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 gieat 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 enterii:ig upon the confines of eternity, and are to grapple with our last enemy. What shall we do ? Now faith is of use. Gi-aces that are not of use in another world discover their higliest and most consummate act in this world.
Use 1. Let us provide for this hour, that we may die in f;iith. We know not how near we may be unto death, or whose turn may be next ; there is a providence goeth along with sei-mons, 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 tlie christian iaith, those articles which concern the end and the means. Those that concern the end, as the doctrines of the Avorld 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
\eR. 13.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. 285
God's part or our application. Tlie means tbat concern the inipetra- tion, 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 : Eom. 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 iu Trpcoroc^, 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 trietli 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 Avorthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.'
2. Eeduce 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 : Eom. v. 11, ' And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we liave now received the atonement.' This is fit for a dying man : 1 Cor. XV. 55-57, ' 0 death ! where is thy sting ? 0 grave ! where is thy victory ? The sting of death is sin, and the sti-ength of sin is the law ; but thanks be to God, who giveth ns the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ ; ' so the psalmist, Ps. xxxi. 5, ' Into thy hand I commit my spirit ; thou hast redeemed me, 0 Lord God of truth.' Every one cannot thrust his soul u})on Christ, but only those who ai'e redeemed and reconciled by his blood. Eedemption applied frees us from the power of the devil, and the tyranny of sin.
[2.] Eesign up the soul to God with comfort ; he calls for it, tliere- fore 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. 4G, ' 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 impati- -ency of pain to hasten our end, nor cry out with Elijah in a pet : 1 Kings xix. 4, ' It is enough now, 0 Lord ; take away my life, for I am not better than my fathers.' 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 ihem: Job xxvii. 9, 'What is the hope of the hypocrite, though he ixath gained, when God taketh away his soul ? ' Luke xii. 20, ' Thou