I will make no apologie, my Christian Au­ditors, for calling You children: No man is too good for this compellation, but he that is too good to goe to Heaven. For our Savior hath affirmed with an Oath, that Whosoever doth not receive the Kingdome of God as a little child, Mar. 10.15. he shall in no wise en­ter therein. And therefore I shall not alter the Exhortation of the Psalmist, either as to the matter, or as to the phrase. The Matter is profitable, and the phrase pathetick, Come Ye children, and hearken unto me, and I will teach You the fear of the Lord.

A good confident Demagogue saith, the Atheist: What! must we be children? and must we hearken so diligently? and must we be taught? and must we be taught by Him? And lastly, which is worst of all, must we be taught to fear, and to fear Spirits, things that we never saw? Must this fear be the fear of a God?

I observe, that in sermons made to our Ancestors, the Preachers seldome proposed any argument to prove the exi­stence of God, or the need we have to worship and fear him, without some such apology as this, that though no man was so unreasonable, or Ungodly, as to deny the Being of a God; yet that such discourses were sometimes usefull to Counter­mine secret and privy suggestions to Atheisme, and Irreli­gion; which by our Naturall Corruption, and the Devils malice we may receive some damnage by. But now the scene is alter'd; we need no such Apology. The Devill hath im­proved his Empire. Insteed of denying Ungodlinesse, we are ready to professe Atheisme, and insteed of subduing our lusts, we are ready to pamper and cherish them. The Ene­my hath made his inrode, and shall not the Watchman give Notice, that every mans blood, that prepares him not to his own defence, may be upon his own head.

It is noted by a Judicious divine,Presto [...] in his Serm. of the sen­sible Demonsira­tion of a Deity. that all that Unevenesse, and all those exorbitances, that are found in the lives of Men, do generally proceed from the weaknesse of the spring, because the principles of Religion are not throughly and firmely believ­ed. Men for the generallity (I speak not now of profess't Atheists) will not neglect Religion altogether, nor will they make their hearts perfect which God in althings. The Reason is; because the principles of Religion are in part believ­ed, in part not believed, They say in their hearts, It may be there is a God, a Creator, a Rewarder, a Judgement to come; and yet they have so much of Davids fool in them, that some­times they are ready to say in their hearts, It may be there is no God. Now here is a defect in the root and principle. A Watch may as well go without a spring, as Man live well in any degree, that doth not believe that there is a God, and that he is a Rewarder.

It is time now for Us to sound an Alarme, and to set up our Standard, When the poison of Atheisme is not like the Pesti­lence [Page 3]that walketh in darknesse, but when it appears, and chal­lenges Religion, and sets up its Standard also for a Token, and is like the destruction that wasteth at noon day.

The Heralds or messengers of God from Heaven have not been wanting to acquaint the world with these most impor­tant Truths. That the fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdome, That there is no beginning to be wise without it; So Solomon Prov. 1.7. That the fear of the Lord is Wisdome, and that to depart from Evill is understanding, So Job 28. ult. That they are all fools that say in their hearts, There is no God. That the workers of Iniquity have no knowledge, that oppresse and eat up Gods people, as if they would eat bread, and call not upon the Lord, So my Psalmist, Psalm 14 1, 4. But the Heralds of Hell have opened their poisonous lips also, They call that folly that we think our cheifest VVisdome; They professe to soar high far above all our Aimes. For they designe themselves a happinesse that they will not depend up­on, nor thanke God for. And the security of that happiness of theirs consists chiefly in this, That God shal not be in all their thoughts: and their greatest accomplishment is this, that they have in a good measure untaught themselves the fear of the Lord. They endeavor not to avoid the Judgement of God, but the fear of his judgement; like the silly fish menti­on'd by Aelian, that hides his head in the bank, and, because he sees not the fisher, thinks himselfe secure, and that the fisher sees not him.

If you would know why they endeavor thus to hide them­selves from the fear of God, they tell you that the great hin­derance to mens comfort in this life is,Lucret. lib. 1. Eternas quoniam paenas in morte timendum: because they are apt to be troubled with suspicions and fears of an Eternall punishment after Death. They would be happy, but the fear of a God and a judgement spoils their Mirth. However their resolve is not to lose any present pleasure. S. Paul tels you their word, Let us eat and [Page 4]drink, for to morrow we die. while we live (say they) let us live voluptuously, and that we may no more be trou­bled for the future, let us contrive some way how our Ene­my may not find us, that is (to use their own language) how we may ‘Relligionibus at (que) minis obsistere divôm —’

let us be rid of this Religious timorousness at any rate, and let us throw off this fear of God, that is ready continually to afflict us. And seeing this Fear arises from a consideration, that the world cannot bee made or preserved without a God: Let not us (say they) be carried along with that commun Opinion; and thus they persuade themselves to be guilty of the folly, noted by the Psalmist, of saying in their hearts, There is no God. This is the Genealogy of their wicked thoughts. This the Aim of their Philosophy and study, as you may see it delineated by themselves in the first book of Lucreti­us.

Pardon me, My children, while I shew you the Vanity of these pretended wisemen, and the foolishness of their Wis­dome, when it exalts it self against the wisdome, and would destroy the fear of the Lord. Seneca thought he had no hard task upon him, when he was to defend the cause of God, and I hope by his assistance it will be easy for me to shew openly the folly of these Men; who, to deliver themselves from the fear of Gods judgement, have ventured to deny his being and existence. These men have rang'd themselves into two sorts. 1. The first are the Epicurean Atheists who, to rid them­selves of the fear of God, have been forc'd to maintain this Hypothesis, That the World was made by chance, and is govern'd by chance; and so by Consequence, that God is not to be feared as the creator and Governor of the world.

2. The second sort are the Aristotelean Atheists, who, to be rid of the same fear of God from their Master Aristotle (if in­deed [Page 5]it was his Opinion) assert the world never to have been made at all, but to have been perpetuated, as it is,For it is not altogether out of question, Whether Ari­stotle did in­deed deny the Creation of the world. For some there are, as the learned Scali­ger, who reckon Aristotle among those Philoso­phers, who though they asserted the E­ternity of the World; yet have own'd the Creation also, supposing God the Eternal Cause of an Eternal World, and so from God the Eternal Creator an Eternal succession of Ge­nerations and corruptions; and consequently that God was before the world in Nature, but not in Time or Duration of any Kind; but as the sun was before its own light. But against this Opi­nion are the Writings of Aristotle lib. 8. Phys. lib. 1. De caelo; and in the later part. lib. 2. de gen. & corrupt. & lib. 12. Meta [...]h. Vid. & Pereri. lib. 15. de Mo [...]u & Eternitate mundi. However it is supposed, that before his death he alter'd his Opinion, and writ in Contradicton to his former arguments V. Gassend. de Phys. §. 1. l. 4 c. 5. & loca apud eum citata; quibus adde. l. 2. de Gen. & cor. §. 3.10. De Anima, &c. Manilius concerning the order and exact motion of the Stars. l. 1. Astron. Nec quicquam in tantâ magis est Mirabile Mole, Quam ratio & certis quod l [...]gibus omnia parent. Nusquam turba nocet, Nihil ullis partibus errat, Laxius aut levius mutatóve ordine fertur. Quid tam confusum sp [...]cie [...]quid tam vice certum? Ac mihi tam praesens ratio non ulla videtur, Quâ pateat Mundum divino Numine verti, At (que) ipsum esse Deum, nec sorte coïsse Magistrâ, Ut voluit credi, qui primus maenia Mundi Seminibus struxit minimis inque illa resolvit. And a little after — Nunquam transversus solem decurrere ad Arctos, Nec mutare vi as, & in Ortum vertere Cursus, Auro [...]amque novis nasc [...]nte oftendere terris. Nec lunam certos excedere luminiais Orbes; Sed servare modum, quo cresc at quove recedat. Nec cadere in terram pendentia sidera Caelo: Sed dimensa suis consumere tempora signis, Non casûs opus est, Magni sed Numinis Ordo. See Cicero lib. 2. de. nat. Deorum n. 88, 89, 90. & sequentib. Philosophi, si fo [...]te eos primus respectus Mu [...] di conturbaverat, [...]ostea cum vidissent motus ejus finitos & aequabiles, omniaque tantis ordinibus moderata, immutab [...]lique constantiâ intelligere debuerunt inesse aliquem non solum habitatorem in hac. coelesti & divind d [...]mo. sed etiam rectorem & moderato [...]m, & tanquam architect [...]um ta [...]ti Operis, &c. ib. Principio terra Universa cernatur locata in medio mundi, sede solidâ, & undique ipsa in sese nutibus suis congloba. ta, vestita floribus, arboribus, srugibus, quorum omnium incredibilis multitudo insatiabili varietate distin­guitur. Adde huc fontium gelidas perennitates, &c. ib. n. 98. from all Eternity by infinite successions of Generations and cor­ruptions, and that without the Creation or Providence of God.

To make way therefore for the establishing the worship and fear of God in your hearts, We will consider the Vanity of these our greatest modern opposers (first of our Epicure­an, then of our Aristotelean, Atheists) who for want of In­vention in themselves, have raked their Atheisme out of the errors of the old Philosophers.

He then that adopts the Epicurean Hypothesis, and believes, that the whole world and all the parts of it come together by chance, and is so preserved without the work or providence of God, Let him but cast his Eyes up to Heaven, and there take a just view of the compass of those vast Bodies. Let him see [Page 6]the Glory of the Sun, the light and beauty of the Moon, the number, order and the exact Motion of the Stars, continued now for neer six thousand years without Error or Interrupti­on.

Then let him look down upon the Earth, and wonder to see how it is fastened without prop or pillar, and made to stand immoveable in the midde of the Air, how it is compassed and intervein'd with waters, how it is covered with Grasse and herbs, beautified with flowers, and enrich't with all manner of fruits (all which are conveniences most necessary for the use of Man) Will he then think that all these came by chance? Will he not rather (with old Hermes the Trismegist) call God Father, and own him to be the Wise and powerfull Creator and preserver of all these things. The Heavens, saith David, Psal. 19. declare the Glory of God, and the firmament sheweth his handy work. Day unto day uttereth Speech, and Night unto Night sheweth Knowledge. There is no Speech nor Language where their Voice is not heard.

Nay, this Hypothesis of the Epicureans is abundantly con­futed even by Cicero, and other considering Men among the Heathen. If a man (say they) should come into a fair house well built both for state and convenience, provided with all usefull, and adorned with all Curious, furniture, could he think the house had no founder that built, no Master that own'd and furnished it. So he that beholds the goodly frame and structure of the World, and the variety of all those Cu­rious and usefull parts contained in it, may justly be censu­red for wanting the commun Reason of Mankind, if he doth not conclude, that it had an author and a former, and hath a Lord and an Owner, Which is no other but that God; the fear of whose power and providence these Epicures desire to lay aside.

If there be no providence, how came that admirable cor­respondence in parts so different, as those are, whereof the [Page 7]world is made? Is it by Chance that things in their Natures most contrary, as hot and cold, moist and dry, fluid and firme, all conspire to the advantage of the Creature, as to their commun End? Is it by Chance that the Springs do feed the Rivers, and the Rivers the Sea, and the Sea the Clouds, and the Clouds the Earth, and the Earth Beasts, and Beasts Men? No surely, God hath done all this for Man, and he expects from Man this return onely, Namely, that he will give him the honor of his own Work.

If there be no providence, how came it, that throughout the whole Universe, there are for particular and extraor­dinary cases such particular and extraordinary provisions. Aegypt and some other Countries have no Rain: But then, insteed of Rain,Magnae etiam Opportunitates ad cultum hominum al (que) abundantiam a­liam al [...]s i [...] locis reperiuntur, Aegyp­tum Nilus irrigat, & totâ aestate obru­tam oppletam (que) tenucrit, tum recedit, mollitos (que) & oblinatos agros ad se [...] rendum relinquit. Mesopotamiam fer­tilem efficit Euphrates, in quam quo­tannis quasi notos agros invehit. Jn­dus v [...]rò, qui omnium est Fluminum maximus, non aqua solum agros lae­tisicat & mitigat, sed cos etiam con­serit. Magnam enim Vim frumenti sea cum & similium dicitur deportare, &c. lib. 2. de Nat. Deor. n, 1 [...] 1. they have great Rivers, such as Nilus and Niger in the otherwise barren parts of Africa, which at certain times of the year overflow their banks, and at other periods sink and draw themselves in again, which make these coun­tries as fruitful as if they had all the seasonable showers of the former and the latter Rain. Great and unsufferable were the beat under the torrid Zone by the necessary reflection of the Sun, unlesse otherwise qualified. And think You, that it comes by chance, that in those places they abound with fresh Winds, Springs and Showers constantly to miti­gate the extremity of that Heat? Neer the Poles the cold is so excessive, that without great assistances for warmth, Men could not live. There therefore groweth abundance of Wood, and there are the beasts with all the deep furres proper for the use of those inhabitants. We in these Countries have hot stomachs, and we have plenty of flesh and other solid meat at hand. In hot countries, where there can be little pro­vision [Page 8]of flesh; there they have lesser stomachs, and find fruit and herbs with a little bread and wine to be food conve­nient for them.

All these things, my Brethren, came not by Chance. Let Atheists blaspheme as they please, There is the hand of pro­vidence in it. For as in a family where all are under one Lord, and all are served by one Steward, every one hath his portion and allowance according to the Office he bears, and the work he is approved to do: So did God the Father in his first Creation appoint for all the Nations of the world a fit Diett according to the Temperature of their Bodies, and the condition of the Climate they live under. Neither hath he made this provision for Men onely, but also for beasts, and for the fouls of the Air, and for every creeping thing; ac­cording to that of the Psalmist The Eyes of all things, look unto thee, O Lord, and thou givest them their Meat in due season.

The Epicurean Atheists undertook indeed to shew, how the world and all its parts were made without a God. But what have they performed in that great Essay? Of those ten thousand Myriads of appearances in the world, can they performe it in any one? Can they make one hair white or black? Let them make the Leaf of a tree, or the wing of a fly; how else shall wee think them able to answer their great Un­dertakings, and to shew what they promise—

that is, how althings in the world may be created and made without the work of God.

For, that Chance, the blindest thing in the world, should perfect all the parts of this stately fabrick, and place them in this excellent Order, is the most incredible suppo­sition that could be made. It is well observ'd by Cicero, that by the casuall shuffling of many thousand single leters [Page 9]the Annals of Ennius might more possibly be composed, than that a Chaos of undigested Atomes should forme so excellent a world consisting of so many and so usefull and beau­tifull parts without the least contrivance.Hic ergo non mirer esse quen­quam, qui sibi persuadeat, cor­pora quaedam so­lida at (que) individua vi & gravitate serri, mundumque effici ornatissimum, & pulcherrimum ex eorum corporum concursione fortuita? Hoc qui existimat fieri potuisse; non intelligo cur non idem putet, si innum [...] ­rabiles unius & viginti li [...]erarum sormae vel aureae vel quales libet, aliquo conjiciantur, posse ex his in terram excussis Annales Ennii, ut deinceps legi possint, effici? &c. Quod si mundum efficere potest concursus Atomorum, cur porticum, cur templum, cur domum, cur U [...]bem non potest? De nat. lib. 2.

But before I leave the Epicurean Atheist, let me forme one argument against him out of his own Philosophy. It is this, That which is received by the commun Pro­lepsis or Notion of Mankind, that is Certainly true. Ʋidit Epicurus esse Deos, quod in omnium animis eorum Notionem impressisset Natura. Quae enim Gens est, aut quod geaus hominum, quod non habeat sine doctrina an­ticipationem quandam Deorum, quam appellat Prolepsin Epicurus? So Velleius in Cicero 1. De Nat. Deo­rum. A little after, Cum non insti­tuto aliquo, aut more, aut lege, sit Opinio constituta, maneatque ad Unum firma omnium Consensio, in­telligi Necesse est esse Deos; quoni­am insitas corum, vel potiùs innatas cognitiones habemus. De quo au­tem omnium Natura consentit, id. verum esse necesse est. ib. ex sententia Epicuri. This major proposition is Epicurus's own, and stongly contended for, as you may see in the first book of Cicero de Nat. Deorum. The Minor out of his own Philosophy also shall be this: But the Being of a God is receiv­ed by the commun Prolepsis or Notion of Man­kind. Whence the Conclusion follows, That it is certainly true, there is a God. The Epi­cureans, not being able to deny any part of the Premisses, admit the Conclusion also: but then affirme, that this God did not create, nor doth Governe, the World. To which the Reply is easy; It being granted by them, that what is receiv­ed by the commun Notion of mankind is true, and that the Being of God was so received: Let any Epicurean unra­vell what was generally meant by the word God, and he will find, That men in their commun Notions, when they asserted the being of a God, had no other conceit of Him, than of the great Creator and provident disposer of all things. And therefore from the Commun Notion Eupicurus ought [Page 10]to have concluded, if the Existence of God, then his exi­stence also according to that Notion. Now it neither is, nor ever was, the Notion of Mankind, That God is an Idle Fairy or Spirit, as he imagined, but that he was, [...]. So Sophocles. There is in Truth, there is one God, and he made Heaven, the large Earth and Azute sea. [...]. Epictet. Aelianus dicit. Bar­barorum neminem delapsum ad [...], sed ab omnibus affirmari & esse numen, & nostri curam gerere. lib. 11. c. 31. Plutarchi est illud, [...]. Plut. lib. de com. Notitiis. Populares Deos multos naturalem unum esse summae Totius Ar­tificem. Artisthenus ut ciratur à Lactantio lib. 1. c. 5. [...]. Varro, Deum Animam esse Motu ac Ratione mundum gubernantem. v. August. de Civ. Dei lib. 4. c. 31. [...], Father and Maker, Principle and Cause of all things, as I could prove unto you out of allmost infinite Testimo­nies. It is well however that we have the Testimony even of those Opposers of Gods providence upon Record, that in the Time of Epicurus, the be­ing of a God was by them and others generally received as the commun Notion of all Mankind. And so much against those, who out of the Epicurean principles have endeavored to cast off all Religion, and the fear of a God. On­ly for an Epiphomena before we make our Transition, let us joyn in Chorus with the Prophet Jeremy c. 10.6, 7. and say, Forasmuch as there is none like thee, O Lord, thou art great, and thy Name great in might, Who would not fear before the O King of Nations, for to thee doth it appertain? or else with the 24 Elders Rev. 4.11. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive Glory and honor and power. For thou haft created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and they were created. And now I have done with Epicurus and his Company: methinks I may take a peble and a sling, and like little David against Goliah venture one stroke with the great Aristotle also. First sling a smooth stone at Him, and then kill him with his own sword.

And what stone shall I take, shall I oppose him with the commun Tradition, Notion or belief of Mankind? It is con­fesst [Page 11]that before the rise of Philosophy, all did universally believe the Being of a God. Nay Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato, and all the most ancient of the Philosophers ownd this Truth, That the world was created. Aristotle himselfe acknow­ledgeth this Notion and belief, [...] Aristot. 1. de Caelo c. 10. All men, saith he, affirme the world to have been created. The Cartesians, who have tryed as many tricks with themselves as other Men, have endeavored (and confess it) to cast off all superinduced Principles and received Notions; and among those this also of a God. But with all their endeavors they confesse they could never do it, but that the Notion of a God and a Creator will still abide in their Minds, as a Testimony of his Existence. I will not therefore say with Tertullian, Tertull. praescri [...]. adv. Haereticos. Quod apud multos unum invenitur, non est erratum, sed tradi­tum, That which in many persons is found one and the same, is not an Error, but a Tradition. But thus, That, which in all Men is found one and the same, is neither Error nor Tradi­tion, but a Notion given us by God together with our Na­tures. And though some men have endeavor'd to stifle this No­tion: Yet I shall shew, that it riseth upon them, and casts them even into that very fear of God, which they would a­void, in spight of all their endeavors. This Notion there­fore and belief of a Deity, that is so Universall and so im­moveable, must have a fixt Principle in our Natures. [...]. Hesiod. Hesiod saies, that There is allwaies somewhat of Truth in a commun Fame. But this being not only Commun, but Universall, must have a stronger ground. For what saith Aristotle himself, [...], That which appears to all, that we affirme to be true. Ethie. ad Ni­comach. l. 10. c. 11. And he that goeth about to make null such a generall belief, shall not have any way of argument more credible.

Besides, the supposition, that those Aristotelean Atheists have raised, is satisfactory to no Mans understanding. No man living can apprehend how it is possible, that there should [Page 12]be infinite successions of generations and corruptions, with­out a first Cause. Nay this Hypothesis (as the Masters of the Mathematickes observe) contradicts the certain Principles of Reason. For it makes such a duration whereof a part shall be equal to the Whole. For the part of the supposed Duration of the world, that is past, must be infinite, because supposed to have no beginning, and the part to come must be infinite, because supposed to have no End, and both parts together could be but infinite, for nothing can be larger than infinite; so that each part will be equall to the whole. Now to ad­mit any part equall to the whole is contrary to every Mans Reason, that is able to consider. Secondly, this Hypothesis makes one infinite longer than another. For the part of this supposed duration of the world, that was past as yesterday, must be infinite, and the part of the same duration, that reach­eth till to day, must needs be a day longer than that which en­ded yesterday; and so one of these Infinites must be longer than the other. Which is reckon'd absurd also among the Learned, who account it demonstrable, that all infinites are equall. But I shall remit to the learned Mathematick De­monstrators these arguments and many others of the like kind, that are fitter for the Scholes than Pulpit. And lastly, as I promised, shall deal one blow with Aristotle at his own wea­pon.

1. First, if he believed his arguments were demonstrative, that he used to prove the Eternity of the world, Why doth he (in the first book of his Topicks and ninth chapter) reck­on the question concerning the Eternity of the world amongst his Dialecticall problemes, such as he accounts not capable of any demonstration? But alas! when he considered the case, he would not think his own arguments so much as probable. For he confesseth, that there could be no sa­tisfactory Hypothesis made, that did not allow of a first Cause. [Page 13]In one place he telleth us, That it is of Necessity, [...]. lib. 8. Physic. c 5. that there be a first mover, that was not moved of any other. In another, that this first mover must be supposed to be eternall. And in a third that if there be no first Cause, [...]. ib. c. 6. there cannot be any other cause nor any Causation at all. Nay he concludeth in termes directly against that which is said to be his own Hypothesis, and telleth us, That it is impossible to proceed in infinitum, or that the whole series of Beings, should depend one upon a­nother infinitely without a first cause. [...]. Metaph. lib. 2. c. 6. Which first cause can be no other than that great God, whom to fear and ho­nor we propose in opposition to all Atheists, as the only way to full content here, and perfect happinesse here­after. [...]. Physic l. 8. c. 12.

You see here how if Aristotle held in other places a suppo­sition, that maintained an infinite succession of causes, with­out God or first cause, how great his Vanity appears. For then he is not only contradicted by the commun Principles of Reason; but unanswerably confuted by himself also. And thus, if he will be a Philistine, this great champion like another Goliah, must fall by his own sword.

And it is most certain Truth, and worth our observing, That the notion of a Deity hath still risen up in the hearts of all its opposers, and made them guilty of like contradictions.Vide Acostam l. 7. Hist. [...]nd. c. 2. & 3. I speak not this of such beasts as the Chichimesans, menti­on'd by Acosta, or some other barbarous people, that seem to bee somewhat worse than men,Thomam Herbert Angl. de Souldaniae Incolis. but of all pretended A­theists, that are able to consider. And though some of them are more cautious than Aristotle, and will not contradict their own errors in categoricall propositions; yet there are some suddain passions, some strange fears of death or somewhat else peeps out of them against their wills, that sheweth that they are not able utterly to stifle the Notion of a God.Sueton in Cali­gula. Sueton reports of Caesar Caligula, that he was a profess't Atheist, At qui tantopere Deos contempsit, ad minima tonitrua caput ob­volvere, [Page 14]ad verò majora proripere se è strato sub lectumque condere solebat, He that shamelessly despised a Deity, would hide himself as shamelessly under his bed at the noise of a great thunder.

Methinks the 14^th Psalme contains a lively character of those men. They are fools, vers. 1. That say in their heart, there is no God; or at least that wish it, if they dare not say it openly. Secondly, they are corrupt and abominable in their doings; that is, vile, lewd and filthy in their waies of living. For that is the very Epithete the Psalmist gives them. Thirdly, they are oppressors, eaters and devourers of the people; the phrase is considerable, They eat them up as they would eat bread, they eat and devour them, as if they were made to eat; and the peo­ple were made to be their bread, to be eaten and devoured by them. Then fourthly, they slight all acts of Religion and worship, even prayer it self, which is a principall part of wor­ship and most universally received. For so the the text saith, They call not upon the Lord. But in the fift verse is the distin­ction between the Atheists, and the men that are Religious most excellently set down, They fear a fear, So it is in the Hebrew, and in the Margin of your English Bibles. But God is in the generation of the Righteous. The Righteous or Religi­ous man, he fears God, owns him, and hopes to be di­rected, pardoned and saved by him, and is so happy that fearing God alwaies, he need fear nothing else. But the fool­ish Atheist, he is so wise that he will not allow himself to fear God, because he does not trust Him. But the Text saith that he fears notwithstanding. He fears a fear, he is uncer­tain of the Event, and so is continually terrified with an un­certain fear of that God and that Judgement, that his heart is not willing to admit, and yet as it follows in the sixt verse, he doth what he can to outvapor the poor godly man, and to shame the councell and designe of his life, because he taketh God to be his Refuge.

And truly, my Brethren, I think this day is this Scripture fullfilled in your Eares. It is to be lamented, that there are men among us that professe Atheisme, and for want of Wit, as I said before, to invent new ones, are willing to broach a­gain those old Hypotheses against Religion; and in their Ca­balls do slight the commun faith concerning the Being of a God, and his being a Rewarder in the world to Come, and do gal­lant it over the Religious man, and accuse his life of folly and superstition. Yet see the power of Conscience and the just hand of God upon them: They fear a fear. None are so incredibly fearfull of death, and the consequences of Death, as they. M^r Hobbes is the modern Reviver of that Hypothesis of Aristotle, that I but now opposed;Sic ab eo dicta, sic acta passim testantur. v. prae­fationem ad Di­alogum Physicum de Nat. Aeris. in Epist. ad Sam. Sorberium quod idem de Epicuro notat Cicero, cum, scil. quas res gloria­batur se contem­nere Numen & Mortem, eat a­nimum morta­lium maxime formidatum. proud and insolent in his assertions. And yet he feareth; nay he professeth Fear, as much as he professeth Atheisme; even the fear of Death. Which fear can be reasonable on no other account, than that of a God and a judgement to come. For if there be no punish­ment of their evil deeds afterwards, Death can be no worse estate than that of a perpetuall sleep: And so to sleep without fear of Vengeance or judgement to come is certainly a more de­sireable estate than life, when accompanied with pain or grief or with the terrors of Death only. This is the condition of these Men, while in their idle and foolish speeches they vainly deny God, in their spontaneous actions they shew such tokens of Suspicions and fears, as do more strongly assert, that they are yet afflicted with the Notion of his Existence. While, in the mean time, God is in the generation of the righteous, they are professed worshippers of God, and fearing him all waies they fear not death at all, nor the consequences of it at all; but can sing out Triumphantly over that dreadfull No­thing, O Death where is thy Sting! O Grave where is thy Victory?

I have one Observation more concerning the Atheists of our Time who broach again those old Hypotheses against Reli­gion [Page 16]That they are ready enough to call to us for demonstra­tions; yet they themselves could never (though they have been challenged to shew their skill in that particular) I say't, and I say't again, they could never yet forme one tolerable argument to assert the certainty of their own Hypotheses, or to destroy our Faith concerning the Being of a God. And there­fore if they will yet Continue to blaspheme, let them after all our demands either give us one argument to prove There is no God, or that the world is eternall, or that it was made by Chance, without the work of God; or let them confesse that they have taken up their strange suppositions without Reason, and maintain them against Reason, and all that with Reluctancy of Mind and with fears and suspicions that the commun judge­ment is the more true.

I conclude therefore with Job and Salomon, That the fear of the Lord is Wisdome, and that to depart from evill is under­standing: and with my Psalmist, That the Wisdome of these A­theists is folly, and their strengh weaknesse, not able to dis­settle the Universall anticipation and catholick Faith of the whole world. Which Catholick Faith of the whole world is this, as it is mention'd by the author to the Hebrews, c. 11. v. 6. That there is a God, and that he is the Rewarder of all those that diligently seek Him.

But besides this catholick commun Notion, we have a speciall Faith setled by Miraculous testimonies from Heaven. We have the books of Moses, and the Prophets; Yea, and of the Apostles also, and so as the author to the Hebrews ob­serves, By Faith we know that the world was framed of old by the word of God, Heb. 11.12. and therefore We, at least that know it by Faith, are sure that we have reason to fear and wor­ship God. And as for others, it is a saying of S^t Paul, that in this time of Unbelief cannot be unseasonable, If the Gospell be hid, it is hid to those that are lost. And so I say, if the No­tion of a Deity (which is the first Article of the Christian, as [Page 17]well as of the commun Faith) be hid, It is hid to those that are lost. But I hope safer and better things of you (my Christi­an Auditors) and have only used this Discourse to arme you against the Spirit of Atheisme, that is now gon abroad in the world.

And now, My Brethren, give me leave to draw some advices for You from the consideration of the premisses. And the first is, to those that are learned and best educated among Us,Dicit Cicero, Epicurum non Graeciam modo, sed & Asiam; in [...]ò totum terrarum orbem novitate doctrinae concussisse. De Fin. That we avoid pride and the am­bition of broaching New and Curi­ous learning. It was this pride surely that betrayed both Aristotle and E­picurus to their Errors.Et Lucretius, hinc Epicurum celebrat, quod primus exticit Religioms Oppugnator. lib. 1. Humana ante oculos faede cum vita jaceret In terris oppressa gravi sub Relligione, Quae caput à cocli regionibus ostendebat: Horribili super aspectu mortalibus instans. Primum Grajus homo mortales tollere contra Est ausus, &c. ib. For it was in their time lookt upon as an excellence of wit, and a great piece of Mastery to be able to maintein a contradiction in any science against the commun and vulgarly received Opinions. It is re­corded by S^t Luke, Omnis enim Numinis Religio colentibus vitio ver­tebatur, presertim ab Epicureis, ceu inutilis & superstitiosa nimis [...], &c. that the Athe­nians and strangers that liv'd at Athens spent their time in Nothing else, but ei­ther to tell or to hear some New thing. Act. 17. v. 21. By which New thing he meaneth not that which we call News; not the Relation of any New Occurrences in affaires of State, but some New curiosity in point of learning, some New Inven­tion, or New argument, or method of Reasoning in matters Philosophicall. And the desire of some such applause was sure­ly the cause of their broaching these dangerous Hypotheses against God. It was then, as it is now. He who holds the newest and strangest Opinions in Philosophy or Divinity hath allwaies most disciples, and is most look't after. Non-conform­ing Scholemasters and Tutors are generally preferred by the Unwise, who are many times the major part, before those that are lawfull and orthodox. For it is true as Seneca [Page 18]observes, Nemo admiratur lunam nisi laborantem, The Moon is more admired, when she is in an Eclipse, than when she shines out fully and perfectly. But, my Brethren, We must endea­vor to correct this Vicious disposition of our Minds, For truth is not the worse either for being commun, or for having Age on its head. And seeing these Truths concerning the Crea­tion and Providence of God, and the Reason we have to fear and worship Him, are strongly confirmed to Us, let it not be any prejudice against them, which ought to be their com­mendation, that they are ancient all, and all intimate to our Na­tures.

Lastly, let me advise you, if you think your selves not in danger of speculative, to beware of practicall Atheisme: For we may be guilty of this Sin, not only by Wishing or saying There is no God, but also by living without his fear, For that is to live, as if there was no God. For he denies God, that doth not alwaies fear the effects of his power, his Justice and his Truth. He denieth God, that denies to honor him in all his Attributes. And surely he hath no conceit of the Truth and justice of God, or no conceit of his Power, who doth not fear to dissobey Him. For what saith God by the Prophet Jeremy, Will you Steal, and Kill, and commit Adultery, and Swear falsly, and burne incense unto Baal, and yet professe to fear and Worship me. Jer. 7.9.

You had as good professe to deny Mee, as to Worship me, and not to Obey mee. So in the fiftieth Psalme, God telleth the wicked Man that it is a part of great prophanesse to pre­tend to Gods covenant and yet to hate to be reformed, v. 16, 17. to venture to dissobey God and break his commandments, and yet to professe to worship Him, to be guilty of Theive­ry and Adultery and Calumny, and to hope that God will connive at all this. It were as honorable to God, for us to think there was no such Being, as to think him such a God, as would take upon him to judge the world, and yet suffer [Page 19]himself to be flatter'd so with hypocriticall Worship, as to be wrought upon to passe by the breach of his own Laws and to be made inconstant to the observance of those Morall Rules, by which he governs the world: as good deny Him, as to suppose him a blind-Guide or an unjust and partiall Judge. Take therefore the advice of the Psalmist in the 22^d verse of that 50^th Psalme, and Consider this, Ye that forget God (that is, ye that have own'd Him, and yet now fear Him not) least he tear you in pieces. Those who have profess't Religion, if they forget their Duty to God, which they have profess't, and live prophanely, They shall most certainly undergo the punishment of their prophanesse. The sentence is, God shall tear them: that is, God shall distract and crosse such persons in this life, and punish them eternally in the life to come. One will make hast to be Rich, and it may be, not having the fear of God before his Eyes, will designe to attain his End by manifest theivery. So the Psalmist, when thou sawest a theif thou consentedst with Him. another man, or the same Man another Time, for want of the same fear, will be companion to an Adulterer, v. 18. Some give their Mouth to Evill, v. 19. and their Tongue frameth deceit, it may be, to circumvent their Neighbors in buying or selling or matters of Trade. Some abuse their tongue another way, they sit and speak evill against their Brother, and slander their Mothers Son, v. 20. Now because God refers the punishment of these Offences to future judgement, and doth not take them off immediately in the very Act, they harden themselves yet more against God and fear him lesse and lesse, So vers. 21. These things hast thou done, and I kept silence, and thou thoughtest that I was alltogether such a one as thy self, (that is) apt to be flatter'd and corrupted as thou art, and therefore thou addest worship to thy Wickednesse. But I will reprove thee and set them in Order before thine Eyes. I will make thee know the Order and difference of Duties, and so I shall set before thine Eyes, the [Page 20]many disorders of thy practice. For in Vain in words you pro­fesse to defy Atheisme, and in Vain you own and worship God with your lips, When in the mean time you rob Him of his better and nobler Services. When you do not give him re­all Fear and Honor in your hearts, and when you deny him O­bedience in your lives. And he fears not God, that dares to dissobey Him. For Worshipping and offering of Praise is good, but living Obediently is better, and more accepted with Him. So the Psalmist Concludes, and so do I, He that Offereth praise Honoreth God, but to him that ordereth his conversation aright shall be shewed the Salvation of our God.

Gloria Trinuni Deo.

SERM. II.

IT is observ'd that this phrase, The fear of the Lord, denotes in Scripture severall di­stinct habits or dispositions of the Mind. Sometimes it signifies Religion, or the wor­ship of God in generall, So Job. 1.9. [...], Job. 1.9. Where Satan asketh, Doth Job fear God for nought? the LXX render it, doth Job worship God for nought? and so that which in the phrase of Moses is,V. apud LXX. Prov. 1.7. Esaiae 33.6. Gen. 20.11. Job. 28.28. & in voce com­plexâ Job 1.15 8. & 2.3. Vid. &. Deut. 10.12. & Jonae 1.9. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God (Deut. 10.20.) is rendred by the interpretation of our Savior (Math. 4.10.) Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God. And it is ordinary to ren­der the Hebrew word [...] that signifieth to fear, by the Greek word [...], that signifies to worship. And in all languages Religion and the fear of the Lord sometimes passe under the same significations. And in this sense I understood this phrase the last time, when in Opposition to our Aristotelean and [Page 22] Epicurean Atheists, I affirmed the existence of the Eternall God, and advised you to fear and worship Him.

Sometimes the fear of the Lord is taken in a stricter sense, for the Dread of God, as the author of all punishments; and especially of eternall punishment in Hell. And there are o­ther sorts of affections that have this Name also. There is the fear of a Slave and the fear of a Son, There is the fear of an Atheist and the fear of an Hypocrite, the fear of a doubt­ing Christian and the fear of a Christian that douts not, but is carried on with a full assurance of Faith. For he dreads God as a child reverenceth his Father, that is, He fears to offend Him. There is great variety in these fears, They take severall Men severall Waies. The lowest kind is communly the beginning of Wisdome, That frights from Sin for fear of punishment. But the highest kind, namely filial fear, is the End and perfection of it. It is the Disposition of an adeptus of one that hath allready attained to the greatest Wis­dome.

S^t Basil in his exposition of this 34^th Psalme undertaketh to tell us, [...]. Basil. in Psal. 33. al. 34. which of all these fears it is that the Psalmist desired to teach his children: and he declareth in plain termes that the spirituall Scholemaster meant it of the fear of Gods wrath and punishment in Hell. He meant it even of that which the Scholemen call Slavish fear, He would have his Scholars, when they were tempted to any Sin, to have recourse to this fear as to an Antidote. He would have them fear the last and [Page 23]terrible judgement. He would have them fear the tormenting Devils, executioners of the Wrath of the Almighty Judge. [...], He would have them fear that lowermost Hell, that labyrinth of Dark­nesse, out of which there was no passage, that burning allwaies but never shining fire. And he proposeth that not only young beginners and Novices in Christianity, but that grown and well instructed Christians should use this fear to restrain their sinfull lusts. Their Great proficient David would by no means be without his part of this Religious Discipline. The same Father tells us, that this was his prayer, Psal. 119.120. [...], that is, Nayl down Lord and crucify my flesh through thy fear. We read that Text other­wise, but suppose that S^t Basil, S^t Augustin, S^t Ambrose, Theodotion, and the LXX. had some reason for it, else they had not rendred it so.

The Scholes and their great Master Aquinas, Aquin. 22. q. 19. art. 4. & Art 6, 7. & Doctores in S. Tho. ibid. though they have nicely distinguish't the fear of God, into servile and filial, initiall and perfect; yet give very good Characters of that fear, which they call initiall and slavish, concluding, that it is good, that it is consistent which the love of God, that it is a principle disposing us to Wisdome, that it is a gift of the holy Ghost and a Remedy a­gainst Sin. Parisiensis observes,Cum diligentiorem considerationem de ti­more seceris, in [...]enies eum evidenter supra omnia alia dona deprimintem cor humanum, & subiicientem ei quem timet. Parisiensis. 1. Part de Universo p. 3. c. 4. Magna est vis Conscientiae, quòd poenas semper ante oculos versari putent qui pecca­verint. Cicero Orat. pro Milone. Qui opibus hominum sibi contra consci­entiam septi & muniti esse videntur, Deos tamen horrent, &c. apud Cic. de Fin. 1. that this fear doth soften and humble the heart of man and subjects him to the Obedience of God, more than any other gift. It is this fear that in Naturall Conscience is power­full to restrain Men from sinning. Great (saith Cicero) is the power of Conscience, because they that Sin have the Idea of Pu­nishment allwaies before their Eyes. And though (as he saith in another place) some men by their power and popularity may seem to have a fence against their Conscien­ces; [Page 24]Yet no wicked Man was ever so mighty, Luke. 12.5. as to be able to deliver himself from the dread of the Wrath of God. And there­fore it was not without Reason that our Savior himself ad­viseth to this fear also, even to fear God, who, after he hath killed, hath power to cast both Soul and Body into Hellfire.

