A Vindication of Godliness, Sermon 2 · Part 6
VI. Head concerning Death and Judgement.
Direct. 1. THink on what the Scriptures ſpeak concerning,
The
Dread
Death
of Death.
1 Concerning the Dread of Death, Rev. 6. 8. It is ſet forth by a pale Horſe, an horſe for ſtrength, there is no reſiſtance of it; an horſe for its ſwiftneſs, an horſe for its office, and uſe, to carry away: a pale-Horſe for its ga…ineſs: Death hath a grim and gaſtly countenance, that ſtrike, terrour into all hearts, and paleneſs into all faces Job 18. 14. It is called the King of terrours, the Black Prince, the Prince of Clouds and Darkneſs, as ſome render it: Darkneſs hath its terrour in it, and the King of Terrours, that notes, the higheſt and moſt terrible of Terrours.
The terrour of death ariſes,
1 From its Office or Errand, upon which it comes, which is,
1 To arreſt the guilty ſinners, and commit them to cuſtody, to be reſerved to Judgment.
2 To revenge the quarrel of an angry God. By ſin death entered: Death came into the world, not onelyonly as the Per diſſequa peccati, one of its Retinue or Attendants, but as the vindex peccati. By ſin, man provoked God; by death, God takes vengeance on man.
3 To cut off, and carry us away to our place, Death is the door betwixt the two worlds; the parting point, where ſinners take their leave for ever of their pomps, and their pleaſures, of their Houſes and Lands, and their Friends, ſo as never to return to them again.
It is dreadful to be carried away from our habitations and acquaintance, we know not whither; ſad was the death of him, who dying ſaid, Anxius vixi, dubius motior, & nunc quo vado neſcio; I have lived in care, I die in doubt, but whither I am going, I cannot tell: but to them that underſtand whither death is carrying them, (as it is the caſe of ſelf-condemned ſinners) into the place of darkneſs and eternal miſery; This is it that make Death indeed the King of Terrours.
2 From its Armour: Death is furniſhed,
1 With a Dart; this notes the ſtroke of Death, whe…by it diſſolves this Tabernacle, divides betwixt Soul and Body. This dart of Death is ſuch, againſt which there is no Armour of Proof can ſecure us; from which no quality or condition can exempt us; neither King nor Captive, neither Rich nor Poor, neither evil Men nor good Men, can eſcape this Dart: whomſoever Death ſtrikes, it ſtrikes ſure, and ſtrikes home, and never fails of doing Execution.
2 With a Sting, 1 Cor. 15. 56. The ſting of Death is ſin. A ſting doth two things, 1 It pierces, 2 It poyſons. Hence follow thoſe rumours and inflamations, and that anguiſh that a ſting puts men to.
But what is the ſting of Death? 'Tis Sin. This is the Poyſon upon the Dart of Death, that makes it ſo full of torment; an evil heart, an evil conſcience, an evil life, this is it that makes Death ſo terrible. A guilty Conſcience often ſtings a ſinner, in his life, in his health, in the midſt of all his proſperity; but when Death and a guilty Conſcience ſtrike in together, then it ſtings with a witneſs.
2 Concerning the Death of Death, or its deſtruction. This Enemy is to be deſtroyed, Hoſ. 13. 14. Yea, it is in part deſtroyed already, 2 Tim. 1. 10. Chriſt, by dying, and riſing again, hath overcome Death; and this not for himſelf, but for his Members, on whoſe behalf he hath diſarmed Death, and taken away its ſting, ſo that though it ſtrike them, yet it cannot ſting them. Death a… an hornet hath ſtung our Lord, and in him hath loſt his ſting. Hereupon the Apoſtle, in the perſons of all Believers, triumphs over Death, 1 Cor. 15. 55, 57. O Death, where is thy sting? Thanks be to God who hath given us the Victory, through our Lord Jeſus Christ. Chriſtians, that through Chriſt have conquered ſin, by the ſame Jeſus have conquered Death; ſo that now it is poſſible for thee to live above the fear of Death: ſome natural fears there may be, ſome ſhrinkings back of the fleſh, but the great fear is over, the bitterneſs of Death is paſt.
2 Conſider what the Scripture ſpeaks concerning Judgement; Conſider theſe two Scriptures, 2 Cor. 5. 10. For we muſt all appear before the Judgement-Se… of Chriſt, Mat. 25. 34. to the end. The… ſhall the King ſay unto them on the right hand, Come ye bleſſed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you, before the foundation of the world, &c.
