HAVING laid down the particular instances of the patriarchs, he speaketh of what they had in common, they went to the grave in hope, albeit the promises were not performed in their time.
Here you have the trial of their faith and the victory of their faith.
1. The trial of their faith - They died, not having received the promises; that is, they went to the grave ere the blessings God had promised were accomplished.
2 The victory of their faith, which is set forth - [1.] By the several acts of the soul in and upon the promises, both elicite and imperate. There is an act of apprehension- - They saw them afar off; an act of judgment or firm assent - And were persuaded of them; an act of affection - aspasamenoi, And embraced them - they hugged the promise; this will yield a Messiah.
[2.] By the effect and fruit of it in their lives and conversations - And confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims in the earth.
Who are here spoken of? Some refer it to the numerous posterity of Abraham mentioned in the former verse, who did not till the time of Joshua enjoy the promised land of Canaan. But that cannot be, because many of these were buried in the wilderness, and died murmuring, and in the displeasure of God. Therefore it is meant chiefly of the patriarchs last recited - Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Sarah; and you many take in the faithful that came of their race - Joseph, and others that lived till the time of their going out of Egypt.
By promises are meant things promised. They must receive the promise, or else there were no room for faith. Some take epangelias for the spiritual promises; these they saw but in figure, or afar off. Temporal promises they had of a numerous posterity, the calling of the gentiles; an heir, Christ; an inheritance, Canaan; but this would cross the apostle's scope. Understand it therefore of things promised. But what were the things promised which they received not? Ans. The possession of the land of Canaan, a kingdom, a city, a temple, which was made good to their posterity, the coming of the Messias out of their loins; these 'they saw afar off,' that is, by the eye of faith; and were certainly 'persuaded' of the accomplishment of them, though not in their time, and therefore 'embraced them,' shouted for joy, as mariners when they see land at a distance. Italiam laeto socii clamore salutant; 'professed themselves strangers and pilgrims,' epi tès gès 'in the earth,' sojourners in the land, as expecting a greater happiness by the Messiah than they did yet enjoy. Yea, 'they died in faith' - kata pistin - 'accordmg to faith,' for en pistei; as Rom. viii., kata sapka for en sarki. All these died by or according to faith. The meaning is, they remained stable and firm to the end of their lives in this assurance, notwithstanding the variety of conditions which they passed through.
From the first words, 'These all died in faith,' the points are two -
(1) It is not enough that we must live by faith, but we must also die by faith. (2.) They that would die in faith must live in faith.
Doct. It is not enough that we must live by faith, but we must also die by faith. So it is said of these patriarchs, 'All these died in faith.' Faith is always of use on this side the grave; at death it doth us the last office. In the other world there is no need of it; when we come to enjoyment faith ceaseth.
The reasons of the doctrine are these -
I. Because faith is not sound unless we persevere therein to the end. The patriarchs had many afflictions, they were tossed up and down, yet they died in faith; that was their commendation: so unless we hold out to the end, all is lost. The Nazarite under the law, if he did defile himself before the days of his purification were accomplished, was to begin all anew again: Num. vi. 12, 'The days which were before shall be lost, because his separation was defiled.' So we lose what we have wrought, if we do not remain stable till we come to 'receive the end of our faith, the salvation of our souls,' 1 Peter i. 9; Ezek. xviii. 24, 'When the righteous turneth away from his righteousness and committeth iniquity, and doth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be remembered.' All that is past is nothing unless we persevere to the end. Faith is not for a fit, we must hold on in it: Heb. iii. 6, 'Whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence, and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end;' so ver. 14. 'We are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end.' This was the commendation of these holy men, still their hearts were kept close to God, they died in faith: Prov. xvi. 31, 'The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.' A Mnason, an old disciple, is a great honour. As Jacob wrestled with the angel till daylight: Gen. xxxii. 26, 'And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh;' so we must constantly keep up the exercise of faith till the day break, and the shadows flee away. Elisha would not leave his master till he was taken from him into heaven; so faith will not leave us till we are taken to heaven. To be constant to the last is the crown and glory of faith; let the world know you have no cause to leave Christ. We read, Mat. xx., some were called into the vineyard sooner, some later; some were called early in the morning, some at the third, some at the sixth, some at the ninth, and some at the eleventh hour; but all tarried to the end of the day. So must we carry faith and religion with us to the grave; patient abiding is a sign of true faith. Many have outlived their religion and former profession.
