0A.04. Chapter III.

Chapter III. How the death of Christ frees us from the tormenting fear of death. By dying, Jesus paid our ransom to the injured justice of God, and deprives Satan of the legal power he had over us.

Christ’s death is our redemption from the curse of death.

Christ’s death makes death a blessed advantage to believers. The happiness obtained by death unfolded.

Christ’s death frees the saints from afflicting evils, and sin the cause of them. The highest positive good obtained by death.

Consider that sin, Satan, and death are enemies in combination against man in his mortal state. Consider also, that the destructive power of Satan and death, is from sin. When man renounced his Creator and natural Lord, he was judicially given up to Satan as the executioner of vengeance, and to the power of death. Such is the order, rather the confusion in the world by sin. The empire of Satan and death is built on the ruins of our innocence—namely, sin.

Now the Son of God came from his throne in Heaven to deliver us; and whereas there are two ways of obtaining freedom from captivity, either by ransom, or by power and rescue, in both respects our deliverance from bondage to these capital enemies, is ascribed to the death of Christ.

It is called our ransom, and that in its strict notion has a respect to captivity, "There is one God, and one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all." 1Ti 2:6. His life was the full price of our liberty and salvation.

God does not pardon sin and release from punishment, by a pure absolute act of his will and authority, as a creditor forgives a debtor; but in such a way as to preserve the rights of justice inviolate. Therefore when man was devoted to death, our Redeemer exchanged conditions with him, and offered "up his precious blood," 1Pe 1:18, as our ransom to God, in the quality of the king and judge of all. Such was the dignity of his person, that the entire world, the heavens and the earth, with all their inhabitants, are of less value to him, than the basest dross compared to refined gold. Such was the greatness of his sufferings, in which the highest degree of obedience, and the lowest degree of humility were conspicuous, as to be a valuable compensation, to obtain "eternal redemption for us."

Now when God the Supreme Judge is satisfied, Satan forfeits the right he had to torment us, and is divested of his dominion over our wills; which though justly permitted, was a usurpation upon God’s right in man that can never be extinguished. It is said by the apostle, that our Savior "blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross. He abolished the use of the ceremonial law, that was an evidence and inditement of their guilt who performed it, and the curse of the moral law; it follows, "and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it." Our Savior died victoriously; the tree of infamy on which he suffered, was the trophy of his conquest. His death disarmed Satan of his weapons, whereby he subdued us; sin, the law, and death; for though his actual triumph was in his resurrection and ascension to glory—yet it is justly ascribed to his death; for that meritoriously opened the grave at his resurrection, and Heaven at his ascension.

It is most worthy of observation, that our deliverance from our spiritual and most deadly enemies is equally righteous, as admirable and glorious; for our suffering Savior appeased the wrath of God, and broke the powers of darkness. "The wisdom and love of God had their designs in his death, as well as the malice and rage of Satan; as lines, that are opposite in the circumference, meet in the center." And as from the tyranny of Satan—so the death of our Redeemer is our redemption from death, as to the curse and final dominion of it; nay, has made it a blessed advantage to us.

1. The curse is removed. Death considered as the wages of sin, is all sting and poison, the consequent of the spiritual death, and the introduction to eternal death. "The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law." Death has its wounding power from sin, and sin from the law—that forbids it, that reveals its nature, and enhances the measure of its guilt, and denounces condemnation for it.

Now our Savior having in our stead subjected himself to death, the penalty of the law for sin, "There is therefore now no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us." Death inflicted on the saints, has not that relation to the guilt of sin, as to be properly satisfaction to revenging justice. There are no petty payments to be made by our sufferings, after Jesus’ complete satisfaction to God. "The Lord laid on him the iniquities of us all."

Death is indeed still a declaration of God’s holy displeasure against sin, for that originally opened the way of its coming into the world; and sometimes by the immaturity or manner of it, it is a chastisement upon good men for sin; that is, to make them renew their repentance, and mortify their carnal affections which fasten them to the world. For though after the last act of expiration there is no place for repentance; yet in the approaches of death, the soul is strongly excited by the call of God to review its state, and make solemn preparations to "be found of him in peace." But it is not in a strict sense the malediction and vengeance of the law executed upon them. The serpent is turned into a rod of correction in the hands of our heavenly Father for their good. As the apostle, speaking of some that for their profaning the Lord’s table, were fallen asleep, adds, "that when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world." 1Co 10:33. "A believer shall not be hurt by the second death." From hence it is, that in the book of life, the Scriptures, the death of the saints is called a sleep. Saint Paul argues, "If we believed that Jesus died and rose again; even so those who sleep in Jesus, will God bring with him." 1Th 4:14. It is observable how the apostle varies the expression, "Jesus died, and the saints sleep in him:" for he sustained death with all its terrors, that it might be a calm sleep to his people. They enjoy as perfect a rest in the beds of dust, as ever in the softest down.

