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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 fhort, yet if they be ftill 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 fhall be perfectly like him, and shall fee him as he is. And furely it is a moft 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 Chrift, then to die fhall be Gain; for, when we depart hence, we shall be with him; and, when Christ, who is our Life, fhall appear, then shall we also appear with him in Glory. It is obfervable, that he feemeth to take Bb 2 a Pleasure

a Pleasure in describing the Felicity which good Men fhall be made Partakers of in a future State, as bearing a near Resemblance to his own: Hence it is expreffed 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 refplendent 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 fhall be for ever with the Lord. 1 Theff. iv. 17. Happy in the immediate Vifion and Enjoyment of God and the Redeemer to all Eternity.

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How Chrift has abolished Death.

DISCOURSE XX.

DE

2 TIMOTHY i. 10.

Who bath abolished Death.

EATH is, as an ancient Philofopher expreffed it, of all terrible Things the moft terrible. There is a natural Dread of it implanted in the human Heart: And it is proper it should be fo, 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 Season. The Fear of Death often makes People patiently ftruggle with great Pains and Difficulties, and ufe all proper Means for preferving Life, even when it feems

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seems to be a Burthen. When Death draws near, it hath a grim and formidable Afpect, at which Nature recoils. And this is not to be much wondered at, when we confider that Death diffolves the vital Union between Soul and Body, and puts an End to all our prefent Enjoyments. We are then obliged to bid a final Adieu to all the Pleasures of Senfe, 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 Induftry: Yea, it ravisheth us from our dearest Friends and Relatives, feparates Parents from their beloved Children, and Wives from the Embraces of their Hufbands. Add to this, that it's Harbingers and Attendants are often terrible: Acute Pains, languishing Sickneffes and Difeafes 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 Conftituents of the human Frame, terrible to behold, and how much more to feel! But that which renders it efpecially dreadful is the Apprehenfion of it's Confequences. The Confequences of Death, with Regard to the Body, are vifible to all:

The

The curious vital Frame, with all it's wonderful Organs, the Inftruments of Motion and Senfation, 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 loathfome Horror and Deformity. But there is a nobler Part of Man, a thinking Subftance, 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 Flefh, but furvives in a future State of Existence. But what becomes of it, when it is diflodged from this frail Tabernacle; what State it then enters into, what unknown Region, Nature, if left to itself, is unable to difcover. Here all is Darkness, a melancholy gloomy Scene; and, when to this is added a Senfe of Guilt, a Consciousnefs of having in many Inftances offended God, this mightily darkens the Profpect, and can scarce fail to beget amazing Fears, dreadful Apprehenfions of Divine Vengeance in a future State.

Such is the View which Nature gives us of Death, and fo difcouraging it is, that many, through Fear of Death, are, all their

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Life

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