and delusions that are in the hearts of sinners such instances would not be rare but it would be a wonder how any sinner could die in his sin and in his wits too from such a fear as this Believers are delivered Though they may and do experience some measure of fears yet God doth always support with some degree of hope that they let not go all their hold of the Covenant of God In a word Believers are so far victorious over the fear of death that if they understand their case aright they have no cause to be afraid of death when they are they are more afraid than hurt The Hornet having lost its sting may threaten with its humming noise but cannot prick the flesh so death where sin is pardoned which is itssting may afright with its horrid aspect but cannot hurt 3. Death is overcome to Believers in that it cannot hold them by its power It is indeed the unalterable Law of Heaven that all must die And accordingly Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the Patriarchs Moses and Samuel and Isaiah and all the Prophets Peter and James and John and all the Apostles yea all the Saints from Adam to this generation are fallen asleep and shut up in their Graves But shall the Grave always contain them Are they there kept in an everlasting Prison under locks and bars that cannot be opened Did making the Sepulchre sure Sealing the stone and setting a Watch forbid Christs Resurrection No surely I went down saith Jonah a Type of the Resurrection to the bottoms of the Mountains the Earth with her bars was about me for ever yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption O Lord my God Jon. 2. 6. And though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold and not another though my reins be consumed within me saith Job ch 19. 26 27. Though the Saints be descended to the depths of the sea and hid in the bowels of the Earth and their bodies resolved into the farthest dust and that dust dispersed to the four Winds yet shall they be recovered and rise again The Sea shall not contain the dead that are in it nor the Graves the dead that are in them Their scattered atoms shall be recollected and reared up again to a goodly body Behold there shall be a shaking and their dry bones shall come together bone to his bone and lo the sinews and the flesh shall come up upon them and the skin shall cover them above And thus shall the Lord God say Come from the four Winds O breath and breath upon these slain that they may live and the breath shall come into them and they shall live and stand up upon their feet Ezek. 37. 7 8 10. This is it which the Apostle asserts here throughout the Chapter concluding that then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in victory Object But what more victory is this than what unbelievers shall have for they also shall rise again Answ Yes it is more beyond all comparison Joh. 5. 28 29. All that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth they that have done good unto the Resurrection of life and they that have done evil to the Resurrection of damnation The wicked shall rise but from death Temporal to death Eternal to die the second death This is Death's Victory over them The Godly shall rise from Death temporal to Life eternal to die no more This is the Saints Victory over Death 4. Death is so overcome to Believers as to be made serviceable and advantageous to them And this is the fulness and perfection of Victory when the Enemy is brought in Subjection to serve the Conquerour The Apostle in this Epistle reckons Death to be part of the Saints Inventory ch 3. 21 22. All things are yours whether Paul or Apollos or Life or Death And elsewhere he calleth it gain Phil. 1. 21. to die is gain What gain Answ 1. In reference to the present state Death is 1 st The end of Sin With the body of Flesh the body of Sin is also put off from which St. Paul longed to be delivered Rom. 7. 24. Here the best of Saints have their corruptions infirmities imperfections but at Death the Spirits of just men are made perfect Heb. 12. 23. 2 ly The end of all Sorrows There are no Pains or Diseases or Griefs or Losses or Crosses or Persecutions in the Grave Job 3. 17 18 19. There the wicked cease from troubling and there the weary be at rest There the Prisoners rest together they hear not the voice of the Oppressor The small and great are there and the Servant is free from his Master 3. Rest from Labours It is no light burden of works that is upon a Christians hand no small labour to discharge the duties of his general and particular Calling What saith the Scripture Labour work watch run strive wrastle fight give diligence endure hardness press forward c. But blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours Rev. 14. 13. The day of the Saints Death is his happy Jubilee when he is set at liberty and goeth out free from his Service Thus is Death gain in reference to the presence state 2. In reference to the future state for 1 st As for the Soul it being released from the body is admitted into the Heavenly Jerusalem to an innumerable company of Angels to the Spirits of just men made perfect and to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant Heb. 12. This day saith Christ to a dying Saint shalt thou be with me in Paradise Luk. 23. 