Funeral Sermon for Mary Doolittle, Sermon · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. To deſire and long for a bleſſed State and Life beyond the Grave, proved to be ſuitable to the Temper of a Chriſtian Spirit.
SECT. I.
III. THat it is ſuitable to the Temper of a Chriſtian Spirit, ſo far as renewed and ſanctified, to deſire and long for that better State and Life beyond the Grave. I know there may be an impatient Senſe of preſent troubles, or an inordinate Fear of threatning Dangers and Calamities, that may make ſome ſinfully deſire to be uncloathed, make them long for Death, and be glad to find the Grave. O Lord, I beſeech thee, ſays Jonah, 4. Jonah 3.take away my Life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live. And my Soul chuſeth ſtrangling rather than Life, ſays Job. 7. Job 15.But that is not the caſe here, the Apoſtle goes upon another Principle; he groaned, while in this Tabernacle, for the glorious State which he believingly foreſaw. And every renewed Soul has a dipoſition ſo to do, in his new Nature, he is born from above, and his very principles have a tendency to Heaven, foreignhe is attempered and ſuited to the heavenly State: by that very Grace whereby we are made Chriſtians, we are inſtructed to look for, and wait for, the glorious appearance of the great God and our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, at which appearance we hope to be cloathed upon with an Houſe from Heaven: For when he who is our Life ſhall appear, he has promiſed that we alſo ſhall appear in Glory. They cannot but deſire and long for this, if they had no burden of Afflictions and Sorrows in the World, that made them groan for deliverance: For I am perſwaded, that all the Conflicts and Exerciſes of the Apoſtle Paul, either by bodily pains, or with enraged malicious Enemies, never wrung ſuch a ſigh from him, as the conflict with his own Corruptions, O wretched Man that I am! All the preſſures that he ever met with in his earthly Tabernacle, never made him groan ſo much, as the burden of his own impure Fleſh, and his lamented diſtance from the Lord. Therefore conſider,
SECT. II.
Firſt, The Diſpoſition of a ſanctified Soul, as renewed by the holy Spirit, does incline and fit for this. II. The want of full Conformity to Chriſt. III. The Senſe of our Diſtance from Him, while we are here. IV. The unequal Communications of Light, and Grace, and Comfort from God and Chriſt, which a real Chriſtian doth now Experience, will aſſiſt theſe Deſires, and make him groan for Deliverance.
Firſt, There is ſuch a Diſpoſition in the Soul, ſanctified by Divine Grace, from whence ſuch Deſires muſt needs reſult. They have received the firſt Fruits of the Spirit as the Earneſt of more, and therefore groan within themſelves, waiting for the Adoption, even the Redemption of the Body, Rom. 8.23. They are now taken into Gods Family, as his Children, are born from above: But the moſt ſolemn Act of their Adoption, is at the laſt day, when there ſhall be a full and final Deliverance from all penal and afflictive Evil. Called the Redemption of the Body, as Death is the laſt Enemy to be deſtroyed; and the Body, till the Reſurrection, is under the power of Death: Called a Redemption, becauſe it is done by vertue of the price, and ranſom which Chriſt hath paid for us. Having received the firſt Fruits of the Spirit, they groan for the Adoption, this Redemption of the Body. And by this Spirit, they are ſaid to be ſealed unto the day of Redemption, Eph. 4.30. The holy Spirit aſſures us of ſuch a day. We are now the Temples of the holy Ghoſt, and he will not leave his own Dwelling continually in the duſt. And by this holy Spirit all our Deſires and Hopes of a bleſſed Reſurrection are wrought in us. And the mighty Change which is made by the Spirit. on the Souls of Believers, will evidence the poſſibility of that Change which is expected as to their Bodies: For to raiſe a dead Soul to ſpiritual Life, is at leaſt an equal Inſtance, of glorious Power, as to raiſe the Body from the Grave.
This they may well groan for, as the moſt ſolemn act of their Adoption, in conformity to Chriſt their Head, who, (as ſome obſerve,) though he were the Son of God by his marvellous Conception, and owned to be ſo during his Life, yet had the higheſt Declaration of it at his Reſurrection; Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. In like manner, though be Followers of Chriſt are now owned and treated as Children; yet the moſt publick Declaration of the Divine favour towards them, will be at the laſt day, when their Bodies ſhall be raiſed, and all the Children of the Reſurrection ſhall be born in a day. They are now made meet by the Spirit, to be partakers of the heavenly Inheritance, 1 Coloſſ. 12. they are now changed into the divine Image, prepared and fitted for the heavenly State; their Spiritual Life is ſupported by the delights and comforts of the other World, as the Animal Life is by thoſe of the preſent World. They know ſomewhat of the Excellency of it, they find ſomething in themſelves that makes them value and deſire it; and by the little Experience they have had, of the Pleaſure and Joy of obeying God, and converſing with him, they conclude how unſpeakably better it will be hereafter, when their Union and Communion ſhall be compleat.
