three things are remarkable 1. Their Souls immediately are with Christ. The Apostle for encouragement-sake seems to put this into death's definition Phil. 1. 23 For I am in a strait betwixt two having a desire to be dissolved or to depart and to be with Christ which is far better The Saints as soon as absent from the body are present with the Lord 2 Cor. 5. 8 9 We are confident says the Apostle and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord wherefore we labour that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him That opinion of the Souls sleeping and dying with the Body and resting sensless till the resurrection is absurd and impious Christ says Fear not them which can kill the body but are not able to kill the soul Mat. 10. 28. If the Sould did dye with the Body man would have power over both and might cast the Soul as well as the Body into a dead sleep But our Lord affirms man is not able to kill the Soul which is an undeniable argument to prove its immortality and surviving after its separation it goes immediately to Christ if it hath been sanctified Stephen commended his spirit into Christs hands Act. 7. 59. 2. Believers bodies after death has divided their Souls from them are still united unto Christ Our very Bodies are called the Temples of the Holy Ghost and the Members of Christ 1 Cor. 6. 15 19. And the mystical Union between Christ and his Members is lasting nay everlasting The dead Saints do sleep in Jesus they are in Jesus while asleep 1 Thes 4. 14. 'T is comfortable seriously to meditate upon that relation and consequently that respect and care that Christ has to and of the carcasses of his deceased Servants even these are still his Members and by vertue of that Union shall rise again at the last day 3. The death of Believers is compared to a sleep for after a while they shall be awaked I grant the ungodly shall wake too but in order to punishment 't were better for them to sleep eternally Believers Bodies and Souls that are parted by death shall one day be reunited 'T will surely be a joyful meeting of those two dear Companions that have been so long separated especially they being both changed so much from what they were when before together for the Soul will in the most perfect manner partake of the Divine Nature and the Body that is now a vile one will be like to Christs glorious body Phil. 3. ult Not another Body but the same for substance shall rise again else 't would not be a Resurrection but a new Creation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This mortal shall put on immortality and this corruptible shall put on incorruption 1 Cor. 15. 53. In the second place I am to speak of the sting of death Now if you ask what that is the Apostle explains his own meaning in the verse following the Text The sting of death is sin As sin has caused death it self so all the terror and bitterness of it is the effect of sin Sin is certainly committed upon a very great mistake only those keep their sins who know not what they are The Apostle cautions against being hardened through the deceitfulness of sin Heb. 3. 13. None are obstinate in sin but those that are deceived by it Sin is fancied to be full of pleasure and 't is represented as if 't were all honey but 't is a sting the very sting of death It may be compared to a sting in these three respects 1. Sin like a sting pierces It pierced Christ it pierces us That which no weapon can reach sin can wound and that 's the Soul Diogenes Laertius tells us that when Anaxarchus was In vitâ Anaxar 〈◊〉 driven to Cyprus and taken by Nicocreon the Tyrant there and horribly beaten as in a Mortar with a Pestle he cried out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beat on beat on the windbag of Anaxarchus for Anaxarchus himself thou canst not hurt But though weapons cannot touch the Soul sin strikes deepest there Against this the Apostle says our fleshly lusts do war and therefore beseeches us to abstain from them 1 Pet. 2. 11. 2. Sin like a sting pains Cain was thus pained when he cried out My punishment is greater than I can bear Pashur was thus pained when he deserved the name of Magor Missabib Terror round about Judas also was thus pained when in the height of despair and horror he put a period to his burthensom life with his own hands Oh the horror and raging torment that sin causes in the conscience A wounded spirit who can bear says Solomon Prov. 18. 14 intimating there is no pain like the smart of those wounds 3. Sin like a sting poisons 'T is compared to venom and that of creatures most venomous Deut. 32. 33 Their wine is the poison of Dragons and the cruel venom of Asps This was all the fruit which those which the Lord had once planted a noble Vine yielded How harmless soever sin is thought 't is rank poison Job 20. 12 14 Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth though hide de it under his tongue though he spare it and forsake it not yet at length it proves the gall of Asps within him You see in what respect sin is called a sting But here it may be demanded Is all sin the sting of death Miserable then must the end of all needs be for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God Rom. 3. 23. In many things all still offend Jam. 3. 2. There is not a just man upon earth that does good and sins not Eccl. 7. 20. I answer in these particulars 1. All by sin have deserved death accompanied with its greatest horror We read Rev. 6. 8 of a pale horse and the name of him that sat on him was death 'T is represented as on horseback to shew the speed and haste it makes but behold a terrible second it follows Hell followed with him and truly 't were just that Death and Hell should be inseparable The Grave in the Old Testament is frequently called Hell to signifie that sin has indeed joined the Grave and Hell together and how righteous 't is that one should always follow upon the other 2. In sin we are to take notice of two things the strength of it and the dominion of it and those that are under both these death comes with a sting to them But whoever are redeemed and made free from sins strength and dominion are under grace and death is unstung before it comes to them 1. We are to take notice of the strength of sin Now the Apostle informs us that the strength of sin is the Law 1 Cor. 15. 56. Therefore sin is so powerful to bind over to condemnation because the transgression of a Law and therefore to such dreadful and eternal vengeance because the Law transgressed is the Law of so
