Casuistical morning-exercises the fourth volume /

'Tis true, that many wicked Persons who live under the Gospel, are under none of these terrors; but then 'tis because they look on Death at a great distance from them, and the remoteness of any Object, though in it's self never so terrible, takes away the fear of it.

Or else it is because they are over-busied and taken up about the things of the World, as the lust of the flesh, or of the eyes, or the pride of life; and if any thoughts of Death, and of the World to come arise in their minds, they are presently smothered and stifled by worldly objects and diversions. Cain was a while afraid of Death, he thought every one that met him would slay him, but by and by he gets into the Land of Nod, and there he falls a building of Cities, and doth so immerse or drown himself in the affairs of the World, that by little and little the slavish fear he had of Death, did wear out of his mind.

Or else it is because they are over-busied and taken up about the things of the World, as the lust of the flesh, or of the eyes, or the pride of life; and if any thoughts of Death, and of the World to come arise in their minds, they are presently smother'd and stifled by worldly objects and diversions. Cain was a while afraid of Death, he thought every one that met him would slay him, but by and by he gets into the Land of Nod, and there he falls a building of Cities, and doth so immerse or drown himself in the affairs of the World, that by little and little the slavish fear he had of Death, did wear out of his mind.

Or else it is because of their Atheism or Infidelity, there is a great deal of this amongst professed Christians. All wicked men (as the Apostle Paul says) are [Greek or Hebrew],¹ without God in the World, or as it may be rendered, they are Atheists in the World: They are all practical Atheists, and too many are Atheists in Opinion likewise; they say in their Hearts, though they don't speak it out with their Tongues, that there is no God;