WE are not concerned to be particular and curious in the enquiry touching the special reference or occasion of the fore­going complaints from the 37 verse. [...] [Page] [...] [Page 1] [Page 2] It is enough to take notice, for our pres [...] [...], that besides the evil which had [...]ady befaln the Plain­tiff, a further danger nearly threat­ned him, that carried death in the face of it, and suggested somewhat frightful apprehensions of his mor­tal state; which drew from him this quick and sensible petition in reference to his own private con­cern, [Remember how short my time is] and did presently direct his eye with a sudd [...]n glance from the view of his own, to reflect on the com­mon condition of man, whereof he expresses his resentment, first, in an hasty exp [...]tulation with God [Wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?] Then, secondly, in a pathe­tick discourse with himself, re­presenting the reason of that [...]ough charge; [What man is he that li­veth▪ and shall not see death? Shall he deliver, &c] q. d. When I add to the consideration of my short time that of dying-mankind, and behold a dark and deadly shade universally overspreading the World, the whole species of hu­mane [Page 3] Creatures vanishing, quit­ting the stage round about me, and disappearing almost as soon as they shew themselves: Have I not a fair and plausible ground for that (seemingly rude) challenge? Why is there so unaccountable a Phoenomenon? Such a Creature made to no purpose? The noblest part of this inferior Creation brought forth into being without any ima­ginable design? I know not how to unty the knot, upon this only view of the case, or avoid the ab­surdity. 'Tis hard sure to decline the supposal (of what it may yet seem hard to suppose) that all men were made in vain.

It appears the expostulation was somewhat passionate; and did pro­ceed upon the sudden view of this disconsolate case, very abstractly considered, and by it self only; and that he did not in that instant look beyond it to a better and more com­fortable scene of things. An eye bleered with present sorrow, sees not so far, nor comprehends so much at one view, as it would at [Page 4] another time; or as it doth, pre­sently, when the tear is wip't out, and its own beams have cleard it up.

We see he did quickly look fur­ther, and had got a more light­some prospect, when in the next words we find him contemplating Gods sworn loving-kindness unto Da­vid. V. 49. The truth and stability where­of he at the same time expresly acknowledges, while only the form of his speech doth but seem to import a doubt [where are they?] But yet [they were sworn in truth] Upon which argument he had more copiously dilated in the former part of the Psalm; and it still lay deep in his soul, though he were now a little diverted from the present consideration of it.

Which, since it turns the scales with him; It will be needful to enquire into the weight and im­port of it. Nor have we any rea­son to think that David was either so little a Prophet or a Saint, as in his own thoughts to refer those [Page 5] magnificent things (the instances of that loving-kindness confirm'd by Oath, which he recites from the 19 verse of the Psalm to the 38, as spoken from the mouth of God, and declared to him by vi­sion, to the dignity of his own per­son, and the grandieur and perpe­tuity of his Kingdom. As if it were ultimately meant of him­self,V, 27. that God would make him his first-born, higher than the Kings of the earth, (when there were di­vers greater Kings, and (in compa­rison of the little spot over which he reigned) a vastly spreading Monarchy, that still overtopt him all his time, as the same and suc­cessive Monarchies did his Succes­sors) or that it was intended of the secular glory and stability of his Throne and Family; that God would make them to endure for ever, V. 29. and be as the days of Heaven; that they should be as the Sun before him, V. 36, 37. and be establisht for ever as the Moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven.

[Page 6] That God himself meant it not so, experience and the event of things hath shown; and that these predictions cannot otherwise have had their accomplishment, than in the succession of the spiritual and everlasting Kingdom of the Messiah (whom God raised up out of his loins to sit on his throne) unto his temporal King­dom.Act. 2. 30 Wherein 'tis therefore end­ed by perfection, rather than cor­ruption. These Prophesies being then made good, not formally, in the kind which they literally im­ported; but with an (highly re­dundant) equivalency in another (far more noble) kind. In which sense God's Covenant with him must be understood,V. 28. 34. which he in­sists on so much in this Psalm, even unto that degree, as to challenge God upon it, as if in the gloomy dispensation of this juncture (so far did it darken his present ap­prehension of things) he did actu­ally vacate and make it void: [...] [...]9. Though he sufficiently express his [Page 7] confidence, both before and after, that this could never be. But 'tis plain it hath been vacated long enough ago, in the subversion of David's Kingdom; and in that we see his Throne and Family have not been establisht for ever; have not endured as the days of Hea­ven; if those words had no other than their obvious and literal meaning. And if any would ima­gine a salvo to the truth of God, from the wickedness of his poste­rity, first making a breach, and disobliging him; it is expresly precluded by what we find insert­ed in reference to this very case: If his children forsake my law, V. 30. and walk not in my judgments, 31. &c. Then will I visit their iniquity with the rod, &c.32. Nevertheless my loving-kindness will I not utterly take from him, 33. nor suffer my faithful [...]ess to fail. 34. My Co­venant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. All which is solemnly sealed up with this,35▪ Once have I sworn in my holi­ness, that I will not lye unto David [Page 8] So that they that will make a scru­ple to accuse the Holy God of falshood in that which with so much solemnity he hath promi­sed and sworn, must not make any to admit his further intendment in these words. And that he had a further (even a mystical and spi­ritual) intendment in this Cove­nant with David, is yet more ful­ly evident from that of the Pro­phet Isaiah; Isa. 55. He every one that thirst­eth, come ye to the waters, V. 1. &c. In­cline your ear and come to me. 2. And I will make an everlasting Covenant with you, 3. even the sure mercies of David. 4. Behold, 5. I have given him for a wit­ness to the people, a leader and comman­der, &c. What means this universal invitation to all thirsty persons, with the subjoined encouragement of making with them an everlasting Covenant (the same which we have here, no doubt, as to the principal parts, and which we find him men­tioning also, 2 Sam. 23. 5. with cha­racters exactly corresponding to these of the Prophet) even the sure [Page 9] mercies of David? The meaning sure could not be, that they should be all Secular Kings and Princes, and their posterity after them for ever; which we see is the verbal sound and tenor of this Covenant.

And now since it is evident God intended a mystery in this Cove­nant, we may be as well assured he intended no deceit, and that he de­signed not a delusion to David by the vision in which he gave it. Can we think he went about to gratifie him with a solemn fiction, and draw him into a false and fanciful faith; or so to hide his meaning from him, as to tempt him into the belief of what he never meant? And to what purpose was this so special Revelation by vision, if it were not to be understood truly, at least, if not yet perfectly and fully? It is left us therefore to collect, that David was not wholly uninstructed how to refer all this to the Kingdom of the Messiah. And he hath given suf­ficient testimony in that part of Sa­cred Writ wher [...]of God used him [Page 10] as Pen-man, that he was of another temper than to place the sum and chief of his expectations, and con­solations, in his own and his posteri­ties worldly greatness. And to put us out of doubt,Mat. 22. our Saviour (who well knew his Spirit) expresly e­nough tells us, that he in spirit called him Lord; Psal. 110. when he said, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, till I make thy enemies thy foot-stool. A plain discovery how he understood God's revelation touch­ing the future-concernments of his Kingdom (and the Covenant rela­ting thereto) viz. as a figure and type of Christs, who must reign till all his enemies be subdued.

Nor was he in that ignorance a­bout the nature and design of Christs Kingdom, but that he understood its reference to another world, and state of things, even beyond all the successions of time, and the mortal race of men; so as to have his eye fixed upon the happy eternity which a joyful resurrection must introduce, and whereof Christs resurrection [Page 11] should be the great and most assu­ring Pledg. And of this we need no fuller evidence than the express words of the Apostle St. Peter, Act. 2. V. 25, &c. who after he had cited those lofty tri­umphant strains of David, Psal. 16. 8, 9, 10, 11, I have set the Lord al­ways before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my fl [...]sh also shall rest in hope, for thou wilt not leave my soul in hell (or in the state of dark­ness) neither wilt thou suffer thy holy One to see corruption. Thou [...] shew me the path of life. In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. All which he tells us was spoken [concerning Christ];V. 25. he more expresly sub­joins, that David being a Prophet, 26. and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him▪ that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne. He seeing this before, spake of the resur­rection of Christ, V. 31. (it appears he spake not at random, but as knowing and [Page 12] seeing before, what he spake) That his soul was not left in hell, &c. nor can we think he thus rejoyces in another's resurrection, forgetting his own.

And yet we have a further evi­dence from the Apostle St. Paul, Acts 13. V. 32, 33, 34. who affirms that the promise made to the fathers▪ God had fulfilled to their chil­dren, in that he had raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the se­cond Psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee; and as con­cerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corrup­tion, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David. Which it is now apparent must be under­stood of eternal mercies, such as Christ's resurrection, and triumph over the grave, doth ensure to us. He therefore look't upon what was spoken concerning his Kingdom here, as spoken ultimately of Christs, the Kingdom whereby he governs and conducts his faith [...]ul Subjects, through all the troubles of Life, and terrors of Death (through both [Page 13] whereof he himself as their King and Leader hath shown the way) unto eternal blessedness, and upon the Covenant, made with him as the Covenant of God in Christ, con­cerning that blessedness, and the requisites thereto. And (to say no more in this argument) how other­wise can we conceive he should have that fulness of consolation in this Covenant, when he lay a dying, as we find him expressing▪ 2 Sam. 23 5. (for these were some of the last words of David, as we see v. 1.) He hath made with me an everlasting Co­venant ordered in all things and sure; for this is all my salvation, and all my desire. What so great joy and solace could a dying man take in a Cove­nant made with him, when he had done with this world, and was to expect no more in it, if he took it not to concern a future blessedness in another world? Was it only for the hoped prosperity of his House and Family when he was gone? This (which is the only thing we can fasten on) he plainly secludes in the [Page 14] next words,—although he make it not to grow.

Therefore it was his reflection upon those loving-kindnesses men­tioned in the former part of the Psalm, contained in God's Cove­nant, and confirmed by his Oath, but understood according to the sense and import already declared, that caused this sudden turn in Da­vid's spirit; And made him that lately spoke as out of a Golgotha, as if he had nothing but death in his eye and thoughts; to speak now in so different a strain, and (after some additional pleadings, in which his faith further recovers it self) to conclude this Psalm with solemn praise: Blessed be the Lord for ever­more, Amen and Amen.

We see then the contemplation of his own and all mens mortality, ab­stractly and alone considered, cloa­thed his soul with black, wrapt it up in gloomy darkness, makes the whole Kind of Humane Creatures seem to him an obscure shadow, an empty vanity: But his recalling [Page 15] into his thoughts a succeeding state of immortal life, clears up the day, makes him and all things appear in another hue, gives a fair account why such a Creature as Man was made; and therein makes the whole frame of things in this inferior World, look with a comely and well-composed aspect, as the pro­duct of a wise and rational design. Whence therefore we have this ground of discourse fairly before us in the words themselves: ‘That the short time of man on Earth, limited by a certain una­voidable Death; If we consider it abstractly by it self, without re­spect to a future state, carries that appearance and aspect with it, as if God had made all men in vain.’

That is said to be vain, according to the importance of the word here used, [...] which is [...]ither

• [Page 16]False, a fiction, an appearance only, a shadow, or eva­nid thing; or, which is
• Vseless, unprofitable, and to no valuable purpose.

The life of man, in the case now supposed, may be truly stiled vain, [...]ither way. And we shall say some­what to each; but to the former more briefly.

1. It were vain, i. e. little other than a shew, a meer shadow, a sem­blance of Beeing. We must indeed, in the present case, even abstract him from himself, and consider him only as a mortal dying thing; and as to that of him which is so, what a contemptible nothing is he! There is an appearance of some­what; but search a little, and en­quire into it, and it vanishes into a meer nothing▪ is found a lye, a piece of falshood, as if he did but feign a beeing, and were not. And so we may suppose the Psalmist speak­ing, upon the view of his own, and [Page 17] the common case of man, how fast all were hastning out of life; and laying down the beeing which they rather seemed to have assumed and borrowed, than to possess and own: Lord, why hast thou made Man such a fictitious thing? given him such a mock-beeing? Why hast thou brought forth into the light of this world such a sort of Crea­tures, that rather seem to be, than are? That have so little of solid and substantial beeing? and so little deserve to be taken for realities? that only serve to cheat one another into an opinion of their true exist­ence, and presently vanish and con­fess their falshood? What hovering shadows, what uncertain Entities are they? In a moment they are and are not. I know not when to say I have seen a man. It seems as if there were some such things before my eyes; I perswade my self that I see them move and walk to and fro, that I talk and converse with them; But instantly my own sense is ready to give my sense the lye: They are on the sudden dwindled [Page 18] away, and force me, almost, to ac­knowledg a Delusion. I am but mockt with a shew; and what seem'd a reality, proves an Impo­sture. Their pretence to beeing, is but fiction, and falshood; a cozen­age of over-credulous unwary sense, They only personate what, they are thought to be; and quickly put off their very selves, as a disguise. This is agreeable to the language of Scripture elsewhere. Surely men of low degree are vanity, 2. 9. and men of high degree are a lye, &c.

In two respects may the present state of man seem to approach near to nothingness; and so admit this Rhetorication of the Psalmist, as if he were in this sense a vain thing, a figment, or a lye, viz. in respect of the

• Minuteness, and
• Instability
  • of this

his (material and perishable) be [...] ­ing.

1. The Minuteness, the small por­tion or degree of beeing which this mortal part of man hath in it. It is truly said of all created things, [Page 19] Their non esse, is more than their esse. They have more no-beeing than beeing. It is only some limit­ed portion that they have, but there is an infinitude of beeing which they have not. And so, com­ing infinitely nearer to nothingness, than fulness of beeing, they may well enough wear the name of No­thing. Wherefore the first and Foun­tain-beeing, justly appropriates to himself the name, I am; yea, tells us, He is, and there is none besides Him, therein leaving no other name than that of Nothing, unto Crea­tures. And how much more may this be said of the material and mortal part, this outside of man, whatever of him is obnoxious to death and the grave; which alone (abstractly lookt on) is the subject of the Psalmist's present considera­tion and discourse?

By how much any thing hath more of Matter, it hath the less of actual Essence. Matter being rather a capacity of beeing, than beeing it self, or a dark umbrage or shadow of it, actually nothing; but [ [...] [Page 20] [...] (as are the expressions of a noble Philosopher) a meer Semblance,Plotin. En. 2. 1, 6 or a Lye.

And it is the language not o [...] Philosophers only, but of the Holy Ghost concerning all the Nations of men, that they are as nothing, less than nothing, Isa. 40. and vanity. What a scar­city then, and penury of beeing, must we suppose in each individu­all especially if we look alone up­on the outer part, or rather the umbrage or shadow of the man?

