that Jefus Chrift brought Life and Immortality to Light through the Gospel, does not imply the Discovery of a thing abfolutely unknown, or unthought of before; but the brightning or clearing up a Matter that was before obfcure or doubtful. The Epicureans indeed were led, by their whole Syftem of Philofophy, to deny a future Judgment; they could not admit a Providence in any Particular or Degree: So that we need not wonder that, when St. Paul preached at Athens, this Sect especially, when they heard of the Refurrection of the Dead, should mock. Neither need we, on the other hand, be furpriz'd that Dionyfius the Areopagite fhould believe, and certain others with him. They were probably of other Sects, whole Philofophy prepar'd them to attend fuch a Doctrine, as much as the Epicurean's disqualify'd them for it. cero, upon more enlarged Principles,

Ci

fpeaks

fpeaks of a future State with great Affurance and Confolation: And among the Jews, it is certain that the Pharifees were thoroughly perfuaded of the Refurrection of the Dead.

The Subject is of so great and univerfal Importance, that it has been treated of by innumerable learned and good Men; nay, there are scarce any Discourses upon any particular Branch of Religion or Virtue, in which this Subject has not a large Share, as being in its Nature the great Support and principal Motive of both, in all their Parts: So that there is no Perfon, who has any Belief of, or Regard to a future State, but may be eafily furnish'd with very useful Books upon this Subject.

I shall therefore, in my present Difcourse, confine myself to the following Obfervations.

The first Particular, which offers itself, is the Univerfality of the Perfons

to

to be judged --- all Men, all the Generations of Mankind in one Affembly: We must all appear before the Fudgment Seat of Chrift. Now, without playing the Orator upon the Largeness and Solemnity of this Appearance, I fhall obferve, that there feems to be a Neceffity in the Reafon and Nature of things, that all the Tribes and Families of the Earth fhould appear together upon this Occafion. It is reasonable to think, that proper Rewards and Punishments could not be fo well difpens'd, if Men were to be try'd apart, at different Times, and in feparate Bodies. They could not be fo well fatisfy'd of the Equity of their own Cafe. The Divine Justice could not be so open and apparent unto all. For God will be juftified in his Sayings, and will overcome when he is judged *:

Rom. iii. 4.

The

Lord

Lord will come with ten thousands of his Saints, to execute Fudgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them, of all their ungodly Deeds, which they have ungodly committed; and of all their hard Speeches, which ungodly Sinners have spoken against him: So that the Mouth of all Wickedness fhall be stopped, and every one be felf-condemned in his own Breaft. Now were Men to be tried in fmall Parties, how could this End be answer'd? how could they know that the fame Equity and impartial Distribution was extended unto all? But where every one is a Witness to the whole Proceeding, this must in course follow.

And there seems to be another Ground or Reason for this Univerfal Appearance. For we cannot conceive the Virtues and Vices of a single

Jude 15.

Perfon

Person can appear in their full Extent, or be brought to a fair and equal Account, without bringing in very great Multitudes, if not the whole Race of Mankind, as Parties concern'd; without going forward and backward from the Beginning to the End of Time. We are indeed apt to think, that the Habits and Actions of Men are merely their own, and do not commonly inquire into the Causes, and Combinations of Caufes, which concurred to the Production of those Habits. But a very little Confideration will open to us a fpacious and moft extenfive Field, to the Boundaries of which even Thought itself cannot reach: Education, Example, the Notions and Fashions of the Age, are all instrumental in forming our Manners. All these Caufes were introduced to Us, by our Forefathers, and to them by theirs, and fo on backwards from the Beginning; and