What a rare model or platform of consolatory arguments hatli the apostle laid down to antidote our immoderate sorrows, for the death of our dear relatives which died interested in Christ and the covenant ! 1 Thes. iv. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. "I would not have you igno- ^•' rant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep," they are not dead, but asleep. Sleep is but a parenthesis to the labours and tra- vels of this life ; and it is but a partial privation, not of the habit, but acts of reason, to which, upon awaking, the soul returns again. Just such a thing is that which in believers is commonly called death. And we do not use to bewail our friends because they are fallen asleep : and therefore it no way becomes us to sorrow as those that have no hope, nor to look upon them as lost ; for as he strongly argueth and concludeth (ver. 14.) their restoration to their bodies, yea, and to our enjoyment again, is fully secured both to them and us by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. The influence of his resurrection is by the prophet Isaiah compared to the morning- dew, Isa. xxvi. 19. to shew that what virtue there is in the morning- dew, to cause the languishing plants of the earth to revive and flourish, that and much more there is in the resurrection of Christ, to revive and quicken the dead bodies of these saints ; their bodies shall be restored by virtue of the warm animating dew or influence of his resurrection.
Objection. But the marvellous change which the resurrection makes upon glorified bodies, and the long separation of many ages betwixt us and them, seems to make it impossible for us to know them, as those that were once related to us upon earth ; and, if so, then that comfort which resulted from them, as in relation to us, is perished with them at death.
Solution. Whatever change the resurrection shall make on their bodies, and the length of time betwixt our parting with them on earth, and meeting them again in heaven shall be ; neither the one nor the
APPLIED TO AFFLICTED SAIXTS. 107
other seem sufficient to destroy the grounds of our hope, that we shall know them to be the very persons that were once so dear to us upon earth. There may remain some Uneament or property of indivi- duation, whereby the acute glorified eye may possibly discover who they were ; or if not, yet none can doubt but it may be discovered to us by revelation from God ; and that one way or other it will be discovered, is highly probable, because nothing will be denied to that perfect state which may contribute to, or complete the joy and hap- piness thereof, as we cannot but think this knowledge will do. If Adam knew Eve to be flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone, in the state of innocence; and if the apostles knew Moses and Elias upon the mount, yea, if Dives in hell knew Abraham and Lazarus in heaven; sure we may well allow that knowledge to the glorified saints in heaven, which we find in the state of innocence, or in the sinful state on earth, or in the state of the damned in hell.
And if so, then the covenanted parents shall be able to say in that day, this was our child for whom we prayed and travailed again, till Christ was formed in him ; this is he whom we educated for God, and trained up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord : and now we sec the fruit of our prayers, counsels, catechisings ; a child of so many prayers perished not. And the covenanted child shall say, this was my pious Father, who took such care for my soul ; and this my tender mother, who, like another Monica, was zealously con- cerned for my eternal happiness. These are they that sowed so many prayers, which God gave them not time to reap the fruits of on earth, but now they shall reap the fruit and comfort of them for ever. O joyful meeting in the kingdom of God ! The joy of such a meeting abundantly recompenses for all the tears and groans of a dolorous parting.
Now, put all this together, and value the arguments produced to make good the first thing propounded, namely, the sufficiency of the covenant to relieve and remedy all the sorrows and losses of believers, be they never so many, or so great : this cannot be doubted, since it hath been proved, that it disarms all their afflictions of the only sting by which they wound ; alters the very nature and property of their afflictions, turning them from curses into blessings; rariksand disposes them into their proper class and place of service, so as the counsel of n^en and angels could never lay them better to our advantage ; engages the gracious and special presence of God with you in all your troubles; secures all your essential and substantial mercies from all hazards and contingencies ; discovers a consistency, yea, a connection betwixt the rod and the love of God ; and assures you, that whatever temporal mercy you ever enjoyed, in and by virtue of the covenant, shall be re- stored to you again with an admirable improvement, and singular ad- vantage. It is by all this, I say, abundantly proved, that the cove- nant is a sovereign and effectual remedy to all the sorrows of God's
108 T«E BALM OF THE COVENANT
people; and that it was no hyperbole in David's encomium^ when he called it his salvation, and all his desire. Butthen, as I hinted before,
II. It must be able to do these things at all times, and in all ages, or else it will be but a temporary relief to some only and not to all. Now, that the covenant hath this ability in all ages, and is as able to relieve us now, as it was to relieve David in his day fully appears by the epithet given it in the text, it is an EVERLASTING COVE^ NANT. " Yet hath he made with me an everlasting covenant."
Time is the measure of other things ; but everlastingness is the measure of the covenant. When the Lord espouseth a people to himself in covenant, " he betrothes them to himself for ever," Hos. ii. 19. And from that day forward they may say on good grounds, " This God is our God for ever and ever ; he will be our guide '' even unto death," as it is in Psal. xlviii. 14. Nothing in nature is so firmly established as the covenant is. Hills and mountains shall sooner start from their basis and centre, and fly like wandering atoms up and down in the air, than this covenant shall start from its sure and steadfast foundation, Isa. liv. 10.
The causes and reasons of the immutability of the new covenant, 9.re,