The Holy Longing, Sermon
PHILIPP. 1. 23.
For I am in a ſtrait betwixt two, having a deſire to depart, and to be with Chriſt which is far better.
WE are met to ſolemnize the Funerals of our friend deceaſed, and ſo performe the laſt Office of love. A glaſſe of Mortality is here ſet before us, wherein we may ſee our own fragil condition. There is a ſentence paſſed upon us all; ſtatutum eſt,—it is appointed unto men once to dye, Heb. 9. 27. So that our life is but a ſhort Reprieval from death, which is granted to a condemned man.
A wiſe mans life (ſaith Plato) is nothing elſe but a contemplation of death. The Lord would have us inure our ſelves to dying thoughts,*Deut. 3. 2. 29. and as it were by meditation often to ſtretch our ſelves upon our death bed. God clothed our firſt Parents with skins of dead Beaſts, and feeds us with dead fleſh, that ſo often as we ſee the death of other creatures, we might not forget our own.
The Text preſents to us Saint Paul in an holy pathos, or fit of longing to be with Chriſt. His heart was with Chriſt, and he wanted only the ſwift wing of death to carry him thither. I am (ſaith he) in a ſtreight betwixt two, having a deſire to depart, and be with Chriſt, which is far better.
I ſhall briefly explain the terms as they lie in order.
I am in a ſtraight betwixt two.
foreign, I am hemm'd in,*in diverſa trahor Velaſquez. it may allude to a Caſtle which is ſo ſtraitly beleaguer'd and hemm'd in, that it hath no way to make a ſally out.*Significat conſtringere, & coarctare, ſicut ſit in obſidionibus. Chemnit. Harm. It fared now with Saint Paul, as with a woman that hath her children at home with her, and her husband beyond the Seas, ſhe would fain be with her husband, yet loth to leave her children: So Paul would gladly have been with Chriſt, but was loth to leave the Philippians, his ſpiritual children.
Having a deſire to depart.
Note 1.1. The Apoſtle doth not ſay oportet, I muſt depart, but cupio, I deſire to depart. All men muſt depart.*Ea lege nati ſumus.
—Pallida mors aequo pulſat pede pauperum Tabernas regumque turres.*Hor. lib. 1. Carm. Ode 4.—
There is a dying principle in all; the frame and contexture of their body is earthly, and tends to a diſſolution. Nebuchadnezzars image, though it had an head of gold, yet feet of clay, Dan. 2. 23. Take the ſtrongeſt man, let him be Sampſon or Hercules, of whom we may ſay as the Poet, —Illi robur & as triplex circa pectus erat.—Hor.
Yet he ſtands upon feet of clay; he is but pulvis animatus, and muſt moulder away in time, death will come with an Habeas corpus at laſt. Tamerlain a Scythian Captain, the terrour of his time, died with three fits of an ague.*Paulus Jovius Elog. lib. 2.
The Grammarian who declines all other Nouns, knows not how to decline death. Is my ſtrength (ſaith Job) the ſtrength of ſtones? Job 6. 12. Suppoſe it were, yet,—gutta cavat lapidem,—the continual dropping of ſickneſs would in time wear away this ſtone. There is no ſuch thing as an earthly eternity; death is called the houſe appointed for all living, Job 30. 23.
But though death be in it ſelf neceſſary, to Saint Paul it was voluntary; it was not ſo much a debt, as a vote; *Mori velit non ex debito, ſed ex beneplacito. Bern.not ſo much Pauls task, as his choice; he doth not ſay, I muſt be diſſolved, but I would be diſſolved. Having a deſire to depart.
2. The Apoſtle doth not ſay,Note 2. having a deſire to dye, but to depart; [a lenifying word] which doth much take off the ſharp edge of death, and make it leſs formidable. This phraſe [to depart] foreign may refer
1. To Souldiers that pitch their Tents in the Field, and upon the leaſt word of command from their General, looſen the cords of their Tent, and pluck up the ſtakes, and march forward. *Eo referri ſolet cum milites tentoriorum in quibus ad breve tempus commorati ſunt, fuues diſſolvunt. Velaſq.So death doth but looſen the ſilver cord, *Eccleſ. 12. 6.which faſtned the ſoul in its earthly Tent, and a Chriſtian marcheth forward to the Heavenly Canaan.
Or, 2. This word [to depart] may be a Metaphor taken from Mariners, who looſen Anchor that they may ſail from one Port to another: *Significat anchoram ſolvere.So Paul deſired to looſen Anchor; death to a believer is but looſning the Anchor, and ſailing from one Port to another, from earth to heaven.
