Death—the Greatest Trial of Trust

The greatest trial of trust is in our last encounter with death, where we will find not only a deprivation of all comforts in this life, but a confluence of all ill at once. But we must know that God will be the God of his own unto death, and not only unto death, but in death. We may trust God the Father with our bodies and souls which he has created; and God the Son with the bodies and souls which he has redeemed; and the Holy Spirit with those bodies and souls that he has sanctified. We are not disquieted when we take off our clothes and go to bed, because we trust God's providence to raise us up again. Why should we be disquieted when we take off our bodies and sleep our last sleep, considering we are more sure to rise out of our graves than out of our beds? We are raised up already in Christ our Head, ‘who is the resurrection and the life’ (John 11:25), in whom we may triumph over death. Death is the death of itself, and not of us.
In regard of our state after death, a Christian need not be disquieted, for the angels are ready to do their office in carrying his soul to paradise, to those ‘mansions prepared for him' (John 14:2). His Saviour will be his judge, and the Head will not condemn the members; then he is to receive the fruit and end of his faith, the reward of his hope. How strong are the helps we possess that uphold our faith in those great things! Does he not keep our place for us? Is not our flesh there in him and his Spirit below with us? Have we not some first-fruits and earnest of it beforehand? Whatever we experience in this world that comes between us and heaven, such as desertions, inward conflicts, outward troubles, and death at last; are not all of these making us fit for a better condition hereafter, and by faith to stir up a strong desire for it? 'Comfort one another with these things' (1 Thess. 4:18).

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Richard Sibbes 'Refreshment for the Soul.'
The Soul's Conflict with Itself, Works, vol. 1, pp. 241-42
Banner of Truth has granted permission for the use of this material.