A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 66 (Question 19 cont.)
SERMON LXVI.
II. THEY are made liable to Death it ſelf: This is the Second Head unto which the Miſeries of fallen Men are reſerved. The word, Death, is uſed in Scripture to expreſs all thoſe evils, whether of ſin or ſorrow, unto which Man is expoſed, and in the cauſe, Gen 2.17. For in the day the eateſt thereof, to… ſhalt ſurely dye. It is to be underſtood as comprehending them all. But in our preſent Conſideration, we are to underſtand it in a more reſtrained and vulgar ſenſe, viz. of the Death of the Body; as it comes after, and conſummates the miſeries of this life. Hence we may conſider,
1. Of the nature of this Death.
2. That it was introduced by men's Apoſtacy.
3. Wherein it appears to be a miſery?
1. WE may take an account of the nature of it in this deſcription, A bodily Death, is a … of the union between the Soul and Body, whereby a ſeparation is made, and ſo the Body, becomes a carcaſs, being deprived of all vi…d a…as. It is called a bodily death, party to difference it from the ſpiritual death of the inchoations whereof we have already treated; partly, becauſe only the Body and not the Soul is capable of a proper natural death. Life and Death are contraries, life is the habit, death is the privation of it: ſo that by the conſideration of the one, we are led to ſee the other. Here then,
1. LIFE is a principle or power of ſelf motion is a thing. There are various actions about life, but this is the moſt general and comprehenſive, and is applicable to all the ſorts of life which any creatures do enjoy: whatſoever moveth, it is either by an external force applied to it, or by an inward principle; now this inward principle is either a natural quality (by which things out of their place are carried to their proper place, as heavy things move downward; and this doth not amount to life) or ſuch a natural power as by which they move themſelves in their place, and this is that we call life.
2. MAN conſiſts of two eſſential conſtituting parts, viz. a Body, and a reaſonable Soul. Neither of theſe alone is the man, but both in conjunction. The Soul indeed is often taken for the man, it being the noblet and more excellent part in him, but that is not a proper, but a tropical expreſſion: both go together to his ſpecification and perſonality: we have therefore that account given of his making or conſtitution, Gen. 2.7.
3. MAN's life conſiſts in the man of theſe race. Man ſtands is the rack or order of living creatures, and be comes to be ſo by vertue of this conjunction. The body is the Souls organ, ſorted for it to act upon; but the organ without the Soul is a lifeleſs thing, it is calivered by the putting of that into it, as Gen. 2.7. and though it be uſually denominated national, from the moſt excellent operations of it flowing from it's intellectual and moral powers or faculties by which it is Specified; yet it hath is it all the other powers of life, ſelf motion, and regeration, and ſenſe, which derive from it to the body. Hence when that goes, all go with it.
4. HENCE when this … to by …, and a ſeperation …, the body dies. The ſoul being a principle of life to it, it can live no longer than it enjoys this union: the Souls departing therefore, and dying are uſed ſynonymically, Gen. 35.18. As her ſoul was departing, for ſhe died. How this ſeparation is made, is rather a philoſophical than theological enquiry; only let us obſerve, that as mans body was made of diſſoluble principles, being elementary; ſo the bond of union by which that, and the Soul were conjoyned was diſſoluble; this bond was the vital ſpirits, which were the Souls vehicle, and tied it to the body, and therefore by the extinction of thoſe ſpirits, the ſeparation comes to be made: when they faint and fail, the Soul quits its lodging. Pſal. 146.4. His breath goeth forth. Hebr. …erit. See alſo, Iſai. 57.16. and this is either by force, or diſeaſe.
5. BY this ſeparation the body becomes a carcaſs, being deprived if all vital actions. The ſeperation is not only the curſe of death, but death itſelf, it being a privation; and this is the proper effect in and by which it is diſcerned. The ſc…l being a conſtant nature, remains entire and active, and no whit impaired in it's natural powers by being ſeperate; but the body is lifeleſs, ſenſeleſs, begins to putrify, rot, and reſolve into it's elementary principles. Eccl. 12.7. Then ſhall the dast return to the earth at it was. All the powers of ſelf-motion, vegetation, ſenſation, and reaſoning leave it at once; they are not only impeded, or ſuſpended; but altogether cut off; it ſtirs neither hand nor foot; the nutritive power is gone, and ſo it corrupts, ſight forſakes the eyes, and hearing the ears, and there is no more knowledge in it. Eccl. 9.5. But the dead know not any thing. This is a bodily Death.
