The True Dignity of Pauls Elder in the Life of Owen Stockton, Doctrine
Doctr. Believers are victorious over Death through Jeſus Chriſt.
From whence the fourth will be inferred by moſt juſt and due Conſequence, Thanks be to God.
In ſpeaking to which, that we may the more commend and magnifie the Victory, we will,
Firſt, Repreſent to you the Enemy over which the Victory is gotten, viz. Death. Corporal death, for as is the Reſurrection ſuch muſt be the Death. The Reſurrection which the Apoſtle here argueth is of the body. verſ. 35. How are the dead raiſed up? And with what body do they come? verſ. 44. It is ſown a Natural body, it is raiſed a Spiritual body. And verſ. 53. This corruptible muſt put on Incorruption, and this mortal muſt put on Immortality. Such therefore muſt be the Death: Concerning which as an Enemy take this account.
1. It is a ſpoiling Enemy. That deveſts a man of all his wordly Enjoyments, Houſes and Lands, Gold and Silver, the fruits of the Earth, the encreaſe of Corn and Wine, the pleaſures of the fleſh, ſenſual delights, the light of the Sun, Society with men, Converſation with friends, the Comfort of Relations, Huſband, Wife, Father, Mother, Sons and Daughters, Brethren and Siſters, How ſweet, near and dear are theſe to the Living? But when Death cometh it ſpoils him of all, and puts an utter, and everlaſting end to his uſe and enjoyment of them, and turneth him naked out of the world. Pſal. 49. 16, 17. Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the Glory of his houſe is encreaſed. For when he dieth he ſhall carry nothing away: his glory ſhall not deſcend after him, and verſ. 19. They ſhall never ſee light. Which our Saviour exemplifieth in a Parable Luk. 12. 16. to verſ. 20. The rich mans ground brought forth plentifully, till he ſaid to his Soul, Soul, thou haſt much goods laid up for many years, take thine eaſe, eat, drink, and be merry. But the ſad tidings of Death are next brought him, This night ſhall thy Soul be required. And what is the Conſequence? Whoſe ſhall thoſe things be which thou haſt provided? Not thine, be ſure. All thy intereſt in them is loſt for ever. It was Hezekia's Lamentation when it was told him. that he ſhould die, Iſa. 38. 11. I ſhall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world. And as Death ſpoils a man of all his poſſeſſions, ſo alſo of his projects before him, Pſ. 146. 4. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his Earth; in that very day his thoughts periſh: And of all his hopes too. Job. 27. 8. What is the hope of the hyprocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his Soul? Death is a ſpoiling Enemy.
2. It is a Surpriſing enemy. It cometh upon a man as a thief in the night, 1 Theſ. 5. 2. when he little dreameth of it, and taketh him as a ſnare, Eccl. 9. 12. Man knoweth not his time—As the birds are caught in the ſnare; ſo are the Sons of men ſnared by death in an evil time when it falleth ſuddenly upon them. Every one may ſay as Iſaac, Gen. 27. 2. I know not the day of my death. At an hour when ye think not, ſaith Chriſt the Son of man cometh, Luk. 12. 40. The man we mentioned even now, was confident of many years before him, and promiſed himſelf a merry long life, Luk. 12. 19. yet ver. 20. He that knew ſaid to him, Hac Nocte: This night thou muſt die. Who knoweth what ſhall be on the morrow? or what a day may bring forth?
Nemo tam Divos habuit faventes,
Craſtinum ut poſſet ſibi polliceri.
Was not Nabal in his plenty Jobs Children in their feaſting, Nadab and Abihu in their offering Herod in his pride, Belſhazzar in his cups, Zimri and Cozbi foreign &c. ſurpriſed by this Enemie?
3. It is a deſtructive Enemy. Deſtruction and Death are joyned together, Job. 28 22. yea this is the very name of Death, Pſ. 88. 11. ſhall thy loving kindneſs be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulneſs in Deſtruction? Pſ. 103. 4. who redeemeth thy life from Deſtruction, i. e. death. A dead man is reduced to his firſt principle, the Earth, The body returns to the duſt from whence it came, and this is turning man to Deſtruction. Pſ. 90. 3. If a man were Surpriſed and ſpoiled of all that he had without him, and ſhould yet eſcape with his life, though naked, it were a ſore evil, yet ſuch as might be endured; a great loſs, but ſuch as might be repaired. But Death ſpoils a man of himſelf; taketh down the goodly frame and Conſtitution of; Nature Cuts a man aſunder, and divideth Soul from body. God taketh away his Soul, Job. 27. 8. Her Soul was in departing, for ſhe died, Gen. 35. 18. Thy Soul ſhall be required, Luk. 12. 20. So as no ground of hope is left to a dying man. Life is a fundamental Being, Take away that and ye take away all. The dead are not, Joſeph is not, Gen. 42. Lo, he was not, Pſ. 37. 36. Job. 14. 7, 8, 9, 10. There is hope of a tree, if it be cut down that it will Sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not ceaſe. Though the root thereof wax old in the Earth, and the Stock thereof die in the ground, Yet through the ſent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant. But man dieth and waſteth away; Yea man giveth up the Ghoſt, and where is he? and ver. 14. If a man die ſhall he live again?
