Another bleſſing is, victory over death. ⟨This⟩ alſo is the fruit of that once deteſted, but now ⟨ever⟩ beloved tree. For thus it is written; That through death he might deſtroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil: and deliver them who through fear of death, were all their life-time ſubject to bondage, Heb. ii. 14, 15. The devil is ſaid have the power of death; becauſe, by tempting too ſucceſsfully, our firſt parents, he brought (illegible text)eat into the world; becauſe by tempting their poſterity to ſin, and too often prevailing, he arrays death in horror; he arms death with its ſting. But Chriſt, by expiating our guilt, has diſarmed the laſt enemy: has taken away its ſting; and made not loſs but gain to die, Phil. i. 21. -The gay and the healthy, know not how to form an ⟨eſtimate⟩ of this deliverance. Nor can any words of mir(illegible text) deſcribe it, with proper energy. Go to dying beds there you will learn its true worth. Aſk ſome agonizing friend; he, and he alone, can tell you, ⟨what⟩ a bleſſing it is to have the king of terrors converted into a meſſenger of peace.
One bleſſing more I would mention, and earneſtly with it, in due time, to all my hearers; An entrance into heaven. This too is the produce of ⟨our⟩ Redeemer's croſs. -St. John ſaw a bright ⟨aſſembly⟩ of happy beings, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands: rejoicing before the ⟨throne⟩ of God. Theſe, ſaid one of the venerable elders are they who came out of great tribulation, and have waſhed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne Rev. vii. 9, 14, 15.-They came out of great tribulation: They ſuffered, it is probable, in the ſervice of Chriſt. Perhaps they laid down ⟨their⟩ lives for his ſake. But this was not their ⟨paſſport⟩ into the regions of bliſs -They waſhed their ⟨robes⟩
