The Blessedness of Those Who Die in the Lord

Ezekiel Hopkins, 1633-1690

Revelation 14:13, "Then I heard a voice from Heaven saying to me, "Write: 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.' " "Yes," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them."

NATURE has impressed on us such horrid and dreadful notions of Death, and represented its visage so wan and ghastly, that, though nothing is more certain than that we must all die, yet nothing is more difficult than to persuade men to die willingly.

The philosophers have ransacked the whole magazine of reason; and have put into our hands all the weapons, which may help to embolden us to encounter this King of Terrors: yet, by their great preparations, instead of diminishing its dread, they have made it appear more fearful. And, indeed, whatever specious arguments reason can produce, they are rather for pomp than for use: there is not anything in the sage philosophers for the "Contempt of Death," which they offer to the world, but, if rationally examined, will prove no solid ground of peace in a dying hour: all, that is inculcated by them, is either concerning the necessity of dying; or, freedom by it from the care and trouble of this life; or, lastly, the hope of a future reward. Now what is it to tell us, that death is the common lot of all; and that every compounded being has those fatal principles in it, which will certainly work its dissolution; and therefore it becomes the reason and spirits of men, to entertain the fate under which they fall, with a constancy unmoveable? Alas! what comfort is this, seeing the inevitableness is a thing which renders it so terrible! whereas that freedom, which it gives us from the cares and troubles of this life, is but like the change of a fever into a lethargy, that brings such a gloomy quietness, wherein, as there is no sense of torment, neither is there of ease. Indeed, what they speak of a future reward is dry, or mean and sordid, in comparison of that solid joy, which God has promised to us in his word: yet could reason alone make our right to it certain and evident, it would be a strong support against the fear of death, and a sovereign antidote against its envenomed sting: but reason has prepared places of punishment, as well as bliss: and, besides, the consciences of all men have discovered to them that guilt, of which their reason can never discover an expiation; and so, instead of arming them against the fear of death, reason redoubles its terrors, by proving us transgressors of the Law of Nature.

You see, then, that the best support, which reason can give, is not death-proof. The last encounter, that all must maintain against that last enemy, is too rough and boisterous for such arguments as these to make good. If men's consolations are no better, it will fare with them as with cunning fencers in a confused battle, which will soon put by all their artificial designs.

Indeed, that, which can make men meet death with undaunted boldness, must be something below reason; rashness, or human boldness: and something above reason; as divine grace and revelation.

Therefore our blessed Apostle, seeing the calamities, persecutions, and martyrdoms which befell the Church; that, as it was planted by the blood of Christ, so it was to be increased by the blood of his own members; that he might encourage them with unshaken resolution to encounter with their many deaths, he fetches not his arguments from the faint and gloomy discourses of reason, but from the infallible testimony of Divine Revelation: I heard a voice from Heaven, saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord. But, lest this should be challenged by all, and so made a blessing as universal as their mortality, the Apostle enters a caveat against the most part of the world, and limits this blessing to them that die in the Lord: that is, either to those who die for the Lord, (and so the phrase may import suffering martyrdom for the name and profession of Christ) and wade through their own blood to that Heaven which the Lord has opened to them by his; or else they, who die in the true faith of Christ, united to him as members of his body-mystical.

And, indeed, if we consider the terrors of a natural death, but much more the terrors of martyrdom, it is no more than needful, to have the blessing spoken of under such a doleful state, confirmed to us by the testimony of a heavenly voice. Think of the severe preparations of dying and languishing diseases; the reflect tossings, fire in the spirits, incessant groans, and the echoing back again from weeping friends; the quivering limbs, distorted eyes, fallen jaws; the agonies of the soul, and the working of itself from the earth oppressing of it, and darting itself from under the body by which it is fastened to the earth: think what it is, after so many disorders of the soul engaging themselves, being taken from its dearest companion; the earthly part left by death as a spectacle to its dearest relations, and to be by them delivered up as a prey to the stink of worms and rottenness. Would any one believe, that such a state as this is to be blessed, without a voice from Heaven assuring of it? Those, whom God highly honors, every limb of whose body is a scene of a tragedy, upon whom the enraged persecutors have made an experiment of their wit in new-found cruelties, when it lay all mangled and weltering in its own gore, under the most exquisite torments that men could entail; would you think them in a blessed condition? Why, as their sufferings were beyond what human nature could bear; so also was their support from those strong consolations of God, (let down into their souls, whereby they tired out their tormentors, despising death, not accepting of deliverance, through the assurance of a heavenly revelation) beyond the apprehensions of human reason.

