A Treatise of Death, Sermon · Section 1
DEATH is the occaſion of this dayes meeting: and Death muſt be the Subject of our preſent meditations. I muſt ſpeak of that which will ſhortly ſilence me; and you muſt hear of that which ſpeedily will ſtop your eares: and we muſt ſpend this hour on that which waits to cut our thred, and take down our glaſs, and end our time, and tell us we have ſpent our laſt▪ But as it hath now done good by doing hurt; ſo are we co conſider, of the accidental benefits, as well as of the natural evil, from which the heavenly wiſdom doth extract them. Death hath now bereaved a Body of its Soul; but thereby it hath ſent that Soul to Chriſt; where it hath now experience how good it is to be abſent from the body and preſent with the Lord, 2 Cor. 5.8. It hath ſeparated a faithful wife from a beloved huſband: but it hath ſent her to a husband dearlyer beloved; and taught her now by experience to ſay, that to be with Chriſt is beſt of all, Phil 1.23. It hath deprived a ſorrowful husband of a wife, and deprived us all of a faithful friend: but it hath thereby brought us to the houſe of mourning, which is better for us then the houſe of feaſting, (a Paradox to the fleſh, but an undoubted truth:) for h…re we may ſee the end of all men, and we that are yet living may lay it to our hearts, Eccl. 7.2, 3. Yea it hath brough us to the houſe of God, and occaſioned this ſerious addreſs unto his Holineſs, that we may be inſtructed by his Word, as we are warned by his works, and that we may be wiſe to underſtand, and to conſider our latter end, Deut. 32.29.
Its like you'l think that to tell men of the evil or enmity of Death, is as needleſs a …iſcourſe as any could be choſen: For who is there that is not naturally too ſenſible of this? and who doth not dread the name, or at leaſt the face of Death? But there is accidentally a greater evil in it, then that which nature teacheth men to fear: And while it is the King of terrors to the world, the moſt are ignorant of the great…ſt hurt that it doth them, or can do them; or at leaſt it is but little thought on; which hath made me think it a needfull work, to tell you yet of much more evil, in that which you abhor as the greateſt evil: But ſo as withall to magnifie our Redeemer, that overſhooteth death in its own bow; and cauſeth it, when it hits the mark, to miſs it: and that cauſeth health by loathſome medicines; and by the dung of our bodily corruption manureth his Church to the greater felicity.
Such excellent skil of our wiſe Phyſician, we find expreſt and exerciſed in this Chapter: where an unhappy error againſt the Reſurrection, hath happily occaſioned an excellent diſcou…ſe on that weighty Subject, which may ſtabliſh many a thouſand ſouls, and ſerve to ſhame and deſtroy ſuch hereſies, …ill the Reſurrection come, and prove it ſelf. The great Argument which the Apoſtle moſt inſiſteth on, to prove the Reſurrection, is Chriſts own Reſurrection: where he entereth into a compariſon between Chriſt and Adam; ſhewing that as Adam firſt brought death upon himſelf, and then upon his poſterity; ſo Chriſt (that was made a quickening ſpirit) did firſt Riſe himſelf as the firſt-fruits, and th…n at his coming will raiſe his own: And as in Adam all die, ſo in Chriſt ſhall all be made alive. And this Chriſt will do, as our victorious King, and the Captain of our ſalvation, who when he hath ſubdued every enemy, will then deliver up the Kingdom to the Father: And the laſt enemy which he will ſubdue, is Death, and therefore our Reſurrection is his final conqueſt.
The terms of the Text have no difficulty in them. The D…ctrin… which they expreſs, muſt be thus unfolded. 1. I muſt ſhew you that Death is an Enemy, and what is meant by this Expreſſion, and wherein its Enemy doth conſiſt. 2. I ſhall ſhew you that it is an Enemy to be d…ſtroyed, though l…ſt, and how and by what degrees it is deſtroyed. And then we ſhall make application of it to your further Inſtruction and Edification.
1. That you may know what is meant by an En…my here, you muſt obſerve, that man being fallen into ſin and miſery, and Chriſt having undertaken the work of our Redemption, the Scripture oft ſpeaketh of our miſery and recovery Metaphorically in military terms: And ſo Satan is ſaid to take us captive, and we to be his ſlaves, and Chriſt to be the Captain of our Salvation, and to redeem us from our bondage: And thus our ſin and miſery, and all that hindereth the bleſſed Ends of his undertaking, are called Enemies. Death therefore is called an Enemy to be deſtr…yed, that is, a penal evil to be removed by the Redeemer in order to our recovery and the glory of his grace. 1. It is an Evil. 2. A puniſhment procured by our ſin, and executed by Gods Juſtice. 3. It is an evil that hindereth our felicity. Theſe three things are included in the Enmity.
