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<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>A
SERMON
Preached before the
KING,
UPON THE
Nineteenth of <HI>March,</HI> 1670/1.</P>
<P>BY
<HI>IOHN</HI> Lord Bishop of CHESTER.</P>
<P>Published
By His Majesties Special Command.</P>
<P>LONDON:
Printed by <HI>A. Maxwell,</HI> for SA: GELLIBRAND,
at the Ball in St. <HI>Paul</HI>'s Church-yard. 1671.</P>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="sermon">
<PB REF="2">
<PB N="1" REF="2">
<HEAD>A
SERMON
Preached before the
KING
UPON
The Nineteenth of March, 1670/1.</HEAD>
<EPIGRAPH>
<BIBL>ECCLES. 12. 14.</BIBL>
<Q>For God shall bring every work into judg|ment,
with every secret thing, whether
it be good, or whether it be evil.</Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
<P>_THis Book doth contain
a Philosophical Disqui|tion
concerning a state
of <HI>Happiness;</HI> wherein
the Wise man doth par|ticularly
discuss each of those Subjects,
which according to the various opini|ons
<PB N="2" REF="3">
and tempers of men, are believed
to have any pretence to it.</P>
<P>The precedent Verse (as I have
formerly shewed) doth contain <HI>the
Conclusion of the whole matter;</HI> The
chief inference and result from all the
former Debates and Enquiries; where|in
he asserts, That every man's true
happiness doth consist in being reli|gious,
In <HI>fearing God,</HI> and <HI>keeping his
Commandments.</HI></P>
<P>And though this Conclusion had
been sufficiently proved by great va|riety
of Arguments, in the foregoing
Discourse; yet he thinks fit here in
the close of all, to back and enforce
it with one Argument more; which
above all others is most apt to make
deep impression upon the minds of men;
and (if any thing can) to perswade
them to the Duties of Religion:
And that is the consideration of the
<PB N="3" REF="3">
last Judgment, in the words of the
Text, <HI>For God shall bring,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>That which I intend from these
words, is to prove, against the Infi|dels
and Scoffers of this Age, The
Reasonableness and the Credibility of
this great Principle of Religion, con|cerning
a future state of <HI>Reward</HI> and
<HI>Punishment.</HI></P>
<P>Though the Principal Evidence for
this do depend upon Scripture, especi|ally
the New Testament, where it is
said,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 1, 10.</NOTE> That <HI>life and immortality is brought
to light by the Gospel.</HI> Yet in a point
of so great moment and consequence
as this is, it is not to be imagined,
that God should have <HI>left himself with|out
a witness</HI> to all the Nations of the
World, but that all men should be
endowed, with such natural Capacities
and Notions, as being improved by
Consideration, will afford sufficient
<PB N="4" REF="4">
evidence for the belief of this great
Fundamental Principle.</P>
<P>As for such men, who live under the
sense of Guilt, whose Interest it is
that there should be no future account,
It cannot be otherwise expected from
such, But that they should be willing
to dis-believe this. And from hence
it is, that some of the Ancient <HI>Phi|losophers</HI>
have employed their Learn|ing
and Subtilty, to dispute them|selves
into some kind of doubts and
uncertainty about it. And yet the ge|nerality
even of these have been forced
to acknowledg it much more proba|ble
than the contrary. And as for the
<HI>Vulgar</HI> sort of people, who are gui|ded
by the more simple dictates of
Nature, These have in all <HI>Ages</HI> and
<HI>Nations</HI> submitted themselves to this
Doctrine, and professed a firm be|lief
of it. And though <HI>Vulgar Opi|nion</HI>
<PB N="5" REF="4">
be but a very bad Topick about
such matters as may gratifie men in
their ease and sensual appetites; yet
in such other Opinions as are cross
to their Worldly Interests, it may
argue such things to be from some na|tural
impression upon their minds,
which they must believe, and cannot
otherwise chuse.</P>
<P>The Arguments I would make use
of to this purpose, may be reduced
to these three general Heads:</P>
<P>1. <HI>From the</HI> suitableness <HI>of this
Principle, to</HI> the most natural Notions
of our Minds.</P>
<P>2. <HI>The</HI> Necessity <HI>of it, to</HI> the go|vernment
of mens Lives and Actions in
this World.</P>
<P>3. <HI>The</HI> Necessity <HI>of it, for</HI> the vin|dication
of Divine Providence.</P>
<P><PB N="6" REF="5">
1. I begin with the first: The <HI>suita|bleness</HI>
of it <HI>to the most natural No|tions
of our Minds,</HI> and those kind
of Impressions which belong to us, as
we are Reasonable Creatures. We see
by experience, that all other things
(so far as we are able to judg) <HI>Mi|nerals,
Plants, Beasts,</HI> &amp;c. are naturally
endowed with such Principles, as are
most fit to promote the perfection of
their natures in their several Kinds.