hand left with his Relict to be Printed A SERMON Preached at the Funeral of Mr. James Janeway March 20 1673 4. 1 COR. 15. 55 former part O death where is thy sting I Am verily perswaded that in this great Assembly there are not many but what are real Mourners Although the pompous Ceremonies of a Funeral are wanting yet I am confident few have been attended with more sad hearts to their graves than he that is now to be carried thither The loss of a Saint is a great loss not only because such are so useful and profitable while they live but their removal also is no good Omen their departing is like Lot's out of Sodom before its overthrow Their housing in Heaven is like Noah's getting into the Ark before the Old World was drowned The Prophet tells us That the righteous are taken away from the evil to come Isa 57. 1. But the loss of a Minister that has been zealous and industrious and whose great design was to turn many unto righteousness is yet more to be laid to heart Is not Gods controversie great when the Ambassadors of peace are called home May we not justly be afraid of losing the Treasure when the Vessels that contain it are broken so fast in pieces When faithful Labourers are still growing fewer may we not suspect there are not many more among us to be gathered Surely then great lamentations aking hearts sad countenances and sadder spirits very well become this days Solemnity What David of old said over his dead and dear Jonathan 2 Sam. 1. 26 I cannot abstain from using I am distressed for thee my brother Janeway I am distressed for thee very pleasant hast thou been unto me and so thou wast to all that knew thee Thy love to Souls was wonderful and therefore every Soul should be concerned at thy leaving the world that thy work is come to an end He is gone alas he is gone he is gone We shall never see his face nor hear his voice more But as his life was exceeding so also was his death edifying He had a sore conflict indeed but afterwards a glorious conquest and was a Triumphant Saint before his expiration O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory In this Chapter the Apostle Paul looked by the eye of Faith to the end of the world nay he looked beyond it his Faith was the substance of things hoped for and render'd things unseen evident He saw already the Lord Jesus upon his great white Throne sitting to judg the world in righteousness He saw the bodies that were sown in corruption raised in incorruption that were sown in dishonour raised in glory that were sown in weakness raised in power He saw Believers rescued out of the prison of the grave and placed at the right hand of Christ with Crowns on their heads palms in their hands mortality being totally swallowed up of life And this makes him thus triumph and say O death where is thy sting I shall not trouble you with the various readings of this Text which I have met with nor spend time in shewing the agreement between these words and those of the Prophet Hosea c. 13. 14 O death I will be thy plague from whom many are of opinion they are borrowed though Calvin thinks that the Apostle does not professedly cite the Prophet but only does accommodate a Sentence that is very pious and was very well known to his present purpose I shall adhere to that reading which you have and being thus read the words are not only sound but very full of consolation Chrysostome here admires 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bravery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 B. in 1 Ep. ad Cor. of the Apostles spirit who looked upon future things as past and done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sings a song of Victory over that last Enemy the thoughts of which terrifie and astonish the most among the children of men In the words you may observe 1. The Person triumphing the Apostle Paul whose Faith was strong concerning the Resurrection and his assurance well-grounded of his interest in Christ who is the resurrection and the life And the Apostle triumphs that other Believers might grow fearless being emboldened by his greatness of spirit 2. What is triumphed over and that is death Death which is the King of terrors which tames the proudest which pulls down the most mighty which is an Universal Monarch and none are able to withstand but all are forced to pay homage to it by stooping and lying before it in the dust This notwithstanding is triumphed over 3. The reason of this triumph the sting of death is taken out and consequently that which renders death so dreadful is removed The Text doth afford us two Doctrines 1. Death comes to a Believer without a sting 2. The Believer may triumph over Death Doct. 1. I begin with the first of these Doctrines Death comes to a Believer without a sting It is appointed unto men once to dye Heb. 9. 