A CORDIAL AGAINST THE FEAR of DEATH. Delivered in a Sermon before the University of OXFORD, May 28. 1654. By THOMAS HODGES B. D. Rector of Souldern in Oxfordshire. printer's or publisher's device OXFORD, Printed by H. H. for Thomas Robinson. 1659. To his much Honoured Friend Mr WALTER PELL of Aldermanburic in LONDON Merchant. SIR, SHould I be blamed for Printing this single Sermon, I desire the great and Universal concernment of the Subject here treated on, the seasonableness of it at all times, especially in these sickly times, after the observation of three general Fasts for the diseases and mortality in several parts of the Nation, together with the eminency of the Auditory, to which for the main, it hath been Preached, namely, the two Universities successively, may be my Apology for adventuring it to the press. And if you should admire my confidence in this manner of address to you, I pray you be pleased in part to charge it upon your own account, and to assure yourself, that your late civilities and favours to me, and respects for me, have encouraged me to this undertaking. And if the observation hold good elsewhere, which I lately heard from a Neighbour Mr Wild of Ayno. Minister at a Funeral Sermon, namely, that God in this visitation seemed especially to level at aged persons, having taken away 10 persons of his parish in one year, all of them about or above threescore years old; when you shall number your own days, and behold your own face in a glass, and see how the fields are already white unto the harvest, and consider how the very streets you walk in might in some measure be paved with the skulls of those, who have died since you first lived in the City, though you should censure the Preacher as impertinent, yet may you judge the Sermon here presented not altogether improper. 'tis true indeed, the mention of Death is an unpleasing note in the ears of those usually, who are full of the comforts of this life: I have heard or read of a King, who upon pain of death forbade any to mention Death in his presence; and of a great Queen, who was highly displeased with a favourite, for preaching a Sermon minding her how age had furrowed her face, and besprinkled her hair with its meal: but I hope you have better learned Christ, and sure I am, dare talk of death, and touch this harsh key yourself; and will not therefore (I persuade myself) judge me your enemy, merely because I tell you the truth. Now Sir, whilst I preface this Sermon to you, I desire I may Preach to myself, and to all that read this Epistle, whether old men or maidens, young men or children. Let us get oil in out lamps before the Bridegroom comes; and all things ready for death before death comes: for who now so young, so strong, so good, but there are younger, and stronger, and better already in their graves? The Jews have a proverb, there are skulls of all sizes in Golgotha: and the Apostle John tells us, he saw the dead small and great stand before God, Rev. 20.11, 12. Let us not then put fare from us the evil day; but consider, that some sudden blast may blow out the Candle, as well as it may go out in the socket. Physicians say there are 300 diseases incident to the body of man: but if we escape all other diseases, old age, that incurable disease, reckoned one of the three messengers of Death, will creep upon us ere we are ware, if we do not think of it. Oh! that we could as we die daily, so get ourselves more ready for death daily. Let us meditate often how the two axes of time, day and night, are continually chopping at the root of the tree of every man's life; and how some fruits are blown off the tree, whilst in the bud or green, aswell as some others fall off, when they are ripe; and how some flowers of the field are trod down or cropped by man or beast, aswell as others stand and whither till they be cut down. 1 Let us know that death is the wages of sin: and forasmuch as all have sinned, it is a Statute enacted by the Parliament of Heaven, that all must die once, so 'tis ordinarily: for it is thought, Lazarus died twice; and those who shall be found alive at the day of judgement, shall not die at all, but be changed. Now if death be our wages, let us Consider, that wages may be paid in any lawful coin, gold, silver, or brass; in any place, the house, street, or field; at any hour of the day, or watch of the night, as the master pleaseth: and so Death may be inflicted divers ways and manners, at any time, and in any place. Further, know we, that 'tis a solemn thing to die, because after death the judgement: Eternity treads on the heels of death; so that there's no place here for a second Error. 2 Let us often think of Death. 'tis observed that Beasts cannot think of dying: let's show ourselves therefore men, meditate of it, not put far from us the day of Death, that may be a means to make us secure: for we read that the wise virgins slumberd as well as the foolish, whilst the bridegroom delayed his coming; and 'tis observed, that God therefore keeps secret from us the day of death and judgement, that men should watch always, and be ever prepared. 3 Though we think of death, which the beasts cannot do, yet let us not slavishly fear it, but therein endeavour to be as the Angels of heaven, who though they understand Death, yet do not fear it, being out of the reach of it. Consider we may, that the sting of Death, which is sin, is taken out, and our death is the Death of Death to us; that out of this eater comes meat, and out of the strong, out of the bitter, comes sweetness. Indeed if we look upon death as the punishment of sin, as the dissolution of the most excellent creature on earth, as the parting of two old friends and intimate acquaintance, the soul and the body, as an end and period of service to God and man in the Church and commonwealth on earth, so 'tis rather terrible than desirable: yet again, if we consider that 'tis a period to sin and sorrow, an inlet to glory, a dark entry to a lightsome palace, no other than the Portall or entry into the house of God, and the gate of heaven to the godly, and that death is ours, for our benefit and advantage, as well as life; that our death is precious in God's eyes; and that when we are dead, and our vile bodies in the dust, when the worms are spread under them, and the worms cover them, even then are we Gods Jewels; when we are dissolved, then are we like gold melted in the furnace, precious in the eyes of the owner thereof. Let's consider that we go to our friends and acquaintance, who are gone before us to heaven; yea we go to God, Christ, and the holy Angels, and all the company of heaven; and though our body and soul part, yet the mystical union betwixt us and Christ the Head, continueth firm and indissoluble, and we are still members of his body; that death is a sleep after our labour and travel here, and who fears to put off his clothes to go to sleep in his bed? that Christ our Lord died to free us from the slavish fear of death: I say if we consider all these things, we shall not need to be always way in bondage through fear of death. Though death was odious and accounted an enemy to the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesio. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Gods of the Heathen, yet it hath been welcomed and entertained as a friend by godly Christians: I have heard or read of a godly man, who rejoiced exceedingly when he saw the plague spots upon his arm, looking on them as certain signs of his approaching dissolution; and of a gracious Gentlewoman, who, being told by a friend, that her change probably was not far off, broke out after such a manner, saying, Now bless the Lord O my soul, and all that is within me bless His Holy Name; I would not go back again for a world, or to the like effect. And 4ly, that we may not fear the approach of Death, let's prepare and provide daily for his coming; put on the whole armour of God, especially the shield of Faith, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God: Cant. 4.4. this is like the Armoury of Solomon, wherein hung a thousand shields, even the shields of the mighty; Keep close to our Captain Christ, who leads us, and loves us, and laid down his life for us, and ever lives in heaven to make intercession for us; through him we shall do valiantly, through him we shall tread down our enemies, and be more than Conquerors over Sin, Death, and the Devil. Let's take heed of every Sin; get and grow in, and act (as we have opportunity) every grace; labour to be abundantly fruitful in every good thought, word, and work; and be sure to be found upon our watch, and upon our guard when death comes. And now Sir, to return unto you: having never preached to you from the Pulpit, accept I pray this Sermon from the Press. You who fear God, do not you fear Death: Let not such a man as you seek to flee; but rather stand in your tent door, ready to meet him, when he comes. To this end be rich in Faith, and rich in good Works: let your own eyes be your Overseers, and your own hands in some good measure your Executors. Be eyes to the blind, feet to the lame; deal your bread to the hungry, cloth the naked, show your faith by your works. Thus whilst others may be compared to Dives, or to the rich fool in the Gospel, we shall behold you as the wise Merchant in the Parable, who, though you have indeed a great portion in the things of the world, yet are not contented to have the world for your portion: and though you have had your share of the treasures hid in the sands, yet not satisfied therewith, lay up for yourself treasures in Heaven. Thus returning you hearty thanks for the favours and respects you have been pleased to do me, hoping since you are reputed a lover of Ministers, you will give a Minister leave still to love and honour you; I shall conclude, praying for you, that when you shall have served your Generation according to the will of God, and fall asleep, your soul may be received up into Heaven, and your body rest in the Lord; so that when you shall awake in the morning of the resurrection, and your body and soul be reunited, you may be still and ever with the Lord, which is best of all. Sir, This is, and shall be the Prayer of your Humble Servant in the Gospel of Christ THOMAS HODGES. Souldern, Decemb. 23. 1658. Heb: 2.15. And deliver them, who through fear of Death were all their life time subject to bondage. IN this and the verse immediately foregoing, we have a rational account of the Incarnation of the Son of the God; why it was expedient that the Messiah should be Emanuel, the Word should be made Flesh; wherefore the Son of God should become the Son of Man, an everliving and all-quickening Spirit partake of flesh and blood like unto us his brethren, only without sin, i. e. be of a nature passable and mortal, or obnoxious to sufferings and Death: namely, it was for these two ends, 1. That by his death he might destroy our great enemy, there named the Devil, and described to be him, that had the power of Death. And 2ly. That he might deliver us, his own brethren and friends, out of the hands of this cruel tyrant, and out of the mouth of this roaring Lion, of whom by reason of our sins, we either were, or had just cause to be all our life time afraid, lest we should by him be punished both with temporal and eternal Death. There are three observations, which I desire to speak to, and which I suppose contain the very marrow of these words. 1. That 'tis a grievous bondage to be all our life time in continual fear of Death. 2. Unbelievers, or those who are out of Christ, either are, or have just cause to be through fear of Death all their life time subject unto bondage. 3. Believers, or they who have part in Christ, and they only, are delivered and freed by his death from this intolerable bondage. Of the 1. I shall proceed by these steps, 1. To show that fear is a bondage. 2. That to fear all on's life time aggravates the bondage 3. That to fear Death all our life time consummates the bondage. 1. Fear is a passion, which speaks a man a servant; 'tis the badge and cognizance of a Servant: whereas Love is the principle and character of a Child: to fear our Lords or our Master's anger is servile, servile est, ac servum arguit, saith Rolloc. in loc. And 'tis very observable, that Rom. 8.15. the spirit of fear is called a Spirit of bondage, but the spirit of Adoption, or the spirit of Sons, is in the Scripture called a spirit of love, and distinguished from that spirit of fear, or that principle of fear, whereby servants commonly do act, or are acted rather, 2 Tim. 1.7. Fear hath torment, saith the Holy Ghost, 1 Joh. 4.18. This foul fiend, this torturing Affection was worshipped by the Lacedæmonians as a God: I suppose for the same cause that the Romans and Indians worshipped the Devil, viz. that it should not torment them. And truly they say, Fear was commonly adored and painted in their Temples with a Lion's head, and so very terrible, not unlike the Devil, that roaring Lion, who goeth about continually seeking whom he may devour: and truly if it be not like the Devil, yet some have said, Cardan. that fear doth invite the Devil to come to us, timor attrahit ad se daemonas. And surely it was not without all cause that Vives said, Nulla est miseria major quàm metus. Burton. There is no greater misery than fear: No greater misery, no rack or torture like it, saith another. 