invested withal? All the philofophical arguments that a man can bring for the foul's immortality, and another life, will have no force upon vulgar apprehenfions, in comparison of these fenfible demonftrations, which give an experiment of the thing, and furnifh us with an inftance of fomething of the fame kind, and of equal difficulty with that which is propounded to our be lief.

4. And, laftly, the effects which the clear difcovery of this truth had upon the world, are fuch, as the world never faw before, and are a farther inducement to perfuade us of the truth and the reality of it. After the gofpel was entertained in the world, to fhew that thofe who embraced it did fully believe this principle, and were abundantly fatisfied concerning the rewards and happiness of another life; they did, for the fake of their religion, defpife this life, and all the enjoyments of it, from a thorough perfuafion of a far greater happinefs than any this world could afford, remaining in the next life. With what chearfulnefs did they fuffer perfecutions, with what joy and triumph did they welcome torments, and embrace death, knowing in themfelves that they had in heaven a better and more enduring fubftance! Thus when life and immortality was brought to light by the gospel, death was, as it were, quite abo lifhed; thofe of the weakest age and fex, women and children, did familiarly encounter it with as great a bravery, and bore up against the terrors of it with as much courage, as any of the greateft fpirits among the Romans ever did: and this not in few inftances, but in vast numbers. No Emperor in the world ever had fo numerous an army of perfons refolved to fight for him, as this Captain of our falvation, this Prince of life and glory, had of perfons couragioufly refolved, and chearfully contented to die for him.

Now, this wonderful effect, the like of which the world never faw before, was very fuitable to the nature of this doctrine. Suppofe that God from heaven should have given men affurance of another life after this, in which good men fhould be unfpeakably happy; what more reasonable to imagine, than that perfons fo affured fhould defpife this life, and all the enjoyments of it, in VOL. VIII. G

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comparison of the eternal and unconceivable happiness, which they were perfuaded they should be made partakers of in another world? So that whatever affurance an exprefs and clear revelation from God of the foul's immortality and another life, together with the particu lar circumftances of that ftate; whatever affurance a lively inftance and example of the thing, in the perfon of him who brings this doctrine to the world; whatever confequent miracles, and fuitable effects upon the minds of men to fuch a principle: I fay, whatever affurance and fatisfaction these can give of this principle, all this the gofpel hath given us, beyond whatever the Heathens or Jews had before.

The inference I fhall make from this difcourfe, fhall be only this, that if there be such a state after this life, then how does it concern every man to provide for it? Every action that we do in this life, will have a good or bed influence upon our everlafting condition, and the confequences of it will extend themfelves to eternity. Did men feriously confider this, that they carry about them immortal fouls that fhall live for ever, they would not trifle away the opportunities of this life, bend all their thoughts, and employ their designs in the present gratification of their fenfes, and the fatisfaction of their Hehly part, which fhall fhortly die and moulder into duft: but they would make provifion for the state which is beyond the grave, and lay defigns for eternity, which is infinitely the most confiderable duration; they would not, like children, take care for the prefent, without any profpect to the future, and lay out all they have to pleafe themfelves for a day, without any regard to the remaining part of their lives. Nothing can be more unbecoming Chriftians, whofe whole religion pretends to be built upon the firm belief of another world, than to be intent upon the things of this prefent life, to the ne glect of their fouls and all eternity.

Seeing then we pretend to be affured of immortal life, and to have clear difcoveries of everlafting happiness and glory, as we hope to be made partakers of this portion, let us live as it becomes the candidates of heaven, those that are heirs of another world, and the children of the refurrection, that this grace of God, which hath brought

falvation, may teach us to deny ungodliness and worldly lufts, and to live foberly, righteously, and godly in this prefent life, looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jefus Chrift.

SERMON

CLXXVIII.

Of the certainty of a future judgment.

2 COR. v. 10.

For we must all appear before the judgment-feat of Chrift, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

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The firft fermon on this text.