43. St. Paul desires to depart that he might be with Christ which is far better Phil. 1. 23. 2 ly As for the body Death serves to refine it for 1 Cor. 15. 50. This I say that Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God neither doth corruption inherit incorruption These bodies which we now carry are so gross and corruptible they are not meet for an heavenly state They die that they may be changed Phil. 3. 21. They are sown in corruption to be raised in incorruption sown in dishonour to be raised in Glory sown in weakness to be raised in power sown Natural bodies to be raised Spiritual The old decayed house is taken down to be built anew and these weak crasie bodies are laid in the Earth to rise afresh This corruptible is corrupted that it may put on incorruption and this Mortal dieth that it may put on Immortality Thus is this Enemy overcome and made to serve as a mean and advantage to the Believers happiness This indeed is a glorious Victory over a very mighty and formidable Enemy So great and wonderful that it far exceeds the hope of Nature Flesh and Blood cannot believe the report thereof Paul's discourse of the Resurrection
Preach in the Afternoon at St. Andrews I had some thoughts of it and motions thereto some time since But now my time for Chapel exercise being expired I took it into serious thoughts and having humbled my Soul for my sins and begged of God that he would settle my mind in this thing and teach me what was his mind therein after pains and searching the Scripture I came to this resolution I was fully persuaded that it was the mind of the Lord that I should also Preach in the Afternoons and that from these Scriptures 2 Tim. 4. 1. 2. I charge the before God be instant in Season and out of Season As we will answer it to Jesus Christ at the day of Judgment we are to take all opportunities to preach his Word I consider here is a fair opportunity put into my hands and therefore I am bound in Conscience not to neglect it 1 Pet. 5. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as much as in you lieth feed thy flock So Calvin renders the word 1 Cor. 9. 16. 17. Necessity is laid upon me yea woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel Though I preach the gospel I have nothing to glory of If I do this willingly I have a reward Eccl. 11 6. in the morning sow thy seed and in the evening withhold not thy hand For thou knowest not what shall prosper this or that this seems a clear resolution of the question 1 Cor. 15. 58. always abounding in the work of the Lord. Gal. 6. 10. As we have opportunity let us do good here is a fair opportunity and how it may be taken from me or I from it I know not and therefore hold it my duty to lay hold on it Hereupon I resolved to preach once a fortnight in the Afternoons also and considering my weakness for such a work I was encouraged from Isa 41. 10. and Math. 28. ult Go teach and lo I am with you with you to help and assist you with you to bless your labours and make your work prosperous under your hands Jul. 13. 1656. I began my Afternoons Exercise and entred upon the Doctrine of Repentance I have found God very much with me assisting and enlarging me and blessing my labours to some of my hearers I bless his Name for putting it into my heart Nov 16 I had not so much of the enlivening presence of God in the afternoon as I was wont to have Yet God blessed his word One of the Parish told Mr. J. He thought their Minister knew their hearts and added he was resolved to amend Apr. 21. 1657. I set apart this day to seek God by fasting and prayer to shew me my way and to direct me in a business that had been upon my Spirit nigh half a year which was to preach once a fortnight on the week day at the church where I am placed I engaged the prayers of others also for me in this particular And when I went to the Sacrament I laid the promise before God that he would guide me continually and teach me in the way that I should choose as that which I desire might among others be Sealed up to me Whilst I was thus deliberating with my self what to do I met with this providence Being at Soham to preach the Lecture there I slept that night very disturbedly towards the morning me thought I saw the Lord Jesus Christ in his glory who spake comfortably to me and encouraged me in my work but spake very sad words to another Mr. of Arts that was with me whom I dreamed to be a godly man yet one who was noted for his unwillingness to preach in Town When I awoke I considered with my self what this should mean I considered it was but a dream and so not much to be heeded and again I considered that sometimes God speaks to us in dreams and slumbering upon our beds Job 33. 13. 14. 15. whence I gathered it might be something of encouragement to me In the morning when I was up It fell out in my ordinary course of reading the Scripture to read Act. 18. and when I had read ver 9. 10. and pondered what had befell me in the night I could not but wonder at the Providence of God to cause this Scripture to fall in with my former dream which made me ponder the more upon it I saw God did sometimes speak to his people in a vision I saw the same reason why Paul should Preach viz. because there was much people belonging to the Lord there might be forcible to prevail with me for he enclines a great multitude of people to attend upon me When I had considered of it I resolved to lay this up in my heart and not to slight it though I could not build on it any ground of my undertaking my work Consulting the Scriptures these came into my mind Act. 6. 