2. WE may now take notice how this was introduced by mans Apoſtacy. And here I ſhall endeavour, to eſtabliſh this Concluſion, viz. That a bodily doth not befall man by a natural neceſſary, but as a puniſhment of ſi…, and hence it muſt take us riſe from the beginning of ſtars coming into the world, with was Adam's fall. To make this appear, let me offer theſe Concluſions,
1. THAT all men dye, and that according to a ſtatute. That mankind are mortal, needs juſt as much proof, as that the Sun ſhines at noon in a fair day; the going of one and coming of another generation, are evident things; ſo that thoſe are branded for fools, who preſume of eſcaping it, Pſal. 49.10. Now this is not a meer caſual or eventual thing, but there is a ſtatute for it, Heb. 9.27. It is appointed …ts men once to die. The word ſignifies to lay up, or reſerve a thing: now who ſhould appoint this; but he who is the law maker, and that is God; there muſt be a ground or reaſon of this ordination, and it is worth our enquity after.
2. THAT caſual immunity, was a priviledge belonging to man in his in…grity. His body indeed had ſuch an origination from, and compoſition of the Elements, that it ſtood in need of being maintained by creature ſuſtenance; and being generable, muſt needs be corruptible in its capacity: but that God was alde to keep him from actual dying, or any tendency to it, is not to be queſtioned; and that it man had kept his firſt ſtate, he had never died, is certain. The firſt covenant had a promiſe as well as a threatning, and as that was death, ſo this is life. Rom. 10, 5. The man that doth theſe things ſhall live by them. It was therefore after man had finned, and upon it, that he fell under, and heard pronounced upon him the ſentence of death, Gen. 3 19. And unto duſt ſhalt then return.
3. A ba…ly death was comprehended in the threatning annexed to the la…e. See Gen. 2.17. Then ſ…lt ſurely die. Active mortality could not be born a condition of nature, and a puniſhment of fin too: if God had abſolutely appointed man to it whether he finned or no, it had been in vain to put him in fear of finning by the danger of it; for what need or reaſon had there been for it? or what force could there be in it, to tell him that if he tranſgreſſed the command he ſhould certainly die, or what awe could it lay upon him, if he knew before that whether he obeyed or no, he muſt dye, nor could be prevent it, by his moſt perfect obedience, being made for it? True, the death of the body is not all intended in that threatning which graſps in it, all the miſeries of Soul and Body, here and hereafter. But the Apoſtle applies it to the body, Rom. 8.10. And if Chriſt be in you, the body is dead becauſe of ſin. He thereupon argues mans being under the law before Moſes by this very thing, Chap. 5.14. Nevertheleſs death reigned from Adam to Moſes, even over them that had not ſinned after the ſimilitude of Adams tranſgreſſion. And Gen. 5. is an hiſtorical exemplitication of the effect of the ſentence in this part of it.
4. MAN had not died, if God had not withdrawn the bleſſing of immortality which at firſt be beſ…ed upon him. There indeed needed to new principles to be put into man to make him mortal; but if that bleſſing had abode upon him, nothing ſhould have impaired his health, nor ſhortened his life; … inward malady ſhould have ſeized him; …o foreign violence had fallen upon him; … caſualty had cut him him off: ſo this the Pſalmiſt alludes, Pſal. 91.10. But this being ſuſpended, he now lies expoſed to everything that may bring him to his duſt. Now this bleſſing was conferred upon him by promiſe not abſolute, for then it muſt have been perpetual; but conditional: it muſt then come in upon his violation of the condition, and that could be nothing elſe but his Apoſtacy.
5. THE …rd of God everywhere makes … to be the precuring moral cauſe of death. I we conſult the divine Oracle, and ask there how it comes to paſs that there are ſo many graves digged in the world; it will even point us to fin as the ſource of it. See Rom. 8.10. And if man dies by a law, what b… can that be, but that in which God threatend him with death in caſe of ſin? And we have that interpretation given of it, Ezek. 1….… Behind all ſouls are mine, as the ſoul of the father, ſo alſo the ſoul of the ſon is mine: the ſoul that ſinned it ſhall die. Hither the Pſalmiſt reduceth the great mortality which befell Iſrael in the wilderneſs, Pſal. 90.7, …. And the Apoſtle tells us that the firſt ſin brought it in, and they came together, a cauſe and effect, Rom. 5.12. Wherefore only one man ſin enired into the world, and deathly ſin: and ſo death bath poſſed upon all …, ſo that all have ſinned.
6. THIS bodily death is in itſelf agree … This is to be proſecuted in the next h…; but here it is to be remarked; now all evils Theologically reduced to theſe two bea…k … ſin and puniſhment, and muſt be referred … one of them; ſin it is not, and therefore and be a fruit of ſin; for all puniſhment is i… flicted by God, and that as a righteous July; and ſo it muſt be reduced to a rule of righteouſneſs, and preſuppoſeth a mere … it in the creature that is made to ſuffer it; and that can ariſe from nothing but …, which derives from man's apoſtacy.