And therefore it is by no means cre|dible,
that <HI>Mankind</HI> only, the most
excellent of all the other Creatures in
this visible World, for the service of
whom, so many other things seem to
be designed, should have such kind of
Principles interwoven in his very Na|ture,
as do contain in them meer cheats
and delusions. And therefore whatsoe|ver
those things are, which the gene|rality
of Mankind, especially the
<PB N="7" REF="5">
most <HI>wise</HI> and the most <HI>considerate</HI>
part of them, do agree in, ought to
be allowed for highly credible; other|wise
it must follow, that we are fra|med
with such kind of Faculties, as
in our most cautious exercise of them,
are more likely to <HI>seduce</HI> us, and ex|pose
us to Error, than to <HI>direct</HI> and
lead us to the Truth.</P>
<P>But I shall endeavour to manifest
this more particularly, by these three
Considerations.</P>
<P>1. This Principle is most suitable
to the general <HI>Apprehensions of Man|kind,</HI>
concerning the nature of <HI>Good</HI>
and <HI>Evil.</HI></P>
<P>2. To those <HI>natural Hopes</HI> and
Expectations which the generality of
<HI>good men</HI> have, concerning a state of
future <HI>Happiness.</HI></P>
<P>3. To those <HI>natural Fears</HI> and Ex|pectations,
which the generality of
<PB N="8" REF="6">
<HI>wicked</HI> men are possessed with, concer|ning
a <HI>future state of Punishment</HI> and
<HI>Misery.</HI></P>
<P>1. This Principle is most suitable
to the <HI>general Apprehensions of Man|kind</HI>
concerning the nature of <HI>Good</HI>
and <HI>Evil.</HI> All men heretofore have
agreed, that there is such a Thing as
the <HI>Law of Nature,</HI> whereby things
are distinguished into <HI>Good</HI> and <HI>Bad;</HI>
according to which, the Actions of
men are determined to be either <HI>Vir|tuous</HI>
or <HI>Vicious.</HI> And as the one of
these, doth in the essence of it imply
<HI>Comeliness</HI> and <HI>Reward;</HI> so doth the
other denote <HI>Turpitude</HI> and <HI>Punish|ment.</HI>
These things being implied in
the very definitions of <HI>Virtue</HI> and <HI>Vice.</HI>
And from hence it will follow, That
as there is some Superior Power who
hath put this Law into our Natures;
so will he take care to enforce the ob|servance
<PB N="9" REF="6">
servance of it, by rewarding and
punishing men accordingly. This be|ing
implied in the nature of a Law.</P>
<P>If there be nothing in the naked es|sence
of things that makes them to dif|fer,
but what doth meerly arise from
<HI>Custom</HI> and <HI>Positive Laws;</HI> why then
Custom and Law would be able to
render it a very virtuous and com|mendable
thing for a man to be <HI>in|grateful,</HI>
a <HI>breaker of Compacts,</HI> a
<HI>false Witness,</HI> a <HI>Perjured person;</HI> which
is so monstrous a Position, that the
common Reason of Mankind will ab|hor
it upon the first proposal. No|thing
is more obvious, than that there
is a universal desire amongst men, of
seeming honest: The most impudent
and profligate Wretch being loth to
be esteemed to be, what really he is.