2 2. The instability and fluidness of it. The visible and corporal bee­ing of man hath nothing steady or consistent in it. Consider his exte­rior frame and composition, he is, no time, all himself at once. There is a continual defluence and access of parts; so that some account, Each Climacterick of his age chan­ges his whole Fabrick. Whence it would follow, that besides his sta­tique individuating Principle (from which we are now to abstract) no­thing of him remains; He is ano­ther thing; The former man is va­nished and gone; while he is, he [Page 21] hastens away; and within a little is not. In respect of the duration, as well as the degree of his beeing, he is next to nothing.Job 27. 19 He opens his eye, and is not. Gone in the twink­ling of an eye. There is nothing in him stable enough, to admit a fixed look. So it is with the whole scene of things in this material world. As was the true Maxime of an Anci­ent: All things slow,Heracl. nothing stays; after the manner of a River. The same thing which the Apostle's words more elegantly express: The fashion of this world passeth away. 1 Cor. 7. The scheme, the shew, the pageantry of it. He speaks of it but as an appear­ance, as if he knew not whether to call it something or nothing, it was so near to vanishing into nothing. And therefore he there requires, that the affections which mutual near­ness in relation challenges, be as if they were not: That we rejoyce in reference to one another, (even most nearly related, as the occasion and scope of his discourse teach us to understand him) but as if we re­joyced not, and to weep as if we [Page 22] wept not. Which implies, the ob­jects merit no more; and are them­selves as if they were not. Whence therefore a continued course of in­tense passion were very incongruous towards so discontinuing things.

And the whole state of man be­ing but a shew, the pomp and glit­tering of the greatest men, make the most splendid and conspicuous part of it: yet all this we find is not o­therwise reckoned of, than an image, a dream, a vision of the night; every man at his best state is altogether vanity, walketh in a vain shew, Job 20. 7, 8, 9. disquieteth him­self in vain, Psal. 73. 20. &c. Of all without ex­ception 'tis pronounced man is like to vanity, Psal. 39. 5, 6. his days are as a shadow that passeth away: As Ecclesiastes often, of all sublunary things, vanity of vani­ties, &c.

2. But yet there is another noti­of [vain], as it signifies useless, un­profitable, or to no purpose. And in this sense also, if we consider the universal mortality of mankind without respect to a future state; There were a specious ground for the expostulation, Why hast thou made all men in vain?

[Page 23] Vanity in the former notion speaks the emptiness of a thing, ab­solutely and in it self considered; In this latter relatively, as it is re­ferred to and measured by an end. That is, in this sense, vain, which serves to no end, or to no worthy and valuable end; which amounts to the same. For in as much as all ends, except the last, are means also to a further end; if the end im­mediately aimed at be vain and worthless, that which is referred to it, as it is so referred, cannot but be also vain.

Whereupon now let us make tri­al what end we could in this case think man made for.

Which will best be done by taking some view

• 1. Of his nature.
• 2. Of the ends for which, up­on that supposition, we must suppose him made.

I. Of the former (neglecting the strictness of Philosophical disquisi­tion) no more is intended to be [Page 24] said than may comport with the de­sign of a popular discourse. And it shall suffice therefore, only to take notice of what is more obvious in the nature of man, and subservient to the present purpose. And yet we are here to look further than the meer surface and outside of man, which we only considered before; and to view his nature, as it is in it self: and not as the supposition of its having nothing but what is mortal belonging to it, would make it: for as the exility (and almost nothingness) of man's being considered accor­ding to that supposition, did best serve to express the vanity of it, in the former notion that hath been given of a vain thing: So the excel­lency, and solid substantiality of it, considered as it is in it self, will con­duce most to the discovery of its vanity in this latter notion thereof. That is, if we first consider that, and then the supposition of such a Creature's being only made to pe­rish. And if what shall be said here­in, do, in the sequel, tend to destroy that above-mention'd supposition, [Page 25] (as it, being established, would de­stroy the prime glory of Humane Nature) it can only be said magna est veritas, &c. In the mean time we may take a view, in the nature of man,

1. Of his Intellective Powers; Hereby he frames notions of things, even of such things as are above the sphere of sense; of moral good and evil, right and wrong, what is vertuous and what is vicious; of abstract and universal natures. Yea, and of a first beeing, and cause, and of the wisdom, power, goodness, and other perfections which must primarily agree to him. Hereby he affirms and denies one thing of ano­ther, as he observes them to agree and disagree, and discerns the truth and falshood of what is spoken or deny'd. He doth hereby infer one thing from another, and argue him­self into firm and unwavering assent to many things, not only above the discovery of sense, but directly contrary to their sensible appear­ances.

2. His power of determining [Page 26] himself, of chusing and refusing, according as things are estimated, and do appear to him. Where also it is evident how far the objects which this faculty is sometimes ex­ercised about, do transcend the reach of all sensible nature; as well as the peculiar nobleness and excel­lency is remarkable of the faculty it self.

It hath, often for its object, things of the highest nature, purely spiri­tual and divine; Vertue, Religion, God himself. So as that these (the faculty being repair'd only by san­ctifying grace; not now first put into the nature of man) are cho­sen by some, and, where it is not so, refused ('tis true) by the most, but not by a meer not-willing of them (as meer brutal appetite also doth not-will them, which no way reaches the notion of a refu­sal) but by rejecting them, with a positive aversion, and dislike, wherein there is great iniquity and sin: which could not be but in a nature capable of the opposite tem­per.

[Page 26] And it is apparent this faculty hath the priviledg of determining it self; so as to be exempt from the necessitating influence of any thing forreign to it. Upon the supposal whereof, the managery of all hu­mane affairs, all Treaties between man and man, to induce a consent to this or that; The whole frame of government, all Legislation and distribution of publick Justice do de­pend. For take away this suppositi­on, and these will presently appear most absurd, and unjust. With what solemnity are applications and ad­dresses made to the Will of man up­on all occasions? How is it courted and solicited and sued unto? But how absurd were it so to treat the other Creatures, that act by a ne­cessity of Nature in all they do? to make supplications to the Wind, or propound articles to a Brute? And how unjust, to determine and inflict severe penalties for unavoidable and necessitated actions and omissions?

These things occurr to our first notice, upon any (a more sudden and cursory) view of the nature of man. [Page 28] And what should hinder, but we may infer from these that there is further in his nature,

3. A capacity of an immortal state, i. e. that his nature is such, that he may, if God so please, by the concurrent influence of his ordi­nary power, and providence, with­out the help of a miracle, subsist in another state of life, after this, even a state that shall not be liable to that empairment and decay that we find this subject to. More, is not (as yet) contended for; and so much me­thinks, none should make a difficul­ty to admit, from what is evidently found in him. For it may well be supposed that the admitting of this (at least) will seem much more easie, to any free and unprejudic'd reason, than to ascribe the operations be­fore instanc'd in, to alterable or pe­rishable matter, or indeed to any matter at all. It being justly presu­med, that none will ascribe to mat­ter, as such, the powers of ratioci­nation or volition. For then every particle of matter must needs be ra­tional, and intelligent (an high ad­vance [Page 33] to what one would never have thought at all active). And how unconceivable is it, that the minute particles of matter, in them­selves, each of them destitute of any such powers, should by their mutual intercourse with one another, be­come furnisht with them! That they should be able to understand, deliberate, resolve, and chuse, being assembled and duly disposed in coun­sel together; but, apart, rest all in a deep and sluggish silence! Besides, if the particles of matter howsoe­ver modifi'd, and moved, to the ut­most subtilty or tenuity, and to the highest vigour, shall then become intelligent and rational, How is it that we observe not, as any matter is more subtil, and more swiftly and variously moved, it makes not a dis­cernably nearer approach, (pro­portionably) to the faculty and power of reasoning? And that no­thing more of an aptitude or ten­dency towards intelligence and wisdom, is to be perceived in an aspiring Flame, or a brisk Wind, than in a clod or a stone? If to [Page 30] understand, to define, to distinguish, to syllogize, be nothing else but the agitation and collision of the minute parts of rarified matter among one another; methinks some happy Chymist or other, when he hath mist his designed mark, should have hit upon some such more noble product; and, by one or other prosperous subli­mation, have caused some tem­porary resemblance (at least) of these operations. Or, if the paths of Nature, in these affairs of the mind, be more abstruse, and quite out of the reach and road of ar­tificial atchievement; Whence is it that Nature her self (that is vainly enough supposed by some to have been so happy, as by some casual stroaks to have fabricated the first of humane Creatures, that have since propagated themselves) is grown so effete and dull, as ne­ver since to hit upon any like effect in the like way. And that no Re­cords of any time or age give us the notice of some such Creature sprung out of some Epicurean Womb of [Page 31] the Earth, and elaborated by the only immediate hand of Nature, so disposing the parts of matter in its constitution, that it should be able to perform the operations belong­ing to the mind of man.

But if we cannot with any tole­rable pretence or shew of reason attribute these operations to any meer matter, that there must be somewhat else in man to which they may agree, that is distinct from his corruptible part; and that is therefore capable, by the advantage of its own nature of subsisting hereafter (while God shall continue to it an influence agreeable to its nature, as he doth to other Creatures).

And hence seems a modest and sober deduction, That there is in the nature of man, at least, a ca­pacity of an immortal state.

Now if we yet suppose there is actually no such state for man here­after: It is our next business to view the ends for which, upon that supposition, he may be thought to have been made. Whence [Page 32] we shall soon see, there is not any of them whereof it may be said, This is that he was created for, as his adaequate End.

And here we have a double A­gent to be accommodated with a suitable End:

• Man now made. And
• God who made him.

1. Man himself. For it must be considered, that in as much as man is a Creature capable of propound­ing to himself an end, and of act­ing knowingly and with design towards it (and indeed uncapa­ble of acting otherwise as a man): It would therefore not be reasona­ble to speak of him, in this dis­course, as if he were meerly pas­sive, and to be acted only by ano­ther. But we must reckon him ob­liged, in subordination to his Ma­ker, to intend and pursue (him­self) the proper end for which he appointed and made him. And in reason we are to expect, that what God hath appointed to be [Page 33] his proper end, should be such as is in it self most highly desirable, suitable to the utmost capacity of his nature, and attainable by his action, so carrying with it suffi­cient inducements, both of desire and hope, to a vigorous and ra­tional prosecution of it. Thus we must, at least, conceive it to have been in the primitive institution of man's end (unto which the expo­stulation hath reference, Wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?)

And we can think of no ends which men either do or ought to propound to themselves, but by the direction of one of these principles, Sense, Reason, or Reli­gion.

1. Sense is actually the great Di­ctator 1 to the most of men, and de­facto, determines them to the mark and scope which they pursue, and animates the whole pursuit. Not that sense is by it self capable of designing an end, but it too ge­nerally inclines and byasses Reason herein. So that Reason hath no other hand in the business, than [Page 34] only as a slave to Sense, to form the design and contrive the me­thods which may most conduce to it, for the gratification of sensual appetite and inclination at last.

And the appetitions of sense (wherein it hath so much mastery and dominion) are but such as we find enumerated 1 John 2. 16. the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, the pride of life. Or (if we un­derstand the Apostle to use the name of lust objectively) the objects sufficiently connote the appetiti­ons themselves. All which may fitly be refer'd to Sense, either the outward senses, or the fancy and imagination, which, as deservedly, comes under the same common denomination.

Now who can think the satisfy­ing of these lusts the commensu­rate end of man? Who would not, upon the supposition of no higher, say with the Psalmist, Wherefore hast thou made all men in vain? To what purpose was it for him to live in the world a few years, upon this account only, and [Page 35] so go down to the place of silence? What is there in the momentary ti­tillations of man's wanton flesh; in his pleasing-view of a Mass of Treasure (which he never brought with him into the world, but only heaped together, and so leaves not the world richer or poorer than he found it)? What is there in the applause and admiration of fools (as the greater part always are); that we should think it worth the while for man to have liv'd for these things? If the que­stion were put, Wherefore did God make man? Who would not be asham'd so to answer it, He made him to eat and drink and take his pleasure; to gather up wealth for he knows not who; to use his inventions that each one may become a talk and wonder to the rest; and then when he hath fetcht a few turns upon the Theater, and entertained the eyes of beholders with a short scene of impertinencies, descend, and ne­ver be heard of more? What? that he should come into the [Page 36] world furnisht with such powers and endowments for this? It were a like case as if one should be clad in scarlet to go to plough, or cu­riously instructed in arts and sci­ences to tend Hogs.

Or, 2dly, if we rise higher to the view of such ends as more re­fined Reason may propose, with­in the compass only of this pre­sent state; we will suppose that it be either,

The acquisition of much know­ledg, the furnishing his understand­ing with store of choice and well­digested notions; that he may please himself in being (or in ha­ving men think him) a learn'd Wight; Death robs away all his gain. And what is the world the better? How little shall he enrich the clods, among which he must shortly lye down, and have his abode! Or how little is the gain when the labour and travel of so many years is all vanished and blown away with the last puff of his dying-breath? and the fruit that remains, is to have it said [Page 37] by those that survive, There lies learned dust? That any part of his acquisitions in that kind descend to others, little betters the case, when they that suceeed are all hastening down also into the same ignoble dust. Besides that the in­crease of sorrow, both because the objects of his knowledg, the more he knows, do multiply the more upon him, so as to beget a despair of ever knowing so much as he shall know himself to be ignorant of; And a thousand doubts, about things he hath more deeply considered, which his more confident (undiscovered) igno­rance never dreamt of or suspect­ed. And thence an unquietness and irresolution of mind, which they that never drove at any such mark are (more contentedly) unac­quainted with. And also because, that by how much knowledg hath refin'd a man's soul, so much it is more sensible and perceptive of troublesome impressions from the disorderly state of things in the world; which they that con­verse [Page 38] only with earth and dirt, have not spirits clarified and fine enough to receive. So that except a man's knowing more than o­thers, were to be referr'd to ano­ther state, the labour of attain­ing thereto, and other accessory disadvantages, would hardly ever be compensated by the fruit or pleasure of it. And unless a man would suppose himself made for torment, he would be shrewdly tempted to think a quiet and drowsie ignorance an happier state.