And truly the last Judgement of God, and that eternall punishment, which he hath prepared for Wicked men, deserv­edly entertains the apprehensions and feares of the wisest and soberest Man that lives. This was an ancient fear among both Jews and Gentiles; though there were some, to use S^t Pauls phrase, both of the Circumcision and of the Uncircumcisi­on, that were of the Sadducean principles. Epicurus, it seems, and his followers were grieved at the communesse of this fear,Lucret. lib. and therefore complain by their Poet Lucretius, that No­thing could prevail against Religion, ‘Aeternas quoniam poenas in morte timendum.’ Because Men were so apt to be carried away,V. S. Paulinum pag. 5 [...]0. with the fear of eternall punishment after Death. The thing that ruined the power of that Tradition of Hell among the Gentiles was the fabulous interposition of the Poets, and their corrupting the Truth of God, by adding stories of Styx and Acharon, Cer­berus and the Furies, which look't indeed but like Poeticall Bugbears: of these it is that Cicero speaks, Quis tam excors, ut ista moveant? Who so void of reason as to be moved by them? But I shall shew you that our Religion doth not advise us to fear that, which is only an empty Shadow. For as in my last discourse I declar'd unto you against the Atheists, that there is a God; So now (against our Socinians and Atheists in divines cloathing) I shall make it as evident that there is a Hell or a state of great and of eternall punishment, prepared for the Devills and wicked Men.

First this was an old Testament Truth. For the proof of it, I shall now produce but what I find in the single Prophet Esay. He affirmes c. 30. 33. That there is a Tophet prepared of old, for the [Page 25]King, I adde and for the Subjects too, For the Priests and for the people a place of howling and torment is prepared. God hath made it deep and large, the pyle thereof is fire and much wood, and the Spirit or breath of the Lord like a stream of Brimstone doth kindle it. A dreadfull fire, and horrid shall be the punishment by it, when the Revenging breath or Spirit of God kindles and continues that fire. Then for the eter­nall continuation of that torment he testifieth in the End of his Prophesy, That such as obey not God shall be an abhorring to all flesh, and shall be tormented with that worme that dyeth not, and with the fire that never shall be quenched, Isaiah. 66. ult. For the Testimonies of the New Testament we shall produce but what we find in S^t Matthew, He, in his 13^th chap­ter v. 41. and sequ. reports it from our Saviors own mouth, that in the End of the word the Son of Man shall send forth his Angells, and shall gather all them that do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire where there shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth. These expressions signify the greatnesse of their punishment. And for their Eternity, he reports in another place from our Savior,Math. 25. v. ult. that the wicked shall go into everlasting punishment and the righteous into life everlasting. Which the Fathers thus expound, that the life of Glory in Hea­ven shall not be more everlasting than the punishment of the wicked in Hell shall bee. Nay Grotius, who of all Interpre­ters is most narrow and scanty in the Exposition of those phrases wherein the torments of Hell are thought to be sig­nified, yet alloweth that these Texts are truly meant of the pains of Hell, and that our Savior finding no proper Res­semblance for those pains, among the punishments used in the Jewish commun wealth (for to be stoned or crucified, which I think were the severest Judgements among them, were no way fit to represent the pains of Hell) he therefore sought abroad for a comparison, and so likeneth the Tor­ments of Hell, to the Cruelties practiced in the vally of Ge­henna [Page 26]or Gehinnom; where the Phaenicians burning their children alive unto Divels, the horror was such, that the beat­ing of Drummes and the sounding of all other the lowdest Musick was applied in vain to drown the noise, and hideous outcry of their howlings. Whence the vally of Hinnom got another Name and was called also Tophet, that is, the place of Drumming.

But this its Type, Gehenna or Tophet, giveth us not so lively a description of the miserable condition of that place, as the Master of the Apocalypse doth, Rev. 14.10, 11. where he declares it was revealed to Him, that those who worship the beast shall drink of the Wine of the wrath of God, that is poured out without mixture into the Cup of his Indignation, and shall be tormented with Fire and Brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. And which are con­siderable Circumstances, the smoke of their torment shall ascend up for ever and ever, and they shall have no rest day nor night. First, the smoke of their torment shall ascend up for ever and e­ver, that is, there shall be no end of their torment. It shall not be a single vivicomburium, like the punishment of fire and faggot in this world. The flames for all their fierce­nesse shall not wast themselves nor consume the Subjects they burne. But as the Activity of the fire, so the passive facul­ties of the Divels and wicked Men shall be infinitely inlarged in their torment. Then secondly, the other circumstance is, they shall have no rest day nor night. Which intimateth that as the torments shall be eternall, so they shall bee without intermission. So it was said before, They shall drink of the Wine of the wrath of God without mixture, that is, they shall feel nothing but wrath, no Interpolations, none of Zeno's Intervalls of delight or pleasure, Nulla refrigeria, nothing of refreshment either day or night. Dives, as it is in the Parable, during all the vast duration of Eternity, shall not be able to procure one drop of Water to cool his tongue.

Where are the fears, my Brethren, where are the apprehen­sions that ought to be of so dreadfull a place, of so dreadfull a condition, as this? This is an Age when men will not sub­mit to their own Remedies, when they fly from the conside­ration of Hell and everlasting torments, and can only abide the Impressions wherewith their vile natures are more de­lighted of unlawfull lusts and pleasures. Nay some are come to that Impudence as to boast their profanesse, and to glory in their shame and Ruine, as that they have fixed their sails for Hell, and are not afraid to encourage one another with such discourses as these, that they will rifle and ravish every thing that is delightfull, and fill themselves with pleasure in their way thither, and when they come to their End, whatsoever the condition of the place bee, they shall be sure to find such company there as will best suit with their Inclinations. This, my Brethren, is the language of those whom God hath judi­cially given up to a reprobated sense: of whom I may say, that if they continue in their Impenitence, ne (que) ipsa salus eos servare poterit, The very Gospell it self of our Lord Jesus can never save them. And yet they have a great party ready to Hector it on their sides. The Atheists whom we met with in our last discourse have now taken the habit of divines. For as the Spirits of darkenesse can imitate the angels of light, so these professors of Atheisme can appear to be divines, with an intent to corrupt Divinity and destroy Religion. We find Gebal and Ammon and Amalek come up among us. The conceited Platonist, the Atheisticall Hobbist, the Hereticall Socinian, are now turn'd Chaplains, Guides and Confessors, and they have made the Way of Vice so easy, that the volup­tuous Brave goes smooth to Hell. He hath neither Wit within, nor fear from without powerfull enough to keep him back.

The Platonist tells his Virtuoso out of Origen, that Di­vines are mistaken in their Notion of Hell, for that indeed [Page 28]there shall be no other Hell, but only at last (when the world is grown old and languid) the Earth and all things thereon shall perish by a generall conflagration, That the E­lements shall then Melt with a fervent heat, that then the Place of the Atmosphere or Air must needs be filled with a suffo­cating smoke, which the Earth shall send up from her enflam­ed entrals. This is all the Hell he admits, and into this he is willing to allow that the Divels and obstinately wicked men shall be thrown: asserting further that this conflagration shall end in time, and that by it the Earth in all its parts shall be much purified, and that those poor Souls that were suffocated in the conflagration shall awake again to activity and life, and inhabit the Earth again, and again be extinguish't and revive again, and all this by infinite vicissitudes of like changes. M^r Hobbes and the Socinians allow this to be a pret­ty conceit; and a probable Opinion it should passe for, if all their suffrages and perverted Reason could make it so, or bow down the sense of the holy Scripture to it. But to make it more teneble, they think fit first in the place of an old one that had been batter'd too much by the Fathers, when Origen defended it, to raise and fortify a new Sconse or two. Ori­gen placed a conflagration that should endure only for a time. This they slight, and as if zealous for true Divinity, they come neerer to the Text, and yet they give it but a Judas Kisse, when they place insteed of that conflagration an Eternall fire. For be not afraid, my Brave, saith the new conductor, our Eternall fire shall do you no more harme then Origens tem­porall Conflagration did. To tell you in short, they are the words of Crellius concerning the damned, Cruciabuntur igne aterno, saith he, at (que) ita delebuntur, The Divels and worst of Men, shall be destroied in that Eternall fire wherein they are tormented.

And if it seemes a Paradox that there should be an eternall fire produced for a temporall Punishment,Leviathan p. 4. c. 44. M^r Hobbes tels you, [Page 29]and the Socinians tell you, that the Reason of this is, because the wicked are not at once but successively to be cast into this eternall fire, absurdly enough: as if many finite times would make up an infinite Eternity.

But to passe by such mistakes; The same power of Scrip­ture that batter'd Origens, shall break down these new forti­fications also. Doth not our Savior tell us, that not only the fire, but every Mans punishment in Hell, shall be everlast­ing punishment, even equally everlasting with the life of Glo­ry? Mat. 25.46. And it is not only said by our Savior, Mark. 9.48. that in Hell the worme dyeth not, but [...], their worme, the vultur at their liver, the pain in relation to the patients shall have no End. If the Scripture had thus express't it, That the worme of Conscience and fire of Hell should abide for ever, the subtlety of the same serpent might have sug­gested to them, as anciently it did to the followers of Ori­gen, that the word for ever did sometimes signify a limited Duration, but the Text in S^t Mark is [...],Mark. 9.48. Their worme shall not shall never dye, their fire shall not be quenched. How will they answer these Negatives? will they determine the time when that shall cease, that our Savior saith shall not at all, shall never cease? Or will they, can they engage to suffer the Remainder of that Torment, which they, whom they thus beguile, must abide even after this their phancied and appointed period?

Nor is this subtlety that the fire, but not the burning of par­ticular sinners, shall be eternall a newly devised subtlety; but ancient enough to bee opposed by S^t Augustine, who asserteth,Ne (que) illud hic dici poterit, in quo nonnulli seipsos sedu­cunt, ignem aeternum dicentes non ipsam combustionem aeternam, per ignem quippe, qui eternus erit, trans­ituros arbitrantur eos quibus propter fidem mortuam per ignem promittunt salute, ut videlicet ipse Ignis aeternus fit, combustio verò eorum, hos est, Operatio ignis in eos non sit aeterna, &c. lib. de Fide & Operibus. c. 15. that those deceive themselves who affirme the fire to bee eternall, but not the burning of the severall individuall [Page 30]persons cast thereinto. This Opinion and the confutation of it those who desire to see may read in the 15^th chapter of his excellent Treatise De Fide & Operibus.

Give me leave to speak a few words in answer to their Ar­guments, and I shall Conclude.

One great argument, that they alleadge for their Opinion, is this. All well appointed punishments, say they, are Curative in their designe, that is, they intend some reformation. But no eternall punishment can be Curative. Therefore the punish­ment appointed by God cannot be eternal.

Now whatsoever fault besides there may be in this argu­ment; it is certain the Minor is false. For even the eternall punishments of Hell have a Curative designe. Not to the damned themselves. But a Curative design and a Curative effect also to all us that believe this damnation to come. How many sinfull wretches, being first awakened and affrighted with the thoughts of an eternall punishment hereafter, have been straitway converted to the service of that God, who is as well able to save, as he is to cast Body and Soul into Hell fire?

But might not these torments, say they, be more Cura­tive, if they were not eternall, but so that after a while Men might be released from those chaines and sent up into the world above to declare the horridnesse of those Hellish tor­ments.

To this our Savior gives them an answer by the mouth of Abraham, in that Parable Luke 16. wherein when Dives proposed thus, Nay father Abraham, but if one went to them from the Dead they will repent. Abraham said unto Him, If they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be con­verted though one rose from the Dead.

Another argument of theirs against the Eternity of Hell torments is, That there should allwaies be an Equallity be­tween the Sin and the Punishment, And that the pain or smart [Page 31]ought not to be eternally great and long, when the plea­sure reapt by the transgression hath been but short and tran­sitory. But here the very argument is to bee denied, I am sure the Fathers anciently denied it.Joannes Episc. Constantinop. in Epistolâ ad Theodorum Monachum. We find John Bishop of Constantinople, affirming just the contrary, Namely, that it was Reason the obstinately wicked should suffer eternall pains, though the Pleasure of their wickednesse had been but as dreams and shadows, and that the punishment of sins should never End, though the Pleasure of those sins ended before the sinfull Acts themselves were perfectly com­pleated.

Nay they confute this argument themselves by what is laid down in their former. For if all punishment must be curative, then must the pain of it be not only equall to, but greater than there is pleasure in the Offence. For if there be present pleasure in Sin, who would loose that present plea­sure, for fear of the future pains of Hell, if those pains were not to be greater than this pleasure? And it may be question'd, Whether lesse than an eternall pain would prove at all curative to the world. For if even eternall punishment doth now scarce suffice for this effect, then lesse than an eter­nall punishment would prove too little. There is no pro­portion or Equallity in the value between a Mans life, and a mans goods. Yet by our Law, the Man that robs you of your goods forfeits his own life, And there was a necessity of this Law, because some men are so addicted to Robbery and stealing, that a lesse punishment would be no terror to them. And so we may reply, that it is reasonable upon that account as well as diverse others, that the punishment of Hell should be eternall; because a lesse punishment would Scarce suffice to affright wicked men from their sinfull course of life.

Another Argument they draw from the goodnesse of God and his fatherly affections to his creatures. But this argument [Page 32]is like that of Cotta in Cicero, Cicero 3. de Nat. Deorum. ad finem. who urgeth, that because God can do all things and that without labor, he out of his Majesty and mercy should not have suffered the two Eyes of the sea, [...]. Basii. tract de vera Fide, Tom. 2. pag. 588. Carthage and Corinth, to be put out. But Gods Acti­ons are to be regulated by his own pleasure, not by our Phan­sies. S^t Basil telleth us, that even by asscribing all father­ly affections to God, we may be guilty of great Ungodli­nesse. We are to attribute to him infinite Amplitude and liberty, as well as infinite Mercy. And at last he can say to that infinite Mercy, as he doth to the sea, Hitherto shalt thou go, and no further. What saith Zophar to Job: If God cut off, or shut up, or conclude together, who shall hinder him. Be­sides so Zophar proceeds, and I do not find any Body can answer him. God knowes vain Man, and hath seen Wick­ednesse in Him, should he not consider it? should he not animadvert and punish for it?Job. 11.7. 2 Esdras. 4. Surely his Justice and severi­ty ought as well to bee magnified in his Animadversions upon obstinate Offenders, as his Mercy in shewing kindnesse to the humble penitent.

Another objection they flourish from that Axiom of Epi­cu [...]us, Si gravis, brevis, If, say they, the punishment be very great, it cannot be very durable. Because it is inconceivable how the Soul should suffer great pains and not be disunited from the Body by reason of them.

But, my Brethren, we must be so modest as to allow ma­ny things to be true, which yet are not conceivable by us. I speak a bold word, All the Philosophy in the world, old and new, can never declare the manner how our Souls, that are im­materiall, can be pain'd by the diseases of our Materiall Bo­dies. But yet we find they are so. How then should it be thought, that we should be able to explain the manner how the Souls of wicked men shall be enabled to endure the great and eternall pains of Hell, when we cannot explain the man­ner how we become sensible of any thing we now feel. We [Page 33]believe also that the Constitutions both of the damned and of the blessed shall be altered. For as S^t Paul saith, we know not what we shall bee, and we dare affirme as little concern­ing the Nature of the damned as of the blessed. Secondly, neither do we know the Nature of the Infernall fire. I am sure it was anciently believed to be so farr from destroying the Body of the tormented, as to give a kind of Incorrupti­bility unto it, and if you will be contented with the doctrine of the primitive Church, I may, God willing, shew you hereaf­ter that it was the Opinion of the Fathers in Generall, that such shall be the fire of Hell, and such the constitutions of the damned, that they shall be capable of paines eternall, and yet very great; some difference in their greatnesse there may be (some beaten with more and some with fewer stripes) but none in their duration.

The Soul shall suffer pain it self by the immediate hand of God, and shall be tortured also by the harsh and discordant Motions of the tormented Body, whereunto it shall be most firmly, and therefore in that time and place most unhappily, united. It shall feel its tenement uneasy, noisome, tempe­stuous, but shall find no divorce, no way of separation. Nor shall those pains be slight that shall immediately be in­flicted on it by an Allmighty power, Zealous in the pursu­ance of his just Revenge. It is true those pains would quick­ly extinguish the life of the tormented were their constitu­tions then not to differ from ours now. But the ancient ca­tholick Faith is otherwise, Namely that the passive faculties of the Devils and Wicked Men shall be susteyned eternally or eternally repaired, to make these patients eternally misera­ble.

M^r Hobbes indeed supplies them with an argument against this Doctrine from that text in the Revelation, Leviathan, part 4. Cap. 44. where the pu­nishment of the Wicked in Hell is called a second Death; Whence he argueth, that the Wicked shall dy or be annihi­lated [Page 34]under that punishment. But I hope M^r Hobbes will al­low S^t John to be a fit interpreter of his own words. Surely he calls the eternall torment of the wicked in Hell by the name of the second Death. For if you compare Rev. 14.10. and Rev. 21.8. you wil find, that there is a Lake of Fire and Brimstone prepared, that the Unbelieving and abominable shall bee cast into it, that the smoke of their torment shall ascend up for ever and ever, and in conclusion that this is the second Death.

We affirme further to conclude the Objections, that where­as the fireing of Sodom and Gomorrha is made by S^t Jude a Type of the fire of Hell, that there is no necessity, that the Type should agree in every particular with the thing typified, but that S^t Jude is so to be understood, that what the In­habitants of Sodom and Gomorrha suffered for their lusts in one day, that in Hell they, and such as follow their lew'd Waies, must undoubtedly suffer to all Eternity.

I must conclude: and the conclusion of my present Discourse shall bee this, That we must all appear before the Judge­ment seat of Christ,2 Cor. 5.11. and there accordingly as our works have been in the flesh, be sentenc'd either to everlasting blessed­nesse or to this everlasting Misery. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord as S^t Paul speaks, we persuade Men that they would live as men and not as beasts: that they would deny Ungodlinesse and worldly lusts. Knowing the terror of the Lord, we are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christs steed, be ye reconciled unto God. Knowing the terrors of the Lord, we intreat Men, that they would not live unto themselves, but unto him that dyed for them and rose again. What, saith S^t Paul, 1 Cor. 16.11. shall we provoke the Lord to Jealousy? are we stronger than He? The Judge of Heaven and Earth is a migh­ty and terrible Judge. He spared not his own Son when he found him under the sins of others, and will he spare those [Page 35]rebells of his whom he shall surprise, Glorying in their sin and shame? Are our Muscles Iron, or our Membranes brasse? Can we break the rod of God, or conquer him by suffering all his wrath? Can we fly from it? or have we, my Brethren, any Fence against it? Whether shall we go from his Spirit? or whether shall we flee from his presence? If we climb up to Heaven, He is there, and if we make our Bed in Hell, he is there also: He is even in Hell to be a consuming fire to the wicked. If we say the darknesse shall cover us, the darknesse hideth not from him: Psalm 139.7, 8. What then? Can we, as the three children did, walk in the firie furnace and be untoucht? Can we dwell with devouring fire, or lye ever­lastingly in beds of flaming Sulphur, and be contented with that condition? If we Can neither endure the Wrath of God, nor have any defence against it, nor can fly from the effects of it, there remains only that We use such Caution, and live so in these few dayes of our try all here, that we may e­scape that place of torment, whereas our Savior hath decla­red, the Worme shall Never dye and the fire Never shall be quench­ed. Oh that there were such a heart in Us, that we might fear God and keep his commandments allwaies, for then it should be well with us for ever!

I should now have shewed you that what I have spoken concerning the greatnesse and Eternity of hell torments was the Constant sense of the ancient Catholick Church, and comes not from my private interpretation of the holy Scripture. But I must leave that argument and the conclusion of this whole discourse untill some other Opportunity.

Gloria Trinuni Deo.

SERM. III.

IN my last discourse from this Text, I affirmed two things of the pains of Hell, that they shall be great, and that they shall be eternall (a good argument I thought to move us to fear Him, who hath power to cast us thither, and an immutable wil or decree to give every man reward or pu­nishment according to the merit of his life) I then also gave an answer to the Objections of our moderne Platonists, to M^r Hobbes also, and the Socinians who deny the pains of Hell to be eternall.

Wicked Ahab confess't,1 Kings c. ult [...] v. 8. that he hated Micaiah, because He did not prophesy good concerning Him,John 8.40. but evill; and our Savior found that he procured himself a mortall hatred among the Jewes, because he told them the truth. Some truths are so ingratefull to the Ear, that they cannot be insinua­ted [Page 37]without great danger of procuring an aversation to the relator. Felix did not love to hear of Judgement to come,Acts. 24, 25. more unhappy He, more unlike to justify his name. And I fear that some do so ill like the severe and necessary Truths concerning that last judgement and the consequences of it, that I as your spirituall Scholemaster have proposed from this text, that they will be censured by them as the dictates of a tetricall Orbilius, of a sharpe and cruell Master.Memini quae plagosus mihi parvo Orbilius dicta­ret. Horat. I af­firme therefore to countenance them yet further, and to plant them upon their right foundation, that they are not mine, but the resolutions of the ancient Catholick Church. It is true this Doctrine hath its considerable opposers: and so have all other doctrines of the Christian Faith: But since this text looks upon you, my Auditors, and all true professors of Religion, as children, the phrase is, come Ye children and hearken unto me. Be so humble as to own the Discipline you are under; Submit your selves to the paedagogick Rules of your Schole. For he cannot be Christs Scholar, that is too proud to admit them. One good Rule for the resolving all such difficulties and sopiting all such differences is this, That if there be a controversy concerning the sense of a Scripture, and the Fathers of the primitive Church, that lived next after Christ, and his Apostles, have unanimous­ly determined the sense of that Scripture, and have made that determination professedly and not by the by, Every one of Christs Scholars must have humility enough to sub­mit unto it: For they, being neerer the fountain, were more like to have the truth brought incorruptly to them than we, that are so far remov'd, to us.

And having told you this for a Rule so equitable that I think it will merit not to be contradicted, I shall tell you further, that the primitive Fathers did maturely debate and consider this controversy, and the Texts alledged on both sides concerning it; both in their publick councills and in [Page 38]their private studies; and have declared for the greatnesse and Eternity of Hell torments, against that which was anci­ently Origens Opinion, and is now renewed by some moderne Socinians and Atheists.

Seeing therefore the Eternity of these Torments hath been anciently matters of contradiction, and continues so to be unto this day, I think it reasonable for me to give you a further confirmation of their Eternity from the Testi­monies, arguments and reasons of these Reverent ancients and Primitive Fathers in our Religion.

As S^t Augustine (whom for the reputation of his authority I first produce) in his exposition on those words of our Savior,August. ad O­ros. contra Pri­scill. & Origen. cap. 6. Math. 25.46. The wicked shal go into everlasting punish­ment, and the righteous into life everlasting, observes, that the same word [...] is there put to expresse the duration of the punishment of the wicked in Hell, and the eternall life of the glorified in Heaven. And having laid that for a ground, he argueth thus, if the consideration of the mercy of God provoketh us to believe that the punishment of the wicked in Hell shall have an end, what must we consequently be­lieve concerning the reward of the righteous, when on both sides in the same text, and with the same word they are a­like pronounced to be eternall. This argument is frequent­ly used by other Fathers, August. De Ci­vit. Dei. c. 23. and by S^t Augustine himself in other places. So, in his book de Civitate Dei, he telleth those who oppose the Eternity of Hell Torments, that if they will have a temporary punishment in Hell, they must likewise have a temporary reward in Heaven; our Saviors epithete being the same to both. The Translators of the Bible were surely guilty of a little oversight, when they va­ried the Epithete in that Text: which is the same without variation in the Originall. There are texts wherein the vari­ation of a word or phrase may be usefull by Way of Para­phrase [Page 39]to let in light to the sense, but here in respect to this Controversy,

The Interpreter should have been strict and have rendred the Text word for word. For it is the Identity of the Epi­thete, applied equally to both, that maketh S^t Augustines argument unanswerable. And S^t Augustine building upon that Identity of Duration mention'd there urgeth the absur­dity. Can you (saith he) think such exposition true in the later part? Can you think it credible that the Righte­ous may relapse from that excellent and glorious purity, they enjoy in Heaven, and fall thence into the filth of sin again, and into its wages, Death? and then he asserts, that if it be absurd and false to affirme an End of glory and purity in Heaven, it must be equally absurd and false to affirme an End of pains in Hell: because the same Adjective in the same verse is applied to both.

Another argument He draweth out of the prophesy of Esay, What, saith he,August. ad O­ros. contra Pri­scill. & Origen, c. 6. shall we answer to the words of that Prophet, Their Worme shall not dye and their fire shall not be quenched? Whatsoever kind of punishment is under­stood, by their worme and their fire, if it shall neither dye, nor be extinguished, it is declared to be eternall: and I told you in my last discourse that he opposeth also that subtile and slender defence,August. de Fide & Operib. that some did then and do now make, who allow the Fire to be eternall, but not the burning of the Individuall persons cast into it.

This, my Brethren, is S^t Augustines doctrine; and I am sure his advice is as safe as his doctrine is true, namely,Augustin de Ci­vit. Dei lib. 21. c. 23. that those who would be free from this eternall punishment, should rather spend their time in doeing Gods will, than in framing arguments and distinctions against his word. Next I produce S^t Basil, as a principall Authority among [Page 40]the Greek Fathers.Basil. ad Vir­gin. lapsam, tom. 3. pag. 18. He telleth us, that the Torments of Hell are infinite and intolerable, that the fire is unquenchable, and the worme punisheth immortally, that the place is darke and horrible,V. Basil. citat in Epistolâ Justi­niani Imper. ad Menciam Archiep. Con­stantinop. apud Binium con­cil. Tom. 4. concil. Constantinop. 60. the wailings bitter and unpleasant, and that these complicated miseries shall have no end. In another place in answer to that Text where it is said, that some shall be beaten with few stripes. He telleth us that those who suffer fewest, must suffer at least an eternall punishment, they must endure the everlasting biteings of the worme that dyeth not, and the everlasting burnings of the fire that ne­ver shall be quenched. [Elsewhere he telleth us, that it is the craft of the Devill that persuadeth men the contrary, when our Saviors speech is plain, That the wicked shall go in­to everlasting punishment, Basil. in libro Regularum. and the Righteous into life everlast­ing: and that men may as well say, that everlasting life in Heaven shall have an End, as that there shall be an end to the punishment in Hell, seeing they are both by our Savi­or equally said to be everlasting.] This is S^t Basils Do­ctrine and his advice is as safe and good, That while we have Opportunity we would secure our future condition and fly from that eternall punishment whereinto if we are once plung'd by Gods dreadfull sentence, we shall never after­wards bee able to escape. To day therefore if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts: Strive to enter in at the strait Gate, for wide is the Gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and as Salomon spake in another case: None that go in thither returne again nor take they hold of the paths of life.

S^t Ambrose declares as well the greatnesse and extension, as the perpetuity of the pains of Hell,Ambros. De fide resurrectionis. that as both body and Soul sin'd; So Body and Soul should suffer, what the Soul imagined and contrived, the Body put into Act, the law of the flesh wrought upon the law of the mind; and there­fore it was reason that no part should have any rest, but that [Page 41]as all parts and faculties sin'd, so all should suffer together. This is answerable to what is spoken by our modern Divines, and by some Jewish Rabbins also; That the Wages of sin in Hell should be commensurable to the Body of sin on Earth. We know it is the nature of Evill to spread like Venome over every part and faculty of Man, when once it hath gotten an Empire or Dominion in him, And so it is the will of God that Punishment in the time of its Reign, that is in Hell, should spread also, and that every faculty that hath been the seat of sin should be made the seat of tor­ment. Did Lust enter at the Eye from corporeall Beau­ties? In Hell Horror shall more abundantly enter there from Ghastly sights. Did the Ear delight in Vanity and let in laughter, when Religion was abused or the holy Scriptures jested upon, and turned into Burlesque? Now let the same profane ear take its farewell of its ancient pleasures, and con­tent it self if it can with the variety of Noises that shall be found in the howlings and drummings of Tophet. Was Dives his tongue curious in tasting its delicate meats, now it shall be parch'd with a continued infernall Feaver and be denied the cheap refreshment of a drop of Water from Lazarus his finger. And that grosse sense of touching, which is the bed of the fowlest Sin, shall be laid not to repose, but to be eternally disquieted in a Bed of flame. After a like manner shall all the internall senses that have been the servants of sin bee entertained in punishment. And the faculties of the soul that have been debauch't to wickednesse shall be distracted with greater torments than all these. Some Jewish Doctors are of Opinion, that the Souls of the damned shall be vio­lently rap't upwards and downwards by most painfull and contrariant Motions, that they shall endeavor upwards in or­der to associate themselves to the purer Spirits,Vide Pocockii notas Miscell. in Portam Mosis Maim. c. 6. but having no principles nor skill to attain that purity, nor use in it shall by the power of their old use and custome with ineffable tor­ments [Page 42]be hurried downwards. They shall be continually toss't from one desire to another, and yet shall have no waies or means to attain either the new spirituall delights, or the old earthy pleasures. And these they affirme are greater than any torments of fire or Ice, of Knives or Swords, of Serpents or Scorpions, and that their Minds shall be so di­stracted by these Opposite desires, that their pain shall bee thence as great, as if two Angels stood one on the north Pole, and another of the South, and did thence continually from se­verall slings,Vide Pocock. & autores ib. p. 170. sling these miserably tormented Souls from one End of the world unto the other, without giving them a­ny intermediate Quiet.

And for the continuance of this Torment S^t Ambrose affirmeth also,Ambros. lib. De Fide Resurrect. that the sinner in Hell shall be preserv'd for punishment, as the just is perpetuated for Glory, and that there shall be no more decay in the worme of the wicked, than in the glorified Bodies of the Just,Ambros. in 1. Cor. c. 3. tom. 5. and he expresseth the perpetuity of that Torment in another place to the full, when he telleth us that the wicked and perfidious or Apo­state Christians igne aeterno in perpetuum torquebuntur, they shall be tormented for ever in an eternall fire. So that it is not the fire only, as our Patrons of Vice would have it, but the torment in that fire that shall be eternall also

Lactantius asserts the extension of the pains of Hell not only over the Soul but over their Bodies also;Lactantius de divino praemio. lib. 7. c. 21. which saith he, shall be indissoluble and eternally permanent that they may hold out against the torments of everlasting fire. That the Fire shall be pure and fluid, rather like that of melted me­tals and minerals, and consistent with that blacknesse of dark­nesse mention'd by S^t Jude, than like our Culinary fire, or any other luminous flame. That it shall endure of it self and preserve it self without aliment; And not only so, but that it shall even restore what it consumes. Idem divinus ignis, [Page 43]saith he, unâ eadem (que) potentia & cremabit impios & recrea­bit, The same fire of God shall by the same faculty and pow­er burn the wicked and recruit them. Et quantum a corpo­ribus abjumit tantum reponet, & sibiipsi eternum pabulum sub­ministrabit, It shall restore so much of the Body as it con­sumes, and so furnish it self with an eternall fuell. He doth not only say that the passive faculties of the damned shall be strengthned and made hard as an Anvil to endure that punish­ment, but that even the fire it self shall have a restorative fa­culty also and give strength in the midst of Torment. And if this either Tradition or Supposition of the Fathers concern­ing the restorative faculty of the fire of Hell or the then strength of the passive faculties be admitted, it is very easy to conceive how the pains of Hell may be great, and yet their greatnesse may not hinder their Eternity.

Tertullian and Justin Martyr are misreported by a learn­ed Writer, as favorers of some contrary Opinions,Bishop Taylor Ser. 3. of Christs Advent. and as sometimes disallowing the perpetuity and sometimes the con­tinuity of those Torments. But great and learned divines are not allwaies without their naevi. And, I think, it may be reckon'd for one of his failings, that he hath given coun­tenance to our modern encouragers of Vice, by writing so doubtfully, and in generall misreporting the Opinions of the Fathers in this particular.

For Tertullian in the first place is so farr from favoring O­rigens Opinion, that he every where opposeth it. In that very Text cited and misconstrued by the Bishop,Epicurus omnem cruciatum & do. lorem depreciat, modicum con­templibilem pro­nunciando, Mag. num vero non diuturnum, &c. Tertull. c. 45. adversus Gen­tes pag. 74. Tertullian directly opposeth one of the greatest arguments that was e­ver made in the defence of the Heresy of Origen. The ar­gument (indeed taken from the principles of Epicurus) was this, That no pain which is great can be lasting. Tertullian industriously and directly denies that principle, and affirmes in particular, that the paines of Hell are great, and yet not only lasting but everlasting, Dolores non diuturni, verum sempi­terni, [Page 44]His sense is, that to say those paines are lasting, is to abate of the Truth, and to speak too little of them, and there­fore he pronounceth the pains of Hell to be great and ever­lasting, and that this was then the Christian Faith. The Re­verend Prelate above mention'd would have the words non diuturnus to signify not the paines of every day, and so he doth at least take off the continuity of the pains of Hell in the Opinion of that Father.Bellum diatur­num, pax diu­turna, morbus diuturnus, fimu­latio diuturna, alio semper sen­su. apud. Cic. I will not bring a Grammaticall controversy into the Pulpit, else it is easily defensible, that He hath fixed a new and a wrong sense to the word Diutur­nus, and a new and a wrong Etymology, when he deriveth it from dies not from diu: Besides he takes off the Opposition intended by Tertullian against that principle of Epicurus, and maketh him speak that which is most contrary to his own do­ctrine in other places.Deus producto aevo isto judica­turus est suos cultores in vitae aeteraae retribu­tionem, profanos in ignem aeque perpetem & jo­gem, suscitatis omnibus ab ini­tio defunctis, & reformatis & recensitis ad u­trius (que) meriti dispunction [...]m. Tert. adv Gen­tes c. 18. For in the 18^th chapter of his Trea­tise adversus Gentes, he writes that God, at the End of this life, shall raise up the dead from the beginning of the world, and call them to an account of their merit and demerit, and shall sentence the wicked into a Fire that shall be both everlasting and continued, and elsewhere, that the profane shall live in the torment of a perpetuall fire, which shall be so farr from destroying them, that it shall give an incorruptibility to the tormented Bodies. What can be spoken more expressely a­gainst the annihilation contended for; than this doctrine, that maketh Hell fire so far from corrupting them, as to give in­corruptibility to the tormented. Or what more against Ori­gens Opinion for the restoration of the damned, and vicissi­tude of Resurrections, than what he affirmeth in the same place,Dei quidem cul­tores apud De­um semper; pro­ [...]ni vero in pae­nâ aeque jugis ignis, habentis ex naturâ ejus divinam subministrationem incorruptibilitatis. Tert. cap. 48. Adv Genter. Et S. ibidem Restituetur omne human um genus ad expungendum quod in isto avo bo­ni vel mali meruit, & exinde pendendum immensam aeternitatis perpetuitatem. Ideo nec mors jam, nec rursus ac rursus resurrectio, sed erimus iidem qui nunc, nec alii post. That there shall not be now a death and then a Resurrecti­on, [Page 45]and then another death, and after that another resurrection; but that we shall rise the same that we are now, and that after­ward there shall be no change? I pronounce therefore that Tertullian hath had wrong done Him in this Point, and that neither S^t Augustine among the Latine, nor S^t Basil among the Greek Fathers are more orthodox than He, nor more opposite to the ancient and modern Heretiques in this point concerning the greatnesse and eternity of Hell Tor­ments:

And the like may be said of Justin Martyr, he affirmes I am sure, that every one shall go to everlasting punishment or to everlasting Salvation according to the merit of their life. That the Devill and such as follow him, that is,V. Justin. Mar­tyr. in Apol. pro Christianis ad senatum Rom. & in 2. Apol. ad An­toninum Pium pag. 45. Where it is not only call'd [...], but [...] v. & pag. 50. & 52. ib. and in 68th pag. speaking of the ad coming of Christ he affirmes, that then, [...]. the wicked de­bauch't and Impenitent shall be eternally punish't in an eter­nall fire. And he doth not mean that they shall be annihila­ted, as M^r Hobbes will have it, and revive no more, but that they shall continue to suffer [...], in an eternal sense of that Torment; [That they shall have sorrow enough in Hell, but that in Hell their Sorrow and Repentance shall not profit them at all.]

S^t Gregory telleth us, that the Devill begat this Persuasi­on,Greg. Moral. 34. c. 11. that the punishment of sin in Hell should have an End, that Men here on Earth might not take care to put and End to their sins.

And Photius that great Patriarch of Constantinople in his Letter to Michael Prince of Bulgaria reckons this Opinion so dangerous, that he calleth it [...], an Exhortation to all possible sin and to all possible dam­nation. And surely those who would now persuade us, than the pains of Hell shall be but short and transitory, will, when [Page 46]they may have hope to prevail, tempt us with that same O­riginall Lye by which the Serpent first deceived Eve: As then the Serpent said to the woman, Ye shall not surely dye, though God had said, you shall surely dye, So these will say, Be sanguine now, that is, eat and drink, whore and He­ctor, debauch and oppresse, For we have found out a new and comfortable Opinion, that there is no such thing as any second Death.

But I shall proceed to shew you, that whatsoever new Opinions there are now, the primitive Faith was otherwise. S^t Cyprian, or whoever was author of that Homily de A­scentione Christi, that we find among his writings, declareth to this purpose, That the wicked shall be appointed to dwell in infinite torments, That there shall be streames of Teares for e­ver, but for ever to no purpose. The flames there shall be ut­terly inextinguishable, and the punisht Souls shall dwell im­mortally in those infernall furnaces, and the most killing part of their torment shall be this, that they shall all waies live in a despair of ever being redeemed thence. God will no more have mercy then, Then confession and Repentance shall be too late; For Christ descended into Hell but once and shall returne thither no more to work any new Victory or make a­ny new Redemption. Prudentius addeth his suffrage against the Heresy of Origen in those verses,

His meaning is, That both the Soul of the sinners and their torment also, their flame and their worme by the appointment of God, shall be eternall.

Athanasius concludes his creed thus, Those that have done well shall go into everlasting life, and those that have done evill [Page 47]into everlasting fire, and he affirmes the same in diverse other of his writings.

S^t Hierom, as he was a passionate Lover and admirer of Origens learning and Wit,Felicibus ingeniis mirum dictu quantopere faverit, adeo ut hae­reticos etiam laudibus ornaret, li­benter si licuisset fidei vitium e­ruditioni condonaturus. Cum pri­mis autem Origenis, quem suum adpellat, &c. Erasmus in vita Hieronymi, ubi narrat etiam ut Origenistae in suae sactionis con­sortium Hieronymum pertrabere nitebantur. so pos­sibly he might take his phancy of a Purgatory fire from Him, and yet as well as he loved him, he would not follow him in his heresy, Diaboli (saith he) & omnium negatorum & impiorum dixerunt in corde non est Deus, Deus, credimus aeterna tormenta. We believe that the Devils and Atheists and such as deny God in their hearts shall suffer eternall pains.Hieron. in c. ult. Esaiae. And let our Atheists take heed they do not one day find S^t Hieroms creed truer than their own.