I. This BLESSING of theirs is branched out in Two particulars:

Rest from their labors.

Their Works do follow them.

i. To begin with the first, their REST FROM THEIR LABORS.

1. They rest from the Turmoils and Vexations of this Life.

This life is nothing but a huddle of business, a swarm of employments; having more of the sting than the honey in it. If we be rich in the world, this makes us spread wider, and stand the fairer mark for trouble. If we are in a degree in the world, that only satisfies our interest, and gives every cross and affliction an advantage to wound us in many concernments: if we are mean and low, as it exposes us to the contempt and injury of others, so it engages us to rescue ourselves from their pressures and power; and, by our sweat and pains, we lose the comforts of life, only to gain the conveniences of it. Even those petty inconsiderable enjoyments, which are but for the bare sustentation of life, cause such care and trouble, such aching hearts and weary heads, that they turn our bread into stones, and our fish into scorpions. If we have much business in the world, our calling becomes a temptation and a burden to us: if we have none, we become burdens to ourselves and others. God has written vexation upon every condition: if Providence create not trouble for us, our own folly will. We all, like spiders, spend our time and care to weave a web out of our own affections: and we spend more to get a prey, than that prey, when taken, will again repay us. If any flaw be in our designs, if any cross that intervenes does break them, then they become vexation and a discontent unto us. Thus has man made himself a drudge to that, over which God has made him a lord. The sweat of Adam's brow streams along with us, and the curse with it; and, though we toil in the world, yet it brings forth nothing but thorns and briars, which pierce us through with many sorrows: but death will shortly lay us to bed in our graves, where, as Job speaks, the weary are at rest: Job 3:17 and all our cares, sorrows, and troubles will vanish as soon as our heads touch that pillow. There is no work, no device … in the grave, where you are going: that is a deep repose and sweet retirement, where we shall have none of the afflictions nor troubles of this life to interrupt us. And the soul, being regardless of the poor concernments here in its passage to Heaven, shakes off from its wings that mire and dirt with which it was clogged here, in conversing with earthly things; and associates itself with a whole ring of Angels, Patriarchs, Saints, and the spirits of just men made perfect, and there keeps an eternal festival.

2. They rest from all the Sorrows and Sufferings of this Life.

What is our life, but a bubble? our sighs are the air, and our tears the water, that make it. The first possession, which we take of the world, is by crying; and there is nothing, which we hold by a surer tenure, than our grief. Tears are the inheritance of our eyes: either our sufferings or our sins call for them: and nothing can dry them up, but the dust of the grave. Sometimes we lose our dear friends and relations: the tribute, which we owe to their memories, must be paid down by tears. Sometimes, their ungodly practices torment us; when, by their debaucheries, they hasten their own interest in our hopes. Sometimes, compassion to other men's sufferings calls for our sorrow; as if we had not grief enough in our own affections, but we must call for foreign supports to augment them. Our many diseases waste us, and our grinding pains break us; and indeed they were more intolerable, but that they hasten on that death, which will put a period to all our miseries: we shall not then concern ourselves in our groans for the loss of our dear friends, nor for the evil courses or calamities of others: it concerns us nothing then, what stinking breath blasts our good name, nor what unworthy foot treads upon our grave: here, a little pain molests us; there, whole limbs sometimes fall down and crumble into do, without disturbing that quiet rest, which buries all the sorrows of this life in a profound oblivion; and our souls shall ascend to that place of perfect joy, where neither sorrow nor suffering dared yet appear.

3. They shall rest from the Labors, which a Corrupt and Sinful Heart puts them to.

And this is that, which indeed makes it such a blessed rest, where our corruptions shall, at once, cease to act and cease to be. The only thing, which makes God's commands and services so difficult and grievous, is the remainder of sin which still cleaves to us; which both deadens our hearts to what is good, and makes us averse to it. But death will shortly give us rest from these.

