Contemplations on Mortality, Chapter 3
CHAP. III. Of the perſons walking in the Valley of Death.
IN this Valley of Kidron, David and Jonathans little Lad muſt gather up the mortall arrows together. Princes and Skullions muſt do their homage alike in Deaths Kitchin: There's the homely Houſe, the Straw Hovell appointedaJob 30. for all living: There be the foreign,bDiodor. Sic. l. 1. c. 51 theeCamden in Glamorganſhire. eternales domus, thoſe ſmoaky and fulſome Huts, about which (the leves animae) the ſeparate Ghoſts do keep their reſidence: here the ſprightly Satyrs tread their meaſures, and paint green circles in the Elyſian Fields, till the bluſhing dawn of eternity.dPſ. 22.29. None can keep alive his ſoul from death, nor ranſome hiseJob 13.6 lamp from darkneſs. The martiall Commander creeps under his BedfSueton in Coleg. c. 51. with Caligula, at the r…ing of this Thunderbolt: no Marble Palaces cau dazle the eyes or daunt the approaches of Death: no iron bars can repell his force: his aquafortis burns all afunder: he ſtands not agaſt at the pale and wan looks of quivering Princes; but like a gyant fluſter'd with the wine of blood looks terrible on the proud Nimrods of the World. Kings Edicts, that Death be not whiſpered in their Courts are ſullied on waſte Paper, they but daub their Royall Parchments with fond flouriſhes. Their ſtrongeſt Towers are but the ſpinſtry of Spider-webs. Death's too great a Fleſh-fly to be catcht in ſuch Tiffany Walls, hee'l hum in their ears with hatefull buzzing, will they, nill they: There's no Canon or Decree againſt him can ſtand inviolable Should Medes and Perſians twiſt Laws as ſtrong as Cables, this Sampſon ſnaps them aſunder like raw Flax or twined threads. If all Juſtinians pandects were cramb'd with ſevere penalties, that death preſume not to touch an Emperor or be rude with his Lady or Children, hee'l ſend a Phocas to find them out, and hale them to his Slaughter-houſe. The Captains of their Guard with their Halberdiers, fling down their Arms and cry craven. This old Leviathan gJob 41.29.counts their Darts as Stubble, and laughs to ſcorn the ſhaking of their Spears. When this ſtorm riſes, this furious blaſt, be takes down the top-gallants, and the Flags of Admirals, he cuts their Maſts by the Board, the wiſeſt Pilot he flings over-board, no Anchor holds, they run adrift and are ſhattered upon the Rocks.
The cunning Lawyer with all his ſhirks and querks, and Writs of Error cant hook out a Habeas Corpus from this unbribed Barr. Death has too ſubtle a Pate to be overmatcht; he has Preſidents and rul'd Caſes and Records as high as Adam: There's no Chancery refuge or Appeal from the Club-law of this Kings-Bench; he's Lord Chief-Juſtice, and Jaylor, he's Sheriff and Executioner.
But what ſayes Hipocrates with his Coan Aphoriſms, and Galen with his long winded Method? Can't he open a Vein in the Arm of this raging Adverſary, that his Sword may fall, and the Galenture of his fury abate againſt Mankind? Is there no inchanted Potion, nor amorous Cup can lull him aſleep? O Phyſitians! Are there no Recipe's in all your Diſpenſatories againſt the crack of Heart-ſtrings? Muſt his deadly Ague ſhake both you and your Patients into the Grave? Muſt his dropſie drown you, his Feaver burn you to Aſhes, his Conſumption emaciate and waſte you to Skelitons, and ſet up your Bones in his Anatomy School? What is there no Antidote, no Treacle againſt the needle-teeth of this black Adder? No! he turns a deaf ear to all your Siren-Lectures. This SerpentaEccles. 10 11. will bite for all your inchantments: Such bablers are no better,
But alas! for this day of darkneſsbIrel. 2.2, this gloomy morning, thats ſpread upon the Mountains, Can we track no comfort in this thick Fog of Ignorance? Are there no Trees of Life to be found in Lebanon? Alas! is Eden loſt? Is that Tree free among the dead? did the venemous breath of the old Serpent wither it? did he hack it down? did he pluck it up by the roots? Are there no ſprouts from its chips, nor no healing atomes that flew from its wounds into other ſhrubs or plants? Is there no drug in Arabia, no balm in Gilead, no Spice in India can revive a languiſhing mortal? What, no Etheriall Spirits, nor irradiating Sulfurs, nor Minerall tinctures, nor Elixirs of Life to cure this ſtroke? Won't potable Gold ſnatch back the flying Spirit, and intreat that noble gueſt to ſtay a while within its old Cloiſter new plaiſtred and gilt with this reſtorative? Won't the limpid Alcaheſt make the blood volatile, and circulate it nimbly againſt the cold congealing blaſt of death? Won't the great red-powder cure it? Then farewell all their empty notions, and unpracticable maximes, their clogging Syrups & ill digeſting Powders: their life-exhauſting blood-lets, and their cold mortal Juleps? O vain man!
