The truly blessed man

4. That Death, which finisheth the Creatures time, puts an end to all such business. It is the man that must seek God, but man consists of a Soul and a Body; and it is whiles these are in union that he is capable of this affair: Whereas Death dissolves this union, and so utterly ends the opportunity; the body can no longer be used as an instrument for this, if we should preach to it, it cannot hear us. The Soul is now separated from the body, and can no longer perform its functions in it, whiles this dissolution remains: and we are told, that life is the only working time, Eccles. 9.10. The Grave is therefore called the place of silence, and the land of forgetfulness; and they that are dead, are said to know nothing, &c.

5. That the Eternal State into which men passeth from time, is unchangeable. Where time ends, Eternity ⟨p. 316⟩begins; and it is the property of time▪ that the Subjects are mutable, they may be changed from what they are: but it is equally the property of eternal things that they are immutable. When men die, they pass to their particular judgment, Heb. 9.27. The condition they enter into i• that from which there is no returning, Job 16.22. Life is working time; eternity […] for the reward• of men according to their works. Men immediately pass from life, through death, either to heaven or hell, and the gulf between these two is sixth; and this follows property upon death, Luk. 16.22. with 26. In one word, when God will be no longer found, it is too late to seek him to any advantage: when life is done, and time spent, God is resolved that they who sought him not before shall never find him.