3. I… HEREIN this bodily death appears … a miſery?
A. WE muſt here diſtinguiſh of the ſubjects, viz. Mankind in their natural ſtatue biding under the covenant of works, … thoſe that are priviledged by being brought under the covenant of grace. Death is … deed made a gain to theſe, Phil. 1.21. … die is gain. And belongs to their invented 1 Cor. 3.22. Whether Paul, or Apollos, or … phas, or the world, or life, or death, or things preſent, or things to come, all are yours. The ſting is taken out; but it abides in it unto the other, it is to them a part of the curſe, and it hath a great curſe in it. We muſt also take care to put the preſent ſeeming advantages it brings with it, into the balla…ce againſt the real miſchiefs which attend it; indeed puts a preſent cad to many outward …oubles and hodily miſeries, pains, and vex…tions which men here u…derge. Job 3.17, 8, 19. There the wicked ceaſe from troubling: …nd there the weary be at reſt. There the priſ… …rs reſt together, they bear not the voice ſ… the …preſſour. The ſmall and great are there, and be ſervant is free from his maſter. And to a godly man there is comfort in this, but to he ſinner it affords no true relief; for if it …a…ries him from bad to worſe; if by it he …eaps out of the frying-pan into the fire, what …sle profited? And there are theſe things which give demonſtration to it.
1. IT makes a ſeparation between the ſoul and …al…. This is the very nature of it, and that is in itſelf a miſery; and for that reaſon the …go…ly themſelves have a natural reluctancy againſt it: they would not paſs through it if they could go to heaven without it. 2 Cor. 5.4. For we that are in this tabernacle degrene, being burdened: not for that we would be unch…bed, but clo…thed upon, that mortality might be ſwallowed up of life. Though the Soul be a ſubſtance capable of exiſting and acting in a ſtate of ſeparation, yet it is not a Perfect ſubſiſtence, but being made for ſuch a body, hath a love to, and inclination to coninue in …on with that body: and though ſickneſs, …, and trouble render it a troubleſome lodging, yet had it rather abide in it, under great inconveniences, than be diſlodged. Death is the parting of two dear companions, which is very grievous.
2. IT leaves the body an uſeleſs, ſhameful and p…lying thing. Every member is hereby incapacitated for performing its functions, w…k during life it was ſerviceable for; the body l…ſeth all its honour, a dead carcaſe is a diſgraceful thing, and becomes burdenſome to the living. and though they take a great delight in it before, yet now they would have it buried out of their fight. Gen. 23.4. Its b…ty is blaſted, its comelineſs is gone, and it becomes noiſome to the living and intolleable, and they hurry it under ground, that it … infect the air, and make it peſtilential.
3. IT removes the ſinner for ever from all good. Though natural men are truly miſerable in this life, as was before obſerved, being under the influences of the wrath and curſe of God; yet through the preſent moderation of the curſe, they have a portion in this life, and ſometimes a large one too. Pſal. 17.14. Men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whoſe belly thou filleſt with thy bid tr…ſure: they are full of children, and leave the reſt of their ſubſtance to their babes. The rich man, (Luk. 16.25.) had his good things here. The worldling ſometimes ſpreads and flouriſheth for a while. Pſal. 37.25. They have wealth, and honour, and all ſorts of carnal delights; but death puts an end to all this, at one unhappy ſtroke: his ſoul is required, & theſe things are no more his; his houſes and lands which he called by his name, change their owners, his honour is laid in the duſt, and he is like the beaſts that periſh: he leaves his pleaſant company, rich furniture, all his mirth and jollity, never more to have any thing to do with them; he leaves his portion behind him, and hath never another to go to.
4. IT concludes his day of grace. This is a priviledge that God indulgeth many finners with, in this life, in which they have many fair offers of eternal life made to them; an advantage is given them to come in and make their peace with God, and flee from the wrath to come; but when once they are dead, there is no more of this. The Goſpel is not appointed to be preached over the graves of men; the joyful ſound of the glad tidings of peace, is no more to be heard by them, their hopes are now gone for ever. Iſal. 38.18. For the grave cannot praiſe thee, death cannot celebrate thee: they that go do… to the pit cannot hope for thy truth. Eccl. 9.10. It but ſ…ver thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might: for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wiſdom in the grave whither thou goeſt. 2 Cor. 6.2. Behold now is the accepted time, behold, now is the day of ſalvation. The ſinner that dies in his natural ſtate, is gone beyond all recovery.