Beza renders this word [to depart] a putting off the harneſſe.*Metaphora ab iis ſumpta, qui curru vecti cum ad locum deſtinatum pervenerint foreign dicuntur, quod equorum lora, & vincula ſolvere conſueverunt. Beza. Hierom reads it, migrare ex hoſpitio. The world is an Inne, we are Travellers who take up our lodging here for a night, Paul longed to be out of his Inne.
And to be with Chriſt.
The Apoſtle had three great deſires, and they were all centred upon Chriſt. One was to be found in Chriſt; *Phil. 3. 9.the other was to magnifie Chriſt; *Phil. 1. 20.the third was to be with Chriſt.*Phil. 1. 23.
Here obſerve two things.
1. Paul doth not ſay I deſire to depart and be in heaven, but to be foreign with Chriſt; it is Chriſts preſence makes heaven,*foreign. as the Kings preſence makes the Court. 'Tis not the Cherubims or Seraphims which make Paradiſe; the Lamb is the light thereof, Rev. 21. 23.
2. From the connexion of the words, having a deſire to depart and to be with Chriſt; we clearly ſee that the ſoul of a believer doth not ſleep in the body after death, (a drowſie opinion) but goes immediately to Chriſt.*Dicunt Anabaptiſtae animas uſque ad reſurrectionem corporum ſopore quodam preſſas, nec in bono eſſe nec in malo. Eſtius. Upon the divorce of the ſoul from the body, there follows an Eſpouſal of the ſoul to Chriſt, 2 Cor. 5. 8. Abſent from the body, preſent with the Lord. *Juſtorumanimae, m…x us hujus carnis clauſtra exeunt, in caeleſtibus ſedibus recipiuntur. Anſelm.It were better for believers to ſtay here, if they did not preſently go to Chriſt after death. For here the Saints are daily improving their graces, here they have many praelibamina, ſweet taſts of Gods love, ſo that it were better to ſtay here; and Paul wiſhed that which would be to his loſſe, if the ſoul ſhould ſleep in the body, and not go immediately after death to Chriſt.*Electis in morte datur vitae corona, Hierom.
Which is farre better.
foreign, a believer is no looſer by death. His change is for the better; a ſcience that is grafted into a better ſtock, and planted in a better ſoil is no wayes damnified. A believer after death is ſet into a better STOCK, Chriſt; and is planted in a better ſoile, Heaven; this can be no loſſe, but an advantage. Well therefore may the Apoſtle ſay, to be with Chriſt is far better.
In the words there are theſe three parts. 1. Saint Pauls choice; to be with Chriſt. 2. The excellency of his choice; it is farre better. 3. The nodus, or the ſtrait he was in; coarctor, I am in a ſtrait betwixt two; this holy man was in a great dilemma, he was ſtraitned between ſervice and reward. *foreign Chryſoſt. in loc.He was deſirous of glory, yet willing to adjourn his own happineſſe, and ſtay out of heaven a while, that he might be a means to bring others thither.*Egregium erga Deum foreign ſpecimen.
From the words thus opened, there are three obſervations.
1. It is the deſire of a true Saint to remove from hence, and be with Chriſt.
2. To be with Chriſt is far better; how much better it is, we ſhall better underſtand when we are in heaven; ſome Angel is beſt able to ſpeak to this point.
3. That which ſtayes a Saint here in the World, is a deſire of doing ſervice; This did caſt the ballance with the Apoſtle, and was the only tempting motive to keep him here awhile, he looked upon his abode in the fleſh, as an opportunity of ſervice. Ver. 24.* Paul was willing to dye, yet content to live, that he might be a Factor for Chriſt upon earth.
I ſhall at this time inſiſt upon the firſt propoſition.Doct. That it is the deſire of a true Saint to remove from hence, and to be with Chriſt; this propoſition hath two branches; of each diſtinctly.
1. It is the deſire of a true Saint to be gone from hence; having a deſire to depart. What a wicked man fears, that a godly man hopes for. I deſire ſaith Paul to depart; a ſinner cries loth to depart, he doth not ſay come Lord Jeſus, but Stay Lord Jeſus; he would live alwayes here, he knows no other heaven but this, and 'tis death to him to be turned out of his heaven.Pſa. 49. 11. * It was the ſpeech of Axiochus the Philoſopher when he was to dye, Shall I be deprived of this light? ſhall I leave all my ſweet delights? *Hac luce privabor, his orbabor bonis?David calls death a going out of the World, Pſal. 39. 13. A wicked man doth not go out, but is drag'd out; he is like a Tenant who hath gotten poſſeſſion, and will not out of the houſe, till the Serjeants pull him out. If a wicked man were put to his choice, he would never come where God is; he would chooſe the Serpents curſe, to eat duſt, Gen. 3. 14. but not return to duſt. If a wicked man might be voti compos, have his wiſh, he would ſerve no other God but his belly, *Phil. 3. 19. and to this he would ever liberally poure drink offerings.
