Two Funeral Sermons, Sermon 2
THE LORD FOR THE BODY.
1 COR. 6.13.
— And the Lord for the Body.
Doct. 2. THE Lord Jeſus Chriſt is for the Body of Man.
I ſhall give account of the Doctrine under theſe Heads.
I. What are we to underſtand by the Lord Jeſus his being for the Body.
II. What doth Jeſus Chriſt do for the Body of Man.
III. Why is Jeſus Chriſt for the Body.
ƲSE.
I. By Jeſus Chriſt his being for the Body, we are to underſtand that the Lord Jeſus Chriſt doth ſet himſelf to bleſs the Body of Man, ſo as to make it unſpeakably happy, and bleſſed for ever. See Jeſus Chriſt in all his Glory, and then look upon that poor Worm and duſt of thy Body, and know that all the fulneſs of the Godhead, and all the fulneſs of the Manhood is in Jeſus Chriſt for the good of that poor Body; See Col. 2.9, 10. In him dwells all the Godhead Bodily, and you are compleat in him who is the Head of all Principalities and Powers. Obſerve, All the fulneſs of the Godhead dwells in the Humane Nature of Chriſt; that we may be foreign, filled in him, and both in Body and Soul compleatly happy and bleſſed in him. There are three things implyed in the Lord Jeſus his being for the Body.
1. That he is a Saviour of the Body of Man. The whole Work of Salvation is for the Body.
2. That he hath the Infinite Love and Kindneſs of a Saviour for the Body of Man, Tit. 3.4. After that the kindneſs and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared: Obſerve theſe words, foreign: The words ſhew that the goodneſs it ſelf, or as I may ſay, the good Nature in the Lord Jeſus inclines him to love Man. So that its eaſie and Natural to him to be kind and loving, and to have unſpeakable love and kindneſs for Man, for every part of Man, both of Body and Soul.
3. That all the Attributes of the Godhead are working in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt as a Saviour to fulfil his love, and good will to the Body of Man. See the Infinite Power, Wiſdom, Juſtice, and Faithfulneſs of the Godhead in Chriſt. He hath infinite Love and good Will for the Body; Infinite Wiſdom to contrive the Happineſs of the Body; Infinite Power to execute the Counſels and good Pleaſure of his Wiſdom, and Love for the Body of Man. See Phil. 3.20, 21. We look for the Saviour the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who ſhall change our vile body, that it may be faſhioned like unto his glorious Body, according to the working, whereby he is able to ſubdue all things to himſelf. Theſe words ſhew that the Almighty Power of Chriſt, whereby he is able to do what he will, is working in him to make the Body of Man glorious.
II. What doth the Lord Jeſus do for the Body of Man? Anſwer in two particulars.
1. He bleſſeth the Body with Temporal things.
2. He makes the Body of Man glorious and bleſſed for ever.
1. He bleſſeth the Body with Temporal things, Deut. 30.20. He is thy Life and the Length of thy dayes. He gives and prolongs our Lives, Prov. 8.18. Riches and Honour are with me.
(1) He hath made many gracious promiſes for the Body. 1 Tim. 4.8. Having premiſe of this Life that now is, Mat. 6.33. All theſe things ſhall be added unto you▪ Deut. 28.3, 4, 5, 6. Bleſſed ſhalt thou be in the City, &c. He hath ſettled all things preſent upon us, ſo far as 'tis for our good; 1 Cor. 3.22. Things preſent are yours. We have the Word of God for the good of our Bodies in this Life; and certainly the pooreſt Saint who hath a right to the promiſes of God for things preſent, is better provided for and in leſs danger of Famine, then the greateſt carnal perſon in the World; for the Ungodly have Riches, for the Body Silver, Gold, Houſes and Lands for the Body, but a Godly Man hath the Lord of all the World for the Body.
