Death Disarmed, Sermons · Sermon 2

Death Disarmed · Sermons · Sermon 2

p. 55SERMON II.

1 COR. 15. 55.

O death, where is thy ſting? O grave, where is thy victory?

THE Text preſented death and the grave to us as an enemy, in a double, but very different poſture.

1. As armed, and ſo formidable: Death with its ſting, and the Grave with the victory.

2. But ſecondly, (and which is principally intended) diſarmed, and ſo made contemptible: and here Death hath loſt its ſting, and the grave the victory.

The former we have lately conſidered upon a more ſad occaſion, when we took view of the dark ſide of the cloudy pillar, and whiles theExod. 14. 30. Luke 9. 14.Exod 14:30Luke 9:14 true Iſraelite looketh on it onelyonly, he may, with the Diſciples begin to fear, as he entreth into that cloud. But p. 56now the bright ſide is turned to us, and the true Diſciple of Chriſt may hear out of this cloud that ſweet voice, This is my beloved Son. AfterLuk. 9. 35.Luke 9:35 a dark night, the day now breake's, and the ſhadowes, (even the ſhadowCant. 2. 17.Song 2:17 of death) fly away. The laſt enemy is deſtroyed, and the true Believer who had fought under Chriſts banner, after the conflict ended, and the victory obtained, is now gotten into the valley of Berachah, there in2 Chron. 20. 26.2 Chr 20:26 God, to triumph over theſe his enemies. With this foreign, O death, where is thy ſting! O grave, where is thy victory? And ſo the point which remaineth to be treated on is, That

Doct. 2 As to a true Believer, in and by Jeſus Chriſt, death hath loſt its ſting, and the grave which ſwalloweth up all, ſhall at laſt it ſelf be ſwallowed up in victorie: For ſo our Apoſtle here foreign, as Chryſoſtome and Theophylact In locum.flouriſh the words; as a victorious triumphant Conquerour treading on the necks of theſe vanquiſhed enemies, cries victoria, and ſhout's out with triumphant ſong, O p. 57death, where is thy ſting? O grave, where is thy victory?

In which words, as to the ſtrength and elegancy of the expreſſion, take notice of

1. His Rhetorical Proſopopaeia and Apoſtrophe, in this Catacleuaſticall compellation, O death—O grave. It ſeem's this man of God durſt look theſe foreign, bugbears in the face, and ſpeak out to their heads without fear and aſtoniſhment.

2. His as elegant, but ſtinging Interrogation. Where is thy ſting? Where is thy victory? Which addeth weight to the expreſſion, but yet more elevateth and ſleighteth the adverſary, as wholly vanquiſhed, and his power and terrour quite vaniſhed, foreign, whenChryſoſt. in… locum. ſought for it cannot be found. This queſtion of the Apoſtle, being like that of Zebul to Gaal, Jndg. 9. 38. Where is now thy mouth? when hee ſtood before him ſpeechleſſe. Or rather like that chap. 1. of this Epiſtle, Where is the wiſe man? where is the Scribe? &c. v. 20. which he had anſwered before, ver. 19. in his foreign, they were deſtroyed and p. 58brought to nought. And ſo here, when he asketh the queſtion, O death, where is thy ſting? O grave, where is thy victory? he alſo had before anſwered it, in his foreign, ver. 26. and foreign, ver. 54. both words being ſtrongly ſignificant to our preſent purpoſe.

foreign, it is deſtroyed, aboliſhed, made idle and vain, that it can do nothing, at leaſt to our hurt, whileſt its ſting is broken, and quite taken out, the Bee is become a Drone. It is as a vipera medicata, that whatever good it may doe, to be ſure it can doe us no harm, but rather as Moſes his Serpent, becometh a ſtaff in his hand to ſupport him; which before he was afraid of, and ran away from, and might he not then well ask the queſtion, O death, where is thy ſting?

And then adde, O grave, where is thy victory? when he had immediatly before in the fore-going verſe ſaid, foreign, it ſelf was ſwallowed up in victory.

Thus the ſtrong man is overcome by Luke 11. 21, 22.Luke 11:21Luke 11:22the ſtronger, who by taking out this ſting, hath taken from him his armor: p. 59and ſo even the lawful captive of the Iſa. 49. 24. 25.Isa 49:24Isa 49:25mighty is taken away, and the prey of the terrible delivered, whileſt this terrible enemy is thus deſpoiled, and this painted Lion is not armed, w^ch is now a foul fault in Deaths Heraldry: Now as an Ex-Conſul, a quondam Tyrant, like the beaſt that was, and is Rev. 17. ….Rev 17not, and miſerum eſt fuiſſe, our enemies miſery, but our happineſſe; when, being once landed on the ſhore of Eternity, we ſhall with everlaſting joy, look on death, and the grave, with all their power and terrour, as at waters that are paſt; and amongſtJob. 11. 16.Job 11:16 the many other dead corpſes of our Egyptian enemies, ſee Death it ſelfExod. 14. 30. with 15. 1. Revel. 15. 2, 3.Exod 14:30Rev 15:2Rev 15:3 alſo dead on the ſea-ſhore; and then having the harps of God, ſing the ſong of Moſes and the Lamb: Or if you will this of the Apoſtle in the Text, O death, where is thy ſting? O grave, where is thy victory? In whichMyrothec. pag. 37, 31. words Came…o think's the Apoſtle hath ſpecial reſpect to that great promiſe of our Saviour, Matth. 16. 18. that the gates of Hell ſhall not prevail againſt his Church; which gates of Hell, he expound's of the power of death and the grave, which p. 60being weakned and annull'd by the death of Chriſt, he ſaith, foreign they ſhall not be able altogether to prevail, as that compound Verb ſignifieth. Something indeed death and the grave are able to doe, and that to the elect of God; thoſe foreign, thoſe cords and chains of Pſal. 18. 4.Ps 18:4death, will be able to draw them to the grave, and there for a time keep them bound under their dominion, foreign, valebit, ſed non praevalebit, as he ſpeaketh of death; but at worſt this will not be alwaies, time will be when this foreign in the Text, which have ſo long kept us priſoners in the grave, ſhall at laſt themſelves, as condemned priſoners, be caſt into the lake of fire, Rev. 20. 14. when the the Elect, after all their fore-taſtes of this mercy here, as it were by faith, antedating this Triumph, and before-hand tuning the Inſtrument againſt that bleſſed Conſort, being then fully and for ever freed from this laſt enemy, as well as all others, ſhall ſing out aloud this bleſſed triumphant ſong, which ſhall then fill Heaven and Earth with the ſound of it; O death, where is p. 61thy ſting? O grave, where is thy victory?

But more particularly, That death even in this life, hath loſt its ſting to ſuch, appeareth from this, that 1. for any hurt it can doe them, they have been enabled to ſleight and deſpiſe it. 2. In regard of that great good it bring's with it, they have earneſtly deſired that it would come, and as chearfully welcomed it, when it did.

1. For any hurt it can doe them, they have been able to ſleight and deſpiſe it, and (as it is here in the Text) to triumph over it, O death, where is your ſting? As though he had ſaid to this Serpent, you make an hiſſing, but you hurt not. Your Canon makes a roaring, but its no bullet that you ſhoot but powder, which cannot blow me from Chriſt, and my ſtedfaſtneſſe, ſuch Shaw-fowls doe not ſcare me, which inſtead of being affrighted, I can ſmile at. Mors Chriſtianis ludus eſt. So Vincentius, nay, (as Chryſoſtome expreſſeth it)In 1 Cor. 10.1 Cor 10 foreign, it is ſuch as tendereſt Virgins, and weakeſt children could laugh at; and p. 62although they were more ſerious then with Sir Thomas More, to dieBacon Aug. ment. l. 4. ca. 1. p. 205 So alſo Veſpatian died with a jeſt, and Auguſtus in a complement. Ecce miſer tuam partem aſſaſti, verte alteram. with a light jeſt in their mouths, yet they could with an holy deriſion of their cruelleſt Tormentors, as Laurentius, when now broiling on the grid-iron to Decius, in that facetious Sarcaſme. Behold, wretched Tyrant, thou haſt roaſted thine own part, turn the other. It would be too long to relate in particular how ambitious, and ſometimes too forward Primitive Chriſtians have been by crowds to preſſe to death and martyrdome, blunting the edge of the keeneſt perſecutors ſwords, and choaking thoſe ravenous beaſts of prey, whoſe throats were as open ſepulchres; or,Rom. 3. 13.Rom 3:13 like the Behemoth, Job 40. 23. thinking to ſwallow down all, the tendereſt age being enabled chearfully to endure the greateſt hardſhip, and the weakeſt ſex to over-maſter ſtrongeſt pains and torments, as ſo many fleabites, or medicinable blood-lettings. So Anne Ayſcough in that caſe could ſubſcribe her ſelf, Such an one as Acts and Monum. Tom. 2. pa. 776.neither wiſhed death, nor feared his might, and as merry as one that was bound for Heaven. foreign, p. 63as Chryſoſtome upon theſe words ſaid of Paul in the Text, and the ſame may we of Hers and many others. Noble ſouls! that could deſpiſe that, which others trembled at, like Chriſt himſelf, and by his mighty conduct, leading captivity captive, triumphingEpheſ. 4. 8Eph 4:8 over death, the fear whereof keep's others in bondage. Such a miracleHeb. 2. 15. Serm. 26. in Cantic.Heb 2:15 Bernard ſaith, he ſaw in dying Gerardus, hominem in morte exultantem, & inſultantem morti, exulting in death, and inſulting over it; a miracle indeed in regard of the greatneſſe of the thing, but none in reſpect of the ordinarineſſe of it, in many new, in more in former times of perſecution; but eminently in our Apoſtle, who might well ask death, where its ſting was? when in the firſt place for any hurt it could do him, could thus deſpiſe it, and triumph over it.

2. But ſecondly, in regard of theforeign. Phil. 1. 21.Phil 1:21 great gain he ſhould have by it, could earneſtly deſire that it would haſten to come, and as chearfully and joyfully welcome it, when it did.Mors omnibus eſt finis, multis remedium, probis etiā votum.

1. A believer can heartily and earneſtly deſire it, cui vita in taedio, or rather in patientia, mors in deſiderio, p. 64is weary of life, or patiently content to live, but willing and deſirous to die.

And this not out of extremity of preſent anguiſh and pain, or heat of paſſion, as Elijah, Job, Jonah, and1 Kin. 19. 4 Job 7. 15, 16. Jonah 4. 31 Kgs 19:4Job 7:15Job 7:16Jonah 4:3 others, who upon that account long for death, and dig for it more then for hid treaſures, Job 3. 21.

But in cool blood, upon moſt ſerious debate, Paul is in a ſtrait between two, and when he hath diſputed the caſe Pro and Con, he concludeth for a concluſion of this life, foreign, Phil. 1. 23. deſiring to be diſſolved or to be looſed, as ſome read that word, or rather reverti, Genev.as Ruffinus, or, as our laſt Tranſlators render it to depart, as a travellour to return home, and there to be looſed from this worlds intanglements, as Charet or Coach-horſes uſe to be from their harneſs, when they come to the end of their journey; for ſo the words both foreign Beza. foreign dimiſſio mors. Shindler foreignand foreign ſignifie; and ſo old Simeon in the ſame caſe maketh uſe of a like word, Luke 2. 29. foreign praying for a diſmiſſion, as a priſoner from his chains, and a ſtranger to p. 65his home, where as a weary travellor, he may lie down and take his reſt: for ſo death, to ſuch, is frequently in Scripture, and other Authors expreſſed by ſleep, and the burying place is called foreign a ſleeping place, and both the grave is foreign and the Biere Iſa. 57. 2. 2 Sam. 3. 31.Isa 57:22 Sam 3:31that carrieth to it foreign both words ſignifying a bed to reſt and ſleep on; which they could not well have done, if death had retained its ſting, and ſo their graves had been as ſo many Vaults full of Scorpions, and themſelves like the Leviathan that hath ſharp-pointed ſtones ſpread under him, Job 41. 30. If ſo, it had been no molliter oſſa cubant, would have proved but a very uneaſie bed, not ſo to be deſired quietly to take our reſt in; this ſting therefore muſt of neceſſity be gone, ſeeing ſo many in their right wits have ſo heartily and earneſtly deſired that it might come.