The very Sin of Hypocrisie, so gene|ral
amongst men, doth give a large
<PB N="10" REF="7">
Testimony to the <HI>Beauty of Good|ness,</HI>
and the <HI>Deformity of Vice.</HI> Nor
is there any account to be given, why
there should be impressed upon the
nature of men such a value for the
one, and dislike for the other, if there
were not in the things themselves,
something suitable to those contrary
affections.</P>
<P>We see by experience, that there
is such a kind of Rest and Acqui|escence
in the mind, upon the <HI>disco|very
of Truth,</HI> and the <HI>doing of Vir|tuous
Actions,</HI> as belong to natural
Bodies, when they are in their pro|per
places: Which may argue these
things to have some peculiar suitable|ness
to the Soul of man, and that the
opposites to them do offer violence to
some natural Principle belonging to it.</P>
<P>2. This Principle is most suitable
to those natural <HI>Hopes</HI> and <HI>Expectati|ons</HI>
<PB N="11" REF="7">
which the generality of <HI>good men</HI>
have concerning a state of <HI>future Hap|piness.</HI>
From whence doth arise that
Confidence and Courage, whereby
those of meanest Quality and Abili|ties
(if otherwise Virtuous persons)
can support themselves in their suffer|ings
for that which is good: Which
doth necessarily suppose in them a
strong, and even a natural belief and
perswasion of such a future state,
wherein their sufferings shall be consi|dered
and rewarded.</P>
<P>Besides that, there is a natural de|sire
in all men, after a state of <HI>Hap|piness</HI>
and <HI>Perfection.</HI> And if we con|sider
the utter impossibility of attain|ing
to any such condition in this life,
This will render it highly credible,
That there must be another state where|in
this Happiness is attainable: other|wise
Mankind must fail of his chief
<PB N="12" REF="8">
End, being by a natural Principle most
strongly inclined to such a state of
Happiness as he can never attain to.
As if he were purposely framed to be
tormented betwixt these two Passions,
<HI>Desire,</HI> and <HI>Despair;</HI> an earnest Pro|pension
after Happiness, and an utter
incapacity of ever enjoying it. And,
which is yet more considerable, The
<HI>better</HI> and the <HI>wiser</HI> any man is, the
more earnest desires and hopes hath
he after such a state of Happiness.
And if there be no such thing, Not
only <HI>Nature,</HI> but <HI>Virtue</HI> likewise
must contribute to make men misera|ble;
Than which, nothing can seem
more unreasonable to those who be|lieve
a Just and a Wise Providence.</P>
<P>3. This Principle is most suitable
to those <HI>Fears</HI> and <HI>Expectations</HI> which
the generality of <HI>wicked men</HI> are pos|sessed
with, concerning a <HI>future state
<PB N="13" REF="8">
of Misery.</HI> Witness those natural sug|gestions
of Conscience in the worst of
men, that upon any wicked action
(though never so private) are often|times
startling of them, with the ap|prehensions
of another Judicature and
Tribunal, before which they shall be
called to an account for their Closest
sins. All that secret regret, and those
inward smitings, <HI>Laniatus &amp; Ictus,</HI>
which are so often felt in the Minds
of men, upon the commission of any
great sin, do argue some common in|timations,
even in the Light of Na|ture,
of another Judgment after this
life, wherein they shall be accounta|ble
for such Actions, which men do
not punish or take notice of.</P>
<P>And these natural Fears do usually
seize upon all kind of men promiscu|ously,
even those who are most <HI>Potent,</HI>
who by their own Wills can give Laws
<PB N="14" REF="9">
to Nations, and command mighty
Armies, yet cannot they avoid these
Checks and Lashes of Conscience, but
that they will seize upon them, and
shake them, as well as the poorest
meanest Subject. Nor can such as are
most <HI>obstinately wicked,</HI> who with their
utmost study and endeavour, apply
themselves to the suppressing and dis|belief
of these Notions, so wholly
stifle them, but that they will be con|tinually
rising up in their Minds, and
pursuing of them.</P>
<P>Now as there is no man whatsoe|ver,
that is wholly freed from these
fears of future misery after death, so
there is no other Creature but Man,
that hath any fears of this kind. And
if there be no real ground for this, then