Stephen in the midst of a shower of stones fell asleep. Believers die in peace. "The righteous is taken from the evil to come; he enters into peace." Isa 57:1-2. Being reconciled to God through the blood of Christ, they are not terrified at his call, but with sweet tranquility resign their souls unto him. "Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, for my eyes have seen your salvation."

There is a vast difference in God’s account, between the death of the righteous and the death of the wicked. As the tabernacle in the wilderness was taken down with care upon their change of station, and delivered to the Levites’ charge, in order to the raising of it again with honor; but the house incurably infected with the leprosy, was plucked down with violence, and thrown into an unclean place with execration; thus "the death of the saints is precious in the sight of the Lord," their bodies are kept in the bosom of the earth, to be raised in glory; and the death of the wicked is accursed. In short, as the wood that Moses cast into the waters of Marah, by a miraculous virtue sweetened them; so the cross of Christ has taken away the malignity and bitterness of death.

2. Death is a blessed advantage, and enriching gain to a believer; it brings him to the possession of that good that incomparably exceeds the evil that remains in it. For the death of a saint is not total; but as in the ceremony of purification from leprosy, one bird was killed, and the other let fly in the open air, the mysterious shadow of the lepers being restored to a state of liberty; thus "when the body dies and returns to the earth, the spirit returns to God, the Father of spirits, and fountain of life." Our Savior told the Jews, "I am the living bread that came down from Heaven; if any man eats of this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh, that I will give for the life of the world." John 6:48. The heavenly divine life, that is communicated by the Spirit of Christ to believers, remains entire when the sensitive life is lost. The natural order is, "There is a time to be born, and a time to die;" the supernatural is, there is a time to die, and a time to be born. The death of a saint is a new birth; the pains of the dying body are as throws, whereby the ripened soul is delivered into the "land of the living." The happiness of a saint after death, more particularly will appear by considering:

3. The freedom he obtains from all afflicting evils that are numberless here, and from sin the worst in its nature, and the cause of all the rest. The present world is a labyrinth of thorns, in every state we meet with something to vex us. You may as well count the waves of the sea when enraged by a tempest, as the troubles to which in this mortal open state we are exposed. "Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble." Job 14:1. A short life, and many miseries. O our unhappy condition! the body is liable to as many diseases, as there are members; and the soul to as many perplexities as passions.

How often are the scenes and habits changed in the time of one man? He who lives in pleasures, must act the mourner’s part. "Our sweetest comforts have hidden stings," and whatever is most pleasing, may occasion bitter grief. And usually holy men have a greater portion of afflictions here; sometimes by the malignity and violence of the wicked; as under the law, the lamb and the dove were sacrifices, the emblems of innocence, and purity, and meekness—while the vulture and the lion, the greedy devourers escaped. The apostle declares of the elect, "They are predestined to be conformed to the image of God’s Son," who traced out the way to Heaven in his own blood, and by the cross ascended to the throne.

Sometimes more immediately divine providence afflicts them to preserve their spirits from the tainted pleasures of the world, and for other holy ends; but there is a rest for the people of God in Heaven.

Besides, there are relics of sin in the best of the saints here. Indeed sin is deposed from sovereignty and rule; the imperious lusts are crucified, but not quite expired. As those that were nailed to the cross in their hands and feet, the parts least vital and most sensible, died a painful and lingering death. "Still the flesh lusts against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh." As there is a complexion of humours in human bodies, always jarring when they are in the soundest health; and where there is not this active contrariety, either the body is without a soul, a mere carcass, or a glorified body in Heaven. Just so, where there is not this internal combat between grace and sin, either the man is wholly carnal, "dead in sins and trespasses"—or wholly spiritual, reigning in Heaven. There is nothing which more works on the tender affections of a saint, than to find in himself what is displeasing to God; that still he is under a sad necessity of sinning.

What is said concerning an old man wasted and decayed in his drooping years, that "the grasshopper is a burden to him," is true of the new man in a Christian: the sins that are counted light in the valuation of the world, are a heavy weight to him. Vain thoughts, idle words, sinful passions, unprofitable actions—are all causes of heart-breaking sorrow.

Death is to a believer a universal remedy against all the evils of this life. Death frees him . . . from all temporal injuries and sufferings, from sin and all its ramifications, from all inclinations and temptations to sin.