2. But then to fear all our life time, that aggravates the misery and bondage, that makes our lives (& life we use to say is sweet) bitter as death, yea it causeth some to choose (although they make an ill choice) death, rather than life. The day-labourer waits for the even, and then he shall rest; the servant for the end of the year, the Apprentice for his year of Jubilee, when he is to go out free; and the forethought of liberty sugars the bitter cup of servitude to them. But alas! to be under the terrible bondage of fear, without any hopes or expectation of freedom, or of redemption all our life time, this is a burden which neither we, nor our Fathers were ever able to bear. Nay in death itself, I say not that the servant is free from this master; when a man dies, he rather feels the evil which he feared, than is freed from it. And although we must say, blessed is he that feareth God always, the Lord of life, with a filial, childlike, ingenuous fear; yet we may say, miserable is he that feareth death always, that hard master, that cruel tyrant, with a servile and slavish fear. And so I come to the third and last degree of the bondage. 3. To fear Death all our life time, is a burden and bondage which is intolerable. Under the word Death I shall comprehend (with the generality of interpreters) not only temporal death, which is the separation of the soul from the body; but eternal death also, which is the separation of both soul and body from God everlastingly. Now to fear death always is a terrible bondage, quid miserius est, aut fingi potest (said one) quam metu mortis perpetuo trepidare? Death is called by the Philosopher the terrible of terribles, the most terrible evil that can be: by Job, the King of terrors. Joh. 18.14. 'tis the fear of Kings, as well as mean men; and 'tis the King of fears: and those who slavishly fear death are the veriest bondmen in the world, qui metuunt mortem illi servi sunt, ac servili conditione, non autem ingenui, neque filii, Rolloc. in loc. and so Theoph. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; they that fear death are the servants of death. Not only his servants we are whom we obey, but his servants and vassals we are whom we fear: and the little finger of the fear of death will be heavier than the loins of all other fears and tyrants whatsoever. The fear of other evils chastiseth us with whips, this with scorpions. Death is an evil, a great evil, and an unavoidable evil, and therefore terrible. It is usherd in, and accompanied, and followed with a black guard and train of fears: the way and walk of death is very low and dark: we read of the valley of the shadow of death, Psal. 23.4. and in this valley there is too a Lion, yea many legions of roaring Lions, waiting for their prey continually; yea certainly many thousands, if not millions of men, who have gone down this way, have been sore wounded, yea cruelly slain here, have lost their lives and their souls here. But more particularly, death will appear ghastly and formidable, if we consider 1. That it has a venomous and deadly sting; 'tis an old serpent, and has a poisonous sting, the sting of death is sin, and that is terrible. Sin is the edge of the sword of this deadly enemy, 'tis the poison of the Dragon, 'tis a greater enemy to us than death, than the Devil, than Hell itself. If sin was not there, we should not die, or we should not need to fear Death, we might easily shake off this viper into the fire, and rid our hands of it, as Paul did of the viper Act 28. and feel no harm; but therefore death is death indeed, and hell hell indeed, because 'tis the wages of sin. 2. Death will appear terrible, if we consider who empowers death primarily, who hath the absolute and supreme power of life and death, and from whom death originally hath his Commission, and that is God. The Lord killeth and maketh alive, he bringeth down to the grave and raiseth up, 1 Sam. 2.6. And truly God is a consuming fire: God the supreme judge of all the earth, and who cannot err in judgement, hath passed sentence upon us according to his holy, just, and righteous Law; and 'tis death's part but to be an executioner, to execute upon us the judgement written. The avenging justice of Almighty God commands death to seize upon the sinner, and to tear him in sunder like a Lion, yea to come hissing upon him like a dragon with the sting of vengeance in the mouth of it: morcem intellige cum ira Dei conjunctam, qualem necesse est extra Christum esse, saith Beza. 'tis the justice and wrath of Almighty God which commissionates death to kill, Psal. 90.11. and destroy, and take the spoil: and of God's wrath 'tis said, according to our fear so is thy wrath: our fears may be above the wrath of men, but the wrath of God is greater than our fears. 3. Death is terrible, if we consider who has the power of death, i. e. not so much a delegate power, such as Kings & Magistrates have, as a power by consequence; let us call it so: such as an Executioner or an hangman hath over condemned persons to put them to death; and that is the Devil, v. 14. The Devil may be said to have the power of death, either, 1. As a tempter, who seduceth us to sin, James 1.15. and so brings us to death. Sin being finished bringeth forth death. Theophylact tells us, the Devil got the power of death, how? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: so he, i. e. peccatum est fortitudo roburque mortis: he got it by Sin; Sin is the strength and power of death. Or, 2ly As an Accuser of us unto Almighty God, and urging the Law against us before God, continually soliciting pressing this judge to do justice upon us, urging God as the Nobles and Courtiers did Darius, against Daniel, Daniel. 6.12.13.15. that he might be cast into the Lion's den: so he, that we might be cast into hell, the den of the roaring Lion, and out of which we have no hope of deliverance. Or, 3ly he may be said to have the power of death (sicut carnifex habet imperium rotae & patibuli) as an executioner hath power of the wheel or gibbet, therewith to torment men, not whom and how he pleaseth, but condemned malefactors, according to the direction and appointment of the judge: thus the Devil hath the power of death: and surely 'tis a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of this cruel tyrant and tormentor. Death comes to our chamber-doors and to our bedside, accompanied and guarded with Legions of Devils, who all greedily gape for their prey. And so we come to The 4th and last consideration, in respect whereof death is very formidable or terrible; namely, if we consider the Consequents of death: the second Death follows at the heels of the first, i. e. Hell treads on the heels of death. Death comes riding on a red or pale horse with a drawn sword in his hand, and hell follows on a black horse with a flaming sword turning every way to cut off all the branches of our tree of life; yea so to cut down the tree of life, as that he leave us neither root nor branch. Ubi coram Deo reatus, ibi protinus Inferi se ostendunt, saith Calvin: where the soul is yet under guilt before God, there hell stairs us in the face: so terrible must death be to those, who are yet in their sins, who are indeed out of Christ. And this is our second observation: Observa. 