Featly et. Al. - BV4275 T47 1672

8z i s Death is. Nature teach erh. t what death is. z The propes- tiesof death. That it is. t Univerfal. z Inevitable. Uncertain. The Scriptule iteacheth. 's what is death. z whatass the tauresof death The fDefruîtion ofthe Vetroyer, or, Fisf ; Death re. Ye know that well enough , your Eyes (hew it you daily : our Enfes declare it foplainly, that noman is fo fenCclefs that knoweth it not : It is agreed upon by all. Only for your better furtherance to snake ufe of thispoint, let us acquaint you with that which Nature will teach ye concerning Death. Se- condly , wish that which Scripture will teach you, above, and better than Na- ture. Nature theieth ye concerning Death, fir(l what it is. And then, Secondly, what Properties it bath. It tellethus chis,Thpc death is in abfìnce fron}lífe, a cealiing frombeeing,whcn one was beeing,-to be thaYtft (ps it Weréoiit of thèptefent world,and be tali fome where. I his is all chat Nature informeth us concerning the Effence and Geeing of death. Dnith is a deviding of us from this life,and from the things of this life,and fends us abroad we know riot where. Secondly, Nature teacheth is;hre Properties concerning death. One,that itisuniserfal; Iehash acid all to it, high and low,richand poor. Death knocks at thePritrîes Palia6e, as'vdéll as'at the poor Habitation of the meane(l man. Ic is a thing that refpedis no mans greatnefs,it regardech no wealch,nor wit,nothing ; death takes all before it. That Nature ceacheth too. Secondly ; Nature teachech that death is inevitable. If a man would give all the world,he cannot chrull it out ofdoors. It takes whole Armies as well as one man. It coreeth to berefilled by the Phyfitians; there is no words,no means to efcape it. It is fuch an enemy as we mull grapple with, and it will conquer. This Nature ceacheth. Again, Nature teacheth that death is uncdrtais . A manknoweth not when death wit come to him,or when it will lay holdonhitn,or by.what means it will fetch him out of the world. It may fetch-hirn out of theworldat anycime,or in anyplace, and by fuch occafaon, as it is impo(fible for any wit to think of before. This is in fub- (lance 4i/it tipat Nature teachech. And the knowiedg of this, it is for good ufe, as well to regsefiber and confider it, as to under(l$nd it. Butno4il goon to tell ye; what the Scripture ceacheth concerningdeath ; For thaagiveth a perfcdtcr andlarger Information of the thing; than che dim light of Nature. The Scripture then ( over and above that which Nature(heweth) telleth us con- cerningdeath theft things. Fir(}, it (heweth better what it is; and then, Irrheweth whence itcomech, and what are the courts of it. Thirdly, it declared) the confequenceswhat follow upon it. And la(lly,and be(llysic tellethus'he reinedy againfî else ill of death. In all which Nature fiumbleth,andcan do little ortiothing. - Firft, che'Scii}>èttittdÌethüs'Wilaitítis; it rele its howchant is thedefolution of a man, not the Annihiliation : It dochnot make him ceafe co be,but takes afunder awhile the Soul from the Body: It carrieth the one co the Earth, and the other :o another world : So that both continue to be, though they be not united as be- fore' Theword of God teacheth us,that he bath created the world (as it were) a houleof ¡three Stories. The middle is this prefent life where we be. And there is a lower place, she Dungeon, a place of unhappinefs and deftrb&iòn`; there is ahigher place, a Pal- lace of glory. -According as men behave themfelves in this middle rome; fo death either leaded) them down to theplace of unháppinefs, or conveyeth them up to the Pallaceof glory and blefíednefs. This,Nature is ignorantof,but the Scripture isplain in. The rich rocs dieth,and hit Soul iscarried to Hell ; the poor man when he died, hisSoul was advanced to Heaven, So that death isnothing:buttlieMeffengerofGod to cake the Soul out of the body, and to convey it to a place of more háppinefs, or more mifery thancan be conceived.' ,s. Secondly, the Scripture ácgitaincsus further witta the caufe of death. Philofo- phers wondred l nce nature dePtëth a perpithítgt'hnd concinvance ofit Pelf, that man (hould be fofhort a time in the world. The Scripture endeth this wonderment and

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=