27. And this Statute as it changes not so it reaches all Holy men return to the dust as well as others But though they are not exempted from the stroke yet they are from the sting of death In the prosecuting of this Doctrine I shall First Speak concerning Death Secondly Concerning the Sting of Death Thirdly Shew how Believers come to be delivered from this Sting Lastly Make Application In the first place I am to speak concerning Death And 1. I find Affliction in Scripture sometimes called by that name Exod. 10. 27 when Egypt was afflicted with the Locusts Pharaoh cries out Intreat the Lord your God that he may take away from me this death only Afflictions have stings too which Christ only can take out As Sin turns our blessings into cursings so it makes every bitter cup poison But Believers are pardoned and sanctified and therefore though they are exercised with the Cross yet the Curse of the Cross is taken away 2. Hell is likewise called Death Rev. 21. 18 The lake which burns with fire and brimstone is the second death This death is the separation of the Soul from God the chiefest good and the enduring of those torments which the Lords power and wrath justly inflicts upon all that live and dye in their iniquities Augustine has a notable passage That death which men fear is the destruction of the body but the separation of the soul from God Enarrat in Ps 48. Mors est vera quam non timent is the true death which they are not afraid of This second death which is as it were all gall all sting Believers shall never feel 3. Death is taken for the dissolving of that union which is between our bodies and our spirits when the dust returns to the earth as it was and the spirit unto God who gave it Eccl. 12. 7. Of this death the Apostle is to be understood in the Text. Now in the death of Believers
Try your selves 〈…〉 seech the Lord to search you and discover sincerity to you And when once you know that God is yours and you his then you will be above the fear of Death Vse 3. To those few that upon good grounds are not afraid of dying 1. Be thankful for victory Thanks be unto God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15. 57. 2. Be stedfast and unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. 58. Thus have I finished both the Doctrines and both are verified in this eminent servant of Christ who is now to be interred Death came without a sting to him which is the common happiness of all the Saints he triumphed over death and that is peculiar What I have to say concerning my dear deceased Brother I shall speak in this order I shall tell you wherein the Lord made him to excel in his life-time And what his Carriage was at his Departure For the first there are these following Particulars very remarkable 1. Great was the sweetness of his Natural temper and disposition And this excellency of Nature was very much hightned and ennobled by the grace of God He was far from moroseness and bitterness of spirit Candor was to be discerned in his very Countenance and by conversing with him 't was much more apparent And in his kindness and affability and proneness to oblige he had a design of good upon Souls for he knew he could not more oblige any than to endeavour their Eternal welfare 2. He made it his business to be Religious he practised himself what he preached to others and was a follower of Christ as he exhorted others to follow him his works were good as well as his words and Oh how oft and seriously did he lift up his Soul to God desiring nothing more than to be a man and Pastour after the heart of the Lord 3. He was a serious mourner for the decays of Godliness in this backsliding age How would he mention the old Puritan strictness and circumspection and bewail the excesses and licentiousness of professors 4. His heart was inflamed with love to Christ And though his affections were so strong and vehement yet they were still aspiring higher His expressions sometimes shewed unusual raptures and extasies of love He would beg that he might equal Paul or John nay the very Seraphims in loving that he might be sick and dye of love Blessed Soul thou hast now thy fill thou lovest thy Lord now and enjoyest this love to the uttermost of thy capacity 5. His bowels of compassion yearned towards immortal souls He knew the worth of his own and the souls of others and as he was acquainted with the value of souls so he was sensible of their danger How earnestly would he warn them to flee from future wrath How eagerly and sweetly would he woo them to give their consents to be espoused to Christ How admirably would he expostulate with them concerning their egregious folly in refusing He pitied the souls of all old young nay he was deeply concerned for little Children witness those books which he styles tokens for them 6. He laboured abundantly spending himself in his Masters work If he had wrought less he might in probability have lived longer but he chose rather like the Candle to consume that he might give light to others He preached he visited he catechized he was instant in season out of season and truly the Lord honoured him exceedingly in making him instrumental to convert the prophane to strengthen the weak in Grace to speak comfortably and healing words to the distressed and wounded in their Spirits 7. He was a man mighty in prayer there was an elegant fluency in his Expression both when he prayed and preached but oh the Spiritual and Heavenly matter was most to be admired Augustine tell us of a certain person who prayed as if he De Civ Dei lib. 22. cap. 8 would expirare orando breath out his very soul and life in prayer and adds quas tuòrum preces si non has exaudis What Supplications will be prevalent if not such as these This may be applied to my Brother Janeway He was a mighty wrestler with