Sixteen Sermons Volume 2, Sermon 10
SERMON X. The Bleſſedneſs of Good Men, after Death.
Preached on All-Saints Day.
REV. XIV. 13.
And I heard a voice from heaven ſaying unto me, Write, Bleſſed are the dead which die in the Lord, from henceforth: Yea, ſaith the Spirit, that they may reſt from their labours; and their works do follow them.
I Will not trouble you with any nice Diſpute about the Author of this Book of the Revelation, or the Authority of it;VOL. II. tho' both theſe were ſometimes controverted; becauſe it is now many Ages ſince this Book was received into the Canon of the Scriptures, as of Divine Authority, and as written by St. John. Nor ſhall I at this time enquire into the particular meaning of the ſeveral Viſions and Predictions contained in it. It is confeſſedly in ſeveral parts of it, a very obſcure Book; and there needs no other Argument to ſatisfie us that it is ſo, than that ſo many Learned and Inquiſitive Perſons, have given ſuch different Interpretations of ſeveral remarkable Paſſages in it; as particularly concerning the ſlaying of the Two Witneſſes, and the number of the Beaſt.
The words which I have read to you, tho' there be ſome difficulty about the Interpretation of ſome particular Expreſſions in them; yet in the general Senſe and Intendment of them, they are very plain, being a Solemn Declaration of the Bleſſed State of Good Men after this Life.
And that we may take the more notice of them, they are brought in with a great deal of Solemn Preparation and Addreſs,Serm. X. as it were on purpoſe to beſpeak our attention to them: I heard a voice from heaven, ſaying unto me, Write, Bleſſed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth. And for the greater Confirmation of them, the ſpecial Teſtimony of the Spirit, is added to the voice from Heaven, declaring the Reaſon, why they that die in the Lord, are Pronounced to be in ſo happy a Condition: Yea, ſaith the Spirit, that they may reſt from their labours; and their works do follow them.
In the handling of theſe Words, I ſhall Firſt inquire into the particular Senſe and Meaning of them.
Secondly, Proſecute the general Intendment of them; which I told you is to declare to us, the Bleſſed Eſtate of thoſe that die in the Lord, (that is) of Saints and Good Men, after they are departed this Life.
Firſt, I ſhall enquire into the particular Senſe and Meaning of the Words. To the clearing of which, nothing will conduce more, than to conſider the Occaſion of them, which was briefly this. In the Viſions of this and the foregoing Chapter, is repreſented to St. John, the great Straits that the Chriſtians, the true Worſhipers of the True God, ſhould be reduced to. On the one hand, they are Threatned with Death; or if they be ſuffered to live, they are interdicted all Commerce with Humane Society, Chap. 13.15. And he had power to cauſe, that as many as would not worſhip the Image of the Beaſt, ſhould be killed: And Verſe 17. That no man may buy or ſell, ſave he that had the Mark of the Beaſt. And on the other hand, they that do Worſhip the Beaſt, are Threatned with Damnation, Chap. 14.9, 10. If any man do worſhip the Beaſt, the ſame ſhall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, and ſhall be tormented with fire and brimſtone. So that whenever this ſhould happen, it would be a time of great Trial to the ſincere Chriſtians, being threatned with Extream Perſecution on the one hand, and Eternal Damnation on the other; and therefore it is added in the 12 Verſe, Here is the Patience of the Saints: Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jeſus. This is repreſented in St. John's Viſions, as the laſt and extremeſt Perſecution of the true Worſhipers of God, and which ſhould preceed the final Downfall of Babylon. And when this ſhould happen, then he tells us, the Patience of the Saints would be tried to purpoſe, and then it would be ſeen, who are faithful to God, and conſtant to his Truth; and upon this immediately follows the Voice from Heaven in the Text; And I heard a voice from heaven, ſaying unto me, Write, Bleſſed are the dead which die in the Lord, from henceforth: Yea, ſaith the Spirit, that they may reſt from their labours; and their works do follow them.
