A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 138 (Question 37)
SERMON CXXXVIII.
QUESTION XXXVII.
WHAT Benefits do Believers receive from Chriſt at Death?
ANSWER.
THE Gouls of Believers are at their Death made perfect in Holineſs, and do Immmediately paſs into Glory, and their Bodies being ſtill United to Chriſt, do reſt in their Graves till the Rei…rection.
WE have conſidered the Inchoate Bleſſedneſs, or thoſe beginnings of Glory, which God's Called are made to ſhare in, during their abode in this Life. And if they enjoy ſo much here, where they are Strangers and Travellers, and hated, what ſhall we conceive is reſerved for them, when they ſhall come to the Kingdom, and be care…aited in thoſe Manſiones, which Chriſt the Foreru…er is gone before to make ready? If F… could ſay of the former, as, 1 Cot. 20. Eye had … ſeen nor ear b…d, neither have c…d into the heart of man, the things which God … i…pured for them that …ve …i…. Wall might John draw that Vail over the latter, 1 Joh. 3.2. Behood, … are we the ſons of God, and it deth not yet appear what we ſhall be: but we known that when he ſhall appear, we ſail be like him: for we ſhall …e him as it is. We muſt then expect. but an obſcure and douded Deſcription of the things which follow; and yet enough to ſet a Child of God on looging to go and ſee that better, that Heavenly Country. The Happineſs of Believers is Progre…re, and as it hath its Augmentations here in this Life, ſo it hath a remarkable Aera at Death, in which it arrives at a more perfect ſtate of Bleſſedneſs, tho' not compleatly conſummate till the Reſurrection. And this is that which we are to make a ſober Inquity into: In which we muſt take the Word of God for our direction, and by it ſet bounds to our Curioſity. And here we ſhall be led to diſo…ver a vaſt diſierence between the ſuture State of the Godly and the Wicked, however little it be taken notice of in this World, and that with and …e Prejudice.
IN the Anſwer, there are Two Things to be conſidered of,
1. The Death of Believers is taken for granted.
2. Their Happineſs as Death is aſſerted and deſ…ribed. Something may firſt be ſpoken to the former of theſe, to make way to the latter.
1. THE D…th of Believers is h…re … for granted. By which we are only to underſtand a bodily Death, in which regard, the Condition of Good and Bad is alike: Which that it is ſo, needs no proof beſides out daily Obſervation. We may rationally ſuppoſe, that there are ſome Godly in the World, in all Ages, although we cannot certainly …ell who they be, but this we ſoe, that all Dye, … Gemer… goes off the Stage, and … for the Succeſſion of …; and if … be any Good Men among them, they go … well as the other. He…ce that, Pla… 19. …. Wiſe men die, …iſe the ſoul. And Go… people certainly expect it, Job 16 to … a few y…s are come, then I ſhall go the … whe… I ſhall …. And Job 30.1…. For I known that th… … I …ring me … to the …o…ſe app…ed for all the …. … they are expoſed unto like Caſ…l… … other Men, Sickneſſes and Vicle… Du…, be…all them as well as the woe…: … imm…alty from a temperal Death, is … the Bene…s which is ſervered to them … Promiſe. But tho' the thing it ſelf … rious, yet the reaſon of it is not ſo … hath occaſ…ed many thoughts of … the Children of God. For, tho' th… … di…culty about the natural reaſon of … every out that …ath any knowledge … nature of things, can give a ſatisfict… … count of Man's Mortality, whoſ… … made up of jarring Principles and … … ed by periſhing Sepp…rts, b…aths in … … tage us as A…r, and is expoſed to ſo … Accidents, that it is rather a w…er, … lives ſo long, than that it dies ſo …. Yet the The dogical Reaſon is not … come at: eſpecially when we con… … a penalty of Sim, from which Chriſt … ranſom his Red…ed. … many not … amiſs, to introduce the following … about the Happineſs of Believers … Death; by remoring all Prej…di…rs as … it ſelf out of the Way, which may … giving a Re…dution to this inquiry, …
Queſt. WHY muſt …e…e…ers Dye … …her Alen?
Anſ. THAT all Doubts about this … may be Anticipated, and the … ſta…ed, I ſhall begin with the … ceſſions about it, and ſo proceed to the … of it, in which it will appear, that … of Believers is ſo far from being a … to them, that it is accommodated … … dom of God, to be an ſalet to … perfect Bleſſedneſs. Here then I… … the following Concluſions.