But a ſoul enlivened and ennobled with a principle of grace, looks upon the World as a Wilderneſſe wherein are fiery Serpents, and he deſires to get out of this Wilderneſſe. Simeon having taken Chriſt in his armes, cries out, Lord, now letteſt thou thy ſervant depart in peace, Luke 2. 29. He that hath taken Chriſt in the armes of his faith, will ſing Simeons ſong, Lord, let thy ſervant depart. David prayed to know the meaſure of his dayes, Pſal. 39. 4. becauſe (ſaith Theodoret) he deſired to hear the good news of deaths approach. *foreign. Theodoret.The Saints of God have looked upon themſelves as impriſoned in the body, and have longed for a Jayle delivery.*Corpus Graeci foreign vocant, quia in eo anima quaſi foreign.
The bird deſires to go out of the Cage, though it be made of gold.*Stulti eſt compedes licet aureas amare.
Hiliaron chides himſelf that he was no more willing to die; Go forth my ſoul, what feareſt thou?*Egredere anima, egredere; quid times?
Ignatius was deſirous of Martyrdom, that he might gain the preſence of Chriſt in glory.*foreign Ignat. Epiſt. 7. ad Ant.
A Chriſtian of the right breed is ambitiouſly deſirous to put off the earthly cloaths of his body, & make his bed in the grave;*foreign. Chryſ. hom. 5. ad Antioch. how is this bed perfum'd with Chriſts lying in it? a pillow of down, is not ſo ſweet as a pillow of duſt; a regenerate perſon looking upon himſelf as held with the earthen fetter of the fleſh, and his ſoul put into a movable Sepulchre, *foreign quaſi foreign. Plat. in Cratylo.cries out with David, O that I had wings like a Dove, that I might flie away and be at reſt. Pſal. 55. 6.
And indeed no wonder a true Saint doth deſire a diſmiſſe, and is ſo earneſt to have his Paſſe to be gone from hence;*Ab hoc corpore ſuga & elapſio pro ſummo munere deſideratur. Auſtin. if we conſider how beneficial death is to a child of God, it puts a period to all his evils: in particular, there are ten evils that death will put an end to.
1. Death will put an end to a believers ſinnes. Sinne is the great incendiary, it doth us all the miſchief. Sinne may be compared to the Planet Saturn, which hath a malignant influence; it is the wombe of our ſorrows, and the grave of our comforts.*foreign. Macar. hom. 16.
Sinne is the ſinners bond, Acts 8. 23. and the Saints burden, Pſal. 38. 3. How is a believer tyred out with his corruptions? I am weary of my life (ſaith Rebecca) becauſe of the daughters of Heth, Gen. 27. 46. That which makes a child of God weary of his life, is his proud, unbelieving heart: Saint Paul could better carry his iron Chain, than his ſinnes; O wretched man that I am! who ſhall deliver me from the body of this death? Rom. 7. 24. When grace ſpurs the ſoul forward, the curben bit of ſinne checks it, and pulls it back again. There is much of the Old man in the new man;*foreign. There is a party in every regenerate heart that is true to the Devil; a party that will not pray, that will not believe. A Chriſtian is like a bowle with a double byas, he hath an earthly byas upon his will, and a ſpiritual byas, and theſe draw him ſeveral wayes; the evil I would not, that do I, Rom. 7. 19. Sinne mingles it ſelf with our holy things; we cannot act either our duties or our graces without ſin; we are like children who cannot write without blotting! the ſweet Roſe of grace doth not grow without its prickles?*foreign. Macar. hom. 8. No wonder then a believer deſires to depart; death will free him from his ſpiritual diſtempers; when he hath done breathing, he ſhall have done ſinning. foreign.
2. Death will put an end to a believers tentations. Our whole life (ſaith Auſtin) is nothing but a tentation;*T…nt…t error ut decipiat, tentat dolor ut frangat tentat libido ut accendat, tentat typhus ut extollat. Auſtin. we tread upon ſnares: Satan is ever caſting in the Angle of a tentation, to ſee whether we will bite; he knowes how to ſuit his tentations; he tempted Achan with a wedge of gold; he tempted David with beauty; we cannot lock the door of our heart ſo faſt by prayer, but a tentation will enter:*foreign. Sometimes Satan comes more furiouſly, as a Red Dragon; ſometimes more ſlily, as a Serpent; ſometimes he baits his hook with Scripture, aud tempts to ſinne under a mask of Religion, as when he tempts to evil, that good may come of it *Rom. 3. 8.. Thus can he transform himſelf into an Angel of light.
Is it not a grievous thing for a Virgin to have her chaſtity daily aſſaulted? Is it not ſad to have the Devils bullets continually flying about our ears? No wonder then a believer is willing to depart; death will ſet him out of gun-ſhot, he ſhall never be troubled with Satans fiery darts any more; though grace puts a child of God out of the Devils poſſeſſion, it is death onelyonly frees him from the Divels tentation.
