The marrovv of the oracles of God. Or, diuers treatises containing directions about sixe of the waightiest things can concerne a Christian in this life. by N. Bifield, late preacher of Gods Word at Isleworth in Middlesex.

CHAP. III.

Shewing how vncomely it is to feare Death.

FOr the second, how vncome∣ly a thing it is in Christians to feare death, may appeare ma∣ny * 1.1 waies.

1. By the feare of death we shame our Religion; while we professe it in our words, we de∣ny it in our workes. Let Papists * 1.2 tremble at death, who are taught, that no man ordinarily can be sure he shall go to heauen when he dies. But for vs, that professe the knowledge of sal∣uation, to bee astonished at the passage to it, shewes (at least) a great weakenesse of faith, and doth outwardly giue occasion of disgrace to

our Religion.

2. By that which went be∣fore, we may see how vncomely it is to be afraid of death: For thereby we disable the death of Christ: wee frustrate the end of Gods workemanship: we stop the execution of the Prophesies: we renounce our first agreement with Christ: we mocke God in praying that his kingdome may come: we obscure the euidence of our owne regeneration; and wee transgresse against the example of the godly in all a∣ges.

3. Many of the Pagans great∣ly * 1.3 settled their hearts against the feare of death by this very rea∣son: because there was no being after death; and therefore they could no more feele misery then, then before they were borne. And shall wee Christians, that heare euery day of the glorious saluation we haue by Christ, be more fearefull then they were?

Let them feare death that know not a better life.

Shall we be like wicked men? * 1.4 Their death is compelled; shall ours be so too. They by their good wils, would not lose their bodies in this life, nor haue their bodies in the next life: but since God hath made vs vnlike them in the issues of death, shall wee make our selues like them in the lothnesse to dye? Let Felix trem∣ble at the doctrine of death and iudgement, Acts 24. 25. but let all the godly hold vp their heads, because the day of their redemp∣tion draweth nigh, Mathew 24. &c.

5. Shall we be afraid of a sha∣dow? * 1.5 The separation of the soule frō God, that is death, if we speake exactly: but the separa∣tion of the soule from the body, is but the shaddow of death. When see we men trembling for feare of spirituall death, which is cal∣led the First Death? and yet this

is farre more woefull then that we call the bodily death. But as if the death of the body were nothing, the Scripture cals dam∣nation, The second death, neuer putting the other into the num∣ber.

6. This feare is called a bon∣dage * 1.6 here in this text: And shall wee voluntarily make our selues vassals? Or shall we be like slaues that dare not come in our Ma∣sters sight?

7. If we loue long life, why are wee not much more in loue * 1.7 with eternall life, where the du∣ration is longer, and the estate happier? Are wee not extreme∣ly insatuated, that when God will doe better for vs then wee desire, yet wee will be afraid of him?

8. Shall wee bee worse then children, or mad men? Neither * 1.8 of them feare death; and shall simplicity, or Ideotisme, doe more with them, then rea∣son

or Religion can doe with vs?

9. Do not all that reade the storie of the Israelites (in their * 1.9 passion desiring to bee againe in Egypt, and violently murmuring at the promise of going into the Land of Canaan) condemne them of vile ingratitude to God, and folly in respect of them∣selues? For what was it for them to liue in Egypt, but to serue cru∣ell Taske-masters about bricke and clay? And was not Canaan the place of their rest, and a Land that floweth with milke and hony? Euen such is the condition of all that wish life, and are a∣fraid to dye. What is this world but Aegypt, and what is to liue in this world, but to serue about bricke and clay? Yea, the Church, that is separate from the world, can find it no better then a bar∣ren wildernesse. And what is Heauen, but a spirituall Canaan? And what can death bee more,

then to passe ouer Iordan; and victoriously ouercomming all enemies to bee possessed of a place of matchlesse rest; of more pleasures then Milke or Hony can shadow out?

10. Adam might haue had * 1.10 more reason to feare Death, that neuer saw a man die an or∣dinary death; but for vs to bee affrighted with death; that see thousands die at our right hand, and ten thousand at our left, and that daily, is an inexcusable di∣stemper. The gate of Death is continually open, and wee see a prease of people, that daily throng into it.

