before its eyes, it is afraid of
death. But its fear is only because of its lack of understanding. If
it knew, it would by no means be afraid or shudder at death. Our
reason is like a little child who has become frightened by a bugbear
or a mask, and cannot be lulled to sleep; or like a poor man, bereft
of his senses, who imagines when brought to his couch that he is
being put into the water and drowned. What we do not understand we
cannot intelligently deal with. If, for instance, a man has a penny
and imagines it to be a five-dollar gold piece, he is just as proud
of it as if it were a real gold piece; if he loses it he is as
grieved as if he had lost that more valuable coin. But it does not
follow that he has suffered such loss; he has simply deluded himself
with a false idea.

27. Thus it is not the reality of death and burial that terrifies;
the terror lies in the flesh and blood, which cannot understand that
death and the grave mean nothing more than that God lays us--like a
little child is laid in a cradle or an easy bed--where we shall
sweetly sleep till the judgment day. Flesh and blood shudders in fear
at that which gives no reason for it, and finds comfort and joy in
that which really gives no comfort or joy. Thus Christians must be
harassed by their ignorant and insane flesh, because it will not
understand its own good or harm. They must verily fight against it as
long as they live, at the cost of much pain and weariness.

28. There is none so perfect that he does not flee from and shudder
at death and the grave. Paul complains and confesses of himself, and
in his own person of all Christians: "For that which I do I know not:
for not what I would, that do I practice." Rom 7, 15. In other words:
By the spirit, I am well aware that when this body comes to die God
simply lays me to rest in sweetest slumber, and I would gladly have
my flesh to understand this; but I cannot bring it to it. The spirit
indeed is willing and desires bodily death as a gentle sleep. It does
not consider it to be death; it knows no such thing as death. It
knows that it is freed from sin and that where there is no sin there
is no death--life only. But the flesh halts and hesitates, and is in
constant dread lest I die and perish in the abyss. It will not allow
itself to be tamed and brought into that obedience and into that
consoling view of death which the spirit exercises. Even Saint Paul
cries out in anxiety of spirit: "Wretched ma