4. It is a certain, unavoidable Enemy. There is no defence to be made againſt it, no humane power can withſtand it, no fortification of the body by utmoſt art can prevent its entrance; either by ſome violent ſtorming, or Succeſſive batteries, or longer ſeige it wil prevail againſt the Stouteſt defendants. Pſal. 89. 48. What man is he that liveth and ſhall not ſee death? ſhall he deliver his Soul from the hand of the grave? The young, the ſtrong, the healthful, the wiſe, the rich, the honourable; All have fallen, and ſhall fall under the power of this irreſiſtible enemy. The experience of five thouſand years and upwards, which the world hath had, is enough to Convince all the Living that they ſhall as certainly die as that they have been born.
5. It is an abhorred Enemy. Againſt which Nature relucts with the greateſt paſſion, and from which it fleeth with greateſt averſation It will never be reconciled to that which diſſolveth the neareſt and moſt intimate union between Soul and body; which taketh in pieces the curious Workmanſhip, defiles the Glory, and ſtains the beauty of the goodlieſt body, which turns the lovely body into a loathſome Carkaſs, reſolves it into corruption and putrefaction, and gives it to the worms for meat. No Antipathy greater than between Nature and Death. Skin for Skin, and all that a man hath will he give for his life. Job. 2. 4.
6. It is a formidable enemy, that affects a man with fear and terror. We read, Pſ. 91. 5.—the terrour by night, that is Death. Job. 24. 17.—the terrours of the ſhadow of Death. Pſal. 55. 4.—the terrours of Death, and Job. 18. 14. It is called the King of Terrors. i. e. The chief of Terrours. foreign, Saith the Judgment of Nature, of all terribles the moſt terrible. This is Conſequent upon the former. It being a Spoiling, ſurpriſing, deſtroying, irreſiſtible, abhorred enemy, It muſt needs be very terrible. What a terror poſſeſſeds the Egyptians, when Death entred in at their doors, and ſlew their firſt born. Exod. 12. 30, 33. They were ſo affrighted that even Pharoah roſe up in the night, he and all his Servants, and all the Egyptians, and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not an houſe where there was not one dead.—They ſaid, we be all dead men. It is a threatning denounced by God, Deut. 28. 65, 66, 67. The Lord ſhall give thee a trembling heart. Why? Thy life ſhall hang in doubt before thee. And thou ſhalt fear day and night, and ſhalt have no aſſurance of thy life. In the morning thou ſhalt ſay, Would God it were Even; and at even thou ſhalt ſay, Would God it were morning, for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou ſhalt fear. The apprehenſion of this affrighted Gideon a mighty man of valour, till the Lord encouraged him and ſaid to him, Fear not, thou ſhalt not die, Judg. 6. 23. At this the King (Belſhazzars) Countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him, ſo that the joynts of his loins were looſed, and his knees ſmote one againſt another, Dan. 5. 6. And who that is but a natural man, doth not experience trembling and aſtoniſhment at the approach and ſight of Death? yea many times at the very thoughts. of it? The world of men doth generally bear witneſs to that which is written, Heb. 2. 15. that through fear of Death, they are all their life time Subject to bondage.
There are two things, (both in the context) which make Death ſo terrible. 1ſt. Sin, which the Apoſtle calleth the Sting of Death. It was by ſin that death entred in the world, and it is by Sin that death reigneth in the world. The poiſon of the Serpent is in his ſting, and the power of the Serpent is in his ſting. So the poyſon of Death is in ſin, and the power of Death lieth in ſin; without which though it killeth it cannot hurt. This is the only weapon wherewith Death is Armed againſt the Children of men, but it is a deadly one. That is a dreadful threatning indeed which our Saviour denounceth againſt the Jews, Joh. 8. 21. Ye ſhall die in your ſins. According to what the Lord had before ſpoken by his Prophet, Ezek. 18. 24. In his treſpaſs that he hath treſpaſſed, and in the ſin that he hath ſinned, in them ſhall he die. It is our ſad caſe that we are born in ſin, and worſe that we live in ſin, but Oh! how dreadful and miſerable to die in ſin, in a ſtate of ſin, in the guilt of ſin, under the reign and power of ſin, in the arms and embraces of ſin.