2. Because the hour of death is a special season wherein faith cometh to be exercised, and the strength of it is tried. There is no notion doth so much express the nature of faith as this, the committing of the soul to God's keeping: 2 Tim. i. 12, 'I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day;' and 1 Peter iv. 18, 'Commit the keeping of your souls to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful creator.' The great work of faith is to put the soul into safe hands; it is our jewel, and it should be in safe hands; it is sensible of danger, and it is never safe till it is put into the hands of God through Christ, and therefore we must commit it to him. Now this never comes so much to the trial as at the hour of death; then to trust God with our souls, upon a confidence that he will keep them for us, that we may enjoy them in another world, this is a sensible discovery of faith, as appears by Christ's surrender when he was to die: Luke xxiii. 46, 'Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit;' and Stephen: Acts vii. 59, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.' While we live we must put the soul into God's care; it is fit our jewel, our darling, should be in safe hands. But can you trust God with your souls when you are ready to die? And then is the time to put the promises in suit, and to express our confidence in them: Ps. xvi. 9, 'Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth; my flesh also shall rest in hope,' &c. The heart is filled with joy, and the tongue runneth over, when we can send our souls to God and our bodies to the grave in hope of a blessed resurrection. During life faith is most exercised in waiting for present supplies, but in death it is put to trial about future recompenses. While we have health and strength we do not mind the danger and hazard of the everlasting state; and that is the reason why we find it harder to trust God for present mercies, temporal supplies, strength for duties and afflictions; but we are careless of things to come. But when we come to die faith is exercised about things to come; then it is put to the push to meet and grapple with the great and last enemy, death. Then we come to receive the great promise of our final estate; therefore to dismiss the body to the grave in hope, and recommend the soul to God, is a great trial of our faith.
3. There are great promises to be performed after our decease, and it is a great honour to God when we are ready to die, to go to the grave with assurance, and profess our confidence that God will make them good. There are two parts of this reason.
[1.] There are many promises to be accomplished when we are dead and gone, and they are either public or private.
(1.) Concerning the church there are many promises which we see not performed in our lifetime. This was the case of these patriarchs, they had a promise of Canaan that was now possessed by giants, of a numerous offspring, of a city, of a temple wherein God would be present, all unaccomplished. In every age of the church there is something to be waited for; and there are many public promises not accomplished in our days as the prosperity of the church, the calling of the Jews, the second coming of Christ, the confusion of antichrist. Though we go to the grave, and see not these things, yet we should not doubt of them, for God hath been faithful hitherto: Rev. xiv 8, 'Babylon is fallen, is fallen.' We should count it as done already, though we see it not performed in our days. God counts our purposes obedience; Abraham is said to offer Isaac because it was his vow and purpose to do it and therefore we should count God's promises to be as good as performances. Go to the grave with this hope, we leave a God behind us, who is able to perform his promises whether we be or no. We hereby teach others to believe.
(2.) Concerning our families and relations that survive us, there are private promises. God cannot content himself with doing good to the person of a believer, but he hath promised also to do good to his posterity: 2 Sam. vii. 19, 'And this was yet a small matter in thy sight, O Lord God, for thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come.' God will act according to the highest laws of friendship; as David: 2 Sam. ix. 1, 'Is there any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake.' God hath not only spoken comfortably for our persons, but for our house, our families, our relations for a great while to come. Now when we can provide for them no longer, pray for them no longer, this is the last act that we can do, believe for them, go to the grave with confidence that God will be as good as his word, who hath promised to he a father to the fatherless and a husband to the widow. When you can leave them no inheritance, leave them a God in covenant, that is a good portion. God hath taken you off from being instrumental for their good, you can do no more for them; now believe that God will take the came upon himself: Gen. xvii. 7, 'I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.' Our trust is not so pure in life, whilst we have opportunity to act for them, as in death, when we can leave them in the hands of God; and leave them the promises for their portion, though you can leave them nothing else.
