art sick but because thou livest It is the glorious priviledge of the Saints in heaven to die never the dreadfull punishment of the damned in hell to die ever the Law Charter or Custom of men on earth to die once The Saints themselves are not able to chalenge an immunitie from death but must when their turn comes give way to it as well as others And that for these Reasons First because of the decree of God omnipotent Gods Statute-Law of Death reacheth all good and bad believers and unbelievers It is the decree of the living God that all men must once die Heb. 9.27 'T is the standing Law of heaven that all on earth must die If any find exemption as did Enoch and Elias this comes to pass through the singular dispensation of God the King of heaven and doth not at all impeach the credit truth and authoritie of this general decree Cajetan in 9. Heb. 27. The Statute is regular that all must die the dispensation singular that some have not died Again true Believers must submit to death as well as others Secondly by reason of sin inherent Believers have sin in them as well as others and by means of it come under the guilt of death as well as others The bodies of believers are dead that is subject to death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of sin Rom. 8.11 Death is the brat of sin sin is the parent a mother of death By one man sin entered into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Rom. 5.12 sin made way to death Finally Believers die as well as others In regard of matter constituent Their bodies are made up of perishing materials as well as the bodies of others The bodies of all holy and unholy are made of the same dust and must alike in their several courses return to the dust from whence they were taken The Saints have in them rich treasures of grace but their bodies which are the cask containing these treasures are as the Apostle stileth them earthen vessels or vessels of shell as the Greek signifieth 2 Cor. 4.7 Vessels of earth or shell are liable to breaking so are the bodies of the Saints to perishing and death The bodie in the 2 Cor. 5.1 is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an earthly house It is called a house because of its use and beautie an earthly house because it is made of the earth and must to the earth again The bodies of Gods dearest servants are made of the same brittle metal that the bodies of other men are and therefore are alike liable to breaking and death Our own sad experience doth give abundant evidence to this truth I pass therefore from the confirmation to the application of it And this is two fold First for commination and threatening to all wicked men The Vses of the 1. Doct. Secondly for Admonition and counsel to the Saints For the first This Truth sounds an allarm of vengeance against all wicked men living and dying in sin Vse 1. If Gods friends must die let not his enemies dream of escaping death They may with the rich fool in the Gospel Luke 12.20 sing lullaby to their souls but except they repent in a time ere they be aware will death arrest them and then without bail or mainprise remain they must in the black prison of Hell It can be no comsort to sinners that the righteous die as well as themselves Although both die yet death is not the same to both Death is a mercy to believers a curse to unbelievers Death like the Angel plucks the Saints out of Sodom and conducts them to Zoar a City of refuge but as a Bayliff it draweth wicked men from this earth to the dungeon of Hell Death in a word brings Deliverance to the Saints but destruction to all wicked and impenitent sinners The Saints live in death but incorrigible sinners are destroyed and die by it I will kill her children with death was Christs threatning against the followers of Jezabel Rev. 2.23 This will be the doom and down-fall of all such as are workers of iniquity The Lord give sinners hearts to consider this before the warrants of death be issued out against them Secondly 2 use this truth holds forth advice to you that are the friends of Jesus Christ and profess faith in him This concerns 3. duties The first is Duty 1. Timely preparation for death You must die as well as others learn I beseech you to prepare for death that ye may be happy in and after death To labour not to die saith one is to labour in vain They onely are happy that think of death and prepare for it in time of life The end of this life is no other than the beginning of sorrows to such as are unprepared Oh let me prevail with you to fit your selves for your journey towards your long-home The Prophet Esay adviseth Hezekiah to set his house in order because he should die Iss 38.7 and not live You must one day die and not live be advised to set your estates your families above all your selves in order that so ye may finde mercy in the day of death In order to the better discharge of this duty Be ye pleased to observe these following directions Make it your dayly practise more Directions in reference to preparation for death and more to destroy sin in your mortal bodies If ye will live when you die you must die to sin while you live He that dieth in his sins without repentance shall to his eternal wo ever finde sin living in himself Prepare therefore every day for your dying day by dying unto sin this is the way to live after death If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the spirit mortifie the deeds of the