The Cure of the Fear of Death, Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Shewing how vncomely it is to feare death.
FOR the second, how vncomely a thing it is in Christians to feare death, may appeare many waies.
1. By the feare of death wee shame our Religion; while we professe it in our words, wee deny it in our workes: Let Papists tremble at death, who are Fifteeene Reasons why it is an vncomely thing to be afraid to die.taught, that no man ordinarily can be sure he shall go to heauen when he dies. But for vsus; that professe the knowledge of saluation, to be astonished at the passage to it, shews (at least) a great weaknesse of faith, and doth outwardly giuegive occasion of disgrace to our Religion.
2 By that, which went before, we may see how vncomely it is to bee afraid of death: For thereby we disable the death of Christ: wee frustrate the end of Gods workemanship: we stop the execution of the Prophesies: we renounce our first agreement with Christ: wee mocke God in praying that his Kingdome may come: we obscure the euidence of our owne regeneration; and we transgresse against the example of the godly in all ages.
3 Many of the Pagans greatly setled their hearts against the feare of death by this very reason: Because there was no being after death; and therefore they could no more feele misery then, then before they were borne: And shall we Christians, that heare eueryevery day of the glorious saluation we hauehave by Christ, be more fearefull then they were? Let them feare death, that know not a better life.
Shall we be like wicked men? Their death is compelled▪ Shall ours bee so too? They by their good wils, would not lose their bodies in this life, nor hauehave their bodies in the next life: But since God hath made vsus vnlike them in the issues of death; Shal we make our selues like them in the lothnesse to die? Let Foelix tremble at the doctrine of death and iudgement: Act. 24. 25. But let all the godly hold vp their heads, because the day of their redemption draweth nigh, Math. 24, &c.
5. Shall wee bee afraid of a shadow? The separation of the soule from God, that is death, if wee speake exactly: but the separation of the soule from the body, is but the shadow of death. VVhen see wee men trembling for feare of spirituall death? which is called the First Death; and yet this is farre more wofull then that wee call the bodily death. But as if the death of the body were nothing, the Scripture cals Damnation, The second death, neuer putting the other into the number.
6. This feare is called a bondage here in this text: And shall wee voluntarily make our selues Vassailes? Or shall we be like slaues, that dare not come in our Masters sight?
7. If we louelove long life: VVhy are wee not much more in louelove with eternall life, where the duration is longer, and the estate happier? Are not wee extremely infatuated, that when God will do better for vsus, then wee desire, yet we wil be afraid of him?
8. Shall we bee worse then children, or madmen? neither of them feare death; And shall simplicity, or Ideotisme, doe more with them, then reason or Religion can doe with vsus?
9. Do not all that reade the Story of the Israelites (in their passion desiring to be againe in Egypt, and violently murmuring at the promise of going into the Land of Canaan) condemne them of vile ingratitude to God, and folly in respect of themselues? For what was it for them to liue in Egypt, but to serue cruell Taskemasters about bricke and clay? And was not Canaan the place of their rest, and a Land that flowed with milke and hony? Euen such is the condition of all those, that wish Life, and are afraid to Die. What is this world but Egypt, and what is it to Liue in this world, but to serue about bricke and clay? Yea, the Church, that is separate from the world, can finde it no better then a Barren Wildernesse. And what is Heauen, but a Spirituall Canaan? And what can Death be more, then to passe ouer Iordan; and victoriously ouercōming all enemies, to bee possessed of a place of matchlesse rest; of more pleasures then Milk or Hony, can shadow out?
10. Adam might hauehave had more reason to feare Death, that neuer saw a man die an ordinary Death; but for vsus to bee afrighted with Death, that see thousands die at our right hand, and ten thousand at our left, and that daily, is an inexcusable distemper. The gate of Death is cōtinually open, and wee see a prease of people, that daily throng into it.
11. When Moses had cast downe his Rod, it turned into a Serpent; and the Text, noting Moses weaknesse, saith, Hee fled from it: But the Lord commanded him to take it by the Taile; and behold, it became a Rod againe: Euen so Death at the first sight is terrible, like a new-made Serpent, and the godly themselues, through inconsideration, flye from it: But if at Gods commandment, without feare, they would lay hold vponupon this seeming Serpent, it will be turned into a Rod againe; yea, into a golden Scepter in our hands, made much better by the change: Neither do wee reade, that euer at any after, Moses had any feare of this Serpent, when hee had once knowne the experience of it: And hauehave wee often, by the eyes of faith, seene the experience of this great worke of God, and shall we still be running away?
12. It is said, Rom. 8. 20. that all creatures groane, waiting for the liberty of the sonnes of God. And shall wee bee worse then bruite beasts? Doth the whole frame of nature, as it were, call for this time of change; and shall man bee so stupide, or carried with such senselesse feares, as to shunne his owne felicity?
13. Consider whether it bee more commodious for vsus, that Death come to vsus, or that wee goe to Death: For one thing is certaine; It is in vaine to shun that, which cannot bee auoided. For it is appointed vntounto all men once to die, Heb. 9. 24. What man is he, that liueth, and shall not see death? Psal. 89. Death is the way of all flesh, Iosh. 24. Now this being granted, let vsus consider of it, Death is like an armed man, with whom we must once fight. Now if we be aduised & wil go to death, wee may get on our armour beforehand, and so the encounter wil be without danger to vsus, because the weapons of our warfare are mighty through God, & wee are assured of victorie through Iesus Christ. Now on the other side, to tarry till Death come vntounto vsus, is as if a man that knowes he must fight with a sore Aduersary, would through slothfulness, goe vp and downe vnarmed, till hee fall into the hands of his enemy: & must thou fight with him at such disaduantage?
14. It is most vncomly to feare that, which is both common and certaine: death, of all afflictions is most common. For from other afflictions it is possible some might bee free: but from Death can no man be deliuered, and GOD of purpose hath made that most common which is most grieuous, that thereby hee might abate of the vigor, and terror of it. It is monstrous foolishnesse to striue in vaine to auoid that which neuer man could scape. And to teach men their vnauoidable mortalitie, the Lord clothed our first Parents with the skinnes of dead beastes, and feeds vsus with dead flesh: that as often as wee eate of slaine beasts, we might remember our owne end: & shall we be euer learning, and neuer come to the knowledge of this truth? Is this such a lesson as cannot be learned? shall wee bee so stupide, as daily to passe by the graues of the dead, and heare their knells, and yet bee vntaught and vnarmed?
15. Lastly, shall we be afraid of such an enemy as hath been ouercome hand to hand, & beaten by Christ, and thousands of the Saints? especially if we consider the assurance wee hauehave of victory. In this combate eueryevery Christian may triumph before the victory, 1. Cor. 15. 55.
And thus much of the two first points.