1. That his living time is his labouring time, but his dying time is his harvest time ; whilst we live we are plowing and sowing in all the duties of religion, but when we die, then we reap the fruit and comforts of all our labours and duties, Gal. vi. 8, 9. As much therefore as the reaping time is better than the sowing and plowing time, so much better is the death than the life of a believer.
2. A believers living time is his fighting time, but his dying time is his conquering and triumphing time, 1 Cor. xv. 55, 56. The conflict is sharp, but the triumph is sweet; and as much as victory and triumph are better than fighting, so much is death bet- ter than life to him that dieth in Jesus.
3. A believer's living time is his tiresome and weary time, but his dying time is his resting and sleeping time. Isa. Ivii. 2. Here we spend and faint, there we rest in our beds, and as much as re- freshing rest in sleep is better than tiring and fainting, so much is a believer s death better than his life.
4. A believer's living time is his waiting and longing time, but his time of dying is the time of enjoying what he hath long wished and waited for, Phil. i. 23. here we groan and sigh for Christ, there we behold and enjoy Christ, and so much as vision and frui- tion are better and sweeter than hoping and waiting for it; so much is a believer's death better than his life.
2. As the advantage a believer makes of death is great to him by dying only in Christ ; so it is much greater, and the richest improvement that can be made of death, to die^r Christ as well as in Christ : for compare them in a few particulars, and you shall find,
1. That though a natural death hath less horror, yet a violent death for Christ hath more honour in it. To him that dies united with Christ, the grave is a bed of rest ; but to him that dies as a martyr for Christ, the grave is a bed of honour. " To you (saith *' the apostle) it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe " but also to suffer for his sake,'' Phil. i. 22. To you it is grant- ed as a great honour and favour to suffer for Christ ; all that live in Christ have not the honour to lay down their lives for Christ.
A PRACTICAL TREATISE OF FEAE. 303
It was the great trouble of Ludovicus Marsacus *, a knight of France, to be exempted because of his dignity from wearing his chain for Christ, as the other prisoners did : and he resented it as a great injury. " Give me (saith he to his keeper) my chain as well " as they, and create me a kniglit of that noble order."
2. By a natural death we only submit ourselves to the unavoid- able consequence of sin, but in dying a violent death for Christ, we give our testimony against the evil of sin, and for the ])recious truths of Jesus Christ. The first is the payment of a debt of justice due by the fall of Adam ; the second is the payment of a debt of thankfulness and obedience due to Christ, who redeemed us with his own blood. Thus we become witnesses for God, as well as sufferers, upon the account of sin : in the first, sin witnesseth against us, in this we witness against it ; and indeed it is a great testimony against the evil of sin : we declare to all the world that there is not so much evil in a dungeon, in a bloody ax, or consuming flames, as there is in sin : that it is far better to lose our carnal friends, estates, liberties, and lives, than part with Christ's truths and a good conscience, as -|- Zuinglius said, " What sort of death should " not a Christian chuse, what punishment should he not rather " undergo ; yea, into what vault of hell should he not rather chuse " to be cast, than to witness against truth and conscience.""
3. A natural death in Christ may be as safe to ourselves, but a violent death for Christ will be more beneficial to others ; by the former we shall come to heaven ourselves, but by the latter we may bring many souls thither. The blood of the martyrs is truly called the seed of the church. Many waxed confident by Paul's bonds, his sufferings fell out to the furtherance of the gospel, and so may ours : in this case a Christian like Samson, doth greater service against Satan and his cause, by his death, than by his life.
If we only die a natural death in our beds, we die in possession of the truths of Christ ourselves : but if we die martyrs for Christ, we seciu-e that precious inheritance to the generations to come, and those that are yet unborn shall bless God, not only for his truths, but for our courage, zeal, and constancy, by which it was preserved for them, and transmitted to them.
By all this you see that death to a believer is great gain, it is great gain if he only die in Chiist, it is all that, and a great deal more added, if he also die for Christ : and he that is assured of such advantages by death either way, must needs feel his fears of death shrink away before such assurances; yea, he >vill rather have hfe in patience, and death in desire ; he will not only submit
* Cur me non quoque torque donas, et illustris iilins ordinis viilitem iion creas ? f Qnas lion oportet merles praceligere, quod non supplidum potius Jerre, imo in qnam ItroJ'andam inferni abr/ssitm non intrare^ qna/n contra conscientiam attestari ?
S04 A PRACTICAL TREATISE OF FEAR.
quietly, but rejoice exceedingly to be used by God in such honour- able employment *. Assurance will call a bloody death a safe pas- sage to Canaan through the Red sea. It will call Satan that insti- gates these his instruments, and all that are employed in such bloody work by him, so many Balaams brought to curse, but they do in- deed bless the people of God, and not curse them. The assured Christian looks upon his death as his wedding-day, Rev. xix. 7. And therefore it doth not much differ whether the horse sent to fetch him to Christ be pale, or red, so he may be with Christ, his love, as Ignatius called him.
He looks upon death as his day of enlargement out of prison, 2 Cor. V. 8. and it is not much odds what hand opens the door, or whether a friend or enemy close his eyes, so he have his Hberty, and may be with Christ.
O then, give the Lord no rest, till your hearts be at rest by the assurance of his love, and the pardon of your sins ; when you can "boldly say the Lord is your help, you mil quickly say what imme- diately follows, / will not fear what man can do unto me, Heb. xiii. 6. And why, if thy heart be upright, mayest t^hou not attain it ? Full assurance is possible, else it had not been put into the com- mand, 2 Pet. i. 10. The sealing graces are in you, the sealing Spirit is ready to do it for you, the sealing promises belong to you ; but we give not all diligence, and therefore go without the comfort of it. Would we pray more, and strive more, would we keep our hearts with a stricter watch, mortify sin more thoroughly, and walk before God more accurately ; how soon may we attain this blessed assurance, and in it an excellent cure for our distracting and slavish feai's.