SERMON XLI. Death improved to or Advantage, 1 Cos. iii. 22.Whether life or death,all are yours. THE chiefthing which the apostle has in his eye in these verses, is to represent the glory and grandeur, the treasures and posses- sions that every believer is a partaker of by virtue of his interest in Christ : and to shew, that whatsoever persons or affairs a christian has to dowithin the natural, the civil, and the religious life, they shall all turn to his benefit some way or other. All the circumstances that attend himwhile he continues here in 'this world, and even his departure out of it too, shall work for, his good. Death is numbered amonghis possessions as well as life: Death may be terrible to flesh and blood, for it is a curse in its original nature and design, and sinners will find and feelthe curse of it but it is transformed into a blessing to the saints by the abounding grace of the gospel. I confess, it is a christian's own death, that the holy writer, seems chiefly and most particularly to design and intend here And this I shall most largely insist upon. But since death in all itscircumstances and attendants, in all the extent of its dominion andwith all its power, is under the sovereignmanagement of God ourheavenly Father; it is constrained to subserve his 'kind 'and gracious purposes to his own people, in all its forms and appear awes. And I think upon this account, that I shall dot transgress theapostle's great andgeneral design, ifI takethedreadful name of DEATH, in its widest and most formidable extent of power, and With relation to all its victories, and shew hoiv, even in this lar.. gest sense, it is appointed to subserve the glory of God, and the kingdom of Christ, and by the grace of the new covenant, it is rendered useful and beneficial to every true christian ; on this account therefore it may be numbered amongst his possessions. Death is yours. With this view I shall endeavour to run through these five general heads following, and improve each of them, in a few particulars, to the benefit of christians, agreeably to the design of my text.Death is made useful to a saint, whenwe consi der it,
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