The main Difficulty of the words depends upon the word foreign, from henceforth; which Interpreters do variouſly refer to ſeveral parts of the Text. Some by changing the Accent, and reading it foreign, would change the ſignification of the word into omninò; omninò beati ſunt, they are altogether bleſſed, very happy, who die in the Lord. But this is altogether deſtitute of the Countenance and Warrant of any ancient Copy. We will then ſuppoſe that the word is foreign, and to be rendered as we Tranſlate it, from henceforth, from this time. All the Difficulty, is to what part of the Text we are to refer it. Some refer it to the word Bleſſed; Bleſſed from henceforth are the dead which die in the Lord: As if from this time, and not before, the Souls of Good Men were, immediately after Death, admitted into Heaven; which, many of the Ancient Fathers thought, the Souls of Good Men who died before the coming of Chriſt, were not. But then this Bleſſedneſs ought to have been dated, not from the time of St. John's Viſion, but of Chriſt's Aſcenſion; according to that of St. Ambroſe, in the Hymn called Te Deum; When thou hadſt overcome the ſharpneſs of death, thou didſt open the Kingdom of Heaven to all Believers.
Others refer it to dying in the Lord; Bleſſed are the dead, that from henceforth die in the Lord. But this hath no peculiar Emphaſis in it; becauſe they were bleſſed, that died in the Lord, before that time.
Others refer it to the words following, concerning the Teſtimony of the Spirit; yea, from henceforth ſaith the Spirit. All theſe Varieties agree in this Senſe in general; That ſome ſpecial Bleſſedneſs is Promiſed and Declared to thoſe who ſhould die after that time: But what that is in Particular, is not eaſie to make out.
But the moſt plain and ſimple Interpretation, and that which ſeems to be moſt ſuitable to the Occaſion of theſe words, is this; that the word foreign, from henceforth, is to be referred to the whole Sentence, thus; from henceforth bleſſed are the dead which die in the Lord; as if St. John had ſaid, conſidering the Extremity and cruel Circumſtances of this laſt and ſevere Perſecution, we may from that time forward reckon thoſe, who are already dead, (ſuppoſing that they died in the Lord) to be very happy; in that they did not live to ſee and ſuffer thoſe things, which will then befall the faithful Servants of God, when the Devil ſhall come, having great wrath, becauſe he knoweth he hath but a ſhort time. Much in the ſame Senſe as Solomon, when he conſidered the oppreſſions that were done under the Sun, ſays, Eccl. 4.2. That he praiſed the dead, which were already dead; more than the living, which were yet alive; that is, conſidering the Oppreſſions, which were ſo frequent in the World; he reckoned thoſe happier that were out of it, than thoſe who ſtill lived in it.
And as this is very agreeable to the Scope of what goes before; ſo it ſuits very well with what follows after, as the Reaſon, why thoſe Perſons are declared to be ſo happy; yea, ſaith the Spirit, that they may reſt from their labours; and their works do follow them; that is, that they may be at an end of their Troubles and Sufferings; and may not be tryed beyond their Strength and Patience, under that Terrible Perſecution which will Reign at that time; and likewiſe that they may receive the Reward of all the Good they have done, and the Evils they have ſuffered in this World; in the very ſame ſenſe, that the righteous are ſaid to be taken away from the evil to come, Eſai. 57.1, 2. The righteous is taken away from the evil to come, he ſhall enter into peace: They ſhall reſt in their beds, each one walking in his uprightneſs; that is, enjoying the comfort of his Integrity and Sincerity towards God.
And now the main Difficulty being over, we ſhall need to trouble our ſelves the leſs about the other Expreſſions in the Text: Yet there are Two which I ſhall a little explain to you.
