I__\ . 'Death. _ . plague •s with this brood of our own begemog: Behold, that death whrch was not A till then in the world,is now in every thing :onegre-at Conquc:rour finds it in aSlate, another finds irin aFly; one finds itin the kernel ofa Grape, another in theprickeof \ a thoroe; one in the tafle ofan herb, another in the fmell of a fiower1 one in a bir of Aleat, another in amourhfult ofaire; one in the very fight ofa danger, anmher in.the conceit ofwhat might have beene: Nothing in all our life is too little to hide death under it: There need no cords, nor knives, nor fwords, nor Pceces: we l:uve made o•r fdves as many wayes to death, as there are helps of living. Bur ifwewere the authors ofour death,it was thou that didflalter it: our difobedience made ir, and thy mercy made it not to be evil!. Ithad been all one to thee, to h~e taken away the nry Beingof death from thine owne: but thou rhoughrefl it be to take away the fling ofit onely, as good Phyliti>ns, when ithey would apply B rher Leeches, (cowre them with Salt and Nettles, and wh<n their corrupt blood is voyded,imploy them to the health ofthe patient. It is more glory to thee, rhar thou hafl removed enmity f~m this Ef••J that oow he meers u• with kiffes in fiead of frownes: and if we receive a blow from this rou@lhand, yet that very llripe is healing. Oh howmuch more powerful! is thy death,then our linne!O my Saviour,how hafl thou perfumed and foftned this bed of my grave by dying~ How can it grieve meco tread in thy fleps to glory ~ n, Etr<lh. Our linne made death our lafl enemy 1 thy goodndfe bath made itthefirfl friend thlt we meet with, in our paffage to anoth<r world: For as !he that receives us from the knees ofour morhor, in our firfl entrance ro the light, waflJeth, cleanfeth, dref. f<th us, and prefenrs us to the brcfl ofour nur!e, or the armes of our mother, cha). C lenges fome inter<ll in us when we come to ourgrowrh; fodearh,whichinour parfage to that other life,is the firfl that r<eeives and prefents ournaked foulesto the hands ofthofe Angels, which cany it up to her glory,cannot but thinkc this office friendly and meritorious.What ifthis guide lead my carcafs tluough corruption and rottcnndfc, when my foulc in the very inflaat ofh<r fepararion knowcs it fdfe happy~ What if my friends mourne about my bed and coffin, when my foule fees the frniling face andloving embracemenrs ofhim that was dead, and is alive~Whatcare I, who !huts tl!efe earrheneyes,whendeath opens rheeye ofmy foule,to fee as I am feene ~ What ifmy name be forgotten ofmen, when I live above with the God of Spirits~ Th<Subj<lt. Ifdeath would be am an enemy, it is the worfl part ofmerhat he bath any thing D to doe withall: the befl is above his reach, and gaines morethen the other can Jcefe. The worfl peece of the horrour ofdeath is the grave : and fet afide infidelity, what fo great r:i\fery is this~ Th3t part wbich is corruptcd,feeles it not : thatwnich is free from corruption, feeles an abundant recompence, and forefees a joyfull r<paration. What is here but a jufl reflitution ~ We carry heaven and earth wrapt up inour bofomes: each part rcturncs homeward :And ifthe exceeding glory ofheaven cannot countcrvailethedolefomcnctle of the grave, what doel beleeving ~ Bur ifthe beauty ofthat cdefliall Santluary doe more then equalize the horrourof the bottomeleffe pit, how can I !hrinke at earth like my felfe, when I knowmy glory~ And ifexamplescan move thee any whir, lookc behind thee, 0 my foule,and fee whichofthe Worthies of that ancient latter world, which ofthe Patriarchs, Kings, Prophets, E Apo!Ucs,h1ve nor trod in thefe red fleps. Where are rhofe millions ofgenerations, .which have hirherto peopled the earth ~ How many patling-belshafl thou heard for thy known fri<nds~How many fick beds hafl rhouvifited~How many eyeshat\ thou feene clofed ~ Howmany vaine men hafl thou fecne thl! h>ve gone into the field ro fctke dearh, in hope to find an honour as fooli!h as themfdves ! How many poore creatures hafl thou mul~ed with death for thine owne pleafure~ And canfl thou hope that that God will make a by-way and a pofiern for thee alone,that thou mail! paffe to the next world, not by rhc gates ofdeath, nor by the bottomeofthe grave! The Ad;ma. Whar then doll thou fearc, 0 my !pule~ There are buttwo llages of death, the bed and the grave: This latter,ifir have fenflcfnetle, yet it bath refl: The former, if it have paine, yet ithatb fpecdincffe; and when itlights upon a faithful! heart, me~ts With
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