now whereas before I found my heart carried out in begging Sanctification I did now cry to God for the blood of Christ to wash away the guilt of my sin I did not before prize Justifying Grace so as now in some weak measure I was made to doe But I soon found an accursed hard heart in a little time I did not tremble at the wrath of God I have laboured to work these convictions upon my heart but I found such a roving heart such a slighty heart so possest with vanity that nothing would abide with it Lord unless thou savest me for thy mercies sake I perish Aug. 6. being Sabbath day In meditation on 1 Joh. 3. 23. This is his commandment that we should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ Considering with my self what this did imply viz. not only a relying upon God in Christ for the remission of Sin but for the pouring out of the Spirit Joh. 7. 38 39. which Spirit when it is given will shed abroad the love of God in our hearts Rom. 5. 5. and seal up the assurance of the remission of our sins and witness our addoption Rom. 8 16. will mortifie sin in us v. 13. and work all the works of God in us and for us all which I want and to which I haven been a long time convinced that I am unable And Considering further that this Spirit is the free gift of God Ps 51. 12. given not according to our works but of free mercy for the sake of Christ Tit. 3. 4. 5 6. And considering further that Jesus Christ had received Gifts of which the Gift of the Spirit is intended even for the rebellious that God might dwell among them Ps 68. 18. I found my heart encouraged to wait upon the Lord for the pouring forth of his Spirit upon me that I might have my heart renewed and sanctified and the remission of my sins sealed up to my Soul Afterwards considering further that the way whereby a poor soul that hath lost Gods image comes to be renewed in heart and mind and made partaker of the divine nature is by faith in the promises 2 Pet. 1. 4. and observing how Isaac who inherits the blessing was not born by the strength of Nature but by promise and as Isaac was born through the promise so are all believers Gal. 4. 28. not of the will of man
Suffer little Children to come unto me and from observing how prevalent faith and Prayer is with God for the remission of sins and salvation of others as well as our own souls Math. 9. 2. Jesus seeing their faith said Son be of good cheer thy sins be forgiven thee So 1 Joh. 5. 16. If a man see his Brother sin a sin which is not unto death he shall ask of God and he shall give him life Now I Considered that though my child had sins incident to Childhood yet it had not sinned the sin unto death and therefore I concluded that if I asked of God he would give it life Jam. 5. 15. The Prayer of faith shall save the sick and if he hath commited sins they shall be forgiven him Math. 15. 22 28. The woman of Canaan's faith and Prayer availed with Christ for the Casting the Devil out of her daughter Now God helping me to act faith for my child upon the account of his covenant and stiring me by his Spirit often to pray for my Child I was thereby encouraged to hope for its Salvation When my Child died the same day the small Pox began to appear upon my Sister I knew not what breaches God might be about to make in my family but as I was hearing the word the Ministers treating on Gods intention to glorifie himself by all afflictions that he laid upon his people from that Scripture Isa 5. 15 16. this word Satisfied me that whatever judgments God should bring upon me or my family he would exalt and glorifie his own Name by them hereupon I submitted and resigned up my self to God to do with me and mine what he pleased Yet I was then under the sense of sin which weakned my faith and made me fearful I should not bear up chearfully if I should be visited while under the sense of guilt But I was much encouraged in meditation from Mic. 7. 8 9. When I sit in darkness the Lord will be a light unto me This faith they held when their affliction was attended with the sense of sin for it followeth I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him I was also much encouraged by viewing the promises that I had collected to comfort my self with when I was in danger of contagious diseases Especially those two viz Ps 41. 12. As for me thou settest me before thy face for ever and this was when under an evil disease v. 8 which was the fruit of his sin ver 4. and Ps 38. 5 7. My wounds stink and are corrupt my loyns are filled with a loathsome disease c. though in this visitation he was afflicted with the sense of sin and of Gods displeasure v. 1 2 3 4 and was deprived of the Comfortable Society of his relations and friends v. 11. yet he kept up his hope in God v. 15. In a little time after I had the sense of guilt taken off while I was studying my Sermon to remove the fears of Death Jun. 12. As I was reading Act. 6. in my Evening course by my self I observed by comparing ver 4. 