must it follow, That he who framed
all his other Works with such an ex|cellent
congruity, did yet so contrive
<PB N="15" REF="9">
the Nature of Man, the most noble
amongst them, as to prove a needless
torment and burden to it self.</P>
<P>If it be said, That these <HI>Notions</HI>
may proceed from such Principles as
men have derived from <HI>Institution,</HI> and
the Teaching of others, and do not
imply a Necessity of any such <HI>Natu|ral
impressions.</HI></P>
<P>To this it may be answered, That
it is sufficient to denominate them <HI>Na|tural
Notions,</HI> if they have such a <HI>suita|bleness</HI>
to the Minds of men, as makes
them to be generally owned by all those
who apply their thoughts to the con|sideration
of them. And that they
have such a natural suitableness, may
appear, Because Institution cannot so
easily <HI>eradicate</HI> these notions, as it can
<HI>fix</HI> them. Now if the meer teaching
of others were it self sufficient to <HI>im|press</HI>
these Notions, without any such
<PB N="16" REF="10">
peculiar congruity in the things them|selves,
It would be as sufficient to <HI>de|face</HI>
them again: Especially consider|ing
the advantage on this side, from
that natural repugnancy we have,
against any thing which brings disquiet
to our Minds. And nothing is more
troublesome in this kind, than the
Fear which follows upon Guilt.</P>
<P>But now, though there have been
several men, of no mean Abilities, in
several Ages, who have made it their
business to root out of the Minds of
men all such troublesome notions about
a future state, endeavouring to per|swade
themselves and others, That as
there was a time before they were born
into the world, when they were not;
So at their dying, or going out of it,
they shall exist no more. And yet,
though it be their interest to believe
this, though they make it their study
<PB N="17" REF="10">
and business to perswade themselves
and others to it; It may reasonably
be doubted, whether ever yet, there
hath been so much as one person that
hath hereby become absolutely free
from these Fears: But for the most
part, Those who would have them
esteemed vain and imaginary, without
any foundation in Nature, These are
the persons who are most assaulted
with them.</P>
<P>Hi Sunt qui trepidant &amp; ad omniaful|gere
pallent. <HI>So powerful and</HI> uncon|querable
<HI>are these impressions, and
therefore</HI> natural.</P>
<P>2. The second Reason I proposed
to speak to, was from <HI>the Necessity of
this Principle, to the right government of
mens Lives and Actions in this world,</HI> and
the preserving of Society amongst them.</P>
<P>Nothing can be more evident, than
that the Human Nature is so framed,
<PB N="18" REF="11">
as not to be regulated and kept within
due bounds, without <HI>Laws;</HI> and Laws
must be insignificant, without the San|ctions
of <HI>Rewards</HI> and <HI>Punishments,</HI>
whereby men may be necessitated to
the observance of them. Now the
temporal Rewards and Punishments
of this life, cannot be sufficient to this
end; and therefore there is a necessity,
that there should be another future
state of Happiness and Misery.</P>
<P>All the Rewards and Punishments
of this life, are to be expected either
from the <HI>Civil Magistrate,</HI> who by
virtue of his Place and Calling is ob|liged
to the duty of distributive Ju|stice:
Or else from <HI>Divine Providence,</HI>
according to that most usual course
which we find by experience to be ob|served
by Him, in his dispensation of
these Temporal things. Now neither
of these can afford sufficient Motives
<PB N="19" REF="11">
for the government of Mens Lives and
Actions.</P>
<P>1. Not all that may be expected
from the <HI>Civil Magistrate,</HI> Because
there may be many good and evil Acti|ons,
which they cannot take notice of;
And they can reward and punish only
such things as come under their cogni|zance.
And if this were the only re|straint
upon men, it could be no hin|drance
from any such Mischief or Vil|lanies
which men had the opportunity
of committing secretly. Nor would
it extend to those who had Power and
Strength enough to defend themselves
from the Law, and escape the penalty
of it, but that such might without
any kind of check or fear, follow the
inclinations of their own Appetites.
