104 Stepralapfarios chargenot God cornparifon , is neither man nor creature but a mere nothingclothed with an empty name. I make no ciuetlionbut thedamned with many things impoffible,and amongft others (it may be) their own annihilation : not be- caufe theyconceive the Bate of annihilation tobe capable of good or bad, of better or worfe, but becaufe they conceive their pre- fent eflate tobe fo bad, that the freeing thé from the evils wherewith they are oppreff fed (upon what terms foever) would make it fomewhat better : So that.their perplex- ed underftanding conceiveth themfelves (and that truly) tobe in an extreme mifera- ble condition; 3 thereupon conceiveth (but falfly) that themfelves íhould be in abetter cafe were they once annihilated , whereas then themfelves fhould no more be them- felves, and therefore be no fubjed of more or leffe mifery. There is a great difference betwixt Death. 0. n Annihilation. Some deadman maypro- perlybe faid to be in a bettter cafe after his. death then he was whileft he lived;thus it fa- red withLazarus;and thus it would prefent- ly have fared with Job, had God parted his foul fromhisbody. But no annihilated man can properly be fail tobe in a better cafe then he was before; becaufe a Better being f.appoíeth forme being which Annihilation contvaditeth., Had
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