Christs Power of Bodily Diseases, Application 3
Ʋſe 3. Of Conſolation to the truely godly.
This Doctrine is a great ground of comfort to all the children of God, whereby they may ſee that all ſickneſſes, dangers, and deaths come through the hands of their own father: for it is a moſt certain way of comfort to the godly in any ſickneſs, to bring their hearts to the firſt Cauſe and Author of their Viſitation; for if they are at peace with him, they will be ſure to finde peace and comfort in their affliction. Hence the Apoſtle teacheth us, Phil. 4.6, 7. Be careful for nothing (that is, do not torture, and diſtract, and break your hearts with ſinful cares and fears) but in every thing by prayer and ſupplication with thanksgiving, let your requeſts be made known unto God: (bring your hearts and deſires unto him) And the peace of God, which paſſeth all underſtanding, ſhall keep your hearts and mindes through Chriſt Jeſus. Perhaps thou haſt nothing to keep thy eſtate from loſs, nor thy body from aches and pains, nor thy name from reproach, nor thy life from death. But however, thou ſhalt have the peace of God to keep thy heart full of grace and comfort through Chriſt Jeſus; and if the heart be thus kept, the bleſſing and comfort of all is kept in it; for in this caſe thou mayſt loſe friends out of thy company, riches out of thy eſtate, health and eaſe out of thy body, and yet thou mayſt keep the peace and comfort of all in thy heart.
Now that your hearts may be refreſhed with this Doctrine, I ſhall ſhew herein theſe five grounds of comfort.
1. In reſpect of the ſeaſon of the viſitation. 2. Of the end. 3. In reſpect of the godly themſelves who are viſited, 4. In reſpect of death. Laſtly, in reſpect of the day of judgement.
1. In reſpect of the ſeaſon of our Viſitation, we may be aſſured that Jeſus Chriſt will chuſe the beſt and fitteſt ſeaſon to viſit us in. See 1 Pet. 1.6. Wherein ye greatly rejoyce, though now for a ſeaſon (if need be) ye are in heavineſs through manifold temptations: This is an argument of comfort, that our afflictions come in a ſeaſon when we have moſt need of them. Husbandmen know that there is a ſeaſon when the ground hath need of froſt and ſnow; and parents know that there is a ſeaſon when their children have need of the rod: And ſo there are ſeaſons, wherein we that are Gods husbandry, Cor. 3.9.and Gods children, have need of his fatherly chaſtiſements; and in theſe times he chuſeth to viſit us.
I ſhall contract all that I will ſay of this, in the application of a general truth to this particular caſe, viz. that the time and ſeaſon of Gods remarkable Providence, is called the fulneſs of time in Scripture: So we read, Gal. 4.4. When the fulneſs of time was come, God ſent forth his Son — ſo that place ſeems ſomething pertinent to our purpoſe, Eph. 4.10. That in the diſpenſation of the fulneſs of times, he might gather together in one all things in Chriſt, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in him. Where note, that this is the great and myſterious work of God, to gather together in one full body all his Elect, that thoſe which are already in heaven, with thoſe who are to be gathered out of the world, may all meet in Chriſt their Head; and ſo be the fulneſs of him that fills all in all: Now this work is ſaid to be done in the fulneſs of time: So that this is the glorious work which God is carrying on by ordinances, mercies, afflictions, diſeaſes, death; he is gathering all his people together, bringing them into a body unto their head; and, I ſay, this is all done in the fulneſs of time.
Now there are two things which make a fulneſs of time.
1. When it's a time ſet and appointed by God for ſuch a diſpenſation; a time full of the Decree and Counſel of God, and wherein his Decrees are fulfill'd: So the coming of Chriſt was in the fulneſs of time, viz. in the time ſet by God.
2. When time is fitted and prepared for ſuch a work; in which reſpect alſo Chriſt came in the fulneſs of time: time had been travelling, as it were, for this many ages: Propheſies, and promiſes, and the faith and expectation of Believers were full of Jeſus Chriſt; and ſo the time being fitted for his coming, he comes in the fulneſs of time.
Now to apply this to the caſe in hand; whenever ſickneſs or death comes, it is in the fulneſs of time.
1. In that time which is ſet by the wiſdom and counſel of our Father, for the good of his children; he ſet the time of thy birth, and of thy new birth: ſo he hath appointed the time of thy viſitation, and of thy death; which are all times appointed to demonſtrate and glorifie his infinite power and love towards thee.