And what then? when it didforeign. Eurip. Alceſt. come, were they then as much troubled and affrighted at it, as the old man in the Fable, who weary of his burden, wiſhed for death; but when it came at his call, all in a fright, got p. 66up with his load, and trudge away as faſt as his feet, or rather his fear could carry him? No, but

2. Did not more earneſtly before defire it, then at its approach moſt gladly welcome it.

Nor this neither with them, Job 3. 22. and ſome others, who by reaſon of extremity of outward or inward anguiſh, and wearineſſe of life, (as Saul ſaid, anguiſh is come upon me, 2 Sam. 1. 9.2 Sam 1:9becauſe my life is yet whole in me: doe therefore exceedingly rejoyce, when they can finde the grave; which many of them then too late finde they have little cauſe for, when, to their ſmart they will meet with infinite more miſery after death, then they did before. But they that have a lively faith in Chriſt, and in a dying hour can then act it, even when in a manner they lie ſpeechleſſe, (from conſideration of that greater good they then partly meet with, and are more fully then entring upon) can ſay, that the day of their death, is Eccleſ. 7. 1.Eccl 7:1better then the day of their birth; ſo that whereas they cryed in that, they rejoice in this. And (as the Martyrs did the day of their Martyrdom) p. 67account it their Natalitia, and accordinglyMar. 6. 21. Gen. 40. 20.Mark 6:21Gen 40:20 (as the manner was) moſt joyfully welcome and celebrate it. If it came in a natural courſe peaceably, nay, were it never ſo violent, yet receive the cruelleſt ſentence of it, as Cyprian did, with a Deo gratias. So they ſtory of S. Andrew, ſaluting the Croſſe on which he was to bee crucified, and ſaying, Take me from Accipe me ab hominibus, & redde me magiſtro meo.men, and reſtore me to my Maſter; as of Laurence Saunders, who when come to the ſtake at which he was to be burnt, kiſſed it, ſaying, Welcome the Croſse of Chriſt, welcome everlaſting life: That whereas the meſsenger Prov. 16. 14.Prov 16:14of death, to moſt men, is in it ſelf, and is ſo deſcrib'd in Scripture, very terrible, yet to a dying Believer, then acting a lively faith, is nothing ſo, but is entertained by him as a welcome meſſenger ſent from the Father, as to a childe at nurſe, toRobinſon. bring it home, where it ſhall be better provided for, whileſt it tranſmitteth him from all his ſins and ſorrowes into that place and eſtate ofBrowns inquiry into vulgar errours, li. 3. cap. bliſſe, where he ſhall never ſinne nor grieve more. Solinus his relation of the Swan's ſinging a little before her p. 68death, is now accounted but a Fable; yet Ariſtotle in one **De hiſtor. Animal. li. 9. cap. 12.place confirmeth it, and in another rendereth this reaſon of it, that then generous blood goeth to the heart, making it chearfull, and that thence commeth the melody. I ſhall not undertake to aſſert either the relation, or the reaſon of it; but thus far may apply it, and ſay, that God promiſeth to his meek ſervants, that their hearts ſhall Pſa. 22. 26.Ps 22:26live for ever; and if for ever, then in death it ſelf; and thence it is that ſuch generous blood indeed commeth then to ſuch hearts, which enableth many to end their lives, not in mournfull Elegies, but in moſt joyfull ſongs of praiſe and thankſgiving, or without any dolorous ſenſe, or mournful complaint of the ſting of death: and where is it then, when it is thus earneſtly deſired, and ſo welcomly entertained?

I grant that this is not ſo with all believers; Hezekiah in this caſe, did not ſing like the Swan but chatteredIſa. 38. 14.Isa 38:14 as the Crane, and mourned as the Dove. And many may bee the reaſons, why God in wiſdome and faithfulneſſe may let ſome Believers p. 69ſetting Sun, (at leaſt for a time) be muffled up in a cloud; & the fault is in themſelves, that wheras Satan uſeth then moſt fiercely to caſt his fiery darts, they then are not carefullEpheſ. 6. 10.Eph 6:10 to hold up the ſhield of faith, which might quench them; but by their willing or wilfull unbelief, take a courſe to thruſt them in deeper. The BeeAnimaſque in Vulnere ponunt. Virg. Geor. 4. dieth when ſhe hath left her ſting in the wound; but if the man who is ſtung, careleſly let it alone, he may come to more ſmart by it, which, by his care timely to get it out, might be prevented; like careleſneſſe of a worſe ſting, breedeth greater ſmart in the caſe wee now ſpeak of. What therefore hath bin ſaid of a Believers ſecurity and comfort in this kinde, is to be underſtood of him as ſuch, viz. as he approveth himſelf to be a true believer, ſtirring up, and acting his faith in Chriſt. Otherwiſe although the ſecond death ſhal have no power over him, yet as he may be found careleſſe and negligent, the firſt death, if it ſurprize him in that poſture, may very ſorely ſting and wound him: for as it is ſaid of mans laws, ſo it is as true of Gods promiſes p. 70they favour not them that are aſleep, but ſuch as are awake and watchfull; and ſo to ſuch a wakefull Chriſtian, death is but a ſleep, indeed not it ſelf, not death but an enteranceMiſeri infideles mortem appellant, Fideles vero quid niſi paſcham? Bernard. de natura & dignit. divini amoris. into life; as Bernard ſaith, miſerable unbelievers call it death, but to faithful believers, what is it but a paſſeover, but a Jubile? Though in it ſelf it be an enemy, yet by the death and life Chriſt, it is ſo diſarmed, that his ſervants can earneſtly deſire it, and gladly welcome it, by reaſon of the great good it bringeth with it; and as for all the evil it may ſeem to threaten or inflict, can ſecurely deſpiſe it, and victoriouſly triumph over it, and with Paul here, ſay, O death, where is thy ſting? &c.

For the further clearing whereof, that we more diſtinctly ſee in what ſenſe the ſting of death is taken out, and the power of the grave aboliſhed, as to believers, we are to take notice.

1. Negatively, that is not ſo to be underſtood, as though they ſhould never either die, or meet with any anguiſh in death.

1. That death ſhould not ſo far ſting them, as not to take away their p. 71bodily life from them, that was once given out of John ſhould be true of them, that they ſhould never die; forJohn 21. 23.John 21:23 ſo the longeſt lived of them have done, Gen. 5. and the wiſeſt ſhall, Pſal. foreign.49. 10. and the beſt oftentimes ſooneſt, as ſadly appeared in the untimely deaths of Judah's, and our Engliſh Joſiah: for as for this death, Gods ſentence, in dying, thou ſhalt die, or Gen. 2. 17.Gen 2:17thou ſhalt ſurely die, upon Adams ſin both to himſelf, and his whole poſterity in ordinary courſe was, and continueth irreverſible; ſo that it is appointed for men (that is, generally Heb. 9. 27.Heb 9:27for all men) once to die, and becauſe the beſt are ſinfull whileſt they live, therefore they muſt die once, that once at laſt they may ſin no more.

Obj. And if it be replyed, that that ſentence upon the firſt Adam is taken off from the faithful, by Chriſt the ſecond Adam;

Anſw. I anſwere, true; but yet in Gods moſt wiſe order and method, and that appeareth in two particulars.

1. That although as to all curſe and wrath, and vindicative Juſtice, that was at firſt in it, all that is taken away by the imputation of Chriſts p. 72ſatisfaction in our juſtification, yet the full freedom from it, yea, and from worſe evils then death is, (that we might be kept more humble, and dependant on God, and Heaven at laſt more welcome) is carried on and perfected by degrees. As on the one ſide, when the ſentence of death was paſſed upon Adam, and ſo he was a dead man, yet he did not at that inſtant preſently die; as deadly poiſon taken doth not alwaies kill preſently, but ſome after a ſhorter, and ſome after a longer time; ſo here on the other ſide, the moſt Soveraign medicine may not perfectly cure at the firſt, but when it hath had its perfect work; and although our Redemption by Chriſt be full, and our recovery by him will be made compleate, before he have done with us, yea even at the firſt we are (as I ſaid) in our juſtification, freed from the ſtate of death, yet the guilty malefactor is not alwaies preſently taken out of priſon upon his firſt receiving of his pardon, nor we at the firſt wholly quit from the miſeries of this life, nor from bodily death, no, nor from ſin, which to a godly heart is more p. 73bitter then death. Did not our Heavenly Father know, how both for the preſent and the future to improve them all to his own glory and our good, he could & would cut ſhort his work in righteouſneſſe, and at the firſt,Rom. 9. 28▪Rom 9:28 at once pardon guilt, extinguiſh ſin, remove ſorrow, and aboliſh death, ſimul & ſemel omnia; but a man, (and ſo ſin and death in the godly) may have his deaths wound before he be quite dead, and a conquered captived enemy may for ſome time be kept alive, and have much good uſe made of him before he be finally executed; and ſo it is in this divine Oeconomy of Gods grace to his ſervants, and in his proceſſe againſt theſe our enemies: he reſcueth us orderly, and by degrees, from one enemy after another, from one inſult of the ſame enemy after another.

2. And (which is the ſecond particular in this divine method of God obſervable) he doth deliver us from the worſt firſt: firſt, from that which is wholly inconſiſtent with his favour to us, and our intereſt in him: as,

Firſt, from his revenging wrath, p. 74and the condemning guilt of ſinne, and ſo from the ſtate of death, in our juſtification, Rom. 5. 1, 2. and 8. 1, 2, &c.

And therewith from the dominion of ſin, in our ſanctification, Rom. 6. 14.

From the beeing and inexiſtence of ſin, at death, Heb. 12. 23.

And from death it ſelf, (which is left laſt, as leaſt hurtful) at the reſurrection, 1 Cor. 15. 26. 54. and it is abundantly enough for our comfort, that if not in this life, yet at death; or to be ſure at that laſt day, we ſhall have the full foreign, and perfect accompliſhment of this great work, when Chriſts reſcue of us ſhall be compleat, and death our laſt enemy ſhall be wholly and for ever ſwallowed up in victory. And this is the firſt Negative, Death hath not loſt its ſting, ſo as that believers ſhould never die.

2. Nor ſo neither, that at their death they ſhould never feel any kind of ſmart and pain by the ſting of it.Iſa. 38. 3.Isa 38:3 You heard that Hezekiah then wept ſore, and you read partly how poor, and partly what deſperate ſhifts, even p. 75Abraham, Gen. 12. 12, 13. & 20. 2. 11. and David, 1 Sam. 21. 12, 13. and Peter, Matth. 26. 70. 72. 74. (three of the Scriptures greateſt worthies; the firſt famous for faith, the ſecond for valour, the third for boldneſſe in the cauſe of Chriſt) were driven to through fear of it; and ſad inſtances of latter times have ſhown that when many: ſecure obdurate ſinners have died (as you uſe to ſay) like lambs, ſome of the true ſheep of Chriſts paſture have been then half worried by this evening wolf; in ſuch evenings theſe frogs of the inſernal pit oft croak aloud, and Belzebubs flies then ſwarm apace. Satan when now to be caſt out teareth moſt; in Iſraels Mar. 2. 26. Exod. 14. 5, 6, 7, &c.Mark 2:26Exod 14:5Exod 14:6Exod 14:7Exodus, or out-gate from Egypt, Pharaoh purſueth with all his Charets, becauſe if then once gone, they will be out of his reach for ever; the Devil cometh down with greateſt wrath, Rev. 12. 12. Deut. 25. 17. 18.Rev 12:12Deut 25:17Deut 25:18becauſe then he hath leaſt time; and when Iſrael is weak, Amalek muſt fall on the Rear, and do ſomething now or never. And hence it hath been, that poſſibly you may have overheard ſome dying Saints groans to have been very deep, and ſeen their p. 76death-beds, (as Davids Couch) watred and ſwimming with tears. EſpeciallyPſal. 6. 6.Ps 6:6 if

Either guilt of ſin be then charged on the conſcience, as not pardoned.

