Precious Promises the Portion of Overcomers, Sermon 2

Precious Promises the Portion of Overcomers · Sermon 2

p. 41SERMON II.

REV. II. 11.

He that overcometh, ſhall not be hurt of the ſecond death.

THESE words are the concluſion of the Epiſtle to the Church in Smyrna; and ſo the eighth verſe of this Chapter ſheweth, To the angel of the Church in Smyrna, write, &c. Some ſay this Church was more faulty then the former; but Chriſt covers and conceals them, leſt the ſight of her former ſins, and the apprehenſion of her future ſufferings, both at once, ſhould too much diſcourage her: Others think that ſhe was, though the pooreſt, yet the pureſt of all the Churches, p. 42I know thy poverty, ſays Chriſt to her, but thou art rich, verſe 9. poor in temporals, but rich in ſpiritual; outward poverty joyned with inward purity diſcommends none to Chriſt. Her name was anſwerable to her nature, I mean, her new nature. Smyrna ſignifies a ſweet ſmell, and her Graces were like beaten Spices, very fragrant and odoriferous, they caſt a ſweet ſavour even throughout all the Churches. It ſeems a terrible ſtorm of perſecution was ready to come down upon them, wherein ſome of them might be called to reſiſt not unto bonds only and impriſonment, but even unto blood and Martyrdom; for he tells them, The Devil, (that is, wicked men who are the Devils Bayliffs and Agents) ſhall caſt ſome of them into Priſon; and then bids them be faithful unto death, verſe. 10. which implies that it might reach even to life it ſelf. To encourage them to faithfulneſs in all, he gives this ſweet promiſe in the Text, as if he had ſaid, get Victory here; and if it comes to the worſt men can do, which is to kill the body, I give you my faithful p. 43word, they ſhall do no more, they ſhall go no further, I will ſecure you from that which is a thouſand times more to be feared, viz. the ſecond death, which is the ſting and emphaſis of the firſt; that ſhall not touch, or hurt you. So then the obſervation lies plain before us, viz,

Doct. That Overcomers ſhall not be hurt of the ſecond Death, Sin, Satan, and the World are the Enemies; true Believers are the Overcomers, as was declared in the former Sermon: To theſe is this promiſe made: hence it is ſaid, They ſhall never periſh, John 10.27. And he that believeth on the Son ſhall not ſee Death, John 8.51. viz. the ſecond Death: for as to bodily death, the Pſalmiſt ſaith, What man is he that liveth, and ſhall not ſee death? Pſal. 89.48. We ſhall now enquire,

1. What is meant by the ſecond death.

2. What is the great hurt thereof.

3. Why Overcomers ſhall not be hurt by it.

Queſt. 1. What is the ſecond death?

Anſw. Death ſometimes ſignifies great afflictions and diſtreſſes: Intreat the Lord p. 44your God, ſays Pharaoh to Moſes and Aaron, that he may take away from me this death only, Exod. 10.17. that is, the judgment of the Locuſts then upon him; for being ſuch Locuſts as never was before, nor ſhould be after, they might be a deadly annoyance to them, as well as devour the fruits of the Earth. So St. Paul ſpeaks of Gods delivering him from a great death, 2 Cor. 1.10. meaning an imminent danger, which he calls a death, becauſe it was paſt means, help, and hope of delivery. Such deaths he was in often, 2 Cor. 11.23. which were either ſuch ſickneſſes and perſecutions in which there appeared no hope of eſcaping with life, or ſuch pains as were equivalent to the pangs of death. But more particularly:

1. Death is taken for the diſſolution of nature, diſſolutio compoſiti: ſo ſome define it, the diſſolving the earthly houſe of this Tabernacle, 2. Cor. 5.1. A Tent or Tabernacle is deſtroyed, not by conſuming of the parts, but by taking them aſunder: the death of the body is no annihilation, but a diſſolution p. 45of the parts of which man is compounded, a cutting a-ſunder the ſoul and the body: This is the firſt death, which the Apoſtle Paul deſired, I deſire to be diſſolved and to be with Chriſt, Phil. 1.23. The ſoul ſleeps not when a man dies, for then his wiſh had been vain; upon his diſſolution he could not have been with Chriſt; but the union between the body and ſoul is cut a-ſunder, and the ſoul which wilſt in the body was abſent from the Lord, is then abſent from the body, and preſent with the Lord, 2 Cor. 5.8. This is that death all muſt paſs under, or ſomething equivalent to it; It is appointed for all men once to dye, Heb. 9.27. Statutum eſt, It is enacted in the Court of Heaven by a Statute-Law, more ſure than the Laws of the Medes and Perſians, which cannot be altered: A ſentence gone forth out of the mouth of God concerning all men, never to be reverſed: Death paſſed upon all men, for that all have ſinned, Rom. 5.12.