1. What is here meant by dying in the Lord. And this ſort of Phraſe, in the Lord, in Chriſt, and in the name of Chriſt, is uſed in Scripture very variouſly. In general it ſignifies, the doing or ſuffering any thing, with relation to Chriſt, and upon his account; and ſo to die in the Lord, doth moſt frequently ſignifie, to die in the Faith of Chriſt, and the Profeſſion of the Chriſtian Religion. Sometimes it ſignifies to die for his Cauſe, and to bear Teſtimony to his Truth, which is therefore called Martyrdom, as St. Paul is ſaid to be foreign, Eph. 4.1. A Priſoner in the Lord; that is, for his Cauſe. So likewiſe, St. Peter; If ye be reproached foreign, in the name of Chriſt; happy are ye: And 'tis probable, that the expreſſion, 1 Cor. 15.18. Then they alſo which are fallen aſleep in Christ, is to be ſtood, of thoſe that died for his Cauſe; becauſe it follows immediately, if in this life only we have hope in Chriſt, we are of all men moſt miſerable; that is, conſidering how much Chriſtians Suffered for him in this Life, they were in a moſt miſerable Condition, if there were nothing to be expected beyond it; but eſpecially, if we conſider the parallel Phraſe, 1 Theſſ. 4.14. So them alſo that ſleep in Jeſus, foreign, for Jeſus ſake; that is, them that have ſuffered Martyrdom for him, will God bring with him. And in this ſenſe, many underſtand the Phraſe in the Text, as ſpoken of Martyrs; Bleſſed are the dead, which die in the Lord; that is, for his Cauſe. And tho' I think the Phraſe may well enough be underſtood more generally, yet I ſhall not reject this Senſe: Becauſe it is not unſuitable to the Scope and Occaſion of the words. For conſidering that laſt and extreme Perſecution which he had deſcribed; it was not altogether improper to pronounce thoſe happy, that had Suffered Martyrdom already, and were taken away from thoſe dreadful Calamities, which in theſe laſt days of Antichriſt were to fall upon the faithful Servants of Chriſt.
The other Expreſſion is the laſt in the Text, And their works do follow them So we render the word foreign, which yet does moſt properly ſignifie to accompany, or go along with one; and ſo indeed the Expreſſion will rather be more Emphatical, they reſt from their labours, and their works accompany them. But whether the word be rendred, to follow, or to accompany, the difference is not very material.
Thus you ſee what the particular ſenſe and meaning of the words probably is, to declare the happy Eſtate of thoſe Saints or Martyrs, who were already dead, in and for the Faith of Chriſt, and ſhould not live to ſee thoſe cruel and fearful Sufferings, which ſhould afterwards come upon the Chriſtians. But then this is grounded upon that general Truth, that they are happy that dye in the Lord. And this is that which I intend now to proſecute, abſtracting from the Particular occaſion, upon which theſe words were ſpoken; which brings me to the
Second thing I propounded, and chiefly deſigned to handle upon the occaſion of this day; namely, the happy Eſtate of Good Men after they are departed out of this Life. And in ſpeaking to this, I ſhall confine my ſelf to Two Particulars, which the Text mentions, as the Reaſons and Grounds, why they that dye in the Lord, are declared to be in ſo Bleſſed a Condition; yea, ſaith the Spirit, that they may reſt from their labours; and their works do follow them.
1. Good Men, when they are departed this Life, are freed from all the Labours and Pains they were exerciſed with in this World: That they may reſt from their labours.
2. They reap the Comfort and Reward of all the Good which they have done in this World: And their works do follow them, or rather, go alo… with them, to receive the Reward which God hath promiſed to them, who by patient continuance in well doing, ſeek for glory, and honour, and immortality.
1. Thoſe who die in the Lord, are freed from the Evils and Miſeries of this Life. And this is ſo great a Felicity that ſome, (and thoſe who think themſelves no ſmall Philoſophers) have placed the chief Happineſs of Man in freedom from Pain and Trouble. But tho' Happineſs do not conſiſt in this alone; yet it cannot be denied to be a great part of it: For tho' ſome have been ſo phantaſtically obſtinate, as, againſt the Reaſon and Common Senſe of Mankind, to maintain this Paradox, that a wiſe Man may be as happy upon the Rack, or in Phalaris his Bull, as in the greateſt eaſe and freedom from Pain that can be imagined; Yet Nature cries ſhame of this Hypocriſie; and there are none of thoſe wiſe Men they ſpeak of, were ever ſuch Fools as to try the Experiment, and to ſhew by their Actions, that it was indifferent to them, whether they lay'd themſelves down upon their Beds every Night, or were ſtretcht upon a Rack; which yet ought to have been indifferent to them, had they believed themſelves, and really eſteemed that, which others account Pain, to be as Happy a Condition, as that which is commonly called Eaſe.