4. we will give our selves continually to Prayer and to the Ministry of the word where I saw that such as were called of God to preach the word ought to make it their business and give up themselves to it Rom. 1. 1. 14. 15. here I saw that one separated to the Gospel of Christ was a debter bound and should be ready as much as in him lieth Isa 40. 9. O thou that bringest good tidings to Zion get the up into the high mountains lift up thy voice with strength lift it up be not afraid Reading this Scripture in my ordinary course I found it set home with life and power in reference to my present doubt Get the up lift up thy voice It removed the great obstacle of fear What would men say and think of my forwardness Be not afraid I was the more confirmed by considering this Scripture is mainly directed to such as God hath sent to preach the gospel by comparing this Scripture with Isa 52. 7. and Rom. 10. 15. And the Scripture did the more affect me because it was in this manner set home after prayer when I had been seeking God in reference to this doubt Act. 18. 5. Paul was pressed in Spirit and testified hence I saw the Ministers of God may take encouragement to preach the word from inward pressures of Spirit Having these inducements to preach on the week day I set apart as before the 21th of April to seek God by fasting and prayer to direct me what to do Having put up my request to him in the name of Jesus Christ I shall consider what motives I have to it and what dissuasives from it and judge of both according to the Scriptures and do therein as the Lord shall direct me by his word and Spirit ' The Arguments moving to it are these 1. I Find God much enlarging my Meditations so as I am a long while ere I can dispatch the Subject I enter upon whereby I foresee I shall go over but few heads in Divinity while I stay unless I preach oftener And I know not what the meaning of God
herein should be that he watereth me so much but that I should water others 2. I have found God owning me when I closed with the like motions at other times particularly in the Afternoon Exercise I have found God wonderfully gracious beyond expression and I heartily bless God that put it into my heart to undertake that work and seeing when I followed God formerly he was with me why should I not be obedient to his call in this also 3. It is the work I have been set apart to and solemnly given up my self to in the face of the Congregation at Black-Friers and therefore now there is a necessity lying upon me to preach the Gospel yea a woe if I preach not 1 Cor. 9. 16. 4. God hath made my service here accepted of the Saints and therefore it is likely my Ministry may be more effectual It may be elsewhere my Ministry may be as much despised as here t is embraced and therefore it is good to take the present season and to strike where and when the Iron is hot 5. The time is short that I have to live how soon God many take me hence I know not And there being no working in the grave I am commanded to do what my hand findeth to do with my might Eccl. 9. 10. the night cometh when no man can work and therefore as Christ said Joh. 9. 4. I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day So must I do learn this wisdom of him to do my work as fast as I can seeing I know not how short my day may be 6. The times are evil and I know not how soon we may be cut short of these opportunities and it 's an express Command that we should be wise and redeem time Eph. 5. 15. 16. And God commands as we have opportunity to do good to all Gal. 6. 10. preaching of the Gospel is doing good and here is an opportunity I must not let it slip 7. If I should preach once a fortnight on the week-day it will but be equivalent to preaching twice every Lords day Seeing now I preach but once every other Sabbath which must be my work when I come into the Country and yet my work here is far lighter than it will be there for here I am free from worldly cares family distractions and a pastoral charge 8. One Soul is more worth than the whole world and the preaching of the Gospel is the power of God to Salvation therefore we should not think any pains too great to preach the word seeing we may through God be a mean to convert and save souls thereby 9. Christ chargeth Peter as he loveth him to feed his sheep and lambs Joh. 21. 15 16 17. His repeating this 3 times argues 1. that he would have him very diligent in doing it 2. that he takes it as a real demonstration of love to him to feed his sheep Now I have wonderful cause to love Christ and good reason to demonstrate it that way which he would have me 10. If I enter upon preaching on week-day too I see it will make for the Glory of God Joh. 15. 8. God is glorified when we bear much fruit and for the good and edification of others for the body of Christ is Edified by the Ministry of the Word Eph. 4. 