That Death is an Enemy to Nature, is a thing that all underſtand: but all conſider not how it is an Enemy to our Souls, to the exerciſe of grace, and conſequently to the attainment of glory. I ſhall therefore having firſt ſpoken briefly of the former, inſiſt a little longer upon the latter.
1. How great an Enemy Death is unto Nature doth eaſily appear, in that 1. It is the Diſſolution of the Man: It maketh a Man to become No man; by ſeparating the Soul from the Body, and diſſolving the Body into its principles. It puls down in a moment a curious frame, that Nature was long building, and tenderly cheriſhing and preſerving. The mother long nouriſheth it in her bowels, and painfully brings it forth, and carefully brings it up; what labour doth it coſt our Parents, and our ſelves to make proviſion for this Life? And death in a moment cuts it off. How carefull are we to keep in theſe lamps, and to maintain the oyl? and Death extinguiſheth th…m at a blaſt. How noble a creature doth it deſtroy? To day our parts are all in order, and buſie about their ſeveral tasks; our Hearts are moving, our Lungs are breathing, our Stomacks are digeſting, our Blood and Spirits by aſſimilation making more: and to morrow death takes off the poiſe, and all ſtands ſtill; or draws the pins, and all the frame doth fall to pieces. We ſhall breath no more; nor ſpeak, nor think, nor walk no more: Our pulſe will beat no more: Our eyes ſhall ſ…e the light no more: Our ears ſhall hear the voice of man, delightful ſounds and melodie, no more: we ſhall taſte no more our meat or drink: Our appetite is gone: Our ſtrength is gone: Our natural warmth is turned into an earthly cold: Our comelyneſs and beauty is turned into a ghaſtly loathſome deformity: Our white and red doth ſoon turn into horrid blackneſs: Our tender fleſh hath loſt its feeling; and is become a ſ…nſeleſs lump, that feeleth not whith…r it is carryed, nor how it is uſe…: that muſt be hidden in the earth, leſt it annoy the living: that quickly turns to loathſome putrefaction; and after that to common earth. Were all the once-comely bodies that now are rotting in one Church-yard, uncovered, and here preſented to your view, the ſight would tell you more effectually then my words do, what an enemy Death is to our Nature. When corruption hath finiſhed its work, you ſee the earth that once was fleſh: you ſee the bones; you ſee the skuls; you ſee the holes where once were brains and eyes and mouth: This change Death makes: And that univerſally and unavoidably. The Prince cannot reſiſt it by his Majeſty: for he hath ſin'd againſt the higheſt Majeſty: The ſtrong cannot reſiſt it by their ſtrength: For it is the Meſſenger of the Allmighty. The commanders muſt obey it: The Conquerours muſt be conquered by it. The Rich cannot bribe it. The Learned Orator cannot perſwade it to paſs him by. The skilful Phyſician cannot ſave himſelf from the mortal ſtroak. Neither fields nor gardens, earth or ſea affordeth any medicine to prevent it. All have ſinned, and all muſt die: Duſt we are, and to duſt we muſt return, Gen 3.19. And thus ſhould we remain, if the Lord of life ſhould not revive us.
2. And it is not only to the Body, but to the Soul alſo that Death is naturally an Enemy. The Soul hath naturally a Love and Inclination to its Body: and therefore it feareth a ſeparation before, and deſireth a Reſtauration afterward. Abſtracting Joy and Torment, Heaven and Hell, in our conſideration, the ſtate of Separation as ſuch, is a natural evil: even to the humane Soul of Chriſt it was ſo, while his Body remained in the grave: which ſeparated ſtate is the Hades, that our Engliſh calleth Hell, that Chriſt is ſaid to have gone into. And though (the Soul of Chriſt, and) the ſouls of thoſe that die in him, do paſs into a far more happy ſtate, then they had in fleſh, yet that is accidentally, from Rewarding Juſtice, and the Bounty of the Lord, and not at all from Death as Death: the ſeparation as ſuch is ſtill an evil. And therefore the Soul is ſtill deſirous of the Bodies Reſurrection; and knoweth that its felicity will then be greater, when the re-union, and glorification hath perfected the whole man. So that Death as Death is unwelcome to the ſoul it ſelf, though Death as accidentally gainfull may be deſired.
