A Sovereign Antidote Against the Fear of Death, Tract · Meditation 1
MEDITAT. I. What Death is to a Believer and to an Ʋnbeliever.
WHY art thou caſt down, Pſal. 42.11.O my Soul, and why art thou diſquieted within me? hope thou in God, I ſhall yet praiſe him who is the health of my countenance, and my God. What is it that thus amazeth and terrifieth thee? Why art thou ſo diſtracted in thy duties, and ſo full of anxious fears and doubts? is it the apprehenſion of death that ſo diſquiets thee? Why man, didſt thou never look Death in the face till now? didſt never behold his griſly looks and grim face? yea, thou haſt many a time; and art thou yet afraid? is this the fruit of all thy prayers, and thy mortifying Meditations? haſt not thou inſtructed many, Job 13.4, &c.and ſtrengthned the weak hands? thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou haſt ſtrengthened the feeble knees, but now it is come upon thee doſt thou faint? and when it toucheth thee, art thou troubled? Is a diſeaſe now more terrible than formerly? Or the apprehenſions of death than in times paſt? or is it bad News that terrifies thee, and makes thee afraid? Some Papiſt plotting to take away thy life; Pſal. 112.7.among others, the Pſalmiſt tells thee, he ſhall not be afraid of evil tidings whoſe heart is fixed, truſting in the Lord. Suppoſe they ſeek thy life, and thirſt after thy blood, haſt thou no hiding place, no City of refuge to fly to, till the ſtorm be over? Haſt thou no intereſt in God? no Friend in the Court to make thy complaint to? Prov. 14.32.No comfort in time of need? But dye thou muſt; well, yet the righteous hath hope in his death; and doth thy hope and thy happineſs then expire with thy life? Come let us reaſon the caſe, and ſee if there be ſo much cauſe of deſponding as thou pretendeſt. Art thou from under the protecting hand of God? Pſ. 59.1.Or is his hand ſhortned that he cannot ſave, Iſa. 50.or his ear heavy that he cannot hear? Where is the bill of divorce that he hath given thee? Or hath the Lord put thy life into thine own hands, and doſt thou think it will be wreſted out by violence? Art thou thine own keeper, and doſt miſtruſt thy ſtrength? Or is thy life put into thy Enemies hand, and by whom? Or can they take it away without a Commiſſion? God uſually keeps the Keyes of Life and Death at his own girdle. Or if thy Life be gone, is thy Happineſs at an end? if not, what need all this conſternation? this is more than thy Enemies can do without leave; and if they could, what a great matter is it for a man, an Old man to dye! but 'tis him whom thou calleſt thy Father, Numb. 16.22.that can kill and make alive, and brings to the gates of death, and back again; 'tis he that is the God of the Spirits of all fleſh; are not thy Enemies alſo at his diſpoſe? and their lives, are they not in his hands? Who was it that turned the counſel of Achitophel into fooliſhneſs, Exod. 14.28. Eſth. 7.10.and drowned Pharaoh and his Army in the Sea; and cauſed Haman to be hanged upon the Gallows he had made for another; and can take his Enemies in their own ſnares, and the crafty in their own devices? And is not this God in Heaven yet? and doth he not rule among the children of men, and diſpoſe the Kingdoms of the world to whom he pleaſeth? and wilt thou fear man whoſe breath is in his noſtrils, and the ſon of man that is vanity? and cannot he deliver thee out of their hands if he ſee it good, and will do, if he have more work for thee to do? and if not, why ſhouldſt thou deſire to live longer? and if they muſt be the meſſengers which thy Father ſends to fetch thee home, what hurt is in that? what wrong is done thee? Heb. 9.27.If thy trouble be that thou muſt dye, it may be as well that thou waſt made a man; for it is appointed unto man once to dye, and after death the Judgment: And if thou wouldſt not have God to have the diſpoſe of thy life, why doſt thou not ſpeak out, and renounce thy Chriſtianity? Lu. 14.26.Was it not one of