2. Death is taken for Hell and deſtruction; even the wrath of God inflicted upon them that are finally overcome p. 46by the enemies of their Souls. Death and hell were caſt into the lake of fire; this is the ſecond death, ſays the Apoſtle John, Rev. 20.14. Men dead and buried before, were now ſent body and ſoul to Hell, Rev. 21.8.

Qu. 2. Wherein lies the great evil and hurt of the ſecond death?

Anſw. It is altogether unexpreſſible and inconceivable: Who knows the power of thine anger, ſays David? Pſal. 90.11. Let none be offended or affrighted at the opening of it; A Sermon of Hell, if rightly emproved, may keep us from Hell. The hurt and evil of the ſecond death lies in Two things:

1. There is, paena damni, the puniſhment of loſs; This is great and grievous, for they who fall under it, loſe all good at once; they loſe Heaven that holy habitation, that, ſedes beatorum, the manſion and dwelling-place of all that are bleſſed. When Tully was baniſhed from Italy, and Demoſthenes from Athens, they were ſo troubled, that as oft as they looked towards thoſe places they wept. What is Italy and Athens, and a thouſand ſuch p. 47places more, if compared with Heaven? Though here unſound Profeſſors may have room in Gods ſanctuary, yet there will be no place for them in his Palace hereafter: To be excluded hence, will trouble and perplex them. They loſe the beſt dainties, there ſeems to be eating and drinking in Heaven; Chriſt will gird himſelf, and make his Servants ſit down to meat, and will come forth and ſerve them, Luke 12.37. They ſhall have flagons of Wine to comfort them, and Chriſt will ſay to them, eat O Friends, and drink abundantly, O beloved. I take it ſpiritually in a far better way than can be here. O the miſery of them that ſhall never taſte of the Supper of the Lamb, of theſe refreſhments in Heaven! Poor men grieve when they are ſent away empty from a rich mans Table, much more ſorrowful will they be who ſhall never eat of Chriſt's dainties. In this alſo they loſe the beſt inheritance: Ahab was ſick with grief when he could not enjoy Naboths inheritance, as we read, 1 Kings 21. It will make them head-ſick and heart-ſick alſo, who ſhall p. 48be deprived of that incorruptible, undefiled, and never-fading inheritance reſerved in Heaven for Overcomers; for the Promiſe is, He that overcometh ſhall inherit all things, Rev. 21.7. Yea, they loſe the beſt company; the ſociety of Angels and Saints: Here they deſpiſe their company, then they would be glad of it, but ſhall not have it. How deſirous was the rich man that Lazarus might be ſent to him? Luke 16. On Earth he deſpiſed him, and in Hell deſired his company, but it could not be granted him; a great gulph being fixed between them, which would not permit it: And which is yet worſe, they loſe the company of God and Chriſt. When Orpah was to part with Naomi her Mother-in-Law, ſhe lifted up her voice and wept, Ruth 1.14. O how will they who ſhall be ſeparated from God, drench and even drown themſelves in tears! His gracious preſence is the chief good of his creatures; yet this is the firſt word of that dreadful ſentence Chriſt at laſt pronounceth, Depart from me, Mat. 25.41. To go from him who hath the p. 49words of Eternal Life, is the moſt bitter part of the ſecond Death. If Cain, when baniſhed from the Society of Saints where God was worſhipped, cried out, My puniſhment is greater than I can bear, for from thy face ſhall I be hid; ſurely then to loſe the glorious preſence of God, of the only true God, is more than to loſe a thouſand worlds, if there were ſo many. We read that Abſolom could take no Comfort in all he enjoyed, becauſe he could not ſee the King's face, 2 Sam. 14. Laban made great ſearch after his fooliſh Idols, when they were ſtollen from him; Gen. 31.33. And Micah lamented for the loſs of his falſe gods; Ye have taken away my gods which I made; and what have I more? And yet you ask me, what aileth thee? Judg. 18.24. How ſad and fearful will the loſs of the King of Kings, of the only true and living God be? Here men can live cheerfully, if they have outward good things, though ſtrangers to the Life of God; yet when they come to ſee what they have loſt, they will find it the moſt bitter ingredient in their cup of miſery.