The holy Nature they partake of by Regeneration, as mindful of its divine Original, doth mount the Soul to Heaven, tends to the place from whence it came, works towards its Center, and makes them reſtleſs in their deſires after it; and by frequent, lively, believing thoughts of the heavenly Inheritance, they gradually enter into it; and ripen for Glory, the nearer they come to the full Poſſeſſion. We read of being changed from Glory to Glory, 2 Cor. 3.18. by partaking of the divine Image. So that as Grace increaſeth, Glory haſteneth on, and every degree of Grace is a ſtep nearer to Glory: For the more conformable we are to the divine Image, the more meet are we to dwell with God: And he that hath fitted the new Nature to the heavenly Life, will not fail to bring his Children to it, when he has wrought them for this felf ſame thing, and given them the Earneſt of his Spirit, 2 Cor. 5.6.
The new Nature, ſaith one, does as naturally aſcend to Heaven, when uncloathed of Fleſh, and hath left all the Relicks of Corruption behind it, as the pure flame aſpires into the Air, and ſeems to long to inbody it ſelf with the Sun the Fountain of Light. By this they have a fitneſs for Heaven and a Diſpoſition for that bleſſed Life, which, as it daily increaſeth, muſt make their deſires ſtronger to enter upon it. For there is a Beauty in the divine Image, and a ſweetneſs in our imperfect Graces, in the preſent Actings of 'em, that muſt make us value and deſire Perfection. There is an Heavenly Sweetneſs in every Act of love to God and Chriſt, that may make the Soul cry out, oh! how happy ſhould I be, could I but love as much, and as long as I would; could I be all Love, and alway Loving, might my God and Saviour be my conſtant deſire, delight, and Joy! I would not envy the Honours or Pleaſures of any in this World, what then is that bleſſed State which I now hope for with perſocted Graces in the preſence of Chriſt.
SECT. III.
If our Faith be true, ſo as to unite us to Chriſt, and make us ſoundly believe the Goſpel Revelation, and conſent to be his, our Affections muſt needs be kindled to a willingneſs, and deſire to be with him: And if our Hope be of the right kind, it muſt be an Expectation with deſire and pleaſure, of the great and glorious things that we pretend to hope for. We are framed, and wrought by the Spirit of God, for this very ſame thing, and by continual influence from the ſame Spirit, will the Eternal bleſſedneſs of the future State be carried on. But we cannot be meet for it, without deſiring it, we cannot prepare for it without longing after it: Preparing Grace is to make us willing of Glory, as well as meet for it, and to keep us in the way to it. And all our Diligence and Activity, all our Watchfulneſs and Care, all our Patience and Self-denial, all our Stedfaſtneſs and Perſeverande, in the Chriſtian Courſe, as the Fruits of Faith and Love, muſt be influenced, cheriſhed, and maintained, by ſuch defires. This is the deſign and tendency of all the Operations of the holy Spirit on the Soul, for which he is promis'd and given to Believers. This is one great End of all the Ordinances and Inſtitutions of the Goſpel, under the Agency of the Holy Spirit, to qualifie and diſpoſe us for the heavenly State, and to excite and keep alive Deſires after it, and help us to purſue the proper Ends and Uſes of Life.
SECT. IV.
Secondly, Our want of full Conformity and Likeneſs unto Chriſt, makes theſe Deſires ſuitable to the temper of real Chriſtians. Though the guilt of Sin be removed by pardoning Grace, yet they are not perfectly cleanſed from all Impurity; there are ſad remainders of ſenſual and earthly Affections. Though the reigning power of Sin be broken, by the Spirit of Holineſs, yet we are not wholly rid of it; we ſenſibly feel Darkneſs in our Mind, Diſorder in our Affections. Diſtempers in our Spirits: The moſt righteous Souls are now vexed with their own Corruption from within, and the guilt of many actual Sins, as well as by the Abominations of others. While we are in the Body, we are in a State of warfare and conflict. We feelingly complain of the inward conteſt and diviſion between the Law of the Fleſh, and the Law of the Mind, as Rebecca felt the Twins, Jacob and Eſau, ſtirring in her Womb. Our time of Triumph is not in this World: The troubled Sea of corrup Nature will often ſend forth Mire and Dirt; but the Blood of Chriſt ſhall perfectly cleauſe us from Sin, ſo as to remove all our Filth, and fully deliver us from Corruption, as well as from Condemnation.