1. THAT Man was … firſt … of I…r…i…ty. The Pel…g…s of … that Death belonged to Man at … natural Conſtitution: And if th… … the caſe is ſoon reſolved: for if … have dyed tho' be had …ept his … wonder if ſinful Men ſuch as … in this Life, do die. The P…piſ…s ſay … Pelagians, that men was by nature … but that be had Immortality grented … a ſo pet…atutal Priviledge, which having … it is God's Prorogative whither he will … it again: But P…n…s look upon …lity to be con…atural Prit…ledge of … in l…cercy. conſidered as be was made in fact a… end, which be could the hare … without it. We ackowledge, that … Imm…ty is a Dr…nt Pre…g… and … themſelves are … it, … in the … which … men … to … …uch ſert … who give every Creature its … is … to take it away either by …, if he ſees meet. Nay their … are con…i…ed by his Sa…ti…, …, And Should that Ma…te…cy of his …, they would return to their … of Making. But then there was a …, which God beſtowed … in the firſt Covenant, …e. that if he …, he ſhould never …e. He had it therefore by Promiſe from that God who was … preferre him, and will ſo preſerve … in Glory forever. But this will … appear in the …e…t. Hence,
2. A bo…y Death …eſell M…ied according …. of … ju… covenant upon Al…y … That this was the Moral Cauſe of it, the Scriptures ab…dantly re…ify. It …der the comm…tion of the firſt Co…, Go…. 2. …. as we muſt acknowledge… … Death to be one part, tho' out the … of the Death there threa…d, ſo there … Argament from thence, that it Man … manſgreſſed the Law. be …al not … for how ſhould that be threatned as a …, which was a Condition of Nature' … aſſured that the Threa…d d…d not … unce… Adam perſ…. but it inrely… whole Progeny. Hence we are told. … 15.22 It Adam ell … —. And if we … know how they dyed in him, we are upon … that it was, as they were ſharers … Sir, which was it that opened the doot … Death into the World, Rom. 6.12. We whether acquainted, Rom 6.27. To…ge, … de… And if it he the Wages o… Sin, … it the Condition of Nature? Or how … conceive that God inſt …cted a Penalty … for Sin, before be …d incarred it by … D…lt?
3. THAT hence Bodily Death was a part of … …rſe, which S…n brought upon Man. That … Death is an evil in it ſelf, is a truth be… Queſtion. Nature reſears it as ſuch, and for that reaſon relucts againſt it. It is a … of a natural Good which is Life and … muſt be Evil. The Godly themſelves … willingly avoid it if they could any … way come at perfect bleſſedneſs, a Cor… we that are in this t…ber…a…le do green, … dened: not for that … would be un… but clo…tled upon, that certality might … up of life. The Curſe is nothing … that which is involved in Guily or … which by it the Sinner is bound to …ffer, for Guilt is an O…l gation lying upon a Creature to ſuffer Puniſhment. Now as Good is contained in the Promiſe, and nothing but Good, ſo nothing but Evil is in the Threatring: As therefore Life was promiſed to Man in caſe of Obedience, and was therefore part of the Bleſſing. ſo Death was threatned in caſe of Diſobedience, and ſo was part of the Curſe: and therefore Chriſt by Suffering of Death in our room, is ſaid to be made a Curſe for … in Gal. 2.13.
4. THAT Jeſus Chriſt bath born the Curſe of the … Covenant for Believers. He became a Sur…r for them to the Juſtice of God, and put himſelf under the Law for that end. The Penalties that he underwent, were not for himſelf, but thoſe whom he repreſented, and they were all ſuch, as were in time made Believers. Hence that, Gal. 2.20. Who loved we. and gave himſelf for we. The Apoſtle therefore gives this account of all the Sorrows which he have, Iſ…. 5….4, 5, 6. He interpoſed himſelf between the Wrath of God and his Ple…t, and took it all upon himſelf for their ſakes: And for this reaſon is he ſaid to be made ſo for …, 2 Cor. 5.21.