p. 502 There is paena ſenſus, the puniſhment of ſenſe; for having loſt the chief good, an inundation of all miſchiefs and miſeries will neceſſarily follow, and inevitably fall upon them: particularly,

1. Shame and confuſion of face will cover them: They will riſe to ſhame and contempt. Here men ſin and have a whores forehead, they cannot bluſh; The unjuſt knoweth no ſhame, Zephan. 3.5. but then the ſhame of their nakedneſs will appear before all the World. The thief is aſhamed when he is found, Jer. 2.26. Eſpecially, if he be taken in his wickedneſs before judges and great ones; Oh! how confounded and abaſhed will ſinners be, when all the ſecret evils of their Heart and Life ſhall be laid open and diſcovered before Chriſt, his Angels and Saints: Whither will they cauſe their ſhame to go? Here they glory in ſin which is their ſhame, but then they will be aſhamed of this their glorying, and would be glad if the Hills would hide them, and the Mountains cover them.

2. Sorrow and Mourning will fill them: There, ſaies Chriſt, ſhall be weeping, p. 51and wailing, and gnaſhing of teeth, Mat. 8.12. Where? you will ſay, even in Hell: We read of Rachel mourning for her children, and would not be comforted, Jer. 31.15. Of Jacob's great ſorrow for the ſuppoſed loſs of his beloved Son Joſeph, Gen. 37. I will go down to the grave to my Son mourning; thus his father wept for him. Of the great mourning of Hadramimmon, in the Valley of Megiddon, where Joſiah was ſlain, and all Judah and Jeruſalem mourned for him, 2 King. 23. But what are all theſe to the hideous cries and ſhrieks, yellings and roarings of them that lye under the wrath of God? 'Tis ſaid, God will caſt upon them the fury of his wrath, and not ſpare, Job 20.23. and 27.22.

No man values a blow, if a Child ſtrike; but if a man, a giant ſtrikes, it is not eaſily born; if an Angel ſmites, it is yet more grievous: but if God caſt upon him his wrath immediately, it goes to the bottom, it pierces deep into the very Soul; It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, and to have the living God fall upon us: p. 52Can our heart endure, or our hands be made ſtrong in the day that he ſhall deal with us? His frowns are able to ſink us; What unſpeakable Sorrow will his blows caſt upon us, fill us with? we know not how to bear his hand upon us here, if it be in extremity, though but upon one part, What infinite ſorrow then will it cauſe to have him caſt his fury upon the whole man, upon all the Members of the Body, and all the faculties of the Soul at once, and not ſpare? A drop of his diſpleaſure upon Heman, upon David, made them cry out bitterly; what will a Sea, an Ocean of wrath then do? O the floods and ſeas of Tears that miſerable creatures will then pour forth!

3. The Curſe of God ſhall reſt upon them: So it follows in that direful Sentence, Mat. 25.41. Depart from me ye Curſed: If they might go from his preſence with Bleſſing, it would be ſome comfort; but to depart from him with a Curſe, how very dreadful are the thoughts of it? Yet thus it will be: Solomon ſaies, The curſe cauſeleſs ſhall not p. 53come, Prov. 26.2. When Balaam would have curſed Iſrael, it came not, but was by God turned into a bleſſing; becauſe Balaam attempted this without juſt cauſe, Numb. 23.22, 23. God requited David good for Shimei's curſing him; but God never curſeth without a cauſe, and it is therefore effectual, and ſad are the effects thereof. When Adam ſinned, ſaies God, Curſed is the ground for thy ſake; Gen. 3. The whole Creation groans under that curſe unto this day, Rom. 8.22. The Diſciples marvelled at the ſudden withering of the Figtree Chriſt curſed, Mat. 21.19.20. When Eliſha curſed the mocking Children in the Name of the Lord, there came two Bears and tore two and forty of them, 2 King. 2.24. Oh how inſupportable will the Curſe of the infinite God be, that ſhall lie upon them in Hell!