The holieſt Saints do now walk humbly with God under the ſenſe of remaining Corruption, they watch, and pray, and ſtrive againſt it, endeavouring greater Mortification, preſſing after more Holineſs; and therefore long for Heaven, when the Deliverance will be perfect. They are now ſenſible of the workings and contrary tendency of the two oppoſite Principles, Fleſh and Spirit; they find that the more ſpiritual any duty is, the more backward their Hearts are to it; they perceive every little indulgence of the Fleſh raiſeth an interpoſition between God and the Soul, and hinders the liberty, boldneſs, confidence, activity and peace, which otherwiſe they might have; they deſire and endeavour nearer Conformity to the divine Pattern, as well as clearer evidence of Forgiveneſs. They would feign be more like God, as well as eſcape his wrath; and be delivered from Sin, as well as from Hell: They are ſenſible how Indwelling Sin indiſpoſes them for holy Duties deadens and diſtracts their Hearts in ſpiritual Worſhip, makes them loſe the benefit of Ordinances, renders Sabbaths and Sacraments Lifeleſs, and unprofitable. They feel it to be the Fewel of many a Temptation, and a conſtant root of bitterneſs, that oppoſes the Spirit of Grace, and keeps them Low, and makes them barren and unfruitful; that prevails frequently, by ſuddain and violent Motions, to the diſhonour of God, and the grieving of the Holy Spirit, and the reproach of their Profeſſion; and ſo ſhakes their Peace, and damps their Aſſurance, and obſtructs their comfortable Hopes of Gods Acceptance. They find the oppoſition of this boſom Enemy moſt ſenſible, when their intereſt, duty, and deſire is, to be moſt ſerious in ingaging their heart for God; when they are about to make the neareſt Approaches to Heaven; when they do ſo, or when they have juſt done ſo. This is one part of their Burden, which may well make them deſire a State of perfect Holineſs, and full Conformity to Chriſt.
SECT. V.
Thirdly, The Apprehenſion and Senſe of their Diſtance from Chriſt, while they are in the Body, is another reaſon why they thus Groan. Chriſt is now in us, the hope of Glory; but our injoyment of him is very imperfect in compariſon of what we expect: And if we have any true Love to Chriſt, we muſt needs deſire to be with him, to behold his Glory, to love him more, and feel the communications of his Love in a higher degree. If we know any thing of the Sweetneſs of Communion with him, we muſt needs breath after fuller meaſures of it: And the ſenſe of our preſent diſtant ſtate, wherein we know ſo little of God and Chriſt, and love him leſs; wherein we continue to ſin againſt him, and daily ſmart under the bitter fruits of ſin, and dwell among thoſe who provoke and diſhonour him every day; may well make us figh to be at home, that we may injoy that Preſence of Chriſt, and Communion with him, which cannot be attained but by Dying. Do we not own it beſt, to be with Chriſt? the beſt Company, the beſt Place, the beſt Condition and State, the beſt Enjoyments? Certainly the little we know of him, is enough to make us deſire to be with him; the little we have already received, may make us long to receive more.
Such will not ſay with the Shunamite, when the Prophet offered to ſpeak for her to the King; I am already at home; *2 Kings. 4.I dwell among my own People; I am pleaſed with my Station; I like my preſent abode; I am not ambitious of any better; I care not for any other Life, or World, if I may but have this, &c. No, ſays a Holy Soul, I am a Stranger here on Earth, a Paſtenger, a Pilgrim through this World, as all my Fathers were; I ſeek another Country, an Heavenly one; I belong to another City that hath Foundations; My Principal Kindred, Relations and Friends are not here, but in that other Country. My Father is in Heaven, my Elder Brother is at his Right-hand in Glory, and the moſt of my Brethren are gone to him, and the reſt are haſtening as well as I; My Heart and Hopes are there, I deſire to be one of them, I would be glad to make one of that great and General Aſſembly of the Firſt-born, where is God the Judge of all, and the Bleſſed Redeemer, with an innumerable Company of Angels, and the Spirits of Juſt Men made perfect: Yea, I groan under this diſtance, and abſence from my deareſt Lord. Were it put to my Choice, I would venture upon any difficulties, and dangers, and deaths, rather than it ſhould continue: Nothing but the ſenſe of Duty to him, to ſerve the purpoſes of his glory here, can make me brook ſo long a ſeparation: otherwiſe, whatever the League be between me and this Body, I had rather be with Chriſt, though that be diſſolved: If there be no way to come to Heaven but by Dying, I would rather dye to be there, than live in this abſence from Chriſt my Saviour; that I may doubt of his love no more, and feel no more effects of his diſpleaſure; that he may hide his Face from me no more, but with everlaſting Compaſſions receive and imbrace me. And what is there in Death, that I ſhould fear it, that is half ſo frightful and grievous as my Abſence from Chriſt? What is there in this earthly Tabernacle, or in this preſent World, that I ſhould ſo love an abode in it, and not be willing to quit it, that I may be preſent with the Lord! O let him call me when he will, if he will receive my departing Soul! Let him draw me through the duſt of the Earth, if he will draw me nearer to himſelf, and bring me to his bleſſed Preſence. 'Tis there I long to be, 'tis that my heart is ſet upon, that is it I groan for; I am deſirous of his Preſence, to behold his Glory, and receive the Communications and Reflections of it. Henceforth I would not be unwilling and backward to go unto him, but rather ſay, O when ſhall I come and appear before him! But there is a fourth Particular to which I haſten.
