S£Rhi.%I.I.j DEATH IMPROVED TO OUR ADVANTACE. 1$9 formidable extent of power, and with relation to a1l its victories ; and shew how, even in this largest sense, it is appointed to subserve the glory ofGod, and the kingdom of Christ, and by the grace of the new covenant, it is rendered useful and beneficial to every true christian ; on this account therefore it may be numbered amongst his possessions. " Death is yours." With this view I shall endeavour to run through these five general heads following, and improve each of them, in a few particulars, to the benefit of christians, agree- ably to the design of my text. Death is made useful to a saint, when we consider it. I. As reigning over all mankind in general. II. As seizing on impenitent and unpa.rdoned sinners. III. As taking captive the bodies of the saints. IV. As depriving us of our dear relations and kin- dred. And V. As bringingour own bodies down to the dust. I confess, I was very unwilling to leave the death of Christ out of this catalogue ; for his death is not only the most eminent blessing to every christian, but it is also the price that purchased all other blessings in time, and ineternity. It is the death of Christ that may becalled the Christian's richest treasure, for it procures for him all the treasures of grace and glory. It is the fruit of his death, that " all things are ours, whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or things present; -or, things to come." It is his death that gives truth and virtue to the words of my text, and to all the rich and spreading coin- ments upon it, that faith can make here on earth, and and that our souls shall taste and enjoy hereafter in hea- ven. Yet when I consider, that the death of Christ is more directly expressed in many other scriptures, and does not seem at all to have been the design of St. Paul in this text ; and when I survey what a vast and copious subject I must enter into, if I recount the riches of blessing that are derived from this spring, I chuse to refer that Subject to another season. I proceed therefore according to the order I have pro- posed, to treat of the various advantages to be derived from this proposition, " Death is yours."
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