[2.] This is an honour to God, to profess our confidence in him when we are going to the grave. All faith bringeth glory to God: John iii. 33, 'He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true;' but especially dying faith, because then we can do no more, and we leave all to the Lord, and because the speeches of dying men are wont to be observed as they are entering upon the confines of eternity, they are wiser and more serious than at other times, it is no time to dally or dissemble now, at the last gasp. Now speeches of living men are suspected of partiality to present interests, or are neglected as not having much weight in them: Gen. 1. 16, 'Thy father did command before he died, saying, Thus shall you say unto Joseph,' &c.; Josh. xxiii. 14, 'Behold this day I am going the way of all the earth.' When men return, as one expresseth it, epi to progoonon theion - to the divine original, they seem to be more possessed with the divine spirit than at other times; when they are dying, their speeches are more serious, grave, weighty, entertained with more consideration and readiness; therefore when we die, to profess our confidence in the faithfulness and truth of God, and go to the grave with this acknowledgment, this is a mighty honour to God.
4. There are most conflicts at death; sin is revived, and fears are revived. A man is never so serious as then; now we come to feel what we never felt before. Christ bids us come to him, as he did Peter on the waters, then if ever we have need of faith. And Satan is most busy now, as dying beasts bite shrewdly; Satan hath great wrath when he hath but a short time. This is the last enemy, and within a little time those Egyptians which ye shall now see, ye shall see them no more; therefore now is a time to exercise faith. Besides, all carnal pleasures are then at an end, and have spent their force. Whilst we have plentiful accommodations wherewith to entertain the flesh, a little faith serveth the turn; but death plucketh us from all these, and then we must bid good night to them, and unless we have other supports we are wholly shiftless and comfortless. Satan, that formerly tempted us, now troubleth us; and then we must immediately appear before God. Things near at hand do more affect us when we are entering upon the confines of eternity, and are to grapple with our last enemy. What shall we do? Now faith is of use. Graces that are not of use in another world discover their highest and most consummate act in this world.
Use 1. Let us provide for this hour, that we may die in faith. We know not how near we may be unto death, or whose turn may be next; there is a providence goeth along with sermons, it may be some of us have more need of this discourse than we are aware; however, it is good to hear for the time to come. You come to sermons not only to learn to live, but to learn to die. You are often taught how to live in faith; let me instruct you, and show you what it is to die in faith.
1. Profess your hearty and cheerful assent to the general articles of the christian faith, those articles which concern the end and the means. Those that concern the end, as the doctrines of the world to come, the immortality of the soul, and resurrection of the body, and life eternal. And those that concern the means, of making the promise sure on God's part or our application. The means that concern the impetration, as the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ. Christ's death is the ground of our triumph and victory: Heb. ii. 14, 'Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil.' His resurrection is an act of conquest, he conquered death in its own territories. His ascension, he is gone to heaven to seize upon it in our name, from whence he sends his Spirit to fit us for it: Rom. v. 10, 'If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled shall we be saved by his life.' The means that concern application are his justifying, sanctifying, assisting us in all conditions, especially in sickness: Ps. xli. 3, 'Thou wilt strengthen him upon the bed of languishing, thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness.' You must assent to this, these are en prootois, the first truths of christianity, and the foundation of our comfort and hope. The general belief of these things giveth life to the applicative acts of faith. Christ trieth our assent: John xi. 26, 'Whosoever liveth, and believeth in me shall never die, believest thou this?' 1 Tim i. 15, 'This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.'
2 Reduce these to practice.
[1] Make application of reconciliation with God, and pardon of sins by Christ. Christ's blood shed made the atonement, and by his blood sprinkled we receive the atonement: Rom. v. 11, 'And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.' This is fit for a dying man: 1 Cor. xv. 55 - 57, 'O death? where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ;' so the psalmist, Ps. xxxi. 5, 'Into thy hand I commit my spirit; thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.' Every one cannot thrust his soul upon Christ, but only those who are redeemed and reconciled by his blood. Redemption applied frees us from the power of the devil, and the tyranny of sin.
