The blessedness of the death of these that die in the Lord and more…The blessednesse of the death of these that die in the Lord and more…

But 1. As to these things that make death terrible and so much to be feared, they are especially these five. 1. There is something natural in death that makes it terrible, and that is, the dissolution of that intime, close, and strait union, which is betwixt the soul ⟨p. 112⟩and the body; which separation of these two great intimates being contrary to nature, cannot but be abhorrent and terrible to it; and death withal, in its large extent, being a part and fruit of the curse, and a bitter fruit of mans departure from God, its no wonder it be terrible. 2ly, There is something in death that is penal; as it is the wages of sin (just now hinted) it hath challenges flowing from the law with it, which speak in the conscience; this is the fruit of sin, and hath a right with it to dominion over the sinner flowing from the breach of the Law of God; and were there no more then this in death it might make it terrible to all; Hence its said, 1 Cor. 15: 20. that the sting of death is sin, because it were nothing to die if there were no challenge for sin in it; and the strength of sin is the Law, because the Law curseth every one that continues not in all things that are written in it to do them, Gal. 3. 10. So that by this means death hath dominion over all, and brings all as in their natural condition under wrath. 3ly, There is something that is accidental (if we may so speak) in death, and that is, the greatness and grievousness of pain that ordinarily takes hold of men and women when death as a King of terrors draws near; and sometimes some other circumstances concur to make it terrible, as namely, that it comes at such a time, very surprisingly, that it comes by such a sort of sickness that it may be is loathsome and somewhat thought shame of, that it trysts the person in such a place and among such a company, and it may be at distance from all friends and familiars. 4ly, There is a•e uncouthness and strangeness in the thing, that makes it terrible; the man that now is a dying never died before, and none can tell him to the full and to the life what and how great a thing it is to lay down his life; a thing which he never experienced before; for his thoughts, affections, delights, desires, and designs are all much changed and altered ⟨p. 113⟩