2. They come in a time moſt fit for ſuch a work. Sin grows to ſuch an head, that it's time for ſickneſs, or ſome other affliction to come and bring it down: Grace grows to ſuch a ſtrength, that now it's able to bear a trial: a ſtorm is ready to fall; therefore, ſaith God, now it's to time to fetch my childe home: The Chriſtian is grown ſo ripe, that it's time to bring him to heaven, as a ſhock of corn in its ſeaſon. Thus you ſee for your comfort, that ſickneſs and death come from Chriſt in the beſt and fitteſt ſeaſon: Sickneſs never comes, but to bring thee nearer heaven; and Death ſhall never come, but to looſe thee into heaven. Ah Chriſtian! heaven and happineſs never come out of ſeaſon.
Secondly, Comfort, in reſpect of the end of all ſickneſſes and death; they come from Jeſus Chriſt for our good. We read, 2 Cor. 4.17. Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory: where we ſee, that in all our afflictions there is a ſecret Power working us to heaven and ſalvation. As for example, in a Fever, Ague, or Conſumption▪ &c. we feel a Power working outwardly againſt us, againſt our health, ſtrength, caſe, and life; ſo there is a mighty Power working inwardly for us, working us from ſin and the world, to God, and Chriſt, and Heaven. Hence is that known and tryed Scripture; I ſay, it's a tryed Scripture, it hath comforted many thouſand hearts, I mean Rom. 8.28. We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpoſe. Methinks this Scripture is a Spring which always runs with new and freſh comfort; and it's a ſure way to finde comfort, to look upon all our diſeaſes, and other afflictions, through this Scripture. Now to apply the comfort of it to the preſent caſe, conſider what is that good which all things work together for; and this you may know by the following verſes, wherein the Apoſtle demonſtrates this truth, That all things work together for our good: therefore, ſaith he, verſ. 31. What ſhall we ſay to theſe things? If God be for us, who can be againſt us? that is, let us look upon all our afflictions and miſeries, and then look upon our Predeſtination, Vocation, Juſtification, and Glorification, mentioned verſ. 29, 30. And we may joyfully conclude, that ſeeing God is for us, ſo as to predeſtinate, call, juſtifie, and glorifie us; and theſe links can never be broken; then nothing can be againſt us, but all ſhall work for our good▪ ſo that the great good that all things work for, is not to make the godly the great Gallants of the world, but to bring them grace and peace here, and glory hereafter: and all ſickneſſes, diſeaſes, and deaths, and all other diſpenſations, are united and joyned together in this work, to bring Soul-ſaving good to them that love God. And the clear cauſe of this is in the Doctrine, viz. becauſe our Saviour hath the working of all theſe things; he ſends, and rules, and governs them: and therefore there muſt needs be a Fatherly work in them, becauſe Jeſus Chriſt, as our Father and Saviour, ſends them to us, and orders them for us: That of the Apoſtle makes clearly for this, 1 Cor. 3.23. Death is yours: and by the ſame rule, ſickneſs is ours, and for our good. But why ours? Anſw. Becauſe the Lord of ſickneſs and death is ours. Hence we read, Phil. 1.21. To die is gain. Sickneſs is gain, and death is gain to Gods Children. Many a Childe of God gains more by a moneths ſickneſs, then by the outward mercies of many years; and death will bring you more gain in one hour, then all the prayers, and Sacraments, and Sermons of a whole age: and therefore labour to ſee your gains as real and preſent to the eye of Faith, as your pains, troubles and loſſes are to the eye of Senſe: and in your ſad parting with thoſe things which ſickneſs and death take you from, comfort your hearts with thoſe things which they bring you unto; ſay, Farewel my dear and pleaſant Country, thou haſt fed me well, and cloathed me well, but I muſt leave thee for a better Country, that is, an heavenly, Hebr. 11.26. Farewel my inward and faithful friends; farewel my dear Jonathans! How pleaſant have you been to me! Your love to me is wonderful: Methinks when I am with you, I feel the truth of Tertullians ſaying of the fellowſhip of the Primitive Chriſtians: Animo animáque miſcemur; Our very hearts and ſouls do enter into, and are mingled and united with one another. Many a ſweet meeting and ſad parting I have had with you; but I muſt leave you a while, to go to better friends in Heaven: Magnus illie nos charorum numerus expectat; *Cyprian. de mortalitate.I have a great company of dear friends in the other world which look for me, and will rejoyce to ſee me with them; with whom I ſhall always be ſerious, yet never ſad; always merry, and yet never vain.
Farewel my ſweet Sabbaths, ſavoury Sermons, melting Sacraments; farewel my dear Bible, and all the bleſſed Ordinances, wherein I have ſeen the Lord, even the Lord in the land of the living. I muſt no longer look in theſe glaſſes, but go where I ſhall ſee him face to face.1 Cor. 13.12.
Farewel my dear yoke-fellow, parents, my ſweet children, my beloved brothers and ſiſters; I muſt leave you all, to go to a better Father, and Husband, and Brother in heaven.
Farewel my good and convenient houſe, my ſweet place of ſecret and Family-worſhip! I muſt be gone to my houſe not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.2 Cor. 5.1.