Or ſome defilement of ſinne then diſcovered and aggravated; if our faith then ſtumble, our hearts will ſink and fall, and be much bruiſed againſt the gates of death: a body of Rom. 7. 24Rom 7:24death will then lie very heavy on the weak ſick man, now haſting to his bodily death; and that ſin which ſo defile's him, that he cannot with freedome and ſerenity of ſpirit at other times appear before God in duty, will more abaſh him, when now he is to appear before him in death to receive his doom.

And thus far (for the Negative) death hath not loſt its ſting, but partly doth, and partly may retain it, as to true believers.

2. But (for the Affirmative) ſo, as that in this life, at death, and at the reſurrection, they may with Paul in the Text, ask where is it? For

In the General, it is but this outward life that death can ſeiſe on; as our Saviour ſaid of other enemies, ſo p. 77may we of this our laſt enemy, it can kill onelyonly the body, and after that hath Lu. 12. 4.nothing more that it can doe.

Obj. Or, if you ſay, that it was before granted, that it can, and ſometimes doth ſting their ſouls alſo.

Anſw. All I anſwer is, that thanks be to God, yet it is not mortally, for on ſuch the ſecond death hath no power: Rev. 20. 6.Rev 20:6and then, if they eſcape that ſecond death, this firſt to them is but Larva mortis, (as he calls it) but a grim vizard of death, in the Scripture account is reckoned for no death indeed, for whoſoever believeth in me (ſaith our Saviour, Iohn 11. 26.) foreign, ſhall not die for ever: ſo in the Original which our laſt Tranſlators, not unfitly (but as the Greek phraſe will bear) read it, ſhall never die, if not for ever, faith conſtrueth it never; though I die temporally, yet Scripture calleth it a ſleep, rather then death, if I doe not die eternally. This in the general.

But more particularly this ſting of death is taken away from believers

1. In this life, partly, in juſtification, and partly in ſanctification; for p. 78the Apoſtle in the words following the Text, telleth us, that the ſting of death is ſin; and ſin ſting's us, both in its terrifying condemning guilt, binding over to puniſhment, and in its enſlaving power and pollution.

1. Now the firſt wee are freed from in our juſtification, there is then peace, Rom. 5. 1. and no condemnation, Rom. 8. 1. we are paſſed from death unto life, 1 Iohn 3. 14. the deſtroying Angel paſſeth over and ſtrike's not, when the door-poſts and lintel are firſt ſtruck with the bloodExod. 12. 12, 13. Luk. 2, 29, 30.Exod 12:12Exod 12:13Luke 2:29Luke 2:30 of the Paſchal Lamb. And how chearfully then doth old Simeon ſing his Nunc dimittis, when he hath got his Saviour in his arms, and his eyes have ſeen Gods ſalvation? There is no ſting of death that he complaineth of, the kiſſes of Chriſts mouth have ſucked that out from a juſtified Believer; and then although the ſhadow of death ſhould ſit on my eye-lids, as they did on Iobs, yet ifJob 16. 16.Job 16:16 I can but then diſcover the eye-lids of the morning, but the firſt and leaſtJob 41. 18.Job 41:18 out-lookings of Heaven upon my ſoul, in pardon and peace, eſpecially if broad day light, and the p. 79more glorious ſhine of the Sunne Mal. 4. 2.Mal 4:2of righteouſneſſe; how painful ſoever deaths ſting might otherwiſe have been, my Phoebus is my Phyſitian, ſo that there will be full healing under his wings; and O death, where is then thy ſting?

2. And as for the defiling pollution, and enthralling power of ſinne, though it bee as painfull as the very guilt of it, is as a prick in the fleſh, ſting's deep, and prick's foreign. 2 Cor. 12. 7.2 Cor 12:7the very heart, Acts 2. 37. yet a Believer in this life hath an healing plaiſter for this wound alſo, from the ſpirit of grace in his ſanctification: and how quickly doth a clean wound heal? with how little pain doth a formerly well-ordered body die? and with how much leſſe, doth a ſoul, not Philoſophically purged, but ſpiritually ſanctified, depart from this earthly tabernacle, which is ſo ſubject to be foul, and the very ſweeping raiſeth a duſt, our repentings not being without new defilings? Death is not dolorous when my death and my ſin do not meet, but ſo part, that when the one cometh, the other is p. 80gone for ever; and how doth the undefiled Dove (which had before lien among the pots) then ſhine and gliſter, when now in her flight to Heaven, the Sunne of righteouſneſſe ſhines on her wings, which are covered with ſilver, and her feathers with yellow gold? That I may allude to that of the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 68. 13, 14. with what joy and delight doth the now chaſte ſoul, when it hath given a bill of divorce to all her former Paramours, ruere in amplexus, now caſt her ſelf into the boſome and embraces of her beſt beloved? Truly it is no terrible ſight to ſee death, when the pure in heart (though nowMatth. 5. 1.Matt 5:1 cloſing their eyes in the gloomy ſhadow of death) can even then ſee God, in the cleare glaſſe of a pure conſcience: there is no ſuch ſting in it to ſuch, to diſquiet them, but that without the help of other friends, they may cloſe their own eyes, and take their reſt in their Saviours arms, and their Heavenly Fathers boſome.

Which leadeth me from the firſt part of the Believers freedome from the ſting of death, In this life, to the

p. 812. Second and greater, and that even in death it ſelf. So that when itforeign, Juſtin Martyr Apol. 1. kills, it hurts, it ſtings not; but when they loſe their lives, death then loſeth its ſting, and this many wayes: for whereas in the former poi… we ſhewed that to a worldly carnall man, one ſore prick of this ſting of death was, that it let out all that comfort which the life of his ſoul was wrapt up in. On the contrary here it will appear, that a Believer in the out-let of his life, hath his foreign, (as it is called, Luke 9. 31.) his out-gate from all that which in this life moſt troubled and wounded him, when the world ſhall never trouble, or the Devil tempt, nor God frown, nor we ſin any more for ever, then (I ſay) we are freed▪

1. From all the troubles of this world, which, as to others, ſo eſpecially to the godly uſeth to be very vexatious and troubleſome.

A tempeſtuous ſea; and am I hurt if a tempeſt drive me out of it into harbor?

foreign, Pſal. 84. 6. a valley of tears (ſo ſome read it) or of Mulberry trees (ſo others) the one are p. 82moiſt, and others uſe to grow in more dry places, between them they may ſerve to make up a more complete Embleme of this miſerable world, made up of woes and wants; and how often may you over-hear the ſad mourner complaining, Now wo is me that I ſojourn in Pſa. 120. 5. foreign lxx.Ps 120:5Meſhech? and that word ſignifieth how long he thinke's the time is protracted; and may you not ſee thoſe mourning Doves of the valleys mantling the wing, and ſaying, O that I indeed had wings like a Dove, that I Pſal. 55. 6.Ps 55:6might flee away, & be at reſt. And that reſt death and the grave bring's us, for there the wicked ceaſe from troubling, and there the weary be at reſt, Iob 3. 17. at reſt, from all ſickneſſes, pains, ſorrows, perſecutions, &c. which here they either feel or fear, the one death end's and cure's, the other it prevent's.

It put's an end to them, ſo that either they are not, their malice then ceaſeth, poſt fata quieſcit, or in caſe it prove immortal, ſo that their cruelty rageth againſt the dead bodies, eſtates, good name, and poſterity of Saints departed; yet the beſt is, they p. 83then feel it not. Bucer and Fagius did not cry out from Heaven as hurt, when their bones (ſuppoſe the wiſe Inquiſitors miſtook not ſome others for theirs) were ridiculouſly burnt here in Cambridge divers years after their deaths, the dead man neither pine's nor ſtarve's, and though you ſtab him, he neither ſighe's nor groanes: the weary before, (however others trouble themſelves with them then) are at reſt, and although men will not let them live in peace, yet in ſpite of their malice, with old Simeon, they depart in peace, what evil they before felt, is then ended.

And what they feared, is then prevented, they being taken away from the evil to come, Iſa. 57. 1. as uſually evil is then coming, when good men are going; and if ſo, it is then the Fathers love and care even haſtily to ſnatch away the child, when the wilde bull is broken looſe from the ſtake, and is now running upon him; as alſo the wiſe Huſbandman haſteneth to get in his Corn, before the ſwine be put out into the field to root up all: the p. 84ordinary inſtances in this kinde, are, Joſiah, ſuddenly taken away, that his eyes might not ſee the evil that was to be brought upon his people, and ſo, though he died in war, yet he is ſaid to bee gathered to his grave in 2 Chron. 34. 28.2 Chr 34:28peace; and ſo Daniel is bid to go away and reſt, chap. 12. 13. before thoſe great claſhings and confuſions ſhould come, which had been foreſhewn to him in the fore-going viſions of that Book. Saint Auguſtine dieth a little before Genſericus took Hippo, and Paraeus before. Heidelberg was loſt, to whom (if you pleaſe)Wilſon of the life of …. James. you may adde Mr. Brightman, for whom the Purſivant was ſent a day or two after he was buried. And is then the man hurt, who by this means is ſet out of harms way? Or, is our traveller to Heaven the worſe traveller, or in a worſe caſe, for taking up his Inne betimes, before the ſtorm come, or he be benighted in a wilderneſſe? At death the world will never fight or fright us more, and where then is its ſting?

2. Nor will then the Devil bee ever able to tempt us any more; hisEphes. 6. …6.Eph 6:6 are fiery darts, but then (thanks be to p. 85God) we are foreign, out of gunſhot;2 Cor. 12. 7.2 Cor 12:7 his temptations are pricks in the fleſh, and there let them ſtick; but the happineſſe is, that in death wee have left our fleſh behinde us. This Pharaoh may then (as was before ſhewed) purſue us moſt fiercely with all his forces; but then it may confidently be ſpoken to the Iſrael of God, Fear not, ſtand ſtill, and ſee the Exod. 14. 13.Exod 14:13ſalvation of the Lord, which he will ſhew to you this day, for theſe Egyptians whom you have ſeen to day, ye ſhall ſee them again no more for ever.

The Devil who had the power of Diabolus per quod poteſtatem habuit, victus eſt. Ambroſ.death, Heb. 2. 14. hath by death his commiſſion and power abrogated and aboliſhed. For,

The ſouls of departed Saints, are then out of his reach.

And as for their dead bodies, although they may be, and have been abuſed by wicked men, the Devils inſtruments, yet it hath been juſtly queſtioned, whether the Devil himſelf immediately have any ſuch power over them. We read once of hisJude v. 9▪ contending with Michael the Archangel, about the body of Moſes, and if the thing he contended for, were p. 86(as it is uſually conceived) to have the place where it was buried diſcovered. It is plain from Deut. 34. 6. that in that conflict he was worſted, and is there then any ſting in death, when after it the world ſhall never any more trouble, nor the Devil tempt?