It were endlesse to give you all the private Judgements of the Fathers, dispersed up and down among their writings, You may have a good Collection of the arguments ancient­ly used against Origens Opinion in Justinians letter to Men­na then Archbishop of Constantinople; which letter is yet extant in the third Tome of Binius his Councels: I shall therefore conclude the Authorities that affirme the pains of the damned in Hell to be everlasting, with that perempto­ry decree of the sixt councell of Constantinople, intended to condemne that very Opinion of Origen maliciously (to the Ruin of all good manners) now again renewed by the Atheists and Socinians of this loose and naughty Age. And let me tell our Lawyers (who as they say begin too much to favor M^r Hobbes's errors) that this decree which I shall now repeat was thought of so much use by the anci­ent Lawyers,Vide Baisamon in Photii Nomo. canon. Tit. de Fide c. 2. l. 5. Basilic [...] Tit. 1. c. 1. resp. 1. that they caused it to be embodied with the Imperiall Laws, and esteemed the authority of it to bee the universall concern of the Empire. The words of the de­cree are these, [...], [Page 48]in English thus,V. Binius Concil. loco citato. If any one doth say or hold, that the punishment of the Devils and Wicked men shall be but temporary, and that after a season it shall come to an End, or that there shall be a restoration of the wicked Angels and Wicked men to their former estates and Dignities, Let him be accursed. I am un­willing so severe a Censure of the Church should come a­gainst any man through my mouth. Insteed therefore of that, Let him be accursed, I shall say let M^r Hobbes live and let him be reclaimed, and let him not be ashamed to repent of and to disclaim his Errors (as I have reason to believe O­rigen did his before his death.) And let the Socinians be indeed as Zealous encouragers of Vertue, and Oppo­sers of Vice as some of them pretend to bee, and then I am sure they will leave off this their daubing with untem­per'd Mortar,See the lamen­tation of Ori­gen, Heu mihi doctori, nec discipuli locum teneo, volens alios illuminare mcipsum obscuravi. Plangite me quia aeternis paenis con­demnotus sum; ve eor diem judicii, qua in aeternâ poenâ damnatus sum; Timeo paenam, quia aeterna est, &c. Ita Origenes in threnois a B. Hieronymo latine redditis. this which I may properly call (in the phrase of Ezechiel) their sowing pillows under every Arme­hole.

To conclude, this then is the uniforme sense of the Ca­tholick Church. That the pains of Hell are great, The Greatnesse of them is intimated in this, that they are re­presented as the Torments of fire which is the worst sort of Torments, by the Torments of a black and dark fire, which is the worst sort of tormenting fires; Other Circum­stances that make this torment formidable, are the perpetu­ity and continuity of it, both affirmed by all orthodox wri­ters primitive and Moderne.

And yet whether these Flames are visible and luminous, or the Burnings are intensely great and dark, as those of melt­ed [Page 49]metals and Minerals; and whether they are palpable or Immateriall; are questions, which with many others of like Nature are easier to be disputed, than certainly decided. For as the Joyes of Heaven are set forth unto us by visible and Materiall Emblemes and Representations of the great­est Happinesses that we can conceive, and yet we believe them much greater and better, though not properly such as those shadows represent; So on the other side, if we judge the expressions concerning the pains of Hell to bee meta­phoricall, and do not believe that they are formally such as they are described to bee when they are represented to our present Capacities (which was, I think, the utmost of S^t Gregory Nyssenes Opinion) yet then we must by the same A­nalogy believe, that they are greater and higher miseries, than those metaphoricall Expressions can really decipher. Surely if there had been a greater kind of torment conceiva­ble than that Torment of fire joined with that blacknesse of darknesse mention'd by S^t Jude, the holy Ghost would have chosen to have made use of those for representations. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdome of God,Someanciently, and some of late, as Casau­bon particular­ly, have spok­en of Greg. Nyssene, as if he had been a Sectary of Origens heresy. The chief place they note is the conclusion of his catechetick Orati­on. But the summ of his discourse there is no more than this; That as the Joies of Heaven are such as cannot be described in words, seeing they are such as Eye hath not seen non Ear heard; so nei­ther shall the pains in the lise to come be like those that we now feel, The fire shall not be like our fire; for ours may be extinguish't, that cannot: Nor shall that worme be of the kind of our earthy Vermine. For they dye, but that dyeth not. And truly I never heard that it was censured as Here­sy, I am sure it was not the Heresy of Origen, to assert the Seripturall expressions concerning the pains of Hell Metaphoricall. What it was is declared in this discourse, and St German and Pho­tius two great Patriarchs have anciently written his defence V. Elogia in Nyssenum in prolegomena ad ejusdem opera ex editione Claudii Morelli, Parisiis 1638. So neither is it possible that our present flesh and blood should be able without a change of its Nature, to inherit or en­dure the kingdome of Satan. And if there must be a change of this corruptible Nature, before it can be capacitated to [Page 50]suffer those everlasting Torments, possibly there must also be a change in our earthy Natures before we shall be able per­fectly to understand them.

We read that upon the delivery of the law of Moses, Exod. 24.17. that the sight of the Glory of the Lord was like devouring Fire upon the Top of the mount. And that then the People saw the thundrings, and lightnings and the noise of the Trumpet and the mountain smoking. And he professed Himself then to be a consuming Fire, Deut. 4.23. Believe me, my Brethren, or if ye will not believe me, believe the Author to the Hebrews who telleth us, that even under the Gospell, our God is also a consuming Fire. And it is, as I formerly noted, the Observation of the Psalm­ist, That if we make our Bed in Hell, God is there also; God is there and he will shew himself a consuming fire in the midst of those Flames. Though Heaven be the Throne and place of Gods presence, yet God is in Hell as certainly, and as effectually, as he is in Heaven. And the wicked, to­gether with the good Company they hope for, shall be sure to find Him there disposing of that good Company so, that they shall not bee able to clude the Vindictive Wrath of God, or any way to alleviate one anothers punishment. God I say, who is the luster of a shining Glory in the new Jerusalem, with his presence doth also fill that Tophet that he hath prepared: You remember that the same God that was light and Glory to the children of Israel, was a cloud and pillar of darkenesse and trouble to the Egyptians: Exod. 14. and so shall the same God be light to the Just, and a cause of Horror to the wicked after the resurrection. How much of the Torment shall be inflicted on the damned immediate­ly by himself as he is God the consuming fire, He only know­eth; and God grant that by his grace we may so live, that, by our own wofull experience, we may never know it. I am sure it is a good inference that the Apostle makes from [Page 51]this Consideration. Heb. 12. ult. Let us, saith he, have the Grace to serve God, with Reverence and godly fear, as we read it, or as the ancients read it, with Reverence and fear of punishment, For our God is a Consuming Fire.

And thus much have I spoken to commend unto you that Initiall fear, that is the way to Vertue and the beginning of Wisdome. I speak not of this as of the highest attainment in Religion, I know there is an estate of so great perfection as to be above fear, and that is the estate of perfect love; For perfect love casts out fear. 1 John. 4.18. I wish we were but well setled within the Bordures of Religion: Not is a Man to be deni­ed his Sonship and Interest in God the Father, if he be really religious, though he be not arrived so high as that perfect love which casts out fear. Solomon assureth us, that there is a blessednesse that belongs to the man that feareth allwaies: Prov. 28, 14. and S^t Paul adviseth us to work out our sal­vation with Fear and Trembling, Phil. 2.12. And therefore I cannot alltogether approve the Rule of the Schools that saith, that Timor filialis non respicit Deum tanquam Princi­pium inflictivum paenarum, Filiall fear looks not upon God as the cause of Punishment. For the best of us, though Chil­dren, must confesse that we have been dissobedient children. Joseph feared especially the evill of sin when he resisted his lustfull Mistresse with that Expostulation, Gen. 29.9. How shall I do this wickednesse and sin against God, but it is not said that He did not fear the Punishment of that sin also. To fear God is to honor and sanctify Him, so the Prophet E­say adviseth, Sanctify the Lord of Hosts himself. How is that to be done? Why it follows, let him be your fear, let him be your dread: Esay 8.13. When we fear him and punishment by Him, we think honorably of his power and of his ju­stice: And thus, as Solomon observeth Prov. 19.23. The fear of the Lordtendeth to life. And though the perfection of Holinesse implieth more, yet as S^t Paul noteth, we do [Page 52]not come to that perfection, we do not perfect that holinesse. but by the fear of the Lord. 2 Cor. 7.11. He that feareth God dares do no Evill, and whether he feareth sin as sin, or whether he feareth the punishment of God upon his sin, the least and lowest of these fears causeth a man to abstain from evill and is the way to life, that we are commanded to walk in. And let me give it this further commendation, that it doth not only cause our Obedience in other things: but we shew our Obedience even in this when we fear God. And therefore we are doubly to blame if we do not cherish this Fear that is in the first place commanded by God himselfe and so our Duty, secondly that containeth in it such an honor of God, and such an estimation of his power and justice, as will be a motive to lead us to holinesse here, and consequently to eter­nall happinesse hereafter.

And now I have done, I tell you that I am not at all de­lighted with this argument: and I had rather, if there were cause, have been commending unto you that other fear of God, that filial fear; which indeed, hath little of true and pro­per fear in it. I mean, that I had rather have been preaching unto you the joyfull Tokens of your assurance, in order to the perfecting your love in God. But alasse I find too much reason to be still upon these Initiall lessons. And, My Brethren, you must not be angry with the watch for giving you these Alarmes, untill they find you more apprehensive. It is most certainly true that where there is no fear of God, there is no true, stable and well grounded Vertue. What a Conclusi­on was that of Abraham, Gen. 20.11. The fear of God is not in this place, therefore will they slay me for my wives sake. Abraham knew this, that where Naturall lust hath extingui­shed the fear of God, there is no bar against Adultery, Murder or any sort of Wickednesse. For want of this fear proud and lustfull Men will be ready to poyson or make a­way the husband that they may enjoy, I mean abuse [Page 53]the Wife, Oh may it not be said of us for these or the like Reasons, That the fear of the Lord is not in this place! Abi­melech in the day of doom shall appear to be the son of A­braham, and our profession of Religion shall encrease our shame and torment if we dare those wickednesses that Abi­melech durst not. Beauty was Beauty then; The Beauty of Sarah had took him, and he had took possession of the Beau­ty: and surely she was as neer being made a Sacrifice of ano­ther kind, as her Son Isaak afterwards was when he lay bound upon the Altar. But Abimelech, though a Gentile, when he knew she was Abrahams wife, he would not rob Abra­ham, much lesse would he slay Abraham for his wives sake. If it be otherwise with us, shall not his Nature judge our Religion, and his Gentilisme condemn our pretences of Christianity? Hominum pessimus malus Christianus, He that is vicious being a Christian, is even the worse for his profession. Eternally true is that observation of David, Psalm 19. The fear of the Lord is clean, surely the want of this fear, as it is a Nationall defect, and cause of much Natio­nall sin, doth call for penitentiall prayers and teares from e­very Soul that is a lover of his Nation. Now is the time that every devout man should be as the Prophet Jeremy, should wish his head Water and his Eyes fountains, that he might weep day and night for the sins of the daughter of his people: Surely it is time the Trumpet were now blown to some solemne pennance. Let us at least, that are Priests and Mi­nisters of the Lord, weep in our severall places, Let us stand between the porch and the altar, and say, Spare thy people O Lord, and give not thy Heritage to reproach Joel 2.17. Let us all, Men of high degree, and men of low degree joyn with that Royall penitent, Psal. 51. and pray, that God would wash us, even this whole Nation, throughly from our wickednesse, and cleanse us from our sin. Make us clean hearts O God, and renew right Spirits within us. Cast us not a­way [Page 54]from thy presence, and take not thy holy Spirit from us. And then let us adde endeavors to our prayers, Let us gird up the loins of our Minds, and encourage our selves against all Vice. What though ill men sometimes come to be fa­vored and preferred? What though the fear of God and his judgement with some sorts of Men is now grown out of fa­shion. The councell of King Salomon will eventually prove as good as it is now seasonable, Prov. 23.17. Let not thy heart envy sinners, but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long, for surely there is an End and thine Expectation shall not be cut off. The Contempt of Religion hath been an old distemper in the world, and the prosperity of profane Men an old scandall. There is nothing yet extraordinary hath hapned to us. There were stout Hectors in Malachi's time, that said, It was in vain to serve God, and that there was no profit to have kept his Ordinance, That the proud were happy and that the workers of wickednesse were set up, and those that e­ven tempted God were delivered. Let us consider therefore what wise and good Men anciently did in that Case, the Pro­phet tels you, Mal. 3.16. That then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and heard it. And a book of Remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and thought upon his Name. And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day that I make up my Jewels, I will spare them as a Man spareth his Son that serveth Him.

Oh that the great God, whose last appearance shall melt down the Flinty mountains, would now melt down our flinty hearts, and make them new, and cleanse and polish them so, that in that day he may own his own workmanship, and place us, even us, his new Creation, in some darke place at least a­mong those Jewels!

To that great God who is maker of all things, and Judge and Rewarder of all men, and to the Lord our Righteous­nesse, [Page 55]whose merits must be our only plea in that dreadfull day of Judgement, and to the Spirit of Holinesse, who by appearing in us and for us can only make us accepted, by giv­ing us a Title to plead those Merits, to the whole Holy and ever blessed Trinity in Unity be Glory Honor and Adoration for Evermore.

SERM. I. Of Happinesse in Heaven.

IT is the commun and uniforme judgement of all mankind, a truth universally receiv­ed, without any contradiction, that to live, without greif, in an estate of Joy and Happinesse, is the confessed Interest, and to it is the innate desire, of every man, as Man.

Now, (which will ease us of a laborious defence of this conclusion,) as the mind of man can never be so much de­bauch't, as not to propose its own Happinesse and delight, for the end of all its deliberate Actions; so neither can it be without the sense of this its Aim: but, upon examination, [Page 58]will ever rest more undoubtedly satisfied of its own passio­nate affection to happinesse, than of any other thing that it comes to understand, by the sight of the Eye, the Tast of the Palate, or the perception of any other the most infallible externall sense: And therefore Philosophers, who have made it their buisnesse to understand human Nature, have thought it enough to intimate, and forbid the proof of this point; because it is allready by every one confess't; No Notion more commun or more generally anticipated: So that it is a­greed by all,Omne animal simulatque na­tum est, volup­tatem appetere, eāque gaudere ut summo bono, do­lorem aspernari ut summum ma­lum, & quantum possit à se repellere; Neque opus est ratione aut disputatione, quamobrem voluptas sit expetenda, aut fugiendus dolor sit, lentiri autem hoc, ut calere Ignem, Nivem esse albam, dulce Mel; quorum nihil oportet exquisitis rationibus confirmare, satis est admonere. Ita Torquatus apud Cicero­nem 1. de Finib. Omni Naturae convenit quod sit determinata ad aliquid, Voluntas est ord [...]nata à Deo ad certum finem, qui est Beatitudo, & sic voluntas naturaliter vult Beatitudinem sive bene esse, & non libere; tanquam naturali inclinatione determinante quantum ad actum primum. Ideo primus actus cujuscunque voluntatis tribuitur Dco; & idco nulla creatura potest peceare in primo actu, cum ad illum [...]t naturalis & à Deo determinatio. Viguerius Inst. de voluntate Humana. cap. 3. §. 3. v. 1. that his paines would be needlesse, and even subject to derision who should endeavor by exquisite argu­ments to confirme this Truth; That every man desires to be free from paines and greifs, and to live in an estate of delight and Happinesse.

There is another Universall judgement of all mankind, not denied by any man that hath learning enough to number or measure, It is this: that the greater, the more full and intense, as also the more extense and durable delight, is to be chosen be­fore the shorter and the lesse. For Delight or Happinesse be­ing in all mens Judgements esteemed a thing inoffensively good;Arist. Rhet. lib. 1. c. 6. of which there can be no noxious or harmefull excesse, (to use Aristotles language ( [...]) it follow­eth that the more of this excellent condition any man enjoy­eth, it is so much the better for him, or (to use ordinary speech) so much the happier he is. We should account that Man an Ideot, a Naturall fool, and fit to be a Ward all the [Page 59]dayes of his life, who having his choice should choose one shil­ling before twenty, one Farme rather than a whole Lord­ship consisting of many; one part rather than the whole, wherein that part and diverse others more considerable are contained. Now if it bee thus in matters whereof there may be bad use made; and which may be converted into the pos­sessors harme, much more true is it, and most certainly holds in the case of happinesse it self. That full joy is to bee preferr'd before that which is slender, poor and scanty, and Pleasures for evermore, before pleasures for a sea­son.

Now to prepare you for what I shall speak hereafter con­cerning the Rewards of Christian Vertue, I shall tell you, That among all the Pleasures and Happinesses, that were found out by wise and considering Men among the Heathen, none are said to be greater than those that did ordinarily spring from the practice of morall vertue. Nor,Apud Stobaeum cap. 22. Plutarch de A­nim. Tra. Euripides in Oreste. Juvenalis Sa­tyr. 13. ad fine [...] Paena autem vehemens, &c. if we will believe their histories, were there any greater greifs to be avoided than those that did arise from the practice of Vice. Pytha­goras compared the pains of an evill Conscience to perpetu­all whippings: Plutarch to the anguish of an Ulcer; Orestes in Euripides to a destructive disease; Iuvenal telleth us, that the torments of an evill conscience are so great, that there can be no greater even in Hell. For an example of that unqui­etnesse wherewith wicked men are haunted, we may look on the Character of the Roman Catiline, as he is reported by Salust, His impure Soul, saith he, could neither be at rest sleeping nor waking, His conscience did so rake and harrazze his unquiet mind. His colour therefore was pale, his Eyes bleared, his pace sometimes quick, sometimes slow, Animus im­purus neque ui­giliis neque qui­etibus sedari poterat, ita Conscientia mentem exagitatam vastabat: Igitur color ejus exanguis, faedi oculi, citus modo, modo tardus incessus prorsusque in facie vultúque Vecordia inerat. Salust in Catil. and the [Page 60]Disease of his heart appeared openly in his face and Counte­nance. And thus it is more or lesse with every man of Cati­lines principles and practice,Iamblich. Pro­treptic. c. 19. insomuch that Iamblichus affirmes that even Immortality without vertue, would be a very great Mischeif, Herocl. incarm. Pyth. as implying and eternall Infelicity: Hierocles con­fesseth also that the least of evills that can happen to a per­son of an ill life is, [...], That his Soul is in perpetuall Torture and convulsions and that he ever lives in dread of the punishment of Hell.

And it is a most true Observation,Plutarch de Ani. Tra. that some of their own learned men have made, namely, that Reason which is wont to administer help to all other sorts of greif, on the contra­ry doth enrage and encrease this much more. Nay even those who are the greatest Enemies to vertue, and most profess't defenders of Atheisme, cannot free themselves from a suspi­cion of divine Revenge impendent upon Vice. For though they raise every day new and strange Hypotheses; Yet when they have wrackt their braines to the uttermost, out of all their studies and restlessnesse, they raise but suppositions or Hypotheses, they pretend not to bring any science to the con­trary, Nay they bring not one argument to prove, that the com­mun faith is not the truer.

On the contrary the wise and good man, He, as Seneca ob­serveth, is allwaies full of Joy, He is merry, he is quiet, He is unshaken, Senec. Ep. 59. He liveth so that he keepeth an even reckoning with God. I may adde, and with his own conscience which is a domestick Deity unto Him. The Pleasure of Vertue is equall to that of life, and life were no life without it, saith Phaedra in Euripides. Eurip in Hip­pol. I might multiply testimonies on this argument, but the matter is confess't and needs it not.

If you ask what Reason Vicious men among the Heathen had for these their fears? what ground had good men among them for these their Joyes? I answer, that even their Reasons [Page 61]were not bad ones, but yet for our Comfort, we that are Chri­stians have much better.

First they had as we have, a Faith that there is a God, and that this God is a rewarder of good and evill actions. They found Notices of good and evill planted in their minds, di­rections for Vertuous living given them from the author of their Natures. These notices as they were made, so were they bred up with them, and became as inseparable from them as the very parts of their own souls. These are the [...], The commun notions that the Creator hath inspired universally unto all rea­sonable men as saith Hierocles. Hierocl. in Carm. Pyth. These are the naturall and do­mestick Heralds of Gods will unto us. And it was by obey­ing these Notices that the Heathens are said by S^t Paul, Rom. 2.14. to have done by nature the things that were written in the Law. Plato telleth us that God hath diverse sorts of Laws, and among the rest that one is Lex humana, nostris insculpta men­tibus, ad veri rectique notitiam & affectum, It is the Law of human reason wrought and engraven in our minds to forme a knowledge and love of Truth and Right. This being laid down as a ground, they discoursed further that men ought not to think that these naturall notices were to no purpose imprint­ed on them by the author of their Natures. But, seeing they were most proper to direct Vertuous actions, they ar­gued that God had appointed them for that End; even as he had appointed the Eye to see and the Ear to hear, which were only proper for those services: and consequently that wicked men crosse the purposes and designes of God and dis­please him, when they make no use at all of those Dictates of Conscience, or use them not to the right End; and that they must expect to suffer the effects of that displeasure. For it was not without reason presumed that to have these Notices obeyed was the pleasure of God, who planted them in our Na­tures; and that those pleased him most who obeyed him most [Page 62]in doeing as they directed: and that either in this life or in the next they should find the benefit of their Obedience; and the wicked the Reward of their Dissobedience.tamblic. de vi­tâ Pyth. c. 18. All beings shew their kindnesse where they love (saith Pythagoras) and God con­sequently. And therefore he and his Schole allwayes con­cluded that wise Men will apply themselves to do the things that please God and that in hope of a Reward. For even the Gentiles beleived that there was a God, and that he was a Rewarder of all those that diligently seek Him. Accord­ing to the style of the Apostle Heb. 11.6. If it be askt what do we more than this? what advantage then hath the Christian and what profit is there of the Gospell of Christ? I answer as S^t Paul did Rom. 3.2. Much every way, chiefly because that to us are committed the Oracles of God. We grant that their Notices were pretty explicite, that directed what actions were good and what evill. Yet their thoughts con­cerning a Reward (though they beleived it in the generall) were very confused, various, doubtfull. They saw that in this world good men were often oppress't, and that worse than they govern'd, and bare Rule over them. This made them resolve, that the great and full reward of Vertuous a­ctions was to bee expected in another World. But their conceits concerning that other world were so uncertain, and their Traditions upon which these conceits were built became at last so mixt with fables, that they came to be esteemed but Poeticall Phansyes. Heaven was metamorphos'd into the Elysian Fields; and the Tales of Styx and Acharon con­founded the True Notion of Hell: insomuch that little re­mained of the old Faith and Tradition uniformly consented to more than this, That there were Notions in us compe­tently sufficient to direct our Practice, That there was a God who made us, and planted these Notions in us, and that this God was a Rewarder.

Here then is our advantage, The Gentiles they had their Al­tars [Page 63]erected to an Unknown God, Act. 17.23. So then Ver­tue aimed at an unknown Reward, What the best and most considering persons among them conceived confusedly and beleived uncertainly, That the holy Gospell to us Christians proposeth distinctly, and confirmeth surely. And though the Glory and Happinesse which the blessed shall enjoy in Heaven be so great, that as S^t Paul observeth, Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, nor understanding comprehended it: yet as the same S^t Paul observeth (1 Cor. 2.10.) God hath reveled it to us by his Spirit. He hath shewed us what is the condition of that estate, at least so far forth as our earthy na­tures were capable to understand it.

And truly it is but necessary for us to be frequent in the con­templation of that happinesse that God hath provided for such as serve him. For the Race that is set before us is to be run, not without our labors and endeavor. And it is the value of the prize that must encourage us to be temperate and strive in it. King David (though reported in holy Scripture to have been a Man after Gods own heart) yet professeth of him­selfe, that he had utterly fainted but that he beleived verily to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living, Psal. 27. And S^t Paul observeth that it is onely and singly this Hope of Heaven that easeth a Christians life from being of all lives the most miserable, to be of all lives the most happy, 1. Cor. 15.19. Nor was his consideration of the Recompense of Re­ward thought either unlawfull or superfluous by Abraham or Moses or our blessed Savior. Great were the Joyes that were set before them, and great, even the same great De­lights are set before Us. The most searching wit cannot conceive greater, For these are the greatest possible, nay we cannot conceive these adequately, because they are so great.

Now that I may not wander too much, when I treat of so infinite a Theme, I shall designedly confine my present dis­course to some few Texts, and chiefly to the last verse of the [Page 64]sixteenth Psalm; Where the Prophet concludeth, that in the Kingdome of Heaven, or which is all one, in the presence of God, there is fullnesse of Joy, and at his right hand there are Pleasures for evermore.

This Psalme is entitled by the Septuagint [...]. A piece of Davids Sculpture or engraving. As our best Po­ets chuse to have some greater acumen, somewhat more ex­cellent and strong for wit and sense in the Closure of their Poems: So in the last line of this Psalme, in the Bottome of this piece of Sculpture, there is engraved in small, a good lively Image of Heaven, or of that which maketh Heaven to be such, Celestiall Happinesse. This Urania is a fit piece, for every divine Lover and courtier to cast both his Eyes up­on. And therefore while I discourse to You on this subject to rectify my meditations, I shall frequently cast mine Eye upon this very little, but very fine piece of the Royall Engra­ver.

I layd down in the beginning these undeniable and confes­sed Grounds. First that every man desireth to live without greif, in an estate of joy and happinesse.

Secondly that every wise man desireth the greater Happi­nesse before the lesse. I shewed by the by, the Opinions of Heathen Men, that Happinesse was no otherwise at­tainable but by Vertue and the endeavor of Pleasing God.

But now I assume, which I intend for the Argument of this Discourse, That in Heaven, in his own presence, God hath provided for Vertuous men an estate of happinesse, that is in all respects the greatest that can possibly be imagined or enjoyed: And to prove this that I assume, I shall onely beg you to grant, what, if you consider, you cannot but grant, namely that the greatest happinesse possible, can have but those parts or properties which in this Text are either explicitely or im­plicitely affirmed of the Glory of Heaven.

The first of these is Indolence, that is the absence of Greif and security from it. This is required as a prerequisite, or prin­ciple and foundation of the other parts, and is implied, be­cause the other mention'd properties cannot be where this is not.

The second part or property is, that it hath Joy in possessi­on; The very forme, essence, or substance of that happinesse consists in Joy. Nothing can be more suitable to our Na­tures or appetites, than delight, Joy or pleasure: And this we have an explicite assurance of from this Text. For the Psalmist telleth us expressely; That in the presence of God there is joy, and at his right hand there are Plea­sures.

The third property of the greatest happinesse is, that there be fullnesse of this Joy. For Fullnesse implieth the highest degree and greatest measure. Neither man nor Angell nor any other Being can be capable of more than fullnesse, and this is also explicitely affirm'd of the estate of Glory, viz. That in the presence of God there is fullnesse of Joy.

The Fourth and last property of the greatest happinesse that can be imagined is the Perpetuity, or eternall duration of its pleasures: and this the Text also giveth us an explicite assu­rance of; For it concludeth, That in the presence of God are pleasures for evermore: not for a day or a year or ten years or ten thousand, But in the presence of God are pleasures for evermore.

Thus the Royall engraver in this very little piece hath gi­ven us all the lineaments of the greatest happinesse, and hath directed us where this Urania makes her abode, where this Happinesse, this perfect and compleat happinesse is to bee found, not among Glories or riches or Pleasures of this World, but in the presence of God in Heaven.

O Let the Power of thy Grace O Lord fit us for that presence!

The first property of that happy estate, which the [Page 66]blessed enjoy in the presence of God is Indolence, or security from Greifs. This is not expressely mention'd in the de­scription, but certainly implied; For there can be no Full­nesse of joy where pains or sorrows are mixt or fill any part of the Soul. For that Soul cannot be perfectly full of joy that is partly fill'd with sorrow, And I therefore place Indolence first, because an Estate of Joy can stand upon no other Bot­tome: There can be no foundation for it, where the place is allready possess't with greif. For as the Scholemen use to dispute, that the privation or absence of cold, is a necessary requisite for the introducing of Heat, so they affirme also that the absence of greif or sorrow is as necessary for the pro­duction of delight and Pleasure.

Secondly this estate of Indolence, which is the ground or Basis of delight, though it be onely implied in the Psalmists description here, yet in other Texts of Scripture is expresse­ly asserted to be part of the Portion of the Blessed in Heaven. Wee are Christians, we all professe to beleive the Scriptures. In them we hope to have eternall life, and so (if the Son of God be to be beleived before Socinus) did the Jewes before us: we have the light of that Revelation which the Heathens want­ed, and would have rejoyced at. This would have corrected their Traditions and rectified their confused Expectations. We have as S^t Peter speaketh a more sure word of Prophesy, to which we shall do well if we take heed, as to a light that shineth in a darke place; untill the day dawn and the day star arise in our hearts, that is, untill the day come that we shall be admit­ed into the presence of God, and shall see him, not in a glasse darkely, but face to face. Till that time come, we must borrow all our light from Scripture, which came not by the will of Man, but holy men of God spake as they were mo­ved by the holy Ghost, 2 Pet. 1. ult.

S^t John we know in the time of the Gospell was the great Master of Revelations, He was the person whom our Savior [Page 67]chose out of all his Disciples to reveal those things unto that were to come to passe in the End of the world. And he hath given us a sufficient Testimony of our Security from greif at that time, when we shall enjoy the presence of God in the new Jerusalem. He saw the Heavens and the Earth fly away from before the face of God, and there was no place found for them, Rev. 20.11. He saw also a new Heaven and a new Earth and a new Jerusalem coming down from God, richly a­dorn'd as a Bride in Expectation of her Bridegroome. Rev. 21.1, 2, 3, 4. And I heard, saith he, a great voice out of Hea­ven, saying, Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God him­self shall be with them and bee their God, and God shall wipe a­way all teares from their Eyes, and there shall be no more Death, neither sorrow nor Crying, neither shall there be any more pain. Here You see we have a particular Revelation to as­sure us that in the resurrection of the just, they shall have the first part of Happinesse, which is Indolence or the security from greif.

Now the manner or solemnity of giving this Revelation deserves to be considered also. For least this vision should be without an authentick Notary, He who sate upon the throne said unto John Write, for the words are faithfull and true. This came not like a delphick whisper; For he heard a great Voice, and that not uttering the mind of God enigmatically, as it were in a riddle, not in amphibolies or equivocall language and of various construction as the heathen Oracles did (who sought out darke speech, that the Event might not overtake them in an evident lye) but in plain univocall and downright termes, There shall be no more Death nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain. This was a Voice from Heaven, This is the eter­nall decree and covenant of God of which he commanded S^t John to be the Scrivener, This is the enfeofment of the [Page 68]redeemed, or in the phrase of the Spirit, the words that are faithfull and true and cannot passe away.

This Text you see is generall and full and can bee meant of nothing else. But seeing what is here spoken in generall is in other Texts delivered more particularly, It will not be amisse to follow wheresoever the Scripture leadeth, and so to take a more speciall account, what are the miseries that ill men are subject to, and that holy and good men by the mer­cy of God are redeemed from.

It is most true that Esdras long since observ'd that Mans condition is not greatly to be boasted of, seeing it is gene­rally true that he observeth 2 Esdras. 7.21. that Men now in this present time live in Heavinesse and after death they look for punishment. Here we are subject to all sorts of pains bo­dily and mentall; and after the Resurrection as there shall be conditions of greater joy, so also there shall be conditions of greater sorrow, than are any of those to which we are here ob­noxious.

Man is indeed born to pain naturally as the spark flyes upward: And God that ordained all things ordained these pains and sorrows, and every one must look to have his share of them. And yet it is piously beleived that it is not Gods delight either in this world or in the next to afflict or greive the children of Men. It may seem a paradox to some that pains or greifs should be good for any thing, and yet it is the Opinion of the best Philosophers (and I beleive as true, as it is strange) that the pains which men feel in hun­ger in thirst and in all sorts of sicknesses, and also that all those Naturall cares that arise from naturall appetites are by God appointed for necessary and excellent Ends. We learn from divines that the paines and cares of this world were intended to wean us from it, and to prompt and di­spose us to look after a better. But we learn also from [Page 69]our Philosophers that they serve even in this as usefull meanes for the conservation of Man in his present estate and Na­ture. Were it not for the pains of Hunger and thirst, It is beleived that some men would be so retchlesse as to forget to provide meat;Admirari nosde [...] cet eam fuisse solertiam sapi­en [...]issimi Natu­rae opificis, qui, quia omnis O­peratio sutura ex se laberiosa erat, etiam quae naturalis foret, testante Aristotele, idirco omnem Operationem blandimento voluptatis condivit: ac tanto vehementiorem voluit esse voluptatem, quanto ipsa Operatio erat magis necessaria fu­tura, sive ad totius generis sive ad Animalis cujusque singularis conservationem, Scilicet Animalia aut non curarent, aut obliviscerentur, neque adverterent, quibus par foret temporibus seu conjugio ope­ram dare, propagando generi seu comedere, bibereque producendae vitae Individui, nisi inditi essent stimuli, quibus molestiam creantibus, instigantibusque admonerentur ejus actionis cujus voluptas, ta­lem molestiam sedatura, sit comes unde & ad illam eliciendam feruntur. Gassendus in 10. Diogenis Laertii librum. De morali Phil. Epicuri. and that were not hunger and thirst grea­ter pains, some would be so lasy as to account it a pain to eat and drink, and so death would probably evertake them in their inconsideratenesse, before they would mind to replete their exhausted Bodies.

And in like manner it may be asserted, that there is a necessary use in all the pains of sicknesse. For sicknesses are certainly contrary to our Natures and corruptive of them. And therefore, It is the concern of our lives to find them out; which we cannot easily do without the sense of pain. The Apoplexy is a dreadfull disease unto us, even upon this very account, because it kills and gives no warning, and evey other disease would be as suddenly fatall, had it no pains to forerun or to accompany it. It must therefore be granted, that even the pains of sicknesse are here use­full to us, they are stimuli necessarii, they put us in mind that our health and life is concern'd. Pains make us sensible of the morbifick cause and so do direct and provoke us to endea­vor the Cure of the Disease.

And the same thing may be said of the greatest Cares, that are incident to Man, that they have their great Ends also. We know that the present world subsists, only by [Page 70]the maintenance of a succession of Generations. And if these successions must be maintained, Men must (besides the present sustenance of their families) take care to lay up (let me use the Phrase of the Psalmist) some remainder of their substance for their Babes.

But (to apply this to our present argument) There can be no more use of these cares or of these pains when We shall once be well landed into Heaven. For first in Heaven there shall be no sin, and therefore there shall be no need of any pains so bee the punishment of Sin; Secondly there shall be no death, and therefore there shall be no need of hunger or thrist or of the pains of sicknesse to warn us that we are in danger of Death, or to direct us to do those things that concern our life. Nor shall there be any use of those ordi­nary Cares that are now most Naturall and usefull to admo­nish to make provision for our selves and our families, be­cause God shall there make such provisions for us that all these worldly Cares shall be for ever uselesse. Our lives shall not as in this world depend upon the continuall ac­cession of fresh Nourishment, nor our Immortality up­on the establishment of life and estate upon our Name and issue.

And as there is no finall cause nor use of those cares and pains in Heaven; so is there no possible place for, no ma­teriall, no efficient cause of them, [...], There shall be no internall matter there, that may within us bee suscipient or capable of Diseases, nor exter­nal Occasion to produce them.

In this world we complain that we are subject to innume­rable sicknesses, and that the immediate causes of them are almost infinite; but all those causes and occasions are incon­sistent with the Revealed state of Glory. First many diseases there are that arise from a Weaknesse or defect in some part or Organ, Thus Palsies, Epilepsies and Apoplexyes are by [Page 71]some Physitians judg'd to arise from some Weaknesse or de­fect in the Brain and Nerves. If a Man hath got the Jaun­dice or the dropsy, then the weaknesse of the liver is accu­sed. And the Spleen and the Lungs and every other part hath its proper weaknesses also, whence severall and distinct diseases commonly arise. But this is the comfort of the good Christian, that his Body shall be subject to no weaknesse nor defect in Heaven. S^t Paul assureth us 1 Cor. 15.43. That our Bodies which are sowen in weaknesse shall be raised in strength and power.

Secondly besides these of Weaknesse, there are sorts of Diseases which happen even to the strongest Men, such are those pestilentiall sicknesses that are caused by poisonous and corruptive vapors, which corrupt and infect the blood, though before never so pure and defecate. Against these no strength of our earthy Natures can be any preservative. But the strength of a glorified body is above them all. And S^t Paul in the Text above cited 1 Cor. 15.43. is our witnesse in this particu­lar. Our Bodies that are sowed in corruption shall be raised in incorruption. Our Corruptible must put on Incorruption, and so our Mortall shall put on Immortality: We shall have our Natures fixt for ever, so that no malignant, no pestilentiall vapor; nor any new and heterogeneous ferment shall be able to alter or corrupt our Constitutions. The pestilence that walk­eth in darknesse propagating it self occultly, and the Plague that destroieth at noon day, shall have no influence nor power over us.

Thirdly though the Body and all its parts be strong, and the Air wherein we breath be sweet and wholesome, Yet Diseases may arise from other causes. For example, some­times there happens to be some dissagreablenesse in the mat­ter of our Diet: sometimes a mistake in the Quantity; some­times by some other accidents Errors are committed in some of our Digestions: which as they happen in the first second or [Page 72]third Digestion (to use the style of our vulgar Physiolo­gy) they cause the pain in the stomach, the Colick or the Flux, the Obstruction of the Mesentery the fits of an Ague, or the pains of a putrid feaver and many more as well Chro­nicall as acute diseases. But all these are accidents of that Nature that they cannot possibly happen to our glorified Bodies. S^t John declares Rev. 7.15.16. That in Heaven Men shall hunger no more, they shall thirst no more, There shall be none of those stimuli; none of those pungent pains for want of meat and drink. There shall be no use of Diet nor possibility of Comitting Errors in Diet on Digestions, and consequently no surfet nor putrid feavers nor those other di­seases that here arise from errors committed in diet and dige­stion. There shall not be any burning feaver, No nor so much as a febris ephemera, not the least Inflammation of the Spirits from the heat of the Sun. So S^t John proceeds, The Sun shall not fall hurtfully upon them, neither shall any burn­ing.

It may be added to compleat the difference, That Women, (which is the half of the rationall world) bear children here, and it is notorious that they do not bear them without pain and sorrow. For to many a disease are they peculiarly and upon that account obnoxious before they can bring a Man child into the world. But in Heaven it is Impossible that Women should have any of these Discomposures, or that the now Naturall care for Wives and children should disturbe men there. For our Savior hath condescended to tell us, that those who shall be accounted worthy to attain that world, and the Resurrection from the Dead, neither mar­ry nor are given in marriage, nor can they dy any more. They shall have a perpetuity, but it shall be established in a bet­ter way than by succession of Generations. For it followes Luk. 20.35. They are [...], equall to, or of like immortall Nature with the Angells, and are the sons of God.

Thus you see how that in all things God exalts the honor of his Goodnesse to us. He did us a kindnesse in giving us these pains during our Mortality. In the resurrection, that day of our Jubilee, when there shall be no further use of them, He will take from us our Diet of bitter herbs, and do us a more great and excellent kindnesse, He will esta­blish us in such a state that it will bee Impossible any such cares or greifs should fall upon us.