But we need not trouble our ſelves to confute ſo ſtupid a Principle, which is confuted by Nature, and by every Man's Senſe and Experience. I think we may take it for granted, that Freedom from Miſery is a very conſiderable part of Happineſs; otherwiſe Heaven and Hell, if we conſider only the Torment of it, would be all one. But certainly it is no ſmall endearment of Religion, to the common Senſe of Mankind, that it promiſeth to us in the next Life, a Freedom from all the Evils and Troubles of this. And by this the Happineſs of Heaven is frequently deſcribed to us in Scripture, Eſai. 57.2. ſpeaking of the righteous Man; he ſhall enter into peace: they ſhall reſt in their beds. 2 Theſſ. 1.7. where the Apoſtle ſpeaking of the Reward of thoſe, who ſhould Suffer Perſecution for Religion, It is a righteous thing with God, (ſays he) to recompenſe to you, who are troubled, Reſt with us, when the Lord Jeſus ſhall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels. And the Apoſtle to the Hebrews, frequently deſcribes the Happineſs of Chriſtians by entring into reſt. And Rev. 21.4. the State of the New Jeruſalem is ſet forth to us, by Deliverance from thoſe Troubles and Sorrows, which Men are ſubject to in this World; and God ſhall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there ſhall be no more death, neither ſorrow, nor crying, neither ſhall there be any more pain: for the former things are paſt away.
Thus it is with us in this World, we are liable to Sorrow and Pain, and Death: But when we are once got to Heaven, none of theſe things ſhall approach us. The former things are paſs'd away, that is, the Evils we formerly endured, are paſt and over, and ſhall never return to afflict us any more.
And is not this a great Comfort, when we are Labouring under the Evils of this Life, and Conflicting ſorely with the Miſeries of it; that we ſhall one Day be paſt all theſe, and find a ſafe Refuge and Retreat from all theſe Storms and Tempeſts: When we are Loaded with Afflictions, and even tired with the Burden of them, and ready to faint and ſink under it; to think that there remains a reſt for us, into which we ſhall ſhortly enter? How can it chooſe but be a mighty Conſolation to us, whilſt we are in this vale of tears and troubles, to be aſſured that the Time is coming, when God ſhall wipe away all tears from our eyes, and there ſhall be no more ſorrow nor crying?
There are none of us, but are obnoxious to any of the Evils of this Life; we feel ſome of them, and we fear more: Our outward Condition, it may be, is uncomfortable, we are poor and perſecuted; we are deſtitute of Friends, or have many Enemies; we are deſpoiled of many of thoſe Comforts and Enjoyments which we once had: Our Bodies perhaps are in Pain, or our Spirits troubled; or though we have no real Cauſe of outward Trouble, yet our Souls are ill Lodg'd, in the dark Dungeon of a Body; over-power'd with a Melancholy Humour, which keeps out all Light and Comfort from our Minds.
And is it no reviving to us, to think of that Happy Hour, when we ſhall find a Remedy and Redreſs of all theſe Evils at once? Of that bleſſed Place, where we ſhall take Sanctuary, from all thoſe Afflictions and Troubles which purſued us in this World? Where Sorrow and Miſery, and Death are perfect Strangers, and into which nothing that can render Men in the leaſt unhappy, can ever enter? Where our Souls ſhall be in perfect reſt and contentment, and our Bodies after a while ſhall be reſtored and reunited to our Souls; not to Cloud and Clog them as they do here, but ſo happily changed, and refined to ſuch a Perfection, that they ſhall be ſo far from giving any diſturbance to our Minds, that they ſhall mightily add to their Pleaſure and Happineſs?
And when we are once Landed in thoſe Bleſſed Regions, what a Comfort will it be to us, to ſtand on the Shore, and look back upon thoſe rough and dangerous Seas, which we have eſcaped? How pleaſant to conſider the manifold Evils and Calamities which we are freed from, and for ever ſecured againſt? To remember our paſt Labours and Sufferings, and to be able to defie all thoſe Temptations, which were wont to aſſault us in this World, with ſo much violence, and with too much ſucceſs?
And this is the Condition of the Bleſſed Spirits above. They find a perfect ceſſation of all Afflictions and Troubles, they reſt from their labours. But this is not all: For.