5. IT is the paſſage to everlaſting miſeries it the…her w…ld. Death is the portal to eternity, and carries men over to an unchangeable ſtate. If men were in every reſpect like the beaſts that periſh, and there were no more to be heard of them forever, after once they are put out of the way, and have ſuffered a diſſolution, it might be ſome abatement of the miſery which it brings: but as it gives to the people of God a writ of eaſe from the miſeries of this life, and a paſſage into endleſs joys; ſo it puts an utter end to all the delights of ſinners, and delivers them over from the beginning to the perfection of never-expiring infelicity: they go when they dye, to the generation of their fathers, never to ſee light, Pſal. 49.19. they go to their own place. The rich man dies, and is buried, and it may be with pompous magnificence, and ſtately ceremonies: but the next news we have of him is in hell, where enduring and intollerable woes ſurprize him, and devour him. But what becomes of him there, belongs to an after conſideration: but this is the condition which Death brings him to, and leaves him in.
USE I. LET this ſerve to alarm all Sinners to a trembling expectation of dying every moment. And it concerns not only thoſe that are Old and crazy, and under ſenſible decays of nature: but the Youngeſt, healthieſt, and moſt likely to live. Remember then, that Death is not only a thing that your frail nature ſubjects you to, but that unto which you are ſentenced by a righteous God, as a juſt puniſhment of ſin; that it is a curſe of the law, which is fallen upon you, by reaſon of it; that you were no ſooner ſinners, then children of death, a…d that you were as ſo… as you were N…: for th… you were ſinners a…d children of wrath you are c…dem…d already, the …re ce…ſta…ds againſt you, a…d there is nothing but divine indulgence that ſuſpends the putting …t it in exe…t…ca, wh…ch is at his pleaſure, and you cannot promiſe your ſelves one hours patience longer to be uſed with you. Take heed of pleaſi…g your ſelves with ungrounded promiſes. How vain is it for a condemned melefactor to comfort himſelf with ſaying, I am as likely to live as any man; I am in youth, and health, &c. when the law hath made him a man of death, and he is going to execution? And remember, it is a curſed death you are going to; well may it be called a King of terrors. Read over th… miſeries that accompany it, and ſay whether it be not to be trembled at.
USE II. LET this …ought make as all out of the with Ex. There is a w…ful natural delight that u…regenerate men take in it; it ſuits their carnal luſts, and gratifies their depraved minds; but one would think that this one conſideration, ſhould be ſ…fficient to embitter it to us, and make us treat it as an evil and bitter thing, with utmoſt deteſtation. When we begin to look upon fin with a liking, now let us reflect and ſay, this it is that hath killed all mankind; it is the great murderer of mens lives: had it not been for this, Death had been a ſtranger, an unheard of thing any further, than in the threatning which guarded the law; we had never heard the tolls of mortality, never been called to the bed-ſides of our friends, to be entertained with their dying groans: never been expoſed to a grievous d…ſſ…intion: look throught this glaſs upon ſin, and let it teach us to hate it, abhor it, fly from it, and ſeek by all means to be delivered from the curſe and cruelty of it. Hence.
USE III. LET this maken ſinners to ſeek ſpeedily is get the ſting of death taken out, and themſelves ſ…ared against eternal death. A bodily death is not to be avoided; but the quality of it may be altered, as it is to the godly. Chriſt hath born the curſe of it, and it is become a friend to them: And remember the laſt article of a ſinners death, that it wafts him over to one that is eternal. Now know it, that there is a remedy provided agai…ſt this in the now Covenant: Jeſus Chriſt hath purchaſed a deliverance and offers it on terms, to all that come within the call of the Goſpel; and bids them to accept of it and Oh! what a d…fference will it make upon a bodily death? I… you dye as you are, this will be but the beginning of ſorrows; but if you get this intereſt, it will put an end to all ſorrows, and they ſhall be no more. Remember then ſinners, the ſentence that you are under, and what reaſon you have to expect the execution of it every moment; Oh! ſue the pardon then before it be too: do not trifle, leſt you rue it for ever; bleſs God that you have the hopes of it ſet before you, and the way diſcovered in which you … obtain it, and let it be now your …rſt in…c… G… home, and to night before to morrow, … that this matter be well adjuſted, think, I lie down to ſleep, before I have made … peace with God, and gotten the ſentence … condemnation taken off. I may never … more in this world, and then it will be … late. It thus you be awakened in good … reſt to betake your ſelves preſently to Chriſt then may you bid death it ſelf welcome, are ſay, … Lord, L…ſt thou thy ſervant dep… in peace.
[OCTOBER 31. 1693.]