of Occafions of Sorrow. 241 to power, honour, intellectual endowments, S E R M. and other diftinguifhing priviledges, which X. are efleemed among them very confiderable ; but at laft death puts all upon a level, their breath goeth out, they return to their earth, and none has power over the Jpirit to retain it, neither is there any d(charge in that war. And as thus it appears in fact that all men die, fo they who believe a governing providence, muff attribute this event to unchangeable appointment. For the good pleafure of God mankind were created, by the fame goad pleafure they fubfift upon the earth, which was given them to dwell in, not all at once (for that end it would not be fufficient) but in fucceffion, and it is evidently as much the courfe and law of nature that we Mould die, as be born. This immutable decree of hea- ven concerning the human race, is fully declared to us in fcripture, where we meet with only two exceptions to it in the cafe of Enoch and Elias, both attributed to a di- vine miraculous interpofition. And St. Paul reveals this myftery, that they who (hall be alive upon the earth at Chrift's fecond coming, fhall not indeed die, but undergo a change equivalent to that, which (hall be effected in others by death and the refur- VoL. I. R rcEtion ;
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