3. Death will put an end to a believers fears. Fear is the ſouls palſie; there is torment in feare, 1 John 4. 18. Cicero calls fear one of the three plagues of Mankinde; and the beſt of the Saints foreign, are haunted with this evil ſpirit; they cannot rejoyce without trembling; the believer fears leſt his heart ſhould put a cheat upon him, he fears God doth not love him he fears leſt he ſhould tire in his march to heaven; the beſt faith may ſometimes have its fears,foreign. Socr. as the beſt ſtars have their twinckling. Theſe fears (as Socrates ſaith) arme a man againſt himſelf; they are very afflictive, leaving ſad impreſſions of melancholy behind. No wonder then a believer longs to depart out of this life; why ſhould he fear that which frees him from fear? the King of terrour makes all fear vaniſh.
4. Death will dry up a believers tears, Rev. 7. 17. And God ſhall wipe away all tears from their eyes; weeping is nothing but a cloud of ſorrow gathered in the heart, dropping into water. A Chriſtian often hath none to keep him company, but his own griefs and ſorrows; he ſits as Iſrael by the Rivers weeping; as ſoon as the child is born, it weeps; when Moſes was born, he was laid in an Ark of bulruſhes, where he did as it were baptize himſelf with his own tears, Exod. 2. 6. And behold the babe wept; ever ſince we looked upon the Tree of knowledge, our eyes have watered; there are many things to occaſion weeping.
—quidque facis lachrymis opus eſt.—Ovid.
1. Our ſinnes; who can look into his own heart with dry eyes?
2. Loſſe of relations, which is like the pulling a limb from the body; Joſeph wept over his dead father, Gen. 50. 1. Well then, 'tis not to be admired that a believer deſires to depart from hence; he ſhall leave the valley of tears; the bottle of tears ſhall be ſtop'd; his water ſhall be turned into wine, his mourning into muſick, his lamentations into Hallelujahs: death is the handkerchief to wipe off all tears.
5. Death will put an end to a believers moleſtations; man is born to trouble, Job 5. 7. he is the natural heir to it. This life is ſubject to injury*foreign. Menand.; we do not (as Seneca ſaith) finiſh our troubles while we live here, but change them. Quiſque ſuos patimur manes. Every one hath his croſſe to carry; ſometimes poverty pincheth, ſometimes ſickneſſe tortures, ſometimes Law-ſuits vex; man is like a Tennis-ball, bandied up and down by providence; while wicked men are in the world, never look for reſt. Theſe troubled Seas (as the Prophet calls them)*Iſa. 57. 20 will be caſting forth their foam and mire upon the godly; and well then may a believer ſay his Nunc dimittis, Lord, now letteſt thou thy ſervant depart. Death gives a child of God his quietus eſt *Mors moleſtiam idimit. Iſidor., it ſends him a Writ of eaſe, Job 3. 17. There (that is, in the grave) the wicked ceaſe from troubling, and there the weary be at reſt.
6. Death puts an end to a believers cares. Care is vexatious and anxious, it eats out the comfort of life; the Greek word for care foreign, comes from a primitive that ſignifies to cut the heart in pieces; care doth fret as a canker, it diſcruciates the minde, it breaks the ſleep, it waſts the ſpirits, this is the wrack which the ſoul is ſtretched upon. 'Tis hard, I had almoſt ſaid impoſſible, to ſhake off this viper of care while we live; all our comforts are careful comforts; care is to the minde, as a burden to the back, it loads the ſpirits, and with over-loading ſinks them; care is a fruit of the curſe; Adams want of care, hath brought us to care; have you not ſometimes ſeen the bryar growing by the honey-ſuckle, ſo that you cannot well gather the honey-ſuckle, but you are ſcratched with the bryar? Thus in gathering riches, how is the head and heart prick'd with care? and is there not great reaſon why a child of God ſhould deſire to depart? is it good being among the briars? death is the cure of care; we are thoughtful and ſolicitous how to get ſuch an eſtate, how to provide for ſuch a childe; now death comes to a believer as a friend, and ſaith, Never perplex and diſtract thy mind thus, I will free thee from all theſe heart-killing cares; I will ſtrike but once, and that ſtroak ſhall relieve thee.
7. Death will put an end to the night of deſertion; thou didſt hide thy face, and I was troubled, Pſal. 30. 7. The ſoul in deſertion, is within an inch of deſpair; in affliction the world is againſt a man, in tentation Satan is againſt a man, in deſertion God is againſt a man. Alſtead calls deſertion an agony of conſcience; *Agon conſcientiae, anxietas infernalis.this made the Prophet Jonah call the Whales belly the belly of hell, becauſe he was deſerted there; Jonah 2. 2, 4. Out of the belly of hell cryed I, then I ſaid I am caſt out of thy ſight.