Nor would it afford any remedy in
the case of such wicked Magistrates as
should invert the order of their Insti|tution,
<PB N="20" REF="12">
proving <HI>Terrors to well-doers,</HI>
and <HI>Encouragers to those that do ill.</HI></P>
<P>2. Not all that may be expected
from <HI>Common Providence;</HI> For though
it should be granted, that according
to the most usual and general course
of things, both Virtuous and Vicious
Actions are rewarded and punished in
this life; yet there may be many par|ticular
cases which this Motive would
not reach unto; namely all such cases
where a man's Reason shall inform
him, that there is far greater probabi|lity
of safety and advantage, by com|mitting
a sin, than can be reasonably
expected, (according to his experience
of the usual course of things in the
world,) by doing his duty. Suppose the
case of the three Children, or of any
others called to Martyrdom, who may
be threatned with torments and death,
unless they will blaspheme God, and re|nounce
<PB N="21" REF="12">
their Religion, If it appear
to them very <HI>probable,</HI> suppose a hun|dred
to one, that upon their refusal,
Their Persecutors will really execute
what they threaten: And if on the
other side it appear very <HI>improbable,</HI>
suppose ten thousand to one, that they
shall not be delivered by a Miracle: In
such cases, it is not to be expected that
the consideration of the ordinary
course of Providence in the dispensa|tion
of Rewards and Punishments,
should be sufficient to restrain a man
from any kind of Blasphemy or Vil|lany
whatsoever.</P>
<P>But the thing I am speaking to, will
more fully appear, by consideration of
those horrid Mischiefs of all kinds, that
would most naturally follow from the
denial of this Doctrine.</P>
<P>If there be no such thing to be ex|pected
as Happiness or Misery here|after,
<PB N="22" REF="13">
Why then the only business that
men are to take care of, is their pre|sent
well-being in this World; There
being nothing to be counted either
<HI>Good</HI> or <HI>Bad,</HI> but in order to this.
Those things which we conceive to be
conducible to it, being the only <HI>du|ties;</HI>
and all other things that are cross
to it, being the only <HI>sins.</HI> And there|fore
whatever a man's Appetite shall
incline him to, he ought not to deny
himself in it (be the thing what it will)
so he can have it, or do it without
probable danger.</P>
<P>Suppose it be matter of <HI>Gain</HI> or <HI>Pro|fit</HI>
he is disposed to, if he can cheat
or steal securely, this will be so far
from being a <HI>fault,</HI> that it is plainly
his <HI>duty,</HI> Because it is a proper means
to promote his chief End.</P>
<P>And so for other cases of <HI>Anger,
Hatred, Revenge,</HI> &amp;c. according to
<PB N="23" REF="13">
this Principle, a man must take the first
opportunity of satisfying these Passi|ons,
by doing any kind of mischief
to the persons he is offended with,
whether by <HI>false Accusations</HI> and <HI>Per|jury;</HI>
or (if need be) by <HI>poysoning</HI>
or stabbing of them; provided he can
do these things so, as to escape the
suspition of others, and Humane Pe|nalty.</P>
<P>Now let any man judg, what <HI>Bears,</HI>
and <HI>Wolves,</HI> and <HI>Devils,</HI> men would
prove to one another, if every thing
should be not only <HI>lawful,</HI> but a <HI>duty,</HI>
whereby they might gratifie their im|petuous
Lusts, if they might either
perjure themselves, or steal, or mur|der,
as often as they could do it safely,
and get any advantage by it.</P>
<P>But these things are so very obvi|ous,
and undeniable, that the most
prophane Atheistical persons do own
<PB N="24" REF="14">
the truth of them. And upon this, they
are willing to acknowledg, That <HI>Re|ligion</HI>
and the <HI>belief of another life,</HI> is
a very politick invention, and need|ful
for the well-governing of the world,
and for the keeping men in awe, from
the doing any secret mischiefs. Which
(by the way) is a concession of no
small advantage to the honour of Re|ligion,
considering that it proceeds from
the greatest professed Enemies to it.
Whereby they grant, that it is fit these
things <HI>should be true,</HI> if they are not;
or at least that it is fit, that the gene|rality
of men should <HI>believe them to be
true.</HI> And though they themselves <HI>pre|tend</HI>
to believe otherwise, yet are they
not so far out of their wits, as to be
willing that those with whom they con|verse,
their Wives, and Children, and
Servants, should be of the same opinion
with them, Because then they could
<PB N="25" REF="14">
have no reason to expect any safety a|mongst
them. What security could
any man have of his Estate, or Ho|nour,
or Life, if such with whom he
is most familiar and intimate, might
think themselves at liberty to do all the
secret mischiefs to them, that they had
opportunity to commit?</P>
<P>But there is one thing more, which
those, who profess to dis-believe this
Principle, should do well to consider;
and that is this, That there is no ima|ginable
reason, why (amongst those
that know them) they should pretend
to any kind of <HI>Honesty</HI> or <HI>Conscience,</HI>
because they are wholly destitute of all
such motives as may be sufficient to ob|lige
them to any thing of this nature.