Or if that a man's Reason, with a peculiarity of temper, guide him to an active, negotiating life, rather than that of contemplati­on; and determine him to the endeavour of serving mankind, or the community to which he belongs. By how much the wor­thier actions he performs, and by how much more he hath perfected and accomplisht himself with parts and promptitude for such actions; The loss and vanity is but the greater thereby, since he, [Page 39] and those he affected to serve, are all going down to the silent grave. Of how little use are the Politici­an, the States-man, the Senator, the Judg, or the Eloquent man? If we lay aside the consideration of their subserviency to the keep­ing the world in a more compo­sed and orderly state, for the prosecution of the great designs of Eternity, when, ere long, all their thoughts shall perish! What matter were it what became of the world, whether it be wise or foolish, rich or poor, quiet or un­quiet, govern'd or ungovern'd? Whoever should make their order and tranquillity their study, or that should intend their thoughts and endeavours to the finding out the exactest methods and rules of government and policy, should but do as they that should use a great deal of pains and art in the curious adorning, and trimming up of a dying person. Or as if some one, among many condemned per­sons, should be very solicitous to have them march with him in [Page 40] very exact order to the place of Execution. If the World be not looked upon as a 'tiring-room to dress one's self in, for an appear­ance on the Eternal Stage; but only as a great Charnel-house, where they undress, and put off themselves, to sleep in everlasting darkness; How can we think it worth a thought? or to be the subject of any rational design or care? Who would not rather bless himself in a (more rational) neglect, and regardlesness of all humane af­fairs? and account an unconcern­ed indifferency the highest wis­dom?

Yea, 3dly, If we suppose Reli­gion (which we need not (because it is mentioned in this order) con­ceive exclusive of Reason, but ra­ther perfective of it: Reason ha­ving first found out God, Religion adores Him) to become with any, the Ruling-principle, and to have the direction and government of the Man, as to his way and end; How would even that, languish with the best, were the conside­ration [Page 41] of a future state laid aside, which, with so few, notwithstand­ing it, hath any efficacy at all to command and govern their lives?

Religion terminates upon God: And upon him under a double no­tion; either as we design service and honour to him; or as from him, we design satisfaction and blessedness to our selves.

Now if a man's thoughts, and the intention of his mind be car­ried towards God under the for­mer notion; How great an allay and abatement must it needs be to the vigour and zeal of his affe­ction, who shall with the most sincere devotedness apply himself to serve His interest and glory, to reflect upon the universal mor­tality of himself and mankind, without any hope of compensati­on to it by a future immorta­lity?

It is agreed on all hands, that the utmost contributions of Crea­tures can add nothing to Him. And that our glorifying Him doth only consist, either in our acknow­ledging [Page 42] Him glorious, our selves; or representing him so to others.

But how little doth it signifie? and how flat and low a thing would it seem, that I should only turn mine eye upwards, and think a few admiring-thoughts of God this hour, while I appre­hend my self liable to lose my very thinking-power, and whole beeing the next! Or if we could spread His just renown, and gain all the sons of men to a concur­rence with us, in the adoring of His Soveraign Excellencies; how would it damp and stifle such loyal and dutiful affection, to consider, that the universal testimony, so deservedly given Him, shall shortly cease for ever! And that infinitely blessed Being, be ere long (again, as he was from Eternity before) the only Witness of his own glory!

And if the propension of a man's soul be towards God under the latter notion also, in order to a satisfaction that shall thence ac­crew to himself (which design, [Page 43] both in the pursuit and execution of it, is so conjunct with the for­mer, that it cannot be sever'd) It cannot but be an unspeakable di­minution and check to the high­est delights in this kind, to think how soon they shall have an end. That the darkness and dust of the grave shall shortly obscure and extinguish the glory of this light­some scene.

To think every time one enters that blessed Presence, for ought I know, I shall approach it no more! This is possibly my last sight of that pleasant Face! my last tast of those enravishing plea­sures! What bitterness must this infuse into the most delicious sweetness our state could then ad­mit! And by how much more free and large Grace should be in its present communications; and by how much any soul should be more experienc't in the life of God, and inured to divine de­lights, so much the more grie­vous and afflictive resentments it could not but have of the ap­proaching [Page 44] end of all; And be the more powerfully tempted to say, Lord, why was I made in vain? How faint and languid would en­deavours be after the knowledg of that God, whom I may but on­ly know, and dye? How impotent and ineffectual would the attracti­ons of this end be to man in his terrene state, to raise him above the world, and rescue him from the power of sensible things, to engage him in the pursuit of that sanctity and purity which alone can qualifie him for converse with God, to bear him out in a con­flict against the (more natural) in­clinations of sense; When if with much labour and painful striving, much self-denial, a [...]d severity to the flesh, any disposition should be attained to relish divine pleasures; it be considered all the while, that the end of all may be as soon lost as it is gained. And that possibly there may be no more than a mo­ments pleasure to recompence the pains and conflicts of many years; although, in this case, the continual [Page 45] hope and expectation of some far­ther manifestation and fruition, might much influence a person already holy, and a great lover of God, unto a stedfast adher­ence to him; yet how little would it do to make men such, that are yet unsuitable and disaffected to him? or even to recover such out of their lapses, and drowsie fits, that are not altogether so?

And it is further to be consider­ed, that since God hath given man a beeing capable of subsisting in another state (as doth appear by what hath been already said): And since he is therefore capable of enioying a greater happiness than his present state can admit of; that capacity will draw upon him a most indispensable obligation to intend that happiness as his end, For admit that there be no future state for him, it is however impos­sible any man should know there is none; and upon an impartial view of the whole case, he hath enough to render it (at least) far more likely to him that there is. And [Page 46] certainly he cannot but be obliged to pursue the highest good (even by the Law of Nature it self) which his nature is capable of; which probably he may attain, and which he is no where forbid­den by his Creator to aspire unto. Whence therefore, if we now cir­cumscribe him within the limits of this present mortal state; or if, for argument's sake, we sup­pose eventually there is no other; we must not only confess that ca­pacity to be given him in vain, but that he is obliged also to em­ploy the principal endeavours of his life, and all his powers in vain (for certainly his principal endeavour ought to be laid out in order to his principal end): That is, to pursue that good which he may attain, but never shall; and which is possible to him, but not upon any terms future.

And if it be admitted that the subject state of man must silence all objections against any such in­consistencies, and make him con­tent to act in pure obedience to [Page 47] his Maker (whether he signifie his will by the Law of Nature only, or by any positive Precept) though he shall not hereafter enjoy any permanent state of blessedness, as the consequent reward; That ver­tue and goodness, an holy rectitude of inclinations and actions, are re­ward enough to themselves. That there is that justice and sweetness in Religion, to oblige him to love, and reverence, and adore the Di­vine Majesty this moment, though he were sure to perish for ever, and be reduced to nothing the next. I say, admitting all this, yet

2. Since the blessed God him­self 2 is to be considered as the prin­cipal Agent and Designer in this enquiry [Why hast thou made all men in vain?] It is with modest and humble reverence to be considered, what end worthy of that infinite­ly perfect Beeing, he may be sup­posed to have propounded to Himself, in forming such a Crea­ture of so improvable a nature, and furnished with so noble facul­ties [Page 48] and powers, for so transient and temporary a state. And how well it will consist with the most obvious and unquestionable noti­ons we can have of an absolutely perfect Being, and the Attributes which he most peculiarly challen­ges and appropriates to himself (so as not only to own, but to glory in them) that he should give beeing not to some few only, but to the whole species of humane Creatures, and therein communi­cate to them a nature capable of knowing, of loving, and enjoying himself in a blessed eternity, with a design to continue them only for some short space on earth, in a low imperfect state, wherein they shall be liable to sink still lower to the vilest debasement of their natures, And yet, not for their transgression herein (for 'tis the mortality of man not by sin, but by Creation, or the design of the Creator only, that is now sup­posed) but for his meer pleasure to bereave them of being, and re­duce them all again to nothing?

[Page 49] It is to be considered, whether thus to resolve and do, can any way agree to God, according to our clearest and most assured con­ceptions of him; not from our rea­soning only, but his discovery of himself. For, otherwise, we see, the imputation falls where we should dread to let it rest, of having made man in vain.

He is, in common account, said to act vainly, who acts beneath himself, so as to pursue an end alto­gether unworthy of him, or none at all.

'Tis true, that some single acts may be done by great Persons, as a divertisement, without dishonoura­ble reflection, that may seem much beneath them. And if any do stoop to very mean offices and employ­ments to do good, to help the di­stressed, and relieve the miserable, it is a glorious acquest; and the greater they are, the higher is the glory of their condescending good­ness. Benignity of nature, and a propension to the most unexpected acts of a merciful self-d [...]p [...]ision, [Page 50] when the case may require it, are the most comely ornaments of Princely Greatness, and out-shine the glory of the richest Diadem. But a wonted habitual course of mean actions, in great persons, that speak a low design, or no design at all; but either an humour to trifle, or a mischievous nature and disposition, would never fail to be thought inglorious and infa­mous; as may be seen in the in­stances of Sardanapalus's spinning, and Domitian's killing of Files.

When Wisdom and Goodness are in conjunction with Power and Greatness, they never perswade a descent but upon such terms, and for such purposes, that a more glo­rious advancement shall ensue. Wisdom foreseeing that end, and Goodness readily taking the way, which (though it were most unde­signed, or not aimed at as an end) could not fail to effect it.

Nor are any Attributes of the Divine Beeing more conspicuous than th [...]se; more testified by Him­self, or more generally acknow­ledged [Page 51] by all men that have not de­ny'd his existence. Or if any have done that violence to their own minds, as to erase and blot out thence the belief of an existing Deity; yet, at least, while they de­ny it, they cannot but have this no­tion of what they deny; and grant that these are great perfections, and must agree to God, upon sup­position that He do exist. If there­fore He should do any thing repug­nant to these, or we should suppose Him to do so, we should therein suppose Him to act below a God, and so, as were very unworthy of Him.

And though it becomes us to be very diffident of our own reason­ings, concerning the Counsels and Designs of that Eternal Being: so as if we should find him to assert any thing expresly of himself, which we know not how to re­concile with our own preconcei­ved thoughts, therein to yeeld him the cause, and confess the debility of our understandings. Yet certainly it were great rashness, and void of [Page 52] all pretence, to suppose any thing, which neither he saith of himself, nor we know how, consistently, to think.

Nor are we, in judging of his de­signs, to bring him down to our model, or measure him by man, whose designs do for the most part bespeak only his own indigency, and are levelled at his own advan­tage, and the bettering some way or other of his present condition. Whatsoever the great God doth towards his Creatures, we must un­derstand him to do, though with design, yet from an exuberant ful­ness of life and beeing, by which he is uncapable of an accession to him­self. And hence that he can, in reference to himself, have no other inducement to such action, besides the complacency which he takes in diffusing his free communicati­ons, (for he exercises loving-kind­ness, judgment and righteousness in the earth,Jer. 9. 24,because he delights in these things); and the maintain­ing the just honour and reputation of his government over his Crea­tures, [Page 53] who as they are of him,Rom. 11. 36. and through him, must be all to him, that he may have glory for ever.

Now though it be most un­doubtedly true, that the Sove­raignty of his power, and domi­nion over his Creatures (of which he hath no need, and to whom he so freely gave beeing) is so absolute and unlimited, that, if we consider that only, we must acknowledg he might create a Man or an Angel, and annihilate him presently: yea, that he might, if he so pleased, raise up many Thousand Worlds of intelligent and innocent Creatures into be­ing in one moment, and throw them into nothing again the very next moment.

Yet how unwarrantably should we maim the notion of God, if we should conceive of him only, according to one Attribute, se­cluding the consideration of the rest! How mishapen an Idea should we bear of him in our [Page 54] minds! And how would it deform the face of Providence, and spoil the Decorum of his Administrati­ons, if they should be the effects of one single Attribute only, the other having no influence on the affairs of the world! If nothing but Mercy should appear in his dispensations towards sinful man, so that every man might do what were good in his own eyes, with­out cause of fear to be called to ac­count; If the most dissolute and prophane were equally assured of his favour, with those who are most holy, and strictly regular in all their conversation; what would be thought of God and Religion? Or how should we sa­vour the notion of an impure Deity taking pleasure to indulge the wickedness of men? And if Justice alone have the whole ma­nagement of Affairs, and every act of sin be followed with an act of sudden vengeance, and the whole world become a flaming. Theater, and all men held in an [Page 55] hopeless expectation of fiery indig­nation, and of judgment without mercy; What would become of that amiable Representation, and the consolatory thoughts we have of God, and of that love and duty which some souls do bear towards him? Or if Power should affect daily to shew it self in universal appearances and ef­fects, in changing every hour the shapes of the Terrestrial Crea­tures, in perpetual quick innova­tions of the courses of the Cele­stial, with a thousand more kinds of prodigious events that might be the hourly effects of unlimited power; How were the order of the World disturb [...]d, and how unlovely an Idea would it beget in every intelligent Crea­ture, of him that made and rules it? Yet is it from no defect of Mercy, that all men are not equally favoured and blessed of God; nor of Justice, that a spee­dy vengeance is not taken on all; nor of Power, that the World is [Page 56] not filled with astonishing won­ders every day; but rather from their unexcessiveness; and that they make that blessed temperature where they reside, and are exer­cised in so exact proportion, that nothing is ever done unworthy of Him who is, at once, both perfectly Merciful, and Just, and Powerful, and Wise, and hath all Perfections eminently comprehended and uni­ted in His own most simple Be­ing.

It were therefore besides the purpose to insist only what Sove­raign Power, considered apart, might do; but we are to consi­der what may be congruous to Him to do, who is infinitely Wise and Good, as well as Pow­erful.

1. And first, let it be weighed, how it may square with this Di­vine Wisdom to give being to a World of reasonable Creatures, and giving them only a short time of abod [...] in being, to abandon them to a perpetual annihilation.

[Page 57] Wisdom in any Agent must needs suppose the intention of some valuable End of his action. And the Divine Wisdom where­in it hath any End divers from that which his pure Goodness and Benignity towards his Crea­tures would incline him to (which also we must conceive it most in­tent to promote and further) cannot but have it chiefly in de­sign; it being determined that his goodness should open it self, and break forth into a Creation, and that of reasonable Creatures, so to manage his government over these (which indeed are the only subjects of government in the strict and proper notion of it) as may most preserve his authority, and keep up his just interest in them, both by recommending him to their fear, and love; to possess them with that due and ne­cessary reverence of him, that may restrain them from contemp­tuous sinning; and so endear his government to them, as to engage [Page 58] them to a placid and free obedi­ence.

But how little would it agree with this design of the Divine Wisdom, to have made man only for this temporary state?

