10. Lastly, this Enemy is not the smallest cause of many of our particular sins, and of the apostasy of many hypocrites. Indeed it is one of the strongest of our temptations. Before man sinned, none could take away his life but God, and God would not have done it for any thing but sin. So that man had no temptation from the malice of enemies, or the pride of Conquerors, or the fury of the passionate, or the power of Tyrants to be afraid of death, and to use any unlawful means to ⟨p. 19⟩scape it. An avoidable death from the hand of God, he was obliged moderately to fear; that is, to be afraid of sinning lest he die (else God would not have threatened him, if he would not have had him make use of a preventing fear.) But now we have an unavoidable death to fear, and also an untimely death from the hand of man by Gods permission: And the fear of these is a powerful temptation. Otherwise Abraham would not have destructively equivocated as he did to save his life, Gen. 20. 11. and Isaac after him do the same, when he sojourned in the same place, Gen. 26. 7. If the fear of Death were not a strong temptation, Peter would not have thrice denied Christ, and that after so late a warning and engagement: nor would all his Disciples have forsaken him and fled, Matth. 26. 56. Nor would Martyrs have a special reward, nor would Christ have been put to call upon his Disciples, that they Fear not them that can kill the body, Luke 12. 4. and to declare to men the necessity of self-denial in this point of Life, and that none can be his Disciple, that loves his Life before him, Matth. 16. 39. Luke 14. 26. He is a Christian indeed that so Loveth God, that he will not sin to save his Life. But what is it that an hypocrite will not do to escape Death? He will equivocate and forswear ⟨p. 20⟩himself with the Jesuit and Familist: He will forsake not only his dearest friend, but Christ also and his Conscience. What a multitude of the most heinous sins are daily committed through the fears of death? Thousands where the Inquisition ruleth are kept in Popery by it: And thousands are kept in Mohammedanism by it: Thousands are drawn by it to betray their Countries; to deny the truth; to betray the Church and Cause of Christ; and finally to betray their souls unto perdition: some of them presume to deny Christ wilfully, because that Peter had pardon that denied him through surprise, and through infirmity:
10. Lastly, this Enemy is not the smallest cause of many of our particular sins, and of the apostacy of many hypocrites. Indeed it is one of the strongest of our temptations. Before man sinned, none could take away his life but God, and God would not have done it for any thing but sin. So that man had no temptation from the malice of enemies, or the pride of Conquerours, or the sury of the passionate, or the power of Tyrants to be afraid of death, and to use any unlawful means to ⟨p. 19⟩scape it. An avoidable death from the hand of God, he was obliged moderately to fear; that is, to be afraid of sinning lest he die (else God would not have threatned him, if he would not have had him make use of a preventing fear.) But now we have an unavoidable death to fear, and also an untimely death from the hand of man by Gods permission: And the fear of these is a powerful temptation. Otherwise Abraham would not have distructively equivocated as he did to save his life, Gen. 20. 11. and Isaac after him do the same, when he sojourned in the same place, Gen. 26. 7. If the fear of Death were not a strong temptation, Peter would not have thrice denyed Christ, and that after so late a warning and engagement: nor would all his Disciples have forsaken him and fled, Matth. 26. 56. Nor would Martyrs have a special reward, nor would Christ have been put to call upon his Disciples, that they Fear not them that can kill the body, Luke 12. 4. and to declare to men the necessity of self-denyal in this point of Life, and that none can be his Disciple, that loves his Life before him, Matth. 16. 39. Luke 14. 26. He is a Christian indeed that so Loveth God, that he will not sin to save his Life. But what is it that an hypocrite will not do to escape Death? He will equivocate and forswear ⟨p. 20⟩himself with the Jesuite and Familist: He will forsake not only his dearest friend, but Christ also and his Conscience. What a multitude of the most hainous sins are daily committed through the fears of death? Thousands where the Inquisition ruleth are kept in Popery by it: And thousands are kept in Mahometanism by it: Thousands are drawn by it to betray their Countries; to deny the truth; to betray the Church and Cause of Christ; and finally to betray their souls unto perdition: some of them presume to deny Christ wilfully, because that Peter had pardon that denied him through surprize, and through infirmity:
