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
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
what great need I have and that it is of singular use to watch over my Soul in all its ways both in reference to sin that I fall not into it and when fallen what the Carriage and Actings of my Soul are at such a time Whether I flee for relief to God in Christ or to my own works And in reference to my duties to take heed lest those means which God hath appointed to be the conveyances of himself his Son and Spirit and all Spiritual blessings should prove to me a mean of Death and Separation from God by my formal use of them and resting in them For as Satan keeps some alienated from God by the gross pollutions of the world So others from Christ by their Establishing a Righteousness of their own O Lord break thou this snare for me and let my Soul escape as a bird from the Net that I may flee to thee and be at rest I have observed in my self that when God at any time is pleased to work any thing in my Soul I soon lose it if he quicken me I soon grow dead hearted again if he enliven my affections they soon grow cold and flat and my old hardness returns upon me Hence I come to see that it is infinite Wisdom and Goodness in God that he hath not put the stock of grace into our own hands but hath treasured it up in Christ that our life is now hid with Christ in God for so it becomes sure Rom. 4. 16. hereby also I come to see that I have need of continual recourse to Jesus Christ for new supplies of grace and strength The Lord God in his wisdom was pleased when he delivered his people out of Egypt before he brought them to Canaan to lead them 40 years in the wilderness when as he could have led them a nearer way to Canaan Exod. 13. 17. He chose rather to lead them through the great and terrible Wilderness Jer. 2. 6. where were fiery Serpents and Scorpions and drought where there was no water where he brought them forth water out of the Rock of Flint and fed them with Manna for this end that he might humble them prove them and do them good in the latter end Deut. 8. 15 16. Doest thou find it so O my Soul in thy travail towards the Heavenly Canaan Doest thou walk through much Spiritual drought a land of deserts and of the shadow of death Dost meet with a flinty heart and fiery temptations Know that the Lord doth this to humble thee which through his grace thou hast sometimes found and to prove thee i. e to discover thee to thy self for he himself knows thy thoughts afar off and this way of God through grace hath been a means of discovering much of thy corrupt heart to thee and that he may doe thee good in the latter end Therefore take heed O my Soul of Israel's sins of murmuring against God under thy wants of unbeleif and tempting God c. Read oft and weight well the 78th Psalm May 6. being Sabbath day The Lord was pleased in the hearing of his word to convince me of my sin and lost condition But Lord How unfaithful was I then and have I been since to the Convictions of thy Spirit How soon have I healed up the wound that was given by the word How soon hath an hard heart a secure careless Spirit taken possession of me Lord If ever thy word be effectual in me thou must not only speak it to my heart but write and engraff it there also Henceforth I desire to wait on thee as for the teachings of thy Spirit so for the writing of thy Law in my heart by thy Spirit I found a lothness in my Spirit to go to here this Sermon whereby I perceive Satan would have hindred me Be encouraged hence O my Soul to break through all difficulties thou meetest with in doing thy duty When thou findest any secret unwillingness to ordinances or duties then stir up thy self to wait upon God expecting that he hath some special mercy for thee which Satan would hinder thee off Jun. 1. This day the Lord did in the hearing of his word revive some convictions which have formerly been upon my Spirit though in a very languid manner I stood convinced before the Lord of unbelief and that I was a lost creature because thereof from the words of our Saviour Joh. 3. 18. He that believeth not is Condemned already Conscience tells me that I am yet in unbelief that I want that faith which is accompanied with the new birth Joh. 1. 12 13. that faith which should purge me from Atheism formality and resting in duties from hypocrisie and deadness from unclean affections and inordinate Love of the world from a vain mind and a light Spirit that faith which should purifie my heart from these and the like evils Act. 15. 9. that faith which should make Christ a greater Reality and more precious to me than any thing in the world 1 Pet. 2. 7. that faith which brings peace with God and joy in the Holy Ghost unspeakable and full of Glory Rom. 5. 1. 1 Pet. 1. 8. I find I have had a dead faith Jam. 2. 17 20. and presumed upon Gods Mercy in Christ although I have been estranged from God in my heart and Nature my Resting in duties and trusting in my own Righteousness as far as I can see hath been the deceit of my heart Lord lay this conviction upon my Conscience for I find my heart would put it off yea it hath already desperately hardned it self against thee I fear I shall out-grow this Conviction of thy word as at other times I feel a careless Spirit that would make light of Eternity and of Jesus Christ Lord break my heart under thy word for my unbelief and neglect of Christ Let me not heal my self but wait till thou shalt heal me Thou didst help the unbelief of thy Servant Thomas Oh that thou wouldest help mine also The Lord hath shewn me that I am dead in sin not only from the testimony of his word Eph. 2. 1. Col. 2. 13. but by inward experience For I feel my self alienated from the life of God cut off from communion with the Lord Jesus separate from God and his blessed Spirit My deceitful heart hath often gone about to repel this conviction and hath caused me sometimes to mistake a life of morality for Spiritual life and at other times a life of formality But now I find the Scripture speaks of dead works and calls for repentance from them Heb. 6. 1. and purging our consciences from them Heb. 9. 14. By dead works I understand not only the gross pollutions of the World but all works whatever that are done by a man void of the quickning Spirit of God Without Union to Christ there is no Spiritual life for as the natural life results from the Union of the Soul with the body and the State of death is nothing but the