[2.] Resign up the soul to God with comfort; he calls for it, therefore resign it to him. The death of the godly is not a mere passion, but a lively and vehement action, by which they deliver up their souls to God; so Christ, Luke xxiii. 46, 'Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit;' so Stephen, Acts vii. 59, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.' It is not lawful for us to procure our own death, or out of an impatiency of pain to hasten our end, nor cry out with Elijah in a pet: 1 Kings xix. 4, 'It is enough now, O Lord; take away my life, for I am not better than my father's.' Yet on the other side we must not be merely passive, or die by force. Beasts when they die, are merely passive, and properly do suffer death. Wicked men struggle, and are loath to depart; their soul is not given up by them, but taken away from them: their death, though it be never so natural, yet it is a violent death; their souls are as it were snatched and torn away from them: Job xxvii. 9, 'What is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?' Luke xii. 20, 'Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee!' They do not commend their souls into the hands of God, but God requireth it of them, A wicked man would fain hold out a little longer, but God will not suffer him; the Lord puts his bond in suit, he requireth their souls of them. The godly, though they cannot wholly lay aside their aversation from death, which is natural to every living thing, yet when they see the will of God, they hold omit no longer, but overcome themselves and yield. Death is a sweet dismission of their soul, and a resignation of it into the hands of God. Resign up then the soul unto God upon these terms, you are going to a father, you are sent for home, death is not penal, as it is to the wicked; to them it is the wages of sin, they are hailed before the judge, the body sent to the grave, and the soul to hell. There is a great deal of difference between death and death. Death hath many considerations; as Christ endured it, so it was a ransom; as wicked men suffer it, so it is wages; as godly men suffer it, so it is the gate of life, the messenger to bring them home to God, - the Lord will be no longer without your company, and therefore he sends for you. In what soft terms doth the scripture express the death of the saints; it is a dissolution, not a violent rending and tearing to pieces: Phil. i. 23, 'Having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ;' it is a departure, a setting sail for another world; it is a sleep, the grave is a chamber and bed of rest: Isa. lvii. 2, 'He shall enter into peace, they shall rest in their beds;' it is a hastening to the great assembly that is above. Such soft terms the scripture useth concerning the death of the saints; for death, though it is an enemy to nature, yet it is a friend to grace. And consider, you do not only give up your souls to God that gave them, but to Christ that redeemed them: Ps. xxxi. 5, 'Into thine hand I commit my spirit; thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth;' and you may be confident Christ will receive the soul which he hath purchased with his blood. Christ comes in a nearer way of enjoyment, that thou mayest receive the fruits of his own purchase. If thou belongest to God, thy heart was there long since, thou hast sent spies, thoughts and affections to take a view of that land, to see what it is, and they have brought a report of the goodness of the country in the promises, and now thou art going thither in person; therefore resign up thy soul to God, and say, I am going the way of all flesh, to yield up my soul to God, and death is ready to close mine eyes, Lord, I commit my soul to thee, I commend my spirit to thee; I have trusted in thee and I do trust in thee; thou hast made it, Christ redeemed it, and I hope the mark of thy Spirit will be found upon it. I do resign up my soul to thee.
[3.] Dismiss the body to the grave in hope of a joyful resurrection, sow it as good seed, that will spring up again. Say then, Go, flesh, rest in hope, take the covenant along with you to the grave: Ps. xvi. 9, 10, 'My flesh also shall rest in hope, for thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption.' Job could see life in death: Job xix. 25, 26, 'I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day on the earth. And though after my skin, worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh I shall see God.' This body must be turned into dust, but this dust shall be gathered together again; this body must be eaten by worms, but the morsels of worms shall be parcels of the resurrection. Death is conquered by Christ; it may kill, but it cannot hurt; but the body shall be raised a glorious structure, conformed to Christ's glorious body. You are going to make experiment of that promise: John xi. 25, 26, 'He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.' Overlook all things that are between you and glory. It is a sweet close when the body and soul do part from one another in this manner; when you can commend your spirits to God, and send the body to the grave to rest in hope; when the body and soul are parting, that God and the soul may meet; when conscience is a compurgator, and can say, I bear them witness that body and soul have spent their time together in the world well, in loving thee, and obeying thee. When body and soul thus take their leave one of another, it is a blessed parting; as on the contrary it is a very sad parting, when conscience falleth a-raving, and the body and soul curse each other; when the body complains of the soul as an ill guide, and the soul of the body as an unready instrument, and you curse the day of their first union. Oh, that I had been stifled in the womb, and never seen the light?