7. that upon the Apostles giving themselves Continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word the number of the disciples encreased greatly in Jerusalem and a great company of the Priests were obedient to the faith I was instructed and affected with it and saw it was necessary I should pray much as well as Preach much if I would convert many Souls and that upon giving my self to prayer and to the ministry of the word I was in the most likely way to convert many Souls to Christ The Priests were the chiefest opposers of the Gospel Act. 4. 1 2. the chiefest persecuters of Christ Math. 16. 21. and 20 18. the most active in putting Christ to death Mar. 15. 10 11. Luk. 19. 47. the multitude that came to apprehend Christ were sent by the Priests Joh. 18. 3. the false witnesses were suborned by the Priests Math 26. 59. yet by the power of prayer and the word these Priests were brought in by great numbers to the faith of Christ and the obedience of the Gosple Jun. 25. about three of the Clock in the morning being Lords day my Wife was delivered of a Daughter and that morning the Lord sent a very plentiful rain The Tuesday before we kept a day of humiliation for my Wifes safe delivery and to seek the Lord for rain and the Lord gave a gracious answer to the prayers of that day both at one time Jul. 31. I saw the plague of my heart breaking out I argued against my corruption yet it overcame me and led me captive it wounded me that I should still sin against God even while under his Correcting hand My faith was revived by that Scripture Isa 57. 17 18. I Smote him he went on frowardly in the way of his own heart I have seen his ways and will heal him I was much encouraged from that word I will heal him which imports the Subduing as well as the pardoning of sin Aug. 2. I was encouraged to write something that might be useful for my generation from Jer. 36. 1 2 3 4 5. Two things especially from that Scripture did put me forward to this 1. writing of the word of God is a means to Convert souls and to lead them to repentance 2. this Command for writing was given when Jeremiah was shut up and could not preach as usually and such was my case viz I was debarred from publick preaching hereupon I apprehended God called me to write Sept. 6. Being fast day As I came from Church I received a letter from Mr. J. which acquainted me that my Son Samuel was very ill that day I spent somewhat unprofitably I was not affected as I ought with publick judgments and the misery of others and therefore it was just with God to bring affliction into my family the next day my Wife and I went over to see our Child and after we had been with it about five or six hours it died very suddenly I was troubled that I did not pray with it before it died which was occasioned by being in anothers family and my not apprehending death to be near This stroak coming soon after my removal from Colchester I communed with my heart whether I had sinned in removing from that place and my conscience did not at that time charge me with sin in removing my habitation I was Comforted in calling to mind Gods dealing with Jacob who met with many afflictions in those removes which he made at the command of God He was pursued by his Uncle put into great fear by his Brother loseth Deborah his Mothers nurse and Rachel his beloved Wife His Sons Reuben Simeon and Levi fell into foul sins c. Hence I saw that God trieth his dear Servants with sudden and sore afflictions in those places to which they have removed at the call of God Sept. 24. I enjoyed the opportunity
cure of the fear of Death All which he well understood not only by Speculation but by Experience He who had gained the best Interest and could upon good ground say My Beloved is mine and I am his He who aimed at the best End and industriously pursued it viz. the Glory of God was doubtless so fortified with the grace Consolation and Covenant of God as to triumph over the King of Terrors Having the testimony of his Conscience that in Integrity and Sincerity of heart he had fulfilled his general and particular calling and served his generation by the will of God and having the assurance of Gods Holy Word for his reward in a better World It was no difficulty to him to die He was so far above the fear of Death that he seemed altogether unconcerned at it as to the terror of it or danger after it both in sickness and in health In his perfect health Considering the evil of the day he lived in he would often say It is a good time to die I am content to live and willing to die To me to live is Christ I have no other design of life then to serve Christ He breathed out with Greg Turon Domine siad huc Populo tuo sim necessarius fiat Voluntas tua Desidero quietem non recuso laborem If God hath further Service for me to do I am content to live else I rather choose to die Such clear