3. And to the unpardoned unrenewed ſoul, Death is the paſſage to everlaſting miſery, and in this regard is far more terrible, then in all that hitherto hath been ſpoken. O could the guilty ſoul be ſure that there is no Juſtice to take hold on it after death, and no more pain and ſorrow to be felt, but that man dyeth as a beaſt, that hath no more to feel or loſe, then Death would ſeem a tolerable evil. But its the Living death, the dying life, the endleſs woe, to which death leads the guilty ſoul, that makes it to be unſpeakably terrible. The utter darkneſs, the unquenchable fire, the worm that dyeth not, the everlaſting flames of the wrath of God, theſe are the chief horror and ſting of death, to the ungodly. O were it but to be turned into Trees, or Stones, or earth, or nothing, it were nothing in compariſon of this. But I paſs by this, becauſe it is not (directly) intended in my Text.
4. The Saints themſelves being ſanctified but in part, are but imperfectly aſſured of their Salvation; And therefore in that meaſure as they remain in doubt, or unaſſured, Death may be a double terror to them. They believe the threatenings, and know more then unbelievers do, what an unſufferable loſs it is to be deprived of the celeleſtial glory! and what an unſpeakable miſery it is, to bear the endleſs wrath of God. And therefore ſo far as they have ſuch fears, it muſt needs make death a terror to them.
5. But if there were nothing but Death it ſelf to be our Enemy, the foreknowledge of it would increaſe the miſery. A Beaſt that knoweth not that he muſt die, is not tormented with the fears of death (though nature hath poſſeſſed them with a ſelf-preſerving fear, for the avoiding of an invading evil.) But man foreknoweth, that he muſt die: He hath ſtill occaſion to anticipate his terrors: that which will be, and certainly and ſhortly will be, is in a manner as if it were already. And therefore fore-knowledge makes us as if we were alway dying: We ſee our Graves, our weeping Friends, our fore-deſcribed corruption and diſmal ſtate, and ſo our life is a continual Death. And thus Death is an enemy to Nature.
2. But this is not all, nor the greateſt enmity that Death hath to the godly. It is a lamentable hinderance to the work of Grace, as I ſhall ſhew you next in ten particulars.
I. The fears of Death do much abate our Deſires after God, as he is to be enjoyed by the ſeparated ſoul. Though every believing holy ſoul, do love God above all, and take heaven for his home, and therefore ſincerely longeth after it; yet when we know that Death ſtands in the way, and that there is no coming thither, but through this dreadfull narrow paſſage, this ſtoppeth and lamentably dulleth our deſires: And ſo the Natural enmity, turneth to a Spiritual ſorer enmity. For let a man be never ſo much a Saint, he will be ſtill a Man; and therefore as Death will ſtill be death, ſo nature will ſtill be nature: And therefore death as death will be abhorred. And we are ſuch timerous Sluggards, that we are eaſily diſcouraged by this Lyon in the way. The ugly Porter affrighteth us from thoſe grateful thoughts of the New Jeruſalem, the City of God, the heavenly inheritance, which otherwiſe the bleſſed object would produce. Our ſanctified affections would be mounting upwards, and holy Love would be working towards its bleſſed object: but Death ſtanding in the way, ſuppreſſeth our deſires, and turns us back, and frighteneth us from our Fathers preſence. We look up to Chriſt and the Holy City, as to a precious Pearl in the bottom of the Sea, or as to a dear and faithfull Friend, that is beyond ſome dreadfull gulf: Fain we would enjoy him, but we dare not venture; we fear this diſmal enemy in the way. He that can recover his health by a pleaſant medicine, doth take it without any great reluctancy: But if a leg or an arm muſt be cut off, or a ſtone cut out by a painful dangerous Inciſion, what a ſtriving doth it cauſe between the contrary paſſions? the love of life, and the love of eaſe; the fear of death, and the fear of ſuffering?