the firſt Conditions Chriſt required of thee, when he firſt admitted thee into his ſervice; If any man (ſaith he) come unto me, and hate not his Father, and Mother, and Wife and Children, and Brethren and Siſters, Mat. 16.25.yea and his own Life alſo, he cannot be my diſciple? And doth he not plainly tell thee, he that will ſave his life ſhall loſe it, and he that will loſe his life for his ſake, ſhall find it? Is not this the loweſt degree of true grace, and a neceſſary qualification, without which thou canſt not be his Diſciple? he told thee this at the beginning; he doth not impoſe upon thee, and put new Conditions into the Covenant, that were not agreed upon. Joh. 16.33.Heaven was never offered upon lower tearms, he always told thee that through many tribulations thou muſt enter into it; and if the World hate thee, and the ſeed of the Serpent perſecute thee, 'tis no new thing, thou kneweſt it before; and if thou tookeſt up the profeſſion of Religion, and not reckon the Charges, 'tis not Gods fault, but thy folly: Chriſt never indented with thee to leave it at thy diſpoſe, when, and how thou ſhouldſt dye; if thou refuſe to dye in the Cauſe of God, if he require it, the Heathens will condemn thee, who would venture their Lives for their Countrys good, and many times upon lower accounts, as to end their Miſeries, to prevent a worſe death, or to get themſelves a Name; and haſt not thou a better call than any of thoſe, when Chriſt and his Cauſe require it? Many of the Gallants of our time, that 'tis feared are not very well provided for Death, yet will venture their Lives in a drunken Fray, in a Whores quarrel, or to prevent the name of Coward; but if they well underſtood the conſequents of their death, they would be more timerous; and wilt thou ſhrink back in the cauſe of Chriſt, when his Truth and thy own Soul ly at the ſtake? when thou canſt not deny to dye, but thou muſt deny Chriſt and his Truth, and hazard the Salvation of thy Soul? Dye thou muſt, whether thou wilt or no, and there is no thanks to thee; Heb. 9.27.there is a Decree paſs'd in Heaven, which cannot be reverſed, more firm than the Laws of the Medes and Perſians; and wilt thou loſe thy God, thy Chriſt, thy Soul, thy Heaven, and Happineſs, and all to prolong thy life a little longer, which yet thou knoweſt not whether thou canſt do it or not? If thou dye for Chriſt, thou putteſt off thy life at the greateſt advantage imaginable; and if thou refuſe when he requires it, thou runneſt thy ſelf upon the moſt deſperate danger conceivable. Thou think'ſt perhaps the condition is hard, and ſo it is if thou only conſult Fleſh and Blood, and the Senſitive faculty; but if thou conſult with Grace and rectified Reaſon, thou wilt find it much eaſier than at firſt it ſeems: There is greater reaſon God ſhould diſpoſe of thy Life who gave it thee, than that thou ſhouldſt diſpoſe of the lives of Bruits that thou didſt not, canſt not give them, and yet thou thinkeſt thou doſt them no wrong; but God hath a better intereſt in thee, and a clearer title to thy life, than thou haſt to them: Life indeed is a precious Jewel, and to be valued above all earthly enjoyments, but Chriſt and the Soul are more precious than Life it ſelf; and when Life cannot be had, but Chriſt muſt be denyed, and the Soul loſt, 'tis eaſie to determine what is to be preferred; for he that will preſerve his Life at theſe rates, makes a bad bargain. 'Tis thy duty 'tis true to part with any earthly enjoyments for lifes ſake; Job 2.7.Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life; but Life and all muſt go, to ſecure the Soul: Death 'tis true is an enemy to Nature, yet in ſome caſes it muſt be choſen, and we muſt deny our ſelves: Hunger and Thirſt are natural to us, and the Appetite requires Meat and Drink, and yet did we know there was Poyſon put into our Cup or Diſh, reaſon would reſtrain the Appetite, and rather chooſe Hunger or Thirſt than a worſer evil. Phyſick is not pleaſing, neither to be choſen for its own ſake; yet for healths ſake we take bitter Pills, and unſavoury potions. Pain is not pleaſant to the fleſh, but an enemy to Senſe, yet Reaſon perſwades us ſometimes to open a Vein, to prevent greater pain, and to cut off a Joynt, a Member, a Limb, to prevent greater miſchief. Some diſcontented perſons weary of a miſerable life, not only wiſh for death, but lay violent hands upon themſelves, chooſing Death as the leſſer evil; theſe leap out of the Frying-pan into the fire, and conſider not what the Event of ſuch a death is; theſe have low ends, and drive on a bad bargain, and ſeeking to avoid Scylla they fall into Charybdis; Job 3.21, 22.theſe obey not Gods Call but the Devils Whiſtle. There are ſome that long for death but it cometh not, and dig for it more than for hid treaſure; they rejoyce exceedingly and are glad when they can find the grave: This is unnatural joy, for as 'tis our duty to yield up our breath when he that gave it calls for it, ſo 'tis our duty to preſerve our Lives, and our ſin to haſten our death before he requires it: We muſt not leave our ſtation till our Captain commands it; we muſt not leave the Vineyard when we would, but when our work is done, and with our Maſter's leave: We muſt not with our own hands pluck down theſe earthly Tabernacles, neither deny our conſent when God will pluck them down; we are Tenants at will, and muſt not think to have our Houſes at our own diſpoſe, whether they ſhall down or not: we came not into the world but at his appointment, and muſt not go out without his leave. I know, a Godly man though he have ſome aſſurance of a better habitation, is not ſo reconciled to death as to chooſe it for its own ſake, for Deaths looks are not lovely, it being the King of terrors, Job 18.19.and the terror of Kings, and in it ſelf formidable, and hath daunted the courage of the ſtouteſt Souldiers, and triumphs over the moſt triumphant Conquerour, and ſometimes diſcompoſeth the moſt compoſed Chriſtian. And therefore as on the one hand it ſhould not be overmuch feared, ſo on the other it ſhould not be overmuch ſlighted. Chriſt himſelf had ſome fearfull apprehenſions of it, and well he might, knowing what he had to ſuffer; the Sting was then in, but by his death it was taken out in reference to Believers; yet the Serpent is formidable, but not poyſonful; it will ſtrike ſtill, though it cannot ſting: and as 'tis an Outlet to Life, ſo 'tis an Inlet to Eternity, and who can enter into ſo vaſt a Gulph and ſo boundleſs an Ocean without amazement, where he can find neither bank nor bottom? 'Tis impoſſible for men to put off Humanity, neither doth Chriſtianity teach us to be Stoicks, yet it teacheth us to bound and moderate our paſſions, and not overmuch to fear Death. When we have a lawful call to it, and when 'tis our duty to dye; when God ſends, let who will be the Meſſenger, obey we muſt. Lu. 12.5.Fear not them (ſaith Chriſt) that can kill the body, and can do no more, but fear him that can caſt both Soul and Body into Hell, yea I ſay unto you fear him. All outward things muſt be undervalued for Life ſake, but Life it ſelf muſt go for Gods ſake: if thou ſell thy life for any worldly advantage, thou wilt make a hard bargain. For what good will the world do thee when thou art dead? Luk. 12.20Thou fool (ſaith Chriſt) this night will thy ſoul be required of thee, and then whoſe are theſe? Thou muſt part with any thing in the world to preſerve it, but if thou ſell thy Soul to ſave thy life, or part with Chriſt upon that account, thou wilt make a bad bargain; Mat. 16.26.for what ſhall it profit a man to gain the whole world and loſe his own ſoul? or what ſhall a man give in Exchange for his ſoul? This is not to prevent death, but to Exchange one death for another, temporal death for eternal. 