I have spoken hitherto principally of our deliverance from greifs that are corporall and incident to us by reason of our Bodies. But it is too true that we are subject here to those that are mentall also. The Spirit of man may bear his infirmi­ties. That is such Evills as are incident to his Mans Body may be born by his Spirit,Prov. 18.14. but a wounded Spirit who can bear? When our strength is weaknesse, how great is that weaknesse? and when our Releif is Torment, how great is that Torment? It is for the sorenesse of these pains of Con­science that they are compared even by Heathens to perpetu­all whippings, to destructive diseases, to sore and incurable Ulcers, nay even to the Torments of Hell it self. And it is most true that no man in this world can be perfectly secure from the pains and troubles of Conscience, because no man can here be perfectly just, no man can perfectly comply with the Dictates of his Conscience, which containes yet a blot­ted Copy of Gods first Originall Law. Nor can any pro­fessor of Christianity perfectly comply with the book't or later Edition of Gods Royall Law, so as to need no remorse, so as to be above the Necessity of sorrowing and Repent­ing for his sin. Though David was a Man after Gods own heart, yet there was a time when his heart smote Him. And if his heart smote him for cutting off Sauls skirt, and for numbring the people; what work think you made his heart with Him in the not to be named matter of Uriah? How [Page 74]bitter are those crye [...] in the 38^th Psalms Thine arrows stick fast in mee and thy hand presseth me sore. There is no health in my flesh because of thy Displeasure, neither is there any rest in my Bones by Reason of my sin. For my wickednesses are gone over my head, and are like a sore Burden too heavy for me to bear. And how full of concern are those prayers in the 51. Psalm, pen'd on that very occasion. Cast me not away from thy pre­sence, Take not thy holy Spirit from me. Restore me to the Joy of thy Salvation. Deliver me from blood guiltinesse, O God. And S^t Peter, that great Apostle (though his pretended suc­cessor pretends he cannot erre) yet he erred more than once, and for his errors wept, (I wish I could read of any Popes that did the same) for his errors I say he wept, as bitter tears as ere were wept by Mary Magdalene.

But Heaven is above all these clouds and showers. There is no trouble of Conscience, there is no broken Spirit there, there is no greif, no sorrow, no pain. And therefore not the greatest of pains the pain of a troubled mind. As in the state of Integrity there was neither sin, nor sting of Consci­ence: So shall it bee in the state of perfect Restauration. The glorified Christians shall not only be purg'd from all their sins by the blood of Christ, and be cloathed with his Righ­teousnesse, but such Grace shall be given them that they shall grow up and flourish in an inherent Righteousnesse of their own. The great Master of Revelations tells us, that to the Spouse of the Lambe (which is the glorified Church of Christ) to her it shall be granted that she shall be arrayed in fine linnen, which fine linnen as the same S^t John inter­preteth it, is the Righteousnesse of the Saints. Rev. 19.8. They shall be as the confirmed Angels are, secure from fal­ling into any Action that may cause sin or sorrow, Their trade shall bee to be ever Glorifying God, and this shall adde to their Glory and to their joy, that they shall know that this [Page 75]their glorious Employment shall neither have any end nor any Intermission.

And Having shewed you now that Heaven is free from the pains of this world, you will easily beleive that it is free from the pains of the other world also. Heaven were not Heaven, if there could be any danger of the second Death, or if the pains of Hell might interrupt the delights and Glo­ryes of the Blessed there.

The prophet Esay telleth us indeed, that there is a Tophet prepared of Old, Esay 30.33. and our Savior that there is an everlasting fire prepared for the Divell and his Angels, Math. 25.41. a Torment that as S^t John speaks shall nei­ther have End nor Intermission, Rev. 14.11. The smoke of their Torment, saith he, shall ascend up for ever and ever, and they shall have no Rest day nor night. The Eternity of this Tor­ment is sufficiently asserted and proved by the Fathers in Op­position to the Heresy of Origen, which same proofs may serve to convince all Hereticks and Men of loose principles that now endeavor to Renew the same pernicious doctrine. I gave you a particular of them with Answers to the mat­ters objected in another Discourse, when I commended un­to you the fear and dread of God, even of that God who as our Savior declareth is able to cast both Soul and Body in­to Hell fire. And I shall not repeat now what I delivered then.

It then being granted that the condition of the second Death and the pains of Hell therein are very dreadfull, it will be a doctrine worthy of our acceptance, that those who are accounted worthy to wear the livery of Christ and to be Citizens of the Heavenly Jerusalem, shall have secu­rity from those pains also. David speaks it as well of Him­self as of Christ: Thou shalt not leave my Soul in Hell. For the Souls of the Just are all in the hand of God, and no Tor­ment [Page 76]shall touch them: Wisd. 3.1. The Plagues of Egypt shall not bee seen in Goshen. Our Savior who knowes it best hath described unto us the management of that whole affaire, and the different portions of the good and the bad, Math. 25.30. When (saith he) the son of Man shall come in his glory and all his Angels with Him, All Nations shall be ga­thered before his Throne, and He shall separate the good from the bad, as a shepheard separates his sheep from the Goates. The good he shall blesse and receive into his own kingdome, but unto the wicked shall this sentence be, Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Divell and his An­gels; so these shall go into everlasting punishment and the Righte­ous into life everlasting.

Give me leave to adde one Observation more, It is this, That though the damned shall have a sight of Heaven, and of the state of Glory, yet that sight shall be so far from be­ing any comfort or refreshment to them, that it shall great­ly augment their torment. For that sight shall Cause envy, and we know that Envy naturally causeth greif, There shall be (as our blessed redeemer testifieth) weeping and gnashing of Teeth, when they shall see Abraham and Isaak and Jacob in the kingdome of God and themselves thrust out. This ve­ry Circumstance of their seeing Abraham and Isaak and Jacob and the whole company of the professors of Religion (men whom they formerly contemned and despised) in the possession of that Glorious Happinesse, and themselves with all their wisdome and Policy thrust out and excluded, this uncomfortable Contemplation shall cause no small accession to their torment.

Secondly though the blessed have seen sorrow for the time past and shall then see the horror of Hell before their eyes, Yet both the Remembrance of the one, and the sight of the other [Page 77]shall be so far from causing greif and sadnesse in them, that these Contemplations shall greatly augment their Joy.

It is a delight, saith Lucretius, for one that hath escaped to the shore, to look back upon the Tempest, and to see it break the masts, and tear the Sails, and create trouble to the mariners, who are yet toss't like a Tennis on the waves. Not that it is a pleasure for one man to see another toyld, but a joy to stand in security, and to view so great a danger, that He himself in his own particular hath so neerly escaped. So likewise the Blessed in Heaven, when they are secured in their own particulars, then shall they with pleasure remem­ber all the troubles and greifs that they have waded through in the life past; and with pleasure look upon the pains of Hell which they see other plunged into, but them­selves have, by the Mercy of God, so strangely escaped: and thence even from this consideration shall they take Oc­casion to sing praises to Him who hath placed them in a blessed estate, not obnoxious to any of their former greifs, and hath also redeemed them from the dreadfull Region of darknesse, and brought them to his own marvellous light.

And now the summe of what I have discours'd is this, That there is nothing more desireable to mankind in gene­rall than joy or Happinesse. That the greater joy is by all wise men to be prefer'd before the lesse. That to the greatest possible joy (besides other requisites) the absence of all greif is required. That the estate of Glory hath this requi­site. [Page 78]First it is free from all those cares and greifs and pains to which we are here obnoxious by reason of our Bodies. For the proof of which, I shewed you in particular, That though the usuall cares and pains, to which we are here obnoxious by reason of our mortality, are of Use and necessity in this present world, Yet they have no Use, nor place, nor possi­bility in the state of Glory. Then I shewd you that there shall be none of those pains in Heaven that are purely mentall; and last of all, That though after this life there is a Tophet of everlasting punishment prepar'd, yet that the pains thereof shall not touch the blessed, but that the contemplation of them shall even augment their Joy.

All this have I done to prove that the first condition, namely Indolence or security from greifs is one part of the portion of Religious and good men in Heaven. But this is but the Negative part, but the removing of the Rubbish that there may be a good foundation laid for the superstru­cture of Happinesse. When I shall draw the next Curtain, I shall shew You, that I may further provoke You to the pra­ctice of a Religious and Vertuous life, The Glory of the Man­sion it self, the joy of Heaven, the fullnesse of that joy; the pleasures of that state, even those pleasures that the Psalmist affirmes shall last for evermore. Now let the great God of his infinite mercy pardon our sins, and purify our hearts, and make us first as desirous of his Rewards in Heaven, as they are worthy of our Desire, then let Him fit us for them, and bring us to them; even to those joyes that Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, nor have entred into the heart of Man to be conceived. To the God of Joy and peace who is able to do for us more abundantly than we can ask or think be Glory Ho­nor and Adoration for ever.

SERM. II.

FOR Ministers to make Apologyes in the Pulpit, when they are not absolutely ne­cessary, is generally judg'd to be uncome­ly, and below the Gravity of their place. But there are subjects sometimes to be trea­ted of, in which there is so just Occasion of some Preface, that to omit it were token enough of a proud and presuming Nature. And such I take to be the ar­gument which I must consider from this Text, which lead­eth me to the consideration and Description of that Estate, which I can neither fully understand nor speak. And if God should give me the Tongue (as he gave S^t Paul when he was rapt up into the third Heaven the Eyes) of an Angell; yet ye would not be able to understand neither the Nature [Page 80]of heavenly glory, unlesse the same God should likewise give unto you Angelicall Intellectuals. Such is the grossenesse of human sense, that when we desire to give Heaven its due esteem, yet all our thoughts are both besides it and below it. We are not capable of any true Idea's of it. We can­not bear the least ray of the starrinesse of its Nature, It is therefore the great Mercy and Condescention of God, that since we could not arise to the Contemplation of Heaven in its true and Native lustre, he hath considered our Natures, and by the use of familiar Metaphors and allusions made his hea­ven stoop to us, and cloathed it for our present Compre­hension with the Air and livery of this lower world. And we are further to adore his Bounty, that hath made heaven too great, and too glorious an estate, to be described Philoso­phically in affirmative univocall Termes. It will be suffici­ent, if I can any way expresse it, though in phrases Meta­phoricall and borrowed from subjects below it self, and though they are, as they must needs be, full of [...], and under­valuations of its true, and frequently alien from its essentiall and genuine dignity.

I shew'd in the foregoing discourse (among other things) that the greatest Happinesse possible can have but these four parts or properties.

• 1. Indolence or security from greif, which is required as a prerequisite, and foundation of the other parts.
• 2. That, for the essence, nothing can be desired more sui­table to our Natures than Delight, joy or Pleasure.
• 3. That for the Degree, man is capable of no more than Fullnesse.
• 4. For the Extent, that nothing can be longer or larger than Perpetuity, or pleasures for evermore.

I went then only through the Negative part, and without figure or Metaphor proved it from Scripture clearly & distinct­ly, [Page 81]that the state of Glory shall be free from pains and greifs, bodily, mentall, temporall, eternall. Now I come to the positive part, and to prove that there is not only in Hea­ven the state of Indolence or security from greif, which an­swers that [...] or Voluptas in statu, so much valued by some of the ancient Philosophers, but also that Voluptas in Motu preferred by others, namely all those stirring and pleasant Airinesses and commotions of the mind which are concomitants of the greatest mirth. For so, though ge­nerally under figures and metaphors, is that estate represented to us.

If you ask by what Authorities of Scripture we entertain this hope of an active joy in Heaven (besides that of my Text which affirmes joy and fullnesse of joy to be had in the presence of God) I shall refer you to what the Psalmist af­firmeth in the 125 Psalm, viz. That he who in this world goeth on his way weeping and beareth good seed, shall doubtlesse come again with joy: the words are [...] in the Hebrew, [...] in the Greek; that is, with an Ovation or great exultancy of active joy. Nay there is so much of this in Heaven that the state of Glory is simply styled by the name of Joy. For the forme of words to bee used by our Savi­or when he shall admit his Religious and faithfull servants into Heaven is no other but this, Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.

But I have yet a further Conclusion to be prov'd from divine Revelation, namely, that there is not only a security from greif, and some active joy in Heaven; But that there are the greatest degrees and quantities of that joy. There shall be plenty of it; even as much as our refined and exalted Natures shall then be able to contain. Nothing is capa­ble of more than fullnesse, and we have a ready testimony from the Text, that in the presence of God there is fullnesse of joy.

Now to comply with our Natures, and to make us e­steem the reward that is proposed to us, and to entice our affections after it, that are generally too carnall, and to re­present the fullnesse of this joy so as to give it a power over us that are yet earthy minded, the holy Ghost hath chosen to represent the pure, and in their own Nature incompre­hensible joyes of Heaven, by sensible representations of the most eminent earthy delights and pleasures. He saw our Infirmity that we cannot well Judge of delights that are pure­ly intellectuall and spirituall; and therefore he hath so much condescended to our Distempers, as to distemper Heaven it self for our sakes; and to draw us some scenes of Heaven­ly joyes in the corporall shapes and figures of our fullest ear­thy pleasures; Such are those of feastings, Weddings, the pos­session of Riches, Honors and the like, so Luke 22.30. This Heavenly joy is represented by that of a Royall feast with God, by eating and drinking at the Table of the king of Heaven.

And our Psalmist hath given us the like figure of Cele­stiall Happinesse in the thirty sixt Psalm v. 8. which we read thus, They that trust in thee shall be abundantly satisfied with the fulnesse of thy House, and thou shalt give them to drink of the River of thy pleasures, that is, thou shalt give them to drink plentifully of thy pleasures, as out of a River, It followes, For with thee is the Well (the never ceasing spring) of life. And in thy light shall we see light. Every particular is very considerable, First Inebriabuntur ubertate domus tuae, so the vulgar latine, agreeably enough to the Originall and best Translations:In Textum In­ebrtabuntur u­bertate domus tuae, & torren­te voluptatis tuae potabis eos, dicunt Interpretes, quia suavior in poculentis voluptas quam in es­culentis, ideo per inebriationem summam laetitiam hie intelligi. v. Euthymium & Nicephorum. [...]uin & Philosophi instantiam voluptatis i [...] motu eam potantis post sitim inducunt, inde per [...] Veteres quidam, ut Orpheus, perpetuam inebriationem Virtutis mercedem dixerunt. Now by that or the like phrases learned Men [Page 83]have chosen to represent, that Voluptas in Motu, that active and stirring pleasure in which they placed the greatest Happi­nesse. Secondly those Phrases, they shall be abundantly satisfied, and they shall drink as out of a River, signify the greatest plenty of that pleasure, or (to use the stile of the Text) a great fullnesse of this Joy. And though these representations for our sakes are Corporeall; yet there is one in the close more Intellectu­all, Spirituall, and harder to be understood, In thy light shall we see light. Let the foundation of light and life so pu­rify and then exalt our Natures, that we may see that light and live.

It is most certain that the Joyes of Heaven are in their own Nature highly Intellectuall and Spirituall, and yet to exhi­bite a full delight, and shape its idea to our present affections, It is frequently in Scripture Compared to the pleasures of a Marriage, and which is a high Honor to Matrimony, to that of a Bride upon her Wedding day. That we know is the Time of her great joy, and there is reason it should be so, seeing at that day she is emancipated from the corrections of childhood and youth, she is freed from the commands of her Governesses, she is made Mistresse of her self, she receives a Blessing and a portion from her father, smiles and Gratulations of joy from her whole family and kinred, and which is above all, she taketh then a perfect assurance of full satisfaction to her Naturall desires, and makes an everlast­ing settlement of her own, and takes an everlasting assurance of her Husbands love. In these colours therefore doth S^t John typify unto us the estate of the blessed in Heaven, Re­vel. 21. Then, saith he, that is in the first appearance of the state of Glory, the triumphant Church shall come prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband: as the Bride rather than as the Bridegroom, because (if there be any difference) her Joy is esteemed generally the greatest. And then, as it is ex­press't [Page 84]Rev. 19. the Blessed Angels shall sing for Joy those divine Scripture Epithalamiums, Let us be glad and rejoyce and give honour to the Lord, for the marriage of the Lamb is come and the Bride hath made her ready: and that song of Loves, Psasm 25. Hearken O princesse and consider, encline thine Ear, forget also thy own Countrey and thy Fathers house; then shall the King greatly desire thy Beauty, for he is the Lord thy God, and worship thou him. To which the Bride shall make Responsals like that penned by Isaiah cap. 61.10. I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord, my soul shall be joyfull in my God, for he hath cloathed me with the garments of salvati­on, hee hath covered me with a robe of Righteousnesse even as a Bride, richly adorned with her Jewels.

But because Glory and honor to some more Intellectu­all Complexions, is matter of their greater delight, than those sensuall of meat and marriage; to comply with the Notions of these men also concerning Happinesse, Hea­ven is elsewhere express't to be an appearance in Glory, Col. 3.4. and it is in holy scripture particularly compa­red to the pleasure that men of great Spirits take in Honors gotten by noble and excellent Atchievements.

Among the triumphant Glorys mentioned in History,V. Natalis Com. lib. 5. Mytholo­giae cap. 5. Morere Diage­ra: Non enim in coelum ascende­res; Lacenis Gratulatio ad Diagoram duos filios Victores olympiae haben­tem. Tusc. Quaest. l. 1. and of use in former times, there were none Causes of greater Joy than those accustomed upon a victory at the Pythian, Ne­maean, Isthmian or Olymphick Games; where he that got the victory was crowned with an honourable garland, and carryed on the shoulders of the chiefest Cittizens not into the Gates, but through triumphant Pageants or Arches, even over the walls of their Cittyes. In the chief places of which there were Inscriptions engraven or statues erected to the honour of the Conquerour, sometimes therefore the estate of Glory is com­pared to the transport and Joy of these triumphant victors. So by S^t Paul (1 Cor. 9.24.25.) to that or a Crowne or [Page 85]prize gotten by those who strive for Mastery at the Race. But that which is above all in point of Honour, and more u­niversally resented as the most full, ample and greatest attain­ment that is possible in this world, is to be the Fountaine of Honour, to be a King in possession of a reall Crowne or throne: By this therefore the Glory of Heaven is most fre­quently exemplifyed, to him that overcometh, saith our Sa­vior Rev. 3.21. will I give to sit with me in my throne; and S^t James telleth us, that the Lord hath promised, and the Blessed shall receive a Crowne of life, James 1.12. and Math. 24.24. and Rev. 1.6. It is said, that the Blessed shall be Kings and Priests unto God.

Nor shall they have these honours in an obscure place. For the glory of that Court (to compleat the fulnesse of our Joy) is exprest to be of a most unimaginable slateliness, beyond that of any Princes palace in the world. Socrates in one of Pla­toes discourses tells us, that all the ordinary herbage of the Su­periour world, is as glorious as the brightest part of the most beautifull flower upon Earth: and that the vast mountains of that world are entire Rubyes and Diamonds; whereof those gems which we wear and value, are (as it were) but small scatter­ed Chips and fragments. I will not accuse Socrates for these Hyperboles, his meaning might be sober, and the words in­tended onely to expresse a great glory in the world above. For even the slatelinesse of the Heavenly Jerusalem is typified in the Revelation [chap. 21.19.] by Ministring unto our Corpo­reall phancyes a not unlike representation; For it said, that the wall of that City, as it was represented to Him, was made of Jasper, the foundation consisting of divers other precious stones, that the Citty it selfe was all built of a substance that had the purenesse and other qualityes of perfect gold, and (which is the only quality that can be added to make gold it self more precious) the clearnesse and transparency of glasse. That the [Page 86]streets were paved with the same most precious mettall; That every Gate was one entire Pearle, that the presence of God and of the Lamb were a constant light and Glory, and as it were a temple in the midst of it. Now if this should be literally true, and in kind, even as it is exprest, what an overflowing fullnesse of delight must he bee possest with, that is continual­ly ravish't with these Enjoyments, that is a King or a prince in such a place as this? and we cannot deny to admit these Com­parisons so far as they were intended, namely to joyne with the Text in confirming the proposed Truth, That there is de­light in the greatest quantity possible (though not of so grosse a kind) that there is fullnesse of Joy and Glory in Hea­ven.

I might instance in other similitudes, as where it is compared to the possession of a great treasure, which to some men is a most great and sensuall delight, but I shall chuse to passe to the last particular, The Measure or duration of the greatest Hap­pinesse. And truely I think the learned Fathers of the pri­mitive Church were sound Philosophers in this point, with whom it is a frequent assertion that such a life cannot be most happy, which is not secure of its own Eternity. If therefore any thing be designed for the full satisfaction of human Nature, it must be a delight that shall last for ever: and that is such, that it must needs be satisfactory, seeing no man can wish for more than eternall Happinesse: Eternity hath no end at all, neither is there any duration, nor can be in Nature, no nor can be projected in Human Phancy, longer than for ever, nay the Imagination cannot extend so far. The power and goodnesse of God hath provided for us beyond the utmost stretch of our own Conceits; For he hath meted out the duration of our Glory by no other measure than that infinite Eternity. My text comes home to the proof of this point also, For it as­serts, [Page 87] That in the presence of God there are pleasures even for evermore. Merito Philosophorum non obscurus Euclides qui fuit conditor Megaricorum discipl [...]nae, dissenti­ens a caeteris, id esse summum bonum dixit, quod simile sit, & idem semper. Intellexit profectò quae sit natura summi boni, licet id non explicaverit quid sit; id est autem immortalitas nec aliud omnino quicquam: quia sola nec imminui, nec augeri nec immutari porest. Senec [...] quoque imprudens in­cidit, ut fateretur, nullum esse aliud virtutis praemium quam immortalitatem. Laudans enim vir­tutem, in eo l [...]bro quem de immatura morte conscripsit, Una, inquit, res est virtus, quae nos im­mortalitate donare possit & pares Diis facere; sed & Stoici, quos fecutus est, negant fine virtute effici quenquam beatum posse. E [...]go virtutis praemium beat a vita est, fi virtus (ut recte dictum est) beatam vitam facit, Non est igitur (ut aiunt) propter seipsam virtus experenda, sed propter vitam beatam quae virtutem neceslario sequitur. Quod argumentum docere eos potuit, quod esset summum bonum. Haec autem vita praesens & corporalis beata esse non potest, quia malis est sub­jecta per corpus. Epicurus Deum beatum vocat, quia incorruptus & quia simpiternus est. Beati­tudo enim perfecta esse debet ut nihil sit quod vexare ac minuere aut immutare possit. Nec aliter quicquam existimari beatum possit, nisi fuerit incorruptum: Incorruptum autem nihil est nisi quod est immortale. Solaerga Immortalitas beata est, quia Co [...]rumpi ac dissolvi non potest. Quod si cadit in hominem virtus, quod negare nullus potest, cadit & Beati [...]udo. Non potest enim fieri ut sit miser, qui est virtute praeditus: si cadit beatitudo ergo & immortalitas cadit in hominem, quae beata est. Summum igitur bonum sola immortalitas invenitur, quae nec aliud animal, nec cor­pus attingit, nec potest cuiquam sine scientia ac virtute, id est, sine Dei cognitione ac justitia ob­venire; cujus appetitio quam vera, quàm recta sit, ipsa vitae hujusce cupiditas indicat, quae licet sit temporalis, & labore plenissima, expetitur tamen ab omnibus & optatur; hanc enim tam senes quam pueri, tam Reges quam Infimi, tam denique sapientes quam stulti cupiunt. Tanti est (ut Ana­xagorae visum est) contemplatio coeli ac lucis ipsius, ut quas [...]unque miserias libeat sustinere. Cum igitur laboriosa haec & brevis vita, non tantum hominum, sed etiam caeterorum Animantium consen­su, magnum bonum esle ducatur; manifestum est eandem summum ac perfectum fueri bonum, si & fine careat & omni malo. Denique nemo nunquam extitisset, qui hanc ipsam brevem contemneret aut subiret m rtem, nisi spe vitae longioris, &c. apud Lactantium de falsa sap. lib. 3. c. XII. ubi etiam concludit, Summum Bonum quod facit beatos non posse esse nisi in eá Religione ac do­ctrina, cui spes immortalitatis adjuncta est. Cui simule est iliud St Augustini, Beatissima Vita effe non poterit, nisi quae fuerit de aeternitate suâ certissima, De Civitate Dei lib. 10. c. 30. Cujus est & illud, Quicquid ad hoc corpus spectat & immortalitatis est expers vanum sit necesse est.

And here all our Comparisons are outgone: Our feastings are for an hour, our Weddings for a day, a Week, or a Moneth; the enjoyment of Riches, honours, kingdoms with us in this world are but short and momentarie; but in heaven there shall be not only a Feast, but an eternall Feast; an Eternall [Page 88]Appetite, and eternall satisfaction to it. The Iubilation of the Lambs Nuptials shall not be measured by a day or dayes, by a Moneth or Moneths, but shall be extended to the vast duration of the eternity of God. There shall be new Epi­thalamiums and new songs, the Gayety shall be everlasting; the Lamb and the Bride shall alwaies marry and shall alwaies be gi­ven in marriage.

There shall be glory that shall be alwayes fresh, that shall not grow into oblivion or disrepute, there are those Crownes and garlands to honour our Mastery, that are (as S^t Paul speaks) [...], as fade not away; there only are those e­verlasting kingdomes, and those stately pallaces which can­not be removed, but do stand fast for ever. There only are those treasures which are eternally secure, where neither Moth nor Rust doth corrupt, and were Thieves cannot breake through and steal.

And thus much, being led by severall texts of scripture, I have adventured to speake by way of Metaphor concern­ing that blessednesse; and I think I have evinced that it is an estate not only of security from griefs, but of the most great, and most full delights and of delights that shall last for evermore.

But here give me leave to interrupt you with an adver­tisement, Namely, that those expressions and scripturall Re­semblances of heavenly Joy to the delights of sense are only intended to expresse the grandeur and compleatnesse, but not the Nature or kind of the Joy of Heaven; otherwise the Paradise we expect might be thought as sensuall as that of Mahomet is commonly represented. And indeed it was the great goodnesse and Wisdome of God to use unto us such familiar Resemblances, for we are earthy constitutioned men, so, saith S^t Paul, was Adam our Fore-Father, 1 Cor. 15. And while we live here we must bear (as he there speaks) the [Page 89]Image of the Earthy. And so are not capable to understand what Joyes will be apt to suit with our Natures after their change into the state of Incorruption. Only thus much is revealed unto us, That as we have borne the Image of the Earthy, so we must bear the Image of the heavenly, 1 Cor. 15. That is, as we have been hitherto like Adam, so also hereafter we shall be in our glorified bodies, like unto the glorifi'd body of Christ; they are the expresse words of S^t Paul, Phill. 3.21. That the Lord Jesus shall transfigure our vile bodyes and make them like unto his glorious body. It is not, saith S^t John 1 Epist. 3.2. manifest, or Intelligible what we shall be, only thus much is revealed, and we know it to be true, that when the Lord shall appear we shall be like him; that is, not only our Soules, but our bodies also shall be purely spirituall, even as the body of Christ was after his resurrection.

This is not vehemenisme, but a great truth, that there is a spirituall Body. And however in the Notions of our pre­sent Philosophy, Bodies and spirits are opposite and contra­distinct, yet not so but that the body of Christ now is, and ours hereafter shall, be undoubtedly spirituall, we know but in part, saith S^t Paul, and truely the Nature of that spiritualty which we shall enjoy in our bodies after that great change, is a mistery, or that part of science, which now we doe not, cannot, understand. Maimonides hath an excellent discourse given us by the learned publisher of the Porta Mosis to this effect, As, saith he, the blind Eye is not delighted by the most beautifull colours, now the deaf Ear by the ravishing modulations of the sweetest Musick, and as it is impossible that the fishes of the sea should know how to judge of the pleasures those creatures take that live in the quick and finest Aether, under the Concave of the Moon, Sicut nec caecue colores nec Sung dus voces, nec impotens Veneris voluptatem veneris percipit, ita nec corpora voluptates animi proprias assequi. Et quem­admodum Piscis Elementum ignis non habet cognitum, ita nec in mundo hoc corporeo voluptates Mundi spiritualis dignosci. Maimonid. in praefat. ad Explic. cap. 10 Sanedrim. apud Pocockium de Portâ Mosts. so neither by us in [Page 90]this world can the delights of the spirituall world be discern­ed. We have no true tast (saith he) of any but corporeall pleasures, and purely mentall delights are so strange unto us, that we cannot without much Industry and diligence have any tast or Apprehension of them. On the contrary An­gels are not sensible of any corporeall pleasures, their senses are not as ours, nor made to the same purposes: And we af­ter death shall no more relish or desire these bodily pleasures, than a wise Monarch would desire to dethrone himselfe for ever and lay down all his Regalia, that he might spend his dayes at play in the streets, with that company and in those sports which when he was a child was more suitable to his temper than the excercise of his Royall power. Such diffe­rence is there in the dignity and vilenesse of the delight of this corporeall and that spirituall World. And therefore (as that considering Rabbin well expresseth this matter) God hath dealt with his people as a prudent and indulgent Ma­ster treateth the tender schollar whom he desires to improve, He provokes him to his lesson with the reward of a fig or a piece of sweetmeates,Et paulo post, Non est Angelis volu [...]tas aliqua corporea nec cam percipiant, cum non sint illis ut nobis seasus, quibus ea quae nos percipimus assequantur; Eodemque modo cum e Nobis quis dignus factus fuerit, qui gra­dum istum p [...]st mortem consequatur, Non amplius voluptates corporeas percepturus est eâsve appetiturus, magis quam Rex magni Regni dominus Regno suo exuicuoiat, ut ad Pili lusum in Plateis redeat, eti­amsi tempus faerit quo lusum istum Regno anteserret. Fingas puerum minorennem ad praeceptorem, deductum quo cum legem e [...]oceat; quod magnum ei, ob eam quam inde assequetur perfectionem Bonum est, licet ipse magnitudinem istius boai prae intellectus imbecillitate non percipiat. Coget Necessitas Praeceptorem qui ipso perfectior est scholarem sic provocare, Dicet, Lege ut tibi Juglandem aut ficum aut sacchari portiunculam de­mus, ta fiet ut studcat, Non ipsius Lectio [...]is gratiâ, Cujus digaitatem nondum intelligit, sed ut edulium istud accipiat, &c. apud Maimoniden cod. lib. p. 138. & deinceps. or somewhat that will for the present work upon his phancy, not with a discourse of nice specu­lation to evince a future satisfaction to the mind by the learning of the Law.

And this doubtlesse is the very reason why the holy Ghost bath had such frequent reference to corporeall pleasures, in the Notices which he hath given us concerning the Joyes of Heaven; because while wee are here, our body generally [Page 91]prevailes above our spirit, and we do better resent corpore­all than mentall pleasures.Cum horro mor­talis de aternâ gloriâ disserit, Caecus de luce disserit. Gregor. Moral. 27.26. But notwithstanding for the use of those that are more perfect, and that we may not con­ceive to our selves, as I said, any hope of a Mahumetane Paradise, or reality of grosse corporeall pleasures in the life to come, the same Spirit hath made frequent attestations of the Spirituallnesse which we shall enjoy even in our Bodyes then, and of the diversity of our delights there from these of this present world: and therefore when we shall come to explain the Nature of Heavenly glory without the use of Metaphors (which can be only done by Negatives, be­cause we cannot forme any direct Idea of it) then all these pleasures of eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage and all corporeall delights are denyed of it.

But now since we have made so good a progresse in the way we designed, let us indulge our selves the refreshment a little to look back and see how consistent and agreeable these prin­ciples of Religion are to the Notions of considering men among the Heathen. And truly it is hard to find any thing more agreeable to us than the Philosophy of Socrates, as it is represented by Plato in his Philebus, and elsewhere di­spersedly among his writings and was (as I take it) the an­cientest Philosophy of the whole world. Which in short is this, [...]. & afterwards, [...]. Which testify that the ancients to Plato own'd the world to be go­vern'd by the providence of God. He reckons this among the great and ancient Traditions, inter [...], &c. passim. V. Platonem in Philebo, and in his tenth book de leg. he appointeth severe pu­nishment for Atheists as for persons that are most destructive to the common­wealth, of which he makes three kinds, [...], &c. [Page 92]First that there is a God and a providence that Rules the whole world. That man is a complext being consisting partly of an Immortall soul, which is derived from God, (the great spirit that fills and governs all things) and partly of a cor­ruptible Body made of the Elements and corruptible parts of the world. And consequently that the pleasures and de­lights of Man are diverse, answerable to this Complexion and mixture. Some pleasures are purely Intellectuall, some purely corporeall, some mixt of both. That when any thing tends to the corruption of this complext and mortall Nature, it causeth greif, And that when any thing tendeth to the restoration of the same Nature, it causeth joy or plea­sure to the Body. That there is a joy or Pleasure that a­riseth purely from the expectation of the soul alone, and that there is another mixt kind, For the soul may conceive pleasure in expectation of some good to happen to the whole compound, And this well agrees with our Divinity. For we professe that the souls of all good Christians rejoyce in the hope of that Glory of God that shall hereafter be exten­ded both to our Souls and to our Bodyes. And that very well agrees with our Divinity (in this subject de Finibus) which he affirmes, That there is a sort of joy that is far more excellent than all the rest, and that is a certain fruiti­on and Speculative pleasure that ariseth from the knowledge and contemplation of things that continue eternally the same. For such fruitions in the highest degree are enjoyed by all glorified spirits by means of the Beatifick vision, [...]. ib. of the most [Page 93]Glorious objects of the world to come; concerning which the Scholes have furnished us with large discourses that are not unpleasant, but yet have this deficiency, V. Aquin. sup­plem. Quaest. 92 93. & Doctores passim de visione beatifi â. that they have more of Phancy and conjecture in them than certain evidence.

For seeing we neither now understand what our own Na­tures shall be then when we shall be exalted into the state of Incorruption, Nor what kind of glorious Objects shall pre­sent themselves, nor to what kind of senses they shall accurre, [...], Soc. lb. therefore it is impossible we should have a positive know­ledge of the true Nature of the fruitions of that Estate; Thus much is revealed that we shall not cat nor drink to restore Nature, nor shall our Constitutions be discomposed by any disease, and therefore neither shall we have any of those Pleasures that Plato speaks of, which living creatures enjoy when they are restored to their own Natures, we shall have none of those concretions and discretions, None of those replettons and evacuations, none of those increments and decrements, corruptions and restitutions of Nature, which are according to the Philosophy of Sorates Causes of greif or Joy in this world. For S^t Paul hath declared that in the Resurrection Men shall have spirituall Bodyes, that shall be immortall in themselves, and therefore not to be preser­ved so by eating or drinking, or the continued addition of new substance:Quaerat fortas­se aliquis de vir­tute gustabili & virtute tan­gibili, & etiam odorabili, si quae erit earum operatio vel usus in futura gloria? Et revera est dubitandum, quod vires illae non recedent ab Animabus humanis, sed Operatio virtutis gustabilis, qua Gustatio est, cum non sit necessaria nisi propter nutrimentum & restaurationem corporis, non eritibi necessaria, ficut nec operatio virtutis generativae quae generatio est. Liberabuntur tamen istae vires a miseriis in quibus modo sunt. Tu enim hic vides qualiter affligitur virtus gustabilis fame & siti, malisque saporibus. De vi etiam generati­vâ notum est quae tormenta patiatur hic ab ardoribus concupiscentiarum & libidinibus: ab his igitur erit libe­ratunc: Et erit Decus ejus & Gloria castitas inviolabilis. Non enim Sobrietas aut Abstinentia minus vir­tutes sunt, aut minus Arma animarum humanarum in pace spirituali quam in b [...]llo: Et hoc est quoniam non solum Armasunt, sed etiam ornamenta & pulchritudines animarum mirabiles at desiderabiles. &c. a­pud Gul. Parisientem part. 1. de universo. p. 2. c. 33. p. 696. And yet Bodyes they shall be still and in the Opinion of the best scholemen they shall have the same materiall senses of Tast and touch and smell, though, if they [Page 94]do continùe, it is agreed that they must continue for Or­nament rather than for those uses, to which they were applyed in this world.

Let us conclude by adressing our thanks to God that he hath vouchsafed to reveal so much unto us concerning the Glory of the life to come, which we could not have understood by Na­ture. For the Naturall Man understandeth not these things of God, and if we consider aright we shall find that we have Reason with all humility & precious Reverence to thank God that we do not comprehend it all. For it is the infinite Blessednesse of that condition, that puts it beyond the reach of our senses and of our understanding, as we shall declare more largely when we explain that Text where it is affirmed, that Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, nor have those things entred into the heart of Man, that God hath prepared for those that love Him.

Now to the great God who is maker of all things and judge and Rewarder of all men, And to the Lord our Righteous­nesse, &c.

SERM. III.

IF you ask where this is written, the Mar­gin of your Bibles direct you to the 64^th of Esay, where the Church, desirous of his second Advent, addresseth thus to the desired Messiah, Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at they presence! For from the beginning of the world, (so the fourth verse proceeds) men have not heard nor perceived by the Ear, neither hath the Eye seen, O God, besides thee, what Hee hath prepared for Him that waiteth for Him.

There is one thing wherein I find the generallity of Men strangely inconsistent with themselves: They cry out and [Page 96]declame against the present world, and undervalue all its En­joyments,Why men preser earthy enjoy­ments before those of heaven. and yet they are loath to leave it, and in practice preferre it before Heaven it self. Now this is a dangerous Misprision, and the cause of it is not our Mistake concern­ing the Vanity of the things of this world, but our Ignorance or Infidelity concerning the Things of the next. The whole Nature and all the Qualities of that Happinesse, while we are here, We shall never perfectly know. But God hath given us such a portion of Revelation concerning it, as may sufficiently commend it to us. And indeed in these and ma­ny other Texts very excellent things are spoken concerning a glorious state to come, a state of Happinesse which Re­ligious and good Men shall enjoy in Heaven. I may speak in the phrase of the Psalmist, very excellent and glorious things are spoken of thee, thou City of God. Heaven is a place of so great Glory, that it hath gotten some of the prime at­tributes of the great and glorious God that dwelleth in it: God is infinite and so is the Happinesse of Heaven: God is incomprehensible, and so is the Happinesse of Heaven. The excellence of God Himself Naturally, and the Glory, in that Heaven which he hath prepared for his own Mansion, and for the future Mansion of his servants are too great to be expres­sed truly, and without a Metaphor, otherwise than by Ne­gatives. It was true without a Metaphor, what we declared in the first part, That in Heaven there shall be no greif, no sorrow, no pain. But how shall we speak the positive parts of Heavenly glory by way of Negatives? Why! we may speak as the Church anciently did by the mouth of the Pro­phet Isaiah: Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard, what (that is, what positive parts of Glory) God hath prepared for those that wait upon Him. And S^t Paul goes further in the same Way, when he telleth us, that Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard, nor (which is somewhat beyond what is contained in the expression of the Prophet Esay) have those things entred [Page 97]into the heart of Man, that God hath prepared for those that love Him.

The Eye of a man that is gentile and curious sees much, and the Ear of the same Man heareth much more than his Eye ever saw, and his Phancy conceives beyond them both: But the heart of a Man, if we take it for his will and Desires, enlarge themselves infinitely and exceed all. For a man may will and desire all happinesse indefinitely, even that which he never saw, nor perfectly conceived: But the things that God hath prepared for those that love Him are so great, and containe so much of Happinesse and delight, that S^t Paul affirmeth, they have not entred into the Heart, certainly not into the imaginative part, and it may bee not perfectly into the appetitive part of the soul of Man.

But suppose that S^t Paul spake only of the understanding, Phancy, or Imaginative faculties, when He saith, that the Glories of Heaven have not entred upon mans heart. It is surely a very high commendation of that Glory (which Christ hath purchased and prepared for his servants, and which the spirits of just men made perfect shall enjoy in Hea­ven) when he telleth us, that it is greater than any that our externall or internall senses, greater than any that our animal or rationall faculties can apprehend, more great more per­fectly excellent, than did ever enter into the understanding or Imagination of Man.

Great surely are the riches and ample is the dominion of Nature; But greater and more ample that of human Phan­cy,The enjoyments in Nature great. there are Beauties of Art and Nature to please the Eye, There are the delicate Enchantments of Voices and other Musick to delight and Ravish the Ear. Nature for the Tast hath afforded us variety of pleasant meats and drinks, and the studied and Curious Arts of Luxury have found out many more. Every sense hath its entertainments fitted for it; and the world is not so poor, but that there is some­what [Page 98]what in it to answer allmost every Phancy and every appe­tite of Man.