2. They are not only freed from all the Evils and Sufferings they were exerciſed withal in this World; but they ſhall receive a plentiful Reward of all the Good they have done in it; their works do accompany them. When Pious Souls go out of this World, they do not only leave all the Evils of the World behind them; but they carry along with them all the Good they have done, to reap there the Comfort and Reward of it. Juſt as on the other hand, Wicked Men, when they die, leave all the good things of this World, all the Pleaſures and Enjoyments behind them; but the Guilt and Remorſe of their wicked Lives accompany them, and ſtick cloſe to them, to Torment them there, and that there they may be Tormented for them.
Thus the Scriptures repreſent to us the different Condition of Good and Bad Men, Eſai. 3.10, 11. Say ye to the righteous, that it ſhall be well with him: for they ſhall eat the fruit of their doings. Wo unto the wicked, it ſhall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands ſhall be given him. Which is many times true in this World; but however that happen, will moſt certainly and remarkably be made good in the other. And this is moſt Emphatically expreſt to us, in the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, Luke 16.25. where the Rich Man Petitions Abraham for ſome Eaſe, and Abraham returns him this Anſwer; Son, remember that thou in thy life time receivedſt thy good things, and likewiſe Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. What a Change was here! How Comfortable to the one, and how Diſmal to the other! Lazarus found reſt from all his Labours and Sufferings, and his Piety and Patience accompanied him into the other World, and conveyed him into Abraham's Boſom. Whereas the Rich Man was parted from all his good things, and the Guilt of his Sins went along with him, and lodged him in the place of Torments.
But my Text confines me to the bright ſide of this Proſpect; The conſideration of that Glorious Recompence which Good Men ſhall receive, for the Good Works which they have done in this World. Indeed the Text doth not expreſly ſay, that their works ſhall be rewarded; but that they ſhall go along with them, and that they are bleſſed upon this Account; and this implies that they ſhall receive a ſure Reward. For as the Apoſtle Reaſons, God is not unrighteous to forget our Work and Labour of Love. Verily there is a Reward for the righteous, as ſure as there is a God that judgeth in the Earth.
But how Great and Glorious that ſhall be, I am not in any meaſure able to declare to you. It may ſuffice, that the Scripture hath aſſured us in general, that God is the Rewarder of Good Men, and that he will make them Happy, not according to what can now enter into our narrow Thoughts, but according to the exceeding greatneſs of his Power and Goodneſs. If we are to receive our Reward from God; we need not doubt, but it will be very large, and ſuch as is every way worthy of him to beſtow. For he is a great King, and of great Goodneſs; and we may ſafely refer our ſelves to him, in confidence that he will conſider us, not according to the Meanneſs of our Service, but according to the Vaſtneſs of his Treaſures, and the Infinite Bounty of his Mind. If he hath promiſed to make us Happy, tho' he have not particularly declared to us, wherein this Happineſs ſhall conſiſt; yet we may truſt him that made us, to find out ways to make us happy; and may believe, that he who made us without our Knowledge or deſire, is able to make us Happy beyond them both.
Only for the greater Encouragement of our Holineſs and Obedience, tho' he hath promiſed to Reward every Good Man, far beyond the Proportion of any Good he hath or can do; yet he hath declared, that theſe Rewards ſhall be proportionably greater or leſs, according to the degree of every Man's Piety and Virtue. So our Saviour tell us, that they who are perſecuted for righteouſneſs ſake, great ſhall be their reward in heaven, Matt. 5.12. That there will be a difference between the Reward of a righteous Man, and a Prophet; that is, of one who is more publickly and eminently uſeful for the Salvation of others. And among thoſe who are Teachers of others, they that are more induſtrious, and conſequently more likely to be ſucceſsful in this Work, ſhall have a more Glorious Reward; as we are told by the Angel, Dan. 12.3. And they that be Wiſe, (or as it is in the Margin rendred, they that be Teachers) ſhall ſhine as the brightneſs of the Firmament; and they that turn many to righteouſneſs, as the ſtars for ever and ever. So likewiſe we find in the Parable of the Talents, that he that improv'd his Talent to Ten, was made Ruler over Ten Cities. And St. Paul, 2 Cor. 9.6. ſpeaking of the Degrees of Mens Charity and Liberality towards the Poor, ſays expreſly, He that ſoweth ſparingly, ſhall reap ſparingly; but he that ſoweth bountifully, ſhall reap bountifully; which by Proportion of Reaſon may be extended to the Exerciſe of all other Graces and Virtues. 1 Cor. 15.41, 42. The Apoſtle there repreſents the different Degrees of Glory, which Good Men ſhall be inveſted with at the Reſurrection, by the different Glory and Splendor of the Heavenly Luminaries. There is one glory of the Sun, another of the Moon, and another glory of the Stars; for one Star differeth from another Star in glory: So alſo is the Reſurrection of the dead. So that the more any Man ſuffers for God, and the more Patiently he Suffers, the more Holily and Virtuouſly, the more Charitably and Uſefully he lives in this World; the more good Works will accompany him into the next, and the Greater and more Glorious Reward he may hope to receive there; which as the Apoſtle Reaſons (in the Concluſion of that Chapter, concerning the Doctrine of the Reſurrection) ought to be a mighty Encouragement to every one of us, not only to be ſtedfaſt and unmoveable (that is, fix'd and reſolute in the Profeſſion and Practice of our Religion) but abounding likewiſe in the work of the Lord; foraſmuch as we know, that our labour is not in vain in the Lord.