4. Darkneſs will annoy and trouble them: Ordinarily in the greateſt Darkneſs God commandeth ſome Light; Ʋnto the upright there ariſeth Light in the darkneſs, Pſal. 112.4. The Lord will light my candle, the Lord my God will enlighten p. 54my darkneſs, ſaith David, Pſal. 18.28. But Hell is called the blackneſs of Darkneſs; yea, outer darkneſs, Mat. 25.30. meaning a ſtate moſt remote from Heaven, the Kingdom of Light and Bleſſedneſs: We read of the Egyptians, that God cauſed a dreadful Darkneſs upon them, ſuch as might be felt, Exod. 10.21, 22, 23. Not only was the Light of the Celeſtial Bodies withdrawn, but ſuch groſs foggy Vapours did ariſe, as ſome think, that might put out their Candles or other Lights; ſo that they ſate ſtill in their places for three days, being under the Arreſt of that Darkneſs; ſo that they knew not whether to go, nor what to do: But the Darkneſs of Hell will be much more afflictive and affrighting. Some are afraid of the natural Darkneſs of the Night, but how diſmal will thoſe chains of Darkneſs be, wherewith they who loved the darkneſs of ſin here, ſhall be bound in the Priſon of Hell hereafter, where they ſhall have Darkneſs enough?

5. The worm will gnaw upon them: p. 55Of this Chriſt ſpeaks, Mark 9.44, 46, 48. Their Worm, that are in Hell-fire, of them he ſpeaks, v. 47. every one there hath his own Worm; not Literally, but Metaphorically to be taken, of ſomething that holds reſemblance to it. A Worm in Scripture is put to reſemble two things;

1. Something that is contemptible, Fear not thou worm Jacob: And

2. ſomething that is tormenting and vexatious, and ſo it is taken here:

It is dreadful to Nature to have a Worm breed out of a man, and feed upon him; thus it is with the Body in the Grave, the Worms ſhall feed upon it, Job 24.20. But to have them breed in a man, and feed upon him alive, is more terrible. I have read of a Tyrant who deviſed that Torment, to keep a living man in his Coffin, and feed him till by his own filth he bred Worms, and thoſe Worms fed upon him, till he died by them. A ſad Judgment it was fell upon Herod, to be eaten up of Worms, Acts 12.23. But what is it then to have a worm gnaw upon the Soul? This is that Chriſt ſpeaks of; p. 56This is nothing but the tormenting acts of Conſcience, termed a Worm;

1. Becauſe as a Worm is bred out of the Putrefaction of the ſubject in which it is, ſo is this; there is much filth of ſin in the Conſcience, by which the Mind and Conſcience is defiled, Titus, 1.15. inwardly full of rottenneſs and all uncleanneſs, as the Phariſees were, Mat. 23. and this may eaſily breed Worms.

2. Becauſe as Worms gnaw upon a man, ſo will a man's Conſcience gnaw upon him, when he ſhall think what offers of Grade and Salvation he had, and neglected them; what Motions of the Spirit in the Word and under the Rod he had, and quenched and reſiſted all, and would ſuffer nothing to prevail; how near he came to the Kingdom, and yet fell ſhort and is ſhut out: Thus will the Worm of Conſcience gnaw upon men, to their unexpreſſible Grief and Vexation.

6. The Fire will burn and torment them: I am tormented in this flame, ſaies one in Hell, Luke 16.23, 24. The horror of Hell is ſet out by Fire, a Lake p. 57of Fire; Fire and Brimſtone, and a burning Tempeſt, Pſal. 11.6. Whether material Fire or not, is not material; but ſuch as will torment Soul and Body beyond the hotteſt fire that men can make; for the breath of the Lord, as a River of Brimſtone, will kindle it. The fire of Nebuchadnezzar's, furnace was terrible, being ſeven times hotter than ordinary, Dan. 3. The Fire God rained from Heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah was very grievous, Gen. 19. The Fire that burnt down the chief City of this Nation, in 1666, was fierce and furious; the Fire that will burn down the World at the laſt Day, will be more dreadful yet: but the Fire of Hell will be more terrible than all the reſt.