Could we but come to Heaven as eaſily as innocent Adam might have done if he had conquered, what wings would it add to our deſires? Might we be tranſlated as Henoch, or conveyed thither in the Chariot of Elias, what Saint is there that would not long to ſee the face and glory of the Lord? Were it but to go to the top of a Mountain, and there ſee Chriſt with Moſes and Elias, in a glimpſe of Glory, as did the three Diſciples, who would not make haſte, and ſay, It is good for us to be here, Matth. 17.1, 4. But to travell ſo chearfully with Abraham to the Mount of M…riah, to ſacrifice an only Son, or with a Martyr to the flames, is a harder task. This is the principal enmity of death; it deterreth our deſires and thoughts from heaven: and maketh it a far harder matter to us, to long after God, then otherwiſe it would be: Yea it cauſeth us to fly from him, even when we truly love him: And where Faith and Love do work ſo ſtrongly as to overcome theſe fears, yet do they meet with them as an enemy, and muſt fight before they overcome.
2. And as this Enemy dulleth our Deſires, ſo doth it conſequently cool our Love, as to the exerciſe, and it hindereth our hope, & much abateth the complacency and Joy, that we ſhould have in the believing thoughts of Heaven: when we ſhould be rejoycing in hope of the glory of God (Rom. 5.2.) the face of death appearing to our thoughts, is naturally an enemy to our joy! When we think of the grave, and of diſſolution and corruption, and of our long abode in the places of darkneſs, of our contemned duſt and ſcattered bones, this damps our joyfull thoughts of heaven, if ſupernatural grace do not make us Conquerors.
But if we might paſs from earth to heaven, as from one room to another, what haſte ſhould we make in our deſires? How joyfully ſhould we think and ſpeak of Heaven? Then we might live in the joy of the Holy Ghoſt, and eaſily delight our ſelves in God, and Comfort would be our daily food.
3. Moreover, as our Natural Enemy doth thus occaſion the abatement of Deſire, and Love, and Joy, ſo alſo of our Thankfulneſs for the Glory that is promiſed us. God would have more praiſe from us, if we had more pleaſing joyfull thoughts of our inheritance. We ſhould magnifie him from day to day, when we remember how we ſhall magnifie him for ever. Our hearts would be turned into thankfulneſs, and our tongues would be extolling our dear Redeemer, & ſounding forth his praiſe whom we muſt praiſe for ever, if dreadful Death did not draw a veil, to hide the heavenly glory from us.
4. And thus the diſmall face of Death, doth hinder the heavenlineſs of our Converſation. Our Thoughts will be diverted, when our complacency and deſire is abated: Our minds will be willinger to grow ſtrange to Heaven, when Death ſtill mingleth terror in our meditations: Whereas if we could have come to God in the way that was firſt appointed us, and could be cloathed with glory, without being ſtript of our preſent cloathing, by this terrible hand, how familiarly ſhould we then converſe above? How readily would our Thoughts run out to Chriſt? meditation of that Glory would not be then ſo hard a work: Our hearts would not be ſo backward to it, as now they are.
5. Faith is much hindered, and Infidelity much advantaged by Death: Look either to the ſtate of ſoul or body, and you will eaſily perceive the truth of this. The ſtate of a Soul incorporated, we know, by long experience: what kind of apprehenſions, volitions, and affections belong to a ſoul while it acteth in the Body, we feel or underſtand: But what manner of knowledg, will or Love, what Joy, what ſorrow, belong to ſouls that are ſeparated from the Bodies, it is not poſſible for us now diſtinctly and formally to conceive. And when men find themſelves at a loſs about the manner, they are tempted to doubt of the thing it ſelf. The ſwarms of irreligious Infidels, that have denied the Immortality and ſeparated exiſtence of the ſoul, are too full a proof of this: And good men have been haunted with this horrible temptation. Had there been no death, we had not been liable to this dangerous aſſault. The opinion of the ſleeping of the ſoul, till the Reſurrection, is but a ſtep to flat Infidelity; and both of them hence receive their Life, becauſe a ſoul in fleſh, when it cannot conceive to its ſatisfaction, of the being, ſtate, or action of a ſeparated ſoul, is the eaſier drawn to queſtion or deny it.
