A26786:99
The four last things viz. death, judgment, heaven, hell, practically considered and applied in…
The four last things viz. death, judgment, heaven, hell, practically considered and applied in several discourses / by William Bates.
London: printed for Brabazon Aylmer, 1691
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
For this there are several Reasons.
1. By this means all the sinful Frailties that cleave to the Saints in this Life, are abolished.1 The Body is dead because of Sin: And what is more becoming the wise and Holy Providence of God, than that as by Sin Man was at first made subject to Death, so by Death Sin dies entirely for ever. Thus as in Sampson's Riddle, Out of the Devourer comes Meat; and our worst Enemy is conquered by his own Weapons.
1. By this means all the sinful Frailties that cleave to the Sains in this Life, are abolish'd.1 The Body is dead because of Sin: And what is more becoming the wise and Holy Providence of God, than that as by Sin Man was at first made subject to Death, so by Death Sin dies entirely for ever. Thus as in Sampson's Riddle, Out of the Devourer comes Meat; and our worst Enemy is conquer'd by his own Weapons.
- 1Rom. 8.
2. Death is continued to the Saints, for the more eminent Exercise and Illustration of their Graces, for the Glory ⟨p. 54⟩of God, and in order to their future Reward. ‖Faith, and Love, and Patience, are declared in their most powerful Operations in our Encounter with Death. If every Saint were visibly and entirely translated to Heaven, after a short course of Holy Obedience; if the Wicked did visibly drop down quick into Hell, Faith would be resigned to Sight here. This would confound the Militant State of the Church with the Triumphant. Therefore now Death happens to the Good as well as to the Wicked. In the next State they shall be separated by a vast Gulf, and an amazing Difference. Now Faith, whatever the kind of Death be that a Christian suffers, sees through the thickest Clouds of Disgrace and Misery, the glorious Issue. As the illustrious Confessor who was crucified with our Saviour, proclaimed his Eternal Kingdom in the midst of insulting Infidels. And our Love to God then appears in its Radiancy and Vigour, when we are ready for the Testimony of his Truth, and advancing his Glory,