The Christians Defense Against the Fears of Death, Chapter 16
CHAP. 16.
The Fourth Conſolation againſt the Fears of Death, is to Meditate often upon our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, as he did lie in his Tomb.
MAn doth naturally abhor and hate the ſight of Graves, ſome there are, that cannot paſs by a Church yard, without expreſſing a diſtaſte and ſecret diſpleaſure; not only ſuch as make their abode in glorious Palaces and ſtately Dwellings, but alſo ſuch as reſide in poor Huts, or in pitiful Cabins, ſuch as are ſhut up in black Dungeons, or expoſed to the injury of the weather, who have no other covering then the Sky, can ever think upon Death without fear, when they are to think, that this Body muſt go into the Bowels of the Earth, and lie down in a ſtinking and noiſome Grave.
If ye will baniſh from your Minds this dangerous apprehenſion, and theſe needleſs fears, we muſt conſider ſeriouſly, with a religious application of our minds, That we muſt never abhor the Earth, becauſe our Bodies have been made of Earth, it hath been as it were the Mother that brings us forth.
We muſt alſo conſider, that it is the order of nature, that all compoſed Bodies ſhould return at their diſſolution, every part to its firſt principle; therefore as the Soul mounts up to its firſt ſource, and returns to God that gave it; likewiſe it is no wonder, if the Body returns to Duſt, becauſe it proceeds from Duſt, and God hath pronounced a juſt Sentence in the earthly Paradiſe, which ſhall never be revoked, duſt thou art, and to duſt thou ſhalt return, Gen. 3.
Nicodemus inquired of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, How can a Man be born when he is old? can he enter the ſecond time into his Mothers Womb and be born, John 3. This ridiculous and unprobable conceit, is proved in a manner to be true in this occaſion, for we muſt enter again into the Womb of the Earth our common Mother, that we might be Born again, and paſs into another Life.
It is not amiſs to conſider often, the notable inſtances, and excellent repreſentations of our Death, which St. Paul mentions in the 15 Chap. of the firſt Epiſtle to the Corinth. for our Bodies are as the Seed which is caſt into the Earth, that it might bring forth. O fool, that which thou ſoweſt is not quickned except it dye. It cannot flouriſh untill it rots. The Students of Nature inform us, that the generation of one thing is the corruption of another. In this occaſion we may ſay, that the corruption and diſſolution of this wretched Body, is the means and way that leads to a more glorious Generation. You that weep for the deceaſe of your Friends and Kindred, when you ſee them laid in their Graves, remember what David ſaith, They that ſow in tears, ſhall reap with ſongs of Joy, Pſalm 126.
Conſider that Death is the way of all fleſh, and the Grave is the laſt retreat which God hath appointed for all living; ſo that if we be loath to enter into the Tomb, we muſt deſire Almighty God to grant us a Lodging by our ſelves, to change the common courſe of nature, or to create for us another World.
Now the Grave is not only the general Rendezvous of all Mankind, but it is a Couch where they reſt after this laborious and painful race; therefore when the Prophet Iſaiah ſpeaks of the Death of good Men, he ſaith, They enter into peace, they reſt in their Beds, Iſ. 57. For when he looks to the bleſſed eſtate of their Souls, he tells us, that they are entred into that great and eternal Peace that raigns in Heaven, but when he caſts an eye upon their Bodies, he ſaith, that they reſt in their Beds. For this cauſe the places appointed to bury the Dead, are named ſleeping places, by the Greeks, to teach us that there they are fallen aſleep, in expectation of the great Morne, when God ſhall ſend to awaken them, with the ſound of the Archangels Trumpet.