(2.) His Infinite Care and Providence is exerciſed to fulfil his promiſes for the Body, Mat. 6.32. Your Heavenly Father knoweth you have need of theſe things, i. e. he knoweth ſo as to ſupply our need of theſe things: And for this David tells, Pſal. 37.16. A little that a Righteous Man hath, is better than the Riches of many Wicked; becauſe, ſaith he, The Arms of the Wicked ſhall be broken, but the Lord upholdeth the Righteous. The Righteous have the Lord with their little, when the Wicked have often much, but the Lord is not with them, but againſt them. So that this Lord who made the World for the good of Mans body, doth exerciſe his glorious Providence for the bodies of his People.
2. The Lord Jeſus makes the bodies of his People bleſſed and glorious for ever; and this appears.
(1.) By conſidering what he doth for their bodies in this Life, in order to their Eternal Happineſs.
(2.) By conſidering what he doth for their bodies when dead.
(3.) At the day of Judgment.
Laſtly, For ever.
For the Firſt, Obſerve Three things which the Lord doth in this Life for the Salvation of the bodies of his people.
1. He unites their Bodies to himſelf, ver. 15. Know you not that your Bodies are the Members of Chriſt. VVhat could he have done more for that poor duſt of thine, than to make it a bleſſed part of himſelf; to make it a part of his own Myſtical Body; ſo that what is done to the very Bodies of his People, is done to himſelf, Mat. 25.35. I was Hungry, and Sick, and Naked, and Impriſon'd: Lord ſay they, when ſaw we thee ſo and ſo,: Yes ſaith he, theſe little ones are a part of me, I and they are all one, and what you did to them you did to me. Oh how ſhould we be affected with the Lords being thus for the body, ſo as to make it a part of himſelf. Come and I will ſhew you the Bride, the Lambs Wife; Rev. 21.9. How or where ſhall we ſee that ſight: Why, wherever you ſee a true Believer, you ſee the Body of the true Bride and Spouſe of Jeſus Chriſt.
2. He puts a Preſence and Glory on the very Bodies of his people, Eccleſ. 8.1. A Mans Wiſdom maketh his Face to ſhine: The Image of God ſhines in the very face of a Godly Man: We read, Revel. 7.3. That the Servants of God muſt be ſealed in their Foreheads; which ſome think is an alluſion to Slaves, who have their Foreheads marked with the Names of their Maſters, to whom they did belong. So there may be read in the very Faces, and Countenances, and Foreheads of Gods people, the Name of Chriſt, to whom they belong; for although Grace is Internal, yet the Fruits thereof appear in the outward Man: And ſo Revel. 22 4. The Name of the Lamb ſhall be on their Foreheads: If that be ſpoken of Heaven, its in ſome meaſure true here; and its moſt certain that an upright, holy Saint, carries ſuch a preſence with him, that it daunts oftentimes the Wicked, and the very ſight of them puts Gods Children in mind of their Father and Saviour.
3. He honours them by fitting their bodies for his Service, and uſing them therein: And indeed it is a great Honour to ſerve ſo great and good a Maſter, which made Paul ſo often Glory in that Title, The Servant of Jeſus Chriſt. Now when a Man is Sanctified, and made a new Creature, his whole Soul and Body are thereby ſet for God; for his Honour and Service: We are ſaid, Epheſ. 2.10. to be Created in Chriſt Jeſus to good works, to be made fit for good Works. It's ſaid of a Godly Man, 2 Tim. 2.21. He ſhall be a Veſſel of Honour, ſanctified, and meet for the Maſters uſe, and prepared unto every good work. Thus you ſee, that by the Grace and Life of Chriſt, a Man is fit for any ſervice or ſuffering, which Duty leads him to; and hereby the Saints of God may live as a Company of Incarnate Angels in the World.
II. Conſider what Chriſt doth for the Body when Dead.
1. Their bleſſed Corps are continued in their Union with Chriſt. Death breaks no Union made by Grace; and therefore they are ſaid to ſleep in Jeſus, 1 Theſs. 4.4. And are called the dead in Chriſt, ver. 16. Where you think of, or look into the Church-yards: What a great Myſtery it is, that ſo great a part of the Bride and Spouſe of Chriſt ſhould lie amongſt thoſe ghaſtly Skuls, and rotten Duſt, and that there ſhould be more of his Members, and a greater part of his Body dead in the Earth, than are ſerving him here in the World.