apprehensions he had of the Glory of Heaven and such full assurance of hope thereof that as he expressed himself to his Friend he looked upon all that this world can afford as dross and dung compared with it As death was not terrible so neither was it unexpected to him He presaged it long before it came He told his Friend conversing with him more than a year before he died that he had apprehensions that he should not long live and that for some time past God had inclined his heart to study how a Christian might get above the fear of death And what he found to be his strength and Consolation against that last enemy he had digested into method and for his own and others use Committed it to writing and had almost finished it and did then lay an obligation upon his friend in case he did Survive him to perform the last office for him and commended to him for his Subject 1 Cor. 15. 57. as the testimony of his affectionate and hearty thanksgiving unto God who gave him the Victory over the fear of Death through Jesus Christ our Lord. This was no vain presage though yet he had a Strong constitution of body which he had used with all temporance and Sobriety and was then in his full strength and the maturity of his age Scarce declining from his state of Consistency His natural temper did somewhat incline him to feaverish diseases A feaver having Commission from God seised on him Aug. 31. This Visitation of God as all former he accepted with all Patience and Submission Casting himself on the care and resigning himself up to the will of his Heavenly Father His disease encreasing and strength declining he told some about him that he had some apprehensions he should and desires also if God pleased to have died a Martyr but now he thought he should not Adding withal God is wiser than I and knoweth my weakness Discharging his dying office by grave exhortations and encouragement to Serious Religion and Suffering for it which he especially applied to his only Child Owning and professing his Nonconformity to the last as judging himself obliged thereto in Conscience towards God Blessing God for his invaluable Gift of Jesus Christ to the children of men Blessing God who had called him to the honourable employment of the Ministry of the Gospel and had enabled him to be faithful therein and encouraged him with his presence and blessing under all the difficulties thereof Blessing God who had lifted him up above the fear of Death Rejoycing in the peace and testimony of a good Conscience and hope of the Glory of God after 10 or 11 days conflict with his disease which after some hope of recovery very suddenly and unexpectedly seised his head He quietly slept in the Lord Sept. 10. 1680. in the one and fiftieth year of his age This being the blessed exit of this Eminent Saint methinks I hear him say to those he left behind as his dying Saviour to the daughters of Jerusalem Weep not for me I have died in peace am entred into peace am at rest in my bed have passed through Jordan and am come to Canaan I am beyond sin and sorrow and trouble and labour am come to the Heavenly Jerusalem to an innumerable company of Angels and the spirits of just men made perfect and to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant to that Eternal Sabbath that remains the people of God Weep not for me And doth he not also add weep for your selves You shall see my face no more you shall enjoy communion with me no more you shall hear my voice no more I shall despense the Gospel to you no more Ye shall come to me but I shall return to you no more O what is the meaning of this dark providence that in such a day as this God should call from his work one so fully instructed so willingly zealous to serve him and his Church in the Gospel of his Son Whether God hath done this in his just displeasure for the unprofitableness unthankfulness and itching ears of those that enjoyed so precious a blessing Or whether to warn us of some approaching dreadful judgment from which he hath hid this and other his holy Servants in their graves or whether both it concerns us seriously to consider and upon either account he may say to us Weep for your selves We read 2 King 13. 20 21. Elisha died and they buried him and the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the Coming in of the year And it came to pass as they were burying a man that behold they Spied a band of men and they cast the man into the Sepulchre of Elisha and when the man was let down and touched the bones of Elisha he revived and stood upon his feet and Judg. 16. 30. The dead which Sampson slew at his death were more than them which he slew in his life In allusion to which I conclude with this wish God avert the bands of the Moabites but would to God the dead in sin would apply their dead hearts to the Sepulchre of this dead Prophet that at the touching of his bones they might live and that the providence of his death may be more effectual to the mortifying of sin in Survivers than all the labours of his life Mors Triumphata OR THE SAINTS VICTORY OVER DEATH Opened in a FUNERAL SERMON Preached upon the occasion of the Death of that Eminent Servant and Minister of Jesus Christ Mr. Owen Stockton M. A. Sometimes Fellow