2 That unbelievers either actually are, or of right have just cause to be through fear of death all their life-time subject to bondage. Every unbeliever may be named magor-missabib, fear round about: within him are fears, when all is calm, and there are no fightings without. Four sorts of men there are in the world, whose condition is a condition of fear. 1 Minors or children, and servants or vassals, who are under hard Masters. 2. Such as are weak and of no strength, and yet have many powerful and revengeful enemies. 3. Poor debtors, who own millions, who have nothing to pay, and yet have creditors, who will not abate them a ●arthing or mite. And fourthly, malefactors or transgressors of the Law, who are obnoxious to justice, and so liable continually to punishment for the breach of the Law. Now the condition of unbelievers may be likened to all these, and therefore must needs be a condition of fear. 1 And at best, he is under the Law as a schoolmaster, yea as a taskmaster too, who requires of him difficultyes and impossibilities, demands brick and gives no straw, and he is, or aught to be afraid of being beaten daily. Then he is a servant, yea a slave to sin, the worst master, the greatest tyrant in the world: he is as Paul said of himself Rom. 7.14. Carnal, sold under sin, as to his unregenerate part: or as 'tis said of Ahab, 1 Kings. 21.25. he is one that sells himself to work wickedness: being a servant of Sin he is made a servant of death; and serves him daily with fear and trembling, as oft as he thinks of him: yea he is carried captive by the Devil at his pleasure, so right is that, quàm multos habet Dominos qui unum non habet? How many Lords and Masters hath he that hath not one, that is, God, for his Lord and master? 2 An unbeliver is weak, and of no strength, and yet hath many potent enemies to grapple withal. 1 he hath one omnipotent enemy, and that is God, one who is said to be angry with him every day, Psalm. 5.5. & 11.5. and to hate him, who whets his sword, and bends his bow, and prepares for him the Instruments of Death. And surely 'tis a fearful thing to be a child of wrath, and to be liable daily to fall into the hands of this living God, as one's deadly enemy; and yet this is the state of unbelievers. Again, all the Angels in heaven, and all the creatures in heaven and earth, and all the Devils in hell are his enemies: they all stand ready some nearer & some farther off the judge's bench, as it were saying, Away with such a fellow from the Earth, he is not worthy to live. He that kills thee may think he doth God good Service. An unbeliever (like Cain) may fear every one that meeteth him, lest he should slay him. 3. He is extremely indebted unto the Justice of God, and is never able to pay a farthing; and God will one day say (if he live and die in this state) take him, and bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the dungeon, into utter darkness: verily he shall not come out thence, until he hath paid the uttermost farthing. And 4ly, he is a transgressor, a malefactor: God looks on him so, in the womb and from the womb; as soon as he comes into life, he is liable to the law, sentence, and punishment of death: he is (as we say) a dead man in law, as soon as he gins to live. Yea, and that which aggravates his bondage and misery is this, that he knows of no reprieve, no not for a day, or hour, or moment; death and hell may seize on him every minute: behold as it were a flaming sword with a twine-thread hangs over his head continually, so that all his honours, sweet pleasures, wealth, is nothing to him, if his eyes be but open to see his misery: his head is as it were always upon the block, and death is ready with his axe, for aught he knows, to sever soul and body every moment; and (if he die presently) he knows not what will become of his soul to eternity, or he knows that the Devils will come and fetch away his soul: he looks on death quasi aeternae mortis exordium. C. Alap. on death temporal as but the beginning or inlet into eternal death; he enters into the prison of hell, as never hoping to come out again. If the eyes of his understanding be enlightened, he sees Legions of Devils ready to fly upon his soul, before his soul goes out of his body, reaching after and catching at his soul, before his friends begin to scramble for his goods, or the worms to feast themselves with his flesh. To conclude this, an unbeliever hath just cause to fear death, as one that will deprive him of life, and all that he accounted happiness; and as a Sergeant sent to arrest, attach, and hale him to prison and judgement, and so deliver him up to the Devil, and the torments of hell for ever. And now if any be troubled at these say, and say in their hearts, this is a hard saying, who can bear it? who then can be saved? I answer, our Lord Jesus Christ died to deliver all those, that will come to him for Salvation, from the fear of death, under which they were before time held in bondage: and so we come to treat of our 3d and last observation. All true Christians, or those who are justified by faith Observe: 3 in Christ, are by him, and especially by his death for them, or his dying for them, freed from being all their life time through fear of death subject unto bondage. 1 They are delivered, they do not slavishly fear death temporal and eternal, or they ought not so to do. 2 They are delivered by Christ, and 3 by Christ dying for them. 1 True Christians do not, or need not slavishly to fear death. I know nature is averse to, and trembles at dissolution; and the pure and holy nature of Christ did (with submission to his father's will) decline suffering, and fear dying; and it is sufficient for the servant that he be as his Master. A natural, ordinate, moderate fear of death a Christian may have, but yet he doth not slavishly fear death or hell; he knows the one cannot hurt him, and the other hath nothing in him: a hair of his head shall not fall to the ground, and not so much as the smell of hell fire shall ever pass on him. Christians have no need to fear death: it can (let it do its worst) but kill the body, it cannot cast body or soul into hell fire; and wherefore then should Christians fear it? the shell, the body may in death be broken or worm-eaten; but the kernel, the soul, that is untouched, the worms cannot touch that. Besides, death is a hiding place or Sanctuary to Christians for a time, till all the sore calamities of this miserable world are overpast; and men in distress do not fly from, but to places and cities of refuge. Again, they may look on death as a period of all evil, as a forerunner, as an in let to all blessedness, a dark entry leading them to the father of lights: they find death in the Inventory of their good things, 1 Cor. 3.21, 22. For all things are yours, whether Paul, or Apollo's, or Cephas, or the world, Revel. 