Sin being the tranſgreſſion of a righteous Law, the violation of infinite Holineſs and Juſtice, and rebellion againſt Divine Majeſty and Authority, it always hath demerit and guilt conſequent upon it, which obligeth and bindeth the ſinner to undergoe that puniſhment which is naturally due to it. Which puniſhment is Death, Rom 1. 32.—they which Commit ſuch things are worthy of death. Thus ſin becomes the weapon or ſting of Death, by which it hath power to deſtroy. Death cometh upon the Sinner as a bailiff or Sergeant from the Judge with warrant to apprehend and bring the Sinner to give account; or as an executioner to take vengeance, to pay the Sinner the juſt wages of his ſin, for the reparation of a broken Law, for the ſatisfaction of offended Juſtice, for the Declaration of Divine hatred, and diſpleaſure againſt ſin, and for the manifeſtation of Gods Glorious power and wrath againſt the guilty. And what a terror muſt Death needs be when it appears in this ſhape, and armed with this ſting! Know O preſumptuous and ſecure Sinner; Though wickedneſs be now ſweet in thy mouth and thou hideſt it under thy tongue: Though thou ſwalloweſt down deliciouſly thy forbidden morſells of ſenſual pleaſure and worldly gain, yet this meat will ſoon be turned in thy bowels, and become the gall of aſps within thee. At laſt, at death, it will bite as a ſerpent, and ſting like an adder. What horrour will fill thy ſoul when approaching Death ſhall awaken thy ſleepy Conſcience, as oft times it doth, and thy awakened Conſcience ſhall charge thee with thy inexcuſable tranſgreſſion of a Righteous Law, thy groſs neglect of Commanded duty, thy induſterious proviſion to ſatisfie the fleſh, thy ready compliance with the call of temptations, thy irreparable loſs of precious time. Thy hypocritical dealing with God in Covenant, the Stopping of thine eares at the voice of Conſcience, the ſhutting of thine eyes againſt the light of Scripture, the hardening of thy heart againſt the motions of the Spirit, thy unbelieving refuſals of an offered Saviour, thy unprofitable miſimprovement of means of Grace, thy unthankful abuſe of the mercies of God, and obſtinate incorrigibleneſs under his Judgments, with many other inſtances of multiplyed and aggravated ſins through a long life. Whence will ariſe diſmal apprehenſions of the wrath of an offended God, a certain fearful expectation of Judgment to come, and a pre-occupation of eternal torments and everlaſting burnings. This is that ſting of Death, the weapon wherewith it is armed againſt thee, wherein Conſiſts its power, and by which it is ſo terrible.
2. Add to this the ſtrength which this ſting hath from the Law. For ſaith the Apoſtle. The ſtrength of ſin is the Law, and that two ways. 1ſt. As the Law diſcovers and convinceth of ſin. Rom. 5. 13. Sin is not imputed where there is no Law. Men are not prone to charge themſelves with ſin, where there is no Law, therefore, Gal. 3. 19. the Law was added becauſe of tranſgreſſions, that is, to make tranſgreſſions appear. Hence we read, Rom. 3. 20. By the Law is the knowledge of ſin, and Rom. 7. 9, 13. I was alive without the Law once, in my own opinion, but when the Commandment came, Sin revived and I died I was convinced I was in a ſtate of Sin and death. and v. 13. Sin by the Commandement becomes exceeding ſinful. Thus ſin as the ſting of Death is ſtrengthned by the Law, while men thereby are more cleerly and fully convinced of it, and the greater the conviction is, the ſharper is the ſting. 2ly. As the Law Curſeth and condemneth the ſinner. Gal. 3. 10. Curſed is every one that continueth not in all things, which are written in the book of the Law to do them. hence as before, Rom. 7. 9. When the Commandment Came. I died. and 2 Cor. 3. 7. The Law is called the Miniſtration of death. The Law binds the ſinner over to the Judgment of the great day. It holds him faſt under his guilt without hope of pardon, paſſeth ſentence of Condemnation upon him, and begins the execution by wounding the Spirit, terrifying the Soul with pre-apprehenſions and foretaſts of the wrath to come.
The ſum of the terror of Death, is this. Approaching death awakeneth the ſecure Conſcience; Awakened Conſcience charged with the guilt of ſin; This ſin is ſtrengthened with a Convincing curſing Law; The dying wretch ſeeth his day of ſenſual delights and pleaſures, his day of worldly gains and purchaſes, his day of Carnal fellowſhip with men, and eſpecially his day of Grace and mercy with God, paſſing away; finds his Spirit fainting, his heart and fleſh failing, anguiſh and pangs taking hold of him, and his ſoul forthwith to be Required, Apprehended, Arreſted, Summoned and haled out of his body, from all freinds, means helps and hopes, to appear naked before God the Judge of all men, to give an account of a ſinful life, and to receive a righteous doom, viz. Depart from me ye Curſed into everlaſting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels and; then to go away into everlaſting puniſhment. At this what heart of man can contain and poſſeſs himſelf without fear? Who but muſt be appalled, confounded, amazed, terrified? Knowing the terror, ſaith St. Paul, 2 Cor. 5. 1. Speaking of this appearance and account. Felix trembled, ſaith St. Luke, Act. 24. 25. When he heard of Judgment to come. It is a fearful looking for of Judgment and fierie indignation, ſaith the Author to the Hebrews, chap. 10. 27. and a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God. ver. 31. Thus have we repreſented the Enemy Death, in its power and pomp as it reigneth over the fallen Sons and Daughters of Adam, which appears ſo terrible, that woe be to thoſe that fall under the power of it.
2. We will now ſhew you this Enemy fallen and overcome before Believers.