The works of George Swinnock, M.A

but grace will teach the Christian that death is not only a remedy against all his bodily and spiritual maladies, as Sir Walter Rawleigh said of the sharp Axe that should behead him, this will cure all my infirmities, but also an inlet into fullness of joy and felicity; Reverend Deering said on his death-bed, I feel such joy in my spirit, that if I should have the sentence of life on the one side, and the sentence of death on the other side, I had rather a thousand times choose the sentence of death, since God hath appointed a separation, then the sentence of life. Titus Vespasian, the mirror of mankind, being a stranger to Christ, was very unwilling •o leave the world, being carried in an Horse-litter, and knowing that he must dye, looked up to Heaven and complained pitifully, that his life should be taken from him who had not desired to dye, having never committed any sin, as he said, but only one. Socrates and some of the wiser Heathen• comforted themselves against the fear of death, with this weak Cordial, that it is common to men, the ⟨p. 642⟩way of all the earth; Hence it was when the Athenians condemned Socrates to dye, he received the Sentence with an undaunted spirit, and told them, they did nothing but what nature had before ordained for him. But the Christian hath a greater ground for a holy resolution, and a stronger Cordial against the fear of death, even his hopes of eternal life, and surely if he that exceeds others in his Cordials, be excelled by them in Courage, he disgraceth his Physician. Aristippus told the Sailors who wondered that he was not as well as they afraid in the storm; Ye fear the torments due to a wicked life, and I expect the reward of a good one. Its no marvel that they who lived wickedly, should dye unwillingly, being frighted with the guilt of their past sins, and with the fears of their future torments; therefore the holy Ghost saith of such a one,¹ The wicked is driven away in his wickedness, as a Beast that is driven out of his den, to the slaughter, or as a Debtor driven by the Officers out of his house, wherein he lay warm and was surrounded with all sorts of comfort, to a nasty loathsome prison; But that the righteous who hath hope in his death, should even dye almost with fear of it before-hand, is matter of wonder. Lots soul is exceedingly vexed with Sodom, yet he is loth to leave it.