3. Nor (which is a far greater word) God frown, which yet in the time of our life he ſeeth juſt cauſe ſometimes to doe, and to vail his face from us; but then we come to live, not by faith, which admits of doubting, but by1 Cor. 13. 12. Rev. 22. 4.1 Cor 13:12Rev 22:4 viſion, and that face to face: that morning will be (as 2 Sam. 23. 4.) without clouds, becauſe we ſhall be above them, and in neareſt conjunction with theJam. 1. 17.Jas 1:17 Father of Lights, with whom there is no over ſhadowing; whatever the loanſom eſtrangments be that we meet with here, yet when Lazarus is once dead, he who was kept out of the rich mansLuke 16. 32.Luke 16:32 gates, is then found in Abrahams boſome, the place of warmeſt love.

And that moſt lively warmth, moſt lively felt, in this chill and dark evening of death, in it there is light, Zech. 14. 7. in grace as well as in nature, the afternoon Sun is oftentimes very warm, p. 87and the ſetting Sun ſhines out ſometimes moſt gloriouſly. So Oecolampadius making good the ſplendor of his own name) now dying, and that of an uncomfortable death, viz. the plague, could lay his hand upon his breaſt, & ſay, hic abundè lucis eſt: here, here in this dark evening is abundant light, then then in that gloomy ſhadow of death have humble Beleevers (and oftentimes none more then they who before had been moſt ſad and broken-hearted) met with divineſt raptures & raviſhments of Gods love, with gloriouſeſt ſhines, and moſt pleaſing ſmiles of his countenance, and ſweeteſt kiſſes of his mouth, as the loving mother kiſſeth the ſweet babe, and ſo layeth it down to ſleep. So theMaimonid. More. Nevoch. parte tertia cap. 51. ad finem. Buxtorf. Lexic. R… bin. ad vocem foreign Idem in Florileg. Hebr. pag. 205. Jewiſh Maſters expound that Deut. 34. 5. of Moſes his dying foreign ad …s Jehovae, as though God did take away his ſoul with a kiſſe; and ſo of their 903 kindes of death which they uſe to reckon up, this their foreign, the death which commeth by ſuch a kiſſe, they ſay is omnium placidiſſima, of all moſt pleaſant and comfortable: which, they ſay alſo, Moſes and Aaron, and Miriam only dyed of; p. 88but many beſides them, through Gods mercy have at that time known what the kiſſes of Chriſts mouth mean. And yet this both in Moſes and Aarons deaths is to this purpoſe ſingularly remarkable, that whereas you read of Gods bidding Moſes to goe up toDeut. 32. 49. 50. Numb. 20. 25, 26. Heinſii exercit. ſacrae in Matth. cap. 16.Deut 32:49Deut 32:50Num 20:25Num 20:26Matt 16 mount Nebo, and there die, and of Aaron, to go up to mount Hor, and ſtrip him of his garments & die there, you ſhall not finde in either places, that ut capiſtrati ad mortem mali trahebantur; that as Malefactours they were dragged to it as to an execution; but on the contrary, without the leaſt reluctance, they did as they were bid, like (me thinks) well natured children, although others of the Family ſit up latter, and it may be have greater proviſions preparing for them, yet without crying, or the leaſt whimpering, make themſelves ready, and go up to bed when their Father bids them, and well they might, although others ſtaid behinde, and were to be entertained with Canaans milk and hony, which they were cut ſhort of, ſeeing they were thus ſent to bed with a kiſſe, never to have the leaſt appearance of a frown more.

p. 894. But might we here adde and never Ezek. 28. 12.Ezek 28:12ſin more, you may ſay, this would ſeal up the ſumme, complete all, and leave of this ſting neither mark nor remembrance. Nor will this be wanting, and therefore in the laſt place I ſhall be bold to add this too. For as ſin in this life, had (as to the Beleever) loſt its condemning guilt, and dominion, ſo in death, it will be deprived of its beeing, or inexiſtence; indeed as long we ſhal here continue to dwell in theſe houſes of clay, it will be foreign, that which will keep poſſeſſion, and have its dwelling in us, Rom. 7. 17. but when our ſouls ſhall then be diſlodged of our bodies, this incroaching and troubleſome Inmate ſhall once for ever be thruſt out of doors from both bodies and ſouls together; the death of our body delivering us perfectly from this body of death, by which foreign, its controverted whether be meant this our mortal body, or the body of ſin, whichRom. 7. 24. Docet non finiri hos conflictus quandiu mortale corpus circumgeſtamus, quando corpus peccati aliquando exuemus, Paraeus in locum.Rom 7:24 is more deadly. I grant the latter, but would not exclude the former, becauſe both of them are put together, p. 90as when Samſon died, the Philiſtines died alſo together withJudg. 16. 30. Vide Annotat. in V. T. incerti Autoris. Canta brig. 1653. In Lev. 11. 25. See Mr. Cotton on Eccleſ. 7. 1.Judg 16:30Lev 11:25Eccl 7:1 him. This (ſome think) was typed out by that in the Law, where it is ſo often ſpoken of mens being unclean until the evening; but more fully and plainly aſſerted in the New Teſtament, where the ſouls of juſt men once got to Heaven, are ſaid to be made perfect, Heb. 12. 23. Other places are brought by ſome to the ſame purpoſe, as that Rom. 6. 7. He he that is dead is freed from ſin, which though meant of a death to ſin in mortification, yet alludes to what is in natural death, as Interpreters agree upon the place, and thoſe expreſſions of Chriſts preſenting us to himſelfe, foreign, faultleſse, Jude 24. not having ſpot, or wrinkle, or any ſuch thing, Eph. 5. 27. which to our particular perſons is done in death, Ecleſ. 12. 7. and that alſo, 1 Cor. 15. 26. where death is ſaid to be the laſt enemy which is to be deſtroyed, which they conceive it could not be, if ſin ſhould remain in us undeſtroyed after death: but becauſe theſe places may ſeem to be capable of a ſatisfying anſwer, I wave them, and content my ſelf with that p. 91one before mentioned. I Confeſſe ſome **See Mr. B. his vindiciae legis pag. 118.Divines of very great worth, conceive it is not death, but Cinerefaction that wholy rids us of ſin, i. e. that we are not wholy freed from it, as ſoon as the ſoul is departed, and the body is now dead, but when it is turned into duſt and aſhes: and this they would inferre from the inſtance of Lazarus, who after he had beenJohn 11.John 11 dead four dayes, was raiſed up to life, yet ſo as he died again, which yet he ſhould not have done, if the Image of God had in his firſt death been perfected in him, and ſo he wholly freed from ſin. To which I briefly anſwer

1. That it is no good way to prove that to be the ordinary and general courſe which God takes with all others, becauſe poſſibly it might be ſo in Lazarus his particular and extraordinary inſtance, concerning whom buſily to enquire what kind of death his was, or in what ſtate his ſoul was, in that quatridium mortis, I thinke would be too preſumptuous curioſity.

2. Although the Image of God in him might not be made perfect upon his firſt dying, and therefore hee p. 92might die again the ſecond time, whileſt ſome conſequents of ſin, (as mortality) yet clave to him, yet it will not thence follow, that ſin abode in him, no more then that a Saint departed lieth under the power of ſin, though he doe continue under the power of death, which is a conſequent of ſin, till the reſurrection. Not that I determine that Lazarus, after his firſt dying and riſing again, lived all his time after without ſin, in which to define any thing either way, were raſhneſſe; but onelyonly to deny the inference, that becauſe the Image of God was not every way completed upon his firſt death, ſo that he died again, therefore it was not reſtored in this, as to his being freed from ſin, which I conceived ſaints departed are, though till the laſt day they lie under the power of death, which yet was brought into the world by ſinne, Rom. 5. 12.

3. For the ordinary courſe, as I beleeve the dead body is no proper ſubject for ſin, ſo I conceive all Proteſtants, who deny a Popiſh Purgatory, Rev. 14. 13. Rev. 21. 27.Rev 14:13Rev 21:27or middle ſtate after death, muſt needs confeſſe, that the ſoul before the p. 93body be turned to duſt and aſhes, isSicque malorum omnium tela abrumpitur Paraeus. got to Heaven, into which no unclean thing entreth; and therefore as ſoon as it is looſed from the body, it is ſo looſed from ſin, that it may have a ready flight, and free entrance unto that undefiled Manſion.

And therefore I cannot but ſubſcribe to him who calls Death foreign, and ſay with Ambroſe, quid eſt mors niſi peccatorum ſepultura? that however it be the curſe of the wicked, to die in their ſins, John 8. 21. 4. yet for the godly, death in them kills ſin, and is buried in their grave, and ſo ſin and death, which were before friends, in our death prove deadly enemies; peccatum peperit mortem & filia devoravit matrem, ſin at firſt begot and brought forth death, and deathJam. 5. 17.Jas 5:17 at laſt deſtroyed ſin as the worm kills the tree that bred it. Death came by ſin, Rom. 5. 12. Mr. Brightman in his Sermon on Luk. 4. 18. pag. 66.Rom 5:12Luke 4:18and ſin goeth out by death, and ſo ſin diſ-armeth it ſelf, taketh out its own ſting; and may we not then well ſay, O death, where is thy ſting? O grave, where is thy victory? viz. when death it ſelf, is thus killed, as you uſe to ſay, quick-ſilver is killed, when ſo qualified, as it is made medicinable.

p. 94And the grave, which ſwallowed up all, is it ſelf ſwallowed up in victory, Captivity led captive and this our enemy not only ſubdued that it cannot hurt us, but alſo made to ſerve under our victorious Conquerer, ſo as to deſtroy our worſt enemy, ſin I mean, which we had moſt cauſe to be afraid of, and which above all made death terrible.

And thus we have ſeen how the ſting of death is taken out both in life and death from a Believer; but for all this all is not yet done, for all the time that we continue dead, death in ſome reſpect continueth his dominion, and whileſt the grave keepes our bodies priſoners, how hath it loſt the victory? There is therefore ſomething yet behind, and will that good God who hath thus far led us, here leave us? that as Rachel died, when now it Gen. 35. 16.Gen 35:16was but a little way to come to Ephrath, ſo when one ſtroak more would bring us to ſhore, we ſhould ſink in the harbour? O no.

As on the one ſide David from good experience could ſtyle God foreign Pſal. 57. 2.Ps 57:2a God, who performeth, or finiſheth, or perfecteth all for me, and whom he loveth, p. 95he loveth to the end, John 13. 1.

So on the other ſide, as for his and their enemies, when he beginneth, he will make an end, 1 Sam. 3. 12. nor will he with Joaſh, when he hath2 Kings 13 18, 19.2 Kgs 13:182 Kgs 13:19 ſmitten twice or thrice, for want of giving the laſt ſtroak fall ſhort of compleating the victory.

3. And that will be at the laſt day of the generall Reſurrection, till which time, death as it were lived, Rom. 5. 14Rom 5:14reigned, and kept the field, and the grave continued his victory; but as in death (we heard) ſin loſt its being, ſo at the reſurrection death and the grave ſhall forever loſe theirs, foreign, it ſhall be deſtroyed, ver. 26. and foreign ſhall be ſwallowed up, In the 54. ver. immediately preceding the Text, to which the Apoſtle relates in theſe words, O death where is thy ſting? &c. which he ſpeaks by way of anticipation of faith, and (according as before I expreſſed it) as it were before hand tuning his voice, that he might ſing them out aloud in that laſt great Jubile, and then death and the grave Rev. 20. 13Rev 20:13ſhall give up their dead, and diſgorge themſelves of all that they had before ſwallowed, and then not onelyonly the p. 96ſting of death, but alſo death it ſelfe ſhall die and ceaſe for ever, for there ſhall then be no more death, then ourRev. 21. 4.Rev 21:4 dead bodies ſhall again live, Iſa. 26. 19. ſo as thenceforth they can die no more, Luke 20. 36. but what is ſaid of our Saviour, ſhall then be made good of his ſervants, they ſhall then live who were dead, and ſhall live for ever, Rev. 1. 18. and then Death and Hell as vanquiſhed enemies ſhall bee dragged after our glorious Conquerurs Charet, whileſt his Redeemed ones ſhall follow him with their joyful and thankful acclamations, and make Heaven and Earth eccho this triumphant ſong O death, where is thy ſting? O grave, where is thy victory? Nor will they forget to adde that which the Apoſtle doeth, v. 57. Now thanks be to God, who hath given us the victory through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Which fitly leads me to the Application.