bodie ye shall live Rom. 8.13 Ye shall live destroying sin both before and after death before death the life of grace after death the life of glorie This dayly preparation for death was the Apostles dayly practice * Diodat in locum 1. Cor. 15.31 I die dayly saith he That is as death hangs over my head continually so I dayly prepare for it Secondly Lay up treasures for your selves in heaven every day while you are upon earth This is as your dutie so your crown A holy life is the best preparation for death If you build upon Christ the rock the storms of sickness and death shall do you no annoyance Live to Christ now and he will receive you in death yea ye shall live with him after death He will save the souls of his servants Psal 34.22 Living religiously you may die comfortably The righteous hath hope in his death Prov. 14.32 Thirdly Meditate frequently upon death Frequent acquaintance with death takes away the bitterness of death and fits a man the better to under go it As the flight of a bird is
to us not the beginning of the Churches sufferings as Piscator conjectureth but that very point of time in which the blessedness here propounded to the Saints is to commence and begin Howbeit about the particularitie of time intended by this expression there are varietie of conjectures amongst the Learned Some as Pareus reports make the time when this voice was proclaimed from heaven 1. Opinion to be the time for the beginning of this blessedness And they give out their meaning to this effect From henceforth that is from this very instant of time in which this voice is beard from heaven the dead in Christ are blessed But this interpretation cannot be admitted because it seems to exclude from happiness all those that before this time died in the Lord to whom as well as to others blessedness appertains Others adjudge the time of the Churches reformation 2. Opinion Pareus Diodat in loc and deliverance by the three Angels to be the time in which the happiness promised in the Text is to take its rise and beginning From henceforth that is say these from the time the everlasting Gospel began to be preached blessed are those that die in the Lord. These that thus die saith Pareus not onely are or shall be blessed but the three Angels shall publish and Preach the same refuting the heatheninsh fiction of purgatory satisfactions and indulgences This exposition although favoured by eminent Authours seems not clear to me but lieth open to many exceptions and two much narroweth the mercy of God towards deceased Saints for out of all doubt they are happy and blessed that died in the Lord in the sad times of the Churches deformation as well as those that died since in the more light some times of reformation Therefore I shall crave leave modestly to pass it over without building upon it A Third sort referr the Adverb of time from henceforth 3. Opinion Lyra in loc Bellarm. Ribera c. forward to the time of the last judgement and make that the time for the beginning of the blessedness held forth in the precious Scripture This way go many Papists that so they may establish the tottering Doctrine of Purgatory The great reason urged by * Bellarmi nus loco praed â—to Bellarmine and other Papal writers for this is because the last judgement is treated of throughout the Chapter But this is most apparently untrue The last judgement is onely if at all treated of in the last part of the Chapter And begins to be spoken to in the verse following my Text. In the former part of it is a representation of several great things as the promulgation of the * vers 12. everlasting Gospel the prediction of * vers 8. Babilons down fall The dreadfull proclamation of indignation and vengeance against the vers 9.10 worshippers of the beast All which are to be transacted by the 3 Angels some considerable space of time before the time of the last judgement A late * Mede in locum Interpreter of our own nation pleades much for this opinion But his reasons have not strength enough to work up my faith to close with it sith the voice from heaven as is most evident proclaimes not that blessedness that departed Saints shall enjoy hereafter but the blessedness which for the present they are possessed of and enjoy It is not said Blessed shall be the dead but blessed are the dead which die in the Lord. For this and other reasons too many to be now propounded this interpretation is also to be rejected The 4. and last opinion is of * 4 Opinion those who make the particular time of every believers death to be the very time intended by the spirit in these words from henceforth for the Commencement of the blessedness of the departed Saints proposed and promised in this most sweet and soul comforting Text. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth that is say the Authors of this exposition from the very instant of their death Such as die in the Lord upon the very moment of their dissolution enter into bliss Upon the very instant of their death their Souls enter into glory and from thenceforth this their happiness takes its beginning and arise The * Beda Gerhard Bullinger in locum Souls of those that die in the Lord are forthwith without any delay or interval of time received of the Lord. This exposition I incline to and shall insist upon as suiting well with the Text and plain by many parallel Scriptures Thus I have at length waded through the difficulties of this Text. The doctrines come now to be observed And two onely of many that might be noted I shall propose and prosecute The first is implyed and is this True believers must submit to death as well as others Doctrines 1 Doct. These are in the Text accounted amongst the number of mortal creatures and as such who must one day go down to the dead The second is clear and express and gives forth the very Pith and Marrow of the first General and is to this effect True believers immediately upon death are called unto 2 Doct. and crowned with blessedness in the Kingdom of glory They are blessed that die in the Lord from thenceforth that is from the very instant of their departure I beseech you lengthen out your attention while I discourse briefly and plainly upon both these Truths Of the first Doctrine in the first place True believers must submit to death as well as others First Doct. bandled All that live must one day die and meet together in the grave This is the house appointed for all living Job 30.23 The Patriarchs and Prophets could not obtain a Protection against the arrests of death Your Fathers where are they and the Prophets do they live for ever Zech. 1.5 No they did not They are all laid in the dust Abraham is dead and the Prophets are dead Joh. 8.52 Lazarus the friend of Christ falleth asleep that is dieth John 11. verses 11 14. * Gen. 23.2 Sarah * Gen. 35.18 Rachel and other holy women that trusted in God at last gave up the ghost and died Dorcas a Disciple full of good works and of alms-deedes at length gave way to nature falls sick and dieth Act. 9.36 37. Yea Christ himself being found in fashion as a man humbled himself and became obedient unto death Phil. 2.8 There is a death due to every He or She that happens to be born Manchester Contempt Yea. 't is as natural saith one to die as to be born Death is called Josh 23.14 The way of all the earth All men and women believers and unbelievers must walk in this path What man is he that liveth and shall not see death Psal 89.48 Death is via regia the King of heavens high-way to the other world Thou shalt die said a Philosopher to a friend of his not because thou
heaven Although the body of this Saint had not a pompous funeral as the rich mans had yet his soul was attended by the glorious Angels and by them instantly conveyed to the glory of heaven represented under these tropical expressions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Rom 4.11 Abrahams bosom This happiness is represented by the bosom of Abraham rather than of any other Saint because he is the * Peter Matt. in 2. reg 2. Father of all those that believe and the head as it were of all those men whom God takes into covenant with himself The phrase is borrowed either from * Cameron Mytoth in locum Marriners who carry their ships out of the tempestuous Waves into the good harbour or quiet bosom of the sea or from the * Capel Spicil in ocum custom of the Eastern Nations who at their banquets use to lean on lie in each others bosom or rather From the practise of tender parents hugging and imbracing their little ones into their bosoms Even so the souls of the Saints immediately upon death are carried by the Angels who are Gods Pilots from the troublesom sea of this world to rest and safety in the harbour of heaven and to sit down as at a banquet with Abraham and other believers in that glorious place where they shall be honoured not onely with the fellowship and imbraces of the Saints but of God himself their tender Father in whose * Psal 16.11 presence there is fulness of joy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for ever more Thus was it with Lazarus and thus shall it be with all the Saints the ending of this life will be to them the beginning of happiness in the next When their faith ends as it doth when this life ends then shall they receive the salvation of their souls 1 Pet. 1.9 There is a passage in the 12 of Eccles 7. fully declaring the condition of souls in and after death and I hope I may without A rigid censure place it under this Topick place The words are these Then meaning the time of death shall the dust return to the earth as it was and the spirit shall return to God who gave it As certainly as the dust that is the body goeth down to the dust so certainly the spirit that is the soul goeth up unto God to be judged and to receive Either of his justice in a sentence of immediate condemnation or of his mercy in an instantly beginning and everlasting salvation The soul without delay upon its separation from the body repairs to God to receive according to her demerits either chains and torments in hell the prison of disobedient spirits or frcedom and blessedness in heaven the mansion of glory And this is the first Scripture Argument Secondly the truth of the former Doctrine may be demonstrated The second Argument of Scripture to prove the former Doctrine from such Text of holy Writ as hold forth the knowledge and faith of Gods people in and about their immediate happiness after death and their desires to depart hence that so they may be with Christ in happiness and glory We may read the knowledge and faith of the Saints about this truth in that excellent portion of Scripture 2 Cor. 5.1 We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands evenal in the heavens In this verse our * Calvinus in locum body is compared to a tent or tabernacle the glory of heaven to an eternal house When the