But according to them, that which is
called <HI>Virtue</HI> and <HI>Religion,</HI> must be
one of the most silly and useless things
in the world.</P>
<P><PB N="26" REF="15">
As for the Principle of <HI>Honour,</HI>
which some imagine may supply the
room of <HI>Conscience,</HI> This relates only
to external Reputation, and the esteem
which we have amongst others; And
therfore can be of no influence to restrain
men from doing any secret mischief.</P>
<P>From what hath been said, it will
follow, That those who have any re|gard
to their own safeties, ought to
abandon all kind of society with such
pernicious persons, who according to
their own Principles, must take all op|portunities
of doing any mischief to
others, which they are able to effect, with
any advantage to themselves.</P>
<P>Now if this be so (as I have pro|ved),
that the nature of man is so fra|med,
as not to be effectually perswa|ded
and wrought upon, without the
consideration of such a future state. If
it be necessary to put in everlasting mo|tives,
<PB N="27" REF="15">
as the Sanctions of that Law, by
which the Humane Nature is to be go|verned;
This must render it highly
credible, that there is such a state. Be|cause
it must needs be very unworthy
of God, to conceive of Him, that he
hath contrived the nature of one of his
best and most noble Creatures, after such
a manner, as to make it incapable of
being governed without falshood and
deceit.</P>
<P>3. The third and last Argument I pro|posed
to speak to, was from the necessity
of this Principle to the <HI>vindication of
Divine Providence.</HI> Nothing is more
universally acknowledged, than that
God is <HI>Good</HI> and <HI>Iust.</HI> That well-do|ing
shall be rewarded, and evil Actions
punished by Him. And yet we see that
his dispensations in this life are many
times promiscuous and uncertain; so
that <HI>a man cannot judg of love or ha|tred
<PB N="28" REF="16">
by all that is before him.</HI> The worst
men are sometimes in the best condition.
<HI>If in this life only we had hope,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 15. 19.</NOTE> <HI>we should
be of all men the most miserable,</HI> saith the
Apostle, speaking concerning those pri|mitive
times of Persecution, when the
better any man was, the more was he ex|posed
to sufferings.</P>
<P>Now the greater <HI>Vncertainty</HI> there is
as to the <HI>present Affairs</HI> in this world,
By so much greater is the <HI>Certainty</HI> of
a <HI>future Iudgment.</HI></P>
<P>What could be a greater disparage|ment
to Divine Providence, than to
permit the Calamities and Sufferings
which good men undergo in this world,
many times upon the account of Re|ligion,
to pass <HI>unrewarded;</HI> and the
many Mischiefs and Prophanations,
which wicked men take the advantage
of committing, by their Greatness and
Prosperity in this world, to go <HI>unpun|ished?</HI></P>
<P><PB N="29" REF="16">
What great glory would it be, to
preside over this Material World,
<HI>Starrs</HI> and <HI>Meteors, Sea</HI> and <HI>Land,
Plants</HI> and <HI>Beasts,</HI> to put these things
into such a regular course, as may be
suitable to their natures, and the ope|rations
for which they are designed; and
in the mean space to have no propor|tionable
regard, either for those that <HI>re|verence
the Deity,</HI> or those who <HI>con|temn
Him?</HI></P>
<P>'Tis very well said to this purpose by
a late Author,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Amyraldus.</NOTE> That not to conduct
the course of <HI>Nature</HI> in a due manner,
might speak some defect of <HI>Wisdom</HI> in
God: but not to compensate <HI>Virtue</HI>
and <HI>Vice,</HI> besides the defect of <HI>wisdom,</HI>
in not adjusting things suitably to their
qualifications, but crosly coupling Pro|sperity
with Vice, and Misery with
Virtue, would argue too great a defect
of <HI>Goodness</HI> and of <HI>Iustice.</HI> And per|haps
<PB N="30" REF="17">
it would not be less expedient
(saith he) with <HI>Epicurus,</HI> to deny all
Providence, than to ascribe to it such
defects. It being less unworthy of the
Divine Nature, to neglect the Uni|verse
altogether, than to administer
Human Affairs with so much Injustice
and Irregularity.</P>
<P>And therefore 'tis necessary for the
vindication of Divine Providence,
that there shold be a future state and
day of Account, wherein every man
shall be forced to acknowledg, that <HI>ve|rily
there is a reward for the righteous;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Psal, 58, 11.</NOTE>
<HI>doubtless there is a God that judgeth the
earth.</HI></P>
<P>I crave leave for a word of Appli|cation,
and I have done. If this be so, it
will concern us then to enquire,</P>
<P>1. Whether we do in good earnest
<HI>believe</HI> this, That there shall be a fu|ture
state of Reward and Punishment,
<PB N="31" REF="17">
according as mens Lives and Actions
have been in this world. If not, why
do we profess our selves to be Christi|ans?
