The Christians Defense Against the Fears of Death, Chapter 6
CHAP. 6.
From whence proceed the fears of Death.
AS a wiſe and diſcreet Phyſitian uſually examines with care, the cauſes of the Diſeaſe before he preſcribes a Remedy; and as an experienced Chirurgion ſearcheth the wound before he claps the Plaiſter to it; Thus I judge it neceſſary to ſeek with diligence from whence the fears of death proceed before we ſhall appoint the Remedies to the faithful Souls; for when we ſhall have perfectly underſtood the nature of the Diſeaſe and its principal Cauſes; we ſhall without difficulty be better able to aſſign a convenient Remedy; when we ſhall have ſearcht the wound, and waſht it clean, we will, with Gods aſſiſtance, pour into it the true Balm of Gilead.
Firſt, we have juſt reaſon to accuſe our ſelves of too much unmindfulneſs of Death; we don't meditate, ſo often as we ſhould, upon the miſery and frailty of our poor and deſpicable nature; we acknowledge it, I confeſs with our tongues, that our life is but a breath in our Noſtrils, a vapor that ſoon diſappears, a ſhadow that quickly vaniſhes away; but in the mean time we flatter our ſelves in our hearts, with more pleaſant thoughts and deſire, as Herod, that Men ſhould look upon us as ſo many little Gods, Acts 12. We ſuffer our ſelves to be deceived by the flattering inſinuations of our corrupted Fleſh, and by the artificious ſuggeſtions of the old Serpent, that whiſpers to us as to our firſt Parents, You ſhall not dye, Gen. 3.
2. We commonly affirm, that Death is inexorable without Ears; nevertheleſs we live as if we had concluded an agreement with Death, and had ſecret intelligence with the Grave, Iſ. 22. Death approaches with Feet of Wooll, without noiſe, we imagine therefore that it will never come near us, as that wicked ſervant of the Goſpel, Matth. 24. that gathered from his Maſters delays of coming, that he would not come at all. We hate and abominate the ſight of all thoſe things that repreſent to us any appearance of Death, or that calls into our minds its remembrance, if at any time its Image comes in our way, we turn from it our Eyes, and baniſh out of our fancy, all imaginations of it, as of a moſt odious and deceitful illuſion. Death ſeizeth upon us before we have well thought whither we be mortal or no; Therefore we are ſooner ſurprized and aſtoniſhed at its approaches, and we become like the fooliſh Iſraelites, that trembled and fled before Goliah, becauſe they were not accuſtomed to behold him.
3. We have too great confidence, and depend too much upon ſecond Cauſes; we look upon Death as a thing that happens by chance, or as an evil that may be prevented, or at leaſt put away from us for a time; whereas we ſhould be fully perſwaded, that God hath determined and appointed, not only Death it ſelf, but alſo all the cauſes and means by which it commonly happens; Therefore we are often fill'd with diſpleaſure, and reduced to murmure and repine againſt God; we grin, and bite the ſtone, inſtead of adoring, in all humility, that wiſe Hand that caſts it: In a word, when ever Death comes to us, we are ready to ſay to it, as the Devils to our Saviour, Wherefore art thou come to torment us before the time, Matth. 3.
4. We are too much wedded to theſe earthly vanities, we are inſeparable from the World, we would willingly make here our abode for ever, and cannot abide to hear, that Death will remove us; Our unlawful affections have no bounds, and we often ſpend our ſelves in the purſuance of the miſerable advantages of the Earth. When we come almoſt to the end of our life, and of our mortal journey, it is then, that many of us are moſt earneſt to make a large proviſion of Worldly Vanities; we build ſtately dwellings, and ſumptuous Palaces at that very moment, when we ſhould think of nothing but of building our Tomb, and preparing our Winding-ſheet. We have ſo violent a paſſion for all the advantages of this life, that to ſeparate us from them, it is to pluck out our Hearts, and tear our tendereſt Bowels. When Death comes to our Bedſide, and offers to pull us out, we are ready to ſay as the Sluggard in the Proverbs, A little ſleep, a little ſlumber, a little folding of the hands, Prov. 6. When our Divine Bridegroom knocks at our Gates, we are ſcarce willing to abandon our Delights, as the Spouſe in the Canticles; what ſaith the Worldling, Muſt I leave my ſumptuous Palaces, my pleaſant Dwellings, and my delightful Gardens? Muſt I relinquiſh all this rich Tapeſtry, theſe precious Moveables, and all theſe rare and exquiſite Ornaments that enrich my Parlors, Chambers, and Cloſets? Muſt this unmerciful Death diveſt me ſo ſoon of all my Offices and Dignities, and hinder me from a full and peaceable enjoyment of all theſe Riches and Treaſures? Muſt it raviſh from me, in an inſtant, all my Delights and ſatisfactions? Is there no remedy, but muſt I be pluckt from the embraces of my beloved Wife, from the ſight of my dear Children, and from the ſweet company of all my friends? Muſt I receive no more the ſervices of my Domeſticks? When we are in this miſerable diſpoſition, it is no wonder if death is terrible to us, and if it cauſeth us to reſent the ſharpneſs of its ſting, for as Abſalom when he was hanging by the hair of his Head, in a Tree of the Forreſt, Joab took three Darts and ſtruck him through the Heart; thus when our affections are too much wedded and entangled with the World and its vanities, and fill'd with the expectation of earthly contentments; it is then that they are miſerably expoſed to all the Darts and violent attempts of Death.