Therefore when Jacob was ready to give up the Ghoſt, he commanded his Son Joſeph not to bury him in Egypt, that he might ſleep with his Fathers, Gen. 47. Likewiſe Job ſpeaks in the ſame manner, I ſhall ſleep in the Duſt of the Earth, Job. 7. And God held this Language unto Moſes, Thou art going to ſleep with thy Fathers, Deut. 31. and to David, when thy days be fulfilled, thou ſhalt ſleep with thy Fathers, 2 Sam. 7. And when the Prophet Daniel ſpeaks of ſuch as were deceaſed ſince the Creation of the World, he ſaith, They ſleep in the duſt of the Earth, Dan. 12.
Eſpecially take notice, Chriſtian Souls, that when God ſpoke to Moſet from the midſt of the burning buſh, he told him, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Iſaac, and the God of Jacob, Exod. 4. they had been dead many Ages before, nevertheleſs, God names himſelf their God, Now God is not the God of the Dead but of the Living, Mat. 22. Thoſe holy Men were not Dead, in regard of their Souls, becauſe they were Immortal, and God had admitted them into Eternal Bliſs. Their Bodies alſo, to ſpeak properly, were not Dead, but ſlept in their Graves, as our S…viour ſaid of Jairus's Daughter, The Damſel is not Dead but Sleepeth, Mat. 9. and of Lazarus, Lazarus our friend Sleepeth, John 11. Moreover, we may juſtly …y, that the Eſtate of our Bodies in the Grave, is better and more pleaſant then our daily ſleep; for when we reſt in our Beds, we be often diſturbed in our fancy; we labour and ſweat, and the richeſt and moſt magnificent Couches, are not free from this evil; whereas in our Graves, our Bodies are at reſt, and ſecure from all ſenſe of pain, ſo that they enjoy a perfect Sleep, and a reſt without diſturbance.
The greateſt Princes, and the proudeſt Monarchs, are conſtrained to take up their Lodging, one after another; here in this Houſe, which God hath prepared for all living, and to repoſe themſelves in that Couch, which is to receive all the Sons of Adam. When the Sacred Hiſtory gives an Account of the Kings of Judea, and of Iſrael, it adds, at the end of their Life, He ſlept with his Fathers. Let us be never ſo wretched, poor, and miſerable, we ſhall all be entertained in this dwelling of Kings, and lay our ſelves down upon their Beds; therefore when Job, through the grieveouſneſs of his pain complained, becauſe he had not Dyed immediately after his Birth, he ſaith, for now ſhould I have lain ſtill and been quiet, I ſhould have ſlept then, had I been at reſt with Kings and Councellors of the Earth, which built deſolate places for themſelves, or with Princes that had Gold, who filled their Houſes with Silver.
It is in this Houſe, and upon this Couch, that the Patriarcks, Prophets, Apoſtles, Evangeliſts, Martyrs, and generally all the Faithful do reſt, who have lived in all the Ages of the World as it is Recorded of St. Stephen, that when he had commended his Soul into the hands of the Lord Jeſus, that he fell aſleep, Acts 7. Therefore when St. Paul reproves the Cori…thians, and acquaints them that God had puniſhed them with divers Diſeaſes and Death, becauſe they had profaned the Lords Supper, he tells them, For this cauſe many are feeble and ſick amongſt you, and many ſleep. And when he ſpeaks of all thoſe that were dead in the profeſſion of Chriſts Religion, he ſaith, they ſleep in Jeſus, and he names them, they that ſleep. Now we are not better and nobler then the Saints of Paradiſe, to expect that our Bodies ſhould receive a better and more favourable entertainment then they.
In ſhort, there is nothing more able to remove from our fancy, that horror of our Graves, then the conſideration of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, who is entred into the Earth as well as other Men, and hath laid himſelf down there. He hath Sanctified and perfumed that place with his Divine Preſence; he hath made it the object of our deſires, and the cauſe of our glory; for there is no Subject but judgeth it an honour to lodge in his Princes Chamber, and to lay down and ſleep upon the Bed, where he hath taken his reſt, although he hath remained there but a moment, or an hour. O glorious Tomb, where Death and Life, Diſgrace and Glory are lodged together, and where the Prince of Life, the Author of all Honor and Happineſs did reſt himſelf.