And in regard of the Body the difficulty and tryal is as great: That a corps reſolved into duſt; and perhaps firſt devoured by ſome other body, and turned into its ſubſtance, ſhould be reunited to its ſoul, and ſo become a glorified body, is a point not eaſie for unſanctified nature to believe. When Paul preached of the Reſurrection, to the learned Athenians, ſome mocked, and others turn'd off that Diſcourſe, Acts 17.32. It is no eaſier to believe the Reſurrection of the Body, then the Immortality or ſeparated Exiſtence of the Soul. Moſt of the world, even Heathens and Infidels do confeſs the later, but few of them comparatively believe the former. And if ſin had not let in Death upon our Nature, this perillous difficulty had been prevented: Then we ſhould not have bin puzzled with the thoughts of either a corrupted Body, or a ſeparated Soul.
6. And conſequently by all this already mentioned, our Endeavors meet with a great impediment. If Death weaken Faith, Deſire, and Hope, it muſt needs dull our Endeavors. The deterred, diſcouraged ſoul moves ſlowly in the way of life: Whereas if Death were not in our way, how chearfully ſhould we run towards Heaven? Our thoughts of it would be ſtill ſweet, and theſe would be a powerfull Spring to action? When the Will goes with full Sails, the commanded faculty will the more eaſily follow. We ſhould long ſo earneſtly to be in Heaven, if Death were not in the way, that nothing could eaſily ſtop us in our courſe? How earneſtly ſhould we pray? How ſeriouſly ſhould we meditate and conſer of Heaven? and part with any thing to attain it? But that wh…ch dulls our Deſires of the End, muſt needs be an Enemy to holy Diligence, and dull us in the uſe of means.
7. This Enemy alſo doth dangerouſly tempt us to fall in love with preſent things, and to take up the miſerable Portion of the worldling: when it hath weakened faith, and cooled our deſires to the life to come, we ſhall be tempted to think that its beſt take ſuch pleaſure as may here be had, and feed on that where a ſenſual mind hath leſs diſcouragement. Whereas, if Death did not ſtand in the way, and darken Heaven to us, and turn back our deſires, how eaſily ſhould we get above theſ… trifles, and perceive the vanity of all below, and how unworthy they are to be once regarded!
8. Moreover it is much long of this laſt Enemy, that God is ſo diſhonoured by the Fears and droopings of believers. They are but imperfectly yet freed from this bondage: and accordingly they walk. Whereas if the King of terrors were removed, we ſhould have leſs of Fear, and more of Love, as living more in the ſight and ſenſe of Love: And then we ſhould glorifie the God of Love, and appear to the world as men of another world, and ſhew them the faith and hope of Saints, in the heavenly chearfulneſs of our lives; and no more diſhonour the Lord and our profeſſion, by our uncomfortable deſpondencies as we do.
9. Moreover it is much long of this laſt Enemy that many true Chriſtians cannot perceive their own ſincerity, but are overwhelmd with doubts and troubleſome fears, leſt they have not the faith and hope of Saints, and leſt the Love of God abide not in them, and leſt their hearts are more on earth then Heaven. When they find themſelves afraid of dying, and to have dark amazing thoughts about eternity, and to think with leſs trouble and fear of earth then of the life to come, this makes them think that they are yet but worldlings, and have not placed their happineſs with God: when perhaps it is but the fear of death that cauſeth theſe unjuſt: concluſions. Chriſtian, I ſhall tell thee more anon, that God may be truly loved and deſired by thee, and Heaven may be much more valued then Earth, and yet the natural fears of death that ſtandeth in thy way may much perplex thee, & make thee think that thou art averſe from God, when indeed thou art but averſe from Death, becauſe yet this Enemy is not overcome.