— Nullis mors eſt medicabilis herbis.
No Plant in natures garden ſprings
To heal or ſwage theſe deadly ſtings
Uſe the Phyſitian, thats a duty: truſt not in him, for thats a ſin. Good Aſa had this mournful title upon hisa2 Chron. 16.12, 13. Tomb that he ſought not to the Lord, but to the Phyſitians, and ſlept with his Fathers. Though the skilfulſt Phyſitian, and the holieſt Saint do meet together; yet both ſhould count upon a laſt day, a laſt hour, and a laſt moment, that they cannot paſſe.bIſay 3.2. The mighty man, and man of war, the Captain of Fifty, the honourable, the Counſellor, the cunning Artificer, and the eloquent Orator, Death takes them all by the hand and leads them into this gloomy Valley. He reverences not the gray hairs, he riſes not up to the milk-white brow of the grave and ancient, nor layes down his crooked Sith at the foot of aged and hoary head: he ſtrains no courteſies with the weaker ſex, nor gives it the upper hand; the pitifull cries of tender Infants pierce not his Adamantine breaſt: This tearleſſe Moloch hugs them mortally in his brazen arms, he hath Urns proportion'd to all their Aſhes, and Graves of every ſize.
But what though riches and honour, though ſweet natures & virtuous minds prevail for no reprivall? Muſt holy bones alſo ſee corruption? Can't Faith & Prayer wreſtle a fall with this mighty King of terrors. No, no though the wicked twice fall under the dint of this Goliahs Sword: yet 'tis appointed for allaHeb. 9.17. ence to dye, and after that to Judgment: For as by one man ſin entred into the world,bRo. 5.12. and Death by ſin; So death paſſeth upon all men. for that all have ſinned: Faithfull Abraham muſt lye down in the Cave of Machpeloh. Patient Job after all his Arabian Tragedies muſt act one Scene more, and ſay to Corruption,cJob 17.14 thou art my Father, to the Worm, thou art my Mother and Siſter: Strong Sampſon muſt fall by this Jawbone in the Vineyards of Zorah, and meek Moſes though he dye in adDeut. 32.50. Mountain, muſt walk down this deepec. 34.6. Valley of Abarim: Wiſe Solomon by all his prudent and pollitick maximes of Government, can't tame and rule this ferocious Behemoth, nor tye this wild Bull at his Figtree: But his ſage breath muſt out at the dore of his lips, he returns to his earth,fPſ. 146.4. and that very day his thoughts and his reaſons of State muſt periſh: All his skill in Botanicks could not extract ſuch (an ens primum, or) a quinteſſence from his Cedars in Lebanon, to prolong his life a moment beyond the appointedgJob 14.5. moneths, and the bounds which he could not paſſe. No, nor holy Poul could not ſtrengthen the ſtakes of his Tabernacle or keep its curtains from trembling, but an Eaſt wind from the Roman wilderneſſe h ſmites it down to the ground,Act. 18.3 and all his i skill in Tent-work could not raiſe it: He therefore counts upon his houſe with God, not made with hands,k2 Cor. 5.…. eternal in the Heavens, and groans earneſtly to be clothed upon, that mortality might be ſwallowed up of Life.
Q. But why muſt Saints dye? hath not Chriſt paid a ranſome to purchaſe them from death. Muſt Daniel the man of deſires be led into this ſecond Captivity? Muſt John the beloved Diſciple, though he ſcape the boiling Oyl, and rocky Patmos, come down to his Tomb at Epheſus, and walk in this ſix-foot Valley; yes, even he that lay in the boſome of Chriſt, muſt alſo ſleep in the boſome of the grave.