[4] Meditate on the happiness into which you are entering. Stephen's eyes were opened - 'And he looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, Acts vii. 55, 'Whether in vision, or by ecstasy and the elevation of faith I dispute not, I only urge it for this, it is a good meditation, when at the point of death to think of God and of the glory of his presence, and of Jesus Christ in heaven at his right hand ready to receive you. Your thoughts should be now taken up about the glorious things of another world, think no more of heaven as at a distance but as one going to take possession of it, the angels are really to conduct you to Christ, and Christ to present you to God, as a proof of the virtue of his death: Jude 24, 'Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding great joy.' Death is ready to untie the soul from its chains, and to let it forth into liberty and glory; look upon yourselves as ready to pass into the throng of spirits, to see Christ and all his blessed angels, and your everlasting companions. You are going to better company, to better employment, to a better place, where is your God, your head, the Lord Christ ready to receive you when you come thither. This is the time we longed for, looked for, prayed for; now we are going to our preferment, and enter upon those glorious things that are represented to us in the gospel; these things should take up your thoughts. It is not so with the wicked; how horrid are the thoughts of death to him: he is going to suffer and feel that which he would never believe before; death cometh to him as God's executioner, to rend the unwilling soul from the embraces of the body; he sees an handwriting against him, great bills of uncancelled sins awakening and amazing the conscience, and breaking all his hope in pieces. How is the man perplexed; what between the memory of past sins and the fear of future pains, the sense of an angry God and the presence of devils ready to carry him to accursed and damned spirits, and he has no comforter, no advocate to plead for him.
[5.] Commend your faith to others, this is to die in faith. This is the last time that you can do anything for God in the world, and therefore this you should do, commend the faithfulness and goodness of God, what a good master you have found him to be: John iii. 33, 'He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true,' Swans, some say, sing before their death; so have God's servants commended their experiences of God's faithfulness to others; as Moses: Deut. xxxii. 4, 'He is a rock, his work is perfect; for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth, and without iniquity, just and right is he so Joshua, chap. xxiii, 14, 'Behold this day I am going the way of all the earth; and ye know in all your hearts, and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things, which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.' He repeats it twice. The words of dying men are of most efficacy and authority, as being spoken out of all their former experience, and with most simplicity, and without self-seeking and sinister ends. Therefore speak a good word of God, let the world know what you have found God to be, I know him for a true God, he is not behind-hand in one word. So Jacob: Gen. xlviii. 15, 16, 'God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life-long unto this day, the angel which redeemed me from all evil.' Carnal men do not honour their principles; they cannot speak of the worth of the world, and of the things they have trusted to; they fail them when they stand in most need of them, and therefore they fall a-complaining of the world, how it hath abused and deceived them. But godly men can speak honourably of the God they have trusted. Stephen told them of his vision, though it increased their rage against him: Acts vii. 56, 'He said, Behold I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God.' He would honour God that owned him, though it made them fall upon him like madmen. Thus you see what the duty of christians is when they come to die, to die in faith and obedience, resigning their souls to God, dismissing their bodies to the grave in hope, meditating on the great things of eternity, honouring their principles, and. speaking for God to others.
Use 2. Can you thus die in faith? It is another thing to do it indeed than what it is to do it in conceit. They that stand on the shore may easily speak to men in a storm, Sail thus and thus; but when the waves beat high, directions are not easily followed. Can you then die in faith? There is the great trial of faith. A christian doth not only make it his care to live in Christ, but to die in Christ: Rev. xiv. 13, 'Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord.' It is a blessed thing 'to sleep in Jesus,' 1 Thes. iv. 14. How is it with you? are you provided for such an hour? There are two expressions I shall take notice of on this occasion; one is, 2 Cor. v. 3, 'If so be that being clothed, we shall not be found naked;' another is, 2 Peter iii 14, ' Give diligence, that you may be found of him in peace.' O christians! it is a sad thing to be found naked; you can never die with comfort, and appear before God with confidence, if' you are not clothed with Christ's righteousness. A wicked man hath no garment to cover him; but for the righteous God puts one grace upon another, upon the righteousness of Christ God puts on the sanctification of the Spirit, and upon the sanctification of the Spirit he puts on the robes of glory. And it is a sad thing to die and not to be at peace with God, when death surpriseth us with our weapons of defiance in our hands. When a town is taken by storm, if there be pity shown to children and aged persons, yet they die without mercy that are taken with weapons in their hands; so when death comes and surprises us in our rebellion and war against him, the end will be full of horror. The scripture speaks of the wicked man, Jer. xvii. 11, 'At his end he shall be a fool.' A wicked man was ever a fool, because he neglects the best things for vile and contemptible pleasures but at his latter end he shall be a fool; viz., in the conviction of his own conscience. A wicked man never comes to himself till he comes to die, and then his own heart will call him fool. O fool that thou wast, to neglect thy salvation, and run after trifles of no use and profit.