Direct. 2. Ask thy heart theſe queſtions.
Queſt. 1. Muſt I not dye?
Queſt. 2, Whither will my death carry me?
In which of the two Regions of the other world, is my death like to land me? Either in the Region of Everlaſting Light, or in the Region of Everlaſting Darkneſs? To which of thoſe two Regions am I now travelling? By this I may gueſs, whither my death will tranſport me.
Queſt. What a ſtrange change will Death make upon me?
What a change of my Judgment, and Opinion? With what a different eye ſhall I look on all things then, from what I do now? Shall I look on God, on Chriſt, on Holineſſe, on peace of Conſcience, with ſuch a ſlighting and undervaluing eye: or on the Glory, and Pleaſures, and Luſts of the World, with ſuch an admiring and doting eye, when Death comes, as now I do? A godly Life, a good Conſcience, the promiſes and priviledges, and hopes of the Goſpel, I can now look on as follies, and fancies, and trifles; ſhall I count them ſo then? Sin, and guilt, I make a matter of nothing now; ſhall I have the ſame thoughts at death? It I could ſpeak with any ſoul, that's gotten one ſtep beyond the Grave, and ſhould ask him, What do you think of ſin, and the pleaſures of ſin now? What an anſwe… might I then expect?
What a ſtrange change will Death make upon my perſon? When, if I be a Saint, this poor Soul? that hath had its habitation in Meſhech, hath been impriſoned in a ſinful body, mourning, and ſighing, and labouring under the burthen of ſinnes, and luſts, and temptations, and doubts, and fears, and ſcotts, and ſcornes, ſhall in an inſtant be ſet at liberty from all this, and be lodged in the armes and boſome of the Lord of Glory. Or, if I be a ſinner, when I ſhall be taken from all my glory and greatneſſe, from all my delights and dalliances; from all my hopes and confidence, and be thrown down like Lucifer, Son of the Morning, from all my brightneſſe, into the blackneſſe of darkneſſe for ever. When, though I lie down in hopes and confidence, that I ſhall have reſt, yet within a minute after Death hath cloſed mine eyes, I ſhall awaken in everlaſting flames: How will my undone ſoul then cry out, Oh, where am I? Is this my place? Muſt this be my dwelling for ever? Are all my hopes and confidences come to this? Is all my mirth and my pleaſures come to this? Wo, wo, wo to me miſerable Wretch; how am I deceived, whether am I fallen?
Queſt. 4. How dreadful will this day of Death be to ſinners, when it is come?
Whilſt its only preached, or thought of at a diſtance, it affects but little; but when the day of darkneſs is come, and they ſhall feel their houſe of Clay falling; when their laſt Sand is running, their laſt breath drawing, their miſerable, ſouls lanching into the depth of Eternity; when a few minutes will lodge them in the place of darkneſs, and everlaſting torments; What a black day will it appear then?
Queſt. 5. On which hand am I like to ſtand in the Judgment?
Am I like to ſtand on the right hand, or on the left? Among the Sheep, or among the Goats? On which hand do I ſtand now? Have I my Converſation among the Goats, my fellowſhip with the Goats here, and can I expect to have my ſentence with the Sheep?
Queſt. 6. What may I do to get above the fear of death, and Judgment?
How bleſſed is the ſtate of thoſe Chriſtians, that are gotten beyond this fear? They may well be content to bear the Croſs; they may well be patient in tribulation; they need fear none of thoſe things they ſhall ſuffer here, their great fear is over; Death is ſwallowed up in victory. But how may I, upon good grounds, be out of this fear? How I be fit to die, & to ſtand in the Judgement, and not may thence be afraid? Oh, if I could get the Sting of Death out, this ſin crucified, this guilt removed; Oh, if I could get ſuch a Life, over which Death can have no power; if I could get Chriſt to be my Life, my Judge, to be my Friend, then welcome Death, and the Grave; welcome the Great Day; then that black hour will become the bleſſed hour; then that dark and gloomy day, at the approach wherof, this ſinful world will call to the Mountains to cover … and the Rocks to fall on them, would be to me a glorious day; wherein I ſhould lift up my head with joy, becauſe my Redemption is ſo nigh. So let me live, that I may be fit to die, and then let my Lord com…, whenever he pleaſes: Yea, then I may ſay, Wh… are the wheels of his Chariot ſo long a coming? Make haſte, my Beloved, and be thou like to a Roe on the Mountains of Spices.