A. 1 To this may be replyed, 1 Downam of Juſtifie, p. 6. Edit. fol. Lond. 1639.That Juſtification is a continued act of divine grace (terminative & quoad 1 nos) in reſpect to us, & it laſts from our firſt converſion to the declarative ſentence of abſolution at the day of Judgment, Indeed in reſpect to God (who is actus puriſſimus) a moſt pure and abſolute act and ſits down without any ſucceſſion of times, in the glorious noon of Eternity, our juſtification admits no degrees. It is not inſtill'd into us drop by drop in reſpect to him: but ſo ſoon as a man doth truly believe, he ſtands truly and perfectly righteous in the ſight of God. The Covenant of Grace is ratified (ſimul & ſemel) together and at once, at the Throne of God in the name and vertue of Chriſts righteouſneſs, ſo ſoon as ever we truly believe; but 'tis applied, manifeſted and compleated to us, in the ſucceſſive methods of effectual vocation, ſanctification and finall redemption at the great day. For while we continue ſinners, we have continuall need of juſtifying grace. David as to freſh Commiſſions ſtood in need ofaPſ. 51.7. purging with Hyſop from his leprous ſins to receive an atonement, Lev 14.6, 19. and to have the Seal of thebPſ. 32.5. forgiveneſs of the iniquity of his ſin, upon his acknowledgment and confeſſion: For as to us, God is not ſaid to remit thoſe ſins, that are not yet committed, but ſuchcRom. 3.25 as are paſt. We are taught therefore by our Lord to praydMat. 6.11, 12. Act. 5.31. every day, forgive us our treſpaſſes. We ſin dayly, and muſt confeſs dayly, and pray dayly for repentance and pardon. Yea God himſelf, in that Evangelicall promiſe by Eſay, aſſures us.eIſay 43.25 I even I (foreign, delens) am blotting out your trangreſſions for mine own ſake, and will not remember your fins, to comfort us againſt tentations about daily infirmities: Do we ſin every day? and is the truth not in him? nay, does he make him a lyar, that ſaithf1 Joh. 1.10.8.2.1. he hath no ſin? then we have need of a dayly Advocate to plead for us at the right hand of the Father, a high Prieſt thatgHeb. 7.24 continueth evir, andhV. 25. liveth …v… toiHeb. 9, 24 appear in the preſence of God, and to make interceſſion for us. By virtue whereof hekJoh. 14.2, 3. prepares the heavenly Manſions in the Temple of Glory for us, and us for them. Then, he will come again and receive us unto himſelf, that where he is, we may be with him, and behold his glory. And when this Prince of life, the Judg of quick and dead, ſhall appear, he will pronounce that finall juſtifying and glorifying ſentencelMat. 25.34., Come ye bleſſed of my Father, (mPſ. 32.1 2. for bleſſed are they indeed to whom the Lord then imputeth not iniquity) come and inherit the Kingdome prepared for you. Then ſhall our juſtification be compleat in all its points at that joyfull declaration of Chriſt upon his Tribunall in Judgment: No marvell then,aRom. 8.10, 11. If the bodies even of Saints ſhall dye: 'Tis becauſe of ſin; though the ſpirit be life, becauſe of righteouſneſſe. But then ſhall all our ſins be finally blotted our, and caſt behind his back in thebMic. 7.19 depths of the Sea, when thoſe times ofbAct. 3.19.20.21. refreſhing ſhall come from the preſence of the Lord: when he ſhall ſend Jeſus Chriſt at the great Reſtitution, whereof he hath ſpoken by all his holy Prophets ſince the world began: Then ſhall Oneſiphorus according to the prayer of Paul c2 Tim. 1.18.find mercy in that day at the hand of Chriſt. That day of fulldEph. 1.14 and 4.30. Redemption hath not yet appeared, when theeMat. 13.43. righteous ſhall ſhine forth in the Kingdome of their Father with everlaſting joy upon their heads.
A. 2 Again, Death was decreed and determin'd of God to ſeize upon faln ſinners in all it kinds, and yet we never find that doleful ſentence repeal'd as to temporall diſſolution, in any promiſe.fJoh. 11.25. I am the Reſurrection and the Life, ſaies Chriſt: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet ſhall he live. Yea, our bleſſed Lord in his Sermon at Capernaum, no leſsgJoh. 6. then four terms, comforts his Diſciples with the Doctrin of the Reſurrection: not, that they ſhould not dye, but that he would raiſe them up at the laſt day. Nay, even to John himſelf Jeſus hJoh. 21.23.ſaid not, that he ſhould not dye, But if I will, that he tarry till I come, what's that to thee Peter. No! both holy Peter and holy John, Death is ordain'd as a means to purge and cleanſe their bodies from the ſoil and filth of ſin, and to fit thoſe ſanctified Veſſels for the life of glory.
A. 3 Saints therefore muſt look upon death with no other aſpect, then as the greateſt bodily affliction, which ſhall or can befall them, and that it hath the ſame ingrediency, though in a deeper meaſure with all the bitter Cups of triall, which the Father is pleaſed to put into their hands. They have one common reaſon, and one common end to make them partakers of his holineſs. Sickneſs of the holineſſe of Grace; and Death of the holineſs of Glory.