(1) We shall rest from all the labors, which we take with a heavy and dull heart, in the ways of God.

We stand in need now of much quickening grace, to act and excite these lumps of lead that lie in our breasts: we are continually tugging at them, to get them a little further, and to raise them up a little higher towards Heaven: and it is the great disquietment of our lives, that we find these hearts of ours so heartless and listless to what is holy and spiritual. But it will not be long, before we shall rest from this labor. We are now like birds of heavy bodies, which are too weighty for their wings; which, when they would be soaring toward Heaven, can but run fluttering up and down upon the surface of the earth. Yet these earthly clogs shall shortly drop off: we shall be all wing-free from that dullness, distraction, and weariness, which now afflict us: when our affections shall be always intent, and not languishing; always burning, and not wasting; and every motion of our souls shall shoot themselves to God, as quick as lightning, and yet as constant as the sun-beams. You, who are outstript by the weakest Christian here, shall there be able to keep pace with the angels themselves.

(2) We shall rest from the labors, which we take with an averse and opposite heart.

There is that reluctancy in the carnal part to what is holy and spiritual, that we cannot bring ourselves to the performance of duty without much grief and conflict; the flesh lusting against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh: and, when God calls for spiritual thoughts and holy affections, the corruption of our fleshly hearts sends up noisome vapors, which corrupt and infect the good we do. This is that, which makes the work toilsome. But it shall not be long, before that, which hinders, shall be removed: and, though we are now under a sad necessity of sinning, then we shall be under a blessed necessity of serving God; and shall find no more trouble therein, than we do in those actions, which we cannot but do. This is that rest, which we shall shortly enjoy from the turmoils and vexations of this life; a rest from the sorrows and sufferings of this life; a rest from the labors that a corrupt heart puts us to.

ii. Now, that this rest might not seem only to be a mere negative thing, a mere dedolency and freedom from pain and labor, such as a mere beast enjoys, and far from being that consummated blessing which those that die in the Lord enjoy, my text subjoins, THEIR WORKS SHALL FOLLOW THEM.

Now, this may be understood

1. Of the Works themselves.

They follow them to Heaven, and are there performed by them in glory: the same works end in earth, and enter into Heaven with them. As they were performed here weakly and imperfectly, so there they shall be performed with a most absolute perfection. Therefore, whatever has been spoken of this rest, it must not be understood as if the glorified saints and angels were inactive; and enjoyed in Heaven only a long vacation; and lay down to rest upon sweet flowery banks in pleasant shadowy groves; and, without fear and care, laughed away an eternity: no, no; their rest is operative: they are continually blessing and praising God; and ascribing honor and glory to him, that sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb forever and ever; continually beholding and admiring God; rejoicing in him, and in one another's mutual happiness. This is that work of Heaven, which shall never grow toilsome nor grievous to them.

2. Their works shall follow them; that is, the Reward of their works.

This is so great, that neither eye has seen, nor ear has heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man to conceive, what the Lord has prepared for those that love him. If Paul were now to preach to you; and to encourage you against the fear of death, from the consideration of that infinite glory and reward which are laid up for you after death; possibly you would expect that he, who had suffered a translation, should at his return make some relation of it, discovering to you what the riches and glory of that place was: and yet, when he purposely relates this his voyage in the other world, he tells us no more than this, that he was caught up into paradise, and that he heard works unutterable, which it is not lawful for a man to utter: 2 Corinthians 12:4, to the 11th verse. It is so great, that it cannot be fully known until it be fully enjoyed. The Scripture seems to labor for expressions to set forth the greatness of it; it is called a remaining rest, inaccessible light, fresh and overflowing pleasures, an incorruptible inheritance, a kingdom that cannot be shaken. To speak thus, in general, of that heavenly glory, would be more accommodated to the greatness of the subject: but yet it would be more encouragement and satisfaction to treat of it, in particular, so far as our conceptions will reach to it.

Now this unspeakable happiness does chiefly consist in these things.

(1) In the immediate Vision and Fruition of God, the soul's chief and most satisfying good.