7. Deſpair will greatly afflict them: they will be there without hope of eſcaping from under all the former evils. To be in a Valley of Achor, and ſee no door of Hope; to be in a ſtormy Sea, and have no Anchor of Hope to ſtay upon, muſt needs make a mans caſe deſperate: In Hell all Hope is cut off, which makes the heart to break: Every p. 58man on this ſide Hell is a man of Hope; To him that is joyned to all the living there is Hope, Eccleſ. 9.4. But in Hell there is no out-let of Hope; the Hypocrites Hope periſheth, Job 8.14. This will wound more cruelly than the Devil can do. Hope deferred makes the heart ſick; but Hope utterly deſtroyed will make the heart break. In Hell the Hypocrites Hope ſhall periſh, and the Cobweb Hopes of wicked men will be ſwept down, and be as the giving up of the Ghoſt: Here if men be in great Afflictions, and under the guilt of great Tranſgreſſions, there is upon their putting their mouths in the duſt, Hope in Iſrael concerning theſe matters; but there is no Hope that Sin will be pardoned or Miſeries be removed. Spes alit Agricolas. The Huſbandman plows in Hope, and ſoweth in Hope: Here men pray in hope, and hear and weep in Hope; but in Hell their Cries and Tears are hopeleſs, Seas of Tears will not quench one ſpark of the fire, and this Deſpair links and torments them beyond expreſſion.

p. 598. The place in which they ſuffer theſe things, will yet aggravate their Miſery; 'Tis called a Pit, a Pit without water, a bottomleſs Pit, Rev. 9.1. Joſeph's Pit, Jeremie's Dungeon, Paul's Priſon, and Bonner's Cole-houſe were pleaſant and delightful places, compared with this: The worſt place on Earth is infinitely better than the beſt place in Hell. To live in Bridewel, or in Bedlam, is very grievous; but theſe are places of Pleaſure, when this is ſpoken of.

9. The company yet encreaſeth the vexation: Good-company is a great comfort in trouble and miſery; It is ſuch a relief as hath made ſome even to forget their ſorrow: But here the Devil and his Angels, and all the wicked wretches that ever were on earth, and lived and died ſuch, ſhall be the company of hell. Not one good perſon among them: It will raiſe the happineſs of Heaven, that not one wicked perſon ſhall be there, not an Hypocrite among them; and it will no leſs aggravate the Miſery of Hell, that none but ſuch are p. 60there. It was a grief of mind to Rebecca, to be among the Daughters of Heth, Gen. 27. ult. The filthy company and ways of the Sodomites were a vexation to the Soul of juſt and righteous Lot, 2 Pet. 2.7, 8. David when forced to dwell in Meſech, cries, Wo is me. How will they lament in Hell, where damned Devils will be their Society, and theſe Companions their cruel Tormentors? So they are called, Mat. 18.24. The Devils are great Tormentors of the Bodies and Souls of men. It was the Saying of a good man, I had rather endure all the Torments men can deviſe, than ſee the Devil with my bodily eyes: What a miſerable caſe will theirs in Hell be, who ſhall both ſee and feel them their cruel Tormentors, who will have no Pity, ſhew no Mercy, will not ſpare; but cruciate and afflict as much as they are able?