11 12. and why should I stand disputing that which may make for the glory of God and the good of those among whom I live 11. God would have every man observe his proper gifts and improve them and attend his proper work that he is called to with diligence Rom. 12. 6 7 8 11. 12. I have Naturally a slothful Spirit and one good way to Master it is to take up much imployment 13. God would have us alway to abound in his Work and be stedfast and he tells us our labour shall not be in vain 1 Cor. 15. ult 14. No excuse must hinder us now from doing good but what will serve turn at the day of judgment I consider further that the Word of God is to be the Rule by which we must walk Psal 119. 105. that is the light of our paths What the Word requires of us God requires of us What work the Word calls us to that God calls us to Now considering with my self the aforesaid particulars according to the Word of God I gather it is the mind of God I should close with this motion and that he calleth me to further work and so accordingly I am to obey his voice Now in regard that it is Gods presence with me his owning accepting and assisting me that must bear me up against all difficulties that I shall meet with I consulted further with the Word to see what grounds I had to expect that God would be with me in my undertaking and I saw great encouragement from these Scriptures Mat. 28. 19 20. Go teach lo I am with you alway Christ will not withdraw his presence at any time when we go about to teach in obedience to his Command but will be always with us 1 Chron. 28. 10 20. compared Whence I observe when God calls a man out to any work he would have him be strong and do it and not to fear or be dismayed for God will be with him and not fail him or forsake him till he hath finished it Josh 1. 9. Have not I Commanded thee The Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest The same presence and assistance may we expect from God when ever he calls us out to any Service which I gather from the Apostles applying to all Christians what God spake in particularto Josh Heb. 13. 5. Isa 42. 6. I the Lord have called thee I will hold thy hand It is spoken to Christ and shall be made good to all Christians when called by God to any work he will uphold them in it and he whom God upholds shall not fail or be discouraged till his work be done v. 1. 4 Judg. 6. 12. 14. The Lord is with thee thou mighty man Go in this thy might thou shalt save Israel Have not I sent thee In this thy might i. e. either in the strength of the promise The Lord is with thee or in the strength of thy Commission I have sent thee Doest thou doubt whether I will be with thee seeing I have sent thee Doest thou doubt whether thou shalt save Israel seeing I have sent thee I see hence the Call of God to any Service is a great encouragement to set upon it and to expect success in it ' Discouragements removed 1. Reproach of men What will men say or think that I am so forward They will impute it to Pride it c. and say I am imprudent and will may be laugh and jear at me Reply 1. I am not to be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ Rom. 1. 16. No not in an Adulterous generation Mar. 8. 38. If I cannot suffer shame for Christ how shall I
relieth on God for Salvation notwithstanding his miscarriages by vertue of the Covenant Although my house be not so with God he includeth himself as the chief part of his house although he had not so walked in his house with God as God required yet this is my Salvation God hath made with me an everlasting Covenant 3 ly Though he did not see the growth or accomplishment of several promises in the Covenant yet he is not dismayed or beaten off from hoping for Salvation but saith this is all my Salvation although he make it not to grow Enquiring with my self what ground I had to hope that this Covenant was made with me I was satisfied from Isa 55. 3. Where I find those that come unto Christ are taken into Covenant and enjoy the same promises and mercies that God gave to David 3. Joh. 17. 2. Thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal Life to as many as thou hast given him Enquiring what ground I had to believe that I was given to Christ I was satisfied from Joh. 6. 37. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me Our coming to Christ is an Argument that we are given to Christ by the Father because all such and none but such come to Christ v. 37. 44. 65. I was further Confirmed from Joh. 17. 9 10. Where Christ gives this Character of such as are given to him that he is glorified in them and I find through mercy that the Lord hath inclined my heart to glorifie him 4. Joh. 10. 27 28 29. My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me and I give to them eternal Life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand My Father which gave them me is greater than all and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand Here I observed 1 st That the Lord Jesus hath promised to give unto his sheep Eternal life 2 ly He undertaketh for them for the time to come that they shall never perish They shall not perish by their own sins as unbelievers and unregenerate men do Joh. 8. 24. 2 Pet. 2. 