God is now to us the spring-head of our mercies and comforts; but we lie below at the fall of the spring, and draw refreshments from him only through the conduit-pipes of providences and ordinances, and live upon second-hand enjoyments: but, in Heaven, we shall lie close to the fountain itself; and shall drink in divine communications, as they flow immediately from God, without having them deadened and flattened in the conveyance. Now, we behold God through a glass darkly: in Heaven, we shall see him face to face, and know him as we are known. And, if it causes now such raptures of joy in us, when God sometimes darts in but half a glance of his eye upon the soul; oh then within what bounds can our joy contain itself, when we shall constantly fix our eyes upon him, and steadfastly behold his face! that face, from which the most glorious angels, as conscious of their own unworthiness to behold it, do cover and veil their own. Now, when God gives us some glorious discoveries of himself, we are ready to faint and melt down under them: certainly, in Heaven, when we shall lie under the glorious rays of the Deity, beating so fully upon us; it is so great, that there were no living there, did not the same God strengthen as well as fill our capacities. This is that beatifical vision, that Heaven of heavens, that glory, in the sight of which the angels are satisfied; wherein God shall bestow upon us a clearer eye than that of faith, and be always present with us in a nearer way than that of comfort.

(2) The happiness of Heaven consists in the Society, which the saints converse with forever.

And they are holy angels, and the spirits of just men made perfect. Here on earth, the angels are given for our guardians; in Heaven, for our companions: and, though we are the adopted, and they the natural children of God's great family; yet shall they rejoice with us, that we, who were strangers, are taken in to be heirs with them of that estate of which their rebellious brethren were disinherited. As for the glorified saints, what numerous troops of Apostles, Prophets, and holy Martyrs shall we converse with! and possibly we shall know them all by name. The disciples, at the transfiguration of Christ, knew Moses and Elijah: and, possibly, it was by revelation: and so it may be in Heaven.

(3) The happiness of Heaven consists in the Work, in which we shall be there employed to eternity.

Their works shall follow them; and they shall follow them, as part of their reward. Now, on earth, we look upon the works of holiness as our task and burden: yet, in Heaven, we shall look upon them as our joy. Delight springs only from two things: the one, is the proportionableness of the object to our capacities: the other, is the proportionableness of actions to our faculties. This proportion is the most exact in Heaven: therefore, there, is the chief delight. Now, in Heaven, our capacities shall become heavenly and spiritual; and therefore only spiritual and heavenly objects suit with and delight our faculties: it shall be then as natural to us to do the will of God, as now it is to the most wicked sinner to disobey him. And, indeed, the quality of the work that we shall there do, is such as must needs affect us with infinite delight: here, on earth, God calls a Christian to the severe duties of mortification, self-denial, and taking up the cross; but the works of Heaven are all smooth, consisting only in these two things, love, and expression of love and praise: this is the work of Heaven. Here, an angel sings to a saint; and, there, a saint to an angel: Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever; all joining in one common quire and heavenly echoing, and singing hallelujahs to eternity.

(4) The saints' happiness consists in that additional Glory, which shall forever rest upon their bodies.

And this shall certainly follow them, though God take a day for the payment of it. This is it, which makes them complete: this they shall have also in the Great Day, as a reward of their works. Now, here, though the expectation of this glory be much more comfortable than the inquiry into it can be certain; yet, because divers things are generally granted and piously believed, I shall briefly propound them to you.

The glory of the body in Heaven is held generally to consist in its

Integrity.

Spirituality.

[1] It shall be raised an Entire and Perfect Body.

Every member shall become such, as may be most serviceable to the use of the soul, and as may be most capable of the access of glory: and, though many of them lose their offices, yet still they retain their places. When we shall be discharged from the necessities of life, our members shall be discharged from those troublesome offices: yet shall they not therefore cease to be necessary: though they are discharged of their offices, yet they are reserved for the Judge's sentence. They shall be then free from all the consequences of sin, and from all the forerunners of death to which here we are incident: from all outward decays, aches, weaknesses; from pain and diseases, corruptions and distempers: they are sown in corruption; they are raised in incorruption: they are sown in weakness; but they are raised in power: sown in dishonor; and raised in glory: 1 Corinthians 15 latter end. And, therefore, as Tertullian speaks, "If God should not raise men entire, then he should not raise them up from the dead; for, if any part be not raised, we are as to that part still dead." And therefore God raises them up entirely and fully from those decays, to which we are here subject.