5. Another principal cauſe of the fear of Death, is our ill Life; We give our ſelves over to the vices, debaucheries, and licenciouſneſs of this unhappy Age, we ſuffer our ſelves to be corrupted by ill company, and carried away with the Torrent of vicious Cuſtoms. It is therefore no wonder if death fills our Souls with apprehenſions, for it comes to us armed with our ſins, and is preceded by the remorſe of Conſcience, and horror of our Crimes; How came it to paſs, that ſuch a terrible aſtoniſhment fell upon King Belſhazzar, when he ſaw the fingers of an hand writing upon the Wall of his Palace, the Sentence of his doom, Dan. 5. It was becauſe he did profane the Holy Veſſels of God's Houſe; and becauſe he did riot in the company of laſcivious Women. Wherefore did Felix tremble, when he heard St. Paul diſcourſe of Juſtice, Temperance, and of Judgement to come, Acts 24. It was becauſe he was a wicked Varlet, given over to all manner of filthy and unjuſt living. Thus, becauſe we profane the Members of our Body, that are as the Veſſels of Gods Sanctuary and Houſe, and becauſe our life is vicious and diſorderly, we can't abide to hear death mention'd, and when it comes to us, we are ready to ſpeak to it in Felix's language to St. Paul, Depart for this time. So that the love of Sin, and the fear of Death, are as two Siſters that hold one another by the hands; or rather, they are as Twins that are born and dye together. As the Prophet Amos ſaid to the Iſraelites, Ye put for away the evil day, and cauſe the ſeat of violence to come near; Amos, 6. So may we ſay to the Men of this age; Ye put far from you the day of Death, as much as you are able, and draw near to all manner of Impurity, Covetouſneſs, Ambition, Pride, Vanity, Uſury, Rapine, Violence, Envy, Malice, and ſuch like Soul-plagues. You don't only draw near to theſe abominable Vices, but you do alſo worſe, to lodge them in your Bowels, and to plant them in your Hearts; Certainly we may very well apply to all vicious perſons, what the Prophet Jeremy tells of Jeruſalem; Her filthineſs is in her skirts, ſhe remembreth not her laſt end, Lam. 1.
6. I have taken notice of another imperfection in us; we miſtruſt the Providence of God, and know not how to repoſe our ſelves upon his Fatherly Care; we have a too worthy eſteem of our ſelves, and of our own ſufficiency; We can't reſolve to dye, becauſe we fancy our ſelves very uſeful in the world, and that our Death would bring a conſiderable loſs to the Church of God to the State, or to our Family.
7. Becauſe the Soul and Body are linkt together in a very ſtrict union; we can't imagine how they can be ſeparated without great and unſpeakable pangs; our infidelity is ſo great, that we can't reſt ſatisfied upon the promiſe of God, who engages to ſuccor us in our diſtreſs, and to deliver us from all our troubles, Iſ. 50. It is true, Jacob's Ladder that reaches from the Earth to Heaven, doth fill us with admiration; but it ſeems, moſt difficult and uneaſy to aſcend. Paradice is Rich, Glorious, and Delightful to the uttermoſt; but its Gate is ſtrait, and choakt up with Thorns and Bryers.
8, I judge that one of the chief cauſes of the fear of death, is, becauſe we look upon God as a moſt ſevere and mercileſs Judge inflamed with anger and fury againſt us, and armed with vengeance. Whereas we ſhould conſider and acknowledge him to be a merciful Father, full of compaſſion and kindneſs for Mankind. Every Slave trembles at the ſight of his Lord, and there is no Malefactor but is afraid, when he appears before his Judge, to be put to the queſtion; and can I who am all ſpotted with ſin, and black with my horrid crimes: can I appear before that Glorious Throne, that cauſes the Seraphims to cover their Faces with their Wings, Iſ. 6. How can I that am but ſtubble ſubſiſt in the preſence of the God of vengeance, who is a conſuming fire, Heb. 10.
9. There is another viſible fault in us we don't imbrace with a true and lively Faith, the Death and Paſſion of our Lord and Saviour; we all ſpeak of Jeſus Chriſt crucified, but we don't know the Divine Vertue of his Crucifixion, nor feel its Efficacy; we don't conſider that his death hath torn in pieces the partition that did ſhut us out of the Heavenly Sanctuary, and that his blood doth trace us a way to Paradiſe, and procure an entrance into that place of Eternal Bliſs.
