job 2. 25,

26.

'Tis the Unfupportableness of this, that many times doth caufe Men in the Bitterness of their Souls; to chufe Strangling and Death rather than Life. The Heathens do fet forth fuch a Man's Condition, by the Fiction of Furies continually haunting and fcourging him: But Zophar doth better defcribe it, where he faith; Terrors are upon him; all darkness is hid in his fecret places; à fire not blown shall confume him.

Though fome Men are so hardened against the Senfe of Guilt, as to go on in their finful Courses, without feeling any of this Remorse for them; yet is their Peace fo far from being a Privilege, that it doth render their Condition more defperate, because it Rom. 1. supposes them to have a reprobate Mind, and fuch a Stupidity upon their Consciences, as makes them paft feeling, being feared, as it Tim.4.2. were, with an hot iron. Which though it may preserve them from those present Lashes which others are tormented with; yet doth it

28.

Eph.4.18,

19.

1

argue
their Conditions to be more remedilefs
and defperate. All the Difference is, the
one is fick of a Calenture, or burning Fever;
the other of a Lethargy, or Apoplexy; the
former more painful for the prefent, but
both of them very dangerous, only the latter
lefs capable of Remedy than the former.

CHAP.

How Religion conduces to our Happinefs in the next World.

A

S Religion is the true Caufe of our prefent Happiness in this World,

whether

SExternal
Internal.

So likewife is it the Caufe of that Happinefs, which we expect in our future States: Which must depend upon fuch Courses, as can give us the most rational Affurance of Bleffedness and Glory hereafter.

I fhall speak but briefly to this Subject; because 'tis fcarce poffible for any Man to be fo ftrangely infatuated, fo wholly loft to common Reason, as to believe, that vicious Courses, defpifing of Religion, walking contrary to God, can be the Means to entitle him to this future Happiness, any more than Contempt and Hatred of any one, is a proper Means to procure his Favour.

What kind of Happiness this is, which belongs to our future State, and wherein the Glory of it doth confift, is, applov n, a Thing unspeakable, altogether above the Expref

Z

Expreffions of human Orators, and passeth all Knowledge, the Heart of Man being not able to conceive it: Nor can it be expected that we should be able, in this State of Flesh and Mortality, to comprehend what kind of Irradiations glorified Souls are capable of. Only in the general, 'tis faid, we shall be like God, and fee him as he is.

This State of future Happiness, as it is above all other Things of greatest Moment; fo ought it to be proportionably laboured after, with the greatest Care and Diligence.

There are feveral Varieties of Metaphorical Names or Expreffions, whereby this State is defcrib'd in Scripture; but all of them do imply something of more than ordinary Care and Industry to the qualifying Lib.5.c.9.of Men for it, as Bellarmine hath obferved in his Tract De Eternâ felicitate Sancto

rum.

'Tis ftiled,

The City of God, the Heavenly Jerufalem. And it requires fome Care and Diligence for one that is a Citizen of this World, Ephef. 2. to be a Fellow-citizen with the Saints; it being no eafy thing for one that lives in this World, not to be of it.

Matth. 7. The house of God, where there are many manfions; but ftrait is the gate, and narrow is the way to it..

Matth. 13.

An hid treasure, a precious pearl. Not to be obtained without putting fuch a Va

lue

lue upon it, as will make a Man ready to with all that he hath, for the Purchase of it.

part

A Penny. The Wages of our daily.Ser- Mat. 20. vice; not to be given but to fuch as labour in the vineyard, and hold out to the End. Feaft, or rich Supper; which they are Luk. 14. altogether unworthy of, and unfit for, who do wholly devote themselves to the Affairs of this World.

The Joy of our Lord and Mafter; which Matth. 25. they only are admitted to, who are careful to improve the Talents they are intrusted withal.

The Solemnity of a royal Wedding; from Matth. 25. which all lazy, flothful People, who have not oyl in their lamps, and do not watch for the coming of the Bridegroom, fhall be shut out, and excluded into outer Darkness.

'Tis a Prize; which they only obtain, Cor. g. who accomplish their Race, and run to the Goal.

I

'Tis a Crown; which is due only to fuch 1 Cor. 9. as fight valiantly and overcome.

'Tis an Inheritance; and therefore belongs only to Sons. 'Tis an Inheritance of the Saints; and therefore unfanctified Perfons can have nothing to do with it. 'Tis an inheritance of the Saints in light; and therefore cannot belong to fuch as still remain under the Powers of Darkness.

Heaven may be confidered under a twofold Notion, either as a

S State,
Place.

1. In the first Senfe, 'tis the fame with Holiness, confifting in fuch God-like Difpofitions, as may make us Partakers of the Divine Nature.

2. In the fecond Senfe, it denotes that other World, where we hope to enjoy the Beatifical Vision, in the bleffed Society of Saints and Angels. Which Religion only and Holiness can qualify us for, by working in our Natures fuch a Suitableness and Congruity, as must make such things to be Felicities.

In brief; That Salvation and Glory, which the Chriftian Religion doth so clearly propofe to us, is, as to the Nature and Effence of it, but the very fame thing with Religion; confifting in fuch a Conformity of our Minds to the Nature of God, whereby we are made capable of the Fruition of him in Heaven. So that in this refpect also, Religion is the Whole of Man, that is, the whole Happiness and Well-being of Man doth depend upon it.

I have now dispatch'd what I intended in this Difcourfe, namely, to prove the Reafonablenefs and Credibility of the Principles

of