Twenty-Four Sermons, Sermon 21
SERMON XXI.
Auguſt 10. 1697.
DEUT. XXXIV. v.
So Moſes the Servant of the Lord died there in the Land of Moab, according to the Word of the Lord.
IT is no Diminution to the Authority of theſe Books of Moſes, that this concluding Chapter muſt be ſuppoſed to be added by another hand; whether by Eleazer his Nephew, or Joſhua his Succeſſor, is uncertain: 'Tis enough that it was done with the direction of the Spirit of God, by ſome Holy Perſon, whom he thought fit to appoint for that purpoſe. Moſes had been admoniſh'd by God at two ſeveral times, of his approaching Death, Numb. 27.12, 13. and Deut. 32.49, 50. This Chapter gives an account of his actual Deceaſe. In the foregoing Verſes we have a relation of his going up to Mount Nebo, to the top of Piſgah, and of the view which he had from thence of the Promiſed Land; whereupon God plainly and poſitively tells him, I have cauſed thee to ſee it with thine Eyes, but thou ſhalt not go over thither, Verſe 4. the Proſpect of it muſt ſatisfy thee, without the Poſſeſſion. And this did ſatisfy the Man Moſes, who was very meek above all other Men; for immediately we read, So Moſes, &c. In which wors we may take notice of three Things,
Firſt, Moſes his Honourable Character, [Moſes the Servant of the Lord.] This is the Title which God himſelf puts upon him a little after, in his Charger to Joſhua, Moſes my Servant is dead, Joſh. 1.2. and he is ſo ſtiled in the New Teſtament likewiſe, Rev. 15.3. They ſang the Song of Moſes the Servant of God. This ſeems eſpecially to refer to the eminent Service which he did to God in his Publick Office, as Leader and Governor of Iſrael. As David for the ſame cauſe hath the ſame Character in the Titles of Pſalms 18. and 36. And ſo Miniſters that are employed in the Diſpenſation of the everlaſting Goſpel, are called in a peculiar manner, The Servants of the Lord, 2 Tim. 2.24. And they who are Faithful in that Service, are more dignified thereby, than any of the Prophane Princes of this World.
Secondly, Theplace of his Death; He [died there in the Land of Moab:] i. e. A Land of Enemies, Balak's Country originally, till taken by the Amorites, and now Conquer'd by the Iſraelites. Thus Jacob died in Egypt, a ſtrange Land; and indeed in ſome ſenſe we all do ſo; for in that better Country to which we properly belong, there is no more Death. Though our Lord hath overcome this World for us, we are but Pilgrims in it; and by Death we paſs out of it to our promiſed Inheritance.
Thirdly, The true Ground and Reaſon of it; [Accordig to the Word of the Lord.] i. e. As God had order'd and enjoin'd him to do. As Simeon, to whom it had been revealed, that he ſhould not ſee Death, till he had ſeen the Lords Christ, Luke 2.29. when he came and ſaw him in the Temple, crys out, Lord now letteſt thou thy Servant depart in Peace, according to thy Word, ver. 29. It cannot be denied, that this Word of the Lord to Moſes, to dle there, ſeems to be an hard ſaying, and he might have raiſed many Carnal Objections againſt it. He was now in a ſtate of Health and Vigour, not wearied and ſpent by Sickneſs and Pain, or the Infirmities of declining Years; his Eye was not dim, nor his natural Force abated; and he was ſhort of the Age to which many of the Patriarchs arrived; he was but an Hundred and twenty Years old, ver 7. He had ſpent very near a third part of his time in the moſt Toilſom Employment, bearing the Burden of Forty Years tedious march through an Howling Wilderneſs. and yet now when he was upon the edge, as it were, of Canaan, he muſt die upon the Mount. When he had gone ſo far, another muſt enter into his Labours, and inherit the Glory of perfecting the Work; not one of his Poſterity (which might be ſome Satisfaction to his Brother Aaron, that he was ſucceed by his Son, Numb. 20.28.) but Joſhua his Servant, one that had attended him, and miniſtred to him; one that had envied for Moſes's ſake, Numb. 11.28, 29. and yet Moſes now, upon a much greater Temptation, does not envy for his ſake, but delivers up his Charge, and breaths out his Soul, by the ſoveraign and undiſputed Appointment of God. And therefore from this ſingular and remarkable inſtance, we may be all inſtructed in our own Duty.