10. Laſtly, this Enemy is not the ſmalleſt cauſe of many of our particular ſins, and of the apoſtacie of many hypocrit…s. Indeeed it is one of the ſtrongeſt of our temptations. Before man ſinned, none could take away his life but God, and God would not have done it for any thing but ſin. So that man had no temptation from the malice of enemies, or the pride of Conquerours, or the fury of the paſſionate, or the power of Tyrants to be afraid of death, and to uſe any unlawfull means to ſcape it. An avoidable d…ath from the hand of God, he was obliged moderately to fear; that is, to be afraid of ſinning leſt he die (elſe God would not have threatened him, if he would not have had him make uſe of a preventing fear.) But now we have an unavoidable death to fear, and alſo an untimely death from the hand of man by Gods permiſſion: And the fear of theſe is a powerfull temptation. Otherwiſe Abraham would not have diſtruſtfully equivocated as he did to ſave his life, Gen. 20.11. and Iſaac after him do the ſame, when he ſojourned in the ſame place, Gen. 26.7. If the fear of Death were not a ſtrong temptation, Peter would not have thrice denyed Chriſt, and that after ſo late a warning and engagement: nor would all his Diſciples have forſaken him and fled, Matth. 26.56. Nor would Martyrs have a ſpecial reward, nor would Chriſt have been put to call upon his Diſciples, that they Fear not them that can kill the body, Luke 12.4. and to declare to men the neceſſity of ſelf-deniall in this point of Life, and that none can be his Diſciple, that loves his Life before him, Matth. 16.39. Luke 14.26. He is a Chriſtian indeed that ſo Loveth God, that he will not ſin to ſave his Life. But what is it that an hypocrite will not do to eſcape Death? He will equivocate and forſwear himſelf with the Jeſuite and Familiſt: He will forſake not only his deareſt friend, but Chriſt alſo and his Conſcience. What a multitude of the moſt haynous ſins are daily committed through the fears of death? Thouſands where the Inquiſition ruleth are kept in Popery by it: And thouſands are kept in Mahometaniſm by it: Thouſands are drawn by it to betray their Countries; to deny the truth; to betray the Church and cauſe of Chriſt; and finally to betray their ſouls unto perdition: ſome of them preſume to deny Chriſt wilfully, becauſe that Peter had pardon that denyed him through ſurprize, and through infirmity: But they will not Repent with Peter, and die for him after their repentance. He that hath the power of an Hypocrites life, may preſcribe him what he ſhall b…lieve and do; may write him down the Rule of his Religion, and tell him what changes he ſhall make, what oaths he ſhall take, what party he ſhall ſide with, and command h…m ſo many ſins a day, as you make your horſe go ſo many miles. Satan, no doubt, had much experience of the power of this temptation, when he boaſted ſo confidently of it againſt: Job (2.4.) Skin for skin, and all that a man hath he will give for his life: And its true, no doubt, of thoſe that love nothing better then their lives. Satan thought that the fear of Death would make a man do any thing; And of too many he may boldly make this boaſt [Let me but have power of their Lives, and I will make them ſay any thing, and ſwear any thing, and be for any cauſe or party, and do any thing againſt God or man.] When leſſ…r matters can do ſo much, as common ſad experience ſheweth us, no wonder if the fear of death can do it.
In brief, you may ſee by what is ſaid, that Death is become an Enemy to our Souls, by being firſt the Enemy of our Natures: The Intereſt of our Bodies works much on our Souls, much more the Intereſt of the whole man. The principle of ſelf-love was planted in Nature in order to ſelf-preſervation, and the government of the world: Nature doth neceſſarily abhor its own deſtruction. And therefore this deſtruction ſtanding in the way, is become an exceeding great hindrance to our affections, which tak…s them off from the life to come.
1. It is a very great hindrance to the Converſion of thoſe that are yet carnal, impriſoned in their unbelief. It is hard to win their hearts to ſuch a ſtate of Hap…in…ſs, that cannot be obtained but by yielding unto death?
2. And to the truly godly it is naturally an impediment, and a great temptation in the points before expreſſed: And though it prevail not againſt them, it exceedingly hindereth them. And thus I have ſhewed you, that Death is an Enemy, further then, I doubt, the moſt conſider of.
If the unbeliever ſhall here tell me, that Death is not the fruit of ſin, but natural to man, though he had never ſinned, and therefore that I lay all this on God: I anſwer him, that Mortality, as it ſignifyeth a poſſe mori, a natural capacity of dying, was naturall to us in our innocency: or elſe Death could not be threatened as a penalty: And if I grant as much of a naturall diſpoſition in the Body to a diſſolution, if not prevented by a Glorifying change, it will no whit advantage their impious cauſe. But withall man was then ſo far Immortall, as that he had a poſſe non mori, a naturall capacity of not dying; and the morietur vel non morietur, the actuall event of Life or Death, was laid by the Lord of Life and Death, upon his obedience or diſobedience. And man having ſinned, Juſtice muſt be done, and ſo we came under a non poſſe non mori, an impoſſibility of eſcaping death (ordinarily,) becauſe of the peremptory ſentence of our Judge: But the day of our deliverance is at hand, when we ſhall attain a non poſſe mori, a certain conſummate Immortality, when the laſt Enemy Death ſhall be deſtroyed: And how that is done I ſhall next enquire.