word Ps 119. 165. Great peace have they that love thy Law He received the spirit which is of God and knew the things that were freely given to him of God and rejoyced therein 1 Cor. 2. 12. As to his Conversion which to some that have lived long in ignorance security sensuality prophaness and forgetfulness of God is very Sensible He being from tender years restrained and well inclined It was not so remarkable to him The most discernible part thereof was when he was a young Scollar in Cambridge Nor did he then experience very notable workings of the Spirit of bondage Which occasioned some trouble to his mind and he feared his humiliation was not deep enough but he received full satisfaction from a passage in a sermon which he heard preached by that Worthy and Excellent Servant of Jesus Christ Mr. Richard Vines then Master of Pembrooke Hall He hath sometimes said to his Friend that he was not much acquainted with those ravishing joys which some have felt but yet had that comfort and joy in the Holy Ghost which gave him satisfaction His method and manner was to derive his assurance and comfort from the written word Of the truth whereof he would say he had such a full persuasion as being the sure word of God that he did more firmly believe it than if an Angel should speak to him from Heaven according to 2 Pet. 1. 17 18 19 20 21. He could not satisfie himself with the expectation or apprehension of the immediate sole testimony of the Spirit without the word But would compare himself with the word frequently practising the duty of self examination Searching for those graces dispositions and operations in his heart which are promised in the word and to which the promises are made Which the Spirit of God enlightned him to discern and enabled him in a way of argumentation to infer thence his interest in Christ and the Covenant of God for his satisfaction and Spiritual Consolation And the Assurance which he attained in this method and by these means he thus Recordeth His Evidences 1. Evidences of true and Saving Faith After my recovery from a Sickness I set my self to examin and prove my faith to see if it were true and saving Because pardon of sin freedom from Condemnation eternal life with other great blessings are promised to Beleevers And much of our comfort in Sickness and health in life and death dependeth on the knowledge and proof of our faith and that I did believe in Christ with a true and Saving faith I was satisfied thus 1. From those expressions of Scripture wherein the nature and essential acts of faith are set forth as 1. Coming to Christ Joh. 6. 35. He that cometh he that believeth on me Coming is believing My Conscience bears me Witness that I am coming to Christ for Christ himself and all his benefits I sind my Soul drawn to Christ and upon all occasions looking and going to him 2. Receiving Joh. 1. 12. As many as received him even as many as believed on his Name Receiving is believing Now through grace I find my heart willingly receiving and thankfully accepting Jesus Christ as God offers him in the Gospel even an whole Christ Christ in all his offices to be to me Prophet Priest and King 3 Trusting Eph. 1. 13. In whom ye trusted ye beleived Trusting is believing This also I find that God hath given me an heart to rely on Christ for Righteousness grace and life 2 From the ground of my faith which is the word of God It is through my knowledge and acquaintance with the word that I have been brought to believe in Christ and through Christ in the Father that sent him And I read such as believe through the word are true believers for whom Christ maketh intercession Joh. 17. 20. and who have everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation Joh. 5. 24. 3 From this property and effect of faith viz. Prizing Christ 1 Pet. 2. 7. Unto you that believe Christ 't is precious The Apostle speaks of the faith of Gods elect ch 1. 2. and of saving faith ch 1. 9. Now I find Christ is precious to me so precious to my Soul that I value and prefer him above the whole world I account his blood precious which cleanseth me from all sin The promises exceeding great and precious which in him are yea and Amen Christ is so precious to me that I am willing to suffer for him Phil. 1. 29. yea I choose a suffering condition for Christ before the honours Riches and pleasures of the world when they cannot be enjoyed without sinning against Him Heb. 11. 24 25 26. I am willing to take up the Cross and forsake all things for him Evidences that I was one of Gods Servants Sept. 30. 1666. I considered with my self what evidence I had that I was one of Gods Servants and was satisfied from these Scriptures Rom. 6. 16. Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves Servants to obey his Servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto Righteousness I find God hath given me an heart to yield my self to Him Nehem. 1. 11. O Lord I beseech thee Let now thine ears be attentive to the prayer of thy Servant and to the prayer of thy Servants that desire to fear thy Name Here I saw that such as desire to fear God are accounted Gods servants Which through grace I do Some doubtings arose in my heart whether I was one of Gods Servants because it is said Joh. 8. 34. Verily Verily I say unto you that whosoever Committeth sin is the Servant of sin For removing this doubt I considered 1. That the meaning of this Scripture is not that no man that hath sin in his heart or doth sin in his life can be Gods Servant but is a Servant of sin for then God should have no Servants upon the face of the Earth Eccl. 7. 20. There is not a just man upon Earth that doth good and sinneth not Joh. 1. 8. If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us 2. It is said that the Servants of Sin are free from righteousness Rom. 6. 20. Now through mercy I follow after righteousness and find something of it whence I concluded I was not the servant of Sin 3. I saw that David held this conclusion that he was one of Gods Servants though he was compassed about with infirmities yea even at such time as he was under a sense of his sinful infirmities Ps 116. 11 16. O Lord truly I am thy Servant I am thy Servant yet he had said in his haste unbelievingly All men are liars David after he had committed the great sin of Numbering the people against the Counsel and Advice of his friends Confessed that he had sinned greatly and done very foolishly yet calleth himself a Servant of the Lord 2 Sam. 24. 10. 4. As I was Considering
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