SECT. VI.
Fourthly, The Ʋnequal Communications of Light, and Grace, and Comfort from Chriſt, while in the Body, make them thus groan to be uncloth'd. There is not that ſteddineſs, and Conſtancy in ſuch Communications from God in our preſent State, as hereafter there will be; neither is it ſuitable to the Character and Condition of Strangers, and Travellers, that there ſhould. Sometimes therefore we may have better Entertainment than at other times; we may not expect to have the ſame Sunſhine, and Fair weather, during our whole Pilgtimage. The Light of God's Countenance may be ſometimes cover'd, and overcaſt. The inward ſtate of things, between God and our Souls may be often alter'd. But, when we ſhall be at home in our Father's Houſe, in the preſence of our Lord, there will be a fulneſs of uninterrupted Joy, and unchangeable Pleaſure. Chriſtians are now ſometimes in the Mount, and then again in the Valley: Sometimes they can Rejoyce, ſoon after they are Mourning and Dejected. Sometimes the Love of God is ſtrong and vigorous, ſoon after the Love of the World prevails again in ſome ſad Inſtance or other, to grieve the Holy Spirit of God, and cauſe him to withdraw. Sometimes they can apply the Promiſes with Comfort, and go to God, with Holy Confidence, as to their Father, and think of Eternity, and another World, with tranſporting Joy, and of the Heavenly Inheritance as their own, with raiſed Deſires, and Delight; within a Day, or two, it may be, they are again plunged in the Mire, and ſunk into the depths of Darkneſs, and Diſcouragement, ſo as not to be able to hold up their heads.
Sometimes at the Table of the Lord, they have Refreſhing Views of the Glory of Chriſt, in his Love and Grace, as bearing the Curſe which they deſerv'd; as manifeſting his ſpecial Kindneſs, and Sealing his Love, with particular Application to their Souls, as Intereſted in all the Benefits of his Meritorious Death; Hereby they are Reviv'd, and Quickned, and Strengthned, and enabled to ſay, I am as one who hath found favour in his ſight; My Beloved is mine, and I am his. He led me into his Banqueting-Houſe, his Banner over me was Love. He called to me, as to the Unbelieving Diſciple, Come, reach hither thy hand, thruſt it into my ſide and heart, ſee how I have loved thee, Come, feel the print of the Spear, and of the Nails in my Hands and Feet; ſee what I ſuffer'd for thee, to expreſs my Love; What can I deny thee after this? Upon this an exulting Joy muſt needs enſue, but it did not laſt. And it may be the next Month they bewail that it is quite otherwiſe with 'em; Sometimes their hearts are enlarged, and delighted in Prayer, Thanſgiving, Sabbaths, Sacraments, &c. 'Tis their Joy ſometimes to go to the Houſe of God, and call upon his Name, and be employed in Heavenly Work, to Sing the High Praiſes of God in the Solemn Aſſemblies;
But this is not conſtant, and equal; not always alike.
Could a Chriſtian Act Faith at all times, as ſometimes he is enabled to do; could he every day feel the Love of Chriſt, and expreſs his own, as ſometimes; could he always reſign, devote, yeild himſelf to the Lord, with that entire Adoration, Submiſſion, and Satisfaction in the divine Will, and Glory, Goodneſs, and Wiſdom, as ſometimes, and on ſome Occaſions; he would hardly believe himſelf a ſtranger, and Foreinner in this world, he would be tempted to take Earth for Heaven, and ſay tis Good to be here. But whatever Influences of Grace and Comfort we now receive, they are not ſteddy, equal, and conſtant; and tis but fit that we who are only Paſſengers through this World, and are not at home, ſhould be thus made ſenſible of our true Character and Condition, and not find the Way or Weather alike good, or our own Health equal, or our Accommodations, Proviſions and Entertainment here. This helps to make as long for a Better State and Life.