94 Chap. r 8. An Expóftion upon the Book of JOB. Verf;14. And not onely is death a difunion , but it is alfo a privation : everyprivation bath fome terriblenes in it, but this is not an or- dinary privation, this is a totali privation. Death is fuch a pri- vation, as fromwhich there can be no returne according to na- ture, this makes it very terrible ; and as it is a total! privation of life ; foof all thofe things which appertaine to life , all worldly riches, all worldly relations; all worldly comforts, all worldly honours are removed by death ; it layes all low it equalls the higheft with the loweft ; Death is thegreateff Leveller, as the Poet rgorr Jreptr faith; death levells Scepters and plowfhàres, it makes all alike. gi¡xibr:s - Thirdly , There is a terribleneffe in death in regard ofthe con- fequents ; rottennes and corruptionconfume the dead, and dark- neffe covers them in the grave. Thefe natural! . confequents of death are terrible. But death is yet more terrible if we fep beyond this naturall confederation ofit ;This makes it terrible to Heathens,who look nofurther then the grave ;' but to Tooke ondeath as the fruit or wages of fin, and as fin is the fling of death, this renders it moft terrible. Wemay make a threefold gradationof the terribleneffe ofdeath. Firm To godlymen ; fecondly, to moral men,who live with- out any great wickedneffe yet fill in afate of nature; thirdly, towicked men, who have an awakened . confcience. as well as a confcience extreamely guilty. Death is fometimes a Kingofterrours,very terrible tothe god- ly ; though theyhave reafon to lookondeath (in a fence) as the Kingof Comforts, becaufe when they dye they enterupon the enjoymentsof theirhigheft comforts, yet,I fay,death ftrikes them with fome terrour; efpecially in two cafes. Firf,. Death is terrible to a godlyman,'when his fpirituall e- ftate is unfetled ; indeed whenhe fees all cleere between God and him, then wellcome death, there's no terrour in it the paleneffe ofdeath pleafeth him better then the pureft beauty that everhe faw in the world : but when the foule cannot fee an intereft in Chrift, when theConfcience is raveld, and the.-a&ings of faith t?e non e, ifien- fops, then the heart is full offeare. He that is in a good efate, tibm e3 non eq.- is not alwayes in fight of it ; This darkneffe breeds doubtings ; parent.brte ea- That which is not feenegivesusnomore comfort,then that which gem eft gario, is not at al!. Se-
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