soul is called away from sojourning in the tabernacle of the body she instanly goeth to dwel in that eternal house of glory above This the Apostle and other of the Lords people knew and believingly received as an undoubted truth And upon this account is it that death hath been so earnestly desired by them I have a desire said S. Paul to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is farr better Phil. 1.23 Yea this is the defire of all the Saints 2 Cor. 5.8 We are confident and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. The souls of the Saints straightway upon death enter into the society and fellowship of Christ in glory Assoon as they depart hence they go to Christ and are present with him instantly upon their absence from the body Now the knowledge and faith of the Lords people concerning this was it that made them so desirous of death Did their souls die or sleep or pass through the penances of Purgatory before they went up to heaven death were not so desirable as the Saints guided by the unerring spirit know it to be neither yet should they be with Christ upon death which they fully know and firmly believed but in an estate of further distance from Christ then whilst they were here upon earth which is expresly contradictory to the word of Truth The last Scripture-Argument The third Scripture-Argument for probation of the Ductrine I shall urge for confirmation of the former Truth is deduced from Scriptures representing promises from God to the Saints of immediate entrance into glory upon their respective dissolutions and the prayers of dying Saints that God would according To his promise receive up their souls to himself in glory We may see these promises in the following quotations The first is Esay 57.2 He shall enter into peace they shall rest in their beds each one walking in his uprightness In these words we have a gracious promise made out to all those that walk uprightly before God that upon their deaths they shall enter into peace and rest in their beds These expressions He shall enter into peace import and hold forth that happiness which upon death shall be bestowed upon the souls of the upright in their immediare enjoyment of God in glory the last clause they shall rest in their beds sheweth that as the * Synod Annot. in locum souls of the Saints go unto a place of rest bliss so their bodies are laid to rest in the grave as in a bed or bed-chamber until the generall resurection The other quotation is Luke 23.43 To day said Christ to the penitent thief thou shalt be with me in paradise That is this very day in thy soul thou shalt be with me in Paradise Christ means not the earthly Paradise for that is supposed destroyed by the flood neither can the soul which is spiritual be affected with earthly delights but the caelestial Paradise which is no other than heaven as is plain by 2 Cor. 12.2 4. verses The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Paser lex Graecolat signifieth a most pleasant garden set forth with fruitfull trees of all sorts And by a * Diodati in 23 Luke 43. figure taken from the garden where Adam was put when he was in the state of innocency is here used as elsewhere in *
it signifieth that as shepherds when they leave their tents do go home to their houses so we that are the Lords people when by death the tabernacles of our bodys are taken down do in our souls depart hence to dwel in houses not made with hands but eternal in the heavens The soul then doth not die â— Cor. 5.1 but live in and after death Touching the sleeping of the soul which some affirm and hold forth to the world chiefly upon this pretext because death is in Scripture resembled to sleep and vnder that notion commended to publick view give me leave to drop a word or two Death indeed is a kind of sleep and is often in Scripture expressed by that sweet and lovely name But we are to know that death is so called not in reference to the soul as if it slept in the bodie as some dream or were cast into a dead sleep being separated from the bodie as others imagine but wholy in regard of the bodie which by death is eased of all its pain and travail under the sun In Rev. 6.9 10 11. The life actions and glorie of sanctified souls in the state of separation are visionally represented to S. John The words are these I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God for the testimonie which they held And they cried with a loud voice saying How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not avenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth And white robes were given unto every one of them This Scripture holds forth to our purpose 1. That the souls of Saints in the state of separation are not dead but alive not asleep but waking and watchfull They crie unto God against the wicked not for any particular vengeance but of zeal to Gods justice and of desire of the full coming of his kingdome in the total ruin of the wicked and in the last and finaljudgement 2. This Scripture imports that the separate souls of Saints are not in Purgatorie but in heaven They are under the altar that is they are in the presence and under the protection of Christ who is our altar Lastly it sheweth that these souls partave of Christs glorie They have white robes given to themt and this is an emblem of that glorie wherewith they are dignified Thus of the first use In the next place this truth is profitable for