2. He owns their dead Bodies for his. They are Chriſts own. 1 Cor. 15.23. — Afterward they that are Chriſts at his coming. Obſerve the Bodies of Believers from the hour of Death, till the coming of Chriſt, are Chriſt's all the while; when they are Children of their Earthly Parents no more, Husbands and Wives no more, yet Chriſt's ſtill.
3. He loves them as his own, and as united to him: He loves their very rotten Corps as part of himſelf, as part of his own Spouſe and Members; he knows them all in the Earth; he can diſtinguiſh between the curſed Corps of Unbelievers that lie in the Graves under the Curſes of the Law, and who are bound over to ſuffer Everlaſting Fire; and the bleſſed bodies of his Saints who lie in their Graves, in a right to Heaven and Salvation: When our deareſt Relations die, we cry with Abraham, Bury my dead out of my ſight: Bury my dead Husband, or dead Wife, or dead Child out of my ſight, and they are all to us as dead Men out of mind; as its ſaid, Pſal. 31.12. Yet they are always in the ſight and view of Jeſus Chriſt; and when they have rotted in the Earth, or been ſwallowed up in the Seas; or burnt in the Fire many Hundred years, yet theſe bleſſed bodies are precious, and lovely in the Eyes of Chriſt. Jeſus Chriſt is always looking on the duſt of Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, of David, Paul and Peter, and all the Saints which are dead with great Love and Delight.
III. Conſider what Chriſt will do for the Bodies of his people at the day of Judgment: In five particulars.
1. He will raiſe up their bodies to Glory; and herein he is ſaid to be for the body, ver. 14. Following the Text: God hath both raiſed up the Lord, and will alſo raiſe us by his Power: As ſure as Chriſt is riſen, ſo ſure ſhall all Believers be raiſed to Life and Glory, by the ſame Power that raiſed Jeſus Chriſt, Rom. 8.11. But if the Spirit of him who raiſed Chriſt be in you, he that raiſed up Chriſt from the dead ſhall alſo quicken your Mortal Bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Then will he indeed ſhew himſelf for thy Body, when that Body which was at death ſown in Corruption, ſhall be raiſed in Incorruption, and which was ſown in diſhonour, ſhall be raiſed in Glory: Then ſhall thy Body and Soul which were ſo loath to part at Death, and did part with ſuch ſad gaſpings and groans, meet again in Joy and Glory, and be for ever united never to die and part more; 1 Cor. 15.42, 43, 44. And all this done in the twinkling of an Eye. ver. 52. in a moment, and all be raiſed together.
2. Thy Body ſhall be faſhioned like the glorious Body of Jeſus Chriſt, Phil. 3. laſt. from whence we look for a Saviour who ſhall change our vile Body. Believer look upon that poor dying duſt of thy body; ſee it as it will be ſhortly amongſt the Worms of the Earth; and then believe, that the Lord is ſo for thy Body, as to exerciſe his Almighty Power, in faſhioning that Body like the glorious Body of Chriſt at the Right hand of God.
3. Thou muſt in thy Body come with Chriſt, and attend him coming to Judgment, 1 Theſs. 4.14. Them that ſleep in Jeſus, will God bring with him. He will bring the Holy Patriarchs, and Prophets, and Apoſtles, and all the Saints with him. Col. 3.4. When Chriſt who is our life ſhall appear, then, &c. you that were ſo deſpiſed and ſcorn'd here, ſhall appear in Glory, in the open view of the World.
4. They ſhall be ſolemnly own'd and acknowledg'd of Chriſt before his Father, and the Holy Angels, Matth. 10.32. Luk. 12.8. The Lord Jeſus himſelf will in Effect ſay, This is my dear Spouſe and Bride; theſe are they that loved me, and ſerved me, and ſuffered for me, and were never aſhamed of me. Yonder Tongues have ſpoken many good words for me, and yonder hands have reached out many a kindneſs to me.