Obj. 1. But you will say many carnal men die quietly.
Ans. So much the worse, some die of a lethargy, as well as of a burning fever; as they live in carnal confidence, so they may die in carnal confidence, and this is a sad judgment; when their hearts like Nabal's are like a stone, it is an argument of the greater hardness and sottishness, they have not that calm and quiet that ariseth from an interest in Christ.
Obj. 2 Many good men may die with great conflicts, and to beholders have little expression of comfort and feeling of God's love.
Ans. Gods children may have their conflicts, they may fear death, they are not as stones, their strength is not as brass, nor their sinews iron. Grace itself as well as nature requireth that we should be sensible of Gods hand. Nature recoileth at what is destructive. Adam in innocency would have been affected if his body had been wronged, nay, and bodies of the best temper and complexion are most sensible because they enjoy life at a higher and more valuable rate than others do. This is better than to die stupid, Christ himself had his agonies. Nay, many times corruption may interpose, and the best men, because of the remainders of sin in them, may have their agonies. God will show himself a free Spirit, not to come in at our hours; God will crown some in the very field and middle of the combat. But there is a great deal of difference between these conflicts that are in the godly and the horrors of the wicked: there is a mixture of faith pleading and disputing for God, and these conflicts arise, not out of a legal fear only, but from the height of hatred and displeasure against sin. Faith is usually discovered in the most glorious way at the last; if it be not glorified in triumphing, it is glorified in dependence, and casting ourselves upon the grace and mercy of God in Christ, notwithstanding all arguments to the contrary. Therefore how do matters stand between God and you? Are you thus fit to die in faith, to resign up your souls to God, and to glorify him in believing?
Use 3. To press you to get and keep faith to the end.
1. Get faith, it is an excellent grace, that standeth by us when all things else leave us. At death all comforts vanish; your wealth that you have gained will stand you in no stead: Job xxvii. 8, 'What is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?' When you look on your bodies, all is wasting: Ps. lxxiii. 26, 'My heart and my flesh faileth;' this face, these arms, as Oblevian said, must now be meat for worms, when you look on your houses and habitations, these dwellings will know me no more; when you look on your children and friends mourning by you, you shall see them no more; but then faith will stand us in stead, it makes us to live with comfort, and to die with comfort. Faith is an excellent grace, that excelleth reason as much as reason excels sense; and what a difference is there between a toad and a man
2. Keep faith to the end: Heb. iv. 1, 'Let us fear lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.' We have more cause to persevere than they, we have clearer promises, a clearer sight of heaven, a clearer knowledge of Christ, greater advantages of grace than ever they had; and if they died in faith, and held out to the end, what a shame is it if we should give over!
Doct. 2. They that would die in faith must live in faith; as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and such as confessed themselves strangers and pilgrims on the earth. Men would die well, however they live. Balaam wished, Num. xxiii. 10, 'Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his.' There is a natural desire of happiness; men would die the death of the righteous though they are loth to live the life of the righteous. The snake, that was full of windings and circlings while it lived, yet when struck with a dagger it stretched itself out right. At oportet sic vixisse. It is not enough when you come to die to say, Oh that I were in such a man's case! We must live in faith if we would die in faith.
Reasons -
1. We had need make trial of that faith we must die by. In bello non licet bis peccare. Have you tried your faith? A man had need have experiences of the strength of his faith, and of the truth of God's word, that the word of the Lord is a tried word. Hath it been thy practice to make trial of promises all the days of thy life, that you may be able to say, I have had experience of God, and he hath never failed me? We try how to swim in shallow brooks before we venture to swim in the deep waters; so before we trust Christ with our eternal state we must try how we can trust him with temporals. There are daily cases wherein we make proof and trial of God: Ps. xxxvii. 5, 'Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass.' See how it succeedeth with you in present things, what establishment of heart you find by trusting in God during life: Prov. xvi. 3, 'Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.' We seek worldly things in good earnest, therefore we are troubled about them, and find it a great difficulty to rest on God for present supplies. There is some general inclination after happiness, but that is soon satisfied. How can you trust him with your souls, and with your everlasting concernments, if you cannot trust him for daily bread, and in present dangers? 1 Peter iv. 19, 'Commit the keeping of your souls to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful creator.' It will be hard work when you are put to it unless you are acquainted with God beforehand.
