286 SERMONS uroN HEBREWS XI. [Ser. XLY.
fool, this night thy soul shall be reqirired of thee ! ' They do not com- mend 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 aversa- tion from death, which is natural to every living thing, yet when they see the will of God, they hold out no longer, but overcome themselves and yield. Deatli is a sweet dismission of their soul, and a resigna- tion of it into the hands of God. Kesigti 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 liailed before the judge, the body sent to the grave, and the soul to hell. There is a great deal of difference between death and deatli. Death hath many considerations ; as Christ endured it, so it was a ransom ; as wicked men suffer it, so it is vrages ; 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 yom- company, and therefore he sends for you. In what soft terms doth the scripture express the death of the saints; it is a dis- solution, 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. Ivii. 2, ' He shall enter into peace, they shall rest in their beds ; ' it is a hastening to the great assembly that is above. Siich soft terms the scripture usetli concerning the deatli 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, 0 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 tiiou 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 Eedeemer 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
VeR. 13 ] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. 287
gathered together again ; this body must be eaten by worms, but the morsels of worms shall be parcels of the resurrection. Death is con- quered 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 !