Meditations touchingDeath. 661 . ham,rrre. God is the Lord( hisownewordsdoe makeitplaine) and therefore tdbraham, r+rc. though they liue nothere vifiblobefore men, yet they are aline toGod, and thereis a part ofthem remaineth vnextinguifb t, of which the Lord is God^.I know (faithPasl) that no death hall be able to feparatevs, Roas ;. 38, from God .. Frarenorthern that can kill the body, but are notable tokill the 39, ; fouler. What doe this argue, but that death as it betokened: anabolifh-,mat.:0, :s; ment of that which is, hathnopower vpon the foule ? To there evidences ofScripture, mightbeeioyncd thofe reafons,which Lear= ned men, touching thispoint hauecolleaed together; not afew, Firn, it mightbe Mewed how thisTruth isengranen aswith apenofIron inNature; in that in all ages, bymenofiudgement, the immortality of the foule hath beenacknowledged, and the perfons frill reputed (as it were) He retiques,andcaen deteíted asmonners among&men; thathaue denied it. Se- condly, it might beeprefiedout of thedoarineofGods prouideneeandinftices ForifwebeleeueaGod ,bywhomallthingsaredifpofed, and who meafsreth all his courfes by a rule ofRight; euen thence the immortality ofthe foule inay be ftronglygathered. Wefeehere a kindofconfufion(as may be thought) theEuill tyrannizeossee the Good; and men ofthe worn fashion, beare out their lewde courfeseven with anhighhand. How shall it beebeleeued that God taketh careofall things, and isbill torecompencecurry man according, to hisdeedes, ifthefeparticulars fhould í}i11 bee fuffi red to got on? and if thefoule Ihould bee extinguifhtwith the body, when Ihould thisdeclaration ofGodsgouernmentand iufticebee? fith herein the World there is fo little íhew thereof, thateuen good men(as wee mayfeebyDateid=, andby Jeremy ) ZPc,LnY.z, ;, arefometimes muchperplexed thereabout. - a icr, a Thirdly, it mightbecto thisendaltovrged, how that amongst all men,essen by the very infin&ofnature, there isa religion : whichwhatis it, but a de- pendaneevponfomcGod, accompaniedwith an expe&ation ofan citateaf- ter this life? vntillwhich, that which is called Religion, bath notreeeiued that, which is chiefly aimed at : fo that all Religion whatfoeuer, is setter- lyvain, andtono end, ifthefoule with the body íhoald haue ioynt extin, lnttíhment. Wellthen might that Epicurious and defperate fpeechpreúaile, Leerseat pnd drink,for tomorrowsreJl alldie b. i t Cost í.3ás Fourthly, it might furtherbe alleaged, how ill it agrees with Gods infinite Wifdome, tomake theendofmen and beasts alike, nth man is oneofhis moll noble Creatures, andone for the feruiceofwhom the beastsand other things were ordained. What likelihood, that man Mould haue apriuiledge abone other creatures, in regard ofacommandosier them, anda power tovfe them forhis delight andcomfort, and yetin the end Ihould perish andcome tonothing, turnas they ? Nay, take away the hope ofImmortality the r- ítate ofman is mademuch worfe then the beans : in regard that man in this lifeisfubie& tonomore maladies and difeafes then the beans, and excrcifed withaworld ofcares, andthought-takings, which theother creatureshere on eartharenotacquaintedwith. Befides that, in thisalfo his cafewouldberthe worfe,heebeing asfuredofdeath,and liningin anexpe&ation ofdeath; a thing, whichthebeanshauenomanner ofconceit of,norcanattaige-unto. Now,if Yvanamidi} allthis, should bedeprived ofall hopeofanafter flare and Ihould receive bydeathan vtter abolition, better a beanthen a man, bymanyde- grees. Lajtly, manythings might bee noted ofthe nature and workings ofmans foule, toprouethatit is immortall. That light ofknowledge which it bath9 bywhich it is ableto comprehend inRime meafureeuen God himfelfe that jiihtofeonfcience, puttinga differencebetwixt goodand will, andarraigning 0oo
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