Obſerv. To die according to the Will of God, is a great and neceſſary Act of our Chriſtian Obedience. Here,
I. Shew, How the Will of God is concern'd in our Death.
II. What ſort of Obedience we are to yeild to it.
III. Why we ſhould do ſo.
IV. Apply it.
I. How the Will of God is concerned in our Death? This will appear in ſeveral things.
1. The general Sentence of Mortality pronounc'd upon fall Creatures, is the reſult of the Will of God; the common Death of all Men, ſince Sin entred the World, is by a Divine Conſtitution. Men did, becauſ God hath ſaid they ſhall do ſo; becauſe he hath reſolv'd and determined it, not meerly becauſe they are compounded of Fleſh and Blood, which is a Frame that's liable to be diſſolv'd; for we were of the ſame make, as to our natural Subſtance, in our innocent State, wherein if we had remain'd, we ſhould not have died. It is as much in the Power of God to preſerve and defend us from ſeeing Corruption now, as it was before; but his Will is otherwiſe. Death reigns now univerſally by a Power given to it from above; He who changes not, hath ordained that this Change ſhall come.
2. Death hath its particular Commiſſion from God, with reſpect to particular Perſons. As God ſpeaks of numbring men to the Sword, Iſa. 65.12. like Sheep which are pick'd out of a Flock, and deſign'd for ſlaughter. So Jer. 15.2. ſuch as are for death, to death; and ſuch as are for the ſword, to the ſword, &c. The Deſtroyer cannot come near, but only where God hath devoted and ſet apart for Deſtruction beforehand. Hence thoſe diſtinguiſhing Dealings of Providence, not only with them under the ſame Roof, but in the ſame Bed; one taken, and the other left, Luke 17.34. The Peſtilence which walks in darkneſs, is guided by God to ſeize only upon ſuch as he hath mark'd out; and it never touches any one whom God will ſpare, though Thouſands and Ten thouſands fall beſides him, Pſalm 91.7.
3. The Circumſtance of Time in dying is fix'd and ſettled by the Will of God. As we read how Chriſt knew that his hour was come, that he ſhould depart out of the World to the Father, John 13.1. ſo every Child of God hath ſuch a determinate hour, yea minute, though we know not ordinarily of its coming, as our Lord did. Every one hath his ſet time of removing out of this earthly Houſe, which can neither be haſtned nor delay'd. Every one hath his Portion and Share of Life it ſelf, as well as of the Comforts of it, aſſign'd by God, and when that Portion is exhauſted, we are truly full of Days, whether we have lived long in the World, or a little while. No Man can die till then, and after that 'tis impoſſible to live. It is certain, that to this point we ſhall come, and as certain that we ſhall not go beyond it.
4. The place of our Death is limited by the purpoſe and pleaſure of God, as well as the of our Habitation, while we live. He preſcribes not only when, but where, our Spirits ſhall reutrn to him. He calls (as it were) to every Man out of Heaven, though not ſo audibly as to Moſes, ſaying, Die thou there; upon that ſpot of Ground thy Carkaſs ſhall fall; as God ſaid concerning Ahab with reference to Naboth's Field, which he had gotten by Murder, I wil requite thee in this plat, 2 Kings 9.26. One perhaps is ſtruck in a Religious Aſſembly, another in his Cloſet, one in the City, another in the Field, one at Home, another Abroad; but all exactly in that place which was allotted by God's eternal Decree. Our Lord could not be hurt in Herod's Juriſdiction, becauſe his laſt Stage was to be Jeruſalem, Luke 13.33.