14.13. or life, or death. Even so saith the Spirit, Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord. Alacres accedunt ad mortem, tanquam ad aerumnarum terminum, & melioris vitae exordium, Corn. Alap. They approach death cheerfully, as the end of their troubles, and the beginning of a better life. How unhappy were Christians, if they could not die? they would not live always. It is enough say they, (with Elijah, a little altered) take away our lives, 1 King. 15.4. that we may be better with our fathers; nay, that we may be ever with the Lord, which is best of all. Vitam habent in patientia, mortem in desiderio: they are patiented of life, or content to live, but desirous to die. Of old it was grown to a kind of Proverb, soli Christiani mortis contemptores: Christians were the men who contemned death. In the martyrology we find Justus and Pastor, the one of seven, the other of nine years of age, offering themselves to Martyrdom for Christ. A godly man dies willingly, though at the stake, saying with the first Martyr Stephen, Lord Jesus receive my Spirit: Act. 7.59. but 'tis observed by some, that the rich fool died unwillingly, this night (saith the text) do they require thy soul of thee; he would not die, but he must. Luk. 12.20. gr. Farther, Christians are freed by Christ, and by his dying, from the slavish fear of death and hell, or temporal and eternal death. For 1 Christ hath destroyed him that had the power of death, i. e. the Devil: non quod personam, aut substantiam diaboli destruxerit, & annihilârit, sed quia ejus regnum & imperium destruxit, Corn. Alap. He hath not destroyed or annihilated the person or substance of the Devil, but he hath destroyed his Kingdom and Empire. Christ hath despoiled the Devil of that right or power, which he sometimes had by permission or sufferance from God, to tempt and torment them, by reconciling them by his death unto God. Now since Christ hath made our peace with God, the Devil's power to tempt us in this life is much limited and restrained, if we be in Christ; and his power to torment us after death is totally abolished. He hath delivered us from the power of Satan, Act. 26.18. from the power of darkness, Col. 1.13. Ita prostratus est (saith Calvin, speaking of the Devil) ut pro nihilo habendus sit, ac si nullus foret: the Devil is so vanquished, as if he signified nothing now, as if there was no Devil at all as to believers. And Christ conquered the Devil, beat him out of his Kingdom and Empire, which he sometimes had over us his Subjects, with his own weapon; he slew him as it were with his own sword: hostem suis ipsius armis confecit Christus, saith Beza. Christ by death overcame him that had the power of death: when he hung upon the cross, See Colos: 2.15. & Ephes. 4.8. he spoilt principalities and powers; and when he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and made a show of them openly, triumphing over them. The Devil first got his power to torment us with death temporal and eternal, and with the fear and horror of both, by tempting us to sin; and by that means tyrannised over man, putting him to death cruelly and maliciously: but now Christ became sin for us, our sins were laid upon him, and he died for our sins, and by his death overcame the Devil: the great Leviathan did by't at the flesh of Christ, or his humane nature, sed captus fuit hamo Divinitatis, but he was caught by his divinity, as with a hook: yea the divine power of Christ is such a hook in his nostrils, that he can and will hinder him from tyrannising over and tormenting (as formerly he did) those that are Christ's. And truly, the Devil hath justly forfeited his power for his malice against Christ, and his presumption in setting upon Christ, the Captain of our salvation, when he once appeared but in the Similitude of sinful flesh. 2. Because Christ hath destroyed the power and dominion of Sin; he hath by his death taken away the condemning power, and purchased the Spirit to destroy the commanding power of Sin in his; so that sin shall no more reign in our mortal bodies, Sin shall no more have dominion over us, since Christ dying for sin hath condemned Sin in the flesh. 3. That Christ hath delivered true Christians from the fear of Death, appears, in that he hath freed them from the damning power of the Law: the strength of sin, as to its condemning power, is the Law; but Christ in this regard, as to those that are Christ's, hath nailed the Law to his cross: yea the law was not made for a righteous man, saith the Scripture, 1 Tim, 1.9, and such are justified persons by the death of Christ. Farther, 'tis said against such there is no law, Gal. 5.23. and that we might be yet delivered from all our tormenting fears, hear what the Apostle Paul saith, Rom. 8.1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ. 4 In that Christ by his death hath abolished death to the godly, I had almost said Name and Thing, he hath taken away the sting of death, he hath beat out the teeth of this evil and venomous beast. Death came with open mouth upon Christ, like a roaring Lion, as he went down that way, but Christ hath slain the Lion, and now out of the eater comes meat, and out of the strong comes sweetness, to them that are Christ's the bitterness of death is past; any child of God may now play upon the hole of this Asp death; 'tis now to them a sleep, a change, a gathering to their fathers: Revel. 20.6.14. v compared. and it hath been observed, that in the Revelations sometimes it doth not go in account as worthy of the name of death; for then the death of the Soul in hell, which is called the second death, should have been called the third death: but if it be any thing, we are assured 1 Cor. 15. that it shall be destroyed, death is swallowed up of victory, v. 54. and Revel. 20.14. we read, that death and hell were both cast into the lake of fire and brimstone: so that those that are Christ's need not fear either the one or the other. 5 In that Christ by dying hath procured the keys of hell and death to be laid upon his shoulders, and none of his shall go into the chambers of death, till he open the door; and that he will not do, until he hath made and perfumed their beds for them, and until it is the best time for them to go take their rest: and as for hell, ye may be sure he will bar and bolt the gates of hell, so that Christians need not fear it, they shall never go thither. Besides, Christ will redeem them from death, by a glorious Resurrection of their bodies at the last day. And now if any say in their hearts, what then, must Christians for ever cast of all fear, and rejoice in it as their portion, purchased for them by the sufferings and death of Christ? I answer 1 That Christians ought, notwithstanding all that hath been said, to fear God with an awful, reverential fear, and to have Reverend thoughts of him, and demean themselves reverently before him, as becomes dust and ashes; especially when he manifests himself to, and before them, either in his holy word and ordinances, or in his extraordinary works and Providences. So Moses said, Heb. 12.21. I exceedingly fear and quake, when God came down on Mount Sinai: Isa: 66.2. Philip. 