of G. and C. Colledge in Cambridge afterward Preacher of Gods Word at Colchester in Essex By John Fairfax M. A. Hos 13. 14. I will ransom them from the power of the Grave I will redeem them from death O Death I will be thy Plagues O Grave I will be thy Destruction London Printed for T. P. 1681. THE SAINTS VICTORY OVER DEATH Opened in a FUNERAL SERMON Upon the occasion of the Death of M r. OWEN STOCKTON 1 Cor. 15. 57. But thanks be to God who giveth us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ SO soon as Sin entred into the world Death the King of terrors being therewith Armed began its Reign and hath Reigned not only from Adam to Moses over the race of Mankind but even to this day And as a Merciless Cruel insatiable Tyrant affrights the world making horrible Slaughters not at the rate of Saul and David who slew their Thousands and their ten Thousands but Death slayeth Universally beyond number from the Infant to the Aged from the dunghil to the Throne sparing neither Age nor Sex neither base nor Honourable neither great nor small neither Sacred nor Prophane The Cry of this misery of man being very loud reached up to Heaven and entred into the Ears of God that made him who heard regarded and pitied and in infinite mercy Ordained and Commissioned his own and Only Son the Lord Jesus Christ to be a Prince of Life and Captain of Salvation to miserable men to Redeem a remnant from the Terror Power and Tyranny of this All-devouring All-destroying Enemy The Son of God readily accepts this honourable Office and accordingly cometh down from Heaven and becometh Incarnate among the Sons of men to discharge it And girding his Sword upon his thigh in his Majesty he rode prosperously and his right hand taught him terrible things Having first trampled under his feet the forlorn hope of the Enemy Poverty Hunger Thirst Labour Weariness Griefs Persecutions Mockings Buffetings Scourging and acutest Pains he forthwith enters into the very Region of Death the Land of Darkness Encounters Disarmeth Overcometh and Destroyeth the King of Terrors in his own Territory the Grave leading Captivity Captive and Triumphing in a powerful and glorious Resurrection The vertue and benefit of which Victory he Communicates to all his followers the noble Army of Conflicting Saints listed under his exalted Banner In token whereof the Graves were opened and many bodies of Saints which slept arose and came out of their Graves after his Resurrection Mat. 27. 52 53. This glorious Conquest is the Apostles comfortable Argument throughout this Chapter Where he first Asserts and proves the Resurrection of Christ to vers 20. Concluding Now is Christ risen from the dead From whence he infers proves and illustrates the Resurrection of the Saints with the order and manner thereof from vers 20 to 55. In the Faith and Contemplation whereof he cannot contain himself but breaketh forth into this triumphant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 boldly challenging daring defying and out-braving Death vers 55. 56 57. O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy Victory The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law But thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ In which last words the Subject to be discoursed on there are four things observable The Enemy The Victory The Victors and the Triumph 1. First The Enemy which is supposed in the Text but expressed in the Context ver 55 56. viz. Death Armed by sin strengthned by the Law 2. Secondly The Victory over this Enemy that is The destruction of Death as to its terror and power 3. Thirdly The Victors who are Christ first and with him all that are Christ's ver 23. Every of whom shall be made alive in his own order Christ first afterward they that are Christs All that Harvest whereof Christ is the First-fruits vers 20. 4. Fourthly Th◠Triumph Thanks be to God The three former we will sum up in this Doctrinal Proposition Doctr. Believers are victorious over Death through Jesus Christ From whence the fourth will be inferred by most just and due Consequence Thanks be to God In speaking to which that we may the more commend and magnifie the Victory we will First Represent to you the Enemy over which the Victory is gotten viz. Death Corporal death for as is the Resurrection such must be the Death The Resurrection which the Apostle here argueth is of the body vers 35. How are the dead raised up And with what body do they come vers 44. It is sown a Natural body it is raised a Spiritual body And vers 53. This corruptible must put on Incorruption and this mortal must put on Immortality Such therefore must be the Death Concerning which as an Enemy take this account 1. It is a spoiling Enemy That devests a man of all his wordly Enjoyments Houses and Lands Gold and Silver the fruits of the Earth the encrease of Corn and Wine the pleasures of the flesh sensual delights the light of the Sun Society with men Conversation with friends the Comfort of Relations Husband Wife Father Mother Sons and Daughters Brethren and Sisters How sweet near and dear are these to the Living But when Death cometh it spoils him of all and puts an utter and everlasting end to his use and enjoyment of them and turneth him naked out of the world Psal 49. 