Farewel my poor, but precious body! go thou and ſleep in Jeſus in the earth, whilſt my Soul is raigning with Jeſus in heaven, where I ſhall remember thee, and long to ſee thee, till I meet thee again cloathed with Immortality and Glory. Theſe things, Chriſtians, are the comforts of a ſick-bed, the ſweet joys of a death-bed.
3. Comfort, in reſpect of the godly who are viſited: Herein is thy comfort, that thou art a true part and member of Jeſus Chriſt, from whom all diſeaſes come; ſo that whatſoever Chriſt doth to thee, he doth to himſelf: I was ſick, ſaith Chriſt, when his members were ſick, Mat. 25.36. So when the body is dead, the poor ghaſtly corpſe continues ſtill joyned and united to Jeſus Chriſt. Hence the bodies of believers are ſaid to ſleep in Jeſus, and are called the dead in Chriſt, 1 Theſ. 4.14, 16. and it's a moſt ſweet and ſavoury conſideration, when a man looks on ſuch a ſad ſpectacle as a loathſome diſeaſed body, or thinks on the rotten carkaſs when the body is dead and ſown in corruption, then to fix the eye of Faith upon his glorious head, at the right hand of the Father: As thus; look on thy face covered with the Small Pox, and then look on the Face of Jeſus Chriſt: look on thy bones ſtaring upon thee in a Conſumption, and then look upon the glory and beauty of Jeſus Chriſt. Nay, go further, look upon thy ſelf as it were in the grave, and ſee thy ghaſtly skull lying in the duſt among the worms of the earth, and then look on thy glorious Head in Heaven: and ſo comfort thy ſelf with this, that as vile and loathſome a ſpectacle as thy diſeaſed body is now, and thy dead body will be ſhortly, yet it is a precious member of Jeſus Chriſt, who will by his infinite power, change and faſhion this contemptible duſt into the likeneſs of his glorious body in heaven.Phil. 3.21.
4. Comfort, in reſpect of death; it comes to the godly without a ſting: In this we are taught to triumph, 1 Cor. 15.55, 56. O death, where is thy ſting? — Now to clear up your comfort in this, conſider, that ſickneſs and death are ſaid to ſting, when God as a revenging Judge ſends them to execute the curſe of the law for ſin; ſo that death is compared to a fearful Serpent, which kills and devours all the men and women in the world: And, ſaith the Apoſtle, the ſting of this Serpent Death, is ſin; it's ſin that makes the ſting; and then he adds, the ſtrength of ſin is the law: The ſtrength that ſin hath to ſting, is from the curſe of the Law, and the Law hath its ſtrength and power from the wrath of God; for the law worketh wrath, Rom. 4.15. So that by all you ſee, that by the ſting of death is meant the dreadful torments of hell, which at death come from the wrath of God through the curſe of the Law for ſin. O poor Chriſtleſs ſinner! what a miſerable caſe art thou in? Look well as thou fitteſt in thy ſeat, and thou mayſt ſee this ſtinging Serpent Death lye under thy feet; when thou lieſt down, this Serpent lies under thy bed; when thou art at meat, this Serpent lies under thy table; when thou goeſt out of thy houſe, thou mayſt ſee this Serpent at the door, ready to ſting thee to he… But now here comes in the unſpeaka… comfort of believers; for though death h… power to kill them, yet it hath no po… er to ſting them; becauſe all the cau… of Deaths ſting are taken away by Jeſ… Chriſt.
1. Sin is gone; for this lamb of G… hath taken away the ſins of the world, Jo… 1.29. Obſerve, they are taken away, … if they had never been. Hence, 1 Pet. … 24. Who his own ſelf bare our ſins in his ow… body on the tree: So that by the righteou… neſs of Chriſt given to us by God, and received of us by Faith, and thereby ma… our own, we are fully cleared and abſo… ved from ſin, and God will never impu… it to us.
2. It follows, that the curſe of the Law is gone; for Chriſt hath delivered us fro… the curſe of the law, Gal. 3.13.being made a cur… for us: So that the law hath no ſtrength t… binde us to puniſhment, there being neither ſin to binde us for, nor puniſhment t… binde us unto.
3. The wrath of God, which makes th… puniſhment, is alſo taken away, for it i… God that juſtifieth, Rom. 8.33. and we hav… thereby peace with God through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, Rom. 5.1. So that God is ours, and for us, to love, bleſs, and ſave, and glorifie us: and therefore every believer may with comfort hold up the Blood of Chriſt in the very face of the King of Terrors, and ſay, Here is my Chriſt, my righteouſneſs; but, O death, where is thy ſting?