exhortation Use 2. and that to several Gospel-duties I can through the want of time onely touch upon them 1. The first duty is A willingness to die when God calls to it Death makes way for life and glory To die once well is to live eternally Immediately after our dissolutions we go to Christ which is best of all This me thinks should sweeten the bitterness of death and make the thoughts of it pleasing and delightfull The gain of death hath made many of Gods people not onely willing to die but also earnestly desirous of its instant approach The Apostle Paul had an earnest desire to be dissolved He did not onely desire to die but desired it with A vehement affection as Some give out the sence of the Greek tearms Phil. 1.23 And that which heightned and imflamed his desire was the glory he knew would attend him immediately upon his dissolution He desired to be dissolved that so he might be with Christ which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much mmch better or farr much better Meditate I beseech you upon the gain of death and by this work up your spirits to a willingness for death when God summons to it 'T is one part of dying well to die willingly Secondly learn hence So to dispose of your selves in life as that ye may die in the faith and fear of the Lord. This is the way to be happy after death A sun-shine day may be closed up with a stormy evening but a gracious life shall never end in an evil and unhappy death Such as the premises in life are such will the conclusion in death alway be * Psal 37.37 Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace On the contrary although death be gain to the Saints yet it is a plague of plagues to the wicked They that die in sin shall die eternally The wicked that is such as live and die thus shall be turned into hell Psal 9.17 You must make it your business to live and die to the Lord if you desire to be blessed after death Bldssed are they all they and onely they that die in the Lord. 3. For a conclusion of all Do believers enter into glory immediately upon death Let us not mourn immoderately for our departed Friends who are deadin the Lord. They are now with the Lord they now rest from their labours and have received in part the reward of their works Oh farr be it from us to mourn excessively sith these friends of ours whom we bemone have gained so exceedingly by their departure from us We should not so much mourn over the bodies of the Saints because their souls have left them as over the souls of sinners because God hath forsaken them Excessive mourning for the dead is a practise most unbeseeming those that profess the name of Christ It may be tolerable in Heathens that have no hope but 't is damnable in believing Christians I would not have you ignorant brethren concerning them that are asleep that ye sorrow not even as others which have no hope 1 Thess 4.13 It is a very great sin in those that believe the rest and resurrection of departed Saints immoderately to lament for those that are gone to their rest It is A heathenish practise and calls for detestatien not imitetion Abraham Gen. 23.4 Treates with the sens of Heth for a burying place that so he might bury his wife Sarith out of his sight He chose rather to forget her then forget himself by a lavish and over-abounding sorrow And it is observeable that our Saviour Christ when he came to the Rulers house Matth. 9.23 Reprehends smartly the musitians because according to the * 2 â—â—rm 33 25. 〈◊〉 â— 17 custom of these times they played their sad tunes to increase sorrow whereas they should rather have mitigated and allayed it Nature is of it self too prone to exceed the bounds of sobriety I beseech you all that hear me now but all you more especially that sympathize in the sorrow of this day through the death of our departed Sister that ye mitigate and moderate your sorrow and grief Do you bound and limit it least it hurt your selves dishonour God bring the profession of the gospel into contempt You have all lost I know by this deat-stroke Oh know know 1 That God is able to repay your losses and will do so if you wait upon him None of them that trust in him shall be desolate Psal 34.22 Secondly It was the will of the Lord to have it thus and you should willingly submit to it It is the Lord said old Eli let him do what seemeth him good 1 Sam. 3.18 1 Thes 4.18 Thirdly comfort your selves with this her gain is infinitely beyond your loss She we hope is gone from earth to heaven from a vale of misery to a hill of joy from the company of us weak and sinfull men to an innumerable company of Angels to the general assembly and Church of the first born which are written in heaven and to God the jugde of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect and to Jesus the Mediatour of the new covenant Heb. 12.22 In a word she is gone from the Church militant to the Church triumphant from sojourning here in Gods tabernacle To dwel upon his holy hill from labouring here in the kingdom of grace to rest and blessedness in the Kingdom of glory For this rest and blessedness O blessed Father fit and prepare us To this rest and blessedness O blessed Jesu lead and direct us Of this rest and blessedness O blessed Spirit certifie and assure us and with this rest and blessedness O most blessed God who art three in person and but one in essence in thy due time crown and comfort us even for thy mercy sake Amen Amen FINIS