ON THE TRUE MEANING OF THE SCRIPTURE TERMS 'LIFE AND DEATH,' by JOHN BYROM

TRUE @3life@1, according to the scripture plan,
Is God's own likeness in his image, man;
This was the life that Adam ceas'd to live,
Or lost by sin; and therefore could not give:
So that his offspring, all the born on earth,
What a @3new@1 parent of this heav'nly birth.

This, Christ alone, God's @3Image@1 most @3express@1,
The @3Second@1 Adam, gives them to possess;
Becoming man, reversing human fall,
And raising up the @3first@1, true life in all;
Healing our nature's deadly wound within,
And quenching wrath, or death, or hell, or sin;

For all such words describe one evil thing,
Or want of good; that has one only spring,
The @3love@1 of God, in Christ, which form'd at first
A @3blessed@1 Adam, and redeem'd a @3curst@1
By his @3own@1 act—good @3only@1 was design'd
For Adam, and, in him, for all mankind.

He fell from good, misusing his free-will,
Into this world, this life of good and ill;
From whence the willing to be sav'd revive
Thro' faith and penitence, in Christ alive;
A @3second@1 death succeeds, if they refuse;
For @3choosing@1 creatures must have what they @3choose.@1

Not bare @3existence@1, when we go from hence,
Is @3Immortality@1, in scripture sense;
For thus, alike immortal, are confess'd
The good, the bad, the ruin'd, and the blest;
Whose @3inbred@1 tempers hint the reason, why
They @3live@1 for ever, or for ever @3die.@1

God's likeness, light, and Spirit in the soul,
Make, as at first, its blest immortal whole;
'Tis @3death@1 to want them; vain is all dispute;
The gospel only reaches to the root:
All the inspir'd have understood it thus;
Immortal @3life@1 is that of CHRIST @3in us.@1

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