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well qualified, willing as well as able, to fuccour them also that are tempted. Heb. ii. 18. He looketh from the Throne of his Glory upon his faithful Disciples and Followers, that are preffing forwards here on Earth, in the fame facred Paths in which he led the Way before them. His Grace is Sufficient for them, and his Strength is made perfect in their Weakness. And, though in many Instances they fall short, yet if they be still afpiring to reach nearer and nearer to that glorious Pattern which he hath fet them, and make it their fincere and continual Endeavour to resemble him more and more, and to purify themselves even as he is pure, he will admit them, in due Time, to that happy State, where they shall be perfectly like him, and shall fee bim as he is. And furely it is a most animating Confideration, that, if we follow him in a Life of holy Obedience here on Earth, and in an Imitation of his lovely Example, we shall, according to our Measure and Degree, and as far as we are capable of it, be made Partakers of the Glory which he now enjoys : If for us to live be Christ, then to die shall be Gain; for, when we depart hence, we shall be with him; and, when Christ, who is our Life, shall appear, then shall we also appear with him in Glory. It is obfervable, that he seemeth to take a Pleafure

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a Pleasure in describing the Felicity which good Men shall be made Partakers of in a future State, as bearing a near Resemblance to his own: Hence it is expressed by their being with him where he is, and beholding the Glory which the Father hath given him, John xiv. 3. xvii. 24; by their walking with him in White, i. e. in bright resplendent Robes, as Sharers in his Glories and in his Joys. Rev. iii. 4. Yea, and by their fitting with him on his Throne, as he is fet down with his Father on his Throne. Rev. iii. 21. In a Word, they shall be for ever with the Lord. I Theff. iv. 17. Happy in the immediate Vision and Enjoyment of God and the Redeemer to all Eternity.

How

How Chrift has abolished Death.

DISCOURSE XX.

2 TIMOTHY i. 10.

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Who hath abolished Death.

DEATH is, as an ancient Philosopher

expressed it, of all terrible Things the most terrible. There is a natural Dread of it implanted in the human Heart: And it is proper it should be so, to keep us from throwing away our Lives upon every Difguft, and deferting the Station appointed us in this State of Trial, before the proper Seafon. The Fear of Death often makes People patiently struggle with great Pains and Difficulties, and use all proper Means for preserving Life, even when it Bb 3 feems

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seems to be a Burthen. When Death draws near, it hath a grim and formidable Aspect, at which Nature recoils. And this is not to be much wondered at, when we confider that Death dissolves the vital Union between Soul and Body, and puts an End to all our present Enjoyments. We are then obliged to bid a final Adieu to all the Pleasures of Sense, all the entertaining Objects with which this World about us is furnished. We must then quit Houses, Lands, all our Acquifitions, and the Fruits of our own Industry: Yea, it ravisheth us from our dearest Friends and Relatives, feparates Parents from their beloved Children, and Wives from the Embraces of their Husbands. Add to this, that it's Harbingers and Attendants are often terrible: Acute Pains, languishing Sicknesses and Diseases of various Kinds, prepare the Way for that King of Terrors, as Death is called, Job xviii. 14. And then it is often accompanied with fearful Agonies and convulfive Pangs at the Rending afunder of Soul and Body, the two great Constituents of the human Frame, terrible to behold, and how much more to feel! But that which renders it especially dreadful is the Apprehenfion of it's Confequences. The Consequences of Death, with Regard to the Body, are visible to all:

The

The curious vital Frame, with all it's wonderful Organs, the Instruments of Motion and Sensation, falls into the Duft: All the Beauty and Dignity of the human Countenance, the Harmony of it's Features, the Comeliness of it's Parts and Proportions, is destroyed; and it becomes a putrid Carcase, a Prey to vile Worms, a Spectacle of loathsome Horror and Deformity. But there is a nobler Part of Man, a thinking Substance, the Subject of the wonderful Powers of Understanding, Reafon, moral Agency; and it is the natural Sentiment of the Heart of Man, that this does not die with the Flesh, but survives in a future State of Existence. But what becomes of it, when it is dislodged from this frail Tabernacle; what State it then enters into, what unknown Region, Nature, if left to itself, is unable to discover. Here all is Darkness, a melancholy gloomy Scene; and, when to this is added a Senfe of Guilt, a Consciousness of having in many Instances offended God, this mightily darkens the Prospect, and can scarce fail to beget amazing Fears, dreadful Apprehensions of Divine Vengeance in a future

State.

Such is the View which Nature gives us of Death, and so discouraging it is, that many, through Fear of Death, are, all their Bb 4 Life

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