10. The Eternity of all the former Evils, doth and will aggravate the Miſery of them in Hell; they are puniſhed with everlaſting deſtruction from the Preſence of the Lord, and ſhall never p. 61ſee his face with comfort, 2 Theſ. 1. They riſe to everlaſting ſhame and contempt, Dan. 12.2. Their worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched, Mark 9. called Everlaſting Fire, everlaſting Burnings, the vengeance of eternal fire, Mat. 25. Eſay 33. Jude 7. The blackneſs of darkneſs for ever, Jude 7. All this is without mitigation, intermiſſion, or ceſſation. O! who can bear it? If they in Hell might have eaſe but one hour in a thouſand years, it were ſome comfort; but there the ſmoak of their Torment aſcendeth up for ever and ever, and they have no reſt night nor day. If after Ten thouſand years a man might be taken up out of Torments, the hopes of that would ſupport; but there they muſt lye in the ſcorching flames of God's Wrath for ever: O, who can endure unquenchable Fire! Did we conſider what an Eternity of Torment is, to live ever dying, and yet never dye; to be in a Circle of Sorrow that knows no End, in Variety and Extremity of Pains that have no Period; but after a man hath been under theſe Torments as many Ages, as p. 62many Millions of Ages, as there have been Moments or Minutes ſince the Creation, he is as far from coming out, as he was in the firſt moment he went in; O how inconceivable dreadful will this be! Now People think Prayers long, and Sermons long, and Sabbaths long; O what a Wearineſs are they to many! But how long will an Eternal Hell be to ſuch? There they will be held down ever, ever, ever, to feel the ſtroke of infinite power and wrath; and though men will not believe this report, yet their unbelief ſhall not make God a Liar; for he hath ſaid it, and will ſurely perform it upon all them that live and dye overcome by the power of Sin, Satan, Antichriſt, and the World. O! how glad would wicked men and women be, could they blot out the word Eternal out of the Holy Scriptures, but it cannot be! Some think it cannot ſtand with the juſtice of God to puniſh men eternally, for ſins committed in time; yet if men did conſider what God is, they would never make this objection: If men did conſider an p. 63infinite God is offended, and juſtice requires that an infinite ſatisfaction be made; men are finite and cannot receive an infinite puniſhment in time, therefore juſtly ſuffer to all eternity. Even men account it but a juſt and righteous thing to lay up thoſe in Priſon all their life, or to take away the lives of thoſe for ever from the earth, who ſteal, or break open Houſes, or kill men, and wilfully murder, though theſe acts were done in a very little time: And may not God who is infinite, juſtly inflict infinite torments? The circumſtance of the perſon againſt whom any act is done, much aggravates or leſſens the fault, and ſo the puniſhment. It's more to ſtrike a Prince than an ordinary man, and deſerves a greater puniſhment: Sin is committed againſt an infinite Majeſty, therefore juſtly puniſhed to all eternity. Beſides, if men ſhould live on earth for ever, they would ſin againſt God for ever, and therefore may juſtly ſuffer for ever. Some ſay thus, Man ſins in ſuo aeterno, and therefore is juſtly puniſhed in aeterno Dei. There is in every ſinner, infinita voluntas p. 64peccandi, a will to ſin infinitely; and that he doth not ſo, is becauſe God cuts the thred of his life, who ſeeing this diſpoſition in man, is righteous in his eternal deſtruction. Thus much may ſuffice to ſhew wherein the hurt of the ſecond death lies, viz. in a privation of good, in an inundation of all evils, ſhame, ſorrow, the curſe, the worm, the fire, darkneſs, deſpair, the place, the company, and the eternity of all theſe; This, this is the hurt of the ſecond death.

Queſt. 3. Why ſhall not thoſe that overcome be hurt of the ſecond death?

Anſw. Becauſe Chriſt died for them; not for an example only, but in their room and ſtead; when they were enemies, ſinners, Chriſt died for them, Rom. 5.8, 10. He died not for his own ſins, he had no ſin inherent in him, he did no ſin, neither was guile found in his mouth, 1 John 3.5. 1 Pet. 2.22. Meſſiah ſhall be cut off, but not for himſelf, ſays the Prophet, Dan. 9.26. but he was delivered for our offences, Rom. 5. ult. And he died not as a private perſon, but as a ſecond Adam; the firſt Adam ſinned, p. 65not as a private perſon, but as the head of all mankind, in him all have ſinned, Rom. 5.12. So Chriſt died as the publick repreſentative of all in him, who therefore are ſaid in the Scriptures to be crucified with him, and dead with him, vertually; and this death which he ſubmitted to for them was no natural, no ordinary death, but the very ſecond Death the Text ſpeaks of, ſo far as God thought to be ſufficient, and as the excellency of his perſon was capable of; ſo far as that Divine Juſtice is ſatisfied, the Law fulfilled, and all Enemies vanquiſhed in the main, and ſo broken, as they ſhall never recover ſtrength to conquer finally the weakeſt true Believer. Though he did not deſpair, nor endure his Sufferings eternally; for being God-man, his Deity made his Sufferings of infinite Value and Vertue, though he was under them but for a time; And 'tis very probable he endured in his Agony in the Garden, and upon the Croſs, even the whole of what Believers muſt elſe have been under for ever: Great was the ſhame caſt upon him; He was a Man of Sorrows, p. 66and acquainted with Grief, even from his Cradle to his Croſs; from his Birth to his Burial: He was made a Curſe for them. God his Father hid his face from him; yea, laid his ſevere hand of Juſtice and Wrath upon him: He ſpared not his own Son, but was pleaſed to bruiſe him, and put him to grief. O the pains he endured both in his Body and Soul! His Soul was made an Offering for ſin, and he bare our ſins in his own Body on the Tree, Eſay 57. 1 Pet. 2.24. And this, that all true Believers might not be hurt by the ſecond Death, either in Body or Soul: He underwent the Curſe, that they might inherit the Bleſſing; He was wounded for their Tranſgreſſions, that they through his Stripes might be healed; He died this Death for them, that they might live through him an Eternal Life. I have read of a Bird, which if it comes near a man, who is troubled with the Yellow Jaundice, it attracts the Diſeaſe to it ſelf▪ cures the ſick perſon; but the Bird dies Chriſt took our Nature and S…n upon him, dies for them, that whoſoever p. 67believeth in him ſhould not periſh, but have everlaſting Life. Now Chriſt having by his Blood given full Satisfaction, God the great Creditor will not exact the ſame Debt twice, of the Surety and of the Debtor too; but they are reckoned to have diſcharged all in him, to dye in him and riſe in him, and ſo to overcome in him; and therefore cannot, ſhall not be hurt of the ſecond Death.