ANd let the firſt be everlaſting SERM. IIIƲſe. 1 Praiſe and thankſgiving to the Prince of our peace, and captain of our ſalvation. Now and ever bleſſed be our God, who hath given us the victory Ver. 57.through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt: p. 97and truly it muſt be foreign, if foreign, a moſt free gift if we have it, for did we fight and win it, that we ſhould wear it? No, he tred the wine-preſſe Iſa. 63. 1, 2▪ 3.Isa 63:1Isa 63:2Isa 63:3alone, and of the people there was none with him when he came from Edom with his garments died in the blood of theſe our enemies, travelling in the greatneſſe of his ſtrength, mighty to ſave, foreign, as Theophylact upon the Text. He endured the conflict, and in and by him gained the victory; or as Chryſoſtome expreſſeth it, foreign,Ille pugna… ſuſtinuit, nos coronis & triumphis ſuis ornavit. P. Martyr. Rev. 4. 10, 11. Ezek. 21. 26, 27.Rev 4:10Rev 4:11Ezek 21:26Ezek 21:27 He got the victory, and let us wear the Crown. But ſhall not then humble and thankful ingenuity caſt down our Crowns at his feet, or rather ſet them on his head, whoſe right it is? and ſay, thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power, for thou haſt created all things, and for thy pleaſure they are, and were created; all is by him, and from him, and therefore let the praiſe of all be to him for ever. It was,

1. His death, which gave death its deadly wound, and by death be deſtroyed him who had the power of death p. 98Heb. …. 14.which is the Devil. And this

As moſt gloriouſly, whileſt thus in his greateſt weakneſſe, he foileth Satan in his greateſt ſtrength, vincit dum 2 Cor. 13. 42 Cor 13:4vincitur, when as a weak man he is overcome of death, as the mighty, Almighty God hee overcometh both death, and him that had the power of it, and on the very Croſſe made a ſhew Coloſſ. 2. 15. Muſculus. Rom. 6. 23.Col 2:15Rom 6:23of him openly, when he himſelf was there made a ſpectacle.

So moſt juſtly; for ſeeing death is the wages onelyonly of ſinne, he moſt righteously forfeited that his power and authority, by inflicting death on him who 2 Cor, 5. 21knew no ſin; and thus Jeroboams arm1 Kin. 13. 4 In Epitaph: Nepot. Ʋt Hydrus Crocodilum interficit. P. Dammian: li. 2. ep. 18. Dentes infringes in nimis ſolido: concoquere non poteris, ſed ſicut Danielis bolo Babylonius draco, eruciaberis & crepabis. Del Rio Adagial. pag. 250.1 Kgs 13:4 drieth up, when ſtretched out to lay hold on Gods Prophet; and the waſpiſh angry Bee faſtening her ſting where ſhee ſhould not, hath loſt both it and her life together. This made Hierom inſult over death, illius morte tu mortua es, devoraſti & de…orata es; but withall he bleſſeth Chriſt for it, Gratias tibi Chriſte Salvator, quod tam potentem adverſarium noſtrum, dum occideris, occidiſti, its moſt juſt that death ſhould die, for ſeiſing on the Lord of Life, who never deſerved it; and although we did, yet juſt too, p. 99that we ſhould be delivered, ſeeing our Surety hath ſatisfied. And thus our bleſſed Redeemer, by being lifted up on the Croſſe, fought with theſe our enemies from the higher ground, and ſo mortally wounded their head; and that ſpear which pierced his heart brake this ſtring, which elſe would have wounded ours; in hoc ſign… vinces; ſo that however other Souldiers are wont to be diſmaied at the death of their Captains, yet we are delivered, and ſo animated by the death of ours; his death is our life, & therefore let him have that praiſe, which he purchaſed at ſo dear a price.

2. His Reſurrection is both the cauſe and pledge of ours, 1 Cor. 15. 20, 21. hath a ſpeciall influence into our juſtification, Rom. 4. 25. & 8. 34. affording faith (by which we are juſtified)Rom. 5. 1.Rom 5:1 a ſure handhold; in that it clearly manifeſteth, that he had paid the debt, when the priſoner was ſet free, ſatisfied Gods Juſtice, when the arreſt of death was taken off, and then, O death where i… thy ſting? and by opening his own grave, had done as much for ours, and then, O grave, Ezek. 37. 12.Ezek 37:12where is thy victory?

p. 1003. The imputation of his ſufferings, death, and unrighteouſneſſe, is that which in our juſtification takes off Gods revenging wrath, and the condemning guilt of ſin, w^ch our Apoſtle ſaith, is the ſting of death, and ſo he ſaveth us from going down into the pit, or at leaſt bringeth us up out of it, becauſe he hath found a ranſome, Job. 33. 24.

4. It is the grace of his Spirit, by which we are enabled to mortifie the the deeds and luſts of the fleſh, Rom. 8. 13. which was another ſting of ſin, and ſo of death, which the finger of the Spirit of Chriſt only take's out.

It is not our ſtrongeſt purpoſes or reſolutions that will be able to overmaſter theſe enemies; a foul ſore, til it be indeed healed, will run, though we ſay it ſhall not.

Nor will the Heathens, and Philoſophers Purgative virtues, cleanſe this ſink, in which the beſt of them ſo foully wallowed.

Nor the Papiſts Purgatories, penances, watchings, whippings, louſie ſhirts, or S. Francis his kisſingBonavent. in ejus vita cap. 2. or licking of Lepers ſores, which will cleanſe this fretting leproſie. The poor woman in the goſpel after p. 101ſhe had ſpent all ſhe had on other miſerable Phyſicians, could not get herMark 5. 25. 26, 27.Mark 5:25Mark 5:26Mark 5:27 iſſue of blood ſtopped, till ſhe got a touch of Chriſts garment. Porphyric himſelf confeſſeth that nothing elſe can effect this cleanſing, ſola principia Morn: de veritat. Rel. cap. 27hanc purgation… perficere poſsūt. By w^ch Principia ſome conceive, were meant the 3 Perſons in the bleſſed Trinity; but whatſoever he meant by them, I am ſure it was the blood of the ſacrifice,Lev. 14. 14. 15, 16.Lev 14:14Lev 14:15Lev 14:16 and the oil that cleanſeth the Leper in the Law, and that by them was meant the blood of Chriſt, and the grace of his Spirit which alone hath power to cleanſe and heal both them then, and us now under the Goſpel.

5. They are alſo the conſolations and comforts of the ſame Spirit of Chriſt, which are the foreign, and Lenitives, which actually & formally take away all that pain and anguiſh, which the ſting of ſin and death makeGal. 5. 22. Rom. 14. 17.Gal 5:22Rom 14:17 in our conſciences, ſuch joy and peace are fruits of this ſpirit, and ſpring from no other root. It is the LordJoh. 10. 11. See Ainſworth on Gen. 25. 2.John 10:11Gen 25:2 Jeſus who is our good Shepherd, and as it is the good Shepherds work and office, firſt to feed his ſheep, and then ſecondly, to make them lie down and p. 102reſt, ſo he onelyonly doeth both theſe to our ſouls, feedeth us in green paſtures, Pſal. 23. 2. and makes us lie down at noon, yea, and at night too, Cant. 1. 7. the firſt in our life time, and the other event in death, and thence no ſting in death to a good Chriſtian.

6. Finally, it will be his laſt glorious appearing, at the bright luſtre whereof the ſhadow of death will then quite vaniſh, and death it ſelf (which till then had continued and prevailed, and juſt then having cut down all before it, had (as it were) completed its conqueſt) ſhall then for ever be ſwallowed up in victory.

And thus we ſee our Chriſt, who is our all, from firſt to laſt in thisCol. 3. 11.Col 3:11 great atchievement of our victory over death, put down all, and therefore to him moſt deſervedly let be all the praiſe; and if the Philiſtims whenJudg. 16. 23, 24.Judg 16:23Judg 16:24 they had gotten Samſon into their power, praiſed their Gods, and offered a great ſacrifice to Dagon, and rejoyced that he had delivered their enemy into their hands, who had deſtroyed their Country, and ſlain many of them; then what Lebanon is ſufficient to burn, Iſa. 40. 16. Pſa. 50. 10.Isa 40:16Ps 50:10or what cattell on a thouſand kills ſufficient p. 103for a burnt ſacrifice? what Hecatombs of praiſe and ſervice, of whatever we are, have, can doe or ſuffer, are due to our great God and Saviour? who hath delivered the deſtroyer of our both bodies and ſouls into our hands, and us out of his; who hath ſlaine not onelyonly many of us, but either hath or will make havock of us all, heaps upon heaps, farre more and greater then ever Samſon did ofJudg. 15. 16. Aſa. 115. 1.Judg 15:16 them. Now not unto us, not unto us, O Lord, but to our moſt mighty and moſt mercifull God and Saviour, be all the praiſe, who hath thus delivered us from the power of darkneſſe, and hath Coloſ. 1. 13 Davenant in locum.Col 1:13tranſlated (foreign) i. e. hath as a Colony, tranſplanted us into a new and better Country) from under the power of ſin and death into the kingdome of his dear Son; the Lord of life and glory, hath opened for us that iron Jude 6. Heb. 7. 16.Jude 1:6Heb 7:16gate, and broken thoſe everlaſting chaines of darkneſſe aſunder and, having perfectly vanquiſhed hell and death, hath inſtated us in that power of an endleſſe life. Now glory to God on high, and on earth peace.

Ʋſe 2 For as this matter of his endleſſe praiſe, ſo of ſtrong and everlaſting p. 104conſolation and good hope to2 Theſſ. 2. 16. Heb. 6. 18.2 Thess 2:16Heb 6:18 all thoſe that are made partakers of the grace of life. For ſo Calvin rightly obſerveth, that the Apoſtle here in the Text, tam animos â exclamatione erigere voluit Corinthiorum animos; by ſuch an hearty and triumphant exclamation as this, O death, where is thy ſting? O grave, where is thy victory? He intended to rouze and raiſe up the drooping, trembling, ſinking hearts of Believers, and by this Proſopopoeia, (as P. Martyr Proponit ob oculos mortem proſtratam & confoſſam.adde's) he preſenteth death as having got a deadly wound, and now lying proſtrate at their feet, for them ſecurely to trample upon, and to triumph over, the ſting being gone, and the honey onelyonly remaining, whileſt it hath delivered them from their worſt enemy, ſin; and more nearly united them to their beſt friend Jeſus Chriſt their Lord and Head. It doth indeed part them from the bodily preſence of other deareſt relations here on earth, and from their bodies too, which they muſt leave alſo for a time, till they at laſt come to a more joyful meeting. But not from God, who p. 105as Saul and Jonathan, in death are 2 Sam. 1. 23. Bernard in Cant. Serm 26.2 Sam 1:23not parted. So that what was before porta inferni, is now introitus regni, the gate of Hell is now become the entrance into Heaven; or as Mr. Brightman expreſſeth it, what was before the Devils Serjeant to drag us to Hell, is now the Lords Gentleman-Ʋſher to conduct us to Heaven.