For,

1. How little would it tend to the begetting and setling that fear of God in the hearts of men, that were necessary to preserve his authority and government from a prophane contempt; where­as daily experience shews, that there's now no difference made between them that fear God, and them that fear him not, unless wherein the former are worse dealt with, and more exposed to sufferings and wrongs; That at least 'tis often (yea for the most part) so, that to depart from iniquity is to make one's self a prey; that those who profess and evidence the most entire devoted­ness to God, and pay the great­est observance and duty to him, become a common scorn upon this [Page 59] very account; and are in conti­nual danger to be eaten up as bread, by those that call not up­on God, while, in the mean time, the Tabernacles of Robbers pro­sper, and they that provoke God are secure, are not plagued as other men, nor in trouble as other men. And judgment is not here executed for wicked works in this world: If also nothing is to be expected (either of good or evil) in another, who is likely to be induced (in this case) to fear God, or be subject to him? And how unlike is this to the wisdom of the Supream Ruler, to expose his most Rightful and Soveraign Authority, to the fearless and in­solent affronts of his own revolted Creatures, without any design of future reparation to it! as if he had created them on purpose on­ly to curse him, and dye! But he hath prevented the occasion of so reproachful a Censure, and thought fit to fill his Word and the Con­sciences of guilty sinners with [Page 60] threats and dreadful presages of a future judgment, and state of pun­ishment. To which he is no less concern'd, both in point of wis­dom and veracity (and I may add, of Legal Justice) to make the event correspond, that he may neither be found to have omitted any due course, for prevention or redress of so great an evil; and that, if the threatning do not ef­fectually over-awe sinners, the exe­cution may, at least, right himself: And that, in the mean time, he do not (that which would least of all become him, and which were most repugnant to his nature) make use of a solemn fiction to keep the world in order, and maintain his government by falshood and de­ceit, that is, by threatning what he knows shall never be.

2. Nor were there (in the case all along supposed) a more proba­ble provision made, to conciliate and procure to the Divine Maje­sty the love which it is requisite he should have from the children of men.

[Page 61] And this cannot but be thought another apt method for his wisdom to pitch upon, to render his go­vernment acceptable, and to en­gage men to that free and com­placential subjection which is suita­ble to a God. For how can that filial and dutiful affection [...]ver be the genuine product or impress of such a representation of the case between God and them; that is, that they shall be most indispensa­bly obliged to devote their whole being, and all their powers, en­tirely to his Service and Interest; exactly to observe his strictest Laws, to keep under the severest restraint their most innate relu­ctant inclinations; and in the mean time expect the administrations of Providence to be such, towards them, that they shall find harder usage all their days, than his most insolent and irreconcilable Enemies, and at last lose their ve­ry Beings they know not how soon; and therewith (necessarily) all possibilities of any future recom­pence. [Page 62] Is this a likely way to pro­cure love, and to captivate hearts into an affectionate and free obedi­ence? Or what is it probable to produce, but a sowr and sullen despondency, the extinction of all generous affection, and a temper more agreeable to a forc'd en­thralment to some malignant in­sulting Genius, than a willing sub­jection to the God of all Grace and Love?

And every one will be ready to say, There is little of wisdom in that Government, the administra­tion whereof is neither apt to be­get fear or love in those that are subject to it: but either through the want of the one to be despised, or to be regretted through the want of the other.

And this being the very case, up­on supposition of no future state; It seems altogether unworthy of the Divine Wisdom, that such a Creature should ever have been made, as Man, upon which no end is attainable (as the course of [Page 63] Providence commonly runs in this world) in comparison whereof, it were not better, and more honou­rable to his Maker, (whose inte­rest it is the part of his wisdom to consult) that he had never been. And therefore as to God, and the just and worthy designs of his glo­ry, he would seem upon this sup­position wholly made in vain.

2. And Secondly, How congru­ous and agreeable would this sup­position prove to the Goodness of God? As that other Attribute of Wisdom doth more especially re­spect His own interest; so doth this, the interest of his Creatures: That is, if it be understood, not in a Metaphysical, but in a Moral sense, as it imports a propensity and steddy bent of will unto bene­faction, according to that of the Psalmist, Psal. 119. 68. Thou art good, and dost good.

And this free and generous Prin­ciple it is, which gives the first rise and beginning to all the de­signs any way respecting the well­being [Page 64] and happiness of Creatures, which, then, infinite wisdom forms and manages to their full issues and accomplishment, guiding (as it were) the hand of Almighty Power in the execution of them.

That there should be a Creati­on, we may conceive to be the first Dictate of this Immense Good­ness, which afterwards diffuses it self through the whole, in com­munications agreeable to the na­ture of every Creature. So that even this inferior, and less noble part,Psal. 33. 5 the Earth, is full of the good­ness of the Lord.

It creates first its own object, and then pours forth it self upon it with infinite delight, rewarding the expence with the pleasure of doing good.

Now if we should suppose such a Creature as Man made only for that short time and low state, which we see to be allotted him in this world; It were neither difficult, nor enough, to recon­cile the Hypothesis with strict Justice, [Page 65] which upon the ground of absolute dominion, may do what it will with its own: But the ill accord it seems to have with so large and abounding Goodness, renders it very unlike the Dispensation of the blessed God. No enjoy­ment being in that case afforded to this sort of Creatures, agreea­ble to their common nature and capacity, either in degree or con­tinuance.

Not in degree: for who sees not that the nature of man is ca­pable of greater things than he here enjoys? and where that ca­pacity is rescued from the cor­ruption that narrows and debases it, how sensibly do holy souls resent and bewail their present state, as a state of imperfection! With how fervent and vehement desires and groans do they aspire and pant after an higher and more perfect! We that are in this taber­nacle do groan, 2 Cor. 5. 4. being burdened; not for that we would be unclothed (that is not enough, to be delivered [Page 66] out of the miseries of life, by lay­ing down this passive part, is not that which will terminate their desires) but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.

Theirs are not brutal groans, the complaint of opprest sensitive nature under a present evil; but rational and spiritual, the ex­pressions of desire strongly carri'd to pursue an apprehended suitable good.

The truest notion we can yet have of the primitive nature and capacity of man, is by beholding it in its gradual restitution. And is it agreeable to the goodness of God to put such a nature into any, and with-hold the suitable object? As if it were a pleasure to him to behold the work of his own hands spending it self in weary struglings towards him, and vext all the while it continues in being, with the desire of what it shall never enjoy? and which he hath made it desire, and [Page 67] therein encouraged it to expect?

Nor in continuance: For I suppose it already evident, that the nature of man is capable (in respect of his principal part) of perpetuity, and so of enjoying a felicity hereafter, that shall be permanent and know no end. And it seems no way congruous to so large Goodness, to stifle a capaci­ty whereof it was it self the Au­thor, and destroy its own work.

For if the Being of man is in­tended for so short a continuance, either he may have the knowledg of this determination concerning him, or not: If he cannot have the knowledg of it, why should any one say what they cannot know; or put such a thing upon God, that is so vilely reflecting, and dishonourable to him? If he may have the knowledg of it, then doth he seem a Creature made for torment, while, by an easie reflection upon himself, he may discern he is not uncapable of a perpetual state; and is yet [Page 68] brought forth into the light, to be, ere long, extinguish't, and shut up in everlasting darkness. And who can think this a thing worthy of infinite and eternal Goodness? Besides (as hath been insisted before) that this torture, proceeding from so sad an expecta­tion, cannot but be most grievous and afflictive to the best. Whence the Apostle tells us, that Christi­ans, if in this life only they had hope, 1 Cor. 15. 19. were of all men most miserable. So that it were more desirable ne­ver to have been. If any yet, fall hereafter into a state to which they would prefer perpetual annihilati­on, in as much as it is wholly by their own default, it no way re­flects upon Divine Goodness. But it would be a dishonourable refle­ction rather upon that Author and Fountain of all Goodness, if he should not express himself wise and just as well as good; as it would upon a man, especially a Ruler over others, if that which we call good nature were conjunct with stoli­dity, [Page 69] or an insensibleness of what­soever affronts to his Person and Government.

Upon the whole, therefore, it seems most repugnant to these great Attributes of the Divine Being, to have made man only for this present state. That to think so, were to conceive unworthily of him, as if he had acted much beneath himself, and done a vain thing in making such a Creature, no end being attainable by it, which we can suppose either his Wisdom or Goodness to aim at.

If any would imagine to them­selves an expedient, by supposing an eternal succession of humane generations, upon whom the Wis­dom and Goodness of God might have a perpetual exercise in the government and sustentation of them for their appointed times: This would be far from satisfying, as to either; but would rather encrease the difficulty. For there would be the same temptation upon all the Individuals, to con­temn [Page 70] or regret the Government of their Maker.

So that he should hereby even eternize his own reproach; and should always, in every successi­on, have still the same craving appetites returning, and expecta­tions never to be satisfied; which were as repugnant to all he hath discovered to us of his nature, as any thing we can suppose.

Though some persons of a light and desultory humour, might ima­gine to themselves a pleasure in it, if they had the power to make such a rotation of things, rising and falling, coming and passing away, at their beck and command; and such as were of a Sanguinary Temper, might sport themselves in raising up and lop­ping off lives at pleasure with an arbitrary hand. Yet sure they would never gain by it the esteem of being either wise or good; and would 'tis like, in time, grow weary of the sport. But to form to our selves such Idea's of the [Page 71] blessed God, were an injury not inferior to the vety denial of his being.

His providence towards the in­ferior Creatures, hath no resem­blance of any such thing; whom his bounty sustains agreeably to their natures, who have no fore­sight of their own cessation from being, to keep them in a conti­nual death by the expectation of it. And who serve to valuable and reasonable purposes, while they are continued; for they are useful, partly to the sustentation of man, and partly to his instruction, in order to his higher Ends.

And though each individual of them do not actually so, it is sufficient that the several kinds of them are naturally apt thereto, which are propagated according to a setled course and Law of Nature in their individuals. And if all immediately serve not man, yet they do it mediately in ser­ving those that more immediate­ly do. Besides that when such a [Page 72] work was to be done, as the fur­nishing out, and accomplishing this lower world; It was meet all things should be in number, weight and measure, and correspond in every part. As if one build a House for entertainment, though the more noble Rooms only do come in view, yet all the rest are made answerably decent, on sup­position that they may. It was be­coming the august and great Lord of this world, that it have in it, not only what may sustain the indigent, but gratifie the contem­plative, by fresh variety; who would be apt to grow remiss by conversing only with what were of every days observation. Nor was that a low end, when such contemplation hath so direct a tendency to raise a considering mind to the sight, and love, and praise of the Supream Being, that hath stampt so lively signatures and prints of his own perfection upon all his works.

If it be said, Man might be in [Page 73] the same kind serviceable to the contemplation of Angels, though he were himself never to know any other than this mortal state. 'Tis true, that he might so; but yet the incongruities were no way salved, of God's putting a capa­city and expectation into his na­ture of a better state. Of his dealing so hardly with them, that he hath procured to love him. Of his never vindicating their high contempt, that spent their days in rebellion against him.

Besides, that these were ill pre­cedents, and no pleasant Theams for the view of an Angelical mind. And if they see a nature extinct, capable of their state, what might they suspect of their own?

So that which way soever we turn our thoughts, we still see that man's mortality, and liable­ness to an unavoidable death, ab­stracted from the thoughts of ano­ther state, carry that constant as­pect, as if all men were made in vain.

[Page 72] What remains then, but that we conclude hence, we ought not too much, o [...] too long, thus to abstract, no [...] too closely con­fine our eye to this dark and gloo­my Theam, Death, and the Grave, or with-hold it from look­ing further. For far be it from us to think the wise and holy God hath given being to man (and consequently exercised a long con­tinued series of Providence tho­rough so many successive Ages to­wards him) in vain.

Nothing but a prospect of ano­ther state can solve the knot, and work through the present difficul­ty, can give us a true account of man, and what he was made for.

Therefore since it would be prophane and impious, sad and uncomfortable, a blasphemy to our Maker, and a torture to our selves, to speak it as our setled apprehension and judgment, That God had made man to no pur­purpose: We are obliged and con­cerned, [Page 73] bo [...] [...] to Him, and compossion to our selves, so to repre [...]ent the [...]a [...]e as that we may be able to remove so un­worthy and black a thought to the greatest distance from us, both in it self, and whatsoever pra­ctise would be consequent there­to. That is, to conclude, That certainly there must be another state after this; and according­ly steer our course.

The Improvement then of the foregoing Discourse, will have a double aspect;

• On our
  • Judgments.
  • Practice.

1. On our Judgments, To settle this great Principle of Truth in them, The certain futurity of ano­ther state, after this life is over. Unto which this present state is only preparatory and introdu­ctive.

For whereas we can never give a [Page 76] rational account why such a Crea­ture as man was made, if we con­fine all ou [...] apprehensions concer­ning him to his present state on earth: Let them once transcend those narrow limits, flye over in­to eternity, and behold him made for an everlasting state hereafter; and the difficulty now vanishes, the whole affair looks with a com [...]ly and befitting aspect.

For we may now represent the case thus to our selves. That man was put into this terrestrial state and dwelling, by the wise and righteous designation of his great Creator and Lord, that his Loyalty to him amidst the temp­tations and enticements of sensible things, might be tried a while: That revolting from Him, he is only left to feel here the just smart of his causeless defection. That yet such farther methods are used for his recovery, as are most suitable to his so empaired state. An allayed light shines to him in the midst of darkness, that [Page 77] his feebler eye may receive a gra­dual illumination, and behold God in those more obscure discoveries which he now vouchsafes of him­self, till by degrees he be won to take up good thoughts of him, and return into an acquaintance and friendship with him; which once begun here, shall be hereaf­ter perfected in eternal fruitions. The offence and wrong done to his Maker, he in a strange un­thought of way makes compensa­tion of to himself. And testifies his reconcileableness, and per­swades a reconciliation upon such terms, and by so endearing Me­diu [...]s as might melt and molli [...]ie hearts of Adamant; and shall ef­fectually prevail with many to yeild themselves the Subjects and Instances of his admired goodness for ever; while others lye only under the natur [...]l consequents and just resentments of their unremedi­ed enmity and [...]olly. So are the glorious issues of God's dispensati­on towards man, and the wise [Page 78] and merciful conduct of his equal Government, worthily celebrated through the days of Eternity with just acclamations and prai­ses. We can fasten upon nothing ex [...]ptionable or unaccountable, yea, or that is not highly lauda­ble and praise-worthy in this course of procedure.

Therefore, though now we be­hold a dark Cloud of Mortality hanging over the whole Humane Race; Though we see the grave still devouring, and still unsatisfi­ed, and that all are successively drawn down into it; and we puzzle our selves to assign a rea­son why such a Creature was made a reasonable Being, capable of an everlasting duration, to visit the world only, and vanish; to converse a short space with ob­jects and affairs so far beneath it, and retire we know not whither. If yet our eye follow him through the darker paths of the Region of Death, till at the next appearance we behold him cloathed with im­mortality, [Page 79] and fitted to an endless state, the wonder is over, and our amusement quickly ceases.