God and would not be put off without a blessing 8. He was much for Vnity and Love though according as it was foretold Love is grown so cold in most 't was warm in him he followed peace as well as holiness and was of a most yielding Spirit ready as far as he might to comply with any rather than a breach should be or be continued 9. He abounded in works of Charity having seriously ponder'd that saying of our Lord 'T is more blessed to give than to receive As he was liberal in importing the treasure of the Gospel so of his own substance which God had given him 'T was his constant course whatever he received to give two shillings in the pound that is the tenth unto good uses He endeavoured to perswade others to be Charitable the Widows and the Fatherless had a great interest in his Compassions and may well bewail his departure by whom now they can be no more relieved 10. Which crowned all his other excellencies he was exceeding humble he was much in praising and admiring and adoring God and had very low thoughts of himself and in honour preferred others before himself He would say he was the least of Ministers less than the least of all Saints In these particulars you have something of his Character but the half has not been told you yet enough has been said to make you sensible how heavy the stroke was which took him away The loss of him is not only his Relations loss but Redriffs loss Londons loss Englands loss the Churches loss for he was of such a publick Spirit that all are like to miss him In the next place I am to speak of his carriage at his death He had a great Conflict with Satan somewhile before his leaving the world and truly I do not wonder that the Devil should buffet him who had with such vigour and success endeavoured to overthrow his Kingdom To prepare him for the encounter the Lord at first did shine upon his soul and gave him some assurance that Heaven was his Inheritance But afterwards there interven'd a Cloud and Satan's Chain was lengthned that Lion roared upon him and endeavoured to disturb his peace The great thing he blamed himself for was his aptness to slubber over private duties since he was so much engaged in publick work The Accuser of the Brethren was Let Ministers take especial notice of it very sierce in his accusations and so far prevailed that Mr. Janeway cryed out I am at infinite uncertainties as to my future state I thought I had been sincere but Satan tells me I have been an hypocrite And then added Whatever you do do not dally in Religion 't is only godliness in the power of it that can strengthen against the fear of death Satan would not yet give over but having begun to batter his faith gives a fresh assault then with a mournful voice he cryed out Eternity Eternity Eternity Infinite Infinite Infinite Everlasting Everlasting Everlasting A Relation that stood by added An Eternity of Glory To which he replied Of Horrour of Horrour unspeakable Horrour This was his Conflict and truly 't was a sore one But after this blackest darkness followed the break of day Satan prevailed so far that he might be the more remarkably foiled for the God of Peace did tread the evil one under his feet The Comforter even the Spirit of Truth did visit him and bore witness with his spirit that he was a Child of God and helped him to discern and look back upon the uprightness of his heart with satisfaction Not long before he died he blessed God for the assurance of his love and said He could now as easily dye as shut his eyes and added Here am I longing to be silent in the dust and enjoying Christ in glory I long to be in the arms of Jesus 'T is not worth the while to weep for me Then remembring how busie the Devil had been about him he was exceeding thankful to God for his goodness in rebuking him Afterwards he brake forth saying though so weak with a loud voice Amen Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah and desired others to joyn with him which they not presently doing he added James Janeway is the only Singer He was quickly seized upon with another rapture of joy and thus expressed it Millions of praises to the most High Jehovah Heaven and Earth praise him ye Mountains and Hills praise him all his Hoste praise him all ye Saints bless him who hath visited us in our low estate and redeemed us unto himself All must be ascribed to Free grace from the beginning to the end Then he begged of God That he would bless his people and take away animosities and names of division from among them And these were the last words which he was heard to speak distinctly Thus triumphantly he went to Glory thus an abundant entrance was administred to him into the Everlasting Kingdom But if his joy and praises were such before he was got quite thither when he was actually come within Heavens Gate and first saw the Lord face to face Oh who can conceive his joy and wonder To draw to a Conclusion His Spirit is now where Christ is and is made perfect he is joyning with the Church of the first born in the Heavenly Jerusalem in that Song Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and honour and glory and blessing for thou hast redeemed us unto God by thy blood out of every tongue and kindred and people and nation His Body is now to make its bed in the dust and upon his Grave such a kind of Epitaph may be inscribed Siste Viator Passenger stay and understand Here lies a faithful Shepherd unto whom the Flock was dearer than his own Life He excelled in Wisdom for he was wise to win Souls He lived not long but lived well and did much in a little time His end was Peace And though Satan did his worst be foil'd him and died Triumphing O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory FINIS