Observe, it is sin that is the sting of death; and Christ, by his death, has removed this sting away in behalf of all that believe in him; as the sacrifices bore the sins of Israel, and bore them away, so Christ by his death “hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.” “He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” He bore the wrath due to our sin. The shaft of vengeance spent itself in his heart! Hence death becomes a sleep, sleeping in Jesus—a putting off this tabernacle—a departure. Hence Christians have met death with pleasure, though in himself the king of terrors. Death was originally under the power of Satan; but Christ by death has destroyed that power of Satan over death, and death now becomes Christ’s servant and theirs: “Death is yours.”

2. As our deliverance from the sting of death is through Christ’s death, so our deliverance from the terror of judgment will be owing to Christ’s standing our friend in that day. The terror of judgment is condemnation for sin, but Christ will be our Advocate. Observe, (1.) He came before to bear sin, but now without sin. (2.) He comes to salvation; to save our bodies from the grave, and body and soul from condemnation; to give the final blow. “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect?” (3.) This is to them, and them only, that look for him,—that love his appearing, 2 Pet. 3:12; 2 Tim. 4:8.

As to the deceased, we most of us knew little or nothing of him. I only knew that he was not destitute of an expectation of being “for ever with the Lord,” and I hope that expectation was not in vain. And you, my friend, who are now deprived of your only remaining relative, you are left, it is true, in a world of temptation and affliction; yet you have, I trust, a Friend and a Brother who yet liveth, and one who is said to have loved his own that were in the world, and to love them to the end.

A word to the congregation. You have got to die, and it is a very serious matter whether this sentence be executed upon you in its terror: it must—it will—if out of Christ. Death will then have its sting, and Christ will come to your confusion.

To the church. We are about to commemorate his death. He hath wrought so great a deliverance—hath borne our sins. Look for him. Be disengaged. Have your work forward. “The Lord is at hand.”

Excerpt from: “Christ Our Substitute in Death and Judgement,” Sermon LX, in Sermons and Sketches.

Fuller, A. G. (1988). The Complete Works of Andrew Fuller: Memoirs, Sermons, Etc. (J. Belcher, Ed.; Vol. 1, pp. 476–477). Sprinkle Publications.