Prov. 31. 8. dying men are called foreign, a phraſe which hath troubledVide Mercer. in locum. Interpreters, to give the true ſenſe of it; the word uſually ſignifieth a change of raiment, and ſo indeed death ſtrip's us all, but happy they whom Chriſt hath ſpread his skirt over, they then will not bee found naked, but clothed upon with their 2 Cor. 5. 2… 3, 4,2 Cor 5:2houſe from Heaven. This a Believer hath in death, yea by death, and what concluſion then ſhould he inferre from it, but the Pſalmiſts Ergo?Pſal. 16. 8, 10, 11.Ps 16:8Ps 16:10Ps 16:11 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth, my fleſh alſo ſhall reſt in hope, becauſe thou wilt not leave my ſoul in Hell, but wilt ſhew me the path of life, &c. and therefore I will not onelyonly reſt in peace, but leap for joy, whileſt I can thus inſult over ſo deadly an enemy; the righteous may p. 106well have hope in their death, whenProv. 14. 32.Prov 14:32 from this Text, they may be ſure of the victory.

Ʋſe 3 Which therefore ſhould arm the heirs of life againſt the fear of death; we read, Cant. 3. 7, 8. that the valiant of Iſrael have their ſwords on their thighs, becauſe of fear in the night; which implieth, that asSo the Greeks, amongſt their many words for a night have foreign for one which imports fear. other nights uſually ſtrike men (at leaſt children) into fears, ſo this long and more darkſome night of death, is ſubject to raiſe fears even in thoſe that are men of God. Eſpecially whileſt they are weak children, they are oft weary of life, and yet afraid of death, that God (in a manner) knoweth not what to do with them; as the Angel (in Cyprian) chideth ſuch, pati timetis, exire non vultis, quid faciam vobis? and truly ſuch children ſhould be chid out of ſuch childiſh fears, but from the valiant of Iſrael God expecteth more ſpirit, if not wholly to prevent ſuch inſults, yet with courages to repel them; for elſe to what purpoſe ſerve their ſwords on their thighs? and a lively faith in their hearts, if the fears of death can dead it? It is a ſad word p. 107of Calvin upon Heb. 2. 14, 15. He Si quis anima… pacare non poteſt mo…tis contemptu, is ſciat p…um ſe adhuc profeciſſe in Chriſti fide; …a… ut nimia trepidatio ex ignorantia Chriſti gratiae naſcitur, ita certum eſt infidelitatis ſignam.that cannot quiet his heart in all holy contempt of death, let him know that he hath as yet profited but a very little in the faith of Chriſt, becauſe this trembling ariſeth from too much ignorance of his grace, and is a certain ſign of too much infidelity: For ſo Paul, Rom. 10. 7. affirmeth, that doubtingly to ask, who ſhall deſcend into the deep? is to bring Chriſt again from the dead, as though he had not died, and by his death overcome death and Hell: but on the contrary,

1. The example of Chriſt our Saviour dying, ſhould animate every Chriſtian Souldier againſt fears of death; his taſting of it for us,Heb. 2. 9.Heb 2:9 ſhould keep it from being to us a c…p of trembling: for if the weak ſilly ſheep freely followeth, where the dux gregis, before hath led the way, why ſhould the ſheep of Chriſts Paſture be at a ſtand, though it be in the valley of the ſhadow of death, from following the Lamb whither ſoever Rev. 14. 4.Rev 14:4he goeth?

2. But the merit and efficacy of the death of Chriſt ſhould in this p. 108kinde be moſt operative; as it pacifieth the wrath, ſatisfieth the juſtice of God, removeth guilt, and purchaſethMaledictionem ſube…ndo ſuſtulit quod in morte formidabile erat. Cypr. life; had we the skill of faith to apply it aright to our wounded ſouls, it would be able ſo perfectly to take out the ſting of death, that we ſhould have no cauſe to be troubled with the fear of it; for ſo it is ſignanter dictum, by death he hath Heb. 2. 14, 15.Heb 2:14Heb 2:15deſtroyed him who had the power of death, ſo as to deliver them that were all their life time in bondage, by reaſon of their fear of it: ſo that if we ſhall fear, it is ſome bodies fault, it is none of his; for on his part activè, quoad cauſam & fundamentum, (and in the ſenſe that fear is ſometimes taken for the thing feared) we are delivered from the fear of death.

Though on our part, through weakneſſe of faith, or want of due exerciſe of it, paſſivè, quoad effectum vel eventum, we may be too much diſturbed with this paſſion, and accordingly fear it; as a man before in danger, if now by his friend indeed ſet in ſafety, we may truly ſay he is put out of fear, though for his p. 109part (as not ſenſible of it) you may poſſibly ſee him yet ſtand quaking and trembling, like him who after a ſtorm which he hath been in, is now ſafe on the ſhore, and yet his head is ſo dizzy and turns round, that he think's he is ſtill rowling and toſſing in the tempeſt.

But ſhall we be ſo ſilly, that when Chriſt hath knockt off our chains, the Devil through theſe fears ſhould tie and keep us bound with ſtraws?

Nay, ſhall we be ſo unkind (I had almoſt ſaid, ſo prophane) as with Ahaz, Iſa. 7. in ſuch a trembling fit as you read of v. 2. not only to weary men, but God alſo, v. 13▪ not only be injurious to our own peace and life, but alſo to the worth and efficacy of Chriſts death, as though it were not able to fetch out the ſting, and all the poiſon of ours.

Eſpecially ſeeing that after his death followed his Reſurrection, thoſeAct. 2. 24.Acts 2:24 chains of death being too weak to hold him, but that foreign, that foreign, that exceeding greatneſſe of his mighty Epheſ. 1. 19. Judg. 16. 9 12.Eph 1:19Judg 16:9power Samſon-like eaſily ſnapt them, as ſo many burnt threeds aſunder, p. 110and ſo diſruptis mortis, ſepulchri inferni repagulis, he riſeth in the glory of that his might as a Conquerour over death, and ſo dieth no more, Rom. 6. 9.Rom 6:9that we might fear no more. Death hath no more dominion over him, that the terrour of it may have none over us. Thus our Eliſha hath caſt that2 King. 2. 21.2 Kgs 2:21 ſalt into theſe bitter waters, and ſo healed them, that from thenceforth there might be no death in them; and although there were ſometimes death in the pot, and a deadly poiſonous ſting in that death, yet by caſting in of this meale, there is now no harm, 2 Kings 4. 40, 41.2 Kgs 4:402 Kgs 4:41but meat and medicine, life and ſtrength in it; and how long then ſhall we be ſo weak as like children to be afraid of our Phyſician and Phyſick? Or like ſuch timorous men, who, when in the dark, are afraid of any thing they ſee, thinking it to be a Devil, or an enemy, which when it come's near, proves their very friend? But when ſhall we once attain to that boldneſſe of faith as not to1 Tim. 3. 13.1 Tim 3:13 fear death, which by the death and reſurrection of Chriſt is become a Serpent without a ſting, and although an enemy, yet ſuch an one as p. 111hath loſt the victorie?

The way to our help herein, willHelps againſt fear of death. be

1. To enquire into the occaſions and cauſes of this our malady; and then

2. To apply to each their ſeveral proper remedies, that ſo although we muſt all die, yet we may die in peace; and whereas ſome ſay, that all die of a Feaver, yet we may not in a cold ſhaking fit, but with ſuch peace, comfort, joy, and triumph, that we may then ſay Pauls words, with Pauls ſpirit and faith, O death, where is thy ſting? O grave, where is thy victory?

1. Now amongſt thoſe cauſes ofCauſes of this fear. our fear of death, ſome may be more blameleſſe and excuſable, if not juſtifiable, for a true believer (and that as acting faith) may lawfully in ſome caſes deſire the continuance of life, and ſo far in a regular way and meaſure fear death.

1. From a natural averſation from death, if not as a fruit of ſin, yet as an enemy and deſtroyer of nature, which before I hinted was in Peter and Paul, yea, in Chriſt himſelf; as p. 112appeared in his agony and bloodyLu. 22. 44. ſweat, in that foreign, being amazed, and very heavy, and his ſoul being exceeding ſorrowful unto death, Mark 14. 33, 34. ſo that again and again he prayeth the ſame words, v. 39. that if it were poſſible that Cup might paſſe from him, Matth. 26. 39. I confeſſe there was more bitterneſſe in that Cup, then of a bare natural, or a more ordinary violent death, but yet death as it is in it ſelf a privation of life, and ſo a natural evil; ſo it was no ſin in our Saviour in way of natural affection to turn from it, but the perfection of his obedience to ſubject himſelf, and his natural deſires andMatth. 26. 42. Mark 14. 36.Matt 26:42Mark 14:36 fears to his Fathers will in it.

2. From ſome more ſpeciall grounds of deſire of continuance of life:

As, till he attain ſome mercy deſired: ſo Moſes deſireth to live to go over Iordan, and ſee that goodly Mountain and Lebanon, Deut. 3. 25. and Hezekiah weeps **When he heareth he muſt die before he had an heir. Iſa. 28. 3.Isa 28:3.

Or ſome mercy promiſed, as no doubt Simeon could not have been willing to ſee death, till (as was revealed p. 113to him) he had ſeen the Lords Chriſt, though then he deſired to depart, Luke 2. 26, 28, 29, 30.

Or till he effect and accompliſh ſome work and ſervice which God hath called and fitted him unto; ſo the Pſalmiſt deſireth to live to propagate Gods praiſe, Pſalm 119. 17. 5. Pſalm 71. 18. as a true labourer will deſire his day may laſt, till his work be done; but in theſe and the like particulars, there is rather a deſire of life then fear of death, though where there is a true deſire of any thing, the fear of the contrary to it muſt needs bee proportionable.

3. In ſome other reſpects there may be more formal fears of death, and yet leſſe ſinful, and more excuſable.

As in general, by reaſon of the greatneſſe of that change and task, which in death every man, the beſt Saint, is brought to and put upon.

For ſo, All changes uſually affect us; let it be but the turning of the blood, (as they uſe to call it) after the opening of a vein, the man is oft at a ſwooning fit.

p. 114But as all Greatneſſe is awful, ſoEzek. 1. 18.Ezek 1:18 great tasks are wont to make us very thoughtful and ſollicitous; and great changes uſe greatly to affect us, and therefore the great change at the laſt day will make even the powers of Heaven to ſhake, Matth. 24. 29. by which ſome underſtand the Angels of Heaven, though they be ſafe enough: ſo proportionably the day of our death being the day of our particular doom, in which we have one of our laſt and greateſt changes to be undergone, and one of our moſt important tasks to be ſet upon and gone through with. Wonder not if you ſhould then ſee the wary, buſie, thoughtful, carefull ſoul trembling: as for inſtance,

The parting of the ſoul and body, ſo nearly united, and ſo long acquainted, and never yet ſevered, is a very hard twitch.

The leaving of this world of men, to goe now into the world of ſouls, into that farre ſtrange Country, is a great change.

The pains and pangs of death with ſome are very ſtrong, ſo that poſſibly you have ſometimes ſeen ſome p. 115of ſtrong bodies, yea, and faith too, though they had nothing elſe then to doe, yet then finding it a work great enough to be able to die.

Our laſt accounts are, then to be given up, Eccleſ. 12. 7. Luke 16. 2. and that is a very awfull buſineſſe.

And this to a moſt glorious Lord and Judge, whom we are then to appear before, and if here we find a dread Majeſty in his very ſmiles, when he is on a mercy-ſeat, now that he is on the Judgment ſeat, his preſence cannot but be very dreadful.

