must appear, and then our own Con. currence, that is, our Virtue or Vice may be separated from all extraneous Causes, may be seen fimple and naked, and treated with the moft exact Justice.

How this will be effected is abfolutely beyond our prefent Comprehenfion. I fhall only obferve, that the Word of God manifefted in the Flesh, was quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged Sword, piercing even to the dividing afunder of Soul and Spirit, and of the Joints and Marrow, and a Difcerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart. Neither is there any Creature, that is not manifeft in his fight: but all things are naked and opened unto the Eyes of him, with whom we have to do. If the Word of God was thus powerful and piercing to Men in the Body, we may eafily imagine that it will have a greater Influence

Heb. iv. 12, 13.

1 སཡ

in a spiritual Estate, and be exerted with more Power, when we shall be as the Angels, and capable of seeing, even as we are seen.

Again, it is obfervable, that both the Happiness of the Juft, and Torments of the Wicked are faid to proceed from the Prefence of the Lord. Let us attend to St. Paul's Defcription of this Prefence. The Lord Jefus (lays he) shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming Fire, taking Vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Fefus Chrift, who shall be punished with everlasting Destruction from the Prefence of the Lord, and from the Glory of his Power. Now this glorious Appearance of our Lord Jefus Chrift cloathed in Light and Splendor, this powerful Glory may as naturally make manifeft the Counsels of the Hearts, as the Light of the Sun does mateiral Objects:

a Thef. i. 7, 8, 9

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The Power of Glory may poffibly confift in this, and fo may be conceived to be equally a Source of Happiness to good Men, and of Torment to the Wicked, making Discoveries advantageous to the one, and very grievous to the other. The Lovers of Light and Darkness in this Life must be the fame in the next, and will have their suitable Places of Abode affigned to them.

I have now only two Obfervations to make upon what has been said, the first to confirm our Faith of this important Doctrine; the second to influence our Practice.

Upon our first and most remote Enquiry into this Doctrine it appears, that upon a Suppofition that there is no future State of Rewards and Punishments, the Interests of Virtue and Vice are almost intirely unprovided for: And hence it will follow, that there is no Wildom, Goodness, or Juftice

Justice presiding over the whole. The next Step is, that

every Man may do what is right in his own Eyes, and provide for his own Pleasure, just as he thinks fit. This is the Scheme on one fide, and what is embraced now a-days by most Libertines and Villains : Here Pleasure is the only End, and they that serve it beft, (be the Means what they will, be they the Mifery, Ruin and Destruction of Millions) they must be the wifeft Men. When Men love Darknefs rather than Light, because their Deeds are evil, it may be natural enough for fuch Men among the other Errors of Life, to admit these Abfurdities.

On the other hand, Men, whose Ideas of Wisdom, Goodness and Justice are as clear and pofitive, as those of black and white; who are fatisfied that there is a real and effential Difference between Virtue and Vice; Thefe Men know that the Author of Wisdom, Good

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Goodness and Justice in others must have them in himself; and must deal with those, to whom he has imparted them, wifely, goodly and juftly; or elfe he has imparted them in vain, and has them himself in vain; which is in short, not to impart them, or have them at all. For a vain Wisdom, Goodness and Justice are all. If then the Maker of Mankind is a Wife, Good, and Just Being, which is a Point that needs no proving; and if his Wisdom, Goodnefs and Justice do not fully appear in the Distributions of this Life, but there are frequent Appearances to the contrary, what is the Confequence What is reasonably to be expected? Nothing can more obviously, or more certainly be inferr'd, than a future State, and a future Reckoning. These were expected by Mankind before there was any Revelation of them. The Hopes of good, and the Fears of

bad