ONE peculiar excellency of the gospel revelation is, that it opens a glorious prospect beyond the grave, where nature can see nothing but darkness. In those gloomy regions where the light of nature (that is cried up by many) can see nothing but perpetual night, the gospel opens a morning which shall never have an evening.

Many of the heathen had some confused notions of the future existence of the soul, but they never dreampt of the resurrection of the body: Hence when the Apostle Paul was at Athens, that noted seat of learning in the heathen world, though the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers could hear him upon other points, yet when he came to the doctrine of the resurrection, they mocked at it, as a matter too absurd to deserve a hearing. Such a miserable guide is fleshly wisdom! And since many [Page 4] of the Thessalonians had been lately turned from those dark ways, the Apostle takes care, among other important articles, to instruct them in this great point, that they might not sorrow for their Christian friends, as others which have no hope. No hope of ever seeing or enjoying them again, as if they were lost in the grave. He does not forbid all sorrow; no, it is given as a mark of an aban­doned people, when the righteous were taken away, and no man laid it to heart. Isa. lvii. 1. Jesus him­self wept over his friend Lazarus, yet an immoderate sorrow is to be guarded against; for if we believe that Jesus died, and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus, will God bring with him.

The particular occasion of my reading these words to you at this time, is the tidings I have just re­ceived of the death of my dear godly mother ^*, though they afford many important instructions which deserve the constant notice of every soul. They may naturally lead us to consider what it is to be in Jesus; that death is but a sleep to such, and that God will wake them up, and bring them with him in the great day.

1. What is it to be in Jesus? For if we are not first in him, we cannot sleep in him. Answer, 1. It is by faith to take him as our refuge from all evil. In our fallen state we like the slayer are exposed to the avenger's stroke continually, from which no natural nor Christian friends can secure us; our houses are no defence, neither are the strongest holds that nature or art can afford: No­thing [Page 5] but the refuge which God has provided can secure us. The city of refuge was an eminent type of our glorious Saviour, who by his obedience and satisfaction has brought in an everlasting righteous­ness, which is unto all, and upon all them that believe; which secures them from the dreadful sentence of the law: For there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus; yea his own mouth has declared, that they shall not come into condemnation, but are passed from death unto life. Rom. iii. 22. and viii. 1. John v. 24. Souls will not fly to this refuge till they see their dan­ger; hence appears the necessity of the law, as a school-master to bring us to Christ. When Israel heard its thunderings from Mount Sinai, they saw that they should die if they had not one to stand between God and them; and when any soul effec­tually hears the law, it is alarmed to fly for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us. Heb. vi. 18. A view of which hope will make the soul gladly quit all its own stuff, that it may win Christ, and be found in him. Phil. iii. 8, 9. Who is also a re­fuge from every enemy.

The strong man armed would fain drag us to ruin, but Jesus has conquered him, and taken away all his armour, so that he can't hurt any saint. Indeed the serpent will shew his venom at their heel; but the God of peace shall bruise him under their feet shortly. Rom. xvi. 20. Persecutors often take crafty counsel against them, but 'tis in vain, for they are hidden ones: Their life is hid with Christ in God. Psa. lxxxiii. 3. Col. iii. 3. Believers are in the midst of a world of troubles, yet God is their refuge and strength, and such a present help therein, [Page 6] that he makes all to work together for their good. He is a wall of sire round about them, and the glory in the midst of them: Which leads me to observe,

2. That to be in Jesus is to have a living union with him, as the branch hath with the vine. As natural life is lost when the union between soul and body is dissolved; so our spiritual life was lost by revolting from God, and is recovered only by reconciliation and union with him. By the divine spirit the soul is cut off from nature's stock, and grafted into Christ, the true vine, where­by they have such a vital union with him as to re­ceive strength and nourishment from him, to bring forth fruit to the Father's glory; without which union and communion, they wither, and can do nothing. Rom. xi. 24. John xv.—The great Apo­stle of the Gentiles says, ‘I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.’ And again, ‘I also labour, striving according to his working, which work­eth in me mightily.’ Those who thus walk in Christ as they have received him, are truly happy in life, as no others are, and death is far from put­ting a period to their felicity; so far from it, that it puts an end to all their toils and troubles, and brings them to their rest. Hence observe,

2. That death is but a sleep to those who are in Jesus. This metaphor is often used to describe the saints departure. Christ himself said, ‘our friend Lazarus sleepeth.’ The aptness of the similitude may be seen in these particulars:

1. Sleep is peculiarly for the body. While that is asleep, the thoughts often rove far and wide, and sometimes God has appeared to and conversed [Page 7] with the soul while the body slept; so in this case, when the body returns to the earth, the spirit re­turns unto God who gave it. Eccl. xii. 7. Some have advanced a conceit of the soul's sleeping with the body till the resurrection, but that is a most stupid notion, contrary to the whole book of God. Our Saviour shewed to the Sadduces, that God's saying I am the God of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob, clearly proved that they then had a living existence, as well as should hereafter have their bo­dies raised. Luke xx. 38. And he said to the pe­nitent thief, ‘to-day shalt thou be with me in Pa­radise.’ Also in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, he is so far from countenancing this no­tion, that he shews how hell-flames will wake up the soul which was stupid before, and give it a keen sense of its own torments, and apprehension of the saints happiness, even while his brethren re­mained in this world, and needed to take warning of their danger.

