The inseparable communion of a believer with God in his love being the substance of several sermons preached on Rom. VIII 38, 39 / by ... Mr. Thomas Mallery ...

ROM. 8.38, 39.

—Nor Death, nor Life shall—

THE Apostle having raised his For∣tress, built his Towers, fenced and fortified his faith, in its Commu∣nion with God in love, through the Lord Iesus; and having taken a distinct view of all his enemies, now hangs out a Flag of defrance, throws the Gauntlet, tri∣umphs in the Conflict over all. The first rank of enemies he encounters with, is death and life, which he overcomes by faith.

Doct. A Christian fortified in the love of God through Christ, (or his Communion with God in love) hath full security against all the attempts, whereby death or life may endan∣ger a separation.

I. We shall consider, how far a belie∣ver may be in danger by death and life, as to a separation from God and his love.

First, as to death; it is a dangerous e∣〈◊〉〈◊〉 considered in its abstract na∣ture.

First, death is the punishment Gods Iustice, every way fitted and proporti∣oned to sin: In the day thou eatest, thou 〈◊〉〈◊〉. As sin contains in it all the e∣v••l the creature 〈◊〉〈◊〉 do against God, so death includes in it all the evils, mis∣chiefs, miseries, the wrath of God can bring upon the creature.

Secondly, the Power of Death was committed to the Devil: hence the ge∣nerality of believers under the Old Te∣stament, were all their life kept in bon∣dage through slavish fears, Heb. 2.14.15.

Thirdly, death is a thing can no more have Communion with God then sin can; sin is absolute opposition to Gods 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and purity. Death is absolute opposition to Gods life and being: he is called the living God, who is eternal, un∣changeable, immortal.

Fourthly, death is attended with Hell in its first institution, Rev. 6.8. which is

everlasting separation from God.

By sin the creature separated it self from Go, and its punishment was, to be everlastingly separated from God.

Fifthly, the Saints of God have migh∣tily cried out to God, when they have been in danger to be separated from God by death, Heman, Psal. 88.3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12. David, Psal. 116.3.4 But death can ne∣ver separate a believer from his Com∣munion with God in love, through Christ lesus.

First, the love of God, and the love of Christ never dies; Death could not abolish Christs love to believers, Iohn 13.1. nor can it abolish the love of be∣lievers to Christ, Rev. 12 11. The love of Christ to believers, and their love to him, is strong as death—Cant. 8.6. they never encountred death, but over∣came.

Secondly, Saints have walked in the ••alley of the shadows of death, and have ••ept their Communion with God, and have not heard nor felt any evil, Psal. 3.4.

Thirdly, Christ hath taken the Power of Death out of Satans hand, and taken it into his own hands, and commanded his people to fear not, Rev. 17, 18.

Fourthly, Christ hath executed that revenge threatned, Hos. 13.14. against Death and the Grave, for all the sor∣rows, fears, temptations, cruelties, it hath executed against him and his holy Saints.

Fifthly, Christ hath abolisht death, 2 Tim. 1.10. the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifi••s, to make weak and useless, to take away all the power and strength of a thing▪ death is not now, as it was; its sting is gone; Boys play with a Bee when the sting is out: Nor only so, but Christ ••ath brought in the room of it Life and Immortality; hence that Iohn 11.26. Mat. 22.32.

Sixthly, Saints now die like Christ, though in the Grave, his soul was sepa∣rate from his body, yet neither was se∣parated from the Godhead.

Though death may separate between soul and body in a Saint, it cannot sepa∣rate,

either from Communion with God, Rom. 8.11.

Seventhly, death to Saints strengthens their Communion with God, it separates an holy Saint from a filthy world, a pre∣cious soul from a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 body, precious graces from filthy corruptions, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 preci∣ous Spirit from vile flesh; Death to Saints separates only the precious from the vile, whereby they come into more intimate Communion with God, 2 Cor. 6.17.

Eighthly, it is not to believers, Death and Hell follows it, but Death and Heaven follows it: Death is so far from separating, it carries the soul into the full enjoyment of God.

Secondly, let us consider, how far a Christian may be endangered by life; Here consider four things.

First, the many errors, slips, falls, backslidings, believers are subject to in this life, Psal. 19.12. James 5.19, 20. if any of you erre in judgement or practice.

How much by these things a believer is endangered to a separation from the love of God, and his Communion with God, appears Heb. 3.12. Hebr. 10.38. 2 Pat. 3.17.