But are not Saints the members of Chriſts body? Is the head glorified and muſt the Members paſs this State of exinanition? Muſt believers dye? Yes! and good reaſon too! Should not the members be conformable to their head? Ought Chriſt to haveaLuk. 24.20. ſuffered theſe things, and ſo to enter into his glory? Hath the Father madebHeb. 2.10 the Captain of our Salvation perfect through ſufferings, and will he not the ſame way bring many ſons to glory? Shall this High-pri…ſt after the order of Melchizedek, drink cPſ. 110.7of the Brook of Kidron in the way to Olivet, before he lift up the head in a glorious Aſcention? And ſhall Saints, the inferior Levites think much to taſte it? Zebedees, Children do but taſte a few drops at the bottome ofdMat. 20.22, 23. the Cup of Kidrons water, Chriſt hath drunk it off. Saints do but ſip ofeNum. 5.27, &c. theſe bitter waters, not for ſatssfaction but ſubmiſſion to the Law: they ſhall not cauſe their thighs to rot, but conceive to glory. Whats fabled of the Unicorn that he takes away the poyſon by dipping his horn in the waters before the Beaſts of the Forreſts do drink after him: Is true of our Lord, he hath ſweetned theſe waters of Marah with this Tree of Life, for true Iſraelites to pledg him. His holy body waſhed the waters of Jordan by his Baptiſm, and healed the waters of Kidron by his Paſſion. Chriſt that pure prolifickfJoh. 12 24 Corn of Wheat fell into the ground, and died and bringeth forth much fruit: The grave is made fertile by his death; that Saints lying by his dead body may be impregnated and ſpring up in a green Reſurrection, and grow ripe to the harveſt of glory, They are implanted into thegRom. 6.5. ſimilitude of his death, and ſhall be raiſed in the likeneſs of his Reſurrection, As that heavenly grain did riſe; ſo ſhall Saints ſprout upon his ſtalk, without Chaffe for the Garner of Paradiſe.
A. 4 A. 4. Again, Saints dye, not only in conformity to their head, but to magnifie the glory of divine Grace in Salvation by the New-Covenant. Chriſt takes away the radicall and fundamentall guilt of ſin, but not the totall in being thereof during this Life. None ſhal go to heaven by the law of perfection, according to the tenor of the firſt Covenant. None ſhall boaſt ofhEph. 2.8, 9. Tit. 3.5. work or merit: for by grace are we ſaved. None ſhall climbe to heaven but byiGen. 28.11, 12. Joh. 1.51. Jacobs Ladder, whoſe foot is fixt upon the ſon of man. We are ſaved by grace tokRom. 3.27 exclude boaſting we are ſavedlAct. 15.11 by faith, that Chriſt may bemPhil. 1.20. magnified whether in life or death: we are ſavednTit. 3.4, 7. by mercy, that the kindneſs and love of God our Saviour may appear: we are not born, but made heirs according to the hope of eternall life: Nay, we are ſaved byaRom. 8.24 hope, and with patience we wait for it: Were we perfect here; our faith would be clambering into viſion, and our hope into fruition, our reſting, waiting, panting frame would be ſwallowed up in preliminary injoyments of heaven: our love would caſt out all fear and torment, and ride triumphant before reſurrection, to the capitol of glory: But God hath an eye to that new and living way of ſalvation paved with the precious blood of the ſecond Covenant: wherefore, though Chriſt bebRo. 10.4. the end of the Law for righteouſneſs to every one that believeth: yet he reſtores us not in this life to the beauty and perfection of holineſs; So that, if ſin remain in a Saint, death muſt needs be its iſſue: For ſin when 'tis finiſht,cJam. 1.16 bringeth forth death: Though death in all its circumſtances be not the proper dRo. 6.23.wages of ſin unto a Saint, becauſe Chriſt hath ſatisfied and made us free from the LaweRev. 8.2. of ſin and of death: Though death be not thefIb. c. 6.22 foreign, the ſtipendiary ſupper of a believer, yet 'tis the foreign, the four ſauce, wherewith the remnants and leavings of originall, and the too great improvement thereof in actuall ſins and infirmities are diſht up: Warm Bernard ſtarts this queſtion, If Chriſt have delivered us,gBern. ad milit. Templ. f. 98. a. Ed. Pari 517. [Utquid adhuc morimur & non ſtatim immortalitate veſtimur? Sane, ut Dei veritas impleatur, &c.] Why do we yet dye and are not preſently clothed with immortality? Verily, that the truth of God might be fulfilled: For, becauſe God loveth mercy and truth, its neceſſary that man ſhould dye, becauſe God had foredoom'd it: but yet that he ſhould alſo riſe from the dead, leſt God ſhould ſeem to forget his mercy: So then though Death Lords it not over a Saint perpetually, yet it remains a while upon us, becauſe of the truth of God. Even as Sin, though it reign not in our mortall bodies, yet is it not totally taken from us. Thus Bernard layes the burden of a Saints death, upon the primitive fall, the curſe of God, the veracity of his threatnings and fulfilling of that word to Adam, in the day thou cateſt thereof, thou ſhalt dye: and a little before, [Adae delictum merito contrahimus; quouiam cum peccavit, in ipſo eramus & ex ejus carne per carnis concupiſentiam genite ſumus. We are deſervedly involved in Adams guilt, becauſe we all ſinned in him: for when he ſinned, we were in him, and were begotten of his fleſh by carnall concupiſcence.] And is not this the very Doctrin of Paul? aRo. 5.11.As by one man ſin entred into the world and death by ſin; So death paſſed upon all men, for that all have ſinned: This is the guilt that carries thoſe that have not ſin'd afterbV. 14. the ſimilitude of Adams tranſgreſſion into the grave. Yea Infants, & Embryo's, ſuch as never ſaw the light, from one dark grave to another.