In the Citty there is wealth. In the court there is rich ap­parrell, the gracefull Meen, gallantry and glory. In the U­niversity there is learning and good Natured men, there is that great pleasure of wise and excellent Conversation. With Councellors there is civil prudence, with Commanders there is courage and Conduct, with other professions other excel­lencyes to be admir'd. There are in the world Royalties, Primacies, Principallities, Empires, for such as are ambi­tious of them. But which are of ten thousand times more value than all that I have mention'd, There are yet further such precious attainments to be had even here below, as ver­tue and the inchoate grace of God, inchoate I say, for in hea­ven onely shall our vertues and our Graces, together with our glory, bee made perfect.

These and many other enjoyments and delights there are which have been respectively seen by the Eye, or heard of by the Ear, or apprehended by Man. And though few men have attain'd to all or the most part of these, Yet a man in his heart or mind, by the consideration of the parts, may without dif­ficulty conceive all these great delights to meet in one and the same person.

And further, it is at least conceivable, that all those plea­sures may continue with Him, and with his children and de­scendents in his sight any finite number of years, even the greatest that can be counted by Arithmetick, and even what he cannot conceive or understand with his Mind, he may indefinitely wish for or desire with his heart as an unknown Happinesse.

But if we take up in the narrower Interpretation and con­fine this word Heart to the Understanding faculties, It must needs be confess't that it were a strange portentous state of de­light and Glory, if all these known and conceiveable parts of [Page 99]Happinesse should thus accrue to any one in particular; and indeed it would be so great, that rightly to conceive this E­state, if it were only as great as any that can enter into the understanding of Man, one had need of a knowledge not on­ly like that of Salomon, comprehensive of the Nature and use of all plants, or of any one Species of things, but of the Nature and advantages of all Objects whatsoever, and so rather like that of the first Man Adam, who knew all the Excellencies of all the Creatures, and gave them names ac­cordingly.

But yet S^t Paul telleth us (which is the consideration that I would enforce) That even such an Estate, it being seen with the Eye, and heard of by the Ear, and having entred into the heart of Man, is of a much baser and lower Na­ture, than is the true Est te of that Grace and Glory, which the Blessed in Heaven shall be possessed of. Adam himself who knew so much of the Nature of all things, yet knew not perfectly the Glory of this estate, and S^t Paul, who, in his rapture into the third Heaven, saw it, yet confesseth that it was unspeakeable.

And here he does not only tell us from the Prophet Esay, that Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, but hee addes, nor have those things entred into the heart of Man, that God hath prepared for those that love him. They are greater than his mind can fully comprehend, and it may be greater than ever his heart did distinctly or perfectly desire.

There is, I confesse, some doubt concerning the sense of this Text,1 Cor. 2.9. explained. and what writing it is that S^t Paul doth here cite in this place. For he saith, It is written, Eye hath not seen, Nor Ear heard. Vide Drusium, Zegerum, Gro­tium, &c. in 1 Cor. 2.9. The criticks generally assert from ancient and grave Testimonies that in the Apocryphall bookes of the Prophet Eliah, the words here cited by S^t Paul are found, and are willing to referre us thither for them. And Grotius af­firmes, that the Jewish Rabbins have such a common pro­verb [Page 100]or sentence as this, which they doe also expound of the future life. This we may be sure of, that if S^t Paul here ci­teth the Apocryphall bookes of Eliah, or any other of the old Jewish writings, that He commends what he citeth, and hath given it a countenance and Authority by that Citati­on: And why may he not doe that to the Jewish writings, which he hath done things well written by the Heathen Po­ets. Acts 17 28. Tit. 1.12.

But it seemes to mee more probable, that the marginall references in our English Bibles direct us not amisse, when they referre us to the Text read unto you out of the 64^th ch. of Esay, where it is said v. 1. by way of prayer for the se­cond Advent or Glorious coming of Christ in Judgement: Oh that thou wouldest rend the Heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the Mountaines might flow down at thy pre­sence. As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the liquors to boile, &c. Wee beleive that at the end of the world there shall be a generall conslagration of all things, when not the mountaines of the Earth only, but the Elements of Hea­ven also shall melt with fervent heat, And it is not improba­ble that the Prophet may intend that conflagration when he makes this prayer, and then the sense will be, Oh that the great day of doom were come, when all the mountaines of the Earth shall burne and smoake, at another rate than Mount Sinai did at the giving of the Law! At that time one or two Mountaines smoked and were ready to flow down before his presence.The conflagra­tion of the world in order to the purgation of its matter. But oh when will that time come, when the whole sy­steme of Nature shall be melted down and flow together in its owne infinite space as in a great melting Furnace? For this is the Operation that must passe through the mighty hand of God, that so the feculent Matter of this world may be pur­ged of its drosse and rust, and bee made a fit materiall, for the new Heaven and the new Earth, and the new Jerusalem, that God shall then prepare for those that love him. He [Page 101]proceeds then to shew the Reason why he desired this dis­solution of all things, namely, that it might make way for a better Resurrection. For, saith he (ver. 4.) since the be­ginning of the world Men have not heard nor perceived by the Ear, Nor hath Eye seen, O God, besides thee, what he hath pre­pared for those that wait upon him: So that the summe of the sense is but this, Oh that this world might be dissolved and melted down, that wee might arise into a new and better world, even into that Glory, that Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard: For such a Glory hath God provided for those that wait upon Him.

But this text, as it extends not our heavenly Glory, as S^t Paul doth, to be beyond the comprehension of the heart; So there is a Parenthesis in it not mentioned by S^t Paul, For it is said, Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, O God (besides thee) what he hath prepared. Rabbins af­firme that from the state of the Messiah they were to learn the image of their future glo­ry. But this parenthesis (besides thee) was not omitted by St Paul, because dissagreeable from his doctrine. For even (according to the Rabbinicall In­terpretation) this text together with the Parenthesis, will agree with the Analogy of St Pauls doctrine, and that of the christian Faith. For this was hence the Notion of learn­ed Men among the Jewes, that in the future life there was for good men a state of great glory provided, but that they were to take the Image of their future Glory from what should happen to the person of the Messiah; so that according to their doctrine we must make this paraphrase of this 4th v. O God the son, our Saviour and Messiah (For to him this whole prayer seemes to be address't) Besides thee, that is, besides the evidence and patterne of our Resurrection and glory that we have in thee; we, as yet, see not, nor can we understand what he, that is, what God the Father hath prepared for those that wait upon him. Ben Maimon the most judicious of their Rabbins telleth us, that it was the Intention of the Prophet Esay here to declare that the glory of the world [Page 102]to come cannot bee comprehended by Corporeall senses; and that his Brethren, the Hebrew doctors, make this to be the sense of the Text, that the Prophets only exhibite and declare the state of the Messiah and his Glory, and that from him must be taken the Image of the glory in the world to come. So, saith he,Seculum futu­rum sensibus corporeis ne­quaquam ap­prehendi indi­cat Propheta hocipsius dicto, Oculus non vidit, O Deus, praeter te, quid faciat expectanti ipsum. Ad quod explicandum dixerunt Magistri, Omnes propherae universim non prophetarunt nisi de diebus Messiae. At quod ad Mun­dum futurum, Oculus non vidit, praeter Te, &c. Maimonides in poriâ Mosis Pocockiana, p. 154. & in p. 150. Neque voluptas illa in partes distribuitur, neque enarrati potest, neque repe­ritur similitudo aliqua quacum comparati possit, verum uti dixit Propheta, ejus magnitudinem admiratus quam magna est bonitas tua, quam obscondisti Timentibus Te, &c. ib. they interpret this text, Eye hath not seen, O Lord, be­sides thee, what God hath prepared for those that wait upon Him, that is in short, Men know no more of Heavenly glory than what they learn by those things that God hath de­clared concerning the exaltation of the Messiah.

And we have no reason to contradict this Exposition of the Rabbins, though of the Jewish Religion and not of ours, seeing it is a Gospell Truth, that the Image of our Resurecti­on is the Resurrection of Christ, The Image of our Glory is the Glory of Christ, we have no manifestation of what we shall be, but such as ariseth from the consideration of what He is: And so we may truely say in their sense, Eye hath not seen, O Christ, Nor Ear heard, besides thee, what God hath prepared for those that wait upon Him. St John telleth us 1 John 3.2. that it does not yet appear what we shall bee, but this we know, that when our Lord Christ shall appear wee shall be like unto Him. He shall change our vile body and make it like unto his own glorious body according to that mighty working whereby he is able to subdue all things to him­self.

There is another doubt also objected from that Parathesis or addition of S^t Paul, But God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit. For how can it be said that the things that [Page 103]God hath prepared for his servants have not entred into the heart of Man, when Christians are men, and it is added that God hath revealed them to us Christians by his Spi­rit.

This parathesis therefore must be justly not strictly inter­preted, For it is true, that God hath revealed them now much more than formerly; He hath revealed them by his Spirit, but he hath not revealed them fully, not so that S^t Paul himself could, while he lived here, adequately conceive the Na­ture of those heavenly Glories. It is most true that since our Saviour preacht the doctrine of the new Testament, and since the gift of the Spirit which hath raised Man above his Na­ture and since the Transfiguration, resurrection and Ascen­tion of Christ, which are patternes of what shall happen to all Gods servants, Now the existence of the future state of Glory is more fully confirmed, and its nature much better understood, than it was by those who lived in the former Ages; when they had no light but from the letter of Mo­ses, whose writings were darke in this point, or from the Prophets, or from the more uncertain Faith and Tradition of the Gentiles. And yet notwithstanding the great advance­ment of our knowledge in this particular, It is not so advanc't as to render this text untrue; it is not so advanc't as that we may persectly know them. For his Rapture into the third Heaven taught S^t Paul himself, that those Joyes are yet un­speakeable, and that Humane Nature is yet uncapable ade­quately to conceive them. They are so great, that Eye hath not seen them, Ear hath not heard them, nor have they ever so enter'd into the heart of Man as to be perfectly and fully conceived by Him.

When our Savior was taken up into Heaven from amidst his disciples in Mount Olivet,Act. 1. and a Cloud had received him out of their sight, they continued still stedfastly look­ing towards Heaven, but were reproved by the Angels in [Page 104]these Words, Ye men of Galilee why stand you gazing up into Heaven? Words, my Brethren, that we may nost proper­ly apply to the present figure of our own thoughts, we have been looking not towards Heaven only, but upon Heaven it self, untill in the midst of our gazing we have lost it. On­ly we cannot so properly say that a Cloud, as that a sun­beame, or at least a very bright Cloud, hath received it out of our sight. For we find that Heaven is so wrapt up in its own glory, that there is no perfect entrance left to the Eye of our understanding.

Let us therefore apply to our selves that Angelicall advice, and stand no more gazing into Heaven. It is proper for us in this case to do as the disciples did, to hast away to our up­per Roomes, First to our prayers, then to our work; But for our Encouragement we may cast an Eye upon the great Reward that God hath provided for us, We may consider so much of Heaven as is revealeable to us, and beleive further, and ex­pect beyond all that those incomprehensible Glories that are to be enjoy'd with Christ above. Nay let us beleive and give thanks for it, that there are joyes prepared for us that are not now revealeable, and though we can forme no Idea or con­ceit of them; yet let us rejoice and give thanks unto God that there are joyes prepared for us, and for all Religious and good Men with us, of which we can forme no Idea. Christ hath merited this beleif of the world that we should think him able to performe his promises, to raise us from the dead and to glorify us with that glory, which I have endea­vor'd to describe, but have been oppress't in my endeavor by the weight of my undertaking, finding the excellent glo­ry and happinesse of that Estate to be incomprehensible and ineffable. He that raised Jairus his daughter and the Wid­dowes son, and Lazarus and (which is most of all) himself from the dead, whatsoever Atheists may speak of the In­credibility of that Resurrection, shall certainly raise us also. [Page 105]I hope by Gods help to give you an account of the Reason­ablenesse of the Christian faith in that article at some other time. But we that professe Religion, professe to believe our Resurrection as certainly as we believe our death. I know that my redeemer liveth, saith Job,Job 19.25, 26. and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the Earth, and though after my skin wormes destroy this Body, yet in my flesh shall I sce God, &c. And I know, saith Martha, that my Brother shall rise again in the Resurrection at the last day, John 11.24.

I shall now adde but one advice more, which is this: that as we have Evangelicall expectations, so we should take the Evangelicall directions, that we would endeavour to rise to newnesse of life here, that we may rise to eternall Glory here­after. Let the Doctrine of our Resurrection to eternall life have its perfect work, so the full belief and actuall conside­ration of this one Article of eternall life, or eternall misery to come, may by the grace of God, minister to us Chri­stians in giving obedience to our Lord, that which we some­times complain so much for the want of, even a power to do all things through Christ that strengtheneth. There is no Duty (saith D^r Jackson) whereunto the belief of this eternall Reward doth not enable and bind us. If we do not live in some measure agreeable to our profession and the hopes of our pro­fession, we shall be in the End condemned by it: and in the mean time we betray it openly, that there is now a defect in that principle that should be within us, or in the excercise of that Principle, that is, we believe not, or we consider not, For what saith S^t John, every one that hath this hope purifi­eth Himself even as God is pure, 1 John. 3.3. And there­fore he that doth not purify Himself, He is but a preten­der to this Hope, He hath it not at all well grounded in Him, or at least he hath it not in actuall excercise and Employ­ment. For if there be such a Hope, unlesse it be very sleepy, if it be a lively and a quick Hope, it must be the spring [Page 106]of a Christians joy and glory, in comparison of which He will contemn all the Riches, all the Honors, all the Plea­sures of this world as drosse and dung. And there is reason for this preference, because as S^t Paul doth more than once assert, so great is the glory that shall be revealed, that to it nothing in this present world is worthy to be compared. It was the Hope of this Happinesse that made the primitive Christians leap into the Flames and suffer Martyrdome with joy. Now though we, through the Mercy of God, have no flames of Martyrdome to seap into, yet we may take this note from the Psalmist (Psal. 125.) that those who are said to return with joy had a Time of going on their Way weeping and bearing good seed; or this from S^t John, That the Bride must have her wedding Garments prepared be­fore hand. She must not be like the foolish Virgins, she must not be to provide her Ornaments when her wedding Hour is come. She must be arrayed in Fine linnen and this Fine linnen is the Righteousnesse of the Saints, Revel. 19. We must know that Christians are to bee arrayed not only with the Righteousnesse of Saints inherent. We may learn from S^t Paul 1 Cor. 9. That those who obtain this Crown of Glo­ry in Heaven are temperate in all things, and prepare them­selves before hand, and then also run and strive that they may obtain. For it is so ordained that no man shall come to that great glory either with the assistance and Grace of God, or without his own faithfull Endeavor, Comple­ment alone will never do it: Our Savior hath protested, Matth. 7.25. That not every One who professeth this Re­ligion, Not every one who saith unto Him, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdome of Heaven, but he only who doth the will of his Father which is in Heaven.

Now to the king of Heaven, and to the Lord our Righ­teousnesse by whose merits only we can have Entrance into that kingdome, and to the Spirit of Holinesse, who can only give us title to those merits, &c.

AS the Fear of that Punishment,The Hope of the Resurrection of the Body and life everlasting the greatest En­couragement to Vertue. that God hath prepared for Wicked men, is apt to deter them from the continuall practices of Vice: So the Christians Hope of the Resurrection of the Body and everlasting life in Hea­ven is the greatest encouragement to the Excercise of Religion and vertue. I have allready shewed you the excellence and Glory of that Estate which we Hope for: and in the next place I think it may bee seasonable in Opposition to the Atheists of our Time to clear unto you the foundation of this Hope, namely the Credibility of the Resurrection it self, which I propose to do in this me­thod.

First to shew you that from Naturall Reason much hath been granted towards our faith in this particular.

Secondly, that the world had reason to receive, and we have reason still to continue the belief of the doctrine of our Savi­or delivered us in this Article.

All this I mean to do as it were historically by giving you the ancient state of the doctrine delivered in it, and some of the old arguments that continued this belief against the A­theisticall Reasonings of former Ages: And these old argu­ments of proof, that have withstood the Batteries of A­theisme hitherto I am not only contented with, but indeed I prefer them before those fine, but untried ones, of New Invention.The existence of the law of Na­ture argues re­wards and pu­nishments in a­nother life, be­cause they are not equally di­stributed in this.

First this was part of the Naturall Mans creed, that there shall be hereafter in another life, time and place for Blisse and Punishment. This all considering persons have argued from the Notions of the Law of Nature that men generally find implanted in them. If a law (say they) then there must be a Reward and Punishment; else that Law will be to no purpose. But we find a Law written in our Hearts, and yet vertue hath not its Reward, [...], &c. apud Pla­todem in Phaed. nor vice its Punishment allwaies in this life, and therefore it must bee lookt for in another. How many vicious livers are there, who have escaped correction from all Mortall Men? and how many poor vertuous per­sons have there been, who for their generall practice of ver­tue and patience in Honesty and upright dealing have received nothing but Envy, Reprocah, Despite and Oppression in this life?V. Plutarchum de serâ numinis vindicta. Plato­nem in Gratillo & Gorgia. and therefore we argue now, as they did anciently, that there is wanting that Order and providence in the Government of the Rationall world, that is visible in all things of lesser moment, unlesse, as we believe, there shall bee indeed another life, wherein according to our merits we may receive Rewards and punishments. And upon this Expectation Solid and Wise Men still held that the Practice of Honesty, and the Observance of the Laws [Page 111]of Nature were to be defended and preferred even before the preservation of their present lives. Which had been irration­all and foolish for them to have done, had they been with­out a Reasonable Hope of a just Recompence in another life. Secondly, another thing that we have received from Argu­ments of naturall and Human Reason is the doctrine of the Immortality of our Souls. And since the Soul according to the Platonique and Peripateticall, and all other Philosophy, Detrchere ali­quid alteri, & hominis incom­modo suum au­gere commodum, magis est contra Naturam quam Mors, quam pau­pertas, quam dolor, &c. a­pud Ciceronem de Off. 3. Ad Carthaginem rediit Regulus, cum neque ignorabat se ad crudelissimum hostem atque exquisita supplicia prosicisci, quod Fidem servandam putabat. Cicero eod. Justum & tenacem propositi virum, Non civium ardor prova jubentium, Non vultus instantis Tyranni, Mente qualit solidâ. Si fractus illabatur Orbis, Impavidum ferient ruinae. Hac arte Pollux, & vagus Hercules Innixus, arces attigit igneas, &c. apud Horatium carm. lib. 3. Ode. 3. is the great constituent Principle of our Being and Individuati­on, if that bee granted to bee immortall, it must bee grant­ed that the greatest and most considerable part of every In­dividuall Man is immortall, And this will well conduce to expedite our other doctrine concerning the credibility of the Resurrection of the same Body.

It is most true,Mr Hobbes's opi­nion considered. that the Author of the Leviathan affirm­eth that Men, before the time of our Savior, were general­ly possess't of an Opinion, Leviathan. p. 4. p. 340. that the souls of Men were substances distinct from their Bodies, and therefore that when the Body is dead, the Soul of every Man whether godly or wicked must subsist somewhere by vertue of its own Nature: But it is as untrue, that the same Author in the same place affirmeth, That this doctrine concerning the Immortality of the Soul was an error that sprang from the Demonology of the Greeks. For in truth, these doctrines were so distinct and independent [Page 112]one upon another,The doctrine of the Souls immor­tality sprang not from the Demo­nologie of the Greekss. that the greatest deriders of the Greek Demonology were the greatest and most cordiall assertors of the Immortality of the Soul. Such was the famous Socrates in particular, whose principall Accusation was, That He made himself and his Scholars sport by deriding the Gods worshipp't in Greece. And this his crime was publickly pre­sented upon the stage, so as to make Him odious to the People, by Aristophanes in his Witty comedy that he calls his Clouds. And yet this Socrates, who laught at their Demonology so much, had the doctrine of the Immorta­lity of the Soul so fix't and rivetted in him, that, as all History concerning Him consents,V. Platonis Phaed. Cicer. 1 Tusc. Quaest, Xeno­phontem, &c. the confidence of it made Him slight his present life and the favor of his Tyrant judges, and chuse to dy that he might bee possess't of that Immortality.

And that this generall doctrine concerning the Immor­tality of the Soul was founded not upon their Demonology, but upon good Arguments taken from the Nature and Operations of the Soul it self, may bee seen in Plato's Phaedrus, and his Phaedo, and in Plotinus, and in Cicero and o­ther Philosophers.

And to put this out of doubt, I shall give you a Tast of their arguments out of Cicero, The ancient ar­guments for its immortality out of Cicero. which (for the Reputation of ancient learning, let me speak it) I think are strong e­nough to break the Opposition of our modern Wits, and in particular to withstand the force of the great Le­viathan.

Animorum, Cicero. in Tusc. Quaest. lib. 1. saith he, nulla in terris Origo inveniri po­test: Nihil enim in animis mixtum aut ex terrâ natum at (que) fixum esse videatur, Flabile aut igne­um, male vulgò leg. stabile aut igneum. nihil aut humidum aut flabile aut igneum. His Conclusion is this, that the Soul hath not its Originall from any of the Elements, nor from the Fire, nor from the Air, that is flabile and Spirituous, nor from the moist Water, nor from the fixt Earth, nor from a mixture of [Page 113]all these. His enim Naturis nihil inest quod Vim Memoriae, mentis, cogitationis habeat, There is nothing in any of these Elements that is capable of doing those things that are ordi­narily performed by the memory, the understanding and thoughts of Men. We will pursue the first Instance of his concerning Memory. Let therefore M^r Hobbes, or any o­ther of our new Wits, shew how an Elementary Body or a­ny part of it, that is in perpetuall Flux, should retain the memory of things done long since, it may be sixty or se­venty yeares ago. A River that is allwaies running may as well keep an Impression figured upon the surface of the Wa­ter by a seal, as the Body of Man that never continues the same for one day can retain those infinite impressions, that every Man remembers without alteration or difference; when this Body and all its Elementary parts (wherein these me­moires are supposed to inhere) is in so perpetuall a Flux, that they never are the same entirely for the least time that is considerable. All our modern Men and virtuoso's grant this transient Nature of the Elementary parts of the Body, and that what thus dayly and hourly perisheth, is dayly and hourly supplied with fresh Nourishment. Seeing there­fore the Elementary parts of our Bodies are allwaies flying of and never continue fixt, our ancient men of learning such as Pythagoras, Heraclitus, Socrates and Plato and Cicero and the Arabique and other Philosophers after them, argued,See the argu­ments of Avi­cen and Ibnal­catib in Ray­mundi Martini Pug. Fidei. p. 1. c. 4. that not the fluxile part of this transient Body, but an In­dependent and Immateriall soul must be the subject of Hu­man Memory. For Memory or any other Faculty, Action or other Accident cannot be supposed to inhere in a subject that ceaseth to bee, or to endure long, when the parts of the Body supposed to bee its subject are of very short continuance.

And if the Acts of memory which is Tullye's first instance [Page 114]cannot be performed by Elementary Bodies alone, [...]. Vide Plotin. En­nead. 4. l. 7. c. 6. imointeger lib. [...]. much lesse can those curious and intricate Acts of Reason and di­scourse, by which a man not only remembers single propo­sitions, but corrects Notions, and deriveth arguments; and therefore Cicero concludeth, as the learned did before, and the learned have done ever since, that there is an extra­ordinary singular and divine being within us, somewhat a­bove our commun and Elementary Natures, that is able to performe these Acts.

And surely all the Industry and Endeavors of our modern Philosophers to explain or prove the contrary are utterly in vain.The explication of those that make Souls cor­poreall impersect. Great is the power of wit and learning, but weigh their Wit and learning in the Balance, and in this attempt all their wit and learning will be found defective. For sup­pose we grant, (to comply with the latest and best of them) that there are all those chambers in the Brain, that he there most ingeniously delineateth. Glaze those chambers with all variety of Dioptrick Glasses that shall bee usefull to the O­perations designed, Let the Nerves serve as so many Tubes to carry in the Images of all sensible Objects, Let those images passe through the Corpus striatum, and let that, what­soever be objected concerning its incapacity to that purpose serve insteed of an Objective Glasse. Finally through that objective Glasse, let all the Images conveied and repre­sented be laid down upon the Corpus callosum as upon a white Table. Here is, you see, a great deal supposed, and if we could have any competent evidence all this were true, yet we were not much the neerer: For the main questions concerning the manner of sensation, Phancy and memory, do still remain unexplained. For it is still unresolved how Light or Fire or Air or any Elementary Body, which appear to us in all other cases to be dead and insensible Beings, can within the Brain be so much advanced as to be quite o­ther [Page 115]things and execute such high and noble Offices of sen­sation, conception and giving judgment concerning those Re­presentations: And suppose further we grant that the figures represented upon the Corpus Callosum may by some secret undulations be cast into the folds of the Brain, and that in these folds Memory and reminiscence is performed. Yet here the main Questions concerning Memory remain still unexplained, Namely, how notwithstanding the continued wasting of the parts of the Brain, and the supply of fresh parts in their Room, and notwithstanding the confluence of all the vast variety of new Impressions, yet the memo­ry of the same things continues so many yeares, if there be nothing but a transient Elementary matter to be the subject of these Memories.

Secondly, it neither is, nor do I ever expect to see it, explained, how within those Folds Light or Air or Fire or any Elementary Body should be able to Remember or Recol­lect, when neither Fire nor Air nor Light, in any other place ever appear'd to have any Faculties in any particulars like those mention'd. Wee believe there is a Soul of Man that goeth upward, and the Soul of a beast that goeth down­ward. But let none of our Materialists in Philosophy boast, that they have demonstrated how either of these Souls can performe its meanest Operations, if (to speak in Opposi­tion to the Elements) it be not a Quintessence, somewhat above these Materiall Natures. His enim Naturis, I must repeat Ciceroes words, Nihil inest quod vim Memoriae, Mentis, Cogitationis habeat.

Another of Cicero's arguments is this, Quod sapit, Other old Argu­ments for the souls immortali­ty from its sim­plicity, causality of its own moti­ons, and longings after eternity. divi­num est, To be wise implieth a high and noble Intellect, and is a faculty fit not for a corporeall and Elementary but for an excellent pure and simple essence, and if it bee not of an Elementary but of a pure and simple Nature, it must [Page 116]consequently be eternall.Dubitare non possumus, quin nihil sit animis admixtum, ni­hil copulatum, nihil duplex, quod cum ita sit, certe nec se­cerni, nec divi­di, dec discerpi, nec distrahi po­test: Nec interi. re igitur Est e­nim Interitus quasi discessus & secretio, & direp­tio, earū partiū, quae ante inte­ritum junctione aliqua teneban. tur. Cicero Tusc. Quaefi. lib. 1. It is not to be doubted saith he, that the Soul is an incomplex't Being, such a one, as is not mixt nor join'd nor doubled in its composure. Which being so, the parts of it can never be divided or sever'd one from ano­ther: and consequently it can never dye, because Death is but a separation of those parts that before Death were in conjuncture. Other Arguments he hath for the Immortality of the Soul, as that the Soul is the principle of its own Motion, and so moveth it selfe, and therefore, seeing nothing can be deser­ted of it selfe, the soul can never dye nor cease to move, as the Body doth, which therefore dyeth because it is deserted of the Principle of its Motion, which is the soul. That the soul hath native Breathings and longings after Eternity implanted in it, And that those Breathings and longings are not in vain: since God and Nature made nothing in vain. Such are the arguments that were anciently used on this subject. And let no Man here object the Operations of beasts; For it is de­monstrable that they are of a kind vastly inferior to ours, and therefore we judge their souls to bee so too. And truly ma­ny considering Men will rather think the Souls of beasts somewhat above Elementary, which we understand not, and own with Socrates our imperfect knowledge, than that such Operations as are performed by the Minds of Men should be the product of Elementary matter only. For surely our modern Materialists, who are the Philosophers in Fashion, have been so far from shewing how the Operations of the Souls of Men may be performed by such matter, that they have not given any sufficient satisfaction, how it is possible that by such matter and locall Motion alone the actions of bruit beasts may be elicited.

But enough hath been said to make it evident beyond all contradiction, That the doctrine of the Souls Immortality was not built upon the Daemonology of the Greeks, but [Page 117]was received and continued from Reasons drawn from the consideration of its own Nature, Motions and Operations. And M^r Hobbes should do well to answer those Reasons and to shew the credibility of his own Hypothesis, seeing He hath exceeded the Atheisme not only of the ancient here­ticks in Philosophy, but of all pretenders to it, in this last and most Atheisticall Age. For he and those of his Clubbe make the human Soul to be little or Nothing, but a Mo­dus Entis at best, a kind of Motion of some parts of an Or­ganized Body, somewhat like that Harmony of parts to which some compared the soul anciently, and stand confuted for their pains by Plato and other Philosophers. And as if it had been a small matter to corrupt Philosophy, he hath done worse and hath shew'd his endeavor to abuse Divinity also: when he levells the sense of Scripture to that of his own Philosophy, and when he telleth us that the Soul in our Saviors words doth not signify any such distinct and immortall substance as the erroneous world believes it to bee, but only the life, that is in his sense, the Motion of an organized Body; that the Body and Soul, when spoken of together, signify the Body alive, that is, the Body in its Orga­nicall Motions.

But all his Wit and Learning will never be able to draw the holy Scriptures to favor the impious Hypothesis of his Philosophy. If there be no such thing as Spirit, Mr Hobbes mis­interprets the scripture which speaks of the soul as independent from the body. or incor­poreall substance, that may informe us if the Soul so much spoken of be nothing but a Modus Entis, the motion or harmony of the Body, it was neither safe, nor wise, nor good advise that our Savior gave his Disciples, when he com­manded them thus; Fear not them that kill the Body, but are not able to kill the Soul, but rather fear Him, who is able to destroy both Body and Soul in Hell. For if the Soul were only the Motion or Harmony of the Parts of the Bo­dy, [Page 118]he that should kill the Body must needs spoil the Har­mony, or motions of it also, and consequently must bee able to destroy the Soul too. As he who breaks the Lute must needs spoil all its Musick for ever after. It is plain therefore that our Savior speaks of the Soul as of a Being in­dependent from the Body, so likewise when his Body was upon the crosse and lay under the cruelty of his deadly Ene­mies, he commended his Soul to God as that which was above their reach. The like did his first Martyr S^t Ste­phen, and all his holy Martyrs, and all good Christians ever since have at their Deaths commended their souls to God, as that which is distinct and independent from their perishing Bo­dyes. And yet this doctrine concerning the Independence, Immateriality and Immortality of the Soul, was, as I have shewed, no peculiar doctrine of Christianity, but was received generally upon good grounds before; and the Gospell ownes it as true and well confirmed, and addes to it (that which the Jewes believed also,) the Doctrine concerning the Resurrecti­on of the Body.

This Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Body hath been spoken against by many Atheists as a thing incredible. To shew you therefore that the Christians were not fools, who ever have believed it, and that we do nothing unreasonable in continuing this Belief;V. Greg. Nys­senum de Homi­nis Opificio. c. 25. &c. I shall shew you the Reasons of the Christian faith in this very particular, as they were an­ciently represented by S^t Gregory Nyssene, and that with very little alteration of my own.

It hath been observed by learned Men among the Heathen,V. scripta de Phlegonte scriptore Ethnico lib. Annal: citato apud Origen. lib. 2. contra Celsum sub In­itium. [...], &c. ib. [Page 119]that never any one foretold things so certainly to come, or that were so punctually and precisely accomplished, as were the predictions and Prophecies of our Savior; and such were those particularly concerning the Persecution of the Christi­ans and the Ruine of the Jewish Temple and Nation. For there was in Reason no probability of either. Judaea was, wee know, safe then under the Roman Government, and the whole world quietly sate down in peace under the same Empire. The Romans interposed not in matters of Religi­on as appear'd in all S^t Pauls Tryalls before Roman Magi­strates. It was therefore a strange unlikely Prophesy that Je­rusalem, achief citty in a Roman pro­vince,Origenes in illud, [...]. should shortly be encompassed with Armies, and thereupon fall in­to utter Desolation, or that the Ca­lamity should fall so greivously upon childbearing Women, that this should be taken up as a Proverb, Blessed are the barren that never bare, and the Paps that never gave Suck. Yet Je­rusalem was in the Eyes of that generation so besieged and reduced to that Calamity by Famine, that, as wee read in Josephus, an honorable Woman was found eating her own child, and surely then if ever was a time for the daughters of Jerusalem to weep and to use that saying, Blessed are the bar­ren that never bare. It is also observed by some that as to the manner of that utter desolation of the Temple our Sa­vior foretold it even to the most minute Circumstances, as that in the ruin of it,Origen. lib. 2. contra Celsum v. & Nyssenum loco [...]cit. nec non Josephum do bello Judaico lib. 7. cap. 6, 7, 8, ad 16. Luke 23.28, 29. Act. 18.12, 13, &c. V. Matth. 13.2. there should not one stone be left upon another that should not be thrown down and pluck't asun­der, [Page 120]as the Originall word signifies.Quis sine ad­miratione hoc tremendum De­mini dictum le­gere potest, qui meminerit à Jo­sepho scriptū, [...], &c. & illud quod paulo post sequitur, [...]: adeo omnia solo adaequata, ut ne vestigia quidem pristinae ullius habitationis relicta fuerint. Igitur Titus Alexandria revertens cum complanata omnia videret lach [...]ymas continere non potuit, &c. lege 15. caput l. 7. [...] apud Josephum. Nemo ignorat Romanorum morem fuisse complanato urbium rebellium Solo ara­trum inducere. Vere igitur Mors Jerosolymorum fuit inducto illi aratro. Quod nec vetustissimi Judaei ig­norant, qui non solum aratrum templo impressum fuisse terhibent. sed etiam nomen ejus, qui aratrum impressit in monimentis suis retinent. Turannum Rufum vocant, &c. apud Scaligerum Canon Isagog l. 3. ev 11 ad excidium Templi. p. 311. All which was full-fild to a tittle: for we read that one Turannus Rufus plowed up the very foundations of that magnificent Temple, and so sever'd every stone therein; and yet neither the Emperour Titus, as abundantly appeares in the history of Josephus, had originally any designe to Ruine Jerusalem, nor any other Roman any respect to, but a hatred against Christ and his Gospell, whose Prophesies notwithstanding by the over-ru­ling providence of God they were wrought to fulfill.

Now (as the Father,V. Nyssenum u­bi supra. whose Discourse I follow, well observeth) when all the predictions and many others of dif­ferent kinds were strangely fullfill'd in the Eyes of the World.Christs predicti­ons miraculously fulfill'd are ar­guments that his doctrine concern­ing the Resur­rection shal be fulfil'd also. Men of Reason had just cause to think well of all other do­ctrines that Christ had delivered; especially of his principall and fundamentall ones among which none was more consi­derable than this, That an eternall Happinesse both of Body and Soul was to bee obteined by Faith and Obedience to the Gospell.

That our Savior was able to raise the dead, and to performe all that he had promised he proved by his doing many mi­racles, great and wonderfull, confessedly exceeding all hu­man power. He healed the sick dayly: But it is one thing to heal the sick, and another thing to raise the Dead; and therefore to evidence his Allmighty power in that particu­lar, [Page 121]It is believed that he delaied the time of his coming to diverse sick persons, and suffered them to dy, that being dead He might glorify his power, and give some instance of his ability to work the great and last Resurrection. So when Jairus came to him for his daughter, Mark 5. He suffered himself to be staid in healing the Woman that had the Issue of blood, till newes was brought that the daughter was dead, and so now in such a case, that nothing but the Resurrection of the dead could cure her, and therefore it was advised that he should now desist from troubling the Master. But in truth our Master staid to good purpose, not only to cure the poor Woman with the hemme of his Garment, but to cure all us of our Infidelity, and to have the Opportunity of working a Miracle, that must needs convince those incredulous per­sons, of whom he there spake, that except they saw signes and wonders they would not believe. Dead therefore though she was, He spake but the Word Talitha Cumi, Damosell a­rise; and the Damosell arose and walked.

In the case of the Widdows son, which is reported in the 7^th chapter of S^t Luke, He delay'd a little longer, and as he made the case more difficult, so he made his power and mer­cy more conspicuous. There was a Man dead, a young Man of an untimely death. He was a son, an only son, the on­ly son of a Widdow. He was her joy, all her hopes, all her desires. When he was gon all was gon with her. She loved him when alive, and when dead (as that Father whom I follow conjectures,) she embraced and hovered over his Corps and kept it to mourn over it as long as it could be kept. But when it could be kept no longer, she submitted to the misfortune of her condition, and went with the whole company of her neighbors to see him interr'd with decen­cy and kindnesse. He stayed till his corps was brought to the very grave, without the Gates of the Citty, to the Gol­gotha or commun place of sepulture there. When the case [Page 122]was thus desperate and every one was concern'd for the irre­parable losse of the poor Widdow. He thought it then a fit time to comply with the commun pitty, and therefore he met the Widdow in her Tears, he had compassion on her. He said unto her, Weep not, he touched the Beer and he spake those powerfull Words, [...], young man arise, and he that was dead sate up, and he delivered him to his Mother. This was confess't to be the hand of God, to be a great Mi­racle. It was life from the dead to the Son, and little lesse to the but now disconsolate, now wonderfully rejoiceing Mo­ther. A greater miracle intended also to confirme the same Truth was that of Lazarus. A work so great that the same Father taketh notice, that our Lord led his Disciples to Galilee on purpose that they might see it, and by it be in­structed in the Mystery of the Resurrection. It is recorded by S^t John that when Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick, He abode still two dayes in the place where he was: But when he was departed, our Lord spake thus to his Disciples, Laza­rus is dead, and I am glad for your sakes, that I was not there that you may believe; and therefore he, took the Di­sciples with Him and went to Bethany, and when he came there he preach't the Resurrection. I am, saith he the Resurrecti­on and the life, whosoever believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live, &c. And in processe to prove his Doctrine, Jesus, when he was come to the grave, bids them take away the stone:John 11. Martha opposeth it, alledging that certainly now the Corps lay in stench and putrefaction, and by reason of that it was not to bee endured that Christ should come neer the Tombe:Vide Nyssenum ubi supra. He had been dead 4 dayes, and therefore it was not to be doubted that the Cadaverous ferment had swell'd the Body, and that there had been a considerable progresse made in the Putrefaction. But she had but a rebuke for her care, and our Savior after a prayer to God speaks those powerfull words, Lazarus come forth. And he that was dead [Page 123]came forth bound hand and foot with his grave cloathes, &c. This was a great Demonstration that the power of giving a Resurrection to our putrified Bodies lay in Him, when he was able to crosse Nature in her Operation and to compell her to restore that to life that was not only dead, as in the other instances of Jairus and the Widdows son, but lying in the midst of its putrescency, diffluency and stench.

There is but one thing that the most cautious and diffi­dent persons could wish to be added to make the Demonstra­tion beyond Exception, and this our Savior was aware of, you will, saith he, surely say unto me this Proverb, Physitian heal thy self, Luke 4.23. Thou that raisest others raise thy self also: Wee will destroy this Temple of your Body and if, (as you say) you can raise that in three daies, we will de­sire no further Argument, we will not any longer be diffi­dent, nor faithlesse, but we will believe, that you are, as you say, the Son of God, and that you will raise the Bodies and glorify the Souls of all that believe, and obey the Gospell that you Preach. There were some unbelieving Scoffers that tenderd their faith upon a slighter condition, though they thought even that Impossible. For while he was yet alive they made him this offer, Let him but now come down from the Crosse and we will believe. But he had a Miracle to do much greater than that, and He must dy upon the crosse, that he might be able to performe it. He dyed therefore, and rose again, and by his Resurrection he gave the last fullest proof of his victory over death, and his power to performe his promise in raising the dead universally at the last day. This last Miracle convinc'd the most incredulous, even cautious and diffident S^t Thomas. When he saw with his Eyes, that his Lord was risen indeed, John 20.25. the same Lord that he had before seen crucified, dead and buried, when he saw the print of the nails that had fixt him to the crosse, and the hole or Gash in [Page 124]his side that was given him by the Souldiers spear, there was nothing left to shelter his diffidence or unbelief.