16 17. Be not thou afraid when one is made rich when the Glory of his house is encreased For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away his glory shall not descend after him and vers 19. They shall never see light Which our Saviour exemplifieth in a Parable Luk. 12. 16. to vers 20. The rich mans ground brought forth plentifully till he said to his Soul Soul thou hast much goods laid up for many years take thine ease eat drink and be merry But the sad tidings of Death are next brought him This night shall thy Soul be required And what is the Consequence Whose shall those things be which thou hast provided Not thine be sure All thy interest in them is lost for ever It was Hezekia's Lamentation when it was told him that he should die Isa 38. 11. I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world And as Death spoils a man of all his possessions so also of his projects before him Ps 146. 4. His breath goeth forth he returneth to his Earth in that very day his thoughts perish And of all his hopes too Job 27. 8. What is the hope of the hyprocrite though he hath gained when God taketh away his Soul Death is a spoiling Enemy 2. It is a Surprising enemy It cometh upon a man as a thief in the night 1 Thes 5. 2. when he little dreameth of it and taketh him as a snare Eccl. 9. 12. Man knoweth not his time As the birds are caught in the snare so are the Sons of men
and delusions that are in the hearts of sinners such instances would not be rare but it would be a wonder how any sinner could die in his sin and in his wits too from such a fear as this Believers are delivered Though they may and do experience some measure of fears yet God doth always support with some degree of hope that they let not go all their hold of the Covenant of God In a word Believers are so far victorious over the fear of death that if they understand their case aright they have no cause to be afraid of death when they are they are more afraid than hurt The Hornet having lost its sting may threaten with its humming noise but cannot prick the flesh so death where sin is pardoned which is itssting may afright with its horrid aspect but cannot hurt 3. Death is overcome to Believers in that it cannot hold them by its power It is indeed the unalterable Law of Heaven that all must die And accordingly Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the Patriarchs Moses and Samuel and Isaiah and all the Prophets Peter and James and John and all the Apostles yea all the Saints from Adam to this generation are fallen asleep and shut up in their Graves But shall the Grave always contain them Are they there kept in an everlasting Prison under locks and bars that cannot be opened Did making the Sepulchre sure Sealing the stone and setting a Watch forbid Christs Resurrection No surely I went down saith Jonah a Type of the Resurrection to the bottoms of the Mountains the Earth with her bars was about me for ever yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption O Lord my God Jon. 2. 6. And though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold and not another though my reins be consumed within me saith Job ch 19. 26 27. Though the Saints be descended to the depths of the sea and hid in the bowels of the Earth and their bodies resolved into the farthest dust and that dust dispersed to the four Winds yet shall they be recovered and rise again The Sea shall not contain the dead that are in it nor the Graves the dead that are in them Their scattered atoms shall be recollected and reared up again to a goodly body Behold there shall be a shaking and their dry bones shall come together bone to his bone and lo the sinews and the flesh shall come up upon them and the skin shall cover them above And thus shall the Lord God say Come from the four Winds O breath and breath upon these slain that they may live and the breath shall come into them and they shall live and stand up upon their feet Ezek. 37. 7 8 10. This is it which the Apostle asserts here throughout the Chapter concluding that then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in victory Object But what more victory is this than what unbelievers shall have for they also shall rise again Answ Yes it is more beyond all comparison Joh. 5. 