Secondly, they are endangered in this life, by the corrupt customes and con∣versations of the ungodly, with whom they converse in the world; how apt Gods people are to this, appears by that exhortation, Rom. 12.2. How much they are endangered thereby. See Psal. 106.36. what great Apostacies false Pro∣fess•••••• have made thereby. See 2 Pet. 2.20.

Thirdly, they are endangered by the profits, pleasures, promises and allure∣ments of the world: By these Demas was brought off from his fellowship in the Gospel, 2 Tim. 4.10. Hence that, 1 Tim 6.10.11.

How much hereby they are endanger∣ed to fall from the love of God, 1 John 2.15.

Fourthly, they are endangered by those many afflictions, temptations re∣proaches,

persecutions that befal them in this life▪ when many afflictions fol∣lowed the believing Hebrews their 〈◊〉〈◊〉 began to saint, their hand•• hang, downs their knees grow seeble, and their 〈◊〉〈◊〉 were in danger of turning 〈◊〉〈◊〉 from the ways of God, Heb. 12.••••, 1••. When Christ spake bus of his own sufferings to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 he startled and said, & Master 〈…〉〈…〉 self; when Christ call'd him to be an eye witness of his sufferings, Peter 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to sleep, he that promised never to for∣sake Christ, to die with him, comes to deny him, had not Christ prayed a••pre∣hand for him, his faith bad utterly ••••••∣ed. Yet none of these things that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a believer in life, shall 〈◊〉〈◊〉 him.

First, not the first, the Office of Christ is to compassionate their 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Heb. 4.15. to present the sacrifice of him∣self for the errors of his people, Heb. 9.7. See E••••k. 24.10. he will succour their tem∣ptations, and heal their backslidings he wil keep them from falling from the love of God, and Communion with God: and present. Jude 24.

Secondly, not the second, for Christ hath prayed, John 17.15, 16. Gal. 1.••. God hath promised to sanctifie them wholly, and he will do it, Thes. 5.23 24. and Christ will do it, 2 Tim. 4.18.

Thirdly, not the third, God out-bids the Promises of the world, 1 Tim. 4.8. when David in a temptation was ready to quit the ways of God, by reason of the many hardships and difficulties, and to fall in with the pleasures, profits and prosperity of the world, God kept him in close Communion, Psal. 73.23, 24.

Fourthly, not the last, because all these afflictions a••e made, ordered and design'd, to work up a believer unto a fitness for everlasting Communion with God in glory, 2 Cor. 4.17. Heb. 12.10. Ho∣liness sits for Communion with God 〈◊〉〈◊〉. The reasons of the point.

Reas. 1. Because that God who hath taken believers into Communion with himself in love, hath a Sovereignty and Authority over death and life, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 things that concern the state of both, Deut. 32.29.

Reas. 2. All believers have Communi∣on with Christ in his life and death, Rom. 5.10. by which death and life, and all things that befal them in life and death are sweetned and sanctified to them.

Thirdly, Iesus Christ is to be magni∣fied in believers, whether it be by life or death, Phil. 1 20.

Fourthly, Life and Death are recon∣ciled to them who are reconciled to God, they are ours as Christ is ours, 1 Cor. 3.12.23

Fifthly, Life and Death to believers, are great advantages in Christ. Phil. 1.21.

Sixthly, a Christians state in life and death, is wholly consecrated to God; ••om 14.7, 8.

1. Use. Let this caution believers con∣cerning Life and Death, both of them naturally afford many advantages to the enemies of your salvation, continually a∣gainst you. In life walk circum••••••••••••, you walk among snares, be thou in the sear of the Lord all the day; be in the faith of the Lord all the day;

be faithful unto death: Wonder not, if you meet with strong Conflicts to the last: Attempts will be made to separate you, if possible, from.

Use 2. Christians, be diligent above all things, like the Apostle, to fortifie your faith in the love of God, which is in, &c. Here is your comfort and secu∣rity, against all the troubles and tempta∣tion▪ in life, and all the fears and ••er∣rours of death: Life and death are at the Command of God for good, and not for evil, to his beloved ones; with him is the fountain of life, to him belongs the issues from death.

Use 3. This should teach us patience under all the afflictions or suff••rings that befal us in life or death.

Many, evils, sorrows, temptations, may sorely afflict the godly in life and death; but here is the consolation, none shall separate him.

The Apostle makes no reckoning of all other troubles, when a Christian re∣mains inviolable in his Communion with God in love.