Wealth, neglected Honour and flighted Ser. IV. Charmes.

Let us then inquire

3. What can be the Reafon why this Reward has not the Influence upon us it fhou'd? Will you fay 'tis too Spiritual and Refin❜d for you to form a Notion of it, or be taken with it? You had as good fay you are too Earthy and Senfual, and are refolv'd to continue fuch; for you cannot but understand that an Incorruptible and Glorious Nature is more Perfect than a Corruptible and Vile one. You cannot but understand that theGood, which is suited and proportion'd to fuch a Nature, which is Everlasting and Free from the leaft Mixture of Evil, is infinitely to be prefer'd before any thing here below.

Will you say that you do not believe fuch a State? You had as good fay, you are refolv'd not to believe it. Have you examin'd the Proofs of it, and are you able to fhew that they are weak and inconclufive? If not, what do you mean? The Rich Man could fay, Nay Father Abraham, but if one went unto them from the Dead, they will Repent. God has done this for you, he has fent his Son from Heaven firft, and afterwards from the Dead. In a word, he has given you feveral

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Luke xvi.

30.

Vol. II. veral Demonftrations of Immortality and Glory; in vain fhould you expect fuller or greater Proofs, in vain fhould you expect new Prophets and new Miracles: I can think of no way left for God to work Faith in you, but fome extraordinary and furprising Judgment.

Will you fay Temptations are prefent, but our Reward Future? Ought it not to be fo? Is it not fo in all other Cafes? Befides in the prefent Cafe, here's only the distance, but not the uncertainty of the Future. Here's Expectation, but if it be not our own Fault without Fear. And lastly the greatnefs of the Reward does fufficiently make amends for its Distance, fufficiently fupport our Patience, and abundantly outweigh that Advantage á Temptation pretends to, by being present.

Will you then say that you do not confider a Life to Come as you fhould? I believe you will be afham'd to fay fo, but I doubt, that this is the true Reason why it weighs fo little with you. The Bufinefs and the Pleasure, the Honours and the Interefts, nay I may add, the Cares and Fears, and the Anxieties of this prefent Life draw off your Hearts, and turn away your Thoughts

Thoughts from that to Come. But this Ser. IV. is our Sin and our Folly, which if we will be fav'd we muft Remedy. We muft have the Death and Refurrection of Chrift frequently in our Thoughts; or else they will never Influence our Lives: We must often meditate on the Joy and Crown that is fet before us; or else it will never Captivate, never Purifie our Hearts.

The End of the Second Sermon.

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SER

X

89

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SERMON V

The JUSTICE of that Sentence, which shall be inflicted on Sinners at the Laft Day afferted and defended.

[The First Sermon upon this Text.]

ROM. ii. 2.

But we are fure that the Judgment of God is according to Truth, against them which commit fuch things.

I

Tis confefs'd by all, but Vol. II, Atheists, that Sin in it felf is vile and loathfome; that it is dishonourable to God, injurious to our Neighbour, and pernitious to our felves, as justly fubjecting us to the Wrath of

God,