The Cure of the Fear of Death, Title page – Table of contents
THE CVRE OF THE FEARE OF DEATH.
Shewing the course Christians may take to bee deliuered from these feares about death, which are found in the hearts of the most.
A Treatise of singular vse for all sorts.
By NICHOLAS BIFEILD, Preacher of Gods Word at Isleworth in Middelsex.
HEB. 2. 15.
He died, that hee might deliuer them, who through the feare of death, were all their life time subiect to bondage.
LONDON, Printed by G. P. for Ralph Rounthwaite at the Flower de-Luce and Crowne in Pauls Church-yard. 1618.
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE AND NOBLE LADY THE LADY ANNE HARRINGTON, Grace and comfort from God the Father, and the LORD IESVS CHRIST bee multiplyed.
MADAME,
WHen I had seriously bethought my selfe in what doctrine especially to imply my Ministery, in the place in which the Lord had by so strong and strange a prouidence settled me: Amongst other things I was vehemently inclined to study the Cure of the Feare of Death; both because it may be vsually obserued, that the most men are in bondage by reason of these feares; as also because I am assured, that ourliues wil become more sweet; yea, and more holy too, when the feare of death is remoued: And the rather was I incited hereunto, because I hauehave obserued some defect about this point, in the most that hauehave written about Death. I am not ignorant of the censure, which many may giuegive of this proiect, as accounting it an impossible thing to be effected; but my trust is, that godly and discreet Christians will restraine censure, when they hauehave throughly viewed my reasons.
My vnsaigned desire to do seruice vntounto GODS Church in releeuing such Christians herein, as are not furnished with better helps, hath emboldned me to offer this Treatise also to the publike view: I hauehave presumed in your Honours absence to thrust forth this Treatise vnderunder the protection of your Honours name: and withall I desire heartily to testifie my thankefulnesse for the many fauours shewed vntounto me and mine, while your Honour was pleased to be my Hearer. I should also much reioyce, if my testimony (concerning the singular graces God hath bestowed vponupon you, and the many good works in which you hauehave abounded in the places of your aboad) might adde any thing, either vntounto your Honours praises in the Churches of Christ, or vntounto the establishment of the comfort of your owne heart in God, and his Son Iesus Christ.
I hauehave not made choise of your Honour in this Dedication for any speciall fitnesse in this Treatise; for your Honours condition, in respect of your age, or absence in a place so farre remote. For my earnest trust is, that God will adde yet many yeares to your happy life on earth; and besides I hauehave had heeretofore occasion to know how little you were afraid to die, when the Lord did seeme to summon you by sicknes.
That God, which hath ennobled your heart with heauenly gifts, & so made you an instrument of so much good, and contentment, vntounto that most excellent Princesse, with whom you now liue, and towards whom you hauehave shewed so much faithfull obseruance, and dearenes of affection, and carefulnesse of attendance: Euen the Father of mercy, and God of all consolations, increase in you all spirituall blessings, and multiply the ioy of your heart, and make you still to grow in acceptation, and all well-doing: Humbly crauing pardon for my boldnesse heerein: I commit your Honour to God, and to the word of his Grace, which will build you vp to eternall life: resting
Your Honours in all humble obseruance, N. BIFEILD. Isleworth, Iuly 14. 1618.
The chiefe Contents of this Booke.
THE drift is to shew, how wee may bee freed from the feare of death. Pag. 1. 2.
First, it is proued by eight apparant Argumēts, that it may bee attained to, Page 4. to the 12.
Secondly, it is shewed by fifteene considerations, how shamefull and vncomely a thing it is for a Christian to bee afraid to die, Page 12. to 28.
Thirdly, the way how this feare may bee remoued, is shewed: where may bee noted:
An exhortation to regard the directions. p. 29. 30.
Two waies of Cure: 1. The one by Meditation; 2. The other by practice, p. 31.
The contemplations either serue to make vsus to like death, or else to be lesse in louelove with life. p. 32.
Seuenteene Priuiledges of a Christian in death. pag. 33. to the 52.
The Contemplations that shew vsus the miserie of life, are of two sorts: for either they shew vsus the miseries of the life of nature: or else the miseries that do vnauoidably accompany the very life of grace. p. 53, &c.
The miseries of the life of nature, from pag. 54. to pag. 67.
The miseries of a godly mans life are two-fold: 1. which appeares both in the things hee wants; 2. and in the things hee hath, while hee liues, p. 67. &c.
Sixe things, which eueryevery godly man wants, while he liues. p. 68. to 75.
What should make a godly man weary of life, in respect of God. p. 75. to 85.
And what in respect of euill Angels. p. 85, &c.
And what in respect of the world. p. 88, &c.
And what in respect of himselfe. p. 113, &c.
Eight aggrauations of Gods corrections in this life, p. 78.
Eight apparant miseries from the world. p. 89, &c.
Fifteen manifest defects and blemishes in the greatest seeming felicities of the world. p. 98. to 113.
Many aggrauations of our misery in respect of corruption of nature in this life. p. 113, &c.
The remainders of the first punishment yet vponupon vsus. Pag. 121.
The remouall of the obiections men make about death, from whence their feare riseth, and these obiections are answered.
1. About the paine of dying, where are ten answers, pag. 125. &c.
2. About the condition of the body in death. p. 133.
3. About the desire to liue longer yet. p. 139.
4. About the pretence of desire to liue long to do good. p. 145.
5. About casting away of ones selfe. p. 149.
6. About parting with friends. p. 153. &c.
7. About leauing the pleasures of life. p. 159, &c.
8. About leauing the honors of life. p. 162.
9. About leauing their riches. p. 168. &c.
10. About the kind of death. p. 171.
The second way of curing the feare of death is by practice, where seuen directions are giuen. From page 173. to the end.
THE CVRE OF THE FEARE OF DEATH.
CHAP. I.
Shewing the Scope and Parts of this Treatise.
THAT, which I intend in this Treatise, is to shew, how a godly man might order The drift of the whole Treatise.himselfe against the feare of death; or, what course hee should take to liue so, as not to be afraid to die. This is a maine point, and exceeding necessary: Life is throughly sweet, when The profit of following these directionsdeath is not feared: a mans heart is then like Mount Zion, that cannot be moued. Hee can feare no enemy, that doth not feare death. As death is the last enemy, so it works the longest and last feares; and to die happily, is to die willingly. The maine worke of Preparation is effected, when our hearts are perswaded to bee willing to die.
Now in the explication The parts of the Treatise.of this point, I would distinctly handle three things.
First, I will proue, that to liue without feare of 1death, is a thing may bee obtained; one may be deliuered from it as certainly, as a sick man may bee cured of an ordinary disease.
Secondly, I will shew, how vncomely a thing it 2is for a Christian to bee afraid of death: that so we may bee stirred vp the more to seeke the cure for this disease.
Thirdly, I will shew by what meanes we may bee 3deliuered from the feare of death, if we vse them. Of the two first more briefly: and of the last at large.