The fight of faith crowned, or, A sermon preached at the funeral of that…

4. Let this be an antidote against the fear of death. The day of death is (as Seneca calls it) aeterni natalis, the birth-day of eternity; believers are not fully happy till death^*. Death therefore is made a part of the inventory, 1 Cor. 3. 22. Death is yours. When the mantle of the flesh drops off, the soul ascends in a triumphant chariot; God hath promised his people a portion, but it is not paid them till the day of death. 'Tis their fathers good pleasure to give them a Kingdom, Luk. 12. 32. but they cannot see it till death hath closed their eyes. Why then should the Saints be troubled at death? indeed I wonder not ⟨p. 26⟩that the wicked are appalled, and scared at the approach of the King of terror; they are in debt to Gods justice, and death as Gods Serjeant arrests them, and drags them before the Divine Tribunal. But why should any of Gods children be under such consternation, and have the trembling at the heart? What hurt doth death do to them? it pulls off their fetters and puts jewels upon them; it leads them to gates of Pearl, rivers of pleasures. Faith gives a title to Heaven, death a possession.

4. Let this be an antidote against the fear of death. The day of death is (as Seneca calls it) aeterni natalis, the birth-day of eternity; believers are not fully happy till death^*. Death therefore is made a part of the inventory, 1 Cor. 3. 22. Death is yours. When the mantle of the flesh drops off, the soul ascends in a triumphant chariot; God hath promised his people a portion, but it is not paid them till the day of death. 'Tis their fathers good pleasure to give them a Kingdom, Luk. 12. 32. but they cannot see it till death hath closed their eyes. Why then should the Saints be troubled at death? indeed I wonder not ⟨p. 26⟩