12. neither shall any person or temptation from without draw them off from Christ 3 ly The Lord Jesus gives his sheep a two-fold Argument to assure them that they shall not perish either by their own corruption or by any force or allurement from without 1 st He holds them in his hand i. e he keeps and preserves them by his power 2 ly His Father who is greater than all keeps them by his power also The Comfort of this depending on the qualification of the persons to whom this promise is made namely the sheep of Christ I considered what evidence I had that I was one of Christs sheep And I saw 1 st That Christs sheep are such as hear his voice and follow him Now I found that my heart had Answered the Call of Christ in the Gospel when he hath called Look unto me and be ye Saved Come unto me all ye that labour are heavy laden and moreover that I do endeavour to follow his example and to walk as he walked when he was in this world 2 ly I saw that by his sheep he meaneth such as do believe on him because he proveth the Jews were not his sheep because they did not believe on him ver 26. 3 ly I found those evidences of the Lords being my Shepherd which David mentioneth Ps 23. viz. his often restoring my Soul when I have fallen His leading me in paths of Righteousness for his Names sake If the Lord be my sheepherd then I am one of his sheep 4 ly my returning to Christ through grace is an argument that he is the sheepherd of my Soul 1 Pet. 2. 25. 5 ly Visiting the sick and feeding the hungry are the marks of Christs sheep Math. 25. 33 35 36. 5. Ps 84. 11. God promiseth glory to them that walk uprightly and I find God hath given me an heart to walk uprightly In a sickness not knowing but death might be approaching I considered what promises I could rest on for salvation and among others God enabled me to stay on Isa 57. 2. He shall enter into Peace they shall rest in their beds Each one walking in his uprightness These are my Evidences of etarnal life God having given me good hope through grace of eternal life I set my self to consider what duties this called for and God put into my mind which I resolve by the help of his grace to practise 1. To bless and praise God for this mercy 1 Pet. 1. 3 4. Col. 1. 12 13. 2. To mortifie daily uncleanness inordinate affections evil Concupisence Covetousness and all other sins Col. 3. 4 5. 3. To carry my self towards all men especially towards my near relations as an Heir of eternal life and glory 1 Pet. 3. 7. 4. To walk worthy of the Lord. 1 Thes 2. 12. How that is to be done is expressed Eph. 4. 1 2 3. Col. 1. 10. 5. To purifie my self as God is pure 1 Joh. 3. 3. which implies purity of heart Math. 5. 8. purity of words in discourse for every word of God is pure Prov. 30. 5. and so must ours be also Eph. 4. 29. Zeph. 3. 9. purity of life 1 Pet. 2. 22. 6. To Serve God and to serve him in a gracious and Godly manner Heb. 12. 28. 7. Not to fear them that can kill the body Luk. 12. 4 32. Nor fear the want of outward things ver 31 32. 8. To rejoyce in hope of this Glory in the midst of worldly troubles Rom. 5. 2 3. 1 Pet. 1. 3 6. 9. To keep the full assurance of hope to the end of my days by Continuing diligent in Ministring to the Saints Heb. 6. 10. 11. Thus have we given the Reader some account of this Eminent Saint and Servant of Jesus Christ such was his holy and heavenly life Thus walked he both in the fear of God and in the Comfort of the Holy Ghost Thus laboured he to approve himself to God to others and to his own Conscience Thus answered he his profession ran his race and pressed forward to the mark Upon the equal and impartial view whereof though the design of these pages be only Ostendere and not Ostentare virum yet I can scarce forbear to say He hath left such a Name and character behind him as may worthily commend him both as a Christian and a Minister to the observation Honour and Imitation of most if not All that read him What remains is only to apply him to the following funeral Text as a more than ordinary Instance of the truth thereof And whoso considers the manner of his life may with little doubt conclude his Victory over death It was before mentioned that he hath left behind him some Manuscripts worthy of the press some of which he entitles The best Interest A Treatise of Glorifying God The
snared by death in an evil time when it falleth suddenly upon them Every one may say as Isaac Gen. 27. 2. I know not the day of my death At an hour when ye think not saith Christ the Son of man cometh Luk. 12. 40. The man we mentioned even now was confident of many years before him and promised himself a merry long life Luk. 12. 19. yet ver 20. He that knew said to him Hac Nocte This night thou must die Who knoweth what shall be on the morrow or what a day may bring forth Nemo tam Divos habuit faventes Crastinum ut posset sibi polliceri Was not Nabal in his plenty Jobs Children in their feasting Nadab and Abihu in their offering Herod in his pride Belshazzar in his cups Zimri and Cozbi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. surprised by this Enemie 3. It is a destructive Enemy Destruction and Death are joyned together Job 28 22. yea this is the very name of Death Ps 88. 11. shall thy loving kindness be declared in the grave or thy faithfulness in Destruction Ps 103. 4. who redeemeth thy life from Destruction i. e. death A dead man is reduced to his first principle the Earth The body returns to the dust from whence it came and this is turning man to Destruction Ps 90. 