Heman grew diſtracted upon the ſuſpenſion of Gods favour, Pſal. 88. 16. While I ſuffer thy terrors, I am diſtracted; but death will free from deſertion: a believer after death ſhall never ſee any more Eclipſes; God will draw aſide the Curtain, and pull off his vail, and the ſoul ſhall be for ever ſunning it ſelf in the light of Gods countenance.
8. Death will put an end to the imperfections of nature. Our natural knowledge is very imperfect; the moſt perceptive, intelligent perſon, may ſay as Agur, Prov. 30. 2. I have not the underſtanding of a man. Since the fall, the lamp of reaſon burns dimme; there are many arcana naturae, knots in nature that we cannot untie. Why Nilus ſhould overflow in ſummer, when by the courſe of nature waters are loweſt; why the Load-Stone ſhould incline to the pole ſtarre; why the Sea ſhould be higher than the earth, yet not drown it. How the bones grow in the womb, Eccleſ. 11. 5. Many of theſe things are riddles and paradoxes; by eating of the Tree of knowledge, we have loſt the key of knowledge; *Luke 11. 52.how are we maim'd in our intellectuals! by the fall we have loſt our head-piece; there are ſome diſeaſes which would make Galens head ake to finde out. The River Euripus was too deep for Ariſtotle; the Poet could ſay, Felix qui potuit rerum cognoſcere cauſas.*Virg. Geor. l. 2.—
Socrates ſaid on his death-bed, there were many things which he had yet to learn; our knowledge is like the twilight, dim and duskiſh: the greateſt part of our knowledge, is not ſo much as the leaſt part of our ignorance, all which conſidered, no wonder to hear this language from a Saint, cupio diſsolvi, I have a deſire to depart; death crowns a Chriſtian with fulneſſe of knowledge; when he is ſnuffed by death, the candle of his underſtanding will burn brighter; at death a child of God doth perfectly recover the uſe of his reaſon.
9. Death will put an end to the imperfections of grace; our graces are our beſt jewels, but here they are in their infancy and minority; therefore the Saints are ſaid to receive but primitias Spiritus, the firſt fruits of the Spirit, Rom. 8. 23. The beſt Chriſtian is like a childe put out to Nurſe, he is very weak in grace, faith is feeble, love lukewarm; grace though it be not dead, it is ſickly, Rev. 3. 2. Strengthen the things which are ready to dye; grace is like gold in the oare, droſſy and impure; the moſt refined ſoul hath ſome dregs; this Motto may be written upon a Chriſtians graces;—plurima deſunt—he that ſhoots furtheſt in holineſſe, comes ſhort of the mark of perfection*Eccleſ. 7. 20.; well then may a believer deſire to be diſſolved, death will free him from all the imperfections of his holineſſe; it will make him pure as the Angels, not having ſpot or wrinckle, Epheſ. 5. 27.
10. Death will put an end to a weary Pilgrimage; we are here in a pilgrim condition, 1 Pet. 2. 11. A Chriſtian walks with his Pilgrims ſtaffe in his hand, the ſtaffe of the promiſe in the hand of faith;*Conſiderandum eſt renunciaſſe nos mundo, & tanquam hospites & peregrinos iſthic interim degere. Cyprian de Mortal. now death will put an end to this Pilgrimage; it takes away the Pilgrims ſtaff, and ſets a crown upon his head; no wonder that the gratious ſoul cries out with Saint Paul, having a deſire to depart.
Object.Object. But againſt this it may be objected, ſome of the Saints have prayed againſt death; Hezekiah when the meſſage of death was brought, pray'd againſt it, and wept ſore, Iſa. 38. 2, 3. ſo that Hezekiah had not a deſire to depart.
Anſw. 1.Anſw. 1. Hezekiah did not pray ſimply againſt death, but in a limited ſenſe, at that time; there might be ſeveral reaſons aſſigned why at that time death was not welcome to him.
As, 1. Hezekiah deſired to live awhile longer, that he might do more work for God, ver. 38. The dead cannot praiſe thee; intimating, that if he had been then taken off by death, he was capable of doing God no more ſervice; he was loth to be cut down, till he had borne more fruit. Beſides, had he then died in the infancy of Reformation, the adverſaries of God would have inſulted, and made ſongs of triumph at his Funeral.
2. Hezekiah was unwilling to dye at that time, becauſe he wanted iſſue. God had promiſ'd to David, 1 King. 8. 25. That thoſe of his line which were godly, ſhould not want ſome of their ſeed to ſucceed them in the Throne; now in this reſpect it was a great diſcomfort to Hezekiah to dye childleſſe; for he might have thought himſelf no better than an hypocrite, inaſmuch as God had promiſed iſſue to the Kings of Davids line that feared him. Upon theſe, and other conſiderations, Hezekiah might pray againſt death at that juncture of time.