HE Apoftle, in the beginning of this chapter, expreffeth his earneft defire, if God faw it fit, to quit this earthly tabernacle, for a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens, to be abfent from the body, and prefent with the Lord. But however God fhould difpofe of him, he tells us that he made it his · constant endeavour, fo to behave himself, that both in this present ftate, whilft he continued in the body, and when he fhould quit it, and appear before God, he might be approved and accepted of him. And thatwhich made him fo careful was, because there was a day certainly coming, wherein every man must give an account of himself to the great Judge of the world, and receive the just recompence of his actions done in this life, ver. 9. 10. Wherefore we labour, that whether pre-` fent or abfent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment-feat of Chrift, that every one may receive the things done in the body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

Which words are fo plain and powerful, fo eafy to be understood, and of fuch a mighty force and influence, if thoroughly believed, that the very repeating of them

is fufficient to awaken men to a serious care of their lives and actions, and a powerful confideration to perfuade them to do every thing, with refpect to that folemn account they must one day maké to God of all the actions done in this life.

But that the truth contained in them, may make the greater impreffion upon us, I fhall diftinctly confider the words, and handle, as briefly as I can, the feveral propofitions contained in them."

The general and principal propofition contained in thefe words is, the certainty of a future judgment."

But befides this principal propofition, which comprehends the general meaning and intention of these words, there are four other more particular propofitions contained in them.

First, That the administration of this judgment will be committed to the Lord Jefus Chrift; for which reafon the tribunal before which we must appear, is called, The judgment-feat of Chrift. We must all appear before the judgment-feat of Chrift.

Secondly, That all men are liable to this judgment; no perfon of what condition foever shall be exempted from it. We must all appear.

Thirdly, That all the actions which men have done in this life fhall then come to account, and they shall be judged for them. That every one may receive the things done in the body.

Fourthly, That fentence will then be paffed according to the quality of mens actions, whether good or bad. Every one fhall receive according to that he hath done, whether it be good or evil.

But I shall at prefent only fpeak to the principal propofition contained in the words, concerning the certainty of a future and general judgment, viz. That, at the end of the world, there fhall be a general and publick affize, when all perfons that have lived in this world (except only the judge himself, our bleffcd Saviour, who is the man ordained by God to judge the world) fhall come upon their trial, and all the actions which they have done, fhall come under a ftrict examination; and according as men have demeaned themfelves in this world, towards God and man, they fhall receive fentence, and rewards.

fhall

fhall be distributed to them, according to the nature and quality of their actions. And though all these particu lars be not expreffed in the text, yet they are virtually contained in the general expreffions of it, and fully and clearly delivered in other texts of fcripture.

The truth and certainty of a future and general judg. ment, I fhall endeavour to confirm from thefe three heads of arguments.

1. From the acknowledgments of natural light.

2. From the notions which men generally have of God and his providence.

3. From exprefs and clear revelation of holy fcripture.

I. From the acknowledgments of natural light. And I might fhew the general confent of mankind in this matter, by all forts of human teftimonies; and from all kinds of writers in all ages: but this would be almoft endless, and not fo proper for a plain and practical difcourfe upon this fubject. And therefore paffing by teftimonies, I thall mainly infift upon this, that the confciences of men do fecretly acknowledge a difference between good and evil. Hence it is that men find great peace, and quiet and fatisfaction of mind, in the doing of good and virtuous actions, and have fecret and comfortable hopes, that this kind of actions will fome time or other be confidered and rewarded; and they are apt to maintain these hopes, and to fupport themselves with them, even when they defpair to meet with any reward of their good and honeft actions in this world.

And, on the other hand, men find a fecret fear and horror, and are inwardly afhamed and confounded in their own minds, when they are about a wicked enterprize, and engaged in an ill defign; their confciences check them and terrify them, and their own minds bode ill to them, as if mischief and vengeance would overtake them one time or other; and this, when no eye fees them, and what they are a-doing does not fall under the cognizance of any human court or tribunal, nor is liable to any cenfure or punishment from any human authority; yet, for all that, they have many ftings and lathes from their own minds, feel many checks and rebukes from their own confciences, when they do any thing

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which