Featly et. Al. - BV4275 T47 1672

Chiafts `I riumph over Death. 4.95 5 the matter in Scripture,fo the form is divine (neevoxhominurnfonat,) whichconfilt- eth not in the words of mans wifdome, but in theevidence ofthe Spirit. Yet is there admirable eloquence in it, and far furpaffing which, we find in all other writings. Wherefore Politian the Grammarian, who pretended he dud" not touch any leaf in, the Bible, for fear ofdefiling the purity of his language, orSlurring the glols ofhiss ftyle,is condemned,as well by learnedhumanilts, as Divines: and Theapomprawi,o went about to cloathGods wordwith gay and trimphrafes ofheathen Orators;and 8,11w t i. do Poets, was punifhed by God withlois ofhis wits. Thus have we viewed the form,' ye b".',2- a us now have an eye to the mattcr,our Lords conqueft over Death,and the Grave. There are two things molt dreadful to the natureof man, Deathand the Grave, the one fevereth the foul; the other confumeth the body, and refolveth it into duff : the valianteft conquerors that with their bloody flags and colours, have ftruek a terror unto all Nations; yet havebeen afrighted themfelvcs at the difplayingof the pale and wan colours of Death: the molt retired Philofophers, and monks, who have lived in Cells, and Caves underthe ground : yet have been !larded at the fight of their Grave. Howmuch then arewe indepted to our Chriltian faith, that not only over- comcth the world, butalfo conquereth the fear of Death, andthe grave, and daretli both in the words of my Text, o death, fling nee if thou rang p O graveconquer me if thoube able ; O death, where is thy fling; Ograve, where osthy viclary. In which words the ApoRle like a Cryer, calleth Death and the Grave into the Court ,crud examineth them upon twoArticles, firR concerning the flingof the one, fecondly concerning the vitlory ofthe other : \Y/ill it pleafe you then to fix theeye of your obCeri'ation upon the parts of this Text, as they are laid before you in terms ofLaw. I S A r,iratibn. a SC An Examinarioit; In the Citation upon r S the manner of it; z the parties cited. r S Death, z Grave. In the Examination r Upon the first Interrogatory put to Death, touching the icdging of his Ring. z Upon the feeond Interrogatory put to the Grave, touching the field ofhis viéfory. Firs, fot'themannerofCiting,it is by an Apoftrophe ,rfigureoftenaccurring.in holy Scripture, as in thebook ofKings, O.4ltár, altar, 0 yemountainsofGilboa, and of the Pfalms; lift up ye gates; and be ye lift sop you everlafling doors: and of the Canticles, Artfeo North, and blowo South , and in the Iarophets,O ear:b,earth, earth. In intimation of which Brings of rhetorick the AuncientFathers in their funeral Orations, many times turned to the dead, and ufcd fuehtompellations as thefe, and, Conffantine, .vale Paula, hear o Gonflantìne, farewell. 0 Paula. From which paffiges our adverfaricsvery weakly, if not ridiculoufly infers the invocation !of Saintsdeparted, snaking weapons of plumes of feathers, and arguments of orna- mews; andwhich is fr..worfe, Divinity ofrhetorick,and articles of faith,oftropes offentences. By a like confegacnce, they might conclude that hillsand trfgsand the earth,and gates,and dcath,and hell have eyes to lookuponus, or cars to hear us, jor that we ought to invocate them; becaufe the holy Ghost maketh fuch Apoftrophes to them,as the Fathers do to the foulsofSaints newly departed out oftheir bodies. S f f Secondly,

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