As,
I. It is worth our while to consider, and in our meditations a little to dwell upon the representation here given
Of the state and condition of the pious dead; of those that die in Christ
As,
1. That they are asleep. It was in common use among the eastern nations, particularly the Hebrews, Chaldeans, and Syrians, when they spoke of their dead, to say, they were asleep. We have many instances of this way of speaking both in the Old and New Testament; frequently we read of such an one, (1 Kings 2:10 and 1:43) as David, Solomon, etc. that he slept with his fathers, and was buried; that is, he died as they did, and was interred among them. This phrase is indeed sometimes promiscuously used of good and bad; as, when it is said,
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt (Daniel 12:2); but most commonly it is applied to good men; Our friend Lazarus, says Christ, sleepeth, but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep (John 11:11); that is, he is dead, and I go to raise him from the dead: So Christ is said to be the first fruits of them that slept (l Corinthians 15:20), not of all mankind, but of them to whom he is an head, who are members of his body, and die in him.
Now, when the dead are said to be asleep, this is not to be understood of their souls, but of their bodies only. Some have given into this stupid and uncomfortable notion, that when the body dies, the soul falls into a deep sleep, and continues in a state of insensibility and inactivity until the resurrection; but the soul being immaterial is incapable of sleep, that only belongs to bodies; and it is easy to observe, that when the body is asleep the soul is awake, as appears from dreams and visions of the night; and when the body lies as it were dead, as in ecstasies and raptures, the soul is active; yea, the soul being freed from the body must be more active in spiritual services, than when in it, that being often an hindrance to it in the present state of things. Besides, when it is separate from the body it is most like to the angels, who rest not day and night, saying Holy, holy, holy Lord God almighty. Add to this, that if the souls of believers after death were to remain in a state of insensibility and inactivity, the case of departed saints would be much worse than that of the living; nor would the apostle Paul have been in a strait between two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, had he known he must have remained in such a state; for it would have been better for him, and for the churches of Christ, to have continued on earth till the resurrection, than for his soul to be sleeping, senseless, and unactive: no, the souls of believers, as soon as separated from their bodies, enter into paradise, return to God, are with Christ in a state of happiness and joy, and are employed in praising the Lord, and singing the Lamb’s new song. Were those passages of scripture which speak of the saints sleeping in death, to be understood of their souls, they would prove more than what is contended for; namely, that their souls die, since by sleep in all such places is meant no other than death. But these are to be understood of their bodies, which only are capable of it. [5335]
Death is signified by sleeping, because there is a great resemblance between them. Sleep is a lively representation of death; an Heathen could take notice of this, and say, “O! foolish man, what is sleep but the image of cold death?” [5336] As in sleep, so in death, there is no exercise of the senses; one fast asleep can neither see, nor hear, nor feel, etc. Death also closes the eyes, stops the ears, deprives the body of feeling, and is an entire cessation of the senses, and all the operations that depend upon them. Hence the wise man gives this advice to such as are in life and health, Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave, whither thou goest (Ecclesiastes 9:10).
In both, persons are at rest; sleep is taken in order for rest, and rest is often taken in sleep. The grave is also a resting-place for the saints; There the wicked cease from troubling, there the weary are at rest (Job 3:17); that is, from the troublings of the wicked, whether wicked men or devils, or a wicked heart: They hear no more the cry of violence, nor feel any more the hand of the oppressor; wherefore Solomon says, I praised the dead, or, as the Chaldee paraphrase renders the phrase, I praised those that lie down to sleep, which are already dead, mere than the living which are yet alive. [5337] Death cures them at once of all the distempers and diseases of their bodies, and sets them free from all their pains and agonies: They that die in the Lord, or sleep in Jesus, rest from their labors and fatigues both of body and mind, and their works do follow them. Moreover, such as are asleep, they do not sleep always, they awake again out of sleep: So they that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake; particularly, those that sleep in Jesus, when he shall call unto them, they shall hear his voice, saying, Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust; they shall then rise immediately with the utmost pleasure, in perfect conformity to the image of Christ; which will be their great satisfaction; as the Psalmist says, As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness (Psalm 17:15).
