Religion & morality > Human nature in its fourfold state

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DoC TRINE If.
The State of the Godly in Death, is a hopeful State.
We have feen the dark Hie of the cloud looking to-
v'ards ungodly men, pafTing out of the world ; let us
now take a view of the bright fide of it fhining on the
godly, as they are entering upon their eternal ftate. In
diicourfing this fubjecl, I fliall confirm this doctrine,
anfwer an objection againft it, and then make feme prac¬
tical improvement of the whole.
For Confirmation, let it be obferved, That although
the pafiage out of this world by death, have a frightful
afpetft to poor mortals, and to mifearry in it mult needs
he of fatal confequence, yet the following circumltances
make the ftate of the godly in their death, happy and
hopeful.
, Fir ft, They have a trufty good friend before them
in the other world ; Jefus Chrift their belt friend, is
Lord of that land to which death carries them When
Jofeph fent for his father to come down to Egypt, tel¬
ling him, God had made him Lord over all Egypt,—
and when Jacob faw the waggons Jofeph had fent to
carry him, the fpirit of Jacob revived, Gen. xjv, y. ty.
he frankly refolvts to undertike the journey. 1 think,
when the Lord calls a godly man out of this world, he
lends him fuch glad tidings and fuch a kind invitation
into the other world, that if he had faith to believe
it, his fpirit muft revive, when he fees the waggon of
death which comes to carry him thither. It is true
indeed, he has a weighty trial to undergo ; sifter death
she judgement. But the cafe of the godly is altogether
hopeful ; for the Lord of the land is their huibaiid and
their huiband is their Judge } The Father hath com¬
mitted all judgement unto the Son. John v 22. And
fureiy the cafe of the wife is hopeful, when her owa
halband is her judge ; even fuch a huiband as hates I
putting awav. No huiband is fo loving and fo tender 1
of his fpoufe, as the Lord Chrift is of his. One would
think, it would be 2 very bad land, which a wife would
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