Wherefore l [...]t us thus bethink our selves, and consider: Surely he that m [...]e this great Universe, and dispos'd all the sorts, stati­ons, and motions o [...] Creatures in it, in so exquisite order and me­thod, cannot but be a most per­fectly wise and intellectual Ag [...]nt, and therefore cannot be supposed to have done any thing to no pur­pose; much less when all the in­ferior Creatures have Ends visibly answering the exigency of their natures, to have made so excel­lent a Creature as Man (the no­bler part of his lower Creation) in vain; that He only should be without his proportionable end, and after a short continuance in being, return to nothing, with­out leaving it conjecturable what he was made for. This were so in­tolerable an incongruity, and so unlike the footsteps that every where else appear of the Divine [Page 80] wisdom and goodness, that we cannot but enquire further into this matter, and conclude at last, That he was made for some high­er purposes than are within the reach of our sight; and hath his principal [...]t yet to act upon a­nother st [...]ge, within the vail, that shall never be taken down.

The future immortality of man seen [...]s, therefore, so certainly grounded upon what is discover­ed and generally acknowledged touching the na [...]ure of God, and his most peculiar and essential Per [...]ections, that unless we were further put to prove the exist­ence of a God (which to them that are rational need not, and to them that are not, were in vain) there can no reasonable doubt remain concerning it.

2 2. Wherefore the further use we have to make of the matter pro­posed, is in reference to our Pra­ctice: Which it may fi [...]ly serve both to correct and reprove, [Page 81] and also to direct and guide.

1. It administers the ground of just rebuke, that since if we ter­minate our thoughts and designs upon things, only on this side the grave, it would seem we were wholly made in vain, we do yet so generally employ our cares and endeavours about such things, and even the vilest and most de [...]p [...] ­ble of these: And so live, not to our own dishonour only, but to the reproach of our Maker, as if he made us for no more worthy Ends. And let us but impartially debate the matter with our selves: Can we, in sober reason, think we were made only for such Ends as the most only pursue? Have we any pretence to think so? Or can it enter into our souls to be­lieve it? Would not men be a­shamed to profess such a belief? Or to have it written in their fore­heads, These are the only ends they are capable of? Then might one read, Such a man born to put others in mind of his Predecessor's [Page 82] Name; and only lest such a Family should want an Heir; Such a one to consume such an Estate, and devour the Provenue of so many Farms and Manors. Such a one to [...]ill so many Bags and Coffers, to sustain the riot of him that suc­ceeds. Some created to see, and make sport; to run after Hawks and Dogs, or spend the time which their weariness redeems from converse with Brutes, in making themselves such, by drink­ing away the little residue of Wit and Reason they have left; mix­ing with this gentile exercise, their impure and scurrilous Drolleries, that they m [...]y befriend one ano­ther with the kind occasion of proving themselves to be yet of Humane Race, by this only demon­stration remaining to them, that they can laugh. Which medium, if the wisdom of the jest were known, would be found so preg­nant, as to afford them a double conclusion; and be as effectual oftentimes, to prove them Fools [Page 83] as Men. Others one might read born to trouble the world, to di [...]quiet the neighbourhood, and be the common plague of all a­bout them, at least, if they have any within their reach and pow­er, that are v [...]is [...]r and more sober than themselves; or that value not their souls at so cheap a rate as they. Others made to blaspheme their Maker, to rent the Sacred Name of God, and make proof of their high valour, and the gallan­try of their brave spirits, by bid­d [...]ng a defiance to Heaven, and pro­claiming their Heroick contempt of the Deity, and of all Religion. As if they had perswaded them­selves into an opinion, That be­cause they have had so prosperous success in the high atchievements of conquering their humanity, and bassling their own Fear, and Rea­son, and Conscience, Death also will yeild them as easie a victory, or be afraid to encounter men of so redoubled courage; that the God of Heaven, rather than of­fend [Page 84] them, will not stick to re­peal his Laws for their sakes, or never exact the observance of them from persons of their qua­lity; that they shall never be cal­led to judgment; or be comple­mented only there, with great re­spect, as persons that bore much sway in their Countrey, and could number so many Hundreds or Thousands a year; that, at least, the infernal flames will ne­ver presume to touch so worthy Personages; that Devils will be awed by their Greatness, and fear to seize them, lest they should take it for an affront. No conceit can be imputed to these men ab­surd enough to over-match the absurdity of their practice. They can themselves think nothing more gross and shameful, than what they daily are not ashamed to act. For what absurdity can be compas­sed in a thought, greater than what appears in a course of life managed in perpetual hostility to all Principles of Reason and Hu­manity? [Page 85] And either they must own all the impious solly of such thoughts; or confess, upon o­ther accounts, an equal inf [...]tua­tion in their thinking-faculty it self. For either they think their course justifiable, or they do not. If they do, how fatally are all things inverted in their depraved minds? Wisdom and Folly, Ver­tue and Vice, Good and Evil, seem to them transform'd into one another, and are no longer to be known by their Names. The com­mon notions of all mankind are but blind fancies in comparison of their later and clearer illuminati­on. And the ancient religious sen­timents of all former ages, dreams and follies to their admired n [...]w light. Their wise and rare d [...]sco­v [...]ries, That they and all things came by chance; That this wor [...] hath no Owner or Lord (because they never had wit or patience to consider the non-sense of them; and though they never any of them, had the luck to see [...] [Page 86] clod of earth or grain of sand start up into being out of nothing; much less ground to think, that su [...]h a World should of it self do so) are reason enough with them to mock at the Eternal Being, and attempt to jeer Religion out of the world, and all other men out of their reason and wits, as they have themselves. And sure this must be their only pretence; and their Atheism the best reason, upon which to justifie their constant practice. For who can think, (while he sees them not yet in chains) they should be so per­fectly mad, as to acknowledg only such a Deity (the Author and Ruler of all things) whose favour were worth nothing? or to be procured by affronts? to whom contempt were a sacrifice? and the violation of whatsoever is Sa­cred, the most effectual propitia­tion? or acknowledg him for a God whom they hope to over­power, and to prosper in a War against him?

[Page 87] And if they acknowledg none at all, and this be the fundamental Article of their Creed, That there is indeed none; Then can no man charge them with any thought more grosly foolish than their own, nor can they devise to say any thing, by which more certainly to argue themselves berest of the common understanding of men. For who that is not so, if he only take no­tice of his own being, may not as certainly conclude the existence of a God, as that two and two make four? Or what imagination can be too absurd to have place in that mind that can imagine this Crea­tion to be a casualty? He would be thought besides himself that should say the same of the compo­sition of a Clock, or a Watch, though it were a thousand times more supposable. But if they do not justifie themselves, to what purpose is it further to press them with absurdities, that persist in constant self-contradiction? or that have not so much left them of ra­tional [Page 88] sensation, as to feel in their own minds the pressure of the very greatest absurdity?

If they only presume they do well, because they have never askt themselves the question, or spent any thoughts about it; this speaks as much a besotted mind, as any of the rest; and is as unworthy of a reasonable Creature. Why have they the power of thinking? Or who do in any case more general­ly incurr the censure of impru­dence and folly, than they who have only this plea for their acti­ons, That they did not consider? Especially when the case is so plain, and the most sudden refle­ction would discover the iniquity and danger of their course.

And one would think nothing should be more obvious, or more readily occurr to the mind of a man, than to contemplate him­self, and taking notice there is such a Creature in the world, fur­nished with such abilities and powers, to consider, What was I [Page 89] made for? What am I to pitch upon as my proper End? Nor any thing appear more horrid to him, than to cross the very Ends of his Creation.

2. It may also be improv'd to the directing of our Practice. For which purpose we may hence take this general Rule, That it be such as becomes the expectation of a future state. For what else is left us, since in our present state we behold nothing but vanity?

We see thus stands our case, that we must measure our selves by one of these apprehensions; Either [we are made in vain]; or [we are made for a future state]. And can we endure to live according to the former? As if we were im­pertinencies in the Creation, and had no proper business in it? What ingenuous persons would not blush to be always in the posture of an useless hang-by? to be still hang­ing on, where he hath nothing to do? that if he be asked, Sir, what's your business here? he hath nothing to say?

[Page 90] Or how can we bear it, to live as if we came into the world by chance? or rather by mistake? As though our Creation had been a misadventure, a thing that would not have been done, had it been better thought on? And that our Maker had overshot himself, and been guilty of an oversight, in gi­ving us such a being? Who that hath either just value for himself, or any reverence for his Maker, could endure either to undergo the reproach, or be guilty of the blasphemy which this would im­port? And who can acquit him­self of the one or the other, that lives not in some measure agreea­bly to the expectation of some­what beyond this present life? Let us therefore gird up the loins of our minds, and set our faces as persons designing for another world; so shaping our course, that all things may concur to sig­nifie to men the greatness of our expectations. We otherwise proclaim to the world (to our [Page 91] own and our Creator's wrong) that we have reasonable souls gi­ven us to no purpose. We are therefore concern'd and obliged both to aim at that worthy End, and to discover and make it visible that we do so.

Nor is a design for an immor­tal state so mean and inglorious, or so irrational and void of a so­lid ground, that we have any cause either to decline or conceal it; either not to retain, or to be ashamed of our hope.

Nor is there any thing to be done in prosecution of it, so un­worthy as to need a corner, or merit to be done as a work of darkness.

Neither yet is it a vain-glori­ous ostentation, or the affectation of making shew of an excellency above the vulgar pitch that I per­swade to: But a modest sober a­vowing of our high design and hope; neither making any near approach to a proud arrogance on the one hand; nor a mean pusil­lanimity [Page 92] on the other. Truly great and generous spirits know how to carry under Secular Ho­nour with that prudent and grace­ful decorum as shall signifie a just owning of themselves without in­solence towards others. Real worth though it do not vaunt, will shew it self; and while it doth not glare, yet cannot forbear to shine.

We should endeavour the ex­cellency of a spirit refin'd from earth and dross, and aspiring to­wards a state of immortality, may express it self; and shine in its na­tive lustre; with its own, not with borrowed beams; with a constant, even, natural; not with an une­qual artificial light. That all that will, may see, by the steddy ten­dency of our course, that we are aiming at the great things of ano­ther world. Though we, all the while, are not so much solicitous to have our end and purpose known, as to obtain it.

And verily, since the vile sons [Page 93] of the earth, the men of sense, that aim at no other end than to gratifie their brutal appetite with such pleasure as is only to be com­pass'd within a short li [...]s-time in this world; and who live to the reproach of their Maker, and of mankind, do not go about to hide the infamy of their low design, or conceal the degenerous baseness of their mean spirits; but while they make their belly their God, and only mind earthly things, do also glory in their shame: How much were it beneath the state and spirit of the sons of God, that are worthily designing for a glori­ous immortality, to be ashamed of their glory? or think of stealing a passage to Heaven in the dark?

No; let them know, it is not only too mean a thing for them to involve themselves in the com­mon spirit of the sensual world, but even to seem to do so. And that this is so soul and ignomini­ous a thing, as whereof they are concern'd, not to be free from the [Page 94] guilt only, but the suspition.Heb. 11. Those worthy souls that in for­mer (and darker) days were enga­ged in seeking the Heavenly Countrey, thought it became them to confess themselves pil­grims and strangers on the earth: And therein, to declare plainly, that they were seeking that better Coun­trey. Which confession and plain declaration, we need not under­stand to be meerly verbal, but practical and real also, such as might be understood to be the lan­guage of their lives, and of a constant uniform course of acti­ons, agreeable to such a de­sign.

Let us therefore bethink our selves, what temper of mind, and manner of life may be most conformable to this design, and best become persons pretending to it: Whereupon we should soon find our own thoughts instruct­ing us, that such things as these would be most becoming, and fit, in reference thereto; and which, [Page 95] we may therefore take as so many particular directions how to go­vern our spirits, and behave our selves answerably to so great an expectation.

1. That we endeavour for a calm indifferency and dispassionate temper of mind towards the vari­ous objects and affairs that belong to this present life. There are ve­ry narrow limits already set, by the nature of the things themselves, to all the real objective value that such things have in them: And it is the part of wisdom and ju­stice to set the proportionable bounds to all the thoughts, cares, and passions, we will suffer to stir in our minds in reference to them. Nothing is a more evident acknow­ledged Character of a Fool, than upon every slight occasion to be in a transport. To be much taken with empty things, betokens an empty spirit. It is a part of manly fortitude to have a soul so fenc't against forreign impressions, as lit­tle to be mov'd with things that [Page 96] have little in them. To keep our pas­sions under a strict rein, and steddy command, that they be easily re­tractable, and taught to obey. Not to move till severe Reason have audited the matter, and pro­nounc't the occasion just and va­luable. In which case the same manly temper will not refuse to admit a proportionable stamp and impress from the occurring ob­ject: For it is equally a prevari­cation from true Manhood, to be mov'd with every thing, and with nothing. The former would speak a man's spirit a feather, the latter a stone. A total apathie and insen­sibleness of external occurrents, hath been the aim of some, but never the attainment of the high­est pretenders. And if it had, yet ought it not to have been their boast; as upon sober thoughts it cannot be reckoned a perfection. But it should be endeavour'd, that the passions which are not to be rooted up (because they are of Nature's planting) be yet so dis­creetly [Page 97] check't and deprest, that they grow not to that enormous tallness, as to over [...]op a man's in­tellectual power, and cast a dark shadow over his soul.

A rational authority must be maintained, a continency and do­minion of one's self, that there be not an impotent profusion, and we be never so affected with any thing, but that the object may still be able to warrant and justifie the affection, both for the nature and degree of it.

Which rule if we strictly ob­serve, and apply it to the present case, we shall rarely meet with any temporal concern that ought to move us much: both for the lit­tleness of such things themselves, and that we have so unspeakably greater things in our view and design.

In con [...]ormity therefore to our so great Expectation, we ought more particularly to watch and repress our inclinations, appetites, and affections towards each several [Page 98] sort and kind of objects which time and this present state hath within the confines of it. As,

How contemptuously should we look upon that empty vanity of being rich? How coldly and care­lesly should we pursue; how un­concern'dly should we lose any thing that might intitle us to that Name?

The pursuit of so d [...]spicable a trifle, with violent and perempto­ry desire, so as hereby to suffer a diversion from our design for ano­ther world, is to make our eter­nal hope less than nothing (For to any man's calm and sober thoughts this will be found as little). And so will amount to a total quit­ting of all our pretensions to a (better) future state; that is, when we so indulge this odd, ir­rational, this wildly sanciful, and purely humoursome appetite (of which no man can give any tole­rable account), that it becomes ravenous, when it devours a man's time, his thoughts, the strength [Page 99] and vigour of his spirit, swallows up his nobler designs, and makes an idle doting about he knows not what, or why, his main busi­ness.

Especially when Conscience it self becomes a sacrifice to this impure, unhallowed Idol; and the question is wholly waved, Is this thing just and honest? and no­thing is considered, but that its commodious and gainful.