Laſtly, They ſhall with their Bodies ſit with Chriſt to Judge the World, 1 Cor. 6.2, 3. The World of Ungodly Men, and all the wicked Angels, and Devils in Hell, muſt ſtand before the Saints to be judged by them: Indeed Jeſus Chriſt is the Chief and Supream Judge, but all his Saints ſhall ſit with him in Glory, as his Members, with all their Bodies, like his glorious Body: So that they ſhall then be like him, 1 John 3.2. And they ſhall prove and applaud the juſt Judgment of Chriſt; though they ſee Jeſus Chriſt judging their Parents to Hell; yet they ſhall ſee his Juſtice ſo glorious and excellent, and their own Glory will be ſo great, that they will be ſo far above the trouble for the Damnation of the neareſt Relation, that they will applaud, and exalt the Righteous Judgment of Chriſt therein. I tell you Chriſtians, the pooreſt and meaneſt Saints of God, whom you oft ſee cloathed in Rags, who are accounted the Sink and Jakes of the World, ſhall ſhortly appear in ſuch Majeſty and Glory, that the higheſt, and proudeſt Ungodly Monarchs in the World will be aſhamed and tormented to look them in the face.
Laſtly, Conſider what he doth for their Bodies for ever. In three particulars:
(1.) He makes their Bodies to be Immortal and Incorruptible, 1 Cor. 15.43. Thy Body muſt laſt as long as thy Soul, or as the Angels in Heaven, or as the Body of Chriſt: Here the moſt healthful are but a Vapour, which appear but a while, and then vaniſh away, Jam. 4.14. What's become of all the bodies of the Men in the Ages before us, which were once in the Streets, Shops, Houſes, and Congregations, as you ſee the Bodies of Men now? What's become of the bodies of your Parents, Grandfathers, and Grandmothers, they are all vaniſht away; but the other World is a World, without Sickneſs, Death, or Graves; your very Bodies muſt live for ever.
(2.) They ſhall live in the Society of Bleſſed Angels. As the Devils are Haters, ſo the Holy Angels are Lovers of Mankind: They love the Bodies of Saints, and are undoubtedly Inſtruments of much good to them here; and they ſhall be in the bleſſed Company of theſe Spirits for ever; See Zech. 3.7.
3. They ſhall with their glorified bodies, live in the Everlaſting view and ſight of the glorious body of Chriſt, and of the glorified bodies of one another, John 17.24. Thou ſhalt ſee the Body of Chriſt as the Body of thy Husband, Head, and Saviour; thou ſhalt ſee the body of Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, Paul, and Peter, and be able to ſay, This is the Body of Paul, Peter, and John. This is the body of Bradford, and Philpot, &c. Your Bodies ſhall be cloahted without Silks, or Sattins; fed without Meat and Drink; Rich without Silver and Gold; and your Bodies and Souls in nearer Communion with God, then they would be here, though in the moſt deſirable frame, you could hear a Paul in the Pulpit every day.
Reaſon, Why is the Lord Jeſus for the Body.
1. God the Father hath given our Bodies as well as our Souls to Chriſt, to be made happy by him. John 6.39. It's the body that was given to Chriſt to be raiſed up at the laſt day, and not a Finger or Toe ſhall be loſt, if the having of it will make it thy happineſs.
2. Chriſt is fitted to be a Saviour of the Body, as well as the Soul, Heb. 10.5. Jeſus Chriſt hath the Body, as well as the ſoul of man, which inclines him ſo love Mens Bodies, and his Myſtical Body is to be made of the Bodies of his People, as well as their Souls; who as the Apoſtle ſaith, are Members of his Body, Fleſh, and of his Bones, Eph. 5.30.