5. THAT Coriſt, in hearing the Curſe upon himſelf, … born it away from his People. We are therefore told for what reaſon be was made … curſe. Gal. 2.13. Chriſt hath redeemed us fro… the curſe of the la…, being made a curſe for at. And why he was made ſin, 2 Cor. 5.21. For … h…th made him to be ſin for us, who know … th… we might be made the righteouſneſs of God whom. So that now Juſtice cannot execute the Curſe upon Believers, becauſe it hath taken its Satisfaction upon Chriſt as their Surety: and a double Satisfaction for the ſame Offence is inconſiſtent with Equity. Nor indeed would Chriſt's End in taking our Penalty upon him be otherwiſe anſwered, which was to redeem us from the Law, and the Curſe of it. Gal. 4.5. We are therefore told in Iſal. 52.5. He dirt that we might live.
6. HENCE it follows, that Death is no longer a Curſe is Believers, but turned into a bleſſing. All that was of Curſe in it is gone, for Chriſt hath born that, that we might be delivered from it; and if he could not have made a ſeparation between Death it ſelf, and the Curſe annexed to it, he would have taken that away too; but he both can and bath done it. We muſt diſtinguiſh between Death and the Sting of it; and we are told what that is, a…d aſſured it is ſo taken from it, with reſpect to Believers, that they can challenge it, and triumph over it, 1 Cor. 15.55, 56. And now that is taken out of it, it becomes harmleſs to them. Nay it is put into the Inventory of the People of God, in, 1 Cor. 3.22. — Death is years.
7. THAT God hath ſeen meet to make Death en introcduction of the Believer to a more compleat Happineſs. Here two Things are obſervable,
(1.) THAT the neceſſary of the Believers Dying is from Divine Ordination. It is the Sovereign Pleaſure of God that it ſhould be ſo, and we muſt ultimately reſet it to that, as is evident on a double Conſideration,
[1.] THAT God could as coſily have taken away Death it ſelf as the Sung of it. It is certain that Death is no more a Curſe to remove that, than to reſtore Man to Immortality, altho' both are Divine Works, and require the Power of God to do them, and are equally eaſy to him, yet the thing it ſelf is leſs, be cauſe when the Curſe is taken out, the Man is an heir of Immortality: This they ſeek for, and this at length they ſhall enjoy, Rom 2.7.
[2.] THAT if is bad pleaſed hum, he could have brought them to Heaven's Glory in another Way. It is true, our perfect Bleſſedneſs is not to be enjoyed upon Earth, but is reſerved for Heaven, and we muſt go thither for it; but God is not neceſſitated to bring us thither through the Red Sea of Death; there is a nearer way if God had judged it the beſt. Enoch and Elias were Tranſlated, that they ſhould not ſee Death. And ſo might we, but God ſaw it meet that it ſhould be in this way. And hence he hath made a Statute for it, Heb. 9.27. Is is appointed unto men once to die.
(2.) THAT yet God hath holy Deſigns, which he will advance in this way. When we aſcribe Sovereignty unto God, we do not ſeparate it from the conſideration of his infinite Wiſdom, which we are aſſured diſplays itſelf in all his Works, Pſal. 104.28. God is an Intelligent Agent, and hath holy Erds in all his Works of Efficiency. He aims at his Glory in all, and he alſo conſults the beſt Good of his Choſen. And hence, in our Conception, all his Diſpenſations to them are contrived for the beſt, for the advancing of theſe Deſigns. And tho' it be our Duty to acquieſce in the Divine Wiſdom, and not over curiouſly to inquire into the Reaſons of God's Doings, but to reſolve, that it muſt be right and good, becauſe he doth it, who is holy in all his ways, and juſt in all his doings; yet there is a ſober and ſatisfying Account that may be given of this matter according to Scripture Light. For which let theſe things be obſerved,
1. THAT God hath ſeen in meet for holy Ends, that Sin ſhould abide in Believers in this Life. They are here renewed but in part. They muſt carry a Body of Death about with them as long as they live. This he doth not for want of Power, but in Wiſdom. He could as eaſily take away all Sin, and make them perfect in Holineſs at once, as do it by degrees, but it hath not pleaſed him ſo to do; and this is not for nothing. He will make uſe of that remaining Sin in them for his own Glory, and their Good. He will have this ſaved ones to know the evil and bitterneſs of Sin, that ſo they may ſee what rich Grace it is that ſaveth them. This they cannot know before Converſion, for it is oaly Grace that can diſcern the vileneſs of Sin; but by the Preſence and Moleſtation of it, they are made to cry out, as Rom. 7.24. O wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliver me from the body of this death. He will have them to know that this Grace of his ca…eth on the whole buſineſs of … Salvation, from the beginning to the …: that it not only puts them into a ſtove of Salvatien, but that if preſerves then in is, Pſal 5. And this is witneſſed in them by their … perience of the Sin that accompanies the … they do. He will have their Graces ex… in a Spiritual Warfare, for the prosing … ſtrengthning of them, and for that reaſon … ſhall have another Law in their Me…re, … Rom. 7.23. And all this that they may … a Triumph after a Victory; when they … by his help proved thei Fidelity to him. … theſe and ſuch like Reaſons God hath plead to leave the Canaanites in the Land. Sin … Corruption, in the beſt of his Children.