[2] The glory of the body consists chiefly in its Spirituality.

Not that our bodies shall be changed into spiritual substances; but they shall be endowed with spiritual qualities: and they are Three.

1st. The bodies of the saints in Heaven shall shine with a bright and dazzling Light: they shall shine as the brightness of the firmament.… and as the stars, forever and ever: Daniel 12:3.

And this, it is thought, shall proceed from their approximation to God and immediate communion with him: as Moses' face by long conversing with God did so shine, that the Israelites were dazzled so, as they could not behold him. And, partly, this will be from the radiancy of the soul's glory, which, being so great, will then diffuse and spill itself abroad upon the body. A cheerful heart makes a cheerful countenance: and, truly, a glorious soul will put a glory upon the body also; which shall then be made more capable to receive every impression from the soul.

2dly. The body shall be endowed with Impassibility.

Neither subject to decays within, nor injuries without; nor stand in any need of those supports of rest, sleep, and food, whereby they are sustained in life.

3dly. They shall be endowed with wonderful Agility; moving to and fro, as the will commands, without any difficulty or weariness.

Possibly, they shall be able to keep pace with the angels themselves in their motion. And, indeed, this agility is but requisite in so spacious a place as Heaven.

Now if we add to these, the regulation of the affections, and the perfect operation of the senses; the corporal sight of the body of Jesus Christ, which we may bodily approach, and, with Thomas, put our hands into the print of the nails and our fingers into his side; by this we may well conclude, that our souls cannot well conceive what our bodies shall be then.

Thus I have given you, as it were, a Map of the Heavenly Canaan. But, as it is with other maps, so it is here: everything is represented much less, and far short of what it is in reality; but it will be no great mistake when we come to Heaven, if we find things far more and better than they were represented.

II. APPLICATION

USE i. If then they, who die in the Lord, have such an ample reward to follow them, THIS SHOULD FIRST ENGAGE THEM TO A HOLY LIFE.

Think you, that those, who spend their time in lofty vanity and impertinent sinful pleasures in this world, can have any other but a doleful catastrophe? what works have they to follow them, but such as will drag them down to torments? Think you, then, that a parting prayer, a slight "Lord, have mercy!" when you are just going out of the world, will be judged enough to break through the numberless crowd of your sins, and waft your souls over into everlasting blessedness? Believe it, such as has been your first, such shall be your final state. Hazard not, therefore, your precious and immortal souls upon the treacherous resolutions of a sick-bed; and think not that a charitable legacy will compound with God for a sinful life: the way to Heaven will be so obstructed by your former guilt, that these your late good works cannot follow you. Then a man resigns up his soul with confidence into the hands of God, when he can reflect upon a well-spent life, and appeal to God with Hezekiah, Remember, O Lord, how I have walked before you in truth and sincerity, and have done that which is righteous in your sight. All other things will be but miserable comforts in a dying hour; and will then vanish and disappear. The rich man's bags will not follow him to the tribunal, to bribe his impartial judge; nor the honorable man's greatness give him a more favorable audience at the Last Judgment: nor shall the orator's eloquence then follow him, to cover over a bad cause; but he shall certainly miscarry, if he has not made sure of a more powerful Advocate to plead for him. These things will leave the poor soul in its greatest agonies and despair: and then it will appear, that despised holiness and slighted piety will be the only sure companions which will stick to us, even then, when riches, and learning, and all that is idolized by the world, will prove nothing but witnesses of our guilt and condemnation.

USE ii. This may COMFORT US AGAINST THE DEATH OF OUR FRIENDS, WHO, WE KNOW, LIVED PIOUSLY AND RIGHTEOUSLY, desiring to please God in all things, and testifying the truth and soundness of their faith in Christ by their good works.