Yet (if herein we will take up­on us to pass a judgment upon other men) it will be no way in­genuous or just, that in smaller and disputable matters, we make our own apprehensions a measure and standard to them. They are commonly aptest to do so, who have least studied the matter, and have nothing but their ignorant confidence to intitle them to the Dictator's Chair; where, howe­ver, having placed themselves▪ they liberally bestow their cen­sures and reproaches on all that think ir not fit to throw away [Page 100] their own eyes, and see with their bad ones. And conclude them to have no Conscience, who go not according to theirs. And that they cannot but have some base design, who in any thing presume to swerve from their judgment, espe­cially if the advantage, in any tem­poral respect, happen to lye on that side from which they dissent.

Nothing can indeed so comport with the spirit and design of one who believes himself made for ano­ther world, as a brave and gene­rous disdain of stooping to the lure of present emolument, so as thereby to be drawn into any the least thing which he judges not disensible by the severest Rules of Reason and Religion; which were to quit a serene Heaven for mire and dirt.

There is nothing in this world of that value, or worthy to be bought so deer, as with the less and for­feiture of the rest and repose of a mind quiet, benign, peaceful, and well pleased with it self. It is [Page 101] enough if one find himself, by diffi­culties which he cannot master, constrained to dissent from per­sons above exception wise and pi­ous, placidly, and without unbe­coming confidence, to go on in the way which his present judg­ment allows, carrying with him a modest sense of humane infir­mity, and how possible it is the error may lye on his own part: Having, yet, to relieve him against that supposition, the clearness of his own spirit, the conscience of his innocency of any ill dispositi­on or design; of his instructible­ness and preparedness to admit a conviction if he err. And be he never so fully perswaded about the thing in difference, yet to consider the smallness of it, and how little cause he hath of glo­rying, if he know in this matter more than others, who, possibly, know ten times more than he, in far greater and more important matters.

But, in matters clearly determi­ned [Page 102] by common agreed Princi­ples, to prevaricate out of an in­dulgence to meer appetite; To give up one self to practices ap­parently immoral and flagitious, only to comply with, and lest he should not satisfie sensual desires, is the Character of one who hath a­bandoned the common hope of all good men; and who, that he may have his lot with beasts in this world, dreads not to have it with Devils in the other.

And it is upon the same ground, equally unbecoming them that pretend to this hope, to be visi­bly concern'd and discompos'd for losses and disappointments they may meet with in this kind, when unexpected events withstand their having much of this world, or deprives them of what they have. It becomes them that reckon their good things are to come hereaf­ter, to shew by their equal de­portment and cheerful aspect in any such case, that they apprehend not themselves toucht in their [Page 103] most considerable Interests. Yea, though they suffer not losses only, but injuries; and besides that they are damnifi'd (as much as such things can signifie) they find themselves wrong'd; and though further trouble and danger threaten them in the same kind, They should evidence how much it is above the power either of chance or malice, not only to make them miserable, but even to disturb or make them sad. That they are not happy by a casualty; And that their happiness is not in the command of them who cannot command their own. That it on­ly depends on the inward consti­tution and frame of their own spirits, attempered to the blessed objects of the invisible world, whereby they have the assurance of enjoying them fully hereafter, and the present grateful relishes there­of in the mean time: and hence, That they can be happy without the world's kindness, and in de­spite of its unkindness. That they [Page 104] have somewhat within them, by which they are enabled to rejoyce in tribulation; being troubled on every side, yet not to be distress'd: To take joyfully the spoiling of goods, knowing within themselves they have in Heaven a better and enduring substance. Not to suffer or discover any perturbation or disquiet. Not to have their Souls ruffled or put into disorder; Nor let any Cloud sit on their brow, though dark and dismal ones seem to hang over their heads.

And the same absurdity it would be to indulge to themselves an unbounded liberty of sensual plea­sures. For that looks like a de­spair of futurity; as if a day were a mighty gain for eating and drink­ing, because to morrow we must dye. An abstemious shyness here is comely. A tasting only the de­lights, whereof others suffer themselves to be ingulft. A pru­dent reservednes and restraint, so as that what shall cause with o­thers an unbeseeming transport, [Page 105] and diffusion of themselves, be en­tertain'd, not with a Cynical mo­rosity, but a pleasant composure, and well order'd complacence; keeping a due and even distance between levity and sourness.

Yet there is a natural retired­ness in some mens tempers; and in others an aversion to pleasures, proceeding only of a rational esti­mate of their emptiness and vani­ty in themselves; which may, however, much fall short of wha [...] the present case requires: The exi­gency whereof is no way satisfied, but where such a moderation to the product of a comparative judg­ment between the delights of the present, and those of the future state: When one so enjoys any thing in this world, as to be under the power of nothing, because of the more prevailing influence he is under from the power of the world to come: When his Faith is the Parent of his Sobriety; and his denial of worldly lusts flows from the expectation of the blessed [Page 106] hope: When, because he more highly prizes, and lest he forfeit eternal pleasures, he so behaves himself towards all temporary ones, as neither to abuse those that are lawful, nor to be abused by the unlawful; not to exceed in the one, nor to touch with the other.

Thus also ought we to look up­on Secular Honours and Dignity; neither to make them the matter of our admiration, affectation, or envy. We are not to behold them with a libidinous eye, or let our hearts thirst after them. Not to value our selves the more for them if they be our Lot: nor let our eye be dazled with admiration, or distorted with envy, when we be­hold them the ornaments of o­thers.

We are not to express that con­tempt of them, which may make a breach on civility, or disturb the order and policy of the Commu­nities whereto we belong. Though this be none of our own Countrey, [Page 107] and we are still to reckon our selves but as pilgrims and stran­gers while we are here; yet it be­comes not strangers to be in­solent or rude in their behaviour, where they sojourn; how much soever greater value they may justly have of their own Countrey. We should pay to Secular Greatness a due respect, without Idolatry, and neither despise nor adore it; considering at once the requisite­ness of such a thing in the present state, and the excelling glory of the other. As, though in prudence and good manners, we would ab­stain from provoking affronts to­wards an American Sachim, or Sa­gamore, if we did travel or con­verse in their Countrey; yet we could have no great veneration for them, having beheld the royal pomp and grandeur of our own Prince; especially he who were himself a Courtier and Favourite to his much more glorious Sove­raign, whom he is shortly to attend at home, could have no great temp­tation [Page 108] to sue for Offices and Ho­nours, or bear a very profound intrinsick homage to so mean and unexpressive an Image of Rega­lity.

It can surely no way become one who seeks and expects the ho­nour and glory which is conjunct with immortality, Rom. 2. 7. to be fond of the airy titles that poor Mortals are wont to please themselves with; or to make one among the obse­quious servile company of them whose business it is to court a va­nishing shadow, and tempt a dig­nified trifle into the belief it is a Deity; to sneak and cringe for a smile from a supercilious brow; and place his Heaven in the dis­dainful favours of him, who, it may be, places his own as much in thy homage (so that it befalls into the Supplicant's power to be his Creator whose Creature he affects to be). What eye would not soon spy out the grosness of this absurdity? And what ingenui­ty would not blush to be guilty of [Page 109] it? Let, then, the joyful expectants of a blessed immortality, pass by the busie throng of this fanciful Exchange; and behold it with as little concern, as a grave States­man would the sports and ludi­crous actions of little Children, and with as little inclination of mind, as he would have to leave his business, and go play with them; bestowing, there, only the transient glance of a careless or a compassionate eye, and still reser­ving their intent steddy views for the glorious hope set before them.

And with a proportionable un­concernedness should they look on and behold the various alterna­tions of Political Affairs; no fur­ther minding (either the consti­tution or administration of Go­vernment) than as the Interest of the universal Ruler, the weal and safety of their Prince or Countrey are concerned in them▪ But how many under the specious pretence of a publike spirit, make it their whole business to inspect [Page 110] and pry into these affairs, even with a most meanly private and interested one! watching over the Publike beyond the bounds of their own Calling; and with no other design, than to catch at an oppor­tunity of serving their own turns! How many that stand perpetually at a gaze, in a suspenceful expe­ctation how things will go! either joying or hoping to behold any fa­vourable prognosticks to the Party whereto they have thought fit to addict themselves. Glad, or desi­rous to see it ingross power, and grasp the sum of things, not from any sense of duties towards God's Vicegerents; not from love of Ju­stice, or study of publike advan­tage; but that the happier lo [...] may befall or remain to them­selves: These men are absorpt, and swallowed up of the spirit of this World, contemper'd only to this sublunary Region, concorporate with the earth, so as to partake in all its pangs and paroxisms, and tremul [...]us motions. By the [Page 111] beating of their pulse you may know the state of things in this lower World, as if they were of the same piece, and had but one soul with it. Let them see times and a state of things on earth sui­table to their Genius, and you put a new life and soul into them. Reduce them to a despair here, and (so little communion have they with the affairs of that other Countrey) the most specious in­viting representation that can be made to them of the world to come, hinders not, but their hearts languish and dye, and be­come as stones within them.

But that lofty foul that bears about with it the living appre­hension of its being made for an everlasting state, so earnestly in­tends it, that it shall ever be a de­scent and vouchsafement with it, if it allow it self to take notice what busie mortals are doing in their (as they rec [...]n them) grand negotiations here below. And if there be a suspition of an aptness [Page 112] or inclination to intermeddle in them to their prejudice to whom that part belongs, can heartily say to it (as the Philosopher to the jealous Tyrant) We of this Academy are not at leisure to mind so mean things. We have somewhat else to do than to talk of you. He hath still the image before his eye, of this world vanishing and passing away; of the other, with the everlasting affairs and concernments of it, even now ready to take place, and fill up all the stage: and can repre­sent to himself the vision (not from a melancholick fancy or cra­zed brain, but a rational faith, and a sober well instructed mind) of the World dissolving, Monarchies and Kingdoms breaking up, Thrones tumbling, Crowns and Scepters lying as neglected things. He hath a Telescope through which he can behold the glorious appear­ance of the Supream Judg, the solemn state of his Majestick Per­son, the splendid pomp of his magnificent and vastly numerous [Page 113] retinue; the obsequious Throng of glorious Celestial Creatures, doing homage to their Eternal King; the quick celerity of the emissitious Partisans covering the face of the Heavens with their spreading wings, and dispersing themselves into all the four Winds to gather the Elect: The universal silent at­tention of all to that loud-sound­ing Trumpet that shakes the pil­lars of the world, pierces the in­most caverns of the earth, and refounds from every part of the incircling Heavens: The many Myriads of joyful Expectants ari­sing, changing, putting on glory, taking wing, and contending up­wards, to joyn themselves to the triumphant Heavenly Hoast: The Judgment set: The Books opened: The frightful amazed looks of sur­prized Wretches: The equal ad­ministration of the final Judg­ment: The adjudication of all to their eternal states: The Heavens roll'd up as a scrowl; the Earth, and all things therein, consumed and burnt up.

[Page 114] And now what spirit is there any more left in him towards the trivial affairs of a vanishing world! How indifferent a thing is it with him, who bears himself highest in a state of things whereof he fore­sees the certain hastning end! Though he will not neglect the duty of his own place, is heartily concerned to have the knowledg and fear of God more generally obtained in this apostate world; and is ready to contribute his ut­most regular endeavours for the preservation of common peace and order in subserviency hereto. Yet abstractedly, from these confidera­tions, and such as have been before mentioned, he is no more concer­ned who is uppermost, than one would, passing by a swarm of Flyes, which hath the longest wings, or which excels the rest in spright­liness or briskness of motion▪ And for himself, he can insert this among his most serious thanksgivings, That while the care is incumbent on others, of [Page 115] watching over the publike peace and safety, he may sit still, and converse with God, and his own more sedate thoughts. How se­cure is he in this, That infinite Wisdom governs the world! That all things shall be disposed the best way, to the best and most valuable ends! That an afflicted state shall never befall unto good men, but when it is fittest, and most con­ducible it should do so! That the prosperity carnal appetite covets, is never denied them, but when it would be pernicious! How calm is he in the midst of ex­ternal troubles! How placid and serene a spirit inhabits his peace­ful breast! When all things are shaken round about him, he is not shaken. He bears all sort of troubles, but creates none to o­thers, nor is disturbed by any him­self.

But they that delight to see this world rolling or fixed, as may most serve their private pur­poses; and have a perpetual quar­rel [Page 116] with it, while it looks not kindly upon them. Their life is bound up in it, and their pre­tences to another, are but the languid faint notions of what they never heartily believe nor de­sire.

Upon the whole matter, No­thing is more agreeable to this great expectation, than a steady restraint, and moderation of our passions towards things without us▪ That is, all the several sorts of external objects and affairs, that so variously invite, and tempt our observation and regard in this our present state.

2 2. I next add: A further congruity, if we pretend to this expectation, is, That we be not over-much taken up in minding the body. For this looks like a design (or that inconsistent wish) to have our present state perpetua­ted; And that the thoughts are remote from us of a change for a better. As if notwithstanding all [Page 117] that the Divine Goodness hath promised concerning the future in­heritance of the free and heaven­born Seed, This did still lye near­est our hearts, O that Ishmael might live in thy sight! And that the belief did miserably languish with us of any better portion than what our eyes do already behold: Together with the ap­prehension of a spiritual being in us, to be ripened into a compleat and actual capacity of enjoying what is better. It is true, that all the exorbitant workings of those meaner and ignoble passions that are moved by objects aud occasi­ons without, and forreign to us, have the body for their first and last, their spring and source, their center and end. But thence it be­comes the more proper, and re­quisite, that we draw nearer this their seat and center, and strike at the root; and, in killing that inordinate love and solicitude for the body, mortifie them all at once.

[Page 118] We are indeed so far to comply with the pleasure of our Maker, as not to despise the mean abode which he hath assigned us for a while in the body. But withall, to take heed lest we so cross and resist it, as to make caring for the body our whole business: which he hath only enjoyn'd us, in sub­serviency to an unspeakably great­er and more important business. Its health and welfare ought upon very valuable accounts to be care­fully preserved by all prudent means. But to indulge its slothful desires, and comply with its licen­tious wild cravings, is far beneath us, a base unmanning of our selves, and would signifie as if so absurd a conceit had past with us into a setled judgment, That a reasona­ble immortal spirit was created only to tend and serve a Brute. It is monstrous to behold, with how common consent multitudes that professedly agree in the belief of the immortal nature of their souls, do yet agree to debase and [Page 119] enslave them to the meanest ser­vility to their mortal bodies; so as these are permitted to give Laws to them, to prescribe them rules of living, and what their daily employment shall be. For observe the designs they drive, and what is the tendency of their actions and affairs (whence the judgment is to be made concern­ing their inward thoughts, delibe­rations, and resolves) and is not the body the measure and mark of them all? What import or signi­fication is there in this course, of a design for futurity? And (which increases the folly of it to a won­der) they can make a shift to go on thus from year to year, and take no notice of the absurdity! They agree to justifie each one himself, and one another. The commonness of the course takes away all sense of the horrid mad­ness of it. And because each doth as the rest do, they seem to ima­gine they all do well; and that there is nothing exceptionable in [Page 120] in the case;Non qua eundum est sed qua itur. Sen. and go on * (as the sequacious sheep) not the way they ought, but which they see others go before them.