2. THAT imperfect Holineſs is inco… with perfect Bleſſedneſs. It is the mixt… … Sin that makes the Holineſs of God's Children imperfect. As long therefore as any of … ahides, they are ſo far ſhort. Now Sin … Creatures miſery; it muſt be utterly a… ed, before he can be perfectly happy. … the Felicity of the reaſonable Creature, i… ly to ſerve to the end it was made for, … it cannot do, ſo long as there is any … alloy its Service. The Bleſſedneſs of … in Communion with God in Chriſt, the … to God the Fountain of all Good, the … happy, and every diſtance from him, is ſo … miſery; but ſo much as there is of Sin in … ſo much there is of diſtance between God … him. Iſai. 59.2. Your iniq…ities have ſep… between you and your God.
3. THAT God will have his Children … mable to their Head Chriſt. As therefore … paſt through Death to his Glory, ſo ſhall … True, there is another reaſon of the D… Chriſt, and that of Believers. He died … ſatis…y for Sin, and therefore bare the … and Penalty of it, which they do not, … cauſe he hath already done it for them: … he ſees meet, that in the way to Glory, … ſhould follow him through Death. We … follow Chriſt if we would he with him, … for that we muſt be diſſolved, Phil. 1.23.
4. THAT God hath reſerved the manife… of his Sons to another day, and will therefore … they have the common Lot with others here. … is a time to come which is ſo called, and … Creation is ſaid to grone under vanity till …, Rom. 8.19, &c. As God's Children are … gers here, ſo he will have them to … diſguiſe, as to that which Men val… … upon; and for that end, there ſhall … … miſcuous diſpenſation of outward providence to Good and Evil, both in Life & Dearth, … 9.2. God's Children are on this account … led his hidden ones, Pſal. 83.3. And we … told, 1 John. 3.2. It doth not yet appear … ſhall be. The World count Believers … ble, and they are prejudiced at Godlineſs, … cauſe there is ſo much of Death in th… tion of them that do moſt profeſs it, and … ſuffers it to be ſo, becauſe he hath Ord… a Day wherein he will gloriouſly diſcove… Myſteries of Providence to the whole W…, and for this alſo it is convenient that … vers ſhould dye.
5. THAT God will bring his Redeemed to per…ineſs by seeps & Degrees. Glorifica… …e of thoſe Benefits of which we ob…, that they are not begun and perfected …, …ut gradually. Now as Death gives … wonderful lift towards this, ſo he … another Change before it be every … …plear. How far the Happineſs of …ts is perfect at Death, will be confi… in the opening of this Anſwer: But as …rs conſiſt of two eſſential parts, Soul … …dy, ſo God gives the Soul firſt to paſs … Glory provided, and reſerves a farther …tion, in which he will confer this on … Body with the Soul, till when the Body …, and be reſolved into it's duſt. Hence … that in, Eccl. 12.7. Then ſhall the … to the earth …s it was: and the ſpirit … to God who gave it.
6. THAT God, to ſhew his Wiſdom & Power, … Death many ways, ſerviceable to his …. Tho' Death hat it's firſt proper Re… … the Covenant of Works, from which … Chriſt hath delivered Believers, yet … ſeen meet to bring it under the Ser… the Covenant of Grace. The New… did not make Death, but found it … the ſinful Creature, and Chriſt … it to be, of an Enemy, a Servant: … …th both his Wiſdom & Power are …, and there is a manifold Service … pats it ſo; and that more eſpecially … reſpects,
(1) To keep them humble and mortify'd to this … The Conſideration of our Mortality, …ing thought, and therefore Men are … in mind of it to keep them low … that, Pſal. 146. …, 3. Gen. 18 27. and …. And David prays that God would … apply this thought to him, Pſal. 39. … make me to know mine end, and the … my days, what it is, that I may know … …m. And it is very uſeful to the … of God for the killing of their over …ctions to the things here below. … …y ſafely be looked upon as a part …ning of that, Col. 3.2, 3. Se… your … things above, and not on things on … For ye are dead, and your life is bid … in God. This improvement good … made of the apprehenſion he had …al decays, and haſtning diſſolution, … 34. &c.