Chriſtians, who deſire to baniſh from your Souls all fears of Death, and apprehenſions of your Graves, look upon your Sepulchres in the ſame manner, as if you ſhould ſee there Jeſus Chriſt the King of Glory, the Prince of your Salvation yet remaining aſleep. When old Jacob heard the miſtaken news, of the Death of his Son Joſeph, he was overcome with a violent grief, ſo that he cryed out, I ſhall go down with Sorrow to my Son into the Grave. But the certain news of the Death and Burial of our true Joſeph, will fill us full of unſpeakable comforts; and will cauſe us to ſpeak in another manner, I ſhall go down to my Father into the Sepulcher with Joy. The Prophet Elias raiſed to Life a Child, which laid in his Chamber upon his Bed; when he ſtretched himſelf upon it, the Soul that was departed came again; And Eliſha raiſed another in the ſame manner, by applying his Mouth to the Childs, his Hands and Eyes to the little Infants. But believing Soul, God works for thee in this occaſion, a far more wonderful Miracle, for our Reſurrection and Life, proceed from the Death and Burial of our great Prophet. If we go into this holy Tomb, if we lay our ſelves down upon this precious Body, if we embrace it with a true and living Faith, and a ſerious Repentance, he will quicken us again, and cauſe us to become Immortal, for he hath been pleaſed to enter into the eſtate of the dead, with an intent to procure unto us, a bleſſed and a glorious Immortality.
A Prayer and Meditation for a Chriſtian, who ſtrengthens himſelf againſt the horrible aſpect of the Grave, by looking upon our Lord Jeſus Chriſt ſtretched out in his Tomb.
O Wonderful Mediator, between God and Man! Thou art God Immortal, and yet haſt vouchſafed to take upon thee our Mortal Nature, and to Dye for me miſerable Sinner, and to remain for a time in the eſtate of the Dead, that thou mighteſt procure unto me a bleſſed Immortality. Give me Grace to Meditate as I ought, upon thy Sacred Body, wrapped up in a winding ſheet, and laid in the Earth, for by this means, O ſweet Jeſus, I ſhall be brought not to abhor the Grave, I ſhall look with a ſtedfaſt and ſetled countenance on the Grave digging, into which I muſt enter, when thou ſhalt appoint it, for the Servant is not greater then his Maſter. It belongs not to the Creature, to lift it ſelf up above the Creator; ſeeing that I expect to ſhare in thy Glory and Exaltation; it is but juſt and reaſonable, that I take ſome part in thy Diſgraces and Abaſement. My reaſon aſſiſted by thine holy Spirit, teacheth me that I muſt be content to be wrapped up in thy Darkneſs, and remain with thee in the valey of the Shadow of Death; ſeeing that I hope to be cloathed one day with Light, and Crowned with an eternal Life. I muſt not only look upon the Grave without Fear. but I ſhall conſider it with Joy, ſeeing that thou haſt honoured it with thine holy preſence, and perfumed it with thy Divine and celeſtial perfumes. I ſhall behold it in the ſame manner, as if thou didſt yet lye down in it, as if I were to keep thee company there my Lord and my God. A dead, returned to Life again, when he did but touch the Bones of thy Prophet; but I do not only touch the Prince of Prophets, but embraſe thee with Faith, as thou art dead for my Sins, and as reſting in thy Grave for my Salvation. Thou ſhalt therefore make me ſenſible of thy Divine Vertue, put in me the Seeds of Immortality, and raiſe my hopes up to Heaven. Already my Soul hath a ſhare in the firſt Reſurrection, and one day this crazy Body ſhall return to newneſs of life. If my Reſurrection be not ſo quick and ſpeedy, as that of the Dead raiſed to Life by the Prophet; It ſhall be far more glorious and laſting, that I may bleſs thee with all thy Saints, and praiſe thee for ever, with thine Inheritance in Heaven. Amen.