The Great Concern, Chapter 3
CHAP. III. Which ſhews the Glory, Sweetneſs, and Bleſſedneſs of the attainment of having all things ſet right in the matters of our Souls, before a dying hour comes, which will further evince the truth aſſerted.
AS dying work is weighty work, and a dying hour is a difficult hour; ſo to have all things ſet right, all well ordered and compoſed, in the matters of our ſouls, againſt ſuch an hour comes, is an high, a ſweet, a bleſſed attainment, an attainment which carries infinite ſweetneſs and deſirableneſs in it: a taſte of which I ſhall give you in two things only. (1.) Hereby we come to be glorious Conquerours over Death and the Grave. (2.) Hereby we come to have an abundant entrance miniſtred to us into Heaven and Glory: And, my Beloved, what more ſweet and deſirable than this? Surely this ſpeaks it to be a very ſweet and bleſſed attainment.
1. Hereby we come to be glorious Conquerours over Death and the Grave. Death is an Enemy, 'tis the laſt enemy the Children of God have to grapple and conflict with: The laſt enemy that is to be deſtroyed is Death, 1 Cor. 15.26. and being the laſt enemy, in conquering this, they conquer all, conquering this they are compleat and eternal Conquerours: Now, by having all things ſet right in the matters of our ſouls, all things ready, and in order for a dying hour, we come to conquer this laſt Enemy; yea, to get a glorious Conqueſt over it: Hereby Death comes to be ſwallowed up of Victory, as you have the expreſſion, 1 Cor. 15.54. Hereby we are more than Conquerours over it, Rom. 8.37. Take the Conqueſt which this gives us over Death, in theſe three things.
1. Hereby the ſoul is carried above the fear of Death: In Heb. 2.15. We read of ſome, who all their life-time were ſubject to bondage through fear of Death: And, if in their life-time, much more when they come to a dying hour: Then Conſcience (as you have heard) is more awake: Oh the fears, the terrors, the Hell upon Earth, that the ſight of Death's approach fills many a poor ſoul withall! But now take a ſoul that has all things right, and in order in his ſpiritual concerns, and he is carried above the fear of this King of Terrours; and that when made as terrible; as the wit and malice of men can poſſibly make it: He can converſe with his laſt enemy as one that hath loſt his ſting and power, and ſo without the leaſt fear or diſmayedneſs of ſpirit: None of theſe things move me, ſayes Paul, neither count I my life dear unto my ſelf, that I may finiſh my courſe with joy. His Afflictions did not move him, did not terrifie him; but if death ſhould come, what then? Why that ſhall be welcom too, ſaith he, Acts 20.24. Who is afraid of a conquered enemy, an enemy which a man ſeeth dead and ſlain in the field? One that has all things ready for a dying hour, he ſees death to be a conquered enemy, an enemy conquered by the death of Chriſt; and ſo is carried above the fear of it.
2. Hereby the ſoul is inabled in a holy manner to triumph over death, and even to ſcorn and contemn it; which is an higher Conqueſt ſtill. A man that has all things ſet right, and well ordered in the matters of his ſoul, he is not only carried above the fear of death; but he rides in triumph over it, as one that divideth the ſpoil: He can with boldneſs and comfort challenge this laſt Enemy of his, and even dare it to do its worſt to him: O Death, where is thy Sting? O Grave, where is thy Victory? (ſaith the Apoſtle) The ſting of death is ſin, the ſtrength of ſin is the Law: But thanks be to God, who giveth us the Victory through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, 1 Cor. 15.55, 56, 57. As if he ſhould ſay, Death, you talk of a Sting; but where is it? Grave, you would threaten us with Victory and overthrow; but do your worſt, conquer us if you can. As a man that has diſarmed his Enemy, thrown him upon his back, ſayes to him; O Sir, where is your Sword? Where is your Piſtol? Where is the execution you threatned? Do your worſt?