10. We don't repreſent to our ſelves as we ought, to remove from our fancy the horror of the Sepulchre, how our Lord and Saviour hath bin laid himſelf in the Grave, and perfum'd it with his Holy and Divine ſufferings. We don't imprint into our imagination, that it is juſt and reaſonable that we ſhould be conformable to Chriſt in his abaſement, if we will have any ſhare with him in his Glory and exaltation.
11. Beſides, that which nouriſheth in our Souls the fears of Death is this, we look upon it as if it were in its full ſtrength and vigor; whereas we ſhould remember that Jeſus Chriſt hath overcome and diſarm'd Death by his powerful Reſurrection, and that for our parts we need but follow the footſteps of his Glorious victories, and faſten that furious Beaſt to his Triumphant Chariot.
12. We don't conſider as we ſhould, with a ſerious and religious application of the mind; How our Saviour Chriſt is not only riſen from the Sepulchre, victorious of death, but that he is alſo aſcended up into the higheſt Heavens, as our fore-runner, to prepare a place for us, and that by departing out of our miſerable bodies, we follow the footſteps of our ever Bleſſed Saviour, to reap with him the fruits of his moſt Glorious Victories.
13. We ſtoop too much to conſider our frail, corruptible, and mortal Nature, and we ſeldom enter into this moſt uſeful Meditation; That by the Holy Ghoſt we are nearly and unſeparably united with Jeſus Chriſt the Prince of Life, and the Source of Light; and that we have already in us the Seeds of Bleſſedneſs, of Glory and Immortality.
14. As the Children of Iſrael did murmure againſt Moſes in the Deſart, and did wiſh to be again in Egypt. This did proceed from a forgetfulneſs of their bitter ſlavery, under which they had groan'd, and of their painful labouring amongſt the Bricks, and the heat of the Furnaces, and from their mindfulneſs of the pleaſures alone, which they had loſt; They dream't of nothing, but of the plenty of Bread and Fleſh, of the Cucumbers, Onions, and of the Meats, with which they had ſo often fill'd their bellies; Thus we do repine at death, becauſe we don't dream of the evils from which it delivers us, but think only upon the vain pleaſures and ſeeming advantages, of which it robs us.
15. We imagine that Death deſtroys and reduces us to nothing. And we don't conſider, that it never meddles with the principal part of our being, but only pulls off from us Sin, and breaks the reſt of the Chains of our Spiritual Bondage; ſo that Death is rather the Death of Sin, than of the faithful.
16. Here is another great fault in us, We don't lift up our minds to conſider the Glory prepared for us at the Egreſs of our Souls, out of our mortal Bodies: However we may demean our ſelves, and what ever we may ſay, we don't firmly, without doubting, believe the Felicities which God promiſeth to us in the contemplation of his Face. Sometimes we may think upon the joys of Paradiſe, but it is a thought that doth paſs through our Souls with too much ſpeed, and don't take any root, ſo that there be many, if they were not aſhamed, would be ready to ſpeak in that Emperor Adrian's Language, My little Soul, my deareſt darling, O Gueſt and Companion of my Body, whither art thou now going?
17. To theſe former cauſes of the fears of Death in us we may add another; That we caſt too much, and ſuffer our eyes to dwell upon the rottenneſs and corruption that threatens our Body; whereas we ſhould carry our eye-ſight to behold its Glorious Reſurrection, that ſhall ſoon follow. Pleaſant Abode, and delightful Companion of my Soul, muſt Death, this cruel Death, ſeparate it from thee with ſo much violence? Muſt thou part with thy dear and ſweet company? Muſt my Soul leave thee upon ſuch grievous and lamentable terms? That of ſo many Honors which have been heapt upon thee, thou ſhalt not carry ſo much as their ſhadow to the Grave? That of ſo many rich Moveables and Treaſures, thou ſhalt bear away nothing but a Winding-ſheet, a few Boards, or at the moſt, ſome pounds of Lead? When thou haſt lived in ſo much ſplendor and magnificence, muſt thy covering be at laſt the Worms? When thou haſt walkt ſo proudly in Palaces, Gilded with Gold, and perfum'd, muſt at laſt thy confinement be in a ſtinking and loathſome Sepulchre? Muſt theſe beautiful Eyes be clos'd? Theſe Lips of Coral become pale? This Golden Mouth be ſtopt? and muſt this dainty Fleſh rot and become odious to the eyes of the World?
18. In the laſt place, We don't think as we ought upon that Eternal Bliſs and Glory, that hath been prepared for us from the foundation of the World, and into which we ſhall enter, when Chriſt Jeſus ſhall come from Heaven with his Holy Angels, to judge both the Quick and the Dead; when he ſhall reunite our Souls and Bodies together for all Eternity; that he may be glorified in his Saints, and wonderful in all the faithful.