Remembrance of former ſins, though pardoned, may make the dying mans pale cheeks bluſh.

And ſenſe of preſent defilement and weakneſſe, though now dying with him, may make the pure in heart ſhrink back from appearing before ſo pure an eye.

And thoſe laſt conflicts with the world, ſin, and Satan, are oft then moſt fierce and violent, and unleſſe the Sun of righteouſneſſe do then more gloriouſly ſhine out upon us with his more enlightening and enlivening beams in this chill and gloomy ſhadow of death, even the man of p. 116God may tremble, and yet all this, in theſe and the like caſes, but as an Iſaacs trembling, Gen. 27. 33. or a Moſes his quaking, Heb. 12. 21. Reverential, holy, comfortable, and more awfull then fearfull.

2. But farther then God helpeth and ſtrengtheneth, the beſt of us may then be ſubject to worſe and more ſinfull fears; ſome of the cauſes wherof may be theſe, to w^ch I ſhall particularly ſubjoin their cures & remedies.

1. Firſt, a more generall cauſe of this fear of death, is a ſecure careleſſe neglect ſeriouſly beforehand to meditate of it, and accordingly to prepare for it in time of life, for ſo by comming ſuddenly and unexpectedly, it puts all on heaps and confuſion. So ſuddenneſſe and fear for 5. ult.in other caſes are joined together, Prov. 3. 25. and ſuddenneſſe of deſtruction coming upon any, is a deſcription of a moſt carefull and dolefull condition, 1 Theſſ. 5. 3. it is ſo here, when in our life time we have not taken a due and timely eſtimate of the antecedents, concomitants, and conſequents of death, of all the evil that is in it, and ſo have laid in no proviſions p. 117of thoſe cordialls and comforts that ſhould antidote and ſweeten it, before we are aware of it, or prepared for it, to taſt of it, rendreth it that foreign a cup of trembling, theHeb. 2. 9. Zech. 12. 2Heb 2:9Zech 12:2 man unawares hath ſet his feet on a Bog, and he and it tremble, and quake, and ſink together, like Nabal, whoſe heart died before he did, 1 Sam. 25. 37.

And therefore the Prophylactick here is a frequent and thoughtful meditation of it, and a dayly anſwerable preparation for it, and ſo, when it commeth, it prove's leſſe terrible. Whatever the Philoſophers meant by defining their Philoſophy to be a meditation of their Metaphorical death, I am ſure that in plain terms the frequent and ſerious meditating of this death, we now ſpeak of, is a great part of true ſaving Chriſtian Divinity; and if with Joſeph of Arimathea, weJohn 19. 41.John 19:41 would have our Sepulchres, in our Gardens, if thoughts of death did oft recurr in our beſt life, eſpecially if in every ſickneſſe, diſeaſe, and danger, in which God knock's at our door,Luke 12. 36.Luke 12:36 and tell's us that he is coming, wee could more livelily ſee deaths face, and p. 118ſo grow more acquainted with it, (as Souldiers are wont) we ſhould at laſt be leſſe afraid of it. I proteſt by your rejoycing in Chriſt Jeſus, I die daily, ſaith our apoſtle, v. 31. of this Chapter; a daily dying, is joyned with a laſt days rejoycing, and our continual putting our lives into our hands, asJudg. 12. 3. Pſal. 119. 109.Judg 12:3Ps 119:109 ready to offer them up to God, will be a means willingly to part with them, when God ſhall pleaſe to call for them; a dying before hand in thought will make dying indeed leſſe troubleſom: for how forcible and effectual would forethoughts of death be to make us to fear to ſin, and thereby not to fear to die? whileſt the eye of Faith hath before taken view of death, in all the evil that any way is in it, and of all that good which to a believer cometh by it.

But ſo, as this meditation be accompanyed with an anſwerable preparation, for otherwiſe as Solomon in another caſe ſaith, he that increaſeth knowledge increaſeth ſorrow, Ecleſ. 1. 18. ſo here the more I know, the more I fear, and grieve, whileſt I know ſo much evil in it, which then abides me, and withal that all that good which p. 119may be in it, I, for my part, ſhall fall ſhort of. With how much ſhaking doth the unripe apple fall off, when a ripe one drops down without that trouble? the Vine weepeth, when the branch is cut off before the harveſt, and Iſa. 18. 5.Isa 18:5the ſowre grape is but yet ripening in the flowre; but with what harveſt joy ſhall we come to the grave, when we ſhall be like a ſhock of ripe corn, which commeth in in his ſeaſon? Job 5. 26. to which for a cloſe of this, let me adde what there followeth, Lo this, we have Ver. 27.ſearched it, ſo it is, and therefore hear and know it for your good.

2. And becauſe in this preparation for death, praier is one ſpecial part of it; therefore the neglect of prayer is one great cauſe of the anguiſh and and fear of it; and ſo we finde that want of prayer is joyned with want of hope at ſuch a time in the hypocrit, Job 27. 8. with 9. 10. they that uſe not to look up to God to ſeek him before, will then hardly finde him; and then for the child in that dark entry, not to have the Father by the hand wil be very terrible: the true children of God may poſſibly be more to ſeek for their comfort at their deaths, by p. 120reaſon of their leſſe ſeeking it in their lives, in that it oft falleth out, that amongſt their many and earn… …uits for grace to carry them on in …eir way, they have not been ſo mindful as they ſhould to beg for a ſmile in their Journeies end, which God make's account, is a mercy worth asking, and therefore we receive not becauſe we ask not Jam. 4. 2.

For remedy therefore, ask that you may have, now ſeek, that you may then finde, and all your life time be knocking Matth. 7. 7Matt 7:7hard at the gate of mercy, that at your out-gate of this life an abundant entrance 2 Pet. 1. 11.2 Pet 1:11may be adminiſtred unto you; into the everlaſting kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt. Have you ordinarily known the man, who was much in prayer while he lived, to be full of fears and anguiſh when he came die? No, thoſe ſweet and ſtrong breathings blow away ſuch darkſome clouds, and therby the ſetting Sunne ſhineth out brightly. For prayer,

1. Through mercy procure's it, it can get any good thing, at a good Gods hand, and why not comfort in death? nay, then eſpecially, for then p. 125begin's a believers harveſt, when he re…'s the fruit of hi… for… la… Job 5. 26. Revel. 14. 15.Job 5:26Rev 14:15and hath oftentimes a …oſt …enſibl… return of all hi… …er prayers, which before (i… …y be) he thought God, as well as himſelf, had forgotten.

2. As prayer thus impetrate's it, ſo it naturally (as it were) trains us up to it; for by conſtant acquaintance with prayer, we come to more familiar acquaintance with Chriſt, and ſo come to ſee and feel how happy it is to be near him, which cannot but make us the more ready and deſirous of getting out of the body,Phil. 1. 23. 2 Cor. 5. 6.Phil 1:232 Cor 5:6 that we may be no longer abſent from him; and beſides, the happy ſoul, which, with the ſweet bird is continually ſoaring upward, and keepeth much aloft, is ſo well acquainted with thoſe approaches to Heaven, that now when it fitteth on the dying mans lips, it is ready on the wing to take its laſt flight, as in that dark night very well knowing its accuſtomed way thither, and having ſo often ſent its prayers, thoſe winged meſſengers, thither before-hand, now with joy and ſinging mounteth up it p. 122ſelf thither, and therefore be much in prayer now, if in death you would have an anſwer of peace.

3. Falſe heartedneſſe is another cauſe of faint-heartedneſſe, in theſe animae deliquia, the rotten quagmire quakes and ſinks when trod on; and ſo fearfulneſs (we read) ſurprizeth hypocrites, Iſa. 33. 14.Isa 33:14when death and danger layeth hold on them, God then takes away their ſouls and their hopes together, Job 27. 8. as elſe where their hope is ſaid to be as the giving up of the ghoſt. Miſerablecap. 11. 20. foreign man! if thy ſoul and thy hope goe out with the breath of the ſame dying groan.

But on the contrary, (by way of remedy) Hezekiahs walking before God perfectly, and with an upright heart, Iſa. 38. 3.Isa 38:3was the beſt ſtake in his hedge, when the newes of death made all crack; and ſo much truth & ſincerity as we have, juſt ſo much peace & comfort ſhall we have in dangers & death, and no more. The Heathens under their Fables of Minos, Aeacus, & Rhadamanthus, hintedSee Plato in Gorgia. Hora mortis, hora ve…itatis. to us, that at death there will be a ſtrict Scrutiny, and however in our life time we have been judged by our ſelves and others with our cloths on, p. 123yet then we ſhall all be judged naked, then all vizards will be laid aſide, all black patches and beauty ſpots that covered foul ſores will be pluckt, off & the pure heart only will be able to lift up their face without ſpot, and be ſtedfaſt Job 11. 15Job 11:15and not fear.

4. Too much love of the world is another great cauſe of our as much fear of death, when we are to leave it, for fear ever preſuppoſeth love, and ſo much as I love any thing, ſo much I am aggrieved & afraid to part w^th it; with what crying is the child pluckt from the breaſt, when it hath taſted of the ſweetneſſe of it, and as yet skill's of no other nouriſhment? things faſt glued together, are torn & broken when violently pluckt aſunder, & if thy cloth cleave to thy skin, as it is a ſigne that there is ſome ſore under it, ſo it will make all ſmart when pluckt off, and anſwerably if thy portion (with them Pſal. 17. 14.) be in this life, thou art utterly undone, when it is ended: Job Cap. 29. 13ſome-where ſpeaks of dying in his neſt, but as Chryſoſtome obſerveth, Neſtlins are wont to be but weaklins, and they that have feathered their neſts in the world, have minde to be on the p. 128wing to flie out of it, O death, how bitter is thy remembrance to him that Ecclus. 41. 1.Sir 41:1liveth at eaſe in his poſſeſſions? how ſad a ſight is the hand-writing on the wall to a Belſhazzar in his cups? and whenDan. 5.Dan 5 the rich man is dreaming of goods laid up for many years, how dreadfull a ſound in his ears was that, Thou fool, Luke 12. 12, 20.Luke 12:12Luke 12:20this night, &c? when in proſperity the deſtroyer cometh upon him, Job 15. 21. It was a wiſe and Chriſtian ſpeech of Charles the 5t. to the Duke of Venice, who when he had ſhewn him the glory of his Princely Palace and Earthly Paradiſe, inſtead of admitting it, or him for it, onelyonly returned him this grave and ſerious memento. Haec ſunt quae faciunt invitos mori: theſe are the things which make us unwilling to die, and ſo ſharpen deaths ſting, and make it more painful; it is a double death to him who is alive to the world, to part with it.

Whereas on the contrary (again for the remedy) if with Paul we were before hand crucified to the world, Gal. 6. 14.Gal 6:14and had it crucified to us, and (as Chryſoſtom deſcan'ts upon the place) lay like two dead bodies one by another, as there was no mutual deſire, or delight p. 129in each other, when they lay together, ſo there would be as little grief when they are parted aſunder, the world not caring for us, and we as little for it, and ſo by our parting no hurt done; were we indeed ſtrangers and pilgrims here, we would not go home weeping; were we and the world two, at our parting there would not be a painful diſſolutio continui, ſitting looſe now, would prevent ſuch convulſion fits, and rentings then.

5. On the contrary, too much careleſneſſe of the things of this world, makes ſome mens deaths more careful, and themſelves more fearful.