Ʋſe 1. This Doctrine, well conſidered and applied, gives ſtrong Conſolation to all true Believers; it is a great relief againſt the fears of outward Troubles, and of bodily Death, that King of Terrours, and Terrour of Kings: Though they may come under the ſmart of the firſt, (which yet the Lord can make eaſie to them) yet they are free from the hurt of the ſecond Death, which is indeed the ſting of the firſt; The ſting of Death is Sin: this they overcome in Chriſt. A Fly makes as great a noiſe as a Bee, yet we fear it not ſo much, becauſe it hath no Sting: So here, Death hath loſt its Sting as to true Believers, p. 68though it may terrific Nature, yet it ſhall not prove deadly to them. Chriſt threatens ſome, that he will kill their Children with Death, Rev. 2.23. Some are killed with Death; all dye, even the good as well as the wicked; but all are not killed with Death, Death proves not deadly to any true Believer.

A good man once ſaid, That he did Aegrotare vitaliter; ſo all holy men and women do Mori vitaliter: Death lays its hand upon all, but the time cometh when this hand ſhall be cut off, even at the Reſurrection, but no Power farther than to carry to the Grave; and Chriſt ſaith, I will ranſome them from the power of the Grave, I will redeem them from Death, Hoſ. 13.14. It cannot deliver them over to wrath, or carry a good man in Chains to the Priſon of Hell: This is to be killed with Death. A Believer may ſay, O Death, where is thy Sting? O Grave, where is thy Victory? Thanks be to God, who giveth us the Victory through Jeſus Chriſt, 1 Cor. 15.56, 57. Once paſt the firſt Death, you are for ever free from all fear of p. 69Death: This Life is on this account miſerable, that it is in fear of Death hanging over it every moment: What is your Life, ſaith St. James, it is a Vapour that now is, and quickly vaniſhes away, Jam. 4.13, 14. But after this, no more fear of Death to a true Chriſtian. And to make the Joy of ſuch full, there is a Meioſis in this Text; when it is ſaid they ſhall not be hurt of the ſecond Death, it implies, that they ſhall be called to a bleſſed and immortal Life: Not only not aſhamed, but have boldneſs and confidence before Chriſt at his coming; not only ſorrow and ſighing will flee away, but everlaſting Joy ſhall be upon their heads; not only free from the Curſe, but ſhall hear a Come ye bleſſed; not only no Deſpair, but no doubting; yea, a perpetual Plerophory and full Aſſurance of their happy ſtate; not only no Worm of an accuſing Conſcience, but the teſtimony of an abſolving Conſcience, which will be a continual Feaſt; not only no Torments of Hell, but the Pleaſures of Heaven; not only no Canaanites in that Land, no Devil, p. 70no wicked men, but the Society of holy Angels and Saints, and God's glorious Preſence to all Eternity. Why ſhould not all ſincere Believers comfort themſelves, and one another, with theſe things, and that in the worſt of times? A Martyr, being offered Life if he would renounce the Truth, anſwered, Can you give me Eternal Life? And being threatned with Death for refuſal, he ſaid, You cannot bring me under the ſecond Death, you cannot put me to Eternal Death; You can kill my Body, but that's all you can do. I muſt fear to offend him, that can deſtroy Body and Soul in Hell. Better it is, ſaies he, that I have a little Wormwood in my Mouth a while, than to have my Bowels filled with it for ever. Oh! how would the Improvement of this Text and Truth ſupport and comfort a Chriſtian, in the ſaddeſt conditions he may be called to paſs through in this world.