28 29. All that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth they that have done good unto the Resurrection of life and they that have done evil to the Resurrection of damnation The wicked shall rise but from death Temporal to death Eternal to die the second death This is Death's Victory over them The Godly shall rise from Death temporal to Life eternal to die no more This is the Saints Victory over Death 4. Death is so overcome to Believers as to be made serviceable and advantageous to them And this is the fulness and perfection of Victory when the Enemy is brought in Subjection to serve the Conquerour The Apostle in this Epistle reckons Death to be part of the Saints Inventory ch 3. 21 22. All things are yours whether Paul or Apollos or Life or Death And elsewhere he calleth it gain Phil. 1. 21. to die is gain What gain Answ 1. In reference to the present state Death is 1 st The end of Sin With the body of Flesh the body of Sin is also put off from which St. Paul longed to be delivered Rom. 7. 24. Here the best of Saints have their corruptions infirmities imperfections but at Death the Spirits of just men are made perfect Heb. 12. 23. 2 ly The end of all Sorrows There are no Pains or Diseases or Griefs or Losses or Crosses or Persecutions in the Grave Job 3. 17 18 19. There 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 The small and great are there and the Servant is free from his Master 3. Rest from Labours It is no light burden of works that is upon a Christians hand no small labour to discharge the duties of his general and particular Calling What saith the Scripture Labour work watch run strive wrastle fight give diligence endure hardness press forward c. But blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours Rev. 14. 13. The day of the Saints Death is his happy Jubilee when he is set at liberty and goeth out free from his Service Thus is Death gain in reference to the presence state 2. In reference to the future state for 1 st As for the Soul it being released from the body is admitted into the Heavenly Jerusalem to an innumerable company of Angels to the Spirits of just men made perfect and to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant Heb. 12. This day saith Christ to a dying Saint shalt thou be with me in Paradise Luk. 23. 43. St. Paul desires to depart that he might be with Christ which is far better Phil. 1. 23. 2 ly As for the body Death serves to refine it for 1 Cor. 15. 50. This I say that Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God neither doth corruption inherit incorruption These bodies which we now carry are so gross and corruptible they are not meet for an heavenly state They die that they may be changed Phil. 3. 21. They are sown in corruption to be raised in incorruption sown in dishonour to be raised in Glory sown in weakness to be raised in power sown Natural bodies to be raised Spiritual The old decayed house is taken down to be built anew and these weak crasie bodies are laid in the Earth to rise afresh This corruptible is corrupted that it may put on incorruption and this Mortal dieth that it may put on Immortality Thus is this Enemy overcome and made to serve as a mean and advantage to the Believers happiness This indeed is a glorious Victory over a very mighty and formidable Enemy So great and wonderful that it far exceeds the hope of Nature Flesh and Blood cannot believe the report thereof Paul's discourse of the Resurrection
even as to them he hath abolished Death and brought life and immortality to light 2 Tim. 1. 10. Saith Christ Rev. 1. 18. I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore Amen and have the keyes of Hell and Death The keyes are the Ensign of power Christ by his resurrection hath obtained authority over Death to quicken whom he pleaseth to shut and open the grave And his promise is to exercise this power for his people Joh. 6. 44. I will raise him up at the last day Hos 13. 14. I will ransome them from the power of the grave I will redeem them from death Notwithstanding all the improbabilities yea impossibilities in Nature yet he saith to them as to Cyrus Isa 54. 2. I will go before thee and break in pieces the Gates of Brass and cut in sunder the barrs of Iron On which account St. Peter begins his Epistle v. 3. with thanksgiving Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope i. e. hope of eternal life as v. 4. by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead It is observable what the Apostle saith here he hath begotten us by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ The Resurrection of Jesus Christ hath a secret generating influence upon the Resurrection of the Saints who are therefore called by our Saviour Luke 20. 