-15 Chapter 15. Of Corporal Death.
1-15 Chapter 15. Of Corporal Death.
Thus far of the beginning of spiritual Death; now it
follows to speak of the beginning of bodily Death,
with the consummation of both.
1. The beginning of bodily death in matter of LOSS, is either inward or outward.
2. INWARD is the loss of the internal good things of the body, such as health and long life, Deuteronomy 28:21; Deuteronomy 28:27; Deuteronomy 28:35; 1 Corinthians 11:30; Matthew 9:2.260
3. Hence is mortality, as touching the state,261 and it is nearest in power to Death.
4. For this mortality is a dissolving and loosing of that band262 with which the soul was joined with the body.
5. The OUTWARD beginning of this Death in matter of loss, is the loss of outward good things, by which this life was either beautiful or sustained.
6. Of the first kind (inward) is, 1. Loss of dominion over the Creatures. After the Fall, this put off, for the most part, that subjection to man for which they were made, and they became his deadly enemies, unless they are brought into order by the special providence of God. Job 5:22-23. Do not be afraid of the beasts of the Earth, for you shall be in covenant with the stones of the Field; and the beasts of the Field shall be at peace with you. Hosea 2:18, I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the Field. 2. That ignominy263 which man is subject to, both living and dead, Deuteronomy 28:20, Deuteronomy 28:37.264
7. Of the latter kind (outward) is poverty, or the loss of those things which pertain to food, clothing, and possessions, Deuteronomy 28:17-18.265
8. The beginning of this Death in matter of SENSE is also inward or outward.
9. INWARD is in weariness, Genesis 3:19, pain, and diseases, Deuteronomy 28:35.266
10. OUTWARD is in all those calamities to which the life of man is outwardly subject, Deuteronomy 28:25-48.267
11. The MODERATION268 that appeared in this corporal punishment touches inward, and outward things.
12. Touching INWARD things, man still has space and commodity of life granted to him by the goodness of God, Genesis 3:6.269
13. Touching OUTWARD things, man has certain remainders of dominion over the Creatures. Genesis 9:2, Let the fear of you and the dread of you be upon all the beasts of the Earth, etc. So that even though by his sin, man fell from all right which he had before to use the Creatures to his benefit, and yet by grant and divine indulgence, he may use them, and he does not sin in doing so. He simply uses them, even though he may sin in the manner of using them, because so long as life is granted and prolonged for him, there is granted together with that life, the use of those things which are necessarily required for life; and in a way, they are due him.
Hence it is that although the Creatures were subject to vanity and a curse for the sin of man — Genesis 3:17-18; Romans 8:20-39 — yet they are preserved in that estate so that they may supply the necessities of man’s life.