Let no man therefore after all these Miracles, especially this last and greatest of Christs raising up himself, doubt of the power of our Lord or of his faithfullnesse in raising of us all. He is both able and faithfull that promised. So S^t Paul expostulates, if Christ be raised from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? 1 Cor. 15.12. He spake to Jairus his daughter but a word or two, Talitha Cu­mi, and she arose from the dead; and no more to the said widdows Son, but [...], young man arise, and he a­rose, and no more to Lazarus, but [...], Laza­rus come forth, Neither the bonds of death, nor the difflu­ence and putrefaction of his corps, nor those other bonds by which in the Grave he was tyed hand and foot, could hin­der his obedience to the over-ruling power of this Com­mand.

Now at the last day the word shall not be to one Damo­sell, or one young Man, or to one Lazarus, but to the whole Body of Mankind. The word shall be RISE ALL, and the manner is thus described. When the number of the Elect shall be fullfilled, and every man shall be born into the World that God hath appointed to Glorify, and when that time shall be fully come, the knowledge of which God hath reserved to himself, then the Lord Christ shall descend from Heaven with a shout, and with the voice of an Arch­angell, and with the Trump of God. That Trumpet shall sound to the Bottome of the Sea,1 Thess. 4.16. and to the Center of the Earth and shall strike every atome of the whole uni­verse, and our dissolved Bodies in particular, into those se­verall places and stations that God hath appointed them to fill, in the state of the Resurrection. And when the com­mand and warning is thus general the Resurrection shall be so too, even as when his command was particular to Laza­rus [Page 125]and the rest, the Resurrection was particular also. What though our Bodies should be burnt to ashes, and those ashes scatter'd into the Rivers or the Sea, as by persecuting Princes in despight of the Christians God sometimes they have been, What though they should be devoured by Can­niballs, or by the beasts of the field, or the fouls of the Air, or the fishes of the Sea, and those beasts, fouls and fishes should again be eaten by other Men; Let the Atheist make what supposition he will, yet every part of every Bo­dy will still bee within the Empire of God. No Canniball, nor beast, nor foul, nor fish ever converted the whole Bo­dy of any Man to his own nourishment, and is it not more easy to raise Bodies out of those remainders, than out of stones to raise children to Abraham? And what if the same ma­teriall fragments are not necessary to make us the same Men? We have not the same materiall particles in our Bodies that we had twenty years ago; and yet our soul which is the great Principle of Individuation being the same, we judge our selves to bee the same Men; and though most of it may be, all our materiall parts are vanish't and others supply their places in that time, yet we think we are sure that our Bodies also are still the same, and all the members of our Bodies continue still the same.

But if those parts or a great number of the same parts be necessary, It is most true that S^t Gregory Nyssene obser­veth, that every part of every Body will still be within the Empire of God. S^t Greg. Nyss. de Hominis Opificio cap. 26, 27. Tom. 1. pag. 115. & deinceps. [...], &c. supra & infra. Fury or Malice cannot so dissipate them nor Ravin so devour them, but that every part of every Body will [Page 129]still be within the Compasse of the World, and God can as easily dispose those parts to their right owners, as a commun herdsman, who keeps all the beasts of a Lordship in one herd, can when he pleaseth distinguish them and send them to their particular masters and owners.

But seeing the Resurrection of the same Bodies must be wrought by the power of God, It is fit that we should re­ferre the particular manner, how our Bodies shall be resto­red to the secret knowledge of God Himself. The thing we are not to doubt, For to raise a Body out of some mat­ter is lesse than to raise it out of no matter at all. God out of stones can raise children to Abraham, and to raise chil­dren implies,Matt. 3.9. that He can give Relation as well as substance, and therefore that he cannot only make bodies, but he can make them our Bodies, He can make them ours it may be some otherwaies, but most probably by recollecting all or some of the same particles, and uniting them and marrying them again in the Bonds of an eternall wedlock to the same individuall Soul and to the same identicall and numericall fa­culties of Sensation, Phancy, Memory, Reason and the rest that we now enjoy. For this is much more easy than to create; nay more easy than out of stones to raise up chil­dren to Abraham, that is, to give substance and Relation where there was none before.

Upon these grounds we receive the Gospell of our Lord, and having such promises of God, we believe with S^t Paul that the committing of our Bodies to the Grave is but the Solemne preparation for our future Crop and Harvest,1 Cor. 15. which God shall raise up unto us in that great day. We are assu­red that for one grain of life which we part with here, we shall receive a hundred fold in the life to come.V. 42.43. &c. ib. For though the seed we now sow be a mortall and dying seed, yet it shall grow up into an immortall and eternall life: So saith S^t Paul, the Body is sowen in corruption, It is raised in incorrup­tion, [Page 127]It is sowen in Dishonor, It is raised in Glory, It is sowen in Weaknesse, It is raised in power, It is sowen a naturall Body, It is raised a spirituall Body. This is the Catholick Christian Faith, the truth of which hath been confirmed to us by the greatest Miracles, and which hath prevailed in the End against all the Oppositions in all Ages of the unreasonable unbeliev­ing world.

If you desire to bee satisfied how the doctrine of the Re­surrection stood in the Opinions of the Jews and Heathen. How the do­ctrine of the Re­surrection was received among the Jews. Wee find first that among the Jewes, the majority and in­deed the best and learnedest sects received it; and so did the Pharisees in particular. For which they cited Daniell 12.2. and Job. 19.25, 26. but more especially against the Sad­duces (who receive only the books of Moses) they al­ledge that promise to Abraham, Isaak and Jacob. Exod. 6.4. concerning their Enjoyment of the Land of Canaan, which because they enjoyed not in their lives past, It was argued that there must be a Resurrection, that the promise of God may yet be fullfilled unto them. And against the same Sadduces, who denied the being of Spirits and the Re­surrection, Matth. 22.31. explained. our Savior useth a like argument, Matt. 22.31. which because to some it appeareth dark, I shall a little o­pen it unto you. The Argument stands thus. Long af­ter Abrahams decease God hath said, I am the God of A­braham, of Isaak and of Jacob. See Exod. 3.6. And so much the Sadduces granted. To which our Savior assumes, God is not the God of the dead but of the living, that is, God is not, cannot in a just sense bee said to bee God of the dead, who are so dead that they shall never live again, and therefore if he be the God of Abraham, Isaak and Jacob; Abraham, Isaak and Jacob shall live again. This is an argu­ment though possibly not so clear as some others from some other Scriptures, yet as clear as any that could be dedu­ced from the books of Moses, which was the only Scrip­ture [Page 128]acknowledged by the Sadduces against whom our Savior there disputed. Some Hebrew Rabbins, though Enemies to Christ, yet favor both this his doctrine, and his particular Exposition of this Text. (so Aben Esra) For they take these words I am the God of Abraham, &c. to contain a pro­mise that referreth to the Resurrection. Grotius observeth that these are words by which God expresseth the Covenant of his greatest Grace and kindnesse, as where he saith, I will be your God, and ye shall be my people. That their Notion of God there implyeth that of a Rewarder and great Benefactor; and to be Abrahams God, implyeth according to that Notion to be Abrahams great Benefactor, Friend and Rewarder. Then they assume that the fulfilling of this promise happened not to Abraham in this life, nor to Isaak or Iacob; For they lived here the lives but of poor pilgrims, they received no­thing excellent or particular from God, for which God should be styled their God. And Death is a condition wherein they could not receive this singular favor from Him. God cannot in this sence be a God to persons that are dead and to continue dead. And therefore, if he will shew to Abra­ham, Isaak and Iacob any excellent and particular favor (which seems to be intimated in the phrase of being their God) this must be shewed in another life, and consequently God must raise them up from the dead,Comp. Heb. 11.16. with Exod. 3.6. that they may be made capable of it. And the Author to the Hebrews interpreteth this phrase just as our Savior doth that Abraham and the Patriarchs by vertue of this promise expected a better Country, that is, an heavenly. And he affirmeth that God is not ashamed to be called their God upon this very account, because he hath prepared them a Citty, intimating that his preparing for his people a Citty in Hea­ven, a heavenly Jerusalem, is the very thing that giveth Him a title to be called their God.

Now the soul, as is above affirmed, being alwaies immor­tall, and this promise being made concerning the beatifying [Page 129]of their Bodyes and rendring them glorious in Heaven; in both respects, first in respect of what they alwaies enjoy in their Souls, and secondly in respect of the certainty of Gods promise concerning the Resurrection of their Bodyes, Abra­ham, Isaak and Iacob are look't upon as being even now alive. If God be just the soul is immortall. For Abraham and other good Men have not had their Recompense of Reward in this life. Nay if God be indeed faithfull and just, he will be a God to whole Abraham, Body and Soul. Wee see (while it is in conjuncture) the Soul loves the Body and would not willingly be parted from it; And it is all the Equity in the world, that since the Bodies of Gods servants suffer much in Obedience to the Soul and Spirit, they should bee par­takers of Glory with the Soul and Spirit. God made the whole Man, and redeemed the whole Man, and every good Christian giveth unto God the whole Man, and therefore we may conclude that it is agreeable to the goodnesse of God, to be kind to both parts body, and soul, and equally to glo­rify the whole Man.

As to the Opinions of wise and rationall Men among the Heathen, we find, as I shewed before, that they perfectly agree with ours concerning the soul of Man, I cannot say as much in that other point concerning the Resurrection of the Body, though some possibly among them have believed that also: And the Principles of others do rather favor than con­tradict it. For this we have the Authorities of S^t Augustine and S^t Gregory Nyssene. Gregory Nyssene telleth us, [...]. Ita Phocylides inter [...], ut Suidas [...] illud poema appellat. quamvis & sunt qui dubitant, an Gapita illa antiqui sint Phocylidis, qui Olympiad. 59 aut 60 floruit. Non tamen est cur aut Judaeum aut Christianum ex stylo reputemus [...], &c. habot his aliena. that e­ven the Opinion of the Pythagoricall Transmigration hath a notion in it not very different from ours of the Resurrecti­on. [Page 130]Both hold that the same Soul may after its departure from the Body abide and informe some Elementary Body, only our Doctrine is, That the Soul shall abide and again in­forme the same Elementary Body. S^t Augustine telleth us, that there were a sect of Philosophers called the Genethliaci, mention'd by Varro, who were of Opinion, that after certain periods of Time the same Soul and the same Body should be again reunited: and comparing the Opinions of Plato and Porphyry, he reports Plato's Opinion to be thus, Animas sine corporibus in aeternum esse non posse, Greg Nyssen. de Anima & Resurrecti­one p. 231. [...]. ib. & deinceps. Videatur & Augustinus de Civitate Dei lib. 22. capp. 28, 29. v. & Forcatulum lib. 1 pag. 87, 90. That our Souls will not endure to live eternally in disunion from our Bodies. He reports Porphyries Opinion to bee, That the Soul being in a separate estate from the Body, and once made pure, will ne­ver care to returne to those Evills to which it hath been ob­noxious in Human Body. But he observes in the conclu­sion, that both these Opinions were reconcileable to Chri­stianity. Nay if they were both united they would make up perfectly the Christian doctrine, and that if Porphyry had lent his Opinion to Plato, and Plato his to Porphyry, they both had been united to the Truth of the Gospell in this particular, which is, that our Souls in the End shall re­turn to such Bodies in which they shall happily and immor­tally [Page 131]continue. His words are, Dicat, &c.Dicat cum Pla­tone Porphyrri­us, redibunt ad corpora; dicat Plato cum Por­phyrio, non re­dibuet ad malo, & ad ea cortora redire consenti­eat in quibus nulla mala pa­tiantur. Let Porphyry say with Plato, that our Souls shall return to some Bodies, and let Plato say with Porphyry, that they shall not return to e­vill Bodies, and then the conclusion must be, that our Souls shall return to such Bodies in which they shall suffer no evills; Which is the very doctrine and faith of those that professe Christianity.

But, my Brethren, we have diverse reasons to believe both the Immortality of the Soul and the Resurrection of the Body, which those Philosophers wanted. God hath begot­ten us to this Hope by great and powerfull Arguments. It remains only that we make some good use of these Doctrines; and the first and most genuine is this. That as wise Men and good Christians we cherish this Hope: Which we have great Reason to do; First, upon account of its Usefullnesse here, secondly, upon account of that Reward which God hath reserved for this Vertue in the life to come.

This Hope is a vertue not only usefull but necessary for us while we are in this militant condition. Our life is some­times compared to a Warfare, and then this Hope of salvati­on is said to be our Helmet, 1 Thess. 5.8. which is, as all know, a most necessary piece of Armor, and the defence of the most Principall part. Sometimes our life is compared to a Voyage by Sea, and then this lively Hope is represented as most usefull to us upon another account. For if we are becalm'd in the midst of the Ocean of these worldly affaires, Hope is the Wind that must fill our sails. And this [...], full Gale of this Hope will safely and in due time bring us to our desired Haven, Heb. 6.11. But if on the contrary by reason of our own lightnesse and Vanity we are ready to be tossed to and fro with every Wave of Tem­ptation, This Hope of Heaven serves us for another Use. For then, as the Apostle to the Hebrews well observeth, we are to have this Hope as an Anchor of the Soul sure and [Page 132]stedfast, Heb. 6.19. In every profession and calling the Encouragement is from Hope. He that ploweth, ploweth in Hope, and he that thresheth, thresheth in Hope, 1 Cor. 9.10. And in our generall calling of Christianity no man ever was made perfect without this Hope. Men as Men desire Happinesse. and would avoid misery. But if Christians were without this Hope and all their Expectations were confined to this life only, S^t Paul affirmeth, that they were of all Men the most miserable, 1 Cor. 15.19. We have indeed a joy that exceeds the joy of the worldly man in his Corne and Wine and Oyl, but our Hope is the foundation of this our joy. We rejoice, saith S^t Paul, in the Hope of the Glory of God, Rom. 5.2. We have love, that is a great and a cordiall Christian Ver­tue, a Vertue amiable to God and usefull to Men. But Hope is the Principle and ground of Love, Quantum quis sperat, Bernard. de pass. Dom. c. 43. saith S^t Bernard, tantum amat, we love our Neigh­bor because we love God: but we love God because we ex­pect and hope for all our Happinesse from Him. Every good Christian hath a tree of life that springeth up within him, the Root of which is Faith, the Stemme Hope, the Branches Love, and the Fruit good Works. He therefore that goes about to take away Hope goes about to ruin the inner Man by cutting off the Tree at the very Stemme. Hoc ip­sum quod Christiani sumus, Fidei ac spei res est, saith S^t Cy­prian, V. Cyprianum de bono Pati­entiae. The very being of our Christianity depends upon our Faith and Hope: There is an Error crept in Christendome in Opposition to the Excercise of this great Vertue, which I think sprang originally from the unnaturall and forced Rho­domontades of the proud Stoick, who (as I shall shew when I compare their Ends in Philosophy with ours in Religion) vapor'd in a Wisedome that was errant folly, and boasted of a Vertue he neither had nor meant to have. From the Sto­icks it pass't into the Contemplatives or perfectionists in the Church of Rome; and from these down to our Antinomians [Page 133]or Brethren of the Family of Love. This is the genealogy of their Error; and their Error this: They would have no Christian act from any Principles either of Hope or Fear. They think it below them to cast so much as an Eye to Heaven, they would have us to go to Sea without a Wind, and to war without a Helmet. They would have the poor professor of Religion go on his way weeping and bearing good seed, without hoping for a harvest, when he shall return with joy and bring his sheaves with Him. They would have Mo­ses Chuse to suffer affliction with his Brethren,Heb. 11.26. rather than be accounted the son of Pharaoh's daughter; and that with­out any respect to the Recompense of Reward. These Men are certainly more nice in their speculations than the sim­plicity of Christian wisdome requireth them to bee: Must wee needs exceed the example of our Master? It is well surely, if we come up in any good proportion neer unto it. And yet we read that he, for the joy that was set before him, endured the Crosse. Was this joy set before Him,Heb. 12.2. and may it not be set before us also? It hath been the care and wisdome of God to draw us to himself by the pro­posall of great Rewards: These are the Magnetismes of Gods appointment: and yet they are called by the Prophet Hosea, the cords of a Man. I drew them, saith God, with the cords of a Man, and with the Bonds of Love, Hos. 11. These are the waies of Attraction fitted by God to work on Hu­man Nature. These are the Bonds of Gods love and Boun­ty, whereby he endeavors to draw his people to Himself, shall we then be so hardy and venturous, as in favor to our own conceits to break his Bonds in sunder, and cast his cords from us? We have his warrant and order not to cast away our Confidence, we have his commad to gird up the loins of our Minds, to be sober and hope to the End. 1 Pet. 1.13. And where we have our commands and directions from the Oracles of God, with what pretence can we scruple whether it be lawfull to Obey? [Page 134]Is not his word a sufficient Warrant for our practice? He is so loving a Father that he will not offer his children a stone for Bread, nor a Scorpion for an Egge. Why then should we be so presumptuous as to sever those things by Niceties and speculative distinctions, which God hath conjoyned and which the son of God whilest he lived upon Earth hath by his practice and Example commended to us.

Some Antinomians to disparage this vertue have told us, that there shall bee no use of Hope in Heaven. What then? shall we not therefore use that Vertue which is so ne­cessary for us while we are upon Earth? And how do they know that there shall be no use of Hope in Heaven? Learn­ed and studied Men are of another Opinion, namely, that the perfected Saints and Angels ever love God, because they have an assured Hope that they shall ever be continued in that Station of serving and praising God in Glory. They cannot infinitely at once enjoy their eternall Happinesse: and what they cannot infinitely at once enjoy, why may they not hope for in continuance? Surely could they want of this Hope or this assurance, their love in the same measure would want of its perfection. Thus you see, though the use of Hope in this life is enough for our purpose, yet they can never prove that it is alltogether unusefull or unnecessary in the next.

But besides this,The reward of Hope. from the usefullnesse of it I have another argument which may move you to continue and cherish your hope, and that is from the Reward that God hath annexed unto it in the world to come. This is the very Motive of the A­postle, Heb. 10.35. Cast not away your confidence, which hath great Recompense of Reward. God hath appointed this lively Hope as an excellent Instrument to assist us and to con­duct us safe to Heaven; and then he rewards us for making use of this help and assistance, that he hath ordained for us and given to us. For we have it not of our selves. It is (as all other Christian vertues are) the gift of God. And this [Page 135]is ever the way of Gods infinite goodnesse, He appointeth those things that are most excellent and usefull to our Ad­vantage, and then for serving our own Interests in that Way that he hath appointed, he heapeth yet more and extraordinary rewards upon us.

Another use, that we must not forget to make, is this, That we in the whole course of our lives give thanks give­ing, worship and Adoration to God, who hath bestowed up­on us immortall Souls, and so put a difference between us and the beasts that perish; and so also in respect of the glorious Resurrection which he hath promised to our Bodies, we ought according to the style of S^t Peter, blesse God even the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath begotten us to a lively Hope of our own Resurrection, as by other means so especially by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead. I shall exhort you therefore in the very words of our Office in the holy com­munion, Let us lift up our hearts and give thanks to our Lord God. For it is meet and right and our bounden duty that we should in all times and in all places give thanks unto thee, O Lord, holy father, All mighty and everlasting God. But cheif­ly are we bound to praise thee for the glorious Resurrection of thy son Jesus Christ our Lord, who by his death hath destroied death and by his Rising again to life hath restored us to ever­lasting life. Therefore with the Angels and Arch-angels and all the company of Heaven we laud and magnify thy glorious name, evermore praising thee and saying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts; Heaven and Earth are full of thy Glory. Glory be to thee O Lord most high. Amen.

WHen I have been sometimes considering upon what slight grounds diverse learned Men have underva­lued Religion, and the Hopes of Immortality and [Page 140]Glory, and that many vulgar Wits have done the same; and that neither the learned Philosophers, nor the carnally-minded and worldly men,Both Philosophi­cal and vulgar Wits vain in the choice of their ends. have gotten any thing considera­ble in exchange, or indeed have any thing in comparison to boast of, I could not but apply to these two differences, the high and Philosophicall and the low and vulgar Wits, that saying of the Psalmist, applyed by Him to the different states of Men.Psalm. 62. Surely the Wits of high degree are Vanity, and those of low degree are a lye: to be laid in a Balance they are both together lighter than Vanity. For I shall easily make it appear that the Wise man or Philosopher, when he hath exalted himself against God, He hath made himself a fool, and that he hath no more Reason to glory of his Wis­dome,Jer. 9.23. than the Rich man hath of his Riches or the Volup­tuous Man of his pleasure, and that neither of them have any cause to Glory. He that glories against Religion holds up his Weapons against God, and he shall prosper according­ly. Give me therefore your favor and patience and I shall consider them, all the high and the low, the Wise man and the fool, as they have opposed the most perfect wisdome, which, however sometimes despised, I shall plainly demon­strate to bee the VVisdome of Religion. The Philosophers have ever been apt to soar too high and to towr aloft be­yond their senses. The vulgar have ever been as apt to sink too low, so that their senses are communly drowned in the Enjoyments of this world. We will not disparage Philosophy so much as not to consider it in the first Place. And therefore I have chosen to present you a Landscape, where you have our great Apostle represented as taking a Review of his Opponents at Athens, who were the Philo­sophers in generall, and among them, if we distinguish par­ticularly, the Epicureans and the Stoicks. And upon this full Review of the Opposition he had on the one side, and of the power, strength and successe of his Gospell on the other, I [Page 141]conceive Him as it were venting both his Pitty and his In­dignation in the words of this Text, Where is the VVise? Where is the the Scribe? Where is the Disputer of this World? hath not God made foolish the Wisdome of this World, &c.

This Epistle was written to the Christians in Achaia. Corinth, as all know, was the Metropolis in that Province, insomuch that when the Apostle mentions the readinesse of of the Corinthians, his phrase is, that all Achaia was ready a year ago. Athens was another lesser Citty in the same pro­vince, but renownd for the Academy that was held there by the Philosophers. And I am of Opinion, that this Text reflects on somewhat that happen'd to S^t Paul at Athens. Argumentum l. 5. Tuscul. Quae­stionum illud est, Virtutem ad beatè vivendū seipsâ esse con­tentam, ubi sanctum illud augustúmque, ut vocat, Plato­nis fontem ape­rit. Cui viro ex se apta sunt om­nia quae ad beate vivendū ferunt, huic op­time vivendi ratio compara­ta est. Ne (que) enim laetabitur unquam, aut maerebit nimis, Quod semper in seipso omnem spem reponet sui. Et inter paradoxa defendit Cicero [...]. Nemo potest non esle beatissimus, inquit, qui est totus aptus ex se, quique in se uno sua ponit omnia. Contentus sis temet ipso & ex te nascentibus bonis Sen. Epist. 20. Stoicus putat Deum ad sapienteum sic dice­re, Non egere felicitate felicitas vestra est. Est & quo Deum antecedatis, Ille extra pat [...]entiam malo­rum est, vos supra patientiam. Contemnite mortem, quae vos aut finit aut transfert. Ante om­nia cautum est, ne quis vos teneret invitos. Nihil facilius quam mori, &c. Sen. de Provi­dentia cap. 6. Solcbat Sextius dicere, Jovem plus non posse quam Virum bonum. Deus non vincis sapientiam felicitate, etiamsi vincit aetate. Non est Virtus major quae longior, &c. Epist. 73. & epist 5.3. Est aliquod, inquit Seneca, quo sapiens antecedat Deum. Ille naturae beneficio non suo sapiens est. Ecce! res magna, habere imbecillitatem hominis securitatem Dei. Et epist. 31. Hoc est summum bonum, quod si occupas, incipis Deorum socius esse non supplex. Vox Stoici non intercedam apud Deum, ut sapiens plenus gaudio, hilaris, inconcussus sim, ita Horatius Aequum animum mihi ipse parabo. For as he disputed against the superstition of that place, and preach't the Christian doctrine, certain Philosophers of the Epicureans and the Stoicks encountred Him, abused Him, called him names, [...], babler, that is, one that makes a great noise and spends much speech to little purpose. Hee preach't Jesus, This was thought Innovation, dangerous to the state: It was condemn'd as the preaching of a strange God. And whe­ther they took [...] to be a Goddesse or no, yet this we are sure of, that when he preach't the resurrection of the Dead, he was but mockt and laught at for his pains; The Philosophers declared for a Happinesse and summum bonum in this life. They had [Page 142]a Wisdome profess't among them, that undertook to give a vertue which should need no Grace, and should perfect such a life as should need no pardon; And therefore as they would not stay for their summum bonum, or chiefest Happinesse un­till the resurrection, so they cared not for a Jesus, they would need no Savior. They boasted, that they had a way whereby they could live cum Diis ex pari, they could live in the perfection of Vertue and felicity, as the Gods them­selves did, and they would not own him to deserve the Name of a Philosopher, that could not beatify Himself. Their Sapiens must sibi sufficere ad beatam vitam: Their Wiseman must have a Happinesse within Himself, which he may be proud of as his own, and for which he stands beholden to no other being, These were the [...], principall Opi­nions of the Philosophers, and, if we distinguish them from the rest, particularly of the Epicureans and the Sto­icks.

These principall Notions of Philosophy being so contra­ry to those of Christian Religion, which S^t Paul was to preach, It is no wonder if he left Athens and went to Co­rinth, where on the contrary he found strange successe. Of the Rulers of the Jewish synagogue one was coverted, ano­ther publiquely buffeted before the judgment seat for raising a faction against S^t Paul. And more of his successe we read in that 18^th chapter of the Acts.

Now in this Epistle written to his Converts, of which some few were at Athens, but the greater part at Corinth, he seems to reflect upon the Opposition that he met with among the professors of Wisdome in Achaia, and parti­cularly those Epicureans and Stoicks, who encountred him at Athens. And contemplating the successe that God had given to the preaching of the Gospell, He is pleased with the Review, and in opposition to all that pretended wis­dome [Page 143]wherewith Himself had been opposed, He makes this triumphant Speech,

Where is the wise? VVhere is the Scribe? VVhere is the disputer of this world? &c. Where is your [...], your Phi­losopher, where is your scribe, your literator, your profes­sor of learning, as Tertullian translates it? your [...], your writers of curious Dissertations, as Oecumenius. Where is your [...], your Curious Disquisitor, Disputer of this world? which words of this world possibly may be Empha­ticall to denote one commun Error of all the Philosophers, that they directed men to look after happinesse in this life, and not in the life to come, whereas the Gospell directs to happinesse in the next life and not in this. So saith S^t Paul in the pursuance of his discourse in the sixt verse of the next chapter. We speak wisdome among the perfect, yet not the Wisdome of this world nor of the princes of this world, which pe­rish and soon come to nought. The Wisdome of the world, as Oecumenius observeth, aimes at Temporall things, which continue only with this life and reach not to the life that is to come. The Christians aim is chiefly at things of the o­ther life, And by the Princes of this world he tels you that S^t Paul meanes the Philosophers and Literati, [...]: Oecumenius in locum. who were generally Demagogues and imposed on the People, the same that are called [...] and [...] in the chapter be­fore. Men that gloried in their own inventions and Rea­sonings, even these by the Gospell are also convinc'd of folly, no lesse (nay it may be more) than other Men: For the Vulgar and those that pretended not to so much Wisdome as these learned Philosophers, could see God by the Creature, and could think it wisdome to endeavor to [Page 144]comply with the pleasure of their Creator: But these Princes of the world, as S^t Paul cals them, had got a New wisdome, and a Philosophy that led from God. In Opposition to all these, and to resettle his own worship, God raised up Preach­ing, a weak means in all appearance, and therefore the Greeks did not more admire the Wisdome of their own Philosophy than they derided the foolishnesse of Preaching. But what saith our Apostle in the Context, [...], That of God which hath least of wisdome in it, will eventually prove wiser than the greatest wisdome of Men. And [...], that of God which hath least of strength in it will eventually prove too strong for the strongest Opposition of Men. Let those therefore boast that Winne, Let the Philosophy of Christianity be foolishnesse to the Greek, we know that there is notrue Philosophy besides it. We have learn't from our Savior that VVisdome is justified of her children, and the A­postle here telleth us, that the Philosophy of the Gospell is wisdome to the perfect, and on the contrary that [...], God hath stultified and infa­tuated the Learning, Wisdome and Philosophy of this world.

Yet some care must be taken that we do not condemne, nor misconstre S^t Paul, so as to think that he condemnes all Philosophy or all Philosophers. There is a Naturall Wisdome that S^t Paul calleth the wisdome of God; and the Gentiles, who as S^t Paul saith, do by Nature the things contain­ed in the Law, do it by their Naturall wisdome, and therefore in the case of Philosophers it is a hard taske to speak a­ny thing universally and justly. For Philosophy is not one uniforme Learning and Discipline, There is a great diffe­rence between Socrates and Plato on the one side, and A­ristippus and Epicurus on the other. Take Philosophy all together it will appear to be a very Protens. It is like the Clouds in Aristophanes his Comedy, that have every day [Page 145]new fashions: Or the Philosophers may be compared to Jeremiahs figs Jer. 24. Some very good figs like those that were first ripe, and some very naughty figs which could not be eaten they were so bad, Though there hath been for a long time a profession of Philosophy and this Philosophy hath still been the Mistresse of the Vertuosi, because it had the honor to be thought to teach Wisdome and Vertue and every Noble endowment: yet he that will speak distinctly of its merit must distinguish times and persons.

At first it was the Wisdome of God as S^t Paul cais it, 1 Cor. 1.21. that is true Naturall Wisdome, and it taught true Religion and the fear of God. Afterward in some of its sects it grew not only to be a new, but a quite contrary learning and Discipline. It was an Angel of light, but it left its first Estate and degrees in this with Lucifer, and those other high Intellectuall Spirits that it had its fall from Pride. For the professors of it growing proud in their own conceits and affecting fame by the heigth and singularity of their No­tions, when they by the Wisdome that they profess't would not know, that is would not own nor acknowledge God, but left his providence out of their Philosophy and grew too learned to bee humble, thankfull or Religious; Nay when God had, suffered them so long untill some of them made it the buisnesse of their Philosophy on purpose to oppose Religion. Then it was time for God to appear in defence of his own existence, Providence, and Worship, and against all their Philosophy, he then sent forth a company of foolish preachers, as they were esteemed, like Gideons Army a­gainst the Midianites with their trumpets, lamps, and pitch­ers, but indeed extraordinarily assisted by his own Spirit and by this meanes it pleased God through the foolishnesse of preaching on the one side to save them that believe, and on the other to shew the Variety of that profession of Wisdome, or in S^t Pauls phrase to destroy the Wisdome [Page 146]of the Wise, and to bring to nought the understanding of the prudent.

The case, to speak it distinctly and particularly, was this, before that time and untill the Reign of Philosophy in Greece, It had been the commun uninterrupted Faith of the whole world that there was a God, and that he was a Rewar­der, that there should be hereafter in another world Time and Place for blisse and punishment, that then it should bee better for the just than the unjust, for the good than for the bad, These principles encourag'd vertue, kept vicious Men in awe, and made all attend to observe the then ac­knowledg'd Laws of Nature: and these were own'd as sound and pious Traditions, and studiously defended as such by Py­thagoras, Socrates, Plato and others of the ancients among the Philosophers themselves.

But afterward, the more Philosophy flowrish't in repute, and the more it was courted as an accomplishment, the more the professors of it grew into Emulation. Then they be­gan to think it no Mastery to tread in those old and bea­ten paths, Then nothing was so honorable as a New Hy­pothesis; And the Notions they had received were thought too commun for Philosophicall Wits to get credit by: and therefore all these were judiciously cast of as rusty Traditi­ons of the Vulgar, whom it is no wonder if the Modes in Philosophy counted barbarous, The learned Men and Curi­osi at Athens, who, as S^t Paul observed, waited for, and courted those Opinions that were new and singular, had con­ceits that should render mankind more lusty and independent. Aristotle bespeaks himself a great Name by broaching a New Hypothesis, that the world was eternall and not made by God. Epicurus by another, that there is no providence, and that God is no Rewarder. The Traditions of Heaven and Hell, which in part, as then reported indeed, were so, were totally and unjustly without distinction rejected as poe­ticall [Page 147]and fabulous. Vertue was to bee its own Reward, and Men were to expect no other. And this was look't upon as a great service done, and a great Improvement of Mans Em­pire, for by making vertue (which was to be learn't by an Art they taught) self sufficient to happinesse, Every mans felicity was taken out of Gods power and put into his own.V. Plutarch. 1. [...], virtus ad vivendum b [...]atè sufficit; perfecta & divi­na virtus quid ni sufficiat, imò supersluit. Sen. de vita beatâ. c. 16. Thus by turning all the ancient catholick doctrines, and e­very Truth of God into a Lye, whatsoever their Intenti­ons were this is most certain, that they practiced most de­structively to the ruin of all goodnesse by thus undermining the very foundations of Morallity and Vertue. But by the just judgment of God they were infatuated and became vain in their imaginations.Virtutum om­nium praemium in ipsis est, non enim excercen­tur ad praemiū: rectè facti fe­cisse merces est. Sen. epist. 81. For when they had cast off those old and sound traditions before reported, their new Reason­ings were infinitely confounded, as the tongues of the rebel­lious world were first at Babell. All their designes were for Happinesse and the chiefest good; But the opinions were all most innumerable into which they were divided in the search after it. S^t Augustine out of Varro reckons 188 sects or divisions of them, Insomuch that many, who had a mind for fashion sake to be Philosophers,Alii voluptatē finem esse vo­lueruntquorum princeps Ari­stippus, qui So­cratem audie­rat, unde Cyre­naïci. Pòst Epicurus, cujus est disciplina nunc notior: neque tamen cum Cyrenaicis de ipsa vo­luptate consentiens. Voluptatem & honestatem fines esse Callipho censuit. Vacare omni molestia Hieronymus, hoc idem cum honestate Diodorus, ambo hi Peripatetici. Honeste autem vivere fruen­tem his rebus quas primas homini Natura conciliet, & vetus Academia censuit, ut indicat scrip­ta Polemonis, quem Antiochus probat maxime & Aristoteles. Ad vos nunc refero quem sequar, mo­do ne quis illud tam inetuditum, absurdumque respondeat, Quemlibet modo aliquem. Cupio sequi Stoicos, licetne? Omitto per ipsos Aristotelem meo judicio prope singularem, per ipsum Antiochum qui appellabatur Academicus. Erit igitur res jam in discrimine. Nam aut Stoicus con­stituatur sapiens, aut veteris Academiae. Utrumque non potest. Et enim inter eos non de ter­minis sed de totâ possessione contentio. Nam omnis ratio vitae definitione summi boni contine­tur, de qua qui dissident de omni ratione vitae dissident. Cicero Academ. quaest. lib. 4 yet could not tell whom they might follow. Yet two great Errors and mistakes there were, that run through all these sects and divisions, One was this, that they would have their hap­pinesse [Page 148]or summum Bonum in this life. Secondly they would have it so, within themselves, so in their own power, that neither God nor man should be able to hinder them of it. This was their designe, but their lot from God was other­wise, and Christians triumph over them in these particulars. First because they never for all their proud boastings could secure to themselves the happinesse which they designed in this life, and so they must confesse before God and men that they have ever miss't of their Aim. Secondly the Ut­most aims, that these Philosophers in their severall sects and divisions were forc'd to sit down with, are poor and mean in themselves, the highest Encouragments that they can propose to their great and laborious Vertue are incon­considerable if compared to their Ends of that Naturall Re­ligion which they opposed, much more inconsiderable than the End of our true and perfect Religion, which hath been delivered us by the son of God, and which the foolishnesse of preaching hath in opposition to all their Philosophy again resetled over all the Christian world.