Inſomuch, That though the ſecond and glorious Covenant of free grace, becPſ. 89.37 eſtabliſht as the Moon, and as a faithfull witneſs in heaven: yet it receives not its full accompliſhment in all its promiſes, till the Saints ſet down in the boſome of Chriſt after the great Tribunall: and 'tis not any the leaſt impair or reflection upon the divine juſtice on this ſide the reſurrection, to viſit the Saints tranſgreſſions with this Rod, and their iniquity with theſe ſtripes:d1 Cor. 11.30. For this cauſe, ſayes Paul (treating of ſome violations reſpecting our Lords Supper) many are weak and ſickly among you and many ſleep.
Wherefore, though the guilt of ſin be removed by juſtification, through the merit of Chriſt, and the dominion of ſin by ſanctification through the Spirit: yet the totall remainders of originall or actuall ſin are not ſtub'd out of the heart: but ſome fibres and ſtrings will ſtick behind in the beſt, during this preſent life: In like manner, thoughe1 Cor. 15.55, &c. the ſting of death, its venome and poyſon be pull'd out by the death of Chriſt: yet our mortality is not aboliſhed. Although our Lord hath broughtf2 Tim. 1.10. life and immortality to light through the Goſpel, in its revelation and conſignation to every believer; yet not as to its compleat fruition till the day of Chriſt. Then ſhall this mortall put on immortality, and death ſhall be ſwallowed up in victory, and then, ſhall we render eternall thanks to the Father, for giving us this victoryg1 Cor. 15.57. through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. For reign he muſt, till this laſt enemy alſo be put under his feet: To conquer over death by riſing, brings more honour to God, then to keep our foot from the grave: or elſe Divine Wiſdome would not run that courſe. One's th' effect of powerfull manutenency. But the other of creating omnipotency. Hence, as Chriſt the Naturall, ſo ſhall Saints be declared the Adopted ſons of God,aRom. 1.4 with power by the reſurrection from the dead, by reaſon of which union God will alſo raiſe them up like their glorious and myſticall headbAct. 2.24 by looſing the pains of death, it being impoſſible for them likewiſe to be held by it, For Chriſt being riſen from the dead, is becomec1 Cor. 15.20. the firſt fruits of them that ſleep: Our bleſſed Lord roſe at the Paſſe-over, and they ſhall riſe at the day of Pentecoſt: He roſe as the head, they as members, all in their own order ſhall riſe to glory.
Obj. But ſome may ſay, Did not Enoch and Elias leap over this Valley of death into heaven?
Anſ. True! but their tranſlation moved upon the wheels of tranſmutation equivalent to death: as they alſo, who are found alive at the coming of Chriſt. Though they paſſe not through the ſtrainer of the grave, yet they undergo. the percolation of a change. As the heavens ſhalldPſ. 102.26. periſh when they be changed and paſſee2 Pet. 3.10. away with a great noiſe, and the Elements melt with fervent heat: nevertheleſſe we look for new heavens, and a new earth, not in ſubſtance, but in quality. Even ſo Elijah, though riding to heaven in a chariot of fire, and the livingf2 Cor. 15.51. 1 Theſ. 4.17 Saints at our Lords coming in a chariot of aire, yet are all by a marvellous change [foreign]Heb. 11.5 tranſlated to the viſion of God.