But, if any place could be found for calm and sober thoughts, What would be reckon'd a great­er impertinency, than to be at so great pains for maintaining a bo­dily life, without considering what that life shall serve for? To em­ploy our utmost care to live, but to live for we know not what? It becomes us to be patient of the body, not fond. To treat and use our bodies as things shortly to be put off, and laid aside. To care for them, not for their own, but the works sake we have to do in them; and leave it to them to indulge and pamper the body, who expect never to live out of it. Not to concern our selves, that the circumstances of our bodily state be such as will gratifie our appetites, but answer the Ends for which our Maker thought fit we should live a while in the body. [Page 121] Reckoning with our selves, We are lodg'd in these mean recepta­cles (though somewhat commo­diously, yet) but for a little while, and for great purposes; and more minding our journey, and home, than our entertainment in our Inn. Contentedly bearing the want of bodily accommodations, that are not easily to be compass'd, and the pressure of unavoidable bodily infirmities; not much pi­tying our selves because of them; nor deeply regretting it, if wants and pains pinch our flesh; nay, though we see the outward man perishing, so we can but find the inward renewing day by day.

3. That we set our selves with 3 the whole intention of our souls, to mind the concernments of the future state, the invisible things of the other world; and direct the main stream of our thoughts, de­sires, hopes, and joys, thitherward. For how highly justifiable and be­coming is it, that we principally [Page 122] mind the state and things we were made for? We should therefore make these familiar to our selves, and use our spirits to those more noble and pleasant Theams: Re­counting often, how unworthy it is of them to grovel in the dust, or chuse the objects of their con­verse by such measures only as are taken from sense.

It is an iniquity which, though God may be so gracious to us as to forgive, we should not easily forgive to our selves; That we have so often chosen to converse with empty trifles, while so great things have invited our thoughts in vain.

Their remoteness from sense hath little of excuse in it, and unworthy a reasonable Creature. Methinks they should be ashamed to alledg it, who consider them­selves furnished with an intelle­ctual power that doth, in many other instances, controle the judg­ment of sense, and impeach it of falshood. Would we not blush to [Page 123] profess it for a Principle, That there is nothing real that exceeds the sphere of our sense?

We would reckon it a part of modesty, not to ascribe too much to our own Understandings, or presume too far upon our in­tellectual Ability, against the Judg­ment of sage and knowing per­sons. How is it then, that we think it not immodest to oppose the apprehensions of our dull and incapacious sense, to the common faith and reason of all good and wise men, that are or have been in the world, as well as our own? If we have not seen what the state of things is in the other world, are we not told? And have we not enough to assure us, that 'tis He hath told us, whose nature cannot suffer him to impose upon us, or represent things otherwise than they are? Who else can be the Author of so common a per­swasion? I [...] any man had been the first Inventor of the opinion, That there is another state of things to suc­ceed [Page 124] to this; would he not have assumed it to himself, that he was so? Would he not have own'd it, and glory'd in it? Or would not some or other of his proselyted disciples have preserved his name and memory, and transmitted them to posterity? Could so vast a sect be without an Head or Master, known and celebrated among men?

Less plausible Opinions find some Owner; Why is it not said, Who was the first Broacher of this? And if we can find no other Parent for it, but He who was the Parent of our beings, how grate­ful should such a discovery be to us, both for His sake, and its own? Upon His account, we should surely think it worthy to be believed; and upon its own, to be considered and seriously thought on, with greatest delight and sense of plea­sure.

Many things that we reckon considerable upon much lower ac­counts, we so believe, as to let them engage our hearts, and in­fluence [Page 125] our practice, upon much lower evidence: How intirely are mens spirits taken up many times about meaner matters, whereof they have only a (much more un­certain and [...]allible) report from one another? What pretence can we have, less to regard▪ the testimony of Him that made us, discover­ing to us things so great, so im­portant, so rational in themselves, even though they had not been so expresly revealed? Let us there­fore d [...]ive the matter to a clear and short issue, and come to a re­solution wi [...] our selves: Have we reason to believe such things, or no? If we can so far impose upon our selves, as to think we have not; or be tempted into so abject, so unrequired, and so un­warrantable a self denial, so base an esteem of our own beings, as to account the things of this earth and present world have enough in them to answer any Ends we can suppose our selves made for; Let us no longer mock the world, by [Page 126] pretending to believe what we be­lieve not: but if this be our set­led judgment, and we will avow and own it, That we believe these things; Let us no longer expose and make our selves ri­diculous, by counter-acting our own pr [...]fessed belief in matters of such moment, pretending to be­lieve, and disregarding them at the same time. 'Tis absurd and foolish to believe such things, and not mind them much, or not let our souls and our practice be com­manded and governed by them: Not to have our desires, and cares, and hopes, and joys, in­fluenc'd thereby to the uttermost; How rational [...], here, to be deeply [...] by the un­suitableness [...] own spirits we defeat not our [...] expectations! How pleasant and delectable (that danger being provided against) to sit down and compare our pre­sent with our expected state! what we are, with what we hope to be ere long! To think of ex­changing [Page 127] shortly, infirmity, pol­lution, darkness, deformity, trou­ble, complaint; for power, puri­ty, light, beauty, rest, and praise! How pleasant, if our spi­rits be fitted to that state! The endeavour whereof is a further congruity in the present case, viz.

4 That we make it our princi­pal 4 business to intend our spirits, to adorn and cu [...]ivate our in­ward man. What can more be­come us, if we reckon we have somewhat about us made for im­mortality, than to bestow our chief care upon that immortal part? Therefore to neglect our spirits, con [...]ss [...]dly capable of so high an estate; to let th [...]m lan­guish under w [...]ing distemp [...]rs, or lye as the S [...]uggard's Field, overgrown with thorus and b [...]i­ars, is as vile a sl [...]rr as we can put upon our selves and our own profession.

We should therefore make this the matter of our earnest study, [Page 128] What would be the proper im­provements and ornaments of our spirits, and will most fitly qualifie them for the state we are going into; and of our daily observation how such things thrive and grow in us. Especially we should not be satisfied, till we find in our selves a refinedness from this earth, a thorough purgation from all un­due degrees of sensual inclination and affection; the consumption of our dross by a Sacred Fire from Heaven, a Spirit of Judgment and of Burning, an aptitude to spiri­tual exercises and enjoyments; high complacency in God, fer­vent love, a worshipping posture of soul, formed to the veneration of the eternal Wisdom, Goodness, Power, Holiness, profound humi­lity, and abnegation of our selves; a praiseful frame of spirit, much used to gratulations and thanks­givings; a large and universal love, imitating, as much as is pos­sible, the Divine: A proneness to do good to all; a steady compo­sure, [Page 129] and serene temper of spirit; the repose and rest of a contented mind, not boisterous, not apt un­to disquiet, or to create storms to our selves, or the world; E­very way suitable to the blissful Regions, where nothing but per­fect purity, entire devotedness to God, love, goodness, benignity, well-pleasedness, order, and peace, shall have place for ever.

This we ought to be constantly intent upon, as the business of our lives, our daily work, to get our spirits so attempered and fi [...] ­ted to Heaven, that if we be ask­ed, What design we drive? What are we doing? We may be able to make this true answer, We are dressing our selves for Eternity: And since nothing is required hereto, that is simply impossible, nothing but what is agreeable to our natures, and would be a per­fection to them; How worthy and commendable an ambition were it to be always aspiring? not to rest or take up beneath the [Page 130] highest pitch of attainable excel­lency in these kinds, reckoning every degree thereof a due to our natures; and that they have not what belongs to them, while any thing of real intrinsick moral goodness is yet wanting; and not only due, but necessary, and what we shall have need of in reference to the state we are shortly to en­ter upon; that except such things be in us, and abound, we cannot have an abundant entrance into the ever­lasting Kingdom.

And should we, pretending to such an expectation, omit such endeavours of preparing our selves, it were alike thing as if an un­bred Peasant should go about to thrust himself, with an expectati­on of high Honours and Prefer­ments, into the Prince's Court; or as if a distracted man should expect to be employed in the greatest and most intricate affairs of State; or an uninstructed Idiot take upon him to profess and teach Philosophy.

[Page 131] Therefore let us consider; Are we conscious of no unfitn [...]ss for that blessed state? To dwell in the presence of the holy God? To be associated with the H [...]av [...]nly As­sembly of pure intellectual spirits? To consort and joyn with them in their celebrations and triumphant Songs? Can we espy no such thing in our selves, as an earthy mind, aversation to God, as pride, dis­dain, wrath, or envy, admiration of our selves, aptness to seek our own things, with the neglect of others, or the like? And do not our hearts then misgive? and tell us we are unready? not yet pre­pared to approach the Divine Pre­sence, or to enter into the ha­bitation of his Holiness and Glory? And what then have we to do, but set our selves to our prepa­ratory work? To set our watches, make our observations, take strict notice of all the deflections and obliquities of our spirits, settle our methods, and hasten a re­dress? Do not we know this is the [Page 132] time and state of preparation? And since we know it, how would the folly torture us, by reflection, of having betrayed our selves to a surprisal! None are ever wont to enter upon any new state without some foregoing preparation. Eve­ry more remarkable turn or change in our lives, is, commonly (if at all [...]or [...]known) introduced by ma­ny serious fore-thoughts. If a man be to change his dwelling, em­ployment, condition, common discretion will put him upon thinking how to comport with the place, business, converse, and way of living he is next to betake him­self to: And his thoughts will be the more intense, by how much more momentous the change. If he be to leave his Countrey, with no probability of returning; If he be designed to a station, the cir­cumstances whereof carry any thing of awfulness in them; if to publike business, if to Court-attendances, With what solemni­ty and address are such things un­dertaken! [Page 133] How loath and asha­med would one be, to go into such a condition, being totally unapt, not at all knowing how to be­have himself in it! But what so great change as this can the na­ture of man admit? That a soul, long shut up in flesh, is now to go forth from its earthly Mansi­on, and return no more; expect­ing to be received into the glori­ous Presence of the Eternal King, and go act its part among the perfected Spirits that attend His Throne! How solicitous endeavour of a very thorough preparation, doth this case call for!

But how ill doth the common course of men agree to this! who never have such matters in their thoughts! who so much neglect not their very Hogs, as they do their Spirits!

5. That we have much con­versation 5 with God. He is the only full and permanent Good; therefore the endeavour of be­coming [Page 134] very inward with him, doth best agree with the expectation of a state perfectly good and happy.

To expect this, and converse only with shadows and vanishing things, is to expect to be happy without a happiness; or that our happiness should betide us as a ca­sual thing, or be forc'd upon us at last whether we will or no. But since our happiness in God is on his part not necessary, but vouchsafed and gratuitous, de­pending on meer good pleasure; Is it our best way of ingratiating our selves with him, to neglect him, and live as without him in the world? To keep our selves strangers to him all our days, with a purpose only of flying to him at last, when all things else that were wont to please us, are vanished and gone? And if we could sup­pose his Wisdom and Justice to admit his forgiving so provoking contempt of him, and receiving an exiled Soul forced out from its earthly abode, that to the last mo­ment [Page 135] of it would never look af­ter him, or have to do with him; yet can it be supposed, that its own habitual aversation to him, could allow it to be happy in him? Especially being increased and confirmed by its conscious­ness and sense of guilt? How can these but make it banish it self, and in a sullen enmity and de­spair perp [...]tually fl [...]e the Divine Presence? What can in this case be more natural to it, than to give up it self to eternal solitary wandrings, as a Fugitive from God? to affect to be ever enwrapt in its own darkness, and hidden from his sight, and be an ever­lasting tormentor to it self? Can we be happy in him whom we do not love? or love whom we will not know or be acquainted with?

What sure ground of hope can we imagine to our selves, that our reconciliation and acquaintance with God shall ever be brought about, if it be not done while we are here in the body? Will we be [Page 136] so vain, as to cherish an hope that not only affronts the visible im­port of God's revelation, but the very reason of things, and the na­tural tendency of our own spi­rits? Nor indeed (if we would consider better) can we possibly hope for what we desire not, or whereto our hearts are in an ha­bitual disaffection, other ways than (in the present case) negatively; and that our infidelity permits us not to fear the contrary: yea, and the lively hope of a blessedness in God, as it includes desire, would certainly infer that Purity (the image of his own) that could ne­ver fail to incline our hearts to him, and which would habituate us to a course of walking with him in inward communion.

And this were comely and a­greeable to our pretences; If while we profess our selves made for another state, we retire our selves from the fading things that put a vanity into this; and single out, by our own choice, the stable [Page 137] good which we expect ever to en­joy. How befitting is it to pass by all things with neglect, and betake our selves hither with this sense?

Lord, I have viewed the World over in which thou hast set me; I have tried how this and that thing will fit my spirit, and the design of my Creation; and can find no­thing in which to rest, for nothing here doth it self rest, but such things as please me for a while, in some degree, vanish and flee, as shadows, from before me. Lo, I come to Thee, the Eternal Being! the Spring of Life! the Center of rest! the Stay of the Creation! the Fulness of all things! I joyn my self to thee; with thee I will lead my life, and sp [...]nd my days, with whom I aim to dwell for ever; expecting when my little time is over, to be taken up, ere long, into thy Eternity.

And since we who live under the Gospel, have heard of the Redeemer, of the dignity of his Person, of his high Office and Power, of his [Page 138] merciful design, and great At­chievements for the restoring of lapsed and lost souls:

It is most agreeable to our ap­prehensions of the vanity of this present state, and our expectations for the future, that we commit our selves to him. That with in­tire trust and love, devotedness and subjection, we give our selves up to his happy conduct, to be led by him to God, and in­stated into that eternal blessed­ness which we look for.