'Tis not a chooſing death thou art Preſs'd to, but a ſubmiſſion to the will of God that is required at thy hands; and of two evils the leaſt is to be choſen: if thou muſt either chooſe death, or chooſe ſin, death is the more eligible; for ſin will expoſe thee to the ſecond death, and prove the everlaſting ſeparation of ſoul and body from God, which is worſe a thouſand times than death. If thou muſt loſe thy life or thy ſoul, let life go; if thou muſt deny life, or deny Chriſt, Chriſt is better than thy life, being the very life of thy ſoul; and he that to avoid a little temporal pain, incurs eternal torments, makes a fooliſh bargain. Now though there be no reaſon to love death, yet is there great reaſon why thou ſhouldſt love God better than life; Pſal. 63.3.whoſe loving kindneſs is better than life: though life be dear, yet Chriſt is dearer. The Cup of death may be bitter, but Hell and Damnation, and the eternal Wrath of God are much bitterer, which if thou forſake Chriſt thou muſt drink up to the bottom, which Eternity will be little enough to do: God puts Sugar into the former, none into the latter. Rev. 14.13.Bleſſed are the dead which dye in the Lord, even ſo ſaith the Spirit, for they reſt from their labours, and their works follow them: But thoſe that miſcarry are ſent away with a curſe; Mat. 25.41Go ye curſed into everlaſting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels, &c. 'Tis true, after the Fall death was threatned as a Curſe, and a Judgment for ſin, but by the death of Chriſt the nature of it is changed to Believers, Pſal. 116.15.and the malignity of it abated. Precious in the ſight of the Lord is the death of his Saints; the ſting is taken out, and we may put the Serpent into our boſom; 'tis now to the godly a Sleep: Our friend Lazarus ſleepeth; and ſo 'tis ſaid of Stephen, he fell a ſleep; and the Grave is but Gods Cabinet to hide his Jewels, where they are ſecured from the evil to come; Iſa. 57.12. & 26.20.'tis but a Chamber to hide them in till the indignation be paſt: And though Deaths chambers be dark, they are beſt to ſleep in, where thou ſhalt meet with no diſturbance, no noiſe without, or terrour within: thou ſhalt neither ſee, nor hear, nor feel, nor fear evil: death is but a ſturdy Porter to open the door of thy Fathers houſe, the gates of Heaven to thee, to let thee in: And though it may expoſe thee to ſome pain for the preſent, 'tis not much, and 'tis but momentary, and not worthy the glory that ſhall be revealed, for endleſs Joy preſently ſucceeds it, and pain will ſoon be forgotten. If thou canſt but ſtoop a little and croud in at this ſtrait gate, and narrow door, thou wilt enter into that ſpacious City the New Jeruſalem. If thou canſt not love death for its own ſake, yet entertain him for his Maſters ſake, for it is the Embaſſadour of the great God, and for his Meſſage ſake, for he brings an Anſwer of peace. To ſubmit unto the will of God, and to be obedient unto the death, is not only thy Duty, but thy Wiſdom and Intereſt, and to ſay with Chriſt, Not my will but thine be done; and with Samuel, 1 Sam. 3.10.Speak Lord, for thy Servant heareth. If thou deny thy Life when God requires it, Chriſt will deny thee entrance into thoſe Heavenly Manſions; and 'tis a thouſand times better loſe thy life, than loſe his love: think not yet that Heaven is had upon hard terms, thou maiſt haply loſe ſomething for Chriſt, but ſhalt never loſe by him; the way to ſave thy life, is to hide it with God in Chriſt. The hardeſt terms that Chriſt propounds are but reaſonable; 'tis thy Intereſt to go to Heaven though it were even through the flames of Hell, much more through the pangs of Death. Paul eaſily concludes, to dye for him was gain, and to be with Chriſt was beſt of all; he dyed daily, and carried his life in his hand, ready to offer it up when God required it; Acts 21.13.and was willing not only to be bound, but to dye for Chriſt at Jeruſalem: the recompence of reward was in his eye, the Crown of glory was in his ſight, which Chriſt the righteous Judge ſhould give him at the laſt day; Phil. 1.21.and his deſire was that Chriſt