36. The Children of the Resurrection which leadeth to 3. This Victory becomes the believers by participation and Communion with Him They communicate with him in the value of his satisfaction and they communicate with him in the vertue of his Resurrection 1. They communicate with him in the value of his Satisfaction whereby the sting of Death is taken out as to them to wit the guilt of sin done away By the Covenant of Redemption between the Father and Christ it was eternally agreed that Christ should be their Surrogate Substitute and Surety to undertake for them in their nature Joh. 10. 18. No man taketh my life from me but I lay it down of my self there is Christs Consent This Commandment have I received of my Father there 's the Fathers Consent So Hebr. 10. 7. Then said I Lo I come to do thy will O God Accordingly he became man and our surety and thereby one with us in the Sense of the Law as the principal debtor and Surety are looked upon as one person in Law Thus our debt became his debt he was bound for us and saith to his Father on our behalf as Judah to Joseph on the behalf of Benjamin Gen. 44. 32. 33. Thy Servant became Surety for the lad unto my Father Now therefore I pray thee let thy Servant abide in stead of the lad a bondman to my Lord And the punishment due to us became his Isa 53. 4 5. Surely he hath born our greifs and carried our Sorrows He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities c. And thus by vertue of the same Suretyship when he had undergone the punishment and Satisfied the Law and taken his discharge which was testified by his Resurrection His Satisfaction becomes our Satisfaction and his discharge our discharge Jer. 23. 6. He is the Lord our Righteousness Gal. 3. 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us Rom. 8. 33 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect Who is he that Condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again No Law doth demand both of the principal and the Surety too They are bound to pay disjunctively one or the other Therefore when Christ was apprehended he said to the Officers that took him Joh. 18. 8. If ye seek me let these my disciples go their way 2. They communicate with him in the vertue of his Resurrection Christ rose from the dead not only as a surety discharged from prison when he had paid the debt and thereby cancelling the obligation of the principal but also as a vital head to quicken and raise all his body the Church For the same Spirit of life which is in Christ and quickened his dead body is also in the church and in every particular member thereof and will certainly quicken their dead bodies Rom. 8. 11. 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 or because of his Spirit that dwelleth in you He saith not your dead bodies but your mortal bodies to denote this quickening to be not only from death to life but from mortality to immortality as was the resurrection of Christ He that eateth me saith Christ Joh. 6. 5 7. that is by faith there is union with Christ even he shall live by me there is communion with Christ as necessarily consequent And what that life is he expresseth four times in that chap. ver 39 40 44 54. I will raise him up at the last day Hence Christ is said to be our life Col. 3. 4. and we are said to be quickened with Christ Col. 2. 13. and risen with Christ Eph. 2. 6. It is from the vertue of Christs Resurrection that Job argueth to his own Job 19. 25 26. I know that my Redeemer liveth c. And though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God And this is the argument which the Apostles so industriously improves throughout this Chapter assuring the Resurrection of believers by the Resurrection of Christ Christ rose as the first-fruits of them that sleep which sanctifieth and assureth the whole harvest ver 20. If the first Adam dying derived Death to all his natural seed much more shall the second Adam rising communicate life to all his Spiritual seed ver 22. yea such intimate and necessary connexion is there between the Resurrection of Christ and the Resurrection of believers that the Apostle argueth both forward and backward from the one to the other ver 12 13 16. The Saints then shall one day feel the quickening influences of their vital head upon their dead bodies and experimentally know the power of his Resurrection Recovering them from the power of the grave to rise and live with him for ever Which is so certain that the Apostle speakes of it as already done Eph. 2 6. He hath raised us up Applicat 1. How sad and woful is the Case of unbelievers who have no share in this Glorious and Blessed Victory no interest in the satisfaction and Resurrection of this Prince of life but are left to shift for themselves alone all forlornly exposed to the invincible Assaults of the King of Terrors Do they not tremble at a distance at the fore-thoughts of that dark and dismal hour when this spoiling destroying abhorred and dreadful Enemy shall surprize them and peremptorily require their precious life beyond all denial