2. Sleep is for the night, after the season for la­bour is closed. This life is often compared to a day, in which important labour and business is to be done, and it discovers great stupidity not to at­tend thereto in its season. Hence that sharp re­primand, "why stand ye here all the day idle?" Matt. xx. 6. Jesus spake and acted as a pattern for his people, when he said, ‘I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day; the night cometh, wherein no man can work.’ Tho' we have not the same works in many respects to do that he had, yet each one has a work assigned him, by him who sent us into the world, and whatsoever our hand findeth to do, we ought to do with our [Page 8] might, since there is no device, work or knowledge in the grave, whither we are going.

3. The sleep of a labouring man is sweet. It is emphatically so with those who have laboured for God, and have spent their time and strength in his service. It is said of David, that, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, he fell asleep. And he says or himself, ‘thou art my hope, O Lord God; thou art my trust from my youth; I will hope continually, and will praise thee more and more. I will go in the strength of the Lord God: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only. O God, thou hast taught me from my youth; and hi­therto I have declared thy wondrous works: Now also when I am old and grey-headed, O God, forsake me not, until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.’ Psa. lxxi. 5, 14, 16—18. Thus he ascribes all the honour to God in the fullest manner, while he enjoys great comfort in his own soul, on a review of the part he had been enabled to act in life, and with a prospect of the glorious morning when he shall be "brought up again from the depths of the earth." Verse 20. A like view made Paul say, ‘I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my de­parture is at hand.’ 2 Tim. iv. 6—8.

I am far from thinking that rich grace may not now as well as formerly be displayed, if God will, at the last hour, to such as have spent their life in sin, so as to give a joyful prospect of glory; yet for souls to neglect the great salvation, with a no­tion of obtaining such mercy hereafter, is an evil [Page 9] which we have as great warnings against, as any one that is mentioned in [...] How full to this pur­pose is Prov. i. 22 to the end, and v. 11—14? O what distress can be like mourning at the last, with this keen reflection, ‘how have I hated instruction and my heart despised reproof!’ Hence we have that call often inculcated, ‘to-day if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.’ On the other hand, Peter enforceth his exhortation to the saints, to give all diligence to add to their faith virtue, &c. by this motive, that so an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting king­dom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And he thought it meet, as long as he was in this taberna­cle, to stir them up, by putting them always in re­membrance of these things. 2 Peter, i. 5—13. Again,

4. Sleep gives relief from the toils and troubles of the day; so those who die in the Lord, from hence­forth rest from their labours. Rev. xiv. 13. Indeed here the antetype goes far beyond the type, for com­mon labourers have only a short respite, and then return to their task again; but those who sleep in Je­sus, from henceforth rest for ever from their labours, yea, and from every thing disagreeable; for they go where the wicked cease from troubling, and where the weary are at rest. Yet 'tis far from the sluggard's paradise, for while the Prophet shews, that, in opposition to all unhappiness, the righteous are taken away from the evil to come, and enter into peace and rest in their beds, he shews at the same time, that in distinction from all stupidity, each one is walking in his uprightness. Isa. lvii. 2. The soul is joining with angels, and the spirits of just [Page 10] men made perfect, while the body sleeps in the dust. And,

5. Sleep is but for a night, to wake in the morn­ing with fresh vigour: So shall it truly be with the saints. Though in this world they are often neglected or abused by such as trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; yet Death shall feed upon them, and the upright shall have dominion over them, in the morning. Psa. xlix. 14. O glorious morning! Then will the righteous be satisfied, when they awake in the divine likeness. Psa. xvii. 15. Which leads us to consider,