Why do we not renounce the
Articles of our Creed? Nay, why do
we pretend to any Religion? Nothing
can be more false and unworthy, than
in a solemn and religious manner to own
that in our outward Profession, which
we do inwardly dis-believe and deny.</P>
<P>2. Do we at any time seriously <HI>con|sider</HI>
this? and revolve upon it in our
minds? Do we bethink our selves, what
our own condition is like to be at that
time, what preparations we have made
for it, what grounds we have for hope?
There cannot possibly be any greater
stupidity, than for a man to be slight
and careless in a business of so great mo|ment.
'Tis the want of believing and
considering this, that is the chief cause
of all the viciousness and disorder in
the world.</P>
<P><PB N="32" REF="18">
3. What <HI>impression</HI> doth the belief
and consideration of this make <HI>upon
our hearts and lives?</HI> Doth it stir up
in us, <HI>vebement desires,</HI> and <HI>carefulness
of mind</HI> in preparing for that time? If
a man were to be tryed for his life at the
next Assizes, How would his thoughts
be taken up about his defence, what an|swer
he should make, what the main plea
is which he should insist upon, by what
evidence it might be strengthned and
cleared up? He would as soon forget
to eat his meat, or to go to bed, as to
let a business of this nature slip out of
his mind.</P>
<P>There is nothing more hard to be
restrained, than the Impetuous and
wild Exorbitances of Youth; And
yet such persons <HI>would not, durst not</HI> in|dulge
themselves, according to <HI>the ways
of their own hearts,</HI> and <HI>the sight of their
eyes;</HI> If they did really believe and con|sider,
<PB N="33" REF="18">
that <HI>for all these things God would
bring them to judgment.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Eccles. 11. 9.</NOTE></P>
<P>The business of Religion, must
therefore be above all other things of
greatest consequence to us, because 'tis
the only means to secure us, as to our
future conditions. The affairs of this
life are but of short continuance, and
full of uncertainty: And therefore 'tis
not much material what a man's condi|tion
may be in that respect. But there
is another state and time which will
more nearly concern our care; and that
is the great day of Account. And till a
man hath in some measure provided for
this, he cannot live comfortably, or
sleep quietly, or have any solid peace in
his mind; but must upon every seri|ous
reflexion be continually haunted
with frightful apprehensions about his
everlasting condition.</P>
<P>'Tis scarce credible that any man
<PB N="34" REF="19">
should be so sottish, as to think, he shall
escape dying: and when we do come
to depart out of this world, It will then
be no advantage to us, that we have had
Riches, or Honour, or Power. These
things will then vanish away, as to our
<HI>Possession</HI> of them; and the <HI>Remembrance</HI>
of them may prove a torment to our
thoughts, rather than a comfort; espe|cially
if we have reason to suspect, that
these things were our <HI>portion in this life,</HI>
and may be reckoned upon as <HI>our good
things which we have had already.</HI> Cer|tain
it is, that they will render our Ac|counts
the more difficult: For to whom
much is given, of them much shall be
required. We must be answerable not
only for <HI>our doings,</HI> but for <HI>the fruit of
our doings.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Jet. 17. 10.</NOTE> All the sins, or evil con|sequences
which have been occasioned
by our Miscarriages, shall be set upon
our score.</P>
<P><PB N="35" REF="19">
<HI>And if these things be so,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 3. 11, 12.</NOTE> What man|ner
of persons ought we to be in all holy
conversation and godliness, looking for,
and hastning unto the coming of the day of
God. <HI>If any thing can prevail with men</HI>
to live soberly,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Tit. 2. 12. 13</NOTE> righteously, and godly in
this present world, <HI>It must be from the
consideration of that</HI> blessed hope and
glorious appearing of the Great God, our
Saviour Iesus Christ: <HI>To whom with
the Father,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