Again, as the sleep of a laboring man is sweet to him, it refreshes nature, revives his spirits, and restores his strength; he lies down in the evening fatigued and weary, he rises in the morning brisk and cheerful, and fit for business: So the saints at the resurrection will awake out of their sleep to great advantage; the body, which is sown in corruption, will be raised in incorruption; which is sown in dishonor, will be raised in glory; which is sown in weakness, will be raised in power; and, which is sown a natural body, will be raised a spiritual one, and so fit for spiritual employment and service. Add to all this, that both sleep and death are common to all men. Sleep is necessary for man, what he cannot do without, and is a blessing of nature that all more or less enjoy. Death is become necessary for all; the grave is the house appointed for all living. It is the decree of heaven, that man should once die, or pass under a change that is equivalent to death; for though we shall not all sleep, that is, die, yet we shall all be changed: And though death is the wages of sin, and so is a curse of the law entailed upon mankind, yet to them that die in the Lord it is a blessing; the curse is removed from their death, the sting is taken out of it by Christ; so he gives his beloved sleep, in a different manner from the rest of men. For,
2. The pious dead are not only asleep, but asleep in Jesus. Some [5338] join the phrase in or by Jesus with the word bring, and read the sentence thus, them that sleep, by Jesus will God bring with him; intimating, that God will raise up the dead bodies of the saints by Christ, as God-Man and Mediator; for since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead; and that through him he will bring them to eternal glory, and save them by him, the Lord their God, alone; by whom he resolved, determined, and appointed from all eternity, to save them. Others read the words, them that sleep for or through Jesus; [5339] that is, who die for the sake of Christ, and so restrain them to the martyrs of Jesus; who, they suppose, only will have part in the first resurrection, and are the dead in Christ that shall rise first, and whom God will bring along with Jesus at his second coming: But it should be observed, that the apostle in this epistle speaks of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints; [5340] they shall all come with him, not only the martyrs, but all the rest; wherefore I think the words are best rendered, as they are by our translators, them that sleep in Jesus; and it is the apostle’s language elsewhere, then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished (1 Corinthians 15:18), and to be understood of all that die in the Lord, that is, who are interested in him; for we are not to limit such expressions to those who die in faith, in the lively exercise of faith on Christ. Many indeed have died in this comfortable manner, which has made their death easy to themselves, and delightful to their friends. So David died, as his last words testify; Although my house be not so with God, yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure (2 Samuel 23:5).
So good old Simeon died in the arms of Jesus; I was just ready to say, with Jesus in his arms, expressing himself thus; Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation (Luke 2:29, 30).
Thus died the great apostle of the Gentiles, who, as he could say in life, I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded, that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day (2 Timothy 1:12); so when the time of his departure was at hand, with the greatest cheerfulness, and with full assurance of faith declared, saying, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give to me at that day (2 Timothy 4:7, 8).
But this is not always the case of God’s people; some of them are in the dark in their last moments, and go from hence under a cloud, and yet go safe, and may be said to die or sleep in Jesus, interested in him, and in union with him, which this phrase in Jesus is expressive of.
Union to Christ may be considered either as secret or open. God’s elect had a secret union to Christ from all eternity, for they were chosen in him before the foundation of the world; and were as early blessed in him with all spiritua1 blessings; grace was given to them in him before the world began; and on account of this union were preserved in him in time, notwithstanding the fall of Adam; were represented in him, and by him, when he was crucified and slain, when he was buried in the grave and rose again; hence they are said to be raised up together, and made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6).
Now this secret union to Christ becomes open and manifest in conversion; I knew a man in Christ, says the apostle, above fourteen years ago (2 Corinthians 12:2), meaning himself, who was converted so many years before the time of his then writing. In this sense are we to understand those words of the same apostle, where he says, that Andronicus and Junia were in Christ before him (Romans 16:7); which cannot be said of their election in Christ, and federal relation to him, which commenced together. With respect to these things, one person cannot be said to be in Christ before another; but one man may be converted before another, and so appear to be in Christ before the other does, which is what the apostle means. Now this union is not dissolved by death; such as are once in Christ, are always so; they that are m him while living, are in him when they die; and will be found in him in the resurrection-morn, and day of judgment. Those whom Christ betroths to himself, takes into a near conjugal union and relation to himself, he betroths for ever. Love is the bond of this union, and there is nothing either in life or death that can unloose it. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through him that has loved us; for, adds the apostle, I am persuaded, that neither death nor life—shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:35, 39).
The bodies as well as the souls of the saints are united to Christ, and remain in union to him, even when they are asleep or dead; for though death dissolves the union between soul and body, it does not dissolve the union between the body and Christ; our bodies are the members of Christ, and continue to be so in the grave, as elsewhere; hence whilst there, they are at rest, and in the greatest safety, being under the inspection, care, and guardianship of Christ; to whom Jehovah, the Father, has declared it as his will, that of all which he hath given him he should lose nothing, no not any of their dust, but should raise it up again at the last day; and by virtue of this union will the pious dead be raised. Christ is the first-fruits of them, which represents, sanctifies, and ensures the whole lump: Because he lives, who was dead, they who are dead and sleep in him shall live also. This is what the apostle strongly argues in the words of our text, If we believe that Jesus died, and rose again, then we should believe also, that them that sleep in Jesus, God will bring with him; for if the head is risen, the members shall be raised also. But let us proceed,