!296 Stnt'e c( tht- Godly ·State IV.: 1 Lajllj, They fl1ali ha_ve a j~(u/ entrance into the othe11; world. Their arri~<d in the regions e>f bli(s, will be cele-. brated with ,rapturous hymns of praife, to their glorion!} R~deemet. Adying day is agoocfday toa god,ly man. Yta, . it ,is his beft day; it is better to him than his 'birth-day, or· than the moft joyous day he ev~r had on earth. A good: tzame, 'fays the wife man, is better than preciouJ ~inlment r tmd the day ofdeath, than the day ol one'J birth, EccJ. vii. 1... The notion of the immortality of the fou1 1 and-of future happinefs.which obtained among fome P~gannations: had-' wonder.ful effects on them.. , Some of them when -theY' mourned for the dead, did it in ru;()men/ apparel; that be-- ing moved with the indecenc.y of the garb, they might-the· . fooner layafide their mourning. Others- buried~ t·hemwith· tJUt any lamentation or mourning; but had a facrifice, andi a feaft for friends upon that occafion. Some.' were wont . to mourn at births, ,and r~.joice at b11rials. But the prac– tice of fome Indiannations is yet more ftra"nge, of whom it is reported, that upon the huiliand's deceafe, his fevera!: , wives,were in ule to contend, before the Judges, whidt. of them was the bell beloved wife ; and- fne -in·whofe fa- · :vo1,1rs it was determined,. with a ch~arful c0u-ntenance~. . th.J"eW herfelf into .the flames prepar.ed for her hu!band's.' lt'orpfe, was burned with it, and reckoned happy, while:– the reO: lived ip gr-ref;,and were accountedmiferable•r. Bu-e~ howfoever lame notions ofa future fia.te, affifted by pride 7 • affeCtation ot applaufe, appre.henfions of difficulties-in.this·. , life, and fuch like principles proper to, d~praved human. nature, may influence rud~ uncultivate,d minds, when finingthened byr·rh:e·arts ·of heH; 0! what.folid joy and~ . confolation may thc:y have who al'le true Chr.ifiians~ be-ing · in Chrifl, who hath hroughr l~fe af!d immor-tality lb light· by.. t·he gojpef! 2 Tim i. w . Death is one of thefe ail thirtgJ"t ;· that cw.ork together for good·, t"? t~em.that.lov~God, R:om viih 28 \Vhen the body- dies, the foul 1 'is perfeeted··: the , bedy~ of death.. goes off; <1;t the dea·th of the body. What harm~ did th~ j~ylor m PlfaraO'h s butler) whe~-. he opef1~d'~ t;t1e·. prifon-dooF to him~ and let hi.m.aut? ' Is the bird .irt :y1wrfu : eafe, whenat !iberty, thap wh'en·confined.<in a cagd Thus- . and no worfe, are the fouls of the faints treatedby ~eath·.- lt.comes .to the ~?dly_ wau~_ ~s./ifltllf?TJ oame.to ,JV!ir,tl~af<·· ' ', ' 1VlU.· -· -
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