might be magnified by him both by his life and by his death. Thou canſt contentedly endure pain for health, and wilt thou not endure it for Chriſt and everlaſting Happineſs? Wilt thou not endure ſome few gripes for glory? Thou hadſt thy life given thee upon this condition, to part with it when God requires it: thou art a Tenant at will, and ſo at anothers diſpoſe, and if thou wilt ſurrender, God will build thee up a more ſumptuous houſe; if thou wilt not, he will diſtrain upon thee, pluck down thy houſe ſhortly, and caſt thee into Priſon: Life it ſelf was given on no other terms, but to be at Gods diſpoſe, and think not that thou haſt wrong: Death is the common road wherein all men walk; Kings and Emperours leave their Crowns and Scepters at his gate; rich and poor, great and ſmall, bond and free, croud in at this door, and travail this road; if thou willingly reſign, thou maiſt make an advantage; if not, ere long thou wilt be conſtrained to do it upon harder terms: and ſeeing a death thou muſt dye, what matter is it what Meſſenger 'tis that Death ſends to diſtrain for this Rent, whether an ordinary diſeaſe, or an extraordinary Purſivant? whether thou dye in thy bed, or go to Heaven in a fiery Chariot; and if ſo, the Crown of Martyrdom will be thy Reward. Death to the wicked is but an entrance into Hell, the beginning of ſorrowes, yea of eternal death; Rev. 20.6.but thoſe that have a part in the firſt reſurrection, the ſecond death of them ſhall have no power. Oh my foul, why art thou afraid of death, ſeeing the ſting is taken out, and the nature of it changed? let us view it a little better, and ſee what the godly have thought of it, and what the Scripture ſaith of it. Iſaiah tells thee, Iſa. 57.1, 2.The righteous are taken away from the evil to come, to enter into peace, and to reſt in their beds: and is Reſt ſo terrible to the weary man? Paul calls it, a departing, Phi. 1.23.and to be with Chriſt; and is this ſo dangerous, to lye in Chriſts boſom in eternal bliſs? Job makes no more of it than the cutting down of a flower, Job 14.1, 2.and is this a matter of ſuch moment? Simeon calls it a departing in peace; Luk. 2.29.Lord now letteſt thou thy ſervant depart in peace: Joſhua calls it, The way of all the earth; Joſhua 32.14.Behold (ſaith he) I am this day going the way of all the earth: and wilt thou be afraid of going in this beaten road? In Chriſts account 'tis but a falling aſleep: Our friend Lazarus ſleepeth: the like was ſaid of Stephen; And when he had ſaid this, Act. 7.60.he fell aſleep: and who is afraid of falling aſleep? 'Tis called alſo a finiſhing our courſe; 2 Tim. 4.7.I have fought a good fight (ſaith Paul) I have finiſhed my courſe: And who would be afraid of his journeys end? 'Tis called a going hence; O ſpare me, Pſal. 39.13.ſaith David, that I may recover ſtrength, before I go hence and be no more: a going home; Man goeth to his long home, Eccle. 12.5.ſaith Solomon: and what danger is in going home? 'tis but a reſting from our labour (ſaith the Spirit): Rev. 14.13.There the wicked (ſaith Job) ceaſe from troubling, and the weary are at reſt, Job 3.17.18.12.there the Priſoners reſt together, they hear not the voice of the Oppreſſor, the ſmall and the great are there, and the Servant is free from his Maſter: And how ſweet is reſt to a weary man! and doubtleſs death to the godly is the end of all miſery, and the beginning of Happineſs. O my God, I am fully convinc'd, and I ſee great reaſon why I ſhould ſubmit to thee, and lay down my life at thy feet; and I reſolve through thine aſſiſting grace ſo to do, and to ſubmit my ſelf to the ſtroak of death, when and how it ſhall pleaſe thee. Lord aſſiſt me in theſe reſolutions, leſt my enemy ſurprize me, and my deceitful heart betray me, and my frail fleſh inſnare me, and make me diſhonour my God, deny my Redeemer, break my Peace with thee, wound my Conſcience, and loſe my ſoul, by any ſin…l complyance, or denying my Life when thou cal'ſt for it.