3. Hereby the Soul comes to be able, ſolemnly to chooſe and deſire Death; yea to exult, and rejoyce in Death; as that which of an Enemy is become a Friend, and an in-let into all happineſs to him. So 2 Cor. 5.5, 6, 8. Now he that hath wrought us for the ſelf-ſame thing, is God, who hath alſo ſo given unto us the earneſt of his Spirit: Therefore we are alwayes confident, knowing that whileſt we are at home in the body, we are abſent from the Lord: We are confident, I ſay, and willing rather to be abſent from the body, and to be preſent with the Lord. So Phil. 1.22, 23. But if I live in the fleſh, this is the fruit of my Labour; yet what I ſhall chooſe, I wot not; for I am in a ſtrait betwixt two, having a deſire to depart, and to be with Chriſt, which is far better. Mark, he deſires Death, he chooſes Death, as that which is a Friend to him, and an in-let into his happineſs: Such an one can ſay, as I have read a German Divine did, when dying; I am ready (ſayes he) and deſire to be gone out of this life, in which all things are not only full of miſeries and calamities; but which is to be lamented, all things are full fraught with ſins: I ſay; I deſire to paſs into that life in which there is no ſin, no miſery. Yea, more, ſuch an one can exult, and rejoyce in death, Luke 2.29, 30. Lord, now letteſt thou thy Servant depart in peace according to thy word; for mine eyes have ſeen thy ſalvation: They are words of joy and exultation in the ſight of Death's approach. The Child of ſome tender and indulgent Father, being abroad at ſojourn, and ſeeing a Meſſenger come from his Father, to fetch him home; how does he exult and rejoyce? O (ſayes he) my Father has ſent for me home; now I muſt go to live with my Father, to eat and drink at my Father's Table, to live in my Father's preſence, enjoy my Father's love and counſels: and this he rejoyces in, and exultingly embraces the Meſſenger. 'Tis the very caſe here, the ſoul having all things ready, all things ſet right within, when Death comes, 'tis but as a Meſſenger to him, to fetch him home to his Father's houſe, which he can welcome and embrace with joy. O (ſayes he) my Father has ſent for me home, home to Heaven, there to live immediately in his preſence, and upon his fulneſs; and now I ſhall be for ever with my Father; now I ſhall for ever feaſt my Soul with my Father's love, and the conſtant views of my Father's face: now I ſhall ſee him face to face, whom here I could never ſee, but through a glaſs darkly: now I ſhall ſee, and be for ever in the embraces of my ſweet Lord; my Lord that bled for me, that died for, that trod the Wine-preſs alone for me: Now ſhall I enter into the glorious liberty of the Children of God: I have hitherto been in bondage, in bondage to Satan, in bondage to my own heart, which has all along wretchedly impoſed upon me; but now I ſhall enter upon the glorious liberty of the Children of God: Now I ſhall partake of the Inheritance of the Saints in light: Now I ſhall bathe my ſoul in the Chryſtal ſtreams of undefiled pleaſures, running freſh along the banks of Eternity at my Father's right hand: Now I ſhall ſpend a whole Eternity in Praiſes, Doxologies, and Hallelujah's to God, and the Lamb: Now I ſhall have all my ſpots and wrinkles, my ſins and ſorrows done away at once: Now ſhall I ſigh no more, and which is infinitely better, I ſhall ſin no more for ever; no more complain of dark viſions, and ſhort viſits from God; no more complain of diſtances and alienation between him and my Soul for ever: There ſhall be no more interruption of communion with my ſweet Saviour; but I ſhall ſtand in his preſence, and behold his face for evermore. In a word, hereby death, the King of Terrors, becomes the King of Comforts to the Soul; and a man comes to die both happily and comfortably. Some men die neither happily nor comfortably; and ſuch is the caſe of all, who die out of Chriſt; they die in their ſins, they die to be damned for ever. Some die happily, but not comfortably; ſuch is the caſe of poor Chriſtians dying under diſſertion, whoſe Sun ſets in a Cloud; they die in the dark, not knowing what ſhall become of their Souls to Eternity, which yet go ſafe to Heaven being built upon the Rock of Ages, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Some die both happily and comfortably; ſuch is the caſe of all thoſe who have all things ſet right (between God and them) all things ready, and in order; before a dying hour comes. Some die preſumptuouſly, thinking all is right and well in the matters of their ſouls, when indeed nothing is ſo, that is ſad for Eternity: The Lord deliver your ſouls and mine from ſuch an Exit. Some die tremblingly or doubtingly, not knowing how things are with them, whether well or ill, but they fear ill; that is ſad, at leaſt for time: the Lord carry us above ſuch an Exit. Some (viz. well ordered ſouls) die fiducially, knowing things to be right between God and them; and that is comfortable both for time and eternity. Well then, if hereby we come to have ſuch a glorious Victory over Death and the Grave, it muſt then be a great attainment to have all things in order between God and us; and conſequently greatly our concern to have things ſo.
