Death disarmed of its sting.
A
TRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY
OF THE
Hon. ROGER MINOTT SHERMAN,
BEING THE
DISCOURSE PREACHED AT HIS FUNERAL,
January 2, 1845.
BY
LYMAN H. ATWATER,
PASTOR OF THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH IN FAIRFIELD.
NEW HAVEN:
PRINTED BY B. L. HAMLEN.
———
1845.
DISCOURSE.
1 Corinthians, xv, 55.—O death! where is thy sting? Ograve! where is thy victory?
This triumphant ejaculation, which Christ hath made the property of alldying believers, implies that death may lose its sting and the graveits victory. And whence comes this change in the issue of the conflictwhich man is ever waging with death, and in which death is the naturalconqueror? How shall we account for this transmutation so strange,so wondrous, so heavenly, by which this most resistless, relentless,unsparing conqueror, is itself made to die, is swallowed up in victory,and at the very moment of seeming to crush its victim, translates himto an endless life, gilds him with fadeless glory, transports him withthe fullness of joy evermore, and crowns him with an immortal diadem?
Our answer is found in that record which God hath given of his Son,who hath brought life and immortality to light. "Thanks be to God whogiveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ," who has made thesublime annunciation on which all human hope depends. "I am theresurrection and the life; whoso believeth on me, though he were dead,yet shall he live."
Since then, death, through the wondrous work of Christ, may be disarmedof its sting, and the grave robbed of its victory, let us for a fewmoments consider more precisely[Pg 4] in what way, to what extent, and withrespect to what persons, this comes to pass.
1. In the verse following our text, the Apostle declares, "the stingof death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law." Hence it issomething wholly distinct from the mere physical pangs of expiringnature, or the instinctive dread and abhorrence of its own dissolutionwhich it ever cherishes. This dread of self-annihilation is a propertyof life itself, which is in its very nature a ceaseless effort to be,and to avoid non-existence. Irrespective of sin or holiness, penalty orrewards, whether the death of the body be, or be not regarded as theonly and certain passage to a perfect and blissful state of existence,it is in itself what we instinctively dread and shun. Like pain, weavoid it if possible. We never choose it as in the least desirable forits own sake; although we may cheerfully submit to it as we submit tobitter drugs and burning caustic, because without it, we cannot escapethe pains of earth, or reach the bliss of heaven. In this light theChristian may desire death, because to die is gain, and he desires todepart and be with Christ which is far better: but not because it isin itself lovely, or otherwise than grim, ghastly and terrific. Thisnatural aversion to the physical pangs of death, therefore, is not itssting, since it is a part of our sentient nature, and still cleaves toChristians as to others.
But the sting of death is sin, i. e. the violation of the law of Godand consequent subjection to its tremendous penalties. Thus "the lawis the strength of sin," so far forth as it is a sting. Now d