His Kingdom is not of this world (as we profess not to be). We cannot be innocently igno­rant, that its constitution and frame, its laws and ordinances, its aspect and tendency in its self, and the whole course of its administra­tion, are directed to that other state. He hath overcome death, and him that had the power of it; hath brought life and immortality to light, is the first begotten from the dead, and the first fruits of them that slept; hath opened Heaven to us, [Page 139] and is himself ascended, and en­tred as our victorious triumphant Captain and Fore-runner. He is a­dorned with highest Power, and hath set up an Universal Kingdom, extended to the utmost bounds of this apostate World, and the va­ster Regions of innocent and con­stantly loyal Spirits. His Procla­mations are issued out, his Ensigns displayed, to invite and call in whosoever are weary of the sin and vanity of this wretched world, of their alienation from the life of God, of living in the midst of death; to joyn themselves to Him, the Prince and Lord of Life; and be led by Him to the immortal state. If the present state of things appear dismal to us; if we reckon it a woful spectacle to be­hold sin and death reigning, wick­edness and mortality acting their combined parts, to waste the world, and lay it desolate; If we would deliver our selves, and escape from the common ruin; are seriously designing for Heaven, [Page 140] and that World in which Death hath no place, nor any shadow of Death; Let us betake our selves to Him, enroll our Names, put our selves under his Banners and Discipline, strictly observing the Laws, and following the guidance of that our invisible Lord, who will be Author of eternal salvation to them that obey him; and save to the uttermost all that come to God through him. How dear should he be to us! How chearfully should we trust him, how dutifully serve him, how faithfully adhere to him, both for his own sake, and that of the design he hath in hand for us, and the pleasant savour of Heaven and Immortality which breathes in both!

But if we neglect Him, and disown our relation to him; or if we let days and years go over our heads, wherein we drowsily slumber; roll our selves in the dust of the earth; and, while we call our selves Christians, forget the reason and importance of our own [Page 141] Name, and think not of our be­ing under his call and conduct to the eternal Kingdom and Glory. This is perversly to reject what we say (only) we seek; to dis­claim and renounce our preten­ces to Immortality; to blast and damn our own great hopes.

Lastly, It is congruous to our 7 expectation of so great things af­ter death, That we live in a chearful pleasant expectation of it. For what must necessarily inter­vene, though not grateful in it self, should be reckon'd so, for the sake of that which is. This, only, can upon the best terms, re­concile us to the grave, That our greatest hopes lye beyond it; and are not hazarded by it, but ac­complish't.

Although, indeed, nothing were to be expected hereafter; yet so little suitable entertainment doth this world afford to a reasonable spirit, that the meer weariness of beholding a Scene of vanity and [Page 142] folly, might well make a recess ac­ceptable. For is it so grateful a thing to observe the confused scramble and hurry of the world? How almost every one makes it his business to catch from another what is worth nothing! With what toil, and art, and violence men pursue, what when they em­brace they find a shadow! To see deluded Mortals, each one intent upon his own particular design, most commonly interfering with anothers; some impos'd upon by others over-reaching Wit, and all by their own folly: Some lament­ing their losses, others their short and unsatisfying acquisitions: Ma­ny pleasing themselves with being mock't, and contentedly hugging the empty Cloud; till Death comes and ends the story, and ceases the busie agitation; that is, with so many particular persons, not with the World. A new suc­cretion still springing up, that con­tinue the Interlud [...], and still act over the same parts, ad taedium us (que)!

[Page 143] What serious person? who that is not in love with impertinency and foolery, would much regret it, to close his eyes, to have the Curtains drawn, and bid good­night to the world, without ever wishing to see the morning of such another day! And even they that have the world most in their power, and can command what they please for the gratifying of their appetites, without the con­tradiction and controll of others, What can they enjoy more to morrow than they did yesterday? or the next year than this? Is it so much worth the while to live, to see a few more persons bow the knee? To extend power a little further? To make another essay what pleasure sense can tast in some or other hitherto unex­perimented Rarity? What more peculiar gusto this or that thing will afford? and try the other Dish? or to renew the same re­lishes over again?

[Page 144] He whose creative fancy could make him golden Mountains in a dream, create him a Prince of Nations, give him to enjoy the most delicious pleasures of the world in Idea; might, with some plausible shew of reason, be deem'd the happier man, than he that hath, and is all this indeed: for his toil is less, and his victories unbloody, his pleasures not so im­pure. However, one would think that to such whose utmost attain­ments end only in the pleasure of their sense, and have but this E­piphonema, Now, let us sit down, eat, drink, and be merry; A little time might suffice for business of no more weight; and that no man, after he hath once seen the course of the world, and tasted of its best delicacies, should greatly wish for a renewal, or long-conti­nued repetition of so fulsome va­nities.

But the most find not the world so kind; and are not so much exercised in the innovating of [Page 145] pleasures, as miseries (changes being their only remedies, as the Moralist speaks); or in bearing (more sadly) the same every day's burden; and drawing out the series of their calamities in the same kind through the whole course of their time.

And surely these things consi­dered, there wants not what might perswade a Sceptick, or even a perfect Infidel, as to ano­ther world, not much to be in love with this.

For upon the whole, let but the case be thus put: Is it not as good to do nothing, as to be bu­sie to no purpose? And again, Is it not as good to be nothing, as to be, and do nothing? Sober reason would judg, at least, there were but little odds.

But now; If such considerati­ons as have been mentioned, would suffice to state the matter in aequilibrio, to make the [...] even; Ought the ra [...]i [...]n [...]l sober belief of a blessed immortality do nothing [Page 146] to turn the ballance? Ought the love of God to do nothing? The desire and hope of a state perfect­ly good and happy, quiet and peaceful; of living in the Region of undefiled innocent love and pleasure; in the communion of holy and blessed spirits (all highly pleased, not in their own only, but one another's happiness; and all concen [...]ing in the admiration and praise of their common Pa­rent and Lord) Ought all this nothing to alter the case with us? or signifie nothing to the inclining our mind [...] to the so unspeakably better part?

Methinks since we acknowledg such an order of intelligent (and already happy) Creatures, we should even b [...]ush to think they should be spectators of our daily course and (too plainly discover­ed) inclinations, so disform and unagreeable to all the Laws and dictates of reasonable nature? What censures, may we think, do they pass upon our follies? Are [Page 147] those things great in their eyes, that are so in ours? In lesser matters (as some interpret that passage) indecencies are to be a­voided, because of those blessed spirits.1 Cor. 8. May we not then be asha­med that they should discern our terrene dispositions? and see us come, so unwillingly, into their con [...]ort, and happy state? Al­though our present depressing cir­cumstances will not suffer us to be in all things, as yet, confor­mable to their high condition, we should however carry it as Candi­dates thereto, studying to approve our selves; waiting and longing to be transum'd and taken up in­to it.

And since we have so high and great an expectation, and 'tis un­derstood and known, That the very perfection and end of our Beings is no otherwise attainable, than by putting off our sordid sl [...]sh, and laying aside this earthly Appurtenanc [...]; that yet there should be so fixed and prevailing [Page 148] an aversion to it, is a most unac­countable thing, and one of the greatest Problems in Nature.

I say, prevailing: For admit what is like to be alledg'd, that an addictedness to the body is by natural inclination; ought not the Laws of a Sup [...]rior to prevail over those of the inferior nature? And is not the love of God a higher natural Law than that of the bo­dy? to whom here our service is little, yea our disservice much; and from whose most desirable com­merce we s [...]ffer so uncomfortable a disclusion by the sad circumstan­ces of our bodily s [...]ate? Are we more nearly [...] to a piece of C [...]y▪ [...] to the Father of our spirits? And [...], Is not every thing [...]? and obli­ged to [...] there, rather than [...] in [...]rior thing (at least) [...]ow n [...]rly soever united? since there can be no pretence of any such [...] union, than o [...] a thing with it self? And [...]re not our souls and our bodies (though [Page 149] united, yet) distinct things? Why then should not our souls, that are capable of understanding their own interest, mind that first; in­tend most their own perfection and improvement, and begin their charity at home? It is nor strange, that what is weaker and more ig­noble, should affect union with what is above it, and a spring of life to it: But when it is found burdensome, nothing forbids, but that the superior Being may be well content, upon fair and al­lowable terms, to be rid of the burden. Therefore though flesh and blood may reluctate and shrink at it, when we think of laying it down; yet it becomes immor­tal spirits to consider their own affairs, and be (more principally) intent upon what will be their own advantage. If so mean a Creature as a sorry Flea, finding it can draw a suitable aliment from our bodies, affect to dwell there, and is loath to leave us; It were a ludicrous pity to be there­therefore [Page 150] content to endure its troublesome v [...]llications, because we fear the poor Animal should be put to its shifts, and not to be otherwise able to find a subsistence. 'Tis true, that the great Creator and Lord of the Universe, hath not permitted us the liberty of so throwing off our bodies when we will (which otherwise are in dig­nity far more beneath our spirits, than so despicable a Creature is beneath them). And to his dispose that hath order'd this conjunction for a time (whether we look upon it as an effect of his simple plea­sure, or of his displeasure) we must yeild an awful and a patient submission, till this part of his Pro­vidence towards us have run its course, and attain'd its ends. And then, how welcome should the hour of our discharge and freedom be, from so troublesome an Asso­ciate! which upon no other ac­count than that of duty towards the Author of our beings, one would more endure, than to have [Page 151] the most noysome offensive Ver­mine always preying upon his flesh. At least, (though the consideration of our own advantage had no place with us in this matter) the same sense of duty towards our great Creator, which should make us patient of an abode in the body, while he will have it so; should also form our spirits to a willing departure, when it shall be his plea­sure to release us thence. But that neither a regard to his ple [...] ­sure, nor our own blessedn [...]ss, should prevail against our love to the body, is the unaccountable thing I speak of. And to plead on­ly, in the case, the corruption of our natures that sets us at odds with God and our selves, is to ju­stifie the thing by what is it self most unjustifiable; or rather (as some that have affected to be styl'd Philosophers have been wont to expedite difficulties, by resolving the matter into the usual course of Nature, which is) to resolve the thing into it self, and say, It is so, [Page 152] because it is so, or is wont to be; and indeed, plainly to confess there is no account to be given of it. This being the very thing about which we expostulate, that reasonable nature should so prevaricate: The commonness whereof doth not take away the wonder, but rather render it more dreadful and asto­nishing.

The truth is, the incongruity in the present case is only to be solved by redress; by earnest stri­vings with God, and our own souls, till we find our selves reco­vered into a right mind; into the constitution and composure where­of a generous fortitude hath a ne­cessary ingrediency; that usually upon lower motives refuses no change of Climate, and will carry a man into unknown Countreys, and through greatest hazards in the pursuit of honourable enterprizes, of a much inferior kind.

It is reckon'd a brave and manly thing to be in the temper of one's mind a Citizen of the World [Page 153] meaning it of this lower one). But why not rather of the Universe? And 'tis accounted mean and base that one should be so confin'd by his fear or sloath to that spot of ground where he was born, as not upon just inducement to look a­broad, and go for warrantable and worthy purposes (yea, if it were only honest self-advantage) as far as the utmost ends of the earth. But dare we not venture a little farther? These are too narrow bounds for a truly great spirit. Any thing that is tinctur'd with earth, or favours of mortality, we should reckon too mean for us; and not regret it, that Heaven and Immor­tality are not to be attained but by dying; so should the love of our own souls, and the desire of a per­petual state of life, triumph over the fear of death.

But it may be alledged by some, That 'tis only a solicitous love to their souls, that makes them dread this change. They know it wi [...]l not sare with all alike hereafter, and [Page 154] know not what their own lot shall be.

And is this indeed our case? then, what have we been doing all this while? and how are we concerned to lose no more time?

But too often a terrene spirit lurks under this pretence; and men alledg their want of assurance of Heaven, when the love of this earth (which they cannot endure to think of leaving) holds their hearts.

And (a little to discuss this mat­ter) what would we have to assure us? Do we expect a vision or a voice? or are we not to try our selves; and search for such chara­cters in our own souls, as may di­stinguish and note us out for Hea­ven? Among these, what can be more clear and certain than this, that we have our hearts much set upon it? Phil. 3. 20, 21. They that have their conversa­tions in Heaven, may from thence expect the Saviour, who shall change their vile bodies (the bodies of their [...]mil [...]tion,Gr. or low abject state) and make them like his own glorious body.

[Page 155] God,Rom. 2. 6, 7. who will render to every man according to his works; will give them that by patient continuance in well do­ing, seek honour, and glory,Col. 3. 2, 3, 4.and immor­tality, eternal life. They that set their affections (or mind) on the things a­bove, not those on the earth; when Christ shall appear, who is their life, shall ap­pear with him in glory. Mistake not the notion of Heaven, or the bles­sedness of the other world; render it not to your selves a composition of sensual enjoyments; Understand it (principally) to consist in perfect holiness and communion with God (as his own word represents it, and as reason hath taught even some Pagans to reckon of it) and you cannot judg of your own Right by a surer and plainer Rule, than that eternal blessedness shall be theirs whose hearts are truly bent and directed to­wards it. Admit we, then, this Prin­ciple; and now let us reason with our selves from it: We have a dis­covery made to us of a future state, of blessedness in God, not as desira­ble only in it self, but as attainable, [Page 156] and possible to be enjoyed (the Re­deemer having opened the way to it by his blood, and given us at once both the prospect and the offer of it) so that it is before us as the ob­ject of a reasonable desire. Now ei­ther our hearts are so taken with this discovery, that we above all things desire this state, or not. If they be, we desire it more than our earthly stations and enjoyments, and are willing to leave the world and the body to enjoy it; and so did falsly accuse our selves of a prevail­ing aversion to this change. If they be not, the thing is true, that we are upon no terms willing to dye, but the cause is falsly (or partially) assigned: It is not so much because we are unassured of Heaven, but (as was above suspected) because we love this world better, and our hearts center in it as our most de­sirable good.

Therefore we see how unreasona­bly this is, often, said, We are unwil­ling to change states, because we are unassured; the truth is, they are un­assured, [Page 157] because they are unwilling; and what then ensues? They are un­willing because they are unwilling. And so they may endlesly dispute themselves round, from unwilling­ness to unwillingness. But is there no way to get out of this unhappy Circle? In order to it, let the case be more fully understood; Either this double unwillingness must be refer'd to the same thing, or to di­vers: If to the same thing, it is not sense; they say what signifies nothing: For, being to assign a cause of their unwillingness to quit the body, to say, because they are un­willing, (viz. of that) is to assign no cause, for nothing can be the cause of it self. But if they refer to di­vers things, and say, They are unwil­ling to go out of the body, because they are unwilling to forsake Earth for Heaven; The case is then plain, but sad, and not alterable, but with the altera­tion of the temper of their spirits. Wherefore let us all apply our selves (since with none this is so fully done, that no more is needful) to [Page 158] the serious endeavour of getting our souls purged from the dross of this world, and enamoured of the pu­rity and blessedness of Heaven, so the cause and effect will vanish to­gether; we shall find that suitable­ness and inclination in our spirits to that blessedness, as may yeild us the ground of a comfortable per­swasion that it belongs to us us; and then, not be unwilling, though ma­ny deaths stood in our way, to break through to attain it.