5. The means of our Death are diſpoſed and managed by God; whether natural, or violent, or caſual means. Whatſoever it be which brings us to the Grave, 'tis a Meſſenger of his ſending. When the Manſlayer kills another undeſignedly, God is ſaid to deliver the other into his hand, Exod. 21.13. ſo when bloody Men ſeek after our Lives, 'tis as true that God delivers us into their hands alſo, if we fall into them. Him being deliver'd by the council and foreknowledge of God, you have taken, &c. Acts 2.23. There is no Diſtemper which proves mortal to us, amongſt the many that we are incident to, but what therein executes the Orders of God. He who hath appointed ſuch an Event, does likewiſe appoint thoſe things, whereby it is brought about. Diſeaſes in the Body, as well as Storms in the Air, fulfil his Word.
6. The manner of dying, as to Slowneſs or Suddennes, Eaſe or Pain, is directed by the Will of God. Some are ſnatch'd out of the World, as Iſrael went out of Egypt in haſte, and cut off by a quick ſurprizing ſtroke, like Sodom's overthrow, in a moment: Others have a lingring Departure, and the Pins of their Tabernacle are looſned and pulled out by degrees. God is the Supream Orderer of both, for he takes away as he ſees good, Ezek. 16.50. Some ſlide out of the World, like Rivers of Oil, which run ſmooth and ſoft, without any Bands in their Death; and others die with Agony and Torture, as if the Soul were rent and torn out of the Body, like the caſting of the dumb Spirit out of the Child, Mark 9.26. And who knoweth not in all theſe, that the Hand of the Lord hath wrought this?
II. What ſort of Obedience we are to yield to the Will of God in this Caſe? Here ſhew, what is conſiſtent with it, and what are the proper and due Qualifications of it.
Firſt, What is Conſiſtent with this Obedience, which may ſeem oppoſite and repugnant to it?
Anſw. 1. The uſe of natural Remedies for the preſervation of Life conſiſts very well with our Obedience to God in dying, it is the manifeſt Will of God that we ſhould uſe them, when his ſecret will is not to proſper them. When we know not how he will do with us, we know not what he hath requir'd us to do for our ſelves. A diligent Application of Recovering means, may be accompanied with our dutiful ſubmitting of the iſſue to him. 'Tis no Rebellion againſt the Laws of God to follow the Rules of the Phyſician, even in our laſt Sickneſs, before we know whether it will be our laſt or not The Diſtemper'd Body ought not to be neglected, though the departing Spirit is to be reſign'd. The Body is ſuch an Hand-maid to the Soul, that, it muſt not, like that Egyptian Servant, be careleſly left, when it falls ſick, 1 Sam. 30.31.
2. Conditional Requeſts to God for ſparing Mercy, are not inconſiſtent with this Obedience. Abſolute Requeſts indeed are not allowable; to ask Life in a peremptory Manner, whether it be the Will of God to grant it to no, is as ſinful, as 'tis vain; but to ask it, with a becomeing Subjection to his unknown good Pleaſure, is what he approves, though he denies to anſwer. Our Lord himſſelf intreated the paſſing of the Cup from him, if it were poſſible, or if his Father were willing, Luke 22.42. So long as there is hope, there is Room for Prayer, yea many Times againſt Hope, Prayer hath prevailed. While we are under God's Hand, we cannot tell, but that he may hear; when we find that the unalterable Decree is gone forth; we are to ceaſe, like thoſe Diſciples, when Paul would not be perſuaded, ſaying, The Will of the Lord be done, Acts 21.14.
3. A zealous purſuit of Holy Deſigns for the Service and Intereſt of Chriſt, to the very laſt, is conſiſtent with our Obedience to the Will of God in dying. It behoves us to be carrying on Religious Projects, as long as we live, though we ſhould yield to dye before we have accompliſht them. Though David was told, that he ſhould not have the Honour of building an Houſe for God, yet he continued his vaſt Preparations for it, till the Time that he fell aſleep. While we have any being, we ſhould be aiming at further uſefulneſ, continuing and drawing the Schemes of more good Works, whether God will give us Opportunity for the performance or not. It will be our Glory to dye with ſuch Work upon our Hands; for no Man ever yet, but Jeſus Chriſt was able to do, all that was in his Heart to do for God, [Mr. N. Mather.]
