And therefore this is in us all, brethren; it is our first desire, which we have upon a prospect that we cannot continue here, " to be clothed upon;" and, as the apostle says, "that mortality may be swallowed up of life,"— that the body and soul together may go into immorta- lity and glory. But this is not God's way; this is that he will bring us to, — that we be ready and willing to part with these bodies of ours, notwithstanding this union, or we cannot die cheerfully and com- fortably.
THE CHRISTIAN'S WORK OF DYING DAILY. 349
Upon what grounds, then, can a man he ready and willing to lay down his tabernacle in the dust?
I shall fix upon two reasons, both given us by the same apostle: —
(1.) The first is that which he gives us, Phil. i. 23, " Having a de- sire to depart, and to be with Christ." '^.iri&vpiuv s;/w, " I have a strong bent and inclination of spirit," The word is that which in Scripture is used for "lust" and "concupiscence;" that is, always working- with strong bent and inclination. " It is not a desire that sometimes befalls me, now and then, when in trouble, sickness, or pain; but I have an habitual, constant inclination." Unto what? 'AvaXvsai, " to depart," to leave this body. "It is usually translated in the passive; "I have a desire to be dissolved." But the plain meaning of the word is this, " I do desire that the contexture of my nature may be reduced unto its distinct principles, — may be analyzed." Now, analysis is the reducing of a speech from the present contexture into its proper, distinct principles. Then, here lies the difficulty. I told you the soul hath an aversation to this dissolution ; and yet the apostle saith, " I have a continual, strong inclination to it." To what? Pray observe it, — " To be with Christ." I have no inclination to be dissolved as the end, but only as the means for another end, that without it I cannot be with Christ. There is my end. And so far with respect unto that end, that which is in itself no object of incli- nation becomes an object of desire. Brethren, I know no man dies willingly, — no man living can have an habitual inclination to close cheerfully with this dissolution, — but by looking upon it as a means to come to the enjoyment of Christ. I tell you, your bodies are better to you than all the world, than all your goods, or any thing else; but Christ is better to the soul than any thing : and therefore, unless it be for the enjoyment of Christ, let men pretend what they will, there is no man willing to part with the body, — to be dissolved. Grow in that desire of coming to Christ, and you will conquer the umvilling- ness of death.
(2.) The second reason is given us, Rom. viii. 10, " The body is dead because of sin ; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness." The body is not only doomed to death by reason of original sin, as death entered upon all on that account ; but the body must be brought to death, that sin may be rooted out of it. Sin hath taken such a close, inseparable habitation in the body, that nothing but the death of the body can make a separation. The body must be dead because of sin. Saith the sincere soul, " God knows that I have a thousand times attempted a thorough and absolute mortification of every sin, and God hath helped me to endeavour that it should abide no more in me. I have sometimes thought myself near an attainment, but I have found a disappointment ; and I am perfectly satisfied in it, that
350 the christian's work of dying daily.
as long a,s I have this body I shall never be without sin: it must be dead by reason of sin, or the fibres and roots of it will never be plucked up, — the nature of it can never be extinguished, — it can never be sepa- rated utterly from it." Here lies the great mystery of the grave under the covenant of grace, and by virtue of the death of Christ. What is it? worms and corruption? No; it is God's fining-pot, his way to purify: and there is no other way to make an eternal separa- tion between sin and the body but by consuming of it in the grave. A secret virtue shall issue out from the death of Christ unto the body of a believer laid in the grave, that shall eternally purify it, at its resurrection, from every thing of sin. I will not say what apprehen- sions some have had concerning the state of souls upon the consump- tion of the body in the grave; because I will speak nothing unto you that is questionable.
This, then, is the second reason, — that all other attempts to eradi- cate sin have failed, and not had their issue ; they have brought me to be ashamed of myself, in the frowardness, darkness, and unbelief of my nature ; I will therefore be willing to part with my body. Such a one, then, will say, " This is that which God calls me unto. Go, then, thou poor, mortal, sinful flesh, ' Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return/ I give thee up unto the doom of the Holy One, whose mouth hath spoken it, that thou must return to the dust. And there he will refine thee, and purify thee ; [so] that notwithstanding this de- parture, ' my glory shall rejoice,' and thou, ' my flesh, shalt rest in hope;' for the time will come when 'he will have a desire to the work of his hands;' and ' will call, and thou shalt answer him' out of the dust;" — as Job xiv. 15, "Be not afraid to enter into darkness: as there is no sting in death, so there is no darkness in the grave, whither thou art going. It is but lying so long in the hands of the great Re- finer, who will purge, purify, and restore thee. Therefore, lie down in the dust in peace."1