2.12. and to him will I look (saith God) that trembles at my word. 2 Christians aught, notwithstanding all that hath been said, to take heed lest they fall, to work out their Salvation with fear and trembling: they ought to serve their Master in heaven with fear and trembling. My flesh trembleth for fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy judgements, psal. 119.120. i e. they ought to have a watchful, careful, heedful fear, that they do not offend or displease God at any time: we must not cast overboard such a Religious fear, as made Noah build an Ark, for the saving of himself and his house; but as for such fears, as like jonah, shall occasion such storms and tempests, that though we row hard, and tug hard, yet we cannot bring the vessel safe to shore, let it be cast out. 3 Yet I say, that Christ hath freed them by his holy life and innocent Death, from anxious, distracting, perplexing, tormenting fear, either of temporal or eternal death. Such a fear as may make them fly to God, as may consist with love to God and goodness; such a fear of his goodness and mercy, as consists with hope in his mercy; such a fear they have, and may, and aught to have, and yet be good Servants, and no base spirited or base principled slaves; and yet be loving Children, and not bastards, no unworthy base spirited Children. Yea last, So far as they are unregenerate, the fear of sufferings may be a bridle to lust, and a spur to duty; yea they may make use of the threaten in the word to deter them from offending, and as a Motive or means to keep close to the way which is called holy: we find that God used a Commination even to Adam in Innocency in Case of disobedience, In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die, Gen. 2.17. Again, if any say further in their hearts, how can this man save us? he did not save himself from the fear of death, and how can he save others? and if we read Math. 26. from v. 38. to 42. and Heb. 5.7. we may have cause to think, that Christ himself feared death; and then how could he deliver us from it? I answer, that Christ did fear death; but that his fear was not inordinate, that it was principally the wrath of God, the terrors of the Almighty, which made him pray with strong cries and tears unto God. He did conflict with death in its full strength; with the Serpent with its sting and poison in it: Christ endured the pain of sense in the garden, when he said, my soul is exceeding sorrowful even to the death; the pain of loss, when he was crucified on the tree, and cried out, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? where, though the grace of vision was for a time withdrawn from Christ, yet the grace of union and unction still continued the same. So that as Christ entered into the first degree of the first death, his soul and body were really separated, but not into the second, i e. his body did not see corruption: so he entered only into the first degree of the 2d death: the light of God's countenance was hid towards him for a while, as it were under a cloud, but God did not wholly forsake him, nor was he totally separated from God. And truly, God heard the prayer of Christ, that prayer of his upon the cross, Luk. 23.46. Father into thy hands I commend my spirit, i.e. saith one, Father, if I die, yet deliver me from the power of death, deliver me out of death, preserve and restore my spirit again: D. Hd. and accordingly he had within 3 days a glorious Resurrection in answer to his prayer. I know there are, who take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signify a reverential or religious fear; and so make the sense of Heb. 5.7. where 'tis said, that Christ was heard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to be, he was heard for his great piety and devotion, and not that he was saved from, or out of the thing which he feared, namely out of death, implying that Christ feared death: but therefore Christ feared it so much, that we might not fear it so. If any farther examine me, what is the Reason then that good men oftentimes are so unwilling to die, and so fearful of death? we read of good Hezekiah, that at the tidings of death, he turned his face to the wall, and wept sore. I answer, 1 concerning Hezekiah, that he was at this time childless, and that might seem a dismal thing, for his Sun to set so long before night, and to have no hope of rising again in his posterity. 2 That he had newly made a glorious Reformation, and knew not but that after his decease the worship of dead Idols might revive again, to the great dishonour of the living God, whom he served. 3 He might fear lest his being taken away at such a time, and by such a violent disease ('tis thought by some it was the plague) might open the mouths of his enemies to triumph and say, that this evil was therefore come upon him, because he had broken down their Altars. 4 Possibly he himself might upon the sudden look upon this message of death, as a messenger bringing him tidings of God's displeasure, and for this cause he might weep at the news of death. And secondly, as concerning other good men or women, who have feared Death, I answer 1 that of right they ought not to fear it. Christ hath set open the prison doors, and if they use the means, they may be free from their fears; 'tis their ignorance of their strength in Christ, and death's weakness, which makes them fear death. If the children of light be kept ever in darkness, and not see that there are more for them then can be against them, they will be afraid of death and his followers: or 2ly, it may be they neglect to put on the whole armour of God, when they grapple with principalities and powers, and particularly with the power of death; or they go out rashly in their own strength, without seeking of auxiliary forces from heaven to help them; or it may be they do not use their shield of faith in Christ, who by death overcame death; and therefore it is that they are overcome for a while of the fear of death. Or lastly, as 'tis said of Gad, so I may say of these, a troop may overcome them, Gen. 49.19. but they shall overcome at the last; and though their hearts fail them for fear in the beginning, yet they shall be as David, and as the Angel of the Lord strengthening him; they shall be courageous, and more than conquerors in the conclusion, over death and hell, and all their fears of them: And now if on the other side we see any wicked men, children of the Devil, who seem to us undaunted at death; Job. 41.33. who seem to us like the great Leviathan, concerning whom ye know 'tis said, upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear. I say either 1 that the Devil it may be hath blinded their eyes, that so he might lead them into the