11. When Moses had cast * 1.11 downe his Rod, it turned into a Serpent; and the Text, noting Moses weakenesse, saith; He fled from it: But the Lord commanded him to take it by the Taile; and be∣hold, it became a Rod againe. Euen so death at the first sight is terrible, like a new-made

Serpent, and the godly them∣selues, through inconsideration, flye from it: but if at Gods com∣mandement, without feare they would lay hold vpon this see∣ming Serpent, it will be turned into a Rod againe; yea, into a golden Scepter in our hands, made much better by the change. Neither doe we reade, that euer at any time after Moses had any feare of this Serpent, when he had once known the experience of it. And haue we offen, by the eyes of faith, seene the experi∣ence of this great work of God, and shall we still be running a∣way?

12. It is said, Rom. 8. 12. that all creatures groane, wayting for * 1.12 the libertie of the sonnes of God: and shall wee bee worse then bruit beasts? Doth the whole frame of nature, as it were, call for this time of change; and shall man be so stupid, or carried with such senslesse feares, as to shun

his owne felicity?

13. Consider whether it bee * 1.13 more commodious for vs, that Death come to vs, or that we go to Death. For one thing is cer∣taine; it is vaine to shunne that which cannot bee auoided. For it is appointed vnto all men once to die, Heb. 9. 27. What man is hee that liueth, and shall not see death? Psal. 89. 48. Death is the way of all flesh, Iosh. 24. Now this being granted, let vs consider of it: Death is like an armed man, with whom we must once fight. Now if we be aduised, and will goe to Death, we must get on our ar∣mour beforehand, and so the encounter will be without dan∣ger to vs, because the weapons of our warfare are mighty through God, & we are assured of victory through Iesus Christ. On the o∣ther side, to tarry till Death come vnto vs, is as if a man that knowes he must fight with a sore aduersary, would through sloth∣fulnesse

goe vp and downe vnar∣med, till he fall into the hands of his enemy, and must then fight with him at such disaduan∣tage.

14. It is most vncomely to * 1.14 feare that which is both com∣mon and certaine. Death, of all afflictions is most common. For from other afflictions it is possi∣ble some might bee free; but from death can no man be deli∣uered: and God of purpose hath made that most common which is most grieuous, that thereby he might abate the terrour of it. It is monstrous foolishnes, to striue in vaine to auoid that which ne∣uer man could escape. And to teach men their vnauoydable mortality, the Lord clothed our first Parents with the skinnes of dead beasts, and feeds vs with dead flesh, that as often as wee eate of slaine beasts, we might remember our owne end: and shall we be euer learning, and

neuer come to the knowledge of this truth? Is this such a les∣son as cannot be learned? Shall we be so stupid, as daily to passe by the graues of the dead, and heare their knels, and yet be vn∣taught and vnarmed?

15. Lastly, shall we be afraid * 1.15 of such an enemie as hath beene ouercome hand to hand, and beaten by Christ, and thousands of the Saints? especially if wee consider the assurance wee haue of victory. In this combate e∣uery Christian may triumph be∣fore the victory, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Corinth. 15. 55.

And thus much of the two first points.

Notes

• * 1.1

  F•…•…ene R•…•…asons why it is an vncomely thing to be afraid to dye.
• * 1.2

  1 Wee shame our religion.
• * 1.3

  3. We are worse then some Pa∣gans.
• * 1.4

  4 Wicked men dye vnwilling∣ly.
• * 1.5

  5 Death is but a sha∣dow.
• * 1.6

  6. It is a bondage to feare.
• * 1.7

  7. If wee loue this life, why not eternal life?
• * 1.8

  8. Are wee worse then children & mad men?
• * 1.9

  9. Wee make our selues like the Israe∣lites, or ra∣ther more absurd then they.
• * 1.10

  10. Is not death or∣dinary?
• * 1.11

  11. The ex∣ample of Moses.
• * 1.12

  12 The ex∣ample of al creatures.
• * 1.13

  13. It is bet∣ter we goe to death, then that death shuld come to vs
• * 1.14

  1•…•…. It is vn∣comely to feare that which is common & ce•…•…taine
• * 1.15

  15. Shal we be afraid of an enemy that hath bin soossen vanquished