The first particular that we are to prove is this, that they could never secure to themselves the happinesse they design in this life. And this S^t Augustine proves to their heads. I shall give you but a Tast of his Discourse. First those pri­ma Naturae, those first happinesses of Nature which the A­cademicks made prime parts of their felicity, saith he, and where and how can they be so ascertain'd as not to be sub­ject to various Casualties? What greif is there though ne­ver so contrary to pleasure, what uneasinesse and Disquiet is there,Prima sic Na­turam numerat Cicero Inco­lumitatem conservationemque omnium partium, valetudinem, sensus integros, vires, pulchritudinem caeteraque generis ejuidem v. Ciceron de Finib, lib. 5. p. 144. though never so contrary to Rest and Indolence, that may not happen to the Body of their wisest Philoso­pher? [Page 149]Who can help his being deform'd if Nature made him so; siknesse happens to one and hee wants health; Weak­nesse and Lassitude to another and he wants strength, To another a Lasy Heavinesse and torpor and he wants Activi­ty: and which of all these may not happen to the Body of their Wisest Man? Then as to the Soul, What little assi­stance from our senses will re­main towards the perception and comprehension of Truth,Ea quae dicuntur prima Naturae, quando, ubi quo­modo, tam bene se habere in hac vitâ possunt, ut non sub incertis casibus fluctuentur? Quis enim Do­lor contrarius voluptati, Quae inquietudo contraria quieti in corpus cadere sapientis non potest? Mem­brorum amputatio vel debilitas hominis expugnat in­columitatem, deformitas pulchritudinem, Imbecilli­tas sanitatem, Vires lassitudo, Mobilitatem Torpor aut tarditas, Ecquid horum est quod nequeat in carnem sapientis irruere? — Quid ipsius animi primige­nia quae dicuntur bona, ubi duo prima ponunt, prop­ter comprehensionem perceptionemque veritatis, sen­sum & intellectum? Sed qualis quantusque manet sensus, si, ut alia taceam, homo fiat caecus & sur­dus? Ratio verò & Intelligentia quo recedit, ubi so­pietur, si aliquo morbo efficiatur insanus? Deinde per­ceptio veritatis in hac carnum qualis ac quanta est, quando, sicut legimus in veraci libro sapientiae, Corpus, Corruptibile aggravat animam, &c. if a Man should happen to be blind and deaf. And whether goeth the Reason and understanding of this great Philosopher, how will he render it sedale and tracta­ble, if by the Tumultuary mo­tions of the Spirits in a Di­sease he once be rendred Mad? But allthough no such Disease should fall upon him, yet how little perception of Truth can we possibly arrive to us whilest we are impeded with this Flesh. Seeing it is true that we read in the book of Wisdome, that the corruptible Body presseth down the Soul, Impetus por­rò, vel actionis Appetitus, si hoc modo recte latine appella­tur ea quam Graeci vocant [...], quia & ipsam primis Natuae deputant bonis, Nonne ipse est, quo geruntur etiam insanorum illi mi­serabiles motus, & facta quae horremus quando pervertitur sensus ratioque ropitur? Porro ipsa virtus, quae non est inter prima Naturae, quoniam & eis postea doctrinâ introducente supervenit, cum si­bi culmen bonorum vindicet humanorum, Quid hic agit nisi perpetua bella cum vitiis, nec exteriori, bus sed interioribus, nec alienis sed plane fuis? &c. ib. and the earthy Tabernacle weigheth down the mind, that otherwise would be apt to meditate on many things. Hardly, saith he, do we guesse aright at things that are upon the Earth, and with labor do we find the things that are before us; Then for the appetitive part which the Greks call [...] and the la­tines [Page 150]have scarce any good Name for, though it be esteem'd with them one of their prime parts of happinesse, is not this the power by which, when once the sense is perverted and Reason laid a sleep, all those horrible actions of Mad and phreneticall Persons are perform'd? Then as for the Morall vertues, such as Temperance and Prudence, Justice and fortitude, which exceed the prime Happinesses of Na­ture and are introduced by learning and discipline. What great Matter of Happinesse can there bee in these, when they confesse that their vertue is allwaies in a perpetuall War with Vice, not only with outward Vices, but also with such as are within us, not only with others Vices, but also with our own. We who are Christians con­fesse,Neque enim nullum est vitium cum, si­cut dicit Apostous, Caro concupiscit ad­versus Spiritum, Cui Vitio contraria Vir­tus est, cum sicut idem dicit. Spiritus concu­piscit adversus carnem. Haec duo sibi invi­cem adverfantur, &c. absitergo ut quamdiu in hoc bello intestino sumus, jam nos beatitudinem, ad quam vincendo volumus pervenire adeptos esse credamus. that the flesh lusteth against the Spi­rit, and the Spirit against the Flesh, and that these are contrary one to another; so that we cannot do the things that we would: and therefore we confesse also that we are not the adepti, that wee have not yet at­tained that happinesse to which by the conquest of our carnall appetite we desire to be advanc't.Et quis est adeo sapiens ut con­tra libidines nullum om ni­nò habeat con­flictum. And where is that Philosopher who by his Wisdome hath attain­ed to such a Mastery as to be beyond this Intestine War and to have no conflict with his lusts. To passe by those o­ther vertues, it is a full Testimony that they give us of their want of true happinesse whiles they describe unto us the happinesse that they suppose themselves to have in their vertue, Fortitude. The Stoick hath learn'd the lesson of [...], [...]. apud Epictetum in initio Enchiridii. V. Commentarium Plutarchi, Stoices magis inopinata quam Poetas effari. Things within our power, and things without our power, so well, that he will not allow any thing [Page 151]to be evill that it is not in his power to hinder, But for all that let this Stoick boast of his Immunity from Evils, or the Cyrenaick of his Pleasure, or the Epicurean of his Indolence,Tantus superbiae stupor est in his hominibus, hic se habere finem Boni, & a seipsis fieri beatos putantibus, ut sapiens eorum, hoc est, qualem mirabili vanitate describunt, etiamsi excaecetur, obsurdescat, obmutescat, membris debilitetur, dolotibus crucietur: & si quid a­liud ralium malorum dici aut cogitari possit, incidat in eum, quo sibi mortem cogatur in­ferre, hanc in his malis vitam constitutam eos non pudeat beatam vocare. when he is blind and deaf and dumb and crip­led in his limbs and leprous in his flesh and tortured with the colick, stone and gout, and in a word is afflicted which such calamities that they all a­gree ought to persuade their Sapiens, or wiseman, fairly to kill himself, that he may avoid those accidents, (I do not say evils, for fear of offending the tender Ear of a Stoick) and so to make a Way for himself out of this life. Oh the Happinesse of this life, when their Sapiens is forc'd fairly to dy,O vitam bea­tam quae ut finiatur mortis quaerit Auxili um! Si beata est, maneaturin eâ: Si verò propter mala i­sta fugitur ab eâ, quomodo est beata, &c. that he may be rid on't. If it be so calamitous that their wiseman chuseth Death rather than such a life, how is he then possess't at the same time of the greatest happinesse. Let me interrogate with S^t Augustine, Did Cato, the great Example of the Stoicks kill himself out of patience or out of Impatience? He would never have done it, unlesse he had born the victory of Caesar most impatiently: Where then was his fortitude, when he run away from that happy life wherein he boasted. And why may not those things be accounted Evill that renders a Mans life so miserable as that he must avoid it by his own murder. And therefore the Peripateticks and anci­ent Academicks whose Opinion Varro defends,Utrum, obsecro Cato ille pati­entiâ an potius impatientiâ se peremit? Non hoc fecisset nisi victoriam Caesaris impatienter tulisset. ubi est fortitudo? nempe cessit, succubuit, usque adeo superata est, ut ipsam beatam derelinqueret, desereret, fugeret, &c. Seneca de M. Catone sic, megnis aetatum intervallis sapiens invenitur. Neque enim magna & exce. dentia solitum & vulgarem modum crebro gignuntur. Caeterum M. Cato, vereor ne supra nostrum ex­emplar sit. lib. Quod in Sapientem non cadit Injuria. speak more tolerably, when they allow these calamities of life to be E­vils, [Page 152]and the greater Evils the longer they continue. But still they hold the erroneous conclusion that their Sapiens may be happy in the midst of those Evils, which that they may no longer continue they confessed reasonable that he should kill Himself. But let me speak again with S^t Augu­stine, Do they therefore call such a life happy, because by a Voluntary Death they may withdraw themselves from it? What if by the judgment of God they should be continued in this life and not permitted to dy nor ever suffered to be without these Evils, in these Circumstances at least they would confesse their life to be miserable. And this we as­sume that it is not therefore not miserable, because it may be relinquisht, Because it is a short misery it ought not therefore to seem none at all, or which is more absurd, be­cause it is a short misery It ought not therefore to be called Happinesse.An ideo beatam vitam dicis, quia licet tibi ab his malis morte discede. re, Qu [...]d si ergo in eis aliquo judicio divino tenereris nec unquam sine illis esse sinereris, nempe tum saltem mi­seram talem diceres vitam. Non igitur propterea misera non est, quia cito relinquitut; quandoqui­dem si sempiterna sit, etiam abs teipso misera judicatur. Non igitur propterea quoiam brevis est, nulla miseria debetvideri; aut quod absurdius, quia brevis miseria est, ideo etiam beatitudo ap­pellari, Magna vis est in eis malis quae cogunt hominem secundum ipsos etiam sapientem, sibi­met auferre quod homo est; cum dicant & vetum dicant hanc esse naturae primam quodammodo & maximam vocem, ut homo concilietur sibi, & propterea mo tem Naturaliter fugiat, &c. Vita igi­tur quaestorum tam tamque gravium malorum aut premitur oneribus aut subjacet casibus, nullo modo beata diceretur, si homines qui hoc dicunt, sicut victi malis ingravescentibus, cum sibi in­gerint mortem, cedunt infelicitati, ita victi certis rationibus cum quaerunt beatam vitam dignaren­tur cedere veritati, & non putarent in ista mortalitate fine summi boni esse gaudendum ubi virtutes ip­sae, Cymbus hic certe nihil melius atque Utilius in homine reperitur. Quanto majora sunt Adjuto­ria, contra Vim peticulor, laborum, dolorum tanto fidelioria testimonia Miseriarum spe salvi, spe beati facti sumus, sicut salutem, ita beatitudinem non jam tenemus presentem sed expectamus futu­ram. Talis salus quae in futuro erit saeculo, ipsa erit etiam finalis beatitude; Quam beatitudinem isti Philosophi quoniam non videntes nolunt credere, hic sibi conantur falsissimam fabricare, quan. co superbiore tanto mendaciore virtute. Augustinus De Civitate Dei. lib. xxx. cap. 4. There must needs be a great power in those E­vils that make a Mans valor guilty of his own Murder, e­specially seeing that nothing is more Naturall then for a Man [Page 153]to love Himself, to avoid Death and to desire to live in this very conjunction of Soul and Body. S^t Augustin's con­clusion therefore is, and it is the Opinion of all good Chri­stians, that in this life which is oppress't with so many and so great Evils and is subject to so many casualties perfect happinesse is not to be expected, and therefore that if the Phi­losophers had been truly wise they would have left off to pro­ject to themselves the Enjoyment of the cheifest Good in this state of Mortality. That the Morall vertues themselves, then which Nothing is more excellent or profitable in human life, are greater Testimonies of the miseries we are here subject to than assistances against them: that they cannot give the hap­pinesse designed by them, and therefore that by how much the more these vertues are proudly boasted of by so much the more they are vainly belied. But this is not all that may be spoken against Philosophy, as the Wisdome of it is op­posed to and compared with that of Christianity, that it at­taineth not its End nor maketh any one happy. But it may be added that the Happinesse by them designed is but poor and Mean. They winne not at their Game, but if they did,Si ergo virtus per seipsam beata non est, quoniam in perferendis ma­lis tota vis ejus est; si omnia quae pro bonis concupiscuntur negligit, si summus ejus gradus ad mortem patet, quandoquidem vitam quae optatur à caeteris saepe respuit, mortemque quam caeteri timent, fortiter suscipit. si necesse est ut aliquid a se magni boni pariat, quia suscepti & superati labores ad mortem usque sine praemio esse non debent, si nullum praemium quod eâ dignum sit in terra reperitur, quandoquidem cuncta quae fragilia sunt & caduca spernit; quid aliud restat nisi ut caeleste aliquid efficiat quia terrena universa contemnit, & ad altiora nitatur quia humilia despicit. Id vero ni­hil aliud esse potest quam Immortalitas. Quod Argumentum docere Philosophos potuit quid esse summum bonum — Beata igitur vita, quam Philosophi quae siverunt semper & quaerunt, nulla est: & ideo ab iis non potuit reperiri quia summum bonum non in summo quaesiverunt sed in imo, &c. apud Lactantium lib. 3. de falsa sapientia. cap. xii. Plutarchus aperte de Stocio sapiente [...]. De pugna Stoic. Cicero, Stoici eam sapientiam interpretantur, quod adhuc nemo mortalis est Consecutus. in Laelio. imo & seneca rarum dicit sapientem tanquam Phaenicem semel anno quingentesimo. Epist. 42. Quin & ipsi prosessores sapientiam quamquam profitebantur despi­catui habebant, Quare cultius tibi Rus est quam Naturalis usus desiderat? Cur ad prescriptum tuum non caenas? Cur tibi nitidior supellex, &c. Nunc hoc respondeo tibi. Non sum sapiens & ut Malevolentiam tuam pascam nec ero. Senec. de beatâ vita. c. 17. it were but trifling: for their game was but childrens play. The [Page 154]Academicks Prima Naturae, The ten parts of the Felicity of Aristotle, and the Peripateticks, the Indolence of the Epi­cureans, the Pleasures of Aristippus and the Cyrenaicks, the Chimaeras and Airy Castles of the Stoicks, if when enjoy­ed as much as our Natures are capable of, yet they weigh Nothing, or, if it were possible, lesse than Nothing when compared to that Immortality and Glory proposed to all Christians, let us to prove this, divide and separate these sects of Philosophers, who are all in the choice of their Ends di­vided from us, because they will place their Expectations in this life only. First the Stoicks and Aristotle (as in all pub­lick Schools he is now represented, who take their defini­tions of felicity from his Ethicks, and not from his Rhetorick, where his Opinion stands as represented by Cicero and the an­cients) and the generallity of Morall Philosophers, all di­rectly affirme, That there is no Reward of vertue to bee lookt for but the bare Action. Honesty, say they, is its own price and must pay it self, nor will they allow us any End of doing well besides our very doing so. Ask them what End had Epaminondas in the defence of his Citty with the losse of his life, what Reward had Hercules (who is their great Example of Heroick vertue) when he went about do­ing good, purging the world of Monsters and gratifying man­kind with his twelve renowned Labors. It was the commun beleif that he got his place in Heaven by them. But these Philosophers were of an Opinion that he had only his Labor for his pains. Operatio sec. virtutem was all his work, and the same Operatio sec. virtutem was all his Happinesse and Wages; So that these propose no Encouragement that may compare with the Ends of our Religion or that state of Immortality, which, though we do not understerstand, yet we believe to be full of a great, a glorious and an Eternall joy.

Another sect of Philosophers there were of another Opini­on, namely, that it would not agree with the reall design of [Page 155]a Wise Man to practice the great, and hazzardous actions of vertue upon no other account besides than the Action it self: and therefore considering the troubles that did continually harrasse the vnlgar sort, though they were not with Aristippus for the Itch of Pleasure, yet they thought very well of the state of Indolence; they resolved therefore that it was the cheifest attainable good and ought in prudence to be the End of every wise Mans actions, to endeavor in this world to be rid of all greif and trouble: and to this Estate they gave the names of [...] Indolence. To enjoy which, I say not Joy but, Indolence only for the term of this life was the Totall summe of their utmost design; But to this estate no man in this life could ever yet attain. No Philosopher was e­ver so good a Physitian of the mind as to be able to prescribe such a Nepenthes as could remove all greif and sorrow from the sense. But if Philosophy could give Indolence yet this is but the first part, this is only the Entrance and beginning of ours: It comes short of joy most of all short of such joies as we pretend to, which are so great that nither their Nature nor their duration can be comprehended by us.

It is true that Aristippus and a sect of Voluptuaries there were, who advanc't higher, and condemn'd this state of In­dolence as too low for the greatest Scope and End of vertue, too small for the highest intention of a Man, being, as they phrased it, but dormientium felicitas, a sleepy Happinesse, a life for Trees that grow in all stormes and continue indo­lent and insensible though a flash of Lightning consume them to ashes. And yet it was a state not competent to Man nei­ther, [...]. Laertius in vita Aristippi. as Epicurus (the admirer of it) must needs have found by his own Experience. For notwithstanding all his skill in [Page 156]Physicks, He was not Physitian enough to defend himself from most violent fits of the Stone,V. apud Plu­tarchum in mo­ralibus com­pendium co­mentarii, quo ostenditur Stoi­cos qua poetas absurd [...]oria di­cere. with which he was fre­quently tormented, and in one of which He is reported to have died. And not to seem sensible, but to professe In­dolence in such a Case; would appear like a Stoicall Rhodo­montade or groundlesse ostentation of a power beyond what really can be found in the Nature of Man: therefore some of them affirmes, Aristippus I mean and other voluptuaries of that School, that to enjoy actuall delight and joy for the pre­sent, to be sure of some pleasure in this uncertain World is the best and greatest design of a Wiseman. But how much joy will serve this wisemans turn? how much is his utmost Aim? enough to make Him as happy in his own judgment as his great Philosophy could make him. No man can be more punctuall in any thing than the Epicurean Zeno, is in this determination, who gives this to be the true dose or mea­sure of it, That it must be a continued pleasure for the grea­ter part of this life, That if any vehement greif intervene, it must be short, or if it be long and Chronicall, It must have more Intervals of Delight than fits of Pain. The utmost de­sign of the most Indulgent Philosophers you see is only for some pleasue and that in this life only, so much as may a little preponderate and outweigh the fits of greif that shall endeavour to oppresse Him, while he is here. Give him but a Quartan Ague, let him have but two daies well for one day ill, two daies of joy for one of sorrow and it sufficeth Him.

How infinitely then in the Aim of our profession and the End of our vertue beyond theirs, when the Scripture sets forth before us, not only the bare Action of vertue for its own re­ward, which was the Aim of the Stoicks anciently and of the vulgar Philosophy that is now read in all Schools, Nor on­ly Indolence or security from greif, which was the Aim of some Epicureans: But such a state as shall contain all these in the first place, and besides all these an Addition of joy, e­ven [Page 157]of such joy as neitheer Aristippus nor his followers, nor any other Philosophers could ever hope for, even fullnesse of joy without mixture of greif and pleasures, not only during this momentany life, but pleasures for evermore. And this is another particular of our Triumph, namely that besides this, That the Philosophers by their Wisdome could not at­tain their Ends; their very Ends and Designes were by no meanes comparable to those which Christians may obtain in the profession and practice of their Religion.

O let the great God make us for ever humbly thanckfull for these his Mercies: Let Him, of his great Mercy, by all those meanes and methods that He hath sanctified to that pur­pose, first make us fit for, and then bring us to those joies and Glories, that are the Ends of Christian faith and vertue, and which are indeed so infinitely great, that Eye hath not seen them nor Ear hard them, nor have they ever enter'd into the Heart of Man to be conceived.

Gloria Trinuni Deo.

SERMON II.

HAving done with the little learned world, whose Wisdome I have prov'd to be but Va­nity, finely diversifyed with singularities of many curious follies; I am now come into the greater, where I find the bulk of man­kind not poisned with medicines artificially and industriously composed, but overwhelmed in an Ocean of Ordinary delights, and drown'd as it were in the most commun, and duly taken very usefull, Element. Salomon adviseth us, that having found hony we should eat so much as is sufficient: But we on the contrary are still ready, like drones, [Page 160]to suffer our selves to be drowned with the best Enjoyments, and to surphet with the abundance of good things here be­low. How many are there in all conditions and places that are tempted to forsake their chiefest good: their God, and their Heaven, The ends of the vulgar Riches and Honor, but more especially pleasure. in exchange for the Riches, Honors and Pleasures of this World. And if we look upon examples, we shall find that no Temptations have been more powerfull than those from Pleasure. Men who are covetous of Riches or ambi­tious of Honour, have no better pretence for their Ambiti­on and covetousnesse, than the hope of a continued Enjoy­ment of their pleasures in the End.V. Augustinum lib. 8. confess. c. ult. S^t Augustine, as he was a man of great wit and Spirit, so was he a man subject to great Temptations. He confesseth that Pleasures were his old Mistresses; Once they had, and they strove hard to have kept perpetuall, possession of him. What Augu­stine wilt thou leave us thus? wilt thou take a Farewell of all thy old delights for ever? Succuttebant, saith he, vestem me­am carneam, they made a strong concussion upon his carnall part. But it happened by the Mercy or God that once as hee had been in a conflict with such Temptations, he fell into a deep consideration of his former life, and then as he re­ports of himself he heard as is were a voice saying to him, Take up and read. Taking up a book, (which he had there) of S^t Pauls writings, he dipt upon this very text, not in ryotting and drunkenesse, not in chambering and Wantonesse, &c. Nec ultra volui legere, saith he, nec opus erat. He found enough in that Text for one Reading. The word of God (as the Apostle well observeth) Heb. 4.12. is quick and powerfull, and sharper than a two edged sword, pierceing even to the dividing asunder of the Soul and Spirit; and is not only [...], Judge of our thoughts and Intents, but [...], Executioner of our Lusts. So S^t Augustine found it, He obeyed the power of this word, and glorieth in the Grace of God, that this text was in the hand of God, [Page 161]the instrument of his conversion and salvation. Oh that the same Spirit of God would so work upon our hearts, that the same word might now take the same effect in us!

There is a great deal contained in this Text, and yet let me tell you the profession of Christianity containeth a great deal more, we are pressed here to the performance but of one part, of one branch of our Baptismall vow, namely to make good that part of our baptismall Renuntiation, wherein we pro­fesse to deny the sinfull lusts of the Flesh.

Our commun Philosophy teacheth us, that the Aimes, desires or Lusts of the flesh are twofold, some proceed from the Concupiscible Appetite, and these in S^t Pauls Phrase go under the names of ryotting and drunkenesse, Chambering and Wantonesse, and are contrary to the duty of keeping our Bo­dies in Temperance, sobernesse and chastity, commended to us in our Catechisme. Secondly, there are some Lusts that proceed from the irascible appetite, and these in S^t Pauls Phrase go under the names of strife and Envying, whence battell and murder and all breaches of the sixth commandment com­munly ensue. Wee shall plant our Batteries now only against the first squadron of our Lusts, that in this late Age have gotten too great an Empire of Mankind and shall leave the second to bee encounter'd at some other time.

Lust we have and shall have, This is that Body of Sin, that we carry still about us.The fixednesse of Lusts to cor­rupted Nature. S^t Paul complaines of it as of a deadly dart that stuck fast in his Liver Haeret lateri Lethalis Arundo-who, saith he, shall deliver me from this Body of death? Even naturall men have been still ready to com­plaine of this [...], [...]. Plutarchus ex opinione Pythagorae. Et ex Platone & Aristotele animam dicit, [...], vid. Plutarchum in comment. [...]. the very body of death that S^t [Page 162] Paul speaks of. It is [...] (as Plutarch calleth it) an extravagant, passionate, and disorderly appe­tite. This is that Canaanite that we must allwaies fight against, but shall never be able utterly to extirpate.

Some indeed there are (and too great a part of the world) that design themselves an happinesse by the satisfying these Lusts, and to that intent they make great and ample provi­sions for them. S^t Paul telleth us, that the intention of the Gospel is directly contrary; namely to direct us to Glo­ry by the way of sobriety and vertue, to diswade men from the pleasures of Intemperance, and to suppresse the govern­ment of Lust. I think it very seasonable (now in this loose Age) to shew you the Reasonablenesse of S^t Pauls doctrine, which is the doctrine of Christianity; and to that end shall pro­pose unto you three conclusions; which being well proved, will be sufficient to diswade any reasonable man, much more any true Christian, from the pursuance of Happinesse by the way of sensuall pleasure.

The Conclusions are these.

• 1. That there is no satisfactory happinesse to be found in the pursuance of our Natural Lusts and desires.
• 2^ly The making provision for the Lusts of Intemperance, is certainly Mischievous and Dishonorable to Man as Man.
• 3^ly The pursuance of such sensual pleasures or Lusts, is most of all Mischievous and Dishonorable to man as Christi­an.

First, I tell you that God hath written vanity and vexation on all the provision that can be made for Lust. It was the sin of Man that first filled humane Nature with this concupi­scence: And God suffereth vain Men to be toyled with their own passions, and to be vext with making provision for those Lusts, which he knoweth, and we may know, never will be satisfyed. For we find by Experience, that those [Page 163]Men who have let themselves utterly loose to the Biasse of their Natural Inclinations, and have plung'd themselves in all those material Enjoyments, which they thought would end in the greatest pleasure, have found in the Top of their Enjoyment nothing but Satiety, Disrelish, and Repen­tance.

Salomon hath committed his own Experience to History in this point. He was a wise and a rich King: he lived in great Magnificence and glory; There was in Him a Con­fluence of whatsoever this world can pretend to of Riches, Honors, and pleasures: and he giveth us the story (in the second chapter of his Ecclesiastes) how once like a Vertuo­se (for experiment sake) he ran the Risque of trying what good might be found in all sorts of them. He was a volup­tuary (or Epicurean, as we call them,) before ever Epi­curus was born. To enable him to acquire the Enjoyments he proposed, he wanted no worldly meanes: For first, He had a great Empire, and vast Treasures left him by his Fa­ther, and he had large Tributes both from his own People, and from the Provinces adjoyzing, and not only from the remaining Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, 1 Kings 9.21, 22. and Jebusites, 1 Kings 10. ult. but he had yearly acknowledgments from those great kingdomes of Egypt and Syria also: And therefore to satisfy the lust of the Eye, as it became his Imperial mag­nificence, he built and he planted sumptuously. Other great princes were not more famous for their Mausolaea, their Py­ramides, Amphitheaters and Arches, than he was for that Tem­ple which he built for God, and the Palaces that he built for his own Court, and the courts of his Wives: one of which was no lesse a person than the Daughter of Pharaoh King of Aegypt. And his plantations were answerable. He tells you that he planted vineyards and Orchards, and made Pooles of Water, that is, he had large Gardens, where,1 Kings. 4.33.34. & Targum in Eccles. c. 2. if we believe some Authorities, there grew all Plants from the Ce­dar [Page 164]of Libanus unto the Hyssope on the Wall. These Gardens were graced with Groves and Arborets, and those with Grot­toes, Pools, Basons and Water-works, which were partly for state, and partly for use (as the Text there intimates) to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth Trees. To sa­tisfy the Lust of the Ear, he had Musick both Instrumen­tall and vocall: He had Men singers and Women-singers and Musicall Instruments of all sorts, and in a word all the de­lights of the sons of Men, as we read in that 2^d of Ecclesi­astes, and in the first book of Kings. He had Honor in a­bundance, from his neighbouring Princes and from those that were afar off. The Queen of Sheba, and many besides her, 1 Kings. 4. ult. came from the uttermost parts of the Earth to hear his Wisdome and to see his Glory.1 Kings 4.29. Moreover to the more full Enjoyment of his other Acquirements God gave him also wis­dome and Understanding and largenesse of heart even as the sand on the Seashore. He had a large Heart by the particular gift of God.Eccles. 2.1, 3. And Salomon indulged his heart a liberty large as it self, Eccles. 2. I said to my heart (saith he,) go to now, I will try thee with Mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure, and he confesseth he gave himself to Wine and to Folly, to the fol­ly of Women as most interpret his confession,Ecclus. 47.19.30. yet acquaint­ing his heart with wisdome, so the Text proceeds. This was his designe, he would make a mixture of Wisdome and folly. He had no mind to part with his reason; but how­ever he would not omit to try also the pleasures of foolish vain men. He would be mad for an Experiment, and there­fore he projected how he might cum ratione insanire. He would have the pleasure of Madnesse and the security of Rea­son.Eccles. 2.10. Whatsoever good things his Eyes desired he kept it not from them, he withheld not his heart from any Joy, and yet he would keep so much Wit in his frolick, as to be able to weigh his Enjoyments and to see once, for himself and for us all, what good there might be in such a life for the sons of [Page 165]Men. When he therefore freely and without disturbance had pursued the satisfaction of his Naturall Lusts, by an Indul­gence to all sorts of Pleasures, how much true content did he find in them? Why he telleth us (and wee have good reason to make use of the Experiment) that he found Laugh­ter to be Madnesse, he found Mirth to be unprofitable. Eccles. 2.2. He hated his Eiches and all his great Acquirements, because he found it most probable that one time or other they would come into the hands of a Fool. Eccles. 2.18, 19 And this he had reason to think a great absurdity and vanity, that a wise man should toyle and make himself a slave all the dayes of his life, and that in the end a fool should be Master of his Acquirements, who will slight the prudence of his Ancestor, and profuse­ly, and idly wast all that Meanes of Noble living provided by him. This consideration among others made Salomon, Eccles. 2.20. as himself confesseth, despair of all his labor. He saw the un­certainty of all things here below, and when he had made himself great, he despaired of the continuance of his great­nesse.

His Kingdome was advanced to the height,V. Matt. 6.19, 20. but he disco­vered Principles of decay in it. He saw that no Kingdome but that of Heave could last for ever, and possibly he might discover the fool in his son the young Prince Rehoboam, that should loose not only his Tributary dominions, but ten tribes of Israell also. He had Treasures good store; but hee found Principles of decay in them too; he saw no Treasures on Earth could last or be secure. He hated the madnesse and folly of his delights and pleasures, and he hated the Magni­ficence of his Works and labors, Nay he hated this present life also, because every thing in the end was grievous unto him. Eccles. 2.17. The vanity of the Creature, after a full Experiment made, led him to this great conclusion That Happinesse was to be obtained not in this but in another life. It was with him in generall as it had been before with his Brother Ammon in one particular: [Page 166]As when Ammon found what little satisfaction his exorbi­tant lust received in the ravishing his sister Thamar, It is said in the Text, that Ammon hated her exceedingly, Insomuch that the hatred wherewith he hated her, was greater than the love wherewith before he loved her. 2 Sam. 13.15. Salo­mon in like manner, when he was disappointed of that con­tent and satisfaction, that he hoped to obtain in his Riches, Magnificence, Glory and Pleasures, then he hated all his glo­rious Works, nay he hated his present life it self, because he found that all things under Heaven were vanity and ve­xation. Surely, my Brethren, if Happinesse or true satis­faction had bin to be found in Glory, or Riches, or in the pursuance of any sort of pleasures,Eccles. 2.12. Salomon had found it, For what can he do that cometh after the King? that cometh after so great and so wise a King. Why the Text answers Eccles. [...]. De morib. ad Nichomach. lib. 10 cap. 6. Eccles. 12.13. 3.12. he may do even that which is allready done. He may try as Salomon did for satisfaction by them; but he shall find in the Issue, as Salomon did, that there is no full Content in Glory or Riches, in Laughter or Marth, in Wine or Women, or any other reputed pleasure; but that all things in this world are in the end vanity and vexation. Aristotle, who is esteemed the best and wisest Philosopher, makes this finall Resolution of his Ethicks, that Happinesse did not consist in voluptuousnesse, but in the practice of ver­tue. Salomon was wiser than he, He tryed all things, and after a full Experiment he concludeth more divinely, that Mans happinesse consisteth neither in Riches, nor Honors, nor Pleasures, but in the fear of God: which indeed makes this life happy by giving us hope of a better and more glorious life in the World to come.

And let this Experiment of Salomon, unlesse we think that we can extract more good from the Creature than Salomon could, satisfy us with the Truth of our first Con­clusion.

My second conclusion was, that the design of the [...], as Aristotle cals them, of those I mean that aim at Hap­pinesse by waies of Luxury, is not only vain, but huriful al­so. And that the pursuance of the satisfaction of these Lusts of Intemperance, is certainly Mischeivous and dishonourable to Man as Man.

Quidam se voluptatibus immer­gunt, quibus in consuctudinem abductis carere non possunt; ob hoc miserrimi sunt, quod eo pervene­runt, at illa quae supervacanea fuerunt, sacta sunt necessaria; ser­viunt itaque voluptatibus non fru­untur; & mala sua, quod malo­rum ultimum est, amant. Seneca. Philosophers have observed, that it is one Mischeif con­sequent to all Lusts of Intemperance, that Mens Lusts are not satisfied but increased thereby, and their Appetite so corrupted; that they cannot live without them. The pleasures which they use, they are quickly made slaves unto, and they can­not wean themselves from that which in short time must be their Ruine: This I lay down for a Rule; that all Lusts of this kind contrary to the Lawes of Religion and vertue are Lusts of Intemperance. And for their Mischief, this we find in generall, that personsQuid quod ne mente quidem recte uti possu­mus multo ci­bo & potione completi? Est praeclara epistola Platonis ad Dionis propinquos, in quâ Scriptum est his fere ver­bis. Quo cum venissem vita illa beata quae serebatur plena Italicarum Syracusanarum (que) mensarum nullo modo mihi placuit, bis in die saturum fore nec unquam pernoctare solum; caeterâ (que) quae comitantur huic vitae in quâ Saptens nemo efficitur unquam, moderatus verò multo minus. Cicero in 5. lib. Tusc. Quaest. ri­otous, or drunken, or debauch't by any of these Intempe­rances, have first of all their Minds weakened, and the facul­ties of their soules enervated thereby. You shall rarely find in such men any true Wisdome or able Counsel, or perse­vering Industry, or any Excellence; andApud Samnites morum Censores vinolentos à Senatu amovebant tanquam indignos qui honores & pub­lica munia gererent; Indignum enim videbatur illos, qui ingenio temulento & marcido forent, qui­que libidinum maculis notarentur, ad Remp accedere, aut de publicis consultare: quod etiam Cretenses, & Lacedemonios & Carthaginenses factitâsse novimus. Alex. ab Alexand. lib. 3. c. 11. therefore in wise and well governed states, persons given to the least of these vices, have bin by Law made uncapable of any publick office or Employment.

Nor are these vices lesse ruinous to the Body. Who hath Woe? Who hath Sorrow? Who hath Contention? Who hath [Page 168]rednesse of eyes? Who hath wounds without cause? Even they that tarry long at the Wine, saith Salomon. Prov. 23.30. Alexander, Seneta lib. 12. Epist lib. 12. E. pist. 84. Plu­tarch. Dialog. 19. that great and Invincible Conqueror, was, as many write, conquered himself and killed by Drunken­nesse.

And for other Ryots, It is an old observation too frequent­ly renewed,Plato frugali coenâ, à quo cū Timotheus Cono. nis Filius Dux Atheniensium, omissis coenis Imperatoriis, ad convivium assumptus, & frugali coenâ exceptus esset, reversus ad suos dixit, Qui cum Platone [...] oenant, etiam postero die bene ha­bent. Aelian l. 2. c. 18. Cicero. Tus. q. lib. 5. A. Gell. l. 15. c. 8. that as the greatest Health and Pleasures of the Body come by Frugality and Temperance, vertues that our Religion commendeth to us, so the greatest Illnesse, by excesse [...] He that withdrew himself from a great Invitation to eat a Philosophicall Commons with Plato, had this for his Excuse, that those who eat with Plato are well, in good mind and stomach the next day afterward. And on the o­ther, side It is a good character of a ryottous feast, that is given us by Phavorinus in A. Gellius, That all the wit of it consists in two things, In sumptu & Fastidio, in being costly, and making their Guests sick of the Entertainment. It is no honest Ambition, my Brethren, for Men to destroy the Bo­dies of their Friends by those meanes that God hath appoint­ed for their Conservation. Presse not that upon thy Friend that his Nature requireth not, and may be endammaged by. Know you not, that your superfluities are due unto the poor? Cram not then the Rich Man with his Portion, else thou imitatest the worst of Thieves; thou robbest the poor,Gen 18 6, 7, 8. Heb. 13 2. Quaesitotum terrâ pelago (que) c [...]borum Ambi­tiosa fames & lautae gloria Mensae Lucan. l. 4. de bello ci­vili. and then, as Thieves usually do, thou misem ploy­est what thou stealest from him, Namely to abuse the body of thy richer Neighbour. Abraham is highly commended for his hospitality in Scripture, yet his way was not the way of Ryot. For when he had got a tender and a good Calf well dressed with a Dish of Butter; and a Messe of Milk, he thought it an Entertainment fit for Angels. It is not Naturall hun­ger, but Ambitiosa fames (as a Poet cals it) the pride of high eating or of sumptuous feasting, that requires more [Page 169]and Dimidium plus toto, the lesse is the better for the Bo­dy.Diverbium il­lud, Dimidium plus toto in laudem temperantiae & frugalitatis natum bene explicat celebri disticho Hesiodus. [...], [...]. [...]. Cluadian. lib. 1. in Rufinum — ontentus honesto Fabritius parvo, spernebat munera Regum, Sudabat (que) gravi consul Serranus ar [...]tro, Et casa pugnaces Curios angusta tegebat. Plus habent voluptatis & cruciatuum minus, qui frugaliter vivunt quam qui genio indulgent, Di­ctum Socratis. Ipsae voluptates in tormenta vertuntur, Epulae cruditatem generant, Ebrietas mem­brorum torporem, ac tremorem; libidines manuum ac pedum & articulorum depravationem, Deni­que mortem. Seneca. in epist. ad Luc. Quis Hostis in quenquam tam contumeliosus fuit, quam in quosdam voluptates suae? Sufficit enim alicui, si hostem suum excaecat; voluptates autem non solum excaecant voluptuosos, sed etiam impotentes reddunt, & contractos & lep [...]osos, & diversis aliis infirmi­tatibus confringunt. Idem. Legimus quosdam aeticulari morbo laborantes, & humoribus podagrae, proscriptione bonorum ad simplicem Mensam redactos convaluisse; quia Epularum la [...]gitate ac volup­tatibus caruerunt quae corpus & animam frangunt. Hieronym; contra Jovin.

Thirdly, all these waies of Intemperance are certainly ru­inous to the Estate. When did the estate of the Roman Common wealth thrive but when frugallity and Temperance were esteemed vertues, when the Consuls themselves were not ashamed of their good husbandry. When for a Cook to have shewed his art in dressing any thing but plain meat had been Criminall, a good Occasion for his banishment as it was by the Spartan Law. When their cheif Magistrates took oathes at their Inauguration, as in the Roman Com­mon wealth once they did, that in their publick feastings, they would use no Wine but that of their own country, and which grew upon the place (a piece of frugallity, let me tell you, that by the by, is particularly commended to Christians by some [Page 170]ancient Fathers, by Clemens Alexandrinus particularly, & which possibly might not ill become the present necessities of this Na­tion.) In these daies, I say, of their Frugality and Temperance it was, that the Romanes thrived and grew every day more great and formidable: and when did that great Empire first begin to run to decay and ruin, even when they had 1000 times the Men, and 1000 times the Mony, but the men were corrupted by Luxury and the mony spent upon that Luxury. When an Aelius verus, a Geta or a Vitellius would spend the Revenue of a province in one daies Ryot, and an Heliogabalus the Revenue of two in one nights chambering. I wish we in all the poverty we complain of were not come neer their Luxury,Crasso inter Ro­manos pecuniae magnitudo lo­cupletis nomen dedit, at per Lu­xum ejusdem tandem bona venierunt. v. val. Max. l. 6. c. 11. Melchior Jun. in Orat. Luxuriae adjun. ctam dicit inopiam Plautus. in Trin. in prologo. Parsimonia apud vetere [...] Romanos non dome­sticâ solum observatione ac d [...]sciplina; sed publica etiam animadversione legumque Complurium sanction [...] bus custodita est. Veteri senatus decreto jubentur principes civitatis, qui ludis Mega­lensibus antiquo ritu mutitarent (i. e. Mutua inter se convivia agitarent, jurare apud COSS. verbis conceptis non amplius in singulas caenas sumptus esse facturos quam centenos vicenos­que aeris, praeter olus & far & Vinum, neque vino alienigeno, sed pattio usuros, &c. apud Gellium lib. 2. cap. 24. [...], &c. apud Clement. Alexandrin: Paedagog. lib. 2. pag. 156. nay, I wish wee did not in many things exceed their very excesses. Number the Ingredients of your Dishes and you will find that there is scarce a great dinner now in a Tavern; where their Olio's, Bisks and grand-meats do not exceed the fam'd pentapharmacum of Aelius verus, or the Tetrapharmacum of the Emperor Adrianus. And are [Page 171]we not, if not as choice,Coquos esse non permitte­bantalios, quam ca [...]nis duntaxat qui verò quam­vis artem cupe­diariam novis. set, eiiciebatur Spartâ, Aelianas l. 14. de var. Hist. Quin & Marius Consul (si credimus Eutropio) gloriae sibi duxit, quod solitus erat con. vivium parum scite adornare, quod histrionē nullum habe­bat neque plu­ris pretii Co­quum quam villicum. yet at least as Immoderate in our Wines. I speak not of the third sort of Intemperance, I have no pleasure to libell the Age I live in. But give me leave to remember you of the advice of Bathshebah, she was a wise and a great Queen Mother: One that could never be suspected of unkindnesse or disloyalty to her Lemuel, that is, to her So­lomon, to the son of her Womb and the son of her Bones. And yet we find that with great tendernesse of expression she ad­vised him against Intemperance in Wine and Women, as that which had destroyed Kings. All Intemperances are Apolly­ons and Abaddons, impartiall in their mischeif. And if by Luxury, Empires, and Royall estates are suddenly ruin'd, much sooner will our private estates and fortunes by these meanes be exhausted.

Nor are these sins of Intemperance only private and do­mestick Annoiances, they are publick Nusances, fit to be presented in a Leet, they are sins against society and occa­sions of Injustice also.Prov. 31. Nulla pestis ca­pitalior quam voluptas corpo­ris, cujus avidae libidines teme­rè & effraenatè ad peccandum incitant. Hinc Patriae Proditi­ones, rerump. eversiones, Nul­lum deni (que) sce­us, nullum fa­cinus est, ad quod suscipien­dum libido vo­luptatis non impellat. Dictū Architae Taren­tini apud Gice­ronem de senec­tute expositum. For who are they that assemble them­selves with the Congregations of Robbers, and use ill Arts of living, but those who by Intemperance have spent their estates in making provision for their Lusts? But above all others, that Incontinence, the 3^d Species, described by cham­bering and Wantonesse, is the Mother of great varieties of Injuries. If it runs out into Adultery it causeth the breach of Conjugall faith, which is the foundation of all Domestick Union, then Spurious heires are thrust into inheritances not belonging to them, and insteed of Love, that cements Fami­lies, they are harraz't with the sad effects of Hatred and Jea­lousy; which end commonly in Duels, poisons and such o­ther Malicious Revenges. But if it run out into Fornicati­on only, It brings in murder of Infants or their ill Edu­cation, the staines of Bastardy and 1000 other Inconveni­ences.

Lastly, let us consider how dishonourable a thing it is for Man as Man, who is confess't to have a divine and rationall Soul, to be made a slave to such bestiall filthy lust. There is not a Man among the Heathen but apprehends himself made for better ends.