Ʋſe. 2. Is it thus, that Overcomers ſhall not be hurt of the ſecond Death? Then let us all make out for true Faith in Jeſus Chriſt; for this is the Victory whereby we overcome the World, and p. 71all that is in the World, even our Faith, 1 John 5.4. This is the firſt Reſurrection, which whoſoever hath a part in is bleſſed; If you ask wherein are ſuch bleſſed? The Text tells you, Rev. 20.6. On ſuch the ſecond death hath no power. Some underſtand this of Romiſh Idolatries and Superſtitions, for it is ſaid, If any man worſhip the Beaſt and his Image, and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand, the ſame ſhall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation, and he ſhall be tormented with fire and brimſtone in the preſence of the holy Angels, and in the preſence of the Lamb: And they have no reſt night nor day who worſhip the Beaſt and his Image, and whoſoever receiveth the mark of his name: which implies, ſay they, that thoſe who live and dye under the dominion of thoſe Antichriſtian abominations in Doctrine, Worſhip, and Practice, and riſe not by true Faith in Chriſt, and Repentance towards God, will fall under the power of the ſecond death. 'Tis ſaid, every living ſoul p. 72died in the Sea; for it became as the Blood of a dead man, when the Vial was poured out upon it, Revel. 16.3. Whence ſome have concluded, that thoſe under the Romiſh Juriſdiction, who live and dye under the full Dominion and Practice of their Idolatrous wicked Doctrines and Worſhip, cannot be ſaved. But others take this firſt Reſurrection, to be meant of a Spiritual quickning to a Divine Life, the Dead hear the Voice of the Son of God in the Goſpel, and live; this is when Faith is firſt wrought, which is the beginning of the Soul's life and ſtrength, the firſt born of graces, the bond of Union between Chriſt and Believers, and ſo brings all the ſtrength and Grace of Chriſt into their hearts, for Chriſt and all his Fulneſs dwelleth there by Faith, and by that is derived to the Soul, to enable it to overcome all its Enemies: Where this is not wrought, Sin and Satan do conquer and utterly deſtroy the Soul. If ye believe not that I am he, ye ſhall dye in your ſins, ſaies Chriſt to the Jews, Joh. 8.21, 24. Should any one come and tell us, p. 73You ſhall die in a Ditch, or in a Goal, it would ſound harſhly in our ears; but for Chriſt to ſay, Ye ſhall dye in your ſins, is yet more dreadful: For a man may die in a Ditch, or in a Priſon, and yet go to Heaven; but if any one die under the full power of Sin and Satan, a dead Dog is better than he; it had been good for that man he had never been born, for he drops preſently into Hell, and the Second Death hath an irrecoverable Power over him; he can never get from under it, becauſe all his Sins will be laid upon him. If a Debtor be Arreſted and caſt into Priſon, no ſooner do his Creditors underſtand it, but they come and bring in their ſeveral Actions, that a man muſt lye there all his days. Thus if the firſt Death Arreſt us, and we under the full Dominion of ſin, Satan comes in, Conſcience comes in, the Law comes in; yea, God himſelf comes in, all come in and lay Action upon Action againſt us, and there we muſt lye, till the laſt Mite be paid: which becauſe we can never do, we muſt lye there to all Eternity. We live in very p. 74dying Times, and none can tell how ſoon the thred of his Life may be cut; If we look not diligently to it, we ſhall dye in our ſins, and ſo be undone for ever. O let us look and get true Faith, for it is he that believes that overcomes, and he that overcomes ſhall not be hurt of the Second Death.