Freedomefrom thefearofDeath. 7 That isthis firft thing, men naturally conceive Death, as á thing contrary to na- cure, So it is anatural Ill. Secondly, as aman conceiv&hDeath an III contrary tonature, fo heapprehend- eth it an Ill not eaGly overcome. When Goliah looked onDavid, onthe nicannefs ofhis ftature , and the flendernefs ofhis preparation to fight , he confidered him as an enemie, but as a weak one, and therefore inftead of fearing, he difdained him ; Deft thoucome toms as a dog? 1 willgive thy kb to the fowles of the heaven, and to the bcaflsofthe earth, he fcorned him :. But when the Hoaft of lfrael looked on Goliab,as a mighty enemy, that they could not etfily refilt,much left overcome; theText faith they were full offear, becaufeofGoliab : the ftrength oftheadverfary was that that filled them with fear. So when a man looks upon Death, and feeth it comeas a mighty armed man,provided with all weapons ofwar, feethit come in to the molt populous Cities (as in the peftilence) and flayeth ten thoufand before it , Teeth it come on the molt ftrong and valiantmen, and breaks their bones, andde- ftroyeth them; Who can Rand before this Goliah, be that defictlr the Be(É of God, bof}'of Ifrael? not only the wicked, bqt the fervants, ofGod are overcome by this enemy : I fay, thus nature difcourfeth, and thus a natural man apprehend eth Death, and thereforehe conceiveth Death to be a fearful III , becaufe it is a thing that he cannot cafily overcome ; That is the fecond. Thirdly , he conceiveth it as a thing Future as an Ill to come. I ana yet living and in health, but how foon this healthmayaurn to ficknefs, and this life to Death, I know not; this is that that holdeth down the fpiritunderfear.As David faid,1'hall fall one day by the handofSaul: one day; fofaith a man that livethnow in the multi- tude ofhis bufinefs, in abundance offtrength, and ability every way, I (halloneday fall into the Grave, I (hall one day fall into the hands ofDeath. Pace we know how he affeEted Saphirah , with telling her of the death ofher husband , and faith he, the fret of chafe that carried oat thy husband, /hall caor), thee out; this affeEted her with fear, fo that the fell down dead upon the apprehenfaon of it. Thus Ifay, ifwe look upon theobje&, Death confidered as an Ill, that is a thing contrary to nature. Death confidered again, as a ftrong and mighty Gyant that none can overcome , but it overcometh them. And then confidered again as a thing coming upon men now in the approach, and weknownot how foonhe will grafpa man in his hands, and feize uponhim : this isthat; I fay, that caufeth that naturalfear, that is in the children of God. Then again confider the Subje&, the perfon in whom the apprehenfion dffuch anobje& is, and fo likewife we (hall fee fomewhat in the difpofitions ofmen, or in their Rate and condition here , that may affe& them with a natural fear of Death. The firft is, force menby conftitution are more melancholy, and are naturally of a more fearful temper, indeed diflèmper. The brain is diftempered, the heart is diftempered. Thebrain apprehends things, and looks upon them through a falle glafs through a deluded fancy , and fo make a falfe report to the heart, prefenteth things more terriblethen they are; fo fometimes the heart is ill affeEted, by the mil-report that is brought to it by the underftanding : fometimes both are dif- tempered, as that humor prevaileth more ftrongly in the body. So alto there are fometimes railed up turbulent , and difquieting, and violent paflions that make force full offear, as we fee in Belfhazzar, whofeknees did finite together, and all through the apprehenfionofDeath;and fo Felix when he heard of death and judge- ment to come; he trembled. Though the fear of thefe men did not rife from me- lancholy, but from inward guilt ofconfcience, yet the effe& fheweth, that when menare affeEtedwith the apprehenffonsofDeath in the worft fight and apprehen- lIonofit, it caufeth fear and tetrour. Secondly , it cometh in others, and generally in all from weaknefs ofnature, which in tome is more thenothers, according to their different conftitutions and educations: fo the rich many times aremore fearful ofdeath then the poor,becaufc theyhavemore to lore ; fo likewife voluptuoús perföns, are more fearful ofDeath then The appre- hcùfotrof death as an ill anavoidable. Theappre= henfion of Death as an i11 future. In refpeet o f the fubjea : men.
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