Of DEATH. Chap. H. Palfage, others forfakeu of all Comforters: yet Death is the fame Sentence of the Law ;:!'~~."11 Men. And thiS, 1f duly conlidered, makes it terrible in whatever lhape it apCHAp, H. What t!Je fear of Death includes. T/,e Paffidn rf Fear in general con(tdered. Tie Jpectal Caufo~ tba't make Death Jo (earful.. 'Tis an E11il unil!erfa!ly knorvn. 'Tis certamly fi<tt~re. The bondage of ¥m from the fear of Death. 17Je !J\.!afons why Mw are not ahva;•s t<nder the aElt<al fear of Veath. , It.TH E next Thing to Be ·confidered is, what tlie fea~ of Death includes and the . Bondage that is confequent to it. ThiH Ilia!! 'explain and ~mplify, byconfidermg four Thmgs. · I. The niuure of Fear in general, ·as appiicable to the prefent SubjeB:. 2. The particular Caufes that render Death fo fearful. 5. The degree of this Fear exprefs'd by Bondage. fubl~EiH~~~:~ ~:~~~~i~~s ~p~~ ~e~h~l~ ~\'!~~ways uhder the actual feat of Death, but 1. I will confider the nature of Fear in general, as applicable to tl1e prefent SubjeCt. Tl~~~r,\:i~g;~~~~~q~Tlr~nt~~u~i~:~~~·bj~~: ~~i~."k::r1~:r~f.' an approaching evil~ .. (I.) The Evil mull: be apprehended. Knowledg, or at leall: Sufpicion excites Fear • by reprefenting an Evil that is likely to feize upon us. Till the Mind difcer~ the Danger' fe:~~·~~~~1~re unmoved : and imagina~y Evils by the mere apprehenfion, are as ll:rongly (2.) The Evil mull: be future. For the naked Theory of the moll:.pernicious Evil does not wound the Soul, but the apprehenfion of falling under it. If Reafon can open an Exra~:~t t~r~~:~:~v~~ ~~~c;~~r.r~~3. ~0;~~~ : ~g ::~~ p~;c~:lfea~~d .. ~~a 0~~~~ j~~~ and g1ve a qu1cker rehfh to prefent Fehcuy. Approachmg Ev1ls alarm us w,Ith Fear. (l.) The Evil mull: be apprehended.as prevalent to make it fearful. For if by comparifon i~~o~~~e~~~;S~r:d~~~~~~~~~t~u~hewper~~~e~ffc~'~?l'~~;:~~!~~?sJ~~;~y, ;~t :~~:~~i~~ pendent Evil is too hard for us, the Soul Ouihks and recoi ls from it. Now all thefe Qualifications that make an ObjeCt fearful, concur in Death. I, 'Tis an Evil univerfally known. The frequent Funeral• are a real demonfhation that fpeaks fenfibly to our eyes, that Death reigns in the World. On every fide Death is in our view, and the 01adow of it darkens our brightell: days. 2. 'Tiscertainly future. All the wretched Accidents of this Life, fuchas concern ·us in our Perfons, Relations, Ell:ates and Inrerell:s; a thou fa ne! Difall:ers that a Jealous Fear and aCtive Fancy will extend and amplify ; as they may, fa they may not happen to us. And from this mixture of contrary Poffibilitico;, fr~m the uncertainty of event, Hope, that is an in(inuatingPaffion, mixes with Fear, and derives Comfort. For as fometimes a fudden Evil furprizes, nor forethought of; fa often the Evil that was fa~ly expeCted, never comes' to pafs. But wlut Man u he rhat lives, and jball not fee Death? Pfal. 89. 4· Who is fo vain as to pleafe himfelf with an imagination of Immortali ty here? Tho Men are dill:ingui01'd in the condition of Living, )'Ct all are equal in the neceffit y of Dying. Humane Greatnefs in every l<incl, Nobility, R1ches, Empire cannot proteCt Iram the fuddenand fovereign Hand of Death, that overthrows all. The moll: confpicuous difference in this \Vor!d is between rhe ViCtorious, and the Vanqui01'd proll:rate at their feet: bur Deat!t m.akes.them equal. Then the wretched Captive fhall upbraid the proud Conqueror, Aft tholl becomt weak tM me? Art thou become like m? The Expreffions of S~riptur~ conce.rning the frailty of Man, are often literally and precifely verified: He u ltke the Graji, m the morning it jlourifhes and groweth up, in the evening it if cut down and withenth~ 5· Death is a prevalent infuperable Evil: hence the proverbial Expreffion, Strong a ~~~~! ~·tJ::~~es 'i!!o '~l.;,'pie:t~ ~=~~::,·~{,f·~~~;;fitio"[,isaT l~~~ ~~ 11{~~~~~c:~~ ~g~ ~~~:·~;n~~.';,e~~~e~~~15th!ns~~f;~o;;:;~~;~~~gs~;~1J; ~;;:%::t~~e h~i;~~~ ~0~~, J.;e:; D«th :
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