First, When it becometh a snare to a man, so that by it, he either commits some sin, or omits some duty. When the fear of death hath this influence upon thee, then know it exceedeth its limits. Thou fearest men more than God, thou fearest death more than hell and damnation, Prov. 29. 25. The fear of a man bringeth a snare. When it bringeth a snare upon thee, conscience saith, Do not this; the Word of God saith, Do not this; but fear of death saith, Do this, then this becometh very sad in the issue; as you see it was in Peter, fear made him deny his Master. So in Abraham, and Isaac, though so great examples of holiness, yet fear of death put them upon lying and dissimulation. Now to sin for fear of death, is a most absurd and irrational fear; to fear the less, and not to fear the greater. Thou doest not fear to be damned, yet thou fearest to die. How fully doth our Saviour convince us of the folly of this fear? Luk. 12. 4, 5. I say to you my friends. Though the Disciples had this comfortable title and encouraging relation upon them (what could be greater than to be Christs friend? Will Christ forsake his friend in adversity? Shall any have cause to say to Christ, as Absalom to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend?) Yet how ready are they to fear men and death immoderately? Therefore he exhorteth them, Not to be afraid of men, who can kill the body, and after that have no more than they can do; but I will forewarn you whom you shall fear. They need premonitions about it; the object whereof is, God who hath power to cast into hell, which he redoubleth, yea I say to you, fear him. So that by this place we see, that it is a most and unreasonable fear, to venture the damnation of our souls for fear of death: Yet how often hath this been done? but sometimes it hath proved so dismal, as in Spira, and others, that the guilt of sin, and the terrors of Gods wrath falling upon their conscience, have so greatly overwhelmed them, that the fear of death hath been quite put out by a greater fear. They have desired death, yea they have hastened to it, by offering ⟨p. 290⟩violence to themselves. As the fear of death is thus sinful when it putteth thee upon sin: so when it maketh thee omit any duty that God requireth; thou darest not confess God and his truth in the midst of a perverse generation;
First, When it becometh a snare to a man, so that by it, he either commits some sinne, or omits some duty. When the fear of death hath this influence upon thee, then know it exceedeth its limits. Thou fearest men more than God, thou fearest death more than hell and damnation, Prov. 29. 25. The fear of a man bringeth a snare. When it bringeth a snare upon thee, conscience saith, Doe not this; the Word of God saith, Doe not this; but fear of death saith, Doe this, then this becometh very sad in the issue; as you see it was in Peter, fear made him deny his Master. So in Abraham, and Isaac, though so great examples of holinesse, yet fear of death put them upon lying and dissimulation. Now to sinne for fear of death, is a most absurd and irrational fear; to fear the lesse, and not to fear the greater. Thou doest not fear to be damned, yet thou fearest to die. How fully doth our Saviour convince us of the folly of this fear? Luk. 12. 4, 5. I say to you my friends. Though the Disciples had this comfortable title and encouraging relation upon them (what could be greater than to be Christs friend? Will Christ forsake his friend in adversity? Shall any have cause to say to Christ, as Absolom to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend?) Yet how ready are they to fear men and death immoderately? Therefore he exhorteth them, Not to be afraid of men, who can kill the body, and after that have no more than they can do; but I will forewarne you whom you shall fear. They need premonitions about it; the object whereof is, God who hath power to cast into hell, which he redoubleth, yea I say to you, fear him. So that by this place we see, that it is a most and unreasonable fear, to venture the damnation of our souls for fear of death: Yet how often hath this been done? but sometimes it hath proved so dismall, as in Spira, and others, that the guilt of sinne, and the terrors of Gods wrath falling upon their conscience, have so greatly overwhelmed them, that the fear of death hath been quite put out by a greater fear. They have desired death, yea they have hastened to it, by offering ⟨p. 290⟩violence to themselves. As the fear of death is thus sinfull when it putteth thee upon sinne: so when it maketh thee omit any duty that God requireth; thou darest not confess God and his truth in the midst of a perverse generation;