3. That God will wake up those who sleep in Jesus, and bring them with him in the great day. This is the certain consequence of Christ's death and resurrection, which is the foundation of all our hopes. The resurrection is not a doctrine of natu­ral, but of revealed religion, and is built upon God's promise through his Son, who therefore re­solved the error of those who formerly denied this doctrine into two points; their not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. Matt. xxii. 29. Not knowing the scriptures, which reveal it, nor the power of God, which will perform it. And those who deny the resurrection of the body in our day, err in the same points; but let infidels set up reason against revelation ever so much, and say, ‘how can this flesh, which moulders in the dust, or is scattered in the air or water, ever be raised again?’ Yet if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. He that gives up this doctrine forfeits the name of a Christian, for if the [Page 11] dead rise not, then is not Christ raised; and if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. ‘But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept.’ 1 Cor. xv. 16, 17, 20. And as surely as he arose and ascended to heaven, so surely will he come again with power and great glory, and will speak with such authority, that all who are in their graves shall hear his voice, and come forth. John v. 28, 29. That morning will be as joyful to the righteous, as it will terrible to the wicked.

But how will the saints then appear? Our ideas thereof are very imperfect. The beloved disciple says, it doth not appear what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him. Well that is enough for the heaven-born soul, whose language is, ‘then shall I be satisfied, when I awake in thy likeness!’ Yet the Apostle Paul has given some lively descriptions of this affair, in 1. Cor. xv. 42—44. Alluding to the quickning of seed that is sown, he says, ‘it is sown in corrup­tion, it is raised in incorruption; it is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a na­tural body, it is raised a spiritual body.’ 'Tis the same body, though gloriously changed; therefore he adds, that ‘this corruptible must put on incor­ruption, and this mortal must put on immortali­ty.’ And elsewhere he tells us, that the Saviour shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body. Phil. iii. 21. Then shall the saints be satisfied with likeness to him, both in body and soul, and he will bring them with him: None will be left behind, but all shall be caught up [Page 12] together in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and shall be openly acquitted and blessed by the great Judge; and to crown the whole, shall be EVER WITH THE LORD.

These things may teach us,

1. The importance of looking each one to his own case: Are we in Jesus or not? No question can be of greater weight to us, therefore my friends pass it not over slightly. Have you been made to know the dreadfulness of being without Christ, without God in the world? And have you been driven out of every other refuge, so as to take sanctuary in Christ alone? One peculiar excellency of the knowledge of him is, that it transforms the soul into his likeness: Hence John gives this as the reason why the saints know that when he shall appear they shall be like him, namely because they shall see him as he is. i. John, 3.2. The views they have of him now, through a glass darkly, cause a self-loathing for their former actings against him, and a longing after conformity to him in heart and life: Hence they justly conclude, that when their views of him come to be perfect, their likeness will be so also; and this is the mark they steer for, and the prize they press after: Therefore the apo­stle asserts in the next words, that, every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself even as HE is pure. Have we truly this hope or not?

2. This doctrine may afford much support and encouragement to the faithful, in all their labours and sorrows here. These are but for a day, which is swiftly passing, and though ye may bear the bur­then and heat of it, yet the shadows of the evening draw on apace, when you shall rest from your la­bours, [Page 13] and reap the happy fruits of them for ever. James's exhortation is full to this purpose: Having spoken of the suffering which the just are exposed to in this world, he turns to them and says, be pa­tient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord: Behold the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruits of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and the latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts; for the coming of the Lord draw­eth nigh. Jam. v. 7, 8. Doth the husbandman pursue his labours, and patiently go through the toils of summer with the hope of a future harvest, and shall not the believer shew equal diligence and constancy in his father's vineyard? Did I say equal? Yea much greater; for the one labours for the meat that perisheth, while the other's labours are for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of Man shall give unto them. John 6.27. The husbandman has no certain security but that all his labours may prove fruitless; but the exhortation to the saints to be stedfast and unmove­able, always abounding in the work of the Lord, is enforced with this motive, that ye know your la­bour is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Cor. xv. 58.

3. What reproof may these things administer, to those who are wasting the hours of life in idle­ness or mischief, instead of regarding the great things which concern their peace? Many behave as if they had nothing to do but to live at ease, and gratify the flesh upon the fruits of others labours: But this is as contrary to the end of our being, as death is to life; for those who live in pleasure, are dead while they live. They invert the true order of things, and sleep away the day, till ere they are [Page 14] aware the night cometh, when no man can work. And alas! how doleful will that night be to them! An eternal night, without the least rest! They had been dreaming of many years of ease and merriment, till they slipt into destruction as in a moment, and are utterly consumed with terrors. Psa. lxxiii. 18, 19. Once they had no ears to hear the cries of the poor or of the oppressed, but now they will find that those cries have entered into the ears of the Lord of hosts, who will avenge their cause. Then those who have laid up treasure for themselves, and have not been rich towards God, will find that the good creatures which they have abused shall be witness against them, and shall eat their flesh as it were fire. Luke xii. 21. Jam. v. Ah woful case! Now therefore awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee life.

Perhaps some may think they are not wasting the day in idleness, because they are busily engaged; but what is it about? Why they are careful and troubled about many things, and yet neglect the one thing needful. Jesus says, seek FIRST the king­dom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. And what a wretched plea would it be before his bar, for the soul to say, ‘I had so many concerns of my own, that I had no time to attend to the one thing needful!’ A man of great note in the world, once cried out on the views of eternity, ‘alas! I have spent all my life in laboriously doing nothing!’

Once more,

4. These great truths may afford much support under the loss of Christian friends. Did I say loss? Must I not retract the expression? For we are not [Page 15] wont to call our weary friends lost, when they are got to rest in a quiet sleep; and none sleep so quiet­ly as those who sleep in Jesus. They are beyond all danger of having their repose disturbed for ever. They have done their work, and are receiving their reward; have fought the good fight, and are shout­ing the glorious victory; and shall we begrudge them their happiness! Rather let us congratulate their safe arrival to the realms of peace. Yet what will become of us who are left behind? The righ­teous are taken away from the evil to come. The same day that righteous Lot went out of Sodom, fire and brimstone destroyed them all; and the pro­phet says, except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom. Sure­ly then 'tis a loud call to us when any of this rem­nant are taken away; and he is a stupid creature who does not lay it to heart. But what shall we lay to heart?

1. We should lay to heart the evil of sin. Had we never known sin, we should not have known death. Sin is the cruel murderer that destroys fa­milies and nations, and lays our dearest friends in the dust; and can we mourn their departure, and yet harbour the murderer! Can we take this viper into our bosoms! All our sorrows in life, and all the terrors of death, are but so many discoveries of what this monster has done; and still we see but a little part of his mischiefs. Look to Calvery, and behold the Prince of life in the agonies of death; a scene which made the sun hide its face, the earth to quake, and the rocks to rend asunder; and shall not this rend our rocky hearts! For he endur­ed all this because he was made sin for us.

[Page 16]2. Let us lay to heart that time is short. Our fa­thers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live for ever? How many are already gone? We find they are daily going, and every one must draw after them, as there are innumerable before them. We are all but transient persons here, and are hasten­ing to another world, as fast as time can carry us; O therefore let us use the world as not abusing of it, for the fashion thereof passeth away.

3. Let us lay to heart the vast importance of being always ready. The shortness of time, the un­certainty of life, the terrors of death, with many other considerations, loudly inculcate this lesson; but nothing can enforce it more than the glorious blessings which are to be enjoyed therein. What blessings does our Lord pronounce on those who are found watching? And James says, behold we count them happy which endure. Them who have endured the rage of earth and hell, and have end­ed their race with peace or with triumph, we count them happy: Well, says he, my brethren, take them for an example of suffering affliction and of patience. Jam. v. 10, 11. Balaam wished to die the death of the righteous, but his desires were vain, while he still loved the wages of unrighteous­ness. True desires to die their death, will engage us to live their life.

These things deserve the constant regard of eve­ry one, and they call for our special and particular notice, who have been lately bereaved of a godly relative. Paul speaks of some who were in Christ before him: And I have abundant reason to think that my dear Mother was in Christ before I was born; and when he granted a glorious visitation of [Page 17] his spiritual presence to this land, in the year 1741, is was as welcome and joyful a season to her as his personal coming was to Elizabeth of old. O how freely did she speak of the wonders of re­deeming grace, to her children and others round! And I believe very few have lived with more con­stant devotedness to God than she has done ever since. Many may doubtless be apt to attribute this to the power of natural affection; and I am not insensible that the dead are often extalled extra­vagantly; but shall others lies make us afraid to speak the truth, and cause us to cover with obscu­rity those whom God says shall be in everlasting re­membrance? Psa. cxii. 6. Yet I am not going to advance any encomiums of my own, only shall beg leave presently to annex a few of her own testimo­nies to vital religion, which I trust will justify what I have now said. In the mean time, my brethren, may all your prayers be unto God for us who are bereaved, that we may rightly improve this provi­dence; that we may neither despise his chastnings, nor faint under his rebukes.

The stroke is aggravated by our distance, which prevented our knowing any thing of Death's ap­proach till she is gone. O affecting thought! Gone so that we shall see her face no more; no more en­joy her delightful and instructive conversation. But stay; is she gone from our world of sin and snares? gone from our grovelling converse, to join the general assembly above, and can we wish her back again!

Yet surely we have cause to be humbled under [Page 18] God's mighty hand, which has given this stroke; and oh that the bitterness of this stroke might im­bitter sin to our souls! May it bring eternal things in nearer view, and rouze us all from our stupidity, so that we may no more be slothful, but followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promises.