2. Hereby we come to have a rich and glorious entrance miniſtred to us into everlaſting life, and glory, into Heaven and bleſſedneſs. As hereby we come to be glorious Conquerours over the natural death; ſo hereby we come to have a rich and glorious entrance miniſtred to us into the eternal life, which alſo carries much ſweetneſs and bleſſedneſs in it, 2 Pet. 1.5.11. And beſides this giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, &c. that is, grow as compleat in Grace as poſſibly you can, make ſure of your ſalvation, make all ready in the matters of your ſouls: and what then? So an entrance ſhall be miniſtred to you abundantly into the everlaſting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt. And is not this a bleſſed attainment? Take this in three things.
1. Hereby the ſoul comes to enjoy much of Heaven here upon earth; much of bleſſedneſs and glory, whileſt on this ſide bleſſedneſs and glory; then hath a man an abundant entrance miniſtred unto him into heaven and glory, when he hath much of heaven and glory given out to him here on earth, large earneſt, and firſt-fruits: and this the ſoul has that hath all things right in the matters of his ſpiritual ſtate, all things ready and in order within. Hence we read ſometimes of the earneſt, ſometimes of the firſt-fruits of the Spirit, Eph. 1.14. Rom. 8.28. And the ſoul that is moſt ready, has the greateſt earneſt and firſt-fruits, that is to ſay, the greateſt beginnings of Heaven, here upon earth: For that which makes us ready for a dying hour, is ſomething of heaven dropped into the ſoul here.
2. Hereby he comes to go triumphingly from Earth to Heaven; to go to Heaven and Glory with a Crown upon his head; and is not this a ſweet attainment? Then hath a man an abundant entrance into Heaven and Glory, when he goes triumphingly thither: When a man paſſes to heaven and glory with viſions thereof in his eye, and prelibations thereof in his ſoul; with a clear witneſs and evidence in his Spirit, that he is going to poſſeſs the fulneſs thereof, with God and Chriſt for ever: when a man enters into life without any rebukes from God, or his own Conſcience; without any ſtumbling through doubting or unbelief: This is the happineſs of ſuch, as have all things well in their ſouls, before a dying hour comes. It is with ſuch in death, as it was with John in a Viſion, Rev. 4.1. They, as it were, hear a voice from Heaven, ſaying, Come up hither; and immediately they are in the Spirit. Some poor ſouls croud into Heaven, through a throng of doubts and unbelief, difficulties and deſpondencies, through many fears and temptations; inſomuch that it might be truly ſaid of them, that they are ſearcely ſaved, as the Apoſtle's expreſſion is; but others go through none of theſe, they go triumphantly with a Crown upon their Heads as it were. So Paul 2. Tim. 4.6, 7, 8. I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand: I have fought a good fight, I have finiſhed my courſe, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteouſneſs, which the Lord, the Righteous Judge, ſhall give me at that day; and not unto me only, but to all them alſo that love his appearing. Methinks I ſee how this holy ſoul went triumphingly to the Throne of God, and the Lamb. When David and the houſe of Iſrael brought up the Arke of the Lord, it was with ſhouting, and with the ſound of the Trumpet: So when ſuch a ſoul goes to reſt, 'tis with a kind of ſhouting and triumph, among the Saints themſelves, who all reach the ſame heaven and glory at laſt. There is a very great deal of difference in their death, and in their going to that heaven and glory. As (you know) two Ships may arrive at the ſame Harbour, yet with much difference, as to the manner of their coming in: The one makes a ſhift to get in; but 'tis with her Anchors loſt, her Sails rent, her Flags down, her Maſts broken, and the like: but the other comes in bravely, riding, as 'twere, in triumph, with her Sails ſpread, her Anchors ſafe, her flags flying, her Trumpets ſounding, and her Mariners ſhouting. So great a difference there is in the paſſing of Saints to Heaven and Bleſſedneſs: Now what an attainment muſt it be to go with ſhouting and triumph?
3. Hereby the ſoul comes to be admitted to, and inveſted with an eminent fulneſs of Bleſſedneſs and Glory with God for ever: Then has a man an abundant entrance into heaven and glory, when he is admitted to, and inveſted with an eminent fulneſs of glory and bleſſedneſs in heaven for ever; and this he hath, who has all right and ready in the concerns of his ſoul, when he comes to die: Such a one receives a full reward, as the expreſſion is 2 Epiſtle of John 8. and has much fruit abounding to his account, Phil. 4.7. And O what a ſweet and bleſſed attainment does this ſpeak it to be, to have all in order againſt a dying hour comes? Now if it be ſuch an attainment to have things ſet right, and in order in our ſouls, againſt a dying hour, then ſurely it muſt needs be highly our concern to have all things ſo.