Chap. I Of DEATH. r. As the Defert of Sin. The lirft Defign: of the Creator was his own Glory in coojunfiion with the Happinefs of Maru He was made accordingly H0ly in Perfe&ion, placed in Paradifc, and his State contained all the Ingredients of Felicity proper . to his Nature. He was capable of dying, as fad Experience proves; yet no Accident from w~thout, no Difiemper from within had impa~r'd his Vigor, and made ~i:, ~~~f~~i~~bp~~ci~c~~tta~;:!:0b1ut ~;-Di~n~il~~~e~·~~~?~n~1~f'~~f,i~~~~~r~J;c;~~ Life was the ordained Means and Sacramental Pledg. For God unchangeably loves his own Image: and th<> by bis So~cignty •nd abfolutc Power he may refume the Being ht; gives, yet his Goodnefs andCovenant were a fancda{[m•nce that Man's happy Life fhould run parallel with his pcrfeve1:aoce in his Duty. TI1is Immortality was not the fingular Privilege of Adam's Perfon, but had been the Inheritance of aH his Progeny. But he foon ~~~~~t~&J;~lli~~~~~f ~~~~~e;a"t~~~ft~~~:~!dbhl:~a~~:~';,,:~~:~~~~~d~;dt~;~~~o~r~f Sin mallhisPolte,ity. Thu·sby:olte MA1>Sine~tmJ. iJuo the World, and Death by Sin, and fa Dea:th pajfed upu~> all Me1>; far thot all h""'e fumed. Rom. >· x z. As his Obedience had been rewarclecl, 'fo his Rebellion is punifhed in all that naturally defccncl from him. From. hence it is, that fo nmnerotlu part ol Mankind a>e cut oiJ.'befme themmmillion of a&ua l ~~niiv~ea~1n~n~~~f~~~t~ ~~e~~r~~e~usL;r:;n•:~:~~~y~~~~ e~~i~~~~~~~~~,:~~~h~~g";;'f Life, 0Jould fc,feiJ; his Life an~ Bleffednefs? Tl1c SouL voiu>Jtari1y lolt the Spiritual Life Ao;~u •o''"' by forfaking God, rhereforeunwil~in9ly lofesthe Natmal Life by expulfiionfromthe Bod.y. ~~~~~~~s~~~~~~ {!etl!P"JI!r~;'r ~t; ::Ul"w"{~:"i;~ f:::.tr.lc~~c~;,i,~~."~[ ~~.\~':tf.~~''l,~n~e0~~ r~~:& ,;,;. may difcover the falfc Philof<>.phy a£ the w>fefil'li::l<athensin theic Opinion of Death. They ""leg''"'"' judgedirto, be ahe·_piivnaryt'leodiitry;_ and CWJ'ldinion of Natme, :fiNed by irreGll:ible Fate: vcr;mr,ut~:si~ aFKI noli l!lnderll:andtmg,the tcue 3tflal' JUn ReaJon of its C0'fr!.ing into the World, they could renr. senu, oot •·vply "' fullicienr· Remed:y again£1:. its E•iJ.. 2. A• the Effea of the divine Decree refpe&ing Sin. This is difcovered b}' Revcfatiori in tile W ot'd of God, and b)! the FeaL exeounillo cf i•. It is a;painud to Mm once tu d;e, Htffl. 9'• '27. This Decree Is univerfa1and t!lnrepea.lable. One Gener4tionpttjfelh 41V4)', and a»other G<n<'atio,. iwm"i>' EecleC 1. 4- · like the ebbing aru;l. flowing a£ the Sea in its flatcd,E'e,iools. Nmhiflg;un, \ptCFrupt 0r fmflrate this Appointment. There aue divctS Cond·ili~msof Men, andt\larious wa~s of liv;ing i11r the: WoFld; fome· are hig]1 in Dignity, odters are1~vd \V·idllthe Earth: fomc ,walft i-n a Carpe~··W<ll1f, fmooth and ca.fy, others in "aho>ny an<l trouble(0rn : fame walk,on the golden. Sands, o<her< onthc Mire: but the fume uncontroulable necellity of dying, involves all. And whatever the way be, whether pleafant or doleful,- yet ever~ one pa!lesm Jt w"h equal Steps,. meafured by the fame iovariable fpaces of Houns and Days, and arrive at the !a me cornmoll End of Life.. Thole who are regarded as vifible Deiticsamongfb Men, that can by 1heir Breath railetbe low, and,clepl'efs the Lcfty, that have the Lives of Millions in their Power ; yet when the ordained Time is come, as they cannot bribe the accufing Conf[iCJ3ce tOr a minl!lte's filcnce, fo neither delay Death. I have faid ye are. GoJs., but J' foaU d,re like. i'den. 3· .Death is· to be conGderedas the Senteaco 0f the La.w. The reafonable Creature wa. made under a Law,the Rt!tleof his AB:ions\ TheMoua;l. Law d-ireCted him how t0comi-: nue i1> his holy and bleJTed Sta<e: To wL1ich was anoe"'di the Precept of not eating of the 1'rec of Knowledg of C'.ood •nd Evil, only as,a mark of hi~Subje&ion, and for <he rryal of his Obedience. Thi>i'rc<epthadaoinfallible San&ionby the molthigh Law-giver: In ·thedaphou eateft thereof, •tllou fba/t. die the Death. Gen. 2. '7· Man did not keep this Command of fo eafy OfufCI'II'alion, andjuftly incutt'd its doom. As Sin is the violation· of tl1e La"'• fo Death is the violatio" o£ the Sinner in his 'Nature and Felioity retorted fl'oru the Law. The Deaths of Men arc very different in their kind;; and ate compri.fed in the Words of David concerning.Saul' The Lordfoa!l fmtte hzm, or his DaJ'fo·a!l come to dte,. or he foa!t dejiend into the Battel, and perifh. I Sam. 26. xo. Sometimes !hey are cut off by the •mmediate flaming.Hand of God, for the more exempla•y revenge of Sin ; fomerimes by furpnling Accidents; fometime> by bloody Contentions ; fometimes by confuming DiC: eafcs, Butth<l Death be not uniform, yet 'tisalwaysth.,execution of the Law uponOili:nders. As of •hofe who are mndemned by humane Jultice, fom<> frllfec a more eafy ancl honourable Death,. a. hers a more difgra<eful and rorturing ;, fome are· beheaded, other-S are-crocilied, yet all die ao Malelail:ors. 'TI!us fome die a matural Death, others a vlo- ~;'rh.;.~m;.~~ f'~e ~~·!;~lJ:~~d:);'~::!ndes;~~io~l ~~~~~~~ '(;~~~~= ~~~i~ · Paffa&lil
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