4. The ſtrugglings of Humane Fleſh againſt the bitterneſs of Death, though never altogether Innocent in us, as in Chriſt, will conſiſt with our Obedience in dying. Nature cannot receive ſuch a Sentence in it ſelf without ſome Averſion, though Grace overcomes and ſubdues it. Nature will look upon Death as an Enemy ſtill, though Grace looks upon it as Conquer'd. The Mind ſo far as it is renewed, is entirely given up to God, but the Sanctification of the Spirit Soul and Body being ſtill imperfect, there will be ſome remaining Reluctancies. Theſe, tho' not excuſable from Sin, are nevertheleſs reconcileable with Sincerity. The dying Acts of Believers are not free from guilty weakneſs, and yet are unqueſtionably done in greateſt Uprightneſs. There is ſomething which pulls back, but a ſtronger Principle which draws them forward.
2. What are the due and proper Qualifications of this Obedience? Anſ.
1. It includes a quiet expecting and waiting for God's Call. Obedience to God in dying muſt not ſpring from an impatient Diſcontent of Living; for then it is no Obedience, but real unrulineſs of the Spirit, ſeeking Deliverance before the Time from ſome burdenſome Evils, wherewith we are oppreſt. Perſons under long and great Afflictions, are very apt to ſay, It is enough now oh Lord, take away my Life, as Elias, 1 Kings 19.4. But whatever our Exerciſes be, it is not enough, till God thinks meet. This is a venting of irregular Paſſion, not an act of Duty. Rebeckab cries, I am weary of my Life, becauſe of the Daughters of Heath, Gen. 27. ult. But nothing will juſtifie ſuch wearineſs, till our Time to dye is fully come. A diſcharge ſhould be acceptable when God is pleas'd to give it, but not be raſhly ſought out of the appointed Seaſon.
2. An humble bearing of God's fatherly diſpleaſure, if there ſhould be any Tokens of it upon us in our Death. We have an hint of this from the very Caſe of Moſes here, Chap. 32.51. Becauſe you treſpaſſed againſt me among the Children of Iſrael, at the Waters of Meribah-kadeſh, &c. Becauſe you ſanctified me not in the midst of them. This one Sin and Miſcarriage of Moſes in the Conduct of the People, is call'd to remembrance by God, when he is going out of the World; and therefore as the Lord on whoſe Hand the King of Iſrael leaned, was to ſee the Plenty in Samaria with his Eyes, but not to Eat thereof, 2 Kings 7.2. So Moſes now was to behold, but not enjoy, the good Things of this pleaſant Land. God had threaten'd to kill him a great many Years before, for neglect of Circumciſion to his Child, Exod. 4.24. And now actually ſummons him to dye, as a Rebuke for his unbelief; for indeed this was the Sin that lay at the bottom; Numb. 20.12. Becauſe you believed me not, &c. Zacharias was ſtruck Dumb, above nine Months for not believing the Angels Meſſage, Luke 1.20. But Moſes muſt loſe his Life. God had once paſs'd by great unbelief in him, Numb. 11.21, 22. But this was not to eſcape without Corection. and yet 'tis born, as from a Father without Complaint.
3. A final Farewel to this World, and to thoſe Things particularly, which are apt to render a stay in it most deſirable. When God calls us forth, we muſt take our leave as Perſons that are never to return, as long as the preſent Frame of this World endures. The Places which we now poſſeſs, are to know us no more, and we are to know them no more. Every one at ſuch a Time, may ſay as our Lord did, Now I am no more in the World, John 17.11. I muſt reckon my ſelf, as one, that ſhall have nothing more to do with it, as one that is going to be everlaſtingly remov'd at the greateſt diſtance from it, and to be no further concern'd in any thing, which hath the leaſt Reference or Relation to it. Such Thoughts are to govern and influence our Minds, in the Performance of this dying Act of Obedience to God.