And whereas it may be ſaid that many of Gods children are unwilling to dye. I anſwer, a Chriſtian is a compounded creature, fleſh and ſpirit, and from this compoſition there may be a conflict between the fear of death and the deſire of death, but at laſt the ſpiritual part prevails; and as faith grows ſtronger, fears grow weaker; thus it was with Paul, having a deſire to depart
So much for the firſt branch of the doctrine, that it is the deſire of a true Saint to be gone from hence; [having a deſire to depart.]
2. I proceed now to the ſecond branch of the doctrine, that it is a Saints deſire to be with Chriſt. Saint Paul long'd to lie on that ſoft pillow where John the beloved Diſciple did, viz. the boſome of Jeſus *Joh. 21. 20.; There had been little comfort in departing, if the Apoſtle had not put in this word, to be with Chriſt. Death will make a glorious change to a believer; 'tis but croſſing the mare mortuum, the dead Sea, and he ſhall be with Chriſt. Death to a childe of God is like the Whirl-wind to the Prophet Eliah, it blew off his mantle, but carried the Prophet up to heaven. So death is a boiſterous wind which blowes off the mantle fo the fleſh, (for the body is but the mantle the ſoul is wrapped in) but it carries the ſoul up to Chriſt; the day of a believers diſſolution, is the day of his coronation. Though death be a bitter cup, here is ſugar at the bottome, it tranſlates the ſoul of a believer to Chriſt; though the fleſh calls death the laſt enemy, *1 Cor. 15.yet faith calls it the beſt friend, it brings a man to Chriſt, which is far better.
This word foreign, to be with Chriſt, implies three things,
Intuition.
Fruition.
Duration.
1. To be with Chriſt, implies, Intuition, 1 Joh. 3. 2. We ſhall ſee him as he is; here we ſee him as he is not; he is not mutable, he is not mortal; in heaven we ſhall ſee him as he is. When Socrates was to die, he comforted himſelf with this, that he ſhould go to the place where he ſhould ſee Homer and Muſaeus, and other Worthies who lived in the Age before him. A believer may comfort himſelf with this, that he ſhall ſee Chriſt; here we ſee him but through a glaſs darkly; but what will it be, when he ſhall be beſpangled in all his Embroidery, and ſhall ſhew forth himſelf in his full glory to his Saints!*In caleſti vitâ ſine aliquo taedio manens aternitas, inſpectio ſola divinitatis efficit ut beatius nihil eſſe poſſit Caſſidor. Ep. l. 5. He in Lucian ſaid to his friend, I will ſhew thee all the glory of Greece, when thou haſt ſeen Solon, thou haſt ſeen all: So he that ſees Jeſus Chriſt, ſees all the glory of Paradiſe, Chriſt being the mirrour of beauty, the quinteſſence of happineſſe.
Some ask the queſtion how and in what manner we ſhall ſee Chriſt, whether we ſhall ſee his God-head with bodily eyes? it is not good to be wiſe above what is written; thus far I think may with modeſty be aſſerted, that we ſhall with our bodily eyes, behold Chriſts humane nature! His glory as a Mediatour ſhall be viſible to the Saints, and ſhall be beheld by glorified eyes; in this ſenſe that Scripture is to be underſtood, Job 19. 25. with theſe eyes ſhall I ſee God; great and amazing will that glory be which ſhall ſparkle from the humane nature of Chriſt; if his transfiguration was ſo glorious, *Mat. 17. 2.what will his inauguration be. Auſtin wiſhed that he might have ſeen three things before he died; Paul in the Pulpit, Rome in its glory, and Chriſt in the fleſh; but what were that to this ſight of Chriſt in heaven? we ſhall behold not a crucifyed body, but a glorifyed body.
2. To be with Chriſt, implies Fruition; we ſhall not only ſee him, but enjoy him: therefore in Scripture the Saints are ſaid not only to behold him, but to be glorified with him, Rom. 8. 17. and glory is ſaid not only to be revealed to us, but in us, Rom. 8. 18. And enter thou into the joy of thy Lord, Mat. 25. 21. not only ſee it, but enter into it. A man may ſee a fair Arbour drawn upon the Wall, but he cannot enter into it; this glory of heaven may be entred into; as the ſpunge ſucks in the wine, ſo there ſhall be a libation and ſucking in of glory; from this fruition of Chriſt, a torrent of divine joy will flow into the ſoul.
3. To be with Chriſt, implies Duration, 1 Theſ. 4. 17. So ſhall we ever be with the Lord; the foreign, the faſhion of the world paſſeth away, 1 Cor. 7. 31. Earthly comforts though they may be ſweet, they are ſwift; Plutarch reports of Alexander that he cauſed to be painted on a Table a Sword within a Wheele: implying, that what he had gotten by his Sword was ſubject to be turned about with the Wheele of providence; if we had the longeſt Leaſe of theſe things, it would ſoon be run out; but this priviledg of being with Chriſt, runs parallel with eternity: ſo ſhall we be ever with the Lord.
Uſe 1. Inform. Branch 1.Uſe 1. See from hence the difference between a believers departing and a wicked mans departing; to a believer it is an happy departing, to a wicked man, it is a ſad departing, there's nothing but departing; he departs out of this life, and he departs from Chriſt, depart from me ye curſed; he departs from beams of glory, into flames of fire; he departs from the ſociety of Angels, into the fellowſhip of Divels, Mat. 25. 41. He hath never done departing; 'tis mors ſine morte, the wicked ſhall be ever conſuming, yet never conſumed; they may tremble to think of departing, well may the mourners go about the ſtreet when a wicked man dies; hell may rightly be called bochim the place of weepers.*Mat 8. 12.
2. BranchSee how little cauſe a child of God hath to fear death, when it carries him to Chriſt. This is a death-bed cordial; we are naturally poſſeſſed with a ſtrange kind of palpitation and trembling at the thoughts of death, as if we were in a ſhaking palſie*foreign. Chryſ., whereas there is nothing more really advantagious to a Chriſtian; death is a bridge that leads to the Paradiſe of God; all the hurt that death doth to a believer, is to carry him to Chriſt, and is not that farre better? death pulls off the rags of the body, and puts Chriſts Robes upon the ſoul. The ſerious conſideration of this would make a believer above the deſire of life, and the fear of death.
Object.Object. But may a childe of God ſay, I could rejoyce at the gain of death, but I fear the pain of death. I deſire the Haven, but I tremble at the voyage.
Anſw. 1.Anſw. 1. In other caſes we do not refuſe pain; there is pain in the ſetting of a bone, in the launcing of a ſore, yet we endure the pain contentedly, becauſe it is in ordine ad ſanitatem, in order to a cure. Death is an healing thing, it will cure a Chriſtian of all his wounds; by making one iſſue, it cures all the reſt.
2. Do we endure no pain at all in our life? Job felt ſo many miſeries, that he did chooſe rather to die than live, Job 7. 5. & 15. My fleſh is cloathed with wormes, my skin is broken and become loathſome, ſo that my ſoul chooſeth ſtrangling and death, rather than life; the life of man is a continual cataſtrophe and is interwoven with miſeries:*Mors equidem non eſt mala, ſed iter ad mortem miſerum. …raſm. ſome have felt more pain in their life, then others have at their death.
3. What are a few pangs of death, compar'd with the pangs of a guilty conſcience, or with the flames of hell, which God hath freed a believer from? How light is death▪ compar'd with the weight of glory? 1 Cor. 4. 17. how ſhort, in reſpect of eternity? the preſent ſuffering is not worthy of the glory which ſhall be revealed in the children of God, Rom. 8. 18.
4. We make death more than it is; as the Moabites thought the waters had been blood, when they received only a colour and tincture from the Sun-beams, 2 King. 3. 23. we fancy death worſe than it is, we look upon it through a multiplying glaſſe; fear makes a Chriſtian ſee double; ſhut the eye of ſenſe, and open the eye of faith, and death will appear leſſe formidable.
Uſe 2. Trial.Uſe 2. Let us then put our ſelves upon a ſcrutiny and trial whether we are perſons that ſhall go to Chriſt when we dye? 'tis certain we ſhall depart, but the queſtion is whether ſhall we go to Chriſt?
Quest.Queſt. How may that be known?
Anſw.Anſw. If we are in Chriſt while we live, we ſhall go to Chriſt, when we dye; union is the ground of priviledge; we muſt be in Chriſt, before we can be with Chriſt*foreign. Ig…; many hope to go to Chriſt when they dye, but they are not in Chriſt; are they in Chriſt that do not know him? are they in Chriſt that hate him in his Miniſters, in his Ordinances? oh labour to be in Chriſt.
Queſt.Queſt. How is that?
Anſw.Anſw. By faith; faith is the uniting grace, it is foreign as Chryſoſtome ſpeaks; it is the vital, radical, cardinal grace: this gives the intereſt. Faith is the queen of the graces; by faith we take Chriſt as a husband, and give up our ſelves to him as a Lord; faith is a Chriſt approptiating grace; it hath both a relying and an applying faculty; Chriſt is the Ring, faith is the finger that puts on this Ring; faith opens the Orifice in Chriſts ſides, and drinks in his blood*Per fidem Chriſti ſanguinem ſugimus & iuter redemptoris noſtri vulnera linguam figimus. Cypr.; faith is both juſtifying and ſanctifying; it fetcheth blood out of Chriſts ſides to pardon, and water out of his ſides to purge, 1 John 5. 6. Oh with all gettings get faith.