(2.) TO put them upon the more Diligence to … for another Life. God makes the … of Mortality, and Conſideration of … that awaits them, to be a continual … his People, to be laying up their … in another World, and redeeming … hours of abode on Earth, for this … made thoſe ancient Patriarchs to … a better Country, Heb. 11.16. be…y confeſſed that they were ſtrangers, and … the earth, ver. 13. And a Child of … …ver more diligent at his Work, than … is moſt deeply engaged in the Con…tion of his ſhort abode here, and haſt… Diſſolution, 2 Pet. 1.13, 14.
(3.) TO give ſome of his Servants a pecu…iar Advantage to glorify him in their Death. The Glorifying of Chriſt, is the Happineſs of, his Children. Now he is glorifyed by their paſſive as well as by their active Obedience; and the higheſt pitch of this is, when they Die. for his Teſtimony: which they would not be capable of, if they were exempted from Dying. We therefore have ſuch an expreſſion, Joh. 21.19. This ſpake be, ſignifying by what death be ſhould glorify God. Hence we have Paul's exultation, Phil. 2.17. Yea, and if I be offered upon the ſacrifice & ſervice of your faith, I joy, and rejoyce with you all. And it is the commendation of the Martyrs, Rev. 12.11… And they overt … bi… by the blood of the La…, and by the word of their testimony an…y … not their lives unto the death.
(4.) TO put an end so Sin in them. And if it be their wretchedneſs to be pe…ered with the reliques of Sin in them, then it m…ſt needs he their gain to be delivered from them; which is one reaſon of that Aſſertion Phil. 1.21. For me—to dye is gain. Now it is certain, that when the Body dies, all Sin, in a Believer is put to an end. So ſome apply, that. Rom. 6.7. For be that is dead, is freed from ſin. And we are told, Rom. 8.10. And if Chriſt be in you, the body is dead becauſe of ſin; but the Spirit is life, becauſe of righteouſneſs. i.e. becauſe Sin remains in it, and ſo it ceaſeth when they dye.
(5.) TO give them reſt from the Evils of this Life. As long as they live they muſt encounter them, Job 14.1. Man that is bar in of a woman, is of few days, and full of trouble. But now they are no more. And tho' the Bodies of the Wicked ſhare in this as well … the Godly, as it is meerly bodily, (Job 3.17, 18.) yet with this difference, viz. it paſſeth over the Wicked to future Miſeries, and ends all Comforts of Soul and Body with them: whereas it puts and end to all Trouble both of Soul and Body with the Godly, and while their Bodies are at reſt, their Souls are in bliſs. Rev. 14.13. And I beard a voice from heaven, ſaying unto me, Wirte, Bleſſed are the dead which die in the Lord, from henceforth, yea, ſaith the Spirit, that they may reſt from their labours, and their works do ſo…o… them.
(6.) TO reſerve their Bodies fon a… glorious Change in the laſt Day. The Bodies of Believers in this Life are the Subjects of all the Infirmitles that Sin brought upon them, and hence they Dye and ſee Corruption, and are the Subjects of that diſhonour that attends ſuch a State; but this is but a Seeds-Time, for a new Springing of them up again that when they are reſtored they may appear in glorious luſtre, according to that, I Cor. 1….42, 43, 44. So that there is no harm but good every way accruing to God's Children by Dying. But of the Happineſs it ſelf, we are nextly to treat.
USE. LET this then ſerve to reconcile the Hearts of Believers to Death. It is indeed terrible to Nature, and that cannot but ſtartle at the Apprehenſion of it: But to you labour to make ſure of your Vocation; and then remember, that as God hath determined, that you muſt paſs through this dark Entry, and hence there is no avoiding it, ſo Chriſt hath turned is from being a Miſchief into a Benefit, and hath take… it out the Curſe, and put it Into your Inventory. And becauſe you muſt Dye, make it your great Buſineſs to Dye well, and then you need not be afraid of it, but be able to look on it with this reflection, This alſo ſhall turn to my Account.
[OCTOBER 24. 1699.]