An expository comment, doctrinal, controversial, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…An expository comment, doctrinal, controversal, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…

1. That Paul was very anxious about his life, and was afraid of death. 2. That flesh and blood did conclude there was no help for him, because outwardly there did not appear any. From whence we may observe this Doctrine,

That Grace, though it be never so lively and active, yet doth not remove the natural fear of death.¹

1. 1No grace removeth the natural fear of death.

Grace doth not destroy nature. This holy Apostle, who is so confident of the love of God, and can triumph in all distresses, is yet afraid of death, is yet very solicitous about the preserving of his life. There is a natural fear of death, because there is implanted in a man a desire of self-preservation, so that to be without it would be a sin. And then there is a sinful fear of death, which ariseth from sin, or tendeth to sin. Now the grace of God doth at least in some measure conquer the latter, but it cannot overcome the former. Hence Jacob for fear of death, we see him in a great straight upon his meeting with his brother Esau, greatly praying to God to turn the heart of his brother, and also studying to mollify his spirit, with presents he sent to him. David likewise was very solicitous in the preservation of his life, when Saul did so bitterly pursue him. Yea Hezekiah, though he had the testimony of a good conscience, and could appeal even to God, That he had served him with an upright heart, and in truth, yet when the Prophet Isaiah declared to him, that he must die, it is said, He wept sore, Isa. 28. 2, 3. and at the ninth verse, we have a description of the bitterness of his soul under those fears. Yea the Lord Christ himself, In whom was found no sin, yet we find him greatly affected with the fear of death. And although he had a peculiar reason, because he tasted of death for our sake, and so did therein bare our sins, conflicting with the wrath of God due to us, yet there was included in this a natural fear of death. They that make Christs fear of death only natural, and say, therefore he was more sadly affected with it, than any of the Prophets or Martyrs, because of the exquisite and tender constitution of his body, do greatly derogate from that work of mediation for us, and satisfaction, which was done by his blood to the justice of God.