Queſt.Queſt. But there is much deceit about this grace? The Cyprian Diamond (ſaith Pliny) looks like the true Indian Diamond, but it is not of the right kinde, it will break with the Hammer. The Devil hath his bad wares, and counterfeit graces to put off; how therefore ſhall we know a true faith from a falſe and ſpurious?
Anſw.Anſw. I ſhall give you two differencing notes.
1. True faith is ever found in an heart deeply humbled for ſinne, Acts 2. 37. foreign, they were pricked at their hearts; here was the firſt budding of faith; you never ſaw a flower grow out of a ſtone, nor faith out of an heart of ſtone. Faith is an hearb that grows alwayes in a moiſt ſoile, in a weeping eye and a broken heart; Mark 9. 24. The father of the childe cried out with teares, Lord I believe. This flag of faith grows in the water.
2. True faith is operative; the Lapidaries ſay there is no precious ſtone but hath virtutem inſitam, ſome vertue latent in it; ſo we may ſay of precious faith; it hath hidden vertue in it, 'tis very operative, it works out ſin, Acts 15. 9. It works by love, Gal. 5. 6. it is full of good works, James 2. 17. it makes the tongue ſpeak for Chriſt, the head ſtudy, the hands work, the feet runne in the wayes of his commandments; faith comes with power upon the heart, 2 Theſ. 1. 11. The work of faith with power *Addit conatum quendam & elevationem animi. Aquin., it hath a reſtraining and conſtraining power; by this we may know whether ours be a true faith or no. I have read of a father who had three ſonnes, and being to dye, he left in his Will all his eſtate to that ſon who could finde his Ring with the Jewel which had a healing vertue; the caſe was brought before the Judges, the two Elder ſonnes counterfeited a Ring, but the younger ſon brought the true Ring, which was proved by the vertue of it, whereupon his fathers eſtate went to him; to this Ring I may compare faith, there is a counterfeit faith in the world, but if we can finde this Ring of faith which hath the vertue in it, both purgative and operative, this is the true faith which doth intereſt us in and intitle us to Jeſus Chriſt, and if we are in Chriſt while we live, we ſhall be with Chriſt when we dye; where faith gives a propriety, death gives a poſſeſſion.
Uſe 3. Comfort.Uſe 3. Here is then comfort in the death of our Religious friends,*foreign. Chryſoſt., though they depart from us, yet foreign, they go to Chriſt which is farre better; we ſhould mourne for them who are living, yet dead in ſinne; and rejoyce for them who are dead, yet live with Chriſt; This our dear brother interred, had holy pangs of deſire which ſeemed no leſſe ſtrong than the pangs of he panted after God as his ultimate and ſupreme perfection; he did often with joy repeat the words of the Text, and ſeemed to roule them as honey under his tongue; we may therefore entertain good hopes of him that he is placed in that Paradiſe of God which he thirſted after, I wiſhed him to look up to the merits of Chriſt; I muſt (ſaith he) reſt there or no where. O what a comfort is this to think that our friends are not onelyonly taken away from the evil to come *Iſa. 57. 1., but that they are with Chriſt; why ſhould we be ſad at their preferment? they have their Crowne, 2 Tim. 4. 8. their Throne, Revel. 3. 21. their white Robes, Revel. 7. 9. Why ſhould we weep immoderately for them who have all teares wiped from their eyes? they enter into the joy of their Lord; and why ſhould we be ſwallowed up of grief for them who are ſwallowed up of joy*Mors non eſt interitus ſed introitus, non eſt exitus ſed tranſitus. Cypr. de mortal. Auſtin Epiſt. 6.; they that dye in the Lord, are not amiſsi, but praemiſsi *Mors non eſt interitus ſed introitus, non eſt exitus ſed tranſitus. Cypr. de mortal. Auſtin Epiſt. 6., they are not loſt, but ſent a little before, we ſhall ſhortly overtake them. 'Tis but awhile when godly friends ſhall meet in heaven, and feaſt together at the ſupper of the Lambe, Revel. 19. 9. 'Tis but a while when the Saints ſhall lie together in Chriſts boſome, that hive of ſweetneſſe, that bed of perfume. Bleſsed are the dead that die in the Lord, Revel. 14. 13. Why ſhould we mourn exceſſively for them who are bleſſed? Oh let us not weep at the felicity of our friends, but rather long to depart and be with Chriſt, when we ſhall drink of thoſe Rivers of pleaſure which run at his right hand for evermore.
FINIS.