Freedom from thefear of Death. 41 Secondly, it may Le oujebted. But we fee the Servants of God are raid to love the Appearance ofoter Lord fefxs Chrii t, and theApolile Pax! Is faid to Afire to be drf- folved, and tobe with ChriJ? How can theft (land 'with the fear of Death, under whichGods Servantsare held? To this I anfwer briefly.God's farvantsmuff be confidered in their delires twoways. Fita,in their general delires ; Secondly,in a particular line wherein they ace. , n their general courfe, their delire is molt for theappearing of Chrifl, they molt defirr to be with him as beltfor them: But take them inCome particular f}ace wherein theyare lets provided, andleis fitted and prepared, then, they may be it a Band in their delires; theymay have the fear ofdeath in them. As a Wife, her general delire is for nothing Co much as for the prefenceof her Husband, yet the may be under foal: particular unfitnefs, there may be fomething or other in the way, that the, would not have him come Mat that in(fant, though her delire be for nothing fomuch as for his company. S© it may be the cafe of theServants of God,they may fay Cometimes, Lord (pare me a little before !go hence, to (irengthenmy Faith, to perfeLi my Repentance andHoli. nefs, to do loin particular work, and the like. David conlidered this, that therewas Cómething that he might do that he had not done, and that he would fain do oefore he went r And foHekekiah, and the refi of the Servants ofGod. The point is clear; I cometo the Application. It fhali be a word of Exhortation ( to cut of other Ufes) and that is this. Toair up the fervancs of God, that if they be dilpofed Eo Diflempers :radar which theyare held, that they areafraid to die, that therefore they by all goodmeans, to (hake off thefear of Death. Why ? Confider, and note well thole things that are in the Text. The firs is this, that it is an uncomfortable (fate to be held tender the fear of Death, you fee it is called a Bondagehere, and that is enough to (hew the uncom- fortablenefsof it, it faith, bythe fear of Deatb,tbe, were held inBondage alltheir life long. Now the fear of Death is a Bondage principally in there two refpe&s s firft,becaufe it is with them as it is with a Bond-flave, A Bind-flave is afraid co look on him that bath the command of him, he apprehendeth him asno Friend, therefore he cloth not love to look on him : So it is in this cafe, when a man looks upon Death as a thing that is no Friend to him, he canuotabide to look on him, every thought of Death is a preïentingof heath to himsand it is a miferable Bondage, whena man cannot prefent Death tohimfelf without fear. Secondly,there is this in it that makes it a Bondage;lt holdeth down the1pirit of a man. A Bond-flave ( you know ) is bound with Fetters and Chains in his Captivity, fochat he hash neither freedomeof fpirit,nor freedomeof a6Rion: So it is wi. h a man that is held underthefear of Deatb,he cannot do what he would, he cannot rejoycein God ; hecannot delight in the apprehenfion of glory to come, he cannot entertain a thought of parting with things prefent, with that fecurity,and comfort of heart, that he lhould doe, and all becaufe this fear, (as the Fetters) bindech his hands and his feet,arid keepech him inBondage. This is the firl} thing,che fear ofdeath, to beheld undei it, it is an uncomfortable lute. Secondly, as it is uncomfortable, fo it is poffiblethat the Servantsof God, tray he free from .heft Fears kinder which they areheld. We fee the Text theweth ir, Chrill came for this end, that having deftrayed him that bath the power of dewb,tbat it the Devil,he might deliver tbofe,tbatforfear ofDeath were held under Bondage. Did Chriff come for this end) then it is poffible to be had, for certainly Chrift would not lofe his end hecame for : Thiswas hisend,notonly to deliver them from eternal death, but alto from the fear of temporal death; It is poffible therefore; thefervants ofGod have found it, and therefore you (hall fee them brought in inful:ing, and triumphing, and glorying over death ; Oh Death, where le thy fling ? Oh Grave, whore ie thy vidïory, thanks be toGodthat hat hgiven sq viflory,tbrongb Chrifi oar Lord: When they looked upon Deah through Chriff, they looked on it without this fear, the Stingand Power is cook out,the verynature of it is changed; and it is madenow v. very way beneficial. I fay it is polìble, for we are regenerate, and begotten again G to Objeft.z. As1wer. For Eithorra. tien, Tobe Linde' the fear of death andun- comfortable caate. The feat of death and bondage in two relpef:tr. 2. It is poffible to be freed from the feat of death,
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