3. He carries on the whole Work of Salvation, with reſpect to our Bodies; He dyed for our bodies, roſe again for our Bodies, that they might riſe with him, and he intercedes in Heaven, for our Bodies, and at the day of Judgment will raiſe up, and gloriſie our Bodies; for he is the Saviour of the whole Man, Body as well as Soul.
ƲSE 1. Of Information. Of three things.
1. This informs us what an unſpeakable priviledge it is to be a Child of God, to have the Lord of all the World, for our Bodies as well as for our Souls. We would think our ſelves happy, if the Princes, and Nobles, and great ones of the World were for us, if we had their Love, and Favour; ſo that they would improve their Power, and Intereſt for our good, but this hath not always been the Lot of Gods People; but the Lord is for us: Infinite Wiſdom and Power, and Goodneſs for us; for Believers are a part of Chriſt, a Self of Chriſt, and certainly he will improve all for the good, and Glory of his whole Self.
2. It informs us of the dreadful condition of wicked men what a ſad ſtate are they in both as to their Bodies, and Souls. I am now ſpeaking of the Body, thou haſt got good Meat and Clothes for the Body, good Houſes and Lands for thy Body, but is the Lord for the Body? No, this great Lord is againſt thy Body. Infinite Power, and Wiſdom, and Juſtice will be all ſet on work to torment thy Body. Thou canſt not endure an aching Tooth, a broken bone, a fit of the Stone, or Gout: The pains of a Travelling Woman: Oh little doſt thou think what thy Body is to endure for ever. Go and dreſs thy ſelf, make thy ſelf fine, ſet out thy ſelf to the beſt, look in the glaſs, ſee if every hair or pin ſtand right, but remember what that head and face, and arms, and Limbs muſt ſuffer, when they burn in Hell. Oh Sinners, pity your Souls and Bodies, and never reſt till thou haſt got the Lord for thy Body. I tell thee, thy body hath more need of Chriſt, than of Meat and Drink.
3. It informs us what are the greateſt and beſt things for the body, you may know this by conſidering what the Lord doth for the body; For certainly Chriſt & his Spouſe live beſt, and fare beſt, and are always moſt happy: And if it were beſt to be Lords and Ladies, Nobles and Princes, do you think Chriſt would not make his Members and Spouſe ſuch? Can any be ſo fooliſh as to think that Chriſt doth more for Turks and Pagans, than he doth for himſelf, and for his own Body; and therefore we muſt conclude that the beſt things are amongſt Gods Children to be Holy and Happy, to live a life of Godlineſs and Obedience to God, in order to Glory, this muſt needs be the beſt, for this is that which the Lord who is for the Body, doth in Infinite Wiſdom and Love chuſe for, and give to his people; we muſt believe that the beſt and worſt things are reſerv'd. The Wicked for the moſt part have the Gold and Silver, Honours and Pleaſures of the World, Oh but conſider what is reſerved for them, is reſerved the blackneſs of darkneſs for ever, Jude 13. Gods people are often poor, afflicted, and perſecuted in this World: But there is an Inheritance Incorruptable that fadeth not away, reſerved in the Heavens for them, 2 Pet. 1.4. Its a ſweet comfort to think that thoſe things which are beſt at preſent, are moſt durable: If ſpiritual things were to laſt no longer than the Vanities of the World, yet for the preſent, they are better than the Riches, Honours, and Pleaſures of the World; if we had but a day in Gods Courts, its better than a Thouſand elſewhere, Pſ. 84. but they are not only incomparably beſt at preſent, but they are Everlaſting.
ƲSE 2. Of Comfort to the Godly: In three Particulars.