4. A quitting and abandoning of this mortal Fleſh, as that which is not to be reaſſum'd, till it puts on Immortality at the Diſſolution of all Things 'Tis indeed a great Tryal of Obedience, to part with ſuch an old and intimate Companion, which hath been joyn'd and knit by the cloſeſt vital Bands, it may be, for Twenty, Thirty, Forty, or Fifty, &c. Years together; but 'tis a trial which our Obedience muſt be approv'd in. This Body of Fleſh, as it now is, is to be given up as a Sacrifice to the Devourer; that which ſo much Pains and Coſt is beſtow'd upon, which ſo many Creatures are deſtroy'd to ſupport and maintain, is to be Meat for Worms, corrupted and diſpers'd we cannot tell where. Under the Apprehenſions of Death's feeding upon it after it.
5. A willing Surrender of our Souls into God's hands, from whence they originally came. Death is expreſt by God's requiring the Soul, Luke 12.20. now, in compliance with this great Demand of God, the Soul is to be yielded up; God commits this Treaſure to us while we live, and he expects a Reſignation of it when we die. But this muſt be with free and full Conſent, or elſe 'tis no Reſignation, and conſequently no Obedience; for that which is forc'd and conſtrain'd, is as none in God's Eſteem. He ſees into the ſecret Springs and Motives of every Act; and that which we do, meerly becauſe we cannot avoid it, will be to him as it were not done; for God's taking away of the Soul, is his Act, only the delivering of it up can be ours. To die, becauſe we muſt needs die, becauſe we cannot keep alive our own Souls, and have no power to retain our Spirit, is conſiſtent with the higheſt Diſobedience, and Rebellion againſt God. But when our Wills fall in with the Appointment of God, and we chuſe to die, when God orders that we ſhould, this is truly to die at the Commandment of the Lord, as Aaron did, Numb. 33.38. Here is Freedom and Neceſſity going hand in hand; as 2 Pet. 1.14. Putting off notes Freedom, and muſt notes Neceſſity.
6. An awful and ſerious Preparationto give an account of our ſelves to God. This is as neceſſary as dying, Rom. 14.12. Every one of us ſhall give Account, &c. And we cannot die according to the Will of God, without ſome ſuitable Preparedneſs for it. There is no true obeying of providential Calls to any Service here in this World, without ſome previous Diſpoſitions in our own Minds wrought by the Grace of God, for its performance: As when Paul was put upon remembring the Poor, he tells us, it was that which he was beforehand forward to do, Gal. 2.10. So it is here, as to departing out of the World; we cannot obey God as we ought in it, except we are competently fitted for it. If we die in the Lord, it ſuppoſes that we are ready to die; and we are not ready, unleſs our Accounts be ſo.
7. A thankful Entertainment of our dying Lot, as a real Privilege. If we are in every thing to give Thanks, we are to do it in this Caſe, as well as any other. Yea, there is more cauſe for doing it at Death, than at any ſeaſon or time of Life going before it. there is no Act of Obedience which deſerves to be more chearfully performed, than this, nor ſo chearfully as this. It becomes as chriſtian to be glad, when he can find the Grave; to go down into it, not as a Condemned Priſoner, but as one who is a Triumphant Conqueror. If there be matter of Joy, when we fall into divers Temptations, how much more when we are going to be freed from all? If we are to Rejoice in the hope of Glory, when fartheſt off, how much more when upon the Borders of Fruition?
8. A vigorous Exerciſe of Faith with reſpect to an unſeen State, when God is leading us forth to it. All Obedience muſt be the Obedience of Faith, flowing from it, and impregnated with it; Faith is to run through every Duty of our whole Lives, or elſe no Duty would be accepted; but eſpecially we are to die in Faith. And there is great need of our doing ſo; for we have no other Evidence of inviſible future Things, but only our Faith. thomas, who would not believe what he ſaw, John 20.25. tells Chriſt, We know not whither thou goest, John 14.5. 'Tis indeed an unknown Land, and the way through which we paſs to it is dark and gloomy, without the enlightning Diſcoveries of Faith. This alone will clear up all; and ſo it is with every Believer, as with Abraham, Hebr. 11.8. By Faith, when he was called to go out into a place which he ſhould after receive for an Inheritance, obeyed, not knowing whether he went.