Faith and Experience, Part 3
The third Branch, That when the beleever dies he dies not to himſelfe but unto the Lord, and it is his duty ſo to doe.
Here for the explanation of this Branch I ſhall do theſe two things.
Firſt, I ſhall ſhew how a man may be ſaid to die to himſelfe, which the beleever doth not.
Secondly, I ſhall ſhew you what it is to die to the Lord, and how a beleever may be ſaid when he dies to die to the Lord.
1. I conceive a man may be ſaid to die to himſelf, 1. when himſelfe is the cauſer, wiſher, or deſirer of his own death: thus Saul, and Iudas dyed to themſelves, and could not ſtay Gods leiſure. The beleever is of another ſpirit.
Or Secondly, when in dying, or deſiring to die, he meerly aimes at his owne end; out of a conceit of the eaſe and reſt he ſhall be at, becauſe he knowes if he be in the grave, There the wicked ceaſe from troubling, there the weary be at rest, as Iob paſſionately ſpake, c. 3. or to deliver himſelfe from obloquies, as Ionas, cap. 3. or to ſave himſelfe from danger, as Saul; or to be out of the horrors of a guilty conſcience, as Iudas: theſe men dyed, or would have dyed to themſelves.
Or thirdly, a man may be ſaid to die to himſelfe, when he doth no good by his death, declares not the glory of God, nor faith in God, but dyes like Nabal; though his ſpirit be not over-powred with diſeaſes, nor he robbed of his ſenſes, yet he dyes like a block. Now the beleever none of theſe wayes dyes to himſelfe. 1. He will not chooſe his owne ſpeare with Saul, nor twiſt his owne Halter with Iudas. He will not only aime at his owne eaſe, in his death, but if the Lord ſtops not his mouth by an over-powring diſeaſe, nor bereaves him of his ſence and ſpeech, he will be ſetting out the goodneſſe, and glory of God with his very utmoſt breath; as this our precious Siſter, that had ſuch a mind of her journey that ſhe could talke of nothing elſe.
I paſſe to the ſecond thing propounded.
Second Branch, To ſhew you, What it is for a Beleever to dye to the Lord, and how the beleever when he dyes will dye to the Lord.
Firſt, he will dye at the Lords leaſure; he wil not haſten his death, nor dye the death of the wicked; his ſoule is indeed ſo greedy of glory, that he is continually ſighing after a diſſolution, and crying come Lord Ieſus, come quickly; but yet not ſo haſty, but he leaves God to his liberty, for ſo poor a circumſtance of time; this was Pauls caſe, 1 Phil. 23. 24. He had a deſire to be with Chriſt which was beſt of all: can you blame him for that? But yet (ſaith he) it is expedient for you that I ſhould ſtay; I am content. Like a dutifull child that being abroad hath a deſire to ſee his friends, and is ſometimes wiſhing, O that the holy-dayes were come, that he might goe home, and it may be he ſometimes writes to them for an horſe, but yet he is not ſo mad as to run home on foot, much leſſe to goe contrary to his fathers mind.
Secondly, in dying he will not aime at his owne eaſe, but herein ſubmits himſelfe to the Lord, and that both for the time of his death, and alſo for the kind of it. 1. For the time of his death, See Phil. 23, 24. If Paul might judge himſelfe, he thinkes it would be beſt preſently to dye. But if it be more expedient for the Churches he ſhould live yet a little while, he is content; he ſometimes ſends to his Father, to let him know his longing deſire to ſee him, but with all lets him know his reſignation to his wil, and adds, yet Father if it be your pleaſure I ſhould ſtay a quarter of a yeere or ſome few months longer I will ſubmit my will to your pleaſure.
And as for the time of his death, ſo alſo for the kind of his death: if his Father will have him come on foot, or on horſe-back, ſo he goeth, he careth not, if he will have him goe on his ſwifteſt race nag or on the dulleſt jade in the ſtable; he as willingly will be carted as coached thither. Now ſaith Paul, I am ready to be offered. 2 Tim. 4. 6.It is all one to him, to be ſent to heaven with a ſtroke, or linger out many days with this pretious one, that was ſeverall yeares on her journy to heaven, yet ſeemed not to be tyred with the length of the journy, or the ſlowneſſe of her horſe; ſhe knew whoſe work it was to ſwitch or ſpurr, and therefore held her owne hands. This is the true temper of a Chriſtian in dying to the Lord, to be content though he hangs a long time, and that upon a croſſe, ſo the life and death of the Lord Ieſus may be made manifeſt in his fleſh, to account it all one whether he dye of the plague, or a conſumption, a fever, or the ſtone; upon the rack, or at the ſtake; whether the ſword divides him, or the arrowes of the Lord pierce him, he dyes not to himſelfe but to the Lord.
Thirdly, he dyes to the Lord, as aiming at the Lords glory in his death, & thence is ſubmiting himſelfe to Gods will for all circumſtances, ſo alſo endeavouring to give glory to the Lord in his death, and bring the Lord glory by dying. Pauls bonds, & Impriſonment brought glory to Jeſus Chriſt, Phil. 1. 12, 13, 14. And this he may aime at dying ſeverall wayes. 1. By his quiet and patient ſubmitting unto God, in the meſſengers of death, Pſal. 39. 9. David was dumbe and knew not how to complain becauſe it was the Lords doing. Like Ely, It is the Lord let him do what ſeemeth him good. Like Chriſt, Father (if it be poſſible) let this cup paſſe from me, yet not my will but thy will be done. He kiſſeth the ſtake, and imbraceth the flame. 2. If his death be violent, By undanted ſuffering at his death. Thus the blood of the Martyrs paid God a tribute of glory, by being the ſeed of the Church. O how glorious preachers were the Martyrs! That as it was ſaid of Samſon, the number of them that he flew at his death was more than thoſe he ſlew in his life: So we might ſay of them; The number of them that they ſpiritually quickned in their lives, was ſhort of them that were quickned by their deaths. Docter Taylor made it a plaine going home, and counted his journy to two ſtiles; whoſoever reads the ſtories of Euſebius, or the ſtories of the Martyrs under the ten perſecutions, or of late in thoſe reaking times of Q. Mary (that filled the land with innocent blood) will find this abundantly inſtanced. 3. Whether it be a violent or naturall death, they will bring glory to the Lord by ſpeaking ſomething to the glory of God at their death, ſome way or other ſetting out the glory of God, and his goodneſſe towards them, ſhewed to them in their life or death. Thus did many of the glorious Martyrs, and an abundant full proofe of this was this our glorious Siſter. O how buſy was ſhe to tell what the goodneſſe of God had been to her, to glorify his name, to direct, comfort, quicken! were not many of you warmed at the heart by her ſpirituall fire?
Thus the beleever dyes to the Lord, declaring his faith in God, Now I know my redeemer lives, and that I ſhall ſee him with theſe eyes. Yet ſo it may be, that a beleever, through the nature or violence of his diſeaſe may bee a wanting to this duty; if the Lord ties his tongue who can help it? but if he ſuffers him but to open his lips, his mouth ſhall ſhew forth his praiſe. Indeed ſometimes, a beleever may dye in the dark in regard of the ſenſible enjoyments of Chriſts love, but even then though hee may complain of his own vileneſſe and unworthineſſe, yet it is a thouſand to one, but he gives glory to God; he dyes not like Nabal; not as fooles dye. I haſten to the laſt branch of the Doctrine, which is that