1. This ſecures to us the Providence and Care of God in outword things for the Body. The Lord is ſo for the Body, that we may be aſſured the body ſhall not want any thing that is good for us in order to our Eternal Happineſs. Indeed its fit we ſhould leave it to God, who hath more Wiſdom to know what is good for us, and more love to give what is good for us, than we have; to chuſe to do us good in his own way. He knows beſt how to uſe his own care, to exerciſe his own Providence, and to ſhew his own Love, its enough for us to know that the Lord, with the Infinite Wiſdom, Power, and Love of the Godhead is for us, ſo as to be the Cauſe of our Eternal Happineſs; but ſeeing we may believe that this will be the effect, and that the cauſe is ſufficient to work it, we may well leave it to God to take his own way to make us bleſſed; Obſerve our Saviour; Luk. 13.32. Fear not little Flock, &c. Chriſt is there pleading againſt our inordinate care about the Body; and ſaith he, Fear not, for it's your Fathers good Pleaſure to give you the Kingdom of Heaven, and therefore ſhall not want what is good for you in your way thither.
2. Comfort againſt all the Enemies of your Bodies, we have more for the Body than can be againſt it: For the Lord is for the Body, and if God be for us, who can be againſt us, Rom. 8.21. And on this account, fear not them that can kill the Body: For if the Lord be for the Body, fear not all that Wicked Men can do to the Body, let them ſpoil us, impoveriſh us, impriſon, kill us, yet they do but fulfil the Counſels of the Lord for the Body: For as long as the Lord is for the Body, things that are ſeemingly againſt the Body, are indeed for the body, for the Lord rules all, and turns it to the Welfare of the Body.
3. Comfort againſt Death: If the Lord is for the Body, then Death is for the Body too: It comes from the Lord as a bleſſing on the Body, to fulfil his good Will and Counſel concerning it; and therefore welcome Death, the Body cannot be happy in this World: This World of Meat and Drink, and Money, &c. Cannot ſo much as make the body of Man happy; the Body muſt die, or at leaſt be changed before it can be happy. And therefore take a full view of Death, of the Grave, of Worms, of Rottenneſs, See Job 19.25, 26, 27. I know that my Redeemer lives, &c. Believe this, that the Lord is for the Body, and then ſay, Death take my Body, Grave cover my Body, Worms eat my Body, yet the Lord will be ſtill for the Body, and he will raiſe it up; I ſhall ſee him, and ſtand before him at the laſt day, and be like him, and appear with him in Glory.
Laſt uſe of Exhortation to three Duties.
1. Bleſs the Lord for what he doth for the body: Its the Lord that gives you Life, Health, Liberty and Eſtates; and therefore obſerve and take notice of the Lord in all your Mercies to the body. You which are Tradeſmen, if a Cuſtomer come into the Shop, its the Lord which ſends him for thy good, and deal with him as coming from the Lord. See your Tables fill'd with the Lord, eſpecially if you were ever enabled to do him any bodily ſervice.
2. Pray to the Lord for the body; there is care and love in the Lord for the body, but it muſt be drawn out by Prayer: As there is Milk in the Mothers breaſt, for the child, but the child muſt ſuck and draw it out of the breaſts into his own body; ſo we muſt by Faith and Prayer, ſuck and draw out Mercies from the Lord both for Soul and Body.
3. Live as thoſe who look for the Lord Jeſus, to ſhew himſelf for the body; to make the body compleatly bleſſed and happy, Rom. 8.28. We groan within our ſelves, &c. Obſerve, We groan within our ſelves, viz. in the moſt inward parts of Hearts and Souls, waiting for the Adoption, viz. the full poſſeſſion of the Inheritance which by Adoption belongs to us, viz. the Redemption of our Bodies. We look and wait that our bodies be freed from Sin and Death, and made perfectly glorious with Chriſt, let us live as thoſe who look for ſuch things.
(1.) As ever you expect to be like Chriſt at the Day of Judgment, Labour to be like him now, 1 John 3.2, 3.
(2.) Labour to be ſuch as Chriſt may own you, and accept you at the day of Judgment, 2 Pet. 3.13, 14. 2 Cor. 5.9. Do nothing but what you are willing Chriſt ſhould come in the Clouds, and find you doing, do nothing but what Chriſt will accept of, and reward you for, when you muſt ſee him with thoſe Eyes, and in your Fleſh ſtand before him.