Nay further, Death is now changed from coming to execute the curſes of the Law, for it comes to fulfil the bleſſings of the Goſpel; for death to a believer, is a work of a reconciled Father, whereby he looſeth his childe out of earth into heaven; ſo that we may ſee death ſo full of the love and goodneſs of God, that it ſhould even indear it to us, and make it lovely and precious to our ſouls. That is a moſt comfortable promiſe, Joh. 8.51. Verily, verily I ſay unto you, If a man keep my ſaying, he ſhall never ſee death. It is not meant, he ſhall never die, as the Jews underſtood it, ver. 52. And I conceive it is not only intended, he ſhall never die the ſecond death; but the meaning alſo ſeems to be this, that a Childe of God ſhall ſee ſo much of God, and Chriſt, and Heaven, that he may even overlook the fears of death, which are ſwallowed up by God, and Chriſt, and Life.
Laſtly, Comfort, in reſpect of our glorious victory over all diſeaſes, and death, at the day of Judgment. This victory conſiſts in two things.
1. In putting a final period to all diſeaſes, and death: Sickneſs ſhall never trouble us more, and death ſhall never kill us more: I warrant thee Chriſtian, thy head will never ake in heaven, and for certain there will be no Funerals in that Country, but corruptible muſt put on incorruption, 1 Cor. 15.54.and mortal ſhall put on immortality.
2. In that the bodies of believers ſhall then be never the worſe for the diſeaſes and death which they have ſuffered; but the bodies which were ſown in diſhonour, 1 Cor. 15.43.ſhall be raiſed in glory.
Beloved, a Saint may live comfortably in any condition, by living in the joyful knowledge of the day of judgment. Hence, when the Apoſtle had propounded this as an argument of comfort, that yet a little while, Heb. 10.37, 38.and he that ſhall come will come, and will not tarry; He adds this, Now, the juſt ſhall live by faith: meaning, they ſhall live a life of holineſs and comfort in believing the day of judgment. And Saint Paul having made a glorious deſcription of that great day, 1 Theſ. 4.15, 16, 17. makes this uſe of it, verſ. 18. Wherefore comfort one another with theſe words: And in this the godly did comfort themſelves, Rom. 8.23. And not only they, but our ſelves alſo, which have the firſt-fruits of the Spirit, even we our ſelves groan within our ſelves, waiting for the adoption; to wit, the redemption of our bodies. This is a moſt comfortable life, to live as thoſe that are always groaning and waiting for the day of judgment. A believer may apply this to his comfort againſt any particular trouble: Art thou diſgraced and reproached in thy name? ſummon, as it were, all thy accuſers to the day of judgment, and believe what a name thou ſhalt have then, and that thou ſhalt be ſure to come off with credit at that day, when the glorious Judge of quick and dead ſhall confeſs thee before his Father, and Angels, and Men: and as mean and obſcure as thou ſeemeſt now, the world will have other thoughts of thee, when they ſee thee appear with Chriſt in glory, Col. 3.4. And therefore we learn, that one great work of that day will be, to make a clear and open manifeſtation of the ſons of God, Rom. 8.19.
Art thou troubled with unreaſonable and wicked men, ſo that thou mayſt ſay with David, My ſoul is among Lyons, and I lye even among them that are ſet on fire? Pſal. 57.4. Conſider what Chriſt will do to them at the day of judgment, and what work the great ſhout will then make among the prophane Swaggerers and Ranters o… the world.
So when thou art troubled with diſeaſes and the fearful thoughts of death, conſider thy glorious victory over them at th… day of judgment, 1 Cor. 15.54. When thi… corruptible ſhall have put on incorruption and this mortal ſhall have put on immortality, then ſhall be brought to paſs the ſaying that is written, Death is ſwallowed u… in victory. Look on this corruptible an… mortal body, which is now ſometimes ſ… loathſome with diſeaſes, that a man ca… ſcarce endure to carry it about him, or to lie with it, and will ſhortly be ſo contemptible, that the worms of the earth wil… crawl and feed all over it; and theſe ver… arms, and thighs, and legs, may be throw… up, and lie like the bones of horſes an… ſheep at the graves mouth; yet the day i… coming, when this corruptible and mortal body ſhall put on immortality and glory: and, ſaith the Apoſtle, Then, at that day, ſhall come to paſs the ſaying that is written, Death is ſwallowed up in victory. Beloved, here diſeaſes conquer the ſtrongeſt bodies, and death overcomes the lives of the beſt and greateſt men, and the grave devours and eats up our fleſh; but then we ſhall obtain a glorious victory over all, when in deſpite of them, the bodies of Believers ſhall be raiſed incorruptible and immortal; and diſeaſes, death, and the grave, which have prevailed for ſo many thouſand years to ſwallow up ſo many millions of men and women, ſhall themſelves be ſwallowed up of life, 2 Cor. 5.4.and ſwallowed up in victory.