bottomless pit, before they so much as fear or fancy it. He is so subtle, that he will not torment them before the time, that he may be more sure to torment them to all eternity. Again, they may ofttimes perhaps have a hell in their consciences, whilst they seem to us to be in a fools paradise. If they feel no fear of death temporal or eternal, 'tis surely because they are dead in their sins and trespasses, and their consciences are seared with a hot iron. I am persuaded the soul of the boldest wicked man on earth was never so fearless all the time that it was in the body, but that when it sees it must go out of the body, and go into hell, it fears and trembles to go forth: how free and jolly would it deem itself, might it but abide in the prison of the body for ever? but to say no worse of such, these die desperately, but the righteous hath hope in his death. Use. And now are these things so, is fear so terrible a bondage, and especially the fear of death and hell; and are all out of Christ liable and obnoxious to this horrid and hellish slavery, and that all their life time; oh that this truth might be to every one that hears it, and is out of Christ, like the handwriting upon the wall to Belshazzar, that it might fill him with fear, and that he might go home full of fear, and that his fears (like some ghost) might haunt him, and give him no rest, whilst he continues in his natural, unregenerate condition. I desire this Doctrine may scare them, but not hurt them. And you who are indeed (and know it) subject to this grievous bondage, the fear of death and hell, I desire you would go to the hart, and hare, and such like fearful creatures; that you would consider, and learn their ways, and be wise. 1 They are very cautelous and watchful. 'tis said of the hare, that she sleeps with her eyelids open. Let us be vigilant and circumspect, and keep a constant guard upon all the ways and inlets of sin; for sin, fear, death, and hell, all enter in at the same port or door. 2 Fearful creatures are very nimble to fly from danger. Let us fly from sin as from the face of a serpent; remembering always, that the sting of death is sin. 3 Fearful creatures get hiding places, to which they run and are safe: the Hart that is animal timidissimum, a most fearful creature, hath a hiding place on the tops of mountains; hence that expression Psalm. 18.33. He maketh my feet like hind's feet, and setteth me upon my high places: and the stony rocks are a hiding place for the coneys, Psal. 104.18. Let us get a hiding place in that Rock, that is higher than ourselves, in the Lord Christ, and then we need not fear that mighty hunter, the Devil, when he pursues us. Let's hid ourselves in the clefts of this rock now, and then we shall not need one day to call for the rocks to fall on us, and for the hills to cover us. Be convinced that by nature we are dead in sins and trespasses, come to Christ by a true and a lively faith, this is the way to pass from death to life: live in, and to, and for Christ much for the time to come, and you need not fear temporal and eternal death; for surely you have eternal life abiding in you. Fear God with all your hearts, with a filial fear, this will provoke you to diligence, and obedience, and watchfulness, and then you shall not, you ought not to fear with a slavish fear, what death or the Devil can do unto you: time at mortem, qui Deum non timet. Let him fear death, who feareth not God. What shall I say more, get abundance of love to God, and good evidences of God's love to you; and Love, both this and that, is as strong as death: and then having two such strong and mighty champions with you and for you, you need not fear death, come when he will, for you are more than his match. And so I come to Apply the third and last observation. Use Infor. Are Christians thus delivered from the slavish fear of death temporal and eternal, than this may inform us 1 that Christians are the freest men in the world; they are not in bondage, no not unto death: they were not borne free, nor with a great sum of moneys obtained they this freedom, but the Son of God hath made them free, and therefore they are free indeed. Again 2ly, hence we may be informed, that Christians are the valiantest and most courageous champions in the world. If thus they are not afraid to look death in the face, of whom then should they be afraid? they may by grace do what 'tis said the horse doth by nature, even mock at fear, when it cometh. We may say as David doth, the Righteous is hold as a Lion. A righteous man may say with David, Psal. 3.6. I will not be afraid of 10000s of people, that have set themselves against me round about: or as in Psal. 46.2. Although the earth be removed, and the mountains cast into the midst of the Sea, I will not fear. Although the greater world fall, this lesser world need not shake or be moved. And so we are here taught 3ly, the great Blessedness of Christians in miserable times: these are the happy men and women in times of war, plague, famine. Miser Christianus videri potest, non potest inveniri, he may outwardly seem miserable, he shall never be truly miserable. Are ye by Christ freed from the slavish fear of death temporal and eternal, Use 2 then let not such men as you be terrified at the news of the approach of death; and be not unwilling to die, when the God of our lives calls for you. When once good old Simeon had got his Saviour in his arms, he presently sings his Now lettest thou thy servant departed in peace. Luk. 2.29. Rebeckah, that went so willingly with Abraham's servant to Canaan, to be Isaac's wife, may rise up in the day of Judgement and condemn us, if we hang back, when our bridegroom the Lord Christ comes or sends for us. She went to an earthly Canaan, we to a heavenly; she went to Isaac, a type of Christ, we to Christ himself; she to Sarahs' tent, we to Abraham's bosom; she to a movable tent or Tabernacle, we to Mansions, to a building that has foundations, whose builder and maker is God himself; she went from her own kindred and father's house, to live and die in a strange country, we go to our own country and father's house, to die no more, death shall no more have dominion over us. Consider (for I speak to those who are passable and mortal, and to whom no day can bring a privilege, nor place be a Sanctuary from the arrest of death, no though our breasts be full of milk, and our bones of marrow) consider I say 1. that death can but bruise our heel, he cannot break our head: when death hath killed the body, he hath done all. God says to this destroying Angel or Messenger of his, when he hath taken away the life of our bodies, stay now thine hand, it is enough, put up thy sword into the scabbard: and therefore do not fear death, for the sword of death is like the sword of the magistrate, he beareth it indeed not in vain, but to be a terror to evil doers, and a praise to them that do well. 2. Death will cure thee of thy body and soul diseases: The long-sick writ upon his grave stone, hîc ero sanus, here I shall be well. And as for sin, the disease of thy soul, death will perfectly cure that leprosy, and stop that bloody issue, and be the death of that body of death within thee. 3. As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold, so shall the grave be to our drossy bodies: our bodies (like the China dishes) after they have been buried for some generations under ground, shall be taken up, and made vessels of honour, fit for our master's use in heaven. The soul is now indeed a Pearl, but set in clay; but at the Resurrection, in the day when God makes up his Jewels, when he takes them up out of the dust and dirt, he will then set them in bodies of gold, yea in bodies like the Sun; for we shall be made like unto the glorious body of Christ, Phil. 3. Revel. 