In particular, (I mean) our neglect of a provident and timely ſetting our houſe in order when we are now leaving the world, is apt to leave us in heaps and confuſion. It is expreſſed in Scripture, as the dying mans task, butIſa. 38. 1. 2 Sam. 17. 17. 23.Isa 38:12 Sam 17:172 Sam 17:23 it would be much better if it were the living mans care, that when we have made up our Accounts with men, we might be more ready for Gods Audit, and when we have diſpoſed of our goods to others, we might be at more leiſure and vacant, the more ſafely to bequeath our ſouls to God, & ſo p. 126enter upon our heavenly inheritance; but it is but our ſin and miſery, that we lay this double burden on the tired horſe-back, that the ending of our reckonings with the world, and the beginning of our accounts with God, are both put off to be made on a death-bed; and hence commeth many mens fear of death, the man would not die till his Will be made, and ſo he then ſetteth about it, but it uſually beginning with his bequeathing of his ſoul to God, and then this ſad thought commeth in; but upon what acquaintance or grounded aſſurance? which puts the poor man to a ſtop; & the wil is for the preſent laid aſide, and the ſealing of his pardon he then thinks needeth firſt to be looked after, and ſo (it may be) at the laſt, neither of them is effected with comfort; ſuch men being like thoſe who have neglected to do their work on the weelday, and ſo cannot reſt when the Sabbath com's. but Heaven ſets us a better copy to write after; God having finiſhed his works in ſix dayes,Gen. 2. 2. Exod. 31. 17. foreignGen 2:2Exod 31:17 reſted and was refreſhed on the ſeventh; and our Saviour when he had ſaid, it is finiſhed then he quietly gave p. 127up the ghoſt, and ſo reſted in the grave,John 17. 4. 19, 20.John 17:4John 17:19John 17:20 which was typified by the Jewiſh Sabbath. Happy we, if in this working day of our life, we could diſpatch our greateſt buſineſſe firſt, but yet all our other worldly occaſions alſo in time, that the day of our death may be our Sabbath, in which we may reſt from our labours, and feriari Rev. 14. 13Rev 14:13Deo, even keep a true holy day indeed to God, that then with our Saviour we may ſay, it is finiſhed and with Paul, we have finiſhed our courſe, and in running our race, have outgone all2 Tim. 4. 7. 8.2 Tim 4:72 Tim 4:8 our griefs and fears, and then may have nothing elſe to do, but onelyonly quietly to take our reſt, and receive the Crown.

6. But becauſe our apoſtle tellethV. 56. us, that the ſting of death is ſin, and this (as was before expreſſed) both in the guilt and defilement of it; they both make death terrible, and us then fearful.

1. The guilt of ſin, if then unpardoned, or but ſo apprehended, much terrifieth the conſcience, and ſo rendreth death very formidable, whileſt it is looked at as the wages of ſin, orRom. 6. 13Rom 6:13 Gods arreſt, and ſo the fore-runner or p. 132beginning of a more terrible execution; and as its death to a malefactor to go even out of priſon, if to be broughtSo foreign is rendred, let him be condemned. before his Judge, ſo to ſuch a foreign, i. e. a guilty condemned ſinner, his death is phraſed to be a bringing him to the King of terrors, Job 18. 5. with 14. and well it may, when even a beloved child is afraid to come into his loving Fathers preſence, when he is angry; ſome ſuch trouble of ſpirit ſomeIſa. 38. 3.Isa 38:3 Divines conceive Hezekiah lay under, when he wept ſo ſore at the meſſage of death, and David alſo when he deſired that reſpite, Pſal. 39. 13.

And therefore our cure here is faith's timely and effectual application of the blood and death of Jeſus Chriſt, the only tried cure of this tremor cordis, for ſo its expreſly ſaid, that he by death hath delivered usHeb. 2. 14, 15.Heb 2:14Heb 2:15 from the bondage of the fear of it. So that the more or leſſe that we are able to apply Chriſt and his death, the more or leſſe we are afraid of our own; and hence it is, that

1. Believers by the clearer diſcoveries of Chriſt and his death, under the brighter light of the Goſpel, are leſſe in the dark, in the gloomy ſhadow of p. 133death, then the faithful under theSee Calvin in John 19. 40. Rom. 8. 15▪John 19:40Rom 8:15 Law. Their darker vails and ſhadows had leſſe of the ſpirit of Adoption and confidence, and more of the ſpirit of bondage and fear; as the Apoſtle hinteth in the fore-mentioned place to the Hebrewes, where he ſheweth, that Chriſt by taking part with the children of fleſh and blood in his Incarnation, did free us from that bondage, and ſo, whereas Moſes the giver of the law deſired to live, Deu. 3. 24, 25. Paul a Preacher of the Goſpel, deſireth to be diſſolved, Phil. 1. 23. when once the Sun of righteouſneſſe was now more up, yea, Simeon crave's leave to depart, Luke 2. 29. as its firſt riſing.

2. Hence alſo it is that among ſeverall Believers now under the Goſpel, ſuch uſe to be more joyful, and leſſe fearful of death, who by faith have more fully applyed Chriſt, and to whom he hath been moſt manifeſted; and of all ſuch, none more then they that have been moſt humbled, & their hearts moſt broken with ſenſe of ſin, and afterwards have had them more ſoundly healed, and more feelingly comforted and enlarged with the aſſurance of Gods favour in Chriſt; p. 130the bone broken, and well ſet again, proves ſtronger; and the Lute broken if well put together, makes not the worſe but rather the better muſick. Of all the Apoſtles, Paul at his converſion, and in after-ſufferings was moſt humbled, and none of them expreſſe more (none ſo much) cheerful readineſſe and deſire to die in Chriſt, yea, to die for him.

And therefore as our Saviour ſaid,Mar. 11. 22Mark 11:22 have we faith in God, oh that we had more, and then could act more faith in God! Could the ſting of a fiery ſerpent make us daily look more up to the brazen Serpent, ſenſe of ſin drive us more to Chriſt, to get more aſſurance▪ of part in his death, wee ſhould thereby (even when we receive the ſentence of death) be more able to truſt in him who quickeneth the dead; 2 Cor. 1. 9.2 Cor 1:9then ſhould we not be pinioned, as condemned Malefactors are wont to be, but have an hand of Faith free and at liberty to lay hold on Chriſt, the Lord of Life, yea, and gladly reach it it out to receive death it ſelf, as that which will more fully unite us to him: when the babe is in its mothers arms, or laid down with a kiſſe, it then ſleep's quietly.

p. 1312. But Secondly, the defilement of ſin, although faith can ſee it pardoned, will make a child-like ſhamefacedneſſe bluſh and fear ſo to come into a Fathers preſence. My little 1 John 2. 28.1 John 2:28children, (ſaith the Apoſtle) abide in him, that when he ſhall appear, we may have confidence, and not be aſhamed before him at his comming; and although the moſt loving wife heartily deſireth her husbands coming home, yet ſhe could be content that he would ſtay out ſo long, til he have righted things in the houſe, if for the preſent they lie unhandſomely and out of order. With Ʋzziah to be lepers to the day of 2 Chron. 26. 21.2 Chr 26:21our death, will make a very foul corpſe, and a body fouly diſtempered in life, (eſpecially if the ſoul be found ſo in death) will make deathbed-groanes more deadly; ſtrong bodies uſe to have ſtrong pains in death,John 8. 5. Numb. 25. 8. 2 Sam. 17. 23. & 18. 14. 15. 1 Sam. 28. 7, 8, 9. &c. with 19. Matth 27. 5.John 8:5Num 25:82 Sam 17:232 Sam 18:142 Sam 18:151 Sam 28:71 Sam 28:81 Sam 28:9Matt 27:5 and ſo have ſtrong luſts; eſpecially if we be taken foreign, as Zimri and Cozbi in the very act of uncleanneſſe, Abſalom and Ahitophel of rebellion; if Saul conſult the Divel this day, and go to him the next, and Judas by an untimely and woful death, be ſuddenly brought before his Judge, p. 136whileſt he is yet reeking with the blood of his betrayed Lord and Saviour; with what horrour and amazement muſt ſuch needs appeare before the Judgement ſeat? Joſeph, thoughGen. 41. 14Gen 41:14 under no ſuch guilt, yet being in the ſqualid condition of a priſoner ſhaveth himſelf and changeth his raiment, when haſtily brought out of the dungeon before Pharaoh, an infinitely inferiour preſence to that which we at death are to appear before.

And therefore here again, the death of Chriſt applyed by faith, proveth a Soveraign remedy; for it is then ſafe drawing near to God, when our hearts are ſprinkled from an evil conſcience, Heb. 10. 22. and that is by the blood of Chriſt, Heb. 9. 14. labour therefore in the way of mortification to be implanted into Chriſts death, andRom. 6. 5.Rom 6:5 this ſweet fruit amongſt others, will ſpring out of his grave, that what mortifieth ſin, will kill the fear of death, which is cauſed by it.

1. Partly as this daily practiſing of dying to ſin, will inure us with more eaſe to die to the world, not onelyonly whileſt we live to be weaned from it, but when God ſhal call, in death willingly p. 137to leave it. Luſts are members Col. 3. 5. and the content which a ſinner taketh in them, in his very life Iſa. 57. 10. dearer then his natural life, and therefore it is that he is ſo often ready rather deſperately to hazard it, then not to gratifie and ſatisfie them, he therefore who in a courſe of mortification hath done the greater, will not ſtick at the leſſe; will not ſtick to part with his dear life, who by the grace of Chriſt hath already parted with his dearer luſt, and ſo by continual looſing the tie of his ſoul and ſin, he may expect the laſt looſe of his body and ſoul with more comfort.

2. But mortification effecteth this more directly, in that it properly and formally taketh away ſin which is fomes morbi, the very matter of the diſeaſe, and of all theſe ſhaking fits in death, and then as a ſound and well ordered body, dieth with little pain, ſo a ſanctified purged ſoul departeth with leſſe anguiſh; a great deal of grace in our life, brings a great deal of comfort in death; and why ſhould I fear that which at once freeth me from ſin, which in this courſe of mortification, is the cauſe of my greateſt p. 134grief, and perfect's grace, which is the object of my chiefeſt deſire? what therefore now remaineth, but that we labour to live holily, that we may at laſt die comfortably; and as they wereActs 9. 37. Luke 23.. 56. Matth. 26. 12.Acts 9:37Luke 23Matt 26:12 wont to waſh dead bodies, and to anoint them for their burial, ſo that we would do as much for our ſouls, get them waſhed in the blood of Chriſt, and daily more and more anointed and embalmed, and perfumed with the graces of his Spirit; So our deaths would not be more precious toPſal. 116. 15.Ps 116:15 God, then comfortable to our ſelves: So with Aſa we ſhould be laid in our graves as in a bed filled with ſweet odours 2 Chron. 16. 14.2 Chr 16:14& ſpices; and what the Romans were wont to do in their Pageants, atHerodian: l. 4. the conſecration of their dead Emperours, would have more realty at our death and Funerals: no Eagle (as with them) to carry the ſoul up to Heaven, but our ſouls as the renewed Eagle would mount up out of ſuch a bed of ſpices, to thoſe mountains of ſpices, where Cant. 8. 14. Brightman Pſal. 16. 11 Matth. 25. 4, 6, 7.Song 8:14Ps 16:11Matt 25:4Matt 25:6Matt 25:7are pleaſures for evermore. O that we were once ſo wiſe, as with thoſe wiſe Virgins to get oil enough into our Veſſels, and then our Lamps will burn bright at midnight, in this midnight p. 135of death and judgement; when, with them, we ſhall either go to Chriſt, or Chriſt will come to be married to us, and then this ſhall be one ſtrain of our marriage, of our Triumphant Song, O death, where is thy ſting? O grave, where is thy victory?

Tibi Domini Jeſu, qui ſpes es viventium & reſurrectio mortuorum.

FINIS.

End of the text · Anthony Tuckney, Death Disarmed (1654)