If such men be not blessed, then God created all mankind to die accursed: but, if they be blessed, and blessed with eternal rest and an inconceivable reward, what mean then these sad hearts and wet eyes? What do these tears evidence, but that you think them miserable, or else yourselves so? for their state is so infinitely glorious, that they are preferred to be kings, and favorites of the King of Kings; where they flow in pleasures and eternal raptures, which they incessantly enjoy: and, had you any interest in their advancement, it would change your affections of grief and sorrow for them into sweet exultation and admiration of their joy and triumph. Think you, after they have tasted of those rivers of pleasure at the right hand of God, that ever they would be content to return to you again? or that God should condemn them to live longer in this world? And when you, in their life-time attested your love to them by the sweet harmony and conspiring of your affections with theirs, mourning when they mourned and rejoicing when they rejoiced; what a solecism of friendship is it for you to weep now, when they sing and shout for joy; and to have your eyes blubbered with tears, when God has wiped away all tears from theirs? Is it your own loss which you lament; because they are taken from you, with whom, nay for whom, you would willingly have died, and given up yourselves to the death? even this is but the effect of self-love, and shows that you are more concerned in your own contentment than in their glory; and, that you might enjoy them yourselves, you would keep them from their near and intimate enjoyment of God. Can you not, for a while, dispense with their absence, for their advantage; and make up the comfort which you want in their presence, by the comfort which you have in the assurance of their happiness? What our Savior says to his disciples, John 14:28 that may I say to you: If you love them, you will rejoice, because they are gone to their Father. And this separation, by this absence of theirs, is but for a short time: do you but tread the paths of their example and follow their track, and, as their works went before them to Heaven, so yours shall follow you; where you shall rest from all your sorrows and troubles; where no affliction nor discontentment shall overcast your perfect joy; where, without fear of another separation, you shall be satisfied in the enjoyment of one another, and all in the enjoyment of God.

III. I have now finished my Text; and I would finish my Discourse too, but that I should much wrong the GENTLEMAN, whose funeral rites we now celebrate, should I let pass in silence those virtues with which God endowed him; and should wrong you too, in withholding so excellent a pattern for your imitation.

Doubtless, his converse among you was with moderation, gravity, and prudence: which were so natural to him in all the passages of his life, that they have imprinted on you so deep characters, as will redeem his name from oblivion, and make it precious to you.

In his younger years, his employment called him beyond the seas; where the blessing of God followed him: where he did not exchange his principles, nor barter away his good education; but returned with his mind untainted to his friends, and improved both to their joy and his own profit.

He reckoned himself but a steward of that estate, which God blessed him with: his spiritual eyes and hands sought out the necessities of others, to relieve them. Those places of trust to which he was called, he managed with singular prudence and fullness.

The Psalmist gives us the character of a good man, Psalm 112:5. He guides his affairs with discretion. Such a discreet man was he; who laid his business in such order and method, that, though his employments were many and weighty, yet they never became cumbersome nor unwieldy.

And as for his Relative Duties, wherein the chief glory of a Christian appears, these he performed with much tenderness; whether as a husband or a father. Indeed, the whole course of his life was tempered with such sweetness, meekness, humility, and courtesy: as being ready to do good to any, having nothing of sour reservedness, but a winningness of disposition, whereby he gained as many friends as necessary employments gained him acquaintance.

His piety towards God, which is the crown of all other excellencies, shone forth with a mutual awe and reverence, which possessed his heart with an affectionate seriousness, becoming that awful sense of God's omniscience and omnipresence, making it his design in all things to please God.

His last sickness he underwent with patience worthy a Christian. By his submission to the hand of God, he evidenced the acknowledgment of his sovereignty, whereby he might do with him what he pleased; and yet trusted in his goodness, whereby he knew he would do with him what was best for him. Desirous he was, if the Lord saw good, to live longer: and he prayed, if possible, that the bitter cup might pass from him: and, indeed, the strongest grace and clearest assurance does not oblige any to extirpate natural desires: Paul himself, who 2 Corinthians 5:4 was caught up into Paradise, and had a full discovery of the heavenly joy, yet was reluctant to be stripped out of the body, though he was sure to be clothed immediately with the robes of life and glory. When his disease and sickness increased upon him, his chief care was, to look, search, and examine his evidences for Heaven, which, after some scrutiny and doubt, it produced: he at last acquired, to his own unspeakable comfort and the satisfaction of his acquaintance, a sedate joy; and then resigned up his spirit into the hands of the Lord, his maker; and now rests from his labors, in that eternal rest, which Christ has promised to such as wait for his appearing.