Every Degree of Diligence and Induſtry, in the Work and Service of God, will moſt certainly one day turn to a happy Account. Having therefore ſuch Promiſes, dearly Beloved, let us cleanſe our ſelves from all filthineſs of Fleſh and Spirit, perfecting holineſs in the fear of God. The more perfectly holy we are here on Earth; the more perfectly happy we ſhall be in Heaven, and continue ſo to all Eternity.
I have now done with the Two Reaſons, which are here given in the Text, of the Happineſs that Good Men, ſuch as die in the Lord, ſhall be made Partatakers of in another Life; becauſe they reſt from their labours, and their works accompany them; they are freed from all the Evils which they ſuffer'd, and ſhall receive the Reward of all the Good they have done in this Life.
I ſhould now have proceeded to make ſome Inferences from this Diſcourſe; But thoſe I will reſerve for another Diſcourſe on this Subject.
All that I ſhall add at preſent, as the Application of what I have already ſaid, is, That this ſhould ſtir us up to a careful and zealous Imitation of thoſe Bleſſed Perſons deſcribed in the Text, who are dead in the Lord, and are at reſt from their Labours, and whoſe works do accompany them. Let us Imitate them, in their Faith and Patience, in their Piety and Good Works, and in their Conſtancy to God, and his Truth, which was dearer to them than their Lives.
Thus their Virtues and Sufferings are deſcribed in the Viſions of this Book, Chap. 13.10. Here is the Patience and the Faith of the Saints; and Chap. 14.12. Here is the Patience of the Saints: Here are they that keep the Commandments of God, and the Faith of Jeſus; and Chap. 12.11. And they overcame by the Blood of the Lamb, and by the Word of their Teſtimony; and they loved not their Lives unto the Death.
In this Way, and by theſe Steps, all the Saints and Martyrs of all Ages, have aſcended up to Heaven, and attained to that Bleſſed State, which they are now Poſſeſſed of, after all the Evils which they Suffered in this World. They are now at reſt from their labours, and all the good Works which they have done, are gon along with them, and they are now, and ſhall for ever be, receiving the Comfort and Reward of them. And if we tread in their Steps, by a zealous Imitation of the Piety and Holineſs of their Lives, and of the Conſtancy and Patience of their Sufferings; we ſhall one Day be Tranſlated into their Bleſſed Society, and made Partakers with them of the ſame Glorious Reward. If we have our Fruit unto Holineſs; our end ſhall be everlaſting life. If we be faithful unto death; we ſhall receive a Crown of Life.
Let us then, as the Apoſtle to the Hebrews exhorts, Chap. 6.11, 12. Every one of us ſhew the ſame Diligence, to the full aſſurance of hope, unto the end: and let us not be ſlothful; but followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promiſes.
Now the God of Peace, who brought again from the Dead our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the great Shepherd of the Sheep, through the Blood of the Everlaſting Covenant, make you Perfect in every good word and work, working in you that which is well-pleaſing in his ſight.