2. Then is a time to use faith, not to get it. It is no time to buy weapons when the battle is begun. The foolish virgins had their oil to buy when the bridegroom was come, Mat. xxv. 10. We must lay up comforts against the hour of death; that is the great day of expense, wherein a man is to throw his last for everlasting life. Therefore did God give us so long a life to prepare for this hour. Now we are to make use of the articles of faith; not to learn to believe them, but to turn all into practice.
3. We need the strongest faith to grapple with our greatest and last enemy. Now faith is a grace that is wrought by degrees to strength and perfection: 1 Thes. iii. 10, 'That I may perfect that which is lacking in your faith; Luke xvii. 5, 'Lord, increase our faith.' Now it is hard to encounter with the worst and last enemy at first. We had need to get promises ready, evidences ready, and experiences ready. Promises ready, upon which we dare venture our souls. Evidences ready: 2 Cor. i. 12, 'Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world;' 2 Tim. iv. 7, 8, 'I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but also unto all them that love his appearing;' Isa. xxxviii. 3, 'Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight.' Experience is ready, that all along you have found him a good God: Ps. xviii. 30, 'As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.' You have found him good to you in pardoning your sins on a penitent confession: 1 John i. 9, 'If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.' In enabling you to duties of holiness: 1 Thes. v. 23, 24, 'And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly: and I pray God, your whole spirit, and soul, and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you. who also will do it.' In bearing you through all your sufferings: 2 Thes. iii. 3, 'And the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.' You have found him a good God in all your cares, troubles, and sorrows; and will he fail you at last? There is nothing more easy than a slight inconsiderate trust; but you must make a business of believing; it is not a slight 'God have mercy upon us' that will serve the turn. Do you think to please the flesh, and hunt after the world as long as you can, and that Christ will take care of your souls? Do you think it is sufficient to say over a few devout words at last, as if you could do the work of an age in a breath?
Use 1. Reproof.
1. It reproves those that live as if they should never die, and then they die as if they should never live; they fill up the measure of their sins, and so do but provide matter for despair, and horror, and agonies on their deathbeds; for at their latter end they shall taste the fruit of their own doings. There is not such a quick passage as the world imagines - a caeno ad caelum, from Delilah's lap to Abraham's bosom; there must be a sitting and preparing time to get up the heart to heaven.
2. It reproves such as please themselves with the hopes of a deathbed repentance. It is very hazardous whether we shall then have grace to repent; for it is just with God - ut qui vivens oblitus est Dei, moriens obliviscatur, he that hath forgotten God all his life, that he should not he remembered by God when he comes to die. It is very unseasonable, for then we need cordials, not work. Is it a time to have our oil to buy when we should use it? And it is suspicious. The scripture containeth an history of near about four thousand years, and there is but one instance of it - viz., of the good thief upon the cross, and there are special reasons for that. It was the first-fruits of Christ's merits, when the great oblation was actually made; the taste and handsel of his drawing power. John xii. 22; as princes will do extraordinary acts of grace on the day of their coronation. Never was such a season: Christ was now actually redeeming the world by his death, and he owneth Christ in the day of his highest abasement, when all others scorned him.
Use 2. Exhortation; it presseth us to live by faith. If you would have faith ready to die by, you must have faith ready to live by; otherwise, you will be either as a stone, or under horror, or at least in the dark - doubtful and anxious, and will not know what will become of you.
1. Disarm death beforehand by plucking out its sting, seeking reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ. The great business you have to do upon earth is to make and keep peace with God. Seek reconciliation with God through the merits of Jesus Christ, and keep up your friendship with him by following the guidance of the Spirit, and then you will pluck out the sting of death; otherwise sin will stare you in the face, and then death will be terrible.
2. Get your title to eternal life evidenced by holiness. Your right and title to eternal life is founded on the merits of Christ, who paid a price, and therefore heaven is called 'the purchased possession,' Eph. i. 14; but your evidence that you have to show for your interest in it is holiness - that is the first-fruits; and when we come to die, we come to have our fill. God qualifies all those whom he appoints to happiness, and prepares them for it; no unclean thing shall enter into heaven; swine, that wallow in the puddle and mire of the world, who would have profit and pleasure rather than grace, are not fit for this happiness. Your end should be to be safe in another world, to enjoy everlasting communion with God; and therefore the evidence of this is the weaning of your heart from the world, and getting it up to heaven, and making holiness the great business of your lives. This is your evidence, though the title comes by Christ.
Hebrews
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