3. If a man were Surprised and spoiled of all that he had without him and should yet escape with his life though naked it were a sore evil yet such as might be endured a great loss but such as might be repaired But Death spoils a man of himself taketh down the goodly frame and Constitution of Nature Cuts a man asunder and divideth Soul from body God taketh away his Soul Job 27. 8. Her Soul was in departing for she died Gen. 35. 18. Thy Soul shall be required Luk. 12. 20. So as no ground of hope is left to a dying man Life is a fundamental Being Take away that and ye take away all The dead are not Joseph is not Gen. 42. Lo he was not Ps 37. 36. Job 14. 7 8 9 10. There is hope of a tree if it be cut down that it will Sprout again and that the tender branch thereof will not cease Though the root thereof wax old in the Earth and the Stock thereof die in the ground Yet through the sent of water it will bud and bring forth boughs like a plant But man dieth and wasteth away Yea man giveth up the Ghost and where is he and ver 14. If a man die shall he live again 4. It is a certain unavoidable Enemy There is no defence to be made against it no humane power can withstand it no fortification of the body by utmost art can prevent its entrance either by some violent storming or Successive batteries or longer seige it wil prevail against the Stoutest defendants Psal 89. 48. What man is he that liveth and shall not see death shall he deliver his Soul from the hand of the grave The young the strong the healthful the wise the rich the honourable All have fallen and shall fall under the power of this irresistible enemy The experience of five thousand years and upwards which the world hath had is enough to Convince all the Living that they shall as certainly die as that they have been born 5. It is an abhorred Enemy Against which Nature relucts with the greatest passion and from which it fleeth with greatest aversation It will never be reconciled to that which dissolveth the nearest and most intimate union between Soul and body which taketh in pieces the curious Workmanship defiles the Glory and stains the beauty of the goodliest body which turns the lovely body into a loathsome Carkass resolves it into corruption and putrefaction and gives it to the worms for meat No Antipathy greater than between Nature and Death Skin for Skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life Job 2. 4. 6. It is a formidable enemy that affects a man with fear and terror We read Ps 91. 5. the terrour by night that is Death Job 24. 17. the terrours of the shadow of Death Psal 55. 4. the terrours of Death and Job 18. 14. It is called the King of Terrors i. e. The chief of Terrours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saith the Judgment of Nature of all terribles the most terrible This is Consequent upon the former It being a Spoiling surprising destroying irresistible abhorred enemy It must needs be very terrible What a terror possesseds the Egyptians when Death entred in at their doors and slew their first born Exod. 12. 30 33. They were so affrighted that even Pharoah rose up in the night he and all his Servants and all the Egyptians and there was a great cry in Egypt for there was not an house where there was not one dead They said we be all dead men It is a threatning denounced by God Deut. 28. 65 66 67. The Lord shall give thee a trembling heart Why Thy life shall hang in doubt before thee And thou shalt fear day and night and shalt have no assurance of thy life In the morning thou shalt say Would God it were Even and at even thou shalt say Would God it were morning for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear The apprehension of this affrighted Gideon a mighty man of valour till the Lord encouraged him and said to him Fear not thou shalt not die Judg. 6. 23. At this the King Belshazzars Countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the joynts of his loins were loosed and his knees smote one against another Dan. 5. 6. And who that is but a natural man doth not experience trembling and astonishment at the approach and sight of Death yea many times at the very thoughts of it The world of men doth generally bear witness to that which is written Heb. 2. 15. that through fear of Death they are all their life time Subject to bondage There are two things both in the context which make Death so terrible 1 st Sin which the Apostle calleth the Sting of Death It was by sin that death entred in the world and it is by Sin that death reigneth in the world The poison of the Serpent is in his sting and the power of the Serpent is in his sting So the poyson of Death is in sin and the power of Death lieth in sin without which though it killeth it cannot hurt This is the only weapon wherewith Death is Armed against the Children of men but it is a deadly one That is a dreadful threatning indeed which our Saviour denounceth against the Jews Joh. 8. 21. Ye shall die in your sins According to what the Lord had before spoken by his Prophet Ezek. 18. 24. In his trespass that he hath trespassed and in the sin that he hath sinned in them shall he die It is our sad case that we are born in sin and worse that we live in sin but Oh! how dreadful