Saith one of their own Poets. Man was not made to be a sot,Quod si Pupil­lum tibi Deus commifisset, nū iilum neglige­res? Te vero cū tibi ipfi com­mendavit, in­quiens, non ha­beo aliquem fideliorem cui te committam quam Teipsum Hunc volo ita mihi custodias, quemadmodum ipsius Natura postulat; scil. pudicum, fidelē altum, infractū, affectibus malis vacuum, mode­ratum, Sobrium &c. Apud Aria­ [...]um in Epictet. or to intend no more then what all beasts intend and enjoy much more than he. No, man was made for the Ex­ercise of vertue and contemplation of God and communion with him and hath (even as Heathen Philosophers have ob­served) a Soul apt for such Employments. How base there­fore and dishonourable a thing were it for Man to wallow in the dirty puddle of his lusts; which makes him unfit not only for communion with God, but also for the exercise of Rea­son and vertue among Men.

Who then but a fool would wish to live the life of sensu­all pleasures, when, as I have prov'd unto you, there is nei­ther satisfaction, nor content to be had in the Enjoyment, nor safety either to the mind, Body or estate, to be had in the pursuance of those pleasures to which we are addicted by our Naturall Lusts; besides that it is dishonourable and unwor­thy of a Man to be made a vassall and slave to such En­joyments, as are commun to him with the beasts that pe­rish.

All this you will say you could have heard in the Morall Philosophy School; and it is probable you might. Morality is a great and acceptable part of Gods service, and our Du­ty, and he useth his Reason well, who by it establisheth him­self in Morall Reformation. S^t Paul himself presseth a Mo­rall Argument against the use of these Intemperances, as 1 Cor. 6.18. where he telleth us, that he who committeth [Page 173]fornication sinneth against his own body, which is a Truth com­mended to us by all Moralists.

It is true, wee that are Christians have more high and spiri­tuall Reasons to move those who value the honor and Inte­rest of their professions. And therefore my third Conclusi­on was, That the pursuance of lustfull pleasures was most of all Mischevous and dishonorable to Man as Christian. Wee can­not serve God and Lust.

Heaven and Hell are not more contrary in their Rules, de­signes and Ends than they. For let a man put on the strong­est Resolutions of Piety, let him bind those Resolutions with the strongest vowes, yet a Dalilah in his Bosome, a reign­ing Lust will quickly ruine and nullify them all. Seeing there­fore we cannot serve God and our lustfull pleasures at the same time, let us own our own Master, his servants we are to whom we obey, let us take heed we do not come under the Character 1 Tim. 3.4. of being [...], lovers of pleasures more than Lovers of God: For they which are so, have denyed their first profession, which was to keep Gods holy Will and commandments and to renounce the sin full Lusts of the Flesh.

Secondly, which is the other part of my Conclusion. The pursuance of all sensuall pleasures is highly dishonourable also to Man as Christian. This may be learn't from that Argu­ment of S^t Paul 1 Cor. 6.19. Know ye not that your Bodies are Temples of the holy Ghost, that is, as Churches and Tem­ples are honored above other places by being consecrated to Gods service, so are our Bodies honored above the bodies of other Men by being consecrated to the service and Inha­bitation of Gods holy Spirit. Sometimes for the like ho­nor done unto them our Bodies are compared to holy and con­secrated vessels, and therefore the same Apostle telleth us [Page 174]that this is the will of God even our Sanctification, that every one should know how to possesse his vessell in sanctification and honour, 1 Thess. 4, 3, 4. not in the lust of Concupiscence. [...] indeed, which we translate vessell, signifieth also any utensill or Instrument, and the body being the Instrument not only of the rationall soul, but also of the holy Spirit, is therefore properly cal­led [...], Its utensill or vessell, but then (as the Apostle intimates) the utensils of the soul or Spirit are to be used honorably, holily and cleanly; and if Philosophy hath con­demned the pleasures of Intemperance, as unworthy the Aimes of Men, much more will they appear to be below and unworthy of a Christian. It was the Strict command of God by the Prophet Esay, Depart, depart, touch no un­clean thing yee that bear the vessels of the Lord. And if it be so strictly required that those should be clean that bear the vessels, much more Reason is it that those should be clean that are the vessels of the Lord. Consider, my Brethren, the filthinesses that are consequent to all manner of Intem­perances, they are so very filthy they are not to be named in a Christian Assembly. Of what Judgement then shall we be thought worthy, if when we have consecrated our ves­sels unto God, we afterwards dishonor and pollute them? He acceps the gifts of our Bodies as well as that of our souls and Spirits, and hath preferred them to be vessels of san­ctification, purity and Honor; what a Judgement fell upon Belshasser when he was taken in the act of profaning the Ma­terial vessels of the Sanctuary in his Luxury and drunkennesse, Dan. 5. But the sin of the loose and debauch't professor is worse than this. For he polluteth the Temple it self, the Sanctuary it self. For such is every Christians Body unto Christ. The Intemperate man may pretend much, but he cannot truly boast of any Religion or love to the Church, He hath a zeal it may be against the separatist, but he consi­dereth not that even in the same kind the sacrilegious separa­tist [Page 175]is lesse prophane then He; The separatist doth very ill when he profanes the materiall. Temple, but the intemperate Christian doth worse when he profaneh the spirituall. The separatist defaceth the pictures of the Saints, but the Intem­perate Christian defaceth the very Image of God according to which he was created.

I think I may yet further follow my Apostle and step a little higher in expressing the honour that is done unto our bodies, against which we sin by these Intemperances. For our Bodies are not only said to be the vessels, Temples, and Sanctuaries, unto Christ, but even Members of him also, be­cause of the same Spirit that cohabiteth both in our Lord and us. S^t Paul presseth this Argument home against the 3^d and worst sort of Intemperance, 1 Cor. 6.15. Know you not that your Bodies are the Members of Christ, shall I then take the Members of Christ and make them the Members of an Har­lot? Surely he that desires to bee called by the name of a Christian, and would deserve that name, can never intend so vile an Act, or willingly consent so to dishonor the Members of his Lord.

The truth is our Religion goes beyond Philosophy, and af­fords not only the best Rules of Sobriety, but the best en­couragements to it and the best Dissuasives from the contra­ry.V Tacit. l. 3. Ann, Alexandiū ab Alexan. l. 3. c. 11. Yet as Tiberius spake in Tacitus concerning the Laws anciently made in Rome against Luxury, Leges contemptu abolitas securiorem Luxum fecisse, that those Laws being once suffered to be despised made Luxury ride on more trium­phantly and secure. This is our very Case. The Gospell of our Lord hath prescribed us good Medicines, but our Di­sease is grown so great, as to have the Mastery and to tri­umph over all our Medicines, vice is grown so powerfull and impudent as to run down Religion it self from off the stage of this sinfull World; when S^t John pronounced that dismall sentence in the Conclusion of his Epistle, [...], [Page 176] The whole world lyeth down and sinks under the power of its own wickednesse He excepted then the Christians out of that World;1 Joh 5.19. But where is now the power of Christianity it self, where is there now even among Chri­stians the Man that in S^t Johns sense sinneth not? where is the Man that guardeth and keepeth himself so, that the Wicked one toucheth him not?

Is it not an ill and a desperate case, my Brethren, that we can be contented with the empty name of Christianity and can suffer the Laws and power of Religion to be contemned? Is not the Word of God as sufficiently able now as formerly to hamper and toyl the Consciences of profane and evil men? Methinks I have a mind to imitate S^t James, to make an A­postrophe to them and to call these wicked Men a little by their own names. Yee Adulterers and Adulteresses, those are the Apostles words, Yee Drunkards and ryottous per­sons, ye that are a shame and scandall to your profession, yee that abuse the Members of Christ and continually dishonour and profane your Bodies, your Bodies said I? Nay they are not yours, those vessels I mean that your Lord hath made and bought; and which first in your Baptisme and since in e­very Sacrament received by you, ye have dedicated to God, and he hath appointed to Sanctification and holinesse; What will ye not stand to the Covenants ye have made with your God? Is it nothing in a Matter so sacred to give and to take, to offer and resume, to promise and prevaricate? Is it not a great prophanesse and sacriledge to defile and pollute the ves­sels ye have dedicated? And do yee not fear to be over­taken in your profanesse as Belshazzar was in his? Or if you are not afraid of the Wickednesse that is in it (for some indeed there are that are not afraid of any Wickednesse) yet why are yee not ashamed of your folly, Thus Vetulam prae­ferre Immortalitali to preferre the filthy Harlottry of the world and flesh before the eternall glory of your Bodies and souls? [Page 177]Why do yee pretend to Christianity, if ye will not practice it? This we know that if you believe the Gospell you can­not think your selves secure in the pursuance of these pra­ctices. O yee young Men why do ye not consider what Salomon hath foretold you, that when you have rejoyced your fill and walk't till you are weary in the wayes of your heart and in the sight of your eyes, you must in the end be brought to a Reckoning and a Judgement for all the particulars of your lives, Eccles. 11.9. O yee that are Men of Age, ye that have been now for a long time professors of Christi­an Religion, why do you not consider what our saviour hath prophesied Mat. 4.36. That as when in the daies of No­ah Men were eating and drinking untill the flood came and took them all away; so shall the coming of the son of Man bee. It was nothing but his great kindnesse that made our Saviour give his Scholars that Caution, Luc. 21.34. Take heed to your selves, least at any time your hearts be overcharged with sur­fetting and drunkennesse and the Cares of this World and so that day come upon you unawares; As he is a faithfull and wise servant that maketh it his businesse to do his Masters will, so he hath the character of an unfaithfull evill and foolish servant, who puts off the evill day and saith in his heart, My Lord de­layeth his coming, and sinneth and wrongeth his fellow servants and eateth and drinketh with the drunken: For the Daies of his particular Judgment shall come sooner than he thinks for; The Lord of that servant (as himself hath foretold) shall come in a day, when he looketh not for him and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall appoint his portion with Hypocrites. And let me tell you the portion of Hypocrites is one of the worst Portions that is paid in Hell. That we may have a better Portion in a better place I shall conclude by pressing serious­ly upon you the very exhortation in my Text, That Exhor­tation that wrought so happily upon S^t Augustine. And if it wrought upon S^t Augustine why may it not by the graci­ous [Page 178]operation of the same Spirit work a like effect upon some of us? Let us, my Brethren, cast of the workes of darknesse, and let us put on the Armour of light, let us walk honestly as in the day, Not in ryotting and drunkennesse, not in Cham­bering and Wantonnesse, not in strife and Envying, but let us put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provisions for the flesh to fullfill the Lusts thereof. Let us know that our Re­ligion ought to extend to every action of our Lives, even to our eating and drinking and every part of our Conversation. Let us remember whose we are, who hath made us, and who hath bought us with a price. And since he hath made both and re­deemed both and we have offered and given both, Let us glori­fy him with both, Both with our bodies and with our Spirits, for they are his. Let us hold to that Rule of the Apostle which is or ought to bee the great Rule of every Christians life, whether we eat or drink or whatsoever we doe, let us do all to the Glory of God, so shall we never do amisse, but the peace of God shall be with us and preserve us for ever.

IT is a certain truth, that in every Man there is an innate desire of good; and it is as true that very few attain to the Good that they desire. For as Maximus Tyrius in his 19^th Discourse hath ingeniously express't it, It happeneth to us, in this dark and muddy Region of the lower world, as it doth to those who scramble for gold or silver in a dark night: who while they want a light to distinguish what they feek after, and only guesse at it by deceitfull circumstances fall together by the Ears for they know not what. For he that hath gotten any thing will not part with it, for fear he [Page 182]should have already gotten the desireable thing, neither will he abstain from further scrambling for fear it should be yet to seek. Here is all the Tumult and the strife, the Clamors and the noise, the sighs and the groanes, the rapine and the suits, and all the hurry of the overbusy world. This is the same thing that is intimated by K. David, in his fourth Psalm, There be many that say, who will shew us any good? Not Many only, but All; even the whole world pretend to be and really are in the pursuance of this good. But as S^t Paul observed concerning the Jews that they obtained not to Righte­ousnesse because they sought it where it was not to bee found: So the Masse of Mankind attain not to the Possessron of Hap­pinesse because they seek it where it is not. They search for the living among the Dead. The Psalmist had observ'd con­cerning the Joy of the vulgar that it was such a delight as did alwayes ebbe and flow, according to the increase or decrease of their Corne and Wine and Oyl. For in these lay their Trea­sures and upon their Treasures they laid their Hearts, but he had setled his Eye upon the true Joy, His hope was the hope of Heaven. His expectation was the Expectation of the bea­tifick Vision, His desire was to have the face of God eternally reconciled to Him, The light of Gods countenance was more to Him then was the Joy of the Worldly man, When his Corne and his Wine and his Oyl increased. Psalm. 4.6, 7, 8.

This was the Happinesse of David, the Man after Gods own heart, who had an understanding whereby He was ena­bled to call Good Good and Evill Evill, and was guided by the Spirit of God to have his Will and affections rightly placed; which the greater part of the world neither had then, nor have to this Day. Philosophers, Historians, Poets and all ob­servers of human Manners and Nature have taken notice of a vast variety in human inclinations. All pretend, and all seek: yet in all this variety of Pretenders and seekers, few [Page 183]have designed, few have sought the greatest good. Some place their happinesse in Luxury and Ryot, others in Par­simony and thrift, The Merchant in his gold, the Drun­kard in his Wine, the effeminate in his Loves, The wit­ty Man in pleasant Conversation; the Orator in fine and well adorned speech, the Martiall man in fights and triumphs, some sportive men have been so vain as to think there could be no greater Happinesse upon Earth then to bee a renowned Victor in the Olympique Games, and to get a branch of Olive as a Trophee of Mastery in those feats of Activity. Sarda­napalus, I'le watrant you, thought himself a pretty Man, and a Prince indeed when he was curl'd and dress't, and richly cloath'd and shut up in his Palace among his concubines; but few others have thought that a design of life well chosen for so great an Emperor. Xerxes thought himself little lesse then the God he worship't, if indeed his pride then allow'd him to worship any; when he [...] his fetters upon the Sea, and joynd Europe and Asia with a bridge, not consi­dering how short should be the Glory of that Action and that it should suddenly end in being utterly overthrown; There are no things done from the great Atcheivments of Alex­ander and Caesar, to those little Arts that are not worthy to be named in a pulpit, that are not practiced with some de­sign of good: But this is the misery of our Condition that in all this variety, the Ends we design are generally if not Base and Wicked, yet poor and mean; and yet though poor and mean and eagerly pursued are seldome notwithstanding suf­ficiently attained.

But it is more worth our Notice and Admiration that Phi­losophy it self, the great Mistresse of Curiosity, should pro­fesse to correct the Aims of the Vulgar, and to design so Wise­ly and yet should fail, as notoriously as any other profes­sion of doing any thing worthy of all her anxious Disquisi­tions. That it should challenge so great a Name, and pro­cure [Page 184]so little Good, that they should erre so widely in their searches after the Summum Bonum, or cheifest Happinesse. For I do not find that they had the good luck to attain to a­ny thing that might give them just Occasion to cry out [...] I have found it, I have found it: And those who seem to bee the adepti and to have gotten most considerable attain­ments contented themselves generally with a very mean Quarry. [...]. Maximus Tyrius Dissett 19 ad Finem. Ad vos nunc refero quem sequar [...] &c. Cicero Academ. Q. l. 4. It hath been anciently observed that Pythagoras his Learning ended in a few Musicall Iingles, Thales's Wise­dome in some uncertain Astronomicall Phansies, Heraclitus's Contemplations concluded in solitude and weeping, Socrates his renowned Philosophy led Him to the practice of unna­turall lust. Diogenes his sharpenesse of wit, to use his Bo­dy to endure all manner of nastinesse and course labor; E. picurus's Inventions and Discourses, of which he boasts so proud­ly, set Him down contented with any kind of Pleasure. We shall do Aristippus no wrong at all if we joyn Him with the more renowned Epicurus. And why may not the Sto­icks and Peripateticks Clubb also? who are both represen­ted to make the bare Action or vertue its own Reward. Such are the Ends and so great is the variety in the Aims of these singularly learned Men? Whom then shall we follow? or shall we follow none? shall we joyn issue with Maximus Tyrius in the Discourse above commended and say what [...]. That God hath blown the expectation and desire of Good, as a living spark into the heart of Man but hath hidden from him the Way to find it out. No by no [Page 185]means. This were no better then blasphemously to cast mans fault upon his maker. God indeed for Reasons hid­den from us, and wrapt up in the abysse of his own secret knowledge, formerly as S^t Paul speaks, winked at the Er­rors and vanity of mankind, imparting true wisedome and the knowledge and desire of the cheifest Good to very few. But since Christ the light of the world appeared among us he hath publikly preach't these Truths. First that the En­joyment of the kingdome of Heaven is the cheifest, and in­deed the only considerable good. Secondly that there is no way to attain this Kingdome of God without first attaining his Righteousnesse, and submitting our selves according to our Sa­cramentall Obligations to the Rules of the Gospell. Now these being laid down first, as principles of eternall and unaltera­ble Truth; Our saviour giveth us in the next place the on­ly safe advice, Namely that abandoning all other foolish and idle Counsels, we should give our selves to be his Disci­ples: we should addict our selves to Christianity, as to a Discipline of true Wisdome, we should design no lesse then Heavenly Glory which is no doubt the cheifest Good. Omnis sapien­tia hominis in hoc uno est ut Deum cognos­cat & colat; Hoc nostrum Dogma, haec sententia est. Quanta igitur voce possum, testificor, proclamo, denuntio. Hoc est illud quod Philosophi omnes in tota sua vita quaesierunt, nec unquam tamen investigare [...] comprehendere, tenere valuerunt: quia Religionem aut pravam tenuerunt, aut totam penitus sustu­lerunt. Facessant igitur illi omnes qui humanam vitam non instruunt sed turbant. Quid enim docent aut quem instruunt qui seipsos nondum instruxerunt? Quem sanare aegroti, quem rege­re caeci possunt? huc ergo nos omnes quibus est curae sapientia, conferamus an expectabimus do­nec Socrates aliquid sciat? aut Anaxagoras in tenebris lumen inveniat? aut Democritus verita­tem de puteo extrahat? aut Empedocles dilatet animi sui semitas? aut Arcesilas & Carneades vi­deant, sentiant, percipiant? Ecce vox de caelo veritatem docens, & nobis sole ipso clarius lumen ostendens. Quid nobis iniqui sumus & sapientiam suscipere cunctamur? quam clari homines con­tritis in quaerendo aetatibus suis nunquam reperire potuerunt. Qui vult sapiens ac beatus esse, au­diat dei vocem, discat justitiam, sacramentum Nativitatis suae norit, humana contemnat, divina su­scipiat, ut summum illud bonum ad quod natus est, possit adipisci. Lactantius lib. 3. de falsa Sap. cap. 30. We should sell all that we have rather then to mille the buying [Page 186]of this pearl, And when we have fixed our Eye aright we should then pursue wisely that Happinesse that we have in our Design, we should endeavor after it in that way by which it is only attainable which is declared to be the way of Righ­teousnesse. Nor is it any Righteousnesse that will lead us to this Kingdome. The Righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pha­risees will not do it. Our Savior hath told us in the begin­ning of his Sermon in the Mount that Except our Righteous­nesse exceed their Righteousnesse we shall never enter into the Kingdome of Heaven. Originall Righteousnesse we have none at all. Wee lost it, God knowes, assoon as we were entru­sted with it.

Actuall Righteousnesse we have none of out own. We must speak of all our Righteousnesse as the Man to the Pro­phet concerning his Axe, when the head of it fell into the Water. 2 Kings. 6.5. Alas Master for it was borrowed. Wee must have a Righteousnesse without us called by our Savior Matt. 6.33. Gods Righteousnesse, that is a Righteousnesse gi­ven and imputed. And we must have a Righteousnesse with­in us and that is Gods Righteousnesse also, a Righteousnesse given though inherent: A spirit of Righteousnesse, a new Spirit and a new heart. This inherent Righteousnesse gi­veth us an assurance that we have a title to the other The other, the Righteousnesse without us, that of our Savior is indeed only meritorious. In the argument of merit O Christ we will make mention of thy Righteousnesse, even of thy Righteousnesse only, And yet we know that without holinesse, without inherent holinesse no man shall see thy face. No man shall have the benefit of thy Passion or any part of thy Righteousnesse, that hath not thy Spirit. For whatsoever hath not the Spirit of Christ, they are none of his. It is not the calling of our Savior Lord Lord that will give us any ti­tle to his merits, without our sincere endeavor to do the will of our father which is in Heaven. This I take to be a suf­ficiently [Page 187]orthodox and sense of those words, seek yee first the Kingdome of God and his Righteousnesse.

Now if these are the principall of our Masters precepts, surely we have no reason to think his Yoke uneasy or his Com­mandments greivous, this is the summe of the burthen that he layeth on us. He hath provided an Estate of uncon­ceivable Glory and Happinesse for us. And hath comman­ded us to seek it, And further least we should erre and mi­stake the way that leadeth to this Estate, He hath declared unto us that it must be sought in the Way of Righteousnesse, for the Robe of Glory can no more become an unrighteous man, then Honor can bee seemly for a fool. He hath com­manded us for our own sakes to seek this Kingdome of Glo­ry, but to seek it in that just, proper and humble way and method that Himself hath prescribed. And when you re­collect and consider the Nature and Excellence of that Estate you will confesse it an Estate beyond all others infinitely worth your seeking.

Reflect then but with one glance of your Mind upon it as it is described in the certain Oracles of eternall Truth. Da­vid first in the 16^th Psalm and the last verse assureth us that in the Kingdome of Heaven, or, which is all one, in the pre­sence of God, there is fullnesse of Joy, and that at his right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Now in these words there is a description of the greatest happinesse that can be or can be imagined: There is nothing for its nature more de­sireable then Joy or delight; there is no measure (or propor­tion) better then fullnesse, There is no Duration better then Eternity. And therefore he that hath Joy for the kind, and fullnesse of that Joy for the Measure and joyes or pleasures which for the duration of them shall last not for a day, or a year, nor only for ten years, or ten-thousand years, but for e­vermore, He surely can have no further Happinesse to wish, nor greater enjoyment to design.

And S^t Paul from that Text 1 Cor. 2.9. Where it is said that Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, nor hath it ever enter'd into the Heart of Man to conceive the things that God hath prepared for them that love Him, intimateth thus much, That if you could gather together all the riches of Nature, and could adde to the heap, whatsoever Human Phansy could further Imagine, For example! Let there be presen­ted the best and Clearest Beauties for the Eye, The most Ravishing Musiks for the Ear, the most delicate meates for the palate, let the choicest entertainment be found out, for every Phancy and every Appetite, that Nature impro­ved by Human art and study can supply us with; Joyn and place in one and the same person, all the wealth of the Cit­ty, the Grace, the Gallantry, the Glory of the Court, the learning of the University, the most desireable conversa­tion of learned and good Natured Men; Adde to these the prudence of the Wisest Councels, the Courage, conduct and successe of the most fam'd commanders, all the Regalia that Princes and Emperors enjoy in the fullnesse of their Ma­jesty and power, and last of all adde also which is infinitely of more worth then all these, the enjoyment of Vertue and the inchoate Grace of God, Then make all these enjoyments of the greatest imaginable duration, and extend them to his dearest Issue, and neerest Relations yet all this is still below the Happinesse good Christians shall enjoy in the life of Glory. For all this may be conceived, But the state of Glory is so Glorious that S^t Paul (who saw it) saith it cannot be conceived. It connot enter into the Heart of Man.

Do you now, beleive all this to be true? Do you receive this Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles nay of Christ Himself? Or do you deny that Article of the Christian Faith that affirmes the being of such a life everlasting after Death? If you do beleive it, can you think such an Estate not [Page 189]worth the seeking after? Do you think your selves wiser then Abraham and Moses and all the worthies of the former ages, who quitted their greatest temporall Interests that they might seek this Inheritance.

Examine your selves my Brethren and first see whether there is not a fault in the very spring: whether there be not somewhat defective in your very faith. Suppose now that with S^t Paul you had been rapt up to the third Heaven and there had taken a view of those unspeakable Glories, that were then and are now enjoyd by the Spirits of Just men made perfect. Would you not think that the obtaining of that Estate and to be made one of those glorified beings, would be worth, (nay infinitely more worth then) all the pains you could take and all the labors you could undergo during the Remainder of your short uncertain lives? you are Christians, and your be­ing so implies that you beleive there are such Joyes, your faith (if you have any) gives you a confidence of them and makes the existence of them evident unto you though you have not seen them as S^t Paul did. For faith, as it is defi­ned by the Author to the Ebrewes, is the confidence of things hoped for and the Evidence of things not seen.

But if it be not from any want of faith but from a certain Carelessenesse or Retchlessnesse as some call it that you are la­zy and neglect the seeking this your greatest Interests. Con­sider I pray a little further, that if you will not concern your self to be thus very happy; you then must take the just contrary lot and submit your self to be very miserable. If you will not take pains to attain that Glory that is the crown and re­ward of the just, you must expect to fall into Hell even into the Nethermost Hell with the wicked. Do you think the Rich Luxurious Glutton mention'd in the Gospell, who in his life time cared not for Heaven nor the concernes of the world to come, who pamper'd Himself and suffered Lazarus to starve before his door. Might such a Man as he (I say) have the li­berty [Page 190]granted Him of a second Tryall and to live over his life here on Earth but once again, Would he not rather spend his dayes neatly and soberly, in frugality, and Temperance, (which are the Vertues that our Religion commendeth to us) and give away the superfluities of his Estate in Chari­ty to the poor, then be sentenc'd the second time for his Cruelty and Ryot (Vices ill put together) into that place of Misery and Wo where during the vast duration of Eter­nity he may not procure one drop of Water to cool his Tongue: Would you know what that death is that they in­curre who are not preferr'd unto that Eternall life that Christ hath purchased for His? Flames and Brimstone and Wormes, the painfull worme of conscience and that Hideous noise of Tophet, that, is of Continuall howling, burning and drum­ming, These are the parts of the second Death. Now is it worth no paines to secure your selves from so endlesse, so easelesse, so Remedy lesse a misery and torment? Where is your sense my Brethren where is your Faith? Your Faith, or at least the consideration of the Articles of your Faith, is commonly out of the Way when it should be doing you a­ny good. Let me ubraid it as Eliah ubraided the false God. 1 Kings. 18. Peradventure it is in a journy or else it slee­peth. It sleepeth surely and must be awakened. Bestirre your minds and consider, Is not the very avoiding the Torments of Hell of more consequence then the Enjoyments of all the present Honors or estates, that we are capable of in this world, of more consequence then either to avoid the mi­series of this life, or even Death it self. Which though it be a most dreadfull thing to flesh and blood, yet (to use the phrase of the devout Church Poet) it is but a Chair, a ready ea­sy conveiance into another Estate over which Death it self shall have no power.

But if you are of that Nice and Curious temper that you must be led only by the silken threds of Example, not [Page 191]stratned by Councell nor goaded on by precept; Read I pray S^t Pauls writings and consider his Acts, as they are re­corded in the book of the Acts of the Apostles. Was his life like the life of a Man that had but a little understanding? Do you think your selves wiser then He was? If not, why do not you, why do not we all imitate Him? Why have we not all his Zeal and his Resolution? Could Tribulation or Distresse or famine or perill or Sword, Nay could either life or Death, Angell or Divell, principallities, or powers, things present or things to come, could either heigth or depth or any other Creature hinder him from pursuing his well chosen Aimes, from seeking the life of Glory and from fighting against his Spirituall Enemies that he saw ready to obstruct him and to hinder him in his Race thither.

But you will say what I before intimated, that S^t Paul had the advantage of us. For he had been Rapt up into the third Heaven and had seen this Glory. Well then, if he saw it we have an Eye witnesse at least that confirmes the exi­stence of it to us: But had Abel, had Enoch, had Noah seen the objects of their Faith? By Faith Noah being war­ned of God of things not seen prepared an Ark to the saving of his house and so became heir of the Righteousnesse that is by Faith. Heb. 11.7. And if we will be heirs of Righteousnesse we must be­leive God concerning things to come which we never saw, we must condemn the world also, and prepare an Ark e­ven the Righteousnesse of Christ to convey us to that King­dome Blessed are they, saith our Savior to S^t Thomas who have not seen and yet have believed Consider the whole Army of Martyrs mention'd in the eleventh chapter to the Hebrews who through Faith subdued Kingdomes wrought Righteousnesse, Joh. 20.29. obtained promises stopped the mouths of Lyons, quenched the vi­olence of fire, escaped the Edge of the sword, out of weaknesse were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the Armies of the Aliens, Women received their dead raised to life [Page 192]again, others were tortured not accepting of deliverance that they might obtain a better Resurrection, This better Resurre­ction, though unseen by them as yet was the Anchor of their Hope, and the spring of their Courage, They were stoned, they were sawed asunder, they were tempted, they were slain with the sword, They went about in sheep skins and goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted and tormented; Of whom the world was not worthy they wandred in deserts and mountains and hid themselves in the dens and caves of the Earth. This they did, this they suffered, though they were never rapt up into the third Heaven, They endured all these hardships through Faith even the common faith that we professe and it was this Article con­cerning the better Resurrection, and the life of abundant Glo­ry, that upheld them.

Where then is our Zeal and our strengh? Do we not in every publick service, in every assembly that we make, like this, professe that we believe the same resurrection of the Flesh and everlasting life after death, And yet have we no regard to any thing but what is present? Are things in Reversi­on of no value with us. Do not all men among us that have any Reputation for Wisdome take care to secure their estates in all kinds of secular Tenures that are to commence to others after their own deaths? And should not Charity begin at home? Is this our fashion, or, if it be, is it agreable to the Rules of Wisdome and prudence, that we should provide so studiously for the wellfare of our surviving Friends and should take no care of our own eternall wellfare even after our departure hence? Is our present estate for so long a terme, is it so certain, so permanent so secure that we need not be concern'd, no not for so vast a futurity? Whosoever thinks himself so perfectly setled, Let him above all other dread that sentence Luk: 12.20. Thou fool this night even this night shall thy Soul be required of thee, and then whose shall these things bee that thou hast provided. For so is he, thus shall it be with [Page 193]Him, This shall be his lot from the Lord, who layeth up trea­sures to himself and is not rich towards God: He shall also suddenly be taken from the wealth wherein he trusted.

Understand ye brutish among the People! O we fools when shall we be wise? Do we part with the life of Glory, Do we part with the Kingdome of God to seek we know not what? Or do we think to have Sauls fortune to find a Kingdome while we are seeking Asses? Why is the heart of the world set upon that which is not? So short are the con­tinuance of pleasures, honors, life it self that they are scarce­ly to be accounted things that are: Every man seeth that the pleasures of this world, are quick and short, and passe away like lightning from us. Honors are but Feathers which the breath of other men may discompose every Moment: Riches the more substantiall and more generall Idol, are good for nothing, if we well observe it, but to make the Wing the larger, to make a Man soar higher, and fly with the grea­ter sweep, and thus no sooner are they but they make them­selves wings and fly away. And what is life, the Ordinary life of Nature, Extend it to its length it is but as a day saith Cicero in comparison of Eternity. Were it not full of Trou­ble, Sorrow and disease, Were there nothing otherwise to be excepted against but the shortnesse and Uncertainty of it, It were not a possession that for its own sake ought at all to be esteemed.Quae vero aetas longa? aut quid omnino homini longum nonne modo pueros, modo adole­scentes in cur­su a tergo insequens nec opinantes affecuta est senectus! Sed quia ultra nihil habemus, hoc longum dicimus: Omnia ista perinde ut cuique data sunt pro parte aut longa aut brevia dicuntur, apud Hipanim fluvium qui ab Europae parte in Pontum influit Aristoteles ait bestiolas quasdam nasci quae unum diem vivant, ex his igitur hora octavâ quae mortua est, provecta aetate mortua est, quae vero occidente sole, decrepitâ, eo magis si etiam folstitiali die. Confer nostram longissimam aetatem cum aeternitate; in eadem propemodum brevitate quâ illae bestiolae reperiemur. Cicero Tusc: Quaest; lib. 1. And therefore it is a most reasonable coun­sell of tke Psalmist in the 146^t Psalm Trust not in Man whose breath is in his Nostrils. Trust not in thy Patron, in thy Friend, in thy Brother if his breath be in his Nostrils. [Page 194]Trust not in thy self if thou hast no better tenure in thy being then that. Mans breath ceaseth suddenly by a thousand Oc­casions; And when that breath's gon, where is the Man you tru­sted in, or wherein is he to be accounted of? We may make a blaze in our life. But this life burnes all the while, as un­certainly as a Taper, There is nothing surer then that this Ta­per will soon be blown out or burnt out. Lord teach us so to number our dayes and the shortnesse and Uncertainty of this present life, that we may apply our hearts to the highest, truest, no­blest Wisdome.

There is nothing in naturall life considerable but this one thing, that therein we have an Opportunity to purchase to our selves that life of abundant Glory, that estate of e­ternall happinesse that I have been now commending to you. If we apply our selves to this then indeed we apply our selves to the truest Wisdome, we have a prize set before us and liberty to run a Race: But if eventually it be found that this price is put into the hand of fools, Our life will be unto us but Occasion of eternall Misery and it would have been better for us never to have been born.

Will any Man then whose faith is not asleep or in a journy will any Man I mean that believes and considers the existence of Heaven and Hell and the other doctrines of our Faith, ven­ture to commit a sin or to provoke his judge, or to do any thing that may endanger the damnation of his Soul to eter­nall Death to save so poor a thing as this uncertain life, much lesse to get Riches or Honor or any other worldly acquire­ment? Let us not therefore halt between two Opinions. If the Gospell be Gospell Let it have the power of the Gospell. Fear its threatnings Entertain its encouragements. Receive its Dictats. If you receive not these, stay no longer here to be a scandall to the best Religion, Go rather to the Font where you were initiated and there publickly Renounce and disclaim your Faith. Turn professedly Julians or Judas's [Page 195]and insted of the Apostles creed take up the loose discourse of the wicked Atheist or blasphemer, as it is express't in the Second chapter of the book of Wisdome and boasted upon Oc­casions with a little Variety by our modern pretenders to prophane Wit; we are (as the ungodly wretch in that place most Cursedly expatiates) born at all adventures: he meanes by chance, as if Men were not at all design'd or formed by the providence of God, and we shall be hereafter as if we had never been. For the breath of our Nostrils is as smoke or (which comes very neer the Philosophy of our Modern Atheist) A [...] a little spark in the moving of the heart. Which be­ing extinguished our Body shall be turned into ashes, and our Spirit shall vanish into the soft Air, And our name shall be forgotten in Time and no Man shall have our works in Remem­brance. For our time is a very shadow that passeth away, and after our End there is no returning. If you are prepared now to renounce your Religion and to agnize these Aphorismes of Atheisme to be the articles of your Faith, If you are con­tented to be reckon'd not with the sheep but with the Goats and to have your portion with these wretches hereafter, you may from the same place take the Counsell of the wicked Reasoner, It is a fit Application for such a doctrine, Enjoy the good things that are present and regard not the world to come. Fill your selves with costly Wine and Oyntments and let none of you go without some part of his voluptuousnesse, Contemn the laws of God and Nature. Oppresse the poor righteous man, spare not the Widdow and (which is perfect Hobbisme) Let your strength be the Law of Justice and what is feeble count it little worth. Lay wait for the Righteous Man (The man of great and just principles and resolutions he must be rid out of the way) because he is not for your turn, he will be sure to expose your basenesse, to oppose your designes of Villany and wickednesse, Examine him with Despitefullnesse Try him with Contumely, thus know his meeknesse, thus prove his Pa­tience. [Page 196]Do not only make your scoffs at Vertue, but which are acts worthy a perfect Brave; destroy it and root it out and then fear not to adventure upon any acts of Impiety or Insolence.

These are the Councels of the confirmed Reprobate in the second of Wisdome, shame and Wo unto us that this noise should be heard in our streets, that these Counsels should at this day be put in practice among us. And you, my Bre­thren, if you have not come into the Councell of these Cains and Nimrods, if these Theorems of Ranting and Hectoring do yet affright you, if you dare not deny the truth of the Chri­stian doctrine that is not only countenanced by the Analo­gy of other certain Truths but hath also been confirmed by Miracles from God and gifts of the holy Ghost Then as ye expect the light and life of God ye must live as children of that light, as heirs of that life, ye must professe and pra­ctice just contrary to the beleif and practice of these reproba­ted Men: Ye must believe that there is an eternall Wages re­served for Temporall Righteousnesse, and an everlasting Reward to blamelesse Souls. And that (for all the Rallery of these blasphemers) Man was not so wonderfully made by chance, Nor born at all adventures, but that God created Man to bee immortall, and to be the Image of his own Eternity, as the Au­thor of the book of Wisdome there declares (in confutation of that wicked Reasoning which according the Epicurean Hy­pothesis he had so lively represented) you are of those my Brethren, that have not as I hope stood in the way much lesse sate down in the seat of those insolent Scorners at all Religi­on and Goodnesse. You beleive that our Lord Jesus Christ shall one day come to judge the quick and the dead, when as S^t Paul writeth to his Colossians, those that have done well shall receive the Reward of an Inheritance, and those that have done wrong shall receive for the wrong that they have done and there shall be no respect of persons.

Those who have chosen to be patrones and practicers of Atheisme and given themselves over to the suggestions of the Evill Spirit and to the Vanity of their own hearts, those who have contemned the Gospell, which as S^t Paul observes is not hid to any but those that are lost, and slight the Righte­ousnesse that is commended to us, though they are lofty now and full of their Grandeur, how will their countenance fall when the sun shall become black as Sackcloth of hair and the moon shall be as blood, and when the stars of heaven shall fall to the Earth as when a fig-tree casteth her untimely figs. With what boon grace will they carry themselves, when they shall see the Heavens depart, as a scroll that is folded together, and every mountain and every Island (and this of ours among the rest) shall be visib'y moved quite out of their places. S^t John telleth us what will bee their condition at that time who are wanting in Religion and good Manners though otherwise ex­alted in secular dignity and Estate. Revel. 6.15. The Kings of the Earth and the great Men, and the Rich men and the cheife Captains and the bond and the free Men and all that whole Gang of wicked Men and Unbeleivers shall hide themselves in the dens and rocks of the mountains, and shall say to the Mountains and rocks, fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. He whose first Advent to us was humble and mean and he that in his passion for us shewed the meeknesse of a Lamb will then appear as the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah: He shall then come no more as a Preist to atone for us, nor as a Prophet to Preach unto us the way of life, but then only as a Judge to acquit or con­demn us And the man that hath made no advantage of the first advent shall not need to wish the second. There shall be no Place nor means for Redemption then. But the fearfull and Unbeleiving and Abominable and Whoremongers and Sorce­rers and Idolaters and Lyars and other such sinfull Men shall have their part in that lake of fire and Brimstone where (what­soever [Page 198] Socinus or M^r Hobbes have thought to the contrary) the smoke of their Torment shall ascend up for ever and ever and they shall have no rest, day nor night. Those on the Contra­ry who have beleived the Gospell of our Savior and by the power of their Faith have overcome the Temptations of the world, and so by reason of their Inherent Grace have a title to plead the merits of Christ and his Righteousnesse for the Remission of their sins they shall inherite all things even all the Glorious unconceivable Happinesses of Heaven.

To which Kingdome of Glory God Allmighty bring us through all those means and methods that he hath sanctified to that purpose Now to the King of Heaven and to the Lord our Righteousnesse by whose merits only we have entrance in­to that Kingdome, and to the Spirit of holinesse who can on­ly give us title to those Merits and bring us within the condi­tions of the Covenant of Grace, to the Whole holy and ever blessed Trinity in Unity be Glory Honor and Adoration for ever.