Oilortìelity changed. Th ere are two propofitions which naturally iffuefrom the words, and compre- hend the juice and marrow ofthe Text. Firft, that there is a change, which will befalthe Eons ofmen. Secondly, we should alwayes wait till it come; I begin with thefitft ; that, There u a change which will befal thefons'ofinen. Bewe poor, orbe we rich ; be wenoble, or be wl noble; be we profperous, orbeweafflifted; beweftrong,or be wewerk ; be we old,or be we young; be we good,orbe we bad; bewe male,or be we female; whatfoever our natures bc,w hat foever ourparts be, whatfoever out places be, whatfoeverour ages be, whatfoever ourcourfcs be, whatfoever our waycs be; how fair and how durable our eftates, may appear, yet atlength there is a change which will befal us. That which 7acob fpake in a pathetical way, 7afpb is nor, and Simeon is not ; may truly be Laid of all the Ions of men ; once they were, now they are not : though once we reckoned them upon our account, yet atlength they are Shut out, and Rand afide as cyphers. But that you may the better underftand whatchange it is that is heremeant, you are toknow,that there is a fourfold change. Firft, a changeofthe condition, this I call a temporal change, whereinfome, or more, or all,ofour outwardcomforts, are fhrivelled,and feared up by force prefent mifery. When poverty breaks inupon us,as the hunter dothupon his game ; and caufeth our riches as fo manybirds -(to whichSolomon compares them,) to take to themfelves wings and fijeaway. When ficknefs ftayeth ourhealth in the bed, and imprifoneth us to the chamber. When our friendsglide away from us, like a river through their Apoftacy, or flan allele like a brokenbow through their fallhood or treachery. When the near relationofHusbandand Wife, Parents and Children is Cut afunder, and themanyfad tears for theirlofs, imbitter all our former.comforts. But this isnot thechange intended in theTeat. . Secondly, there is achange of the Body, and this Icalla corporal change,for even thewild bodies ofours thanbe chianged. Look at the fpring is a refrelhing change to the feafonof the year, fo Shall the RefurreEtion be an exceeding change to our bodies ; oras themorning is a change to the night,fo at theRefurreftion ih all our bodies awake, and their corruption !hall put on incorruption ; neither is this the change which job here intends immediatly, though force expound his sim to be atthis, fromwhom 1 cannot abfolutelydiffeut, yetI think they bit not the right fcope., Thirdly; there is a changeofthe Soul, that I calla Spiritual change, wrought in the foul by the fpiritof God: nothingmakes in this life fuch a changeas true grace. Weall with openface, beholdingat in aglairthegloryofthe Lord, are changedinto the fame imagefrom glory toglory, even,a by the/firit ofthe Lord, z Cor. 3. 1E. This change is likethetuningofa difordered inftrument, or like the refining of corrupt metal, or like theclearing ofthedark air, or like the quickningof a dead Lazarus ; butneitheris this change that the text intends. , Fourthly, there isa change ofthe life, and this I call amortal change, we !hall all be changed, faith the Apoftle, r Cor. 15. ;. life hash the firft courfe, but death will have the fecond. As in a Comedy feveralperlons, have feveral parts to aEt, which when they have difpatched, they all draw off the stage ; fo though in life we all prefent ourfelves on the Rageofthis world, andaft feveral Scenes and parts, yet at length we muff all retire and pats away through oneand thé fame door of mor- iality. This is the change which Job fpeaks of, to wit, a change ofthii ife by Death. Here then aretwo thingsto be demonftrated, andproved,for the makinggood of thepoint in hand, viz. 1. That death isa change. z; That this changeofdeath will befalall the fans ofmen. Firft, that Death is a change, not ananihilation. A change is a different, and a divers orderiormanner ofbeing. Anihilation is onething, and mutation is another O o o a thine 465 Ijoïfr. r. A change will befal all the boaá ofmen. Death a change , and why fo termed
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=