1.16. last. And his body is like the Sun, when it shineth in its full strength. 4. Death is the beaten road to everlasting life: Christ the King of heaven and earth went this way; and it may suffice Christians to walk to heaven, even as Christ walked, in and by the way of death. 5. Consider, Death is Christ's messenger, he will not run before he is sent; he is Christ's Angel or Minister, sent out for the good of them, who are heirs of Salvation. In the 2 King. 6.32. we read, that when Jehoram sent a messenger to take off Elisha's head, the Prophet bid shut the door, for (saith he) is not the sound of his master's feet behind him? But let us use death kindly, and not handle him roughly at the door; but rather say, turn in, turn in my Lord, for is not the sound of his and our Master's feet, is not the sound of Christ's feet behind him? 6ly and lastly, consider that so long as thou art slavishly afraid of death and judgement, thou art either not a son, or surely a son under age; thou art not made perfect in love. I shall never think my soul in good case (said one) so long as I fear to think of dying. And Luther in a Sermon on Luk. 21.25. saith, that until we can from our hearts desire the day of judgement, we cannot say boldly that we are Christians: he would therefore have us pray to God for this day, thus, fac, si fieri potest, ut hâc horâ veniat. I desire it may come, even this very hour. But yet truly I think that the house of our soul may sometimes lie so unswept and out of order, that we may be for a season willing that our Lord and husband should delay a little his coming. But 'tis our duty, and let it be our study and endeavour, to set the house of our soul in order daily, not knowing but that any day we may die, and not live. To this purpose let's meditate often on death; thus let's die daily, thus let's acquaint ourselves with it, and prepare for it, and so shall we be at peace, and so shall we not be afraid. We read in the Gospel of one mad man, who lived among the tombs; the world think all mad that do so, Joh. 19.41, 42. compared with Math. 27.59.60 although but by meditation: and yet we read that devout Joseph of Arimathea had his tomb in his garden, where he probably used to walk. And oh that my people were wise, Deut. 32.29. that they would consider their latter end, were some of the last words of Moses. This is the way to prepare for death; and watchfulness and preparation may prevent a surprisal, may turn death into a sleep: the longer and more we watch for death, our sleep and rest will be the sweeter. In vita vigilant justi, ideo in morte dicuntur dormire, August: the righteous watch whilst they live, and their death is a sleep. And what weary long waking man is afraid of a sound and sweet sleep? Use last. And so I come to the last Use of the Doctrine. If Christians ought not to fear death neither temporal nor eternal, of whom or what then should believers be afraid? Let us not fear the Devil; he is an enemy, but a conquered enemy, but an enemy bound in chains; he is a Lion, but led in chains, and so muzzled, that a child of God need not fear him. Let's not fear the day of judgement; 'tis a time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord; 'tis the day of Redemption of our bodies. Let it be the object of our hopes, not of our fears. Let's not fear the world, not all the evil the men of the world can do unto us; let us march on in the way of truth and holiness; and that although the whole world should be against us, although our days should prove days of darkness, of clouds, and of thick darkness, days of rebuke and blasphemy to us: yet let us Christians, whether Prophets, or Prophet's children, or professors of the Gospel, which is the truth, and the Doctrine according unto godliness, let us be zealous and courageous for truth against error, and for holiness against profaneness; let us quit ourselves like men, and be strong; let us stand up to and for the truth, our hearts never once failing us for fear of what may come upon us; no not if it should come to a worship the golden Image, or be cast into the fiery furnace: considering (as one saith) that Dei miles nec in dolore deseritur, nec in morte finitur, God's soldier is neither deserted in sufferings, nor ended in death. And again, quanto plus tormenti, tanto plus erit gloriae: the more torment, the more glory. For although we must not have amorem mercenarium, yet we may have amorem mercedis, though not a mercenary love, yet a Respect to the recompense of reward. Let us know, that although 'tis a blessed thing to die in the Lord, yet 'tis a more glorious thing to die for the Lord. Let us therefore look unto the cloud of witnesses of the martyrs of Jesus, who have gone before us, either in the Primitive, or in the Marian times; yea let us look unto Jesus, the Author and finisher of our faith, Heb. 12.2 who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, and despised the shame, and is now set down at the right hand of God, from whom he came into this world, that he might deliver us out of the hands of all our enemies, that we might serve him without fear, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, i. e. saith Dr H. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in safety, in holiness and righteousness all the days of our lives. To conclude all, In all our qualms and faintings of heart, let's endeavour to revive and encourage ourselves with this sovereign cordial and Antidote, that it was one great end wherefore Christ took upon him flesh and blood, which could suffer and die, that so by his death and resurrection he might not only rescue one day our bodies after death from the power of the grave, giving us a glorious Resurrection unto eternal life; but also might by his victorious death on the cross destroy our Arch-enemy the Devil, who had the power of death, a deadly power, or a power to kill, and deliver us, who through fear of death otherwise ought, and should have been all our life time subject unto bondage. FINIS.