He who is dead, ceases from sin. Death is but the passage from this wilderness world to the true heavenly Canaan—to the rest above which flows with better milk and honey, with innocence and happiness forever. There is nothing can disturb the peace, or corrupt the purity of the blessed dead who die in the Lord.

4. Besides the privative advantage, the freedom from all the effects of God’s displeasure, and the resentments of it—there is the highest positive good obtained by death, "The spirits of just men are made perfect in Heaven." The soul is the glory of man, and grace is the glory of the soul, and both are then in their exaltation. All the faculties of the soul are raised to the highest degrees of natural and divine perfection. In this life grace renews the faculties, but does not elevate them to their highest pitch; it does not make a weak mind strong, nor a frail memory full, nor a slow tongue eloquent—but sanctifies them just as they are. But when the soul is released from this dark body of earth, the understanding is clear and quick, the memory firm, the will and affections ardent and vigorous. And they are enriched with divine light and love, and power, that makes them fit for the most noble and heavenly operations. The lineaments of God’s image on the soul are first drawn here, but then it receives finishing touches. All the celestial colors are added, to give the utmost life and luster to it. Here we are advancing, but by death we arrive at perfection.

We shall in Heaven be joined to the assembly of saints and angels, our best friends. Love is the law of that kingdom, and perfectly obeyed there.

Now how charming is the conversation of one that is wise and holy, especially if the sweetness of affability be in his temper? How pleasantly does time slide away in the company of our beloved friends? We are not sensible of its flight. But what dear satisfaction is it to be united to that chosen consecrated society above, "who love one another as themselves?" Though the angels and saints have different degrees of glory—yet every one is perfectly happy and pleased. As the strings of an instrument differ in the size and sound; some are sharp and high, some grave and deep, others a mean; and from that variety results the harmony of music, so that if every string had judgment and election, it would choose to be what it is; so from the different degrees of glory in Heaven, the most admirable and equal order of the divine wisdom appears, that satisfies every one.

We shall be in the glorious presence of God and Christ, "where is fullness of joy, and infinite pleasures forever." It is said of Abraham, "he rejoiced to see the day of Christ," two thousand years before his coming. When by faith he saw the incarnation of the Son of God, in order to the redemption of men, it put him into an ecstasy. Yet then our Savior was born to sorrows and miseries. But how ravishing is the sight of our Redeemer, "set down on the right hand of the majesty on high, having purged our sins by himself," and accomplished our salvation? Now we are "absent from God," yet in believing his infallible promise, we "rejoice with a joy unspeakable and full of glory"—but how much more joyful is the fruition of them? Here the divine goodness is derived to us through secondary means, that weaken its efficacy; but in Heaven the consolations of the Creator are most purely dispensed, and his immediate excellencies are made known. This blessedness exceeds all our thoughts and explicit desires, and requires the eloquence and experience of an angel to set it forth. The bright sum of it is this: we shall see God in his glory, "face to face," in the most perfect manner; the sight of his glory shall transform us into his likeness, "we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." This shall produce in us the most pure and ardent love; and love shall be attended with inexpressible joy, and that with the highest praises of the blessed God, whose presence is the Heaven of heavens. And that which crowns all, is that the life above is eternal. This satisfies all our desires, and excludes all our fears; for unchangeableness is an inseparable attribute of perfect felicity. The blessed are in full communion with God, the fountain of life, and Christ the Prince of life. "Because I live," says our Savior, "you shall live also." What can interrupt, much less put an end to the happiness of the saints? The love of God is immutably fixed upon them, and their love upon him. Here their love is subject to decays and gradual alienations; as the needle in the compass, though it always has a tendency to the north pole—yet sometimes it declines and has its variations. But in Heaven the love of the saints is directly and constantly set upon God. The light of his countenance governs all their affections. It is as impossible to divert their desires from him, as to cause one that is inflamed with thirst, to leave a clear flowing spring for a filthy puddle. In short, Heaven is filled with eternal hallelujahs; for there is no appearance of sin, no shadow of death there; all miseries are vanished, and all that is desirable is possessed by the saints; the circle of their employment is to enjoy and praise the divine goodness forever.

Now is not the blessed exchange a Christian makes of the present life for that which is infinitely better, sufficient to make death not fearful, nay desirable to him? The regular well-grounded hope of this will compose the thoughts in the nearest approach and apprehension of death; no other principles or resolutions are able to vanquish the terrors of our last enemy. And this happiness was purchased for us by the everlasting treasure of our Savior’s blood. The satisfaction of his sufferings was meritorious, as the merit of his active obedience was satisfying.