PROP. III. The Separation of the Soul and Body makes a great and wonderful change upon both, but especially upon the Soul.
THere is a twofold change made upon man by death; one upon his Body, another upon his Soul. The change upon the Body is great, and visible to every eye. A living Body is changed into a dead carcase. A beautiful and comely Body, into a loathsome spectacle: that which lately was the object of delight and love, is hereby made an abhorrence to all flesh, Bury my dead out of my sight, Gen. 23.4.
What the Sun is to the greater, that the Soul is to the lesser World. When the Sun shines comfortably, how vegete and chearful do all things look! How well do they thrive and prosper! The Birds sing merrily, the Beasts play wantonly, the whole Creation enjoyeth a day of light and joy: but when it departs, what a night of horror followeth? How are all things wrapt up in the sable Mantle of darkness! Or if it but abate its heat, as in Winter; the Creatures are as it were buried in the winding-sheet of Winters frost and Snow: just so it is with the Body when the Soul shineth pleasantly upon it, or departs from it.
That Body which was fed so assiduously, cared for so anxiously, loved so passionately: is now tumbled into a pit, and left to the mercy of crawling Worms. The change which judgment made upon that great and flourishing City Nineveh, is a fit emblem•• to ••hadow forth that change