The Marrow of the Oracles of God, Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
Prouing, that we may be cured of the feare of Death.
FOr the first: That the feare of Eight arguments to prooue we may be helped against the feare of death. Christ died to this enddeath may be remoued: and that we may attaine to that resolution, to be willing to dye, without lothnesse, is apparent diuers wayes.
First, it is euident, Christ dyed to deliuer vsus, not onelyonly from the hurt of death, and from the diuell, as the executioner; but also from the feare of death too. Now Christ may attaine to the end of his death, vnlesse we will deny the vertue of Christ, and his death, and thinke that, notwithstanding, it cannot be obtained, Heb. 2. 14, 15. And the more apparent in this, because in that place he shews, that there is vertue in the death of Christ, to cure this feare of death in any of the Elect, if they wil vse the meanes: For as our sins will not be mortified, though there be power in the death of Christ to kill them, vnlesse we vse the meanes to extract this vertue out of the death of Christ, so is it true, that the feare of death may be in some of Gods elect: but it is not because Christ cannot deliuer them; but because they are sluggish, and will not take the course to bee rid of those feares. The Physician is able to cure them, and vsually doth cure the same disease; but they will not take his Receipts.
Secondly, the Apostle intreating of the desire of death, saith, 2. It was intended in our regeneration.That God hath wrought vsus vntounto the selfe same thing, 2 Cor. 5. 5. We are againe created of God, that we might in our selues aspire vntounto immortality; and are set in such an estate, as if we answered the end of his workmanship, we should neuer be well, till we be possessed of the happinesse in another world: which hee shewes in those words of being absent from the body, and present with the Lord, verse 8.
Thirdly, the prophesies hauehave runne on this point. For it was 3 This cure hath bin foretold.long since fore-told, that Christians knowing the victory of Christ ouer death, should bee so farre from fearing death, that they should tread vponupon him, and insult ouer him: O death, where is thy sting? &c. Esay 25. 8. Hosea 13. 14. 2 Corinthians 15. 54, 55.
Fourthly, it is a condition that Christ puts in, when he first admits 4 We were bound to it when we were admitted to be Christs Disciples.Disciples, that they must deny their owne liues: and not only be content to take vp their crosse in other things, but their liues must not bee deare vntounto them, when he calls for it, Luke 14. 26.
Fifthly, We are taught in the 5 It is taught in the Lords Prayer.Lords Prayer, to pray, That Gods kingdome may come: And by this kingdome, he meanes the kingdome of Glory, as well as the kingdome of Grace. Now, in that wee are taught to pray for the kingdome, it shewes, wee should desire it, and that by praier we should be more and more heated in our desires.
Sixtly, wee are borne againe Liuely hope doth include it.to a liuely hope of our inheritance. Now if we be afraid of the time of our translation thither, how doe we hope for it after a liuely manner? A desire of going to heauen is a part of that Seed cast into our hearts in our regeneration, 1 Pet. 1. 3, 4.
Seuenthly, we hauehave the example Examples of such as hauehave attained to it.of diuers men in particular, who hauehave desired to die, & were out of feare in that respect: Gen. 49. 18. Iacob waited for Gods saluation: and Paul resolues, that to dy, and to be with Christ, is best of all for him: Phil. 1. 21, 23. yea, in Romans 7. 24. hee is vehement; O wretched man that I am, who shall deliuer mee from this body of Death? Sim…on prayes God to let him dye, Luke 2 29. And the Prophet in the name of the godly, said long before Christ: O that the saluation of Israel were come out of Sion! Psalme 14. 7. And we hauehave the example of the Martyrs in all ages, that accounted it a singular glory to die: And in 2. Corinth 5. 2, 7. the godly are said, to fight for it, that they might be absent from his body, and present with the Lord; and so doe the first fruits of the holy Ghost, those eminent Christians mentioned, Rom. 8. 23.
Lastly, not onelyonly some particular godly men hauehave attained 8. The whole Church taught to seeke.to this, but the whole Church is brought in, in the 12. Chapter of Reuelation, praying for the comming of Christ, and desiring too, that hee would come quickely: And 2. Timothy 4. 8. The louelove of the appearing of Christ, is the Periphrasis of the childe of God.
Thus of the first point.